News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. , , , , . CLEVELAND, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) announced today that Ken Gavrity has been appointed executive vice president and group head of KeyBank's Enterprise Commercial Payments Group. He will be based in Cleveland and report directly to Randy Paine, co-head of Key Corporate Bank. In this role, Mr. Gavrity will oversee the strategy, development and distribution of Key's domestic and international payment and trade service offerings designed for businesses, public entities and financial institutions. Mr. Gavrity has extensive experience in the financial services industry including capital markets research, strategic and operational consulting, and corporate development. Most recently, he served as head of product and innovation, KeyBank Enterprise Commercial Payments. In this role, Ken was responsible for the development of market and product strategies, pricing, strategic partnerships, and intellectual capital across core treasury, commercial card, merchant, FX, and international trade solutions. "The combination of Ken's breadth of experience and proven leadership make him the right person to continue the momentum this business has seen over the last two years," said Mr. Paine. "Ken has been instrumental in developing and driving the strategic priorities from his product and innovation seat, and I'm confident in his ability to lead this organization to continue to deliver best-in-class innovative solutions to help our clients run their businesses better every day." Mr. Gavrity earned his MBA from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University and his BA in Economics from Allegheny College. He also holds a CFA. About KeyCorp KeyCorp was organized more than 160 years ago and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. One of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, Key had assets of approximately $98.4 billion at March 31, 2016. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals and small and mid-sized businesses in 12 states under the name KeyBank National Association. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150323/183721LOGO SOURCE KeyCorp Related Links http://www.key.com NEW YORK, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KPMG's Tax Governance Institute (TGI) will examine the Treasury Department's proposed regulations under Section 385 of the U.S. tax code on related party indebtedness during a live video webcast on Tuesday, May 24, from 11 a.m. to noon (ET). The regulations, if adopted, would have a wide-ranging impact on the operation of corporate groups' internal financing strategies and tax planning. Board and audit committee members, CFOs, tax directors and other business professionals interested in attending the webcast, titled "Section 385 The New Frontier of Tax," can register online here. Devon Bodoh, principal-in-charge of the International Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) group in KPMG's Washington National Tax practice, will moderate the webcast that will include panelists: Robert Stack , deputy assistant secretary for International Tax Affairs, Office of Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury; , deputy assistant secretary for International Tax Affairs, Office of Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Ryan Smith , vice president Global Taxes, VF Corporation; and , vice president Global Taxes, VF Corporation; and Joseph Pari , national principal-in-charge, Washington National Tax, KPMG LLP. The 60-minute panel discussion will delve into the far-reaching proposed regulations, issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury last month, examining their background, potential impact on corporate taxation of intercompany debt, and possible extensive effect on corporate operations. The proposed regulations provide rules for when certain related-party interests in a corporation may be treated, for federal tax purposes, in whole or in part, as stock rather than debt. "The proposed regulations could have a significant effect on the treatment of intercompany debt at both the federal and state tax levels," said KPMG's Pari. "The upcoming TGI webcast will be aimed at helping companies better understand these complicated regulations, cope with the uncertainty they could create on various fronts and prepare to address their possible consequences if finalized." Part of the KPMG Institute Network, the Tax Governance Institute provides opportunities for board members, corporate management, stakeholders, government representatives and others to share knowledge regarding the identification, oversight, management, and appropriate disclosure of tax risk. About KPMG LLP KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm (www.kpmg.com/us), is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"). KPMG International's member firms have 174,000 professionals, including more than 9,000 partners in 155 countries. Contact: Ann Marie Gorden/Robert Nihen KPMG LLP 201-505-6288/201-307-8296 [email protected] / [email protected] SOURCE KPMG LLP Related Links http://www.kpmg.com/us INDIANAPOLIS, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will attend the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on June 2, 2016. John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., Lilly's chairman, president and chief executive officer, will participate in a fireside chat at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time. A live audio webcast will be available on the "Webcasts & Presentations" section of Lilly's investor website at http://investor.lilly.com/events.cfm. A replay of the fireside chat will be available for approximately 90 days. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and newsroom.lilly.com/social-channels. F-LLY Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company Related Links http://www.lilly.com ORANGE, Va., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lohmann Corporation announces the launch of its newest custom adhesive solutionthe DuploMED Soft-Stick Seriesspecifically designed for manufacturers of wound care products. "Patient comfort and safety are primary considerations when wound dressings are being changed," says Steven DeJong, President of Lohmann Corporation. "Soft-Stick advances the capability of manufacturers to create wound care products that can be applied, repositioned, and removed without pain or the risk of damaging fragile skin." The Soft-Stick Series features gamma-sterilization stable, gel-like PSAs with all the advantages of traditional silicone adhesives for pain-free, easy-off adhesionimportant for patients with fragile skin. Soft-Stick is permeable to water vapor, painless, and residue-free. Dressings can be contoured to the wound and sealed around the edges. "Our customers are targeting a lower cost, gel-like alternative to silicone adhesives that still has all their advantages," says Austin Short, Business Development Manager. "In an environment where quality patient care is challenged by rising costs, superior performance has to be achieved, and a lower price point is a win-win for patients and clinicians." Reliable, skin-compatible adhesive systems are indispensable to advanced wound care. When Lohmann conducted research with wound care clinicians, they rated Soft-Stick highly for comfort, pain-free removal, and repositioning. "Caregivers applauded the performance of our Soft-Stick series," says Short. "And manufacturers value the cost savings." Lohmann's bonding engineers have developed a range of custom adhesive solutions, slit rolls of double-sided tapes, and precision die cuts in response to specific customer needs. "The development of Soft-Stick demonstrates the effectiveness of our collaborative approach to product innovation," says DeJong. "Our customers told us what they wanted, and we found a solution." Soft-Stick was a featured product innovation at SAWC Spring 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. www.softstickadhesive.com About Lohmann Corporation Lohmann, a wholly-owned division of Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG, customizes adhesive solutions customized to specific applications. For medical applications, Lohmann low trauma and long-wear adhesive solutions are biocompatible, non-cytotoxic, tolerant to gamma and ETO sterilization, and customizable to a variety of applications for chronic and advanced wound care, including negative pressure wound therapy. Contact: Pam Fitzgerald [email protected] (434) 979-2678 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370943LOGO SOURCE Lohmann Corporation PUNE, India, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Material Handling Equipment Market by Product Type (AGV, ASRS, Automated Crane, Robotic System, Automated Conveyor and Sortation System), System Type, Software and Service, Operation, Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the automated material handling equipment market is estimated to reach USD 44.68 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 7.9% between 2016 and 2022. The factors which are driving the automated material handling equipment market include the increasing demand for automated solutions, technological developments in AMH equipment, growing focus of manufacturers toward ensuring safe working environment in warehouses, and reduction in labor cost through advancement in robotics. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 76 market data tables with 79 figures spread through 187 pages and in-depth TOC on "Material Handling Equipment Market - Global Forecast to 2022" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automated-material-handling-manufacturing-market-92483121.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. "Robotic system expected to lead the automated material handling equipment market between 2016 and 2022" Robotic systems reduce labor cost, help prevent injury to personnel, and provide high return on investment. Moreover, a robot can do the work of four manual laborers, which results in further cost reduction. Manufacturers introducing robots in their production processes have typically seen a significant transformation in their productivity and efficiency with higher levels of output, product quality, and flexibility. "Automotive application expected to hold the largest share of the AMH equipment market during the forecast period" Automated material handling equipment plays a vital role in the automotive industry by improving production processes, lowering labor intensity, and ensuring timely delivery of materials. AMH equipment such as AGVs, ASRSs, automated conveyors, and robotic systems are used to fulfill the manufacturers' and suppliers' requirements related to automated material handling capacity such as Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery of raw material, computerized control of received assembled parts, and tracing shipped articles within the factories and storage places. "APAC expected to be the largest and fastest-growing market for automated material handling equipment between 2016 and 2022" The growth of the AMH equipment market in the APAC region is attributed to the increase in production facilities and the expansion of plants across APAC countries. Furthermore, the higher adoption rate of AMH equipment across automotive, chemical, healthcare, and metal & machinery industries to ensure error-free process is expected to drive the growth of this market. Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=92483121 The major players involved in the automated material handling equipment market include Bastian Solutions, LLC. (U.S.), BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Dematic GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Daifuku Co., Ltd. (Japan), Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (U.S.), Jungheinrich AG (Germany), JBT Corporation (U.S.), KION Group AG (Germany), KUKA AG (Germany), and Toyota Industries Corporation (Japan). Browse Related Reports Automated Guided Vehicle Market by Type (Unit Load Carrier, Tow Vehicle, Pallet Truck, Assembly Line Vehicle), Navigation Technology (Laser, Magnetic, Inductive, Optical Tape), Battery Type, Industry, Application, & Region - Global Forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automated-guided-vehicle-market-27462395.html Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) Market by Type (Unit load Mini load, Shuttle & Carousel), Industry (Automotive, Food & Beverage, Chemical & Pharmaceutical, E-commerce, & Aerospace), Function & Geography - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automated-storage-retrieval-system-market-195267987.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firms in terms of annual published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical info graphics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta City, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India Tel: + 1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets PALO ALTO, Calif., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has announced The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center signed an agreement to acquire six TrueBeam linear accelerators. Scheduled for delivery over the next 24 months, the six TrueBeam systems will be added to the 24 Varian linear accelerators already treating patients at the cancer center. "We have been able to deliver critical cancer treatments to thousands of cancer patients as well as collaborate on strong translational research programs and clinical trial support through Varian's technology," said Steve Hahn, chair, Division of Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. "The additional TrueBeam systems will enable us to make advanced cancer care accessible to even more patients." Varian's TrueBeam system is an advanced medical linear accelerator capable of fast and precise image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery. The system is equipped with a high dose delivery rate that enables most treatments to be completed faster than was possible with earlier generations of radiotherapy technology. It incorporates numerous technical innovations that dynamically synchronize imaging, patient positioning, motion management, and dose delivery during a treatment procedure. TrueBeam has been designed to advance the treatment of lung, breast, intracranial, prostate, head and neck, and other types of cancer. "Varian is proud of its years of working with MD Anderson," said Kolleen Kennedy, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business. "We have worked together to improve the quality and effectiveness of cancer care for patients who come from all over the world for treatment. TrueBeam opens the door to some exciting cutting-edge treatment capabilities that will be made available to patients in coming years." The order for the systems was booked in March during the second quarter of the company's fiscal year 2016. About Varian Medical Systems Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, focuses energy on saving lives by equipping the world with advanced technology for fighting cancer and for X-ray imaging. The company is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiation. The company provides comprehensive solutions for radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is also a premier supplier of X-ray imaging components, including tubes, digital detectors, cables and connectors as well as image processing software and workstations for use in medical and industrial settings, as well as for security and non-destructive testing. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 7,500 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com or follow us on Twitter. Forward Looking Statement Except for historical information, this news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements concerning industry outlook, including growth drivers; the company's future orders, revenues or other financial performance; the ability of the company's technology and products to treat cancer; customer delivery schedules; and any statements using the terms "scheduled," "will," "improve," "opens the door," "coming," or similar statements are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include the demand for the company's products; the company's ability to develop, commercialize, and deploy new and existing products; the impact of competitive products and pricing; the effect of global economic conditions; the company's ability to meet legal and regulatory requirements; changes in the legal or regulatory environment; and the other risks listed from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which by this reference are incorporated herein. The company assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements in this release because of new information, future events, or otherwise. Press Contact Mark Plungy Varian Medical Systems +1 (650) 424-5630 [email protected] SOURCE Varian Medical Systems Related Links http://www.varian.com NASSAU, Bahamas, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mediatrix Capital Inc. announced today that it has released two major system upgrades to its algorithmic trading navigators trading spot Gold, Silver and Currencies. The Precious Metals System now includes spot trading of Gold, Silver, Palladium and Platinum. Mediatrix Capital previously offered investors the opportunity to benefit from trading stand-alone, single pair systems for Spot Gold and Silver. By combining these two systems and adding Palladium and Platinum pairs, the system now has enormous upside potential and an enhanced systematic ability to select signals with the highest possible probability of market directional moves across four precious metal pairs instead of one. Mediatrix Capital has also expanded the capacity of its currency trading algorithms to concurrently trade up to 28 different currency pairs. This system enhancement creates a tremendously diverse field of currency pairs to trade from, which significantly enhances ideal trade selection while reducing the overall equity required for desired results. These systematic enhancements allow investors to achieve stronger than ever returns with less risk. Mediatrix Capital's managed account strategy is based on a sophisticated, proprietary algorithmic approach in the Spot Markets that trade multiple precious metal pairs and currency pairs based on signals that indicate the highest probability of market direction for profitable trades. Statistically, there is a greater probability of achieving maximum profits while using less equity when there are more currency pairs. The algorithmic navigator also employs a very sophisticated strategy that behaves like a hedge when positions don't go as expected, which has contributed to world-class results, consistently since 2013. "The key advantage of having 28 currency pairs to trade concurrently is that our systems can cherry pick the absolute best signals at any given moment and with the highest probability of being profitable. Additionally, we have multiple correlated currency pairs to trade and use as a hedge when a signal or trade doesn't go as designed with specific pairs. The system is always monitoring the correlated currency pairs, and when a trade that is placed goes against its designated direction, it often instantly initiates trades with correlated pairs that are on the right side of the profit column more often while using less equity, thus providing greater security to principal and higher returns," said Mediatrix Capital Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder Michael S. Young. Mediatrix Capital's system upgrades are the result of six years of initial development prior to going live, followed by three years of continual enhancements to their trading systems. In the Spot Market, the firm has historically traded currencies, as well as Gold and Silver with exceptionally strong returns. "Although it is clear that offering 28 currency pairs in any algorithmic trading system presents a superior opportunity, we are equally excited about the combining of Gold, Silver, Palladium and Platinum into a Super System of precious metals trading," said Young. "Our objective and track record is based on a strategy of capital preservation first, followed by profit. With expert systems architecture and exceptional programmed trading rules, our systems will find profits regardless, but it won't find new clients if funds are not first safeguarded." As of May 1, 2016, Mediatrix Capital has completed its 29th straight month of positive client gains. For further information, visit http://www.mediatrixcapital.com or call 1-800-905-1006. Mediatrix Capital is a Belize-registered corporation, and does not operate within the United States. About Mediatrix Capital, Inc. Mediatrix Capital, Inc. provides Managed Account services for an elite clientele seeking to benefit from trading the Foreign Exchange Market. The founding partners of Mediatrix Capital are respected FX Spot and FX OTC Options strategists with a track record of exceptional operations, trade management, technology/algorithm development, risk mitigation, and overall funds management. The firm offers accredited and qualified investors access to one of the finest high rate investment funds available globally with 100% transparency, 100% liquidity and world class, dependable monthly returns that most firms only hope for in any single year's time. Disclaimer In no event should the content of this material be construed as an advertisement, express or an implied promise, guarantee or implication by or from Mediatrix Capital Inc. or any of its partner or subsidiary companies. This is not an attempt to sell or solicit any security and should not be taken as such. The content of this document is for informational purposes only. Potential Accredited Investors are advised to carefully read the Disclosure Documents to determine whether a managed investment in Mediatrix Capital is consistent with their financial situations and investment objectives. Past results are no guarantee of future performance. Mediatrix Capital is a foreign corporation based in Sandyport Bahamas and does not operate within the United States. +1-800-905-1006 Suite 115 Lagoon Court West Bay Street Sandyport, Bahamas http://www.mediatrixcapital.com SOURCE Mediatrix Capital Inc. FAIRFIELD, N.J., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Medimetriks, in collaboration with Otsuka, announces the successful completion of a Phase 2 trial of MM36 (previously known as OPA-15406) in Atopic Dermatitis (AD) MM36 is a topical phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor under development for the treatment of AD Results showed a therapeutic benefit as measured by percentage change in EASI score and improvement in IGA score MM36 is expected to be the 2nd topical PDE4 inhibitor available in the US and may offer unique benefits for patients suffering from AD Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announces the publication of Phase 2 results for MM36 (previously referred to as OPA-15406), a novel topical non-steroidal phosphodiesterase IV (PDE4) inhibitor for the treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. The successful results of the Phase 2 trial of MM36 have been published by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), the leading peer-reviewed journal in dermatology. The randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study in 121 patients showed that MM36 demonstrates a statistically significant effect on the primary endpoints versus vehicle as measured by improvement in IGA score (Investigators Global Assessment) and percentage change in EASI score (Eczema Area and Severity Index). The mean percentage improvement in baseline EASI score was notable very early at week 1 (31.4% vs. 6% for vehicle; p=.0005) and at week 2 (39.0% vs. 3% for vehicle; p=.0001). These effects were sustained through week 8 of the study. MM36 was also associated with improvement in patient-reported outcomes, most notably rapid and sustained itch relief, with Visual Analog Scale scores showing improvement from moderate to mild within the first week (36.4% mean change; p=.0011). MM36, a PDE4 inhibitor, reduces inflammation in affected skin by inhibiting production of cytokines and chemical mediators that are believed to cause the signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis. In particular, MM36 exhibits highly selective inhibitory activity against PDE4 subtype B, an enzyme that may play a significant role in inflammation. MM36 is expected to be the 2nd topical PDE4 inhibitor in the market after the potential approval of Anacor Pharmaceuticals' crisaborole product. "The results of the Phase 2 study suggest that MM36 represents a potentially safe, effective and well-tolerated non-steroidal treatment for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis," said Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of clinical research, Department of Dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital and co-author of the article. "Based on the results of this study, it appears that MM36 could address an important unmet need in dermatology." "We are pleased that JAAD, the most respected peer-reviewed journal in dermatology, published the Phase 2 results," said Bradley Glassman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medimetriks. "We believe these Phase 2 results demonstrate compelling evidence of MM36's capacity to be a leading topical PDE4 inhibitor and are aggressively developing MM36 for atopic dermatitis in the US. Atopic Dermatitis patients have few treatment options and Medimetriks is dedicated to addressing this important unmet need." The JAAD article discussing the Phase 2 results can be found by visiting www.jaad.org. About Atopic Dermatitis Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by red, swollen and cracked skin with intense itching. The onset of AD occurs most commonly between 3 and 6 months of age, with approximately 60% of patients developing the condition in the first year of life and 90% by 5 years of age. The majority of affected individuals have resolution of disease during childhood, although 10% to 30% of patients maintain the condition throughout their lives. A small percentage of the population develops first symptoms as adults. It has been estimated that approximately 18 million people are living with AD in the U.S. and this disease accounts for up to 20% of patient visits to dermatology offices. Current treatments for atopic dermatitis include topical corticosteroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors. Topical steroids are typically used as first line therapies and are effective anti-inflammatory agents. However, topical steroids may be associated with local and systemic side effects when used for extended periods of time, including skin atrophy, acne and telangiectasias locally, and HPA axis suppression systemically. Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) are recommended as second-line treatment for people with atopic dermatitis who are at risk of steroid-related side effects. TCIs carry boxed warnings about a possible association with skin malignancies and lymphoma, although studies have not demonstrated a clear link. Their use can be limited by local adverse reactions such as burning and stinging. About MM36 Medimetriks has sole, exclusive US rights to MM36. Discovered by Otsuka, MM36 is an investigational non-steroidal topical anti-inflammatory PDE-4 inhibitor in development for the potential treatment of atopic dermatitis. MM36 is hypothesized to exert anti-inflammatory action by inhibiting the production of cytokines and chemical mediators thought to cause the signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis. In particular, MM36 exhibits highly selective inhibitory activity against PDE4 subtype B, which is an enzyme that may play a significant role in inflammation. About Otsuka Otsuka Pharmaceutical is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: "Otsuka people creating new products for better health worldwide." Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures and markets innovative and original products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products for the treatment of diseases and nutraceutical products for the maintenance of everyday health. In pharmaceuticals, Otsuka is a leader in the challenging area of mental health and also has research programs on several under-addressed diseases including tuberculosis, a significant global public health issue. These commitments illustrate how Otsuka is a "big venture" company at heart, applying a youthful spirit of creativity in everything it does. Otsuka Pharmaceutical, which employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., the holding company for the Otsuka Group that is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka Group has business operations in 28 countries and regions around the world, with consolidated sales of approximately USD 11.9 billion in fiscal year 2015. Otsuka welcomes you to visit its global website at https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en. About Medimetriks Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a leading independent branded Dermatology company focused on the development, licensing and commercialization of innovative prescription skincare brands. The Company is dedicated to addressing unmet physician and patient needs with unique therapies that advance patient care. For more information, please visit: www.medimetriks.com Media Contact: David Addis Senior Vice President, Brand Communication Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [email protected] +1 973 882 7512, extension 569 SOURCE Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Related Links http://www.medimetriks.com LIMASSOL, Cyprus, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MetaQuotes Software Corp. will demonstrate the latest version of its multi-asset MetaTrader 5 platform at the iFX EXPO 2016 exhibition. The event is to be held on May 24-26 at the Palais de Sports in Limassol, Cyprus. MetaQuotes Software Corp. will demonstrate the latest version of MetaTrader 5 at the iFX EXPO 2016 (PRNewsFoto/MetaQuotes Software Corp) MetaQuotes Software Logo (PRNewsFoto/MetaQuotes Software Corp.) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140424/683323 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370207 ) The official release of the updated MetaTrader 5 platform with the hedging option has created quite a stir among brokers. Many companies want to learn more about the new opportunities provided by the updated platform. Participation in the largest international event, which brings together over 2,500 representatives of the financial industry, is an excellent occasion for MetaQuotes to present the new features of MetaTrader 5 to all attendee brokers. In their 'MetaTrader 5 Product Tour' presentation, the company's specialists will showcase the new features of the MetaTrader 5 trading platform and the latest updates in its built-in services. The presentation will additionally demonstrate the advantages of the 5th generation platform comparing to MetaTrader 4, its enhanced trading capabilities for the retail, institutional and exchange markets, as well as the MetaTrader 5 Mobile Platforms for iOS and Android devices. During the event, the company will make the first exclusive public presentation of the MetaTrader 5 Web Platform. The web version also supports the hedging option, which enables traders to open multiple positions of the same financial instrument straight from the web browser. "We have updated and improved the entire MetaTrader 5 product line, and we will present it at the iFX EXPO 2016," said Renat Fatkhullin, CEO of MetaQuotes Software Corp. "The MetaTrader 5 desktop and mobile platforms, as well as its web version, now support the widely demanded hedging option. During the exhibition, we will showcase the key advantages of the MetaTrader 5 platform and will demonstrate how one multi-asset platform can help you offer the most technologically advanced brokerage services in any financial market. Every Forex and Exchange trader can access all the necessary tools for comfortable trading from one MetaTrader 5 platform." About MetaQuotes Software Corp. Established in 2000, MetaQuotes Software Corp. has been developing trading platforms for financial markets under the MetaTrader trademark. The organization is internationally known as a leader in the financial software market. MetaTrader trading platforms are currently offered by hundreds brokerage companies and banks all over the world. The new MetaTrader 5 multi-asset platform provides features for trading both in Forex and in exchange markets. http://www.metaquotes.net About MetaTrader 5 The MetaTrader 5 platform provides high performance and scalability in organizing financial trading in various markets (Forex, stocks, futures, and options for institutional and retail brokers). The platform is available through trading applications for Windows, iOS and Android devices. It also offers integration solutions and API for connecting to global exchanges and liquidity providers. http://www.metatrader5.com SOURCE MetaQuotes Software Corp. "As Miami Beach has become more of a diverse and sophisticated city, we've really upped our cultural game," says Peggy Benua, Chair, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). "It's no coincidence that the international art fair, Art Basel has chosen the city as its home for the past twelve years. We have a population of full and part-time residents as well as visitors who are smart, urbane and cultured and take advantage of all the city has to offer." The city has had a long time commitment to art. For instance, since 1984, Miami Beach has commissioned public artwork through the Art in Public Spaces Program, working with world-renowned artists to enrich public spaces and to promote understanding and awareness of visual arts. This month, residents and visitors can view public art pieces but additionally, museums around the city are offering unique exhibits and making it easy to enjoy them with "Buy One Admission and Get One Admission Free" deals at every location. Visitors will be able to see the MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, 1763-Present exhibit at the Jewish Museum which includes photos and artifacts depicting the Florida Jewish experience since 1763; or check out the Bass Museum's bassX program at the Miami Beach Regional Library. Emmett Moore's Human Factory is on display creating a trio of sculptures that challenge and call attention to the human body's relation to designed forms. "Miami Beach has made a quantum leap from just a beach town to a diverse metropolis that can hold its own culturally with cities twice its size. But we may be the only city where you can go from the beach to the Bass (museum) in the same day; it's all part of the unique Miami Beach experience," notes Grisette Roque, Executive Director, MBVCA. Visitors and locals can take full advantage of Museum Month. Museums are offering a "Buy One Admission and Get One Admission Free" deal. There are a wide variety to choose from: Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU It's Jewish American Heritage Month! The JMOF-FIU opened in 1936 and since 2007 is comprised of two adjacent, restored former synagogues with a bistro. The core exhibit, MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, 1763-Present, includes photos and artifacts depicting the Florida Jewish experience since 1763. During May, the museum hosts two temporary exhibits: Cinema Judaica: The Epic Cycle (1947-71) and Susan Miller: Testament in Stone. Art Deco Museum Opening in 2014, this museum is the newest addition to an illustrious art scene on the Beach. The museum allows locals and visitors to better understand and appreciate the architectural heritage, community and culture of Miami Beach. During May, the temporary exhibit, A Walk Down Memory Lane: South Beach Photos from the Late 1970s to Early 1980s shares the work done by three FIU students during this bygone era in South Beach's history. Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach The thought-provoking memorial designed by Kenneth Treister F.A.I.A. is a tribute to the six million Jewish victims during WWII. The monument includes a tunnel-like passage chronicling images of the death camps and names of the victims. Guided tours including a 22-minute documentary are available upon request. Bass Museum of Art In 1963, the museum was founded when the City of Miami Beach accepted a collection of Renaissance and Baroque works of art from collectors John and Johanna Bass. In June 2015, the museum began an internal expansion with iconic architect Arata Isozaki and David Gauld. The museum reopening is planned for Fall 2016. During the expansion, the museum has launched a series of exhibitions, events and programs called bassX in the Miami Beach Regional Library, which is directly across the street from the museum at 227 22nd Street, Miami Beach. In May, Emmett Moore's Human Factory is on display creating a trio of sculptures that challenge and call attention to the human body's relation to designed forms. The Wolfsonian-FIU Located in the heart of the Art Deco District, the museum showcases American and European decorative and fine arts produced between 1885 and 1945 offering a thought-provoking journey through the modern age. In May, the museum includes two temporary exhibits, An Artist on the Eastern Front: Feliks Topolski and Promising Paradise: Cuban Allure, American Seduction. About Miami Beach Recently awarded first place in the 2016 edition of the Travvy Awards, presented by travAlliancemedia in the category of "Best Wedding Destination, U.S. & Canada" and a winner in the 2014 and 2015 Magellan Awards by Travel Weekly in the categories of "Destinations | Mobile App" and "Overall Spa Destinations| U.S and Canada" respectively, Miami Beach is a favorite destination among travelers worldwide. Renowned for its unparalleled culinary offerings, extravagant nightlife, rich culture, luxe shopping and plush hotels, Miami Beach is home to unique museums, the New World Symphony, Miami City Ballet, Miami Beach Convention Center, international festivals and art exhibitions, boat and auto shows, over 187 boutique and resort hotels and 12 public parks; it is no wonder the beautifully diverse city is one of the world's most popular vacation destinations. Boasting seven miles of breathtaking beaches, Miami Beach is easily accessible from the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport. The City of Miami Beach has been named one of the top cities worldwide for 'walkability' and is equally easy to navigate by bike or boat. Known for its year-round sunny skies, the vibrant destination not only produces its own branded sun care line, MB Miami Beach Suncare, but has been ranked by TripAdvisor as number one in 2011's Top Winter Sun Vacation Rental Getaway Destinations and was also part of Top 25 Beaches in the World and Top 25 Destinations in the U.S.. Miami Beach is like no other place in the world! Visit MiamiBeachGuest.com for more information. You may also contact Grisette Roque at [email protected]. Photo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370710 Logo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150720/238565LOGO SOURCE Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority WASHINGTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will host its second annual Smithsonian Food History Weekend, a celebration and exploration of American food history, Oct. 2729. To connect with the museum's 2016 theme of America Participates, a yearlong investigation of how Americans contribute to their democracy, the weekend will look at "Politics on Your Plate" and the relationship between food, politics and people. The Smithsonian Food History Weekend is a cornerstone of the museum's Smithsonian Food History Project. Food is a shared human experience that instantly connects personal, family and national memories. The museum brings food history and related topics to the nation through its exhibitions, research and collecting, online offerings and public programs. Every fall, the Smithsonian Food History Weekend brings together culinary leaders, researchers, practitioners and scholars to inspire visitors with demonstrations, hands-on learning opportunities, tastings, talks and more. Participants for the 2016 weekend include Jane and Michael Stern, Jane and Michael Stern, award-winning authors best known for their book Roadfood and its companion website; cookbook author Dorie Greenspan; and Alex Prud'homme, co-author with Julia Child of My Life in France and author of The French Chef in America, to be published October 2016. "Through programming that showcases museum collections and invites people to participate in conversations, cooking demonstrations and other activities, the Smithsonian Food History Weekend will help visitors understand how individuals and groups have played a role in shaping the history and future of their communitiesand Americathrough food," said John Gray, director of the museum. The weekend is made up of five distinct events over the course of three days: The Smithsonian Food History Gala, Thursday, Oct. 27, is a seated dinner and fundraiser for the museum's food history programming. The evening features the presentation of the Julia Child Award, an annual honor given out by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, which recognizes an individual who has made a profound and significant difference in the way America cooks, eats and drinks. The foundation today announced Chef Rick Bayless as the recipient of the second annual Julia Child Award. In 2015, at the inaugural gala, the award was presented to Jacques Pepin. Individual tickets and table sponsorships for the gala can be purchased online beginning today at http://s.si.edu/FoodGala. The Food History Roundtables, Friday, Oct. 28, presents a day of discussions that are free and open to the public, featuring leading researchers, practitioners and thinkers discussing big issues around food and politics in America. Dine Out for Smithsonian Food History, Friday, Oct. 28, is an experience throughout greater Washington, D.C., featuring a special plate at select restaurants inspired by the themes of the weekend. The Food History Festival, Saturday, Oct. 29, is a full day of free activities for visitors of all ages, including live cooking demonstrations, hands-on learning, curator-guided tours and rarely exhibited museum objects on display. Red, White, and Brewed: After Hours at the Food History Weekend, Saturday, Oct. 29, is a ticketed evening program that will explore the relationship between America's craft breweries, their communities and American history. The full program and list of participants for the weekend will be available later this summer at http://s.si.edu/FoodHistoryWknd. The Smithsonian Food History Weekend Gala is made possible in part by the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. Weekend programming is also supported in part by John Deere. The museum is seeking additional sponsors for the gala and the Food History Weekend. For a list of sponsorship opportunities, visit http://s.si.edu/FoodGala. The National Museum of American History is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W., and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian Food History Project, exhibitions and programs, visit http://s.si.edu/FoodHistory. Admission is free. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000. Media website: http://americanhistory.si.edu/press SOURCE Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Related Links http://americanhistory.si.edu/ TAMPA, Fla., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., the world's premier fondue restaurant and a leading polished casual dining franchise, today announced the brand was recognized as the No. 2 casual dining restaurant in Nation's Restaurant News' 2016 Consumer Picks Report. "At the end of the day, what matters most to us is what our guests think of our overall brand, and this latest ranking is a testament to how much we value our customers and their feedback," said President of The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., Mike Lester. "It's a huge honor to be recognized as the No. 2 casual dining restaurant chain. As we look to the future, we'll continue to focus on offering craveable and unique seasonal menu items to keep our ever-growing customer base coming back for more." The NRN Consumer Picks report measures consumer perceptions of restaurant brands in four dining categories. Nation's Restaurants News, in conjunction with research company WD Partners, surveyed more than 37,000 people to score the brands on factors such as service, food quality and atmosphere. The participants' responses were used to create an overall score to produce the final ranking. Amongst the casual dining brands, The Melting Pot ranked No. 1 in service and atmosphere and No. 2 in food quality, menu variety, reputation, craveability, and likely to recommend. "It's an exciting time to be a part of The Melting Pot, especially as we plan to grow our award-winning brand on a domestic and international level," said Dan Stone, chief business & people development officer at Front Burner. "The brand has received several awards and recognition over the past few years and there has never been a better time to join the brand. With little to no competition in the fondue market segment, The Melting Pot's unique dining experience truly resonates well with guests across the country." In order to fuel growth, the company is actively seeking qualified franchisees at the International Franchise Expo (Booth No. 227) in New York City from June 16-18 at The Javits Center. New York City is one of a number of select markets throughout the U.S. where the company is looking to recruit qualified new franchisees. Domestically, the company is seeking new franchisees in select markets, including Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; South Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Des Moines, Iowa; Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York; and Charleston, South Carolina. On the international front, The Melting Pot is focusing its expansion efforts in target markets across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The Melting Pot operates 125 restaurants across 35 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, and has over 10 locations in development internationally. The concept is known for offering an assortment of flavorful fondue cooking styles and a variety of unique entrees served with signature dipping sauces. The menu features a variety of a la carte selections, highlighting customizable options that invite guests to enjoy one, two, three or more courses as they select any combination of individually-priced cheese fondues, salads, entrees and chocolate fondues. To learn more about ownership opportunities with The Melting Pot, contact Christina Hobbs, director of franchise development for The Melting Pot, at [email protected], or call 800-783-0867 ext. 109. About The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. Founded in 1975, The Melting Pot has offered a unique fondue dining experience for more than 40 years. As the premier fondue restaurant franchise, The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. has more than 125 restaurants in 35 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and over 10 international locations in development. A leading polished casual dining franchise, The Melting Pot was recognized as the No. 2 casual dining restaurant in the Nation's Restaurant News 2016 Consumer Picks report. Known for offering a choice of fondue cooking styles and a variety of unique entrees, The Melting Pot's menu also features cheese fondues, salads, fine wines and chocolate fondue desserts. Fondue fans can join The Melting Pot's Club Fondue for exclusive promotions, special events and advance holiday reservation privileges. The Melting Pot is an affiliate of Front Burner, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. For more information, visit www.meltingpot.com. To learn more about franchise opportunities with The Melting Pot, please visit www.meltingpotfranchise.com. About Front Burner Front Burner is a franchise management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. It is affiliated with the corporate owners of and its management services extended to The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., founded in 1975 with 125 restaurants in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and 10 locations currently in development internationally. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com. CONTACT: Sloane Fistel Fish Consulting (954) 893-9150 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140319/NY84542LOGO SOURCE The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. Related Links http://www.meltingpot.com "Attracting the team of Dr. Wilson and Dr. Mardis to lead our genomics program is one of the most significant scientific recruitments in this organization's history," said Steve Allen, M.D., Nationwide Children's CEO. "Their leadership, combined with our existing expertise, will establish Nationwide Children's Hospital as the nation's pre-eminent genomic medicine program. The Nationwide Foundation's visionary support has uniquely positioned Nationwide Children's to assume a leadership role in this new era of genomic-based medicine." The Nationwide Foundation has contributed $80 million to Nationwide Children's since 2006, including $30 million to the Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund since 2014. The Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund is designed to accelerate the most promising pediatric research and clinical discoveries at Nationwide Children's Hospital. A significant portion of the funding was set aside to attract a pre-eminent genomics team to Nationwide Children's to accelerate the momentum of the organization's already robust program. "Nationwide and the Nationwide Foundation have a long-held commitment to children's well-being, and we're proud of our six decades of philanthropic support for Nationwide Children's Hospital," said Nationwide Chief Executive Officer Steve Rasmussen. "The work being done through the Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund supports our shared vision of providing the best possible outcomes for children everywhere. We support this effort because we know that what is happening at Nationwide Children's Hospital will change the future of medicine, not only for families in central Ohio, but for people all over the world." Drs. Wilson and Mardis have led the McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University since its inception as one of only four genomics centers funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute. In 2008, their team became the first to use new DNA sequencing technology to compare the tumor DNA of a cancer patient with that same patient's normal tissue DNA, demonstrating that genetic differences between tumor and normal gene sequences could identify mutations driving cancer growth. This foundational work has resulted in an international effort to decode cancer genomes and unlock their secrets to improve treatments and outcomes. Their team also was involved with the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, which seeks to sequence the genomes of more than 750 children with some of the most devastating cancers. Their work has already led to a number of key findings including changing the course of therapy for a deadly form of leukemia, uncovering a drug target in a form of eye cancer, and performing the first clinical trial of personalized vaccines for melanoma patients. Collectively, they have played key roles in many of the most notable federally funded genomics research initiatives, including the Human Genome Project, The Cancer Genome Atlas, the Human Microbiome Project and the 1,000 Genomes Project. Dr. Wilson was named the world's most cited researcher in 2013 by Thomson Reuters' ScienceWatch with 15 significantly cited papers. Among numerous honors, awards and notable positions, he is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a member of the International Cancer Genomics Consortium and recently co-chaired the executive committee for The Cancer Genome Atlas of the National Cancer Institute, where he remains a member of the Steering Committee. Dr. Mardis is an internationally recognized expert in cancer genomics who will receive the 2016 Morton K. Schwartz award from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. She also was included on the 2013 Thomson Reuters' list of most cited researchers, one of only two women listed. Among her several prominent roles, Dr. Mardis is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Association for Cancer Research and a member of the Supervisory Board of Qiagen N.V. She is editor-in-chief of Molecular Case Studies and an associate editor of Molecular Cancer Research, Disease Models and Mechanisms and Annals of Oncology. In 2013 she was featured in Discover magazine's "The Year in Science." Along with this latest recruitment, the Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund has significantly impacted Nationwide Children's genomics program including the purchase of next-generation equipment that allows for expanded sequencing and analyzing of the human genome. The equipment makes the process faster and more accurate, leading to better capabilities for use in the diagnosis and treatment of child health disorders. The timing of today's announcement coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Nationwide Foundation's $50 million commitment to Nationwide Children's. At the time, it was the largest gift ever made in Central Ohio, supporting multiple clinical and research priorities including cardiology, neonatology and injury prevention. The 10-year commitment helped support the hospital in recruiting world-renowned talent, expanding its main campus and dedicating a third building to research. About The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital Ranked 9th of only 12 children's hospitals on U.S. News & World Report's 2015-16 "America's Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll," Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the nation's largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare networks providing care for infants, children and adolescents as well as adult patients with congenital disease. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's faculty train the next generation of pediatricians, scientists and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities in the U.S., supporting basic, clinical, translational and health services research at Nationwide Children's. The Research Institute encompasses three research facilities totaling 525,000 square feet dedicated to research. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org/Research. The Nationwide Foundation The Nationwide Foundation is a nonprofit, private foundation to which Nationwide companies are the donors. Founded in 1959, the Nationwide Foundation has committed more than $355 million since 2000 to help nonprofit organizations in communities where Nationwide associates and their families live and work. Just as Nationwide supports its customers in their moment of need, both Nationwide and the Nationwide Foundation's involvement in its home communities is focused on supporting organizations that help people facing critical or immediate need. About Nationwide Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, commercial, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; banking and mortgages; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side, and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Contact: NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Media Relations (614) 355-0495 [email protected] NATIONWIDE FOUNDATION Joe Case (614) 249-6353 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160519/370080LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160519/370079LOGO SOURCE Nationwide Related Links http://www.nationwide.com SHANGHAI, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that its Honeywell UOP business broke ground on a new manufacturing capacity outside Shanghai to produce materials used to convert methanol from coal into feedstocks for making plastics, a significant milestone to enable China to meet the growing demand for plastics. When it enters production in 2017, the catalyst production line in Zhangjiagang City in Jiangsu Province will produce state-of-the-art catalysts used in Honeywell UOP's Advanced Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process technology. Honeywell UOP developed the MTO process to convert methanol, which can readily be produced from coal or natural gas, into the olefins ethylene and propylene that are the primary chemicals used to manufacture plastics. The heart of the MTO process is a proprietary catalyst that facilitates the conversion of methanol into olefins. "MTO is an innovative, proven technology that enables countries such as China that are rich in coal, but which have had to import petroleum, to make plastics," said Rajeev Gautam, president and CEO of Honeywell's Performance Materials and Technologies business group. "Honeywell UOP has licensed eight MTO units in China in just the last three years, and this new facility will allow us for the first time to fully manufacture MTO catalysts in China for our Chinese customers." In 2011, Wison Clean Energy Company became the first company to license the Honeywell UOP MTO process, which entered commercial production in 2013. Since that time, seven other companies concluded MTO licensing agreements with Honeywell UOP. The most recent of these was Luxi Chemical Group last December. While global demand for ethylene and propylene is growing by 4 to 5 percent per year, China is expected to invest more than $100 billion in coal-to-chemicals technology by 2020. This would reduce China's dependence on imported oil for the manufacture of plastic resins, films and fibers that are used to make millions of different products. "The Zhangjiagang facility makes it possible for Chinese manufacturers to meet the growing demand for petrochemicals with Honeywell UOP technology," said Rebecca Liebert, president and CEO of Honeywell UOP. "In addition, the operations use local raw materials, supporting economic development in Jiangsu Province, and incorporate zero-discharge wastewater treatment." Honeywell's facility in Zhangjiagang opened in 2015. It produces other types of catalysts that are used in Honeywell UOP's Oleflex process, which converts propane into propylene, and in continuous catalyst regeneration (CCR) Platforming, which is used to produce high-octane gasoline. Over the past five years, Honeywell UOP has licensed its Oleflex technology to 30 producers globally, including 23 in China. The Zhangjiagang facility is located in a modern industrial park about 85 miles northwest of Shanghai. In addition to Oleflex and MTO catalysts, the site produces adsorbent materials used in refining and petrochemical production and natural gas processing. Honeywell also is planning production of materials for other fast-growing technologies at the site. Honeywell UOP has an 80-year history in China, beginning in 1937 when it built one of China's first refineries in Yumen. It was one of the first American companies invited back to China during the 1970s, to help modernize the Chinese petroleum industry. More recently, Honeywell UOP hydroprocessing and Platforming technology has helped China develop cleaner-burning transportation fuels to combat air pollution. Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) is a global leader in developing advanced materials, oil and gas processing technologies and industrial automation solutions. PMT's Advanced Materials businesses manufacture a variety of high-performance products, including environmentally friendlier refrigerants and materials used to manufacture products such as bullet-resistant armor, nylon, computer chips and pharmaceutical packaging. Process technologies and equipment from PMT's Honeywell UOP business (www.uop.com) are the foundation for the world's oil and gas industry, efficiently producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, natural gas and renewable fuels. PMT's Process Solutions business (www.honeywellprocess.com) is a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, industrial power generation, chemicals and petrochemicals, biofuels, life sciences, and metals, minerals and mining industries. Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com. This release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE Honeywell Related Links http://www.uop.com LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarifying Vision - Prospects and Developments in Ophthalmic Surgical Devices, Diagnostics and Monitoring, and Vision Care What can be expected from the Ophthalmic Devices Market? Which areas are going to grow at the fastest rates? This visiongain report shows you potential revenues to 2026, assessing data, trends, opportunities and prospects. Our 190-page report provides 124 tables, charts, and graphs. Discover the most lucrative areas in the industry and the future market prospects. Our new study lets you assess forecasted sales across the all the major categories of the ophthalmic devices market. You will see financial results, trends, opportunities, and revenue predictions. There is much opportunity in this fast moving market. Forecasts from 2016-2026 and other analyses show you commercial prospects Besides revenue forecasting to 2026, our new study provides you with recent results, growth rates, and market shares. Discover qualitative analyses (including SWOT and Porter's Five Forces analysis) and commercial developments. See revenue forecasts for the leading submarkets How will submarkets perform to 2026? Our study forecasts revenues in the following Ophthalmic Devices submarkets: Surgical Devices Diagnostics and Monitoring Devices Vision Care See detailed profiles or revenue forecasts for some the leading products in the market How will leading devices perform to 2026? Our study provides detailed profiles or forecasts revenues for a number of devices and product segments in the ophthalmic devices market including: Intraocular Lenses Ophthalmic Lasers Ophthalmic Viscoelastic Devices Phacoemulsification Devices Daily Disposable Contact Lenses Autrorefractors/Keratometers OCT Machines Fundus Cameras Slit Lamps To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected] See revenue forecasts for the leading national markets How will leading national and regional markets perform to 2026? Our study forecasts revenues in national markets including products, including: US EU5 - Germany, UK, France, Italy and Spain China Japan India Russia Brazil South Korea Leading companies and potential for market growth Visiongain forecasts overall revenue for the Ophthalmic Devices Market will reach $22.84bn in 2020. We predict a high revenue growth over the forecast period driven by an aging population, with a higher incidence of diabetes resulting in related ocular complications, rapid growth of emerging economies and emerging devices technologies. Our work analyses the key companies in the market. See visiongain's analysis of ten leading companies, including these: Alcon Abbott Medical Optics (AMO) Bausch and Lomb (B&L) Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Nidek Hoya STAAR Carl Zeiss AG Meditec TopCon Haag-Streit Holding AG A company profile gives you the following information where available: Discussion of a company's activities and outlook Historic revenue, analysis and discussion of company performance Analysis of major products currently on the market Acquisitions and strategic partnerships Discover capabilities, progress, and commercial prospects, helping you stay ahead. What issues will affect the ophthalmic devices industry? Our new report discusses issues and events affecting the ophthalmic devices market. You will find discussions, including qualitative analyses: Highly consolidated and competitive market with significant variations in different geographic regions Changing political and regulatory landscape changing the prospects of future products and reimbursement opportunities Future paradigm-shifting pipeline products You will see discussions of technological, commercial, and economic matters, with emphasis on the competitive landscape and business outlooks. How the OphthalmicDevices Market Forecast 2016-2026: Clarifying Vision - Prospects and Developments in Ophthalmic Surgical Devices, Diagnostics and Monitoring, and Vision Carereport helps you In summary, our 190-page report gives you the following knowledge: Revenue forecasts to 2026 for the Ophthalmic Devices market - discover the industry's prospects, finding promising places for investments and revenues Revenue forecasts to 2026 for each major submarket - discover prospects for leading ophthalmic devices in the following areas: surgical devices, vision care, and diagnostics and monitoring devices. Detailed profiles or revenue forecasts to 2026 for 9 of the leading product areas in the ophthalmic devices market - discover prospects for leading ophthalmic devices products: Intraocular Lenses, Ophthalmic Laser, Ophthalmic Viscoelastic Devices, Phacoemulsification Devices, Daily Disposable Contact Lenses, Autorefractor/Keratometers, OCT Machines, Fundus Cameras, and Slit Lamps. Revenue forecasts to 2026 for twelve leading national market and one leading regional markets - US, EU5, China, Japan, India, Russia, Brazil, and South Korea. Assessment of ten leading companies - analysis of products, revenue, mergers & acquisitions, product type and product pipelines Discussion of what stimulates and restrains companies and the market Prospects for established firms and those seeking to enter the market You will find quantitative and qualitative analyses with independent predictions. You will receive information that only our report contains, staying informed with this invaluable business intelligence. Information found nowhere else With our survey you are less likely to fall behind in knowledge or miss opportunities. See how you could benefit your research, analyses, and decisions. Also see how you can save time and receive recognition for commercial insight. Visiongain's study is for everybody needing commercial analyses for the ophthalmic devices market and leading companies. You will find data, trends and predictions. Please order our report now To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected] To request an exec summary of this report please email Sara Peerun at [email protected] or call Tel: +44 (0) 20 7336 6100 Or click on https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1640/Ophthalmic-Devices-Market-Forecast-2016-2026 Companies Mentioned in this Report Abbott Medical Optics, Inc. Alcon (Novartis International AG) Alimera Sciences, Inc. Allergan/Actavis PLC Aquesys, Inc. Bausch and Lomb (Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.) Calhoun Vision, Inc. Canon, Inc. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG CooperVision Essilor International S.A. Forus Health Pvt. Ltd. Genentech, Inc. Glaukos Corporation Google, Inc. Heidelberg Engineering GmbH Hoya Corporation InSight Ivantis, Inc. Johnson & Johnson LENSAR, Inc. Marco Medennium, Inc. NeoMedix Corporation Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Nidek Co., LTD. Nikon Corporation Novartis International AG NuLens Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. Optovue, Inc. Oraya Therapeutics International, Inc. OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. PowerVision, Inc. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Seiko Epson Corporation Sensimed SA Shanghai Weicon Optics Co., LTD. STAAR Surgical Co. Taiwan Liposome Company Ltd. USPSTF) To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected] SOURCE Visiongain Ltd OAKLAND, Calif., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 16, 2016 Oro East Mining, Inc. (OROE) (the "Company") joined in a commercial venture with Hang Zhou Ci Xiao Tang Technology Co. Ltd. ("Hang Zhou Tech"), a corporation registered with the People's Republic of China to form Magnique, LLC ("Magnique"), a private California registered limited liability company. Hang Zhou Tech and the Company entered into a Joint Venture Agreement on May 16, 2016 to memorialize the collaboration. Hang Zhou Tech would take 70% equitable interest while the Company would take 30%. Magnique is a manufacturer and distributor of home care and beauty products that utilize minerals as part of traditional Chinese holistic health practices. The Company intends to provide the minerals for Magnique's product development while Hang Zhou Tech will oversee management and operations. Chief Executive Officer Tian Chen said about the collaboration, "It is a new direction for Oro East, but I'm glad we are able to approach our business model with a broad vision and see all the many creative opportunities availed to us when it comes to natural minerals. Hang Zhou Tech has an incredible reputation in the East and it's an optimal time now for them to make their mark in the West through this joint collaboration with Magnique." To learn more about Oro East Mining, Inc., please visit the company website at http://www.oroeast.com. Telephone: (510) 638-5000 E-mail: [email protected] Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements that may 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 Oro East'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 Oro East on the date of the release, and Oro East 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 8-K or 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission. SOURCE Oro East Mining, Inc. Related Links http://www.oroeast.com NEW YORK, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Western Uranium Corp (CSE: WUC; OTCQX: WSTRF), a uranium company focused on production in the Western United States, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Western Uranium upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market. Western Uranium Corp begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "WSTRF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. "We are pleased to welcome Western Uranium Corp to our family of established, investor-focused OTCQX companies," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "Trading on OTCQX will allow Western Uranium to expand its shareholder base and visibility in the North American markets while providing U.S. investors a convenient method to trade its securities and access the company's news and financial disclosure. We look forward to being part of Western Uranium's continued growth and success." George Glasier, President & CEO of Western commented: "We are very pleased for the opportunity to trade on OTCQX and see this as an important step towards increasing shareholder liquidity and investor visibility for our Company. Western is experiencing an exciting transformation as it advances into production and we feel that the OTCQX market will improve the quality and availability of information to the investment community." SecuritiesLawUSA, PC serves as Western Uranium's OTCQX Advisor, responsible for providing professional guidance on OTCQX requirements. Western Uranium Corporation is a Colorado-based uranium company focused on near-term production of uranium and vanadium in the Western United States. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market, and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com OTC Link ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110118/MM31963LOGO SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. Related Links http://www.otcmarkets.com OXFORD, England, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxitec CEO Hadyn Parry will testify on Wednesday, May 25th at 10:15 a.m. ET before the United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology about the role genetically engineered mosquitos can play in controlling the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known carrier of the Zika virus. OXITEC Logo (PRNewsFoto/Oxitec) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150630/227348 ) Oxitec has pioneered a genetically engineered male mosquito with a self-limiting gene. Trials in Brazil, Panama and the Cayman Islands have demonstrated that Oxitec's technology produces an unparalleled reduction in the population of the dangerous Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Food & Drug Administration recently concluded a public comment period after issuing a preliminary finding of no significant impact in support of a field study of Oxitec's solution in Key Haven, Fla. WHO: Hadyn Parry, CEO, Oxitec, Ltd. WHAT: Testifying before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology about the role an Oxitec engineered male mosquito can play in controling the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known carrier of the Zika virus. WHEN: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 10:15 a.m. ET WHERE: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. About Oxitec Oxitec is a pioneer in using genetic engineering to control insect pests that spread disease and damage crops, and was founded in 2002 as a spinout from Oxford University (UK). Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), which engineers biology to help solve some of the world's biggest problems. Press contact: Oxitec: Matt Warren [email protected] +44(0)-1235-832393 For more information: Site: http://www.oxitec.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oxitec Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/oxitec SOURCE Oxitec Ltd SEATTLE, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC ("Parametric"), a majority owned subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp. (NYSE: EV), today announced that Marc Fiore will assume the new position of Managing Director, Global Head of Marketing for Parametric in the U.S. and Australia. Mr. Fiore will be based in Parametric's Seattle headquarters and report to James Barrett, Managing Director and Head of Client Development. "With over two decades of marketing experience in the investment management and financial services industries, Marc brings strong leadership and proven talents at a critical time for our firm," said Brian Langstraat, Parametric Chief Executive Officer. "Given the noteworthy growth in assets under management and success of our innovative strategies, we are all excited to have Marc on board to lead the development of world-class marketing services supporting our clients in the Institutional and Wealth Management channels." Mr. Fiore will focus on accelerating business growth by promoting the Parametric brand and building content-rich, data and technology-driven programs to effectively leverage the skills of the marketing team. Prior to joining Parametric, Mr. Fiore was Executive Director, Global Head of Strategic Marketing at MSCI where he spearheaded marketing efforts in the smart beta and ETF spaces. Prior to MSCI, Marc held various senior marketing and business development responsibilities in the USA and in Europe at American Express, Bankers Trust and AXA. Marc earned an M.B.A. from New York University, Stern School of Business, and a B.A. in Economy and Finance from Sciences-Po Paris, one of France's leading graduate schools. About Parametric Parametric, headquartered in Seattle, WA, is a leading global asset management firm, focused on the delivery of engineered portfolio solutions, including rules-based alpha-seeking equity, and alternative strategies, as well as implementation services including custom core equity, futures overlay and centralized portfolio management. As of March 31, 2016, Parametric managed approximately $159.3 billion in total assets on behalf of institutions, high-net-worth individuals and fund investors in the U.S. and internationally. Parametric is a majority-owned subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp., and its principal investment centers are located in Seattle, WA, Minneapolis, MN, and Westport, CT. For more information about Parametric, visit parametricportfolio.com. About Eaton Vance Eaton Vance is one of the oldest investment management firms in the world, with a history dating to 1924. Eaton Vance and its affiliates managed $315.1 billion in assets as of March 31, 2016, offering individuals and institutions a broad array of investment strategies and wealth management solutions. The Company's long record of providing exemplary service, timely innovation and attractive returns through a variety of market conditions has made Eaton Vance the investment manager of choice for many of today's most discerning investors. For more information about Eaton Vance, visit eatonvance.com. SOURCE Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC Related Links http://www.eatonvance.com MANCHESTER, England, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A Cheshire-based investment business is celebrating its partnership with one of the UK's fastest growing and most dynamic companies. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/806312 ) Headquartered in Altrincham, Direct Airport Parking Investment is an established and fully accredited 'Master Agent' of Park First, which after just six years in business has already become the UK's biggest provider of off-airport car parking. Part of the Lancashire-based Group First family of businesses, Park First now owns and manages car parking worth in excess of 190M sited around some of Britain's busiest airports. It is the company behind trusted industry names such as Park Safe, Direct Parking, Park Fast, Swift Park and Park n Fly, all operating successfully around Gatwick and Glasgow international airports. With ambitious plans to extend its portfolio of strategic sites, Park First is now targeting Luton, London Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham airports, all enjoying significant growth and with strong demand for high quality and secure off-airport car parking. Where Park First differs is that it offers investors the chance to share in its success by purchasing individual car parking spaces on its thriving sites. They benefit from owning an asset which will grow significantly in value over time and earn them an ongoing income, producing returns which other investments struggle to match. As an established Master Agent for Park First, Direct Airport Parking Investment is licensed to sell spaces on its off-airport car parks to investors, with an outlay as low as 20,000. Peter Tomlinson, Senior Investment Consultant with Direct Airport Parking Investment, said: "Our dedication has always been to bring low risk, safe property investments to the market, and airport parking is one particular sector that has received widespread appeal, due to its proven success as a high capital growth commercial real estate investment." Investors are assured of an 8% return in each of the first two years of their investment, rising to a predicted 10% in years three and four and 12% in years five and six. Existing investors are already enjoying returns of up to 10.8% in year three, exceeding the predicted 10% and far outstripping returns on more traditional investments such as shares and ISAs. Having enjoyed phenomenal growth in its first six years, Park First is showing no signs of stopping, with confirmed plans to acquire more carparks around Britain's busiest airports and implement its tried and tested formula of operational improvements to bring them to industry leading standards in security and customer service. "We strive to make the whole process of booking and using an off-airport car parking space as smooth and stress-free as possible," said Park First MD John Slater. "And we add value by making significant operational improvements. As a company we've already invested more the 5M in improving and upgrading the sites we have acquired. "Our sites at Glasgow and Gatwick were the busiest they have ever been in 2015, and this year is shaping up to be better still. While we will continue to grow to meet demand from those airports we also have plans to extend our operations to other leading UK airports which offer great scope for Park First." For more information about Direct Airport Parking Investment Ltd and how it can help you invest in Park First's ongoing success, visit: http://www.directparkinginvestment.co.uk or call 0161 820 4956. SOURCE Direct Airport Parking Investment Ltd WASHINGTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Closing the Data Divide" Virtual Challenge, a nationwide search for technology-based solutions to facilitate data exchange between health care providers and public health agencies, has named a winner: "PHRASE Health," or the Population Health Risk Assessment Support Engine. PHRASE Health was developed by Marc Tobias, MD, and Naveen Muthu, MD, both physicians and Clinical Informatics Fellows at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The Closing the Data Divide Virtual Challenge was jointly sponsored by the de Beaumont Foundation, which seeks to transform the practice of governmental public health, and the Practical Playbook, which works to increase collaboration between public health and primary care. "In today's rapidly evolving health care landscape, tools to bridge public health and primary care are more necessary than ever. Through 'Closing the Data Divide,' we identified innovative approaches to meet this need and are helping move these innovations into real-world practice," said Edward L. Hunter, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. PHRASE Health is an electronic health record (EHR)-agnostic system designed to identify at-risk populations and provide clinical decision support to health care providers at the point of care. PHRASE Health allows for a two-way flow of data: public health provides timely updates about evolving disease and patient risk factors through the system, while clinicians consume these recommendations in the EHR and utilize one-click reporting of disease cases back to the public health department. Among other applications, clinicians can receive up-to-date recommendations about emerging illnesses like Zika virus. A prototype version of PHRASE Health is already being tested at CHOP, and the development process has engaged a wide range of partners, including collaborations with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health. "Dr. Tobias and Dr. Muthu are leading the way in this new medical subspecialty," said Anthony Luberti, MD, Medical Director for Informatics Education in CHOP's Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi) and Director of the Hospital's Clinical Informatics Fellowship Program. "PHRASE Health is an example of the kind of innovative technology solutions that can impact health outcomes for patients. We are extremely proud of their efforts." "Creating a portal where we can securely log in, define a disease, and see how many cases of that disease currently exist in the electronic health records brings the public health community closer to front line providers," said Jose Lojo, MPH, Epidemiologist, Philadelphia Department of Public Health. "Down the road, we hope to be able to extract even more specific information from those cases." Drs. Tobias and Muthu will receive a prize of $30,000 for their first place finish, and PHRASE Health will be presented to an audience of more than 300 potential users at the Practical Playbook National Meeting, Bringing Public Health & Primary Care Together. The second place winner, HealthStead, connects primary care and public health professionals with neighborhood level data on education, income, crime, and other factors that have an outsize impact on health outcomes. The software's intuitive and flexible interface provides single-click risk assessments at a more granular level than city, county, or zip code in some cases, even block by block. HealthStead was developed by Adam Perzynski, PhD (co-Founder and CSO, Global Health Metrics), Eamon Johnson, PhD (co-Founder and CTO, Global Health Metrics), Sarah Schick, and Tynan Smith. The third place winner, Healthcare Access San Antonio (HASA), builds upon an existing health information exchange in San Antonio with a reporting portal called HASAFacts. HASAFacts uses data aggregated from multiple hospitals and health systems and provides up to date information on community health outcomes and local opportunities to engage in health-promoting behaviors. HASAFacts also allows health care organizations to analyze the results of their patient treatments and assess their success in managing population health. HASAFacts is a critical component of HASA's technical platform and receives clinical input from Vince Fonseca, MD, MPH, FACPM and Anil Mangla, MS, PhD, MPH, FRIPH. Phil Beckett, PhD provides HASA's day-to-day management of the program. "All three of the winning teams have provided innovative, adaptable, and clearly applicable technological solutions to the urgent need for better methods for data sharing and exchange," said Lloyd Michener, MD, Professor and Chairman of the Duke Department of Community and Family Medicine and Principal Investigator for the Practical Playbook. "We are honored to have played a role in accelerating progress in this critical area for population health." Since 1998, the de Beaumont Foundation has worked to transform the practice of public health in the United States. Founded by Pierre S. de Beaumont, the Foundation primarily supports practice-based projects that provide training and education to the public health workforce; build public health infrastructure; and improve information and data management through innovative technology. The Practical Playbook: Public Health & Primary Care Together is an interactive, web-based tool that helps primary care and public health groups find productive ways to work together, from planning and implementing a project to evaluating its outcomes and finding ways to sustain it in the future. The de Beaumont Foundation, Duke University School of Medicine's Department of Community and Family Medicine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed The Practical Playbook through robust collaboration in an effort to improve population health by bringing primary care and public health together. SOURCE The de Beaumont Foundation ATLANTA, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE: APTS) ("PAC" or the "Company") today announced the sale on May 19, 2016 of Trail Creek Apartments, its 300-unit multifamily community in Hampton, Virginia. The sale generated net proceeds of approximately $10.5 million to PAC, which PAC will utilize for working capital purposes including reducing the outstanding balance under its revolving line of credit facility, acquisitions, real estate investment loans and general corporate purposes. Leonard A Silverstein, PAC's President and Chief Operating Officer, said, "We are pleased to announce the sale of this multifamily community which we previously reported as being held for sale." About Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. is a Maryland corporation formed primarily to acquire and operate multifamily properties in select targeted markets throughout the United States. As part of our business strategy, we may enter into forward purchase contracts or purchase options for to-be-built multifamily communities and we may make real estate related loans, provide deposit arrangements, or provide performance assurances, as may be necessary or appropriate, in connection with the construction of multifamily communities and other properties. As a secondary strategy, we also may acquire or originate senior mortgage loans, subordinate loans or mezzanine debt secured by interests in multifamily properties, membership or partnership interests in multifamily properties and other multifamily related assets and invest not more than 20% of our assets in other real estate related investments such as grocery-anchored shopping centers, senior mortgage loans, subordinate loans or mezzanine debt secured by interests in grocery-anchored shopping centers, membership or partnership interests in grocery-anchored shopping centers and other grocery-anchored shopping center related assets as determined by our manager as appropriate for us. Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, commencing with its tax year ended December 31, 2011. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "trend", "will", "expects", "plans", "estimates", "anticipates", "projects", "intends", "believes", "goals", "objectives", "outlook" and similar expressions. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from the expectations, intentions, beliefs, plans or predictions of the future expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to, those disclosed in PAC's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. PAC undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required by law. Additional Information The SEC has declared effective the registration statement (including prospectus) filed by the Company for each of the offerings to which this communication may relate. Before you invest, you should read the final prospectus, and any prospectus supplements, forming a part of the registration statement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the offering to which this communication may relate. In particular, you should carefully read the risk factors described in the final prospectus and in any related prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in the final prospectus and any related prospectus supplement to which this communication may relate. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Company or its dealer manager, International Assets Advisory, LLC, with respect to the Follow-On Offering, or its sales agent, MLV, with respect to the ATM Offering, will arrange to send you a prospectus if you request it by calling Leonard A. Silverstein at (770) 818-4100, 3284 Northside Parkway NW, Suite 150, Atlanta, Georgia 30327. The final prospectus for the Follow-On Offering, dated October 11, 2013, can be accessed through the following link: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1481832/000148183213000128/a424b3prospectus900m.htm The final prospectus and prospectus supplement for the ATM Offering, dated July 19, 2013 and February 28, 2014, respectively, can be accessed through the following link: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1481832/000148183214000015/prospectussupplementatm-20.htm Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151105/284364LOGO SOURCE Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. EXPERT ALERTS Entry-Level Hiring Market for College Grads College Grads Enjoy the Best Job Market in Years MEDIA JOBS Energy Reporter Houston Business Journal (TX) Courthouse Reporter Courthouse News Service (CA) Features Writer Las Vegas Review Journal (NV) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES The Art of Risk: How Smart Risk-Taking Can Improve Your Life Fair Use: What Journalists Have in Common With Weird Al PR Newswire Media Moves EXPERT ALERTS: Entry-Level Hiring Market for College Grads Bob LaBombard CEO GradStaff, Inc. "Young grads are about to enter the best entry-level job market in a decade. Small and mid-sized employers are driving more than 75 percent of job growth, according to the latest BLS reports. These are the companies that desperately need to recruit entry-level talent to keep pace with baby boomer retirement, especially in 'aging' industries like insurance, finance, health care and manufacturing. However, most of these companies don't recruit enough new grads to justify an on-campus recruiting program, and new grads simply don't know jobs exist with these growing small and medium companies, as they are mostly filled through referral. Growth-oriented businesses must make the entry-level recruiting process more efficient and effective in order to hire the talent they desperately need to cultivate future leaders." With spring graduation approaching, LaBombard, a "career matchmaker," can provide perspective about the trends driving the 2016 hiring market, with specific advice to mid-market employers seeking to streamline their recruitment efforts in a very competitive job market. LaBombard's company places thousands of new grads in professional positions each year using a behavioral science-based skill-matching technique that results in a higher success rate and longer tenure for entry-level hires than traditional third-party recruiting strategies. He has more than 30 years of business experience in the chemical, environmental, professional services and staffing industries, including 18 years of staffing industry experience as CEO of GradStaff and founder and CEO of EnviroStaff, Inc. He is a leader in helping client companies develop comprehensive strategies to fill both short- and long-term staffing requirements. LaBombard's perspectives have been featured in dozens of national media outlets, including the Washington Post, Forbes, Mashable, U.S. News & World Report, Arizona Republic, Sirius XM Satellite Radio and many more. He also has good camera presence and experience doing TV in both live and taped settings. ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/boblabombard Website: http://www.gradstaff.com Contact: David J. Hlavac, [email protected] College Grads Enjoy the Best Job Market in Years Winnie Sun Financial Guru and Managing Editor Sun Group Wealth Partners "It's the hottest job market in years for the expected 1.9 million students who will graduate. Employers are estimated to hire about 5 percent more graduates from the class of 2016 than last year, according to a recent report." Sun is the managing director and founding partner of Sun Group Wealth Partners, a trusted award-winning financial consulting firm providing financial planning services to small-business owners, senior executives, celebrities, tech elite, and established families throughout the West Coast. She is a regular on CNBC's "Closing Bell" and Fox Business News as a market commentator; a regular contributor to Forbes; and is often quoted in publications including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Yahoo! Finance, AOL Finance, HuffPost LIVE, TheStreet TV, USA Today and many others. Contact: Mark Goldman, [email protected] MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Energy Reporter Houston Business Journal (TX) Courthouse Reporter Courthouse News Service (CA) Features Writer Las Vegas Review Journal (NV) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line. THE ART OF RISK: HOW SMART RISK-TAKING CAN IMPROVE YOUR LIFE. "Risk" can be a scary word for many, but taking a risk, as frightening as it might be, can open you up to new opportunities, better decisions and, perhaps, a more fulfilling career. We recently talked about risk-taking with Kayt Sukel , author of "The Art of Risk: The New Science of Courage, Caution & Chance." In the book, Sukel interviews scientists, extreme athletes, an entrepreneur, an Army Special Forces operator, and a neurosurgeon, among others, to learn more about how they look at the world -- and how they make risk work for them: http://prn.to/1R8yNC6 , author of "The Art of Risk: The New Science of Courage, Caution & Chance." In the book, Sukel interviews scientists, extreme athletes, an entrepreneur, an Army Special Forces operator, and a neurosurgeon, among others, to learn more about how they look at the world -- and how they make risk work for them: http://prn.to/1R8yNC6 FAIR USE: WHAT JOURNALISTS HAVE IN COMMON WITH WEIRD AL. What does "fair use" -- a doctrine that allows limited use of material without permission from the copyright holder mean for journalists? And what does it have to do with Weird Al Yankovic? ProfNet's Wes Benter breaks it down: http://prn.to/23XbYIN PR NEWSWIRE MEDIA MOVES. Updating your contact lists? Here's who's in and who's out at Prevention, Advertising Age, Politico, South Florida Business Journal, Business First, American Banker, Mashable, Dallas Morning News, Houston Business Journal and more: http://prn.to/1TERy1Y PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150604/220954 SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com STAMFORD, Conn., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Purdue Pharma L.P. today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement with Egalet Corporation and Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that will settle various patent claims. As part of the agreement the companies will exchange valuable patent and regulatory rights, and will enable all three companies to develop and sell several opioid pain medicines with abuse-deterrent properties. "This agreement reflects the commitment of Purdue Pharma to seek solutions that will enhance collaboration in the fight against prescription drug abuse," said Philip C. Strassburger, Senior Vice President, General Counsel. "It serves an important public health purpose to move the innovation in abuse-deterrent technology forward." The abuse and misuse of prescription opioids continues to be a national health issue. For more than a decade, pharmaceutical companies have invested in opioids with abuse deterrent properties (OADPs), which make it more difficult for individuals to manipulate medications intended for patients with legitimate medical needs. This area of innovation has been recognized and encouraged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the White House. OADPs hold promise as their abuse-deterrent qualities continue to improve and as they become more widely available. Part of the FDA's Opioid Action Plan is to expand access to OADPs, which are designed to resist manipulation of the medicines so they cannot be snorted or injected. About Purdue Pharma L.P. Purdue Pharma is a privately-held pharmaceutical company and is part of a global network of independent associated companies that is known for pioneering research in chronic pain and opioids with abuse deterrent properties. Purdue Pharma is engaged in the research, development, production and distribution of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines and hospital products. With Purdue Pharma's expertise in drug development, commercialization, and life-cycle management, the company is diversifying in high-need areas to expand through strategic acquisitions and creative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.purduepharma.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100921/NY67262 SOURCE Purdue Pharma L.P. Related Links http://www.purduepharma.com Quarton International acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Pulte Capital, working closely with the management team and shareholders throughout the sale process. Advanced Air & Heat (www.advancedairandheat.com), headquartered in Edgewater, Florida, is a premium provider of HVAC maintenance, repair and replacement services to residential customers in the Florida market. Yellow Dot Heating and Air (www.ydhvac.com) headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a premium provider of HVAC maintenance, repair, replacement and new installation services to residential and commercial customers in the North Carolina market. Pulte Capital Partners (www.pultecapital.com) is a strategic investment firm focused on leading middle market businesses across the building products and construction industry. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Pulte Capital specializes in flexible transaction structures, with particular expertise in strategic partnerships and recapitalizations in which management teams have the opportunity to retain significant ownership stakes. MSouth Equity Partners (www.msouth.com) is a private equity firm focused on acquisitions and recapitalizations in the lower middle market. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, MSouth invests primarily in the southern United States with a focus on management buyouts of business services, distribution, specialty manufacturing and telecommunications/media companies. With $1.3 billion under management across three funds, MSouth is a successor to Cravey, Green & Wahlen, Inc., which was founded in 1984. ABOUT QUARTON INTERNATIONAL Quarton International (www.quartoninternational.com), with offices in Berlin, Detroit, Graz, Leipzig, London, Munich and Zurich, provides merger & acquisition and capital raising advisory services to the global middle market. Quarton International's principals have closed more than 500 transactions in 30 different countries. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370457 SOURCE Quarton International Related Links http://www.quartoninternational.com MADISON, N.J., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, announced today that it intends to offer $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of senior notes in a public offering made under a shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, subject to market and other conditions. The issuance of the notes will be subject to customary closing conditions. The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay outstanding indebtedness under its senior unsecured revolving credit facility and its secured receivables credit facility and for general corporate purposes. Goldman, Sachs & Co., Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC will be joint book-running managers for the debt offering. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus for the offering can be obtained from (i) Goldman, Sachs & Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, toll-free at (866) 471-2526, by facsimile at (212) 902-9316 or by e-mail at [email protected], (ii) Mizuho Securities USA Inc., 320 Park Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022, toll-free at (866) 271-7403, or (iii) Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 608 2nd Avenue, Suite 1000 South Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: WFS Customer Service, toll-free at (800) 645-3751 or by email at [email protected]. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any of these securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus. About Quest Diagnostics Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 44,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. The statements in this press release which are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they are made and which reflect management's current estimates, projections, expectations or beliefs and which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to be materially different. Risks and uncertainties that may affect the future results of the company include, but are not limited to, adverse results from pending or future government investigations, lawsuits or private actions, the competitive environment, changes in government regulations, changing relationships with customers, payers, suppliers or strategic partners and other factors discussed in the company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and in any of the company's subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, including those discussed in the "Business," "Risk Factors," "Cautionary Factors that May Affect Future Results" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of those reports. Contacts: Denny Moynihan, Quest Diagnostics (Media): 973-520-2800 Shawn Bevec, Quest Diagnostics (Investors): 973-520-2900 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150422/200883LOGO SOURCE Quest Diagnostics Related Links http://www.questdiagnostics.com DUBLIN, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Thoracic Surgery Market 2016-2020" report to their offering. The global thoracic surgery market to grow at a CAGR of 10.16% during the period 2016-2020. Global Thoracic Surgery Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of medical devices required for thoracic surgeries Robotic technology provides allows manueverability of surgical instruments in closed and complicated spaces inside a human body. Robotic surgical procedures can reduce hospital stays and facilitate cost management. It also ensures improved outcomes, shorter recovery periods, and reduced pain and discomfort. An awareness of the benefits of robotic surgeries among patients and surgeons has compelled hospitals and clinics to employ robots to perform robot-assisted cardiac surgeries. The benefits of this type of surgery is expected to fuel the growth of the global thoracic surgery market during the forecast period. According to the report, there has been an increase in the incidence and prevalence of cardiac diseases globally, with sudden cardiac arrest being the leading cause of death among individuals aged 40 and above. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, the number of fatalities caused by cardiac disorders worldwide matches those caused collectively by Alzheimer's disease, breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer. The high incidence of cardiac disorders is likely to increase the demand for cardiac surgeries, thereby contributing to market growth. Further, the report states that the risk of these potential complications is expected to limit the growth of the market. Key vendors - Boston Scientific - Medtronic - Sorin - St. Jude Medical - Terumo Other prominent vendors - Abbott Vascular - Abiomed - AtriCure - Biosensors International - Biotronik - BioVentrix - C. R. Bard - Cardiac Assist - CircuLite - Cordis - Corindus Vascular Robotics - CryoLife - CVRX - Edwards Lifesciences - HeartWare - Intuitive Surgical - Jarvik Heart - MAQUET Cardiovascular - Merit Medical Systems - MicroMed Cardiovascular - On-X Life Technologies - OrbusNeich - Qvanteq - Spectranetics - Sunshine Heart - SynCardia Systems - Thoratec - Volcano Key Topics Covered: PART 01: Executive summary PART 02: Scope of the report PART 03: Market research methodology PART 04: Introduction PART 05: Market landscape PART 06: Market segmentation by technology PART 07: Geographical segmentation PART 08: Market drivers PART 09: Impact of drivers PART 10: Market challenges PART 11: Impact of drivers and challenges PART 12: Market trends PART 13: Vendor landscape PART 14: Appendix PART 15: About the Author For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/zc6hbk/global_thoracic Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com HOUSTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowan Companies plc (NYSE: RDC) today announced an agreement with its customer, Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas LLC (FMOG), and FMOG's parent company, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (Freeport), in connection with a drilling contract for the drillship Rowan Relentless, which was scheduled to terminate in June 2017. The agreement provides that the drilling contract will be terminated immediately, and Freeport will pay Rowan $215 million in cash to settle outstanding receivables and early termination of the contract. Rowan may also receive additional contingent payments from Freeport of $10 million and $20 million, respectively, depending on the average price of oil over a 12-month period. In addition, Rowan expects to reduce its costs for the Rowan Relentless by efficient warm stacking of the rig. Freeport recently announced a restructuring of its oil and gas business, which is operated through FMOG. As disclosed in Freeport's public filings, FMOG has substantial debt and has been negatively impacted by the sustained downturn in oil prices. Tom Burke, President & CEO of Rowan, commented: "I am satisfied with this resolution given FMOG did not have any ongoing work for the Rowan Relentless. This accelerated payment provides additional liquidity to further strengthen our balance sheet and affords Rowan added flexibility as we review opportunities in this down market. The Rowan Relentless, our fourth high-specification ultra-deepwater drillship, had outstanding operational performance on this contract, delivering safe, reliable and efficient operations." Rowan is a global provider of contract drilling services with a fleet of 31 mobile offshore drilling units, comprised of 27 jack-up rigs and four ultra-deepwater drillships. The Company's fleet operates worldwide, including the United States Gulf of Mexico, the United Kingdom and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea, the Middle East, and Central & South America. The Company's Class A Ordinary Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "RDC." For more information on the Company, please visit www.rowan.com. SOURCE Rowan Companies plc Related Links http://www.rowan.com MINNEAPOLIS, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Scholarship America: WHO: Scholarship America, the nation's largest nonprofit, private-sector scholarship organization, along with honorees the Osage Nation, The Travelers Companies, Inc., the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and emcee Hattie Kauffman. Student scholarship recipients will be present to help Scholarship America honor these individuals and organizations. WHAT: Scholarship America's second annual Dreams to Degrees National Education Dinner celebrating college students and those who make their success a reality. This is an open media event. WHERE: The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. #DreamsToDegrees WHEN: Wednesday, May 25. Cocktail reception begins at 6:00 p.m.; dinner and program at 7:00 p.m. WHY: The event will honor the Osage Nation, The Travelers Companies, Inc., and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation for their efforts in helping students achieve their education dreams. Hattie Kauffman, author and former correspondent for CBS and ABC News, will emcee the evening's program. "Scholarship America applauds the Osage Nation, The Travelers Companies, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in creating a stronger future for students, their families and our nation," said Robert C. Ballard, Scholarship America's president and CEO. "Their deep commitment demonstrates the impact that individuals and organizations can have on turning students' dreams into degrees. We are honored to recognize their dedication to postsecondary access and success." About Scholarship America For more than 50 years, Scholarship America has worked directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to empower people to fulfill their college dreams. As the nation's largest nonprofit, private-sector scholarship and education support organization, having distributed over $3.1 billion to more than 2 million students, Scholarship America is now working to further engage the private sector to support programs and policies that advance equity in postsecondary education and help students overcome barriers to access, persistence and attainment. SOURCE Scholarship America Related Links http://www.scholarshipamerica.org NEW YORK, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LBIO) concerning possible breaches of fiduciary duty by the board of directors of the company. To obtain additional information, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/lion-biotechnologies-lbio or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut 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 and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP 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 www.zlk.com SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Related Links http://www.zlk.com Business / Companies by Staff reporter VICTORIA FALLS - Government has waived its controversial indigenisation policy to pave way for the recapitalisation of troubled national airline, Air Zimbabwe.Enacted in 2008, indigenisation regulations compel all foreign- owned businesses to cede 51 percent of their shareholding to black Zimbabweans.Transport minister Joram Gumbo on Thursday said the country's black empowerment laws will not apply to Air Zimbabwe, as government intensifies efforts to secure an investor for the national flag carrier."In regards to the Air Zimbabwe issue, as has been explained by the president, aviation is not a resources sector so indigenisation will not apply when a technical partner for Air Zimbabwe comes on board," he told delegates at the International Air Transport Association (Iata) Day commemorations in the resort town."There are situations where an investor comes, say into mining, the resource will eventually get finished at some stage, hence the 51-49 law."But in the Air Zimbabwe situation, we are asking partners to bring in their money, so the law is applied differently here," he said.Gumbo noted that his ministry has identified 12 potential technical partners for Air Zimbabwe.The State-owned airline, which needs about $260 million in new capital, has over the past few years been in talks with several potential investors.The Zanu-PF legislator also said the new investor was not going to be burdened with the over $300 million Air Zimbabwe debt, adding that government was moving to introduce an Air Zimbabwe Debt Assumption Bill."Government will take over the debt. A new partner will come in at par."We do not want a situation where the investor has to service debts incurred before their time," he said.Aviation experts, however, believe the national flag carrier must not be allowed to collapse due to its strategic importance in the local tourism industry.Zimbabwe's tourism industry has the capacity to contribute billions annually in tourism receipts, but is being hampered by destination inaccessibility, high taxes and high product costs. CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- It is not just the smaller businesses who are frustrated; even larger, more established companies continue to have trouble getting corporate financing. More and more, they are turning to alternative, hassle-free sources of working capital for 'Main Street' business owners. "We have also noticed that the average proceeds from a business loan have risen from $50K to over $600K in the last couple of years," stated Mark Hurst, Vice President of BLS Finance LLC. Since the banking crisis in 2009, traditional bank criteria for company financing have tightened, making it more challenging for established companies to get business loans. "Many of the requests for commercial loans are from companies that expect their business growth to exceed 30%, but are having trouble obtaining a cash advance to secure new contracts," said Hurst. Hurst was also quoted as saying the company "noticed that many of these companies were working with business loan brokers who steered them to the wrong financing solutions for their particular situation," depriving the owner of the flexibility needed to obtain further corporate financing and continue their expansion. A Long-Term Outlook Most companies expected that once the economy recovered and the traditional banks stabilized, they would welcome back small business owners, certainly the larger ones. But that has not materialized. The percentage of all U.S. bank business loans of less than $1 million has declined from 52% in 1998 to just 26% in 2015. Commercial Lending to small companies carries a higher risk and is less profitable for banks than with larger companies. Much of a bank's costs are the same whether it lends $10,000 or $5 million. As a result, banks will continue focusing on the most creditworthy borrowers and steer away from riskier loans. Alternative lending is filling a tremendous credit gap and offers many different business loan solutions. As the industry continues to grow and hone its underwriting ability, it should serve that role even more effectively. For more information email Mark Hurst at [email protected] a provider of specialty loan products for businesses in all 50 states as well as Canada and Europe. SOURCE BLS Finance LLC LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- M2M (Machine-to-Machine) refers to the flow of data between physical objects, without the need for human interaction. M2M connectivity has opened a multi-billion dollar revenue opportunity for mobile operators, MVNOs and service aggregators, addressing the application needs of several verticals markets. By enabling network connectivity among physical objects, M2M has also initiated the IoT (Internet of Things) vision - a global network of sensors, equipment, appliances, smart devices and applications that can communicate in real time. SNS Research estimates that global spending on M2M and IoT technologies will reach nearly $250 Billion by 2020, driven by a host of vertical market applications including but not limited to connected car services, remote asset tracking, healthcare monitoring, smart metering, digital signage, home automation and intelligent buildings. The "M2M & IoT Ecosystem: 2015 2030 Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts" report presents an in-depth assessment of the M2M and IoT ecosystem including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, vertical market applications, deployment case studies, collaborative initiatives, regulatory landscape, standardization, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents market size forecasts from 2015 till 2030. The forecasts are segmented for 8 vertical markets, 7 access networking technologies, 6 regions and over 70 leading countries. The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report. Topics Covered The report covers the following topics: - M2M and IoT ecosystem - Market drivers and barriers - Enabling technologies and key trends - Network architecture and mobile operator business models - Assessment of cellular, satellite, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), wireline and short range networking technologies - Analysis of key trends in the ecosystem including but not limited to IoT platforms, traffic projections, multimedia applications, LTE adoption, roaming, cloud services and network security - Vertical market applications, opportunities and deployment case studies - Regulatory landscape, collaborative initiatives and standardization - Industry roadmap and value chain - Profiles and strategies of over 240 leading ecosystem players, including enabling technology providers, mobile operators, MVNOs, aggregators, IoT platform providers, system integrators and vertical market specialists - Strategic recommendations for ecosystem players - Market analysis and forecasts from 2015 till 2030 Historical Revenue and Forecast Segmentation Connection and service revenue forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories: Vertical Markets - Automotive & Transportation - Asset Management & Logistics - Consumer Electronics & Home Automation - Energy & Utilities - Healthcare - Intelligent Buildings & Infrastructure - Public Safety, Security & Surveillance - Retail & Vending - Others Wide Area Networking Technologies - 2G & 3G Cellular - LTE & 5G Cellular - Satellite - LPWA - Wireline - Others Short Range Networking Technologies - WiFi - Bluetooth & ZigBee - Others Application Categories - Multimedia & Video - Remote Monitoring, Maintenance & Control - Metering - Tracking & Tracing - Security - Payments - Others Revenue forecasts for the wider M2M and IoT market are provided for each of the following submarkets: Submarkets - M2M Application Services & Connectivity - M2M Modules & Hardware - M2M & IoT Security - CDP (Connected Device Platforms) - M2M & IoT Application Platforms - Other M2M & IoT Software - Network Integration & Professional Services The following regional and country level markets are also covered: Regional Markets - Asia Pacific - Eastern Europe - Middle East & Africa - Latin & Central America - North America - Western Europe Country Markets - Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Vietnam Additional forecasts are provided for: - Embedded M2M Cellular Module Shipments and Revenue - Smart Meter Penetration - M2M and IoT Traffic - M2M and IoT Software Submarkets including OS & Software Stack, Middleware & Storage, Analytics Platforms and Business Process Applications Key Questions Answered The report provides answers to the following key questions: - How big is the M2M and IoT opportunity? - What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth? - How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region? - What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow? - Which regions, countries and verticals will see the highest percentage of growth? - Who are the key market players and what are their strategies? - How will M2M and IoT services drive investments in cloud based IoT platforms, Big Data, analytics, network security and other technologies? - What are the growth prospects of cellular, satellite, LPWA, wireline and short range networking technologies? - How do government mandates and initiatives impact the adoption of embedded M2M connectivity? - How will LTE drive the adoption of multimedia and video based IoT applications? - Do LPWA IoT networks pose a threat to cellular network technologies? - What strategies should enabling technology providers, mobile operators, MVNOs, aggregators, IoT platform providers and other ecosystem players adopt to remain competitive? Key Findings The report has the following key findings: - SNS Research estimates that global spending on M2M and IoT technologies will reach nearly $250 Billion by 2020, driven by a host of vertical market applications including but not limited to connected car services, remote asset tracking, healthcare monitoring, smart metering, digital signage, home automation and intelligent buildings - The installed base of M2M connections will grow at a CAGR of nearly 30% between 2015 and 2020, eventually accounting for over 10 Billion connections worldwide - SNS Research estimates that multimedia and video applications will account for more than 20% of the revenue generated by M2M and IoT services by 2020, amid growing incorporation of LTE in M2M modules and gateways - Besides optimizing their cellular networks for M2M services, mobile operators are increasingly investing in LPWA networks for low power, low bandwidth IoT applications Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3331688/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com NEW YORK, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitech, a leading provider of investment, insurance and pension administration software, announced today that The World Bank, one of the world's most prestigious financial institutions, is now live on Vitech's V3 system. This go-live represents the completion of a multi-month, joint implementation project undertaken by Vitech and The World Bank team. V3 was selected for its robust fund management and unitized investment administration capabilities. "We are so pleased that The World Bank is enjoying such success with V3," said Frank Vitiello, Vitech's President. "We look forward to a long relationship supporting The World Bank's vision and the hard work of our combined teams." V3 is a highly scalable and configurable administration solution designed to meet the unique needs of investment, insurance and retirement organizations. Built on contemporary technology, V3 is a browser-based software solution for the management of complex, multi-layer unitized and non-unitized fund structures. About The World Bank Group The World Bank Group, is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with 10,000+ employees in 120+ offices worldwide. It is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Its mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors. About Vitech Vitech Systems Group, Inc. is a leading provider of administration software to investment, insurance and retirement organizations. Vitech's V3 for Investment software is a complete investment administration solution. It offers native business functionality, as well as enterprise functions including workflow, CRM and imaging capabilities. Vitech provides its clients with proprietary enterprise software, related implementation services, ongoing support, and cloud-based application hosting. For more information, please visit http://www.vitechinc.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150210/174651LOGO SOURCE Vitech Related Links http://www.vitechinc.com PHOENIX, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- VEREIT, Inc. ("VEREIT" or the "Company") (NYSE: VER) announced the recipients of its annual awards for leasing excellence. The sixth annual leasing awards recognize the top professionals leasing available retail space on behalf of the Company across its owned and managed net lease portfolio. During the past year, VEREIT's leasing brokers completed more than 270 total transactions with over 1.3 million square feet in new lease transactions and nearly 2.5 million square feet in lease renewals. The recipients were personally honored during an awards ceremony in conjunction with ICSC RECon in Las Vegas on May 22. The Leasing Broker of the Year, the program's most prestigious award, was presented to Zac Buckley of Crunkleton & Associates. He has represented the Company for four years, and currently leases two properties in northern Alabama representing approximately 240,000 square feet. Buckley was recognized for his prospecting acumen, cultivating new tenant relationships, timeliness with reports and market data, and professionalism in representing the Company's assets. Buckley successfully negotiated a new 18,100-square-foot lease with Harbor Freight Tools and has filled several small shop vacancies at the reinvigorated shopping center. "We are honored to recognize our outstanding local market leasing partners each year at RECon, the industry's largest gathering of leasing professionals and retailers. VEREIT is able to attract and retain top-quality tenants across our markets by combining the efforts of our experienced in-house leasing team with our extensive national network of leasing brokers," explained Brett Sheets, Senior Vice President of Leasing for VEREIT. "Zac Buckley went above and beyond the normal course of duty to attract new tenants while continually demonstrating the excellence we expect from our local leasing partners." Overall, award recipients demonstrated superior performance and made vital contributions through their efforts to maximize the value of both VEREIT's and the managed Cole Capital portfolios of anchored shopping center and single-tenant retail assets. Criteria for the awards include number and quality of transactions, accuracy and timeliness of reports, quality of marketing materials, market knowledge and prospecting prowess. Additional award recipients included: Best New Leasing Team: Joe Ciapciak and Kristin Keane of Pace Properties, Inc. in St. Louis, MO. The team was recognized for its work on leasing Southwest Plaza, a 368,000-square-foot anchored shopping center in Springfield, IL, where they have executed seamlessly and promptly, helping to enhance this regional destination. Most Transactions: James Chung and Marisa Organo of Cushman & Wakefield in San Jose, CA were recognized for the most new lease transactions in the VEREIT portfolio during the past year. The team was recognized for leasing The Plant, a 509,000-square-foot anchored shopping center in San Jose, CA, where they proactively marketed the properties and canvassed the surrounding markets for new tenants. Best Prospector: Micha Bitton and Tim Maly of Colliers in Columbus, OH. The team leases The Market at Polaris, a 208,000-square-foot anchored shopping center in Columbus, OH. Bitton and Maly were honored for exceeding expectations, including their tenacity for canvassing the market for new retailers. Several leasing broker partners were honored with Allegiance Awards which recognize their ability to align with the goals, objectives and interests of VEREIT, while constantly showing commitment, loyalty and dedication. Honorees included: Kim Lenardson of Colliers in Houston, TX. Lenardson leases two assets totaling approximately 320,000 square feet in Houston and Port Arthur, TX. of Colliers in Lenardson leases two assets totaling approximately 320,000 square feet in and Joe Parrott and Sean McCourt of CBRE in Chicago . Parrott and McCourt currently lease four assets in the Chicago market representing approximately 790,000 square feet. and of CBRE in . Parrott and McCourt currently lease four assets in the market representing approximately 790,000 square feet. Patrick Bentley of The Shopping Center Group in Atlanta, GA. Bentley currently leases East West Commons, a 183,000-square-foot anchored shopping center in Austell, GA. of The Shopping Center Group in Bentley currently leases East West Commons, a 183,000-square-foot anchored shopping center in Seth Biggerstaff of Veritas Realty in Indianapolis, IN. Biggerstaff currently leases Lafayette Pavilion, a 348,000 square-foot anchored shopping center in Lafayette, IN. of Veritas Realty in Biggerstaff currently leases Lafayette Pavilion, a 348,000 square-foot anchored shopping center in Benton Green and Fraser Gough of Retail Planning Corporation in Atlanta, GA. Green and Gough currently lease six assets totaling 989,000 square feet in the Atlanta and Augusta, GA markets. VEREIT and its leasing broker partners will be meeting with retailers throughout ICSC RECon from May 23-25, 2016 at booth C166L in the Las Vegas Convention Center. About VEREIT VEREIT is a leading, full-service real estate operating company with investment management capability. VEREIT owns and actively manages a diversified portfolio of retail, restaurant, office and industrial real estate assets with a total asset book value of $16.8 billion including 4,378 properties totaling approximately 99.0 million square feet, located in 49 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. Additionally, VEREIT manages $6.8 billion of gross real estate investments on behalf of the Cole Capital non-listed REITs. VEREIT is a publicly traded Maryland corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Additional information about VEREIT can be found on its website at www.VEREIT.com. VEREIT may disseminate important information regarding it and its operations, including financial information, through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150727/246034LOGO SOURCE VEREIT, Inc. Related Links http://www.vereit.com ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TRACE International, the non-profit anti-bribery business association, has announced the 2016-2017 recipients of the TRACE Scholar Program, which fully funds students from developing countries to pursue an LLM focused on advancing commercial transparency. Ms. Karina Leite of Brazil will study at Georgetown University Law Center. Ms. Fiona Okot of Uganda and Ms. Sofiia Kovach of Ukraine will attend the University of Washington School of Law. All three will begin their studies in Fall 2016 followed by a paid summer internship at TRACE headquarters in Annapolis, Maryland after which they commit to returning to their country of residence to continue work relating to anti-corruption. Ms. Leite is an attorney specializing in assisting Brazilian companies to conduct business with integrity while remaining competitive. She has previously worked for Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados. Funding for Ms. Kovach will be provided by Telia Company, a major telecommunications company and mobile network operator in Europe, in support of their anti-bribery efforts in the Eurasia/CIS region. "At Telia Company we are committed to help building strong societies and advance responsible business practices. Knowledge and education are key to a sustainable future and we are excited to be able to support this through the TRACE scholarship." Said Johan Dennelind, CEO of Telia Company. Ms. Kovach is a Capacity Building Expert at the United Nations Development Program in Ukraine, providing expertise for newly created anti-corruption institutions. Prior to joining UNDP, Ms. Kovach worked as a lawyer at Transparency International Ukraine. Ms. Okot is a Senior Inspectorate Officer in the Inspectorate of Government in Uganda, with almost a decade of experience in Ombudsman and Anti-Corruption work, Project Monitoring and Inspection of World Bank Funded Projects run by the Government of Uganda. "TRACE is proud to support lawyers who commit to advancing commercial transparency in their home countries and who will work to raise anti-bribery compliance standards,' said TRACE President Alexandra Wrage. "We appreciate Telia Company's commitment to developing anti-bribery expertise by providing funding for one candidate this year and we look forward to welcoming our new scholars to TRACE." TRACE has previously welcomed scholars from India, Ecuador, Kenya and Ukraine. About TRACE TRACE International and TRACE Incorporated are two distinct entities with a common mission to advance commercial transparency worldwide by supporting the compliance efforts of multinational companies and their third party intermediaries. TRACE International is a non-profit business association that pools resources to provide members with anti-bribery compliance support while TRACE Incorporated offers both members and non-members customizable risk-based due diligence, anti-bribery training and advisory services. Working alongside one another, TRACE International and TRACE Incorporated offer an end-to-end, cost-effective and innovative solution for anti-bribery and third party compliance. For more information, visit www.TRACEinternational.org. SOURCE TRACE Related Links http://www.traceinternational.org DANIA BEACH, Fla., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vapor Corp. (OTCQB: VPCO) (the "Company"), a leading U.S.-based distributor and retailer of vaporizers, e-liquids, e-cigarettes and e-hookahs, announced today the Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Ada's Natural Market, a natural and organic grocery store in Ft. Myers, Florida. The purchase price is $3 million in cash plus any adjustments for inventory levels. The store will continue to operate under the same name and management. "After a lengthy search, we are very pleased to have identified this strategic opportunity and look forward to its consummation. With the tenuous status of the vapor industry, based upon the recently promulgated FDA regulations, diversification is a very proactive and prudent step for Vapor Corp. at this time," said CEO Jeffrey Holman. "We currently own and operate 20 retail vape stores. Equally important is the fact that we, as a management team, have years of experience of being on the other side of the equation as a supplier to tens of thousands of retail stores. This gives us a unique perspective and skill set, which we fully expect to enhance Ada's already profitable business," said Christopher Santi, President of Vapor Corp. The Company expects to close the transaction on or about June 1, 2016. The Company plans to fund the acquisition through currently available cash. Ada's has been a leader in the natural grocery market in the Ft. Myers area for the past 40 years, offering the freshest, natural and organic products available. With one of the largest organic selections around, Ada's specializes in facilitating a healthy, well balanced lifestyle. In addition to a comprehensive selection of vitamins and health & beauty, Ada's also provides a fresh cafe and an organic juice bar open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. About Vapor Corp. Vapor Corp. is a U.S. based distributor and retailer of vaporizers, e-liquids and electronic cigarettes. It recently acquired the retail store chain "The Vape Store" as part of a merger with Vaporin, Inc. The Company's innovative technology enables users to inhale nicotine vapor without smoke, tar, ash or carbon monoxide. Vapor Corp. has a streamlined supply chain, marketing strategies and wide distribution capabilities to deliver its products. The Company's brands include VaporX, Krave, Hookah Stix and Vaporin and are distributed to retail stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Company sells direct to consumer via e-commerce and Company-owned brick-and-mortar retail locations operating under "The Vape Store" brand. Safe Harbor Statement Safe Harbor Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The Material contained in this press release may include statements that are not historical facts and are considered "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect Vapor Corp.'s current views about future events, financial performances, and project development. These "forward-looking" statements are identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "will," "believe," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," and similar expressions identifying forward-looking statements. Investors should not rely on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Vapor's expectations. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties identified by Vapor Corp. under the headings "Risk Factors" in its latest Annual Report on Form 10-K. These factors are elaborated upon and other factors may be disclosed from time to time in Vapor Corp.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Vapor Corp. expressly does not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements. SOURCE Vapor Corp. GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vtesse, Inc. announced today that the dose-finding portion of the company's global, pivotal Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for its lead investigational product, VTS-270, for treatment of Niemann-Pick Type C1 Disease (NPC) is now complete, and a dose level for further testing has been selected by an independent dose selection committee (DSC). Vtesse's ongoing Phase 2b/3 prospective, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial is a three-part, efficacy and safety trial of VTS-270, administered by the lumbar intrathecal (IT) route every two weeks. VTS-270 is based on a specific, well-characterized composition of 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin. Twelve patients from the United States and the United Kingdom, spanning ages four to 21, made up the dose-finding portion of the Phase 2b/3 clinical trial. Based on all available data gathered from the first 12 patients' experiences, an independent dose selection committee (DSC) recommended a dose of 900 mg to be administered every two weeks for the duration of the trial to each patient who is randomized for active treatment. This dose was selected for its appropriate balance of safety, tolerability, and potential for efficacy. In addition to its use in the dose-finding phase, there has been significant experience with 900 mg in the Phase 1 clinical trial with VTS-270, further bolstering confidence in the DSC's dose selection. Vtesse also successfully expanded its clinical trial, which now includes ten study sites in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany with ten additional sites expected to be initiated soon. Vtesse also anticipates expansion into Turkey and Australia based on discussions with local investigators and patient advocacy groups in those countries. "We are encouraged by the Phase 1/2 data with VTS-270 to date as well as by the substantial progress in our Phase 2b/3 trial. In selecting a dose and activating 10 clinical sites, we at Vtesse are demonstrating our commitment to rapidly advance this clinical trial and to make it as convenient as possible for patients and their families to participate," said Ben Machielse, Drs., Vtesse President & CEO. "We are pleased that patients and their familes have expressed interest in enrolling in the second portion of this pivotal trial and we are working to fully enroll the remainder of the study in the next few months. With dose selection now complete, families of patients with NPC who are interested in participating should contact one of our clinical trial sites, as listed on www.theNPCstudy.com, to determine if they are eligible to participate in the remainder of the trial." Drs. Machielse added, "The entire Vtesse team is exceptionally grateful to the patients, their parents and families, clinicians, and patient advocacy groups who participated in and helped execute the first part of our study. They have made the advancement of this pivotal trial a reality." In January 2016, Vtesse announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation status for VTS-270 for the treatment of NPC. Both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had previously granted Orphan Drug status to VTS-270. Vtesse's clinical program is designed specifically for VTS-270, which has a unique, well-defined chemical fingerprint based on rigorous manufacturing controls and extensive (bio)chemical characterization. The safety and tolerability of other cyclodextrin compositions, at the doses being studied for VTS-270 and when delivered through the IT route of administration, cannot be assured and is not supported by the scientific evidence that has been developed for VTS-270. About NPC NPC is a progressive, irreversible, chronically debilitating and ultimately lethal genetic disease. It is caused by a defect in lipid transportation within the cell, which leads to excessive accumulation of lipids in the brain, liver and spleen. The NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), in close collaboration with patients and patient advocacy groups, initiated the drug development phase for VTS-270. Vtesse is leading the late-stage formal drug development process. VTS-270 has been shown to significantly reduce disease progression in animal studies and preliminary data indicate positive trends in exploratory efficacy markers in a Phase 1 clinical trial in NPC patients. About Vtesse Vtesse, Inc. is a rare disease company dedicated to developing drugs for patients suffering from diseases that are underserved. Vtesse is working collaboratively with the NIH, other leading academic centers, parents and patient advocacy groups, to advance a pivotal clinical study of VTS-270 (a specific, well-characterized composition of beta-cyclodextrins) to treat NPC, and to conduct pre-clinical discovery and development of other novel drugs for NPC and other lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs). The company is led by a highly experienced management team that has been involved in the development of more than 20 approved drugs. An experienced consortium of investors, including Alexandria Venture Investments, Bay City Capital LLC, Lundbeckfond Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, and Pfizer Venture Investments, has committed initial funding adequate to bring this compound through a pivotal clinical trial. Vtesse is based in Gaithersburg, Maryland and is the first spin-out company from Cydan Development, Inc. For more information, visit www.vtessepharma.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150106/167294LOGO SOURCE Vtesse, Inc. Related Links http://www.vtessepharma.com TAMPA, Fla., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- John Watson was well aware of the facts. Smoking causes cancer and was likely to prematurely end his life. But a 40-year habit is well ingrained, and he could never muster the willpower to quit on his own. Then he went to a Big Bend Area Health Education Center (AHEC) tobacco cessation class at WellCare of Florida's Tallahassee Welcome Room, a community gathering place that is host to dozens of events each month that are free and open to the public. Watson has now been smoke-free for nearly two months, and in recognition of World No Tobacco Day, wants to encourage others to do the same. With more than 10,000 children in Florida alone becoming daily smokers each year, Watson knows his message is important. "I always tell kids, 'Don't ever smoke,' " said Watson, 55. "When I was a kid it was the thing to do and everyone did it. The class gave me the right mindset to do what I needed to do. I've told everyone I know about this program. It's been so helpful to me." In collaboration with Big Bend AHEC, WellCare of Florida hosts monthly tobacco cessation classes at several of its Welcome Rooms in Florida. Community residents can meet with Big Bend AHEC tobacco treatment specialists, obtain free smoking cessation aids, and touch base regularly for support. The classes are just one way that WellCare of Florida, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), assists its members in quitting tobacco. In addition to classes, members are educated about the risks of smoking, encouraged to quit, and provided with numerous cessation aids, from gum and lozenges to nicotine patches and other prescription medicines that have proven effective. "The statistics are sobering," said Dr. Al Smith, WellCare of Florida's senior medical director. "In Florida, the annual health care cost directly caused by smoking is $8.64 billion, with $1.51 million in Medicaid costs. One of the most important things we can do for our health and those who live with and around us is to quit smoking." Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes such as fires and smokeless tobacco use. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in six American adults currently smokes cigarettes, a habit that has been found to reduce life expectancy by an average of 14.5 years for women and 13.2 years for men. It's never too late to quit. Consider these facts from the U.S. Surgeon General: 12 hours after quitting , a new non-smoker's carbon monoxide blood level returns to normal. , a new non-smoker's carbon monoxide blood level returns to normal. 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting , circulation improves and lung function increases. , circulation improves and lung function increases. 1-9 months after quitting , coughing and shortness of breath decreases and lungs start to regain normal function. , coughing and shortness of breath decreases and lungs start to regain normal function. 1 year after quitting , the risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker. , the risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker. 5 years after quitting, the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder are cut in half, and cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Since 2007, Big Bend AHEC's tobacco cessation program has strived to help participants, like John, live a tobacco-free lifestyle in Tallahassee and throughout their 14-county region. Program facilitators go through university training to become tobacco treatment specialists, which gives them the tools to guide people along their quit journey. For more information about classes and locations, call Big Bend AHEC at (850) 224-9340. For more information about events and activities at WellCare of Florida's Welcome Rooms, call (850) 523-4300. As of March 31, 2016, WellCare serves approximately 772,000 Medicaid members, 57,000 Florida Healthy Kids members, 92,000 Medicare Advantage members, and 31,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Florida. About WellCare Health Plans, Inc. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. The company serves approximately 3.7 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2016. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150701/227667LOGO SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc. Related Links http://www.wellcare.com HOUSTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE: WLK) today provided the following update regarding its proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Axiall Corporation (NYSE: AXLL): Since Axiall announced on May 4, 2016 that it was considering strategic alternatives, Westlake has sought to engage with Axiall on several occasions with respect to Westlake's proposal to acquire Axiall. that it was considering strategic alternatives, has sought to engage with Axiall on several occasions with respect to proposal to acquire Axiall. On Friday, May 20, 2016 , Axiall's CFO advised Westlake's CFO that Axiall had re-opened its data room to Westlake and requested that Westlake submit a revised proposal to acquire Axiall by June 3, 2016 . , Axiall's CFO advised CFO that Axiall had re-opened its data room to and requested that submit a revised proposal to acquire Axiall by . Westlake currently intends to submit a revised proposal, or reaffirm its current proposal, on that date. currently intends to submit a revised proposal, or reaffirm its current proposal, on that date. Westlake will continue to proceed with its current proxy contest to replace Axiall's Board in light of the uncertainty as to whether Axiall's announced process to consider strategic alternatives will conclude, if at all, in advance of Axiall's annual meeting on June 17, 2016 . Westlake does not undertake any obligation to comment further on these matters. Westlake urges Axiall shareholders to vote the GOLD proxy card for the slate of nine independent and highly qualified nominees. For additional information about Westlake's proposal and slate of directors, please visit www.WestlakeAxiall.AcquisitionProposal.com. About Westlake Chemical Corporation Westlake Chemical Corporation is an international manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and building products with headquarters in Houston, Texas. The company's range of products includes: ethylene, polyethylene, styrene, propylene, caustic, VCM, PVC suspension and specialty resins and PVC building products including pipe and specialty components, windows, fence, deck and film. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.westlake.com. Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Westlake Chemical Corporation's ("Westlake") proposal to acquire Axiall Corporation ("Axiall") (including financing of the proposed transaction and the benefits, results, effects and timing of a transaction), all statements regarding Westlake's (and Westlake's and Axiall's combined) expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, dividends, financing plans, business strategy, budgets, capital expenditures, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management, estimated synergies from the proposed transaction and statements containing the use of forward-looking words, such as "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "project," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "continue," "potential," "plan," "forecast," "approximate," "intend," "upside," and the like, or the use of future tense. Statements contained herein concerning the business outlook or future economic performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses, dividends or other financial items, and product or services line growth of Westlake (and the combined businesses of Westlake and Axiall), together with other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that are estimates reflecting the best judgment of Westlake based upon currently available information. Statements concerning current conditions may also be forward-looking if they imply a continuation of current conditions. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and stockholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from Westlake's expectations as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, those discussed below. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which Westlake is unable to predict or control, that may cause Westlake's actual results, performance or plans with respect to Axiall to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed below and detailed from time to time in Westlake's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Risks and uncertainties related to the proposed business combination transaction include, but are not limited to: (i) the ultimate outcome of any possible transaction between Westlake and Axiall, including the possibility that Axiall will not accept a transaction with Westlake, (ii) the ultimate outcome and results of integrating the operations of Westlake and Axiall if a transaction is consummated, (iii) the ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to any possible transaction, including any necessary stockholder approvals, (iv) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement, pendency or completion of the proposed transaction, (v) competitive responses to the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction, costs and difficulties related to the integration of Axiall's businesses and operations with Westlake's businesses and operations, (vi) the inability to obtain, or delays in obtaining, cost savings and synergies from the proposed transaction, (vii) uncertainties as to whether the completion of the proposed transaction or any transaction will have the accretive effect on Westlake's earnings or cash flows that it expects, (viii) unexpected costs, liabilities, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction, (ix) litigation relating to the proposed transaction, (x) the inability to retain key personnel, and (xi) any changes in general economic and/or industry-specific conditions. In addition to the factors set forth above, other factors that may affect Westlake's plans, results or stock price are set forth in Westlake's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Many of these factors are beyond Westlake's control. Westlake cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by Westlake are not guarantees of future performance. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to publish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this communication or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Additional Information This communication relates to a proposal which Westlake has made for a business combination transaction with Axiall. In connection with the solicitation of proxies for Axiall's 2016 annual meeting of stockholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof and any meeting of Axiall's stockholders that may be called in lieu thereof, the "Annual Meeting"), Westlake filed an amended definitive proxy statement in connection therewith on Schedule 14A with the SEC on May 4, 2016 (the "Westlake Proxy Statement"). In connection with the proposal and subject to future developments, Westlake (and, if a negotiated transaction is agreed, Axiall) may also file one or more registration statements, additional proxy statements, tender offer statements, prospectuses or other documents with the SEC. This communication is not a substitute for the Westlake Proxy Statement or any other proxy statement, registration statement, tender offer statement, prospectus or other document Westlake and/or Axiall has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF WESTLAKE AND AXIALL ARE URGED TO READ THE WESTLAKE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER PROXY STATEMENT(S), REGISTRATION STATEMENT(S), TENDER OFFER STATEMENT(S), PROSPECTUS(ES) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND/OR PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Westlake has mailed the Westlake Proxy Statement and accompanying GOLD proxy card to stockholders of Axiall. Any other definitive proxy statement(s) or prospectus(es) (if and when available) will be mailed to stockholders of Westlake and Axiall, as applicable. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain copies of these documents (if and when available) as well as other filings containing information about Westlake and Axiall, without charge, at the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov. Those documents, when filed, as well as Westlake's other public filings with the SEC, may be obtained without charge at Westlake's website at http://www.westlake.com. Participants in Solicitation Westlake, Westlake NG IV Corporation and certain of their respective directors and executive officers and the individuals nominated by Westlake for election to Axiall's Board of Directors may be deemed to be participants in any solicitation of proxies from Axiall's stockholders in connection with the Annual Meeting and/or the proposed transaction, as applicable, under the rules of the SEC. Information about the participants, including a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is available in the Westlake Proxy Statement and will be available in any other proxy statement(s) or prospectus(es) (if and when available). You can obtain free copies of these documents from Westlake using the contact information above. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interest of such participants by reading the Westlake Proxy Statement and/or any other proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction if and when they become available. This document shall not constitute an offer to sell, buy or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell, buy or exchange any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. SOURCE Westlake Chemical Corporation Related Links http://www.westlake.com Referring to the announcement made today by Xerox, Xerox has expanded its partnership with Y Soft by choosing YSoft SafeQ as the solution for perpetual and flexible subscriptions in the Xerox Secure Print Manager Suite. Customers who purchase the Suite or its modules receive print management software powered by Y Soft. Over 14,000 customers around the world use YSoft SafeQ as their enterprise IT strategy for reducing costs of critical business printing, copy and scanning; increasing document security and improving productivity. As a platform, YSoft SafeQ offers print management, document capture and workflow and 3D printers integrated with print management and accounting, into one solution. Y Soft's FY2016 data on current customer and revenue breakdowns by region shows: 23% of the Fortune Global 500 use YSoft SafeQ. These companies represent automotive, building/construction, financial services, food/consumer products, healthcare and insurance, mining/oil production, pharmaceutical, telecom and utilities industries. Y Soft is truly a global company with customers on every continent. Although based in the Czech Republic , the company exports more than 98% to over 120 countries. , the company exports more than 98% to over 120 countries. While Europe and Central Europe provide 58 percent of the company's fiscal year 2016 revenue (31 and 27 percent respectively), the remaining revenue is split evenly, 15 percent each, between North America / Latin America and the Asia Pacific Region. The Middle East / Africa revenue represents 12 percent. Commenting on Xerox' announcement and the company data, Vaclav Muchna, Y Soft CEO and co-founder said, "Our relationship with Xerox began in the early 2000's and we are proud to expand our partnership even further today. Our enterprise office solutions, global presence and the size of the customers we support demonstrate the value we bring to our global partners and customers." The data infographic can be downloaded here . About Y Soft Y Soft provides intelligent enterprise office solutions that help build smart business. Our YSoft SafeQ workflow solutions platform is used by corporations and SMB organizations to manage, optimize and secure their print and digital processes and workflows. Our family of 3D printers provide easy-to-use, high quality and reliable solutions for education and manufacturing. Founded in 2000, the company is headquartered in Brno, Czech Republic, with offices in North and Latin America, Europe, Middle East/Africa (EMEA) and the Asian Pacific region (APAC). For more information, please visit www.ysoft.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370727 SOURCE Y Soft Related Links http://www.ysoft.com Business / International by Staff Reporter The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank) has signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would enable it to open a regional office in Addis Ababa with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).At the event, PTA Bank President and CEO, Admasu Yilma said the agreement will help to expand its insurance, re-insurance and financial services in East Africa.Currently, PTA Bank, African Trade Insurance Agency and COMESA Re-insurance Company are working in cooperation.Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Tewolde Mulugeta said on his part the regional office helps to strengthen socio-economic integration.He also remarked that the PTA Bank will expand trade and investment activities in Ethiopia by addressing equity, loan and guarantee services to private sectors as well as the horn of African countries.The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, commonly known as Preferential Trade Area Bank (PTA), is the financial arm of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) established in 1985. News / Local by Stephen Jakes A Bulawayo woman was found not guilty and discharged for allegedly insulting a female police officer through mobile calling.Thembelihle Mavhoko (24) was denying the charge of insulting Moreblessing Zvimba when she appeared before Adeline Mbeure.The magistrate found her not guilty and acquitted her.The court heard that on November 1, 2014 at Ross Camp Zvimba received an anonymous call from Mavhoko at 5pm. Accused said she wanted to discuss something with the cop so as to help her. The police officer asked who she was and she said she was Sibongile based in Bulawayo.She allegedly said her rural home was Gokwe. When the cop asked what she wanted she diverted the story and told her that it was about business issues and it did not go well with the cop since she had no business to do with anyone.Accused told her to meet her in town on November 13 2014 pertaining to business issues as she was going for a trip in Malaysia.The cop waited for a day but she did not show up. After a week accused called her and told her to stop phoning her since she was not aware of the person she was talking to. The accused continued calling her and insulted her. The cop reported and this led to her arrest. New Delhi, May 18 : Actress Kajol met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday regarding Help A Child Reach 5 campaign, which spreads the importance of good hand washing habits around the world. Kajol has been actively advocating the cause on various platforms in India as well as globally. She has been engaging with various policymakers to make a difference, by promoting behaviour change by hand washing with soap through Hindustan Unilever's Swacch Aadat, Swacch Bharat initiative. To discuss more about it, she met Modi and later shared that the meeting went off really well. "I told him how we have been doing this for the last four years. We have the statistics and we knew it worked. It wasn't just in theory. We talked about how hand wash should be mandatory in schools. It is necessary to put in not only toilet, but wash basins as well," she told IANS. "So that facility should be available, then only the habit will be available. It went off really well. One of the main things he (Modi) came up with... he said 'It's not habit that you are changing but it's their thought process...telling them this is good and this is bad'." Has he shown any support to the cause? "Officially, no. I can't say that we have tied up. But I think the way we are going, what we are talking about, it coincides well with his own campaign (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan). We are definitely on the same page," said the "Dilwale" star. New Delhi, May 18 : The central government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it was ready to supply CNG for tourist vehicles plying between Manali and Rohtang Pass but Himachal Pradesh has to back it up with a sustainable business model. There was no immediate relief for the tourists taxi operators who are against an NGT order modified by the apex court that not more than 1,200 tourist and private cars can go to Rohtang Pass every day. The option of CNG being used as fuel for the tourist taxis is being worked out to save the ecology of highest located tourist spot from the impact of unregulated flow of tourist vehicles. About 35 lakh tourists go there during the five months starting mid-May to October. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the apex court vacation bench comprising Justice Abhay Manhor Sapre and Justice Ashok Bhushan that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had told the Himachal Pradesh government its willingness to supply the CNG. But this would not be viable without a sustainable business model that has to take care of overhead costs to make clean fuel affordable. Saying the entire issue of the funding of the capital expenditure of Rs.17.50 crore for setting up of CNG facilities for supplying clean fuel to tourist taxis had arisen because the initial model suggested by the Himachal government was not viable, the court was told that it needed to be re-worked. The Solicitor General told the court that the Himachal Pradesh government was yet to respond to suggestions to rework the business model. Opposing the restrictions imposed by the NGT and the apex court on the movement of vehicular traffic between Manali and Rohtang Pass, the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union questioned the rational behind allowing only 800 petrol and 400 diesel cars per day. Initially the NGT had permitted 1,000 vehicles including tourist and private ones to go to Rohtang Pass but the apex court hiked it to 1,200. Questioning the rational of allowing just 1,200 tourist taxis and private vehicles to go to Rohtang Pass every day, senior counsel Vibha Dutta Makhija wondered how could a ban be imposed on her clients while there was no ban on diesel vehicles in the country or in Himachal Pradesh. Telling the court that it was like placing the cart before the horse, Makhija said the air pollution in Rohtang Pass was much lower than the permissible levels and what it was in other parts of the country. She said the tourist taxi operators had switched over to Bharat III emission engines and had taken loans from financial institutions and had to pay them back. The bench had earlier asked the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union to find some via media to deal with the problem for this year. The matter was adjourned for Monday. Chennai, May 19 : Mostly known for being associated with romantic films such as "OK Kanmani" and "100 Days of Love", actor Dulquer Salmaan will be seen in his first ever full-length action avatar in Friday's Malayalam gangster drama "Kammati Paadam". "It's a gangster flick featuring raw and realistic action. It will be Dulquer's first attempt at doing a full-length action role and going by the response to the trailer, the film has already garnered lot of positive buzz ahead of its release," a source from the film's unit told IANS. Directed by Rajeev Ravi, the film is a journey into the troubled past of its protagonist. "The story unfolds between 1970 and 2000, and it shifts between Kochi and Mumbai, two key places where the film was predominantly shot," he said. Also starring Rasika Dugal, Shaun Romy, Vinay Fort and Shine Tom Chacko, the film has music by K. "The music in the film will fall in the psytrance space. I have experimented with electronic tunes throughout the film and the music will resonate," K told IANS. Produced by Prem Menon under Global Unite Media, "Kammati Paadam" releases in nearly 300 screens worldwide on Friday. Thiruvananthapuram, May 22 : The new Kerala government led by Pinarayi Vijayan would have 19 members (including the chief minister) and its swearing-in will be held at the Central Stadium here at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, said Left Democratic Front convenor Vaikom Viswan. Addressing reporters here on Sunday evening after a party meet, he said it has been decided to limit the cabinet to 19. "The outgoing Oommen Chandy government had 21 (the maximum allowed) but we decided to keep it to 19," said Viswan, adding that the Communist Party of India-Marxist will have 12 berths, the Communist Party of India 4 and three other LDF constituents - the Janata Dal-S, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress-S - would get one each. Three other parties - thee RSP-L, Kerala Congress-Pillai, and the CMP - who contested alongside the LDF and have a legislator each were not considered for ministerial berths as they were not regular member of the LDF. The CPI-M will announce their team and the speaker of the house on Monday while the portfolios will be announced later, said Viswan. The CPI-M-led LDF won the May 16 polls, winning 91 seats in the 140-member Kerala assembly. Cairo, May 22 : Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday said there was immediately no firm assumption as to why the Egyptair plane crashed into the Mediterranean Sea last week. "All assumptions are possible," Xinhua news agency quoted Sisi as saying. "Reaching the reasons behind the plane crash takes long time ... we will announce the results once we finish investigating," Sisi said. On Thursday, EgyptAir said its flight MS804, operated by an Airbus A320, disappeared from radar screens en route from Paris to Cairo at 2.45 a.m. (local time). Also on Thursday, Egypt's Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said a terrorist attack was more likely than a technical failure as the cause of the crash. The plane had 66 people aboard, including 56 passengers -- 30 Egyptians, 15 French, two Iraqis and nine others each from Algeria, Belgium, Portugal, Britain, Canada, Chad, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Islamabad/Kabul, May 22 : Taliban supreme leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has been killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan, Afghan and Pakistani officials as well as the militant group confirmed on Sunday. Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Afghan intelligence agency besides Pakistani officials and Taliban militants said Mullah Mansour was killed in a US drone strike in Balochistan province of Pakistan the previous day. Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Mansour was killed on Saturday in a US drone strike at Ahmad Wal town of Balochistan province, Khamaa Press reported. It was the first official confirmation regarding the supreme leader's death. Following the NDS statement, Abdullah and defence ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri confirmed that Mansour was killed in Saturday's strike. Earlier on Saturday, the Pentagon said Mansour was "likely" killed in a US drone strike authorised by President Barack Obama in Pakistan near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Ahmad Wal. The US had targeted a vehicle Mansour was travelling in, a Pentagon statement said. US Secretary of State John Kerry said Mansour had posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel", Xinhua news agency reported. He said the air strike sent "a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners". Earlier, Pakistan's Urdu TV channel Samaa in a report on Sunday claimed that those killed in the US drone strike were a taxi driver and a passenger, and not Mullah Mansour. Their bodies were brought to a hospital in Nushki, a district close to Ahmad Wal, Samaa said. After conflicting statements about Mansour's death, Pakistani officials and Taliban militants later confirmed the leader's death. Mullah Abdul Rauf, a senior commander of the militant group, said Mansour had died in the strike, Geo News reported. The office of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also confirmed Mansour's death, saying the Taliban supremo had "refused to answer repeated calls" to end the war in the country. Pakistani government sources also confirmed Mansour's killing, Xinhua reported. However, the report did not identify the sources. Mansour took control of the group in July last year after the announcement of the death of Taliban's former leader Mullah Omar two years earlier. The killing of the Taliban leader is likely to have major ramifications both for efforts to kickstart peace talks and for the often stormy relationship between the US and Pakistan. Mansour's death came days after diplomats from Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China held the latest round of talks in Islamabad about a flagging effort to draw the Taliban into peace negotiations. His death would be a big blow for the Taliban as Mansour was gradually tightening his grip on the movement by bringing into his fold other leading Taliban members, including a son and a brother of his predecessor Mullah Omar, and by launching large scale attacks on Afghan security forces. Under his leadership, the Taliban managed to capture an important city last year for the first time in 15 years. Mansour also managed to silence the splinter Taliban group under Mullah Rasool, which challenged his leadership, and is credited by his followers for containing the Islamic State terror grouping in Taliban areas. A vacuum created by his death would once again trigger a leadership struggle, observers opined. Islamabad has long argued that the only way to end the war in Afghanistan is to try to coax a united Taliban to the table for peace talks, said the Guardian daily. It has dismissed calls to take military action against an insurgent group whose support networks operate freely in Pakistan, saying attempts to start negotiations must be exhausted first. But amid deadly Taliban attacks, including an April suicide bombing in Kabul that killed 64 people, the Afghan government has run out of patience with Islamabad and has demanded firm action against Taliban networks based on Pakistani soil. Kabul says Pakistan's unwillingness proves it is not prepared to end its longstanding relationship with a movement that Islamabad values as a means of influencing events in Afghanistan. Pakistan directly helped the Taliban in its conquest of Afghanistan in the early 1990s and was one of only a handful of governments to recognise the fundamentalist regime before the US-led intervention in 2001. London, May 23 : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that reports were still not confirmed that Taliban leader Mullah Mansour was killed during a US drone strike. He spoke to media after arriving in London, the prime minister however confirmed that he had received a phone call from US Secretary of State John Kerry, reports Geo. Kerry had informed him about the drone attack, he added, but maintained that he was informed about the strike after it had been conducted. "Afterwards, I spoke with the army chief as well," he said. Sharif also said that the foreign office's statement was a protest against the drone attack. Meanwhile, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry has said that a passport found at the site of a US drone attack targeting Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour bears the name of a Pakistani man named Wali Muhammad. The purported passport holder was believed to have returned to Pakistan from Iran on May 21, the day of the drone strike targeting Mansour. One of the charred bodies has been identified as a local taxi driver but the badly burnt second body was yet to be. The ministry spokesman called the attack a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. Buenos Aires, May 23 : Master pizza chefs and almost 100 collaborators made an empanada (a stuffed meat pastry) of 80 metres long here to raise awareness about Down Syndrome. The cooking took place along the Avenida de Mayo, between the streets of Lima and Santiago del Estero, on Sunday to collect funds for Argentinean Down Syndrome Association, Xinhua news agency reported. A number of organisations, including Buenos Aires' Federation of Commerce and Industry and the municipal government, organised the day. Diego Davila, one of the pizza chef, said: "This is an event of solidarity to raise awareness among general society, including children, about Down Syndrome." The giant empanada used over 350 kg of dough, 120 kg of cheese and 30kg of ham, taking four hours to cook. It was then divided into around 4,000 units, which were sold to the public. For 30 pesos ($2.1), each buyer received two portions of empanada and a beverage. "The empanada is a traditional Argentinean dish. It was brought over by the Spanish but has since been adapted with our ingredients," Davila said. The event also sought to encourage businesses to hire those with intellectual disability, as people suffering from Down Syndrome are often discriminated against in the workplace, the organisers said. News / National by Stephen Jakes Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira has claimed that business people were abusing their clients who want to buy using plastic money by demanding the purchase of goods worth half of the money which is reflected on the account.Speaking during parliament session, Charumbira asked Public Service, Labour and Social services minister Priscilla Mupfumira if there was any consideration of a further policy measures in view of the fact that the plastic money she spoke about was being abused by some business people."When they see that the pensioner cannot withdraw money from the bank, they can use that plastic money to buy from the till. They would say you can buy on condition that you buy goods worth half of your monthly pension and we would give you change in cash. So, if you earn $200, they would say buy goods worth US$100, then we will give you change in cash. They force you to use half of your monthly pension into groceries which you do not need. Is there any policy to protect pensioners?" he asked.Mupfumira said obviously it is illegal for any conditional selling."If it is brought to the authorities' attention, it will be dealt with accordingly and the relevant Ministry should be advised. The plastic money I was talking about is like your visa cards and so forth because we are moving away, like everywhere else in the world, from using cash or transporting cash and we are saying we need to get everybody on board, including people in rural areas to be able to have that plastic similar to a visa card. But that which you are talking about is abuse and should be reported to the relevant authorities," she said. Ayutthaya (Thailand), May 23 : The sheer splendour of Ayutthaya makes one forget that it is a balmy May afternoon when on a visit to the Unesco World Heritage Site some 80 km from Thailand's capital Bangkok. After lunch at a riverside restaurant at modern-day Ayutthaya, the visit to the once flourishing temple city was an enriching experience. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Siamese kingdom. It was a global centre of economics and trade, and an important connecting point between the east and the west. The Ayutthaya royal court exchanged ambassadors across the world, including with the French court at Versailles, the Mughal court in Delhi and the imperial courts of Japan and China. Right at the entrance of the site, a plaque gives an idea of what it holds. "Wat Mahathat (The royal temple that houses Buddha's relics," it reads. It is situated in the east of the Royal Palace in Pratu Chai sub-district, Phra Na Korn Sri Ayutthaya district, Phra Na Korn Sri Ayutthaya Province." It also stated that the construction of Wat Mahathat's main pagoda was started by King Boromaracha I in 1374 and completed in King Ramesuan's reign. "The pagoda collapsed during King Songtham's reign and was renovated in 1633, after King Prasat Thong ascended to the throne." This magnificent city was razed to the ground by invading Burmese forces in the 18th century. "At the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, the monastery was set on fire in the Burmese attack," the plaque further reads. "The abandoned pagoda fell into decay during the reign of King Rama VI. Only the symmetrical base with staircases remains." "See here," said a Thai acquaintance, "the Burmese chopped off the heads of all the statues so that people cannot revere it as a temple city." Indeed, it was a macabre sight. Elegantly carved statues in front of a Buddha statue, all without the heads. According to the Unesco website, Ayutthaya flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries, during which time it grew to be one of the world's largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas and a centre of global diplomacy and commerce. "Ayutthaya was strategically located on an island surrounded by three rivers connecting the city to the sea," the Unesco website reads. "This site was chosen because it was located above the tidal bore of the Gulf of Siam as it existed at that time, thus preventing attack of the city by the sea-going warships of other nations. The location also helped to protect the city from seasonal flooding." One can indeed make out the sheer ingenuity that went into the building of this historic city that is spread over an area of 289 hectares. One highlight of the site is the head of a Buddha statue among the roots of a tree. "The head was once part of a sandstone Buddha image which fell off the main body on to the ground," a plaque alongside reads. "It was gradually trapped into the roots of a constantly growing Bodhi tree. The stone head has rather flat and wide facial structure with thick eyebrows and big eye lids, straight wide lip, and discernible lip edge, reflecting the art of Middle Ayutthaya Period, presumably around the mid of 1600s." Then there are the cloisters - two layers of brick walls surrounding the main pagoda. According to a plaque outside these, the cloister is connected with the end of the ordination hall and the royal sermon hall which is an architectural style of the Early Ayutthaya Period. The overall city was laid out in a systematic grid and comprised roads, canals and moats. In 1991 it was declared as a Unesco World Heritage Site. (Aroonim Bhuyan visited Thailand at the invitation of the Board of Investment, Thailand. He can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in) Chennai, May 23 : Director Vijay Kumar says his forthcoming Tamil directorial debut "Uriyadi", which he describes as a very intense film featuring very realistic action, is definitely not for the faint-hearted. "It's a very intense film in which the action will be justified. It's not your regular commercial film that everybody can watch. The film is high on violence and it has been portrayed very realistically. It's not a film for the faint-hearted," Vijay told IANS. The film's trailer, which has piqued everybody's curiosity, gives one the glimpse of the violence from the film. "The trailer was purposefully cut like that. I didn't want to cheat my audience. It's an out-and-out action thriller. It hasn't been made keeping the generic commercial template in mind which means you can't find romance, duets and glamour. In fact, my film doesn't even feature a heroine," he said. Despite all the violence, Vijay calls "Uriyadi" a family-friendly film. "It's for everyone above the age of 18 in a family. And I call this a family film because all of us can relate to the story. It's about those who become the victim of the society, about those who unnecessarily get dragged into issues they're no way connected," he said. The story revolves around a few college-goers and what happens when they cross paths with a politician. In the process of capturing realistic action, Vijay said his actors sustained several injuries. "I was supposed to hit someone in the back with a rod, and somehow the blow landed on his head, much to my surprise. Although we used a fiber rod, he suffered severe injury. There were so many instances where we ended up hurting ourselves," he said. Vijay has also played the lead and also produced the film, which also stars Mime Gopi, Sivakumar and Chandru. Most of the actors were exclusively auditioned for their roles. "I wanted passionate actors and it didn't matter if they were familiar or not. I auditioned hundreds of aspiring actors and shortlisted those who were ready to go any extent for the sake of the role. From the shortlisted lot, we picked actors who worked out economically for us," said Vijay, who quit a plush job with Infosys to chase his filmmaking dream. "Uriyadi" is slated to release in cinemas on Friday. Tehran, May 23 : India and Iran on Monday, the second day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to this Gulf nation, held delegation-level bilateral talks. "Deliberating the details of diplomacy. The leaders lead formal delegation level talks between #IndiaIran," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Ahead of the talks, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a "restricted" meeting. The prime minister, who arrived here on Sunday evening, was accorded a ceremonial welcome on Monday morning. India, Iran and Afghanistan will sign an agreement on Monday to develop the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. New Delhi, May 23 : The Supreme Court will hear on Thursday the Italian government's plea for relaxation of bail conditions of its marine, Sergeant Major Salvatore Girone, so that he can return to his country. Girone is held in India, being one of the two Italian marines who are accused of killing in 2012 two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast. Chief Master Sergeant Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Major Girone were then serving as security personnel on an Italian oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie crossing the Indian Ocean. An apex court vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud agreed to hear the plea after Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand supported the plea by the Italian government for relaxing the bail conditions so that Girone can travel to Italy while remaining under the court's authority. The Italian government sought the relaxation of bail conditions in the wake of April 29 order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) asking India and Italy to cooperate in relaxing the bail conditions so that Girone could return to his country during the pendency of the arbitration proceedings before it. "Italy and India shall cooperate, including in proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, to achieve a relaxation of bail conditions of Sergeant Girone so as to give effect to the concept of consideration of humanity, so that Sergeant Girone, while remaining under the authority of Supreme Court of India, may return to Italy during the present Annex VII arbitration," Annex VII arbitral tribunal had said in its April 29 order. The tribunal had also said that Italy was under obligation to return Girone to India in case it holds that India has jurisdiction over him in respect of the Enrica Lexie incident. The international arbitral tribunal has been established under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for adjudicating on the dispute between India and Italy over their jurisdiction to try Latorre and Girone. India and Italy are engaged in compulsory and binding arbitration proceedings over the dispute of jurisdiction to try the Italian marines under the provisions of the UNCLOS. The April 29 order of the arbitral tribunal came on an application by Italy. The proceedings in the matter in both the countries have been put on hold following an ITLOS order of August 24, 2015. The ITLOS is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in February 2012 mistaking them as sea pirates. Latorre is already in Italy on the grounds of indifferent health and treatment. Chennai, May 23 : Superstar Mahesh Babu was not the first choice for Telugu family drama "Brahmotsavam", which is currently running in theatres. The project was first offered to actor Jr. NTR, who turned down the offer as he was unhappy with its script. "Director Srikanth Addala's first choice was NTR, and he was approached with the project over a year ago. Although NTR liked the idea, he wanted some changes to be incorporated in the script and expected it to be rewritten," a source told IANS. NTR had given Addala an ultimatum, to return with a fresh draft of the script. "Despite waiting for months, Addala didn't come up with a satisfactory script. Hence, NTR was left with no option other than to move on. It was around the same time he'd signed director Sukumar's 'Nannaku Prematho'," the source said. "Nannaku Prematho" released earlier this year and was very well received. Meanwhile, "Brahmotsavam" is heading towards a disaster at the ticket window. Tehran, May 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani here ahead of the signing of a trilateral agreement for the development of Chabahar port that will provide India and Afghanistan trade connectivity through Iran. "Whether in Kabul, Delhi or Tehran, #IndiaAfghan friend'p is continously strengthened. OM w/ President @ashrafghani," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. The meeting took place after Ghani's arrival here earlier in the day to preside over the signing ceremony alongwith Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Modi and Ghani's meeting comes after their December 25 meeting when Modi paid a bilateral visit to Kabul to inaugurate the Afghan parliament complex built by India. Earlier on Monday, India and Iran signed three bilateral agreements for the development of the Chabahar port, in the Gulf of Oman. The agreement to develop Phase I of Chabahar port is seen as India's counter to the development of the deep-sea port of Gwadar, in Balochistan in Pakistan, that opens into the Arabian Sea, close to the Strait of Hormuz, and will allow China access to the Indian Ocean. The development of Chabahar port, located about 70 km from Gwadar, will allow India to circumvent Pakistan and open up an alternative land-sea route for its trade with Afghanistan. India has already spent $100 million in building the 220-km Zaranj-Delaram highway in Afghanistan, also known as Route 606, which connects to Chabahar. Tehran, May 23 : India, Iran and Afghanistan on Monday inked an agreement on the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman that will make it a transport and transit hub to boost trade. "A corridor of connectivity. The leaders witness the signing if the Chabahar agreement," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. The agreement was signed following a trilateral summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Union Minister for Road Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari signed the agreement on India's behalf. Earlier on Monday, India and Iran signed three bilateral agreements for the development of Chabahar port. The agreement to develop Phase I of Chabahar port is seen as India's counter to the development of the deep-sea port of Gwadar, in Balochistan in Pakistan, located just 72 km away. The development of Chabahar port will allow India to circumvent Pakistan and open up an alternative land-sea route for its trade with Afghanistan and beyond to Central Asia. India has already spent $100 million in building the 220-km Zaranj-Delaram highway in Afghanistan, also known as Route 606, which connects to Chabahar. Tehran, May 23 : Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the agenda for economic engagement with Iran and Afghanistan was a priority for his country. "The agenda for economic engagement is a clear priority for us. We stand together in unity of our purpose," Modi said at the trilateral summit of Iran, India and Afghanistan held here. "Today, we are witnessing a creation of history," he said. Modi pitched to carve out "new routes of peace and prosperity" of the three countries and said: "It is our common goal. We want to link with the world." The prime minister said that the agreement on trilateral transport and transit corridor signed earlier on Monday "can alter the course of history of the region". "The corridor would spur unhindered flow of commerce throughout the region." Modi said Afghanistan would get an "assured, effective and a more friendly route to trade with the rest of the world". Cairo, May 23 : Egypt has mobilised a robot submarine in the hunt for black box of an EgyptAir plane that had crashed over the Mediterranean with 66 people aboard. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that underwater equipment from Egypt's offshore oil industry was sent over to search for the black box recorders, Xinhua news agency reported. He said: "They have a submarine that can reach 3,000 metres under water." Apart from the submarine, ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece and the United States were also combing through the sea off the Egyptian port of Alexandria. On Friday, the Egyptian armed forces said they found some personal belongings and remains of the victims as well as debris of the plane in the Mediterranean, 290 km north of Alexandria. However, the black boxes, critical to determine the cause of the crash, remained missing. Al-Sisi said the cause of the crash is yet to be established. "All assumptions are possible." "Reaching the reasons behind the plane crash takes long time... we will announce the results once we finish investigating," he said. On Thursday, EgyptAir said that Flight MS804, an Airbus A320, disappeared from radar screens en route from Paris to Cairo at 2:45 a.m. Cairo time (0045 GMT). Mumbai, May 23 : After his 2002 film "Everybody Says I'm Fine!", actor Rahul Bose has returned to direction with "Poorna", a biopic about Malavath Poorna -- a tribal girl from Telangana. Poorna created history on May 25, 2014, by becoming the youngest girl in the world to scale Mount Everest. Rahul, who was last seen in "Dil Dhadakne Do", will also act in the film. "I bought the rights from Poorna's father and Dr RS Praveen Kumar but knew how easy it would be for someone to change the names and come up with a 'me too' film. But now that Poorna has been shot and will be ready to be screened for a studio in six weeks, I can talk about it," Rahul said in a statement. Rahul is yet to show the film to Poorna and her father. And he plans to take the film to her village, where they shot for 11 days. Aditi Inamdar, a girl hailing from Telangana, was chosen to play the role of female lead after Rahul auditioned 109 girls. Rahul will be essaying the role of her father. The actor added that "it has no 'jhalak' of Bollywood, yet makes you cry. That's because Poorna is one of the most remarkable people I've met - Focussed, disciplined, thoughtful yet fun-loving...Her story needs to be told to world." News / National by Stephen Jakes MDC-T MP Nelson Chamisa told parliament that there is a need for the reduction of cost of ICTs in general, particularly internet and the broadband."The first one being the cost of ICTs in Zimbabwe, that there is need for the reduction of cost of ICTs in general, particularly the internet and the broadband services. They are still on the high in the country compared to other countries in the region and indeed on the continent, even worldwide," he said."Voice call tariffs have actually been going down and this is what we hope is an issue that will be addressed through the necessary interventions by POTRAZ, the regulatory body and the referee of the ICT sector in Zimbabwe. So, the cost of ICTs is an issue that we really would want to be dealt with, also, the aspect of the quality of services of the ICTs. You know that our calls are terminating mid stream and our calls are not being monitored. We have not yet come up with a mechanism. In other countries, a mobile operator is actually deregistered on account of poor network services or poor quality of calls."The MP said so, they attribute the problem to incessant interruptions in terms of power cuts, but POTRAZ is being urged by the Committee and indeed hopefully by Parliament, to constantly check on the quality of calls by putting in place a mechanism of checking the call quality, so that there is a percentage threshold that is permissible for quality in terms of calls from mobile operators, to ensure that customers get value for money."Also, our Committee urged operators to come up with a mechanism of making sure that they benchmark their standards against the standards of the world.""The third recommendation is on Universal Services Fund (USF), that the administration of the USF must promote the development of networks and provision of ICT services in unserved and underserved areas in a transparent manner and fashion. There must also be a maximum use of USF to broaden coverage, particularly in countries that are in remote areas so that we are able to then deal with situations in those centres," he said."All Zimbabweans need to access services, particularly areas in Binga and Matabeleland South where they are enjoying better network from South Africa and neighbouring Botswana without necessarily enjoying services from Zimbabwe. That is a sad indictment indeed.""We have also recommended, in fact this one, we have already raised with POTRAZ, that we need USF funds to be audited. They have not been audited and accounted for by Parliament as is required by the statutes of our country. They indicated that they have been auditing, but we have not seen the reports as is statutorily provided for by the laws of our land. So, this is an issue we have said needs to be resolved," he added.He said the fund must also help postal and courier operators to be developed because they are now transforming into other platforms of providing e-services, so there is need for that USF to be spread widely and in a bold fashion."Infrastructure sharing is the fourth recommendation but there has to be a legislative framework for operators to share their sites, especially operators like ZESA, Trans-media, NRZ and local authorities. There is no need for competition on infrastructure but competition is supposed to be on services for the consumers and the customers," he said. "So, it is an issue, the model has not been adopted but there is need for consultation with various operators so that there is a model. You cannot have five trenches competing in the same direction. There has to be complementarity of effort on the part of operators so that we are able to have a sustainable and predictable model that is convenient for operators and the Government."Chamisa said in terms of taxation on ICT services, the need to remove 5% duty on airtime to enable operators to invest more capital in capital investment programmes that have impact on employment creation and also revenue enhancement and contribution to the fiscus."The Committee also recommended the removal of 25% duty on the handsets as it is not very helpful. These are some of the tax measures we would want the Minister to consider. In terms of mobile payment systems that are regulated by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, there is need to have an integrated approach on mobile payment systems involving all operators," he said. "The Committee recommends the reduction of tax on mobile money so that the unbanked and under-banked are also included in terms of the financial inclusion strategy of the country. There is need to encourage adoption of mobile money by public utilities to enhance revenue collection and customer convenience. We need to reduce payment of money in cash, including even on the commuter omnibus so that we are able to be on the e-platform.""We are also recommending consumer protection, that there is need for sufficient legislation to deal with issues of cyber security, cyber bullying, data protection and revenge pornography. In case most of you Hon. Members do not know that the issue of revenge pornography is a big issue in Zimbabwe," he added. Mumbai, May 23 : Actor Jackky Bhagnani, who has ventured into production with "Sarbjit", has tagged Randeep Hooda as the "most talented actor" he has met. Randeep played the title role in the biographical drama film, which released on May 20. Jackky, who has co-produced the Omung Kumar directorial along with his sister Deepshika Deshmukh, Bhushan Kumar and Sandeep Singh, took to Twitter on Monday to thank the whole cast over the success of the film. "'Sarbjit' - What an experience this film has been! The love, support and most importantly, the team - Thank you. "Our connection with Aishwarya goes back a long way. A phenomenal star, she's totally 'worth it'," Jackky tweeted. "To my brother Randeep Hooda - You're crazy, witty, honest and the most talented actor I've met. "Richa Chadha, Darshan Kumaar - you guys are unstoppable! Grateful for all the good times! To the captain of our ship- Respect. Omung Kumar Your vision inspired us," he added. Directed by Omung Kumar, "Sarbjit" is based on the real-life story of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian villager who was convicted for spying and terrorism and languished in a Pakistani jail for several years, while his sister Dalbir Kaur, tried vigorously to secure his release. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later. New Delhi, May 23 : A court here on Monday deferred, to September 26, the hearing in the coal block allocation case in which former prime minister Manmohan Singh was summoned. "Proceedings in the present matter have stayed by Supreme Court. Matter be now put up on September 26," said Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Bharat Parashar. The court was hearing a case related with the alleged irregularities in allotting Odisha Talabira II coal block to Kumar Mangalam Birla-owned Hindalco in 2005. The apex court has also put on hold the summons against industrialist Birla, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh, D. Bhattacharya and Hindalco. Manmohan Singh moved the apex court on March 25 last year, challenging the summons issued by trial court on March 11, 2015. The court summoned him, Birla and Parakh after it rejected closure report filed by the CBI. Moscow, May 23 : The lifting of a decades-old US arms embargo on Vietnam will not affect Russia's weapons sales to the southeast Asian country, an official said on Monday. "Our relations with Vietnam are of a strategic nature, and their further development will depend on the Vietnamese leadership," Xinhua quoted a Russian military official as saying. The lifting of the embargo will not affect the export of Russian weapons, the official added. During his ongoing three-day visit to Vietnam, US President Barack Obama announced on Monday Washington's decision to completely remove its ban on sales of lethal weapons to Hanoi, one of the last major vestiges of the Vietnam War era. Vietnam is one of the largest buyers of Russian weapons, and imports a broad range of Russian armaments ranging from submarines and frigates to multi-functional warplanes. Panaji, May 23 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday crossed swords over funding of their public meetings and events, and demanded details about the money they have spent on these in recent past. BJP St. Andre legislator Vishnu Wagh had questioned the source of money used for AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's public meeting in Panaji on Sunday. On Monday, the AAP retorted by demanding that the BJP disclose all its expenditure and the Goa government can investigate the AAP's accounts. "AAP challenges the Bharaitya Janata Party to come on a public platform with its accounts and expenditure. We will come with our accounts. We also challenge the BJP government to investigate our accounts," AAP state co-ordinator Valmiki Naik said. Aiming to counter the AAP charge, BJP state unit president Vinay Tendulkar later reiterated the party's demand that the AAP must come clean on the funding of its meeting here held on Sunday. However, when queried, Tendulkar refused to share financial details about the mammoth public meetings of Narendra Modi, then an aspiring prime minister, in 2014 hosted by the party, and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in December 2015. "Last 15 days, around 1,000 AAP's workers were moving around Goa, speaking in Hindi. Where have they collected thousands of rupees from and who has given the money (to organise the public meeting on Sunday). First, they (AAP) should come clean on this before commenting on the Goa government," Tendulkar told a press conference here. On Sunday, the AAP organised a meeting which was addressed by Kejriwal. Around 8,000 people attended. Tendulkar said that when it comes to a public meeting, the BJP spends around Rs.15 to Rs.20 per person in attendance. But he refused to respond to questions from the media about the money spent by the party to organise the 'Vijay Sankalp' rally of Narendra Modi, then a prime ministerial aspirant, in January 2014 and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's public felicitation on his birthday in December 2015. When specifically asked about the cost incurred by the BJP and the mode of funding for the Modi rally, Tendulkar said: "I don't know. People came on their own. We spent but I don't remember. You are asking me after several years." About the cost incurred on Parrikar's public felicitation, Tendulkar said: "The birthday rally was not organised by the party. People had organised it". Tehran, May 23 : Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed India-Iran relationship as a perfect response to those who preach radicalism. Addressing an international conference, "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects", organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) here, Modi said the ties between the two countries "celebrate the meeting of our great cultures" in a world that talks of strategic convergence. "It is also in perfect response to those who preach radical thoughts in our societies," Modi said, after he released the facsimile reproduction of the Persian calligraphed manuscript of Panchatantra, the ancient Indian collection of fables originally written in Sanskrit. He said the richness of Persian heritage remained "an integral part of the fabric of Indian society" and a "part of Iranian culture lives in Indian hearts". "The great medieval poets of India have called Persian and Sanskrit two sisters. " Ranchi, May 23 : A three-member team of the Press Council of India (PCI) visited Jharkhand's Chatra district on Monday to probe the murder of a TV journalist on May 12. The team members met the district administration officials and representative of a journalists association to enquire about the murder. The cause of the murder is turning into a mystery. Akhilesh Singh alias Indradeo Yadav, a local TV journalist, was shot dead on May 12. In another development, a Maoist organisation Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) has denied its role in the murder, saying that the police was wrongly implicating its cadre in the crime. Police on May 17 arrested three people, including an aide of ruling BJP legislator Ganesh Ganjhu. Police claimed that Rs.7 lakh was demanded from the scribe as one of his relatives was involved in construction work. The denial of levy led to the killing. BJP legislator from Simria, Ganesh Ganjhu, has demanded a CBI probe into the killing. Of the five accused, Suraj Sao, representative of Ganjhu, and Jhaman Sao and Birabal Sao have been arrested. Two accused who are roaming free include shooter Munesh Ganjhu and mastermind Mukesh Ganjhu. Gurgaon, May 23 : Three burqa-clad armed men early on Monday allegedly entered the Medanta Medicity Hospital here but fled the precinct after they were asked to prove their identities, police said. The three men apparently entered through the emergency door of the hospital around 3 a.m. The security guards there had allowed these men, mistaking them as women who carried entry passes to visit a patient. "After their recce of the ground floor, these men sat on the chairs meant for the visitors. However, a security guard suspected that something was amiss and informed a senior staff," Assistant Commissioner of Police Hawa Singh told IANS. The three men managed to flee after brandishing pistols when hospital staff and the guard asked them to prove their identities. It was not clear whey these men had entered the hospital, police said. Hospital authorities told police that a patient from Mewat of Haryana was admitted a few days back and these men in burqas were carrying the visiting pass of that period. Police later recovered the burqas that were abandoned near a private school behind the hospital premises. "We have registered a case under Sections 451 (trespass) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Arms Act at Sadar police station," the police officer said. No one has been arrested yet. Ankara, May 23 : The first world humanitarian summit opened in Turkey on Monday with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging governments, aid groups, the private sector and other stakeholders to act to improve the global humanitarian system. In his opening remarks to the two-day summit, Ban called on the participants to make concrete commitments in five areas -- conflict prevention and resolution, strengthening the protection of civilians, leaving no one behind, ending humanitarian need and ensuring funding for humanitarian actions, Xinhua news agency reported. He put a particular emphasis on the issue of displaced populations, calling on the world to significantly reduce the number of the displaced in the years to come. "I urge you to commit to halving the number of internally displaced people by 2030, and to find better long-term solutions for refugees and displaced people based on more equal sharing of responsibilities," he said. "We are here to shape a different future." Also addressing the opening ceremony, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cited the heavy burden on Turkey in tackling the Syrian refugee crisis and stressed the need to revamp the global humanitarian system. "The current system fails to meet the demands in the face of emergency problems and fails to develop solutions. Only certain countries take the responsibility," he said. "From now on everyone should share the burden." "We have to adopt a new system that would put the human beings at the centre," he said. Turkey's aid to refugees has already exceeded $10 billion, while the international community's support stopped at $455 million, Erdogan said, adding that he hoped "the summit will be a turning point." Also on Monday, dozens of people protested outside the venue of the summit and 12 of them were detained by police, according to local media reports. Attending the summit are some 5,200 participants, including 65 heads of state and government and representatives from crises-affected communities, NGOs, the private sector and UN agencies, according to figures released by the United Nations. Of the 192 UN member states, 177 are represented at the summit. New Delhi, May 23 : Himachal Pradesh on Monday favoured an increase in the number of tourist vehicles going to Rohtang Pass from Manali, while the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union told the Supreme Court that limiting the number of vehicles to 1,200 per day was arbitrary and without any basis. As a vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud was told this, the bench said: "Somewhere a deadline had to be drawn" and permitting 6,000 vehicles as being canvassed by the taxi operators union would make it "unworkable". The top court is hearing a number of petitions including by the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union challenging an order by the National Green Tribunal restricting the number of vehicles going from Manali to Rohtang Pass to 1,000 only. However, it was later modified by the apex court and increased to 1,200. While asking all the parties to respond to the affidavit filed by the central government, the court issued notice on a number of petitions including one filed by the local residents of Manali contending that the NGT order was adversely affecting their livelihood. The central government on Monday reiterated its earlier position that it was ready to supply CNG at Manali for the vehicles going to Rohtang Pass provided the Himachal Pradesh government came forward with a sustainable business proposition which was confined not just to six months tourist season starting with May and ending in October. Appearing for the taxi operators union, senior counsel Vibha Dutta Makhija told the court that it was erroneous to blame the local taxi operators plying between Manali and Rohtang Pass during six months' time for deterioration in the ecology in the area. She said that it had to be viewed in the totality of situation including contribution of vehicular traffic in Delhi and other parts of the country to the alarming level of air pollution and its impact on the hill state. Urging the court to strike a balance between the number of vehicles going to Rohtang Pass from Manali every day and the concern for protecting the ecology, Makhija said that the number of tourists' taxis plying between Manali and Rohtang Pass should be increased to at least 3,000. As court adjourned the matter for two weeks, the taxi operators told the court that in the absence of CNG, could there be a complete or partial ban on the diesel vehicles going to Rohtang Pass. Returning the allegation of court being arbitrary in fixing the limit of 1,200 vehicles, the bench said: "You can't arbitrarily say that this number of vehicles is good (3,000 as suggested by the taxi operators union). There must be some data from the state government (to fix the number of vehicles going to Rohtang Pass)." Faced with the situation where the bench was not inclined to disturb the earlier order, the Himachal Pradesh counsel said: "In the interregnum there has to be something. The tourists are continuing to pour in every day." Appearing for some local residents of Manali, senior counsel Manan Mishra, assailing the NGT order, said that without any scientific study, without any expert opinion, the green tribunal has ruled that no eatables could be carried by the tourists and have banned horse riding and other activities. He said that it had affected the livelihood of the people in the area who are entirely dependent on tourism-centric business. Kolkata, May 23 : Known for shooting off his mouth, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Monday landed in a fresh controversy when he threatened Trinamool Congress lawmakers of retaliation outside the state for the physical attack on his party leader and actress Roopa Ganguly. "They must remember that they only have 211 MLAs while we have 1,400 (across the country). They have 34 MPs and we have 282 MPs. "Whatever the TMC does within the border of Bengal, we will pay them back outside Bengal," Ghosh told media persons on the sidelines of a protest organised by the party against the assault on its state Mahila Morcha chief Ganguly near Kakdwip of South 24 Parganas district on Sunday. "I, Dilip Ghosh, state this in my capacity as state BJP president. If the atrocities do not stop, we will cross all limits. .. Their Lok Sabha MPs will have to go to Delhi. We will see how they return from Delhi," he said. Ghosh also warned that his party would not allow Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's swearing-in ceremony slated for May 27 on the city's arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (formerly Red Road) to take place. He also said his party would observe May 27 as a 'black day'. "We will blockade Kolkata and Red road will be occupied on the 27th," he said. The BJP state president said he would request the central government not to send anybody to attend the swearing-in. The BJP had organised the march to Kalighat - that houses Banerjee's residence - in protest against the attack on Ganguly. However, police stopped the marchers at Hazra Crossing. This triggered a bout of jostling between police and BJP workers. Ganguly sustained a head injury after being allegedly attacked by Trinamool workers with stones and sticks when she was on a trip to Kakdwip to meet an injured BJP polling agent and his family. Ghosh recently drew widespread outrage for his remarks calling a section of Jadavpur University female students "shameless". Reacting to charges of molestation brought against ABVP activist during a scuffle in the varsity over the screening of Vivek Agnihotri's film "Buddha in A Traffic Jam" on May 6, he had wondered why female students were present during the clash. "Those who fear so much for their modesty, why did they go there? This is shamelessness." While his remarks received condemnation and derision, Ghosh had appeared unfazed and stuck to them. News / National by Staff Reporter INNOVATIVE prostitutes and escort agencies are openly using WhatsApp and other social networks to advertise their services, tout for new business and are also demanding that potential clients pay them upfront via mobile phone company-run money transfer facilities.An investigation carried out by this publication revealed that the sex workers have now taken to social networking application, WhatsApp, where they distribute their number to potential clients and include a brief on their "services" as their statuses.They then go on to insist that the potential clients should transfer an amount of between $5 and $10 which they term the deposit fee, before they can start negotiating a possible time and venue.Hundreds of unrestricted pages dedicated to the sex trade have also been created on social networking sites, fuelling concerns that children are being exposed to explicit content and offers of adult services.In many cases, agencies and individuals have used Facebook and Twitter to post lurid photographs alongside detailed descriptions. These include names, phone numbers, addresses, prices and specific sex acts on offer.A couple of years ago, Facebook was forced to remove dozens of pages that appeared to offer sexual services saying it "has a clear set of rules and these pages broke them". But the company conceded it could take action only when offensive items were reported by members of the public.We managed to get two numbers of sex workers who are offering these services via WhatsApp using the numbers, 0775495986 and 0773912940.According to Econet, the first number is owned by one Angelina France, while the second number belongs to Attain Mahachi, an inquiry made to Econet by My Zimbabwe News has revealed.In the first number, a woman who identified herself as Angelina claimed that while she is based in Harare, she can drive to any location in the country as long as the potential client transfers enough money to her account."Hie my name is Angelina, send $10 into my EcoCash for an hour long sex session, we can go for as many rounds as you want. I am in Harare but can drive wherever you are," reads the profile's status.Angelina later changed her profile status to reflect a "special promotion" where she claimed that the first five men to send $5 to her EcoCash account would get a free three-hour session.In the second number the profile reads: "Please do not call, WhatsApp only. Send me $5 for us to start chatting and I can give you my calling number. I offer a minimum of an hour session of sex and a maximum of a weekend together, depending on your money."This reporter managed to chat with Angelina and she alleged that she had been in the world's oldest profession for close to five years."I am a professional in everything I do. One might think this is a scam where after people transfer money to me I go on to ignore them and just disappear but the truth is I am very professional. I now have substantial clients who always come back to me because of the services I render."What I do is that to those who are outside Harare they can simply send me fuel money and I can drive to where they are but in the event where I feel I cannot manage I simply link them with my colleagues in the profession who are closer to their location," she claimed.She further alleged that hers was more of an escort service as she did everything professional and what she charged was determined after negotiating with the potential clients."I do not chat with anyone who has not paid the deposit, only after paying the deposit can I then respond to your messages because at least you would have showed that you are serious," said Angelina.This latest trend comes after reports that sex workers in the country had opened a special website where their services were being advertised.The sex workers were reportedly offering specialised services ranging from escort services to short-time sessions.After this publication published a story on this new online platform the website was eventually pulled down. Tehran, May 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei here. "A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. The meeting assumes significance because Khamenei rarely meets visiting world leaders. Earlier on Monday, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held delegation-level talks following which 12 bilateral agreements were signed. Later in the day, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement for development of the Chabahar port for a transport and transit corridor. Modi also attended the inauguration of a two-day conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" held as part of the "Cultural Festival of India in Iran" being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. Gurgaon, May 23 : A 24-year-old nurse from Kerala was on Monday found dead in her room here under mysterious circumstances, said police. The deceased has been identified as Lakshminarayana, who worked with a private hospital here and lived in rented accommodation, provided by the hospital, in sector 52 near Wazirabad village. Her body was found lying on the bed and an injection syringe and some medicine was found nearby. "It is believed that she might have died due to overdose of some drug. The real cause of death will be established after postmortem," said a senior police officer. Tehran, May 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday departed from Tehran for New Delhi at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Iran, saying the outcomes "will positively impact" bilateral ties. "I thank the wonderful people of Iran for the warmth," Modi said on the Twitter handle of the Prime Minister's Office. "My Iran visit was fruitful and the outcomes will positively impact our nations," he said. He also stated that during his visit he held productive discussions with Iran's top leadership. "We are committed to seeing our ties grow even further," the prime minister said. Ahead of his departure, in his last engagement of the day, Modi called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei here. Earlier on Monday, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held delegation-level talks following which 12 bilateral agreements were signed. Later in the day, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement for development of the Chabahar port for a transport and transit corridor. Modi also attended the inauguration of a two-day conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" held as part of the "Cultural Festival of India in Iran" being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. On Sunday evening, soon after his arrival here, Modi offered prayers at a gurudwara and addressed members of the Indian community. Kolkata, May 23 : Angry over alleged attacks on their activists by the ruling Trinamool Congress after the assembly polls, West Bengal's opposition Left Front, Congress and the BJP on Monday threatened to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the Mamata Banerjee government, scheduled for May 27. The LF and the Congress submitted a joint memorandum to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi,seeking his intervention to stop post-poll violence. Replying to reporters' queries, state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: "We may not attend (the swearing in ceremony)". Left Front-spearhead CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra concurred. "Looking at the condition of the people (who are being terrorised) we are not mentally preparedA to attend the ceremony and the festivity that surrounds it," he said. The BJP also knocked on the doors of Tripathi demanding immediate steps to stop post-poll trouble. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, who led a protest demonstration in south Kolkata's Hazra, warned the Trinamool that if the attacks on its activists did not cease, he will request the central government to not send any guests to attend the swearing-in ceremony. "We will observe May 27 as a black day," he said. Ghosh also warned that his party would not allow the ceremony slated for May 27 at the city's arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (formerly Red Road) to take place. "We will blockade Kolkata and Red Road will be occupied on the 27th," he said. Rome, May 23 : An Italian navy vessel on Monday rescued 385 migrants from the Mediterranean on Monday including 42 women and 40 children, among them a newborn baby. "They are all in good health, some have a few minor medical problems but nothing serious," the captain of the 'Bettica' navy frigate, Francesco Iavazzo, told Adnkronos. The migrants were rescued in a number of operations with backup from an Irish navy vessel that had rescued more than 300 people in ongoing operations, Iavazzo said. "The rise in the number of crossings is probably due to the good weather as it's easier to sail when the sea is calm." Libyan coastguard intercepted seven boats off Sabratha, west of Tripoli earlier on Monday with a total 850 people on board. The passengers included 79 women of whom eleven were pregnant, the coastguard said. So far this year, some 189,000 people have arrived in Europe by sea, including around 156,000 in Greece and 32,000 in Italy as the continent's worst refugee and migrant crisis since World War II continues. Some 1.1 million people reached Europe in 2015, fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Mumbai, May 23 : Maharashtra policeman Rafiq Shaikh Taher Patel, who scaled Mt. Everest last week and suffered frost-bite, has been rushed to the Army Hospital in New Delhi from Kathmandu on Monday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here. Patel, working with Aurangabad Rural Police, became the first policeman from the state to scale the world's tallest mountain, but suffered frostbite in his foot while returning to the Everest Base Camp. Patel, 30, was airlifted from Lukla region to Kathmandu and admitted to a hospital there on Sunday for treatment. Upon learning of his condition, Fadnavis said he called up Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and sought the best treatment for the policeman. Parrikar directed Patel to be airlifted to New Delhi and he was admitted to the Army Referral Hospital for treatment on Monday, he added. Fadnavis called up Patel and congratulated him on his achievement and assured the best of treatment at the hospital. Aurangabad Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and district Superintendent of Police N. Reddy have appreciated the government's efforts in the matter. After two earlier unsuccessful attempts due to inclement weather conditions and natural calamities in the past two years, Patel against started on the difficult expedition on May 15 and finally succeeded in reaching the summit on May 19. He hoisted the Indian tricolor and the Maharashtra police flag atop the world's tallest peak at 8,848 metres. "Such a proud moment! Our Aurangabad Police Constable becomes the 1st policeman from Maharashtra to scale Mt Everest! " Fadnavis said in a tweet last week. An avid mountaineer, Patel had scaled seven other tall peaks in the Himalayas including Mt. Dhaulagiri and Mt. Kanchenjunga. For the Everest expedition, he availed financial help from friends and relatives and also took a loan of Rs.500,000 to finance the climb. Tehran, May 23 : India and Iran on Monday took a major step in boosting connectivity and trade with the inking of the Chabahar port agreement even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the Iranian leadership and said that the time has come for both sides to "regain the past glory of the relationship". The two sides also signed 12 agreements, including on science and technology, culture and railways and three on the port itself. The highlight of the visit was the signing of the Chabahar trilateral port agreement on transport and transit corridor by India, Iran and Afghanistan. Modi, along with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani presided over the signing ceremony. On Monday he described the signing of the trilateral Chabahar port agreement as creation of history even as India and Iran signed 12 bilateral agreements. "Today, we are witnessing a creation of history... Not just for the people of our three countries, but for the entire region," Modi said in a joint media conference with Rouhani and Ashraf Ghani following the signing of the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. "The agenda for economic engagement is a clear priority for us. We stand together in unity of our purpose," Modi said. Pitching to carve out "new routes of peace and prosperity" of the three countries, Modi said: "It is our common goal. We want to link with the world." The prime minister said the Chabahar transport and transit corridor "would spur unhindered flow of commerce throughout the region". "The key arteries of the corridor would pass through the Chabahar port of Iran." He said Afghanistan would now get an assured, effective, and a more friendly route to trade with the rest of the world. "Our present growth and future prosperity is under threat from the spread of radical ideas and physical terror," he said. He said the Chabahar corridor would be a "corridor of peace and prosperity for our peoples". On his part, President Rouhani said that through this agreement, Tehran, Delhi and Kabul have sent the message that the path of progress can be achieved through cooperation and utilisation of regional resources. "With our joint investments in Chabahar, we can connect India with Afghanistan, Central Asia and the CIS countries," he said. Speaking on the occasion, Afghan President Ghani said Asia was changing and it was moving towards being an economic continent. Earlier on Monday, following the signing of the 12 agreements after delegation level talks, Modi described India-Iran friendship as "as old as history". "Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce," he said. Stating that he was impressed by Rouhani's leadership and the clarity of vision, Modi said that Monday's talks between the two countries focused on the full range of bilateral engagement. "The agenda and scope of our partnership is truly substantial. The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership," he said. The prime minister also said that India and Iran shared a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. "We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region," he said. Modi also attended the inauguration of a two-day conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. "Centuries of free exchange of ideas and traditions, poets and craftsmen, art and architecture, culture and commerce have enriched both our civilisations," Modi said in his speech. "The richness of Persian heritage is an integral part of the fabric of the Indian society." Referring to a rare manuscript called "Kalileh-wa-Dimneh" containing the Persian translation of tales from the Jataka and the Panchatantra which he released ahead of his speech, he said it captured the close historical links between India and Iran. "It is a classic example of exchange and travel of cultural ideas between two societies. A beautiful demonstration of how our two cultures and countries think alike," he said. Prior to his departure from Iran on Monday evening, Modi also called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. Kolkata, May 23 : AWest Bengal's Left Front has decided to hit the streets against widespread post-poll violence in the state allegedly perpetrated by the ruling Trinamool Congress. In a bid to organise protests against the attacks on the supporters, workers and offices across the state, the city Left Front called for a two-day sit-in-demonstration at the Esplanade Y-channel in the city between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., starting from May 25, and appealed to all sections of the left, democratic and secular people to take part. It will also hand over a memorandum to city Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Tuesday on the issue, an front release said. The Front said it would intensify the protests, including rallies, sit-ins and blockades gradually unless the situation improves. Leaders of the Left Front appealed to all the district level leaders to conduct protest rally and demonstrations against such violence. CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said that the ruling party has no political will to curb the inhuman attacks on opponents, but is instead spearheading attacks aimed at eliminating the opposition. Vatican City, May 23 : At a landmark meeting here on Monday, Pope Francis and Egypt's top Muslim cleric Ahmad al-Tayyeb agreed to oppose violence and terrorism and to strive to protect minority Christians in the Middle East, the Vatican said in a statement. "The extremely cordial meeting lasted around 30 minutes. The two religious authorities underlined the great significance of this encounter in the context of dialogue between the Catholic Church and Islam," the Vatican statement said. Tayyeb, chief imam of Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar mosque and seminary, was accompanied by Egyptian Ambassador to the Holy See Hatem Seif Elnasra and a high-level delegation, according to the statement. The delegation included the deputy chief of al-Azhar, Abbas Shoman, the head of its dialogue centre, Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq, and Tayyeb's advisor Muhammad Abdessalam, the statement said. After the papal audience, Tayybe and his seven-member delegation had a separate meeting with the head of the Vatican's interfaith dialogue body, Jean-Louis Tauran, the statement added. Tayyeb, considered to be one of Egypt's most moderate Sunni clerics, was recently ranked among the world's top ten most influential Muslims. Relations between the Vatican and the Egyptian government cooled in January 2011 when Cairo recalled its envoy to the Holy See over what it called "interfering" remarks by Pope Benedict XVI urging the country to do more to protect its Coptic Christian minority. Dialogue between the Vatican and the al-Azhar - the highest seat of Sunni learning - has made progress since Francis succeeded Benedict as pontiff in March 2013, according to observers. Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 : The Communist Party of India (CPI) - the second biggest party in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition that stormed to power in the just-concluded assembly polls in Kerala - has decided to nominate new faces as ministers in all the 4 ministerial berths allotted to the party in the LDF government. The CPIs ministerial nominees are E Chandrasekharan, V S Sunil Kumar, P Thilothaman, and K Raju. The names of prospective ministers of the CPI were announced after the State executive and State council of the party, which met here in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, ratified the names. The meeting also decided to nominate V Sasi to the post of Deputy Speaker. The names of former ministers C Divakaran and Mullakkara Ratnakaran were conspicuous by their absence in the ratified list of ministers of the CPI. Announcing the CPIs list of ministers, party State secretary Kanam Rajendran told the media that it was nothing new for the CPI to fill all ministerial slots allotted to it with new faces as all its ministers in the 2006 cabinet were also first timers. However, soon after the list was announced, news channels reported that Mullakara Ratnakaran had expressed interest in becoming minister at the executive meeting but the party State executive chose to pass him over. In protest, Mr. Ratnakaran reportedly gave the party council meeting a miss. The former minister reportedly alleged that the selection of ministers was vitiated by machinations within the party. Mullakara Ratnakaran was the minister for agriculture in the previous LDF government led by CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan. News / National by Walter Nyamukondiwa Zanu-PF has warned party members that it will not brook corrupt activities among its rank and file and has activated its provincial structures led by chairpersons to fight the scourge. The crackdown follows a meeting President Mugabe held with provincial party chairpersons and other leaders at State House on Wednesday last week.Addressing a Mashonaland West provincial coordinating committee meeting in Chinhoyi at the weekend, Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said corruption would not be tolerated in the party."At last week's meeting of (provincial) chairpersons with President Mugabe at State House on Wednesday, the President talked about something that we think when said to us chairpersons, is a command," he said."President Mugabe pressed on the issue of corruption saying in the provinces where chairpersons work they should seriously look at the issue of corruption as it has the potential of killing the party."The meeting was held to allow chairpersons to present challenges they face in executing their duties. Dr Chombo, who is also Home Affairs Minister, said the President had also called on the party to adhere to proper disciplinary procedures in dealing with any member accused of wrongdoing.Dr Chombo said his office would soon write to all provinces restating party disciplinary procedures to avoid matters premised on lies and hatred of individuals, which help to weaken the party."The President said people who have wronged the party should be punished, but following laid down procedures to the letter. This ensures that even those who have been tried are content with the outcome," he said.Turning to disciplinary issues in Mashonaland West province, Dr Chombo said provincial leaders should stop "ambush tactics" leading to votes of no confidence. This follows vote no confidence motions on provincial chairlady Angeline Muchemenyi and other manoeuvres at the weekend to boot out Cdes Sarah Mahoka and Maggi Chidarikire from the provincial executive on a raft of charges.Said Dr Chombo: "We should make sure that whatever we are doing will help build the party and not destroy it. We should stop ambush tactics which lead to votes of no confidence that are in turn countered by similar motions which do not help the party."News of the vote of no confidence have been doing the rounds on social media. He said the Zanu-PF leadership should be open about disciplinary issues and the crimes for which one was accused.Politburo member and President of the Senate Edna Madzongwe was asked to convene a meeting of the Women's League in the province to hear allegations levelled against the three and to map the way forward.Another team will be set up to go on a fact-finding mission in Kadoma where internecine strive has been reported. The Women's League, he said, could only proceed to pass a vote of no confidence once they were clear that an offence was committed.Provincial chairperson Ephraim Chengeta said Mashonaland West was ready for the One Million-Man March on Wednesday. "We are ready and the districts are working on their plans to ensure that the province where our President hails from is well represented," he said.The march is aimed showing support for the President as the sole Zanu-PF presidential candidate in the 2018 elections. The meeting was also attended by Mashonaland West Minister of State Faber Chidarikire, Politburo members Edna Madzongwe and Lands Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora. Ahmedabad, May 23 : Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, who served for 20 years as finance minister in the Keshubhai Patel and the Narendra Modi governments in Gujarat, on Monday rued high donations had become the order of the day in the medical education system in Gujarat and the country. Vala, who was the speaker of the state assembly when he was shifted to Bengaluru as the governor after Modi took over as prime minister, castigated the administrative machinery over huge donations demanded by the private medical colleges in the state and other parts of the country. "A person has to pay a minimum of about Rs.1 crore donation to get admission in the private medical colleges. After paying such huge donations, how do you expect such doctors to go to the rural areas and serve the poor? "He will naturally be concerned about first raising the money his father has spend in donation to make him a doctor," he said. The Karnataka governor was in Rajkot, his home town, to attend the 50th foundation day celebrations of the Saurashtra University. State Higher Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, who was also present kept mum over the issue. The situation, Vala said, was still worse in the post-graduate medical courses. "For MD courses, the donation demanded for admission is as high as Rs.2 to 5 crore. One cannot expect such doctors to serve the society when they have to spend a fortune to acquire the qualification," he lamented. Chudasma did not respond to the issues raised by Vala but answered the media persons about the burning issue of fee hike by the private schools in the state. Clashes between the private school managements and parents have become almost a routine affair in the schools and colleges in the state every year as the school authorities indiscriminately hike fees without any prior notice. He said the government was planning to issue an administrative order on the private schools restricting them from hiking fees beyond a certain level without consulting the parents associations. "The government is seized with the matter and a notification to this effect is expected to be issued soon," he said. Auckland house sales activity quietened in April after a busy March, with only a marginal increase in the average price, and sales numbers down significantly. The latest data from agents Barfoot & Thompson shows that the average price in April was $878,599, up 0.8% from March and up 8.6% compared to April 2015. Auckland house prices have pulled back from breaking into new territory. For the past year we have been looking at monthly year on year increases of around 12%, said Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson. He pointed out that sales numbers at 944 for the month were also down significantly, falling 29.6% on those for March and down 11.8% on those for April last year. It means that in April the firm sold the lowest number of homes we have sold in an April in four years, and the likely cause of this was caution around current pricing and the low number of properties on the market, restricting choice. The data also shows that the median sales price for the month at $820,000 was up 2.8% on that for March and also up 8.8% on that for April last year. In part, the climb in the midway price point (median price) can be attributed to the low number of homes sold in the month for under $500,000. In April only 7.1% of all homes sold were in this price category compared to 10.9% in March, Thompson said. He also pointed out that while house sales above the $1 million mark were the second highest for seven months, overall, activity in April could best be described as restrained. New listings in April at 1,496 were down 20.2% on those for March and down 5.3% on those for April last year. Aprils new listings were the lowest in an April in three years. For the third consecutive month the number of properties on our books at month end declined, and at 2,846 fell 8% below where they were at the end of March. The number of homes on our books at the end of April was the lowest they have been in an April for more than 15 years, Thompson explained. While choice across all price segments was low, interest in top end homes remained high, and 355 properties, or 37.6%of all homes sold, attracted a price in excess of $1 million, he added. Property asking prices in the UK increased by the modest amount of just 0.4% in May, taking the average price to 308,151, according to the latest index figures. But it is first time buyers who have faced the highest rises, with the data from property portal Rightmove showing that for this segment of the market asking prices increased by 6.2% month on month and 11.4% year on year. In some areas first time buyers have seen prices rise even more with Croydon, Dartford and Luton recording an annual price surge of 18%. Those moving up the housing ladder have fared better with second steppers seeing prices fall 0.8% month on month, but they are still paying some 8.1% more than a year ago. The report points out that it was speculated that the investor activity drop-off after the April additional home stamp duty deadline would act as a brake on prices at the lower end of the market. However, intense investor activity, with March transaction numbers up a massive 80% on last year, exacerbated the property drought in this sector and is now causing upwards price pressure. This resulted in prices for properties with two bedrooms or less, typical first time buyer homes, increasing. If you were expecting a long period of price doldrums at the lower end of the market following the mass exit of the buy to let brigade, this months 6.2% price rise will come as a big surprise, said Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst. Properties at the lower end of the market were the most common target for the investor community, and the immediate aftermath of the tax deadline saw new seller asking prices drop in this sector for just one month. The 1.4% fall reported in Aprils index appears to have been a very short lived knee jerk, with an average price surge of 11,298 this month for properties coming to market with two bedrooms or fewer, he explained. It remains to be seen if these prices can be achieved and there may be some over pricing in the market; it is also a reflection of better quality property coming to market in this sector which is now targeting owner-occupiers rather than landlords, he added. He pointed out that since November when it was announced that an extra 3% stamp duty would be charged on additional homes and its implementation at the end of March, the price of property coming to market in this first time buyer/investor sector increased by 3%. In just four weeks it has now risen by 6.2%, the highest monthly rise recorded for this sector since February 2012. The report also show that demand for typical entry level property remains high, with searches on Rightmove specifying two bedrooms or fewer being up by 47% in April compared to April 2015 in spite of waning investor interest. In contrast, fresh supply for this sector is down by 1.5% in the last four weeks compared to the same period a year ago. While the price of a first home is accelerating, motivation to get on to the housing ladder is buoyed by the increasing cost of renting, better availability of mortgage products, and deposits gifted by family. First time buyers are still eager to secure some of the very limited suitable supply in many parts of the country. Estate agents have perhaps been focused on getting investor sales through to completion before the tax hike, and some may have been surprised by the continuing momentum and scarcity of stock to meet ongoing demand, said Shipside. The net effect is eye watering increases in asking prices in some towns, and is further stretching first time buyers affordability even though they are competing against fewer buy to let investors in the market, he added. While the biggest increase in the price of property coming to market compared to a year ago in the typical first time buyer sector is in Croydon in Greater London, up by 18.6%. In regions outside London, but still very much in commuter belt territory, Dartford in the South East has recorded an 18.5% jump, with Luton in the East of England up by 18.4%. Agents report that all of these areas were the focus of considerable buy to let investor activity. The countrys top price rise hotspot is Croydon, where Londoners priced out of some other parts of the capital have sensed a combination of convenience and value, aided by some serious regeneration, said shipside. 'Dartford has also been a very popular and affordable area for London buyers prepared to commute from the South East region and also good for rental yields for investors. With 5% less property coming to market in Dartford in the last four weeks compared to the same period in 2015, limited fresh supply is also a big factor. Luton has been a low priced town for some time with easy London access, and has now come into play in the past 12 months, he added. Conversely, six out of 10 regions contain some towns which have seen falls in average asking prices, with the largest drops in Llandudno at 7.5% and Darlington down 3%. Not all towns are seeing these annual hikes, for example a typical first time buyer home in Llandudno is down 7.5%, and Darlington is now 3% cheaper. The health of local economies have a big influence on demand and affordability, and consequently the amount you can ask for a property, Shipside concluded. Ms. Diagne: By allowing these vendors to sell their products on Awalebiz.Com, we are not only helping them grow their business but we are also helping support Fair Trade practices and African sustainable development initiatives. A year since opening their (virtual, e-Commerce) doors, Awalebiz.com has launched over 50 different African brands, artists and manufacturers via their multi-vendor e-commerce platform, http://www.awalebiz.com. Awalebiz.Com is the first platform built by Africans for African brands. This online business marketplace allows both the craftsman without Internet access, to the larger African brand who doesnt have an e-Commerce web site, to compete globally with larger brands and companies. Likewise, Awalebiz also helps more established African creators, entrepreneurs, craftsmen and brands to increase their online visibility and their global presence. Founded in March 2015 by a Senegalese IT professional, Ms. Nafy Diagne, Awalebiz.com was created to be more than just an ecommerce retailer. The core mission of the company is to promote African culture, creativity and sustainable business practices while helping African companies compete globally. The company does this by focusing on partnering with brands that have both a solid sense of corporate responsibility and are environmentally and employee friendly. For example, two of the larger brands it sells, Bioessence Labs and Madlyn Cazalis, have received numerous international awards for success as African businesses. Bioessence Labs is an Ecocert certified manufacturer of 100% organic African cosmetics. The e-Commerce website also has a blog where the various brands can publish articles and interact with each other and share ideas. As Ms. Nafy Diagne says: As an IT professional for a major multi-national corporation, I have had the opportunity to travel the globe and observe how companies operate internationally. I have noticed how hard it is for many small and mid-sized African creators and brands to compete globally without the technology and infrastructure they need. By allowing these vendors to sell their products on Awalebiz.Com, we are not only helping them grow their business but we are also helping support Fair Trade practices and African sustainable development initiatives. In their Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) the United Nations Division of Sustainable Development lists sustained and inclusive economic growth as one of their primary goals. Awalebiz.com joins in this mission of promoting and advancing this sustainable development agenda for Africa. For more information on AwaleBiz.Coms eCommerce platform and sustainability efforts, visit our Values and Beliefs page: http://awalebiz.com/en/nos-engagements-en/. ############################################################ Awalebiz.Com is a leading e-commerce marketplace for unique African products, arts and crafts. In the spirit of the popular African board game 'Awale', based on the idea of spreading seeds to collect fruit, our company focuses not only on the bottom line but on promoting our artists, brands while sharing the wonderful African culture. ########################################################### Former creative lead and founding team member of Toca Boca, Jens Peter de Pedro, and former EditorinChief and VP of Leapfrog, Dr. Suzanne Barchers, have joined Monkimun, a 500Startups backed company developing language learning apps and tools for early childhood,as their new VP of Curriculum and Experience Director. The two executives are joining as the company enters its next phase of growth, and at a time when a wave of big moves is shaping the future of the industry. The global market is booming with companies closing 9figure rounds at billiondollar valuations and with an unprecedented number of acquisitions. Last year, the sector increased at a 58% in fundingand deal activity rose 13% De Pedro, Experience Director at Monkimun, notes, What attracted me to Monkimun was the playbased learning approach. I have not seen any other company with an equally deep commitment to learning through selfdirection. Monkimuns approach of Edufying Games is unique. At Toca Boca play was at the heart of everything and I believe I will be able to contribute greatly to Monkimuns vision with my expertise in digital play. We are excited to learn from their experience. Suzanne Barchers addition on the curriculum side will bolster our content, letting parents and educators rest assured that we are giving their children learning tools of the utmost quality. De Pedro, regarded by many as one of the foremost experts on childrens apps in the industry, will bring his expertise to the goal of engaging kids with a fun, immersive and nonjudgmental experience. With their help, we will bring Monkimun and early childhood education to the next level says Cristobal Viedma, Monkimuns CEO. In February, Monkimun launched Lingokids,a comprehensive English course for children ages 26, designed with content from Oxford University Press, among others. Lingokids is structured in fun, interactive educational games and uses an adaptive learning algorithm that adjusts to the childs level and improvement, so children are constantly learning. As Dr. Barchers points out, Monkimun has a strong focus on building a sound curriculum and education experience catered to each and every child, critical in childrens education. With more than 230 books published, Dr. Suzanne Barchers has served as editor for teachers and childrens books, as Managing Editor at Weekly Reader, and as EditorinChief and Vice President at LeapFrog. She has developed curriculum for programs such as Reading Rainbows School Edition. She currently serves on advisory boards for PBS Kids and YouTube. Monkimun has raised $1.5 million in seed funding to date from Dave McClures 500 Startups, Japans SHOzemi Innovation Ventures, and renowned angel investors Carina Szpilka, VP of UNICEF, and Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX. ABOUT: Monkimun, a San Francisco Madrid based startup founded in 2014, has more than five million installations. Our mission is to make Language Learning for Kids fun. We create a safe environment for children age two to six to learn a new language. Monkimun plans to launch their Spanish and Chinese learning platforms in the coming months. Their apps, including Lingokids, are available in the App Store and Google Play. To stay current with new releases, check out their website: http://www.monkimun.com News / National by Tendai Rupapa A Harare man who allegedly raped his minor daughter for four years has been arrested, seven years after committing the offence.The 46-year-old man from Kuwadzana 7 (name withheld) is said to have raped his daughter on various occasions from 2005 to 2008.The victim, now 18, was in Grade One when her father allegedly deflowered her and continued with the act until she was in Grade Four.The court heard that at one time the man attempted to rape the victim in the presence of his wife who was sleeping on the bed while the minor was sleeping on the floor.The accused appeared in court on Friday last week before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe.He is charged with several counts of rape and attempted rape.He was remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court due to the gravity of the offences his is facing.Prosecuting, Mr Peter Kachirika alleged that sometime in 2005, the victim's mother went to work leaving her in the custody of her father.While the victim was in the house, her father's friend arrived and she was ordered to go outside while the two remained inside.Her father later called her back into the house after his friend had left.He allegedly took her to the bedroom where he raped her and after the act he ordered her to take a bath and not to tell anyone about the abuse.The court heard that the accused on another occasion raped his daughter in the car after she had gone to open the gate for him during the night.It is alleged that when the accused parked his vehicle in the garage, he took the minor into the car and raped her in the back seat.The accused reportedly raped his daughter on another day in the lounge as they were watching television while his wife was cooking outside the house.According to the State, the victim shared her bedroom with their maid and on a date she could not remember, the maid took days off and the girl was scared to sleep alone.Her mother then asked her to sleep with them in their bedroom and she slept on the floor while her parents were on the bed.It is alleged that during the night the accused "crawled" from his bed and went into his daughter's blankets and attempted to rape her.She tried to scream but he gagged her with his hand and rushed back into his bed.The victim's parents later divorced and the accused moved in with another woman and, according to the State, he would take groceries and money to the victim's house for their upkeep.On one occasion, he got there and found the minor alone at the house.He allegedly took her inside and raped her.However, it was not clear in the State papers as to how and when the offence was reported to police. Lionel Zetter propounded the Azerbaijani stance The status quo leaves Armenia holding onto the land it has occupied; talk of conflict resolution threatens that grip. The respected Lyon-based TV channel Euronews has facilitated an exchange of views between Azerbaijani and Armenian representatives in the battle of ideas over the legal ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. An estimated 350 million households in 155 countries watch the channel. The brief was to produce a 600-word article and a two-minute video setting out the legal case for legal ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. The two organisations tasked with making these presentations were The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) and the European Friends of Armenia. Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS clearly and calmly set out the legal framework within which such disputes are settled. He pointed out that the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) all backed Azerbaijans legal claim to the territories. His counterpart from EUFOA referred to Stalin, Lenin and some long-abolished oblasts. Lionel Zetters video message can be seen at http://bit.ly/lioneleuronews The TEAS 600-word submission is as below: "Just as no individual country can exist without a legal framework within which its citizens can operate, so the world cannot get by without the concept of international law. And that law has to be based on one fundamental tenet: that of territorial integrity. Without territorial integrity, chaos, war and bloodshed inevitably ensue. That, sadly, is what we have seen in the South Caucasus for the last quarter century. An international body is needed that can promote that principle, and ultimately introduce sanctions when it is flouted. Countries that invade their neighbours have to know that there is a price to be paid. Fortunately there is such a body. It is called the United Nations, and it has made its position crystal clear. Its Security Council has passed four resolutions (numbers 822, 853, 874 and 884) and its General Assembly has passed resolution 62/243 saying the same things: Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts currently under Armenian military occupation are Azerbaijani sovereign territory. They also demand that Armenia withdraw its armed forces. The UNs word should be enough. However, other bodies (including the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) have said the same. Armenias responsibility for the occupation of Azerbaijani land has been spelt out by The European Court of Human Rights, acknowledging that: Armenia exercised effective control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories. To date, not even Armenia recognises the puppet state that it helped to set up by bloody force of arms. Of course, the Armenian people need their own homeland, which, fortunately, they already have: Armenia. This country has a struggling economy and a shrinking population. All the more reason for it to give up its expansionist ambitions and concentrate on restoring its own fortunes so that it is no longer dependent on international handouts. Armenians living in multicultural Azerbaijan, by contrast, have prospered, and all future inhabitants of a post-settlement Nagorno-Karabakh have been offered the highest level of autonomy. The Government of Azerbaijan, the people of Azerbaijan and the hundreds of thousands of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been patient for many years. The OSCE Minsk Group has had every chance to bring about a diplomatic solution, and in due course it developed the Madrid Principles. This compromise solution would have allowed Azerbaijanis and Armenians to live side by side once again. Azerbaijan accepted it, but sadly Armenia walked away. The status quo leaves Armenia holding onto the land it has occupied; talk of conflict resolution threatens that grip. The UNHCR has stated that Azerbaijan hosts one of the largest IDP populations per capita in the world and over the last few years I have spoken to scores of them. Although they are well cared for, I have yet to hear one of them say that they did not want to return to their ancestral homes and lands. Attempts to visit, like that of Dilgam Asgarov, Shahbaz Guliyev and Hasan Hasanov who returned to tend their family graves, are met with violence. Of these three, one was killed and the others were sentenced to life incarceration. Despite the harsh treatment many of them received from the invading Armenian forces, I have yet to hear one refugee or IDP declare anything other than a desire to once again live next to their Armenian neighbours in peace as they had previously done for generations. In multicultural Azerbaijan, Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant communities continue to thrive in stark contrast to mono-ethnic Armenia." Dr. Subrina Oliver (left), Director of STEM for K-12, poses with Hempstead science teachers and their new Mobile STEM Lab. Investments like this are critical for evening the playing field for our students. As of school year 2016-2017, Hempstead UFSD will become the first Long Island, NY school district to integrate a K-12 STEM program. A+ STEM Labs, a provider of turn-key technology solutions that engage students in hands-on lessons and activities relating to science, technology, engineering and math, announced today that the Hempstead Union Free School District, on Long Island, NY, has purchased two new A+ STEM Labs designed for teaching Middle School Science. These self-sufficient, portable Labs, which can be moved between classrooms, are equipped with a full range of teaching and presentation tools that will enable students to conduct hundreds of experiments, collect data, analyze results and draw conclusions on topics that complement and correlate to the States required curriculum. The STEM Labs will also provide students with an introduction to coding and robots, through the use of a NAO humanoid robot and associated programming software that brings the robot to life. The Hempstead School District is a culturally diverse public school system serving approximately 7000 students. The labs are slated for use at the districts sole middle school, Alverta B Gray Schultz Middle School, which serves 1392 students in grades 6-8. District Superintendent Ms. Susan Johnson, and Associate Superintendent for Secondary Curriculum and Instruction Mr. James Clark, worked tirelessly with the Community Engagement Team to procure funding for the labs through the Receivership Grant for Persistently Struggling Schools. The two new A+ STEM Labs will cost the District a fraction of the cost of constructing a dedicated, full scale science laboratory. Investments like this are critical to evening the playing field for our students, who seek to graduate from our district prepared for college with a strong foundation in STEM education and ready to compete in the global market as confident and competent 21st century learners, explained Mr. Clark. For this very reason, as of school year 2016-2017, Hempstead UFSD will become the first Long Island, NY school district to integrate a K-12 STEM program, added Dr. Subrina Oliver, Director of STEM for K-12. Teachers at the Middle School will receive initial, in-depth training on how to use the Labs technology, as well as ongoing support from A+ STEM Labs Professional Development team. Teachers will learn how to use the labs scientific probes and associated graphing software that comes pre-loaded on each of the student laptops, how to teach coding by programming the actions of the NAO robot and how to use a range of included classroom management technologies to maximize the efficient use of classroom time. This includes software to easily distribute, share and collect student files via Wi-Fi, control or limit student access to laptops when attention is required up front, and use hand-held clickers to allow students to respond to assessment questions in a fun and engaging way. We realize that even the very best teaching technologies are only effective if teachers actually use them. A+ STEM Labs is committed to delivering solutions that are as easy as possible for teachers to master, so that the focus can be spent on teaching and engaging students in the important areas of STEM education that will prepare them for 21st century jobs, explained Bill Waibel, President of A+ STEM Labs. There are currently over 500 STEM Labs in use in New York City Public Schools. To learn more about the companys solutions, including video that shows labs in use, visit http://www.aplusstemlabs.com. About A+ Stem Labs: Founded in 2002, A+ STEM Labs (previously A+ Mobile Solutions) was established with the vision of creating a portable technology and science cart that could be moved from room to room, at a fraction of the cost of renovating an entire classroom and dedicating it to science. Today, the company offers a range of turn-key solutions, customized to support grade-appropriate hands-on learning by students and to facilitate ease of classroom management by teachers. To date, over 500 mobile labs are integrated within the New York City Public School system. Sales, manufacturing and assembly are handled from the companys headquarters in Bay Shore, New York. To learn more, visit http://www.aplusstemlabs.com. Interstate Security Services this week announced an agreement to provide security related services to Anabi Oil and several of its retail outlets in the Las Vegas area. Interstate Security Services, Inc. (InterstateSecurityServices.com) is a locally owned and operated private security firm providing guards and security surveillance to several commercial enterprises in the Las Vegas Valley. Their services include HOA guard gated communities, HOA security plans, high-rise and condominium security and planning, casino showroom security, and numerous commercial properties. Anabi Oil Company is a well-known reputable California-based Corporation who recently announced the acquisition of numerous Rebel convenience stores. Anabi and its affiliates operate as a diversified distributor, retailer and owner of motor gasoline products and properties. Rebel sold its retail outlets after 50 years of service in the Las Vegas Area. Las Vegas-based Rebel Oil had approximately 40 retail locations throughout Nevada, including Las Vegas, Henderson, Beatty, Boulder City, Pahrump, and Searchlight. Gary Newcomer, President and CEO of Interstate was pleased that Anabi Oil recognized the importance of choosing a Las Vegas based Security firm that fully understands the intricacies of providing safety in the Valley. Newcomer further explained, Interstate has a long local history of providing specialized security for commercial enterprises and operating with integrity. And, we welcome the opportunity to service Anabi at their new locations. AssetOptics integration with Accounting Seed provides a best in class purchasing-to-payment workflow, said Horizontal Well Drillers Chief Financial Officer Larry Compton. AssetOptics, a leader in cloud-based CMMS/EAM solutions, today announced it has partnered with Accounting Seed, the developer of the first 100% native accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP) application built from the ground up exclusively for the Salesforce platform. AssetOptics and Accounting Seed, which are natively integrated as Salesforce applications, will be working together under a referral partnership. Accounting Seed was created to allow customers to build world-class business management solutions on the Force.com platform with a reliable and affordable, seamlessly integrated accounting and order/ inventory management package. By leveraging the integrated combination of AssetOptics and Accounting Seed, customers will be able to tie the AssetOptics-based purchasing solution into Accounting Seed's Accounts Payables function. AssetOptics integration with Accounting Seed provides a best in class purchasing-to-payment workflow, said Horizontal Well Drillers Chief Financial Officer Larry Compton. Repair and maintenance tracking by certified asset is critical in the oilfield services industry. These applications are very cost-effective and will scale up very easily as we grow. The integration will also enable customers of the two products to capture all accounting transactions tied to inventory management; i.e. On-Hand Balance Sheet Values, Inventory Issues to Work Orders. Customers who utilize the solutions in tandem will eliminate duplicate data entryand the errors that accompany such an effortwhile enjoying enhanced user productivity and a lower total cost of ownership for both products. This partnership was a natural step for our two companies, which offer highly compatible functionality and have a similar customer base, said AssetOptics Founder Mike Edwards. AssetOptics and Accounting Seed are also culturally well aligned. We look forward to working with Accounting Seeds principals to grow both companies for the benefit of our customers. About AssetOptics AssetOptics is a privately held company with deep domain expertise in enterprise asset management. AssetOptics Facilities, Equipment and Fleet Maintenance for Salesforce is a native Force.com application, benefiting from the reliability, scalability and performance of salesforce.coms trusted enterprise cloud computing platform. For more information, visit http://www.assetoptics.com. About Accounting Seed Accounting Seed was started in 2010 by a team of professionals who built robust custom solutions on the Force.com platform combining domain expertise in CRM, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Accounting. The companys main goal is to make customers successful by allowing them to run their business management solutions entirely on the Salesforce platform. Accounting Seed combines General Ledger, Project Accounting and ERP into one application to create a total back office solution. For more information, follow the company on Twitter or LinkedIn, or visit http://www.accountingseed.com. About Horizontal Well Drillers Horizontal Well Drillers (HWD) is an onshore oil and gas drilling contractor specializing in the drilling of oil and gas wells across the United States and Mexico. HWD strives to be a leader in the oil and gas drilling industry while delivering safe and efficient drilling practices that save clients time and money. The company also encourages and rewards the creativity, teamwork and enthusiasm of its employees while setting the highest of safety standards. For more information, visit http://www.hwdrillers.com. Bryn Wesch, CFO of Novus Medical Detox Center, comments on the need for stricter laws on prescribing opioids. The first step in reducing opioid dependency, addiction and overdose deaths is to stop overprescribing. To that end, I believe state legislators efforts can have a tremendous impact. While new U.S. opioid prescribing guidelines were recently issued to address the nations prescription opioid epidemic (1), physicians are not legally required to follow them. In the absence of federal regulations, many lawmakers are pursuing legislation at the state level (2, 3, 4). Novus Medical Detox Center, a leading Florida-based drug treatment facility, strongly supports new laws and regulations aimed at controlling opioid prescriptions, and believes these measures will help reduce opioid dependency, addiction and overdose deaths. Some states have been particularly hard hit by the current opioid epidemic and other drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10 states have age-adjusted drug overdose death rates of 20% or higher (5). They include West Virginia (35.5%), New Mexico (27.3%), New Hampshire (26.2%), Kentucky (24.7%), Ohio (24.6%), Rhode Island (23.4%), Utah (22.4%), Pennsylvania (21.9%), Delaware (20.9%) and Oklahoma (20.3%). Another CDC study found that many of these states also lead the nation in opioid prescriptions per capita (6). For all types of opioid pain relievers, West Virginia ranks #3, Kentucky #4 and Oklahoma #5. For long-acting opioids, Delaware ranks #2, New Hampshire #3, West Virginia #7 and Pennsylvania #9. In the case of high-dose opioids, Delaware ranks #1, West Virginia #6, New Hampshire #7 and Oklahoma #8. While the link between opioid prescribing practices and drug overdose deaths has not been empirically proven, the statistics appear to suggest a strong correlation, stated Bryn Wesch, CFO of Novus Medical Detox Center. Based on our experience in treating patients addicted to or dependent on methadone, heroin and other opioids, weve found that prescription painkillers often served as the gateway. Thats why we support stricter laws to regulate opioid prescribing and dispensing, and why we feel legal measures are required to overcome Americas opioid epidemic. Though Novus favors broad regulations at the national level, Wesch recognizes that state legislators may be able to get the job done more quicklyespecially since pharmaceutical lobbyists are working to block federal initiatives. According to recent estimates, approximately 375 proposals to regulate pain clinics and/or opioid prescribing are currently circulating in state legislatures (2). Massachusetts lawmakers recently passed a bill that would limit painkiller prescriptions to a seven-day supply, with Maine and Vermont considering similar measures (2). Delaware, which ranks in the top two for per-capita prescriptions of both long-acting and high-dose opioids, has also made news with its push for stricter regulations (3). And while Missouri remains the only state without a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), some state legislators have been working to change that; and several counties are pursuing PDMPs at the local level (4). The first step in reducing opioid dependency, addiction and overdose deaths is to stop overprescribing. To that end, I believe state legislators efforts can have a tremendous impact, said Wesch. All physicians should be legally required to follow prescribing guidelines and check their states PDMP before issuing prescriptions, and to refer their patients for appropriate treatment if they suspect opioid misuse or abuse. Novus medically supervised detox programs have helped many patients overcome opioid withdrawal with minimal discomfort. The Florida detox facility provides individually customized treatment plans based on proven medical protocols, including 24/7 access to withdrawal specialists and nursing care. Novus is renowned for its expertise in treating high-dose methadone cases, and is proficient in detoxing patients from other high-dose opioids just as safely, comfortably and effectively. For more information on Novus Medical Detox Center and its prescription opioid treatment programs, visit http://www.novusdetox.com. About Novus Medical Detox Center: Novus Medical Detox Center has earned The Joint Commissions Gold Seal of Approval for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation as an inpatient medical detox facility. Licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families, Novus provides safe, effective alcohol and drug treatment programs that are based on proven medical protocols and designed to minimize the discomfort of withdrawal. The facility is located on 3.25 acres in New Port Richey, Florida, in a tranquil, spa-like setting bordering protected conservation land. Intent on proving that detox doesnt have to be painful or degrading, Novus set out to transform the industry by bringing humanity into medical detox with individually customized treatment programs and 24/7 access to nursing care and withdrawal specialists. Today, Novus is renowned as a champion of industry standardization and a staunch advocate of patients fighting to overcome substance use disorders. Frequently recognized for its contributions to the industry and local community, Novus has become a regular source to media publications such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today and has ranked in the Tampa Bay Business Journals Fast 50, the Florida Business Journals Top 500 and the Inc. 5000 list of Americas fastest-growing companies. For more information on Novus medically supervised detox programs, visit http://novusdetox.com. 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Releases Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain; press release issued March 15, 2016. cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0315-prescribing-opioids-guidelines.html 2. Meier, Barry and Sabrina Tavernise. States Move to Control How Painkillers Are Prescribed; The New York Times; March 11, 2016. nytimes.com/2016/03/12/business/states-move-to-control-how-painkillers-are-prescribed.html 3. Rini, Jen. State Pushes Stricter Prescribing Guidelines for Pain Pills; The News Journal (Delaware); May 12, 2016. delawareonline.com/story/news/health/2016/05/11/state-pushes-stricter-prescribing-guidelines-pain-pills/84227258/ 4. Suntrup, Jack. Prescription Monitoring Hits Roadblock in Missouri Senate; St. Louis Post Dispatch; May 12, 2016. stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/prescription-monitoring-hits-roadblock-in-missouri-senate/article_15c20d81-a62a-5407-93d3-6eb10d4cd2cb.html 5. Rudd, Rose A.; Noah Aleshire; et al. Increases in Drug and Opioid Overdose Deaths United States, 20002014; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; January 1, 2016. cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6450a3.htm 6. Paulozzi, Leonard J.; Karin A. Mack; and Jason M. Hockenberry. Variation Among States in Prescribing of Opioid Pain Relievers and Benzodiazepines United States, 2012; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; July 4, 2014. cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6326a2.htm Moodle, the worlds open source learning platform, today releases its latest and most intuitive version, Moodle 3.1. Based on the work of the core team at Moodle HQ and contributions from the global community, the popular learning management system introduces a range of useful new features together with a number of significant usability improvements. The flagship feature of this release is support for Competency-Based Education (CBE). With Moodle 3.1, administrators can create learning plan templates and apply them to individuals or entire cohorts of students. Competency frameworks and learning plans can now be constructed within Moodle or imported from external sources using a plugin. Some of the highlights of Moodle 3.1 include: Full support for Competency Based Education (CBE) Intuitive assignment grading interface Global search function Assignment file conversion Activity sharing between Moodle sites In-line editing In-page confirmations Ability to pin forum discussions File system repository search function Ability to bulk download files in zipped folders for offline use For more details about these features and the full list of improvements see https://docs.moodle.org/31/en/New_features Also included in this release is the recycle bin feature which allows users to restore deleted courses and files to their original locations. This is the first feature to be contributed by the new community driven, Moodle Users Association https://moodleassociation.org. Moodle 3.1 remains dedicated to the core educational mission at the heart of the open source project. Moodle is a free, accessible toolbox for educators to produce practical structures for collaborative learning of all kinds. Moodle can be used on every device, including offline mobile devices with the Moodle Mobile App. Availability Downloads: As a true open source community product, this latest version of Moodle is a free download https://download.moodle.org or via Git. Upgrades to Moodle 3.1 should be quite simple from any previous version of the platform. MoodleCloud: You can also try Moodle 3.1 using the MoodleCloud service at https://moodle.com/cloud. All existing MoodleCloud sites will be automatically upgraded to Moodle 3.1 over the next week. Moodle Partners: For paid services such as hosting, installation, customisation, training and much more, contact one of the official certified Moodle Partners at https://moodle.com/partners. About Moodle First released in 2002 by Martin Dougiamas, Moodle has since developed into a full-featured, flexible open source learning platform currently used in more than 230 countries with more than 86 million users worldwide. Moodle is a true open source project with thousands of collaborators from around the world, led by Moodle Pty Ltd from Perth, Australia and financially supported by a global network of Moodle Partner service companies. The focus of Moodle is to provide educators with the best tools to manage and promote learning. For more information, visit http://moodle.org. Contact Collette McCann Moodle Marketing Officer press(at)moodle(dot)com The potential benefits of a more connected and collaborative agriculture industry have never been more apparent. PrecisionAg Media has released its latest White Paper, Six Trends That Will Drive Precision Farming in 2017 and Beyond. The paper outlines the key trends that are creating both opportunities and challenges for manufacturers and practitioners in the precision ag industry. Weve witnessed a lot of highs and lows as the precision agriculture market has grown and matured over the past 20 years, says Paul Schrimpf, Executive Editor of PrecisionAg Media. The potential benefits of a more connected and collaborative agriculture industry have never been more apparent, but many challenges remain. This brief identifies the key issues and trends we see as we continue to look for, and illuminates best practices and new ideas that are likeliest to move precision agriculture forward. Agriculture professionals and others interested in these key tech trends can download their complimentary white paper by visiting PrecisionAgs website at http://www.precisionag.com/market-brief-these-six-trends-will-drive-precision-farming-in-2017-and-beyond/. About PrecisionAg Media For more than two decades, PrecisionAg Media has been the go-to information source for practicioners and other professionals in precision farming, and has fostered a better understanding of technology-driven agriculture. PrecisionAg Media includes: PrecisionAg magazine PrecisionAg.com, PrecisionAg E-News, and PrecisionAg Product Showcase newsletter Live events in the precision space including the PrecisionAg Innovation SeriesSM (PrecisionAgInnovation.com) and the PrecisionAg Vision ConferenceSM (PrecisionAgVision.com) Exhibition management of the InfoAg Conference, organized by the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) About Meister Media Worldwide Empowering global agriculture. Meister Media Worldwides mission is to be the trusted partner empowering the business of global agriculture to grow a better world. A leader in the industry, the company provides information and networking opportunities to global markets, including fruits and citrus, vegetables, cotton, ornamental horticulture, precision agriculture, plant protection and agriculture in Mexico. With headquarters in Willoughby, Ohio, USA, Meister Media Worldwide was founded in 1932. The companys family of branded offerings includes 11 regular magazines, dozens of weekly e-newsletters, more than 20 websites, and a growing list of conferences and ConnectSM hosted-buyer events. In addition, Meister Media produces custom direct-to-market print, online, in-person, video, and strategic business development solutions through its MeisterDirectTM business services. # # # AGNITY Global, the leading provider of cloud based clinical communications and solutions for healthcare providers announced today that AGNITY MobileCare Platform has been selected by Tech Mahindra for enabling enterprise-grade HIPPA compliant patient monitoring and health collaboration applications as a part of its M-Health Solution. Tech Mahindra M-Health solution enables 24X7 remote health management and monitoring of patients in post discharge and chronic care scenarios and has been designed to improve the quality of patient care regardless of distance or setting. Tech Mahindra is leveraging AGNITY's HIPAA compliant Secure Messaging and Video Conferencing service platform for enabling better patient care coordination, care team collaboration, and patient engagement. Deployment of next-generation remote health management services requires advanced video technology that is scalable, flexible and secure to support the needs of todays caregiver, family and patient. We are delighted that a leading solution provider with the reputation and scale of Tech Mahindra has decided to use AGNITYs open APIs to deliver secure clinical communications and video solutions to healthcare providers in its markets, said Ken Epps, President AGNITY Healthcare. AGNITY provides a cloud based communications enablement solution utilizing the open APIs of its APTUS Cloud Platform. Utilizing the open APIs of the APTUS Cloud Platform partners can build AGNITY powered applications to fit their technology needs. The APTUS Cloud Platform provides open APIs and SDK framework that enables system integrators and healthcare solution providers to communications their solutions targeted to healthcare service providers. About AGNITY Global, Inc AGNITY Global is a leading global provider of intelligent business communication applications and infrastructure to organizations in the telecommunications and healthcare industry verticals. It is headquartered in the Silicon Valley, with Development and Support Operations in Richardson (Texas), and Noida (India). The Communications business of AGNITY Global is branded as AGNITY Communications and powers the networks of global Tier 1 Service providers. The Healthcare business of AGNITY Global is branded as AGNITY Healthcare and offers a comprehensive mobile contextual communication and collaboration solutions for health systems, hospitals and ambulatory providers. AGNITY Global Contact: Media Relations Team media_relations(at)agnity.com (510) 270-5412 http://www.agnity.com Amy Rosenberger, Esq. With more than 150 members, the Philadelphia chapter of LERA brings together people from all aspects of the workplace, and I am honored to serve as president. Philadelphia labor, employment and workers compensation law firm Willig, Williams & Davidson is pleased to announce that partner Amy Rosenberger has been elected president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA). Founded in 1947, LERA is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that draws its members from academia, management, labor and other interested parties. It encourages research into all aspects of the field of labor, employment, and the workplace, including employer and employee organizations, employment and labor relations, human resources, labor markets, income security and related fields. With more than 150 members, the Philadelphia chapter of LERA brings together people from all aspects of the workplace, and I am honored to serve as president, said Rosenberger. I look forward to working with the chapter and the board to facilitate the kind of open and honest discussions that ultimately serve to improve the workplace for all working people. A partner in Willig, Williams & Davidsons labor department, Rosenberger represents labor unions and individual employees before state and federal courts and in arbitrations, negotiations and administrative proceedings. With more than 20 years of experience as a labor practitioner, she also counsels and trains employees and union representatives regarding employment disputes and their rights under the law. To learn more about the Philadelphia chapter of LERA, visit the organizations website. About Willig, Williams & Davidson Willig, Williams & Davidson is one of the largest and most respected union-side labor law firms in the United States. The firm has offices in Philadelphia, Media, Jenkintown and Harrisburg, Pa., as well as Haddonfield, N.J., and Chicago, Ill. Founded in 1979, Willig, Williams & Davidson focuses on representing labor unions, employee benefit funds and individual working people and their families on a variety of legal fronts, including national, regional and local contract negotiations; dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration and litigation; tax and benefit law compliance issues; discrimination and other employment matters; prepaid legal services for union members; and workers compensation matters in Philadelphia and beyond. Alta X Caesar (http://www.altaxcaesar.com) announced today the launch of their first Kickstarter funding campaign. The aim is to raise $20,000 to start production of their handcrafted Caesar cocktail mix in order to distribute to university parties, sunday brunches, and select bars and stores across the US. The Alta X Caesar is a relative of the bloody mary, but with a key twist: Alta X Caesars are spicier, stiffer, and definitively lighter than the traditional bloody mary. Nick Ettinger, a Canadian-born Austinite and grad student at UT Austin, has been developing the Alta X Caesar cocktail for the past 5 years. I brought the Alta X recipe with me from Alberta where the Caesar cocktail was invented. I knew we had something special when every single one of my friends and colleagues who tried the drink told me that they liked the Alta X Caesar better than any bloody mary theyd had. On their website, the Alta X Caesar is described as the perfect drink for kicking off an epic night. When fellow grad student Peter Soto-Kerans tried his close friend and classmates cocktail for the first time, he decided it was time to spread the word about the Alta X Caesar. Together the two have perfected their brand with a carefully thought out name that gives tribute to Austin, Texas (ATX), the party city that inspired Alta X, as well as the Caesars birthplace of Alberta, Canada (Alta. is the abbreviation for the Canadian province of Alberta). The Caesar cocktail has a relatively untapped market in the US, however it is massively popular in Canada, where you can find one at virtually any brunch spot, patio, or bar. A drink like this has so much potential. An Alta X is a drink that you can have at any point in the day, be it for brunch, at a pre-game, a party, or down on Austins famous Sixth Street, says Soto-Kerans, Our initial feedback on the Alta X Caesar has shown that as soon as our fellow partiers try it, theyre in. This could really become the next big drink here in Austin and beyond. The Kickstarter campaign will offer donation options to get the first official batch of Alta X as well as cool Alta X swag. Special donors will even be invited to the Alta X launch party in Austin, TX where they can party with the founders Peter and Nick, and try the first Alta X Caesars! For contact: Nick Ettinger - nicholasettinger(at)altaxcaesar.com Peter Soto-Kerans - peter(at)altaxcaesar.com News / National by Staff reporter The trial of a -26-year-old Beitbridge man accused of bedding several underage pupils from local secondary schools has been postponed to May 31.Rayson Rushwaya is alleged to have impregnated more than six pupils from Vhembe and St Mary's Secondary schools and is also facing charges of kidnapping and unlawful detention of two girls aged 17 years.Through his lawyer, Mr Reason Mutimba of Nyikadzino, Simango and Associates, Rushwaya denied charges of kidnapping and unlawful detention of the two girls against their parents' will when he appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Miss Gloria Takundwa.He was charged under Section 93 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.He is also expected to appear in court on a separate charge of illegal possession of six carats of diamonds worth $2 000 recovered from the roof of his Toyota Mark X by police detectives from the Border Control and Minerals Unit.Rushwaya, who is out of custody on $100 bail granted by the High Court in Bulawayo a fortnight ago, has completed serving a seven-day jail term after he was convicted of insulting a local journalist.Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mupfungidza told the court that in October last year the accused proposed to one of the girls aged 17 and stayed with her as his girlfriend at house number 1738 in Dulibadzimu suburb.He said the teenager's parents tried to get her back but he was evasive until the end of November when he assaulted the girl and chased her away following an argument.The prosecutor said in February this year, Rushwaya then courted another 17-year-old girl and took her to the same house against her parents' will.He said the matter was reported to police leading to Rushwaya's arrest on April 20 when he went to court to attend trial for criminally insulting a journalist.Rushwaya is also accused of sleeping with several other young school girls in the area.It is understood that the Beitbridge community, led by former councillor and women's rights activist, Miss Patricia Ndlovu, is working on a petition against Rushwaya soon to be handed over to the police. Imagination Playground Big Blue Blocks We've already enabled many community fundraising efforts, and I've never seen one fail. Communities truly care! This new guide presents the proven techniques and tips to make school and family center fundraising efficient and successful. Imagination Playground, LLC, http://www.imaginationplayground.com, creators of the breakthrough play space concept that encourages child-directed, unstructured free play, announced today the launch of their new, helpful Community Fundraising Guide. The free, downloadable, kit is intended for schools and family centers that dearly want to bring Imagination Playgrounds Big Blue Blocks to the children they serve, but are sometimes challenged by funding limitations. Imagination Playground created the Community Fundraising Guide after a number of financially challenged organizations had already reached out to them for help. After helping with a few dozen successful community fundraising campaigns, Imagination Playground believed that providing this information to more schools and family centers could help many more organizations fulfill their dreams of play for their children. David Krishock, Imagination Playground President and CEO says, We've already enabled many community fundraising efforts, and I've never seen one fail. Communities truly care! This new guide presents the proven techniques and tips to make school and family center fundraising efficient and successful. Imagination Playgrounds Community Fundraising Guide explains the fundraising process for a set of Big Blue Blocks set in 10 fun and easy steps. From assembling a team, to crafting a compelling story, to throwing a final victory partyevery detail is covered in this simple and complete how to guide. Downloadable resources include Imagination Playgrounds mission brochure, logo, and imagesall of the materials needed to create convincing communications around a successful fundraising effort. Also included are videos that tell the story of the creative play offered by Imagination Playground Blocks, plus tips and articles to spark and support creative ideas. Diana Rowland, third-grade teacher at STARS Charter School and a successful Imagination Playground campaigner said, Woohoo! We've raised enough money to purchase the 105 piece Big Blue Blocks! I can't wait to see the faces of the children when they find out! To download Imagination Playgrounds Community Fundraising Guide, please visit http://www.imaginationplayground.com/mission/community-fundraising-kit.html For more information and questions, please contact 1-678-604-7466 or ContactUs(at)ImaginationPlayground(dot)org. About Imagination Playground, LLC Imagination Playground is a breakthrough play space concept developed to encourage child-directed, creative free play. The kind of play that experts say is critical to childrens intellectual, social, physical and emotional development. Created by architect and designer David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, Imagination Playground enables children to play, dream, build and explore endless possibilities. Imagination Playground finds its home in daycare centers, kindergartens, elementary schools, childrens museumsand science, nature, discovery centers, camps, community centers, childrens hospitals, hotels, public parks and morein North America and over 60 countries overseas. For more information, visit http://www.imaginationplayground.com Tammy myCNAjobs truly makes a difference in these caregivers lives MyCNAjobs announces their partnership with DRM International Learning Center in waiving full CNA School tuition for a HHA who aspires to advance her career. The myCNAjobs newest CNA scholarship recipient, Tammy L., will be attending DRM International Learning Center in Lansing, MI this June. Tammy has been working in healthcare as a HHA in Michigan for many years but has always dreamed of advancing her education. By becoming a CNA, Tammy states I am thrilled about this opportunity because it will enable me to positively impact more patients lives. This scholarship will provide Tammy with the education she has always desired but could not afford. It has been a humbling experience for the myCNAjobs Scholarship Team to partner with generous CNA schools like DRM International Learning Center and watch caregivers graduate and change lives. Nancy Hosford of DRM International is thrilled to join in the myCNAjobs mission to bring education to individuals that will make outstanding caregivers. Nancy stated, this scholarship program that myCNAjobs has started is such a great way to encourage individuals and inspire them to become CNAs. Not only does myCNAjobs help caregivers go to school but also places them in jobs in their area quickly after graduating from CNA School. myCNAjobs truly makes a difference in these caregivers lives. Since the launching of the myCNAjobs Scholarship Program earlier this year, myCNAjobs has partnered with over 35 CNA programs and placed dozens of caregivers into programs in their area. It is a pleasure that DRM International wanted to participate in the scholarship program and to accept Tammy L. into their CNA training class that begins in June. About myCNAjobs myCNAjobs is innovating the way healthcare companies hire and caregivers find work. Home care agencies, nursing homes, and assisted living communities recruit qualified aides efficiently through a suite of digital and career fair tools. Caregivers, CNAs, and Home Health Aides easily connect with local jobs, career fairs, scholarships, and resources to build a schedule to fit their needs with a tech-powered platform. Metcal: Official Malaysian Distributor of MadgeTech Products Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Metcal Technologies not only offers quality products, but also provides inspection and repair services for MadgeTech data loggers. These qualifications translate to excellent customer service for the life of the product and contribute to making them one of MadgeTech's most praised and valued distributors. Metcal is now offering the RFC1000 Cloud Relay data logging hub. MadgeTech is shaping the data logging industry with the release of the new RFC1000 Cloud Relay which transmits real-time data from MadgeTech wirelesss data loggers directly to the MadgeTech Cloud without the need for a computer. This wireless system is simple to set-up and each relay can transmit real-time readings from up to 64 data loggers to the MadgeTech Cloud Services for instant remote access on any internet enabled device. Multiple RFC1000 Cloud Relays can be used to scale the system as needed, accommodating facilities of all sizes. Metcal Technologies offers the RFRHTemp2000A, a wireless temperature and humidity data logger with LED display, ideal for monitoring laboratories, hospitals and endless other storage applications. The 2000A series includes audible alarms, or user configurable email and text notifications. Users can select a measurement threshold and be notified immediately if the level is breached, providing the opportunity to head off problems and prevent the damage of goods. For environments such as hospitals that require the monitoring of vaccines or other refrigerated pharamaceuticals, Metcal offers MadgeTech's VTMS, a wireless data logging system with probe and glycol bottle designed specifically for vaccine temperature monitoring. The VTMS system and all MadgeTech wireless data loggers are cloud compatible, allowing live data to be viewed and managed from any smartphone or device, from anywhere in the world. Metcal specializes in serving the medical industry for a variety of monitoring applications including EtO and steam sterilization validation. Metcal offers a wide selection of continuous monitoring solutions as well as rugged stand alone data logging for harsh environments. The MadgeTech Data Logger Software completes the solution by delivering a robust combination of data analysis tools, built in reporting options and advanced calculations. MadgeTech and Metcal Technologies have been working together for many years to provide affordable and reliable solutions to a wide array of industries. MadgeTech is known across the globe as the leading manufacturer of data loggers, and the only brand trusted by Metcal Technologies. To see the entire line of MadgeTech products available contact Metcal Technologies directly. Just over four years ago, Englewood Police detective Jeremy Bitner was conducting a routine traffic stop. Moments later, the 8-year veteran officer lost his life after being struck and killed by a vehicle. He left behind a loving wife and a son and daughter, as well as many friends and other family members. During Jeremys years of service in the Englewood Police Department, he was assigned to patrol, was a SWAT team member, and also served as a Field Training Officer. On Saturday, June 18, 2016, you can help the families of officers pay tribute to those lost in the line of duty here in Colorado by participating in the 4th Annual Jeremy Bitner Run. This certified racecourse offers a scenic view of beautiful Englewood, the Big Dry Creek Trail, and the Mary Carter Greenway. The run/walk will start and finish at Cornerstone Park in Englewood, where we invite everyone to join loved ones in a celebration of life and those lost in the line of duty. Cornerstone Park is located at 5150 S. Windermere Street in Englewood, Colorado. Sign-ups, sponsorship, and more information can be found here: http://www.bitnermemorialfund.org/ Jeremy Bitner Fund board member and Burg Simpson attorney Nick Fogel said, Burg Simpson is honored to support the Jeremy Bitner Run and those who have fallen in the line of duty, as well as their families and loved ones. The event is a nice way to meet other officers and their families and gain a further sense of community. Vendors and childrens activities will begin once the run/walk is completed, and will include a morning of fun-filled activities for the entire family to enjoy. There will also be a number of emergency vehicles available for touring, along with staff to answer any questions you may have. An emergency helicopter is also scheduled to land before the start of the race. Proceeds from the annual run assist in maintaining The Jeremy Bitner Fallen Officer Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which offers financial assistance to the next of kin of any fallen officer acting in the line of duty in the State of Colorado. All proceeds raised stay in Colorado and benefit those in our community who are affected by these tragic and untimely losses. Chad Read, President of the Board of Directors, said, The Jeremy Bitner Fallen Officer Fund was set up to assist those affected by the death of an officer in the line-of-duty, and to further the assistance to outside organizations who take great pride in reaching out to those affected by a law enforcement death. We remember always and will never forget those who have served, for this is what makes our organization unique and beneficial to families who have lost loved-ones. Contact admin(at)bitnermemorialfund(dot)org for more information. With offices in Denver, Cincinnati, Phoenix, Cody, and Steamboat Springs, Burg Simpson is a firm of award winning trial lawyers practicing in the areas of personal injury, class action, mass torts, medical malpractice, dangerous drug litigation, defective products, insurance bad faith, employment law, workers' compensation, commercial litigation, and construction defect litigation. # # # Media Contact Corey Wheeland Marketing Director (303) 792-5595 cwheeland(at)burgsimpson(dot)com I have always said that ignorance is a far greater problem to society than poverty. Despite the impact of Christianity, education, civilization and a law formally abolishing the Osu caste (Outcast) system in southeastern Nigerias Igboland, class discrimination within Africa and other countries throughout the world is still prevalent today. In Love and Stigma: The Outcast System, Nigerian author Sir Adolphus Ekejiuba includes 50 years of research, applying scientific, religious and sociological lines of thought to disprove a staunchly held cultural practice that encourages discrimination and stigma within Nigeria, India and other countries. As a freeborn teenager, I observed that some traditional beliefs didnt agree with modern thinking and practices, Ekejiuba said. After careful investigation, I saw outcasts as people being denied their fundamental human rights, and I concluded that the outcast system is baseless and instituted in ignorance. Through his book, Ekejiuba hopes to abolish the outcast system and achieve freedom, justice and peace for people who have been stigmatized and discriminated against for ages. I have always said that ignorance is a far greater problem to society than poverty, Ekejiuba said. In this day and age, we cannot afford to watch and do nothing. For more information, visit http://www.adolphusekejiuba.net. Love and Stigma: The Outcast System By Sir Adolphus O.M. Ekejiuba, KSJI ISBN: 978-1-5144-1522-1 Available in hardcover, softcover and e-book Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris About the author Sir Adolphus Ekejiuba is a retired geologist with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria. He is an avid world traveler and philanthropist, contributing significantly to his community development and well-being of the less privileged. He is the founder of the Adolphus Ekejiuba Foundation, a philanthropic organization aimed to reach out to Nigerian youth to curtail restiveness, laziness, ignorance and disease. For more information about the Adolphus Ekejiuba Foundation, visit http://www.adolphusekejiubafoundation.org. ### For review copies or interview requests, contact: Jennifer Uebelhack 317.602.7137 juebelhack(at)bohlsengroup(dot)com Feedback from our participants confirms that KPIP is a highly engaging program that teaches participants how to develop meaningful performance measures (KPIs) and targets for their organizations. Strategy Management Group, in association with the George Washington University College of Professional Studies (GWU CPS), is now offering Key Performance Indicator Professional (KPIP) certification. This comprehensive program is designed for leaders, managers or analysts who want to learn to build, deploy and sustain KPIs to improve organizational strategic or operational performance. Most people whether executives, managers, strategy or performance professionals struggle to develop and manage KPIs or use performance information to make better decisions. This program is designed for all sectors and provides participants with practical tools to develop meaningful strategic and operational performance measures. It helps participants get true buy-in to performance measurement, align measures to strategy, and use measures to drive improvement to reach targets. Participants are taught how to use tools used by organizations around the world, to understand and articulate desired results, determine what to measure, set targets and thresholds, develop composite measures, measure outcomes, outputs, processes, and inputs, and produce visually appealing reports and dashboards that better inform decision making throughout an organization. The Key Performance Indicator Professional (KPIP) Certification is intended for: Teams or individuals with performance measurement/management responsibility Senior managers or leaders who are establishing, leading, and managing performance management and/or measurement programs and systems Managers, planners and analysts who are part of a strategic planning and management team and are seeking the best practical ideas for improving organizational performance Employees who have been tasked to plan, develop, or improve dashboards, KPI scorecards, business processes, program and project management, portfolio management or other measurement systems Managers, planners, or analysts who are involved with defining performance measures or complying with regulatory and other reporting requirements Budget analysts who need performance information to formulate budgets and evaluate programs Kathleen Leonard, Director of Training said, Feedback from our participants confirms that KPIP is a highly engaging program that teaches participants how to develop meaningful performance measures (KPIs) and targets for their organizations. Built on a structured approach to measurement, analysis, and management, the workshop addresses the full gamut of measurementstrategy, operations, projects, risk, and employee performanceas well as how to use performance data. Information about this new class can be found at http://www.strategymanage.com/training-and-certification/ About Strategy Management Group: Strategy Management Group (SMG) provides a full range of strategic planning, performance measurement (KPI) and strategy execution consulting, training and professional certification services to public, private and nonprofit organizations. SMGs services also include facilitation, organizational alignment, initiative prioritization, governance consulting and board leadership development. SMG is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, with the primary consulting and training office in Chicago, Illinois. The company also has offices in Washington DC and San Jose, California, as well as international partner offices on five continents. About the George Washington University College of Professional Studies: The GW College of Professional Studies (CPS), believes that empowering working professionals is an important driver for prosperity in the global economy. They offer diverse academic programs in a flexible, innovative learning environment that takes full advantage of the universitys deep relationships in the Washington, D.C. area. Housed within CPS, the Graduate School of Political Management equips their student body to make their mark on the world. CPS arms their graduates with a professional agility that is critical to success and leadership in todays career landscape and crucial for making a difference in the world. Crescent's McKinney & Olive office tower development in Uptown Dallas features stunning views of Uptown, Dallas' Arts District and Klyde Warren Park. Cushman & Wakefield's selection of McKinney & Olive speaks volumes to its premier location, building quality and numerous amenities. Crescent Real Estate Holdings LLC announces that commercial real-estate giant Cushman & Wakefield has leased 40,863 square feet encompassing two floors in the 20-story building in McKinney & Olive, Crescents newest development in Dallas Uptown. The move to McKinney & Olive symbolizes Cushman & Wakefields desire to have a major presence with centralized offices in Dallas, especially important following its recent merger with DTZ. Craig Wilson, Randy Cooper, Mike Wyatt and Matt Heidelbaugh represented Cushman & Wakefield in the transaction, and John Zogg represented Crescent. The addition of Cushman & Wakefield to McKinney & Olives prestigious roster of firms brings the project to 88 percent leased barely three months prior to the developments opening, which is slated for late summer. Cushman & Wakefield is one of the worlds most respected commercial real estate firms, and its reputation is further enhanced as a result of their merger with DTZ, said John Goff, chairman and chief executive officer of Crescent Real Estate Equities, LLC. Cushman & Wakefield is uniquely informed of the Dallas market so their selection of McKinney & Olive speaks volumes to its premier location, building quality and numerous amenities. McKinney & Olive is a one-of-a-kind, mixed-use project offering world-class architecture by award-winning firm Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, plus premier Class-A office space and unrivaled visibility in the vibrant pedestrian-oriented Uptown Dallas neighborhood. The 530,000-square-foot structure will be the first commercial building in Dallas to be designed by an internationally acclaimed architect since the 1980s. McKinney & Olive affords us the opportunity to create a strategic, vibrant workspace for our employees and partners, said Ran Holman, Cushman & Wakefield Dallas market leader. This type of space located in an energetic, mixed-use environment will benefit us as Cushman & Wakefield continues its expansion in North Texas. Goff notes that Cushman & Wakefields lease comes weeks after the decision by Prologis Industrial REIT the global leader in industrial logistics real estate across the Americas, Europe and Asia to lease 12,883 square feet in McKinney & Olive. I can tell you its a great honor when peers like Cushman & Wakefield and Prologis two of the worlds powerhouse real-estate companies respect your work enough to choose it as their new home, said John Zogg, managing director for Crescent Real Estate Equities, LLC, who played a key role in both leases. Zogg added that several retail leases should be announced in the next month, and he expects the building to be completely leased by opening date, which is slated for late summer. The building is taking shape. In the main lobby, the glass has been installed, along with the marble on the walls and floors. The exterior of the garage, which features perforated metal panels, is now complete, and the metal supports for the shade system located on the top of the garage are being erected. Construction of the Concierge Floor which contains the conference center, fitness center and management office is currently underway. The piazza, under the guidance of landscape designer The Office of James Burnett, also is coming to life. The fountain feature has been fully constructed, and five fully mature trees are lush and blooming. Several customers have begun their finish out. They include Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP; Sidley Austin LLP; McKinsey & Company; MHT MidSpan, LP and Del Friscos Double Eagle Steakhouse. Other prominent firms that have signed leases at McKinney & Olive include Stackpath; Trive Capital; Tailwater Capital; Haworth; Luther King Capital Management; Saatchi & Saatchi; Team One; Sales Benchmark Index and Park Place Dealerships. Located on a 3.1-acre site at McKinney Avenue and Olive Street, McKinney & Olive is juxtaposed amid the grandeur of the neighboring Ritz-Carlton and The Crescent and just blocks from the Dallas Arts District and Klyde Warren Park. As is the mission with its other properties, Crescent will provide exceptional customer service at McKinney & Olive. Crescent has been recognized 10 times with the prestigious National Commercial Real Estate Customer Service Award for Excellence, or the A List Award, from CEL & Associates, Inc. Theres only one! For more information, visit mckinneyandolive.com. ABOUT CRESCENT Crescent Real Estate Holdings LLC, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a fully-integrated real estate company owned by Goff Capital and Barclays Capital. Through its subsidiaries, Crescent manages and develops premier, Class A office buildings. Crescent also holds investments in resort residential developments in locations such as Scottsdale, Vail Valley, and Lake Tahoe; a luxury hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas; and the wellness lifestyle leader, Canyon Ranch. For more information, visit crescent.com. ABOUT CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD Cushman & Wakefield is a leading global real estate services firm that helps clients transform the way people work, shop, and live. Our 43,000 employees in more than 60 countries help investors optimize the value of their real estate by combining our global perspective and deep local knowledge with an impressive platform of real estate solutions. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest commercial real estate services firms with revenue of $5 billion across core services of agency leasing, asset services, capital markets, facility services (C&W Services), global occupier services, investment & asset management (DTZ Investors), project & development services, tenant representation, and valuation & advisory. To learn more, visit http://www.cushmanwakefield.com or follow @CushWake on Twitter. Eckerd College's Fox Quad. Student advocates can make a natural transition from Eckerd to Stetson law school. Starting in the fall, high-performing Eckerd College students, including students and graduates of Eckerds Program for Experienced Learners, can earn direct admission to Stetson law school. The partnership with Stetson University will also offer $15,000 or more in scholarship opportunities to accepted Eckerd College students based on qualifications and credentials. Through the new program, eligible Eckerd College students who have completed coursework requirements for their bachelors degrees and have competitive grades and scores on the Law School Admissions Test may apply and be accepted to law school at Stetson University in their senior year. This new direct admission agreement between Stetson University's College of Law and Eckerd will offer wonderful opportunities for Eckerd College graduates. We look forward to a growing and flourishing relationship with Stetson Law," said Suzan Harrison, Eckerd Colleges Dean of Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs. This new partnership makes it possible for Eckerd College students who are passionate about advocacy to seamlessly transition into law school, said Dean and Professor of Law Christopher Pietruszkiewicz. Student advocates can make a natural transition from Eckerd to Stetson law school, said Dean Pietruszkiewicz. Eckerds academic strengths in the natural sciences dovetail into Stetsons international leadership in environmental law. A private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Eckerd College has a diverse student body with 1,800 students from 48 states and 40 countries and is one of only 40 schools listed in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives. In 2003, Eckerd became one of the youngest colleges to receive a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Home to the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, Stetson regularly hosts the finals of the International Environmental Moot Court Competition and the International Wildlife Law Conference that unites student advocates from around the world and features speakers from across the planet, as well as the Foreman Biodiversity Lecture Series that brings key environmental advocates to the law school campus. Stetson law school is ranked No. 1 in Trial Advocacy and No. 3 in Legal Writing in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Stetson offers certificates of concentration for J.D. students in the areas of advocacy, elder law, environmental law, international law and social justice advocacy. ### About Stetson University College of Law Stetson University College of Law, Florida's first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through our academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson lawyers are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession. About Eckerd College Eckerd College invites students to ThinkOutside. Located on 188 acres of waterfront property in St. Petersburg, Florida, Eckerd is a pioneer of innovationdeveloping programs that have been adopted nationwide and earning the College an international reputation for academic excellence. Eckerd also serves more than 600 students annually through its Program for Experienced Learners. The Leadership Development Institute, Academy of Senior Professionals, and offerings through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Road Scholar program identify the College as a national leader in continuing education. Author Solutions, LLC, the world leader in supported self-publishing services, announced Monday that four iUniverse titles have been recognized with National Indie Excellence Award honors. The Dominican Experiment by Michael DAmato and George Santos was the winning title in the category of Travel. Three other iUniverse titles were finalists in the competition: Sightseeing in the Undiscovered Country by Louisa Oakley Green in the category of Body/Mind/Spirit Sting by JB Hamilton Queen in the category of Fiction Sheppard of the Argonne by G. William Weatherly in the category of Military Fiction Awarded annually since 2006, the NIEA has recognized excellence in independent publishing. In 2016, the award winners included international poets and authors from Singapore, London and India, among others. For more information about Author Solutions supported self-publishing services, please visit authorsolutions.com. Follow @authorsolutions on Twitter and Like us at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorSolutions for the latest supported self-publishing news. ####### About Author Solutions, LLC Author Solutions, LLC, is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, and as the worlds leading supported self-publishing provider has served authors on six continents. Through Author Solutions leading self-publishing imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Palibrio, Trafford Publishing and Xlibris and strategic alliances with leading trade publishers and media organizations, we have helped more than 200,000 authors self-publish, promote and bring to market more than a quarter million new titles. Through continuous innovation, Author Solutions makes it possible to develop new literary talent efficiently and provide authors with the widest range of services for bringing their books to market. Please visit authorsolutions.com for more information. Follow @authorsolutions on Twitter and Like us at facebook.com/AuthorSolutions for the latest news. We are excited to offer these new luxurious accommodations to our residents. This project allows us to continue as Akrons leading premier choice for first-class assisted living. On Sunday, May 15, Rockynol Retirement Community, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community, dedicated its new $11.5 million, 64-room assisted living center. After 18 months of construction, the new state-of-the-art structure was dedicated at an invitation-only ceremony and ribbon cutting. The new building provides the latest in assisted living amenities and services, offering six different studio and three one-bedroom floor plans. These apartment-style residences include kitchenettes and walk-in showers. The center also offers delicious cooked-to-order meals with full-service restaurant-style dining. Over 20 comfortable common areas invite residents out of their apartments to meet new people, socialize and have fun. Designed by JMM Architects and built by Welty Building Company of Fairlawn, Ohio, the beautiful exterior of the center was inspired by surrounding neighborhood homes. We are excited to offer these new luxurious accommodations to our residents, said Kara Hanzie, Rockynol executive director. This project allows us to continue as Akrons leading premier choice for first-class assisted living. The new assisted living center will replace one of the existing two iconic round towers first opened in 1966. After compassionately serving the Akron community for 50 years, we are happy to be able to so greatly enhance our assisted living center, Hanzie continued. With this, we will be able to continue to meet the needs of older adults in Akron for at least another 50 years. In addition to the deluxe accommodations, the new assisted living center will continue to respond to residents needs. Whether its managing medications or providing increasing personal needs like grooming and bathing assistance, Rockynols assisted living services are tailored to each resident. About Rockynol Retirement Community Rockynol is one of 12 retirement communities owned and operated by OPRS Communities, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services (OPRS), headquartered in Columbus. Since 1922, OPRS has defined the highest standards of quality of life for older adults. Each year, OPRS serves more than 73,000 people annually through its wholly owned subsidiaries OPRS Communities and Senior Independence. News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe had opened negotiations with India's Eximbank for a $25 million loan to purchase at least 290 buses aimed at reviving the State owned Zupco.This comes as the embattled Zupco which has not received assistance from Treasury for the past 15 years is teetering on the brink of collapse due to under capitalization.Local Government deputy minister Christopher Chingosho last week said Zupco has already sent a team on experts to India to inspect the bus specifications. DATE: Tuesday, May 24, 2016 TIME: 6:00p.m.-7:00p.m. LOCATION: Vermont Techs Randolph Center Campus JUDD Hall Randolph Center, 05061 DETAILS: Vermont Technical College announced today that President Dan Smith will be presiding over the graduation ceremony for this years Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) program. The student speaker is Kendra Fecteau of Derby Line, Vermont and who has attended VAST on the Randolph Center campus. There are 50 students graduating Tuesday evening, with the majority Vermont students from towns across the state as well as one graduate from Key Biscayne, Florida and one from Millis, Massachusetts. The event also includes the academic recognitions for students who have achieved the highest standards. Graduates of the VAST program have completed their last year of high school while also gaining a full years worth of college credit. They receive a diploma from VAST as it is an accredited private academy, but several students are also electing to receive a diploma from their sending school. For more information about VAST, please visit http://www.vtc.edu/VAST. For more information about Vermont Tech, please visit http://www.vtc.edu. ### About VAST - The Vermont Academy of Science and Technology program was started in 1989 as a resource for high school seniors and home-schooled students with a strong interest and ability in science, math, and technology. It is the states original early-college program. Since then, many VAST students have found a place for themselves in the classrooms at Vermont Technical College. Some of our students combine their senior year of high school with their first year of a degree program at Vermont Tech. Others find the VAST year helpful in the competition for acceptance to a prestigious college or university. All VAST students are challenged with a rigorous year of academics and the opportunity to take on new responsibilities. Vermont students can attend VAST tuition-free thanks to high school waivers. http://www.vtc.edu/VAST. About Vermont Tech Vermont Tech is a leading public college with a mission of applied education. One of the five Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Tech serves students from throughout Vermont, New England, and beyond at its two residential campuses in Williston and Randolph Center, regional campuses in Brattleboro and Bennington, and at five nursing campuses located throughout the state. Vermont Tech takes an optimistic, rooted and personal approach to education to support students in gaining the confidence and practical skills necessary to not only see their potential, but to experience it. Our academic programs encompass a wide range of engineering technology, agricultural, health, and business fields that are vital to producing the knowledgeable workers needed most by employers in the state and in the region. http://www.vtc.edu. DuPage County Attorney James S. Harkness of Momkus McCluskey, LLC We are extremely gratified and proud that Momkus McCluskey attorneys have taken leadership positions in political, charitable and professional organizations, says Founding Member Edward Momkus. Momkus McCluskey, LLC, a full service law firm located in Lisle, Illinois, is pleased to announce that Member, James S. Harkness, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the DuPage County Bar Association (DCBA) for his second term. Harkness will be installed as a director on June 10, 2016 at the DCBA Annual Presidents Ball and Installation Dinner held at Medinah Country Club. DCBA Directors are required to uphold the Associations mission, which is to serve attorneys, the judiciary, and citizens of the DuPage County community. Furthermore, the DCBA Board of Directors is responsible for assisting in the recruitment and retention of members, the promotion and enhancement of continuing legal education courses, and the encouragement of attendance at Association meetings and social events. Directors respectively serve three-year terms. Harkness brings years of distinguished DCBA leadership to his new role as a director. He has previously held the positions of chair and vice-chair of the Professional Responsibility Committee, chair and vice-chair of the Civil Law and Practice Committee, and chair and vice-chair of the ADR Committee. He has also completed DCBAs Advanced Arbitrator Training Program. DuPage County Attorney James S. Harkness has nearly 20 years of business law experience. His practice areas include commercial and business litigation, class action lawsuits, banking regulation disputes, trade secret litigation, telecommunications, and employment law. He graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Valparaiso University, and he obtained his Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law. Harkness is a certified arbitrator in DuPage County. He also serves as general counsel and is a board member of the Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Harkness has served as an Appointed Special Assistant States Attorney in Kendall County, and most recently he has been re-elected as a Republican Committeeman for Downers Grove Township. We are extremely gratified and proud that Momkus McCluskey attorneys have taken leadership positions in political, charitable and professional organizations. It exemplifies one of our key firm values, which is community involvement for the benefit of others, says Founding Member Edward Momkus. About Momkus McCluskey, LLC: The full service law firm of Momkus McCluskey, LLC is located in Lisle, Illinois. The established DuPage County law firm represents individuals and businesses with legal matters pertaining to: business law, commercial and civil litigation, appellate practice, family and divorce law, healthcare law, estate planning, and insurance litigation. The prominent attorneys at Momkus McCluskey, LLC have been acknowledged for their legal excellence by numerous professional organizations including: Super Lawyers, AVVO, Martindale-Hubbell, Leading Lawyers, and the DuPage County Bar Association. To discuss your legal matter with an experienced DuPage County attorney contact Momkus McCluskey, LLC today. Call 630-434-0400 or visit http://www.momlaw.com to schedule an initial legal consultation. By telling her story, Margaret Jo Holcomb Hill Snyder has a better appreciation of her life and the people who play a significant part of it. Starting out as a grief work assignment, Snyders compelling journey in discovering herself took four years. She finally releases her personal memoir I Am Jo, Jo Am I (published by Xlibris), as she remembers what impacted her life throughout the years. Snyder was born in a small railroad town in eastern Oklahoma two decades after its statehood. She had two marriages and was blessed with five children. In this book, the author details the milestones of her life as well as her connection to her family. This autobiography book also focuses on Oklahoma, from Pioneer Days to Post Modern Era. This book [I Am Jo, Jo Am I] is about remembering how life was when Mom stayed home and cared for the family, when more Dads made a living wage, when working for womens rights was novel, Snyder tells. An excerpt from the book reads: I began to write as a part of the grieving process. The writing grew into a desire to write this memoir and it has been healing, rewarding and illuminating. I Am Jo, Jo Am I By Margaret Jo Holcomb Hill Snyder Hardcover | 8.5 x 11in | 266 pages | ISBN 9781503588738 Softcover | 8.5 x 11in | 266 pages | ISBN 9781503588745 E-Book | 266 pages | ISBN 9781503588752 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Margaret Jo Holcomb Hill Snyder was born as the Roaring Twenties fell into the Great Depression in a small county seat railroad town just 20 years after Oklahoma became a state. As the depression sucked the life out of many families, her family moved on up the ladder and her dad became president of Northeastern Oklahoma Junior College in Miami, Oklahoma. Their transfer to Oklahoma City then Elk City in western Oklahoma rounded out her living across Oklahoma experience. Then, Snyder left for college, fell in love and married. After 23 years of marriage, Virgil died. But joy did return after much sorrow; she had 20 years of a career she loved and a wonderful second marriage full of fun and travel. Snyder was about four years behind the Greatest Generation and both her husbands were in its glory. She was also on the cusp of the Womens Movement and she had a great run. Xlibris Publishing, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider created in 1997 by authors, for authors. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles. For more information, visit xlibris.com or call 1-888-795-4274 to receive a free publishing guide. Follow us @XlibrisPub on Twitter for the latest news. Serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors worldwide Our new UK location, combined with our Zurich, Switzerland site, will enable us to expand our delivery of high-quality, actionable business insights and competitive intelligence services... As a result of expanding business and a desire to better serve its European client base, Pennside Partners today announced the opening of a new office in Alderley Edge, UK, 25 KM south of Manchester. The office is located within the BioHub at Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, W1U 7EU, United Kingdom. Our new UK location, combined with our Zurich, Switzerland site, will enable us to expand our delivery of high-quality, actionable business insights and competitive intelligence services to our pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device clients throughout the EU, said Michael Rhoads, President and Partner of Pennside Partners. He added: Alderley Park is an ideal area for our new UK office given its proximity to local pharma and biotech companies, as well as access to an exceptional talent pool of potential employees. Thomas Penrice, Vice President, Partner, and EU Managing Director will oversee the new UK office. For more information, including how Pennside can help with your business development and competitive intelligence needs, contact Pennside Partners at +44 (0) 20 3695 7639 or consult(at)pennside.com. You can also visit the company website: http://www.pennside.com. About Pennside Partners Pennside Partners is a leading business development consulting firm that has been serving the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors or more than 25 years. They earn their clients trust by consistently delivering high-quality, actionable business insights and competitive intelligence. Clients gain significant competitive advantages, including knowledge acquired from mining the industry's deepest analog repository containing unmatched data insights into major launches. Pennside offers an expert worldwide team of industry professionals who support their clients by formulating best-in-class tactical and strategic analysis. Pennside has offices In Wyomissing, PA, USA, Alderley Edge, UK, and Zurich, Switzerland. Showhomes, Americas leader in home staging for more than 30 years, is proud to announce its highest performing franchisees of the year. The unveiling of the annual list of honors came as Showhomes celebrated its bet ever year, quarter and month of sales during its annual conference, held in San Antonio, Texas. At the conference, Showhomes franchise owners, vendors and corporate leaders gathered to celebrate 2015 as the brands most successful year since it was founded in 1986. The innovator was also thrilled to announce that March 2016 marked its single biggest month of revenue ever, closing out its single best quarterly revenue as well. Total revenue for the Showhomes system during March 2016 was up a staggering 40% in comparison to March 2015. In addition, Showhomes Central Houston location set the companys all-time single location monthly revenue record. Q1 helped cement Showhomes position as Americas leader in home staging services, said Showhomes Chief Operating Officer Matt Kelton. Traditional home staging put our brand on the map three decades ago, but Showhomes unique and innovative approach to getting homes sold faster and for top dollar has helped propel us to the next level. We saw great energy and excitement surrounding that at this years conference, and we are already capturing that momentum as we move into the second quarter of the year. Showhomes top performers were honored for their role in helping to achieve the impressive growth results, for embodying the business core values and for delivering top results. Among the awards highlighted during the conference are: Franchise of the Year: Awarded to Showhomes San Diego franchise owners Chris and Lisa Gulliver. As the brands top honor, the Franchise of the Year award recognizes a single franchise that consistently makes sound business decisions and operates with overall excellence. Showhomes San Diego achieved outstanding revenue growth throughout the year, engaged in corporate-sponsored events, reached the criteria for the brands Circle of Excellence Award, maintained a customer-centered focus and established outstanding products, services and vision. The Circle of Excellence: Presented each year to all franchises with an average score of 80% or above on the brands mystery shops who have completed and passed all Showhomes U courses. This years Showhomes Circle of Excellence designation was awarded to Showhomes franchise owners in: North ShoreBarrington, Western North Carolina, Tulsa, Grand Strand, Mobile, Jacksonville, Tampa, Fox Valley, Raleigh, Triad, Memphis, The Woodlands, Coral Gables, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Little Rock, Folsom Lake, San Diego and Charleston. Directors Choice Award for Superior Customer Satisfaction: Awarded to Showhomes Raleigh for maintaining a superior level of customer satisfaction, meeting criteria including outstanding mystery shop scores, committing to the philosophy of adding value to all transactions and building business growth through referrals and repeat business outreach efforts. Rising Star Franchise of the Year: Awarded to Showhomes Grand Strand-Triad, recognizing the franchise for ramping up and excelling quickly within the first 12 months of business. Showhomes Grand Strand-Triad has staffed appropriately and is engaged in the brands franchise network, FIT calls, Showtalk, Conference and Regional Meetings. These awards recognize just a few of the dedicated partners that have already made 2016 a year to remember for Showhomes, said Kelton. As we head into our traditionally hot summer selling season between April and August, we expect even bigger months ahead, and were extremely proud of the dedicated franchise owners who are helping to make it all possible. Showhomes customer-focused model has driven the pioneer to become the nations largest and most successful home-staging franchise. With the housing market steadily improving, Showhomes is also capturing new market share by offering home updates and renovation services as well. Showhomes Home Manager program has also helped set the brand apart from other home staging companies. It matches high-end, vacant homes currently on the market with individuals or families who have beautiful furniture, artwork and accessories, but are in need of temporary housing. Acting as professional caretakers, the Home Managers keep the home in show to sell condition, providing both peace of mind to homeowners and staging services at a fraction of the traditional cost. Showhomes also provides up to $5 million in additional insurance coverage for any home utilizing the Home Manager program. In 2015, the franchise reported a 33 percent year-over-year increase in overall revenue. With the backing of the home updates and Home Manager program, Showhomes is poised to smash through even more revenue records in 2016 by helping to reshape sellers expectations as they prepare to list their home. To learn more about the products and services Showhomes offers, visit http://www.showhomes.com. For franchising information, visit http://www.showhomesfranchise.com. ABOUT SHOWHOMES Founded in 1986, Showhomes has helped Realtors and homeowners sell more than 25,000 residential properties worth more than $8.5 billion, by transforming high-end vacant houses into fully-furnished, inviting, valued Showhomes. Currently serving prominent communities in 18 states, Showhomes is a rapidly expanding franchise system with nearly 60 offices nationwide. Boasting the expertise of long-time real estate and interior design professionals, Showhomes is a one-stop-shop for home staging, home redesign, One-Day Makeovers for currently occupied homes and its proprietary Home Manager program a proven model to get upscale vacant homes off the market, faster. Every major national media outlet in the U.S. has praised the work of Showhomes; the companys work has also been featured on Oprah, HGTV and the Travel Channel. For more information or to learn about franchise opportunities, please visit http://www.showhomes.com. transcosmos inc. provides Gotcha!mall, a smartphone omni-channel platform provided by Grand Design Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kazuya Ogawa; hereafter, Grand Design), in Thailand through its subsidiary transcosmos (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand; Managing Director: Kiyonori Takechi, hereafter, transcosmos Thailand). transcosmos will drive Gotcha!mall business throughout Asia to win 1 million users in Thailand within 1 year from the service launch. 1. Business Expansion in Thailand Since its version release in Japan in October 2014, Gotcha!mall has been rapidly growing as an omni-channel platform which encourages users to visit and purchase items at brick-and-mortar stores with using their smartphones. The platform has been implemented by major retailers, popular brands and others. As a platform which connects consumers throughout Asia with stores, Gotcha!mall has been providing its services in ASEAN countries and East Asia with a goal to win 40 million users, with a special focus on Thailand, the core market within the region. transcosmos, together with a major conglomerates SAHA GROUP (Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand; Chairman: Boonsithi Chokwatana), a strategic partner of transcosmos Thailand, will accelerate Gotcha!mall business in Thailand through leveraging SAHA GROUP, the largest consumer goods retailer in Thailand owning various businesses, and its extensive business network. At the same time, transcosmos will strive for expanding the service areas and creating a framework which enables Thailand users to use Gotcha!mall overseas and users in other countries to use the platform in Thailand. 2. Gotcha!mall Overview and Future Business Expansion Gotcha!mall is an omni-channel platform which encourages consumers to purchase items at brick-and-mortar stores with using their smartphones. It has been growing as a coupon platform with which users can complete their shopping experience from receiving coupons to redeeming them in the stores only with their smartphones. The platform covers major retail stores and restaurants for everyday living, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, drug stores and fast food chain restaurants. Currently, most of the coupons are distributed in a blanket-base or via flyers. However, stores cannot manage data or measure the performance of the promotion with those methods. As such, although businesses are spending a huge promotional cost, most of the promotions using coupons do not match right consumers with right stores. On the other hand, Gotcha!mall, with its unique gamification and data management mechanism, provides the optimum coupon for both users and stores (granted a business method patent). It offers great deals for the users to enjoy shopping experience while supporting stores to increase purchase unit price and purchase frequency. The purchase conversion model (CPP=Cost Per Purchase) resolves the issue of performance measurement that online ads and flyers have. With this model, Gotcha!mall enables retailers to execute coupon promotion to increase store purchases with clear ROI through leveraging both coupon redemption logs and POS register data. Gotcha!mall will gradually expand its service areas and provide unified UI/UX not only in Japan but also in other Asian countries including ASEAN countries, China and Taiwan to connect shoppers across Asia. With the ultimate goal to become the largest smartphone omni-channel platform in Asia, Gotcha!mall aims to support retailers and others to lure customers to their stores and to increase purchases along with the ever-growing inbound tourism market. About transcosmos Thailand Company Name: transcosmos (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Representative: Managing Director Takechi Kiyonori Foundation: October 2008 Headquarters: Exchange Tower 37th Floor, 388 Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey, Klongtoey, Bangkok, 10110 Thailand Capital: 70 million baht Number of Employees: 350 Service Offerings: Off-shore contact center service, BPO services, Thailand local contact center services, Digital marketing services, E-Commerce outsourcing services *transcosmos is a registered trade name or trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. *Gotcha!mall has been granted a business method patent. *Other company names and product or service names mentioned are registered trade names or trademarks of various other companies. About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched operations in 1966. Since then we have combined superior people with up-to-date technology to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers Cost Reduction Services (Contact Center, HR/Financial/Sales Back Office, Order Management/SCM, System Development/Management etc.) and Sales Expansion Services (Big Data Analysis, Internet Advertising, Website Construction/Management, Smartphone/SNS Utilization, Telemarketing etc.). transcosmos continues to pursue operational excellence by providing these services through our 159 locations in 28 countries with a focus in Asia. Furthermore, following the expansion of E-Commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive, one-stop global E-Commerce service to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 45 countries. transcosmos aims to be the Global BPO Partner of our clients to provide them with high quality BPO services on a global scale. News / National by Staff reporter Tendai Biti Former Finance minister has accused his successor, Patrick Chinamasa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor, John Mangudya of lying that the bond notes were meant to address the cash crunch, yet it was a clandestine way to replace the $1,8 billion illegally withdrawn from the central bank's Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) balances to monetize government expenditure.Biti, leader of the opposition People's Democratic Party, told delegates at a Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition public meeting in Harare last week that the proposed $200 million bond notes were being introduced to cover the shortfall caused by the illegal transaction.Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has contracted a private company in Germany to print bond notes that have sparked public outrage since their introduction was announced earlier this month.Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Exchange Control director, Morris Mpofu assured miners that government which has been accused of seeking to bring back the local currency covertly through bond notes would not force central bank to print more cash than necessary.It had now not revealed who would be printing the notes. News / National by Staff reporter The Zanu-PF youth league's one million-man march, slated for this Wednesday in Harare to prop up President Robert Mugabe's waning public support, is expected to gobble over $600 000, with the bulk of the money squeezed out of ailing parastatals, private firms and the few remaining white commercial farmers.Sources involved in mobilizing resources for the political jamboree, which has been dismissed by opposition parties as a waste of resources, said they have agreed on a provisional budget of $600 000 to fund transport needs for all 10 provinces, food and accommodation for the delegates.All the provinces have been ordered to transport at least 100 000 members, who would march to an open space next to the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, where they would be addressed by Mugabe. News / National by Staff reporter All eyes will be on President Robert Mugabe's warring Zanu-PF, as the party mounts its so-called million-man march in Harare on Wednesday which supporters of embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa see as targeted at the Midlands godfather.After the MDC's massive show of force last month, when former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his supporters painted the capital city red, the ruling party will be keen to demonstrate that it can do even better ahead of the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections in a contest in which numbers mean everything.Zanu-PF youth league deputy secretary, Kudzanai Chipanga, told the Daily News yesterday that all was set for the march in support of Mugabe, which he had no doubt would be a "resounding success"."It's all systems go now because we have done what was supposed to be the most difficult part, that is mobilisation. Our provincial assembly points have been secured, with the National Sports Stadium reserved for all Matabeleland provinces as well as Midlands."Mashonaland West will assemble at Kensington Shopping Centre, and East 24 will host Manicaland and Mashonaland East. The host province (Harare) will assemble at Raylton Sports Club, with Rufaro Stadium hosting Masvingo. Mashonaland Central will be near the South African Embassy."The provinces will march from these points simultaneously to Robert Mugabe Square (which opposition parties refer to as Freedom Square), beginning at 9am and they will then be addressed by the president," Chipanga said.However, and in line with the debilitating divisions that are ravaging the former liberation movement, he made it clear that ousted Zanu-PF national youth league secretary, Pupurai Togarepi one of the alleged key Mnangagwa allies was not, and would not be involved in organising the march.On his part, Togarepi pooh-poohed claims that he and other supposed Mnangagwa loyalists were working around the clock to block the march, adding ominously that there were youths who were posting on social media that they would not be part of the march if Togarepi was barred from participating in the demonstration."I am fully behind the million-man march. Remember, I am actually the author of the first million-man march in 2007. Then, I invited Jabulani Sibanda, not the other way round."I am happy therefore if my youths have that zeal to use their energy to mobilise for the president. These activities create awareness and galvanise youths. I am therefore calling upon all Zanu-PF youths and those affiliated to the party to participate."There is no misunderstanding or misgivings about what the march seeks to achieve, hence I am actually hiring buses using my personal resources," Togarepi said.But Chipanga countered saying he was not aware "which youths" his former boss wanted "to ferry with his buses"."It is sad Togarepi has some youths he refers to as his. He has no youths as they all belong to the party and he has no constitutional mandate to interact with the party structures until his case is finalised."We are therefore not working with him in preparing for this march and if he is going to be part of it, he is only doing it in his capacity as an ordinary member of Zanu-PF. In fact, we as the youth league have not seen him since his suspension," Chipanga charged.Togarepi acknowledged that with Zanu-PF divided along seemingly intractable factional lines, there were bound to be divisions as well in the ranks of the youth league."It must also be realised that these are people who have not developed that much politically and they tend to irritate each other and sometimes they are misdirected by other people with their own agendas."I know very well that people are saying they do not know which of the four or five factions in the party I belong to, but I am happy because I am in Zanu-PF as a compact organisation led by one person (Mugabe) and directed by its constitution."I will remain focused behind the person who appointed me (Mugabe). I will not follow anybody else or be part of a faction," he said further.Togarepi was recently ousted from the youth league in a vote of no confidence related to his suspected links to Team Lacoste, which is allegedly fighting to get Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe before the 2018 polls. News / National by Staff reporter Augustine Chihuri Police Commissioner-General, has defended his decision to redeploy the entire staff at Mabvuku Police Station, saying corruption levels at the station had reached unprecedented levels.About 26 of the 37 police officers, who were suspended after being transferred to various police stations and posts dotted around the country, approached the High Court in November last year and thwarted the Zimbabwe Republic Police's move to have them charged and dismissed by a suitability board.Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese issued an order suspending the convening of the suitability board. Dev Niyogi, Purdue University professor of agronomy and earth, atmospheric and planetary science and Indianas state climatologist, says its possible to design cities to reduce the effects of climate change. A tradeoff, he says, is that while the thermal load would decrease there, it would increase in the surrounding region, in effect spreading pollution around. (Purdue Agricultural Communication file photo/Tom Campbell) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Urban planners can take steps to reduce the heat cities may experience from climate change, but there would be other consequences and tradeoffs to consider, according to a study at Purdue University. Dev Niyogi, a Purdue University professor of agronomy and earth, atmospheric and planetary science and Indianas state climatologist, wanted to know what effect, if any, urban planning could have on mitigating rising temperatures associated with urban heating and climate change. The amount of concrete and lack of vegetation in many large cities could make those places heat islands, where temperatures rise higher than in the suburbs or rural areas. Are there ways the two synergize and make the combination of climate change and urbanization worse? Niyogi said. Or are there ways that we can utilize urban form and function in a way that can help us mitigate what is happening with climate change? Niyogi and colleague Long Yang, a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University who had been a visiting scholar at Purdue, looked to Beijing, China, as a model. The two collaborated with researchers from Tsinghua University, IBM and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The city is developing in different ways, with some concentration in the city as well as areas where satellites cities are branching out. It is sort of emblematic of the rapid urbanization taking place, Niyogi said. Yang said most studies look at thermal loading as cities develop, but little is known about how the design of a city can affect its heat. In this scenario, they considered population doubling and either being in a compact, central city, or spread among a central city and several satellite cities. Based on complex urban climate models, Niyogi, Yang and their collaborators found that creating polycentric cities - those with a center and suburban satellites - could reduce future temperatures in cities that are developed in a more compact way over time. The thermal comfort over the old downtown area increased in the polycentric city compared to the compact city scenario, Yang said. But that comes with tradeoffs. All that heat and pollution doesnt just go away, Niyogi said. Those in satellite cities would have to travel longer distances as destinations are spread out, and that means more miles driven by vehicles and other forms of transportation. And while the thermal load would decrease in the central city, Niyogi and Yang found that the thermal load for the region increases to compensate. In other words, the heat may simply spread around, and pollution is likely to increase. Niyogi says that while there are no simple solutions, the decisions that go into urban planning will affect cities and their surrounding areas in some way as temperatures rise. This will require an intimate interaction between the urban planning community and the urban climate community, Niyogi said. While people have been looking at it in a theoretical perspective, we take a real scenario, a real case, a real plan and show that it matters. How you design the city is going to matter in terms of the tradeoffs that well want to achieve for future climate and the impacts on the population. Daniel Aliaga, associate professor of computer science at Purdue, employed inverse modeling tools to understand how changes in Beijings urban planning would affect temperatures and pollution. He can predict how changes in urban planning policy will affect the city in decades to come, as well as determining the types of changes that would be necessary to reach a desired outcome in the future. The hope is to develop easy-to-use tools for planning committees as they determine policies that will affect urban heating in their cities. You could say, In 20 years, I want a particular case, so what should be the building setbacks and building heights, and what materials should I use to get there, Aliaga said. Thats a useful thing, to enable these visual and quick-responding tools for the concerned citizen, Niyogi and Yang will continue to monitor Beijing and other urban areas, using wider spans of time to improve model projections. The National Science Foundation funded this research. Writer: Brian Wallheimer, 765-532-0233, brian.wallheimer@gmail.com Sources: Dev Niyogi, 765-496-2926, climate@purdue.edu Daniel Aliaga, 765-494-6010, aliaga@purdue.edu ABSTRACT Contrasting impacts of urban forms on the future thermal environment: example of Beijing metropolitan area Long Yang 1,2,7, Dev Niyogi 1,3, Mukul Tewari 4, Daniel Aliaga 5, Fei Chen 6, Fuqiang Tian 2 and Guangheng Ni 2 1 Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 2 Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China 3 Department of Agronomy- Crops, Soils, Environmental Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 4 IBM, T J Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 5 Department of Computer Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 6 National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado 7 Current address: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey This study investigated impacts of urban forms on the future thermal environment over Beijing, the capital city of China. Beijing is experiencing remarkable urban expansion and is planned to undergo the transformation of urban forms from single-centric (compact-city)to poly-centric city (dispersed-city). Impacts of urban forms on the future thermal environment were compared and evaluated by conducting numerical experiments based on a regional atmospheric model coupled with a single-layer urban canopy model as well as future climate forcing output from a global climate model. Results show that a dispersed city is efficient in reducing mean urban heat island intensity, but produces larger thermal loading and deeper thermal feedback at the regional scale compared to a compact city. Thermal comfort over downtown areas is reduced in compact-city scenario under future climate conditions. Future climate contributes almost 80% of the additional thermal loading over urban areas, with the remaining 20% contributed by urbanization (for both the compact-city and dispersed-city scenarios). The thermal contrast between the two urban forms is dominated by the expected future climate change. This study leads to two complementary conclusions: (i) for developing assessments related to current climate comfort, urban form of the city is important; (ii) for assessing future climate change impacts, the areal coverage of the city and urbanization extent emerges to be more important than the details related to how the urbanization will evolve. Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-2722; Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu Agriculture News Page News / National by Staff reporter Privately-owned radio station, ZiFM has publicly censured its presenter Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa for misleading the public on who invited Zanu-PF activist and businessman, Tafadzwa Musarara to her show, The Platform when she hosted Pastor Evan Mawarire, as the fallout over #ThisFlag continues.Chief executive officer, Susan Makore said Parirenyatwa had invited Musarara onto the programme and her denials were out of keeping with the station's ideals.Makore said Parirenyatwa decided to invite Musarara to avoid a one-sided story from Mawarire, who is grabbing the spotlight with his #ThisFlag campaign. Earlier this month, the White House announced that President Barack Obama will visit the city of Hiroshima on May 27 at the conclusion of the G-7 summit in Ise-Shima, Japan. This historic decision will make Obama the first sitting U.S. president to visit the city and the announcement was welcomed warmly by observers across Japan as a sign of respect and friendship between the American and Japanese people. It was the right decision and it will make the two countries' ties even stronger. There are five important aspects to bear in mind about this trip. First and foremost, this trip will not be part of an apology tour, nor is it the occasion for a big policy speech; it is instead likely to be about quiet reflection and paying respect. An apology has already been clearly ruled out by the White House and the Japanese kantei, or prime minister's office, has also made clear that it neither expects nor wants an apology. Indeed, while Prime Minister Abe Shinzo will accompany the president from Ise-Shima to Hiroshima, it is as yet unclear if either leader will make any public remarks, and the president will almost certainly not give a major speech. He may visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and gaze at the iconic Atomic Bomb Dome (the structure just 800 yards from the hypocenter that survived the blast partially intact), but he is unlikely to issue a speech. This is appropriate since his presence alone is enough to establish precedent and signal a new deepening of the U.S.-Japan relationship, which has moved forward 70 years after the dropping of the atomic bombs. Second, if the president does not make a speech in Hiroshima, then he certainly should talk about what he saw and felt during his time there as soon as he gets back to the United States, perhaps in an op-ed in a major newspaper. With China, Russia, North Korea and Pakistan rapidly expanding and modernizing their nuclear arsenals, it is important that the president leverage his trip to reinforce the message that these nations should be reducing, not enhancing, their reliance on these weapons that do not discriminate between uniformed military personnel and civilian non-combatants. The president has talked of his desire to promote a world free of the existential terror posed by nuclear war; he can help reduce the prospect of such an event by drawing a sharp contrast between the peaceful approach to resolving international differences represented by the United States and its allies versus those states that are seeking to change national boundaries through the use of paramilitary forces, support for terrorist groups, coercion and aggression. Third, the president's trip is also clearly aimed at signaling respect for the people who went through the experience of the bombing, and to that end it would be good if Obama can meet with some of the hibakusha, or survivors of the blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While Obama is not going to get to Nagasaki on this visit, it's likely that some from that city will try to come to Hiroshima in the hopes of meeting him, and if possible a meeting with some who lived through those painful experiences from both of the bombed cities would further advance the agenda of strengthening the U.S.-Japan relationship. Fourth, Obama's decision to visit Hiroshima also offers an opportunity to extend recognition and respect to the many thousands of non-Japanese who suffered from the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. An estimated 20,000 Koreans, most working as forced laborers imported from their colonized homeland, lost their lives in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima alone and survivors often struggled with social stigma, even after they made their way back to Korea at war's end. Similarly, about a dozen U.S. service members were killed by the Hiroshima blast and prisoners of war from other nations, including the United Kingdom, were present when the bombs fell in Nagasaki. By reaching out to offer dignity and respect to these survivors, even by simply noting their experiences in any remarks he leaves behind in a visitor's book at the Peace Museum, the president can demonstrate to all observers that the strongest nation on Earth is not afraid to reckon with its past, even the most difficult parts of its history. This can set a valuable standard that may encourage other countries, including U.S. allies in the Asia Pacific, to confront their own pasts as openly and honestly as possible. Finally, the president's visit opens the door to a first-ever visit to Pearl Harbor by a sitting Japanese prime minister and Obama should express clearly his hope that Abe will make a strong commitment to pay such a visit on a future trip to the United States. This would not be an apology tit-for-tat, but rather a recognition by the two sides of the horrors of war and a process of healing and deepening friendship with the survivors. While the prospects of Abe visiting Pearl Harbor this year appear slim, and while Obama is unlikely to extend an official invitation to any foreign leader to visit after his own term of office ends on Jan. 20, 2017, the Japanese are masters of protocol and etiquette and will surely understand that a reciprocal visit would be appropriate if issued formally by Obama's successor. If Abe visits the United States early in 2017 to meet his newly-elected American counterpart, a Pearl Harbor visit should be a part of his itinerary. Such a move would be an important and highly symbolic step to carry the impressive momentum that Obama and Abe have developed in the bilateral relationship forward into the next stage of the U.S.-Japan alliance. Scott W. Harold is the associate director of the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy, a political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation, and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. This commentary originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report on May 23, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Following the EU referendum, regardless of the outcome, the UK government will have critical policy issues to address in a number of areas. Health research is one of those areas. The impact of leaving the EU on UK health research would depend greatly upon the terms and conditions of such a major change. But by exploring different scenarios, each with its own set of political and economic assumptions, we can get a picture of the potential impacts, both positive and negative on institutional arrangements, funding, career mobility, access to data and wider strategic value. A Remain' vote on 23 June would maintain health researchers' access to significant EU funding streams. Between 2007 and 2013, the UK attracted over 570 million in research funding through the health theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, representing 17 per cent (PDF) of the programme's entire budget. Benefits from the funding are sometimes offset against the potential downside that EU funding agenda for health research reflects Europe-wide priorities, which are not always the same as the UK's national priorities. This is likely to remain the case if the UK continues its membership with the EU. There are numerous uncertainties around a Leave outcome. Pertinent questions include: would the UK retain some level of access to EU funding; would UK funders be able to bridge the gap left by EU funding; would the UK be able to build links with other countries; and, would the UK lose out on the strategic value of EU membership? A full exit from the EU would notionally give the UK more autonomy over its laws and economic policy. Under this scenario, the UK could conceivably invest part of the 8.5 billion savings in EU membership fees into research areas that are better aligned to the UK's national interests. However, health research that relies heavily on EU funding is likely to lose out. This could create huge uncertainties in some areas, such as work on rare diseases or large-scale multi-centre studies for major disease areas like cancer. The loss of research talent in the UK is another threat, as withdrawal from the EU would raise questions over the status of the many researchers from other EU member states who work in the UK. Finally, on a more strategic level, the UK would have no influence over the direction of European research and innovation policy, but would still have to adhere to certain EU rules and regulations, like other non-EU countries such as Norway and Switzerland. On the face of it, negotiated accesswith the UK not being a member of EU, but having some access to EU privilegesmight seem a win-win situation. The UK would retain EU funding, regain some autonomy and be able to invest the money saved on EU membership into preferred areas of health research. This scenario, however, is dependent on favourable negotiations with the EU. The UK might well find difficulty in establishing a relationship that maintains freedoms from EU policy but allows access to privileges such as funding, free movement of research talent and access to European health data. Even if the UK were to retain EU funding, it is unlikely that health research would be funded at current levels, with large-scale trials and certain areas of clinical expertise, such as the aforementioned rare diseases, likely to be affected. Based on the different scenarios, what we can say is that a Brexit would create a number of urgent policy considerations for the UK government. First and foremost, will be whether the UK can still access EU research funding, and if so, how much. Second, the UK will require some form of access to the EU single market if it is to continue to recruit the very best health researchers. Finally, it would be vital that the UK maintain access to European health data both for health research activities and national security. Overall, the lack of a precedent for a country like the UK withdrawing from the EU makes it difficult to predict how Brexit would be managed and what the impact would be on health research. The three most likely scenarios represent a number of positive and negative points that could arise based on what happens on 23 June, but the extent and likeliness of them coming to fruition remain unclear, with the uncertainties appearing to be greater if the UK leaves the EU. Joanna Chataway is research group director of Innovation, Health and Science at RAND Europe. See also RAND Europe's 2015 report, Scoping the impact of UK membership of the EU on UK health research. This commentary originally appeared in Research Fortnight on May 20, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) leader Netflix has announced its first original series filmed entirely in Argentina, Edha. The series will start production in Buenos Aires and debut exclusively on Netflix around the globe in 2017.The series comes from acclaimed film and TV director Daniel Burman (El Abrazo Partido, El Rey del Once, Supermax). It will follow the life of Edha, a young, successful fashion designer and single mother who is at a crossroads that could change her life forever. As she struggles to make a decision that will take her to a whole new level in the fashion world, she meets a handsome immigrant turned model. Their savage passion is mingled with his profound desire for revenge.Netflixs invitation to create its first original series in Argentina represents one of the largest opportunities in my career. We are creating a project with a strong local identity to reach a global audience. In one platform, more than 81 million people will have the chance to establish an intimate connection with our story, said Burman, who is creator, director and showrunner.The fashion and music scene in Buenos Aires is unique, sexy and exciting, and Daniel Burman and his team are among Argentinas most gifted creators, added Erik Barmack, vice president of international original series at Netflix. We cant wait to present Edha and her dramatic story to Netflix members around rest of the world.Edha will join the slate of other Netflix Original series produced in Latin America, such as Club de Cuervos, Ingobernable, Narcos, 3% and the untitled project by Jose Padilha based on the current events in Brazil. Available immediately in the Mac App Store, the Mirror for Samsung TV application is claimed to be the only application available worldwide with the capability to wirelessly mirror the screen of a Mac computer directly on any Samsung Smart TV, without the need for any additional hardware.AirBeamTV added that such functionality was only available to Mac users after they bought an AppleTV with AirPlay technology and connected it to their TV, or using an HDMI cable to connect their Mac to the TV.After launching the application on the Mac, the app will scan your local network for a Samsung Smart TV," explained Demid Borodin, AirBeamTV co-founder and director of technology. When your TV is found, with a click of a button, the screen of your Mac is mirrored on TV. You can even choose whether you would like the audio of your Mac to be transferred to your TV as well.AirBeamTV is also working on support for additional TV brands including Sony, Philips, Panasonic and LG. However, launch dates for latter have not been confirmed as yet. English Tez Tour $5 million lawsuit against Russian bank dismissed MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) The Moscow Commercial Court has dismissed a lawsuit by Tez Tour Ltd, the company registered in England, seeking to collect $5 million from Fund Service Bank, according to court records. Russian Tez Tour Company is named as the third party in the case. The plaintiff asked the court to hold the defendants unilateral refusal to fulfill obligations under two contracts on fixed deposit invalid and demanded payment of $5 million. On December 16, 2011, the parties concluded two agreements. The bank accepted $5 million from Tez Tour, charged the money to deposit accounts and took on the obligation to pay over to the company the amount of deposit on the expiry of six years, on December 16, 2017. According to Tez Tour, the defendant has written the deposit amount off the accounts in breach of the contracts and integrated the funds along with interest on deposits into the banks additional capital sources. On February 25, 2015, Russias Central Bank appointed the Deposit Insurance Agency as a temporary administrator in Fund Service Bank for its reorganization. The court ruled that the plaintiff had not pointed grounds for giving Tez Tour the right of first offer to receive funds invested in the banks authorized capital. Tez Tour is one of the leading tour operators in Russia. The company organizes tours to the following destinations: Thailand, Spain, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Austria and others. News / National by Staff reporter MORGAN Tsvangirai's spokesman and spin doctor Luke Tamborinyoka, has defended his boss' recent visit to a South African hospital for medical check up saying he(Tsvangirai) trusts local hospitals."Morgan Tsvangirai has faith in local health institutions and his going to South Africa was from recommendations from local doctors," Tamborinyoka said.But his decision to seek treatment in South Africa caused a storm back home, with his critics equating him to Zanu PF leader, President Robert Mugabe who frequently seeks medical treatment in Asia.Tsvangirai is on record saying Mugabe should use local health facilities as opposed to outside facilities to save taxpayers' moneyHis spin doctor yesterday said he is now in a stable condition and should be flying home soon after receiving treatment in South Africa."He is still being monitored, but he is very stable. I spoke to him yesterday (Saturday). He will be home very soon," Tamborinyoka told a Harare based newspaper.Tsvangirai was rushed to South Africa last week for urgent medical attention, although the party declined to disclose the nature of his ailment. Prosecutor demands 15 years in prison for ousted opposition-minded Russian mayor MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) A prosecutor has asked a court to sentence ousted Yaroslavl Mayor Yevgeny Urlashov, who stands charged with soliciting a bribe, to 15 years in prison, RIA Novosti reported on Monday. According to representative of the Yaroslavl Region Prosecutors Office, the prosecutor in the case has also requested to fine Urlashov 500 million rubles ($7.6 million). The prosecutor has also demanded to sentence other defendants, Alexey Lopatin and Dmitriy Donskov , to 8 and 5 years in prison respectively. The criminal case against Urlashov is one of the biggest bribe cases opened in Russia recently, considering Yaroslavls population (600,000) and the fact that Urlashov, an opposition candidate, defeated the candidate from the ruling party at the 2012 mayoral elections. Investigators believe that Urlashov and his accomplices extorted a bribe of 45 million rubles (about $692,000) from businessmen. The police arrested Urlashov on July 3, 2013. He pleaded not guilty and said that his prosecution was politically motivated. Urlashov, a member of the ruling United Russia party in 2008-2011, was a candidate for the opposition during mayoral elections in 2012. He achieved a landslide victory over a United Russia candidate Yakov Yakushev. A member of billionaire-turned-politician Mikhail Prokhorovs Civic Platform party, Urlashov planned to run for the Yaroslavl regional parliament in September 2013. On July 18, 2013, Urlashov was removed from his mayoral post. In December 2014, a court found another accomplice of Urlashov, Maxim Pokalainen, guilty of bribery and sentenced him to five years in prison. Philip Morris appeal against fine for SMS advertisement dismissed Context Philip Morris appeals fine by Russian Antimonopoly Agency for SMS advertisement MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) - The Moscow District Commercial Court has upheld a 150,000-ruble ($2,300) fine issued by Russias Federal Antimonopoly Agency (FAS) against Philip Morris Sales and Marketing Limited, an affiliate of tobacco corporation Philip Morris International in Russia, for distribution of advertisement via short message services (SMS), according to court records. On October 9, 2015, the Moscow Commercial Court dismissed the companys lawsuit against FAS. This ruling was upheld on January 25, 2016, by the Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals, and was later appealed in the Moscow District Commercial Court. The Moscow District Commercial Court therefore rejected a cassation appeal lodged by the company. The fine was issued against Philip Morris Sales and Marketing Limited after a tip from a person, who received a questionable SMS advertisement, had reached the local department of FAS in the Moscow Region. The short message from a sender listed as Marlboro read: Hello, Cyril! Dont miss your chance to participate in an exciting adventure. The most interesting part begins on April 14. Smoking kills. This message was deemed inappropriate by the FAS department on the grounds that it had been sent to a person without prior consent to receive the advertisement. Additionally, FAS experts found out that this message violated Russian legislation on tobacco advertisement. As a result, on March 30, 2015, Philip Morris Sales and Marketing Limited received a fine of 150,000 rubles. Putin signs bill on protection of military judges into law Context Russian lower house adopts bill on protection of military judges MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that would authorize military police to ensure security of military judges and members of their families into law, according to the Kremlins official website. The government initiative would amend the federal constitutional law On Military Courts of the Russian Federation. Under the legislation, Russias Military Police officers will carry out measures to ensure safety of military courts judges, judges of judicial panels for military personnel, members of their families as well as measures to ensure safekeeping of their property on equal terms with internal affairs agencies and commanders of military units. As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain. Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur was confirmed killed by a US drone strike in Pakistan's Baluchistan province yesterday. Unlike his predecessor, Mullah Omar (who ruled the Taliban for at least two decades), Mullah Mansur's reign was short and controversial. A coffin believed to contain the body of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur is inspected in Balochistan Province, Pakistan 22 May. Though he officially only ruled for a year, Mullah Mansur likely ran the Taliban unofficially for several years prior, given that it was confirmed in 2015 that Mullah Omar had been dead for at least two years. And this suggests that perhaps his death is not the success that many proclaim. First, the Taliban movement (or self-proclaimed 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan') has been gaining strength since the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force handed over all security responsibilities to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in 2014, ending 13 years of foreign intervention in Afghanistan. The Taliban's most recent spring offensive Operation Omari (named in honour of Mullah Omar) has been a bloody and forceful one. The movement has managed to pound the ANSF, exposing its weaknesses and increasing the Taliban's territorial spread. Secondly, the Taliban has long been known as a network of networks: centralised, with a leader at the top, but quite able to fight as a decentralised entity with independent regional fighting forces (called mahaz or fronts), often with leaders from the area in question. This has long allowed entrepreneurs of violence to rule and move up in the Taliban's ranks or the various shuras that command each region. The prime example is the Haqqani network, which is strongest in Afghanistan's southeast and, unlike the overarching Taliban movement, has been branded a terrorist network by the US. It has also long been seen as one of the 'henchmen' of Pakistan's intelligence service. Its leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, became deputy leader of the Taliban about a year ago and ostensibly brought some fierce and brutal military tactics, as well as sophisticated fundraising, to the larger group. Whether Haqqani can become the new Taliban leader is questionable. According to Afghan expert Thomas Ruttig, the fact that Haqqani comes from Afghanistan's southeast, not the south, which is the traditional Taliban heartland, makes this unlikely. Third, there are already several splinter groups in operation. Some of the moderates already split off in 2010 when Agha Jan Mutasem, leader of the Taliban's finance commission and a rival of Mansur, was ousted. The next public split came in 2015 when Mullah Rasul Akhund disagreed with the choice of Mansur as the new Taliban leader. He went on to form the alternative High Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate. Then there is the group that emerged out of former allies of the Mullah Dadullah Front, Fidai Mahaz, who feel that Mullah Omar was killed by Mansur and are fiercely opposed to peace talks with the Afghan Government. Thomas Ruttig even argues that splitting the Taliban to make it more amendable to peace talks has been the express strategy of the Afghan Government. Fourth, we should not forget that there is also the armed wing of Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, which has many members already in the Afghan Government, but which is also still fighting in some areas of Afghanistan (though usually not with, and at times against, the Taliban). Of all the fighting forces, they have been closest to coming to a peace agreement with the government. Fifth, there have been many smaller groups in operation which have fought with (or against) the Taliban at odd occasions. One of these is the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which recently pledged allegiance to ISIS (or Islamic State Khorasan Provinces) in Afghanistan. Though strongest in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, they have been sighted throughout the country. But again much of this has been fickle, with some more senior leaders shifting back to the Taliban in April of this year. Lastly, will this really be a 'major blow to the Taliban' and help along the stalled peace process in Afghanistan, as US sources would like us to believe? Not necessarily, if one considers the impact of the death of Osama bin Laden on al Qaeda and international terrorism. The Taliban movement has long managed to replenish its leaders with new blood. When the main aim is to continue the insurgency, not broker peace, good fighters and not 'wise statesmen' are wanted. And for now, the Taliban has shown it is quite resilient. That said, it will be interesting to see who emerges as the new figurehead of the Taliban. The silence of the main Taliban spokesperson on Twitter, and the fact that the main Taliban website is currently 'offline', might be an indication that there are internal negotiations on how to handle Mansur's death and leadership succession. The Taliban propaganda machine has never been shy to publicly announce its achievements; less so its losses. What is more interesting perhaps is how Mullah Mansur was killed by a US drone strike deep into Pakistani territory, considered 'off-limits for the remote-controlled aircraft'. This suggests that the US is taking the Taliban threat to Afghanistan more seriously again, especially since it withdrew most of its forces over a year ago. It also suggests that either Pakistan was consulted on this (they were notified, but it's unclear when) or the US finally decided to put some pressure on the country, long known to harbor the Afghan Taliban. If we have learned anything from Afghanistan's long history of war, nothing is ever so easy defeating an entire movement by killing a single leader. The battlefield has simply been too fluid for too long, and many of the groups have fought more or less independently for some time. Unless some of the underlying problems of poor governance, poverty, land ownership and poor economic prospects are addressed in Afghanistan, insurgency will continue to fester in Afghanistan. News / National by Staff reporter On the eve of Zimbabwe's independence celebrations last month, Evan Mawarire was a little-known Harare-based pastor, but as of last week his messages were reaching a staggering 133 000 people on Facebook.In less than a month, Mawarire (39) has risen to be the face of a cyber movement driven by Zimbabweans weary of corruption and poverty.The pastor first came into the limelight after posting a video on Facebook lamenting Zimbabwe's decay under President Robert Mugabe, stocking patriotic fever with a hashtag #ThisFlag on Twitter.He caught the eye of one of Mugabe's trusted propagandists Jonathan Moyo and it was clear one of Mugabe's most vocal defenders was rattled.Moyo tried a counter narrative with his own hashtag #OurFlag and even resorted to Zanu-PF tested smear tactics of labelling Mawarire a regime change activist sponsored by the United States and European Union.Information Communication Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira resorted to a physical confrontation against Mawarire after an attempt to discredit him through an interview on his radio station, but only added fuel to the fire.Mandiwanzira's associate, Tafadzwa Musarara, who had been sent to do the demolition job on the ZiFM interview was embarrassed by angry Zimbabweans and before long, he had been forced to quit Facebook and Twitter in shame.When he posted the video, Mawarire only had a few hundred followers on Twitter but last week they rose to 8 000"My personal Facebook page cannot accept any more friends because I have reached 5 000 while the page has 11 000 followers and a reach of 133 000 people," he said.His followers believe the campaign is a reminder of all things that have gone bad about Zimbabwe in the past 36 years and a clarion call for action."It [ #ThisFlag campaign] has become significant because it remains the only tangible symbol to identify with the Zimbabweans after our currency died a natural death seven years ago," one of the followers only identified as Takurian wrote on News24."The discussions are building up on social media platforms without any fear," he added."It is a reminder to the new generation of Zimbabweans, mostly the born frees, who were not there when the flag was designed, that our vision as a country and where we stand in the world was created in the Zimbabwean flag."While the economy, which is the heart of the nation, continues to bleed and not showing any signs of recovery, #ThisFlag has ignited that dream of 1980 and how it became a reality all the way into the 90s."Moyo has tried to play down the impact of Mawarire's campaign but United Kingdom-based social media expert and journalism lecturer Hayes Mabweazara warned that politicians can only ignore the "flag pastor" at their own peril."This [social media] has impacted upon the broader ecology of political forms of expression and participation in Africa and the wider developing world," he said."As we see in Zimbabwe, these developments have challenged and redefined the centralised traditional forms of political engagement."Politicians of all form and colour can no longer eschew engaging directly with citizens on social media," Mabweazara said."In fact, the direct interactions between citizens and politicians via social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter point to the disintegration of deep-seated political barriers."In particular, the traditional culture of fear associated with publicly challenging and confronting the political elite has been deflated, albeit in dispersed digital spaces".Mabweazara said despotic regimes were terrified by the potential of social media to mobilise against their tyranny."Of course, despotic regimes have a lot to fear from these developments the nature of the discourses that circulate on social media confront the very issues they would rather keep under wraps," he said."It's the very reason there is a rise in internet censorship such as we have seen in Uganda recently in the run up to the elections and post elections. #Thisflag is a striking case in point the direct involvement of key politicians in the debate on Twitter in itself points to their realisation of the significance and potential of social media."Mawarire's campaign has echoes of the Baba Jukwa phenomemon that left Zimbabweans spell bound ahead of the 2013 elections.The Baba Jukwa Facebook page gained popularity for its alleged expose of Zanu-PF and state secrets.The phantom blogger published details of corruption by Zanu-PF officials and Mugabe's failing health on his way to amassing over half a million likes on Facebook.Moyo was one of the prominent people questioned by police during their investigations into allegations that the unknown Baba Jukwa wanted to topple Mugabe.Former Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi was arrested on banditry charges after police claimed he was the one behind the page, but he was acquitted after losing his job at the State-controlled newspaper.Another UK-based journalism lecturer, Bruce Mutsvairo argued that although Baba Jukwa was not able to take his campaign offline, his influence could not be ignored.He said Mawarire's #ThisFlag campaign could achieve what Baba Jukwa failed to accomplish that is to influence change in Zimbabwe."Findings of a research we conducted two years ago showed that even though it contributed to citizen awareness, the infamous Baba Jukwa Facebook page had not succeeded in advancing offline political participation among citizens," Mutsvairo wrote."The situation now appears slightly different. While accessibility was a major issue, the majority of digital activists sampled then were living outside the country, more and more local, especially urbanites appear to be in possession of a smartphone."And with everyone clicking and sharing on Whatsapp, it's clear social media truly has the power to transcend traditional boundaries."Some point to Moyo's rants on Twitter as an indication that the Zanu-PF regime was running scared.Moyo last week threw a tantrum against US ambassador Harry Thomas Jnr, accusing him of trying to push for regime change by showing support for #ThisFlag campaign.Both Moyo and Mandiwanzira revealed that they knew Mawarire personally and they appeared surprised that he was determined to take the government head-on.Mawarire revealed that he was a master of ceremonies at a wedding for Moyo's daughter last year. He also interacted with some government officials as child president between 1993 and 1994."It is true, I served as child-president back then after having been elected child MP for Mashonaland West's Hurungwe constituency," he said."Moyo is correct to say I was master of ceremonies at his daughter's wedding."However, he did not know me. I had been hired by his daughter and in turn he had hired two other master of ceremonies and they paid me like any other professional."I work as a professional master of ceremony at all sorts of functions, including corporate [ones]."He said Mandiwanzira was lying that he once pestered him as he sought access to Mugabe. The minister also accused the pastor of being ungrateful after he donated chairs to his church."As for Mandiwanzira, we went to the same church and that is how we got to know each other. I never asked him to facilitate the so-called handshake with the president," Mawarire said."After we started our own church, he called me and asked if we wanted chairs he had pulled out of one of his cinemas in Avondale and I accepted."That is the only interaction I had with him until the fracas on Monday [last week]."I have never benefitted from any association with those close to or in power and I would want to challenge anyone who has evidence to the contrary to come forward."Mutsvairo said with Zanu-PF known for being sceptical of technology, activists still had a daunting task to translate online activism into offline political action."The majority of his [Mawarire's] followers, however, may well be thousands of miles away in diaspora luxury," he said."Zanu-PF knows it cannot control what goes around on the internet, which is why Mawarire isn't considered as a threat yet."They surely will be worried when his message transcends into an offline political action."Mugabe recently hinted that his government would try to regulate the use of the internet using technology from China.He claimed some Zimbabweans were abusing the internet. 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I was myself and stayed true to what I believed in and everything that I said. So, if that does happen, then it's something that is completely out of my control. And there isn't anything I would change!Below are several more highlights from JoJo's pre-season call with reporters:Ben did really good at making you feel special and being honest. And maybe that honesty was part of the reason why I was so hurt at the end, but at least it was honest. I knew that he loved me and he expressed his love for me. And, you know, he's a family man! He's genuine, he's a good man.And these are some of the qualities that in my past, I feel like I have been missing out on. So, our relationship mostly taught me about what a relationship should be like -- that feeling that should be there, that level of respect that is there. So I think a lot of things happened because of the relationship I had with him.Well, I will say that we have a great group of men. I think there is a little more diversity in my group. But to be honest, I can't remember all of the other seasons before me, so I don't know how much diversity was there. But I can definitely say that I had a very diverse group of men that come from very different parts of life. They all bring a lot to the table.You know, I'll be honest. It wasn't that bad. These guys were definitely manly-men and they have their egos to go with it, but for the most part, they were really great about not ever putting me in too much of an uncomfortable situation when it came to that sort of environment amongst the men.But I don't know what happens behind closed doors! So, you'll have to watch and see what happens in the mansion, because I'm sure it's a lot different!Absolutely. My whole family is super supportive. They were excited and supportive of me going onto The Bachelor last season.I think the problem was -- or what was the hardest for them -- was just having that gut feeling that maybe Ben's feelings weren't as strong as mine. But coming into this, they were so excited for me. They are hoping that this all turns out how it is supposed to, and I definitely had my entire family's support.Check back with Reality TV World soon for much more from JoJo Fletcher 's pre- interview. News / National by Staff reporter He may favour simple foods, but Zimbabwe's ageing President Robert Mugabe does like them to be well cooked.A video clip has emerged of the president complaining that his wife Grace changes her chefs so frequently at State House, that he feels like "a guinea pig"."They learn how to cook on me," Mugabe says in Shona in quotes translated by the privately-owned Standard newspaper.The long time leader, who is now 92, added: "Sometimes that food is so badly cooked you tend to wonder if that will be the food prepared for a president of the people."It is not entirely clear when the video was taken.Last year, Mugabe said that he carefully watched what he ate, preferring white meat and fish to beef. "Eating well doesn't mean filling my stomach," he said during his official 91st birthday interview with the state-run ZBC broadcaster.Grace Mugabe has previously boasted that she taught her two sons how to cook for the family.The Zimbabwean president was in the meantime reported to be in Singapore this weekend on a "private visit", according to the ZBC.Mugabe and his family regularly travel out of Zimbabwe to seek medical care.The president's daughter Bona has just given birth, either in Dubai or Singapore. There is speculation Mugabe may have gone to pick up Bona, the new baby and his wife, though there is no confirmation of this. Director Steven Spielberg poses for photographers during a photo call for the film The BFG at the 69th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) SHARE By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer CANNES, France (AP) Steven Spielberg, a giant in the world of cinema, landed at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday with his gentle Roald Dahl adaptation "The BFG." The film, about a young orphan (Ruby Barnhill) taken away by a friendly, big-eared giant (recent Oscar winner Mark Rylance), marks a return for Spielberg to the magical kind of fable he has largely moved away from in recent years. It's also his second film with "E.T." writer Melissa Mathison, who died last November. Spielberg has dedicated "The BFG" (Big Friendly Giant) to her. "It's a love story that children have for their grandparents. It's a love story that grandparents have for their children," Spielberg told reporters Saturday. "I think this probably the closest I've ever come to telling a love story." Sitting between his young star and his new favorite actor (Rylance is starring in the director's next two films as well), Spielberg said enchanting fantasies like "The BFG" are just as vital as more realistic tales. "The worse the world gets, the more magic we have to believe in," said Spielberg. "Hope comes from magic and I think that's what movies can give people. They can give people hope that there will be a reason to fight on to the next day. Hope is everything to me." Spielberg acknowledged his interest has recently drifted to historical dramas like "Lincoln" and last year's "Bridge of Spies," but he said making "The BFG" was liberating. "It was revisiting something that I've always loved to do, which is just to tell stories that are from the imagination," he said. "It brought back feelings I had as a younger filmmaker." "The BFG," which drew warmly respectful reviews in its Cannes premiere, is largely faithful to Dahl's 1982 classic and was made in concert with the Dahl estate. (The author died in 1990.) Producer Kathleen Kennedy first obtained the rights in 1993 and later turned to Mathison for the script. Spielberg called collaborating with Mathison again "a wonderful reunion and a very bittersweet time, as it turned out, for us." Dahl was famously anti-Israel and some considered him anti-Semitic. Asked about whether that was an issue for him, Spielberg said he wasn't aware of that, and was only concerned with adapting a book he frequently read to his seven children. "The BFG," which Disney will release in July, played out of competition in Cannes. Spielberg was last at the French Riviera festival in 2014 as president of the jury. Rylance, who won a best supporting Oscar for his Soviet spy Rudolph Abel in "Bridge of Spies," performed the Big Friendly Giant through motion capture. The actor is also to co-star in Spielberg's upcoming sci-fi thriller "Ready Player One" and will play Pope Pius IX in the director's "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara." Spielberg described Rylance as not only a new collaborator but a close friend. He called Rylance's transformation from the quiet Abel of "Bridge of Spies" to the whimsical colossus of "The BFG" as "one of the most astonishing experiences I've ever had in my entire career working with anybody." Above all, the director sounded no less enthralled by moviemaking at age 69. "This is something I'll be doing for the rest of my life," said Spielberg. FILE - In this Dec. 16, 2013 file photo, Miriam Nervo, left, and Olivia Nervo of Nervo perform at the Gift at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Electric Daisy Carnival in New York City - the annual ultra-popular electronic dance music extravaganza - features six women of the 80-plus performers on May 14-15, 2016. And lest you think that number seems low: I think that sounds like a higher than normal number, said Miriam Nervo, one-half of the Australian EDM duo NERVO, which includes her sister Olivia. (Photo by John Davisson/Invision/AP, File) SHARE By MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) David Guetta, Diplo, Avicii and Calvin Harris are holding fast as the kings of the clubs, with women still a rarity among popular electronic dance DJ-producers. This weekend's Electric Daisy Carnival in New York City the annual ultra-popular electronic dance music extravaganza features six women among the 80-plus performers. And lest you think that number seems low: "I think that sounds like a higher than normal number," said Miriam Nervo, one-half of the Australian EDM duo NERVO, which includes her sister Olivia. Other festivals have featured one or two women, while some don't have any at all. But outside of DJ'ing, women make up other parts of the dance music world. They appear as vocalists on most of the thumping tracks that have been spun over and over for decades and they also work as songwriters as well as managers of top talent, such as Caroline Prothero (Guetta), Amy Thomson (Swedish House Mafia) or Stephanie LaFera (Kaskade). Nervo, who also has had success as a songwriter with her sister for acts like Kesha, Kylie Minogue and even co-penned Guetta's breakout pop anthem, 2009's "When Love Takes Over," said though on paper the EDM world looks like a boys' club, that's not the case. "Our experience has really been so positive from the boys," Nervo said. Other women have echoed her statement, including Nicole Moudaber, who is performing and hosting her own stage dubbed "MoodZONE" at Citi Field for EDC New York. "I never even thought about it; it never really crossed my mind. I do what I do and I live in my own club in my own world, and I never had obstacles as such never," said the performer, who was born in Nigeria to Lebanese parents. "It's really something that I haven't experienced to be honest. At the end of the day the music that you make has no gender, no color." Nervo and Moudaber said they haven't faced uphill battles in EDM because they are women, unlike in other fields. But the lack of women DJs has been a part of the EDM conversation for the last year. It reached a new height when DJ Magazine the definitive source for news and info on DJs, dance music and its culture released its 25th anniversary issue last month, featuring 25 male DJs on its cover and zero women. The British-based magazine's 2015 Top 100 list of DJs only included three female acts, with NERVO in the highest position at No. 24 (the female duo Krewella was at 81 and Miss K8 at 94). "My guess is maybe there's the thought that it's more challenging for women so less women go for it because maybe they're intimidated by it," said Pasquale Rotella, the CEO of Insomniac, which produces EDC festivals around the world. "And I would hate for that to be the case. If that is, I'd love to help change that." In 2007, Tatiana Alvarez was so over being ignored that she transformed and became DJ Musikillz, a male performer. She wore facial hair and loose clothing, hid her breasts and booked more gigs as a man. Warner Bros. is turning her story into a movie. "There were prejudices toward women, definitely back then. It was a different industry, it was a different time," said the Los Angeles-performer, who disguised herself as a man for a year. "It was definitely 'cause I was a girl, 'cause I was a sexy girl." Writer and former Beatport editor Katie Bain said there may be a lack of female DJs because "women historically have not been as involved in STEM and computer engineering and all of that stuff that one needs to know how to do in order to make electronic music. Women haven't been as prevalent in those areas." Bain, who will moderate a panel at the EDMbiz Conference & Expo next month called "Beyond the Boys' Club: What's Next for Women in Dance Music," said that as the topic of female DJs "has gotten more attention, I feel that women are getting booked more." Moudaber encourages other women to grab the bulls by the horns like she's done in her six-year career as a DJ and producer. "If women want to take to that path, it's out there and it's available. It's down to the women to choose if they want to or not. It's not easy job and it's not cut out for everybody," she said. ____ Online: http://newyork.electricdaisycarnival.com/experience/lineup/ http://www.edmbiz.com/ SHARE 100% in contributions sought By Sean Longoria and Alayna Shulman of the Redding Record Searchlight In an effort to save money and jobs, Shasta County supervisors today will consider requiring certain county employees to pay all of their retirement contributions starting next year. "It's my way of saving as many county jobs as possible," said County Administrative Officer Larry Lees. Supervisors will consider requiring appointed department heads and unrepresented managers to pay 100 percent of the California Public Employees' Retirement System member contribution. The resolution does not change the employer contribution, which currently amounts to 7 percent of more than 100 employees' salaries. Should supervisors approve the action, the county would save around $254,000 for fiscal year 2011-12 and $508,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2012-13. "That's certainly significant," Lees said. Appointed department heads and unrepresented managers already have sacrificed in the name of saving county funds, Lees said. "We felt that the department heads are kind of the leaders of the county, that we're asking them to take more in the way of concessions than some of the other groups," he said. "This is kind of round two." In May 2009 supervisors suspended buyback of unused administrative leave for these employees, reducing their annual salaries by 3.8 percent, according to the report. The county saved about $283,000. In December of the same year a 3 percent cost-of-living raise for the same group was postponed, resulting in $587,000 savings. The county also has made cost-saving moves with other employees in recent years. Supervisors last year voted to pay 100 percent of their own pension contributions, which took effect in March. Eight county employee bargaining units already are paying part of their pension contributions and will begin paying the full member portion in January, according to the report. Though the county paid employees' share of retirement contributions instead of giving them raises in less dire economic times, Lees said the goal now is to have all employees pay their full share of retirement contributions. He said there's only one bargaining unit that isn't in the process. "We're 99 percent there," he said. Supervisors also will consider approving resolutions from Shasta Lake, 25 school districts, the county Board of Education and 18 service districts to align their elections with the general election. County Clerk Cathy Darling Allen estimates the move will save the county and most involved agencies money, though the cities of Redding and Anderson, as well as the Mayers Memorial Hospital board of directors, Shasta College board of trustees and Anderson Fire Protection District, may see increased costs in the next election. Redding, for example, could pay as much as $30,964 in 2012 compared to $26,704 in 2008. Darling Allen said that some cities and districts had been paying "less than they should have," and "now they will be paying their proportional share." Still, total savings would be around $108,397 in the next election, Darling Allen estimated, and the county stands to save $41,292. Districts have cited higher voter turnout as a result of the move, according to the report. Darling Allen estimates the switch will result in additional costs for larger ballots and county staff time to prepare results, which may take longer with more votes and contests to count. Record Searchlight reporter Alayna Shulman contributed to this story. Stethoscope wrapped around hundred dollar bills SHARE By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight In an effort to raise awareness about human trafficking, Dignity Health North State will host a screening of a film about the issue. A screening of the documentary film "Nefarious: Merchant of Souls" is Wednesday evening at the Cascade Theatre, followed by a question-and-answer panel with Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti, film producer Benjamin Nolot, the Northern California Anti-Trafficking Coalition, medical professionals and a human trafficking survivor. Money raised from the event will go toward Mercy Foundation North and One SAFE Place. Kim Shaw, chief nurse executive and vice president of patient care services at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, said screening for trafficking victims is important, which is why their medical staff has been trained to assess whether someone may be a victim. "It's a huge focus for Dignity Health as a whole," Shaw said. "Really and truthfully, trafficking is a growing epidemic." Shaw said that 80 percent of people trafficked encounter a health professional for various reasons. She said the Dignity staff has seen it in their emergency rooms and has contacted law enforcement and One SAFE Place for the victims. "We may have historically been blind that this is happening in our community," she said. Shaw said assessing for trafficked victims is part of the medical staff's intake form. The staff looks for signs such as malnutrition, exhaustion, bruises, if someone is overbearing and speaking on the victim's behalf, or if the victim has no access to their own identification. While medical professionals know what to do, when a trafficking victim is encountered in the community, people often aren't aware of what resources they can connect to, Shaw said. At Wednesday's event, the panel will provide insight into what's available in Shasta County and what people can do to take action, she said. Dignity Health's Human Trafficking Initiative launched in 2014 and aimed to train hospital staff on how to identify trafficked victims and create more partnerships in the community. Holly Gibbs, patient care services program director at Dignity Health, leads the training program. "I am a survivor of sex trafficking," she said. Gibbs said she was only 14 years old, was having a difficult time transitioning from middle school to high school, when a man convinced her to run away from her New Jersey home. "Within hours of running away, I was trafficked," she said. She was trafficked for two nights in 1994, but getting arrested saved her life, she said. But afterwards, people didn't know how to help her, she said, and she spent some time in a mental health facility and various group homes. In 2009, she decided she would work with professionals to teach them how to help victims of trafficking. She joined a year after the program launched at Dignity Health. Upon working with medical staff, Gibbs discovered that they were "underprepared" on how to respond to victims of trafficking. She said she now works with staff to educate them about exactly what human trafficking means, and to look at victims at a deeper level and see if they've had multiple pregnancies, urinary tract infections and to ask questions about pay and labor conditions. But the most important thing to remember is that trafficking victims can be of any "class, race, or gender," Gibbs said. If you go Event : Screening for "Nefarious: Merchant of Souls" When: Wednesday, May 26, doors open at 6 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m. Where: Cascade Theatre 1731 Market St., Redding, CA Tickets: General Admission $25, VIP $50 SHARE By Nathan Solis of the Redding Record Searchlight Shasta County Board of Supervisors will consider a rezoning request to accommodate a Dollar General store in Shingletown and will also consider signing off on a formal response to a grand jury report at Tuesday's regular board meeting. Last month planning commissioners recommended supervisors hold a public hearing on the proposed Dollar General store, which will be located at the intersection of Highway 44 and Emigrant Trail in Shingletown. A portion of the property, about a quarter of 1.5 acres, will require rezoning, and planning commissioners agreed the applicant provided a good reason. On aerial maps the portion is a sliver of the property, and will include the store's trash storage and loading bay, according to county documents. Opposition to the 9,100-square-foot retail store voiced at the April 21 planning commission meeting included concern of potential flooding of nearby wetlands and the aesthetic impact to the Shingletown community. Last year the Tennessee-based Dollar General retailer opened stores in Palo Cedro, Burney and Fall River Mills. Also on the agenda is a formal response from the board to a pair of grand jury reports. One report recommends the county look into either leasing or purchasing a digital X-ray machine for the county Coroner's Office. The board will agree to consider the recommendation, and review costs associated with maintenance for the any equipment. County staff has set a date at the end of the year to purchase the equipment, if resources are available. The second report criticizes the board's responses to previous grand jury recommendations, citing a lack of transparency. The board disagrees with the findings, citing the process in which agendas are made public 72 hours before a regular meeting. While a response to a grand jury may be on the supervisor's meeting agenda, the grand jury report points to a lack of discussion due to items being on the consent calendar. The board disagrees with that point as well, citing the board's discussion and action to the most recent grand jury report titled "Quarter Million Dollar Typo, Words Matter" which recommended the board remove county elected officials from receiving a longevity bonus. If you go What: Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting When: 9 a.m. Tuesday Where: Shasta County Administration Center, 1450 Court St., Suite 263 News / National by Staff reporter Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has been dealt a blow by a leadership wrangle at Harare's Town House.Acting mayor Chris Mbanga, who took over as acting mayor in March after mayor Bernard Manyenyeni was suspended by government for insubordination, said he does not recognise a resolution that recalled him. This comes after he barred the new town clerk from doing his job.MDC Harare provincial chairperson Eric Murai a fortnight ago said the party had recalled Mbanga and three councillors on allegations that they had been compromised by Zanu-PF specifically on the contentious issue of the city's town clerk.But speaking in an interview with the Daily News over the weekend, Mbanga rubbished claims he had gone rogue."The talk of being recalled, I think it's premature," Mbanga said."The (MDC Harare) provincial chairman and his executive have not followed due disciplinary processes that need to be taken to come to that conclusion."Mbanga said he did not happily accept and step in to fill the breach left by the suspension of his boss, but was bound by duty to do so.He said Kasukuwere "by no means granted" him the acting mayor position but it fell on him by virtue of being deputy mayor."I am still the acting mayor of the City of Harare by virtue of the fact that I am the deputy mayor. It's not an appointment that was done by Kasukuwere. It's given when you are deputy mayor and the mayor is not there, you act in his absence," Mbanga said.He said there was no need to doubt his loyalty to the MDC.Mbanga also scoffed at claims he is now taking orders from Kasukuwere."Those are careless statements. I haven't gone rogue. I'm a child of the MDC, ... Tsvangirai is my president. The MDC is my home. I'm not going anywhere," he said.Mbanga described his relationship with the Zanu-PF political commissar as strictly "professional.""Our relationship has been misconstrued," he said. SHARE A Shasta Lake driver was arrested Sunday after reportedly leading law enforcement officials on a vehicle chase that saw him blow through nine stop signs, sheriff's deputies said this morning. Michael Brian Chandler, 28, was arrested on suspicion of felony evading and being a felon in possession of ammunition, deputies said, adding he also had an active felony arrest warrant. A sheriff's deputy attempted to pull over Chandler's pickup around 9 p.m. near Locust and Chico streets in Shasta Lake for vehicle code violations, said Sgt. Barry Powell. But he failed to stop and the pursuit began. Deputies said Chandler drove in excess of 50 mph on residential streets during the pursuit and that he also ran nine stop signs. The chase finally ended on Grand Coulee Boulevard and Chandler was taken into custody without incident. A records check revealed Chandler had an active felony arrest warrant for his arrest, adding that his California drivers license was also suspended and that he had a prior felony conviction, said Powell. During a search, deputies said, ammunition was found. President Obama is given flowers by Linh Tran, the ceremonial flower girl, as he arrives on Air Force One at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sunday. The president is on a weeklong trip to Asia as part of his effort to pay more attention to the region and boost economic and security cooperation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) SHARE HANOI, Vietnam (AP) President Barack Obama's mission in Vietnam and Japan is to build stronger economic and security ties with Asian-Pacific allies anxious about the rise of an increasingly muscular China. That forward-looking message will be delivered even as he confronts the legacies of two wars long past Vietnam and World War II that still are fraught with emotion. Obama's first stop on his weeklong Asia trip was Vietnam, where he is the third sitting president to visit since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to China's growing strength in the region. Obama arrived in Hanoi late Sunday. During his three-day stay in Vietnam, he'll make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation trans-Pacific trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. Vietnam also is hoping that Obama will use the visit to erase an irksome vestige of the war by lifting the U.S. partial embargo on selling arms to the country. The idea is under consideration, but concern about Vietnam's human rights record could weigh against it. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where the uncertain global economy will be a top concern of the G-7 leaders. They'll also grapple with a full array of world challenges, including the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the refugee crisis in Europe and Russian aggression. Also on the agenda will be Beijing's assertive claims in the South China Sea that are causing tensions with other countries in the region. While the summit isn't expected to produce any breakthroughs, it gives leaders a rare opportunity to talk through the intractable difficulties they confront. "Remember that leaders are lonely people," says Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the private Center for Strategic and International Studies. "These people don't have much time to sit down with their peers to talk about common challenges." For all of that, the culminating moment of Obama's trip will be a solemn visit to Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people, ushering in the nuclear age seven decades ago. Another bomb killed 70,000 in Nagasaki three days later. It will be a moment to reflect on the devastating costs of war and to try to give new impetus to the call for a nuclear-free world that Obama issued seven years ago in his first year as president. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the Vietnam and Japan visits both reflect Obama's world view "that we can move beyond difficult and complicated histories" to find areas of common interest. "You could not have had a more violent conflict than we had with the Japanese in World War II, as a visit to Hiroshima will certainly mark, but now they are among our closest friends in the world," Rhodes said. "You could not have a more contested, controversial, costly, tragic war than the Vietnam War, and now (Vietnam) is becoming a partner of the United States, an important partner." Still, concerns about human and political rights shadow the president's stay in Vietnam. The country did free a Catholic priest who had been one of its longest-serving political prisoners in the lead-up to the president's visit. But the U.S. remains concerned about severe government restrictions on citizens' political rights and limits on civil liberties and free expression. On Sunday, the country held parliamentary elections controlled by the Communist Party, which chooses who can stand for election. The government's heavy-handed response to recent unrest over mass fish deaths off the coast of Ha Tinh province prompted the advocacy group Human Rights Watch to call on Vietnamese leaders to put a stop to "harassment, intimidation and persecution" of environmental activists. In an unprecedented show of defiance for the communist country, thousands of people have protested publicly in at least seven cities on recent Sundays to demand a transparent government investigation. The protests were forcibly put down by security forces. In advance of the president's visit, the White House invited representatives of Vietnam veterans' organizations to trace progress in the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship. And it brought in Vietnamese civic to underscore its commitment to promoting human and political rights in the country. Rick Weidman, executive director for policy at the Vietnam Veterans of America, who participated in one of the meetings, said there still are wounds from Vietnam that need healing. He said the U.S. needs to do more to account for those still missing from the war and to help deal with ill effects from U.S. use of Agent Orange during the war. The administration is expected to announce more steps during Obama's visit to help with cleanup of the chemical herbicide. SHARE Corporations do not have right to religious freedom Do you know what your boss thinks about Jesus? How about Muhammad, Moses or even Matangi, a Hindu goddess? If youre like most Americans, you probably dont know or care what your employer believes. As long as you keep getting a paycheck, youll keep showing up for work each day. But what you may not realize is your bosss religion could soon play a major role in the health-care coverage you receive. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider two cases brought by secular, for-profit corporations that oppose the Affordable Care Acts contraceptive mandate, which requires most employers to offer optional no-cost birth control to their employees in employer-provided health insurance plans. Houses of worship and similar ministries are completely exempt from the mandate, while religiously affiliated entities hospitals, colleges and social service groups have been accommodated in other ways. The high court will consider two cases that involve secular, for-profit enterprises that argue corporations are people with a right to religious freedom. Hobby Lobby is a chain of craft stores with more than 500 locations in 41 states and nearly 20,000 employees. The corporation was founded by Dennis Green and his wife, Barbara, and their stores sell things like tacky glue and black mustache foam stickers. That hardly constitutes a religious enterprise, even if the Greens are devout Baptists themselves. Conestoga Wood Specialties is a Pennsylvania-based operation that manufactures wood cabinets, doors and other products used in home construction and remodeling. Its also not a religious organization, yet Conestogas Mennonite owners, Norman and Elizabeth Hahn, along with their three sons, insist that their religious freedom is harmed if their employees have access to free birth control in their insurance plans. The Greens and the Hahns are wrong. The principle of religious liberty protects your right to make moral decisions for yourself not others. Clearly a law that would force anyone to use birth control would be a gross violation of their religious liberty. But the mandate doesnt do that. It only requires that the employees of secular, for-profit corporations be given the choice to access birth control through a health insurance plan. Nor can Hobby Lobbys and Conestogas owners plausibly argue that their personal rights are violated because they must pay for these health-care plans. A religious objection does not trump someone elses right to decent medical care. If it did, Americans could lose all sorts of medicines and treatments just because a boss or corporation owner objects. Its also important to remember that the mandate doesnt require anyone to pay for abortions. The abortion question is a red herring that has been raised by some groups to distract from the real issue. The cases before the Supreme Court concern access to birth control, not abortion. Claims that these medicines and devices cause abortions have been soundly debunked by scientists. Ironically, their consistent use would reduce the number of abortions. If the court does decide that corporations have a religious conscience, there is simply no telling how many business owners and others will seek exemptions from any law they decide violates their religious freedom. These cases are thus a very big deal, and their outcome is far from certain. Dont know where your boss stands on religion? Maybe youd better find out. The Rev. Barry W. Lynn is executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, www.au.org. Mandated benefits violate employers liberty and yours Should the federal government force the group Priests for Life to pay for contraceptives? Supporters of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Acts requirement say yes. They claim the pro-life group isnt religious nor a religious school or a non-profit publisher that prints Bibles. Supporters claim that when religious people go to work, they stop being religious. They also claim employers who dont offer contraception coverage are meddling in their employees lives. The opposite is true. By paying employees in money, not in benefits the employee cant even choose, employers are staying out of their employees private lives. Supporters also argue that employers dont have the right to deny employees access to contraceptives. Thats true but irrelevant. Employers who do not pay for employees contraception are not denying access to those items any more than they are denying access to food by not buying their employees groceries. Employees like cash compensation and for good reason: They can decide for themselves what to buy. It might be contraception; it might be gas for the car. Its called freedom, and the government will be taking some away if it succeeds in forcing employers to convert some of your pay to specific health care services you might not even want. Some people mistakenly think the requirement gives employees free services. Not true! Employers pay their employees based on market value. If the government forces employers to pay some of that compensation in contraception coverage, employers likely will deduct that amount from the cash pay. Employees who get health insurance at work arent getting it free. Theyre taking some of their pay in health insurance. And thats OK. If they want to, no one is going to court to oppose that. Its when the federal government tries to force certain benefit packages on employees that problems arise. The problems of restricting freedom and harming people some employees need the cash! and a legal problem. In 1993, Democrats, Republicans and then-President Bill Clinton got together and overwhelmingly passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Under RFRA, the federal government can force people, including business owners, to violate their religious beliefs only if the government has a compelling interest to do so. Under RFRA, the government must prove the mandate is necessary to protect basic constitutional rights even though the mandate violates the Constitutions First Amendment protection of freedom of religion. The government also has to prove the requirement is the least restrictive way it can accomplish its goal of making certain employed people have access to contraceptives. That will be hard because the public already has access to contraception. Its legal, widely available and inexpensive. Birth control can be had for $15 or less a month. The requirement is unfair, unconstitutional and unnecessary. Its also unpopular. A November Rassmussen poll found the public opposed 51 percent to 38 percent. Substantial numbers of the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Mormon, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Bahai and Zoroastrian faiths oppose it. The courts are filled with legal challenges from charities, colleges, convents, ministries, a TV network, businesses, individuals and even states. Rulings have been made on the merits in 46 cases so far, with opponents winning 39. The Supreme Court will toss the mandate out. The Obama administration should withdraw it now. Amy Ridenour is chairman of the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research. Readers may write to her at aridenour@nationalcenter.org. Imagine if, instead of mug shots when people are booked into jail, we published family portraits. It would be enlightening, and it might help to guide the discussion about crime and punishment in our community. In the 20 years between 1980 and 2000, the number of American kids with a father in prison or jail rose 500 percent. That figure comes from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which last month released a study of the impact on kids when parents are incarcerated. This topic must become part of our conversation. It is a significant piece of context for the crime problems we face today and it is a troubling forecast of those we will deal with in the near future. You look at a typical young man charged with a crime in Shasta County, and you may be tempted to call him a "dirtbag" and move on. Me too. But there's a good chance some kid you see at the mall or the park calls him "dad." That child's life just got much, much harder. The "Shared Sentence" report lays out many of the ways: Family income will drop by 22 percent on average (and these families often are already on the edge); the child's chance of becoming homeless immediately goes up; the stress of having a parent incarcerated hits her with the same force as abuse or domestic violence; mental health issues, particularly depression and anxiety, crowd out brain space for education. And so on. It isn't coincidence that incarceration so often becomes a bleak inheritance, passing down through generations. Well, people have choices and they have to be held accountable for their own actions. I completely agree with that. But my heart breaks for these kids who never asked to be put in their situations. Kids should be accountable for things like doing their homework and cleaning up their own messes. It's tricky to say exactly what I'm thinking here. I'm not trying to build a case against incarceration. But I am saying that I rarely hear it discussed in terms of its entire costs to our children and communities. These costs are never measured, and so they're usually ignored. We know how many property crimes are committed each year the police department publishes those statistics. But what of the kids who never learn to read at their grade level? What of the teens who struggle with self-esteem, lack guidance, and get pregnant and get high? What of the students who never learn to care about their education, and never think to pursue it past high school graduation (if they get that far)? Those aren't made up possibilities. Those are the real results of our system as it works right now. That Annie E. Casey Foundation study of incarceration's impact on kids comes with a set of recommendations. You can read the full report at http://bit.ly/1VokYHu. They include steps to identify kids when their parents are incarcerated and reach out with support from the community. They also point out that whoever steps up to provide care whether it's the other parent or someone else also needs significant support as their lives are disrupted. The study notes that it's important for kids to keep up a relationship with their parent flawed though they might be and that the conditions for visitation matter. Organizations in the community that serve kids can begin to tailor programs specifically to support those who are dealing with a parent's incarceration. When parents come back from incarceration, getting them back into society and the workforce is just as important for their children as it is for them. They often have significant debts, not to mention employment barriers, that will be the entire family's burden for years to come. I realize this reads more like an editorial than a column. I usually save this space for things that are either personal to me or related to the paper. This one is personal to me because I'm a dad. I see what it looks like for a child to thrive. Emerson has his parents in his life. He has enormous advantages. What would I want for him if he had been born to someone with a meth addiction? Something better, that's what. And I'd never want his community to abandon him, or to argue about how to solve its problems as if he didn't exist. Reach Editor Silas Lyons at 225-8210 or silas.lyons@redding.com. He's on Facebook and Instagram, and on Twitter @silaslyons_RS. SHARE By one count, California needs more than 1 million additional college graduates above current trends by 2030 to keep up with the economy's demand for highly skilled workers. The very last thing our state government should be doing is making it harder for students to pursue higher education. Yet that is precisely what a bill pending in the California Senate would do. In the name of fighting discrimination, Assembly Bill 1888 would end Cal Grants for students who attend religiously affiliated colleges and universities that have waivers from the federal Title IX nondiscrimination laws. Recognizing the importance and the constitutional protections of the religious traditions that have built so many universities, the federal government has long allowed exemptions to Title IX so colleges can offer single-sex programs, maintain codes of conduct, or otherwise build a community of shared faith. That's why a student chooses to attend a religious college. As legal protections and social acceptance have grown for gays and lesbians, as well as transgendered persons, these faith traditions are increasingly out of step with liberal California. The members of the Legislature promoting this bill argue that the state shouldn't be funding discrimination. I do not support discrimination against anyone. But tolerance in a society as large and diverse as California cuts both ways. For the Seventh-Day Adventists who built Loma Linda University into a respected health-sciences campus, their mission is to train doctors and nurses not only to make a good living but to build a healing ministry based on their Christian values. You don't have to share all of their beliefs to see that they are making the world a better place. In Northern California, Simpson University in Redding is the only accredited stand-alone university in Shasta County and for that matter in the entire 1st Assembly district, which spans seven whole counties and parts of two more. In the more than 160 years since statehood, the state of California has not built a university in this region, but the Christian and Missionary Alliance did. The university serves not only church members but the broader community. Many of my constituents could never have finished their college degrees without Simpson. Rural shortages of nurses and teachers would be far more acute without Simpson's pipeline of graduates. Its undergraduates do not live in a stereotypical ivory tower but serve the community with a passion that is rooted in their faith. The university is a blessing to the region, not a problem the state needs to solve. And if Cal Grants did not help students earn their degrees at these universities, where would they go? To the overcrowded California State University system? To the University of California, which is far more costly and cannot come close to accommodating the demand from in-state students? The fact is our higher-education system needs all hands on deck. We shouldn't be purging universities because we don't like their values. Society is becoming more tolerant. Faith-based universities themselves are changing at their own pace. Whether or not we share their beliefs, I believe we should respect their traditions and their good works, and the critical service they provide to California students, not use the law to bully them. Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, represents California's 1st Assembly District, which includes all or parts of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties. 'West Bengal is an industry-friendly state.' Despite the Saradha scam, the Narada sting video and the collapse of the under-construction Vivekananda flyover in Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress recorded an assembly election victory in West Bengal even more resounding than the one in 2011. The new government will take oath on May 27. In the first term of the government, Partha Chatterjee, below, left, saw many ups and downs, one among them being his losing the industry portfolio to Amit Mitra. Will the second term be different for Chatterjee? In an interview with Namrata Acharya, Chatterjee, now Bengal's education and parliamentary affairs minister, talks about what worked for the party in this election and the road ahead for the state. What do you attribute this assembly election mandate to? The biggest reason why people voted us back to power is our commitment to developmental work and overall welfare of the state. We have built roads, provided power and water, improved access to education and created jobs, to mention just a few of the developmental work we have done. Some of our schemes such as Kanyasree Prakalpa and Yuvasree are unmatched. People in the villages have seen our work and voted the TMC back to power. Do you think there is any area where the government could have done better? Whatever we have not done in the first term, we will do it in the second term, and more. For example, in the health sector, we need more reforms. Before the assembly elections, there was a time when people thought that issues such as the Narada sting video and the flyover collapse would impact the results. Will the party take any action against the leaders who appear in the video? The entire issue was the creation of the media. It blew things out of proportion. The Narada issue is now in court, it is sub judice. It will not be appropriate to comment on the issue. However, it is up to the party to decide whether there will be an internal probe or not. As an individual leader, I cannot comment on the matter. In the second term, what will be the TMC's agenda on industrialisation? If you see the numbers, the rate of growth of industrialisation in West Bengal is much higher than the national average. We have created the necessary infrastructure for development of industry. We have improved the work culture and we have been a fair government. Now, the system of approval decisions for setting up industries is managed in a time-bound manner. Also, the number of approvals and clearances required for setting up an industry in West Bengal is much less than what it used to be. All this has helped West Bengal achieve a high growth rate in industrialisation. In particular, it has helped small and medium industries. There has been an improvement in the development of small industries, but no large-scale industrialisation has taken place. What will be the government's agenda now? If you see the global trend, few investors are making major investments. The primary growth comes from the manufacturing sector. However, our government has been able to instil a sense of confidence among investors. They can now see the advantages of coming to Bengal. We have created a sound work culture and provided opportunities in terms of cheap labour, infrastructure creation and an overall thrust on industrialisation. As far as big industries are concerned, we are looking at opportunities. We are a competitive state now. Can we expect any change in the state's industrial policy? We already have a good industrial policy, so we do not need any change in policy as such. West Bengal is an industry-friendly state. Will there be any change in the state's stand on Singur? Our stand remains the same. At present, the matter is sub judice. Based on the Supreme Court's verdict, we will take a decision. However, we are committed to returning the land to unwilling farmers. The balance 600 acres could be used for industry. The entire land is now with us. However, we are waiting for the Supreme Court's verdict. Critics of the government say the TMC has been particularly opposed to special economic zones. This has kept companies such as Infosys away. Will you review the SEZ policy? It is a policy matter and the decision will be taken at the cabinet level. We are opposed to acquiring land forcibly. IMAGE: Trinamool Congress workers celebrate their party's victory in the assembly elections. Photograph: Abhiroop Dey Sarkar for Rediff.com Currently, only Goa and Sikkim allow casinos. The Maharashtra government will soon decide whether to allow casinos to function in the state. The government has already received two proposals assuring over Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) a year to the exchequer if it operationalises a 1976-legislation to make offshore casinos legal. Currently, only Goa and Sikkim allow casinos. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has now taken the initiative to push the proposal down government channels, citing huge potential boosts to tourism and substantial revenue generation. The initial proposal envisages a Goa-like model of offshore casinos on yachts, only accessible to foreigners and run by the state government. The proposal also contemplates eventually allowing citizens to avail of the facilities, as well as privatisation of the entities if the venture proves successful. The present legislative framework on betting and gambling in India is sketchy, at best. According to the Constitution, legislatures of the states are empowered to frame laws on the subject. The Public Gambling Act, 1867, has been adopted by certain states. Others have framed their own. Lotteries, on the other hand, are within the purview of the central government and have been specifically excluded from gambling rules. The current judicial perspective on what constitutes gambling is also yet to be settled for each individual circumstance. In 1968, the Supreme Court in State of Andhra Pradesh Vs K Satyanarayana & Ors had differentiated gambling activities of mere chance from non-gambling activities of mere skill. The court, in that particular case, was evaluating the card game of rummy and opined that this did not constitute gambling, as it involved a significant preponderance of skill. At present, no other game apart from rummy has been tested against the principle of skill versus chance. The legal position of other such games is still uncertain. Even the Supreme Court judgment has been subject to varying interpretations. In fact, the Madras High Court had in 2012 interpreted the Satyanarayana judgment differently, and adjudicated that playing rummy with stakes would constitute gambling. The issue once again reached the Supreme Court. But, before the court could adjudicate conclusively, the petitioners sought permission to withdraw the original petition, which was accepted. The Supreme Court observed that as the petition had been withdrawn, the observations made by the high court would not survive. The sequence of affairs, though, renders the position of law relating to skilled-based games still uncertain. In Maharashtra, the relevant statute is the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887, modelled after the central legislation. The state Act faces widespread criticism due to its outdated nature and colonial vestige. The Act prohibits the formation of common gaming houses (which includes houses on vessels) and makes betting and wagering (except on horse and dog racing) in such houses illegal. The Act punishes formation of illegal gaming houses with imprisonment up to two years and penalises those found in illegal gaming houses with imprisonment of up to six months, in addition to fines in both cases. Further, the Act does not even require the prosecuting authority to prove the alleged gaming was for monetary gain. There is also ambiguity and uncertainty of its application to most casino-based games. To clarify, the state government passed the Maharashtra Casinos (Control and Tax) Act, 1976, that received the governors assent the same year but has never been notified. The Act contemplates a licensing regime for casinos and attempts to exempt casino games (both skill and chance-based) from the application of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act. The legislature had passed the Act legalising casinos in 1976 but the government never implemented it. Now, the Bombay High Court has directed the government to take a decision, says Gowree Gokhale, partner, Nishith Desai Associates, Mumbai. The Bombay HC, while hearing a petition last year on the delay in notifying the Casinos Act, directed the government to take a stand on the issue within six months. Jay Sayta, a researcher in gambling laws and founder of GLaws.in, a gaming laws web portal, says, There are only three options before the state government -- one, frame policies and enforce the law; two, study what other states are doing with regard to legalising gambling, or three, repeal the Act through the legislative route. The MTDC proposal comes in the backdrop of these events. The six-month time limit allowed by the court lapsed on April 9 without any decision being made, though there have been considerable deliberations by all the relevant departments. The gambling market in India is estimated to be worth $60 billion per year, according to a KPMG report, a large portion of which is said to be in Maharashtra alone and operates illegally. Development of casino infrastructure and an effective gambling regulation scheme has potential for large-scale revenue generation, while simultaneously curtailing the movement of black money and controlling criminal and underworld networks that operate in an unregulated industry. From revenue and tourism perspectives, the state will benefit if the Act is implemented. "If the government can balance out the perceived ill effects of gambling and benefits to revenue and tourism, then that will be a win-win situation, says Gokhale. Considering the situation, there is an urgent need for the Maharashtra government to come up with a concrete decision on the four-decade issue of legalising casinos in the region. Any move to legalise casinos is unlikely to be smooth, with certain sections in the administrative machinery at loggerheads over the proposal. A SNAPSHOT OF CENTRAL & STATE GAMBLING LAWS Central Public Gambling Act, 1867 (some states have adopted this, while others have framed their own) Maharashtra Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887 Maharashtra Casinos (Control and Tax) Act, 1976 (not yet notified) Sikkim Sikkim Regulations of Gambling (Amendment) Act, 2005 Sikkim Casino Games (Control and Tax) Rules, 2002 Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008 (first of its kind to regulate online gaming) Goa, Daman and Diu The private discoms that join the scheme would only benefit in terms of operational efficiency and there will not be any financial bailout Increasing the ambit of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments flagship scheme Ujwal Discoms Assurance Yojana (UDAY), the ministry of power would soon approach the Cabinet to incorporate private power distribution companies (discoms) in it. The government is looking at bringing in some amendments in the UDAY scheme to accommodate those states which have privatised discoms, said Piyush Goyal, Union minister of state for coal, power, and renewable energy. Goyal was responding to a question on power distribution in the states where privatisation did not yield desired results. The minister cited the example of Odisha, which has approached the Centre to join UDAY. I am going back to the Cabinet to see how we can support states like Odisha which privatised (discoms) but are going through problems, the minister added. Odisha was a pioneer in privatisation of discoms but possibly did not handle the process well and because of which it failed, said the minister. When asked about the ambit of the scheme, he said, It will be a policy decision. Any state which wants to join for operational benefits would be able to join. He clarified the private discoms that join the scheme would only benefit in terms of operational efficiency and there will not be any financial bailout. UDAY is the restructuring plan of the NDA government to bailout the financially and operationally beleaguered state-owned power utilities. One of the first steps enlisted in the MoU (memorandum of understanding) is the takeover of 75 per cent of discoms cumulative debt - 50 per cent by March 2016 and the balance by next year. States would issue non-SLR (statutory liquidity ratio) SDLs (state development loans) against the debt at prevailing market rates. The balance 25 per cent would be issued as sovereign-backed bonds by discoms. The second part of the scheme envisages a slew of measures to improve operational efficiency, with major target being reducing AT&C (aggregate technical and commercial) losses from current levels to 15 per cent by 2019. Improving collection and billing efficiency, considerably reducing energy theft, reducing gap between ACS and ARR of discoms are also part of the targets. The scheme underlines the need of regular rate revision and keeping power affordable. Once signed, the states will also enjoy rationalised coal supply and central finance assistance. So far, 10 states have joined UDAY and eight have issued bonds worth Rs 1.11 lakh crore during the last financial year. The Delhi government has a joint venture with Tata Power and Reliance Infra-promoted BRPL and BYPL. Similarly, Kolkata has CESC as the discom in urban areas. Odisha, which tried privatising its three state-owned power discoms cancelled the licence of Reliance Infra last year because of the latters failure to bring in performance viability in 15 years of operations. Tata Power Delhi Distribution and Reliance Infra-promoted BSES wrote to the Centre regarding participation in UDAY last year. UDAY will help in reducing power and interest costs which will ultimately have a direct bearing on rate. Recovery of accrued revenue gap in an equitable manner will minimise impact on consumer tariff, BSES wrote in its letter. Even though Delhi discoms have been able to set off nearly 50 per cent of the average tariff increase by the reduction in AT&C losses in the last 13 years, yet the revenue gap of Delhi has reached Rs 25,000 crore. This is primarily on account of unprecedented increase in power purchase cost over last 5-6 years and non-availability of cost reflective tariffs, TPDDL wrote. Company executives said the matter did not go through as the Delhi government did not support the proposal. Aam Aadmi Party government halved the power tariffs after coming to power last year. Power tariffs in Delhi have not been hiked since 2014. There are also certain cities which have private distribution as a franchisee model. Some of these cities are Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Bhiwandi (Maharashtra), Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Surat (Gujarat). Torrent Power runs the franchise in all these cities. Kanpur, one of the largest industrial cities in UP, tried hands at private franchise with Torrent Power but the agreement fell through. Private discoms & challenges Delhi Tata Power Delhi Distribution, BSES Rajdhani Power and BSES Yamuna Power (both promoted by Reliance Infra) Challenge: Delhi has operationally improved in past 13 years but rate hike still a political subject Odisha In 1999, the state was first to award its three discoms - NESCO, WESCO & SOUTHCO to Reliance Infra Challenge: Last year, it revoked distribution licence after R-Infra failed to turn around power supply and operations. Odisha wants to be part of UDAY to improve operations Kolkata CESC operates in urban areas of the city Challenge: West Bengal power distribution utilities running in losses but are yet to join UDAY Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters About 2,000 MHz will be put up for auction in bands such as 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz and 2,500 MHz The mega auction of telecom spectrum, expected to garner revenue of Rs 5.6 lakh crore, has been pushed back by two to three months. It was initially scheduled for June but now seems likely around September. About 2,000 MHz will be put up for auction in bands such as 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz and 2,500 MHz. Minister for communication Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Friday: "We have cleared spectrum trading and sharing. Therefore, issues regarding spectrum have been addressed. In the next two-three months, 2,000 MHz will be auctioned." In the 9th Telecom India Summit organised by business chamber Assocham, the minister also snubbed Bharti Airtel by saying, I do not understand your self-regulation. Customers should be happy. Telecom operators should provide good service and quality service to the people. I only want people to be satisfied. Bharti Airtel, a day after the Supreme Court dismissed the call drop compensation imposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on service providers, announced a voluntary self-regulation for call drops at 1.5 per cent. Trais norms allow for a two per cent benchmark on call drops. Trai chairman R S Sharma earlier in the day said the regulator believed in minimal regulation. He said he'd urge the industry to take voluntary steps to fix call drops. Sharma also said on Thursday, We are discussing the issue (SC order) at Trai and will come out with an appropriate step at an appropriate time. Among various liabilities that Trai has, consumer protection is one, and we cannot shy away from our duty. Airtel said it would contribute towards rural education Rs 1 lakh for every 0.01 per cent increase in its call drop rate beyond 1.5 per cent every month in each circle of operation, subject to a maximum of Rs 100 crore per annum. "This self-regulation on quality of service further underlines our commitment to our customers, despite the challenges of limited spectrum availability and acquisition of sites in urban areas, said Gopal Vittal, its chief executive for India and South Asia. Operators and the regulator were fighting a legal battle for many months over the call drop compensation rule imposed by Trai. Operators challenged the order at the high court here, which upheld the compensation rule. However, the Supreme Court overturned it. Operators blame the problem on lack of spectrum and not getting permission for setting up towers. The government and Trai say operators aren't investing enough in infrastructure. News / National by Staff reporter MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has no one but himself to blame when police refuse to clear his demonstrations because his party gives the law enforcement agency short notice, a senior government official has said.Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo was responding to MDC senators Misheck Marava (Zaka) and Morgen Komichi (Harare) who wanted to know why their party always encountered obstacles each time they want to hold peaceful demonstrations.Citing the upcoming May 25, Zanu-PF youth league "million-man march" that has since been given the green light by police, Chombo advised the opposition to take a cue from his Zanu-PF party."It is also done in order to avoid double booking where two groups book the same venue. Groups like the million-man march, which will be held next week, also have to make a booking and they have already done so and permission was granted. They always have to do it in advance. If people do it in advance, it usually works out very well," Chombo said.The MDC officials had noted with concern that each time they applied, they always end up at the High Court, seeking redress after being blocked by police.But Chombo expressed surprise that the MDC was asking such a question when the party has been in government previously where at one point they controlled the Home Affairs ministry with Theresa Makone as its head."The most important issue is that some of our colleagues from MDC, whether it is T, N or whatever MDC or even Zimbabwe People First, for that matter, it is important that you seek clearance in due time for you to be granted permission in due time," Chombo explained.He added that if the police are not given ample time to consider a notice for a demonstration or march, they reserve the right to refuse permission.Chombo cited the example of Labour minister Prisca Mupfumira whose request to march in celebration of the recent launch of the Nssa Building Society was turned down as it was out of time and had the potential to disturb the flow of traffic."There is a tendency that occurs especially amongst seniors in the MDC-T in that they wait until the end of day around 3.45pm and they end up saying they have not been cleared. Why not do it in due time? ... Komichi, on the other hand, is trying to say that I allow Zanu-PF to conduct its processes and do not clear the MDC, but the point is, even Zanu-PF's, ... Mupfumira was denied clearance. So, I want to advise ... Komichi that he should give himself 10 days in planning his demonstrations so that there is enough time".Responding to Marava's question on whether notifying the police the notification was meant to apply for permission or just to let the police know, Chombo said demonstrators needed the protection of law enforcement agents. Will Sonia Gandhi finally take a decision she has put off for so long, asks Rajeev Sharma. IMAGE: Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi pay homage to their father, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, on his 25th death anniversary, at his memorial, May 21, 2016. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Forget surgery. But expect a shake up in the Congress this month -- and that too a major one. Stung by yet another electoral reversal, the Congress high command -- read, the Gandhis -- is under pressure to act and, more importantly, be seen as acting. As part of this exercise, the Congress Working Committee will meet very soon to authorise party President Sonia Gandhi to effect a much needed overhaul. The Congress party looks set to bring in sweeping changes at the level of secretaries and general secretaries. The biggest gamble being considered among party strategists is whether to bring Priyanka Gandhi in the organisational set-up formally and entrust her with some role, either as a secretary or as a general secretary. Her brother Rahul had a stint as party general secretary from September 25, 2007 to January 19, 2013, before his elevation as vice-president. Many insiders feel it is not a question of if, but when where Priyanka is concerned. It is to be seen if the Congress president finally decides this issue in the next few days or once again puts it on the back burner where it has been for several years. The Priyanka puzzle has been plaguing the Congress leadership for quite some time and though the need for this move was never greater than it is now, senior leaders are still not sure about the perfect time for making this mega move. 1. If Priyanka is not drafted in right now, then when? If she is brought in now, won't it be seen as a vote of no confidence in her brother's leadership even if she were to be given a lesser role in the party? But if the party cadres' sentiments are ignored yet again and Priyanka's induction into the party's organisational structure is deferred, won't it put a dampener on whatever changes are eventually announced and make these changes look like yet another cosmetic exercise signifying little? 2. If Priyanka is indeed roped in, should this be cleared first by the CWC (a mere formality) and left to the party president to make a formal announcement or should the matter be brought before the All India Congress Committee plenary session, a much bigger and grander platform? Rahul was elevated as party vice-president at the AICC plenary session in Jaipur in January 2013, so shouldn't a similar platform be made available to Priyanka? 3. Conversely, won't it make better sense to induct Priyanka into the party's organisational structure in a low-key manner, particularly when Priyanka herself is known to have decided not to rock her brother's boat and do nothing that may be even remotely interpreted as sibling rivalry? Whatever the Congress leadership decides, one thing looks increasingly plausible -- that Priyanka's role in party affairs will be more pro-active. Indications are that she will be involved in the party's campaign for the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, due in less than nine months. Priyanka may or may not be projected as the Congress' chief ministerial candidate in UP, but she will be a star campaigner for her party in the most politically significant state. And, of course, she won't be confined to Amethi and Rae Bareilli only, her brother and mother'sLok Sabha constituencies respectively. She will travel the entire state. Though the Congress leadership is mulling sweeping changes in the AICC at the levels of general secretaries and secretaries, these changes won't be 'sweeping' if Priyanka is not given a formal role in the party, perhaps in charge of elections. Prashant Kishor wants the Congress to project either Rahul or Priyanka Gandhi as its chief ministerial candidate in UP The Gandhis are far too arrogant to accept a provincial role, says Aakar Patel. IMAGE: Priyanka Gandhi campaigns in Rae Bareli during the 2012 assembly election in UP. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters What should the Congress strategy be in Uttar Pradesh? It is India's largest state (with 21 crore/210 million people, it would be the 5th largest nation in the world on its own) and it is going to elections in 2017. Rahul Gandhi has hired one of India's sharpest political minds to figure his UP plan out. Prashant Kishore, who was hired by Narendra Modi in 2014 (he apparently had the 'chai pe charcha' idea) and by Nitish Kumar in 2015, is now being paid to revive Congress. Reports say he has suggested two strategies. The first is to go after Brahmin voters, and second to project a Gandhi, either Rahul or Priyanka, as the chief ministerial candidate. The second suggestion is unlikely to be accepted. The Gandhis are far too arrogant to accept a provincial role. In fact in the last Lok Sabha election, the Congress had refused to even compare Rahul with Modi. Congress chamchas had condescendingly referred to Modi as a 'regional leader' while their Rahul was a 'national' leader. To this, Modi's brilliant reply was, why only national, Rahul was an international leader, given his Italian connection. Kishore's first suggestion, about Brahmins, is more interesting. There is no particular caste aligned with Congress in UP right now, like the Yadavs are with Mulayam Singh Yadav and the Dalits with Mayawati and the upper castes with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Getting a caste to align with your party is very important because it is the starting point. Other communities -- for example Muslims -- will join your political formation if they are convinced that your party has a chance. Kishore's logic is that the Brahmin vote in UP (it is about 10% of the population) is easy for the Congress to get because it had been with the party in the past. This is true, and many Congress chief ministers of UP in the past were Brahmins, like Gobind Ballabh Pant, Kamalapati Tripathi, Narain Dutt Tiwari and Sripati Mishra. However, the Congress last won an election in UP three decades ago. I can remember those days, but not many people will. More than 65% of India's population is below 35. My guess is less than 5% of UP's voters of today voted in that 1985 election. This means there are very few people in UP who have a memory of voting for the Gandhis. That is the first problem. There is a second, even more serious, problem. It is not that easy for a party to attract a caste purely for selfish electoral reasons. It should have something to offer. What can the Congress offer? It can give tickets to Brahmin candidates, but what else? Is its politics attractive to Brahmins? I would say no. In purely policy terms, the last Congress government was focussed on the poor, which means the lower castes. This was reflected in laws like NREGA, Right to Education, Right to Food and so on. Such welfare schemes are not attractive to the middle class voters. I doubt very much such a platform would excite Brahmins. The data to support Kishore's logic came from a study which said the BJP's Brahmin vote share has been progressively shrinking in assembly elections. It was 50% in 2002, it was 44% in 2007 and in 2012 it was 38%. Why do Brahmins support the BJP? Because Hindutva is socially conservative, and many Brahmins will like its focus on religious issues like banning cow slaughter and building temples. The BJP and the RSS have often shown their discomfort with reservations and recently taken a very hard stand against Dalit students. This is also something many Brahmins will like and it is something the Congress will never be able to do. In UP, the remainder of the Brahmin vote is split by the other two large parties, with Mulayam Singh's Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party getting about 20% each. This splitting will continue to happen because Brahmins, like all other castes, are not completely unified in the way that they vote. And many of them will side with powerful parties because they want to be with the winners. The Congress should be looking at its policy platform first, to see what voters it can attract, and focus there. It cannot, as Kishore is suggesting, find the potential voters and then try to develop a policy platform around those voters. The Congress brand is severely tarnished, and associated with corruption, incompetence and dynasty. The Gandhis are in a different position today than when they were after the Emergency when they were also in opposition. Today the party is on the verge of dying. No voting bloc, no caste and no group sees the party as attractive. There is no chance that the Brahmin strategy will succeed. Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own. The arrival a couple of days ago of a Chinese nuclear submarine for the first time in Karachi port, coinciding with a Chinese military delegation's visit, points to Pakistan's importance for China, says former R&AW officer Jayadeva Ranade. While an article published by the Chinese State-run Global Times on May 13 prompted excited coverage by the Indian media, it does need to be carefully assessed. The article gives an insight into some aspects of the extensive military reforms underway in China as well as the operational orientation of the People's Liberation Army's recently constituted West Zone. It does simultaneously convey a warning to India. Relevant is that the article, which first appeared in the Communist Youth League's Chinese-language Zhongguo Qingnian Bao (China Youth Daily), was published a day later in the English-language State-run Global Times. In an obvious bid to reach a wider audience it was further publicised via Twitter. Publication of the article coincides with the increased tension in the South China Sea in the last few days and sharp warnings by China to the US against interference in the maritime dispute. It has been published just days prior to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to China and the defence minister's upcoming visit to Vietnam. A clear message was implied in the remark, attributed by Global Times to 'a source close to the matter,' who said, 'The Tibet Military Command, on the other hand, is under the leadership of the Chinese ground forces, which suggests that the command may undertake some kind of military combat mission in the future.' No timeline was suggested. Coincidentally, four Indian Navy warships left on May 18 for port calls to Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Russia and Malaysia. Beijing has been wary of the growing warmth in India-US ties and its official media has been warning India against interference in the South China Sea dispute. The suggestion in the Global Times article of 'some kind of military combat mission in the future,' is reminiscent of similar comments made earlier. In 2010, when tension in the South China Sea was high, the China-owned Hong Kong-based media, echoing the old Chinese adage of 'killing a chicken to frighten the monkey,' said China would pick on a big power like India to teach the other countries a lesson. The Global Times article provided some interesting insights into the military reform and restructuring underway especially in the areas bordering India, or China's 'south-western' border. It clarifies that China will strengthen its forces in the area, thus maintaining military pressure on India. Confirming that the erstwhile Lanzhou and Chengdu military regions have merged into the newly constituted West Zone, the article indicated that Beijing is giving added importance to the Tibet Military Command. It disclosed that this 'Command' has been given 'elevated political rank.' which is 'one level higher than its counterpart provincial-level military commands' and, that because it 'comes under the leadership of the PLA,' or China's ground forces, it has an operational role. Colonel Zhao Zhong, deputy director of the political work department of the Tibet Military Command, was quoted as confirming that 'elevation of the authority level is an expansion of their function and mission.' The elevated political status allows it to mobilise more military resources. The references to the 'Tibet Military Command' and the 'Xinjiang Military Command' are new and suggest that the nomenclatures of the former military region headquarters have been changed following their merger with, and subordination to, the West Zone. An indication is that Zhong, who till 2013 was deputy director of the political department of the Chengdu military region, is now referred to as belonging to the Tibet Military Command in the West Zone. The Central Military Commission is also deciding on the transfer and appointment of officers, including of the erstwhile Lanzhou and Chengdu MR Air Forces, to the West Zone. Senior level appointments to the West Zone began being made since at least March 29. Zhan Houshun, former deputy commander of the Chengdu Military Region and commander of the MR Air Force from 2013 in the rank of major general was promoted lieutenant general in June 2014. He was appointed commander of the Western Theatre Command Air Force in March. His appointment is another indicator that the West Zone's operational area of interest includes Pakistan, protecting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Gwadar, Afghanistan and China's 'south-western' borders. Incidentally, Lieutenant General Zhan Houshun oversaw the three-week-long joint Sino-Pakistani Shaheen-III Air Exercise in May 2014. Mention that the 'political status' of the Xinjiang Military Command could be raised in the future and the observation that 'Military commands in Tibet and Xinjiang have always enjoyed special political status in the past and the promotion in rank this time reflects a continuation of China's policy,' underscore the importance accorded to the West Zone by China's CMC. Confirmation is the observation of Song Zongping, former PLA second artillery officer and Beijing-based Chinese military analyst, that with the changes in military structure, 'the importance of most of the provincial military commands will be diminished.' Earlier in December 2015, reports had mentioned that commanders of the new military zones would have lower ranks than the predecessor MR commanders. It is anticipated that the West Zone's area of interest will expand to include Djibouti and protection of Chinese assets and investments in East Africa. Along with Gwadar, the West Zone's operational jurisdiction will then encompass not only Pakistan, the CPEC and Afghanistan but also the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and East Africa. The arrival a couple of days ago for a 3 to 4 day stay of a Chinese nuclear submarine for the first time in Karachi port, coinciding with a Chinese military delegation's visit, points not only to Pakistan's importance for China but, additionally, importance of the PLA's West Zone. It will be interesting to see whether officers of the West Zone were part of the Chinese military delegation. Jayadeva Ranade, former additional secretary, Cabinet secretariat, Government of India, is President of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy. Rampant crime challenges the chief minister's promise to maintain law and order. But some say there are other forces at play, notes Satyavrat Mishra. In Bihar, it seems the more things change the more they remain the same. Six months ago, when Nitish Kumar took oath as chief minister for the fifth time, he insisted that his priorities had not changed -- he would uphold the rule of law at any cost. Cut to the present and Kumar is battling allegations of helming a jungle raj. A spate of crimes has dented his image of 'susashan babu,' the man who was to deliver good governance. Ten bank robberies; the murder of at least four policemen, three engineers and two state Opposition leaders; and dozens of lawmakers and their kin being named in criminal cases are all signs of deteriorating law and order in the state. There's more: The rape of a girl allegedly by a Rashtriya Janata Dal member of the assembly, the murder of a student in Gaya allegedly by the son of a Janata Dal-United legislator and the killing of Hindustan's Siwan bureau chief Rajdeo Ranjan, in which the role of a former RJD member of Parliament is suspected. The JD-U and the RJD are all part of the Grand Alliance, which spectacularly defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly elections last November. Nitish Kumar belongs to the JD-U. The BJP said 'maha jungle raj' prevailed in the state. "When lawmakers and their kin are involved in heinous crimes like rape and murder and men in uniform are not safe, how can anyone buy the chief minister's argument that Bihar is safe?" asked former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. Kumar, on his part, assured action against the guilty in the Gaya case and recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into Ranjan's murder. He insisted the crime graph was sliding. Figures, however, tell a different story. According to an IndiaSpend analysis of Bihar police data, the number of cognisable offences soared 42% between 2010 and 2015 even as the conviction rate of criminals plummeted 68% during that period. Reason: The number of speedy trials slumped from 16,000 in 2010 to 5,000 in 2015. Last year, the state police couldn't complete investigations into more than 67% of the offences registered. To get an idea about the poor prosecution rate of the influential and well-connected, there is the example of Rajballabh Yadav, the RJD MLA accused of raping a girl: The evidence in the case was found to be tampered with. "Nitish Kumar has lost his grip on the government," said N K Chaudhary, former principal of Patna College. "The government has not been able to fulfil its basic responsibilities -- law and order, health and education. A couple of days ago, a bank in a busy market in Muzaffarpur was looted and the robbers escaped easily. The buck stops with the chief minister. But he seems to care more about prohibition than law and order." Shaibal Gupta of the Asian Development Research Institute, Patna, blamed "a hostile section of the bureaucracy" for the portrayal of Bihar as a lawless state. "In 2009, the entire state machinery was with Nitish Kumar," he said. "However, since the introduction of positive discrimination at the panchayat level and the JD-U's break-up with the BJP, a small section of upper caste bureaucrats has been working to discredit the state government." "There is no jungle raj because the state government is not protecting anyone," he said. "If there is jungle raj, how are the ongoing panchayat elections so peaceful? Has any criminal been given leeway by the leadership?" Last week, when the chief minister was asked if crime was rising because he was more concerned about prohibition, he lost his cool. 'Let's have a debate right now,' Nitish Kumar said. 'Prohibition has brought down crime. In April, incidents of crime declined 27% due to prohibition. Kindly check the facts before asking such questions.' 'You tell me, have I ever neglected my duties?' the chief minister said. 'The rule of law is and will be my first priority. I have hardly spent 100 hours outside the state in the last couple of months and yet people are alleging that I let go of the reins of the state. Bhala yehi bhi koi baat hui? This is outright absurd.' Such an outburst from Nitish Kumar, usually known for his composure, surprised many. "You can understand how much pressure he is under," said former Bihar director general of police D N Gautam. "His credibility is at stake. He has been trying really hard, despite that he is under fire. People are becoming fearful. What is more alarming is that hope and confidence are dwindling. Police officials are confused, therefore, their tendency to look to the executive before proceeding in any case is increasing. The slowing rate of conviction has complicated the situation." People close to Nitish Kumar said he is aware of the situation, but is feeling helpless. "The district magistrates, superintendents of police and others senior bureaucrats are hand picked by the chief minister," a political commentator said. "If they under perform he has to bear the burden of their inaction." "There are no quick fix solutions in policing," Gautam said. "The morale of the police force must be restored. Professionalism has to be infused. Officials have to be made responsible for their actions and inactions. The system of transfers should be transparent. All these steps will take time, but will have far-reaching effects on law and order." There is still the present to deal with. An official of the rank of inspector general narrated an incident that took place last week in Rauxal, a town along the Indo-Nepal border. "There was a land grabbing incident," he said. "Shots were fired, a policeman was injured and a dozen men were arrested. What's astonishing is that the culprits were all from Patna and adjoining areas. They managed to travel 220 kilometres, crossing four districts and several checkpoints, with arms and ammunition without being detected." And thereby hangs the tale of Bihar. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the Buddha Smriti Park on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti in Patna, May 21, 2016. Photograph: PTI 'The cost of the Rafale contract will be substantially lower than being talked about.' 'If you throw away the price they demand, our coffers will soon become empty.' 'When it comes to spending the nation's money I am very careful and stingy.' Last week, just before he left for a four-day, two-nation tour of the Gulf countries, India's Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar found time to sit down with Rediff.com columnist and BharatShakti.in founder Nitin A Gokhale to review the performance of the defence ministry over the past two years and particular during his own 18-month stint (he took over in November 2014). You've been the defence minister for 18 months now and, of course, the Bharatiya Janata Party has been in power for two years. When you look back, what are your major achievements in the defence ministry? I think the ministry has started functioning and the defence forces feel confident that the government will stand by them, the requirement for modernisation is slowly but surely getting into the flow, into the pipeline and transparency has returned. In two years, there hasn't been a single case of corruption in the defence ministry and that in itself is a big achievement. I get the sense from industry, especially Indian industry, that the fear factor that was there in the previous government where anything to do with defence was secret and opaque is slowly changing and you are making big efforts on that front? It will take some more time to make them more transparent and more open because somehow the psychology... in fact this psychology was created to make money. Keep everything under wraps so that more people can't come in. Not allowing more people to participate somehow. I've seen cases where those who were most eligible have been eliminated. Even now I don't claim that the 100 per cent are being allowed, but quite a substantial change has taken place. Rules are being cited on many occasions to ensure that the competition gets reduced or a single vendor situation arises. There are attempts by some to do that, various lobbies and groups have been actively seeking this as means to achieve their goals. One example of this is Agusta deal... AgustaWestland is a typical case where probably someone decided that we've to work with this particular company and on a particular price we've to buy products from them. So, proceed. This is the direction, do anything and everything so that only they get the order and they get it at double the price. The new defence procurement procedure that you brought in and has been implemented from April 1 has a lot of new features. For example, timelines being reduced etc (for procurement), what are the advantages of that? See, first let me be very clear, some people don't understand, the new defence procurement procedure does not impact earlier procurements. Therefore, there are 285 AONs (Acceptance of Necessity -- for buying a particular equipment) still pending, down from something like 397 when I came. Despite us clearing a lot of AONs, still 285 are left and by the end of this financial year I intend to reduce it down to less than 200. Now, all those AONs will proceed with the earlier DPP, unless, the forces see some of them to be put with the new ones, then, they will have to come back again to the defence acquisition council. You know now that what all is included in that; you know that the IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category has a top priority. So, that encourages the Indian industry in designing their own products. You are going to encourage the Indian MSMEs and Indian defence manufacturers much more? In Make in India also there is a reservation below Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million)and Rs 3 crore (Rs 30 million) in two varieties. There are many more factors; timeline is one, inclusion of MSMEs, preamble is very important, it is very clearly said in the end of DPP that in case of any confusion or difficulty, the preamble becomes the guideline. That means if something is going wrong (in the procurement process) then you refer back to preamble and just like the Supreme Court derives power and guidelines from the Constitution's preamble, you derive power from the preamble and do the right thing. That is one of the aspects which has been ensured. There are many more, like category A QRs and category B QRs. That means you may not have a product which is required by you, market may not have that product, how do you test it? You can't. So, you test it for the available QRs, predetermined, not done after the request for proposal is issued and you say that I want these two things more. For example, a tank is available with specification of running at 60 kmph and a climbing ability at 15 degrees slope, but you want something which has the ability to climb at 20 degrees slope and run at 80 kmph, but you don't have it in the market, how do you test it? It is possible if the engineering is improved, both things are possible. So, you say you pass this test of 15 degrees and 60 kmph and when you are supplying, you supply me the one with 20 degrees and 80 kmph. Enhanced parameters... Enhanced parameters, yes. Then, parameters which are more than what you require, they are essential parameters but done subsequently. After passing and after getting the order. Because you don't spend money and improve parameters just for trials, some order indent has to be there. So, after placing order, the manufacturer develops it and gets it in. Enhanced parameter is actually another concept, you get a financial advantage under enhanced parameters, so that, item which has some additionalities, which are required, but not essential, which are welcome but not essential. Like in a gun, if its four kilos which is essential, and if someone is giving it to me in 3.5 kilos it is definitely better for the soldier to carry half a kilo less, so, I am ready to pay him a Rs 1,000 more per unit. That is the concept of enhanced parameters. The other thing that you have changed is the constant discussions that go on. You are meeting with the industry and its representatives very often? I am meeting without hesitation. I am very clear about it, just because I listen to you doesn't mean that I am going to give you orders or I agree with you, but I am going to listen to industries' various ideas. From there sometimes something new comes up. I also learn a lot. The other big achievement that you haven't spoken about is One Rank One Pension. Yes, of course. After 43 years what Narendra Modiji had promised, we have kept that promise and we have paid some Rs 7,500 crore (Rs 75 billion) almost a year, a year Rs 11,000, in fact, I was checking the other day, more than 18 lakh (1.8 million) pensioners have been benefitted by some Rs 3,400 crore (Rs 34 billion) in the first tranche itself and there are four tranches that will come. If we look in the future, one of the things that you have spoken about is increasing the combat effectiveness of the Indian military. No doubt about it. Flab needs to be reduced. I think we need to touch areas which the British left us, a legacy which is not required today, the army has to be lean but fit. So, the combat soldier... the number will not be touched, maybe even increased slightly, but the ratio today to the all armed forces personnel versus combat (personnel) is almost half, may not be even 50 per cent. I want to make that ratio into 70:30, 70 per cent combat and 30 per cent others. Why do you require so many people when you can get readymade things. For example, I haven't gone to a tailor for the last 25 years, I buy readymade shirts. So, if I were a tailor, I would say that I do not need a tailor anymore. So, don't spend money on tailors. Barbers for example, except on the border, you can have the commercial ones doing the job for you. I recently read a book in which they are describing in 1875, a battalion of the army moving and it describes who are there in that battalion. I was surprised to know that the actual fighting soldiers there were only 150, now the figure has been increased to 400 to 500. It needs to be increased more. To 600 or more. Is that why you are doing some resizing of the military... We have appointed a very senior battle veteran, Lieutenant General (D B) Shekatkar. He is the chairman of the committee in which with the exception of one or two, all are people from the armed forces. We have asked them to go through all the things and come out with the areas of flab, so that in a systematic manner we can treat the issue. That will be done in how many months, I mean is there any deadline to this? We expect for the report to be prepared by July-end or mid-August, I have asked him to give an interim report, so that I can start quickly after 30 to 45 days on certain areas of flab. Final report will come by August, so, by December we will have full action plan working. You also spoke about a policy for promotions. It needs to change and that there is a need to take a lot of qualitative requirements into consideration? See what happens, any organisation if it is not churned around and if it is not used for the purpose it is normally required to be used, slowly becomes lethargic, nepotism sets in, it's in human nature and because we didn't have any major war, obviously there is some lethargy and wrong things that might have crept in, in various procedures of the forces. For example, someone might feel that this person is from my regiment or from the same village or speaks the same language or is from my caste etc. So, this kind of feeling is easy to occur -- and I am not pointing any fingers here. I must make it clear that the feeling of nationalism and the spirit of patriotism is 10 times more in the armed forces. People who join the army, 90 per cent of them and at the officer level almost 100 per cent of them have that feeling of nationalism. Actually, that has what kept the Indian Army still fit, in spite of some black sheep. If in our politics one expects 90 per cent black sheep, then here also some 5 to 10 per cent exists. Society's ills are also reflected here. But many people from the army itself have pointed out some wrongs that have crept in and asked help to rectify them. But I will only correct them after examining everything through the eyes of soldiers only. I am not going to take a decision on my own unless a soldier, a reputed soldier, double checks and endorses my decision. So, if someone feels that the Raksha Mantri is going to introduce some private person in the selection process, then they are absolutely wrong. But there is also no harm in some private person checking if the procedure has been followed and the procedure also doesn't give opportunity for nepotism. Is this why you have also supported the armed forces claim on the 7th Pay Commission, which they seem to have some grievances with? Yes, we have said that certain grievances of theirs (the armed forces) are absolutely right and particularly in the matter of pay matrix, we have suggested some positive measures. Allowances also we strongly support, military service pay also has to be slightly improved for jawans. You have spoken about your aim to go into more exports in Indian weapons platforms and others, so, in that respect, how are you going to enhance it, and also, what are you going to do with the DPSUs? We have already told them (DPSUs) that 10 per cent of their products can be exported, they need not supply 100 per cent to the armed forces. In fact, I intend to increase that by increasing their production. The armed forces will not be hampered, that is sure. For example, the Akaash (missile). Its earlier capacity of production was 200, today we have increased it to 500. In two years it will be 800. So, we have have enough capacity creation, you see the output in production from ordnance factories. It was merely Rs 43,000 crore (Rs 430 billion) when I came in and now it has crossed Rs 51,000 crore (Rs 510 billion). It is a substantial improvement with reduction in manpower, per head production improvement is up by almost 33% to 35% in two years. So, there is a 10% reduction in manpower. Basically, what I am trying to say is to make them more efficient and ask them to export on their own, but at the same time we will have to develop and promote our products and tell the outside world, wherever we can sell it of course, that we are a trusted supplier. Quality, of course, has to be good and also the continuity of supplies. Has Hindustan Aeronautics Limited been promoted on similar lines? Of course, I have already written to a few countries that the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) is an excellent aircraft and that we are ready to export it to them. So that is why there is hope for the LCA... Coming to the Rafale deal when do you expect to close it? I cannot tell you the date. It will be completed soon. Some more weeks are needed to complete the contract. Are you under pressure to conclude it quickly? I am under no pressure. Why should I be? When it comes to spending the nation's money I am very careful and stingy. What about the cost? All that I can tell you is that the cost of the Rafale contract will be substantially lower than being talked about. We have to bring down the cost. If you throw away the price they demand, our coffers will soon become empty. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, accompanied by over a hundred party workers, on Monday unsuccessfully tried to march towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence to protest against Sunday's attack on party leader Rupa Ganguly allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers. The police were present in strength at Hazra crossing in south Kolkata where BJP leaders, including former Bengal unit chief Rahul Sinha and present chief Dilip Ghosh, held a rally before attempting to march towards the chief minister's residence in the nearby Kalighat. The police stopped the rally, also attended by Roopa Ganguly and Locket Chatterjee, at Asutosh Mukherjee Road. "We came here to meet the chief minister and tell her about the continuing post-poll violences in the state. But the police stopped us... But I will advise them (police) that instead of stopping us they must go and stop the goons," the BJP state chief said. He also said that the BJP would launch protest-demonstrations in districts if the state administration does not take "proper steps on post-poll violence". Ghosh said the party was considering to boycott Mamata Banerjee's swearing-in ceremony on May 27 and observe it as "Kala Diwas" (black day). "We may also call a bandh on that day," Ghosh said. Actress-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly was heckled and her convoy attacked on Sunday allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters near Diamond Harbour in South 24-Parganas district when she was returning from Ishwaripur village near Kakdwip after visiting a party worker. An injured Roopa was admitted to a local hospital. Image: BJP protest outside Mamata Banerjee's residence. Photograph: ANI_News/Twitter Britain has granted refugee status to Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives who was jailed in 2015 after a trial that drew international criticism. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, was allowed to go to Britain in January for medical treatment after President Abdulla Yameen came under international pressure to let him leave, reports The Independent. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges in after illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that put a spotlight on instability in the Indian Ocean archipelago known as a paradise for wealthy tourists. Nasheed has been granted political refugee status in the United Kingdom, Hasan Latheef, Nasheed's lawyer,reports Independent. A British high commission official in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo said it did not comment on individual asylum cases. Since his release, Nasheed has called for sanctions against Yameen and his allies for detaining political prisoners, mainly opposition leaders, and for alleged human rights abuses in the Maldives. Nasheed was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012 after ordering the arrest of the judge. The United Nations, the United States and human rights groups have said Yameen's government failed to follow due process and that the case was politically motivated. Yameen, whose half-brother lost power to Nasheed in 2008, has rejected accusations that Nasheed's trial was politically motivated and said the legal process was fair. In 2009, Nasheed led the world's first underwater cabinet meeting to grab attention over rising sea levels that threaten his country. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhan during a joint press conference after their meeting at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran on Monday. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani on Monday announced that May 23 will henceforth be called the Day of Chabahar as India, Iran and Afghanistan signed the historic Chabahar Agreement. This is a very important day for Iranians and now on it is going to be even more important because today is going to mark the day of cooperation between three of us, Iran, India and Afghanistan and from now on this day can be called the day of Chabahar, he said at trilateral summit. Asserting that it was an important day in the history of the relationship between the three countries, Iranian President said that Tehran, Delhi and Kabul would give this message to the region that the path of progress of the countries of the region goes through cooperation and utilization of regional opportunity. Of course the symbol of such cooperation is Chahbahar and Bahar means spring and it is a spring for three of us, he added. President Rouhani said that with the joint investments in Chahbahar, his country could connect India through reliable route to Afghanistan and also to those countries in central Asia and even to CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. Todays document is not just an economic document. It is actually a political document and a regional one and the message of this document is that countries of this region need to utilise the opportunities provided by the region in order to develop and also expand on the regional cooperation, he added. There is also a room in this trilateral agreement for other countries and for the activities of other countries and in the near future other countries can join this document of cooperation as well, he said. President Rouhani pointed that the agreement was not against any other country. Speaking at the trilateral summit in Tehran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, quoting Persian poet Hafez, said, Days of separation are over; night of wait is coming to an end; our friendship will stay forever. He the historic agreement to develop the Chabahar port in Iran will strengthen our ability to stand against those whose only motto is to maim and kill innocents. To build bonds of connectivity is the most basic of human urges. Today, we seek to fulfil it, said the prime minister. The agenda for economic engagement is a clear priority for us. We stand together in unity of our purpose, he added. The PM said to carve out new routes of peace and prosperity is the common goal of India, Iran and Afghanistan. We want to link with the world. The agreement on establishment of a Trilateral Transport and Transit Corridor signed a while ago can alter the course of history of the region, he added. He also said that this corridor would spur unhindered flow of commerce throughout the region. The PM further said the reach of the Chabahar port could extend to the depths of the Central Asian countries. Afghanistan will get an assured, effective and a friendlier route to trade with the rest of the world, he added. He said the watch-words of international ties are trust, not suspicion; cooperation, not dominance and inclusivity, not exclusion. Reiterating his earlier assertion, Prime Minster Modi said the 'dosti' between India and Iran is as old as history. A 60-year-old owner of an eatery in southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar area was shot at following a heated argument with three customers on Monday over payment of bill. Vasudeo alias Pappu, owner of Sindhi Dhaba in Lajpat Nagar 3 sustained two bullet injuries and is reported to be in a critical condition, the police said. The incident took place between 10 and 10.30 pm when three men had come to the eatery in a Maruti Swift car with a UP registration number. They had their dinner and tried to leave without paying the bill. When Vasudeo tried to intervene, one of them allegedly pulled out a gun and shot four rounds there, a senior police official said. The accused fled the scene by the time police reached the spot. The victim was then rushed to a hospital. "A case has been registered and the number of the car has been noted," the senior official added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday accorded a ceremonial welcome as he met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for talks to deepen trade, investment and energy ties. IMAGE: Prime Minister Modi, accompanied by President of Iran Hassan Rouhani, inspects the guard of honour during his ceremonial welcome at Saadabad Palace, in Tehran. Photograph: Press Information Bureau Modi, the first prime minister to visit Iran on a bilateral visit in 15 years, was received by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the forecourts of Saadabad Palace -- the seat of executive in Iran. Military bands played national anthems of the two countries after which Modi inspected guard of honour. Following this, the two leaders had a 30-minute restricted meeting to discuss bilateral issues of strategic and business importance. Delegation-level talks followed it, leading to signing of agreements on development of Chahabar port on southern coast of Iran, setting up of an aluminium smelter plant and rail line. IMAGE: Prime Minister Modi interacting with school children at Espinas Palace Hotel in Tehran. Photograph: Press Information Bureau Invoking India's "civilisational ties" with Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew in to Tehran on Sunday on a two-day visit, saying his talks with the Iranian leadership would provide him an opportunity to advance the "strategic partnership" between the two countries. Rouhani will also host a lunch for the Indian Premier. He will also call on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei before his return home. Ahead of his arrival, Modi in a series of tweets had said, "Enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people contacts would be our priority." "My meetings with President Rouhani and Hon'ble Supreme Leader of Iran will provide an opportunity to advance our strategic partnership," the Prime Minister added. Modi's visit is expected to see India and the Persian Gulf nation working on enhancing economic partnership that includes a possible deal on developing the strategic Chabahar port. In an interview to Iran's IRNA news agency before his arrival in Tehran, Modi said the two countries have "always focused to add strength to our relations, even during the difficult times. In the current context, both countries can look to expand our cooperation in the fields of trade, technology, investment and infrastructure and energy security." Stating that India's public and private sector firms were keen on investing in Iran, he said the signing of agreement on development of Chabahar port will provide wider connectivity. Chabahar is a port in South-East Iran that will enable India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan with which New Delhi has close security ties and economic interests. "Lifting of the international sanctions against Iran has opened up immense opportunities for both the countries, especially in the economic sphere," Modi said, adding that India is keen to enhance its investment in the Persian Gulf nation and also welcomes flow of capital and investments from there. The energy sector, he said, was one of the most important dimensions of bilateral economic ties and with investment in development of Farzad-B gas field, the relationship would go beyond the buyer-seller dealings to being genuine partners. On impending meetings with Iranian leaders, Modi said: "Iran is part of our extended neighbourhood, an important nation in the region and one of India's valuable partners. "We are connected with each other by the shared history and civilisational ties. We have shared interest in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. Combating the menace of international terrorism and radical ideologies is a common challenge." He further said taking concrete steps for enhancing regional connectivity is one of the most important and promising dimensions of the ties between India and Iran. "Building a genuine energy partnership, cooperation in the infrastructure, ports, railway and petrochemicals sectors and developing the age-old civilisational ties through people-to-people exchanges in the modern times will also be a priority," Modi said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Modi offering prayers at Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Tehran. Photograph: Press Information Bureau On the first day of his trip, Modi -- the first Indian prime minister to travel to Iran in 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee -- offered obeisance at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara and also spoke to the head priest. He applauded the efforts of the Sikh community in the Persian Gulf nation for preserving and spreading the culture and tradition of India. "We accept all the people as our own and absorb them in our society because we believe in the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' -- the entire world is one family. Animated by this spirit, we Indians make every country our home," Modi told the gathering at the gurudwara. In 2012, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a visit to Tehran to attend the Non-Aligned Movement Summit could not visit the gurudwara, but his wife Gursharan Kaur paid her respects there. After landing in Tehran, Modi tweeted, "Reached Iran, a land with whom India shares civilisational ties. Hope to enhance economic partnership between our nations. I also hope my Iran visit further cements cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Iran." News / National by Stephen Jakes Matabeleland Liberation Organisation secretary for information and Public Affairs, Israel Dube has rapped the MDC-T senator Theresa Makone for recently expressing fears over the hostilities of the people of Matabeleland over 5their marginalization saying she could have known that since the 1980s when over 20 000 people were butchered by the Zanu PF government.Makone said during her team's visit to Matabeleland she observed that people were hostile over their marginalisations."It has taken 36 good years for Senator Makone to see and recognise a mountain of grievances in Matabeleland despite the fact that the complaints have been repeatedly raised and aired in the media and public forums by politicians, organisations and individuals since 1980," Dube said."When over 20 000 innocent civilians including defenceless women, children and old people were brutally butchered by the Zimbabwe National Army 5 Brigade code named Gukurahundi, she saw nothing heard nothing and said nothing."Dube said when Lookout Masuku, Sydney Malunga and Mthandazo Ndema Ngwenya were politically persecuted until their mysterious deaths she saw nothing heard nothing and said nothing."When the President of MLO Cde Paul Siwela, John Gazi and Charles Thomas were arrested and charged with treason and subjected to a lengthy trial for expressing the same grievances and demanded the restoration of the statehood of Matabeleland still she saw nothing heard nothing and said nothing. This regardless of the fact that the trial was covered by all Zimbabwe media houses and it was very hard to ignore," Dube said."Senator Makone who is a former minister of Home Affairs in the Zimbabwe government is quoted in two articles published by Bulawayo24 news on the 21st and 22nd of May as someone who had just made a new discovery. A new discovery of what is termed as hostilities in Matabeleland, of people raving and ranting about marginalisation, jobs, closing industries, low pass rate, Children from Mashonaland filling up universities and teachers being imported from Mashonaland to teach kids at primary level."He said according to Makone this discovery was made a few weeks ago when her group travelled in Matabeleland to sale yet another controversial subject " National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill" A subject that MLO will interrogate and expose as time goes on."Even though the said grievances are just a tip of the iceberg, they are genuine. Any Matabele who listened to her when she addressed parliament about the situation in Matabeleland, especially when she cried out, "I'm a Shona and felt bad, guilty and think we should have a collective sense of guilt," would have shouted yes! yes! yes!" he said."But that is before she made two bizarre suggestions which she said were the cure to the problems in Matabeleland. She suggested that angry people of Matabeleland should be appeased with devolution and that the $15billion which was stolen by corrupt Zanu PF officials should be found and used to develop Matabeleland. Really! So where and when are you going to find the looted money Madam?"Dube said the above suggestions only expose the senator as belonging to the bunch of oppressors, Zanu-PF and many in Mashonaland who hold firmly to the foolish belief that Matabeles are Shona subjects or vassals who are too lame to make their own decisions, choices late alone rule themselves. He said these fools think that they have the responsibility to prescribe solutions for every problem in Matabeleland."MLO would like to put it categorically clear that those who subscribe to the misplaced idea of Matabeleland being a little colony of Zimbabwe will be shocked like Senator Makone. She learnt the hard way that its not Paul Siwela and MLO alone who are demanding freedom in Matabeleland but the people of Matabeleland at large," he said. IMAGE: Pope Francis talks with Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb at the Vatican. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters In a historic moment, Pope Francis met the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican on Monday and exchanged hugs and kisses. This is the first Vatican meeting between the leader of the world's Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam. "Our meeting is the message," Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, AFP reported. The meeting lasted around 30 minutes, the Vatican said in a statement after the talks. In all, the imam spent just over an hour at St Peter's. In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar said Tayeb had accepted Francis's invitation in order to "explore efforts to spread peace and co-existence." Tayeb's decision to fly to Rome, unexpectedly announced last week, followed the easing of serious tensions that marked the reign of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI. Monday's visit was effectively the long-delayed reciprocal meeting and the Vatican said that both clerics had "underlined the great significance of this new meeting". "The pope and the imam had mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world," said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi in a statement. "These included working together for world peace, rejecting violence and terrorism, and the situation and protection of Christians against a backdrop of conflict and terrorism in the Middle East," the statement further added. The pope presented the imam with a copy of his recent encyclical, Laudato Si', a letter to the faithful in which he urges the world to wake up to the threat posed by climate change and also calls for a rebalancing of the economic relationship between the industrialised and developing worlds. Tayeb decided to accept the invitation to Rome as a result of the numerous conciliatory gestures Francis has made to the Muslim world since being elected in early 2013. "If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening," imam's deputy Abbas Shuman said. Hours after J Jayalalithaa assumed office as chief minister, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday effected shuffling of senior Indian Police Service officials besides transferring several Indian Administrative Service officers, reversing several changes made in the run up to polls under the directions of the Election Commission. The government brought back former Chennai Police Commissioner T K Rajendran, DGP and Inspector Genral prisons, as Chennai Police Commissioner replacing Ashutosh Shukla. S George, director general of police and chairman of Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board will hold additional charge as IG prison. Shukla has been posted as additional director general of police, Enforcement, in place of J K Tripthy, an official release said. Tripathy is back as ADGP, Law and Order, vice C Shylendra Babu, who was transferred and posted as ADGP, Coastal Security group. Rajendran and Tripathy were transferred on the directions of EC following complaints from the Dravida Munetra Kazhagam. Karan Singha, ADGP, Intelligence, was transferred as ADGP CB-CID and K N Sathyamurthy, IGP, was transferred as IGP, Intelligence. In the IAS-level transfers, T N Venkatesh, who was posted Collector of Tiruvarur District during the run up to the polls, was posted as MD of Tamil Nadu Handloom Weaver Cooperative Society, replacing A Gnanasekaran. M Mathivanan, who was Tiruvarur collector till last month, will resume his previous posting. Similarly, S Swarna, who too was posted as Senior Collector Pudukkottai District, will take over as Chairperson and MD of T N Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation vice K Phanindra Reddy holding additional charge. S Ganesh, now Director of Employment and who preceded her will be back as Pudukkottai Collector. Rajendra Ratnoo, who was also posted as Collector of Vellore District on the order of EC in April will now take over as MD of Poompuhar Shipping Corporation vice Sai Kumar holding additional charge. R Nanthagopal who preceded Ratnoo will be back as Vellore collector. J Kumaragurubaran, Director, Information, would hold additional full charge as MD TN Arasu Cable TV Corporation vice T K Ramachandran holding additional charge. IMAGE: AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam ahead of taking the oath of secrecy as finance minister greeting AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa at the swearing in ceremony at Madras University Centenary Auditorium in Chennai on Monday. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI China on Monday rebutted Indias assertion that France was included in the Nuclear Suppliers Group without signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying France was a founder member of the elite group and so the issue of accepting its membership does not arise. Ahead of President Pranab Mukherjees visit, China also called for in-depth talks to build consensus over Indias admission into the NSG, days after Pakistan staked claim to join the 48-member grouping with purported backing from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying sounded firm about Chinas stance that all new members that join the NSG must sign the NPT. Hua rebutted Indias assertion that France was included in the elite group without signing the NPT. When France joined the NSG it was not a party to the NPT: France was the founder member of the NSG so the issue of acceptance to the NSG does not exist, Hua said responding to Indias ministry of external affairs spokesman Vikas Swarups comment last week. The NSG is an ad hoc export control regime and France, which was not an NPT member for some time, was a member of the NSG since it respected NSGs objectives, Swarup had said on May 20, rejecting Chinas oft-repeated assertion that India should sign the NPT to join the NSG. The NSG is an important component of the non- proliferation regime is founded on the NPT. This is a long term consensus of the international community which was reaffirmed last year by the NPT review convention, Hua said. That is why the NSG has been taking NPT signatory status \must status for new members, Hua said. The issue was expected to figure in the talks during President Mukherjees visit to China from Tuesday. Mukherjee would arrive in Chinese city of Guangzhou and later arrive in Beijing on May 25 during which he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese leaders including his counterpart Xi Jinping. Acknowledging differences among the NSG members in the backdrop of US supporting Indias bid to join the grouping based on its non-proliferation record, contrary to Pakistans history of clandestine export of nuclear technology, Hua said the NSG members needed in-depth talks on the issue. Pakistan is not a party to the NPT. For whether the non-NPT countries can join the NSG there are discussions with in the group and there are major differences that is why China along with other countries have been maintaining that there should be thorough discussions whether the non-NPT countries can join the NSG and a decision shall be made upon consensus, Hua said. This applies to all non-NPT countries, including Pakistan, she said. Pakistan is an all weather strategic partner of China for coordination and a close neighbour. Our position is not targeted against Pakistan and applies to all non-NPT countries, the spokesperson said. We support the NSG members having in-depth discussions on this so as to reach a consensus at an early date and we continue to take constructive part in the relevant discussions, she said. President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. "We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda," the US president said in a statement. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to Agence France Presse, adding that a shura (council) is under way to select a new leader. Mansour was killed in a rare United States drone strike deep inside Pakistan, Afghanistan announced on Sunday, inflicting a body blow to the insurgents and removing a major "threat" to the fragile peace process in the war-torn country. Mansour and another militant were targeted in a precision air strike by multiple unmanned drones operated by US Special Operations forces on Saturday as the duo rode in a vehicle in a remote area near Ahmad Wal town in the restive Baluchistan province close to the Afghan border, US officials said. The drone strike, which US officials said was authorised by President Barack Obama, showed America was ready to target the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, which Afghanistan has repeatedly accused of sheltering the militants. Afghanistan's main spy agency said Mansour, said to be in his early 50s, was killed in a US drone attack that struck his vehicle on the main road in Dalbandi area of Balochistan around 3:45pm on Saturday. "Mansour was being closely monitored for a while until he was targeted along with other fighters aboard a vehicle in Balochistan," the National Directorate of Security said in a brief statement on Sunday. American patience with Pakistan running out? The American media has termed Mansour's killing as a signal that the Obama administration was becoming "less patient" with Pakistan's "failure" to combat the Taliban insurgency. "The strike in Baluchistan was also seen as a signal that the Obama administration was growing less patient with Pakistan's failure to move strongly against the Taliban insurgency. While Pakistan's powerful military establishment has quietly cooperated with the CIA's campaign of drone strikes against Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban in the northwestern tribal areas, it has refused past requests from the spy agency to expand the drone flights into Baluchistan," a report in the New York Times quoted former US officials as saying. It cited officials saying that the US drone strike on Saturday against the leader of the Afghan militants signalled a "major break" with precedent as the US circumvented Pakistan in an effort to disrupt the strengthening insurgency. The report said the US and the Afghan government have long pointed at the Taliban sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan, particularly in Baluchistan, as the main reason for the resilience of the insurgents despite a strong global campaign against them that at one time had involved nearly 150,000 international troops. In another report, the Washington Post said that the drone strike "represents another escalation in US involvement in the war in Afghanistan by trying to cripple an insurgent group that has for years found refuge on Pakistani soil." "This is an unprecedented move to decapitate the Taliban leadership in its safe haven of Pakistan," Bruce Riedel, a South Asia expert at the Brookings Institution, was quoted by The Post as saying. "It exposes Pakistan's role in promoting and protecting the Taliban, and will provoke a crisis in US-Pakistan relations." Former Pakistani ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani was quoted in the NYT report as saying that the US' expansion of its drone campaign into Baluchistan suggests "that the US is losing patience with the promises of Pakistan. "The Taliban insurgency will probably continue, but Pakistan has another chance to dissociate itself from backing the greatest threat to Afghan stability," Haqqani said. Pakistani officials were alerted to the attack against Mansour only after the strike, said a top American official. "Pakistan's relatively muted reaction, similar to its standard protests against drone strikes by American forces, might be due to the fact that, according to Taliban commanders in recent months, Mullah Mansour had repeatedly resisted Pakistani officials' pressure on him to join negotiations," the report added. On who would succeed Mansour, if he was killed in the strike, the report said a leading candidate would be Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of Mansour's "most feared deputies," who has largely been running battlefield operations in recent months. "While closely linked to Pakistan's spy agency, Haqqani would struggle to gain the support of the wider Taliban as his small but lethal network has only in recent months fully integrated into the larger insurgency," the report said. India and Iran on Monday pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as the two nations signed 12 agreements including a milestone pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India committed around $500 million for the important port in Irans southern coast, which will serve as a point of connectivity between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States countries and East Europe. We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Modi, who is the first Indian prime minister to visit the Islamic nation after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was addressing a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani after one-on-one talks. His visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Terming terrorism as a big problem running rife and rampant in the region, Rouhani said that both the nations have discussed the issue and agreed to share intelligence to combat the menace. Due to the importance of stability and security in the region and especially in the countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and because a big problem called terrorism is running rife and rampant in the region. The two countries discussed about political issues as well and how they can cooperate on intelligence sharing and how they can get closer to each other in the fight against terrorism and extremism and how they can contribute to peace and stability in the whole region, Rouhani added. As regards the economic cooperation, besides developing the Chabahar port, the two sides also signed agreements in diverse fields like trade credit, culture, science and technology as well as railways. The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about $500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone, said Modi. This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today, he said. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-BalochistanProvince on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations southern coast, is of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from Indias western coast, bypassing Pakistan. India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Irans border with Pakistan. Chabahar can very well turn into a very big symbol of cooperation between the two great countries, Rouhani said, adding that it can serve as a point of connectivity among India and Afghanistan and countries in the Central Asia and CIS countries and also those in the East of Europe. Commenting on the importance of Modis visit, Rouhani said: This visit come at a time when we have managed to conclude the nuclear deal and at a time when sanctions are withdrawn and now the ground is prepared more than ever for to further our economic cooperation. India and Iran have also agreed to enhance interaction between their defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security. Terming the dosti (friendship) between India and Iran as old as history, he said, through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. Iran was among the first countries to come forward to help when earthquake struck Gujarat in 2001, said Modi who was the then chief minister of the state. Describing the agenda and scope of partnership as truly substantial, Modi said, the outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership...Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilizers, education and cultural sphere are driving our overall economic engagement. On relationship with India, Rouhani said: Our relations will go beyond merely trade relation and turn into a full fledged comprehensive economic one. When we are talking about economies of the two countries we mean Iran and the countries surrounding it and by that I am talking about a population (of) 400 million people and also when I talk about I am talking about a powerhouse with a population (of) 1.2 billion people. Talking about the trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement involving Iran and Afghanistan, Modi said, It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. Inviting President Rouhani to visit India, Modi said, he would look forward to strengthen the engagement between the two countries. In this regard he quoted a couplet from legendary Urdu and Persian poet Mirza Ghalib, Once we make up our mind, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step. Modi had earlier said the lifting of sanctions had opened up immense opportunities and India was looking to expand cooperation with the Persian Gulf nation in sectors such as trade, investment, infrastructure and energy. India and Iran have always focused to add strength to our relations, even during the difficult times. In the current context, both countries can look to expand our cooperation in the fields of trade, technology, investment and infrastructure and energy security, he had told Irans IRNA news agency. Modi arrived in Iran on Sunday and offered obeisance at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara here. Cash collections accounted for a whopping 63 per cent of total funds or over Rs 2,100 crore garnered by various political parties during all state assembly polls between 2004 and 2015, a study showed on Monday. The fund collection through cash was however relatively lower at 44 per cent (over Rs 1,000 crore) during three Lok Sabha elections held during this time period. The data collated by Association for Democratic Reforms, a Delhi-based think tank working on poll reforms, showed the parties collected Rs 2107.80 crore during 71 state assembly elections in this period. During Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, 2009 and 2014, cheque payments accounted for the highest collection at 55 per cent (nearly Rs 1,300 crore), while cash accounted for Rs 1039.06 crore. In case of state polls, fund collected through cheque payments was Rs 1244.86 crore between 2004 and 2015. The study did not take into account the recent polls in five states. The ADR said the analysis is based on statements submitted by the national and regional parties to the Election Commission of India. These statements contain information of funds collected and spent between announcement and completion of elections. In terms of expenditure, the three Lok Sabha polls saw 83 per cent of spending, or Rs 2044.67 crores, through cheque while this percentage was 65 per cent during assembly polls. "India is the least transparent country when it comes to funding of political parties," Professor Trilochan Sastry of Indian Institute of Management,Bangalore, a founder-member of ADR, said at a press conference in New Delhi to release the survey results. The survey, which details the funding collected and expenditure incurred by regional parties, noted that the Samajwadi Party, the Aam Aadmi Party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Biju Janata Dal and the Shiromani akali Dal together collected Rs 267.14 crore, 62 per cent of the total funds declared by all the regional parties, during Lok Sabha polls. "The SP topped the charts with Rs 118 crore as collection and Rs 90.09 crore as expenditure. Despite contesting only in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the AAP came second in terms of collection by declaring Rs 51.83 crore. the AIADMK is placed third with Rs 37.66 crore," ADR said. The SP, the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, trumped others in terms of amount collected and spent during the state polls as well. It collected Rs 186.8 crore and spent Rs 96.54 crore. The AAP, which has contested two assembly elections till date, came second with Rs 38.54 crore as total funds collected and Rs 22.66 crore expenditure. According to the ECI guidelines, parties should not make any expenditure above Rs 20,000 in cash but there is no provision in the expenditure format for the parties to declare expenses below or above Rs 20,000, the ADR said. "Hence, it appears that the parties are taking advantage of the opacity in the expenditure statements to collect and spend funds in cash," the survey adds. It also consists a separate list of 'defaulters', listing parties who did not submit their expenditure statements between 2011-15. Among the national parties, statements of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Communist Party of India are not available for two assembly elections held between 2011 and 2015. "The availability of election expenditure statements of regional parties is equally worrisome where the statements of Janata Dal-United is unavailable for 15 assembly elections while that of the SP is unavailable for 11 assembly elections," it said. The lingering boundary issue will also feature in his talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and other leaders, says R Rajagopalan, who will travel to Beijing with the President. China wants to focus on educational ties with India during President Pranab Mukherjee's four-day visit to the Middle Kingdom. Keeping that in mind, a key engagement of the President will be a round table of vice-chancellors of Chinese and Indian universities. A number of MoUs will be signed between academic institutions of both nations. In Beijing, the President will address students at Peking University just as one of his predecessors K R Narayanan had done almost 16 years. Another predecessor, A P J Abdul Kalam, twice lectured at Peking University, in 2012 and 2014, but after he retired from the Presidency. This is Mukherjee's first visit to China as President even though he has visited the country a number of times in different ministerial roles. The President will be accompanied by a delegation of academicians including vice-chancellors of two central universities as well as the directors of IIT-Delhi and Bhubaneshwar, IIM-Ahmedabad and NIT- Nagpur and Agartala. The President will set off on his visit to China on Tuesday, May 24, with an aim to further broaden ties between the two Asian giants as he deliberates on a range of key issues, including contentious ones with the Chinese leadership. Mukherjee will raise China blocking India's attempt to get the United Nations to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Masood Azhar as well as Beijing's stand that New Delhi must sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to secure membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The President is the first Indian leader to visit Beijing after China opposed India's membership of the NSG. The lingering boundary issue will also figure in his talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and other leaders. Describing Mukherjee as "an elder statesman and an experienced hand in the government who is fully cognisant of the issues of Sino-Indian relations," national security expert Manoj Joshi, who will be part of the President's media delegation, said, "The government is using Mukherjee's visit to convey to Beijing that notwithstanding recent glitches relating to the Uyghur visas, the Masood Azhar controversy and the NSG contretemps, India attaches great importance to its relations with China and seeks a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship at all times." Last updated on: May 23, 2016 21:41 IST IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Photograph: khamenei_ir/Twitter Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signifying the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, called on Khamenei at his office towards the end of his two-day visit. "A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. Khamenei, who has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues, welcomed Modi. "Prime Minister of India H E Narendra Modi @narendramodi met with Leader of Revolution," said a tweet from his office. Modi also gifted Khamenei a rare 7th century manuscript of the Holy Quran written in Kufic script and attributed to Prophet's son-in-law Hazrat Ali. Modi gifted the Supreme Leader the specially commissioned reproduction of rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran attributed to Hazrat Ali, the fourth Islamic caliph and first Shia Imam. Written in Kufic script, the manuscript is a prized possession of the Ministry of Culture's at Rampur Raza library in Uttar Pradesh. Kufic -- developed around the end of the 7th century in Kufa, Iraq -- is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts. Earlier in the day, Modi met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and held one-on-one talks. The two countries pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as they signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India also committed around $500 million for the important port in Iran's southern coast, which will serve as a "point of connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States countries and East Europe. Modi's visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the western powers over its contentious atomic programme. The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on May 26 the plea of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast, seeking relaxation in bail terms to enable him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional dispute between India and Italy. A vacation bench comprising Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud fixed the plea for hearing on Thursday when Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, said the government does not object if conditions are relaxed on the same lines as was done in the case of another marine Massimiliano Latorre. Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there has recently been extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. The marine, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy in New Delhi, has said that he should be allowed to go back to his native place till the arbitral panel decides the jurisdictional aspect in the matter. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Relax the bail conditions, in terms described ..., on Sergent Major Salvatore Girone, as contained in the Honble Courts consequential order dated January 18, 2013 modifying the Kerala high court order of May 30, 2012 to enable him to return to Italy until a final decision by the Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal on the merits of the case that finds that India has jurisdiction over him in respect of the Enrica Lexie incident (sic), Girone said in his fresh plea. The plea, filed through lawyer Jagjit Singh Chhabra, has also sought a direction that ministry of home affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the necessary residential permit and exit visa. Girone has also said the authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport including the Bureau of Immigration and the concerned Central Industrial Security Force and other security authorities be apprised of the courts direction that he can leave India. At the outset of the hearing, the bench posed a query as to how it can hear the plea for relaxation of bail terms when the case has been heard by a three-judge bench. The bail order was initially passed by a two judge bench and hence, the present plea can also be heard by a two judge bench, the ASG said. The submission was reiterated by the counsel for Girone. The law officer also said the international arbitration proceedings is expected to decide the jurisdictional issue expeditiously and the marine can be allowed to leave on the terms which was imposed on Lattore. Earlier, the apex court on April 26, had extended the stay of Latorre in Italy till September 30. The court was informed by the Centre that international arbitration proceedings in the matter would be completed by December 2018. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar had apprised the bench about the schedule of proceedings fixed before International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Germany. The apex court had on January 13 asked the Centre to apprise it of the status of international arbitration proceedings in the case. The court had earlier stayed all criminal proceedings, including the trial of the two marines. While allowing the joint request of India and Italy, the apex court had said the proceedings would remain stalled till the jurisdictional issue about which country has the right to conduct trial was decided through international arbitration. The marines, who were on board ship Enrica Lexie, are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. The apex court had on August 26, 2015 suspended all court proceedings in New Delhi in pursuance of an interim order of the ITLOS asking India to maintain status quo in the case. Latorre, who had suffered a brain stroke on August 31, 2014, was allowed by the apex court on September 12, 2014 to go to Italy for four months and after that, extensions have been granted to him. The complaint against the Italian marines was lodged by Freddy, the owner of the fishing boat St Antony, in which the two Indian fishermen were killed when the marines opened fire on them allegedly under the misconception that they were pirates. A Special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Mumbai rejected the bail plea of former media honcho Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, on Monday. The judge said he went through the case diaries and there were certain facts which he couldnt disclose to the defence. On the basis of those facts, Mukerjea was not granted a bail. The CBI had on May 13 opposed Mukerjeas bail application, saying he was one of the main accused in the case and could tamper evidences since he was very influential. Mukerjea had earlier in March moved a fresh bail plea before the special CBI court, calling the allegations levelled against him as false, baseless and unbelievable. He also put the onus on his wife Indrani, saying she was highly ambitious and was willing to go to any length for that. In the bail application, Mukerjea claimed that it was not him, but Indrani, who objected to his son Rahul Mukerjea and Sheenas relationship. He had also denied the allegation of being informed by Indrani about the murder and stated that the said calls were made by Indrani to her daughter Vidhie. The media honcho was arrested on November 19 last year for his alleged role in the murder conspiracy, in which his wife Indrani is the prime accused. The 59-year-old was questioned by the CBI for two weeks after which he was remanded in judicial custody and sent to the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai. News / National by Staff reporter Welshman Ncube's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has dismissed President Robert Mugabe's attacks on the opposition and prediction of a Zanu-PF victory in 2018 as "a winter dream"."The MDC will not be distracted by any threats or any of Mugabe's theatrical talk meant to portray himself as the chosen one' when he is not the chosen one'," MDC spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi said."We have the people and the required formula to boot Mugabe out of office in a free and fair election with or without State-sponsored political violence."Mugabe is on his way out and only a mad person will vote for the fragmented and lifeless Zanu-PF that has no chance of surviving future elections. The people of Zimbabwe should start working on the future ..."Chihwayi said Mugabe has evidently failed to eradicate corruption, resuscitate local industry, empower the people and productively organise and fund local farmers to promote food production.Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Chamisa Primary School in Gutu recently, Mugabe described his foes as ideologically bankrupt and with no capacity to defeat him at the ballot box."We have ideology as Zanu-PF, something that opposition parties do not have, whether it's MDC-T, MDC-N or MDC-Z, I do not know or whether its Makoni's Mavambo/Dawn/Kusile, or that small party, which calls itself People First, what is People First?" he asked rhetorically.Mugabe said, come 2018 polls, other contenders to the country's top post will be shocked.Chihwayi said it is cheap politicking for Mugabe to say "the opposition is wasting its time" instead of stepping down."Contrary to Mugabe assertions, the opposition in Zimbabwe is alive and working on a post-Mugabe era," he said."The MDC embraces the idea of an all-inclusive bigger political project that will restore both economic and political sanity in Zimbabwe." The complicated relationship between the United States and Pakistan has been thrown on the razor edge and the ties could become more nasty after the killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in an American drone strike inside Pakistan, media in Islamabad said on Monday. Delving into the possible impact of the drone attack, The Nation said that complicated ties between Pakistan and the US could be on course to become nasty after the Osama bin Laden-style US strike deep inside Pakistan over the weekend to kill Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The US and Pakistan differ on countering Taliban, and Washington believes Islamabad was playing a double-game with them, especially on Afghanistan peace, it said in the report headlined Mansour strike throws Pak-US ties on the razor edge. It also cited the US aid restrictions over the F-16 fighter jets deal between the two countries. The News reported that the strike, authorised by (US) President Barack Obama, which included multiple drones, showed the US was prepared to go after the Taliban leadership. Dawn, in its report, said the death of the Mansour shows that US stepped across the red line when it launched the first-ever drone strike in Pakistans Balochistan area. According to its report, there have been about 391 drone strikes by the US in Pakistani territory, primarily targeting Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders since 2004. All but four of these strikes took place in the tribal agencies. The only previously reported strikes that took place in settled areas were in Hangu district (2013) and three in Bannu (2008), it reported citing the database maintained by Long War Journal. As much as 71 per cent of the strikes took place in North Waziristan, while 23 per cent targeted areas in South Waziristan. The report said that Sundays strikes prompted fears among the Pakistani leadership that the US could expand the theatre of drone warfare into the settled areas of Pakistan. The Express Tribune reported that less than a year after he stepped into the shoes of life time Afghan Taliban leader Mulah Omar, Mullah Akhtar Mansour is believed to have been killed in a very rare US drone strike deep inside Pakistan. It took the government a whole day to come up with a response after US officials and Afghan government confirmed Mansour was killed in a drone strike in Balochistan, it said in another report headlined US didnt notify Pakistan until after deadly strike. The report said that background interviews with officials suggested that Pakistan was furious over the US decision to take out Mansour. Would the Taliban now ever come to the negotiating table after this incident, it quoted an unnamed official as saying. According to its report, the official claimed that the US deceived Pakistan as there was an understanding among the two countries that Taliban leaders were allowed to travel between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The US was telling us they will not target Taliban leaders while efforts are on to bring them to the negotiating table for the peace talks, the official said. Pakistan has condemned the latest strike but so far it is not clear how it will react to the US attack in Balochistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a statement has said that the drone attack was a violation of Pakistans territory. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing at the inauguration of the International Conference on Retrospect and Prospect of India-Iran relations, in Tehran. Photograph: PIB Invoking the age-old cultural bonds between India and Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said it was time for the two countries to "march together" by regaining the "past glory" of historical ties which had witnessed its share of "ups and downs". Addressing a conference on the traditional ties between India and Iran before winding up his two-day visit here, Modi spoke about how the cultures of the two countries were woven with each other over centuries. He said the conference, aimed at highlighting sufism and other cultural linkages, was a "perfect response to those who preach radical thoughts in our societies" as he underlined that the ancient civilizations of the two countries have been inclusive and welcoming to foreign cultures. "In the world of today, political pundits talk of strategic convergence. But, India and Iran are two civilizations that celebrate the meeting of our great cultures," Modi told a gathering of scholars at the conference 'India and Iran, Two Great Civilizations: Retrospect and Prospects'. On the occasion, he also released a rare Persian manuscript. "India and Iran have always been partners and friends. Our historical ties may have seen their share of ups and downs. But, throughout our partnership has remained a source of boundless strength for both of us," he said. Noting that the conference was most ideally timed as it was an occasion to "recall and renew our centuries-old association", the Prime Minister said, "Time has come for us to regain the past glory of traditional ties and links. Time has come for us to march together." He said the conference fulfils a responsibility to familiarize the younger generations of the two countries with the beauty and riches of their cultural heritage. The rare Persian manuscript Kalileh-wa-Dimneh, released by him, captures the close historical links between India and Iran. "It is remarkable how the simple stories of the Indian classics of Jataka and Panchatantra became the Persian Kalileh-wa-Dimneh," Modi said. "It is a classic example of exchange and travel of cultural ideas between two societies a beautiful demonstration of how our two cultures and countries think alike. A true depiction of the wisdom of our ancient civilizations," the Prime Minister said. "As two ancient civilizations, we (India and Iran) are known for our ability to be inclusive and welcoming to foreign cultures. Our contacts have not just refined our own cultures, they have also contributed to the growth of moderate and tolerant societies globally," Modi said. "Sufism, a rich product of our ancient links, carried its message of true love, tolerance and acceptance to the entire mankind," he said, adding the spirit of Sufism is also reflected in the Indian concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means that the 'World is one family'. While highlighting the bonds between India and Iran, the prime minister said, "Centuries of free exchange of ideas and traditions, poets and craftsmen, art and architecture, culture and commerce have enriched both our civilizations. Our heritage has also been a source of strength and economic growth for our nations." He said the richness of Persian heritage is an integral part of the fabric of the Indian society. "A part of Iranian culture lives in Indian hearts. And, a slice of Indian heritage is woven into the Iranian society," he added. Modi noted that the ancient heroes and epics of the two countries bear striking parallels. "The dargahs of Ajmer Sharif and Hazrat Nizamuddin in India are equally revered in Iran. Mahabharata and Shahnama, Bhima and Rustam, Arjuna and Arsh exhibit similarity in our world views and values," he said. He said crafts like Zardozi, Guldozi and Chanderi may be a part of the Iranian society but they are equally common in India too. "In the richness of Iranian culture, who can forget the poetry and beauty of its vehicle -- the Persian language. In India, we regard it as one of our own. The great medieval poets of India have called the Persian and Sanskrit the two sisters," Modi said, while noting that the Iranian language had served as a court language in medieval India. He said India's religious epic Ramayana, which has seen over a dozen translations in Persian, is known to have about 250 words of Persian. The popularity of Persian is also because it is "written on the hearts of the Indians", he said as he pointed out that the language is taught in around 40 universities in India and All India Radio has been running the Persian language service for last 75 years. "India has a proud collection of almost 5 million manuscripts of Persian in public and private collections. There are more than 20 million documents in Persian in national and state archives. "Many of these have common heritage as they were written by Iranian calligraphers and painted by Indian artists. In Salar Jung museum in Hyderabad, such a combination can be found in many manuscripts. A major effort to digitize all manuscripts, including Persian is currently underway in India," he said. In Cairo, UN Security Council consults with Arab League on regional, global issues Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, In Cairo, UN Security Council consults with Arab League on regional, global issues, 21 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a50f40d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 21 May 2016 - The United Nations Security Council today held an unprecedented consultative meeting in Cairo with delegations of member States of the League of Arab States, discussing, among others, developments of the Palestinian issue, the Middle East peace process, updates on the situation in both Libya and Somalia. The mission, led by Amr Abul Atta, the Permanent representative of Egypt to the United Nations and current Council President, arrived in the Egyptian capital from Nairobi, Kenya, after a brief visit to Somalia to discuss preparations for elections there in August and lend support to the process. Among the other issues discussed with Arab League members were the challenges posed by the surging numbers of refugees, displaced persons and illegal immigrants. After a meeting with Arab League Secretary General Nabil El Araby, the joint consultative meeting between delegations of the two entities was held under the co-chairmanship of Egypt as Council President and Bahrain, which chairs the current session of the League of Arab States. The meeting opened with a keynote address in which Mr. El Araby stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation and coordination between the UN and League of Arab States on various issues, particularly those relating to international peace and security, and stability in the Arab region and around the world. Many representatives from both sides urged that such consultative meetings become regular, with some diplomats calling for converting them into a fixed mechanism between the two organizations. Mr. El Araby also stressed the need to reconsider the way the Security Council operates in order to become better able to shoulder responsibilities entrusted to it in dealing with crises that threaten international peace and security and resolving disputes by peaceful means. He pointed out the significant role played by regional organizations in that regard, which he said was also underlined in the charters of both the UN and League of Arab States. Following the League's meeting, the Security Council mission went to meet Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and some of his top aides. Their talks revolved around the Palestinian issue, developments in both Libya and Somalia, and the conflict in Syria. Venezuelan Government and opposition should address challenges through dialogue Ban Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Venezuelan Government and opposition should address challenges through dialogue Ban, 21 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a52d40b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 21 May 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continues to follow events in Venezuela and is encouraged by the ongoing initiatives by former Heads of State and Government to promote dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and the opposition, under the auspices of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). A statement issued today by Mr. Ban's spokesperson says the UN chief has also taken note of regional calls for dialogue. [The Secretary-General] reiterates his strong conviction that the Government and the opposition should address the country's current challenges through meaningful dialogue, adhering to the rule of law and the Constitution, for the benefit of the Venezuelan people, the statement concluded. News / National by Staff reporter The Government through the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has intensified efforts to attract more airline to Victoria Falls as a way of increasing capacity at the newly build Victoria Falls Airport.Tourism and Hospitality Industry deputy Minister Anastacia Ndlovu said that they were already in discussion with Turkish airlines officials to have the airline introduce direct flights into Victoria Falls."We are negotiating with Turkish Airlines to operate the direct flights into resort town of Victoria Falls."There is a business delegation from Turkey which is coming sometime this month and we should use that meeting to also promote our operations here," she said.The deputy minister was speaking on the sidelines of the International Air Travel Association day that was held in Victoria Falls last week.She said that attracting more airlines into Victoria Falls was key to the success of airport, which underwent a multi-million dollar facelift and expansion at a cost $150 million."We've completed the refurbishment of Victoria Falls International Airport, but we don't want it to be a white elephant, so besides Turkish Airlines Ltd., we are also negotiating with other long haul flights to come here," she said.Some of the features of the upgraded airport include an expanded runway that is now four kilometres long from 1,5 kilometres, which allows it to accommodate long haul jets and a new terminal that can handle 1,2 million passengers per annum up from 500 000. Ban 'saddened' by EgyptAir flight crash Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban 'saddened' by EgyptAir flight crash, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a55a40d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 20 May 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "deeply saddened" by the crash of EgyptAir's flight MS804 yesterday, his spokesman said today in a statement. According to preliminary reports, 66 people were on board the Paris-to-Cairo flight crossing the Mediterranean Sea. "He sends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the governments and peoples affected by this tragedy," said the statement. The Secretary-General is grateful to those who have joined the recovery operations for their quick response, the statement added. UN rights office 'appalled' by Iran's sentencing of anti-death penalty campaigner Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights office 'appalled' by Iran's sentencing of anti-death penalty campaigner, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a60240b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 20 May 2016 - The United Nations human rights arm today denounced Iran's sentencing of an already-imprisoned human right defender, Nargis Mohammadi, to 16 years in prison, calling for the immediate release of her and all those detained for merely exercising their human rights. "We are appalled by the sentencing of a prominent Iranian anti-death penalty campaigner [] in charges that stem from her courageous human rights work," said spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani of the Geneva-based Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). "Her sentencing is illustrative of an increasingly low tolerance for human rights advocacy in Iran," she added. Ms. Mohammadi is already in Evin Prison in Tehran, serving out a prison sentence for breaching the country's sweeping national security laws. The human rights defender is believed to have serious medical conditions and has reportedly not been granted adequate access to the specialised medical care she needs. The UN human rights office and other human rights mechanisms have long urged the Iranian authorities to release Ms. Mohammadi, "but to no avail," the spokesperson said. UN rights office urges Mexican authorities to pursue investigation into extrajudicial killings Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights office urges Mexican authorities to pursue investigation into extrajudicial killings, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a62240d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 20 May 2016 - The United Nations human rights office today reiterated a call for the Government of Mexico to ensure a prompt and thorough investigation into a series of alleged summary executions and human rights violations committed by authorities almost two years ago. The incident occurred on 30 June 2014, in an operation by military forces during which 22 people were killed, of whom at least 12 may have been summarily executed, at a warehouse in Tlatlaya in Mexico State, according to the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico. Seven military personnel were arrested in connection with the case, but in October 2015, a judge dropped charges against four of them and this past week, a court freed the other three, deciding that there was insufficient evidence against them. In a briefing to reporters in Geneva today, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), expressed deep concern that the case remains mired in impunity and victims continue to be denied their rights to justice and the truth. Investigations must be extended to examine all those who may be responsible, including higher-level military officers who may hold command responsibility, as well as those who may have tampered with or ordered the commission of acts to tamper with the crime scene, she said. Other allegations of human rights violations related to the Tlatlaya case, including arbitrary detention and torture of witnesses, should also be thoroughly investigated, she added. The spokesperson also recalled that during a visit to Mexico in October 2015, High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the Tlatlaya case would be closely watched as a test of the authorities' commitment to fighting impunity, after an amended military code placed the military under the jurisdiction of civilian courts for crimes committed against civilians. We fully respect the independence of the judiciary and take note of the statement by the Attorney-General's office that it would continue to provide supporting evidence to 'prevent the crimes committed [] in Tlatlaya [] from remaining in impunity'. We call on the Mexican authorities to ensure a thorough, effective, impartial, independent and prompt investigation into this emblematic case, the spokesperson said, urging the prosecution and judicial authorities to comply with the highest human rights norms and standards in its investigations and the conduct of trials. Ms. Shamdasani appealed to the authorities to urgently implement the recommendation made by the High Commissioner in October to establish an adequately resourced national autonomous forensic institution, given the importance of forensic evidence in the case. This would no doubt reinforce investigations in this and other cases, said the spokesperson, adding that OHCHR stands ready to advise the relevant authorities in Mexico as well as to support and assist the victims and their representatives. Ahead of end of UN forum, participation of indigenous people in development targets urged Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ahead of end of UN forum, participation of indigenous people in development targets urged, 19 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a65940b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 19 May 2016 - As the 2016 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues prepares to close tomorrow, three participants in the session today underscored the importance of solidifying the participation of indigenous peoples in UN mechanisms to ensure that they are not left behind in the achievement of sustainable development targets. At a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York this afternoon, Alvaro Esteban Pop Ac, Chair of the Forum, highlighted that participants at the body's 15th session which opened on 9 May had thus far heard more than 1,000 presentations by Member States and indigenous peoples. He noted that among the most significant topics discussed during the session were peace and conflict resolution, the issue of children and women in situations of violence, and the persecution of leaders involved in conflicts over land and natural resources. These are fundamental aspects of any negotiation and any region in the pursuit of resolutions and peace therein, Mr. Pop stressed. Also speaking at the press conference was Forum Member Joan Carling, who noted that next year will mark the 10-year anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It will be a critical year in terms of reviewing what has been achieved, she said, adding that discussions at next year's Forum will revolve around how further implementation of the Declaration can be achieved. In that vein, she stressed the importance of UN funds and programmes to support legislative action for the Declaration's inclusion in national laws and policies. Ms. Carling also said that discussions at this year's Forum had made it very clear that many indigenous peoples are not aware of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which therefore indicates a need for outreach and awareness-raising on the issue. Another crucial element involves incorporating specific targets and indicators relating to indigenous peoples into the SDGs, although in this sense she noted the lack of data disaggregation as a factor impeding the measurement of progress towards meeting any specific targets. Also speaking today was Jacob Bryan K. Aki, a 21-year-old youth advocate, who emphasized that the session had discussed important issues and messages on how to better the lives of indigenous peoples, which he and other youth members would take back to their respective countries. We come here, we learn, and the work doesn't stop, said Mr. Aki, who added that the session had served to propel youth advocates, including him, to return home to work with their families and communities for positive advancements for indigenous peoples. In response to a question regarding an expected outcome document for the session, Mr. Pop said that document would include three recommendations, including a strong call to Member States for the pursuit of peace and resolutions in moments of conflict; an invitation to Member States to develop an evaluation regarding compliance towards the UN Declaration on its 10-year anniversary; and a request for the Security Council to take up issues related to indigenous women. Syria: credibility of peace talks at risk without renewed truce, aid access, UN envoy warns Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: credibility of peace talks at risk without renewed truce, aid access, UN envoy warns, 19 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a67440c.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 19 May 2016 - Without improved humanitarian access and a restoration of Syria's cessation of hostilities, the credibility of the next round of peace talks would be in question, the United Nations envoy mediating the talks said today, vowing to take the "last resort" option of air drops if there is no improvement in access to besieged areas by the first of June. "Obviously we are in clear hurry to start re-introducing the next round of the intra-Syrian talks but the message was clear: if we don't have the atmosphere conducive for increasing the cessation of hostilities tenure [] and a substantial improvement on the humanitarian access, then the credibility of the next round of talks will be in question," Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said. The envoy was briefing reporters in Geneva on a meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) that took place in Vienna earlier this week. The ISSG comprises the United States, the Russian Federation, the UN, the Arab League, the European Union, and 16 other countries and has been working since late last year to resolve the Syrian crisis. In the ISSG meeting, "a profound unhappiness" or "impatience" was aired regarding the failure of humanitarian aid to reach many of the besieged areas, he said. In Darayya, delivery of baby food had been blocked by "well-fed, grown-up" soldiers, he added. He said that if there is no substantial progress in humanitarian access to these areas by 1 June, air drops will start. He, however, stressed that given the heavy cost of airlifting aid, it is the last resort. Mr. de Mistura also said that Eva Svoboda, a new senior staff member assigned to handle the issue of detainee and abductees, was introduced to the ISSG's Humanitarian Taskforce. There is no 'Plan B,' he said, stressing that the only way to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis is through the intra-Syrian talks. Jan Egeland, Mr. de Mistura's Senior Advisor, said that food and other humanitarian supplies for 10,000 people reached the besieged area of East-Harasta yesterday for the first time since March 2013. "We have now reached 13 out of the 18 besieged areas as compared to reaching two of the besieged areas of last year," he said. "But that is the end of the good news really, because May was, and is, one of the most difficult months we've had this year." He said that in April, more than 40 percent of the people besieged received humanitarian supplies. But this month so far, the ratio is less than five per cent. The plan is to meet the needs of more than 900,000 people in May, and it is even more ambitious for June as it aims to reach more than 1.1 million people. He said that 14 out of the 18 besieged areas are within an hour of drive from Damascus, expressing hope that the Russians and the Iranians, and the Americans and the Saudis, and others, who have influence on the ground in Syria, will enable access. "Nowhere was the disappointment as big as it was in Darayya," he said, noting that baby foods were stopped by the soldiers. "I can only imagine the disappointment of the mothers," he said. Security Council concludes visit to Somalia; urges swift approval of electoral model Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council concludes visit to Somalia; urges swift approval of electoral model, 19 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a69740d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 19 May 2016 - The United Nations Security Council concluded a one-day visit to Somalia today by reaffirming its solidarity with the country's people and Government and reiterating its calls to the federal parliament to legalize the 2016 electoral model as soon as possible. "Somalia's security in its broadest sense is a common concern of the international community and the whole region, and that is why such importance has been placed by the Security Council in a legitimate transfer of power later this year," said Michael Keating, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Somalia, in a briefing to reporters at the conclusion of the Council's visit. "The message of the Security Council is very clear: the international community looks forward to elections in August 2016 and will do everything possible to support them being free and fair and on time. But it urges immediate action to legalize the electoral model so that practical preparations can begin as quickly as possible," he added. The Council delegation was led by the body's current President, the Permanent Representative of Egypt, Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, and the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Matthew Rycroft. The officials held a series of high-level meetings with the Federal President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, regional presidents, civil society members, humanitarian organizations and senior UN and African Union officials. The other Council Member States represented in the 27-member delegation include Angola, China, France, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. "We all are very grateful that you are here as the people of Somalia, that shows the level of commitment you have for Somalia," said President Mohamud in welcoming remarks to the Council representatives. During the press briefing, the current President of the Security Council called on Mr. Mohamud to utilize all available constitutional tools to make elections possible. "We will provide our support to the government and the message is clear that we are here to help," said Mr. Aboulatta. "But also it was a message that we need to move forward." Mr. Rycroft said his country places a high priority on developments in Somalia, and reaffirmed the Council's commitment to help ensure peace and stability in Somalia. "We had very good discussions about the political process and the need for elections to take place on the timetable already agreed by the leaders, which means elections in August of 2016," he said. "We were glad to talk in detail to the President, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the presidents of the regions about what is needed in order to be ready for that date," he added. As part of the Council's visit, prominent women leaders told members about the pressing need to promote the empowerment of Somali women and ensure that at least 30 per cent of the seats in the country's next federal parliament be reserved for female candidates. In a separate meeting with civil society representatives moderated by Mr. Keating, the issue of women's representation in positions of leadership was addressed. "We want full assurance that the international community and the UN will use their good offices to exert diplomatic pressure on our leaders, including the traditional leaders, to make gender parity and political representation a reality," said Deqe Yasin, a Somali woman activist. "We count on you and shall also hold you accountable," she added. The electoral model was formally endorsed at last month's National Leadership Forum conference, and was subsequently submitted to the federal parliament by Somali Prime Minister Sharmarke on 30 April. Four schools or hospitals in crisis zones attacked or occupied every day UNICEF Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 May 2016 Related Document(s) Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Cite as UN News Service, Four schools or hospitals in crisis zones attacked or occupied every day UNICEF, 19 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a6cd40c.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 19 May 2016 - An average of four schools or hospitals are attacked or occupied by armed forces and groups every day, according to analysis released today by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit. The findings, drawn from the most recent annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, come in the wake of recent attacks on education and health facilities and workers - including the bombing of schools in Yemen, and a strike on a hospital in Aleppo, Syria on 27 April, that killed at least 50 people, including one of the last paediatricians in the area. "Children are being killed, wounded, and permanently disabled in the very places where they should be protected and feel safe," said Afshan Khan, UNICEF's Director of Emergency Programmes, in a press release. "Attacks against schools and hospitals during conflict are an alarming, and disgraceful, trend. Intentional and direct strikes on these facilities, and on health workers and teachers, can be war crimes. Governments and other actors need to urgently protect schools and hospitals by upholding the provisions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and States must sign the Safe Schools Declaration," she added. UNICEF underscored that attacks against schools and hospitals are one of the six grave violations against children identified and addressed by the Security Council. The last report of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict documented more than 1,500 incidents of attacks on, or military use of, schools and hospitals in 2014, the agency stressed. For example, in Afghanistan 163 schools and 38 health facilities were attacked, while in Syria, 60 attacks on education facilities were recorded, as well as nine cases of military use of schools and 28 attacks on health facilities. Classmates in front of the destroyed Shuje'iyah Girls' School in Shuja'iyeh, eastern Gaza City. Photo: UNICEF/Eyad El Baba In Yemen, 92 schools were used for military purposes by armed forces and groups, and in South Sudan, there were seven incidents of attacks on schools and 60 involving military use. A total of 543 educational facilities were damaged or destroyed in the State of Palestine and three attacks were documented on Israeli schools. According to education authorities in Northeast Nigeria, a total of 338 schools were destroyed and damaged between 2012 and 2014. UNICEF also said that over the past year, the UN monitoring system has also documented so-called "double-tap," or even "triple-tap" - strikes on health-care facilities in which civilians, as well as the first responders arriving on the scene, are attacked. Beyond attacks on buildings, conflict has other far-reaching consequences on children's education and health care, UNICEF underscored. In Syria, for example, as well as attacks on hospitals, the removal of medical kits and surgical supplies from aid convoys, restrictions on medical evacuations, and killing of medical personnel mean that access to critical and life-saving health care for civilians in affected areas is diminishing day by day. "Children are being abducted from their schools in horrific circumstances in countries like Nigeria and South Sudan, while others are being raped, or recruited and used as child soldiers," said Ms. Khan. Earth's health declining 'faster than thought' but action by governments can reverse trend UN Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Earth's health declining 'faster than thought' but action by governments can reverse trend UN, 19 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a71240b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 19 May 2016 - The environment is deteriorating faster than previously thought, making it imperative that governments act now to reverse the worst trends, says the most authoritative study the United Nations has ever published on the state of the planet's health. The Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6): Regional Assessments is a compilation of six separate reports, which provide highly detailed examinations of the environmental issues affecting each of the world's six regions: the Pan-European region, North America, Asia and the Pacific, West Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a press release. Published ahead of the UN Environment Assembly, taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 23-27 May, the regional assessments, which involved 1,203 scientists, hundreds of scientific institutions and more than 160 governments, find that the world shares a host of common environmental threats that are rapidly intensifying in many parts of the world. Across the planet, climate change, the loss of biodiversity, land degradation and water scarcity are growing problems that need to be urgently addressed if the world is to achieve the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the studies find. "Today, thanks to this report, we now know more about the state of the world's environment than ever before," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "It is essential that we understand the pace of environmental change that is upon us." The assessments find that there is still time to tackle many of the worst impacts of environmental change, such as the damage to marine ecosystems and the rising level of air pollution, which has become one of the world's most widespread environmental health risks. As one of the first areas of the world to experience the impacts of climate change, the Arctic region serves as a barometer for change in the rest of the world. Warming in the Arctic has increased at twice the global average since 1980. The largest contributions to global glacier ice loss during the early 21st century were from glaciers in Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, and the periphery of the Greenland ice sheet, as well as in the Southern Andes and Asian mountains. Together these areas account for more than 80 per cent of the total ice loss. The 30 centimetres of sea level rise off New York City since 1900 likely expanded Hurricane Sandy's flood area The 30 centimetres of sea level rise off New York City since 1900 likely expanded Hurricane Sandy's flood area by approximately 65 square kilometres, flooding the homes of more than 80,000 additional people in New York and New Jersey alone. The prospect for impacts such as these to worsen in both the near and long term constitutes a priority issue for North America. Last year, the Asia-Pacific continued to be the world's most disaster prone region. About 41 per cent of all natural disasters reported over the last two decades occurred in the Asia-Pacific region, which also accounted for 91 per cent of the world's deaths attributable to natural disasters in the last century. The main driver for accelerating domestic material consumption is the expanding middle class. The size of the global middle class is projected to increase from 1.8 billion in 2009 to 4.9 billion in 2030 with most of this growth coming from Asia. Environmental pollution and degradation can be linked to a growing list of health conditions such as skin cancer, lung cancer, asthma, lead poisoning, mercury poisoning, malaria, Ebola and Zika. Photo: World Bank/Curt Carnemark In the Latin American and Caribbean region, most of the cities in the region for which data are available have concentrations of particulate matter (PM) above World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. The region's urban population increased by more than 35 million people between 2010 and 2015, and is expected to climb to a total of 567 million persons by 2025. More than 100 million people already live in areas where they are at risk from air pollution. In West Asia, continuous conflict and the mass displacement of people throughout the region are also triggering severe environmental impacts that are endangering the health of people. Heavy metals from explosive munitions and radiation from missiles have leached into the environment. The 2.97 million refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen and Iraq are placing an immense environmental burden on the region, producing about 1,440 tonnes of waste per day in 2015 The 2.97 million refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen and Iraq are placing an immense environmental burden on the region, producing about 1,440 tonnes of waste per day in 2015, overwhelming governments and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. In Africa, the second largest continent in the world, land is the most prized asset for food production, nutritional health and economic development. Worryingly, about 500,000 square meters of land in Africa is being degraded due to soil erosion, salinization, pollution and deforestation. This land degradation can damage agricultural productivity, nutrition and human health. The recommendations made in the reports include: to improve gathering, processing and sharing of data and information to inform decision-making; enhance sustainable consumption and production to reduce environmental pressures by addressing drivers associated with manufacturing processes and consumer demand; invest in urban planning, such as through the better use of environmentally sound infrastructure and clean transport; reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and diversify energy sources. Low-carbon, climate-resilient choices in infrastructure, energy and food production coupled with effective and sustainable natural resource governance are key to protecting the ecological assets that underpin a healthy society. Mali: Ban condemns attack on UN convoy that killed five peacekeepers Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Mali: Ban condemns attack on UN convoy that killed five peacekeepers, 19 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742a73f40c.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 19 May 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned yesterday's deadly attack that killed five peacekeepers and injured three others of the UN mission in Mali, his spokesman said in a statement. According to preliminary information, a convoy of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) hit an improvised explosive device and then came under fire by an unknown group of armed assailants about 15 kilometres north of Aguelhok, Kidal region. Those killed are Chadian peacekeepers. Since the beginning of the year, a dozen attacks against the UN has been registered in Kidal region, resulting in the death of at least 12 of its personnel, including the latest victims. According to the statement, Mr. Ban called for swift action to bring the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice and recalled that attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute war crimes under international law. The Secretary-General reiterates that the UN will continue to support the stabilization of Mali and the implementation of the peace agreement, the statement said. Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. News / Regional by Thupeyo Muleya THE naming of streets, suburbs and business centres in Beitbridge Town is now at its final stages, the town secretary, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said on Friday.He said the programme was being implemented in compliance with a Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing directive.In an interview soon after a stakeholders' consultation meeting, Mr Ramakgapola said the exercise was being carried out under the provisions of Section 212 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15)."We have held a number of consultative meetings with senior citizens, local legislators and other stakeholders, where we have come up with various names, which we have recommended for adoption by our full council next month. The names will then be sent to the Minister of Local Government for adoption between July and August."At the moment we have one suburb (Dulibadzimu) and the roads in the high density suburb are not named."It's high time we address that issue," he said.He said the proposed names for suburbs include Matibe, Tshidixwa, Sitauze, Khwalu, Mabidi, Vhembe View, Madinginye, Siyoka, Limpopo View, Dulivhadzimu and Milayo industrial areas.He said they had chosen clan names and those of traditional leaders in naming the streets, business centres and suburbs."Proposed names for the major roads include; Robert Mugabe Way, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, Mahopolo and Tshikwelengwe," he said.Mr Ramakgapola said the town was rapidly growing and that it was prudent for them to organise it in line with modern development standards."The naming of streets and suburbs will also help the local authority to improve service delivery especially the provisions of social amenities, addressing challenges around services such as ambulances, fire brigade and the police to respond to emergency calls."Furthermore, services such as postal deliveries cannot be introduced (without street names), thereby hindering our billing among other challenges," he said.The town secretary said they were still negotiating a public private partnership with a development agent interested in putting up modern signage in the town."We expected installation of signage to commence early next year," he said.In the directive, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere also noted that in previous years, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had encountered difficulties in demarcating its boundaries owing to lack of street names and house numbers."In undertaking this exercise, the council should select neutral names, divest of any political or anti-social connotations/innuendoes."To this end, naming of roads in honour of undeclared heroes/heroines or living personalities save for the President Robert Mugabe will not be acceptable . . ." reads part of the directive. Indonesia: Protect Mass Graves of 1965-66 Massacres Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 22 May 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Indonesia: Protect Mass Graves of 1965-66 Massacres, 22 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b41d4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Indonesian government should delay the exhumation of mass graves linked to the massacres of 1965-1966 until forensic experts are available to assist, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should also arrange security at known or suspected mass grave sites to prevent unauthorized exhumations. In a May 16, 2016 letter, Human Rights Watch urged the government to deploy forensic experts with the skills and experience to ensure that exhumation is done as part of a careful and systematic process that preserves crucial evidence and allows for identification of bodies. Identification of possible victims and the cause of death are key components of a process toward eventual redress for those crimes. "Exhumation of mass graves of victims of 1965-66 is an important step toward accountability that deserves the support of the Indonesian public and foreign donors," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director. "But the government should recognize that mass graves are crime scenes that require specialized forensic expertise to ensure preservation of evidence and accurate identification of bodies." On April 25, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo instructed his security minister, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, to start documenting the location of mass graves of the estimated more than 500,000 victims of the 1965-1966 "anti-communist" massacres. The Indonesian government announced on May 9 that it would form a team to investigate a list of 122 alleged mass grave sites of 1965-1966 massacre victims compiled by victims' advocacy groups. Pandjaitan has since indicated that he will supervise exhumation of an initial sample of those alleged mass grave sites by the end of May. However, the government has not clarified the composition of the exhumation team or whether it will include forensic experts with experience in mass grave exhumations. Exhumations without forensic experts can destroy critical evidence and greatly complicate the identification of bodies, Human Rights Watch said. In places such as Kosovo and Iraq, spontaneous and disorganized exhumations greatly complicated victim identifications and destroyed evidence. Foreign governments and the United Nations should support the Indonesian government's mass grave investigations, Human Rights Watch said. International donors should help finance the preservation and analysis of evidence that could be vital to future domestic accountability processes to address serious crimes. The provision of foreign forensic experts should focus on both the collection of criminal evidence and the humanitarian identification of remains, so that the bodies can be returned to the families of the dead. "The Indonesian government's determination to exhume possible mass grave sites is an act of political courage toward accountability that defies a half-century of official lies and denial," Kine said. "But hasty exhumations done without requisite expert skills and experience may well destroy crucial evidence and seriously obstruct efforts to bring justice for the victims of 1965-66." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Kazakhstan: Crackdown on Peaceful Protest Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 22 May 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Kazakhstan: Crackdown on Peaceful Protest, 22 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b46d4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Law enforcement officers aggressively broke up efforts to hold planned peaceful protests across Kazakhstan on May 21, 2016, detaining hundreds of people, sometimes using force, Human Rights Watch said today. Police also rounded up journalists and human rights activists who attempted to monitor and report on the unfolding events. "It's outrageous that hundreds of people were detained for trying to express their views peacefully, and others were picked up just for monitoring or reporting on peaceful protests," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Kazakh authorities should immediately release anyone in detention, including people jailed last week for voicing a desire to protest before the rallies took place. They should also hold to account officers who overstepped their duties in policing the protests." Law enforcement officers, including masked riot police, detained hundreds of people on May 21 as they tried to peacefully protest land reform proposals. They focused in particular on amendments to the land code that would increase to 25 years the length of time foreigners and foreign investors could lease farmland in Kazakhstan. Detentions took place in multiple cities across Kazakhstan, with the majority of protesters detained in Almaty, the largest city, and Astana, the capital. Observers, including those who tried to visit police stations, estimate that more than 300 people were detained in Almaty, and more than 200 in Astana. Dozens of others were rounded up in other cities, including Uralsk, Atyrau, and Pavlodar, according to media reports. Local media reported police officers had surrounded Republic Square in Almaty and the square near Baiterek monument in Astana before the May 21 protests. Activists interviewed by Human Rights Watch said that when they arrived at protest sites, authorities had already cordoned off the squares, preventing protesters from gathering. Reports on Facebook began to emerge early on May 21 that police had begun to detain activists ahead of the protests. In Almaty, police detained Amangeldy Shormanbaev, a human rights defender with the International Legal Initiative Foundation, who on May 20 posted on Facebook that he and other colleagues would be monitoring developments and were available to provide legal assistance. Shormanbaev said that police detained him as he arrived at his office just after 9 a.m. but did not explain the reason for his arrest. He was taken to the Almalin police station and held for more than five hours. Although a lawyer and human rights defenders tried to enter the police station to meet with Shormanbaev, they were not allowed in. He was released midafternoon without charge. In Astana, Zauresh Battalova, head of the Development Fund for Parliamentarism and a member of the land reform commission set up by President Nursultan Nazarbaev in early May, was detained at the square near Baiterek monument about 11.30 a.m. She was held in detention for approximately three hours before being released without charge. Zhanna Baitelova, a civil society activist who monitored the protest in Almaty, and who was also temporarily detained, told Human Rights Watch that when she arrived at Republic Square it had already been cordoned off, and there were many police in the area. Because people could not gather on the square, protesters grouped together on the corner of neighboring cross streets, she said. Baitelova estimated approximately 200 people were lined up along the sidewalks. At about 11 a.m., helmeted police officers, armed with batons, and masked riot police began detaining people. Baitelova said she saw at least three people being pulled away, carried by four officers, and thrown into buses. As protesters continued to move along Almaty's central street, police rounded more people up. Video shot by journalists shows riot and other police chasing protesters, including following them onto buses. Marzhan Aspandiarova, a civil society activist, told Human Rights Watch that police detained her at midday in central Almaty. Aspandiarova said that she and others sang the Kazakh national anthem, and people in the crowd spoke out against the sale of land to foreigners. Police then began to detain protesters onto buses. Aspandiarova said that approximately 80 other people were brought to the Alatau police station, where she was held for the rest of the day. In an administrative hearing that took place overnight on May 21, she and Risbek Sarsenbai, editor-in-chief of Zhas-Alash newspaper, who was detained with her, were each fined approximately US$125 for violating the law on public assemblies. Aiman Umarova, a lawyer in Almaty, tried to see people detained at Almalin and Alatau police stations on May 21, but was denied access, she said. Umarova told Human Rights Watch that upon her release from Alatau station, an elderly woman who had been detained with her adult son, who has disabilities, described how police used force when detaining him. Umarov said that the man was wearing only one shoe when he was released from the police station. In a video recording of their release, the woman said police had hit her son and showed his torn jacket. Human rights defenders monitoring events on May 21 told Human Rights Watch that staff and lawyers working with them tried unsuccessfully to enter seven of eight police stations in Almaty. Aina Shormanbaeva of the International Legal Initiative Foundation told Human Rights Watch that people called to say police had demanded notes from detainees explaining why they wanted to protest, and that many were required to give their fingerprints. Most were released by the evening. In other cities, including Pavlodar and Atyrau, people were detained before planned protests, according to media and Facebook reports. In Pavlodar, several dozen people gathered on the embankment of Irtysh river. Police detained civil society activist Serikbai Alibaev after he spoke out against land reform proposals, and he was fined approximately US$315 for violating the law on public assemblies. The central square in Atyrau was also cordoned off by police and, according to an Azattyk media report, snipers could be seen on buildings nearby. Radio Azattyk, the Kazakh branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported that approximately a dozen people were detained in Atyrau on May 21. More than a dozen journalists reporting on the May 21 protests were rounded up with protesters in many cities, including Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, Uralsk, Shymkent, and Atyrau. Those detained included reporters for Radio Azattyk, and the Reuters and Interfax Kazakhstan news agencies. In most cases journalists were released soon after they presented their credentials to officers at police stations, but some were held for much longer. In Uralsk, for example, Azattyk journalist Sanat Urnaliev was held for eight hours. Police demanded that Urnaliev write an explanatory note and give his fingerprints, but he refused. He was released at about 6 p.m. Tamara Eslyamova, editor-in-chief of Uralsk Weekly, was also detained for about eight hours in Uralsk. At the end of the day, she was taken to court and fined approximately US$316 for violating the public assembly law. People in Kazakhstan reported that several news sites were blocked on May 21, including Radio Azattyk's website. Human Rights Watch did not document any violence or provocation by individuals who had come out to protest. These mass roundups of protesters follow the arrests and short term detentions handed down last week to activists and others who had been outspoken on the land issue, including those who commented in social media networks on the planned May 21 protests. Since May 16, more than two dozen activists and others have been jailed for up to 15 days for allegedly violating Kazakhstan's highly restrictive public assemblies' law, Human Rights Watch said. "It's long past time for Kazakhstan to amend its highly restrictive law on public assemblies and ensure people can peacefully express dissenting views without fear of arrest," Williamson said. "No one should be locked up for wanting to express an opinion." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Tunisia: UN Panel Condemns Forced Anal Exams Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 22 May 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Tunisia: UN Panel Condemns Forced Anal Exams, 22 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b4ce4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The United Nations Committee Against Torture, in its most recent evaluation of Tunisia, condemned the use of forced anal examinations as an attempt to find "proof" against people accused of homosexual conduct, Human Rights Watch said today. Tunisia should uphold its commitments as a state party to the Convention Against Torture and ban the use of forced anal examinations. The committee, which evaluates countries' compliance with the Convention on Torture and Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment (CAT), released its "Concluding Observations," on May 15, 2016. They are based on an assessment of the Tunisian government's report on its efforts to combat torture and the reports of non-governmental organizations that work on issues related to torture in Tunisia, including Human Rights Watch. The concluding observations, in French, call on Tunisia to revoke article 230 of its penal code, which criminalizes sodomy, and to prohibit the invasive medical examinations, "which have no medical justification and cannot be consented to freely." "There should be no doubt: Tunisia's use of forced anal exams is a human rights abuse," said Neela Ghoshal, senior researcher on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights at Human Rights Watch. "Tunisia should show that it respects its international human rights commitments by immediately banning forced anal examinations." The UN committee voiced concern that "persons suspected of being homosexual are forced to undergo an anal examination, ordered by a judge and carried out by a forensic doctor, intended to prove their homosexuality." The committee noted that while suspects can in theory refuse to undergo the exams, many consent only "under threat from the police, who arguethat refusing consent will be interpreted as a sign of guilt." Human Rights Watch documented two cases in late 2015, in which Tunisian police subjected seven young men to forced anal examinations, solely on the grounds that the police suspected them of being homosexual. Police took the men to hospitals, where forensic doctors penetrated their rectums, with their fingers or with other objects, purportedly to determine the tone of the anal sphincter. The tests are based on antiquated and erroneous theories that one can identify physical changes in the anus of a person who practices receptive anal sex. All seven men were convicted under article 230, although their sentences were reduced on appeal. The Independent Forensic Experts Group (IFEG), composed of forensic medicine specialists from around the world, condemned forced anal examinations in a May 3, 2016 statement, stating that "the examination has no value in detecting abnormalities in anal sphincter tone that can be reliably attributed to consensual anal intercourse." The UN Special Rapporteur on torture has said that forced anal examinations amount to torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and other UN agencies have also condemned the exams. The forensic experts' statement asserts that, "Forcibly conducting anal examinations on individuals is humiliating, demeaning, and, not surprisingly, almost invariably causes significant psychological suffering." One of the Tunisian men Human Rights Watch interviewed, "Mehdi" (not his real name), said that when he was forced to undergo the exam with two police officers watching as the doctor forcibly penetrated him, "I felt like I was an animal. I felt I wasn't human.... [I was] completely in shock. I couldn't absorb what was going on. I felt violated." Tunisian activist groups, including Damj ("Inclusion") and Shams ("Sun"), have urged the authorities to ban the use of forced anal exams and decriminalize same-sex conduct. They have said that the National Medical Council should follow the lead of Lebanon, where, in response to an effective campaign led by Lebanese activists, the medical council in 2012, banned the use of anal examinations to test for homosexual conduct. In addition to Tunisia and Lebanon, Human Rights Watch has documented the use of forced anal exams in the last five years in Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Zambia. "It's time for states to stop subjecting people to abusive tests that serve no useful purpose and often amount to torture," said Ghoshal. "Tunisia, which has in other ways demonstrated progress in its respect for human rights in recent years, should demonstrate leadership by becoming the next country to prohibit forced anal exams." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Yemen: Children among civilians killed and maimed in cluster bomb 'minefields' Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 23 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Yemen: Children among civilians killed and maimed in cluster bomb 'minefields', 23 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b5694.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 16 new civilian casualties, including nine children, documented in aftermath of Saudi Arabia-led coalition's cluster bomb use Internally displaced people returning home to de facto 'minefields' Use of US, UK and Brazilian-made cluster munitions documented Urgent need for international demining assistance Children and their families returning home in northern Yemen after a year of conflict are at grave risk of serious injury and death from thousands of unexploded cluster bomb submunitions, Amnesty International said, following a 10-day research trip to Sa'da, Hajjah, and Sana'a governorates. International assistance is urgently needed to clear contaminated areas and countries with influence should urge the Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces to stop using cluster munitions, which are internationally banned and inherently indiscriminate. "Even after hostilities have died down, the lives and livelihoods of civilians, including young children, continue to be on the line in Yemen as they return to de facto minefields. They cannot live in safety until contaminated areas in and around their homes and fields are identified and cleared of deadly cluster bomb submunitions and other unexploded ordnance," said Lama Fakih, Senior Crisis Advisor at Amnesty International. Even after hostilities have died down, the lives and livelihoods of civilians, including young children, continue to be on the line in Yemen as they return to de facto minefields. Lama Fakih, Senior Crisis Advisor at Amnesty International On its most recent mission to northern Yemen, Amnesty International found evidence of US, UK and Brazilian cluster munitions used by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces. The use of cluster bombs is banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, to which the UK is a State Party. The organization interviewed 30 people, including survivors of cluster bomb submunitions and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) as well as their families, eyewitnesses, demining experts, activists and first responders. It documented 10 new cases in which 16 civilians were injured or killed by cluster munitions between July 2015 and April 2016. This includes nine children, two of whom were killed. These casualties took place days, weeks, and sometimes months after the bombs were dropped by coalition forces in Yemen. With a lull in fighting along the Yemeni-Saudi border since a local ceasefire was agreed in March 2016, civilians began returning home and felt safer moving around the governorates of Hajjah and Sa'da. But demining officials, local residents and first responders told Amnesty International they continued to see civilians injured by explosions, with a rise in casualties from unexploded ordnance particularly in areas along the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border including in Midi, Haradh, Hayran, Bakil al-Mir, and Mustabah in Hajjah governorate and al-Safra, Razih, Shada and Baqim in Sa'da governorate. Many civilians, including children, are now exposed to potentially deadly submunitions and other explosive remnants of war without any knowledge of their presence or the risk they pose. Meanwhile, recent flood waters have moved the submunitions and other unexploded ordnance into areas where civilians do not expect them to be. Up to this point, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition has not formally confirmed its use of cluster munitions. However, in an interview with CNN on 11 January 2016, the spokesperson of the coalition's military forces, General Ahmed al-Asiri, categorically denied that the coalition had used cluster munitions in attacks anywhere in Yemen other than in one instance, describing the use of air-dropped CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapons on a military target in Hajjah in April 2015. Civilians describe dire need of assistance to clear contaminated areas Recognizing the serious risk unexploded ordnance presents to the civilian population, Yemen's sole demining agency, the Yemen Executive Mine Action Centre (YEMAC), began clearing and detonating the weapons in Sa'da and Hajjah in early April 2016, despite being ill-equipped and trained. While the full extent of cluster munition contamination is not yet known, in the first three weeks of their work, YEMAC records show its teams working in Sa'da and Hajjah governorates cleared at least 418 cluster bomb submunitions, 810 fuses and artillery remnants, 51 mortars and more than 70 missiles. Bangladesh Prominent elderly journalist suffering ill-treatment in jail Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 21 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Bangladesh Prominent elderly journalist suffering ill-treatment in jail, 21 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b5ce4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Bangladeshi authorities' treatment of a prominent 81-year-old journalist, who has been held in solitary confinement for several weeks and denied medical care for chronic and life threatening health conditions, is an act of cruelty, Amnesty International said today. Shafik Rehman, editor of the monthly Mouchake Dhil magazine, was arrested on 16 April suspected of being involved in a plot to assassinate Sajib Wazed Joy, the son of Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "The Bangladeshi authorities must end the prolonged solitary confinement of Shafik Rahman and ensure his well-being. It is absolutely shocking that an 82-year-old diabetic man with a history of heart problems is being denied the medical care he needs," said Champa Patel, Director of Amnesty International's South Asia Regional Office. According to Shafik Rehman's lawyer and family members, he has been kept in isolation since 27 April in Kashimpur Central Jail, a maximum security prison, where he is not allowed to interact with other prisoners. He has had minimal access to both his legal team and family members since he was first arrested. Shafik Rehman suffers from several long-standing health issues, including diabetes and heart problems. Without medical care, his health is endangered. According to family members, his health has deteriorated sharply and he has visibly lost weight since being taken into solitary confinement. The family are seriously concerned about his long-term well-being while he is kept imprisoned. On 19 May, Shafik Rehman was rushed to a hospital in Dhaka following a health scare related to his diabetes. After a first checkup he was sent back to Kashimpur, where he is currently being treated in the jail hospital. Amnesty International also has very serious concerns about the impact of prolonged periods of solitary confinement on his mental health. The prison authorities have even denied Shafik Rehman's request for a pen and paper, so that he would be able to write while in his cell. Pattern of media repression Shafik Rehman is a known supporter of the Bangladesh National Party, the main opposition party, and has been targeted by authorities for his journalistic work several times in the past. There have been a string of arrests and unlawful detentions of editors and journalists in Bangladesh this year as the authorities are growing increasingly intolerant of independent media and critical voices. On 25 April, Mahmudur Rahman, another editor of the opposition-linked Amar Desh was arrested on charges of being involved in the plot to kill Sajib Wazed Joy. This comes after Rahman's arrest in 2013 on charges of sedition and his subsequent unlawful detention for over two years. In February this year, Mahfuz Ahnam, the editor of the Daily Star, was charged with a total of 83 cases under the Sedition Law and the Defamation Law. In, what is clearly an impossible situation, he was - in one instance - expected to appear in different courts across multiple districts all on the same day. Separately, the editor of The Daily Star's Bengali sister publication Prothom Alo, Matiur Rahman, was also handed charges of defamation and "hurting religious sentiments" in February 2016. "Freedom of expression is under threat in Bangladesh," said Champa Patel. "On the one hand, the government is devoting all of its energies to targeting journalists for simply exercising their rights and doing their jobs. On the other, it has failed to prosecute those responsible for the horrific killings of bloggers, university professors, religious minorities and LGBTI activists." Background Police said Shafik Rehman was first arrested in relation to a pending criminal case registered in August 2015 for "conspiring to abduct and assassinate" Sajib Wazed Joy, who is living in the United States and is also an Information and Technology Adviser to the Prime Minister. Credible media reports have since, however, raised serious questions about the Bangladeshi authorities' claims that US court documents implicate Shafik Rehman in this plot. After his arrest on 16 April, Shafik Rehman was initially remanded, but on 28 April was taken to Kashimpur High Security Jail awaiting trial, for which a date has not been set. Requests for him to be released on bail have been denied twice by separate courts in Dhaka without explanation, according to his legal team. The conditions facing Shafik Rehman in jail contravenes Bangladesh's obligation under international law to ensure that all people deprived of their liberty are treated with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and are not subjected cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Law enforcement officials and prison authorities are responsible for protecting the health of people in their custody, and provide health care free of charge that matches what is available to the outside community. Furthermore, solitary confinement should only be used only in exceptional circumstances and for as short a time as possible. When prisoners are placed in solitary confinement, the state has an obligation to take steps to minimize its harmful effects on the individual by ensuring they have access to adequate exercise, social and mental stimulation, and that their health is regularly monitored. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Angola: Release of activist after a successful appeal an overdue triumph for justice Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Angola: Release of activist after a successful appeal an overdue triumph for justice, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b5f24.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Today's release of human rights defender, Jose Marcos Mavungo, after the Angola Supreme Tribunal upheld his appeal against a six year sentence is a long overdue triumph for justice, said Amnesty International. He has served over a year in prison following his arrest on 14 March 2015. He was convicted on 14 September for 'rebellion' for his involvement in organizing a peaceful demonstration. Amnesty International considered him a prisoner of conscience. "Jose Marcos Mavungo was merely exercising his rights to freedom of assembly and association and his arrest and subsequent trial on rebellion charge was a travesty of justice," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Director for Southern Africa. "Whilst his release is cause for celebration, Jose Marcos Mavungo should never have spent a single minute in jail. The decision by the Angola Supreme Tribunal demonstrates that there are still judges who are guided by the rule of law." Background Jose Marcos Mavungo was initially arrested on 14 March 2015 and accused of "sedition" for organising a peaceful demonstration. On 19 March 2015, the court ruled that the charge was unfounded. On 27 May 2015, he was formally charged with 'rebellion', but was only officially informed of his indictment on 22 June. His trial started on 25 August and he was convicted on 14 September. He was kept in pre-trial detention from the time of his arrest. The Angolan Supreme Tribunal heard the appeal on 19 May and acquitted the activist. It found that there was no evidence to convict him. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International EU-Turkey deal: Greek decision highlights fundamental flaws Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, EU-Turkey deal: Greek decision highlights fundamental flaws, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b63b4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. A Syrian national who arrived on the Greek island of Lesvos has won an appeal against a decision that would have led to his forcible return to Turkey, underscoring the fundamental flaws in the migration deal agreed in March between the European Union and Turkey, Amnesty International said. In the first such decision Amnesty International has seen since the deal, an appeals committee in Athens overturned an initial decision considering Turkey a safe third country on the grounds that Turkey does not afford refugees the full protection required under the Refugee Convention. The committee also ruled that Turkey does not guarantee the principle of non-refoulement, which forbids returning someone to a country where he or she is at risk of serious human rights violations. "This decision goes to the heart of why the EU-Turkey deal was so deeply flawed to begin with," said Gauri van Gulik, Deputy Europe Director at Amnesty International. "Turkey is not safe for refugees, it does not offer them full protection, and assurances on paper are simply not good enough. We've seen the reality on the ground: until Turkey ends all violations against refugees and guarantees them full protection, nobody else should be sent back under this deal. Instead Europe should focus on its part of the deal by accepting refugees for resettlement from Turkey. It should also urgently improve conditions for refugees in Greece." The Syrian national applied for asylum after the EU-Turkey deal came into force. While the committee's decision can be appealed, it removes the imminent risk of him being forcibly returned to Turkey. A Greek official confirmed to Amnesty International that about 100 cases are still pending before the appeals committee. Amnesty International has previously documented how Turkish authorities have been violating international law, for instance by forcibly returning groups of Afghan and Syrian refugees since the EU-Turkey deal was struck. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published accounts of Syrian asylum-seekers being beaten and shot at by Turkish security forces. Amnesty International has also documented dire conditions on the Greek islands where more than 8,500 people are currently stranded while they wait to apply for asylum or receive news of their applications. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Kazakhstan: Release activists arrested in disturbing crackdown over Land Code protest Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Kazakhstan: Release activists arrested in disturbing crackdown over Land Code protest, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b69c4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Kazakhstani authorities must immediately and unconditionally release almost three dozen activists after dramatic wave of arrests, apparently aimed at blocking peaceful demonstrations from going ahead this weekend, Amnesty International said. At least 34 activists have been arrested across the country over the past three days, many of them for the "crime" of publicly stating their intention to participate in the peaceful protests, planned for 21 May, or for posting information about them on Facebook and other social media. "To prosecute people merely for intending to exercise their human right to peaceful assembly is beyond belief," said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International's Deputy Programme Director for Europe and Central Asia. "It is scandalous that dozens of Kazakhstani citizens should be rounded up simply for sharing the details of a peaceful protest, or for saying that they wish to take part in it. The Kazakhstani authorities must release these people immediately and respect their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression." The planned 21 May demonstrations are the latest in a month-long series of protests over unpopular changes to Kazakhstan's Land Code that are intended to make it easier for foreigners to lease un-used farmland in the country. No violence has been reported at any of the previous protests, although police have tried to stop people from taking part. The arrests took place in Almaty, Astana, Atyrau and other cities. Most of the arrested activists have already been sentenced to 10-15 days' imprisonment in hurried court sessions that fell far short of international standards for fair trials. At least one lawyer, representing several of the people arrested, said that she was stopped from entering the court room when the cases were being heard. Another lawyer reported that he was not given adequate time to read the charges against his clients and to represent them effectively. The rights to freedom of expression and to peaceful assembly are provided in legally binding international human rights treaties that Kazakhstan has ratified, including Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International El Salvador: Release of woman jailed after miscarriage, a victory for human rights Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 20 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, El Salvador: Release of woman jailed after miscarriage, a victory for human rights, 20 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5742b6d04.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. A court's decision today to release a woman who spent four years in jail in El Salvador for miscarrying her pregnancy is a great victory for human rights, said Amnesty International. Maria Teresa Rivera, 33, was jailed in 2011 and sentenced to 40 years in prison for "aggravated homicide" after having a miscarriage. "The release of Maria Teresa is yet another step towards justice in a country where women are treated as mere second class citizens," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International. "She should have never been forced to spend one second behind bars. Her release must be a catalyst for change in El Salvador, where dozens of women are put in prison because of an utterly ridiculous anti-abortion law which does nothing but put the lives of thousands of women and girls in danger." Maria Teresa was arrested in a hospital after her mother-in-law found her in her bathroom almost unconscious and bleeding heavily. Staff at the hospital reported her to the police and accused her of having an abortion. During the trial, one of Maria Teresa's bosses testified against her saying she knew she was pregnant in January 2011. This would have made her 11 months pregnant by the time the miscarriage took place. The outrageous testimony was used as one of the pieces of evidence to convict her. The release today came after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the charges against her. Following a change in the Penal Code in 1998, abortion in El Salvador has been banned in all circumstances - even when the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest or when the life of the woman is at risk. The change in the law has led to wrongful prosecutions and misapplication of criminal law where women are immediately assumed guilty. Women with few economic resources are particularly affected by the ban. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Opinion / Columnist The following article is part of a series meant to provoke the People of Matebeleland to think deeply about their place in Zimbabwe and their future in or out of it. The article begins by laying the stage of the series by looking at the historical context since 1980, in which matters such as the Gukurahundi Genocide are briefly dealt with, the bad electoral choices of Shona people referenced, and how those bad electoral choices made them accomplices in the Genocide and the destruction of the economy of Zimbabwe and democracy in the country. Continued and unjust Shonalization of Zimbabwe is also briefly discussed. The series shall conclude with a look at the options that the South Western Nations have: Devolution of Power, Restoration/Secession and Federalism (the last idea focused around questions on formation of a Matebeleland Regional Party).The Historical Context: 1980 - 2016The year 1980 - after decades of struggle for freedom, justice, self-government and self-determination, non-racialism, land rights, access to economic opportunity for all and democracy - saw a new dawn ushered in what became Zimbabwe. The expectation of all citizens, most of who had lost loved ones in the Liberation Struggle, was that finally, we shall all come to the table of brotherhood and sisterhood as equals, and enjoy the benefits of citizenship. The expectation was that all shall be free, all shall have access to jobs and other economic opportunities, superior education and health-care, well-developed infrastructure, and above all, land and food security.Unfortunately, no sooner had independence been realized that a new breed of colonialists arose. This time, they were fellow country-men. They were of the same skin color as other Africans. They had also been in the trenches (at least some of them) during the Liberation Struggle, denouncing like almost everyone else the injustices and excess of the European colonialists. They had promised that if they came to power, there will be a better life for all. Well, I don't need to enumerate what happened thereafter. 36 years after independence, Zimbabwe is worse off than it was in 1980.The new colonialists, by hook or crook, are still in power, threatening the very freedoms and values for which the Liberation Struggle was executed. These colonialists, to call them by their proper name, are called Zanu PF (PF is even a misnomer here, there is nothing patriotic about them). They are led by one Robert Mugabe, a man whose liberation war credentials, although trumpeted on a daily basis, are certainly in question.The Gukurahundi Genocide, One Party State and ShonalizationTo ensure their rise to, stay in and stranglehold on power, the new colonialists, having split the liberation movement before independence along ethnic lines, immediately set out to create a one-party state after 1980. However, there was a major stumbling block to this their diabolical agenda. That was the original liberation movement, ZAPU, with its largest support base and votes in the 1980s coming from Matebeleland, what I call, I believe justifiably, the South Western Nations Territory (SWNT). (Later series installments shall explain why).To ensure the success of their diabolic and hell-engineered one-party state ideology, the Zanu colonialists employed largely two things: the Gukurahundi Genocide and Shonalization of the country.For the sake of those who may not understand the meaning of these terms, let me explain briefly what they mean. Gukurahundi was a genocidal campaign of terror, murder, torture, rape and starvation employed by Zanu and its solely Shona-speaking militia called the 5th Brigade from 1982-1987. The militia raped women across Matebeland allegedly for giving birth to dissidents, murdered thousands (the official number of people murdered is unknown, but way more than the usually named 20000, it can be anything between 20001 and 100,000), starved people from food in the midst of a drought, buried our people alive, burned down whole villages, and buried people in shallow graves, forcing relatives to dance on those graves singing Shona songs praising Mugabe and Zanu.The official reason for the Genocide is that it was meant to put down a dissident insurrection, but 36 years later, no dissident has ever been arrested, let alone tried and convicted of insurrection or any other crime. ZIPRA (the Liberation Struggle military wing of ZAPU) leaders such as Dr. Dumiso Dabengwa and General Lookout Masuku (MHDSRIP) were arrested, set before a court of law, acquitted by the courts of any wrong-doing, but still detained by the Zanu government without charge, with General Masuku dying in chains.The venerated ZAPU leader, Dr. Joshua Nkomo (MHDSRIP), was driven into exile after several attempts on his life, with, unfortunately, Shona leaders and citizens baying for his blood, calling for his hanging, assassination, expulsion from the country, etc. Again, no charges held up against him, except that he stood for the very values and objectives for which the Liberation Struggle had been fought: restoration of land to the African people, equality, access to job and other economic opportunities, non-discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity, multi-party democracy, etc.From the Gukurahundi Genocide to ShonalizationAs already stated in the preceding paragraphs, Zanu rode on Shona ethnic majority to come to power, but not only so, to stay in power. It sold the Shona people the lie that Dr. Nkomo, ZAPU and ZIPRA were a threat to the new state in the 1980s. Recently released, previously classified documents, archives from The Chronicle newspaper, books such as former Senator David Coltart's recently published book, The Struggle Continues, Doctoral dissertations by various students and researches papers by various academics, and most importantly, video footage from Television channels such as the BBC, show Zanu leaders going into bed with the Shona people and calling for Dr. Nkomo's head (such video footage is now available on Youtube and is circulating in Social Networks).Unfortunately, Shona people bought into the Genocide and all the evil associated with it. Not only did MPs from the Mashonaland Provinces actively support the Mugabe government during the Genocide, none, as far as any records are concerned, actively challenged the evils and excesses of the Genocide. Shona people, unfortunately, also joined in the evil, becoming accomplices in the Genocide!Shonas are Accomplices in the Gukurahundi Genocide and the Destruction of Zimbabwe!Contrary to claims by dubious news sites such as ZimEye, the Honorable Moses Mzila-Ndlovu never accused Shonas of being "all guilty" for the Gukurahundi Genocide. He said they were accomplices, which of course is true. (An accomplice is "a person who helps another commit a crime.") By actively supporting Mugabe and Zanu throughout the Genocide and beyond, Shona people made themselves accomplices in Genocide. Whether they are "all guilty" is another matter for justices and moral philosophers to decide.Video footage from that time shows that the claims of ignorance of what was happening during the Gukurahundi Genocide used by some Shonas today just can't be sustained, for many are seen at Zanu rallies making the following statements: "Nkomo must be arrested", "he must be hanged", "he must die in exile, we don't want him in Zimbabwe anymore", and "Nkomo must die forever". Asked by a BBC journalist why they were making these statements, they claimed: "we are Zanu PF, Nkomo is ZAPU. We want a one-party state", Of course, the democrat that he was, Dr Nkomo and his supporters were seen as an obstruction.Among other pieces of evidence, the clearest evidence that Shonas knew just as their leaders what was happening in Matebeleland during the Genocide, are the banners carried at Zanu rallies, one of the biggest which read: "Pamberi na President RG. Pamberi ne 5th Brigade. We wish you well." (Forward with President Mugabe. Forward with the 5th Brigade). Surely, these can't be the actions of people who were ignorant of the Gukurahundi Genocide and what was happening in Matebeleland. They knew and they actively supported it, which makes them accomplices in the Genocide.)Shonas, Preferring a One-Party State and Shonalization, are Guilty of Destroying Zimbabwe!Right from 1980, the Peoples of the South Western Nations AmaNdebele, AmaXhosa, BaChewa, BaKalanga, BaNambya, BaSotho, BaTonga, BaTshwao, BaTswana and VhaVenda made it clear by their vote that Mugabe and Zanu were wrong, were a threat to democracy and prosperity, unity in diversity, jobs, food security, access to land and other economic opportunities, but unfortunately, people from Mashonaland, Manicaland and Maswingo refused to believe us. They chose to believe the new Zanu colonialists. In fact, it can be said that, by their continuously voting for Zanu, they are not only accomplices in the Gukurahundi Genocide, but are accomplices in the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy.Because they were, early on, beneficiaries of Zanu's evil polices, which saw nearly all public service jobs including nearly all in South Western Nations Territory (SWNT) parceled out to them, land taken away from BaKalanga, BaNambya, BaTonga, AmaNdebele, etc in the early 2000s and given to them, their language imposed upon the South Western Nations, they have also become complicit in the Shonalization of this country, in the process threatening the unity and territorial integrity of Zimbabwe (as evidenced by calls for secession by some in Matebeleland).By their ill-advised desire for a one-party state in the early years of independence, they have destroyed democracy, ravaged any chances at successful nation-building as long as the present order of governance continues, destroyed lives and livelihoods (including their own), forced capital flight and poverty upon everyone else, led to the largest number of refugees in the world of a country not officially at war, evaporated the country's currency, obliterated the country's once sophisticated infrastructure, etc.In one line, Shona people, together with Mugabe and Zanu, not only stand as accomplices in the Gukurahundi Genocide, but stand guilty of destroying the Zimbabwean economy, democracy in Zimbabwe, exiling of millions, dividing the country along ethnic lines, and even leading to calls for secession!The Way Forward for the South Western NationsIn the midst of all this, what then is the way forward for the Peoples of the 10 South Western Nations (that is Matebeleland), who have borne the brunt of Zanu and Shona misrule and bad judgment? That will be the subject of Part II of our installment, when we shall interrogate touted options such as Secession/Restoration, Devolution of Power and the formation of Regional Party/Alliance for Federalism. For now, let's be thinking, talking, debating, discussing and considering our future.Amandla. Matla. Masimba. Maanda. Manguzu. See what to expect in coming months along I-69 Finish Line corridor As the leaves begin to fall and air temperatures begin to cool, the 2022 road construction season will soon slow down. Opinion / Columnist Welcome Tsvangson to private hospitals clubWhile we are on the subject of private hospitals, I would like to welcome Moregirls Tsvangson for the very wise decision he made to be admitted to a foreign hospital after his latest bout of illness.I will not go into the details of those funding his medical treatment. Such a debate will lend credence to allegations that are already being made that Mudhara and myself gave money to Weak Nail to help Tsvangson.True or false? Pwa-pwa-pwa-pwa-pwaaaaaaaaaaaa! I don't comment on such issues.Moregirls and his hangers on have always spewed a lot of nonsense about how we never use local medical facilities even for basics.But he is learning fast that the powerful and the rich should use private hospitals, preferably expensive ones in a foreign country.Moregirls needs to understand that it is not proper to mix with commoners such as all of you people reading this weekly address. Or is it weakly?It is very refreshing to note that after his very brief stint in government, Moregirls Tsvangson still remembers that powerful people don't get treated at understaffed, dirty and poorly resourced government medical facilities.What if you contract diseases well-known for afflicting common people such as typhoid, cholera or tuberculosis?What if some disoriented nursing intern plunges the wrong germ-infested needle into your delicate skin?What if some underpaid government dentist pulls out the wrong tooth after going for consultations? So it is such a relief that those common people in the MDC ranks will stop talking about how Mudhara and his family have a very healthy mistrust of local medical hospitals.Of course this is not a new revelation, but a confirmation of what Moregirls and his top leadership do. During the inclusive government, most, if not all, of his senior officials received medical treatment in foreign and expensive hospitals.Of course, they equally benefitted from the looting of a medical facility which was supposed to benefit civil servants, but that is a discussion for another day.Of course, he has hung on to the government mansion that he used as the first ceremonial Prime Minister in the world.While MDC followers, like their Zanu PF counterparts, glorify their leadership, it is just so refreshing to see that Tsvangson is not too different from the Supreme Leader after all.So mudhara was visiting his sekurus (uncles) last week in between flying to Uganda, South Africa and Singapore.I also saw the social media jokes of Mudhara drinking "seven days" with other madharas from Gutu. I am told after that he dolled out tones of bananas to the people of Masvingo.Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk! Yaaa!North Korean exampleI read a very interesting story about the recent congress of the North Korean ruling party. The country is called Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kkkkkkkkkkk.Many people have said countries with such names are usually neither democratic nor people's republics. Their ruling workers party held its first congress since 1980 two weeks ago!During the congress, only their young leader knew for how many days the congress would run. Even more intriguing was that he was the only one with the agenda! Only he knows when the next congress will be held!Just wondering if I should amend the constitution of a certain party with very embarrassing links to that despotic country, so that its leader is not bound by useless conferences and congresses.Munhuwese Kuna Amai!Umasalu wezwelonke!Your MotherDr Amai (Fake Ph.D)Feedback: Doctorstopit@gmail.com Boy Scout Troop 203 ('Troop 3') recently honored two members in separate ceremonies who completed their Eagle Scout ranks, the highest rank in Boy Scouts. Cody Shane Hicks, of Hawley, son of Devin and Tommie Hicks, and Anthony Glenn Blair, son of Genea and Tommy Neble, received their awards in separate special Courts of Honor. Both Scouts are 18. Hicks will graduate from Hawley High School this week. Blair will graduate from Cooper High School in 2017. Requirements to earn Eagle include a lasting community service project and leadership within the troop, plus numerous merit badges, many of which are earned through preceding ranks of Star and Life. All requirements must be completed before the youth's 18th birthday. Hicks is an ordeal member of Order of the Arrow. He earned 25 merit badges. His community project involved creating a ring of stone to honor outstanding members and graduates of Hawley High School. He plans to continue his schooling to become a veterinarian. Blair is a member of the Air Force ROTC unit at Cooper, with plans to join the Army as a military policeman. He is a brotherhood member of Order of the Arrow and has earned 26 merit badges. His service project was the restoration of the amphitheater at Lake Abilene State Park. Troop 3 is sponsored by St. Paul United Methodist Church. SUMMER EVENTS This column is a little short, because this time of year brings a lull in activities before summer events begin. Watch the 'Upcoming Events' calendar in this column beginning next week for information. But don't wait if you want your child involved in one of them. Many are already at capacity. Check Abilene Zoo, library or recreation department, the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature or Grace Museum, Frontier Texas! and local universities and churches for opportunities before they are full. UPCOMING EVENTS Tot Spot, for children ages 3-5 (and an adult), 9:30 or 11 a.m. first Thursday and Friday of each month, The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. (Check at www.thegracemuseum.org under 'Upcoming events' for holiday scheduling). Free for museum members, $5 for nonmembers. Reservations required; 325-673-4587 or online. National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, 102 Cedar St., Abilene, 325-673-4586, offers art activities each Saturday from 1-4 p.m. at no charge. DEADLINES Wednesday, for early registration for Cub Scout Day Camp June 5-9. $75, goes to $90 after this date. All participants must register by June 3. (Discounts available if adult volunteers for week.) 325-677-2688. OFFICES CLOSED Boy Scout offices closed May 30 for Memorial Day holiday. Girl Scout offices closed May 30 for Memorial Day holiday. For the third straight summer, Dylan and Aiden Lynch are heading to the University of Illinois to attend Camp Kesem, where they'll kayak, swim, play and talk with other kids who've watched a parent battle cancer. Their dad, Michael, learned about the organization through a vendor at work and signed the boys up while his wife, Summer, was being treated for breast cancer at Mayo Clinic. Summer died in June 2014, six weeks before the boys were set to leave for camp. Aiden was 11 at the time, and Dylan was 8. 'There was a lot of, 'I'm not going. I don't want to. You can't make me,'' Michael told me. 'It was scary for them.' 'I was frightened,' Aiden, now 13, said. 'Dylan was really excited. It took a lot of coaxing for me to go.' 'Then it switched,' Dylan, now 10, chimed in. 'Once we got there I was really shy.' I spoke to the family by phone from its Bloomingdale, Ill., home. 'My hope was for them to find people that had similar experiences for them to talk to and share their feelings openly and feel good about sharing their feelings,' Michael Lynch said. 'And for them to just have fun. I wanted them to smile and laugh and have a good time again.' Camp Kesem, which derives its name from the Hebrew word for magic, holds more than 70 free camps at college campuses across the country, run by college student volunteers who are trained to support, inspire, nurture and entertain kids who've lost a parent to cancer, or who have a parent fighting cancer. The camps are secular, and they state from the outset that they don't provide therapy. In Illinois, camps are held at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University and Augustana College. The Lynch boys said they were hooked almost as soon as they arrived that first year. 'It's not a camp where you just sit there and talk about cancer,' Aiden said. 'You get to hear other people's experiences, and there's a day where you sit and talk about everybody's stories, but the other days we talk about fun stuff like camp crushes and counselor crushes.' And the shared identity child of a cancer patient is transformational. 'Your other friends can only do so much because they haven't experienced it,' Aiden said. 'It's really nice to have the support of people who know how you feel because they've gone through it or are going through it now.' Registration is still open for 2016 camps, and applications can be found on Camp Kesem's website, campkesem.org. Spread the word if you know someone who would benefit from the organization, either as a counselor or a camper. It warms my heart that such a camp exists. COLORADO CITY It was two in the morning, and something just didn't look right. Ty Wood was looking at a wall in his office and realized an arch there had been covered. He and his wife, Amie, have spent the past three years restoring a livery stable once owned by the Mooar Brothers and had done most of the work themselves, turning the downstairs into his law office and the second floor into their home. 'It was a classic Chevy Chase moment,' Ty said. 'Amie comes down, looks at me and I've got my respirator, my grinder and my goggles on, and she just turns around and walks back upstairs.' It was 2 a.m., so what about their three kids? 'They've gotten used to the sound of construction, they haven't known anything different,' Amie said. Joked Ty, 'Our kids, like even in the womb, have heard hammers.' The Wood family bought the building in 2007 and after an initial demolition, didn't start the renovation in earnest until 2013. More than a century old Ty said it was the oldest brick building downtown and likely the second-oldest in town it was built in 1884 by famed buffalo hunters J. Wright and John Wesley Mooar. The couple were featured in Big Country Journal (Oct. 9, 2013) just six months into their project. The plan was to make the downstairs office space and the upstairs to rent as lofts. 'As we got into it, we had a new baby and we thought this building was so cool, so we decided to make the entire upstairs our own space,' Ty said. This wasn't their first remodeling rodeo. The Woods already had renovated a farmhouse, Ty's office next door and rent houses. But on the other hand, as far as a do-it-yourself project, the couple found this one was unparalleled. 'I am for sure the best tile-laying attorney out there,' Ty said. 'It was 5,000 square feet of this stuff, 22,000 pounds of tile, just on this bottom floor.' Neither he nor Amie had ever laid tile. At an inch thick and weighing five pounds each, Ty guesses they'd probably touched each 12-by-12 inch tile at least six times each. 'A lot of sweat and tears, and tiny little cuts,' he said, and then laughed. 'Not as many arguments as you might think, I got to the point where I accepted that Amie was boss and just went with it.' When I was there before, the bottom floor was wide open from front to back. Now, a large cabinet covered in hammered tin reproductions separates the space without actually dividing it as you walk in. It conveniently provides a little privacy for Ty when he meets with clients in a room behind it. A new staircase on the side takes you up to their home. That spaces also was open initially, minus the original rooms at the front, which had been used for boarders long ago. Newly-built rooms for the children and their parents are in the middle of the space, followed by a living and dining area, and then the aforementioned original rooms. Gone was the orange shag carpet, now replaced with a polished wood floor. 'Isabella's one request was she have a castle in her room,' Ty said of their 6-year-old daughter. 'We said, 'You know what? You've got it!'' Amie, who also made a mural for her husband's office, said the castle was easy enough. She painted a piece of plywood to resemble stonework and let her girl's imagination do the rest. Pulley wheels recycled from a swamp cooler slide the room doors open and shut. Some of the decor, such as an old potato sack with a colorful logo, are things they found in the building during the restoration. The sack is mounted under glass, the wooden frame repurposed from a jewelry case that used to be in the building. It's a common theme throughout the home. Even down to the desktop Amie made out of paint stir sticks. 'I just stained them five or six different stains and put them on here,' she said, adding that if you could turn it upside down you'd see Ace Hardware repeated about 100 times. 'I told her that just reminds her of how many times we had to go get paint,' Ty said. 'We don't throw away anything, if we take something down we store it, keep it, and it's recycled into something later on.' Often their motivation was knowing what they wanted, but they couldn't buy it. A good example, the lights that hang through a hole where the elevator used to be. Amie had priced a similar fixture at $2,000 for five little dangling bulbs. 'It was only six feet tall. I needed one 20 feet tall with 30 lights,' she said. 'So I learned how to wire and just ordered the supplies and got them locally.' In fact, Ty stated that with few exceptions, nearly every dollar they spent stayed in Colorado City. 'We spent enough that the local hardware store gave us the contractor discount,' he said. He couldn't put a number to the cost of the renovation beyond the initial building purchase of $5,000 and then material such as the tile and other items. 'I honestly stopped counting,' he said, laughing. 'That's the closest, most honest answer that I can give you. At a certain point, it just didn't matter anymore.' If they had to do it all over again, the Woods said they probably would have done it the same. Even if it came to doing most of the work themselves again. 'But that being said, whenever I was laying sheet rock I was probably thinking I should have hired this out,' he said, smiling. 'Looking back though, it's nice that we drove every nail in here. We can really put our name on it.' Amie said the building might not have lasted another 25 years if they hadn't bought it. During their renovation, they left cards, pictures, and other pieces of their lives in the walls for the next couple with big dreams for a big room. 'Somebody might be telling our story a hundred years from now as part of its history,' she said. Abilene police have apprehended suspects or a person of interest in all three homicides that occurred in the past week, the most recent of which happened late Sunday, police announced at a news conference Monday. But that puts Abilene on par with homicide statistics from January through May of last year, said Police Chief Stan Standridge. In the first half of 2015, Abilene had five homicides the same as 2016, so far, Standridge said. But overall, crime as a whole is down compared to last year, he said. 'As scholars have been saying for a long time, crime is cyclical,' he said. 'If you look at the aggregate picture, you can see what we're experiencing is predictive of crime, which means we're going to have peaks and we're going to have valleys.' Right now, it appears Abilene may be entering a peak. All three homicides were related to drugs or family violence, police said. Police arrested a suspect in the city's third homicide in a week on Monday morning. Manuel Talavera, 45, was arrested in Hamlin, the police announced in a tweet. An arrest warrant was issued for him earlier Monday charging him with murder in connection with the death of Sona Trucks late Sunday night in the 1900 block of Clinton Street, Sgt. Lynn Beard said at the news conference. His bond was set at $750,000. Officers responded to an injured subject call close to midnight Sunday. 'The witness in the case was able to lead responding officers back to the residence on Clinton, where our officers located Sona Trucks, deceased inside the residence,' Beard said. 'She had been shot.' The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office will perform an autopsy on Trucks. Beard said the weapon believed to have been used in the case was located a 'short distance away from the scene.' Investigators have a 'person of interest' in custody on charges related to another homicide last week, Beard said. Police found Kendra Keppler's body in a residence on Whittier Street on Wednesday and later arrested Charles Newman, 36, on Thursday for allegedly using Keppler's identity to obtain money from her bank account. Newman made a statement to police that he used Keppler's information to get $200 from her account. Beard said Newman remains in the Taylor County jail in lieu of a $10,000 bail. Investigators are working to determine his role in the case. In the May 17 fatal shooting of 21-year-old Robert Cisneros, police arrested Jared Dykes, 18, of Anson, and Kobe Tayler Poston, 17. Another man was injured in the shooting in the 3400 block of Vogel Avenue. Dykes was charged with murder and remains in the Taylor Count Jail in lieu of a $110,000 bail. Poston was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He remains in jail on $75,000 bail, according to jail records. 'Despite the recent violence in the last six days, there's no general reason for alarm for most of our residents,' Standridge said. 'Most of the violence we are seeing, especially this year, (has) been related to either illicit drugs or family violence. We haven't seen any stranger homicides or stranger-on-stranger violence.' Beard said that the Cisneros case involved drugs, while Trucks' homicide involved family violence. Twitter: BrookeCrum_ARN Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... Opinion / Columnist Wilton Nyasha Machimbira, a Political Scientist.For feedback and comments can be contacted on wiltonnyash@gmail.com ZANU PF has intensified its preparations for the milliom march pencilled to take place on the 25th of May. Reasons for the event are to reaffirm and confirm the youth's support to His Excellency, the first secretary of Zanu PF and the Executive President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde RG Mugabe as a sole presidential candidate for 2018.The 25th of May is Africa day, an important day for Africans. A day we are compelled to tabulate the success stories of Africa, a day for Africans to introspect, ruminate, engage in 360 degree performance appraisal of our leaders and robustly diagnose possible threats to the African being.It's worth-noting that this is not a ZANU PF march as is being projected. Its a G40 March. It is thus a misnomer to call it a ZANU PF march. Suffice to say on the 25th of May these youths will be expressing unflinching loyalty to President Mugabe's gerontocratic rule. Something not worthy celebrating on Africa day.The timing of the march raises eyebrows considering that MDC-T recently marched in Harare protesting against poverty and corruption. One wonders if ZANU PF is now being reactive instead of being proactive.If that is the case one is tempted to applaud the MDC-T for dictating the pace to the revolutionary party ZANU PF.One can also note that ZANU PF felt psychologically defeated by the MDC-T march hence the need to prove a point.The march is thus a product of inferiority complex syndrome. In a nutshell the march is intended to counter the perceived numerical prowess of MDC-T and Morgan Tsvangirai.There are a number of reasons which might have precipitated this so called million march. This march can be likened to the biblical Mount Carmel Contest between the Baal prophets and Prophet Elijah. A battle for supremacy. On Mount Carmel prophet Elijah and the Baal prophets locked horns to prove who the real God was. So the G40 faction wants to prove who really calls the shots in ZANU PF. A matter of proving a point through numerical superiority.Given the political mudslinging that took centre stage in ZANU PF years ago which resulted in the ouster of Mai Mujuru the march can be useful to ZANU PF to paper over the cracks and conceal the dishevelled state of the party.It is also possible that the President wants to use the march to shoot two birds with one stone.To prove a point to MDC-T and his internal rivals.The march is therefore a G40 derby whose ulterior motive is to demoralise The Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who happen to be a presidential aspirant, clip his fragile wings and remind him that there is one centre of power in ZANU PF. The political star of Cde Mnangangwa must be stagnant for sure,for he was recently sabotaged by his rivals and addressed an empty stadium on Workers Day.One wonders why the President needs solidarity when the 2013 electiom ''resoundingly'' expressed solidarity with him and the ruling ZANU PF. This is more than meets the eye. Conventional wisdom has it that one can only seek solidarity when he or she is under siege. The siege can be real or imaginery, coming from internal and external elements. One can sense and smell an aura of insecurity from this intended march.Its retrogressive to note that this march is about the President and the President alone. Its mearnt to massage the ego of the supreme leader. Glorify and magnify him as a cultic demigod and political benefactor whereas the MDC-T march was about the masses,the issues bedevilling the nation. Such is the paradox of demanding loyalty from hungry, unemployed and psychologically truamatissed citizenry.Loyalty is not demanded Mr President. Loyalty is earned by our deeds.ZANU PF faction march is about power and the MDC-T march was about people. It is about one person whereas the MDC-T march was about 13 million people in Zimbabwe. What a stark contrast? One would have expected the youths to march for jobs promised by their supreme leader, express revulsion at the lack of action from leaders in the face of an avalanche of ailments in the name of economic haemorrhage and liquidity crunch just to mention a few.As if it's not enough the march has further widened the fissures and ructions within ZANU PF as other disgruntled youths and War Veterans have expressed annoyance and dismay at the party propensity for misplaced priorities. ZANU PF and misplaced priorities are indeed Siamese twins.To those who happen to be disciples of politics, the milliom march comes as a deja vu. In 2007 the jingoistic War Veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda organsed a million march in solidarity with the President. On the contrary, the elections that followed the other year didn't show an iorta of solidarity with the President as millions marched against him via the ballot box. As we speak Jabulani Sibanda is confronted with a herculean task battling for political relevance which doesn't come on a silver plate in this unforgiving and hardly impregnable political terrain of Zimbabwe. He is still nursing the wounds of political redudancy.History will judge harshly the political eunachs in ZANU PF for misleading the Emperor. The Emperor will be misinformed that the march is a litmus test for his popularity. Its reminscent of the biblical Ahab who was promised military victory over Syrians by palace prophets which never materialised.The result of that false assurance was a catastrophe of serious magnitude. Opinion / Columnist The One Million-Man March that Zanu PF's youth league is set to stage on 25 May has rattled the opposition parties which seem to believe that they have an exclusive right to organize marches and demonstrations in Zimbabwe.The MDC-T staged its own demonstration recently in Harare where sympathetic media overstated the number of demonstrators. The capital city was said to have been painted red. Although other opposition political parties did not join the demo, they rallied behind it with some sending solidarity messages.The MDC-T is to stage another demonstration in Bulawayo very soon. Despite the violent precedent they set in the Harare demonstration, democracy opened space for them to demonstrate again. This is why the High Court overruled the police ban on the Bulawayo demonstration. As peace keepers, the police's decision had been informed by the previous violent demonstration where a security guard at Choppies store nearly lost his life at the hands of the raucous MDC-T demonstrators. Sometimes democracy is an ass!Despite all this, the media and the modern-day political analysts chose to be mum. They have only sprung into action when Zanu PF youths have decided to stage their own march. The elders would say dindingwe rinonaka richakweva rimwe kana iro rokwevewa roti mavara angu azara ivhu.So much adverse reports have been written about the One Million-Man March. Zanu PF has been accused of being wasteful. The march is allegedly set to "gobble $600 000." The money is said to be extorted from ailing parastatals and private firms. President Robert Mugabe is said to have twisted the arms of war veterans into participating in the march. The accusations and speculations are endless, all bordering on discrediting the march.It seems to be a season of demonstrations and marches. As such, each party must care for its own business as long as the rights of citizens are not trampled upon. Politics is a game of numbers, or is it of colours. The MDC-T recently painted Harare red, at least according to the private media. Hopefully they are not colour blind. It is now Zanu PF's turn to colour the rainbow city of Harare with what ever colours of their choice. After all, Harare is a chameleon city that changes colours. As apolitical spectators, not political analysts, we would want to draw a pie chart at the end of the day, a statistical graphic which will illustrate the numerical proportion.The MDC-T has been at the forefront of demonizing the march. Did they not also use money to organize their demonstrations? It was even worse because their money was compulsorily sourced from disgruntled members especially councilors. One Kwekwe councilor recently leaked to the media that they were being forced to fund Morgan Tsvangirai's rallies. With the meager salaries that councilors earn, one wonders why the MDC-T has targeted this particular constituency as source of funds.The answer could be obtained from President Mugabe's speech in Gutu where he bemoaned rampant corruption within the rural and urban councils. He fingered councilors, most of whom are MDC-T members. It appears by targeting the lowly paid councilors as their source of funding for Tsvangirai's rallies, the MDC-T are not lost on the rampant corruption and it is that corrupt money that they want to use to fund Tsvangirai's rallies. Hopefully, the corruption that riles President Mugabe is not sanctioned by the MDC-T national leadership.The councilors have said it themselves. If there is any firm or individual that was forced to fund the march, they must come in the open or at least report to police. If there is any who funded the youths, 100% chances are that it was on their own volition for there is no one, including Tsvangirai himself, who does not want to be associated with the revolutionary party.The MDC-T has the habit of blaming others for the crime they a guiltier of. They are like a pot calling a kettle back. They have been all along accusing the First Family of seeking medical attention from foreign medical institutions. Their insincerity was exposed last week when their sick leader rushed to South Africa for treatment. Get well soon Mr Tsvangirai and wipe the egg on your face.Do they want people to believe that the economy was good when they staged their demonstrations and has suddenly drifted to the verge of collapse because Zanu PF is staging a march? The MDC-T and the private media must not make a fuss about the funding because it is not coming from the treasury. It's a private function that does not concern them. They cannot lecture moneyed citizens on how to spend their money, as much as nobody did that to Tsvangirai when he globe trotted the world in pursuit of pleasure during the inclusive government era.As they stage their march, Zanu PF youths must shame the devil. Detractors are wishing for the worst, thus the youths must not give them a room to prove their point. Zanu PF is an orderly revolutionary party. Therefore, the march must be orderly as well. Let no one gets injured, even a grasshopper in the streets must feel safe on this historic day. Authorities in Cambodias capital Phnom Penh stepped up their crackdown on anti-government protests on Monday, clashing with villagers in the capitals Boeung Kak Lake district after ordering over the weekend that so-called Black Monday campaigners must obtain government permission before posting their views online, sources said. Now entering their third week, the Black Monday protests were launched by civil society groups after authorities arrested four officers of the human rights group ADHOC and an election official, charging them with bribery over their alleged role in a sex scandal involving Kem Sokha, deputy leader of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). Police on Monday evening clashed with about 100 black-attired villagers at Boeung Kak Lake, scattering lotus flowers and lighted candles that had been arranged to form the words Free Human Rights Defenders, witnesses at the scene told RFAs Khmer Service. After scuffling briefly with protesters, security forces withdrew to monitor the protest from a distance, and no injuries or arrests were reported. Villagers quickly replaced their display of candles, and the rally was later joined by taxi drivers and students from the community, sources said. Meanwhile, government authorities on Saturday ordered that Black Monday campaigners must ask government approval before publishing their views on Facebook or other online platforms, prompting civil society groups to accuse the government of seeking to suppress citizens right to free expression. Attempts by RFA to reach Interior Ministry spokesman Khiev Sopheak for comment were unsuccessful. 'Not under government control' Buth Bun Tenh, founder of the Independent Monks Network, said that his group still plans to launch an appeal on Facebook calling on Cambodians to join the Black Monday campaign, defying the governments order. The Facebook company is not under government control, Buth Bun Tenh told RFA. If [the authorities] want trouble, let them go and fight with Facebook. We can clearly distinguish between incitement and freedom of expression, Am Sam Ath, a senior official of the Cambodian rights group LICADHO, said, adding, Any online opinion that is not aimed at causing social unrest is supported by a citizens right to freedom of expression. To further press for their release, LICADHO on Tuesday will publish profiles of the five detained activists, Am Sam Ath said. These will include the number of days since they were detained, the history of their work as human rights defenders, what their families have gone through since they were put into jail, and their families appeals for their release, he said. LICADHO will continue its campaign to peacefully demand that the detained activists be released, he said. This is our strategy to remind the government of our demand that they be freed. Political tensions between the ruling CPP and the CNRP have grown worse in recent months, with the government arresting more than a dozen senior opposition figures including Senator Hong Sok Hour, CNRP media director Meach Sovannara, and Um Sam An, an opposition lawmaker. Cambodias contentious and at times violent political situation has pushed it close to a dangerous tipping point, U.N.special human rights envoy to Cambodia Rhona Smith said in March. Reported by Tha Thai and Yanny Hin for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Richard Finney. A man surnamed Liu arrives at a hospital after his self-immolation protest in Beijing, May 20, 2016. A man is receiving treatment in a Beijing hospital after he set fire to himself in protest of his daughter's exclusion from local schools, officials and local activists said on Monday. The man, who was identified only by his surname Liu, attempted self-immolation last Friday outside government offices in Changping county, part of the Beijing metropolitan area after failing to secure a school place for his daughter. Sources who knew Liu, whose hukou household registration is not in Beijing, said he had appealed several times since to be allowed to register his daughter for a school place at the local neighborhood committees, as well as his district government office. "I think he has been sent to hospital for treatment," an official who answered the phone at the Changping county government offices on Monday told RFA when asked to confirm Liu's self-immolation protest. But he declined to comment further. "I don't know about this," the official said. "We have specialist departments for these things." Liu was taken to the Changping District People's Hospital, before being transferred to the Jishuitan Hospital in Beijing for specialist care. A source told RFA he had suffered burns to 80 percent of his skin surface. His protest drew a gathering of angry migrant workers who facing similar problems finding schooling for their children. New rules in effect since the end of last month require parents to show evidence of two-months of rental tax totaling 5,000 yuan (U.S. $ 763) paid in advance to gain a school place for their child. A fellow parent activist surnamed Zhang said the Beijing educational authorities are trying to limit the number of applicants to the city's highly sought-after schools, which are seen as "feeder" schools to the best universities in China. "A government department exists to fulfill its duty, to serve the population," Zhang said. "They really should tell parents clearly, once and for all, what the requirements are." "Self-immolation isn't productive, but it's an extreme act in the face of total helplessness," he said. Smoke rises from the scene where a Chinese man set himself ablaze to protest the education system in Beijing, May 20, 2016. Photo courtesy of an activist So many obstacles Rights activist Jia Pin said Liu's action came out of "despair" at not being able to find a school place for his daughter. "Theoretically, people from out of town are supposed to be able to [get schooling for their kids], but in reality, there are so many obstacles in their path than many of them never manage it," Jia said. "Then they are left without a school place for their child, anywhere in China," he said. "The criteria they have to fulfill actually exclude some people, and even when they meet the criteria, then there are often new conditions they have to meet that haven't been made clear to them before," he said. "There are just countless hoops and obstacles they are made to jump through in Beijing," Jia said. A source in China's education system, who gave only a surname Chen, said parents who move to Beijing in search of work have faced problems finding schooling for many years, with some suing the Beijing municipal education committee, to no avail. "This has been going on for out-of-town parents who have been kicking up a fuss about it for many years now," Chen said. "I know of some cases where they even sued the Beijing education committee." He said jailed dissident Xu Zhiyong, who headed the New Citizens' Movement civil rights campaign group, had run afoul of authorities for assisting parents involved in such a lawsuit. "Xu Zhiyong got into trouble because of this," Chen said. "There is no equality in China's education system, and no fairness," he said. "Those in positions of power continue to enjoy special privileges, and it makes no difference if the parents make a fuss about it," he said. He said that millions of migrant worker parents are having similar problems to Liu's family. "There's not much any of them can do about it," he said. Incomplete school applications Jia said that migrant workers aren't correctly informed of the paperwork that is needed to secure a school place, and some 80 percent of them fail to find one because of incomplete applications. "In the end, some of them just go back to their hometowns," he said. "The government is deliberately messing them around, putting on a show of equal treatment while practicing discrimination." According to Jia, people not born in the capital account for more than 50 percent of Beijing's 20 million population. China's hukou system has been widely criticized for creating an internal immigration system for tens of millions of migrant workers, and a socioeconomic pecking order for cities, with those at the top receiving the lion's share of resources. In spite of partial reforms, access to education in top-tier cities remains largely restricted to those whose children were born there, and who can present the right documentation, most of which depends on the hukou registration. A household registration document is issued in the town of a person's birth, and anyone without it is excluded from social subsistence and healthcare reimbursement schemes. Even where migrant workers are encouraged to apply, schools will often place huge bureaucratic burdens on parents applying for a place, including requiring temporary residence permits, health insurance, local tax receipts and other documentation. Reported by Wong Si-lam and Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Lao government officials are renegotiating a companys bid to upgrade a major highway agreed to by the countrys previous prime minister at exorbitant cost, further highlighting concerns over cost overruns and corruption in the landlocked and impoverished Southeast Asian nation. The Dongdok-Sikeuth road, a highway connecting the campus of Laos National University in the capital Vientiane with the countrys Route 13 North, was to have been improved at a cost of U.S. $54 million, a public works official told RFAs Lao Service. The offer was supported and backed by former prime minister Thongsing Thammavong in February before he stepped down, but under the new prime minister, Thongloun Sisoulith, the price is being changed, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A new agreement has not yet been reached, because government officials estimate the projects true cost to be $45 million, including $40 million for the work itself and $5 million for interest payments over nine years, the source said. The company is now asking $49 million, though, he said. Speaking last year in a television program, Minister of Public Works and Transport Bounchanh Sinthavong confirmed that highways and urban roads in Laos are not up to standard, based on their costs and construction methods. Bounchanh added he was able to obtain much lower cost estimates for projects already under construction after assigning independent technicians to inspect them. Road construction and renovation in Laos are often plagued by corruption, with high costs charged for work of substandard quality that becomes apparent only after completion, sources have previously told RFA. Many road construction projects in Laos lack transparency, and high-ranking officials are known to use state funding to build roads to their own homes, sources have said. In addition, some family members have gotten involved in road construction, driving up the cost of the projects so they themselves can profit. Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. Opinion / Columnist Nomazulu Thata is a political activist, an engineering metallurgist by profession, author of two books, a chemistry teacher and lecturer in her present occupation. Her essays are purely personal and do not reflect any political party affiliation. She can be contacted on Nomazulu.thata(at)web.de Foot-sake is just the right word to tell both Mugabe and Zuma to go away!Voetzek Zuma, voetzek Mugabe! Those were Fort Hare students trying to force their way into the Hall where Presidents Zuma and Mugabe were to speak on the centenary celebrations of Fort Hare University. These are students who have read history and found out how much they have been betrayed by these revolutionary fathers. Voetzek is just the best word to tell them to foot-sake, go away. They must go away because they promised emptiness; their revolution is empty and smells of poverty. Both Zuma and Mugabe should read a book by Karl Marx: "The poverty of Philosophy." The ANC reneged the famous Freedom Charter miserably; they should be ashamed of themselves. It was a revolution led by political wing of ANC and a military wing of Umkhonto-we-Sizwe of serving persons and their families. A revolution that sees a persona like Mr. Jacob Zuma looting day-light the national coffers while the children of Soweto are squatting and squalor. Women and girl-children are raped every hour, no security given to them. Temporal housing made of plastic bags all around the posh suburbs of Johannesburg. No running water or decent toilets in 2016.President Zuma was incarcerated together with Nelson Mandela in Robin Island for years. What independent South Africa was he dreaming about in his mind? He must have been dreaming in his cell, how many young women he was going to marry when South Africa becomes independent, beautiful virgin girls; the traditions of the Zulus permit him to get married every year. He will build them a home called Nkandla, he dreams, to rule over them and South Africa, a dream came true. (Let's not go about talking about the dignity of a woman in a polygamous set up, we are going too far!)The students of South Africa are asking themselves pertinent questions? They need pertinent answers too. How did it happen since inception of ANC in 1912 so many people sacrificed their lives for the good of a united free South Africa and it turns out that only those selected few enjoy the fruits of independence, the fruits of which are only assessable to very few ANC members? Where did it go wrong with South Africa and the revolutionaries? What happened to Chris Thembisile Hani, an alumnus of Fort Hare University? Who killed him and what for? Why is it not clear to all of us the reasons of his death? Did Apartheid South Africa kill him or was he killed by the Comrades themselves. Is it a coincidence that Presidents Robert Mugabe and Jacob Zuma come to make speeches at this University where Chris Hani was a law student?Why is President Mugabe now a big name, a respected persona in Free South Africa, a man who frustrated the birth of a free South African nation? Who does not know that in 1980, Zimbabwe worked with Apartheid South to frustrate and make it impossible for ANC to achieve independence? Are we missing some jicksaw-puzzle-pieces in understanding the processes that led to the independence of South Africa? Is there some information that we do not know and we shall never know, if Thabo Mbeki was incarcerated by Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe in the 1980s what makes Thabo hero-worship Mugabe in that manner he did before and after the government of National Unity in Zimbabwe of 2009? Are there beans that Mugabe is holding on to his chest just in case the South African politicians become careless, he will spill them, will be laid bare by the knowledge Mugabe may have against them?South African students need these answers from their painful questions; they need answers as to why Apartheid South Africa went scot free during the hand-over processes to independence. Why did Mandela and all those educated economists in the ANC give away so much so that he is then called "Mandela the unifier of the Rainbow Nation." Why did Mandela and the rest forgive so much even sold their souls and their bowels to appease the international community that benefited from atrocities of Apartheid? Are we African so timid, no technical ability to negotiate what belongs to us by right? Mandela and ANC are right to have forgiven white South Africans. But they should have made all those big companies that benefited from apartheid pay heavily because they benefited from slave labour. Is it enough to be some respected "Mandela and ANC" than to ask what belongs to you: labour that built South Africa, land, resources to be shared by all South African and not the elite only?Immediately after it was announced that Mandela will be freed from prison, De-Beers headquarters were moved to Switzerland. Richard Branson moved his company back to UK, Charles Spencer, who was resident in one of the posh suburb of Constantia in Cape Town South Africa, left his residency for his home land UK. This is evidence that they did not trust Mandela at all. They all still maintained personal friendship with Mandela, but for what purpose? Was their presence in South Africa and their relocating back to their respective comfortable zones give bread and butter to the majority of black South Africans?Big companies looted South African resources, used and abused black Africans and their labour that was cheap to make maximum profit they could never dream of in their respective countries. ANC had a template; the "Freedom Charter" that specified exactly what the black people were fighting for. Do we blame Julius Malema for his radicalism? What if he came to power and he fast tracked the economic reforms in the manner land reforms were fast tracked in the country just direct north of them and it was, and still is a disaster to this date? Zimbabwe was a bread basket and is no more!The Marikana massacre, that took place way back in August 2012, a Farlam Commission of Inquiry set up by President Zuma have not until today concluded their findings or they are resisting to publish the findings. What is much abhorable about the Marikana killing is that it was killings done by predominantly black policemen, supervised by black senior officers. Some top ANC politicians must have okayed the killings too. The students of Fort Hare are rightfully saying voetzek Zuma. Saying so, rightly because there is no difference between Marikana killings by blacks in 2012 and the Sharpeville killings by whites in 1960: reasons for both miners strikes were and are still the same, striking because they are demanding liveable wages from multi-international companies: Lonmin Platinum Mine. The Marikana massacre is a classical example of a revolution that was not a revolution for the majority of the people of South Africa, but of those few elite who managed to tug themselves inside the gravy train: its eating time for ANC- ruling elite and voting time for the rest of the black population.Have South Africans ever asked themselves questions such as: why are Germans still making reparations to Israel to this date because of the genocide and looting of property done to Jews during the WW2, they will be made to pay until the end of this Millennium. Be it East Germany that reparations to the Soviet Union, West Germany paid back the allied forces USA, France and Great Britain in cash and kind. On the other hand a black South African failed just to negotiate some fraction of what Germany had to repay after the war.The international community are extremely grateful for the stupidity of Africans especially those South Africans that had the responsibility of negotiating the processes leading to independence of South Africa. They can't believe their luck that they were not made accountable by the ANC dispensation, to repay the profits in billions made in the apartheid era. They know the weaknesses of African in and out: give them Africans respect, they will cling on respect and will forget the struggle they have been fighting for over half a century. Buy a posh house for Nelson Mandel in a leafy suburb of Johannesburg so that he jettisons the Freedom Charter. Send the rest of the ANC officials to Chicago School of Economics and get them to taste money; scotch whiskey and slowly introduce to them neo-liberal policies! Everything happened according to the hymnbook of International Finance Capitalism! (The Washington Consensus) What has changed is South Africa in terms of black empowerment? The black population is in the periphery of capitalist imperialism. Nothing, absolutely, nothing has changed. It's the economy stupid! Zuma voetzek!It is for this reason that almost all respected leaders of the world came to pay their last respect when President Mandela died. He remains a darling in the hearts and minds of billions of people in the whole world. To be kind to him, he ushered political freedom to the blacks and economic empowerment to already rich white South Africans and the rest of the multi-international companies! The economy was to remain a free market economy, intact, to ensure global stability in the world market. So the economic revolution of more than 50 years was for nothing! Zuma voetzek!Reading between the lines, together with sustainable rumours; Comrade Chris Thembisile Hani was killed by the powers that be because he was a "communist" and therefore uncomfortable to the coming dispensation that was already compromised by multi nationals. Hani was not going to see a betrayed South Africa of today, he was going to say nope to neo-liberal policies that South African adopted in their dreams without thinking much. Nobody was going to frog-match Hani to sign shady deals that had no benefit to the poor black South Africans. Hani did not fight for freedom to get respect from the international community but to get justice from the injustices meted by apartheid. Chris Hani was going to give the people of South Africa tangible benefits of the liberation struggle. But he is dead; he is not there in South Africa but in the form of a grave that is as silent as itself. Who is going to rekindle his dreams if it's eating time in the ANC rank-and-file?New dispensation had big debt from the apartheid era signed behind the back of the ANC, and they gullibly accepted. Central bank and treasury was run by Chris Stals and Derek Keyes, ministers of the previous apartheid regime. Were they going to allow it to make some economic transformations benefiting the black population? There was no land redistribution to alleviate poverty. If the means to produce was not in their hands, how were they going to fight poverty, the very elements that sent revolutionaries to fight apartheid? In the new constitution of 1994, there were clauses that stipulate the right to private ownership making land reforms impossible. Minimum wages were to remain the same as before, a revolutionary struggle with no tangible results either than a free Mandela. Zuma please voetzek! South Africa has political power; they are in power by name only. The means of production are not in their reach. To put in the words of Naomi Klein; the ANC government was given the keys to the house but they were not given the combination to the safe! So when the students say voetzek they know what they mean, these ANC leaders betrayed the future aspirations of the coming generations that will continue to languish in abject poverty.It is the South Africa's ANC that elevates Mugabe, call him a hero to spite the Zimbabwean people. Did they read in the media about the missing 15 billion dollars supposed to have been looted from the diamond mines? They call Mugabe a hero! A leader that killed maimed thousands of its people since independence, rigged elections, travels all over the world using scarce resources, our treasury is bankrupt. They still tell us Mugabe is a hero! Our hospitals are in worst state, schools are in worst state, factories a closing down no jobs for our young educated graduate, but we are told Mugabe is a revolutionary. He destroyed the food securities buy implementing most brutal farm reforms to satisfy his ego, we are told he is a hero by our neighbours directly south of us. Mugabe is on his way to the Far-East to collect his newly born grandchild, a grandchild who could have been born in Zimbabwe. No, because she is the daughter of the ruler she has to have it different; we are told Mugabe is a hero! There is no sense in everything about Mugabe and Zuma put together, is it a wonder then that the students from Fort Hare are saying it simply: voetzek and both of them, voetzek!Enough of the scatter shots, I pen off for nowUgogo omncaneChirikadzi Myanmar's State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi (R) shakes hands with U.S.Secretary of State John Kerry (L) during their meeting in Naypyidaw, May 22, 2016. Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said Sunday that the countrys government is working towards a solution to the controversial and divisive Rohingya issue, and that she accepts the United States move to maintain some sanctions against Myanmar after recently dropping others. The Myanmar government has excluded from its list of national ethnic minorities the roughly 1.1. million members of the persecuted Muslim minority group who predominantly live in western Myanmars Rakhine state. Instead, the government and Buddhist nationalists refer to them as Bengalis and brand them illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh, although many have lived in Myanmar for generations. As a result, authorities have imposed harsh restrictions on their movements and access to social services such as health care. The new civilian-led government wants to find a solution to the problem that is acceptable to both sides, Aung San Suu Kyi said during remarks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at a news conference in Yangon. What we want is to find a practical resolution, she said. We are not interested in rhetoric. We are not trying to out talk anybody. We are not trying to say that any particular stand with regard to nomenclature is better than another. We will still accept it as our responsibility, and we will try to do the best we can to resolve the problem to the benefit of both communities, she said. Aung San Suu Kyi, who also is foreign minister and minister of the Presidents Office, said people must be careful to avoid terms that are incendiary and create greater divisions between those who live in Rakhine and elsewhere. The reason why I say that weve got to be very firm about not using emotive terms is because emotive terms make it very difficult for us to find a peaceful and sensible resolution of our problems, she said. There are two terms which are emotive, and weve got to face them fairly and squarely, she said. The Rakhine Buddhists object to the term Rohingya just as much as the Muslims object to the term Bengali, because these have all kinds of political and emotional implications which are unacceptable to the opposing parties. Outside the camps Aung San Suu Kyi went on to say that the government has granted humanitarian access to the internally displaced persons camps where the majority of the countrys Rohingya now live. About 140,000 Rohingya were forced to live in squalid camps after violence erupted between them and local Buddhists in 2012, leaving more than 200 dead and tens of thousands homeless. Today, about 120,000 remain in the camps while thousands of others have fled persecution on rickety boats to other Southeast Asian countries. Aung San Suu Kyi said the government is working for a solution that will allow them to live peacefully and securely outside the camps. The U.S. is committed to work with the Myanmar government to find a solution to the sensitive and divisive issue, Kerry said. [W]hat the minister and I talked about today is very much in line with what she has just said, and that is that whats critical to focus on is solving the problem, he said. Whats critical to focus on is improving the situation on the ground to promote development, promote respect for human rights, and to benefit all of those who live in Rakhine and throughout Myanmar, he said. Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party took office at the beginning of April, has not fully moved to address the Rohingya issue, prompting criticism from rights groups, the United Nations and some Western nations. Earlier this month, the Myanmar government advised foreign embassies, including the American embassy, to avoid using the term Rohingya. The U.S. embassy had used the word in a public letter of condolence to the families of 21 people who died when a boat transporting them capsized on April 19. The statement cited local reports that identified the victims as Rohingya who lived in an internally displaced peoples camp in Rakhines provincial capital Sittwe. The incident also prompted Myanmar nationalists to protest outside the U.S. embassy, demanding American diplomats stop using the word, a day after new U.S. ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel presented his diplomatic credentials to President Htin Kyaw. Marciel later said the U.S. would continue to refer to members of the Muslim minority group as Rohingya. Not afraid of sanctions Kerrys visit to Myanmar comes less than a week after the U.S. eased some sanctions against the country to promote the nations economic growth and political reform. The U.S. removed seven state-owned enterprises and three state-owned banks from its official blacklist and extended a measure to allow shipments to go through ports and airports in Myanmar. But it maintained restrictions on trade and investment by Myanmars powerful military and on individuals and firms tied to human rights abuses and military trade with North Korea under the countrys former military regime. During the news conference on Sunday, Aung San Suu Kyi said she believes that the U.S. is keeping some sanctions in place to help the Southeast Asian nation, but will remove them shortly. Were not afraid of sanctions, she said. Were not afraid of scrutiny. We believe that if we are going along the right path, all sanctions should be lifted in good time. Democratization is key The U.S. had originally imposed targeted sanctions to prod the countrys former ruling military junta, which was in power for a half-century, to undertake democratic reforms while avoiding unintended impact on development in the Southeast Asian nation. The U.S. lifted a slew of sanctions in 2011 to reward changes put in place after a quasi-military government took over from the hard-line junta. The most recent easing of sanctions will strengthen democracy and promote economic growth in Myanmar under the new government, Kerry said. In consultation with the elected government and working with our own Congress, we have adjusted our sanctions policy now to strengthen democracy, to encourage inclusive economic growth, and to facilitate foreign investment in the civilian-led economy, Kerry said. And at the same time, we are maintaining some sanctions in order to encourage all institutions, investors, and members of society to support the governments continued reform efforts that are aimed at consolidating a civilian-led democracy, he said. Myanmars progress in democratization is the key to the lifting the remaining sanctions, he said, adding that the countrys current constitution must be changed. It needs to be a reflection of how civilian authority is fully respected and how the separation of powers, if you will, is clearly defined, he said. In addition, there has to be an inclusivity, a resolution of some of the other issues with respect to normal democratic reforms, he said. The countrys charter, which was drafted by the military junta and took effect in 2008, ensures that military officers are appointed to a quarter of all seats in parliament, have veto power over proposed constitutional changes, and control appointments to three key defense and security ministries. It also contains a clause which has kept Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president because she has foreign-born relatives. U.S President Barack Obama has made Asia a priority focus for his administration, and since 2012 the U.S. has provided more than $500 million in assistance to Myanmar for civil society, national reconciliation, democracy, human rights, the promotion of health, and food security for vulnerable populations, Kerry said. U.S. President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (L) take part in a joint press conference in Hanoi, May 23, 2016. Human rights advocates criticized President Barack Obamas decision to lift the U.S. arms embargo of Vietnam, saying the decision announced on Monday does little to curb Hanois abuses and gives away Washingtons leverage with that communist government in the future. In one fell swoop, President [Barack] Obama has jettisoned what remained of US leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam, and basically gotten nothing for it, said Human Rights Watch Asia Director Phil Robertson. President Obama just gave Vietnam a reward that they don't deserve." On his first state visit to Vietnam, Obama attempted to fend off those criticisms, saying there are strings attached to any arms sales to Hanoi that will give Washington the power it needs to move Vietnam closer to protecting human rights. Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those related to human rights, but this change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself," Obama said. While he insisted that the U.S. influence on human rights will not wane, he admitted that Vietnam, a one-party communist state since 1975, has only made modest progress on those issues. We will continue to speak out on behalf of human rights that we believe are universal, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly, and that includes the right of citizens, through civil society, to organize and help improve their communities and their country. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang defended Vietnams record, saying the consistent position and viewpoint of the Vietnamese state and government is to protect and promote human rights. Those achievements have been highly recognized and officiated by the international community, he added. One of the examples, very good examples to showcase Vietnam's progress, is that Vietnam has been elected as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2016. Critics have noted that Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Russia also sit on that U.N. council, and that Vietnam has been cracking down hard on bloggers and environmental protestors who have demonstrated over a major kill-off of fish off the countrys central coast. But Duy Hoang, the U.S.-based spokesman for Viet Tan, an unsanctioned pro-democracy party with members inside Vietnam and abroad, said the arms deal should have included a human rights quid-pro-quo. More than any weapons system, respect for human rights and democratic governance would bolster Vietnam's security by harnessing the strength of the nation, he said. Until Hanoi makes clear progress on human rights, including respecting the right of Vietnamese to peacefully assemble, the U.S. should not sell Vietnam any military gear that could be used against the population. While the arms deal may lack the human rights component wished for by advocates, Obama appeared to have faith that the deepening military, economic and trade ties will turn the tide in favor of increased protection for human rights. Over time, what we've seen is a progressive deepening and broadening of the relationship, Obama said. And what became apparent to me and my administration at this point was, is that given all the work we do together across the spectrum of economic, trade, security and humanitarian efforts, that it was appropriate for us not to have a blanket across-the-board [weapons] ban. The Trans-Pacific Partnership Obamas spectrum includes the 12-nation trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the cornerstone in Obamas pivot to Asia in which the U.S. rebalances its interests from Europe and the Middle East toward East Asia. Obama said the TPP will help bring reforms to Vietnam. If you're signing up for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, you are making commitments that are enforceable to raise labor standards, to ensure that workers have a voice to attend to environmental problems, Obama said. And so this gives us the ability to engage with a country like Vietnam and work with them on all those frontsthe precise things that people, in the past, have been concerned about when it comes to trading with other countries. It was a point taken up by Quang. I am glad to add that Vietnam, together with other TPP countries, has been making efforts to narrow differences, to promote cooperation in the spirit of mutual understanding and mutual respect, he said. And we try to reduce differences in a spirit of constructiveness and understanding, and paying attention to one anothers legitimate interests. While Obama and Quang want the TPP, its unclear if the pact can gain approval in the U.S. as Congress has refused to deal with it and all of the presidential candidates have expressed opposition to it. I remain confident we're going to get it done, and the reason I'm confident is because it's the right thing to do, Obama said. It's good for the country. It's good for America. It's good for the region. It's good for the world. South China Sea While Obama and Quang touted the nations new cooperation, Obama waded even more deeply into the choppy political waters that surround Vietnam. The decision to end the embargo comes as Vietnam, the U.S. and other nations with an interest in the South China Sea have watched as Beijing has built up and fortified islands in the region that allow China to project its power and could serve as military bases. Obama was careful to paint the decision as a way to put an end to the last vestiges of the Vietnam War, saying the decision was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving toward normalization with Vietnam, he said. Obama may have wanted to take China out of the equation, but tighter military and economic ties between the U.S. and Vietnam are likely to be read by Beijing as an attempt by Washington to roil the status quo. Obamas trip to Vietnam is part of an effort by both countries to bolster Vietnam in its relationship with China, which is its largest trading partner and an ideological ally. That close relationship has been strained by Beijings South China Sea claims. China claims most of the South China Sea with its mineral wealth, rich fishing grounds and busy sea lanes. Freedom of navigation While Chinas position and its actions have angered Vietnam, the Philippines and other nations that also have claims in the area, the U.S. has remained neutral about the territorial claims, saying Washington wants to ensure freedom of navigation in those areas. Hanoi has repeatedly asked Washington to sell it American lethal weapons since China moved an oil rig near the disputed Paracel Islands in 2014. While Washington eased the embargo two years ago, Obamas decision opens the door to lethal weaponry. It is important for us to maintain the freedom of navigation and the governance of international norms, and rules and law that have helped to create prosperity and promoted commerce and peace and security in this region, Obama said. Although the United States doesnt support any particular claim, we are supportive of the notion that these issues should be resolved peacefully, diplomatically, in accordance with international rules and norms, and not based on whos the bigger party and can throw their weight around a little bit more, he added. The news barely caused a ripple in Beijing on Monday. As a neighbor to Vietnam, China is happy to see Vietnam develop normal relations with all countries including the U.S., Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during her regular press conference And we hope this would be conducive to regional peace, stability and development. That doesnt mean Xi Jinpings government is happy with the move. The U.S. was called a habitual wave-maker in the region that has shown no restraint in meddling in a May 22 commentary in the Beijing-controlled Xinhuanet. U.S. President Barack Obama has confirmed that Taliban leader Mullah Akthar Mansur had been killed, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. "We have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda," Obama said in a May 23 statement. Afghan authorities say Mansur was killed early on May 21 in a U.S. drone attack in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan, just over the border with Afghanistan. Pakistans Foreign Ministry criticized the attack as a violation of its sovereignty, saying the United States did not inform Islamabad before conducting the strike. Mansur was declared the leader of the Taliban in July 2015. That announcement came days after the Afghan government confirmed that Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had died in the Pakistani port city of Karachi two years earlier. Based on reporting by AFP and AP Ukraine and its allies have adamantly rejected Russia's claims that Kyiv is developing a "dirty bomb" to use against Moscow's forces, and Ukraine's foreign minister says he has invited experts to visit Ukrainian facilities to see for themselves that Ukraine has nothing to hide. Russia's claims that Kyiv is planning to deploy a so-called dirty bomb -- a conventional warhead laced with radioactive, biological, or chemical materials -- came in a series of calls between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his counterparts from several NATO countries. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Britain, France, and the United States issued a joint statement on October 23 dismissing the claim after Shoigu's calls with their defense ministers in which the Russian minister presented no evidence for the claim. "Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia's transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory," according to the statement. But Russia doubled down on its assertions, which come after weeks of military defeats for Russia in southern and eastern Ukraine. "According to the information we have, two organizations in Ukraine have specific instructions to create a so-called dirty bomb. This work is in its final stage," Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov said on October 24. Later the same day, the chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, spoke by phone with British Chief of Defense Staff Tony Radakin, who rejected Russia's allegations that Ukraine is planning actions to escalate the conflict. "The military leaders both agreed on the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the U.K. and Russia to manage the risk of miscalculation and to facilitate de-escalation," the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Gerasimov also held a phone call with his U.S. counterpart, General Mark Milley, to discuss the risks of the use of a dirty bomb in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin-controlled RIA Novosti news agency. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg weighed in on Moscow's repeated allegation on October 24 , saying NATO also rejects it. Stoltenberg said he had spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace "about Russia's false claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory." "NATO Allies reject this allegation. Russia must not use it as a pretext for escalation. We remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine," he said on Twitter. Moscow's claims that Ukraine could employ a dirty bomb raised concern that Russia could use such a device and blame Kyiv. A senior U.S. military official said the United States has seen no indication that Russia has decided to use nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons in Ukraine, including a dirty bomb. The official, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, also said the Ukrainians are not building a dirty bomb. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price also said the United States has not seen any indication that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon but said there would be consequences for Russia whether it used a dirty bomb or any other nuclear weapon. "It would certainly be another example of [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin's brutality, if he were to use a so called 'dirty bomb.' There would be consequences for Russia whether it uses a 'dirty bomb' or a nuclear bomb. We've been very clear about that," Price told reporters. He did not provide details about those consequences. Ukraine earlier called the accusation that Kyiv was building a dirty bomb absurd, and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog accepted his request to send experts to Ukraine to refute Moscow's claim. Kuleba said he invited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to "urgently send experts to peaceful facilities in Ukraine which Russia deceitfully claims to be developing a dirty bomb." Kuleba said Ukraine has always been transparent and has "nothing to hide." The IAEA said later on October 24 that it was preparing to send inspectors to two Ukrainian sites. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi confirmed in a statement that both locations are under IAEA safeguards and have been visited regularly by the agency's inspectors. The IAEA "is aware of statements made by the Russian Federation on [October 23] about alleged activities at two nuclear locations in Ukraine," Grossi said, adding that both were already subject to its inspections and one was inspected a month ago and no undeclared nuclear activities or material were found. "The IAEA is preparing to visit the locations in the coming days," it added. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Kuleba in a phone call on October 23 that the world would "see through any attempt by Russia to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation [of the war]." Blinken and Kuleba discussed the U.S. and international commitment to continue supporting Ukraine with "unprecedented security, economic and humanitarian assistance for as long as it takes, as we hold Russia accountable," the State Department's call readout said. They further noted ongoing efforts to manage the broader implications of the Kremlins war in Ukraine, it added. With reporting by AFP Iran and India have signed an agreement to develop the Iranian port of Chabahar. Speaking in Tehran on May 23, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deal as "an important milestone" that will help boost economic growth in the region. Modi said India would invest $500 million to develop Chabahar in southeast Iran, adding that his country would build and operate the port. Iranian President Hassan Rohani said the project could "turn into a very big symbol of cooperation" between the two countries. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also flew in to Tehran on May 23 for the signing of a trilateral agreement between Tehran, New Delhi, and Kabul to turn Chabahar into a transit hub between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan. Modi and Rohani also witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements in the fields of aerospace, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and counterterrorism. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Iran has denied reports claiming that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur had traveled to Iran before being killed in a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan. Pakistani security officials had said that Mansur had returned from a trip to Iran when his vehicle came under attack in the southwestern province of Balochistan on May 21. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on May 22 that a passport found at the site of the attack carried "a valid Iranian visa." The statement said the purported passport holder, identified as Wali Muhammad, an apparent pseudonym used by Mansur, was believed to have returned to Pakistan from Iran on May 21. Speaking on May 23, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari denied that Mansur was in Iran before the attack. "Iranian authorities deny that such a person had entered Pakistan from the Iranian border," he was quoted as saying by the official government news agency IRNA. Tehran has in the past denied sending arms to the Taliban. Based on reporting by AFP, IRNA and Reuters Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has announced the launch of military operations to retake Fallujah from Islamic State (IS) militants. In a televised address late on May 22, Abadi said Iraqi forces were "approaching a moment of great victory" against the militants. Fallujah is about 65 kilometers west of Baghdad. Iraqi officials later said ground fighting was taking place around the IS-controlled town of Garma, east of Fallujah. The announcements follows territorial gains elsewhere by Iraqi ground troops against IS, most recently the capture of the western town of Rutba, located 380 kilometers west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar Province. IS still controls significant patches of Iraqi territory in the country's north and west including the country's second-largest city, Mosul. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has announced the launch of military operations to retake Fallujah from Islamic State militants. In a televised address late on May 22, Abadi said Iraqi forces are "approaching a moment of great victory" against Islamic State. Fallujah is about 65 kilometers west of Baghdad. He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A U.S.-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighboring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support. Fallujah, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim militants, 50 kilometers west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to Islamic State in January 2014. The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Fallujah since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months. Families who cannot flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city, the military's media unit said in a statement on state television. Deputy District Council Chairman Falih al-Essawi said three corridors would be opened for civilians to camps west, southwest and southeast of the city. Essawi told local media on May 22 that more than 75,000 civilians remained in Fallujah. About 300,000 people lived in the Euphrates River city before the war. Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for Abadi, said the city's "liberation" would help restore normal life to Anbar province, over which Islamic State took nearly complete control in 2014. The announcements follows territorial gains elsewhere by Iraqi ground troops against IS, most recently the capture of the western town of Rutba, located 380 kilometers west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar Province. IS still controls significant patches of Iraqi territory in the country's north and west including the country's second largest city of Mosul. With reporting by AP and Reuters A prominent Kazakh journalist Guzyal Baidalinova has been sentenced to 18 months in jail on libel charges. The Almaly district court on May 23 found Baidalinova guilty of publishing false information about one of Kazakhstan's largest banks, Kazkommertsbank. She was sentenced the same day. Baidalinova, 48, the owner and editor of the Nakanune.kz online news portal, went on trial on May 5. She pleaded partially guilty, asking the court not to jail her. She was arrested in December after Kazkommertsbank filed a lawsuit against her, accusing her of publishing a series of reports with false data intending to damage the financial institution's reputation. Nakanune.kz is known for its independence and critical reporting on local authorities. Baidalinova's co-defendant, businessman Tair Qaldybaev, was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in jail on the same charges. President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to travel to Greece this week -- his first official trip to the European Union in nearly a year. The Kremlin said on May 23 that Putin will meet President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during the May 27-28 visit to discuss economic ties as well as energy and transport projects. The Russian president, whose country is under Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, was last an EU member state in June when he visited Italy. Tsipras visited Moscow for talks with Putin twice last year, while Pavlopoulos visited the Russian capital in January. Based on reporting by TASS and AFP SAN FRANCISCOPetite new starlet Charlotte Sartre is featured in the new DVD, Hookup Hotshot: Slobber Damage, which releases today from Evil Angel and Hotshot Productions. Directed by Bryan Gozzling, the DVD also features Gia Paige, Lacey Noir, Sydney Cole, and Gozzling himself. According to the company's description, Charlotte has been flirting with Bryan online and finally meets him for a date. When she gets to Bryan's place, the date quickly starts with Charlotte being dominated by Bryan. The scene is also available for viewing on EvilAngel.com. Charlotte commented about her scene, saying, "Working with Bryan Gozzling (more commonly called Daddy) was an awesome experience. He fucked my ass really good and poured a whole bottle of coconut oil into my butthole. Also he was really sweet and dressed me really cute." Bryan Gozzling added, "Charlotte is an amazing girl with an amazing asshole. We only went out on one date, but she made a lasting impression on my dick." Charlotte has also updated her ManyVids store with two new lesbian clips with her friend, American Cassidy. There will also be more clips with American Cassidy added early this week. Charlotte is self booking and available for content shoots and more; she can be contacted for booking by email [email protected]. Fans may follow Charlotte on Twitter and Instagram. Fans can purchase a gift from her wishlist, and visit her official website, CharlotteSartre.com or catch a MFC webcam show. Charlotte is also on FreeOnes. Russian warplanes are reported to have carried out heavy air strikes on a key road leading to rebel-held areas of Aleppo, Syrias biggest city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the air strikes on May 22 targeted Castello road, which was still open but dangerous. Defense officials from Syria's government and its ally Russia could not immediately be reached for comment. Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman said the raids had been happening for a week. "This is more intense than the last days," he added. The city of Aleppo, about 50 kilometers south of the Turkish border, is divided between the government and rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A truce was brokered by the United States and Russia in February. But the agreement has since unraveled, with fighting and bombardment in Aleppo playing a big part in its collapse. A Russian defense Ministry statement issued on May 21 accused insurgents of firing missiles at nearby areas, identifying them as members of the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which was not included in the truce. Rebels fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army say Nusra has little or no presence in Aleppo city. Mainstream Syrian rebel groups said on May 22 they would no longer abide by the UN truce deal unless the Syrian army ended a major assault on their positions in the suburbs of Damascus within 48 hours. A statement by the Free Syrian Armysigned by nearly 40 rebel groups said they would deem the cessation of hostilities deal as having "totally collapsed" if the assault by Syrian government and allied Lebanese Hizballah forces fighters did not cease within two days. In their joint statement, the rebels said the continued attacks by the army on the besieged rebel-held areas around Damascus and their strongholds in Aleppo city and Idlib Province were putting peace-making efforts at risk. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Russian authorities have arrested two Tajiks suspected of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria. The Investigative Committee's directorate in St. Petersburg said on May 23 that a local court had sent the suspects to pretrial detention for two months. The two men were detained last week after police found religious literature and other materials that the suspects allegedly used to recruit fighters for the IS group. In recent months, several men and women have been detained or jailed in Russia and former Soviet republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia for recruiting militants for Islamist groups operating in the Middle East. Russian officials have said at least 5,000 Russians and citizens of other former Soviet republics have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the IS group there. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Tajik election authorities say voters have approved constitutional amendments allowing President Emomali Rahmon to strengthen his grip on power. Citing preliminary results of the May 22 referendum, the Central Election Commission says the 41 proposed amendments to the constitution won the support of 94.5 percent of voters. Turnout was 92 percent. The amendments include eliminating the term limit for Rahmon and lowering the age of eligibility to become president from 35 to 30 -- a change that could position Rahmon's 29-year-old son, Rustam Emomali, for an early succession. They also included a ban on forming parties based on religion. Rahmon has ruled Tajikistan for close to a quarter of a century, showing what critics say is an increased disregard for religious freedoms, civil society, and political pluralism in recent years. Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS ON MY MIND There are lies. There are damn lies. And then there is Russia television. Le Petit Journal, a satirical French current affairs program hosted by Yann Barthes, has picked apart a May 15 report on Russian state television about the fears Paris residents allegedly have of migrants. Le Petit Journal re-interviewed each person that Russian television spoke to and showed that their comments had been either fabricated or taken completely out of context. A subtitled version is now burning up Russian social media. But here's the thing. What Le Petit Journal just did could probably be done every single day. Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov just got caught using a fake Nazi ID on a recent broadcast accusing pro-European activists in Ukraine of being Nazi sympathizers. The Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom tweeted a photo they claimed showed Syrian rebels receiving chemical weapons. It turned out the photo was from a video game called Command and Conquer. And I could go on and on. Problem is, no matter how much debunking gets done, the Kremlin keeps throwing out lies -- and many of them stick. IN THE NEWS MH17 victims have filed a lawsuit against Russia and Vladimir Putin and are seeking $7.2 million (10 million Australian dollars) for each of the victims. A French television station has exposed the fabrications in a recent broadcast by Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov. Russian warplanes have bombed the road leading to rebel-held areas of Aleppo. More than one hundred miners were trapped in a mine in the Krasnoyarsk region after a wall collapsed. POWER VERTICAL BRIEFING On this week's Power Vertical Briefing, I discuss the MH17 lawsuit and a French television station's take-down of chief Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov with Pavel Butorin, managing editor of RFE/RL's Russian-language television program Current Time. POWER VERTICAL PODCAST In case you missed the latest Power Vertical Podcast, Spooks and Crooks, a discussion about Russia's security services with Mark Galeotti and Edward Lucas, it's not too late to give it a listen. WHAT I'M READING Mobilizing The Masses Andrew Monaghan has a new report out for Chatham House, Russian State Mobilization: Moving The Country Onto A War Footing. "The term mobilizatsiya 'mobilization' features increasingly prominently in the Russian policy discussion. It describes a coordinated attempt on the part of the state to address an array of evolving security threats in both narrow and broad senses to Russia. In part, this reflects a widespread debate about the looming possibility, perhaps even inevitability, of war," Monaghan writes. State-Sponsored Vigilantism Novaya Gazeta's political editor Kirill Martinov writes that due to the rise in state-sanctioned vigilantism, Russia is losing one of the key attributes of statehood - a monopoly on force. "We are moving toward a system of vassal dependencies," Martinov writes. "You can only hope for physical security only if you are loyal to an influential lord. Otherwise, you can be declared an enemy and the force used against you will be considered completely acceptable. Veteran Kremlin-watcher Paul Goble has reviewed Martinov's article on his blog. Extremism Is In The Eye Of The Beholder Vestnik Civitas notes that actual incidents of extremism are decreasing in Russia, but prosecutions for "extremism" are on the rise. Oysters And RBC Mikhail Khodorkovsky's Open Wall looks at the story about oysters that many believe brought RBC down. "Who would have thought that a story about oysters would have brought down a billionaire, his independent media group, and ignited a flurry of outrage in the Western papers about yet another attack by the Putin regime on a free press. Mikhail Prokhorovs RBC media empire is certainly being emasculated, but what about the oysters that caused the upset?" Open Wall writes. Prokhorov's Quest Ilya Zhegulev has a meaty feature for Meduza on Mikhail Prokhorov's failed efforts to remake Russian media and politics. "It has been exactly eight years since Prokhorov last experienced a drastic change in his professional life, when he divided his assets with Vladimir Potanin, a former business partner, and plunged into politics and news reporting," Zhegulev writes. "By 2016, all Prokhorov's political projects have ended. As for his news enterprises, their destiny remains unclear." Diaspora Putinists Euromaidan Press takes a look at Putinists among Russia's diaspora in the West. The Crisis Of The West Writing in The American Interest, Damir Marusic looks at the crisis the West's politics are enduring, and Russia's role in it. "Weve made no secret here at The American Interest that we believe Russia to be serious threat to the U.S.-led world order," Marusic writes. "We have pointed out time and again when we've thought weak or short-sighted leadership, coming from both Brussels and Washington, has played into Putin's opportunistic hands. "And were not about to dismiss the effects that Russian money and messaging is having on the margins of European politics. "Marine Le Pens Front National did indeed receive generous financing for its campaigns in 2014, and there are indications that various other parties across the continent are getting similar (if much smaller) bundles of aid. But at the same time, its would be a big mistake to overstate the case." 1 Snezhana and Pasha: Pasha has a rare disorder which will cost him his ability to walk, talk, and finally to breathe. The metabolic disorder is called mucopolysaccharidosis and there are only 2,000 people suffering from the disease around the world. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.Doc Johnson has signed on to sponsor a nationwide screening tour of director Nicholas Tanas documentary Sticky: A (Self) Love Story, which tackles the stigma surrounding the topic of masturbation. Sticky has already received rave reviews from top-tier publications like Newsweek, Salon, The Daily Beast, and The Boston Globe. This partnership is a natural fit for both of us, said Doc Johnsons Chief Creative Officer and COO Chad Braverman. Stickys focus on opening the lines of communication about a fundamental aspect of human sexuality is right in line with Doc Johnsons mission. Doc Johnson has been an early supporter of the filmwe hosted the director, Nicholas Tana, on our radio show several months backand we will continue to support the film as it gains even more traction through this national tour. The Sticky: A (Self) Love Story tour will include screening events, Q&As, surprise guests, and gift bags featuring an assortment of Doc Johnson pleasure products. To view upcoming tour dates, visit StickyTheMovie.com. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. A county utilities vehicle was backing out of the general services area at the school when a man carrying a 4-year-old child walked behind the vehicle, Chesterfield police said. The vehicle backed into the man and the child, knocking them down. Crystal Agnor took to social media Wednesday to express her excitement about the pending return of her husband, a member of the Army. "Today has been great," she said in a post. "My handsome hubby is on his way home." Two days later, Agnor became a widow. Her husband, 20-year-old Austen Tyler Agnor, was gunned down at a gas station in Stafford County. The slaying suspect, 27-year-old Corey Andrew Terry of Richmond, is the biological father of Crystal Agnor's 2-year-old daughter, police said. Terry is charged with first-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. According to Stafford Sheriff's spokeswoman M.C. Morris Moncure, Terry and Crystal Agnor were meeting in Stafford Friday evening for a court-ordered child custody exchange. Terry was supposed to get his daughter for the weekend. Since Crystal Agnor recently moved to southern Maryland, they chose the Exxon station on Courthouse Road near the Sheriff's Office as a central meeting location. Agnor was accompanied by her husband, and Terry was driven to Stafford by a friend. Police have not said what went wrong during the exchange, but at 7:15 p.m. about a half dozen shots were fired into Austen Agnor's vehicle, striking him multiple times. A Stafford emergency worker who happened to be in the area gave immediate aid, but the life-saving efforts were not successful and Agnor was pronounced dead at Stafford Hospital a short time later. Austen Agnor married his wife and completed boot camp last year. Stafford Sheriff David Decatur said witnesses saw the suspect run across Courthouse Road onto the ramp leading to southbound Interstate 95 before disappearing into the woods. A massive search involving Stafford deputies and several outside agencies ensued, and about 90 minutes later a state trooper noticed a running car with its window partially down at Airport Auto Sales at the intersection of U.S. 1 and American Legion Road. The trooper went to investigate and found Terry on the property behind a boat. He was taken into custody without further incident. Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly filed a lawsuit Monday in the Supreme Court of Virginia challenging Gov. Terry McAuliffes authority to order a mass restoration of rights April 22, covering more than 200,000 felons who served their time. The lawsuit, led by Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford, and Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, argues that McAuliffe exceeded his executive authority under the state constitution when he issued the order. The Constitution of Virginia forbids this unprecedented assertion of executive authority, the filing states. Governor McAuliffes executive order defies the plain text of the Constitution, flouts the separation of powers, and has no precedent in the annals of Virginia history. The governor simply may not, with a stroke of the pen, unilaterally suspend and amend the Constitution. The suit filed against the governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson and members of the State Board of Elections and Department of Elections petitions the states highest court to stop implementation of the order and any subsequent mass rights restoration actions taken by the governor. It says the state constitution allows a governor to restore rights only on an individual basis. It argues that McAuliffes order also violates the separation of powers, illegally amends the state constitution and potentially dilutes otherwise legitimate votes by permitting unqualified voters potentially to cast ballots. McAuliffes push for a mass restoration of rights outraged Republicans especially in a presidential election year in which the governors close friend and fellow Democrat, Hillary Clinton, is seeking a victory in battleground state Virginia to boost her bid for the White House. In a statement, McAuliffe asserted that he has authority under the constitution to take action. He blasted Republicans, saying they are attempting to preserve a policy of disenfranchisement that has been used intentionally to suppress the voices of qualified voters, particularly African-Americans, for more than a century. These individuals have served their time and are now living, raising families and paying taxes in our communities this suit is an effort to continue to treat them as second-class citizens, he said. McAuliffe added that this legal action would also take Virginia out of the overwhelming majority of states that restore the rights of people who have served their time and completed supervised release. *** McAuliffes order, just days after the General Assembly wrapped up the 2016 legislative session, has the potential to expand the states voter rolls by up to 3.8 percent. Chuck Cooper, the attorney for Republicans filing the suit, said the plaintiffs are making a direct appeal to the states highest court because time is of the essence. ... The governor issued the order in time for thousands and thousands of felons to register and ultimately vote in November elections, but that isnt enough time to litigate a case in the normal course of the trial courts of the commonwealth. In a statement, Howell, who has clashed frequently with McAuliffe during his term over Medicaid expansion, gun control and most recently judicial selection for the Supreme Court, said legislators simply cannot ignore this unprecedented executive overreach. Howell pointed to statistics that estimate 40,000 of the 206,000 felons due to be affected by the order are former violent felons. He criticized the unintended consequences of the order that he said would allow violent felons to be eligible for jury service and have a simpler path to gun rights. Beyond being bad policy, the governors order is unconstitutional, Howell told reporters in a conference call. Norment said McAuliffe has willfully ignored constitutional limitations on his power, demonstrating his complete and total disregard for the commonwealth, the people of Virginia and the principles of representative government. Calling the governors action constitutionally outrageous, Norment said the governor did not think about the unintended consequences of the order, saying his partisan pandering tongue got ahead of a more thoughtful analysis of the implications of his order. Building on the efforts of former Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican, to accelerate the rights restoration process, McAuliffe has made rights restoration for felons who have served their time a priority of his administration. He had restored rights to more than 18,000 felons before the blanket order. Since taking office in January 2014, McAuliffe has taken steps to streamline the process further and relax restrictions placed by the state on ex-offenders to be able to vote, serve on a jury, become a notary public or run for office once their sentences have been completed. The administration reduced the application to one page from 13. It reduced from five years to three years the time period in which a felon must wait after they had completed their sentence to apply for reinstatement. The current administration also had removed drug offenses from the list of violent felonies not eligible for restoration and said rights can be restored even if a felon has not completed payment of court fees and restitution. The governors April 22 order applied to all violent and nonviolent felons who have completed all phases of their sentences and supervised release even those who have not applied for a restoration of rights. That is a departure from past policies in which governors restored rights on an individual basis. Virginia is one of 10 states that do not automatically restore rights upon completion of a felony sentence. It is one of four states that require an application by the ex-offender and action by the governor, according to the McAuliffe administration. The administration cited research showing one of five African-Americans of voting age in Virginia has lost the right to vote. *** Howell and Norment, who are joined in the suit by four Virginians from across the state, said the Virginia Constitution prohibits mass restoration of rights and that legal precedent supports their argument. A plain reading of the constitution, 240 years of practice and precedent-setting Virginia Supreme Court cases lead to the unambiguous conclusion that the governors order is unconstitutional and cannot stand, Howell said. Previous governors have said they thought a wholesale restoration of rights would require a change to the constitution, but recent governors have found ways to accelerate and accomplish part of the goal through executive authority. Then-Gov. Mark R. Warner, a Democrat, took steps to simplify the process, which previously could take years to initiate and months to complete. Then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, also a Democrat, shortened the waiting period for those released from prison before applying for a restoration of rights. McDonnell made prisoner re-entry and rehabilitation a priority of his administration. He reduced the processing time of restoration applications. He also automatically restored rights on an individual basis to nonviolent felons who had completed their sentences and probations and paid their court costs and fines, resulting in restoring the rights of more than 6,800 Virginians. At the time he issued the order, McAuliffe said he consulted with Attorney General Mark R. Herring and A.E. Dick Howard, principal author of the current constitution implemented in 1971. Howard is a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law. In an interview, Howard said unequivocally that McAuliffe has the authority to restore rights for an entire class of people rather than as individuals. He also spoke of the historic significance of the occasion in relation to Virginias 1901-02 constitutional convention, which set up poll taxes, literacy tests and disenfranchisement for felons as barriers for African-American participation in voting. Democrats ran the state government when that version of the constitution was implemented in 1902. LYNCHBURG, Va. A Lynchburg General District Court judge certified charges Monday against two Lynchburg siblings who were the subjects of an arrest incident caught on video earlier this year. The Lynchburg Police Department has said Xavier Shayvon Crute, 26, and his sister Laticia Shauneice Crute, 28, both were charged with misdemeanor resisting arrest and obstruction of justice in connection with the March 5 incident outside their home at 1148 Stratford Road. Xavier Crute also was charged with two counts of felony assault on a law enforcement officer. Xavier Crutes arrest was filmed by his sister on a video titled Another Day In Lynchburg, Va that went viral after the incident. In the video, Xavier Crute is seen struggling with police officers L. M. Hughes and J. D. Gifford while they try to arrest him. As of Monday, the video had been viewed more than 99,000 times on Xavier Crutes Facebook page and more than 6,000 times on YouTube. In a preliminary hearing Monday morning, Lynchburg Commonwealth Attorney Michael Doucette moved to drop the resisting arrest charges because he said the defendants did not flee police, as the code requires. In his testimony, Gifford said he and Hughes were dispatched to the house in reference to a domestic issue. When he arrived, he said he heard a female inside the house screaming from the top of her lungs. He said Xavier Crute was outside the house and would not let him in to check on the woman, demanding Gifford needed a search warrant. Gifford said he asked Xavier Crute to have the woman come outside, to which he said Xavier Crute responded the woman was in no condition to speak to me. Xavier Crute tried to go back into the house, and a physical struggle ensued. During the 90-second scuffle, Hughes said Xavier Crute punched him in the lip and bit his finger, leaving puncture marks. At one point, Gifford said, Laticia Crute pulled her brother back into the house, which was why she was charged with obstruction of justice. I told her multiple times that she needed to back up, Gifford said. Mark Arthur, Laticia Crutes attorney, argued his clients actions didnt change the momentum of Xavier Crutes motion, which does not constitute an obstruction of justice. Doucette disagreed, saying, The force is going in and grabbing him. Judge Stephanie Maddox agreed and certified the all charges against both defendants, except for the resisting arrest charges. I think her involvement does change whats going on, she said. A date is not set for the defendants appearances in Lynchburg Circuit Court. The FBI is investigating Gov. Terry McAuliffe over donations to his 2013 gubernatorial campaign. According to CNN, the governor is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the FBI and prosecutors from the public integrity unit of the Justice Department. The report of the investigation comes less than six months before the presidential election in which McAuliffe hopes to help his friend, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, carry Virginia, a key swing state. It also comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is preparing its ruling on former Gov. Bob McDonnells appeal of his 2014 corruption convictions. There is no indication that the investigation of McAuliffe is focusing on his term as governor. Spokespeople for the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the FBI would not comment on the report. McAuliffes office referred questions to Marc Elias, partner in the Washington law firm of Perkins Coie, who was the lawyer for McAuliffes 2013 campaign. We cannot confirm the CNN report, Elias said in a statement. Neither the governor nor his former campaign has knowledge of this matter, but as reported, contributions to the campaign from Mr. Wang were completely lawful. The governor will certainly cooperate with the government if he is contacted about it. CNN reported that the probe has focused, in part, on McAuliffes campaign donations, including $120,000 from Wang Wenliang, a Chinese businessman, through his U.S. businesses. West Legend Corp., a New Jersey-based building materials supplier, is an affiliate of Wangs Chinese business, Rilin Enterprises. West Legend donated a total of $120,000 to McAuliffe in 2013, in campaign contributions of $10,000 on March 27 and $60,000 on Sept. 9, plus a $50,000 contribution to his inaugural fund on Nov. 21, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in state politics. CNN reported that investigators also have looked at McAuliffes tenure as a board member of the Clinton Global Initiative, an initiative of the Clinton Foundation. The Clinton Foundation, a charitable organization, has come under scrutiny from news organizations, and criticism from the Clintons opponents, for its acceptance of millions in donations from foreign governments. CBS has reported that in 2013 Wangs Rilin Enterprises pledged $2 million to the Clinton Foundation and that Wang is a delegate to the Chinese parliament. As for the investigation of McAuliffe, the Republican Party of Virginia said in a tweet that For Virginias sake, hope there is nothing to it. Quentin Kidd, an analyst at Christopher Newport University, noted that the report follows the conviction of McDonnell, a Republican and McAuliffes predecessor, on corruption charges. He tweeted: Still early, but having two governors in a row under fed investigation says something very bad about VAs political culture. In September 2014, a federal jury in Richmond convicted McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, on corruption charges stemming from their acceptance of more than $177,000 in gifts and loans from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., then-CEO of Star Scientific, in exchange for promoting the companys dietary supplement, Anatabloc. Last month, McDonnells case reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices expressed concern about giving unbridled power to prosecutors probing corruption. The scope of the McAuliffe investigation was unclear Monday. McAuliffe has a long history of mixing politics with personal business interests and sparking controversy along the way. Before he was elected governor in 2013, McAuliffe made millions as an investor and raised millions for Democrats. During the 2013 campaign for governor, Republicans highlighted his role in a controversy over an immigrant investor program to fund GreenTech, the electric car company in Mississippi that he co-founded. Republicans noted McAuliffes efforts to obtain EB-5 visas by using a financing company run by Hillary Clintons brother. McAuliffe stepped down as GreenTechs chairman in December 2012. Common Cause said in a statement Monday that the report that McAuliffe is under investigation underscores the need for campaign finance reform in Virginia. Like everyone who is the subject of a criminal investigation, Gov. McAuliffe carries the presumption of innocence, said Karen Hobert Flynn, the organizations senior vice president for strategy and programs. That said, we saw in the case of former Gov. Bob McDonnell how Virginias anything-goes gift and campaign finance laws practically invite corruption. As they prepare to choose a new governor in 2017, Virginians should insist that candidates make campaign finance reform including limits on contributions from individuals and political committees, a ban on direct donations by corporations and unions and adoption of a small-dollar, donor-based public financing system their top priority. Its too early to know the legal ramifications for McAuliffe, said attorney Charles E. James Jr., a former federal prosecutor and chief deputy Virginia attorney general, who is now a partner at Williams Mullen. We dont know enough to determine whether there is legal exposure, he said But there will be some political fallout in the short term. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday unanimously dismissed a Republican appeal of Virginias new congressional districts, which means that the 4th District officially will add Richmond and Petersburg and become more favorable to Democrats. A three-judge panel redrew the map, substantially altering the 4th District, in order to fix constitutional flaws with the 3rd District, represented by Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, D-3rd. The panel had twice found that Republicans in the Virginia legislature packed too many additional African-Americans into the 3rd District, diluting minority voters influence in surrounding districts. The Supreme Court held on Monday that the Republicans in Virginias congressional delegation lacked the legal standing to pursue the appeal because they could not demonstrate an injury. Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, is leaving the reconfigured 4th District in order to run for Congress in the 2nd District, where Rep. Scott Rigell is not seeking re-election. Given this change, this court does not see how any injury that Forbes might have suffered is likely to be redressed by a favorable judicial decision, Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote for the unanimous court. Regardless of whether Forbes had standing at the time he first intervened in the case, he does not have standing now. Breyer wrote that Reps. Robert J. Wittman, R-1st and Dave Brat, R-7th, whose districts undergo lesser alterations than the 4th, have not identified any record evidence to support their allegation that the redistricting plan has harmed their prospects of re-election. Forbes move to run in the 2nd District indicated that he anticipated the ruling. He is vying with Del. Scott Taylor, R-Virginia Beach, and attorney Pat Cardwell for the Republican nomination in the 2nd. In the 4th District, Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, and Chesapeake City Councilwoman Ella Ward are seeking the Democratic nomination in a June primary. Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade and Jackee Gonzalez of Chesterfield, who has been a grass-roots coordinator for the Family Foundation of Virginia, are seeking the Republican nomination. This is a victory for the people of Virginia who deserve to have their votes count and to have a real opportunity to choose their representatives, McEachin said in a statement. It is also a victory because it is ridiculous to think that a congressman or any elected official has standing to bring a suit because he or she thinks he has a right to victory. The right to choose their elected officials belongs to the people and that is the most critical conclusion of this case. Virginia Republicans now hold eight of the 11 seats in Virginias U.S. House delegation. Last September, lawyers for Virginias Republican congressmen offered two narrowly drawn proposals meant to correct the violation in the 3rd District while deferring to the legislatures choices in redistricting. They said their proposals followed the states policies to the greatest practicable extent on the criteria that the legislature deemed most important: incumbency protection, and preserving the cores of districts to maintain the 8-3 partisan split. On Jan. 7 the three-judge panel imposed the new congressional districts that candidates are running in this fall. The new map alters only the 3rd District and four that abut it, all represented by Republicans: the 4th; the 7th, the 1st and the 2nd. Scotts 3rd District, which meandered from the Richmond area to Newport News, will now be centered in Hampton Roads. Richmond and Petersburg move from the 3rd into Forbes 4th District, changing its politics significantly. In the 4ths previous configuration, President Barack Obama received 48.8 percent of the vote in 2012. The president received 60.9 percent of the vote in the new 4th District the judges imposed. The new 7th still profiles as a Republican district, but Brat, a former Randolph-Macon College professor, loses Hanover County a key base of his support. Brat also loses New Kent County to Wittmans 1st District. The 7th District picks up Powhatan, Amelia and Nottoway counties from the old 4th. The new map lowers the black voting age population in the 3rd District from 56.3 percent to 45.3 percent. It raises the black voting age population in the 4th District now represented by Forbes from 31.3 percent to 40.9 percent. The 7th District GOP convention, which met Saturday at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, officially nominated Brat to seek a second term in Congress. Eileen Bedell, a lawyer, has filed paperwork to run for Congress as a Democrat in the 7th District. CREERY, Vickie Roberts, 59, peacefully passed away on May 20, 2016, in Mechanicsville, Va. She was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Almond Carter; stepfather, Richard Knight Carter; sister, Cathy Anderson; and stepbrother, Richard "Two" Carter. She is survived by her loving husband of 40 years, Mark Andrew Creery Sr.; her children, Mark Andrew Creery Jr. and Christine Creery; her sister, Patsy Roberts McCabe; her brother, Steve Jackson; and stepsister, Robin Carter Ramirez. She is also survived by her grandchildren. Mason Creery, Aiden Creery, Oliver Tran and Marshall Tran; and more family and loved ones than could ever be captured in this brief of a format (although she would have tried). She was born on January 12, 1957 in Richmond, Va. She had a 34 year-long career at Data Directions, Inc. as the Office Manager of the family business run by she and her husband, Mark, in Richmond, Va. She also had a wildly successful career as a mother for 38 years, and Granny for 14 years, for which she was eternally proud. Vickie, Vick, Tickie, Mom, Granny and perhaps some other names that she wouldn't want in the paper, was the life of the party. Her happiest moments were those spent with family and friends, helping, talking and celebrating. Always a cheerleader, she was at every play, school concert, dance recital, sporting event, graduation, marriage, birthday, holiday, grandparent's day and pancake breakfast. She ate those cold pancakes with a smile and told us all they were the most delicious thing she had ever had. Vickie loved to travel, whether it was to relax on the beach with her family, a European adventure, or visiting her favorite getaway at the Atlantis, where I am pretty sure there is a Let It Ride table named after her. Most importantly, she shared her experiences with others. She either invited you along so you didn't miss a single second, planned her trips specifically to spend them with family and friends, far and wide, or recapped every moment so it was like you were with her all along. Vickie was generous. She freely offered her time, resources, conversation, happiness and love to anyone and everyone who was lucky enough to receive it. You always knew a gift was from Vickie, it was the biggest box in the bunch, with the biggest bow and was the most impractical thing you could ever imagine. But it was your favorite. And she was ours. Services will be held at Bennett Funeral Home, in Mechanicsville, at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. In lieu of flowers, we would ask that you donate time or funds to a cause of your choice. If that cause is your family, hug them tight, love them deeply, laugh with them often and live every day like it's the best party you've ever been to, just like Vickie would. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search On Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Roanoke Countys Explore Park will host the first of three Artisan Saturdays of 2016. This event is free and fun for all ages. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at milepost 115, the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center and Gift Shop will have local artisans on hand to demonstrate a number of uniquely different crafts and skills. The second annual Artisan Saturday will include artisan Jack Ferguson (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) of Appalachian Flutes and Dulcimers, who will be demonstrating the reproduction of musical instruments used by early Appalachian settlers. Carolyn Tyree Feagans, a Lynchburg author will be signing her new book "Ella" as well as her many other very popular books. Additional artisans will provide candle-making, gourd art, crocheting, constructing wooden lamps, plein-air painters, and pottery demonstrations, along with a stained glass childrens craft. Two new additions this year are Blue Ridge Vineyards with wine tastings and Succotash Fine Foods with yummy refreshments. Music will be provided by multi-instrumentalist, Tim Martin (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). His music varies from rock to country and blues to folk. Demonstrations and lessons will be given by the Blue Ridge Mountain Cloggers (noon to 2 p.m.) and will add to the creative and fun atmosphere of the day. Additional Artisan Saturdays are scheduled for Aug.13 and Nov. 5. Each Saturday may be a bit different; the day may also include different book signings, other live music performers, fresh baked goods, and informative presentations. Artisans from Southwest Virginia whose work reflects both creativity and quality craftsmanship will be available for questions during the demonstrations. To complement the demonstrations, their original pieces of work will be for sale. For more information on Artisan Saturdays, call 427-1800 or visit www.RoanokeCountyParks.com. Submitted by Wendi Schultz WASHINGTON Federal prosecutors are investigating campaign contributions to Gov. Terry McAuliffe and what they consider to be suspicious personal finances as part of a public integrity probe that has lasted for more than a year, according to two officials familiar with the inquiry. Justice Department officials would not confirm or deny the investigation. Many details, including what prompted it, remain unclear, and one official said there is skepticism among prosecutors about whether it will lead to charges. That official said investigators have been scrutinizing McAuliffes finances including personal bank records, tax returns and public disclosure forms that date back many years and are interested in foreign sources of income. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing and those who discuss it might face discipline. CNN first reported the probe and said that investigators were interested in a contribution to McAuliffe from a Chinese businessman, Wang Wenliang, through his U.S. businesses. A McAuliffe spokesman referred questions to lawyer Marc Elias, who said in a statement: We cannot confirm the CNN report. Neither the Governor nor his former campaign has knowledge of this matter, but as reported, contributions to the campaign from Mr. Wang were completely lawful. The Governor will certainly cooperate with the government if he is contacted about it. McAuliffe a Democrat and longtime ally of Bill and Hillary Clinton and a prolific fundraiser worked as an unpaid director for the Clinton Foundation until he was elected governor. The official said the inquiry includes McAuliffes time on the board. Neither the Clinton Foundation nor leading Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is a target of the probe. Wang is a donor to both McAuliffe and the foundation. West Legend Co., the New Jersey affiliate of Rilin Enterprises, a Chinese firm led by Wang, gave $120,000 to McAuliffes 2013 campaign and inauguration. His $2 million pledge to the foundation drew attention this year, first from CBS News and then other outlets, because of his connections to the Chinese government both as a member of the National Peoples Congress and as a contractor entrusted to build Chinas embassies. Wangs companies ship soybeans through Virginia ports. Wangs spokesman said Wang remains a Chinese citizen but lives in the United States legally. He said Wangs contribution was legal and properly disclosed. Campaign finance records show the contributions from West Legend. Foreign nationals are prohibited under federal law from making political contributions, except immigrants who hold green cards. A U.S. subsidiary of a foreign corporation cannot contribute campaign funds if it is financed in any way by its parent company or if individual foreign nationals are involved in the decision to make the donation. But Wang holds U.S. permanent resident status, which makes him eligible to donate to McAuliffes campaign. Clinton is separately wrestling with an investigation into her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. People familiar with that case have said it seems unlikely to produce criminal charges, though FBI agents are still investigating and hope to interview Clinton herself in the coming weeks. The McAuliffe probe is being conducted at least in part by the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Virginia, which last year won a conviction against former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, on public corruption charges. That case has made its way to the Supreme Court. McAuliffe is a wealthy man he earned $9.5 million and paid $2.7 million in taxes in 2012, according to a summary of his tax returns released by his gubernatorial campaign. He has dabbled in a variety of business ventures that were sometimes controversial. Federal investigators, for example, probed whether a company he founded known as GreenTech Automotive received preferential treatment from U.S. government officials. McAuliffe resigned as chairman of the company in 2012. Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University B-UMAT 2021 for admission to Graduate Degree Courses BBA/ BCA https://career.webindia123.com/career/dates_and_events/bharati-vidyapeeth-deemed-university-b-umat.htm Details of Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University B-UMAT 2021 for admission to Graduate Degree Courses BBA/ BCA 2021-4-11 2021-6-13 https://career.webindia123.com/career/images/exams.png India India Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University B-UMAT 2021 for admission to Graduate Degree Courses BBA/ BCA Management BVP BUMAT Notification 2021 Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University B-UMAT 2021 for admission to Graduate Degree Courses BBA/ BCA Category : Management Admissions 2022 Published : On April 11, 2021 By Webindia123 Editor Important Dates Last Date for submission of online application form 13th June 2021 Date of Entrance Test (BU-MAT 2021 20 June 2021 (10.00 am to 12.30 pm) Date of declaration of merit list 29th June 2021 after 5.00 p.m Counselling Date 12th July -14th July 2021 (Delhi) Commencement of Classes 19 July 2021 Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune conducts a B-UMAT 2021 for admission to Degree Programme BBA, BCA courses at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship Development, Pune (Intake BBA-240 & BCA-60) (Intake BBA-240 & BCA-60) Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Institute of Management Studies & Research, Navi Mumbai (Intake BBA -60 & BCA 60) Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Institute of Management & Research New Delhi Intake BBA-360 (Morning Shift-180+Afternoon Shift-80) & BCA-120 (Morning Shift -60+ Afternoon Shift -60) Intake BBA-360 (Morning Shift-180+Afternoon Shift-80) & BCA-120 (Morning Shift -60+ Afternoon Shift -60) Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Institute of Management, Kolhapur. (Intake BBA-210 & BCA-120) (Intake BBA-210 & BCA-120) Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Institute of Management and Rural Development, Administration, Sangli. (Intake BBA-60 & BCA-60) (Intake BBA-60 & BCA-60) Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Yashwantrao Mohite Institute of Management, Karad. (Intake BBA-90 & BCA-90) (Intake BBA-90 & BCA-90) Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Abhijit Kadam Institute of Management and Social Science, Solapur. (Intake BBA-60 & BCA-60) B-UMAT 2021 Eligibility : A candidate applying for the BBA/BCA Programme should have passed HSC (10+2) or equivalent examination from any statutory board situated in India. The candidates who have appeared at the qualifying examination are also eligible to apply provided they complete their examination including practical Examinations, viva / assignments on or before the day of admission to the institute of their choice. Such candidates will have to produce marks statement at the time of admission. The admission of student, will remain provisional until the other necessary certificates in original, are submitted to the institute. The candidate should be an Indian national. Selection A candidate desirous of seeking admission to BBA/BCA program should fulfill the minimum eligibility condition as laid in (2) above. He / she must have appeared for the BU-MAT [Written Test] conducted by Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pune at designated centers. The Candidate shall be offered admission on the basis of his/her rank in the final merit list and availability of the seats for a particular program at a particular Institute of the candidate's choice at the time of counseling and admission in the concerned Institute. Mere appearance in the entrance test and inclusion of name in the merit list does not confer any automatic rights to secure admission to the program offered by the institute. The selection and admission to the program is subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria. In the case of candidates securing equal aggregate marks their relative rank will be determined on the basis of following order of preference: a) When the total marks at the entrance test are the same, the candidates will be ranked according to their marks according to their percentage of marks scored at SSC or its equivalent examination. b) If equal, the candidates will be ranked on the basis of computerized random numbering. BUMAT Entrance Test The candidates shall be offered admission on the basis of his/her rank in the B-UMAT. The B-UMAT-2021 Test will be of in all, 200 marks. It will consist of 200 multiple choice questions of one mark each with four alternatives for each, with only one right/probable choice. There is no negative marking. The break-up of questions will be as follows: i) Test of Numerical Aptitude - 60 Questions (60 marks) ii) Test of Reasoning / Logical Aptitude - 60 Questions (60 marks) ii) Test of Verbal Ability - 60 Questions (60 marks) iv) Test of Reading Comprehension - 20 Questions (20 marks) Total - 200 Questions (200 marks) Test Centres The B-MAT 2021 Test will be held at Pune, New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Karad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Jaipur, Indore and Bhopal. Application Procedure A candidate desirous of appearing for the BU-MAT-2021 entrance test is required to complete the prescribed online application form and submit to the University along with entrance test fee. The application form is available online at : www.bvuniversity.edu.in More Details can be available from the institute website. Contact Details Address : Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development Erandawane, Pune - 411 038 Phone : 020-25448005, 25425517 Fax : 020-25459231 Mobile : - E-mail : Contact I Website : imed.bharatividyapeeth.edu Find it Useful ? Help Others by Sharing Online Comments and Discussions TATA Steel is expected to start the process of narrowing down the bidders to take over its UK operations including its plants in Rotherham this week. The deadline for interested parties to submit bids is today and the company said it is aiming to complete the sale by the end of June. It confirmed earlier this month it had seven expressions of interest in taking over the whole of Tatas British operation, at which 11,000 jobs were put at risk, including in Rotherham, when Tata announced plans to withdraw in March. The Government has pledged support for the business, taking a stake of up to 25 per cent to smooth the sale process. Steelworkers from across the country will stage a march in central London on Wednesday to keep up pressure on the Government and Tata to help save jobs at plants. AN arson attack at a derelict pub and vehicle fires kept the fire service busy over the weekend. A small fire was started deliberately at The Goldthorpe Pub, on Doncaster Road, on Sunday afternoon around 3.25pm. Two crews from Dearne and Rotherham station were at the scene for 30 minutes. There was also a fire at a home on Princes Crescent, Edlington, at 7.55pm on Saturday. Three engines attended the scene and all persons were accounted for, said a South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue spokeswoman, but no other information was available as yet on the cause of the blaze. Two cars accidentally caught fire the first was on Breck Lane, Dinnington on Friday at 8.20pm which was due to an electrical fault. The second was on Rotherham Road, Maltby at 12.25pm which was dealt with by Maltby station. But two cars were deliberately torched this morning the first was on Main Street in Goldthorpe at 12.40am. A crew from Dearne station found a Peugeot 207 set alight and brought the fire under control within 30 minutes. Rotherham station was called to the second vehicle fire, a Mitsubishi Space Wagon which was parked on Guild Road, East Dene at 3.20pm. Firefighters left the scene at 4pm. ROTHERHAMS three MPs have called for a public inquiry into the policing of the Battle of Orgreave and the miners strike. Sir Kevin Barron and Labour colleagues Sarah Champion and John Healey wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May on Friday to formally call for a public inquiry into the policing at Orgreave. Following the verdicts in the Hillsborough inquiry it is clear that justice can take decades to achieve, and we believe now is the time to pursue that for those who were involved in clashes with police at Orgreave, the MPs said. We believe that the incidents that took place at Orgreave and other pits must now be looked at by an independent body. The MPs said policing during the 1984-5 strike and the charges that followed the Battle of Orgreave, which were later dropped, led to serious divisions between communities and the police that still exist today. They concluded: We must get to the truth of what happened so we can finally start rebuilding relationships. Sir Kevin first called in May 1985 in the House of Commons for an inquiry into events at Orgreave the previous year. Lucapa Diamonds and its Angolan partners have sold a parcel of 1862 carats of Lulo diamonds for $2.1 million. This translates to an average price of $1,150 per carat. It said the parcel included individual diamonds weighing 60 carats, 35 carats and 21 carats. Meanwhile, Lucapa said it recovered diamonds weighing more than 10.8 carats from trial mining at the E46 alluvial terraces. It said alluvial diamond mining had also resumed at Block 6 following the end of the Angolan wet season where initial special recoveries included a 13 carat fancy yellow. This was one of the largest fancy-coloured gems recovered to date at Lulo. Lucapa also said that mining operations were also expected to resume at block during the June quarter. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Pope Emeritus says professor's remarks asserting document is incomplete 'Are pure inventions, absolutely untrue' Source: ZENIT (https://zenit.org) (ZENIT, Vatican City, May 23, 2016).- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has said he never told anyone that publication of the Third Secret of Fatima in the year 2000 was incomplete, and has confirmed the document was published in its entirety. This was expressed in a statement released by the Holy See Press Office Saturday in response to several articles on the secret. Several articles have appeared recently, including declarations attributed to Professor Ingo Dollinger according to which Cardinal Ratzinger, after the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima (which took place in June 2000), had confided to him that the publication was not complete, it notes. In this regard, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI declares never to have spoken with Professor Dollinger about Fatima, clearly affirming that the remarks attributed to Professor Dollinger on the matter are pure inventions, absolutely untrue, and he confirms decisively that the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima is complete, the statement concludes. In Portugal, between May and October 1917, three children in Portugal saw the apparition of the Blessed Mother six times. According to Sr. Lucia de Jesus Rosa Santos, one of the witnesses, on July 13, 1917, Mary entrusted the children with three secrets, which Sr. Lucia later wrote down and delivered to the Pope. The third secret was not revealed with the others, but, in the Jubilee Year of 2000, St. Pope John Paul II decided to release it. The World Diamond Council (WDC) today announced that Mr. Andrey Polyakov has assumed the elected position of President of the WDC. Mr. Polyakov served as Vice President of the WDC since 2015 and now succeeds Mr. Edward Asscher whose two-year term as President concluded on May 22, 2016.The WDC is a collective of members representing the entire international diamond industry supply chain, from mining through retail. The group represents the diamond industry in the development and implementation of regulatory and voluntary systems developed by the United Nations and the Kimberley Process to eradicate the trade of conflict diamonds.I am honored to have been elected by my peers to this important position, stated Mr. Polyakov. I look forward to working closely with the Board of Directors and the membership of the WDC, on behalf of our great industry, through the WDCs critical role of representing the industry at the Kimberley Process. I am confident that joint efforts and a willingness to dialogue among all parties will enable us to achieve success in strengthening our industrys reputation.The WDC represents the diamond industry at the UN-mandated Kimberley Process forum, the body created to eradicate conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate diamond supply chain. Conflict diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements on its members - diamond producing and trading countries - to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate trade.As the most senior executive officer of the WDC, Mr. Polyakovs role will be to continue the mission of the organization and to further protect the integrity and reputation of the Kimberley Process. His management and leadership approach is shaped by a belief in the responsible and ethical growth of the industry by reinstating the diamond as an emotional and uniquely symbolic brand.Mr. Polyakov added, The diamonds value and worth is measured in its symbolism. It invokes a sense of permanence, obligation, passion and loyalty. These are the same values that we as Council members bring to the task at hand and I look forward to upholding the integrity of these values as the steward for positive change during my term as President.Mr. Polyakov has earned a well-respected reputation from his 12-year tenure at ALROSA, the largest diamond producer in the world, and a member company of the WDC since 2000. Since January 2013 he has served as ALROSAs Vice President responsible for client policy and by international cooperation. He joined the firm in 2004, first being responsible for ALROSAs public communications policy, building up the company's image. In 2013, he led the informational support of the companys IPO. Later he started the work on the development of ALROSA international relations, strengthening the companys cooperation with industry organizations, and participating in the preparation for contract periods. Mr. Polyakov also acted as one of the initiators of the creation of the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), and is now a founding member of the DPA Board.Much was accomplished these past two years, including the passing of the first Strategic Plan in the history of the WDC, stated Mr. Asscher. The role of the WDC in defending and upholding the KP is invaluable to the industry. Im sure I speak for the full Board of Directors of the WDC when I say that we look forward to Andreys leadership and continuation of the progress made within the WDC and its enhanced engagement with the KP. Personally, I am looking forward to devoting all my time again to our 162-year-old family company, Royal Asscher Diamond Company, in Amsterdam.Mr. Polyakov thanked Mr. Asscher for his significant efforts on behalf of the WDC these past two years. "I want to thank Mr. Edward Asscher as the outgoing WDC President, for his hard work and dedication to the WDC and the Kimberley Process (KP). I highly appreciate his efforts in the development of our industry. Under Edwards leadership, the WDC made huge progress in enhancing and improving its role in supporting and developing the KP. Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister will discuss the possibility of selling state-owned stake in ALROSA on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with the company (TASS from Singapore) - The situation for the sale of 10.9 percent of state-owned block of shares in ALROSA is so far unfavorable, since there is not so much money in the market. This opinion was expressed by Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District in an interview to TASS on the results of his concluded Asian tour, during which he visited Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. "Of course, we are interested in how to get maximum money for ALROSA. However, you get maximum money on the backdrop of favorable current performance, favorable forecasts, as well as overall favorable situation in the market - if people and businesses have enough money. Right now the situation is not good on the third point. The first two points are good, but the last one is not because there is not so much extra money in the market," Yury Trutnev said. He noted that to get a maximum price for the company is not an easy task, as you need to keep track of how rough prices are changing and what is happening in the market. He stressed that he does not call to preserve the government-owned stake in ALROSA at the current level, but "we need to catch the most favorable conditions." As it was previously said by Alexey Ulyukayev, the head of the Ministry of Economic Development in an interview to the Russia 24 TV Channel, the state expects to receive more than 60 billion rubles from the sale of 10.9% shares in ALROSA. The shareholders of ALROSA include the Russian Federation - 44%, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) - 25%, Yakutias uluses (municipalities) - 8%, while 23% is the companys free float. ALROSA is engaged in the exploration, mining and sales of diamonds and has its operations in Yakutia and in the Arkhangelsk Region. In 2015, ALROSA produced 38.3 million carats of diamonds driving sales to 30 million carats. The companys last year sales are estimated at about $ 3.4 billion. ALROSA plans to produce 37 to 39 million carats of diamonds in 2016. CSX made a number of senior management changes, following the retirement of Lisa Mancini, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, effective July 1, following nearly 13 years of service. Mancini joined CSX in 2003 and is a member of the chairman's executive management team, with responsibility for people functions, procurement and real estate. "We thank Lisa for her many contributions to CSX's people and success. We wish her the very best in her retirement," said Michael Ward, chairman and chief executive officer. The company is realigning the senior team to advance its vision for the workforce, service, productivity and technology of the future. Cressie Brown, currently vice president-labor relations, will become senior vice president and chief administrative officer and Kathleen Brandt, currently head of the company's information technology subsidiary, will become senior vice president and chief information officer. Both moves will be effective July 1 and both leaders will join the executive management team, reporting directly to Ward. Brandt joined CSX in 1985 and rose through the information technology organization, becoming its leader. She has succeeded in key roles in organizational strategy and capital planning and has ideal skills to lead CSX teams in accelerating deployment of automation, analytics and systems to contribute to next-generation safety, service and efficiency. Brown, who joined CSX in 1988, held leadership roles in critical operational and support functions including technology, finance, service design and customer service before her most recent appointment as vice president-labor relations. With these roles, Brown has gained deep and broad organizational expertise. She understands the vital role of CSX's people in shaping the company's future and is committed to their continued development and success. Additionally, Zachery Jones has been appointed vice president-labor relations to succeed Brown. Jones, who previously was with the National Mediation Board in Washington, D.C., joined CSX in 2010 and is currently assistant vice president-employee services. In that role, he has been closely involved in positively addressing workforce issues and improving employee engagement. "These promotions underscore the importance of continuing to develop our highly skilled and committed employees, while accelerating CSX's next-generation technologies and performance in safety, service and efficiency," Ward said. Union Pacific plans to invest $58 million in 2016 to improve its infrastructure in Louisiana. The multi-million dollar investment will enhance employee, community and customer safety and increase rail operating efficiency. Union Pacifics planned investment covers a range of initiatives, such as $52 million to maintain track and $6 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include a $13 million investment in the rail line between Iowa and Sulphur to replace 29 miles of rail; a $6 million investment in the rail line between Dequincy and Kinder to replace 44,140 ties and install 22,144 tons of ballast and a $6 million investment in the rail line between Lawtell and Livonia to replace 42,525 ties and install 22,666 tons of ballast. This years planned $58 million capital expenditure in Louisiana is part of an ongoing investment strategy. From 2011 to 2015, Union Pacific invested more than $619 million strengthening Louisianas transportation infrastructure. UP has announced investment plans in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Arkansas, California and Texas this month as part of its 2016 plans to improve its lines across those states. We constantly evaluate our customers needs to make targeted investments that enhance our efficiency and deliver the goods American businesses and families use daily, said Brenda Mainwaring, Union Pacific vice president public affairs, Southern Region. Continuing to aggressively invest in our infrastructure is an important element in Union Pacifics unwavering safety commitment. LACMTA Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) began service May 20 on Phase 2 of the Expo Line project. The project is a 6.6-mile extension of the LACMTA rail system west from the Culver City station to Santa Monica. Phase 1 of the project opened in April 2012 and connected downtown Los Angeles to Culver City along an 8.6-mile route. Phase 2 now connects Santa Monica by rail to downtown L.A., Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, South Bay, Long Beach and dozens of points in between. With seven new stations serving diverse L.A. neighborhoods such as Century City, West Los Angeles and Santa Monica. For the first time in a generation, Angelenos and visitors from around the world can travel from our skyline to the shoreline without setting foot in a car bringing needed relief to some of our most congested corridors, said L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is also LACMTA Board Second Vice Chair. This extension of the Expo Line along with the recently-opened Gold Line extension and the Crenshaw-LAX Line that is now halfway complete will improve quality of life by delivering convenient, affordable, and efficient transportation to more people than ever before. The Expo Line Phase 2 runs along the old Pacific Electric Exposition right-of-way to 4th St. and Colorado Ave. in downtown Santa Monica. With the opening of Phase 2, LACMTAs rail system now grows to encompass 87 stations and more than 93 miles of rail. Major construction began in 2012 and was completed in 2015. The Exposition Construction Authority awarded the design-build contract for Phase 2 to Skanska-Rados, Joint Venture in March 2011 and LACMTA began safety tests along the Phase 2 route in 2015. LACMTA estimated nearly 100,000 people used the Santa Monica station between Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21 Expo is an example of how well a construction project can function, said Mike Aparacio, executive vice president of Skanska USA Civil on a blog post about the project. The design-build approach helped make sure that the construction authority, project designers and our construction team were always in lock step and if we werent, the close collaboration made it easy to solve problems. More than anything, it meant delivering a project within the expected budget, a key responsibility on a publicly-funded project. In this case, that funding came from Measure R, where Los Angeles voters elected to tax themselves to fund transit projects. The public has a stake in the success of a project like Expo and it matters to them that public agencies and the designers and contractors they hire can deliver as expected. The $1.5-billion extension is the second Measure R-funded rail project to open this year, following the March debut of the Gold Line extension to Azusa. Japan posted a merchandise trade surplus of 823.474 billion yen in April, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday. That topped forecasts for a surplus of 521.4 billion yen following the 754.2 billion yen surplus in March. Exports were down 10.1 percent on year, missing forecasts for a fall of 9.9 percent following the 6.8 percent drop in the previous month. Exports to all of Asia fell 11.1 percent on year to 3,073.092 billion yen, while exports to China alone fell 7.6 percent to 1,035.241 billion yen. Exports to the United States slipped an annual 11.8 percent to 1,200.508 billion yen, while exports to the European Union jumped 9.9 percent to 702.516 billion yen. Imports tumbled an annual 23.3 percent versus expectations for a decline of 19.3 percent after skidding 14.9 percent a month earlier. Imports from the rest of Asia fell 19.2 percent on year to 2,566.514 billion yen, while imports from just China skidded 16.8 percent to 1,329.882 billion yen. Imports from the United States skidded an annual 18.1 percent to 585.686 billion yen, while imports from the European Union fell an annual 8.4 percent to 617.454 billion yen. The adjusted trade surplus was 426.6 billion yen - beating expectations for 325.8 billion yen and up from the upwardly revised 295.3 billion yen in March (originally 276.5 billion yen). For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Latvia's producer prices decreased at a stable pace in April, figures from the Central Statistical Bureau showed Monday. The producer price index fell 3.1 percent year-over-year in April, the same rate of decline as in the previous month. Prices have been falling since January 2015. Domestic market producer prices slid 3.9 percent in April from a year ago and prices in the foreign market dropped by 2.2 percent. Among the main industrial groupings, prices in the utility sector dipped 7.9 percent in April and those in the manufacturing sector went down by 2.0 percent. At the same time, mining and quarrying prices logged an increase of 2.8 percent. On a monthly basis, producer prices edged down 0.1 percent in April, slower than the 0.5 percent fall in March. It was the fifth month of decrease in a row. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Resource America Inc. (REXI) announced Monday morning that it has agreed to be acquired by C-III Capital Partners LLC for $9.78 per share in cash, or approximately $207 million. Resource America has gapped open sharply higher this morning and is now up 3.17 at $9.63 on the highest volume in nearly 5 months. The stock has jumped to a new high for the year. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Hero has regained lead in the 125 cc motorcycle segment from arch rivals Honda. Worlds largest two wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp has managed to do this thanks to their Glamour 125cc motorcycle, which is now the best selling 125 cc motorcycle in the country. Honda had managed to outshine Hero Glamour thanks to their CB Shine last year. But the last three months tell a completely different story as Glamour outsold CB Shine month on month for three consecutive months. ? For April 2016, Glamour registered sales of 66,756 units while Honda CB Shine registered sales of 52,752 units. The respective numbers of the motorcycles for April 2015 stand at 51,829 units and 73,291 units. This indicates that Hero Glamour sales are on the rise while that of Honda CB Shine is on the decline. During the month of April 2016, Hero MotoCorp managed to register sales of 109,955 units in the 125 cc segment. In this segment, Hero offers Ignitor, Super Splendor and Glamour. On the other hand, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) sold just 66,700 units in the 125 cc segment for April 2015. When compared to their respective performance in April 2015, Hero sales stood at 82,298 units while that of HMSI stood at 74,532 units. This means Hero registered a growth of 33% in 125 cc segment while Honda posted a 10.5% decline in the segment. HMSI offers CBF Stunner, CB Shine SP, and CB Shine in the 125 cc segment. After their stellar performance in the 125 cc segment, Hero is now confident that they will manage to improve their performance event further. By 2018, Hero aims to sell 1 million units of Glmour annually. In 2015/16 fiscal Glamour sales stood at 679,147 units while in FY 2014/15 they stood at 551,486 units. Hyundai India launched the new Creta in March, while the new Verna was launched last month With over 850 Hyundai Showrooms and 1,000 workshops having opened, with compliance to the strictest guidelines in terms of safety and hygiene, sales have taken off to a good start. Hyundai Motor India Ltd, has announced cumulative sales of 12,583 units for the month of May 2020 with most demand seen for its new Creta, the new Verna facelift, Venue, Elite i20 and Grand i10 NIOS. Cumulative sales of 12,5823 units sold in May 2020, included 6,883 units sold in domestic market and 5,700 units which were exported during the past month. The company strictly abides by all safety and hygiene precautions at all of its plants, showrooms and workshops so as to ensure safety both of its employees and customers with 100 percent social distancing and regular sanitization of facilities. The new Hyundai Verna facelift, which was launched in May 2020, is the companys third major launch this year, following that of the Aura and the second generation Creta. Hyundai Verna facelift was opened for bookings in the month of March 2020 as launch was initially scheduled for the same month. However, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the country, this launch was postponed. Hyundai Verna is presented in four variants of S, S+, SX and SX(O). It sports several exterior and interior updates with a front fascia with a dark chrome grille with LED headlamps and LED DRLs. It is also seen with new LED tail lamps, twin tip muffler and new bumper while it sits on new diamond cut alloy wheels. The interiors of the Hyundai Verna facelift is seen with added space. There is an 8 touchscreen AVNT with HD display, digital instrument panel and a 4.2 colour TFT MID. Ventilated seats, wireless phone charger, driver rear view monitor, an electric sunroof and tyre pressure monitoring system are among its updates. It is also a fully connected vehicle and comes in with BlueLink connectivity offering 45 features. The 2020 Hyundai Verna facelift gets 3 BS6 compliant engine options. These include a 1.0 liter turbo GDI petrol engine offering 120 PS power and 172 Nm torque, 1.5 liter petrol capable of 115 PS power and 144 Nm torque and 1.5 liter diesel making 115 PS power and 250 Nm torque. 2020 Hyundai Verna takes on the Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento. We have come across a document from Tata Motors that informs its dealers across the country about the companys proposed discount schemes for the month of August 2019. The automaker is looking to recover from a forgetful financial quarter as sales and growth were pointing downwards both at home and abroad (Jaguar Land Rover). Tata Motors has rolled out discount schemes for all of its passenger car models in a bid to increase the footfall at its showrooms amidst a general slowdown in the industry. These offers are valid for the month of August. The Nexon, Tiago (except XZA+ variant), and Tigor range of vehicles will benefit from 3-3-3 scheme which offers 3 years/75,000 km warranty, 3 years road side assistance, and 3 years/40,000 km annual scheduled maintenance contract. On top of this offer, these models enjoy an exchange bonus ranging from INR 10,000 to INR 20,000 depending on the model and fuel type. Looks like the sales of diesel variants of Nexon, Tiago and Tigor are sluggish compared to petrol variants as evident from the fact they come with additional 3 gram gold coin offer (or additional cash discount of up to INR 10,000). The Hexa too gets 3-3-3 offer in addition to a considerable exchange bonus of INR 30,000. The aging Safari Storme carries a cash discount of INR 25,000 while the Bolt and Zest come with a hefty discount of INR 65,000. Apart from the aforementioned offers, Tata Motors is also planning to entice specific demographics by offering special discounts. For example, depending on which of the following categories you belong to School teacher and staff, Panchayat members, rural traders, bank employees, ex-servicemen, corporate executive) you get a discount ranging between INR 4,500 to 2,000. In a bid to bring on board new buyers, Tata Motors will also offer additional discount of INR 2,000 over and above the corporate offers to the so called micro-segments (jewelers, dentists, etc) identified by company. The micro-segment offer is valid for the Hexa, Tiago, Tigor and Nexon. Finally, under the Customer Ambassador Program (CAP), the existing Tata owners who refer their friends or family for a new vehicle will receive vouchers worth INR 2,000. The flagship Tata Harrier SUV doesnt have any official offer scheme for the month of August. By SA Commercial Prop News Investec Australia Property Fund (IAPF) CEO Graeme Katz said the persistent Rand depreciation against the Australian dollar enhances the Fund as a Rand hedge for investors. Investec Australia Property Fund (IAPF) on Thursday increased its distributable income to unit holders, underpinned by returns derived in hard currency. In rand terms, the fund declared a 29.3% rise in total distribution growth for the year ended 31 March 2016. The fund, listed in Johannesburg but domiciled in Australia, reported a full-year distribution of AUD 9.17c per unit for the year, up 12.1 per cent from previously. Commenting on the results, IAPF CEO Graeme Katz said the persistent Rand depreciation against the Australian dollar enhances the Fund as a Rand hedge for investors. The company currently has a portfolio of 19 office and industrial properties, which have 100 per cent occupancy. It completed A$127m of property acquisitions during the year, which, along with new valuations, contributed to the increase in the portfolio value to A$494m. This represents growth of 3.8 times since listing in October 2013. IAPF has delivered a total return of 67.8% since listing three years ago. "IAPF still trades at a discount to its Australian and inward-listed peers, providing a compelling entry point into a business that provides above-market returns in hard currency," Katz said. The funds performance was praised by analysts. "Investec Australia Property Fund is a very compelling story for investors seeking Australian dollar yield. Compared with Australian peers, they offer a strong forward yield of 8.1% in the currency, versus their peer average of 5.5%," said head of Maalot Investments, Maurice Shapiro. He said the fund was well-insulated against Australian economic risks. "Although we have concerns around the Australian economys dependency on resources, (IAPF) has a 6.1-year weighted average lease expiry and a 100% occupancy rate, so they are well-positioned to weather any macroeconomic turbulence," Shapiro said. The Board expects distribution growth in FY 2017 of between 6% and 8% pre WHT in AUD depending on the level of capital deployment in the coming 12 months. By SA Commercial Prop News Redefine Properties executive director Mike Ruttell apologized to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) after publicly censured. Redefine Properties executive director Mike Ruttell apologized to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) after publicly censured on Thursday. The company said the imposition of public censure against Mr Ruttell for an unintentional breach of the JSEs listings requirements, was a sufficient sanction and it will not itself be taking any further action. The exchange found Mr Ruttell to be in breach of paragraphs 3.65 and 3.66 of the JSE Listings Requirements, which require clearance from the company prior to trading of its securities. According to the JSE, Mr Ruttell traded in Redefine shares in January last year and these trades were only revealed in a directors dealings statement in September. The most recent directors dealings statement issued by Redefine via the JSEs news service showed Ruttell buying R2.5m worth of shares in December. The fund informed the JSE as soon as the error was discovered and assisted the JSE fully in its investigation, with formal apologies being provided to both the JSE and Redefines Board. Redefine said it had conducted its own internal investigation into the matter and based on the outcomes of this process, says it will not be taking any further action against the director involved. I give my consent to Sakshi Post to be in touch with me via email for the purpose of event marketing and corporate communications. Privacy Policy Kansas coach Bill Self is still looking for a big man to emerge The two men allegedly responsible for an incident that occurred in March this year at the Salelologa Wharf, appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday. Pauli Ioane and prisoner, Samaoso Luamanuvae from the villages of Salelologa, Fagaee and Tafaigata, appeared before the Chief Justice Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu on several charges. According to the courts findings, both men, are jointly charged with grievous bodily harm, intentional damage, trespassing and arson. Pauli pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. Luamanuvae is only guilty of trespassing and grievous bodily harm of a male from the village of Salelavalu and he pleaded not guilty to arson, and intentional damage to the victims vehicle. The incident occurred on the 24th March 2016 at the Salelologa Wharf where a man from Salelavalu was beaten and stoned and had his vehicle set on fire. A police officer in Savaii who spoke to the Sunday Samoan on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident. It happened at around midnight after the nightclubs closed, he said. The vehicle driven by a male from Salelavalu nearly crashed into a vehicle from Salelologa and thats what started the dispute. The officer said the Salelavalu vehicle was stopped in front of the wharf, when it was attempting to leave. Thats where young people stoned the vehicle and set it on fire, he said. It was quite scary and we are glad that no one else was involved. The driver ran for his life and was lucky to be rescued by the sailors of the Lady Samoa III. The Police Officer praised the quick intervention of the matai of Salelologa. As of yesterday, no one had showed any interest in acquiring MedCen Hospital at Vailima since it was put up for sale six months ago. The Development Bank of Samoa re-advertised the property for sale or as lease-to-own premises last week. The MedCen building, ideal for business development and located on Government-leased land at Vailima opposite the U.S. Embassy, the advertisement read. Available for sale or lease-to-own over a period of 20 years ($2.1 million O.N.O.). Last October, the Development Bank of Samoa (D.B.S.) invited expressions of interest to purchase the MedCen premises for $2.1million [US$890,000] or for the nearest offer. The proposed sale is the latest move in the long running saga of MedCen Hospital, Samoas first private hospital which was opened in 1998. Before the launch, a keen supporter of the project, the Pacific Islands Investment Facility (P.I.I.F.), promised the hospital would "upgrade standards, relieve pressures on the public system, incorporate special programmes to bring benefits to the wider community, save foreign exchange, and by providing improved health care, support increased tourism and foreign investment." The dream was realised in December 1998. With the backing of 22 Samoa and American Samoa shareholders, MedCen opened its doors for business and was headed by Le Mamea Dr. Emosi Puni and Leoo Dr John Adams. But several years ago, the hospital ran into financial problems. The Development Bank then moved in and took over the assets and equipment. The Bank was MedCen's biggest creditor, and had poured $2million into the project. The Banks C.E.O. at the time, Tuiasau Saumani Wong Sing, was quoted as saying: "[We're] looking to move before the end of this financial year (June)." He was referring to a committee comprising officials from the Ministry of Finance, National Provident Fund, National Health Service, Ministry of Health and the Attorney Generals Office. "The committee, whose members I've mentioned previously, has been set up to sort out the mess," he said. "They are looking at all available and possible options before bringing it back to the committee so we can table a recommendation to Cabinet. "We must make sure that if Cabinet endorses our recommendation that there are no surprises springing up later on. "We do know there is overseas debt, hence the work carried out is to minimize exposure, once and if, Cabinet makes its decision." At the time, Tuiasau indicated they were looking to "use the facilities and infrastructure at MedCen as an extension of services and facilities of the national hospital." The facilities at MedCen at that time were on par with international standards, especially when it gained I.S.O. certification in 2003. In its heyday, MedCen Hospital had resident doctors, consultants, nurses, midwives and visiting specialists, supported by a well-equipped laboratory, x-ray and ultrasound facilities. But all that is now a thing of the past. In an urgent village meeting called on Saturday morning, the village of Leauvaa banished two election candidates, Sala Iose McCarthy and Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio. Held in Leauvaa in the presence of the high chiefs and other matai, the village council also banished former Cabinet Minister, Sala Vaimili. This was confirmed by the eldest title holder of Tuala, Tuala Lelea Lilii during an interview with the Samoa Observer yesterday. Tuala said the main reason for the decision reached by the villagers is because of a petition filed against the current M.P. of Gagaemauga No.1 and Minister of Police, Sala Fata Pinati. That (petition) is basically the reason why they have been banished, said the high chief. They have defied the village by not attending any of the meetings called where they were asked to attendthe village was looking for ways to reconcile the parties. A fono manu (urgent meeting) was called for everyone to attend including those three (Sala Iose, Sala Vaimili and Tuala Iosefo). Any meeting called by the paramount chiefs should be respected and abided by everyone but they have defied the village. It was then that the village council made the decision on Saturday last week to banish the matai and their supporters. Tuala Ponifasio was not in the office when he was contacted for a comment yesterday. It was also not possible to get a comment from Sala Iose and Sala Vaimili. Tautua candidate, Sala Iose McCarthy had filed for petition on criminal charges against the Minister of Police before the District Court. The trial is scheduled to begin this week. Tuala Ponifasio on the other hand is also facing several criminal charges in relation to the election brought by constituents of Gagaemauga No1. His case is still pending. According to Tuala, the village has been trying to reconcile the parties by calling meetings for the matai to attend. Sala has won the election and (they) should let it be, he said. But they are still challenging it and have turned down meetings where they were asked to attend and the village made the decision on Saturday in the fono manu to banish them. We dont want this kind of division within the village. The high chief was also asked about the conditions of the banishment. Tuala said from his understanding, the matai and those who supported them are no longer allowed to participate in village events (tea ma le nuu). There is the banishment for life (soloia aufuefue), he explained. But from my understanding that is not what we are doing. If they are sorry and say they are, we will welcome them back. As for claims that the village would be interfering with the Court of law, Tuala disagrees. He pointed out that the village is doing its duty and their decision has nothing to do with the Court proceedings. Their banishment is because they had defied the village by not attending meetings they were asked to attend but it has nothing to do with the Court and our belief is that its not interfering with the Court of law. Tuala also added that the other reason why the village is unhappy with the banished matai is because they do not live in Leauvaa. Sala Vaimili lives in Vailele and Tuala Ponifasio lives in Alafua, he said. They dont actually live in the village and see what is happening here. Its important for them to participate in the meetings but to go against the village, its not right. Two prisoners, charged with assaulting a Chinese businessman, Kuan Hui San,were back in the Supreme Court yesterday. Lauitiiti Tualima and Filipo Pesamino appeared before Chief Justice, Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu. The pair is jointly charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, breaking and entering as well as theft. Tualima pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge but pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, breaking and entering and theft. Pesamino also pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and grievous bodily harm but pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and theft. The two accused escaped from Tafaigata prison and broke into Mr Sans residence at Vaitele-Uta. They then assaulted Mr San leaving him in a critical condition and stole his belongings worth $2,500. Pesamino was also charged with assault on an officer, Tapasu Tuala on the 25th April. He has pleaded guilty to this charge. Both accused will appear again next week on Monday 30th May 2016 for mention to confirm their pleas in court. The Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu has ordered a warrant of arrest for former United States army personnel, Mualia Salamo. Mr. Salamo failed to appear before the Supreme Court yesterday where a hearing date was scheduled to be set. He had previously pleaded not guilty to five charges against him under the Drugs and Narcotics Act and the possession of Unlawful and Illegal Weapons Act. The former U.S. army man is accused of allegedly bringing in illegal drugs and weapons that were found in a container shipped into the country last year. When police were tipped off by an informant, they searched and seized the container where a variety of military weapons and drugs were allegedly found inside. In August last year, the office of the Attorney General made a strong stand in Court against an application by Mualia to travel to the United States for his medical checkup after his lawyer informed the Court that his client travelled to the U.S. every year to get his medicine. Mualia had promised to return in time for his trial. Average retail gasoline prices in Chattanooga have risen 8.4 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.09 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 170 gas outlets in Chattanooga. This compares with the national average that has increased 6.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.28 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. Including the change in gas prices in Chattanooga during the past week, prices on Sunday were 39.2 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 16.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 15.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 46.1 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago. The national average has increased 15.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 46.1 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago. According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on May 23 in Chattanooga have ranged widely over the last five years: $2.49 in 2015, $3.45 in 2014, $3.23 in 2013, $3.34 in 2012 and $3.65 in 2011. Areas nearby Chattanooga and their current gas price climate: Knoxville- $2.12, up 7.6 cents per gallon from last week's $2.04. State of Tennessee- $2.11, up 6.9 cents per gallon from last week's $2.05. Huntsville- $2.07, up 3.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.03. "With crude oil prices rallying over the past 6 weeks, reaching the highest point that we've seen since November ($48.50/ barrel) before Friday's close, we should expect wholesale and retail gasoline prices to rise further," said Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. "The good news for consumers is that even with the recent increases in the price at the pump, on average we're still paying about 45 cents less per gallon this year versus last. And in California the state average is $1 less than last year... that should please anyone with travel plans this summer!" It was Saturday night and we were feeling like burgers and shakes, so Lionel and I decided it was time to try out Urban Stack. There seems to be a lot of competition in Chattanooga when it comes to making the best burger in town, and Urban Stack has a pretty large group of supporters. More than one friend has insisted to me that this downtown joints beef and buns cannot be beat. We arrived about 7 and had to park a ways down the street since the place was packed. If wed wanted to eat outside, we still could have gotten a table immediately, but we chose to wait for a booth. About ten minutes later, we were seated against the back wall and ordered our drinks. The restaurant has a unique atmosphere, with modern, industrial-looking beams and rafters, cement flooring, and brick walls. Its owned by the same people who own Taco Mamacita, Community Pie, and Milk and Honey. Urban Stack boasts a large drink menu, so Lionel ordered a Gotta Get Up To Get Down milk stout ($6.50 pint, $8.00 mug), which he loved. Most of the appetizers seemed a bit expensive, between $8 to $10, but we shared an order of fried chickpeas ($3.50) and didnt regret it. They were perfectly crispy and spiced. Though I was particularly tempted by a few of their more unusual burgers, like the spiced turkey burger with tomato-pepper relish and blackberry mayo ($8.99); the Greek-spiced ground lamb with cucumber, tapenade, and feta cheese ($11.99); or the fried green tomato burger ($9.99), I thought it was best to go basic for a first try. I got The Big Cheese, which was topped with chipotle ketchup, balsamic onions, lettuce, tomatoes, house sauce, and Sweet Water Valley Farm Fiesta cheese ($6.99). Lionel went with The Steakhouse, which had U.S. barbecue sauce, bacon, atomic horsey sauce, crispy onion, cheddar cheese, and green onion ($8.50). We also each got a side of house-cut fries ($3.00), which we were disappointed to learn did not come with the meal. It didnt take long for the food to arrive, and we both dug in. The buns were great, something I consider important, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that pickles came on the side and were homemade. I also absolutely loved the chipotle ketchup. It went great with the fries, which were nice and crispy, and not too salty. Lionel really enjoyed his food, too. You know, its kinda nice to have a gourmet burger that doesnt completely fall apart when you eat it, he said. I agreed, though the way I add ketchup and mayonnaise makes any burger a mess for me. After we were finished, we split a hand-spun Smores shake ($6.00). I was a bit surprised at the size. Not that I needed more food, I was already verging on stuffed, but Im used to hand-spun shakes at that price to come out in a fairly large glass with the extra shake in a stainless steel mixing cup on the side. That was not the case at Urban Stack. Lionel couldnt help but reference Pulp Fiction and the character Vincent Vegas surprise at Mia Wallace ordering a $5 shake. When Vincent finally tastes it, he exclaims that its good with some colorful language, but maybe not worth $5. I suppose thats how we felt. Im used to shakes costing $5 or more these days, but I suppose, especially in a restaurant, I expect a bit more bang for my buck. Speaking of other things I expected, though our server was friendly, we didnt see her quite as much as we would have liked. We had to wait a while to ask her for condiments after our food was brought out, had to wait a while to order dessert, and had to wait a while once more when we wanted to pay for the meal. Id give the waitress some slack, since the place was busy when we first arrived, and a large party had just come in, but by the time we were getting ready to leave, most of the tables around us were empty and the pace of the service was exactly the same. We wound up ordering our dessert with another waitress who was cleaning some tables. Overall, we enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, and we plan to go back and try Urban Stacks more unusual items, but I wouldnt say they won my vote for Chattanoogas best burger, or shake, for that matter. So well be venturing on till we find it. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/23/2016 -- The new website MyCareerTools offers online study help at no charge for immigrants, foreign students, and new comers who wish to improve their English. Having a good command of the English language will definitely increase the chance of securing a good job. The website is offering a wide variety of information on career building and education such as career tests, online English lessons, and practice tests. MyCareerTools' online instruction includes subject fields such as English Grammar, Math, Physics, Chemistry, U.S. History, and World History. The lessons are self paced and include short practice tests so students can identify what they need to focus on most. The website's online classes are also very helpful in preparing students for various tests, including ACT, SAT, TOEFL or IELTS, and has also practice tests for these exams. The online classes provided by MyCareerTools are free of charge, easy to use, and students won't need to fill out application forms. They can start learning immediately. The website's online lessons come in the form of written instruction in combination with professionally developed voice-over lectures and videos. The online lessons are also available on smartphones and can be listened to during workout or jogging. Students who can demonstrate good knowledge of English language skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing) are more likely to succeed in academic settings and can study abroad. The economy has globalized like never before, and more and more companies require that employees have a well-developed command of the English Language. U.S. universities and colleges are popular destinations for international students, especially from Europe, and many institutions of higher education offer numerous academic programs that are targeted especially towards international students. To be eligible for a foreign student program, or to attend regular programs at U.S, colleges, commanding the English Language is a prerequisite. MyCareerTools.com is aiming to help students improve their English so they can communicate in English effectively and handle academic and business coursework better and easier. The website offers all these resources at no cost and students are not even required to submit their email address to be able to benefit from this great and free help. About MyCareer Tools MyCareerTools.com is an independent online publisher that offers career tools to people who want to increase their chances towards a better career. MCT has no association with any mentioned here organizations. All names mentioned are registered trade names of companies and are for reference only. Media Contact: Chris Grant chris@mycareertools.com tel. 646-863-4640 Sacramento, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/23/2016 -- Payday loan market in the USA gains popularity nowadays. There are different reasons that contribute to this factor, but the most important one is the financial abilities of the country's residents. With that said, 24Biz, one of the most renowned US cash advance companies, has recently decided to conduct the generalized payday loan market research, which is based on their own statistical data registered in 2015-2016. Being one of the leaders in the payday loan industry, 24biz.biz underlined that the actual reason of the research was to determine the contingent of people, who apply for the loans. The results of the research are provided at the official website of the company, where they are subdivided with regard to the states reviewed. Let us have a look at the payday loan statistics in Nevada based on the http://24biz.biz/payday-loans/NE/ review. According to the results of the research conducted by "24Biz", about 5.7% of Nebraska residents applied for a payday loan in 2015-2016. The prevailing amount of these people (59%) were men, while the rest of the borrowers (41%) were women. Although, the company grants loans that range between $100 and $1000, the average loan sum per one person in Nebraska constituted $377. The prevailing amount of borrowers (20%) were young people between 18 and 24 years of age, while 19% of Nebraska residents applying for a same day loan were people of 25-29 years old. Speaking about the income factor, 31% of borrowers had the lowest income, which was under $15000. 27% of people submitted the income that ranged between $15000 and $25000, while only 5% of the borrowers had the income from $75000 and up to $100000. The research also showed that 65% of payday loan borrowers rented houses or apartments, while only 35% were private homeowners. An interesting result was revealed in the employment status of the borrowers. 50% of them worked full time, 14 % of people had part-time job positions and 10% of people applying for a loan were completely unemployed. The rest of the borrowers were disabled, retired people as well as students and homemakers. Finally, 36% of the Nebraska residents were married, 28% were single, 19% reported that they were divorced. The rest of the borrowers lived in a "civil marriage" (14%) or were widowed (3%). About 24Biz "24Biz" is a company which grants payday loans to the US residents who reside in those states of the country, where cash advance services are 100% legit. The company works round-the-clock, making it possible for each client to get a loan either on the web or in one of the offline credit stores located in a certain state. They do not require any faxing, credit history checks and other documents that usually have to be submitted to the banks. Instead, they have a minimum set of requirements provided at the website and lots of benefits a borrower can make use any time of the day. Contact Info: Contact Person: Marina Kingston Address: 2021 E 3rd St., Sacramento, CA, USA Tel.: 916-333-0645 E-Mail: 24biz.biz@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/24biz.biz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/24biz.biz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/24biz_biz Google+: https://plus.google.com/117727819204179331206/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/24biz Website: http://24biz.biz/payday-loans/NE/ The Eastdale Neighborhood Association will share and provide free produce to feed the community on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Eastdale Village Community United Methodist Church at 1403 Tunnel Boulevard. If it rains, the event will be held in the fellowship hall. Dallas, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/23/2016 -- You Understand My Style is the ethos that drives the fashion company, YUMS, which specializes in designing and manufacturing snapback, strapback, fitted and beanie hats. Millennials across North America are celebrating the brandone which aligns with, and echoes a distinct style for the group as a whole. Through its exhaustive understanding of up-and-coming generations' tastes, YUMS' allure has been snowballing rapidly in recent years, making the company desirable proponents at concerts, sporting and in-store events internationally as of late. Later this month, the online hat manufacturer will be in Hawaii and Mexico promoting its brand at two in-store events, which are in conjunction with the well-regarded brick and mortar retailers, Lids and The Athlete's Foot. The Hawaii event will take place in the Lids store at Ala Moana Center in Honolulu on Saturday, May 21. The festivities will go from one to five p.m. and include a live DJ, promotional models and a plethora of free giveaways. "We want there to be somewhat of an element of surprise, so we're keeping the giveaways a secret for now," said White Tee, YUMS' Vice President of Marketing, who assured potential attendees that they won't be disappointed. There will also be an in-store event at The Athlete's Foot on May 28 and 29 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The festivities will both occur between two and six p.m. on both days, and will include a DJ and promotional models. There will also be sticker, lanyard and other giveaways for all in attendance. "It's a great feeling to get YUMS' name out there and show the world what you understand my style is all about," White Tee said, expressing enthusiasm about his company's success. Both events will be free of charge. Furthermore, anyone interested in browsing YUMS' online inventory, or learning more about the brand in general, is encouraged to visit the company's website. About YUMS YUMS is a Dallas-based fashion brand specializing in making and selling snapback, strapback, fitted and beanie hats. Their extensive inventory of products is available for purchase via their online store. Founded in 2007 by popular Texas street artist, Tex Moton, YUMS has been integral in helping to shape the modern headwear industry. To learn more about YUMS Life, please visit http://www.yumslife.com/. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/23/2016 -- The "Public Safety LTE & Mobile Broadband Market: 2016 2030 Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts" report presents an in-depth assessment of the global public safety LTE market, besides touching upon the wider LMR and mobile broadband industries. In addition to covering the business case, challenges, technology, spectrum allocation, industry roadmap, value chain, deployment case studies, vendor products, strategies, standardization initiatives and applications ecosystem for public safety LTE, the report also presents comprehensive forecasts for mobile broadband, LMR and public safety LTE subscriptions from 2016 till 2030. Also covered are public safety LTE service revenues, over both private and commercial networks. In addition, the report presents revenue forecasts for public safety LTE infrastructure, devices, integration services and management solutions. 529 Pages Report is Available @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/the-public-safety-lte-mobile-broadband-market-2016-2030-opportunities-challenges-strategies-forecasts-market-report.html. Due to the bandwidth limitations of their traditional voice-centric LMR (Land Mobile Radio) networks, public safety agencies are keen to leverage commercial cellular network technology to support their growing broadband application needs. Considering its thriving ecosystem, spectrum flexibility and performance metrics, LTE has emerged as the leading candidate for public safety mobile broadband networks. In addition, with the recent approval of the MCPTT (Mission Critical Push to Talk) voice standard as part of 3GPP Release 13, LTE has also become an attractive substitute for providing LMR-like voice services. The Qatar Ministry of Interior made headlines when it deployed a private 800 MHz LTE network in 2012. Since then, numerous public safety LTE networks have sprung up across the globe, including the UAE, China, Laos, Turkey and Kenya. Several early adopter LTE deployments are also operational in the United States, as part of the planned FirstNet nationwide public safety broadband network. While most initial public safety LTE investments are limited to small-scale networks, nationwide rollouts in the United States and South Korea are expected to trigger significant large-scale investments throughout the globe. The European market is largely dominated by MVNO arrangements, such as the UK Home Office's ESN (Emergency Services Network) program that will use EE's commercial LTE network to deliver prioritized mission critical voice and data services for the UK's public safety agencies. As part of the program, EE is enhancing its existing network with additional sites, satellite backhaul and a dedicated mobile core for first responders, among other investments. Inquire Before Buying This Report @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/inquire-before-buying?rname=576357. Driven by the thriving ecosystem, the Research estimates that annual investments on public safety LTE infrastructure will reach $600 Million by the end of 2016. The market, which includes base stations (eNBs), mobile core and transport networking gear, is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 33% over the next four years. By 2020, these infrastructure investments will be complemented by over 4.4 Million LTE device shipments, including smartphones, rugged handheld terminals and vehicular routers. The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report, as well as a list and associated details of over 90 global public safety LTE network commitments (as of Q2'2016). Key Findings: The report has the following key findings: The Research estimates that annual investments on public safety LTE infrastructure will reach $600 Million by the end of 2016. The market, which includes base stations (eNBs), mobile core and transport networking gear, is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 33% over the next four years. By 2020, these infrastructure investments will be complemented by over 4.4 Million LTE device shipments, including smartphones, rugged handheld terminals and vehicular routers. Following the Qatar Ministry of Interior's private 800 MHz LTE network deployment in 2012, multiple private LTE rollouts are underway by security forces throughout the oil rich GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region, including the Abu Dhabi and Dubai police forces. Driven by nationwide public safety LTE network rollouts in the United States and South Korea, the North America and Asia Pacific regions will account for nearly 70% of all public safety LTE investments over the next four years. Almost all major LMR industry players are leveraging partnerships with established LTE infrastructure OEMs such as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and Samsung, to offer end-to-end LTE solutions. Consolidation efforts are continuing to take place throughout the industry, particularly among the largest LTE infrastructure OEMs and public safety system integrators. Check For a Discount @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/discount?rname=576357 OR Directly Purchase a Single User Copy of Report at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/purchase?rname=576357. Topics Covered: The report covers the following topics: Business case for public safety LTE and mobile broadband services, including key benefits and challenges Technology, economics, trends, commercial commitments and deployment case studies List of public safety LTE engagements worldwide Public safety LTE infrastructure, devices and applications Industry roadmap, value chain and standardization initiatives Spectrum allocation, deployment models and funding strategies Profiles and strategies of over 260 ecosystem players including public safety system integrators and LTE infrastructure/device OEMs TCO analysis of private and commercial public safety LTE deployments Military and tactical LTE deployments Public safety LTE base station (eNB) form factor analysis Exclusive interview transcripts from 5 key ecosystem players: Ericsson, Airbus Defence and Space, Sepura, Aricent and Parallel Wireless Strategic recommendations for vendors, system integrators, public safety agencies and mobile operators Market analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030 List of Companies Mentioned: The following companies and organizations have been reviewed, discussed or mentioned in the report: 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), Aaeon, Abu Dhabi Police, Accelleran, AceAxis, ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority), Aculab, Adax, ADCOM911 (Adams County Communication Center), ADRF (Advanced RF Technologies), Advantech, Advantech Wireless, Aeroflex, Affarii Technologies, Affirmed Networks, Agile Networks, Airbus Defence and Space, Airbus Group, Air-Lynx, Airspan Networks, Airvana, Airwave Solutions And More. About RnR Market Research RnR Market Research library offers syndicated reports by market research publishers from across the globe. We help you find the most relevant business intelligence from ready-to-buy syndicated market research studies. Not limited to industry reports covering telecommunication, healthcare, pharmaceutical, financial services, energy, technology, real estate, logistics, F&B , media and more, RnR Market Research also offers company data, country profiles, trends, information and analysis on the sector of your interest. Astronomers have detected and confirmed the faintest early-Universe galaxy ever using the 10-m Keck II telescope at the W. M. Keck Observatory, Hawaii. The scientists, led by Dr. Kuang-Han Huang from the University of California, Davis, saw the galaxy as it was 13 billion years ago. The detection was made possible through a phenomenon predicted by Albert Einstein in which an object is magnified by the gravity of another object that is between it and the viewer. In this case, the newfound galaxy was behind a massive cluster of galaxies called MACS J2129.4-0741. Dr. Huang and co-authors were able to show that the three images were of the same galaxy because they showed similar spectra. If the light from this galaxy was not magnified by factors of 11, 5 and 2, we would not have been able to see it, Dr. Huang said. It lies near the end of the Epoch of Reionization, during which most of the hydrogen gas between galaxies transitioned from being mostly neutral to being mostly ionized and lit up the stars for the first time. That shows how gravitational lensing is important for understanding the faint galaxy population that dominates the reionization photon production. We now have good constraints on when the reionization process ends at redshift around 6, or 12.5 billion years ago but we dont yet know a lot of details about how it happened, he added. This galaxy is exciting because the team infers a very low stellar mass, or only one percent of one percent of the Milky Way Galaxy, said Keck Observatory astronomer Dr. Marc Kassis. Its a very, very small galaxy and at such a great distance, its a clue in answering one of the fundamental questions astronomy is trying to understand: what is causing the hydrogen gas at the very beginning of the Universe to go from neutral to ionized about 13 billion years ago. Thats when stars turned on and matter became more complex. The findings were published this week in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (arXiv.org preprint). _____ Kuang-Han Huang et al. 2016. Detection of Lyman-Alpha Emission from a Triply Imaged z = 6.85 Galaxy behind MACS J2129.4-0741. ApJ 823, L14; doi: 10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L14 How is that possible? A physician goes through four years of medical school, at least two-three years of residency (postgraduate medical training), and potential fellowships. Why would a doctor not know about an entire category of disease? Answer: Physicians, themselves, are confused about these mysterious diseases. Let me elaborate. Physicians are not always sure how to treat culture-bound syndromes, so the category may not be discussed in great detail until specialized training takes place. The classifications for these diseases are continuously under debate in the medical community. In fact, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) the standard classification of mental disorders in the United States actually reclassified them in DSM-5 [1] in 2013 under Cultural Concepts of Distress to more accurately describe the cultural influences. Thus, doctors may easily overlook the category making it imperative for patients to be knowledgeable about the existence of these peculiar diseases. Metaphorically, physicians tend to look for horses instead of zebras when they hear hoof beats. What does that mean? The old adage signifies that physicians are trained to diagnose diseases in a pyramidal fashion. Treat the symptoms of the most common disease and move onto more rare, lesser-known diseases if the treatments dont seem to work. Although this method may seem like a guess-or-check system, physicians are rigorously trained in recognizing prevalent, difficult-to-treat diseases. I mean, they should be right? They spend at least a decade of their lives learning basic sciences and clinical medicine! So, the challenge remains how to define culture-bound syndromes? Ranging from diseases that include psychiatric, genetic, environmental, neurological, or even cultural origins, scientists have not been able to explicitly define the category of culture-bound syndromes. Moreover, the illnesses are included into this category because they are traditionally seen in specific cultures or locations of the world, and because the patients may present with a wide range of severity that may or may not include DSM listed symptoms for each disease. Basically, this category of disease is a conglomeration of misfits that are not unified by common disease pathology or presentation as seen in traditional western medical classifications, but associated by clinically important cultural differences. You may be asking right now Why should I worry about culture-bound syndromes if I dont live in that culture or location? I wont be affected or get the disease, right? Answer: Maybe, maybe not. The reason why patients should know about the existence of this often overlooked treasure chest of diseases is for the same reason why it was recently reclassified under Cultural Concepts of Distress in DSM-5. Physicians, medical anthropologists, and other scientists have studied and come to the conclusion that the term culture-bound syndrome may overemphasize the regional diagnosis of the disease, which may cause physicians worldwide to miss potential cases [2]. Which makes it particularly important for patients to be aware of this category of disease, so they can spark the discussion with their doctors, if their physicians are having a difficult time finding a solid diagnosis. Even if patients do not know specific diseases in the category, bringing up the topic with their puzzled physicians may give the doctors the extra hint they need to diagnose the appropriate disease and formulate the proper treatment plan. What should patients do next? Even though this potential hole in a physicians training may make you want to run for the hills, be assured that your doctor has years of in-depth, expertise in many areas and there are always specialists in every field to help you out. So dont drop everything and start reading WebMD just yet! However, it is important to be familiar with at least a few diseases so you can better communicate with your physician. Disease of Interest: Latah [3] Latah is commonly presented in Southeast Asia and has been documented by European observers for more than a century. The disease can be provoked with shock or acute fright, which results in social tics: imitative gestures, words, actions, obey commands, or situations where patients cannot control his or her emotions. Disease of Interest: Gururumba [4] Gururumba is more prevalent in New Guinea and describes the actions of a person, usually a married man, who burglarizes homes and takes items of little importance. However, the person thinks the items are invaluable and he/she runs away for a period of time, but then returns without the items or knowledge of the event. Disease of Interest: Amok [5] Amok has been seen in various areas of Southeast Asia and Scandinavia and it usually presents as a violent, homicidal rage. Typically, the person does not pre-meditate the attack, nor does he or she usually remember it but insulting actions towards the Amok patient can provoke a ferocious episode. Although this is not a comprehensive list, it gives patients an insight into the world of culture-bound syndromes, and maybe -just maybe- this knowledge will help a countless number of people bridge the gap of knowledge between the physician and patient. _____ 1. Culture concepts. In: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. 2013. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association 2. Tseng W. 2006. From peculiar psychiatric disorders through culture-bound syndromes to culture-related specific syndromes. Transcult Psychiatry 43: 554-576 3. Bhidayasiri R. & Truong D.D. 2011. Startle syndromes. Handb Clin Neurol. 100: 421-430 4. Paniagua F.A. 2000. Culture-bound syndromes, cultural variations, and psychopathology. In: Cuellar I, Paniagua FA, eds. Handbook of Multicultural Mental Health: Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations. New York: Academic Press; 140-141 5. Bartelsman M. & Eckhardt P.P. 2007. Mental illness in the former Dutch Indies four psychiatric syndromes: amok, latah, koro and neurasthenia. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 151: 2845-2851 A study from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that the Europa Ocean on Jupiter's icy moon has a potential Earth-like balance of chemical energy which is needed for life, even if the moon doesn't have any volcanic hydrothermal activity. In the 1990's, NASA's Galileo mission to Jupiter found evidence that Europa which is the same size of Earth's moon contained more water and ice than human's own world. The unmanned mission to Europa showed a very thick ice surface, leading scientist to believe there may be a liquid under that frozen crust. There have also been a lot of recent talks, speculations and excitement over the number of new possible habitable planets recently discovered in our galactic neighborhood. However, a study suggests that Jupiter's Icy moon Europa, which is just 390 million miles away from Earth, may harbor life. According to The Indian Panorama, scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said, "Europa is really cold - about 350 degrees below zero! That's a kind of cold we can't comprehend here on Earth. And that's not all. It's in a vacuum," Kevin Hand, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory astrobiologist, told Southern California public television station KCET. "There's no atmosphere, and then you've got the radiation," Hand said. He also explained that no human would want to stand on Europa's surface; no matter how beautiful it is, because you're going to die quickly due to the radiation environment. Huffington Post also reported that sending people on a mission to Europa would be extremely dangerous. However, it was told that an unmanned vehicle at the California Science Center in Los Angeles was tested by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The underwater device, Buoyant Rover for Under-Ice Exploration or BRUIE can be used on Earth to probe the Arctic and Antarctic which could expand the device's functions to search for habitability and life in places like Europa. "A lot of what we do in deep space is applicable to the ocean," Andy Klesh, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory investigator said in a California Institute of Technology news report. "This is an early prototype for vehicles that could one day go to Europa and other planetary bodies with a liquid ocean covered by ice. It's ideal for traveling under the ice shelf of an icy world." The space agency plans to launch an unmanned mission to Europa, which will be named, the Europa Multi-Flyby Mission in the 2020s to examine id extraterrestrial Europans exist. "The discovery of life beyond Earth is not going to change the way you make your coffee in the morning, and it's not going to make your commute faster, but throughout the history of humanity, exploration and discovery has been a fundamental part of our drumbeat," said Hand. Hand also explained that he feels like he can make a solid prediction that Europa's ocean is habitable, so he thinks that in the next decades, when Europa will be explored, life will be found. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has just arrived at the Kennedy Space Center ahead of its launch for mission to explore and sample an asteroid - a feat that is seen for the first time in human history. The launch of the vehicle is set for September 2016, and is expected to reach the asteroid by 2018. The sample, however, is expected to arrive back on Earth no earlier than the year 2023. The vehicle, called the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is set to travel to the asteroid Bennu, where it will gather sample material from the body surface, and is expected to return with specimen coming back to Earth, containing about 2.1 ounces of material from the body. NASA officials announced the arrival of the observatory at the space center on the east coast of Florida, saying that "The OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Sept. 8. The two-hour launch window opens at 7:05 p.m. EDT." According to Tech Times, this mission will hopefully answer mysteries regarding the birth of the solar system, and scientists are hoping that analysis should reveal how water and other organic materials may have arrived on our planet. This mission could have ramifications that can be used for the future or private space travel. Asteroids rich in minerals and materials could be valuable to astronauts in the future, and even humans on Earth today, as there is the very large possibility that the spacecraft could reveal the asteroids being ripe for mining of valuable raw minerals. The discovery of gold in California in the 19th century triggered a gold rush - and the rich materials in these asteroids could set off a boom in space exploration. Space News noted that OSIRIS=REx will e the first mission to return samples from an asteroid, but will not be the first in such mission - it is the third in the New Frontiers series to take special missions in the universe. The first, "New Horizons," flew past Pluto last year, while the second mission, Juno, is expected to enter orbit around Jupiter on July 4. Astronomers have identified evidence of icy comets around a sun-star like about 160 light-years from Earth. They said that this would give a hint on how the solar system is developed. LA Times reports that the study would be printed in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The study was led by the scientists from the University of Cambridge. The researchers used data from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), according to Science Daily. They uncovered very low levels of carbon monoxide gas around the star. The numbers are consistent with the comets in the solar system. The results will establish the properties of comet clouds around the sun-like stars just after the time of their birth. The star, which is termed as HD 181327, has a mass about 30 percent greater than the sun. It is situated 160 years away in the Painter constellation. It is about 23 million years old. Meanwhile, the solar system is 44.6 billion years old. Sebastian Marino, a Ph.D. student from Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy and the lead author of the study said that young systems such as this one are very lively, with comets and asteroids slamming into each other and into planets. He further explained that the system has a similar ice composition to the solar system, so it is the good one to study in order to learn what the solar system looked like early in its existence. The researchers used ALMA to detect the presence of comets and to search for the signature of gas. Marino said that this is the lowest gas concentration ever spotted in a belt of asteroids and comets. They are pushing ALMA to its limits. NASA described comets as the cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust that are about the size of a small town. When a comet's orbit gets closer to the sun, it heats up and discharges dust and gases into a huge glowing head bigger than most planets. The comets are not able to support life. On the other hand, they may have brought organic compounds and water through impact with earth and other bodies in the solar system. William Sundquist, chair of the Friends of the Chattanooga Public Library, announces a sale at the auditorium of the downtown library. "This small sale allows people in the community the opportunity to buy books at a great price," officials said. The "Books and More" sale will offer books for children and youth, mystery and fiction, travel, select local history books, audio books, CDs, and DVDs. Prices for paperbacks and all childrens books will be $1. Hardback books will be $2 each. The CDs, DVDs, and audio books will be priced separately. Friends of the Library accepts cash, local checks, and all credit cards. Donations are always appreciated. Date and sale hours for this sale are as follows: - Thursday June 9 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. - Friday June 10 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. - Saturday June 11 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. "This is a great opportunity to support the Chattanooga Public Library, get some great books at an amazingly low price, and see all the updates and improvements including the new recording studio for youth being built on the second floor," officials said. Contact the Friends of the Chattanooga Public Library office at 423-643-7747 or folibchatt@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering or wish to donate used books. Not all homebuyers in Chattanooga and surrounding areas are looking for a house with a massive floor plan and a massive price tag. In fact, a variety of lifestyle changes motivate many home owners to downsize to something more manageable. The reasons for opting for a smaller home may vary, but their goals remain consistent: find an efficient home that fits well, maximizes space, and offers value. Home builders recognize the changing needs of todays buyers, which is why an increasing number of them are finding innovative ways to deliver big value in a small(er) package. To those who think buying a smaller home means sacrificing quality amenities, they might not know about what many refer to as the jewel box home. Ranging between 650-2,500 square feet, jewel box homes are generally smaller than the average single-family home, and built with high-quality materials and custom finishes tailored to the owners preferences. Such homes are most appealing to newlyweds, single professionals, empty nesters or retirees anyone with a less-is-more mentality who wants to live in a quality, custom, yet relatively affordable, home. Every area within a jewel box home is designed with a purpose sometimes more than one to augment efficiency. The designs typically rely on blurring the lines between the indoors and outdoors by incorporating large sliding glass doors that open seamlessly to exterior dining and entertaining areas. Other design elements that create space include the use of bright, chrome-brushed finishes, pocket and barn doors, dramatic lighting, floating shelves, abundant windows and continuous flooring throughout. Functionality is often enhanced with kitchen islands that double as dining tables, creative storage spaces beneath stairs and purposeful cabinetry and built-ins. For more information about innovative home designs that fit modern lifestyles, contact the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga at 423-624-9992 or info@hbagc.net. Comcast NBCUniversal announced that it has awarded approximately $23,000 in scholarships for the 2016-17 school year to 19 Greater Chattanooga students as part of its annual Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program. The program, funded by the Comcast Foundation, is a one-time, $1,000 scholarship awarded to the best and brightest high school seniors for their community service, academic performance and leadership skills. Since 2001, more than $25 million has been awarded to nearly 25,000 high school seniors across the country as part of the Leaders and Achievers Program. Our Leaders and Achievers Scholarship winners exemplify leadership and are committed to academic excellence and community service, said Valerie Gillespie, Comcast Area Vice President. We are honored to recognize their achievements, and excited to support them as they continue their educational journeys. One student, Christian Sinclair, a resident of Chattanooga and student at Brainerd Senior High School, was selected to receive an additional $5,000 Comcast Founders Scholarship - instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation. Mr. Sinclair will be attending Middle Tennessee State University in the fall and intends to focus his studies on Communications. In total, Comcast awarded $23,000 worth of scholarships in Greater Chattanooga this year. The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program provides scholarships to students who strive to achieve their full potential, who are catalysts for positive change in their communities, who are involved in their schools, and who serve as models for their fellow students. The philosophy behind the program is to give young people every opportunity to prepare for the future and to engage them in their communities. The program also demonstrates the importance of civic involvement, and the value placed on civic involvement by the business community. A Memorial Day Program to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation will be held on Monday, May 30 at the Chattanooga National Cemetery Armed Forces Pavilion. Vehicles will be directed to designated parking locations throughout the cemetery. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and public is invited to attend. In addition to many distinguished speakers and special guests - including this years keynote speaker, Congressman Chuck Fleishmann - there will be an hour-long patriotic music concert performed by the 82-person Memorial Honor Band starting at 10 a.m., and a Native-American event directly following the Memorial Day ceremony. The Chattanooga Zoo announces the continued growth of its animal collection and offerings to the community. These recent animal acquisitions have grown the Zoos animal ambassador collection, increased involvement in other conservation organizations, and added to the number of the Zoos Species Survival Plans. Through the Zoos partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariumss SSP, the Zoo has acquired four individual monkeys of two different species to add to the collection. Zafra is a breeding recommended female pied tamarin for the Zoos resident male pied tamarin, Sammy. Zafra is eight-years-old and came from the Cleveland Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio. Pied tamarins are native to South American rainforests and are considered an endangered species mainly due to deforestation. Forming this breeding pair is an initiative in hopes to progress the pied tamarin population. In addition to Zafra the female pied tamarin, the Chattanooga Zoo also acquired two young male pied tamarins, Fitzceraldo and Sidenhari. Fitz and Sid came to the Chattanooga Zoo from the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Ill. Shing Li, the Francois langur, is five-years-old and came from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Ne. Francois langurs are also listed as an endangered species. Shing Li will be housed with the Zoos resident Francois langurs, Trieu and Badu, to continue to grow the Zoo's bachelor group. All individual animals must complete their mandatory quarantine time and will soon be seen full time on exhibit. To develop the Zoos animal ambassador program, the Zoo has acquired six domestic chicks that are currently being hand raised and trained to be used in educational offerings and special events. The chicks, named Ace, Queenie, King, Lucky, Shuffle and Cash, are of three different species: Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, and Dominque. At the appropriate age, these animals will be used in onsite and offsite educational programs and will be exhibited in the Warner Park Petting Zoo. The chicks were named with a casino theme in honor the Zoo's late ambassador chicken, Black Jack. The Chattanooga Zoo has expanded its reptile collection allowing the Zoo to strengthen its conservation partnerships and grow its conservation initiatives. In partnership with the Turtle Survival Alliance, the Western North Carolina Nature Center, Fort Worth Zoo, and the SSP, the Zoo acquired two female Forstens Tortoises, one spotted turtle, and four spider tortoises. All chelonian animals acquired are at endangered status and allow for the Zoo to participate in these specific SPP programs. Currently the spotted turtle can be seen in a brand new exhibit added to the Forest of the World exhibit building. The spider tortoises can be seen in the Gombe Forest exhibit and at the appropriate age and size, the Forstens tortoise will be exhibit in the Zoos Himalayan passage exhibit. In addition to the growth of its animal collection, the Chattanooga Zoo has also renovated and expanded its naked mole rat exhibit. The newly renovated exhibit now offers four different viewing windows, a variety of lighting, and a tunnel system for the animals. Naked mole rats lived primarily underground and the new exhibit will allow for this simulation and give guests an up close view. As the Chattanooga Zoos animal collection and staff continues to grow, increased admission pricing beginning June 1 will help offset the additional expenses. Increases will affect regular Zoo admission prices and Zoo Members prices. Regular Zoo admissions will increase by $1. Adults will be $9.95, Children will be $6.95, and seniors will be $7.95. Children 2 and under will remain free of charge. The Chattanooga Zoo will continue its military discount, student discount, and other discounts currently offered. EBITDA margin was up 4.8 percentage points to 51% as revenues fell 9% to $78m on the same period last year. Profits rose 82% to $2m for the period, a net profit margin of 2.6%. Although core vessel utilisation slipped 9 percentage points to 75%, Topaz signed long-term contracts with BP in February 2016 for 14 vessels in Azerbaijan and a $350m contract with Chevron-led TengizChevroil in Kazakhstan, to construct, supply and operate 15 vessels for at least three years. The firm said the two contracts brought Topazs backlog to US$1.6bn, and added that it was in full compliance with its banking covenants. Topaz added two new vessels in the period, the AHTSV Topaz Mamlaka, deployed in February on long-term contract with Saudi Aramco, and the MPSV Topaz Resolve. Four vessels are under mobilisation to Russia to pursue better long-term opportunities, the firm said. We delivered a strong performance to start the year, achieving a robust EBITDA in a competitive market, said Topaz ceo, Rene Kofod-Olsen. However lower demand in our African and Mena businesses due to the protracted low oil-price environment put pressure on our rates and our financial results this quarter. Topaz operates a fleet of around 100 OSVs with an average age of seven years. It is a subsidiary of Renaissance Services SAOG, a publicly traded company on the Muscat Securities Market, Oman. Kofod-Olsen said revenues fell on increasing competition which was putting downward pressure on rates and affecting utilization in Mena and its nascent business in Africa. However, in Azerbaijan, only one of 23 vessels was currently not contracted, for utilization of 95%. We expect to deliver a robust performance in the Caspian throughout 2016, supported by our strong relationships with oil majors and our ability to remain competitive in a lower oil price environment. 'High Energy' Ping Pong Bar Will Have Great Cocktails By Peter Vestinos By Anthony Todd in Food on May 23, 2016 3:16PM A rendering of the interior of AceBounce Chicago. Courtesy of AceBounce. Apparently, Chicago is in the midst of a burgeoning ping pong bar trend. Hot on the heels of SPiN, the Susan Sarandon-backed Ping Pong bar that opened in a few months ago, comes AceBounce. It's a "high energy" bar and restaurant opening in June that will feature ping pong till midnight and a cocktail menu by local bar star Peter Vestinos. Vestinos, who cocktail fans will recognize from his work on a ton of Chicago spots, including The Betty, The Sparrow, Naha, the Roof at the Wit and more, is the head Beverage Consultant on the project. His participation means that AceBounce will be, at least for cocktail fans, more than a random club that happens to have ping pong tables. According to Vestinos, the owners of the project are particularly concerned with having an excellent food and drink program. The kitchen, helmed by Chef Rick Gresh (David Burke's Primehouse, Virgin Hotel Chicago), will turn out fancy pizzas, crudos and meatballs, while Vestinos has been tasked with creating great drinks. "I've been saying for years that we need to elevate our bar game," Vestinos said. "It shouldnt just be a craft cocktail spot or a fancy restaurant where you can get a great cocktail. The people behind Bounce want to surprise Chicago." How do you design cocktails that work in such a fast-paced, high-traffic venue (the capacity is 550) in the Loop? First, you think about how people will use the space. "Itll be a wide mix of people. Theyre going to be moving in a very lively environment. Theyre not going to be tucked away in the corner on a romantic date," said Vestinos. So, the cocktails have to be more "visually appealing," and be a little "taller and longer, so they aren't consumed so fast." While he's particularly concerned with making sure that the standards, like margaritas and mojitos, always come out perfect (his bartenders are doing "bartender boot camp" to hone their craft), he's got a few surprises that will be unique to this spot. Vestinos has partnered with CH Distillery to create a special "Old Fashioned" liqueur, which contains all the flavors of an Old Fashioned, including cinnamon, clove, citrus and tannins. The Old Fashioned cocktail will be presented as a pitcher of whiskey and a smaller pitcher of this liqueur on a wooden plank tray, and guests can mix up their own drink to their preference. Expect plenty of local spirits ("It is a London concept, but we want to still honor Chicago producers.") and a robust beer and wine program as well. AceBounce has locations in England, but this will be its first location in the United States. The bar will occupy 230 N. Clark St., right off the river. Rahm May Be Called To Testify On Police Department's Code Of Silence By Carrie Eidson in News on May 23, 2016 2:32PM via Getty Images Mayor Rahm Emanuel may be called to take the witness stand even as city attorneys fight to prevent it. City attorneys have offered to testify to the existence of a code of silence within the Chicago Police Department if it means Emanuel can avoid the witness stand. However, U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman said Friday the mayors testimony will still be necessary to add much more texture to the case. The lawsuit in question was brought by two whistleblower officers who are accusing the police department of retaliating against their involvement with an FBI investigation into a narcotics tactical team. Officers Shannon Spalding and Daniel Echeverria say they were called "rats" and were reassigned to duties farther from their homes and with less desirable hours. The lawsuit names the city as well as several high-ranking CPD officers. The notion that a code of silence within CPD discourages officers from reporting misconduct has received increased attention following the shooting death of Laquan McDonald byaZ Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke. While Emanuel acknowledged the code of silence in a speech to the city council last December, ABC News reported the city will likely settled this suit to prevent Emanuel from having to testify on the subject. Emanuels communications director Adam Collins says the mayors testimony would add nothing to the whistleblower lawsuit and is unnecessary following Emanuels remarks from December. "In December the mayor finally put voice to something we all know to be true," Collins said in a statement. "He stands by what he said then, and what he's said since, but we don't believe he can offer anything further of substance in this case." However local civil rights attorney Flint Taylor told the Tribune that, while individual officers have already acknowledged the code of silence, having the mayor speak to its existence in a court of law would be a big deal. Science's most famous picture, Joseph Wright's "An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump," contains the accurate representation of a skin rash that is indicative of a disease recognized more than a century later, according to a new study of the iconic painting. Depicting an 18th century scientific demonstration of the properties of the vacuum, the 1768 painting may also feature the first ever picture of dermatomyositis. This is a rare inflammatory disease of the muscle, skin and blood vessels that was clinical described in the last decades of the 19th century. The painting, currently on a National Gallery loan to Tate Britain, is widely recognized as an artistic milestone that reflects the Enlightenment era where modern society's exposure to science had been initiated. It portrays a wizard-Iike scientist, surrounded by spectators, pumping air out of flask containing a poor cockatoo. The candlelit scene shows the moment when the bird will either die or be allowed to revive by the demonstrator, who looks straight out of the picture and doesn't appear to be emotionally connected to the dying bird. "Additionally two young lovers fail to notice the experiment due to their intoxication with each other, whilst a father consoles his two horrified children who cannot bear to experience the death of the bird despite the scientific lesson," Hutan Ashrafian, a surgeon at Imperial College London, wrote in the journal Clinical Rheumatology. But aside from containing a prominent metaphor of the role of scientists and the different attitudes around scientific facts, Wright's masterpiece may now be celebrated for its representation of real-life pathology. "When we look at the painting with much higher detail, it is clear the father character has a skin rash that is consistent with the disease of dermatomyositis," Ashrafian told Discovery News. "The dermatopathology on the hand is most characteristic of Gottron's papules, which is indicative of dermatomyositis." This diagnosis is also consistent with the rash on the subjects other hand and face. Such red bumps overlying the knuckles of the fingers were first described by German dermatologist Heinrich Adolf Gottron in 1931, some 163 years after Wright's depiction in "The Air Pump." Dermatomyositis is a systemic inflammatory neuromuscular disorder that was first described a bit earlier, in 1891, by Heinrich Unverricht. "The depiction of the disease is so clear and accurate in the painting that it must have reflected the actual existence of an underlying disease in the portrayed father character," Ashrafian said. The finding remarks Wright's skill in painting exactly what he saw, but also adds a powerful metaphor. "It shows how those inflicted with disease may be onlookers to the potential that science could bring in terms of a promise for unlocking treatments of the future," Ashrafian said. According to Francesco Galassi, principal investigator of Italian Paleopathology Project at the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich, the paleo-pathographic diagnosis bears a great historical relevance since a clear understanding of dermatomyositis is a relatively recent conquest of science. "Contemporary research is still studying its pathophysiology, clinical complications and novel therapeutic strategies: discovering the historical presentation and evolution of dermatomyositis is going to be a major advancement for medicine," Galassi told Discovery News. According to Giulio Magli, professor of archaeoastronomy at Milan's Polytechnic University, Machu Picchu was the ideal counterpart of the Island of Sun, a rocky islet in the southern part of Lake Titicaca. "This island had a very important sanctuary which was a destination of pilgrimage. An apparently insignificant rock was believed to be the place of birth of the sun, and therefore of the Inca civilization," Magli told Discovery News. The Inca, who ruled the largest empire on Earth by the time their last emperor, Atahualpa, was garroted by Spanish conquistadors in 1533, believed that the sun god was their ancestor. Surrounded on three sides by the gorges of the Urubamba River (also called the Vilcanota River), and tucked between two massive mountain peaks -- the Huayna Picchu and the Machu Picchu -- the Inca city features about 200 stone structures and was probably inhabited by no more than 750 people. It is perched some 8,000 feet in the clouds. After its abandonment at the time of the Spanish conquest, it was lost to the jungle for nearly 500 years, and was then discovered by Hiram Bingham, an American explorer, in 1911 (although recent studies claim that it was actually discovered 40 years earlier by an obscure German entrepreneur). Theories about the city's function abound. Machu Picchu has been wrongly identified as the traditional birthplace of the Inca people, their final stronghold, and a sacred center occupied by virgins devoted to the sun god. Another recent interpretation, based on archival research published in the mid-1980s, and widely supported by scholars, suggests the spectacular site was a private estate of the emperor Pachacuti, who built it around 1460 A.D. "Any interpretation is doomed to remain speculative. Machu Picchu remains a mystery. We do not know for sure what the Inca called it, we do not know when and why it was constructed, or why it was abandoned," Magli said. Published on the Cornell University physics Web site arXiv.org, Magli's study examined Machu Picchu's urban layout, its ancient access ways, and the position of the site in relation with the cycles of celestial bodies during the Inca's reign. He then compared these aspects to a well-documented Inca pilgrimage site on Lake Titicaca, located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. According to Magli, the pilgrimage to Machu Picchu avoided a much easier and faster route along the Urubamba River, instead ascending through the difficult and spectacular Inca trail, which ended at the gate of the town. "The admitted visitors perhaps left their ritual offerings just near the entrance wall. Indeed, many peculiar stone pebbles, mainly of obsidian, have been recovered there," Magli said. "The pilgrims were then confronted by the imposing view of the Huayna Picchu mountain. Most likely, this was their final destination. Indeed, the last part of the pilgrimage, oriented north, took place inside the town," Magli said. The author of "Mysteries and Discoveries of Archaeoastronomy," Magli suggests that the ceremonial path into the city was conceived as a replica of the path followed by the first Incas in cosmological myth. In their final leg, the pilgrims approached three important places: the so-called quarry, an area possibly connected with Mother Earth and the underground travel of the first Incas, the temple of the three windows (it was believed that the first Incas came out from one of the three windows), and the Intihuatana Pyramid, which resembled the sacred mountain Huayna Picchu, located at the end of the path. According to Magli, the picture also fits with celestial cycles that appeared in the sky at the times of the Incas. These were dominated by the Milky Way, which was perceived as a "celestial river" having its terrestrial counterpart in the Urubamba River. "Machu Picchu was located at the ideal, opposite crossroads between the terrestrial and the celestial rivers. It was the other end of the sun's path," Magli concluded. According to Jean-Pierre Protzen, who teaches architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, the study brings an additional dimension to the site. "Magli's argument that Machu Picchu was a pilgrimage site and not a royal estate is well worth considering, although it is in need of a much more substantial proof. There is no reason to believe that it could not have been both," Protzen, a leading expert on Inca architecture, told Discovery News. Press Release May 21, 2016 BBM CAMP: ALL IT EXPERTS, WINNING CANDIDATES WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE IN COMELEC SYSTEM AUDIT The camp of Vice Presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. today said all Information Technology (IT) experts as well as representatives of winning candidates are welcome to participate in the system audit of the transparency and central servers of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). This was the statement today by Abakada Rep. Jonathan Dela Cruz, Campaign Adviser of Senator Marcos, who said should the Comelec allow an audit of the central and transparency servers, all IT experts are welcome to take part as well as those coming from winning candidates. "We would like to urge all IT experts to go there (Comelec), to have themselves accredited and take a look and see for themselves what happened. At hinihiling namin sa lahat ng grupo kahit na yung nanalo na na sumali dito kasi kredibilidad ng halalan ang nakataya. Katotohanan ang ating hinahanap dito," he said. Earlier, Marcos formally asked the Comelec to allow his own IT experts, with the supervision of the poll body to conduct a system audit to determine what transpired after Smartmatic personnel admittedly changed the script of the transparency server on the night of May 9. In addition to the audit, his camp also filed another letter before the poll body asking Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista to provide additional information concerning other components of the Automated Election System like the transmission logs, the white list (vote counting machines, USB devices, BGAN or Broadband Global Area Network); digitally-signed election returns (ERs), and the public and decryption keys to open the transmitted files. Marcos also wants to know the number of CCS (Consolidation and Canvassing System) laptops/servers that were reported to contain rogue votes coming from the Pre-Election logical accuracy test and mock elections on election day; the municipalities, cities and provinces affected and the measures the poll body took to rectify the supposed error. Dela Cruz pointed out that the system audit that they are pushing for is not directed at a particular candidate but at the integrity of the elections. He said the poll body should welcome this move because every Filipino deserves to know the truth behind the system change employed by Smartmatic personnel on the night of the elections. "We have to have a system audit. We have to see the transmission logs because that is the only way we can see what really happened. This has nothing to do with the results. This has everything to do with the integrity of our elections and the violations committed of our election laws," Dela Cruz pointed out. He further stated that people should not just accept Smartmatic's excuse that the change was merely innocuous because in computer technology, everything can change with just one push of a button or a single letter or icon. "Hindi mo pwede sabihin na kinalikot mo yan, walang nangyari. Ibig sabihin nyan, may kinalikot ka, may nangyari. Lalo na ito yung pinakialamanan ay ang transmission ng lahat ng kandidato sa halalan sa buong Pilipinas. That happened at around 7:30 p.m. on the day of the elections," he said. He further stated that they also found out that all vote counting machines (VCMs) did not transmit a single election result at around 10 p.m. on the same date. "We also found that after they changed the system, at 10 p.m. on the same day of May 9 ay biglang walang nagtransmit na VCM. Lahat ng VCM sa buong bansa walang nagtransmit for a period of one hour. After which nagkaroon ng kababalaghan. Kaya dapat magkaroon ng system audit para malaman kung anong katotohanan," he said. Dela Cruz had also earlier filed criminal complaints against Smartmatic executives Marlon Garcia and Elie Moreno, project director, for introducing a new script in the transparency server of the Comelec without proper authorization. Also included in the complaint were Neil Banigued, a member of the Smartmatic Technical Support Team and Rouie Penalba, IT officer of the Comelec who were involved in the script change. Specifically, the respondents were charged for the violation of Sections 35 (b) and (c) of R.A No. 8436, as amended by R.A. No. 9369, otherwise known as the Automated Elections Law which prohibits interfering with "the generation, transmission of election results, data or information." Dela Cruz said the law also prohibits "gaining or causing access to, using, altering and destroying computer data, program and system software, network, or any computer-related devices, facilities, hardware or equipment, whether classified or declassified." Over 1,300 People Have Been Shot In Chicago So Far This Year By Rachel Cromidas in News on May 23, 2016 5:59PM Brandon At least 1,382 people have been shot so far this year in Chicago, according to a tally of police data, and it's only May. Violent crime tends to be higher in the summerwhether it's because better weather means more people are outside at night or, as some researchers have suggested, because cities like Chicago see an increase in are pollution in the summer, or some other reason entirely. And with the number of fatal and non-fatal shootings climbing in Chicago faster than we've seen in years, some are worried Chicago is in for a particularly bloody summer. At least 244 Chicagoans have died from bullet wounds in Chicago this year, compared to 157 by this time last year, according to a Tribune analysis of police data. Overall shootings were at about 904 by this time last year as well. This past weekend, a 26-year-old man was fatally shot in Englewood and seven others wounded in separate shootings around the city within just one 90-minute period early Saturday evening. The shootings spanned the South and West sides, according to NBC, including West Humboldt Park, Woodlawn, Englewood West Pullman and Brainerd. The weekend violence prompted police chief Eddie Johnson to release a statement to reporters that summer violence "will not be tolerated." As we look toward the summer months, Superintendent Johnson has made it very clear that the violence will not be tolerated - period. The cause of the violence traces back decades, and everyone has a role to play in fixing it - police working with parents, judges, residents, clergy, community leaders, and others. Put simply, we need more values, fewer guns and stronger sentences against violence offenders. The statement from police hewed to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's typical talking points on combating Chicago gun violence, but did not contain any new specific plans. The mayor has repeatedly called for stricter state and federal gun laws and stronger prison sentences for violent offenders. The statement comes a week before Memorial Day Weekendthe unofficial start to summer in the city. Last year's Memorial Day Weekend was particularly violent, with 56 shootings, 12 of which were fatal. Press Release May 23, 2016 Transcript of Ambush Interview with Senate President Franklin M. Drilon Q: On the convening of the National Board of Canvassers SPFMD: Unang una we will pass the resolution which will convene the Senate and the House as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC). Tomorrow the House and the Senate will have a joint session, where we will adopt the rules on the canvass of the president and vice president. Q: Ano po ang scenario? Hapon po ba ang joint session? SPFMD: Yes hapon. Hapon ang joint session. I have directed that the ballot boxes be now brought to the House of Representatives, to the Batasan. Q: Yung rules on canvassing, prepared na o ididiscuss pa? SPFMD: It will be the joint session who will approve it. Q: Kaya na po ba iyan ng isang araw? Sabi po ni Rep. Boyet Gonzales dati po ilang araw inaabot ang administrative rules SPFMD: We'll try to finish it as soon as we can. This is a deliberative body so hindi mo alam kung kailan matatapos, but we will try to finish it soon. Our assurance is sisikapin namin ng matapos sa lalong madaling panahon yung rules tungkol sa halalan. Q: Nakapili na po ba kayo ng members ng canvassing committee? SPFMD: Yes, there are already suggestions, but we have not yet elected them because that will be premature dahil yung pag-position, kung ilan, would still be in the rules. Q: Sa canvassing sa Wednesday, ano po yan umaga ang start? SPFMD: I could not vie for the canvassing committee, but the ideal is they hold session as frequently as they can. We will try to finish the canvassing as soon as possible. Q: Meron na po bang clear consensus kung sino ang mga tatakbo for the Senate presidency? SPFMD: My first concern is to canvass the votes for president and vice president. Q: Kayo po ba are you seeking the support of others? SPFMD: My work for today and the next several days is to try to have the canvass. Q: Don't you feel threatened of the posturing na? SPFMD: I don't. The posturing is a natural episode once a new Congress comes. Q: Sa case niyo sir, you don't have to get 13 votes ano, since you are the incumbent? SPFMD: That's correct. Anyone who wants to unseat me would have to get the gift from 13 senators. Q: So hihintayin niyo na lang po yung magiging kalaban niyo? SPFMD: I have to work on the canvassing starting tomorrow. Q: Sa canvassing, what if hindi equal yung electronically transmitted at manually transmitted na vote? SPFMD: I don't want to pre-empt. There are rules on that. I would like to emphasize this: we cannot look beyond the face of the certificates of canvass. Q: It is possible for a candidate to join the canvassing committee? SPFMD: It is not ethical and you will have a conflict of interest if you are a candidate and you sit in the canvass. That cannot be, that cannot be proper. For example, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano can't sit in the canvass as well as Senators Grace, Chiz. Q: Kahit nag-concede? SPFMD: Oh yeah, kahit nagconcede. For example, si Senator Nancy I think would have to take a good look at the situation because he is the daughter of VP Binay. It depends on them, but then we consider the circumstance. Q: On the number of members of the canvassing committee SPFMD: I don't want to preempt what will be in the rules. The number of committee members will be in the rules that we will adopt tomorrow. Q: Ano po ang responsibility dito ng Comelec? SPFMD: The Comelec has no responsibility here since it is the responsibility of both houses as the National Board of Canvassers to proclaim the president and vice-president. Q: Ano po ang reaction niyo sa mga member ng LP sa House who will join PDP-Laban? Ano po ang last count ninyo? SPFMD: Fine. Hindi ako nagbibilang. Ang binibilang ko dito sa Senate, there are six LPs (Liberal Party members). Q: Nagulat pa po ba kayo doon sa nangyayari sa House? SPFMD: Hindi ako nagugulat dahilan sa by our history. Our political history will teach us that indeed the President's choice in the House is given respect. Sa Senado, the Senate has maintained its independence. The Senate is independent. Q: On the LP members of the House SPFMD: In the House, that has happened in the past. I am generally informed that the House LPs will not leave the party but would seek an alliance. Press Release May 23, 2016 PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF SENATOR FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. 16th Regular Congress Senate of the Philippines 23 May 2016 Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I take the floor on a matter of personal and collective privilege, and on a particular matter concerning not only this representation, but the entire Filipino electorate as well. This is no ordinary resumption of regular session by Congress. First, we have resumed our regular session on the heels of the automated national and local elections fourteen (14) days ago, an election which was much anticipated after our characteristically wild and frenetic campaign season. Second, the recently concluded election saw no less than thirteen (13) of our colleagues in the Senate -- including this representation -- vying as candidates for various positions. I congratulate the newly elected and "presumptive" President of the Republic Rodrigo Duterte, as well as the twelve (12) newly proclaimed Senators of the land, who will soon grace this hallowed hall and lend their talent and brand of public service to the Filipino people. I congratulate and hail my Presidential candidate, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, for braving the rigors and stresses of this whirlwind campaign, despite her health issues. We have come a long way since we as a people made the resolve to automate our elections. Indeed, automation is the way to go. But in doing so, we must not lose sight of the State's policy for doing this. Our automated election system should be one that "will ensure the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot and all election, consolidation and transmission documents in order that the process shall be transparent and credible and that the results shall be fast, accurate and reflective of the genuine will of the people." (Sec. 1, RA 9369) COMELEC Chair Andres Bautista was quoted as saying that, "we want to show (the world) how elections are being conducted in the Philippines. He even said that while before we were just learning from other countries, now "we are teaching them international best practices." In this age of digital media -- the very technology that allowed us the automated option in the first place -- the COMELEC Chairman has been given and extended advice and assistance, solicited or not, by netizens all over the country via various social media and other networks. Netizens were able to capture footage and other evidence of cheating and other abhorrent election offenses from different parts of the archipelago. Our countrymen now are not only aware of, but also knowledgeable in, computers and other digital devices. As captured by netizens through photos and videos, we see the same sad story in the Philippines. Vote-buying has become ever more rampant, as have been the acts of terrorism, threats and intimidation. We have received reports of information and communications technology (ICT) companies that were engaged by candidates to boost their chances in winning the automated elections. Parts of the package included access to official voters database and vaunted "magic laptops" which they claimed could tap into the COMELEC's main server. I brushed aside all these alleged offers as mere being hearsay until I saw it happening before my -- and the country's -- very eyes on the day of elections. On or about 7:30 in the evening on May 9, Smartmatic's Marlon Garcia, a Venezuelan national, admitted entering a new "script" or computer command in the PPCRV transparency server. Note that this change was done not before the elections, not when they were doing the pre-testing, but DURING transmission of results from our canvassing boards nationwide. It was after this particular act of computer programming wizardry that votes for this representation started to slow down and the votes for another candidate started to accelerate -- at an unprecedented and linear rate of 45,000 votes for every additional 1 percent of votes counted. This is the very same Marlon Garcia who was charged with electoral sabotage for doing the very same thing during the 2013 elections. What are the chances that this computer programming change can be linked to the odd pattern that emerged during the PPCRV quick-count? How sure are we that that the computer change did not open windows of opportunity for "trap doors", "trojan horses", "worms", or "time-bombs" to enter the system? COMELEC Chair Andres Bautista claims that the programming change in the transparency server was nothing more than a "cosmetic change," and that the same did not alter the results of the elections. What proof do we have of this? We have not seen any. Last week, I formally wrote to COMELEC and personally asked them to allow my IT experts to examine their servers. I made sure each and every Commissioner was given a copy of my request. Not one of them has replied to my request. Unlike FPJ, it has not even been "noted". I have to ask myself : why is COMELEC turning a blind eye to the quantum of proof that is before them? Every day netizens post new photos and videos of election fraud. Police found thousands of pre-shaded ballots in an abandoned warehouse in Alaminos, Pangasinan. Unused SD cards were found in a trash can in Kabangkalan, Negros Occidental. There is video of election fraud in Datu Ampatuan, Maguindanao. And yet, Comelec has done nothing. They would rather concentrate on immediate proclamation in the hope that the uproar will die down soon after. All these reports give us a clear sense of how the terrain of our electoral process has evolved since automation. Now, it is clear that we are waging the battle on two fronts: on the ground level; and in the field of computer science and programming. I recall the words of Dr. Rubin, an American computer expert, speaking on automated elections when it was first implemented in the United States : "My biggest fear is that someone would program a machine to give a wrong answer. If that were to happen, the machine would still work fine. We just wouldn't know (that it had given a wrong answer)." Another added: "Any time a program is changed, it can change things you don't see." (Bev Harris, "Black Box Voting" [2004]) You can tell a computer to behave badly in thousands of different ways. Unless we have strict, transparent and unblemished auditing procedure, "anyone with access to the central count machine can hack an election." In this highly contentious, hard-fought vice-presidential race, COMELEC must accomplish its constitutional mandates of 1) enforcing and administering all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, 2) deciding all questions affecting elections; and 3) ensuring "free, orderly, HONEST, peaceful, CREDIBLE and informed elections." We should not accept on mere blind faith the representations of the contractor and reflected data on their machines. The burden of proof should be upon them, and COMELEC as well, that the integrity of the system was not compromised. COMELEC should not allow that "the secrecy of the ballot be turned into the secrecy of the vote count." Congress shall shortly convene into a National Board of Canvassers for the election results of the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency. As all other Presidential candidates have conceded and no questions surround the votes he has received, I propose the immediate proclamation of our presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte, being the clear and uncontested winner in the presidential elections. Again, I offer him my sincere congratulations and my hand in partnership for the future. Mr. President, the Philippines now looks to you for your leadership and vision! However, I humbly but firmly reiterate, my strong reservations in the canvassing of the results of the Vice-Presidential elections, on the basis of electoral irregularities on the two fronts that I mentioned. I raise all these for the millions of Filipinos who voted for me and all the other voters whose votes were "lost" and remain uncounted. Your votes genuinely and properly reflect your will and your trust in me. I will be forever grateful. I vow to fight for the disenfranchised, whose votes were either prevented, diverted or declared invalid and thrown away, that their true choice be counted and included. My fellow Filipinos, today, I speak not about myself or about my candidacy. I speak about our nation and our country's future. What is at stake today is the sanctity of suffrage, which great leaders teach us must be guarded at every turn. Many attribute the phrase: "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" to Thomas Jefferson. This is so very true: "Eternal vigilance IS the price of liberty." Today, amidst controversy, cross-accusation, and confusion, our nation needs more eternal vigilance. We need leaders who are less interested in promoting their own interest, and their own party, and more interested in leaving behind the enduring example of free and fair elections. In this chamber, I stand second to no one in understanding we here in the Philippines have not always achieved this. But I remind even my most ardent critics: Ours is a nation and a history that proves able to learn, to adjust, to self-correct, to move forward. But moving forward demands that we each pay the sacred price of eternal vigilance. And as we review these threats to free and fair elections, no amount of politics, or carelessness, or outright deceit, will ultimately ever be excused by the people. This odious legacy of this government and the allegations surrounding it cannot be left uninvestigated. Evidence cannot be left un-reviewed. And truth cannot be left unspoken ... Because truth is the life-blood of eternal vigilance. Fellow senators, we cannot hold false confidence that we had free and fair elections if we did not. Our colleague, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago warns us now of a "garrison state where the authoritarian government feels free to manufacture numbers as they are needed." No less an authority than Abraham Lincoln reminds us: "Elections belong to the people." We should listen to these words. No one, no president, no party, no backroom, no machine, no operative, has the right to thwart the will of the Filipino people. Elections belong to the people. No one has the right to use political advantage to influence or manipulate an election. And we never--ever--can let that happen... because what's at stake is our future. In this chamber, our job is to fight those who want to keep taking us backwards. Two days before the May 9th election, I said this: "We must--all of us--guard against coming intimidation, manipulation, and even fraud by forces of the political status quo." This is truer today than it was two weeks ago. In fact, if anything, we now need more eternal vigilance today than we did last May 9th. Again, this is not about one candidate against another, or one family versus another, or one party versus another. This is not about a foreign technology vendor scandal. This is about eternal vigilance. Even if you are satisfied with the results of the May 9th election, it remains our job to rise above politics--and protect the sanctity of each and every single vote. In closing, we might all ask ourselves a question that will endure beyond each of our time here: "What can we learn from this?" In fact, we are too good a people, and too great a nation, with too great an ability to adjust and to take our democratic process forward, to NOT learn from this. We are simply too great a nation to not learn once more the awesome power and the sacred responsibility of eternal vigilance. Today, as tomorrow, this will require real change. This will require real courage... And, again and again, this will require eternal vigilance. Fellow Filipinos, join me in calling for more eternal vigilance. At stake is our country's future. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Press Release May 23, 2016 Senate OKs first aid trainings for elementary, HS students The Senate today approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to require all elementary and high school students to be trained in first-aid lessons. The bill is among the pending legislation passed by the Senate before both houses of Congress will convene as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) to canvass the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the May 9 elections. Senator Pia S. Cayetano, co-author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 3204, otherwise known as the Basic Life Support Training in Schools Act, said the measure aimed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and basic skills to respond to health emergencies. According to Cayetano, "in neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, it is already a practice to provide basic life support training in schools and communities. Basic life support is a lifesaving emergency medical procedure that is simple to learn and perform." She said students would be taught basic life support through programs developed by the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) or Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) using nationally-recognized, evidence- based guidelines for emergency cardiovascular care. Basic education schools shall also incorporate basic life support training as part of the schools' comprehensive health and physical education curriculum, according to the proposed bill. Under the measure, students who successfully completed the basic life support course would be given a certification for their training by the school principal, or any other competent school authority. The Senate also approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to establish a new science and technology university in Misamis Oriental, by merging two existing schools within the province. Cayetano, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, said that House Bill No. 6144 provided for the merging of Mindanao University of the Science and Technology (MUST) and the Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology (MOSCAT) into the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTSP), the first of its kind in the province. She said the two merged schools would combine their facilities and resources, and "raise the current standard of higher public education, and promote an efficient centralized system of education that will benefit the students." The USTSP, Cayetano said, would offer undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of mathematics, science and technology, engineering and agriculture. Meanwhile, the Senate also passed House Bill No. 2817 seeking to separate the Cagasat National High School - Magsaysay Annex in Barangay Magsaysay, Municipality of Cordon, Isabela from the Cagasat National High School into an independent national high school to be known as Cordon National High School. Cayetano said that the schools had complied with the guidelines laid down by the Department of Education. (MaeJoy Albano-Miranda) Press Release May 23, 2016 Senate grants franchise to airline firm, electric coop and telcos The Senate today approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to grant a franchise to an airline company to establish, operate and maintain domestic and international transport services. The bill is among the pending legislation passed by the Senate before both houses of Congress will convene as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) to canvass the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the May 9 elections. Sen. Serge Osmena, acting chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said the passage of House Bill 6021 into law would grant the Pilipinas Asian Pearl Airways, Inc., a 25- year franchise unless it is revoked or cancelled. Under the bill, the franchise shall be deemed revoked if the company fails to follow the following conditions: commence operations within one year from the approval of its permit by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), secure an air operator certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) within the same period of its application for a CAB permit, operate continuously for two years and commence operations within two years after it was signed into law. The Senate also approved on final reading 13 other local bills seeking to renew the franchise of an electric company and television and telecommunications networks. Osmena said the passage of House Bills 6053 (Zoe Broadcasting, Inc.), 5859 (People's Broadcasting Service, Inc.), 5601 (Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corporation or PT&T), 6168 (Byers Communication, Inc.), 6193 (Kalayaan Broadcasting System), into law would renew the franchises of the establishments for another 25 years. On the other hand, House Bills 2185 (First Bay Power Corp), 6003 (Ama Telecommunciations, Inc), 6005 (Infinivan, Inc.), 6011 (Veritas Media Arts Inc.), 6312 (Metro Connections and Telecom Corp), 6313 (Makinig Network, Inc), 6314 (Megamanila Telecom Corp) and 6315 (Pilipinas Radio Waves Corp.) are new franchise applications for 25 years each. He said the continued operation of the establishments would generate additional jobs, create career opportunities and continue to provide the people with information to help them in their daily lives. Osmena said the enterprises had complied with the requirements prescribed by the law such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). (Pilar S. Macrohon) Press Release May 23, 2016 Bill seeks to give centenarians P100k in cash A bill seeking to grant centenarians P100,000 in cash and a letter of felicitation from the president was approved by the Senate on third and final reading. The bill is among the pending legislation passed by the Senate before both houses of Congress will convene as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) to canvass the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the May 9 elections. Senator Nancy Binay, sponsor of Senate Bill No. 449 or the Centenarians Act of 2013, said the proposed measure also seeks to declare every September 25th as "National Respect for Centenarians Day." Binay is the chairperson of the Committee of Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development. The bill was introduced by Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto and Senator Cynthia Villar. "The proposed measure is the Senate's way of recognizing the country's centenarians, who have reached the milestone age of one hundred years old, often through clean and responsible living. They are good examples for our people, and help encourage a healthier lifestyle among our citizenry," Senate President Franklin M. Drilon said. "We have a culture of taking care and providing for our elders. It is somewhat a voluntary obligation imposed on oneself. Let us keep this unique Filipino trait of taking care of our elderly by honoring our centenarians," Binay said in her sponsorship speech. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines centenarian as "one that is a hundred years old or older." Binay cited a World Health Organization data which showed that Filipino life expectancy for both male and female is 65 and 72 years, respectively. On the other hand, she said, records from the National Statistical Coordination Board Fact Sheet pegged Filipino life expectancy at 67.6 years for the male and 73.1 years for the female. According to Binay, records from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed that there were 3,533 centenarians as of 2015. Recto, co-sponsor of the bill, said that once the measure was passed into law, the city or town where the centenarians live must give him or her a plaque of recognition on his or her 100th birthday. Centenarians, he noted, are so few that the bill would not burn a hole in the taxpayer's pocket as the centenarians represent only a small percentage of the population. Meanwhile, the Senate also approved on final reading a bill seeking to require all TV networks to use closed caption options on television programs so people with hearing impairments could enjoy a full variety of television programs. Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2239, said that closed captioning would permit the hearing-impaired to "engage and be part of popular culture." The bill was authored by Poe and Senators Bong Revilla and Loren Legarda. Under the bill, closed caption shall mean a method of subtitling television programs by coding statements as vertical data signal that are decoded at the receiver and super imposed at the bottom of the television screen. Franchise holders or operators of TV stations and producers of TV programs will now be required to use closed caption options in their programs. Once the bill is passed into law, Poe said the Philippines would join the rest of its Southeast Asian neighbors like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, in providing a closed-captioning system to help the deaf and the hearing-impaired community. Senator Bam Aquino, co- sponsor of the bill, said closed captioning would enable people with hearing impairments to engage in public affairs. He said closed captioning would keep Filipinos with hearing disability updated with current events, similar to TV5 which has a sign language inserted in its newscast. "We need to support measures that would provide the hearing-impaired with proper support and care and help them integrate into society by assisting them to find jobs and become productive members of the society," Aquino said. (Iris Espolong/Bianca Fermiza/OJT) Press Release May 23, 2016 Bill seeks to include Fil-Muslim and Indigenous Peoples history in school curriculum The Senate today passed on third and final reading a bill seeking to include Filipino-Muslim and Indigenous Peoples history, culture and identity in the curriculum of Philippine History for basic and higher education. The bill is among the pending legislation passed by the Senate before both houses of Congress will convene as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) to canvass the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the May 9 elections. Senator Pia Cayetano, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 3205, said the measure sought to address the apparent lack of understanding among culturally different groups of Filipinos through education. "This holistic and integrative history shall be introduced in both basic and higher education curriculum as a means of inculcating in our schoolchildren the various strands of Philippine culture, as well as our rich and diverse historical narrative as a nation," Cayetano said. Under the bill, concerned agencies must consult with recognized experts on Filipino Muslim and Indigenous Peoples history, culture and identity in formulating an inclusive and integrative curriculum of Philippine History, including the writing, printing and publication of textbook and other reading materials. "I tender these lofty goals with the hope of a Philippines united in strength and peace," Cayetano said. Also approved by the Senate today was a bill seeking the creation of additional branches of a Regional Trial Court in Calapan City and a Municipal Trial Court in Baco, in the first district of Oriental Mindoro. Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said the creation of additional courts would help declog the courts' dockets and "speed up the administration of justice" in the area. As of December 2014, he said, the Regional Trial Court in Calapan City has a total caseload of 1,620 cases for its two branches. This is over the manageable caseload for second level courts, pegged at 300 cases per branch in a year by the court administrator. Under House Bill No. 3145, the additional Municipal Trial Court branch in Baco will limit the jurisdiction of the current Municipal Circuit Trial Court in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro to cases within the muncipalities of San Teodoro and Puerto Galera. Pimentel said in establishing the additional courts, the present caseload was considered as well as the geographical situation of the area so that the courts would be linked to the people making the judicial processes more accessible. "In a society that looks upon the judiciary as the bulwark of rights and liberties, it is imperative that we establish the correct and sustainable infrastructure to guarantee that our people would be able to obtain redress in a speedy and efficient manner," Pimentel said. (Olive Caunan/Apple Buenaventura) A Chicago Public School Has Had Its Water Shut Off Due To Lead By Mae Rice in News on May 23, 2016 6:17PM Glass of water (photo via [cipher] on Flickr Water in a public Chicago elementary school in Grand Crossing has been shut off due to high lead levels, a spokesperson for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) told Chicagoist. The school, Tanner Elementary School, is the only one of the 32 CPS schools tested so far whose lead levels have exceeded those recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The school has been relying on delivered coolers of water, the AP reported. Six other schools have had detectable lead levels in their water systems that aren't high enough to violate EPA standards, a CPS spokesperon said. Those schools are: * Robert Nathaniel Dett Elementary School (Near West Side) * Charles Sumner Math & Science Community Academy (West Garfield Park) * Charles Kozminski Elementary Community Academy (Hyde Park) * Lenart Elementary Regional Gifted Center (Chatham) * Nicholson Technology Academy (Englewood) * Francis W Parker Elementary Community Academy (Englewood) Twenty-five schools had no detectable traces of lead. Full details of the schools tested are posted at www.cps.edu/leadtesting. The city now plans to test 250 more CPS schools, according to the AP. The city announced plans to test the water at CPS schools at the end of April. Earlier that month, Chicago's Water Management commissioner resigned, amid reports that the city had been less than rigorous about testing for lead in the local water supply. Water tainted with lead has been a hot-button issue across the country since it caused an epidemic of lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan, which prompted the city to declare a state of emergency in December. Roughly a dozen water systems in suburban Chicago have also reportedly exceeded EPA lead standards twice or more since 2004. It has been widely argued, by no less than the New York Times, that officials let public health issues slide in predominantly black communities. That seems to be the case in Chicago: Grand Crossing, where the lone known water shutdown has taken place, was 95.6 percent black as of 2013, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Englewood, home to two of the school water systems with detectable lead in them, is 96.7 percent black as of 2013. Flint, likewise, is majority black: 56.6 percent "black or African-American" as of 2010, according to the US Census. If you're a parent or staff member at Tanner, please email us at tips@chicagoist.com. The 5 million square feet of commercial development planned for the Hunters Point Shipyard project would be exempt from the citys long-standing cap on office space under a ballot initiative San Francisco voters could consider in November. The measure would represent the first effort to amend Proposition M, a law enacted in 1986 to control what at the time was an explosion of downtown office development. Prop. M limits office space approvals in San Francisco to 950,000 square feet per year, 850,000 square feet of which are allocated for large projects over 50,000 square feet. Kofi Bonner, vice president for Lennar Urban, which is overseeing the redevelopment of the shipyard, said exempting the 775-acre property from the cap would provide the flexibility needed to draw big employers to a corner of the city that was once home to thousands of workers. The redevelopment of the shipyard will eventually include 12,000 housing units, 1 million square feet of retail and hotel uses, and 350 acres of parkland. The revitalization of the shipyard is well under way. Were creating new housing and a lot of green space, Bonner said. We now have the opportunity to create permanent jobs and long-term economic opportunity. This measure will provide the flexibility to do so. Glut of proposed projects The idea comes as the city Planning Department is facing a glut of proposed office projects. While about 1.5 million square feet is currently available under the Prop M cap the balance rolls over year to year if it is not met about 8 million square feet of office buildings is awaiting approval. And the amount of space currently available will likely drop to about 500,000 square feet later this month if the Board of Supervisors approves the two-tower Oceanwide complex at First and Mission streets. Sponsors of the initiative a group that includes former District 10 Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, Board of Education member Shamann Walton, and Veronica Hunnicutt, chairwoman of Mayor Ed Lees Hunters Point Shipyard Citizens Advisory Committee said Prop. M was adopted well before the current shipyard redevelopment plan came into focus. Its purpose, they argue, was to keep downtown office development in check, not to stymie efforts to build commercial space in a low-income corner of the the city that has been starved for investment for decades. Leah Millis/The Chronicle Make an end run But critics of the measure will likely argue that it will only encourage other developers to seek exemptions in other parts of the city, like Pier 70 and the two shuttered power plants on the southern bayfront. Sue Hestor, the attorney who wrote Prop. M, said she was not aware of the ballot initiative and that no mention was made of the ballot measure at a recent Planning Commission update on Prop. M. She said the measure shows contempt for the people of San Francisco. It seems like they dont feel the law applies to them they want to make an end run, she said. Of course, they will have the ability to spend unlimited amount of money to get this passed so they can strike it rich. Proponents need to submit at least 9,845 valid signatures of San Francisco voters to the Department of Elections by July 11 for the measure to quality for the Nov. 8 ballot. The measure could benefit other office developers looking for city approvals. Thats because when the Candlestick Point-Hunters Point plan was passed in 2010 it was given priority under the Prop. M cap. Only the Transbay Transit Center tower, which is under construction and now called the Salesforce Tower, and those within Mission Bay South, are ahead of the shipyard in the Prop. M pecking order. Thus the office buildings lining up South of Market to build around the new Central Subway would be at a disadvantage in competing for square footage with the shipyard. Gabriel Metcalf, the executive director of the urban think tank SPUR, said of the proposal, It seems very reasonable to me. It would be a modest boost to the efforts of Lennar to bring more jobs to the Bayview, he said. That is the essence of this. Metcalf said he thinks the city needs to do a bigger rethinking of Prop. M, but that this measure is not that bigger rethinking. From a transportation perspective downtown San Francisco is the best place to have office jobs. But from the perspective of creating jobs in a part of San Francisco that is really hungry for investment, this makes a lot of sense, he said. When it was an active shipyard there were a lot of jobs in that community making it a center for jobs again someday has always been part of the vision for redevelopment. Remove barriers to jobs The office space at the shipyard is being developed by FivePoint Holdings, a Lennar affiliate. A number of major Bay Area companies, including Google and Facebook, have looked at the site, as has the startup incubator Y Combinator, according to real estate brokerage sources. San Francisco State University is planning to locate its STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program in about 30,000 square feet at the shipyard. Having that program next to a major tech or biotech campus could create job training opportunities for students, said Hunnicutt, a retired dean of City College of San Francisco. There are so many wonderful, interesting opportunities for our young people out there at the shipyard, so it makes all the sense in the world to remove barriers that could preclude those jobs from coming there, Hunnicutt said. J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: sfjkdineen So many people over the years have left Yahoo, the struggling Internet search pioneer, that they now have their own social network. The new xY!z Network lets current and former employees enter a community filled with people who used to work at the Sunnyvale tech giant. The networks free app became available last week. A few hundred users have already signed up. The xY!z can also be pronounced ex-Yahoos. The networks creators thought it best not to include the word Yahoo in the name, due to copyright concerns. Amit Kumar, the former head of Yahoos small-business programs, led the team that created the app and network. Like many in the Yahoo diaspora, he has fond memories of the camaraderie and teamwork there. Many have been disheartened by Yahoos failure to increase its advertising market share, as well as its possible sale to Verizon or other suitors. The Yahoo mafia is there, Kumar said. They dont make that much noise, but they help each other all the time. Kumar, who jokes that he bleeds purple, worked at Yahoo twice, leaving in 2014 to found mobile startup Trimian. For the xY!z project, he worked with a team that included seven ex-Yahoos, along with other engineers. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle Current or former employees enter their email addresses to sign up and then answer a few questions to determine what they hope to get out of the network. They can choose from categories like career advice, industry expertise, new employment, raising funds or networking. App users can also select how they can help the group, whether through mentoring, consulting, hiring, investing or networking. Then the app places the users in different chat groups based on their selections. For example, people who say they can help with hiring are in the same conversation as people who are looking for work. They can also join chat groups based on their former Yahoo departments. The app even has an option to tell its users if there are fellow ex-Yahoos nearby. Ian Kennedy, 49, joined because he hopes to network with others and mentor ex-Yahoos. Kennedy worked at Yahoo from 2005 to 2008 and is now a director of media-technology partnerships at SmartNews Inc., which offers a mobile app that curates news. While hes already connected to former Yahoos on Facebook and LinkedIn, the app did cause his former college roommate, who also once worked at Yahoo, to reach out to Kennedy. It was the first time the two had talked to each other in years. Yahoo spawned a lot of talented people, and they are out there, Kennedy said. Thats why this app is so interesting. Heres another tool to keep those connections strong. Kumar sees the network and app as ways to give back to a Yahoo community that has already helped him. When Kumar founded a previous startup, e-commerce firm Lexity, Yahoo managers helped fund it, he said. Yahoo bought Lexity in 2013. A large part of my success is thanks to the Yahoo network, Kumar said. A Yahoo spokeswoman declined to comment on the new app. Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: thewendylee The next San Francisco police chief will face a historic array of challenges, arriving amid a national debate over police bias and brutality and under pressure to institute sweeping reforms led by the U.S. Department of Justice. The chief who will permanently replace Greg Suhr, who stepped down last week after the latest fatal shooting by an officer, will have to restore trust with minority communities, deal with an outspoken union and handle the fallout from police killings still under investigation all while marching out body cameras, new training and policy changes. Finding the right candidate falls to Mayor Ed Lee and the Police Commission, who will have to decide whether the person is an insider familiar with the city who may be more popular with rank-and-file officers or an outsider, possibly one with a track record of reform. Acting Police Chief Toney Chaplin took the reins of the department Thursday, just hours after a sergeant shot and killed an apparently unarmed auto theft suspect, 29-year-old Jessica Williams, at the edge of the Bayview neighborhood. Less than a day later, Police Commission President Suzy Loftus had her first meeting to jump-start the search for a replacement. She and others in the citys criminal justice hierarchy acknowledged that the task wont be easy, either for those looking for the next chief or for the one chosen to take the role. I think we need a leader, I think we need a reformer and I think we need someone who can demonstrate that implementing these reforms and actually changing fundamentally the way officers are trained and do their job is something that theyre capable of, Loftus said. Its a big job. Mayor the decider The commission will use a recruiting firm to draw in applicants from within the Police Department and across the nation. Under the City Charter, the commission is tasked with choosing a slate of three candidates, from which the mayor makes the final decision. Loftus emphasized that while the search for a permanent chief is important, there wont be a pause in putting through many changes that began under Suhr following the contentious Dec. 2 shooting of Mario Woods in the Bayview. That includes adopting a new use-of-force policy, which is now being debated and tweaked by the Police Commission, and carrying through new firearms and de-escalation training that Suhr introduced. Also continuing is a discussion around whether to acquire new less-lethal equipment in particular hotly contested Taser stun guns. The Department of Justices community policing division is expected to release recommendations to the department by early fall, and it will be up to the new chief to decide whether to treat those recommendations as binding, as Suhr indicated he would. Connor Radnovich/The Chronicle Chaplin, who held his first news conference as chief Friday, said he is committed to seeing that the reforms are implemented. Activists keep up pressure The citys vocal activists say they will closely follow the next chiefs progress. Ilyich Sato, one of the Frisco Five who went on a 17-day hunger strike demanding Suhrs resignation, said that despite achieving their goal, he and others in the community plan to keep the pressure on. The next person stepping in is stepping into a hot seat, said Sato, a rapper who uses the name Equipto. I think the next person knows that we will keep them on their heels. Were not here for any compromising or negotiating. The peoples demands are needs. In particular, Sato said, he and other activists are looking for accountability a chief who isnt afraid to jail officers involved in bad shootings or other abuses and a chief thats able to sit down with the community, not just selected community leaders. Police Commissioner Thomas Mazzucco said hes also looking for a chief who will engage with the community. To him, that means an internal hire, someone who lives in and knows the city. Its a unique city, its a great city, he said. To have somebody who can walk into a community, know the folks, have memories of being there as a young child, thats important. Mazzucco was on the commission the last time the mayor appointed an outside hire George Gascon, who now serves as district attorney and is a constant adversary of the police union with his criticism of the department and his calls for more reform. Another outside hire, Charles Gain, came in from Oakland in 1975, only to have his tenure end four years later after riots followed Dan Whites conviction for manslaughter rather than murder for killing Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Police Officers Association President Martin Halloran said the tenures of Gascon and Gain showed why the next chief needs to come from within the department. Union wants an insider Wed like to have a chief who has worked in San Francisco Police Department for a number of years, is familiar with the needs of this city and the citizens and residents of this city, and can lead this department through upcoming changes in use of force and implementation of Tasers, Halloran said. We would want a chief who reaches out to the community, especially the underprivileged neighborhoods in San Francisco. Basically, we want all the qualities that we had in Chief Suhr. But former police Commissioner Vincent Pan, who was part of the panel that selected Gascon as chief, said any chief who comes in with an intention to reform the department is going to face pushback. If youre going to do anything meaningful, you will have resistance from people who want to keep things the way they are, Pan said. And I think to the community, its clear that the way things are is not acceptable. What the department needs, Pan said, is someone who wont be afraid of change, and who understands the value of cultivating diversity and confronting both overt and subconscious bias in the wake of two separate scandals in which officers were accused of exchanging racist and homophobic text messages. At this point in history, across the country, a police chief cannot be someone who adequately manages things as the way they are, Pan said. The next chief has to be someone who is revolutionary in what their views on what public safety can be. Chaplin not looking ahead To some, Chaplin is the right candidate. Under Suhr, he was deputy chief of the principled policing bureau, which focused on reforms. On Friday, Chaplin said he wasnt looking that far down the road. There is too much work that needs to be done right now, he said. Im not concerned about Toney Chaplin the individual. Right now, Im looking at getting the department back on track so we can do the work we need to do. Halloran said Chaplins performance in coming weeks will reveal a lot. Lets see how he performs, he said. The poor guys been thrown into the deep end of the pool. Lets see if the politicians throw him a life ring or throw him a bag of rocks. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: VivianHo The White Night Riots had raged. Now it was time to find a way forward. The Chronicles front page from May 23, 1979, covers the aftermath of the Dan White verdict and the violence that followed in San Francisco. The long, furious night of burning and looting, the first violent demonstration by San Francisco gays, erupted in an almost atavistic reaction to the Dan White manslaughter verdict, in a community where no leader has stepped forward to fill the vacuum left by the death last November of Supervisor Harvey Milk, the story by Katy Butler on The Chronicles front page read. The gay community was outraged, and so were some police officers who criticized their leader for not trying to quash the protests more quickly. Police Chief Charles Gain took full responsibility for police actions at City Hall on Monday night while officers in the ranks grumbled that he waited too long to quell the rioting that left 59 policemen and 69 civilians injured, the story by Birney Jarvis and Robert Popp read. At City Hall, Mayor Dianne Feinstein kept tabs on the furor. She had found Milks body and announced the deaths of Moscone and Milk to the public. (Click to enlarge) The flames from the eight burning police cars bathed the City Hall dome in an eerie flickering light and their sirens screamed like dying animals until meltdown silenced them one by one, Jerry Carroll wrote on the front page. Upstairs in the darkened second-floor mayors office, lanky investment banker Richard Blum Dianne Feinsteins fiance crunched across the broken glass on the carpet and made his way to the balcony to watch police sally forth to clear Civic Center Plaza of the protesters. ... Throughout the long, violent night, Blum seldom strayed far from Mayor Feinsteins side as she was kept briefed on the scenes unfolding on the darkened streets below. Feinstein would lead the city the next day, and for nine more years. Top O the Top of the News: Twenty industrial nations pledged to burn more coal to reduce their dependence on oil. Page 2. Wait, um, fellas, thats not how this works, say environmentalists 37 years in the future. Top O the Top of the News, Round 2: A new call for U.S. control of Tahoe has been issued following the collapse of California-Nevada talks. Page 2. Federal oversight of Lake Tahoe? Dont bet on it. See more front pages: Go to SFChronicle.com/covers to search a database of hundreds of Chronicle Covers articles that showcase the newspaper's history. The Chronicle Covers project highlights one classic Chronicle newspaper page from our archive every day for 366 days. Library director Bill Van Niekerken, art director Danielle Mollette-Parks, producer Michelle Devera and editorial assistant Jillian Sullivan contributed to the project. Tim ORourke is the executive producer and editor of SFChronicle.com. Email: torourke@sfchronicle.com Twitter: TimothyORourke British veteran director Ken Loach's feature film "I, Daniel Blake" has stood out from 21 competing films and won the top prize of the Palme d'Or. After accepting his award, Loach gave a passionate speech about the state of the economy and political systems and the prospect of a British exit from the European Union. British veteran director Ken Loach's feature film "I, Daniel Blake" won the top prize of the Palme d'Or. [Photo: festival-cannes.com] "To come out of Europe, only to go to even further right, in our own country would be bad. So it's a tactical question. I would stay in, but we really have to change and we have to link up with all those who really want to change it, from what is left from Syriza in Greece to Podemos, to the other left movements but my God ! We need change. We can't stand the way it is." The award for the 79-year-old was announced by actor Mel Gibson. "I, Daniel Blake" is a warmly realistic drama about a middle-aged widower in northern England who can neither work nor get government benefits after a heart attack. Jury president George Miller described the jury's selection as "rigorous and happy." This is Loach's second time in winning the Palme d'Or, following his first win by "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" in 2006. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. DOUG MILLS/NYT President Obama announced Monday that the United States will end all arms embargoes on Vietnam during his first trip to the country. Its a momentous shift between the two countries and a tacit admission that our mutual history has been overcome by a more contemporary concern: China. Former President Bill Clinton restored diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1995, and the Obama administration eased the decades-long U.S. arms embargo in 2014. China, Vietnams neighbor, was making aggressive movements in the South China Sea, and the idea was to allow Vietnam to buy maritime surveillance and other security-related armaments. Aspiring ballet dancers will go to great lengths to pursue their dreams. Swane Messaoudi went halfway around the world. At just 16, and knowing no English, she left her family behind in Toulouse, France, to train at San Francisco Ballet School. I feel like I have to dance, she says in her soft French accent. I love it. I just always want to do it. Two years after joining the schools full-time program, she has completed its top level, finished high school online and become bilingual. Her artistry will get a spotlight at the annual Ballet School Student Showcase, opening Wednesday, May 25, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater. The always celebratory event will mark the stage debut for the schools dozens of ballet hopefuls. Sometimes I dont realize how lucky I am to be here, says Messaoudi, now 18. Indeed, in a case of fortune favoring the prepared, Ballet School Associate Director Patrick Armand discovered her at a summer workshop in France. She had a really great work ethic and lovely physicality, he recalls of the then-13-year-old dancer, who had already been training for seven years. Messaoudis sound-engineer father, child-caregiver mother and three sisters have always supported her dancing, and they encouraged her new goal of training at the Ballet School but the tuition proved beyond the familys reach. I thought she was somebody who deserved to be helped, says Armand, who secured a scholarship to cover her tuition and board. Since her arrival, Messaoudi has returned the schools generosity by volunteering as a girls teaching assistant in the Community Scholarship Program. Started in 1979 and currently taught by faculty members Pollyana Ribeiro and Jeffrey Lyons, the program sponsors twice-weekly ballet classes for 60 San Francisco public-school kids, ages 7-9, and provides them with dance attire. At the end of the September-May term, kids with exceptional aptitude and enthusiasm may be invited to join the school full time; Ballet corps member Sean Bennett is one of the programs success stories. Theyre so good, Messaoudi says of her two dozen charges. They really listen to what Im saying. Amazingly focused for their age, and adorably sincere, the girls grip their baby bars, stand tall and point their toes. Some of them get pretty close to the pianists rhythm; all of them try really hard. As they dance, Messaoudi keeps a knowing eye on each tiny foot, knee and shoulder. Spotting a body part thats strayed out of line, she gently adjusts the turnout of a leg or the arch of an instep. Miss Swane is obviously a much-admired role model. (Her counterpart in the boys class is Mattia Santini, a top-level student from Milan.) Swane is a wonderful person, says Ribeiro, who is also one of Messaoudis instructors. She is very positive, very compassionate and very patient with the kids. Messaoudi loves working with children and expects to become a ballet teacher someday, but she first wants to dance the classics, like Giselle. With a laugh, she answers before you can ask: I love Swan Lake, too, because my name is Swane. Before landing those lead roles, Messaoudi will complete more years of training, apprenticeship and performance, starting with the Showcase. She and Santini, who is also her duet-class partner, will join other upper-level students and trainees an interim level between the school and the company in the world premiere of Symphonic, a neoclassical piece choreographed by faculty member and former Ballet principal dancer Parrish Maynard. Maynards piece is one of several sophisticated works planned the Showcase is as well known for its repertory as for the pageant of class demonstrations that starts with the 9-year-old beginners. John Neumeiers Yondering and an excerpt from Petipas classical Le Corsaire are on the bill, along with contemporary works by Ballet soloist James Sofranko and corps de ballet dancer Wei Wang. For Messaoudi and her fellow students, who train 25-30 hours per week, the Showcase will be the first time that their dreams begin to feel attainable. Those kids spend an entire year in the studio and finally they get onstage, says Armand. Every single student, at the end of the day, your goal is to perform. This years school promotions were to be announced Monday, May 23. Regardless of the results, Messaoudi will continue dancing, training and giving back. Im really glad to be here, Messaoudi says. I get to do what I love, and I have amazing teachers. I feel like theyre giving me a lot. As with every graduating class, some of the students will make their way to the Opera House stage, some will join other companies, and some will trade ballet for college. Whatever path they choose, says Ribeiro, all of us wish them good luck and are proud of them. Claudia Bauer is a Bay Area freelance writer. San Francisco Ballet School Student Showcase: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, May 25 and 27; 6 p.m. Thursday, May 26. YBCA Theater, 700 Howard St., S.F. $45-$60. www.sfballet.org/studentshowcase See the trailer for the S.F. Ballet School 2016 Student Showcase: www.sfballet.org/studentshowcase See S.F. Ballet Schools 2016 trainees perform under the City Hall rotunda: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxboRkBPACI This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate California and its 548 convention delegates may be the biggest prize of the Democratic primary season, but the partys two presidential hopefuls are taking very different routes to a potential June 7 victory. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, wants to win, but in a way that doesnt alienate Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters, because shell need them in a fall campaign. We dont want a scorched-earth campaign, especially when the Democratic nomination is all but settled, said Dan Newman, whose San Francisco political consulting firm is working for Clinton. We dont want to create obstacles to unifying to stop (presumptive GOP nominee Donald) Trump in November. But for Sanders, who has acknowledged that his path to the nomination is both steep and narrow, California is a must-win state if hes going to convince unpledged convention delegates that hes the Democrats best hope of beating Trump. Were running a very aggressive schedule, said Robert Becker, Sanders California campaign director. Were going to work the state pretty hard, and were not conceding anything. For Sanders, thats meant a grueling schedule of high-profile rallies across the state, with the candidate repeating his familiar cry for a political revolution against what he calls a rigged economy and corrupt politics. Hes been drawing thousands of people at each stop. Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle Were probably going to do a couple dozen of rallies, said Becker, who also ran Sanders efforts in Iowa and Michigan. Weve found that in states like California ... we need to use our No. 1 organizing tool, which is Bernie Sanders. Seeking superdelegates Before his rally in San Jose on Wednesday, in sweltering afternoon heat, Sanders told The Chronicle that part of the reason hes holding rallies around the state is to flash his power to the unpledged superdelegates he wants to woo at the national convention in July. Hillary Clinton cannot hold rallies like this. She will not have 5,000 people coming out, Sanders said. The significance is that when people come out on a hot Wednesday, they are prepared to engage in politics. That means to be part of a grassroots movement. And that translates into high turnouts in November, which is needed for a Democratic victory. Besides revving up supporters and providing a vision of excitement and momentum for undecided voters, campaign volunteers use the jam-packed rallies and the slow-moving admission lines as opportunities to recruit new volunteers. That personal touch matters, Becker said. People really respond to it. While Clinton has held some public events in the state, such as a rally with 800 people at an Oakland school earlier this month, shes not trying to match Sanders crowds. There are lots of ways to talk to voters, and all candidates do it in their own fashion, Newman said. Sanders strategy is big rallies ... but those rallies dont always equal votes. Clinton courts core Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle Clintons team is focusing on getting her core supporters to the polls on election day. While Sanders uses rallies and online outreach to gin up support, said Buffy Wicks, Clintons California campaign director, we have already talked to 100,000 people (last) week through a combination of online and in-person connections. The campaign will push hard in cities with diverse populations particularly Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and throughout the Central Valley. Clintons people already are running phone banks and canvassing operations, not only in English but also in Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Spanish. If you look at what her path to victory has been in the primaries African Americans, Latinos, Asian-Pacific Islanders, women that is her ultimate path to victory in the general, Wicks said. Its building on the Obama coalition and making sure we can bring in this very diverse coalition of voters to the polls. But Clinton has to be cautious in her campaigning. Facing a progressive Democrat who already has shown an ability to bring young people and independent voters into the political system, she has to avoid slamming Sanders so hard that his hard-core supporters stay home in November. Theres no percentage in going on the attack against Bernie Sanders and his supporters, Newman said. We have to realize these are people who would vastly prefer President Clinton to President Trump. Crucial issues at stake That doesnt mean Clinton and Sanders wont be battling on the issues. The Clinton campaign is focusing on economic proposals that are geared toward women and families, Wicks said. That means the former senator from New York will be talking a lot about paid sick leave, equal pay for women, raising the minimum wage and her recently released child care proposal issues the campaign believes will resonate with African American and Latino families. Clinton will also push for tighter gun laws and hammer home that Sanders once voted to shield firearms manufacturers and sellers from some types of lawsuits. Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., who was shot and badly wounded in a 2011 assassination attempt, will campaign for Clinton in California. Its an easier campaign plan for Sanders, who doesnt have to worry about offending Clintons backers. Do not moan to me about Hillary Clintons problems, Sanders said in an MSNBC interview this month, adding that he will fight for every last vote I can get. Sanders advisers believe his policies particularly on raising the minimum wage and free college tuition are a natural fit in California, which Sanders repeatedly describes at campaign rallies as one of the countrys most progressive states. While Clinton is in broad agreement with many of Sanders policies, she has taken a more cautious approach that doesnt take political change nearly as far as the senator is demanding. It should be a very quick lesson to Democrats that we can do better in federal elections by being boldly progressive than by trying to kowtow to independents and Republicans, said Ben Tulchin of San Francisco, Sanders national pollster. Independent appeal While Clinton is working to turn out traditional Democratic voters, Sanders success in California will depend on his ability to attract people who arent always part of the Democrats political playbook. Much of Sanders effort is aimed at two very important groups of voters that Hillary struggles with and that are going to be key in the general election and thats Millennials and independent men, Tulchin said. But that matters only if Sanders can make sure those occasional and no party preference voters show up at the polls and cast a Democratic ballot on June 7. There are potentially hundreds of thousands of independents ... who want to vote for Bernie Sanders, but they will be out of luck if they dont request a Democratic ballot, Tulchin said. John Wildermuth and Joe Garofoli are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: jfwildermuth, @joegarofoli Bill Montgomery A cluster of new flights with United Airlines and Fiji Airways are making it easier for Bay Area travelers to reach several far-flung destinations without connecting flights. United will set a couple of records when it begins flying nonstop to Singapores Changi Airport on Tuesday. The debut of the 8,446-mile route will mark not only the longest scheduled flight on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner anywhere in the world, but also the longest flight offered by any U.S. airline and the only nonstop service to Singapore from the United States. Flight times are about 15 hours and 30 minutes eastbound and 16 hours and 20 minutes westbound. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Ollie the dog was everyone's best buddy at an American military encampment in Iraq. The mutt wandered onto the camp as a puppy and the lovable pup quickly became the camp mascot, particularly for one Bay Area soldier. "He was there when we left on our missions, he was there when we got back," Ken Wyrsch told CBS SF. When Wyrsch recently heard the camp was being shut down, he immediately feared for Ollie, who is too sweet-tempered for the mean streets. Wyrsch got in touch with SPCA International, which raised the funds to rescue Ollie and fly him all the way to San Francisco. On Thursday, Wyrsch went to SFO to pick up his best friend for life. "And this right here was thousands and thousands of dollars of donations that went into this dog, you know?" Wyrsch said while Ollie gave him grateful kisses. "He's a good boy. He's worth it." You can see video of their reunion up above, but don't say we didn't warn you: You'll need to hide those tears at work. Just tell your coworkers your allergies are acting up again. A landlord with properties located in Nob Hill and the Richmond District is being sued by the city of San Francisco for feces and rodent infested rental properties. The SF Examiner reported that Yick On Wong, the owner of 505 26th Ave. and 1254-56 Leavenworth St., has failed to comply with abatement orders given by the Department of Building Inspection and ignored several building code violations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A group of Bernie Sanders supporters and independent voters has filed a federal lawsuit demanding changes in the states election system, saying it has shut out people who dont identify as Republicans or Democrats. The plaintiffs, who filed their complaint Friday against the head of the San Francisco Department of Elections, the head of the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, and Secretary of State Alex Padilla, seek a litany of reforms among them an order to extend the states voter registration deadline from Monday to June 7, the day of the primary election. The most important thing at the end of the day is to enable more people to vote, said William Simpich, an Oakland attorney representing the individuals and groups who filed the lawsuits. They include the Voting Rights Defense Project, the American Independent Party, Clara Daims and Suzanne Bushnell. Getting more people out to the polls would boost the odds for Bernie Sanders, who has broad support among nonpartisan or independent voters, Simpich said. In California, independent voters cant vote in Republican primaries, but they can in Democratic primaries. To do so, however, they have to request a Democratic ballot at their polling place. Independents who vote by mail have to sign a form and mail it to their county registrar by May 31. The problem, according to Simpich, is that many independents dont know they have to do that, and they wind up with an independent ballot that offers few choices. The result is that many California independents dont cast a primary vote for president. To address the problem, the lawsuit demands that independent voters be given the opportunity to write in the candidates of their choice. Alternatively, the lawsuit asks that the state isolate all independent ballots already cast by mail and allow those voters to revote. Paul Mitchell is co-founder of the Los Angeles voter analytics firm Political Data Inc. and not part of the group suing. He said the lawsuits basic argument is valid: Although the Democrats have let independents vote for Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton, the rules are confusing. The Democratic (primary) was sold to voters as an open primary, but it hasnt been as open as everybody said, Mitchell said. Its more like a closed primary with an option for people to get into it. According to Mitchell, the number of independents who vote by mail in California has more than tripled since 2008, from about 700,000 to more than 2.1 million. But Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said the lawsuit seems like a political strategy aimed at getting more delegates for Bernie Sanders. Its the end of the primary, Bernie Sanders is becoming increasingly aggressive in his tactics, and polls indicate that no party preference voters are supporting him, Levinson said. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com @RachelSwan Bank of America Corp. was not liable for fraud and subject to a penalty of more than $1.2 billion for its actions before the economy collapsed in 2008 despite a jurys finding to the contrary, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said there was insufficient evidence for a jury to conclude at a 2013 trial that mail and wire fraud was committed by the banks Countrywide Financial unit in late 2007 and 2008 when it passed along mortgages to government housing agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Prosecutors had alleged that the bank sold mortgages at break-neck speed without regard to quality as the economy hurtled toward one of the nations worst financial downturns. In July 2014, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara touted the jury verdict and subsequent civil penalty as the first time a bank or its executives had been found liable under federal law for mortgage fraud leading up to the financial crisis. His office had no immediate comment Monday. Lawrence Grayson, a spokesman for the bank, said the bank was pleased with the 2nd Circuits ruling. The three-judge panel, in a ruling written by Circuit Judge Richard C. Wesley, said trial evidence came up short. The appeals court said the claims arose in 2012 after a former employee of Countrywide sued the company, alleging that a division of Countrywide Home Loans that had specialized in subprime loans acted fraudulently after it transformed itself into a prime origination division after the subprime market collapsed in 2007. The United States later joined the lawsuit. After a jury found the bank and an employee liable, the trial judge imposed a $1.27 billion penalty against the bank and a $1 million penalty against an executive who oversaw the creation of a loan origination process called the High Speed Swim Lane beginning in August 2007. The program nicknamed the Hustle lasted until May 2008. Autos Toyota recalls more air bags Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling nearly 1.6 million vehicles in the U.S. to replace potentially faulty front passenger air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. of Japan. The action expands what was already the biggest automotive recall in U.S. history. The U.S. government announced this month that 17 automakers including Toyota are adding 35 million to 40 million Takata inflators to the 28.8 million that have already been recalled after multiple investigations showed more vehicles could be affected. The latest recall includes Toyota, Scion and Lexus models from the 2006-2011 model years. The government said the inflators must be replaced before they are 6 years old, when the risk of rupture increases. The first phase of the expansion covers vehicles from the 2011 model year or older that are registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Vermont Vasectomies without copays Vermont is poised to become the first state to require public and private health insurance to cover vasectomies without copays and deductibles under a bill Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law Monday. The legislation inserts mandates from the federal Affordable Care Act but goes beyond them to include additional birth control methods, such as vasectomies. Shumlin, surrounded by lawmakers who supported the bill and officials with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, lamented moves elsewhere in the country to curtail birth control. At a time when our country is headed in the wrong direction, Im proud to say Vermont continues to head in the right direction, Shumlin said. Regional Planned Parenthood President Meagan Gallagher added, The ability to plan, prevent and space pregnancies directly benefits women, men, children and society through increased educational and economic opportunities for women, healthier babies, more stable families, and, as a result, a reduced taxpayer burden. Chronicle News Services Li Yundi's piano wizardry returns to the concert stage as he embraces his favorite composer. Over little more than a decade, from 1831 to 1843, Fryderyk Chopin composed four ballades, a musical form he helped create by adapting the narrative sequence to solo piano composition. Li Yundi will tour the Chinese mainland this summer as part of his Chopin project.[Photo / China Daily] The four ballades are considered the finest of Chopin's works and mark the composer's musical evolution after he left his homeland Poland for Paris. Chinese pianist Li Yundi, who considers Chopin his favorite composer, played the four works as a young student more than a decade ago. The youngest-ever winner at the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2000 when he was 18, he returned to sit on the competition jury of the competition in 2015. Li says he is experiencing a mature stage in his career and "now the timing is right to reinterpret the composer's four ballades". In his latest album, Chopin: Ballades, Berceuse, Mazurkas, he performs the Opus 17 set of four mazurkas, the lullaby-style Berceuse (Op 57), and all four ballades. "I just focused on the technical difficulty back then, but I didn't have the ability to deliver the poetic and dramatic qualities hidden in these ballades," the 33-year-old pianist says during an interview in Beijing. "Now, I am at the stage of having better control of a music piece, technically, structurally and emotionally. I am able to interpret Chopin's most challenging works." He spent two days in Berlin recording the new album. Ballade No 1 (in G minor) was written during Chopin's early days in Paris, which Li describes as "emotionally dramatic". When the pianist played the second ballade (F major), he pictured himself sitting near a lake at night, listening to a bell sounding from afar. The third piece (A-flat major) is the closest to a dance form among the four, while the F-minor finale, Li says, is the most technically challenging workthe composer's supreme masterpiece. After releasing the album internationally in February, the pianist kicked off a two-month tour in more than 20 cities across the United States and Europe. He will have nine shows in Japan by the end of the month, then return to China to play in six cities on the mainland in June and July, including a piano recital at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on July 13. In September, Li released the album Chopin Precludes, which included studio recordings and performances that launched his ongoing project. Later this year, he will release another Chopin album, though he has not revealed any details. "I also like works by other composers, but I find a personal affinity with the emotion delivered in Chopin's music. I have unlimited imagination about his music," Li says. "He did just one thing in his short life, that is writing for the piano. I like that simple and focused attitude toward music." Li also enjoys solitude, as the composer did. Despite his tight schedule, the pianist likes spending some time alone before performances, when he savors tea and listens to jazz. The son of Chongqing steel workers, Li was introduced to the accordion at the age of 3, switching to the piano at 7. He graduated from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and won a string of competitions, including the Stravinsky Youth Competition when he was 13 and the Utrecht Liszt competition at 17 before his famous win at the Chopin event. So far, he has released 15 studio albums and enjoys pop star-like fame. In November, Li faced a storm of controversy over a performance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center, where the pianist suddenly stopped as if lost in the middle of the performance. He later apologized for it on his Sina Weibo account, which has nearly 20 million followers, saying that the "mishap was caused by tiredness". "I need to give myself some space and be quiet before performing. I was exhausted and hardly focused," he says. "For me, the chapter of the mistake has already passed. But it's a good reminder and I learned from it." As a role model for China's 50 million youth studying classical music, Li says his passion for music will never change, although his ambition has expanded from being a great pianist to being a great pianist and a music educator. Having given master classes worldwide during tours, he is also eager to popularize classical music in China. "I want to share my musical experience with kids. Though they may not become professional musicians, they will benefit from playing music," he says. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Two police raids over the weekend, including one at a Hillsborough mansion, led to the arrests of three people on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the killing of a Millbrae father of two young girls, authorities said Monday. Tiffany Li, 30, the mother of slaying victim Keith Greens two children and Greens former girlfriend, was one of the three arrested. Along with her current boyfriend, 29-year-old Kaveh Bayat, she was taken into custody after a Saturday morning raid at her Hillsborough mansion. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle A man visiting San Francisco over the weekend from the San Mateo County area was snapping photos of the vista from Twin Peaks when a man pushed him to the ground and stole his camera and belongings, police said. The Saturday mugging happened about 10:30 p.m. when a robber rolled up in a dark-colored vehicle, hopped out and pushed the victim to the ground while taking his camera, bag and other belongings. The victim, 21, had minor injuries, including a scratched cheek, which didnt require medical treatment at a hospital, police said. 1 Mine spill lawsuit: New Mexico on Monday became the first state to sue the federal government and the owners of two mines over the release of 3 million gallons of wastewater from a southern Colorado mine, seeking tens of millions of dollars for environmental and economic damage caused by the spill. New Mexico wants compensation for its immediate response to the August 2015 disaster and funding for long-term monitoring, lost revenue and a marketing campaign to undo the stigma left behind by the plume of arsenic, lead and other heavy metals that fouled rivers in three Western states. 2 Shark attacks: Officials say an 11-year-old girl and a 57-year-old woman were hospitalized after they were bitten by sharks over the weekend at separate locations in Florida. The first attack took place Saturday when the girl was swimming in Jacksonville. Family members said the she was bitten on her back, arm and hand. The second attack took place Sunday in Vero Beach, about 200 miles south of the first incident. A shark bit the woman in the leg. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press WASHINGTON Sexual misconduct remains a destructive force in the armed forces and military communities, a U.S. senator said Monday in a report that urges Congress to take more aggressive steps to end sex crimes in the ranks. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., examined files from 329 sexual assault cases that occurred in 2014 at bases in the United States. She said she found a troubling command culture that seems to favor closing cases over pursuing justice and leaves victims vulnerable to retaliation. After three military combat tours in war-torn Iraq, Chase Millsap returned home to get on with a civilian life, but there was one thing he couldnt do: leave a comrade behind, certainly not one who had saved his life. Especially not the former Iraqi military officer who, because he had worked with the Americans, was now living a precarious existence as a refugee dodging Islamic State militants seeking to kill him. So for the past two years Millsap has been fighting a different kind of battle, one to gain asylum for the brother in arms he simply calls the Captain. The Captain is the epitome of my personal commitment to take care of people, said Millsap, 33, who served in the Marine Corps and upon re-enlistment joined the Army and became a Green Beret. For the time being, the Captain lives in southern Turkey, struggling to obtain refugee status in what he hopes will be the first step toward seeking permanent asylum in the United States. If I go back, Im sure I die, the 37-old Muslim and married father of two said recently during an interview over Skype. He agreed to speak, but, fearing for his safety, only wanted to be identified by his former rank. As he spoke his 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son played in the familys living room. Refugee advocates Millsap visited his friend last year at his cramped apartment, hoping he might help him expedite his refugee application. After running into one obstacle after another the Captain couldnt get an interview at one government office because his papers were in English, not Turkish Millsap returned to the United States and, with a handful of other military veterans, formed the nonprofit Ronin Refugee Project. Its dedicated to helping those who fought alongside Americans find safe harbor here or in other Western countries. After helping the Captain, they hope to turn their attention to others. Hes one of millions thats stuck in a system that is broken and hes just gonna continue to wait, Millsap said. And so we decided to step up, me and a few other veterans. On Tuesday, he will be in Washington to meet with members of Congress and others to discuss just how the U.S. might go about doing that. Thats really become my mission, said the newlywed who after obtaining his masters degree from the University of Southern California went to work this month as a community liaison helping U.S. veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Friendly and outgoing, Mills was a fresh-faced 2nd lieutenant when he arrived in Iraq in 2006 to lead a contingent of U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers. The Captain, a lieutenant himself then, was among the latter group. When I met the Captain I was unimpressed at first, Millsap said, chuckling now. He was a Marine, after all, he is quick to add, and no decent Marine thinks anyone can do the job better than he can. Never mind that they were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by danger in a foreign country where they didnt know the culture. His attitude began to change as the Captain patiently explained why he and his troops werent getting buy-in from the locals or the Iraqi soldiers. It changed dramatically, however, after a sniper tried to take Millsaps head off during a routine patrol. Sniper attack He quickly pushed me down and ran towards the gunfire and because of that saved my life, Millsap recalled. The sniper, seeing an angry Iraqi soldier charging at him, chose to run rather than shoot again. And that, Millsap added with a laugh, is when I truly realized that this guys OK. The Captain and Millsap check in by Skype once a week. During a recent call he praised Ronin Refugee Project for not forgetting him. I feel like you are my family. You are my brother. You and the other group of Marines are really gentlemen. Kung fu star Jackie Chan revealed on Sunday in Beijing that his life was at stake at one point during the filming of his new movie "Skiptrace." "I tried my best this time, and I almost died during filming," Chan said, remembering an incident in Guangxi when he was shooting the new film. "I met a torrent, fell out of a raft and was sent rolling in the water. I'm not a good swimmer, so I was really screaming for help. But the staff could not get close enough to rescue me. Later, the raft was turned back by the torrent and I got my life back. Life is so vulnerable. It is horrifying." Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao are on stage to promote Chan's new film "Skiptrace" in Beijing on May 22, 2016. [China.org.cn] The film has always been associated with a tragedy. On Dec. 17, 2014, cinematographer Chan Kwok-Hung drowned while on a shoot for the film. Chan was joined by another veteran martial arts movie actor Yuen Biao on stage at the press conference. The two have collaborated on and off since 1976. Chan shared a few memories with him and said, "Whenever we meet in life, we actually have one less meeting for the rest of our lives. Life and friends are all so precious." "Skiptrace" is an upcoming action comedy film directed by Renny Harlin, produced by, starring and based on a story by Jackie Chan. The story tells of a retired detective from Hong Kong who teams up with an American gambler to battle against a notorious criminal boss. The film also co-stars Chinese mainland actress Fan Bingbing, Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang and American actor Johnny Knoxville. "I had this script in my mind for 25 years," Chan said, "I have always dreamt of a runaway and chase story, to show both the Chinese landscape and culture along the roadside to the world. Chan added that he still maintains real kung fu in the film, instead of seeking help from CGI special effects. "Everybody works with a green screen now, but the hardest thing to do is to create real action," Chan said, "I'm not a fan of high-tech effects, I just like raw and simple things." "Skiptrace" will hit Chinese theaters on July 22, 2016. China's top Peking Opera artist and arts educator Sun Ping received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Chapman University in Orange, California on Saturday. It marks Sun as the second heavyweight figure of Chinese Peking Opera and the first of this century to be recognized by the western American academic world, 86 years after legendary Peking Opera artist Mei Lanfang received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Southern California and Pomona College in recognition of his literary and artistic achievements in 1930. Peking Opera artist Sun Ping poses with a picture of herself dressed up in a stage costume at Chapman University in Orange, California, May 21, 2016. [China.org.cn] Chapman University recognized Sun for her "significant contributions to cultural and artistic exchanges through your Peking Opera performances and lectures around the world." James L. Doti, Ph.D and President of Chapman University, said that she stands alongside other great performing artists like Mei Lanfang and Placido Domingo, a world-famous Italian Opera artist. "Like them, you have made an indelible mark nationally and internationally in your quest for better intercultural understanding, and peace and harmony among cultures and civilizations. "This recognition is not only a reward for my forty-years' working in the field of Peking Opera, but also another proof of the prosperous connection between the art form and the United States of America since 1930," Sun said in her acceptance speech. She continued, "Peking Opera is the most representative form of art in the Chinese traditional theatre, as well as in Asia. It combines singing, dancing, reciting, acrobatic acting and some other methods to tell story and depict characters vividly. I sincerely hope that you can have more opportunities to comprehend the extraordinary charm of the opera and fall in love with it. Cheered by thousands of students, faculty, officials and guests, Sun then sang a famous aria gig from Peking Opera classic "Mu Guiying Taking Command" on stage. The artist later said to media that she also had high expectations for a Chinese Peking Opera archive that will be established at Chapman University, an academically distinguished private university in Orange County ranked in the U.S. News and World Report's top-tier of western region colleges and universities. Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassdor to the United States, sent his congratulations to Sun, "The awarding of an honorary degree to Madame Sun Ping is nothing but the manifestation of the university's respect for the culture of other countries and nations, for artists and for the importance you attach to China-US cultural exchange." Sun Ping started to learn Peking Opera at the age of 10 and has been a well-established Peking Opera performer for about half of century, whose performances have been seen and applauded by former U.S. presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. She is also well-versed in Western dramas and has not only acted as the main character in 25 pre-modern classical Chinese dramas such as "Farewell my Concubine," "The Drunken Beauty" and "Butterfly Lovers," but also directed and performed Western dramas such as "Snow White," "Hamlet" and "Last Supper" during a 10-year-stay in Europe in the 1980s. Sun was a former visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University, and has held appointments as a guest professor at Yale and the University of Pennsylvania. She has received numerous awards including the United States Presidential Award, the Honorary Citizen of Hungary and the Performance Award of Hungary. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. When officers in Galt finally corralled Freeway Frida, she didnt put up much of a fight. She barked and nipped, but after being stranded on a median on Highway 99 for five weeks with two broken bones and no food or water, she quickly submitted to her rescuers. She was very thin, very emaciated, said Michael Johnson, medical director at the VCA Bradshaw Animal Hospital in Elk Grove south of Sacramento. To still be alive seems miraculous to me. According to police, the 5-year-old German shepherd fell off a truck on April 10. By the time they located her she weighed just 44 pounds, about half of what a dog her age should weigh. No one knows how she survived, but some guess that she must have subsisted on the scant rainwater that fell along the highway and whatever she could forage in the bushes between the north and southbound lanes of Highway 99. Although she was stranded on the median for such a long time, her presence did not go unnoticed. 911 calls after fall Her fall off the truck had triggered a wave of frantic 911 calls from witnesses who had watched her tumble from the vehicle. But by the time police and California Highway Patrol officers got to the area a three-quarter-mile-long stretch the dog had disappeared. Then, a few days later, drivers began reporting an injured dog running on the freeway. Again, the pup wasnt found. Another few days went by, and again, more reports came in. The calls stopped early last week, officials said, and no drivers reported seeing the dog for about five days. But on May 14, a driver called police to report a dog on the highway about 6:30 a.m. Galt police Officer Sylvia Coelho was working a rare weekend shift when the report came in. Im like, OK. Were going to find this dog, said Coehlo, perhaps the Galt Police Departments biggest animal lover. I never work weekends. It was meant for me to work that Saturday. Coehlo and fellow Officer Christina Hill drove their cruisers down Highway 99 looking for the injured animal. Hill spotted her first. She gets on the freeway. OK, I see the dog. So we know the dog exists, Coehlo laughed. But the median separating the northbound and southbound lanes is protected by guardrails and blanketed in a thicket of oleander bushes. The dog disappeared again as Hill parked her car along the southbound side and Coehlo positioned herself on the northbound side of the median in case the dog made a break for it across the highway and into traffic. When a CHP officer also showed up, the group hatched a plan to capture the furry fugitive. As idling motorists looked on, Hill chased the dog toward the CHP officer while Coehlo blocked off its escape route. After about 45 minutes, the dog was caught. She fights, she bites. Were saying, Its all right, its all right, Coehlo recalled. And those big brown eyes just staring up at me She didnt fight us after that at all. Broken bones The dog was taken to the animal hospital and has gained more than 10 pounds since she was rescued. The media nicknamed her Freeway Frida, but the officers call her Agent 99, Coehlo said. The dog didnt have a chip or tags and wore only a flea collar. She had a broken tibia and fibula and tendon damage, Johnson said. Hes not sure whether her leg will ever fully heal. Meanwhile, calls are flooding into the Police Department with people asking about adopting her. Coehlo, whose father was a volunteer with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, grew up rescuing dogs, cats and rats and anything else that crossed her path. Initially, however, she wasnt interested in taking in the dog. When my dad passed away, I inherited his dog, and it was so heartbreaking when it passed away, she said. But Coehlo has visited Freeway Frida twice since the rescue. The two are bonding, and her husband said this week that hed be fine if they took in a third pet to go along with their two cats. Look what happens, Coehlo said with a chuckle. All that pain goes away when those big brown eyes look at you. Matt Rourke/Associated Press A man was fatally struck by an Amtrak train Monday in San Leandro, officials said. Train No. 528 was traveling from San Jose to Sacramento when it hit the man on the tracks about 10:30 a.m. near Davis Street and Orchard Avenue, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari. Several crew members and 54 passengers were on board at the time and delayed several hours as they waited for the next train to pick them up. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Monterey County Sheriff Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Cal Fire / Google Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Cal Fire Show More Show Less 5 of 5 A fast-moving Monterey County wildfire consumed nearly 4,000 acres of grassy mountainsides in just five hours Sunday, and about 200 firefighters were dispatched to quell the blaze before it could reach ranches in the area. The Metz Fire, so named because it began at Metz Road and Blue Jay Lane in Soledad, grew to 3,876 acres about six square miles and was 40 percent contained as of Monday morning. Overnight, crews stopped the fires forward progress, officials said. Chinese and American doctors cooperate to save an unconscious passenger on Flight UA853 on May 20. [China News Service] Chinese and American doctors' quick actions at 32,000 feet saved a plane passenger's life on Friday, the China News Service reported. At around 11:00 a.m. Beijing time on May 20, about five hours after United Airlines' flight UA853 had taken off, a female Chinese passenger surnamed Zhang fell unconscious in the plane's aisle. There happened to be a group of Chinese doctors returning home from a meeting in the United States. Two American doctors also responded to the crew's emergency call for help. The Chinese doctors are from the respiratory and critical care department and the medical imaging department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. After a quick examination and exchange with the American doctors, they diagnosed that the passenger had suffered hypovolemic shock. After receiving emergency medical treatment, the passenger gradually recovered. It's the common goal of doctors, no matter where they come from, to help the sick as soon as possible and see them recover stably, said Sun Zhongmin, a doctor who participated in the emergency rescue. The California Supreme Court reinstated a multimillion-dollar jury verdict Monday for the family of a worker who inhaled asbestos dust on the job and later died of lung cancer. The ruling provided some legal protection though not in this case to suppliers of dangerous products who count on manufacturers to warn consumers. William B. Webb worked from 1969 to 1979 as a warehouseman and truck driver for a company in Los Angeles County that shipped cement piping containing fibers of crocidolite, the most dangerous form of asbestos. He delivered the pipes about 10 times a year, inhaling dusty residue, with no warnings of its hazards. Webb was diagnosed in 2011 with mesothelioma, a fatal lung cancer caused by asbestos, and died after he and his wife filed suit. Defendants included Special Electric Co., which supplied the asbestos without a warning label, and the pipe manufacturer, now-bankrupt Johns-Manville Corp., which did not provide warnings until the 1980s, according to court testimony. A jury found both companies at fault and awarded Webbs family $5 million in damages, but the trial judge overturned the verdict against Special Electric, saying the supplier had no duty to warn users like Webb because it should have been able to rely on Johns-Manville to recognize the dangers and provide the warnings. The states high court unanimously disagreed. The court said suppliers of dangerous but legal products generally must provide warnings to workers and consumers who may be exposed to the dangers. Those warnings are not required, however, when someone else in the chain of distribution, such as the manufacturer, is known to be aware of the dangers and is reasonably trusted by the supplier to provide the warnings, the court said. In this case, though, while Johns-Manville knew of the risks posed by asbestos, there was no evidence that the manufacturer knew the crocidolite from Special Electric was several times as likely as other forms of asbestos to cause cancer, the court said. It also said at least one Special Electric sales representative told customers that crocidolite was safer than other forms of asbestos. The record does not establish ... that Special Electric actually and reasonably relied on Johns-Manville to warn end-users like William Webb about the dangers of asbestos, Justice Carol Corrigan said in the ruling reinstating the jury verdict. Lawyers for both sides said they were pleased. Ted Pelletier, who represented Webbs family, said the ruling is a victory for victims everywhere of hazardous products at the hands of manufacturers and suppliers and provides a very limited exception for some suppliers. Special Electrics lawyer, James Parker, said the company is disappointed by the outcome, but the court recognized that suppliers of dangerous products can avoid liability when they can prove the manufacturers are sophisticated and know of the dangers. The case is Webb vs. Special Electric, S209927. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: egelko 2016 has been a parody of a year. On one hand, we have Donald Trump, who defies every law of getting elected and has obscure Hindu right-wingers in India praying for him to end what they call the "Muslim Menace." On the other hand, we have Bernie Sanders whose supporters are performing a Wiccan ritual in support of his candidacy in a party which traditionally stood for science and progress. Europe is not far behind. In the ongoing Brexit debate, Boris Johnson has asked to put a stop to the demented scaremongering over a possible Brexit, saying that trade only will increase with India and China, and then went on to compare an expansionist EU to Hitler. But what really tops all this strange news is Belgium's decision "to take part in bombing ISIS." Yes, you cannot make it up. Belgium, of all countries, is planning to take part in the two year bombing campaign spearheaded by the United States and Russia. Never mind that it won't make any tangible difference on operational outcomes, other than the fact that everyone will say that another European country is taking part in a multilateral, open ended, campaign against the postmodern death cult. This is what the lazy foreign policy of EU has turned into. As a political scientist who has opposed war and intervention, here are the issues that come to mind. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that Belgium's participation won't have any effect whatsoever on the ongoing campaign in any positive or meaningful way. One might wonder then if it wouldn't be logical to spend that money on domestic policing reforms and Human Intelligence gathering (HUMINT) operations within and inside Belgium and EU. It's simple mathematics. One sortie, one laser guided bomb, one flying mission, all costs much higher than the yearly salary of a policeman or a community officer or a CCTV operator, working in Moleenbeek, Europe's "jihadist capital." Considering the fact that it is proven that the majority of Euro jihadis are not coming from outside but are usually second generation Europeans, it is prudent to spend more time gathering data and focusing on community policing in troubled areas. But Europe is what we call a liberal loop, with a reflexive foreign policy. Europeans, especially younger ones, are wary of surveillance and monitoring interfering with their lives, but never fail to complain if any untoward incident happens like the Paris and the Brussels attack. EU and NATO then reflexively go on to intervene, which only exacerbates matters and builds up grievances in the migrant community residing within Europe, which is then exploited by external terror groups. Just a few days back, there were reports that the migrant flow from Libya is not just uncontrolled but is actually predicted to increase in the next few years, creating a huge demographic burden and further destabilizing social cohesion. As shown by UN data, these migrants are not women, children, or war widows from the Middle East, but mostly young men from Sub-Saharan Africa looking for jobs in Europe. Nothing really changes, as the EU is wedded to a liberal rights oriented foreign policy which involves coalitions, bombings, and failed state building, when the policy should be one of containment and tactical amputation, as well increased domestic monitoring. Which brings us to the final point. When people blame Boris Johnson or other European populists for fanning the flames of Brexit and Euroscepticism, they forget that in the majority of European countries there is a groundswell movement and growing Euroscepticism. These politicians are just building on that. It is foolish to blame it on a handful of politicians. The reason is a solid number of people in Europe are tired of globalist, interventionist, liberal hegemonic policies, and they want to be isolated and insular. If only European politicians listened to the plight of their own people more. 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. Flash Iranian Army Ground Force launched military drills in central region of the country and conducted missile tests on Sunday, Tasnim news agency reported. Code-named Beit al-Moqaddas-28, the war game is scheduled to be performed in three stages. The first and second phases of the drill will be held on Sunday in the desert areas and the third will be carried out on Monday across Nasrabad operational zone in Isfahan province. On the first stage of the drills, the army test-fired two Neze'at-10 missiles, each with the range of 140 km, as a part of the exercise in deserts near the central city of Kashan in Isfahan province. The army's ground force has upgraded the latest generation of Naze'at missile, which has improved capabilities, including longer range, higher precision strike capability and stronger destruction power. The missile can be launched from mobile pads, a unique characteristic compared with similar class ones. Flash The U.S. and its allied militant groups on ground in Syria are eyeing the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) in northern Syria as their next target, threatening the group's leader of killing him sooner or later. Liwa Thuwar al-Raaqa, Arabic for al-Raqqa Revolutionist Brigade, said Sunday that it was ready for a battle to liberate Syria's northern city of al-Raqqa from the IS group. "Preparations have been made for the decisive step and we are ready with full equipment and manpower for the imminent battle by God's will," the group said on its official Twitter account. Since early this year, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa has become part of the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Force (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish fighters and other Syrian rebel groups deemed as "moderate" by the West. The SDF has been largely supported by the U.S. in the battles against the IS over the past year. The declared aim of the group was to defeat IS in northern Syria, and apparently stripping the terror group of its self-declared capital is their next move, especially after the recent visit of a U.S. official to northern Syria. General Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Centcom, secretly visited northern Syria on Friday for 11 hours, during which he met with commanders of SDF and other U.S.-backed rebel groups, including the Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa. The visit was said to aim to coordinate the U.S.-led coalition and rebel plans in taking back Syria's northern province of Raqqa. Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said in a special report Sunday that a plan for unleashing an attack on al-Raqqa was put forward during the meeting. According to sources familiar with the situation, the TV said the attack is expected to be launched from the towns of Ein Issa, and the countryside of the city of Ayn al-Arab, or Kobane, in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo with the participation of 12,000 fighters. The conferees also discussed the requirements of the military offensive and the needs of the fighting groups, said the report, adding that agreement has been reached to focus on the Arab fighters who will attack to alleviate the fears of Turkey from any expansion of Kurdish fighters near the Turkish borders. It said the meeting between Votel and the rebels came just days after a meeting between the Brett H. McGurk, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter IS, and Saleh Muslim, the head of the Kurdish Democratic Union in the countryside of Ayn al-Arab. The report said the meeting discussed the same issue. It added that ahead of the al-Raqqa battle, the SDF and allied groups will unleash an offensive against the town of Manbej, which is also controlled by the IS. The 500 U.S. soldiers, who have recently crossed into Kurdish areas in northern Syria, will directly take part in the battles in Manbej and al-Raqqa, said the report. Even though the timing of the battle wasn't declared, the IS seems to have anticipated the move, asking civilians in key areas in Raqqa to move toward IS-controlled towns in the countryside of that province, which fell to the IS in late 2013. Reports said the terror group also went on arrest raids for young men to oblige them to fight among its ranks. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the U.S.-led coalition has dropped leaflets on IS-controlled parts in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, threatening the IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of death. The leaflets included frequency of a Radio station called "Against the State of Illusion", others included an Islamic saying that reads "assure the killer that he is fated to be killed sooner or later." "You know what that means, it means that al-Baghdadi will be killed sooner or later," the leaflets continued. Others included a warning to the IS militants: "leave IS now before you get killed also." On the 10th of this month, the U.S.-led warplanes also dropped leaflets on al-Raqqa, urging the people to leave the city. The Observatory, a UK-based watchdog group, said the IS carried out two bombings on Friday, just 20 km from the meeting between the U.S. official and the Kurdish and Arab rebels in the northeastern province of al-Hasakah. It said it wasn't clear how the IS was tipped about the meeting. Flash Political party delegates from more than 24 European countries discussed economic, technological and cultural cooperation with officials and company CEOs in Henan Province at the China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum for Economic & Trade Dialogue held in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province on May 19. Chen Run'er, governor of Henan Province, gives a general overview of Henans development on May 19, 2016. [Photo by Lu Na/China.org.cn] The dialogue is part of the 5th China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum, a top level platform for multilateral and strategic consultations for strengthening the all-around development of a Chinese-European comprehensive strategic partnership. "There is a strong bond between Henan and Europe that began with commerce groups traveling between the middle China and Europe 2,000 years ago and that continues today with the 'sky silk road,' operated by the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, and the Zhengzhou-Europe International Block Train," Chen Run'er, governor of Henan Province said. "Henan is willing to work with friends from all around Europe to deepen economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges, especially in the fields of railway, aviation, agriculture, energy and equipment manufacturing." Yanaki Stoilov, deputy speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and vice president of the Bulgarian Socialist Party gives a speech on May 19, 2016. [Photo by Lu Na/China.org.cn] Yanaki Stoilov, deputy speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and vice president of the Bulgarian Socialist Party made two proposals for improving the life of the majority of citizens in China and Europe: The first one is making a connection between ideas, policy and pragmatic decisions ... The second aspect of China-Europe dialogue concerns the level and the actor's cooperation. "Europe is an important trading partner to us," Zhao Jiancai, vice governor of Henan Province said. "Last year, the trade volume reached US$7.5 billion. In the first quarter of 2016, the trade volume exceeded US$2.4 billion, which is twice than the same time last year." Delegates share ideas during a tea break of Economic and Trade Dialogue held in Zhengzhou on May 19. [Photo by Lu Na/China.org.cn] The trade volume from Henan Province to Europe was only US$560 million in 2001, but this number reached US$7.5 billion in 2015, Jiao Jinmiao, head of the Henan Provincial Commerce Department said. "A total of 28 European countries have established 300 companies in Henan Province so far and investment has reached US$4 billion." Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. You are here: Home Flash President of the United States Barack Obama on Monday announced the United States is lifting a decades-long arms embargo on Vietnam. U.S. president Barack Obama [Xinhua file photo] Obama made the announcement at a press conference co-chaired with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Vietnam's capital Hanoi during his ongoing visit to the country. Obama also made it clear that the United States may sell military weapons to Vietnam under a case-by-case basis, when answering questions from media during the conference. The Vietnamese president, for his part, said that "Vietnam welcomes U.S. decision to completely lift arms embargo on Vietnam." The U.S. imposed arms embargo on Vietnam in 1984. Vietnam has been under the embargo despite the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1995. In July 2013, former Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and Obama launched the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive partnership during Sang's visit to the United States. In 2014, the U.S. partially lifted the 30-year-old arms embargo against Vietnam, allowing transfer of maritime security-related defense articles to Vietnam. Pham Quang Vinh, Vietnamese ambassador to the U.S. said in an interview with Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA ahead of Obama's visit that the embargo is "the last barrier in bilateral ties." Obama arrived at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi late Sunday night, kicking off his first visit as U.S. president. His visit, made at the invitation of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, is scheduled to last till Wednesday. Flash U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed on Monday that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in a U.S. airstrike. "We have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like al-Qaida," said Obama in a statement. Obama said that as the Taliban leader, Mansoor rejected efforts made by the Afghan government "to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children." The airstrike against Mansoor was launched on Saturday in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, according to a Pentagon statement. Mansoor had been an aide to Taliban's iconic longtime leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and a Taliban transportation minister. He emerged as the Taliban leader in 2015 after the news broke that Omar had died in 2013. From the coverage of the 2016 campaign over the last six months, you would think that American workers battered by economic change have finally won their moment in the sun. After all, Donald Trump is said to be the paladin of white blue-collar men and Bernie Sanders speaks unabashedly about the working class, a term many have (wrongly) written off as an antique concept out of 1930s black-and-white movies. But media interest in policy initiatives that would benefit those who are struggling is scarce. Its far more interesting, apparently, to cover the latest poll about an election thats still a long way off, or to wax eloquent about a kerfuffle at a Democratic state convention. We had an objective test of this last week when the Obama administration announced much-needed new rules on overtime pay. One of the insidious trends costing workers a lot of income has been the fake reclassification of low-paid employees as managers, which deprived them of overtime pay. This was facilitated by the Labor Departments failure to update the relevant rules, last altered in 2004. The change over time has been dramatic: Where more than 60 percent of salaried workers qualified for overtime in 1975, just 7 percent do now. Under the 2004 rules, salaried workers could be denied overtime pay if they earned more than the rather non-managerial sum of $23,660 a year. The Obama administration raised this threshold to a more reasonable $47,476 a year, which the Labor Department estimates will make 4.2 million more workers eligible for overtime. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the departments action may actually affect three times as many. Whenever government acts to increase the bargaining power or pay of workers, free market fundamentalists insist that terrible things are bound to happen. On cue, House Speaker Paul Ryan declared the overtime rule was yet another Obama regulation that would be an absolute disaster for our economy and pledged to fight it. I truly hope he tries. Lets get members of Congress on record about overtime. And perhaps a big debate would force more coverage of this issue and also get the media to press Trump about where he stands. Overtime and proposals to increase the minimum wage are just part of a larger conversation that should be at the center of a campaign that is supposedly about the disinherited and disaffected. The future of trade is a real issue, but Trump is getting away with fantastical claims about the better deals he could strike. And he has little to say about the unraveling of the countrys social contract with workers. It was caused not only or even primarily by trade but also by technological change and the failure of government policies to keep up with the very new circumstances in which workers find themselves. On Thursday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., offered a model for the conversation we need. Speaking at the New America Foundation, she laid out what amounted to a bill of rights for the growing number of Americans engaged in contract, part-time and temporary work in the gig economy. Warren was careful to note how technological innovations have improved our lives in countless ways. Uber and Lyft, for example, have challenged taxi monopolies and provided more rides, cheaper rides, and shorter wait times. But she pointed out how these companies have resisted rules designed to promote rider safety and driver accountability and that their business model is ... dependent on extremely low wages for drivers. Acknowledging both the gains and the problems of the new economy is the first step toward wisdom about where we need to go. To fully realize the potential of this new economy, Warren argued, laws must be adapted to make sure that the basic bargain for workers remains intact, and that workers have the chance to share in the growth they help produce. Well hear lots in the coming months about the rise of populism. But unless this talk is harnessed to policies that provide real help for actual people, it will have all the depth of a splenetic, ill-considered tweet. 2016 Washington Post Writers Group Email: ejdionne@washpost.com Twitter: EJDionne This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gov. Jerry Brown weighed in on Californias U.S. Senate race Monday, endorsing state Attorney General Kamala Harris a little more than two weeks before the states June 7 primary. Browns support could help her win over independent and Republican voters in November. Harris is leading the race to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer, who decided not to seek re-election, over fellow Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Santa Ana, according to the latest Field Poll. Three Republicans former state Republican Party Chairmen Duf Sundheim and Tom Del Beccaro and Silicon Valley businessman Ron Unz trail far behind in a field of 34 candidates. The top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election. On a political insider level, Browns nod wasnt surprising Brown, Harris and Boxer share the same political consultants, San Franciscos SCN Strategies. But given the governors political iconoclasm and unpredictability, and the fact that he throws around endorsements like manhole covers, his stamp of approval for Harris surprised some observers. Its a rare occasion for him, said A.G. Block, a longtime journalist and academic who has covered Brown since his first term as governor in the 1970s and is now associate director of the UC Center Sacramento. The notion that he doesnt do that very often means that people do listen to him, they pay attention to what his preferences might be. That hes doing it now lends some heft to the Harris campaign. In endorsing Harris at state Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento, Brown said, Kamala has done a great job, and as her client I know what a hell of a lawyer she is. ... Shes strong, shes intelligent, she knows what shes doing. Harris praised Brown as an extraordinary leader who calls it like he sees it, gets things done, and he always speaks the truth. Respect from independents The true power of Browns endorsement may be seen in the general election, should Harris and Sanchez advance, said Dave Metz, a partner in the Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates polling firm, who is unaffiliated with any Senate campaign. A lot of Republicans and independents are going to be looking for signs as to who to vote for, and he has very strong standing among independent voters, Metz said. Its not like having 30 state legislators backing you. Hes a known quantity. Brown has a mixed record on endorsements. In 2014, he endorsed Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf another client of SCN Strategies a few weeks before the citys mayoral election. At the time, Schaaf was third in the polls. Browns touch wasnt so golden in previous years. In the 2006 mayoral election, the longtime Oakland resident endorsed City Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente, who lost to former U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums. In the 2010 mayoral contest, Brown endorsed former state Sen. Don Perata, who lost to former Councilwoman Jean Quan. But theres a difference between that and a statewide election, Metz said. Browns approval rating is at a high point in his career, with 60 percent of Californians and 80 percent of Democrats saying hes doing a good job, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll conducted in March. Yet while Browns endorsement may resonate among those who follow his career, the endorsement will not have much weight among Latino voters, said Adrian Pantoja, a professor of political studies and Chicano Studies at Pitzer College and a senior analyst at the Latino Decisions polling firm. If Latino voters feel that all things are equal between Harris and Sanchez should they advance to November thats where the name Sanchez will be important, Pantoja said. Unless there are some clear differences in policy, they may rely on that shortcut. Political deal alleged San Diego consumer attorney Mike Aguirre speculated that the endorsement was political payback for what he described as Harris not aggressively pursuing an investigation into the deal to charge consumers $3.3 billion for the shuttering of the San Onofre nuclear power plant in Southern California. Aguirre has filed suit seeking access to communications between Browns office and regulators at the California Public Utilities Commission about the issue. It has the appearance of a quid pro quo, and it shows why the case should be transferred to the U.S. Justice Department, because the attorney general is too busy seeking endorsements to work on the case, said Aguirre, a former San Diego city attorney and federal prosecutor. Harris was pressed on the San Onofre case during a Senate candidates debate this month. We are concerned about whats going on there, thats why theres an active criminal investigation, Harris said. And the bottom line is this: We are going to go where the facts lead us. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: joegarofoli This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Guess what, San Francisco? You're pretty, and people love visiting you. TripAdvisor, a site that operates as a sort of Yelp for tourists on the go, last week released its list of the ten most popular tourist attractions in the United States, and unsurprisingly, San Francisco nabbed the #2 and #3 positions. Third place went to Alcatraz, the former penitentiary situated on a teeny island off the city's coast in the Bay. The prison, which offers daily (and nightly) tours and recently played home to an Ai Weiwei exhibit is a favorite activity of visitors to the Bay, with satisfied visitors calling it "haunting," "amazing," and "a must see." Second place went to the Golden Gate Bridge. While at least one person complained that "it isn't even gold," most people who have ever beheld the beautiful San Francisco icon reviewed it as "stunning," "a work of art," and "breathtaking." Naturally, New York City offered up a handful of destinations that made the top ten list, but none scored as high as San Francisco's. Sorry NYC! Maybe next year. Alyssa Pereira is a staff writer for SFGATE. Follow her here on Twitter. KABUL The killing of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike was greeted Sunday by Kabuls political leadership as a game-changer in efforts to end the long insurgent war plaguing Afghanistan. In a rare show of unity, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah both welcomed the news of Mansours death as the removal of a man who unleashed violence against innocent civilians in Afghanistan and was widely regarded as an obstacle to peace within the militant group. Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a U.S. drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan, although there were conflicting accounts whether the air strike occurred Friday or Saturday. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. Mansour engaged in deception, concealment of facts, drug-smuggling and terrorism while intimidating, maiming and killing innocent Afghans, Ghani said in a statement. A new opportunity presents itself to those Taliban who are willing to end war and bloodshed, he added. Mansour was the main figure preventing the Taliban joining the peace process, Abdullah said during a televised Cabinet meeting. From the day he took over the Taliban following the death of Mullah Omar, he intensified violence against ordinary citizens. Ghani and Abdullah serve in a unity government brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry following a divisive 2014 election. As president and chief executive, the two rarely see eye-to-eye on even the most important decisions for a country beset by war for almost 40 years. Kerry hailed the news of Mansours demise even before it was officially confirmed an indication of how much Washington has wearied of the Talibans 15-year war with Kabul. Mansour pursued an aggressive line with the Kabul government, shunning all overtures for peace and launching a series of bold attacks. His death inside Pakistan could further damage the already deeply suspicious relationship between Kabul and Islamabad. Afghan and U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Pakistans ISI intelligence agency of keeping the Taliban leadership safe in cities across the porous and lawless border. In a statement, Pakistans Foreign Ministry repeated the countrys protest of drone attacks on its territory. BAGHDAD Iraqs prime minister hailed big successes Monday by government troops after launching an offensive to retake Fallujah from Islamic State militants, but the operation promises to be one of the toughest challenges yet for the countrys struggling security forces. Troops recaptured some agricultural areas in Garma, a district along the northeastern edge of Fallujah, under intensified Iraqi air strikes and heavy artillery, said Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who leads Shiite militia forces in the operation. The U.S.-led coalition carried out two air strikes, the Pentagon said, part of an aerial campaign that has seen an average of two bombings a day over the past week in the city 40 miles west of Baghdad. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi toured the Fallujah front line dressed in the black fatigues of Iraqs elite counterterrorism forces, saying the troops had achieved more than what was planned for, and big successes, but he did not elaborate. He had triumphantly announced the start of the operation in a televised address late Sunday, flanked by senior military commanders. The city has been under the control of Islamic State militants since January 2014. The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah, he vowed, saying it would be taken back from those who kidnapped it. Originally planned to start more than two months ago, the offensive was delayed by political infighting and the deteriorating security situation in Baghdad, Abadi said. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said he does not believe the Iraqis have gotten into the city yet. The latest estimates put the number of IS fighters in all of Anbar province at about 1,000 and dropping quickly, Davis said. The number of fighters in Fallujah also has been falling, he said, but he added that he did not have a firm number. One previous coalition estimate put it at 500 to 700 fighters. The offensive follows a series of territorial gains over Islamic State in western Iraq, but it still could delay plans to win back the second-largest city of Mosul, the focus of the U.S. plan to defeat the militants in Iraq and neighboring Syria. A number of other operations announced by Iraqi leaders have faltered. A plan to retake Mosul was announced in March with much fanfare, but only a handful of villages near the city have been captured since then. The assault on Fallujah is the first major offensive in an urban area since Iraqi forces cleared Ramadi of militant fighters earlier this year. HANOI Eager to banish lingering shadows of the Vietnam War, President Obama lifted the U.S. embargo on selling arms to Americas former enemy Monday and made the case for a more trusting and prosperous relationship going forward. Activists said the president was being too quick to gloss over human rights abuses in his push to establish warmer ties. After spending his first day in Vietnam shuttling among meetings with different government leaders, Obama will spend the next two days speaking directly to the Vietnamese people and meeting with civil society groups and young entrepreneurs. Its all part of his effort to improve the U.S. relationship with an emerging economic power in Southeast Asia and a nation that the U.S. also hopes can serve as a counterweight to Chinese aggression in the region. Tracing the arc of the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship through cooperation, conflict, painful separation and a long reconciliation, Obama marveled during a news conference with the Vietnamese president that if you consider where we have been and where we are now, the transformation in the relations between our two countries is remarkable. President Tran Dai Quang said later at a lavish state luncheon that he was grateful for the American peoples efforts to put an end to an unhappy chapter in the two countries history, referring to the 1965-75 U.S. war with Vietnams communists, who now run the country. The only war America has lost, the conflict killed 57,000 American military personnel and as many as 2 million Vietnamese military and civilians. Quang added, though, that the wounds of the war have not been fully healed in both countries. Still, Quang said, both sides are determined to have a more cooperative relationship. That mind-set was evident in the friendly crowds that lined the streets as Obamas motorcade zigzagged around Hanoi on Monday. And when Obama emerged from a tiny Vietnamese restaurant after a $6 dinner with CNN personality Anthony Bourdain, the president shook hands with members of the squealing crowd and waved as if he really didnt want to get back in the limousine. Obama is to address the Vietnamese people on Tuesday. A White House official said the president would use his speech to stress the importance of having a constructive dialogue even when the two nations disagree including on human rights. But that is unlikely to mollify activists, who said the president had given up his best leverage for pressing Vietnam to improve its rights record by lifting the arms embargo. Today President Obama rewarded Vietnam even though its government has done little to earn it: It has not repealed any repressive laws, nor released any significant number of political prisoners, nor made any substantial pledges, said John Sifton, Asia policy director for the advocacy group Human Rights Watch. BAGHDAD Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of military operations to retake the Islamic State-held held city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, in a televised address Sunday night. Iraqi forces are approaching a moment of great victory against the Islamic State group, said al-Abadi, who was surrounded by top commanders from the Ministry of Defense and the countrys elite counterterrorism forces. Iraqi forces are expected to face a complicated fight to push the militants out of Fallujah, which is about 40 miles west of Baghdad and has been under the militants control for more than two years. Fallujah was an insurgent stronghold and the site of the bloodiest battle during the Iraq War. In November 2004, U.S. forces led a coalition attack against several thousand insurgents in Fallujah in which thousands of buildings were destroyed in house-to-house fighting. More than 80 U.S. troops were killed along with an estimated 2,000 insurgents. Al-Abadis announcement comes at a time when Iraqi ground forces backed by U.S.-led coalition air support are gaining territory against Islamic State fighters, most recently in Iraqs vast western Anbar province. Last week. Iraqi forces pushed the militants out of the western town of Rutba, located 240 miles west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar province. Last month, Iraqi forces cleared territory along Anbars Euphrates river valley after the provincial capital Ramadi was declared fully liberated earlier this year. Fallujah is still home to tens of thousands of civilians and has been under Islamic State rule since January 2014. Iraqi security forces repeated calls for civilians trapped inside Fallujah to flee on Sunday, but residents say checkpoints controlled by the extremists along all roads leading out of the city are preventing most from escaping. An array of fighters including Shiite militias and counterterrorism forces have announced they plan to take part in the Fallujah operation, but its unclear how command and control will be exercised over the disparate groups. U.S.-led coalition aircraft have carried out seven air strikes in and around Fallujah over the past week. Dispute at Center of Chan's Murder Trial A trial is set to get underway this week for Tai Chan, a former Santa Fe County sheriff's deputy, who is accused of fatally shooting his partner, Jeremy Martin, following at a hotel in Las Cruces where they were staying after dropping off an inmate in Arizona. Clearinghouse Delay The states plan to merge six databases into a new Criminal History Clearinghouse could cost more than expected and . The clearinghouse is supposed to help judges quickly review a persons criminal history before setting bail. Clifford Tenders Resignation Department of Finance and Administration Secretary at the end of the week. Yates Ousts Rogers It wasnt a good weekend for Martinez. Her choice for Republican National Committeeman, Pat Rogers, was soundly defeated by Harvey Yates at the partys state convention. for an at-large delegate spot, but she got just enough to lead the states delegation to the national convention in Cleveland later this summer. Sanders Woos Crowds After visiting and on Friday, Bernie Sanders spent Saturday morning energizing crowds in . Now, police officers are preparing for potential protests during Navajo Water Pipeline Breaks The Associated Press reports, The largest farm on the Navajo Nation has been without water for more than a week after a pipeline break, and threatening jobs. Local Beer Industry Growing The Albuquerque Journal has an interesting look at the in New Mexico, where 50 breweries employee about 2,000 people. Slow Ride If you missed this weekends Slow Ride, in Santa Fe, check out the Santa Fe Reporter New Zealand shares were mixed on a relatively quiet Monday as the market digested results posted by companies with a March 31 balance date. Orion Health Group dropped while Comvita and Sky Network Television gained. The S&P/NZX50 Index dropped 2.09 points, or 0.03 percent, to 6,907.77. Within the index, 21 stocks rose, 18 fell and eleven were unchanged. Turnover was $109 million. "During reporting season, our market tends to go into a bit of a lull volume-wise as people work their way through results and then re-assess afterwards," said Rickey Ward, New Zealand equity manager at JBWere. Orion Health dropped 2.2 percent to $4.56. The Auckland-based company posted a loss of $54.4 million in the 12 months ended March 31, from a loss of $60.8 million a year earlier. The health software developer said it's targeting a return to profit in 2018 after reporting a 26 percent increase in annual revenue as a weaker New Zealand dollar bolstered returns and a smaller tax expense helped narrow its loss. "It rallied into the result, and you've got a market which is in many respects priced for perfection," Ward said. "If you don't deliver results better than that, you're probably struggling to justify the multiple you're on. Share price movements are not always a reflection of the underlying business case, it's only natural for people to take profits when they see the actual numbers." Air New Zealand was the worst performer on the index, down 2.8 percent to $2.21. Fletcher Building fell 1.9 percent to $8.44, Xero shed 1.8 percent to $16.70, and Coats Group declined 1.6 percent to 62 cents. Summerset Group dropped 0.2 percent to $4.67. The Wellington-based company plans to build a second retirement village in Nelson after buying an 8-hectare site in Richmond, adding to its existing village in neighbouring Stoke. Summerset estimates Nelson's over-75 population will more than double by 2033. No price was disclosed for the purchase. Comvita gained 4.3 percent to $12.85, an all-time high, and has risen 46.7 percent this year. "It went into an index not that long ago, liquidity's pretty thin on that stock and they had a pretty good result, so there's a liquidity squeeze on that," Ward said. "It's really one of those difficult stocks to get into." Mainfreight rose 1.8 percent to $16.39 while Vector advanced 1.8 percent to $3.42. Sky TV gained 1.4 percent to $4.27. "It's certainly well off its lows, it seems to have found a little bit of support," Ward said. "The price paid for content doesn't seem to be going down and you've got subscribers who are finding ways to reduce their cost. It naturally raises the question, are they an old-world company operating in a new-world environment, and that's up for debate." Outside the main index, Abano Healthcare Group gained 1.3 percent to $7.75. The listed medical and dental centre investor has agreed to sell its 50 percent stake in audiology company Bay International to interests associated with Peter Hutson for $32 million and said earnings would be at the top end of guidance. NPT advanced 1.5 percent to 69 cents. The listed property investor, whose managing director Kerry Hitchcock left suddenly in March, reported a 1 percent gain in full-year distributable profit and said it will lift its dividends for 2017, a year in which it is focused on keeping a lid on corporate and management expenses. Sanford was unchanged at $5.65. The country's largest listed fishing group will book a $5 million impairment charge on the sale of its last Pacific Tuna vessel when it reports half-year earnings on Thursday. The Auckland-based company settled the sale of the San Nikunau having put that Pacific Tuna fleet up for sale when it decided to quit the business in September last year, Sanford said in a statement. Weak tuna prices led to "very limited interest" in those type of vessels, it said. Evolve Education Group shed 3.9 percent to $1. The childcare operator turned to a profit in its latest year, although earnings undershot the target in its 2014 prospectus because of acquisition-related costs. Profit was $15.6 million in the 12 months ended March 31, from a loss of $8.1 million a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Blis Technologies dropped 2.9 percent to 3.3 cents. The biotech company expects to report its first annual profit in 2017, the first since listing 15 years ago after sales more than doubled in 2016. The Dunedin-based company reported a net loss of $816,000, or 0.07 cents per share, in the 12 months ended March 31, from a loss of $1.4 million, or 0.12 cents, a year earlier, it said in a statement. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses Ralec set the first earn-out target for the Clear Grain Exchange which the trading platform failed to meet under NZX's ownership, says NZX's former head of strategy Heather Kirkham. Kirkham told the High Court yesterday that she thought the target, for 1.5 million tonnes of grain traded in its first year, was optimistic and hadn't come from NZX;s due diligence team. She was being cross-examined by Georgia Berlic, counsel for Ralec, in the fourth week of the hearing between NZX and Ralec. The stock market operator is suing Dominic Pym, Grant Thomas, and their companies is Ralec Commodities and Ralec Interactive for providing wildly inaccurate forecasts prior to NZX buying the Australian grain trading platform in 2009. Ralec's counterclaim says NZX and former chief Mark Weldon under-funded the business, meaning it couldn't meet earn-out targets. NZX bought Clear for A$7 million in October 2009, with two earn-outs of A$7 million tied to performance. The initial target for the first earnout was trading of 1.5 million tonnes of grain by June 30, 2010. If that was missed, Ralec could still get the earn-out, provided Clear reached 3 million tonnes by June 2011 or 4.5 million tonnes by June 2012. The second earn-out payment was based on NZX being able to create a successful agri-portal. Kirkham said she remembered consistently being told by Thomas and Pym that 1.5 million tonnes of grain traded through the platform was achievable. "The original (1.5 million tonnes) came from Thomas and Pym, they thought it was a conservative estimate," Kirkham said. "My extraordinarily strong recollection is this was repeated to us on a number of occasions." Berlic challenged Kirkham's version of events, saying she couldn't cite specific times when Thomas or Pym had referred to the target, which most likely came from NZX's own due diligence team. Berlic put to Kirkham that during negotiations in the run-up to the purchase, Thomas had wanted the earn-out target reduced to 1 million tonnes. Kirkham replied that she had taken that as a normal negotiating tactic at the time. Communication within the NZX due diligence team was also raised, with Berlic questioning Kirkham about an email from NZX's corporate counsel Rachael Newsome where she said the vendors were "being optimistic" about volume growth and she suspected "it would be another couple of years below 1 million tonnes." Kirkham agreed with Newsome's views but said the three targets for that earn-out would give them further incentive if they missed the first opportunity of 1.5 million tonnes. "We thought there was a range of things which might happen, at this point certainly we thought it might take a bit longer to get there," Kirkham said. She accepted that NZX knew Clear had IT capability but rejected Berlic's suggestion that Clear didn't have much knowledge of the grain market. "We knew that Clear had IT capability, we knew they'd built the grain platform, we knew Pym and Thomas didn't have grain markets as their background," Kirkham said. "We were told by them they had spent a long time getting up to speed with understanding the grain market in a short space of time - we understood they'd hired in some experts," The trial is expected to last up to eleven weeks and has so far cost NZX between $9 and $10 million. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses NEW DELHI: Chinese mobile phone manufacturer Transsion Holdings on Friday unveiled its flagship brand itel with three smartphones and three feature phones varients in India. The feature phones -- SmartSelfie, SmartPower and Shine series -- will be strategically priced below 2,000 while smartphones SelfiePro, PowerPro and Wish series will be available at prices below 10,000. "In today's digitally-led world, mobile connectivity has become a necessity instead of a privilege. With the launch of these phones, we are providing Indian consumers with the perfect amalgamation of value plus and functionality," said Sudhir Kumar, CEO, itel India, in a statement. SmartSelfie will attempt to redefine the consumer expectation with front camera. SmartPower will be focused on a long-lasting battery and Shine series will have good looks. Similarly, smartphones will have SelfiePro focusing on better camera experience, PowerPro catering long-lasting battery and Wish series providing value with better looks. The company will focus on rural and semi-urban consumers which have been "largely untapped by the incumbent mobile players". Read Also: Top 10 Chinese Smartphones Launching In India This year Sony's Killing Xperia C and M Series The marriage of technology and education would seem to be a natural fit - transform schools to the digital classroom model, provide a laptop or tablet for every student, beef up the technology infrastructure and watch as creativity, test scores, teacher ratings, and graduation rates go through the ceiling. Simple, right? OK, maybe not so much. There are major hurdles, both internal and external to transforming our national education model from one designed to support an industrial society to one that prepares students for the expanding global digital economy.While progress has certainly been made in leveraging technology in schools (e.g. computer labs, electronic textbooks, virtual classes, online sources & tutorials, etc.),we stand the cusp of a real revolution in the possibilities of technology to fundamentally alter the way kids learn and instructors teach. The increased attention and importance placed on Science, Technology, Engineering & Math(STEM) in K12 education is overdue and much-needed to maintain our position as innovation leaders, but it's not the complete picture.Introducing rapid, severe technology modifications into our current K12 education model would almost certainly do more harm than good. While a more gradual, iterative approach is preferred, change must not lag too far behind mainstream adoption. Teachers, students, and administrators will need to accept, even embrace new technologies and different educational paradigms(personalized learning, active learning, etc.).As we move from the Internet of Things (IoT) to the Internet of Everything (IoE), it's inevitable that technology will play a larger and more critical role in the buildings, teaching methods, measurement and ultimately, the success of K12 schools. Shepherding those changes in a climate of limited funding, competing priorities and embedded belief systems will require leaders who can communicate, build consensus, inspire and execute on the collective strategic vision.Most school districts grapple with the issue of student availability to technology-both inside and outside of the classroom, a problem that is magnified for large urban districts. The substantial gap between the District's affluent students and those from low-income homes means that some students have expensive smartphones, tablets or laptops while others don't even have internet connections at home. Lack of access to technology for low-income students, means that beyond not just having the latest smartphone or tablet, they also lag their more affluent peers in the technology skills that are increasingly required for both education and the21st century workplace. This has the effect of putting already at-risk students in jeopardy of falling further behind in their education, college-readiness, and limited vocational options.As school districts across the country try to find the budget dollars to fund more devices for the classroom, more and more students are coming to school with a computer in their hands - a smartphone.Parents, students, and teachers all want BYOD access, but the unenviable task of making it all seamlessly work falls to IT departments. Providing a consistent user experience across myriad combinations of devices, operating systems and applications that is secure, protects privacy, ensures content appropriateness and manages network bandwid this a very delicate balancing act. BYOD can help bridge the digital divide by leveraging existing technology students are using, which in turn frees up capital to provide more devices for those unable to afford them. There are many risks prior to embracing a BYOD program that needs evaluation are application control, potential data loss, local labor laws/issues, potential privacy issues, regulatory requirements, lost/stolen devices, data recovery and legal ownership of data stored on a personal device. Finally, defining the appropriate policies with clear expectations on the outcome will be the key to a successful BYOD program.Any significant implementation of digital devices will almost certainly require corresponding IT infrastructure changes to ensure the project's success. Wireless Access Points (WAP),increased broadband access, servers, storage and network switches can all need upgrades in order to handle the increased demand. Security concerns require more redundancy in networks, better SPAM and content filtering as well to ensure the internal and external access has high availability, protects privacy and limits the opportunities for bad actors. Being able to accurately estimate, plan and prepare the infrastructure changes prior to implementation is crucial.In many ways, the impact of the Great Recession in2008 is still being felt in school districts across the nation. As boom turned to bust, federal, state and local funding sources were greatly reduced or in some cases, disappeared entirely. Per-student funding from the state of Florida is slowly increasing but is only now approaching pre-2008levels-with the additional technology-related expenses from online testing, virtual classes and other expanding tech initiatives that have accrued over the last eight years unaccounted for. Beyond the increased strain on technology infrastructure, large technology initiatives require increased staff for the support, maintenance, repair and replacement of digital devices-costs that need to be accounted for when considering how to move the digital revolution into the classroom.Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for education have been touted as the 'future of education' and can provide assistance to reduce the digital divide and move closer to the digital classroom. Some like internet providers offering high-speed broadband access and low-cost computers at substantially reduced prices have a proven track record of helping millions of kids get online at home. Public-Private Partnerships also offer schools the ability to leverage economies of scale in purchasing or sharing technology resources.However, some highly-publicized ventures that ought to quickly turn around failing schools in a short time show little to no improvement by any reasonable measure. While the motivations are no doubt noble, the results show that the same strategies employed when launching a dot.com or social media site do not necessarily translate to improving schools or increasing student achievement.It's vitally important that district leadership collaboratively design, plan and execute on a strategic vision to move our schools, teachers, staff and students into the digital age-it's equally important to effectively communicate that vision to community leaders, business interests, and taxpayers. Only by building a coalition of stakeholders, all of whom have a vested interest in the outcome, will the investment, resources and energy necessary for success be attainable.Pilot programs and model classrooms can provide vital feedback on which technologies are appropriate for students, schools or districts as a whole. With the proper vision, planning, strategic partnerships and support from all interested parties, advancing technology has the potential to fundamentally alter the ways we teach, learn and view the role of K12education for current and future generations. New Delhi: On his maiden trip to India as Apple CEO, Tim Cook on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and launched an updated version of the "Narendra Modi Mobile App". "Thank you @tim_cook! Friends, welcome and happy volunteering. Your views and efforts are always enriching," Modi tweeted. Cook replied: "Thanks PM @narendramodi for a great meeting. Already looking forward to next visit to India. Best wishes on the app!" The updated version contains a new volunteering network on the app. "I am delighted to share that Mr Tim Cook launched an updated version of the 'Narendra Modi Mobile App'. Thank you, Mr.Cook," said Modi in his tweet. Read Also: Modi Arrives In Iran; Chabahar Port,Energy Ties High On Agend Apple CEO Touched By Indians' Warmth, Opens Facility In Hyderabad Google, Tata Trusts Expand Digital Literacy For Rural Women In India Six Major Parliamentary Developments which can be Linked with NaMo's Rule TEHRAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit to Iran, said that Indians living abroad have the capability to assimilate with everyone. "We Indians have a specialty. We accept everyone and assimilate with everyone," Modi said while addressing a community gathering at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara here. Soon after his arrival here to a red carpet welcome with Iranian Economic Affairs and Finance Minister Ali Tayebnia present to receive him, Modi left for the gurudwara and offered prayers. "The new generation should know about the sacrifices of the great (Sikh) Gurus and about the Guru Granth Sahib," he said. He also said that he has noted several suggestions that have emanated from the Indian community in Iran. "Let us all work together to serve humanity," the prime minister said. The gurudwara was founded in 1941 by Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Tehran. Religious celebrations include morning and evening prayers, and a Guru-Ka-Langer every Friday after the Akhand Path. Community services include establishment of a school where teaching of Punjabi and Dharmik (divinity) studies forms an integral part of the curriculum. According to the Indian embassy here, the Indian community in Iran, which was sizeable earlier, has dwindled and now consists of about 100 families in Tehran and about 20 in Zahedan. There are also around 1,300 Indian students in Iran, a large number of whom pursue theological studies in Qom. Modi will be accorded an official welcome here on Monday following which he will hold talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a a little over a month-and-a-half of his trip to Saudi Arabia. On Monday, the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan to develop the Chabahar port in that Gulf nation will be signed. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran on Monday. Ahead of his departure from New Delhi, Modi tweeted that he looked forward to his visit to Iran at the invitation of President Rouhani. "India and Iran enjoy civilisational ties and have shared interest in the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the region," he said. He said his meetings with President Rouhani and Supreme Leader Khamenei would provide an opportunity to advance the strategic partnership between India and Iran. Modi said that priority would be given to enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people-to-people contacts. Read Also: PM's Pitch For Saving 'Every Drop' Of Water Modi Arrives In Iran; Chabahar Port,Energy Ties High On Agend TEHRAN: Looking to strengthen trade, investment and energy ties with Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived here on a two-day visit, during which a crucial agreement is expected to be signed on developing the strategic Chabahar port. Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister having visited Iran in the last 15 years, was received at the Mehrabad International Airport by Iran's Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia, after which he left for a local Gurudwara to meet people of Indian origin here. Formal talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani are scheduled for tomorrow morning after a ceremonial welcome for the Prime Minister. Rouhani will also host a lunch for him. Modi will also call on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well before his return. Ahead of his arrival, Modi in a series of tweets said, "Enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people contacts would be our priority." "My meetings with President Rouhani and Hon'ble Supreme Leader of Iran will provide an opportunity to advance our strategic partnership," the Prime Minister added. Besides signing a deal on development of Phase-1 of the Chabahar port, India is looking at doubling oil imports from the Persian Gulf nation, which a few years back was its second-biggest oil supplier, as well as making progress on getting rights to develop a giant gas field in the energy-rich country. India's Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari will also be present there for the signing of the agreement on Chabahar port. Post-sanctions Iran has seen a flurry of diplomatic and business activities with leaders from China to Korea courting Tehran. In the run-up to Modi's visit, Transport Minister Gadkari, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had visited Tehran. Stating that he looked forward to the conclusion of the Chahbahar agreement during his visit, the Prime Minister said "India and Iran enjoy civilisational ties and have shared interest in the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the region. Read Also: Apple CEO Touched By Indians' Warmth, Opens Facility In Hyderabad Microsoft Chief Nadella To Visit India This Month OK, what is Indiaspora? Think of Davos for Indian Americans. I havent been to Davos so I am just basing my comparison on what Ive read about Davos. Indiaspora is held over a weekend and is attended by around 150 interesting people, all Indians and Indian Americans. There are a few people like me, who are entrepreneurs and/or investors. But there are also thought leaders from all spheres of life including artists, journalists, academics, social impact leaders, and even half a dozen politicians looking to make history in their respective states or at the national level. The event I attended was held in Philadelphia on May 20-22 and it was the third time it has been hosted. So Indiaspora is still a young organization trying to figure out what is the way to bring people together to have a positive impact on the Indian American identity. Besides a couple of keynotes, most of the sessions are meant to be intimate settings with a lot of interaction so that one could leverage the brainpower and the network in that room. Some of the discussions and interactions made me think about the following interesting issues: 1. Identity: Should we classify ourselves as Indian American, South Asian American, or Asian American? In the UK, Asian American is inevitably South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi). In the U.S., Asian American is almost always interpreted to mean East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, etc). Pushing our identity as Indian American is clearly the truest to who we are but we risk getting left behind as an insignificant minority that is not worth courting. With less than 1percent of the population, we would have no heft at all. Getting included in the Asian American category gets us more political weight but constantly requires an education about our place in that group. 2. Young professionals: I had the opportunity to hear from and interact with multiple young folks who were born in the U.S. to Indian parents. It was interesting to see that wherever they grew up, their stories and experiences were very similar and familiar. Various stories of being the only South Asian (and in many cases the only non-white) in their schools as they were growing up. The next generation has a very broad range of interests and aspirations so one can expect to see them have an impact on a wide range of fields outside engineering and medicine. 3. Politics: There is tremendous support for President Obama in the Indian American community. Barring the Trump phenomenon, the wealthy Indians/donors seem to lean Republican though the broad majority seems to lean Democratic. However, in general, Indians are moderate and not all that left leaning as one would assume. All the 4 political candidates that I heard on a panel were running on the Democratic ticket in their various state/local elections. Bobby Jindal is not popular amongst Indian Americans for trying to hide this roots in order to gain acceptability. I think we will see Indian American candidates in the future running true to their cultural roots and heritage. 4. Culture and religion: Secularism is alive and well, however there is also an interest to make sure that Hindusim is properly portrayed in the U.S. Most Americans are not aware that yoga and meditation are an integral part of the Hindu religion. Buddhism is considered cool while Hinduism is tagged with the caste system. Various participants in the conference are engaged in activities that would portray Hinduism in a more balanced way and establish a proud cultural identity. Besides all of these thought provoking discussions, Indiaspora is an awesome event for networking with the movers and shakers of the American Indian community. It has the potential to be a key player in driving the Indian American agenda in the U.S. over the next decade. Wouldnt it be nice to have Diwali as an American holiday just like Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana? NEW YORK: With over two million followers, Indian-origin neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta has emerged as the second most popular doctor in the US, a study that analysed Twitter use by doctors across the country has found. A neurosurgeon at Emory Clinic in Atlanta, Gupta is also a multiple Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent for CNN. Gupta's popularity is surpassed only by another TV personality Drew Pinsky of HLN who has 3.18 million followers in Twitter. For the study, students at Augustana University analysed Twitter use by doctors across the US, going back to 2006. The researchers sorted through 4,500 users as part of their research. "We just wanted to see how doctors are engaging with other people on Twitter," one of the researchers, Paige Schwitters, was quoted as saying by Argus Leader, part of the US Today network. The researchers found that the most followed Twitter accounts belonged to celebrities, public figures or TV personalities. With 1.03 million followers in Twitter Asa Andrew, certified internist and self-declared addictionologist, emerged as the third most popular doctor in the US. Gupta joined CNN in the summer of 2001 and he has 2.03 million followers in Twitter. "Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon, plays an integral role in CNN's reporting on health and medical news for all of CNN's shows domestically and internationally, and contributes to CNN.com," according to his biography mentioned in CNN. "His medical training and public health policy experience distinguishes his reporting from war zones and natural disasters, as well as on a range of medical and scientific topics, including the recent Ebola outbreak, brain injury, disaster recovery, health care reform, fitness, military medicine, and HIV/AIDS," it added. Gupta uses his Twitter account primarily for professional use, giving his opinions and medical advice, according to the study. Read Also: I Will Be Democratic Presidential Nominee: Clinton Clinton Ahead Of Trump By 6 Points In Latest Poll Source: IANS ROTA, Spain A 2007 McDonell Central High School graduate and Chippewa Falls native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook. Petty officer 2nd Class Kelsey Mullen is a fire controlman aboard the Arleigh Burke-guided missile destroyer operating out of Rota, Spain. USS Donald Cook is one of four destroyers home ported in Rota. Mullen came aboard the ship in July 2014. Her first deployment in November included port visits to Sicily, Greece, Israel and more. A Navy fire controlman is responsible for combat systems power for the ship and a radar system and the console that fires missiles in combat. There is always more to learn in my job, said Mullen. Aegis is an extremely advanced system that has been hugely successful for the Navy. So the fact that I get to work in such a vital portion of our mission is very satisfying. Mullen left for boot camp Oct. 1, 2012 and said she hasnt looked back since. Her older brother, Paul, served in the U.S. Army, as well as both of her grandfathers. Commissioned in 1998, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Donald Cook measures approximately 500 feet and is powered by four gas turbines that allow the destroyer to achieve over 30 mph in open seas. It was named in honor of Donald Cook, a Vietnam War prisoner of war who died in captivity. This ship has been fitted with the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) capability that enables the ship to conduct long-range surveillance, tracking, and engagement of short and medium-range ballistic missiles. According to Navy officials, destroyers are tactical multi-mission surface combatants capable of conducting anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, as well as humanitarian assistance. Fast, maneuverable and technically advanced, destroyers provide the required warfighting expertise and operational flexibility to execute any tasking overseas. Assigned to U.S. 6th Fleet, sailors are on watch throughout the European region and are important assets supporting the European Phased Adaptive Approach to enhance the security of that area of the world from ballistic missile threats originating in the Middle East. Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women make up the ships company. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. The jobs range from washing dishes and preparing meals to maintaining engines and handling weaponry. I like our fast-paced schedule, said Mullen. Our time out at sea gives our junior sailors time underway to focus on developing themselves. That makes our crew stronger and more proficient. Challenging living conditions build strong fellowship among the crew, Navy officials explained. The crew is highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches and drills. Ironically, the most challenging part for Mullen is suffering from sea sickness. There has not been a single deployment I havent had to fight the wretched ocean in its quest to debilitate me, she said. I have a pattern where I can get my sea legs within a few days of leaving, but those first hours of sickness are dreadful. Like many, she also misses her friends and family in her hometown. Pictures, letters and emails cover the wall beside her bed, but its rewarding to know shes doing her part to keep them safe. As a member of one of the U.S. Navys most relied-upon assets, Mullen said she and other Donald Cook sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes. By serving my country on the Donald Cook I know everyone back home doesnt have to worry, added Mullen. They can feel safe knowing we have people like us out here. She helps lead combat systems and air warfare training and used her graduate degree in communications which she earned prior to joining the Navy to create and run Team 75 Varsity News, the ships newsletter. She is also working toward her commissioning as an officer in the Navy, and her first Officer Candidate School package will be reviewed this summer. She hopes to have the board process and results around Aug. 7, her 27th birthday. I like our fast-paced schedule. Our time out at sea gives our junior sailors time underway to focus on developing themselves. That makes our crew stronger and more proficient. Kelsey Mullen, Chippewa Falls native and U.S. Navy petty officer LONDON: Indian-origin voters are largely in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union (EU), with a significant chunk still undecided ahead of the June 23 referendum, which has been described as a knife-edge vote. According to the British Election Survey (BES) released this week, 51.7 per cent of Indian-origin voters were against Brexit, compared to 27.74 per cent in favour of leaving the 28-member economic bloc. However, there is a significant percentage (16.85 per cent) of those who "Don't Know", who are likely to hold the key in the referendum, described as a knife-edge vote so far. BES surveyed a large sample of 22,000 voters, which found that 'Remain' has a narrow lead of 43 per cent as against 40.5 per cent in favour of 'Leave'. "The new data indicates that ethnic minority voters could hold the balance of power. While white voters are split evenly, all ethnic minority groups are far more likely to back Remain. However, the data also suggests that turnout could be 20 to 25 per cent lower among ethnic minority voters," the report found. The figures are similar across the board among South Asians, with Pakistani-origin voters backing remain 56 to 26 per cent and Bangladeshis 42 to 17. With just a month to go for the referendum, both Leave and Remain camps have been campaigning hard to win over the "Don't Knows". High-profile Indian-origin politicians in the UK, like UK employment minister Priti Patel and Infosys chief Narayan Murthy's son-in-law Rishi Sunak, have spoken out in favour of Brexit to create a "fairer immigration system" that does not discriminate against non-EU migrants. However, this rhetoric has been countered by the remain camp which has stressed that Brexit would not provide any guarantees for a change in the dynamics of the UK's relationship outside the EU. "Our membership of the EU does not prevent us from allowing people in from Commonwealth countries. It is not a binary decision, either EU or Commonwealth... If you fulfil the criteria, you can come here with a work visa," said UK Foreign Office minister in charge of India, Hugo Swire. "Anyone suggesting that it would be any different or easier [in the event of Brexit], is suggesting we would water down that criteria. That is misleading and unhelpful. Read Also: Obama Lands In Vietnam To Boost Securit, Trade Ties 12-Yr-Old Indian-American Genius Eyes To Become Doctor At 18 Source: PTI STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As the dinner crowd dwindles around 9:30 p.m., a buxom woman walks toward the lounge from her table at Metro Bistro & Bar. This is the New Dorp restaurant's first Friday night in business. Poured into a pair of skin-tight jeans and form-fitting pleather shirt, the woman's red-painted toenails peek out from open-toed stilettos. Her friends, equally decked to the nines, push out their lips for a kiss on her cheek and... Pardon, if you will -- the fantastical nightlife scene developing here in the restaurant's got me distracted from the white-bread rolls and ramekin of roasted garlic-flecked pesto. Yeah, the clubby vibe amping up is enough to pull my eyes way from chef Steven Smith's Octopus Salad, a perfectly cooked tentacle lain upon a heaping portion of calamari plus shrimp, roasted red pepper strips, butter beans, olives and hearts of palm. (Wow, think I went to elementary school with the girl in the unitard.) Darned those distractions around the restaurant -- as a starter, I should have ordered the Lobster and Crab Spring Roll or a tower of raw shellfish with lobster, oysters, clams and shrimp. After all, I was in the kitchen earlier (mistakenly thinking it was open for lunch, it is dinner only in Metro's inaugural days) just as Chef Steve checked in his fish order. And, it all looked so perfectly fresh. Back there in the kitchen, by the way, was Neel Hadunkutti, the talented pastry chef behind Metro's outstanding, house-made desserts like an Apple Crumb Cobbler and Hot Chocolate Cake, a milk chocolate version of a dense chocolate mud pie. Neel also crafts cakes and pies for owner Hassan "Steve" Osman's other properties: Z-One in Bulls Head and Z-Two in Charleston. It took Osman three years to get to this point where Metro's doors are open. Metro is home to the former Bistro that he rebuilt from the ground up replete with a brand new kitchen. This address has been home to hot spots prior to that -- Enza's, Hedges and Bacci's Charcoal Haven. Now, with oversized chandeliers, striking colors and angular architectural detail that lends a masculine boldness to three rooms, the night crowds are back in the lounge as they were in Bistro, a venture that Osman originally owned until it changed hands and petered out of business. OK, the food at Metro -- where were we? Ah, things I should have ordered -- like Baby Kale and Grilled Veggie Salad or Buratta Cheese with sopresatta, arugula, tomatoes and pickled vegetables. A sucker for clams, I went for the Artichoke Baked Clams. Enjoyable, but there could have been more ba-bamm! on the plate with butter and the breadcrumb mashed with more artichoke to make it worthy of the word "artichoke" in its menu moniker. Filet of Sole stuffed with crabmeat was excellent -- fish certainly is among Chef Steve's strong points. While I thoroughly hate bacon in the presence of fresh fillet, the chef's signature risotto cake at the presentation's base made up for the protein-on-protein offense. Metro's repertoire is rounded out by American comfort dishes -- even Mac 'n' Cheese and wings are on the menu -- and enough riffs on Italian food to pander to our Staten Island palates. Further along the Metro line up, we see a Frenched pork chop, a bone-in rib eye and a rack of lamb with mustard and breadcrumb. Then, there are your classics like Veal Scallopini with a rich Espagnole sauce -- sauces are another matter to which Chef Steve tends well -- and chopped, sauteed mushrooms over risotto. A bowl of pappardelle with 'shrooms and tender filet mignon bits serves as one of three pasta dishes. Pizza comes by way of flatbreads. Sweet and hot sausages are grilled and served with fennel, orange and grapefruit. Badda bing! Badda boom! Getting back to the plunging necklines: Now there's a guy with his hair slicked back dressed in a three-piece suit. A DJ's playing Barry White and everyone's looking happy. Speaking as a native of the borough, it's a familiar Staten Island scene that I can appreciate on many levels, especially when looking at a restaurant with a thunderously successful future ahead. -- Open at 4 p.m. for dinner, Metro is located at 2561 Hylan Blvd., New Dorp, 718-668-9200 and can be reached through Facebook. Weekend brunch will begin in a few weeks and the restaurant is booking private parties. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- What was your number? For men who came of age as the United States' conflict in Vietnam was escalating, the question only means one thing: The draft lottery. As an experiment one day last year, Cara Liander and her sister-in-law Maria Rusolo posed the question to several men in the taproom of Flagship Brewing Company, where Liander works as Public Relations Director. "Almost every person we asked knew exactly what we were referring to, would tell us their number, and then share where the results of the 1969 selective service draft lottery led them in life," Liander, a St. George resident, said. The first draft lottery took place on December 1, 1969, for men born between 1944-1950. They called numbers 1-to-195 to serve. Liander and Rusolo were so amazed by the significance of the lottery number they set out to collect a record of the many personal stories. They're compiling the video-taped histories through a documentary series called "I Am Number" and have interviewed almost entirely Staten Island veterans. Liander and Rusolo are working on the series along with executive producer and cinematographer Sean Simpson and producers JoAnn Ward and Mark Ward. I Am Number 175 - Army Medic from I am number... on Vimeo. So far, they've collected 25 oral histories, and plan to collect at least 366 -- one for every birthday of the leap year. They hope to eventually create a database where the interviews can be used and referred back to for generations to come. "We want to show that the military gave everyone a number, and dehumanized everyone to a simple number," she said. "We're trying to give a story to each number, and humanize that number." Liander was inspired by her father, Robert Liander a Major in the US Army, and draft number 181. He recalled the nights leading up to the December 1, 1969, lottery drawing, when he and his St. John's University college best friends sat around a table in a local bar, deciding whether to enlist, or to wait it out to see if they got a high number. Liander's father decided to enlist "because he felt as though enlisting would give him more options, and it did," she said, adding that she's still not sure he really had a choice in the matter. Robert passed away unexpectedly in March. Had his daughters not asked him about his draft lottery number, they never would have known about his military history, Liander said. "He retired in the '90s, so I was still really young," the now-32-year-old Liander said. "I was only in first grade. So I didn't grow up thinking of him as a military guy, but that was a huge part of his identity." When her father passed away, completing the project became an even more urgent task: How many other family members would never get to know that part of their loved ones' lives without a first-hand oral history? I Am Number 141 - Army Radio Operator from I am number... on Vimeo. Many of the men she and her team have interviewed say they don't often talk about their time in Vietnam, or how they ended up there. "I think a lot of men are afraid of talking about it the Vietnam era," she said. "When they came home, people would treat them terribly, even though today we thank you for your service. A lot of them think it's ridiculous to be thanked -- they didn't have a choice. Did they really have a choice by enlisting? I don't know the answer to that, but I'm learning." The series will be shown at the Fleet Week Music Festival at Flagship on May 29, starting at noon. For more information, follow the project's progress on Facebook. If you or someone you know is interested in being interviewed and/or would like to learn more about the project, email contact@iamnumber.org. "These men had lives before and after the war, and I wanted to hear their stories," Rusolo said. "I think others do too." NWS Heroin Syringes used to illustrate heroin problem on Staten Island. (Staten Island Advance/Anthony DePrimo) CITY HALL -- More police detectives will be sent to Staten Island to investigate drug overdoses following a shocking surge in fatal and near-fatal cases recently. NYPD Chief James O'Neill told the City Council on Monday that 15 seasoned narcotics investigators will be reassigned from other boroughs to Staten Island in the next month or two. "We're also taking cases on all ODs in Staten Island," O'Neill said during a budget hearing at City Hall. "If there's an OD, a detective's going to investigate that to see where it came from and see if we can get some prosecutions out of that." Law enforcement officials suspect there have been at least 48 fatal drug overdoses in the borough so far this year. "While we continue to commit more resources to drug treatment, education and addition prevention, we must also concentrate on enforcement," Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) said. "These new officers will allow the NYPD to take a more aggressive approach to investigating illicit drug activity and cooling down drug 'hot spots' that have been emerging across the borough." The Health Department reported a 10 percent increase in overdose deaths across the five boroughs in 2015, to 886 from 800 the year before. The city doesn't have preliminary data yet for fatal overdoses on Staten Island last year. MORE DEADLY DRUG The surge is due in part to increased use of high-powered painkiller fentanyl, identified in four overdose deaths on Staten Island last year out of 136 citywide. Fentanyl can be up to 100 times more potent than morphine and has a high risk of overdose. Police officers are starting to carry higher doses of naloxone, a drug that can reduce the effects of an opioid. Police Commissioner William Bratton said at the hearing that the drug problem needs to be addressed from all sides -- by law enforcement, families and health officials. "It has become a horrendous problem nationally and one that we are dealing with particularly on Staten Island," Bratton told Matteo. "In terms of numbers, not the most serious problem in the city -- that's up in the Bronx -- but it gets a lot of attention on Staten Island." ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Matteo also questioned top police brass about whether additional resources were needed to address a wave of domestic violence caseson Staten Island, including two murders in the last week. "No additional resources to deal with that," Bratton said, but noted that the NYPD will place two victims advocates in each precinct this year. "I think sufficient resources are there." Mayor Bill de Blasio's executive budget includes $5.5 million in new funding to help combat the drug epidemic on Staten Island and beyond. Last week he expressed faith in the city's efforts to curb the problem. Still, District Attorney Michael McMahon has requested more than $1 million to help the office combat the drug epidemic. Negotiations between the mayor and Council will continue behind the scenes at City Hall before the budget is adopted next month. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced that his office reached a $364,000 settlement with Beacon Restoration Inc. after the contractor cheated 24 Latino and South Asian immigrant workers out of prevailing wages and benefits for their work installing a new roof at the Port Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant in 2010 and 2011. "My office has no tolerance for city contractors who cheat their workers from the wages and benefits they have rightfully earned," Stringer said. "Everyone deserves to be paid for their labor, but these 24 workers, all of them immigrants, were robbed and exploited. We will ensure these individuals receive the wages they deserve and put out the word yet again to unscrupulous contractors: if you take advantage of your workers, we will take action against you." The case against this contractor began in June 2011, when the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) commenced an investigation after a worker complained about being underpaid, which was corroborated by irregularities in Beacon's payroll records. DEP referred the matter to the comptroller's office for further investigation. In September 2011, Volmar Construction Inc., one of the prime contractors on the project, and Beacon Restoration, had the workers -- many of whom did not speak English -- sign releases falsely claiming that they had been paid in full. Despite this representation, the comptroller's office continued its investigation and found that Beacon had submitted falsified payroll reports to hide underpayments. While payroll reports and cancelled paychecks showed payments of $64 per hour on particular dates, the comptroller's investigation revealed that the company delayed payments to its workers and ended up paying them salaries of $140 to $180 per day based on the total hours worked by the end of the project -- far less than the doctored records showed. The settlement agreement provides that Beacon Restoration and its owner are barred from public works in the State of New York for the next five years. FOLLOW Tracey Porpora on BY SHANE DIMAIO AND TRACEY PORPORA STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Photos of Obiamaka Aduba, 26, who was allegedly strangled by her husband, Anthony Lopez, 31, have been obtained by the Advance from her Facebook page. The photos -- one taken inside and another outside -- depict Aduba will long dark hair and a serious look on her face. Three neighbors of Aduba, who lived on Martineau Street in Mariners Harbor, confirmed the Facebook photos are in fact, Aduba. Her husband, Anthony Lopez, 31, is the man police believe wheeled her lifeless body down a Mariners Harbor street a metal dolly on Friday after he allegedly strangled her to death. Arraigned in Richmond County Supreme Court before Judge William Garnett on Sunday, Lopez plead not guilty to second degree murder. He was remanded on homicide without bail. Lopez was also arraigned on criminal mischief charges from earlier this month. Published reports say Lopez beat her in the past and had her work as a prostitute. Her mother tried to help her, reports say, to no avail. When reached by telephone on Sunday, a woman who identified herself as Aduba's mother refused to talk about her daughter's brutal death. APPREHENDED ON SATURDAY Lopez, 31, was apprehended in East Harlem's 23rd Precinct on Saturday. He was taken into custody following a manhunt using helicopters and dogs. Police said they found Lopez while acting on a tip and that he was arrested following a brief foot chase. They added that he had shaved his head to disguise his appearance. Cops had been searching for Lopez since early Friday morning when an off-duty police officer observed him wheeling Aduba's lifeless body on a metal dolly in Mariners Harbor, police said. The officer reportedly recognized Lopez because he had arrested him in the past. The officer approached Lopez, who then dumped the body in front of a home on Post Lane and fled, according to cops. Aduba was wrapped in a sheet and had bruising on her body, but it wasn't immediately clear if the marks had anything to do with her death. The city medical examiner will determine the cause of death. PRIOR ARRESTS Lopez has a lengthy criminal history, including 34 prior arrests, 15 of which are sealed. Those prior arrests include charges of robbery, theft and assault, police said. NWS Inmate photo Staten Island suspects allegedly were photographed making gang symbols while riding from Rikers Island to Criminal Court in St. George on a Department of Correction bus. The suspects in the picture that was posted on social media are identified in no particular order as: Richard Degroet, 19, of Holland Ave.; Alston Raysean, 21, of Henderson Avenue; Naquan Young, 21, of Broadway; Isaiah Kelson, 19, of Andros Avenue. (Facebook Photo) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island suspects posed for a cellphone photo while riding a Department of Correction bus to Criminal Court in St. George last week, according to the head of the New York State Court Officers Association. The photo has sparked an investigation into how the phone -- which is considered contraband -- got in the defendants' hands. The suspects in the photo that was posted on social media include four Staten Islanders accused of weapons charges following a high-speed chase with police earlier this month. The suspects making what appears to be a gang symbol in the photo are identified in no particular order as: Richard Degroet, 19, of Holland Ave.; Alston Raysean, 21, of Henderson Avenue; Naquan Young, 21, of Broadway; Isaiah Kelson, 19, of Andros Avenue. A fifth Staten Island suspect, Rameen Smith, allegedly snapped the shot of his fellow riders, according to sources. Smith was arrested on weapons and other charges on May 19, 2014, on the North Shore of Staten Island in a case that still is winding its way through state Supreme Court, according to public records. "Commissioner (Joseph) Ponte has zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband into any DOC facility," said a Correction spokeswoman. "This matter is under investigation." The question is how the cell phone ended up on the bus, said Dennis Quirk, president of the New York State Court Officers Association. He speculated that a visitor to Rikers likely slipped a cellphone to one of the suspects who then brought it onto the bus at Rikers. The cellphone likely was left on the bus prior to entering the courthouse in St. George. Quirk doesn't believe that the cellphone ever was brought into the courthouse, because suspects are searched before entering the courtroom and not allowed to have contact with the public. Although sources were unable to say when the photo was taken, all five suspects made appearances in courts on Staten Island last Tuesday. The incident leads to a larger issue of the difficulty of adequately searching hundreds of inmates each day prior to transporting them from lockups to courthouses throughout New York City, Quirk said. Court officers find contraband on prisoners "all the time" Quirk said, mostly sharp weapons that inmates have crafted with metal and/or plastic such as toothbrushes implanted with razor blades. Cellphones are considered contraband because of the many ways they could be used by criminals to commit crimes while detained, including contacting and threatening witnesses and arranging inmate calls. The alleged security breach occurred despite significant upgrades in anti-contraband efforts by Correction. DOC is acquiring a total of 10 Metrasens Cellsense scanners, which can detect cellphones and other contraband that traditional metal detectors cannot. So far, seven such scanners are being used in jails. The number of K-9 units to search for contraband has increased from 13 in 2015 to 35 by the end of this fiscal year on June 30. Weapons contraband finds have jumped 48 percent, to 2780 from 1875, so far this fiscal year compared to last, according to a Correction source. Under Commissioner Ponte, a source said that Correction has tightened front-entrance procedures for visitors, employees and others by: employing regular K-9 patrols using hand-held metal-detectors pat-frisking if further search is necessary limiting allowable items training all front-entrance staff in enhanced TSA-style procedures Contraband also is found during regular and random searches of housing areas. NWS ELIA.JPG New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia makes a point during an interview with the Advance editorial board. Looking on is Dr. Christine Cea, Staten Island representative to the state Board of Regents. (Staten Island Advance/Steve Zaffarano) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia says a shakeup of New York's Common Core curriculum standards is in the works. Elia, speaking during a recent interview with the Advance editorial board, said parents and teachers can expect to see some changes to the curriculum that are designed to make the material more age-appropriate for students, as well as new standards by which to measure student success in the classroom. She said the changes grew out of "listening tours" she's made to school districts around the state, as well as results from an on-line survey, AIM High NY, completed by parents and educators. Elia stopped short of saying the state would scrap Common Core standards altogether. "More than 72 percent of New Yorkers who responded (to the survey) told us they want to maintain the higher standards (for learning)," she said. "They told us, though, that they had some concerns." Teachers, students and parents won't see the new material start to show up on state exams until 2019, she said. The state received much criticism for rushing to approve the original Common Core curriculum in 2010, and including the material on state exams. That led to a movement by parents to boycott the tests, and ultimately, a call to completely re-evaluate the system. A state timeline for revisions, Elia said, calls for educators, school leaders, parents, students and business and community officials from all regions of the state to serve on two committees, one for English language arts and one for math. The committees make recommendations, which the Board of Regents would vote on. School districts, including the city's Department of Education, would then have another year to incorporate the new standards into the curriculum by training teachers and adapting classroom lessons and materials. CHANGES TO TESTS Along with revisions to the curriculum material, parents and teachers can expect to see changes to the state reading and math exams, to include more age-appropriate questions that better reflect what's taught in class. Some of the changes were rolled out in this year's exams students took in April. "We have shortened the exams, and given students as much time as they need to complete the questions," which has led to fewer parents opting their children out of the tests, Elia said. The commissioner said the state is also seeking to get more teachers involved in writing and reviewing test questions to make sure they are age-appropriate and aligned with what's being taught in the classroom. "It's always a good thing for teachers to be involved, since they are the ones who work directly with children. They are our eyes and ears on the front-line," Elia said. CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM LEADS WAY Some of the reforms being discussed statewide are already in place in the New York City public school system, Elia said. New York City comprises the state's largest school district, with more than 1,000 schools and more than 1 million students in the five boroughs. While the state is just getting around to assessing students and schools using a multi-point criteria that includes attendance, test scores, parent engagement and other measures, the city's Department of Education already incorporates the same criteria into its school "snapshots" that provide a data picture for each school. Each school's "snapshot" is available on its website. Parents also receive individual reports on their child's academic progress based on the same criteria. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.A -- While Staten Islanders love to travel the globe to experience beautiful art, architecture, and history, there's some sacred sites to see right in their own backyard. As part of he New York Landmarks Conservancy's sixth annual Sacred Sites Open House Weekend, several Staten Island houses of worship offered tours , giving visitors a glimpse inside many ofA the borough's churches and synagogues and an opportunity to view the artistic treasures of many faiths, styles, and periods.A More than 40 sites in New York City and over 120 statewide participated in the weekend event.A "Many of New York's magnificent houses of worship have served generations and continue to anchor communities and all too often, they are seen only by their members," said Peg Breen, president of The New York Landmarks Conservancy. Staten Island congregations that participated the event include: A A A Page Content On Friday May 20, 2016, Minister Silveria Jacobs signed a MOU with Dr. William Abare, the president of Flagler College. This agreement will enable students from St. Maarten to study at Flagler College and receive a discounted tuition rate. Flagler College is a small, private residential college located in the USA's oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida. The stunning Spanish architecture, the small classes are just a few of the beckons of Flagler College. St. Maarten students will be able to choose from 29 majors and 34 minors that combine focused academic study with real-world experiences and community-integrated projects. Flagler offers renowned and nationally accredited programs in business, education, design, fine art, psychology, communication and sport management, to name a few. Also available is a new innovative program, coastal environmental science. This agreement was made possible through the assistance and support of Ms. Judi Marino (International Admissions). On behalf of the government of St. Maarten Minister Jacobs thanked Dr. Abare and Deborah J. Thompson (VP of Enrollment Management) MADISON Democrats have spent recent weeks drawing attention to budget cuts that have led to reduced services and layoffs on University of Wisconsin System campuses. Republicans have countered by touting a four-year freeze on UW tuition and new tenure rules that make it easier to fire professors, who Gov. Scott Walker has repeatedly said enjoyed protections that gave them a job for life. As Democrats look to pick up seats in the Legislature and Republicans try to keep control of the Senate and Assembly, experts say the issues surrounding the UW System could be among the hottest topics on the campaign trail in some districts. Several months before Election Day, UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden says, politicians on the right and left are already making clear how they will look to argue those issues: Democrats by criticizing Republican-led budget cuts that they argue hurt the states public universities and its economy, and the GOP by saying theyve reformed the UW System to make it more efficient and affordable for Wisconsin families. The parties have really drawn lines when it comes to higher (education), Burden said. Each is staking out positions that could have support among a broad base of voters, Burden said, and while Walkers name wont be on the ballot this November, his record will very much color races for the Legislature. Education is going to be a key contrast issue in this election, said Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse. Walker declined an interview request, but devoted his May 12 weekly radio address to the tuition freeze and new tenure policies. Mike Mikalson, a spokesman for Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said voters dont want to undo the changes Republicans have made. You cant just feed the beast by throwing more state tax dollars in and more tuition money, he said. You have to force (the UW System) to adopt reasonable reforms to get them on the right track. Democrats emphasize cuts impact Democrats, who opposed the $250 million cut from the UW Systems funding in the 2015-17 state budget last summer, have renewed that criticism as more details have emerged about how those cuts are affecting colleges and universities. UW institutions across the state have laid off employees, reduced advising services and cut the number of courses and class sections they offer, among a range of other cost-saving measures that officials say are hurting students and local economies. After UW System leaders decided in April not to make time at a Board of Regents meeting to hear chancellors discuss the impact of the cuts on their campuses, Democrats in the Legislature called for public hearings to draw further attention to the issue. They have also emphasized UWs role in spurring businesses, and last week highlighted a report from the Wisconsin Technology Council that said further cuts to higher education would hurt the states economy. Shilling said Democrats plan to put a major emphasis on the budget cuts, along with legislation that would allow borrowers to refinance their student loan debt, as they campaign this fall. We want to restore our states investment in higher education and make student loan debt relief a top priority, said Shilling, who is facing a strong re-election challenge. Katherine Cramer, a UW-Madison professor who has studied political attitudes in rural Wisconsin, said voters in those areas often feel a disconnect from UW-Madison, which some view as a bastion of liberal elites. But many also see the benefit of UW campuses within their communities, or appreciate local UW Extension programs, she said. Theres a great deal of pride in those schools, Cramer said, and Democrats could have success pointing out how budget cuts are affecting them. Polls show many voters could agree with them on the budget cuts. Walkers original proposal to cut $300 million from the UW System was widely unpopular, said Marquette Law School Poll director Charles Franklin. Even after the cut was reduced to $250 million, 57.6 percent of voters said in a poll last August that the reduced funding would hurt UW. GOP counters with affordability, tenure changes While the cuts are unpopular, Franklin noted voters many of whom are concerned about college affordability like the Republican-backed freeze on in-state tuition. Just more than 75 percent of respondents supported the idea when it was introduced in 2013; two years later, voters were less likely to say the freeze was hurting UW compared to the budget cuts. Walker notes the freeze leveled off years of tuition increases at UW schools, and he has hinted that he will consider extending it for another two years. We believe the focus should be on providing students with the best education possible, in a way that makes college accessible and affordable, Walker said in his May 12 radio address. Walker has also ramped up his criticism of UW faculty members and their tenure protections. Tenures proponents say the policies which generally allow faculty to be laid off only in the event of misconduct or a financial emergency are a necessary protection that allows professors to take on risky or potentially controversial research that can ultimately benefit society. New policies approved by the Board of Regents earlier this spring, after Republican legislators stripped tenure protections from state law, give chancellors greater authority to close academic programs and fire professors. Faculty members across the UW System, prompted in part by the new tenure rules, have passed votes of no confidence in the Board of Regents and the systems president, Ray Cross. Walker derided the resolutions as a fuss by faculty members and slammed the concept of tenure, joining Republican critiques that tenure policies could be used to protect unproductive faculty members. Replacing jobs-for-life tenure with reasonable expectations for teaching just makes sense, Walker said. Marquette has not polled voters about tenure. But several experts said Walkers jobs for life criticism could resonate with many people who dont have nearly the same level of job security. It will be difficult to sell tenure when you apply it to what people do for jobs in their district, said Brandon Scholz, a Republican strategist and former director of the state GOP. Much like Walker advocated for Act 10, his signature 2011 law limiting public sector unions power, by criticizing the benefits those workers had, Cramer said, he and Republican legislators are now deriding professors as well-paid and economically secure as they appeal to voters across Wisconsin. Its a pretty powerful political move to say, Youre hurting, I recognize that, and its the fault of these people who are getting more than their fair share at a time when you arent getting your fair share, Cramer said. Speaks to parties bigger messages The importance of higher education will vary in each legislative district, Burden said, but he estimated those topics will be a factor in every race, and could be one of the top five issues in some areas. Democrats will look to tie the UW cuts to a broader theme: That the policies of Walker and Republicans in the Legislature are hurting a valued institution and putting a drag on Wisconsins economy, Burden said. Republicans, meanwhile, will point to the tuition freeze and tenure changes as ways theyre working to protect Wisconsin students and make UW a more responsible steward of taxpayer money. The public traditionally favors Democrats on education issues, Burden said, but the fact that Republicans can also point to higher education positions that are popular with voters shows no one party is clearly winning the topic so far in this campaign. Both sides believe they have real strengths to their arguments, Burden said. 2016 SkS Weekly Digest #21 Posted on 22 May 2016 by John Hartz SkS Highlights... El Nino to La Nina... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... He Said What?... SkS in the News... SkS Spotlights... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus... SkS Highlights Lord Krebs: scientists must challenge poor media reporting on climate change by John Krebs (The Conversation UK) attracted the highest number of comments of the articles posted on SkS during the past week. What Sir David King gets wrong about carbon pricing by Judy Hindley and Brian Utton (Climate Consensus - the 97%, Guardian) drew the second highest number of comments. El Nino to La Nina One of the strongest El Ninos on record has been dominating the tropical Pacific Ocean for the past year. But beneath the surface, a deep pool of cool water has been sliding slowly eastward for the past couple of months. This massive, slow-motion wave is a favorable sign that La Ninathe cool phase of the ENSO climate patternmight develop. La Nina coming? Deep pool of cool water is making its way across tropical Pacific by Rebecca Lindsey, Climate.gov (NOAA), May 16, 2016 Toon of the Week Quote of the Week So Arctic amplification has long been understood and, confirming the theory, the Arctic has already beenwarming much faster than the more temperate latitudes. Even in this context, though, scientists have been noting that there seems to be something especially stark about whats happening atop the world this year, which has seen overall temperatures soar to new highs. Were in record breaking territory no matter how you look at it, says Jennifer Francis, an Arctic specialist at Rutgers University who has published widely on how Arctic changes affect weather in the mid-latitudes. The ice is really low, the temperatures are really high, the fire seasons have started earlier, she says. Its an uncharted territory situation that were finding ourselves in, Francis says. Even for the fast-melting Arctic, 2016 is in uncharted territory by Chris Mooney, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, May 16, 2016 He Said What? Republican presidential contender Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would renegotiate Americas role in the U.N. global climate accord, spelling potential doom for an agreement many view as a last chance to turn the tide on global warming. A pull-out by the worlds second biggest carbon-emitting country would hobble the deal reached in Paris last December by nearly 200 nations, who for the first time in more than two decades found a common vision for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. "I will be looking at that very, very seriously, and at a minimum I will be renegotiating those agreements, at a minimum. And at a maximum I may do something else," the New York real estate mogul said in an interview with Reuters. "But those agreements are one-sided agreements and they are bad for the United States." Trump said he did not believe China, the worlds top emitter of the carbon dioxide gas that many scientists believe is contributing to global climate change, would adhere to its pledge under the Paris deal. "Not a big fan because other countries dont adhere to it, and China doesnt adhere to it, and Chinas spewing into the atmosphere," he said. Exclusive: Skeptical Trump says would renegotiate global climate deal by Emily Flitter & Steve Holland, Reuters, May 18, 2016 SkS in the News In his Climate Progress post, The Insidious Way The Media Downplays Climate Science, Joe Romm features the SkS Consenus Gap graphic: John Cook's article, The things people ask about the scientific consensus on climate change, originally posted on The Conversation UK, was reposted on Science Rocks My World and Real Clear Science. In his letter-to-the editor*, Facts of climate change cannot be cherry-picked, Brian Warren wrote: President Barack Obama stating that climate change is a fact doesnt make it fact; 97 percent of climate scientists agreeing that anthropogenic climate change is a genuine phenomenon is what makes it a fact. Obama is simply stating what should be obvious to anyone who isnt a shill for the petroleum industry. *published in The Advocate, Baton Rogue, LA SkS Spotlights The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) is a non-profit policy research institute based in Paris. Its objective is to determine and share the keys for analyzing and understanding strategic issues linked to sustainable development from a global perspective. IDDRI helps stakeholders in deliberating on global governance of the major issues of common interest: action to attenuate climate change, to protect biodiversity, to enhance food security and to manage urbanisation. IDDRI also takes part in efforts to reframe development pathways. A special effort has been made to develop a partnership network with emerging countries to better understand and share various perspectives on sustainable development issues and governance. For more effective action, IDDRI operates with a network of partners from the private sector, academia, civil society and the public sector, not only in France and Europe but also internationally. As an independent institute, IDDRI mobilises resources and expertise to disseminate the most relevant scientific ideas and research ahead of negotiations and decision-making processes. It applies a cross-cutting approach to its work, which focuses on seven themes: Global Governance,Climate and Energy, Biodiversity, Oceans and Coastal Zones, Urban Fabric, Agriculture, and New Prosperity. As a Sciences Po partner, IDDRIs experts are highly involved in teaching and in developing research programs. Coming Soon on SkS Climate denial arguments fail a blind test (Dana) (Dana) Tracking the 2C Limit - April 2016 (Rob Honeycutt) (Rob Honeycutt) In-depth: Experts assess the feasibility of negative emissions (Carbon Brief Staff) (Carbon Brief Staff) Scientists compare climate change impacts at 1.5C and 2C (Roz Pidcock) (Roz Pidcock) Melt Season Started Nearly Two Months Early (Brian Kahn) (Brian Kahn) 2016 SkS Weekly News Roundup #22 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2016 SkS Weekly Digest #22 (John Hartz) Poster of the Week SkS Week in Review 97 Hours of Consensus: Wally Broecker Wally Broecker's bio page & Quote source MADISON Mom, this is a dream come true, an excited Nathan Jarrett, 13, said to his mother following his second place win in the Badger State Spelling Bee in March. Emily Jarrett, mother of the elated eighth-grader from Lincoln Middle School in La Crosse, said her son has dreamed of attending the National Spelling Bee since he was a fifth-grader. Now, in his final year of eligibility, hes headed to National Harbor, Md., Tuesday through Thursday for the Scripps National Bee. This is the second year that Wisconsin is sending its top three spellers to the national bee instead of just the winner. The two other students headed to the big bee are state winner Veronica Goveas, a seventh-grader from North Middle School in Menomonee Falls, and third-place winner Martius Bautista, of Janesville, a sixth-grader from Madisons Edgewood Campus School. In the two months since the state bee, Wisconsins top three spellers have been prepping for the national competition, which has a higher level of difficulty than the state bees. They will compete with just under 300 other students, according to Bautistas father Ryndon. Goveas, 13, is preparing in the same way she prepared for the state bee and is looking forward to the events of the week. Im just learning more words and building on my vocabulary, said Goveas. I feel like its more of the same except Im working harder and doing harder words now than I was before. I study at about the same time every day and whenever I get the chance. Jarrett has been studying independently for about an hour a day since the state bee, primarily by studying root words and pronunciations, his mother said. Three-time Madison All-City Spelling Bee winner Bautista, 12, said he tries to read all of the words in the dictionary and reads books to study for competition. Bautista will be attending the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the second time after tying for 50th place in last years competition. Im hoping I can enter the top 50, said Bautista. Thats my goal. Hopefully I can do it. Jarrett also set reasonable goals for himself headed into the national bee, his mother said. He would like to make it to the semi-finals, but beyond that any additional rounds he makes would just be icing on the cake, Emily Jarrett said. I think he just wants the experience of participating in the national bee and qualifying for semi-finals, she said. Although three state contenders will be headed into a difficult competition with top spellers from all over the country, bee week is not just about the anxiety of competing. The social aspects are a highly anticipated part of the excitement. Goveas said she is excited to explore the national monuments and points of interest in the nations capital since she hasnt been there since she was very young. The spelling bee staff take us on tours, and its mainly helping us be relaxed before the competition comes up, she said. Im definitely going to do that. The Goveas family will also get a special outing beyond the activities planned by the Scripps staff. Veronicas mother, Mary Goveas, said U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson helped arrange tickets for the family to visit the White House. Bautista and Jarrett are particularly excited to interact with their competitors from around the country. I like meeting all the spellers, said Bautista. But then I like competing against them, so its kind of fun. Jarrett is especially going to enjoy the social activities because hell get the chance to meet other kids like him who enjoy spelling, Emily Jarrett said. It will also be an exciting time for Jarretts younger sister Lauren, a sixth-grader at Lincoln Middle School, who made it to the top 10 in the state bee. She will be going along on the trip to see what the national bee week is all about. Though the three dairy state spellers dont know much about each other, they share a kinship after the state bee that they will perhaps have with spellers from across the national after next week. They were instant friends, Emily Jarrett said the states top three spellers. The (Wisconsin State Journal) took a picture of them and you can see how theyre all just gleaming and looking at each other, she said, because they have this connection that they worked hard for this goal and achieved it. Im just learning more words and building on my vocabulary. Veronica Goveas, qualifier, National Scripps Spelling Bee For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f023a900)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0231a50)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f023a900)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0231a50)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0148890)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0231a50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0231a50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e769a5c8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f023a9a8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f023a9a8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 The consumer watchdog will appeal a $1.7 million fine issued to the maker of Nurofen over its misleading "specific pain" range, saying it should be increased to at least $6 million. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says the fine handed down in the Federal Court last month is not severe enough to deter a company as large as Reckitt Benckiser from deceiving customers. The ACCC says the $1.7 million fine is inadequate. The court found in December that Reckitt Benckiser engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct by falsely claiming that Nurofen specific pain products were formulated to treat particular types of pain. In reality, each of the products advertised to treat back pain, period pain, tension headaches or migraines contained the same active ingredient: 342 milligrams of ibuprofen lysine. It famously spurned the Australian sharemarket a few years back, arguing local investors didn't understand the company. But they got the last laugh on Monday, with the appointment of liquidators as Linc Energy heads for the corporate graveyard. An administrators report earlier this month recommended the company be wound up, with creditors agreeing to do so when they met in Brisbane on Monday. Linc Energy's former boss, Peter Bond, was replaced as chief executive in 2014 but remains one of the company's largest shareholders with a 19 per cent stake. Between fiscal 2013 and the recent appointment of administrators, Linc Energy lost $518 million, the report to creditors noted, with liabilities totalling $218.7 million. In all, the company is estimated to have a deficiency of as much as $140 million. When Linc decided to stop trading in its shares on the ASX, they were changing hands at $1.257 a far cry from the highs above $4.50 a few years earlier. Being inexperienced does not give your employer the right to underpay you nor make up a rate of pay out of thin air. It certainly did not give Naked Japan, a classy little restaurant amid the leafy fronds of Albert Park, the right to underpay a chef more than $10,000. The owner of the Naked Japan restaurant owner in Albert Park 'asked friends' how much he should be paying a chef. Credit:Eddie Jim Fair Work Australia issued an Enforceable Undertaking on Monday requiring Naked to repay the cook, an international student from Korea in his late 20s and with a poor grasp of English, for all the moneys owing. Odds are that his words will be chosen as carefully as usual. But it's also likely there will be a clear message within them about where the Australian economy should be heading. Between the lines, more in sorrow than anger, there's likely to be a lament about government failure to make the most of this nation. On Friday the Treasury and Finance Department secretaries had their implied whack at Scott Morrison's first budget in their Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook, effectively agreeing that there is no plan to start bringing down government debt, only Goldilocks assumptions. Tomorrow is Stevens' turn. His first speech after Joe Hockey's budget last year effectively damned it with faint praise. It was possible to read into Stevens' words what Hockey should have done and notably failed to do. Whole slabs of that speech could be repeated tomorrow and remain very timely. Lacking bravery The Treasury and Finance PEFO effort fell short of bravely seizing the moment to give very full and frank advice, but in an example of bureaucratic understatement that would make Sir Humphrey proud, they did say: "The medium-term projections are underpinned by an assumption of annual productivity growth equal to the average of recent decades. Continued economic reform would be required in order to achieve this growth." In plain English, that means the government and opposition forecasts of reducing government debt are rubbish because they're based on an unlikely assumption. The only way they won't be rubbish is if there are some serious economic reforms but there's no sign of that. So there. In the careful RBA ranking of things, Stevens is only making "remarks" on Tuesday, not a full speech. I'd be disappointed though if he doesn't take the chance to add a domestic leg to the internationally-focused speech he delivered in New York last month. There, he warned of the severe limits of monetary policy and joined the central bankers' chorus in wanting governments to do more to stimulate demand through intelligent investment in infrastructure. The same message can be tailored for domestic consumption, building on a theme that Stevens and his successor have been pushing for a couple of years. They can only try. Last hurrah? So we know Stevens will probably have another spray before finishing up on September 18. He could take more speech bookings or agree to one of the myriad exit-interview requests. It is also possible that he could accept an invitation to front one last parliamentary economics committee hearing. Yet, overall, there is evidence that the Taliban overall are in a very strong position. Last October the United Nations concluded that the group was fighting across a wider area of Afghanistan than at any point since the war began in 2001. And last month, the Taliban mounted a successful attack in the capital, Kabul, against a building run by the National Directorate of Security. As for IS or Daesh, there are a number of signs of serious progress against the barbarians and their self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Last year, the group lost 14 per cent of the land area under its control, and the "caliphate" shrank by a further 8 per cent in the first three months of this year, according to the US. The population under Daesh's control has declined from 9 million to 6 million. And as it has lost land and population, it has lost tax revenue too. Documents turned up by researchers at counter-terrorism journal CTC Sentinel show that Daesh is having trouble paying for its single biggest expense, the wages for its fighters. As the Guardian reports, even in oil-rich areas, confiscation now represents 40 per cent of Daesh's income. It has been forced to cut the pay it gives foreign fighters who join its ranks. The Pentagon claims that the number of foreign fighters entering the "caliphate" has fallen by 90 per cent in the past year. "When I first got here, we were seeing somewhere between 1500 and 2000 foreign fighters entering the fight," said the deputy US operations commander in Baghdad, Major-General Peter Gersten. "Now that we've been fighting this enemy for a year, our estimates are down to about 200. And we're actually seeing an increase now in the desertion rates in these fighters. We're seeing a fracture in their morale." Daesh has suffered a succession of losses in the last eight months. In Syria, it lost the important centre of al-Shaddadi. In Iraq it has lost Sinjar, Ramadi, Hit and the town of Bashir. Some level of Daesh concern over its retrenchments seems to be indicated by the remarks by the so-called caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who said in comments made public last December: "Don't worry, O Muslims, your state is fine and expanding every day and with every harshness that comes upon it, it spits out the hypocrites and agents and becomes more firm and strong." As the Iraqi government troops mobilised on the weekend for the assault on Daesh forces holding Fallujah, important because of its location 50 kilometres from Baghdad, Daesh spokesmen made similar comments telling followers not to be troubled by any impending loss of territory. But could their situation be as dire as described by a US military spokesman, Colonel Steve Warren, who said that "we've got a foot on his neck but he's still got some fight in him"? Professor Amin Saikal of ANU says that, if the Iraqi forces can retake Fallujah, it will be an important step in shoring up the precarious position of Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. "The next task would be Mosul, and that is the big prize" with 2 million people at the time Daesh took it, says Saikal, "but al-Abadi is in very deep trouble domestically. His government is dysfunctional and corrupt. Protesters have twice invaded the Green Zone and occupied parliament he can't get his cabinet through the parliament. "Even if Daesh is driven out of Fallujah and Mosul, even if they're driven out of Raqqa in Syria, it's not the end of Daesh it's not even the beginning of the end. "They would still be able to wage guerilla war." And the extremists have since expanded into Libya, Sinai, Yemen and Nigeria. Professor Peter Leahy of the University of Canberra, chief of the Australian army from 2002 to 2008, agrees. "To say that it's a stalemate" overall against Islamist extremism "would be optimistic. We are seeing pockets of light but no change in the overall situation. I don't see any reduction in the fervour of their ideology. "If the issue is their ideology, what are we doing to tackle that? Knocking off a few leaders and taking a town like Fallujah are minor victories in a major campaign." Leahy says that he remains concerned about the forgotten enemy, al-Qaeda. With recent revelations of a much bigger training camp in Afghanistan than any western government thought possible, it's clear that al-Qaeda is rebuilding. When most of the ACT is still asleep in bed or hitting the snooze button on the alarm, local waste workers (garbos) are hard at work. They are out there every weekday morning, making sure our streets are clean and hygienic. But not on Tuesday. Just like they were on Monday, almost half of the ACT is waking up on Tuesday morning to find that their bins haven't been collected. The 39 drivers who empty the ACT's kerb-side collection bins will instead be picketing their own place of work, the Suez depot in Hume. The dispute, however, is not really about money. The heart of the matter is the issue of redundancy payments. Credit:Rohan Thomson This wasn't a decision taken lightly by these garbos. It's their neighbours, mates and community who are inconvenienced by their action. They won't be paid for the two days of industrial action, meaning things will be financially tight for some of these families over the next few weeks. These garbos, however, have been backed into a corner by a heartless multinational and a broken promise from Minister Shane Rattenbury. In the United States the gas industry has revitalised much of its manufacturing industry and created hundreds of thousands of jobs, but in Australia we are facing a lack of supply, a lack of suppliers and higher costs. And worse still, state governments have been slapping moratoriums on exploration onshore. Australian gas producers have been so successful in boosting the living standards of Australians that we are now so complacent about where our wealth comes. A train wreck is slowly occurring in front of our eyes but no one wants to talk about it. I smell an epidemic of populism. If you thought it was bad in Trump's America, don't kid yourself: we have plenty of it here. The Abbott government's move to clamp down on Chinese buying property was one case. The Greens' activists and Alan Jones on coal seam gas are another. The truth is that state and federal governments talk a lot about manufacturing but they don't do enough to reduce business costs. For example, this year's double dissolution should have included policies designed to streamline costs for business by cutting environmental and workplace relations legislation. Instead, on the gas industry, state Liberals like Victoria, the National Party and Labor are lined up with the Greens against the needs of the manufacturing industry and the jobs they provide. Protesters outside AGL's offices in North Sydney gathered every week for more than two years. Credit:Peter Rae The only comment so far on gas in this election has come from Labor who wants to slap a barrier to exploration, which would mean less jobs in the future. The proposal is for a national interest test for new or significantly expanded natural gas export facilities. Just when we need more gas, Labor wants to make it more difficult to boost supply. And of course if Labor is elected it will be constantly pushed around by the Greens to stop any gas exploration. This is what happened under Julia Gillard and Bill Shorten will certainly be under pressure from some unions that want reservations. Both ideas have been totally dismissed in a very detailed report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which called for the lifting of moratoriums and was against gas reservations. On the release of Labor's policy, the Grattan Institute, Labor's favoured adviser on negative gearing, described the policy as "the spectre of old-fashioned protectionism". It then spelt out what was wrong with the policy. "Proposed interventions such as imposing a national interest test, reserving gas for domestic use or subsidising domestic gas users will almost certainly add more costs than benefits, and fail to create more supply," wrote Grattan's Tony Wood in the Australian Financial Review. "Mr Bowen's proposed approach has clear problems. First, it is likely to be hard to define the national interest in terms of clear criteria against which a natural gas export opportunity can be assessed. Value judgments will be necessary in making trade-offs between exports and domestic consumption, with major opportunities for rent-seeking and red tape. Second, the Queensland LNG facilities when first proposed would likely have passed a national interest test. Higher gas prices will affect different industries in different ways." A Post-it note art war has broken out on the office windows of advertising agency buildings on a New York City street. Two weeks later it has spread to Melbourne, Tokyo and Dublin. The battle began early in May when an office worker in a Canal Street building used yellow Post-it notes to spell out "Hi" on a window. Post-it notes art war in Canal Street, New York City. Credit:Chelsea Resnick/Instagram The greeting sparked responses from ad agency workers in buildings across the street. First there were more words including "'SUP", "IF YR READING THIS ITS TOO LATE", "MARRY ME?" and HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE". MUSIC CAT POWER Melbourne Recital Centre, May 22 & 23 For the first 90 minutes, there was no way of knowing if Chan Marshall was OK. Alone up there in jeans and cardy, howling softly behind thick brown hair without an empty bar between songs, she gave the impression she'd be happier anywhere else. Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) gave the impression she'd be happier anywhere else. Hers aren't "Woohoo, hello Melbourne!" songs by any stretch. The dry whisper of Names remembers five abused children in five horrific verses. The Greatest yearns for burial in cascades of piano. The jauntier 3,6,9 is a coded cry for help from the violent end of a relationship. The clearly eccentric, reputedly troubled American bookended the show with electric guitar songs of three chords or less, muted by the pad of her thumb as her choked voice soared in unsettled melodies. The Australian music theatre scene has been wracked by some consternation of late about the number of top-level roles going to overseas performers My Fair Lady, Kinky Boots and Aladdin all feature non-Australian leads, for instance. It can go both ways, however, with one star of the Australian production of Wicked recently announced as the new Glinda in the West End version from September. Suzie Mathers grew up in Perth. Suzie Mathers was born in Scotland but raised in Perth, and took over the Wicked role from Lucy Durack in 2012 before the show toured Asia and New Zealand. She will join the London production in time for its 10th birthday celebrations. Sacrificial lamb? Fact Check, the stand-alone division of the ABC created in 2013 with a brief to determine the accuracy of what politicians say, will close at the end of the July 2 federal election. It was funded through a three-year, $20 million-per-year allocation for the ABC's news division from the previous Labor government, which has been reduced to $13.5 million. Reasons for its closure depend on who one asks: the Government does not tell the ABC how to spend its money, but according to Senator Nick Xenophon, "I wonder whether the ABC Fact Check Unit has been the sacrificial lamb for the ABC to appease the Government". To be fair, Fact Check was a bipartisan thorn-in-the-side for politicians, having recently found that PM Turnbull's comments about Labor's negative gearing policy don't stack up, that Labor leader Bill Shorten was "misleading" for suggesting the budget will take from working mums and give tax cuts to millionaires and that Greens MP Adam Bandt "overstated" claims that he won his seat without having to rely on Liberal preferences. About 14 jobs will go as result of the reduction in funding. Going global Channel Seven really is "smashing it", with news that it will produce a version of hit sneering, sorry, cooking show My Kitchen Rules for the US Fox Network. The celebrity version of MKR, to be hosted by Curtis Stone, joins a growing stable of MKRs for the UK, New Zealand, Serbia, Russia, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Norway, Germany and Lithuania. It is part of Seven's long-term strategy to develop and create content in international markets. An absorbing, feature-length documentary looking at the 13 murders attributed to the Boston Strangler, and the enduring controversy over how many of them were committed by Albert DeSalvo. The first half of the program chronicles the murders themselves, which terrified Boston between 1962 and 1964. The excerpts from DeSalvo's confessions played over crime-scene photos and reconstructions are particularly chilling, and other things quite peripheral to the crimes have an unexpected impact. One of those is a TV news report from a pet shop full of empty cages frightened women had bought every dog for sale in the city. The second half of the program covers the bizarre events surrounding DeSalvo's detailed confession to the murders; his incarceration (not for the murders) and murder; and recent attempts to use DNA to try to get to the bottom of things. DeSalvo's lawyer, F. Lee Bailey, is among those providing commentary. Brad Newsome SBS2, 8.30pm This bizarre game show, hosted by Reggie Yates, is the kind that would only work in the UK where, of course, it's been a hit for several seasons now, despite having been made as a one-off Halloween special in 2013. The premise feels straight out of Scooby Doo or a video game: teams of three contestants vie for moderately large sums of cash by running a course through "Britain's most terrifying estate", taking part in gory challenges tonight's team must piece together a "corpse" seemingly made from butcher offcuts while trying to find a hidden bag of cash. The catch is that they're given a head start ahead of a pack of snarling, terrifying but presumably impeccably trained German shepherds; those "caught" by the dogs are not, as it seems, torn to shreds (and a disclaimer at the beginning announces no dogs were harmed in the documentation of this event). It's utterly ridiculous but good fun, and the art department has clearly had the best fun of all and the biggest budget in the production team. Kylie Northover Movie: This is 40 (2012) Seven, 8.30pm, 7Mate, 9.30pm Autobiographical in story and casting his wife and daughters play the protagonist's wife and daughters Judd Apatow's comically inclined domestic drama suggests the obvious: marriage is tough, raising kids is stressful, and doing merely OK requires sacrifice and patience. It's hardly revelatory. Paul Rudd, crucially miscast, plays Pete, who along with Leslie Mann's Debbie, are promoted from supporting roles in Apatow's 2007 hit Knocked Up. Sapped financially by his independent record label and dependent father (Albert Brooks), Pete is on the verge of foundering, but Rudd can never get past his panic for genuine unease, and while it's understandable that Apatow wrote what he knows about privileged denizens of Los Angeles the financial stresses stem less from desperation than a lack of self-awareness. A large supporting cast Megan Fox, Len Dunham, Jason Segal all contribute amusing moments, but the film is bloated yet somehow desultory, gathering momentum for a final lunge at optimism. Craig Mathieson As Eric Love, a furiously wild 19-year-old pre-emptively transferred from a youth facility to a grim English jail, the young actor Jack O'Connell ('71, Unbroken) is compelling, turning on a stray word and preparing for combat like an urban gladiator. He fights indiscriminately, but in David Mackenzie's compelling drama his ultimate adversary is his father, Neville (Ben Mendelsohn), a long-term prisoner and lieutenant to the jail's criminal boss. "Five years old I'd sit on your knee," snarls Eric, and the dynamics between the two are tragically distorted by time and incarceration. Sent to a therapy group run by Oliver (Rupert Friend), Eric is lectured by Neville as if he's a child, while the perpetually confined environment, edged by mistrust and corruption, degrades signs of humanity, whether a nascent friendship or Neville's loving relationship with his cellmate. The violence is brutally internalised, as if it's locked inside these men and they can't expel it. Craig Mathieson Animal Planet, 7.30pm Yep, it's a bunch of funny animal videos interrupted by less funny humans who fall over themselves in a hurry to make obvious gags and then flail about to fill time. Why time needs filling when there's a whole YouTube full of animal videos out there is a mystery. Ditto why Animal Planet doesn't remind its human talent that apes aren't monkeys at least not in the sense in which the word is tossed about here. In terms of evolution, apes (including us) are monkeys, but only in the way that birds are dinosaurs and snakes are lizards. Such distinctions are of little interest of the folks who run Animal Planet. Anyway, highlights include a deer with a powdered doughnut stuck on one antler, monkeys pulling down a fat man's togs and an understandably grumpy chimpanzee hitting a camera drone with a stick. Brad Newsome RocKwiz Salutes the Legends SBS, 8.30pm Each episode of this latest 14th! season of RocKwiz is a themed one, saluting the legends of various countries, and tonight it's the UK, so you know the tunes are going to be brilliant. And right from the start it's a goodie. There's former You Am I frontman Tim Rogers doing the Stones' Gimme Shelter (backed by the always awesome Bull sisters), Sarah Blasko singing Elton's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Josh Pyke doing the Beatles' In My Life and a rousing tribute to the late, great Bowie, featuring all of tonight's guests and the RocKwiz Orkestra. Kylie Northover Research intended for use in a bid to discredit Labor's negative gearing campaign was commissioned after a meeting between Scott Morrison and a close friend and senior figure in Australia's property industry. But the draft report contains a series of factual errors and makes bold claims of a "resale price cliff" and "social dysfunction" that have alarmed some in the real estate industry to whom it has been circulated. An email obtained by Fairfax Media shows Greg Paramor, the managing director of property company Folkestone, discussed the need for a study critiqueing Labor's policy with Brian Haratsis, the executive chairman of advisory firm MacroPlan Dimasi. Mr Paramor, who is a friend of Mr Morrison and former president of the Australian Property Council, made the request after his encounter with the Treasurer. The use of a photograph depicting Labor's Brisbane candidate Pat O'Neill wearing his Australian Army fatigues in election advertising was not such a big deal, an ex-servicewoman running against him said on Monday. The Veterans Party candidate for the seat of Brisbane, Bridget Clinch, served two tours to East Timor during her career in the Australian Army. Bridget Clinch pictured in 2010 with the medals she was awarded for two tours of duty in East Timor. Credit:Heather Faulkner Ms Clinch said the furore over Mr O'Neill's billboard was overblown. "He was an armoured corps officer, I was an infantry corps officer, and tactics was our game," she said. 1. Donations and entitlements Every politician I've been speaking to is telling me voters are completely disengaged with this election (which probably means I need to start Double Shot with a different topic, but, you can take the reporter out of Canberra....) One Liberal said at their local hairdresser, staff didn't even know an election had been called. But politicians are hopeful voters will switch back on in the final two weeks which gives campaigning-newbies time to adjust and find their rhythm before announcing their major policies. So far Turnbull is struggling to finesse his, writes Michelle Grattan. Is the disengagement status quo or something deeper? Time will tell. But it's not hard to see why voters generally turn off politicians and see few differences to justify a choice when you take a look at two unexpected issues making unwelcome entrances into the campaign. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop says the death of a young Australian climber on Mount Everest is a tragedy, and travellers must understand the risks they are taking when they try to conquer it. Ms Bishop said consular assistance was being provided to the family of Monash University lecturer Maria Strydom, 34, of Melbourne, who died from altitude sickness while descending the mountain. Maria Strydom, who died on a climb to the summit of Mount Everest, with her husband, Robert Gropal. Credit:Facebook She said help was also being offered to Dr Strydom's husband, Melbourne vet Rob Gropel, who was with her on the mountain when she died. 4/8 People gather at a protest against interim President Michel Temer in front of the currently shuttered Ministry of Culture, with grafitti depicting suspended President Rousseff and the word 'Democracy!' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit:Getty Images Could these high-tech bins spell the end of 6am wake-up calls from noisy garbage trucks? A number of councils across Sydney are trialling solar-powered bins that compress rubbish to hold more waste and provide real-time information on when they're full for better collection planning. Melbourne's lord mayor Robert Doyle with one of six Bigbelly bins recently installed there. Credit:Penny Stephens Canterbury-Bankstown Council is the latest to trial Bigbelly bins, which contain SIM cards that provide real-time data on how full the bin is, how recently it has been collected and any problems it is having. "We send alerts that'll tell [clients] exactly when to go and collect the bin, when it's full, when the door's open, or when the bin's on fire," said Leon Hayes, managing director of Solar Bins Australia, which delivers Bigbelly bins in Australia. The number of workers compared to people aged 65 and over in NSW is set to halve within 40 years, according to new state government projections highlighting the challenge of an ageing population. The NSW Intergenerational Report, to be released by Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday, will provide demographic and other projections for the state to 2056 before the NSW state budget on June 21. It is published every five years in accordance with the requirement for the government to assess the "long-term fiscal gap" due to an ageing population and other trends. In a key finding, this year's report will say the ratio of workers to those aged 65 and over will shrink from the current 4:1 to a projected 2:1 by 2056. Australian Olympic team boss Kitty Chiller has warned that dual gold medallist Michael Diamond could be ruled out of the Rio Games if convicted on firearms and drink-driving charges. The 44-year-old shooting veteran of six Olympics has been charged with high-range drink-driving, not keeping a firearm safely and handling a firearm under the influence of alcohol at Nelson Bay, near Newcastle, on Saturday night. Diamond's place at Rio was already under a cloud, with his selection being challenged by 16-year-old shooter Mitchell Iles. A high-ranking paramedic has made an angry plea for assaults against his workers to stop after a veteran officer was allegedly kicked in the groin while stepping in to protect a younger worker. Paramedics were called to Kenmore early Monday morning to reports of a woman who'd been hit by a car and hurt her ankle. There had been earlier reports of a woman, who paramedics believed to be affected by alcohol, moving among traffic in the area. As the ambulance passed through the Legacy Way tunnel en route to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital she allegedly attacked the 51-year-old ambulance officer, kicking him in the groin and punching him in the head. A German backpacker was fed chocolate laced with sedatives, cable-tied and raped in a Queensland shearing shed just two weeks after she arrived in Australia, a court has heard. Peter Van de Wetering, 48, faced a sentence hearing in Brisbane's District Court on Monday afternoon after pleading guilty to multiple offences, including kidnapping and rape. The rape of the backpacker was likened to Australian horror film Wolf Creek (pictured above). Crown prosecutor David Meredith told the court the man picked up his 19-year-old victim from a bus stop near Cottonvale, south of Warwick, in August 2013 after she answered an advertisement for a nanny and farmhand position. It was after dark when the young woman arrived at the bus stop, which was in a "deserted" location, he said. Queensland teen Alyssa Azar has made it safely back to the Mount Everest base camp after becoming the youngest Australian to make the climb. The 19-year-old from Toowoomba made it to the summit on Saturday after beginning her climb on May 16. Alyssa Azar has arrived safely back at Mount Everest base camp. Her progress was tracked by supporters online when they were able to make occasional contact with the teen as she made her way up the world's highest mountain. On Saturday they revealed she had achieved her goal. Public health and Medicare are playing out as major election issues, but what about a policy for small and medium business people? Peter Strong from the Council of Small Business Australia is asking politicians to turn to the urgent issue of mental health problems in his sector. Mental health cases are on the rise in Australian workplaces. Credit:Media for Medical "It would be a real eye opener if any party came out and said they were going to make this a priority," he said. "So far we are only really talking about employee health, and of course that's vital but the employer cannot be overlooked." A new container port for Melbourne could be decades away, with a major international ratings agency warning Victoria's container trade would need to increase "massively" before the $10 billion outlay could be justified. An assessment by Standard & Poors prepared for investors considering buying the Port of Melbourne has concluded the likelihood of a rival port being built - either at Hastings or Bay West near Werribee - is remote. The Port of Melbourne: in whose interest is the Andrews government acting? It found both proposals for a second port were more than 50 kilometres from the city, making the cost, including for the extra road and rail infrastructure needed, hard to justify. It also concluded the Port of Melbourne had room to expand, with the current capacity set to almost double to handle about 4.5 million containers. A man has died after a truck flipped onto its roof at a quarry north-west of Melbourne. A Victoria Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics were called to the scene at a quarry in Plumpton about 10.50am on Monday, where a large yellow tip truck appears to have flipped onto its topside. The truck's driver, a 61-year-old man from Burnside, was airlifted to The Alfred hospital, but died soon after arrival. A former Mandurah security guard has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl four times at the Peel Health Campus where he was employed. Shaun David Fairfield stood trial last week, charged with five counts of indecent dealing with a child, and two counts of sexual penetration of a child. Shaun David Fairfield has been found guilty of sexually abusing an underaged patient at Peel Health Campus Credit:Mandurah Mail The charges relate to alleged incidents involving a patient at Peel Health Campus where Fairfield was working as a security guard in 2014. On Monday a jury found Fairfield guilty of three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual penetration. Another damaging storm looms over the state just two days after a front bringing heavy winds, rain, hail and storm surges wreaked havoc in Perth and the South West. The new cold front, which is expected to hit the state on Monday evening and peak in Perth between 3am-7am on Tuesday, could bring damaging wind gusts of up to 125km/h that could cause damage homes and property. Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Neil Bennett said the new front would arrive in the metropolitan area while most people were still in bed. "It should be easing off by the time of the morning commute and the school run," he told Radio 6PR's Adam Shand. Kabul: The Afghan Taliban's leadership council has met to consider succession after a US drone strike in Pakistan killed its commander Mullah Akhtar Mansour, two Taliban sources say. US President Obama has confirmed Mansour's death which was first reported as "highly likely" on Sunday. The strike targeting Mansour on Saturday was perhaps the most high-profile US incursion into Pakistan since the 2011 raid to kill al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and sparked a protest by Islamabad that its sovereignty had been violated. Bangkok: US President Barack Obama has lifted a decades-old arms sales embargo to Vietnam on Monday during his first visit to the communist country. The decision announced at a news conference in Hanoi will anger China at a time of heightened tensions over the flashpoint waters of the South China Sea. Mr Obama said his three-day visit to Vietnam "allows us to reach a new moment" in the United States' relationship with the South East Asia nation four decades after the end of the Vietnam War. "The United States is fully lifting the ban on military equipment to Vietnam that has been in place for 50 years," he said. Bangkok: At least 18 girls aged between three and 12 have been killed when fire swept through a school boarding house in Thailand's northern Chiang Rai province. Many of the 38 hill tribe girls were sleeping when fire broke out at a house adjacent the Pithakkiart Witthaya school at 11pm on Sunday, and became trapped inside, officials said. Police said five injured girls suffered burns, two of them severe, and were hospitalised. Thai television reported that many of the victims were burnt beyond recognition. Washington: Well, that's quite an achievement. In July last year, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton luxuriated in a 20-point lead over her likely Republican opponent Donald Trump. Fast-forward to this weekend, and Trump has closed the gap to nada zip zero. Observing polls across the US, I have come to rely on an average of all polls, published regularly by the political news aggregator Real Clear Politics, rather than to invest faith in the vagaries of a single poll. On Sunday, the gap closed to a mere 0.2 points in Clinton's favour. Factor in even a tiny margin of error and the gap is zero. The career politician Clinton has squandered a fabulous lead to an insurgent opponent who is often characterised as a boofhead - and she's done it even before the head-to-head campaign has started in earnest. Beirut: The Australian man jailed in Lebanon for orchestrating the failed child-abduction plot paid for by the Nine Network says he is no criminal. Adam Whittington spoke to Fairfax Media after a five-hour journey from a jail in the northern city of Tripoli, notorious for its extremist inmates. The former soldier and dual Australian-British national runs a self-styled child abduction agency called Child Abduction Recovery International. He has been in jail since the attempt to recover the two children of Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner on April 6 went horribly wrong. Brothers and sisters in Christ, Twenty-two years before the Proclamation of Emancipation on St. Maarten, the Catholic church was established on this half of the island with Fr. Arnold ten Brink as the first parish priest. He laid the cornerstone for the present St. Martin of Tours Parish church on Frontstreet and with that began what would turn out to be a profound transformation of the island. For the last 175 years, the Catholic church has had a very significant impact on our lives, not only in the spiritual realm, but also in the educational and social fields. No wonder the church grew by leaps and bounds. The parish took its ministry directly to where the people lived, in the districts of Colebay (where after 35 years, the church was gutted by fire in 1872 and never rebuilt again), Simpson Bay, and Reward. On May 30, 1952 the church on Frontstreet was built, costing 132, 659 Dutch guilders. Imagine what that amount would represent in todays currency! I understand that the aim now is to build a church in Belvedere, a goal I am confident the parish would accomplish by the grace of God. But wherever the church was established, a school soon followed. Who, among my generation, does not remember the nuns? Six of them were sent to St. Maarten from Holland, arriving here at 8:00am on May 30th, 1890 via St. Kitts. By Monday June 2nd, 1890, St. Joseph School opened its doors as the first Catholic school on the island! That was only three days after the arrival of the nuns. Sister Regina was its first principal. Since then, Catholic education has been second to none on the island. Not only did St. Joseph school admit Catholic students, but also non-Catholics as well who reportedly came from more well-to-do families and hence fell in the section of paying pupils. With a total enrolment of 132 students 62 in the kindergarten, 56 in two other classes and 14 in the paying section St. Joseph was no doubt the largest school on St. Maarten. It is amazing that the same issues that confronted the nuns at the time are still being discussed today, more than a century later. They included discipline and most remarkably, the language of instruction. History shows that four of the six nuns had to learn English quickly from some St. Maarten ladies in order to teach in English and improve the performance of their students! The more things change, the more they seem to remain the same! Three years after its establishment, the school received 400 Dutch guilders as government grant. This was increased by 50% the following year. Today, government subsidizes all the six Catholic primary schools and one secondary school on the island. This is the kind of public-private partnership that has contributed to the development of St. Maarten in all areas. As we join the Catholic community in celebrating 175 years of continuous existence on this half of the island, we must remember that Catholic means universal and that one of the basic beliefs of all Catholics is the inherent goodness of all Gods creations. In other words, that God created everything to be good and perfect, but it is we who mess things up through our disobedience or refusal to live by His commandments, the greatest of which is to love one another as He loves us. That love must be manifested in our deeds, not just in our words. As Pope Francis once said: The secret of Christian living is love. Love, he also said, is the measure of faith. The Catholic Church has shown tremendous faith in St. Maarten over the past 175 years. Therefore, on behalf of the government and people of St. Maarten, I wish to hereby congratulate the entire Catholic community on this historic celebration. May the grace of God continue to abide by all of us. God bless the Catholic church. God bless St. Maarten. Hon. William Marlin, Prime Minister of St. Maarten. WILLEMSTAD:--- This evening, U.S. Consul General Margaret Hawthorne hosted a welcome reception for members of government agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and the Consular Corps at Roosevelt House - the official residence of the U.S. Consul General. Ms. Hawthorne is a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service with 25 years of experience as a U.S. diplomat. She started her tour as the U.S. Consul General to Curacao and Chief of Mission to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten in April 2016. The United States and the Dutch Caribbean share a long history and many common values. We are both known for our diversity, for welcoming people from other countries and other cultures. The fabric of our societies is enriched and renewed by being multicultural and multiethnic. We both have a deep and abiding belief in democratic values and democratic governance. We both enjoy freedom of expression and religious tolerance. As my predecessors have done, I look forward to building upon the strong partnerships and look for even more opportunities to cooperate in areas of mutual interest, such as assisting American citizens, countering narcotics trafficking, promoting trade and investment, and strengthening people-to-people relationships, CG Hawthorne said in her remarks. PHILIPSBURG:---The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on May 23. The Minister of Justice will be present for the session. The plenary public meeting is scheduled for Monday at 2.00 pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is The Ministry of Justice policy with regards to vote buying. This plenary session of the House was requested by Members of Parliament (MPs) MP F.A. Meyers, MP T.E. Heyliger, MP T.E. Leonard, MP L.J. Richardson, MD, MP J.E. Leonard, MP V.H.C. de Weever and MP L.M. Marlin- Romeo. Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org. PHILIPSBURG:--- Summer is on its way and the Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts is proud to announce that 13 of their students have been accepted into summer intensive programs in the U.S. One student will be attending the SFD Fashion Academy in Boston. Niyanca Vlaun will be attending the two-week Summer Intensive Program. The program combines both Fashion Art and Fashion Design. Fashion Art will focus on illustration skills and Fashion Design will be the practical application of pattern and sewing techniques. The Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts is also proud to announce that two of its students Sara-Victoria Martinez and Jeremiah David have been awarded Scholarships by the Center for Creative Youth, to attend a four-week Summer Intensive Program to be held at the pristine Wesleyan University Campus in Connecticut. Sara-Victoria Martinez was awarded a full scholarship for photography and Jeremiah David in Dance. This year CCY will be celebrating its 40th anniversary and we are proud that our students will be part of this years celebration. The scholarships opportunities to our students were made possible by Ms. Kim Stroud, Director of the Arts, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and Program Director of CCY, and by Ms. Lisa Floss, CCY Program Coordinator. In keeping with Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts vision to provide opportunities for its students, ten students will be traveling to Miami, Florida in June to attend a one-week Summer Intensive Program at the Arts Institute: Miami International University of Arts and Design. Art workshops were selected in Fashion Design, Photography, Visual Arts, Drawing and Illustration and Interactive Media. Students will be working with instructors from each field, developing and completing projects, culminating in their products presentations to experts in these art disciplines. The students who were selected to attend this program went through a rigorous selection process by our school before they could be selected to be part of this program. The students who will be attending the Arts Institute: Miami International University of Arts and Design Summer Intensive Workshop are: Dejah Doncher Drawing and Illustration Kierra Irish Drawing and Illustration Miguelina Nicola-Luis Drawing and Illustration Chayanne Tobias Flow Traders Selects Corvil to Assure Performance and Compliance of Its Trading Platform DUBLIN, IRELAND (Marketwired) 05/23/16 today announced that it has been chosen to provide real-time monitoring and analytics for Flow Traders, one of Europes highest performing trading firms and a leading global technology-enabled liquidity provider specializing in exchange traded products (ETPs). Flow Traders decision to integrate Corvil throughout its trading environment comes as the company continues to grow and prepares to meet increasing business demands and upcoming market regulation such as MiFID II. With Corvil, Flow Traders achieves full transparency into its trading ecosystem, with the ability to continuously monitor and analyze trading activity and system performance in real-time. The Corvil platform automatically identifies all trading sessions and can alert against unusual activity and/or traffic volumes. This level of real-time visibility, together with the ability to create an accurate, time-stamped transaction record, has become essential to safeguarding the health and integrity of the electronic trading business. Such capabilities are now a mandatory requirement demanded by government regulators in upcoming financial markets regulations like MiFID II. At Flow Traders we are constantly looking to put in place the best tools and processes to optimize the performance and transparency of our IT systems, while minimizing operational risk, said Thomas Wolff, Global Head of IT at Flow Traders. Corvil was the only platform capable of meeting our demands around continuous real-time monitoring and analytics. Corvil offers granular visibility into each step of the trading cycle, helping maintain the integrity of our trading environment, while also providing a foundation for meeting the strict requirements of upcoming regulations like MiFID II. Corvil has vast experience supporting the leading players in the worlds Financial Markets. The Corvil analytics platform is used by leading Business and Desk Heads, Compliance and Risk departments, and Security and IT teams, to manage operations of their IT systems and ensure compliance with the latest requirements in the increasingly regulated Electronic Trading industry. By continuously monitoring and analyzing all electronic messages with microsecond synchronized accuracy, Corvil provides the highest level of transaction transparency, record keeping, and alerting that not only meets but surpasses the compliance demands highlighted in the upcoming MiFID II regulation. We are entering a new phase in the world of electronic traded markets, Donal Byrne, CEO of Corvil, said. Phase one was all about speed and algorithms. Phase two is about cost optimization, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance. We are delighted Flow Traders selected Corvil for this critical phase. Our platform continues to expand its role and is fast becoming the industry accepted benchmark for safeguarding the operations of the worlds trading businesses. Learn more about Corvil: | | | Corvil is the data analytics company to run your business in the Now. The Corvil platform transforms network data into streaming IT operational intelligence to see, understand and act on your business as its happening, in real time. Corvil provides the full picture of customers, business and IT infrastructure all interacting together. It does this by making sense of the raw packet data streaming through the network, enriching it with analytics and making it accessible, searchable and consumable. Corvil is built to handle the low-latency, high-performance and big data analytics requirements for the worlds most demanding real-time businesses. It is used to monitor over 50 petabytes of data and over $170 billion worth of transactions per day, and is trusted to provide real-time analytics that powers decision and action in the Now. Flow Traders is a leading global technology-enabled liquidity provider that specialises in Exchange Traded Products (ETPs). We provide liquidity in ETP markets 24 hours a day, and have neither clients nor an opinion on the market. We enable investors to buy and sell ETPs efficiently by quoting bid and ask prices. We make our net trading income from the very small price differences that investors are willing to buy or sell ETPs and other financial instruments from or to us, and the prices we pay or receive for the underlying or related financial instruments. Investors benefit from our activities due to increased liquidity, higher execution quality, and lower overall trading costs. As such, we contribute to more efficient and transparent securities markets. We provide liquidity in over 4,000 ETP listings across the globe, tracking all underlying asset classes, including equities, fixed income, commodities, and currencies with access to over 90 trading venues in more than 30 countries. We are headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with trading offices in Asia and the United States, covering all time zones. Flow Traders shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: FLOW). For more information, please visit at: . Eastwick Expands Client Roster in Security, Digital Technologies, Data Management and Business Communications With the Addition of 10 New Clients SAN FRANCISCO, CA and NEW YORK, NY (Marketwired) 05/23/16 , an award-winning tech-focused communications agency, today announced a strong start to 2016 with 10 new clients from global enterprises to disruptive high growth companies. Tech companies across all industries are choosing Eastwick because of its breadth of integrated communications services including digital brand work through the (DBL), communications strategy, media and influencer relationships and its depth of tech industry experience. The addition of new clients comes as Eastwick kicks off its 25th anniversary celebrations. Technology companies today are looking for more from their communications agency in terms of services and expertise due to rapidly changing business dynamics and industry pressures, said Barbara Bates, CEO of Eastwick. Having been in the trenches for 25 years, we have a lot of experience to bring to almost any communications challenge. Weve seen an increase in interest in our digital, brand, social and content capabilities and continued interest in media relations. Were looking forward to working with our new clients to service both their immediate needs and future goals as they continue to grow in their respective industries. According to Ashley Brown, vice president of communications, Spredfast, Were on a mission to do bold things, and we looked for a partner who would push us but also keep our eyes on the ball. We knew right away that Eastwick was the partner for us. The recent client wins are a testament to the companys strong 25-year history. Its impressive growth, industry recognition and continued success are a direct result of the firms reputation for doing things differently. Eastwick plans to continue disrupting the status quo with the launch of its campaign to lead , which reflects where the company is today: driven, fueled by whats next, and stacked with high performers that are comfortable with creating something new every day. Eastwick rebels against the typical agency model and pushes itself and its clients to think and work differently. New clients include: : An analytics company delivering real-time Intelligence to decision-makers across the enterprise. : A leading provider of tax compliance automation for businesses of all sizes, delivering comprehensive, automated, cloud-based solutions that are fast, accurate, and easy to use. : Pioneered the short-term immersive web development bootcamp, a model that transforms beginners into full-stack web developers. : A modern business communications solution that allows workers to be more productive when and where they work best. : The leading provider of work product management solutions for legal, accounting and financial services firms and the corporate departments they serve worldwide. : A global media valuation platform that enables digital buyers and sellers to assess the value of every ad opportunity across channels and screens, and make informed decisions that maximize ROI. : A San Francisco-based non-profit organization designed to educate, innovate, and connect aspiring and current entrepreneurs. The Center serves the startup community through differentiated events, meaningful entrepreneurial education, and a strong commitment to mentorship. alerts of events and programs at the Centers headquarters in San Francisco. : The global leader in experience management software that enables context marketing. The Sitecore Experience Platform manages content, supplies contextual intelligence, and automates communications, at scale. It empowers marketers to deliver content in context of how customers have engaged with their brand, across every channel, in real time. : Transforming the way companies connect with consumers through smart social software that enables companies to build lasting relationships with todays digitally connected consumer. : Delivers insights from big data analytics, media monitoring, and business intelligence, empowering customers with the ability to quickly spot trends, see relevant stories unfold, and take action. With split-second insights from 130 countries in more than 40 different languages, Zignal gives public relations, communication and digital strategy professionals the power to observe and analyze trends, issues and influence across the FULL media spectrum, not just social media. The biggest challenge for brands today is how to win over the empowered customer, said Tim Hayden, VP of marketing, Zignal Labs. Our technology provides brands like IBM, Airbnb and Citrix with split-second analytics to better understand what is happening across the globe and power informed decisions that improve customer engagement. We wanted a true partner to help us share this story and Eastwick was the right fit in terms of creativity and industry experience. Eastwick combines the tenacity, energy and agility of a smaller agency with the scope, services and expertise usually offered only to large enterprises. It has also helped the worlds biggest brands and emerging leaders create high-impact communications strategies. For more on Eastwicks legacy, see our 25-year roadmap: To learn more about Eastwick and to speak with our team, contact Erin McCabe, SVP: Twitter: Facebook: LinkedIn: Hi, were Eastwick: a technology-focused communications agency, here to help. With deep Silicon Valley roots, we are geeky and breathe tech every day. Were eager to tell the world your stories from enterprise, security, and data and analytics, to adtech, cleantech, healthtech, edtech, and consumer. We bring together public relations, content, social media, advocacy, creative services, and research and insights to help some of the worlds biggest brands and emerging leaders create high-impact communications strategies. We are tech communications. We get you. We get you noticed. We get you results. Learn more at . Follow us on , and and . Verismic Software Two-Factor Authentication Deploys Robust Security for User Network Access ALISO VIEJO, CA (Marketwired) 05/23/16 , creators of Cloud Management Suite (CMS), today announced for its signature product, adding a topline security measure to ensure end user data security. CMS two-factor authentication deploys the traditional username and password combination while adding a second authentication code via SMS, Google Authenticator or email. Online phishing and identity fraud are serious concerns, says Verismic Software president and CEO Ashley Leonard. And with more business conducted online, layering the digital protection for users and the business unit ensures data is still protected even if usernames and passwords are compromised. Two-factor authentication deters phishing, identity theft and other forms of online fraud, ensuring individuals attempting to access the systems management tool are authorized users. CMS adds an extra layer of control to two-factor authentication by allowing IT managers to enable or disable the feature on a user to user or global basis, granting IT managers greater control over the environment. By granting IT managers the ability to enact two-factor authentication for individuals or groups of users, were keeping control of the network environment securely in the hands of the IT managers, says Leonard. For a product demonstration or more information on Cloud Management Suite, visit . : Verismic Software, Inc. is a global industry leader providing cloud-based IT management technology focused on enabling greater efficiency, cost-savings and security control for users, all while engaging in endpoint management. Headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Verismic is a growing and dynamic organization with offices in four countries and 12 partners in nine countries. Over the past two years, Verismic has worked with more than 150 companies ranging from 30 to 35,000 endpoints delivering a variety of solutions for organizations of all sizes as well as managed service providers (MSPs). Verismics software portfolio includes the first-of-its-kind agentless, (CMS); ; and . For more information, visit . Leslie Licano Beyond Fifteen Communications, Inc. 949.733.8679 Who did it best: Cast your vote for the high school football player of the week Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea The Space Potatoes, a team of middle-schoolers from Bellevue, Washington, won first place at the 2016 Team America Rocketry Challenge National Finals on May 16, 2016. A team of middle-school students from Washington state will represent the United States at an international rocketry contest in Europe, after taking home the top prize at the 2016 Team America Rocketry Challenge National Finals on May 16. Hailing from Bellevue, Washington, the Space Potatoes rocketry team from Odle Middle School beat out 789 other groups of students from all over the United States. Students Mikaela Ikeda, Larry Jing, Karl Deerkop, Srivatshan Sakthinarayanan and Stephanie Han will share more than $20,000 in scholarships and funds for their school. Team Space Potatoes was one of 100 teams invited to Washington, D.C., to compete in the finals after an initial round of qualifying flights. The students will travel to London in July for the international competition. The winners of the 2016 Team America Rocketry Challenge National Finals included Mikaela Ikeda, Larry Jing, Karl Deerkop, Srivatshan Sakthinarayanan and Stephanie Han. (Image credit: Aerospace Industries Association) The challenge was to build a rocket that would reach an altitude of 850 feet (259 meters) and safely bring back a payload consisting of two raw eggs, all in less than 46 seconds. Then, the teams were asked to do a second round of launches. In that round, they had to make changes on the spot to show they could adapt to new requirements. The Team America Rocketry Challenge is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry, and a number of industry sponsors, including Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Thales USA. The contest debuted in fall 2002 and was initially intended as a one-time celebration of the centennial of powered flight; however, it proved to be so popular that it was made into a yearly program. Follow Space.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Original article on Space.com. The icy body 1994 JR1 lies in the Kuiper Belt region of the solar system, beyond Pluto. The New Horizons probe has been studying the object in 2016. As NASA's New Horizons probe speeds toward a possible encounter with an object beyond the orbit of Pluto, the spacecraft has made observations of another icy object located in the same outer region of the solar system. New Horizons finished its close encounter with Pluto last July and since then has completed two sets of observations on an object in the Kuiper Belt, the band of objects beyond the orbit of Neptune. The icy body is known as 1994 JR1 and orbits about 32 astronomical units away from the sun (an astronomical unit is the distance from the Earth to the sun). New Horizons' view of the faint, icy body can be seen in this video from Space.com. The observations put a stop to the hypothesis that JR1 may be a satellite of Pluto, New Horizons science team member Simon Porter said in a statement from NASA. [See More Pluto Photos by NASA's New Horizons] The icy body 1994 JR1 lies in the Kuiper Belt region of the solar system, beyond Pluto. The New Horizons probe has been studying the object in 2016. (Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI) "Combining the November 2015 and April 2016 observations allows us to pinpoint the location of JR1 to within 1,000 kilometers (about 600 miles), far better than any small [Kuiper Belt object]," said Porter, a postdoctoral planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado. The team also figured out how fast the 90-mile-wide (150 km) object is rotating, using observations taken in April. Changes in light reflected off of JR1's surface showed that the object rotates once every 5.4 hours, which is considered relatively quick for a KBO. These observations will serve as practice for the possible 20 other objects New Horizons can see in the Kuiper Belt through its extended mission. If the New Horizons extended mission receives approval from NASA, the probe will do close-up observations of 2014 MU69 on Jan. 1, 2019. New atmospheric insights Meanwhile, researchers continue to analyze data from last year's Pluto encounter. Team members now have new insights into the dwarf planet's tenuous atmosphere after looking at starlight passing through the wispy gas, according to the NASA statement. Roughly four hours after New Horizons made its closest approach to Pluto, on July 14, the spacecraft's ultraviolet spectrometer instrument looked at two stars moving behind Pluto and its atmosphere (astronomers call this a stellar occultation). An artist's illustration shows how starlight or sunlight passing through Pluto's atmosphere can help scientists study the dwarf planet's atmosphere. (Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI) "The light from each star dimmed as it moved through deeper layers of Plutos atmosphere, absorbed by various gases and hazes," NASA wrote in a second press release. The spectrometer confirmed previous measurements from New Horizons showing that Pluto's upper atmosphere is up to 25 percent colder (and thus more compact) than what scientists expected before New Horizons flew by. The instrument also confirmed a calculation that nitrogen molecules escape the dwarf planet's atmosphere at a rate of about 1,000 times lower than expected. Stellar occultations of 1994 JR1 were also performed using light from the sun. This allowed New Horizons to confirm the atmospheric temperature and structure, measure the escape rate of nitrogen molecules from the atmosphere, and detect the presence of various gases (including nitrogen, methane and acetylene). Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media STAMFORD A traffic stop led to the discovery of more than two pounds of marijuana Sunday night, police said. Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said patrol officers Mathew Linnehan and Connor Pennoyer spotted a Honda Civic with a badly damaged tail light that was not working near the corner of Rock Spring Road and Strawberry Hill Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Sunday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed Photo / The News-Times Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Doctors in Connecticut agree with the president of the American Medical Association, who said last week physicians must play a lead role in addressing the spread of opioid addiction, even by limiting prescription of widely used opioid painkillers if necessary. For the past 20 years, public policies well-intended, but now known to be flawed compelled doctors to treat pain more aggressively for the comfort of our patients, AMA President Dr. Steven Stack, who visited Connecticut last week, wrote in an open letter to doctors. But todays crisis plainly tells us we must be much more cautious with how we prescribe opioids. T he company providing catering at this weeks Chelsea Flower Show has blamed uncertainty over Britains future in the EU for a dip in sales. Outsourcing giant Mitie, whose services range from office cleaning to pest control, said its financial year to the end of March had twice been hit by economic uncertainty. It was affected first by last years general election and then by the upcoming EU referendum. Together, these factors combined to cause a number of our clients to either delay or cancel projects until after the referendum, it said as it revealed a 1.8% dip in revenue to 2.2 billion. Mitie, which warned in March that full-year revenues would fall short of expectations, said it had postponed or scrapped some of its own work and reduced discretionary expenditure as a result. Boss Ruby McGregor-Smith described Mitie as resilient and said the situation was merely a quarterly trend as a fresh wave of contracts with Ladbrokes and Deloitte has been secured. Mities profits before tax more than doubled to 96.8 million from 41.5 million a year earlier. The dividend rises for the 27th consecutive year by 3.4% to 12.1p. Shares in the FTSE 250 firm edged up 1.2p to 274.8p. The group also revealed a 20 million share buyback programme, which McGregor-Smith told the Standard was partly prompted by a lack of opportunities for large acquisitions. The Indian-born chief, who has led the company for almost a decade, said growth over the next year would remain modest due to the macroeconomic uncertainty. However, the introduction of the National Living Wage which in April bumped up minimum pay for over-25s to 7.20 an hour could create opportunities for the firm. Our clients have to work out how to absorb [the extra cost] and we may well see the only way in which to handle it year on year is to move towards more outsourcing. Z ut alors! Of all the insurers to have pulled out of tobacco, the one to have stubbed out its investment is Axa, the behemoth based in France where smoking is considered a national sport. Nearly a third of French men take their cue from the late Serge Gainsbourg to call themselves enthusiastic smokers way above the average in northern Europe. Other major investors to quit tobacco have been based in the more politically correct Norway, where just 13% smoke, and the US, where its between 17% and 20%. Axa cites numerous reasons for dropping the evil weed, including the fact that it seemed odd to be selling health insurance while profiting from cigarettes. Fair point. But it also claims the decision was taken on investment grounds, declaring tobacco is a sunset industry heading for inevitable decline. That makes less sense. As any investor can tell you, tobacco stocks have been among the strongest performers since the financial crisis, pumping out fat dividends and raking in huge cashflows as smokers keep reaching for the gaspers no matter how the economy fares. Cigarette sales by Big Tobacco in emerging markets are growing rapidly, and vaping is generating new growth markets in the developed world. These facts havent been lost on Calpers, the US fund that ditched tobacco in 2000. According to one report, Calpers missed out on $3 billion (2.1 billion) of returns thanks to its decision. It is now thinking about reinvesting. Axas move means its investors, too, will be missing out on future growth in these revenues, whether they like it or not. For years, most big funds have been giving investors an option of screening out tobacco and other controversial sectors. Indeed, France has been at the forefront a fact surely not lost on Axas PR department. Yet even there, only a tiny minority move their money to socially responsible funds, suggesting most people, presumably including Axas customers, prefer returns over ethics. With that in mind, Axas rivals will respond to todays move with that classic French institution the Gallic shrug. Surely, when it comes to the ethics of investing, offering customers a range of choices is better than prohibition. Leave intervention to the public, and their elected governments. Weird boom at BHS BHS should agree a buyer by tonight, and it cant come soon enough. Believe it or not, publicity around the crisis has boosted sales hugely, and some stock is starting to run out. It would be a shame if shortages stopped it capitalising on this weird phenomenon. R yanair has promised to slash fares by 7% this year despite a cocktail of terrorist attacks, strikes in France and a weakened pound holding back profits. The Irish no-frills carrier saw profits rise 43% to 1.24 billion (961 million) in the year to March 31, falling short of City hopes for 1.3 billion. Boss Michael OLeary admitted a number of Easter bookings had been adversely impacted by over 500 flight cancellations following the Brussels terrorists attacks and French air traffic strikes. The firm also warned its first quarter will be hit by cancellations, lower air fares and sterling weakness in the run-up to the Brexit referendum on June 23. Finance boss Neil Sorahan played down an attack by Vote Leave campaigners, who have complained to the police about Ryanairs latest promotion, which offers cheap flights to expats who want to stay in the EU. Sorahan told the BBC: Ryanair runs promotions on an ongoing basis. We dont know if people on the flights are going to be voting remain, voting leave, or otherwise." OLeary, who cannot vote in the referendum but hopes the UK stays in, has previously criticised the European union and once denounced the European Commission as an evil empire as European authorities blocked Ryanairs efforts to buy Irish airline Aer Lingus. Ryanairs numbers come amid turmoil in the travel industry. Last week a shock profit warning and bookings slump had Thomas Cooks shares spinning to a three-year low as the disappearance of an EgyptAir passenger jet sent another jolt through the tourist industry. Earlier this month it emerged attacks in Egypt, Paris and Brussels had affected easyjet bookings. The economic uncertainty has led to airlines cutting fares and OLeary said he saw no reason for prices to stop falling. He said the group expects full-year profits to rise modestly, by around 13%. But he warned its performance this year is heavily dependent on this summers bookings and there being no further French strikes. The shares were flat. Accendo Markets head of research Mike van Dulken said this demonstrated impressive resilience despite news that full-year net profit growth is set to slow and after management delivered an uncharacteristically downbeat update, highlighting terrorism worries potentially pushing falling ticket prices even lower and a rising oil price requiring prudence. Despite its struggles, Ryanair said passenger numbers surged 18% to 106.4 million, while revenue climbed 16% to 6.5 billion. S o farewell then, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the Taliban leader killed in Pakistan on Saturday by a US drone strike. Im happy to concede that, on the whole, having the leader of the Taliban blown into chunks the size of dry-roasted peanuts may be seen as a boon to the world. But it doesnt make you an apologist for terrorism to express deep unease about how he came to be that way. First we had the so-called Bush Doctrine pithily expressed in the words of 2000ADs Judge Dredd: Next time we get our retaliation in first. We hand-wringing liberal pantywaists expressed reservations at the time about the good sense and legality of this idea. But that was, at least, state to state: it looked a bit like a declaration of war in the old sense. The idea of using drones to kill our individual enemies in the sovereign territory of other nations: thats something different, and it seems to have gone through on the nod. Thats an attack by a state on foreign citizens and pretty much the first job of a government is to protect its citizens against outside powers. Or, to reframe that: if anyone is blowing Pakistani citizens to smithereens, its supposed to be the Pakistani government. The old idea is that the contract between citizens and the state gives the latter a monopoly on violence. To say that the Pakistani government gives the Americans either express or tacit permission to drop bombs on its people, however unsavoury they are, doesnt quite get us off the hook. (And in this case the Pakistanis are saying pretty firmly that they didnt.) Theres no obvious legal or political basis for that permission to be given. The monopoly on violence is non-transferable. Pakistani citizens dont have any sort of relationship with the American state, and the latter isnt answerable to them. Its hard to conceive of a firm legal framework under which it would be. If youre a Yemeni whose wedding party was blown up in an unfortunate misunderstanding, who do you complain to? Was the murder committed in Yemen, where the bomb landed, in the airspace from which it launched, or in the air-conditioned room in Virginia where the button was pressed? This may make a fine mental workout for theorists of international jurisprudence but its not much comfort to the bride and groom. To simplify: if the French decided that they didnt like the look of a man in Luton and dropped a bomb on him, wed be entitled to be hacked off. And wed be entitled to be doubly hacked off if our Prime Minister said hed given them the go-ahead. So for the authorities in Pakistan or Yemen or anywhere else to acquiesce in drone strikes is to delegitimise themselves. It is to appear at best weak and at worst treacherous in the eyes of their own people with what consequences we have yet to see. And for those with the drones, its a dangerous principle to cede. Once you publicly give yourself permission to kill individuals on the sovereign soil of other states, youve sold the pass for good. The next time Russian boots appear on the ground in Ukraine, for instance, itll be a fat lot of good wagging our fingers. Lets not speak of this again, please The vitriol that has come down on Serena Cowdy, the political journalist alleged to have had affairs with two married SNP politicians! Shes been called a predator, a marriage-wrecker and a courtesan. Theres no rule against single women jumping into bed with married men. Theres no rule against married men jumping into bed with single women though their wives are entitled to be bloody angry when they catch them. There is a rule against expecting the rank sweat of your enseamed bed to be covered by parliamentary expenses. The latter will shake out in the course of the expected inquiry though if youre entitled to a hotel room, anything legal you do in it at no extra cost is presumably your own business. On the first two counts, lets keep our traps shut, eh? Give Soames a TV spot now Sir Nicholas Soames is taking a plain-speaking approach to the Brexit debate. He has called Boris Johnson an ocean-going clot who is totally wrong on almost everything. Now, its said, he has greeted a fellow Tory MP, James Cleverly, with the words f*** off you c*** in a Westminster dining room. Asked afterwards, he said: Not sure I know anyone called Cleverly... Stuff that goes on inside the dining room is private, OK? I have absolutely nothing to say about it. Now bugger off. Dont know about you, but Id like to see more of Sir Nicholas on TV. Shabby and grubby spin around this trade envoy The Duke of York is reported to have intervened in 2011 in the hopes of fixing a 383 million infrastructure deal between a Kazakh oligarch, a Greek water company and a Swiss finance house. It was alleged he stood to make nearly 4 million in commission had the contract gone through. And this was while he was a UK trade envoy, which Im pretty sure isnt a role that requires you to look out for either Kazakh, Greek or Swiss interests. His office first denied that leaked emails discussing the deal were genuine, then conceded they were genuine, then tried to suppress them in the interests of privacy, then denied Prince Andrew had stood to make a commission. It was given out that he was doing a favour for a friend. We dont yet know the truth. But we can say that what appears at the moment to be the shabby, grubby and incompetent spin-doctoring of a shabby, grubby and incompetent deal falls short of what youd hope for from someone privileged to represent us as a trade envoy. Chris Bryant says the duke should have nil role representing British trade. Its hard to disagree. W hen Boxpark launches in Croydon this September it will dramatically transform the areas drinking and dining scene, bringing with it a whopping 42 restaurants and bars. The names confirmed to be bedding down at the site near East Croydon station include an outpost from burger group MEAT Liquor, all-day brekkie spot The Breakfast Club and a seventh site from pub group Craft Beer Co. These will be joined by two Brixton Village favourites in the form of dumpling specialists Mama Lan and Caribbean restaurant Fish, Wings & Tings. Units will also be taken by Italian deli good specialists Bread Tree, Mayfair Lebanese restaurant Lazeez Tapas, Mexican chain Chilango and Boxpark Shoreditch vegan restaurant Cookdaily. Boxpark Croydon 1 /6 Boxpark Croydon Night-time hub View from the top Boxpark Croydon Boosting the local area Exterior of Boxpark Croydon Internal courtyard Croydon Boxpark View from within Croydon Boxpark New business Viet Do An will be serving Vietnamese baguettes, while Croydons Brgr & Beer will launch a new concept called Wine & Deli. Croydon brewery The Cronx will also take a unit, turning it into a bottle shop and bar serving grilled cheese sandwiches. Visit boxpark.co.uk/croydon. Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout Julia Child once said a party without cake is just a meeting. How many minutes/hours of your life have you lost to meetings when you could have been doing rather more important things like, well, eating cake? Weve always been told to see desserts as an extra treat, something to have in moderation, youre supposed to feel almost guilty about succumbing to the pleasures of chocolate, pastries, ice cream, doughnutsI could go on and on. But dammit, sometimes you just want to have your cake and eat it. This weeks lunch box is about celebrating the sweet things in life. Because life can, and should, be sweet. Since I joined the kitchen team at Paradise Garage my eyes have been opened to the wonders and skill of being a pastry chef by Kira Ghidoni. I first met Swiss-born Kira a couple of years ago when I worked at The Dairy in Clapham and she was setting up the sweet shop (an open pastry bar) at our sister restaurant The Manor. I soon realised she was a force to be reckoned with (dont ever lose her special spatula). A mutual friend, Felicity Spector, describes her as the best thing to come out of Switzerland since the Toblerone (mmm more chocolate) and Time Out magazine recently named her as one of the top female chefs in London. Kira started cooking when she was seven years old and always loved making biscuits and cakes. After she trained to become a chef she then spent an additional two years becoming a pastry chef. With 12 years work experience Kira has worked in some top London restaurants including Fera at Claridges and Murano by Angela Hartnett. Some of her recent dessert creations at Paradise Garage include nettle sorbet with chocolate aero and ganache, buckwheat ice cream with loquat consomme and these beautiful buckwheat biscuits that remind me of ginger biscuits I used to eat as a kid. Kira has that special gift of a chef who can transmit her love of food and cooking into her creations. When you eat her desserts you realise this. So obviously creating a five course dessert tasting menu event makes perfect sense to her: welcome to Blood Sugar. Kira hosted the first Blood Sugar event last July at The Manor with Adam Degg (Head Pastry Chef, Chiltern Firehouse). For Blood Sugar Part Deux, Kira will be in the kitchen at Paradise Garage with Eloise Dawes (also from Paradise Garage). Fear not if you crave the savoury as there are savoury snacks at the start before it becomes all things sweet. Therell also be a sweet version of a Greek salad, which inspires this weeks lunch box. This recipe takes the simple ingredients for a Greek salad and inspired by the wonder of desserts turns it into a millefeuille. Because its good to remember that eating should also be a fun experience, even if it is at your desk in front of the computer. Blood Sugar Part Deux takes place at Paradise Garage on June 12 at 7pm. Tickets cost 55 and are available to purchase by emailing reservations@paradise254.com Blood Sugar inspired lunch box: Greek salad millefeuille Ingredients 3 slices wholemeal bread 3 slices Parma ham 2 tbsp. ricotta or cream cheese 15g feta 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 3 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced small red onion, sliced into thin rings 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar 1 tbsp. pitted kalamata olives, sliced of a small cucumber, diced Small handful fresh mint, oregano Sea salt, cracked black pepper to season Cost: 3.70 Best London food Instagrams - in pictures 1 /26 Best London food Instagrams - in pictures Mowie Kay Mowie is a professional food and lifestyle photographer. Unique food styling and lovely lighting make his Instagram just gorgeous. Clerkenwell Boy Wondering if that hyped up restaurant is really as good as it looks? This local foodie has tried it all. David Munns David Munns is a food photographer based in Clerkenwell. His feed is full of lively photos of both food and his family life in London. Sarka Babicka This egg enthusiast only takes photos using her iPhone. Full of healthy breakfast ideas. Top With Cinnamon Izy Hossack is just 19 years old, but already has nearly 150k followers - and for good reason. Her Instagram will make you want to ditch your diet and indulge in some sweets. Candids By Jo Jo Yee's beautiful feed is a testament to what you can do with just an iPhone. Dan Doherty The executive chef at one of London's "it" restaurants, Duck and Waffle, also has an Instagram that will make you drool. Skye McAlpine This food writer splits her time between London and Venice, bringing tasty-looking Italian flair to her food. Deliciously Ella For delicious vegan and gluten free food, look no further than Ella Woodward's feed. Lily Vanilli The east London bakery's Instagram is nothing short of a treat. Absolutely mesmerising food styling makes the cakes almost too pretty to want to eat. Fooodstylist If you couldn't tell by the name, Kate Wesson is a professional food stylist. Her fun, family-friendly feed is lovely and inspiring. Crumbs and Doilies Get your fix of cupcake cuteness with this Instagram. Jamie Oliver Featuring tons of healthy recipes for anything and everything, Jamie Oliver's feed is a must-follow. Symmetry Breakfast Run by a couple who eat fabulous twin meals together every morning, this Instagram is sure to become an instant favourite. David Griffen Be careful - this photographer's luscious food shots will have your tummy rumbling. Violet Cakes Claire Ptak's Instagram is every bit as gorgeous as her new book, The Violet Cakes Cookbook. Gizzi Erskine Gizzi's 60's-esque feed gives an inside look into the food writer's glam lifestyle alongside some fab foodie photos. Also good for celeb spotting. Hemsley and Hemsley These spirulising queens have an Instagram to die for. Get all your healthy food inspo right here. Mondomulia If you like a little jetsetting with your meal, follow food and travel blogger Giulia Mule. Rosie Foodie Rosie Birkett is a cook and food writer looks like she's having a blast with food and friends. Can we join? Method Using a rolling pin roll the bread to flatten it and toast under a grill. If you dont fancy spending time rolling your bread you could try the sandwich on rye crackers. Or even normal unrolled bread. Preheat oven to 150C. Lay the Parma ham between two sheets of greaseproof paper on a baking try and bake until crispy (approximately 5 minutes). Make the feta mousse by mixing the ricotta or cream cheese with the feta. Stir in the olive oil and season to taste (it wont need much salt as feta can be quite salty). Pickle the red onion rings with the white wine vinegar and a pinch of sea salt. Assemble your millefeuille: start with a layer of red onion, tomatoes, cucumber. Then a layer of toast topped with feta mousse and olives. Finally finish with another toast with tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, mint, parma crisps, feta mousse, mint and oregano. Or make it however you like just enjoy it. Laoise is a chef de partie at Paradise Garage in Bethnal Green and the author of cuisinegenie.ie. In a former life she used to be a HR Manager, she has now happily abandoned the corporate world and spends her days cooking/eating. Follow her on Twitter @cuisine_genie and Instagram @laoisecooks. Laoise uses Box Appetit lunch boxes. Follow us on Twitter @eslifeandstyle W ho: The YBFs (Young British Foodie awards celebrating up-and-coming talent across food and drink in the UK) were started by three women, friends Amy Thorne, founder of Taste PR, and food journalist Chloe Scott-Moncrief, and Lily Jones (aka the London baker Lily Vanilli), but the Instagram account is run by Jones. Number of followers: 2.3k Tagline: The YBF Awards. We're looking for innovation, creativity and craftsmanship that stands out in UK food and drink. Entries open for 2016. No age limit. Featured food: A sumptuous feed featuring anything involving the awards, be it food and drink made by former winners or shortlisters (such as Noisette Bakehouses parsley and eucalyptus honey ice cream, green tarts by Poppy and Sebastian, Gosnells mead by Tom Gosnell, or loaves from Alchemy Bread Co) to the judges at work (Melissa Hemsley cooking, the chef Nuno Mendes or Clerkenwell Boys snaps). Why we should follow it: Its a friendly, celebratory photo feed, revelling in the brilliant things that people are making, doing with or writing about food and drink in the UK. Photographs, which are all very pretty, could just as happily be of a talented chef or producer as a piece of something you want to eat for tea. Takes pics with: An old iPhone, but Jones also reposts a lot of pictures taken by other people, judges, alumni, and so on. First post: It was a picture of a canape from a private catering job that we did for Mulberry. They were made by Giles Clarke who was our winner in the chef category that year, and Noisette Bakehouse did desserts, having won the bakery category, explains Jones. Most popular post: I have to watch myself not to put up lots of baking pictures (Jones is a baker) but it does tend to be the pastries and cakes that get potentially more love. How the YBFs came about: Old friends Thorne and Scott-Moncrief were talking about a feature idea spotlighting people doing innovative things at grassroots level - because we know about the TV chefs, and the existing food and drink awards were given to people that you knew the name of. But they didnt feel relevant to what was happening in this country at the time within food and drink, remembers Jones. Having realised it was bigger than a feature, the pair approached Jones to judge and run the awards and it went from there. Thorne and Jones now meet once a week (because Scott-Moncrief lives in the countryside) but all three talk regularly. That was five years ago. The first year we were doing lots of explaining, and I was coaxing in my friends to sign up, and since then there have been amazing success stories. Now every year is the best year. Lemon tarts at #YBFs co founder & #baking judge @lily_vanilli_cake's @fortnums launch last night @charlottehuco A photo posted by The YBF Awards (@theybfs) on Apr 29, 2016 at 11:47pm PDT Claims to fame: Melissa Hemsley and Clerkenwell Boy are two of the new judges for a new category called Food Sharing, celebrating social media, I describe it as people who are progressing food and drink through social media. And we have three amazing well-known judges who represent the relevant facets. Best London food Instagrams - in pictures 1 /26 Best London food Instagrams - in pictures Mowie Kay Mowie is a professional food and lifestyle photographer. Unique food styling and lovely lighting make his Instagram just gorgeous. Clerkenwell Boy Wondering if that hyped up restaurant is really as good as it looks? This local foodie has tried it all. David Munns David Munns is a food photographer based in Clerkenwell. His feed is full of lively photos of both food and his family life in London. Sarka Babicka This egg enthusiast only takes photos using her iPhone. Full of healthy breakfast ideas. Top With Cinnamon Izy Hossack is just 19 years old, but already has nearly 150k followers - and for good reason. Her Instagram will make you want to ditch your diet and indulge in some sweets. Candids By Jo Jo Yee's beautiful feed is a testament to what you can do with just an iPhone. Dan Doherty The executive chef at one of London's "it" restaurants, Duck and Waffle, also has an Instagram that will make you drool. Skye McAlpine This food writer splits her time between London and Venice, bringing tasty-looking Italian flair to her food. Deliciously Ella For delicious vegan and gluten free food, look no further than Ella Woodward's feed. Lily Vanilli The east London bakery's Instagram is nothing short of a treat. Absolutely mesmerising food styling makes the cakes almost too pretty to want to eat. Fooodstylist If you couldn't tell by the name, Kate Wesson is a professional food stylist. Her fun, family-friendly feed is lovely and inspiring. Crumbs and Doilies Get your fix of cupcake cuteness with this Instagram. Jamie Oliver Featuring tons of healthy recipes for anything and everything, Jamie Oliver's feed is a must-follow. Symmetry Breakfast Run by a couple who eat fabulous twin meals together every morning, this Instagram is sure to become an instant favourite. David Griffen Be careful - this photographer's luscious food shots will have your tummy rumbling. Violet Cakes Claire Ptak's Instagram is every bit as gorgeous as her new book, The Violet Cakes Cookbook. Gizzi Erskine Gizzi's 60's-esque feed gives an inside look into the food writer's glam lifestyle alongside some fab foodie photos. Also good for celeb spotting. Hemsley and Hemsley These spirulising queens have an Instagram to die for. Get all your healthy food inspo right here. Mondomulia If you like a little jetsetting with your meal, follow food and travel blogger Giulia Mule. Rosie Foodie Rosie Birkett is a cook and food writer looks like she's having a blast with food and friends. Can we join? Look out for: Entries are open, and close in July, judging is done throughout August and the awards take place in September. The team is running #YBFNominate again this year, looking for businesses that Jones says are harder to find by their very nature - they might not be mentioned in the paper or online and people are encouraged to nominate their favourite unknown local chef or supplier, for example. Follow them on Instagram @TheYBFs; the-ybfs.com G ym junkies with wine habits know the euphoria of downing a large glass straight after a sesh: the sense of smug entitlement, coupled with dehydration and a growling stomach means the alcohol swooshes to your head at pace. Booze might not be the ideal recovery fuel but this is London, where we exercise our right to work hard and play harder with gusto. This in mind, its no surprise that Londons hippest studios are now offering gym bunnies the opportunity to get their booze on immediately after their workout, while drenched in sweat and Lycra-clad. Leading the festivities is hyper-cool destination City gym turned flagship watering hole 1Rebel in St Mary Axe. Think dark, neon-flashing nightclub with DJs, artfully exposed plumbing and a pre-existing alcohol licence. The 1Rebel Instagram is already full of bling see #RichKidsofInstagram-style snaps of champagne glasses lined up on the smoothie bar, captioned Remember to keep hydrated in this weather Rebels! and now theyre taking it one woozy step further by launching a full-scale cocktail bar in collaboration with nearby Old Bengal Bar. Rather than re-powering with the standard kale-hemp-almond-butter smoothie, Rebels can round off their spin class with a Car Wash: avocado-cucumber-washed gin, elderflower and coriander bitters. Yoga Supper Club is also coupling its vinyasas with vino: its next sozzled sessions include a collaboration with Echo Falls, where an hour of downward dogs flows gracefully into an hour or six of prosecco-guzzling. At Frame, a studio that takes its partying as seriously as its Pilates, an event entitled Eat, Drink, Live, laid on in conjunction with Belvedere, aims to confirm drinking as a key component of a virtuous lifestyle. The same sort of healthy hedonism was the drive behind Belvederes recent Balance Bar at The Hoxton hotel, where Core Collective encouraged boozercisers to cool down post-core class with a Belvedere Spritz: soda and tonic water with a healthy dose of vodka and vermouth. Responsibly, Core Collective thinks of its boozercise sessions as considered drinking and makes no secret of the fact that youd be better off avoiding the sauce altogether (not only are you knocking back all the calories youve just burned but studies show that protein synthesis, which repairs and builds muscle, slows down when you drink). Its their opinion that sipping on a vodka soda or one of 1Rebels tequila-carrot juice concoctions is slightly better than a sugary punch or three post-gym pints. 20 Instagrams for fitness motivation 1 /26 20 Instagrams for fitness motivation Fitness on Toast Yoga Girl Tracy Anderson Hannah Bronfman Amanda Bisk Ballet Beautiful Two Bad Bodies Nicole Winhoffer Lunges and Lycra Joe Wicks Jen Selter Base Body Babes Natalie Uhling Patrick Beach Lorna Jane Active My Name is Jessamyn Marie Purvis Richard Tidmarsh Tone It Up Kayla Itsines For 1Rebels co-founder Giles Dean, Londons boozercise revolution is about celebrating achievable and realistic fitness. Part of that realism is accepting that many customers drink and exercise a healthy social life, says Dean. What connects them to 1Rebel is the core belief that exercise should be fun, enjoyable and sociable. Well drink to that. Follow Frankie McCoy on Twitter: @franklymccoy I f Jack Nicholson said he was coming to dinner, Lyndall Hobbs knew her Chelsea party was guaranteed to go with a pop and a swing. Those days seem like a fairy tale. Dinners and parties came together so easily, without mobile phones, emails or texts, says the former It Girl. Her new book, The Girl from Oz, chronicles the days she spent at the heart of Seventies swinging London, hosting the glitziest of parties for Hollywood royalty, rock stars, artists and writers. Australia-born Hobbs became Chelseas legendary hostess within weeks of arriving from Melbourne, after meeting and moving in with impresario Michael White. She was an ambitious 20-year-old journalist, he was Londons hottest theatrical producer, freshly divorced and famous for his risque stage productions of Oh! Calcutta! and The Rocky Horror Show. While working for Thames TV, she even managed to interview the famously tight-lipped Andy Warhol when he came to London. We had a lovely house in Egerton Crescent. It had a wonderful dining room with copper walls and a cosy, round dinner table. In those days people had after-parties too. The word would get out, people came in droves and wed all go upstairs, says Hobbs, showing me pictures taken during their time at the house of Boy George joking with Susan Sarandon, Nicky Haslam with Marianne Faithfull and Lady Diana Cooper, clutching a cigarette, looking enraptured by Jack Nicholson. With Jack Nicholson (David Thorpe/Daily Mail) / Daily Mail Jack was very flirtatious, terribly sexy and so much fun, with that fabulous grin. Hed just sit there, being entertaining, and we all swooned, she says. I never had a thing with him but was tempted when Michael was away. The secret to Hobbss entertaining success was always making sure the booze flowed freely and people were introduced to each other with little biographical nuggets. Chris, Id like you to meet Salman Rushdie. Salman, Chris Reeve is starring as Superman in a film right now and Chris, Salman is a writer Suddenly Graham Greene would be knocking on the door for tea or Harvey Keitel would appear on the doorstep for cocktails; and David Frost [who lived next door] would show up. Was there a lot of sex? Oh God, no, she scoffs. No, nothing like that. I never caught anyone in a bedroom, they were much too interested in chatting, quite posh and proper. It was Bianca Jagger being nice to Manolo or whoever, she replies, with a faint sigh of disapproval. And drugs? Not a ton of it back in the Seventies, more in the Eighties. It was more vodka and tonics, and joints, and we always had a lot of champagne. But there were the stayers, and if theyd taken coke you were stuck. I remember looking at my watch endlessly going oh my God, theyve got to leave. I would be up next morning having my carrot juice, I was always a bit of a goody-goody. Hobbs, now 64, comes across as a hybrid between a school teacher and schoolgirl. Shes prim yet playful, her sober black waistcoat and white T-shirt in contrast to check trousers, stripy socks and thick crepe soles. Raised in Melbourne, she was, she says a bright but ill-read nitwit and a bit square and by todays standards totally clueless when it came to sex. Hobbs herself eventually left the party. She and White split up and, after a short marriage to TV comedy writer Chris Thompson, which resulted in the birth of a daughter, Lola Rose, she fell in love with Al Pacino. (Thompson later died from an overdose.) My stomach lurched with a rush of romance-induced adrenaline and I felt positively giddy, she writes. All the more so when Pacino told her hed split with Diane Keaton. She and the star of The Godfather embarked on an intense life together, flitting between New York and LA and throwing parties. When Al was around, the celebs would flock, she says, recalling the time when Mick Jagger spent an hour on the phone in Malibu placating an angry Jerry Hall, smiling and waving as other guests drifted past. Then there was the time when she and Pacino went to stay with Prince Charles at Sandringham, where everyone else went to bed quite early at 11 oclock. Then, being told by Prince Charles, See you for breakfast at 8.30, when wed been used to getting up at 4.30pm, was just exhausting. Lyndall Hobbs with Al Pacino / Dave Benett Pacino was, she writes, pretty much the King of New York and, like royalty, he didnt care to shop or deal with money. She describes how he expected to be able just to sign his restaurant bills and refused to go into shops, how she felt compelled to always pamper and soothe him. She was the giver, he the taker, and her dream of becoming a movie producer in her own right stalled. My career had lost momentum and being with Al and mixing with lots of powerful folk did me no good at all, she reflects. She also wanted to have his baby and, after several failed attempts at IVF with him, decided to adopt. Its impossible to know whether it [the IVF] affected the relationship. I became over-focused and a bit maniacal. When it doesnt work, its a horrible strain. What was Pacinos attitude? Hobbs groans. Slightly a step apart, if it works, great its not terribly romantic or sexy, she says, hesitantly. And was the adoption a joint decision? (Her son Nick is now 19.) Id decided I was going to do it and was forging ahead come what may. I took the baby home and Al held him. He liked Nick very much, she says, although she acknowledges that he never regarded himself as Nicks father. Al was quite tricky, obviously, and theres a reason hes never married. I was strong and quite difficult in my own way too, she continues, before getting up in search of another cigarette. But adopting Nick was the best decision Ive ever made. She and Pacino broke up two years later, after seven years. He was one of the first people she rang in 2009 when she found she had breast cancer. She describes in her book meeting him during chemotherapy. I take off my hat at lunch, revealing my bald head, he practically chokes on his pasta, demanding I put it straight on again. In spite of this and a double mastectomy, which she regrets, shes rebooting her career by doing a TV pilot with Ellen Barkin and Christopher Lloyd called Hollywood Mums. Life goes on. Im still a ridiculously lucky girl from Oz. A Girl from Oz is published by Hardie Grant, 20. P olice were today trying to identify the body of a man found washed up on the bank of the River Thames in south-east London. The body was discovered on the riverbank in Greenwich at about 7am on Sunday. Paramedics, police and the marine policing unit were sent to the scene near Banning Street but discovered the man had died. The death is being treated as unexplained, police said. Sergeant Diane Hill, a Greenwich town centre officer, wrote on Twitter this morning: Two PCs are trying to identify a body, which unfortunately was recovered from the #Thames Difficult job but important to get it right for the family. A Met Police spokesman said: "Officers were called to Banning Street, at 7am on May 22 to reports of a body washed up on the banks of The River Thames. "The body of a man was recovered by officers." A young man is in hospital after he was stabbed during a street fight in south London this afternoon. Police swarmed the street in Camberwell after the brawl broke out at about 5.30pm. The man, aged in his 20s, was rushed to hospital by paramedics after he was stabbed in Bowyer Place, near to the junction of Camberwell Road. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening or life-changing, police said. Another man, also aged in his 20s, was arrested at the scene and taken to a south London police station where he remains in custody. A Met Police spokesman said: Officers from Southwark CID are investigating. Enquiries continue to identify any outstanding suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101. C ity of London police are investigating 10 huge frauds with losses totalling half a billion pounds including an alleged scam involving the hijacking of a ship. The cases are among 708 major live inquiries being conducted by detectives after an explosion of online fraud across the UK. City police Commissioner Ian Dyson said Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting body, was now receiving about 40,000 reports of scams every month. He revealed how the biggest 10 cases involve 4,580 victims across the UK. One case involves around 450 retired and serving Gurkha soldiers who are feared to have fallen victim to a suspected 50 million Ponzi scheme. Another inquiry centres on allegations of deception over claims that a cargo ship was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Yemen. Other investigations with alleged multi-million-pound losses include an inquiry into an alleged City insider trader who is claimed to have racked up losses of 4 million and other complex deals to do with land banking and carbon credit fraud. Mr Dyson, who was appointed in January, revealed that the perpetrators of 50 per cent of all fraud reports were based in foreign countries and could not be touched by law enforcement. He said: We cannot investigate our way out of this, it is global and it is online. The perpetrators in about 50 per cent of the frauds we receive each month are abroad. They dont even need to be people, they can be websites, they are call centres, so it is unrealistic to think we can lock someone up in the traditional way for every crime. In an interview with the Standard, Mr Dyson said specialist fraud investigators were tackling crime gangs with links across the world. When police could not arrest foreign offenders, officers focused on disrupting their activities by closing down tens of thousands of websites, phone lines and bank accounts each year. He said detectives were supported by around 30 civilian experts who were on secondment to City police, including specialists from Microsoft, the insurance industry and the Treasury. Mr Dyson said: There can be a perception that it is Pc Plod trying to track very sophisticated online internet savvy fraudsters. I want to address that. I have got very tech-savvy people working for me, whether they are police officers or people on secondment from other industries or other agencies. I also want to address the perception that fraud is so big and so global that people think if they report it to the bank nothing ever happens and law enforcement is not interested. Well, we are interested. It is just educating everyone that you cannot get a collar felt for every crime that is occurring. He predicted the Crime Survey for England and Wales would record five million extra offences when it includes fraud in its July figures for the first time. Mr Dyson said law enforcement was fighting back with the launch of the Home Office-funded Joint Fraud Task Force and an alliance between his force and the Manhattan District Attorneys office. T wo young men were stabbed after a mass brawl broke out near to a college in Islington this afternoon. The victims were rushed to hospital by paramedics after they were knifed during the fight near to the City and Islington College campus in Goswell Road. Police were called to break up the brawl, which started between two groups of men shortly before 3pm. Several people involved in the fight have been arrested, police said. A Met Police spokesman said: We were called at 2.45pm to Goswell Road to reports of a large fight among two groups of males, aged approximately 18 to 20s. Two males have been taken to hospital with stab wounds. We await an update on their condition. Officers are keeping an open mind about a possible motive for the incident. Three men have been arrested on suspicion of public order offences and remain in custody. A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: We sent an ambulance crew and a single responder by car to the scene, arriving within four minutes." City and Islington College could not be reached for comment. A ngelina Jolie is to teach London students on a ground- breaking new course about the scourge of rape in war. The actress and former foreign secretary Lord Hague are among four newly-appointed professors in practice at the Centre for Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics. It is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance womens rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict, said Jolie, a special envoy for the UN refugee agency. I am looking forward to teaching and to learning from the students as well as to sharing my own experiences of working along- side governments and the UN. The one-year MSc course, which starts next autumn, will cover gender, militarisation and human rights, and students will conduct independent research on preventing rape in wars. This course will help underpin our work in preventing sexual violence in conflict, developing expertise and research to assist us in tackling the culture of impunity, said Lord Hague. The other new professors are Jane Connors of Amnesty International Geneva and Madeleine Rees, head of the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom. Jolie and Lord Hague pushed sexual violence in conflict up the political agenda with a global summit in London in 2014. T he Mayor of London has warned that an overcrowded Tube network could put Londoners at risk. Sadiq Khan has suggested that more tube stations in the capital may have to close during rush hour to avoid dangerous overcrowding as the capital's population rises. Mr Khan said in order to keep passengers safe, they may need to temporarily close more tube stations during rush hour. In an interview with HuffPost UK, he said: We cant have a situation where people dont feel safe on a platform to get on the Tube, having panic attacks, having palpitations, especially when its hot weather. The short-term solution is weve got to make sure that we close the barriers so there isnt overcrowding on our Tubes and our platforms. Explainer: What are Sadiq Khan's plans for London? Delays on the Underground due to overcrowding have more than doubled in the last three years. In March, Kings Cross station was evacuated in rush hour after station officials became worried about the safety of passengers due to overcrowding. Mr Khan wants more people to use other forms of transport. He also wants to invest more in the capitals buses. But he also warned that Londons growing population would need to be carefully handled. Night Tube will start on August 19 He added: Im really concerned about safety in London. To give you an idea of the scale of the challenge, our population is currently 8.6million, by 2020 it will be 9m, by 2030 10m. Growth per se is not a problem, its a lack of planning for growth thats a problem. TODO: define component type apester So in the short-term, we are going to make sure there is safety on the Underground. P osters have appeared around Croydon in an apparent dig at a "racist" decision to ban a nightclub from playing bashment music. Roy Seda, who runs Croydon's Dice Bar, alleged police officers banned him from playing the Jamaican style of music, which is performed by the likes of Sean Paul, Shaggy and Beenie Man, as the genre was branded "unacceptable." Since the row first erupted in March, posters based on the infamous "no blacks, no dogs, no Irish" posters have been put up around Croydon, including near the venue in the High Street, in an apparent critique of the "bashment ban". The adverts have the words blacks, dogs and Irish crossed out and instead read "no bashment, no grime, no dubstep". Mr Seda alleged that Sergeant Michael Emery, a Croydon licensing officer, sent him an email telling him his venue was playing what this borough finds unacceptable forms of music. The bar was subject to a licensing review in April, after police said it was linked to crime and disorder. Mr Seda said he changed the type of music played in the venue in a bid to keep his licence, but faced a backlash from customers and lost out on several bookings as a result. At a licensing committee meeting on April 15 councillors thew out the bid by police to tighten restrictions imposed on the bar - including forcing it to reduce its opening hours. In making their decision, during two hours of deliberations, the committee members noted that the bar had already sought advice on how to deal with problems that had arisen. In a statement issued following the meeting, Andy Tarrant, borough commander of Croydon police, denied the allegations had had a "racist undertone". Chief Supt Tarrant said: "There were a number of crimes and incidents at the bar that we believed had the potential to put people at risk or become a victim of crime. This is not something we can accept, and so have a duty of act. "Applying for a licence review is a last resort. Croydon police's licensing team worked with the PLH [personal licence-holder] and DPS [designated premises supervisor] to improve how the premises are run. There have been periods of improvement, but they were never sustained, which led to our application for a review. "However, in carrying out our duty a number of allegations have been made by the PLH about the conduct of our officers. We dispute those allegations. If the licence holder wants to make a formal complaint it will be fully investigated, and any evidence he has looked at." A Croydon Council spokesman said: Neither the council or the licensing committee has a policy banning any particular kind of music. "The committee is an independent body that makes all licensing decisions. These decisions are based on the four licensing objectives, not on music types." L ondon universities risk losing hundreds of millions of pounds of science research funding if the UK leaves the European Union, research suggests. World-renowned institutions including Imperial College, University College London, Kings College, Greenwich, and the University of East London have received millions each from the EU over the past 10 years, according to a report by technology company Digital Science. It said if Britain leaves it is unclear what will happen to the funding and universities risk losing out on money they have come to rely on. Imperial College has received almost 342 million from the EU in the past 10 years, more than 20 per cent of its total research funding. Kings College has had more than 181 million 30 per cent and the University of Greenwich more than 13 million, 25 per cent of its funding. In total, 23 London universities and education institutions received research funding from the EU in the past 10 years. The Digital Science report warned the money could stop in the event of Brexit. It said the UK currently received 16 per cent of EU funding, while all non-EU member states received only seven per cent. Daniel Hook, managing director at Digital Science, said: Brexit, and the loss of EU funding for the UKs research base, represents a number of severe threats to leading British success stories in the research sector, unless the UK Government makes up the shortfall. Universities UK said Brexit would make collaboration harder and put hundreds of research projects in jeopardy. Alistair Jarvis, its deputy chief executive, said: Inside the EU, we are better able to collaborate with the best minds across Europe. Digital Science urged the Government to make up any shortfall in funding if the UK leaves the EU. A spokeswoman for Vote Leave said the EU funding was UK taxpayers money recycled by Brussels bureaucrats. O ne of David Camerons oldest advisors has come out in favour of the Brexit. The Prime Ministers former strategy guru Steve Hilton has stated that leaving the European Union is the ideal choice for Britain, criticising the Unions bureaucracy. Writing in the Daily Mail, he stated the EU was anti-enterprise, anti-market- and anti-trade, and that Britain should focus on relationships with Nato and the US. He said: "Membership of the EU makes Britain literally ungovernable, in the sense that no administration elected by the people can govern the country." Mr Hilton, who now works in America, said his experience working in Downing Street had helped him see the problems of the EU and said the union has become "so complicated, so secretive, so impenetrable that it's way beyond the ability of any British government to make it work to our advantage". He said that if Britain remained in the EU, future prime ministers would have no leverage with other countries once they knew that the UK would not leave and suggested that Britain would function better outside the bloc. He said: "Our independent relationship with the EU would be like that of our peers - the US is not a member of the EU, but the last time I checked, General Motors had no problem selling cars there. Or Heinz, ketchup. Or Starbucks, coffee." He also dismissed claims that the EU was vital for Britain's security and suggested it was more important to focus on partnering with the United States and Nato. Noting that there is uncertainty about what would happen to the economy in the event of Brexit he said: "A decision to leave the EU is not without risk. "But I believe it is the ideal and idealistic choice for our times: taking back power from arrogant, unaccountable, hubristic elites and putting it where it belongs - in people's hands." S NP deputy leader Stewart Hosie was set to come face-to-face with Nicola Sturgeon today, who is said to be furious over revelations about his private life. Mr Hosie, 53, is alleged to have had an affair with Westminster journalist Serena Cowdy, who according to reports was previously romantically involved with another SNP MP, Angus MacNeil. Mr Hosie, who is understood to have split from his wife, said over the weekend that he would stand down as deputy leader by not seeking re-election at the partys autumn conference. He said he wanted to apologise for any hurt and upset he has caused. Adding that he had been admitted to hospital three times in recent years with high blood pressure, he said: The stress of the intense scrutiny of my private life has been very difficult. Ms Sturgeon, a friend of Mr Hosies wife Shona Robison, who is the Scottish cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and sport, said she wished him well. But she was reported to be rightly furious at the scandal. She was due to meet her MPs privately at Westminster today. Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson is to marry her partner. The politician, 37, today revealed she had proposed to Jen Wilson, 34, on a trip to Paris. V oting to leave the EU would wipe 62,000 off the value of the average home in London, George Osborne said today. The Chancellor said quitting would be bad news across the board for London and would destroy 73,000 jobs in the capital alone, including 8,000 young people aged 18-24. His warning was based on a Treasury report that forecast between 500,000 and 800,000 jobs would be lost nationally if the public vote to leave on June 23. It said Brexit would also hit pay packets, making the average family 800 worse off after two years. The study was branded unfair and biased by Vote Leave, which accus-ed the Treasury of propaganda. But in some of his strongest words yet the Chancellor told the Standard that even the mighty London economy would be set back by an exit. A vote to Leave on June 23 will be bad news across the board for London, which has always been one of the most outward-facing cities in the world, he said. Todays analysis from the Treasury suggests that in the first two years 73,000 jobs would be lost in London, average house prices would be hit by 62,000 but mortgages would be more costly for first-time buyers, and across the UK average wages would be hit by almost 800 a year. Mr Osborne and David Cameron went to a B&Q centre at Eastleigh to launch the Treasury study, which comes after warnings from the Bank of England governor, the head of the NHS and the IMF. Turning our backs on the free trade single market would mean us tipping ourselves back into a year-long recession the first DIY recession in our history, said Mr Osborne. Mr Cameron said Brexit would be self-destruction. Former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the Treasury report was flawed because it only highlighted the risks of leaving the EU. And Mr Camerons former strategy adviser Steve Hilton urged the UK to quit the arrogant and unaccountable EU which made Britain literally un-governable.Meanwhile a report today said property lettings in central London are already being depressed by jitters about a possible Brexit. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell seized on what he claimed was an admission by Mr Cameron that the last recession was not the fault of Gordon Browns Labour government. Mr Cameron told his audience: This could be, for the first time in history, a recession brought on ourselves. As I stand here in B&Q, it would be a DIY recession. T ory infighting over Europe reached a new pitch today as Iain Duncan Smith called Business Secretary Sajid Javid deeply disappointing, described the Prime Minister as disingenuous and branded Chancellor George Osborne as a liar. At the same time, Remain campaigners hit out at Mr Duncan Smith and other senior Brexiteers as hypocrites, saying they had all championed Turkeys membership of the EU before the referendum battle. The increasingly fractious debate left senior Conservative MPs warning that the party could take years to recover its unity unless both sides tone down their attacks. Mr Duncan Smith stepped up his attacks on his former Cabinet colleagues in a series of interviews. On the BBCs Westminster Hour last night he said Mr Cameron was being a bit disingenuous to claim Turkey was decades away from joining the EU and gaining free movement rights, because the PM had himself pledged to back it. On the same programme, he compared George Osborne with the fairytale puppet Pinocchio and said: Pinocchio with his nose just getting longer and longer and longer ... is very similar to the Chancellor. With every fib you tell, it gets longer. This morning on the Today programme, Mr Duncan Smith laid into Business Secretary Mr Javid, and said he had supported an EU exit in private but was now backing the Remain cause. He said he was deeply disappointed in the Right-winger. Mr Javid, asked to explain why he had abandoned his previous scepticism, told the BBC: At that time no one knew what the final deal would be. And since the announcement of the referendum we have far more details on the impact. Prominent campaigners for a Leave vote were embarrassed by a dossier of quotes compiled by the Remain camp which showed them backing Turkish membership of the EU. Mr Duncan Smith was quoted in 2005 as saying: I fully support Turkeys membership, while Boris Johnson said in 2016 that a Turkey firmly entrenched in the European Union would benefit world peace. Liam Fox said in 2005 that we share the Governments belief that Turkey must be allowed to join. And MEP Dan Hannan said in 2008: I am in favour of Turkey being allowed to join. A lmost one in five young Londoners have failed to register to vote, with just a month to go before the EU referendum, an exclusive poll shows today. With the vote on a knife-edge, the findings will be worrying for the Remain campaign, which is hoping to harness the support of millions of 18- to 24-year-olds across the country. Government strategists and pollsters privately admit that one of the key problems for Remain is that support for staying in the European Union is strongest among young people, the group least likely to vote. Both the In campaigns success and David Camerons future as Prime Minister could depend on whether young people shake off their apathy and vote in sufficient numbers on June 23 and whether they sign up to vote in the first place. The Cabinet Office has given additional funding to support local authorities, including many in London, to increase voter registration. There are five million registered voters in the capital. Research by TNS for the Regional Counting Officer for London showed that 19 per cent, or nearly one in five young Londoners, said they were not yet registered to vote, compared with just 1 per cent of over-65s. In addition, 56 per cent of all Londoners did not know that the deadline to register to vote falls on Tuesday, June 7, with 14 per cent believing the deadline had already passed. The study also revealed that 24 per cent of private renters were not registered or did not know if they were, compared with 5 per cent of those who owned their own home. Barry Quirk, the official in charge of the London count, said: The EU referendum is constantly in the news, and Londoners are really keen to have their say. But there are a lot of misconceptions, with many people believing they are automatically registered if they pay council tax or that their registration follows them to their new address if they move house. This isnt the case. I dont want anyone to be disappointed on polling day, so if you arent already registered, now is the time to take action by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. The research comes as a survey found that 60 per cent of London university students did not know when the EU referendum was taking place. The poll conducted for Universities UK found that many students will not be able to vote because they are not registered at the address where they will be on June 23. Because the referendum is outside term-time, many students who registered to vote in the local elections this month may need to re-register if they will be at a different address on polling day. A 45 year-old man has died after being mauled by a dog in his own home. Police were called to a house in Cumbria on Sunday afternoon following a report that a male was being attacked by a dog. A Cumbria Police spokesman confirmed that three other dogs were seized from the property and are being assessed by a specialist police officer. The spokesman added: A 45 year-old male who lived at the property was pronounced dead at the scene. The dog who attacked the male was destroyed. The death is being treated as non-suspicious and the coroner has been informed. In October last year, a woman suffered serious facial injuries after being attacked by a dog in south-east London. S chools across the country have today been evacuated after a series of bomb threats were reportedly made. Primary schools and secondary schools in Kent, Surrey and Cambridgeshire received anonymous phone calls on Monday morning, according to police. Kent Police confirmed officers were called to two schools in the borough one in Canterbury and one in Maidstone at about 10.15am this morning. The police spokesman said: We were called to Barming Primary School in Belmont Close, Maidstone, at 10.19am after an anonymous phone call was made to the school. Officers are at the scene and the school has been evacuated. All children and staff are safe and accounted for. We were also called to Canterbury High School in Knights Avenue at 10.13am after an anonymous phone call was made to the school. The school was evacuated and police remain at the scene. Parents were reportedly sent a text message from the school which said: We have evacuated the school with police agreement following 3 phone calls regarding an explosive device. Lessons will resume tomorrow. A Kent Police spokesman said they could not say at this stage whether the two incidents were linked. Cambridgeshire Constabulary also confirmed that officers had been called to a school in Cambridge and another in Peterborough after suspected hoax bomb threats were made. A spokesman for the force said: Emergency services are currently at Mayfield Primary School in Cambridge following a report of a suspected hoax bomb threat at just before 11am. It is believed to be part of a series that has affected schools across the country. We are working hard to get children back into school as soon as possible. There is also a similar hoax at the Discovery school in Walton, Peterborough. Surrey Police also confirmed they had been called to Cranmere Primary School in Esher at 10.20am after reports of a "suspicious call" made to the school. A spokesman for the force said: The school was evacuated and children were escorted to a nearby school while police carried out a search of the premises. "The school has now reopened for staff and the children have been collected by parents to return to school as normal tomorrow morning. "Police are working with partners and investigating this as a malicious hoax, enquiries are ongoing." According to The Mirror, several other schools in Hampshire, Greater Manchester and Bedfordshire were among more than 15 schools reportedly affected. E ighteen schoolgirls have been killed in a fire at a boarding school in Thailand. The fire started at the school in the Chiang Rai province late last night, meaning many of the children were asleep and unable to escape the blaze. So far, 18 children have been confirmed dead, with two of the bodies so badly burned that they could not be identified. Another five girls have been injured, with two in a serious condition. Firefighters spent three hours tackling the blaze completely engulfing the two storey building, with survivors and bodies being puled from the second floor window. The cause of the fire at the charity-run Christian school, attended mainly by deprived children who live in the Northern hills of the country, is unknown. The area of Chiang Rai town and the surrounding hills are popular tourist spots for hiking and adventure sports. Thailand is known for having poor health and safety standards, with accidents regularly happening across the country. A female climber who made it her mission to prove vegans were capable of extreme physical challenges has died near the summit of Everest. Maria Strydom, a 34-year-old South African academic, succumbed to altitude sickness after having to turn back on the final leg of the intrepid trek. She was among 30 climbers, including her husband, to fall ill or suffer frostbite climbing the worlds tallest peak over the weekend. She is also the third mountaineer to die in the first Everest climbing season since an earthquake in Nepal last year. On Friday Dutchman Eric Arnold died in his sleep near the mountains summit after telling team-mates my body has no energy left. Dr Strydom, a lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, was an experienced climber who had scaled peaks including Mount Ararat in Turkey. With her husband Robert Gropel, also an experienced mountaineer, she was undertaking a bid mount the seven summits - the seven highest mountains in the worlds seven continents - in an effort to disprove claims vegans struggle with extreme activities. In a post on her universitys website in March, she said: It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak. By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more. Following Dr Strydoms death on the 1,300 foot push to Everests summit her mother Maritha posted on Facebook: My beautiful girl. Just [too] devastated to communicate. Two Indian climbers are also missing within the mountains death zone above 26,000 feet as hundreds flock to Everest to make the most of the eight-week spring climbing season. Another Indian climber died overnight in the third fatality on Everest in recent days. I n last weeks episode of Game of Thrones, the show seemed to have found its feet again with an instalment that was largely seen as the best in a long time. It turned out that was just a warm-up for The Door, which shocked and saddened in equal measure giving us more tantalising information about the history of Westeros and some of its inhabitants, but also taking things away. Here are the five major talking points from the episode. *WARNING CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS* 1) Sansa gave Littlefinger an earful How great is Sansa Stark this season? After everything shes been subjected to in the show so far, shes rightfully getting her due now headstrong, brave, and determined to see the rise of the Starks in Winterfell. Littlefinger is back in the picture, and we got the huge satisfaction of seeing Sansa lay into him for marrying her off to Ramsay Bolton. The directness of her questions, the unflinching repetition she wanted answers, dammit, and the usually silver-tongued Baelish had no acceptable responses. I dont need you anymore, you cant protect me," she said. "You wont even be able to protect yourself if I tell Brienne to cut you down. Yaaas, Sansa. Game of Thrones: Season 6 1 /26 Game of Thrones: Season 6 Theon Greyjoy and Sansa Stark The pair find themselves on the run from Ramsay Bolton in Season 6 HBO Bran Stark and the Three-Eyed Raven Bran is back after being absent for Season 5 - but how is he standing up? HBO Arya Stark Maisie Williams' character went blind at the end of Season 5 King Tommen and Jaime Lannister The king and his father mourn the death of Myrcella Tyrion Lannister and Varys The pair remain in Meereen after Daenerys fled on the back of her dragons Roose and Ramsay Bolton The Boltons look set to continue their power-grab in the North Ramsay Bolton Iwan Rheon returns as possibly the most villainous character in the show's history Samwell Tarly and Gilly How much longer will Samwell survive after the death of Jon Snow? Yara Greyjoy Theon's sister returns - will she finally have some kind words for her brother after everything he's been through? Jaime Lannister Jaime transports Mrycella's body Cersei Lannister Expect a flashback to Cersei's imprisonment at the hand of the High Sparrow Missandei Jaime and Cersei Lannister HBO Sansa Stark Brienne of Tarth Melisandre Bran Stark Daenerys Targaryen Balon Greyjoy Tyrion Lannister HBO 2) Richard E Grants brief cameo Whats that? Light relief in an episode of Game of Thrones? The arrival of a theatre troupe brought a bit of knockout comedy to the latest episode that is, until the historical farce they were performing included the betrayal and murder of Ned Stark as one of its punchlines, all while Arya watched on in the audience. Maisie Williams played this superbly the haunted look on her face as she relived the trauma all over again, camped up for the amusement of an audience. It wasnt just Neds death that hit Arya hard she also got a hint of the things Sansa has been through since their father died. As Arya headed backstage to find out a way to kill one of the troupe (its all very Assassins Creed this, isnt it?), we saw Richard E Grant for a few seconds out of his Robert Baratheon costume giving a little self-aware line: There are no small parts. It was a brief appearance for now but it seems the troupe will be back when Arya continues her murderous mission. SPOILER ALERT- Game of Thrones stars tell us what to expect from season six 3) Euron Greyjoys ascension Things got interesting in House Greyjoy this week Theon stayed true to his word and backed Yara to become the Queen of the Iron Islands, but their psychopathic uncle Euron stepped in to claim the crown. Euron, youre on. Yara, youre out. After confessing to killing Balon, Euron made his plan clear he wants to team up with Daenerys Targaryen in Essos, and support her claim for the Iron Throne. Oh, and to murder Theron and Yara. You could almost see the regret on everyones face when they realised who theyd just put in power. Its hard to imagine Euron gaining Daenerys trust, so theres likely to be some kind of spectacular comeuppance along the way and for once its really exciting to think of how a Greyjoy plot is going to turn out. Bravo. Game of Thrones locations you can actually stay in: 1 /6 Game of Thrones locations you can actually stay in: A summerhouse North of Westeros, Iceland With Iceland representing the northern-most tip of Westeros, this summerhouse is perfectly located an hours drive from Reykjavik. Fans will recognise the Thingvellir National Park from Arya's storyline and as the setting for the battle of the Hound and Brienne, as this listing boasts 360 degree views of the park itself. 114 per night based on two guests. Book it here Dont slave away in Slavers Bay, Morocco This classic guesthouse offers the most spectacular views of Ait-Ben-Haddou in Morocco, the setting for Slavers Bay. Fans of the show will recognise the area from season three, where Daenerys Targaryen successfully led a military campaign with the goal of liberating the enslaved populace. From 16 per night based on four guests. Book it here Dorne of a great break in Seville, Spain Dorne is one of the lushest new locations featured in season five and was shot on location in Seville, Spain. The beautiful verdant courtyards and eye catching architecture runs through the whole city, including this lovely listing. From 61 per night based on three guests. Book it here Over the Wall in Galway, Ireland Built in the 1400s, this refurbished medieval castle is full of quirks, perfect to visit the realm of the wildlings who live beyond. With winding staircases and oak beams youll feel like a real member of the Nights Watch. From 95 per night based on two guests. Book it here Dwell in the Dalmatian Coast A short distance from the beach, and overlooking the beautiful Old Town, this listing acts as the real life backdrop of Kings Landing. Overlooking the island of Lokrum, you will be enchanted by the views and the history surrounding you as you purvey your kingdom. 18 per night based on one guest. Book it here 4) Ser Jorah got his groove back Loyal friend, or creepy stalker? Ser Jorah has always wavered somewhere between the two, desperate for the approval of his unrequited love Daenerys. This week he actually admitted his feelings, telling the Mother of Dragons that he was in love with her and also revealing that he was dying of stone-arm. Way to guilt trip, eh Jorah? It worked though, as hes now on a new mission from his beloved Khaleesi go and find a cure (there is one somewhere, right? Remember Shireens face), and return so that he can help her rule Westeros. Cute. / HBO 5) Hold the door. Holdthedoor. Holddoor. Hodor. Where do we even begin with this? Brans vision quests have been fascinating to watch in recent weeks, and they turned nightmarish and harrowing in The Door. Not only did we see that the Children of the Forest were responsible for the creation of the White Walkers, but Bran accidentally brought them (and the army of the dead) upon himself and the Three Eyed Raven it turns out those vision trips have some corporeality after all. The attack was terrifying. In fact, the Army of the Dead has to be one of the scariest screen armies in recent years the way they scrabble and claw and scuttle around, their zombie faces, their unrelenting sprint. As with last years nerve-shredding Hardhome episode, the final minutes here were properly panic-inducing. They stormed the Ravens cave with ease, and the Night King slayed the old man as he sat in his tree giving us a stunning shot in Brans vision as the Raven shattered into thousands of specks of inky blackness and drifted away into the air. Chilling stuff. Game of Thrones season 6 trailer And then there was Hodor. A few weeks ago, I wrote that we didnt really need to see an origin story for the gentle giant, but it turned out the one he received was far more upsetting and mysterious than we could have predicted. With just a wooden door separating Meera and a vision-tripping Bran from the army, she instructed Hodor to hold the door a message which echoed back through Brans vision to Wylis, whose eyed whited out as he spasmed on the floor. Its unclear exactly what happened, but the sight of the young Hodor jerking in the courtyard as his yells of hold the door contracted to hodor was one of the shows most unexpectedly harrowing scenes. There are still plenty of things to ask here did someone warg into Hodor, and if so who was it? but its hard to know if well ever find out. Things are looking bleak. Hodor is dead (he cant hold that door forever, and he was getting scratched to bits), as is Brans direwolf Summer (RIP), and the Three Eyed Raven. Meera and Bran have little hope of outrunning the army and without the old mans help we might never see the second half of the Tower of Joy flashback. So many questions, but there is one certainty: Game of Thrones is back on real top form. Sky Atlantic, 9pm FORT ROBINSON Working in an area where no machinery is allowed calls for teamwork. In the case of the Soldier Creek Wilderness, the team consists of four massive mules capable of moving almost a ton of materials at a time. To view cutlines, click the photos. The Rocky Mountain Regional Specialty Packstring was in the area last week, removing unwanted fencing from almost four miles into the 7,800-acre preserve. The team is led by Glenn Ryan, 66, of Shawnee, Colorado, with help from Jo Hodge, a Colorado State University intern, and Katherine Denune, an Ohio State University volunteer. The U.S. Forest Service manages two wilderness areas in Nebraska: Fort Niobrara and Solder Creek, which sits to the west of Fort Robinson and is often associated with the state-run park. The Soldier Creek drainage, designated as wilderness in 1986, once provided firewood and water for cavalry troops more than a century ago and forage for their horses. Its still popular with equestrians, who wander the primitive pathways that wander near the creeks two main forks upstream from where the roads ends at the wilderness boundary. The team used the parks corrals near the wilderness trailhead as a launching point for their project. Mike Watts, a resource specialist with the Forest Services Chadron office, said the woven fencing removed during the project will be replaced where necessary with wildlife-friendly four-strand barbed wire. The muscle of the team consists of mules Roz, Karla, Joey and Bruce. I named Bruce after a high school friend, Ryan said. He had a big nose too. Bearing draft-horse bloodlines and weighing more than a half-ton apiece, each mule can carry more than 200 pounds. The human component of the team leads the mules while mounted on horses, which help keep the powerful animals settled and under control. Most of them are Percheron-bred mules, Ryan said. We normally run mares with the mules because the mules will hook up to the mares more than the geldings. We take care of the mares, and the mules will stay with them. The mules are part of two U.S. Forest Service teams that provide specialty packing and educational outreach throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, which includes Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado and a large part of Wyoming. They often work in wilderness areas but also assist with a variety of other projects in national forests. Theyll haul timbers, fence posts and other gear to support Forest Service and volunteer trail crews working on bridges, fire watchtowers and other structures, pack gravel for trail maintenance, carry scientific equipment, haul garbage out of backcountry areas and even transport live fish to stock remote streams and lakes. The second mule string serves the Northern Region, which includes Montana, northern Idaho, North Dakota and part of South Dakota. Mules are a hybrid of a male donkey and a female horse. In addition to being strong and intelligent, they naturally carry more of their weight on their back legs than a horse, making them sure-footed while packing heavy loads. They were once commonly employed in Forest Service projects, when the workforce consisted mostly of cowboys, trappers and other outdoorsmen. Today they do the heavy lifting where chainsaws, bulldozers and backhoes arent allowed. But in many cases theyre also cheaper than using private contractors, Ryan said. Youre not supposed to bring any motorized equipment, and its supposed to be all primitive skills, he said. We work a lot of areas that arent wilderness. Were cheaper than a helicopter and much more efficient than a lot of people carrying stuff in. The team uses a long horse trailer to transport the mules, horses and gear, which includes specialized packsaddles, equipment bags called panniers, lumber racks and swivel bunks to carry loads into work sites. The equipment can be hard to find and is specially fitted to each animal to conform to its size and shape. The only thing we can control is our tack, and we run good tack, he said. The pack string started in 1990, part of the Forest Services mission statement regarding management of wilderness. It shut down for a few years but started up again in 2003. Ryan, 66, has been with the Forest Service since then, part of a 26-year career rounding up wild horses and doing horse-related tasks with various branches of the federal government. I went out and bought mules and horses to get it going again, he said. My whole career has been on horseback. Ive worked on ranches and at cowboying. His teams have carried more than 6,000 loads over that time. But theyre also used in training and clinics, classes on horsemanship and trail maintenance, and occasionally represent the Forest Service in fairs, parades and expos. We go to colleges to talk about jobs, he said. We use the mules as a way to draw people in. The strategy worked with Hodge and Denune, who help Ryan with caring for the horses and mules. Hodge, who describes herself as a military brat from family in Georgia and Kentucky, is a senior at Colorado State. Im from all over the place, she said. Im hoping to use my degrees in equine science and national resources to work somewhere in the park system. We get to see a lot of the country and we get to work with the animals. Its a lot of fun. Denune is an Ohio State junior majoring in ecology and Spanish. She volunteered last summer and returned this year as an intern. I really wanted to come back because its really unusual to find pack strings, she said. I really enjoy it. Its a unique opportunity. I want to work in conservation and I have a passion for horses. It takes about two hours at each end of a working day to set up and care for the team, making for 14- to 18-hour days. But they get to work in some of the nations most beautiful and unspoiled places. The vast majority of the time we never know where were going, Ryan said. It keeps it interesting. Many of these projects are in places where weve never been before. Its a mixed bag of stuff that we do, he added. If we werent doing them, a lot of our projects would never get done. This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. 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Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe Monday, 23 May 2016 15:34:52 (GMT+3) | Istanbul According to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), in March this year Turkey 's pre-painted galvanized iron (PPGI) exports amounted to 8,082 mt, rising by 105.2 percent compared to the previous month and down 16.7 percent year on year, while the revenue from these exports totaled $6.3 million, up 90.9 percent month on month and falling 28 percent compared to the same month of 2015. During the first three months of the current year, Turkey s PPGI exports decreased by 33 percent to 16,752 mt, while the revenue from these exports amounted to $13.3 million, down 41.5 percent, both year on year. Bulgaria was Turkey 's leading PPGI export destination in the January-March period, with imports of 2,476 mt of PPGI from Turkey . In the given period, Bulgaria was followed by Algeria and Libya, with Algerias PPGI imports from Turkey amounting to 1,950 mt, while Libya received 1,475 mt of PPGI from Turkey in this period. Turkey 's main PPGI export destinations in the January-March period: Monday, 23 May 2016 11:44:00 (GMT+3) | Istanbul SteelOrbis has been informed that Turkish producer Icdas' 12-32 mm rebar prices in Turkey's Marmara region are now at TRY 1,373/mt ($461/mt) + VAT ex-works, while its rebar prices in Biga, Canakkale in northwestern Turkey are at TRY 1,356/mt ($455/mt) + VAT ex-works. The mill's list prices have moved down by TRY 51/mt + VAT as compared to its previous price list issued on May 16, while due to currency fluctuations prices have decreased by $20/mt on US dollar basis. $1 = TRY 2.98 Monday, 23 May 2016 14:48:40 (GMT+3) | Istanbul According to market sources, Japanese offers to Vietnam for busheling scrap are currently at $270-280/mt CFR. Foreign Affairs Minister Lazar Comanescu participated in the Monday's meeting of Eastern Partnership ministers; in this context, the Romanian official insisted on a more comprehensive strategic approach to the Eastern Partnership and hailed the stress on its security dimension, the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) informed in a release to Agerpres. According to the MAE's document, the purpose of the meeting was to evaluate the progress of the implementation of the goals set at the Summit in Riga and the priority guidelines of further development of the relations between the European Union and its partner states. "The meeting focused on reasserting the mutual commitment of the EU and of its partners to keep promoting the Eastern Partnership as a strategic action means of the EU in its eastern neighbourhood, based on shared interests and commitments and on the support to reform processes in the partner states," the MAE mentioned. The source adds that progresses in the EU's relations with the partner states in the Eastern Partnership were hailed at the event. "Also, the importance of measures to increase the partners' resilience and of consolidating the connectivity (in energy and transportation), the human contacts and the mobility were emphasized, with stress on the liberalization of the visa regime for citizens of Georgia and Ukraine. A highlight was placed on the request of implementing the programmes agreed under the communication strategy for the Eastern Partnership, to support the goals of modernization and of stability promotion in the eastern neighbourhood," the release further reads. The MAE mentioned that minister Comanescu has reasserted the importance of continuing, on a EU level, the concrete projects with tangible results for the citizens of the most engaged partner states. He also insisted on the need of increased political attention to make the multilateral dimension of the Eastern Partnership more dynamic and more efficient. Ares Capital Corp., an investment company focused on mid-sized firms, is buying smaller rival American Capital Ltd. in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $3.4 billion to better fill the credit gap created as big banks turn cautious. The deal, which does not include American Capital's mortgage management unit, comes about five months after the Bethesda, Md.-based company said it would solicit offers. American Capital has been under fire from activist investor Elliott Management Corp. for its performance and its plan to spin off some assets into a business development company (BDC). Ares Capital said on Monday that it offered $6.41 per share and 0.483 of its share for each share of American Capital. American Capital Mortgage Management LLC will be sold separately to American Capital Agency Corp. for $562 million. "The growing demand for capital from middle market borrowers has created the need for flexible capital providers like us to fill the financing gap as banks continue to retrench from the market," Ares Capital co-Chairman Michael Arougheti said. Reuters reported in April, citing sources, that Ares Capital's parent Ares Management LP and Apollo Investment Corp were among the potential suitors for American Capital. Ares Capital and American Capital, which are among the biggest BDCs in the United States, had combined investments of more than $13 billion at fair value as of March 31. BDCs have been hit by highly competitive underwriting conditions and muted deal flow in middle market lending, affecting their share prices, portfolio yields and access to growth capital. In November, Elliott Management lobbied against American Capital's plan to spin off its BDC business to create a standalone asset manager, saying the plan "will put valuable assets at risk" and "serve to entrench management." Elliott Management held about 5.7 percent stake in American Capital as of May 6, according to Thomson Reuters data. Ares Capital shares were down 2 percent at $14.89 in early trading on Monday, while American Capital shares were up 2.4 percent at $16.00. Wells Fargo Securities and Bank of America Merrill Lynch are Ares Capital's financial advisers for the deal. Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse Securities LLC advised American Capital. Updated at 6:50 p.m. NEW YORK A U.S. appeals court on Monday threw out a jury's finding that Bank of America Corp was liable for mortgage fraud leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, voiding a $1.27 billion penalty and dealing the U.S. Department of Justice a major setback. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York found insufficient proof under federal fraud statutes to establish Bank of America's liability over a mortgage program called "Hustle" run by the former Countrywide Financial Corp. The Justice Department claimed Countrywide, which Bank of America bought in July 2008, defrauded government-sponsored mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by selling them thousands of toxic loans. But in a 3-0 decision, U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Wesley said the evidence at most showed that Countrywide breached contracts to sell investment-quality loans, and that there was no proof it intended any deception. "The trial evidence fails to demonstrate the contemporaneous fraudulent intent necessary to prove a scheme to defraud through contractual promises," Wesley wrote. Bank of America said it was pleased with the ruling. A spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, whose office pursued the case, had no immediate comment. The lawsuit was filed in 2012 following a whistleblower's complaint, and remains one of the biggest government enforcement cases to go to trial in connection with the U.S. housing meltdown and financial crisis. A federal jury had in 2013 found Bank of America and Rebecca Mairone, a former midlevel Countrywide executive, liable for fraudulently selling shoddy loans originated through its "High Speed Swim Lane" program, also called HSSL or "Hustle." The Justice Department said the program rewarded staff for generating more mortgages and emphasizing speed over quality, and resulted in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being lied to about the quality of loans they bought. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were seized by the government in September 2008 and remain in conservatorships. Following the verdict, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in 2014 imposed a $1.27 billion penalty on Bank of America and ordered Mairone to pay $1 million. Bank of America was sued under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, a law adopted after the 1980s savings and loan scandal targeting conduct "affecting" federally insured financial institutions. The Justice Department has relied on FIRREA for several financial crisis-linked cases in part because it provides 10 years from the time of the alleged fraud to bring cases. Joshua Rosenkranz, a lawyer for Mairone, called the case "a massive government overreach," and said Monday's decision could have ramifications for other mortgage-related enforcement actions against banks. But he said the decision was also narrow because it did not address a closely watched issue over whether the government could sue a bank under FIRREA for conduct "affecting" itself. No appeals court has addressed that issue, which has emerged in other cases against banks. The case is U.S. v. Countrywide Home Loans Inc et at, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-496. Eureka is the winner of a "spectacular Fourth of July celebration" in this year's Red, White and You contest, sponsored by the Destination America channel and USA Today. The competition, which attracted 6,400 entries, seeks a community deserving of a big Independence Day party. The text of the announcement notes that Eureka "is still recovering from historic flooding that submerged the downtown business district on Dec. 29, 2015." At the time, "Residents banded together to help their neighbors and local small businesses bounce back, and over Fourth of July weekend will celebrate the resilient community that still stands 'Eureka Strong!' ... with an over-the-top patriotic party." Reading Eurekas moving contest submission was truly a eureka moment for us when we learned how residents came to each others aid like one big family to rebuild their beloved town, said Jane Latman, general manager of Destination America. "Red, White and You is all about timeless American tradition, celebrating the qualities that make each hometown unique, and creating life-long memories with family and neighbors all things that Eureka embraces now more than ever, making it truly deserving of the grand prize celebration. Eureka Mayor Kevin Coffey is quoted as saying: Recent challenges have brought to the forefront the strength and character of our wonderful community and families. Eureka truly represents the pride and principles of the American Spirit. We are honored to be chosen as this years winner. This Fourth of July, the city of Eureka will have a top-notch fireworks display thanks to winning a contest that pitted more than 6,400 U.S. cities. USA Today newspaper and Destination America television channel announced Monday that Eureka won of the fourth annual "Red, White and You" contest, which pays for an "over-the-top patriotic party" on Independence Day. The suburban southwest St. Louis County community was hard-hit by floodwaters on Dec. 29, a flood that caused extensive damage in the downtown business district and many nearby homes. Tony Colona of Eureka was the person who nominated his hometown, pointing out how much the community pulled together after the flood. Eureka Mayor Kevin Coffey praised his community by saying the flood revealed "the strength and character of our wonderful community and families. Eureka truly represents the pride and principles of the American spirit." Save on charcoal and sauce this Memorial Day, as Iron Barley's 8th Annual Memorial Day Rib-Off provides the holiday pork. Sampling begins at noon; live music and local craft beers also will be featured. The event will be held on the closed street in front of Iron Barley, the 5500 block of Virginia Avenue. For a $25 donation, revelers can sample ribs from an expected 15 teams in the competition. (Yours truly will be one of the judges.) All proceeds go to the Lift For Life Gym, which served more than 400 young people and served more than 10,000 meals in 2015. Tom and Jen Coghill of Iron Barley and their barbecue competition team, Pork Assassins, will compete. Also vying for the prizes will be PM BBQ, Bootleggin' BBQ, Pooh's Corner, Keeton's Double Play, Colorado Bob's, The Famous Bar, Highway 61 Roadhouse and several amateur teams. ST. LOUIS The lawyer for a former city police officer charged with first-degree murder said Monday he will seek a bail reduction as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the police union added to criticism already lodged against Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce over the case. The defendant, Jason Stockley, appeared in a video link from jail Monday morning to plead not guilty in an arraignment before Associate Judge Calea Stovall-Reid. We entered a plea of still not guilty, defense lawyer Neil Bruntrager commented after the proceeding. He said it probably will be May 31 before he can get a hearing on a motion asking Circuit Judge Michael Mullen to reconsider his order that Stockley be held without bail. About two hours after the hearing, the St. Louis Police Officers Association announced that its executive board voted unanimously to declare it has no confidence in Joyce to prosecute the case fairly. The union had already called Friday for a special prosecutor. The unions leaders said the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police joined in the symbolic vote. On Thursday, activists stood with the mother of Anthony Lamar Smith, the man Stockley killed in 2011, demanding that U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch handle the case because they feel that Joyce cannot be trusted after waiting more than four years to file charges. Joyce has announced she will not be seeking re-election. Police union president Joseph Steiger said that leaves her an easy out should a jury not convict Stockley. She can wipe her hands clean of this and say, I tried, but its not on her, he said. A spokeswoman for Joyce declined to add Monday to her response to complaints last week. The prosecutor said then she is doing her duty based on evidence as it became available. In a statement Friday, Joyce said, in part, that if activists and the officers union were both unhappy, I must be doing something right. Stockley was arrested at home in Houston on May 16 and moved from Texas after waiving his right to an extradition process. Bruntrager said his client has shown that he is not a flight risk, in part by being fully cooperative in at least three interviews with the FBI after he fatally shot Smith on Dec. 20, 2011. Federal and police investigators examined the case, in which Stockley said he fired in self-defense after an attempt to arrest Smith turned into a chase and a car crash. A gun and heroin were found in Smiths car. Joyce did not detail what new evidence prompted her to file charges a week ago. She has said there is DNA evidence that the police department did not tell her office about until this year. U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan, whose office had examined the shooting for possible federal charges but passed, said Monday he met with Joyce last week to review the new evidence. He said his office received a DNA report in February 2012, but that Joyces office has a later one of which neither his office nor the FBI was aware. Asked about its significance to a possible federal case, Callahan said, It would have made a close call closer. He added, I cant say that it would have changed our charging decision, but at this point, we are at least exploring why we didnt get that report. Dan Isom, who was city police chief when the shooting occurred, said Monday that both DNA reports showed only Stockleys DNA on the gun taken from Smiths car. He could not say when the second report was completed nor who received it. It still shows the same thing, the victims DNA was not on the gun, so whats the difference? Isom asked. Activists have raised questions of whether Stockley planted the gun. The Police Officers Association has complained of a Ferguson effect political bias in prosecution of police. Its business manager, Jeff Roorda, said Monday: When officers see wrongful prosecutions of their fellow officers, the effect can be a reluctance to do their jobs, and the people who suffer from it the most are the folks living in the worst neighborhoods. Roorda accused Joyce of favoring vanity prosecutions which garner media attention. Callahan said he is not a fan of using special prosecutors in a high-profile cases. I am a man of faith when it comes to the criminal justice system and I believe that locally elected prosecutors are best situated to handle matters that occur within their jurisdiction, he said. And I also believe that a local prosecutor handling these matters means greater accountability to the community in the long run. ST. LOUIS Brandi Hill had a 9-month-old daughter, a hot car and a heart full of hope. I want to be loved, the 21-year-old wrote on Facebook recently. I want a happy family I want all the good stuff. But her short life was taken Sunday night in an apparent carjacking on Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis. Hill, of OFallon, Mo., had written on Facebook about meeting friends in Fairground Park. Hours later, about 10:30 p.m., she was driving her red 2015 Dodge Challenger east on Washington with her daughter and a friend, who is pregnant. Police said the car was stopped in traffic for a signal near 11th Street when two men walking west approached and demanded the car keys. They dragged the passenger out through the right side door, police said, then shot Hill before one of them drove a short distance to 11th Street and dumped her out. The second robber climbed in through the passenger side window. They drove away, with the baby girl still inside. Hill, left wounded in the middle of Washington, died at a hospital. Her friend was reported to be in stable condition at a hospital. The baby, named Izzy, was later found unharmed at 22nd and Angelica streets, a few blocks east of Fairground Park. Police said the child had been tossed out, still in her car seat, and was found by a neighbor on the block. She is now in the care of relatives. Police were searching Monday for the shooter and his accomplice. They provided no description of either man but did post a video they said shows the carjackers. Police found the Challenger abandoned in an alley in the rear of the 1400 block of Bremen Avenue. Hills passenger was at the scene on Washington when police arrived but was distraught and could not immediately provide a clear picture of what happened, said Police Chief Sam Dotson. She was placed on a stretcher and taken to a hospital. Dotson said police officers had been within a block of Hill when she was shot. Hill lived with her mother and sister in a two-story brick house on a picturesque suburban block in OFallon. Neighbors described the family as friendly and quiet, and expressed shock at Hills death. Hill attended Fort Zumwalt West High School for three years before transferring to Fort Zumwalt South for her senior year about two years ago, said West Principal Neil Berry. Brandi was a really sweet girl, Berry said Monday. She ran track and she had a lot of friends here, and when she transferred to South, she had friends in both places. She would frequently come back to visit and show off her daughter, Berry said. She was just really bubbly and friendly, and the staff loved her. I knew Brandi well; this is very sad. Ashley Jost of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. EDITORS NOTE: An earlier version of this story gave incorrect information about where the child was dropped off. Part-time faculty working in St. Louis Universitys College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences have voted to form a union. Out of 156 eligible voters, 89 voted in favor of forming a union, while 28 voted against. The vote is the latest victory in a nationwide push by unions looking to represent part-time instructors, also known as adjuncts. Unions have found Missouri, and specifically the St. Louis area, particularly ripe for their efforts. Since 2014, adjunct faculty have voted to form unions at Washington University, St. Charles Community College and St. Louis Community College. At the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduate assistants students pursuing advanced degrees, who also teach courses, grade papers and conduct research also voted recently to unionize. Tenured faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are currently pushing for a union vote. So far, the lone setback in the areas unionization push came in May 2015, when adjunct faculty at Webster University voted against unionizing. With the exception of the vote at Mizzou, the Service Employees International Union has been driving unionization efforts in the area and around the country. Adjuncts are pushing for higher wages, access to health benefits and greater job security. On average they make less than $30,000 a year. The vote at SLU was especially gratifying for Jameson Ramirez. Currently, he makes $3,200 per course teaching in the universitys department of sociology and anthropology. Married and with two young children, Ramirez, 31, also teaches courses at Ranken Technical College and Greenville College in Illinois to make ends meet. Ramirez, like other adjuncts has an advanced degree and dreams of getting a job somewhere as a full-time college professor. The problem for many in his situation is that colleges have little incentive to offer full-time work When they can find qualified adjuncts to teach at sharply reduced costs. Industry watchers say adjuncts now make up as much as 76 percent of the faculty teaching in U.S. colleges and universities. For adjuncts, it means not knowing whether they will have a job beyond the current semester, and paying for health and other benefits on the private market. Its a daily struggle, Ramirez said, explaining that he drives as much as six hours per week and allots a significant chunk of his income to pay for gas. Leonard Perez, an administrator with the National Labor Relations Board, said SLU can either accept the vote tally and begin negotiating a union contract or challenge the voting results by filing an objection within seven days. In a message sent out to SLU faculty, staff and students Monday afternoon, university President Fred P. Pestello indicated that the school is ready to negotiate. Now that the ballots have been opened and counted, I anticipate that the NLRB will certify the election results shortly after Memorial Day, he wrote. After this occurs, SEIU-Local 1 and the University will begin the bargaining process. I can assure you that we will approach negotiations with SEIU-Local 1 in good faith, he added. JEFFERSON CITY Voters will decide the fate of a constitutional amendment requiring Missouri residents to show photo identification at the polls in the November election. In action Monday, Gov. Jay Nixon set the Nov. 8 general election as the date for the ballot measure that was approved by lawmakers during the recently completed legislative session. The move was expected after the Democratic chief executive told reporters on May 13 that he disagreed with the concept of placing additional requirements on Missourians to vote. But, he said, putting it on the general election ballot, rather than the August primary ballot, would give more voters a chance to weigh in. If were going to talk about changing in the Constitution about how people can vote then my initial reaction Ive not made a decision but my initial deferral position is, how can we do this in a way to give the most people the chance for their voices to be heard, Nixon said at the time. The proposed constitutional amendment would set up a system for requiring voters to show a photo ID when they go to the polls to cast their votes. Republicans say the plan would target voter fraud. Democrats fought the measure for months and won some concessions. The proposed language calls for allowing those who lack a photo ID to sign a document swearing, under penalty of perjury, that they dont have one. They would then be allowed to vote. During his annual post-session press conference, Nixon outlined his opposition. Everybody knows that I think you should make it easier for people to vote, and I just have a hard time with people thinking youre going to move a democracy forward by making it more difficult for people vote, especially people who dont drive, he said. Missouri is just the latest state to attempt impose tougher voting regulations on citizens. Republican lawmakers and governors in a number of states have moved to change state law to require photo IDs at polling places. Legal challenges to those changes are underway in Wisconsin, North Carolina and elsewhere. I can assure you the only thing Spire cares about is profits over people. Their executives sat in silence and stared at us as we told them if they raised their rates again, people would suffer. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy LONDON MARKET MIDDAY: Pound rises as Sunak promises to fix "mistakes" Tuesday, October 25, 2022 - 12:35 The pound was finding support, but stocks in London were mixed at midday on Tuesday, as Rishi Sunak took over as UK prime minister. Sunak warned the nation is facing a "profound economic crisis" as he pledged to fix the "mistakes" of Liz Truss's leadership. The freshly minted Conservative leader braced the nation for "difficult decisions to come" as he made his first speech after meeting the King. AJ Bell financial analyst Danni Hewson said the main concern for financial markets is whether or not Sunak will keep Jeremy Hunt as chancellor. "Not to do so could unsettle investors who are eagerly awaiting the October 31 announcement of fiscal plans and don't need anything else to spook them before that." Sterling traded at $1.1335 midday Tuesday in London, up from $1.1295 at the London equities close on Monday. The FTSE 100 index was down 36.59 points, or 0.5%, at 6,977.53. The mid-cap FTSE 250 was up 67.75 points, or 0.4%, at 17,405.30, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.39 points, or 0.3%, at 789.94. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 697.20, the Cboe UK 250 up 0.3% at 14,852.155, and the Cboe Small Companies flat at 12,227.55. In European equities on Tuesday, the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.3% but the DAX 40 in Frankfurt was 0.8% lower. Germany's stock benchmark was being hit by a 7.0% drop in shares of Linde. On Monday, the industrial gases and engineering company approved a proposal to delist its shares. Covestro was 5.8% lower, also hitting the DAX 40, as it shared results of a bruising third quarter, and narrowed annual guidance towards the low end of previous ranges. UBS was 4.7% higher in Zurich. The Swiss bank reported a drop in revenue and profit, as it continues to battle against high inflation and tight labour markets. In the three months to September 30, UBS recorded net profit of $1.74 billion, down 24% from $2.29 billion year-on-year. Net interest income was down to $1.60 billion from $1.69 billion, while net fee & commission income dropped 20% year-on-year to $4.48 billion from $5.61 billion. Total revenue was 9.6% lower at $8.24 billion compared to $9.12 billion. In London, HSBC continued to be an anchor around the neck of the FTSE 100 on Tuesday, its shares losing 7.3% as investors digested a decline in profit and revenue in the third quarter, as well as the appointment of a new chief financial officer. In the three months that ended September 30, HSBC reported pretax profit of $3.15 billion, down 42% from $5.40 billion a year before. Revenue decreased by 3.2% to $11.62 billion from $12.01 billion. "We maintained our strong momentum in the third quarter and delivered a good set of results. Our strategy produced good organic growth in all three global businesses, and net interest income increased on the back of rising interest rates. We retained a tight grip on costs, despite inflationary pressures, and remain on track to achieve our cost targets for 2022 and 2023," Chief Executive Noel Quinn said. HSBC said it has appointed Georges Elhedery as its new chief financial officer, effective from January 1. Previously, Elhedery was co-CEO of HSBC's Global Banking & Markets division, before taking a six-month sabbatical. THG shares surged 16% higher. The e-commerce retailer reported revenue growth in the third quarter, boosted by its Beauty and Nutrition units, which offset a steep decline in OnDemand. The E-commerce retailer said its total revenue increased 2.1% in the third quarter to 518.6 million from 507.8 million. Looking ahead, Chief Executive Officer & Founder Matthew Moulding said that the fourth quarter has started positively. "We are well positioned from a logistics and supply perspective to meet the significant uplift in demand anticipated during the cyber period, whilst continuing to deliver a high-quality customer experience," he said. THG last week Monday announced that Moulding, as well as THG cornerstone investor Qatar Holding, bought up SoftBank's entire stake in the firm. THG said SoftBank sold 80.6 million shares for 31.4 million in total. Those THG shares had been worth some 480 million back in May 2021. Analysts at Liberum were unconvinced that THG will achieve its annual guidance and kept the stock at 'hold'. "We struggle to see upside as there remain downside risks to 2022 estimate guidance, delivery of Ingenuity Commerce promise is uncertain, outlook for next year is clouded, and the group is back in debt." Fellow retailers B&M European Value Retail, Kingfisher and JD Sports were up 2.3%, 0.8% and 1.1%, respectively. On AIM, Scancell jumped 26% after it announced a licensing agreement with biotechnology company Genmab. Copenhagen-based Genmab now has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialise one of Scancell's investigational anti-glycan monoclonal antibody into novel therapeutic products. Scancell will be eligible for upfront payments, milestone payments of up to $208 million for each product developed and commercialised up to a maximum of $624 million, and "low single digit" royalties for products sold. In New York, stocks were called for a weak open after Monday's strong session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were both called 0.4% lower, while the Nasdaq Composite pointed down 0.2%. The three indices closed up 0.9% to 1.3% on Monday. The focus on Tuesday will be quarterly figures from tech giants Alphabet and Microsoft after the US closing bell. Lower-than-expected sales by the pair could increase fear of a global recession. The euro traded at $0.9860 midday Tuesday, lower from $0.9877 late Monday. Against the yen, the dollar was quoted at JP148.95, firm versus JP148.82. Gold was quoted at $1,640.10 an ounce midday Tuesday, down from $1,648.76 on Monday evening in London. Brent oil was trading at $90.11 a barrel, down from $90.88 late Monday. Still to come Tuesday, there is a US consumer confidence reading at 1400 BST. Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. 13 June 2016 UK-Made Cluster Bombs Used in Yemen Update 9 June 2016 In answer to Parliamentary questions, the UK Minister of Defence Procurement Philip Dunne and the UK Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon both claimed, despite clear evidence to the contrary, that no UK-supplied cluster munitions had been used in the current conflict in Yemen. Amnesty International published a detailed additional briefing on research findings, sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Defence requesting clarification, and briefed the All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group. On 8 June, the House of Commons debated the issue of "Human Rights and Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia", including the evidence of use of cluster munitions. The Cluster Munition Coalition calls on the United Kingdom to recognize that cluster munitions have been used in Yemen, including cluster munitions manufactured in the UK in the 1970s. The UK should condemn the use of cluster munitions. It must also explain the measures it is taking to "make its best efforts to discourage" the armed coalition led by Saudi Arabia from using cluster munitions, as required by Article 21 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, to which the UK is a State Party. **** Original post 23 May 2016 On 23 May 2016 Amnesty International released the findings of a recent mission to Yemen, confirming that cluster munitions made in the United Kingdom were used by the armed coalition led by Saudi Arabia. The United Kingdom (UK) is a State Party to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. It produced, exported, imported, and used cluster munitions prior to joining the convention. According to Amnesty International's press release: "coalition forces have used UK-manufactured BL-755 cluster munitions in Yemen. The BL-755 was manufactured by Hunting Engineering Ltd in the 1970s. This variant, designed to be dropped from the UK Tornado fighter jet, contains 147 submunitions designed to penetrate 250mm of armour while at the same time breaking into more than 2,000 fragments which act as an anti-personnel weapon. The weapon is known to be in the stockpiles of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates." "The human impact we currently see in Yemen of cluster munitions that were produced some 50 years ago underscores the importance of stockpile destruction, to prevent all future use of these indiscriminate weapons," said Megan Burke, Director of the Cluster Munition Coalition. A BL-755 cluster munition identified in Yemen. Copyright Amnesty International The weapon was located in Hayran, in a storage location where the Yemen Mine Action Center (YEMAC) stores unexploded ordnance it has collected. "Around a dozen bomblets were still inside in the crushed remains of the bomb casing and YEMAC had stored another 70 or so bomblets in the same facility indicating that 80 or so bomblets, more than half, failed to detonate," noted Amnesty International. As reported by the Cluster Munition Monitor, cluster munitions produced by the UK before it joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions were exported to, or otherwise finally possessed by, some 21 states. Ten of those weapon-importing states have now renounced these indiscriminate weapons by joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have not. The UK has condemned recent instances of use of cluster munitions (such as in Ukraine, Sudan, and Syria among others), but has not commented publicly on the use of cluster munitions in Yemen. The Cluster Munition Coalition is concerned at a lack of consistency in the UK's approach to how states that are part of the Convention on Cluster Munitions collectively respond to new use of cluster munitions. At the First Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2015, the UK was one of four states that expressed a reservation with the Dubrovnik Declaration that "condemn[ed] any use of cluster munitions by any actor." The UK, as a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, has an obligation to "promote the norms it establishes" and to "discourage states not party from using cluster munitions" (Article 21), including in Yemen. The Cluster Munition Coalition has repeatedly called on the Saudi-led armed coalition to stop using cluster bombs. All states that form the armed coalition should join the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Related news: US Suspends Cluster Munitions Sales to Saudi Arabia, Cluster Munition Coalition, 1 June 2016 Stop Cluster Munition Use in Yemen, Cluster Munition Coalition, 23 March 2016 Yemen: Embargo Arms to Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch, 21 March 2016 Timeline of Cluster Munition Use in Yemen, Cluster Munition Coalition Glen Burley, Chief Executive and Director of Nursing Helen Lancaster with the Top 40 hospitals certificate FOR the seventh successive year South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) has been named as a Top 40 Hospital. CHKS, a leading provider of healthcare intelligence has identified the SWFT as one of the top performing trusts in the UK following analysis of publicly available data. Organisations are evaluated by looking at 22 indicators of clinical effectiveness, health outcomes, efficiency, patient experience and quality of care. CHKS state that top hospitals perform better, a claim supported by statistics for a number of key indicators such as length of hospital stay and rates of mortality and emergency readmission to hospital. Chief Executive Glen Burley said: Were very pleased to be identified as a Top 40 hospital. In determining the best performing trusts CHKS use a wide range of data and this shows the result of all the hard work carried out by our staff to deliver safe, effective, compassionate care. I feel it is important to note that in addition to the Trusts acute hospitals, our successful integration with community services is crucial to our performance. This whole system approach relies on our close working relationship with local GPs and health and social care partner organisations. Improving the health and well-being of the local community is very much a team effort. This fantastic achievement is further evidence of the Trusts status as one of the countrys best healthcare providers. This year their NHS Staff Survey results placed them in the top 20% nationally and Warwick Hospitals Accident and Emergency department was rated as one of the top five performing in an NHS England report. In response to further market speculation and stakeholder inquiries, Bayer is publicly disclosing the contents of its private proposal to acquire Monsanto. Bayer has made an all-cash offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) for USD 122 per share or an aggregate value of USD 62 billion. This offer, based on Bayers written proposal to Monsanto dated May 10, 2016, represents a substantial premium of: - 37 percent over Monsantos closing share price of USD 89.03 on May 9, 2016 - 36 percent over the three-month volume weighted average share price - 33 percent over the six-month volume weighted average share price - Last twelve months EBITDA multiple of 15.8x as of February 29, 2016 The acquisition of Monsanto would be a compelling opportunity to create a global agriculture leader, while reinforcing Bayer as a Life Science company with a deepened position in a long-term growth industry. The combination is expected to provide Bayers shareholders with accretion to core EPS by a mid-single-digit percentage in the first full year after closing and a double-digit percentage thereafter. Initially, Bayer expects annual earnings contributions from total synergies of approximately USD 1.5 billion after year three plus additional integrated offer benefits in future years. We have long respected Monsantos business and share their vision to create an integrated business that we believe is capable of generating substantial value for both companies shareholders, said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. Together we would draw on the collective expertise of both companies to build a leading agriculture player with exceptional innovation capabilities to the benefit of farmers, consumers, our employees and the communities in which we operate. This transaction would bring together leading Seeds & Traits, Crop Protection, Biologics, and Digital Farming platforms. Specifically, the combined business would benefit from Monsantos leadership in Seeds & Traits and Bayers broad Crop Protection product line across a comprehensive range of indications and crops. The combination would also be truly complementary from a geographic perspective, significantly expanding Bayers long-standing presence in the Americas and its position in Europe and Asia/Pacific. Customers of both companies would benefit from the broad product portfolio and the deep R&D pipeline. Bayer is committed to enabling farmers to sustainably produce enough healthy, safe and affordable food capable of feeding the worlds growing population, said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and head of the Crop Science Division. Faced with the complex challenge of operating in a resource-constrained world with increasing climate volatility, there is a clear need for more innovative solutions that advance the next generation of farming. By supporting farmers of all sizes on every continent, the combined business would be positioned as the partner of choice for truly integrated, superior solutions. Under the proposed transaction, the combined business would provide attractive opportunities for the employees of both companies and have its global Seeds & Traits and North American commercial headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, its global Crop Protection and divisional Crop Science headquarters in Monheim, Germany, and an important presence in Durham, North Carolina, as well as many other locations throughout the U.S. and around the world. Digital Farming for the combined business would be based near San Francisco, California. Bayer is highly confident in its ability to finance the transaction based on advanced discussions with and support from its financing banks, BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse. The offer is not subject to a financing condition. Bayer intends to finance the transaction with a combination of debt and equity. The expected equity portion represents approximately 25 percent of the transactions enterprise value and is expected to be raised primarily via a rights offering. The strong cash flow generation of the combined business as well as Bayers track record of disciplined deleveraging after large acquisitions would enable rapid deleveraging post-acquisition. This is in line with Bayers target of an investment-grade rating immediately after closing of the transaction and its commitment to the single A credit rating category in the long term. Bayer has a successful track record of working with global authorities to secure the necessary regulatory approvals and has extensive experience integrating acquisitions from a business, geographic, and cultural perspective. Bayers Board of Management and Supervisory Board unanimously approved the proposal and are fully committed to pursuing the transaction. Bayer is prepared to proceed immediately to due diligence and negotiations and to quickly agree to a transaction. The transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions. BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse are acting as lead financial advisors to Bayer and support the financing of the transaction; Rothschild has been retained as an additional financial advisor to Bayer. Bayers legal advisors are Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (M&A) and Allen & Overy LLP (Financing). Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) was one of eight companies awarded an engineering services contract for the Advanced Technology Support Program IV (ATSP4). The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract has a total potential value of $7.2 billion and will be carried out over the next ten years. The ATSP4 program is contracted by the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) in McClellan, California and is designed to enable quick react contracting to facilitate technology transformation in Department of Defense systems. Northrop Grumman has been awarded contracts for previous iterations of this program since 1999. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman may undertake tasks ranging from trade studies, technology development and upgrades, to developing advanced technology solutions for new and existing DOD weapon systems. Other capabilities included in the contract are design, fabrication, assembly, testing, integration, prototyping and limited systems production. "We are proud to receive the Advanced Technology Support Program IV contract and continue our strong relationship with DMEA," said Howard Lurie, vice president, program management, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "The ability to streamline the contracting approach and provide rapid access to Northrop Grumman's advanced technologies and engineering services are of great value to our customers." Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) announced that it plans to spin off its Imaging Components business as a new, stand-alone public company via a tax-free distribution to Varian stockholders in a transaction anticipated to be completed by the end of calendar year 2016. "The spin-off will create two strong, independent companies," said Dow Wilson, CEO of Varian Medical Systems. "It will enable Varian to focus on expanding its position as a global cancer company with leading technology and services. It will empower the new company to grow as a global leader in components, software and services for expanded imaging applications and markets." "By executing this transaction, we will give two fundamentally different businesses independence to optimize their strategies and operations to enhance their growth," Wilson added. "The objectives and growth strategies of our imaging components and oncology businesses are now taking them in different directions. We believe making these businesses independent will give each of them more freedom to invest in and pursue new growth strategies in their unique core markets. This should sharpen the focus of each business and align their employee incentives and performance more closely with serving the specific needs of their respective markets. Investors should get greater transparency and understanding of each of these businesses." New Imaging Components CompanyVarian Imaging Components is a high-volume manufacturer of X-ray tubes, flat panel detectors, connectors and accessories for imaging as well as a supplier of workstations and software for computer-aided diagnostics and image processing. When completed, the spin-off would establish the new company as a leading global supplier of components, software and engineering services for imaging equipment manufacturers and system integrators in the medical diagnostics, dentistry, veterinary care, security and industrial inspection industries. "This business will be able to capitalize on trends in digital imaging and build a larger presence in security and industrial applications," Wilson said. "The new company will be able to leverage its world-renowned X-ray engineering team to work with equipment manufacturers and system integrators to develop new, next-generation imaging systems." The new imaging components company is expected to have annual revenues of about $575 million and has approximately 1,300 employees around the world. It is expected that the new company's management team will include Sunny Sanyal, president of Varian Imaging Components, as the new Chief Executive Officer, and Clarence Verhoef, Varian Controller, as Chief Financial Officer. Additional details regarding the name, structure, leadership and financial operations of the new company will be disclosed at a later time. Varian Medical Systems Upon completion of the transaction, Varian will concentrate on providing systems for treating and managing cancer, with distinct businesses in radiation oncology and proton therapy. These businesses will provide hospitals, clinics and healthcare systems around the world with equipment, software and services for radiotherapy, radiosurgery, brachytherapy and proton therapy. "We have been a cancer-fighting company for a long time and this opens the door to expanding our portfolio with additional technologies and tools for making treatment of cancer more effective, affordable and accessible for patients around the world," said Wilson. Varian will continue to operate as one of the world's largest medical device companies focused on cancer treatment, with approximately $2.5 billion in annual revenues and more than 6,000 employees around the globe. Previous Spin-Off Success Varian Medical Systems emerged from a successful spin-off in 1999 when the company spun off Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. and Varian, Inc., each of which was subsequently acquired. Since then, Varian Medical Systems' annual revenues have grown from less than $600 million to more than $3 billion today with significant improvements in profitability. "The previous spin-offs created tremendous value, and we believe our next spin-off has the potential to do the same," said Wilson. "Both Varian and the new company are committed to continuing to provide their customers with great products and services while delivering strong commercial results through operational excellence both during and after the transition." Transaction Details The transaction is intended to take the form of a tax-free distribution to Varian stockholders of publicly traded shares of the new company's common stock. The planned spin-off will be subject to numerous conditions, including final approval by the Varian Board of Directors, effectiveness of a Registration Statement on Form 10 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and receipt of an opinion of counsel regarding the federal income tax treatment of the spin-off. Varian expects to incur an estimated $35 million in charges for transaction advisory services, assuming the spin-off is completed by the end of the calendar year. The company does not expect the spin-off to impact the company's non-GAAP financial guidance for fiscal year 2016. There can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the proposed transaction or that the transaction will be completed. JP Morgan and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz are acting as advisors to Varian in connection with the transaction. Investor Conference Call Varian Medical Systems will conduct a call with investors beginning at 2 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time today. To access the call via telephone in the U.S., dial 1-877-869-3847. From outside the U.S., dial 1-201-689-8261. To hear a live webcast or replay of the call, visit the investor relations page on the company's web site at www.varian.com/investor. The replay also can be accessed by telephone by dialing 1-877-660-6853 in the U.S or by dialing 1-201-612-7415 from outside the U.S. The conference code for the telephone replay is 13637458. The teleconference will be rebroadcast until 8:00 p.m. EDT, Friday, May 27, 2016. It will be archived on the website for a year. A woman hands out leaflets campaigning to stay in Europe for the BREXIT vote in London, Britain, May 20, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs (Reuters) - The "Remain" camp holds a 13-point lead over "Leave" rivals in Britain's EU referendum campaign, after winning support for the first time from a majority of men, those aged over 65 and Conservative voters, according to a poll from ORB published in Tuesday's edition of the Telegraph newspaper. The poll found that among those who definitely plan to vote, support for remaining in the union stood at 55 percent, while that for Brexit was at 42 percent. The three voter groups of men, older people and Tory supporters had all favored leaving the European Union when they were surveyed in March, the newspaper said, but a majority of each now backed "Remain". Pensioners, previously considered to be the most reliable Brexit supporters, now narrowly favored staying in the union the survey found, with 52 percent of the over-65s intending to vote to "Remain" and 44 percent backing "Leave". Britons will vote on June 23 on whether to remain in the 28-member bloc. ORB has been polling 800 voters by telephone for the Telegraph in a series of polls since March. It has said the data has been weighted to be demographically and politically representative of Britain. (Reporting by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru and Paul Sandle in London; Editing by John Stonestreet and Peter Cooney) Monsanto is displayed on a screen where the stock is traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S. on May 9, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo By Simon Jessop and Ludwig Burger LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Bayer's takeover approach for U.S. rival Monsanto (NYSE: MON) triggered an investor backlash on Friday, with one of the German pesticides and drugs company's major shareholders calling it "arrogant empire-building". Investors are nursing losses after an 8.2 percent fall in Bayer's share price following news of its bid, which John Bennett of Henderson Global Investors, described as an "immediate destruction" of shareholder value. U.S. seeds group Monsanto on Thursday said Bayer, led by recently appointed Chief Executive Werner Baumann, had made an unsolicited takeover proposal to create the world's biggest agricultural supplier. Bennett, in emailed comments to Reuters, said he was furious that Bayer had not engaged with him over the approach. He said that the "fine work" of Baumann's predecessor Marijn Dekkers had been "ripped up". A Bayer spokesman declined to comment, pointing only to the company's statement on Thursday that it would make further statements as appropriate. As CEO, Dekkers had initiated a separation of Bayer's foam chemicals and transparent plastics business, Covestro, focusing Bayer on human, animal and plant health. "I had hoped that the days of such arrogant empire-building and ignorance of the actual owners of the business were at an end," Bennett said. Bennett's comments mark the most scathing attack yet on Bayer in a chorus of investor discontent mainly over the sheer size of the proposed deal. Frankfurt-based Union Investment fund manager Markus Manns said he was skeptical of the merits of the takeover, in a telephone interview with Reuters on Friday. While he saw strategic value in adding a large seeds business to Bayer's crop chemicals unit, the size of the deal would stretch Bayer's finances too much, he said. "With a presumptive premium of 30 to 40 percent it would be quite a chunk," Manns said, when based on Monsanto's share price of about $90 before there was speculation about a bid. His comments echo those of UBS GAM fund manager Maximillian Anderl on Thursday, who said he would prefer to see a joint venture or nil-premium merger. Berenberg analyst Alistair Campbell said Bayer's share price slump could hit the profit per share of the combined group as more Bayer shares would be needed to satisfy Monsanto investors in a share and cash deal. The dilutive effect could be up to 10 percent by 2020, depending on deal terms, he said. "We have struggled to find investors who favor this transaction," Campbell said. Bayer shares rebounded somewhat on Friday and closed 1.2 percent higher. Sources have said Bayer proposed to pay Monsanto shareholders with cash and stock, though the exact terms of any bid remained unclear. Bayer would also risk neglecting its successful core business of pharmaceuticals, driven by sales of stroke prevention pill Xarelto and anti-blindness drug Eylea, and alienate its healthcare-focused investors and analysts. "Bayer's pharma business is in excellent health today, but the clock is ticking regarding rebuilding its pipeline and recent newsflow has been disappointing," Campbell said. In April, Bayer stopped targeting chronic heart failure as a possible market opportunity for finerenone, an experimental diabetic kidney disease treatment, considered as one of the most promising drugs in its development pipeline. "After a Monsanto deal it can largely be ruled out for Bayer to retain the financial flexibility over the next two to three years for acquisitions in the pharma market," Union Investment's Manns said. (Editing by Alexander Smith and Jane Merriman) (Updated - May 23, 2016 12:15 PM EDT) Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB) post-crisis mortgage positions said probed by SEC, according to Bloomberg . UPDATE - The U.S. SEC is looking into whether or not Deutsche Bank inflated the value of securities in its mortgage-bond trading business and masked losses around 2013, sources said. The probe is investigating positions overseen by Troy Dixon, who formerly ran Deutsche Bank's U.S. government-backed mortgage bond trading desk. The SEC wants to know if DB delayed recording losses on the trading of those securities over time. LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragon Capital, one of the leading investment management companies investing in Vietnam, today announces the intention to list its flagship fund, Vietnam Enterprise Investments Limited ("VEIL"), on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. Launched in 1995, VEIL is the largest and longest-running fund focused on Vietnam with a Net Asset Value ("NAV") of approximately US$850 million. The London listing is expected to create a more transparent and liquid market in VEIL's shares, widening potential ownership, attracting greater analyst coverage, increasing VEIL's profile and narrowing the discount to NAV at which the shares currently trade. On 21 June 2016, VEIL will hold an EGM for the approval of certain matters relating to the proposed listing. It is expected that admission to trading of VEIL's shares on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange will take place in early July 2016. Post-listing, VEIL is expected to become a key vehicle for exposure to Vietnam given its size and equity-only investment mandate, appealing to both institutional and retail investors. Approximately half of VEIL's NAV is represented by stocks which are at their foreign ownership limits and cannot otherwise be accessed by foreign investors. In macroeconomic terms, Vietnam has an attractive growth profile. GDP rose 6.7% in 2015. There are strong FDI inflows and a young, expanding and well-educated workforce. The country also stands to benefit from the recent Free Trade Agreement with the EU and the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. VEIL is managed by Dragon Capital, established in 1994 with approximately 100 employees and US$1.3 billion under management across various funds and accounts. Dominic Scriven, Executive Chairman of Dragon Capital Group, said: "This is a milestone for VEIL and Dragon Capital. With the listing in London, we are responding to demand from a wide range of investors looking to benefit from Vietnam's growing economy. Increased access and transparency will overcome barriers for a number of institutional and retail investors." About Dragon Capital Founded in 1994, the Dragon Capital Group is an integrated investment management company focused on Vietnam and the Mekong region. Dragon Capital and its affiliates manage some US$1.3 billion in assets spanning public equity, private equity, fixed income and property. Dragon Capital's majority shareholders are the company's founders, management and staff. http://www.dragoncapital.com Smithfield Ged Brumby [email protected] SOURCE Dragon Capital London, UK (PRWEB UK) 23 May 2016 The respected Lyon-based TV channel Euronews has facilitated an exchange of views between Azerbaijani and Armenian representatives in the battle of ideas over the legal ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. An estimated 350 million households in 155 countries watch the channel. The brief was to produce a 600-word article and a two-minute video setting out the legal case for legal ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. The two organisations tasked with making these presentations were The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) and the European Friends of Armenia. Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS clearly and calmly set out the legal framework within which such disputes are settled. He pointed out that the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) all backed Azerbaijan's legal claim to the territories. His counterpart from EUFOA referred to Stalin, Lenin and some long-abolished oblasts. Lionel Zetter's video message can be seen at http://bit.ly/lioneleuronews The TEAS 600-word submission is as below: "Just as no individual country can exist without a legal framework within which its citizens can operate, so the world cannot get by without the concept of international law. And that law has to be based on one fundamental tenet: that of territorial integrity. Without territorial integrity, chaos, war and bloodshed inevitably ensue. That, sadly, is what we have seen in the South Caucasus for the last quarter century. An international body is needed that can promote that principle, and ultimately introduce sanctions when it is flouted. Countries that invade their neighbours have to know that there is a price to be paid. Fortunately there is such a body. It is called the United Nations, and it has made its position crystal clear. Its Security Council has passed four resolutions (numbers 822, 853, 874 and 884) and its General Assembly has passed resolution 62/243 saying the same things: Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts currently under Armenian military occupation are Azerbaijani sovereign territory. They also demand that Armenia withdraw its armed forces. The UN's word should be enough. However, other bodies (including the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) have said the same. Armenia's responsibility for the occupation of Azerbaijani land has been spelt out by The European Court of Human Rights, acknowledging that: "Armenia exercised effective control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories." To date, not even Armenia recognises the puppet state that it helped to set up by bloody force of arms. Of course, the Armenian people need their own homeland, which, fortunately, they already have: Armenia. This country has a struggling economy and a shrinking population. All the more reason for it to give up its expansionist ambitions and concentrate on restoring its own fortunes so that it is no longer dependent on international handouts. Armenians living in multicultural Azerbaijan, by contrast, have prospered, and all future inhabitants of a post-settlement Nagorno-Karabakh have been offered the highest level of autonomy. The Government of Azerbaijan, the people of Azerbaijan and the hundreds of thousands of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been patient for many years. The OSCE Minsk Group has had every chance to bring about a diplomatic solution, and in due course it developed the 'Madrid Principles'. This compromise solution would have allowed Azerbaijanis and Armenians to live side by side once again. Azerbaijan accepted it, but sadly Armenia walked away. The status quo leaves Armenia holding onto the land it has occupied; talk of conflict resolution threatens that grip. The UNHCR has stated that "Azerbaijan hosts one of the largest IDP populations per capita in the world" and over the last few years I have spoken to scores of them. Although they are well cared for, I have yet to hear one of them say that they did not want to return to their ancestral homes and lands. Attempts to visit, like that of Dilgam Asgarov, Shahbaz Guliyev and Hasan Hasanov who returned to tend their family graves, are met with violence. Of these three, one was killed and the others were sentenced to life incarceration. Despite the harsh treatment many of them received from the invading Armenian forces, I have yet to hear one refugee or IDP declare anything other than a desire to once again live next to their Armenian neighbours in peace as they had previously done for generations. In multicultural Azerbaijan, Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant communities continue to thrive in stark contrast to mono-ethnic Armenia." Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/05/prweb13421774.htm HANGZHOU, China and LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, May 19, 2016, Hangzhou Chic Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Razor USA, LLC in federal court in the Central District of California. (Case # 2:16-cv-03496) Chic alleges that Razor's Hovertrax brand of electric personal transporters, commonly known as "hoverboards," infringe Chic's patent. "We are pleased that consumers seem to appreciate Chic's patented hoverboard product," explained Mr. Jiawei Ying, Chic's CEO. "But, unfortunately, several companies have chosen to infringe Chic's intellectual property to enter this market. Razor imports infringing hoverboards from China, and sells them in the United States, activities that seriously infringe Chic's intellectual property rights." Chic's lawsuit seeks monetary damages and a court order to prevent Razor from continuing to infringe Chic's patent going forward. Chic's case against Razor is the first lawsuit Chic has filed asserting its intellectual property rights in the United States. "Chic intends to vigilantly protect its intellectual property rights against infringers, and at the same time relentlessly defend itself in the 337 investigation brought by Razor before the ITC," Mr. Ying added. "Chic is obligated to do so not only to protect its own intellectual property, but to protect consumers around the world who love the hoverboard products. Hangzhou Chic Intelligent Co. Ltd. ("Chic"), founded in 2013, is a high-tech company supported by the Zhejiang University-Ministry of Education Computer Aided Product Design Engineering Center, the Zhejiang University International Design Center and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Service Robotics. In addition, Chic's investors include several well known Chinese investment institutions. Chic is the manufacturer of several models of personal transportation devices and the holder of nearly 150 core intellectual property rights including approximately 70 patents worldwide. Chic sells the popular Smart Wheel S1 hoverboards, and will offer a series of hoverboard products under its new 4WRD brand. Chic's hoverboard products, including their lithium-ion batteries, are UL certified as required by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hangzhou-chic-files-patent-infringement-suit-in-the-us-against-razor-300272894.html SOURCE Hangzhou Chic Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. ANGMERING, England (PRWEB) May 23, 2016 Self-confessed globetrotter Ivor Blimsworth has released a new book where he charts the life of Gypsy who embarks on a life-changing adventure around the world. Suffused with the grit and glamour of the Beat Generation, "Gypsy the Gem Dealer" (published by Xlibris) is part biographical adventure, part spiritual story immersed in a heady swirl of strange cultures, recreational drugs and breathtaking places. The first book in a series of five, "Gypsy the Gem Dealer" introduces readers to the eponymous main character, an anarchist and hardcore traveler, and takes them alongside his journey through India, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and more. Gypsy's encounters and experiences also offer a rare insider's glimpse into life in different regions of the world and even certain parts of underworld culture. Blimsworth tells it rough and ready, an account of the life of real hardcore travelers of that time, it talks about religions from the inside, drug culture, counterculture, spirituality and extraordinary adventures. "I hope this book gives readers inspiration to go traveling, to do things that they want to do in life, to explore their own spirituality, to find their own freedom and to dare to be different," the author says. Told in the same "Gypsy the Gem Dealer" is a testament to man's enduring quest to find connection in an unfamiliar, sometimes alienating world. It will appeal to adventure-seekers, armchair travelers and anyone who loves a good story based on real-life events. "Gypsy the Gem Dealer" By Ivor Blimsworth Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 694 pages | ISBN 9781490771472 Softcover | 6 x 9in | 694 pages | ISBN 9781490771465 E-Book | 694 pages | ISBN 9781490771489 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Ivor Blimsworth is the pen name for an old traveler who wishes to keep his identity private. He presently lives between Thailand, India and England spending some of each year in each. His hobbies other than travel include, photography, drawing playing guitar and sitar and reading on current affairs, history, science and history along with other subjects. He is currently writing his next book, "Gypsy and the Guru of Drugs, Sex and Rock and Roll." Trafford Publishing, an Author Solutions, LLC, author services imprint, was the first publisher in the world to offer an "on-demand publishing service," and has led the independent publishing revolution since its establishment in 1995. Trafford was also one of the earliest publishers to utilize the Internet for selling books. More than 10,000 authors from over 120 countries have utilized Trafford's experience for self publishing their books. For more information about Trafford Publishing, or to publish your book today, call 1-888-232-4444 or visit trafford.com. Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/GypsytheGemDealer/IvorBlimsworth/prweb13433561.htm TV presenter Hans Buerger (L) conducts a TV debate between presidential candidates Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party (FPOe) and Alexander Van der Bellen (C) who is supported by the Greens party, after the Austrian presidential election in Vienna, Austria By Francois Murphy and Michael Shields VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria came close to becoming the first European Union country to elect a far-right head of state as postal ballots on Monday decided a knife-edge presidential vote in favor of the anti-immigration candidate's environmentalist opponent. The results were awaited nervously by governments across Europe, where populist anti-immigration parties have surged over the past year on concerns over a refugee influx, continued weak economic growth and high unemployment. After the election was too close to call on Sunday, a count of absentee votes on Monday thrust 72-year-old Alexander van der Bellen past anti-immigration Freedom Party rival Norbert Hofer and into the largely ceremonial post of president. The Freedom Party and its European allies expressed disappointment at the defeat but delight at the record support from Austrian voters, while traditional parties of government breathed a sigh of relief. "Fifty percent confidence in Norbert Hofer is a gigantic showing," his campaign manager Herbert Kickl told public broadcaster ORF, toning down comments before the election that suggested the Freedom Party (FPO) might contest the count. "One thing is clear: there are many Norbert Hofers in the Freedom Party and we are very, very well placed for parliamentary elections - whenever they come," he added. The Interior Ministry count gave van der Bellen, a former Greens party leader, 50.3 percent of the vote, compared to 49.7 percent for Hofer. The margin of victory was just over 31,000 out of nearly 4.5 million valid votes cast. One factor behind the strong FPO showing was dissatisfaction with the two centrist parties that have dominated politics in Austria, often by governing in coalition, as they do now, and carving up top institutions between them over the decades. Opinion polls in the Alpine republic of 8.5 million people regularly suggest the FPO would win parliamentary elections if held now. The current government's term runs until 2018. "This is just the beginning," FPO boss Heinz-Christian Strache said on his Facebook page. Van der Bellen said he planned to unite Austria after its almost dead-even split in the vote. "We are the same," he said in his first speech as president-elect. "There are two halves that make up Austria. The one half is just as important as the other." Please click on http://tmsnrt.rs/1YSxvkK for our graphic on right-wing party support in Europe. EMBARRASSMENT Hofer conceded defeat in a post on his Facebook page, thanking his supporters and telling them not to be despondent. The outcome averted a major potential embarrassment for Europe's political establishment though exposed how vulnerable it has become to a popular backlash against immigration. "It's a relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism," French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said in a Twitter post. "Everyone in Europe must draw lessons from this." Prosperous Austria has been swept up in Europe's migrant influx, fanning concerns about rising unemployment and the erosion of the country's high living standards. Pollster SORA had said mail-in ballots were likely to favor van der Bellen because they are traditionally used by more educated voters, 81 percent of whom backed van der Bellen on Sunday, according to SORA polling. The vote in Austria had unsettled leaders elsewhere in Europe, particularly in neighboring Germany, where the new anti-immigration Alternative for Germany is on the rise. TWO HALVES In France, the National Front of Marine Le Pen is leading in polls ahead of a presidential election next year. Across the Channel, the UK Independence Party is campaigning for Britain to leave the 28-nation EU in a referendum on June 23. "Despite the disappointment, a historic score for our ally from the FPO," National Front Secretary General Nicolas Bay said on Twitter. "The future belongs to patriots!" Greece's leftist Syriza party said Hofer's strong showing "means it is time that alarm bells start ringing for Europe". Hofer, 45, has described himself as a center-right politician and told voters not to believe suggestions from opponents that he would be a dangerous president. His party, however, traces its roots to the Nazi past that Austria has not confronted as openly as Germany. The FPO was founded by a decorated member of the Nazi SS who served as agriculture minister after Hitler annexed Austria in 1938. More recently, it has focused much of its critical campaigning on Muslim immigrants and its leaders have courted Jewish voters with moves like a recent visit by Strache to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. "Unfortunately, the dissatisfaction with the moderate mainstream parties is providing oxygen to those like Hofer and the Freedom Party, and we are seeing signs of these trends across Europe," European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor said of the Austrian election result. (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Ingrid Melander and Jean-Baptiste Vey in Paris, Kirsti Knolle and Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich in Vienna; Writing by Noah Barkin and Francois Murphy; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Light illuminates Mount Everest, during the in Solukhumbu District also known as the Everest region, in this picture taken November 30, 2015. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar/File Photo By Gopal Sharma and Jane Wardell KATHMANDU/SYDNEY (Reuters) - A 43-year-old Indian mountaineer has died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest, in the third fatality on the world's tallest mountain in as many days since climbing resumed after last year's avalanche tragedy at Base Camp. Subash Paul, who climbed the 8,850 meter (29,035 feet) on Saturday, perished the next day due to exhaustion, Wangchu Sherpa of the Trekking Camp Nepal company said on Monday. An Australian woman and a Dutch national have also died since Friday due to altitude sickness in the notorious 'death zone' where the air is so thin that only the fittest can survive without supplementary oxygen. Hiking officials and climbing veterans say the deaths raise questions about the preparations and safety standards of some climbing operators, with cut-price local companies competing for business as international outfits scale back operations. This year's Everest campaign has been hit by high winds on some days when climbers had been counting on the weather 'window' to open to make their summit bids before the monsoon sweeps in next month. Queues have formed on the final stretch to the summit, which is often secured by a single rope line, leading veterans to complain that slow and inexperienced climbers were holding up others and putting them at undue risk. "Many climbers without any experience crowd Everest every year, and companies often use poor quality equipment... offering cheap packages to clients who are exposed to security risks," Nepal Mountaineering Association Chief Ang Tshering Sherpa said. "Climbers with well-managed companies employing experienced guides are safe." Hiking officials blame the government, which charges $11,000 for each Everest permit, for failing to spend any money on safety measures. The government collected $3.1 million from 289 climbers as permit fees so far this year. But officials blame inadequate preparation on the part of climbers. "The deaths were not due to accident or the crowd," Tourism Department official Sudarshan Dhakal said. "Energy loss and altitude sickness mean that they were not well prepared." RETRIEVING BODIES Expedition organizers were assembling a rescue team on Monday to retrieve the bodies of Australian university lecturer Maria Strydom and Dutch climber Eric Ary Arnold. Strydom died before reaching the summit on Saturday, one day after Arnold perished after attaining the peak. Apart from the three deaths, two other Indian climbers have been missing on Everest since Saturday, and hiking officials said chances of finding them alive were slim. Another Indian woman who fell sick was being escorted to lower camps and will be evacuated by a helicopter, an agency official said. While fatalities are not unusual, there are fears the latest casualties could again hit mountaineering in Nepal. At least 18 people died a year ago when an earthquake sent a massive snow slide careening into Base Camp, while an avalanche in the treacherous Khumbu Icefall killed 16 guides in 2014. The back-to-back tragedies had halted climbing on Everest. "It is a difficult and challenging climb and many people have died," Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Brisbane, adding that the government was assisting with the repatriation of Strydom's body. Arnold Coster, the owner of Arnold Coster Expeditions which led the group containing both Strydom and Eric Ary Arnold, said both climbers became ill very quickly on the descent. The Dutch climber was assisted down to the South Col camp, the final camp before the summit, where he was given oxygen and medicine but "unexpectedly passed away that evening in his tent," Coster said in a Facebook post. Strydom decided to turned back from her attempt to reach the summit and was assisted down to the South Col by her husband, veterinarian Robert Gropel. After spending the night there, she walked out of her tent to continue the descent, only to collapse on the Geneva Spur, two hours from Camp 3 where helicopter evacuations are possible. The expedition leader said Gropel, who himself suffered high altitude pulmonary edema on the descent, tried unsuccessfully to carry his wife's body down the mountain. He was evacuated by helicopter to Kathmandu on Monday. May is one of the most popular months to scale Everest before the peak is shrouded by rain, cold and cloud brought on by the monsoon in June. Good weather over the past two weeks has allowed more than 350 climbers to reach the summit this month from the Nepali side of Everest. Several people have climbed from Tibet. Among them was 19-year-old Alyssa Azar, who on Saturday became the youngest Australian to reach the summit, and Lhakpa Sherpa, who notched a new record for female climbers with her seventh ascent. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma in KATHMANDU and Jane Wardell in SYDNEY; Editing by Ryan Woo and Douglas Busvine) President-elect Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte speaks during a news conference in his hometown Davao City in southern Philippines, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Rene Lumawag MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' president-elect Rodrigo Duterte described the Catholic Church as the country's "most hypocritical institution" on Sunday and said he was ready to take on senior Filipino bishops to debate their wrongdoings before he takes office next month. The tough-talking 71-year-old has yet to be proclaimed the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed a huge lead over his rivals, three of whom conceded defeat. He is due to take office on June 30. Duterte's often outrageous comments and no-nonsense approach have won him huge support and his tirades about killing criminals and even a joke about a murdered rape victim, appear not to have dented his popularity. "I will lecture until June 29 the sins of the Catholic Church and whether or not you are still relevant," Duterte told reporters in Davao City, where he is the incumbent mayor. "The most hypocritical institution is the Catholic church." It was not the first time he has taken aim at the church and once chided Pope Francis for holding up traffic when he visited Manila, the capital city of a country where about 80 percent of the population are Catholic. The Philippines has the largest Catholic concentration of any Asian country. A video recording of Duterte's comments was carried on several news outlets and posted on the website of ABS-CBN, the country's biggest broadcaster. His platform of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse has won him big support, but his intention to re-impose a death penalty that was repealed in 2006 is expected to be opposed by the church. A week ago Duterte said killers should get death sentences and those who committed murder and rape together should be hanged. In Sunday's comments, he alleged church leaders had enriched themselves at the expense of the poor and shown disregard for the separation of church and state. Bishops had campaigned against him, but public opinion was on his side, he said. "'Fine', I said. Let this election be a referendum between me and the Catholic church," Duterte said. A spokesman for the Catholic Church in the Philippines did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Martin Petty and Jane Merriman) Diego Leonardo Chavez leaves the Auckland District Court after appearing to answer a charge of assaulting Paul Henry. Wednesday 7th October 2015. The man convicted and sentenced for an assault on broadcaster Paul Henry may be granted a retrial. Diego Leonardo Chavez on Monday launched an appeal of his conviction and sentence for spitting and pushing Henry at an out of control protest at SkyCity last year. Chavez, 35, was sentenced to 200 hours community work and ordered to pay reparations to Henry after being found guilty at a judge-alone trial of assault. TV GUIDE A man convicted of spitting on Paul Henry may get a retrial. Auckland District Court Judge David Sharp heard evidence from two police officers who attended the protest ahead of the Prime Minister's post-budget speech at the convention centre in May last year. READ MORE: * Protester who spat at broadcaster Paul Henry sentenced * Paul Henry assault: Judge reserves decision * Paul Henry not interested in restorative justice Henry was there to have lunch with friends and attend a charity fundraiser but became surrounded by protesters who heckled him. After security ushered him away from the crowd one of the protesters pushed him from behind and spat on him, the trial heard. At the appeal hearing at the High Court at Auckland, Chavez' lawyer Kevin Patterson said the crux of the appeal was that the identification of Chavez as the assailant by two police officers couldn't be relied upon. He said if Justice Graham Lang, who is hearing the appeal, found the conviction should be quashed, he could order a retrial if he thought it necessary. At trial, Sergeant David Mayes gave evidence of watching the assault unfold from 23 metres away, before watching Chavez run away from the scene. About three hours later Sergeant Mayes said he saw Chavez emerge from a building, and identifying him as the man who had pushed Henry, ordered a fellow officer to arrest him. Patterson said that the two arresting officers had erred in their identification of Chavez and that they hadn't followed correct protocol- including failing to take photographs of Chavez upon his arrest. Both of the officers had given conflicting evidence about the colour of the shirt Chavez was wearing and Patterson questioned Sergeant Mayes' visibility from 23 metres away. Judge Sharp had erred in admitting the evidence and "conflated" its reliability, Patterson said. However Justice Lang said that Judge Harvey could have weighed up the "totality" of the evidence, including comments made by Chavez in a subsequent police interview in which he had called Henry a "racist liar" who deserved to be "taught a lesson". For the sentence appeal, Justice Lang said the maximum community sentence penalty was 400 hours, and Chavez had been given just 200 for what was " moderately serious" offending on Henry who was an "innocent bystander", he said. Following the district court trial, Chavez plead guilty to a charge of wilful damage, after vandalising the building of Henry's employer- MediaWorks- with more slurs against the broadcaster. Justice Lang reserved his decision. Ryan Anderson, 17, left, and India Porter, 17, both of Tawa College, at Event Cinemas after watching a yet-to-be-released film. Be it crass jokes, violent themes or innuendos running rife in a film - young people understand them all, and as the audience most affected by cinematic classifications, they deserve to be well-informed about this ratings process and get a say in it. The difference between such ratings can tread a fine line, and The Office of Film and Literature Classification (Classification Office) is all about getting it right for adolescents. The Classification Office recently held a Censor for a Day activity at Event Cinemas in Lower Hutt, letting about 90 media studies students from Tawa and Paraparaumu colleges try their hand at film classification with the help of chief censor Andrew Jack. In a group discussion following an as-yet-to-unreleased film, hands went up as the students noted that violence was often "glorified", crime was made to look glamorous, women were treated in a derogatory manner, and how there could be potential for imitation if seen by the wrong eyes. Jack says young people are among the biggest consumers of films - whether online, at the cinema or on DVDs/Blu-ray - and video games, so their thoughts and opinions give valuable insight into classification decisions. "It's always interesting to hear what they do and don't find harmful. Often, they consider their younger siblings and how they would feel about them being exposed to such content." India Porter, 17, of Tawa College, reckons the film they watched on the day should have an R16 rating. "I can imagine if there were 13-year-olds watching it, it could give them ideas." She relishes the opportunity to give feedback on yet-to-be-released films, and believes the Censor for a Day programme is a necessary initiative. "Especially as the target audience is people our age; it's always good to get feedback from the target audience." Classmate Ryan Anderson, 17, agrees. "That means they're getting the ideas of what we think it should be; what we view as okay and not okay." Jack says the classification office aims to educate people about the different ratings and warnings labels for films and video games, so they can make informed decisions. "If it's R13 for example, you might be old enough to watch it, but you don't have to. Quite often young people choose not to see things if they can see it contains sexual violence, for example. "We value this direct engagement with students and the opportunity to better inform them of the process." The students were given a presentation about New Zealand's classification system, including an overview of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993. They were then encouraged to speak about various themes in the movie, and express opinions on the classification system and how it applies to them. The Classification Office is then able to take what is said into consideration for future film ratings. Censor for a Day is a bi-annual programme, which takes place at various locations nationwide. * For more information, visit censor.org.nz/resources/censor-for-day. People rescued after getting stuck while on a 4WD excursion in sub-alpine terrain are making their way home after spending the night in their vehicles in freezing conditions. What started off as an adventurous trip for a couple of 4WD enthusiasts sparked off a rescue mission as the group found themselves stranded in a remote Central Otago location in blizzard conditions. Thankfully the group of 38 have been rescued and one of the members of the rescued party, who would only give his name as Daniel said it's been "eventful". "Just in the worst way possible. [I'm] very relieved to get out. What we came across was just . . . you know . . . one of those bad place wrong place, wrong time. Jo McKenzie-McLean Chris Coory, of Dunedin Land Search and Rescue, who helped rescue the 38 4WD enthusiasts stranded in Central Otago. The rescued group were transported to Roxburgh, Central Otago, on Monday night almost 24 hours after they were stranded in extreme conditions on Waikaia Bush Rd. READ MORE: Snow traps motorists and closes roads as winter starts to bite across the country "All the trucks seemed to have all the right gears. We went up equipped, but obviously got caught out by the weather. There was not much we could do about that," Daniel said. JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/FAIRFAX NZ The bus-load of rescued people arriving at the Roxburgh Rugby Club. It was a relief to see the search and rescue teams arrive, he said. "They did a great job." Police have said that they will look into how well prepared the large group of 4WD enthusiasts were before setting out on a trip which sparked the major rescue mission. WHAT'S ON INVERS/SUPPLIED Extreme conditions hampered the rescue of 36 people trapped in their vehicles in a remote Central Otago location. Otago Lakes-Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said the terrain was mountainous and "difficult at the best of times". "We'll be speaking to the group that went up there and just seeing what the arrangements were before they left," he said. Police kept in intermittent contact with the 38 throughout the night, advising on fuel conservation, carbon monoxide poisoning and resource sharing. ROBYN EDIE Otago Lakes-Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said the route was "difficult at the best of times". "To get them off successfully was our aim [which] we achieved and we got everybody down safe and well. "The community really rallies together, but, you know, it was a great effort. A lot of our SAR (Search and Rescue) are volunteers, so tremendous effort," Jensen said. The cost of the rescue operation was not something which was considered, with Jensen pointing out "the aim is to get people safely out of these conditions". JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/Stuff.co.nz Family member Charles Cockery talks about the dozens of people trapped in the Central Otago snow. "Search and Rescue comes under police and we're responsible for that [cost]," he said. Chris Coory, of Dunedin Land Search and Rescue said the conditions were "cold and windy with about one and a half metres of snow where the vehicles were stuck. The change of weather was unsurprising, he said. WHAT'S ON INVERS/SUPPLIED A large scale rescue operation was launched after a group of people were stranded in 13 vehicles in Central Otago. "You often get weather like that up on this hill..when they went through I don't think they were expecting the weather to be as bad as it was. "They thought they would get right through. Where the vehicles were stuck was about one to two metres of snow. There was no way a vehicle was going through there." The people were cold, but dry with vehicles running during the night to keep warm, he said. "Everyone was warm enough. They had enough fuel in the vehicles." He did not know if the group had been warned against going on the trip, but said it was "a matter of doing research and knowing what the weather was going to do". "In sub-alpine areas like this, snow can come in pretty fast and if it starts to come in you turn around and get out. Simple really" People needed to be aware of where they were going, what they were getting into and then make a decision from there, he said. Jensen said police would discuss recovering the vehicles with the rescued group. "People undertaking these sorts of adventures should be looking at the weather forecast, they should be equipping themselves, they should be advising people where they're going and taking equipment with them that if they do get caught out overnight that they have the ability to stay," Jensen said. Police said the group, including two children, were moved via snowcats to a point below the snowline before being transferred to four-wheel-drives for the journey to Roxburgh. Police said all members of the group were reported to be well. They underwent medical checks before arrangements were made for their continued travel. EARLIER RESCUE ATTEMPTS Bleak conditions prevented a second aerial rescue attempt from reaching the two groups about 11am, more than 19 hours after the group became stranded. Jensen said the group was "fit and well". "Obviously unexpected overnight stay for them but people were reasonably well equipped for the overnight stay and our main aim of this was to effect a safe rescue." Severe weather conditions hampered earlier rescue attempts which negated any ability to get to the site with a helicopter. "Those weather issues still exist and we're led to believe the snowcats coming down to the mountain are still coming through quite trying conditions." Jensen said the rescue job was a "major operation". "People need to [check] before they go into these isolated locations . . . be well prepared, look at weather and decide whether at the time they need to be travelling." Twenty-three rescuers, including volunteers, made up the rescue party," Jensen said. Red Cross Queenstown Disaster and Welfare Support Teams team leader Simon Smith said a civil defence centre had been installed at the Roxburgh Rugby Club. Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust chief executive Graeme Gale said a helicopter came within 2 kilometres of the group about 7.30am on Monday, and flew "reasonably close" again before 11am, before severe weather forced them back on both occasions. He said two alpine cliff rescue specialists were dropped a few kilometres from the scene during the second flight. They had walked to reach the groups, while the rescue helicopter returned to Alexandra waiting for a break in the weather. Police said in a statement a Search and Rescue team was considering other options, including a New Zealand Defence Force NH90 helicopter. The two groups including some children from Invercargill and Winton, were caught out in harsh, wintry conditions on an off-road track at Waikaia Bush Rd above Piano Flat, near Roxburgh. They were stranded about 1400m above sea level. Police and the National Rescue Coordination Centre were notified about 6.25pm Sunday after the group, in 13 vehicles, realised they could not continue because of the inclement weather and vehicle break-downs. Photos provided to Stuff by What's On Invers showed several vehicles trapped in the blizzard-like conditions. The area is notorious for disastrous four-wheel-drive expeditions, including the death of a passenger in 2008. Gale said the group were stranded at about 1400 metres above sea level, but the clouds were fluctuating between 600m and 900m. At 11am, Gale said the rescue helicopter crew made another unsuccessful attempt. The helicopter could transport nine people each trip. The weather was dictating how rescuers would reach them, he said. "If you can't see, you can't fly, it's as simple as that. If that [continues to happen], they need to take a bulldozer up and clear the road, or look at other means of going in by ground. If it does clear, the simplest thing will be to fly in, land beside them, put them in and head home." THE DANGERS OF WAIKAIA BUSH RD Authorities and residents have previously raised concerns about four-wheel-drive expeditions on Waikaia Bush Rd. Deeply rutted and swampy at the Piano Flat end, it is understood six vehicles were towed out of the area last month. The road would be closed at Queen's Birthday weekend for the winter. Southland District Council roading engineer Bruce Miller last month said drivers usually got into trouble beyond a gate at Whitecombe. A sign warns drivers of the dangers "Inexperienced people, Queen St drivers we call them, go up there and think they can drive it and they can't," he said. "The sign, when it is not damaged, clearly states the road must only be driven by experienced 4WD drivers, and the NZ 4WD magazine, which grades 4WD roads, states anyone travelling on this road needs to be in a group of at least three 4WD vehicles." Senior Constable Adam Roberts, of Riversdale, has been involved in several search and rescue operations involving lost or stuck drivers. In 2008, Liam Brook was killed when the 4WD he was a passenger in slid off a track in the area. Roberts would not drive past the gates in his four-wheel-drive vehicle because it was "too dangerous". "I would not be going past the gates without specialist vehicles and equipment," he said last month. Otago Recreational 4WD Group president Graeme Thompson said the challenging track was not built for ordinary four-wheel-drive vehicles. He said vehicles ideally needed modifications including 31 or 33 inch mud tyres, a winch, lift and lockers to ensure all four wheels turned in unison. Thompson said he would be surprised if it was a club-organised trip involved. Chelsie Kuriger gives some advice to Caleb Adamson as he repairs a motor. A seven-hour competition is no biggie for a teenage apprentice used to working 12-hour shifts. Shea Keir, 19, was one of a handful of young tradespeople who spent their Saturday competing in a Waikato regional round of WorldSkills. The competition is often described as an olympics of the trades and includes categories such as aircraft maintenance, floristry, and web and graphic design. CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Caleb Adamson checks over a car engine. But it was all trades at Wintec's Rotokauri campus on Saturday as maintenance engineers and automotive technicians worked their way through tasks with a time limit - and a judge watching their every move. READ MORE: * Brazil WorldSkills competition an eye-opener for Hamilton competitor * Training for trade comp a full-time job * Waikato WorldSkills competitor trains with Aussie opponent * Passion for hair proves to be the perfect choice A tutor suggested the competition to Shea and the apprentice fitter from Tokoroa saw it as a good opportunity. CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Lewes Aldrich at work during the competition on Saturday. Participants were working for about seven hours on their projects. "Just a short day. I work 12-hour shifts," he said. The regional event was his first trades competition, but he'd love to make it to national level CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Kalib Guy checks for fault codes in a car at the competition. "The hardest part of today [was] I haven't been on a lathe for a long time and I used to do a lot of machining, so it's getting back on and getting used to everything." Accuracy - down to hundredths of a millimetre - was needed for the machining project, Waikato competition coordinator Roland Spirig said. And making metal dice was their second task, which would involve drilling, marking out and welding. The automotive technicians had six modules to get through, including an electrical one. A tight time limit put pressure on, chief judge Raymond Hall said. "We've got a couple of faults set in the vehicle and they will have to first identify the fault and then show us where the fault is and put a repair in place," he said. "There's somebody watching their every move and they have to really think about it and be quite sharp. "If you think it's tight here, come nationals, it's going to be tighter." To be eligible to compete at that level, apprentices must win their regional WorldSkills round, Spirig said. "If they win their national competition, then they're eligible to go to an international competition ... that's in Abu Dhabi next year." By that stage, apprentices do a project in 22 hours - spread over four days. WorldSkills was a confidence builder for young apprentices and developed their technical and time management skills, he said. "A lot of the competitors at international level are head-hunted just because they have that level of commitment and drive to do better." The 2016 WorldSkills NZ National Competition will be held at Wintec starting on September 29. Are you ready? with Leigh Elder Eat For Keeps (EFK) are working on a new project which could play a part in both raising awareness on one of the major issues surrounding obesity and diabetes, and help many kiwis learn how to make the right food choices and understand why. Judge for yourself, and any comments appreciated are we onto something, or is this simply, pie in the sky? Initially, our group looked at running a national wellness challenge and received a lack lustre response. What we found was that the overwhelming interest was in food, and that people simply cannot get enough of all matters pertaining to this subject. So, on this very subject, here is our proposition: Ballooning obesity and diabetes numbers are big news today, and we believe that the fast food industry could play a significant part in helping turn around this major problem! This theory is certainly contrary to what seems to be popular opinion, and more particularly from sundry media and health professionals opinions. In that case, how could it possibly work? What the legions of fast food industry bashers have forgotten, and they always forget to ask, is actually the opinion of the public at large. Nearly 2 billion dollars a year is spent by kiwis on fast food, and at a say $10/spend for each takeaway, this accounts for a total of 200 million items, ie. just under 50 each per annum for our entire population. A reasonable assumption to take from this, is that fast food is incredibly popular, and statistics suggest that on average, kiwi families have takeaways at least twice a week. Not only do we visit these establishments on a very regular basis, we are also spending more time in these places. Free Wifi, comfortable couches and kids playgrounds add to the attraction and business meetings are also now firmly part of the mix. Background Fast-digesting, simple carbohydrate type foods like rice, pasta, flour and sugar are cheap food ingredients and found in large quantities in many food items like cakes, biscuits, slices, muffins, scones, buns, focaccia and pizza. Collectively they play a major part in our ballooning obesity and diabetes numbers, and shifting the goalposts by reducing simple carbohydrate and increasing complex carbohydrate, protein and fat is relatively easy to do and the benefits both obvious and transparent The increased ingredients costs are offset by the often slightly smaller, sustaining new food serving sizes. Providing more sustaining, balanced food offerings with good levels of protein and fat has recently received wide ranging media coverage, and now appeals to a large market, which includes diabetics and a fast-growing group of fitness and generally health conscious people. Over the past 10 years EFK engaged with a number of cafes, and in 2008 a national programme was run across Robert Harris Coffee Roasters 50 plus cafes. By substituting sustaining ingredients like rolled oats, eggs and yoghurt for fast-digesting white flour and sugar a range of sustaining muffins, cakes, slices and sandwiches were produced. This was well received by customers and a worthwhile initiative. Robert Harris Story - click here New World Cafe - click here * Both these cafes have discontinued this initiative it is likely that some of these sustaining food items are still part of their cabinet food. How will it work? EFK with a small operation have helped thousands of people with weight and diabetes issues by focussing on eating more sustaining food to balance up their blood-sugar levels and the benefits are easy to see and sell: Sustaining food with a good balance of protein, fat and carbs Keeps you fuller for longer Balances blood-sugar levels diabetic friendly Provides sustained energy Helps maintain a healthy weight. The idea is for food-service outlets to shift the goalposts on some of their own food options and find ways to communicate to their customers which items these are, what the changes are, and this can be done in 2 ways. On-site posters, table talkers and/or hand-outs and staff being familiar with the concept. And a dynamic new phone App we are developing, will help customers check out the back stories, deals and new options at any particular location. To grow this idea exponentially, we will run a social media programme which will encourage people to have fun taking photos and commenting on any new food or drink items they may Over time, there is potential for large slices of this billion dollar industry to get involved, and large slices of our population learning how to make the right food choices and actually knowing why. What are our chances of pulling this off? Our past experience with food businesses is, that they love this concept because it makes good sense, is easy to carry out and provides customers with healthy choices. And hey, they all know that the well known mantra, Doing good is good for business, is oh so true. After talking with thousands of kiwis, our own research tells us that many are simply sick and tired of all the negative stuff from media and countless naysayers regarding the fast food industry. And we have heard plenty of great stories from many of them, about the actual fun and enjoyment they and their friends and families get from frequenting many of these outlets. Shifting the goalposts will be a really positive initiative and should attract widespread interest - we are hoping that heaps of kiwis will want to get involved. We are working towards a launch of this dynamic new concepts in March 2017. We need your help! Please give us some feedback on Shifting The Goalposts, positive or negative. And any new ideas or offers from food industry businesses to get involved would be very much appreciated. Lets get some momentum going for what could be a game changing concept, and boy do we need it? Contact: leigh@eatforkeeps.com 027 2941980 The Cancer Societys inflatable colossal colon is making a return to Papamoa next month to give the public a unique hands on introduction to the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer. The pink, six metre inflatable walk-through returns to Papamoa Plaza on June 3 as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness month and mens health month. Police can now release the age of the occupants of the fatal crash in Porirua on Saturday night. The deceased female passenger is 21 years old from the Wellington region and the driver who fled Police is 42 years old from the Horowhenua region. The driver is going to be released into Police custody this morning. He will appear in Wellington District Court later today on unrelated charges and a charge of failing to stop. The investigation into the fleeing driver is ongoing and Police are not able to comment further on it at this stage. Police are still working to inform the deceaseds next of kin, some of whom are overseas. The family of the deceased passenger have asked for privacy and request media do not contact them during this difficult time. Source: New Zealand Police. Bay of Plenty health authorities have registered the third case of Zika virus in the last year. The latest case involved a traveller returning from Fiji this month. Toi Te Ora Public Health Service has confirmed to SunLive they have had three reported cases - one last year in March and two so far this year. Police have seized and destroyed more than 130,000 cannabis plants and almost 80 kilograms of dried cannabis during this years National Cannabis and Crime Operation. The six month long national operation uses helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, with assistance from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, to spot and destroy cannabis crops during the cannabis growing season. Guns will be fired by the Royal New Zealand Artillery across the North Island to mark 300 years since the formation of Britains Royal Artillery. The Royal New Zealand Artillery will demonstrate their skills with a gun run in Palmerston North to mark the occasion on Gunners Day. Limited to 50 units, the Rolls-Royce Zenith Collection will celebrate its history and was studied by the companys Bespoke design team who studied how the car augments the lifestyles of the brands customers. Starting with the split-tailgate, Rolls-Royce has added a glass shelf, housed within the rear section of the tailgate, and serves as the perfect place for champagne. This is complemented by a champagne fridge large enough to hold two standard bottles and eight glasses. Entering the cabin, the Phantom is treated with a central fascia drawer that houses a priceless memento signifying each cars status as one of the last ever. Inside theres a removable polished aluminium case that has been laser engraved with the cars unique identification number. As we begin to write a bold new chapter in Rolls-Royce history, I am delighted to present a Bespoke Collection that so elegantly celebrates two of the worlds rarest and most celebrated luxury goods: Phantom Drophead Coupe and Phantom Coupe said Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Phantom Zenith Collection motor cars speak of the marques unrelenting commitment to setting and advancing the standard by which all other luxury goods are judged. The seventh generation Phantom debuted in 2003, with the open-top Drophead Coupe released in 2007 and the hard-top Coupe a year after that. Fort Pierce shrugs as DeSantis, Crist spar. Here's why. | Opinion The gubernatorial debate between Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist didn't draw as much interest from Fort Pierce residents as one might expect. SHARE By Staff Report One of those parents, Kimberly Ricciardone, said the staff did an excellent job handling the evacuation. She was concerned how her son, who suffers from autism, would handle the abrupt change. Hes not a bus rider, and he didnt know where they were going, Ricciardone said. But when she arrived at Sebastian River, she was pleased the staff chose a separate room for her son and other students with special needs. The Sheriffs Office reports the building is safe to re-enter. Monday nights previously scheduled Parent Teacher Student Association meeting and sixth grade beginning band meeting will be held tonight as planned, schools officials report. INDIAN RIVER COUNTY Students from Storm Grove Middle School were evacuated Monday after a bomb threat was called into the Indian River County School District office, school officials said. Storm Grove will reopen Tuesday, schools spokesman Flynn Fidgeon said. MORE | Threats directed at schools across nation The call was made at 11:04 a.m., Fidgeon said. Students and staff were sent to Sebastian River High School while the Indian River County Sheriffs Office swept the school with its bomb-sniffing dog, Sheriffs spokesman Lt. Eric Flowers said. No devices were found, Flowers said. Most of the students were kept in the high schools auditorium Monday. The School District maintained its normal dismissal time for Storm Grove of 2:45 p.m. for buses and parent pick-up. One of those parents, Kimberly Ricciardone, said the staff did an excellent job handling the evacuation. She was concerned how her son, who suffers from autism, would handle the abrupt change. Hes not a bus rider, and he didnt know where they were going, Ricciardone said. But when she arrived at Sebastian River, she was pleased the staff chose a separate room for her son and other students with special needs. The Sheriffs Office reports the building is safe to re-enter. Monday nights previously scheduled Parent Teacher Student Association meeting and sixth grade beginning band meeting will be held tonight as planned, schools officials report. People continue to frolic in the water after a woman was bitten by a shark. (ELLIOTT JONES/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) By Elliott Jones of TCPalm VERO BEACH Flagler Beach Realtor Mary Marcus didn't know she was swimming in "shark alley" and at first didn't think she had been bitten by a shark. During a noon ocean swim Sunday, she felt a strong bump and shoved away the 3-foot shark next to her. Later, after the 5-foot, 4-inch woman swam to shore, she realized she had bleeding puncture wounds on her thigh. More | Database of shark attacks on Treasure Coast "It was a case of mistaken identity (the shark biting her)," Marcus said. "I did not feel the punctures at all. Maybe adrenaline kicked in. I feared it would chase me. Thank God it didn't." Her husband, Ed, called 911. She was treated at the Indian River Medical Center emergency department and released at 4:30 p.m. after getting stitches and antibiotics. Monday, she was back home. "I'm OK, I'm fine," but a little shaken, said the 57-year-old woman who grew up in Florida, often swimming in the ocean. She's seen sharks while snorkeling, but nothing more. Sunday, the ocean looked perfect. "It was crystal clear and calm," she said. Up and down the beach, hundreds of people children and adults played in the surf or relaxed on the beach under a bright sun. She and her husband joined beachgoers during their visit to Costa d'Este resort for his birthday. Marcus got up from her beach chair and swam what she estimated was 50 yards, out into what lifeguards call "shark alley." Erik Toomsoo, a spokesman for the Vero Beach Lifeguard Association, said the area between underwater reefs gets its name because sharks are known to look for bait fish there. Marcus was unaware of that. Then came the hard bump as she was over her head in the water. Back on shore, she saw some blood and wrapped an iced towel around the bite area. By the time paramedics arrived, the bleeding had stopped, she said. "She handled it like a champ," Fort Lauderdale visitor Tracee Kromann said of Marcus. Kromann was on the beach when Marcus returned to her beach chair. " She was super calm," Kromann said. Marcus plans to resume swimming in the ocean. "Oh yes," she said. 'Shark Alley' between reefs Information about shark alley isnt posted at beaches. Marcus hopes that changes to include signs describing the offshore area that Toomsoo calls shark alley. The area, however, is along almost all of Indian River County, according to Indian River County Sea Turtle Coordinator Kendra Cope. Virtually all of Indian River County is lined with nearshore reefs, she said. Those same reefs extend through much of St. Lucie County, said county spokesman Erick Gill. While Toomsoo said signs indicating reef areas might help, lifeguards are frustrated with people not reading warning signs posted at life guard towers. Swimming in the ocean is going out in the wild outdoors environment. In the wild, there are bears as well as sharks, he said. He encourages people to swim at beaches with lifeguards. Odds against attack Shark encounters are rare. There have been two fatal shark attacks on the Treasure Coast since 1901, according to University of Florida research. Indian River County had one of those fatal attacks: 9-year-old James Willie Tellasmon, of Vero Beach, was attacked by a shark north of Jaycee Beach on Nov. 21, 1998, according to Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com archives. The other was a man kite surfing just south of Stuart Beach in Martin County in 2010. There have been more than 85 shark-related incidents along the three-county shores since 1901, According to University of Florida research. Dolphins play in the waters off Ski Island in the Banana River in 2007. (CRAIG RUBADOUX/ FLORIDA TODAY) SHARE By Conrad Defiebre, Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers The piles of dead fish and crabs in the Banana River some estimates reached the tens of millions were horrifying, but dolphins apparently were left unscathed by the brief "brown tide" event in late March, experts say. Unlike a 2010 fish kill in the northern reaches of the Indian River Lagoon that included dolphins that one attributed to extreme cold no die-off of the charismatic marine mammals is expected this time. "Unless there's a sustained event when dolphins are consistently unable to find food, they can do fine," said Spencer Fire, a Florida Institute of Technology marine biologist in Melbourne. "They're generally fish-eaters, but they're flexible, not restricted to one or two species." The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received no reports of dolphin deaths in the wake of the March brown tide, said spokesman Chad Weber. Because dolphins breathe air, they don't suffocate as gill-breathing fish do when algae blooms and their bacteria-laden aftermath suck dissolved oxygen from the water, he added. In the Banana River, oxygen "bottomed out" early on March 19, according to data from water monitors installed by the Ocean Research & Conservation Association. Less than two weeks later, however, the water had cleared, oxygen levels were back to normal and fish kills stopped. By then, however, uncounted numbers of red and black drum, puffer fish, sting rays, hardhead catfish, mullet, flounder, blenny, sheepshead, spotted seatrout, snook, anchovy, mojarra, sea robin and blue and horseshoe crab had died, said FWC spokeswoman Kelly Richmond. "This was a massive fish kill, (so) we wouldn't be able to count how many total fish died," she added. Florida's bottlenose dolphins occasional suffer what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration logs as "unusual mortality events." On the Atlantic coast, a 2013 kill was blamed on "ecological factors," but the causes of die-offs in 2010 in the St. Johns River and 2008 and 2001 in the IRL remain undetermined, according to NOAA fisheries reports. Learn more about Indian River Lagoon dolphins Indian River Lagoon dolphins face many other manmade hazards, including getting hit by boats, choking on fishing gear and getting entangled in improperly discarded line. Click here to learn more in our Lagoon Dolphin Series. The mouth of the St. Sebastian River (center) connects to the Indian River Lagoon at the U.S. 1 bridge that links Indian River County (left) with Brevard County. (FILE PHOTO) SHARE By Gil Smart of TCPalm Quick context on what Treasure Coast residents are talking about this week: More money to battle deadly Vibrio bacteria Maybe it was just a coincidence that the same weekend Treasure Coast Newspapers took a closer look at the deadly Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, Florida's death row chaplain happened to be in Stuart, sharing his story about how he changed his life as a result of ... a near-death experience caused by Vibrio. Coincidence or maybe indicative that Vibrio is more of a threat than has been recognized. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls Vibrio rare but underreported. There were 45 reported cases in Florida in 2015, 14 of them fatal; and 20 percent of all Vibrio cases originated in the Indian River Lagoon. The bacteria is most abundant in warm, brackish waters. Infections can result from open wounds that come into contact with tainted water or from eating raw seafood. Now state Sen. Thad Altman, R-Rockledge, said he will ask the Legislature for up to $1.5 million to research the bacteria and educate the public and emergency room staffers. Altman is friends with a Melbourne man who nearly died after lagoon water dripped into a cut on his leg in December. "If 45 people were bitten by alligators in a year and 14 of them died," Altman said, "we'd call it an epidemic and be insisting something be done." The state has a lot of pressing fiscal needs, but if Altman's comparably small request helps reduce infections, it's money well spent. Vero shark attack less than deadly Cue "Jaws" music. A 57-year-old woman was bitten by a shark Sunday in front of the Costa d'Este hotel in Vero Beach. It wasn't the stuff of horror movie legend bitten on the thigh, she swam to shore and walked to her chair before asking for help. At the hospital she was stitched up, given antibiotics and released. The reason for the attack: Officials said the woman swam through "shark alley," an area between two reefs that parallel the shore, where sharks are searching for bait fish. Erik Toomsoo, spokesman for the Vero Beach Lifeguard Association, said swimmers are advised to stay within 20 yards of the shore to avoid the reef zone. The woman swam out about 100 yards from the beach. Shark attacks remain rare on the Treasure Coast: There have been two fatalities and 85 "shark-related incidents" since 1901. So it's not like we need to call Quint (who, er, got devoured in "Jaws" anyway so he's probably not available). Just stay a little closer to shore, swim in groups and avoid waters with lots of bait fish (see diving birds? That probably means lots of bait fish), among other common-sense precautions, and you should be fine. But if you do hear the music DA-DUM, DA-DUM, DA-DUM, DA-DUM head for the hills. EXCLUSIVE: Vero Beach shark bite victim unaware she was in danger zone. https://t.co/iERm3WDe1w pic.twitter.com/JSVfpDPicF TCPalm (@TCPalm) May 23, 2016 Wawa wows 'em Folks, calm down. It's a convenience store. Wawa, the Pennsylvania-based chain, will open four Treasure Coast stores by the end of 2017 one in Stuart, one in Port St. Lucie and two in Indian River County. Wawa already has 86 stores in Florida and will open its 87th store Thursday in Brevard County. Company officials say they're aiming for 300 Florida stores within the next 15 years. If you want a taste of as-authentic-as-you-can-get-in-Florida Philly hoagies and soft pretzels, Wawa is the place to find it. Stores offer everything from made-to-order sandwiches, lobster bisque and pre-prepared meals like kale and quinoa salad. And Wawa has a cultlike following: Customers have gotten married in its stores, planned trips based on store locations and have even gotten Wawa tattoos. All of which seems ... a bit much. So enjoy the food, the coffee and the competitive gas prices. But maybe think twice before you get inked and turn yourself into a walking advertisement. '60 Minutes' correspondent Morley Safer was as urbane and affable in person as he was on television. Those traits were apparent during a luncheon I attended May 20, 2009, in New York at which Safer was given the Fred Friendly First Amendment Award by Quinnipiac University. He also could be gutsy. More on that later. CBS announced Safer's retirement May 11 and aired a retrospective about his career May 15. Safer died of pneumonia May 19 at his New York home. He was 84. He was the longest-serving correspondent ever on '60 Minutes.' Safer joined the program in 1970, two years after it began. He was the correspondent on 919 reports. The last one, a profile of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, was shown in March. Safer often traveled 200,000 miles a year. Known for his revealing interviews, Safer was asked at the 2009 award luncheon whom he still would like to question on camera. 'Most of them are dead,' he replied with his broad grin. The Sunday before, viewers had seen Safer interview Vogue editor Anna Wintour, thought to be the model for the tyrannical fashion-magazine editor in 'The Devil Wears Prada.' He said it was a challenge to pierce Wintour's 'armor.' At that time, I was an associate professor of journalism at Quinnipiac based in Hamden, Connecticut after 30 years as a reporter and newspaper editor. The award Safer received, which has been presented annually by Quinnipiac since 1994, is named for the late Fred Friendly, who had been Edward R. Murrow's producer and the president of CBS News. It has gone to 22 TV journalists who reflected Friendly's strong advocacy of freedom of speech and of the press. Friendly hired Safer in 1964. Born in Toronto, Safer was a television correspondent with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation covering international news after working for two small newspapers in Ontario and the Reuters news service in London. CBS sent him to London, then to Saigon to cover the war in Vietnam. This is where gutsiness comes in. In 1965, Safer filed a report for the 'CBS Evening News,' showing a U.S. Marine at Cam Ne village set a thatched hut on fire with a cigarette lighter. President Lyndon Johnson was incensed and demanded Safer be investigated as a possible communist, but CBS stood by him. The dramatic footage was credited with helping to turn many Americans against the war. Safer returned to London, this time as CBS bureau chief, and later was given a slot on '60 Minutes.' For 46 years, he profiled writers, opera stars and the homeless, delivered elegant essays and did light features on topics such as croquet, Tupperware parties and children's beauty pageants. Among his more serious pieces was an investigation into the wrongful conviction of a man in Texas sentenced to life for armed robbery. His '60 Minutes' colleagues included correspondents Mike Wallace, Harry Reasoner, Ed Bradley, Dan Rather and Lesley Stahl, commentator Andy Rooney and executive producer Don Hewitt, who created the highly successful program. At the 2009 award luncheon, '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, a 2007 Fred Friendly First Amendment Award winner, said of Safer, 'He's great with the words and really the first person who imprinted style into TV news.' Deidre Naphin, a '60 Minutes' producer, said, 'Morley has an amazing wit and an ability to get to the quick of things. Around the office we call him 'The King of Fun.' ' Paul Janensch, a seasonal resident of Vero Beach, was a newspaper editor and taught journalism at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. His weekly 'Treasure Coast Essay' can be heard on WQCS 88.9 FM and wqcs.org. Email: paul.janensch@quinnipiac.edu. The Dominican Republic has made a name for itself for being a popular tourist spot. Not only the Dominican Republic is a top favorite retirement destination for US citizens, but it also attracts millions of tourists from all over the world every year. I mean, what is there not to like about the Dominican Republic. It has beautiful beaches, amazing warm weather all year round, bustling cities and awesome pubs. And to top it all off, the cost of living in Dominican Republic is extremely attractive, especially for American citizens, thanks to the good exchange rate. If you are weighing your options of retirement destinations, then you should definitely take a look at Dominican Republic. Our researchers at insider monkeys blog have taken an in-depth look at the facilities that The Dominican Republic offers especially to US citizens, and have come up with a comprehensive list of top places within the Dominican Republic, where you can retire with ease. But in this short intro, I cannot provide you with further details, but I will definitely point you in the right direction. If you wish to learn more about this interesting topic, then you have come to the right place. You can find the full article at insider monkeys blog page, along with many other interesting articles. But, to access this particular article right now, just click the following link 10 Best Places to Retire in the Dominican Republic and you will be redirected to the articles location shortly. IBM on Tuesday announced Watson for Cyber Security, a cloud-based version of its AI technology, trained in cybersecurity as part of a year-long research project. This technology is about using Watsons learning capability and ability to understand the meaning and context of human language, and applying that to the massive amount of unstructured security data blogs, research papers, etc. that isnt accessible by current security technologies, said Chief Watson Security Architect Jeb Linton. IBM will collaborate with eight universities with renowned cybersecurity programs, including MIT and the University of Waterloo in Canada. The universities students will provide the data for Watson. IBM security technical engineers will mentor them, letting them develop industry connections and relationships that might help provide future job opportunities and references, Linton told TechNewsWorld. The information thus collected could be combined with behavioral analysis to better understand and prioritize threats in the future, he said. Watson for Cybersecurity also could be used in conjunction with predictive analytics systems. IBM Research and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, on Tuesday also announced a multiyear collaboration to create an Accelerated Cognitive Cybersecurity Laboratory at UMBCs College of Engineering and Information Technology. Watsons Strengths and Weaknesses Speed and accuracy are critical to success in cybersecurity, and both will be greatly improved by having a cognitive system working side by side with a human, Linton remarked. Watson will rapidly search massive volumes of information, understand the arcane language of software security, and will provide the human analyst with a variety of options ranked by confidence. That ability could take a trigger point from existing security solutions as seed data in its analysis and then map out resulting touchpoints which happen as a result of the initial infection, said Brian Laing, VP of products and business development at Lastline. The greatest strength of IBMs approach is taking unstructured data from disparate locations and organizing it into a central repository, observed Travis Smith, senior security research engineer at Tripwire. This is what analysts are doing currently with intelligence reports. Its potential weakness will lie in the ability to determine which data is credible and which is not, he told TechNewsWorld, because there are quite a few [resources] which may not be relevant. Public research data may be theoretical in nature or entirely incorrect, [and] attackers may release counterintelligence to trick the system into thinking their attacks are benign. Watson will face the same hurdles as other attempts to apply textbook analytics to cybersecurity, suggested Igor Baikalov, chief scientist at Securonix. Among those hurdles are low quality of data and lack of labeled data, such as whats good data and whats bad, he told TechNewsWorld. There are some areas, like malware and network traffic analysis, that might provide enough training data for Watson to be effective, but most cybersecurity problems require a new way of thinking and a different type of analysis, Baikalov added. Watson might be able to predict locations attackers would want to hit, but its less likely to catch a single low and slow attack, because it will look for relationships among data points, Lastlines Laing told TechNewsWorld. It would need to rely on other systems to detect that information, he said, or would need to wait for the attack to do enough in the area of lateral movement, abnormal data access, etc., for it to trigger an event. AIs Cybersecurity Potential Pattern analysis no longer can be used in cybersecurity, and the bad guys have figured out ways to beat legacy sandboxes, remarked Craig Kensek, another security expert at Lastline. Predictive analysis is probably the next wave on the security highway, but Watson for Cyber Security uses neither, he told TechNewsWorld. Using Watson could hasten the movement of companies away from outdated security solutions, Kensek said. This is a major threat to firms that primarily rely on signature files. MIT and machine learning startup PatternEx last month released a paper about an AI platform called AI2, which reportedly can detect 85 percent of attacks about three times better than previous benchmarks. Google last week announced the Tensor Processing Unit, a custom application-specific integrated circuit, at Google I/O. Built for machine learning applications, TPU has been running in Googles data centers for more than a year. Googles AlphaGo software, whichthrashed an 18-time international Go champion in a match earlier this year, ran on servers using TPUs. These server racks house the TPUs used in the AlphaGo matches with Lee Sedol. TPU is tailored forTensorFlow, Googles software library for machine intelligence, which it turned over to theopen source community last year. Moore Still Rules For machine learning, TPUs provide an order-of-magnitude better-optimized performance per watt, Google said. Its comparable to fast-forwarding technology about seven years three generations of Moores Law. That claim is misleading, according to Kevin Krewell, a principal analyst at Tirias Research. It only works on 8-bit math, he told TechNewsWorld. Its basically like a Z80 microprocessor in that regard. All that talk about it being three generations ahead refers to processors a year ago, so theyre comparing it to 28-nm processors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing reportedly has been working on a 10-nanometer FinFET processor for Apple. By stripping out most functions and using only necessary math, Google has a chip that acts as though it was a more complex processor from a couple generations ahead, Krewell said. Moores law focuses on transistor density and tends to be tied to parts that are targeted at calculation speed, pointed out Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. The TPU is more focused on calculation efficiency, so it likely wont push transistor density. I dont expect it to have any real impact on Moores law. Still, the board design has a really big heat sink, so its a relatively large processor. If Im Google and Im building this custom chip, Im going to build the biggest one I can put into the power envelope, Krewell noted. Potential Impact Clearly, hyperscale cloud operators are gradually becoming more vertically integrated, so they move more into designing their own equipment, said John Dinsdale, chief analyst atSynergy Research Group. That could help them strengthen their game, he told TechNewsWorld. The processor could make Google a much stronger player with AI-based products, but could and will are very different words, and Google has been more the company of could but didnt of late, Enderle told TechNewsWorld. The TPU will let Google scale up its query engine significantly, providing for higher-density servers that can simultaneously handle a higher volume of questions, he said. However, Googles efforts tend to be underresourced, so its unlikely to meet its potential unless that practice changes. There Isnt Only One The TPU isnt the first processor designed for machine learning. Intels Xeon Phi processor product line is part of that companys Scalable System Framework, which aims at bringing machine learning and high-performance computing into the exascale era. Intels aim is to create systems that converge HPC, big data, machine learning and visualization workloads within a common framework that can run in either the cloud or data centers, the latter ranging from smaller workgroup clusters to large supercomputers. A Case of Overkill? While the TPU will have a big effect and impact in data-intensive research, most business problems and tasks can be solved with simpler machine learning approaches, Francisco Martin, CEO ofBigML, pointed out. Only a few companies have the volume of data that Google manages. Traditionally, custom chips for machine learning algorithms never turned out to be very successful, he told TechNewsWorld. First, custom architectures require custom development, which makes adoption difficult, Martin noted. Second, by Moores law, standard chips are going to be more powerful every two years. TPU is tailored to very specific machine learning applications based on Googles TensorFlow, he said. Like other deep learning frameworks, it requires tons of fine-tuning to be useful. That said, Amazon and Microsoft will probably need to offer something similar to compete for customers with advanced research projects. As terrorist organizations increasingly turn to the internet as an effective recruitment and propaganda tool, more companies are introducing policies to combat the problem. The latest big firm to fight back against online "terrorist content" is Microsoft, which has now officially banned the material from its consumer services, including Outlook, Xbox Live, and Docs. "We have a responsibility to run our various Internet services so that they are a tool to empower people, not to contribute, however indirectly, to terrible acts," wrote Microsoft in a blog post. "We also have a responsibility to run our services in a way that respects timeless values such as privacy, freedom of expression and the right to access information." While there is no universally accepted definition of "terrorist content," Microsoft considers it to be "material posted by or in support of organizations included on the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List that depicts graphic violence, encourages violent action, endorses a terrorist organization or its acts, or encourages people to join such groups." Microsoft isn't going at this alone; the company said it will be partnering with others who are working to tackle the same issues. The Redmond-based company has also amended its terms and services to reflect the new policies. Additionally, anyone wanting to report online content that fits Microsoft's definition can now use this page. If the company agrees that it is terrorist content, it will be taken down. Censoring any search engine results is always a contentious issue. When it comes to Bing, Microsoft said it will only "remove links to terrorist-related content [...] when that takedown is required of search providers under local law." It is, however, seeking to push "positive messages" in terrorist-related Bing search results. As well as investing in public-private partnerships and providing additional information and resources, Microsoft is funding a technology that can scan and flag known terrorist images, audio and video. Earlier in May, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun revealed that the Mi Band 2 will be released at the start of June. Anonymous sources said the wearable device will be able to control a drone Xiaomi is planning to unveil before the month ends, in addition to being a fitness band sporting health-related features. The rumor has taken one step closer to being true, as Xiaomi has revealed that it will be entering the drone industry. The announcement is not a surprising one, given the fact that the Chinese company has dabbled into almost every aspect of consumer technology, including smartphones, smart TVs and smart home devices. Xiaomi has previously stated that it is looking to expand as wide as it could in the tech industry, and drones are an aspect the company has not touched, that is, until now. In the company's Miui forums, Xiaomi teased its drone with two photos. The first one is a spider-like device that is pretty hard to make out due to the predominantly black color of the picture, while the second one is that of a toy bamboo-copter children spin in their hands to get them to fly up into the air. "Shall we discover the world with Mi_______ ?" the company wrote in the forum post, with the photos stating that more details on the drone will be revealed on May 25 at 7:00 p.m. China time. There is very little known about Xiaomi's drone. One tidbit is that Xiaomi filed a patent for a drone that is tethered to a smart wristband, which can be utilized to instruct the flight path of the drone. Could this be the functionality of the Mi Band 2? A Xiaomi drone app was also recently accidentally published, revealing that the drone will be able to capture 4K videos. Xiaomi is known to release powerful devices at affordable prices, so drone enthusiasts and drone newbies alike should stay tuned for the company's announcement on May 25. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google's Project Soli team is developing a radar sensor that can control speakers and smartwatches without touching them. Advanced Technologies and Projects (ATAP), the Google division responsible for Project Soli, gave some updates about the project during the Google I/O event. The tiny radar sensor can translate hand gestures to digital signals, which can be used to build a fresh user interface (UI) for wearables. Google announced Project Soli at the 2015 Google I/O and the company has already shipped a limited number of developer kits. The way developers used the kit encouraged the Project Soli team to build musical instruments, object recognition tools and more. However, the developer kit that includes a small sensor consumes a lot of power and needs a desktop or a laptop. Google explains that the technology behind the radar sensor works by "emitting electromagnetic waves in a broad beam." Some portion of the energy is reflected back to the radar by the objects that come within the beam. Reflected signal properties such as time delay, frequency and more captures information such as distance, velocity, shape and more. "Soli tracks and recognizes dynamic gestures expressed by fine motions of the fingers and hand. In order to accomplish this with a single chip sensor, we developed a novel radar sensing paradigm with tailored hardware, software, and algorithms," says Google. "Unlike traditional radar sensors, Soli does not require large bandwidth and high spatial resolution; in fact, Soli's spatial resolution is coarser than the scale of most fine finger gestures." Embedding the radar sensor in smartwatches will allow users to execute some functions with simple gestures. During Google I/O, the company also gave a demo on how users can scroll through the messages in a smartwatch by holding their hand over the wearable. Google also noted that even though Project Soli has great implications in the wearables market, the tiny radar sensor can also be used in other objects. The Project Soli team has also worked with JBL and built prototypes of speakers that can be used with simple gestures. The Soli radar allows users to control the speakers from a distance of about 15 meters (49 feet). It is unknown by when Google plans to introduce the first products under Project Soli but the company is planning to launch a new beta-quality developer kit in 2017. Check out a short video on Project Soli. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google and Qualcomm have announced a partnership to enhance Android Auto, including the long-demanded wireless mode. Android Auto is an infotainment feature that Google announced during the 2014 Google I/O. The company also released an Android Auto app in March 2015. About 100 car models across 40 brands use Android Auto but the company plans to extend its reach to more cars in the near term. Android Auto automatically displays useful information and it also organizes them into simple cards. Android Auto is not a stand-alone feature and customers need a smartphone to use it in a car. "To use Android Auto, you need an Android Auto-compatible vehicle or aftermarket radio and an Android phone running 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher," says Google. "When you connect your Android phone to the compatible vehicle or radio, Android Auto will display applications on the vehicle's screen." However, this will change with the latest partnership with Qualcomm, which aims at embedding Android OS directly in a car's infotainment system. The initiative will allow vehicle makers to create infotainment systems with Android as a common platform, which will make it easier to connect other services and applications to the car. During the 2016 Google I/O, the company also demonstrated a car that ran on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 Automotive processor, which was connected to the vehicle's infotainment system. Google displayed a Maserati with the concept infotainment system with Android Auto. The car had a big 4K touchscreen in place of the usual console and another 720p display located where the speedometer is usually is. "Car manufacturers, automotive suppliers and developers can create Android-powered infotainment solutions using Automotive Development Platforms (ADP) for Snapdragon 820A and Snapdragon 602A processors," says a joint press release. "The ADPs, available for purchase through Intrinsyc, will provide access to the platform for developing, testing, optimizing and showcasing next-generation infotainment solutions." The platform will significantly reduce software development time for system integrators, developers and OEMs. Patrick Brady, the director of Android engineering at Google says that the partnership will Qualcomm will help in building powerful car infotainment systems intended for the digital age. Nakul Duggal, the vice president of product management at Qualcomm also commended the partnership. Stand-alone Android Auto embedded in a car means that carmakers will have to redesign their dashboard. It remains to be seen if auto companies are willing to work with Google to change the interiors of their cars to accommodate Android Auto. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who lost part of his leg in Afghanistan has made history by becoming the first combat amputee to conquer the summit of Mount Everest. 30-year old Charlie Linville, from Idaho, reached the 29,029-foot summit of Earth's highest mountain on May 19 after two earlier attempts to do so since he lost his foot to a below-the-knee amputation in 2013. Linville was injured when he stepped on an unexploded bomb in Afghanistan in 2011 while working there as an explosive-ordnance disposal technician disarming improvised explosive devices. He decided to have his leg amputated after going through 14 surgeries 18 months after the incident. Linville, undertook the expedition as part of Operation Everest 2016 and in collaboration with The Heroes Project, an organization working with soldiers, veterans, marines and members of military communities. "12:30 pm May 19, 2016 Nepali time. The Heroes Project was the first team to reach the summit from the Tibet northface of Everest putting the first combat wounded veteran on top of the world," The Heroes Project posted on Facebook. Linville made his first attempt to conquer Mount Everest in 2014, but it was thwarted by an avalanche that killed 16 Nepalese guides. An earthquake that devastated Nepal in 2015, on the other hand, cancelled the following year's climbing season. Linville's team had just arrived at the base camp when the 7.8 earthquake hit. Instead of pursuing the climb, Linville, along with Tim Medvetz who formed the Heroes Project after suffering potentially fatal injuries in a motorcycle crash, decided to pitch in on relief efforts. More than 1,645 members of the military lost a major limb since 2001 and more have suffered from traumatic brain injury, the so called "signature injury" affecting former soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq wars. "I was looking for something to completely change myself... and really get rid of the demons that were created from war," Linville earlier said before he headed to his latest climb. Linville already conquered the summit of some of the world's highest peaks, but reaching the summit of Mount Everest is definitely one of his greatest achievements, which also give inspiration to thousands of disabled and injured people worldwide. "The Everest climb has never been about myself, it has always been about the Heroes Project ... Hopefully we can inspire others to get up and accomplish their goals and have a meaningful life. That's what the whole goal is," Linville said. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China could soon rival Europe and the U.S. as a global leader in the field of particle physics. The world's most populous country now also aims to build the world's most powerful supercollider to have a better understanding of the Higgs boson, the so-called god-particle. China plans an investment of $6 billion to build the facility, which will be at least twice the size of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland. The LHC is currently the world's largest and most powerful particle collider. The blueprint for the project dubbed the "Higgs Factory" was drafted in 2014 by researchers at China's Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP). The supercollider will be an underground facility that will smash subatomic particles at enormous speeds so as to generate millions of Higgs boson particles, which scientists believe is one of the fundamental blocks of the universe. The Higgs boson particle was discovered in 2012 by scientists who used CERN's LHC to smash high-energy proton beams at nearly the speed of light. Despite its enormous size and power, the LHC has limitations. IHEP director Wang Yifang said that the accelerator may not be capable of generating large quantities of the Higgs boson particles needed to support further studies. Wang said China's particle accelerator could offer a step closer to unraveling the mysteries of the universe as it will operate at about seven times the energy level of CERN's collider. Compared to the LHC, which lies in a tunnel 27 kilometers in circumference and 175 meters beneath the France-Switzerland border, the Chinese supercollider will lie in a massive underground ring measuring more than 50 kilometers in circumference. Qinhuangdao, a northern port city in China, is being considered for the location of the facility given its favorable geological conditions. Wang said China's version of LHC will be capable of producing large quantities of Higgs boson particles and this may help recreate the conditions following the Big Bang, which could shed light on the origins of universe and matter. The central government has yet to give approval to the plan, but scientists are optimistic that the research needed to construct the facility can begin as early as late 2016. Construction is anticipated to start by 2021. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Uber users are more likely to accept surge pricing if their phone is low on battery, according to a recent company study. In an interview with NPR's Hidden Brain podcast, Uber's head of economic research, Keith Chen, revealed that riders with a smartphone that is almost running out of juice is willing to pay more for the trip than someone with an amply charged phone. The ride-sharing app service can tell when your device is running low on battery because its app is collecting information so it can switch into power-saving mode. However, Chen assures that Uber would never use the personal data of customers to raise fees. "We absolutely don't use that to kind of like push you a higher surge price, but it's an interesting kind of psychological fact of human behavior," Chen, a behavioral economist at UCLA, told NPR. The app's surge pricing uses a complex algorithm that determines how many users are requesting Uber rides in an area at any given time, Mashable noted. Customers are less likely to believe that when the multiplier is a round number, such as 2.0 or 3.0. "One of the strongest predictors of whether or not you are going to be sensitive to surge-in other words, whether or not you are going to kind of say, oh, [fares are] 2.2, 2.3 [times higher than usual], I'll give it 10 to 15 minutes to see if surge goes away-is how much battery you have left on your cell phone," Chen explained. Surge price increases as much as 9.9 times the company's normal price. "This basic question of how psychologically painful the experience of paying a price is something I worry about every day," Chen said. Uber's infamous surge pricing feature has been the subject of scrutiny in the past for increasing prices during mass emergencies. In 2014, the company apologized for gouging people who were trying to escape during the hostage crisis in Sydney, Australia. "The only way to get everyone who lives in a dense part of a city a car within five minutes was to do that through dynamic pricing," Chen asserted. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Moto G4 Plus' unveil showcased the specs of the device, but a small detail remained unmentioned, namely the small LED light on the front of the handset. The tiny, hidden LED light sits next to the right of the home button and lights up briefly as a microUSB is plugged into the smartphone. So far, this is all it does so there is no wonder the LED light did not sprout up in any of the news conferences. It should be noted that the Moto G4 Plus is not the first Motorola handset that holsters "surprise" LED lights. The Motorola Nexus 6 and Moto G (third generation) also packed the spec. As a reminder, the Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 are the first Moto phones that come with fingerprint scanners embedded into the home button. Each of the two devices comes with a 5.5-inch FHD screen able to portrait resolutions of 1,920 x 1,080p. For math majors, that's 401 pixels-per-inch. For processing power, the Moto G4 Plus relies on a Snapdragon 617 eight-core CPU. Four of the cores are running at 1.5 GHz, while the other four are clocked at 1.2 GHz. Two variants are available for the G4 Plus. The first packs a 2 GB of RAM/16 GB of storage combo, while the second features 3 GB of RAM/32 GB of storage. Both devices are equipped with microSD expansion support of up to 128 GB. The visuals work via an Adreno 405 GPU. The Moto G4 Plus has a camera combo featuring a 16-megapixel main snapper and a 5-megapixel selfie camera that works for video chatting, as well. The device keeps its juices flowing via a powerful battery of 3,000 mAh, which features Turbo Charge and is non-removable. Connectivity-wise, the Moto G4 Plus comes with Bluetooth v4.1, WiFi, GPS, a microUSB v2.0 port and an FM radio. Sadly, there is no NFC support. The smartphone comes with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow pre-installed alongside a few Moto apps. Two classy color options are available, White and Black. The phone is priced at slightly over $200, and was recently released in India, where the Moto G4 is likely to follow soon. Both smartphones will land in the UK in June, and other market launches are expected after that. Check out the video below to see the mysterious LED light in action. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An ocean cruise company in Australia has captured a rare video footage of several massive sharks tearing a dead whale apart in the water. Eco Abrolhos Cruises uploaded a video clip on its Facebook page showing at least 70 tiger sharks devouring the carcass of a whale at Shark Bay near Dirk Hartog Island in Western Australia. The footage was taken using a drone while the company was conducting its 14-day cruise from Geraldton to Broome. The shark feeding frenzy was witnessed by Eco Abrolhos Cruises' passengers as well as by other tourists who were riding boats in the area at the time. Neil Edwards, a tourist who was on one of the boats at Shark Bay, described the natural event as "truly amazing." He said that the footage taken using the GoPro camera and the drone exceeded the pictures and videos he was able to capture himself. Eco Abrolhos Cruises' video has already garnered over 400,000 views since it was uploaded on Facebook over the weekend. One Facebook user commented that videos, such as the one the cruise company uploaded, make it difficult for people to pretend that there are no sharks in the water. Another user wrote that even if he was an avid fan of sharks, he wouldn't want to jump in the water during such a shark feeding frenzy. Despite praising Eco Abrolhos Cruises' rare footage of the scene at Shark Bay, one user said that he wishes that the company could have arrived at the area earlier so that it could have captured a clearer image before the blood muddled the water. The area where the footage was taken is known to have one of the largest populations of tiger sharks in the world. These massive creatures can reach sizes of up to 7 meters (about 23 feet) long and weigh up to 520 kilograms (1,146 pounds). Earlier this month, a drone hobbyist was able to film a group of false killer whales stalking and devouring a small shark in waters off the coast of Cronulla near Sydney. The footage shows the false killer whales following the shark for a while as if to tire the lone animal. They then snag the shark and drag it down to deeper parts of the ocean in order to devour. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Toyota has unveiled a partnership with Segway human transporter inventor Dean Kamen and his company, DEKA Research and Development, for the development of advanced wheelchairs that will provide great assistance to the disabled and elderly population. The agreement gives Toyota the license for utilizing the balancing system that was used by Kamen in previous projects concerning wheelchairs, which were created for purposes such as medical rehabilitation. In addition, the partnership will provide Kamen assistance in launching the new iBOT wheelchair, which features two sets of wheels that allow the wheelchair to go up or down a flight of stairs. The wheelchair also helps disabled people stand and be face to face with their companions. The alliance was announced at the 70th Annual Convention of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, where the new iBOT wheelchair was demonstrated. Kamen stopped sales of the iBOT wheelchair back in 2009, partly due to the high price of the device at $25,000. The partnership with Toyota now revives the project, although no details on the price of the new wheelchair have been revealed. While Toyota will help reintroduce the iBOT wheelchair, what the company will do with the technology it has licensed from Kamen and DEKA Research and Development remains unclear. "It is important to help older adults and people with special needs live well and continue to contribute their talents and experience to the world,'' said Toyota North America Executive VP Osamu Nagata at the event, adding that the car manufacturer is focused not just on vehicles but on the wider goal of providing mobility solutions to customers. In November last year, Toyota said that it will be investing $1 billion over a period of five years to open a new robotics and artificial intelligence research institute in Silicon Valley. The facility, which will also have non-automotive projects such as ones focused on elderly mobility, is helmed by former DARPA robotics engineer Gill Pratt. Pratt introduced Nagata and Kamen to each other in December 2015, according to Scott Vazin, a company spokesman. Dean Kamen shares the good news about the planned wheelchair in the video below: 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A robot submarine joins the search for the black boxes of EgyptAir Flight MS804 in the vast Mediterranean Sea. The Airbus A320 aircraft carrying 69 people disappeared from radar by dawn of May 19. The EgyptAir flight took off 11:09 p.m. from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and was heading to Cairo before it lost communication and went missing at around 2:45 a.m. Cairo time. After recovering parts of the wreckage and some passengers personal belongings, the search team is still scouring the sea for the planes fuselage as well as the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder to see what had gone wrong on the flight. Robotic Technologies Join Probe Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi announced Sunday the deployment of the submarine, which can reach about 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) in depth. Until now all scenarios are possible. So please, it is very important that we do not talk and say there is a specific scenario," Sisi said in a Reuters report, adding the whole process could take a long time. According to the president, the underwater equipment from their countrys offshore oil industry will assist in the search. The submarine is said to have moved Sunday in the direction of the crash site to salvage the black boxes. Air crash investigation specialists estimate that searchers have 30 days to listen for pings delivered once every second from beacons attaching to the two black boxes. During this point, the team would likely use acoustic hydrophones, later mobilizing advanced robots to monitor the seabed and retrieve objects they have found. Events Before Flight Disappeared An audio communication between the EgyptAir pilot and air traffic controllers earlier surfaced, suggesting that there was no problem 2 and a half hours prior to the aircraft disappearing from radar screens. EgyptAir 804 radar contact, air traffic over at Zurich Airport in Switzerland said before midnight Wednesday, to which the pilot replied, Thank you so much. The plane disappeared shortly after it left Greek airspace at about 2:30 a.m. Thursday Cairo time. Greek officials even deemed the pilot cheerful in his communications, thanking them in Greek as the plane flew out of Greek territory. Smoke was also detected about the flight before it crashed, but French air accident investigation authorities said Saturday that no conclusion is being drawn yet about its cause. No Theory Ruled Out Last Thursday, Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi told the media hours after the flights disappearance that it was likely an act of terror than a mechanical failure, but he became cautious on Sunday and called for everyone to refrain from speculating or jumping to conclusions. In cases like this we need to wait until we base our judgment on facts, he told CNN. No group has claimed responsibility for the plane crash, and no theory had been ruled out, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. The pilot, Mohamed Shoukair, had over 6,200 hours of flying, with his family considering it only the early stage of his career. His uncle Shehab Shoukair shared with CNN how the man had ambitions and dreams and was even thought to one day serve as a member of the Parliament. Thirty of the passengers were Egyptian, 15 were French citizens, and others came from countries such as Britain, Iraq, Kuwait and Belgium. Photo: Ian Gratton | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. More companies are launching plant-based alternatives to meat. One of the recent ones include Beyond Meat, which is presenting what it calls the first plant-based burger in the world that looks, cooks and tastes like ground beef. Beyond Meat will start selling Beyond Burger Monday, May 23 at a Whole Foods in Boulder, Colorado, the New York Times reported. It will be offered to customers alongside where beef, poultry, pork and lamb are located. This is what I had in mind when I started the company, said Ethan Brown, who founded Beyond Meat back in 2009. Each pack offers 20 grams (0.70 ounces) of plant protein, and is touted to be 100 percent vegan and free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), soy or gluten content. A package of two 4-ounce Beyond Burgers will cost $5.99. Its just meat from plants. Thats the only difference, Brown noted of the meat alternative, which is made up of pea protein. The company earlier sold the Beast Burger as frozen vegetarian burger patties, featured alongside products from MorningStar Farms and Amys. Its goal now, however, is to present fresh vegan patties sold in a refrigerated case together with meat-based burgers. The objective came with a number of issues, including ensuring that the product would stay moist, pink and bleeding like traditional hamburgers. Beyond Meat then pulverized thousands of beets in the process and strived to make it smell just like cooked beef. Fat distribution was another focus, according to Joseph Puglisi, Stanford professor and lead scientific adviser of Beyond Meat. Considering plants do not have ligaments, the company aimed to get fat distributed throughout patties, unlike in meat where it is scattered in sheets. The company spent months convincing Whole Foods to sell its novel item in the meat section. It will eventually find its way in other Whole Foods stores on the East Coast, said Brown, adding that Beyond Burger would be on the new vegan lineup of the stores cafe and can be ordered for takeout. The future looks good for plant-based burgers, an industry that Brown estimated could expand to $30 billion a year. Other companies have pitched in, including Impossible Foods with its patty that turns from pink to brown just like meat when cooked. Beyond Meat is backed by the likes of Bill Gates and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. Millions of dollars went into developing the new burger. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. India has successfully launched an unmanned model space shuttle, demonstrating its capability in developing reusable spacecraft. The scale model of the countrys first-ever swadeshi or indigenous space shuttle dubbed the Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) was launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 7 a.m. on May 23. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) proclaimed it mission accomplished 20 minutes post-liftoff. The scale model was expected to fly about 43 miles into the atmosphere prior to coming down at sea. Launch of Indias first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them, tweeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Various countries and private entities including SpaceX of Elon Musk, Blue Origin of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and agencies in Europe, Russia, and Japan have been competing to design alternative reusable spacecraft since NASA halted its space shuttle program back in 2011. The reusable technology is aimed at slashing the cost of space exploration by around 10 times, with current technology costing around $20,000 to send a kilogram in space. Indias 1.75-ton (about 3,500 pounds) spacecraft flew to a 70-kilometer (about 43 miles) altitude, and then engaged in a free-gliding flight starting with an initial velocity five times that of sound. It afterwards landed in the Bay of Bengal some 500 km (approximately 311 miles) from the launch site. It was the first time that ISRO flew a winged body and returned it to land on a makeshift runway. Future tests will involve an undercarriage to make the shuttle potentially land at Sriharikota. While not expected to survive the flight, the craft was designed to let ISRO collect important data on matters such as hypersonic speed and autonomous landing. The model was developed in the last five years with a budget of one billion rupees or $14 million. The Indian space agency plans two more of those prototypes before the final version, which will be around six times bigger and will take off around 2030. The success of ISROs space shuttle project cements the position of India as among the very few countries worldwide with their own space shuttles. Its Mars Orbiter was the cheapest Mars mission to date with just around $74 million in total expenditure. It marked the first time that a country reached the red planet on its first attempt. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A relative of a graduating student from the Northern Illinois University (NIU) was diagnosed with measles. The same person, who attended the graduation ceremony at the Convocation Center on May 14, may have exposed several people to the virus. The relative also stayed at the Holmes Student Center hotel from May 13 to 15 and attended a welcome reception for the College of Business on May 14 at the NIU Barsema Hall atrium. The Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed it as northern Illinois's first measles case. Director Nirav Shah said the infected person was visiting from outside of the United States. His tests for measles came out positive. Shah added, however, that the person has recovered well and is "no longer infectious." Measles is a highly communicable disease. Virus from an infected individual can infect other people through sneezes and coughs. Direct contact with throat and nose secretions can also pass on the virus from one person to another. Common symptoms of measles include rashes on the face or neck which then spread to the rest of the body. The rashes are often accompanied by cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and a high fever. The fever often starts on the 10th day after exposure to virus. For some people, it can start anywhere between seven and 18 days post-exposure. The rashes manifest about 14 days post-exposure. Normally, infected babies and adults are often sicker than children and teens who catch the same virus. Due to its highly contagious nature, people infected with measles are advised to stay home once symptoms start to appear. Measles treatments often include taking medications for headache and fever, drinking a lot of water and resting for long periods of time. Protection comes in the form of measles vaccine. The first shot of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is given to children between their 12th and 15th month. The second dose of the MMR vaccine is normally administered before children enter school in their 4th or 6th year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 10 confirmed cases of measles across four states between Jan. 2 and April 29 this year. These states include California, Texas, Tennessee and Georgia. The recently confirmed case in Illinois is not yet included in this list. The United States experienced the most number of confirmed measles cases in 2014 with 667 cases spanning 27 states. Most of the people who catch measles are unvaccinated. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A major study in the United States has confirmed that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and GMO food are safe for consumption for both humans and animals. However, skeptics are not convinced. It might even be harder to convince consumers who are getting contradictory information on these genetically-modified food. "We feel like it's too early to know if it's safe. We are taking a huge risk in inserting GMOs into the food stream at the rate we are," said organic grocery company Thrive Market co-CEO Gunnar Lovelace. The recent report was funded by the U.S. Congress and conducted by the National Academy of Sciences. But prior to the release of the official findings, consumer rights group Food & Water Watch had already criticized the study. The group alleged several committee members who were involved in the preparation of the report either received research money from several biotech companies or they had ties to the biotech industry. "Policymakers develop 'science-based' rules and regulations on GMOs based on what the science says - especially what the National Research Council (NRC) says, because it is part of the National Academy of Sciences, chartered by Congress to provide scientific advice to the federal government," wrote food researcher Tim Schwab in the Food & Water Watch website. The new study is not the first to conclude that GMOs are safe to eat. The long-standing debate on the aptly called "Frankenfood" is expected to continue despite what science reveals in recent and even upcoming studies. In fact, when the researchers published their findings, some of the criticisms thrown at the new GMO study dipped a little into religion by asking if scientists can play God. Some of the critics are dedicated to the belief GMOs are an insult to the "natural order of things" and are therefore harmful to human health. Many groups agree that the continuous scrutiny on the genetic engineering of crops may be good, even needed. While reports found that GMO foods aren't "unhealthy," for many GMO critics, this doesn't necessarily mean that there are no negative effects that can arise from it. GMO supporters believe that advances in genetic engineering help yield better produce. On the other hand, critics stand that these advances result in relying on technology instead of focusing on the creation of sustainable farming techniques. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A junior high student who was barred from her own school's prom for wearing a suit attended another school's prom instead on May 21. Aniya Wolf goes to the Bishop McDevitt High School, a private Catholic school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Her prom night on May 6 was supposed to be one of the magical moments in Wolf's teenage years, but it didn't turn out the way she had hoped. Bishop McDevitt said that a dress code notice had been sent to the students' parents in February plus a reminder in March. The school said all female students must wear formal dresses, and those who don't follow the strict dress code will not be allowed to enter. Wolf, who identifies herself as a lesbian, wore a tuxedo to the school event. She said she has been wearing pants to school in the past three years. While the school tried to reach out to Wolf's mother in attempts to talk the teenager into abiding by the dress code, Wolf stuck with her decision and wore the pants to prom. Bishop McDevitt noted that many students who violated the same dress code in the past were also denied admission to the prom. "Bishop McDevitt will continue to practice acceptance and love for all our students. We simply ask that they follow the rules that we have put into place," said the school. Following the prom issue, the school informed students that they must wear dresses underneath their graduation toga as well. On the night of May 21, Wolf finally got the prom experience she didn't get at her own school. Brandon Carter, the principal of William Penn High School in York, extended a prom invitation to Wolf along with a message of full acceptance. Together with her date, Wolf finally went to prom wearing a beautiful navy blue tuxedo while her date wore a matching blue dress with a sparkly top. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Customers who are deciding between getting a smartphone and a smart TV are in luck, as a new Best Buy offer will no longer require you to make that decision. Best Buy has released a deal that will give customers a free 32-inch Samsung LED Smart HDTV, worth $219.99, by buying or leasing and activating a Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge with a two-year contract, a Sprint lease or a monthly installment plan for Sprint, Verizon and AT&T. To avail the offer, customers will only have to add the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge into their cart on Best Buy's online store. The free TV will then be automatically added to the customer's cart. The offer also allows customers to upgrade the smart TV that they will be getting by signing up for Samsung's latest flagship smartphones. With an additional charge of $250, customers can see the packaged Samsung LED Smart HDTV bumped up to a 48-inch one. However, to take advantage of the upgrade, customers will have to purchase the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge through one of the Best Buy's physical retail stores. The promotion is valid until June 4, which gives customers less than two weeks to think about the offer. Interested buyers should hurry though, as there is only a limited quantity of the Samsung LED Smart HDTVs included in the offer. With offers like this, a report released earlier in the month becomes increasingly plausible. According to data from Kantar Worldpanel, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge are expected to rule the United States market this quarter, with sales booming right from the launch of the smartphones on March 11. The Galaxy S7 was ranked fifth among smartphones in sales for the first quarter despite only being available for a few weeks, and so it is anticipated that the device will fare even better for the second quarter. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple CEO Launches Updated Narendra Modi iPhone App | TechTree.com Apple CEO Tim Cook's first trip to India seems to be a very exciting one with a lots of major announcements and interesting launches. However, one thing that caught our eyes the most was Cook's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Well, it didn't just turn out to be a regular meeting. Tim Cook actually launched an updated version of the Narendra Modi app for iPhone. The popular micro-blogging site Twitter also witnessed both Modi and Cook thanking each other via Tweets. While the Prime Minister thanked Tim for launching the app, an instant reply by Apple CEO thanking Modi for a great meeting, brightened the conversation. Speaking about the Apple CEO's visit to India, it has definitely been a busy one for him with meetings with Bollywood stars and telecom operators. Cook also inaugurated the Maps development centre in Hyderabad and also spoke to NDTV about how India had influenced former Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs. Tim Cook has also confirmed that India was one of Apple's top priorities for the next decade, and that the company is looking for long term investments in the country, according to a recent report by NDTV. [Image Credit: Indian Express] TAGS: Narendra Modi, Tim Cook, Apple California technology companies are poised to take the lead in developing new anti-drone and gun safety tools for the federal government adding another layer of complexity to the West Coast industrys relationship with East Coast intelligence agencies.The demand for a technological solution known as geo-fencing stems from concerns that arose in 2015, after drone hobbyists brazenly flew their hovercraft over wildfires during the fire season. Their zeal for filming the blaze interfered with the ability of firefighting aircraft to douse the deadly flames with water and fire retardant. That year Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat whos the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligences ranking member, called on the Federal Aviation Administration to finalize rules for drone operators so that they are deterred from interfering with the duties of emergency response personnel.Now he is suggesting that the technology industry should play a role in reducing the dangers posed by spectator drones.We still havent solved the problem of keeping drones out of firefighting areas, and we still have a continuous problem of drones flying around the airspace of airports, causing near-collisions with aircraft, Schiff said in an interview.So I think there are some steps that have been taken, but a lot more work that needs to be done, and heres an area also where technology can play a pivotal role, he said. As the geo-fencing capabilities improve, thats a technology that would solve some of these problems.Gun safety tools also are on the governments wish list of technological advancements. The newfound interest in a device that would allow only the owner of a gun to access the weapon stems from a presidential directive. President Barack Obama announced in April that he had directed the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Justice to prepare a report outlining a strategy for expediting smart firearms.Maryland is the go-to state for Department of Defense officials tasked with testing the latest smart-gun technology at a military facility. Still, California companies will have a major role to play in ensuring that the federal government gets that technology, Silicon Valley billionaire Ron Conway toldThose companies could help improve gun safety, Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat, said in an email response to questions.Another technology avenue I think we should explore and promote is smart guns, she said. Thanks to technological advancements, we can lock our smartphones with a touch of our finger, and yet the gun lobby insists the same technology cant be applied to deadly weapons.Speier is also a member of the powerful House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.She and other California lawmakers have front-row seats for the public displays of investment and territorial spats between the industry and its government partners. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., is the chairman of the Intelligence Committee and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has a say in intelligence oversight as well. Collectively, they monitor the technology-intelligence relationship as it encounters new opportunities, such as the creation of the Defense Departments Defense Innovation Unit Experimental venture in Silicon Valley, and setbacks, such as the encryption dispute between FBI officials and Apple.California, the birthplace of modern warfare and encryption software, is a modern-day technology frontier. Its sprawling cities are full of hush-hush companies that create a variety of weapons with the backing of various intelligence agencies. That weaponry ranges from complex multimillion-dollar military drones with the ability to spy on ground activity from thousands of feet in the sky to data-mining tools that allow government agents to track terrorists.The government isnt just a consumer of these technologies for its own intelligence applications, California Technology Council founder Matt Gardner said. Its now behaving a little bit like a venture capitalist in investing in new technologies, so this is a very different side of that relationship, and it really was pioneered by a venture capital firm called In-Q-tel.In-Q-tel is the venture-capital arm of the CIA. In recent years, it has expressed a strong interest in companies that create data-mining software and other unique technologies. That venture has inspired other government agencies to follow suit, Gardner said in an interview.I think its fair to say that (the Department of Homeland Security) and (the Department of Defense) saw not only did In-Q-tel work, it helped in their relationship with innovators, he said. And I wouldnt say just big tech here; its just innovators in general, because it gave them a different way to relate to those who are developing cutting-edge technology as a partner.Intelligence agencies have been investing in California companies for decades. Financial contributions to startup companies such as LensVector Inc. in Silicon Valley and Geosemble Technologies in the Los Angeles area have led to the development of liquid crystal lenses that improve the quality of miniature cameras and technology that can pinpoint the locations of people based on their social media activity. The inordinate amount of attention is a blessing and a curse for California companies because it creates both opportunities and problems.I think whats really positive about this development is that government is rethinking itself, Gardner said. And so heres whats exciting about this: Theyre not getting too caught up in their own bureaucracy so much so that it prevents them from new thinking.But that new thinking comes with its fair share of controversy.The relationship between the technology industry and the intelligence agencies has been strong and, until recently, a very fruitful area, Schiff said. Now, as tech companies face increasing pressure from intelligence agencies seeking access to technology and information, Schiff and other lawmakers are looking for ways to resolve the tension in the tech-intelligence relationship.While the technology sector wants to work with law enforcement and the intelligence community to keep the country safe, they also dont want to jeopardize their business overseas, and, you know, when things and conflicts emerge, like they have between Apple and the FBI, that poses a real challenge to the tech sector, as it does to law enforcement, he said. You see that reflected in things like the decision of Twitter not to allow part of its open-source database to be accessed by the intelligence community.Lawmakers have a mitigation role to play, Schiff said, because the issue is too large and has too many policy implications to be addressed by the courts alone.It is fundamentally a balancing of security privacy and a whole host of other considerations: the global impacts, the economic impacts, he said. And those are considerations that are not easily balanced by a court, so I think that it really is something that Congress should address.Former CIA director and former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he disagreed with that approach. Californias technology industry and the intelligence agencies need to resolve their own issues without the interference of Congress, he said. Since his time at the CIA, Panetta said, he has watched the standard protocol of quiet communication about national security issues between tech companies and intelligence agents devolve into a front-page spat.We had meetings in Silicon Valley. They were always cordial, but they were always confidential, he said in an interview. Thats an important aspect if youre going to be able to find a solution to the current problem. Youve got to be able to do it in a way that is confidential and not on the front page of The Washington Post.As exciting technological opportunities arise, such as the need for geo-fencing and smart-gun tools, that relationship may stay in the spotlight. After all, the federal government will need to create new regulations for that technology and remain wary about what the average person could do with access to anti-drone tools, Gardner said.I think there should be a worry among especially those same regulators about John Smith in his backyard taking air defense into his own hands, he said. Thats an interesting risk. $12.7 million stolen from 1,400 convenience store ATMs across Japan in just two hours Japanese police are working on a rather intriguing case in which hackers managed to steal 1.4 billion Yen ($12.7 million) from 1400 different ATMs situated at different convenience stores around the country. Even more horrific is the fact that the entire ATM robbing operation was completed in 2 hours. Japanese police say that a total of 1.4 billion yen ($12.7 million) in cash has been stolen from some 1,400 automated teller machines in convenience stores across Japan in the space of two hours earlier this month and investigations are underway. The police believe that the ATM robbery was conducted by an international gang making use of the counterfeit credit cards containing account information leaked from a South African bank. Japanese police did not name which South African bank was involved but said that it is working with South African authorities through the International Criminal Police Organization to ascertain how credit card information was leaked and used by ATM robbers. The police said that ATM transaction data suggests that information from 1,600 credit cards issued by a South African bank was used. The theft at convenience store ATMs took place in the morning of May 15 in Tokyo and 16 prefectures across the country, and police believe over 100 people might have coordinated in the unlawful withdrawal. In each of the approximately 14,000 transactions, the maximum amount of 100,000 yen was withdrawn from Seven Bank ATMs using the fake credit cards. Resource : The Mainichi. Googles Android N with five new features wins the decade old fight against Apples iOS At some point in your online life, you surely have been a part of the great fight between which smartphone is better. Google fanboys will say Android while Apple fanboys will swear by iPhone and its operating system. You may have your own views about which is better but Googles upcoming Android N brings something to table that Apples iOS doesnt have. Most of iPhone users out there will agree that Apple has been a tad slow in giving out new features vis-a-vis the spate of iPhone launches it has done. Even the purists say that most of the later iPhones are but rehashed versions. On the other hand, Google has been going all out to bring more and more features to its Android operating system. It is ably aided in this pursuit by the million strong Android developers army. Android N seems to be a net result of all the feedback that Google gets from its users and developers. Here are five new features in Android N which you may sorely miss in an iPhone Android N Instant App Launcher Instant App Launcher is the new feature by Google that almost all Android users will like. The new feature in Google Play Store allows Android smartphone owners a chance to test-drive some apps without even installing them first. Imagine instead of downloading those MBs and GBs only to uninstall the App later. Now, Android users can just try out the App or Game before downloading it. This idea is alien to iPhone owners as Apple has not updated iTune features other than the UI for a long time. This was also one of the prime demands of the Android developer community which Google has acceded to. Android N supports multi-window Android N scores over iOS again. Apples new iOS 9 allows users to split the view but only in iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro. Android N will give this functionality to all devices including tablets. Also, Android N is much more user-friendly with multi-window feature being introduced to all Android smartphones and tablets. It is a convenient feature since users can open two apps at the same time and interactively drag-drop between both screens. Android N to have native VR Mode support All of our readers will agree to the fact that Virtual Reality is a Google baby. It is also equally true that the future smartphone market will actually be dominated by VR, be it hardware, Apps or games. Android N takes Googles VR efforts further by incorporating it natively. VR Mode in Android N is designed to provide maximum VR experience in Android smartphones. Being natively available means that it does not depend on the smartphone manufacturer. It can display pixels, read sensors, and give users better visual experience. Android N Quick Setting Android N gives a serious fight to the Control Center feature in iOS. iPhone users can implement only a limited number of app shortcuts with iOS Control Center feature but Android N will give users unlimited options. The Android N Quick Setting lets users to customize and rearrange shortcuts, plus, removing the unused apps in one tap. In addition, Quick Settings allow Android users to have more than one page of shortcuts. Never again will you have to wait for those 15 minutes for your smartphone to update while you sulk. Android N brings to table what all smartphone users want, instant updates. According to Google, Android N, updates will work like they do in Chrome OS. Theyll be downloaded in the background over Wi-Fi connection and theyll be applied instantly when the phone reboots because theyre installed as separate system images. From Googles documentation: Android N also adds some important new features to help keep users safer and more secure. Inspired by how Chromebooks apply updates, were introducing seamless updates, so that new Android devices built on N can install system updates in the background. This means that the next time a user powers up their device, new devices can automatically and seamlessly switch into the new updated system image. Up to now both Android and iOS users had to deal with the popup message to update their smartphones. After acknowledging the update, they had to wait till the installer installed the update, optimised the Apps and did other nuts and bolts thingy before you could access your iPhone or Android Smartphone. The background instant update in Android N is sure to be a game changer which iPhone users will rue not having. Now you will agree with me that Android N is a winner in the decade old iOS vs Android fight, wont you? Here are the 8 most important announcements from Google I/O 2016. A 40 anos de Malvinas "Revisar el pasado es pensar el futuro". La frase de la presidenta de Telam, Bernarda Llorente, resume el espiritu del documental coproducido entre la agencia de noticias y el canal publico de TV sobre la cobertura que los medios de comunicacion hicieron del conflicto, plagada de censura y mentiras. Una autocritica necesaria para mirar hacia adelante en un (ya viejo) contexto de fake news y negocio informativo. Since his arrival to the Presidency, Gustavo Petro has insisted on promoting "total peace", an ambitious bet whereby he seeks to sit down to negotiate with all irregular groups. | Read More The memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and US President Barack Obama during the latter's state visit to Vietnam. As part of the agreement, GE will help identify potential projects in partnership with local developers to provide enough electricity for 1.8 million families in Vietnam. The US company has a wind turbine equipment and components factory at Hai Phong, from which it can supply local projects. "Developing renewable energy is one of Vietnam's priorities in handling energy challenges to support socioeconomic development," said Dang Huy Cuong, head of the energy department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. GE won an order to supply 62 turbines for a 99.2-megawatt wind farm in the southern province of Bac Lieu, the first of its kind in the Mekong Delta. After aggressively expanding its business in Vietnam in the past two years, mainly through acquisition deals, Thai retail giant Central Group now plans to ease the buying spree to focus on generating profits over the next three years. The conglomerate's plan was reported by Thailand's newspaper The Nation on Monday, soon after it acquired Vietnam's biggest foreign-owned supermarket chain Big C for 1 billion euros (US$1.13 billion) from France's Casino Group. Last year the group also bought a stake of 49 percent in electronics chain Nguyen Kim, which has recently acquired the local operation of online fashion marketplace Zalora from Germany's Rocket Internet. In 2014, Central Group opened two Robins department stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Central wants to focus on reaping profits from its businesses in Vietnam, since there is profitability pressure now that the group has reduced its fixed assets to fund activities here, according to the newspaper. While the group is slowing down its acquisitions in Vietnam, it will not close the window on future deals, Prin Chirathivat, deputy chief executive officer with Central, was quoted as saying. The multi-sector giant has yet to bring many of its businesses to Vietnam such as food, property and hospitality, The Nation reported. Vietnam began constructing a 120-megawatt wind farm with a total investment of 6 trillion dong ($281 million) in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. HBRE Wind Power Solution Co. will build the project in three phases through 2020, Chairman Ho Ta Tin said on Friday. The Ho Chi Minh City-based company is expected to be able to produce 400 million kilowatt-hour a year, equal to the demand of 200,000 households. General Electric Co. will provide the projects 60 turbines, Tin said on March 13. The first phase, which uses 14 two-megawatt turbines, would start generating electricity next year. Vietnam aims to produce 1,000 megawatts of wind energy by 2020, equivalent to 1.5 percent of its total power production. The nation runs three wind farms, all in the southern part of the country, with a combined capacity of 52 megawatts, and 45 registered wind power projects with combined capacity of 4,822 megawatts, Saigon Times newspaper reported in September, citing ministry officials. Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the worlds biggest wind-turbine maker, has signed a deal with Ho Chi Minh City-based Phu Cuong Co. to develop a 170-megawatt wind farm in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang. The $436-million project is expected to begin construction in 2016 and start generating power the following year, according to the Saigon Times. U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang after an arrival ceremony at the presidential palace in Hanoi, Vietnam May 23, 2016. The United States has fully lifted its ban on weapons sales to Vietnam, President Barack Obama announced on Monday during a visit to Hanoi, unpicking a decades-old embargo on the one-time enemy. "The United States is fully lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam that has been in place for some fifty years," he said at a joint press conference alongside his Vietnamese counterpart President Tran Dai Quang. Both countries are warily eyeing China's military build-up in the South China Sea. But Obama was keen to separate the decision to allow arms sales to the Southeast Asian nation from shared concerns over Beijing's claims to contested waters. "The decision to lift the ban was not based on China... but on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said. "At this stage, both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation including our militaries," the US leader added. Vietnam's leader Quang welcomed the rollback of the Cold War-era ban on lethal weapons exports. "Vietnam very much appreciates the U.S. decision to completely lift the ban on lethal weapon sales to Vietnam, which is the clear proof that both countries have completely normalized relation," Quang said at the joint news conference. The rollback of the arms embargo is highly symbolic of a shift in relations that has seen a surge in trade and cultural changes between the two countries that were locked in a bitter, bloody conflict just a generation ago. The US is cozying up to Asia-Pacific countries in a strategic shift to tap the trade potential of the region and as a bulwark to the influence of regional superpower China. President Obama also announced at the press conference that Vietnam approved the Peace Corps' setting up operation in the country. The volunteer organization's main focus will be teaching English to Vietnamese students. US President Barack Obama receives flowers as he arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on May 22, 2016. Photo credit: Carlos Barria/Reuters US President Barack Obama landed in Hanoi late Sunday at the beginning of a three-day visit aimed at building stronger economic and security relations with Vietnam. Air Force One touched down at Noi Bai International Airport at 9:30 p.m. Secretary of State John Kerry had arrived earlier at around 6:40 p.m. US President Barack Obama walks down from Air Force One at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport on May 22, 2016. Photo: Ha Hai/Thanh Nien The US president was greeted by the head of the Presidential Office, Dao Viet Trung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc and US ambassador to Vietnam, Ted Osius, before he left for the JW Marriott Hotel on Do Duc Duc Street in Tu Liem District. Many people had gathered along the streets and cheered when Obama and his delegation passed by. People gathered along Do Duc Duc Street near the JW Marriott Hotel where US President Obama will stay. Photo: Le Nam/Thanh Nien A young man carries a banner on Do Duc Duc Street. Photo: Le Nam/Thanh Nien The US leader will meet his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang Monday morning and then National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan before holding a joint press conference with Quang. In the afternoon Obama will meet Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. On Tuesday morning he will make a speech at the National Convention Center in Tu Liem District before leaving for Ho Chi Minh City at noon. On Tuesday afternoon Obama will visit Ngoc Hoang (Jade Emperor) Pagoda in HCMC's District 1 to pay tribute to and admire the cultural traditions of Vietnam, according to the White House. Following that visit, he will meet young entrepreneurs at Dreamplex Co-working Space in the same district. Michael Froman, US Trade Representative, said America is keen to tap into Vietnam's middle class, a demographic expected to double between 2014 and 2020. As middle class consumers emerge, they want more of everything that the United States is well-positioned to make and to export. But we face significant barriers to those exports," AFP quoted him as saying. He cited examples: 70 percent tariff on automobiles, 34 percent on beef products and 59 percent tariff on machinery parts. But all are set to be eliminated under the US-led Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), of which Vietnam is a signatory. On Wednesday morning Obama will host a town hall meeting with members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in District 1 before leaving for Japan for a trip that will include a G7 summit and a visit to Hiroshima, where the US dropped a nuclear bomb, killing 140,000 people. Ho Chi Minh City plans to use its privatization and divestment funds for infrastructure development. Photo: Bach Duong Ho Chi Minh City plans to reduce the number of state firms to seven by 2018 by restructuring and denationalizing Ho Chi Minh City has reported positive results from a massive plan to restructure more than 100 state-owned firms since 2014, with 32 of them privatized and US$113.5 million realized from sale of non-core businesses. In a report Friday the city government said it also shut down or merged more than 10 companies during the period. The city plans to privatize 53 other companies by the end of 2018, cutting the number of state firms in the city down to seven. Money earned from the privatization and divestment would be spent on infrastructure development and crucial public projects, the report said. Le Manh Ha, a central government spokesman, told city authorities at a meeting Friday that one or two state firms could remain if necessary. When state management causes losses and proves ineffective, dont be afraid to hand businesses to private investors, Saigon Times quoted him as saying. Officials remove a tent put up by locals to serve deforestation in Son Tra peninsula in Da Nang. Photo: Nguyen Tu The Communist Party leader of Da Nang City has ordered that local government fire two forest management officials over recent deforestation that disturbed the home of at least 75 endangered doucs. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Party secretary of Da Nang, at a meeting Thursday instructed the citys agriculture department to dismiss Tran Van Thanh, head of Son Tra peninsula forest management unit, and his deputy Le Phuoc Bay, as well as reassign all rangers in the unit. Preliminary investigations found the logging in the buffer zone of Son Tra peninsula, home to a major primate reserve in Vietnam, went on for at least a month until some locals posted a video on Facebook late last month. Trees were felled over an area of 1,000 square meters and 75 langurs that once lived in the zone are still unaccounted for. Anh said the neglect of the forest management unit is unacceptable. Tough punishment must be made, he said. Anh also revoked the agriculture departments earlier decision to lease more than 1,000 hectares of forest land to locals to avoid further deforestation. He said Tran Van Luong, head of the citys forest management department, will receive his due punishment after state inspectors finish investigating the case. Tran Huu Vy, director of the GreenViet biodiversity conservation center in Da Nang, told Thanh Nien earlier that the buffer zone was an ideal home for douc langurs thanks to plentiful food supply and the location, which is shielded from strong winds. Vy said the 75 red-shanked missing langurs are nearly a third of the douc population on the 60-square-kilometer peninsula, which is just 10 kilometers from downtown Da Nang. He said humans have been encroaching on the forest area in Son Tra, and this is bound to affect the precious douc population. The primate reserve on the peninsula has lost nearly half of its original area of more than 4,400 hectares to road construction and restaurants over the past decade. Old trees along a road in downtown Tra Vinh in the Mekong Delta. Photo: Phuc Son/VietnamPlus Tra Vinh, the greenest city in the Mekong Delta, is seeking VND20 billion to protect around 420 old trees that are being threatened by rapid urbanization. A survey by experts from the Australian Institute of Horticulture and Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry showed that the trees are dying. They are tamarind, dipterocarpus alatus trees, known in Vietnam as dau rai, and hopea odorata trees, or sao in Vietnamese. The latter two are endangered in their natural habitat. Experts said the trees are threatened by concrete sidewalks that prevent their roots from drawing water and other nutrients from the soil, Vietnam Plus reported. Many tall buildings also limit their exposure to sunlight, they said, blaming improper care for worsening the situation. Diep Van Thanh, the town chairman, has asked the namesake province, of which Tra Vinh is the capital, for VND20 billion (US$900,000) to save the trees. He also called on the local electricity company to avoid trimming the trees to make way for cables. Tra Vinh is known as the most tree-friendly city in the delta and possibly the whole of Vietnam. Trees are spared in any urban development project in this town, which has around 20,000 trees that are up more than 200 years old. The number recovered from around 1,000 after the war. A model poses for photographs with Samsung Electronics' new smartphone Galaxy S7 during its launching ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, in this March 10, 2016 file photo. From the way it chooses smartphone components to the models it brings to market, Samsung Electronics has undergone a painful process of breaking from its past to reverse a slide in its handset business. For example, the world's largest smartphone maker agonized over camera specs for its flagship Galaxy S7 until the last moment - ultimately defying industry convention by opting for fewer pixels in exchange for improved autofocus features and low-light performance, a move that contributed to early success. It also pared back its product line-up, overcoming internal resistance, enabling it to streamline production, an executive said. The handset business has now stabilized, and had its best profit in nearly two years in January-March, though historically low smartphone industry growth still leaves Samsung looking for the "next big thing". "We've now gotten to a point where we can secure a baseline profit even if the market stagnates, so long as we don't make a bad mistake," said Kim Gae-youn, vice president in charge of Samsung's smartphone product planning. "I'm confident we can hold our ground." After peaking in 2013, a sharp drop in mobile profits exposed Samsung as slow to adjust to the changing market: its budget devices were overpriced and unappealing versus Chinese offerings, and the 2014 version of its Galaxy S flopped. That prompted a cull among executives and stoked investor worries Samsung might not be able to recover as rivals including Apple and China's Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi gained market share at its expense. There was no sweeping, across-the-board fix. Rather, Samsung embarked two years ago on an overhaul that included a shift from a phone-for-all-needs approach towards a line-up that emphasized economies of scale. It revamped design, using metal frames and curved screens, and gave high-end features such as organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens to its low- and mid-tier products. Camera conundrum As Samsung prepared to launch its Galaxy S7 phones this year, executives went back and forth over whether to use a 12-megapixel rear camera that shoots better in the dark and has improved auto focus, or stay with a 16-megapixel count. At the last moment, they opted for 12-megapixels - a rare step down in an industry fixated on higher numbers. This meant a change in approach for a company known to tout the highest specs for its flagship products, and executives required convincing, Kim said. They were swayed by data showing consumers want more than just a high pixel count. An advertisement board on RusHydro's JSC Institute Hydroproject building displays a Samsung Galaxy S7 in Moscow, Russia, April 5, 2016. "In the past, based on our past decision-making process, we never would have gone back," Kim said in an interview at Samsung's headquarters campus in Suwon, south of Seoul. The move worked. More than half of U.S. S7 buyers surveyed cited camera quality as a key selling point, compared with a third of all smartphone buyers in the first quarter, according to Kantar US Insights. The same mindset shift gave Samsung confidence to release a Galaxy 7 series that looks similar to its predecessor. This incremental upgrade drew initial scepticism, but the S7 phones have beaten expectations and could set a new first-year sales record for the South Korean firm. Samsung must still convince investors its recent improvement is sustainable, and that innovative products are in the works to grow revenue. Some attribute its rebound partly to Apple's weaker performance, and cost-cutting. "I think they will try to imbue the Note (phone) with a more transformative change such as new technology under the new leadership, than the fine-tuning we saw with the Galaxy S7," said Kim Hyun-su, a fund manager with IBK Investment & Securities, which holds Samsung shares. Long-time mobile chief J.K. Shin ceded day-to-day management in December when Dongjin Koh became president of the handset unit in the biggest leadership change to date under the conglomerate's heir-apparent Jay Y. Lee. Samsung's operating profit is expected to be flat this year and grow just 3 percent next year, according to 43 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Less is more Slimming down its product portfolio was another departure from the past, when Samsung launched variations to soak up as much demand as possible. As market growth stalled, that approach was no longer cost effective. It phased out unpopular models and created common platforms, with more phones using the same parts. Researcher Counterpoint says Samsung has shed close to a third of its product portfolio. That move also had to overcome internal resistance. A model demonstrates a Samsung Electronics' new smartphone Galaxy S7 during its launching ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, March 10, 2016. "If you're in the trenches, you want to have a machine gun, a grenade, a mine on hand," Kim said. "There are also different needs depending on individual markets, so regional sales staff naturally can't be happy when the company moves to rationalize and restructure from a global structure. The transition process is painful." The product cull paid off; the revamped models helped Samsung recover in big markets such as India. "There was a feeling the sheer number of phones in the market was confusing for customers," said a Samsung India executive, declining to be identified as he was not authorized to speak with the media. Despite a solid first quarter, analysts remain cautious about Samsung's outlook, with researcher Gartner predicting global smartphone sales growth will slow to 7 percent this year. Samsung has also yet to recover in China, the world's top smartphone market, where it ranks sixth with 7 percent market share, according to Strategy Analytics, well behind local rivals such as Huawei, Xiaomi and OPPO. Samsung's Kim says his focus now is on premium-end smartphones - those costing $600 and above - where not all industry players have the muscle to compete. "There's still room for growth in the market," he said. "This segment wants innovation, which has turned it into an area that requires huge capital equipment investments." China's Premier Li Keqiang speaks at the opening ceremony of Boao Forum in Boao, Hainan Province, China, March 24, 2016. China should reduce red tape to ensure the development of a healthy economy, the official Xinhua news agency reported Premier Li Keqiang as saying. Li also pledged to further cut administrative examinations and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses and give colleges and scientific research institutes more autonomy, Xinhua said late on Sunday, citing a transcript of a speech Li delivered on May 9. Li added that a level playing field will be created for private investors, adding that the State Council is mulling detailed measures to promote private investment. Li said that although China has to some extent streamlined administration, overhauled market regulation and optimized government services, there is still much work to be done. He cited unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspections and inadequate supervision as loopholes in market regulation. The premier said China's traditional international competitiveness has weakened, leading to a decline in growth of foreign trade and use of foreign capital. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, citing the relocation of some foreign-funded manufacturers from China to other countries. "We should guide some of them to move from eastern coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern regions," said Li, adding that manufacturing could create jobs and help address China's "great employment pressure". Hiroshima, Japan. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Linda Seig, Matt Spetalnick U.S. President Barack Obama will be the first sitting U.S. president to tour the site of the world's first atomic bombing on May 27, accompanied by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Survey team members confer in front of the large torii gate on the approach to Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, in Moto-machi district. Aides have said Obama will not apologise. Nor is Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 partly for making nuclear non-proliferation a centrepiece of his agenda, expected to address the debate over whether the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified. An atomic cloud billows, following the explosion of the first atomic bomb to be used in warfare. A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save U.S. and Japanese lives, although many historians question that view. Most Japanese believe they were unjustified. Officials in both countries have made clear they want to stress the present and future, not dig into the past, even as the two leaders honour all victims of the war. Victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima are seen at an emergency relief station in the Otagawa River embankment. "... Both sides worked hard to shift the focus to a forward-looking agenda that has resonance worldwide." A 21-year-old soldier, who was exposed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and has purple subcutaneous haemorrhage spots on his body, is treated at the Ujina Branch of the Hiroshima First Army Hospital. "Part of the subtext is telling this and future Japanese leaders that 'If I can go to Hiroshima and take flak for it at home, you can certainly do a little more to own up to what Japan did," said one U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The visit was hotly debated in the White House, not least because of fear of domestic blowback in an election year. People walk over Aioi Bridge as the gutted Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, currently known as Atomic Bomb Dome or A-Bomb Dome, is seen in the background "We are successfully proceeding with (U.S.-Japan) reconciliation. As for how the war came about, leave it to the historians," said former Japanese diplomat Kunihiko Miyake. Critics argue that by not apologising, Obama will allow Japan to stick to the narrative that paints it as a victim. "What the Japanese government is doing now is denying the fact that Japanese soldiers committed atrocities and the Japanese nation as a whole committed the war of aggression. Somehow, they are trying to sanitise Japanese war conduct," said Hiroshima historian Yuki Tanaka. People walk past destroyed buildings at Aioi Bridge. "At a time when, frankly, momentum is stalled, this visit will be an opportunity to reactivate that," Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki said, adding insistence on an apology might have prevented Obama from making the trip. But critics note Obama has made scant progress towards nuclear disarmament and is spending heavily to modernise the U.S. atomic arsenal. "Arguably, a nuclear-free world is less likely now that when Obama actually took office," Richard Fontaine, an Asia adviser under former president George W. Bush, told a think tank conference. Obamas aides counter that he has secured concrete achievements, such as a new nuclear arms control deal with Russia in his first term and last years nuclear pact with Iran. A man with burns on his body, caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, lies down at the Army Transport Quarantine Station on Ninoshima Island. And Tokyo has long taken the position that nuclear arms would not violate its pacifist constitution, although it rules out possessing them. Ultimately, Obama's visit may be a sort of Rorschach test, a psychological inkblot test in which viewers see what they are predisposed to perceive. "Anti-Obama-ites will call it an 'apology tour' even if there is no apology," said Massachusetts Institute of Technology political science professor Richard Samuels. "Japanese nationalists will declare vindication of the empire and of the Japanese people, even if the president insists we are all culpable for war and its effects, and pacifists will imagine this is a step toward the end of nuclear weapons despite new U.S. investments and Japan's open embrace of the nuclear deterrent." People gather at the site of suicide blasts in Baghdad's Sadr City February 28, 2016. A twin suicide bombing claimed by Islamic State killed 70 people in a Shi'ite district of Baghdad on Sunday in the deadliest attack inside the capital this year, as militants launched an assault on its western outskirts. Police sources said the suicide bombers were riding motorcycles and blew themselves up in a crowded mobile phone market in Sadr City, wounding more than 100 people in addition to the dead. A Reuters witness saw pools of blood on the ground with slippers, shoes and mobile phones at the site of the blasts, which was sealed off to prevent further attacks. In a statement circulated online, Islamic State said it was responsible for the blasts: "Our swords will not cease to cut off the heads of the rejectionist polytheists, wherever they are," it said, using derogatory terms for Shi'ite Muslims. Iraqi forces backed by airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition have driven Islamic State back in the western Anbar province recently and are preparing for an offensive to retake the northern city of Mosul. But the militants are still able to strike outside territory they control, often targeting members of Iraq's Shi'ite majority, most recently on Thursday when two Islamic State suicide bombers killed 15 people at a mosque in the capital. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the attacks were in response to Islamic State's recent defeats: "This gang targeted civilians after it lost the initiative and its dregs fled the battlefield before our proud fighters," he said on his official Facebook page. At dawn on Sunday, suicide bombers and gunmen attacked Iraqi security forces in Abu Ghraib, seizing positions in a grain silo and a cemetery, and killing at least 17 members of the security forces, officials said. Security officials blamed Islamic State, and a news agency that supports the group said it had launched a "wide attack" in Abu Ghraib, 25 km (15 miles) from the center of Baghdad and next to the international airport. Footage circulated online by the Amaq news agency appeared to show Islamic State fighters crouching behind dirt berms and launching the attack with automatic rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Reuters could not verify the video's authenticity. Security forces had mostly regained control by Sunday evening but officials said there were still clashes. Baghdad-based security analyst Jasim al-Bahadli said the assault suggested it was premature to declare that Islamic State was losing the initiative in Iraq. "Government forces must do a better job repelling attacks launched by Daesh. What happened today could be a setback for the security forces," he said, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. Counter offensive Army and police sources said the militants had attacked from the nearby Islamic State-controlled areas of Garma and Falluja, driving Humvees and pickup trucks fixed with machine guns. A curfew was imposed as a regiment of Iraq's elite counter-terrorism forces was mobilized to retake the silo in Abu Ghraib and prevent the militants approaching the nearby airport, security officials said. Iraqi army helicopters bombarded Islamic State positions in the and Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan said at least 20 militants had been killed in the government's counter offensive. Fighters from the Hashid Shaabi, a coalition of mainly Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, were mobilized to Abu Ghraib to reinforce regular government forces in the area, said Jawad al-Tulaibawi, a local Hashid commander. Powerful Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr also called on fighters loyal to him to be on alert to protect Baghdad. Shi'ite militias like Sadr's 'Peace Brigades' were seen as a bulwark against Islamic State's sweeping advance in 2014 which threatened Iraq's capital and its most sacred Shi'ite shrines. A former Australian Defence Force Academy officer cadet jailed for raping an intoxicated woman in her room has asked a Canberra court to overturn his conviction. Lawyers for Harlan Agresti, 21, are arguing directions given to a jury at his trial were flawed and its final verdict was "unreasonable". Under guard: Harlan Agresti is escorted from the ACT Magistrates Court. Credit:Karleen Minney Agresti pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent over the incident in June 2013 before an ACT Supreme Court jury found him guilty last September. He was 18 when he escorted the woman, a fellow cadet, in a taxi back to their quarters at the academy's Campbell campus after a Saturday night drinking with cadets in Civic. Close to 700 beekeepers in Canberra have been told to register their hives to reduce the risk of devastating diseases. From Tuesday, the ACT government will maintain an official list of active hives to ensure diseases can be easily traced and maintained. Until now, there has been no requirement to register. ACT Beekeepers Association's hive manager Jeff Matsen at work. Credit:Jay Cronan Planning Minister Mick Gentleman said diseases carried by varroa mites had decimated overseas bee populations and posed a threat to the Australian industry. "The apiary industry plays an important role in the Australian economy through honey and wax production, the export of bees and pollination services to the horticulture and cropping industries," he said. The Canberra CBD group has abandoned the city's hanging flower pots, directing the money instead to more lights in the city's trees. For about eight years, the Planter People have had the contract to install hanging baskets on light poles in the city over the summer months. Numbers and costs have been cut in the past two years to 1364 pots of petunias, costing $194,000 a year (including GST). Flowers on light poles in Canberra's CBD, as photographed on the Planter People website. Credit:The Planter People This year, Canberra CBD, a business group funded by a government levy on owners, went to tender for the first time for the flower displays. But chairman Tony Hedley said after considering the tenders submitted the group had decided not to renew the contract and to spend the money instead on significant extra lighting. It's when Jonathan Crowley and his family believe life can't get any tougher, that another obstacle appears. A police bullet made the 48-year-old quadriplegic in 2001, and in 2012 he lost a legal bid for compensation worth $8 million. Police shooting victim Jonathan Crowley is still waiting for the Asbestos Taskforce to move him out of his Mr Fluffy affected public housing apartment. Credit:Jamila Toderas In 2014, Mr Crowley found out the unit he had been living in for more than a decade was caught up in the territory's Mr Fluffy scandal. And now, after signing up to the National Disability Insurance Scheme this year, Mr Crowley finds himself about $1000 a month worse off, with his parents forced to draw money from their mortgage to pay for his medications. ANZ Bank has hired investment banker Michelle Jablko as its next chief financial officer, completing a round of senior appointments from chief executive Shayne Elliott. Ms Jablko will join ANZ after working as the managing director for Australia of investment bank Greenhill and Co, and before that she worked as an executive at UBS. ANZ Bank's new chief financial officer, Michelle Jablko. Credit:Louise Kennerley The appointment makes ANZ the only big four bank with a female CFO, and it remains rare for women to be appointed to this position across corporate Australia. Research published in March found there were just 13 women employed as CFOs in the ASX 200, and that big Australian businesses employed fewer female CFOs than big businesses overseas. Five former executives of failed Gold Coast financier MFS Investment Management acted dishonestly by misappropriating $143.5 million of investors money, a court has found. The Supreme Court of Queensland found the five former executives including former chief executive Michael King and former deputy chief executive and convicted criminal Craig White breached directors duties by orchestrating a plan using false documentation to cover up the transfers of investor money. Octaviar's former finance chief David Anderson has been found to have acted dishonestly. Credit:Nic Walker MFS Group, which changed its name to Octaviar collapsed in 2008 owing $2.5 billion. Octaviar, formerly known as MFS Group, is not affiliated with the global investment manager, MFS Investment Management. Thousands of mum and dad investors attracted to its mortgage funds, including its high profile Premium Income Fund, were wiped out in the collapse that is still regarded as one of the biggest casualties of the financial crisis. A war is raging in the baby formula section of Coles supermarkets, with a major brand attempting to purge the market of a budget rival run by a former senior employee. On the far right - where more expensive products are usually positioned - sits Bellamy's Organic baby formula, and on the far left, Nutriforme, at half the price. In court filings, Bellamy's has accused its former national sales manager, Chris Flahey, of surreptitiously creating Nutriforme while an employee to personally capitalise on a Coles' supply deal. Dutton was responding to a wildly unrealistic proposal from the Greens that our refugee intake should be almost quadrupled from just under 14,000 a year to 50,000. Dutton, perhaps more bluntly than some might prefer, simply pointed out a few realities. Namely, that many are illiterate and innumerate in their own language. It's just a fact. If you read the commentary you would be forgiven for thinking that Dutton had said all refugees are a waste of our time and resources. That's exactly what he didn't say. But few Australians these days let the facts stand in the way of taking offence. Bill Shorten diminished himself last week by trying to politicise some remarks made by Peter Dutton about refugees. The twitteratti joined in, along with a coterie of those who grasp any opportunity to take offence. I'm proud of it and think we all should be. Our refugee program saves places for those most in need. People in camps with little or no money. And very often very little education. There's no point in pretending otherwise. It's especially true of women and girls. Have we forgotten Malala? Illustration: John Shakespeare That we are an immigration nation is to me our most defining characteristic. History means we have a lot of migrants from the United Kingdom. Geography and economics mean that has been turning inexorably to China and India. Our success however has come from the breadth of our intake. We really are one big melting pot. Ours is a non-discriminatory program. For the main intake, skilled migration, your race and ethnicity just don't matter. We are interested in your skills. There is however something very special about us. We are one of all too few nations who set aside a special part of our program, year in year out, for the permanent resettlement of refugees. We have for decades been in the top three takers of refugees for permanent resettlement, along with the United States and Canada. Per capita and by GDP we are first. The source of the intake varies a bit over time because we listen to UN advice as to where we can best help. We are good international citizens. We take people from Africa as well as from camps in our region. Peter's name was printed on the front page of The Truth newspaper. "I was at a Catholic boys' school and suddenly I was utterly humiliated in front of everyone." His mother was harassed and abused by the neighbours. Peter fled overseas and only returned when, as he put it, "I found a way to accept myself with pride." John and Peter share with many others a deep and abiding sense of hurt, humiliation and abuse. Noel Tovey, like Peter, was 17 when he was arrested for buggery in 1951. Like Peter, his story appeared in the daily papers. Noel spent time in Pentridge Prison and, on release, found himself cut off from family and friends. "People were afraid to associate with me I was a known criminal and they could have been charged with consorting." These laws had a profound impact on the everyday lives of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. They were the legal cornerstone of a society that treated people who were attracted to those of the same sex as sick, immoral or criminal. Individuals were forced to deny a fundamental part of who they were, to pass as heterosexual for fear of persecution and social isolation. Older gay men and lesbians carry the weight of this history with them, not as a cultural relic or curiosity but as integral part of who they are today. Decriminalisation in 1981 was a step forward but didn't go far enough. Then attorney-general Hadden Storey expressly said: "The government realise that there are consensual sexual acts which are regarded by many as immoral, and which are not made criminal by this Bill. The Government does not condone such acts, much less regard them as acceptable." Victoria only properly began to deal with the legacy of discriminatory criminal laws in 2014. Along with other community groups, we advocated for a scheme modelled on the UK to enable individuals to have their convictions "expunged" from their criminal records together with a formal apology for past wrongs. The Napthine Government introduced legislation in October 2014 that enacted such a scheme. The reforms were championed by former member for Prahran Clem Newton-Brown and were passed with unanimous support from the parliament. Today, Daniel Andrews will formally apologise to the victims of these unjust laws, and put this dark chapter of Victoria's history to rest. The State will acknowledge and take responsibility for the harm caused. You can't undo the actions of the past, but for those convicted, the apology can help to heal old wounds. By acknowledging the impact of these homophobic laws, the premier pays respect to the victims of these laws but also to Victoria's sexual and gender diverse communities. As members of Victoria's LGBTI community, we welcome this moment. Today, we can draw a line in the sand and look forward to a future built on trust, accountability and mutual respect. The apology today is not only about coming to terms with the injustice of the past. It affirms our dignity as human beings. It will help to reduce the stigma and shame felt by a new generation of same-sex attracted people struggling to find their place in a world that remains hostile, in many respects, to their existence. This isn't just about saying what people get up to in the bedroom is their own business. It is New terror powers that allow NSW police to interrogate 14-year-olds for up to a fortnight became law this week, but a hotline to help the families of teens vulnerable to ISIS's internet poison is nowhere to be seen. Both measures were announced by Premier Mike Baird last year, as he described countering violent extremism programs as a "necessary complement" to strong law enforcement. The promised NSW hotline is intended to "fill a void" for families that are reeling at the growth of online radicalisation. Credit:Erin Jonasson Six months on, a former Epping Boys High School student has been arrested for allegedly planning a terrorist attack on government buildings. He is said to have first come to police attention after a tip-off to the National Security Hotline, constantly advertised online. But a different sort of hotline one that helps parents divert teens from radical ideology, before they get into danger, by offering advice and counselling had been promised by Baird last November. Amid blanket media coverage of what will be one of the longest election campaigns in Australian history, it's not an inappropriate moment to lift our gaze from politics and policy and reflect on the news that we are perhaps tantalisingly close to answering one of humanity's greatest questions: are we alone in the cosmos? Quite possibly not, judging by the surging number of discoveries of exoplanets as potentially life-supporting planets outside our solar system are called. The latest finding of 1300 exoplanets by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope represents the single largest collection of exoplanets ever found. An artist's impression of the Jupiter-like exoplanet 51 Eri b. Credit:SETI Institute Advances in telescope technology should enable scientists to discern the atmospheric make-up of at least some of these remote and mysterious realms. Surface water is unlikely to exist in liquid form on most of the worlds found so far. But, scientists say, it is only a matter of time before more Earth-sized exoplanets, which might be favourable to life, are observed. CSIRO's decision to sack the global expert on sea level rise while he was working at sea, three weeks from shore is a bizarre form of self-harm that suggests the national science agency has lost its bearings. Assuming the federal election campaign at some point considers the future of science in this country, the treatment of John Church should prompt questions for the Turnbull government. Two weeks ago, Church was the co-author of a new peer-reviewed study that found five reef islands in the Solomon Islands have disappeared due to the combination of sea-level rise and high-powered waves. This is significant not just of itself, but because of what it points to: the area is considered a sea rise hot-spot, with the level increasing up to three times faster than the global average. The study gives an insight into what the future might look like. A woman's face, a man's face, projected onto a screen. The images slip, slide and combine. One is superimposed on the other, two become one, the differences dissolving. How are they distinct, in what ways are they the same? And what does this process of transformation mean? This is a moment from Lucid, created by Chunky Move's artistic director Anouk van Dijk, a work that involves two figures whose relationship is in flux throughout. "They are two individuals who strongly relate," van Dijk says. "Not lovers, but maybe best friends, a brother and sister, a young father with a very adult daughter," and many other things besides. Dancer Lauren Langlois with actor Stephen Phillips in rehearsal for Chunky Move's Lucid. Credit:Penny Stephens Whatever their relationship might be, she says: "You have a feeling that they are in it together. And the dynamic that I want to create throughout the show is that because of the other, each one can go further than they would go alone. They support each other going places, they step into each other's dreams." Lucid's cast members are dancer Lauren Langlois and actor Stephen Phillips, both of whom appeared in an earlier van Dijk work, Complexity Of Belonging. Their performance takes place on stage but it also plays out on screens, and the interaction between image and physical body is an important element of the piece. "We see this work almost as a film dance work, rather than a theatre dance work," van Dijk says. Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore in Her directed by Spike Jonze. So when we meet, at a cafe near his loft in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, I'm primed for an awkward, or at least halting conversation. I know not to ask about his four-year marriage to fellow director Sofia Coppola, or his parents' divorce (a subject that came up a lot after his Wild Things implied that Max was angry and confused about his mum and dad splitting up). But in the event he turns out to be charming, thoughtful and inspiring in his enthusiasm. Jonze is coming to Australia to appear at the Vivid festival, in conversation with Vivid Ideas director Jess Scully. "My friend in Sydney tells me she's cool," he says, but that's as much thought as he's given it. "What should I talk about?" he asks. Film director Spike Jonze. He hasn't made a movie for three years, since Her, and isn't working on a script, but he rejects the notion that he is on hiatus, as this implies that feature length films are his day job and everything else is secondary, which isn't true. "I just make what I'm interested in making next," he says. This might be Kanye West's twisted fantasy, a stop-motion animation in a Parisian bookstore, a dystopian vision of suburban adolescence scored by the Arcade Fire or an advert for adidas, Levi's or Nissan. Jonze is for hire, if his interest can be piqued. His latest short follows Late Show host Stephen Colbert on a journey across New York in the company of Grover from Sesame Street. "Play doesn't mean it's always fun. You can play with the deepest ideas": Spike Jonze. Credit:Dan Winters It's all play. Play doesn't mean it's always fun and frivolous. You can play with the deepest ideas. Play can be melancholy and surreal and dig into deeper things, as long as you're coming at it with a sense of exploration. A friend recently got a dog, so Jonze wrote a story about it as a gift. He also writes songs on his guitar just for himself, although he can't really play or sing. "It's the buzz of 'there was nothing, and now there's something'. It's the best feeling." His faith in the transformative power of creativity reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut, and a line in his essays that I've cherished since meeting him a decade ago: "The only way in which Americans can rise above their ordinariness is through enthusiastic intimacy with works of their own imaginations." Jonze nods. He met Vonnegut at a party once, and would love to have had more time to talk to him. "What was he like?" He wants to know. Jonze has an undying love of dumb, funny stuff and a precocious, unfiltered imagination. He has often been described as child-like, particularly since Wild Things made manifest the desires and anxieties of a nine-year-old boy. "Spike is still half Max, probably, to this day," his co-writer Dave Eggers told GQ. "I think there's something about being creative where you don't censor yourself," Jonze says. "That freedom, I guess, can be described as childlike There's something beautiful when you see a kid that's that free to express themselves, and it's hard to hold on to." Aren't you still that free? It's an extraordinary privilege. "Certainly to be given millions of dollars to express myself is a very privileged But I think being privileged to express yourself sounds like someone is giving you permission to do it, and I think we all have permission to," he says. We bat this back and forth for a while until he agrees that yes, he is a lucky bastard. Jonze was 27 when MTV commissioned Jackass and started paying him to film Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera and Chris Pontius jousting on BMX bikes, wrestling alligators, shooting themselves out of cannons and drenching each other in sewage. They stole ideas from Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin and Tom and Jerry most of all, and could hardly believe their good fortune. "They gave us money to make eight episodes, whatever we wanted, and we thought we were getting away with murder." Three seasons of television and four movies later, the franchise is still going, just, as its overgrown teenage stars hit their 40s and struggle to stay sober. His latest role, the closest thing he has to a day job, is running Viceland, a cable TV network launched in February with an opening slate of programmes including Gaycation, following Ellen Page on journeys to LGBT holiday spots, an adventures-in-the-world-of-legal-marijuana show called Weediquette, and F--k, That's Delicious, starring rapper turned chef Action Bronson. Jonze's official title at Viceland is president, a designation he describes as "pretty crazy". Although he's only 46, he's a generation older than most of the talent. "Technically, kids are so sophisticated because they're taking in media from a young age. They're shooting and editing. I think there's a real sophistication to young film-makers because they've been doing it their whole lives," he says. He has often expressed admiration for artists that operate outside the corporate structure, from punks Fugazi, who booked their own shows and printed their own T-shirts rather than sign a record deal, to his friends the Beastie Boys, who spent their first big advance on a studio of their own. Is he ready to be a suit, I wonder, telling film-makers they have gone too far, or not far enough, or that their big ideas won't attract an audience? "As we get bigger [at Viceland], we need to have more structure. It can't be so chaotic that things can't get done but it has to have enough freedom to let creative ideas happen," he says, adding that "it's kind of ridiculous that somebody gave us this much money and carte blanche to do whatever we want." Vice supremo Shane Smith is building something self-consciously edgy, with content targeted at millennials, but he has the acquisitive ambitions of an old-fashioned media mogul. How long Jonze sticks around will depend on his tolerance for meetings, his ability to delegate, and whether he can still find time to express himself despite all the people clamouring for his attention. One afternoon in Shanghai, he needed a shot showing Phoenix's point of view as his disembodied girlfriend lets him down gently. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema was otherwise engaged, so Jonze chose to do himself. For 20 minutes, he lay on the bed filming dust particles drifting and glinting in the light of magic hour. As he was shooting at 120 frames a second, to run in slow-motion; he would later have to scroll through 80 minutes of rushes. He only used nine seconds in the end, but it didn't matter. It was all play. Short and sweet Almost all of Spike Jonze's shorts are available to stream online. His skating videos are a good place to start, from Video Days, shot on Hi-8 and edited tape to tape to the full length Yeah Right!, which features invisible skateboards and a memorable cameo from Owen Wilson. The most recent, Pretty Sweet, opens with a long drone shot of skateboarders performing tricks with Busby Berkeley precision as a cannon shoots confetti into the air. His most memorable music videos include an equally choreographed dance number for Bjork (It's Oh So Quiet), a Happy Days pastiche he shot for Weezer (Buddy Holly), the hilarious homage to 1970s cop shows he made with the Beastie Boys (Sabotage), his infamous performance with a community breakdance troupe for Fatboy Slim (Praise You) and my favourite, Drop, an ingenious clip for hip-hop group The Pharcyde, shot backwards, that appears to defy the law of gravity. "The Cannes film festival is so important to the future of film. Stay strong!" cried veteran director Ken Loach as he collected the Palme D'Or for I, Daniel Blake, a passionately committed story of two strangers whose lives become intertwined as they negotiate Britain's social benefits system. Angry and humane, it is also a bravura piece of film-making for a director whose artistic skill is often overshadowed by discussions of his politics. In retrospect, I, Daniel Blake seems a clear victor. But in a year when the competition was strong across the board (with a couple of howlers, of course) there was no immediately obvious winner; critics were tweeting wildly varying top-five lists until the moment the jury president George Miller stepped up to the stage to share the results of the "rigorous and vigorous" deliberations of what he said he liked to call "the nine-headed beast". It might have seemed rather less likely, in fact, given the frequent complaints about the festival's line-up including the same old faces. Loach is 80 this year, has had 15 films in Cannes and previously won the Palme D'Or in 2006 for The Wind that Shook the Barley: if anyone is a festival fixture, it's Loach. I, Daniel Blake was nevertheless embraced by critics, many of whom wept through the press screening; it was the most popular win of the night. Some other jury choices, however, were simply baffling. A film that had been heavily booed at its press screening, Olivier Assayas's Personal Shopper - even a valiant central performance by Kristen Stewart could not rescue it - won the best director award. French Canadian director Xavier Dolan's At the End of the World, a shouty portrait of a dysfunctional, deeply unpleasant family with a starry cast including Marion Cotillard, had been dismissed as a huge disappointment coming from the wunderkind auteur who gave us Mommy. Dolan went on to win the Grand Prix, provoking another chorus of boos in the press room. British director Ken Loach speaks on stage in Cannes after receiving the Palme d'Or for his movie I, Daniel Blake. Credit:Getty Images Meanwhile the German director Maren Ade's Tony Erdmann, a critical and audience favourite which was widely tipped to win the Palme, came away with nothing. A win for Ade would have made history, as she would have become only the second woman after Jane Campion to win the Palme D'Or. Since 1992, when Campion won with The Piano, the obvious paucity of films by women in every section of the festival has been increasingly recognised as a scandal, covered in the last two years in a series of talks and seminars, without any sight of a solution: this year's competition of films included just three by women. Ade aside, however, it turned out to be a red-letter night for these very few directors, beginning with the Camera D'Or for a first film in any official section going to feisty French director Houda Benyamina for Divines. Programmed in the more adventurous sidebar section Un Certain Regard, Divines dealt with tough girls in the notorious sink suburbs that surround Paris. The next prize was a Jury award to British director Andrea Arnold for her film American Honey, a long road movie about kids selling bogus magazine subscriptions across America. It had deeply divided audiences the prize was a surprise - but had the kind of experimental brio that makes Cannes vital. The festival was also notable for a spread of strong female roles and women's stories, with extraordinary performances from Isabelle Huppert in Paul Verhoeven's shocking thriller Elle, Sonia Braga as an aging woman determined to hold out against Sao Paulo's thuggish real estate developers to keep her flat in Aquarius and the German actress Sandra Huller who dazzled in Toni Erdmann. The prize for best actress, however, ultimately went to the unknown Filipino Jaclyn Jose for her leading performance as a small-time drug dealer in Brillante Mendoza's typically no-budget drama Ma' Rosa. "She broke my heart," said jury member Donald Sutherland afterwards. The actor's prize went to Shahab Hosseini, who portrays a liberal university teacher overwhelmed by a rush of unfamiliar emotions vengeance, repulsion, anger when his wife is attacked by an intruder in Asghar Farhadi's superb The Salesman, which was built around the template of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Farhadi himself, who won the Golden Bear in Berlin for A Separation, won the prize for best screenplay. Waleed Aly has made a passionate plea to young Australians to make politicians "really bloody nervous" by voting in the upcoming federal election. On The Project on Monday night, the host and Fairfax Media columnist spoke directly to the "almost one million Australians who are not enrolled to vote in the election on July 2" and singled out the "democracy-resisters" aged between 18 and 25, which make up 38 per cent of all unenrolled voters. "So, what are you thinking?" Aly asked. "Are you happy with the people that everyone else has elected to lead us so far?" As a montage of politicians flashed onto the screen, Aly outlined the various issues facing young people, including 12 per cent youth unemployment, the prospect of cutting penalty rates, being locked out of entering the housing market, and the possibility of paying $100,000 for a university degree. In many ways, what went wrong for Gillard - notwithstanding Kevin Rudd's role - is what is currently going sideways for Turnbull. It's the authenticity question. Both leaders took over from elected prime ministers between elections, via partyroom coups. Both started out popular only to fumble that goodwill by early into their respective election campaigns. And both, courtesy of their short-cuts to office, were exposed as light on for the leadership smarts and full-depth authority needed to dominate their parties, and project their genuine selves to voters. Malcolm Turnbull has a bit more in common with Julia Gillard than he would like to acknowledge. Gillard of course, mismanaged the above problems spectacularly, eventually announcing mid-campaign, that voters would get the "real Julia" from then on. It was a serious error of judgment. On top of explicitly telling the citizenry that it had been deceived, it is hard to remember a more blatant admission of campaign failure. Nor a more pointless public declaration of a tactical shift. "So, which issue of genuine personal concern did the party force you to betray this week?" Credit:Andrew Meares Turnbull will not repeat that mistake, presumably. But he's skating close to a few others. Gillard's campaign fakery resonated badly with an electorate already incredulous over her stance against marriage equality - transparently a ploy to neutralise the Christian right within and beyond her party. Gay marriage may not have been a central issue in 2010, but her steadfast opposition simply never rang true. Voters didn't believe her, which dented her credibility and eroded confidence in what she really stood for. Likewise on climate change. Gillard proposed a lame 150-member citizens' assembly to design a new ETS, despite promising to address the problem of policy drift under Rudd as a key justification for knocking him over. Turnbull's descent has been remarkable with Monday's Newspoll showing that for the first time more than half of voters are dissatisfied - a 28 point plunge since November 2015. A senior Turnbull government minister has dismissed concerns that Chinese nationals buying real estate are pushing up house prices, also claiming some Australians confuse buyers with Asian backgrounds for overseas investors. Speaking on Sky News, Trade Minister Steve Ciobo told Australians concerned about overseas investment in the residential property market that some Chinese buyers were not foreign nationals, but rather Chinese born-Australians or immigrants. "There are so many examples where I have been told stories where people say: 'You know what, I saw Chinese buying real estate here in Australia'," he said. "But you know what? They're Chinese-Australian. Clive Palmer's political career appears to be over as he ruled out a bid for the Senate on Monday. In a statement, the outgoing Fairfax MP and Palmer United Party leader said he had not sought the party's endorsement to stand for the Senate. Mr Palmer ruled out standing again in his lower house seat earlier this month, as polling showed him on track to lose. Clive Palmer will be questioned in court on Friday over the collapse of the company that ran the Yabulu nickel refinery. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "There are some excellent people who have nominated to be endorsed to stand for the Palmer United Party in the Senate in Queensland and I am confident the party will continue to play a significant role in Australian political life," Mr Palmer said in a statement. "Regardless of the party Australians vote for in the House of Representatives at the election, they should vote for Palmer United in the Senate so the Liberals or Labor won't reintroduce the 2014 budget. Mr Turnbull said savings from the freeze on Medicare rebates had allowed the government to subsidise more "life-saving drugs" for Australians. Budget papers say the savings from the extended freeze would be "redirected ... to fund health policy priorities." Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that the freeze would end "at some point. The question is, it will end when we judge it is affordable within the context of the health budget. That's all Sussan is saying. It's common sense." Labor capitalised on Ms Ley's remarks, with leader Bill Shorten saying they showed the Coalition was divided on health and that the minister had "been rolled by other people in the government." "As a government we've decided you have to live within your means. So when we increased the allowances and things for the PBS, for cancer treatment or things like that, or when we commit an additional $2.9 billion to hospitals, all of this has to be paid for and the difference between the government and the Labor Party is, all of our spending in this election is paid for by savings, not by higher taxes," he said. Shadow health spokeswoman Catherine King said Ms Ley had indicated the lack of influence she had in cabinet on health policy. "She has basically admitted that health policy under the Turnbull government is all about cuts and about finding savings, it has got nothing to do with the health of this nation." Ms Ley rejected Mr Shorten's claim that the election was a referendum on Medicare, saying it was a contest between which party could produce more jobs for voters and their children. AMA president Professor Brian Owler said the effects of the latest freeze were yet to be felt but that the two-year extension has sent "a signal (that doctors) can't absorb the freeze over that period." Professor Owler estimated that doctors who abandoned bulk-billing as a result, would charge patients a co-payment between $15 and $20. While the lost 60 cents in indexation "doesn't sound like a lot...if you're seeing thousands of patients a year, it adds up," he said. "For a GP seeing 30 patients a day, it's a lot of money out of the practice and the indexation compounds (over time)." Those who stopped bulk-billing to charge co-payments would also lose $10 bulk-billing incentives for each consultation. The Prime Minister and Health Minister have also differed slightly on the issue of the Coalition's plan for the cost of prescription medicines. It was revealed on the weekend that politicians, under a little-known ruling made 17 years ago, can claim tax deductions for a second residence as well as $273 in nightly travel allowance. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull accused the opposition of "backflipping" on the issue after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten backed the current independent system on Sunday. Labor has vowed to crack down on politicians who receive travel allowance to live in their own Canberra homes as well as generous tax concessions, if the party wins office. Politicians who live in homes owned by themselves or their spouses while in Canberra usually claim the nightly allowance. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says Labor would restrict a tax concession used by MPs on homes in Canberra. Credit:Jessica Hromas Speaking in Perth on Monday Mr Shorten said he now believed it was time to act on the tax concessions. "Yesterday's issue which was revealed is one of a tax office ruling in 1999," he said. "I also made it clear yesterday that I was unaware that this ability to make claims even existed. "Now, what I have asked Chris Bowen and my Treasury team to do is to look at how we close down this ruling. "I don't think it's fair and I make it very clear to Australians that where I don't think something is fair, I will act on it." Asked about the entitlements the previous day, Mr Shorten said only that he had not been aware of them and they are set by the independent Remuneration Tribunal. "I understand that what has been reported today is within the rules," he said. The Greens have pledged to make it safer, cheaper and easier for Australian women to get abortions in a $15 million election commitment. In an election announcement to be made on Tuesday, the Greens will pledge to support the decriminalisation of abortion at a state level and cut out-of-pocket expenses through a review of rebates. Queensland Senator Larissa Waters will announce the Greens' $15 million abortion policy on Tuesday. Credit:Michelle Smith It would also introduce "truth in advertising" laws for pregnancy counselling and collate accurate data on terminations in order to reach demand. It would also "increase access via public hospitals by establishing a task force on abortion and contraception to clear the roadblocks to public provision". A political billboard featuring a former army major in uniform isn't "overly controversial", despite the Australian Defence Force calling for its removal, the ALP says. The billboard featuring former army major and Labor candidate for Brisbane Pat O'Neill in army fatigues features in several prominent locations across the city. Labor candidate for Brisbane Pat O'Neill will remove billboards depicting him in his army uniform. An ADF spokesperson said Mr O'Neill did not seek endorsement for the material and he had been contacted and asked to remove the imagery. "Defence policy is designed to ensure that the ADF remains apolitical," a statement read. The French company awarded the right to build Australia's $50 billion submarine fleet is embroiled in a multi-million dollar bribery scandal over a submarine contract in Malaysia. The allegations in Malaysia have engulfed the country's prime minister and spun out into a sordid tale of bribery, blackmail and murder. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last month awarded French shipbuilder DCNS the right to build the next generation of 12 Australian submarines - a decision that followed a fierce competition with Germany and Japan, and was itself mired in controversy over claims of political pork-barrelling to defend South Australian marginal seats. But those ructions pale in comparison with the saga that has unfolded over DCNS's dealings in Malaysia, dating back more than a decade. They might have all joined the Victoria Secret ranks at the same time last year, but that doesn't mean Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner will get an invite to Bridget Malcolm's wedding in two months. The Perth-born model, 23, opened up about her upcoming, low-key nuptials to Walking Shapes musician, Nathaniel Hoho, her "sexy", slinky wedding gown, and her guest list when speaking to Fairfax Media ahead of the Oscar de la Renta Fashion Week show at Sydney's Carriageworks on Friday night. Bridget Malcolm opened up about her upcoming nuptials to Walking Shapes musician, Nathaniel Hoho, her "sexy" wedding gown, and her guest list when speaking to Fairfax Media ahead of the Oscar de la Renta Fashion Week show at Sydney's Carriageworks on Friday night. Credit:Getty When asked whether there would be any celebrities in attendance at the July 23 nuptials in what she described as "Amish country" Pennsylvania, in particular Jenner and Hadid, the bubbly beauty said: "No, it's not going to be anything like that. Three men walk into a shed. Only two men come out alive. They were former detectives Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara. In his closing address to a NSW Supreme Court jury, Crown prosecutor Christopher Maxwell, QC, argued there were 29 reasons that the pair should be found guilty of the murder of Jamie Gao and stealing the drugs he had brought to a meeting. A correctional officer escorts Roger Rogerson to court for his murder trial last week. Credit:Daniel Munoz "These are the main or important circumstances that the Crown relies upon," Mr Maxwell said before starting his list below. 1. Glen McNamara had 27 meetings with the deceased Jamie Gao in the lead-up to his death on May 20, 2014. The principal of a troubled far north Queensland community's only school has been targeted for the second time in two weeks, according to police. The first incident prompted the temporary closure of Aurukun's Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy and the evacuation of 25 teachers and staff. But local Queensland Teachers Union members met on Sunday, deciding the school would remain open. Three teenagers wielding knives and machetes allegedly car-jacked principal Scott Fatnowna and his wife as they made their way home on Saturday night. UNIVAC 1, the first general-purpose computer for commercial use which beat the pundits to predict US President Eisenhower's 1952 landslide election win. Credit:Adam Turner The older you are the more you're likely to get out of the museum, because as you walk through the history of computing you reach the point where it intersects with your own timeline. For me that was the 1970s with the Apple II, the first computer I ever used as my primary school owned a handful on carts which were wheeled between the classrooms. For other people this point of intersection might be the Cray-1 mainframe, DEC's PDP-8 minicomputer, the Xerox Alto desktop computer or perhaps the original Palm Pilot PDA. Nearby the Apple II sits alongside the IBM PC, acknowledging the birth of the rivalry between PC and Mac which drove the personal computing revolution. Two of the coolest things in the Computer History Museum: an Apollo guidance computer and museum curator/tour guide Chris Garcia. Credit:Adam Turner There's also a section dedicated to the birth of the internet, networking and the World Wide Web. You can see an early APRAnet switch and Google server rack, plus you can press a button to hear the screeching of a dial-up modem logging into AOL. The museum is not all about work, once you reach the age of personal computing you'll also discover a great selection of consumer PCs, including the TRS-80, Commodore PET and ZX Spectrum. Of course you'll also find the great Commodore 64 the first computer owned by many Australians of my forty-something vintage. I'm sure I'm not the only one who saved up their paper round money to buy one. The Stanford Cart and SRI's Shakey the Robot, two of the world's first smart vehicles. Credit:Adam Turner The birth of computer games also gets a look-in, with an original Pong arcade machine and a handful of early home consoles. Old-school gamers passing through San Francisco on their way to Silicon Valley should also check out the Musee Mecanique penny arcade museum at Fisherman's Wharf. Entry is free and while the Musee Mecanique is primarily focused on pre-computing arcade attractions think Zoltar from the movie Big you can also pump quarters into a few classic pinball machines and arcade computer games including Asteroids, Pac-man, Space Invaders, Galaxian and Pole Position. Atari's Pong helped spark the arcade gaming revolution, with early home consoles on the right. Credit:Adam Turner Back at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, you don't need to be a greybeard with a few miles on the clock to appreciate technology and history. It's not just a place for reminiscing, it's also a great place to connect with things that happened before your time. As a space nerd who's visited the Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Centre and the V2 rocket combustion chambers at Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, one of my highlights from the Computer History Museum was seeing the guidance system from the Apollo command and lunar modules which took us to the Moon. It packs less grunt than the smartphone in your pocket, but it's also far more reliable and this amazing slice of computing history helped make mankind's greatest dream a reality. Tech for work and play: Xerox's Alto desktop computer which gave us the Graphical User Interface, alongside Texas Instruments' Speak & Spell. Credit:Adam Turner You can also admire the early forays into robotics and autonomous vehicles, such as the Stanford Cart and SRI's Shakey the Robot which are the distant relatives of the Mars Rovers and other robots exploring our solar system. In some ways walking through the museum feels like walking through an Evolution of Man exhibit watching technology evolve and find its feet while recognising glimpses of today's cutting edge technology in those primitive ancestors. Much of what you see isn't behind glass, you're not permitted to touch but this closeness adds to the experience when there's nothing between you and a slice of history. The birth of a rivalry: The Apple II pitted against the IBM PC. Credit:Adam Turner The tour is a great chronological primer but afterwards you'll want to spend at least another 45 minutes going back through to see what you missed as well as taking a closer look at your favourites. There are also a few standalone exhibits, such as the PDP-1 and IBM 1401 labs as well as the mechanical Babbage Engine, although unfortunately the Babbage Engine section was closed while I was there so check ahead if it's on your must-see list. Sony's Aibo robot dog paved the way for a new generation of entertainment robots. Credit:Adam Turner The main exhibit is quite a rabbit warren, you can't just walk through in a straight line and see everything. There are 20 areas in the exhibit and each has a few sections to explore so sometimes you'll need to double-back. The visitor map labels each area but doesn't point to individual items so you'll need to explore. Brazen thieves have stolen thousands of dollars' worth of designer handbags from luxury fashion stores Gucci and Prada in Melbourne's CBD. The four offenders used sledgehammers and jemmy bars to smash their way into the Collins Street shops, which are roughly 100 metres apart, about 2.15am on Tuesday. Sledgehammers were used to break into the Gucci store on Collins Street. Credit:Eddie Jim A Victoria Police spokesman said it was too early to estimate the exact value of the stolen goods but a single luxury handbag can have a price tag in excess of $5000, with most selling for more than $2000. A security guard from a nearby building caught the thieves at the Collins Street Gucci store, initially scaring them off, radio station 3AW radio reported. Father Joe Caddy presiding over the last Melbourne gangland funeral of its kind, for George Williams spoke to the mourners about Jesus, about doing good and living a good life. They were not all the key demographic, but they listened anyway. George, who was notorious gangland criminal Carl Williams' father, died ten days ago of a heart attack, aged 69. Carl is dead, his skull pulverised in Barwon Prison after a life of drug manufacturing, drug running and killings. Carl's brother Shane is dead he used heroin. Their mother Barbara is dead. Suicide. "We all fall over," said Father Caddy, who had come to St Theresa's in Essendon from his own Catholic parish in Fitzroy for the job. "But all people have goodness." He later died in the Royal Melbourne Hospital intensive care unit. Longxiang 'Jeremy' Hu died in hospital after he was bashed in Chinatown in April. Yarra Valley Grammar student Longxiang "Jeremy" Hu, 19, was allegedly assaulted in La Trobe Place, just off Chinatown's Little Bourke Street about 10pm on April 15. Police have charged a second man over the fatal bashing of a teenage student in Chinatown last month. A 23-year-old Chinese national was charged on Monday with affray and common law assault after handing himself into police on Friday. "He was remanded into custody and will appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Thursday 26 May," said Acting Sergeant Melissa Seach. Homicide detectives had earlier charged Shengliang Wan, 22, with murder over the attack. Police had also appealed for Hanjie Liu, 23, to hand himself into police as he was believed to have information about the incident. Yarra Valley Grammar principal Mark Merry said the friends and family of Mr Hu, an international student completing his VCE, were struggling to understand how a young man who lived so peacefully could die so violently. Police have responded to reports of a bomb threat at a school on the Mornington Peninsula. Staff and students at Padua College were reportedly evacuated this morning after a threat was made against the school. Police are responding to bomb threat at Padua College. Credit:Marina Neil A police spokesperson said safety checks were being made at three campuses of the school at Mornington, Rosebud and Tyabb. In a statement on its Facebook page, Padua College said all three campuses had been evacuated following an automated email bomb threat. An investigation is underway as to whether a blaze that destroyed Ringwood's Dakota Nightclub early on Monday morning was deliberately lit. Firefighters are hoping CCTV footage will help them discover the cause of the fire which started at the Maroondah Highway venue about 2.30am. Police have established a crime scene around the nightclub. A man who regularly had sex with his adult transgender stepdaughter over 13 years was arrested after she covertly recorded his crimes on her iPad, a court has heard. The victim was born a boy but underwent gender reassignment surgery as a young adult about the time her mother and the man married. The case was described as 'extraordinary' one in the County Court. Credit:Scott Barbour Soon afterwards he began exerting sexual control over her, the County Court heard on Monday. He first attempted to kiss his stepdaughter about a year after her operation, telling her: "I just can't help myself, you've just become such a beautiful woman", the court was told. There is still no sign of a missing mother who hasn't been seen after she vanished from her family home last week. The search for Fiona Hawker, 47, resumed at 8am on Monday, a police spokeswoman said. The body of missing woman Fiona Hawker was found on Monday. Police are concerned Ms Hawker, a mother to five children aged seven to 20 years, may have fallen in rough terrain or become disoriented during her regular walk on Thursday. At 8.15am, she went for her regular morning walk into the Monbulk town centre, leaving her home in McAllister Road, in Melbourne's hilly outer east. In an increasingly technology-led world it should come as no surprise that pre-schoolers are being taught computer programming alongside traditional subjects in WA primary schools. For the first time this year, coding is being run as a stand-alone subject in the state as a part of the Teacher Development Schools program, which focuses on teacher development and learning. Kids as young as five are being taught to code in WA schools. Credit:Victor J. Blue The program has been rolled out in 25 schools across the state as part of the government's $6 million bid to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in primary and secondary schools. In the schools trialling the coding subject, pre-primary, year one- and two students are being taught directional games and basic programming with Lego robotics and a kid-friendly coding app using pre-built blocks. Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten has announced plans to pull funding from the controversial Perth Freight Link and instead inject $1 billion into WA Labor's pet rail project Metronet, if elected on July 2. Speaking during the first of a two-day tour of Perth on Monday, Mr Shorten said the $2.5 billion Metronet project to expand Perth's rail networks to the outer suburbs would help ease Perth's congestion and provide 4000 jobs during its construction. WA transport minister Dean Nalder, however, labelled the project as "just a slogan" but conceded the state government would struggle to fund the $1.9 billion Perth Freight Link without Federal funding and would likely be forced to rethink its rail options. WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said Metronet would be built "as we can afford it" if Labor was elected into government in 2017. Sacramento, California: A 12-year-old Sacramento student who already has three college degrees and has been accepted to two University of California campuses says he plans on studying biomedical engineering and becoming a doctor and medical researcher by the time he turns 18. Tanishq Abraham has been accepted to UC Davis and received a regents scholarship to UC Santa Cruz, but he has yet to decide which university he'll attend, reported Sacramento television station CBS 13 on Sunday. "I think I'll be 18 when I get my MD," he said. Tanishq started community college at age 7 and last year received associate's degrees from American River College, in Sacramento, in general science; math and physical science; and foreign language studies. Bangkok: Vietnamese officials have imposed strict conditions on Western correspondents covering US President Barack Obama's visit to their communist country. BBC correspondent Jonathan Head was told his crew's accreditation had been withdrawn and his reporting of the visit must stop after Mr Obama arrived in Hanoi on Sunday night. A Vietnamese couple pass a poster of US President Barack Obama hanging in a door in Hanoi. Credit:AP Head, who is based in Bangkok, said no reason was given but in a fraught exchange with foreign ministry officials it was suggested he had held an unauthorised meeting after he arrived in the country on Friday. Pippa Mann Qualifies for 100th Indianapolis 500 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (May 22, 2016) - Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pippa Mann qualified 25th for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, entering herself into the legendary event for the fifth time in her motorsports career. Racing in the No. 63 Susan G. Komen car, Mann completed her four qualifying laps with an average speed of 226.006 miles per hour on the 2.5 mile circuit. "I'm just so proud of the whole Dale Coyne Racing team, and of my guys on the 63 car," said Mann. "From the way we bounced back from yesterday, and a tough situation this morning in warm-up. It feels fantastic to go out there, and be back up to speed when it mattered in our qualifying run. We've had such a great car all week, that in different circumstances we would have liked to have gone faster today, but I'm really pleased with our effort, and now we can get back to focusing on our car for the race next weekend." A delamination resulted in a rear wing end fence failure in turn two during her first qualifying lap, causing Mann to spin. Despite being able to prevent the car from making heavy contact, the Dale Coyne Racing crew was still faced with overnight repairs to ready the car for day two of qualifying to set the final race starting grid. Continuing issues from the day before resulted in Mann being unable to complete any flying laps in practice. However, after the session the team diagnosed and solved the remaining problems in time for Mann's car to make it to the front of qualifying line. With no previous time from Saturday, Mann was scheduled to be the first qualifier of the day, and took to the track on schedule at 2:45PM. Her first series of flying laps since Friday saw her qualify the Dale Coyne Racing car supporting Susan G. Komen in 25th for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Mann's 2016 effort will mark her fourth Indianapolis 500 with Dale Coyne Racing, and her second representing Susan G. Komen. The partnership is part of a greater cause to raise $100,000 for Susan G. Komen, joining in the fight against breast cancer. Funds raised in this year's efforts via the official Indiegogo website will be used for breast cancer care and research. The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place Sunday May 29th, and will be broadcasted live on ABC at noon eastern on ABC. For more information, visit indycar.com. 2016 Busan Motor Show Gets "Tuned" as a National Car Festival BUSAN, South Korea - May 23, 2016: Busan International Motor Show is slated to open on June 2 (Thursday) for press day and runs until June 12 (Sunday) for 11 days at Bexco in Haewundae, Busan with this years theme of Future Wave, Inspiring Technology. This year, the show will feature 25 domestic and foreign brands which is an increase of 14% compared to 2014, and the total square footage of display by the participating companies has also increased 14%. World premieres that will be showcased in the event are 5 vehicles from 4 brands including 3 vehicles by Hyundai Motors including Genesis, a brand Hyundai Motors is launching for the first time as an independent brand, and 1 vehicle for Man Truck which will be displayed at Busan Motor Show for the first time by Kia Motors. In addition, Asian premieres include 5 vehicles including Kia Motors and GM Korea, and Korean premieres include 36 vehicles including Renault Samsung and BMW. Various other events will be simultaneously held in many venues all over the city of Busan in addition to Bexco this year. Such various events include test drives for new vehicles and electric vehicles, 4X4 off-road contest and test drive, Yamaha small two-wheel vehicle test drive for children, and movie night at an outdoor drive-in theater. Also, chief executives who are leading research and development for the latest trend in the world automotive industry such as self-driving and environment-friendly automobiles will participate in the event. Gala dinner for invited members of press will be held on June 1 at 6 PM, which is the day before the press day, at the convention hall of Bexco in Haewundae, Busan with about 500 people invited including domestic and foreign press members and executives of the participating companies. At the gala dinner, Vice Chairman Moon Shik Kwon of Hyundai Motors Group and CEO Arwed Niestroj of Mercedes Benz in charge of R&D in North America will deliver keynote speeches, laying out their visions and plans for developing future-oriented automotive technologies. General admission starts on June 3 (Friday, 12:00 noon) and the events weekend hours are expected to run through 7:00 PM which is one more hour than weekdays. Discounted admission reservations can be made through G Market and Auction Ticket on the internet. ZURICH, May 23, 2016 -- Seventeen years ago saw the first blasting in the historic heartland of Switzerland of the longest train tunnel in the world. Wednesday 1 June 2016 will see the festive opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel - adding a further pioneering attraction to the world's densest public transport network. The tunnel will bring Switzerland's neighbouring countries, regions and cities north and south of the Alps closer together. Travel by train will be quicker, easier and more convenient. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7828351-swiss-alps-longest-deepest-train-tunnel/ Wednesday 1 June 2016 sees the festive opening in Switzerland of the longest and deepest train tunnel in the world. The tunnel extends for 57 kilometres to a depth of up to 2300 metres below the Gotthard massif. This flagship project for efficient and sustainable transportation on the north-south axis will permit high-speed travel through the Alps in only 17 minutes. The new flat-track route will not only cut travel time through the Gotthard, but also facilitate transit travel for longer and heavier trains. After 17 years of challenging building work, constructor AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd will hand over the completed tunnel to the Swiss Federal Railways on time and on budget. Switzerland's internationally acclaimed public transport system - already the densest in the world - has perfected another pioneering first. The best way to discover Switzerland The Gotthard Base Tunnel enters into regular operation on 11 December 2016. The shorter travel times will bring neighbouring countries, regions and cities closer together. The dual-track tunnel will enable passengers from near and far to spend more time discovering the many delights of Switzerland north and south of the Gotthard. Videos about the inauguration will be available on SwissTravelSystem.com/media from 1 June 2016 17.00 hrs (CET). Live pictures and film material will be accessible from 1 June 2016 via the European Broadcasting Union for EBU members or via SRG Sat.Chanel SRG-AB8 for all others. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370269 ) Video: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7828351-swiss-alps-longest-deepest-train-tunnel/ SOURCE Swiss Travel System AG CONTACT: Contact: Tabea Mandour: +41-(0)44-225-80-40 WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 23, 2016 -- Rail Europe, the largest distributor of European rail products worldwide, invites travellers to enjoy discounted fares on the high speed train connecting London and the rest of Europe via the Channel Tunnel (or "Chunnel") this summer. Travellers can receive up to 30% off Eurostar Standard Premier tickets when purchased from Rail Europe now through June 22, for travel between July 18 and September 18, 2016.* While in London, celebrate Her Majesty's 90th birthday with the locals and revel in Great Britain's excitement as Queen Elizabeth upholds the longest-reign as a monarch in British History. When planning your personalized itinerary in Europe this summer with Rail Europe, choose the high speed train connection between London and Paris, or Brussels, as it is the fastest way to travel between these can't-miss cities at only two hours in length. With a choice of frequent departures, Rail Europe invites you to travel at 186 mph while relaxing in Standard Premier service where you can day-dream in comfort about all you'll discover at your European destination. For travellers who wish to extend their journeys by train, connect from London to Provence with a new direct connection from London to Avignon and Marseille in just 6 hours and 27 minutes. A one-stop-shop for European travel, Rail Europe can enhance your visit in any city you choose to visit by allowing you to easily add on tour packages and museum passes to make the most of your time abroad. With Rail Europe, you'll have support before, during and after your travels, and can even book in your preferred language and currency. Take advantage of these 1st class train savings and book today by visiting Rail Europe's website at raileurope.com, or connect with travel experts at Rail Europe's award-winning customer care centre by phone or live chat on the website. For travellers whose journeys include Paris, Rail Europe invites them to share their explorations on social media with #ParisWeLoveYou, to express their love for the incredible French city. TERMS & CONDITIONS: *Eurostar Standard Premier tickets show under "Comfort" on the Rail Europe websites. Save up to 30% offer is valid for bookings of select Eurostar Standard Premier tickets made from May 19 through 5:00 pm ET on June 22, 2016. Savings/Discount ranges from 15% 30% off Eurostar Standard Premier tickets. Offer is subject to availability and subject to change or extension without notice. No adjustments can be made on prior purchases. Promotional tickets are valid for travel from July 18 to September 18, 2016. About Rail Europe Rail Europe represents more than 50 European train companies and is a one-stop shop for European rail travel planning and booking. Rail Europe, Inc., is the largest distributor of European rail products in North America, offering a wide range of passes and train tickets to North American travellers. An essential part of the vacation planning process, the company's Web site offers a user-friendly booking engine, knowledgeable experts, online rail pass finder, virtual tours, interactive maps and much more. Rail Europe provides a worry-free, cost and time-effective and seamless travel experience by enabling customers to purchase tickets and plan travel details in advance. For more information or to book a trip with Rail Europe, visit raileurope.com . Trips can also be reserved by speaking to a Rail Europe Travel Consultant at 1-800-438-7245 (U.S.), 1-800-361-7245 (Canada) or 1-888-337-8687 (Mexico). To book rail for groups of 10 or more, please contact the Group Department at raileurope.com/group-travel. For the latest Rail Europe news, downloadable videos and high-resolution photos of European trains, media can visit the newsroom at www.raileurope.com/about-us/about-us.html. Connect with Rail Europe on: Facebook Twitter (@RailEurope) Instagram YouTube Google+ Pinterest Blog Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370719 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/summer-sale-on-eurostar-high-speed-trains-from-rail-europe-300273008.html SOURCE Rail Europe CONTACT: Laura Zanzal Ford, Vice President, Zeno Group for Rail Europe, 212.299.8955, laura.ford@zenogroup.com, Melanie Albaric, Marketing & Communications Manager, Rail Europe, 914.681.7232, malbaric@raileurope.com RELATED LINKShttp://www.raileurope.com Nancy Fitzgerald, CEO of iLendingDIRECT, Wins 2016 Women in Remarketing Award Englewood, CO May 23, 2016; iLendingDIRECT has announced today that its CEO, Nancy Fitzgerald, has been recognized as a 2016 Women in Remarketing Honoree by Auto Remarketing. The Women in Remarketing Award is an annual recognition of female leaders in the remarketing and used car business.A Nancy Fitzgerald is one of 20 honorees this year who received this prestigious recognition.A Nancy Fitzgerald is a 25-year-old auto refinancing veteran. Nancy started her career in 1991 when she and her late husband, Patrick, opened a small dealership in Denver. iLendingDIRECT has grown since then, from a small garage building to a company that now employs more than 150 people.A Nancy became the President and CEO of iLendingDIRECT when Patrick passed away in 2014 from a tragic accident riding his bike home from work.A While grieving over the loss of her husband, Nancy not only rebuilt the management team of iLendingDIRECT but also took the company to the next level and grew the business by 35% last year. A This achievement was well recognized by many of iLendingDIRECT's industry partners. "Nancy Fitzgerald is a well-respected, tenacious go-getter, and extremely pleasant to do business with. We've been doing business together for over 6 years. I couldn't think of a better professional who deserves this award and has earned this privilege" said Steve Bender, Director of Information Technology at Fleet Street. Driven by the love to help people get ahead in life, iLendingDIRECT under Nancy's leadership is known for its excellent customer services and ability to develop innovative solutions that deliver improved financial outcomes for its customers. Receiving the 2016 Women in Remarketing Award is a clear tribute to Nancy's leadership and her passion to excel and deliver solutions of the best value to consumers in the used car industry. A Nancy was humbled by this acknowledgement and thanked her team for their support by her side during the most challenging time in her life. "To even be included among this caliber of women is so humbling to me. Being relatively new in this industry and being embraced by the women, and quite honestly mentored by many of the other honorees, has been such an incredible experience. This is not an award I can accept as just Nancy Fitzgerald. I could only accept this if it were in the name of iLendingDIRECT, as it's my team who truly deserves this award" says Nancy Fitzgerald, CEO & President of iLendingDIRECT. She says further, "The integrity of my sales floor lends itself to the quality of our customer service. We treat everyone like family here a it's why we were able to grow 35% last year and are on track to grow by 50% this year. It's because we care about our customers. It is such an honor for this award to be bestowed upon my company from this organization, to be recognized for all the work we've done, and will continue to do. To be acknowledged by Auto Remarketing magazine, what a privilege it is for iLendingDIRECT to be included in Women in Remarketing's Woman of the Year award," About iLendingDIRECT iLendingDIRECT is a national Finance and Insurance marketing firm that focuses on Auto Refinancing. 15 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Cincinnati-Style Chili Cincinnati-style chili is celebrating its 100th birthday on Oct. 24. By Danny Cross, Maija Zummo and CityBeat Staff Oct 24, 2022 Certain cities are in part defined by their native cuisines. Although at times stereotypical, one cannot debate the value of partaking in a hot slice of New York-style pizza in the Big Apple, a hunk of deep dish in Chicago or a greasy cheesesteak topped with Cheez Whiz in Philadelphia... Bernie Sanders is trying to Sarah Palin the head of the Democratic Partythrowing his support behind the DNC chairwomans primary opponent in the latest escalation of the intraparty fracas gripping the left. Well, clearly, I favor her opponent, Sanders told CNN on Sunday. His views are much closer to mine than as to Wasserman Schultzs. He added that if elected president he would not support Debbie Wasserman Schultz to keep her post as chair. There is no love lost between DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Sandershis campaign has alleged she has been on Hillary Clintons side for the duration of the primarybut his comments and subsequent fundraising ask for her primary opponent made the political argument suddenly personal for the Florida Democrat. This isnt the first time weve seen party on party attacks this cycle. After Speaker Paul Ryan blindsided presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and his campaign by declining to endorse him following the exit of Sen. Ted Cruz from the race, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin hit the airwaves and called for conservatives to rally around his primary opponent. While Sarah Palins call to action is unlikely to have much of an impact of Ryans fortunate given her track record, it remains to be seen whether Sanders has the heft to take out a well-funded incumbent Democrat in a solidly blue seat. On Sunday it was clear that he was going to give it a shot. In a fundraising appeal asking his sisters and brothers to split a donation between Bernies presidential campaign and the congressional campaign of Tim Canova, Wasserman Schultzs Democratic primary challenger. Splitting a $2.70 contribution between Bernie 2016 and Tim Canova for Congress will help elect progressives up and down the ballot while sending an UNMISTAKABLE message about our political revolutions commitment to electing candidates who share our values, the fundraising email read. For much of this election cycle, Wasserman Schultz has been accused by Sanders and his supporters of running the Democratic primary process in a biased way: holding debates at times when viewership will be relatively low; and using unelected superdelegatesusually party establishment typesto weigh in on the eventual nominee. In February, for example DNC vice chairwoman Tulsi Gabbard criticized the DNC for not scheduling enough debates, and accused Wasserman Schultz of revoking her invite to the first such faceoff. Still, the odds are in Wasserman Schultzs favor so far. The chairwoman is also relatively popular in her own district. One indication of the likelihood of her success in the congressional primary is how badly Clinton beat Sanders in Florida. Wasserman Schultzs district includes parts of Hollywood, Florida and Miami Beach. Miami-Dade County voted three-to-one for Clinton over Sanders back in March. Broward County, where Hollywood is located, voted for Clinton 73 to 26 percent. Wasserman Schultz waved off Sanders endorsement, insisting that she remains neutral in the Democratic presidential primary. I look forward to working together with him for Democratic victories in the fall., she said in a statement Sunday. I am so proud to serve the people of Floridas 23rd district and I am confident that they know that I am an effective fighter and advocate on their behalf in Congress. The Cook Political Report, essentially a bible for political reporters and observers, wrote in their summary of the race that Wasserman Schultz remains formidable in her primary and that it is tough to imagine Canova unseating her. Canova and Sanders quixotic bids are both unlikely to succeed but they do signify deep alienation from within the Democratic Partys progressive wing. As the primary drags on and on, the split within the party appears to grow wider, rather than more narrowsomething that will bruise the Democratic nominee come the summer and perhaps into fall, all to Donald Trumps benefit. ROME Austria narrowly averted what would have been one of the most dangerous electoral decisions since World War II by not choosing far-right presidential candidate Norbert Hofer. Instead, Green party candidate Alexander van der Bellen won the presidency by a razor-thin margin of 50.3 percent to Hofers 49.7 percent, and only after absentee postal votes were tallied on Monday. Even though Hofer lost, his immense popularity speaks volumes about the growing nationalistic anti-immigration right-wing sentiments gripping Europe right now as it comes to terms with a mass migration crisis. More than 90,000 peopleroughly 1 percent of Austrias populationclaimed political asylum in the country last year. Hofer, 45, often was referred to as Austrias Donald Trump and was well known for carrying a 9mm Glock pistol, which he brandished at political rallies, ostensibly for protection, justifying the act as a natural consequence of immigration. Among his key campaign phrases were slogans like: Islam has no place in Austria. Im not a dangerous person, he said to critics during the campaign. But those people who dont appreciate our country, who go to war for the Islamic State or rape womenI say to those people: This is not your home! You cant stay in Austria. (Sound familiar?) Hofer also promised to do what he could as Austrias president, a somewhat limited role, to tighten Austrias borders to protect the country from the onslaught of immigrants. Among the promises were plans to help the country seal off the historical Brenner Pass with Italy, which is an Alpine roadway that has been traversed since Roman times, with a fence Trump would surely be proud of. We have no choice, he said while campaigning to fiery crowds who clearly backed his extreme views. Only 20 percent of people arriving in Austria are real refugees and they have already passed through safe countries. That sentiment has been echoed in Northern European countries for more than a year as first Greece, and now Italy, bear the brunt of the biggest migrant crisis Europe has ever faced. Last year, more than 1 million people made it safely to Europe, mostly through Greece and Italy, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR. This year, more than 190,000 have arrived already. Rhetoric like Hofers has been on the rise in Europe as anti-immigration demonstrators backed by right-wing politicians take to the streets. Last weekend, anti-immigration protests in Rome brought hundreds of extremist right-wing demonstrators to an area near Piazza Vittorio, where a large number of immigrants live, shouting, Stop the invasion! This is my home, not yours! and I dont want the European Union. Hundreds of protesters were arrested during similar protests in Germany last month as that nation struggles to deal with the more than 1 million asylum seekers who arrived last year alone. A Hofer win would have been a clear show of support for right-wing politicians across the continent who have been steadily gaining ground. In Germany, the anti-immigration right-wing Alternative for Germany political party is polling at around 12 percent against Angela Merkels party, which has paved the way to mass migration by inviting refugees to Germany to build a better life. Those fears also play into the contentious June 23 Brexit referendum next month in which British voters will whether or not to stay in the European Union. Even though Hofer has been set aside for the moment, he is clearly not stepping out of the political scene in Austria. Dear friends, thank you for your great support, he wrote on his Facebook page after conceding the presidential race on Monday evening. Of course Im sad today. I would like to have looked after you as President of our wonderful country. I will remain loyal to you and make my contribution to a positive future in Austria. Please do not be discouragedthis election campaign is not lost but is an investment in the future. And just what that future is for Europe remains very unsettling indeed. Bernie Sanders has proven he can fill a stadium with adoring fans, but Democrats say he risks being ostracized by members of his own party when he returns to the Senate unless he can rein in his supporters soon. While Sanderss young and energetic base is something the Democratic Party desperately wants to co-opt in the general election, senior Democrats want Vermonts junior senator to harness that anger and point it at Donald Trump. Anything less, they say, and Sanders risks coming back to the Senate alienated from his colleagues. The violence that erupted at the Democratic convention in Nevada last weekend, with chairs being thrown, followed up by threats of violence and vulgar, sexist insults being hurled at Democratic leaders by ardent Sanders supporters, was a wake-up call for many in the Democratic Party. California Sen. Barbara Boxer was at the mic for Hillary Clinton when the now infamous convention erupted. Shes a four-term senator, who defeated former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina in her last reelection, so shes not Pollyannaish. Still, she says when she talked to Sanders on Tuesday she told him to never let his supporters do that again. I told him that what happened to me was very alarming, disturbing and that he needed to really get control of the situation, Sen. Boxer told The Daily Beast. He said he was distressed about it and expressed chagrin about it. Later, when Sanders sent out a press release on the affair, he doubled down, accusing the Nevada Democratic Party of being in the pro-Hillary camp. Democrats in the Senate didnt like the sound of that, because they think its time for the party to heal, not throw more blows. I dont think it strengthens democracy or it reflects well on the Democratic Party for us to stoop to the level of Mr. Trump, who has made this presidential campaign in his party all about needlessly, personal attacks, said Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). When asked by The Daily Beast whether Sanders will be ostracized by his Democratic colleagues when he returns to the Senate if the primary ends bitterly, Coons matter of factly told The Daily Beast, Yes. When asked if Sanders risked alienating his fellow senators if the vitriol continues to rise, he again responded, Yes. I think theres been a lot of conversations in the last few days from senators here who are close to Senator Sanders or who support him or have worked with him that theyre concerned about the tone and direction and they want to make sure Nevada is an isolated, one-time incident, Coons said. Other Democrats are highlighting that Sanders, much like Trump on the Republican side of the aisle, is a new addition to the party. They say they let him into their exclusive playground and that a rule for admission is no sand throwing from him or his supporters. You know hes been an Independent, we welcomed him, but now that hes finally gotten around to becoming a member of the Democratic Party, you sign up for the rules and we want Bernie to go by the rules that hes signed up for, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) told The Daily Beast. That is up to him, to get his supporters to calm down. Bernie has to be in charge of what he, himself has unleashed. Californias senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, has raised red flags about the 2016 Democratic Convention being a repeat of the fireworks that erupted at the infamous 1968 convention in Chicago. Party unity is always a concern, Sen. Feinstein told The Daily Beast. You never know. Theres a certain unpredictability thats out there, so you need to have as solid of a united front as you can, essentially. But Sanders supporters in Congress accuse Clinton backers, like Feinstein, of waving red flags as an attempt to stoke alarmist fear. The only way something [like] that can happen is for the leadership, as they did in 1968, is to close off the convention to other people that were trying to change the system, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) told The Daily Beast. Hes a proud progressive and an early Sanders supporter who, like many of Sanderss most fervent people on the ground, thinks the whole primary has been tilted in Clintons favor. Grijalva argued the party now owes Sanders when they reach the convention floor in Philadelphia. It behooves the party and its leadership and the DNC to treat Bernies ideas, his message and his people with respect, because theyve earned it. You know, come on, theres no innocence in this process. The DNC and the party itself has given aid and comfort to Hillary from the beginning. The state party, certainly in my state and other states, have supported her openly, Grijalva said, adding that he wants his party to rewrite their rules that allow the primary to be tilted by superdelegates. To heal the party, Grijalva also wants Clintons people to give Sanders and his allies a lot of time on the convention floor and to have a big say in writing the party platform. But other Sanders supporters argue the legacy of Bernie can be a lot more powerful than just a big seat at the July convention. They want a lasting legacy. I think the most important thing about the Sanders campaign is that, no matter what happens at the convention, that there be some sort of organization that encourages people to run for local offices all over the country in a Bernie style, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) told The Daily Beast. Ellison envisions the new apparatus as connecting candidates who agree with the populist economic program being laid out by Sanders with his long list of small-dollar donors spread across the nation. Itd be like the digitally progressive Obama for America, which came with the promise of helping bolster Democrats down ticket, but only real, Ellison told The Daily Beast. Its only through a nationwide network, the Minnesota congressman argued, that Sanderss revolutionary vision for the country can be realized. Thats the thing thats going to really change this country, Ellison said off the House floor. One of the things that Bernie has said time and time again is that no one president can change this whole country, youre going to need a wave of people to really make the substantive changes that are necessary to really put the American democracy back in the hands of the American people. Other Democrats agree that Sanders will play a larger, even outsized, role in the Senate when he returns. He had a big role in our caucus before and its going to be even bigger when he comes back. Hes gonna bring back to the caucus with him a national network of progressives thats unparalleled, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) told The Daily Beast. Im excited for Bernie to come back to the caucus, Im excited for the people who got involved in his campaign to be a part of pushing his agenda. Murphy argues it would be good for Sanders to come back and, if Democrats can recapture control of the Senate, represent the party as the Chairman of Budget Committee. That would be a super platform for him to talk about the need to scale up, rather than scale down, Social Security. It would be a great platform for him to talk about democratic principles around the idea of reducing the cost of college and prescription medicine, Murphy said. For his Independent label Bernie has always been a pretty good member of the caucus. But senators from Sanderss new party, the Democratic Party, are reticent to usher him back as a party representative unless he tones it down in these waning weeks of the primary. Still, Sanders now has a national following and cash cow of a small-dollar fundraising network, which means hes well prepared to make life Hell for Democratic leaders unless they concede and cave to some of his supporters demands. This is a pretty incredible institution where any senator, at any time, can become pretty relevant, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) told The Daily Beast. So Senator Sanders has always been a pretty effective member of the Senate and I assume he will continue to be. Elijah Wood may be most famous for his role as Frodo Baggins, the hobbit protagonist of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but as a child star in Hollywood he appeared in a remake of Flipper and co-starred with Macaulay Culkin in The Good Son. And, in an extensive interview with the (paywalled) Sunday Times this weekend, he has made the explosive allegation that Hollywood is in the grip of a child sexual abuse epidemic, with rich and powerful industry figures abusing child actors with impunity. The 35-year-old former child star said in the interview, tabled to promote his latest film, The Trust, about corrupt cops planning to steal drug money, that he had been protected from abuse by his mother, Debra, and never went to parties where that kind of thing was going on, but said that other child actors had been regularly preyed upon by vipers in Hollywood. Clearly something major was going on in Hollywood. It was all organized. There are a lot of vipers in this industry, people who only have their own interests in mind, said Wood. There is darkness in the underbelly. What bums me about these situations is that the victims cant speak as loudly as the people in power. Thats the tragedy of attempting to reveal what is happening to innocent people: they can be squashed, but their lives have been irreparably damaged. Oliver Thring, the author of the Sunday Times article, which appeared on the front page of the Sunday Times News Review section yesterday, delves into the history of pedophilia in Hollywood, quoting Corey Feldman who, in 2011, gave a frank account of the abuse he had witnessed as a young actor. The No. 1 problem in Hollywood was and isand always will bepedophilia, Feldman said, adding that by the time he was 14 he was surrounded by molesters. The piece also includes an extensive interview with Anne Henry, co-founder of the BizParentz Foundation, an organization established to protect child actors, who says: We estimate that about 75 percent of the child actors who went off the rails suffered earlier abuse. Drug addiction, alcoholism, suicide attempts, wandering through life without a purposethey can all be symptoms. Henry adds, We believe Hollywood is currently sheltering about 100 active abusers. Thring also writes about the documentary An Open Secret, made by Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg. Despite the success of movies such as Spotlight it has struggled to find distribution. Wood, who has seen An Open Secret, tells the Sunday Times that he believes the film only scratches the surface. I feel there was much more to this story than it articulates. From my reading and research, he tells Thring, Ive been led down dark paths to realise that these things probably still are happening. If youre innocentyou have very little knowledge of the world and you want to succeedpeople with parasitic interests will see you as their prey. UPDATE: 5/23/16, 9:56 PM ET: In a series of tweets Monday evening, Wood clarified his remarks: The Sunday Times interviewed me about my latest film but the story became about something else entirely. It prompted a number of false and misleading headlines. I had just seen a powerful documentary and I briefly spoke with the reporter about the subject which had consequences I did not intend or expect. Lesson learned. Let me be clear: This subject of child abuse is an important one that should be discussed and properly investigated. But as I made absolutely clear to the writer, I have no first-hand experience or observation of the topic, so I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen. A tattoo on the outer edge of Kimberly Ann Browns right hand reads Forgiven, but shes anything but for her alleged participation in an armed robbery in Florida this month. Eighteen-year-old Austin Young called a Fort Myers, Florida, number in the early morning of May 8 to request companionship, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. Brown, 25, and a male accomplice allegedly answered the call and picked him up from his home in a car. Then they drove out to a remote location, where, police say, a man in the back seat pressed what was thought to be a gun against Youngs back and demanded his wallet. The News-Press reports that Young was kicked out of the car unharmed. He did not return requests for comment. The Charlotte County Sheriffs Office said it wouldnt be able to provide an arrest report over the weekend, but online booking information says that Brown, 25, was picked up May 19 in Punta Gorda. Her hair, a bright pink in her mugshot, is originally red or auburn. It seems that the would-be escort only moved to Fort Myers within the past year. On Facebook, she indicates that she graduated from Columbia College in Missouri in 2015 and began working as a driver at Pizza Hut in Fort Leonard Woodalso in Missourithat May. She said shed previously worked as a lab assistant and phlebotomist near her college. But by the time she was picked up by police, the girl who once proudly posted her phlebotomist certification and played with huskies on Facebook told them she was working in construction 1,000 miles away. Shes being held on $100,000 bond for an armed robbery charge. Its not clear whether Brown has an attorney. Attempts to contact her parents were unsuccessful. Police are searching for the male suspect who allegedly hid in the back seat of the vehicle and threatened the patron with what they believe was a gun. She is refusing to identify the male suspect, a spokesman for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office told The Daily Beast. On Facebook, Brown often posts photos with a heavily tattooed man she appears to live with. Theyre often seen riding in cars together, or making it rain with $20 bills. His most recent video, posted on May 13, shows him waving a cash note in front of a small child. The clip is captioned making money. In comments below, a man mentions a mutual acquaintance whos facing 10 years in prison and warns the tattooed man to be more careful. Public records show that man was also arrested on May 19, just a few doors down from where Brown was picked up. His charge was operating a motor vehicle without a license, and he has since been released on a $2,000 bond. A police spokesman did not return a request for comment on whether the tattooed man is a suspect in the armed robbery. Attempts to reach his sister for comment were unsuccessful. Hillary Clinton, a wonkish disliked Democrat with an Im better than the other option approach, might be looking for some help from an unlikely source: the owner of the NBAs Dallas Mavericks. According to Mark Cuban, Mavericks owner and star on ABCs Shark Tank, Hillary Clintons presidential campaign has been trying for the past month to schedule a meeting with him. Its no surprise: Cubanwho not too long ago called Trump probably the best thing to happen to politics in a long, long timeis a high-profile celebrity who has lately grown increasingly critical of Trump, this month likening him to a guy wholl walk into the bar and say anything to get laid. Clintons aides initially attempted to connect with the outspoken businessman roughly a month ago, he says, simply for a general conversation. But the Clinton campaign also apparently reached out to Cuban on Sunday, two days after a widely circulated online Meet the Press clip posted showing the billionaire with a boyish haircut saying that hed be willing to consider the vice-presidential slot on her ticket. Someone who works directly for me used to work in the White House, Cuban told The Daily Beast, explaining how the campaign got in touch. They reached out to [my employee] to see if a meeting with someone in her camp could be set up. Didnt say who [or] when. Cuban then added that he didnt want to overstate any intentjust that Team Hillary is apparently interested in a sit-down; there was no specification that the conversation would be about the VP position. Clinton, for her part, said in a Meet the Press segment that aired Sunday that she appreciate[s] his openness to the running-mate question. (The Clinton campaign did not respond to The Daily Beasts multiple requests for comment on this story.) Cuban, however, isnt holding his breath to join such names as Joe Biden, Dan Quayle, and Dick Cheney in the annals of vice-presidential history. It could end up being nothing, Cuban conceded. Regardless, this wont stop the wave of Mark Cuban for VP speculation in the national media. Imagine Mark Cuban as the countrys No. 2, The Boston Globe wrote. Add billionaire Mark Cuban to those who now want to be president, declared RedState. How Mark Cuban could balance the ticket as Hillary Clinton's veep, The Indianapolis Star mused. So how the hell did we get here? In a presidential election dominated by news of one flamboyant billionaire shaking up the system and wreaking havoc, its perhaps only natural that another flamboyant billionaire be floated (even incredulously) as a possible vice-presidential contender. But over the years, Cuban has positioned himself as something of a part-time political commentator and anti-establishment straight-talker (not unlike The Donald). He is a fairly regular presence on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, and here he is on CNN in late 2011 talking about how taxing the rich wont tank the American economy: And in the past year, Cuban has managed to inject himself into the circus of the presidential election and American politics, both Democratic and Republican, insisting that he would be a superior candidate to either Trump or Clinton. Maybe I'll run for Speaker of the House, Cuban tweeted back in October, to some media hoopla. Can I convince 200+ politicians to write me in? Constitution says I can try. And nearly a year before Cuban publicly entertained the premise of being Hillarys running mate, he was already showing interest in a TrumpCuban ticket. Would I consider? Yes, Cuban told Business Insider last July. Yet now, he considers Trumps impact as an indicator that he himself could succeed in presidential politicsthough he doesnt view the real estate mogul as a role model. Of course I would accept the meeting [with Clinton], Cuban told The Daily Beast. As I would with Trump. There is so much partisan and tribal politics, from not just those seeking office but potential voters as well, that we never get real attempts at solutions to problems, Cuban explained. I think I can push at least a tiny bit more discussion around the issues, he continued. More depth, less dogma. I'm not suggesting I'm going to have some earth-shattering impact, but there is no one acting as a stalking horse for solutions. Maybe I can create some discussion that helps the process. Unsurprisingly, Cuban has long identified as a political independent. He has contributed to members of both parties. He is socially liberal and open to progressive taxation, and yet he sings the praises of Objectivist icon Ayn Rand. In recent weeks, #NeverTrump-type Republicans have even tried behind-the-scenes to recruit Cuban into launching a third-party presidential bid this year, in a last-ditch attempt to kneecap Team Trump. Cuban quickly dismissed the idea as unrealisticbut thats not to say he isnt open to a White House bid in the near future. After all, he has already played the president in a Sharknado sequel. As for running in 2020, Cuban simply told The Daily Beast, I go back and forth on it. Its not a decision to take lightly, he concluded. Tell a joke, and you might make someone laugh. But tell a joke on a college campus, and you might make someone report you to the administrations Bias Response Team (BRT)an Orwellian bureau that investigates students and faculty members for saying the wrong thing. The wrong thing could be any remark, gesture, joke, or jape that offends anyone for virtually any reason. If the universitys spies are listening, you could be ratted out to a panel of administrators who keep files on alleged perpetrators, suggest ways for offenders to be more politically correct, and even submit their names to disciplinary committees. Dispatches from the bias incident case files are illuminating. The University of Oregons BRT publishes a yearly review (PDF) of its activities that includes summaries of all 85 bias incidents investigated by the administration last year. They will come as a shock to anyone who mistakenly believes that universities do an adequate job of protecting free expression on campus. A student reported that a professor wrote an insulting comment on their online blog, according to the case files of the BRT at the University of Oregon. [We] met with the reporter, and a BRT Case Manager held a professional development conversation with the professor. In another case, a student reported that a sign encouraging cleaning up after oneself was sexist. A BRT Manager followed up to ensure the sign was removed. A staff member who made a culturally insensitive remark was reported to the dean of students. And when an anonymous student filed a report complaining that the student newspaper didnt feature enough transgender writers, the BRT met with its editors. The case files called this an educational conversation. A more objective chronicler might call it the university trying to intimidate a student-run press into making editorial changes. In other situations, the BRT contacted the affirmative action office and anti-sexual violence council. The summaries are vague, and it often isnt clear what exactly was reported. We cant tell, for instance, whether the culturally insensitive remark was something consequentiallike the n-wordor something less offensivelike American. No doubt some of these occurrences were serious, and merited administrative follow-up. But the BRT doesnt distinguish between harassment and hurt feelings: it routinely intervenes, regardless of the severity of the infraction. It is always on the side of the claimant, no matter how silly the claim is. College anti-bias groupswhich have spread like wildfire over the last few yearsgo by different names on different campuses: the University of Chicago has a Bias Response Team, Vassar College has a Bias Incident Response Team, and the Ohio State University has a Bias Assessment and Response Team. They operate on more than a hundred campuses, and their mission is usually the same: ostensibly, to make the university a safe place, where safe is defined as silent. Its distressingly easy, after all, to accuse someone of bias. The University of Colorado-Boulder, for instance, asks people with informationthey need not be students, or even affiliated with the universityto go to its website and make a report containing all relevant details on the perpetrators, including their dates of birth, phone numbers, and ID numbers. The BRTwhich is typically composed of administrators, rather than students or faculty membersthen intervenes. It would be wrong to say the standard for determining whether an incident reflects bias is subjective, but only because there isnt a standard at all. If a person witnesses an occurrence in which someones feelings were hurt, or seemed like they were hurt, or werent hurt at all but nonetheless could have been, that person is encouraged to file a bias report. The reporter need not even be the aggrieved party, and can file anonymously. Extra attention is given to incidents that stem from a victims race, religion, gender, disability status, sexuality, political views, age, class, or size. Thats right: body-shamers can be questioned by the universitys secret police. Oregons files are the most illuminating, because the university maintained and published very thorough records. (Its bias response team did not respond to requests for comment.) But dozens of other campuses are engaged in similar practices. At the University of California at Santa Cruz, a student reported that a faculty member made inappropriate jokes of grading like a Nazi and continually addressed the class as guys. Such remarks probably werent worth any follow-up, but because UC-Santa Cruz has a BRTand because, well, its UC-Santa Cruzthe claim was carefully considered. Needless to say, civil liberties advocates are concerned. Azhar Majeed, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, is worried about the extent to which universities are policing common interactions between students. One can imagine the chilling effects this would have, he said. For example, a professor might decide its in his best interest to steer clear of an important but controversial topic out of fear that his students will report him. Indeed, this is already happening: Law professors are giving up on teaching sexual violence law because too many students complain that the subject triggers them, according to Harvard Universitys Jeannie Suk. This is quite a setback for gender equality in the criminal justice systemsociety needs lawyers, prosecutors, and judges who are educated in this critical aspect of the lawand its the result of subtly tipping the scales against free expression in the classroom. No doubt some proponents of good manners will cheer this news and wonder why anyone would complain about colleges encouraging students to be better behaved. But college isnt kindergarten: Administrators at public universities do not have the right to bully their impolite students. On the contrary, students and faculty members enjoy broad First Amendment protections. And if they are afraid to speak their minds, the dialogue on campus will suffer. Which is not to say that rude and hostile students should live free of consequences. By all means, let their friends and neighbors shame them. It may even be appropriate to teach them to change their views. But the right place for such an undertaking is the classroom, and the correct educational vehicle is the professor. When professors are free to criticize their students, and students are free to defend themselves, a beneficial exchange of ideas can take place. Everybody walks away better informed. The anti-bias bureaucracies are an entirely different animal, since their authority stems from the university administration itself. Students who are called before a bias tribunal are at an enormous disadvantage, and will feel like their continued enrollment requires deference to the authority figures. And while some students doubtlessly say some awful things that merit an administrative response, others seem like clear victims of an ideologically motivated campaign of silencing. A campus where students live in constant fear of becoming the subjects of formal complaintswhere everyone is encouraged to collect information on each other and turn it over to the authoritiesis not a healthy community. Its 1984. PARIS The poor handbags didnt stand a chance. In the latest brazen robbery of one of Pariss storied boutiques, three men armed with pump-action shotguns and axes entered the Chanel shop on the ultra-chic Avenue Montaigne just after noon on Thursday. They ordered employees onto the floor and smashed storefront windows before fleeing with the luxury loot to a getaway car parked just outside. (In case youre not up on these things, Chanel bags can easily cost $3,000 to $10,000.) I saw some masked men running out, an electrician who unwittingly found himself standing in front of the getaway car told Agence-France Press. Then I saw that one of them had a gun so I got out of there. The bold broad-daylight heist is the second time in less than a month that the iconic shop has been targeted. In the wee hours of April 28, robbers rammed a Jeep Cherokee into the stores iron security gate before helping themselves to another haul of handbags worth hundreds of thousands of euros. To cover their tracks, the thieves torched the jeep and fled on scooters. Although jeep-as-battering-ram makes for a more dramatic entry, Thursdays thievery stands out because of its midday occurrence in a very busy area of the city. Moreover, Avenue Montaigne sits right off the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees, a tourist-heavy part of Paris where heightened security has become a fixture since Novembers terror attacks. A fluke, perhaps? Or, maybe not. Thursdays luxury looting follows a similar midday caper on March 1, when two men armed with a gun and a grenade entered the Chopard jewelry and watch shop at the posh Place Vendome at around 12:40 p.m. The men raided the display cases, helping themselves to an as yet unrevealed sum of luxury jewelry before fleeing. The heist happened so quickly that even neighboring establishments were unaware of what was going on until the perpetrators were long gone. We only found out what had happened after the police arrived, a concierge at the adjoining hotel told Agence-France Presse. Indeed, a police official told the media that the entire robbery unfolded in between five and 10 minutes. Speed and efficiency arent the only weapons wielded by the citys audacious armed bandits. Creativity can play a part too, as it did during the infamous double heist at Pariss Harry Winston jewelry store almost a decade ago. In October of 2007, a group of men disguised as painters gained access to the shops service entrance, thanks to a devious store employee. After beating and tying up store staff, the men took off with 360 items of jewelry and 120 watches worth an estimated 32 million euros ($35.9 million). Then a year later in what French media called the steal of the century, the same group of menthis time dressed as womenhit the Winston boutique again, brandishing handguns and making off with 80 million euros ($99.8 million) worth of high-end bling. In a television series about robberies theyve got bullet-proof vests, defense lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti told the media during the mens trial last year. Here, we have fishnet stockings and high heels. This caper was not without consequences however. The cross-dressing criminals received jail sentences ranging from nine months to 15 years. Perhaps Frances most infamous jewel thefts have been perpetrated by the Pink Panthers: The sophisticated international syndicate made up of criminals from the former Yugoslavia who came of age during the brutal Balkan wars of the 1990s. The gang earned their nickname after police discovered a stolen jewel hidden in face cream following a diamond store robbery in Londons exclusive Mayfair neighborhood reminiscent of a scene in the old Peter Sellers film, The Return of the Pink Panther. Like those behind the Harry Winston grab in Paris, the Pink Panthers are known to wear disguises and are believed to be behind some of the countrys most daring heists over the past two decades, among them the 2013 robbery of a diamond exhibition at the Carlton International hotel in Cannes. In a scene worthy of a Hollywood film, a lone man armed with a handgun strode into the hotel, took 122.9 million ($138 million) worth of gems in about 60 seconds, and escaped by jumping out a window. Following the arrests of some 200 members, the Pink Panthers power is thought to be waning in recent years. However, their notoriety endures. The group is the subject of a 2013 documentary Smash & Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers, as well as a fictional series airing in France and the U.K. Based on reporting by French journalist Jerome Pierrat, who wrote a book on the gang, Panthers (The Last Panthers in the U.K.), premiered in 2015. The series is currently available for U.S.-based viewing on Sundance TV. They were an army formed by the war who became bandits, series actor Tahar Rahim told French television station Canal+ last year. I know there is also a bit of a Robin Hood side to them, and that they never killed anyone. Although the Pink Panthers heyday may be over, heists, both small-time and more elaborate, still plague the City of Lights. Two years ago, Kalashnikov-wielding assailants ambushed a Saudi princes convoy on a highway en route to Le Bourget airport. The gunmen got away with 250,000 ($281,000) in cash and what were described as sensitive documents. Police arrested 11 people in connection with the hold-up last year, and while those detained have yet to be linked to the Pink Panthers, the notorious gang wasnt far from the minds of police officials. This kind of operation had nothing to do with petty crooks on scooters who sometimes attack the cars of rich tourists, a police officer told Paris Match. Rather, we are in the realm of organized crime or the Pink Panthers. As for the Chanel bandits, to date no arrests have been made. Indeed, they appear to have taken a page from past smash-and-grabs in the City of Lights: Get in, grab the goods, and disappear faster than you can say conspicuous consumption. At the murder trial of Timothy Foster, a young black man accused of murdering an elderly white woman, there were 42 prospective jurors. Only five of them were black. Yet Georgias prosecutor used his peremptory challenges to strike every one of them. That was nearly 30 years ago. Today, the Supreme Court ruled, 7-1, that the prosecutor discriminated against Foster, who has been on death row since 1988, and ordered a new trial, throwing out Fosters death sentence. Stephen Bright, Fosters lawyer and the president of the Southern Center for Human Rights, told The Daily Beast that, in fact, this kind of discrimination happens all the time. What went on at trial was typical, he said in an interview we conducted last fall. Whats unusual is we know whats in the prosecutors files. Indeed, one reason Foster v. Chapman came down the way it did, with Chief Justice Roberts writing the opinion, is that the facts were so egregious. There were two key points. First, intrepid research by Brights team uncovered the prosecutors notes in the case, which identified the black potential jurors as B#1, B#2, and so on. Of the prosecutors list of six definite NOs, five were the black prospective jurors. One document specifically strikes a Church of Christ member with the note No Black Church. The list goes on. Second, the prosecutor did come up with pretexts for striking the black jurors, because the Supreme Court had ruled, in a case called Batson v. Kentucky, that even discretionary challenges can be unconstitutional if theyre exercised on the basis of race. But in this case, the pretexts fell apart, in particular regarding two jurors. For example, one was struck because she was divorcedbut three divorced white jurors were admitted. The other was struck because he had a son about the same age as the defendantbut so did a white juror, who was admitted. Add that to the fact that the prosecutors reasons changed over the course of Fosters appeals, contradicting earlier claims and strongly suggesting that these were mere pretexts. So its a win for Fosterat least for now. Foster confessed to the murder and there was ample evidence to convict him. Probably his best hope is life in prison rather than the death penalty. Yet while Foster has prevailed in this case, the way the opinion was written was so narrow as to be more of a draw for the administration of justice. Bright says that every prosecutor has a handy-dandy list of race-neutral reasons that they give when it comes to exercising peremptory challenges. They even distribute reasons in advance. Some state training programs even distribute a list called Articulating Juror Negatives. That is the real problem: that across the country, prosecutors are given enormous discretionin Georgia, they have 20 peremptory challengesand know how to weasel around the rules. That certainly happened in Fosters case. As the Courts opinion relates, the prosecutor objected to one juror because she: (1) worked with disadvantaged youth in her job as a teachers aide; (2) kept looking at the ground during voir dire; (3) gave short and curt answers during voir dire; (4) appeared nervous; (5) was too young; (6) misrepresented her familiarity with the location of the crime; (7) failed to disclose that her cousin had been arrested on a drug charge; (8) was divorced; (9) had two children and two jobs; (10) was asked few questions by the defense; and (11) did not ask to be excused from jury service. Thats typical of the laundry list approach that prosecutors use in order to avoid being accused of discrimination: just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. It doesnt matter if its incorrectfor example, this too young juror was actually 13 years older than a white juror who had been admitted. Just say everything and sort it out later if you have to. Nothing in todays case changes that. Its not clear if the obviously pretextual reasons would have been enough, absent the incriminating prosecutors notes. The case, as Bright predicted last fall, was really decided on its specific facts. Chief Justice Roberts didnt lay down any principles to guide future Batson challengesonly that in cases this egregious, you might lose. For example, the Court said that the laundry list of justifications for the strike seem reasonable enough. The only problem was that our independent examination of the record, however, reveals that much of the reasoning provided by [the prosecutor] has no grounding in fact. Thats a narrow holding. Really, a laundry list of sundry reasons is reasonable enough? The bar is still quite high for Batson challenges; few defendants are represented by nonprofits like Brights, and almost none have the resources to do so much investigation. And contrary to Justice Thomass concern in his dissentyes, he was the lone dissenterthat now all defendants will go fishing for prosecutorial notes, the real result is that those notes will just be more carefully taken down in the first place. No one will be stupid enough to write B#1 anymore. But some will still think that way. Of course, the majority of prosecutors are working hard to do their jobs fairly. But prosecutors are also 95 percent white, and an exhaustive analysis of conviction data found that black defendants, adjusting for all permissible factors like crime and criminal history and so on, are sentenced 9 percent more harshly than white ones. Race-based jury challenges are one piece of that. Moreover, as Bright said, imagine what its like when a person of color comes to a courtroom where you may have a 30-40 percent black population, and the average citizen sees all-white juries. Not only that: everybodys white up there in the front: the prosecutor, the judge, the jury. The only person of color is the person on trial. This is the reality not only in 1988, but in 2016 as well. Foster v. Chapman does not alter these basic, cruel realities. Yet it does keep the principle of Batson alive, and show that, at least in some cases, all-white juries violate the Constitution. Whatever the cases limitations, it is still powerful to say, as Chief Justice Roberts wrote at the end of his opinion, that two peremptory strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows. Huma Abedins face had been carved into a Glasgow smile. It is the midway point of Weiner, a film that takes you inside Anthony Weiners farcical bid for mayor of New York City, and his wife, Abedin, having endured a carnival of cruelty at the hands of her self-described argumentative, perpetually horny husband, is rendered emotionally catatonic. The camera homes in as she labors over her morning coffee and ingests her daily vitamins, and as it does, the man behind it asks how shes faring. Its like living a nightmare, she says, flashing that mutilated grin. The level of access in Weiner, directed by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, is truly astonishing. Much of this is thanks to Kriegman, whod previously served as the district chief of staff to Weiner during his tenure in Congress representing New Yorks 9th District, as well as its subjects unbridled narcissism. There are scenes that will make your jaw drop, like the one toward the end of the film where, at Howard Sterns behest, one of Weiners sexting partners 22-year-old Sydney Leathers, whom his staff refers to by her code name, Pineapplecrops up at the venue of his concession speech with a cameraman in tow.Im not going to face the indignity of being accosted by that woman, Abedin warns Weiner. So, the couple is forced to cut through a midtown Manhattan McDonalds and into Connollys Pub, as the newly minted porn star Leathers scampers after them in heels. It took Kriegman two years to convince Weiner to document him on filmuntil the morning of his mayoral announcement when he received a surprise text from the pol giving them the green light. For Steinberg, whod last made a doc about the trial of Saddam Hussein, she says she was excited about the possibility of doing a character-driven, verite documentary that went beyond the sensational headlines, granting us a more nuanced view of a man brimming with contradictions. You see political scandals and celebrity meltdowns all the time, but you rarely get to be in the room when it happens, says Steinberg. This film shows what its like to be in the center of a media firestorm. For those blissfully unaware of said firestorm, Weiner was once a well-regarded Democratic congressman from New York whod made a name for himself as the youngest councilman in NYC history (27), and, in a video that went viral, railing against Republicans for shooting down the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Acta bill that would have provided funds to 9/11 first responders. Everything came crashing down on May 27, 2011, when Weiner was busted sexting an explicit image of himself to a woman on Twitter. He denied, then denied some more, and then finally fessed up, admitting hed exchanged messages and photos of an explicit nature with about six women over the last three years. The New York tabloids had a field day with thisas is their wontand Weiner resigned from Congress. Two years later, Weiner chose to mount a comeback, running for mayor in 2013. But, five months into his campaignand 400 hours of documentary footage laterhe got busted again sexting images of his junk, this time to the aforementioned Leathers. And under the alias Carlos Danger, no less. So, Weiner held a truly cringe-inducing press conference in his Chelsea office apologizing for the sexts, but vowing to stay in the mayoral race. I said that other texts and photos were likely to come out and today they have, announced Weiner to a gaggle of reporters. I want to again say that I am very sorry to anyone who was on the receiving end of these messages and the disruption this has caused. By his side was a soul-crushed Abedin, who spent the duration of Weiners speech looking at the father of their child despondently or staring down at the floor.Then, if she hadnt been humiliated enough, Abedin stepped up to the lectern and read a prepared statement in support of her husband, saying, We discussed all of this before Anthony decided he would run for mayor, so really what I want to say is, I love him, I have forgiven him, I believe in him. It took a lot of work, and a whole lot of therapy, to get to a place where I could forgive Anthony, she added. Just as Anthony was reduced to a caricature and a punchline, so was [Huma], says Steinberg. Our hope is that you get to see a different side of her: as a wife, as a mother, as a person with a very important job, and you also get to see the judgment that was placed against her. Huma is one of many women whose husbands did something wrong or embarrassing, and they were criticized for staying in the marriage. Our job was to question those judgments. For all of Weiners promise, it was Abedin who was always the true star. Shes worked by Hillary Clintons side since 1996, serving as her personal assistant during her failed 2008 presidential run, her deputy chief of staff in the State Department, and now, her vice chairwoman on her 2016 White House run. None other than Bill Clinton presided over her 2010 wedding to Weiner, where Hillary said, I have one daughter. But if I had a second daughter, it would be Huma. And yet despite their closeness, Hillary is nowhere to be found in Weiner. Prior to the films Sundance Film Festival premierewhere it eventually won the Best Documentary Grand Jury Prizereports surfaced alleging that Kriegman and Steinberg trimmed scenes in the documentary that were unflattering to Team Clinton, and that Weiner and Abedin werent allowed to screen the film prior to its first public viewing.Both Kriegman and Steinberg vehemently deny the allegations. No. There were a lot of these sensational headlines built on these rumors, and in both of those cases, its false, says Kriegman. We offered to show Anthony the movie before we were finished with it and he chose not to see it, and he hasnt wanted to see it since. Hes said he isnt eager to relive it, but its been an open invitation to him and Huma for a while now. As for the Hillary-trimming, he adds: Its totally not true. We havent had any contact at all with the Clinton campaign or anyone in that world, and theres never been any pressure from anyone to change the film. Asked why the Clintons are nowhere to be seen in the film, the filmmakers remained mum, claiming that the storys focal point is Weiner, and to show someone who had been reduced to a punchline or a caricature like Anthony and show a more complex portrait. One person who does make an appearance in Weiner is Phillippe Reines, Clintons longtime adviser and deputy assistant secretary of statealbeit as a voice on the other end of the line. As I reported at Sundance: In one scene, shortly after the scandals hit the news, Weiner and Abedin are huddled together in their makeshift campaign office. Weiner is adamant that Abedin join him on the campaign trail, but she resists, claiming she has a phone call with Philippe that she has to take. Act like a normal campaign candidates wife, Weiner insists. You dont know anything, mutters Abedin, before rolling her eyes off-camera. In another, Abedin refuses to join Weiner and their young sonwho is grossly used as a prop, crying when the cameras flash in his faceas he casts his vote on the doomed Election Day, telling him simply, Philippe said dont. But this is the extent of Team Clinton in the doca voice on the phone carefully advising Abedin to, at times, distance herself from the Weiner circus. We really dont know, replies Kriegman when asked about the extent of Reiness role in advising Abedin on Weiner. I mean what you saw in the film is what we saw. His name is mentioned, but we dont know the detail of any of those conversations. While the film is named after Weiner, and opens with the apt Marshall McLuhan line, The name of a man is a numbing blow from which he never recovers, the lions share of audience sympathy will be reserved for Abedin, who by this point could be experiencing something akin to Stockholm syndrome. Hers is the most empathy-inducing screen character youll see all year; the political worlds Sansa Stark. Watching Weiner, you want nothing more than the chance to sit her down and convince her to jump off this sinking ship. Then again, perhaps this says more about us than them, since the only people who truly know whats going on inside of a marriage are the two people in it. We resist passing judgment on their relationship, says Kriegman. What you see in the film is what we saw. I think theres an impulse to judge and an impulse for us to think we know whats going on in their marriage or between them, and the truth is we dont. Beyond Anthony and Huma, theres this urge for us to know whats going on in someone elses marriage, and we very rarely do. Roberto Gonzalezs last wish as he lay paralyzed in a veterans hospital was to say goodbye to his horses, Sugar and Ringo. So on Saturday, 46 years to the day after he was paralyzed while fighting in the Army in Vietnam, he was wheeled outside in his bed of the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio and greeted by his horses. He was aware of the horses being there, and opened his eyes, hospital spokesman Lupe Hernandez told The Daily Beast. The horses were kissing him. Despite being paralyzed, Gonzalez returned to the U.S. and began training and racing horses throughout Texas and Arizona. My husband was one of the only handicapped or paralyzed licensed horse trainers in Texas, Rosario Gonzalez told News 4 San Antonio. Rosario, who organized the reunion, called the hospital staff angels for granting her husband his last, dying wish. You became a part of our family, she wrote on Facebook. Gonzalez, now 65, was one of the hospitals first patients after it opened in 1974, Hernandez said. When we know that theyre at the end of life, we try make them as comfortable as possible, he added. Among the many questions raised by the EgyptAir Flight 804 tragedy, the most perplexing concerns one thing that did not happen: Why was there no Mayday distress call from the pilots? Experts are struggling to interpret and explain the seven brief bursts of data sent via satellite from the airplane that describe a cascade of mechanical failures ending with the loss of primary controls. Some kind of explosion involving smoke and fire at the front of the cabin is indicated but not in enough detail to give an understanding of the cause. Like most modern jets the Airbus A320 is fly-by-wire, meaning that none of its controls is operated by direct physical input from the pilots as in the days of seat of the pants aviation. Normally all control passes through the flight management system and is dependent on computers. Even when the autopilot is disengaged and the airplane is flown manually bypassing the computers, the control surfaces are activated electronically. (On Airbus airplanes the pilots use sidesticks similar to those on a video game to send commands while Boeing retains the traditional yoke centered in front of the pilots replicating the joystick of older generationsalthough the system is still fly-by-wire.) Whatever happened to the Airbus within a very few minutes it essentially fried the computers and command system and rendered the controls inoperable, something never seen before in a modern jet. Normally in a fire and smoke emergency the pilots would have time to don smoke masks with microphones in them, and would be able to send a Mayday, and describe the problem. The Egyptian pilots clearly were never able to do this, suggesting the possibility that they were either disabled or killed at the onset of whatever overcame the airplane so rapidly. What did actually happen in that cockpit cannot be known until the main parts of the airplane, together with its flight data recorders, are found. That is likely to be a prolonged and extremely arduous operation. The debris so far recovered is poignant in its connection to passengersan unused life vest, pieces of luggage, part of a seatbut is far too fragmentary to offer any clues to what happened. It also offers no guidance to where the actual crash site is. The light debris was carried rapidly on currents away from where it must have first appeared. Unless substantial pieces of the Airbus A320 are found still on the surfaceand there is so far no sign of thatthe bulk of the wreckage that holds the key to what destroyed the airplane will be lying as far as 10,000 feet down on the seabed. A French vessel equipped for undersea searches and wreck retrieval has left the port of Toulon and should arrive in the area by Monday (the French have long been leaders in underwater exploration), and the Egyptians are deploying a submarine used for undersea geological surveys for oil. Just how formidable is the search going to be? As it happens, there is a way of demonstrating the many challenges involved because of an eerie coincidence. On Dec. 28, 2014 an identical jet, an Airbus A320 flown by AirAsia, fell from 37,000 feetthe height at which the Egyptian jet was cruisinginto the Karimata Strait, in the Java Sea, with the loss of 162 lives. (The pilots had pulled a circuit breaker not meant to be touched in flight and disengaged the autopilot, and then lost control.) The AirAsia jet had not been structurally compromised in its dive and did not break up until it hit the water. Although we now know that the EgyptAir jets controls were fatally disabled there is no indication that it broke up in the air. The dynamics of the way both airplanes dived toward the ocean were similar but exactly how they hit the water would not necessarily be the same. In any event, the heaviest parts, including the main fuselage, would instantly sink and they happen to be the most essential for investigators to reach. The search for the AirAsia jet should have been relatively easy. After two days pieces of wreckage were spotted floating near an island where the water was less than 100 feet deep. Within a week divers located more debris underwater, but there were strong currents and heavy silt restricted visibility. And so, even though the site was quickly found and accessible, recovery was still prolonged and difficult. It was another two weeks before the largest part of the wreck, most of the fuselage with one wing still attached, was discovered, followed soon afterward by both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. Finding the EgyptAir jet is a task of an altogether greater magnitude. This is not the Mediterranean of tourist brochures: warm, limpid, and inviting. The great depth means the intense darkness of the abyss and the presence of a lot of turbulenceright now, for example, the weather has deteriorated and there are rough seas. This all makes it unlikely that signals from the locator beacon on the airplanes flight data recorder will be easily detected. As I have earlier reported, this device is grossly inadequate for conditions like these, and with a battery life of only 30 days there is a pressing deadline to find it. Mondays acquittal of Baltimore police officer Edward Nero on charges related to the death of Freddie Gray on April 12, 2015, might portend upcoming not-guilty findings for the five remaining Baltimore city police officers facing various criminal charges in Grays death. Officer William Porter is slated to be retried after a judge declared a mistrial following a hung jury in the first of six trials that began last December. Also awaiting trial are Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., Lt. Brian Rice, Officer Garrett Miller, and Sgt. Alicia White. Although the internal investigation into Neros role in Grays death is ongoing, it is entirely possible that Nero will be back to full duty patrolling the streets of Baltimore at some point in the not-too-distant future. There have been strident calls from predictable quarters for the Baltimore City States Attorney, Marilyn J. Mosby, to dismiss the charges against the remaining five police officers, and Mosby is steadfast in her commitment to see the trial process through to its eventual conclusion. The interests of justice for Freddie Gray, the residents of Baltimore, and the Baltimore police officers facing trial demand she do nothing less. Just dont expect guilty findings for any of the five remaining Baltimore police officers facing trial. Nero was facing relatively less serious charges compared to those officers who remain on the trial docket. If prosecutors couldnt hook Nero for four misdemeanor charges, theyre not likely to convict any of the remaining five officers for anything close to involuntary manslaughter, let alone depraved heart murder. By all accounts, Judge Barry G. Williams, the trial judge who found Nero not guilty in the five-day bench trial (and who happens to be African-American), conducted a methodical, thorough, and meticulous analysis of the facts presented during the trial and came to the conclusion that the prosecutor failed to present evidence sufficient to warrant a conviction. So far thats 0- 2 for Mosbys office and its fair to say that there is little reason for optimism in the Baltimore City States Attorneys office securing the convictions of any of the remaining police officers awaiting trial, and certainly extremely unlikely that all will be convicted in a sudden (and impossible) turnaround of prosecutorial good fortune. First a jury couldnt convict during a jury trial and now a judge wouldnt convict during a bench trial. But will justice evade Baltimore and Freddie Gray? Three of the six officers are charged with involuntary manslaughter, and one of those three faces an additional count of depraved heart murder. Prosecutors will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that each of these officers acted with criminal negligence or recklessness in causing Grays death from a spinal cord injury sustained in the back of a police van. They will need to convince a judge or a jury that the officers knew or should have known that their actions were so dangerous as to cause an immediate threat to Grays life. Prosecutors need also prove that the officers acted with a reckless disregard and indifference for Grays safety in ways that they knew or should have known would kill him. Simply put: This is not going to happen in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. That does not mean however, that justice will elude Freddy Gray and Baltimore. Its just that, despite the best of intentions, Mosby and the Circuit Court for Baltimore City were never the appropriate venue for seeking accountability, responsibility, and legal culpability from Baltimore police officers and the Baltimore Police Department for their role in the police violence that led to Grays death. If the interests of justice are to be met in the death of Freddie Gray and if the Baltimore Police Department and its officers are going to be held accountable for their role in Grays death, this can only be achieved through the intervention of the U.S. Attorney, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. To their credit, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the City Council president and other elected officials in Baltimore actually made an unprecedented request to the DOJ to investigate the Baltimore Police Department. In April 2015, DOJ opened investigations into Grays death at the hands of Baltimore police officers as well as a so-called pattern and practice investigation of the entire Baltimore PD. Such pattern and practice investigations focus on police department practices that may routinely violate citizens civil rights and civil liberties protections. If the DOJ finds that such practices are determined to be widespread and routine patterns, particularly in communities of color, the Baltimore PD can be compelled to implement widespread reforms. If Grays death at the hands of Baltimore police officers can be proven to have violated Grays civil rights, then the Baltimore Six will be tried in federal court. And it is this prospect, a civil rights trial in federal court, which ought to (and no doubt does), cause no small amount of dread and anxiety for Edward Nero, William Porter, Caesar Goodson, Brian Rice, Garrett Miller, and Alicia White. SAN DIEGO Chappaqua, we have a problema. First, the good news for the Clintonistas: The competition with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for Latino voters is no competition at all. According to a new poll by Fox News Latino, Hillary Clinton makes mincemeat out of Trump with that important demographic. Seventy-four percent of Latinos have a negative view of Trump. Anyone could have predicted that given how the Manhattan real estate mogul has gone out of his way to antagonize Latinos over the last 11 months. The bad news is that, all things being equal, Latinos arent thrilled with La Hillary either. Many dont trust her, dont like her or both. The same poll that shows her with a 39 percent lead among Latinos shows that 41 percent have a negative view of her. Before we unpack all that, lets talk the three reasons why Latino voters are so important in the first place. First, demographics. Latinos represent 17 percent of the population, yield 50,000 potential new voters every month as young Latinos turn 18, and could account for as many as 13 million voters in November. Second, independence. Latinoswhile solidly registered as Democrats, by a more than two-to-one marginhave demonstrated their unpredictability by voting for moderate Republicans who ask for their support. Third, location. Latinos are strategically placed around the country and represent a large presence in three of the five battleground states that often decide presidential elections: Nevada, Colorado and Florida. So this is the wrong group of voters to piss off. We know how Trump managed to, with an opening speech about rapists, a big beautiful wall and a deportation force that amounted to a slap in the face for Mexico and Mexicansa subset that represents nearly 70 percent of Latinos in the United States. Latinos have seen this movie before. They know theyve been turned into the pinata of the 2016 election and that the person swinging the broken broom stick is Trump. At this point, most Latinos absolutely loathe the billionaire businessman, who will be lucky to win 20 percent of the Latino votes in Novemberwhich would be an all-time low for Republican presidential candidates. And yet, even with all that going for her, Clinton still cant seem to close the deal. After talking to fellow Latinos over the last several months, Ive come up with 10 reasons for the lackluster response: Clinton fatigue. Hillary Clinton has been in their living rooms for 25 years, and many are ready for a change. Trust. Like the majority of other Americans, much of the Latino community doesnt trust Hillary or believe what she says. Her husband. President Clinton militarized the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego with Operation Gatekeeper in 1994 and signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which divided families by making it easier to remove the undocumented and harder for them to return. Her Senate record. Clinton took up an immigration hardline that included voting for a Trump-style border wall and boasting to a conservative radio talk show host in New York that she was adamantly against illegal immigrants. Condescension. Clinton, who usually doesnt speak to Latinos in non-election years, was clumsy during her 2008 presidential bid when she tried to connect to Latinos at a Las Vegas restaurant by referring to their problems as chips and guacamole. The Obama presidency. Hillary was at President Obamas side for four years, as Secretary of State. Many Latinos resent Obama for deporting 3 million people and dividing hundreds of thousands of families. If she really was uncomfortable with what was happening, she should have spoken up earlier. Honduras. As Secretary of State, Clinton backed Honduran military forces after it ousted democratically elected president Manuel Zeyala in 2009 and pushed back against global pressure to reinstate him. The coup helped throw the country into chaos. Central American refugees. In summer of 2014, as about 80,000 women and children from Central America streamed across the Texas-Mexico border, Clinton told CNN that the refugees, even unaccompanied children, should be sent back to send a message. No hearing, no lawyer, no determination of refugee status. Just send them back. Caution. Latinos were burned by Obama, who they supported by wide margins in 2008 and 2012. Many seem prepared to support Hillary in 2016, especially over Trump, but they want to be more careful this time and get more ironclad guarantees upfront. Finally, theres Bernie. Many Latinos are still excited about Bernie Sanders, and theyre swept up in the whole anti-establishment mood that other Americans have been caught up in as well since theyre marinating in the same juices. Were going to hear from more of those voters on June 7 when voters finally go to polls in delegate-rich California, where 39 percent of the population is Hispanic. Last week, Sanders got 11,000 people to turn out for a rally in Southern California. Even if Clinton stays on track to win California and secure the nomination, as is very likely, Latinos for Bernie arent going simply go quietly into the Hillary camp. Many will just sit out this election. Mark my words. Latinos are always saying that they dont desire anything special, that they just want what other Americans want. Believe it. In this election, many Latino voters want what about 50 percent of voters overall want: a third choice. First London Dry Gin from Norwich distillery Norwich has just seen the release of its very first London Dry Gin with the official launch of Bullards Norwich Dry Gin on Thursday May 12, 2016. Featuring the South American Tonka bean as one of the predominant botanicals, Bullards gin has been distilled so that it is smooth and balanced enough to be drunk neat without a mixer or a premium tonic. The gin is the brainchild of Patrick Fisher, owner of the Redwell Brewery, Russell Evans, co-owner of the historic Bullards brand, Craig Allison, former manager of the Gin Palace in Norwich, and distiller Peter Smith. Created to be the perfect gin with or without a mixer, it is 42.5% and combines a total of 10 botanicals to result in a complex, spicy-sweetness with strong juniper elements. The distillery is built into the Ten Bells pub near Norwich city centre and first started producing gin in small 120L batches in December. Having just run out of Batch 002, the company will soon be starting work on Batch 003. Created to be the perfect gin with or without a mixer, it is 42.5% and combines a total of 10 botanicals to result in a complex, spicy-sweetness with strong juniper elements. The distillery is built into the Ten Bells pub near Norwich city centre and first started producing gin in small 120L batches in December. Having just run out of Batch 002, the company will soon be starting work on Batch 003. Bullards gin can currently be purchased online at http://www.jarrold.co.uk/ , or from various sellers around Norwich including Harper Wells, Bijou Bottles and Reno Wine. It can also be purchased on site at the distillery. Other spirits and experiments will be produced in the future. For more information visit http://www.bullardsspirits.co.uk/ 23 May 2016 - Rebecca Sterritt Paragraph Publishing, content manager In the dark days of World War II, hundreds of patriotic young American men learned to fly at the Bryan Army Air Base. The base closed at the end of the war and, except for a brief revival in the early 1950s, remained virtually unused until 1962, when it was handed over to what soon would become Texas A&M University. Over the years, A&M used the Riverside Campus, as it was named, mainly for training by the Texas Engineering Extension Service, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station and the Texas Transportation Institute. Most of the campus remained underutilized, though1. That's about to change in a big way. Earlier this month, Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp unveiled a massive and visionary plan to upgrade and enhance the site, which now will be called the RELLIS Campus -- an acronym of Texas A&M's core values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity and selfless service. The revitalized and expanded campus will continue to maintain its research component but now in cooperation with other universities and the private sector. In addition, qualified students who did not get into A&M will be able to earn their degree from other universities in the A&M System while staying in the Bryan-College area. Some of them, also, might be able to transfer to the main campus. Some $38 million will be spent building an education center with classrooms and offices. That facility initially will serve hundreds of students, but eventually could educate up to 10,000 students. Initially the focus of the RELLIS Campus will be the development of emerging infrastructure and transportation technologies, including driverless cars and smart power grids. At the same time, the campus will be open to other emerging technologies. This fall, 32 decaying buildings from the campus' days as an air base will be removed and the site's outdated infrastructure will be rebuilt. Buildings already planned for the RELLIS Campus include: The already announced $73 million Center for Infrastructure Renewal -- authorized by the Texas Legislature -- that will develop new methods and better materials for the nation's crumbling infrastructure and train the private sector in how to apply new techniques and materials. The cost will include state funding and donor contributions. Completion is expected by the end of 2017. A $12 million Advanced Research in Transportation Technology Building for research, design and testing in the growing field of automated and connected vehicles. A $12 million Cyber-Physical Research and Development Center that will be dedicated to robotics, autonomous and connected vehicle technologies, and associated cyber-security facets. A $9 million centralized office and research facility that will be constructed for TEES. A $6 million Safety Process Center that will test and learn the safest methods to operate in large chemical operations. A $6 million Industrial Distribution Center that will investigate the best way to manufacture and distribute products. A $7 million training facility for the Texas Engineering Extension Service, primarily for law enforcement. This isn't the first time big plans have been announced for the Riverside Campus. More than a quarter century ago a detailed plan for developing the site was announced, but funding never materialized and the plans soon were forgotten. The new plan has a much better chance of happening. Millions of dollars already have been pledged for demolition and construction. But the real reason it will be built is the visionary leadership of Chancellor Sharp. Pretty much when he sets his mind on doing something, it gets done. He is a hard man to say no to. Joining him in this vision is Texas A&M University President Michael Young, who has been working overtime to make sure students at the education center on the new campus will be able to interact with the main campus, as well as numbers A&M officials. Numerous business are excited about the new campus and many of them are likely to locate in Bryan and College Station to interface with RELLIS and use its facilities and researchers to help develop their cutting-edge products. Talks already are underway with Kubota Tractors. Texas A&M Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering Katherine Banks said, "With this facility and this campus, we will be right in the middle of action." The new RELLIS Campus will be a boon for the local community, the businesses who choose to locate here and the thousands of students will be proud to graduate as an Aggie. A worker in Louisville helped a customer at a snack stand. Salaried workers in several types of businesses in Louisville are expected to be impacted, for better or worse, by the new federal overtime rules. SHARE By Grace Schneider, USA TODAY NETWORK, Louisville Courier-Journal Business groups aren't happy about new federal regulations that could force employers to boost the pay of an estimated 149,000 Kentuckians. Beginning in December, salaried employees earning $47,476 or less a year must be paid time-and-a-half for working more than 40 hours in a week. The previous threshold was far less $23,660. The change is expected to directly impact thousands of young administrative and management employees who pull long shifts but are not classified as hourly employees under federal wage and hour laws. The U.S. Department of Labor says its new rules make more than 4 million U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay. An analysis of state-by-state numbers by the Economic Policy Institute, a pro-labor and liberal-leaning group, predicted that about a fourth of Kentucky's salaried workers 149,000 could benefit from the new rules. In Indiana, roughly 248,000, also a quarter of the Hoosier salaried workforce, would be impacted. The new rule raises the threshold from $455 per week to $913 per week. "Everybody is freaking out a bit now because it's such a significant change," said Amy Newbanks Letke, the chief executive and founder of IntegrityHR, a human resources consulting and outsourcing firm in Louisville. A number of companies signed up for Integrity's webinars on the new rules, an indication many are looking for help on the basics, Letke said. Several of the region's largest employers General Electric, UPS, Humana and Ford already have sizable hourly workforces and pay rates for salaried workers above the threshold, so the small- and medium-sized local companies are most affected. Greater Louisville Inc., the region's chamber of commerce, wrote the Department of Labor last September to say that the rules would "send shock waves" through the local economy and put more than 70,000 salaried employees back on hourly wages at a cost of more than $19 million a year. It also said that it would limit business owners' flexibility to provide benefits, set schedules and offer incentives to attract talent. GLI said this week that the department made some positive revisions before writing its final rule, but it "still makes the critical errors of limiting flexibility, ignoring regional distinctions in compensation, and demanding full implementation by Dec. 1." The group had urged a phase-in over three to five years. Banks, staffing and insurance companies and local manufacturers were among the 50 companies that signed the letter. The Courier-Journal contacted a worker at a local nonprofit and general manager of a fast-food pizza business. Both felt uncomfortable commenting and referred a reporter to supervisors. A sorority in the region contacted Jan Michele West, a partner with Goldberg Simpson who specializes in employment and business law, to ask how to handle a house manager who lives at a sorority house. The woman is salaried and being paid $35,000 to $40,000-plus. The organization didn't want to raise her salary over the $47,000 threshold but it also was concerned about running up overtime if it switched her to an hourly rate, West said. "There is a lot of confusion," particularly about classifying employees, she said. The policy institute's report shows that the changes could have the biggest impact on workers who are African American or Hispanic, those ages 16 to 24, and who are less educated with a high school diploma or some high school education. Leisure and hospitality businesses were among those expected to be most affected nationwide. The institute pointed out that it's high time the rules addressed the realities of the workplace. They "were established to make sure that no one but higher-level workers with control over their time or tasks works overtime without getting paid for it." But changes in 2004 made it easier to "deprive" many lower-level workers of OT by tweaking their job descriptions, the EPI report said. Because some employers pushed the limits of the law, it led to "widespread noncompliance and misclassification" that new rule should address, the group said. In Louisville, where the median income is $42,500, the changes are bound to hit hard on nonprofit groups and small businesses, Letke said, which should force them to devise strategies to suit their circumstances. Like West, she predicted that many companies will have to trim their payrolls or outsource work to stay within the rules. "It's a real concern for businesses that are super price sensitive," Letke said. As a former owner of several Qdoba fast-casual restaurants in Louisville, Don Doyle doubts the change will hamper restaurants and other businesses because many already have addressed the matter. His company had several salaried assistant managers before he sold his restaurants back to the parent company three years ago. Amid concerns about the requirement to demonstrate that those employees spent 50 percent of their time supervising others when they often jump in on many tasks during the day they converted them to hourly pay. They calculated their standard week was 50 hours, then they used a rate with 40 hours plus 10 hours of overtime pay at time and a half to determine each person's hourly rate. "We didn't increase our costs" because assistant managers were paid the same as when they were salaried, Doyle said. "In the final analysis," he said, "I don't believe it's going to cause a big disruption. Provisions of the final rule Sets the salary level required for exemption at $47,476 a year ($913 a week). Establishes a mechanism for salary and compensation levels eventually to increase every three years. The duties test, which is used to determine what job duties qualify workers for exempt status, remains unchanged. Highly Compensated Employee (HCE) compensation requirement is now $134,004 per year. The effective date is Dec. 1. For details, see https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime/final2016. Source: U.S. Department of Labor New Burlington Area Homeless Shelter director carrying mission forward The new executive director of the Burlington Area Homeless Shelter says she's excited for her new role and here to serve the community. NORWALK Area homeless shelters and care facilities are facing a potential client increase after state budget cuts forced one Norwalk transitional residence facility to close last month. The facility, located at 33 Stevens Street, helped people who were in psychiatric hospitals or prisons return to living in the community, and also served as a diversion program to prevent unnecessary hospitalization, according to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Stevens house had eight residential beds and served about 27 people per year. Gian-Carl Casa, undersecretary for legislative affairs for DMHAS, said the department is relocating some residents from the facility to the inpatient unit at the Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center, and a transition plan is in the works for the remaining clients who were served in Norwalk. The state is making difficult but necessary decisions in Connecticut's new economic reality, Casa said. Like Connecticut families, state government cant spend more than it takes in. State agencies must do more with less in order to meet their core service demands. The Bridgeport program has 20 residential beds and serves approximately 55 clients per year. Casa said some employees from the Norwalk house have been transferred to the Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System. Transitional residence facilities serve as a way to help prevent chronic homelessness, according to Jeannette Archer-Simons, executive director at Open Door Shelter in Norwalk. The reality is that a quarter of all people experience a mental health issue and that affects everything in their life, Archer-Simons said. We have to make sure were providing services so we can prevent people from ending up in a homeless shelter or on the street. Archer-Simons said many people who experience chronic homelessness suffer from debilitating disabilities, addictions or mental illness. As a result theyre unable to obtain and retain stable employment, which leads to homelessness and an inability to care for themselves and receive proper treatment. Barry McGovern, director of the Keystone House in Norwalk, said Keystones transitional residence programs have not undergone an additional burden as a result of the closure, although they serve the same population, because Keystone Houses clients must be referred to the facility. Our clientele is an adult population with serious and persistent mental illness and some of those individuals may end up homeless in a crisis situation, which we try to prevent, McGovern said. We havent seen an impact from the budget cuts yet, but obviously were still waiting to see what happens and if we will see an impact down the road. kkrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt For any Metro-North commuters donning ear buds this week for the ride home from Manhattan, after reserving an Uber driver to meet them at the Stamford Transportation Center, it is possible that it will be Paul Ditimi who arrives to shuttle them home on the last leg of the trip. That Ditimi will be there to do so is a testament to his perseverance and to the company that heard him loud and clear when Ditimi put his mind to proving that he could excel despite his deafness. For more than a year, Ditimi has driven for Uber, the San Francisco-based company that has built out a ride service in Connecticut and elsewhere over the opposition of taxi services who say Uber enjoys an unfair advantage in not being subjected to the same regulations they face. Ditimi offers a glimpse into another side of Uber, one that has made active efforts locally and nationally to employ people with various disabilities, as has rival Lyft. According to the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium published by the U.S. Census Bureau, the unemployment rate in Connecticut was nearly 63 percent among working-age people who are hard of hearing, one of the highest rates in the nation. Ditimi credits his spouse Terri for his decision to pursue the Uber opportunity as a second job after she spotted a company ad for Connecticut drivers, in addition to his work at the New York School for the Deaf at Westchester Community College. I didnt know what Uber was, Ditimi signed during a Tuesday interview in Stamford through Amy Newland, an American Sign Language translator. I was thinking, How am I going to communicate? This is going to be impossible. Ditimi figured the company would see things the same way, but Terri pressed him to give a try and, as he discovered, the company was more than willing to offer him the gig. Uber drivers receive work requests through an online app, and Ditimi remembers well the first one that came in for him, requesting a ride from Hoyt Street in Darien to the downtown Stamford station of Metro-North. Upon arrival, he communicated to the best of his ability the fact that he could not hear and that he understood the destination. Still, he recalls the rider appeared unhappy and, upon arriving at the station, slammed the vehicle door after exiting. The early weeks were difficult. Ditimi said he gradually instituted ways to better signal his situation for starters, a printed sheet informing riders he is deaf and how to get his attention during the drive but he was coming up short on minimum rider satisfaction scores required by Uber of its drivers. Ditimi was ready to say he gave it the old college try and walk away, but Terri encouraged him to give it a little longer. He did, and as he learned to gauge how best to communicate with riders crucially, through the use of text messaging he saw his Uber scores rise well above the baseline. Uber has actively promoted its efforts to employ people who are hard of hearing, providing them with tools from the Communication Service for the Deaf and adding features to its app that enable only text messaging while alerting customers of a driver being deaf. While the majority of Ditimis work is in lower Fairfield County, it is not unusual to get trips to New York City and its airports; and on one occasion, he took a fare to Pennsylvania. Dimiti said he works about 35 hours a week for Uber, a steady source of income that he welcomes. Of more than 3,000 rides Dimiti has handled, the one that stands out in his mind was the first time he arrived for a pickup only to learn that the customer was blind. He was back to those early days when each trip was a journey of uncertainty and doubt. But it became what might be his proudest professional moment, one that he had not even relayed to his family before. He said the two worked through the trip to Macys successfully, and as a result he is confident now of anything an Uber call can throw his way. On Tuesday in the late afternoon, Ditimis Uber app pinged a ride opportunity during an interview, which he chose not to take as he shared his story. As Fairfield Countys evening commute ramped up, he knew there would be plenty more opportunities that day and going forward. On occasion, riders thank him using sign language he is thankful for their patronage, and for the company that made it possible. Uber has helped me so much, he signed. They have helped me to be free. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-964-2236; www.twitter.com/casoulman NORWALK Do you know who to call in a mental health crisis? Are you aware of the new statewide hotline for people with heroin or other opioid addiction? As part of its community education initiative, the Southwest Regional Mental Health Board (SWRMHB) is premiering a new poster to raise awareness of a range of important resources many of them free available to Connecticut residents. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy doesn't spend a lot of time chit-chatting with state legislators, something politicians from both parties agree helps build the personal connections needed to get things done at the state Capitol. A review of Malloy's public schedule, obtained by The Associated Press through records requests, reveals the no-nonsense governor infrequently holds meetings with members of the General Assembly in his Capitol office. And recent public skirmishes with lawmakers over how to fix the budget deficit, especially with his fellow Democrats, have provided a further glimpse into a relationship that's not particularly close. Malloy's approach to working with the General Assembly contrasts with the style of his two Republican predecessors, who often held weekly meetings with legislative leaders to keep communication open and help build consensus. Meanwhile, lawmakers say, Malloy relies heavily on his staff to communicate with them, making himself available by phone or in the occasional meeting when necessary. "He's a very businesslike person, so unless there's a reason to get together, generally we don't do that," House SpeakerBrendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, said of Malloy, a former mayor and prosecutor who never served in the legislature. Sharkey and Malloy recently sparred over the budget, with Sharkey calling a round of Malloy's proposed cuts a "hit list." They have since made up, with Sharkey saying his decision to stand up to Malloy's cuts was among his proudest. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said Malloy appears to be uneasy with lawmakers, adding how "sometimes you think he's uncomfortable and sometimes he seems fine." The two met in January for an awkward, high-profile lunch in the legislative cafeteria, surrounded by TV cameras, after Republican leaders took issue with Malloy suggesting they write their budget-cutting ideas on the back of an envelope when they asked for meetings with the governor. At that lunch, Malloy said his remarks were not intended to be dismissive, and he invited Klarides to call his office and schedule a meeting any time she wanted. "I think he clearly has a difficult time, No. 1, relating to the legislature," Klarides said. "I also think, quite frankly, he has difficulty relating with people." In all of 2015, records obtained by the AP show Malloy had 14 scheduled meetings with state lawmakers, all leaders. Five were with Democratic and Republican legislative leaders in late November and early December, when the group was trying to reach an agreement on a mid-year, budget deficit-cutting plan. Sprinkled throughout 2015 is the occasional scheduled meeting with one or two Democratic leaders, typically lasting 30 minutes. Months would pass between such get-togethers. Malloy had one scheduled lunch with a lawmaker, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. They met at the Hartford restaurant Max Downtown on May 5, 2015. Records also show Malloy had one scheduled meeting in 2015 with a Republican legislator, Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven. Malloy spokesman Devon Puglia said the public schedule doesn't tell the entire story, arguing the governor and his staff "couldn't be more available." In addition to staff working with lawmakers, he said "we constantly have people pop into his office informally" and Malloy is "constantly on the phone." Despite the budget disagreements and questions of whether lawmakers will still pass Malloy's latest criminal justice reform bill in special session, Puglia said the "vast, vast majority" of Malloy's bills have cleared the Democratic-controlled legislature. Early in 2016, as debate over how to solve a worsening budget deficit continued, records show Malloy stepped up meetings with lawmakers. In January, there were six meetings and one call to a legislator on his public schedule. There were three meetings in February and five in March, three of which were held with leaders to discuss the budget. Dean Pagani, Rowland's former chief of staff, said the former governor was once advised by former Republican Massachusetts Gov. William Weld to hold regular weekly meetings with legislative leaders, saying it would be harder for the lawmakers to lodge criticisms knowing they'd see him again in seven days. "It was just a way of building a personal relationship," Pagani said. Pagani credits the connections Rowland made during those weekly meetings with helping Rowland move the majority Democratic legislature closer to his positions on issues, such as the budget. He said those personal relationships also likely helped Rowland remain in office longer as he weathered a corruption scandal. Rowland eventually resigned in 2004. Klarides contends that a more open-door policy probably could have improved relations between lawmakers and Malloy. But Duff, the Senate majority leader, shrugged off such criticism, saying Malloy is always accessible by phone. In fact, Duff said he's surprised by how many people have Malloy's cellphone number. Duff also downplayed the recent disagreements over the budget. "He has a strong personality, and he likes things his way. The legislature has a right to push back as a co-equal branch of government," he said, adding how that "naturally leads to tension." Malloy's businesslike approach might be preferable to Rowland's friendlier method, given the state's financial challenges, Pagani said. "I actually think Gov. Malloy's management style is suited for the times," he said. "Maybe we need someone just focused on the numbers." NORWALK Police charged two Norwalk men in unrelated domestic violence incidents on Sunday. According to police, both incidents began innocuously and quickly escalated into alleged physical assaults in which two female victims sustained injuries. In the first complaint, police received a complaint at approximately 3 a.m. about a disturbance at 261 Ely Ave. Officers were told by the alleged victim that her ex-boyfriend, identified as Marc Princy, had struck her in the face following a verbal argument about her showing affection toward her son. Police said that Princy hit the woman in the face with a Gatorade bottle, put the woman in a choke hold, and slapped her phone out of her hand as she attempted to call police. Princy left the residence before officers arrived, but was spotted in the area of Exit 19 on Interstate 95 northbound, where he was taken into custody without incident. Princy, 34, of 261 Ely Ave., was charged with third-degree assault, interference with a 911 call, and third-degree strangulation. He was issued a $10,000 bond and given a court date of May 23. The victim in that incident refused hospital transport. Two minor children were present during the incident, police said. In a second reported domestic violence incident on Sunday, police were dispatched to 3 Cutrone Road at approximately 8 p.m. on the report of an intoxicated man creating a disturbance. Responding officers were told by the alleged victim that her husband had gotten mad for a stupid reason, (because she works at night) and assaulted her following a verbal argument. The victim said that she had been struck in the face by her husband and police said that the woman had visible swelling to her eyebrow area and facial bruising. Police said that a child was home, and heard, but did not see the incident. Police reached the suspect, identified as Krzysztof Zaniewski, via cell phone and he reportedly told police he could not talk to them because he was driving, and disconnected the call. Patrol officers located Zaniewski driving on Connecticut Avenue and initiated a traffic stop in the area of the Exxon station at 104 Connecticut Ave. Police said the they detected a heavy odor of alcohol emanating from Zaniewski, and he reportedly was slurring his words and was unsteady on his feet. He refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test, police said. Zaniewski, 35, of 3 Cutrone Road, was charged with third-degree assault, criminal violation of a protective order, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, use of a hand-held cell phone while operating a motor vehicle, and failure to use turn signal. He was issued a $50,000 bond and given a court date of May 23. Zaniewski was charged with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct by Norwalk police on Sept. 20, 2015. The disposition of that case is pending, and according to court records, Zaniewski is enrolled in a diversionary program known as the Family Violence Education Program. NORWALK It seems the states budget deficit wont crush the school district this year, but it will hurt a little. The reduction was something that the city folks believe they can absorb without doing too much damage, said Board of Education Chairman Michael Lyons. Its going to allow us to move forward with our program for the school system, which is a big relief. Norwalks getting about $2 million less than promised in this years budget, though Mayor Harry Rilling has publicly stated he would not change the Board of Educations appropriations. I absolutely take his word on that, said Lyons. To me that puts to rest any issues about us operating our capital budget. Norwalks Education Cost Sharing, a state grant, is $50,000 less compared to last year and the local Department for Adult Education was granted $2,000 less than last fiscal year. The state also zeroed out Norwalks request for school transportation funding. Last year, the district received almost $75,000 to transport its students to public and private schools. We wouldve needed about a 5 percent increase to fully fund everything we had going on in the school system, said Lyons. We didnt get that, so well be reducing some positions and reallocating others but its not going to be a severe impact. The results for towns across the county are varied: While districts like Fairfeld and Easton saw their state education grants cut in half and already cash-strapped Bridgeport is absorbing a million dollar loss, districts like Trumbull and Shelton actually saw increases in their state aid for education. Lyons said the board members main concern was whether this $2 million budget cut would affect the boards special appropriation request they plan to make at the tax board meeting on June 6. But after e-mailing him, Mayor Rillings reassuring words put Lyons at ease about the boards Special Education Fund. Im not going to pop the cork on the Champagne until the vote is taken, but I have the Champagne in the fridge, ready to go, said Lyons. SFoster-Frau@CTPost.com; @SilviaElenaFF NORWALK Following allegations of child abuse at High Road School, the Board of Education chairman acknowledged that the district has failed to oversee its students at the school for years. We send them off to the school and the school sends us bills for the tuition and we sign the check. But weve never had any system process of monitoring how the kids are doing with their out-placements, said school board Chairman Michael Lyons. Norwalk Public Schools has no policy or position to ensure the special education students sent to private schools, or out-placed students, are being treated well or even, in this case, humanely. This gaping hole in the public schools system became apparent during this weeks school board meeting when the public comments session took a dark, frightening turn. Three mothers took the stand, boldly claiming that their children were coming home with scratches and bruises inflicted by High Road School teachers and staff. It started off as a good experience there was no problems at first, said Nancy Michel, a Norwalk mother whose 8-year-old attends High Road. Then around mid-December, I started noticing a difference. It was becoming a problem putting her on the bus at school. As soon as shed see the school bus shed start screaming Thats a bad school, they hurt kids. I dont want to go there. Michels daughter, Nachelle Jones, came home from school with scratches on her face last Friday. Last month, Michel said, it was bruises on her thighs. And for months, shes had trouble breathing. For the past eight years, the school district has conducted study after study of its special education system, but to no effect. The latest study found that the Norwalk special education system had worsened since it last review in 2012. The state Department of Children and Families is now investigating the allegations. Norwalk police also said they received two separate complaints on Sunday, May 15, each alleging that a student had been assaulted at the High Road School. Investigators from the Special Victims Unit are now looking into the allegations. The investigations are being handled in conjunction with both state and non-profit child protective agencies, police said. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no other information is being released at this time. On June 6, the Board of Education plans to pass its Special Education Fund, a plan that involves hiring a staff person to oversee Norwalks out-placed students. High Road School of Norwalk, and its larger corporation Specialized Education Services Inc., continues to refrain from commenting. Restraint and Seclusion Its to the point my daughter has been restrained so much, every time she inhales it hurts her, said Michel. Restraint is largely considered holding down a student with physical force, often involving locking arms and legs in place. State law prohibits schools to use restraint for behavior management purposes, or because a child is noncompliant. Its a very, very disturbing thing for a human being to witness everybody is being traumatized during a restraint, said Mickey Kramer, associate child advocate for the states Office of the Child Advocate. As of a state law passed last September, restraint is only permitted during emergencies. It defines emergencies as any time a child is in danger of harming themselves or others. Seclusion, or isolating a child by putting them in empty rooms, also follows the same policy. The law was sparked by an alarming report released by the Office of the Child Advocate in 2015: Each year, more than 2,500 students in Connecticut are restrained or put in seclusion for more than 30,000 times. And between 2013-2014, over 1700 reported incidents of restraint and seclusions lasted 40 minutes, with 716 lasting more than an hour. Its statistics like these that make the Norwalk parents claims more and more believable. Regina Russell, another mother, said her child would get secluded up to four hours during the school day. I saw the padded room, it seems like a jail said Russell. Thats not therapeutic, thats abuse. And so their kids come home, they say, with bruises and scratches. What we hear sometimes is a difference of opinion of what constitutes an emergency. Our restraint and seclusion report talks about what an emergency truly is which is really imminent danger, Kramer said. And Kramer said her office knows that many people simply dont report. If theres three (students), are there 30 more? asked Kramer. I dont know. But thats what we need to find out. Taking action After the parents spoke publicly about the alleged physical abuse of their children, the district and the state took action. Joseph Russo, interim director of special education for Norwalk schools, has initiated an on-site investigation of High Road School, said school board Chairman Michael Lyons. If the Norwalk Police Department received a police report last Sunday, as parent Nancy Michel said, then theyre investigating, too. On the state level, the Office of the Child Advocate, said Kramer, has initiated its own investigation, and has urged the Department of Education to do the same. She said the Connecticut Bureau of Special Education was also being contacted. I think the problem is that the school system has relied on parents to let us know if theres a problem with the education the child is getting, said Lyons. The High Road schools are part of a national corporation, with just 10 schools in Connecticut alone. The schools are private but state-approved and regularly subjected to review. The one in Norwalk serves 47 students across Fairfield County the local students are paid for by the district. Right now, it seems these three mothers, and one more unnamed parent, are the only ones coming forward. The states Office of the Child Advocate and the Connecticut Department of Education said they had no ongoing investigations into High Road prior to the latest allegations. Kramer said Friday morning the Office hadnt received any complaints against the High Road School of Norwalk in recent history. Irresponsible of how this situation works out, its the kind of thing I dont think would have happened if we had an actual monitoring process in place, said Lyons. But that could soon change with the new Special Education Fund. In the meantime, Lyons said parents of children suspected of abuse should contact Superintendent Steven Adamowski to aid the school districts investigation into High Road. Eight-year-old Jones wrote a letter last month to her grandmother, who showed it to Michel. It begins: My name is Nachelle Jones. I am 8 years old. I do not like the people at my school because they hurt me. WILTON Long before Sophie Halter even considered attending Hobart and William Smith College, her parents had instilled a strong sense of community activism in her. I think that being brought up in Wilton is what really got me involved in community work. Growing up, my family got me involved with work being done at Our Lady of Fatima, and I participated in things like a mission trip to Bridgeport or doing small projects throughout high school like raking with my father for Hope Church, said Halter. I just found it really rewarding, and I loved being part of a larger group who had some orientation or desire to perform community service. It was this strong upbringing in Wilton that impelled Halter to keep up with her community work when she went away to college. And this hard work has certainly paid off. This spring, the college senior was presented with the White Houses Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Service award, which is presented to volunteers who perform extraordinary everyday acts of service with reliability and commitment, but who seldom receive recognition. Named for the "Drum Major Instinct" sermon that King delivered in 1968, the national service award honors those who are committed to community engagement and service. During her time in college, Halter has pursued her work in the community with an unrelenting determination. For three years, Halter has served as the president for her colleges Days of Service program, which actively recruits students from Hobart to go out into the Geneva, New York community around then and do small, charitable works three times a year. Halter recalled one of the most memorable moments with the Days of Service program, which happened on her first day with the program. During my freshman year, there was a job scheduled for the years first Day of Service that nobody had showed up to, said Halter, who majors in child advocacy and justice at the school, with a double minor in social justice and Spanish and Hispanic studies. So two seniors, a few volunteers, and I went there, and it was someones apartment. Everything there was super cluttered and there were things all over the place, and nothing was accessible for this guy, who was in a wheelchair, so we basically gutted out the apartment and cleaned it up for him over a few hours. It was during this event that Halter really grasped how small gestures can have huge effects in other peoples lives. I saw that some people could really use an extra set of hands, said Halter. It was just nice to be one of those people who could be there to create a better living space for someone, and that moment really stuck with me. Halter said that this memory served as a constant reminder that there was never a job too small to make a difference. During her tenure, Halter built a solid volunteering program around this basic tenet. Halter worked tirelessly to expand the Colleges' collaborations with local non-profit organizations, agencies and individuals. In the summer of 2015, she helped organize the Community Barn Sale, which generated more than $8,500 for the community and the Geneva 2020 initiative. Halter also played an enormous role in jumpstarting a bilingual conversation Big Talks in the Little City," which included conversations held across Geneva to gather data on residents' opinions for the City of Geneva's 15-Year Plan for a local organization called Tools for Social Change. Never one to rest on her laurels, Halter went the extra mile with Tools for Social Change, as she also helped plan "Food Talks" for Spanish-speaking families in Geneva for those having trouble accessing food resources. "Sophie's tireless dedication to Days of Service is visible through increased participation of volunteers and enhanced community partner engagement," says Katie Flowers, director of the HWS Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. "She has served both as a champion for partnership between HWS and the Geneva community, and of equal import, she has led her peers in a manner that places equity, collaboration and relationships at the forefront of their efforts." BEATRICE (AP) As many as 80 antique tractors will be on display as part of the 2016 Tractor Relay Across Nebraska trekking through Nebraska next month. The public is invited to the event June 3 at the Homestead National Monument of America at Beatrice, where the relay begins and where the tractors will be on display briefly before starting across the state June 4. The caravan of tractors will make its way at 12 mph from Beatrice to other towns over the next nine days before arriving at the Scottsbluff National Monument to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in western Nebraska on June 12. The relay will go through Hastings, Grand Island, St. Paul, Loup City, Ansley and Broken Bow. Money raised from the parade of tractors will go to Operation Comfort Warriors, an American Legion program that aids wounded warriors and their families. For more information, go online to www.antiquefarming.org. LINCOLN (AP) Nebraska groups pushing for approval of medical marijuana in the state have decided to delay a petition drive to put the question on the ballot because of the time and expense required. Shelley Gillen, whose son Will has epileptic seizures that might be helped by the drug, said backers are looking at the possibility of a petition drive to force a 2018 vote. We just cant count on the Legislature, Gillen said. Weve been doing this since Will was 11. Hes now 14. So weve been through it three legislative sessions. A bill to allow medical marijuana failed this spring due to opposition from Gov. Pete Ricketts and Attorney General Doug Peterson. State Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue sponsored the bill. He estimates it would have cost $700,000 to nearly $1 million to pay for the petition drive and advertising. It required so darn much money to get something on the ballot, he said. The bills defeat was especially hard for Garrett this year because a year ago he was talking supporters of medical marijuana out of launching a petition drive. I really thought we had a great chance of getting it passed, Garrett said. He said he will continue trying to pass a bill if he is re-elected. Nine of the senators who supported Garretts bill wont return next year because of term limits and several others are facing re-election challenges. Only one of the opponents will be leaving. Its going to be an uphill struggle, Garrett said. Weve got a whole bunch of new senators that were going to have to convince. One of the most striking behavioral shifts we have observed in college classrooms over the last few years is the pervasive use of electronic devices by students during class. Whether using their cell phones, tablets, or laptops, more and more students appear wired to their devices. They check social media, read their email, play video games, do homework for other classes, and even - at least I have it on good authority - watch pornographic material all while the professor keeps lecturing. Many of us find these behaviors uncalled for not only because they distract the students who are on their devices from the objectives of the classroom experience, such as being engaged in the subject matter, but also because they distract other students and the overall educational experience. That is why there is an increasing movement among faculty members to prohibit the use of these devices in the classroom unless they are required for the purposes of the class itself. Students do not always respond well to these regulations, with many becoming repeat offenders trying to hide the use of those devices by placing them on their laps and under their desks. Some simply stop going to class since it seems that being connected to the internet is more important to them than getting the education for which they are paying. Now a new study published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Bureau of Economic Research substantiates the fear of many college professors: electronic devices negatively affect student performance. In a report titled The Impact of Computer Usage on Academic Performance, professors from the United States Military Academy found that the average final exam scores among students assigned to classrooms that allowed computers were 18 percent lower than exam scores of students in classrooms that prohibited those devices. The study also showed that males are more negatively affected than females by the use of these devices in the classroom and that they affect people equally regardless of ethnicity. The study, published this month, was conducted among 726 students attending the West Point military academy. This is interesting because the way that school is set up makes the control of the methodology for the study very rigorous. This military academy is very homogeneous in terms of distribution of students among class sections, the syllabi for different sections of the same course are identical, the classes are small (similar to that of small liberal arts colleges), students typically sit in the classroom in a U formation around the professor, and students are disciplined in ways students from other colleges are not, including long marches over weekends. Because where West Point students rank in their graduating class determines their choice of assignment as officers, the pressure for them to do well is very high. Therefore, one can expect that the negative effect of using electronic devices in other higher education settings will be worse because of less disciplined environments, less pressure to succeed and larger classes. The study concludes that the use of electronic devices draws a students attention away from the class, resulting in a lower understanding of the material. Also, according to the study, students are not as effective at taking notes when required to use pen and paper, which, in turn, could also lower test scores. The message seems clear: students perform worse when personal electronic-related technology is available in the classroom. This disadvantage is true even when students are allowed to keep their tablets flat on the desk. What happens is that most tablet computers use a mobile device operating system, which allows for cloud access to web applications, the same technology that is used on smart phones. While professors are able to monitor usage, students have greater propensity to access distracting web applications via the tablet computer than with a laptop computer. The report says that while students may have used regular computers in secondary school, tablets are a relatively new technology for them, limiting their ability to effectively take notes on a tablet. This problem is more serious than it may seem. Not only is the presence of these devices hurting student performance, but also the kind of technological environment provided by colleges. Many college rankings place a value on how much connectivity there is on campus. There is a heavy burden on these institutions to look good when it comes to those rankings, meaning more expenditures to ensure that Wi-Fi connections are available at all times, particularly at noon when many students connect their smart phone, tablet, and laptop at the same time, and at night when they download movies and music. That demand for bandwidth means more expensive hardware technology on campus, as well as personnel to service it. On top of that, the increase in the number of online and/or hybrid (combination of online with certain personal interaction with the instructor) courses by colleges and universities, as well as the increased use of E-text books with video features, places even further pressure on these institutions. In this day and age of increasing measurements for accountability by colleges and universities to demonstrate that they are doing their job of graduating students on time, they should ban the use of electronic devices in the classroom unless that use is required for class activities. Such a ban would be for the benefit of all: students performance, professors ability to deliver their material in a distraction-free environment, and for educational institutions themselves when it comes to their performance in graduating students on time. Dr. Aldemaro Romero Jr. is a writer and college professor with leadership experience in higher education. He can be contacted through his website at: http://www.aromerojr.net. On Sunday, May 22, 2016, at approximately 3:20 p.m. the Madison County Sheriffs Office was contacted by the victim of an Aggravated Vehicular Car Jacking. The victim told deputies that he arranged to meet with an unknown subject, who responded to a Craigslist Posting he made related to a car for sale. The victim arranged to meet the subject on the parking lot of a business near the intersection of St. James Road and Moro Road, in rural Edwardsville, Illinois. The victim responded to the business at approximately 1:45 p.m., where he met with the subject, who herein is referred to as the suspect. The suspect arrived at the business with an unknown female, in what is believed to be a black Ford Mustang. The suspect is described as a young black male (possibly a teenager), short (approximately 51 to 53), thin, with lighter skin and short dread locks, or twist in his hair. The female who was with the suspect is a young, light skinned, short black female, with a thin build. The female was captured on the business surveillance system before the robbery occurred. Still images of that female, and the victims vehicle are being provided for publication. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Christine Susanna Tjhin (The Jakarta Post) Beijing Mon, May 23, 2016 It was one dull thud, at first. Unnoticeable somewhat to the ear, but you could feel it on your skin. Then came another, and another, and many others, and then the piercing sound of shattered glass, followed by screams. I ended my email to my friend, saying I had to go because my house was being attacked. As the screams became louder and rowdier, and as more rocks flew into my house, I ran downstairs and saw my father. Turn off the lights! Stay inside! he said. Behind him were several small bags, filled with important documents he had prepared the previous week, immediately after the news that several Trisakti University students had been shot dead on May 12. I grabbed my passport and the little money in my wallet and then wondered if I should even bother with ATM cards with all the reports of lootings. My aunt and uncle with my two younger sisters were already at the far corner of the house. The rocks kept coming. Clanking and scraping of metal. Theyre pulling down the gate, Dad whispered. The sun soon faded, no more rocks. Just random sounds, faint chants. It felt like a million years before Dad came and told us to get out of the house quickly, because he could smell gasoline from outside. The chants became screams, Bakar [burn]! Bakar! Bakar!, as we anxiously headed toward the gate. Our 3-meter high metal gate had been derailed but not yet breached. The gate was tougher than the mob. I could see thick black smoke coming from the looted minimart across the street. Rumors about Chinese Indonesian women being attacked, raped and killed by raging mobs ran through my brain. As we edged out of the house through the skewed gate, I thought, How is our fate on the other side of the gate better than being burned inside the house? I glanced at the faces of my sisters and tried to suppress all kinds of ominous thoughts. Young men, high schoolers, I assumed, with genuine hatred were screaming insults like, Cina anjing! [Chinese dogs]!, pushing us, hitting us, kicking and spitting on us and throwing sandals, garbage, whatever they had at hand. Dads face was like Id never seen it before. Heads down, we moved cautiously away. With each hand or foot that touched any part of my body, I felt like throwing up. I frantically peered around trying to keep my sisters in sight as we were pushed and kicked around. A few of the men stopped and flew into the house. Out of nowhere, a tiny old lady appeared. A few more people came and formed a human barricade. The lady yelled at the mob, said they better stop because pak Lurah ( the subdistrict chief ) and pak Ustadz ( the cleric ) were coming. Come they did. We were lucky. I cant remember their faces anymore. That mob of livid teens. But I remember their warm spit on my face, on my chest. I cant remember the old ladys face anymore, nor those of the small human barricade. But I remember the sweet sense of safety in my chest, in my stomach. We were very lucky. May 1998 changed my life. It changed Indonesia. Before, I was the typical middle-class Chinese Indonesian, over-simplified and stereotyped as apolitical, an economic animal and racist. Afterwards, I became a livid Chinese Indonesian and desperately wanted to escape my homeland. Being awarded an Australian government scholarship to Canberra was a blessing, I thought. But the true gift was meeting a lot of gracious people Indonesians, Australians and others that inspired and encouraged me to be part of the ongoing discourse about the tragic events of May 1998, of the exhilarating reformasimovement toward becoming a new Indonesia. So I decided not to escape but to join in the fight with the very little I could offer. Endeavors to seek justice and to ensure that May 1998 never happens again had earlier shifted into high gear. But after a certain period of governmental and social apathy, they have begun to run out of steam. Several notable Chinese Indonesian activists have moved on to other human rights issues, Chinese Indonesian associations have become less involved in, if not outright dismissive of, May 1998-related events. Those in power have made promises, but none of them have been fulfilled some had too little time or too few opportunities, others had too little will. This year is different. For the first time, the government has opened a path for people to take the first step toward reconciliation, beginning with the 1965 tragedy. It is an unprecedented effort to fulfill a promise, made during President Joko Jokowi Widodos campaign to seek reconciliation for gross violations of human rights, May 1998 being one of them. Looking at the challenges that emerged almost immediately after the controversial national symposium on 1965, obviously reconciliation will be a herculean effort. Pak Jokowis scrawny figure reminds me of that tiny old lady, to whom I never said thank you for saving us. His courage, even though hes no ( son of ) a general, no blueblood nor descendant of a political dynasty, also reminds me of that old ladys courage. Can Jokowi save Indonesia from the bitterness of our past, like the old lady saved us from that bitter mob? *** The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS ), Jakarta and a postgraduate student at Peking University, Beijing. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Professor Damien Kingsbury and William Abu Billy Nessen (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 To the people of Aceh, Next February, you will all have the opportunity to cast your vote for a new governor and other local representatives. As a sense of expectation builds around the elections, so too does our sense of concern: that the elections will again see the violence and intimidation that damaged the election process of 2012. Having gone through decades of war and then achieved peace and self-government, you deserve better than to see the democratic promise of the 2005 Helsinki peace accord buried by another round of less-than-democratic elections. As participants in that historic agreement and as dear friends of the Acehnese, we believe it would be a betrayal of everything the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the referendum movement struggled for. The agreement, or MoU, signed between GAM and the government of Indonesia, was intended to end the power of the gun in Aceh; this was a commitment by GAM and the Indonesian government. It aimed to bring peace to Aceh not just an end to the fighting between the Acehnese Military (TNA) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) but peace, to all Acehnese in all circumstances. The agreement was intended to allow you to determine your destiny through free and fair elections. It was not meant to exchange one form of violence and intimidation by Indonesia for violence and intimidation by Acehnese themselves, to let one group of Acehnese or another force people to vote their way. The agreement was intended to ensure that Acehs political leaders listened to the wishes of the Acehnese, and reflected those preferences in policies that benefited the great mass of Acehnese, not just the presumptive leaders. The peace agreement was based on the idea that political issues within Aceh should be resolved through the ballot box and the many other means available in a democracy. To assert the fullest measure of democracy possible within the Republic of Indonesia, the peace agreement gave you, the people of Aceh, the historic and unprecedented right to your own political parties. During the talks in Helsinki, the Indonesian government offered GAM in exchange for its cooperation in ending the independence struggle sole political control of Aceh, the right to be the only Acehnese party. The GAM negotiating team, to which we were advisors, rejected that offer. Instead, GAM wisely insisted that the Acehnese had the right to choose their representatives democratically and to form as few or as many political parties as they so chose. In GAMs rejection of taking power without being democratically elected, and instead giving political power to the people of Aceh, GAM embraced the central Islamic principle of achieving peace through justice. By the use of force and intimidation in the 2012 elections, some of our beloved friends contradicted this noble principle and damaged the high promise of peace. The 2017 elections cannot be allowed to deepen that damage. No group of Acehnese should be permitted to bully its way to power. It would be a betrayal of the goals of the Helsinki accord and of all that GAM, Aceh province (DIA) and the Acehnese struggled for. During 2012 electioneering, some of the very men who fought for Acehs freedom turned to force and intimidation, and to attacking other candidates as traitors to the cause. They attacked and even killed members of other parties, fellow men of GAM. At the swearing-in of the current governor and vice-governor, the former governor, a GAM man, was beaten up by other GAM men. We felt ashamed that former brothers-in-arms, people we knew and lived with during the war, would do such things. Those elections, unfortunately, demonstrated that guerrilla leaders who are good at war often have difficulty accepting democratic methods in times of peace. Used to giving orders and using force and violence for a collective cause, they have a hard time respecting people who challenge them when times have changed; when the common cause is the democratic process itself. Now, for there to be justice, for the men and women of GAM to continue the struggle for justice, political leaders and supporters must listen to the democratic voice of the people. That voice will never die; it can only be temporarily silenced at the cost of destroying the very thing that GAM won. There is no room for violence and the threat of violence. Those who seek to be leaders in Aceh or participants in Acehs future must forswear this, even if that means some other leaders, some other participants, prevail. That is the democracy. The 2017 election must thereby reflect Islams commitment to being an abode of peace and goodness. The election must be Halal. Any attempt to obtain political benefit through support for or by allowing threats or acts of violence in a place of peace is, and must be seen as by all Acehnese, Haram. Peace through justice. Justice through free and fair elections. May peace and justice prevail in Aceh. Peace be unto you! Professor Damien Kingsbury William Abu Billy Nessen *** Damien Kingsbury is professor of international politics at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, where he is director of the masters in international and community development. Prof. Kingsbury is author or editor of more than two dozen books on regional political issues and was an adviser to the Free Aceh Movement for the 2005 Helsinki peace agreement that ended almost three decades of war in Aceh. William Nessen is a freelance journalist who spent considerable time with the Free Aceh Movement seeking to learn their motives for seeking independence from Indonesia. He also contributed as an adviser to the first round of the Helsinki peace process. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liu Zhihua (China Daily/Asia News Network) Mon, May 23, 2016 The International Cheese Guild, the most prominent cheese association in the world, recently held a ceremony at the French embassy residence in Beijing to celebrate its 12 newest members. Some of the association's top management, including its president Roland Barthelemy, attended the celebration. (Read also: Mystery of disappearing holes in Swiss cheese solved) The 12 new members include Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, French ambassador to China, Jean-Jacques De Dardel, Swiss ambassador to China, and Ettore Francesco Sequi, Italian ambassador to China. The International Cheese Guild, the most prominent cheese association in the world, recently held a ceremony at the French embassy residence in Beijing to celebrate its 12 newest members.(via China Daily/-) They were rewarded for their efforts and contributions in promoting cheese throughout various activities over the years. Together with all guild members in China, they will continue to nurture the culture and knowledge of cheese across China, creating a strong link between foreign and local cheesemakers, and further develop the whole cheese industry in China by introducing the benefits of cheese into peoples daily lives, according to Jean-Paul Torris, Maitre Honoris Caseus of the International Cheese Guild and the CEO of France-based cheese group Savencia Fromage & Dairy. The International Cheese Guild was founded in 1969 to promote the cheese dairy industry. It has more than 6,000 members in over 30 countries. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 When a concertgoer sees his or her favorite artists perform, conditions at the venue could not matter less. Muddy ground did not stop fans of M83 from enjoying the band's dreamlike music at Lapangan D Senayan in South Jakarta on Saturday night. Originally from France, electronic band M83 greeted their fans during their outdoor concert. Despite heavy rain prior to the show, fans still managed to enjoy the performance. Starting off with a smallish audience of about 300 people, the crowd gradually increased as the momentum grew, with a mixture of local and international fans. (Read also: Joey Alexander and all that jazz) The event started at 7 p.m. with an hour-long opening act by Bottlesmoker, an electronica duo from Bandung, West Java. The pair, known for their toy musical instruments, played their signature instrumental electronic pop with unique attributes including astronaut outfits (sans helmets) and Indian head ornaments. The show proceeded to its main act at 8:38 p.m. "It's an honor that we are able to party together," band leader Anthony Gonzalez told the audience. (Read also: Adele has best-selling album as global music revenue rises) The concert featured vocalist Anthony Gonzalez, keyboardist Kaela Sinclair and guitarist Jordan Lawlor. The Grammy Awards nominated group succeeded in mesmerizing the audience with their distinct mix of electronica, rock and dream-pop music. (Read also: Musical fiesta at Java Jazz) M83 kicked off the show with 2012 track Reunion, followed by a more recent song, Do It, Try It. They continued with more rock-oriented pieces, Steve McQueen and We Own The Sky, before turning the electronica up a notch with Intro, switching into Walkway Blues and then featuring more electronica sounds with Ok Pal and Bibi The Dog. M83 also played Road Blaster with its easy-to-remember saxophone melodies and cooled down the crowd with Wait and Oblivion, only to heat things up again with Go! The group addressed "Jakarta" in their performance of Midnight City and bid farewell with Outro. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Trigo Neo Starden (Contributor) (The Jakarta Post) London, United Kingdom Mon, May 23, 2016 The emotional performance by mother-daughter duo Ana and Fia on Britains Got Talent, broadcast last weekend, ignited a wave of support and praise. There was a standing ovation from the four-member jury and the 3,000-strong audience at the Dominion Theater for the Indonesian womens rendition of Tell Him, with millions more catching them on TV at home or on YouTube ( more than 1.6 million views and counting ). (Read also: Indonesian mother-daughter duet give Britain's Got Talent judges chills) They admitted to nerves before taking the stage for the UK reality show, especially in facing notoriously hard-to-please judge Simon Cowell. Before us [there] was a lot of buzzing [the sound of contestants being rejected] so we were so afraid, really nervous we thought we would be buzzed by Simon and would not be liked because of our song choice, or the way we sang it, Fia told The Jakarta Post during an interview on Wednesday. We never thought that we would get a standing innovation from the four judges and the audience went crazy! So we were overwhelmed and as emotional as the audience, Ana added. The performance, and Anas story of her marriage troubles, touched viewers. They have done the rounds on TV talk shows since their appearance, perhaps the first on the show by Indonesian contestants. I dont know, but Ive never seen [an Indonesian] pass the judges stage of the audition, so [I believe] we are the first, said Ana, who worked as a flight attendant for Air Atlanta Icelandic and studied law at YARSI University Jakarta. Ana and Fia sang as a hobby at Indonesian community events, including at the Indonesian Embassy, and also for charity organizations. Friends were the first to encourage them to try out for Britains Got Talent. One of our friends kept showing us newspaper articles and internet links for the open audition ... she kept encouraging us until she finally convinced us, and the rest is that we are here now, said Ana as both of them laughed. Many have commented on the bond between the two women. It is kind of hard if you in my age group, you know, being in a harmonious relationship with family at all times, but one kind of has to do it, right? said Fia, a straight-A student who is studying economics, finance and mathematics at a college in London and also working part-time at a fast-food restaurant. (Read also: 'American Idol' crowns 15th and final winner as TV show ends) To overcome hardship in life, you should stick with your family, especially your mom [when] you still have your mom. Fia also credits her familys homeland for her academic and singing success. I have my talent and numbers and singing because I am from Indonesia [the country] has 17,000 islands so there are a lot of numbers to count, she said with a laugh. The women asked for prayers from Indonesians back home to help them secure a place in the semifinals. And then we will be a step closer to our dreams, they said. Whatever happens when the results are announced, the pair said they would welcome being signed by Cowell, but regardless, would for sure make singing a career after the experience. Ana also says she is moving forward and does not want to bring up the past. However, her daughter revealed that she had had a crush on Englishman Cowell for a long time. Simon is scary, and handsome too, her mother conceded. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya and Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 21 2016 A flush of anger unexpectedly showed on the face of Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama as his finger trembled while pointing at reporters of a prominent media company. He accused the reporters of attempting to thwart the controversial Jakarta Bay land reclamation project through their news reports. You have to write this down, told Ahok the reporters at City Hall on Thursday. If all [reclamation] developers sue me, it will be the fault of Tempo [the media company]. Ahoks emotional outburst follows media reports on irregularities surrounding the project, which is currently in limbo amid a bribery investigation, a development moratorium and mounting public opposition. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Sat, May 21 2016 The unresolved tragedy of 1965 has left at least 1,571 victims displaced and alienated from society. The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) said that the victims had applied for medical assistance, rehabilitation and housing from the agency, but their demands have hardly been met. LPSK deputy head Hasto Atmojo Suroyo said many victims of gross human rights violations in 1965 had applied to the LPSK for rehabilitation and shelter as most of them are old and have nobody to take care of them. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Syamsul Huda M. Suhari (The Jakarta Post) Gorontalo Sat, May 21 2016 Rife hunting of the babirusa pig-deer in Gorontalo continues with hunters seeking the animal for its meat amid accusations that the pig-deer is destructive of local plantations. There are four species of pig-deer endemic to Indonesia, the North Sulawesi pig-deer the most well-known is virtually hairless, unlike the those found outside of Sulawesi. Buang Hassan, head of Lembah Permai subdistrict in Wongarasi district, Pohuwato regency, said the forest in his region had been used as a gateway for pig-deer hunters looking to hunt the animals. He said that at least four hunters visit the region each week to hunt, both individually and in groups. They dont just hunt pig-deer, they also kill wild boar and sometimes anoa, Buang told The Jakarta Post recently. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Sat, May 21 2016 The international contemporary fine art exhibition Artjog 9, to be held at the Jogja National Museum (JNM) from May 27 to June 27, is aiming to reap Rp 20 billion (US$1.46 million) in transactions from the annual event. Themed Universal Influence, the exhibition will involve 27 fine-art creators from Indonesia and abroad, including Japan, Malaysia, Australia, the Philippines and Liechtenstein. The theme Universal Influence seeks to see people question the influence of global culture on human life and how we live our life after feeling that influence, exhibition curator Bambang Toko told a press briefing on Friday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Sat, May 21 2016 Indonesias Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) has secured a partnership with six private auditors to assess potentially failing banks in times of crisis. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Friday as a follow-up to a recently enacted financial safety net law, enabling the state-owned LPS to get assistance from public accounting firms when a financial crisis occurs. The assistance would include audits of financial data accuracy of troubled banks that will need to be bailed in by their owners or bailed out by the government in a worst-case scenario, said LPS executive director Fauzi Ichsan. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Cilacap Sat, May 21 2016 The Navy has questioned foreign citizens in restricted waters near the Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap regency, Central Java. The foreigners allegedly entered the area on a boat from Pangandaran Beach in Ciamis, West Java, through the subdistrict of Kampung Laut without prior notice. Their presence was discovered by the Navy, which has been intensively patrolling the area ahead of the planned execution of death-row inmates at the maximum security penitentiary in the near future. The Navy said it questioned the foreigners before letting them go. The Navy post in Klaces, Kampung Laut, informed us about foreigners frequently arriving at Kalijati Beach on the west end of Nusakambangan island over the past few months, Cilacap Naval Base commander Col. Johanes Tambunan told the media on Friday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 21 2016 Amid limited state revenue, which has hampered the government from allocating more for key infrastructure projects, Indonesia is likely to turn to China once again to bridge the gap. Indonesia is expected to seek around Rp 80 trillion (US$5.93 billion) from China to partly finance the trans-Sulawesi and trans-Sumatra railway projects. The Transportation Ministrys newly appointed director general for railways, Prasetyo Boeditjahjono, said the government would prefer to use state funds, but the current budget deficit made that difficult. With railways, we know they are expensive. The truth is we dont have enough money from the state budget, so weve started trying to get foreign loans, he said recently. The ministry, he said, had approached China, whose export and import bank had expressed an interest in financing the Sulawesi and Sumatra railway projects. China then requested the ministry to hand over the existing studies on the railway projects from five years back, as the basis for them to review the projects. We will submit the documents this month as they have conveyed an interest in financing the projects, said Prasetyo, adding that the review by the Chinese counterparts might take a year before any agreement would be signed. The Sulawesi railway will be 1,513 kilometers while that in Sumatra will be 1,520 km. The two projects have seen little progress since President Joko Jokowi Widodo performed their ground-breaking last year. The government has only revitalized parts of the existing Sumatra railway, as well as constructing 20 km of new network for the trans-Sulawesi line. The trans-Sumatra railway project will require Rp 77.62 trillion for the line connecting the northern point of the island in Banda Aceh, Aceh, to the southern point in Bakauheni, Lampung. Most of the track is expected to be finished by 2019. As for the Sulawesi project, the ministry will spend a total of Rp 64.81 trillion. A new 145-km track is expected to be finished by 2019, connecting Makassar and Parepare. Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan previously said the projects might not finish on time due to budget constraints, particularly when the Rp 13 trillion allocated for railway development this year will be cut due to the widening state budget deficit. The government has plans to build more than 3,200 km of railway track over the course of five years, at a cost of at least Rp 234 trillion. While China is at the top of the list for Indonesias sources of financing, given the lack of red tape compared to those offered by other countries or by multilateral development agencies, the government is aware of the slow progress of Chinese loan disbursement. China is currently still dragging its feet on the agreement and disbursement of a total loan worth around Rp 10 trillion for the construction of four major toll roads across the country, hence slowing the construction progress. The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry had a commitment from the China Export Import Bank last year for the financing of four toll roads, including Samarinda-Balikpapan in East Kalimantan. Public Works and Housing Ministry secretary general Taufik Widjoyono cited an example of Chinese loans for the Manado-Bitung toll road in North Sulawesi and Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan toll road in West Java that had not been received to date. We also have not yet signed the agreement with China for two more toll roads due to administration issues, Taufik said. The ministry previously revealed that the late disbursement had led to the sluggish construction progress of the toll roads, with construction progress standing at around 5 percent. Infrastructure expert Wicaksono Adi warned that the need to rely heavily on Chinese loans would be inevitable given the fact that local banks had little financing capability to provide the massive funding required for infrastructure projects. State-owned lenders, for example, are looking at further loans from the China Development Bank (CDB) and other institutions to support infrastructure financing despite recent criticism from the House of Representatives. Three state lenders, Bank Mandiri, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), received loans of $1 billion each from the CDB in September last year to finance infrastructure projects in Indonesia. But with hefty Chinese loans, our country will be very exposed to the fragile Chinese economy. If something happens to them, we will be affected as well, he said. _______________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Unidentified people destroyed an Ahmadiyah mosque in Kendal regency, Central Java, in the early hours of Monday. None of the congregation of Al Kautsar mosque in Gemuh village, Kendal, were on the premises at the time. Everything was destroyed. The walls of the Koran recital room were torn down [], the roof was damaged and Korans were also [torn]," Encep Jamaludin, the iman at the mosque, said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday. The mosque caretaker called Encep to inform him of the incident. The caretaker said no one witnessed the desecration as it happened late at night and the mosque was located in a secluded area and was surrounded by farms. The incident took place when local residents were asleep and it was raining heavily. The caretaker was not on the premises at the time. Material losses are estimated at up to Rp 200 million (US$14,727). Ta'zis, the leader of the Ahmadi community in Purworejo administrative village, said the mosque had a building permit, but local residents, including local government officials, had opposed the presence of the mosque since it was established in 2003. Protests affected the progress of the mosques construction, which had been halted and parts of the mosque were incomplete even though it had been established more than a decade ago. "We have an IMB [building permit] and deed for our mosque, so why it is still being rejected? Why was it destroyed?" Ta'zis told kompas.com. The mosque was scheduled for completion on May 16, which is when remaining parts of the roof were to be installed. However, the district and village chiefs told the builders to stop working, Ta'zis said. The Ahmadiyah community had reported the incident to Gemuh Police chief I Wayan Suprapto. The mosque management had intended to lodge an official police report. Meanwhile, Kendal Police chief Adj. Sr. Com. Maulana Hamdan said the police were investigation the case. "Just entrust the matter to [the police] and don't commit any activities that have the potential to hurt any of us," Maulana said as reported by kompas.com. The police coordinated with the local leaders communication forum (Forkompindo), religious figures from Islamic organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, as well as the Inter-Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), which resulted in the discontinuance of the Al Kautsar mosques construction. Similar incidents have taken place in the past, Maulana said, such as in 2004, 2006 and 2011. Previous incidents had befallen the Al Kautsar mosque, but this was the first since Ahmadi leaders had agreed not to continue with the mosques construction. Kendal FKUB secretary Yusuf Darmawan argued that the construction must be terminated as it threatened public serenity and security. "The residents only oppose the construction of the Ahmadiyah mosque; we have no problem with the mosque members," he said. (afr/rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama will drop the policy that bans the distribution and consumption of liquor in the capital and will revert back to its old bylaw following the revocation of the Ministerial Decree No. 6/2015 on the control and supervision over the production, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. Basuki said the administration referred to the decree in its earlier policy. However, since the decree had been annulled, the administration would return to use Jakarta Bylaw No. 8/2007 on public order as the legal basis. "Previously, stipulations in the [ministerial] decree conflicted with those in the bylaw even though later the Trade Ministry revised its own decree. Now, in Jakarta, we have decided to refer back to the old bylaw, Basuki was quoted by official website beritajakarta.com, as saying on Monday. The old bylaw, Basuki said, allowed limited distribution of liquor with age restrictions, which suggested close supervision from liquor vendors as well as the public. "The bylaw doesnt ban liquor, it only limits the distribution instead. Thats why the most important thing is to monitor the consumers, he said without elaborating. On Sunday, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has strengthened his stance against the consumption of liquor by stating it is important for all regions to have bylaws banning the distribution of alcoholic drinks across their territories. Some bylaws in the regions only limit the distribution of liquor. The increasing number of criminal cases driven by the misuse of alcohol, however, has put lax bylaws under the spotlight. Through the bylaws, several regions now only allow the sale of alcohol in particular places, like hotels or bars. No shops have been allowed to sell liquor since the issuance of such regulations. Debate on whether to restrict the distribution of liquor has drawn public attention as the House of Representatives is now deliberating a bill to regulate alcoholic drinks. (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Despite a number of political parties pledging support for Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama in his bid for reelection, it has not swayed him from his resolve to run as an independent candidate in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election. The NasDem Party and the Hanura Party were the latest two parties to declare support for the former East Belitung regent. Last week, the Golkar Partys new chairman, Setya Novanto, hinted that the party would support Ahok, a former Golkar lawmaker himself, in next year's regional election. Several Golkar members have also openly pledged support for Ahok, especially younger members However, Ahok has voiced his determination to run as an independent candidate, pairing with subordinate Jakarta Financial and Asset Management Board ( BPKAD ) head Heru Budi Hartono. "I will [run as an independent candidate]. We must appreciate friends who have been collecting copies of residents' identity cards for us," he told journalists at City Hall on Monday. He said that Heru would be a role model of a good civil servant. Ahok and Heru's ticket for the election got a boost from Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok), a group of volunteers who collected copies of ID cards to reach the figure required for Ahok to run as an independent candidate as set by the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) To date, Teman Ahok has collected 869,706 copies of IDs, falling just short of its targeted 1 million ID card copies. The number, however, is more than the 532,000 required by the KPUD. Running as an independent did not mean that he was against political parties, Ahok argued, but was because he wanted to accommodate the aspirations of people who might be skeptical about political parties. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hamza Hendawi & Ahmed Hatem (Associated Press) Cairo Mon, May 23, 2016 Egypt sent a submarine Sunday to join the hunt for the flight recorders from the EgyptAir jetliner that crashed in the Mediterranean and killed all 66 people aboard, while hundreds of Coptic Christian mourners filled a church in Cairo to pray for their relatives among the dead. Mounting evidence pointed to a sudden and dramatic catastrophe that led to Thursday's crash of Flight 804 from Paris to Cairo, although Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said it "will take time" to establish what happened aboard the Airbus A320. In his first public comments since the crash, el-Sissi cautioned against premature speculation. "It is very, very important to us to establish the circumstances that led to the crash of that aircraft," el-Sissi said in remarks broadcast live on Egyptian TV. "There is not one scenario that we can exclusively subscribe to. ... All scenarios are possible." A submarine belonging to the Oil Ministry was headed to the site about 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of the Egyptian port of Alexandria to join the search, el-Sissi said. The vessel can operate at a depth of 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), he said. After starting his comments with a minute of silence to remember the victims, he thanked the nations that have joined Egyptian ships and aircraft in the search. Beside Egypt, ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece and the United States are taking part in the search for the debris from the aircraft, including its flight data and cockpit voice recorders. Some wreckage, including human remains, have been recovered already. Egypt's aviation industry has been under international scrutiny since Oct. 31, when a Russian Airbus A321 traveling to St. Petersburg from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh crashed in the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people aboard. Russia said the crash was caused by a bomb planted on the plane, and the local branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility, citing Moscow's involvement in Syria. Thursday's crash will further damage Egypt's tourism industry, already reeling from years of political turmoil. The nation of 90 million people has been in crisis after crisis since a popular 2011 uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Since then, it has seen a dramatic surge in attacks by Islamic militants, bouts of deadly unrest, a battered economy and the steady decline in the value of its currency. El-Sissi spoke a day after the leak of flight data indicated a sensor detected smoke in a lavatory and a fault in two of the plane's cockpit windows in the final moments of the flight. The data was published by The Aviation Herald. No distress call Authorities say the plane lurched left, then right, spun all the way around and plummeted 38,000 feet (11,582 meters) into the sea, never issuing a distress call. Investigators have been studying the passenger list and questioning ground crew at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, where the airplane took off. In Cairo, several hundred mourners attended a memorial service for nine Coptic Christians killed in the crash, including 26-year-old flight attendants Yara Tawfik. The service was held in the Boutrossiya Church, located inside Cairo's St. Mark Cathedral, the seat of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church. Relatives sobbed and prayed as Bishop Daniel, the senior cleric who led the service, offered words of comfort on behalf of Pope Tawadros II, leader of the Coptic church. "The church, the pope, the state and its representatives are very moved by this painful incident and are all standing together in offering their condolences to these families," Daniel said. "They've ascended to heaven." Nader Medhat, a cousin of Tawfik, said Saturday he was still trying to come to terms with the disaster. "We hear about such accidents, a plane falls or explodes, but it is always far away from us, it was always so far-fetched until it happened to us," he said. A service was held Saturday in a Cairo mosque for co-pilot Mohamed Mamdouh, 25, another of the 30 Egyptians among the dead. "The funeral service was so packed with people there was no place for anyone to stand," said Ahmed Amin, Mamdouh's childhood friend. "It was really heartwarming." (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) may nominate retired Army General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as its candidate for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, pairing him with businessman Sandiaga Uno. Gerindra chief patron Prabowo Subianto hand-picked Sjafrie as a candidate, Sandiaga said on Sunday as reported by kompas.com. The formal announcement has been scheduled for July, he added. Sjafrie's name has been included among the top three names for the party to consider for next year's Jakarta gubernatorial election, Gerindra recruitment team chief Syarif said on Monday. Gerindra Jakarta Executive Branch will submit the names of three potential candidates to the party's central executive board. The names are Sjafrie, Sandiaga and former Legal and Human Rights Minister Yusril Iha Mahendra, Syarif said. Prabowo will have the final say regarding the candidates, he added. Gerindra politician Habiburokhman commended Sjafrie as a prominent former member of the military who had forged close relations with public. He called Sjafrie a "firm but polite figure". He is admired by the public, because of his good appearance and his performance while serving as Jakarta's Military commander [Pangdam Jaya], he told thejakartapost.com adding that Sjafrie had managed to maintain security in the capital during the May 1998 riots. Sjafrie, also former deputy Defense Minister, was cleared of accusations relating to his alleged involvement in human rights abuses during the 1998 violence. Habiburokhman also expressed hope that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar and the National Mandate Party (PAN) would form a coalition with Gerindra for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. Gerindra only acquired 15 seats in the Jakarta City Council. It must form a coalition with another party to be able to nominate a candidate to run in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has strengthened his stance against the consumption of liquor by stating it is important for all regions to have bylaws banning the distribution of alcoholic drinks across their territories. Tjahjos intention to impose a total ban on the consumption of liquor goes beyond the bylaws, which mostly restrict its production, distribution and consumption. Some bylaws in the regions only limit the distribution of alcoholic drinks because of the increasing number of criminal cases driven by the misuse of alcohol. Through the bylaws, several regions now only allow the sale of alcohol in particular places like hotels or bars. No shops have been allowed to sell liquor since the issuance of such regulations. Not all regions imposed bans on alcohol for various reasons, but Tjahjo said he supported the decision by Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe to issue and consistently implement a bylaw banning the distribution of alcohol in his province. This is also to clarify an ongoing news report that the ministry would revoke bylaws banning and controlling the sale and the distribution of alcohol in regions. The ministry thinks that it is important to have bylaws banning alcohol, Tjahjo said on Sunday. Tjahjo said currently a number of bylaws across the country overlapped each other and the ministry had instructed regional administrations to synchronize any conflicting regulations on alcohol distribution. Principally, such bylaws must be consistently and proportionally implemented throughout the country especially because alcohol can trigger crimes too, he added. Several regions on Sunday strongly reacted after they heard that Tjahjo had instructed local administrations to revoke bylaws limiting the distribution of alcohol. Debate on whether to restrict the distribution of alcoholic drinks has received public attention because the House of Representatives is now deliberating a bill to regulate alcoholic drinks. A politician from the United Development Party (PPP), Arwani Thomafi, criticized Minister Tjahjo before he issued a clarification. A regulation can be revoked if it is against a higher law or against the public interest. On the contrary, a bylaw that restricts the distribution of alcohol is meant to uphold the interests of the public, said Arwani. The bylaw is to prevent crimes that come from consumption of alcoholic drinks, such as rape and other types of crimes that disturb public peace, he said, adding that the government must not arbitrarily revoke any bylaws that regulate the distribution of alcohol. Makassar city, which has seen a rise of criminal cases allegedly driven by alcohol consumption, insisted that alcoholic beverages in the city should be restricted by keeping the existing bylaw. We are upholding the bylaw firmly and continuously because alcohol is one of the main reasons that give birth to crimes in society, said Makassar Mayor Mohammad Ramdhan Pomanto, adding that in the city alcohol can only legally be sold at hotels, pubs, bars and karaoke parlors. As part of a stricter control, the city prohibits people from bringing home alcoholic drinks they bought from those designated places. The city also set up a special team to monitor the distribution of alcohol in the nearby shops. A number of regencies in South Sulawesi have followed the move taken by the city, including Maros, Bulukumba and Enrekang. Meanwhile, the city of Pontianak, in West Kalimantan, took a stricter measure than Makassar by limiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to three- and four-star hotels only. Instead of banning the distribution of alcohol, the city is also considering imposing a stricter control on alcohol in order to protect the younger generation from the negative effects of alcohol in the city. In addition, Yogyakarta, which earlier saw 39 people, mostly students, die after drinking bootleg alcohol in February, would also keep its prevailing bylaw on alcohol. Meanwhile in Batam, the local administration said that it was important not to ban the use of alcohol in the region because tax from alcohol sales contributes greatly to the regions income. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Despite Bank Indonesias (BI) latest decision to revise down Indonesia's economic growth forecast for 2016, the government remains optimistic that the countrys economic momentum will increase in the coming months. Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said the government maintained its growth target of 5.3 percent for 2016, in accordance with its target in the 2016 state budget. The central bank has predicted the country's economy will grow at 5.1 percent this year. "I think it's still achievable. If we look at it from the financial point of view, BIs forecast may be justified. But try to see it from the real sector, as infrastructure projects begin construction. We have many programs to boost the real sector, industry, fisheries, tourism," he said on Monday in Jakarta. Darmin admitted that the 4.9 percent growth registered in the first quarter of 2016 was below expectations, but this was merely due to the shift in harvest period and not related to fundamental factors in the economy. "As a consequence of El Nino, the harvest period has shifted to around April and May, or the second quarter of 2016. If the harvest period took place in the first quarter, the economy would have grown by better than 5 percent," he argued. However, according to BI Governor Agus Martowardojo, the banks board of governors felt that the global economy was moving at a slower pace than expected, not only as a result of sluggish economic activity in developed countries but also in emerging economies. "The weaker global economic growth will definitely impact our exports and the domestic economy," he said. Meanwhile, BI deputy governor Perry Warjiyo said the governments fiscal incentives had improved investment, particularly in the construction sector, which grew by 7.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of the year. "The fiscal stimuli have been effective in boosting private investment and business sentiment," he said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kelvin Chan (Associated Press) Hong Kong Mon, May 23, 2016 Days after it was launched, organizers have canceled an art installation on Hong Kong's tallest skyscraper that carried a politically provocative message about the city's relationship with mainland China. The organizers of a large-scale public art exhibition said in a statement Sunday that they were dropping the light show on the building's exterior, which featured a countdown to the end of Hong Kong's status as a special region of China. Local artists Sampson Wong and Jason Lam used the LED lights on the 118-story International Commerce Center's facade to display the number of seconds left until June 1, 2047, to stir debate amid growing concerns about Hong Kong's future under Beijing's rule. However, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the show's curator said the artists changed the show's title and their explanation of what it represented without consulting them. They said in their statement that the "disrespect" shown by Wong and Lam against the original agreement "put at risk any future possibility to work further in the public space." The installation's debut last week was seen as especially subversive because it occurred during a visit by the Chinese Communist Party's No. 3 official, Zhang Deijiang, although the artists have said the timing was coincidental. Originally named "Our 60-second friendship begins now," Wong and Lam renamed the artwork "Countdown Machine" after the exhibition opened. They also changed its original description, a reference to a scene in director Wong Kar-wai's movie "Days of Being Wild," to a more politically sensitive theme: the "ongoing struggle" to determine Hong Kong's fate. A former British colony, Hong Kong became a specially administered region of China after Beijing took control in 1997 and retains civil liberties such as freedom of speech unseen on the mainland and considerable control over its own affairs. However, Beijing's tightening grip on the city has sparked anxiety among residents about what will happen after its 50-year special status expires in 2047. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Vice President Jusuf Kalla stressed the importance of financial inclusion, conducted through value chain innovation, to improve productivity and welfare in the agriculture sector. Currently 35 - 40 percent of the population are farmers, explained Kalla on Monday, adding that the agriculture industrys contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) remained low, below 15 percent. Lack of access to finance, low seed quality and fertilizer and land issues are some of the major problems faced by farmers, Kalla said, calling for incentives to boost productivity in the agriculture sector. "The concept is to improve productivity on all fronts, but the main point here is technology. Farmers need good seeds and fertilizer. They also need to understand how to expand their businesses. Financing is required," Kalla said. The government, alongside the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Indonesia, designed a value chain innovation scheme, called PISAgro (Partnership for Indonesia's Sustainable Agriculture), to improve productivity and income for one million farmers in the next four years. The scheme managed to reach 83,000 farmers with 67,000 hectares area as of 2015. A pilot project, started in 2011, has been successfully for maize, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, rice, soybeans, potatoes, and rubber, seeing a 25 percent increase in farmer productivity and income. Kadin and the Indonesian Economists Association (ISEI) have worked together to formulate an action plan, developing synergy between institutions and stakeholders to assist farmers to benefit from the value chain innovation scheme. Meanwhile, ISEI chairman Muliaman Hadad said that the agriculture sector's contribution to Indonesia's GDP had reached 13.6 percent, the second highest after the manufacturing sector which contributed 20.8 percent to GDP. More than half of the manufacturing sector's GDP was based on agriculture, Muliaman said, adding that the agricultural sector was also the largest absorber of labor, accounting for 35 percent of the total workforce. "In a holistic view, from upstream to downstream, the agriculture sectors contribution to GDP is 55 percent. If we develop technology and a modern logistics system, not only will Indonesia's GDP increase, but also the farmers' welfare," Muliaman said. Of the total 26.1 million farmers in Indonesia, 56 percent of them or 14.6 million, maintained less than 0.5 hectares of land, he said, highlighting the statistics as a problem. "This is far down the economic scale," he went on. Muliaman said most of the farmers did not have land certificates, making it difficult for farmers to obtain formal financing. As a result, they chose to source money from money lenders. "If these obstacles are not addressed seriously, the productivity and competitiveness of our agricultural commodities will stagnate. It will be difficult to improve the farmers' welfare," Muliaman said. Coordinating Economics Minister Darmin Nasution said that, for the government, PISAgro was a worthy program, referring to it as an attempt to revive agricultural sector value chains with better methods. "It requires various parties to play a role, although we very much appreciate what the business community has done in developing this pattern," he said. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Qassim Abdul-Zahra (Associated Press) Baghdad Mon, May 23, 2016 Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of military operations to retake the Islamic State-held held city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, in a televised address on Sunday night. Iraqi forces are "approaching a moment of great victory" against the Islamic State group, said al-Abadi, who was surrounded by top military commanders from the Ministry of Defense and the country's elite counterterrorism forces. However, Iraqi forces are expected to face a complicated fight to push IS out of Fallujah, which is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad, and has been under the militants' control for more than two years. Asked about the Iraqi announcement on plans to retake Falliujah, the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon did not immediately comment. During the Iraq War, Fallujah was an insurgent stronghold and the site of the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War. In November 2004, U.S. forces led a coalition attack against several thousand insurgents in Fallujah in which thousands of buildings were destroyed in house-to-house fighting. More than 80 U.S. troops were killed along with an estimated 2,000 insurgents. Al-Abadi's announcement comes at a time when Iraqi ground forces backed by U.S.-led coalition air support are gaining territory against IS, most recently in Iraq's vast western Anbar province. Last week. Iraqi forces pushed IS out of the western town of Rutba, located 240 miles (380 kilometers) west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar province. Last month, Iraqi forces cleared territory along Anbar's Euphrates river valley after the provincial capital Ramadi was declared fully liberated earlier this year. Fallujah is still home to tens of thousands of civilians and has been under IS rule since January 2014, longer than any other territory recently retaken by Iraqi forces. Iraqi security forces repeated calls for civilians trapped inside Fallujah to flee on Sunday, but residents say that checkpoints controlled by the extremists along all roads leading out of the city are preventing most from fleeing. Iraq's military is also still struggling to rebuild after it largely collapsed when IS fighters overran Mosul in the summer of 2014. Since then, successful operations against IS have largely been led by the country's powerful Shiite militias or Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces closely backed by coalition airstrikes. An array of fighters including Shiite militias and counterterrorism forces have announced they plan to take part in the Fallujah operation, but it's unclear how command and control will be exercised over the disparate groups. U.S.-led coalition aircraft have carried out seven airstrikes in and around Fallujah over the past week. Retaking Fallujah could help protect the Iraqi capital from IS bombings like those seen over the past two weeks, according to the Baghdad-based spokesman for the US-led coalition in Iraq, Col. Steve Warren. Fallujah is "a safe haven for (the Islamic State group) where they can construct their bombs and plan their operations in relatively close proximity to Baghdad," Warren said. Unrest But despite gains on the front lines, al-Abadi's government must deal with deepening political and social unrest in Baghdad. Clashes between protesters and Iraqi security forces inside Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone compound which houses most Iraqi government ministries and foreign embassies left two people dead after security forces fired tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowds. Over 100 people were wounded, hospital and police officials said. They spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to brief the press. Al-Abadi's office released a preliminary investigation Sunday that claimed police and military guards did not fire directly into the crowd of demonstrators, according to a statement released Sunday by Saad al-Hadithi, the prime minister's spokesman. Many of the protesters were supporters of powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has led months of demonstrations and sit-ins calling for government reforms. Al-Sadr has since issued a statement condemning the use of force against "peaceful" demonstrations and vowed to continue to support the "revolution" against the government. Al-Abadi spoke by phone with U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday and "agreed on the critical importance of improving the security" of Baghdad and the Green Zone, according to a White House statement. It added that the two leaders also discussed progress being made in the campaign against the Islamic State group. Iraq's political crisis has left the government deadlocked as security forces struggle to fight the Islamic State group. Despite a string of territorial defeats, IS still controls significant patches of Iraqi territory in the country's north and west including Mosul, the country's second largest city. The militant group also has claimed responsibility for a series of large-scale bombings in and around Baghdad recently that have killed hundreds of people. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 The Indonesian Economist Association (ISEI) and the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) have drafted a new value-chain innovation scheme, PISAgro, targeted to improve the income of 1 million farmers in various commodity industries by 2020. PISAgro, which stands for Partnership for Indonesia's Sustainable Agriculture, aims to reach more than 445,000 farmers in 2016 who manage more than 350,000 hectares of land. In 2015, only 83,000 farmers with areas of 67,000 ha participated. ISEI chairman Muliaman Hadad said farmers were currently experiencing stagnant productivity from inadequate access to finance, as well as good quality seeds and fertilizers. PISAgro was designed to formulate an action plan and synergize institutions and stakeholders to solve the issues. "Access to finance must be expanded. We thank the government for the micro loan program (KUR) for farmers, but other schemes must also be established. Financial inclusion should be expanded," Muliaman said at Balai Kartini in Jakarta on Monday. Kadin Indonesia chairman Rosan Roeslani said farmers play an important role in the Indonesian economy, but encountered many obstacles in improving productivity and quality of their agricultural production. According to him, the innovation scheme for the agricultural sector was a government-based micro loan program, KUR-Plus. It is a credit scheme for farmers with additional benefits such as the provision of living expenses during the harvest waiting period. This program also would give support in plantation infrastructure, provision of seeds and fertilizers, mentoring and the strict implementation of good farming practices. Moreover, it would provide access to banking, financial education, and cooperatives, Rosan said. The pilot project of this program had been successfully applied since 2011 in maize, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, rice, soybeans, potatoes, and rubber. Under the scheme, farmers productivity and income increased on average by 25 percent. Kadin vice chairman of agribusiness, food and forestry Franky Widjaja said many farmers who need access to finance expect affordable loans to increase their productivity and well-being. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Jakartas rivers, much like the roads snaking across the capital, are always clogged, dirty, polluted and not a welcome sight. People quickly associate rivers with garbage, plastic bags, dark muddy water and illegal settlements. However, the Jakarta administration aims to change that. Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has set up aggressive programs to clean up the 13 rivers that pass through the capital. The governor even dreams of residents enjoying swimming in the waterways. It is not an easy task, Jakarta Sanitation Office chief Isnawa Adji said, citing challenges in cleaning up the rivers. He recalled that three years ago, several rivers in Jakarta were filled with water hyacinth, indicating severe pollution. The pollution was the result of people's habit of throwing trash into rivers, unofficial residents domestic waste as well as home-based factories. The rivers are shallow because of soil sedimentation and the only greenery along the banks is wild grass, which grows rapidly and becomes a habitat for lizards and snakes. The city administration has hired contract workers over the last two years to clean up the citys rivers and canals. There are 4,046 workers, paid on a daily basis, employed by the city administration and responsible for cleaning up rivers, canals, lakes and coastal areas. The orange-uniformed officers remove an average of 400 tons of waste daily, Isnawa said. The city pays the workers in accordance with the city's minimum monthly wage of Rp 3.1 million and they also receive health insurance, transportation and housing facilities. The city hires local residents as contract workers not only to help reduce unemployment but also as a way to encourage other residents not to litter in waterways. The cleaning programs have begun to show results as several rivers in Jakarta are now free of congestion from garbage. One example is the Krukut River flowing through Mampang district in South Jakarta. Ricky Permana, coordinator of the Krukut River in Pondok Jaya, Mampang, said that back in 2014 the river used to be severely clogged, especially when the area was hit by big storms, causing it to overflow. I could find mattresses and couches floating in the river, Ricky told thejakartapost.com over the weekend. The Jakarta administration has threatened litterbugs with fines of Rp 500,000 (US$36) to Rp 5 million for littering in rivers, as stipulated in a regional bylaw. Ricky no longer finds mattresses, but challenges still arise especially after heavy rain in Depok and Bogor in West Java that directly impact the Krukut River. Ricky still regularly finds plastic bags filled with trash. Other officers often find sandals and bottles when using metal filters to trawl for trash while traversing the rivers on wooden rafts. Once, cleaning workers had to remove 80 tons of bamboo lodged in the river near Kalibata in South Jakarta, requiring 40 trucks to carry the material. Contract workers hired by the city administration smile as they clean up the LTC Glodok River, a tributary of Jakarta's longest river, the Ciliwung.(Photo courtesy of Jakarta Sanitation Office/-) The Krukut River appears to be getting cleaner, with the previous dark, muddy water, covered with floating garbage, now becoming green. Several parts of the river still have brownish, smelly water but overall the waterway has improved significantly, said South Jakarta Sanitation Office supervisor, Sarip Hidayat. Local children have also started to swim in the cleaner parts of the Krukut River in Mampang, Sarip added. Sanitation office chief Isnawa believed that the improved river conditions could be maintained if residents participated in the keeping them clean. The administration plans to assign workers near the river to prevent people from littering and charge them if they are caught red-handed. When the river becomes clean, residents will be uneasy about throwing trash there, especially when we have officers on standby to warn them to not litter, Isnawa said. Ahok's administration has also been pushing to curb illegal settlements that contribute to the narrowing of the river and to pollution. Other improved rivers include the Manggarai River and the capital's longest and most notorious Ciliwung River. Ahok aims to turn Ciliwung into a tourist site. The city has normalized nine of a planned 19 kilometers along the Ciliwungs riverbanks, with illegal buildings and 500,000 people still occupying some areas. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 If infrastructure bottlenecks get solved, Indonesia can expect to enjoy growth of 7 percent. Thats the theory. The theory, a target President Joko Jokowi Widodo aims to achieve before the end of his tenure in 2019, has proven difficult to realize, especially as the government and the central bank recently lowered economic growth forecasts. The 2017 state budget features an economic growth target of between 5.3 and 5.9 percent, lower than the previous figures of 5.5 to 5.9 percent. The central bank recently trimmed growth projection for this year to between 5 and 5.4 percent from the previous 5.2 percent to 5.6 percent. Due to this, economists have begun to suggest that continuing to push for 7 percent growth would be unsustainable and unhealthy. However, the government maintains its optimistic attitude. Dont lose hope, life will be difficult if we lose hope, Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said after he presented the 2017 state budget material to the House of Representatives on Friday. The government is banking on its economic stimulus packages to lure investments and that its efforts to boost consumption will also stoke the nations economic growth. It has also jacked up spending on infrastructure projects to get economic activities going. The tax amnesty bill, currently being deliberated at the House of Representatives (DPR) is also expected to boost growth, with the aim of attracting billions dollars of wealthy Indonesians illicit cash back into the country from overseas by pardoning past tax arrears. The broader picture, however, is not as supportive. Slow growth has been projected for the global economy this year and commodity prices remain under pressure. At 4.92 percent in the first quarter, domestic economic growth also fell below expectations as both investment and domestic consumption growth were insufficient to offset an exports plunge. Indonesia saw the slowest growth in six years in 2015 at 4.79 percent. It will be very hard to achieve the governments 7 percent growth target by 2019, said Samuel Asset Management economist Lana Soelistianingsih. During the commodity supercycle in 2012, Indonesias economy expanded by only 6.2 percent, she added. The structure of the Indonesian economy can not jack up its growth rate to 7 percent yet, Lana said, emphasizing that this was due to the countrys high dependence on imports, especially raw materials and intermediary products. Higher growth means increased industrial activities that require more imports. Meanwhile, higher imports would place further risk on foreign exchange reserves, current account deficit and the rupiah value against the US dollar. Its okay to be in an economy like today, as long as its stable, Lana said. Enny Sri Hartati, the executive director of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), has a different take on higher growth. She said it was possible for the economy to grow faster, citing that Indonesias peers in Southeast Asia had managed to record more than 6 percent growth in the quarter. The key for the short-term is to boost consumption, according to Enny, as it could trigger demand and eventually boost many industries. The government is stuck on global economic problems, lower commodity prices. It is not serious and creative enough to generate consumption at home, Enny added. Domestic consumption accounts for more than half the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), followed by investment around a third then net exports and government spending, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 President Joko Jokowi Widodo told young entrepreneurs to maintain a fighting spirit when starting up a business, after sharing his own trials and tribulations in running a business. [Business failure] struck me three times. I lost control of my business, but, I managed to eventually get up stay up, Jokowi told a national meeting of Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Associations (Hipmi) universities in Bandung, West Java, on Monday. Jokowi told the meetings 4,000 participants not to fear failure. He said that he understood how passionate many young entrepreneurs were to start up businesses but they often found it hard to try again after experiencing failures. "They [young entrepreneurs] often begin fast, on all cylinders, but down the track they lose control, he was quoted by Antara as saying. The former furniture businessman also advised the young entrepreneurs to fail forward, while encouraging them to take the plunge and to not spend too much time thinking. "Dont think too much, go for it. If you find trouble in the field, solve it immediately, otherwise it may trip you over. But, if you stumble, get up and never quit, he said. President Jokowi also emphasized the need to acquire knowledge, given the rapid changes in the world, especially regarding technological developments. You need to ready yourselves [to greater competition] as we have been opening up now. I believe our younger generation wont give in easily. I believe that they are fighters who are ready to be on top of the competition, he said, referring to the full implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community and other free-trade agreements, like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). After attending the national meeting, the President along with his entourage will head to Yogyakarta. (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 Tripeni, a 55-year-old housewife, could not hold back her tears as she recalled her struggle to turn her first child, Andy Setyawan, 32, into a normal man. Among her efforts, Tripeni said, she organized long-distance prayer therapy for Andy, hoping that her son, who was a first semester student at Gadjah Mada Universitys (UGM) School of Law at the time, would recover from his same-sex behavior. Tripeni shared her story when I visited her family at the end of March. Her youngest daughter, 27-year-old Inay (not her real name), accompanied her during the interview. She calmly rubbed her mothers shoulder and handed over tissues each time a tear rolled down her cheek. Several cats sat nearby, as if they wanted to help relieve Tripenis sorrow. Andy once had a high fever for around two months. Every time he felt pain, I also felt pain, said Tripeni, wiping away her tears. She said the illness had been a turning point and she eventually decided to wholeheartedly accept her son, no matter what. She wanted her son to be healthy and happy with his sexual orientation. Tripeni said she had been aware that her son was gay since he was a teenager. Tripeni said she was at first surprised to find that Andy collected photos of handsome men. She did not reprimand him for doing so. Instead, she let her son lead his life and patiently waited for him to talk openly about his gay identity. Finally, he disclosed it by introducing his lover, a man. I was not surprised, said Tripeni. Andy, who overheard our conversation, smiled. He expressed gratitude to his mom for her support. He said, however, that he did not know whether his dad, who passed away when Andy was a teenager, had known that he was gay. Tripenis family is different to many other Indonesian families, which are sometimes known to be physically, psychologically and economically abusive to family members who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). Research commissioned by Arus Pelangi, an advocacy group for LGBT people, carried out in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Makassar in 2013, showed that family members were the main perpetrators of physical, psychological and economic violence against LGBT people. Such violence leads some LGBT people to suffer depression, with a proportion experiencing suicidal thoughts. I could not hurt my own son, said Tripeni, who is also a skillful cook. Aware of her guilt, Tripeni started to learn about sexual orientations from Andys friends, who often visited their home. Her open and friendly personality made it easy for Tripeni to associate with her sons friends. She also read a lot, helping her to understand that homosexuality was not a disorder. Her belief was supported by her extended family members, who she said were open, pluralist and did not tend to force their beliefs on other people. Tripeni said she had an uncle with feminine tendencies but it was not a problem for other members of her family. I just want to give him the message that he must be responsible about his life choices. Dont blame me as his parent [for anything that happens in the future], said Tripeni. Andys siblings do not have a problem with their older brothers sexual orientation. Andys relationship with them is quite close, especially with his youngest sister Inay. Andy smiled when Inay said she knew he was gay after she found photos of men and pornographic movies on his laptop. He is no different to a heterosexual. He is smart and prays five times a day, said Inay. Inay said she was never disappointed with Andy. She added that she was ready to defend her brother from anyone who insulted him. Because of her insistence, Inay was once threatened by members of a hard-line religious organization. One of Andys ex-boyfriends currently lives at Tripenis house. Tripeni said she considered Andys first boyfriend to be like her own child. Although the pair has broken up, they are still partnering to manage a Japanese restaurant where Andy works as a chef. I inherited my moms cooking skills, said Andy. Stay strong Andy Setyawan strikes a pose in the kitchen at his Japanese restaurant. Every day, Andy runs his business with support from five staff.(thejakartapost.com/Bambang Muryanto) Not only a culinary businessman, Andy is also known as an activist for the LGBT rights movement. He was among hundreds of prodemocracy activists involved in a clash against police personnel who prevented the group from staging a peaceful rally around the Tugu monument in Yogyakarta in March. I unexpectedly fell when we [the protesters] and the police officers pushed against each other, said Andy. Andy said the support from his family had given him a sense of relief. With his family, he can share stories about his boyfriend or discuss the LGBT rights movement. Im relieved now. Coming out to our families is the biggest task for us, LGBT people, said Andy. He said violence or discrimination perpetrated by families against LGBT people would cause stress and loneliness, as well as damaging family relationships. If our families force us to build a relationship with a hetero partner, it would be psychological violence against our partner, said Andy. Is it some peoples destiny to be born LGBT? I tried to get the answer from Ignatius Praptoraharjo, a public health and sexuality expert from UGMs School of Medicine. Praptoraharjo said experts had yet to find the answer about why people identified as LGBT. The conclusion is that heterosexual and homosexual people play roles just like the right hand and left hand. Their functions are the same but the social meaning surrounding the role they play is different, just like our perceptions of the right hand and the left hand, he said. In Javanese culture, for instance, using the left hand for eating is considered impolite, and most activities are carried out with the right hand, he added. Praptoraharjo, also a researcher from the HIV/AIDS Study Center at the University of Atma Jaya in Jakarta, further said that families needed time to be able to wholeheartedly accept LGBT relatives. Unfortunately, he said, only a few institutions provided a place for parents to learn about the complexity of sexuality. In Indonesia, sex education is only considered important for teenagers, while for parents or adults, it tends to be neglected, said Praptoraharjo. He hoped that institutions providing sex education for teenagers would also start to offer services for adults. If adults were willing to learn about sexuality, they could have a better understanding of different sexual orientations as parents. Such understanding would stop them from being violent or discriminatory or taking measures to cure their family members, he added. On a bright morning, I visited Andy at his restaurant. Japanese food lovers had begun to fill the seats. It seemed that his family support had made Andy comfortable, enabling him to become a successful restaurateur. All his family members have been involved in promoting his culinary business. I asked Andy about the meaning of tattoos on his arms. On his right wrist is a tattoo reading Nullius In Verba, meaning take nobodys word for it. Andy wants to encourage people to educate themselves about various matters, including LGBT issues. He does not want them to simply believe what other people say. We have to read to learn things, he said, smiling. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Massachusetts Mon, May 23, 2016 The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts police officer died after an exchange of gunfire Sunday as authorities closed in on him at an Oxford residence, police said. The man, identified as 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, burst out of a closet and opened fire on the officers as they approached him inside the apartment, authorities said at a news conference. He was taken to a hospital where he died. A Massachusetts State trooper, also wounded, was hospitalized but was up and walking later in the evening, officials said. His name wasn't released. The manhunt began after Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Tarentino stopped the vehicle on a residential road, and the vehicle's occupant shot the officer then fled the scene, Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis said earlier Sunday. Auburn is about 45 miles southwest of Boston. The 42-year-old Tarentino was taken to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, where he was pronounced dead. He had been with the Auburn police force for two years and before that worked with the Leicester Police Department in his hometown. At the news conference after the manhunt concluded with the death of the suspect, Sluckis assured the central Massachusetts community that residents were safe and that any threat to them was over. After Tarentino's shooting, state police divers searched a pond near the traffic stop and the manhunt got underway full force. "We will leave no stone unturned in our investigation to determine who was involved," Sluckis said. He called Tarentino a "dedicated and brave public servant." State and local police officers lined up outside the hospital as a police vehicle, escorted by a procession, took Tarentino's body to the state medical examiner's office in Boston, where the vehicle was met by another large contingent of officers. Tarentino was the second police officer to die in the line of duty in Massachusetts this year. State police Trooper Thomas Clardy was killed March 16 when his cruiser was struck by another vehicle. Outside the Auburn police station, the American flag was lowered to half-staff. The town's residents left bouquets of flowers and miniature American flags piled at the bottom of a stone monument dedicated to law enforcement officers who've been killed in the line of duty. Residents in Tarentino's Leicester neighborhood remembered him Sunday as a pleasant family man. Tarentino is survived by a wife and three children. Phillip Stanikmas told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette that Tarentino kept an eye out for his 91-year-old mother when she was home alone. Stanikmas said he was "distraught" when Tarentino left the Leicester Police Department because he was a "great guy." "I wanted him to stay in Leicester," Stanikmas said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto and Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta and Jambi Mon, May 23, 2016 Amid intimidation from the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) against scholarly discussions on Marxism, the countrys intellectuals and the government are still arguing about whether the leftist ideology is an acceptable subject for discussion. If the countrys scholars and the government are unable to settle their differences, the FPIs hostility could become the ultimate winner in this lengthy debate over freedom of expression. Several academics on Sunday called on the government to protect freedom of expression at universities following a series of crackdowns on discussions on Marxism in Bandung and Sumedang, West Java, by the FPI. The FPI dispersed a discussion at the Indonesia Institute of Arts and Science (ISBI) in Bandung on May 10 and a seminar on the same topic at the Padjajaran University (Unpad) in Sumedang on May 19. Despite the crackdown and coercion, the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry has washed its hands of the matter, proclaiming Marxism illegal in all universities in the worlds fourth largest democracy. Marxism cannot be taught because it is not in line with the nations ideology of Pancasila, Intan Achmad, the ministrys directorgeneral for learning and student affairs, told The Jakarta Post. Responding to that statement, Mukhtasar Syamsuddin, head of Gadjah Mada Universitys (UGM) School of Philosophy, said the government should ensure protection for any kind of event on campus, including events at respectable education centers in West Java. These discussions are within the academic realm. They are not efforts intended to change the nations ideology. The government has to provide protection as part of its mandate to educate the whole nation, Mukhtasar told the Post on Sunday. He said Marxism had been taught at his school since the 2000s, a move aimed at giving his students a complete philosophical perspective. We are obliged to learn every branch of philosophy, including Marxism, liberalism, pluralism and multiculturalism, because they cannot be critical toward everything without having a holistic comprehension, he said. In stark contrast to Mukhtasars sentiment, Intan said there is no need to wax nostalgic on the uses of Marxism, for it does not have place anymore in this era. Nonetheless, renowned scholar Franz Magnis Suseno said Marxism was still a relevant subject for discussion, especially in the academic forum, so that younger generations would know why the teaching could not be implemented in the country that uses Pancasila as its governing ideology. The law only prohibits the dissemination of Marxism-Leninism, based on the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party, with the intention of changing the countrys founding ideology, Franz told the Post on Sunday, referring to Article 219 of the Criminal Code. Marxism is not an ideology. There is a lot of it that is not related to communism, such as Marxs critical theory of society, said Franz, a senior lecturer at the Driyarkara School of Philosophy in Jakarta. Franz also raised his concerns over the governments inaction in dealing with the swelling tide of intimidation and intolerance seen in West Java, saying it is a dangerous threat to freedom of academic expression. This threat is more dangerous than the threat posed by the FPI. Meanwhile, several academics within the Progressive Intellectuals Forum, including UGM sociologist Arie Sujito, Sanata Dharma University historian Baskara T. Wardaya and Airlangga University political science lecturer Airlangga Pribadi, demanded on Saturday that the government protect freedom of academic expression on campus. Separately, the crackdown on communist symbolism continues as soldiers from the Batanghari base in Jambi apprehended a man, identified as RS, on Saturday for wearing shirt with the hammerand-sickle logo, similar to that of the PKI. (mos) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 A teenage girl was sitting on the sidewalk in front of Pasar Minggu market in South Jakarta with other children her age when suddenly a little boy ran into her arms. Have you eaten something? the girl, who wished to remain anonymous, asked the boy who then shook his head. Soon afterwards she asked one of her friends to buy some bread at the nearest shop for her son. This boy is my son but all of my friends here consider him their son as well, she told The Jakarta Post recently. Thats one of the perks of raising your child in the street. Many children in Jakarta who feel that they do not fit into their families, or who are simply no longer acknowledged by their parents, are opting to live in the streets with others who have similar stories. Some of the homeless get food and shelter from charities, but others live under bridges or in garbage dumps and find food for themselves, a situation that potentially turns even more ugly with the addition of unsafe sexual behavior or sexual abuse. The AIDS Research Center at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Jakarta recently found that without their parents supervision, street children were exposed to romantic and sexual relationships for which they had received no guidance, or example to look up to. For preliminary research, the organization visited 43 street children in Jakarta aged between 15 and 18 years. Kekek Apriana, one of the researchers, said that during a focus group discussion, the children told her that according to their definition, a relationship happened when a couple did various activities together including eating, kissing, using drugs and drinking alcohol. From the groups of teenage girls that I talked with, two were pregnant and another girl had a 2-yearold son, Kekek said in a recent interview, adding that none of them were married. She added that every group of street children had an adult that they considered their big brother. The guy, usually around 30 years old or older, protects them in the street from being taken by officers of the Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) or Jakarta Social Agency. However, the big brother is sometimes the person who also exploits and abuses the girls, claiming that it is a form of protection. Unsafe sex using balloons for contraception and under bridges leaves the children very vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases. Sexual exploitation is a fact of life for these girls and conditions are not so different for the boys. Kekek said that in the focus group discussions the boys had shared that some of them were dependent on an older woman or transsexual who they paid back with sexual activity. This is the scenario for our street children that gets overlooked by the government and the city administration, she said. The current government program on street children, she continued, merely focused on getting them off the street instead of learning about what they were exposed in their lives on the street. They are only taken to city institutions to learn how to sew before getting released a few months later. That is not the answer, she said. They need the right information and access to medical services. Based on recent data released by the Jakarta Social Agency, there are 787 street children in Jakarta, most of them located in West Jakarta and East Jakarta. Arum Ratnawati, national chief technical advisor of the International Labor Organization (ILO) said the root of the problem of street children was there still being a large number of people living in poverty and forcing their children to make ends meet on the street. Another problem is law enforcement. We already have a law protecting children from working on the street, but the implementation need to be improved, she said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Bandung, West Java Mon, May 23, 2016 In an address given at an Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) jamboree in Bandung, West Java, on Monday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that in this rapidly changing world, anyone who wished to become a successful entrepreneur must be tech-savvy. Jokowi said advanced technology made the world borderless, allowing trade to take place via e-commerce and online stores instead of via conventional markets and malls. He further said the supply chain of raw materials, products and services had become global. "There is no longer a limit. Especially with social media, everything has become completely open and rapid," President Jokowi said, adding that entrepreneurs only had two options: to open or close their minds to facts. "For me, I have only one choice: to open. We must make sure that by being open, we dare to compete, to fight," Jokowi said. He said openness and competition would force Indonesia to improve its capacity and keep pace with neighboring countries. Giving an example, Jokowi said state-owned banks, state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina and national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia had managed to improve their businesses amid tighter competition with foreign companies. "State-owned banks now have good governance and increased annual earnings and their IT systems can compete with [those of] private banks," he explained. Explaining his experience in his keynote speech, Jokowi said he had faced business failures three times but kept trying until he succeeded. The President gave tips to the participants of the meeting, "If you want to be an entrepreneur, don't think. Just dive in and go with the flow," he said. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak, West Kalimantan Mon, May 23, 2016 West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis has called on residents to help protect the hornbill. He said hornbills were becoming rarer because of excessive hunting, even though the bird was the official mascot of Kalimantan, which meant all parties were responsible for its conservation. Please, dont kill hornbills [...]. We must protect hornbills. Please release them into their natural habitat. Dont let them become extinct, otherwise our children and grandchildren wont be able to see the bird species of which we are so proud, said Cornelis. He further said that all Dayak temenggenung (tribal leaders) in the province must pass on his call to their people. West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) data reveals that conservation officers had not rescued a significant number of hornbills. BKSDA West Kalimantans head of forest rangers, Azmardi, told thejakartapost.com that very few hornbills had been saved by the agencys officers. In most cases, live birds were not confiscated but their casques, or the helmet-like structure on the bill, from illegal wildlife traders who had attempted to smuggle them abroad. Recently, a rhinoceros hornbill was rescued and is currently being kept in a 1.5-square-meter cage at the BKSDA office. The species, which is listed as a near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II, was confiscated from a local resident of Mempawah regency. The CITES Appendix II includes species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but their trade must be controlled. Azmardi said one rhinoceros hornbill was saved in 2013, but none in the following two years. He said it was on May 13, the Mempawah resident handed over the male rhinoceros hornbill that he had kept as a pet for three years. It is estimated that this hornbill is 3 years old. It is healthy. Its feathers are complete and its appetite is good. As it has been kept for quite a long time, it needs to be rehabilitated before we can release it into the wild, said Azumardi. He said three national parks in West Kalimantan were ready to be the location of the hornbills release. The rhinoceros hornbill is an average 74 centimeters long from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail. Physically, the birds body is steady with black feathers covering all of its body. The color of the hornbill beak is yellow and red with a casque formed from layers of keratin, which covers the birds bill. The hornbill has a loud, heavy and husky voice. Apart from the rhinoceros hornbill, West Kalimantan is also home to the helmeted hornbill, which is the official mascot of the province. Azmardi said conservation officers had never confiscated live birds. For helmeted hornbills, a legal measure we conducted in the past was the confiscation of the birds casques, for which there is an international market, said Azmardi. He said 229 hornbill casques were confiscated in 2013. A survey conducted by conservation group Ketapang Biodiversity Keeping (KBK) in 2013 revealed that the population of helmeted hornbills in Ketapang regency had sharply declined. Residents in several villages across the regency claimed that they had not heard the voices of helmeted hornbills since 1997. Only the casques of helmeted hornbills sell at a high price. But many wildlife hunters are unable to differentiate between the casques of helmeted hornbills and other species. As a result, they catch any hornbill they can find, said KBK director Abdurrahman Al Qadrie. He said one helmeted hornbill casque sold for up to Rp 4 million (US$294.55). The hornbill casques are often processed into powder, which is used in traditional medicine. However, its effectiveness in curing illness has not been scientifically proven. Accessories made from casques, such as rings, bracelets and tobacco pipes, are also considered prestigious, limited edition accessories. In Kapuas Hulu regency, the helmeted hornbill has special standing in the Dayak Iban tribal community. Nobelius, a Dayak Iban tribe leader, said the helmeted hornbill had a strong historical tie in battles between Dayak sub-tribes in the past. During battles, it was helmeted hornbills that always informed of the whereabouts of enemies because they could fly high and had sharp sight. The hornbill is believed to be a descendant of Keling, a strong character from the sky with divine power, said Nobelius. Because of the mythology, it is prohibited under indigenous Dayak Iban laws to hunt the hornbill. If people collect hornbill casques as accessories, they are mostly from deceased birds found in the forest, not a result of hunting, said Nobelius. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nophakhun Limsamarnphun (The Nation/ANN) Mon, May 23, 2016 India, Thailand and Myanmar are negotiating a breakthrough 1,400-kilometre highway that will link India with Southeast Asia by land for the first time in decades. In an interview with The Nation, Indian Ambassador Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi said 73 bridges in Myanmar built during World War II more than seven decades ago are being renovated with funding from the Indian government to allow vehicles to cross the highway safely. When the repair work is completed in 18 months, the highway could be opened to traffic from all three countries. The planned highway, which starts in the eastern region of India from Moreh city to Myanmar's Tamu city, has received a positive response from Myanmar's new government following the recent general election. At this stage, negotiations are underway to conclude a tri-nation motor vehicle agreement for the use of the 1,400km road that will reach Thailand at Tak's Mae Sot district. This will lead to land transport connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia and increased trade and investment among all partner countries with cargo transportation being the first priority. However, there are still some security challenges for a section inside Myanmar, which will have to be resolved with the authorities. The tri-nation highway exemplifies India's "Act East" policy, under which the Asian giant aims to boost its economic and other relations neighbouring countries in the East. Myanmar's Dawei deep-sea port and industrial estate project near the Thai border is also expected to help further integrate eastern India with Asean. The planned port can be linked up with India's Chennai port as well as Thailand's Laem Chabang Port on the other side of the ocean. Under the "Act East" policy, India is also preparing to negotiate a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which includes the 10-country Asean grouping on top of the current India-Asean free-trade agreement (FTA). Some Asean countries such as Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have become members of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) FTA, so Asean is upgrading its FTAs with major trading partners such as India and China to formulate RCEP agreements, which are more advanced. India views Asean as a central component of its "Act East" policy. Myanmar shares a border with India, while Thailand is a maritime neighbour with long-standing cultural and other ties, so both nations are India's gateway to Asean. Thai-Indian trade amounted to US$8 billion (Bt285.5 billion) last year, while 1 million Indian tourists visited Thailand last year. There were also about 300 Indian weddings held here. Among major Thai investors in India are CP Group, Delta Electronics, Ital-Thai and Pruksa Real Estate, while the major Indian firms operating in Thailand are Tata Group, Aditya Birla and Indorama. India continues to rack up high economic growth of 7 per cent per year amid the global slowdown, he added. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Mon, May 23, 2016 This is a weekly look at the latest key developments in the South China Sea, home to several territorial conflicts that have raised tensions in the region. A look at some recent key developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in territorial disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters rich in fish and potential gas and oil reserves: China publicly says it welcomes the Obama administration's decision to lift an arms embargo on Vietnam, although privately, Beijing is likely less than pleased to see warming relations between its southern neighbor and chief regional rival. Asked about the move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that "as a neighboring country, we would be happy to see Vietnam develop normal and friendly cooperative relationships with all other countries, including the United States. "And we hope those normal and friendly relationships are conducive to regional stability and development," she told reporters at a regularly scheduled news conference. Such embargoes are "a product of the Cold War, and should not have existed," Hua said. She added that China hopes similar embargos will also be lifted, a possible reference to the continuing weapons embargo imposed by the US and the EU following China's 1989 bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Obama said the embargo's lifting was not based on relations with China, but on a desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of normalizing relations between the United States and Vietnam. He did, however, say that there was mutual concern with respect to maritime issues. China has looked on warily as the US and Vietnam have steadily strengthened their relationship in recent years, in line with growing Vietnamese concern over aggressive Chinese moves to assert its South China Sea maritime claims. Despite being fraternal Communist neighbors, China and Vietnam fought a bloody border war in 1979, and clashes in 1988 over their conflicting claims in the South China Sea claimed dozens of lives. Those tensions reared again in 2014, when China parked an oil rig off Vietnam's central coast, sparking confrontations at sea and deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam. CHINA REJECTS US ACCUSATION OF UNSAFE INTERCEPT IN AIR China last week rejected US claims that its fighter jets maneuvered unsafely when they intercepted an American Navy reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea, and demanded that the US end such missions close to Chinese territory. The Chinese jets monitored the US plane from an acceptable distance and operated in a safe and professional manner, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told journalists at a regularly scheduled news briefing. "According to the related Chinese authorities, the US allegation is not true," Hong said. Frequent reconnaissance missions by US Navy vessels' aircraft off the Chinese coast jeopardize China's sea and air safety, Hong said. "We urge the US to immediately stop spying activities and prevent such events from happening again," he said. The Pentagon said two Chinese J-11 fighters flew within about 15 meters (50 feet) of the US EP-3 Aries aircraft on Tuesday, forcing the US pilot to descend sharply to avoid a collision. It said the US plane was conducting routine operations in international airspace. It characterized the incident as an unsafe intercept and said it is being reviewed. The US has sought to prevent such confrontations through frequent communication and the signing of an agreement on handling unexpected encounters at sea and in the air. Defense Department spokesman Peter Cook on Thursday disputed Chinese officials who rejected US claims that its fighter jets maneuvered unsafely. "There were two Chinese aircraft that approached and our air crew felt that the approach was not conducted in the safest a safe and professional manner," Cook said. "That's the concern that we have and that's what's being reviewed at this time." He said the US is confident that the American crew was flying in international airspace. State Department spokesman John Kirby said there were plenty of ways for the US and Chinese militaries to communicate. "The problem isn't, 'Are you talking?' The problem is this kind of behavior, this very unsafe and dangerous behavior in the air which puts people's lives at risk unnecessarily," he told reporters in Washington. Such incidents may now be on the increase as the US challenges China's claims that its newly created artificial islands in the South China Sea enjoy legal rights to territorial seas and airspace. China says it is entitled to keep watch over such airspace and seas. China has long been irked by U.S. reconnaissance missions off the Chinese island province of Hainan, which sits at the northern end of the South China Sea and is home to a number of highly sensitive naval and air installations. In 2001, a collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a US surveillance plane in which the Chinese pilot was killed and the American crew was detained on Hainan led to a crisis in US-China relations. CHINA ATTRACTS MORE DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT China last week won the endorsement of landlocked Afghanistan for its stance on the South China Sea dispute, the latest country from outside the region to line up behind China's calls for bilateral talks on the issue. The Foreign Ministry said Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah made the statement in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing that also touched on security cooperation along their border in China's volatile western region of Xinjiang. "Our Afghan counterparts expressed their gratitude for China's long-term support over the years, and also said they support China's position on the South China Sea issue and support China's efforts to resolve the South China Sea issue through bilateral channels and through peaceful means such as negotiation and consultation," the deputy director general of the ministry's department of Asian Affairs, Hou Yanqi, told reporters following the talks. China claims that countries as varied as Russia, Laos, Cambodia and Slovenia have lent their support to China's approach, an attempt by Beijing to counter criticism of its rejection of a case brought before a U.N. tribunal by the Philippines challenging China's territorial claims. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Tokyo Mon, May 23, 2016 An American held by Japan as a prisoner of war during World War II and forced to work in a copper mine has been invited to accompany President Barack Obama on his historic visit to Hiroshima this week, a US veterans group said. Jan Thompson, head of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society, said Sunday by email that the group has chosen 94-year-old Daniel Crowley of Simsbury, Connecticut, and submitted his name to the White House. Obama, who is in Vietnam, is coming to Japan later in the week for the annual Group of Seven summit, after which he will visit Hiroshima on Friday. He will become the first serving US president to visit the city hit by the first of two atomic bombs the US dropped on Japan near the end of World War II. Crowley was among 10 former POWs who sent a letter to Obama dated last Thursday urging the president to focus his remarks at Hiroshima "on the events leading to the decision to use the bomb and recognize the effects it has had on the people of both countries." They asked him "to acknowledge who was responsible for starting World War II in the Pacific and why it was fought." Crowley was in the US Army Air Corps when his unit surrendered on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines in 1942. He was shipped to Japan in March 1944 on what the veterans call a "hell ship," and put to work as a slave laborer at a copper mine operated by Furukawa Co. in Hitachi, northeast of Tokyo, until the end of the war. Crowley visited Japan in October 2014 as part of the friendship program sponsored by the Japanese government with several other members of the veterans' group. He has said that he never forgets the years stolen from him by the Japanese. "It's a living thing with me," he was quoted as saying in a biography provided by the group. "It's not ancient history at all." Obama, in an interview aired Sunday evening in Japan, confirmed that he would not apologize in Hiroshima for the American atomic bombings. "I think that it's important to recognize that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions," he told public broadcaster NHK. "It's a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during war time." In a weekend poll by another broadcaster, Nippon TV, about 50 percent of respondents said they don't think an apology is necessary, while about 30 percent said they do. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 23, 2016 A social volunteering program named "Time Please!" is set to be held by Gerakan Pramuka (Indonesian Scouts Movement) in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company. The program is scheduled to be conducted for 3 months in Jakarta, Bandung, Medan, Surabaya and Semarang starting from Aug. 14 at the Gerakan Pramuka National Jamboree. It will run until National Heroes Day on Nov. 10. In the program, participating elementary school scouts will be asked to spend time with their families doing social service activities. There is no limit to their choice of social service activities and they can do as much as they want, and make it as creative as possible. (Read also: National scene: Thousands to join national scout camp) The duration of the students' social work will be monitored on a website and the participant that clocks up the most hours will be the winner. The amount of hours will be accumulated per member of the family, so if a four-member family did one hour of work together, it would count as four hours of work, instead of just one. Indonesian scouts leader Adhyaksa Dault said on Friday, "We cannot run away from globalization and this is one way to face it; by building the character of our younger generation. We are trying to teach children not to be individualistic." (Read also: Scouts try to remain relevant in metropolis) The movement's head of planning, development and cooperation, Arie Rukmantara, described the program as the scouts' way of making scouts activities and values more popular. "We are trying to incorporate the good "old-fashioned" values mentioned in Dasa Dharma into a more popular package, so that they will not lose out to popular alternatives," he said, referring to social media usage trends among young children. He added, "The values of the scouts are still relevant, but to get people to become real scouts is still challenging." "We need to get schools to believe that scouts are indeed important and we need to convince parents that outdoor activities and life skills are important, even if their children want to become CEOs," he said. (Read also: Transforming the known unknowns into the known knowns) Meanwhile, an executive director at The Walt Disney Company, Seshaye Kanthamraju, stated, "This is our way of giving back to the society in which we live. We think that Gerakan Pramuka has the biggest membership in Indonesia, so there is no better partner to run this social program than it." Online registration for "Time Please!" will open on Aug. 14. Prior to that, notices will be sent to schools that host scouts activities as well as potential schools that do not yet. Should the program be successful, there are also plans to expand it to other cities. (kes) Remember the Orchard Street sign that read, Muslims must wear identity jackets at all times. The signs have popped up throughout the city and have now prompted a police investigation on the Upper East Side. [Channel 7] The Rent Racket: How Rudy Giuliani won a tax giveaway for Lower Manhattan landlords with no strings attached. [Pro Publica] A 6-story residential building on St. Marks Place has been sold for $11.5 million. [Commercial Observer] The Ukranian bookshop, Surma, is closing on East 7th Street after almost a century in business. [Jeremiahs Vanishing NY] A huge crowd turned out for yesterdays Greek Jewish Festival hosted by the Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue. Heres an interview with festival organizer Andrew Marcus about the synagogues special place on the Lower East Side. [The Forward] The threat of rain didnt keep many people away from the Essex Street Market this past Saturday. The turnout was strong for a block party staged outside the historic public market, which is celebrating its 76th birthday. Many vendors were set up in booths along Essex Street and enjoyed brisk business. Locals got to sample the savory treats at Osaka Grub, the Japanese street food purveyor preparing to open a permanent stall inside the market. Other Lower East Side businesses, such as Cafe Katja and Pies & Thighs, joined in the festivities. New Street Seats (just installed last week) were well-used on Saturday. The developers of Essex Crossing were also in the mix. The large project will include a new home for the Essex Street Market as the gateway for the Market Line, a three-block-long retail market on Delancey Street. The developers sponsored the block party and were on hand with renderings and a big blackboard. They were inviting passersby to write down thoughts about the past, present and future of the Lower East Side (see Instagram hashtag #HowYouLES). There was a short speaking program on Saturday, featuring local elected officials and community leaders. U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez praised the market for its resiliency and for continuing to represent the flavor and diversity of what has made the Lower East Side a destination. Hinting at its struggles during the past few years, City Council member Margaret Chin said, the market has a wonderful history and we want everyone to know that the market is open for business. Community Board 3 Chairperson Gigi Li added, we have been working very, very hard to make sure vendors in this market, who really represent the culture and flavor and diversity of the Lower East Side, will have a successful transition over to the new market. Members of the vendor association, city officials and leaders of the Lower East Side Partnership all stressed their efforts to work collaboratively to make the market stronger. In the past, merchants have expressed frustration with the citys management of the facility. But as we reported recently improvements are underway to make the market more appealing to visitors. Bottom line: everyones playing nice. Also on Saturday, there was a tribute to Ron Budinas, a longtime Essex Street Market vendor who recently passed away. He was co-owner of Tra La La Juice Bar, a fixture in the market since the 1970s. Well have a separate story about that tomorrow. 1. Our life here is just so much absurdity. Svetlana Alexievich When Svetlana Alexievich and I sat down to speak in Kyiv earlier this year, I felt Id seen this woman all five-foot-nothing of her before. Every day, there she is: solid as an axe handle, unyielding as a work of monumentalist sculpture. It was someone like this who tutored me in the bloodsport of Saturday morning marketing among Kyivs senior set. Aggression, but no violence, she might counsel. Theres one butcher we trust. If you plan to get in on his veal, show up early and show resolve. Lean in, with elbows. Ive also seen someone like this at my church in her tightly wrapped fleur-de-lis headscarf, weeping in front of the icon of Our Lady of Pirogoscha. The image attends silently to her supplications concerning her family the husband drinking again and the son-in-law conscripted, sent east to the Front. She prays long and turns to leave, her hands hang limp at her sides. What solace will the semper virgine bring? On this day, though, I know her name: shes Svetlana Alexievich, of Minsk, Belarus, and she is the 2015 Nobel Laureate for Literature. A cat-eyed neighborhood sergeant-at-arms, with her purposeful walk and her pricey Italian boots as incongruous as they are pristine, what with the rain weve been having, the April dark, and the grimy adventure of negotiating sidewalks in post-Soviet cities. 2.Russian books are not read in decent homes. Ivan Turgenev Alexievich is a writer whose metier is surpassed perhaps only by her method in the level of righteous alarm it invokes among the Russian literati. The child of a Ukrainian mother and Belarussian father, Svetlana is not ethnically Russian; raised in the political realities of Russification, of Sovietification, she has always written in the dominant language of the region. This, in light of the subject matter she addresses, has resulted in a somewhat awkward recognition of her contribution to the fabled Russkiy Mir of refined culture. Russian writers from across the talent spectrum have chimed in to declare her not one of us. Until very recently, her books were if not banned reserved from sale in her home country. A 2005 National Book Critics Circle win for Voices from Chernobyl and the 2013 French Prix Medicis Essai for Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets did little to assuage the miffed nativism of local critics, but it was the awarding of the Nobel Prize that effectively flipped the datestamp on the Russian critical response back to 1938, or 1953, or 1970. Despite a set of remarkably brief and sanitized media reports about Nobels recognition of the velik i magooch russkiy yazyk (the grand and mighty Russian language), the award resulted in a more sustained series of denunciations of her work and person from major state-sponsored media. In language that would not feel out of place in a pulp fiction spy novel, Oleg Pukhnavtsev, writing for the Literaturnaya Gazeta, summed up the attitude well: Alexievich is a classic anti-Sovieta traitor. Still other publications invoked obscure World War II metaphors to underscore Alexievichs bad behavior, even calling on long-time fellow traveler and Italian journalist Giulietto Chiesa, who checked in from Rome, publishing a scathing condemnation in KULTURA, the newspaper of Eurasian Russias Spiritual, Intellectual Realm: Ms. Alexievich won the Nobel Prize for statements that have no basis in reality. The award is a manipulation an attack on Russia and Putin. A political act that has nothing to do with literature. Lesser critics lifted the exact wording from reports published in 1970 to denounce Aleksandr Solzhenitsyns Nobel, hinting at gross fabrications of sources and citations. I have read five of Alexievichs books. The revelations of criminality, brutality, bestiality, and degeneracy offered up by ordinary people and recorded by Alexievich are not for the squeamish, and the onslaught beggars credulity. In the production of a book, Alexievich interviews up to 500 people, of which perhaps a quarter of the recorded remarks whole or in part will make it into the published volume. When she does identify the source of a citation, she often does so with a minimum of information a job title, military rank, or family relationship. One may conclude, reasonably, that she is, strictly speaking, operating outside the realm of peer review and libel. Ranging from subtle to outright, condemnations of the Soviet regime out of the mouths of her subjects in her reporting are not infrequent, and are suspiciously pitch-perfect. Workshopped diatribes whose ear for Soviet stereotype would make a Ronald Reagan speechwriter blush. In Voices From Chernobyl, a widow describes in stoic terms her husbands life and death as a Chernobyl evacuator (hazard containment and salvage). Note the critique, and the Russian answer to everything. I got one thing out of him: Its the same there as it is heretheyd serve the ordinary workers noodles and canned foods on the first floorand the bosses and generals would be served fruit, red wine, mineral water on the second. Up there they have clean tablecloths, and a dosimeter for every manordinary workers didnt get a single dosimeter for a whole brigade. Another time the nurse from the nearby clinic comes, she just stands in the hallway and refuses to come in.Oh, I cant! she says. And I can? I can do anything. What can I think of? How can I save him? Hes yelling, hes in pain, all day hes yelling. Finally, I found a way: I filled a syringe with vodka and put that in him. Hed turn off 3. Forget the past, lose an eye. Dwell on the past, lose both. Russian proverb Alexievich and I met several times over the last year and spoke about her work. Perhaps the Russian critics arent off she has axes to grind. Prize money to earn. She offers a wealth of biographical detail born after the War into the family of a Soviet Army officer; not unsympathetic to the merits of the Soviet System; proudly listed among the ranks of those educated to engineer the Evil Empire, to heal it, to keep its books. Viewed from book-distance, Alexievich could easily have continued to satisfy my expectations of the Nobel laureate, viz: political ideologue posing as writer publishing in any language as long as it is not English. Had time and fate not conspired to allow me to meet her in person, she also could have easily persisted as the very template of the honorable Soviet subject betrayed by history. The former stolnik of the regime now conscripted via American political manipulations into the role of the fitfully content democrat, one reconciled provisionally to the advantages of democracy that accompany the advent of discretionary income. In the end, it is the 24 years that I have lived in the post-Soviet space that helps to convince me of Alexievichs veracity. Those 24 years combined with the hours spent with her books, and now, the hours spent in her presence. This is no drone. No fictional cipher. No useful idiot. No soulless minion or Cold War rhetoric made flesh. The surest evidence is the body of work she has assembled and spread across seven books written over these last thirty years. Books that give voice to the historically voiceless. She has traveled across a territory with the land surface of the planet Mars, on trips that have resulted in the preservation of thousands of first-person testimonies of human history at its most brutal. Hardly an effort born of servility, ideology, or deceit. I ask her about repentance a word that repeats throughout the books that she describes as her History of Red Civilization. Who needs to repent? I ask. And to whom? You know, I was a part of that. Invested in that superstition of the time and place, that colossal error, and its a very difficult thing to free yourself of. Thats why people were so ready to talk to me. I didnt make myself out to be somebody with answers about what had gone wrong or what was coming next. We had no idea how it could all fall apart so quickly, or how quickly it would all come back to life. The idea itself, of real, substantive equality, is eternal. Its beautiful. But somehow, in the Russian application of it, it always ends in a river of blood. So they talk to me. Id been a believer in it, just the same as they were. But I dont know if Id call what were doing repentance. Its more like reconsideration. Were just talking to understand ourselves. American oversight played a big role in Germany coming to an understanding of its past, and we didnt have that advantage. Didnt have what was neededthe moral strength, the understanding, the intellectual elite, so many things. Weve had to come to grips with our history as a people on our own. And so I set out to write that why. That history of Red Civilization Russian style. Alexievich offers another word to describe herself: Im an accomplice. When glasnost came I was with everybody else running around the square shouting Freedom! Freedom!, even if we didnt have any idea what that meant. And when freedom showed up, and Yeltsin quickly transformed into Tsar Boris, and the oligarchs into his boyars, we understood soon enough that all we really wanted was a better life. I was part of that past and present. And because of that disconnect, that freedom looked shockingly similar to what we were trying to get rid of, thats what interested me. Not more utopia. Wed had that. We had books filled with lofty thoughts of literary types and what they had to say about the big questions of freedom and dignity. But I wanted to know what were the little people thinking. What was down in the shit? The dust. What did they want? Did they manage to get it? And the more I talked to them, the more frightening it became. The more pitiable. And it begins to occur to me at some point that Shalamov [Varlam Shalamov was a Russian writer whose work focuses on the Gulag] was on the right track in Kolyma Tales when he said that they were all poisoned by the North. That he came out of the camp as much victim as executioner. But the rest of us, the ones who made it work, we werent ready to make that distinction. To say who was who. We still arent. 4. In Russian lit, someone is always required to suffer: the characters or the reader. Russian joke In a 2009 report, the International Federation of Journalists reported that in the period following the breakup of the Soviet Union, 313 Russian journalists had disappeared or been killed in suspicious circumstances 124 of those in murders linked irrefutably to their investigative work. Another phrase that describes Alexievich: exceptio probat regulam. She is one journalist who wasnt shot, despite publishing three decades worth of indictment of the Soviet regime. She spent the better part of the 2000s living away from Belarus in Western Europe, an existence made possible by a string of writing fellowships and the occasional prize money. But Svetlana Alexievichs heart was bent on home. Apart from my source, I couldnt write. I had to go back. Now that she has, and despite Belaruss retrograde take on freedom of expression, she does not worry about personal repression. Its funny in an odd way, you know. These great, powerful, dominating men who are so tender when you criticize them. Hes in a bit of a spot now, Lukashenko, [Belaruss president since 1994]; hes started cozying up to the European Union now with the money that used to come in from Moscow being spent on the war in Ukraine. So, yes, Im still persona non grata, but he cant pretend I dont exist, and the books, my books, are being published and shipped in from Russia. Theyre outrageously expensive, but theres been a real raising of consciousness. People are learning who they are. What theyve come through. When they recognize me on the street, they just come straight up for a hug. Maybe a photo. Theyre worn down by living in this degraded system. They feel their complaint has been heard. If Flaubert was a man of the quill, then perhaps I am a woman of the ear. My interviews arent interviews as such. Just talks. We just talk and my role is to listen. Listening was difficult at first because of the cognitive dissonance I experienced. All that wed believed in. Ive talked about my father before. He was a beautiful man. He lived life well, and until the day he died he was a Communist. He believed in that idea, real justice, particularly for those who cant defend themselves. But I had just come back from Afghanistan, and I ran up to him and I said, Papa, were murdering them. Thats not what you stand for. He never questioned that his faith was well-placed. Communists come in all sizes. And the idea itself if the idea is about justice isnt going anywhere. I argued with university students in France and they insist that our generation got it all wrong when it followed Lenin instead of Trotsky. Its astounding, but theyre reading Trotsky and insisting theyre not going to make the same mistake as we did. Id been traveling to Siberia Omsk, Tomsk for Secondhand Time and if you think Marxism is gone out of fashion except in American universities, think again. Dostoevsky said youll always find these inquiring young men gathering at the watering hole dreaming about revolution, about how to make the world better. In Russia, now, their motivation is homegrown. Its Putin. These students read Marx, Lenin, Trotsky you can hardly believe it and theyre putting the current regime to the test. You know, there was all this noise about how surprised the West is that Putin has turned into this retrograde leader. That we couldnt predict what hed turn into today. Nonsense. Anyone who was paying attention from the first months after he came to power knew what was coming. Suddenly, the TV was filled with all those films again about the heroic NKVD and the KGB, and about the partisans, and the songs about the core principals. All those books about Stalin. One after the other, about the women he loved, and the cigarettes he smoked, all that personal interest stuff. There were very public, State-led efforts to clear Berias name, turn him into some sort of social reformer. And now theyre opening a new Stalin museum and over in Perm they fired the old staff at the Victims of the Gulag Museum and its been renamed Workers of the Gulag Museum. Republicans, democrats, communists. Good ones and not-so-good. I just know I cant fight that fight any longer. And feel no prerogative to convince anyone that there can be such a thing as a good and decent Communist. There were, in their own right. They worked for the public good. Compare them with what weve got going now. You have to think for yourself. I also cannot cover a war anymore. Cannot add to that storehouse of bad dreams. Instead Im trying to talk to them, to listen to them about love. But this is hard for us. Its not how our culture is built. We dont connect to the concept of the pursuit of happiness so easily. And the result is that every story about love about when you first met, when you looked into each others eyes inevitably turns into a story of pain. Ours is not a happy culture. Not defined by a Protestant ethic make a family and raise a family. But I will finish this book about love, though it might be not what you expect. 5. Along with the whole world, I revere Russia humane and splendidbut I have no love for the Russia of Beria, Stalin, and Putin Svetlana Alexievich We sit in the great hall of what was once the Shoemakers Union Cultural Center. The wind is howling outside, a spring front coming through. In two weeks in Kyiv we will be commemorating 30 years since Chernobyl exploded and poisoned the land. And across from me sits this woman with a Nobel Prize and who wrote about the disaster. But her answers to the questions raised have been long, conditional, occasionally contradictory, enigmatic, riddling. As if every voice shes heard would now say its part. I want to go home. Watch Friends or anything that isnt about murder, betrayal, brutality, or in Russian. Those immaculate leather boots. I cannot unsee her as the grandma who taught me to stand my ground in the market. The one who shoos the drunks out of the lobby of my building. Or those I saw on Maidan, soup pots defiantly on their heads after the president issued his emergency order to outlaw the public wearing of helmets, and threatened to arrest anyone caught wearing one. This seemingly familiar woman who speaks with a tiny, delightful lateral lisp that turns the word oskarblennie (insult) into birch leaves rattling in a spring breeze. In a corner of the world as glamour-obsessed as Ukraine, she doesnt stand out. Yet she is ready to probe the cancer of the world. The Nobel Committee, prone to miscalculation, overstatement, and the conflation of literature with something else, insists that Svetlana Alexievich has unveiled a new genre of serious literature a claim that Studs Terkel could have summarily dismantled. It is fair to say, however, that Alexievich has used her time of grace to produce a body of work that resembles little else in the literary firmament. A body of work in which to the limits that her critics are correct she does, indeed, write very little. But in doing so, she has managed to unleash the power of the collective memoir. Her authorial pose resembles something far more ancient, and far less drama-laden than the usual soviet dissident fare. As a writer she is very nearly invisible. Invisible, but no longer unknown. In a global political environment oriented less and less toward seeking elegant solutions to emerging political complexities, the work of Svetlana Alexievich serves as worthy admonition of the real danger of leaders who stop listening to their people. But talk to her about her importance as a public intellectual and she scoffs. Shes not interested in becoming the high counselor, seeking consensus, or striving to convince. She is content just to listen, and then to write down what she hears, that it not be lost. Image Credit: Aleksandr Kupnyi. If youre already indecisive about where to go for your monthly burger fix (Honest? Byron? GBK? How on Earth do we choose...?) then things are about to get a lot worse. Smashburger launched in 2007, and currently has more than 300 stores across the US. Its special way of making burgers involves yep, you guessed it smashing the fresh beef on to a hot buttered grill. Ooft. And now their first UK store is opening in Milton Keynes this very Wednesday. Bath and Brighton Smashburgers will open in the summer too. If youre getting all sad that theyre not opening one where you live, then hold up; Tim Lowther, the companys managing director, says theyre looking to open 35 stores our side of the pond over the next few years (with five or six by the end of this year, fingers crossed). You know what, its time we just showed you the goods. Seriously, feast your eyes on this lot. If you like spicy burgers youll be sorted. You can get healthy stuff too they do sides of fresh green beans & carrot strips. OK, fine, we admit it theyre fried too. #noregrets You can create your ridiculous size burgers. Pick which bun you have (including gluten-free), whatever toppings, the cheese and the add-ons, like applewood smoked bacon. FYI, they do shakes too. This one is mint oreo flavour. OH, HELLO. Sorry but HOW good does the BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar burger look?! It comes with the haystack onions on top. Which were glad to hear you can get as a side too along with fried pickles, sweet potato fries and normal fries, obvs. They do a Truffle Mushroom Swiss Smashburger one with truffle mayo. YUM. Oh, and theres crispy chicken on the menu too. Burger place of dreams. Exam season really is the worst time of the year. Given all the moaning that occurs from GCSEs onwards, its a wonder why us students actually sign up (to the totally miniscule tune of 9k a year) to endure further mind-numbing anxiety filled exams. For all of you who have seen the light at the end of the exam paper themed tunnel, well done for surviving. And for those of you who havent finished yet heres a few songs to power you through. Yeasayer Silly Me Brooklyn art rockers, Yeasayer mark their progression with latest single from their fourth studio album Amen & Goodbye. The glistening guitars and playful synths culminate in a sugar sweet chorus of She would be here if it wasnt for silly me, encouraging an oh well attitude for anyone who has recently experienced a break-up. Prides Rome Prides make a welcome return with contemporary pop wonder 'Rome', their first offering since releasing their acclaimed debut album last year. The Glasgow-based duo mastered the pop hook on their first record and on 'Rome' it is evident that they haven't lost that skill. Neatly produced synths and tight, crashing drums elevate Stewart Brock's yearning vocals over what appears a much darker but equally uplifting effort from the band. Odonis Odonis Vanta Black With the release of album Post Plague right around the corner, Odonis Odonis are keen to make an impression on every single that comes before it. 'Vanta Black' is an energetic industrial, rave track, led by a strain of pulsating bass and futuristic rhythms. The chaos that unfolds past the two-minute mark will give you the confidence to take on the apocalypse head first. The Mirror Trap Piranhas Given the hype surrounding their live shows and the minor factor of being granted the seal of approval by Placebo, The Mirror Trap shouldnt need much of an introduction. Front-man Gary Moore's fiery vocals overlay an angry riff and an uproar of drums on the latest cut from upcoming album Simulations. Central to the song is a criticism of the nature of our neo-liberal society, which is visualised through the videos focus on a boy fighting to his death in a competitive society. Billy Bragg and Joe Henry The Midnight Special Bragg and Henry pay homage to the roots of American songwriting on their collaborative album SHINE A LIGHT: Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad. Recorded in one of the many stations they stopped off at to create the album, the pairs perfectly matched vocals make for a safe but satisfactory take on the prison blues classic. Plants and Animals Stay Montreal indie rockers Plants and Animals have had four years out, the result is the wondrous Waltzed in from the Rumbling and its accompanying single 'Stay'. Gently driven by strumming acoustics, jagged bass and a dreamy vocal, the track is an instant summer day classic. Happyness SBs Truck Alongside their support slot with the Dandy Warhols, Happyness return with a fresh cut of melancholy alt rock. The strung out lo-fi track with its breezy slacker vocals concerns 80s wrestler Andre The Giant, who was alleged to have been driven to school in Samuel Becketts truck because he couldnt fit in his dads car. Whatever thats supposed to sound like, it certainly sounds good. Max Jury Beg & Craw 'Beg & Crawl' sets a bittersweet tone for Max Jurys upcoming eponymous debut album. With elements of country in his soulful range, accompanied by a gospel inspired backing, the fast tempo of Jurys lullaby contrasts finely with the heartfelt matter of his songwriting. Fantastic Negrito Working Poor Xavier Dphrepaulezz, frontman of Fantastic Negritos, mesmerising talent can only be matched by his colourful history. Hailed as the patron saint of second chances, Xavier ran with Oakland gangs, suffered a car crash resulting in a coma, tried out numerous genres and was still busking in early 2015. With this much of a backstory, comes a whole lot of soul. The result - this raw fusion of funk, blues and vintage rock and roll taken from his upcoming debut The Last Days of Oakland. Prose Further Naughty Boys latest signing are a rising group of Manchester storytellers. Spitting yarns of gritty honesty over anthemic guitars, the band have an authentic working class voice and bags of charm. Youd be foolish to miss out on their forthcoming debut album, Home of The Brave. Talakayang Bayan is a Filipino student-run radio show that focuses on issues of concern to the Filipino community. The show's first program, for example, dealt with the problems of Filipino live-in nannies. At least for the past two decades, issues such as low salaries, dismal working conditions and abuse of live-in domestic workers have been topics of many debates and conferences among government and community organizations. The radio program proposes a solution that is nothing short of scrapping the federal government's Live-in Caregiver Program and allowing foreign nannies to automatically land in Canada as permanent residents, a proposal the federal government has been loath to accept. With just a month to go until Britain heads to the polls, weve taken a look at the key dates remaining in the referendum countdown. Here are all the important dates you should make a note of. Here are all the important dates you should make a note of. 1. May 26/27th David Cameron will attend the G7 Summit in Japan. Leaders of the other six nations are likely to repeat their calls for Britain not to quit the EU. 2. June 2nd Cameron will be interviewed in front of a live audience for an hour on Sky News. 3. June 3rd Michael Gove, a prominent Leave campaigner, will also be interviewed on Sky News. 4. June 7th (Frank Augstein/AP/Lauren Hurley/PA) This day marks the deadline for registering to vote via postal or proxy, but varies across the country. Cameron and Nigel Farage will also be interviewed on this date on an ITV special separately. 5. June 16th International Monetary Fund figures are expected to be released. The IMFs chief Christine Lagarde predicts a bleak future for a post-Brexit UK. 6. June 21st David Dimbleby will host a live debate in which thousands of voters quiz the Leave and Remain camps two days before polls open. 7. June 23rd Polling Day: Voters will turn out in their millions to decide the future of their country. Its that time again. Hot off the heels of the Complete University Guide revealing its lowest performing university graduate prospects lowest entry standards Hot off the heels of the Complete University Guide revealing its, its worst university forand the university with the, its the turn of the Guardian to bring about their enforced walk of virtual university shame. Were sorry, Glyndwr University its your turn (were not sorry enough not to report it, though.) Glyndwr, which has campuses both in North Wales and South London, takes the dubious mantle with an overall Guardian score of 30.5/100. The university has a student/staff ratio of 22.1, and its spend per student comes in at a fairly unimpressive 3/10. On a better note, Glyndwr students are pretty satisfied they give the university 76.1% for course satisfaction, whilst 82.5% are happy with the teaching quality provided. Even better, 67.1% of graduates have a job within six months - which is significantly higher than some other universities languishing near it in the table (cough, London Met.) Dont worry then, Glyndwr as weve noted, itll definitely be someone elses turn next week. If youre feeling a bit ambitious at this point, you might want to know whats going on at the other end of the table. Obviously, Cambridge was number one. But we knew that anyway. The rest of the top ten is made us of usual-ish suspects Oxford, St Andrews, Surrey, Loughborough, Durham, Imperial, Lancaster, Warwick and Bath. Big claps for them. Back to the more interesting bit of the table, though. The full bottom ten is as follows... 110. Newman 111. South Wales 112. Westminster 113. Bedfordshire 114. Leeds Beckett 115. East London 116. Bucks New University 117.Cumbria 118. London Met 119. 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And he opposed a business-backed push to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from workplace discrimination, saying new laws weren't necessary. Ricketts defended his relationship with the business community in a recent interview, noting that he has helped companies by reducing the time and paperwork required for various state permits. His administration also created a first-in-the-nation reemployment program that lets Nebraska businesses search a database for potential employees, and is hosting an economic development summit for businesses this summer in Lincoln. But the Republican governor said the business argument for giving benefits to immigrants who came to the country illegally is "an ends justifies the means philosophy" that rewards law-breaking. "It's about the principle involved of following the rule of law," Ricketts said. "The foundation of our society is that people believe in the rule of law. The more we undermine that, the more we undermine that basic foundation." Business groups viewed the bill as a way to increase the state's skilled work force in health care, engineering, manufacturing and other fields with an employee shortage. Nebraska had the nation's third-lowest unemployment rate as of April, at 3 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Business leaders played down the disagreements with Ricketts but acknowledged they have had to turn to the Legislature several times to try to override the governor's vetoes. "I think the governor looks at it from a strictly legal standpoint, while the business community looks at it from a more practical standpoint," said Bruce Bohrer, executive vice president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. "We need to attract as many people as we can." Bohrer said the anti-discrimination bill was particularly important to his group and widely supported by the city's business community. The Lincoln chamber wanted to take a stand on the issue early after its members saw the public backlash in states like Indiana, where a new religious freedom law led some companies and organizations to limit travel to the state and halt expansion plans. Bowing to public pressure, Indiana lawmakers and Republican Gov. Mike Pence changed the law to reduce the odds that it could be used to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. "It is absolutely something we're concerned about as far as the image we have as a state," Bohrer said. Barry Kennedy, executive director of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said most of his group's members supported the immigrant professional licenses bill after the potential benefits were explained. The chamber's executive committee supported it unanimously earlier this year after agreeing that a statewide worker shortage is the biggest challenge they face. Ricketts cast the proposal as an "amnesty bill" and tried to pressure lawmakers into upholding his veto. "These things happen," Kennedy said. "You're not always together 100 percent of the time. We still view the governor as being pro-business, and we work with him on a lot of issues." Kennedy said the group supported Ricketts' backing of additional state roads funding, a budget with lower-than-average spending growth and the renewal of economic development incentives that were about to expire. Ricketts also helped forge relationships with foreign investors through his recent trade mission to Japan, said Pat Haverty, vice president for economic development with the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development. Haverty said he expects a Japanese company will announce an expansion in Lincoln in the next 30 days, thanks largely to the governor's efforts. "With the governor's business experience, he is able to do a nice job of making connections with these companies," Haverty said. Still, businesses throughout the state are relying more than ever on immigrant populations to work in manufacturing, meatpacking and other fields. K.C. Belitz, president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, said his area faces a "desperate situation" with more than 900 open jobs. The new law allowing immigrants to get professional licenses could help fill some of them, he said. "With the work force situation being what it is here, you really can't afford to make it more difficult than necessary for people with skills to put those skills to use," Belitz said. Opposing the immigrant licensing bill carried little political risk for Ricketts, said University of Nebraska political science professor John Hibbing. Providing benefits to people in the country illegally remains unpopular among Nebraska voters, he said, and Ricketts is unlikely to lose support from the business community even though he tried to block some of their top priorities. "I think he took those stances because he feels they're more in tune with the people of Nebraska," Hibbing said. "I can't see the business community campaigning hard against him. The link between Republicans and the business community in Nebraska is very strong." 17 girls dead in fire at school dormitory in Thailand CHIANG RAI: At least 17 girls died last night (May 22) when a fire swept through a school dormitory in northern Thailand, a police commander said today, adding several others were either missing or injured. accidentsdeath By AFP Monday 23 May 2016, 09:31AM At least 17 girls have died in a fire at a school for children aged from three to 13 years old in northern Thailand. Photo: AFP The fire broke out at 11pm yesterday. Seventeen girls were killed and two are still missing, with five injured, Col Prayad Singsin, Commander of Vingpatao district in Chiang Rai said. Two of the injured are in a serious condition, he added. The school, which belongs to a local foundation and is not government run, is home to girls aged from three to 13 years old, he said. A second police officer from the same precinct said the school is home to pupils from impoverished local hill tribes in the mountainous area. The fire is out, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, Col Prayad said, adding forensic officers were due to arrive today. Photographs on the schools Facebook page showed firefighters struggling to douse the flames as they engulfed the white, two-storey building. Hill tribes are often beyond the reach of state resources, suffering at school as well as in their health and development. Poverty means some resort to drug smuggling for narcotics gangs across the remote area, known as the Golden Triangle and bordering Laos and Myanmar. Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the kingdom. Buriram man, 30, swept into sea off Nai Thon Beach rocks while catching crabs: mute, girlfriend PHUKET: A 30-year-old man from Buriram is feared dead after reportedly being swept out to sea by huge waves last night while scouring an outcropping last night at Nai Thon Beach for crabs. accidentsdeathweather By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 23 May 2016, 07:10AM Authorities learned of the mans disappearance at 8.05pm from a Udon Thani woman, 30-year-old Sompong Noynat and a mute man, 24-year-old Arthit Sansuk. When police arrived to Nai Thon Beach, they found Ms Sompong crying and surrounded by a group of about 10 onlookers, along with Mr Arthit, who had various scrapes on his body and face. Sompong said that the missing man was 30-year-old Vichit Sophon, her boyfriend of the last month. She reported that she, Vichit and Arthit had come to relax and eat on the rocks at the far end of Nai Thon Beach at about 5pm. She reported that by about 7.45pm, Vichit and Arthit had gone down to catch crabs on the rocks below, but that by about 8pm Arthit had returned alone, relaying through sign language that Vichit had been swept out to sea and drowned. Arthit was treated for his scrapes at hospital and told investigators, through sign language, that while he and Vichit were looking for crabs, a huge wave knocked the both of them down into the water. At first, Arthit said he was able to hold on to Vichit with one hand, clinging onto rocks with the other hand, but more waves overwhelmed him, causing him to lose hold of Vichit who was swept out into the darkness. Arthit said he then managed to climb up to safety and alert Sompong of what happened. Authorities and local volunteers scoured the beach and shone their flashlights all along the outcropping but to no avail, and due to the strong waves and low visibility, were unable to expand their search, which was eventually called off until daylight. Cyclone Roanu fallout batters Phuket beaches PHUKET: The Thai Meteorological Departments Southern Meteorological Center (West Coat) today re-issued a severe weather warning for the South of Thailand, including Phuket and the Andaman Sea in the wake of the wet fallout from Cyclone Roanu. weathertourismmarineenvironment By Tanyaluk Sakoot Monday 23 May 2016, 01:10PM If the surf weren't dangerous enough, lifeguards also warned of red jellyfish washed ashore. Photo: Phuket Lifeguard Service If the surf weren't dangerous enough, lifeguards also warned of red jellyfish washed ashore. Photo: Phuket Lifeguard Service Heavy rain is forecast in upper and lower areas of the South until the end of this week (May 23-26). the rain is brought on by a low-pressure trough that is currently moving across Myanmar as part of the wet-weather fallout from Cyclone Roanu, said the warning. All ships should proceed with caution and small boats in the Andaman Sea keep ashore during the period, as waves are expected to reach heights of up to three meters in the Andaman Sea. Phuket and its surrounds will be subjected to southwesterly winds of up to 40kmh, with southeasterly gusts of up to 35kmh. Wave heights in the Phuket area are expected to reach about four meters in height. Phuket lifeguards this morning warned people against swimming in dangerous surf, as they posted photos of Naithon Beach, Laem Singh and Bang Tao beaches overwhelmed by strong waves. They also reported schools of red jellyfish being washed ashore at Patong, Nai Harn and Surin beaches. Please be careful if you enter the water, the lifeguard warning said. Police oppose new migrant policies BANGKOK: Police are opposing measures to relax regulations on migrant workers holding a temporary work permit, saying the move breaches international immigration principles and will adversely affect the countrys migrant labour management. immigrationmarine By Bangkok Post Monday 23 May 2016, 09:08AM Migrant workers are taking rest on a fishing boat in Samut Songkhram in November 2015. Photo: Bangkok Post file photo The measures endorsed by the cabinet on Feb 23 were proposed by the labour minister. The police Immigration Bureau recently voiced its objection to the measures through deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, while Gen Srivara has sent a letter to the Labour Ministry to point out their grave concerns, a police source said. The ministry can propose the cabinet review the measures if it agrees, observers say. Under the cabinet resolution, migrant workers who have yet to pass a nationality verification process and hold temporary work permits, known as pink cards, are allowed to live and work in Thailand for a maximum of two years, or no later than March 31, 2018, after their work permit expired on March 31 this year. The cabinet agreed on a proposal by the Labour Ministry to extend the two-year renewal of the temporary work permit up to four times, or eight years in total, the source said. The cabinets resolution applies to migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. In addition, the cabinet resolution also allows migrant workers who hold national verification documents issued by their counties of origin, temporarily being used as a substitute for their passports that are about to expire, to switch to holding the pink card. Police said there will be a total of 3.4 million pink card holders under this policy. Of this number, as many as 1.6 million, or 47 per cent, have not completed the required national verification process. What will occur is unfair treatment among migrant workers as those holding a passport will have to get their passports renewed every five years, while the pink card holders, even though almost half of them have yet to pass national verification, will in practice be allowed to stay in Thailand for up to eight years, the police source said. Its also unfair that the pink card holders are now, by regulation, exempt from reporting to the authorities every 90 days as required under Section 37 of the Immigration Act, the source said. Also, since pink card holders no longer have to pay the re-entry permit fee of B500 each as stated in Section 39 of the immigration law, the state will lose about B813 million in fees from those 1.6 million migrant workers, the source said. Police proposed the maximum amount of time those temporary work permit holders are allowed to stay in Thailand while their national verification process in pending be limited to only two years. They should be denied the right to an extension, the source said. Giving them extensions will make both the workers and their employers lose motivation to comply with the main immigration policy, the source said. In addition, police are concerned about the national security implications. They said it would be difficult to locate all migrant workers when they are allowed to stay for many years in the country. More importantly, the government should require pink card holders to strictly follow Section 37 concerning 90-day reporting, and Section 39 concerning the re-entry permit fee, as is the case with migrant workers from other nations, the source said. To allow migrant workers holding national verification documents issued by their governments which are already stamped with non-immigrant visas valid for four to six years to switch to holding the pink card that does not conform to the international principles of immigration, the source said. That is because those migrants have passed the national verification process while the pink card is normally issued for those who are yet to pass that process and for stateless people. In the past, the aim of the immigration policy was getting those illegal migrant workers into the immigration process so all of them have national verification documents, the source said. But now we will instead urge them to switch to holding the pink card, which is against immigration principles. No other country will do this. Read original story here. Rohingya man shot dead in Phang Nga Immigration breakout PHUKET: A Rohingya man has been shot dead while police attempted to recapture 21 Rohingya migrants who escaped from the detention block at the Phang Nga Immigration Centre before dawn today (May 23). immigrationMyanmardeathpolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 23 May 2016, 04:42PM An officer exits the Phang Nga Immigration centre detention block. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Police are claiming self-defence, as they say the escapees allegedly attacked the officers who were trying to take them into custody. The alarm was raised at 3am, when guards at the centre noticed that bars on the windows of a second-floor cell had been cut. Police believe the escapees used hacksaw blades to cut the bars. The escapees broke into two groups, with 15 heading down a canal which joins Phang Nga Bay and another six fleeing into the hills. Officers in pursuit closed in on the six escapees in the hills, who they say attacked the officers. In the ensuing struggle, say police, one of the Rohingya escapees was fatally shot. Police reported that three of the six in the hills were recaptured. No clarification was given on whether or not the remaining two of the six were taken into custody. Police have yet to reveal any progress on apprehending the 15 escapees who fled down the canal. Whistleblower faces down threats in tiger temple cat fight The threats began almost immediately after Soochaphong Boonserm went to the police. animalscrimereligion By Bangkok Post Monday 23 May 2016, 11:29AM No freedom: With 147 tigers at the temple, many are forced to spend most of their time in cell-like cement structures, even though there is space to run and play. The next time I see you Im going to beat your face, read one of the private Facebook messages. They were being sent by dek wat temple boys from Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua Yanasampanno in Kanchanaburi, better known as the Tiger Temple. Mr Soochaphong, a lawyer who had done pro bono work for the temple for several years, had just handed over a large body of evidence which he says proves the temples involvement in wildlife trafficking. That was in February last year. Today, the threats are not only physical: the Tiger Temple has sued Mr Soochaphong for professional misconduct and is attempting to have his legal licence revoked. Temple representatives failed to show up for a hearing on the case last week, and a new date wasnt immediately set. But Mr Soochaphong is not concerned: he believes the temple is scared to push him too far. Mr Soochaphong first became involved with the Tiger Temple in 2008, drawn there by what he said was respect for Luang Ta Bua Yanasampanno, one of Thailands most revered monks who lends his name to the Tiger Temple despite having no direct affiliation with it. Mr Soochaphong said he was asked by the temple committee to help with a case, and while he was never its formal lawyer, he continued to perform legal work for the temple as a way to make merit. He soon took on other roles, such as publicist and event MC, as he grew closer with the temples inner circle, particularly Phra Vissuthisaradhera, better known as Phra Ajarn Chan, the temples founder and abbot. But at the end of 2014, Mr Soochaphong said, the temples long-time veterinarian came to him with some startling allegations. The vet, Somchai Visasmongkolchai, said three tigers had been smuggled out of the temple, and he had evidence to prove it including CCTV footage which suggested temple staff were involved. Mr Soochaphong needed more convincing. And so he began a covert investigation, both to satisfy himself and, if necessary, the authorities that the allegations were true. He said he confronted one of the temple workers whom he recognised from the CCTV footage. The worker said Luang Por had ordered the operation, using a term of endearment for temple abbot Phra Ajarn Chan. Mr Soochaphong recorded the conversation without the workers knowledge. He also uncovered evidence that the Tiger Temple had transferred money to purchase plots of land in Germany and the Czech Republic, purportedly to build new temples. But both land plots were registered in Phra Ajarn Chans name. In early February last year, officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation seized illegal hornbills from the temple, and returned around a month later to confiscate six endangered Asian black bears. On Feb 22, Mr Soochaphong said he was called to a meeting with temple staff and accused of not doing enough to protect them. He cut ties with the temple three days later. Soon afterwards, videos were posted on YouTube attacking him for being disloyal. Around that same time, Dr Somchai resigned and went to the authorities. He handed over three microchips, which he said had been cut out of the missing tigers. Mr Soochaphong said it is impossible to know what happened to the tigers, but he was told by Dr Somchai it would be almost impossible to remove the chips without killing them. The lawyer said his investigation had indicated the temple was slaughtering cats and sending the carcasses to Laos for sale. The DNP investigated the temple in April and confirmed that the three tigers were missing. Mr Soochaphong said he was told that as many as 40 tigers could be unaccounted for. Dr Somchai and Mr Soochaphong also went to Sai Yok police station to file a report. Both men soon received threats, both legal and physical, from temple figures. It was then that Mr Soochaphong was contacted by Cee4Life, a conservation group headed by former Tiger Temple volunteer Sybelle Foxcroft. He gave them the evidence he had collected. Cee4Life used the evidence to compile a comprehensive report on the temple. Ms Foxcroft, an Australian, said she had more evidence proving international trafficking of tiger parts by the temple, but preferred not to discuss it in detail as it is in the hands of the DNP. Mr Soochaphong said he decided to tell everything he knows to Cee4Life because he was sick and tired of people using faith and religion as a tool to deceive. I still give my full respect to Luang Ta Bua, but I don't want anyone to use his name to destroy the good image he built, he said. Phra Ajarn Chan is only using Luang Ta Buas name to trick people into believing him. This is why I am still standing here to fight against the temple. The investigation into the missing tigers is ongoing. Mr Soochaphong said more than 12 months after he handed over the evidence to Sai Yok police, they have yet to follow it up. I will be here with all my evidence waiting for the day that the whole world will know the truth about the temple. I dont want faith and belief in religion to fool anyone the way I was fooled before, Mr Soochaphong said. Read original story here. Noem campaign accuses Smith campaign of campaign finance violation Gov. Kristi Noem's campaign has accused Rep. Jamie Smith's campaign of violating campaign finance laws after the recent report released Monday. An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand. 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. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waits to speak at an event last week in Bowling Green, Ky. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Mukesh was inebriated when he jumped into the lion enclosure in the Nehru Zoo Park in Hyderabad. Apparently he moved closer to the animals saysing Please come to me my darling. Please. It was sheer luck that he did not become the next meal for the cats because visitors at the enclosure raised an alarm after they heard a loud splash when this 35-year-old Rajasthani man jumped into the moat, located more than 12 feet below the ground level. He waded towards the lioness waiting at the shore. The male lion, Krishna, soon joined Radhika, the lioness and they were eying Mukesh. To their anguish and excitement , the visitors and zoo staff threw stones at the big cats to distract them but that didn't stop Mukesh. He continued to move closer to the big cats. He was lucky, as the lions are usually wary of water. They are domesticated. Had it been the tigers moat, Mukesh it wouldnt have ended well for him, said one of the zoo staff. Shrieks of the people at the enclosure scared the lions and it also made Mukesh to his senses as he realised the danger he had gotten himself into. Zoo staff lowered a long pole for him to climb out, while urging him to swim away from the cats. Meanwhile, animal keeper Pappaiah softly called out to the cats since it was dinner time at around 5 p.m. and they responded to his calls. The visitors were so upset that they wanted to thrash Mukesh but the zoo administration handed him to the Bahadurpura police, where they kept him overnight. Mukesh, a native of Sikar district in Rajasthan, is working for the metro rail and is an L&T employee and told the cops that he wanted to see the lion up close and shake hands with the big cats. Cases under sections IPC 448 and 38 F of Wildlife Protection Act (trespassing and teasing animals) were filed against him and he was sent to judicial remand. At least six people, including three policemen, were injured after a minor altercation between two persons snowballed into a communal clash in central Gujarat's Petlad town in Anand district on Monday. The clash prompted the police to lob as many as 24 teargas shells to disperse the mob comprising over 200 people, who were pelting stones at each other and damaging vehicles in a communally sensitive locality. According to Anand Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh, besides stone-pelting, some people also ransacked a house. He said six persons sustained minor injuries. While the exact reason for the clash was being ascertained, the police said an argument over a trivial issue between a person riding a motorcycle and a tractor driver led to a flare-up between two communities. Saurabh Singh told reporters that the situation was under control but to prevent further trouble as many as 100 policemen drawn from local police, local crime branch and special operations group, have been deployed in the area. Retired IPS officer D.G. Vanzara, out on bail in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case, on Sunday demanded dropping of charges against him as well as the rape case accused Asaram Bapu, saying the very forces who "framed" him also "falsely implicated" the godman. "Same forces who were responsible for framing charges against me and putting me in jail are responsible for arresting Asaram and the charges against him (Asaram) too should be dropped," the former Gujarat DIG told reporters here. A CBI court had in April relaxed bail conditions of Vanzara, a key accused in the alleged fake encounters of Ishrat Jahan, Soharabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati, and allowed him to enter and stay in Gujarat. "As a police officer I have studied the FIR filed against Asaram and I am of the opinion that the charges should be dropped against him," said Vanzara who considers himself a loyal devotee of the self-styled godman. Asaram is currently in jail in Jodhpur in connection with the alleged rape of a minor girl. He was also booked for raping a Surat-based woman. Meanwhile, Vanzara also hinted that he could contest Gujarat Assembly elections next year. When asked about which political party he is planning to join, the former IPS officer said, "That question will arise at the time of the election. Today, there is no question of choosing a party. Today, I am a citizen of this country and I am just a common man and as a common man I want to serve 6.5 crore people of Gujarat". He claimed that cases against him, Asaram and Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, are fabricated. The NIA recently dropped all charges against Sadhvi and five others in the blast case. Vanzara was felicitated at a function organised by the city-based Gujarat Asmita Sangh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, on the second day of his two-day visit to Iran, held a "restricted" meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Building an enduring partnership. PM @narendramodi and President Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. India, Iran and Afghanistan will sign an agreement on Monday to develop the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, two days after a US drone struck at a vehicle the militant leader was riding in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Obama's statement, released by the White House, comes when Pakistan has remained vague about the identity of the two people killed in Saturday's US drone strike. Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif even late on Sunday said it was still not confirmed that Afghan Taliban leader Mansour was killed. Speaking to media on arrival in London, Sharif said he had received a phone call from US Secretary of State John Kerry informing him about the attack. Sharif, however, said the two bodies were disfigured beyond recognition and he could not confirm Mansour's death. Obama, who is in Vietnam, said Mansour's death marks an "important milestone" in the long-standing effort to bring peace in Afghanistan. The statement said: "Mansour's death removes the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on US and has waged war against the Afghan people." Obama said the US will continue to take action against extremist networks that target the US and coalition forces. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven. After so many years of conflict, today gives the people of Afghanistan and the region a chance at a different, better future." "Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to engage in peace talks and end the violence in the South Asian nation," the US president said. The violence led by the militant group has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, he said. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict -- joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," Obama said. Obama also said that the US will continue helping Afghan security forces and support President Ashraf Ghani in his efforts to forge the peace and progress that Afghan people deserve. He said the US military has sent a clear message to all those who target the US people and its coalition forces. John Kerry on Saturday informed the Afghan and Pakistan governments of the strike, authorised by Obama, targeting Mansour in the Pakistan-Afghan border town of Ahmad Wal, near Quetta. Kerry said Mansour had posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel". He also said the air strike sent "a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners". NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Mansour's death created an opportunity for progress towards peace in Afghanistan. The Taliban leader's actions had led "to the death and suffering of countless Afghan civilians and security forces", he said in a statement. Mansour took control of the group in July last year after the announcement of the death of Taliban's former leader Mullah Omar two years earlier. The killing of the Taliban leader is likely to have major ramifications both for efforts to kickstart peace talks and for the often stormy relationship between the US and Pakistan. Mansour's death came days after diplomats from Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China held the latest round of talks in Islamabad about a flagging effort to draw the Taliban into peace negotiations. His death would be a big blow for the Taliban as Mansour was gradually tightening his grip on the movement by bringing into his fold other leading Taliban members, including a son and a brother of his predecessor Mullah Omar, and by launching large scale attacks on Afghan security forces. A vacuum created by his death would once again trigger a leadership struggle, observers opined. The top Taliban leaders reportedly met on Sunday in the framework of their leadership council to discuss the successor of Mansour. The leadership council discussed regarding various possible successors, including the notorious guerrilla commander Sirajuddin Haqqani. Haqqani is the leader of the notorious Haqqani terrorist network and he reportedly played a key role in resolving the Taliban leadership issues following the confirmation of Mullah Mohammad Omar's death. According to sources, Taliban were also considering Mullah Yaqoob, the son of Mullah Omar, a potential unifier because of his father's name. However, the Taliban group has not issued any official statement confirming Mansour's death. [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] Yeshuos Rashbi wants to give you the chance to actually come and join us this year in Meron. During last years campaign, so many people reached out to us with their personal stories and challenges that they are looking for yeshuos. I started to think, wouldnt it be amazing if we could give someone an opportunity to come daven themselves in Meron! said Rabbi Yehoshua Biderman the founder of Yeshuos Rashbi. More than 430 years ago, the first Rashbi hachnassas orchim group was formed to prepare for the special days gigantic crowds. In 1998 Rabbi Yehoshua Biderman founded Yeshuos Rashbi to continue this tradition. This year Yeshuos Rashbi is preparing for the largest crowd ever. Israeli Authorities predict over 500,000 people throughout the day. Yeshuos Rashbi is preparing the single largest Seduas Hilulah for Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron AND YOU CAN JOIN US! Why Meron? On the 33rd day of the Omer, Rebbe Shimon left this world. The Zohar describes, he gathered his closest students together and shared with them the secrets of the Holy Torah. He told them that this day should be a day of rejoicing and celebration because it is my day of joy. The Zohar describes how as his bed was surrounded with a pillar of fire entering the cave floating on air, a Heavenly Voice called out, Come and gather for the hillulah of Rebbe Shimon. The tradition of celebrating the hillulah has spanned thousands of generations. Rav Chaim Vital describes the Arizal visiting Meron on Lag Bomer. In the 15th Century thousands would travel from all over Asia and Africa to visit Meron on this holy day. Families came from as far as Damascus and Baghdad. Bonfires were lit in honor of the Rashbi and people would dance and study Zohar the whole night. Later in history, The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh got off his donkey and crawled up the mountain with his hands and feet to celebrate this holy day, and when he reached the top he was overcome with emotion and was very joyous on this special occasion. Today, hundreds of thousands of Jews flock to Meron for the largest Jewish gathering in the world, to unload their burden and daven for salvation. They dance together the whole night in celebration of this holy day. Chai Rotel Segulah Rav Aharon of Karlin says that all those who believe in Rebbe Shimon will be uplifted by Rebbe Shimon. Countless people have seen tremendous yeshuos either for children, marriage, livelihood, or health, because they have contributed to increasing the simcha of Lag Bomer in Meron. The Taamei HaMinchagim says that numerous people have been helped by donating Chai Rotel for the seuda in Meron. Rotel is an ancient measurement and 18 rotel is roughly 54 liters of wine. The practice of donating money for food and drinks in Meron is supported by such luminaries like Rav Ovadia MBartenura and the Sheloh Hakadosh. Rabbi Yehudah Leib Horenstein, Tal LeYisroel,writes that he met two people on Lag Bomer in Meron that donated Chai Rotel and had children after more than 10 years of marriage. The Bobover Rav, The Kedushas Tzion, sent a letter from Poland to his Chassidim in Israel asking them to donate chai rotel in Meron on this holy day on behalf of a couple that did not have children. Power of the Rashbi The Sages explain that miracles were routine for Rebbe Shimon and the Talmud describes many stories about the miraculous wonders Rebbe Shimon performed even after he has left this world. The Arizal says, On Lag Bomer the Tanna Rashbi stands at his holy resting place and blesses each and every person that comes to pray there and rejoice in his name on his holy Yartzeit. On the day Rebbe Shimon left this world, a fire was ignited that will never be extinguished. On each and every Lag Bomer, sparks fly from the fire to ignite the hearts and minds of all the Jews present, inspiring them to turn their lives back towards Hashem. It was non-other than Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai who proclaimed, I can absolve this whole generation from judgment. So many people beg us to daven on their behalf on this special day for children, parnassa, shidduchim and health and year after year we get to hear incredible stories of success. This is what keeps us going year after year. We invite you to come and join us in the Simcha Lkavod Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai. Help Yeshuos Rashbi prepare for the largest Seudas Hilulah in Meron by generously donating Chai Rotel. By increasing simcha on Lag Bomer, Hashem will surely increase the simcha in your life. Donate today by visiting www.yeshuosrashbi.com or call 718-705-8430 or email [email protected] Drawing will be held on Sunday May 22, 2016 at 11:59pm. Danny Dayan, who was supposed to have become Israels ambassador to Brazil, has been appointed as the new Consul General to New York City. Because of Dayans former connection with the Yesha Settlement Council Brazil rejected the appointment and would not accept Dayans credentials. After a drawn out political battle Israel backed down, realizing Brazil was not going to change its position. As such, Dayan will replace Ido Aaroni who is leaving the post. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) [PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Police and emergency agencies are finalizing preparations in Meron for Lag BOmer as hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to arrive at the tziyun of the Rashbi. In fact, people are already arriving early in the week and some spent Shabbos. Police strongly urge anyone and everyone arriving for Lag BOmer to use public transportation and not private vehicles. Persons preferring private rides will be compelled to use park and ride zones and will not be permitted past the zone that has been designated exclusively for public vehicles, security vehicles and persons with VIP passes. Police preparations include the expected arrival of 500,000 visitors on Lag BOmer, including the days before and after. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Yossi Eisenstein, Mosdos Ohr Rashbi) Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan and his staff, seven in total, received messages on Sunday 14 Iyar to leave their offices by 16:30, informing them their security passes to enter the Defense Ministry would no longer be valid after the times stated. The reason is a legal technicality. Since Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon resigned, the deputy serving under him is also compelled to step down. As soon as the new Defense Minister assumes his post, Ben-Dahan and his staff are expected to return to their offices. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) President Barack Obamas mission in Vietnam and Japan is to build stronger economic and security ties with Asian-Pacific allies anxious about the rise of an increasingly muscular China. That forward-looking message will be delivered even as he confronts the legacies of two wars long past Vietnam and World War II that still are fraught with emotion. Obamas first stop on his weeklong Asia trip is Vietnam, where he will be the third sitting president to visit since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to Chinas growing strength in the region. Obama arrived in Hanoi late Sunday. During his three-day stay in Vietnam, hell make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation trans-Pacific trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. Vietnam also is hoping that Obama will use the visit to erase an irksome vestige of the war by lifting the U.S. partial embargo on selling arms to the country. The idea is under consideration, but concern about Vietnams human rights record could weigh against it. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where the uncertain global economy will be a top concern of the G-7 leaders. Theyll also grapple with a full array of world challenges, including the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the refugee crisis in Europe and Russian aggression. Also on the agenda will be Beijings assertive claims in the South China Sea that are causing tensions with other countries in the region. While the summit isnt expected to produce any breakthroughs, it gives leaders a rare opportunity to talk through the intractable difficulties they confront. Remember that leaders are lonely people, says Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the private Center for Strategic and International Studies. These people dont have much time to sit down with their peers to talk about common challenges. For all of that, the culminating moment of Obamas trip will be a solemn visit to Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people, ushering in the nuclear age seven decades ago. Another bomb killed 70,000 in Nagasaki three days later. It will be a moment to reflect on the devastating costs of war and to try to give new impetus to the call for a nuclear-free world that Obama issued seven years ago in his first year as president. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the Vietnam and Japan visits both reflect Obamas world view that we can move beyond difficult and complicated histories to find areas of common interest. You could not have had a more violent conflict than we had with the Japanese in World War II, as a visit to Hiroshima will certainly mark, but now they are among our closest friends in the world, Rhodes said. You could not have a more contested, controversial, costly, tragic war than the Vietnam War, and now (Vietnam) is becoming a partner of the United States, an important partner. Still, concerns about human and political rights shadow the presidents stay in Vietnam. The country did free a Catholic priest who had been one of its longest-serving political prisoners in the lead-up to the presidents visit. But the U.S. remains concerned about severe government restrictions on citizens political rights and limits on civil liberties and free expression. On Sunday, the country was holding parliamentary elections controlled by the Communist Party, which chooses who can stand for election. The governments heavy-handed response to recent unrest over mass fish deaths off the coast of Ha Tinh province prompted the advocacy group Human Rights Watch to call on Vietnamese leaders to put a stop to harassment, intimidation and persecution of environmental activists. In an unprecedented show of defiance for the communist country, thousands of people have protested publicly in at least seven cities on recent Sundays to demand a transparent government investigation. The protests were forcibly put down by security forces. In advance of the presidents visit, the White House invited representatives of Vietnam veterans organizations to trace progress in the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship. And it brought in Vietnamese civic to underscore its commitment to promoting human and political rights in the country. Rick Weidman, executive director for policy at the Vietnam Veterans of America, who participated in one of the meetings, said there still are wounds from Vietnam that need healing. He said the U.S. needs to do more to account for those still missing from the war and to help deal with ill effects from U.S. use of Agent Orange during the war. The administration is expected to announce more steps to help with cleanup of the chemical herbicide during Obamas visit. (AP) Hillary Clinton says she welcomes businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cubans interest in potentially becoming her vice presidential running mate. In an interview that aired on Sunday, Clinton opened the door wide open to Cuban and other businesspeople, who could serve to counter the likely Republican nominee, business mogul Donald Trump I think we should look widely and broadly. Its not just people in elective office. It is successful businesspeople, Clinton told NBC Newss Chuck Todd on Meet the Press. I am very interested in that. And I appreciate his openness to it, she added of Cubans comments. In a portion of an interview with Todd that was released on Friday, Cuban said that he would absolutely be willing to meet with Clinton about becoming a potential vice presidential pick, but he noted that he had some concerns that she might have shifted too far to the left during the Democratic primary race against Sen. Bernie Sanders. The key would be she would have to go more to center, Cuban said. I like the fact that Sen. Clinton has thought out proposals. Thats a good thing because at least we get to see where she stands. But I think Sen. Sanders has dragged her a little bit too far to the left, he added. In the NBC interview, Clinton added that she is willing to consider candidates who have not served in elected office. I am absolutely intending to look far and wide, Clinton said. And I think that is the best way to find somebody who can really capture whats needed in the country, and businesspeople have, especially successful businesspeople who are really successful as opposed to pretend successful, I think have a lot to offer. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Abby Phillip A red swastika spray-painted at a Pawtucket synagogue was widely condemned by local and state leaders Sunday, as Pawtucket Police opened an investigation into the vandalism. This is the kind of thing that makes your whole body roil inside if youre a Jew, said David Pliskin, the president of Congregation Ohawe Sholam. Its the only Jewish house of worship in Pawtucket. The vandalism was immediately condemned by many, as the Mayors of Providence and Pawtucket called for a joint news conference Monday morning to address the issue of anti-Semitism in the area. This is one of several recent incidents of anti-Semitism in the area. Several blocks from the Pawtucket synagogue on Providences East Side, flyers were distributed in October that contained racist and anti-Semitic remarks, along with bags of a substance that turned out to be rice. The flyers referred to solving Jewish pollution. READ MORE: WPRI An unlikely editorial by Iowa Des Moines Register called on U.S. Attorneys Office to answer for its actions in the Rubashkin case. The following article was written by the Des Moines Register Editorial Board: When it comes to criminal prosecutions, the end never justifies the means. Prosecutors who take shortcuts in winning convictions or lengthy sentences are not only violating the rights of the accused, theyre also undermining our entire system of justice. Thats worth remembering when considering the ongoing legal battle over the 27-year prison sentence handed down to Sholom Rubashkin, the former head of Postvilles Agriprocessors slaughterhouse. In 2009, Rubashkin was convicted of bank fraud and money laundering. On its face, the lengthy prison sentence seems entirely justified. Rubashkin not only hired hundreds of illegal immigrants, he helped provide them with phony identification documents. He also defrauded his lenders, in part by laundering money through other businesses he controlled. He gave $4,000 to a co-conspirator and encouraged him to flee the country. He told potential government witnesses he would pay them a salary during any time they spent in prison. He engaged in the wholesale destruction of evidence, even while on pretrial release, and he never acknowledged any criminal wrongdoing or expressed any remorse for his actions. But now a letter signed by more than 100 individuals including federal judges and four former U.S. attorneys general alleges that prosecutors in the case acted improperly. The letter comes four years after 80 former federal judges asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Rubashkins appeal, and it coincides with court pleadings that claim prosecutors improperly inflated Rubashkins sentence. Agriprocessors was the nations largest kosher-meat company, with more than $68 million in assets, when immigration officials raided the plant in 2008. The company filed for bankruptcy six months later, and was eventually sold for far less than had been anticipated. Rubashkins attorneys blame federal prosecutors for the low sale price, which they say resulted in Agriprocessors lenders losing tens of millions of dollars, which in turn led to Rubashkin getting a longer prison sentence. Specifically, the lawyers argue that prosecutors attempted to ensure that none of the defendants family members were connected to potential buyers of Agriprocessors, and warned prospective buyers of dire consequences if any Rubashkins were involved in the purchase. Several bidders say prosecutors were threatening and hostile toward them. We ultimately decided not to purchase the business, in large part because of the threats from the government, one potential buyer said in a sworn affidavit. In court documents, prosecutors contend their statements were not contrived threats designed to diminish the value of Agriprocessors, but were warnings intended to alert potential buyers of the risks theyd face by associating with criminals. Plainly put, that argument is hard to swallow, but what matters here isnt so much the prosecutors motives as the effect of their actions. Did they, intentionally or otherwise, ratchet up the losses sustained by Agriprocessors creditors and later use those losses to increase Rubashkins sentence? And did they adopt a policy of guilt-by-association in barring any member of the Rubashkin family including people never accused of wrongdoing from involvement in Agriprocessors successor? The evidence indicates they did just that, which helps to explain why so many well-respected former prosecutors and judges are up in arms over their actions. James Reynolds, former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, calls the prosecutors actions insidious and says that had this kind of unfair, underhanded and unnecessary misconduct occurred during my tenure, you can be absolutely certain that the perpetrators would have faced consequences, the very least of which would have been the loss of their job. Rubashkins 27-year prison sentence can be justified any number of ways but not if prosecutorial misconduct was involved. Just as the head of Agriprocessors was forced to answer for his crimes, the U.S. Attorneys Office should be forced to answer for its actions in USA vs. Rubashkin. Details are scarce but there appears to be a development in the case of Rabbi Eliezer Berland, who remains incarcerated in South Africa and is expected to be turned over to Israel. Israel has filed an extradition request, seeking to place the rabbi under arrest to face charges involving alleged assaults against women in Israel. However, Migdal HaEmek Chief Rabbi Harav Yitzchok Dovid Grossman took off on Sunday night the eve of 15 Iyar for a second trip to Johannesburg in recent weeks, reportedly because there may be a chance for the rabbi to be released instead of handing him over to Israel Police. Rabbi Grossman is reportedly going to participate in a meeting with government officials pertaining to the case. Rabbi Grossman is accompanied by a grandson of Rabbi Berland, Chaim Reicher. Rabbi Grossman has been active over the years in assisting Rabbi Berland, and following his recent return from S. Africa, he described Rabbi Berlands conditions as extremely difficult,explaining the rav is inside a pit and has a minimal food since he will not compromise his kashrus standards. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) One of the achievements of incoming Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has not been widely reported in the media, the allocation of NIS billions for the pensions of seniors from the Former Soviet Union, Liebermans primary voting base. On Sunday night the eve of 15 Iyar Lieberman met with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon to discuss the plan, which is among the list of deal-breakers for Liebermans entry to the coalition. During the past year, with the return of the chareidi parties to the coalition, Lieberman has been shouting about what he perceives the price tag of such an agreement, keeping the chareidim on board, however, it now appears that price tag is dwarfed by the cost of bringing Yisrael Beitenu into the coalition. In fact, Liebermans plan for pensions for seniors from the FSU will cost the state between NIS 1 and 2 billion annually. He wishes to make sure that every Russian immigrant who reaches retirement age is given a pension. Liebermans plan addresses seniors who have no other income or government allowances, seeking to provide them with a minimum pension of no less than 70% of the minimum wage for a single and 110% for a couple, which amounts to an additional NIS 550 to NIS 1,320 monthly. That means one who would receive NIS 2,950 today would get an increase to NIS 3,500, referring to a senior with no other income from Israel or abroad. A retiree with a pension of over NIS 2,650 monthly would be entitled to an additional NIS 1,320 shekels, hence 110% of the minimum wage. These additional payments would not prevent the retirees from supplementing their incomes by working part-time without losing pension funds. The Lieberman plan would apply to any former FSU resident who immigrated after the age of 21 and worked a minimum number of years in Israel. One of the other matters that is still being finalized pertains to matters of religion and state. The chareidim have demanded the establishment of a committee that will address such matters, seeking to prevent Lieberman and others from making unwanted changes in this area. Likud and Lieberman want to see Likud Minister Yariv Levin head this party while Kulanu wishes to see its party minister, Avi Gabbai. The chareidim are simply interested in maintaining some type of veto party towards protecting religious interests in the coalition government. Bottom line is that is appears Yaakov Litzman and Shas officials are welcoming Lieberman while Moshe Gafne and his Degel Hatorah litvish faction are less than pleased and quite concerned as Lieberman and Gafne during the last year have done nothing but exchange insults and accusations. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) The President of the military court presiding over the trial of IDF soldier Sgt. Elor Azariya, Colonel Maya Heller, on Sunday 15 Iyar decided to accept a request from the defense counsel to disqualify one judge on the panel of judges because he is a close colleague of the IDF Hebron Brigade Commander Colonel Yariv Ben-Ezra. Azariya is the soldier who shot and killed the wounded terrorist who was on the ground following a stabbing attack in Hebron on Purim. Despite objections from the prosecutor, the court decided to accept the request to disqualify the military judge that was filed a number of weeks ago. Three weeks ago it was made known the military prosecutors office called up reservist attorney Nadav Weissman, a senior partner in a major Israeli law office to lead the prosecution in the case, signaling the prosecution of the case is a high priority for the military prosecutor. Many feel the decision to move ahead with manslaughter charges against the soldier marked the beginning of the breakdown in relations between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, leading to the latter submitting his resignation. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) By Yossi Wolf All Sectors of Klal Yisroel Within each family there are many differences of opinion. Each family has its own unique family dynamic. BJX is a family that broadens itself to incorporate many dynamics and persuasions. More importantly BJX is a Kehilah, a veritable Hakhel, that unifies and unites all types of Yidden, from heimish baalei batim, to those with absolutely no background, and every stripe in between. Rav Yitzchok Fingerer and his brother, Rabbi Moshe Fingerer, of the BJX Beis HaMidrash and Kehilah, successfully run diverse programs to inspire all sectors of Klal Yisroel. The rabbis organized Passover Sedarim for unaffiliated young professionals in Brooklyn, while simultaneously inspiring families in the Crowne Plaza, Stamford, where their shiurim were enthusiastically received. Unique Shabbosim At BJX, every Shabbos is extraordinary. Families from the Kehilah host unaffiliated students from the BJX educational branches and divisions. BJX is more than a place to go to pray or study, its family, explained Max Hurwitz, a student. It is amazing to see the students at the Shabbos meal express their immense admiration for Rabbi Fingerer, saying he is like a real father to them, said Reb Azriel Zakheim, a beloved mentor, who often travels in from Lakewood. Each week the rabbis plan Shabbatons taking into account meals, logistics, sleeping and follow up. Rabbis Fingerer are sweet, genuine people. They really care so much about each and every one of us, shared Max. Special Programs Rabbi Moshe Fingerer recently planned a magnificent event honoring BJX students who served in the IDF. These soldiers, previously unaffiliated, served in the Tank Brigade and Special Forces. Theyre now committed members of the BJX family. Mr. Moshe Zicherman, a native Israeli, inspired a packed house with his message of love for Eretz Yisroel. Mr. Zicherman said, I cant stop marveling at the accomplishments of BJX. Ive never seen anything like it. Looking at the array of Jews that come to BJX and seeing how they embrace Judaism makes me swell with pride to be a Jew. Everyone enjoyed a delicious Shawarma and falafel buffet and salad bar. I saw secular students asking for Yarmulkas and reciting Brachos. The energy was incredible. Where else do you see this in New York? The rabbis warmth towards the students made a big impression on me. The students love them, said a mentor who popped in. One formerly unaffiliated soldier, now Shomer Shabbos, runs a company in Manhattan. He brought his unaffiliated family visiting from Israel to the program. Its crazy but each week I pack up my bags and leave Manhattan to spend Shabbat in BJX. I love this Kehilah, he said. One of the reasons why people are willing to walk long distances to daven in the BJX Beis HaMidrash is because of the enthusiastic davening, the lack of talking and the constant positive energy that permeates the Beis Midrash. BJX is not only a Mecca for the unaffiliated, but also for those who are frum, exclaimed Ezriel Rovt. The davening at BJX is really amazing. Its for anyone wishing to increase his kavanah and get an injection of inspiration and spirituality. Through the beautiful musical davening, you really feel that this is a place in which all Jews are accepted and a feeling of achdus pervades the shul, said Reb Azriel Zakheim. The Shabbos tefillos led by renowned Chazan Yossi Kessner and acappella, as well as the Rov, and other accomplished baalei Tefillah, are absolutely surreal. Baalei Batim from Chasidish, Yeshivish and mod- ern backgrounds call the Beis Medrash their home. The Rovs shiurim address Halachic and Hashkafic issues that challenge us to grow and expand our horizons, said Yosef. This week, Allison announced that she was going to affix a Mezuzah on her home. A special ceremony was conducted. She was feted by the rabbis and students in celebration of this milestone. At BJX one witnesses a true spiritual ripple effect. BJX has helped me tremendously grow as a Jew. I dont know where I would be today without them, said Josh. Max reflected, BJX helped me down the path to become the person I was put in this world to be. Expanding Community Programs In an effort to prevent the off-the-derech phenomenon, BJX initiated a community-wide Pirchei for boys with a simultaneous Pirkei Avos shiur for fathers. They saw an overflow crowd this Shabbos. Fathers thoroughly enjoyed the Rovs enthralling shiur while boys enjoyed a fantastic Pirchei with prizes, nosh, stories and learning under the devoted supervision of Rabbi Dovid Berk. We want to provide boys with positive Yiddishe experiences in a wholesome environment. Yiddishkeit needs to be happy and joyous, explained Rav Yitzchok Fingerer. Another Typical Shabbos Eddie, from Sheepshead Bay, experienced his first Shabbos. I was privileged to coordinate Eddies first Pesach Seder. The next step was for him to join a Shabbaton, said Rabbi Fingerer. My grandmother spent her Friday nights running from the Nazis who tried to kill her. I feel so emotional and grateful to be at my first loving and beautiful Shabbos meal and not having to deal with the things my grandmother dealt with, Eddie shared at the Shabbaton dinner, hosted by Dr. Faygie Zakheim. Dr. Faygie is known as the BJX Mom and is a super dedicated partner of the rabbis. Eddie never received a Jewish name and was eager to finally have one. There was a special event this past Shabbos morning in the BJX Beis Medrash, said Reb Azi. Although we ended the Friday night meal close to 1am, Eddie came to shul Shabbos morning to receive his new Jewish name, Shlomo, enthused Dr. Faygie. Watching Eddie receive his Jewish name, encircled by people singing and dancing with him was such an uplifting scene, said Reb Azi Zakheim. Eddie and other students then had a delightful seudah celebration at the home of dedicated BJX members, Mordechai and Avigayil Jaffa. A Kehilah for All Types of Yidden Mark, an unaffiliated Flatbush professional, who joined the Shabbaton, talked about his love for his new found family. He never really felt connected to his fellow Jews before. He felt that he could connect on a deep level with everyone at the table, said Dr. Faygie. Weve watched BJX grow into a real community of growing, intelligent, and caring individuals who join together under the loving and wise leadership of, morah dasra, Rabbi Yitzchok Fingerer, explained Reb Azi. BJX is a spiritual body shop where souls are entirely transformed, exclaimed Mr. Rovt. The rabbis and Chairman Moshe Caller are constantly working on important initiatives to enhance the community. BJX a Kehilah unlike any other, is open each day for shiurim and inspiration. The BJX helpline (646-397-1544) has helped numerous people coping with challenges. In addition to offering chizuk for frum people through their community seminars, videos and CDs, they run a variety of educational programs for secular collegiate and YJPs, work with kids-at-risk, have a new division for public high schools, encourage disconnected Chasidim to transition back to Yiddishkeit, and have a Beis Medrash where Torah, Tefillah and Ahavas Yisroel come to life. The BJX organization is a conglomerate of so much. Indeed, BJX is a rare Kehilah. 'The bonk manager': Tesco boss Benny Higgins Tesco Banks recherche, opera-loving boss Benny Higgins has some explaining to do after racking up an 18,000 taxi bill. The loquacious Glaswegian, 56, who peppers his speeches with show-off references to TS Eliot and F Scott Fitzgerald, is well-versed in crisis management. Previous tin hat moments include receiving a 2million golden goodbye from HBOS in 2007 after just two years work. Four times married, his rackety private life has also provoked headlines north of the border. Caledonian hacks labelled him the bonk manager. Remember Jerome Kerviel, the arrogant rogue trader who racked up losses of 3.2billion almost bringing French bank Societe Generale to its knees? Monsieur Kerviel, 39, was jailed for three years in 2010 but released after five months. Hes suing his ex-employer for unfair dismissal, demanding 4billion in compensation. Brazen little so-and-so, nest ce pas? City fat cats who have forked out 15,000 for a premier table at next months Tory summer ball moan theyre still to be told which Minister theyve been assigned to schmooze with. Why the hold-up? Because the bash at Londons Hurlingham Club takes a place just days after the referendum, when theres likely to be a merciless, Game of Thrones-style cabinet reshuffle, Aka a bloodbath. Forthright Sir Philip Green associate Lord Grabiner remained cordial during his exchanges with the Works and Pensions Select Committee yesterday over the BHS collapse. A far cry from last year when he was grilled over his investigation for the Bank of England into the forex market, for which he was paid 401,000. Quizzed about the size of the fee, he said barristers such as himself do not get into the grubby world of negotiating fees, adding: I am sure we did a cheap deal. Asked how many hours had he spent on the investigation, he replied loftily he hadnt the faintest idea. Grab-it-all, 71, appears to have learned his lesson. From convivial city spinner Peter Bingle comes muffled wailing: Knocked myself out in the bike shed and ended up in A&E. Nothing serious but I have a large bump and a very sore head. PROFITS BLOOM Mitie Group has seen revenues fall 1.8 per cent to 2.2billion but profits continue to rise as it improves its margins on contracts. Profits before tax at the outsourcing firm were up 133 per cent at 96.8million in the year to the end of March. Mities facilities management division performed well and it made strong margins of 6.3 per cent. The company, which provides catering for the Chelsea Flower Show, announced a dividend of 12.1p per share, up 3.4 per cent on a year ago. Shares rose 6 per cent or 16.4p to 290p. Shares up: Mitie Group has seen revenues fall 1.8 per cent to 2.2bn but profits continue to rise as it improves its margins on contracts VODA EXIT Vodafones top strategist is leaving to take up a job in Italy. Paolo Bertoluzzo will step down as chief commercial operations and strategy officer in July to take over as boss of payment services firm ICBPI. Vodafones group chief executive Vittorio Colao said Bertoluzzo had made an immense contribution during his time at the firm. Vodafone has yet to announce his successor. Shares fell 1.4 per cent or 3.25p to 225.85p. SHARES FADE PhotonStar LED Group saw shares fall yesterday as it reported widening losses. The firm, which designs energy-saving lighting, made a loss of 3million in the year to December 31, compared to losses of 1.6million a year earlier. Revenues fell by 4 per cent to 6.9million and its debt levels doubled over the period. It blamed competitive pricing from rivals. Shares have halved since last summer, and yesterday dropped 4.4 per cent or 0.12p to 2.75p. TOP CARAT Faberge jewellery owner and gemstone miner Gemfields has achieved a record price per carat for its lower quality emeralds at an auction in India. The AIM-listed miners auction set a price of 3.50 a carat for rough emeralds, with total sales reaching nearly 10million. The stones came from Gemfields Kagem mine in Zambia, which it owns in a joint venture with the Zambian government. The government requires that some of the stones mined in the country are auctioned in the capital, Lusaka. Gemfields shares rose 1.4 per cent or 0.62p to 44p. DIVISION DITCHED Bank note printer De La Rue has sold a business which checks for faulty and fake bank notes. Cash Processing Solutions was sold to Privet Capital in a deal worth a maximum of 10.1million,. De La Rue reports its full-year results today. Shares rose nearly 5 per cent or 24p to 510p. FLICK TECH Google has teamed up with tech firm Harman International Industries to develop gesture technology letting people control their electronics with a flick of the wrist. Hitting the bottle: David Maloney, 60, managed to keep his seat as the chair of Stock Spirits The chairman of vodka maker Stock Spirits fought off a coup by a millionaire investor but lost the battle to stop cronies being placed on the board. In a high-tension annual meeting, David Maloney, 60, managed to keep his seat as the chair of Stock Spirits by bagging 78 per cent of the vote. But activist investor Luis Amaral did get his way by successfully forcing two directors he had recommended onto the board. After months of wrangling, the two men went head to head at the shareholder meeting in a tense face-off. Millionaire Amaral accused Maloney and the board of running out of ideas and said financial performance has been poor. He said the management of the company is clearly not working. Maloney took the flak and did not react to Amarals comments. But afterwards he attacked Amaral, comparing him to the Republican US presidential candidate. He said: It has been like fighting against Donald Trump. There has been lots of populist rhetoric but no policies. The two men have been engaged in a boardroom war after Amaral claimed the scalp of former chief executive Chris Heath when he resigned in April. His objections stem from complaints that Stock Spirits, based in Buckinghamshire, needs to cut costs, move its office overseas and appoint a chief executive for its Polish operations. But his aggressive moves have been met with fierce criticism from the existing board, which alleges Amaral has a conflict of interest as his Eurocash cash-and-carry chain in Poland is also one of Stock Spirits biggest customers. It has been claimed Amaral just wants to get his own team in place to force Stock Spirits to cut prices for customers such as Eurocash. Amaral, 54, said: I am more aligned to the firm doing well than anyone else. As a customer and shareholder I benefit if it prospers. I dont see a conflict of interest. Stock Spirits (up 1.9 per cent or 3p to 161p) had opposed the election of two non-executive directors proposed by Amaral. Royal Mail delivered the biggest rise on the FTSE yesterday as investors were heartened by broker buy ratings on the stock. The firms shares had taken a tumble last week over concerns around its parcel business. But investors thought the launch of a new personalised postcard service was first class. It sent shares up 4.3 per cent, or 21.1p, to 513p, but wasnt enough to keep the FTSE 100 in the black as the market fell 0.3 per cent, or 19.89 points, to 6136.43 energy and materials firms were the biggest drag on the day. Special delivery: Royal Mail's shares had taken a tumble last week over concerns around its parcel business. But investors thought the launch of a new personalised postcard service was first class Inmarsat was the biggest faller. The satellite communications services provider announced Pip McCrostie would take up the mantle of non-executive director from September. But a cut to neutral from Morgan Stanley put shares 4 per cent or 30.5p lower at 724.5p. Sports Direct also stumbled after Goldman Sachs cut its rating on the retailer to neutral. Shares slipped 4 per cent, or 14.9p, to 354.1p. Mitie Group soared after it announced a final dividend of 6.7p a share, bringing the full-year pay out to 12.1p. The facilities management business said operating profit had doubled to 112.5million, although net debt climbed slightly to 178.3million. The group is to start a share buyback programme to return surplus cash to investors up to 20million of shares will be bought and cancelled by the firm by March 2017. Shares rose 6 per cent, or 16.4p, to 290p on the news. 4D Pharma gave investors an update on its Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment. After being trialled on 56 volunteers the group said its product, named Blautix, was safe and well-tolerated. The firm hopes to use the data it collects to further develop diagnosis of the condition. It said the trial was a step towards market approval for the drug. Shares rose 4.8 per cent, or 39.5p, to 870p. Distil investors were getting in the spirit after the firm had its RedLeg Spiced Rum approved for sale in the USA. The group, which also makes Blackwoods Gin and Diva vodka, said its rum had been approved by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The 5million firm also sells spirits in the UK, Germany, Spain, Australia and Russia. Investors raised a glass to the news and the shares tipped up 4.9 per cent, or 0.05p, to 1.08p. Online bingo and gaming firm Stride Gaming was on a winning streak after it revealed earnings were up 42 per cent to 5million. The firm, whose brands include Kitty Bingo, Lucky Pants Bingo, and King Jackpot, is set to pay its maiden interim dividend of 1.1p a share next month. The group has nearly doubled its number of funded players (those using their own money) to 60,561 with an average yield per player of 114. Shares made great strides, gaining 6.1 per cent, or 15.5p, to 270.5p. DDD Group saw its share price nosedive after it proposed cancelling its share listing. The firm repurposes content for example, its SmartCams convert 2D content to 3D and delivers it to TVs, computers and mobile devices. It is shifting its focus to video conferencing and launching a new app which makes selfies (pictures you take of yourself, usually on a mobile phone) interactive. In its final results the LA-based business said 184,000 of its SmartCams were shipped in the second half of 2015 and it had extended a 3D TV license agreement with Samsung Electronics until the end of this year. But revenue had slipped from 1.8million to just 487,500 in the year, and despite a capital raising the firm made a loss of around 2.2million. Chief executive Chris Yewdall said he was encouraged by the positive response from users to its products. But he added that the AIM listing had become excessive for the size of the business and that it was in the companys best interests to cancel trading on the stock market, which will cut expense and increase the possibility of potential dividends in the future. Shares in DDD plunged 70 per cent, or 1.08p, to 0.45p. MINDS + Machines sells website addresses and domain names. If you want a website you have to pay a firm to provide the address and keep it online. The domain refers to the end of a website address, such as .com or .co.uk. M&M acquired the .vip domain for around 2.15million in September 2014. Yesterday it said some 203,720 addresses had been registered under .vip, with orders worth a total of 2.2million. Profile: M&S has a deal with model Alexa Chung New M&S boss Steve Rowe looks set to stamp his authority on the business by axing high street fashion gurus credited with turning round rival Next, sources claim. An M&S contract with siblings Mark and Neal Lindsey nicknamed the rag trade brothers who are experts at ensuring fashion chains are supplied with the clothes they want at the right price and at the right time. They were hired by former boss Marc Bolland in March 2014 after they had transformed the way Next did business and made the flagging retailer into a high street powerhouse. Under Bolland M&S has struck a number of high profile deals to revive its womens fashion business, including most recently with model Alexa Chung. Despite M&S struggling with their clothing sales, the Lindsey brothers are credited with helping M&S slash their costs and carve out contacts with new designers. Many analysts believe that without their expertise the M&S clothing lines would be in even more disarray than many people believe they currently are. The Lindseys are said to have learned their trade working Saturdays and school holidays in their uncles menswear store in Golders Green, London, in the 1960s. They went on to work for Rael Brook, a shirt maker. The brothers receive a fixed proportion of the savings generated by the increase in M&Ss margin, in addition to basic salaries of 400,000 each. They will be in line for multi-million pound paydays which could make them the companys best-paid employees over a three-year period. Rowe, 48, who took over last month, will set out his strategy to shareholders tomorrow at its full-year results. It is not expected that Rowe will give an update on the contract with the Lindsey brothers this week as it is still being considered. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry Police Commissioner William Bratton stood atop a platform waiving a checkered flag calling forth a pair of bulldozers that crushed nearly 80 illegal motorcycles, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles in a demonstration that lasted less than two minutes. The event in Red Hook, Brooklyn, which was streamed live on Facebook, had been promised by the commissioner several weeks ago to let riders know bike wilding on city streets will no longer be tolerated. We want to send out a very strong message to the nitwits and knuckleheads who insist on operating these illegal vehicles on the streets, sidewalks, parks and housing developments of the city of New York, Bratton said. They are illegal, they cannot be registered to be used anywhere in the city of New York and thus they are now in the junk heap. Chief of Patrol Carlos Gomez said 679 of the vehicles have been confiscated off the streets as part of an NYPD offensive. A total of 64 have been seized on the streets of Queens so far this year, according to the NYPD. We will crush them, we have crushed them, and we will continue to crush them as we gather more of them, Bratton said. Theyre just a plague on the city and you see a tremendous amount of calls about these things. Bratton warned weeks ago that operations would intensify each weekend as warmer weather approached, bringing more packs of riders on to the streets. An episode of biker-wilding took place in August when officers from the 107th Precinct in Flushing discovered a large group of dirt bike and ATV riders driving recklessly in the north and southbound lanes of the Van Wyck Expressway. One rider aboard an ATV sped along Park Drive East right into oncoming traffic. Two people were arrested and two ATVs and a dirt bike were seized in that incident. The NYPDs new efforts are part of Mayor Bill de Blasios Vision Zero accident reduction campaign. Bratton said the operation is showing results with seizures up 96 percent compared with this time last year. Last year we had five deaths related to ATVs, minibikes and these off-the-road type vehicles, he said. This year weve had zero. Bratton said the NYPD would carry out operations every weekend in an effort to get these characters and asked the public to report such packs of riders by calling 311 or 911. Nothing is more dangerous than the manner in which some of these individuals choose to operate their motorcycles, ATVs and dirt bikes, Deputy Commissioner Robert Martinez said. It projects a sense of recklessness, a sense of lawlessness in our city. Martinez said the crushed vehicles would be sold as scrap metal at 2 cents a pound. I hope we make a few bucks with it, Bratton said. Youre not going to get rich. Twin bombings claimed by Islamic State group targeted the Yemeni army in second city Aden Monday killing at least 41 people, most of them would-be recruits, a military official said. A suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing to enlist at a recruitment centre near the Badr base in the Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, commander of special security forces. A second explosion inside the base afterwards killed seven soldiers, he said. In a statement posted online, IS said one of its militants detonated an explosives belt among "apostate soldiers" at a recruitment centre, followed by a bomb that exploded at the gate of the Badr base. Aden is the headquarters of the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi as it battles Shiite rebels who control the capital Sanaa. The port city has seen a spate of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its jihadist rival IS. Government forces drove Huthi rebels out of Aden in July with support from a Saudi-led coalition. The two jihadist groups exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict in Yemen to expand their presence in the south and southeast. But over the past two months, government and coalition forces have hit back, also driving the jihadists out of the Hadramawt provincial capital of Mukalla, which they had controlled for a year. SOURCE: AFP US President Barack Obama has lifted a decades-old arms export embargo for Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner even as he pushes for better human rights from the one-party state. Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference, saying the move was intended to step toward normalising relations with the former war enemy and to eliminate a "lingering vestige of the Cold War". "At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and co-operation," Obama said, adding that he expected deepening co-operation between the two nation\s militaries. Obama is seeking to strike this balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world\s most important waterways. Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam\s leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang thanked Obama for lifting the embargo. US lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before granting it. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China\s assertive land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Vietnam has not bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalised and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. After three days in Vietnam, Obama heads to Japan for an international summit and a visit to Hiroshima, where he will be the first sitting president to visit the site of the first atomic bomb attack. SOURCE: AP Police Lights SHARE By Times Record News Wichita Falls police are investigating two convenience store robberies committed early Saturday morning and the two may be related. In the first incident, a gunman entered the 7-Eleven in the 100 block of Hatton Road and demanded money from the clerk. The employee handed over some cash before the robber ordered him to lie down on the ground while he escaped about 4 a.m. The suspect in that incident was described as a Hispanic man in his early 20s wearing a black hoodie and a goatee. The next robbery occurred about one hour later at the Stripes on Call Field Road when a man came into the store, went to the bathroom and reappeared at the cash register with a handgun. The cashier reportedly gave the suspect an unrevealed amount of cash. The suspect then pulled back the handgun's slide, trying to chamber a round, but had a "malfunction" and ran off, police said. The suspect in that case is described as a Hispanic man between ages 18 and 25 wearing a tan or white hat. Surveillance video also shows him wearing a black coat, blue jeans, boots, gloves and a key lanyard in his front pocket. No arrests have been made in either case. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News Karen Price reads a statement submitted by the Wichita County Republican Party executive committee. The local party chose to take a stance against vote centers that are being considered by the county. SHARE Claire Kowalick/Times Record News Election Judge JoAnn Chitwood speaks Monday during a public forum about possible vote centers in Wichita County. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News James Skinner spoke against the idea of vote centers for the county during a public meeting Monday at the Wichita County courthouse. the Wichita County Republican Party executive committee chose to take a stance against vote centers that are being considered by the county. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News John Richie, chairman of the Wichita County Democratic Party speaks in favor of vote centers Monday morning during a public forum. By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News The Wichita County Republican Party executive committee agreed to unanimously oppose the county's idea to have a vote center system for the November 2016 elections. The county is considering application to adopt a vote center system in time for the Novmeber election. With vote centers, a resident can vote at any precinct location on election day. More than 20 people attended the second public hearing Monday morning in the Commissioners Court at the Wichita County Courthouse. Precinct 401 Chairman Karen Price presented the party's official stance saying the party would like to wait until the Secretary of State presents clear guidelines for dealing with vote centers. She said the committee felt the county is not sufficiently equipped to deal with a change in the election process at this time. "We recognize that county-wide election centers may well be on the horizon for Texas ... but do not support or advocate adopting them at this time," the statement says. About a dozen people spoke for and against application of the vote center system during the hour-and-a-half meeting. Wichita County Judge Woody Gossom said during both public meeting he has heard some good points one both sides of the discussion, but no decision will be made until they complete all the forums. Three more public meeting will be held on the issue and the court will decide if they want to submit an application in August for approval to adopt a vote center system. Election Judge JoAnn Chitwood said there is a huge voter turnout expected for the November election and it is not the time to experiment with a new process. She said the county could work through the problems during an off-season election and seek to try the vote center system at a future time. Wichita County Democratic Chairman John Richie said opposition to vote centers was "beyond belief absurd." The largest issue on election day is often people not knowing which location to vote and vote centers would solve this problem. Richie said he has witnessed 19 Texas counties go through the vote-center change with little trouble. "At no time in the other 19 counties was there this consternation, at all. They went through it, applied the law through its interpretation, which is all that is ever done now, to apply this to a voting center," Richie said. "Folks, there is no grand conspiracy here, nobody's on the knoll today. It's very simple we're allowing people to not have to go through the agonies of the damned to cast a ballot," he said. Richie was confident if the vote centers were approved for the county in August, there would be plenty of time to enact the system and have everything in working order for the November election. There will be three more public meetings in Electra, Iowa Park and Burkburnett. The court will then make a decision if they want to move forward with the application process to have a vote center system approved in time for the November election. The Wichita County Republican Party's Objection to a County Voting Center SHARE It's long been a tenet of this country that Americans believe in fair play. But millions are ready to elect a president who believes the rules do not apply to him. And millions more are willing to be convinced that if this man is elected, somehow he will change from a self-centered oligarch to a leader who will put the country first. It used to be that politics stopped at the water's edge. That meant that unless a controversial vote on declaring war were involved, presidential candidates did not condemn a sitting president's foreign policy efforts. But Donald Trump has insulted the prime minister of Great Britain, our closest ally, while promising to sit down and negotiate with sworn leaders such as murderous North Korean thug Kim Jong Un, who is testing nuclear weapons. And Trump cozies up to dictators like Russia's Vladimir Putin. Trump has appealed to millions of primary voters turned off by politics as usual by promising to self-fund his campaign. But it turns out he was only loaning money to himself and wants it repaid by fat cat donors. He now wants the mighty Republican fundraising apparatus to raise a billion dollars for his candidacy. And it will. Trump is demanding that anyone he might consider to be his running mate turn over tax returns. But Trump refuses to release his own, saying only that he has worked hard to pay the smallest amount he could get with. He says he can't release his returns until an ongoing IRS audit is complete. But that is not true. He could release them. He is hiding something, but millions do not care. During his rambunctious past, Trump publicly boasted of his many affairs with women, even on the radio. Now he wants such discussions stopped even though he vows to continue bringing up former President Bill Clinton's dalliances as a way to attack rival Hillary Clinton. Ah yes, blame the wife. He has openly flaunted the Republicans' 11th commandment of not speaking ill of fellow party members by using schoolyard epithets and bullying tactics against his rivals. He publicly has insulted many women, but millions do not care. Trump has forged his campaign on latent fear and hatred of immigrants and Muslims, stoking such emotions into white-hot rage. Never mind that this country was built by the hard work of immigrants and a belief that freedom of religion is paramount. His slogan, "make America great again," has been easily parodied into "make America hate again." Trump vows to be the best job-creator in the history of the world but has never given a single specific blueprint of how he would do this. Yet he has called for lowering taxes on the richest Americans and does not believe in raising the federal minimum wage. Sometimes, he says, his various comments are really just "suggestions." Nobody knows what he actually would push for if he becomes president. He preys on the misunderstanding of trade by promising to illegally tear up trade agreements without accounting for the fact that fair trade helps Americans sell their products abroad and protects worker and environmental rights. He issues platitude after platitude without facts. Foreign policy experts say his understanding of how the world works is nonexistent and call his shallowness stunning. He says he no longer believes that women have a right to choose what happens to their bodies and would punish women who get abortions. Millions are impressed because Trump is rich. But he has made money by buying and selling things, licensing his name and by being paid huge salaries through reality TV, shows mastering the ability to dazzle and distract with word bombs and ridicule. But if the tables are turned against him, he cries "unfair" and sues. We can't blame our fellow Americans for worrying about their economic futures and being furious that politics as usual has failed them. We can blame them for turning blind eyes and deaf ears to a false prophet who has been shown to be a sweet-talking, entertaining con artist courted by a hypocritical media. We have wondered how past societies have chosen so poorly when it came to their leaders. Now we know. Ann McFeatters is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. Readers may send her email at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com. A young girl and some of her neighbors helped save the girl's mother from a fire at their home on 1905-1907 Euclid Avenue in Schenectady. A woman sleeping on the second floor of the apartment was awakened by her 10-year-old daughter, Schenectady Fire Chief Ray Senecal said. Neighbors were also knocking on the door, he said. The fire chief provided the following information on the 11 a.m. fire: Firefighters arrived to see fire coming from the attic and all occupants were outside of the building. There were no injuries. It took 20 firefighters about 30 minutes to get the fire under control. The attic suffered fire damage, but flames did not spread to the first and second floors of the home, which suffered water damage. The cause of the fire is undetermined but is not believed to be suspicious, Senecal said. Volunteers from the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross provided aid to two adults and one child. SARATOGA SPRINGS An Albany man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for the March 2015 armed robbery of the General Nutrition Center in Clifton Park, the Saratoga County district attorney's office said. Zachary R. Fairbanks, 27, pleaded guilty in September to the class C violent felony. Fairbanks was arrested along with 20-year-old Danien Sierra-Rodriguez in the robbery at which Fairbanks threatened a store employee with a loaded shotgun, deputies said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Editor's note: An earlier version of this story contained some outdated listings. They have been updated. Altamont officially kicked off Memorial Day ceremonies in the Capital Region on Sunday when the village held its annual parade. Here's a list of other planned events through the three-day weekend ending with Memorial Day on Monday, May 30. WEDNESDAY Memorial Day Ceremony, 6 p.m. http:/www.colonie.org. Tribute to Vietnam-era veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War takes place at the town of Colonie Veterans Memorial in The Crossings. Scotia Memorial Day Parade, Mohawk Avenue, Scotia. 6:15 p.m. https://www.villageofscotia.org/events/memorial-day-parade/ THURSDAY Cohoes Memorial Day Parade, West End Park, Cohoes. 6:30 p.m. Move east along Columbia Street, north along Remsen Street to Canal Square, and finish at review stand. http://www.cohoes.com Rotterdam Memorial Day Parade, Curry Road and Warrior-Path Mohonasen High School. 6:30 p.m. Open house at Rotterdam Elks Club. http://rotterdamny.org Saratoga Springs Memorial Day Parade, Union Avenue & Nelson Avenue, Saratoga Springs. 6:30 p.m. Start at corner of Union & Nelson Avenue, continue to Regent Street, and end in Greenridge Cemetery. http://www.saratoga-springs.org FRIDAY Greenwich Memorial Day Parade, 6 p.m. Hosted by the Greenwich V.F.W. Post No. 7291 and Greenwich Post 515 American Legion, the parade steps off from the Bridge at Washington Street and marches up to Main Street, to Wilson Street and concludes at the VFW on Abeel Avenue. http://www.greenwichchamber.org South Glens Falls Parade, 6 p.m. The parade will start at the corner of Haviland and Main Street and continue down Main Street, right on Fifth and into Veterans Park for a brief ceremony. http://www.sgfny.com Stillwater Memorial Day Parade, 6 p.m. March from Hudson Avenue along Route 4. http://villageofstillwaterny.org SATURDAY Ballston Spa Memorial Day Parade, 9 a.m. Process down Milton Avenue with wreath ceremony over Kayaderosseras, followed by ceremony at Low Street. http://www.ballston.org Lake George Memorial Day Parade. 11:30 a.m. The line will form on Westbrook Road, head north on Canada Street to Shepard Park. MONDAY Albany Memorial Day Parade, 9 a.m. The annual march steps off at Ontario Street and Central Avenue, proceeds east on Central Avenue to Washington Avenue and ends at North Hawk Street, just east of the state Capitol. A viewing stand will be at the State Education building, Washington Avenue. http://www.albany.org Bethlehem Memorial Day Parade, 11 a.m. Steps off from the Nathaniel Adams Blanchard Post No. 1040 on West Poplar Drive and heads down Elsmere Avenue to Kenwood Avenue and over to Delaware Avenue, concluding at Bethlehem Veterans Memorial Park where there will be a flag-raising ceremony, prayer service, Taps and the National Anthem. http://www.townofbethlehem.org Castleton Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. This year's event will march from the corner of Boltwood and Seaman avenues and conclude with ceremonies at the Mountain View Cemetery. http://www.castleton-on-hudson.org Glens Falls' 150th Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. The parade steps off at the Civil War Monument on Glen Street and proceeds to the Crandall Park Pond. http://cityofglensfalls.com Hoosick Falls Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. The parade steps off at Main and Church Streets and proceeds to Wood Memorial Park where a service will be held. http://www.villageofhoosickfalls.com Memorial Day Observance, Oakwood Cemetery, 186 Oakwood Avenue, Troy. 4 p.m. Music by Army Ground Forces Band, echo taps, and Keynote Speaker Rear Admiral Charles Harr. http://historicoakwoodcemetery.org Lansingburgh Memorial Day Parade, 11 a.m. Parade begins at 123rd Street, heads south on Fifth Avenue, turns on 115th Street to Second Avenue. The reviewing stand will be on the east side of Second Avenue in front of Standard Manufacturing Co. The Honorary Grand Marshal is Gord Romard. http://www.rensco.com North Greenbush Memorial Day Parade, 1:30 p.m. The parade begins and ends at the North Greenbush Town Hall, Douglas Street. http://www.townofng.com Watervliet Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. The parade proceeds from the Watervliet High School parking lot to 19th Street, east to Second Avenue, south to 16th Street and ends at the Veterans Memorial Park with a memorial service. http://www.watervliet.com Wreath Laying, noon, West Albany Memorial Park, Fairfield Avenue, Colonie. The 17th-annual wreath-laying event is hosted by the West Albany Italian Benevolent Society and Ladies Auxiliary. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany Funerals are planned this week for an Albany man and Schenectady woman who died in a crash early Friday just west of Thruway Exit 24 The driver of the 1992 Honda Accord, Robert Frechette, 25, died at the scene of the 2 a.m. crash and his passenger, Kelsey Shagalski, 26, died after being rushed to Albany Medical Center Hospital, State Police said. Troopers said the sedan was eastbound near New Karner Road when it drifted off the north shoulder of the highway and hit a guardrail and sign post. State Police said more information will be available this week on the crash. Frechette's obituary said he will be remembered for his love of fishing and hunting with his father, going to concerts and festivals and his spontaneity. He was predeceased by his father, Robert J. Frechette, and is survived by his mother, Christine Frechette, and three sisters, Nicole, Rachel and Katie Frechette. The New Comer Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Road, Albany, is handling funeral arrangements for both. Calling hours for Frechette will be 5-7 p.m. Wednesday. A Mass of Christian burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Blessed Sacrament Church, 607 Central Ave., Albany. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Glenmont. Shagalski's obituary said her "unique quality being unapologetically herself was admired by all" and she was a music enthusiast who loved animals. She is survived by her parents, Linda and John Shagalski, her sister, Jessica and brother, Michael. Calling hours for Shagalski will be 3-8 p.m. Tuesday The funeral is 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Donations in her name may be made to Steve Caporizzo's Pet Connection, 341 Northern Blvd., Albany, NY 12204. Troy Three telephone calls between Gabriel "Gabe" Vega and his girlfriend in 2015 were in dispute Monday at Vega's Rensselaer County Court trial for allegedly killing his pregnant former girlfriend. The three calls one in English and two in Spanish could potentially damage Vega's defense. Portions of the call transcripts read by Assistant District Attorney Andrew Botts seem to imply that Vega was attempting to get Kim Virola to take responsibility for the death of Vanessa Milligan on April 3, 2014, and not cooperate with the prosecution. Vega reminded Virola in a Nov. 21, 2015, call that the district attorney's office granted her immunity in return for testifying before the grand jury that indicted him on second-degree murder, second-degree arson, third-degree arson and first-degree abortion charges. "Are you going to keep your word? Well, just see you keep your word," Vega told her in the call, according to the transcript read by Botts. Defense attorney Frederick Rench argued that the call and two calls in June 2015 should not be admitted because he received them after the trial had begun. Rench said he would have changed his questions for potential jurors and his opening argument in which he said Virola was one of two witnesses he would question strongly. County Court Judge Andrew Ceresia reserved decision on whether to permit the calls. Virola is expected to be called as a prosecution witness Tuesday. Botts said the prosecution first became aware of the calls from the Rensselaer County Jail on Monday, May 16. He said the information was turned over to Rench. Botts said the prosecution did not identify the calls until it was able to verify them by reviewing Vega's calls to his mother. Vega, 20, is on trial for the April 3, 2014, death of Vanessa Milligan in her apartment at 271 Fifth Ave. kcrowe@timesunion.com A Greenfield contractor allegedly pocketed $14,300 before abandoning work on an Amsterdam homeowner's back deck and patio, State Police said. Michael P. Kilinski Jr., 43, was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree scheming to defraud, a felony. The deck and patio belonged to a resident in the Town of Amsterdam, who contracted Kilinski in April last year, troopers said. The homeowner paid Kilinski $14,300, half of the agreed-upon cost, before he would begin working. State Police said Kilinski began working but exceeded the completion date he provided. "Eventually Kilinski never returned to complete the work," State Police said. The homeowner requested a refund of her money last August, according to a police report. Kilinski is due back in the Town of Amsterdam Court June 9. Where do you want to live? I cant think of a more incredible place. I know that with our travels, the use of the media (television, radio, newsprint, magazines), social media and even conversations yes, old school communication! We have all seen parts of the world other than Carlisle and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. A lot of us like to escape to tropical locales and sip on sweet and cool drinks, while others seek cultural experiences. Our world is vast and varied. And our access to it keeps expanding every day. So why when the Pomp and Circumstance March #1 in D by Sir Edward Elgar begins to play, why do so many high school students look to seek greener pastures with their educational opportunities? If they go onto earn a degree or enter the military, then the potential is there for us to lose them as residents of our area forever only to return for visits. In our business community, we are all familiar with our low unemployment rate, lack of housing for low- to middle income employees and the number of employers that are seeking employees to fill their open positions. Many of the articles in this periodical over its few short months of existence have discussed this very issue. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industrys Workforce Summit. One of the main focal areas of the program was the release to the 2016 Susquehanna Polling and Research Workforce survey. This survey was compared to the 2013 survey. This yes, the survey polled 428 Commonwealth employers in April 2016, spanning over 16 industries. What did they find companies are still struggling to find qualified employees with the right skill set, training and education. A combined 52% of employers said that recruiting qualified candidates is very or extremely difficult. And 57% think that it will become more difficult in the next five years. Most of the employers are having difficulty filling technical/skilled trade jobs. They are seeking employees that exhibit logical thinking problem solving skills, strong verbal communication skills, reading comprehension and basic math skills. The hope is also to cut down on lost productivity due to retraining employees each year 69% of the respondents lose 51-500 hours per year. The companies that are succeeding even with these challenges are focusing on training and workforce development efforts. Those that arent are struggling. So where does your company fall? How do we keep those bright young graduating high school students in our area for years to come and encourage them to work in technical or skilled trade field? All of our area school districts are working with their students to encourage them to look at all area businesses and find a career that meshes well with their future goals. The Carlisle Area School District has a strong and thriving Center for Careers and Technology, which offers its students nine different career fields and four different elective tracks. Many community leaders serve as advisers to each of these programs and work with the district sharing their expertise, so that the students can transition smoothly into internships, job shadowing possibilities and careers. The Big Spring School District has developed an entrepreneur track for their students. It is a four year program that encourages students to work as a team with their fellow classmates, develop an idea, create a product or opportunity, learn how to successfully develop their concept through funding and marketing and possibly develop a new business that creates jobs for our area. Through encouragement of our students through strong curriculum at our area districts, it makes me feel more comfortable in knowing that even though there are many exciting and beautiful places in our world, there is no place like home. We need to keep listening to our employers and working with our schools to ensure that our employers needs are being met. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Cairo Egypt sent a submarine Sunday to join the hunt for the flight recorders from the EgyptAir jetliner that crashed in the Mediterranean and killed all 66 people aboard, while hundreds of Coptic Christian mourners filled a church in Cairo to pray for their relatives among the dead. Mounting evidence pointed to a sudden and dramatic catastrophe that led to Thursday's crash of Flight 804 from Paris to Cairo, although Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said it "will take time" to establish what happened aboard the Airbus A320. In his first public comments since the crash, el-Sissi cautioned against premature speculation. "It is very, very important to us to establish the circumstances that led to the crash of that aircraft," el-Sissi said in remarks broadcast live on Egyptian TV. "There is not one scenario that we can exclusively subscribe to. ... All scenarios are possible." A submarine belonging to the Oil Ministry was headed to the site about 180 miles north of the Egyptian port of Alexandria to join the search, el-Sissi said. The vessel can operate at a depth of 9,800 feet, he said. After starting his comments with a minute of silence to remember the victims, he thanked the nations that have joined Egyptian ships and aircraft in the search. Beside Egypt, ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece and the United States are taking part in the search for the debris from the aircraft, including its flight data and cockpit voice recorders. Some wreckage, including human remains, have been recovered already. Egypt's aviation industry has been under international scrutiny since Oct. 31, when a Russian Airbus A321 traveling to St. Petersburg from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh crashed in the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people aboard. Russia said the crash was caused by a bomb planted on the plane, and the local branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility, citing Moscow's involvement in Syria. Thursday's crash will further damage Egypt's tourism industry, already reeling from years of political turmoil. The nation of 90 million people has been in crisis after crisis since a popular 2011 uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Since then, it has seen a dramatic surge in attacks by Islamic militants, bouts of deadly unrest, a battered economy and the steady decline in the value of its currency. El-Sissi spoke a day after the leak of flight data indicated a sensor detected smoke in a lavatory and a fault in two of the plane's cockpit windows in the final moments of the flight. The data was published by The Aviation Herald. On May 23, 1934, hundreds of people gathered around a stolen Ford Deluxe that had just been riddled with bullets near Bienville Parish, La. Inside, covered in blood, were the bodies of wanted outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. In early 1932, the duo began a crime spree that grabbed the attention of federal agents after they had managed to escape police in Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico. The couple was suspected in 13 murders as well as numerous burglaries and bank robberies. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Hanoi, Vietnam Officially, the top world leaders who gather Thursday at the Group of 7 summit meeting will talk about shared concerns, like global trade or the Islamic State. But their private discussions are likely to cover a topic that is not on the agenda: Donald J. Trump. President Barack Obama now hears questions in his meetings with world leaders about whether Trump has a realistic shot at becoming president. For months, Obama has answered those questions with an emphatic "no." "I continue to believe Mr. Trump will not be president," Obama said in February at the end of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit meeting in California. But this week's summit meeting in Japan is the first among major allies since Trump moved decisively toward securing the Republican nomination, and Obama's counterparts are likely to want more detail in his explanations of an election that has prompted fascination and apprehension overseas. Obama's Japanese hosts are particularly alarmed at the prospect of a Trump presidency because the real estate developer has been bashing Japan for decades. Trump's criticisms have a distinctly 1980s flavor, when Japanese cars were flooding U.S. markets and Japanese businesses were buying premier U.S. properties like Rockefeller Center in New York. "You have to see the trade imbalance between Japan and the United States it's unbelievable," Trump said in a recent interview. "They sell to us, and we practically give them back nothing by comparison." He added, "It's a very unfair situation." Trump has criticized the military alliance between Japan and the United States as being one-sided, and he suggested in a March interview that Japan and South Korea should have their own nuclear arsenals so they would be less reliant on the security umbrella provided by the U.S. Hosting an April summit meeting intended to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons, Obama lashed out. "The person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy, nuclear policy or the Korean Peninsula, or the world generally," he said, not mentioning Trump by name. But he acknowledged that foreign leaders had questioned him about the presumptive Republican nominee. "It came up on the sidelines, I've said before, that people pay attention to American elections," Obama said. "Even in those countries that are used to a carnival atmosphere in their own politics want sobriety and clarity when it comes to U.S. elections." More recently, Trump suggested that he would be willing to hold direct negotiations with Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, in yet another challenge to a core Japanese security priority. Trump's March comments led to an almost immediate response from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. "Whoever will become the next president of the United States, the Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy," Abe said. Other Japanese officials have been even more forceful. The first week in May is generally regarded as a holiday in Japan, and top Japanese officials flood Washington for meetings. This year, many of those meetings focused on anxieties over Trump's remarks. At one such meeting, Kenichiro Sasae, Japan's ambassador to the United States, joked that he was looking forward to hearing experts "explain how Emperor Qin Shi Huang built the Great Wall of China and made the Mexicans pay for it," a reference to Trump's promise to build a wall at the Mexican border at Mexico's expense. In a more serious vein, Sasae said he was disappointed by the isolationism expressed by some presidential candidates, another clear reference to Trump. "I don't want to see that kind of United States," Sasae said. "I know that you know there has to be a debate about how to make the United States this strong, but the question is not whether you can be strong without a proper role in the rest of the world." At another recent meeting, Itsunori Onodera, a former defense minister and a member of the Japanese House of Representatives, gave a lengthy list of what he characterized as Trump's misstatements. "I don't think there are any Trump supporters present here," he joked. Onodera emphasized the ways that Japan supported Washington's priorities in the region and helped pay U.S. expenses. "Nothing is more important than the stability of East Asia," he said. "We don't want the U.S. political leaders to send out the wrong message." Even so, some Japanese officials have been concerned that the Obama administration is too solicitous of China, Tokyo's great Asian rival. "Whatever concerns there were about the Obama administration sometimes tilting toward China, those have been overwhelmed with what Trump is saying about Japan and our alliances," said Michael J. Green, who served as a senior adviser on Asia during the George W. Bush administration. "They're really worried." In private conversations, Japanese officials have said their only solace is that Trump is even more critical of China than he is of Japan. Obama has himself insisted that allies share more of the burdens of military efforts in places like Libya and Syria. As the end of the 2015-16 fiscal year quickly approaches, the topic of the state budget continues to dominate the conversation in the state Capitol building. And along with the debate about whether new taxes should be generated and what the final spending number should be, the question over how much to spend on education funding is sure to play a significant role in budget negotiations. Most people will agree that having a high quality educational system is in everyones best interest. But we need to have an honest conversation about how to go about making sure our students are getting the most out of our investment. Simply throwing more money at the issue, without looking at growing cost-drivers and the effectiveness of programs, isnt a responsible solution and doesnt guarantee that students will be better off. In fact, Pennsylvania already has a strong record of funding education. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, PA ranks among the top 10 in the nation for overall K-12 per-pupil spending, and is above the national average in state-specific K-12 education spending. What tends to get lost in the conversation over how much to spend on education is the role of teachers, which are an integral part of the educational experience and it is tremendously important to attract and retain high quality educators. Pennsylvania has some of the highest average teacher salaries, and the best teacher-to-student ratios in the nation. In fact, a recent university study cited Pennsylvania as the top state to teach in the country. Clearly, when viewed in a national context, Pennsylvania is not suffering from a lack of tax dollars going toward education. What we are suffering from is the ability to ensure those tax dollars are going where they are needed the most the classroom. Thats why pension reform is so critically important. According to the governors budget office, the combined unfunded liability of the Public School Employees Retirement System and the State Employees Retirement System is expected to balloon to more than $58 billion this year. This debt is impacting the budgets of both the Commonwealth and school districts across the state requiring more money each year to go towards pension obligation payments and diverting funding away from the classroom and other important state programs. According to PSERS, total employer contributions meaning the combined amount both the state and school districts must pay in pension obligations are expected to cost more than $4 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. That figure doesnt even take into account the portion the state must pay next fiscal year to cover the SERS pension payment. And these costs will only increase each year unless we address the problem now. Comprehensive, structural reforms will keep the pension systems sustainable and ensure that more tax dollars can be directed toward student achievement. Pension reform isnt all that needs to be done to improve our public educational system. Recently the legislature passed H.B. 805, important legislation that would have helped keep quality teachers in the classroom. Under current law, school districts hands are tied when faced with the unfortunate situation of having to furlough teachers, as seniority is the only factor in determining which teachers should be let go. As a result, gifted educators have been forced to leave the classroom, while teachers who are proven to be less effective are able to keep their jobs. Not only does this hurt teachers who are let go from a job they love, it hurts the students who gained inspiration from those teachers. Unfortunately, the governor chose to veto this important education reform. Republican legislative leaders have since said that this proposal will be brought up during budget negotiations and could be tied to the administrations request for more education dollars. The PA Chamber issued a statement expressing our disappointment in the governors action. The antiquated practice of last in, first out conflicts with the time-honored principles of workplace management and optimizing workforce talent. In the private sector, an employees effectiveness and work product are taken into account for human resource decisions. There is no reason why the same principles shouldnt be applied to basic education. If we want to ensure that every Pennsylvania student has the opportunity to obtain a high quality education, we need to make sure that the best, most qualified teachers are in the classroom. As the budget process continues, the PA Chamber will continue to advocate for this common sense reform as well as for a responsible spending plan that protects taxpayers and addresses the pension crisis. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy There's a lot of news out there, a great deal of it about celebrities and most of it is worthless. Kylie Jenner and Tyga's purported sex tape, Donald Trump, whatever fills the most of the air time on "Good Morning America." What Ira Glass, creator of the vaunted NPR series "This American Life" (henceforth referred to as "TAL") hones in on when it comes to news is one simple question: How do you make stories about regular people? The simple answer was, "As long as there's a beginning, middle and end, it'll work." The more complex answer was the fulcrum behind Glass' entertaining remarks, titled "Reinventing Radio" and delivered through an effective combination of spoken word and "TAL" excerpts pulled up on a tablet Sunday at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. More Information Review Ira Glass When: 3 p.m. Sunday Where: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, 30 Second St., Troy The crowd: Nearly sold out, ranging from late-20s to seniors See More Collapse A semiotics major at Brown University, Glass looks at journalism as a plot-driven method of communication with a broader audience. This is what "TAL" does weekly with its thematic episodes, each designed to imbue the listener with four feelings: surprise, amusement, pleasure and discovery. Glass sees the approach of mainstream talking heads like Wolf Blitzer and George Stephanopoulos as "selling a kind of gravitas, which does not include being amused," as a "failure of craft" that leaves a smaller picture of our world. In contrast, Glass pulled up "TAL" clips where reporter Sarah Koenig laughs out of awkward tension when she sees the way a tree fell through a flood victim's house and a piece of a post-9/11 episode with a deliriously tickled reporter interviewing a young woman on a U.S. aircraft carrier whose job is to fill the vessel's vending machine. These aren't the type of stories and reactions one gets on a television news, but in the "TAL" format, they humanize both reporter and subject, making both more relatable. While a bit on a musical episode directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, pre-"Hamilton," was more self-aggrandizing over discovering Broadway's star du jour than an exhibition of the artistic freedom "TAL" has, Glass' repurposing of a story he told in Troy during a 2012 visit served as the best example of using the stories of regular people to express a universal message. In this alternately terrifying and darkly comedic piece, a New Zealand woman discusses being mauled by a shark when she was 14 and her parents' pooh-poohing her legitimate medical emergency as whining behavior. The point? To remind the listener of the universal feeling teenagers have when an adult doesn't believe them. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. After wrapping up with a story about Iraqis living in ISIS-run Mosul centered on simply living there day-to-day, Glass closed with an artful statement of how the immediacy of radio, working in conjunction with a people-driven narrative, helps to both pull you in and broaden your view of the world: "It brings you in so close you think, 'That might be me.' " Jim Shahen Jr. is a frequent contributor to the Times Union. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Memorial Day events continue this week, culminating with parades and other events over the long weekend. On Wednesday, Scotia's Memorial Day Parade begins at 6:15 p.m. Mohawk Avenue (Route 5) will be closed to traffic from 5-8 p.m. Traffic will be rerouted at each end. For details, go to https://www.villageofscotia.org/events/memorial-day-parade/ Also Wednesday, Colonie's Memorial Day ceremony begins at 6 p.m. with a tribute to Vietnam-era veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War at the town of Colonie Veterans Memorial at The Crossings. Here's the rest of the week: THURSDAY, May 26 Cohoes Memorial Day Parade, West End Park, Cohoes. 6:30 p.m. Move east along Columbia Street, north along Remsen Street to Canal Square, and finish at review stand. http://www.cohoes.com Rotterdam Memorial Day Parade, Curry Road and Warrior-Path Mohonasen High School. 6:30 p.m. Open house at Rotterdam Elks Club. http://rotterdamny.org Saratoga Springs Memorial Day Parade, Union Avenue & Nelson Avenue, Saratoga Springs. May 26, 6:30 p.m. Start at corner of Union & Nelson avenues, continue to Regent Street, and end in Greenridge Cemetary. http://www.saratoga-springs.org FRIDAY, May 27 Greenwich Memorial Day Parade, 6 p.m. Hosted by the Greenwich V.F.W. Post No. 7291 and Greenwich Post 515 American Legion, the parade steps off from the Bridge at Washington Street and marches up to Main Street, to Wilson Street and concludes at the VFW on Abeel Avenue. http://www.greenwichchamber.org South Glens Falls Parade, 6 p.m. The parade will start at the corner of Haviland and Main Street and continue down Main Street, right on Fifth and into Veterans Park for a brief ceremony. http://www.sgfny.com Stillwater Memorial Day Parade, 6 p.m. March from Hudson Avenue along Route 4. http://villageofstillwaterny.org SATURDAY, May 28 Ballston Spa Memorial Day Parade, 9 a.m. Process down Milton Avenue with wreath ceremony over Kayaderosseras, followed by ceremony at Low Street. http://www.ballston.org East Greenbush Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. Parade from Spare Time Bowling to Greenbush Cemetery, 264 Columbia Turnpike or Hays Road Cemetery for memorial services. http://melvinroads1231.org Lake George Memorial Day Parade. 11:30 a.m. The memorial parade will form on Westbrook Road, head north on Canada Street to Shepard Park. SUNDAY, MAY 29 City of Rensselaer Memorial Day Parade, 1 p.m. Opening Ceremonies begin at the corner of Washington and Forbes avenues. The Parade will step off at 2 p.m. from Washington Avenue to Third Street, turning right onto Harrison Avenue, left onto Broadway and left onto Third Avenue ending at Walker Street. http://www.rensselaerny.gov MONDAY, May 30 Albany Memorial Day Parade, 9 a.m. The annual march steps off at Ontario Street and Central Avenue, proceeds east on Central Avenue to Washington Avenue and ends at North Hawk Street, just east of the state Capitol. A viewing stand will be at the State Education building, Washington Avenue. http://www.albany.org Bethlehem Memorial Day Parade, 11 a.m. Steps off from the Nathaniel Adams Blanchard Post No. 1040 on West Poplar Drive and heads down Elsmere Avenue to Kenwood Avenue and Delaware Avenue, concluding at Bethlehem Veterans Memorial Park where there will be a flag-raising ceremony, prayer service, Taps and the National Anthem. http://www.townofbethlehem.org Castleton Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. Begins at the corner of Boltwood and Seaman avenues and concludes with ceremonies at the Mountain View Cemetery. http://www.castleton-on-hudson.org Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony, 11 a.m., 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville. 581-9128. Keynote speaker is Sen. Kathleen Marchione. Glens Falls' 150th Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. The parade steps off at the Civil War Monument on Glen Street and proceeds to the Crandall Park Pond. http://cityofglensfalls.com Hoosick Falls Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. The parade steps off at Main and Church streets and proceeds to Wood Memorial Park where a service will be held. http://www.villageofhoosickfalls.com Memorial Day Observance, Oakwood Cemetery, 186 Oakwood Avenue, Troy. 4 p.m. Music by Army Ground Forces Band, echo Taps and Keynote Speaker Rear Admiral Charles Harr. http://historicoakwoodcemetery.org Lansingburgh Memorial Day Parade, 11 a.m. Parade begins at 123rd Street, heads south on Fifth Avenue, turns on 115th Street to Second Avenue. The reviewing stand will be on the east side of Second Avenue in front of Standard Manufacturing Co. The Honorary Grand Marshal is Gord Romard. http://www.rensco.com North Greenbush Memorial Day Parade, 1:30 p.m. The parade begins and ends at the North Greenbush Town Hall, Douglas Street. http://www.townofng.com Vale Cemetery Memorial Day Service, 10:30 a.m. The 148th annual service will take place at the Veterans area near the State Street entrance. It is a joint effort of many veterans' organizations. Watervliet Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. The parade proceeds from the Watervliet High School parking lot to 19th Street, east to Second Avenue, south to 16th Street and ends at the Veterans Memorial Park with a memorial service. http://www.watervliet.com Wreath laying, noon, West Albany Memorial Park, Fairfield Avenue, Colonie. The 17th annual wreath-laying event is hosted by the West Albany Italian Benevolent Society and Ladies Auxiliary. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany I continue to meet people who, with heads buried deeply in sand, still believe there's no way the guy with the funny hair wins in the end. The country won't go there, they say. He's too unpopular. He has too much baggage. Those people may be proven right. But I've come to a different conclusion. I think Donald J. Trump will be the next president of the United States. More Information Contact Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse Yikes. Those are not words I ever expected to type. I'm no Trumpster. I agreed with U.S. Rep. Peter King, the downstate Republican, when he said Trump is "not fit to be president, morally or intellectually." The man is not worthy of the office. Polls show most Americans agree. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that 24 percent of voters view Trump favorably, while 65 percent view him unfavorably. In a CBS/New York Times poll released last week, just 27 percent of registered voters said he has the right temperament for the presidency, while only 32 found him to be "honest and trustworthy." So the public has accurately summed up Trump. He's P.T. Barnum, but Americans aren't falling for his spiel. In a normal year, those poll numbers would doom Trump. In the modern era, no candidate so unpopular has been nominated by a major party, much less won the presidency. But Trump isn't running in a vacuum. As his good luck would have it, his likely opponent is also deeply flawed and widely loathed. That same Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that just 32 percent of registered voters viewed Hillary Clinton favorably. An equally low percentage found her honest and trustworthy, according to the CBC/New York Times poll. And that's before what is sure to be a bloodbath of a general election, a grim fistfight that will make both candidates even more unpopular. Clinton will rightly call Trump sexist. In turn, he'll gleefully point out her husband's well-documented misogyny and call her an enabler. "She would go after these woman and destroy their lives," Trump said during a recent Oregon rally. "She was an unbelievably nasty, mean enabler, and what she did to a lot of those women was disgraceful." Clinton will cite Trump's frequent trips to Bizarroland his questioning of President Obama's birthplace, his insistence that he saw Muslims celebrating Sept. 11, his posing as a fake Trump publicist named John Miller. "He really didn't want to make a commitment," Trump, pretending to be Miller, told a reporter about Trump's dumping of Marla Maples. "He's coming out of a marriage, and he's starting to do tremendously well financially." That's oddball stuff, folks. But Donald the candidate will point to Hillary's congenital dishonesty and her own bizarre moments, like when she insisted she had dodged sniper fire while exiting a plane in Bosnia. Video shows no such thing. By Election Day, many of us are going to feel like the woman whose Richmond Times-Dispatch obituary said this: Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Faced with the prospect of voting for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Mary Anne Noland of Richmond chose, instead, to pass into the eternal love of God." Forced to choose between two morally deficient and deeply unpopular candidates, voters may go with the guy who is likely to buck the system. Or they may even let actual issues influence their decisions. Donald, of course, has been wildly inconsistent on policy. It'll be hard for Hillary to pin him down. Yet like Bernie Sanders, he has consistently targeted NAFTA, a Clinton-era agreement that lingers as a huge Hillary vulnerability. Trump has called NAFTA "the worst trade deal ever signed in the history of our country it cleaned out vast portions of our manufacturing businesses and more." We can debate whether that's true, but the criticism will resonate in much of the Rust Belt, especially with so many Americans angrily convinced that the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership will bring more dire consequences. Could that anger deliver Ohio, Pennsylvania and perhaps even Michigan to Trump? Winning those states would all but assure him of the White House. Take a deep breath. The country will survive, most likely. I'm sure we've had xenophobic, erratic, unstable, fraudulent and demagogic presidents before. Right? Hello? If nothing else, a Trump presidency should be wildy entertaining, like a terrifying roller-coaster ride that leaves you simultaneously exhilarated and ready to throw up. His four-year term will zip by and he could even get impeached! But please, Clinton supporters, stop pretending you're moving to Canada. We all know it's an empty threat. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill The general contractor for a $23.6 million University at Albany project is one of the nearly two-dozen companies mentioned in the federal subpoena issued to the Cuomo administration in late April. The company, East Syracuse-based Pyramid Network Services, is the general contractor for the Mesonet Initiative, a project supported by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to enable better planning for extreme weather events, according to meeting minutes and a post on the project's Facebook page. The network is to consist of 125 interconnected surface weather stations, which are intended to detect weather patterns and phenomena. It was conceived in the wakes of Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy and Tropical Storm Lee. Pyramid Network Services which lists having six offices nationwide, including in the Syracuse and Albany areas was founded in 2000 as an affiliate of commercial real estate firm Pyramid Brokerage, according to its website. It wasn't immediately clear from state records how much Pyramid Network has been paid by the state, and the company didn't return a request for comment. Asked for comment Sunday afternoon, UAlbany spokesman Karl Luntta said "there was a bidding process (for the work). I don't have the details of the number of companies involved." In 2014, in response to an open records request by the Syracuse Post-Standard, both UAlbany and the state Homeland Security office blacked out all the numbers that would detail planned spending on the Mesonet Initiative. The agencies' rationale, the paper reported, was that revealing the cost for each part of the system might increase the cost because it "would impair present or imminent contract awards or collective bargaining negotiations." A 2013 filing on the state website Project Sunlight lists a meeting between Pyramid Network's Tom Erwin and an official from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry concerning procuring a state contract. The April federal subpoena asked the Cuomo administration for information about any actions six administration officials have taken benefiting the list of nearly two-dozen companies. The State University of New York is tied to other aspects of the investigation by the office of Southern District U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Formerly connected to the state University at Albany, the former College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering has served as the platform for many of the governor's signature economic development projects, and over the past year, SUNY has received federal as well as state subpoenas the latter related to an investigation of possible bid-rigging in the development of a dormitory adjacent to the SUNY Polytechnic Institute campus. Its founding president and CEO is Alain Kaloyeros, who in February stepped down from the two nonprofit development boards that worked on the school's projects. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. And lobbyist Todd Howe, a key figure in Bharara's probe, did extensive work for SUNY Poly though a subsidiary of the Albany firm Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna. The firm has severed ties with Howe, but Whiteman Osterman still represents SUNY Poly, according to state lobbying records. No one has been charged with wrongdoing in the ongoing investigation. In a May 2 letter to all executive agencies, Cuomo's counsel Alphonso David directed them to not "engage in 'lobbying communications' with Mr. Howe, his staff and agents." After it received the subpoena, the Cuomo administration acknowledged that Bharara's investigation, which has been under way for at least a year, raised questions of "improper lobbying and undisclosed conflicts of interest" related to the portfolio of Buffalo Billion projects and related upstate development deals. cbragg@timesunion.com 518-454-5303 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany Tim Pastrick took a leisurely walk along the Albany County Rail Trail last week but he remembers a more harrowing trip down the railway corridor. Pastrick, a former train engineer from Ravena, once drove freight trains on the Delaware & Hudson Railway and recalled one trip to the Port of Albany with a student engineer at the controls. The train carried more than 13,000 tons of coal. As they rode downhill toward the port, they approached the bridge over the Normans Kill a bridge so narrow that a conductor could reach out and touch the bridge's steel beams. The speed limit over the bridge was 5 mph but the student engineer accidently released the brakes and the train rolled over the span at 30 mph. "We basically went on a roller coaster ride," Pastrick said. The air brake needed to recharge before it could be applied again. "We ended up stopping at Green Street" more than a mile past the bridge. Travelers on the rail corridor today are treated to a much smoother ride. About 4 miles of the old rail line have been paved from South Albany to Slingerlands. The path offers walkers and bikers scenic views of the Normans Kill and bright green slopes that shoot off the trail at steep angles. County Executive Daniel McCoy and other leaders will mark the official opening of the newly paved section a 1-mile stretch from Delmar to Slingerlands at a press conference on Monday. Officials will unveil signs for the path, which is formally called the Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail. The remaining 4 or so miles of the rail trail from Slingerlands to Voorheesville are still dirt and gravel, but the county's vision includes paving them. Joe Polito, a Bethlehem resident who jogged down the trail last week, said he likes the quiet solitude of the unpaved section of the path, which many people still use. "My preference is rough trail," Polito said. "It's quieter." Mark King said the paved section of the rail trail is so popular and crowded already that there are plans to put up signs explaining the rules of etiquette so walkers can safely use the trail among bikers and other wheeled travelers. "The usage that we are seeing is really huge," King said. "It really shows that people support this, want this and this is the way to go." Duncan Moore, a Delmar resident, walks to the supermarket each day using the trail and takes the bus home. Some people use the path to commute to their jobs in downtown Albany. "There's no traffic," Moore said. If there is a drawback, it may be the slope that gave those train engineers so much trouble. Bikers and walkers should keep in mind that the trip from Albany to Bethlehem is a slight but relentless trip uphill. ccrowley@timesunion.com 518-454-5348 @townstu http://facebook.com/cathleenFcrowley THE ISSUE: As more Americans come down with the Zika virus, Congress dithers on funding for vaccine research. THE STAKES: Can't lawmakers tell the difference between waste and a public health emergency? More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse Nobody wants the federal government to waste money, but Congress' impulse to dig into the couch cushions every time there's a crisis is hardly prudent in a health emergency. Nor is it fiscally smart, in the case of an emerging threat from the Zika virus, to underfund the effort to find a cure as soon as possible, or to rob from other vital research to cover the cost. But here's the U.S. government, scrounging for funds to deal with Zika while lawmakers haggle over how much the effort really needs, and what other program will have to suffer. Zika, previously confined mainly to Africa, Southeast Asia and islands in the Pacific, showed up last year in Brazil, and by February, the World Health Organization declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Since then, 544 cases have been documented in the United States, 10 of them transmitted sexually and the rest contracted abroad. None so far are believed to have been contracted from mosquito bites in this country, but public health officials worry it is only a matter of time before the insects, the usual vectors for the virus, begin to carry it here. While the symptoms are relatively mild in adults, Zika can cause microcephaly a birth defect where a baby's head, and often the brain, are smaller than normal, which can bring with it a host of physical and cognitive problems requiring lifelong care. The Centers for Disease Control has so far counted 157 pregnant American women with the disease, and 122 in U.S. territories. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Consider the reaction to the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014 that infected all of four people in this country. Some politicians were in a state of near hysteria, calling for travel bans and forced quarantines. On Zika, Congress seems positively laid-back, squabbling for three months so far over the Obama administration's request for $1.9 billion in emergency funding. Trying to come up with a vaccine, the CDC has been forced to transfer millions of dollars from other disease research and local emergency programs, and the administration has pulled $600 million that was to be used for, among other things, Ebola flare-ups in West Africa. While a Congress that has no problem wasting millions on politically motivated investigations and pork barrel projects is looking for loose change by turning pockets inside-out, it might consider this math: At an estimate of $10 million for lifetime care of a brain-damaged person, the funding request equals about 190 Zika babies. Congress can save the money now, of course and still have the same problem, still have unknown numbers of mothers left with a painful choice, and still have untold numbers of severely disabled children. And here's a bit of geography for our lawmakers to consider, too: Zika has appeared in all but six states, and the mosquitoes that carry it are found in all but 11 states. That's got all the makings of a crisis for which every last one of the representatives should expect to be answerable. Charles E. Chuck Righi, Jr. Charles E. Chuck Righi, Jr., age 54, of Carlisle, passed away on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill after battling a lengthy illness. Now hes at peace. He was born April 12, 1962 in Pittsburgh, PA to Charles E. Righi, Sr. of Pittsburgh and the late Maxine E. Mayten Righi. Chuck was a truck driver for the family owned business, Righi Pallet Co. of Newville. He liked to work on all types of cars, but his greatest passion and interest was in classic and older model cars. He is survived by his loving brother, John (and wife Noni) Righi and their two children, Christopher and Dominque of Newville; and especially his Carlisle family. A Celebration of Life Remembrance will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, PA with Rev. Richard L. Reese officiating. There will be a visitation prior to the services from 12 noon until the time of the service. In honor of Chuck, please dress in casual attire. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, PA 17013. To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com [May 23, 2016] Arizona Governor Ducey Signs Bill Ensuring Patient Access to Interchangeable Biologic Medicines The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and Arizona BioIndustry Association (AZBio) commend Governor Doug Ducey for signing critical legislation to create a pathway for the substitution of interchangeable biologic medicines. Governor Ducey signed House Bill 2310 this week, following recent passage in both the Arizona Senate and House. The policies outlined in the bill align with BIO's principles on biologic substitution, therefore BIO and AZBio support this important legislation and are grateful to Governor Ducey for his leadership on this issue. "House Bill 2310 enjoys the support of physicians across Arizona and the country, patient groups, and both innovator biologic and biosimilar manufacturing companies. This bill includes communication on all biologic medicines dispensed in order to maintain a consistent and complete medical record," said Jim Greenwood, BIO's President and Chief Executive Officer. "By signing this bill into law, Governor Ducey has added Arizona to the list of states that allow retail pharmacies to substitute interchangeable biologic medicines." While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees approval of biologic medicines and designation of interchangeability, policies governing whether one product may be substituted in place of a doctor's prescription and whether a pharmacist must inform patients and doctors are covered by state law. House Bill 2310 seeks to properly preserve patient access to accurate prescription information, maintain incentives for innovation and promote a competitive market for biologic therapies. BIO will continue to advocate for full communication in the substitution process, as patients and their physicians should have the right to know what biologic medicine the patient receives from the pharmacy. "We're pleased to see Arizona adopting policies that not only support a growing industry in our state, but more importantly allow patients access to safe and effective therapies when the first interchangeable biologics are approved by the FDA," said Joan Koerber-Walker, President and CEO of AZBio. "As illustrated by the testimony of the patients and physicians that we had the honor of working with as HB 2310 made its way through the legislative process, this will provide patients with more opportunities to address their unmet medical needs, particularly severely ill patients who rely on cutting-edge medical treatments." While the FDA recently approved the biosimilar product for sale in the U.S., the agency continues to develop a pathway for the development and approval of safe and effective interchangeable biologic products. However, there is still a major role for states to play in ensuring communication of substitution occurs and physicians remain engaged in the process. "Interchangeable biologics are not generics. Even slight changes to a biologic drug can change its properties entirely," said Greenwood. "Unlike conventional generic medicines, interchangeable biologics are not the same as the drugs they seek to substitute. In fact, two biologics made using different cell lines and differing manufacturing processes will rarely, if ever, be exactly the same. Those suggesting interchangeable biologics and generics are the same are wrong." Patients and physicians managing chronic conditions are generally aware of which biologic treatments work best in their unique circumstances. Communicating with patients and physicians allows everyone involved the opportunity to discuss past treatment experiences so that any possible unexpected issues can be better understood and avoided. "On behalf of the life science researchers, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and patient partners that work together to make life better for patients and their families across Arizona, we thank Governor Ducey for signing this important bill into law, thank Representative Regina Cobb, DDS for her leadership in sponsoring HB 2310 and thank Senator Nancy Barto in sponsoring the amendment that enabled this important bill to move forward in the Senate," said Koerber-Walker. "We also greatly appreciate Representative Eric Meyer, MD and Representative Randall Friese, MD for sharing their support and insights with their fellow members so that the needs of the patients and their physicians were clearly understood and carefully considered. The hard work of these leaders, separately and together, resulted in strong, bipartisan support in both chambers. HB 2310 is a great example of how we can all work together to do the right thing for the people of Arizona." About BIO BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIO produces BIOtechNOW, an online portal and monthly newsletter chronicling "innovations transforming our world." Subscribe to BIOtechNOW. Upcoming BIO Events BIO International Convention June 6-9, 2016 San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) BIO Investor Forum October 18-19, 2016 San Francisco, CA View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523006507/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Festival Foods Automates Key Processes as Part of Company's Growth Initiative SAN DIEGO, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BP Logix, provider of BPM solutions for rapid workflow app development, today announced that it has been selected by Festival Foods to automate and streamline core processes. With a mission to become Wisconsin's leading and most innovative grocer, Festival Foods selected BP Logix and its business process management software to address needs ranging from inventory and purchase order reconciliation to procurement and onboarding. Festival Foods is a family- and employee-owned company operating 22 full-service, state-of-the-art supermarkets, as well as Sentry Foods in Paddock Lake, Wisconsin. Founded in 1946 as a Skogen's IGA, the company began operating as Festival Foods in 1990. Currently employing 5,850 full- and part-time associates, Festival Foods will be opening new stores in Green Bay, Menasha and Somers, Wisconsin in 2016. A culture-driven company, Festival Foods is committed to building relationships with guests and associates, serving communities, providing excellent service and investing in its associates. Mike Nomland is the Director of Information Technology for Festival Foods; he and his staff support the technology needs of the growing chain. While Festival Foods has long enjoyed a reputation for outstanding customer service, many of its back office processes were still manual and vulnerable to human error. One of those processs involved receiving groceries, scanning invoices and reconciling what was received with the invoices. That process, which was core to business operations, sometimes required reconciliation and correction downstream. Seeking to ensure consistent results, Nomland identified the need for the next generation solution. It needed to be: 1) Automated, 2) Scalable, 3) Efficient and 4) Able to be standardized across all stores. "Rather than build a solution in-house, we wanted to automate the workflow and standardize our process. In that way IT could continue to work on longer-term, visionary projects," observed Nomland. After completing a four month review of available solutions, and with the goal of consistency and accuracy, Nomland recommended implementing a BPM solution. After demos and a deep dive, Process Director was selected. Currently rolling out the company's first process, Nomland is looking ahead to other processes such as onboarding, procurement, tying into equipment providers and contract management. "We didn't want to hire a bunch of developers to queue up requests. We wanted a solution we could drive to the business users and avoid the IT backlog. Process Director is not a one-off solution. It can be used for anything you can put your imagination to," Nomland stated. "Assisting forward-looking companies that understand customer engagement is a pleasure," commented Jay O'Brien, CEO of BP Logix. "It is providing value and understanding how to deliver that value to customers that differentiates companies like Festival Foods." About BP Logix BP Logix unites IT and business users enabling them to deploy sophisticated, form-based, workflow-driven enterprise apps in a fraction of the time and a fraction of the cost of traditional development. Our award-winning business process management (BPM) software powers workflow-driven solutions that cross organizational boundaries, embracing the C-suite, operations, sales, customers and prospects. Customers including Abbott Labs, the City of West Allis, DuPont, IDEX, Leo Burnett USA, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, MultiPlan, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Vulcan Materials Company rely on Process Director's full mobile support; SharePoint, MS Dynamics and MS Office integration, and social media support to build award-winning applications that deliver clear and measurable improvements in productivity, compliance and customer engagement. The BP Logix name and logo are the registered service and trademarks of BP Logix, Inc. Media Contact: Ingrid Andrews CMG Delivers 760-613-2039 [email protected] or Marti Colwell BP Logix 760-643-4121 ext. 3250 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/festival-foods-automates-key-processes-as-part-of-companys-growth-initiative-300272811.html SOURCE BP Logix [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] KEDPLASMA USA Opens 13th Center in the United States KEDPLASMA USA, a Kedrion Biopharma company, has announced the opening of a new plasma collection center in Gastonia, North Carolina. The thirteen thousand square foot facility has the capacity to house 60 collection beds and machines and will employ over 35 individuals in its inaugural year. The Company anticipates additional employment opportunities as the Center grows. The Gastonia facility is a state of the art facility featuring the latest donor management system; Next Gen. Kedrion Biopharma, a multi-national company specializing in the manufacture and distribution of plasma-derived therapies for rare disorders, receives the plasma provided by local Gastonia donors and processes it into vital therapies for such conditions as hemophilia and immune deficiency disorders. The Grand Opening ceremony was held on Monday May 9, 2016 and was attended by local officials, including the Mayor of Gastonia, John Bridgeman, the City Manager, Edward C. Munn, and other city and state officials. Kedrion was represented by Andrea Marcucci, Chairman of the Plasma Business Unit. "We are very proud of our investment in Gastonia," said Marcucci, "This facility will benefit the local community with job opportunities, and provide donors with the opportunity to help others. And the plasma collected here will affect the lives of millions around the world, who rely on the therapies we produce." Chairman Marcucci is a member of the Marcucci family and a principal owner of Kedrion Biopharma. The Gastonia Collection Center opened to the public on May 16, 2016. Current operating days are Monday through Friday with a planned expansion of both operating hours and days over the coming months. Helen Nasser, Managing Director of KEDPLASMA USA, also in attendance, noted, "We are happy to open, this our 13th center, in Gastonia, North Carolina. We welcome the local donors and are excited to be a part of such avibrant and growing community. The city of Gastonia, its leadership and the residents, have been very welcoming and enthusiastic about a new international biotechnology Company of Kedrion's stature investing in its growth and development as an emerging medical market. ABOUT KEDPLASMA USA AND KEDRION KEDPlasma was established in 2004, as a subsidiary of Kedrion Biopharma, and is headquartered in Fort Lee, New Jersey, United States. KEDPlasma's thirteen US collection centers are located in Alabama, California, Florida, New York, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia and employ more than 500 people. This high quality product is the vital raw material that allows Kedrion Biopharma to produce plasma-derived therapies that treat and prevent serious diseases and conditions such as hemophilia, immune system deficiencies and Rh sensitization. Headquartered in Tuscany, Italy, Kedrion Biopharma has a market presence in about 100 countries. In the field of plasma derivatives, the company is the world's 5th most important player in terms of revenues. Its largest and fastest growing market is the United States, where it has established US headquarters in Fort Lee, NJ. Italy is its next most important market, followed by Turkey, Mexico and Russia. In 2014, Kedrion's gross revenues reached more than 466.3 million Euros (more than $508 million, nearly $175 million in the US alone). The company employs 2200 people worldwide. Kedrion acts as a vital bridge; a connection between donors and recipients and operates on a global scale with the aim of expanding patients' access to available treatments. Kedrion places a high value not only on the welfare of those who benefit from its products but also on the people and communities where it operates. Following a vertically integrated business model, Kedrion manages the entire plasma transformation cycle from supply and production to distribution. In Italy, Kedrion is one of the partners of the National Health Service and collaborates in pursuing self-sufficiency in the development and supply of plasma-derived medicinal products. The company's goal is to foster self-sufficiency of plasma-derived therapies worldwide and to bring healthier and less restricted lives to people everywhere who suffer from rare disorders. Kedrion has five production plants: three in Italy (a new plant in Castelvecchio Pascoli, which is nearing completion, and one in Bolognana, both in the province of Lucca, and one in Sant'Antimo, Naples); one in Hungary (Godollo, Budapest); and one in the United States (Melville, NY). A facility in Siena, Tuscany, specializes in research and development of orphan drugs. KEDPlasma currently operates Thirteen plasma collection centers in the United States, four centers in Germany and four centers in Hungary, with all centers having approval by European authorities and/or the US Food and Drug Administration. The company's collection center in Buffalo, New York is specialized in collecting hyper-immune Anti-D human plasma for the manufacture of an Anti-D immunoglobulin pharmaceutical product for the prevention of Rh Sensitization. State-of-the-art production facilities producing a wide range of products and an unwavering commitment to research and development are the key factors of Kedrion's success. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523006186/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Launch of Makeronly.com in India - Business Event to Identify Ways to Promote Commerce in China GHAZIABAD, India, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More Than 100 Business Leaders Attended the Mega Event to Initiate and Channelize the Dialogues on Ways to Strengthen Business Ties With China To train the spotlight on the finer nuances of doing business with China, ACN Globiz Solutions organized a business event attended by high level business delegates from Shandong Province, China and over 100 business leaders and heads from respective Indian companies; wherein they launched a new business E-platform Makeronly.com(M2B), manufacturer to buyer in India. The idea is to offer a platform for the end buyers to directly interact and deal with manufacturers without the need of any middle man. Apart from several Chinese business leaders, key speakers from different industries were also part of the event which was held on 17th May at Hotel Radisson Blu, Ghaziabad. With more than six percent growth rate, the world is looking at India and China, the two Asian countries, as a potential market for future fiscal contrives and investments. However, private and public players of both the countries are now looking for options for mutual growth, wherein they are not just exploring the opportunities for new partnerships but finding ways to strengthen the existing ones. "There is huge potential in Indian and Chinese business that largely remains untapped due to notional fears and information gap. ACN is trying to bridge this gap for global businesses, small or large, and help them set-up businesses in and China," says Ms Chen Yanli, Director of ACN Globiz. For this, ACN Globiz Solutions signed a MoU to launch and promote Makeronly.com - the first cross border M2B (manufacturer to business) platform. The event was attended by senior official of Jinan Commerce Bureau, Inspector Mr Wang Jiayun They emphasized on facilities and incentives provided by Jinan government to Indian businesses and how they can be benefited from attractive and friendly government policies. They said there are lots of misconceptions and these events help to overcome these gaps and attract healthy business growth for both the countries. One of the key focuses of the event was launch of Makeronly.com in India and the MoU signing between ACN Globiz and Makeronly.com. Mr Qin Changling, CEO of Jinan Makeronly Technology Co., Ltd told the media and business leaders, that Makeronly.com is aiming to bring the sourcing directly to the end business users without the middle man, thereby giving the benefits to the manufacturers as well as the buyers. The platform also provides sourcing in a variety of domains from household goods to engineering goods, components, chemicals, electrical/electronics and several other goods. The good part of the event was that all attendees got an opportunity to register as premium members as complementary. "China-India trading has great potential and plenty of opportunities. In 2015, the bilateral trade amount between China and India is 70.80 billion USD. India export to China: 9.69 billion USD, 3.6% of India total export in 2015. India import from China: 61.14 billion USD, 15.6% of India total import in 2015.China is the largest importing country and the fourth largest exporting country of India," added Mr Qin Changling. "We will choose 3000 quality manufacturers of India within one year, and help them to promote products on Makeronly.com. Export Indian products to China and other countries through Makeronly.com," Mr Qin Changling said. ACN Globiz and Makeronly.com have joined hands and plan to promote and spread the reach of the platform across the country through ACN Globiz India's presence. Organizers from the ACN team thanked the attending business leaders and media professionals and closed the event with a Networking Lunch. A special one-on-one session was also organized for interested business parties. About ACN Globiz Solutions Pvt. Ltd. ACN Globiz is a business management consulting and advisory firm that is aimed at helping global businesses to enter India and China. They have a unique business model to identify investors and help them set-up bases with good incubation and pre-investment strategies. For more details, log on to http://www.acnglobiz.com Media Contact: Abhishek Saran [email protected] +91-9535046900 The PRview [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Progrexion to Provide FICO Scores to Consumers Progrexion, a leader in credit report repair services for consumers in the United States, has announced that it will begin providing FICO Scores to customers of its consumer brands. "By providing FICO Scores, Progrexion is demonstrating why it is the leader in the credit report repair business," said Geoff Smith, vice president for consumer scores at FICO. "When consumers are actively working to repair their credit reports and improve their financial health, it's critically important for them to understand the benchmark lenders use for evaluating creditworthiness, the FICO Score. For too long, consumers receiving something other than a FICO Score have been given the impression that what they're getting is widely used by lenders, when in fact it is not. All consumers, especially those restoring their financial health, deserve to see how banks actually view them. We applaud Progrexion's efforts to provide consumers the best possible experience, including the industry-leading FICO Score." FICO Scores are used in more than 90 percent of U.S. lending decisions, making them by far the most widely used credit scores. They help lenders make decisions about extending credit, including interest rates and other terms. FICO Scores are based on a complex, mathematical assessment of the information in a credit report. They provide an unbiased and proven way to evaluate an individual consumer's credit profile - helping people obtain credit fairly. "As the leading consumer advocate for fair and accurate credit reporting, we are consistently enhancing both the services and information we provide to consumers," said Mike DeVico, president and chief operating officer for Progrexion. "The FICO Score is the best indicator of a consumer's credit standing, as it is the score used by top lenders when making consumer credit decisions. Providing consumers with this valuable information will better position them to improve the quality of their lives. We encourage consumes to be active in understanding and managing their credit profile, and that starts with knowing their FICO Score." Progrexion provides a full range of credit report repair services through CreditRepair.com, its wholly-owned subsidiary, and Lexington Law, an independently-operated law firm. Progrexion's technology and services help people access and better understand their credit reports, and verify whether that information is fair, accurate and substantiated. In the event consumers need help in understanding and addressing issues with their credit profile, they can reach out to Lexington Law or CreditRepair.com for the support they need. About Progrexion Progrexion is the leading provider of credit report repair services in the United States. Progrexion's technology and services help consumers access and understand information contained in their credit reports, verify whether that information is fair, accurate and substantiated, and correct inaccuracies with individual creditors, other data furnishers and the national credit bureaus. Progrexion technology and services are used by CreditRepair.com, its wholly-owned subsidiary, and Lexington Law, an independently-operated law firm. Progrexion has been named by Utah Business Magazine as one of Utah's top 50 fastest growing companies. Learn more at www.progrexion.com. About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956 and based in Silicon Valley, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 165 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time. Learn more at http://www.fico.com. Join the conversation at https://twitter.com/fico and http://www.fico.com/en/blogs/ View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523005372/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] TIAA Names Kathie Andrade as CEO of Retail Financial Services TIAA, a leading financial services provider, today announced the promotion of Kathie Andrade to CEO of Retail Financial Services. She will report directly to TIAA President and CEO Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. and will continue to serve as a member of the executive management team. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523005961/en/ Kathie Andrade, Chief Executive Officer, Retail Financial Services (Photo: Business Wire) In her new role, Andrade will lead the business unit dedicated to individual customers, helping them manage their finances and achieve a lifetime of financial well-being. Her organization offers customized financial advice and a broad set of savings and investment solutions, including education savings, life insurance and banking services. Andrade was previously president of TIAA's Individual Advisory Services. "Kathie's promotion recognizes the excellent work she has done to build Individual Advisory Services and speaks to TIAA's continuing journey to better serve our clients," said Ferguson. "We're thankful for Kathie's leadership and dedicated commitment to customers as she takes the helm of our Retail Financial Services business." As part of her new position, Andrade will be one of five executive leaders collectively responsible for setting the long-term vision for the company. "The world changes constantly, and the needs of our customers continue to evolve," said Andrade. "We speak to people every day who are just starting their careers, celebrating a mlestone like a wedding or a new baby, or enjoying retirement. We use the insights from our deep history with people in the nonprofit world to make sure that TIAA has the products and services that can help them achieve financial success at all stages of their lives. I am thrilled to take on this new role and to lead a talented team dedicated to our mission to serve customers." Andrade succeeds Ed Van Dolsen upon his retirement after three decades of service to TIAA. "I also want to thank Ed Van Dolsen for dedicating his career to TIAA and to our customers," Ferguson said. "In a variety of leadership positions within our organization, Ed helped us better serve the nonprofit community and deliver the outcomes our clients seek throughout their lives in order to live comfortably through retirement." "I am proud of the work we have done on behalf of customers to help them prepare for the future they want to live," said Van Dolsen. "Over the last several months, I have been working closely with Kathie on this transition. She is unmatched in her commitment to our clients, looking out for their future so they can focus on the world around us." Andrade, who joined TIAA in 2008, brings more than 30 years of financial services experience to her new role. She has helped clients build financial well-being while delivering strong results across Individual Advisory Services. In order to meet the evolving and diverse needs of customers across the country, Kathie grew and recruited top talent, expanding the firm's advisory services business and doubling the number of offices nationwide. Christopher Weyrauch, a 24-year veteran of TIAA, succeeds Andrade as the head of TIAA's Individual Advisory Services. He was previously a senior managing director within Individual Advisory Services, where he oversaw the financial advisor team. Before TIAA, Andrade worked for Bank of America and its predecessor organizations for more than 20 years. She held various leadership positions throughout her tenure, including transition leadership roles during Bank of America's acquisitions of Fleet, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust. Throughout her career, Andrade has been a strong advocate for the building and training of diverse organizations, including championing the unique needs of women across their careers and life stages. She was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance in 2015 by American Banker. Kathie also is passionate about education and young people and, as such, she serves on the board of directors for the Providence, Rhode Island, chapter of City Year - a national, nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to provide full-time, targeted intervention for students who are most at risk of dropping out. In addition, Kathie values spending time with her husband, three children and extended family and is a champion for career-life balance in the workplace. Andrade received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from Providence College. About TIAA TIAA (TIAA.org) is a unique financial partner. TIAA offers an award-winning record for consistent performance and is the leading provider of financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural and government fields. TIAA has $861 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2016) and offers a wide range of financial solutions, including investing, banking, advice and guidance, and retirement services. Investment, insurance and annuity products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, are not deposits, are not insured by any federal government agency, are not a condition to any banking service or activity, and may lose value. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Teachers Personal Investors Services, Inc., and Nuveen Securities, LLC, Members FINRA and SIPC, distribute securities products. Annuity contracts and certificates are issued by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) and College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF), New York, NY. Each is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. TIAA products may be subject to market and other risk factors. See the applicable product literature, or visit TIAA.org for details. 2016 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund, New York, NY 10017 C31644 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523005961/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Vincotech Scaled the Amount of 15,000 at PCIM Europe Vincotech, a supplier of module-based solutions for power electronics, arranged a charity boulder activity at the PCIM Europe show supporting Plan International Deutschland e.V. Vincotech's committed partners and its employees both tried to make as many ascents to the top of the 3-meter high boulder wall installed at the PCIM fair booth to support kids schooling in Guatemala. Vincotech promised 20 to Plan International for a tele-education project in Guatemala for every climber reaching the top of the wall. Thanks to their efforts, the company is proud to announce that they reached over 500 climbs during the 3 days of the fair. Vincotech then matched all contributions and a donation of 15.000 was disensed to child welfare organisation Plan International Deutschland e.V. Vincotech stands for a reliable partnership with our customers and business partners. We are also committed to give something back to society through social commitment. Therefore, a firm and sustainable partnership has been formed with Plan International within the last years. We are happy to sponsor aid projects supporting children's rights worldwide and continuously monitor the progress of these projects with great interest," says Eckart Seitter / SVP Sales & Marketing. Vincotech wishes to thank everyone who supported this activity and dared to ascend the top of the boulder wall. To learn more about Vincotech's event, please visit: www.vincotech.com/boulder-activity Vincotech is a trademark of Vincotech Holdings S.a.r.l. ABOUT VINCOTECH Vincotech - an affiliated company within the Mitsubishi (News - Alert) Electric Corporation - develops and manufactures subsystems and electronic components and provides manufacturing services that help customers master complex challenges in electronics integration. Vincotech's extensive portfolio encompasses standard and tailored solutions, engineering services, and technical support for customers worldwide. These products and services contribute to sustainable, environmentally sound solutions that help modern society embrace mega-trends and explore new avenues. With approximately 500 employees worldwide, backed by vast experience and a long history in electronics integration, Vincotech leverages these assets to help customers achieve maximum market success. To learn more about Vincotech, please visit www.vincotech.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523005109/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Loretta B. Lane Loretta B. Lane, 88, of Harrisburg, passed away on Sunday, May 22, 2016, at Community General Osteopathic Hospital, Harrisburg. She was born on Nov. 8, 1927 in Carlisle, and was a daughter of the late Ernest L. and Catherine J. (Calaman) Bowers. She was the widow of Glenn E. Smith, who died in 1968 and Carter B. Lane, who died in 1986. Loretta was a 1945 graduate of Carlisle High School and soon thereafter became the secretary to the Dean at the Dickinson School of Law. She retired after many years as an executive secretary for Nationwide Insurance Co. in Harrisburg. Loretta was a member of St. Lukes United Church of Christ in Malta and formerly attended Grace United Methodist Church, Carlisle and the Trinity United Methodist Church in New Kingstown. She is survived by two sons; Rev. Michael H. (wife, Rev. Anne) Smith of Conway, SC and Scott A. (wife, Ellen) Smith, Marietta, GA, one daughter, Winnie S. (husband, David) Evans of Harrisburg, one sister, Patricia Fry of Newville, 5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, several step grand and great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by one brother, Marlin Bowers and two sisters; Betty Stover and Evelyn Durnin. A viewing will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 27, 2016 followed by the funeral service at 2:00 p.m. in the Ewing Brothers Funeral Home, 630 S. Hanover St, Carlisle, with Rev. Mira Hewlett officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Boiling Springs. Please visit www.Since1853.com to send condolences. [May 22, 2016] CompTIA and STI Education Services Group Link Up to Promote Global Standards in IT Education MANILA, Philippines, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CompTIA, the nonprofit trade association for the global information technology (IT) industry, today welcomed STI Education Services Group, Inc. (STI) to its CompTIA Academy Partner Program. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130107/DC38135LOGO With this collaboration students at STI, one of the largest IT schools in the country, will have the opportunity to graduate with academic degrees and internationally-recognized IT skills certifications from CompTIA. "Our partnership with CompTIA connects STI to a bigger network of IT companies, and that is a recognized edge for our IT students. The more global competency certifications we can offer our students, the better are their chances to find opportunities in the industry," said STI Vice President for Academics Dr. Lloyd Bautista. "This is especially true with the industry-based content that will be integrated in our modules as part of the partnership, which will help our students with the training they will go through under our wing," Dr. Bautista added. "We continue to be open with new prospects to move forward in the eduation we offer in order for us to be consistently up-to-date with the standards of the IT industry." According to CompTIA's 20915 research study International Technology Adoption & Workforce Trends, 76 percent of executives surveyed said technology will be important or very important to their organization's success over the next two years. By combining academic credentials with professional certifications, STI students will be well prepared to join this fast-growing technology workforce. "The IT profession is expanding and workers equipped with the right combination of classroom learning and technical proficiency are in-demand right now," said Dennis Kwok, Asia Pacific Vice President for CompTIA. "CompTIA has the right certification program that will help STI students further their chances of getting a job more easily," Kwok continued. "Whether its cloud computing, mobile technologies, networking, cybersecurity, IT service and support or other mission-critical skills, employers around the world recognize and rely on CompTIA certifications for their technology workers." The CompTIA Academy Partner Program targets schools with IT programs and offers students the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and credentials that they can utilize in the IT industry. This is one of the objectives for collaborating with STI. CompTIA will provide modules that will be aligned with STI's BS Information Technology (BSIT) curriculum. STI students will also be encouraged to take a skills certification exam at discounted rates. Passing the exam will grant the students a certificate from CompTIA that will serve as proof of their competency in the IT field. STI is one of the largest IT schools in the country, teaching over 35,000 students under its IT program. Thus, STI continues to seek new ways to fulfill its pledge of bringing excellence to real life education. More information on STI is available at www.sti.edu. To learn more about CompTIA visit CompTIA online, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. CONTACT: Steven Ostrowski, Director, Corporate Communications, CompTIA, 630-678-8468, [email protected], www.comptia.org [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 22, 2016] Water Softener Market to Grow at 6.98% CAGR Driven by RO Membrane to 2020 PUNE, India, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A key growth driver for water softener market is the purchases made by consumers to complement RO water purification units. Analysts predict the global RO water purifier market to grow at a CAGR of close to 18% during the forecast period. A water softener and an RO water purifier are an effective combination. While the water softener gives soft water for the entire home, RO water purifier enhances the quality of drinking water by removing most impurities including hydrocarbons, cadmium, pesticides, and other. Complete report on water softener market spread across 64 pages, analyzing 5 major companies and providing 44 data exhibits now available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/543838-global-water-softener-market-2016-2020.html The analysts forecast global water softener market to grow at a CAGR of 6.98% during the period 2016-2020. One trend sweeping the water softener market is connectivity-enabled innovations. Home automation is a trend in the home appliances market. The widespread availability of wireless and mobile technologies and the introduction of connected devices and the Internet of things (IoT) have encouraged many users to shift to smart appliances. It is estimated that by 2020, there will be 70 million smart households in Europe and North America, with most household appliances monitored and controlled wirelessly using the Internet. Global Water Softener Market 2016-2020 report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. This report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Water Softener Market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sale of water sofeners for the residential segment. Key players in the global water softener market: Culligan, Ecowater, GE, Whirlpool, and 3M. Other prominent vendors in the market are: Axel Johnson, Canature, Hague Quality Water, Ion Exchange India, and Kenmore. Increased awareness about the benefits of using soft water for daily household chores is driving the global water softener market for the residential segment. Also, rapid urbanization and industrialization in emerging countries are affecting the quality of water. While developed countries have centralized plants for water treatment to remove calcium and magnesium compounds, developing countries are yet to develop such infrastructure. The demand for water softeners will be driven primarily by increased health consciousness, technological innovations in the market, and the emergence of domestic players in smaller markets. Order a copy of Global Water Softener Market 2016-2020 report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=543838 . Further, the water softener market report states that one challenge that could restrict market growth is the availability of alternative technologies for softening water. Another related report is Global Reverse Osmosis Membrane Market 2015-2019, which valued the market at US$1.2 billion in 2014. The growth of the market is mainly driven by the increasing global demand for cheap and efficient water treatment solutions. In 2014, most of the market share was held by the EMEA region. The market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 7.3 percent during the period 2014-2019. Key players in the Global RO Membrane Market: The Dow Chemical Company, Koch Membrane Systems, Nitto Denko Corp and Toray Industries, Inc. Other prominent vendors in the market are: Applied Membranes, GE Water, LG NanoH2O, Membrane Specialists, Nanoasis, PCI Membranes and Pure Aqua. Browse complete report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/365990-global-ro-membrane-market-2015-2019.html . Explore other new reports on Semiconductor and Electronics Market @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/market-research/semiconductor-and-electronics/. About Us: ReportsnReports.com is an online market research reports library of 500,000+ in-depth studies of over 5000 micro markets. Not limited to any one industry, ReportsnReports.com offers research studies on agriculture, energy and power, chemicals, environment, medical devices, healthcare, food and beverages, water, advanced materials and much more. Connect With Us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReportsnReports/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reportsnreports Twitter: https: //twitter.com/marketsreports G+ / Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/111656568937629536321/posts RSS/Feeds: http: //http://www.reportsnreports.com/feed/l-latestreports.xml Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. + 1 888 391 5441 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Broadridge Appoints New Executive Talent to Support Growth of Market Intelligence Capabilities Stephanie Clarke to join Broadridge as SVP of Global Market Intelligence LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR) announces the appointment of Stephanie Clarke to the role of senior vice president of Global Market Intelligence within its Mutual Fund and Retirement Solutions business based in London. Clarke's hire underlines Broadridge's commitment to grow its competitive intelligence business following the acquisition of the Fiduciary Services and Competitive Intelligence Business from Thomson Reuters in 2015. This latest hire focused on Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia is part of Broadridge's strategy to continue developing its analytics and market intelligence solutions for mutual fund manufacturers, ETF issuers and fund administrators globally. Broadridge's intelligence solutions provide financial services firms with critical information to support distribution, product development and sales and marketing through the use of advanced analytics and data visualization. Clarke will work with senior executives, service providers, and distribution teams across the asset management industry to advance the state-of-the-art in data driven intelligence by increasing data granularity, transparency, frequency and market coverage. She will initially focus on expanding the content included in Broadridge's global data analytics products, SalesWatch and FundFile, tracking cross-border and domestic funds and ETFs sold throughout the world. Clarke has over 20 years of experience in investment management industry intelligence, most recently serving as Global Head of Market Intelligence at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager. Before BlackRock, she held research and intelligence leadership roles at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, Mercury Asset Management and Sanwa Bank. "Stephanie Clarke's appointment is a critical element of our strategy to become the world leader in global competitive intelligence," said Dan Cwenar, president of Broadridge's data and analytics business. "Stephanie will work closely with the global asset management community to shape the future direction and development of our content business in new markets. We're delighted she is joining our team." About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is the leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge's investor communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridge's infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes more than $5 trillion in fixed income and equity trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 7,400 full-time associates in 14 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com. Media Contacts: Linda Namias Maggie Nolan Broadridge Financial Solutions Brainerd Communicators, Inc. +1 631-254-7711 +1 212-986-6667 [email protected] [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110920/MM71626LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/broadridge-appoints-new-executive-talent-to-support-growth-of-market-intelligence-capabilities-300272625.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] New Manufacturing Index From Cranfield Reveals That Sector is Undervalued by 50 Billion BEDFORD, England, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research by Cranfield University has suggested that the manufacturing sector's contribution to the UK economy is greater than previously thought. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370380 ) According to the methodology used by the University in its new "Enhanced manufacturing growth index", manufacturing's contribution to the UK economy is worth 208 billion, a 3.3% increase compared to the figures usually quoted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Researchers at Cranfield argue that the Gross Value Added (GVA) of manufacturing makes up around 13.5% of the UK's economy, given the industry's capacity to generate economic growth in areas such as design and support as well as production, compared to the usual 10.2% GVA attributed to the sector. The researchers believe that their new model reflects 21st Century manufacturing practices compared to the traditional model. At a time when domestic manufacturing production is under stress, and with around 20,000 job losses reported in the UK manufacturing sector in the past three months, Professor Rajkumar Roy, Cranfield's Director of Manufacturing, says that the research is significant: "The UK is a manufacturing nation. While current uncertainties are clearly having an impact on the sector, the value of manufacturing to the UK economy has for too long been underestimated. We should not just be safeguarding UK manufacturing; we should be shouting its successes from the rooftops. "UK manufacturing represents half of UK exports and our research shows that our biggest growth areas are currently ships, boats and aircraft. We want everybody to adopt the enhanced manufacturing growth index as a true reflection o the value of UK manufacturing." Cranfield's research was developed with input from a number of experts and the results have been validated by colleagues from the EEF, the industry body for engineering and manufacturing employers. Zach Witton, Deputy Chief Economist for the EEF said: "After traditionally focusing solely on physical production, the business models of many UK manufacturers have evolved in recent years to include a range of other activities, such as product design and ongoing customer service support. Cranfield University's Enhanced manufacturing growth index is a step in the right direction towards better reflecting this shift and all the activities now associated with UK manufacturing." The research has been produced ahead of the National Manufacturing Debate at Cranfield University on 25 May when the UK's Business Minister Anna Soubry will give the keynote opening address. This year's debate will pose the question "How can UK Manufacturing Growth match the best of the G7?" and feature discussion between leading manufacturing professionals from global industries in a range of sectors. Notes to Editors: A full copy of the report on the Enhanced manufacturing growth index is available on request. About Cranfield University Cranfield is an exclusively postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management. About Cranfield Manufacturing We provide world-class and niche research, education, training and consultancy in manufacturing and play a key role in ensuring that the UK remains at the cutting edge of manufacturing research. Cranfield develops global manufacturing leaders through postgraduate courses and executive development programmes. We are unique in our multi-disciplinary approach by bringing together design, technology and management insight. We link fundamental materials research with manufacturing to develop novel technologies and improve the science base of the manufacturing research. We work across Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1-6 and build integrated prototypes and solutions for industry. Research partnerships are undertaken with more than 500 industrial organisations of all sizes and disciplines and industry advisory panels ensure our graduates move from the academic world into the world of work and provide skills the sector needs. Our world-class facilities include the large-scale laboratories for additive layer manufacturing, precision engineering, high temperature coatings and through-life engineering services. About the National Manufacturing Debate The National Manufacturing Debate is an annual event hosted by Cranfield University. It brings together manufacturing professionals to discuss and debate current challenges in the industry. The event encourages networking and collaboration across the sector to enable continued and long-term growth. For further information about this year's National Manufacturing Debate, or to register for this free event, please visit: http://www.national-manufacturing-debate.org.uk For further information, please contact: Media Relations, Cranfield University. T: +44(0)-1234-754999, Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] OpenFin Expands Management Team In London Cecilia Harvey - Director of Account Management; Leigha Ruiz - COO Europe LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenFin, the financial industry's leading provider of HTML5 runtime technology, today announced an expansion of its global management team with two senior appointments in London. Cecilia Harvey joins OpenFin as Director of Account Management. Leigha Ruiz assumes the role of COO Europe. The new appointments will enable OpenFin to scale as it continues its rapid growth with deployments at 44 sell-side firms and over 250 buy-side firms. Harvey was previously chief operating officer for Citi's Markets and Securities Services Technology. Prior to Citi, she was the exotics technology program director at Barclays Capital. Harvey has charted her way in financial services at major firms including Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, Accenture and IBM Consulting. She holds a BA in Political Science from ellesley College. Mazy Dar, CEO of OpenFin, said: "Cecilia brings tremendous experience to OpenFin, having delivered capital markets technology both inside major banks and as a service provider to banks. We are thrilled to have her at OpenFin, leading our engagement with customers in Europe." Ruiz joined OpenFin last year from Electronifie where she was Director of Relationship Management. Prior to Electronifie, she was a Senior Director at Intercontinental Exchange, managing its Risk Reduction and e-Trading services for Credit. Ruiz holds a BA in Economics and a BS in Psychology from UCLA. Chuck Doerr, President and COO of OpenFin, said: "Leigha has been leading our efforts to accelerate deployment of OpenFin at hundreds of banks and buy-side firms. We're excited to have her in London as COO where she will help us to scale our operational capabilities to better serve our customers." About OpenFin OpenFin provides the financial industry's leading runtime for HTML5 applications. Built on Google Chromium and tailored for financial firms, OpenFin is a powerful and secure HTML5 engine that enables seamless deployment, native experience and desktop integration. The world's largest banks and trading platforms use OpenFin to deploy applications both in-house and to over 250 buy-side and over 40 sell-side customers. For more information, please visit www.openfin.co. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/openfin-expands-management-team-in-london-300272803.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan Opens for Fall 2016 MESICK, Mich., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan (HVAM), a tuition-free online public school for Michigan students statewide, has been approved to enroll students in grades K through 8 for the 2015-2016 school year. Authorized by Mesick Consolidated Schools, HVAM plans to add one additional grade per year to ultimately serve students through 12th grade. The school offers a challenging academic program focused on students' unique needs, with a focus on college preparation. HVAM features the award-winning curriculum from K12 Inc., the leading online K12 curriculum provider and an AdvancED-accredited company. Students who enroll will receive an individualized education experience, designed to let students find the learning style that works best for them. HVAM provids courses in language arts/English, math, science, history, world languages, art and music for students in grades K-8. Students use web-based lessons and hands-on instructional materials that are shipped to their home, and are supported by a state-certified teacher. Beginning in the 20172018 school year, HVAM will add a grade level yearly until it is K12. In the future, HVAM will offer an Early/Middle College Program, where high schoolers can earn an associate's degree, a technical certification, or up to 60 transferable college credits. At all grade levels HVAM state-certified teachers provide instruction, guidance and support, and regularly interact with students and parents via email, web-based classrooms, online discussions and phone. Teachers also organize field trips and school activities to give students the opportunity to participate in events that help bring the school community together. Enrollment is now open for Fall 2016. To help parents and children learn more about the program, HVAM will host community information sessions, as well as several online information sessions, throughout the summer. Interested families are encouraged to visit the school's website for details on these upcoming events, as well as more about HVAM and how to enroll. About Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan (HVAM) is a tuition-free online public charter school authorized by Mesick Consolidated Schools that serves students in grades K through 8 throughout the state. As part of the Michigan public school system, HVAM is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the award-winning curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about HVAM, visit hvam.k12.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369440LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/highpoint-virtual-academy-of-michigan-opens-for-fall-2016-300271294.html SOURCE Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Experian Data Breach Resolution and Ponemon Institute study reveals organizations are not doing enough to prevent employee-caused security incidents COSTA MESA, Calif., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Experian Data Breach Resolution and Ponemon Institute today released an industry study revealing that while employee-related security risks are the number-one concern for security professionals, organizations are not taking adequate steps to prevent negligent employee behavior. The study, Managing Insider Risk Through Training & Culture, asked more than 600 individuals at companies that currently have a data protection and privacy training program to weigh in on the topic of negligent and malicious employee behaviors, as well as the consequences of poor security conduct and the effectiveness of training. The study found that more than half (55 percent) of companies surveyed have already experienced a security incident due to a malicious or negligent employee. However, despite investment in employee training and other efforts to reduce careless behavior in the handling of sensitive and confidential information, the majority of companies do not believe that their employees are knowledgeable about the company's security risks. Alarmingly, concern around the issue of employee security risks is not necessarily making companies any more effective at addressing it. Sixty percent of companies surveyed believe that their employees are not knowledgeable or have no knowledge of the company's security risks. Additionally, the study showed a lack of concern by C-suite executives. Only 35 percent of respondents say senior management believes it is a priority that employees are knowledgeable about how data security risks affect their organization. This illustrates a clear gap between companies' awareness of the issues caused by employee negligence and their actions. "Among the many security issues facing companies today, the study emphasizes that the risk of a data breach caused by a simple employee mistake or act of negligence is driving many breaches. Unfortunately, companies continue to experience the consequences of employees either falling victim to cyberattacks or exposing information inadvertently," said Michael Bruemmer, vice president, Experian Data Breach Resolution. "There are several steps that companies should take to better equip their employees with the tools they need to protect company data, including moving beyond simple employee education practices and shifting to a culture of security." Additional key findings from the study: Companies are missing a valuable learning opportunity Only 46 percent of surveyed copanies make training mandatory for all employees. When companies experience a data breach, they have a unique opportunity to re-engage employees around protecting company data. Unfortunately, 60 percent of companies do not require employees to retake security training courses following a data breach, missing a key opportunity to emphasize security best practices. Employee training programs currently fall short The effectiveness of training programs varies greatly, and many are not extensive enough to drive significant behavioral change. Only half of companies agree or strongly agree that current employee education programs actually reduce noncompliant behaviors. Many training programs provide only basic information and are not delivered on a regular basis. Forty-three percent of companies provide only one basic course for all employees, and often these courses don't cover a number of large risks that lead to data breaches. These critical areas are covered in less than half of basic programs: o Phishing and social engineering attacks (49 percent) o Mobile device security (38 percent) o Using cloud services safely (29 percent) Organizations need to foster a culture of security The study found that companies are not currently implementing a number of simple incentives that could encourage positive security behaviors. Of the companies surveyed, 67 percent provide no incentives to employees for being proactive in protecting sensitive information or reporting potential issues. Among those that do provide incentives, only 19 percent provide a financial reward and only 29 percent mention security in performance reviews. Furthermore, the study found that one-third of companies have no consequences if an employee is found to be negligent or responsible for causing a data breach. To access the full complimentary report, Managing Insider Risk Through Training & Culture, visit http://bit.ly/24VNeTM Additional data breach resources, including Webinars, white papers and videos, can be found at http://www.experian.com/databreach. Read the Experian Data Breach Resolution blog by visiting http://www.experian.com/dbblog. About Experian Data Breach Resolution Experian Data Breach Resolution, powered by the nation's largest credit bureau, is a leader in helping businesses prepare for a data breach and mitigate consumer risk following breach incidents. With more than a decade of experience, Experian Data Breach Resolution has successfully serviced some of the largest and highest-profile data breaches in history. The group offers swift and effective incident management, notification, call center support and fraud-resolution services while serving millions of affected consumers with proven credit and identity protection products. In 2015, Experian Data Breach Resolution was named a market leader in the Forrester Research, Inc., report on data breach services. Experian Data Breach Resolution is active with the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the Health Care Compliance Association, the Ponemon Institute RIM Council and is a founding member of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.experian.com/databreach and follow us on Twitter @Experian_DBR. About Experian We are the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to our clients around the world. We help businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. We also help people to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft. In 2015, we were named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Forbes magazine. We employ approximately 17,000 people in 37 countries and our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2016, was US$4.6 billion. To find out more about our company, please visit http://www.experianplc.com or watch our documentary, "Inside Experian." Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370387-INFO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130131/LA51658LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/experian-data-breach-resolution-and-ponemon-institute-study-reveals-organizations-are-not-doing-enough-to-prevent-employee-caused-security-incidents-300272524.html SOURCE Experian [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Commerzbank Selects Infosys to Renew its Investment Banking IT Landscape FRANKFURT, Germany, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys and Commerzbank Will Establish a Domain-based Center of Competence Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, today announced that it has won a five-year contract with Commerzbank, the second largest bank in Germany. As part of this agreement, Infosys will remodel the bank's investment banking IT architecture, optimize IT processes, and evaluate a potential Post-Trade Processing Utility. The Utility would then focus on the clustering of trade processing platforms across various product types. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162) The remodeling of its existing IT architecture provides an even closer alignment with the needs of its investment banking customers. Key Highlights: Both partners will collaboratively establish a domain-based Center of Competence aligned to Commerzbank's business functions within its Corporates and Markets segment Reflecting the Design Thinking ethos, Infosys and Commerzbank will work towards creating a culture of continuous learning and education. Infosys will set-up an exclusive online and physical academy for Commerzbank to enable cross-skilling and continuous learning of both teams Infosys will also help contribute to further streamline the investment bank's IT architecture and consolidate existing systems and applications to service clients better Quotes: Stephan Muller, Group CIO, Commerzbank AG "We are continuously developing the IT at Commerzbank, also on a strategic level, focusing on digitalization of our processes. The collaboration with technology experts is essential for us to stay ahead of the curve in our markets." Mohit Joshi, President and Global Head for Financial Services, Infosys "Financial institutions need every advantage in this hyper-competitive industry, and this partnership will be providing just that. Middle and back office utilities are the future of the financial services industry and this will be one of the first-of-its-kind. Commerzbank is benefitting from the renewal and simplification of its current IT landscape, developing new and radical technologies, and is pursuing new business models to ompete better in an increasingly regulated market." To learn more about how Infosys works with leading financial services organizations, please visit: http://www.infosys.com/industries/financial-services/. About Commerzbank: Commerzbank is a leading international commercial bank with branches and offices in more than 50 countries. With the business areas Private Customers, Mittelstandsbank, Corporates & Markets, and Central & Eastern Europe, its private customers and corporate clients, as well as institutional investors, profit from a comprehensive portfolio of banking and capital market services. Commerzbank finances more than 30 per cent of Germany's foreign trade and is the unchallenged leader in financing for SMEs. With its subsidiaries Comdirect and Poland's M Bank it owns two of the world's most innovative online banks. With 1,050 branches and more than 90 advisory centres for business customers, Commerzbank has one of the densest branch networks among German private banks. In total, Commerzbank boasts more than 16 million private customers, as well as 1 million business and corporate clients. The Bank, which was founded in 1870, is represented at all the world's major stock exchanges. In 2015, it generated gross revenues of EUR 9.8 billion with 51,300 employees. As of December 31, 2015, its total assets amounted to EUR 533 billion. About Infosys Ltd: Infosys is a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services. We enable clients, in more than 50 countries, to stay a step ahead of emerging business trends and outperform the competition. We help them transform and thrive in a changing world by co-creating breakthrough solutions that combine strategic insights and execution excellence. Visit http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY), with US$ 9.2 billion in LTM revenues and 193,000+ employees, is helping enterprises renew themselves while also creating new avenues to generate value. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that the date of this press release is January 14, 2016, and any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law. SOURCE Infosys [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] Flexpoint Sensor's CEO Provides Shareholder Update DRAPER, Utah, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. (FLXT) a maker of innovative "thinking" sensors is pleased to provide a shareholder update for First Half 2016. "Flexpoint is a Company with multiple areas of expansion, progress and growth. We are beginning to receive purchase orders and produce deliverables for multiple long term, large-scale production orders. As a result of this, revenues have dramatically increased for the first half of the year. We look forward to continually generating custom solutions for recognizable cutting-edge technology companies. Customers are starting to realize the value of our products," said Clark Mower, CEO of Flexpoint. "Our execution of our business plan, from a revenue standpoint, is now beginning," continued Mower. Below are some of accomplishments of the First Half of 2016: Strong Increase in Deliverables The company has had numerous significant deliverables during the first half of the year including toys, automotive and five glove manufacturers. Significant Increase in Revenues. Revenues and Total Current Assets Increased 10% for Q1 2016. The company anticipates revenue in Q2 2016 to grow at least 300% over revenues for the first quarter and exceed last years' total of $138,347 . Decrease in Net Loss per Share. Net loss per share remained the same at .01 EPS.The actual dollar amount of the loss decreased 2% for Q1 2016. Largest Deliverable to Automotive During Q2 2016, the company has successfully met key milestones and deliverables associated with a turnkey design/development contract with an automaker and Tier 1 supplier. The company received nearly $65,000 in exchange for the deliverable. Flexpoint is now focused on completing the final phase of the project prior to the commencement of production deployment and widespread system adoption. The final phase is expected to be completed in Q4 2016. The company remains confident that the revenue contribution from this relationship will increase dramatically during 2017, as the project becomes production ready. Increased Production The company has the facilities to produce over twenty million sensors per year. The company anticipates hiring additional machine operators during 2016 to meet the expected increase in demand. About Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. (FLXT) is an innovative technology firm specializing in developing products that feature the Company's patented Bend Sensor and related technology. The Bend Sensor is a groundbreaking sensing solution that is revolutionizing applications in many industries such as sports/fitness, automotive, safety, medical and industrial; some of which can be further categorized in the rapidly growing "wearables" space. The Bend Sensor's single-layer, thin film construction cuts costs and mechanical bulk while introducing a range of functions and stylistic design possibilities that have never before been available in sensing technology. Flexpoint's technology and expertise have been recognized by the world's elite business and academic innovators for over 17 years. The company is setting a new standard for sensing solutions in the "smart" age of technology. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" and involve both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such uncertainties include, among others, certain risks associated with the operation of the company described above. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. Contact Information: Flexpoint Sensor Systems Clark Mower, President 801-568-5111 Brokers and Analysts Chesapeake Group 410-825-3930 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flexpoint-sensors-ceo-provides-shareholder-update-300272815.html SOURCE Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] BMC Nets 5-Star Rating in CRN's Partner Program Guide for Tenth Consecutive Year HOUSTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BMC, the global leader in IT solutions for the digital enterprise, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has given BMC a 5-Star rating in its 2016 Partner Program Guide for the tenth consecutive year. The annual 5-Star Partner Program Guide rating recognizes an elite subset of companies that offer solution providers the best partnering elements in their channel programs. BMC's Partner Advantage channel program is specifically designed to attract, educate, and enable valued channel partners so they can help customers navigate and thrive in the digital economy. The program provides extensive training, incentives, certifications, enablement and joint events to help valued partners create opportunities and deliver results. "The last year has brought a lot of positive change to the BMC Partner Advantage Program especially around partner compensation, certification and badging," said Tim Yario, president, Column Technologies. "These impactful improvementshave deepened our relationship with BMC and have enabled us to prepare our customers for the digital economy and helped fuel our growth". "Solution providers have more choices than ever before when it comes to selecting vendor partners. Identifying the right vendor with the right technologies and the right channel approach can mean the difference between successful adoption of a new technology or business model and an awkward, unnecessarily difficult integration," said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. "Our annual Partner Program Guide and 5-Star ratings recognize the best channel programs available in the market today and serve as a valuable resource for solution providers looking for the right fit." "We're thrilled to be receiving this elite rating for the tenth consecutive year. BMC is committed to the success of our partners, and this rating validates the innovative solutions, programs, support, and training that comprise our distinctive channel program," said Sanjay Gupta, vice president of partner sales for BMC. To determine the 2016 5-Star ratings, The Channel Company's research team assessed each vendor's application based on investments in program offerings, partner profitability, partner training, education and support, marketing programs and resources, sales support, and communication. The 2016 Partner Program Guide will be featured in the April issue of CRN and online at www.CRN.com/ppg2016. About BMC BMC is a global leader in innovative software solutions that enable businesses to transform into digital enterprises for the ultimate competitive advantage. Our Digital Enterprise Management solutions are designed to make digital business fast, seamless, and optimized from mainframe to mobile to cloud and beyond. BMC digital IT transforms 82 percent of the Fortune 500 and serves more than 10,000 customers worldwide. BMC Bring IT to Life BMC, BMC Software, the BMC logo, and the BMC Software logo are the exclusive properties of BMC Software Inc., are registered or pending registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other BMC trademarks, service marks, and logos may be registered or pending registration in the U.S. or in other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright 2016 BMC Software, Inc. Editorial contacts: Tami Casey BMC D: 408.5571.7131 M: 650.293.7219 [email protected] Jenn Zimmer Eastwick Communications D: 415.820.4175 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160111/320997LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bmc-nets-5-star-rating-in-crns-partner-program-guide-for-tenth-consecutive-year-300272788.html SOURCE BMC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] STRINESTOWN The I in I-83 might stand for international relations on one stretch of York County. Northbound drivers between York and Harrisburg can get a glimpse of an unusual billboard tucked between trees on the left-hand side of the road near the Strinestown exit. It calls attention to the USS Liberty, an American ship attacked by Israel in 1967. The words attacked by Israel are prominent on the billboard. It hopes to drive traffic to HonorLibertyVets.org. The website raises questions about Americas closest ally in the Middle East. Another billboard that recently ran in the Midstate focused on the $10 million-a-day America gives Israel. It directed viewers to IfAmericansKnew.org. Alison Weir, a former newspaper editor in Northern California, created the website and placed the billboards. We have given tiny Israel far more of our tax money than weve given to any other country on Earth, said Weir, who said she is neither Jewish nor Palestinian. The billboards caught the attention of state lawmakers. In my humble opinion, its to incite anti-Semitic behavior and thats a shame, Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, said. Grove was one of 14 Pennsylvania legislators to sign a letter denouncing the billboards, saying IfAmericansKnew is trying to incite anti-Israel sentiment within our region. The letter also asked Weir to remove the billboards from Pennsylvania roads, concluding the conversation concerning international diplomacy is the purview of the federal government and states should not interfere. Weir says she put the billboards up in four states to raise awareness. Americans, she says, are uninformed or misinformed about atrocities resulting from the US-Israeli relationship. Shes disturbed by what she calls the mistreatment of Palestinians that is mostly ignored by Americans and American media. She says shes also disturbed that lawmakers would try to silence a healthy discussion on the topic. We all know in our Republic, in a Democracy, its essential that we all get involved in government. If we think there are policies that are misguided, we should very publicly object, Weir said. Its my view that Americans should have the full facts on this issue. This (support for Israel), like any important issue, should be done with the voters authorization and it should be discussed. But Grove said the billboard placement makes no sense. International diplomacy tucked along a highway in York County is the wrong message in the wrong place. I think we need to maintain our ally and our friendship with Israel, Grove said. [May 23, 2016] Lance Wills Joins Toys"R"Us, Inc. As Company's First Executive Vice President, Global Chief Technology Officer WAYNE, N.J., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc., the world's leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, today announced that Lance Wills will join the company as Executive Vice President, Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective June 13. He will report directly to Chairman and CEO Dave Brandon. As CTO, a newly created position within Toys"R"Us, Mr. Wills' responsibilities will span global IT and digital strategy for the company, bridging both data and business operations. In addition to governance and infrastructure, Mr. Wills will oversee end-to-end strategy, design and implementation of the company's digital road map, ensuring the enhancement of the customer experience by creating a seamless approach through all available shopping channels. Phillip Newmoyer, who recently joined Toys"R"Us as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer to lead the IT portion of bringing the company's e-commerce platform in-house, will report to Mr. Wills. "As we work towards creating a world-class customer shopping experience and revolutionizing our digital strategy, we are excited to welcome Lance to this new key role within the organization," said Mr. Branon. "Lance has the talent, experience and leadership qualities that will be instrumental in helping position our IT and digital teams for success in the company's journey to growth." Mr. Wills comes to Toys"R"Us from American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) where he served as Vice President, Global Head of Digital Technology, leading the company's online and in-store technology groups, as well as those of the AEO subsidiary brands. Previously, he served as Vice President, Direct and Omni Channel Technologies at Macy's, Inc. Prior to that, he held various consulting and technology roles within Thomson Reuters (previously Thomson Publishing) in London and San Francisco. Mr. Wills received a Diploma in Information Technology from the Central Institute of Technology in Wellington, New Zealand. FOR MEDIA USE: Download a photo of Lance Wills here: https://toysrus.sharefile.com/d-sf7c3ee65bdb42f59. About Toys"R"Us, Inc. Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 864 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam, and in more than 755 international stores and more than 250 licensed stores in 37 countries and jurisdictions. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com, the company provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Toys"R"Us, Inc. is headquartered in Wayne, NJ, and has an annual workforce of approximately 62,000 employees worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Additional information about Toys"R"Us, Inc. can be found on Toysrusinc.com. Follow Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Toysrus and Facebook.com/Babiesrus and on Twitter at Twitter.com/Toysrus and Twitter.com/Babiesrus. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370764LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lance-wills-joins-toysrus-inc-as-companys-first-executive-vice-president-global-chief-technology-officer-300273061.html SOURCE Toys"R"Us, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] illusive networks' Tracy Pallas Recognized as One of CRN's 2016 Women of the Channel NEW YORK and TEL AVIV, Israel, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- illusive networks, the leader in Deceptions Everywhere cybersecurity, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Tracy Pallas, Vice President of Channel Sales and Strategy to its prestigious 2016 Women of the Channel list. The women executives who comprise this annual list span the IT channel, representing vendors, distributors, solution providers and other organizations that figure prominently in the channel ecosystem. Each is recognized for her outstanding leadership, vision, and unique role in driving channel growth and innovation. CRN editors select the Women of the Channel honorees on the basis of their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise and ongoing dedication to the IT channel. Tracy's expertise lies in building channel go-to-market strategies, focusing on new revenue creation via enablement, business planning and demand generation. Since joining the pioneering startup last year, Tracy successfully launched the company's 100% channel strategy offering an exceptional profitability channel proposition by booking as much revenue through as few partners as possible. "These executives have made a lasting mark on our industrygroing and elevating partner programs, leading transitions to new business models and introducing cutting-edge go-to-market strategies, among other remarkable achievements." said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. "We congratulate all the 2016 Women of the Channel and celebrate their singular contributions to the advancement of the channel ecosystem." The 2016 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/wotc2016. About illusive networks illusive networks is pioneering deception-based cybersecurity with its patent-pending Deceptions Everywhere technology that neutralizes targeted attacks and Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) by creating a deceptive layer across the entire network. By providing an endless source of false information, illusive networks disrupts and detects advanced attacks with real-time forensics and without disruption to business. For more information, please visit www.illusivenetworks.com or follow @illusivenw on Twitter. illusive networks is led by CEO Shlomo Touboul, a proven cybersecurity CEO and entrepreneur. illusive networks was founded by VP R&D Ofer Israeli, Check Point veteran, together with leading cybersecurity foundry Team8. Nadav Zafrir, CEO of Team8 and former Head of the IDF's Intelligence Unit 8200, serves as illusive network's Chairman of the Board. About the Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. The Channel Company logo is a trademark of The Channel Company, LLC (registration pending). All rights reserved. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/illusive-networks-tracy-pallas-recognized-as-one-of-crns-2016-women-of-the-channel-300273067.html SOURCE illusive networks [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] eGlobalTech President, CEO and Founder Sonya Jain Wins Women in Technology Leadership Award ARLINGTON, Va., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonya Jain, President and CEO of eGlobalTech (eGT), has received the Women in Technology (WIT) Leadership Award honoring female professionals who bring unique vision and talent to the technology industry. The 17th annual WIT awards banquet, held on Thursday, May 19, 2016, showcased a stellar slate of corporate, government and entrepreneurial talent as it honored women in the Greater Washington, DC area. The event welcomed more than 500 attendees, celebrating women who connect, lead and succeed in their professional endeavors. Ms. Jain won the WIT award in the corporate mid-market sector category. "I'm incredibly honored to be among the many successful women who were nominated for this award," said Ms. Jain. "Thank you to Women in Technology for creating a platform to recognizeaccomplished women pioneers in our industry." With more than 30 years of experience in information technology (IT) and management consulting, Ms. Jain has led eGT to an established record of high performance and delivering measurable results. Her previous awards include Smart CEO's Future 50 Award, Washington Technology Fast 50, and SmartCEO's Brava! Top Women in Business. About Women in Technology Women in Technology (WIT) is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of advancing women in technology from the classroom to the boardroom by providing advocacy, leadership development, networking, mentoring and technology education. With nearly 1000 members in the Washington, D.C.-area, WIT strives to meet its vision of being the premier organization empowering women to be architects of change in the technology industry. About eGlobalTech eGlobalTech (eGT) is a woman-owned, premier IT solutions, development, cyber security, and management consulting firm based in Arlington, Virginia. eGT specializes in transforming different technologies and developing solutions to meet our client's varying business needs. eGT supports multiple federal customers including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, State, Education, Labor, Energy, Defense, and the General Services Administration. For more information, please visit www.eglobaltech.com. For More Information, Contact: eGT Public Relations/Kristina Steward (571) 224-0807 | [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130509/MM11093LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eglobaltech-president-ceo-and-founder-sonya-jain-wins-women-in-technology-leadership-award-300273219.html SOURCE eGlobalTech [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] DRS Technologies and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Enhance Performance of Cooled Infrared Sensors ARLINGTON, Va., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DRS Technologies Inc., a Leonardo-Finmeccanica Company, announced today it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to enhance performance of the company's ultra-small pixel infrared focal plane arrays (FPA) under the agency's Lambda Scale program. Improvements to the FPAs will potentially enhance technology that can help pilots see more clearly in conditions that previously caused severe safety concerns. The DARPA-funded Lambda Scale program is focused on the ground-breaking reduction in traditional infrared detector pixel pitches to help reduce the size, weight and power of systems, including handheld sights and distributed aviation sensors for situational awareness. FPAs are fabricated utilizing a patented high-density capacitance process and state-of-the-art thin-film deposition technology. It creates a 3-dimensional high-density capacitor structure on the Readout Integrated Circuits (ROICs), enhancing the charge storage capacity of each pixel in the ROIC. This approach has been demonstrated by DRS on 5um and 6um pitch sensors and further demonstrates that larger pixel count FPAs with increased resolution are feasible in small tactical packages that enable smaler system footprints. "DRS continues to develop innovative ways to increase pixel count in cooled and uncooled infrared sensors to bring our customer a significant advantage in the field. This new process opens the door to revolutionary advances in the design of infrared imaging systems of the future," said Shawn Black, vice president and general manager of DRS Infrared Sensors & Systems line of business. "These are substantial improvements in infrared sensor capability for mission-critical applications, such as the degraded visual environments that helicopters experience, where image quality and clarity could prove to be critical to the safety of our helicopter pilots and crewmembers." About DRS Technologies DRS Technologies is a leading technology innovator and supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company specializes in naval and maritime systems, ground combat mission command and network computing, global satellite communications and network infrastructure, aviation support and avionics systems, and intelligence and security solutions. Additionally, DRS builds power systems and electro-optical/infrared systems for a wide range of commercial customers. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, DRS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leonardo-Finmeccanica S.p.A., which employs more than 47,000 people worldwide. See the full range of capabilities at www.drs.com and on Twitter @drstechnologies. For additional information please contact: Michael Mount Senior Director, Public Affairs 571-447-4624 [email protected] Twitter: @drstechnologies To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drs-technologies-and-the-defense-advanced-research-projects-agency-enhance-performance-of-cooled-infrared-sensors-300273229.html SOURCE DRS Technologies Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2016] The World Bank Goes Live on V3 NEW YORK, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitech, a leading provider of investment, insurance and pension administration software, announced today that The World Bank, one of the world's most prestigious financial institutions, is now live on Vitech's V3 system. This go-live represents the completion of a multi-month, joint implementation project undertaken by Vitech and The World Bank team. V3 was selected for its robust fund management and unitized investment administration capabilities. "We are so pleased that The World Bank is enjoyingsuch success with V3," said Frank Vitiello, Vitech's President. "We look forward to a long relationship supporting The World Bank's vision and the hard work of our combined teams." V3 is a highly scalable and configurable administration solution designed to meet the unique needs of investment, insurance and retirement organizations. Built on contemporary technology, V3 is a browser-based software solution for the management of complex, multi-layer unitized and non-unitized fund structures. About The World Bank Group The World Bank Group, is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with 10,000+ employees in 120+ offices worldwide. It is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Its mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors. About Vitech Vitech Systems Group, Inc. is a leading provider of administration software to investment, insurance and retirement organizations. Vitech's V3 for Investment software is a complete investment administration solution. It offers native business functionality, as well as enterprise functions including workflow, CRM and imaging capabilities. Vitech provides its clients with proprietary enterprise software, related implementation services, ongoing support, and cloud-based application hosting. For more information, please visit http://www.vitechinc.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150210/174651LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-world-bank-goes-live-on-v3-300273309.html SOURCE Vitech What you need to know about Powerball and the $610 million jackpot Reformed 70s rock icons Taste are well and truly back! With their epic new single I Am God, alongside an apocalyptic film clip by acclaimed Australian director Clayton Jacobson (Kenny, Animal Kingdom) leading the way the crew are now gearing up to unleash their brand new album, set for release this Friday May 27. Titled Life On Earth, the epic LP was conceived over the course of a few months, as keyboardist ken Murdoch recalls, The songs poured out of meI knew where it was going. Its a big album. Dramatic and well crafted the best of 70s progressive rock readymade for a 2016 audience. Reflecting on the themes touched upon throughout the record, Murdoch mentions religion, life, death, terror, murder and zombie love. As the story goes Taste were set to be the new icons of Australian rock, before their tragic story of mismanagement and parental control became the bands undoing. Fresh-faced and prodigious, the group was set to sign to Sire Records and tour America with Queen in 1977 when it all went wrong, and the group disbanded. But whats past is past, and the group is ecstatic to be playing together once more in light of their progressive new album. To celebrate the upcoming record and to get reacquainted with the band we have the pleasure of giving you an early stream of Life On Earth today. The band will embark on a national tour to support the release, kicking off at Brisbanes Crowbar on July 1, moving through Adelaides Fowlers Live on July 9, Sydneys Frankies Pizzeria on July 14 and finishing up with a show at Melbournes iconic Corner Hotel on July 16. Tickets and info at www.taste-music.com. Upcoming Tour Dates 1 July | Crowbar | Brisbane, QLD | http://www.oztix.com.au 9 July | Fowlers Live | Adelaide, SA | http://www.moshtix.com.au 14 July | Frankies Pizzeria | Sydney, NSW | FREE 16 July | The Corner | Melbourne, VIC | www.ticketscout.com.au Homegrown hip-hop talent Briggs recently took a visit to the Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre in New South Wales, a detention facility for young A-class offenders just on the outskirts of southern Sydney. As News Corp notes, his visit was part of Vices Incarceration Issue, a special edition of the magazine which takes a look at the growing number of Indigenous people locked up around Australia. Theyre just kids, Briggs told News Corp. I just want to show a real human side to the story and I feel like when kids are labelled criminals it dehumanises them. He hopes the short doco will change that image. You dont want to ever be talking to a kid whos so young and already in so much despair. The only outlet for them is to self harm. They feel like suicide is the answer. I think because Ive grown up with these kind of kids it wasnt really a shock but its really sad. I was there from 8am-6pm meeting all these different kids. The suicide guard is heartbreaking but there are so many other difficult stories. There was a kid with a picture of his sister on his wall who he clearly misses. The suicide guard is a padded suit that keeps troubled kids from self-harming and Briggs takes the time to sit down and play cards with one boy whos been placed in the suit for his own protection. Its just one of many powerful and heartbreaking moments in the doco. You can watch the full 15-minute documentary below. CRITICS OF MAYOR SLY FEAR THE LANGUAGE OF HIS LATEST ECONOMIC INITIATIVE MIMICS TALK OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM!!! Shared Success Fund , for the purpose of furthering economic development in severely distressed census tracts within the City. #160123 : Directing the City Manager to develop and implement a program, to be denominated the, for the purpose of furthering economic development in severely distressed census tracts within the City. Dubbed the Shared Success Fund, James said the objective is to direct the citys continuing momentum and success of economic development to portions of the city that currently are not attracting enough development. In its simplest form, the fund is designed to share the economic development success of some parts of our city with all parts of our city, James told the City Councils Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee. Under the resolution, the Citys revenue from participating economic development projects would be put in the Shared Success Fund and an advisory committee would be established to recommend eligible projects to Council. Rather than encourage economic independence in the urban core, the latest plan from Mayor Sly up for consideration seems like an effort to literally "share the wealth" around Kansas City . . .To wit . . .Here's the resolution read for the full council this week:Further explanation:Money line:Sadly, Kansas City economic insiders fear that this isn't investment but, instead, represents city subsidy into projects that the free market chooses not so support.You decide . . . South Kansas City community leaderis ramping up his campaign for the Missouri Secretary Of State job and right now he's the most prominent Democrat to offer opposition againstRemember,MD Alam earned national news coverage for his work inEarlier in his career, after a tragic South Kansas City murder of convenience store clerk Tony Singh; Mr. Alam led the effort to advanceAnd so . . . When we talk about the future of Voter ID and GOP control of Missouri's Democracy . . . MD Alam is the last, best hope of Kansas City Democratic Party denizens.You decide . . . The afternoon siesta between the quiet hours (2pm to 5pm) is one of the most enjoyable Greek habits. However, the demanding working conditions have deprived people from it, turning it into a luxury that can be enjoyed only during the summer vacations There are several habits that over the years have turned into some sort of tradition which Greeks have incorporated in their daily lives, according to greekreporter.com. However, in our days, these traditions are starting to wear off for many reasons; technology, demanding working hours, globalization to name a few. The afternoon siesta: The afternoon siesta between the quiet hours (2pm to 5pm) is one of the most enjoyable habits. However, the demanding working conditions have deprived people from it, turning it into a luxury that can be enjoyed only during the summer vacations. The Sunday family table: The Sunday family table was an opportunity for the whole family including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to gather and dine for hours. One of the favorite times to enjoy this kind of dinners was during the summer, when the family could set the table outside and devour all the summer fruit and vegetables. The name day visits: These kind of visits did not require an invitation. They were not a party and didnt need any kind of organization. Anyone could pass by at anytime for as long as he/she wanted if it was someones name day, in order to greet the celebrator. Sometime these surprise visits could take up to hours, turning into big gatherings on several occasions. The photo-albums: There is a high chance that 00s kids are not very familiar with this extinct species as nowadays every photo that is taken, remains on the PC, mobile, digital camera, USB stick and social media with which it was shot, without ever being printed. However, in the past there was a whole procedure that needed to be followed, which made the whole experience very unique: the film had to finish, then it had to be developed and printed and then you had to organize every photo in the album with captions like Family in Ikaria, August 1997. The value of finding such photo albums is priceless, especially if they date back 20,30 or more years back. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Fraport Greece on Monday welcomed the ratification by the Greek Parliement of contracts for the concession of 14 regional airports and said this was one of the biggest investments in Greece Fraport Greece on Monday welcomed the ratification by the Greek Parliement of contracts for the concession of 14 regional airports and said this was one of the biggest investments in Greece. The 14 Greek regional airports include three mainland facilities(Thessaloniki, Aktion, and Kavala) 11 airports on islands (Chania in Crete, Corfu, Kefalonia, Kos, Mykonos, Mytilini, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos and Zakynthos) and received more than 23 million passengers in 2015 (up 6 percent from last year), 73 percent of whose are international travelers. Alexander Zinell, Fraport Greece's CEO, in a statement said: "Our commitment is that this project to be mutually beneficiary both to Greece and its citizens, the tourism industry and the economy and to tourists around the world and to those using the 14 regional airports in general. A successful ratification sends a strong message to the global market: Greece is looking forward, creating a new dynamic environment for investments in the country. They can now move forward rapidly to implementing the project. Fraport Greece has already begun preparatory work in the planning of the 14 regional airports. We all together work to complete this project". We are convinced that our engagement in Greece will act as a catalyst for the growth of the countrys vital tourism sector. The Greek parliaments ratification of the concession agreements is a major milestone in advancing this key infrastructure project one of the most important investments for Greece and its people. We are pleased and say thank you to the Greek parliament and State for this vote of confidence. We are truly committed to making this a win-win project for Greece and its people, for the tourism industry and overall economy, for tourists from around the world, as well as other users of the 14 regional gateways. Zinell noted that Fraport Greece is already undertaking comprehensive planning for its tasks at the 14 regional airports and argued that the relevant parties can now move full speed ahead toward the implementation phase adding: Well-managed airports around the world have proven to serve as economic engines, which is also a goal for the Greek regional airports, with anticipated economic spin-off effects for industries such as hospitality, travel services, retail, construction and various services. The positive response already received from business leaders and other stakeholders is very exciting for this shared journey into the future. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the kingdom, has joined hands with Regent Properties, a real estate development and investment firm based in Los Angeles, US, to acquire a major stake in its existing portfolio of commercial real estate assets worth $250 million across the country. The US group's real estate portfolio comprises substantially leased, income-generating Class-A office buildings in the Phoenix, Arizona and Dallas (Texas) areas. With this transaction, Mumtalakat will be joining existing Regent investors including affiliates of BlackRock, CAM Capital, and other well-known endowments and pension funds. According to Mumtalakat, the portfolio provides attractive cash yields and solid rent growth from strong credit tenants in a wide range of industries. It also offers geographic diversification in two of the most dynamic, growing and business-friendly markets in the US. Both Phoenix and Dallas have been, and continue to, experience strong and steady employment growth, and provide more compelling risk/return profiles than highly priced gateway markets, said the Bahraini wealth fund. The acquisition demonstrates Mumtalakats continued efforts and commitment to further develop its portfolio through commercially sound and sustainable investments, to diversify internationally and to build long-term partnerships with the potential to lead to further co-investment opportunities, it stated. On the strategic tie-up, CEO Mahmood Hashim Alkooheji said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Regent Properties. They have assembled a unique commercial real estate portfolio in markets that provide us with a very attractive risk/reward profile." "This transaction, our third investment in the US in less than two years, is in line with our ongoing strategy to partner with reputable international businesses looking for growth capital with a long-term investment horizon," he stated. Eric Fleiss, the president of Regent Properties, said: "We are pleased to build a relationship with a well-regarded and highly entrepreneurial sovereign wealth fund such as Mumtalakat." "We are honoured to welcome them to our investor group and view their participation in this transaction as a vote of confidence for our real estate investment strategy and our management team," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Julphar Bangladesh, a subsidiary of the Ras Al Khaimah-based Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, has signed a strategic toll agreement with the Bangladeshi non-profit company SMC Enterprise Limited (SMC) to manufacture pharmaceutical products. The agreement was signed at the SMC head office in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 4, said a statement from the company. Under the terms of the toll manufacturing contract signed by Sudhir Kumar Sinha, group general manager of Julphar Bangladesh and Ali Reza Khan, managing director of SMC, the company will manufacture pharmaceutical products of all dosage forms for SMC, it added. Julphar Bangladeshs Sinha, said: The partnership will enable our company to grab rural market shares and address major needs for the Bangladeshi families. It will enhance the Julphar brand and, by giving access to high quality products to a wider range of the Bangladeshi population, it will sustain a healthy community within the country, he said. This initiative is consistent with the companys vision of sustainable health and with our mission to expand our offerings of medicines to patients beyond the Middle East and Africa region, he added. TradeArabia News Service A high level business delegation from Yemen recently visited Salalah in Oman, and attended the Omani-Yemeni Forum to facilitate investment held in order to develop and increase bilateral trade between the two countries, said a report. The businessmen from Oman and Yemen discussed exchange of trade between two neighbouring countries and sought to remove the roadblocks in trade and commerce to reap maximum benefits of the available resources, added the Oman Daily Observer report. Major business stakeholders from Oman took part in the forum and expressed willingness to join hands with their Yemeni counterparts, it said. Hosted by the Dhofar chapter of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industries (OCCI) the meeting proceeded under the patronage of Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan bin Hamoud al Busaidy, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar. Additionally, present on the occasion were representatives from business houses, government establishments like Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), Al Rafd Fund, Salalah Free Zone and Port of Salalah, added the report. Emirates airline is the regions most valuable brand and it continues to soar with a brand value growth of 17 per cent, taking its total to over $7.7 billion, according to leading brand valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance. The UAE and Saudi Arabia continue to dominate the list of top 50 brands from the Middle East featured in the Brand Finance Middle East 50. The two countries contribute 16 and 21 of the brands, respectively to the list. Qatar has the third most significant presence on the table with eight brands. Qatar Airways continues to lead the way, with a brand value of $3.5 billion. It is growing faster than Emirates, with year-on-year growth of 26 per cent, though it remains a long way off rivalling the Emirati brand for brand strength and international renown, Brand Finance said. Emirates continues to invest in ventures that enhance its brand. In mid-2015, Emirates spent $20 million to secure Friends star Jennifer Aniston in an advertising campaign, which appears to have translated into improving brand strength, it said. The scores for metrics such as preference, satisfaction and recommendation have all improved this year but those most closely tied to advertising, familiarity and consideration, have improved the most. Qatari brands as a group are growing faster than those from any other country in the Middle East. The average year-on-year growth rate for brands globally is 6 per cent. In the Middle East, it is an impressive 11 per cent. However, Qatari brands have an exceptional growth rate of 21 per cent, it said. Brand Finance CEO David Haigh said: The exceptional growth of Qatari brands reflects both the major strides the nation has made in developing a broader-based economy and the level of investment and expertise applied to its brands. We expect to see a continuation of this trend as Qatar rivals the UAE and Saudi Arabia for dominance in the Middle Easts brand landscape. In 2015, there were six Kuwaiti brands in the table. This year, there are only four, though Kuwaits most valuable brand, NBK, continues to grow strongly. This trend suggests that while the countries of the Middle East outside the GCC have much more significant economic issues to address before their brands can thrive, smaller GCC nations (Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain) should take steps to encourage brand investment, monitoring and management, it said. The Middle Easts top 10 brands, according to the list, are: Emirates, STC (Saudi Arabia), Etisalat (UAE), Qatar Airways (Qatar), QNB (Qatar), Al-Rajhi Bank (Saudi Arabia), Almarai (Saudi Arabia), NCB (Saudi Arabia), Emirates NBD (UAE) and Ooredoo (Qatar). - TradeArabia News Service Few words in the English language evoke as much animus or conjure up stark images like Alabama Gov. George Wallace vowing segregation forever from the entrance to the University of Alabama in 1963, as the word racism. For the vast majority of Americas history, it was sanctioned by law. It has been 151 years since the end of slavery, 62 years since the U.S. Supreme Court ordered desegregation in public schools and only 50 years since the enactment of the federal Voting Rights Act. Some degree of racism remain as a vestige to that history in the nations institutions and within an individuals overt or implicit biases, according to experts. We had 256 years of African slavery, followed by another 100 years of Jim Crow legislation and behavior, John Jay College professor in the Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration Delores Jones-Brown said. When you put that together its about 356 years of a significant portion the people in the United States saying Its OK to treat people differently based on race. Weve only been attempting on its face ... to operate on a more personal level ... for less than 100 years. Why would we think the less than 100 years that weve been trying to reverse the more than 350 years, should work? she asked. Jones-Brown is the founding director of the John Jay College Center on Race, Crime and Justice and in 2000 authored the award-winning book Race, Crime and Punishment. She said that institutional racism, the lingering patterns of societal behavior born from the countrys lengthy history of overt racism, does not require a personal animus to have similar disparate effects. Jones-Brown gave the example of testing performance within public schools. The institution is we universally require the standardized test, but we dont take into account that the experience with education across race has not been the same, she said. So, that standard we put up is easier for whites to reach because of their experience and more difficult for blacks to reach. Then we say the black students inability to reach that standard means there is something wrong with them as opposed to the requirement of the standardized test or the construction of the standardized test. Cynthia Roseberry, a former federal public defender, said understanding that implicit bias is different from overt racism is important to opening up the discussion about the issue. It does not necessarily mean a person has malice toward another race. Implicit bias is the lens through which we make decisions, Roseberry said. She explained this bias is shaped by everything people encounter through their lives, from personal experiences to media consumption. Citing an example of the media narrative surrounding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Roseberry said photos of white people where captioned with words like searching for food, while similar photos of black people described them as looters. Id like to think those reporters werent intentionally being biased but their views of this class of persons had an impact on the information through which they filtered the information to run the caption, she said. Those implicit biases can also occur in the criminal justice system. As police interact with people, they may be more on edge when dealing with a black individual than a white person, according to Jones-Brown. When we see a young black man, we think of crime, Jones-Brown said. When we see a young white man, for the most part, we are not making that association. This can lead to an escalation that results in violence, more stops and searches and a high police presence in areas with larger black population and in turn drive up the proportion of black people in the criminal justice system. It is no surprise that when a police officer stops someone on the street, when they encounter someone who is black, they are filtering those decisions through all of the stuff they are fed in our society, Roseberry said. These implicit biases can work their way into legislation and create disparate impacts between races. Roseberry pointed to the differences in the response to the current heroin epidemic and the crack epidemic of 1980s and 1990s. We are looking at heroin now as a crisis, an epidemic, because people using heroin now look very different from people who used to use heroin, or crack for that matter, Roseberry said. All but one of the people who died from a drug overdose in Cumberland County in 2015 were white. None of the victims were black. While the reaction to the current drug problem is to aid in treatment, the crack epidemic was met with harsh punishments and increased prison sentences for users and dealers. Until a recent change in federal guidelines by the U.S. Department of Justice under President Barrack Obama, possession of one gram of crack carried the same sentence as 100 grams of powdered cocaine, despite the drugs themselves being nearly identical. What is the difference between crack and powder? Roseberry said. Its the communities in which they are consumed. Possession of one gram of crack now carries the same sentence as 18 grams of powdered cocaine. The biases, however, do not fall strictly on racial lines. There is no monopoly on bias. We all have it, Roseberry said. We are not singling out a particular group and saying this particular group has this bias. She explained that a study conducted by Harvard University found the overwhelming majority of people have a white leaning bias. Thats what creates the automatic pilot reaction. Its like driving home and arriving home and you didnt really think about driving homebecause youve driven home so many times, she said. Its that sort of reaction that isnt attached to malice that frankly happens with white police officers and black police officers. Its not just one race. We all have this bias against African Americans in our society. Moving past these long ingrained biases is likely not easy. Roseberry said society needs to first admit that they exist and open up a dialogue so everyone has a better understanding. We first have to admit that its there, which is tough, she said. I think we have to take away the sting that malice is not always attached to it. ... Once we get past the ick factor, as I call it, then we can move on to admitting we have it. Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), an operating company wholly owned by nogaholding, has formed a strategic joint venture with Greenergy, a large-scale blender of gasoline in the United Kingdom. The joint venture, Bahrain Gasoline Blending (BGB), will combine Bapcos infrastructure and refinery gasoline production with Greenergys blending, terminal operations and trading expertise to meet Bahrains domestic demand for gasoline blend components as well as create opportunities to import and export, said a statement. BGB will commence gasoline blending in Bapcos 260,000 bpd capacity refinery in Bahrain using gasoline blend components produced by Bapcos refining operations and purchased from third parties. Finished-grade gasoline will be sold to Bapco and to customers in the region and further afield. In due course, drawing on Greenergys infrastructure expertise, the joint venture plans to develop new dedicated blending facilities in Bahrain that will allow it to process a wider variety of gasoline components, it said. Dr Pete Bartlett, Bapco chief executive, explained: We are excited about the long-term growth potential of this unique joint venture and are proud to be working with a company of Greenergys industry calibre and international reputation. This partnership will help us to further develop our activities, and position Bahrain as a leading participant in the gasoline markets in the Middle East. We are confident that Bahrain Gasoline Blending will allow us to maximise the value of the refinery products we produce, which will contribute positively to Bahrains economic development. Greenergy chief executive Andrew Owens added: This is a further area of expansion for us, allowing us to bring our experience and expertise to grow in a new market. Bapcos facilities are located on a trading channel in and out of the Arabian Gulf and form an ideal base for a new gasoline operation. We look forward to working in close co-operation with the team at Bapco. - TradeArabia News Service Oman Airs work to improve educational opportunities for Omani students received a further boost over recent weeks when it offered two groups of students the chance to visit Arabian Travel Market (ATM), held at the Dubai World Trade Centre last month. The students - one group from Oman Tourism College and one group from the tourism studies course at the German University of Technology in Muscat were able to make the most of the events many seminars and conferences. In addition to hearing thought-provoking debates and listening to research, market data, trends and case studies presented by leading industry figures, the students were able to broaden their knowledge of the many global and regional suppliers who exhibited at ATM. The aim of Oman Airs support for the students was to accelerate their educational development, enabling them to make an enhanced contribution to the nations expanding tourism infrastructure and economic growth. Oman Air recognises the vital importance of high quality education and this initiative was the latest in a series that the airline has launched, or to which it has contributed. Dr Khalid Abdulwahab Al Balushi, senior manager Government Affairs and head of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Oman Air said: Oman Air recognises that education is one of the fundamental building blocks of our nations future prosperity. Education is therefore a priority area within Oman Airs comprehensive CSR programme and this latest initiative has provided opportunities for students who would otherwise not have been able to participate at ATM. The students attendance, with their lecturers, at ATM was directly relevant to their studies and provided experience that will help them develop rewarding careers. This type of trip is designed to stimulate and develop knowledge on key issues facing the tourism industry, which the students are studying at the moment. We were therefore delighted to provide travel and other support on this occasion and we look forward to seeing each participating student become influential figures within the industry over years to come." Salma Bint Abdullah Abdul Rahman, who studies at Oman Tourism College, added: We are grateful to Oman Air for giving us the chance to travel to Dubai and attend ATM. Without the airlines help, we would not have been able to participate and what we have learned at this major event will help us with both our current studies and our future careers. Safa Al Dhahli, of the German University of Technology, also said: ATM is a major global event within the tourism industry and attending the event gave us insights that we could never otherwise have gained. We really appreciate Oman Airs support and we would like to thank Dr Khalid and all his colleagues. Previous support for educational CSR initiatives has seen Oman Air partner with aircraft manufacturer Airbus to jointly host two school workshops conducted in Muscat by The Little Engineer (TLE), an organisation dedicated to instilling an appreciation of science and technology among todays youth. Oman Air has also joined with Boeing to run a training and recruitment skills programme for graduates of the High Technical College in Muscat. Additional educational support has included the donation of a large number of Arabic and English language books to Omans Maktabati project, which encourages children of all ages to improve their reading skills, develop a love of reading and undertake beneficial hobbies during their leisure time. - TradeArabia News Service Katara Hospitality, a leading global hotel owner, developer and operator based in Qatar, marked the successful partnership between world renowned Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, at an event held at Matsuhisa Paris; a Japanese fine dining restaurant and the newest addition at Le Royal Monceau. Globally acclaimed Chef Matsuhisa was the Guest of Honour at the momentous ceremony, which welcomed 300 guests including VIPs and culinary enthusiasts. The event was characterised by the sound of Japanese drums, floral decor with elaborate cherry trees by florist Baptiste Pitou, and a unique masterpiece titled Wish on a Wing, designed by TSUYU. Guests were entertained by a musical programme handled by the famous French DJ The Avener. Matsuhisa Paris opened its doors in February at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, just steps away from the iconic Champs Elysee and Arc de Triomphe. Hosting hundreds of guests who enjoyed a tantalising gastronomic encounter, Paris newest Japanese fine dining restaurant exudes unique cosmopolitan charm in the heart of one of the worlds most remarkable cities. Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, owned by Katara Hospitality, is the European flagship of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, having been an icon in Europes most stylish capital since 1928. The hotel reopened in October 2010, entirely transformed by French designer Philippe Starck. - TradeArabia News Service Qatar Executive, the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways, will be exhibiting at Europes leading business aviation show EBACE (Stand #J059, Hall 5), taking place from May 24 to 26 in Geneva, Switzerland. Doha-based Qatar Executive will use the annual event, which attracts over 13,000 industry professionals, to promote its growing business aviation service portfolio ranging from its core competency of air charter, to aircraft management, airliner charter, maintenance and fixed-based operation services. A strong focus will be placed on promoting its brand new Gulfstream G650ER, for which deliveries started at the end of last year. In December 2015, Qatar Executive inducted the first G650ER widely known as the worlds fastest ultra-long range business jet and technologically most advanced aircraft in its category into its dynamic fleet. In March 2016, Qatar Airways private jet arm received the second Gulfstream G650ER, further paving the way for Qatar Executive to become the largest Gulfstream operator in the Middle East. Qatar Executive made headlines at last years show with a ground-breaking order for up to 30 Gulfstream aircraft, including the manufacturers all-new G500 and G600, for which Qatar Executive is the global launch customer. Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: We look forward to promoting our latest products at EBACE, in particular our new Gulfstream G650ER, and we are proud to be able to offer our valued customers the very latest and best aircraft in the industry. Qatar Executives new G650ER features not only the most comfortable, productive and restful cabin in the business aviation industry, our customers are also guaranteed to receive the finest charter experience available in the market. The Gulfstream G650ER aircraft have proven to be highly popular among travel-savvy high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients alike, due to the aircrafts phenomenal capabilities in terms of range, passenger comfort and performance. Qatar Executives G650ER aircraft features a two-cabin configuration, which seats up to 13 passengers. Seats convert into fully-flat beds, so that seven guests can easily sleep on board. The state-of-the-art business jet can easily fly non-stop from the Middle East to North America or from destinations in Asia to Africa further, faster than any other jet of its kind and is perfectly suited for those whose travel needs include flights halfway around the globe. The G650ERs cabin interior features a classic-contemporary style, combining understated luxury and timeless elegance through a natural colour palette ranging from earthy tones of the walnut brown wooden veneers to the china-white leather seating and finest woollen Loro Piana fabrics with soft brown fishbone patterns. Every detail has been taken care of, down to the fine bone china tableware by the German manufacturer Dibbern, crystal glassware by the world-renowned glass manufacturer Schott Zwiesel and fine silver flatware by the French label Christofle to ensure a sophisticated atmosphere, where customers can effortlessly feel at home. The G650ERs cabin is not only comfortable but contains the most advanced technology including satellite communications, high-speed internet, wireless local area network and Gulfstreams Cabin Management System, which allows passengers to use their own personal electronic devices to control audio, video, lighting, temperature, window shades and other cabin functions. Further stand-out features of the Gulfstream G650 are the fact that it has the lowest equivalent cabin altitude of any business jet and the cabin air is replenished 100 per cent every two minutes. The G650ER can travel 7,500 nm/13,890 km at Mach 0.85 and 6,400 nm/11,853 km at Mach 0.90 so customers can travel at 90 per cent of the speed of sound. The two G650ER complement Qatar Executives existing long-range fleet of 10 modern business aircraft, including three Bombardier Challenger 605s, four Global 5000s, a Global XRS, and two 40-seat Airbus A319 all-premium Class aircraft, all available for worldwide charter. - TradeArabia News Service Agreeably, long TSA lines are annoying. The added checks of the Transportation Security Administration make and the process even more antagonizingly longer. Do something about the wait by following these 5 travel tips to avoid airport security hassle. Avoid Friday afternoon According to travel statistics, TSA lines at airports are the longest on Friday from 4 to 8pm. Friday afternoons are the times that business travelers return home from business and leisure travelers leave for vacation. Consider traveling earlier or after Friday. Tickets are cheaper on Tuesdays also so, you might want to travel on that day. Buy an elite flyer perk If money is not a problem, avail of a flyer perk to one airline. You will enjoy the elite status, the one with a priority line, which is faster and shorter. One other trick is to buy an upgrade. Usually, if you buy an extra seatroom, you will be checked in at a priority security line. Get Clear, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Get expedited clearance when you enroll yourself to these priority services. You will have an expedited priority lane, bypassing long customs queues. TSA PreCheck costs USD$85, Global Entry costs USD$100 and Clear costs USD$179. Arrive earlier than your flight No extra cash? No problem. The tried-and-tested way to avoid missing your flight is by arriving way ahead your time of departure. Being early saves the day because you are probably the first in line. Choose airports wisely It would be a smart move to pick smaller airports instead of bigger ones when you travel. Smaller airports have shorter lines. Bonus tip: Keep your phone close Always download important travel apps on your phone. If you can download your ticket or your plane's mobile provider on your phone, it would be much better. There is also a huge possibility that airlines contact you via mobile phone if there are last-minute announcements. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 The equivalent of more than one-third of Cumberland Countys black population was charged with a crime between 2010 and 2015, according to an analysis of court records conducted by The Sentinel. For anyone entering the criminal justice system, the consequences can last far beyond any formal punishment and as researchers have revealed, those consequences can disproportionately affect black and minority people. We call them collateral consequences. I say bull ... theyre just consequences, because they are done across the board, Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel said. I dont know why we are calling them collateral. The consequences can include difficulty finding work, housing and accessing public benefits, according to Benjamin Levin, Climenko Fellow and lecturer on law at Harvard Law School. Its not just conviction, Levin said. Sometimes very significant collateral consequences can attach just based on a charge and even arrest, which is something that should raise a ton of red flags. For employment, the consequences can be both set in laws that ban certain kinds of work for people with a criminal record, as well as difficulty getting hired by employers who are reluctant or unwilling to employ people with a criminal history. A study by Harvard professor Devah Pager found that having a criminal conviction cuts the number of call backs an applicant receives from potential employers to at least half. However, even this impact is not consistent across race. If you are disproportionately incarcerating one portion of your population, they are disproportionately affected by collateral consequences of crime on the back end, Wetzel said. Pager found that callbacks for white applicants fell from 34 percent without a criminal record to 17 percent with a criminal record. Even with a criminal record, white applicants were more likely to receive a call back from an employer than a similarly qualified black applicant who did not have a criminal record. A staggeringly low 5 percent of black applicants with a criminal record received a call back, according to Pager. This means 95 percent of black applicants who had a criminal record never made it past the first stage in the employment process. As Levin pointed out, this can become a major problem if the goal is to keep individuals from returning to prison. There is research out there that suggests that being able to find gainful employment is a really important step for people as they reenter, he said. As they begin to get out of prison and reacclimate to society, being able to have the stability of a job, but also access to the benefits that come with steady employment, can be very important in preventing someone from reentering informal criminal markets or getting rearrested. Levin did not suggest that employers should not check criminal records when making hiring decisions. He noted that depending on the work that is being done, an employer can face civil lawsuits if they hire a person with a criminal history and they go on to commit another crime on the job. Levin gave the example of a cable company hiring a person with a history of committing violent crimes to do in-home service. If that employee goes on to commit a similar crime against a customer, the cable company could face a lawsuit, Levin said. How the courts handle these cases varies from state to state, he explained. Its a strange area of law because there is this question of what is actually foreseeable, Levin said. How can an employer predict what an employee will do? ... If a person has a 20-year-old charge on their criminal record, is it foreseeable that that person is going to commit another crime 20 years later? However, he said the current judicial system typically does not take into account these consequences. When a judge hands down a sentence of two years in prison, generally little thought is given to what happens after, he said. The sentencing judge doesnt factor into those two years the kinds of things that are going to happen on the back end, Levin said. Neither will the legislature much of the time. But, why should society care what happens to people who have been convicted of a crime? Thats simple to me. Were going to release 20,000 people (this year), Wetzel said. Some of those people are going to be in your community. Do you want them better or worse? Do you want them to have opportunities or do you want them to be looking to see when you go to work so they can rob you? Its just that simple. Wetzel, who oversees all of the states correctional facilities, said the state system provides opportunities for inmates to get an education and job skills in an effort to make them a productive member of society upon release. There are more than 90 different vocational programs that help train inmates in everything from warehousing and barbering to fiber optics and as optical technicians. Ladies who have done that program and gotten that certificate are getting job interviews from inside the prison, Wetzel said of the optical technician program. The state correctional system released prisoners to every county last year, including three people to Forest County one of the lowest populated areas of the state. We love to do this us versus them thing and thats great, but guess what folks, theyre coming back to a neighborhood near you, Wetzel said. If anybody whos reading (this) story thinks they dont have an investment in people coming out and being successful, they really need to rethink that. Wetzel said true corrections reform needs to begin before a person gets involved in the criminal justice system. It needs to start with the community, he said, with investment in things like education, economic opportunities and preventing the breakdown of families and of the community. (There is a) 69 percent lifetime probability of incarceration if you drop out of school, Wetzel said. So, lets keep kids in school. Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed reiterated those sentiments, but also said there are ways the criminal justice system can aid people after they have made that first contact. We have to be cognizant of (the consequences) in one sense, Freed said. On the other hand, I am the chief law enforcement officer and it is my job to make sure victims are made whole and the community is protected. So, I have to balance those two things. Freed has been a vocal proponent of second chance bills, which provide for expungement or sealing criminal records after a period of offense-free time generally for non-violent offenders. These bills have gained bipartisan support and are aimed at allowing people who have been convicted of a crime to not have that follow them for life. We have to find ways to give people a second chance because of the negative impacts that a criminal record has for somebody, Freed said. The negative impacts, because of the way we share information and the amount of information that is out there now, are far more negative than when I started my career. I didnt give this much of a thought in 2002 and 2003, now I think about it all the time. This series was produced as a project for the 2016 John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Crime Reporting fellowship. As the facts unveil, trips to Egypt have decreased by 50 % on 2011, trips with destination to Tunisia have decreased to 40% the previous year, and reservations for trips to Turkey have decreased to a third of a percent this current year. A couple of terrorist attack incidents, geopolitical restlessness incidents and unwavering migration problems have caused a severe decrease in North Africa and its neighboring eastern countries' tourism industries as revealed by the figures unveiled, as reported by The Guardian. The data released from the Office for National Statistics available on Friday have proven that British citizens who have frequently travelled to Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey have decreased dramatically. These figures have confirmed by the World Travel and Tourism Council. The figures have shown that tourism in Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey has dramatically decreased since many tourists have allegedly been avoiding these parts of the world. For instance, the recent incident of the downing of the Egypt Air commercial flight with 66 people in the aircraft has been allegedly claimed to be caused by an Islamic state terror related incident. The Egypt Air fatal incident occurred months right after the crash of the Russian plane in Sinai. Data has shown that tourists have spent 4% fewer times in Egypt the previous year, if would be compared with the year before that. This data was released by the World Travel and Tourism Council. The WTTC, though, predicts that additional 4% of drop in tourism to Egypt should be expected in the fall season of 2016. Louise Hodges, a spokeswoman for the travel agency, Travel Zoo, further explained the situation as to the reason British nationals have been avoiding trips to Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey, as reported in Express.co.uk. She said: "Our latest travel trends research echoes what our partners in the travel industry have been telling us: although many Britons are still planning to get away this summer, they are now opting for what they perceive to be safe travel destinations." See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 The United States National Park is marking its 100th year anniversary this year, 2016, and the celebration, thus, rekindles people's love for nature and outdoors. Parks are important to people for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons why parks are very important was shared by a retired park superintendent, Gerald Baker via the Ken Burns' documentary, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" , as reported by Pjstar.com. Baker said: "We need national parks to have people - especially our kids - understand what America is." Baker continued to narrate that: "America is not sidewalks. America's not stores. America's not video games. America's not restaurants. We need national parks so people can go there and say, 'Ahhhh! This is America.'" Wonderful events that are close to the hearts of many are going to take place in celebration of the U.S. National Park's 100th birthday. These events are going to take place in multiple locations in the United States and in countries outside the United States, as reported by Tyler Paper. The celebration of the U.S. National Park's 100th birthday encompasses 400 locations. These locations cover battlefields, monuments, parks significant in history, water shores, picturesque rivers, and also the White House, as reported also by the same publication. Fifty nine of the locations covered in celebration of the U.S. National Park's 100th birthday are real national parks that mark a legend in history. Yellowstone National Park is one of these locations that mark a legend in the history of the celebration of the U.S. National Park's 100th birthday celebration. Yellowstone Park is located in Wyoming. Yellowstone is the first national park to ever exist in the United States. Yosemite Park in California was also included in the places covered in celebration of the U.S. National Park's 100th birthday. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Now, travellers would be amazed at how easy it would be to travel from one city to one another without the usual hassle of long hours of travelling time. In fact, the good news is that travellers can now travel from London to Sydney in just two hours. Because of the sophistication of technology this time and age, when travellers travel from London to Sydney, they would be able to take their breakfast in London and land in Sydney just so they can have a mid-morning brunch break. This new age development in travel is all due to the up and coming hypersonic travel, as reported by Travel and Leisure. The hypersonic travel mode is allegedly predicted to be coming about in 2018. The hypersonic travel is said to be going to exist thanks to the aid of a brand new project originating from Australian dessert. Alex Zelinsky, Australia's chief scientist, shared his insight on the new unique and useful technology that would surely revolutionize the way travelling is done by most people. Zelinsky said: "It is a game-changing technology... and could revolutionize global air travel, providing cost-effective access to space." NASA is also allegedly looking through the development of a "low boom" passenger plane which would allow passengers to travellers to take trips in high speeds, in the absence of the noise in the background. The shorter travel time brought about by the hypersonic travel system enables travellers to do more and maximize their time while in the process of travelling. Hence, travellers are able to do things more even while on the go, catching and on board their flights. Scientists use a rocket for experiment referred to as HIFiRE 5B in testing the future effectiveness of the hypersonic travel, as reported by Independent.co.uk. This rocket was able to accomplish a speed of 9,200km per hour, 278km in distance compared to the earth's location. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 On Sunday, United States president Barack Obama left America for his first visit to Vietnam. A U.S. presidential trip aimed at sealing a friendship of an old enemy country into a new partnership to help counter the growing assertiveness of China. According to Aljazeera, after four decades of having a war against Vietnam, president Obama was expected to use his visit to deepen defense and economic allies in Vietnam's communist government. U.S. president's deputy national security adviser - Ben Rhodes, said in a statement, "What we want to demonstrate with this visit is a significant upgrade in the relationship between the United States and Vietnam ... even as we have areas of difference." NBC News reported that White House quickly made a point that the trip of president Obama will not make an apology. But instead, the trip will highlight Obama's continued pivot to Asia - specifically economic, trade and security cooperation. It has been said that Vietnam and Japan are seeking points of burning down their doubts about a major twelve nation trade deal - TPP or the Trans-Pacific Partnership. But, Congress has yet to sign it for approval. The Obama administration is meeting with lawmakers individually to sort out the issue. The bill remains in the halt in making progress, as the bill's future is not fully explained - even mainstream Republicans gave assistance to the trade package. The U.S. Trade Representative - Ambassador Mike Froman, told reporters during a briefing on the forthcoming presidential trip, "We're working to resolve a handful of key issues that have been flagged as particularly important by members of Congress." As stated by CNN, while the 44th President of the United States is already in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - the U.S. president will meet with Group of 7 leaders, that represents the world's largest economies. And the officials of the White House claimed that terrorism will remain the center of interest of the G7. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Melbourne professor Maria Strydom was within 400 meters from the peak of Mount Everest but felt tiredness, prompting her and her husband to retreat to the mountain's "death zone". Her Sherpa tour guide already noticed Strydom's tiredness when she was about to reach the mountain peak. "She was tired and energy was down, there was enough oxygen to supply for her to give energy continuing back around altitude of 7800m," the guide told "The Sydney Morning Herald". When the couple were nearing the peak, they had to retreat to the "death zone". This area is known as littered with bodies of previous climbers who have suffered fatigue in the place. She suffered from severe altitude sickness, which flushed fluid to her brain. Her body couldn't take the reaction and gave up. It is a surprise that Strydom died at the peak, as she is a seasoned climber. Some of her achievements are Alaska's Denali, Argentina's Aconcagua, Turkey's Mount Ararat, and Kenya's Kilimanjaro. She even said she felt she was fully prepared for the Everest expedition. Climbing professional Alan Arnette states that having five to ten deaths annually is "very normal". He points altitude sickness as the main culprit of the fatalities. According to RTV Rijnmond on an interview with "The Star", health risks appear not only during ascending but also descending the mountain peak. Since the successful climb of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay to the Everest peak in 1953, thousands have attempted to conquer the area. However, there are more than 250 deaths related to the climb to date. Aside from Strydom, Dutch climber Eric Arnold was also a fatality due to altitude sickness on May 21. Strydom's husband Robert Gropel is suffering with heart ailments. Strydom's colleagues at Monash University are saddened by Strydom's death. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Accommodation and plane tickets are the two main expensive areas during travel. To save on holiday cash, you must be wise and follow these 5 hacks to buy dirt-cheap plane tickets Buy dirt-cheap tickets early If your date of travel is pretty much set on stone at least six months ahead, then it is best to buy tickets early. Airfare prices generally spike up two weeks before the date of departure. Booking at least six months before helps you get the best prices for your trip. A 50-dollar saving is a big deal. Watch out for fare sales on Tuesdays Airlines generally release promotion sales on Tuesdays. With the use of the Internet, window shop in as many airline website as possible. You'd be surprised that sometimes a discounted ticket from a premier airline is much cheaper than a regular ticket bought from a budget airline. Avail of Your Frequent Flyer free miles Are you a frequent traveler? Are you loyal to one airline? If you answered "yes" to both questions, then you must avail of the Frequent Flyer membership of that airline. There will come a time when you'd need the free miles. Just remember to redeem your miles early, for every trip allots only a certain number of passengers paying via Flyer miles. Follow budget airline on social media accounts Follow the budget airlines on their Twitter and Facebook accounts. Airlines usually announce big sale promotions through social media. When you subscribe to their feeds, make sure that you set your mobile gadget to receive notifications when these airlines post. Extra tip: Check ticket fare price in different currencies Sometimes, a ticket is cheaper if you pay in euros instead of American dollars. Play around with the currency settings of the airline's booking site. The general rule is you'll pay less if you use the currency where the airline is based (e.g. cheaper to pay in Malaysian ringgit if flying with Malaysia Airlines). See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 The Smuggler's Cove is a great getaway place for travelers who aim to connect with nature. Know what bold things you can do in this bay in the Alaska resort nearby Yakutania and Dyea Points. Ride a steam train to the Canadian Border There is a famous steam train for tourists that would love to view the Canadian border of the site. The ride costs about USD$150 for adults, which includes the fee for the guides. The scenic view of the natural formations as the train starts climbing the mountains is phenomenal. When the train passes by the Alaskan/Canadian border, you will be in awe. Go on a hiking trail Smuggler's Cove offers a nice trail from the Yakutania Point. The trail heads north towards Dyea Point. Just go straight ahead the rocky plateau route from the Yakutania Point. The coastal forests and grassy inlets are a welcome site for you to behold. You have to keep in mind that you are in the territory of the bears though. Do not ever attempt to feed them. If you see one, trace back your steps slowly and never run. Go wilderness camping There are plenty of camping and picnic spots near the Yakutania Point. There are five designated campsites. Extra caution must be observed and you have to bring your own camping gear and equipment. A lot of tourists are visiting the campsites for reflection. Don't forget to take your garbage with you when you leave the site. Take a cruise The best entry point to the park is through Welcome Passage. The place has an anchorage area for all cruising boats. Find the best watering holes A watering hole is a small body of water where thirsty animals stop to take a drink. If you want, you can hire a local to tour you around the wilderness and help you search for the best spots for watering holes. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 There were as many umbrellas as there were flower bouquets Sunday as Dickinson College held its 2016 commencement ceremony outside on a morning that saw intermittent drizzling throughout. I told you wed be out here, said the colleges president and professor of biology, Nancy Roseman, who will not be at the college next year. Roseman gave her remarks to the 527 graduates seated before her, making good on her promise that graduation would be held outside. You did not get to this point in your lives today alone, she added during the ceremonys opening remarks. Then Roseman asked parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and everyone else in support of the damp graduates to stand, giving them praise and allowing the students a turn at a round of applause. At the end of todays ceremony, you will cease to be Dickinson students and become alumni of the college, Roseman said. This significant transition is straightforward, yet profound. Knut Royce, a Fairfax County, Virginia, resident, graduated from Dickinson in 1962 and on Sunday, said he was proud to watch his son, Maurice, graduate. While time has faded the memory, Royce said he doesnt believe he attended his graduation all those years ago. Still. Its good. We dont have to pay tuition anymore, Royce quipped. Award Last year, Academy Awardnominated actor Mark Ruffalo received the Sam Rose 58 and Julie Walters Prize for his efforts in advocating environmental awareness and the importance of safe, clean water availability for the worlds citizens. The $100,000 prize was created to help raise awareness on the need to reduce the impact of human lives on the planet. This years recipient of the prize couldnt attend the ceremony because she was at her sons commencement ceremony at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Pulitzer Prize winning science writer and journalist Elizabeth Kolbert was chosen due to her writing on how humans affect the planet and climate change. In a statement by Kolbert recited by Neil Leary, director of Dickinsons Center for Sustainability Education, she told the graduates that they are already changing the world. We are changing the climate, changing the chemistry of the oceans, and in the process, changing the texture of life on Earth. We are doing this through what seems to us to be very ordinary activitiesdriving, flying, turning on the air conditioning, Leary read. There are 7.4 billion people on the planet, and our impacts add up very quickly. The great challenge for the next generationfor your generationis, I think, not only to change the world, but also to figure out how not to, the statement read. SHARing honorary degree Along with David Satcher, a physician-scientist, public health administrator and former U.S. Surgeon General, and Pennsylvanias Gov. Tom Wolf, one Carlisles entrepreneurs, Elaine Livas, was a member of the trio who each received honorary degrees during the ceremony. Livas is the founder and executive director of Project SHARE, a Carlisle food pantry that has provided 30 years of service to the local community by providing food, nutritional education and access to supportive programs to families in need. Susan Rose, professor of sociology at Dickinson, presented Livas with the honorary degree of doctor of public service. Livas herself is a graduate of Dickinson College. You have dedicated your lifes work to a more caring and compassionate community, you have supported and improved the lives of literally thousands of low income families in the Carlisle region, Rose said. You have also inspired the lives of hundreds of others you have welcomed to be part of your efforts. Rose also noted how often Livas and SHARE work hand-in-hand with Dickinson to help students find internships and jobs, and to help strengthen the community. Commencement address After receiving his honorary degree, Wolf stepped up to the podium to deliver the commencement address. How does one balance the demands one faces as self-regarding, self-motivated, self-actualized individuals with the countervailing social obligations, interests, and inclinations we humans also face? he asked. Heres the problem in a nutshell: youre individuals, but youre also social beings. You are at once impelled by forces you yourself unleash, he added, as well as forces that flow from the society that surrounds you. Wolf talked about how and why students need to find a balance between individualism and collectivism, and how the Dickinson experience will aid students moving from the institution into the real world. Finally, from this day on, Dickinson College will figure prominently in your various attempts to define yourself as an individual, he said. When you leave here today, you will leave as both the hardy individuals you have made of yourselves while you were here, and as members of the Dickinson College class of 2016. Airline to fly daily from December 17, 2016 through January 7, 2017 (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED STATES - May 23rd, 2016 - DELTA TO OPERATE DAILY SERVICE TO ST. CROIX OVER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS US VIRGIN ISLANDS (May 23, 2016) - Delta Air Lines will inaugurate a daily service from Atlanta to St. Croix for three weeks over the peak Christmas holiday season, reports the United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty announced that the Atlanta-based carrier will augment its twice weekly winter service from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport with daily flights from December 17, 2016 through January 7, 2017. "These new flights demonstrate the strong performance of the existing service as well as Delta's commitment to the island of St. Croix," said Nicholson-Doty, who welcomed the additional seats over the busy travel season. U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp, who led a government contingent to Delta's Atlanta headquarters last summer, said securing additional seats to St. Croix remains a key priority for his administration and this development complements efforts to bring a four-star hotel to St. Croix, attracting other investments, and pursuing oil and gas as well as manufacturing opportunities. The Commissioner asserted that the tourism department is strengthening its resolve to increase airlift from the U.S. mainland to the Territory. "We meet regularly with the airlines and are working steadfastly to introduce more flights to St. Croix, while welcoming new United Airlines flights from Houston to St. Thomas as early as Saturday, May 28," Commissioner Nicholson-Doty said. The United flights will operate from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston four days a week from early June through mid-August, and the airline will operate daily flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to St. Thomas this summer. For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Twitter (@USVITourism) and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI). When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel - including on-line check-in - making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens. ENDS ### Southeast Asia travel portal One Click to Asia (OCTA) believe that the rainy season is a great time to travel to Laos and theyre putting their money where their mouth is by offering a Good Weather Guarantee! (TRAVPR.COM) LAOS - May 23rd, 2016 - Southeast Asia travel portal One Click to Asia (OCTA) believe that the rainy season is a great time to travel to Laos and theyre putting their money where their mouth is by offering a Good Weather Guarantee! From 1 April to 31 October 2016, any travellers who book a minimum 7-night trip to Laos with OCTA will get a partial refund if their holiday is disrupted by heavy rain for every day of 3 hours or more continuous rain, the clients will receive a refund of 50% of their daily trip cost. The refund will be in the form of actual cash handed over to the travellers during their stay, rather than a post-trip refund or credit for future trips. When travellers read the phrase rainy season, they immediately think of monsoons, floods and ruined holidays says Laurent Granier, OCTAs co-founder. This means that Laos and its neighbours (Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand) all suffer a big drop in visitor numbers during the rainy months. So we want to knock on the head the notion that travelling to Laos during the rainy season is unpleasant or impossible. Uniquely in Southeast Asia, Laos is totally land-locked and protected from the worst excesses of the regions weather by its mountainous eastern border, so whilst it does have a rainy season, it receives nothing like the same quantity and frequency of rain as its neighbours, making it the perfect wet season destination. And according to Granier, there are several other advantages to rainy season travel. Firstly, our rainy season corresponds with the spring and summer school holidays in Europe he says. Secondly, even during high season Laos isnt busy we only receive around half a million Western tourists each year. So during the low season, there are so few visitors it can feel like you have the whole country to yourself. This has a knock-on effect on hotel rates, which become cheaper during this period making it a lot more affordable to visit. Granier also stresses that there are certain memorable Laos activities that can only be experienced during the wet season. Laos is a much greener and more photogenic country during the rainy season he tells us. Visitors can do things like bathing elephants at a waterfall, planting rice in the paddyfields, savouring seasonal fruits, watch fishermen fishing in rushing river waters, or simply experience the freshness and aromas of a tropical rainstorm none of which are possible in the dry season! With the rainy season underway shortly, now is the time to think about booking your Laos trip and what better incentive than a Good Weather Guarantee! To find out more, visit www.oneclicktoasia.com. About One Click to Asia Founded in Vientiane, Laos in 2015, One Click to Asia is a travel portal which combines the expertise and product range of several Southeast Asia travel providers to offer quality bespoke travel in the Indochina region. The company specialises in unique, creative and imaginative travel itineraries for experienced, knowledgeable, tech-savvy travellers who want to define their own experience. OCTA work with local travel specialists in all their destinations to provide knowledgeable and cost-effective tailor-made travel services to their clients. ### Two of Cumberland Countys top law enforcement officials have signed on to a letter sent to Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Katie McGinty asking her to denounce Philadelphias sanctuary city status. District Attorney David Freed and Sheriff Ronny Anderson signed on to the letter opposing Philadelphias refusal to cooperate with federal immigration for certain cases. I signed on to the letter because from my perspective as a prosecutor, the concept of sanctuary cities is bad public policy, Freed said. My experience in dealing with Federal authorities on cases where people charged here also have immigration issues has been totally inconsistent. The sanctuary city policy adds to the inconsistency. Philadelphia authorities do not comply with federal detainer requests unless they are a supported by a warrant and have to do with a person being released following conviction of a violent crime, according to the Associated Press. Freed said he was asked to sign on by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who McGinty is running to unseat in the November election. Anderson said he signed the letter after receiving information from the National Sheriffs Association and speaking with Freed. He noted that sanctuary city polices could affect his office and other local agencies. The letter was sent to Katie McGinty because as a candidate for U.S. Senate she should know where a significant portion of law enforcement in the Commonwealth stands on the issue, Freed said. U.S. Homeland Security Sec. Jeh Johnson has requested the city comply with detainers if the person has been convicted of a violent felony, is an active gang member or suspected of being a terrorist, the Associated Press reported. McGintys campaign told the Associated Press that it does not see sanctuary cities as the solution and supports Johnsons request of Philadelphia. In line with the companys ongoing growth and its further expansion plans, VFS Global has appointed Peter Brun, a senior communications and media professional, as Chief Communications Officer effective 01 July 2016. (TRAVPR.COM) UK - May 23rd, 2016 - LONDON: In line with the companys ongoing growth and its further expansion plans, VFS Global has appointed Peter Brun, a senior communications and media professional, as Chief Communications Officer effective 01 July 2016. In this role Peter will be responsible for Corporate Communications, Marketing and Branding, and Corporate Social Responsibility of VFS Global, and will be based at the companys head office in Dubai, UAE.He will also join the Extended Executive Board of VFS Global. Peter, a Swiss national with a rich experience of 28 years, joins VFS Global from Kuoni Group. He has been with the Kuoni Group since August 2005, initially as Head of Communications for Market Switzerland, and since March 2008 in his current role as Chief Communications Officer. Prior to joining Kuoni he spent 17 years dedicated to the media industry (radio and television) gaining experience as a journalist, moderator, anchor and finally as a Managing Director and Chief Editor a position he held at Radio 24 AG, Switzerlands largest private radio station based in Zurich, from 1999 to 2005. He has completed various journalism and media management programs in Switzerland and the US. He was the winner of the prestigious Switzerlands Spokesperson of the Year Award in 2012, and has won several awards in connection with the Kuoni Annual Report. Peter Brun said, VFS Global is an incredible success story. I have been following the company and its global progress for many years and I am very pleased that I will now have an opportunity of contributing to this story. Zubin Karkaria, CEO VFS Global Group, added, As we are look at further developing and expanding our business, we are pleased to have Peter onboard at VFS Global strengthening our management team. Ours is a very people driven business and hence we have always focused on attracting and retaining the best professionals. Peters appointment is a validation of the same. ---------------- About VFS Global VFS Global is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. With 2151 Application Centres, operations in 124 countries across five continents and over 120 million applications processed as on 30 April 2016, VFS Global serves the interests of 50 client governments. VFS Globals worldwide operations are certified ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System, ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security Management System and ISO 14001:2004 for Environmental Management System. For more information, please visit www.vfsglobal.com ----------------------- Media Contact Shaily Vaswani (Head- Corporate Communications & PR) Tel: +91 91672 10887 ShailyV@vfsglobal.com VFS Global ### Esfahan, Iran, 23.May.2016: www.irtouring.com is a leading tour provider in Iran seeking attractive cooperation with American tour operator, said Hamid, CEO (TRAVPR.COM) IRAN - May 23rd, 2016 - IRTouring.com (www.irtouring.com) has invited all the outbound tour operators from all around the world and especially from America to take this opportunity to introduce Iran as a new destination and rely on an experienced local tour operator that handles all the services from for American tourists from Visa handeling to ground exploration through the land, said Hami, CEO of IRTouring.com. Cooperation could start from small groups of 4-6 travelers and continue to larger packages once mutual contentment is achieved. Since the Islamic revolution in 1978, Iran and USA has stopped a lot of cooperation including great tourism between USA and Iran, however, American travelers are still have chance to visit Iran and its ancient wonders if they book a tour packages through the reliable tour operators such as IRTouring.com. To travel to Iran from America (www.irtouring.com/iran-tours-from-usa) they must apply visa throguyh the local tour operator who is eligible to offers tours and holiday packages as well as Visa invitation letter from the MFA. American travelrs now MUST be traveling with group and with a registered tour guide, added Hamid. About IRTouring.com Found in 2008 by Hamid, a young veteran in tourism who love his mother-land, he started running tours across Persia for travelers from all around the globe. They offers Visa services, hotel booking, travel arrangment for any budget and tours with unique itinerary suit all the members of groups. ### Turtles are one of the oldest extant reptile groups on earth, with the earliest known members dating from the Middle Jurassic Epoch over 160 million years ago. Unfortunately, many turtle species are now threatened with extinction, with the greatest threats to their survival stemming from habitat destruction and overexploitation in the pet trade. Of the 356 known species of turtles, 161 of them are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Of the 161 threatened species, 51 of them are considered critically endangered, the designation from the IUCN indicating the highest risk of extinction. Thus, over one-seventh of all turtle species may soon be extinct if greater conservation efforts are not implemented. 1 of 11 Radiated Tortoise Kyle Bedell / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 The radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) is native to southern Madagascar but is also found in smaller numbers in other parts of the island. Once abundant throughout the island, the species is now listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. The radiated tortoise is locally extinct in approximately 40% of areas on the island where it had previously lived. One study estimated that if further conservation efforts are not undertaken, the species will become extinct within the next 50 years. The most severe threats to the radiated tortoise include habitat loss and poaching. As the forests where the tortoises live are cut down for the collection of timber and to make room for agricultural land, the possible range of the tortoise becomes increasingly limited. Furthermore, the tortoises are often caught by poachers who sell them as pets both within Madagascar and internationally. Poachers also kill the tortoises and sell their meat as food. Customs officials have discovered these tortoises in the luggage of smugglers returning from Madagascar multiple times, including at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok in 2013 and at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai in 2016. 2 of 11 Painted Terrapin Daiju Azuma / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5 The painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The IUCN lists it not only as critically endangered but also as one of the 25 most endangered freshwater turtles on earth. Habitat destruction caused by palm oil harvesting operations and shrimp fisheries is one of the most serious threats to the species. Poachers will also capture the painted terrapin to sell as food or as pets and will harvest the turtles' eggs for human consumption, further contributing to declining population numbers. 3 of 11 Angonoka Tortoise Hans Hillewaert / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 The angonoka tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora), also known as the ploughshare tortoise, is found only in the Baly Bay region of northwestern Madagascar. Currently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, the angonoka tortoise is considered to be the most threatened tortoise on earth by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. The current wild population is estimated to contain around 200 adults, but it may be as low as 100 adults if not lower. The species is especially threatened by poachers who illegally catch and sell the tortoises as pets. Highly valued in the illegal pet trade, a single adult angonoka tortoise can sell for tens of thousands of dollars. In last-ditch efforts to save the few remaining individuals, conservationists have carved letters and numbers into the shells of some specimens in hopes of making them undesirable to poachers who value the tortoises for their beautiful shells. While the illegal pet trade poses the biggest threat to this species, angonoka tortoises also suffer from habitat loss and from fires started by ranchers to clear land for cattle grazing and other agricultural uses. 4 of 11 Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle USFWS Endangered Species / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 The Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) is found in the Atlantic Ocean along the east coast of the United States. Although the species is found as far north as New Jersey, populations are most abundant in the Gulf of Mexico. Listed as critically endangered, the Kemp's ridley is the rarest species of sea turtle on earth. Once abundant in the Atlantic Ocean, the species has declined in population by more than 80% over the past three generations. Shrimp trawls are the biggest danger to this species, as the turtles frequently become entangled in these fishing nets and die. Habitat loss and pollution, such as that caused by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also pose major threats to the survival of the species. The harvesting of Kemp's ridleys' eggs for human consumption was previously a major concern until the 1990s when successful efforts were made to reduce egg harvesting. 5 of 11 Philippine Forest Turtle Pierre Fidenci / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5 The Philippine forest turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis), which is found only on the Filipino island of Palawan, has a unique history. First described as a species in 1920, only two specimens were known to exist, and no more could be found by herpetologists until 1988 when one more specimen was discovered. Due to the lack of available specimens, scientists feared that the species was extinct until 2001 when herpetologists surveying Palawan discovered populations of the turtle living there. These scientists soon realized that the original specimens discovered in the 1920s were erroneously described as originating from the island of Leyte. Thus, the efforts to locate the species over the past 80 years, which were conducted exclusively on Leyte, had been futile since the species actually lived on Palawan. Today, the species is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. Due to its enigmatic nature and history, the Philippine forest turtle is highly valued by exotic animal collectors, and thus poachers frequently target the species to sell as pets. The turtle is so popular in the illegal pet trade that it is one of the endangered species most commonly discovered in poachers' possession. Filipino authorities only confiscate five other endangered species more often from poachers. In addition to poaching, habitat loss also poses a major threat to the survival of the species. 6 of 11 Flattened Musk Turtle Eugene van der Pijll / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 1.0 The flattened musk turtle (Sternotherus depressus) has an incredibly limited habitat. It lives in a single drainage system of small rivers and streams in Alabama, which is only about 7% of its historical habitat. The IUCN thus lists the species as critically endangered. The biggest threat to the flattened musk turtle is habitat destruction and pollution, mostly caused by nearby coal mining operations, which introduce toxic chemicals into the streams and induce siltation. Agricultural operations and construction also contribute to the pollution of the turtle's habitat. Such pollution not only hurts the turtles directly but also contributes to declining population numbers of certain mollusks that serve as food sources for the turtles. Siltation amplifies the erosion of the rocky areas where the turtles live, further restricting their range. Disease may also contribute to declining population numbers. An outbreak of an immune-compromising disease in the mid-1980s caused the flattened musk turtle population in the river of Sipsey Fork to drop by more than 50% in one year. 7 of 11 Yellow-Headed Box Turtle Cuora / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 The yellow-headed box turtle (Cuora aurocapitata) is native to the central Chinese province of Anhui. Currently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, it is considered one of the 25 most endangered species of turtles in the world. The species was first described in 1988 and immediately became a highly valued animal in the pet trade. Poachers began capturing the turtles to sell as pets, causing population numbers to plummet within a decade. It was not until 2004 that another specimen was observed by scientists in the wild. Today, there are fewer yellow-headed box turtles living in the wild than there are in captivity. In addition to suffering from overexploitation in the pet trade, the species is also threatened by water pollution and habitat destruction caused by hydroelectric dams. 8 of 11 Indochinese Box Turtle Torsten Blanck / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 The Indochinese box turtle (Cuora galbinifrons) is a freshwater turtle found in Southeast Asia in high altitude woodland areas. Population numbers for the species have been sharply declining by more than 90% over the past 60 years, causing the IUCN to list the species as critically endangered. The turtles are highly valued both in the illegal pet trade and as a food source. The golden coin turtle (Cuora trifasciata) is the only turtle from Laos and Vietnam that fetches a higher price on the black market. The bones of the Indochinese box turtle are also sometimes used to make glue. 9 of 11 McCord's Box Turtle Cuora / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 McCord's box turtle (Cuora mccordi) is native to the Chinese province of Guangxi. Currently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, this species is rarely observed in the wild and is one of the most threatened turtles in China. McCord's box turtle was first described in 1988 by American herpetologist Carl Henry Ernst, who obtained it from a pet seller in Hong Kong. Scientists were unable to find any specimens of the species in the wild until 2005 when Chinese herpetologist Ting Zhou led an expedition for the turtle in Guangxi and finally observed members of the species in their natural habitat. McCord's box turtle is seriously threatened by poaching and habitat destruction. It is a highly sought-after species both in the pet trade and in traditional Chinese medicine, with a single turtle selling for several thousand dollars. Waterways in Guangxi are also becoming increasingly polluted, posing additional threats to the few remaining members of this species. 10 of 11 Roti Island Snake-Necked Turtle Mark Newman / Getty Images The Roti Island snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) is found on Roti Island in Indonesia as well as in the island country of Timor-Leste. Listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, the species is so endangered that it may be extinct in many parts of its natural habitat. Populations have plummeted by more than 90% since the 1990s, and no specimens have been observed on Roti Island by scientists since 2009, although individuals have been recently documented in Timor-Leste. The greatest threat to the Roti Island snake-necked turtle is the international pet trade, as the rare and strange-looking turtle is highly sought-after by collectors. Habitat destruction caused by climate change, deforestation, and the conversion of wetlands into agricultural rice fields has also proven to be a serious threat, especially when compounded by pollution from agricultural pesticides and garbage dumping. Invasive species such as pigs and predatory fish also contribute to declining population numbers by eating juveniles and destroying their nests. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. To explain the unexplainable, a saying caught on generations ago: It must be the water. Following the killing of Kathryn Steinle in the sanctuary city of San Francisco by an illegal immigrant felon, one might reasonably think lawmakers would thoughtfully consider the life and death results of their aiding and abetting illegal immigrant felons traipsing through the streets. The killer, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, is a five-time catch-and-release illegal immigrant convicted of seven felonies. Really. Seven felonies. In fact, he would have been in jail and Kathryn would still be alive today were San Francisco not a sanctuary city. In March of last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) formally requested that Sanchez be kept in custody until immigration authorities could pick him up for an outstanding drug warrant. The geniuses who govern San Francisco decided to limit cooperation with ICE to whatever extent they need to avoid losing unsightly federal lawsuits. As a result, they chose not to honor what is known in legal terms as the federal detainer and released Sanchez. Kathryn is dead. The response from West Coast liberals to East Coast liberals is bizarre. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors, a body so intellectually lacking they recently voted to propose voting rights for 16-year-olds, have on the docket a resolution to prohibit local law enforcement from responding, except in very limited cases, to requests from federal immigration officials for an inmates personal information or release date. After all, the liberal Democrats recklessly ponder, why should federal authorities have any information about criminals being released from jail? 2,900 miles away, Democrat State Senator Bryan Townsend has sponsored a bill that would make Delaware the nations first sanctuary state. This, after Juan Leonardo Quintero, an illegal immigrant arrested for killing a Houston police officer ten years ago, confessed in February that he used sanctuary cities laws to evade authorities. The grotesque irony is that Quintero was deported for indecency with a child, while the officer he murdered, Rodney Johnson, received a commendation for valor for pulling several children from a burning building. Without sanctuary laws, federal authorities would not be so thwarted in their dangerous jobs to capture and prosecute these criminals. These laws are not protecting the innocent, hardworking people risking their lives to come to America for the promise of a better life. These laws are not protecting the young illegal immigrants who become victims of the underground sex trade. These laws are protecting the criminals. A report last fall from the Center for Immigrant Studies reveals hundreds of sanctuary cities nationwide released thousands of criminal illegal aliens from jail rather than turn them over to federal authorities for deportation. In less than a year 340 sanctuary cities, counties and states around the U.S. released 9,295 alien offenders The nonpartisan organization Judicial Watch confirmed, Of the illegal immigrants released into unsuspecting communities, 58 percent had prior felony charges or convictions and 37 percent had serious prior misdemeanor charges, the CIS probe found. An astounding 2,320 of the freed offenders were subsequently arrested within the eight-month time period studied for new crimes. If our lawmakers know thousands of illegal immigrants are being released and then arrested again for committing more crimes, we must ask if these lawmakers are ignorant of the facts or just dont care. We should also blame ourselves, the voters, for electing them out of our own ignorance. The sanctuary concept is that illegal immigrants would be more likely to communicate with local police and fire fighters in times of need if they know they wont be deported. The consequences are crime and death. Wouldnt it be more helpful to law abiding citizens to pass laws overriding these sanctuary city laws and require states and municipalities to cooperate with ICE and federal agencies? Whatever these leftwing Democrats are drinking during working hours, it might not be water. Rick Jensen is Delawares award-winning conservative talk show host on WDEL. Email him at rick@wdel.com. India, Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements in various areas Published: May 23, 2016 India and Iran signed 12 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) and Agreements in various areas including building and operating the Chabahar port by India. The other agreements include cooperation in science and technology, culture, library sciences, and cooperation between the EXIM banks of both the countries. These agreements were signed after the delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Some of signed Agreements are Bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations: It was signed between IPGPL (India Ports Global Private Limited) and Arya Banader of Iran. It was signed between IPGPL (India Ports Global Private Limited) and Arya Banader of Iran. It envisages development and operation of two terminals and 5 berths with cargo handling (general and multipurpose) capacities for 10 years. MoU between EXIM Bank and Irans Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO): It is intended for the purpose of credit of USD 150 million for Chabahar port. It is intended for the purpose of credit of USD 150 million for Chabahar port. Confirmation Statement between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of Iran (CBI): It confirms availability of credit up to 3000 crore rupees for the import of steel rails and implementation of Chabahar port. It confirms availability of credit up to 3000 crore rupees for the import of steel rails and implementation of Chabahar port. MoU between IRCON and CDTIC: It will enable IRCON to provide requisite services for the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railway line. This line forms part of transit and transportation corridor in trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. It will enable IRCON to provide requisite services for the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railway line. This line forms part of transit and transportation corridor in trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. MoU on India-Iran Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP): It seeks to extend the CEP for the period 2016-2019. It covers areas of culture and art TV, radio, mass media and cinema. It seeks to extend the CEP for the period 2016-2019. It covers areas of culture and art TV, radio, mass media and cinema. MoU on Policy Dialogue between Governments and Interaction between Think Tanks: It seeks to create a Joint Secretary/Director General policy dialogue. It also seeks to encourage new institutional mechanisms between think tanks on both sides. It seeks to create a Joint Secretary/Director General policy dialogue. It also seeks to encourage new institutional mechanisms between think tanks on both sides. MoU between Foreign Service Institute, MEA and School of International Relations, Irans MoFA: It intends to enhance cooperation for training of diplomats and exchange of eminent speakers. It intends to enhance cooperation for training of diplomats and exchange of eminent speakers. Implementation Protocol on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology: It deals with cooperation in pursuant to the 2003 MoU and covers areas like exchange of experiences, seminars, conferences etc. Besides, leaders of both countries also issued a joint statement mentioning that the Chabahar port is a symbol of synergy between both the nations. The port can serve as a point of connectivity to different countries and economic relations between India and Iran can further be expanded through the project. Highlighted the need of both the nations to work together to bring peace and stability in the region. Month: Current Affairs - May, 2016 Topics: Chabahar Port India-International Relations India-Iran Latest E-Books Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 23 The Customs Department earned Rs 176 crore duty on products imported through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari Wagah border during the 2015-16 fiscal. Sources in the department said Indian traders were importing dry fruit, cement, gypsum and other products through the ICP. Import and export of merchandise through the ICP at the India-Pakistan international border has dipped considerably during the past two months. Though the Customs Department managed to achieve its target, the fiscal ending on March 31 was not a good one from the business point of view. Exchange of goods has remained sluggish at the border. Demand for dry fruit dipped in the Indian market. Dry fruit importers were forced to scale down their orders in Afghanistan and Pakistan markets keeping in view the low demand from retailers. Among imported items, cement holds the maximum share. As many as 40 truckloads of cement and gypsum used to be imported from Pakistan every day. However, the number has decreased considerably as the price of local cement has plummeted thus making its import unprofitable. Similarly, export of soyabean to Pakistan plummeted to 100 truck loads during the past months this year. Otherwise, as many as 400 trucks laden with soyabean used to cross over to Pakistan every month. Officials in the Customs Department stated that there was 35 per cent fall in the exchange of commodities from the ICP at Attari. However, it does not translate precisely in terms of revenue, which fell by around 10 per cent. Increase in the rate of dollar in international market hiked the customs duty proportionately. One of the leading importers at the ICP, Rajan Bedi, said over a month long protests against the sacrilege and desecration of Guru Granth Sahib across the state had hit the movement of cargo. Many pending orders were cancelled causing immense loss to traders. Cement imported from Pakistan was supplied to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, he added. Dwindling orders for cement and dry fruits has also exposed undercurrent of recessionary trends and sluggishness in the national economy. On the other hand, rising value of dollar against the Indian rupee is jacking up importers investment. Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 22 In yet another incident, jail authorities seized a mobile phone from an under trial Sukhjinder Singh alias Billu of Bhatha Nangli in the Rajasansi constituency here today. The seizure was made during a surprise checking. A case under Sections 420 of the Indian Penal Code and 42 of the Prisoners Act was registered in this regard. Further investigations were under progress to ascertain how he managed to sneak in the mobile in the high security jail. He was hiding the mobile in his under garments. The jail authorities confiscated three mobile phones with SIM cards, a phone without battery and an outdated handset on May 16. Earlier, jail officials seized a mobile phone from a prisoner identified as Buta Singh. Since a massive raid by senior police and district administration officials last month, the jail authorities have been conducting surprise checking on a regular basis. During the raid last month, the police had recovered 21 mobile phones from the jail premises, which sent the alarm bells ringing among senior Punjab police and government officials. The high security Amritsar Central Jail houses notorious drug smugglers and peddlers, gangsters and foreigners, including Pakistani nationals. The Commonwealth Day celebrated with vigour and enthusiasm on the DAV School premises. The prime motive behind the activity was not only to contribute to the overall development of students but also to strengthen their thoughts and keep them informed about Commonwealth countries of the world and to foster global horizon about the nations included in Commonwealth. During this activity, as many as 50 students from various sections of Classes IX and X actively participated in the group discussion. This discussion was focussed on the vast and vivid detailed exchange of ideas on many countries such as India, Australia, Bangladesh, Uganda, South Africa and Canada. The results of the competition: Harshpreet of Class X bagged the first position, Abhinav of Class IX got the second position, whereas Sonali of Class X won the third position. Consolation awards were equally shared by Navya and Harshita of Class X. During this programme, Geeta Sharma (HOD SST department) further acquainted the students that Commonwealth was a group of all 53 countries who were colonies under the British Rule. The main motive behind the group was to promote peace, democracy, brotherhood, fraternity and equality among the nations. Workshop held Innovative Mid Brain Optimisation (IMBO) workshop was organised at Budha Dal Public School, Patiala, wherein 16 students were randomly picked from Classes VI to X for this pilot project. IMBO is a 18- month-old institute started by the ex-students of Budha Dal Gurnandan Singh and Amarpal Singh of the 1989 batch. The institute proclaims to have trained more than 600 children in the country. The organisation is an official educational partner of Gateway International School, Sonepat. The establishment helps in extra sensory perception development, which enhances concentration, improves memory, self-confidence, creativity and imagination. It also helps to enhance emotional stability. They also help to map left and right brain and multiple intelligence though Dermatroglyphic Multiple Intelligence Test (DMIT) analysis, whereby we are able to access personality, living style and thinking of the children. Kho-kho match An inter-house Kho- Kho match was played with enthusiasm and zeal at St Peters Academy, Patiala. Students displayed their team effort and competition spirit. The excitement of non-participants was awesome who time and again boosted the participants confidence. TNS Tribune News Service Karnal, May 22 Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today refuted former CM Bhupinder Singh Hoodas charge alleging political vendetta over the CBI raids in connection with irregularities in plot allotment, asserting that the CBI was only doing its job. Interacted with mediapersons the CM said: Hooda had said in the Assembly that he is not afraid of any action or inquiry and I told him then that he would later accuse us of political vendetta. The CBI had seized several documents and cash during the raids, the CM added. If he(Hooda) thinks that it is political vendetta, it is his perception, Khattar maintained. He said the industrial plots had been allotted to near and dear ones by violating the rules and regulations. Those found involved in this would be taken care of by the CBI. Commenting on the allegation of opposition leaders that big fish had been let off while small fries penalised after the Prakash Singh Committee report, the CM said he would not comment on such statements by he opposition parties. He said action was being taken without any discrimination and no one would be spared. Even an IGP-level officer had been suspended. CM backs Karnal Vikas Nidhi Denying the Congress allegations over the Karnal Vikas Nidhi, a corpus established on the CMs call for the holistic development of the district, Khattar said anybody could contribute in development. Such initiatives should be undertaken in all segments for the development with the involvement of NGOs and society. Such efforts are commendable, he added. Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 23 Despite lack of better educational facilities, rural students in Haryanas government schools have outperformed their urban peers in the Class X results declared yesterday by the Haryana Board of School Education (HBSE). In a result which saw over 50 percent students failing in the examination, the poor performance of schools in the urban districts of Faridabad (34.47 percent), Panchkula (39.33 percent), Karnal (37.68 percent) among others has come as a shock to the School Education Department since districts like Rohtak, Mahendragarh and Rewari have fared well, scoring a pass percentage of 55 percent and above. Sources in the Department have attributed the poor performance of urban government schools to the preference for and easy access to private institutions in these districts. However, this shocker has prompted the Department to now go into the performance of these very students in Class IX. There is a possibility that the performance of students shown by the government schools was tampered with. If these students passed Class IX and came into Class X, there is no reason why the result had to be so poor with the same teachers and nearly the same standard of education. We will go into last years performance of these schools before arriving at any conclusion, Additional Chief Secretary (School Education), PK Das, said. He added that while the semi-urban districts had a mixed bag as far as quality of students are concerned, barring a few government schools in the urban areas, most of them get students whose basics are not clear which is why they fail to grasp lessons in senior classes. Given this result, the Department, besides carrying out a detailed analysis of the reasons for the poor scores, has decided to target students presently in Class VIII, IX and X to improve their learning levels. These students will be given rapid updates of all that has been learnt in junior classes to ensure their basics are clear before they proceed with the new syllabi. Also, the governments no-detention policy up to Class VIII and no examination policy has taken a toll on the academics in government schools. However, the Manohar lal Khattar government, in January last year, re-introduced monthly tests in government schools in view of the falling standards of education and learning. Bhiwani: The Haryana Board of School Education (HBSE) declared Class 10 results here yesterday. The overall pass percentage showed slight improvement from 45.84 per cent in 2015 to 48.88 per cent this time round. Some 3,17, 507 students took the exam. Of these 1,55,191 passed. Plumbers son Sandeep is Gurgaon topper Gurgaon: The fact that his son Sandeep was studying in a school was a matter of pride for Dalip Samal, an illiterate plumber from Odisha, but when he emerged city topper in the recently declared Haryana board class X exams, Dalip was left speechless. All I knew was that he was doing good in studies and worked hard. We expected him to pass with good marks, but when a reporter called and told us that he had topped in Gurgaon with 96.6 per cent marks, we couldnt believe it. My joy knew no bounds, said Samal. A student of Atul Memorial High School, Sector 31, , Sandeep scored 99 in maths, 98 in English, 97 in science, 96 in Hindi and 93 in physical education. What makes his success more appreciable is the fact that he never went in for tuitions. Education is a luxury in my family and tuitions a distant dream. I made the best of what I had. I want to pursue science in Class XI and become a doctor, said Sandeep. TNS In Faridabad, pass percentage dips by 3% Faridabad: Only 34.47 per cent students have managed to clear the school matric exam this time. The pass percentage has gone down by 3 per cent in comparison to last years performance. The pass percentage which was at 61.42 per cent in 2011 has slipped to just 34.47 per cent this time, which is 3 per cent down from 37 per cent recorded last year (2015). The average result of the state remained 48.88 per cent this time. a majority of the districts 330 government schools, including 85 senior secondary and high schools, have been facing an acute shortage of teachers. Chatar Singh, district president of the Rajkiya Prathmik Sangh (Government primary Teachers Association), has blamed the authorities concerned for the poor result. He rued while the available teachers were deployed in non-teaching assignments, including the preparation of votes, elections, cleanliness drive and awareness campaign like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, there was none to look after the studies. Expressing resentment over the unusual delay in fillingvacant posts, he said 190 posts of Head Teacher had been lying vacant in primary schools for more than 10 years. TNS R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 22 The Italian Government on Monday moved the Supreme Court with a plea to allow accused marine Salvatore Girone to go home.and stay there. Girone and his colleague Massimilano Latorre have been accused of killing two Indian fishermen. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Latorre is already in Italy on bail granted by the Supreme Court on medical grounds. Girone is also on bail, but has been directed by Supreme Court not to leave Delhi. He is staying in the Italian embassy here. Subsequently, Italy moved the United Nation's International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) seeking a ruling on the question of jurisdiction in the case. ITLOS has opined that Girone should also be allowed to go to Italy until the question was decided. Italy has moved the Supreme Court seeking relaxation of the bail conditions pertaining to Girone on the basis of the opinion. A vacation Bench headed by Justice PC Pant agreed to consider the plea, moved through advocate Jagjit Singh Chhabra on May 26. Kathmandu, May 23 A 43-year-old Indian mountaineer has died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest, in the third fatality on the worlds tallest mountain in as many days since climbing resumed after last years avalanche tragedy at Base Camp. Two others from India are still missing. Subash Paul, who climbed the 8,850m peak on Saturday, perished the next day due to exhaustion, Wangchu Sherpa of the Trekking Camp Nepal company said on Monday. Paresh Chandra Nath and Goutam Ghosh are still missing, said Krishna Prasad Sharma, chief district officer of Solukhumbu district. The three were reported missing on Saturday. West Bengal government is sending a team of officials to Nepal for co-ordinating the rescue operations of two mountaineers from the state who were reported missing at Mount Everest. The team will try to co-ordinate the rescue operations of both Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh who were missing. An Australian woman and a Dutch national have also died since Friday due to altitude sickness in the notorious death zone. Hiking officials and climbing veterans say the deaths raise questions about the preparations and safety standards of some climbing operators, with cut-price local companies competing for business as international outfits scale back operations. This years campaign has been hit by high winds as climbers try to make their summit bids before the monsoon sweeps in. Companies often use poor quality equipment... offering cheap packages to clients, Nepal Mountaineering Association Chief Ang Tshering Sherpa said. Agencies Ujjain (MP), May 20 Five pilgrims, including three women, were killed and a minor boy was seriously injured on Friday when the car they were travelling in hit a culvert and overturned on Ujjain-Badnagar road near here, police said. The victims were relatives of local Congress leader in Ratlam, Aditi Davesar, and were returning from the Simhastha Kumbh Mela which is underway here, Badnagar police station Inspector Gopal Parmar told PTI. Three of the victims--Prabha Dave (60), Asha Sharma (60) and Ajay Mishra (15)--died on the spot while Usha Dogra (65) and driver Fareed succumbed to injuries on their way to the hospital, he said. One of the injured identified as Rudraksh Dave (15), is in a critical state and has been rushed to a hospital in neighbouring Indore district. PTI Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2016 Results Published: May 20, 2016 Ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Party under the leadership of Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha has emerged victorious in the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election. AIADMK Party emerged victorious by winning 134 seats (38.4% votes) out of 234 seats of the Legislative Assembly in the state. The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has won 89 seats (35.6% votes) while Indian National Congress (INC) won 8 seats. With this victory, AIADMK Chief J. Jayalalitha became the first Chief Minister in 32 years to be voted back to power. She won from Dr. RK Nagar constituency in Chennai. DMK Patriarch M. Karunanidhi has won for a record 13th time (since 1956) from his home turf of Tiruvarur. Background The election for fifteenth Assembly of Tamil Nadu was held in single phase on 16 May 2016 for the 234 seats. Month: Current Affairs - May, 2016 Topics: Elections J Jayalalitha M. Karunanidhi Persons in News States Tamil Nadu TNPSC Latest E-Books Tehran, May 23 India and Iran signed an agreement on Chabahar Port on Monday, the second day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country. "Deliberating the details of diplomacy. The leaders lead formal delegation level talks between #IndiaIran," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Chabahar Port can serve as a point of connectivity between different countries, especially India and Afghanistan, as well as the east of Europe, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said in a joint statement. We are going to put tourism very high on our agenda. We also discussed how we can cooperate on intelligence sharing and how we can get closer to each other in our fight against terrorism, Rouhani said. Pact to develop Chabahar Port for which India will provide USD 500 million is a key milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Visiting Iran is a great privilege. Friendship between India and Iran is not new. Our 'dosti' is as old as history, Modi said. We exchanged views on emerging regional challenges and global issues of common interest. Ahead of the talks, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a "restricted" meeting. WATCH: Ceremonial welcome for PM Narendra Modi in Tehran. #ModiInIranhttps://t.co/5RJWbCLel2 ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 The Prime Minister, who arrived here on Sunday evening, was accorded a ceremonial welcome on Monday morning. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. Discussed India-Iran ties with President Rouhani. His leadership & clarity of vision is extremely impressive. pic.twitter.com/HVNZppH1Nr Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 The Prime Minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The Prime Minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted. IANS Tehran, May 23 India and Iran on Monday decided to jointly combat terror, radicalism and cyber crime as the two strategic partners signed 12 agreements, including a milestone pact on developing the key Chabahar port for which India will provide USD 500 million. We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani after the two held one-on-one talks. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Besides developing the Chabahar port, the two sides also signed agreements in diverse fields like trade credit, culture, science and technology and railways. The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose is an important milestone, said Modi. This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to taking steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today, he said. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Baluchistan province on Irans southern coast, is of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from Indias western coast, bypassing Pakistan. India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Irans border with Pakistan. India and Iran have also agreed to enhance interaction between their defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security, said Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the important energy-rich Persian Gulf nation after a gap of 15 years. Terming the dosti (friendship) between India and Iran as old as history, he said through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. Iran was among the first countries to come forward in support when earthquake struck Gujarat in 2001, said Modi who was the then chief minister of the state. Describing the agenda and scope of partnership as truly substantial, Modi said, The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership. Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilisers, education and cultural sphere are driving our overall economic engagement. Talking about a trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement with participation of Iran, Modi said, It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. (PTI) New Delhi, May 23 India has banned its nationals from travelling to Libya, irrespective of the purpose of the visit, in view of the prevailing security situation in that country. Announcing this today, External Affairs Ministry said the decision has been notified to all Immigration authorities. "In view of prevailing security situation in Libya, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the government has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose," the MEA travel advisory said. Asking Indian nationals for compliance, the ministry said the travel ban is effective from 3 May, 2016 till further orders. The MEA's announcement came a day after reports of a Libyan former minister being killed in clashes between unity government forces and fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Sirte. Libya is witnessing increased violence due to clashes between them. PTI Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 23 Two years might not be a long enough period to pronounce a clear verdict but it's definitely enough time to read the signals and to know the direction in which one is headed. Ditto for the Modi government which, in a few days, will complete two years and hence offers an opportunity to think and evaluate where this nation is headed. In terms of foreign policy, at the onset, one can state that the government or rather the Prime Minister has been very active. The outreach to countries ranging from the US to Saudi Arabia to Pakistan is all self-evident. But when it comes to actual outcomes, the verdict is a little unclear. Let us start from the neighbourhood. The PM put forward a "neighbourhood first" policy. The idea was that this government would focus more on its immediate neighbours and build India's ties with the SAARC nations. Sadly, that has not been achieved. On the contrary, in a few cases, especially with regard to Nepal, India's "mishandling" of the situation has been grave. If Nepal has moved closer to China today, the blame is entirely on India and its failure to understand and deal with the Himalayan kingdom. Sri Lanka is going the Nepal way, edging closer to China and for India, it is crucial to pull up its socks and do some serious policy work now. Even tiny Maldives seems not too enamoured of India. Bangladesh and Bhutan are two positives with the Sheikh Hasina government proving time and again that they stand by India in good and bad times. Maybe the government could make some positive overtures to solidify that support. Pakistan is, of course, the biggest concern. After the Pathankot attacks of early January this year, which caught our intelligence agencies napping, the blow-hot, blow-cold relationship continues. India seems to be caught in the reaction mode. Every statement or action of Pakistan evokes a reaction from India. But there has been no serious forward movement, whether in terms of controlling the terrorism being unleashed against India from the Pakistani soil or on the issue of Kashmir on which Pakistan harks at every given opportunity. The Pakistan policy of the government has been referred to as a "confused" policy. At the end of two years, let's call it a "thoughtless" policy. The US and its relationship with India has received a great deal of attention from this government. So much so, that PM Narendra Modi is headed to the US for a fourth time since taking charge. Again, the photo-ops have been great. US President Barack Obama and his wife as guests at India's Republic Day parade last year and now with Modi scheduled to address the joint session of the US Congress, the optics of the relationship has really played out well. Again, the concrete stuff is missing. The much-hyped Indo-US nuclear deal still has to be given a practical shape and the signing of yet another document is not adding much value to the relationship. China has retained its bullying position. With Russia, an old friendship could have more value addition and with the nations of the Middle East more concrete steps need to be taken. At the end of two years, the government needs to formulate policy in clear, hard terms and then have the guts to follow it through. Photo-ops look good but content is essential for success in any field. Sat Singh Tribune News service Bhiwani, May 22 A whopping 51 pc students have failed in the Class X exams held by the Haryana Board of School Education (HBSE). The result was declared here today. The overall pass percentage is 48.88, which is only marginally better (up 3 pc) than last year's figures, this despite the tall claims of the BJP government to raise the standard of education. As in the previous year, girls once again outperformed boys with a success rate of 52.62 pc compared to 45.71 pc that of boys. Disappointed at the result, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said mismanagement and misplaced priorities of previous governments were much to be blamed, not the incumbent government. The only silver lining was government schools outperforming private schools, with the pass percentage rising from a mere 30.32 pc last year to 42.25 pc this year. Rural students too performed better than those in cities. HBSE chairman Dr Jagbir Singh said the policy not to fail students up to Class VIII was responsible for the poor show. Amritsar, May 23 On its maiden flight to Amritsar, the Singapore Airlines Groups low-cost subsidiary Scoot Airlines will land at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport tomorrow. The service to the holy city will be operated with a 375-seater Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner aircraft thrice a week Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The first Scoot flight will take off from Singapore at 10 am tomorrow and land at 12.55 pm. The one-way fare ranges from $49 (Rs 3,306) to $261 (Rs 17,612). The flight from Amritsar will take off at 2.10 pm and reach Singapore at 10.15 pm. The Singapore Airlines carrier will be flying to Amritsar after eight years. Three flights a week were operating from 2004 to 2008, but these were pulled out of this route due to low returns. TNS Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 23 Amid the mounting drinking water crisis in Delhi, the government has declared that it would adopt the Seechewal model for cleaning Yamuna. The announcement comes a day before Delhi Water Ministers meeting with Union Minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday on this issue. Water Minister and Chairman of Delhi Jal Board, Kapil Mishra today said the government will seek the help of environmentalist Sant Balbir Seechewal. We have planned to clean the Yamuna currently one of the most polluted waters of the world - within two to three years to provide drinking water to Delhi. The low cost plan set up by the environmentalist is cost efficient and simple, he said. CM Arvind Kejriwal has instructed me to take tips from Sant Seechewal on this count. In fact it should be applied elsewhere as well, he added. Mishra called on the environmentalist a little over two months ago after CM Arvind Kejriwal met Seechewal on March 15. Singh showed the team the low cost water treatment plant used to irrigate the fields in the area. Mishra said if this model proves successful in Delhi, the world would be attracted to it. He also extended an invitation to Seechewal to visit Delhi to meet Kejriwal and a team of Delhi Jal Board. Mishra was accompanied by state AAP convener Sucha Singh Chottepur and senior officials of the board The model has already been applied to 1,657 villages of the Ganga and will be implemented for Yamuna. I will extend my support to any party that would roll out a concrete agenda on this issue, Seechewal said. Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, May 22 A two-member Belgian police team today questioned ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Bibi Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike in connection with the suspected murder of a woman, who was reported missing in that country in 2012. The police team from Belgium yesterday arrived in Moga to probe the suspected murder of the woman, identified as Jagwinder Kaur alias Soni. As per the details available, Jagwinder, who hailed from Mullanpur Dakha in Ludhiana, was married to Kewal Singh, a resident of Bhagike village. Kewal had been living in Belgium for more than 20 years. Jagwinder also went to Belgium and gave birth to a son there. The police today took blood samples of Bakhtaur Singh, Jagwinders brother-in-law, for a DNA test. They also recorded statements of family members of Kewal and questioned local Akali MLA Bibi Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike, sarpanch and many other panches of the village. The local police officers accompanied the Belgian police team. In February 2012, Kewal Singh came to his ancestral village, here, to attend a marriage. A few days after his arrival, he got a phone call from Belgium that his wife has gone missing from the house. On March 8, he went to Belgium. Bakhtaur Singh, Kewal Singhs brother, told the Belgian police that later they came to know that Jagwinder had filed a legal suit against Kewal, demanding a separate house to live. Then, they started living separately. On August 26, 2012, the woman went missing in Belgium and since then her whereabouts were not known. Meanwhile, Kewal was sent to judicial custody for few months in Belgium, suspecting that Jagwinder was murdered by him. The Belgian police were suspecting it a case of honour killing. Beirut, May 23 More than 148 people were killed today in two Syrian regime bastions in a spate of bombings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. A hundred people were killed in the city of Jableh and another 48 died in Tartus further south, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Seven bombs -- most of them suicide attacks -- hit Jableh and Tartus almost simultaneously today morning. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were "without a doubt the deadliest attacks" on the two cities since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. IS claimed the attacks via its Amaq news agency, saying jihadists had attacked "Alawite gatherings" in Tartus and Jableh. Both cities are strongholds of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad whose family hails from the village of Qardaha, just 25 km east of Jableh. Their populations are mostly Alawite. IS is not known to have a presence in Syria's coastal provinces, where its jihadist rival and Al-Qaeda's local branch Al-Nusra Front is much more prominent. But IS is notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies. Syrian state media also reported the attacks but gave a total of 78 dead, 45 in Jableh and 33 in Tartus. The attacks began at 9 am local time (0600 GMT) in Tartus, where steadfast regime ally Russia has long maintained a naval base. State television broadcast footage of a bus station hit by one blast in Tartus, showing charred minibuses and others still ablaze. The Tartus blasts were caused by one car bomb and two suicide bombers, the Observatory and police said. A Facebook page sharing local news from Jableh, where another bus station was targeted, as was a government hospital, shared footage of people around fire trucks near several bombed-out cars. A police officer in Jableh told AFP that one suicide attacker detonated his explosives inside the emergency room of the state-run hospital, while three car bombs caused the other blasts. The Observatory said there were three suicide attackers and just one car bomb. Russia today expressed concern over the blasts. "The rising tensions and terrorist activity in Syria can only spark great worry," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told journalists. He said the attacks "demonstrate yet again how fragile the situation is in Syria and the need to take energetic measures to relaunch peace talks". AFP - : , 10 SEOUL, May 23 South Korea dismissed on Monday a North Korean proposal for military talks as "a bogus peace offensive" and said it was formally rejecting the overture because it lacked a plan to end the North's nuclear programme. North Korea's proposal on the weekend for talks between the two Koreas, a repeat of a call by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a congress of his ruling party this month, came after a period of heightened tension on the peninsula. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February, triggering tougher international sanctions and the adoption of a more hardline position by South Korean President Park Geun-hye. North Korea said dialogue between military officials from the two sides was urgently needed to reduce tension, and suggested they be held in late May or early June. South Korea said the offer was insincere. "The dialogue proposed by the North does not mention its nuclear programme, which is the fundamental issue for peace on the Korean peninsula and South-North ties," South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a briefing. "Proposing dialogue without an expression of its position on denuclearisation is a bogus peace offensive for bogus peace that lacks sincerity." Moon said the South had sent a message over a military hotline on Monday expressing regret over the North's proposal and asking it to state its position on denuclearisation. This month, at the first congress of North Korea's Workers' Party in 36 years, Kim declared his country a nuclear weapons state and vowed to press on with nuclear development, which he said was defensive. In the run-up to the congress, North Korea test-fired a series of missiles including a submarine-based ballistic missile. It also attempted a launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile. South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles political ties with the North, said Pyongyang's intention may be to sow discord among the public in the South and create a rift in the international commitment to sanctions. "Let me repeat: Now is not the time for dialogue," said ministry spokesman Cheong Joon-hee. North Korea came under tougher international pressure with the March adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that was even backed its lone major ally China, which disapproves of its nuclear arms programme. South Korea has also cut off all commercial contacts with the North. The two Koreas have remained in a technical state of war since their 195053 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. Reuters The numbers are in, and 2014 was the best year for the supply chain industry since the Great Recession. Over the course of the year, the transportation sector grew by 3.6%. That that was due not thanks to higher rates, but to stronger shipment volumes. Nonetheless, the truck-driver shortage still greatly concerns the logistics sector not surprisingly given that the 2014 turnover rate wound up at over 95 percent annualized. All thats per the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' (CSCMP) 26th Annual State of Logistics Report, which is presented by Penske Logistics. The SOL report was rolled out on June 23 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., by its author, transportation consultant Rosalyn Wilson, senior business analyst at Parsons. She has tracked and measured all costs associated with moving freight through the U.S. supply chain since 1988. Report author Roz Wilson, presenting the 26th Annual State of Logistics Report. Image: Penske Logistics The 2015 report provides an overview of the economys performance during the past year, discloses total U.S. logistics costs for 2014 and discusses key logistics trends. SOL shows that total U.S. business logistics costs rose to $1.45 trillion in 2014, a 3.1 percent increase from the previous year. However, the growth rate for logistics costs was lower than the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), resulting in a slight decline in logistics as a percent of GDP from 8.4 percent to 8.3 percent. Overall, the report finds that last year the U.S. economy was on solid ground. That foundation rested on several positive factors: Consistent creation of new jobs Inching up of both real net income and household net worth Low to moderate levels of inflation Reduced gasoline prices, which fueled up consumer buying As consumer spending increased, freight levels climbed as retailers replenished inventories, noted report author Wilson. Consumers had been the missing component in the recovery from the Great Recession, but in 2014 they began returning to the marketplace. The general freight pattern in 2014 was unmistakable. According to Wilson, Freight shipment volume [of late] has been following a predictable trend-- starting the year at or below the end of the previous year, rising throughout the spring, flattening or even dropping during the summer months, peaking in August-September, then falling close to the levels at which the year started 2014 was no exception for the start of the trend, as the January level was the lowest since 2010. February followed the trend and began the climb upward Things got even better in the second quarter with freight payments in April hitting the highest point in 15 years. Shipment volume also rose in April reaching the highest level since June 2011. Freight continued to gain momentum although the performance of the economy overall during this period was weak. Wilson also pointed out that during this time, the trucking industry edged even closer to 100% utilization. She said that in 2014, truck capacity grew extremely tight with the demand for spot-market truck capacity running high as well. Whats more, in May of last year, freight payments were 11.2% higher than during the same month a year before and were 77.7% higher than at the recessions end in 2009. Rates held steady despite the tightening capacity, noted Wilson. Both number of shipments and freight spend reached a crescendo in June, with shipment volume surpassing the November 2007 prerecession level. Both of Cass freight indexes increased every month for the first half of 2014. At that point, the freight sector was a great deal stronger than many other parts of the economy. Wilson found that trucking, the largest component of transportation costs, increased 3.0% in 2014. Truckings intercity segment rose 2.7% and its local delivery segment was up 3.7%. And while the number of truck shipments declined, truck tonnage increased 3.5% in 2014. This supports the anecdotal evidence collected that suggests loads are heavier and more trucks are moving at or near full capacity, she remarked Interestingly, total freight payments rose less than the increase in the number of shipments. This indicates that rates were flat and competitive overall. Spot market prices seesawed up and down, a good indicator of the sporadic capacity problems. Once again in 2014, truck freight rates did not rise as a traditional supply and demand model would have indicated. However, on a cost per ton-mile basis, there was a 2.5% uptick, but on an average cost-per-mile basis, there was a 2.1% drop in 2014. Wilson cautioned supply-chain firms to be aware that a trucking shortage allows carriers to be selective in who they do business with. They are interested in maximizing driver pay and satisfaction, which means more time actually driving to deliver or pick up goods since drivers are generally paid by the mile. Shippers who hold drivers for long periods of time waiting to load or unload, or who do not treat their drivers well, will fall to the bottom, she continued Maximum equipment utilization, quicker turns, and fewer empties go right to the bottom line. Shippers willing to work with carriers to accomplish this will fare better than those who neglect these issues. SOL report sees truck drivers as "the limiting factor for the growth in trucking capacity. Image: Penske Logistics Here are specifics on other cost contributors highlighted by Wilson: Railroad sector costs grew 6.5 percent as rail traffic reached its highest annual total on record. The 4.5 percent increase in traffic volume brought the rail industry close to its pre-recession volumes. Total carloads increased 3.9 percent, hitting their highest total since 2006 due to increased shipments of grain and coal. Intermodal volume also increased 5.2 percent, surpassing 2013s record total. Costs for the water sector rose 8.9 percent, the second highest growth sector in 2014. Inland waterway traffic rebounded due to successful agricultural harvests, higher demand for coal and an expansion of petroleum transportation by barge. Shipments through the nations ports increased, with East Coast ports seeing the largest percentage of gains due to congestion and delays at West Coast ports caused by protracted labor issues. Air cargo sector costs declined 1.2 percent as competition from other modes kept rates down; however, in 2014, a record $968 billion of high value merchandise was moved by air$443.8 billion in exports and $543.3 in imports. Freight forwarder costs rose 5.4 percent in 2014, mainly due to an increase of 7.4 percent in the 3PL sector. The level of uncertainty in the supply chain has supported a 20.5 percent growth in the domestic transportation services segment. Inventory-carrying costs rose 2.1 percent as inventories continued to climb. Interest rates remain well below pre-recession levels, but have been rising in recent months. Other components of carrying coststaxes, depreciation, insurance and obsolescencewere up 1.2 percent due to inventory growth. Warehousing costs rose 4.4 percent because of shrinking capacity, which lowered the national vacancy rate to 7 percent. In addition, warehousing costs are on the rise as companies respond to the shortage of workers by offering better pay and benefits. According to Wilson, the state of logistics through 2015 will be shaped by the expected sustained growth in freight volume and the capacity and cost problems this increase will create. Indeed, she stated that most of the problems that the freight logistics industry will face in the next three years will boil down to capacity issues. Freight volume is expected to increase at a moderate rate, but capacity is not going to keep pace. The second half of 2015 is sure to be fraught with capacity issues and bottlenecks for most modes. Rates should rise faster in the second half of 2015 to cover the higher costs faced by carriers and needed investment. But Wilson also pointed out that, based on equipment orders placed and announced investment plans, carriers are working to overcome some capacity constraints. They are, however, doing so with caution to make sure that they do not end up in the overcapacity situation they found themselves in prior to the Great Recession. "Truck drivers, she added, will be the limiting factor for the growth in trucking capacity. UPDATED -- The goal of the new North American Commercial Vehicle Show is not to compete with established regional trucking shows that are popular with owner-operators and families, but to provide a more business-focused event showcasing the latest truck technology for fleets. The main idea here is that what was missing from North American shows was a real focus on the medium to large fleets and the technology of today and tomorrow, explained Joe Glionna, vice president of Newcom Media USA, one of the partners putting on the new event, in an interview with HDT. The new show will be held Sept. 25-29, 2017, at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. Daimler Trucks North America is the first truck OEM to announce a commitment to the new show, but other announcements will be forthcoming. The NACV Show is organized and managed jointly by Newcom Media USA and Hannover Fairs USA. Newcom, a major Canadian B2B publisher, puts on the Truck World and ExpoCam trade shows. Hannover Fairs USA develops and manages marketing programs at Deutsche Messe events in Hannover, Germany, and the United States, as well as in emerging markets. The genesis for a new show was the pullout of major truck and engine OEMs from the Mid-America Trucking Show last year. DTNA and others expressed a desire for a show that would run on opposite years to the big IAA commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany, and that would have some of the same attributes of the European event, where fleets actually come to place equipment orders. In fact, Glionna said he doesnt view the NACV show as directly competing against any shows that are currently in the North American market. We believe theres a place in this industry for events for truck enthusiasts, for owner-operators, for the family aspect of trucking, and we hope they continue to succeed in various regional markets, Glionna said. But what was missing was an event that brings the buyers together and the latest technologies and the biggest fleets. He noted there also will be a robust European technology section of the show. While owner-operators are certainly welcome, Glionna said, the NACV show will not have some of the types of features that would typically be a draw for this audience, such as a truck beauty competition, driver recruiting booths, concerts, educational programs, and vendors showing off products and services that are not directly related to the business of running a fleet. Quality, not quantity, is the goal when it comes to attendees and exhibitors. Our expectations are quite low compared to the announced numbers from some other shows, Glionna said. We have no interest in having 50,000 people at this show. If we had 10,000 to 15,000 qualified buyers the first year, that would be a big success in our minds. It's not about big numbers, its about the right equipment, the right place to do business, and the right people to do business with. NACV will be a five-day show. While schedules are far from finalized, as plans stand now, only two days are likely to be open to the general public, Glionna said. A third day will be limited to invited guests customers and prospects of the exhibitors. A fourth day will be for the press, a fifth day for suppliers to meet with OEs. Eventually, Glionna said, NACV can become more of a truck-buying event like IAA. In the North American market, trade shows are far less about acquisition than European shows, and its a mentality thats not going to change in year one. I think were going to see a real attempt to start to create sales cycles where the show becomes a major date in that sales cycle. Updated 7/7/2016 to correct show dates. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Donald Trumps gun policies are not just way out there, but dangerous and would make America less safe, Hillary Clinton said Saturday. This is someone running to be president of the United States of America a country facing a gun violence epidemic and hes talking about more guns in our schools; hes talking about more hatred and division in our streets, the likely Democratic presidential nominee said of her presumptive Republican rival. Thats no way to keep us safe. Clintons criticism of Trump came the day after he slammed her as Heartless Hillary for backing restrictions on gun ownership in a speech before the National Rifle Association convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Clinton spoke at a conference organized by the Trayvon Martin Foundation to help mothers whose children or other relatives have died from shootings. It was led by Sybrina Fulton, whose 17-year-old son, Trayvon Martin, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in 2012. She has campaigned with Clinton during the Democratic presidential primaries. The reason why I stand with her is because she first stood with me, Fulton said before introducing Clinton to more than 200 people packed inside a hotel banquet room. Queen Thompson Brown, a Miami mother whose son was the victim of gun violence in 2006 and who has mentored Fulton, said she and others do not want to take away guns from Americans but hope to promote common sense gun laws. Clinton praised the courage of Fulton and others who had suffered the loss of loved ones to gun violence or while in police custody. We have a moral obligation to protect our children no matter what ZIP code they live in, she said. She then turned her attention to Trump and his gun policies. If you want to imagine what Trumps America will look like, picture more kids at risk of violence and bigotry; picture more anger and fear, she said. Clinton repeated her pledge to fight the powerful National Rifle Association lobby, saying we will not be silenced; we will not be intimidated. The gun rights organization endorsed Trump, even though he had previously supported measures like an assault weapons ban that the NRA vigorously opposes. The group applauded Trumps call for ending gun-free zones across the country. A 19-year old Broken Arrow man is credited with saving the life of a 7-year old girl shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday following a swimming accident at the Hawthorn Beach area of Oologah Lake. Da'Veion Birge is being called a hero, but the part-Cherokee -- who only discovered his native American heritage a few years ago and has lived in Oklahoma less than a year -- said he just did what any good citizen would do. "I appreciate the respect everyone is giving me, but I feel that I was just there, and honestly it was a blessing I was there. There's no telling how else this situation could have gone. "I was just like a regular citizen doing the right thing and saving her life," he told OTEMS (Oologah-Talala Emergency Medical Services District) officials. "I just appreciate everyone. I am sure glad she is all right. That sure is a blessing." The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and U.S. Army Corps of engineers said the girl was swimming with a sibling, went under and did not resurface. Her sister called for help, and family members and bystanders located the girl under water and took her to shore where Birge administered CPR. The 2014 graduate of Benson High School in Omaha said he had taken CPR training as a sophomore and junior but never completed certification. He said when the girl was found, she had been under three and a half feet of water for four or five minutes. "First, I forced her to open her mouth and put three strokes of my breath into her. I started pumping her chest. It took a minute and a half for her to come back, for her to open her eyes," he said. "Then her heart started beating real fast, and she was delighted she could breathe again. When she finally opened her eyes, her heart started racing. When she looked at me, how she looked at me was unreal. When she finally came back, it was like seeing a ghost," he said. Birge said when she was brought from the water, her face was blue, and her mouth was purple. Incident Commander Lt. Josh Copeland of the Northwest Rogers County Fire District, said firefighters arrived to find the girl conscious and continued treatment until OTEMS paramedics took over patient care. Before she left the scene, she was able to name her favorite color --green -- and was breathing on her own, Copeland said. OTEMS Operations Director Kelly Deal said the girl was conscious, talking and in fair condition as OTEMS continued treatment and transported her to Saint Francis Children's Hospital in Tulsa where OHP marina enforcement Trooper Gena Gillis said she was admitted overnight for observation and expected to be released later Monday. Deal noted that in pediatric near-drowning situations, the patient would require close observation for 48 to 72 hours for potential complications. Gillis said in her report a personal flotation device was not in use, and Birge agreed she was not wearing either a PFD or floaties or any other kind of flotation aid. Copeland said, "Without the civilian CPR, we would be dealing with another drowning victim out of Oologah Lakte. That's for sure." Officials said two key lessons from the incident stand out: The victim was not wearing a life jack and was not being supervised by an adult. Deal, Fire Chief Mat Shockley, Oologah Lake Project Manager Bobby Parkey and OHP all praised the cooperative effort at the scene. Besides Northwest, OTEMS and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the Oologah Police Department and the Rogers Count Sheriff's office were at the scene assisting. Marine Enforcement Trooper Gillis was in charge of the investigation. She said it was unknown why the victim went under and did not resurface. Parkey concluded, "Although this near tragedy has a happy ending, it brings to light the critical importance of wearing a life jacket when in or around water. When enjoying the lake this summer, please keep safety your top priority. Always wear a life jacket, provide adult supervision for your children and remember that alcohol and water do not mix." OKLAHOMA CITY - A measure to give voters a chance to permit the sale of wine and strong beer in supermarkets and convenience stores was approved Monday by the Oklahoma Senate and sent to the House for final passage. Companion legislation for implementing specifics of the proposal is pending. Senate Joint Resolution 68 would also allow liquor stores to refrigerate beer and would allow these stores to sell some non-alcohol items. Current law allows only low-point beer to be sold at supermarkets and convenience stores. Liquor stores presently sell nonrefrigerated, regular-strength beer and wine. On Wednesday night, ABC Political Editor Chris Uhlmann moderates Australia Votes: Regional Leaders Debate live from Goulburn at 7.30pm (AEST) on ABC News 24. The battle for regional Australia What are our leaders plans for the future of the country? Discussing the issues facing regional Australia will be Barnaby Joyce (Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Leader of the National Party), Senator Richard Di Natale (Greens Leader) and Joel Fitzgibbon (Labor, Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs). UPDATE: Nine, Southern Cross,TEN, WIN: affiliate changes WIN Television and Network TEN have confirmed a five-year program affiliate deal for regional Australia. WIN stations will carry TEN content from July 1st and the network has reaffirmed its commitment to local news. The deal follows Nine ending a long-standing partnership with WIN and signing with Southern Cross. Last week TEN also announced a deal with Southern Cross for Northern NSW where WIN is not present. WIN Network CEO Andrew Lancaster said, For both viewers and clients this is an excellent outcome. We believe we are now partnering with a television network that is delivering innovative programming and increasing audience share. This can only be good for our advertisers. We are excited to be bringing most of Australias Logie winning programs to regional Australia exclusively in HD. WIN will now give viewers Gogglebox Australia, The Project, KFC Big Bash League, The Living Room and Family Feud along with international hits like Madam Secretary, NCIS and Modern Family. In addition to the aforementioned programs, we are going to deliver the V8 supercars, rugby internationals, Formula One, MasterChef Australia, Offspring and Australian versions of Survivor, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette to WIN viewers. Id like to personally thank TENs CEO Paul Anderson and Chair David Gordon for their approach in what is an historic change for viewers of the WIN Network in regional Australia. As yet there is no fine detail on how WIN News bulletins will sit amongst TENs schedule which includes TEN Eyewitness News, Family Feud and The Project. There has been so much written about the future of news, both in regional and metropolitan areas. WINs commitment to news is stronger than ever. WIN produces 16 half hour news bulletins and an hour-long All Australia News bulletin each weeknight. No other network matches that. Combined with the talent, experience and resources in the TEN newsrooms across Australia, viewers will see comprehensive news coverage at local, state, national and international level, Lancaster said. WINs commitment to local regional news continues. It is something we are proud of and is at the heart of the WIN Network. TEN have been supportive of our desire to ensure regional Australia continues to have local regional news each weeknight and we look forward to working with TEN in providing news supply beyond the WIN News audiences especially when news breaks in regional Australia. TEN Chief Executive Officer, Paul Anderson, said: We are delighted to announce our new agreement with WIN and that our unique and fresh content will reach more Australians through the WIN regional network. WINs strength in regional Australia, particularly its unmatched commitment to local regional news, combined with TENs growing audience will deliver a great experience for both viewers and advertisers. Ongoing collaboration between us will continue to strengthen our services and we look forward to a strong partnership for years to come, he said. Viewers will not need to rescan their television to access new programming. The University of Delaware College of Health Sciences honored faculty and staff award winners during its final all-college meeting of the academic year. The five recipients received outstanding recommendations from colleagues, department chairs and staff. Here is the list of winners along with a snippet from the nomination packet: Excellence in Service Iva Obrusnikova, Department of Behavioral Health and Nutrition. Dr. Obrusnikova has a long history of service to her profession, her department and her students. Her most stellar service is in the area of disabilities both children and adults. Her work is often unheralded, but extremely important to disadvantaged, high risk groups in the community. Excellence in Advising Todd Royer, Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. Without a doubt, Dr. Royer has been a key leader of advising over the last five years a period where undergraduate enrollment has grown greatly. He takes the time to know each person to figure out what will work best for him. Routinely advising 60 undergraduates, he stepped up during this academic year when a colleague was out on leave, taking responsibility for another 60 students! He is a person to whom faculty turn when they have advising questions. What a great example for all of us on how to be an excellent advisor. Excellence in Teaching Judy Herman, School of Nursing. Dr. Herman is a national expert in curriculum development, accreditation, test construction and creative teaching strategies. Her book Creative Teaching Strategies for the Nurse Educator is a best seller. Over the past three decades, Dr. Herman has been a tremendous influence for all of her students. With plans for retirement this year, this award would cap off an outstanding career in nursing education. Excellence in Research Slobodan Jaric, Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. His research productivity is simply outstanding. During the years 2011 to 2016, Dr. Jaric published 39 papers, not including several manuscripts in press. His scholarly work was cited more than 3,800 times! He is an absolutely wonderful colleague. Staff Award Gina Pusey, Physical Therapy; Communication Sciences and Disorders. You hear it over and over Gina goes above and beyond. She has modified many clinic procedures to accommodate clinical instruction. She is a supporter of our research mission. To put it mildly, research adds a significant burden to the administrative responsibility of an operations manager; Gina is so supportive, routinely looking around corners to anticipate challenges with grants and research protocols. President Targett honored The college surprised outgoing President Nancy Targett, honoring her at the close of the awards session. President Targett has been such a passionate advocate for innovation during her time at the University, said Kathleen Matt, dean of the College of Health Sciences. Her vision and support for STAR Campus have allowed for exponential growth in our college. The University of New Hampshire is getting one incredible leader. We wish her all the best. Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson For the majority of people, finding the motivation to consistently exercise is tough even when there is nothing really wrong. Now imagine whether you would feel like exercising if you had slowed movement, impaired balance, tremors and perhaps symptoms of depression. Those are just a few of the symptoms of Parkinsons disease (PD), and for many people the natural reaction is, People with Parkinsons cant really exercise, can they? They can, and PD patients are often found doing their own Tour de France impression on the stationary bicycles inside the University of Delawares Exercise Neuroscience Laboratory. Chris Knight, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, is leading studies into the role of the nervous system in fast movements. He is designing optimal exercise strategies for older adults, including a special focus on people with PD. Research participants take part in six-week workout regimens that include interval bike workouts and that is not just taking a leisurely ride around the block, as the men and women participating are working hard. Results indicate the intense exercise regimens are actually alleviating the degree of ailments. It can help with all aspects of mobility walking, balance, hand function and cognition, explained Knight. We dont think of these people as our patients; we think of them as our athletes. A local group shares Knights passion for exercise in the Parkinsons community. With headquarters in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Shake It Off serendipitously discovered UDs research via a former graduate student. Not only has Shake It Off provided many research participants for UD studies, the group is actively raising money for the Exercise Neuroscience Lab. The organization had already given a great deal of money to fund research over the past half-decade, and earlier this month at the College of Health Sciences Gala its representatives surprised Knight with a check for $30,000. What a fantastic, generous surprise, said Knight. Now well be able to bring more people with Parkinsons into our exercise programs and the lab. The donation will also be used to pay for new equipment, additional people to oversee the exercise programs and conference travel for students. Shake It Offs leadership includes passionate exercise advocates for people with PD, so the connection to UDs research was a natural fit. Chris research on exercise and Parkinsons is so important in improving the lives of those affected by the disease, said Jodi Cianci, who lives with PD. The nonprofit hosts fundraising events throughout the year. Knight, an avid cyclist, will be staffing an aid station for his fellow Parkinsons advocates this fall during the PD 500: Shake Off the Hills Challenge, held annually in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania. The work with Shake It Off is just such a cool, community-driven partnership, said Knight. To honor their organization, we want the results applied quickly. We cant just publish the work and have it buried in a library. We take the results to Parkinsons support group meetings across Delaware and the region. Eventually, Knight hopes to plant exercise interventions in fitness and community centers so those with PD can better sustain their workouts beyond the lab. The University of Delawares Christine Leigh Heyrman has won a top prize from the Society of American Historians for her book about the first American Protestant missionaries who traveled to the Middle East to reach out to Muslims in the 19th century. Heyrman, the Robert W. and Shirley P. Grimble Professor of American History, was awarded the Francis Parkman Prize, presented annually to a nonfiction book that is distinguished by its literary merit and makes an important contribution to the history of what is now the United States. In announcing the prize for American Apostles: When Evangelicals Entered the World of Islam, the society described the book as a work of surpassing interest and power that vividly evokes the very particular ethos of 19th-century American evangelicals. Heyrman was praised for her meticulous research, shrewd analysis and supple, elegantly evocative prose. The society said that the book brings characters and events to life and provides a deeper examination of how people respond to engaging with others who are different from themselves. American Apostles tells the story of three young missionaries from New England who visited Ottoman Turkey, Egypt and Syria seeking to bring Christianity to these Muslim populations. They were not only the founding members of the Palestine mission but also among the first Americans ever to travel extensively in the region, and they played a crucial role in shaping U.S. understanding of the Muslim world. Heyrman, who joined the UD faculty in 1990, is also the author of Commerce and Culture: The Maritime Communities in Colonial Massachusetts, 1690-1750 and Southern Cross: The Beginnings of the Bible Belt. The Society of American Historians at Columbia University, founded in 1939, encourages and promotes literary distinction in the writing and presentation of American history. Its members, by invitation only, include scholars, journalists, documentarians, filmmakers, essayists, novelists, biographers and poets. The Parkman Prize is named for a 19th-century historian widely honored for his elegant prose style. Sean Fudger, a doctoral candidate in materials science and engineering at the University of Delaware, has received a Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program from the Department of Defense (DOD). Established to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, the program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DOD laboratories. Advised by Chaoying Ni, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Fudger is conducting research on steel-encapsulated metal-matrix composites for advanced structural applications. The aim of the research is to create a low-cost lightweight system for applications in the aerospace, marine and automotive industries. In general, reducing the weight of structural components results in increased fuel economy while maintaining structural integrity. According to Ni, who is also director of UDs W. M. Keck Center for Advanced Microscopy and Microanalysis, the project was selected for beam access by the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre in Chalk River Ontario, Canada. CNBC is a global leader in the development of materials and products for businesses and external researchers alike, Ni says. Access to these beam lines is typically limited to around 250 researchers per year, and Seans project represents a transformative material structure-property engineering through material design and computation, non-conventional processing, and advanced characterization. Neutron diffraction experiments allowed Sean to quantifiably measure the residual stresses present within the materials, which resulted in improved properties. SMART Scholarship winners receive a full scholarship and are offered employment upon degree completion. In addition to full tuition and fees, recipients are paid a stipend ranging from $25,000-$38,000, depending on the degree pursued. Following graduation, Fudger will work at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Throughout his doctoral work, he has also been an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) contractor within the Lightweight and Specialty Metals Branch in the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate in the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. The financial support this scholarship provides will allow me to focus on finishing up my research here at the University of Delaware, Fudger says, and, more importantly, it supplies a smooth transition into a permanent role within the DOD. He plans to continue performing research and development on many applied Army projects after graduation. Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). A residence in western Lviv city, where a hand grenade F-1 exlpoded in the morning on May 23, is owned by a spirits beverage company CEO, a member of the Our Land Party and a founder of chain stores Oleh Balyash, a source in law enforcement told a Ukrinform local correspondent. "The house, where an F-1 grenade exploded in the morning of May, belongs to the family of Oleh Balyash. He is a former Party of the Regions member, representative of Lviv regional council. In the 2015elections he ran for mayor of the city delegated by the Our Land party. In addition, he is CEO of Hetman liquor producing company, head of the supervisory board of Oksi Bank, he also owns the majority stake in the bank. He is reportedly the founder of a store chains KREZ, Computer World and Shok. According to the press service of the police patrol the city, the explosion in the front yard caused a funnels, damaging two cars - Lexus and Porsche Cayenne and the security post. No casualties have been reported. This is not the first attempt to attack the bankers residence. In January 2016, it was an unidentified person who threw a firecracker under his car trailer. The Balyash family is known in Ukraine because of the scandal with the office building erected in Lviv Khmelnytsky Culture Park, which was declared unlawful. tl The situation in ATO area in eastern Ukraine remains tense. The militants launched 31 attacks on Ukrainian troops in last day. This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center. In particular, the terrorists used heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and 82mm mortars to shell Avdiyivka (18km north of Donetsk) and its suburbs. The same weapons and anti-aircraft mounts were used by the militants to fire at the Ukrainian positions outside Krasnohorivka (29 km west of Donetsk). The tensest situation last night was observed near Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol). The pro-Russian illegal armed groups used grenade launchers and 152mm artillery systems to shell the Ukrainian troops there. In addition, the enemy again used 82mm and 120mm mortars near Novotroitske (32km south of Donetsk). ol One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and three were wounded in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine over the past day. Colonel Andriy Lysenko, the Presidential Administration spokesman on ATO issues, said this at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. One Ukrainian soldier was killed, three soldiers were wounded as a result of combat actions in the past day. This took place during mortar attacks in an industrial area near Avdiivka, Lysenko said. iy The number of cadre personnel units of the Russian Armed Forces in the occupied areas of Donbas reaches about 6,500 servicemen, Spokesman for the ATO Headquarters Mayor Anton Myronovych told a briefing in Kramatorsk, the Donetsk region, a local Ukrinform correspondent reports. "The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have deployed nine battalion and six tactical companies totaling 6,500 servicemen in the temporarily occupied areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions," said Myronovych. According to the spokesman, the contingent of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine may possess more than 200 tanks, 400 armored combat vehicles (armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles), about 150 units of the artillery systems, 100 units of the rocket multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and about 70 units of anti-air defense system. He said that the figure for [the Russian] military personnel and weapons and military technology (WMT) does not list the first and second Army Corps, formed in the areas controlled by the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" respectively. Those both Corps also contain the Russian military, but they are not separated into detachments, and rather perform the functions of management and control in the commanding posts. "In general the contingent of the Russian Armed Forces deployed along the Ukrainian state border and in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine totals 16 battalion tactical groups and eight company tactical groups, including the Crimean inter-army contingent of the Russian Armed Forces, 34,600 servicemen," noted the spokesman of the ATO Headquarters. tl The Government of Ukraine will make every effort to remove all the obstacles to development of domestic business. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said this in his live address to Ukrainians, posted on his Facebook page. "We have to remove all obstacles to the development of Ukrainian business, the Ukrainian businessmen. And we will continue to conduct deregulation, remove absurd inspections, absurd permits so that the business could develop freely and create jobs," Groysman said. He noted that he was well aware that the business was paying taxes that help to support the national economy. In turn, the government must fairly distribute these funds to boost development of Ukraine and to provide all the disadvantaged citizens with assistance they need from the state. ol The founding meeting of the Ukrainian Workers' Trade Union has been held in the city of Katowice, Poland, Radio Poland reports. The documents on the establishment of the Ukrainian Workers' Trade Union will soon be submitted to the National Court Register [of Poland]. The office of the trade union will be located in Warsaw, says the report. According to Piotr Ostrowski, the director of the International Department of All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions, this is a joint initiative by Ukrainians, who often complain about various forms of discrimination, and the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions, which intends to assist them in fighting for their rights. "Ukrainians, who often work illegally, don't have even minimum standard labor rights and social security, and they are simply exploited and deceived. They are unaware of their rights and do not know who to go to for help", the director said and added that sometimes Ukrainians are involved in forced labor, or even become victims of human trafficking. iy President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev discussed preparations for the Ukrainian Presidents visit to Baku. The issue was discussed during their meeting when the President of Ukraine is on his working visit in Turkey, the press service of the President reports. "They discussed preparation for the visit of the President of Ukraine to Baku during their meeting" a statement noted. Heads of State have also agreed to hold shortly a joint intergovernmental Ukrainian-Azerbaijani commission on trade and economic cooperation. tl President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has put forward an initiative to set up a trust fund to restore Ukraine after military operations in countrys eastern regions. Poroshenko stated this at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Ukraine wants to cooperate with the relevant international organizations and institutions to set up a multi-partner trust fund to support the efforts in Ukraine," Poroshenko said. He also called on the international community "to help Ukraine in the post-conflict recovery period." Ukrainian President stressed that "the country strongly supports the need to strengthen the United Nations Security Council, in particular, in the issue of timely response to the situations that violate the principles of humanitarian law." ol All the EU foreign ministers from Member States support granting of a visa-free regime to Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin made a statement following the ministerial meeting of foreign ministers of the EU "Eastern Partnership" on Monday in Brussels, Ukrinforms own Belgian correspondent reports. "Im very pleased to hear about support for a visa-free regime voiced absolutely by all [foreign] ministers," Foreign Minister of Ukraine noted. He added that all the ministers also said that there are no problematic issues with the implementation of obligations for liberalizing visa regime for Ukraine and Georgia. The minister noted that the process of visa liberalization for Ukrainian nationals is proceeding in the EU according to the plan, and Ukraine is not connected to the process because of the problems in other countries. tl Olympia Carvalho had always wanted to send her eldest children to preschool, but the classes were too far and too expensive. Now, thanks to a new alternative preschool and parenting education programme in her rural community, both she and her children will get a chance to learn. MATAHOI, Timor-Leste, 23 May 2016 At the stroke of 8 a.m., a ringing bell echoes through the remote village of Matahoi in Timor-Lestes Viqueque municipality. As the sound fades, Olympia Carvalho, a 26-year-old mother of three, makes her way to the village centre in this small agricultural community, which is located 170 kilometres east of the countrys capital, Dili. The bell indicates the start of another parenting education session for Ms. Carvalho, but it also signals a new beginning for her children. This is because while she attends the parenting session, her two eldest children, Atanazio, 5, and Izaias, 3, attend the newly-established alternative preschool. A community supported alternative The alternative preschool programme is an informal learning session for children aged 3 to 5 who have no access to formal preschool. It follows the Ministry of Educations curriculum and is facilitated by trained community volunteers. I am very pleased to have the alternative preschool here, Ms. Carvalho says. Now my kids can go to a school in their own community. I always wanted my eldest son to attend preschool when he turned 3, but I could not afford to send him, and it is located very far, around two hours walk from our home. The preschool class is held three times a week, and it has been running in the community for about three months. Ms. Carvalho says that both she and her children have already learned a lot. I make sure that they attend regularly, and most of the time I also accompany them. I've learned many good ideas from the teacher, such as learning through playing, which I apply with my children at home, she says. Teresa Fernandes is a housewife and a trained community volunteer who is giving her time in the interest of the children in her village. With UNICEF support, Ms. Fernandes received training on facilitation skills, classroom management and lesson planning using the new school curriculum. Each volunteer also receives essential learning materials. Seattle Pacific University in Washington (SPU) was on lockdown this weekend due to a bomb threat. An unknown caller reportedly tipped the university that a bomb was scheduled to explode on one of the buildings on the campus, SPU officials said. After receiving the bomb threat, Seattle Pacific University held a lock down and evacuated some buildings in the campus. This included the Royal Brougham Pavillion where students were gathered for a fashion hosted by the SPU MODE Fashion group. The annual event was postponed and it is currently unknown if the club will be rescheduling the fashion show, Fox 13 reported. SPU received a bomb threat and we are taking the precaution of evacuating buildings that we believe need to be evacuated. Details to follow. Seattle Pacific Univ (@SeattlePacific) May 22, 2016 According to Donald W. Mortenson, SPU's Safety and Security Senior Vice President for Planning and Administration, the bomb threat was not credible but they proceeded with taking measures to protect Seattle Pacific University staff and students. The lockdown was lifted Sunday night and the authorities did not find anything during their search and sweep of the campus. Furthermore, there were no students who got hurt or were missing. Prior to the lockdown lift, some of the students were asked to leave some areas in the campus while some were told to stay in shelters in SPU. There were no further details as to who sent the bomb threat message or why it was sent in the first place, BNO News shared. The officials are still on high alert after the bomb threat was cleared, Q13 Fox noted. On June 2014, a gunman entered Seattle Pacific University and went on a shooting spree. It resulted in four people injured and one death. SPU is a private university located in downtown Seattle and attended by more than 4,000 students. In the wake of a law that restricts University of Tennessee from using state funds to support its Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the forthcoming fiscal year, the university has closed the office doors and oust its four employees - a $445,000 downsize. The law slated to take effect July 1 reallocates the money to finance scholarships for minority students in engineering programs and is in effect for only one year. The law stems from the diversity office's move that made national headlines last fall when it requested students to use "gender-neutral pronouns" including hirs, zirs, xyr, xem, xe, and ze. The diversity office again made national news last December with its list of holiday "best practices" which recommended that holiday parties should quit having Secret Santa-themed gift exchanges and asked the campus to make sure their holiday party is not actually a Christmas party under wraps, reports The College Fix. The exaggerated political accuracy was a little too much for state lawmakers. University of Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy Cheek who is slated to take a similar post in diversity with the University of Washington said he was upset by the incident in his email to the campus community. Cheek noted that the new law restricts them from reallocating money in order to keep the ball rolling for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion from another funds. While Diversity chief Rickey Hall is stepping down, another staff member has been offered another job at University of Tennessee, and an office employee whose job is being cut is being assisted. According to a university announcement Thursday, Hall will step in as University of Washington's vice president for the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity and chief diversity office on August 1. This is not the first time Hall has been a candidate for a job outside University of Tennessee, reports WBIR. The University of Tennessee has come under fire from area congressmen as well as state lawmakers, who criticized a proposal steered by diversity supporters last summer to change to gender-neutral pronouns in a bid to rule out gender-based discrimination. In December it was reported that the office was giving suggestions to University Of Tennessee employees about holiday gathering asking them to make sure their holiday party is not a "Christmas party in disguise." No prizes for guessing, both posts were removed. Before finally deciding to strip the Office of Diversity and Inclusion of financial support of about $445,000 for an entire year, state lawmakers considered several defunding move this year. Noting the importance of diversity position, President Ana Maria Cauce said in statement posted on University of Washington's website Thursday that Hall has what it takes to make a difference. Interim Provost Jerry Baldasty also noted that Hall is an acclaimed leader in the field of diversity for more than 20 years. Following the diversity office closing down, Cheek said office employees that reported to Hall are being reshuffled. US universities are against the new restriction proposed by US government that will limit foreign students in doing research. The national administration has come up with new rule that will restrict foreign students to do research on 'sensitive topics' such as nuclear technology, satellite, and defense system. According to the State Department, the studies on such issues could lead to intellectual property theft. There are 62 research institutions including Harvard, Stanford, MIT and University of Pennsylvania who propose a 'push back' against the State Department rule, Sputnik has learned. If this regulation is applied, it will affect sponsored-research in term of its pool opportunities since it has currently become a trend in US universities. Sending a letter to the State Department, these universities are joining force with Association of American Universities to criticize the rule as it would likely to create 'disastrous consequences'. According to the coalitions, the State Department decision might be 'too far' to consider a research as a threat to the national security. And it would not be valuing the academic freedom that America is promising today. Steve Eisner, spokesperson from Stanford University said that the idea is not acceptable because the school will not going to tell a foreign student not to participate in a research due to citizenship problem. According to the FBI report in 2011, as published by the Reuters, it accused China to steal military information and export information. The case of 'taking advantage' using university research, however, has never been officially announced despite suspect. The Department of Justice made an announcement that there are indeed, foreign espionage targeting faculties and students to steal valuable information and is working with many labs and institutions as a way to raising awareness. For the record, Chinese students in US universities are reportedly decreasing after government regulation to restrict research access in 1960. Currently, there are only 31 percent of foreign students pursuing a degree in US colleges, based on 2014-2015 report. May 23 2016 Glasgow Housing Association has carried out the latest demolition in their ongoing housing renewal programme with the removal of a 25 storey tower block at Rosemount Street, Roystonhill.The Sunday morning blowdown will clear land for an additional 45 homes following on from the delivery of 55 homes on the site of a neighbouring tower block felled in in 2013.David Fletcher, director of regeneration for GHA's parent company, Wheatley Group, remarked: "The demolition allows us to complete the next phase of our plans with the local community to build more energy-efficient, family-friendly homes for our tenants."We want to create bright, vibrant communities where people are proud to live. Many of the tenants who used to live in the Rosemount multi-storeys have already told us they are loving life in their new homes.A clear up operation is now in full swing although it is expected to take several months to grind the 10,000 tonnes of rubble into road aggregate. All the latest Uttoxeter news Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. CONTRIBUTED Ormond Beach, from Perkins Road to the Navy base, will be off-limits for dogs, horses and other animals under new rules to protect habitat where threatened bird species nest. The Oxnard City Council gave initial approval last week. SHARE STAR FILE PHOTO Ormond Beach could be off-limits to dogs, horses and other animals and activities that have impacted habitat for plovers and terns. The fenced area at right protects the threatened birds' nesting sites. STAR FILE PHOTO A snowy plover rests in the sand at Ormond Beach. By Gretchen Wenner of the Ventura County Star Dogs and pigs, kites and camp fires: all will be banned from Ormond Beach to protect sensitive habitat where threatened birds nest. The Oxnard City Council gave its initial approval May 17 for an ordinance restricting activities on the wild stretch of coastline at the city's south end. In the 4-1 vote, Councilman Bert Perello voted no over concerns about how rules would be enforced, among other issues. The item will come back for a so-called second reading, likely early next month, with rules going into effect 30 days after that vote. The move is another step in a decades-long effort to preserve Ormond Beach's unique surrounds and restore its expansive wetlands. Currently, dogs are allowed on leash. But many owners let their pets off leash once they're on the remote beach, officials say, and even leashed dogs disturb the nesting birds. A fenced dune area protects nests, but some chicks must walk on their own beyond the protective fence soon after hatching to feed at the tide line, representatives from the Ventura Audubon Society and other organizations told the council. That puts them on the open beach, vulnerable to dogs, horses and even pigs sometimes brought there. Two species of particular concern are the federally threatened western snowy plover and the endangered California least tern. But other plants and animals, including migrating birds, also depend on the habitat. Mortality rates for Ormond Beach chicks are dramatically higher than for birds nesting in wetlands at the adjacent Point Mugu location of Naval Base Ventura County, officials said, where public access is restricted. The proposed ordinance received letters of support from Audubon California, the California Coastal Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and other organizations. The restrictions would cover a stretch from Perkins Road to the Navy base. The ordinance would ban all domestic animals including cats, dogs, horses and pigs. It would also bar activities including kite flying, hang gliding, kite boarding, camping and fires. Motorized vehicles and remotely operated cars, planes, helicopters and drones are also on the list. Councilman Bryan MacDonald, who voted in favor of the ordinance, also expressed concerns about how it will be enforced. "I appreciate what we're trying to do at Ormond Beach," MacDonald said Friday, adding he supports the protections. But it's not clear whether police, code compliance or other staff will be enforcing the rules, he said, and those units are already spread thin after budget cuts. "I'm afraid we're setting them up for failure," he said, when financial resources to support the effort haven't been identified. STAR FILE PHOTO Santa Paula officials are considering hiring more staff and giving out raises next fiscal year. SHARE By Claudia Boyd-Barrett,Claudia Boyd-Barrett, Special to The Star,Special to The Star Santa Paula's city council will consider some new hires and a small salary increase for city employees next fiscal year, even as its budget predictions remain modest. Council members on May 16 examined draft budget numbers for the 2016-17 fiscal year, including proposals to add or rearrange staffing positions for a total cost of almost $275,000 to the general fund. Total general fund revenues and expenditures next year are both estimated to be a little over $14 million. The new positions would include a deputy public works director and two meter-readers, a part-time secretary for the planning department and consolidating three part-time community service officer positions in the police department into one full-time position. Council also discussed adding some kind of assistant position to the city manager's office. Under the proposal, Santa Paula would end next fiscal year with almost $215,000 in general fund reserves, according to a spreadsheet presented by Finance Director Sandra Easley. However, City Manager Jaime Fontes told council there will likely be additional revenues from the Harvest at Limoneira residential development to add to the proposed budget in the next couple of weeks. As a result, council postponed further discussion on the budget until its June 6 meeting. Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi also noted the absence of Councilman Jim Tovias, who did not attend Monday's meeting. "We need to have correct numbers that may give us a different decision on what we cut, don't cut," she said. "And I do think it's important for Councilman Tovias to be here." In a goal-setting session before the regular meeting, council also debated a proposal to set aside money for a 1 percent across-the-board salary increase for city employees. However, the city still has to negotiate with employee unions, and Gherardi questioned whether it was wise to reveal ahead of time what kind of salary change the city is planning for. In other news, council agreed to cancel its meetings on July 18 and Aug. 1 to allow for vacation time. A special meeting can be called if necessary. Gherardi said she'd prefer that the council align itself with other government agencies in the county by going dark only in August. Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite suggested deciding on the council's summer schedule earlier in the year next time. Council also heard a presentation about the Ojai Music Festival's plans to hold a street party in downtown Santa Paula on June 12. The presentation included information from the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce and a video clip of the festival's music director Peter Sellars talking about why he wants to hold an event in the city. "It is California from another era . You feel this great social energy, this great presence. Modest, but cool," he said. "For me, Santa Paula also just represents such a good vibe, such a good feeling, something so totally American in the best possible way." He said the street party would include improvised performances by Ojai Music Festival musicians and be a chance for people to "let down their hair, cut loose and just share enjoyment." Officials connected with the California Oil Museum, meanwhile, spoke to council about a request to transfer control of the entity from the city to a nonprofit foundation. Council did not take action on the request Monday, but several council members expressed support for the proposal. Santa Paula's city council will consider some new hires and a small salary increase for city employees next fiscal year, even as its budget predictions remain modest. Council members on May 16 examined draft budget numbers for the 2016-17 fiscal year, including proposals to add or rearrange staffing positions for a total cost of almost $275,000 to the general fund. Total general fund revenues and expenditures next year are both estimated to be a little over $14 million. The new positions would include a deputy public works director and two meter-readers, a part-time secretary for the planning department and consolidating three part-time community service officer positions in the police department into one full-time position. Council also discussed adding some kind of assistant position to the city manager's office. Under the proposal, Santa Paula would end next fiscal year with almost $215,000 in general fund reserves, according to a spreadsheet presented by Finance Director Sandra Easley. However, City Manager Jaime Fontes told council there will likely be additional revenues from the Harvest at Limoneira residential development to add to the proposed budget in the next couple of weeks. As a result, council postponed further discussion on the budget until its June 6 meeting. Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi also noted the absence of Councilman Jim Tovias, who did not attend Monday's meeting. "We need to have correct numbers that may give us a different decision on what we cut, don't cut," she said. "And I do think it's important for Councilman Tovias to be here." In a goal-setting session before the regular meeting, council also debated a proposal to set aside money for a 1 percent across-the-board salary increase for city employees. However, the city still has to negotiate with employee unions, and Gherardi questioned whether it was wise to reveal ahead of time what kind of salary change the city is planning for. In other news, council agreed to cancel its meetings on July 18 and Aug. 1 to allow for vacation time. A special meeting can be called if necessary. Gherardi said she'd prefer that the council align itself with other government agencies in the county by going dark only in August. Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite suggested deciding on the council's summer schedule earlier in the year next time. Council also heard a presentation about the Ojai Music Festival's plans to hold a street party in downtown Santa Paula on June 12. The presentation included information from the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce and a video clip of the festival's music director Peter Sellars talking about why he wants to hold an event in the city. "It is California from another era . You feel this great social energy, this great presence. Modest, but cool," he said. "For me, Santa Paula also just represents such a good vibe, such a good feeling, something so totally American in the best possible way." He said the street party would include improvised performances by Ojai Music Festival musicians and be a chance for people to "let down their hair, cut loose and just share enjoyment." Officials connected with the California Oil Museum, meanwhile, spoke to council about a request to transfer control of the entity from the city to a nonprofit foundation. Council did not take action on the request Monday, but several council members expressed support for the proposal. File photo SHARE By Staff Reports Simi Valley police said they arrested more than half a dozen motorists this past weekend on suspicion of driving under the influence. They included a 25-year-old woman who was found to have a blood alcohol level of .22. Police said she almost hit a wall after exiting a freeway. Someone is considered drunk if their legal blood-alcohol level is above .08. Police also arrested a Moorpark teen after they said she admitted to smoking marijuana and taking Xanax that had not been prescribed to her. Others were arrested on suspicion of smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel, drinking alcohol and using marijuana and heroin A Moorpark man was arrested after being involved in a hit-and-run accident near Kuehner Drive. Police said he had a blood alcohol level of .22. Police said under California's DUI law motorists do not need to have a blood-alcohol level to be arrested on suspicion of DUI. Motorists who are impaired while driving, even those with a blood alcohol level below .08 can be arrested and booked for DUI in California if they are impaired, police said. SHARE A prominent Arab intellectual has written an important book in English and Arabic that asks his countrymen to confront a critical question: Who is really responsible for Iraq's desperate plight? His answer is already provoking hot debate on Arab social media because he doesn't blame colonialism or the West. Instead, the Iraqi scholar and human rights activist, Kanan Makiya, points the finger squarely at the Iraqi elite. "The U.S. did everything wrong it could possibly do, but this book is about what the Iraqis did wrong," he told me. "You can point the finger at the Americans, but this is our failure; we own it." He reserves special blame for (U.S.-backed) Shiite exiles who returned from abroad. Makiya's novel (he chose this form because he thought it would illuminate deeper truths) is called "The Rope," a reference to the noose that hanged Saddam Hussein. The novel challenges Iraqis to look inward rather than blaming outsiders. The author is no stranger to controversy. From a prominent Baghdad family, he studied in the U.S., became a U.S. citizen and taught at Brandeis University. One of the first to expose Saddam's genocidal brutality toward his own people, Makiya wrote "Cruelty and Silence" in 1992, taking Arabs to task for not criticizing the abuses of Mideast dictators even as they decried America and Israel. He doesn't apologize for helping the Bush administration shape the case for overthrowing Saddam. Instead, his novel details the failures of Iraqi opposition leaders who returned from exile, especially Shiites whom Washington put in charge of a transition government in Baghdad. What Makiya does apologize for, in the Arabic version of his book, is his role in legitimizing those leaders, including Bush administration favorite Ahmed Chalabi. They threw away a chance to build a new Iraq and abandoned the very "idea of Iraq" and an Iraqi nation. Instead they opted for "the politics of victimhood." Although the Shiite majority had been repressed by Saddam, its new politicians and militia leaders, once empowered, became sectarian oppressors of Sunnis, often egged on and aided by Iran. They also organized competing militias that are still fighting each other for power. The novel, based on real events, centers on the murder of a Shiite cleric in the holy Shiite city of Najaf a forewarning of sectarian struggles to come. The protagonist, a young Shiite from Najaf who comes of age during the Iraq War, stumbles on the body and struggles to learn the truth about the killing. Ultimately, he discovers that the murder was ordered by a rival cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, in whose militia he has been fighting. I knew the murdered cleric, Abdel-Majid al-Khoei, the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Abul Qasim al-Khoei. The young man escaped to London after the first Gulf War in 1991, when Saddam crushed a Shiite uprising. Like his father, he believed in the quietist school of Shiite Islam, which separated mosque and state. The younger Khoei supported the U.S. invasion as the only means to remove Saddam. He told me in 2002 that he hoped that Iraqi Shiites could show how Islam could coexist with a democratic constitutional state. So Sayyid Majid, as he was known, agreed to return to Najaf with the Americans at the beginning of the 2003 invasion. Days later, he was dragged out of a holy shrine and brutally slashed to death on the orders of Sadr, who espouses a strikingly different activist Islamic philosophy. Sadr's militia, known as the Mahdi Army, warred with U.S. forces repeatedly in the 2000s, and was also famous for slaughtering Sunnis. What is so important about this book is its demand that Arabs look inward, seeking the social and political reasons for postwar failure in Iraq (and the failure of the Arab Spring). It is insufficient to blame the mess on borders drawn by colonial powers after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago. As artificial as those external borders once were, says Makiya, they became more real over time, and "we would be completely lost if we tried to change them." He argues at the end of the book that Shiite exiles who took over Iraq needed to cobble together a new, post-authoritarian "Iraqi identity." Instead they opted for revenge against Sunnis, and squabbled among themselves. The only major Iraqi figure who tried to rise above the bloodshed, ironically, was the Grand Ayatollah Khoei's successor, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who urged Shiites to avoid violence and tried to stop sectarian bloodshed. But Sistani is 90 years old, and his philosophy is being challenged both by the populist Sadr and by Iran. Makiya's book is a desperate challenge to Iraqis many of whom are fed up with their corrupt leaders to stop blaming the West and confront the officials who are destroying their country. He believes that only some form of geographical federalism that rises above a strict Shiite-Sunni divide can save the country. As Sayyid Majid's death makes clear, Iraqi Shiites must first stop killing each other before the country can emerge from chaos. That is the harsh truth "The Rope" wants Iraqis to face. Trudy Rubin is a columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Readers may email her at trubin@phillynews.com. SHARE Record numbers of students have graduated this month from Ventura County's two largest colleges more than 2,200 from CSU Channel Islands and 1,520 from California Lutheran University and thousands more are crossing the stage in May and June at our 50-plus high schools. Local economists have mixed opinions on the kind of job market they will face. Some say it will be the best in 10 years, while others say it won't be much better than in 2015. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found U.S. employers plan to hire 11 percent more college graduates from the Class of 2016 than a year ago. In either case, finding a job can be a hit-and-miss proposition. One of the few certain ways a college graduate can begin his or her new life on a solid financial footing is to have no student loan debt to worry about, or at least a manageable amount. And the only certain way to achieve that falls on all of us parents: Start saving for college now. Sure, you can give your little girl a lacrosse stick, spend thousands of dollars and hours schlepping her around to tournaments, and hope for a scholarship to Dartmouth. Or you can just save every week for college. The Princeton Review's survey this year of college applicants and their parents found 39 percent were worried about the amount of student loan debt they would incur. It's been the top incoming-college concern for three years now. College graduates 35 years and younger are spending 18 percent of their income on student loans, 60 percent expect to be writing those monthly checks into their 40s, and 57 percent now have regrets, a Citizens Bank survey found. CSU Channel Islands estimates it will cost you $27,546 to attend there next school year and live on campus. Even if you live at home and commute, it will still cost an estimated $16,478 a year. About 42 percent of Channel Island students get federal loans, graduating with a median debt of $16,000, according to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scoreboard. Paying that off will cost $178 a month for 10 years. The numbers are even higher for the private CLU: a cost of $59,344 if living on campus, $50,936 if living at home, 56 percent of students getting federal loans, with a median debt at graduation of $23,000 $255 a month for 10 years. The beauty of saving for college is that instead of paying off all that debt and all that interest you earn and compound interest for years. So the earlier you start, the better. And if you put the money in a 529 education savings plan, the interest grows tax-free. FinAid, a well-respected financial aid website, points out that it is simply less expensive to save for college than to borrow. Either way, you're setting aside some of your income to pay for college. Saving only $25 a week starting at your child's birth and earning a 5 percent return will leave you with almost $35,000 by the time he or she is 17 and enrolling in college, FinAid says. Increase that to $50 a week and you'll have $69,679. Here's another telling FinAid example: If your college fundraising goal is $12,663, you'll need to save only $10 a week if you start at birth (and earn a 4 percent return). But if you wait until your child enters high school to start saving, as many families do, then you'll need to save $56 a week to reach the same goal. Yes, it's a lot of depressing numbers. But your kids will be much better off if you deal with the bill now and not when you're setting up the microwave in their dorm room. Photo : nasa.gov The US space agency had already pushed back the launch by a day to Tuesday. If technicians are able to finish their repairs as planned, Discovery and its six American astronauts will now launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 3:52 pm (1952 GMT) Wednesday, NASA test director Jeff Spaulding said. The flight to the orbiting International Space Station is the fourth and final shuttle flight of the year, and the last scheduled for Discovery, the oldest in the three-shuttle fleet that is being retired in 2011. Investors should consider trade agreements like the TPP as roadmaps leading to investment opportunities. Trade agreements open doors for foreign investors, often providing necessary legal frameworks for direct and indirect investment. Safeguards put in place to ensure the protection of investor rights in member countries are also helpful in attracting investment. Member countries are generally net beneficiaries of investment flows and are able grow in a sustainable fashion, although some may benefit more than others. Both Vietnam and the US can celebrate their successful endeavours to move forward economically and socially. The visit by US President Barack Obama to Vietnam in May 2016 loosely coincides with the ceremonial completion of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the landmark trade agreement which will greatly influence the political, economic, and social landscapes of participating countries for decades to come. The controversial decree on the casino business would lift the ban on Vietnamese citizens entry The mammoth $4-billion South Hoi An resort project officially kicked off construction late last month. It is Vietnams second-largest casino-related project, narrowly behind $4.2-billion The Grand Ho Tram Strip in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Following the beginning of construction, the question of the long-awaited government decree was raised once again, highlighting investors eager anticipation of changes in current casino regulations. Although the draft decree on casino business was first compiled in 2009, it has yet to be adopted despite experiencing several revisions. Casinos are classified as conditional businesses, and so in light of the 2014 amended Law on Investment, the deadline for the completion and announcement of conditional businesses in Vietnam will be July 1, 2016. Scores of investors are yearning for the approval of the decree, which would widen the investment opportunities in the casino business. The decree also contains certain new breakthrough points in its content. One such proposal is for the implementation of a pilot scheme allowing Vietnamese citizens to play in casinos, which are currently earmarked for foreigners only. Over two months ago, the developer of Laguna Lang Co resort project in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue proposed a move into the casino business at the resort. According to estimates submitted to Vietnamese authorities last year, Laguna Lang Cos casino business would contribute about $23 million per year to Vietnamese state coffers after its fifth year of operation. In its later meetings with Vietnamese management bodies, the investor seemed confident that the proposal would be approved soon by the Vietnamese government, as well as the government decree on casino business, including the scheme allowing locals to play in casinos. If this came true, we and our partners would invest strongly in this field, a source from Laguna Lang Co said. Philip Falcone, principal of Harbinger Capital Partners, the majority shareholder of The Grand Ho Tram Strip, said that they were patiently awaiting the enactment of the casino decree. The Vietnamese government is taking the right steps to make sure that if a decision [on the casino business] is made, then the framework is the right one. The government has clearly not rushed into anything and we understood that was the case and we were willing to take the risk, said Falcone, adding that The Grand Ho Tram Strip could be a pilot project for the Vietnamese government to build a strong regulatory framework on casino business and management. Another breakthrough item in the decree on casino business relates to reducing the required investment capital of a casino-related project. This would lower the current level of $4 billion to just $2 billion, on the condition that prior to investment in the casino, the investor disburses at least half of the investment capital ($1 billion). Following a robust surge in 2014, Vietnams Consumer Finance Market in 2015 continued to experience the fastest growth for the past 5 years. The outstanding loan balance soared from $10.5 billion in December 2014 to $15.12 billion at the end of 2015, signifying 44.1 per cent growth. Figure 1: Consumer Loan Balance ($bn), %Consumer Loans/GDP, %Consumer Loans/Loan Book According to StoxPluss analysis, the robust growth of the Vietnamese Consumer Finance Market resulted from the significant change in customer behaviour and the middle classrespectively high demand for housing loans. The transition in the borrowing behaviour of customers from borrowing from relatives, friends or the informal finance market to more formalized methods at finance companies also had a positive implication on the lending market. Despite the favourable environment, the Vietnamese Consumer Finance Market has become more and more competitive with an increasing number of participants. Indeed, the market landscape in 2015 has experienced the acquisition of many local finance companies by Joint Stock Commercial Banks as well as the fast growth of local CF companies, like FE Credit. The market is predicted to be gradually dominated by local companies, as VP Bank Finance Company is taking over the first place from Home Credit in terms of outstanding loans, accounting for more than 50 per cent of the total market share of CF companies. As the number of players doubled this year, while the number of Point-of-Sales (POS)is limited, buyers bargaining power will be high. Incentives or commission will be raised in order to secure a place at POS. Taking Mobile World and FPT Shop for example, there are at least 4 consumer finance companies, including FE Credit, Home Credit, HD Saison, and ACS, located in one shop. Therefore, the profit margin of such CF companies will be unquestionably reduced. Figure 2: Closed M&A Deals in Vietnam Consumer Finance Market by the end of 2015 Source: StoxPlus Furthermore, the sales channels of CF companies also suffered from the challenges of higher sales and operation expenses from collection & payment third party companies, like MoMo and Payoo. In particular, these third party companies will charge a fee of 5 to 8 per cent per collection or payment transaction, which also led to the reduction of CF companies profit. Traditional Consumer Finance Market facing steepest challenges yetWill Going Digital tip the scales? FinTech is a term used to describe companies that apply innovative technology in the Financial Servicesindustry. 2015 marked a boom of FinTech in Vietnam, with MoMo and Payoo as the popular mobile payment apps being used by many CF companies and the emergence of new players, like LoanVi. Banks like VP Bank also introduced mobile banking app Timo, which expects to innovate banking and lending practices. These companies are changing the payment industry and creating a new era of applying technology to the lending business in Vietnam. The benefit of FinTech is that theycan leverage technology in order to revolutionize sales channels and provide more convenience, accessibility, and tailored products for customers. Even though CF companies are still relying on Point-of-Sales, the mobile channel is considered to be the next big thing. FinTech companies can thus provide a user-friendly and time-saving mobile platform for financial transactions and pioneer untapped markets, including the unbanked, undeserved, and youth segments of the population. Even though FinTech companies only provide a payment platform and limited lending activities at the moment, they are expected to rise to be a threat to CF companies. By utilizing their competitive advantages, such as an extensive network and a large client database, payment companies, such as MoMo, Payoo or BankPlus, have many incentives to enter the consumer finance market. Therefore, CF companies who fail to catch up with technology innovations will likely fall behind in the next few years. Nowadays, when people talk about the successful leveraging of innovative technology into businesses, people immediately think about Uber or Amazon. In order to be the next Uber moment in the Consumer Finance industry, FinTech companies will need to overcome many challenges, including making their products and brand well-known, earning the trust of customers, as well as dealing with the lax and slow process of regulation formation for FinTech companies in Vietnam. French Prime minister Manuel Valls is in Israel in a bid to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, which have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014 AFP/Thomas Samson TEL AVIV: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls was on Sunday (May 22) in Israel to advance his country's plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts in the face of opposition from his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. Valls, who arrived on Saturday night, is to meet Netanyahu on Monday before travelling to Ramallah on Tuesday to hold talks with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has welcomed the French initiative to hold a meeting of foreign ministers from a range of countries on June 3, without the Israelis and Palestinians present. Another conference would then be held in the autumn, with the Israelis and Palestinians in attendance. The goal is to eventually restart negotiations that would lead to a Palestinian state. Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. In an interview with Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam published Sunday, Valls said that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank must stop. But he also reiterated that his government would not automatically recognise a Palestinian state if the peace initiative failed. A threat to do so was made in January by former foreign minister Laurent Fabius, angering the Israeli government. His successor Jean-Marc Ayrault has since backed away from the statement. "The objective is to arrive at the creation of a Palestinian state," Valls said in the interview. "It is to allow your national aspirations to finally be realised. To say today when we will recognise the Palestinian state is to determine in advance the failure of our initiative." Valls said "we must also guarantee" Israel's security, but called for a halt to settlement building, considered a major stumbling block to peace. Settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law and built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. "Stopping settlements is an imperative," he said. "Because we cannot both want to discuss peace and be sincere in the negotiations and at the same time continue to create facts on the ground." Valls's visit comes at a time of political turbulence in Israel, with Netanyahu expected to soon finalise negotiations with the party of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman, detested by the Palestinians, to join his coalition. Lieberman, who lives in a West Bank settlement, is expected to take on the key role of defence minister. On Sunday, Valls's visit was mainly devoted to economic and cultural issues. Korean choreographer/ dancer Chun Yoo Oh is seen on stage of Promise to 800 in late 2015Korean choreographer/ dancer Chun Yoo Oh is seen on stage of Promise to 800 in late 2015 When Promise to 800 was unveiled last December, it got positive responses from audiences in Hanoi and HCMC. The dance play tells a historical story about Ly Long Tuong, the last prince of the Ly dynasty who was on a boat trip with his relatives to escape extermination after a coup detat and took refuge in the kingdom of Goryeo (present-day Korea) in 1226. With his great courage and mind, he helped people in the kingdom fight the Mongolian army. Ly Long Tuong was picked as general and his children also became high-ranking mandarins. After nearly 800 years, there have been around 2,000 descendants of the Ly dynasty in Korea. The program is directed by Jung Sun Goo with the participation of local drama actor Bui Nhu Lai, Korean choreographer/dancer Chun Yoo Oh and German musician/pianist Peter Schindler. Choreographer Chun Yoo Oh, also known as Madame Chun, told the Daily that compared to the old version of the dance show there are two more young and talented Vietnamese ballet dancers, Tran Hoang Yen and Sung A Lung from the HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO). She has also invited popular monochord artist Le Hoai Phuong, the first Vietnamese who received a doctorate degree in traditional percussion in Korea, and two other cellists, Le Phan Nhu Quynh and Nong Hoang Duy, to perform some acts of the show. Madame Chun said she wanted to bring the show to more audiences. Last years event was a great success for her as it lured lots of people. However, my wish is to make the show accessible to more locals and expats as this is a historical artwork that helps enhance cultural understanding and also the most successful work in my career so far. Her upcoming plan is to stage another creation to honor Asian women on November 27 in Hanoi and HCMC. Having lived in Saigon for 10 years, Chun invested her own money in three concerts, Into the time in 2013, Arirang Saigon in 2014, and Cay no (Cross-Bow) in 2015. Actor Bui Nhu Lai has been performing for more than 10 years in the country and won multiple awards in China, Egypt, Thailand and Cambodia. German composer/pianist Peter Schindler has created numerous soundtracks for TV dramas, and musical plays. He is also a leader of SaltaCello jazz band which has gained popularity in Korea. The show is organized by the HCMC Union of Friendship Organizations, HBSO, Insight B&C, A&A, Daewon Vietnam, and Procantex. Invitation tickets are available at the ticket box of HBSO at 7 Lam Son Square in HCMCs District 1. For further information, contact Ms. Huong on 0989 874 517. After landing in Hanoi late Sunday night, the presidents official three-day agenda starts today at 10:30 am, when he will be received by his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. The official reception will be followed by a private talk between the two leaders, before they both witness the signing of mulitple bilateral agreements. According to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspapers source, the papers to be signed include deals between the U.S. and Vietnams Defense Ministries and Ministries of Industry and Trade. In addition, Vietnamese budget airline carrier Vietjet Air will also ink deals to purchase jet engines from the U.S., according to the same source. After leaving the Presidential Palace, President Obama will visit late President Ho Chi Minhs stilt house in Hanoi, where he will be welcomed by Vietnams Chairwoman of the lawmaking National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. The U.S. president will then attend a press conference at the International Conference Center in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, before joining a state dinner in the evening. President Obama is scheduled to mee with Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc the same afternoon. The U.S. president will make a speech on Vietnam-U.S. relations before the Vietnamese people, many of whom are university students, on Tuesday morning, before leaving Hanoi for Ho Chi Minh City at noon the same day. Obamas motorcade can be seen parked at the back of the JW Marriott Hotel, where the president is staying in Hanoi, while security guards have been asked to maintain order on Mieu Dam Street, where the hotel is located. The equipment arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport from the U.S. on the C-17 cargo jets of the U.S. Air Force. President Obama arrived in Hanoi at 09:30pm on Sunday, with his official program beginning today (May 23) in the Vietnamese capital. In Hanoi, the U.S. president is scheduled to meet with Vietnamese leaders including State President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Community Party of Vietnam. He is likely to also meet with Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the new chairperson of Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly. On Tuesday (May 24), Obama will give a speech to the Vietnamese people before leaving Hanoi for Ho Chi Minh City. In Ho Chi Minh City, will visit the Jade Pagoda in District 1, attend an entrepreneurship event, and host a town hall with members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). After that, Obama will end his Vietnam visit and leave the southern metropolis for Japan for the G7 Summit. Below are photos of The Beast in Ho Chi Minh City, taken by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Enterprises have welcomed the enactment of Resolution 35 Photo: Le Toan The resolution coming out last week states that An enabling business environment must be created, and enterprises must be the key propellant of the economy. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, under the document, ordered that the Ministry of Planning and Investment revise and access the implementation of all enterprise-supporting policies, especially for startups. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) was directed to collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies to design a resolution on removing tax-related obstacles for enterprises in 2016. Under the new scheme, difficulty-hit enterprises will be able to enjoy tax payment deferment, while small- and medium-sized enterprises will be given a reduction in corporate income tax. Notably, the government will give a 50 per cent reduction in personal income tax for those processing farm produce, and those in the IT and hi-tech agriculture sectors. Additionally, the prime minister required the MoF to combine with relevant ministries and sectors to revise all documents and policies to minimise business costs in favour of enterprises. The costs are incurred chiefly in the fields of land acquisition and transport. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry will have to clarify unofficial and official costs facing enterprises. In addition, companies must be given due notice of all inspections and audits. Nguyen Minh Khanh, general director of a pharmaceutical firm in Ho Chi Minh City, told VIR that she expected the governments resolution to be put into practice, so that firms like hers could live peacefully. To establish a small-sized pharmaceutical firm now, you would have to pay an unofficial cost of dozens of thousands of dollars, Khanh revealed, adding that it was also very hard for firms to seek permission from the authorities for them to register and distribute a new drug in Vietnam, even though the firms proposals were in line with the law. Nguyen Ton Quyen, chairman of the Timber and Forest Product Association of Vietnam, told VIR that it would often take months for an investor to be licensed. Many wood processing firms are suffering from serious shortages of capital. But it would be hard for them to have a bank loan due to the very complicated procedures. He hopes that if the resolution is effectively implemented, enterprises in Vietnam will be spurred on towards greater successes. However, this optimism is tempered somewhat by present realities, we will have to wait and see, Quyen added Mikio Masawaki, general director of Sapporo Vietnam, commended the Vietnamese governments efforts to improve Vietnams investment climate. He, however, added that the countrys policies must be made more transparent, and that it was important for investors to be updated quickly and correctly of such policies. Meanwhile, Yasuzumi Hirotaka, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation, said that in Vietnam, the implementation of solutions is more important than the announcement of reform. People in charge of governmental services, such as the tax and customs authorities, which are the weakest points of the Vietnamese administration system, should be re-educated in terms of knowledge and ethics. Meanwhile, provincial leaders must simplify procedures as well as manage these terminal organisations to boost transparency and reduce the instability in the implementation of systems, Hirotaka said. State President Tran Dai Quang and US President Barack Obama shake hands at the Presidential Palace in Ha Noi on May 23, 2016. Photo: VGP After the official welcoming ceremony this morning, State President Tran Dai Quang held talks with his US counterpart in the Presidential Palace and co-chaired the joint press conference at the International Convention Center. The two Presidents expressed their pleasure at the fast, substantial, and comprehensive advancement of the bilateral relations based on the directions of the Strategic Partnership signed in 2013 and the Joint Vision Statement reached on the occasion of Party leader Nguyen Ph Trongs historic visit to the US last year. State President Quang spoke highly of the importance of President Obamas visit to Viet Nam while the US President said he was glad to visit Viet Nam for the first time. Viet Nam is consistently pursuing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development and diversification and multilateralization of external relations, State President Quang affirmed. He also reiterated that Viet Nam attaches importance to developing the Viet Nam-US relations in a stable, deep and wide, and effective manner. President Obama pledged to push the US Congress to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership and help Viet Nam improve its capacity in implementing the trade deal. Both sides agreed that development and climate change adaptation cooperation is one of the key pillars of the bilateral ties and the two countries need to further enhance cooperation to overcome the war legacies, especially dioxin decontamination, ordnance clearance, and humanitarian assistance. President Obama took the occasion to declare that the US officially lifts the lethal arms ban against Viet Nam, which was applauded by the host State President. Regarding regional issues, the two leaders shared the importance of maintain peace and stability in the region, ensuring security and safety of navigation and aviation, settling disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and working towards conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea. The two sides agreed to intensify coordination and work with the international community to address regional and international issues such as climate change response, anti-terrorism, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons among others. The two Presidents issued a Joint Statement affirming their resolve to strengthen their Comprehensive Partnership more substantially, deeply and effectively for the benefits of the two countries and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Following the talks, the two Presidents witnessed the signing ceremony of three economic agreements, including the purchase of 100 Boeing planes. Later the same day, President Obama met with Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. A worker operates a packaging machine at a KCP Vietnam Industries Limited sugar factory, an Indian-owned company located in Phu Yen Province. The sugar industry may be in trouble if the Government approves the Ministry of Industry and Trade's importation of 200,000 tonnes of sugar. - VNA/VNS Photo The Lap Under the proposal, the total amount of imported sugar in Viet Nam could rise to 335,000 tonnes, including 85,000 tonnes included in the import quota called for in the nation's WTO commitments; 50,000 tonnes imported by Hoang Anh Gia Lai from Laos and the proposed 200,000 tonnes. In addition, there are hundreds of tonnes of sugar smuggled into the country each year. The Agro-Forestry, Seafood Processing and Salt Industry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the proposal followed the issuance of the report from the Viet Nam Sugar and Sugarcane Association. That report indicated that Viet Nam was expected to produce some 1.2 million tonnes of sugar, a reduction caused by droughts and salt water infiltration of farm lands, while the nation's total demand for sugar was forecast at 1.6 million tonnes. The country, therefore, would see a shortage of 400,000 tonnes of sugar. The MoIT said that the country would need a large amount of sugar this summer. This was the reason they proposed importing 200,000 tonnes of sugar, said Le Van Banh, the department's director. The prices of locally produced sugar have always been 20 per cent higher than imported sugar. For this reason, an increased amount of imported sugar could cause pressure on domestic sugarcane factories and farmers. Banh warned that the MoIT should be careful in considering the proposal to import 200,000 additional tonnes of sugar. "We ask MoIT to collect ideas from four ministries, including MARD, Finance, Planning and Investment and Government Office, on the amount of imported sugar", he added. By the end of last month, the reported inventory at sugarcane factories was more than 300,000 tonnes, while commercial companies belonging to the association had over 25,000 tonnes. In 2016, Vietnam and the US celebrate 15 years since the enforcement of the two nations Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). How has bilateral trade and investment co-operation developed over this period? The establishment of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations in 1995 and the enforcement of the BTA in 2001 are two very important milestones which laid the groundwork for both sides to establish a comprehensive partnership for the sake of their citizens, peace, security, and prosperity in the region, and indeed globally. Just two years after the BTA took effect, the US became Vietnams largest export market. This has been maintained ever since, with a two-way trade turnover of $41.3 billion last year, up 18.2 per cent year-on-year. Of this figure, Vietnam earned an export turnover of $33.5 billion from the US, making it the biggest exporter within ASEAN to the worlds largest economy. The BTA has definitely served as a strong foundation for the two countries to enter new co-operation deals, including the Vietnam-US Textiles Agreement (effective since May 1, 2001), the US-Vietnam Bilateral Civil Aviation Agreement (effective since January 14, 2004), the Framework Agreement on Economic and Technical Co-operation (effective from July 28, 2005), and the Memorandum of Agreement on Co-operation in Agriculture and Related Fields (effective since June, 2005). Of particular note was the bilateral market access agreement signed by the US and Vietnam on May 31, 2006, and which was required as part of Vietnams ascension into the WTO. Besides the flourishing trade, Vietnam also expected booming direct investment inflows from the US. However, to date American direct investment in Vietnam appears to be far below its true potential. What is your opinion on this? American businesses have invested about $11.7 billion in Vietnam, ranking the US among Vietnams top ten foreign investors. Many giant American groups are operating successfully in Vietnam, including Intel, General Electric, Microsoft, AIG, Coca-Cola, and others. However, it is very important to note that the $11.7 billion sum does not fully reflect US investment in Vietnam, because many large American companies such as Intel, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and ConocoPhillips have invested in Vietnam through their subsidiaries and affiliates based in other markets such as the British Virgin Islands, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Despite encouraging figures in Vietnam, American investment here remains modest and below potential, especially compared to the investments by American companies in other regional countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, and the capital registered by South Korean, Japanese, and Singaporean investors in Vietnam. One of the key reasons is that the US has yet to recognise Vietnam as having a full market economy. This has created certain obstructions in its trade and investment co-operation with Vietnam. There are also other reasons, such as a lack of transparency in Vietnams legal system, and inconsistencies in law enforcement in some localities. Infrastructure development, especially in the energy and transport sectors, and a shortage of skilled workers are also considered significant bottlenecks. American investors with robust financial health and advanced management methods require legal transparency and do not want to be affected by an ask-give mechanism. Given that their investment is mostly aimed at hi-tech and service sectors which require a high standard of governance (such as finance and banking) American investors require highly-skilled workers. As diplomatic visits bring the two countries closer together, US investment is expected to rise in Vietnam What will you do to address such issues? All obstacles in the local business and investment climate must be removed as soon as possible especially cumbersome administrative procedures. The Ministry of Planning and Investments key task is to continue pushing administrative reform, completing the legal corridor for investment and business operations, and creating a more comfortable environment for individuals and businesses. In particular, we will focus on completing guiding documents for the implementation of the laws on Investment and Enterprises passed in 2014, and enhancing the enforcement of the governments Resolution 19 on ameliorating the domestic investment climate. This is to create the most favourable, transparent, and complete legal foundation for businesses and investors, particularly in terms of investment implementation procedures related to land, construction, tax, customs, environmental protection, and labour. This will help them save on costs and time, and increase their investment effectiveness and competitiveness in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government is exerting its greatest efforts to implement three strategic breakthroughs: completing institutions, improving human resource quality, and building a synchronous infrastructure system. I believe that once the market economy institutions are fully implemented and become more modern, mechanisms and policies will become more transparent and predictable, making American investors in particular, and foreign investors in general, more confident in investing in Vietnam. What are your expectations regarding US investment into Vietnam in the time to come? The Vietnam-US economic and investment ties have been deepening, particularly since the historic official visit to the US by Vietnam Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in July 2015 on the occasion of the two nations celebration of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Similarly, the visit to Vietnam by US President Barack Obama in May this year, and the meetings of the two countries top leaders on the sidelines of international and regional fora, will continue deepening the two countries comprehensive partnership in all fields. Strengthened political and diplomatic relations will lay an important foundation and increase mutual confidence for the two countries businesses to further their trade and investment co-operation. Furthermore, the finalisation of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) between Vietnam, the US, and ten other countries in October 2015 has opened an unprecedented opportunity for boosting bilateral trade and investment. Vietnam expects to substantially increase its exports to the US as a result, and the US is forecast to reciprocate by becoming a leading investor in Vietnam. Vietnams recent conclusion of free trade agreements (FTAs) with the European Union, South Korea, and the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as the official establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on December 31, 2015 will also propel US businesses towards expanding investment in Vietnam. With a rise in labour costs in some regional nations, many US multinationals are turning their attention towards Vietnam, which boasts a young, abundant, highly competitive, and well-trained labour force. Vietnam has become a reliable investment destination for American firms. For example, over recent years, the US Embassy in Singapore, in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce, have led many US business delegations (which are headquartered in Singapore) to Vietnam in search of investment opportunities. Many large US groups are considering Vietnam as a strategic potential market and a key link in their global supply chain. In particular, after the TPP negotiations were concluded, Vietnam has become more attractive to US investors, as compared to other ASEAN markets. Complementing Vietnams rising purchasing power and income, the countrys political and macro-economic situations remain stable, and the business climate is significantly improving. This has also helped Vietnam improve the confidence among US investors. What sectors are expected to lure large-scale and high-quality investments from the US in the future? Vietnam attracts foreign direct investment (FDI) in the hope of accessing resources for its sustainable socio-economic development, hi-tech innovations, and advanced management skills. US investors with strong financial capability, high technologies, and advanced corporate governance, can meet such expectations. Furthermore, many transnational companies (TNCs) are based in the US. Vietnams policy is to attract more big projects from these TNCs because they can help the country improve the quality of FDI inflows, create a spillover effect in terms of socio-economic development, and serve as a catalyst to boost investment from small- and medium-sized investors. Vietnams key economic sectors such as oil and gas, aviation, information and technology, power, and infrastructure are also the arena of American companies, with big brand names such as Exxon Mobil, Boeing, ADC - HAS Airport, Microsoft, Intel, Apple, HP, General Electric, General Atlantis, and AES. In the years to come, we will create more favourable conditions to attract further investment into these sectors. However, I also would like to stress that Vietnam will not attract FDI at any cost, and will only select projects that can have a positive impact within the countrys plan for sustainable development. Bangladeshi villagers making their way to shelter in Cox's Bazar on May 21, 2016, as Cyclone Roanu approached. (Photo: AFP) CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Thousands of Bangladeshis were left homeless on Sunday (May 22) after Cyclone Roanu battered the impoverished southern coastal region, ripping apart flimsy houses and killing at least 24 people. The storm on Saturday ploughed through low-lying villages in the Chittagong and Barisal regions, where residents described seeing metres-high walls of water. Many Bangladeshis were returning safely home on Sunday after authorities evacuated more than 500,000 to shelters before the cyclone hit, packing winds of up to 88 kilometres (54 miles) per hour. But officials said thousands of others along the coast had been left stranded in their homes as seawater barrelled through dykes and flooded dozens of villages. "Before we could realise, the whole village was washed away by a huge wall of water," said Abu Siddique, a councillor from Banshkhali district in Chittagong. "It came at least six hours early, giving the villagers no time to rush to cyclone shelters. Those who died were caught by a sudden rush of water," he told AFP. "They (authorities) said the storm surge would be four-feet high but in some places the water that hit our shore was as high as 10 feet (three metres)." Bangladesh's disaster management chief said thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed and 24 people had been killed in total. About half of those who died were from the Chittagong region which bore the brunt of the storm, Disaster Management Department head Reaz Ahmed told AFP. "Some 80,000 tin-and-mud-built homes were damaged by the storm in the coastal regions including 23,000 homes which were completed knocked down," Ahmed said. Authorities were sending relief supplies including rice and other dry food to affected areas, where many poor residents already have very little and scratch a living as small fishermen or farmers. Television footage showed villagers sitting helplessly in front of their flattened houses. "In a moment my home was destroyed," an unnamed villager in Bhola island off the Barisal coast told the private Independent Television channel. A week of extreme weather has wreaked havoc across South Asia, with Sri Lanka pounded by the heaviest rains in 25 years triggering severe floods and landslides. REGULARLY BATTERED More than 80 villages in Bangladesh's Barisal were flooded after a rain-swollen dam burst and forced residents to flee, the Daily Star newspaper said on Sunday. Seawater also gushed through shops and warehouses in the commercial hub and main port city of Chittagong, police and industry officials said. "Food supplies worth one billion taka ($12.5 million) was damaged after seawater entered our warehouses," Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahbubul Alam told AFP. Flights at Chittagong's international airport resumed after two days of shutdown from the storm which weakened after making land. The government said it was deploying a minister and top disaster officials to the worst-hit areas to assess the damage. Bangladesh is regularly battered by cyclones which form in the Bay of Bengal. Cyclone Aila in 2009 killed 300 people while Cyclone Sidra claimed 4,000 lives in 2007. Earlier this month lightning strikes killed an unprecedented 59 people in Bangladesh in three days as tropical thunderstorms hit the country before the annual monsoon, which runs from June to September. President Obama is slated to arrive in Hanoi tonight, May 22, and will officially begin his visit on the morning the following day. He will leave the Vietnamese capital for Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday. Upon arriving in the southern metropolis, the U.S. president will be visiting the Jade Pagoda in District 1 to pay tribute to and admire the cultural traditions of Vietnam, according to the schedule announced on Friday by the White House. The Jade Pagoda is fully known as Jade Emperor Pagoda, orChua Ngoc Hoang in Vietnamese. Also known as Phuoc Hai Tuor Da Kao Pagoda, the temple is situated on Mai Thi Luu Street in District 1, the financial and commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City. The monument was established by a Chinese man in the early 1900s, according to local books on the history of Saigon. In 1982, the Jade Emperor Pagoda became member of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam, and was chaired by monk Thich Vinh Khuong. In 1984, the pagoda was renamed Phuoc Hai Tu (Luck Sea Temple), but locals still preferred the old name Ngoc Hoang (Jade Emperor). Another name, Da Kao Pagoda, was called only during the French colonial period and is not familiar with residents. Spanning 2,000 square meters, the Jade Emperor Pagoda reflects the Chinese culture in the early of 20th century through its architectural designs and a reddish color. Jade Emperor Pagoda has long been listed in the citys must-visit tourism destinations, suggested by both local and international tour providers. The pagoda welcomes a huge number of Buddhists during several traditional holidays, including the Lunar New Year, the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the eighth lunar month), and the Buddhas Birthday (the 15th day of the fourth lunar month). The Buddhas Birthday this year was observed on Saturday. Representatives from the U.S. and Vietnamese agencies have scouted the pagoda to guarantee security before Obamas visit. The pagoda is temporarily unavailable to visitors and Buddhists until the visit ends. Besides the pagoda visit, other activities of the U.S. president in Ho Chi Minh City include attending an event that is focused on both the two countries commercial ties and on entrepreneurship, and hosting a town hall with members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). After that, Obama will end his Vietnam visit and leave the southern metropolis for Japan for the G7 Summit. Prior to his arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, in Hanoi Obama is scheduled to meet with Vietnamese leaders including State President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Community Party of Vietnam. He is likely to also meet with Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the new chairperson of Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly. On Tuesday, May 24, Obama will give a speech to the Vietnamese people, then leave Hanoi and travel to Ho Chi Minh City. State President Quang (R) and U.S. President B. Obama, May 23, 2016 - Photo: VNA Viet Nam, said State President Quang, highly appreciated the decision, regarding this as a vivid evidence for the full normalization of ties between the two countries. Mr. Quang made the point on May 23 in Ha Noi at a press conference with U.S. President Barack Obama. For his part, Mr. Obama announced that the U.S. would completely remove its ban on lethal weapons to Viet Nam which had been imposed around 50 years. The move would eliminate the prolonged vestige of the Cold War, he said, assessing that the bilateral ties have reached a level of trust and cooperation. President Obama is the third U.S. President to visit Viet Nam since the two countries normalized their relations in 1995, following Bill Clinton in 2000 and George W.Bush in 2006. The Presidents official visit to Viet Nam is expected to enhance the Viet Nam-U.S. comprehensive partnership, boost the implementation of high-level agreements reached by the two countries, seek measures and orientations to step up bilateral ties, and discuss regional and international issues of shared concern. I am honoured to have returned as the US Ambassador to Vietnam, especially as we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between our two countries. I first came to Vietnam as a young Foreign Service Officer in 1996, when I was fortunate to work for the first US Ambassador to Vietnam, Pete Peterson. I later served in Ho Chi Minh City where I helped establish the first US Consulate General. Vietnam and the United States have come further in the past 21 years than anyone could possibly have imagined. The growth of our relationship as evidenced in the 2013 Comprehensive Partnership is a testament to the power of mutual respect and commitment to deepening bilateral ties. There is much to be proud of when we look back over the past 21 years of our economic relationship. Since normalisation, our annual bilateral trade has grown from just $451 million to nearly $45.1 billion last year. Over the same period, the incomes of Vietnamese citizens have quadrupled. The US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement which came into force in 2001 marked a major milestone in our relationship, one that opened the door for greatly expanded market access and the development of the commercial sector. Ambassador Ted Osius and Vietnamese students at a higher education fair Vietnam became the 150th member of the World Trade Organization in 2007, and took another major step forward toward international economic integration and greater openness to new foreign investment. A historic trip to the United States by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong deepened our partnership, and the conclusion of negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement set us on a path for a prosperous shared future. This year promises to be equally significant, with a visit in May by President Barack Obama to Vietnam and the potential ratification of the TPP by both our legislatures. We should take full advantage of our current momentum and build the foundation for a long and meaningful partnership. In Washington, General Secretary Trong said that building trust is key to deepening our friendship, and that we build trust by expanding our contacts and doing together things that matter. I couldnt agree more. The time is ripe to discuss some specific ways we can enhance trust and together make Vietnam stronger and more prosperous, enhance the regions stability, and contribute globally to a cleaner, healthier future for the world. A substantive visit by President Obama will shine a spotlight on todays Vietnam: young, innovative, and an increasingly vital economic and diplomatic partner for the United States. At the 12th Party Congress, Vietnams leaders confirmed the nations commitment to enhanced international integration, including through free trade agreements. President Obamas visit will provide an opportunity for Vietnam to showcase this dynamism and engagement with the world. Young Vietnamese are Facebook savvy and keen for a US-style education, a growing middle class is increasing demand for goods and services, and Vietnams entrepreneurs are poised to help the nation prosper. The presidents visit will also show how our two nations have moved past our painful history to forge a shared future that advances stability, prosperity, and people-to-people ties, making an example to the world of how former adversaries can become friends and partners. Looking forward to the next 20 years, we must build upon this foundation and deepen our co-operation. To do so, we must make progress in five areas that span a broad spectrum of sectors and underpin the economic relationship. Advancing these five tracks advances the Comprehensive Partnership that President Obama and President Sang signed in 2013. First, we will expand bilateral trade and investment. To that end, the TPP is a game changer. It is an ambitious, 21st-century trade agreement that the United States and Vietnam have signed with ten other Asia-Pacific countries including Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Singapore. It will support new jobs and growth, both in Vietnam and in the United States. It includes strong labour standards and environmental commitments, new rules on state-owned enterprises, and a robust and balanced intellectual property rights framework. The TPP lays the groundwork for Vietnam to develop a thriving digital economy. It also includes commitments on transparency and regulatory co-operation that make it easier for small- and medium-sized businesses to operate across the region. All of these elements will strengthen Vietnams investment climate and allow Vietnam to better compete in the modern global economy. These positive changes to Vietnams economy and regulatory environment will in turn benefit all TPP partners, including the United States. Speaking of investment, it is my sincere hope that the United States will become the number-one investor in Vietnam in the near future. The TPP has the power to attract significant new US investment to Vietnam. We have seen steadily increasing interest in Vietnam from potential US investors across a variety of sectors. Many of our companies were already looking to invest in the Southeast Asia region, but have been pulled to Vietnam in part by the promise of the strong and stable investment climate that the TPP will bring. Put simply, the TPP is the best tool for our countries to further build economic and strategic ties. Our governments have negotiated diligently for years, and our businesses, workers, and consumers stand to benefit enormously from the TPP. Confident that the TPP will enter into force, US companies are already pursuing investment and trade opportunities in aviation, energy, smart cities, and healthcare. To facilitate these and future development projects, the US is bringing together private and public sector engagement to create jobs in both countries by building needed infrastructure in Vietnam. In a separate initiative, direct commercial flights between the US and Vietnam will multiply the flow of tourism, commerce, and education exchange between the two countries. Vietnam is poised to achieve a Category 1 safety rating from the US Federal Aviation Authority a key prerequisite for direct flights. The TPP shows the world that a less developed country can benefit from joining a high-standard trade agreement. Other nations in the region now want to join as well. The United States is committed to partnering with Vietnam as it prepares to carry out its TPP commitments. While these commitments including labour rights will be challenging, Vietnam has a strong track record, having fulfilled pledges made in the bilateral trade agreement with the US in 2000 and its 2007 entry into the World Trade Organization. My second major goal, which is closely linked to the TPP, is to work with Vietnam to improve governance. Respect for rule of law and human rights are fundamental issues for the United States, and they are also intricately linked with our efforts to deepen our economic relationship. As John Kerry said when he made his first visit here as Secretary of State, Vietnam has proven that greater openness is a great catalyst for a stronger and more prosperous society, and today Vietnam has a historic opportunity to prove that even further. Significant improvement in the protection and promotion of human rights is key to Vietnam reaching its fullest potential. Third, I look forward to greater security co-operation, particularly on maritime issues. The United States has a long tradition of supporting freedom of navigation. Given Vietnams long coastline, this is a natural area for further engagement. In addition, our two countries should work together more closely in responding to humanitarian crises and disasters in order to provide relief, and to conduct search and rescue efforts. Finally, the United States wants to assist Vietnam in its laudable commitment to provide peacekeeping personnel to UN missions. In all these ways and more, greater co-operation by our militaries means a more secure and peaceful region. And that leads to greater economic opportunities. Fourth, Vietnam and the United States can benefit from our mutual interest in high quality education. Vietnam stands to greatly benefit from expanding its number of students who understand international markets and can help build a solid base of highly skilled workers. Vietnam already sends close to 17,000 students to American colleges and universities. That figure is expected to rise even further, and the United States will keep investing in education right here in Vietnam, including through the establishment of the Fulbright University and encouraging the Vietnamese to improve English language education. English language skills are the key to Vietnam competing successfully in the 21st century economy. This will be especially critical as Vietnamese industries move up the value chain and require increasing numbers of highly skilled workers and managers. Finally, I want to build on our partnerships in the areas of the environment, science, technology and health, all of which are sectors that show great promise in Vietnam. Sustainable development, respect for the environment, wildlife conservation and careful management of natural resources are all key to creating conditions for economic growth. We will visit every one of Vietnams 63 provinces to underline our commitment to Vietnam and its people. We will build on this strong foundation with the goal of helping Vietnam with its goal to be a strong, prosperous, and independent partner that respects human rights and the rule of law. The US goal for the relationship is clear and consistent: we support a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that promotes the rule of law and human rights. Each pillar of the Comprehensive Partnership reflects this broad commitment. It is our job, therefore, to sustain and nourish it. Its not a foregone conclusion that we will succeed. Van su khoi au nan [Everything begins with difficulty]. Our countries have certainly faced difficulties before, but the lessons of the past can help guide us through any challenge and help us build a lasting partnership. Respecting and helping one another, well get much, much farther. And, with hard work and a vision for the future, nothing is impossible in US-Vietnam relations. It will be my pleasure to represent the United States as a reliable partner with such a vibrant and growing Vietnam that allows all its people to reach their fullest potential. The MOU calls for collaboration in accelerating the development of renewable energy in Vietnam. Accordingly, the ultimate purpose of both parties is to develop a minimum of 1,000MW of new wind farms by 2025. This represents enough energy to power the equivalent of approximately 1.8 million Vietnamese homes. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and US President Barack Obama witnessed the signing ceremony. Under the agreement, GE, a US based global corporation with more than 20 years of experience operating in Vietnam, will utilise its global wind development expertise and work with local developers to identify potential projects. Furthermore, GE will support the implementation of Vietnams national target programme through local manufacturing of wind turbine equipment and components at GEs Haiphong facility, plus collaboration with other local suppliers. Renewable energy development is among the governments priorities to resolve energy challenges to meet economic and social development in Vietnam. Sharing a common desire to develop renewable energy infrastructure in Vietnam through this partnership, we highly appreciate GEs expertise and experience in developing this crucial power resouce to help mitigating the impact to environment and climate change, said Dang Huy Cuong, director general of the MoITs General Department of Energy. With GEs global expertise in manufacturing and investing in wind energy, along with our local experience gained through initial wind projects in Vietnam, we hope to continue cooperating with Vietnamese government and partners to develop renewable energy effectively and sustainably, said Pham Hong Son, CEO of GE Vietnam. Vietnam is endowed with great potential wind resources distributed throughout the country. This geographic diversity, and the ability of wind power to work with Vietnams extensive hydropower assets, offers Vietnam the potential for very high levels of low cost wind power. The utilisation of wind power will play an important role in maintaining the energy flexibility and security of Vietnam in the future, while meeting the increasing power demand arising from the socio-economic development of the country. Being responsible for one of the broadest and deepest renewable portfolios in the industry, with the largest renewable energy installed base globally of more than 370GW, GE played a key role in the development of Vietnam Mekong Deltas first wind farm in Bac Lieu province. GE supplied 62 wind turbines, totaling over 99MW of power generation capacity. The first phase of this wind farm connected to the national grid in June 2013. In 2009, GE increased its ivestment in the future of Vietnam by establishing a wind-turbine components manufacturing plant in Haiphong. The facility has created over 600 local jobs and exported thousands of units of generator systems and wind turbine components that contribute to global energy solutions. GE (NYSE: GE) is the worlds digital industrial company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organised around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. GE was one of the first American companies established in Vietnam in 1993. GE first set up a representative office in Hanoi and another subsequently in Ho Chi Minh City in 2001. In 2003, GE Vietnam Ltd was established, a 100 per cent GE capital investment that offers a wide range of after-sales services for medical, electrical and energy equipment. Since 2015, after Alstom Power and Grids acquisition, GE has become a more focused and vital industrial company, accelerating its evolution into a digital industrial company. GE Vietnam currently employs more than 900 people and offers products and services in the power, energy connections, renewable energy, oil and gas, healthcare and aviation sectors. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Take a closer look at that ATM are you about to be skimmed? remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes push for quality infrastructure investment in Asia is expected to be among the key items on the agenda of the G7 summit in Japan on May 26-27. In May last year, Abe announced a $110 billion injection into Asian infrastructure funding over five years. The investment is to be handed out in bilateral donor assistance as well as channeling funds through the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The move is widely seen as providing a counter to the rising influence of China, which over the past decade has been rapidly expanding its presence with investment in infrastructure projects throughout Asia. Critics say Chinese projects lack the quality and standards demanded by international donors, such the World Bank, the ADB and Japan. Yet for several Southeast Asian nations like Cambodia, in dire need of infrastructure development, the no strings attached" funding from China provides an immediate fix. The issue with infrastructure is the quality, sustainability and cost also the timeliness, said Chan Sophal, director of the Center for Policy Studies, an independent Cambodian think tank. For some donors they require a long procedure before we can get a loan and develop the infrastructure, so maybe there is a time/cost [decision] in there. But for other donors, like China, we get the funds quickly and can do it quickly, but there could be an issue with cost and quality, he added. Cambodia has been a beneficiary of funding from both Asian powers. For example, an analysis by the NGO Forum on Cambodia of foreign concessional loan projects between 2000 and 2011 found China had lent $1.16 billion while Japan had loaned the nation $386 million in the same time span. However, in order for Cambodia to retain its growth momentum, which over the past decade has seen the economy grow at an average of 7 percent annually, infrastructure investment will need to be somewhere between $12 billion and $16 billion between 2013 and 2022, according to the ADB. Takashi Ito, a senior representative at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Cambodia, the Japanese governments aid arm, said that improving Cambodias roads that link to neighboring countries as well as expanding the countrys port capacity are key priorities for boosting trade and encouraging foreign investment. Japan cannot fund everything, he said. The JICA has developed a master plan for Cambodias infrastructure, which seeks coordination among all the countrys donors for sustainable infrastructure development that adheres to social and environmental construction standards in line with Abes quality infrastructure mandate. Sometimes Japanese aid is criticized to be slow, but it is not a waste of time. It is necessary [to take] time for consultation or the necessary preparation, and based on that necessary process, we would like to construct something sustainable for a long period of time in the future, he said. The recently established Chinese-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which last month entered a co-financing agreement with the ADB to fund a project in Pakistan would be welcomed into the fold, Ito said, if it is working to the standards of traditional donors. For its part, the Cambodian government continues to maintain its position of neutrality between Asias two economic powers, seeking assistance from both. Generally, China has helped Cambodia a lot, in terms of infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges and electricity, said Mey Kalyan, a senior adviser to the governments Supreme National Economic Council. Without having that help from China, Cambodia would have faced so many problems. At the same time, Japan has also helped in terms of roads and bridges, but not to the speed that Cambodia wants, because it is a different kind of speed, he said. Both are helping with infrastructure and energy. Sebastian Strangio, Phnom Penh-based journalist and author of Hun Sen's Cambodia, said Abes Asian infrastructure push is designed to counter the massive influx of Chinese money into Southeast Asia, and Cambodia is set to benefit. I think from a Cambodian perspective the Japanese money is welcome. It does provide a counterweight to China, he said. The governments strategy of remaining politically nonaligned is not likely to change anytime soon, Strangio added. For a country like Cambodia, which is small and weak and dependent on outside money, diversification of its foreign relations is always going to be a priority, he said. The more friends that Cambodia can have, the better. It was Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang who unexpectedly broke the news at a joint press conference with U.S. President Barack Obama in Hanoi after their bilateral talks. He said the United States is lifting its long-standing weapons ban on Vietnam. Quang said Washington and Hanoi have agreed to strengthen their partnership in substance and in depth, making cooperation the cornerstone in military assistance, trade, health care and people-to-people exchanges. Quang welcomed the move as an end to a painful chapter. When it was his turn, President Obama confirmed the news: The United States is fully lifting the ban on sale of military equipment to Vietnam that's been in place for some 50 years," he said, adding "Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those on human rights, but this change ensures Vietnam has access to equipment it needs to defend itself." WATCH: President Obama confirms lifting of arms embargo President Obama said over the past century, the U.S. and Vietnam have known cooperation and conflict, and that after more than two decades of normalized relations, ties have reached a new moment. Responding to a reporters question about increased Chinese aggression in the region, Obama said the decision was not based on China. He said it was based on the desire to complete a long process that began decades ago by many veterans of the Vietnam War, including he said, former prisoner of war, Republican Senator John McCain. China reacts China reacted cautiously to the announcement Monday. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chuying said, "As a close neighbor to Vietnam, we welcome normal and cooperative relationship between Vietnam and other countries, and we certainly hope such development of bilateral relations is conducive to regional peace and security." She would not comment on why Hanoi wanted the arms embargo lifted, saying only, "Maybe you should ask Vietnam. The arms embargo is the product of the Cold War. It should not have existed. We hope for a normal relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam. But on Sunday, Beijings state-run Xinhua News Agency published an editorial that said the calculating move will serve only Washington's own strategic purposes as the United States seeks a rebalance in the Asia-Pacific. Human rights President Obama said the U.S. and Vietnam still have differences over human rights, and that each individual weapons sale will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. But he said the time is right to lift a blanket ban based on an ideological division. He cited a new level of trust and dialogue between the militaries of the two countries, and signaled there may be more U.S. ships coming to port in Vietnam at the invitation of the Hanoi government. The lifting of the lethal weapons ban prompted a sharp response from Phil Robertson; deputy director, Asia director, Human Rights Watch: As Obama was lifting the U.S. arms embargo, the Vietnam authorities were busy arresting journalist Doan Trang and other human rights activists and bloggers on the street and in their houses. In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam and basically gotten nothing for it. The two leaders also announced new business deals amounting to $16 billion. On the morning of January 7, 1979, then Foreign Minister Ieng Sary was riding the train. As he rolled out of Phnom Penh, heading northwest, Vietnamese troops were entering the capital as Khmer Rouge forces were routed. As depicted in Nayan Chandas bestselling 1986 book Brother Enemy: The War After the War, Ieng Sary was accompanied on the train by Khmer Rouge soldiers, many of them injured from the fighting and most in a state of panic. The three year, eight month and 20 day experiment in social engineering known as Democratic Kampuchea, the name the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) gave to their state, had ended. The choice of transport for Ieng Sarys retreat toward the Thai-Cambodian borderwhere the Khmer Rouge would continue fighting for almost two decadeswas apt. It serves as a reminder of the regimes use of rail transport in its attempts to force Cambodians into the leaderships vision of the country as an agrarian utopia. Passenger train services restarted last month for the first time in years, renewing interest in the history of Cambodias small railway network. Tracks were first laid by the French colonial authorities that ruled Cambodia as a protectorate from the mid-19th century. A 385-kilometer (240-mile) line connecting Phnom Penh to the Thai border was constructed between 1929 to 1942. The post-independence government of King Norodom Sihanouk in the 1960s connected the capital city with the rulers eponymous port town of Sihanoukville to the southwest, with work on the 266-kilometer (165-mile) line completed in 1969. As Prime Minister Hun Sen reportedly noted while riding the first passenger service on April 30, the railways were almost totally destroyed by war more than 40 years ago. But trains ran on the two lines, off and on, until the early 2000s, when passenger services halted until last months reboot. And after the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975 the railways were still in good enough shape to be of use to the partys leadership. An undated photo shows the regimes Brother Number One Pol Pot, his second, Nuon Chea, Defense Minister Vorn Vet and the infamous military commander Ta Mok riding the rails together while in power. The photo, which shows the top cadres decked in the movements recognizable black pajamas and krama scarves, was used for propaganda purposes. But the regime also found a darker use for the rail networkas means to carry out the forced transportation of Cambodians on an industrial scale. In the second wave of evacuations of Phnom Penhthe first came immediately after the Khmer Rouge took the city in April 1975an estimated 500,000 people were taken out of the capital, said Sirik Savina, a researcher who is heading the Museum of Memory project at the Sleuk Rith Institute. Trains were an important way to transport people to the countryside, where they were put to work clearing forests for agriculture and other labor in the northwest, she said. People were evacuated with their whole families, Savina said, but only one or two of them managed to survive and return [to Phnom Penh] in the end. Almost exactly 41 years on, Ly Chhorvy, 60, can still remember vividly the shock of being forced away from her life in the city so suddenly. She would end up losing most of her family, including both parents, during the Khmer Rouges reign, in which time an estimated 1.7 million people were killed or died from starvation and overwork. Khmer Rouge soldiers forcibly corralled Ly Chhorvy, 10 of her family members, and other villagers, into trucks and transported them from Kompong Chhnang provinces Sala Lek Pram townwhere they had been staying since being evacuated from the capital only weeks earlierback to Phnom Penh. People were given no choice about where they went next, Ly Chhorvy told VOA Khmer by phone from her home in Banteay Meanchey province. They had to leave when ordered, Ly Chhorvy said. We had no idea where we were being taken. We only realized [we were going on a train] when we arrived at the main train station [in Phnom Penh]. People were arriving at the station empty handed. They distributed some pieces of bread and palm sugar cookies, she said. But we got no water, so parents were rushing to get some water for their children, who screamed in all of the trains cars. The Khmer Rouge soldiers were rushing to get the train started. Once the train departed, soldiers were posted in each wagon to try to keep order among what Ly Chhorvy described as a countless number of unwilling passengers. The guard shouted at the weeping passengers: Dont scream and cry, because were almost there. Or I will throw you off the train, she recalled. I saw many people who fell sick. Some of the women were pregnant and delivered babies without a midwife. Some were injured and were bleeding all over the train floor. The journey ended at a remote area in Pursat province, where she and her family were put to work. Transport Ministry spokesman Chan Samleng, who heads the Railways Department, said his colleagues who have worked on Cambodias railways in the years since the Khmer Rouge were often reminded of the troubling history, which also saw many railway workers become victims of the brutal regime. In fact, we cannot forget that memory. It isnt easily deleted, given their mistreatment of the [railway] workers, Chan Samleng said. I can feel their pain at that mistreatment. The 1975 forced transfers of the population were a key subject of the first portion of Case 002 at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, which concluded with the guilty verdict against Nuon Chea and the regimes head of state, Khieu Sampan, in 2014. Ieng Sary died while standing trial, aged 87. The second evacuation was ordered by and was the responsibility of the CPKs permanent committee, said Sirik Savina. They moved people to the northwest to make them do hard labor and provided them with little food, and they were hit by illnessesmost of them were killed by illness. I think people should know this, she added. They should not forget that the evacuation marked the start of massacre, starvation, and hard labor of their older generation during the Khmer Rouge. A coalition of more than 100 Asian-American groups has asked two federal agencies to investigate three Ivy League universities for allegedly discriminating against Asian-Americans during their admissions processes. The Asian-American Coalition for Education sent a letter of complaint Monday to the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights and the U.S. Justice Department, asking them to investigate Brown University, Dartmouth College and Yale University. The complaint alleges the percentage of Asian-Americans at Brown and Yale has not changed in the last 20 years, and at Dartmouth over the last 10 years because of "racial quotas and caps" that "severely burden Asian-American applicants." The percentages remain flat, the coalition says, although the number of qualified Asian-American students has "increased dramatically" over the past two decades. The coalition wants the federal agencies to require the schools to halt or limit the use of race-based and subjective admission criteria and publish the qualifications of applicants. In response to the complaint, Yale says academic metrics are "not the sole determinants for admission," while Dartmouth explains it "considers the whole person" when screening applicants. This is the latest in a series of complaints that Asian-American interests have lodged against selective schools. The Education Department has never found evidence that the schools engaged in deliberate discriminatory practices. City Plaza Hotel in Athens is once again at full capacity but instead of having paying guests, it is home to refugees in search of a new life. Located near the citys Victoria Square, the hotel is the flagship of a left-wing movement that seeks to offer a new answer to the thorny question of how best Greece copes with its new population. Although the hotel may have around 380 grateful residents, not everyone is happy about what is possibly Athens' biggest squat house. Moment of decision We faced a moment of decision, and we decided to do this, said Yortos Maniatis. Maniatis is part of what he called the "Solidarity initiative" - an umbrella for various left-leaning groups, including anti-racist organizations and anarchists, who have sought to develop their own response to the refugee crisis. Members of this group last month broke into the empty hotel, which has 100 fully furnished rooms. The actions, said Maniatis, were driven by the closure of the Macedonian border in March, effectively stranding 54,000 refugees in Greece and creating a huge problem of homeless refugees. Already facing a struggle in reviving the countrys economy, the Greek state has sought to get control of the issue by building refugee camps and encouraging refugees to occupy them. The U.N.s refugee agency has also helped out, working with several NGOs to offer 6,000 spaces for people to live, including 2,100 paid for spaces in hotels and 2,400 more in apartments. Despite this, a major shortfall in adequate accommodation remains. Although some camps are official, they are not always much of an improvement on the grim conditions refugees face in ad-hoc sites like Idomeni, on the Macedonian border, where many still remain. The three-star hotel is another matter. A big family Stuck in Ritsona, one of the official camps where refugees are housed in tents rather than cabins provided elsewhere, Alaaaa Nammoura was desperately seeking an alternative when he stumbled upon news online of City Plaza. A few emails and a few days later, he was stunned when he stepped into the hotels reception area. It was just a case of wow- I couldnt believe I was here, said the English teacher from Damascus. The hotel was in its prime during the countrys 2004 Olympics, but closed in subsequent years amid bankruptcy and claims that staff had not been paid. Now, those living here can be found playing both the role of guest and staff, as they work with the activists in all the daily chores needed to keep the place running. Were like a big family, added Nour Tamine, a Syrian student of mechanical engineering who one day hopes to join her father in Germany. For her, the opportunity to lend a hand is a welcome one. In Syria we worked; here we would like to work too. The closure of the border has shifted expectations that refugees may have to wait months, rather than weeks, to learn their fate whether that means being relocated elsewhere in Europe, being granted asylum, or being sent back the way they came. Athens had been playing a more transitory role, noted Maniatis, but now these kinds of structures have to fill another need - they need to offer something more quasi-permanent. Precarious haven The space may be a haven for its residents, but it remains a precarious one. As well as taking on jobs like cooking and cleaning, some of those living at City Plaza also act as security staff - a far-right presence is known to be in the area. Meanwhile, the buildings owner is thought to be pursuing possible legal action in an effort to get the residents kicked out. The Solidarity movement is well resourced, whether it's in lawyers to battle the case, or donations of food to keep the 400 at City Plaza fed; but, as an organization consciously divorced from the workings of NGOs and the state, it nonetheless relies on authorities at the very least turning a blind eye. For Kiriaki Klotki, a member of the movement and City Plazas acting receptionist, that is not enough. She insists the hotel is something to be emulated, not shut down. Weve got a lot of closed buildings, public ones, that can be opened up. This helps offer a solution, not just in Athens but beyond, she said. This can help show not just how to deal with the refugee situation, but how to help them be part of this society. Campaigners who want Britain to leave the European Union say that if the country chooses to stay in the bloc, it would one day face a wave of immigration from Turkey. The official Vote Leave campaign claims Turkey is on course to join the EU, and says that would lead to a million Turkish citizens coming to Britain, including, in their words, "murderers, terrorists and kidnappers." The claims, made Sunday by junior Armed Forces Minister Penny Mordaunt, drew a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister David Cameron. "Turkey joining the EU is not remotely in the cards, he said in a television interview Sunday. At the current rate of progress it would be decades, literally decades, before this even had a prospect of happening and, even at that stage, we would be able to say 'No.'" Existing EU members effectively have a double veto on whether Turkey joins, says Damian Chalmers, professor of EU law at the London School of Economics. There has to be unanimous agreement in the Council of Ministers where the national governments sit. Then after that, Turkey would have to sign a treaty with each of the existing 28 member states to join the EU. Now at that moment, a national parliament could veto it." The debate comes at an awkward time. Turkey agreed in March to take back refugees from Europe, partly in return for the opening up of new chapters in Ankaras EU accession process. Turkish ministers have demanded clarity from Brussels, but Chalmers says that in reality, the negotiations are occurring at a glacial pace. Turkey has not negotiated successfully 35 policy areas with the EU before any treaty can be signed. It has been negotiating since 2005. So far, only one of those 35 has been successfully concluded. Britains vote on June 23 could have a much wider impact on Europes relationship with Turkey, says Professor Ibrahim Sirkeci of Regent's University in London. The referendum in the UK will generate a wave that will affect Europe substantially, especially if it is in favor of leaving the EU, he said. With polls showing the Remain camp pulling into the lead, Vote Leave campaigners are focusing on fears over immigration. Launching a so-called battle bus to tour the country last week, the leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, sought to put sovereignty at the heart of the referendum. We want our borders back. We want our passports back. We want our country back. And if everyone that agrees with us goes out to vote on June 23, we will make it UK Independence Day. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Cameron warned Monday that a vote to leave the EU would be in his words, the "self-destruct option," pushing Britain into recession and causing half a million job losses. Fish populations all over the world are challenged but cephalopods, those canny invertebrates that include squid, nautilus, octopus and cuttlefish, are proving as adaptable as they are smart. A recent report from the United Nations estimated that over 70 percent of the worlds fish stocks are in their words either fully exploited meaning there is no room to expand the number we catch, or over-exploited, meaning we are overfishing and depleting the fish stocks. Scientists at the University of Adelaide in Australia, however, have discovered that over the past 60 years, cephalopod numbers have risen across the entire expanse of our water systems. Unpredictable news That may be good news for those of you who really like calamari but is an unpredictable bit of news for the health of the world's oceans. Zoe Doubleday is a research Fellow in the Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences and the author of a new report appearing in Monday's Cell Press journal Current Biology. She told VOA that cephalopods are unique in that they are both "voracious and adaptable predators," and "an important source of food for many marine species ((e.g. marine mammals, fish, seabirds)), and support many important commercial and subsistence fisheries around the world." The discovery came, ironically when the team set out to study information that suggested the giant Australian cuttlefish was disappearing. "Surprisingly," she says, "analyses revealed that cephalopods, as a whole, are in fact increasing; and since this study, cuttlefish numbers from this iconic population near Whyalla are luckily bouncing back." Double threat Doubleday says being good eaters and being good food means it is important to conduct more research because these creatures have such a broad impact in the world's oceans. "... increases in cephalopod abundance" Doubleday told VOA "have implications for both the marine food web and us." She also said they are important food sources for predatory fish, sharks and even seabirds and that means more food for them. They are also predators, however, and more of them means they may put more pressure on ocean species that are already having trouble adapting to climate change, or are being overfished. "We're currently investigating what may be causing them to proliferate - global warming and overfishing of fish species are two theories," said Doubleday. "It is a difficult, but important question to answer, as it may tell us an even bigger story about how human activities are changing the ocean." The leader of a coalition of nearly 118 civil society groups in Burundi said nothing positive will come out of the current peace talks going on in the Tanzanian city of Arusha as long as key stakeholders are excluded. The talks are being facilitated by the East African Community (EAC). Among the groups not invited to the Arusha talks is the National Council for the Restoration of the Arusha Accord, also known as CNARED. Burundis Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe has in the past accused CNARED of involvement in violence. The group has denied that label, accusing the government instead of being the perpetrator of violence. Vital Nshimirimana of the Forum for Strengthening the Civil Society (FORSC) said President Pierre Nkurunziza only wants to talk to those who do not oppose his regime. [President] Nkurunziza has initiated an internal dialogue which we called a monologue because he is talking alone; hes speaking to people who cannot challenge him, and internally they are proposing an amendment to the constitution to repeal the core provisions of the Arusha Peace Agreement, he said. Nshimirimana said his group wants to know from the facilitator of the Arusha talks whether his group was not invited because it had organized mass protests to oppose the third term of President Nkurunziza and to force him to respect the Arusha Accord. The Burundian crisis began last April with President Nkurunziza's decision to seek a controversial third five-year term, something the U.S. and Nkurunzizas opponents say violates the constitution and the 2000 Arusha Peace agreement that brought Burundis civil war to an end after about 300,000 people died in the fighting. Burundian foreign minister Alain Nyamitwe told VOA recently his government was not pleased with the choice of CNARED to represent all opposition parties to the talks. Nyamitwe said his government will not negotiate with certain opposition figures who it considers as coup plotters or sponsors of acts of terrorism. He said CNARED has been involved in violence and has no popular following. Our government is open to talk with all political actors who are peaceful. If you go by the international organizations pronouncements on Burundi, both have come up with a clear indication as to which category of people should be around the table and those ones have to be peaceful. Were not making that up. Its in resolutions 32, 48 and 2279, Nyamitwe said. But the opposition has blamed the Burundian government for thousands of deaths. This is a narrative of attempting to escape the reality on the ground. The international community, all human rights observers, the media can testify that the security forces are committing crimes against humanity, some acts of genocide. All these things are not committed by the opposition of civil society activists in exile, Nshimirimana said Nshimirimana said nothing positive will come out the Arusha talks unless the facilitator engages what he called the real stakeholders. What can they expect when the opposition is not on board? What do they expect when armed groups are not on board? What can they expect when civil society groups are not on board? 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Israel returned two smuggled ancient sarcophagus covers back to Egypt Sunday, a sign of warmer relations between the two neighbors. Israeli authorities say one of the lids dates back to the 16th to 14th centuries BC, while the other goes back to between the 10th and 8th centuries. Israel says the process of returning the antiquities to Egypt was made easier by "the strengthening dialogue between the ministry of foreign affairs and the Embassy of Egypt in Israel." The wooden lids were smuggled to Dubai, brought to London, and ended up in an Jerusalem antiques store, where Israeli authorities found them in 2012. The far-right candidate in Austria's presidential election has conceded defeat. Norbert Hofer, nominee of the euro-skeptic, anti-immigration Freedom Party, said Monday that he was "sad" he had not won, but called the work of his supporters an "investment for the future." While the results from Sunday's vote have not yet been officially announced, Alexander Van der Bellen, a former Green Party chief running as an independent, appears to have won a significant chunk of the 90,000 absentee ballots that remained to be counted. The two candidates were in a statistical dead heat as of late Sunday. Sunday's faceoff came just weeks after Hofer and Van der Bellen swept aside challenges from ruling Social Democrat coalition candidates Rudolph Hundstorfer and Andreas Khol. Both Hundstorfer and Khol were routed April 24 in first round voting, with each winning about 11 percent of the vote. A huge influx of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia into western Europe has spawned a backlash against official EU policy that initially welcomed migrants to the relative safety and prosperity of western Europe. Sentiment began shifting as Austria took in 90,000 asylum seekers last year, while neighboring Germany opened its borders to more than one million migrants, many of them fleeing Syria's long and deadly civil war. EU officials have since negotiated a deal with Turkey under which migrants fleeing its shores by boat for Greece will be returned to in exchange for nearly $7 billion in European aid. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump seems to be making some headway in unifying the Republican Party behind him. Several recent national polls now show Trump in a dead heat with the expected Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, setting up a very close and potentially very nasty general election campaign. The good news for Trump comes as the New York billionaire is in the midst of a bit of an image makeover, trying to make the pivot from outraged political outsider to a general election candidate acceptable to mainstream America. We are going to make America great again, greater than ever before, Trump told supporters at a recent event in New Jersey. And we are going to have a lot of fun and we are going to be respected as a country again! Softer tone At times, Trump has adopted a softer tone where formerly he would be combative. He was nearly deferential in his recent interview with Megyn Kelly of Fox News when she recalled past Twitter exchanges in which he called her a bimbo. Well that was a retweet, yes. Did I say that? Ooh, okay. Excuse me, Trump said with just a hint of a sheepish smile on his face. One of Trumps earliest supporters in Congress, Representative Chris Collins of New York said recent exchanges with Republican lawmakers are paying off. Hes collaborative, listening back and forth. That is who Donald Trump is and America is going to get very comfortable with that as we move on, he said. Trump has defied conservatives who warned his nomination would tear the party apart and Democrats who had hoped for the same thing. I will have to say, to my surprise, the Republican Party seems to be mustering behind Trump in a way that sure didnt look likely even a few weeks ago, said noted conservative pundit Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard. He was a guest on VOAs Issues in the News. Makeover challenge But despite the signs of unity and his surge in the polls, some experts suggest Trump still has a long way to go to ease fears about his candidacy between now and November. Trumps biggest problems, when you say what is negative about Trump to the American people, is his personality, said Frank Newport of the Gallup polling organization. Hes arrogant. Hes a wild man. Hes not controlled. Hes racist. He says things that he shouldnt and regrets it later. That is what the public tell us. Even as he seeks to moderate his image, Trump has already focused his fire on likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Can you imagine another four years of the Clintons, seriously? Can you imagine, seriously?, he said. Clinton remains entangled in a messy fight with rival Bernie Sanders, but also spends time trying to rebut Trump and offers herself as a candidate for national unity. Lets get on the American team and lets act like Americans and lets work together again, Clinton told supporters in Kentucky. Embrace him or fear him? Whether Trump succeeds in transforming himself from a blustering, undisciplined primary contender who scares and repels voters into a plausible presidential candidate who can appeal to moderates could determine the outcome of the November election. Americans, I think at the end of the day, tend to be risk-averse when it comes to selecting a president, said analyst William Galston at the Brookings Institution in Washington. They may be dissatisfied with the status quo but the question is, whether the alternative represents a safe or safe enough alternative to the status quo. And the scarier Mr. Trump appears, the worse his prospects in November. A big part of Trumps challenge is keeping his base happy while moderating and trying to broaden his appeal. If hes able to keep the impolitic (blunt) character of his comments, which a lot of people on the right love, and yet at the same time to seem presidential, and I think that is the trick he is going to start to try to pull off, predicted Michael OHanlon, a foreign policy analyst with Brookings. Trump may be tempted to enjoy his success as the likely Republican nominee who came from nowhere to shock the political world. But the campaign is quickly shifting to a broader electoral landscape where Trump will have to prove that a message that has resonated so far with largely white Republican primary voters can withstand vehement opposition from women, minority and young voters. India signed a key agreement with Iran on Monday to develop a strategic port in southeastern Iran that will give New Delhi easy access to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing its archrival Pakistan. The pact to build and operate the Chabahar Port was signed in Tehran after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting the country, held talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. It was the most significant of the 12 agreements the two countries signed during Modis two-day visit. New Delhi will invest $500 million in developing two terminals and cargo berths at the port, which India and Iran want to turn into a regional transit hub. India, Iran and Afghanistan are also signing a trilateral agreement to build connecting roads and rail lines from the port. Calling the project an important milestone, the Indian prime minister said it is a major effort to boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreement signed today. Rouhani said "considering all the credit lines that are going to come from India into the Chabahar port, this very strategic port can very well turn into a very big symbol of cooperation between the two great countries of Iran and India." Counterbalancing China Indian officials have called the agreement a game changer that will give New Delhi easy access to Afghanistan, where it is involved in several projects to rebuild the war-torn country. India also hopes the Chabahar Port will give momentum to its efforts to import natural gas and expand trade and strategic ties with Central Asian republics. That effort has been hampered by lack of connectivity. Indias Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari pointed out that the distance between Kandla in Western India and the Chabahar Port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, so it will allow quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onward to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The Chabahar Port will also provide Kabul with an alternate to the Karachi port in Pakistan. India sees the Chabahar port as a counterbalance to China, which has made strategic investments in ports and infrastructure in the neighborhood, raising concerns in New Delhi that China is pressing its footprint deep in the region. Chabahar is less than 100 kilometers from the Gwadar port Beijing is developing in Pakistan. The Indian leader also focused on renewing close ties with Tehran, which is seeking to rebuild its economy after emerging from the shadows of U.S.-led sanctions. Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilizers, education and culture sphere are driving our overall economic engagements, Prime Minister Modi said. India, whose energy needs are growing dramatically, is expected to increase its crude purchases from Iran. New Delhi has always been a big customer of Iranian oil, though U.S. sanctions forced it to slash its imports from Tehran after 2012. India lost some goodwill in Iran when it voted along with Western countries against Tehran at the International Atomic Energy Commission in 2009. Modis visit is expected to reinvigorate the friendship. Both the Indian and Iranian leaders vowed to step up cooperation to fight terrorism, calling it a major threat in the region. Modis visit to Tehran is part of a diplomatic push by India to build deeper ties with Middle East countries. He visited Saudi Arabia last month and is scheduled to visit Qatar next month. United Nations officials are worried about thousands of families who may be trapped in Fallujah, as Iraqi forces start an offensive to retake the city from Islamic State militants. Now that the shelling has started, we understand people are desperately trying to leave, Lise Grande, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq told VOA. Grande said some 30 families, more than 100 people, had managed to escape on May 21 before the aerial bombardment started. Others are reported to have died trying. People have been fleeing via exit routes identified by the Iraqi army. Some 10,000 families, or roughly 50,000 people are believed to be still trapped in the city, caught between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants. We are desperately worried that civilians will be killed as a result of airstrikes, artillery and crossfire, Grande said, speaking on the phone from Istanbul where she was attending the World Humanitarian Summit. We also have reports from key informants on the ground that civilian populations are being prevented from leaving and are being used as human shields. This is completely unacceptable. The U.N. mission for Iraq has been warning of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the city, with residents unable to get even basic supplies. Aid has not reached the city since December, when supply routes were cut off by Iraqi forces and armed groups. Residents have faced acute shortages of food and medicine and other essential items, UNHCRs assistant representative in Iraq, Leila Jane Nassif said Monday. Iraq's military has called on residents trapped in the city to mark their locations with white flags, as Iraqi ground troops begin moving to end a months-long siege of the Islamic State stronghold. Combat aircraft are supporting the troops. Prime minister pledges 'great victory' Fallujah was the first city in Iraq to fall to IS extremists in January 2014 and the group is well entrenched. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Iraqi forces were approaching a moment of great victory. The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah, Abadi declared on national television Sunday night. The embattled prime minister stood side by side with the nations top military commanders and counterterrorism forces as he spoke. The traditional Sunni city is an important base for Islamic State in Iraqs vast western Anbar province and the battle to retake it will likely be a harsh one. The operation to retake the city is expected to include an array of Iraqi forces, including the army, counterterrorism troops, Sunni volunteer fighters and powerful Shiite militias. U.S. airstrikes have been pounding IS targets in and around the city for weeks. The U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, Col. Steve Warren, has said that clearing Anbar of IS would contribute to the security of the capital, Baghdad. IS could go into hiding Islamic State has been steadily losing physical ground as the fight to defeat the militants in both Iraqi and Syria has intensified. According to The Soufan Group, or TSG, which specializes in strategic security intelligence, the extremist group will likely react to its current losses by going underground until conditions allow it to appear again. Despite collective military action against the Islamic States strongholds, the vacuums, divisions, and tensions that fueled the groups rise are as bad as ever, TSG wrote Monday. The Fallujah operation comes as Prime Minister Abadi faces a serious challenge to his leadership aggravated by a series of bombings in the capital that have left more than 100 people dead. Anti-government street protests galvanized by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have left the parliament in disarray and paralyzed most of the government. The latest demonstration on Friday at the entrance of the fortified International Zone where the prime ministers office is located ended in a hail of warning gunfire in the air, tear gas and stun grenades. Israel resumed cement shipments to the Gaza Strip on Monday, ending a 45-day-old ban it imposed after it accused the Palestinian enclave's Hamas rulers of seizing some of the stock meant for rebuilding homes destroyed in a 2014 war. Hamas has denied Israeli charges that it siphons off cement imports to fortify attack tunnels. Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, welcomed the resumption of the shipments, saying in a statement that "all sides need to ensure that cement deliveries reach their intended beneficiaries and are used solely for civilian purposes." The first of some 90 truckloads of cement entered the Gaza Strip through an Israeli-controlled border crossing on Monday and Palestinian officials said they expected some 4,000 tons of the material would be brought in by the end of the day. "But this can be reversed if we see another [Hamas] violation," an Israeli official told Reuters. The United Nations said 140,000 houses were partially or completely damaged during the 2014 war between Israel and the Hamas-led Gaza militants. Palestinians said 2,100 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 67 Israeli soldiers and six civilians were also killed. Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, said 1,000 houses were currently under reconstruction and 70,000 other homes with minor damage have been repaired. Another 1,000 houses were completely rebuilt by Qatar. U.N. officials and international visitors to the region in past weeks have urged Israel to speed up the entry of construction material into Gaza to speed up the rebuilding process. World leaders are convening in Istanbul with official optimism offset by concerns that the summit may prove to be a "photo opportunity" rather than a catalyst for change. An opportunity to shape history is how United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the UNs first Humanitarian Summit. With over 100 million refugees worldwide, levels not seen since the end of World War II, the secretary general said the gathering was aimed at getting the world to change its attitudes and mentality. We declare that we are one humanity with shared responsibilities," said Ban. "Let us resolve, ourselves, here and now, not only to keep people alive but to [give] people a chance at life in dignity. The UN secretary general is calling on countries to provide more money and to share the refugee burden more equally. That call was echoed by the summit host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan urged all countries to shoulder responsibility for the refugees. Turkey says it has spent more than $10 billion on migrants while the international communitys contributions remain at $455 million. The summit was mired in controversy even before the two-day conference started. French group Doctors Without Borders called it a "fig leaf for international failures" and Oxfam dismissed it as an expensive talking shop. Few leading heads of states from donor countries are attending. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the highest-profile Western leader at the two-day conference. That, observers say, is bad news for the UN, which is hoping to secure pledges to cover a projected shortfall in billions of dollars needed by its agencies to deal with the refugee crisis. The European Union committed itself in what it called a "grand bargain" to help the UN close the shortfall. Part of the deal entails redirecting finances to those on the front line of assisting agencies. Along with funding, the secretary general urged nations to uphold and enforce international laws, particularly regarding the protection of schools and hospitals, which have been repeatedly targeted in conflict zones. The summit will need to avoid the problems of previous large meetings. A new report last week found that only one-sixth of the money pledged at the London summit to help Syrian refugees for this year ($6 billion) had been committed by mid-April, according to Concern Worldwide. Commitments made in Istanbul must lead to action rather than hollow promises, analysts say. Protests against Kenya's electoral commission took place in several cities Monday, with local media reporting at least three demonstrators were killed in western Kenya. In Nairobi, riot police formed a line around the commission headquarters, waiting much of the afternoon to deter the latest in what have become weekly protests. The protesters never reached the compound because police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse about 100 demonstrators before they could get close. Smaller groups of protesters were also tear gassed earlier in the day, including a group from Kibera, a large Nairobi slum. Authorities say the demonstrations were illegal. Protesters were able to march against offices of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, or IEBC, in the cities of Mombasa, Kakamega and Kisumu. A reporter for the Standard newspaper, Phillip Orwa, told VOA that one demonstrator in Kisumu was killed and four others hospitalized. There were conflicting reports on whether the deceased protester was shot or trampled to death. Local media also reported two fatalities in Siaya, a town northwest of Kisumu. Police avoid clubbing, kicking Today it wasnt as intense as it was before, said Assa Nyakundi, a lawyer whose office is located near the electoral commission headquarters in Nairobi. I think what the police seem to have done, they were under instructions not to let people gather in big groups or in any groups at all. So I think in that sense, they were able to thwart any big groups and therefore, the capacity to demonstrate. Many bystanders agreed that the police acted more professionally this week than last, when photos and videos of riot police clubbing and kicking protesters were shared widely on social media and sparked outrage. The protesters, most of whom are supporters of the opposition CORD coalition, say the IEBC must be disbanded ahead of next years national elections. The opposition says the IEBC favors the ruling Jubilee coalition. The opposition has held protests on four of the past five Mondays and vowed to continue until the government engages in meaningful dialogue about the electoral process. With IEBC, we see the elections will not be credible, said Rufus Magaga, a CORD supporter and demonstrator. The results will be doctored and all that, yes. Theyll favor the current government. Nyakundi warns that these protests do not represent the opinions of the entire electorate. I believe that what youre seeing now is just partisan politics, said Nyakundi. There is a whole group of Kenyans who do not agree with this. Kenya is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in August 2017. While the last elections in 2013 went off peacefully, Kenya is still haunted by the 2007 vote, when alleged rigging set off violence that killed an estimated 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 Kenyans. As news of the death by a drone strike of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor emerged, the usual Taliban spokesmen accessible to media disappeared. So far, there has been radio silence from official Afghan Taliban sources. Behind the scenes though, it is probably quite different. Hectic messages are likely going back and forth among senior Taliban leaders. The Taliban have a structure for situations like these, according to Nazar Mohammad Mutmayeen, a pro-Taliban analyst based in Kabul. Council The first thing they do when their leader is killed is call a meeting of their Rahbari Shura, or leadership council. "They would like to hold that meeting as soon as possible," according to Rustam Shah Mohmand, Pakistan's former ambassador to Afghanistan. "They would like to send a message to the world that they are united and will continue with their war." In a similar situation in July 2015, when news emerged that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had been dead for at least two years, the shura met and decided on the successor within a few days. That situation, however, was much different. Mansoor, the successor to Mullah Omar, had been a deputy to him and one of the founding members of the Afghan Taliban. Yet he still faced serious challenges to his leadership from within the group, including from Omar's brother and son. Analysts said one of the reasons that Mansoor ratcheted up the level of violence in Afghanistan was to overcome those challenges. He needed to prove his loyalty to the movement, prove himself as an able battlefield commander and overcome a reputation of being Pakistan's puppet. The current succession debate may be more divisive. "Afghanistan is a tribal society," according to Mohmand. "Agreement on a single leader is not always easy." Compromise This is why Mohmand thinks the shura would place the utmost emphasis on trying to keep the movement together, even if it has to come up with a compromise candidate who lacks the stature of Omar, or even Mansoor. The security challenges involved for top Taliban commanders to travel means that all of the shura members may not be able to gather in one place. The Taliban rulebook states that in situations like these, whichever shura members were present in or around Quetta or Kandahar would meet to decide on an interim leader, until a permanent one was elected. If it looked difficult for the entire shura to gather within a reasonable time, the smaller group might decide on a candidate who could then be presented to other members for endorsement. An announcement by the shura, however, is by no means a guarantee against infighting. When the Taliban announced Mansoor's leadership, three current or former members of the shura openly disagreed with the decision. Violence While Afghanistan might get a reprieve from larger attacks during this time, small-scale operations in various Afghan provinces would likely continue. The Taliban have a shadow governor and a commander in each of Afghanistan's 34 provinces who are quite independent when it comes to local operations, according to Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, a pro-Taliban analyst based in Kabul. "For the small operations, they don't need approval," he said. He also said that the Taliban shadow governors were quite cooperative toward each other. When the Taliban in Nangarhar needed help, for example, the Taliban in Ghazni went to Nangarhar, he said. Similarly, when they needed help in Kunduz, the Taliban came from all over the north. "The real question is what will happen to the morale of the Afghan Taliban on the ground," Mohmand said. If the fight for succession becomes prolonged, however, it could spill onto the battleground. A similar episode happened after Mansoor's succession, between him and his rival, Mullah Muhammad Rasool. The two had to literally fight it out on the battlefield before Mansoor managed to mostly sideline Rasool. U.S. President Barack Obamas announced lifting of a decades-old arms embargo against Vietnam is raising eyebrows not only in China, where a dispute with Hanoi in the South China Sea inflames military tensions, but also in Russia. Russia has long been Hanois top weapons supplier. But, that dominance will slowly be eroded as the market is opened and U.S. arms dealers begin to seize the opportunity. It will ultimately undermine Russian dominance in the Vietnamese market, but is unlikely to have a quick effect, said Alexander Gabuev, chairman of the Russia-Asia Pacific program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, in e-mailed comments to VOA. The market environment will be more competitive, but Russia has a strong position in terms of value-for-money of its systems, the Vietnamese military's long-standing ties to Russian producers and the need to train personnel. A lot will depend on whether the U.S. government will support possible sales of American systems, and what the position of the next government will be." . The U.S. ban on lethal weapons supplies to Vietnam was lifted after non-lethal arms sales were eased in 2014. However, all sales still have to meet U.S. government approval. I wouldn't expect a sudden surge in US arms exports to Vietnam as the inertia in the sphere of arms procurement is very strong, said Anton Tsvetov, a researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), in e-mailed replies to VOA. Russia," he added, "is likely to retain its dominance on the Vietnamese arms market in most of the high-value sectors, such as fighter jets, combat ships and missile defense systems, at least for the decade to come. The U.S., however, may occupy certain niches, including maritime surveillance and reconnaissance." Vietnam has been seeking to beef up its navy as China builds its military presence around disputed islands in the South China Sea. By the end of this year, Russia is expected to deliver the last of six Kilo-class diesel submarines to Vietnam. According to Tsvetov, while Moscow will not welcome the prospect of competition with U.S. arms dealers, the significance has less to do with military concerns than politics. For the overall state of Russia-Vietnam relations, this development is certainly a wake-up call for Russia," he said. "Moscow will have to work harder to maintain strong ties with Vietnam." Russias official TASS news agency on Monday quoted the deputy head of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Anatoly Punchuk, saying the embargo being lifted would not affect Moscows arms supplies to Vietnam. "Our relations with Vietnam are of a strategic character and their further development will depend on the leadership of Vietnam, said Punchuk. Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and during a summit in Sochi with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Hanoi, for its part, is very careful to demonstrate that this is not a pivot from Russia, but a move towards a well-balanced foreign policy, one normal for an aspiring middle power, said Tsvetov. The long and substantial visit to Moscow and Sochi by the new Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, among other things, was meant to reassure the Russian leadership that Vietnam is still loyal to its strategic partnership with Russia, no matter what developments the Obama visit brings," he said. The Russia-ASEAN summit was seen as a bid by Moscow to expand its so-called pivot east beyond improving relations with China. Hanoi has been concerned that Russia has tilted towards Beijings position in the South China Sea dispute by opposing internationalization of the conflict. Still, Moscow has managed to balance their relations thus far. Russia sells arms to both sides, and Gazprom, its state gas company, drills in disputed waters. Gabuev said China understands that if it insisted Russia choose the larger Chinese market over Vietnam's, Hanoi would turn to more strategically uncomfortable suppliers. It will have nowhere else to go (other than to) Japan or to the United States," he said. "China definitely doesn't want to see that outcome." Speaking in Vietnam on Monday, Obama said that lifting the ban was a part of normalizing relations and not aimed at China, though Beijing sees it differently. We may see even more aggressive efforts of Rosoboronexport [Russias state arms dealer] to boost its presence in Vietnam, as China is likely to prefer increased Russian-Vietnamese military ties to American-Vietnamese ties, said Gabuev. Moscow will look at the issue from predominantly business perspective, not in terms of balance of power." The U.S. aviation lawyer who won compensation for victims of the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing and is now seeking $330 million from Russia for the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 in 2014, says Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held responsible. Jerry Skinner, who is leading Australian law firm LHD's compensation claim against Russia and Putin in the European Court of Human Rights, says he is confident of success but admits the case, like that of Lockerbie, may take years. The Malaysian Airlines' Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 28 Australians. The aircraft, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, the Dutch Safety Board concluded in its final report. Skinner said he had no personal issue with Putin, but that the Russian president had opened himself to liability through his extensive control over the Russian state. "Nothing happens in Russia that he doesn't approve of, therefore vicariously he's responsible," Skinner told Reuters in an interview on Monday in Sydney. Skinner said evidence from witnesses, videos, photographs, radar, air traffic control tapes supported his compensation case. "All of that stuff is available and even without the Russian's contribution I am confident in saying that it was the Russians who caused this event to occur," he said. The LHD lawsuit is on behalf of 16 victims from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, and 33 next of kin. Each claimant is seeking $10 million in damages. Skinner won similar compensation for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 which was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people. Skinner said international political pressure was needed to uncover the truth behind the downing of MH17. "I'm hopeful that the Australian government gets involved. We need the leverage of one of the governments whose hands are clean," he said. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Monday echoed the sentiment for an independent investigation. "However painful and however difficult and traumatic it is for them to deal with the loss of their loved ones aboard MH17... we will work very hard to ensure that a system is set up, a mechanism is set up, to hold those responsible for this atrocity to account," she said. A series of bomb blasts killed more than 100 people in two normally quiet Syrian coastal cities Monday, according to Syrian state television and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The blasts took place in the government strongholds of Jableh and Tartus, which have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in Syria's five-year civil war. Four bombs, including at least one suicide attack, exploded in Jableh, including at the emergency entrance to the city's hospital. A rocket attack on a bus station killed at least 53 people, according to the Syrian Observatory. Another three bombs, at least one of which was a suicide attack, hit the city of Tartus, about 60 kilometers south of Jableh, in what observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman called an "unprecedented" attack. Again, the terrorists targeted a crowded bus station, Syria's SANA news agency reported. The TV report said at least one suicide bomber blew himself up near the station, and was followed minutes later by a car bomber. Another 48 people died in that attack, according to Rahman. A news agency linked to the Islamic State group credited the extremists with the attack. "Attacks by IS fighters hit Alawite gatherings in Tartus and Jableh on the Syria coast," the Amaq news agency said on Twitter, referring to the minority from which President Bashar al-Assad hails. Russia, which backs Assad, has a naval base in Tartus and an air base north of Jableh. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said the series of attacks demonstrate how fragile the situation in Syria is" and "demonstrates the need to continue vigorous steps to continue the negotiation process." The United States condemned the attacks, calling them "horrific." A State Department spokesman, Mark Toner, said the United States will continue to "lead the global coalition to degrade and defeat Daesh [Islamic State] so that it can no longer brutalize those who reject its tormented world view." He also called on Russia to press the Assad government to end attacks that kill civilians so that political talks aimed at ending the crisis can succeed and all parties can focus on defeating Islamic State. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned Monday's attacks and noted "with great concern of the escalating military activity in many areas in and around Damascus," according to a spokesman. The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) has called off the nearly week-long strike over an increase in fuel prices and electricity taxes. The union went on strike last week after the government raised the price of a gallon of gasoline from 86.50 naira ($0.43) to 145 naira or $0.73. The unions vowed their members would not return to work unless the government rescinded what they called the astronomical increase in the pump price and the hardship they portend for Nigerian masses. The government said it recommended the increases to end shortages caused by the foreign exchange crisis. Ayuba Wabba, president of the Nigerian Labor Congress says the decision to suspend the strike was made Sunday by the unions national executive council following the intervention of what he called some well-meaning Nigerians. We have called off the strike and the national protest arising from the intervention of some well-meaning Nigerians. First, the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, but also leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress [party] whom as you are aware led a very powerful delegation to the secretariat of the Nigerian Labor Congress located in Abuja on Friday, he said. He said the parliamentary delegation pleaded with the union to end the strike and allow for negotiation and a peaceful process of resolution. Wabba denied the union called the strike off because it did not have the desired impact nationwide. He defended the strike action, saying it was taken in the best interest of the poor and the weak. First, you that when we strikes is to create the platform for people to engage the policy. We have created that platform; we have done street protests and the argument has been well captured and advanced. Thats the essence of our action because once policies are not good we have a right as citizens to protest those policies, and thats what NLC has done consistently, Wabba said. He said the Labor Congress will continue to push for changes to what he calls the unjustified and illegal hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products and the hardship they have had on poor Nigerians in the wake of low wages. We went on the strike and protest action on two issues. One, the hike in electricity rate by almost 65 percent and the second issue of the hike in the pump price of PMS with almost 67.6 percent. When you look at the two issues, the expenditure has actually gone up, but I think the purchasing power of ordinary workers has remained very static and therefore is something that is not affordable, Wabba said. He also said the strike drew attention to the dangers of the governments reliance on the importation of petroleum products as a sustainable strategy. We have to be very consistent in driving issues that we are passionate about. As you rightly said in 2011, in fact we have signed agreement with government to say they needed a moratorium period of four years to actually work on fixing the refineries. More than six years down the line, we are still at the same point, Wabba said. Wabba said until the issue of fixing Nigerias refineries is resolved, the Labor Congress will continue to hold strike actions. He urged the government to play by the rules of its engagement with its constituent parts as proof of its commitment to deepening Nigerias democracy. During what may be his last tour of Asia, President Barack Obama will make history as the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, the site where the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb in wartime. Even before the president sets foot on what many consider hallowed ground, the announcement has sparked new debate on the decision to drop the bomb, and whether the United States should apologize or if a U.S. president should even visit. Obama is expected to make a statement from Hiroshima, and will likely have to navigate a symbolic minefield. Nearly 71 years ago It was a moment that literally changed the world nearly 71 years ago when a mushroom-shaped cloud lit up the sky over Hiroshima, and three days later over Nagasaki. About 140,000 people in the two cities died within the year, and survivors and their children have faced untold suffering due to radiation poisoning. The U.S. rationale for the decision was to bring years of Japanese aggression to a quick end, potentially saving many more lives than would have been lost in a U.S. invasion. But many Japanese see it differently, saying innocent men, women and children were unnecessarily incinerated and poisoned. 'Symbolic act' U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Hiroshima last month. He said he was deeply moved and that every human being should visit the site. Some experts think that should include the U.S. president, among them Chris Appy of the University of Massachusetts. I was very pleased that he decided to go. I think just showing up is important symbolic act that many Japanese have wanted for a long time," Appy told VOA. But Appy said he thinks the United States should also apologize for the atomic bomb attacks. I am disappointed that the president appears not willing to apologize. After all I think in our personal lives, we consider it the height of maturity when an adult is willing to take responsibility and accountability for actions," he said. "Particularly actions that lead to the suffering of the innocent victims. Others strongly disagree, including Brian Harding of the Center for American Progress, who told VOA, The president will not be issuing an apology and the Japanese government is not asking for one either. 'Special responsibility' White House officials have made clear that the president will not apologize. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, What I think the president does appreciate is that President [Harry] Truman made this decision for the right reason. But Earnest said the United States does have a special responsibility as the only country to have ever used an atomic bomb to work tirelessly for nuclear non-proliferation. Others, including many older Americans and war veterans oppose Obamas visit. Republican Senator John McCain is a decorated Vietnam War veteran who ran against Obama in 2008 for the presidency. He told VOA he simply does not see the point of the trip. I'm not in the business of telling the president of the United States where to go. But where, what is the purpose of it? In some ways, you dredge up very unpleasant memories, but if the president wants to go somewhere he can," McCain said. It is not yet clear whether the president will meet with any of the few remaining survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Obama will be accompanied in Hiroshimas Peace Memorial Park by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. They will lay a wreath, and Obama will make a statement. The White House said the leaders will highlight the horrors of war and the need to work toward a world without nuclear weapons. U.S. President Barack Obama will give a speech Tuesday in Hanoi expected to focus on improved relations between the United States and Vietnam and the need for constructive dialogue between the two countries. White House officials say the president will emphasize the importance of the two nations engaging in meaningful talks when they disagree, including on human rights. Obama also will meet Tuesday with civil society activists, as well as young entrepreneurs. Human rights groups say Obama has been too quick to overlook rights abuses in his push to establish warmer relations with Vietnam. On Monday, he announced that the United States is lifting its long-standing weapons ban on Vietnam. Speaking at a news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Obama said "the United States is fully lifting the ban on sale of military equipment to Vietnam that's been in place for some 50 years," adding "sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those on human rights, but this change ensures Vietnam has access to equipment it needs to defend itself." WATCH: President Obama confirms lifting of arms embargo Quang welcomed the move as an end to a "painful chapter." Obama said that over the past century, the U.S. and Vietnam have known cooperation and conflict, and that after more than two decades of normalized relations, ties have reached a new moment. Responding to a reporters question about increased Chinese aggression in the region, Obama said the decision was not based on China. He said it was based on the desire to complete a long process that began decades ago by many veterans of the Vietnam War, including he said, former prisoner of war, Republican Senator John McCain. China reacts China reacted cautiously to the announcement Monday. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chuying said, "As a close neighbor to Vietnam, we welcome normal and cooperative relationship between Vietnam and other countries, and we certainly hope such development of bilateral relations is conducive to regional peace and security." She would not comment on why Hanoi wanted the arms embargo lifted, saying only, "Maybe you should ask Vietnam. The arms embargo is the product of the Cold War. It should not have existed. We hope for a normal relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam. But on Sunday, Beijings state-run Xinhua News Agency published an editorial that said the calculating move will serve only Washington's own strategic purposes as the United States seeks a rebalance in the Asia-Pacific. Human rights Obama said the U.S. and Vietnam still have differences over human rights, and that each individual weapons sale will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. But he said the time is right to lift a blanket ban based on an ideological division. He cited a new level of trust and dialogue between the militaries of the two countries, and signaled there may be more U.S. ships coming to port in Vietnam at the invitation of the Hanoi government. The lifting of the lethal weapons ban prompted a sharp response from Phil Robertson; deputy director, Asia director, Human Rights Watch: As Obama was lifting the U.S. arms embargo, the Vietnam authorities were busy arresting journalist Doan Trang and other human rights activists and bloggers on the street and in their houses. In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam and basically gotten nothing for it. The two leaders also announced new business deals amounting to $16 billion. The Peace Corps will establish operations in Vietnam for the first time, thanks to an overture by President Barack Obama to the Southeast Asian nation. During his visit to Vietnam, Obama extended an invitation to the Vietnamese government for the volunteer organization to launch a program there with an emphasis on teaching English. The Vietnamese government accepted the invitation, culminating a years-long effort by the Peace Corps to gain entry into the country. In 2012, then-Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams visited Vietnam for three days to explore the possibility of establishing the program. "I'm very pleased that for the first time the Peace Corps will come to Vietnam," Obama said at news conference Monday in the capital city of Hanoi. "Our Peace Corps volunteers will focus on teaching English, and the friendship that our people forged will bring us closer together for decades to come." The Peace Corps told VOA it is already working with the Vietnamese government "to finalize and sign an agreement" to establish the program. It would "be an opportunity for our two countries to continue to develop a strong and enduring relationship and further deepen our people-to-people ties," the volunteer organization said. In addition to education, Peace Corps volunteers devote 27 months of their time in host countries in areas of agriculture, community development, environment, health and youth. The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to promote world peace and friendship. Since then, more than 220,000 American volunteers have served in 141 countries. An historic meeting between Pope Francis and the grand imam of Cairo, Egypt's prestigious Al-Azhar Mosque took place at the Vatican on Monday an indication of a thawing of relations between Catholics and Muslims. "Our meeting was the message," Francis told reporters at the beginning of the meeting with Sheik Ahmed el-Tayyib. The Vatican said the two men held a "very cordial" private meeting in the pope's private library that lasted about 30 minutes, and ended with a hugely symbolic hug. El-Tayyib unexpectedly announced last week he would fly to Rome after accepting an invitation from Francis in order to "spread peace and co-existence." The meeting occurred five years after Al -Azhar suspended talks with the Vatican after tensions mounted during the reign of then-Pope Benedict XVI. The now-retired Benedict delivered a speech in 2006 in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly attacks on Christians. Muslim-Catholic relations began to thaw in 2013, when el-Tayyib congratulated Francis on his election and expressed hope for renewed cooperation. Francis responded that relations with Islam are a top priority. El-Tayyib now travels to Paris to open a Muslim-Catholic conference on East-West relations. With two weeks left before the last big votes in the Democratic presidential nomination process, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders says former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is "jumping the gun a little bit" in considering herself the party's nominee. Sanders said during an appearance Sunday on ABC's This Week he expects to do "very well" in the nine remaining contests. He told supporters later at a rally in (the western state of) California, which has more delegates up for grabs than any other state, that a strong showing there would give him momentum going into the Democratic convention in July. "If we win the nomination, I assure you Donald Trump will not become president," Sanders said. Trump is already the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, having outlasted all of the other candidates in the party's nomination race. Sanders called attention to the latest polls that again show him defeating Trump by a bigger margin than Clinton. Those same polls put a Trump-Clinton matchup about even. But the problem for Sanders is that in the primaries and caucuses that began in February, Clinton has amassed more delegates. Counting the hundreds of so-called super delegates who have said they will support her, Clinton leads Sanders 2,293 to 1,533. Unless Sanders can swing most of the super delegates his way, he would have to win about 90 percent of the remaining delegates at stake to have a chance. So it is that voters in the United States appear to be heading to polls in November with a choice between Clinton and Trump, the candidates of the country's two major parties. They are also, according to new polls, two candidates who are not well liked. A Washington Post/ABC News poll showed 53 percent of respondents had an unfavorable view of Clinton compared to 60 percent for Trump. Conversely, Sanders had a 51 percent favorable rating. Sanders has for several months resisted calls for him to drop out of the race, saying he will remain until the final votes have been cast. Clinton has not openly opposed his decision, but at the same time has increasingly turned her attention to Trump. "I think that Senator Sanders has every right to finish off his campaign however he chooses," Clinton said Sunday on NBC's Meet The Press. "I do think there will then be the obvious need for us to unify the party. I faced the same challenge in 2008. I will certainly do my part, reaching out to Senator Sanders, reaching out to his supporters, and I expect him to do his." Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic nomination to now-President Barack Obama after a closely contested race. Trump said Sunday on Twitter than Sanders is "continuing his quest because he believes that crooked Hillary Clinton will be forced out of the race" because of her controversial use of a personal email system while secretary of state. The Washington Post-ABC News poll asked if those leaning toward Republicans and Democrats were confident their party would unite behind Trump and Clinton, respectively, after the primary fights. Seventy-eight percent of Republicans and 88 percent of Democrats said yes. Another poll, from MSNBC and The Wall Street Journal, put Clinton ahead among African Americans, Latinos, women and people between the ages of 18 and 34. Trump led among whites, older voters, men and independents. Both polls showed more than 40 percent of people would consider voting for a third party candidate. That was similar to a 2012 Washington Post/ABC News poll that asked more specifically if people would vote for a third party candidate who agreed with them on most issues. The answer back then was 22 percent definitely would and 46 percent would consider it. The results for the 2016 election will not be known for six months, but 2012 apparently did not feature the right kind of third party candidate for those voters. According to data from the Federal Election Commission, 26 third party candidates appeared on the presidential ballot in at least one of the 50 states. Collectively they received 1.6 percent of the vote. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson did the best, earning nearly 1 percent of the vote to come in third behind Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney. The Libertarians are holding their convention beginning Friday with Johnson among their candidates again this election. The most recent poll by Fox News included Johnson in a potential matchup with Trump and Clinton. Trump came out ahead with 42 percent followed by Clinton at 39 percent and Johnson at 10 percent. Johnson appeared to take votes equally from both. Johnson's running mate, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union the Libertarians want to push both of the major parties on their policy positions. "I'd like to ideally nudge the Democrats toward the economic center, get them away from excessive spending," Weld said. "I would like to get the Republicans to get away from their anti-abortion stance, their queasiness with gays and lesbians being able to live openly and married and peaceably." He said the Johnson campaign has not had conversations with Romney or other Republicans who oppose Trump and have discussed potentially supporting a third party candidate. "I want to make sure we've got the building blocks of a national campaign all set up before we go around asking others for help," Weld said. "I think a little bit of fundraising would probably be the first order of business to make sure we could staff this out." Somalias president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, issued a decree Sunday to legalize the 2016 electoral process in Somalia, after the outgoing parliament failed to endorse the election rules. The parliament Saturday delayed a vote to endorse the process, despite warnings from the international community that a failure to act quickly would jeopardize the political process and set the county back several years. Bypassing parliament, the president said at a news conference in Mogadishu Sunday the election would take place in August as scheduled and in line with the deal by the national and regional leaders agreed last month. After seeing that the parliament can't decide, after seeing that the time is running out, I issued a presidential decree to legalize the electoral model Mohamoud said. There is no dispute, there is no division, we will not allow division in this critical time" the president added. Speaking exclusively to VOA's Somali service from Mogadishu, U.N. envoy to Somalia Michael Keating said he is relieved because the decree means the electoral process will take place on time. He said, "The decree will enable the technical preparation and implementation of the electoral process without further delay. There is no agreement within the Somalia Parliament on the modalities and it would have taken another long time to resolve these difficulties, he said. "It seems to me responsible to issue a decree, if the consequence of not holding the election are going to be very very negative," Keating added. Abdullahi Godah Barre, a member of parliament, has rejected the president's move, saying its unconstitutional and interferes with the power of the parliament" and the parliament will challenge it. But Keating said he does not believe the decree by the president is "unconstitutional" per se. The U.N. envoy said they would deal with anyone who tries to spoil the election process. Our job is to try and ensure that the electoral model is conducted in a safe environment. Keating said al-Shabab poses a threat to the election, and they are taking this threat very seriously. "It's really very important that the electoral sites where the meeting taking place are very well protected, and every effort is made by both the AU and Somali forces to minimize the possibility of al-Shabab attacks," he said. South Africas President Jacob Zuma may have many problems -- an increasingly raucous parliament, harsh media criticism and sliding popularity ratings amid several scandals -- but if the nations top prosecutor has his way, a corruption case wont be one of them. On Monday, National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams announced he would challenge a court ruling to reopen a 2007 case against Zuma for 783 charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering. That decision amounts to support of an embattled president whose popularity has waned during this, his final term. Abrahams said his decision was based on a careful reading of the law, and that he believes that only the prosecuting authority has the right to demand that cases proceed. Before announcing his decision, Abrahams delivered a half-hour treatise in which he discussed the criticism he has faced from media, his own professional backstory, his thought process and methodology, his reading habits, his constitutional obligations, the depiction of his bushy eyebrows in political cartoons -- and the fact that this was a difficult decision to make. In the present matter, concerning President Zuma, whatever decision I make will no doubt will elicit criticism from some or other quarters, he said. No decision will please all of the people, yet it is not in my job to seek to please anybody or make popular decisions, but only to act in terms of the principles and policies in accordance with my constitutional and statutory duties. Zumas office did not react to the announcement by late Monday, but the Twitterverse was abuzz with those who were clearly not pleased by Abrahams' decision. No surprises there!, said former top union leader Zwelinzima Vavi, who said that he did not expect Abrahams' appeal to succeed. Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos said he doesnt, either. If I was a betting person I would put every single cent I could find on the NPA losing the appeal in front of the appeals court, he said. 'Delaying tactic' The opposition Democratic Alliance criticized Abrahams Monday decision as a delaying tactic to shield Zuma from facing the charges against him. The reasons advanced by Abrahams that he was acting in the best interests of prosecutorial independence -- is a farce, said DA leader Mmusi Maimane in a statement. Abrahams is preoccupied with protecting President Zuma at all costs no matter what the implications are for the constitution, the taxpayer or due process. The DA had asked the courts to review the decision to drop charges against Zuma, and last month a panel of high court judges unanimously ruled that the case should proceed. This court case is intimately linked to Zumas rise to power. The charges date back to a 1999 arms deal. They were originally filed in 2007, and dropped just weeks before the 2009 national election. That decision effectively cleared the way for him to be elected president. But political analysts Zuma will soon face the real trial of any politician: the polls. The nation holds local elections in August, and analysts predict that Zumas sliding popularity will hurt the ruling ANC. South Korea has dismissed a North Korean proposal to hold military talks in late May or early June. Seoul dismissed the proposal Monday, calling the offer a "bogus peace offensive for bogus peace that lacks sincerity." A South Korea Defense Ministry spokesman said the North's proposal issued Saturday did not include a denuclearization plan, but was instead aimed at disrupting international cooperation on sanctions and splitting domestic public opinion. The Defense Ministry said North Korea is responsible for raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula with its nuclear tests and missile launches. The two Koreas share the world's most heavily fortified border since their war in the early 1950s ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 U.S. troops are deployed in South Korea as deterrence against North Korea. Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, the Taliban leader killed in a U.S. drone strike Saturday, crossed into Pakistan from Iran about five hours before he died. A VOA reporter has seen his passport, showing his entry and exit stamps. Mansoor, an Afghan citizen, carried a Pakistani passport when he entered the country about 10 a.m. local time at the Taftan transit point. The passport bears the name Wali Muhammad, but has his photo. In addition, a passport control photo shows him entering the country. The photo has been shown to villagers in Chaman Railway Colony, to see if they know the person in the photo. Chaman Railway Colony was one of the addresses in the Pakistani identification documents Mansoor carried. He had crossed into Iran at the same point on April 24. The Taftan crossing is a busy cargo transit point, bringing goods to and from Iran. WATCH: Video from scene of drone strike Mansoor headed to Quetta, about 680 kilometers from Taftan. He stopped for lunch near the town of Kochki. After eating, he headed back the road, and was sitting in the back seat of the car. He was killed about 15 kilometers away, near Ahmad Wal, about 170 kilometers from his destination. The VOA reporter who saw the passport says it had multiple exit and entry stamps for travel between Karachi in Pakistan and Dubai between 2006 and 2013. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a call for better international cooperation in sharing the burden of addressing the world's largest humanitarian crises. Erdogan spoke Monday in Istanbul at a two-day United Nations-backed summit that convened against the backdrop of a massive migration into Turkey of Syrian and Iraqi civilians fleeing years of war. Analysts say the presence of 3 million migrants on Turkish soil makes the country the world's largest host of displaced people part of what the U.N. calls the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. Despite skeptics who question whether the summit can produce results, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on delegates and heads of state from more than 60 nations to "resolve ourselves here and now not only to keep people alive, but to give people a chance at life in dignity." The global medical relief organization Doctors Without Borders withdrew from the event weeks ago, calling it "a fig leaf of good intentions" overshadowed by what it calls "shocking violations [by Turkey] of international humanitarian law and refugee rights." Amnesty International on Monday cited what it described as the "complete collapse of humanitarian law" in Turkey, and accused the European Union of "looking the other way when it comes to rights violations in Turkey itself." Earlier this month, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called on Turkey to implement an array of human rights reforms, and to allow independent investigators to probe "a succession of alarming reports" of alleged rights abuses near the Syrian and Iraqi borders. For his part, Turkey's Erdogan has argued that the dual threats facing his country from Kurdish militants in the region, coupled with increasing incidents of Islamic State terrorism, call for strengthening anti-terror laws rather than curtailing them. A visit by a top U.S. military commander to northeast Syria to confer with Kurdish commanders and plot the next stage in the battle against the Islamic State group has provoked the anger of Syrian rebel commanders, who accuse the Obama administration of giving up on the Syrian revolution. In interviews with VOA Monday, the Syrian rebels warned that the U.S.-led international coalitions strategy is creating the circumstances for future sectarian violence between Arabs and Kurds by turning to the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF), dominated by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, to liberate Arab majority towns from Islamic State. The warning came in the wake of an unannounced 11-hour trip to Kurdish-controlled northern Syria Saturday by General Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command. Votel told Pentagon correspondents who accompanied him that the U.S. had to work with the allies it has on the ground against IS and that the defeat of the jihadist group remains for Washington the clear military priority not the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. The SDF's Arab militias, several of whom have checkered histories, at best represent about 20 percent of the total SDF force, which can field about 30,000 fighters. Free Syrian Army (FSA) commanders, however, insist the number of Arab fighters in the SDF is much lower than the claimed 5,000 to 10,000. US support of SDF incites anger The U.S. attention being given to the SDF is infuriating FSA factions. Rebel commanders also bristle at what they say is the Western medias uncritical reporting of the YPG, much of it focused on the Kurdish groups embrace of secularism and the presence of young women fighters in its ranks. We are getting insufficient supplies form the West both in terms of quantities as well as the type of weapons we need, says Zakaria Malahefji of the 3,000-strong Fastaqim Kama Umirt, a brigade aligned to the rebel alliance Jaish al-Mujahideen (Army of Holy Warriors). He complained that the FSA is just being kept on life support while it is fighting, unlike the SDF. The course of the civil war would have been different if the West had supplied Syrian rebels with anti-aircraft missiles and offered the kind of close air support the YPG has been getting, Malahefji argues. US coalition causing sectarian divide General Salim Idris, the former FSA chief of staff, told VOA he welcomed any defeats inflicted on IS, but said the U.S.-led coalition risks building up deeper sectarian problems in Syria because of its support for the YPG, the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party, or PYD, which wants autonomy for the Kurds in northern Syria. As the SDF moves against villages and towns that are traditionally Arab, the seeds for conflict are being sown, he warned. He says the Arab element being crafted onto the SDF is seen as being just cosmetic by most Sunni Arabs. The Arab fighters are just camouflage, Idris said. The SDF is the YPG, which collaborates with anyone Assad, the Russians, the Americans when it suits its purposes, he added. FSA rebel commanders accuse the YPG of coordinating with Assad government forces elsewhere in Syria, including in the northern Aleppo countryside, where in February Kurdish fighters overran Arab villages during a Russian-backed regime offensive. YPG officials say the land-grab was to prevent territory from falling into the hands of government forces. The U.S. embrace of the YPG started with American airstrikes to help Kurdish defenders see off a months-long siege by IS of the border town of Kobani in 2015. U.S. support of the YPG increased subsequently as Washington sought to shape a proxy ground force to battle IS, initially setting up a train-and-equip program for moderate Syrian rebels. The program failed with rebel commanders declining to join because of Washingtons insistence that the train-and-equip force could only be used against IS, and not against President Assad. Votel visit to rankle Turkey The Votel visit is likely to rankle the Turkish government, which earlier this year reacted with fury to a 2-day visit to Kobani by U.S. diplomat Brett McGurk. During his visit to northern Syria, Votel said his trip had hardened his belief the U.S. has adopted the right approach to developing local forces to fight the jihadist group. "I left with increased confidence in their capabilities and our ability to support them. I think that model is working and working well, he said. But Gen. Idris questioned what the U.S. had in mind for the administration of territory seized by the YPG from IS. Who will control the towns and villages? he asked. I raised this question with U.S. officials in the past when they talked about using the YPG but never got a reply. If it is the Kurds, then there will be trouble. I really dont think the Obama administration has thought this through. Will the Kurds give up Arab towns they capture? he said. As he did with Myanmar, Cuba and Iran, the decision by U.S. President Barack Obama to lift the more than 50-year ban on weapon sales to Vietnam was his latest move to highlight a foreign policy rooted in diplomacy and engagement. "Over the past century, our two nations have known cooperation and then conflict, painful separation, and a long reconciliation," Obama said. "Now, more than two decades of normalized ties between our governments allows us to reach a new moment." Standing alongside his Vietnamese counterpart, Tran Dai Quang, in Hanoi on Monday, Obama noted how lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam would remove a vestige of the Cold War, strengthen defense ties and, more importantly, underscore U.S. commitment to the normalization of ties with its one-time adversary. "If you consider where we have been and where we are now, the transformation in the relations between our two countries is remarkable," Obama noted during a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in the Vietnamese capital. Eye toward Asia In his remarks, the U.S. president downplayed the assertion that lifting the embargo was aimed at countering China's influence and activities in the region particularly with respect to the South China Sea. Instead, he noted that one of his highest foreign policy priorities is for the United States to play a greater role in the Asia-Pacific. The Center for Strategic and International Studies' Greg Poling says that while China is a factor in lifting the embargo, the real issue is deepening ties with Vietnam and the U.S. commitment to Asia as a whole. "As far as the effort of normalizing the relationship that started 21 years ago, this was overdue, or at least it was time. And it sends a real message that the U.S. intends to engage Vietnam just as it would any other state in the region, and that it is committed to the rebalance to Asia," he said. Poling, CSIS' Director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, acknowledged that the president does benefit from a confluence of the U.S. pivot to Asia and China's recent behavior. "As the U.S. was seeking to engage these nations anew, all of them were terrified of the intentions of a rising China, and welcomed the U.S. in," Poling said. "Eventually the arms embargo was going to be lifted, but the fear that China has put into Hanoi helped accelerate that by several years." Bill Wise, Associate Director of the Southeast Asia Studies Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, notes that the lifting of the embargo comes at a critical time for Vietnam. "Their air and naval forces need modernizing. They will never reach parity with China, but they need to develop their own forces, their own capabilities so they can increase the price that China would pay for any further aggression in the South China Sea," Wise said. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter acknowledged the regional challenges in remarks to reporters Monday. "Countries in the region are coming to the United States more and more, to do more and more with us, because of their general concern with the security environment in the region," he said. Republican U.S. Senator Bob Corker welcomed the move, noting, "I've been supportive of the partial lifting of arms sales restrictions to help Vietnam strengthen its maritime defenses, and I look forward to continuing to examine proposed sales for that purpose." Human rights But not everyone welcomes Obama's decision to scrap the U.S. arms embargo on Vietnam. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, also a Republican, issued a statement noting the administration has now lost leverage to press Vietnam on its human rights record. "The Obama administration's pivot to Asia should be about security ties, but also standing up for brave Vietnamese believers in democracy when they are under assault in Vietnam," Royce noted. Human Rights Watch's Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson echoed that sentiment in an interview with VOA. "Today, we have seen President Obama essentially reward Vietnam even though they haven't done anything of note on human rights. They haven't repealed repressive laws. They haven't released any significant number of political prisoners. They haven't made any substantial pledges," Robertson said. In his remarks Monday, Obama noted the U.S. will continue to press Vietnam on universal human rights. SAIS' Bill Wise dismisses the suggestion that the U.S. is giving up leverage, noting the need to balance strategic interests with that of promoting human rights. "We have a very strong interest in promoting democratic values and human rights in Vietnam, and I cannot imagine that the president will stop, or any president will stop, pursing those courses." U.S. Republican voters appear to have largely cast aside their reservations about presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, a key factor in boosting him into a dead heat with the likely Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. For months Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, has held a double-digit percentage lead over Trump, a brash real estate mogul seeking his first elective office. But a spate of national polls in recent days shows the contest virtually even five and a half months ahead of November's national election. "The Republican base has coalesced around Trump," said political scientist Stephen Wayne at Georgetown University. Meanwhile, he said Democratic voters have yet to consolidate behind Clinton, who faces a remaining challenger Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders before likely clinching the Democratic nomination June 7, when the last key state nominating contests are held. William Galston, a senior fellow at Washington's Brookings Institution, said Trump "has succeeded in consolidating his support with the Republican Party a lot faster than a lot of people thought he would be able to." Conversely, he said, Clinton has had difficulty winning support from Sanders' most ardent backers. In the months-long state-by-state contests against 16 other Republican contenders, Trump won 41 percent of the vote. But The Washington Post-ABC News poll showed Trump is now winning 85 percent support from Republicans in a matchup against Clinton, even as some key Republican figures, including 2012 party nominee Mitt Romney, have refused to endorse him. Negative views The U.S. polling shows both Trump and Clinton are viewed negatively by a majority of voters. But Republicans, even if they supported one of Trump's Republican opponents, certainly view him as "the lesser of two evils" compared to Clinton, said Wayne. Galston said he expects Clinton, the country's top diplomat from 2009 to 2013, to get a similar upswing in the polls when she clinches the Democratic presidential nomination, while Wayne says that if July's Democratic national nominating convention is "fairly cooperative" between Clinton and Sanders supporters, "I expect she'll get a bounce and go back in front" of Trump. "There's an overarching issue here," Galston said. "People are clearly in the mood for change and the question I think that is most likely to decide this election is whether the American people feel safe and comfortable with the kind of change that Donald Trump is recommending. Galston added that he suspects "that [Trump] will attack [Clinton] as the candidate of the status quo and she will attack him as a loose cannon, reckless, someone who's too risky to take a chance on. And the people are going to have to make their judgment about their preference for the relative security that Secretary Clinton offers as opposed to the change, but risk, that Mr. Trump represents." Wayne said the campaign to replace President Barack Obama when he leaves office next January could remain close all the way to November because "the country has near parity" between Republicans and Democrats. Electoral college U.S. elections, however, are not decided by the popular vote, but rather by the electoral college with each state's electoral votes determined by its population and the number of senators and representatives it has in Congress. Numerous U.S. analysts, including Wayne, say Clinton holds the edge there, with the U.S. states with the biggest number of electoral votes mostly voting for Democratic presidential candidates over the last six elections. Galston and Wayne said a variety of factors will play into the outcome. "Let's look at history here," Galston said. "The stronger the incumbent two-term president is, the more likely the voters are to support the candidate of his own party to succeed him. And President Obama has improved his standing very considerably over the past six months, so that's one factor to keep in mind. "At the same time, people are clearly discontented with the slow pace of the economic recovery," he said. "Jobs have come back a lot faster than wages. It is possible that we're at the beginning of a period of acceleration in wages. If that's the case, then people may be a little bit happier about the economy and their personal circumstances in six months than they are today. That would also be good news for Secretary Clinton." However, said Wayne, "There's a lot we don't know yet" about the election, such as who either candidate will select as a vice-presidential running mate, the outcome of an investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server to handle her messages while she was secretary of state, and voters' reaction to Trump's business bankruptcies and lawsuits against his corporations. For his part, Sanders says Clinton is "jumping the gun a little bit" in considering herself the Democratic nominee. He has acknowledged that he has only a narrow path to overtaking her, but says he expects to do "very well" in the nine remaining nominating contests. "If we win the nomination, I assure you Donald Trump will not become president," Sanders told one rally over the weekend. Sanders called attention to the latest polls that show him defeating Trump by a bigger margin than Clinton with some even show her trailing Trump. The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a death sentence imposed on an African-American prison inmate by an all-white jury, after finding that state prosecutors improperly kept blacks off the jury. The high court ruled 7-1 in favor of Georgia death row inmate Timothy Foster, with Justice Clarence Thomas the lone dissenter. The decision, which comes 30 years after Foster's death penalty conviction for murder, highlights the continuing effects of racism on jury selection. Lawyers for Foster said prosecutors at the time maneuvered to exclude blacks from the jury pool, presenting the court with a note from prosecutors that showed the letter 'B' handwritten by the name of prospective black jurors. Another handwritten note entered into evidence had the heading "Definite No's," and listed six people five black jurors and a white woman who said she opposed the death penalty. The six were rejected from the jury pool in a process that allows prosecutors to block a certain number of jurors. In writing his opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said the Georgia "prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race. The focus on race in the prosecutions file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury." Foster was convicted in the 1986 murder of an elderly white woman. During the original trial, his lawyers did not contest his guilt, but explained his actions as the result of drug abuse, mental illness and a troubled childhood. A traditional Vietnamese soup called pho is growing more popular in the United States. The rising popularity of the savory, slow-cooked dish comes as U.S. President Barack Obama heads for a visit to Vietnam, which is bringing some new attention to the Vietnamese-American community in the United States. Chef Pat Lee, owner of PhoNatic, a chain of Vietnamese restaurants in Austin, Texas, said pho may follow the path of Italian pizza, Mexican burritos and Japanese sushi, other ethnic foods that have become part of U.S. mainstream culture. "In the next five to 10 years, you will see pho, or a variation of it, in many non-Vietnamese restaurants," Lee said. The Institute for Immigration Research said there were 8,900 Vietnamese restaurants in the United States in 2014, and the number has been growing. The owner of the Kobe House restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, said making pho starts with 45 kilograms of bones and a huge pot, and takes all night. Nguy Vu said it takes "12 hours, onion and the beef bone, the beef meat," as well as skill and care to make the soup. When it is almost done,a carefully chosen collection of special spices is added to the bubbling cauldron, Nguy said. The exact blend of spices is handed down from family members over generations. "Yeah, thats a secret," he said. Nguy said his sister worked closely with their mom to come up with the best pho recipe, using all natural ingredients and no shortcuts.' Chef Lee said pho is very similar to BBQ. "Knowing the recipe doesn't ensure that the final product will turn out great." Pho is served in a large bowl with light rice noodles, beef that has been cooled and sliced very thin, and vegetables. At the table, customers add final spices and an array of condiments, including sauces that are sweet or hot. Diner Ken Dao said the traditional dish has a lot of protein, "so I like it a lot." As do many other people, restaurant customer Dylan Guyen said. "One of the things I see is pho restaurants popping up everywhere, just like 7-11 (a popular convenience store)," Guyen said. Restaurant critic Dave Cathey said flavor is key to the soup's popularity. Cathey works for The Oklahoman newspaper in Oklahoma City, which has a significant population of Vietnamese-Americans who appreciate the slow-food approach of pho. "That's because when you cook low and slow you're pulling more flavor out of the ingredient, out of the bones," he said. "Those very rich nuanced flavors that we end up calling comfort food, that's what we associate with comfort for that soul-soothing warm feeling that you get." The Kobe House restaurant is near Washington, in a shopping area that reminds Vietnamese-Americans of their former home. Vietnamese-American communities are also found in California, Texas, Oklahoma and other places. The number of Vietnamese restaurants in the U.S. has been growing rapidly as they serve a Vietnamese-American community of almost 2 million people along with increasing numbers of Americans from all ethnic backgrounds. Islamic State terrorists have claimed responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings outside an army recruiting center in Yemens southern city of Aden Monday that killed at least 45 people and wounded many others. Most of the victims were army recruits. IS said in an online statement that one of its militants targeted apostate soldiers waiting outside an army recruitment center with an explosive belt. That attack was quickly followed by a bomb that blew up outside the nearby Badr army base. The attacks occurred as army recruits lined up to enlist for military service in the port city that has served as the temporary capital of Yemens Saudi-backed administration while it seeks to seize back the capital, Sana'a, from the armed Houthi group. Yemeni forces regained control of Aden last year, but deadly attacks have become more common as the pro-government forces clash with local affiliates of IS and their rival group, al-Qaida. Just last week, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed 31 police recruits in the southeastern port city of Mukalla. Since March 2015, at least 6,200 people have been killed and nearly three million more displaced due to the chaos resulting from Yemens civil war. Cluster bombs Meanwhile the rights organization Amnesty International called on the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, fighting in Yemen, to end its use of cluster bombs. The aid group reports that between July 2014 and April 2016, some 16 civilians were injured or killed by cluster munitions, including nine children. "Unless action is taken, these cluster bombs and other explosive remnants of war will leave a deadly legacy in Yemen for years to come, posing a threat to civilian lives and wreaking havoc on the local economy," said Lama Fakih, Amnesty's Senior Crisis Advisor. Amnesty says on a recent mission to north Yemen, it found evidence of cluster munitions, manufactured by the U.S., Britain and Brazil, being used by the Saudi-led forces. It is calling on Saudi Arabia and other coalition members to provide the United Nations with the precise location and dates of cluster munition attacks to facilitate the clearing of areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance. Protests against Kenya's electoral commission took place in three cities Monday, with local media reporting that police shot and killed at least one demonstrator in the western city of Kisumu. A reporter for the Standard newspaper, Phillip Orwa, told VOA four other protesters in Kisumu were hospitalized. Police also fired tear gas and arrested officials leading demonstrations at local offices of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Mombasa and Kakamega. Nairobi demonstration In Nairobi, riot police cordoned off IEBC headquarters and used tear gas to disperse small groups gathering early Monday ahead of a planned march. Authorities say the demonstration was illegal. Photos and videos of riot police clubbing and kicking protesters in Nairobi last Monday were shared widely on social media and sparked outrage. The protesters, most of whom are supporters of the opposition CORD coalition, say the IEBC must be disbanded ahead of next years national election. The opposition says the IEBC favors the ruling Jubilee coalition. The opposition has vowed to continue protests every Monday until the government decides to engage in meaningful dialogue about the electoral process. Kenya is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in August 2017. While the last elections in 2013 went off peacefully, post-election violence after the disputed 2007 presidential election killed an estimated 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 Kenyans from their homes. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Doctors in Zimbabwe say there is a marked increase in cases of stroke in the country due to high stress levels fueled by a spike in non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Official statistics indicate that Zimbabwe recorded 592 cases of stroke in 2009 and two years later the figure had risen to 1,134. Though the Ministry of Health has not released latest figures, doctors say stroke is affecting a large number of Zimbabweans. Rutendo Bonde, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, attributes the increase to what she says is a stressful life in the country. There has been an increase in all NCDs in Zimbabwe. Its related with the lifestyle, living a highly stressful life. The life pressures cause people to spend less on health care. Undiagnosed hypertension is a major cause. In public there is nowhere someone can go for routine checks so you have to go to private health care providers where costs are unaffordable. Bonde says Zimbabwes health institutions are struggling to rehabilitate stroke patients. When someone has experienced stroke its not just the event, its the rehabilitation afterwards which can be over a long period of time. Where do people go, its the private sector because in public health people get sent home and there are not any rehabilitation services there for such patients, speech, physiotherapy and occupational therapy to try and restore the brain. It shows that there are certain elements of the right to health which are not being met. The obligation of the state to fulfill the right to health of such patients is not being met. As the country becomes more difficult to live in it means that more and more such cases will be recorded and more violations too. STROKE PATIENT Lydia Takawira, who suffered a stroke early this year, says she is now living a miserable life. I suffered hemorrhagic stroke in January this year. Since then my life has changed in many ways. I need to see many different specialists every week for different therapies including speech, muscles and occupational rehabilitation. That is a lot of money for me. I cannot work now and we all have to rely on my husbands meager salary for food and treatment. I end up skipping some sessions. According to specialist physician, Andrew Mataruse, stroke is affecting all age groups. Generally what we have noted with stroke which is loss of function due to lack of blood to the brain, diabetes and hypertension are the major causes and also old age. It used to be common in Caucasians but now common in Africa. In the 90s, Professor Matenga did a study in Harare they were lesser than what we are seeing now. Because of funding we have not been able to do community based studies but hospital-based trends have shown a steep escalation of cases now also involving younger patients. In 2012-2013 we compiled a stroke registry at Parirenyatwa, stroke prevalence showed that out of 11,000 admissions, four percent are actually new strokes. PRIMARY HEALTH CARE Mataruse says the current harsh economic environment in Zimbabwe is worsening the situation. Apart from how we eat, we havent been able to maintain our primary health so for someone to discover that they have stroke, they actually have to go and see a doctor and that the doctor may require an extra dollar which someone may not afford. The melt-down of the economy limits access to health care and triggers these problems. It costs up to $100 per session for stroke patients to undergo physiotherapy sessions in private hospitals as most state health institutions do not have appropriate manpower and proper equipment. Health authorities acknowledged that there is an increase in cases of stroke in Zimbabwe but were not at liberty to discuss this issue without being cleared by Health Minister David Parirenyatwa, who was also not available for comment. The cash crisis is worsening in Zimbabwe with long queues becoming the order of the day. The situation has been worsened by some commercial banks which have decided to cut down automated teller machine withdrawals. Economist Prosper Chitambara of the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe told VOA Studio 7 the cash crisis appears to have been fueled by panic withdrawals after the central bank announced recently that it is preparing to introduce bond notes that it said are expected to boost exports. The situation on the ground seems to be going from bad to worse. A number of banks have actually imposed withdrawal limits, said Chitambara. He added that the cash shortages are also affecting businesses that need to transfer money to other countries to pay for goods and services. The economist further noted that this problem requires drastic measures to fix. The major problem is number one, lack of confidence that has affected deposits in the banking sector, and also we are also witnessing a mini banking crisis .... manifesting through what we call a bank run. Recently Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya told the parliamentary finance committee that cash shortages were expected to end after the central bank imported $15 million, which was expected to boost money supply. [More info] Based on its magnitude, the fault that was active during the quake ruptured along a surface of approx. 20 km(=8 sqare miles) as a first-order estimate. The length of the rupture zone thus was probably around 8 km (5 mi).Aftershocks typically occur during the days and weeks following the quake at or near the same fault, at distances of up to approx. two times the length of the rupture zone.The often broadly linear arrangement of aftershock epicenters encompasses the rupture zone of the main shock (check on the map below to verify). US implication in Syria is as bewildering as ever. Despite the fact that John Kerry had negotiated a cessation of hostilites on the 22 February 2016, and that Russia had withdrawn its bombers, Turkey - a member of NATO continued its support for Daesh. On the 8 March, Russia registered a report with the Security Council accusing Ankara of controlling the traffic of antiques for the benefit of Daesh [1]. On the 18 March, it registered a further report accusing Turkey of delivering arms and munitions to Daesh [2]. In both cases, Turkey totally refuted these allegations and accused Russia of organising a diversionary manuvre to distract the attention of the international community from the civilian losses, the chaos and the considerable destruction caused by the Syrian regime and Russian military operations in Syria. The Russian Chief of Staff retaliated by revealing that Ankara had just allowed 9,000 new jihadists to enter Syria. However, it is possible to imagine that Turkey had acted alone, without referring to the United States. On the 7 April, the US Department of Defense delivered 2,000 tonnes of weapons to the moderate armed groups, of which 500 tonnes were immediately redistributed to Al-Nusra (Al-Qaida), and 500 more to Daesh [3]. In any case, Turkeys support for Daesh seems to have diminished rapidly over the last few days. It would seem that Moscow had secretly but violently protested, to the extent that on the 9 May, John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov published a joint declaration [4]. They called on all states to implement Security Council Resolution 2253 (2015), which forbids all material or financial assistance to Daesh, the al-Nusra Front or any other group qualified as terrorist by the UN Security Council, and to prevent any of these groups from crossing the frontier into Syria. Above all, it was agreed that Washington would set a deadline for its allies - the start of July - to arrive at a negotiated agreement in Geneva. Beyond that date, the US would withdraw all their armed forces, while Russia would redirect its aircraft-carrier Admiral Kutznesov to the Syrian coast in order to resume, on a reduced scale, its bombing campaign against the terrorist organisations (who have since been re-armed) [5]. However, the uncertainty has still not been definitively resolved. A heated dispute opposed Russia and the United States at the UN concerning the Army of Islam (Jaysh al-islam) and the Islamic Movement of the Free Men of the Levant (Ahrar al-Sham). Moscow intended to add them to the list of terrorist organisations, while Washington still wants to consider them as a moderate armed group. The Army of Islam is a formation funded by Saudi Arabia and supervised by the British SAS. Originally commanded by Zahran Allouche, it spread terror throughout the suburbs of Damascus and threatened the capital for three years. Its leader, who worshipped Osama Bin Laden, was characterised by his cruelty, ordering the decapitation of a number of local inhabitants, and using others, locked in cages, as human shields. Finally, the bunker-buster bombs of the Russian Air Force destroyed the underground head-quarters specially built to house his Staff. After a period of confusion, one of Allouches assistants, Issam el-Bouaydani, temporarily assumed his succession. He was rapidly ousted in favour of a Wahabist cleric, Sheikh Abou Abdarrahman Kaake, who recommended the nomination of one of Zahran Allouches cousins, Mohamed Allouche, to direct the delegation of the Saudi opposition at the intra-Syrian peace negotiations in Geneva. Mohamed Allouche had become celebrated for having thrown Syrians accused of being gay from the rooftops the Syrian Arab Republic is the only Arab state to respect the private life of its citizens, and does not penalise homosexuals. The Islamic Movement of the Free Men of the Levant is also supervised by the British. Like the Army of Islam, its communications are handled by InCoStrat [6]. Its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Labib al-Nahhas, circulates freely in the West. He is in fact also British, and a member of MI6. He published an op-ed in the Washington Post [7], and paid a secret visit to New York last December to present his report to Jeffrey Feltman. On the 17 May, the International Syria Support Group met in Vienna. In its final declaration [8], it questions the Syrian Arab Armys strategy of encircling the villages controlled by the jihadists of the moderate opposition. But above all, it once more validates all of the Russo-US decisions of these last months, namely - to form a common organisation for the transition between the Syrian government and the entire range of opposition parties when the moment for transition is reached; to elaborate a new Constitution; then to organise new Presidential and parliamentary elections on that basis. However, even though Saudi Arabia is a member of the International Syria Support Group, the moderate opposition still refuses to accept these three points. It persists in demanding the departure of President el-Assad and most of the Christian, Chiite and Alawite senior civil servants before the formation of the transition organisation. Furthermore, it does not intend to run against the current leaders in a round of democratic elections. It is not inconsequential that during the meeting in Vienna, a diplomat declared that his country was ready to fight Al-Qaida, but that he was concerned as to who would then ocupy the terrain. Sergei Lavrov noted what he considered to be a lapsus - this diplomat was admitting, de facto, that his country preferred the victory of Al-Qaida to the victory of the Syrian Arab Republic. By doing so, he was distancing himself from the decision of the Security Council to make the fight against terrorism its primary objective. On the same day, the 17 May, the special representative for the UN Secretary General, Terje Rd-Larsen, presented his final report on the application of Resolution 1559, and announced his resignation. The Resolution had been drawn up in 2004, on the initiative of the United States, France and Saudi Arabia, to demand the disarmement of the Lebanese Hezbollah, the non-renewal of President Emile Lahouds mandate, and the withdrawal of the Syrian peace force from Lebanon. The Resolution had never been applied, although Syria withdrew its soldiers of its own accord when asked to do so by the Lebanese public during the Cedar Revolution. Mr. Ban immediately charged his assistant for Political Affaires, Jeffrey Feltman, with taking over Mr. Terje Rd-Larsens functions as well as his own until the end of the year. However, very many observers consider that Jeffrey Feltman, ex-US Ambassador in Beirut, is the real author of Resolution 1559, and that today, he secretly directs the military coalition against Syria from New York. On the 19 May, Jeffrey Feltman took part in a ceremony in Paris alongside members of the foreign Syrian opposition, Burhan Ghalioun, Michel Kilo, Bassma Kodmani and Samar Yazbeck. Still in France, General Benoit Puga announced his resignation as the French Presidents personal Chief of Staff, in order to join the Chancellory of the Legion dHonneur. An integrist Christian, nostalgic for the monarchy and colonisation, he was the only military man to occupy his post during the mandates of two successive Presidents, Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande. He had personally directed Frances secret operations in Syria sometimes in contradiction to the advice of the Armys Chief of Staff notably with the assistance of the officers of the French Foreign Legion who worked directly for the Presidency. We are moving inexorably towards an interruption of the Geneva negotiations. Moreover, if an agreement should be found between the Syrian parties present, it would be invalidated in the light of earlier international decisions, taking into account the exclusion demanded by Turkey of the main Kurdish party. This is why the failure of the Geneva talks would probably be followed by the reumption of the intra-Syrian negotiations between those who wish to take part in other words, without the pro-Saudis, but with the Kurds. Then the formation of a transitional system with new participants. On the military side, the Syrian Arab Army should take back the countrys main cities, but combats will probably persist at the Iraqi-Syrian frontier. From the renowned writers perspective, Our Fidel is revealed over and above his historical achievements, namely, achieving a Revolution bigger than ourselves, under the very nostrils of the empire; moulding a Fatherland recognized for its values of dignity and sovereignty and ensuring that for more than half a century it was untoppled. The virtues that captivated Garcia Marquez are surely the same that many have perceived. However, he expresses them out of the affection and admiration that he felt for the Commander-in-Chief and this gives greater value to his every word. Indeed, what fascinated him was the rebel leaders power to seduce, his searching out problems where they might be, his indomitable patience, iron disciple, the power of an imagination that leads to unexpected events and his emotion to risk, the biggest stimulus of his life. What made this front line revolutionary stand out in the transcendental events in Cuba in the twentieth and twenty first century was his attitude the face of defeat because even in the basic actions of everyday life, he appears to obey his own internal logic: he does not even admit it and he does not have a minute of peace while he succeeds in reversing terms and converting them into victory. considered El Gabo. Another quality: there is no project, be it grandiose or small, that one cannot undertake with infinite passion, especially if one must challenge adversity. Never did he appear to be in a better mood and better humor as he did then. Someone that believes to know him well said: things must be going very badly because you are proud, related the narrator. Garcia Marquez thinks that his rarest political virtue is that power to think out the unfolding of an event to its remote consequences. He does not exercise this power through seeing the light, but as a result of an arduous, tenacious reasoning, exhaustive analysis and after searching out the reasons. The stand of innovator appears to be his ideal medium; he begins with a voice that is barely audible but he is gaining ground with his intelligence, charisma and ability. In this way he wins over his audience. He is an inspiration: a state of irresistible and dazzling grace, that is only denied by those that have not had the glory of experiencing it. So related the author of The Hundred Years of Solitude. And when Fidel talks with his people, the dialogue is drenched in the eloquence and frankness of the deepest affection. This is why his people just address him as Fidel - just as they would a close friend, a father or a brother. They hug him, they need him, they raise issues and discuss them with him - an exchange which is one of its kind, where truth without hesitation prevails. He close friend asserted, it is then that one discovers the rare human being we fail to see due to the aura surrounding his image. This is the Fidel Castro that I believe I know: A man of austere habits and insatiable dreams; formally educated in Classics; a man of carefully chosen words and gentle manners; a man totally incapable of conceiving an idea that is not colossal. For this reason, he dreams with his feet on the ground that Cuban scientists will discover life-saving medicines or the final medicine against cancer. He has created a foreign policy of global power, in an island infinitely smaller than its powerful enemy, yet without violating a single principle, with dignity and ethics as his banner. So this is Fidel in a nutshell: the first to take arms, the first to set an example; the Fidel that stopped smoking to have the moral authority to fight addiction to tobacco; the Fidel whose conviction it is that moral incentives rather than material ones can change the world and revise history. It appears perpetual, the meridian clarity of the man of the cruiser, the Granma, the attack on the Moncada barracks, History will absolve me and the days of the war in the Sierra Maestra. Today, it is multiplied in a vision of the future of Latin America. The same vision is shared by Simon Bolivar and Jose Marti: an integral and independent community, capable of bringing light, just like dawn, and moving the destiny of the world. Forever watchful, defending positions and principles. The United States is the country he knew best after Cuba. He had a deep understanding of the nature of its people, its power structures, the hidden objectives of its governments, an arsenal that helped him to weather the storm inflicted by the criminal economic, financial and commercial embargo against our sovereign nation. Something is known for certain: that is, where he may be, how he may be and with whom he may be, Fidel Castro is there to win, reaffirmed his close Colombian friend, who said: on seeing him so burdened by the weight of so many unrelated fates, I asked him what was it that he wanted to do most in the world. And he at once replied: to take a stand in a corner. This is Fidel a man who sacrificed his life and was pleased to do so for the happiness of others; a man that Cuba admires and wants and the world recognizes and respects. (ACN) Photo: HBO Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. RIP, Summer. With the most recent direwolf death on Game on Thrones, their numbers are dwindling. Only two of the original pack remain Jon Snows loyal Ghost, and Aryas long-lost Nymeria. Originally, there were six pups, one for every Stark child (even half-Starks), and they were appropriately named to capture both their function and their owners personality (and perhaps even their destiny). Heres a refresher on each of the fierce protectors. Sansa, who wanted nothing more than to be a noblewoman, named hers after her chivalric ideal Lady. Before her death, Lady was said to be the prettiest, the most gentle and trusting of the direwolves. But being pretty, gentle, and trusting is not the kind of survival skill you need in Westeros, and both Lady, as well as Sansas gentle and trusting spirit, were destroyed by the Lannisters. Also sadly, Lady, who never attacked anyone, was targeted because of the actions of another, just as Sansa was mistreated by the Lannisters because of her father and brother. Robb, whose army of the North struck swiftly but left the war pretty quickly, named his Grey Wind because he ran so fast. Robbs strength as a commander became synonymous with the actions of his wolf, since Grey Wind threatened, attacked, and killed men on the battlefield (one at the Crag, one at Ashemark, six or seven at Oxcross). Legends grew about Robb and Grey Wind some even thought he could warg into his beast and Robb was referred to as the Young Wolf. So when the Freys plotted to kill him at the Red Wedding, they took special care to keep man and wolf separated, only to reunite them after death (by attaching Grey Winds head to Robbs body). Rickon, the youngest, named his Shaggydog, who remained as wild and unsupervised as his human. Shaggydog was last seen when his severed head was presented as proof that Rickon was truly a Stark, as part of a prisoner transfer, although some fans refuse to believe he is dead. If the direwolfs name was prophetic, its perhaps in the sense that Shaggydog had a shaggy-dog story one that never went anywhere. Bran didnt come up with a name for his wolf until he emerged from his coma, where in the books, he first had his visions of the Three-Eyed Raven, as well as a frozen wasteland where jagged blue-white spires of ice waited to embrace him. Bran, the sweet summer child, then called his direwolf Summer, but he ultimately lost his wolf to the monsters of Winter. Of all the Stark children, Bran developed the strongest warging abilities, and he wasnt limited to his direwolf. With Summers death, he could start warging other creatures (although hopefully not more humans poor Hodor!). Jon, who was resurrected from the dead, has a direwolf named Ghost. Ghost is the only direwolf left hanging out with his human he even stuck around during the period in which Jon was technically deceased, long after everyone else gave up, and seemed to sense when Jon would come back. If Jon rides into battle, chances are Ghost will be at his side. Arya, who is learning to fight, named hers after the fiercely independent warrior princess of the Rhoyne Nymeria. According to legend, Nymeria had 10,000 ships to her name, which she used to lead her people (mostly women) across the Narrow Sea to find a new home, wandering for years until they settled in Dorne. (Her heirs are the Martells.) Arya and her direwolf Nymeria both have wandered on their own since Arya sent Nymeria away, and since Arya was set free herself. And both have become killers. In the books, Nymeria went off to form a very large wolfpack perhaps well see this wolfpack on the show, or perhaps Arya will one day reunite with her wolf, and/or her siblings, once again. If you live with Frankie, youre bound to wake up to more than a few unpleasant surprises. This morning, Grace wakes up in her fabulous pajamas to find that her dishwasher is completely broken. She leaves Frankie a cheerful voicemail, despite Frankies impenetrable voicemail message. Frankie is walking on the beach, eating butterscotch pudding and living a life most of us only dream of, when she discovers Sol sleeping on the porch. She knows immediately that Sol told Robert about their tryst. So, how did Robert take it? I slept on your patio Sol says. Robert was furious, shocked, and hurt. He gave Sol a look that withered his soul. Frankie goes to comfort him, but stops herself: Damn my Christ-like capacity for compassion. She cant deal with him alone, so she takes Sol inside for Grace to handle help. Sol reveals that he started reciting poetry. That did not help. Grace offers to go visit Robert to smooth things over and see if hes okay. The entire audience cringes in anticipation. If Robert wont take him back today, Sol just wants his tortoise raffia wallet. Frankie isnt prepared to spend any time with Sol alone. They havent been alone since the hospital wedding. Grace suggests that Frankie find a high-school talent show to distract herself. Once Grace shuts the door, Sol is trying to fix the dishwasher. He just wants to be useful. Frankie knows that if Sol putters around the house, shell have a real If you give a Sol a cookie situation on her hands, then theyll be laughing together and stirring up all these complicated emotions. Frankie has got to get out of there. She heads to her main boo-thangs farm to distract herself. Uh huh, Frankie. Weve all distracted ourselves. Bring some yam lube. Unfortunately, Jacob is getting ready to do some unsexy boar hunting. (Also unfortunately, hes not building a Japanese fighting robot because that would be awesome.) Meanwhile, Bud is visiting his father at the beach house while Sol spins in a macrame chair. Sol isnt hungry. He doesnt want help. He just wants to lie there and moan. Bud doesnt want his father to malinger; hes seen this Lifetime movie. Bud is going to take care of everything at the office so Sol can continue to wallow. Grace shows up at Chez Solbert to talk some sense into Robert. Robert is In. A. Mood. Hes incised that Sol ran to Frankie and hes not excited for Graces gloating. Grace shouts at him to stop being shitty. If he thinks one night of betrayal is bad, try 40 years! Robert is furious that Sol marry him not 24 hours after sleeping with Frankie. Grace told Sol not to say anything. Yes, Grace knew. When Robert stomps off, Grace chases him and tells him not to close himself off like he did when they were married. He was always more concerned with winning the argument back then, but now hes married to the great love of his life. Now is the time to do things differently. Im going to leave you to develop a sense of irony, she says as she slips out the house, stealing Roberts wine glass. Jacob and Frankie are prepping for the boar hunt. Okay, Frankie isnt so much prepping as attempting to sabotage his equipment. She wants to avoid talking about her problems, even if its hunting a very smart boar. Frankie digs Jacob and doesnt want to explain the Chilean soap opera that is her life. Jacob says, Im your guy. I wanna hear all of it. Damn, Jacob. Grace comes home to Sol working on her computer in her kitchen. She wants to know why he came to their house, to Frankie. Why did he come to the worst possible place for everyone but him? Grace nails Sol when she says, You walked out on your person, you got kicked out by your new person then you crawled back to your old person. This is why you irritate people. Damn, Grace. Sol says hes got no safe space left. Tough titty, Sol. He sees that Phil is messaging Grace, then she slams her computer shut on his fingers. Get. Out. Sol! Frankie and Jacob eat a little picnic in between firing arrows at the boar. Frankie lays out her current emotional turmoil: She cant figure out if she feels sorry for Sol or just plain sorry. Frankie enjoyed spending time with Robert (when they would make fun of Grace) and she knows some small piece of what Robert is going through now. While Frankie is busy with this very unusual second date, Bud and Coyote debate what to do with a letter from the adoption agency. The letter is either information about Coyotes birth mother or a polite dismissal. He asks Bud to open the letter, but Bud is tired of doing everything for everyone, including his soon-to-be-ex-stepfather/boss/uncle, so he flails around like those inflatable guys at a car dealership and the letter flies under the fridge. Coyote understands how hard it is for Bud to shoulder all the responsibilities and thanks him for all that he does. Hes the only one who can do it. As they fish the letter out from under the fridge, Bud agrees to give Coyote one more shoulder to lean on and reads the letter. Coyotes birth mother wants to meet him. They also find a CCH Pounder-signed headshot under the fridge. Frankie leaves Jacobs farm, knowing what she has to do. She gives him two big smooches on her way out. Grace is at home, staring at her Facebook (or FaceUnion if this is in the Law & Order: SVU universe) because Phil-with-a-P-H sent her a message. He sent a hello. Grace ropes Sol into helping her because she needs a girlfriend. Okay, Grace, settle down. Sol says Grace should send him a thirst trap about her drinking a glass of wine in her bathing suit. Damn, Sol. Frankie goes to Chez Solbert to give Robert something shes owed him for a long time: An apology. Frankie wanted something to happen between her and Sol too, since it was the only way to find out if everything was really true. After they slept together, she knew that Sol loved Robert in a way that he could never do for her. Its a beautiful and sad moment, as Frankie (maybe) finally lets Sol go. After she leaves the house, Frankie gets a phone call from her boyfriend and asks him if its okay she called him her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Grace is sitting in a giant pashmina drinking wine talking to her crush. Well done, ladies. Photo: Wild Bunch Controversy abounded at Sunday nights closing ceremony for the Cannes Film Festival, where one film that split critics, Ken Loachs I, Daniel Blake, and one that set off a maelstrom of bad reviews, Xavier Dolans Its Only the End of the World, won the top two prizes the Palme dOr and the Grand Prix, respectively. These were not popular choices. How the hell did the best Cannes Competition lineup in about 15 years yield the worst set of winners? the Playlist critic Jessica Kiang lamented. Ballyhooing is useless, though. These Cannes honors are not the provenance of critics, but of a nine-member jury presided over by Mad Max director George Miller, and including actors Donald Sutherland, Mads Mikkelsen, and Kirsten Dunst who simply watched two movies a day, didnt read reviews, and voted for what moved them most. We avoided looking at what other people were saying because it was our responsibility to come up collectively, Miller said at a press conference, adding that this jury deliberated perhaps longer than most. The most important thing was that we all had to share in that process and that was it. Theyre also hampered by rules that prohibit them from giving more than two prizes to any one film, or from giving more than one prize to any of the top three films. (Which included a tie for Best Director between Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for Graduation, and another unpopular choice, French director Olivier Assayass booed Kristen Stewart vehicle, Personal Shopper.) Lets start with Dolan, the provocative, 27-year-old Quebecoise director whose Grand Prix win set off jeers in both the press room and a huge theater nearby broadcasting the ceremony (though not, of course, at the actual ceremony Dolan was attending). Adapted from a 1990 play by Jean-Luc Lagarce, who died from AIDS complications five years later, its about a 34-year-old gay playwright who comes home after a 12-year absence to tell his family hes dying; the film was subject to immediate cries of disdain, particularly from critics whod loved Dolans last movie, the exhilarating, heartrending, Mommy. Dear God [its] an on the nose stylistic mannered mess, tweeted Voxs Gregory Ellwood. Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair declared it the biggest disappointment of Cannes. Jon Fosch of The Hollywood Reporter wrote it was cold and deeply unsatisfying. And Peter Debruge of Variety used the words unbearable, agonizing and frequently excruciating. Complaints included no one in the film ever stopped talking, relentless use of close-ups, and cliched dialogue and characters, but mainly centered on Dolans tone-deaf tendency to pretention and, as Lawson put it, inability to see beyond his own nose. When he won, one critic who isnt in Cannes circulated a picture of Joffrey Lanister from Game of Thrones. Its because Dolan is so clearly talented and has such a strong voice that the outcry has been so intense; his seemingly unshakable favored-son status at Cannes doesnt help. Four of his six films have appeared in the competition; two years ago Mommy split a jury prize with Jean-Luc Godard; and last year, at age 26, Dolan was invited to be on the jury. Its Only the End of the World had a whos who cast of French film stars: Marion Cotillard, Lea Seydoux, Vincent Cassel, and Gaspard Ulliel, and his next one, set in Hollywood and his first English-language film (though Dolan speaks perfect English) has attracted Kit Harington, Jessica Chastain, and Natalie Portman so theres some sense hed been due for a comeuppance. Asked why he supported it, jury member Laszlo Nemes, who won the Grand Prix last year for Son of Saul, explained that he loved that it had been shot on 35 mm film in a digital age. But more than that, It was a very moving journey and it had tremendous ambitions and much risk taken. Nemes also conceded that this isnt a totally objective panel: Obviously it resonated that Xavier was on the jury last year when [Son of Saul] received the Grand Prix, but I dont support this film because of the fact that I got the Grand Prix. Its just that we loved the film. Dolan, who cried so hard during his acceptance speech that snot was dripping from his nose, said the win had been completely unexpected, particularly since hed read the reviews. He hasnt shied away from the press, calling the film his best work and telling The Guardians Nigel Smith, If the guy who gives Creed five stars and Fast and the Furious four stars and a half is saying that Marion Cotillard is a bore in my movie, then it really is the end of the world, he said. And you wonder what the fuck hes doing here. At the press conference, he admitted hed been a wreck. It is always discombobulating to be eager to share the things that you have worked on so long in your heart thinking that you have instilled in each character a lot of love and pain and complexity, he said, and to have that utterly rejected. But that didnt mean he was dismissing the reviews out of hand. I will always, always be curious to know how people see my work, he said. Have they seen it differently than what it was meant to be, and was I wrong or were they right or the other way around? If they say black when I say white, theres a problem. But if this week had taught him anything it was that all he could do was remain true to himself and hope to be understood. As for Ken Loachs Palme dOr-winning I, Daniel Blake, its meaning is entirely clear. Too clear, according to some critics. Its an almost dystopian depiction of a modern day Britain in which the red tape of a welfare state has left its most vulnerable citizens scrounging for food and work. None of this is new territory for Loach, who turns 80 shortly, as he won the Palme dOr in 2006 he is a veteran who has earned both reverence and exasperation from those whove watched his system bad/working people good oeuvre along the way. I just cant with Ken Loach anymore, I heard at least five people say when I asked about the film. In fact, the main criticism has been a predictable moralizing that falls into the telling instead of showing version of filmmaking. The script at times wades into didactic pandering, hammering home in dialogue points about a callous State that are already embedded in the story, wrote The Hollywood Reporters David Whitney. David Jenkins of Little White Lies called it cinema as a blunt instrument. I, Daniel Blake is a movie depicting a cynical world that is entirely not for cynics, and if you buy into the premise and stay with the characters, its incredibly moving. A tale simply told, the movie is set in working-class England, where the dialect is so thick it required English subtitles. Its focus is 59-year-old widower Daniel Blake (Dave Johns), whos recovering from a heart attack and cant get the state to agree with his doctors that hes unfit to go back to carpentry. Heartless bureaucrats await at every turn, from the call center operator who tells him he has to sign a contract proving hes looking for work to the decision maker who says hes not fit for work whom Daniel must appeal to to the job center supervisor who sanctions the one nice lady who works there for trying to help the computer-illiterate Daniel fill out a form that will just put in motion a months-long appeal. This is very much a movie about treating others like human beings, and soon Daniel strikes up a platonic friendship with a young single mother, Katie (Hayley Squires), when shes thrown out of the job center with her two kids because she showed up five minutes late after getting on the wrong bus because shes just moved to the area after living for two years in temporary homeless housing in London. Oscar talk has already begun though for Best Foreign film, which makes no sense. (The more likely contender for that is A Separation-director Ashgar Farhadis The Salesman, the only film of the night to win two prizes.) Loach clearly has a political viewpoint. In his acceptance speech he decried a neo-liberalist moment of austerity in Europe that has people struggling to find food in the fifth-richest nation on the planet. Later in the press conference, he clarified that he sees the European Union, in particular, as embodying that neo-liberalism. It has caused hardship and poverty and a great deal of struggle for a lot of people who are not desperate but they are having a hard time, he said. So you just tell one little story of the consequences for many millions of people and you hope it connects. Subtle its not, but it is effective. Daniel and Katies situations get worse, then bleaker still, then bleaker still, until it becomes impossible not to weep for their plights. At the press conference Donald Sutherland called it a movie that resonates in your heart and your soul. Nearly every person I talked to about this movie mentioned they cried, and the most frequent question I was asked when I said Id seen it was, Did you cry? I did, like a baby. Criticize the jury all you want, but can you really fault them for picking the film that turned entire theaters of people into sobbing wrecks? If thats not a valid measure of a film, I dont know what is. Matt Ross. Photo: Dominique Charriau/Getty Images Lost in the outcry over the Cannes Jurys decision last night to give its top two prizes to movies that have either divided or enraged critics has been the happy fact that Silicon Valleys Hooli CEO Gavin Belson, known in the world of reality as Matt Ross, also won a major directing prize at the festival. Rosss film, Captain Fantastic, is a crowd-pleasing cross between The Swiss Family Robinson and Little Miss Sunshine for a Bernie Sanders era. Its about progressive super-dad Ben (a very beard-y Viggo Mortensen), whos raising his six incredibly attractive and precocious kids off the grid in a yurt in rural Washington. They hunt as a rite of passage, do running drills up hills, get quizzed on the Constitution and Marx, and are completely cut off from cell phones and televisions, until they find out that their bipolar mother has killed herself, and they must re-enter the modern world to attend her funeral. And somehow, with that premise, it manages to be the kind of movie that leaves you grinning while walking out of the theater; at both Sundance, where it debuted, and Cannes it got lengthy standing ovations. It also won Ross the Best Director prize for Canness Un Certain Regard competition for first- and second-time filmmakers. (Rosss first feature was 2012s 28 Hotel Rooms.) The most amazing thing about Captain Fantastic may be the shock of seeing Ross at Q&As and thinking, The guy with Gavin Belsons face directed this? I agree with Varietys Peter Debruge that this movie is so assured and arresting in its ability to incite excitement that it could pass for a fourth or fifth feature. Plus, its fascinating just how directly in conflict the movies anti-capitalist themes of mountain men versus corporate drones are with Rosss character on Silicon Valley, who would make corporate drones of all of us if he could, and then meditate. Ross wrote Captain Fantastic years before signing on for Silicon Valley, so its not a reaction to the HBO shows world. Ross made his first short film in 1997, so, he says, Its a coincidence, frankly, that I happen to be on a show thats as successful at the same time that this is happening. He sees the movie as being less about his childhood than about his current reality as a father (the movie was a way for me to construct or contextualize or dramatize questions I have about being a parent, and frankly, about being a man, he says), though he concedes that he did grow up living on various communes his mother started. During summers, they lived in a tepee, which is featured in the movie. And like the Fantastic family, Ross actually does celebrate Noam Chomsky day, which is a holiday he invented. In the movie, Mortensens Ben marks the occasion by giving the older kids hunting weapons and the 6-year-old who asked about the birds and the bees a copy of The Joy of Sex. Rosss trip to get back to Cannes to claim his prize in a lot of ways mirrors the school bus trek Ben and his brood of hippie kids take to bury his wife and their mother. Like most people who have movies at the fest, Ross left town after it had screened and took his kids, who go to a French-American school in the States, to Paris for the first time. I think we had all just eaten a pastry and then we were at this costume museum and we got a phone call to come back, says Ross. The call was vague, just that the movie was going to win something and theyd like him to be present. It was out of a bad movie, frankly, we were running back to our Airbnb and packing four people, clothes everywhere, jumped in a cab, raced to the airport, which actually wound up being the wrong airport. They got to Cannes just as the ceremony was starting, and had to jump out of a car in their dresses and tuxes and run five blocks to the Palais because traffic was so bad. Ross had been sure it would be an acting prize for Mortensen, which I would love to happen because I think hes brilliant in the film, he says. But winning the directing award was, for me, about as special as anything I wouldve hoped for. Trevor Noah. Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images South African comedian and host of The Daily Show Trevor Noah discussed politics, the American media, and Donald Trump at Vulture Festival with New York Magazines Rembert Browne. Below, some highlights from their conversation. On what Trumps rise to political prominence has revealed about the dangers of one particular modern ailment information overload: Donald Trump has mastered the art of moving us onto the next news cycle. He goes, Ted Cruzs dad assassinated Kennedy. And youre going, What?! Im sorry, what just happened? And then hes like, And I will not release my tax returns. Wait, wait, what? And now weve forgotten the assassination, and now were like, What do you mean you wont release your tax returns? And he goes, Yeah, I talked to John Miller about this. Whos John Miller? Whats going on? You fake your own interviews?! And now weve forgotten about the tax returns. And then youre like, Why John Miller? And now were on that thing, and he turns around and goes, Chris Christie, stop eating Oreos. And were like, Wait, did he just do that? And then while were still thinking about that hes like, Okay were gonna have a trade war with China, whats the worst that could happen? And now were on this and we havent even gotten over the assassination. We move so quickly and we absorb so much news. And in the middle of all this, theres an Egypt airplane that is missing now, its just overwhelming at times for many people to try and consume this news and try and find time to process it, so we live in a world of hot takes now. On the surreal nature of the campaign-endorsement system in American political parties: In America, its like WWE, youve created this fanfare. Thats why its so easy for people to endorse people after theyve fallen out of the race. My mind is honestly broken by that. How can you say everything that youve said, every single day youve said [it]? This is the Republican side everyone said, Donald Trumps the worst thing that could happen to this country, he cannot be commander-in-chief, you cannot trust him, hes a liar, hes a cheat, hes all of these things, you cannot have him, you cannot have him, you cannot have him, hes the worst thing ever, Im dropping out of the race, and I think we can all agree that Donald Trump is the best choice for president. Like, woah, what just happened there? Thats where you see that they are playing a game with the people, and that is something that I dont get over that. You cant say that. And how American racism never truly went away: Its also showing how angry people are. You know, you cant just gloss over this. You cant gloss over I always ask people, where do you think all the racists went? Im always fascinated by that. Well we had a civil-rights movement, and then, where did all the racists go? There was no mass emigration, so whered they go? Did people just go civil rights, no more racism, and theyre all just like, All right, Im done. We had a good run, racists. This is what weve done to people weve not had a moment, there hasnt been a discussion. Its not easy, but there has to be some sort of conversation that is had between people. Everyone just acts like its done its not done. But, he has hope for the upcoming November elections: Waco Parks and Recreation Department is conducting registration for its Camp Cameron Adventure Camp for ages 5 to 13. Two-week sessions will be from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays, June 6-17, June 20 to July 1, July 5-15 and July 18-29. The camp includes environmental and recreational activities, including hiking, archery, kayaking, swimming, field trips, nature study and more. Cost is $160 per session plus a $75 registration fee. For registration information, call 750-5980. Concert in the park The National Banks of Central Texas is presenting a free concert by the Brett Hendrix Band at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Warren Park, 450 S. Old Temple Road in Hewitt. Food will be available for purchase from J&M Hill Country Bar-B-Q, as will beer and wine from Viteks BBQ. Attendees can bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets for seating. For more information, call 666-1280. Waco Rotary Club Rotary Club of Waco will meet at noon Monday at the Lions Den, 1716 N. 42nd St. Waco City Manager Dale Fisseler will be the guest speaker. Cost is $10 for lunch catered by Blaneks. For more information, call 776-2115. Hewitt story times Hewitt Public Library, 200 Patriot Court in Hewitt, will offer two weekly story-time sessions at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. This weeks theme is Bubble Bath Pirates. For more information about the free programs, call 666-2442. MCC health programs McLennan Community College will accept applications through June 1 for the fall semester of its McLennan Health Professions programs. Applications are available in Room 129 of MCCs Health Professions Building or at www.mclennan.edu/health-professions. For more information, contact the program directors: Medical laboratory technician: Diane Schmaus, 299-8417 or dschmaus@mclennan.edu. Physical therapist assistant: Heather Mattingly, 299-8715 or hmattingly@mclennan.edu. Radiologic technology: Meredith Heffner, 299-8342 or mheffner@mclennan.edu. Surgical technology: Marcie Rierson, 299-8292 or mrierson@mclennan.edu. Mature drivers CarFit The Mature Driver Program at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center will host a free CarFit program from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday. Trained technicians will teach participants how to make their vehicles fit them by reviewing 12 key areas, including steering wheel tilt and placement, mirror positioning, properly adjusted head restraints and line of sight. Appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, call 202-6541 or 202-6539. China Spring Independent School District officials hope to move into their new 14,000-square-foot administration building by the beginning of August, only weeks before the new school year begins. The Texas Department of Transportation bought the districts current building in a land grab to expand Farm-to-Market Road 1637, also known as China Spring Highway, from two lanes to four. The state paid a little more than $1.2 million to displace the district, China Spring ISD Superintendent Marc Faulkner said. The new building cost about $1.6 million to build, but the district covered the additional building costs from money in the general fund, Faulkner said. The new administration building is on Yankee Road, closer to the middle school, and is about 4,000 square feet larger than the current building. Its going to be wonderful, Faulkner said. The new building will have a boardroom, training areas and expanded office space. Faulkner said the district didnt plan to change administration buildings, but since the state forced it out, the new building will better accommodate the growth of the district. The only reason we did it is because they took our building, Faulkner said. A recent demographic study of the district projected enrollment jumping by almost 50 percent in 10 years, from its current number of 2,600 students to 3,900. Work began on China Spring Highway in April and is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2018, TxDOT spokesman Ken Roberts said. The expansion will be 4.3 miles, from Steinbeck Bend Drive to Wortham Bend Road, and will include a raised median. Construction will cost $27.8 million. Roberts said the expansion is to help relieve congestion in that area. China Spring Highways average daily traffic count is 15,000 cars, though its only designed to handle about 10,000 a day, Roberts said. New Attractions for Warbirds Over the Beach! by A. Kevin Grantham Warbirds Over the Beach is just around the corner and for those who plan on attending the Military Aviation Museums annual World War II air show on 20-22 May, 2016. you are in for a real treat! Jerry Yagen, the museums benefactor, has earned a reputation for dazzling visitors with rare and exotic flying machines. This year will be no exception as he plans to debut the newest addition to his collectiona Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4. Meier Motors in Eschbach, Germany restored this particular example using a combination of newly fabricated components augmented with parts from a license-built, Spanish 109 variant, the Hispano Buchon. There are a number of Rolls-Royce Merlin-powered Buchon/109s around the world, but Yagens G-model is powered by a Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine, just like the WWII Luftwaffe originals. The authentic power plant and cowlings give the German fighter the look, sound and performance of a fighter that could have rolled off the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke factory line in 1943-44. The second new attraction that the museum has in store for air show attendees this year will be the presentation of an genuine, WWII-era Royal Air Force aircraft control tower. A little over ten years ago, Jerry Yegan bought the then-derelict control tower that stood at the former RAF Station Goxhill in Lincolnshire, England. He had the building and its contents, including the original toilet fixtures, carefully disassembled and shipped to the Museums home in Virginia Beach. Mike Potter, the Museums director, said, about twenty-five percent of the original bricks are being used in the construction of the new tower. We are also on schedule to have the exterior of the building completed in time for Warbirds Over the Beach. The distinctive doors of the original building were sadly beyond repair, but surprisingly the original manufacturer is still in operation, so Jerry Yegan, in his typical search for authenticity, initiated a contract with the firm for new doors. The interior will be decorated to resemble a WWII-era, Eighth Air Force base control tower as RAF Goxhill was the first home for the Lockheed P-38 Lightnings belonging to the 71st Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group. The Military Aviation Museum houses one of the finest flying collections in the world, so even if you cant make Warbirds Over the Beach this year, visiting the museum is an absolute must on any warbird-lovers bucket list. They are located at 1341 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23457. For more information about the museum and Warbirds Over the Beach please call +1 757 721-7767, or visit them online at http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org. WarbirdsNews wishes to thank the noted aviation historian A.Kevin Grantham very much for his pre-show report, and lovely images. We look forwards to sharing more of his articles in the future! We also expect to hear news of the 109s first flight any day now, so be sure to watch this space! Coast Guard aviation was born when 3rd Lt. Elmer Stone reported to flight training on April 1, 1916. A century later, 2016 represents the 100th year of U.S. Coast Guard aviation. Advanced aerospace military coatings by PPG (NYSE:PPG) recreate historic paint schemes for repainted aircraft commemorating U.S. Coast Guard aviations 100th anniversary. Thirteen helicopters comprising three types HH-52A, MH-60 and MH-65 and two HC-144 search-and-rescue fixed-wing airplanes have been repainted in a visual retrospective celebrating the centennial. High-solids DESOTHANE HS/CA 9800 military advanced performance topcoat used on the helicopters provides a buffable high-shine finish with excellent gloss and image reflection, lower weight and long-term durability for exceptional color and gloss retention. Desothane HS/CA 8201 military topcoat achieves the special-effects metallic paint scheme for the HC-144 airplanes while affording a long-lasting finish. The PPG topcoats have been applied over high-solids DESOPRIME HS/CA 7233 military epoxy primer on all 15 aircraft, and DEFT chrome-free primer was also used on the MH-65 helicopters. According to Duane Utter, PPG aerospace global segment manager for military coatings and defense products, a PPG military coatings technical and sales team worked with the engineering and paint manager at the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to recommend coatings that would provide the desired gloss, durability and ease of application. PPG coatings offered the performance needed, and we were awarded the contract, Utter said. Desoprime HS/CA 7233 primer and Deft chrome-free primer provide exceptional corrosion resistance for the tough environment in which the Coast Guard flies these aircraft. Desothane HS military topcoats afford excellent weathering durability so that these special aircraft will keep their appearance for years to come. Utter said PPG is pleased to be involved in the Coast Guards aviation centennial celebration. PPG has a long, successful history as a coatings supplier for U.S. Coast Guard aircraft, and we salute the aviators for their service in untold numbers of heroic missions. HH-52A Seaguard helicopter Perhaps the most storied aircraft of the group is a restored HH-52A Seaguard helicopter tail number 1426 painted with Desothane HS/CA 9800 military advanced performance topcoat in 1975 colors with an orange cockpit, rotor tail and banding, and white fuselage and tail. The helicopter was involved in the rescue of 22 survivors from the burning freighter Mimosa and tanker Burmah Agate that collided Nov. 1, 1979, near Galveston, Texas, which the Coast Guard describes as perhaps the greatest mission in Coast Guard aviation history. In April, the helicopter became the first Coast Guard aircraft inducted into the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, and is on display at the museums Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Coast Guard aircrews who flew HH-52As are credited with saving more than 15,000 lives during the helicopters 26 years of service, which ended Sept. 12, 1989. HC-144 Ocean Sentry surveillance aircraft Two HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft have been repainted in the livery on the Douglas RD-4 Dolphin airplanes the Coast Guard flew from 1934 to 1943, with a dark blue fuselage, yellow on top of the wings, red and white on the tail, and silver metallic on the belly, underneath the wings, and for the engine cowlings and a stripe on the tail. The special-effects paint scheme uses Desothane HS/CA 8201 military topcoat, with a clear gloss coat over the silver for additional luster. MH-60 JAYHAWK helicopter Six MH-60 JAYHAWK helicopters have been repainted to resemble their Coast Guard livery from the 1950s to the 1970s in yellow Desothane HS/CA 9800 military advanced performance topcoat. MH-65 DOLPHIN helicopter Six MH-65 Dolphin helicopters have been painted with Desothane HS/CA 9800 military topcoat in white with an orange stripe to recreate the livery found on H-65 helicopters from the 1980s and 1990s. Deft chrome-free 02GN084 primer was applied to the composite body and over Desoprime HS/CA 7233 primer as the base primer on the metal surfaces, affording corrosion resistance with a reduction in chrome of nearly 50 percent. Personnel at the Elizabeth City U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center selected these aircraft for their historical significance. The MH-60 and MH-65 helicopters were repainted there, as was the HH-52A helicopter for the Smithsonian display. The HC-144 aircraft were repainted at a paint facility in Texas. Except for the HH-52A, the aircraft are being returned to Coast Guard air service. PPGs global aerospace business offers coatings, sealants, transparencies, packaging and application systems, and transparent armor, as well as chemical management and other services. For more information, visit www.ppgaerospace.com. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. A Canberra court has awarded costs to a woman who disputed her mother's will on grounds it left her sons twice as much money as her daughters under Muslim rules of inheritance. Fatma Omari successfully overturned the will of her late mother in 2012 after launching a bitter and protracted legal battle against her brothers, Mohammed and Mustapha Omari, in the ACT Supreme Court. Islamic law says sons should inherit twice as much as daughters. Credit:AP As one of five daughters, Fatma Omari initially received just a half share of the estate according to the will, while her three brothers received a full share each. She argued the will had been invalid as their Turkish-born mother, Mariem Omari, had been suffering dementia and hadn't understood what she had been doing when she signed the document in the presence of her two sons in January 2002. "I believe our involvement in the program lends an implied endorsement to the outcomes achieved," Ms Lowe said in a letter obtained by Fairfax Media. "This is an implied endorsement we are no longer prepared to make in light of the final positions being put by KM in a number of cases in particular, cases of significant non-financial hardship and cases where the family home is at risk." Her resignation, which is effective from June 15, followed months of "discussions" with KordaMentha. 'Devastating' decisions She told Fairfax Media that a significant challenge had been the "expectation gap" between the hopes of Timbercorp victims and the expectations of the liquidator. "This gap can be particularly devastating in certain cases," she said. I believe our involvement in the program lends an implied endorsement to the outcomes achieved. Catriona Lowe "Seeing the consequences of telling a family that Timbercorp's best offer means they will have to sell their home to meet it is hard to forget. There are some very good people whose lives will be irrevocably damaged." But she said some of the settlements struck had made a "significant and positive difference". In his own letter last week, KordaMentha's Craig Shepard said 258 cases of outstanding loans owned by burnt investors had been "resolved" through the hardship scheme. A new advocate, Stephen Blythe, had been appointed. Program continues He said it was wrong to say the scheme was in danger of collapsing. "The program is still there, I have found another advocate," he told Fairfax Media. "It was never Catriona's program, it is the liquidators' independent hardship program." His letter said "the reality is not every claim will settle". Ms Lowe's appointment in 2014 came after KordaMentha and Timbercorp's biggest secured creditor, ANZ Bank, had faced criticism in Parliament and the media over the liquidator's pursuit in the courts of debt-laden Timbercorp investors, or "growers". Thousands of people borrowed big sums of money often against their homes to invest in the schemes, frequently on the basis of poor advice by accountants and financial planners chasing fat commissions. One such former financial planner was Peter Holt who was banned from financial advice for three years over his conduct relating to Timbercorp and who has been described as a "crook, a criminal and a fraudster" in Parliament. Timbercorp's collapse left 7500 borrowers personally owing $478 million in grower loans, with many left with almost nothing to show for their investments. KordaMentha insisted growers still had to pay the loans back with penalty interest and threatened bankruptcy for those who did not. Outstanding loans total $335 million More than 5000 borrowers have repaid their loans, leaving $335 million in outstanding loans and 2076 remaining borrowers. Many investors joined an ill-fated class action that kicked off in 2009 and were advised not to repay the loans leaving them with even bigger debts after the class action was lost in 2013. Ms Lowe's letter revealed that, in cases where hardship had been established, most growers had been able to settle with KordaMentha for between 20 per cent and 70 per cent of the total money owed, including interest. KordaMentha, which has earned millions of dollars in fees from the Timbercorp collapse, has issued 1495 writs. In some cases, the investors maintain they had no knowledge of the loans, which were set up by their financial advisers or accountants. Of the borrowers that have applied to the Timbercorp Finance hardship program, 11 have filed for bankruptcy. Political impact Bruce Gordon's WIN Corporation has signed a five-year affiliate agreement to broadcast Ten Network's programming in its regional areas. The deal, as foreshadowed by Fairfax Media, sees Ten become WIN's primary affiliate partner and will pick up a number of extra markets where Southern Cross either does not broadcast or has existing partnerships. The Ten broadcasting agreement with WIN will include MasterChef Australia. Sources said that up to $13 million in affiliation fees were paid to Nine Entertainment by WIN Corp last year from these markets. These include large regional areas in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Mildura and Griffith. It is understood that WIN will pay a lower affiliate fee than the 50 per cent Southern Cross will pay Nine, largely due to the extra markets. Big W boss Sally Macdonald has pre-empted a strategic review by Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci, slashing buying staff and restructuring the discount department store chain's overseas sourcing. In moves that will significantly reduce costs, boost earnings and accelerate Big W's shift towards becoming a product-and-design-led retailer, Ms Macdonald sacked about 40 buyers and assistant buyers from Big W's head office last week. Big W's direct sourcing operations in Hong Kong have been separated from Woolworths' food and grocery sourcing operations and a senior Big W executive, Jeff Vickery, has been posted to Hong Kong as head of quality, sourcing and production to strengthen the group's direct sourcing channels. Ms Macdonald confirmed the job cuts on Monday, saying "necessary team adjustments have been made across our business to ensure we are choosing and creating the best brands and products for our customers." A storm erupted last week when Gizmodo revealed Facebook was secretly curating trending news topics. The revelation the tech giant is acting like a media outlet and screening our news surprised many. But there is an even bigger issue at stake here: the company's increasing curatorial role over ever widening parts of our lives. The curators allege there is regular intervention in Facebook's algorithm to suppress conservative-oriented news that would otherwise show as trending. They said they would also inject stories into the trending section even if the reports were not popular enough to make it by themselves. Examples the curators gave included Syria, which had fallen off the radar, and news related to the Black Lives Matter movement. Perhaps of most concern are allegations that staff were told to suppress trending stories about Facebook itself. If you're the kind of person who likes a bit of chardy with your socialism, you might be thinking 'great'. But whatever your political persuasion, there are reasons to be deeply concerned. "Border protection and immigration are, and always have been, key political issues," Turnbull declared on Wednesday, when the truth is that the national interest is advanced when both issues are the subject of bipartisan consensus, as they were before 2001. The question left hanging is how this will play out over the next six weeks, with conventional wisdom suggesting the greater the focus on border protection, the better will be the Coalition's prospects of holding a swag of seats, especially in the outer suburbs and regions. As Patrick Baume, group communications manager for Isentia, reports, it has been the leading issue on talkback the past couple of days, with "overwhelming" support for Dutton. "Turnbull is probably losing some skin in inner city Liberal seats by backing Dutton so strongly, but it looks like a plus everywhere else," Baume says. But there are four reasons why border protection may not be the plus for the Coalition that it was in the Tampa election of 2001 or in 2013, when Tony Abbott ran so hard on "stopping the boats". One is that the issue has receded as a talking point because the boats have stopped and Nauru and Manus Island, where around 2000 refugees and asylum seekers remain in limbo, most of them damaged and mentally unwell, are so far away. A second is that many progressive voters, those who saw Turnbull as the antidote to the divisiveness and negativity of recent years, will express their disappointment at the ballot box, and perhaps be joined by those of refugee heritage who recoiled at Dutton's remarks. A third is that the fallout from Dutton's remarks becomes a distraction from the economic message Turnbull insists, and the voters assert, is far and away the key issue at this election, as it did on Friday when the Prime Minister was in Tasmania. "Can I just say to you, we've got a great story about Tasmanian jobs and growth here," a frustrated PM replied when the first question asked if he was embarrassed by Dutton's remarks. "Let's focus on that and then we can move onto other national issues." Finally, the policy contest on border protection is not nearly as stark as Turnbull and Dutton assert, with Labor committed to the two most contentious and planks of Coalition policy, and the two that have been most significant in stopping boat arrivals: turnbacks and offshore processing. The strength of that commitment was apparent when Tony Burke, who held the immigration portfolio for less than three months before Labor's 2013 defeat, was interviewed on the ABC's 7.30 with the Coalition's Mathias Cormann on Thursday. When Cormann chipped in that Burke did not believe in the policy endorsed at Labor's national conference last year, the response was raw, unconfected emotion: "Sorry, Mathias! I had 33 people die on my watch! Don't you tell me I don't believe this," said Burke, who had the names of the deceased on his ministerial desk as a constant reminder of policy failure. Where Labor differs, and what motivates many of the Labor MPs and candidates who have spoken out, is on the fate of those who have been on Nauru and Manus for the last three years and whose only options under Dutton are to return to the countries they fled or accept resettlement in Cambodia (if they are on Nauru) or Papua New Guinea. Labor's immigration spokesman Richard Marles says there will be no retreat on turnbacks or offshore processing, but vows the resettlement of the Nauru and Manus caseloads will be his top priority if Labor wins. Marles says his first act as minister would be to organise a visit to the United Nations refugee agency in Geneva and re-connect with the global community on refugee issues, with the aim of identifying resettlement countries to take refugees from Manus and Nauru. That would be welcome. Democracy is threatened in London, not because of war, terrorism or the referendum on Britain leaving the European Union, but apparently because the law stopped a newspaper telling the world about an old threesome. The Sun on Sunday paid two informants to kiss and tell; paid them to betray the discretion expected of former lovers, even those who sleep with celebrities; paid them for a front-page splash combining its favourite topics, fame and sex. Rupert Murdoch's British newspapers in court again. Credit:Getty Images Its splash is foiled by a temporary injunction preventing it identifying the randy spouse of a famous entertainer. The injunction was upheld by Britain's highest court on Thursday, leading the red-top to declare inevitably, given a substance used by the trio it was the day free speech "drowned in a paddling pool of olive oil". This rag is News Corp's replacement for the disgraced News of the World. Having learnt little, it blustered that the decision was "staggering" because four Supreme Court justices "said there was no public interest in stars' sexual encounters, even if it included adultery and threesomes". It's one of the great paradoxes of showbiz: we love an able-bodied actor who plays a disabled character, but we're not so keen on actors with genuine disabilities. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Academy Awards, where the choices in the acting categories have earned them the dubious nickname of the "gimp awards". "Oh man, if you are an actor and you have a role that has a disability you are guaranteed to win an award somewhere," says Sofya Gollan, the chronically deaf writer-director of Gimpsey, a terrific short film screening at St Kilda Film Festival that is both about disability and stars an actor with a disability, 19-year-old Bridie McKim. "Audiences find it deeply comforting when an actor they know and love plays a role with a disability, then they get up [at the end of it], shake off the role and become a normal person," says Gollan, who graduated as an actor from NIDA in 1992 but found work in the mainstream not easy to come by. Treasurer Scott Morrison has questioned opinion polling showing Labor could be poised to win the federal election, citing incorrect predictions Ed Miliband would defeat David Cameron in last year's British elections. Two weeks into the federal election campaign, a Newspoll published in The Australian on Monday showed Labor had maintained a two-party-preferred lead of 51 per cent to the Coalition's 49. The poll suggests a swing against the government of 4.5 per cent, suggesting a narrow Labor election win. It came days after a Fairfax Ipsos poll showed the Coalition with a 51-49 lead. When Sarah and Tom Williams vowed to have and hold each other "in sickness and in health", it meant more for them than it does for most. One week after the young couple from Hobart were married, Sarah underwent the first of two surgeries in two weeks to remove and then reconstruct her breasts. It was a considered move for the 27-year-old, who was 22 when she was found to have a BRCA (which stands for breast cancer) gene mutation, giving her about a 65 per cent likelihood of developing breast cancer. About five to 10 per cent of breast cancers are the result of a genetic mutation. In 2013, Angelina Jolie famously decided to undergo a double mastectomy after her discovery of the "faulty" gene, BRCA1. A Perth co-working space with an upstairs creche that allows mothers to bring their babies to work has plans to expand into the CBD to help big businesses better support working parents of young children. The expansion plans come in the wake of a recent report by the Australian National University that found working mothers accessing traditional childcare lost up to two-thirds of their gross earnings in tax and fees. Bubdesk co-director Meg Burrage and her business partner, Asha Stabback, came up with the idea to provide a more flexible work environment for parents in February after struggling to find flexible child care arrangements in their own lives. The business currently has one office space in Northbridge which is used mostly by mothers with babies and toddlers who own their own businesses. Mohamed Saeed Shokair (also Shoukair) died doing what he was born to do, family members said Sunday at a funeral service for the pilot of EgyptAir Flight 804, which crashed into the Mediterranean last week with 66 people on board. Cairo: He came from a family of pilots. One uncle was an air force captain. Two cousins, like him, flew for the national carrier, EgyptAir. "It was not a job; it was his passion," Samir Shokair, a cousin, said outside the mosque in east Cairo where relatives gathered on a dry, windy evening to bid quiet farewells. Like all the funerals held across Egypt this weekend for the crash victims, there was no body to bury. Only unidentified human remains and bits of debris have surfaced since the plane went down Thursday morning, confounding investigators and deepening the anguish of family members. Mohamed Saeed Shokair (also known as Shoukair) was the pilot on EgyptAir MS 804 Credit:Facebook Authorities have dismissed theories that Shokair, 36, or his 24-year-old co-pilot brought the aircraft down intentionally - as happened with a 1999 EgyptAir flight that originated in Los Angeles and crashed into the waters off New England. They have described Shokair as a respected veteran with more than 6000 hours of flying time under his belt - one-third of that at the controls of an A320. Credit: Ira ChernovaCage the Elephant will be honoring the troops this Memorial Day Weekend with a performance in New York City. The band is headlining the Sailor Jerry Fleet Week Block Party, held May 29 at Hudson River Park's Pier 84 in NYC. Free tickets to the event will be available starting May 25. Visit CagetheElephant.com for more info. Cage the Elephant is currently on a North American arena tour in support of their latest album, Tell Me I'm Pretty. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Under the sponsorship of the Customs Co-operation Fund/Korea, a Regional Workshop on the Harmonized System (HS) 2017 amendments for administrations of the Europe Region was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 25 to 28 April 2016. The Workshop was organized jointly by the WCO, the Regional Office of Capacity Building in Baku and the Customs Administration of Azerbaijan. It was attended by 23 officials from 18 Customs administrations in the Region as well as representatives from the Korean Administration. The Workshops main focus was to secure uniformity in the interpretation and application of the HS Nomenclature 2017 Edition by Customs administrations of the Region. Furthermore, the Workshop offered an opportunity to discuss the tools recently developed by the WCO in the context of Phase II of the Revenue Package to support administrations in their efforts to modernize their tariff classification work and related infrastructure and to ensure fair, efficient and effective revenue collection. All the participating administrations were given an opportunity to report on the progress with regard to the preparatory work to implement the HS 2017 amendments and to describe their situation as regards the organization of classification work. The most common difficulty faced by the administrations that attended the Workshop was reported to be a shortage in human resources allocated to the tariff classification work. Like all regional WCO gatherings, the Workshop provided an excellent opportunity for networking and exchange of views on a wide range of practice-oriented topics on tariff classification and management of tariff and statistical nomenclatures, and was highly appreciated by those who attended it. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 22, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 22, 2016 | 08:52 PM | PADUCAH, KY Members of the U.S. Army Reserve 3rd Battalion 398th Regiment hosted the military equivalent of an open house Saturday to demonstrate their responsibilities to the public. Interested citizens and representatives of area businesses who have employees in the unit came to the Paducah Armed Forces Reserve Center near Barkley Regional Airport between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to meet officers who lead the Regiment. They also got to participate in a station-to-station tour of the facility where soldiers showed part of the training they undergo on a regular basis. The Drill Sergeant Regiment gave demonstration on use of chemical or biological gear, including gas masks; weapon used; first aid and patient assessment in the field; convoy operations techniques; room clearance tactics; and on the history of the unit. This is the first of this type event for the Regiment, and a spokesperson said they hope it gives the public a better idea of what happens at the Reserve Center, which they share with the 2113th Transportation Company of the Kentucky Army National Guard. By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 23, 2016 | 10:11 AM | PADUCAH, KY Fleming Furniture Owner Danny Kelley has been indicted by a McCracken County Grand Jury on 12 counts of "theft by failure to make required disposition of property", according to the McCracken County Circuit Clerk's Office.The Circuit Clerk's Office tells West Kentucky Star that Kelley will be arraigned on the charges on Thursday at 8:30 am in Circuit Court. Kelley pled not guilty to ten of the charges in preliminary proceedings earlier this year in McCracken County District Court. Now a McCracken County Grand Jury has indicted Kelley on those 10 charges, and 2 additional charges.The McCracken County Commonwealth Attorney's Office tells West Kentucky Star that the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible.Back in February, Paducah Police arrested Kelley after a six-month investigation. At that time he was charged with seven counts of "theft by failure to make required disposition of property over $500", one count of "theft by failure to make required disposition of property over $10,000", one count of "theft of services over $500", and one count of "theft by deception over $500". He was also served two summonses for "theft by failure to make required disposition of property under $500".Kelley was booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail on a $21,000 bond.In February, McCracken County Attorney Sam Clymer told West Kentucky Star that the charges stemmed from customers allegedly not receiving furniture they paid for. Advertisement By Bill Hughes May. 23, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By Bill Hughes May. 23, 2016 | 03:43 PM | PADUCAH, KY A man died in a fire Sunday night at a home on Rosewood Drive in Paducah. Chief Doug Cooper of the Hendron Volunteer Fire Department told West Kentucky Star they were called to 470 Rosewood Drive about 9:00 pm Sunday and found the home engulfed in flames. They extinguished the blaze, and then found a male victim inside the home. The McCracken County Sheriff's Department also responded, and detectives spoke to witnesses who said the homeowner, 71-year-old Alexander J. Cherry, arrived home about 15 minutes before they saw the fire. Cooper said the home was a two-story structure with a deck for the second floor that was also a carport underneath. He said the blaze appeared to start with some kind of small fire underneath the structure that ignited it and then spread to the house. The witnesses who spoke to detectives said they saw the blaze quickly spread from a carport to the home. Cooper said they assisted with an investigation into the fatal fire Monday morning, and then were called back to the home just before noon to extinguish a "hot spot" that had re-ignited. Cooper and the Sheriff's Department said foul play is not suspected in the fire, which is still under investigation by the McCracken County Coroner, the Sheriff's Department, and the Kentucky State Fire Marshal's Office. In Putin's Russia schoolchildren as young as 10 could be taught to fight Schoolchildren in Russia will soon be taught military skills such assembling assault rifles as part of a new drive by the Russian defence ministry. The training will reportedly be carried out by a revived Soviet-era organisation called Yunarmiya - also known as the Young Army. Skills taught will include assembling assault rifles, shooting and parachute jumping, as well as theoretical teaching such as military history and tactics. The movement was launched today as a pilot scheme in the city of Yoraslavl, and is set to go nationwide in September. Bond issue approved by McCracken Fiscal Court to pay for Barkley terminal In a national survey conducted between May 5 and May 9, polling firm Morning Consult asked 1,068 female voters, Which presidential candidate does the most to voice your opinions? Respondents had the option of choosing any of the three contenders still in the race: Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders.Trump was the clear favorite, with 29% of respondents saying that he best represents their views, following by Sanders (25%) and Clinton (21%). While the differences are fairly narrow, they are statistically significant; the margin of error for the survey was 3%.Of course, its likely that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders split the votes of Democratic respondents. The shift to a two-person race could very well alter the takeaways of the Morning Consult poll. Saab rolled out the newest member of the Gripen family of fighter jets the Gripen E. Saab defines the new fighter as revolutionary because it combines advanced technology and operational effectiveness in an affordable package that no other fighter aircraft can. Defense-Update takes a look at what the new fighter jet can do. Based on the proven Gripen C/D platform, the Gripen E (also referred to as Gripen E/F) is designed as a multi-role fighter designed to perform air/air, air/ground and aerial recce with the same aircraft on a single mission. Compared with previous Gripen models (C/D) the new version has increased range and mission endurance. Its redesigned airframe operates at higher weights and is configured for maximum takeoff weight of 16.5 tons, allowing Gripen E to carry more fuel and weapons. The aircraft has 10 hardpoints and carries additional pylons to increase weapon capacity. The integration of a powerful (98 kN) and efficient GE F414G engine provides a higher level of thrust. Digital fly-by-wire and canards are providing the high aircraft agility while the excess power delivered by the new engine sustains high speed (Mach 2) and super-cruising capability, a unique feature for a fighter jet of this size. Saab is developing the single-seat version of the aircraft Gripen E for the Swedish Air Force and the Brazilian Air Force. Brazils Embraer is responsible for the development of a two-seater variant (Gripen F). The Brazilian Air Force plans to operate six such aircraft. Since the Gripen A/B and C/D fighters currently fly with several NATO air forces, Gripen E is also designed to be NATO-interoperable and is tailored for the future Network Centric Warfare (NCW) environment. Such capabilities comprise advanced data communications, dual data links, satellite communications and video links. A formation of Gripen E will be able can share tactical and logistical information including the position, fuel and weapon status of each aircraft. Besides, the pilot can communicate two ways with every networked element, in the air, on the ground or at sea through the secure and multi-frequency data links, using line-of-sight or satellite links. Advanced sensors available on board add new capabilities to air/air and air/ground warfighting capability, these include the Leonardo Selex ES-05 Raven Active Electronic Scan Array (AESA) Radar and Infrared Search and Track (IRST) adding passive tracking and target acquisition capability to the Gripens tactics portfolio. The antenna uses a swash-plate solution that gives the radar an area coverage of 100. The Skyward IRST (also built by Selex) can operate in synch with the radar, to provide visual target identification from a long distance, or function as passive radar, enabling Gripen E pilots to track and engage targets without giving away their positions. The sensor is looking forward over a wide sector, registering heat emissions from other aircraft, helicopters, objects on the ground and sea surface. The third sensor on board is the electronic countermeasures system, that can operate with active (Missile Approach Warning MAW) and passive (Radar Warning Receiver RWR) sensors, detecting hostile radar emissions that paint the Gripen from a distance, or missiles closing in from afar, guided by radar signals. The EW system couples with active countermeasures, including chaff, flares and expendable decoys such as the BriteCloud, as well as RF jammer pod and anti-radiation missiles that could be integrated in the future, to defeat such threats. These sensors are combined with cockpit instrumentation to provide the pilot with situational picture, using comprehensive display systems that include Helmet Mounted Display (which also combines night vision), Head-Up Display (HUD) and Wide Area Displays (WAD) to be integrated into the Gripen NGs destined for the Brazilian Air Force. This combination of displays delivers the ability to detect and destroy a wide variety of targets, even at night or in poor weather conditions. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/05/2016 (2346 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. EDMONTON Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is getting high marks for leadership in handling the Fort McMurray wildfire crisis, but political observers say the disaster remains a dicey political proposition with limited upside and a lot of downside. Political scientist Duane Bratt says the process of getting people back into their homes and getting aid and reconstruction money will tell the tale on how Notley will be remembered in the long term for her handling of the crisis. On the political side if you handle it well, its a short term blip, said Bratt, a political scientist with Mount Royal University in Calgary. If you screw it up, it never goes away. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley speaks about details of emergency funds for Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees in Edmonton, Alta., on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Notley is getting high marks for leadership in handling the Fort McMurray wildfire crisis, but political observers say the disaster remains a dicey political proposition with limited upside and a lot of downside. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson About 80,000 evacuees begin returning in phases to Fort McMurray on June 1, almost a month after a raging blaze broke through the firelines and destroyed 2,400 structures, most of them houses. Since then Notley has become the face and focus of efforts to contain the blaze, save the city, and get it back on its feet. She has given almost daily updates for three weeks. Its been an organizational challenge orchestrated on the fly on multiple tracks: getting the evacuees out and fire crews in, securing the area from looting, and finding temporary homes for the displaced in Lac la Biche, Edmonton and beyond. Preloaded debit cards were being handed out a week after the evacuation. Notley met with oilsands officials to consult and calm concerns about production. She toured the city twice, once with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and afterward received Trudeaus pledge to expand employment insurance coverage. There was benefit to be derived from the past experiences of major disasters in the province a wildfire that destroyed a third of Slave Lake in 2011 and massive flooding that displaced thousands in Calgary and southern Alberta in 2013. Shes handled this as well as can be expected, said Bratt. Had any of that had gone wrong she wouldve taken the blame, so she gets the credit here as well. Bratt said the evacuation itself was a masterstroke, with more than 80,000 people successfully getting out on the one north-south road out of the city. Notley has also been credited for her work with her political rival, Opposition Leader Brian Jean of the Wildrose party. Jean, who represents Fort McMurray in the legislature member, saw his own home destroyed in the fire. Both Bratt and Calgary-based pollster Janet Brown agree Jean has done an admirable job, pushing Notley and her government on their fire-fighting and reconstruction efforts and on personifying the impact of the disaster. For those Albertans that actually dont know anyone in Fort Mac, they know Brian Jean and they know his story, said Brown. He wouldnt take a room in a refugee centre and he wouldnt take a hotel room. Through it all, hes still putting his constituents first. Both Notley and Jean have been credited for working together in the crisis, but Brown said that will inevitably change as the crisis moves into reimbursement, insurance and rebuilding. As difficult as this situation has been, there havent been a lot of hard choices, said Brown. You just do what needs to be done. As we get further and further along, the choices will get harder. It will be harder to please everybody. It will be harder to know exactly what the right thing to do is. Bratt agreed, saying if evacuees remain out of their homes for extended periods or if aid money doesnt arrive in timely fashion, opinions will change. Theres also the final financial tally for a province that is already running more than $10 billion in deficit this year. The longer this drags out, the more things get complicated, said Bratt. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/05/2016 (2346 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TOKYO Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally invited Japanese auto executives Tuesday in Tokyo to invest more in Canada. But it appears his efforts in Japan wont secure immediate, concrete commitments from the auto industry. Trudeau met with parts manufacturers and the presidents of three auto companies: Honda, Toyota and Subaru. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hold a joint press conference at the Kantei in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday, May 24, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The CEO of Fuji Heavy Industries, the firm that makes Subaru, told Trudeau he doesnt have any plans to expand capacity in the near term, though he might in the future, the prime ministers press secretary Cameron Ahmad said after the meeting. Trudeau was asked what his auto sector meetings might yield at a news conference later Tuesday. I am very much in the relationship-building mode, where were talking about the kinds of challenges and opportunities that companies are facing, said Trudeau, who met with Fuji Heavy Industries Yasuyuki Yoshinaga at the official residence of Canadas ambassador to Japan. There are of course many positive conversations being had, not just by me but by our Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, by Canadians working around the world to highlight the extraordinary opportunities to invest in our country. Unlike Toyota and Honda, Subaru does not have an operation in Canada. As part of his pitch, the prime minister also told Yoshinaga that Canadians are innovative and focused on quality. Trudeau also sat down Tuesday with his Japanese counterpart to discuss the countries business ties as well as security co-operation before the Group of Seven summit later this week. His meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was expected to address issues like investment, education and trade, such as the huge 12-country treaty known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. For his part, Abe was expected to raise a pressing subject for the Japanese: regional security. Japan is deeply concerned about North Koreas recent nuclear tests and missile launches as well as an ongoing territorial dispute with China in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Following their meeting in February, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida issued a statement reconfirming their commitment to maintaining a rules-based order in international maritime law. Without naming China, they also said they opposed the use of intimidation, force or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo in the Asia-Pacific. When it comes to China, Keio University law professor Masayuki Tadokoro said Japan will listen carefully to Trudeaus words on the matter. The concern is Canada may not want to take very strong position due its economic interests in China. Canada has always been watching toward the east and south because Canada is an Atlantic state, Kenjiro Monji, Japans ambassador to Canada, said in an interview last week. Canada is also a Pacific nation and it is only recently that Canadians started to look to the west, but only through economic lenses. Abe is also expected to urge Trudeau to move quickly to open up Canadian liquefied natural gas exports to Japan. Japan, the worlds biggest importer of LNG, is hoping Canada will issue necessary environmental permits to allow companies to export it from British Columbia. Monji said LNG is still very important energy source for his country, which makes Canada one of the most promising potential exporters to Japan. He noted that Japanese companies are involved in several LNG projects in Canada. Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, visited the Meiji Shrine and met with the emperor and empress of Japan. Trudeaus Tokyo visit comes ahead of the G7 summit on Thursday and Friday in Ise-Shima. Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/05/2016 (2346 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CLARESHOLM, Alta. Police say a British Columbia man is facing charges for allegedly impersonating a Fort McMurray evacuee and taking advantage of people who were trying to help. The RCMP says it received a complaint from Family and Community Support Services in Claresholm, Alta., about a man and woman suspected of pretending to be among the wildfire evacuees. Police allege the man travelled to Claresholm and took advantage of people who thought they were helping wildfire victims. Evacuees drive past a fireball as a wildfire rips through the forest beside Highway 63, some 16 kilometres south of Fort McMurray, Alta. on Saturday, May 7, 2016. Police say a British Columbia man is facing charges for impersonating a Fort McMurray evacuee and allegedly taking advantage of people who were trying to help.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward They say Darryl Rondeau, 45, of Victoria, B.C., has been charged with fraud under $5,000. Kieth Carlson, owner of Roys Place restaurant in Claresholm, said he wasnt surprised when police contacted him about the case. He said he was suspicious not long after a woman came into the restaurant asking for a job. She said she had fled the flames in Fort McMurray with only the clothes on her back. I said, Im looking for cooks, and she claimed she knew how to cook, Carlson said. I said, Well, lets give you a job.' But he said when she returned later with her partner, she said she had a health issue, and the man was concerned that the stress she was going through might exacerbate it. She couldnt accept the job. When she didnt take the job and had a few excuses about everything, I just went, OK, theyre not in that big of a need, Carlson said. Despite his suspicions, Carlson invited the couple back to the restaurant that evening for a free meal. They ordered steaks, Carlson believes. Carlson said they asked him to come out of the kitchen to thank him, but he sent word back to their table that he was busy and that it was no big deal. RCMP allege the couple never actually lived in Fort McMurray and had no ties to Alberta. Police said while they were in Claresholm, townspeople provided them with a place to stay, clothes, meals and bought a pair of work boots. Small towns are very quick to provide assistance to those in need, sometimes without even questioning a lot. They trust, said Cpl. Barry Larocque. Sometimes that trust can be exploited. The couple appeared in a story in the local newspaper, the Claresholm Local Press. They told the paper they saw their home catch fire and had planned on settling Lethbridge, but stopped in Claresholm and liked the reception they got. Rondeau said he wasnt looking for a handout, the story stated. He was arrested on May 15 and appeared in court last Monday. His next court appearance is June 1. Police say no one else has been charged in the case, and that their investigation is continuing. Carlson said he told police he wasnt interested in pressing charges. Hes not sore about the steaks, either. He said the ministry group in town knows that if a family is passing through and is stuck and hungry, the restaurants will help. Better to be a good person and help somebody out, and in the end, whats $20 of food at our cost to make sure that somebodys not hungry, right? Former Winona Area Catholic Schools student and Cotter Schools graduate Kathryn Schumaker was the recipient of one of 30 fellowships from the National Academy of Education for early career scholars working in areas of education. Schumaker is currently an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma in the Department of Classics and Letters College of Arts and Sciences. The fellowship award totals $70,000, which will assist with the fellows expenses and research. Schumaker plans to use the fellowship funds for her current book project, which is tentatively titled, Civil Rights at the Schoolhouse Gate: Student Protest and the Struggle for Racial Reform. She specializes in 20th century U.S. history and teaches courses on gender, race and social movements in the universitys Institute for American Constitutional Heritage. Her research interests include legal, African American and urban history of childhood and youth. Schumaker also received a summer grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. A motorcyclist was injured Saturday morning in a Buffalo County crash after striking a deer. Janette Walker, 61, of Osseo, Wis., was with a group of southbound riders on Hwy. 88 near the town of Lincoln at 10:40 a.m. Saturday when she struck a deer that suddenly ran into the road, the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department said Monday. She was able to keep the motorcycle upright and come to a stop in a nearby driveway. She suffered a leg injury and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, the department said. The Alma Area Ambulance Service and Waumandee-Montana-Lincoln First Responders and Fire Department assisted at the scene. When my father would declare, Its a good day to fly, he meant there was cloud cover and no more than a slight breeze. He didnt mean that there werent delays at OHare. It was a reference to World War II, when his European tour of duty lasted from December 1943 to May 1945. A time when the weather determined whether he would be going into combat that day. He was a waist gunner and radio operator on a B-24 Liberator bomber as part of the Armys 15th Air Force. I have his letters home, written from bases across the U.S. Yuma, Sioux Falls, Savannah then from towns all over Europe, sent through central post offices so that their origins couldnt be traced. These letters, scrawled in ink on government-approved stationery, were addressed to his mother (whom I dont believe could read) and his five sisters. My father, who loathed writing even short notes, wrote to his brothers-in law. He was the only one out of the nine siblings to serve in World War II. If my Dad wrote letters to his brothers, they didnt save them or at least they didnt give them to my brother or me. At 18, my father was drafted. Hed never been out of New York before; his parents had emigrated from Sicily and never left the neighborhood where they first settled. Two weeks after he began basic training, his father died. He was sent home for three days and reassigned to a different group when he got back to Fort Dix; he always believed he owed his survival to that reassignment. There was no reason for this belief, and yet it remained unshakable. Nobody was to blame but the enemy, weather or mechanical failures. And so you came up with your own rationale for why some were more fortunate than others. You thanked your dead father and your own dumb luck. The few details that I remember of my fathers memories of the war are odd ones, or perhaps they simply reflect his unwillingness to reminisce. I must have been 15 or so when he told me that the only meal he looked forward to when he was in the Army was chicken-fried steak. I was a kid, remember, so I replied with the haughtiness of a nutritionist: Wasnt that incredibly unhealthy? He laughed for what must have been three minutes. Finally he sputtered, You think they worried about our cholesterol? When he assessed good days to fly, he was talking about heading over Axis targets to drop bombs. If the weather was too clear, the planes were too easy to spot; if the winds were too strong, the targets were harder to hit. His sole aim was to get back to the base with the plane and himself intact. About 20 years ago, my husband, Michael, and I were flying into Munich because one of his sons was spending his junior year abroad at a university in Tubingen. When I gave my father a copy of our itinerary he said, Oh, Munich! I know Munich. We bombed their ball bearing factories. He had one other story, about how in 1945 toward the very end of the war in Europe a dreaded Messerschmitt jet followed his plane, which was already damaged and split from its formation. The Messerschmitt was swift and agile; the beat-up B-24 was not. They figured they were done but after a few minutes, the German pilot waved his wings in a gesture of goodbye and took off in another direction. Ill never know why he let us go my father would repeat. For some reason, Ive always lived under flight paths. From Brooklyn to Long Island to London to New York and now in Connecticut, I look up to see planes, large and small. I always hope its a good day to fly. What a political roller-coaster of a year its been. A month ago, pundits were praising the superior delegate-counting operation of Ted Cruz. Today, hes out of the hunt and Donald Trump, not Cruz, is the Republican Partys presumptive nominee. Two weeks ago, Democrats were chortling over civil war within the Republican Party. Today, Republicans are chuckling over civil war among Democrats. Meanwhile, the media is gleefully fanning the flames. Havent you heard? The in-fighting among Democrats is worse than it ever was among Republicans. Violence at last weekends Nevada state convention portends bloodshed at the national convention in Philadelphia. Bernie Sanders, in fact, is inciting violence by complaining about how the process is rigged against him. And Democrats are so hopelessly split in the primary that theyll never be able to come together before the general election. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Since, apparently, nobody else will, lets set the record straight. First, the differences between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders pale in comparison to the ugly feud we witnessed among 17 Republican candidates. Plus, theyre based on differences in policy, not personal attacks and name-calling. Clinton may accuse Sanders of offering what we could never afford when he advocates tuition-free college education, but shes never called him a pathological liar, utterly amoral, a serial philanderer, and a narcissist at a level I dont think this countrys ever seen as Ted Cruz described Donald Trump on May 3. Sanders may raise questions about all the money Clinton pocketed for Wall Street speeches, but he never said anything close to Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president? which Donald Trump said of Carly Fiorina last September. And, while were at it, have you noticed? In her speeches, Clinton always refers to her primary opponent as Sen. Sanders, and Sanders speaks of her as Secretary Clinton a far cry from Little Marco or Lyin Ted. Second, a robust, healthy primary, where those differences are debated, has made the Democratic Party stronger, not weaker. It has energized the Democratic base. It has attracted millions of new voters, especially young people, to the party and the political process. Its made Hillary a stronger candidate. Its made Bernie a stronger candidate. And its offered a sharp contrast between two serious, substantive, qualified candidates versus a total clown on the other side. There is zero argument for aborting the Democratic primary at this point, as some suggest, before the California primary. To her credit, Clinton herself has not proposed that Sanders drop out, even though the math appears all but insurmountable against him. After all, June 7 is only two weeks away. She knows that Bernie has every right to continue his uphill battle for the nomination, just as she did in 2008 against Barack Obama. She also knows that the worst mistake her campaign could make, and the surest way to destroy any chance of party unity, would be to force Sanders out of the race before Democratic voters in every state have a chance to cast their ballot. Yes, competition has become more intense this close to the finish line and it can even turn ugly, as it did, regrettably and unpardonably in Las Vegas last weekend; which is why everybody involved must be careful in the next few weeks not to let things spin out of control. As a Sanders supporter, I have a word of advice for both camps. Sanders supporters must remember that Hillary Clintons the most experienced and best qualified presidential candidate in our lifetime, prepared to step into the Oval Office on day one. Clinton supporters must acknowledge that Bernie Sanders has re-energized the Democratic Party by putting forth a bold progressive agenda with tremendous popular appeal. Wed be lucky with either one of them as our next president. And, of course, from now on both sides must focus most of their fire on Donald Trump. Forget the media naysayers. It wont be the Democratic Party thats split down the middle. Once the primarys over, and after another healthy debate in Philadelphia over the party platform and new rules and direction for the party going forward, therell be no problem for the Democratic Party to come together in the general election. For two simple reasons: Because theres so much at stake the White House, Senate, House and Supreme Court; and because the very prospect of a President Donald Trump is so frightening. Theres much more that unites Democrats than divides them. Roughly 350 Moraine Park Technical College students walked up to the commencement stage on Saturday, soaked in the moment, and one-by-one wrapped their hands around a diploma. No matter what path led us to Moraine Park, and no matter what different challenges all of us have faced, we have not only become stronger, but better versions of ourselves, said Kayla Ebert, who was this years student speaker at commencement. Ebert from Burnett, is Moraine Parks Wisconsin Technical College System 2015-16 District Student Ambassador, and she graduated from the Colleges Human Resources program. A quote by Paul BrandtDont tell me the skys the limit when there are footprints on the moon.was the class motto adopted by the graduates from the Colleges Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac and West Bend campuses. The class of 2016 had nearly 800 graduate candidates complete their studies receiving associate of applied science degrees and technical diplomas. Dr. James Eden, vice president of academic affairs, presided over the presentation of candidates with the conferring of degrees and diplomas done by Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald. Kristen Finnel, dean of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Fred Rice, dean of Applied Technology and Trades, announced the graduate candidates. From the Moraine Park District Board, Vice Chairperson Mike Miller, Treasurer Kim Krueger, and board members Candy Fields and Lowell Prill recognized the graduates. Gina Popp, president and CEO of wisnet.com, in Fond du Lac, was the 2016 Commencement keynote speaker. Popp, encouraged the graduates to find a place they are appreciated, be passionate both about what they do and who they do it with, not take any successes for granted, and not be afraid of changes. We must be willing to embrace change as it comes our way. Because its those forks in the road that force us to make those really important decisions, leading us on paths that we never intended to take, Popp said. Miller, who welcomed the class of 2016 and their guests to the ceremony, expressed to the graduates how perseverance, determination and the support of others had gotten them to this point. This is also a time to celebrate your successes and forget your failures, because together they have gotten you where you are today earning your degree or technical diploma. Baerwald extended her congratulations to the graduates and wished each of them success in the great opportunities and ever-changing possibilities ahead. Whether your new path takes you to the start of a new career, continued employment in your chosen field, or continuation of your formal education at a four-year college or university, you will be faced with the challenge of adjusting to a constantly changing world in the 21st century, Baerwald said. Moraine Parks commencement processional was led by bagpiper Gina Crossley, with the ceremonial music performed by Brassination, a brass quintet from the Fond du Lac area. Shady Grove, also from the Fond du Lac area, provided the pre-ceremonial music. To view more photos from the 2016 Commencement Ceremony, go to facebook.com/moraineparktech. Donald Lueptow Sr. lost his son Donald Lueptow Jr. to addiction in 1989. The sting of losing a child never ends, which led Lueptow and his family to join the community candlelight vigil in Beaver Dam Saturday with others honoring their loved ones who lost their lives to addiction. Donald Lueptow Jr. served in the Marines and was a rifle expert. He was 24, when he died on July 16, 1989. We are here to honor the children we lost, Lueptow Sr. said. Whether it was our children, brothers, sisters or parents even who lost their lives. For me it is something to honor my son. He has been dead for 27 years now. Back then it was cocaine and now it is pain killers and heroin. We have to get the information out to the community. About 200 hundred people gathered at Waterworks Park Saturday evening to remember. CARE (Community Awareness and Recovery Environment) Dodge County held the vigil which included four musical selections, a poem, moment of silence, a personal story from Cindy Hartt, message of hope from the Rev. Paul Bawden from Harvest Church in Beaver Dam, a community message from Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt and closing message from the Rev. Mike Erwin, St. Katharine Drexel Church, Beaver Dam. We are here tonight to bring the community together for healing and give back a voice to the voiceless, said Wendy Borner, president of CARE. We hope to bring a message of hope and healing tonight to all those who are suffering due to a loved ones life controlling addiction. We bring awareness and education to others in order to take the stigma out of the disease of addiction. Addiction is not a disgrace or a moral failing, it is a disease. We are hoping to open the doors to recovery by eliminating the stigma that has been tied to the disease of addiction. And as a community, embrace and support the families that have lost a loved one so they know that we care as a community and they do not need to grieve in silence anymore. Hartt spoke about her son Joseph Hartt who died at age 30 April 22, 2012. She said he was a fun loving and imaginative child who started drinking and using marijuana as a teen. His struggles with other drugs began when he was an adult, she said. Our family thinks about Joe every day, and we always will, Cindy Hartt said. These are good people who have gone down the wrong path, Hartt said. They need help. They need to know there is hope and that healing is possible. Schmidt said, We have two reasons to be here. To remember those we have lost because of the horrible epidemic of drug abuse and second to discuss what will we do as a community to work together to find a way to help those who suffer. Schmidt said there are three things needed to work on to deal with the epidemic of drug abuse: Community involvement and education, treatment efforts and enforcement. There are dealers who dont care about families, Schmidt said. If they are bringing poison into this community, they should be put in front of a judge. Borner said there will be other events such as the candlelight vigil in area communities. Donations to CARE for Dodge County may be mailed to PO Box 84, Beaver Dam, WI 53916. Man sought in wife's death found dead TERREBONNE The FBI says it has recovered the body of a man who was being sought in the death of his wife at her Warm Springs home. Mark Kevin Johnson Jr. was discovered Saturday afternoon inside a vehicle that had plunged over a 50-foot cliff in the Deschutes River Canyon near Terrebonne. Because of the difficult terrain, authorities on Sunday used a rope system to bring the remains back to the top of the canyon. Johnson's wife, Candelaria Rhoan, was found dead last Thursday. Detectives described the manner as violent. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office is investigating. Both the 33-year-old Johnson and the 30-year-old Rhoan were members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Transportation needs include preparing for earthquake danger MEDFORD A major fault off the Oregon Coast is expected to produce an earthquake, and transportation officials say preparing for that event needs to be a top priority. The Medford Mail Tribune reports a Cascadia Subduction Zone event tops the needs listed in a report released last week by the Governor's Transportation Vision Panel. The fault stretches from northern California to Vancouver Island. Former transportation official Stuart Foster says a Cascadia event is twice as likely in southwest Oregon. Transportation Vision Panel co-chair Gregg Kantor said in a news release that the 30-year goal is to have the state's transportation system in good repair and ready to withstand natural disasters. The report calls for seismic upgrades to Interstate 5. The list also prioritizes improving Portland area congestion and public transit. Medford voters will make decision on ban on outdoor marijuana MEDFORD Medford voters will decide whether city residents can grow marijuana outdoors. The Medford Mail Tribune reports the council sent a measure to voters that would ban residents from growing marijuana outdoors. It would also create an ordinance related to complaints about the smell of neighbors growing pot indoors. Councilmembers are expected to send voters another measure, this one banning indoor and outdoor grow sites altogether within city limits. The two councilmembers to vote against pursuing a complete ban noted the difficulty in indoor enforcement. Medford police Lt. Kevin Walruff says the city received 30 complaints related to marijuana in a recent six-month period. Officials said many complaints go unreported. Investigation underway in shooting involving officer in Oregon City OREGON CITY A Clackamas County major crimes team is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Oregon City. The Oregon City Police Department says two officers were attempting to arrest a suspect at a home near the intersection of South 2nd Street and Tumwater Drive on Saturday when the man resisted and was shot. Police say the officers immediately called for backup and began rendering first aid. Paramedics provided additional treatment but the man, described as a white man in his 30s, died at the scene. His name has not been released. One of the officers was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. Churches in Beaver Dam have a unique and multi-faceted bond with the people of Liberia. During the next several days, the community can learn more about that bond as they hear from Paul Stevens, the executive secretary/CEO of the Bible Society in Liberia. Stevens is here to thank local church members and to visit his friend Don Slager. This trip is very important, Stevens said. I came to say thank you to the churches. He also came to lay some groundwork for continuing efforts to translate the Bible and provide church and worship materials to the people of Liberia. Liberia is a small country on the West Coast of Africa with 4.5 million residents. Though English is the official language, there are 16 major languages used in the country. Slager, a Beaver Dam resident who grew up here, has made translating the Bible his lifes work and in particular he has helped the people of Liberia. He spent about 25 years helping to translate the Bible into Bassa. That work was completed in 2005. More recently, the Bible has been translated in Kpelle, which about 800,000 people in Liberia speak. Stevens said the translation is done because not everyone can read English. It took a very long time, Stevens said. Slager confirmed that saying that until technology and software became more efficient people used to do translation work by writing things out by hand. The current goal is for a Bible translation to be completed about a decade after it is started. Challenges remain. While translators now use computers and can upload their work to computers based in Chicago, quickly and safely preserving their work, the field work is tough. It requires frequent replacement of laptops exposed to a humid tropical climate, reliance on solar power and very limited access to the internet. Stevens spoke about those challenges and his needs at First Lutheran Church, Trinity United Methodist Church and Faith Community Church over the weekend. All three churches have supported his efforts. Those interested in learning more about how translation work is conducted can attend a free program at Beaver Dam Community Library Thursday at 6 p.m. Stevens is in the United States because he attended the World Assembly of Bible Societies in Philadelphia. He also has met with publishers seeking more Christian literature to sell in his bookstore. In addition, Stevens said he would like to provide basic church supplies such as communion wafers and cups. Getting donated or purchased materials to Liberia can be a challenge, so Stevens hopes to work with Friendship International, a Beaver Dam based group that ships donations to Liberia through occasional drives to collect the materials and financial donations for the effort. Slager said there is a fund set up at Faith Community Church for Liberia and Friendship International also can accept donations. Stevens has made productive use of his time here, but will soon return to Liberia. Perhaps it is for the best, since he already has to solve a personal shipping problem. He purchased a small guitar for his daughter and he already showed her the purchase on Skype. ENDEAVOR -- Central States Pension Fund will not seek a new rescue plan and will instead call for legislation to protect pension benefits, its executive director Thomas Nyhan announced Friday. The surprise move has Protect Pensions members hoping Central States will now begin meaningful lobbying efforts for a congressional fix, Milwaukee chapter member Bernie Anderson said. Anderson is scheduled to speak at the Endeavor chapter meeting at 10 a.m. June 11, a committee led by Bob Brockway that meets on the second Saturday each month. A significant number of members of Congress were vocal in calling for Treasury to reject our pension rescue plan, read a statement from Nyhan. It is now time for those and others who suggested that there is a better way to fix this critical problem to deliver on real solutions that will protect the retirement benefits of Central States participants. The U.S. Treasury Department in early May rejected a proposed recovery plan for Central States that would have cut pensions by up to 70 percent for 400,000 participants, including 25,000 in Wisconsin. The Treasury rejected the plan, Anderson said, because explanations for the cuts werent understandable nor were the cuts deemed equitable or balanced. Central States decision not to draft a new recovery plan places the ball squarely in the court of lawmakers -- right where it should be, Anderson said. Congress has to realize they really have to do something before the fund goes belly up in 10 years. The time for kicking the can down the road, thats over. Theyve been doing that for too long. Central States decision, Anderson said, may also be helpful in getting legislators to address core problems, including the fact the federal governments multi-employer pension insurance program, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, is going broke. The PBGC protects the retirement incomes of more than 41 million American workers, according to its website. Nyhan in his statement said that because of the PBGC's troubles our participants may see their pension benefits ultimately reduced to virtually nothing when the Fund runs out of money. At this time, Nyhans statement continued, only government funding, either directly to our Pension Fund or through the PBGC, will prevent Central States participants from losing their benefits entirely. Protect Pensions members have said that, following the rejection of the recovery plan, opposition efforts will include working with lawmakers to eliminate the Multi-Employer Pension Reform Act of 2014 that did away with pension guarantees for 10 million Americans and devise an investment plan that involves all 1,200 multi-employer pension funds in the U.S. -- of which 200 are reported to be in the red. That Protect Pensions has gained a new ally should only help such efforts, Anderson said. Now we dont have Central States fighting against us. Theyre working with us, and the solution has to come from Congress. They have the investment tools and assessment vehicles to fix this. Central States troubles and Protect Pensions efforts have ultimately shed light on a litany of questionable practices, Anderson said. The Government Accountability Board last week began an investigation into the Department of Labors 34 years of oversight of Central States, a probe Protect Pensions members hope will determine why the fund lost $12 billion in 18 months from 2008 to 2009. Such a loss, Anderson said, suggests high-risk investments were made, indicating unlawful behavior. That several investment firms in the U.S. have since been ordered to pay billions of dollars in fines confirms the criminal climate of the banking industry during the Great Recession, Anderson said, and the trillions of dollars since handed out to financial institutions in the form of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds raise even more questions. Pension funds should have had access to that, and had a chance to pay it back with interest-free loans like the others did, Anderson said. Congress, Anderson said, is ultimately responsible for whats happened thanks to a 1982 federal consent decree that stripped power from Teamsters to oversee retirees money. They were supposed to keep this from happening, and it didnt work, he said. Central States troubles, Anderson said, follows a long, complicated path that also involved the Internal Revenue Service, which in the 1990s oddly determined Central States had too much money. Tax law dictates that pensions cant have more money than whats needed to pay out, which forced Central States to raise benefits for seven years so the IRS could tax it. The IRS didnt want (funds) hoarding money without paying taxes on it, Anderson said. We were at 100 percent, and they said we had too much money. People paying into their funds right now, what do you think they think? Anderson said. If I was an active member, Id ask how can Congress let us out to dry and not fix these problems? Halloween at the country school was a much anticipated event It was hard for a young student to concentrate when a Halloween party was looming at the end of the school day. The application process is now open, and the administration says the forms should take five minutes to complete. Get more info on that and more recent business news here. Dean of Students our very own student protector The Dean is the steward of students and promotes fairness and accountability in matters that relate to students and the various arms of the University. The current challenges in the higher education sector require a reimagining of the roles of student affairs and student services departments at institutions of higher learning, says Dr Puleng LenkaBula, Dean of Students. This is one of the greatest periods for universities to rethink how they position or work with student affairs units. If these units had been repositioned as co-curricular departments, some of the issues bedeviling the sector today could have been averted, opines LenkaBula who speaks from experience of being an academic and an advocate for education as the best resource and option for individual and societal development. If positioned as co-curricular departments rather than as just administrative units of student support services, student affairs would optimally function as the stewards of the universitys primary stakeholders, the students, and would thus function catalytically as a conduit and anchor mediation in-class room and out of class experiences in the formation of students as intellectuals, scholars and innovators within and outside the classroom. In this sense, student affairs would be the locus of support and facilitation of the nexus between academic, psycho-social and student governance, and thus, an anchor of and for academic success and civic development of and with students, she says. The changes that are sweeping through the higher education sector that are placing students at the centre of decision-making processes at universities are taking place at an opportune time wherein we have to re-think and/ or think anew the ways in which universities, and or their core business, which is tuition, research and development and community engagement bring about meaningful change to society and students. LenkaBula, who served as a dean at the University of South Africa before joining Wits in March this year, received a baptism of fire as she was immediately drawn into meetings and issues of student advocacy ranging from confrontations between student groups to dealing with student financial assistance, accommodation and a range of other matters. On her first day she did not even set foot in her office and only managed to get her access card in the second week due to demands on her time. Her office can be likened to that of a public protector in that she is the protector of students and promotes fairness and accountability in matters that relate to students and the various arms of the University. Compassionate and Inclusive Universities Lenka-Bula lives the values that she espouses building a compassionate and inclusive society. Recently she was part of a Wits delegation that supported the families of the Wits7 who died in the tragic accident in Limpopo on 1 May 2016. For over a week her office coordinated activities between the families, government authorities, student leadership and the church. Her office continues to support the six students who survived the accident. Success is not only at graduation, it starts with how we create a positive learning experience for students from their first day and continues to when they become alumni of the universities who are committed to come back to their alma mater and use their talents to build the university. The mother of two teenage boys describes herself as a beneficiary of care and compassion. I wasnt raised by my biological parents at all times, I was raised by my parents of love and maybe that is what has instilled the desire in me to be part of a society that tries to create an equilibrium in which no one persons dignity is undermined whether because of ability, disability, economic background ethnicity or gender, sexual orientation and or place of origin. I do care about these values because my life has been formed by them and I perceive education as not only about acquisition of knowledge but as a quest for knowledge in order to advance constructive if not progressive chance and to participate in the co-creation of an inclusive and just society. An ethicist by profession, LenkaBula holds a PhD in ethics from UNISA in which she explored the ethical implications of Bioprospecting and Intellectual Property Rights on Life Forms as the emergent spheres of colonisation of Africa, a masters in ethics from St Andrews College, University of Saskatchewan in Canada and Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Lesotho. She is widely published in ethical subjects, gender, religion and African feminism. She authored a commissioned book titled Choose life, Act in Hope: African Churches Living out the Accra Confession Covenating for Justice in the Economy and the Earth which interrogates economic justice in the context of globalisation and roles of ecumenical movements in charting alternatives. Beyond work Asked about her interest outside of her work, she sheepishly responds: Work anchors me. It excites me maybe I am a little boring, before sharing stories about her travels and other interests. The widely travelled scholar admonishes herself for her delay in visiting Mali. I havent yet been to Mali as an African scholar it is important to understand the deep historical contribution of Mali, their contribution to our understanding of epistemology, cosmology and more... She is also an art collector. I love beautiful art but I dont like paintings of black women who are not smiling. If you go to any museum the faces of black women that are projected by artists, South Africa artists in particular, often have sad black women and yet we laugh a lot. We laugh in difficult times, we laugh when we have good ideas that change academic systems. I try to make sure that the art that I procure speaks truth to the experiences of happiness that I see in black women. I dont like images of black women with babies on their backs because they recreate stereotypical images that apartheid created as stereotypes of black women. Even with my art I am very attentive of its meaning what it is encoding and decoding. With all these insights and experiences, one gets the sense that Wits students have an a true ally in her, one who is not afraid to challenge the status quo, someone who is in touch with the local and global but above all committed to student success and social justice. Manufacturing camp open for middle school students A manufacturing day camp for middle school students is being offered by the Pipeline program from June 27 to June 30. The four day camp will be held at Linn-Benton Community College, and LBCC instructors will lead the learning activities. The camp also will feature a tour of a local manufacturing facility. Students will learn about what kinds of jobs exist locally, what skills and training are necessary and hear from company owners about how local firms started. Cost for the camp is $59, though scholarships are available. To register, go to www.pipelinetojobs.com/event/manufacturing-camp/. For more information, call 541-926-1517. BEC welcomes new tech start-ups The Business Enterprise Centers downtown Corvallis incubator recently launched two new technology start-ups. Pwynt Technologies LLC (pronounced point, www.pwynt.com) provides geospatial mobile computing solutions for the industrial market and was founded by local resident Rob Davis this April. NGC Techologies (www.ngc-technologies.com) is a systems engineering and product development company that was founded by OSU graduate Robert Stemp. Both traded-sector companies are generating revenue and are looking forward to expanding in the next year. LEBANON The owner of Ma's Restaurant in Sweet Home moved his business to the former Bing's Kitchen building in Lebanon in mid-April. Yong (John) Ma said the move is an an emotional homecoming of sorts as he worked at Bing's for 22 years before opening Ma's in Sweet Home five years ago. "I've missed it, and the people here have missed me too," Ma said. "They've said 'Hi, John, you're coming back.'" Bing's Kitchen, which opened in 1965, closed in September 2014, just short of its 50th birthday. John Ma said the lease in Sweet Home was up after five years in the location, and saw the closed Bing's restaurant as an opportunity. So Ma leased the location from his cousin, Kwong Mah, who owned Bing's Kitchen. Mah said one of the reasons Bing's was successful was because he used the highest quality freshest ingredients he could get for the restaurant. John Ma plans on continuing the tradition. While people are excited to welcome John Ma back to Lebanon, his family never left as they still live in the city. Donny Ma, son of John Ma and Julie Ma, said his family is looking forward to no longer commuting from Lebanon to Sweet Home for work. The food is the exact same menu as the Sweet Home location. The restaurant is currently working on getting its liquor license for its new location, but that is expected to be approved soon. Ma's food is a southern Chinese/Hong Kong type of cuisine that is a bit milder than the spicy northern Chinese styles. "People really like the Chinese style and the Chinese flavor," Ma said. Ma said that his sweet and sour sauce is one of the highlights of his cooking. Donny Ma said they plan on employing about 15 people, many of whom are relatives. In addition to serving beer and wine, John Ma plans on adding Oregon Video lottery machines. Ma's will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The restaurant's phone number is 541-258-8280. Kaine shares with law graduates lessons learned from his clients Lessons learned: Sen. Tim Kaine spoke to Class of 2016 law graduates at the May 15 ceremony at the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre at Lake Matoaka. Photo by Odd Moxie Photo - of - Hide Caption U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine shared what his first clients taught him as a lawyer about empathy, insight and compassion in his address at W&M Law School's May 15 diploma ceremony. Kaine, who served as mayor of Richmond, as lieutenant governor and as governor of Virginia before his election to the Senate in 2012, spoke to the approximately 250 J.D. and LL.M. graduates who gathered with friends and family members for the ceremony at the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre at Lake Matoaka. He said that when he began to think about his speech, he found his mind returning to the time in his life when he was starting out as the graduates were "on an exciting, new and uncertain path to practice law." After his graduation and a federal clerkship, Kaine took the Virginia bar exam, moved to Richmond, got married and started to practice "all in the space of four months." "It was a time of huge transition," he said, "and despite all my undergraduate and legal education I still had so much to learn, and so do you." Kaine worked with hundreds of clients during the 18 years he had an active law practice. "But you'll never forget your first clients," he said, "those who come to you when you have barely hung your law license on your office wall." He shared the stories of three such clients who impacted his perspective and predicted that the graduates also would have clients who transformed the way they viewed the world. "They changed me as a lawyer," he said. "They changed me as a person, and they will change you, too." He drafted his first lawsuit for Lorraine. He and his client shared many similarities: both were 20-something young adults just starting out on their professional lives. Yet her early experience in the city was negative, while his had been positive. Kaine represented her in an action against a landlord who did not want to rent an apartment to her because she was African-American. As he listened to her talk about the experience, he "understood a few things in a way that [he] had never understood before." Being thwarted from living from where you want to live, as Lorraine had, "cuts to the very core of your person." Discrimination can also leave an invisible scar. "Once you have experienced [discrimination] the way Lorraine had," he said, "it is hard to escape the memory, and, maybe more importantly, it is really hard to shed the worry that it might happen again." Several months later, he represented Dianne. He successfully fought a suit by her guardian to annul Dianne's marriage to James on the grounds that she did not have sufficient mental capacity to marry. Kaine, a newlywed himself, realized that the survival of the couple's marriage depended completely on his actions, a potent lesson in the "awesome responsibility of what it is to have a law license." The case also taught him a lesson that he has found useful in law and in life: "Whatever the issue seems to be at first, you have to look deeper." While working on the case, he discovered the guardian's suit was prompted by greed: She had been stealing Dianne's disability checks, and a marriage would extinguish that income. "What started off as a domestic marriage case," Kaine recalled, "ended up as a criminal trial against the guardian in a federal court where I had to testify." Kaine concluded his remarks by describing his experience with Rick, a man who had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Rick's volunteer lawyer had moved out of state shortly before a scheduled hearing on his case before the state Supreme Court. Someone approached Kaine and asked if he would assume Rick's representation but he was initially reluctant to do so. "I was very tempted to beg off on the grounds that Rick was a bad person, or I was too new to the bar, or there were no issues in the case likely to succeed, or that taking the case might be really unpopular with my colleagues, or my firm, or others," he said. However, his belief that anyone facing death is entitled to counsel compelled him to put those doubts aside. Kaine worked on the case on a pro bono basis for more than two years, and his initial hunch proved correct: "There were no legal issues that were ultimately going to get [Rick] a new sentencing or new trial." On the day of his client's execution, he waited outside his cell so he would not be alone in the hours before his death. Among the lessons the case taught Kaine is "that an important part of being fully human is just being able to accompany somebody, even in painful and difficult times." VIMS helps steer visit of Polynesian sailing canoe President's visit: From left: VIMS Dean and Director John Wells joins W&M President Taylor Reveley, Helen Reveley, VIMS professor and tour host Kirk Havens and W&M Provost Michael R. Halleran for a tour of the Hokulea at berth in Yorktown. Photo by K. Weng/VIMS D.C. visit: From left: VIMS Professor Kirk Havens with U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewel, Master Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson and American Canoe Association Executive Director Wade Blackwood 06 during the Hokuleas arrival in Washington, D.C. on May 18 ACA photo Yorktown welcome: Members of Virginia's Native American tribes welcome the Hokule'a to Yorktown. Photo by J. Patterson/Polynesian Voyaging Society Engraved boom: An engraving of master navigator Mau Pialugs name on the boom of Hokulea. Photo by K. Weng/VIMS East Coast voyage: The logo for the Hokule'a's visit to the U.S. East Coast. Photo by J. Patterson/Polynesian Voyaging Society Photo - of - Hide Caption The recent visit to Hampton Roads by the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea was just one of myriad port calls during the vessels three-year, 54,000-mile circumnavigation of Earth. The story of how it came to dock in local waters is nearly as circuitous as its voyage, with just the kinds of coincidences and quirks one would expect from a true high-seas adventure. The role of William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science in steering the 62-foot double-hulled Hokulea toward the Chesapeake Bay began a quarter century ago, when Kirk Havens, now assistant director of VIMS Center for Coastal Resources Management, took part in a canoe race from Molokai to Oahu. Its sails steered even closer each time VIMS Assistant Professor Kevin Weng spied the Hokulea at berth when leaving the dock for field research in his previous position at the University of Hawaii. Havens, an avid canoeist, said, I paddled the 40-mile Molokai Hoe outrigger race in 1990 and met Nainoa when he volunteered to steer our team of Virginians. Nainoa is native Hawaiian Charles Nainoa Thompson, current president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and a master in the traditional art of navigating by stars, waves and animal behavior. Havens says he and Thompson developed a fast friendship during that often-treacherous journey across the Kaiwi Channel. When Havens returned to Hawaii in 2011 to speak at the International Marine Debris Conference, the pair met up again. Nainoa was planning Hokuleas worldwide voyage at the time, said Havens, and I was the president of the American Canoe Association. Since the Hokulea is a Polynesian voyaging canoe, it only seemed appropriate that the ACA help with the voyage. It didnt hurt that Havens work at VIMS encompasses the same concerns for ocean sustainability that inspired the Hokuleas current journey. The Hawaiian name for that journey is Malama Honua: to care for our Earth. Thompson says the voyage is a way to engage all of Island Earth to bridge traditional and new technologies to live sustainably, while sharing, learning, creating global relationships and discovering the wonders of our planet. To help share this message in Hampton Roads, Havens partnered with VIMS Outreach Director Susan Maples, the Mariners Museum, the local Hawaiian community and other groups to arrange a series of public presentations involving Hokuleas crew. For VIMS, these included an After Hours lecture, a Science Under Sail cruise aboard the schooner Alliance and a public education day at the Jamestown Fishing Pier. A lead representative for the local Hawaiian community was Lisa Tam-Hoy, a W&M graduate who runs Ohana Arts Studio in Newport News. Havens was also deeply involved in planning for the Hokuleas welcome ceremony in Yorktown with local Native American tribes. He says the tribes participation helped to further highlight long-term sustainability and the wisdom of indigenous cultures. {{youtube:medium|601OvK8I9fw, The arrival of Polynesian sailing canoe Hokule'a in Yorktown}} Weng, who had regularly motored past the Hokulea in its homeport of Honolulu and has friends that had crewed the boat on previous voyages, learned about the vessels planed visit to Chesapeake Bay from Havens in 2015. He soon realized the visit would dovetail with a course he had already begun developing an in-depth look at food, energy and water systems in the context of islands and island life. Weng offered the independent-study course this spring through W&Ms Commonwealth Center for Energy and the Environment (CCEE), in collaboration with Havens, fellow fisheries professor Andrew Scheld and three colleagues from the anthropology department at W&M: Bill Fisher, Jenny Kahn and Danielle Moretti-Langholtz. Two W&M undergraduates Eileen Nakahata and Quinn Monette undertook detailed research during the semester. The capstone was a workshop in which participating students interacted with a diverse cast of characters involved in the Hokuleas visit. Kirk had also submitted a proposal to CCEE, said Weng. We realized there was a lot of overlap between our projects, so we decided to combine them. I started helping Kirk with the Hokulea and we pulled crewmembers into my workshop. We also invited people from Virginia Native American tribes and Tangier Island to participate in both the workshop and visit. Weng says the workshop, held in Yorktown just yards from Hokuleas berth, was the culmination of a semester-long exploration of islands of all kinds and scales, from the Hokulea itself, to small islands such as Tangier, large islands like Oahu and our planet, Island Earth. The definition of an island, from the perspective of food, energy, and water systems, is quite nuanced, said Weng. Oahu is very insular, whereas Tangier is fairly well connected to the nearby mainland. One thing these islands do share is a traditional culture that is under threat. Island communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change, globalization, and other large-scale forces, said Weng. The workshop gave our students an opportunity to discuss these challenges and potential solutions face-to-face with individuals from affected communities. It was an opportunity to enrich their community and ours. VIMS involvement in Hokuleas visit to Chesapeake Bay didnt stop when the vessel left Yorktown on May 8. After stops at Tangier Island, Piscataway Park on the Potomac and Old Town Alexandria, the vessel docked at the Washington Canoe Club on May 18, where Havens joined Nainoa Thompson and his fellow crewmembers to meet with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, other members of the Obama administration and several senators for further discussion of the environmental issues affecting Chesapeake Bay and the worlds oceans. Havens said that U.S. President Barack Obama may make his National Oceans Month proclamation from the deck of the Hokulea later this month. From Washington, the Hokuuea will sail to New York City to arrive in time for World Oceans Day on June 8. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to proclaim the importance of this global day of celebration from the deck of the Hokulea as well. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page An Albany man was charged with kidnapping and other crimes on Friday in Linn County Circuit Court. Taylor James Munson, 21, faces charges of second-degree kidnapping, coercion and fourth-degree assault. Judge Carol Bispham set his bail at $50,000 and appointed Heidi Sternhagen as his defense counsel. The next hearing in his case was set for May 31. Munson is accused of assaulting a woman, taking her from one place to another without her consent and compelling her to act against her will by instilling in her a fear that he would physically injure her, according to court documents. The case was reported to 9-1-1 at 12:05 p.m. Thursday from the Oak View Terrace Mobile Homes, 777 College Park Drive S.W., and Albany Police Department made the arrest. Second-degree kidnapping is a Measure 11 offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of nearly six years in prison. Munson also is scheduled to be charged with possession of methamphetamine in a separate case on June 8, according to Oregons online court database. A funny thing didn't happen on the way to the digital revolution. It failed to empty out the cities. If knowledge workers could communicate from anywhere, the futurists figured, why would they subject themselves to the traffic and noise of urban life? They could easily move their screens to a mountain chalet, beach house or Mediterranean cafe. The opposite happened. Instead of spreading out, many members of the "creative class" scrunched themselves into a handful of acres in a few select cities. As a result, housing prices have exploded in London, New York and San Francisco and are rising fast in Boston, Seattle, Denver and other centers for tech and finance. The elite apparently want to be around good restaurants, high-end shopping and other elites. And so what happens to the longtime residents of modest means and new arrivals serving the gentry's needs? When an influx of genius coders pushes small-apartment rents into the thousands, working families of four get pushed out. The solution to the high cost of shelter is to increase the supply, say some economists, real estate interests and politicians owned by the real estate interests. In cities bounded by water, that means increasing population density. That can be part of the answer. Some decaying industrial areas may be ripe for new development. But here's the problem: Many of the most desirable urban neighborhoods are desirable precisely for their quirky small houses and low-slung apartment buildings. Local shops and restaurants line their main streets. Replace these structures with a forest of sterile towers and you destroy what made these areas valuable in the first place. Zeroing in on London, The Economist blames "faulty land-use regulation" for the city's high cost of housing. It prescribes building on the "green belt," which was created to preserve open space around the central city and scoffs at rules protecting views of the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral. (Guess only the penthouses would have the views.) Like much of the "build, baby, build" crowd, the magazine parades its agenda behind the banner of diversity and fighting income inequality. Well, let's ask. Would turning our old cities into soulless Singapores make these places more affordable? The Economist complains that population density in central London is only half that of New York. Thing is, the rent for a centrally located one-bedroom apartment is 22 percent higher in New York than in London. In hot real estate markets, increasing supply can also hike demand. For example, building booms in Williamsburg and other gentrifying parts of Brooklyn have attracted more moneyed people while leveling the tenements where poorer folk used to live. There are remedies for the high cost of housing. One is to move elsewhere. It could be to a lesser neighborhood or nearby town served by public transportation. (Clamor against high rents tends to focus on upscale districts.) And don't forget the other great metropolises in this vast land of ours. Columbus, Omaha, Nashville, Baton Rouge and Spokane, to name a few, cost a lot less. They have great bars, hip districts and housing to die for. As for the lower-income residents who remain in expensive cities, one fix is to pay them commensurate with the cost of living. A $15-an-hour minimum wage in the pricier locales makes total sense. In sum, the notion that only a handful of ZIP codes can quench 21st-century ambitions is strange. The technology that lets Cleveland make video calls to Honolulu ought to be used. As for mingling, there's now a Starbucks everywhere. Revealing Egypts international port From the late 7th century BC, the Nile Delta port of Naukratis was the worlds gateway to Egypt. Yet, despite early archaeological research at the site, it has languished in the shadows. Who lived there, how did the port operate, and what (sometimes salacious) secrets remained hidden? Alexandra Villing and Ross Thomas explain how their new project is finally bringing the sites lost history to life. In 1883, the young Flinders Petrie was at the pyramids of Giza when a local Egyptian man offered him an unusual small alabaster statuette for sale. He immediately recognised it as not Egyptian but Greek or Cypriot. I at once gave the man what he asked for (never run risks in important cases) and then enquired where he got it. From Nebireh, was his answer. Petrie went to investigate, and found near the modern town of Nebireh, an ancient settlement mound in the process of being dug up by locals, keen to use the rich earth for fertiliser. The area was littered with Archaic and Classical Greek pottery: walking across it, Petrie says, was like walking across the site of the shattered British Museums vase rooms. I laded my pockets with scraps of vases and of statuettes and at last tore myself away, longing to solve the mystery of these Greeks in Egypt. Solve it he did. The following year, in 1884, Petrie returned to excavate Nebireh on behalf of the Egypt Exploration Fund, and on 4 December of that year he made the find that clinched the identification: an honorary decree of the city of Naukratis for its priest of Athena: All that day Naukratis rang in my mind, and I sprang over the mounds with that splendid exultation of a new discovery long wished for and well found. Petries first excavation season in 1884/1885 was followed by one more season, mostly under the direction of his collaborator Ernest Gardner. David Hogarth, the director of the British School at Athens, returned to the site in 1899 and 1903. It is these first four seasons that to this day provide the basis for much of our understanding of Naukratis, as a flourishing, cosmopolitan river port on the Canopic branch of the Nile. Yet for a long time little was known about the site. Most of the finds made during those early excavations had become forgotten and were gathering dust in museum basements. Important questions remained unanswered: was Naukratis a late 7th-century BC Greek colonial trading port on Egyptian soil, as was generally assumed? Or was it a long-established Egyptian town in which Greek traders had been allowed to settle, to cement good relations between the Pharaoh and his newly rising Mediterranean counterparts? And given the strong Greek presence, did the town then fall into decline once their enemies, the Persians, dominated Egypt after the later 6th century BC? Moreover, what did Naukratis even look like, and how did it work as a port? Who lived there, and what was life like for the inhabitants of the town? Since 2011 researchers on a British Museum project have been working to piece together the sites colourful archaeology and history from its earliest days to the times of its modern rediscovery and the picture that is emerging is rather different from what had been expected. Unexpected discoveries In order to understand more about the towns waterfront, we opened a trench on the long stretch of the towns riverbank. Rich layers, dated to the 5th to 3rd centuries BC, contained thousands of local and imported artefacts, which serve to demonstrate how Naukratis continued to prosper and to participate in international trade. Thus, besides much imported fine Athenian black glaze pottery plus Greek amphorae still lined with pine pitch sealant (both categories of finds of little interest to early excavators), there were sea-worn ballast stones from the Mediterranean and even a fragment of a wooden ship plank, discarded following a hull repair. Added to this we found plentiful waste from the towns households, with fish and animal bones and other organic remains well preserved in the waterlogged deposits. Egyptian figurines also came to light here: a rider wearing Persian dress, representations of the goddess Isis-Hathor in a shrine, a cultist holding a model phallus and wine amphora, and even a wooden phallus. It is possible that some of these were deliberately thrown in the river during Egyptian Nile inundation festivals, such as the rather wonderfully named festival of drunkenness. Hundreds of similar figurines are also preserved from the early fieldwork at Naukratis. They were so frequent among the finds that 19th-century scholars coined the term Naukratic figures for the seemingly erotic images. Deemed unfit for publication or display, they were secreted in the depths of storerooms and forgotten. Today we know that they are not unique to Naukratis but are common in Egyptian towns of the Late Period (664- 332 BC), especially in the Nile Delta, and that they have a religious function. They were used in rituals concerning fertility, specifically that bestowed on Egypt during the annual Nile inundation associated with the worship of Isis-Hathor, Osiris, and Horus-the-child (Harpokrates). It celebrated the conception of Horus (the king) by Osiris and Isis. The fact that we find such figures at Naukratis is a clear sign that traditional Egyptian religion was practised here by a local Egyptian population. Intriguing new discoveries were also made regarding the Greek sanctuaries. It appears that the Hellenion, for example, was at least in part built on an Egyptian-style mud-brick platform. Beside the Hellenion, a small platform, perhaps for an altar, belongs to the neighbouring Dioskouroi sanctuary, as confirmed by the 2015 discovery of a cup with a Greek dedication to the Dioskouroi nearby. The Dioskouroi Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus, were popular as divine protectors of seafarers, whom they guided as bright stars in the Gemini constellation, bringing light to the black ship in the night of trouble. Alongside the platform we found undisturbed deposits of 7th- and 6th-century BC votives, including Cypriot limestone statuettes and fine Greek pottery from Athens, Corinth, Sparta, Chios, and other sites of the East Greek world, of the kind well known among the material brought back by Petrie and Hogarth. But there were also surprising new finds, such as numerous heads of pigs and sheep, discarded parts of animals that had been sacrificed (and consumed in sacred feasts) in the sanctuary. This is an extract from a feature published in CWA 77. Read on in the magazine or click here to subscribe. Mariola and Krzysztof Michalowski along with their 2 children By: Tanya Malhotra A groom in the United Kingdom, was left devastated after waking up the morning following his wedding and realizing that his bride is dead. 38-year-old Mariola Michalowski of Richmond, died just hours after getting married to 32-year-old Krzysztof Michalowski, also known as Kris. Doctors do not know why the woman did not wake up on Friday morning, but she had a history of epilepsy. Friday was supposed to be one of the happiest days of Mariolaas life. At their wedding reception, it was clear for all to see that Kris and Mariola were very much in love. With two beautiful children under four years of age, the newlyweds had plans, a future together and everything to live for. Nobody could have foreseen the tragedy ahead. Later that night, after the celebrations were over, Mariola went to bed and fell asleep never to awake again. Kris has to bury his bride who lived just one night as his wife. The family is devastated and heartbroken. The North Yorkshire Police launched an investigation, but a spokesperson said that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the womanas death. A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took The news was mixed across Oregon in the election for local proposals to raise gasoline taxes, and its a good bet that the results were closely examined by that committee of legislators charged with crafting a transportation package for next years Legislature. In Portland, voters approved a temporary 10-cents-a-gallon tax on gasoline sold within the city limits. The money is expected to raise about $64 million to help maintain the citys crumbling streets. The city plans to use 56 percent of the money for road repairs and 44 percent for pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements. Proposals to increase gas taxes locally were also on the ballot in Reedsport and Sandy. The verdicts there were mixed: Voters in Reedsport approved a seasonal 3-cent increase thats meant to run from May to October. Money raised will go to help improve streets and to help shore up the citys levee system; a section of roadway flooded last year because of a failure in a tide gate. (The states constitution mandates that gas tax money can only be used for road projects, so Reedsport officials were obliged to link their levees to their roads.) Meanwhile, voters in Sandy thumped a proposed 3-cent increase in the gas tax. That followed on the heels of a vote earlier this year in Bend, where voters thoroughly rejected a 5-cent increase in the gas tax to make a dent in the citys backlog of deferred street maintenance. Meanwhile, local governments across Oregon continue to ponder increased gas taxes as a way to pay for needed roadwork. A city of Corvallis budget committee, for example, has a regional gas tax on its list of possible budget enhancements with the idea being that the tax would be in place in cities throughout both Benton and Linn counties to reduce the likelihood that people would just buy gas in areas that didnt have the increased tax. All this complicates the picture for state legislators, who are likely to take a hard look at an increase in the state gas tax as one way to pay for needed transportation improvements throughout the state. For example: Will Portland-area legislators look kindly on an additional gas-tax increase in the wake of the additional dime that voters have just approved for the city? And how can you make the case for an increase in the gas tax to voters in other areas of the state who already have rejected such a hike? Rep. Andy Olson of Albany is one of the legislators on the transportation committee. (Sen. Fred Girod, whose district includes a chunk of Linn County, is another.) Olson has said one key will be making the case to taxpayers (and legislators) that any increase in the gas tax would bring a real return to voters in terms of value. Another key, Olson has suggested, will be trying to ensure that any gas-tax increase will benefit residents throughout all of Oregon, and not just certain areas. It also would help if legislators could tell taxpayers that any increase in the state gas tax would be offset, at least in part, by decreases in other areas. One area that could garner renewed attention in the 2017 session is the states Clean Fuels Program, which carries with it an estimated increase in the price of gas that could reach 19 cents a gallon. It adds up to a complex web for legislators to try to negotiate. The need for improved transportation infrastructure throughout the state is undeniable. The tough question, as always, is how to pay for it. (mm) Alexander Mackey By: Tanya Malhotra (Scroll down for video) A man was arrested on a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after swallowing a goldfish alive in order to impress his friends, according to police in the United Kingdom. Now, 21-year-old Alexander Mackey of Plymouth, has been banned from owning a pet for the next five years after admitting to swallowing the fish alive. The Plymouth Crown Court has heard that one of Mackeyas friends won the fish won in a game at the Goose Fair in Tavistock, Devon. Mackey, who was under the influence of alcohol, told his friend that he could swallow the fish alive. The friend gave the fish to him and he swallowed it. A few days later, a video was posted on Facebook, showing Mackey swallowing the fish alive in front of his friends. The video was sent to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The RSPCA then filed a complaint with the police. Mackey was banned from owning a pet for the next five years. He was also ordered to pay a fine of 752 pounds ($1,091). A vet confirmed that the fish died in Mackeyas stomach due to lack of oxygen. Mackey expressed remorse, saying that he would not have swallowed the fish if he was sober. James Kinley By: Mahesh Sarin (Scroll down for video) A drug dealer who was looking for new clients, made it easy for police to catch him. The man of Clover, South Carolina, was arrested Wednesday, after investigators saw an online ad of a man who said that he was selling marijuana. 27-year-old James Kinley III, 27, posted the ad on Craigslist titled aPot I sell weed $200.a The advertisement had his details about prices, the places where he sells the drugs and his phone number. An officer of the York Countys Multi-jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, who was looking for vehicles on the website, came across the ad. The officer called Kinley, and they set up a place to meet. When Kinley arrived at the meeting place to sell the agent a half ounce of marijuana, he was taken into custody. Elmo By: Tanya Malhotra A man was arrested on a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after dumping a sick dog in a cemetery and leaving it there to die, according to the police in the United Kingdom. Now, 41-year-old Gordon Roach of Birkenhead, has been sentenced to serve 4 weeks in prison, which was suspended for two years. Roach was also banned from owning a pet for five years after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The Wirral Magistratesa Court heard that the ten-year-old dog named Elmo, was found by a member of the public in the Flaybrick Cemetery, in a poor condition. An examination by a vet showed that it had suffered many fractures, which was later found to be due to a bone condition. Twenty-four hours before Elmo was found, Elmoas owner asked Roach to take the dog away as she was struggling to care for it. Roach put Elmo in a shopping cart, and instead of taking it to the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), he dumped it in a secluded part of the cemetery. Elmo was there for 24 hours, in the freezing cold. The temperature exacerbated the bone condition and it was in a lot of pain. When the dog was eventually found, it had to be put to sleep forever. The walkout Friday by some 1,700 AT&T West workers in San Diego, California is a sign of mounting anger in the working class over the ongoing corporate offensive against jobs, wages, pensions and health care. It comes as 39,000 workers at Verizon on the US East Coast are in the sixth week of a strike against the companys effort to destroy jobs and working conditions, and slash health care and pension benefits. The strike at AT&T West is a challenge to the policy of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which are trying to isolate the Verizon strike while colluding with the Obama administration to impose yet another defeat on the working class. Rather than calling a strike on both coasts, the CWA has forced 16,000 telecommunications workers at AT&T West in California and Nevada to work without a contract since April 9. There is widespread opposition to the division of Verizon and AT&T workers, who work for the second and third largest telecommunications giants in the world and who face the same conditions. On the Facebook page of CWA Local 9509, AT&T workers denounced the decision to only call out workers in San Diego while 14,000 other workers continue to work and could be forced to make up the work from struck locations. Rank-and-file workers should take the initiative and fight for a national strike throughout the telecommunication industry. Giant corporations, backed up by powerful financial institutions, are determined to destroy the jobs of thousands of higher-paid legacy workers, eliminate the gains won through generations of struggle and transform workers into low-paid casual labor. Last week, the Socialist Equality Partys candidate for US president, Jerry White, issued a statement calling for telecom workers to break the CWAs isolation of the Verizon strike. White noted that workers were not simply facing individual corporations but an entire class of capitalist owners backed by officials from both big-business parties, the courts, the police and the media. White called for workers to establish rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to establish lines of communications with workers throughout the industry and fight for common action. At the same time, telecom workers must fight for the broadest mobilization of the working class to unite every section of workers against the attack on jobs and living standards. The fact that the walkout in San Diego has been almost totally blacked out by the corporate-controlled media reflects the potentially explosive nature of this development and the nervousness of the corporate and political establishment that the strike by workers at Verizon could spark a broader movement by the working class. Workers in San Diego manned lively and militant picket lines Friday. Those striking include technicians and call center operators who have been without a contract since early April. However, the union did not call the walkout over the contract, but instead over unfair labor practices. Local 9509 President Chris Roberts told the WSWS that the grievance, relating to employee monitoring, was limited to San Diego. The company says that it plans to maintain its operations by shifting calls to non-struck locations. Workers complain about constant monitoring by management, which has refused to release reports on the results of this monitoring, as required by the contract. The CWA said it gave the company a request for the report, and that management refused to return it by the deadline. In an effort to justify the partial strike, Local 9509 officials claimed that the rest of the AT&T West locals do not have the same grievance. In fact, the CWA clearly felt it had to take some action to contain growing opposition among AT&T workers but wants to limit this action as much as possible. AT&T, like Verizon, will use whatever time the CWA gives it to prepare a massive strikebreaking operation in the event that workers reject a contract offer. The CWA is trying to come up with a deal that it can sell to members to end the walkout in San Diego. According to a report posted on the CWA Local 9509 web site, the union rejected a company offer Saturday calling for a return to work before it would turn over the requested report. The CWA said it was prepared to return to work immediately on receipt of the contractually required documents. The CWA contract at AT&T West covers landline operations in California and Nevada. In 2013, AT&T West workers rejected a sellout contract before having it forced on them by the CWA. According to Roberts, AT&T West is offering an insulting one percent annual wage increase while seeking to impose an eight percent annual increase in out-of-pocket health care costs. This would be in line with the strategy of the Obama administration, which has encouraged corporations to shift their health care costs onto the backs of workers. The company also wants to reduce annual paid sick time for current employees from 12 to 8 days and eliminate paid sick time altogether for new hires. AT&T West wants to freeze pensions for all workers hired after 1986, meaning that new hires will receive no pensions at all. There are 150,000 workers at AT&T covered under CWA contracts. The union has kept the workers in various bargaining units isolated in order to allow the company to divide workers and impose concessions piecemeal. Last year, the CWA kept 24,000 AT&T workers in the southeastern states on the job after their contract expired. The union eventually agreed to a deal that contained concessions on health care and job security. Earlier this year, the CWA extended the contract for 9,400 workers at AT&T Southwest. A deal ratified on March 10 contained significant concessions. Another 200 workers at AT&T East region in Connecticut are also working without a contract. Meanwhile, 24,000 United Airlines flight attendants, members of the CWA-affiliated Association of Flight Attendants, continue to work without a contract. On Thursday, hundreds of United flight attendants and supporters demonstrated at Los Angeles International Airport and 14 airports around the world. The talks have been dragging on for five years since the merger of United and Continental. The walkout in San Diego comes amidst mounting signs that the CWA intends to shut down the Verizon strike. Last week 88 Congressional Democrats, allies of the CWA bureaucracy, issued a statement calling for an end to the strike. The union has agreed to federal mediation after previously pledging not to do so in the wake of the concessions contract imposed in the mediated 2011 contract talks. The CWA has presented the intervention of the anti-worker Obama administration as a welcome development, even as Obamas National Labor Relation Board appealed for and received strikebreaking court injunctions limiting picketing. The two candidates in the Austrian presidential election, the Greens Alexander Van der Bellen and the candidate of the extreme right-wing Freedom Party (FPO), Norbert Hofer, are running neck-and-neck after Sundays vote. Although Hofer had a clear lead after the counting of all votes cast with 51.9 percent, over 800,000 postal votes will only be counted Monday. Projections based on these votes place both candidates in a tie. They are separated by only 3,000 votes out of a total of 4.4 million cast ballots. In the first round last month, which included several candidates, Hofer won decisively with 36 percent of the vote. Van der Bellen barely managed 20 percent. Just days ago, he was 13 percent behind Hofer in the polls. That both candidates are now in a tie is largely thanks to a higher turnout at the polls and the mobilisation of sections of the urban middle class. A month ago, 68.5 percent of the 6.38 million electorate took part in the vote; this time around it was 71.8 percent. Van der Bellen won most of the large cities, while Hofer led in rural areas. In Vienna, where one sixth of all voters live, around 60 percent voted for the Green candidate, although it is expected that after the counting of postal ballots, his majority will be even higher. Apart from the working-class districts of Floridsdorf and Semmering, he obtained majorities in every area. Van der Bellen also won in every state capital, apart from the Burgenland capital, Eisenstadt. According to election polls, which were however sharply divided, Van der Bellen won among those under 30 (56 percent), women (54 percent) and voters with a high school qualification (69 percent), while Hofer was clearly ahead among workers (71 percent). Among public sector employees, the two men tied. Whether Norbert Hofer will be the first right-wing extremist to take the position of Austrian president will only become clear over the course of Mondayunless the election is challenged. But that it has reached this stage is the responsibility of the established parties, which are utterly discredited and have prepared the ground for the rise of the far right. The candidates of the social democratic SPO and conservative OVP, the parties that form the government in Vienna, trailed far behind in the first round with 11 and 10 percent respectively. For the first time since the Second World War, neither of the two parties will provide the head of state. The miserable result for the SPO in the first round triggered the resignation of Chancellor Werner Faymann, who has since been replaced by former rail manager Christian Kern. Under his leadership, the SPO will persist with a strict austerity programme, while at the same time drawing closer to the FPO. Van der Bellens ability to close the gap with Hofer in recent days has less to do with his politics than with the broad opposition to Hofer and the FPO. On election evening, public broadcaster ORF reported on several voters who put their cross beside Van der Bellen to block Hofer. Forty percent of his voters said they had gone to the polls to cast their ballots against the right, stated pollster Peter Hajek. All other motives clearly fell into the background, he said. Under its leader Heinz-Christian Strache, the FPO has adopted a firmly xenophobic position. Strache recently demanded the upper limit for refugees to be zero. Hofers entire election campaign was directed against foreigners and refugees. At the same time, the FPO stands for budgetary discipline and an anti-EU policy. Although the head of states powers are largely ceremonial, he is according to the constitution head of the armed forces and can dissolve parliament under certain situations. Hofer warned during the campaign that he would make extensive use of these powers. If he were to dissolve parliament in the event of a victory, the FPO would likely emerge from elections as the largest party. There were hardly any differences between Van der Bellen and Hofer in terms of the content of their campaigns. Both appeared together on television after the vote, treating each other with extreme politeness. The only fundamental difference was their stance towards the European Union. While Hofer rejects the EU, the Green candidate defended it in full, including the austerity measures in Greece and the sealing off of its external borders to refugees. In January, Van der Bellen told the Presse he would invite the best jurists to the presidential palace to legally enforce an upper limit for refugees. Within the Green Party, he served as a right-winger for years and pushed the party to adopt a hard right course. This was why several representatives of the OVP and SPO united behind Van der Bellen. In the so-called committee of persons for the Green candidate, individuals who campaign for the candidate if their names are called, there werein addition to prominent business figuresleading representatives of both the OVP and SPO, which have taken turns in governing the country or ruled jointly in coalitions for decades. At the same time, numerous pseudo-left groups swung behind Van der Bellen. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is standing a Senate group in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and Queensland, and candidates in the House of Representatives electorates of Grayndler and Blaxland in Sydney and Wills in Melbourne. As our election statement explains, the SEP campaign and candidates will appeal to all those who want to fight against militarism, nationalism, the persecution of refugees, and the endless assault on social and democratic rights. It is aimed at raising the political consciousness of workers and youth and unifying the working class in Australia, Asia, the Americas and internationally in a common struggle to end the capitalist profit system. Senate in NSW James Cogan, 46, is the SEPs national secretary and will head the partys Senate group in NSW. James joined the Trotskyist movement in 1991, during the first Gulf War against Iraq, in response to the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals analysis of the crisis and collapse of Stalinism and the partys internationalist and socialist opposition to the Labor Party. Since 1998, he has been a member of the editorial board of the World Socialist Web Site. James was elected assistant national secretary of the SEP in 2012 and national secretary in February 2015. He has represented the SEP in each federal and NSW state election since 2004. Over the past five years, he has written numerous articles and spoken at dozens of public meetings, university forums and International Committee of the Fourth International and SEP events warning of Australias participation in the US pivot to Asia, the conspiracy of silence surrounding it, and the danger of the outbreak of a catastrophic war. John Davis, 22, is the SEPs second candidate for the Senate in NSW. John applied to join the Socialist Equality Party in 2013, based on his support for the struggle for a socialist program against the drive to war and militarism. He is president of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) club at University of Newcastle, where he is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts degree. John has played a leading role in the fight to build the IYSSE, in Newcastle and on the NSW Central Coast, among working-class youth and students who face a deepening social crisis that includes ongoing cuts to tertiary education and low-wage casual work or permanent unemployment. John is standing for the first time as an SEP candidate. Senate in Victoria Chris Sinnema, 45, heads the SEPs Senate group in Victoria. Chris joined the SEP in 1989, at the age of 18, and is a member of its National Committee. The son of a paper factory worker, he grew up in the industrial region of the Latrobe Valley. Chris has worked for many years in the transport industry, as a tram conductor, then driver at Melbournes Essendon and Malvern Depot. He currently works as an interstate freight train driver. During his 17 years in the tramways, Chris fought for the partys socialist perspective amongst his fellow workers, in opposition to victimisations and the ever-deepening attacks on jobs and conditions. These were carried out by both Labor and Liberal state and federal governments, with the support of the transport unions. Chris and his partner have two children. Peter Byrne, 57, an architect and son of a car worker, joined the party in 1983. For three decades he has fought for a socialist perspective in the Melbourne area, including in campaigns to defend the jobs and basic rights of car workers, building workers, pilots and teachers. He is married with two adult daughters. Peter has particular knowledge of the issues facing workers in the car industry. In the 2010 federal election, he stood for the SEP in the seat of Calwell, where the Ford Broadmeadows car plant is located. He has also represented the SEP in the state seat of Broadmeadows in Victorian elections and by-elections. In the 2013 federal election, Peter stood for the Senate in South Australia, campaigning in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, which will be devastated by the closure of the General Motors Holden plant at the end of 2017. Senate in Queensland Mike Head, 63, is an SEP national committee member, WSWS correspondent and Western Sydney University law lecturer. A member of the party for more than 40 years, he is married with three adult children. Mike writes regularly for the WSWS on the bipartisan assault against democratic rights, as well as on other political, economic and social issues. He has represented the party in several elections and stood in 2013 as an SEP candidate for the Senate in Queensland. In recent years, he has conducted political work regularly in the Brisbane area, building the influence of the SEP among workers and young people. Erin Cooke, 41, joined the SEP in 2015 after becoming a regular reader of the World Socialist Web Site throughout the previous decade. Erin made the decision to join the party on the basis that it was the only one warning workers and young people of the growing danger of war and providing a genuine socialist program for the working class. Married with two daughters, Erin comes from a working-class background in northern Brisbane, where he has lived all his life, working mainly as a storeman and factory worker. He is standing for the first time as an SEP candidate. House of Representatives Oscar Grenfell for Grayndler! Oscar Grenfell, 24, was born and raised in Sydneys inner-west. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Sydney, majoring in English literature. Oscar has been a regular correspondent for the World Socialist Web Site for the past year, writing on the social and political issues confronting students and young people. He has played a leading role in the SEPs youth movement, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, including against attempts by university authorities to block the IYSSE from advancing its socialist, anti-war, and anti-capitalist perspective to students on several Australian university campuses. The SEPs campaign in Grayndler, which encompasses a number of diverse suburbs in Sydneys inner-west, will focus on exposing the right-wing, pro-capitalist politics of the Greens and their various pseudo-left supporters, who promote the lie that Labor and the Greens are a lesser evil than the Liberals. The seat is held by key Labor powerbroker and former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese. Gabriela Zabala for Blaxland! Gabriela Zabala, 52, has been a member of the SEP since 1997. Emigrating to Australia from Uruguay in 1970, she has three children and is an academic teacher in arts and social sciences at Western Sydney University College. Gabriela has fought for the partys socialist perspective among workers and young people in Sydneys western and south western suburbs for many years. She stood as an SEP candidate for the Senate in NSW in 2010 and in Queensland in 2013. The working-class areas of Blaxland suffer from high levels of youth unemployment and social deprivation. The electorate includes suburbs that have been the target of some of the most intense police surveillance and raids, under the pretext of combatting radicalism and terrorism. Muslim immigrant communities have been demonised and marginalised by 15 years of state and media-manufactured propaganda to justify Australian involvement in the US-led wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Gabriela will be standing against the Labor incumbent, Jason Clare, who served as minister for defence materiel in 2012 and 2013, as the Gillard Labor government committed Australia to the purchase of tens of billions of dollars in new military hardware. Will Fulgenzi for Wills! Will Fulgenzi, 23, is a member of the national committee of the Socialist Equality Party. He became politicised by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and applied to join the party in 2008, at the age of 15, while still in high school. Will studied for a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Melbourne, majoring in mathematical physics, and is now completing his final year of a research masters degree in physics at the same university. Will plays a leading role in the SEPs student and youth movement, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, and has led the fight to overturn an ongoing ban on the IYSSE by the Clubs & Societies Committee of the University of Melbourne Student Union. He contributes articles to the World Socialist Web Site on scientific issues, as well as on the work of the IYSSE and the social crisis facing young people. The electorate of Wills covers the Melbourne suburbs of Brunswick, Coburg, Hadfield, Glenroy, Pascoe Vale and Oak Park and borders the University of Melbourne. A number of manufacturing companies operate in the western and northern areas of the electorate. Will is standing against the candidates of the Greens, Labor and the pseudo-left Socialist Alliance, all of whom are seeking to divert the immense hostility among workers and young people to the official establishment back behind the moribund parliamentary system. To get involved in the campaign, sign up at http://www.sep.org.au/ today. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200 The US Supreme Court last week refused to issue a decision on the merits of a controversial series of cases captioned Zubik v. Burwell. In these consolidated cases, various institutions are insisting it violates their religious liberty if their employees receive insurance coverage for birth control, even if the institutions do not have to pay for it. This absurd and provocative position is part of a legal campaign unleashed by the Supreme Courts 2014 decision attacking the separation of church and state, entitled Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. In that case, the court held that the provision of birth control and contraception under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) violated the religious liberty of corporations. That Hobby Lobby decision opened the floodgates for numerous lawsuits, executive orders and legislative bills around the country invoking religious liberty to attack the right to abortion and birth control and discriminate against gay and transgender individuals. One such measure is North Carolinas House Bill 2, which codifies discrimination against transgender individuals, among other reactionary provisions. There is no logical endpoint to this religious liberty campaign except the total abrogation of the separation of church and state and establishment of a theocracy in America. This antidemocratic offensive, spearheaded politically by the Republican Party, has been abetted by the Obama administration and the Democrats, who at every turn have sought to accommodate themselves to religious fundamentalists, including by adding loopholes and exemptions for religiously affiliated organizations to the Obamacare law. President Obama bent over backwards to conciliate the religious right and the Catholic Church, going so far as to give a speech in 2012 riddled with the upside-down, pseudo-legal jargon later used by the Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby decision. Granting the accommodations in question, Obama declared himself committed to the principle of religious liberty, adding, As a citizen and as a Christian, I cherish this right. The case decided May 16 gets its name from David A. Zubik, the Roman Catholic bishop of Pittsburgh, on whose behalf the first such case was filed. Other cases consolidated with Zubiks were filed by Priests for Life, Southern Nazarene University, Geneva College, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, East Texas Baptist University and Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged. The Obamacare law generally provides for birth control and other reproductive health services to be covered by insurance. However, pursuant to accommodations granted by the Obama administration, religious groups may object and opt out of paying for these services. In the case of an objection, the coverage is still generally to be provided, at no cost to the employer. The plaintiffs in the Zubik case are arguing that even with the accommodation, their religious liberty is violated if their employees or students are provided access to reproductive health care services. If elementary democratic norms were applied in any sane or rational way by the Supreme Court, the Zubik case would be summarily tossed out and the attorneys who brought the case would be fined for making frivolous arguments. Neither the US Constitution nor any enforceable statute gives corporations the power to impose their religious prejudices on students and employees. Businesses and churches have no legal right to dictate the health care decisions of private individuals, and the Obama administration had no business granting arbitrary accommodations and exceptions to such institutions in the first place. The Zubik case highlights the unprincipled prostration of the entire political establishment before the protracted assault on the separation of church and state. With the influence of religion declining in the population at large, especially among younger people, the most rabidly reactionary section of the ruling class and its political representatives are seeking to whip up religious fundamentalism to disorient and confuse the population, mobilize violent and backward forces, and block the development of organized social opposition to capitalism. In its brief nine-page opinion, the Supreme Court expressly refused to decide the Zubik case on the merits. Instead, the case was returned to the lower courts with instructions for the parties to try to compromise. The Obama administration and the objecting religious groups should be afforded an opportunity to arrive at an approach going forward that accommodates petitioners religious exercise while at the same time ensuring that women covered by petitioners health plans receive full and equal health coverage, including contraceptive coverage, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in a per curiam opinion on behalf of the entire court. She added that the lower courts were expected to allow the parties sufficient time to resolve any outstanding issues between them. Supreme Court analysts and commentators were fairly unanimous in calling this decision a punt, almost certainly the result of a 4-4 deadlock among the justices. Unable to break a tie, they returned the case to the lower courts without deciding it. The Supreme Court, usually composed of nine justices, is currently functioning with eight following the death of the arch-reactionary Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in February. It can safely be assumed that the courts right-wing bloc of Chief Justice John Roberts and associate justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, together with the so-called swing justice Anthony Kennedy, would have favored the religious groups in the Zubik case. They would likely be opposed by the liberal wing composed of associate justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer. In March, President Obama nominated the conservative former prosecutor Merrick Garland to fill Scalias seat. Republican legislators had overwhelmingly supported Garlands appointment to lower courts, but they are now stalling Garlands confirmation in hopes that a Republican president will take office following the November elections and nominate someone more right-wing. Front-running Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump released a list of potential Supreme Court nominees on Wednesday. Presented as an appeal to the Republican Partys divided moderate wing, the list of nominees is a whos-who of figures considered by the Republican establishment to have strong conservative credentials. The Washington Post s Chris Cillizza responded approvingly, applauding it on his list of 5 very smart things Donald Trump has done since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee and calling it a very smart strategic play. The Post continued, Trump made no secret of his goal with the list: to put 11 names on it that would be totally unimpeachable in the eyes of conservative activists. Zubik was among a number of cases the Supreme Court returned to the lower courts last week, apparently reflecting a 4-4 tie vote. Nevertheless, the court continues to carry out its essential functions, which include presiding over Americas brutal system of mass incarceration. In a unanimous decision on Thursday in the case of Betterman v. Montana, the Supreme Court decided that a 14-month delay before a mans sentencing did not violate his constitutional right to a speedy trial under the Sixth Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights. Justice Ginsburg, considered the ideological leader of the four-justice liberal bloc, wrote the opinion for the unanimous court. George Galloway, the former anti-war Respect MP, has been given a platform to defend his alliance with Nigel Farage, the leader of the xenophobic UK Independence Party (UKIP), by the Communist Party of Britain (CPB). The CPB sits alongside the Socialist Workers Party and Counterfire in the Left Leave campaign, which claims to offer a progressive argument for the UK exiting the European Union in the June 23 referendum. Aware of the nakedly right-wing character of the official Leave campaign, the pseudo-left groups have distanced themselves from Galloway, stating that they will not share platforms with UKIP and right-wing Tories. However, the interview in the May 19 edition of the CPBs Morning Star disproves all claims of a political separation between the politics of Left Leave and Galloway, and confirms that Left Leave is part of the same nationalist spectrum as UKIP, et al. Morning Star political editor John Haylett writes that Galloway is supportive of the Left Leave initiative (Lexit), after which Galloway is given free rein to expound his nationalist opposition to the EU. The British people are not some tribe of people painting their faces blue, living in the forest and requiring a Roman empire of sorts to come and show us how to dig a bath, Galloway declares. Haylett acknowledges that Galloway has drawn criticism from within the labour movement for interviewing Farage on his Sputnik programme on RTthe pro-Vladimir Putin Russian news channel. Galloway responds by insisting that Farage represents nearly 4 million voters as UKIP leader and winning this referendum cant be won by turning our backs on people that we dont like. Speaking to someone he views as a fellow thinker, Galloway continues, If Nigel Farage had pitched up with his 4 [million] supporters in support of the anti-war movement, we wouldnt have turned him away. We wouldnt have turned away people with whom we disagreed on other things. Indeed, we implored such support. ... Our approach to politics is to build the broadest coalitions possible to achieve things that we believe are right (emphasis added). The our referred to by Galloway is the politics of Stalinism that he shares with Haylett. The history of the Stalinist parties in every country is characterised by political alliances with bourgeois parties, justified as building popular fronts in defence of democracy, etc. But there are many examples of alliances entered into by Stalinist parties with overtly right-wing bourgeois tendencies in pursuit of Stalinisms nationalist and pro-capitalist political agenda. Warning of the political implications of Galloways bonding with Farage, the Socialist Equality Party has drawn attention to the support extended to the 1931 referendum initiated by Hitlers Nazi Party by the Stalinised Communist Party (KPD). Claiming a common goal with the Nazis of using the Red Referendum to remove the Social Democrats from power in Prussia, the KPD asserted this would be a step towards a peoples revolution. Instead, the end result was the victory of fascism. Clearly stung by such comparisons, Galloway attempts a defence that, in fact, only confirms the prescience of the warnings issued by the World Socialist Web Site and the International Committee of the Fourth International. According to Haylett, Galloway rejects the jibe by some on the left that Farage is a fascist and characterises him as a Poujadist, a populist right-winger who uses issues like immigration in the way that right-wing politicians do. Galloways analogy is more correct than he might wish. Poujadism came to prominence in the 1950s. As a youth in the 1930s, its founder, Pierre Poujade, joined the fascistic Parti Populaire Francais (PPF) set up by the ex-Stalinist Jacques Doriot, and between 1940 and 1942 supported the Revolution Nationale of Marshal Philippe Petain, who went on to become head of state in the Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime. In 1953, Poujade initiated a right-wing populist movement against tax collectors, the Defence Union of Shopkeepers and Craftsmen (UDCA), which attracted hundreds of thousands of supporters. The movement was not fascist and professed sympathy for working people, but it employed violence against its political opponents and became increasingly overt in its anti-Semitism. A leading role in such violent attacks was played by Jean Marie Le Pen, who went on to found the fascist National Front. At age 28, he became the youngest UDCA deputy of the 53 elected to the National Assembly in 1956, when the party secured 2.5 million votes. For the first two years of its existence, the Poujadist movement worked closely with the Communist Party (PCF), which provided favourable commentary and even leading cadre for Poujade, in the name of advancing an anti-monopoly alliance. The PCFs support for Poujadism played a significant role in shifting politics in France to the right, so that when the Fourth Republic collapsed in 1958, General Charles de Gaulle came to power as the head of a government of national safety, with emergency powers granted to him for six months. He was backed by Poujade, who disbanded his party. Support for Farage and the invocation of a common national interest in securing an exit from the EU has the same essential political significance. Galloway treats Farages xenophobia as if it were an unfortunate mistake on his part, declaring at one point, He has some views that are worse than the Tories and some that are better. But anti-immigrant rhetoric is not a secondary feature of the Leave campaign. It is an essential mechanism for transmitting the most degraded and right-wing nationalist sentiments into the working class in order to line up support for measures aimed at securing freedom for the City of London and big business from any form of regulation or restraint. This week, Farage gave an interview to the BBC in which he deliberately echoed former Conservative MP Enoch Powells infamous Rivers of Blood speech regarding the implications of immigration. I think its legitimate to say that if people feel they have lost control completelyand we have lost control of our borders completely as members of the European Unionand if people feel that voting doesnt change anything, then violence is the next step, he declared. Days later, the official Vote Leave campaign and one of its leading figures, Michael Gove, MP, issued a statement asserting that Turkey is about to join the EU and its citizens pose a threat to national security and public services. A newly launched Vote Leave poster features the slogan: Turkey (population 76 million) is joining the EU. Vote Leave, take back control. Right-wing Labour MP Jon Cruddas has been commissioned by the party to head an inquiry into Why Labour lost in 2015 and how it can win again. His report, shown to the Observer, uses the 4 million UKIP voters cited by Galloway to argue that Labour must stop patronising socially conservative UKIP voters and recognise the ways in which UKIP appeals to former Labour voters. Turning reality on its head, it describes Labour as a toxic brand for not unreservedly adopting UKIPs policies and instead pursuing an open door approach to immigration and being a soft touch on welfare spending. Labours appeal is confined to progressive, social liberals who value principles such as equality, sustainability and social justice, Cruddas complains. The Left Leave campaign, for which Galloway is now an advocate, lines up sections of workers behind a right-wing nationalist agenda shared by all the main parties, for which Farage acts as a stalking horse. As the WSWS warned in its February 23 article on Galloways appearance with Farage on the platform of Grassroots Out, which played a role in the decision of the ICFI to call for an active boycott of the referendum: The first responsibility of a socialist is to oppose the mixing of class banners. In the referendum, this means rejecting all appeals for working people to fall in behind one or another faction of the bourgeoisie who are fighting between themselves solely over which strategy best upholds the interests of British imperialism. To do otherwise and to in any way endorse the nationalist and pro-capitalist agendas espoused by both the remain and leave campaigns sows dangerous political confusion, weakening the political defences of the working class at a time when the noxious fumes of nationalism, anti-migrant xenophobia and militarism are polluting the UK, Europe and the entire world. In the lead-up to the NATO summit in Poland in early July the professional warmongers in the German media are stepping up their rhetoric. They support NATOs current military build-up in Eastern Europe and call for a hard-line approach towards Russia. A typical example of this was Thursdays lead article in the Suddeutsche Zeitung headlined Back to Deterrence by Daniel Brossler. Together with his colleague Stefan Kornelius, he is an editor of the paper which since the outset of the Ukraine crisis has been agitating aggressively against Russia and spreading militarist poison. Brosslers comment culminates with the statement that NATO must reckon with an opponent in the east which is building on the erosion of the West. The military alliance had to prepare to be tested in the future. Whether it passes will depend not least on how it prepares now. In other words, NATO must massively arm itself in Eastern Europe and prepare for a potential war with Russia, which it can also win! Brossler writes, The NATO which in the more than two decades since the end of the Cold War searched for its purpose beyond the alliances territory is history. Its most important job is now to be found once again on its own borders. One result of the Warsaw summit is already clear: that NATO soldiers, even in modest numbers, will strengthen the armed forces of Poland and the three Baltic states. The major NATO military build-up in Eastern Europe, including significant German involvement, obviously does not go far enough for Brossler. The three Baltic states had been reassured again and again: which arises out of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty: assistance in the case of a Russian attack. However, they still confront the military reality. The Baltic states, easily separated from the rest of NATO territory, could hardly be defended in a serious situation. Brossler endorsed the rotating deployment of a few hundred soldiers to each Baltic state and Poland planned by NATO, but spoke out against the Polish proposal to cast aside the NATO-Russia Pact. This would be irresponsible. The alliance must instead agree on a double strategy of a dose of deterrence and targeted communication. As the S u ddeutsche Zeitung s NATO and EU correspondent, Brossler is familiar with the debates being conducted by Western politicians and military personnel behind the backs of the population. Last Tuesday he cited in his article Desire for deterrence a current strategy paper titled Closing NATOs Baltic gap. It concludes: The Alliance is returning to the dual-track approach of deterrence and dialogue. Jointly authored by former commander of the US Armed Forces in Europe and Supreme Commander of NATO Wesley Clark, former Supreme Commander of NATOs Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum, Egon Ramms and other high-ranking military personnel, the strategy paper reads like a blueprint for war against Russia. The Alliance must act with a sense of urgency when it comes to reinforcing its deterrence posture in the Baltic states, where NATO is most vulnerable, Brossler cited the paper as saying, before going on to state, It describes Russias military predominance in the region in general as a particular problem, as well as the Suwalki gap (the narrow land border between Poland and Lithuania near the Polish Suwalki border post) in particular. The spearhead (VJDF) created after the annexation of Crimea is neither quick nor large enough to be of potential assistance to cut off Baltic states. A credible presence in the area is necessary. Brossler remains silent about the fact that, within the framework of effective deterrence, Clark and Ramms appeal not only for the build-up of conventional armed forces in Eastern Europe, but also for strengthening its nuclear deterrence and offensive cyber capabilities. In a previous article, the World Socialist Web Site compared the paper to the detailed plans drafted by the generals of the imperialist powers prior to World War I. Clark and Ramms bluntly write, NATO must signal to Russia that, in case of aggression against any NATO ally, there is no such thing as a limited conflict for the Alliance, and that it will contest Russia in all domains and without geographical limitations. Brossler is well aware that these preparations for a new total war against Russia are meeting with broad-based opposition. He referred to the mistrust of citizens in the member states, who ask if this [NATOs build-up in the east] does not increase the risk of war. The question was justified, but should always be linked to the question of Russias intentions. Ultimately, a threat does not disappear by ignoring it. Brossler attempts to justify NATOs war preparations. He writes, A few facts: Russia marched into a neighbouring country in 2014 and annexed part of that states territory. President Vladimir Putin has declared himself the protector of Russians outside of the Russian states borders. Despite economic difficulties, Russia is investing large sums in new weapons and the modernisation of the army. Russian jets risk clashes in daredevil manoeuvres with NATO planes and ships. He then cynically adds, None of this means that Russia will one day inevitably violate the border of a NATO state. If one considers the facts as a whole, it rules out the blind assurance that Russia would not do so under any circumstances. Brossler speaks of truths and facts. Let us briefly examine these. Putin is a reactionary, nationalist representative of the Russian oligarchy. But in the Ukraine conflict, it is the Western powers who are the aggressors. Before Russia annexed Crimea, Berlin and Washington, in close alliance with fascist forces, organised a coup against Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovitch, after he had refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union. They are now supporting the corrupt regime of billionaire oligarch Petro Poroshenko, which is waging a bloody civil war in the countrys east, collaborating closely with NATO and politically and militarily confronting Russia. Since the NATO summit in Wales, the alliance has massively built up its forces in Eastern Europe and is thereby provoking an outright clash with the Russian military, which could quickly expand into a nuclear war among the great powers. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union 25 years ago, NATO has been systematically encircling Russia, with the US pursuing the goal of politically and militarily subordinating the country to its interests. With its support for the coup in Ukraine, German foreign policy also turned towards confrontation with Russia. Exactly 75 years after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, broad sections of the German ruling class are gripped by an aggressive, anti-Russian war fever. In a recent comment, the political editor of Die Welt, Richard Herzinger, demanded measures to counter Russian bayonets and aggressors in the stolen territory by Moscow. In its own interest, it was high time for Europe to support Ukraine much more decisively in its defensive struggle against the Russian invaders. Coming from the pen of a German journalist, such demands recall grim memories of the past. When in the summer of 1941 the German Wehrmacht marched into the Soviet Ukraine, the broadcaster Donau, Breslau and Krakow broadcast a daily appeal to the Soviet population at 11:15 a.m. In it, it was stated, Ukrainian people! The great hour has come. The time you have longed for is here! The unbeatable German army has under the orders of its commander Adolf Hitler marched into your territory to help you break the chains of the Jewish-Bolshevik oppressors. Like most of the prominent warmongers in politics and the media, Herzinger and Brossler are not Nazis. But minus anti-Semitism, their propaganda stands precisely in that tradition. The Nazis also attempted to sell their long-planned war of extermination in the east, which claimed the lives of at least 27 million Soviet citizens, as a defensive war and a war of liberation. Oklahomas Republican Governor Mary Fallin on Friday vetoed a bill that would make performing an abortion in the state a felony. It would have also revoked the medical licenses of physicians who assist in such a procedure, except in certain cases when the life of the mother is threatened. The bill passed the Oklahoma House last month in a 59-9 vote; on Thursday, the state Senate passed it with a vote of 33-32. Fallin made clear that she is the most pro-life governor in the nation, but that the legislation would have never withstood a criminal constitutional challenge, since the Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in Rowe v. Wade . The governors statement also stated: The bill is so ambiguous and so vague that doctors cannot be certain what medical circumstances would be considered necessary to preserve the life of the mother. Cited as a possible running mate for presidential candidate Donald Trump, Fallin, a Tea Party Republican, has boasted of never vetoing antiabortion legislation. She reminded Oklahoma lawmakers that she has signed no less than 18 bills supporting pro-life and pro-family values. She said that the most direct path to a reexamination by the nations high court is the appointment of a conservative pro-life justice to the United States Supreme Court. If passed SB1552 would have been the most sweeping anti-abortion bill in any US state since the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which ruled that the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution extended to a womans decision to have an abortion. Under the bill, any person who performed or induced an abortion would be guilty of a felony, punishable with between one and three years in the state penitentiary. The legislation called for any physician assisting in an abortiondeemed unprofessional conduct in the billwould be prohibited from obtaining or renewing a license to practice medicine in this state. While medical licenses would not be stripped in cases where state deems an abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother, physicians performing such procedures would still be subject to the felony charge under the bill. As the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights wrote in a letter to Fallin, saving the life of the mother is open to strict interpretation under SB1552. While the unprofessional conduct and license revocation provisions in the bill contain narrow exceptions for abortions necessary to preserve the life of the woman, the group wrote, the bill would still make it a felony to perform any abortion. Therefore, the bill criminalizes the performance of any abortion with no exceptions for the womans life or health, save for abortions performed to remove an ectopic pregnancy. SB1552 was authored by Oklahoma State Senator Nathan Dahm, but was initiated by a local pastor with the support and guidance of Liberty Counsel. Liberty Counsel is a tax-exempt legal organization specializing in evangelical Christian litigation. Liberty Counsel advocates for the state of Israel and supports barring people from the military on the basis of homosexual activity. The organization also opposes same-sex marriage, civil unions, and adoption by gay people. Last year it defended Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to sign same-sex marriage licenses. The New York Times quoted Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, on Fallins veto: This is despicable betrayal of her word and of innocent children whose lives will be cut short because of her cowardly act. The clear aim of the Oklahoma legislation is to make abortions illegal, driving abortion providers out of the state and leaving women hostage to dangerous illegal abortions or forcing them to find a provider out of state. Dahm had openly stated that he hopes the measure could lead to the eventual overturning of Roe v. Wade, affecting reproductive rights nationwide. Dahm told the Guardian Friday that Fallins veto was petty and he was considering whether to seek an override of the governors veto, which would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Oklahoma legislature. Oklahoma currently has only two abortion clinics, one in Norman and the other in Tulsa, leaving many women in the state hundreds of miles from a provider. According to the Los Angeles Times, a new abortion clinic is scheduled to open in Oklahoma City next month. Julie Burkhart, founder of the Wichita, Kansas-based Trust Women Foundation, raised about $800,000 to start the new clinic. She told the Times that Oklahoma City was the largest metropolitan area in the US without an abortion clinic. The Status of Women in the States 2015 Report Card ranked Oklahoma at 38th out of the nations 50 states. It received a grade of D+ for women in Employment & Earnings, D- in Poverty & Opportunity, D+ in Reproductive Rights, and D- in Health and Well-Being. The intention of those pushing for SB1552 is not to improve these statistics. The Oklahoma bill is the latest in a wave of antiabortion restrictions considered in the US so far this year. Earlier this week in South Carolina a measure was put in place banning women from obtaining abortions at 20 weeks or later, even if their pregnancies are the result of rape or incest. Sixteen other states have passed similar legislation. A ruling from the Supreme Court is expected next month in a case on whether Texas abortion restrictions impose an undue burden on women. The bill requires doctors performing abortions to have hospital admitting privileges at local hospitals and that all abortions take place in ambulatory surgical centers, even those induced by medication. The result has been that half of the states abortion clinics have closed, forcing women to travel long distances and wait unreasonable lengths of time to get an abortion appointment. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders stopped in San Diego, California, for a two-day campaign swing, including a rally Saturday night in National City, near the US-Mexico border, where the Vermont senator addressed a crowd of some 10,000 at Kimball Park. Thousands arrived hours before the event. California is the most populous and important of the six states where primaries or caucuses will be held June 7, along with New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico and North and South Dakota. The state accounts for 475 pledged delegates, in a race where former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads among pledged delegates by about 280. Clinton also benefits from the role of more than 700 unelected superdelegates, the vast majority of whom have pledged to support her at the Philadelphia convention in July. By most media tallies, counting superdelegates, Clinton is less than 100 votes short of the 2,383 required for nomination, a figure she is expected to reach easily on June 7. Coming off a win in Oregon and a narrow loss in Kentucky, Sanders trails Clinton in opinion polls in California, by margins ranging from 8 to 19 percentage points. He needs to win the state by 30 points to win sufficient delegates to forestall Clintons clinching the nomination. At the San Diego rally, comedian George Lopez and actress Shailene Woodley endorsed Sanders and sought to lend their popular appeal to his campaign. Sanders repeated in his speech his attacks on wealth inequality, calls for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and denunciations of corporations profiting while millions live in poverty. These remarks clearly resounded with his audience. At the same time, at a rally on the US-Mexico border, he continued to promote the nationalist politics used by trade unions to divide the working class and bolster American imperialism, declaring, We need to eliminate the trade policy that allows corporations to move. If you want us to buy your products make them here, not in China. WSWS reporters heard one audience member say to another, That would take jobs away from those in Mexico. Sanders made a special mention of Flint and Detroit, Michigan, How do we have trillions for a war in Iraq but no money for inner cities? We are not going to invest in Afghanistan; we are going to invest in America. Sanders did not tell his audience that he voted for the National Defense Authorization Act that funded the war in Iraq. World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to many rally attendees about the political issues surrounding the US presidential election and the growing danger of war. Ira and Elizabeth Garcia came to the rally to hear Bernie Sanders speak in person. He is giving people opportunities, said Ira, Not like [Donald] Trump who is using racist language against Mexicans, Muslims, and other minorities. They also expressed skepticism of Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, whom they consider untrustworthy. She is a liar, Ira explained, bringing up her shifting positions on issues and her character. When asked about Sanders support for continuing military operations in the Middle East, Ira agreed that was his policy but wished it were not so. We should not be there, he said, referring to the US military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, All the presidential candidates are dedicated to war, but I wish that were not so. Ray is a young worker who came to the event because a friend invited him. He supports Sanders because he believes he is the most authentic candidate. Bernie has been consistent in his support for issues like gay marriage while Hillary has not, he said, adding that he was also suspicious of Hillary for the FBI investigations into her. As for many of those in attendance, social inequality and the deteriorating conditions of the working class are a top priority. I go to school full time and work two jobs, Ray said. I only get a few hours of sleep each night. He said he was looking for a politician who will support his needs and not those of the rich. Jasmine told the WSWS she does not believe that the United States is a functioning democracy anymore. It seems like it is [a democracy], but it isnt. The rich have too much power in government. She also expressed disgust for the continued bombing of other countries around the world. Americans do not vote for war, Jasmine explained. It is the people at the top who support war. Emily, a volunteer for the event, also agreed to an interview for the WSWS. This was her second time watching Sanders speak in San Diego. She said she supports Sanders democratic socialist ideals. I think we need a socialist in the office right now, she exclaimed. She agreed when WSWS reporters explained that socialism means an economic system run by and for the working class. Nathan, another Sanders supporter, told our reporters, One of the issues that attracts me to Sanders is his advocacy for better education and removing the student debt crisis and bringing us up to standard with the rest of the world and also his policies on universal health care are really big as well. When WSWS reporters brought up Sanders support for Obamas wars, Nathan replied, You know thats actually a really great point and that the question war seems to be something that we very easily forget about. Thats the reason I wouldnt vote for Clinton, but the question of war is not something that immediately comes to mind when I think of Sanders for some reason. Nathan disagreed with our criticism of Sanders position on war but did concede that For the leftest of the candidates to not even be talking about it is kind of insane and I dont think continual warfare makes any sense. We dont need to continue to run a deficit just to basically run another country out of business. The WSWS also spoke to another young woman, Emily, who said she became a Sanders supporter because he is the only one talking about inequality; he is the only one who seems to be interested in working people. On Obamas political record she said, Obama was a total disappointment to me and to the rest of the Latino community. He promised immigration reform but basically ended up doing the exact opposite; he has made things so much worse and broken up so many families. We are ready for someone who is not controlled by corporations or other pressures and I think Sanders is that. She added, I wont vote for Clinton if Bernie doesnt get the nomination. I just cant. It is impossible to tell her opinion. She has been on every side of every issue. She is clearly not on our side. When the question of war was brought up Emily responded, No one wants to go to war, including the people we are at war with. I mean the real people, not the governments. The WSWS also asked Emily what she thought of socialism, to which she said, Yes, I consider myself a socialist. Absolutely. Bring it on. It [socialism] means using our money for good things and not on blowing up other people in countries halfway around the world. It means government for regular people, not billionaires. Hundreds of gas stations in France were hit by fuel shortages over the weekend as truckers and oil workers blocked fuel depots and shut down refineries to protest the Socialist Party's (PS) unpopular and regressive labour law. Oil workers at Total voted on Friday to shut down three refineries including Donges near Nantes, Feyzin near Lyon, and Gonfreville-Orcher in Normandy. Workers began to shut down oil production at Gonfreville-Orcher and Feyzin. Workers also blocked deliveries from Total's Grandpuits refinery to the Paris region, as well as oil depots in northern and western France, causing petrol shortages that could spread throughout the country if the strike continues. French oil industry group UFIP (Union Francaise des Industries Petrolieres) reported that 317 of Total's 2,200 petrol stations in France had run out of all or some fuels on Saturday. The north and west of France are the hardest hit: 54 percent of petrol stations in Brittany, 46 percent in Normandy, 43 percent in Pays de la Loire and 34 percent in Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy face shortages. Several departments in the north and the west have begun partially rationing fuel supplies, banning fuel sales in transportable containers. La Voix du Nord reported that stations supplying Lille were poised to run out of petrol over the weekend. The PS government reacted to the strike with blustering threats and desperate attempts to crush the strike before it spreads to broader layers of workers. Visiting Israel yesterday, Prime Minister Manuel Valls insisted the labour law would be maintained and claimed there were no oil shortages in France, while bluntly warning that the PS would take all necessary measures to end the oil strikes, including deploying police to smash strikes. We are fully in control of the situation, Valls blustered. I think some refineries or fuel depots that were blockaded have been cleared or will be in the coming hours or days. Everyone can see the French government's determination to prevent shortages. Anyway, we have reserves to deal with shortages. In fact, despite Valls' boasting, the PS is in a desperate crisis. The widespread opposition to the labour law has escalated after President Francois Hollandes government rammed the law through the National Assembly without a vote. The lawwhich allows unions and bosses to sign contracts violating the Labour Code, lengthens the work week, cuts pay, facilitates mass sackings and eliminates job security for new hiresis widely seen as an illegitimate attack on workers' social rights won through decades of struggle. Faced with overwhelming popular opposition, the PS is relying on the treachery of the union bureaucracy, the Left Front and the New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA). These long-time allies of the PS, who called for a PS vote in 2012, are desperate to block a political struggle of the working class against the PS government. Under far more explosive conditions, they are reprising their role in the 2010 oil strike against pension cuts: isolating strikers, allowing the police to smash blockades and try to restart production and prevent a fuel shortage from forcing the government to retreat. Yesterday morning, the PS government ordered CRS riot police to smash blockades at two oil depots, the Rubis terminal and at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer in Dunkirk, blocked by members of the Stalinist General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union. Police also intervened to disperse blockades of oil depots in Brittany, including at Vern-sur-Seiche near Rennes, and in Lorient. When CRS intervened to disperse blockades in Dunkirk, the CGT did not seek to mobilise broader sections of workers to defend the strikers, but lifted the blockades without challenge. Christelle Veignie, secretary of the local union, stated: Everything happened peacefully, the CRS asked us to leave nicely. We didn't resist. While the main weapon the oil workers have is their ability to shut down oil production and cause fuel shortages when they go on strike, CGT-Oil federation leader Emmanuel Lepine stressed, Our goal is not to create fuel shortages. The struggle against the PS' agenda of austerity and war must be organised independently of the unions and their political allies, through a ruthless political break with them. As long as workers' struggles remains under their control, these organisations will seek to divide, sabotage and sell out the successive struggles of the working class as they erupt. Now, the trade unions have signaled their readiness to isolate and wind down strike action. On Friday, the FO (Force Ouvriere) union called truck drivers to suspend road blockades after the PS claimed it would maintain their overtime pay despite the provisions of new labor law. Both the FO and CGT hailed the government decision. In a common communique, they wrote, The government is making concessions on overtime. This is very good news for a profession that is suffering. In fact, the workers will win nothing except through a conscious struggle to mobilise the working class in a political struggle against austerity across Europe on a socialist and internationalist platform. Austerity cannot be fought by a struggle conducted under the national straitjacket imposed by the unions and pseudo-left parties like the Left Front and the NPA. Despite their toothless criticisms of the PS, these forces do not oppose austerity. Their ally in Greece, Syriza, is in power, imposing austerity measures even more draconian than its right-wing conservative and social democratic predecessors, while attacking protesting workers and tear gassing immigrants. While these forces seek to divide the workers along national lines, the draconian austerity policies being imposed in one country after another are planned and imposed jointly by governments across Europe. The French labour law, modelled on the Hartz IV law in Germany, aims to boost French competitiveness by imposing the type of deep attacks on the workers imposed in Germany a decade ago. When workers and youth began protesting the French labour law in March, social democratic politicians from across Europe met in Paris to support Hollande. These included German Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader Sigmar Gabriel, Italian Prime Minister and Democratic Party (PD) Chairman Matteo Renzi and EU Commission Vice President Federica Mogherini. To the extent that these forces and their pseudo-left allies are allowed to pass themselves off as left, this only strengthens the hand of far-right populist forces like the National Front (FN) of Marine Le Pen, running on a nationalist, anti-immigrant and anti-EU platform. The PS government itself tacitly supported a protest against anti-cop hatred organised by the Alliance police union with FN support last week, which was attended by Eric Cocquerel of the Left Front. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)- A summer program from low-income students in Leon and Gadsden Counties is asking for your help to provide the program for free to 100 students this summer. They now have support for all but 20 students. They still need $10,000 to accommodate the rest of the campers for the six-week program. The programs will take place at FAMU DRS and Shanks Middle School. Students will get free meals, a personal library, and literacy instruction along with lessons in math, writing, art, music and more. College students and recent graduates will help run the program day-to-day. One FSU doctoral student says the program is a win-win for both the kids and the college students donating their time. "Doing these kinds of things like reading and being actively involved in these kinds of processes is really huge for them, and it also gives me as a researcher a chance to actually be hands on with the kids and to see what kinds of treatments are helpful to them in the actual classroom," said Michael Mesa. Organizers say they need to raise the money for the remaining students by June 13. You can donate by clicking this link. Iron Horse Brewery workers try out a new canning system in July 2015 at the company's production facilities in Ellensburg. (MASON TRINCA/Yakima Herald-Republic file) YAKIMA, Wash. -- Prosecutors are recommending a former Wapato police officer be sentenced to six months on electronic home monitoring after he You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has evaluated numerous aspects of Vietnams economy, including GDP growth, labor force, current account balance, budget, imports, exports and exchange rates. Vietnam is trying to reform its economy by restructuring public investment and facing challenges from an undercapitalized banking sector and nonperforming loans, according to the official website of the civilian foreign intelligence service of the U.S. government. The agency calculated that the agriculture sector's share of economic output shrunk from about 25 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2014, while industry's share increased from 36 percent to 38 percent in the same period. State-owned enterprises now account for about 40 percent of GDP. The CIA said that Vietnam's agriculture sector is losing its share of economic output. Photo by CNBC During 2015, the Vietnamese dong depreciated by about 5 percent. Poverty has declined significantly, and Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is growing by more than one million people every year. Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization in January 2007, and has since become more competitive with export-driven industries. Vietnam is also one of the 12 nations that concluded the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. The CIA said that: Vietnam is a densely populated developing country that has been transitioning from the rigidities of a centrally-planned economy since 1986. The Southeast Asian country has reaffirmed its commitment to economic modernization and a more open economy. The intelligence agency said that although Vietnam is working to reform its economy by restructuring public investment, state-owned enterprises and the banking sector, the developing country is still encountering challenges from non-performing loans and a high budget deficit. Details of Vietnams economic indices and comparisons with other countries can be found on the official website of the CIA. A treasure trove of the Association of Jewish Butchers' writings, recently obtained by the National Library of Israel, has revealed juicy details about the battles that took place over New York's kosher meat market at the beginning of the 20th century. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Newspapers published by the association in the 1930s and 1940s are full of scandals that eventually led to a kosher meat strike that caused riots throughout New York and brought about the creation of the American kosher meat certification system based on "public trust." Judaica Curator at the National Library of Israel Dr. Yoel Finkelman, who was the one to come across the treasure trove, recounts that "instances of corruption and the involvement of organized crime were a daily part of life at that time in the United States, and the butcher shops were not spared." Kosher butcher store in New York (Photo: Library of Congress) Finkelman said there was a Jewish criminal empire that ruled New York at the time, led by Meyer Lansky, Arnold Rothstein and Dutch Schultz. Butchers cut corners, meat becomes treif Trade papers may not have reported on any bodies hidden in kosher butcher shops, but butchers' bloody involvement with the mafia did receive media attention. In 1911, Edward Bass, an activist fighting against corruption among butchers, was killed after testifying against extortionists. The problems faced by the consumers, meanwhile, were of a different sort and were not at all trivial. Finkelman reveals that "the prevailing assumption is that in the 1920s, 40 percent of the meat sold in kosher butcher shops was not kosher at all. At that time it was hard to tell if the meat had in fact undergone kosher slaughter. A drumstick is a drumstick, and since the demand for kosher meat was high in the New York and New Jersey area, the meat was expensive and the supervision was lenient. These increased butchers' motivation to cut corners." (Photo: New York Public Library) The papers from which Dr. Finkelman drew most of his information were published mostly by the professional association of kosher butchers, whose members were mostly Jewish (but not only), to which thousands of kosher butcher shops in New York and New Jersey were subscribed. A browse of the papers reveals not only new laws and regulations that were enacted at the time, but also the ongoing documentation of shops caught selling treif (non-kosher) meat, or contravening regulations concerning hygiene and sanitation. "They were everywhere: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Long Island and New Jersey," details Finkelman. "We're talking about a real market. This region was home to 2.5 million Jews, most of them traditional who were only eating kosher meat." The great steak strike In October 1937, a "butcher rebellion" was organized in the greater New York area in protest against the high cost of obtaining kosher certificates. "They claimed that kosher meat was getting more expensive because of the need to pay for the certificates; that the slaughterhouses were exploiting the fact that the Jewish population was a 'captive audience,' and so raised prices; and that the quality of the meat brought to kosher butcher shops was low, despite its high cost," Finkelman recounts. Kosher meat was not sold in the New York region for a whole week. A major New York radio station, WNYC, was obliged to broadcast vegetarian recipes in Yiddish for all New Yorkers, as there was no way to get kosher meat because of the strike.The Jewish population of New York was so big that the mayor, Fiorello La Guardia, was forced to intervene himself." But attempts to import kosher meat to New York were unsuccessful, and the strike led to riots throughout the city, in which dozens of people were injured. In the end, the mayor's decision to intervene to assure that the meat sold was in fact kosher, as well as consumers' threats to buy non-kosher meat, led to the end of the strike. "You can see in a lot of reports that what bothered people was not just the cost, but also the authenticity of the kosher label," Finkelstein stated. "This whole issue raises questions that are still relevant today. Who can determine what is kosher meat? Can a non-Jewish judge rule on whether or not products are kosher?" At the end of the 19th century, New York's first and only rabbi, Jacob Joseph, tried to lead a sole kashrut organization, but his attempt failed. "It is a sad and painful story. The rabbi found out that the system was stronger than him. But in the end, the only advantage of government supervision is the question of trust, and it's actually that upon which the American kosher system as we know it today is based." Instead of a government-controlled entity that exists in Israel, American Jews preferred the liberal alternative. "What saved the US kosher market was precisely the lack of regulation," said Finkelman. "This situation allowed for the growth of organizations on a volunteer basis such as OU (the Orthodox Union), who can apparently do whatever they want - but they succeeded because they won the public's trust even without the external intervention and supervision of the state. The fact that the market was open to competition between different bodies caused these interests to be much stronger, and maintain the credibility of the brand in the eyes of the public. All this was done in a completely free manner." Finkelman believes that the Israeli public should learn from the American kosher meat market. "One has to remember that the New York kosher certification system developed around meat as fruits and vegetables do not need kosher certification, and milk, even milked by a non-Jew, was given the OK. "I believe that it is worth looking at how the American kosher certification system developed - from corruption and serious problems to one of the world's most reliabile systems - in light of attempts in Israel today to establish similar kosher certification bodies on a voluntary basis." Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launching of an offensive to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Falluja after the military told residents on Sunday to get ready to leave before fighting started. "Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi said on his official Twitter feed, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group. He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A US-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighbouring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support. Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the jihadists, in January 2014, six months before the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria. Opposition leader of the Labor party, Isaac Herzog wrote on his twitter account on Monday morning his response to Prime Minister Netanyahu's suggestions that his Zionist Union camp join the coalition government: Netanyahu, in response to your moves during the last few days to renew negotiations regarding our joining the government, I want to clarify publicly what I have said to you: The door is closed. This chapter has ended. You are a prisoner of extremists and we will struggle against this and against them. After a tumultuous week of politics, the Knesset's summer session will open on Monday with the coalition seeking to pass a series of controversial bills. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The final days of the parliament's hiatus were dedicated to efforts to expand the government. Assuming no last minute changes occur, the Yisrael Beytenu party is expected to join the coalition, increasing the number of voting hands at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's disposal from 61 to 66. This means the prime minister will no longer be dependent on a one-vote majority, stopping any errant MKs in the coalition from paralyzing its legislative activity. The Knesset plenum (Photo: Gil Yohanan) The Knesset's winter session was longer than usual due to the Hebrew leap year. As a result, the legislators had plenty of time to push controversial bills that, after beginning the legislative process during the winter session and causing a public outcry, will continue the process now and once again be on the public agenda. These bills, proposed by the right wing, are expected to receive more support after the coalition expands to include 66 members. The suspension bill, which was proposed after MKs from the Balad faction met with terrorists' families, seeks to allow the Knesset to suspend one of its members. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced at the time that the bill will be passed in a quick process, but it has since only passed one of the three votes it needs to be made into law. The bill is now expected to go up to a vote a second and third time during the summer session. Another controversial legislation expected to come up during the summer session is Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked's (Bayit Yehudi) NGO transparency bill, which requires NGOs that get the lion's share of their budget from foreign nations to publicly announce this in every publication. The bill passed a first vote and will now continue its legislative process. A similar proposal is the "V-15 bill" raised by MK Yoav Kish (Likud), which seeks to prevent non-parliamentary NGOs from aiding candidates running for Knesset, just as the V-15 NGO aided Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog in the last elections, even though it never specifically named him or specifically called to elect him. The bill received the approval of the ministerial legislative committee during the last session and is now expected to come up for a preliminary vote. A bill proposal on religion and state that raised ire during the previous session is the Shabbat bill, proposed by MK Miki Zohar of the Likud party, which seeks to bar commerce altogether on Saturdayseven at cafes, restaurants, movie theaters and other businesses that have been operating on Shabbat under the status quo. The bill was approved by the ministerial committee for legislation, but has yet to be raised for a preliminary vote at the Knesset. United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni's mikveh bill, which seeks to prevent Reform and Conservative Jews from using public mivkehs (Jewish ritual baths) in their conversion process, is also still at the ministerial committee level. The Knesset's ultra-Orthodox parties are also expected to oppose the government decision to open a mixed prayer area at the Western Wall for the liberal sects of Judaism. Another possibly controversial bill seeks to change existing legislation that detracts state funding from ultra-Orthodox educational institutes that don't teach core curriculum subjects like math and English. When the government was formed, the Haredi parties demanded to amend the legislation as part of their coalition agreements and now, despite his objection, Education Minister Naftali Bennett will have to push the amendment. Musical chairs in the Knesset The Knesset will see several changes in its makeup in the coming summer session. Former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon has resigned from the Knesset and will not be back for the summer session, while Yisrael Beytenu MK Orly Levy-Abekasis quit the faction, making her the Knesset's only independent MK. Concerns that Likud MK Benny Begin will also seek to quit either the faction or the Knesset altogetherafter he criticized the coalition deal taking shape with Liebermanhave been ameliorated as officials say Netanyahu is expected to appoint Begin a minister and thus acquiesce him. Meanwhile, negotiating teams from the Likud and Yisrael Beytenu parties are working to finalize the details of the coalition agreement between them. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon will meet with slated defense minister Avigdor Lieberman and Tourism Minister Yariv Levin at 10am to try and iron out the details of the pension reform for new immigrants, one of Yisrael Beytenu's conditions to joining the government, and the necessary budget for it. Negotiating teams are also working to formulate a draft for Yisrael Beytenu's flagship death sentence to terrorists bill. This bill could face obstacles from within the coalition after Kahlon's Kulanu party said Sunday it would object to it. But Kahlon's objection to the legislation will likely not affect coalition negotiations, as Lieberman's demand is expected to only focus on making a minor amendment to the military law, which already has the authority to sentence terrorists to death. Officials involved in the talks say the sides are expected to resolve the remaining issues and then sign the agreement on Monday. If all goes according to plan, Lieberman will be sworn in as the defense minister while close ally Sofa Landver will be sworn in as the immigration absorption minister on Tuesday. During the hiatus, the Knesset building underwent massive renovations, which included the upgrade of several elements in the plenum hall, with administrative employees working into the night on Sunday to test the upgraded electronic voting system. Opposition leader Isaac Herzog came under scathing criticism from his own Zionist Union party on Sunday in the wake of his failed attempt to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter During a stormy faction meeting Herzog sought to explain his actions when he found himself under attack by his own supporters. Five MKs from the Labor partyStav Shaffir, Shelly Yachimovich, Erel Margalit, Mickey Rosenthal and Yossi Yonadecided to boycott the meeting, signalling their opposition his actions. Justifying the boycott, Rosenthal said that I lost faith in the chairman of my party and his abilities to lead the opposition against Netanyahu. Prime Minister Netanyhu and Isaac Herzog. Photo: AFP The onslaught against Herzog did not end there. Herzogs attempts to justify the negotiations, while simultaneously denouncing the opposition factions within the Labor ranks as an anarchistic group that wants to kill the party, were met with disapproval. Indeed, Herzog's detractors, among whom were many who he can normally rely on for support, accused him of going behind their backs and not consulting with them during the secret negotiations with the prime minister. I have strong criticism of the way you handled the process, his chief political partner Tzipi Livni (leader of the Hatnua faction within the Zionist Unioned.) told him. I expected a lot more from you in terms of the cooperation between us, she added. MK Amir Peretz claimed that he had earlier warned Herzog against trusting Netanyahu and slammed the Labor chairman's attacks against MK Shelly Yachimovich . Just as I am not prepared to hear them call you a dog, I am also not prepared to see you become part of the incitement against the left. I want to be clear: I am a man of the left, he declared. MK Itzik Shmuli, who is usually considered a calm moderate, strongly reproached Herzog for treating his party members as pawns. When I hear you, I feel like we are in a game of chess, he said. There is a king - Herzog. There is a queen - Livni. There is a rook - Eitan Cabel. We are all soldiers who are good enough to take a bullet for the party but not good enough to be part of your negotiations with Netanyahu. Even MK Merav Michaeli, one of Herzogs closest political associates, voiced her discomfort with her leaders handling of the matter. You put me and the entire faction in an impossible situation. We gave our support and we didnt know why or for what we were giving it, she said. Joining the fray was Zionist Union MK Ksenia Svetlova who told Herzog that you made a fool of us. In light of the political upheaval, Zionist Union officials called on Herzog on Sunday to publicly declare that he will not participate in any further negotiations with the prime minister and will not join the coalition. The deal is over, said Cabel, who played a part in the secret coalition discussions. There is no chance that we will enter the government. The curtain has fallen and the deadline has passed. In a similar vein, Shmuli added that The door needs to be slammed on Netanyahus face so that it will be clear. Herzog appears to have met the demand as he addressed the subject directly on his Twitter account on Monday morning, writing Netanyahu, in response to your moves during the last few days to renew negotiations on joining the government, I want to clarify publicly what I have said to you: The door is closed. This chapter has ended. You are a prisoner of extremists and we will fight against this and against them. Despite the political debacle, Netanyahu has expressed that he remains open to bringing Herzog into the government. Indeed, on Sunday he stated once again before his Likud ministers his intentions to leave a number of remaining portfolios open which included that of the foreign minister. I am leaving the portfolio as an option to further expand the government and also to incorporate the Labor party. Israel has lifted a 45-day ban imposed on private imports of cement to the Gaza Strip, with trucks arriving at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Monday morning to resume the supply to the Palestinian enclave. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "In accordance with the security assessment and the understandings reached with the international community, as of today, Sunday May 22, the re-entry of cement into Gaza has been approved," said a statement from the government body responsible for implementing policies in the Palestinian territories, COGAT. Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, welcomed the resumption of the shipments, saying in a statement that "all sides need to ensure that cement deliveries reach their intended beneficiaries and are used solely for civilian purposes." Cement coming into the Gaza Strip for the first time in over a month. The ban was imposed in early April, with Israel accusing Imad al-Baz, deputy director of the Hamas economy ministry, of diverting supplies to Hamas's military branch, likely to be used for its smuggling and attack tunnels. Supply of cement to international reconstruction projects, however, continued uninterrupted, as it operates on a different mechanism to that of the private sector. "The exploitation by Hamas is a severe violation of the construction mechanism and the agreement between COGAT, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations," said Sunday's English-language statement, in response to an AFP query. Al-Baz has denied the allegation, saying that the imports were conducted in line with a UN-brokered Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism, aimed at allowing for reconstruction following the devastating destruction of the 2014 Operation Protective Edge. The renewal came following talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials and Mladenov. The two sides agreed to increase the number of international inspectors on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom and to dismiss al-Baz, according to COGAT. The first of some 90 truckloads of cement entered the Gaza Strip through an Israeli-controlled border crossing on Monday and Palestinian officials said they expected some 4,000 tons of the material would be brought in by the end of the day. "But this can be reversed if we see another (Hamas) violation," an Israeli official told Reuters. Over 1.2 million tons of construction materials have entered Gaza since the mechanism was set up in 2014. According to an Israeli official, 80 truckloads of cement enter Gaza weekly, each one carrying 40 tons. The United Nations said 140,000 houses were partially or completely damaged during Operation Protective Edge. Some 2,100 were killed on the Palestinian side, while on the Israeli side 67 soldiers and six civilians were also killed. Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, said 1,000 houses were currently under reconstruction and 70,000 other homes with minor damage have been repaired. Another 1,000 houses were completely rebuilt by Qatar. UN officials and international visitors to the region in past weeks have urged Israel to speed up the entry of construction material into Gaza to speed up the rebuilding process. Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza since 2006. Palestinian militants in Gaza and the Jewish state have fought three wars since 2008. In recent months, Israel has uncovered two border-crossing tunnels built after the 2014 that could be used to attack Israel. Hamas officials say any such tunnels would be defensive in nature. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday reiterated Israel's objection to a multilateral French peace initiative, calling on Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to meet with him and hold direct talks instead. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "I will sit alone directly with President Abbas in the Elysee Palace, or anywhere else that you choose. Every difficult issue will be on the table: mutual recognition, incitement, borders, refugees and yes, settlements everything," Netanyahu told a joint press conference with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who is visiting Israel. The French initiative, which calls for an international peace conference, "will not encourage peace between Israel. Peace just does not get achieved through international conferences, UN-style. It doesn't get to fruition through international diktats or committees from countries around the world who are sitting and seeking to decide our fate and our security when they have no direct stake in it," Netanyahu said. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Israeli cunterpart Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Koby Gideon, GPO) Direct negotiations with the Palestinians are "the only way to proceed to peace," Netanyahu said. He offered "a different French initiative" of "direct negotiations without preconditions, between the Israeli prime minister, the Palestinian president in Paris." Valls said he would speak to President Francois Hollande about Netanyahu's proposal. : X "We want two states for two peoples, a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state," Netanyahu told Valls. "And I urge you not to let the Palestinian leadership shirk this difficult choice. The Palestinian leadership doesn't see the French initiative as an inducement to compromise, but rather as a way to avoid it. In fact, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Hamdallah, let slip the other day his hope for an imposed timetable, rather than a negotiated peace." Valls is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories to advance his country's plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Abbas has welcomed the French initiative to hold a meeting of foreign ministers from a range of countries on June 3, without the Israelis and Palestinians present. Another conference would then be held in the fall, with the Israelis and Palestinians in attendance. The goal is to eventually restart negotiations that would lead to a Palestinian state. Netanyahu, right, and Valls meet in Jerusalem (Photo: Koby Gideon, GPO) President Reuven Rivlin delivered a similar message to Valls in his meeting with the French leader. "We are convinced that the only way to bring an end to this tragedy of 150 years between us and our cousins the Palestinians, is through direct negotiations," Rivlin told Valls earlier Monday. "In the Middle East, there are no shortcuts. Reaching an understanding and an agreement requires direct negotiations out of mutual trust, with both sides truly wanting to live side by side in peace in this land. "The Israeli people are in no doubt of your sincere and good intentions to bringing a solution to the conflict, but we are concerned that going through international channels will make redundant our demand of the Palestinian side, and the Palestinian President, to come and talk directly with us in order to find a solution, a lasting solution for peace between us and others living in this land, the Palestinians." Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. Netanyahu has repeatedly offered to meet Abbas for direct talks, while Palestinians leaders say years of negotiations with Israel have not ended its occupation and have pursued a strategy of diplomacy at international bodies. Sgt. Elor Azaria, was charged with manslaughter after shooting dead an already-neutralized terrorist, pleaded not guilty on Monday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter His attorneys - Eyal Beserglick, Ilan Katz, Binyamin Malcha and Karmit Scheiber - submitted their defendant's plea to the Jaffa military court in which they listed a number of points rebutting the idictment charges against him. Elor Azaria (Photo: Motti Kimchi) In the response to the indictment, Azarias attorneys claimed that The defendant acted in a fraction of a second to neutralize the terrorist to prevent an attack on himself and his friends who were standing close to the terrorist. He did not see any other way to save their lives or his own. The defendant admits that the gun fire may have killed the terrorist but that it definitely neutralized him. Elor Azaria (Photo: Motti Kimchi) The plea went on to state that the defendant saw a situation in which, given the circumstances, the terrorist was wearing an explosive belt and carrying a knife as part of a combined attack and his movements indicated that he intended to detonate the belt on his body which could have had serious consequences. This, continued the statement, was said to the defendant during a briefing. He thought that a real and immediate danger was being posed to him and his friends. Elor Azaria (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Moreover, the attorneys sought to draw attention to the circumstances surrounding the terrorist's death. While Azaria acknowledged that the terrorist was moving when he shot at him, the pathological assessment's findings raised important questions. While on the one hand the terrorist's death was caused by Azaria's bullet to the head, "it became apparent that, notwithstanding the shots to the head, the terrorist was shot prior to this which caused the collapse and bleeding of the lung. He also sustained a gunshot wound to the groin. The defense team also said in their plea statement that the report did not answer the question as to whether it could be ruled out as that the shots to the lung and the groin were causes of the terrorists death. Indeed, it highlighted the significant amount of time which elapsed between when the terrorist was first shot and the incidents conclusion. During the trial the prosecutor asked about the circumstantial connection between the shooting and the death of the terrorist after the defense claimed that the shooting may have caused the death of the terrorist. In response, the defense said that it is investigating the matter using its own pathologist. Attorney Ilan Katz (Photo: Nitzan Dror) On March 24, two terrorists armed with knives stabbed a soldier, moderately wounding him, at an IDF post near the Tel Rumeida neighborhood in Hebron. The two were shot and neutralized by soldiers from the IDF's Kfir Brigade, and the wounded soldier's condition was later downgraded to light. A video filmed several minutes later by B'Tselem volunteer Emad abu-Shamsiyah shows one of the terrorists, Abed al Fatah a-Sharif, lying on the ground motionless, when Azaria, who arrived at the scene of the attack several minutes later, aims his weapon at him and shoots him in the head. An autopsy performed on a-Sharif found he was alive when he was shot, and died as a result of the shot to the head - not from the wounds he sustained before. Initial investigations showed that Azaria shot the terrorist six minutes after the attack even though soldiers from another unit had already neutralized him. Two of the unit commanders were reprimanded for their failure to treat the terrorist and their failure to remove him from the scene of the attack. According to a central command general, Azaria took it upon himself to open fire. Moreover, the indictment handed down to him was unequivocal when it stated that the terrorist was left lying on the ground and was still alive. He posed no immediate or real threat to civilian lives or the soldiers around him. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected on Monday afternoon claims made by MK Avigdor Lieberman that talks to bring his Yisrael Beytenu party into the government have reached an impasse. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "Every negotiation has its ups and downs. Do you know how many negotiations I've conducted? There are always crises and 'everything is collapsing' all the time. Nothing is collapsing," Netanyahu said at a Likud faction meeting. "I suggest not to get caught up with extreme moods and endless complaining." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Gil Yohanan) "We need to join forces to have a government that is as broad as possible so it could handle the challenges and promote the opportunities the State of Israel is facing," Netanyahu added. The prime minister went on to say that Israel was "working and seeking to promote a peace process that incorporates security. These are not mere words, this is our policy. I intend to lead this policy and to achieve this goal and others, we need a government as broad as possible." Netanyahu convened an urgent meeting earlier in the day in an effort to resolve the crisis in talks after Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon rejected Lieberman's demand to increase pension benefits for new immigrants only. "We compromised on issues of religion and state and on death sentence to terrorists, but we will not compromise on two basic issues: the defense portfolio, and the pension reform," Lieberman said at the Yisrael Beytenu faction meeting on Monday afternoon. Kahlon told his close associates that the move to bring elderly citizens receiving income support over the poverty line will go ahead regardless of these negotiations, but that he was not willing to accept extortion attempts and sectoral demands. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Gil Nechushtan) "Kahlon will not hesitate to be the final gatekeeper for equality in Israel," one of his close associates said. Kahlon, whose party also announced it would oppose Yisrael Beytenu's flagship death sentence to terrorist bill, is seeking a unified and equal increase of benefits to all elderly people who receive income support, not just to immigrants. "It's not just for Russian immigrants, as is being presented, but for everyone, and this reform seeks to help the weakest sectors of society. Unfortunately, most of these people are immigrants from the former Soviet Union," he added. "We want to right wrongs, and we're not here to have a bone thrown at us. We cannot accept what we were offered by the Finance Ministry." Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Speaking of the negotiations, Lieberman said he "regrets that things are being conducted in this manner. The prime minister and the finance minister know our demands, the cost, and our criteria. This attempt to turn the tables on us creates a bad feeling. The negotiations have reached a dead end and we're waiting on other offers." Lieberman was also asked of the harsh criticism he has repeatedly leveled at Prime Minister Netanyahu over the past year. "I admit and confess, in the heat of the political argument, unnecessary statements were made. I shouldn't have said it and I apologize for what I said - even if we don't reach understandings and remain in the opposition." Bennett sets another obstacle Education Minister Naftali Bennett demanded on Monday that the prime minister implements a plan that will address the cabinet's mishandling of Operation Protective Edge and the Second Lebanon War. Until this plan is implemented, the Bayit Yehudi leader said he will not support changes made to the government, namely bringing Yisrael Beytenu into the coalition. "In light of the conclusions reached, including that cabinet members were not briefed on quality intelligence and were not properly trained for their jobs and therefore failed to properly manage the IDF in real time, Bennett demands that the prime minister implements a plan to correct these shortcomings," the education minister's office said in a statement. Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Photo: Gil Yohanan) The plan includes the appointment of a military secretary for the members of cabinet to help prepare them to perform their duties and to brief them on a regular basis on security matters, increasing ministers' visits to the field, and increasing ministers' accessibility to information. Bennett said he views his demand "as a basic necessity to prevent disinformation and have appropriate supervision required to maintain the safety of the citizens of Israel," adding that "Israel paid a terrible price for these shortcomings during the Second Lebanon War and during Protective Edge." Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, who heads the coalition talks on behalf of the ruling Likud party, clarified that "we're not having new talks on changing the coalition agreements with any of the partners, including Bayit Yehudi. The party's demand undermines the efforts to complete the expanding of the national government, and I expect the heads of Bayit Yehudi to act responsibly, as required of them." The Vietnam Food Association predicts that Vietnams rice exports will reach 1.5 million tons in the second quarter of this year, lower than its previous target of 1.6 million tons. Data from Vietnam Customs showed that Vietnams rice exports hit 1.5 million tons in the first quarter, up 38.1 percent in volume and 38.5 percent in value due to a large number of existing contracts transferred from 2015. However in the second quarter, the export volume is likely to fall by 100,000 tons against the targeted figure, the association said. In April, the countrys rice exports fell to 450,000 tons, down 20.5 percent in volume and 7.5 percent in value compared to March. Vietnamese rice experts said that at present traders from Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan, the worlds largest suppliers, are setting high prices as the prolonged drought caused by El Nino has taken its toll on rice output. At the same time, global demand for rice remains stagnant. The association forecasts that demand will increase in the second half of 2016 after purchasing power increases in the Philippines, China and Indonesia. Unless Vietnam offers competitive prices, the country will lose its market share to India and Pakistan. From the start of 2016, Vietnam has exported over two million tons of rice to fetch more than $870 million, up 15 percent in both volume and value from the same period last year. During a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his French counterpart Manuel Valls, the two discussed the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis. Valls said that he would do all within his power to fight against attempts to boycott Israel. Addressing the renewal of negotiations, he added that the aim is to bring the international community back for the sake of peace and a two-state solution and to create the conditions for a renewal of negotiations. Netanyahu rebuffed the French peace initiative and called on Mahmoud Abbas to come to Elysee Palace to speak face to face. I am ready to clear my schedule and come to Paris tomorrow. Ok, not tomorrow, because we are expanding our government but in two days, Netanyahu said. BOGOTA- Colombian military and police forces are searching for a Spanish journalist who disappeared while reporting a story in Norte de Santander province, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Military sources and local media feared Salud Hernandez, 59, who has worked in the country for almost two decades, could be in the custody of Marxist rebels operating in the area but the Colombian government would not say whether the case was a kidnapping and called it a "possible disappearance." Hernandez, a journalist with Spain's El Mundo and local newspapers, was last seen on Saturday in the town of El Tarra in the northeastern province, along the border with Venezuela, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. ANKARA- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she told Turkey's president that Ankara must fulfill all the European Union's conditions, including revisions to anti-terror laws, to secure visa-free travel for its citizens. Speaking after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Monday, Merkel also expressed concern about a move to strip legislators of their immunity from prosecution. But she underlined her commitment to an EU-Turkey deal aimed at stemming Europe's migrant influx amid rising tensions with Ankara. As part of that agreement, the EU planned to accelerate introduction of visa-free entry for Turks. Turkey has fulfilled most of 72 conditions but its refusal to revise anti-terror laws has emerged as a stumbling block. After Operation Protective Edge ended in the summer of 2014, Kibbutz Nahal Oz, located only a few hundred yards from Gaza, was surveying the damage. 19 families had left for good. They couldn't see themselves continuing to live under the threat of Qassam rocket attacks from Hamas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter However today, less than two years after the war, 20 new families - including parents with children have come to replace those that left. In the next few days, the kibbutz will vote on whether or not to allow them to become members. They could have lived on any kibbutz in the center of the country or in the Galilee. Yet despite the threat of another war in the south this summer, they still decided to come to Nahal Oz. Kibbutz Nahal Oz (Photo: Roee Idan) "We could have chosen to live anywhere in Israel," Safi said, "but we were looking for a warm place with warm people. We looked at a lot of different places, and in the end, we chose Nahal Oz." Safi continued, saying "while we did weigh the security situation in our decision, there is no doubt that the move we made was done out of Zionist principals. I personally am Zionist to the bone." Another couple are Noa and Gil Shaked, parents to three children, and who came from Ofarim in the center of the country. "We're aware that there might be some difficult times here, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks the people here are warm and embracing. We feel that we've found a home which we will stay in for the rest of our lives." Soldiers on Kibbutz Nahal Oz during Operation Protective Edge (Photo: Reuters) The first families started coming to the kibbutz immediately after Operation Protective Edge, and the most recent arrivals only move in a few weeks ago. The families are currently living in temporary housing. The families will start to build their own houses soon. Kibbutz Nahal Oz is a semi-privatized kibbutz, and is a symbol of the settlement struggle. The kibbutz was founded in 1951 and soon after began to suffer from Arab Fedayin attacks. The Fedayin were Arabs living in Gaza supported by the Egyptians who attacked Jewish kibbutzim and moshavim. Meanwhile, the kibbutz has withstood thousands of rocket and mortar attacks emanating from Gaza over the last 16 years. A four and a half year old child Daniel Trugeman was killed when a Hamas mortar scored a direct hit on his house on the kibbutz. With the addition of the 20 families, the number of people living on the kibbutz stands at 400 people. Second Lieutenant Shachar Ruditi, the officer injured in an IED explosion next to the village of Hizmeh in north Jerusalem two weeks ago, was released from the hospital today He was released from Hadassah Ein Kerem, where he was hospitalized with life threatening internal injuries. He is now in good and stable condition Israeli author David Grossman has come under attack on social media. In recent days, Arab activists have called on Obeikan, which has a number of bookstores in the Arab world, to remove Grossmans books from their display shelves. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter One online activist, Abdullah Al-Bashri, took a photo of Grossmans book in the window display of an Obeikan bookstore in Saudi Arabia. Alongside the photo, he wrote, The chain is using its shelves to sell and distribute a book by an Israeli author. This picture was captured today at an (Obeikan bookstore) at Al-Zahran Mall. David Grossman (Photo: Moti Kimchi) Another activist wrote: Even if the book is not political, that fact it exists in our libraries supports the philosophy of the Zionist entity and those who live there now after millions were expelled. Yet another activist posted, Every person who belongs to the occupying Zionist entity is an enemy. No normalization with occupying murderers. David Grossmans books have been sold in the Arab world for many years. Two months ago, Grossman was interviewed by Euronews and laid out his theory of the conflict and ways to resolve it. In the same interview, Grossman stated that it is not a bad idea to label settlement products. In a special Knesset meeting on the occasion to commemorate Theodore Herzl, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he still intends to expand the government. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "The door is open to anyone who wants to lend a had to benefit the state. We have no other land, and we have no other country. We have one country, an amazing country, a country we need to protect and promote. Netanyahu continued by saying that there is an opportunity to create policy "to protect our abilities to deal not only with the challenges which stand before us, but also the different opportunities which will be opened to us because of geo-political changes, the relations we have with different Arab countries." Prime Minister Netnayahu during his speech to the Knesset (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Netanyahu also noted that "there is still a lot to do and a lot to fix. However, I need to say that there is no justification for this excessive irritability which runs wild amongst certain groups. Israel is a stable country; look at the region we're in. We're almost the only stable, advanced, innovative, democratic, state here. Our country distributes light in a region of darkness." Herzog: Netanyahu has been taken captive by extremists Opposition and Zionist Union Chairman Isaac Herzog spoke following Netanyahu. He blamed Netanyahu for the failure in government negotiations, saying "I'm sorry to say, but at the end of the day, in deciding whether to be a leader who will go down in history as someone who went against the mainstream and a leader who decided to drift with the mainstream and go into the great ocean of forgotten politicians, Netanyahu made his decision." Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog during his speech to the Knesset (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Herzog continued, saying "(Netanyahu) slammed the door closed to changing the future; he slammed the door on the leaders in the region, to the leaders of Europe and the US, and he became a captive of a dangerous and extremist political group, a group which will lead him and us into a national disaster that has already started to take form. Some of us prefer to continue to live under a glorious illusion that everything will be fine." Herzog added "it's saddens me, Mr. Netanyahu, that you chose to zigzag. It saddens me that it is you who slammed the door and it saddens me that you chose to abandon the good of the state in favor of your narrow political interests. Twitter will remember you fondly, but history wont." After Herzog's speech but before the meeting was adjourned, Netanyahu returned to the lectern, and said "I haven't closed the door. The door is open. There is still an opportunity to unite the nation. There is an opportunity for national reconciliation. I call upon you and your members not to miss this opportunity, and to join the national effort." Netanyahu and Lieberman (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Netanyahu spoke at a Likud meeting afterwards. In negotiations, there are ups and downs. Do you know how many negotiations I've taken part in? He continued, We need the things that will provide us with a foundation to lead. There are always crises and everything is always collapsing. (But in reality) nothing is collapsing. I suggest not being taken away by extreme mood swings. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon discussed Yisrael Beytenus demands at a Kulanu meeting. He said, We are not going to allow for anything to happen. Kahlon added, The proposal that the Finance Ministry presented today to Yisrael Beytenu is very fair. It doesnt discriminate against people or provide for special or sectoral funds. When one sector receives funding and another doesnt, gaps open up, and we will not allow for that to happen. LONDON- Oscar-winning actress and activist Angelina Jolie has been appointed a visiting professor at one of Britain's most prestigious universities. The London School of Economics announced Monday that Jolie will be working with students studying for a master's degree in Women, Peace and Security. Among others appointed to teach the course is former British Foreign Secretary William Hague. When Smadar Haran spoke, not a single pair of eyes around the table at the Rimon Hotel in Tzfat was without tears. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The foreign guests and journalists who sat around her all of them veteran war correspondents thought they had already written and seen everything. But this meeting with Haran, who lost who her husband Danny and her daughters Einat and Yael during the terror attack on Nahariya in 1979, somehow managed to shake them up. While with one hand they were writing down every word, with the other, they were wiping away tears. This was the first time that the Foreign Ministry had ever flown in a delegation of European war correspondents. The purpose of the trip was to expose the journalists to the terror that Israelis have to deal with, and find correlations between the Israeli and European fight against terror. The delegation were taught about the security arrangements at Ben Gurion International airport, received a tour of the Israeli border with Syria, and visited injured Syrians who were undergoing treatment at Ziv medical center in Tzfat. However, the headline of the trip was with Haran. Smadar Haran meets with international journalists in Tzfat (Photo: Israeli Foreign Ministry) "My story isn't just my own personal story. Its the story of the Jewish nation and of the State of Israel. It represents the spirit of the state of Israel," Haran began. She continued, "This is a national story, and although I'm a terror victim, I decided not to live like a victim and to re-build my life just as my mother survived the Holocaust and re-built her life in Israel, just like how the Jews creatively re-built themselves any time there are losses or casualties." In 1979, terrorist Samir Kuntar infiltrated Israel on a rubber boat from Lebanon along with three other terrorists from the "Palestine Liberation Front." The four came ashore in Nahariya, shot dead police officer Eliyahu Shahar and broke into the apartment of the Haran family. There, they took Danny Haran and his four-year-old daughter Einat hostage while Smadar hid in a crawl space with two-year-old daughter Yael. The scene of the Nahariya terror attack (Photo: Tzvi Roger) Smadar accidentally smothered her daughter Yael to death while her she was trying to stop the toddler from crying and revealing their hiding place. Danny and meanwhile Einat were taken to the beach where a firefight ensued between the terrorists and police officers who arrived at the scene. Kuntar shot Danny Haran then smashed Einat's skull with the butt of his rifle, killing her as well. "After the attack in Nahariya," Haran went on, "I thought about my values - what type of person I want to be - and I decided that I want to be a person full of giving, not hate. I didn't seek revenge, and I decided that wherever my life is stopped or interrupted, I would continue anew." "I never left Nahariya, and I live there today close to where everything happened. A lot of the people who came to mourn my loss were Arabs, and they live together with us. My children knew their children. The lives of the Arabs and the Jews are intertwined like a collage." Terrorist Samir Kuntar, who killed Smadar's family, being warmly greeted by Syrian President Bashar Assad (Photo: AP) When asked what she thought regarding the fact that Samir Kuntar, the man who killed her family, was freed by Israeli authorities, Haran said "when others asked what I thought about Kuntar's release, I wrote a letter to the prime minister saying that Kuntar isn't my personal prisoner, and I'm not his personal jailer. I said the decision needs to be made for the greater good and be done with the best interests of the State of Israel in mind. I knew he would return to terror, it wasn't something that surprised me." When she was asked what her feelings were when Kuntar was assassinated, she said "to my surprise, I didn't feel anything, but I was happy to know that he wouldn't be carrying out any more terror attacks in the future." The foreign journalists left the meeting with the emotion showing on their faces. "Smadar is a model to be emulated, a true hero. The thing that really amazed us was her lack of hate and need for revenge after everything she had been through." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says there is "a great risk" to about 50,000 civilians the UN estimates are still in Fallujah, especially for those trying to flee the Iraqi government offensive to retake the city from the Islamic State extremist group. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday "it's important that they have some safe corridors that they could use." He called the situation in and around Fallujah "very fluid." VietJet and Pratt&Whitney take off with $3 billion airplane engine deal A VietJet A320 airplane is seen while parking before departure for Bangkok, at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi September 25, 2013. Photoby REUTERS/KHAM Vietnam-based budget airline VietJet Air signed a $3.04 billion contract with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney on Monday in Hanoi witnessed by U.S. President President Barack Obama and Vietnamese State President Tran Dai Quang. The contract is to sell engines to power VietJet Airs new Airbus aircraft A320NEO and A321NEO as well as supply technical and maintenance services for the fleet, said Vietnam's first privately owned carrier. The engines will be installed on 63 A320 and A321 planes ordered by VietJet under a contract signed at the Singapore Airshow, according to a VietJet statement. The engines are said to be 17 percent more efficient than their rivals. Unlisted VietJet, with a fleet of 34 A320 and A321 planes, has plans to buy or lease a total of 107 aircraft over the next decade, receiving about 10-12 new jets a year. The airline said it wants to expand its routes to cover all of Asia-Pacific. Low-cost carrier VietJet Air had already signed a memorandum of understanding for the deal with Pratt & Whitney earlier this year in Singapore. Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter DUBAI- A Saudi border guard was killed and three others were wounded by a landmine that exploded while on patrol alongside the border with Yemen on Monday, state news agency SPA reported quoting an interior ministry spokesman. The frontier has been largely calm since March after the Saudi government reached an understanding with Yemen's Houthi group to stop firing across the border in a move that had paved the way for peace talks now underway in Kuwait. SPA said the mine exploded in the morning in the Jizan region in southern Saudi Arabia when two border patrols passed on a designated road near the border with Yemen. Denmark has poured VND5 billion ($225,000) into building two water plants that run on solar energy in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre. On May 21, Ben Tre switched on its first two high-tech water plants in the districts of Ba Tri Chau Thanh. Danish Ambassador Charlotte Laursen said: We know that Ben Tre is severely affected by climate change and rising sea levels, so we have piloted these models to help the province minimize environmental damage. Ben Tre is one of 10 provinces in the Mekong Delta that are suffering from the worst drought and salinity for almost a century. More than 350,000 people in the province lack access to clean water, and in Ba Tri District, more than 19,000 families have suffered water shortages for the last six months. By churning out 50 cubic meters of water per hour, the two water plants will provide water for thousands of local people as well as save more than 60 percent in electricity costs compared to other plants. Nguyen Huu Lap, vice chairman of Ben Tre's People's Committee, said that the project will be expanded in the near future. For the first time, together, on the beach of Da Nang May 23, 2016 | 12:52 am PT This summer, beside the acknowledged title Best city to live in Vietnam, Da Nang will officially become the best city to rave in. Electronic parties' prospects in Vietnam in recent years have changed at an unprecedented rate with the presence of a number of world acclaimed and Top 100 DJMag stars. The scale of events organized here is nearing that of the worlds multi-day festivals. However, almost all insist on staying in either Hanoi or Saigon, and none have ventured near the coast. But this June, the first-of-its-kind beach party will be held in Da Nang, bringing Vietnams EDM scene closer to water. Held at the most beautiful time of the year when Da Nang sizzles in the summer heat with millions of tourists, the latest beach party named Danang Electronic Carnival 2016 will inject a shot of dynamism thats already boiling all over Vietnam. Headhunterz (Left) and Florian Picasso - two DJs to perform at Danang Electronic Carnival 2016 We are giving away 10 pairs of tickets to whoever finishes this quiz in the fastest time by May 31. Fiery Cross reef, located in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea), is shown in this handout Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative satellite image taken January 22, 2006 and released to Reuters October 27, 2015. : CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe/Handout via Reuters/File Photo A Chinese government bureau is planning a base station for an advanced rescue ship in the disputed Spratly Islands, known as Quan ao Truong Sa in Vietnam, state media reported on Monday, as China continues its push to develop civilian and military infrastructure in the contentious region. The ship, which would carry drones and underwater robots, is set to be deployed in the second half of the year, said Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship, which is under the South China Sea Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport, according to the official China Daily. The civilian bureau has 31 ships and four helicopters conducting rescue missions in the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea), and officials from the department told the China Daily they work with the military on such efforts. Officials said the rescue ship base station would enable rescue forces to aid fishing boats in trouble, and shorten the distance they need to travel. It is unclear on which island the ship will be based, but China has carried out land reclamation and construction on several islands in the Spratly Archipelago, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. China claims most of the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea), through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Washington has accused Beijing of militarising the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea) after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia. China has said it plans to continue building civilian facilities in the region to benefit itself and other countries, as well as "necessary military facilities". Analysts say an airstrip China is building on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys could be used for both civilian and military jets. In a separate article, the China Daily said Beijing has build two lighthouses and four beacons on the disputed Paracel Islands and has set up four base stations for radio communications and civilian cellphone networks, providing "complete coverage of the area". The official People's Liberation Army Daily said on its microblog that China's South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea) fleet carried out military drills to boost combat capability in the western Pacific on Saturday, without specifying exactly which area. Preliminary figures from CoreLogic RP Data put last weeks national clearance rate at 70% from 1,863 auctions, up slightly from the previous weeks 69.5% from 1,876 auctions. The corresponding week 12 months ago saw the national clearance rate hit 79.1% from 2,599 auctions. Despite a slight week-on-week fall, Sydney was home to the strongest result last week with its preliminary clearance rate at 74.2% from 700 auctions last week. The previous week saw Sydneys clearance rate come in at 76.2% from 647 auctions. Sydneys best performing sub-regions last week were the City and Inner South, which returned preliminary clearance rates 86.5%, followed by North Sydney and Hornsby at 83%. Melbourne also saw a slight dip in its clearance rate over the week, with the Victorian capitals preliminary clearance rate at 70.7% for last week compared to 71.3% from the previous week. Last week saw Melbourne hold 825 auctions, down from the 871 it held the week prior. If there is no downward revision of Melbournes preliminary rate, it will be the seventh straight week the citys clearance rate has been at 70% or above. Adelaide also looks to have recorded a clearance rate of above 70%, with preliminary result in the South Australian capital currently sitting at 70.1%, up from the previous weeks result of 66.3%. In Brisbane, the preliminary clearance rate currently sits at 55.3%, which is the highest the city has seen ion 12 weeks. Over the previous week only 49.36% of Brisbanes auctions were successful. Canberra also looks to have seen an increase in its clearance rate, with the preliminary mark in the nations capital currently at 61.4% for last week, compared to 58.3% the week prior. In Perth, the preliminary clearance rate sits at 54.5%, up from 28.9% over the previous week. Last month Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas announced that from 1 July foreign buyers would face increased stamp duty and land tax rates as the Victorian government looked to ensure they provide their fair share of government revenue. A report in News Limited publications yesterday claimed NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian is considering hitting foreign buyers in NSW with an increased land tax rate. The Victorian move was criticised at the time by people who believed it would scare off foreign buyers and the Property Council of Australia (PCA) has warned the NSW government that making a similar move would damage both the housing market in the state and damage Sydneys reputation. NSW needs more housing a decade of under supply is responsible for Sydneys housing crisis, Ms Fitzgerald said. Turning investors away by imposing a huge new tax is one way to ensure it doesnt get any better, PCA NSW executive director Jane Fitzgerald said. Talk about sending the wrong message to the rest of the world you cant aspire to be a world leading global city and whack a huge new tax on foreign investors at the same time, Fitzgerald said. While many have used foreign investors as scape goat recently for current affordability issues in Australia, Fitzgerald said they have had a positive impact on the market. Nationally, foreign investment is underpinning Australias record levels of new housing construction rather than stopping Australians from buying a home foreign investors are helping them do just that, she said. Given current economic conditions, it would be a gravely risky strategy with implications for both housing supply and housing affordability in NSW. There are international investors right now considering whether to build residential housing in NSW. If they choose to go elsewhere our housing affordability crisis will worsen. Fitzgerald said if the NSW government was committed to fixing affordability issues then they would address the burden placed on people by stamp duty. If the NSW Government really wants to do something to benefit homebuyers it should get rid of stamp duty. The tax take from it alone has doubled in the past five years from $4 billion up to $8 billion. The National Election Council has reported that Vietnams general election on May 22 ended well with no complex situations arising that required the councils consent to resolve. The announcement said that security and social order during election day had been maintained without any issues. Most provinces finished voting at around 7 p.m., except for some areas that extended opening hours at voting stations for voters who work late. According to reports from 52 out of 63 provinces, the total number of voters who participated in the election was about 66.8 million, equivalent to a 98.8 percent voter turnout. Officials are counting the votes to report the results to the election committee as soon as possible," the Election Councils office said. On May 22, Vietnamese citizens across the country cast their votes to elect 500 members of the new National Assembly, 3,918 provincial councilors, 24,993 district councilors and 294,055 commune councilors for the 2016-2021 tenure. The election has been dubbed by the Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as the biggest in the countrys history. In Vietnam, people aged 18 or over have the right to vote while the minimum age to run for office is 21. The National Election Council will announce the results of the election on June 11. The results of the elections for representatives of Peoples Committees at all levels will be released on June 1. President Barack Obama said the Trans-Pacific Partnership would prompt labor reform in Vietnam but it is not directly tied with the decision to lift the arms ban. In a press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang on Monday, President Obama said: "TPP actually is one of the things that's prompting a series of labor reforms here in Vietnam that could end up being extraordinarily significant. But that is not directly tied to the decision around military sales." He said he was confident that the Tran-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal will be approved by the U.S. Congress. "I have not yet seen a credible argument that once we get TPP in place we're going to be worse off. [...] I'm confident we'll get it passed," he said. "I've spent enough time in the Senate to know that every trade deal is painful," he said, arguing that the trade deal is a good thing for U.S. businesses. "This is the fastest growing part of the world. This represents an enormous market for the U.S." He saidone of the biggest complaints is the TPP opens up markets to countries with lower wages and a harsher environment. "If you're signing up for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, you are making commitments that are enforceable to raise labor standards, to ensure that workers have a voice to attend to environmental problems. This gives us the ability to engage with a country like Vietnam and work with them on all those fronts." Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang said the TPP is a significant deal that will contribute to sustaining Vietnams dynamism and "as a driver economic growth". Vietnam with other TPP country members have "make efforts to narrow differences". He said Vietnam to "stand by all commitments of TPP". Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. U.S. President Barack Obama hopes he will return to Vietnam with his family after he leaves office, the President said at a press conference on Monday in Hanoi Obama plans to enjoy Vietnamese iced coffee, be back with family for Vietnamese feast Obama wants to enjoy some 'ca phe sua da', be back with family for Vietnamese food [Vietnam is] a remarkable country. Its a beautiful country. And I told the President that, unfortunately, when I visit, Im usually in meetings all day long. So hopefully, when Im no longer President, I can come here with my family and I can spend a little more time, and travel the country a little bit more, and get to know the people and eat the food, and have a more relaxing schedule, said Obama. He said to look forward to meet Vietnamese people this afternoon, "maybe I will enjoy some cafe sua da (iced milk coffee)," he speaks in Vietnamese. Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since 1995, added that the reason for his visit this time is because Vietnam is extremely important, not just to the region, but also to the world. Obama also announced on Monday that Washington will fully lift its embargo on the sale of lethal arms to Vietnam. He was also confident that the Trans-Pacific Partnership will be approved by the U.S. Senate and the trade deal could end up being of extraordinary significance. At a state luncheon in Hanoi, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang toasted Obama's first visit to the country as the arrival of a warm spring after a cold winter. Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter The Russian Justice Ministry intends to investigate a Moscow museum for suspected extremism, the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported Friday. The investigation into the Nicholas Roerich Museum follows a request from the Culture Ministry and unscheduled inspections will be conducted in June. The investigation will look for any signs of extremism within the museum, which has occupied the Lopukhin Estate in central Moscow since the 1980s. They will also examine museum finances, Novaya Gazeta reported. Museum Vice President Alexander Stetsenko compared the investigation to a raider attack. The museum on Maly Znamensky Pereulok has been involved in a number of disputes, including a court case to evict the museum from its premises which has been ongoing since 2008, local news website The Village reported. Although the museum is not part of the Culture Ministry, it has a public foundation status as part of the wider International Roerich Center. Neither the Culture Ministry nor the Justice Ministry have released an official statement regarding the investigation. Born in 1874, Nicholas Roerich was a Russian painter and writer with a keen interest in spirituality and philosophy. Before dying in India in 1947, he earned several nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. In June 2013, one of his paintings sold at a London auction house for 7.8 million ($11.2 million). The Moscow Times http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-museum-under-investigation-for-extremism/569389.html May 22, 2016 | 10:11 pm PT Obama has announced that the U.S. has fully lifted the lethal arms ban on Vietnam, marking the final step of the normalization of Vietnam-U.S. bilateral relations at a joint press conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang today in Hanoi. U.S. "fully lifts" Vietnam lethal arms ban U.S. lifts arms embargo on Vietnam "The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations, it's based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said, adding later that his visit to a former foe showed "hearts can change and peace is possible". "Part of our cooperation with Vietnam is to improve their maritime security [...]. My decision to lift the ban really was more reflective of the changing nature of the relationship," said Obama. "What we do not have is a ban that's based on an ideological division between our two countries, because we think, at this stage, both sides have established a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect," Obama said. He said every sale is viewed as a particular transaction and based on case-by-case evaluations. "There's some very close allies of ours where we may not make a particular sale until we have a better sense of how that piece of equipment may end up being used." In 2014, Obama eased restrictions on sales of maritime surveillance and security systems to Vietnam. The change has allowed the sale of U.S. patrol boats with mounted machine guns, search-and-rescue vessels and naval reconnaissance aircraft. Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter Raipur: At a time when the state is reeling from severe water crunch, a District Forest Officer (DFO) in Sukma in Raipur is drawing flak from all quarters for having a swimming pool in his government allotted accommodation. DFO Rajesh Chandel holds a government bungalow in Raipur that is said to have a functional swimming pool and to maintain the same hundred of litres of water is being wasted on a regular basis. The Congress condemned the blatant wastage of water and called for strict action against the officer. " Sukma is a drought hit area. The govt must take action against him. He should be removed from his post. It is hard to understand that how can he spent huge amount water on this swimming pool when people are suffering due to water scarcity. It shows how officials are indifferent toward the people," Congress leader Ramesh Varlyani told ANI. Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dubbed the water wastage by the DFO as illegal and assured strict action against him. "This is absolutely illegal. The government has taken due cognizance of the case. Action shall be taken against the DFO. I think the government officer must stay in their limit," BJP leader Shrichand Sundrani said. New Delhi: A 23-year-old Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping a woman classmate after getting her drunk in his hostel room, police said. According to police, the complainant, who is an African national and stays in the same hostel at JNU, attended a party held in December last year, when the incident took place. In her complaint, the foreign national alleged that the Udhip, 23, made her consume alcohol and she passed out. It was only the next morning when she woke up, she realised she was subjected to a sexual assault. The woman also claimed that the girlfriend of the accused was also among those who attended the party at the hostel. The woman informed university authorities after which the matter was taken up by the Gender Sensitisation Committee against Sexual Harassment, an internal body looking after such complaints. The committee took four months to conclude that the youth had raped the woman. Based on the report, the university registrar was asked to take appropriate action against the accused and register a police complaint. A police complaint was registered on Friday. The accused is a native of Guwahati in Assam and had allegedly committed the crime on the 30-year-old woman in Lohit hostel. Udhip was arrested from his hostel room on Friday after which he was produced at Patiala house courts and was sent to Tihar. Srinagar: The endangered hangul, also known as Kashmir deer, is in the throes of extinction, largely because of human intrusions and domestic livestock grazing at its only habitat here. Wildlife experts and activists claim they have been raising the alarm, calling for stringent measures to check human intrusions at Srinagar's famed Dachigam national park, the main concentration of the endangered elk species. But the authorities have allowed grazing in the sprawling national park, spread over 141 sq. km, for what the activists say mere "political reasons", which has gravely endangered the existence of hangul. Once found in the high altitudes of northern India and Pakistan, the animal now only lives in the dense riverine forests of Dachigam, some 22 km from here. According to official figures, hangul population has been declining steeply over the years since the last century when there were some 5,000 deer in the Kashmir Valley. The 1947 hangul census recorded its number at 2,000. The massive decline was mainly attributed to poaching then. The last census was done in 2011 when its population was found just over 200, according to the wildlife department figures. "For vote bank politics, the successive governments have allowed grazing in the prohibited area to keep a particular constituency in good humour," a senior wildlife official told this reporter, requesting not to be named. The official was referring to Kashmir's "bakarwal" community -- the nomadic tribe that is mainly into goat herding and shepherding. Without naming anybody, he said a minister in the previous government of the National Conference-Congress combine had an unwritten rule that bakarwal should be allowed to graze their animal wherever they want. Tassaduq Mueen, a green activist in Kashmir, explained how grazing during the summer months in the upper reaches of the park, where deer usually move around in search of food, has "wreaked havoc" to its natural habitat. "The presence of such a huge number of livestock has shrunk its natural habitat, substantially," Mueen said, adding hangul is a shy animal and doesn't like being disturbed. He said during the breeding season, which coincides with summer months, the intrusions in hangul's natural habitat causes disturbances. "The interference around pregnant hinds leads to stress which ultimately causes natural abortion of its fawn. In many other cases, fawn becomes a prey of the dogs and other wild animals like jackals and foxes accompanying grazers . With so low survival rate, the hangul population will not grow in this situation," Mueen said. Samina Amin, a researcher in the wildlife department, said nowhere in the world are national parks used for grazing. "Call it (Dachigam) anything but a national park," she said, pointing out that there is a full-fledged government-run sheep breeding centre inside the park that has also contributed to the dwindling hangul population. The breeding centre causes bacterial infections that affect fetuses of hind resulting in a low birthrate of hangul, she said. "There is also a battalion of security forces, offices of fisheries, protocol, and tourism departments inside the park. Even some influential people have constructed structures outside the park in complete violation of rules. Deer population can't grow in such a stressful environment," Amin warned. Asked why the department had not so far been able to check grazing and stop human interference to save hangul, C. Behra, the regional wildlife warden, said they would not allow any grazing inside the national park from "now on". "We have already passed stringent orders against the grazing inside Dachigam," he said. If that happens, it might be too late for the fragile species on the verge of vanishing. New Delhi: A panel formed by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is all set to urge the central government to reduce the upper age-limit for candidates appearing in civil services examination. The UPSC appointed the panel headed by former education secretary BS Baswan in August 2015 as part of an initiative by the Narendra Modi-government to overhaul the civil services examination. The government had promised to review the examination after a string of protests were held in 2015 against a civil service aptitude test, which was introduced by the UPA government in the preliminary exam, according to a Hindustan Times report. In the general category, the upper-age limit of candidates has gone up from 24 years in 1960 to 32 years in 2014. The upper age limit of candidates belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribes has been relaxed by 5 years while those from the other backward classes get a three-year relaxation. Additional 10-year cut were given to disable candidates. A senior government official said that the recommendations by the UPSC committee would be considered after they submit their reports. New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to call former Haryana chief minister BS Hooda for questioning in connection with the HUDA industrial plot scam. The case dates back to 2012 when Hooda was the chief minister of Haryana and chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). Sources said the move comes after the CBI issued a notice to Hooda in this regard. During the interrogation at the CBI headquarters, a clarification will also be sought from Hooda on the same. Earlier on Saturday, the CBI registered cases against former HUDA officials, 13 beneficiaries and others over alleged irregularities in the allotment of HUDA industrial plots at Panchkula. The former bureaucrats booked by the CBI in this case are D P S Nagal, then Chief Administrator, HUDA; S P Kansal, then Chief Financier, HUDA; and B B Taneja, then Deputy Superintendent, HUDA. The investigating agency also conducted searches at 16 locations, including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Faridabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Rohtak in connection with the ongoing probe in the case. Sources said some files were during the raids found either to be ''missing'' ? or were put in proper ''sequence''. The industrial plots were allegedly allotted in July 2013 at throwaway prices after changes were made midway in the eligibility criteria on recommendation of a standing committee and approved by Hooda. Haryana Chief Minster Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier ordered that an FIR be registered by the Vigilance Bureau and then the matter be referred to the CBI for an independent probe. With ANI inputs Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: After suffering a severe heart attack, about one-third of the patients have not resumed their work, according to a latest study. The study also highlights that even after an year of their recovery patients who are hospitalized for a longer period of time due to heart problems or strokes find it hard to keep on their professional life. Heart failure is a serious illness that significantly reduces both quality of life and life span. "Inability to maintain a full time job is an indirect consequence of heart failure beyond the usual clinical parameters of hospitalization and death," said Rasmus Roerth, a physician at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark. The study was conducted on 11,880 heart failure patients of working age (18 to 60 years) who were employed prior to being hospitalized for heart failure. Researchers found that one year after being hospitalized for heart failure for the first time, 68 per cent of patients had returned to work, 25 per cent had not, and 7 per cent had died. The study also showed that patients were less likely to return to work if they had stayed in hospital for more than seven days, or had a history of stroke, chronic kidney disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or cancer. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Illegal immigration is a "tricky and sensitive" issue and the new BJP government in Assam cannot turn a blind eye to it, a pro-RSS journal today said, insisting utilisation of resources for the right beneficiaries without getting tempted to vote-bank politics will be another test for it. Terming the BJP-led alliance's win in the state as a victory of nationalist forces against vote-bank politics, the editorial in 'Organiser' warned that changing the narrative on the ground is not an easy task and ensuring an accountable and transparent regime is the biggest systemic challenge for the new government there. "The challenge of changing the narrative on the ground is not an easy task. Ensuring accountable and transparent government in Assam itself is the biggest systemic challenge. "Then utilisation of resources for the right beneficiaries without getting tempted to the vote-bank politics is another test for the new government. Illegal migration is tricky and sensitive issue and new government cannot turn a blind eye towards it," the editorial titled 'Beyond electoral rhetoric' said. The pro-RSS journal also sought establishing the identity of 'Ashta Lakshmi' (goddesses signifying prosperity) for the seven northeastern states as propagated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of the colonial 'Seven Sisters' narrative given by the British that created psychological distance along with a physical one. "The colonial narrative of calling it ?seven sisters with racially different composition? created psychological distance along with the physical one... "The more new ruling party of Assam strengthens this process the more there is possibility of bringing these states out of the 'Seven Sisters' Syndrome and conferring due status to the 'Ashta Lakshmi'," it said. The publication also said the issue of illegal immigration and strong ties with Southeast Asian neighbours have international dimensions and diplomatic efforts cannot be made in the right direction unless there is agreement between the Centre and the state on this strategically important issue. "The crusader against illegal migration was projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate and still people of Assam overwhelmingly supported him is the victory of nationalist forces against the vote-bank politics in Assam. It is also a ratification of policy to treat North-East as Bharat?s corridor to the Southeast Asia," it said. The journal said the leadership of Sarbananda Sonowal, who has a track record of fighting for people's issues on the ground, is the "last hope" for the people of Assam. "People have ratified his leadership for fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the people and utilising allocated resource to the optimum level," it said. Kolkata: BJP leaders and supporters on Monday held a massive protest outside Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kolkata over attack on Roopa Ganguly's convoy. On Sunday, actor-turned BJP leader Rupa Ganguly was heckled and her convoy was attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters near Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district when she was returning to the city. The incident happened when Ganguly, along with other BJP workers, was returning from Ishwaripur village near Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas after visiting a party worker, who was assaulted allegedly by TMC workers on Saturday and was admitted to a local hospital there. "Despite several requests, Rupa stopped her car and two other cars in her convoy near Diamond Harbour on her way to Kolkata and started talking to locals, which enraged them. Some boys threw stones at the convoy while few women from the locality pulled Rupas hair and slapped another woman who was with her," a senior district police officer said. The police posted there intervened and restrained the locals and took control of the situation, he said, adding though Rupa was "not injured", she was taken to a local hospital, where from she was released after a check-up. "We have not arrested anybody in connection with the incident, but a police posting has been arranged in the locality," he said. The BJP leader and the party workers accompanying her, however, alleged that they were attacked by TMC activists. Ganguly, the chief of BJPs state Mahila Morcha unit, had unsuccessfully contested from Howrah (North) seat against TMCs Laxmi Ratan Shukla in the just-concluded state assembly elections. May 23, 2016 | 03:21 am PT President Obama continued his series of bilateral talks with Vietnams top leaders by meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc this afternoon at the Office of the Government in Hanoi. After his talks with Phuc, Obama attended his final meeting of the day with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, as scheduled on his three-day visit. Earlier in the morning, Obama met with President Tran Dai Quang and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the house where Ho Chi Minh used to live, where the U.S. president helped to feed the fish in Uncle Ho's pond with the US delegation and Vietnamese officials. U.S. President Barack Obama (left) attends a meeting with Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Central Office of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Hanoi. photo by REUTERS/Carlos Barria In a joint press conference, Obama said Washington had agreed to fully lift the ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam that has been in place for some 50 years. The lifting of the lethal arms ban is the most important initiative that the two countries have announced so far during Obamas visit. Obama is the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1995. He is being accompanied by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and an entourage of around 800 people. New Delhi: Bread samples of virtually all top brands in Delhi contained cancer-causing chemicals, a study released on Monday said, prompting the Union Health Ministry to order a probe. Nearly 84 percent of 38 commonly available brands of pre- packaged breads including pav and buns, tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate, banned in many countries as they are listed as "hazardous" for public health, the report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. It claimed that while one of the chemicals is a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans), the other could trigger thyroid disorders but India has not ban their use. The bread samples which were tested included brands such as Britannia, Harvest Gold and the fast food chains -KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Subway, McDonald's and Slice of Italy. Britannia, KFC, Domino's, McDonald's and Subway denied that these chemicals were used in their products. Other brands did not comment despite repeated attempts. Reacting to the CSE report, Health Minister JP Nadda said,"We are seized of the matter. I have told my officials to report to me on an urgent basis. There is no need to panic. Very soon we will come out with the (probe) report." CSE's Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML) tested 38 commonly available branded varieties of pre-packaged breads, pav and buns, ready-to-eat burger bread and ready-to-eat pizza breads of popular fast food outlets from Delhi. "We found 84 per cent samples positive with potassium bromate or iodate. We re-confirmed the presence of potassium bromate or iodate in a few samples through an external third-party laboratory. We checked labels and talked to industry and scientists. "Our study confirms the widespread use of potassium bromate or iodate as well as presence of bromate or iodate residues in the final product," said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE. The study found that 84 per cent (32/38) samples were found with potassium bromate or iodate in the range of 1.15-22.54 parts per million (ppm). Around 79 per cent (19/24) samples of packaged bread, all samples of white bread, pav, bun and ready-to-eat pizza bread and 75 per cent (3/4) samples of ready-to-eat burger bread were positive. CSE said, "High levels of potassium bromate/iodate were found in sandwich bread, pav, bun and white bread" involving virtually all top brands. CSE has urged food regulator FSSAI to ban the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate with immediate effect and prevent their routine exposure to Indian population. Reacting to the issue, Britannia denied using Potassium Bromate or Iodate and said,"All Britannia breads products are in 100 per cent compliance to the existing food safety regulations as stipulated by FSSAI." In a statement, it, however, said that as per FSSAI, for potassium Bromate/Iodate the permissible limit is 50 ppm max (On flour mass basis). "The CSE report clearly states that the third part lab report did not find Potassium Bromate or Iodate in Britannia Bread samples. Britannia will however scrutinize the possibility of any residual presence of these compounds through any of the primary raw materials used in the bread manufacturing process," it said. Echoing similar reactions, KFC said,"The safety and health of our customers is our top most priority and we are committed to following the best international standards and serving the highest quality products to customers. "We have stringent processes in place to ensure that the food we serve complies with requirements laid down by FSSAI and is absolutely safe for consumption," it said. McDonald's India also strongly denied the "claims and accusations" and termed it "completely baseless". "McDonald's India does not use potassium bromate or potassium iodate in the flour and all other ingredients that goes into our buns. The claims made by CSE in their press release and report are completely baseless. "We serve our customers with the highest quality products across all our restaurants. We go through a lot of efforts to ensure our food is safe for our customers and have stringent quality processes at every stage," said Vikram Ogale, Director, National Supply Chain and Quality Assurance at McDonald's India. Subway meanwhile said that there seems to be a "confusion" as there is no such item as "Subway Subz Burger", (which was analyzed by CSE) on its menu. "We would like to inform you that subway does not use Potassium Bromate and Potassium Iodate in the flour utilized in baking its breads. Instead, Subway uses a bread improver, based on an enzyme (protein) technology derived from natural sources to improve the overall performance of its breads," it said. Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, which owns Domino's, said that it adheres to the highest quality standards and Indian food laws and follow all process to maintain the highest level of food safety across all our restaurants. "We do undertake certificate of analysis/undertaking from our flour suppliers on no usage of Potassium Bromate/Potassium Iodate in our flour supplies. We also carry out regular assessments of the flour to ensure compliance in this regards," it said. Slice of Italy also denied of allegations of using potassium bromate or iodate in its bread. "We (Slice of Italy) have already denied use of the chemicals like potassium bromate/iodate to CSE and have also informed them about it. We are using only permissible preservatives in our products", said Slice of Italy Additional General Manager (Operations) Cibichen ML. All India Bread Manufacturers Association President Ramesh Mago said, "We have not seen the report of CSE on presence of potassium bromate in different bread brands collected by them from Delhi market about a year back (May 2015). Only after going through the contents of the report in detail, we will be able to give our response and considered views regarding the issue." The FSSAI regulations permits the use of Potassium Bromate and/or Potassium Iodate at 50ppm maximum for bread and at 20ppm maximum in 'maida' for bakery purpose under food products standards, he said in a statement. It is also pertinent to highlight the fact that this same additive is considered to be safe and is widely used in advanced countries like the US, he added. Tehran: In a history of sorts, India, Iran and Afghanistan on Monday inked the Chabahar trilateral port agreement in the presence of premiers of all the three nations to set up trade and transit corridor. Hailing the signing of the agreement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it 'historic'. "Today, we are witnessing a creation of history... Not just for the people of our three countries, but for the entire region, Modi said in a joint media conference with Rouhani and Ashraf Ghani following the signing of the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. President @ashrafghani:100 years from now historians will remember this day as the start of regional cooperation pic.twitter.com/EEfU38AgyO Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 Meanwhile, India and Iran also signed 12 agreements, including on science and technology, culture and railways and three on the port itself. Modi, along with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani presided over the signing ceremony. On Monday he described the signing of the trilateral Chabahar port agreement as creation of history even as India and Iran signed 12 bilateral agreements. "The agenda for economic engagement is a clear priority for us. We stand together in unity of our purpose," Modi said. Pitching to carve out "new routes of peace and prosperity" of the three countries, Modi said: "It is our common goal. We want to link with the world." The prime minister said the Chabahar transport and transit corridor "would spur unhindered flow of commerce throughout the region". The key arteries of the corridor would pass through the Chabahar port of Iran. He said Afghanistan would now get an assured, effective, and a more friendly route to trade with the rest of the world. Our present growth and future prosperity is under threat from the spread of radical ideas and physical terror, he said. He said the Chabahar corridor would be a "corridor of peace and prosperity for our peoples. On his part, President Rouhani said that through this agreement, Tehran, Delhi and Kabul have sent the message that the path of progress can be achieved through cooperation and utilisation of regional resources. With our joint investments in Chabahar, we can connect India with Afghanistan, Central Asia and the CIS countries, he said. Speaking on the occasion, Afghan President Ghani said Asia was changing and it was moving towards being an economic continent. Earlier on Monday, following the signing of the 12 agreements after delegation level talks, Modi described India-Iran friendship as "as old as history". Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce, he said. Discussed India-Iran ties with President Rouhani. His leadership & clarity of vision is extremely impressive. pic.twitter.com/HVNZppH1Nr Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 Stating that he was impressed by Rouhani's leadership and the clarity of vision, Modi said that Monday's talks between the two countries focused on the full range of bilateral engagement. The agenda and scope of our partnership is truly substantial. The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership, he said. The prime minister also said that India and Iran shared a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region, he said. Modi also attended the inauguration of a two-day conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. Centuries of free exchange of ideas and traditions, poets and craftsmen, art and architecture, culture and commerce have enriched both our civilisations, Modi said in his speech. The richness of Persian heritage is an integral part of the fabric of the Indian society. Referring to a rare manuscript called Kalileh-wa-Dimneh containing the Persian translation of tales from the Jataka and the Panchatantra which he released ahead of his speech, he said it captured the close historical links between India and Iran. Released the rare Persian manuscript Kalileh-wa-Dimneh. It illustrates how close India-Iran historical links are. pic.twitter.com/DgNrAplo6i Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 It is a classic example of exchange and travel of cultural ideas between two societies. A beautiful demonstration of how our two cultures and countries think alike, he said. Prior to his departure from Iran on Monday evening, Modi also called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: To explain the rationale behind taking the ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of NEET for this year, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday met President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi. After Nadda's ministry was asked by the President to explain the reasons for taking the ordinance route, he held a meet with Mukherjee in the afternoon to offer clarifications. Mukherjee is leaving for China on Tuesday. Also, it was reported that President Pranab Mukherjee has sought legal advice on the ordinance to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical entrance examination. Moreover, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday had urged President Pranab Mukherjee not to sign the ordinance. Kejriwal had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him not to bring any order against the Supreme Court ruling on NEET, saying the students had welcomed the decision as it discouraged well endowed parents from making 'donations' to get their children admitted into reputed private medical colleges. Ordinance on NEET The ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet on Friday, is aimed at "partially" overturning a Supreme Court verdict which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. Clarifying that the exemption is only for the state government seats, official sources had said that state seats which are earmarked in the private medical colleges have also been exempted. Different states earmark anywhere between 12-15 per cent seats in various private medical colleges for state quota so that students from one state can get seats in another state. The remaining seats in such colleges are reserved for domicile students. After the promulgation of the ordinance, the remaining seats meant for domicile students will come under NEET. More than 15 states were opposed to NEET and had raised issues like different syllabus and languages during the recent state health ministers' meeting. NEET Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1. Once the ordinance is issued, students of state government boards will not have to sit for NEET on July 24. They, however, will have to become part of the uniform entrance exam from next academic session, the sources said. The exam will be applicable for those applying for Central government and private medical colleges. They contended the students affiliated to state boards will find it tough to appear for the uniform test as early as July and such students will be at a loss compared to those who from the central board. The Supreme Court had ruled the students would have to appear for NEET from this academic session itself for admissions to medical and dental colleges across the country. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. New Delhi: Salma Ansari, the wife of Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, said on Monday that there is nothing wrong in saying 'Om' while referring to a bitter controversy over chanting of vedic mantras during the International Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh. Speaking to reporters, Salma Ansari said, ''Nothing wrong in saying 'OM', don't you say 'Allah' or God or 'Rab'? What is the difference.'' The Vice President's wife also said, ''All must do Yoga.'' When her opinion was sought over the controversy related to a central government proposal asking all participants to start the Yoga Day session by chanting of Om and vedic mantras, Salma said, ''Opposition to Yoga is totally wrong.'' ''I would have had few damaged bones if not for Yoga,'' she added. Salma Ansari's comments came in the backdrop of accusations made by the Opposition that the Centre was pushing its 'Hindutva' agenda by asking participants to chant vedic mantras during the Yoga Day event.. Senior politicians like KC Tyagi of Janata Dal United, Sandeep Dikshit of Congress, Vrinda karat of CPI-M and several others had earlier raised objections to the Centre's proposal for chanting Om and some Vedic mantras before the 45-minute yoga session to be performed as part of the International Yoga Day. A common yoga protocol, which was approved and circulated by the Ministry of Ayush, said,"Yogic practice shall start with a prayer or prayerful mood to enhance the benefits of practice. The protocol has been prepared by a government-appointed panel of experts for those participating in the International Yoga Day and circulated through government departments, schools, colleges and universities across the country. In a letter to all heads of higher institutions, the University Grants Commission has asked for their personal indulgence to ensure the protocol has been followed during the events held on their respective campuses on June 21. The mantra to be recited during the session has been taken from the Rigveda. The 45-minute session, to begin with a two-minute prayer, will conclude with the 15-minute meditation or Dhyana session. However, in view of criticism, Centre had made it clear that chanting Om is not compulsory. Before the meditation, participants are required to take a samkalp or a vow: I commit myself to always be in a balanced state of mind. It is in this state that my highest self-development reaches its greatest possibility. I commit to do my duty to self, family, at work, to society, and to the world, for the promotion of peace, health and harmony. This will be followed by chanting of a set of verses from the Upanishad to pray for happiness and peace to one and all. This years International Yoga Day celebrations to be organised by the Department of Ayush will be hosted by Chandigarh, with the Centre deciding to shift the venue from Delhi. Tehran: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gifted Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei a specially commissioned reproduction of a rare seventh-century manuscript of the Holy Quran attributed to Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph. Written in Kufic script, this manuscript is a prized possession of the Ministry of Cultures Rampur Raza Library. The PM also gifted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani a specially commissioned reproduction of Mirza Ghalibs collection of poetry in Persian, Kulliyat-e-Farsi-e-Ghalib, as also Sumair Chands Persian translation of Ramayana. First published in 1863, Kulliyat-e-Farsi-e-Ghalib is a collection of over 11,000 verses by Ghalib. The reproduction is from a rare copy of the books 1867 edition to which some missing pages have been added from a copy of the 1872 edition from Maulana Azads personal collection preserved in the library of Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi. On the other hand, translated into Persian in 1715 and copied in 1826, Sumair Chands Ramayana is a rare manuscript at the Ministry of Cultures Rampur Raza Library, and contains over 260 illustrations possibly the largest number in any hand-written Ramayana manuscript, a statement on PM Modi's personal website said. My gifts to the Hon'ble Supreme Leader of Iran and to President Rouhani. https://t.co/KYl9yhPuT4 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 A glimpse of the PMs gift to the Supreme Leader His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/dxryKNorzb PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 Here are pictures of the gifts PM presented to the Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani. pic.twitter.com/CDzciT2Yt5 PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 Meanwhile, a 'milestone' pact on the strategic Chabahar Port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed here today by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which PM Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between PM Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday sought more information and clarification on few points from the Health Ministry over the decision to bring an Ordinance on uniform medical entrance examination NEET that seeks to keep state boards out of its purview. The need for more information was conveyed to Health Minister JP Nadda who called on the President this afternoon to brief him about the need for bringing the Executive Order before the latter leaves for China tomorrow. The meeting lasted for more than half-an-hour and the minister is learnt to have briefed the President on three set of issues -- different exams of state boards, syllabi and regional languages. Health Ministry sources said that during the meeting some fresh information was sought by the President. The sources later said that the additional information sought by the President has been sent. The President had earlier asked Nadda's ministry to explain the reason for taking the Ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The meeting between the President and the Health Minister was "satisfactory", the sources said. The Ordinance was on Saturday sent to the President. Nadda was to attend a global health summit in Geneva but had to cancel the trip to meet the President. The Ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier on Friday, is aimed at "partially" overturning a Supreme Court order which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. The President has also sought the opinion of in-house legal experts on the Ordinance. The assent of the President is still awaited. Clarifying that the exemption is only for the state government seats, government sources had said the state seats which are earmarked in the private medical colleges have also been exempted. Different states earmark seats in various private medical colleges for state quota so that students from one state can get seats in another state. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1. Health Ministry sources said that seven states will take medical exams as per NEET while in six other states, around 4 lakh students have already taken the examinations. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Himachal government over the plea by taxi owners, challenging the order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) restricting the entry of all diesel and petrol based tourist vehicles in the Rohtang Pass area. The apex court said that without going through the reply of the state government and figures of the affected cab drivers, it will not interfere with the NGT order. The hearing in the matter has been adjourned for two weeks. Last week, the Centre supported the NGT order and told the Supreme Court that the cap is in the interest of ecology. However, the Himachal Pradesh government opposed NGT's May 10 order that allows only 1,200 vehicles, including 400 diesel cars, to drive upto the 13,050 feet high mountain pass. Taxi owners say this is the only big earning period on account of peak tourism season, adding they are suffering as they have to wait in queue for a long period for customers and CNG. The NGT had in its order restricted the number of vehicles to pass through Rohtang Pass for tourism purposes to 600 petrol vehicles and 400 diesel per day on first-come, first-serve basis and had directed that each vehicle allowed would pay an environmental cess. Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas and a popular summer getaway, which is around 51 km from Manali, and connects Kullu Valley with the remote district of Lahaul and Spiti. The Ministry of Health Inspectorate has decided to suspend the circulation of C2 green tea and Red Dragon energy drink, two popular drinks in Vietnam, for exceeding the lead content limit. The ministry specifies that the limit of lead must not be higher than 0.05 milligrams per liter. Recent samples taken by Vietnam's Institute of Nutrition found a sample of C2 green tea contained 0.085 while Red Dragon recorded 0.068. C2 green tea and Red Dragon energy drink The circulation of the two drinks was officially stopped on May 20. The ministry has also instructed Hanoi URC Limited Company, the producer of the two drinks, to recall its products and provide a detailed report by May 23. Questions concerning the levels of lead in URCs products arose at the start of May when test results of C2 and Red Dragon were leaked on social networks. Since then URC has coordinated with authorities to carry out other tests but the results have been inconsistent. The Ministry of Health has asked three Vietnamese institutes to check samples of URCs products before coming to a final decision. Gurgaon: In a shocking incident, a bus driver, who refused to pay toll tax, tried to crush a manager deployed on duty under the wheels when asked to stop the vehicle in Gurgaon. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon when the bus, belonging to a private city bus service, reached the Kherki Daula toll plaza here. The toll collector present at one of the booths asked the driver to pay the toll of Rs 60, but instead the driver refused to pay and tried to flee. On seeing that the driver was trying to flee without paying, the toll manager signalled the former to stop but he tried to crush him under the wheels. The toll manager, however, managed to jump aside during the course. The incident was also captured on CCTV. The police are now examining the footage and are trying to nab the accused. Srinagar: Hours after three policemen were killed in cold blood in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, security forces late on Monday were reportedly able to eliminate at least two suspected attackers. The militants were gunned down in Sarai Bala area of the city after several hours of gun-battle with security forces, ANI reported. Security forces were on high alert after militants struck early on Monday, first such attack after a lull of three years in Srinagar. Terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for Monday's deadly attack. Meanwhile, the army has stepped up vigil along the LoC. Three policemen were killed in Srinagar on Monday when motorcycle-borne militants opened fire at them when they were asked to stop at a check-post. Jammu: In a first major strike by separatist guerrillas after the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government took office in Jammu and Kashmir, a group of unidentified terrorists attacked a police party in the Srinagar city, killing three policemen on Monday. Dreaded terrorist outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) has claimed responsibility for terror attacks in which 3 cops were martyred today. A spokesman of group told a Srinagar based news agency that its members have carried out attacks in the city. A high alert has also been sounded across the Line of Control and the Army has stepped up vigil in view of intelligence inputs of Pakistan-backed terrorists waiting to slip into the Indian side. According to reports, a group of heavily armed terrorists first attacked a police party at Zadibal Police Station in Srinagar, killing two policemen. ASI Nazeer Ahmed and Constable Basheer Ahmed were killed in the attack, report said. One policeman also sustained injuries in the attack. Two policemen, including a junior level officer, were killed by separatist guerrillas in a hit and run attack in summer capital Srinagar, said a police officer. "Motorcycle borne militants attacked a 'Naka' (checking) party near the mills in Zadibal area of Srinagar city today,'' the officer said. "When the motorcycle borne militants were signalled to stop, they fired at the police party resulting in the death of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a constable. "The militants fled after carrying out the attack. A high alert has been sounded in the city to nab the assassins." Army, police and other agencies are fully prepared,won't let these terrorists succeed, Satish Dua, G-O-C 15 Corps said on terror attacks in Srinagar Unfortunate. Want to assure that Army, police and CRPF are ready to face such threats, Dua said. Heavy reinforcement has been sent to the attack sites and the entire area has been cordoned off. A massive manhunt has also been launched for the militants after the attack in Zadibal and Tengpora in the old part of the city. Government sources say the attacks were designed to scare tourists away in peak travel season for the Kashmir Valley. Officials, however, say that the areas targeted are not tourist sites. Kochi: A Defence Security Corps (DSC) jawan, was found dead with gunshot wounds late night at the Naval Base in Kochi, Kerala. As per reports, Naik Sivadasan K, aged 53 years, was found dead while on duty as an armed sentry at the Naval Base. It is yet to be ascertained whether the firing was accidental or not and the case is being investigated by the Harbour Terminus Police Station. The deceased, belonging to Thrissur is survived by his wife and two daughters, both of whom are married and they have been informed about his death. An inquiry has been ordered by the Navy into the incident. With ANI inputs Mumbai: Days after the latest ISIS video showed Indian Jihadis in its ranks warning to avenge purported atrocities on Muslims in India, the Shiv Sena on Monday dubbed the issue as extremely 'serious' and asked the Muslims to come forward in the fight against the dreaded extremist Islamic organization. In a latest video released by the ISIS, Indian Jihadis, including Thane engineering student Fahad Tanvir Sheikh, has issued a warning and vowed to avenge the demolition of the Babri Mosque and the purported killing of Muslims across the country. "Four youth from Maharashtra went to Syria and became commanders there in ISIS. And our boys are now threatening to destroy India. This is a warning bell. We have to take it seriously. The home ministers (both at the Centre and states) talk about alertness, but that won`t suffice," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI. Four youth from Mumbai`s Kalyan - Aarif Majid, Fahad Tanvir Sheikh, Amaan Tandel and Saheem Tanki - had fled to Iraq in May 2014 to join ISIS. Out of these, Aarif Majid is in the NIA custody as he returned from Syria. Shahim Tanki is supposed to have been killed in a bomb attack in Raqqa last year, as claimed by Sheikh in the video. "Our Muslim brothers should come forward to fight the ISIS. Just by criticizing them on paper won`t do. If they (ISIS) speak of raising swords against us then the people of all faiths should take up swords and aptly respond," Raut added. The ISIS operatives in the video also urge the Muslims in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan region to join their movement to establish an Islamic caliphate.According to a leading national daily, Fahad Tanvir Sheikh is the only individual conclusively identified in the video.Reports state that several still-to-be-identified members in the video could be former members of the Indian Mujahideen. The video also claims that `cow-worshipping` Hindus are responsible for violence against Muslims in many places, including Mumbai, Gujarat, Assam and Moradabad. One of the Jihadis, speaking in English, also gave a stern warning to India and said either accept Islam, pay Jiziya (a medieval tax for non-believers of Islam) or be prepared to be slaughtered. The Jihadis have also launched a tirade against the Indian Muslims for maintaining trade and social relations with the 'infidels'. They have has also criticised the Muslim politicians and clerics for compromising with a purported tyrannical system responsible for massacring Muslims. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Indian scientists on the successful test launch Indias first indigenously made space shuttle- the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). "Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them," Modi said in a tweet. The dynamism & dedication with which our scientists & @isro have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring, the Prime Minister added. The dynamism & dedication with which our scientists & @isro have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested its first home-grown reusable satellite launch vehicle, as a technology demonstrator in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The 1.7-tonne RLV was launched from ISRO's spaceport here, about 80 km northeast of Chennai off the Bay of Bengal coast. Chennai: In an effort to fulfil her poll promise of phased implementation of liquor prohibition in the state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, soon after being sworn-in on Monday, announced closure of 500 liquor shops. She also ordered reduced the working time of the liquor outlets by two hours. A statement issued by the government said liquor shops will be now open between 12 noon and 10 p.m. Earlier, these shops functioned between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Reacting to the announcement, PMK founder S Ramadoss said the government should have curtailed the liquor shop working hours in the evening when the sales peak. He said the government has not said when the 500 outlets would be closed. Pointing out the existence of around 7,000 liquor outlets in the state, Ramadoss said it will take 14 years to implement full prohibition in the state if 500 shops are closed per year. "Since a policy decision on closure of liquor shops has been taken, the government should close down a specified number of outlets per month so prohibition is implemented in the state by this year end and the society benefits," he said. He also demanded that the government should also come with an announcement on the alternate employment to those workers in the liquor shops. Liquor is retailed in Tamil Nadu by a state government undertaking popularly known as Tasmac outlet. The government generates a revenue of over Rs.26,000 crore per annum from liquor sales. Chennai: DMK Treasurer MK Stalin on Monday attended the swearing-in of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. However, the move attracted criticism from M Karunanidhi who was irked at his son being seated in the 16th row at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium. The DMK president today alleged that his party was 'insulted' at the swearing-in ceremony. He said that Stalin was made to sit 'among the crowd' even as a losing candidate and AIADMK ally, R Sarath Kumar, was allotted seat in the front row. "Stalin, who has the qualification to sit in the Main Opposition (possibly as its Leader) after (DMK) won 89 seats, was given seat among the crowd whereas Sarath Kumar was seated in the front row," Karunanidhi said in a statement. DMK was 'insulted' in a planned manner, Karunanidhi added, as per PTI. This is the second time Stalin, attired in white shirt and dhoti, attended Jayalalithaa's swearing-in after participating in her oath-taking ceremony in 2001. As Chennai Mayor, he along with a few DMK leaders, had attended the function then. Former DMK Ministers EV Velu and Ponmudy besides their party MLAs Sekhar Babu, Vagai Chandrasekhar and Ku Ka Selvam were also seated near him. Meanwhile, Jayalalithaa, who defied a 32-year history to return to power for a second consecutive term, today took oath as CM for the sixth time. The 68-year-old along with 28 others including her trusted lieutenant O Pannerselvam took the oath of office and secrecy in the name of God in Tamil that was administered by Governor K Rosaiah. The AIADMK supremo retained 15 of her ministers who were in the previous cabinet and 13 new faces including three women. While the DMK secured 89 seats, its allies Congress eight and IUML one, the AIADMK alone bagged 134 seats in the May 16 polls. Elections to Thanjavur and Aravakurichi segments have been deferred. (With PTI inputs) Kolkata: Angry over alleged attacks on their activists by the ruling Trinamool Congress after the assembly polls, West Bengal`s opposition Left Front, Congress and the BJP on Monday threatened to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the Mamata Banerjee government, scheduled for May 27. The LF and the Congress submitted a joint memorandum to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi,seeking his intervention to stop post-poll violence. Replying to reporters` queries, state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: "We may not attend (the swearing in ceremony)". Left Front-spearhead CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra concurred. "Looking at the condition of the people (who are being terrorised) we are not mentally preparedA to attend the ceremony and the festivity that surrounds it," he said. The BJP also knocked on the doors of Tripathi demanding immediate steps to stop post-poll trouble. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, who led a protest demonstration in south Kolkata`s Hazra, warned the Trinamool that if the attacks on its activists did not cease, he will request the central government to not send any guests to attend the swearing-in ceremony. "We will observe May 27 as a black day," he said. Ghosh also warned that his party would not allow the ceremony slated for May 27 at the city`s arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (formerly Red Road) to take place. "We will blockade Kolkata and Red Road will be occupied on the 27th," he said. Kolkata: Known for shooting off his mouth, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Monday landed in a fresh controversy when he threatened Trinamool Congress lawmakers of retaliation outside the state for the physical attack on his party leader and actress Roopa Ganguly. "They must remember that they only have 211 MLAs while we have 1,400 (across the country). They have 34 MPs and we have 282 MPs. "Whatever the TMC does within the border of Bengal, we will pay them back outside Bengal," Ghosh told media persons on the sidelines of a protest organised by the party against the assault on its state Mahila Morcha chief Ganguly near Kakdwip of South 24 Parganas district on Sunday. "I, Dilip Ghosh, state this in my capacity as state BJP president. If the atrocities do not stop, we will cross all limits. .. Their Lok Sabha MPs will have to go to Delhi. We will see how they return from Delhi," he said. Ghosh also warned that his party would not allow Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's swearing-in ceremony slated for May 27 on the city's arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (formerly Red Road) to take place. He also said his party would observe May 27 as a 'black day'. "We will blockade Kolkata and Red road will be occupied on the 27th," he said. The BJP state president said he would request the central government not to send anybody to attend the swearing-in. The BJP had organised the march to Kalighat - that houses Banerjee's residence - in protest against the attack on Ganguly. However, police stopped the marchers at Hazra Crossing. This triggered a bout of jostling between police and BJP workers. Ganguly sustained a head injury after being allegedly attacked by Trinamool workers with stones and sticks when she was on a trip to Kakdwip to meet an injured BJP polling agent and his family. Ghosh recently drew widespread outrage for his remarks calling a section of Jadavpur University female students "shameless". Reacting to charges of molestation brought against ABVP activist during a scuffle in the varsity over the screening of Vivek Agnihotri's film "Buddha in A Traffic Jam" on May 6, he had wondered why female students were present during the clash. "Those who fear so much for their modesty, why did they go there? This is shamelessness." While his remarks received condemnation and derision, Ghosh had appeared unfazed and stuck to them. After a one hour talk, Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang and U.S. President Barack Obama have witnessed signing ceremonies of bilateral agreements at the Presidential Palace. Following the meeting, both presidents witnessed signing ceremonies for various agreements. One is the purchase of 100 Boeing 737 Max by VietJet Air worth $11.3 billion. Ministry of Industry and Trade has also signed a memorandum of understanding with General Electric on renewable energy development in Vietnam. Both parties aim to produce at least 1,000 MW of electricity from wind power projects by 2025. Vietjet CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) while Ray Conner, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (R) shakes hands with Vietnam's Presiden Tran Dai Quang (2nd R) during a signing cermony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam May 23, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kham In remarks to Quang, who until recently was head of the country's internal security agency, Obama congratulated him on the "extraordinary progress" Vietnam had made. "Whether we are talking about commercial and economic ties or military-to-military consultations or humanitarian work or our legacy of war issues ... Across the board what we've seen is increased cooperation for the benefit of both our peoples," he said. Vietnam has long been calling for the arms embargo to be lifted, arguing that buying weapons for self-defence from established trade partners is normal. In a series of bilateral meetings with Vietnam's heads of state, Obama will discuss a range of issues, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); the countries' commercial ties; regional security issues like maritime security, disaster response, and mutual commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region; and emerging and growing people-to-people ties and cooperation in areas like education and entrepreneurship.The U.S. President is expected to meet with the newly-elected chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the Stilt House where former President Ho Chi Minh used to live. He will then be received at a state luncheon, followed by a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Obama's final meeting of the day will be with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. On May 24, the president will meet give a speech to the Vietnamese people. In Ho Chi Minh City, he will visit the Jade Pagoda followed by a meeting with young Vietnamese entrepreneurs where he will discuss the benefits of the TPP. On May 25, the president will host a town hall meeting with members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative. After completing his Vietnam trip, Obama will head to Japan for the G7 Summit. Bangkok: At least 17 girls died in the night after a fire swept through a school dormitory in northern Thailand, officials said Monday, adding several others were either missing or injured. The fire broke out late at night, meaning many of the girls were asleep and unable to escape as flames engulfed the two-storey building. "The fire broke out at 11pm on Sunday (1600 GMT). Seventeen girls were killed and two are still missing, with five injured," Police Colonel Prayad Singsin, Commander of Wiang Pa Pao district in Chiang Rai told AFP. Two of the injured are in a serious condition, he added. "The fire is out, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation," Prayad said, adding forensic officers were due to arrive on Monday. A Chiang Rai provincial official confirmed the death toll, adding that the privately-run school is home to girls aged between six and 13 years old, drawn mainly from the deprived local hill tribes. "There were 38 students inside the dormitory when the fire broke out. Some were not yet asleep so they escaped," deputy governor of the province Arkom Sukapan told AFP. "But others were asleep and could not escape resulting in the large number of casualties." Photographs on the school`s Facebook page showed firefighters struggling to douse the flames as they engulfed the wooden, two-storey building. Thai media showed a fire truck spraying water onto the blaze as the upper storey of the school was consumed by flames which tore through the roof of the building. Rescue workers picked through the debris late Sunday and into Monday morning. Thailand`s hill tribes mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar and are often beyond the reach of state resources, suffering at school as well as in their health and development. Poverty means some resort to drug smuggling for narcotics gangs across the zone, known as the "Golden Triangle". Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the kingdom. Chiang Rai town and the surrounding hills are popular with foreign tourists for hiking and adventure sports. Tourists can go on tours to the isolated tribes, although the practice has come under criticism for degrading their unique culture and treating the ethnic groups as "human zoos". Dubai: Unexploded cluster bombs dropped by the Saudi-led coalition on rebel-held northern Yemen have turned areas into "minefields" for civilians, Amnesty International said Monday. The rights group said children were among civilians "killed and maimed" by such submunition, urging international assistance to clear contaminated areas and the coalition to stop using such bombs. "Countries with influence should urge the Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces to stop using cluster munitions, which are internationally banned and inherently indiscriminate," it said in a statement. The coalition launched a military campaign against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels in March last year after they seized several provinces of Yemen, including Sanaa, and closed in on President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in his refuge in the southern city of Aden. But coalition warplanes have been accused by rights groups of causing heavy civilian losses and using cluster bombs. The London-based watchdog said that families were at "grave risk" of "serious injury and death" as they return to northern Yemen since a ceasefire was agreed in March. "Even after hostilities have died down, the lives and livelihoods of civilians, including young children, continue to be on the line in Yemen as they return to de facto minefields," said Amnesty`s senior crisis advisor Lama Fakih. "They cannot live in safety until contaminated areas in and around their homes and fields are identified and cleared of deadly cluster bomb submunitions and other unexploded ordnance," she said. Amnesty said its most recent mission to northern Yemen found evidence of US, UK and Brazilian cluster munitions used by the coalition. The mission documented 10 new cases in which 16 civilians were killed or injured by cluster munitions between July 2015 and April, Amnesty said. Fighting has killed more than 6,400 people, displaced about 2.8 million and left 82 percent of Yemen`s population in need of aid, the UN says. Baltimore: Baltimore police officer Edward Nero was acquitted on Monday of four charges in the 2015 death of black detainee Freddie Gray, the second setback for prosecutors in a case that triggered rioting and fueled the Black Lives Matter movement. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams, who heard the case in a bench trial, told a packed courtroom that Nero, 30, had acted as any officer would during Gray`s arrest in April 2015. Nero is the second officer to be tried and faced misdemeanor charges of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. The first trial of an officer in the 25-year-old Gray`s death ended in a mistrial. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a statement urging calm. The only incident in the immediate aftermath of the verdict involved protesters chasing members of Nero`s family into a parking garage, yelling, "No justice, no peace." State`s Attorney Marilyn Mosby had charged Nero with arresting Gray without probable cause when he ran from him and other officers unprovoked in a high-crime area. She also contended Nero did not secure Gray in a police transport van. Gray died from a spine injury suffered in the van. Nero`s lawyers had argued that Gray`s arrest was justified and that the officer had little to do with it. He never touched Gray except when he tried to help him find an asthma inhaler and helped lift him into the van, they said. During a 25-minute reading of his decision, Williams said Nero acted as a "similarly situated" officer would and that prosecutors had failed to prove their case. He said Nero`s partner, Garrett Miller, had testified that Nero had done little during the arrest. "Miller stated unequivocally that he was the one who detained and handcuffed Gray," he said. Nero still faces an internal department investigation. There was no response from Mosby`s office since those involved in the case are under a court gag order. In a statement, defense attorney Marc Zayon said Nero appreciated "the reasoned judgment" of Williams in his verdict and called on Mosby to dismiss charges against the five other officers accused in the case. Gray`s death a week after his arrest had sparked a day of rioting in which nearly 400 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the majority black city of 620,000 people. The case helped stoke the Black Lives Matter movement and national debate over policing in minority communities. Baltimore paid Gray`s family USD 6.4 million in a settlement reached last year. William Porter was the first officer tried in the case and his trial ended in a hung jury in December. The charges against other officers range from misconduct to second-degree murder. The hashtag #FreddieGray began trending on Twitter after news of Neros acquittal. Some black activists expressed their disappointment. "#FreddieGray should be alive today, wrote DeRay Mckesson, a key figure in the Black Lives Matter movement who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Baltimore in April. Tim Maloney, a Greenbelt, Maryland, lawyer who has handled police misconduct cases, said if prosecutors had been successful, any officer who made an arrest without clear probable cause would be subject to criminal prosecution. "That would have an incredible chilling effect," he said. Hanoi Province: US President Barack Obama on Monday scrapped a Cold War-era ban on weapons sales to Vietnam, as ties between the former foes grow closer thanks to trade and mutual fears of Chinese expansion in disputed seas. The announcement, made at the start of Obama`s three-day visit to Vietnam, could strengthen Hanoi`s hand against Beijing, which has been increasingly assertive in its claims to contested areas of the South China Sea. "Over the past century, our two nations have known cooperation and then conflict, painful separation, and a long reconciliation," Obama said at a press conference alongside Vietnam`s President Tran Dai Quang. The move, Obama added, was not prompted by China`s regional manoeuvres but came as the countries entered a "new moment" taking them towards a "normalisation" of ties. Quang welcomed the rollback of the ban, hailing the shared "common concerns and interests" that now bind the two countries. The Obama administration has pitched this week`s trip as an opportunity to push ties beyond the period of rapprochement, with Vietnam a vital plank in America`s much vaunted pivot to the Asia-Pacific. The visit is Obama`s first to the country -- and the third by a sitting president since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Direct US involvement in the conflict ended in 1973. Obama said he was "moved" to see thousands of locals lining Hanoi`s streets, craning with smartphones in hand for a view of his motorcade. The nations have experienced an astonishing turnaround in their relations, from bitter foes to regional allies.Until now Vietnam`s dismal human rights record has weighed against a full rollback of the arms embargo. The one-party state still ruthlessly cracks down on protests, jails dissidents, bans trade unions and controls local media. In a muted reference to its parlous rights situation, Obama said Washington still had differences with Vietnam on human rights but "modest progress" had been made. That sentiment jarred with some of the country`s long-persecuted dissidents. "They (Vietnam) have not changed anything in terms of basic core values when it comes to human rights," blogger Huynh Ngoc Chenh told AFP, while noting he was glad the embargo was lifted. Human Rights Watch said Obama had "jettisoned what remained of US leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam". Trade dominated much of the first day of the unusually long trip. A series of deals were unveiled worth some $16 billion, including an agreement for VietJet, Vietnam`s privately-owned budget airline, to spend $11.3 billion on Boeing passenger jets. Both nations have long pushed for closer trade ties. Obama said he was confident Congress would ratify the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which includes Vietnam and spans 40 percent of the global economy. Quang welcomed the TPP, committing Vietnam "to fully implementing" all of its clauses which include recognition of workers` rights.China, which remains under its own US arms embargo since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, officially welcomed the decision to lift the embargo on Vietnam -- calling such measures "a product of the Cold War". "It should never have existed," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. While it is by far the country`s largest trade partner, a deep distrust of China historically runs through Vietnam. In contrast America has rarely, if ever, been so popular among ordinary Vietnamese. A poll last year by the Pew Research Centre found 78 percent of Vietnamese have a favourable view of the United States, the third highest in Asia after the Philippines and South Korea. The approval rate was even higher among young people in a nation where the median age is around 29. Like most Vietnamese, 25-year-old Doan Quang Vinh from Hanoi was born long after the war. "For me, the American war against Vietnam is a matter of the past, and though we must not forget the past, we should not dwell on it. We should look towards the future," he told AFP. Later Monday Obama held talks with de facto leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the Communist Party. Trong and Obama met last July, when he was given a prestigious Oval Office meeting. The pair shook hands Monday in a room with a large bust of Vietnam`s Communist icon Ho Chi Minh. Trong hailed "a very historic visit which will open up a new chapter" in relations. On Tuesday afternoon Obama will fly to Ho Chi Minh City to meet tech entrepreneurs and hold one of his trademark town hall gatherings with young people. Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a multilateral French peace initiative as he met his French counterpart on Monday, offering instead to hold direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Paris. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he would speak to President Francois Hollande about the proposal while an aide to Valls later said there was little new in Netanyahu`s remarks. "It can still be called the French initiative because you would host this genuine effort for peace," Netanyahu said. "But here`s the difference: I will sit alone, directly, with president Abbas in the Elysee (French presidential) palace or anywhere else that you choose. Every difficult issue will be on the table." Netanyahu, who has repeatedly expressed his opposition to the French proposal, said "this initiative can still take place in Paris, because that would be a marvellous place to sign a peace accord. It`s a marvellous place anyway." Valls is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories to advance his country`s plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. He is due to hold talks in Ramallah on Tuesday with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Abbas has welcomed the French initiative to hold a meeting of foreign ministers from a range of countries on June 3, without the Israelis and Palestinians present. Another conference would then be held in the autumn, with the Israelis and Palestinians in attendance. The goal is to eventually relaunch negotiations that would lead to a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has regularly called for direct talks and offered to meet Abbas, and he reiterated his argument on Monday that peace would not be achieved though "international diktats." A Valls aide said the only new element in Netanyahu`s comments was his mention of talks in Paris. Palestinian leaders say years of negotiations with Israel have not ended its occupation and have pursued a strategy of diplomacy at international bodies. Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014.An upsurge in violence since October has killed 205 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say. The unrest has steadily declined in recent weeks but on Monday a Palestinian woman was shot dead at a checkpoint north of Jerusalem while trying to stab a border policeman, Israeli authorities said. Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the recent unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Those arguing for a new peace effort say the lack of any initiative leaves a vacuum that can be filled by hardliners on either side. Valls has sought to address Israel`s concerns over the French initiative, saying it would not try to impose a solution and that negotiations between the two sides would ultimately resolve the conflict. He has at the same time criticised Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank, considered a major stumbling block to peace. Jewish settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law and built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Valls`s visit also comes at a time of political turbulence in Israel, with Netanyahu expected to soon finalise negotiations with the party of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to join his coalition. Lieberman, who lives in a West Bank settlement and is detested by the Palestinians, is expected to take on the key role of defence minister. Netanyahu has sought to ease concerns over the expected entrance of Lieberman`s party into his coalition, saying his government would still seek peace with the Palestinians. Paris: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Monday voiced "relief" over Austrian green-backed candidate Alexander Van der Bellen`s razor-thin victory over his far-right rival in the presidential election run-off. "Relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism," Valls tweeted about the result from Sunday`s cliff-hanger vote. "Everyone in Europe should learn from this." Baghdad: Iraq has executed 22 people over the past month who were convicted of terrorism and other crimes, the justice minister has announced. The ministry "carried out death sentences against 22 convicts condemned for crimes and terrorist acts," Justice Minister Haidar al-Zamili said in a statement. It also quoted Zamili as saying that, with the start of the Iraqi operation to retake the city of Fallujah from the Islamic State group, "we confirm... That the ministry is continuing to carry out just punishment against terrorists." Rights group Amnesty International said that Baghdad executed at least 26 people in 2015. Iraq has faced widespread criticism from diplomats, analysts and human rights groups who say that due to a flawed justice system, those being executed are not necessarily guilty of the crimes for which they were sentenced to die. But the country has repeatedly defied such criticism and continues carrying out executions. New York: Barack Obama will not apologise for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima when he this week becomes the first sitting US president to visit the city, he told Japanese television. The comments are the clearest yet from his administration over an issue that raises hackles in the United States and has been the subject of heated debate for decades. Asked if an apology would be included in remarks he plans to make, he said: "No, because I think that it`s important to recognise that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions. "It`s a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during war time." American airmen launched the world`s first atomic strike on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, causing the deaths of about 140,000 people. Tens of thousands were killed by the fireball that the powerful nuclear blast generated, with many more succumbing to injuries or illnesses caused by radiation in the weeks, months and years afterwards. The southern city of Nagasaki was hit by a second bomb three days later, killing 74,000 people, in one of the final acts of World War II. Obama travelled to Vietnam at the weekend and is due in Japan later this week. He will visit Hiroshima after attending the Group of Seven summit hosted by Japan. "My purpose is not to simply revisit the past, but to affirm that innocent people die in a war, on all sides, that we should do everything we can to try to promote peace and dialogue around the world, that we should continue to strive for a world without nuclear weapons," Obama said in the interview with NHK, aired Sunday. US officials have consistently said in the weeks leading up to the visit that there would be no apology. Obama`s upcoming visit has reignited an emotive debate over former US president Harry Truman`s epoch-making decision to drop the atomic bombs. The speed, circumstances and repercussions of Truman`s decision remain contentious. In Japan, a majority believe the mass bombing of civilians was unnecessary and perhaps even a crime. Many Americans believe that it avoided an even bloodier ground invasion of Japan. Nearly 80 percent of survivors of the atomic bombings are not seeking an apology from Obama, as opposed to 16 percent who want one during Obama`s visit, according to a Kyodo News survey of 115 people. Some thought it best that Japan not seek an apology for fear it would be an obstacle to Obama making the trip to Hiroshima, Kyodo said. But Terumi Tanaka, the head of a survivors` group, told reporters Friday that survivors want an apology from Obama "to those who died, bereaved families and parents who lost their children". Obama fancies a ca phe sua da? Bring on the "best coffee in the world" So popular among the Vietnamese that some cant survive a day without a few shots, ca phe sua da, Vietnamese style iced coffee with concentrated milk, has earned its place on every menu, from high-end cafes to pavement stalls where people perch on plastic stools or concrete steps. Cheap ($1-2) and an instant buzz, ca phe sua da has reached U.S. President Barack Obama's attention, who stated firmly on his first day in Vietnam: "Maybe I will enjoy some ca phe sua da". Refreshing, satisfying and amusingly sweet, the beverage has won the hearts of coffee lovers from all over the world, together with the world-renowned banh mi that completes Vietnam's street food map. Photo by VnExpress/Tam Bui It didnt come as surprise when in 2016, Australia's Traveller Magazine ranked it among the best coffees in the world thanks to its unique recipe that you cannot find anywhere else on earth. However, it turns out the unique recipe is too simple to be true. This sensational iced coffee treat can be summarized by three common ingredients: "coffee, milk and ice". Photo by VnExpress/Tam Bui 1. Pour the condensed milk into a glass, lining the base of the cup. 2. Load a stainless steel Vietnamese coffee filter with ground beans. Be sure not to twist the compressor too tightly as the water may not be able to seep through. 3. Place the filter (with coffee) on top of the glass. Pour 20ml of hot water over the coffee. 4. After 30 seconds, pour another 120ml of hot water over the coffee beans. Replace the lid and wait until all of the water in the filter has drained through (this should take approximately 8 to 10 minutes). 5. Stir the coffee well with the condensed milk. Pour over ice and enjoy your "ca phe sua da". Photo by timeoutvietnam.vn Recipe suggested by Indochine Estates Coffee Aden: A suicide bomber killed at least 20 army recruits and injured dozens of others in the Yemeni city of Aden on Monday, residents and a security official said, in another major militant attack on the beleaguered government. The blast occurred as the recruits lined up to enlist for military service in the Khor Maksar district of the port city, which serves as the temporary capital of Yemen's Saudi-backed administration while it seeks to seize back the capital Sanaa from the armed Houthi group. Local news website Aden al-Ghad showed pictures of soldiers picking up bloodied comrades in uniform from the ground and witnesses reported seeing ambulances with blaring sirens collecting the wounded from the scene. Bangkok: A schoolgirl boarding-house in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai was burnt down late Sunday, killing 17 girls, injuring five others while two girls were missing, a local newspaper quoted police as reporting on Monday. According to the Nation newspaper, the fire broke out at the boarding-house of Pithakkiart Witthaya School in Wiengpapao district at 11 p.m. Sunday. The girls who died in the fire were between five to 12 years old. There were 38 schoolgirls staying at the boarding-house. They came from hilltribe villages in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai to study in the town. After the blaze broke out officials could only evacuate a few of the girls while the rest were trapped inside Aden: At least 49 people were on Monday killed in two suicide bombings targeting army recruits and a military brigade in Yemen's southern port city of Aden, a security official said. One suicide attack targeted newly recruited soldiers inside the 39th Armoured Brigade in KhorMaksar district in which 25 soldiers were killed and 23 injured, Xinhua reported. The official spokesman for Aden's local government said: "A suicide bomber sneaked into the army brigade and detonated his explosive belt among dozens of soldiers." At the same time, a car bomb exploded as recruits lined up for meeting a military committee in order to enlist for military service. The car bomb explosion left 24 people killed and a large number injured, according to the military sources. The toll could rise as ambulances and police vehicles were evacuating the victims to different hospitals, the sources said. After the two separate bombings, security authorities in Aden received intelligence information about a car filled with explosives in Aden prepared to launch a fresh attack in the city. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest suicide bombings, although the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda offshoot is believed to be behind most of such attacks, which usually target security and government officials. Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al-Qaeda insurgencies in the Middle East. The Al-Qaeda offshoot, also known as Ansar Al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It has claimed responsibility for a number of 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 in Yemen's southern regions. The fragile security situation in the country has deteriorated since March 2015, when a war broke out between the Shia Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Since then more than 6,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes, half of them civilians. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The NKR Defense Ministry informs that overnight May 22-23 the situation remained the same in the Karabakh-Azerbaijani line of contact. The NKR Defense Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight May 22-23 the situation remained unchanged in the line of contact between Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces. The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire agreement by firing various caliber weapons. The Defense Army Forces followed the ceasefire agreement and continued confidently carrying out their military duties. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Armenia informs that overnight May 22-23 the situation remained the same in the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The Armenian Defense Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight May 22-23 the situation remained unchanged along the entire length of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The Azerbaijani side fired irregular shots from various caliber weapons in the northeastern direction of the border. The Armenian Armed forces control the border situation and confidently carry out their tasks. According to the information received from the NKR Defense Army overnight May 22-23 the situation remained unchanged in the line of contact between Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces. The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire agreement by firing various caliber weapons. The Defense Army Forces followed the ceasefire agreement and continued confidently carrying out their military duties. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Ministers of the 28 member states of the EU will meet in Brussels on May 23 to discuss the migration crisis, as well as the situation in Syria and Iraq. In addition, the 7th annual meeting of the Eastern Partnership project will take place (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini will chair the ministerial meetings. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Parliament Speaker of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov, who is on a working visit to Athens, on May 22 met Greek National Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, press service of the Armenian National Assembly informed Armenpress. The sides expressed their satisfaction over the current high-level bilateral military-political cooperation. Sharmazanov positively assessed the fact that Armenian Armed Forces officers have an opportunity to undergo training in Greece. Eduard Sharmazanov stated that security issues are priority both for Armenia and Greece. He said Turkey is a real threat in the region. Turkey not only denies the Armenian Genocide, but also keeps Armenian in an illegal blockade for 23 years and occupied one third of Cyprus, Sharmazanov stated. Armenian Deputy Parliament Speaker condemned the Azerbaijani aggression unleashed against the Nagorno Karabakh on early of April and added that Turkey was the only country that openly supported Azerbaijan during those days. He informed the Greek MP about the Azerbaijani barbaric actions against the Armenian soldiers and the civilian people, which, he ensured, were committed by the signature of DAESH. The tortures of civilian people by the Azerbaijani side are vivid manifestations of the military crime, Sharmazanov stated. In his turn Panos Kammenos stressed the importance of the Armenian-Greek closely and brotherly cooperation. He expressed his gratitude to the National Assembly of Armenia for the announcement that was unanimously adopted on March 24, 2015 condemning the Greek Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. He emphasized that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be resolved only with peaceful means. He considered unacceptable any attempt of solving the conflict with military means. At the end of the meeting Eduard Sharmazanov awarded Panos Kammenos for the significant contribution in the strengthening and development of the Armenian-Greek bilateral relations. The same day Eduard Sharmazanov and Panos Kammenos visited Syntagma Square and laid a wreath on the Unknown Soldier monument. Tomorrow, Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, will represent the Commission at the Energy Council meeting in Luxembourg. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan says the situation is calm in the Karabakh-Azerbaijani line of contact, number of shots is very few. Minister ensured that the Defense Army forces control the situation and keep the ceasefire regime. I was in the frontline of the Defense Army within the framework of our cooperation and mutual assistance, the staffhas a high mood, divisions are ready to carry out their military duties, Armenpress reports, Defense Minister said this during the briefing. Overnight May 22-23 the situation remained unchanged along the entire length of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The Azerbaijani side fired irregular shots from various caliber weapons in the northeastern direction of the border. The Armenian Armed forces control the border situation and confidently carry out their tasks. According to the information received from the NKR Defense Army overnight May 22-23 the situation remained unchanged in the line of contact between Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces. The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire agreement by firing various caliber weapons. The Defense Army Forces followed the ceasefire agreement and continued confidently carrying out their military duties. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The International Level Up students workshop is taking place in the resort town of Tsakhkadzor in Armenia. The workshop is organized by the Armenian State University of Economics and the Youth Foundation of Armenia. Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan visited the workshop on May 22. As head of the Government I want to say we pay great attention to all specialized rational discussions, which can contribute to the development of our economy and solution of problems, he said. Abrahamyan talked with the participants of the workshop during a Q&A. Around 100 students of 15 universities from 7 countries are taking part in the workshop entitled International economic challenges. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan says the Armenian side has created a positional defense towards the Azerbaijani captured territory during the four-day war by which the Defense Army staff keeps the control of the situation in terms of influence, initiative and strategic range. He ensured that as we do not forget our historical lands, we do not forget our lost territories during April military operations as well, Armenpress reports, Defense Minister said this during the briefing with journalists on May 23. A movement of troops happens both during the defensive and offensive military operations. The Defense Army staff carried out their tasks during the military operations. We have nothing to hide, there has been a movement of troops which is now under the control of the divisions which are located in that parts of the Defense Army. There territories are set out in the territory of the Nagorno Karabakh, and I think that the negotiations will be processed, Defense Minister stated. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on world leaders to fix the gap in humanitarian funding and share the burden of helping people in need across the globe. Speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 23 Ban said: "We need to provide more direct funding to local people and communities and fix the persistent humanitarian funding gap and investing in building stable and inclusive societies, reports Anadolu. In 2014, the UN reported that around $540 million of the roughly $135 billion global aid budget was spent on decreasing disaster risk. "I call on humanitarian organizations to work more closer together based on shared priorities to meet [the needs] of millions of people in crisis," Ban said. "We declare we are one humanity with shared responsibilities. Let us resolve, ourselves, here and now, not only to keep people alive but to [give] people a chance at life in dignity," Ban said. During the summit, attended by 125 of the UNs 193 member states, at least 50 heads of government will announce several commitments to reduce humanitarian disasters. These include: preventing and ending conflict; respecting the rules of war; addressing forced displacement; achieving gender equality; responding to climate change; ending the need for aid; and investing in humanity. Ban Ki-moon, who urged the international community to cut the amount of internally displaced people by 50 percent by 2030, is also expected to push for an increase in world spending on reducing disaster risk at the summit. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations H. Mkhitaryan says soon Armenia will receive a new shipment of firefighting vehicles from Japan. I agree that we have a problem with the number of firefighting vehicles. I would like to inform soon we will receive new vehicles from Japan. This time we will receive 38 units. Last year we have received 28, he said. He added some of the vehicles will be delivered to provinces of Armenia. STEPANAKERT, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Artsakh Republic (Nagorno Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan received the priest David Kyureghyan on May 23 who arrived in Stepanakert for handing over the donation of the Armenian community of the city Irkutsk to the leadership of Artsakh Republic. The two water-carriers will be used for providing drinking water to the soldiers. The Prime Minister thanked the representatives of the Armenian community of Irkutsk for assisting the homeland. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Government of Artsakh,Priest Kyureghyan thanked the head of the Government for cordial reception and mentioned that the representatives of the community are ready to continue their assistance. According to him part of the sum will be allocated to the families of the killed soldiers. Nagorno KarabakhDefense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan took part in the meeting. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received OSCE Parliamentary Assemblys Special Representative on the South Caucasus Kristian Vigenin on May 23. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of Republic of Armenia Presidents Office, greeting the guest, the President of the Republic stated that Armenia greatly values the contribution of the OSCE as a key organization of the European security system and an important platform for dialogue between the member states. To the Presidents conviction, the parliamentary format of the OSCE creates broad opportunities for cooperation and dialogue between parliamentarians, as well as incentives for using those interactions and cooperation for the sake of security and dialogue between peoples. Serzh Sargsyan expressed confidence that Kristian Vigenins great experience as an MP and also former member of the Bulgarian Cabinet, will allow him to have a comprehensive position on tasks put in front of him. Mentioning that Armenia will be transferred into a country of parliamentary governance based on the Constitution adopted during the referendum on December 6, 2015, the President expressed conviction that the activities of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will become more vigorous. At the beginning of the meeting the OSCE Parliamentary Assemblys Special Representative on the South Caucasus congratulated the President of Armenia on the occasion of the important step taken in Vienna over the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Kristian Vigenin mentioned that much still needs to be done to achieve lasting peace. In this situation the OSCE PA official sees the mission of the OSCE PA in supporting the efforts for peace. I reaffirm that the OSCE PA sees no alternative for the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the OSCE PA fully supports the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, Kristian Vigenin stated. STEPANAKERT, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. On May 23, Foreign Minister of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan received the delegation of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) led by Co-Chairman of the organization Board of Trustees Van Krikorian. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of NKR Foreign ministry, during the meeting, the sides discussed a range of issues related to the consolidation and further development of the cooperation between the NKR and the AAA. The NKR Foreign Minister stressed the importance of consistent activities of the Assembly aimed at representing and advocating the interests of Artsakh in the United States. In the biggest takeover ever attempted by a German company, Bayer said it made an offer for the US giant at $122 per share in cash, or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros) German chemicals giant Bayer said Monday it had offered $62 billion for US agriculture group Monsanto as it seeks to create the world's biggest supplier of seeds, pesticides and genetically-modified crops. In the biggest takeover ever attempted by a German company, Bayer said it made an offer for the American agrochemical giant at $122 per share in cash, or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros). The move spells a public relations risk for Bayer, especially in Germany, where popular scepticism is high of GM crops and the practice of patenting plant varieties, and where controversy has flared about the health risks of pesticide glyphosate which Monsanto markets as Roundup. Leverkusen-based Bayer hailed the planned merger as "an extraordinary opportunity to create a global leader in the agricultural industry. Monsanto is a perfect match to our agricultural business". Bayer CEO Werner Baumann said the company would have to "decisively address the point of reputation and challenges of Monsanto in Europe", adding that "our brand stands for responsibility, transparency and openness". The German firm said it expected synergies from the merger -- the biggest announced this year to date in the world -- to boost annual earnings by around $1.5 billion after three years. The announcement came just days after Saint Louis, Missouri-based Monsanto said it had received an unsolicited bid from Bayer following weeks of speculation about a possible tie-up. Monsanto has said it "will have no further comment until its board of directors has completed its review" of the offer. Bayer shares, which fell last week on news of the proposal, dropped another 5.7 percent to 84.42 euros Monday in Frankfurt, partially on investor concerns it might have offered too much to acquire Monsanto. - Image problem - According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies would together account for around 28 percent of global sales of pesticides and herbicides. Bayer CEO Baumann said the new mega-company could help feed the world. Story continues "The agriculture industry is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges of our time," he told journalists. "How to feed an additional three billion people in the world by 2050." Such a mega-merger could raise questions about market dominance, but Bayer said it "has a successful track record of working with global authorities to secure the necessary regulatory approvals". The other risk is damage to Bayer's image if it swallows GM giant Monsanto, which has long been a red rag to environmental groups worldwide. Heike Moldenhauer of German environmental group BUND said the glyphosate issue "should deter Bayer from swallowing a 'toxic' company like Monsanto". Sahra Wagenknecht of the far-left Linke party charged that Bayer's proposed acquisition of the "notorious genetics and poison company ... is a public menace". And Anton Hofreiter of the Greens party demanded that regulators block the deal, charging that "the Bayer bosses just want to maximise profits" and that the company is "the enemy of small farmers". "The planned deal wouldn't make the world better but worse" by reducing competition, heightening pressure on farmers, bringing more GM crops and expanding agro-industry "wastelands", he said. - 'Good fit' - Low commodity prices have piled the pressure on agricultural suppliers like Monsanto, which in March slashed its earnings forecast for 2016. Sluggishness in the industry has also sparked consolidation deals such as a merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical. Switzerland's Syngenta last year rejected an unsolicited offer from Monsanto, later agreeing to be bought by China National Chemical Corp for $43 billion. Last year, following the unsuccessful bid for Syngenta, Monsanto embarked on a huge restructuring programme, saying it would axe 3,600 jobs -- or 16 percent of its workforce -- by 2018, closing sites and writing down assets. Bayer, which employs around 117,000 workers, turned in record profits and sales in 2015, notching up a net profit of 4.1 billion euros on sales of 46.3 billion euros. The Bayer statement said it was "premature at this stage" to estimate when the two companies would be joined as one, or what the eventual workforce would be. Peter Spengler, analyst at DZ Bank Equity Research, said that "strategically and regionally Monsanto is a good fit" for Bayer. "Bayer will be significantly more leveraged than today but grabs a once in a lifetime chance to become a dominating world market leader in agriculture." Britain's finance minister George Osborne warned on May 23, 2016, that leaving the European Union would tip Britain into a "year-long recession" Leaving the European Union would tip Britain into a "year-long recession", finance minister George Osborne warned Monday as campaigning stepped up a month from a referendum on membership of the bloc. Analysis released by the Treasury argued that leaving would cause "an immediate and profound economic shock" to Britain and damage economic growth. "With exactly one month to go to the referendum, the British people must ask themselves this question: can we knowingly vote for a recession?" Osborne said in an accompanying statement. The analysis gave two scenarios if voters chose to leave the EU: a "shock scenario" in which gross domestic product would be 3.6 percent lower than it otherwise would have been after two years, and a "severe shock scenario" in which it would be 6 percent lower. Osborne and Prime Minister David Cameron have made dire predictions of the effect of a so-called Brexit as they campaign for Britain to remain in the EU. Osborne's campaign has announced that house prices would fall and grocery prices rise, while the Bank of England governor Mark Carney and the International Monetary Fund have warned of negative consequences for the British economy. The Vote Leave campaign has accused the other side of scare tactics. Iain Duncan Smith, a senior member of Cameron's Conservative party who campaigns in favour of Brexit, dismissed the Treasury's analysis as "not an honest assessment". "The Treasury has consistently got its predictions wrong in the past. This Treasury document is not an honest assessment but a deeply biased view of the future and it should not be believed by anyone," Duncan Smith said. Opinion polls suggest that the "Remain" camp is likely to prevail. An average of the last six polls by research project What UK Thinks gives "Remain" an eight-point lead over the "Leave" camp, on 54 percent versus 46 percent. On May 19, Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan signed into law House Bill 336, which had the support of 167 of Marylands 185 elected representatives. Americans are politically polarized, but agree on one matter: they do not like it when government steals from innocent people. The Maryland bill further curtails the states civil asset forfeiture programs. Civil forfeiture, at least according to the Justice Department, deprives wrongdoers of the proceeds of their crimes. But there is just one glaring omission from this definitioncivil forfeiture does not require any proof (or even claim) that people committed crimes for the government to take their property. By the twisted logic of civil forfeiture, property itself is charged with the crime. This is why civil forfeiture cases have absurd names such as United States v. One Solid Gold Object in Form of a Rooster or United States vs. $35,651.11 in U.S. Currency. Since the Bill of Rights covers property owners instead of property, victims of civil forfeiture are forced to prove their property innocent in order to get it back. And they are not entitled to legal assistance. This is why many people do not fight back after their property is seizedit is simply too expensive to win a court case against the government. The Maryland bill, which takes effect October 1, will establish a minimum amount of money to trigger a civil seizure; create more comprehensive reporting requirements; heighten the burden that law enforcement must meet to clear and convincing evidence in order to claim that owners knew their property was connected to criminal activity; completely exempt some property from forfeiture without a criminal conviction; and cut off most of enforcements ability to transfer seized property to the federal government. This last change is critical. Without it, any state reforms are ineffective. To bypass laws that some states have to protect property owners, seized funds are often transferred to the federal government before being returned to local law enforcement. Under this equitable sharing program, the Justice Department usually keeps 20 percent, while local law enforcement departments use remaining funds. The Institute for Justices November 2015 study, Policing for Profit, found that from 2000 to 2013 state and local Maryland law enforcement received over $80 million from the Department of Justice by participating in its equitable sharing program. But once Marylands reforms are in effect, seized property will not be able to be transferred to federal agencies unless the value of the property is over $50,000 or the transfer follows a federal warrant. Beyond Maryland, other jurisdictions, including New Mexico, Minnesota, and Washington, DC recently passed civil forfeiture reforms, but the problem is far from solved. And civil forfeiture continues to lead to innocent Americans being victimized. Take, for example, 24-year-old Charles Clarke. He was about to fly home to Florida from Cincinnati, Ohio when law enforcement officers searched his bag. They found his life savings$11,000and seized it, even though they had no evidence that he committed any crime. Although officers found no evidence of criminal activity, they did not return Clarkes funds. Who, one may ask, possibly supports civil forfeiture, a program that would be more at home in Venezuela or Russia than in America? The answer: law enforcement agencies and their political defenders. This is not Marylands first package of civil forfeiture reforms. Last year, another reform bill was passed, but Hogan vetoed it due to heavy pressure from law enforcement. To justify his veto, Hogan used scare tactics about the heroin epidemic. This same reasoning was used this year by New Hampshire governor Maggie Hassan when she recently threatened to veto a civil forfeiture reform bill. After the Maryland legislatures override of Hogans veto, the law enforcement lobby saw little reason to fight the latest bill. As the Maryland Sheriffs Associations executive director Karen Kruger told the Washington Post, After the governors veto was overridden from last year, the message from the legislature was clear. It did not appear any opposition was going to have any effect this time around. The reason for this support is that law enforcement has taken a program that was first meant to combat drug cartels, and then to stop terrorism funding networks, and turned it into a cash cow for their budgets. Police department have bought everything from a Zamboni, to a margarita machine, to first class plane tickets with civil forfeiture funds. Of course, if a case can be made that law enforcement needs increased funding to protect people, then by all means states and localities should give these departments increased funding. But gaining resources by stealing property from the very people who law enforcement is supposed to protect is wrong on every level. Additionally, if someone was convicted of a crime they should not profit off of it. But that is why criminal forfeiture, which unlike civil forfeiture requires a conviction, exists. Civil forfeiture is much more common than criminal forfeitureonly 13 percent of Department of Justice forfeitures from 1997 to 2013 were criminal, whereas 87 percent were civil. Law enforcement would be wise to stop pretending that legal acts, such as simply carrying casheven large amounts of cashare crimes. If they chose not to, policymakers across the country need to follow Marylands example and stand up for Americans property rights. Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. You can follow him on Twitter here. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning EBrief. Despite China signaling moves to cut its excess steel production capacity, industry chiefs say the country has declared a metals "war" that has had a "devastating" impact for the rest of the world's industry. Overcapacity in the steel industry has been a thorn in the side of the sector in recent years, pushing prices down and making it harder for some steel companies to survive. China's low-cost metal producers have been widely cited as the main culprit for the glut. In particular, the world's second largest economy has been accused of "dumping" cheap steel on to global markets, due to a slowdown in domestic demand, in a bid to gain market share. However Beijing has denied any wrongdoing and has said that its costs are lower than other producers. Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and chief executive of mining and natural resources company Cliffs Natural Resources, told CNBC on Thursday that China had been acting unfairly. "China (has not been unfairly targeted). They are the perpetrator, they are the problem and they had a chance to discuss this within the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) and they elected not to participateChina has been walking away from a negotiated deal," he told CNBC on the sidelines of the Platts Global Metals Awards. Other countries, including India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan, have also been cited as contributing to the global steel glut. Goncalves said that each country had its own set of subsidies and problems that "create the massive problem of dumping steel in the international market." Similarly to the oil industry, however, despite a slump in demand, some producers have been slow to cut production in a bid to support prices and in 2015, the OECD forecast that global nominal steelmaking capacity is projected to increase to 2.36 billion tons by 2017, up from 2.16 billion tons in 2013. In addition, it said that non-OECD economies (such as China) are expected to lead the capacity expansion in the global steel industry, with their share of world capacity expected to increase to 71.4 percent by 2017. Story continues There aren't signs that global steel production is slowing in the immediate term. While world crude steel production was 385.7 million tons (Mt) in the first three months of 2016, down 3.6 percent compared to the same period in 2015, according to the World Steel Association, China's crude steel production for March 2016 was 70.7 Mt, an increase of 2.9 percent compared to March 2015. India's crude steel production was 8.1 Mt in March 2016, up by 3.4 percent on March 2015. "Just based on the numbers, China is by far the largest problem," Goncalves said, accusing China of not abiding by the rules of international trade. "You can't call yourself competitive if your competitiveness is based on cheating the international rules of trade. Trade without fairness is not trade, it's war." The U.S. has tried to counteract the negative impact of cheap Chinese steel by upping its tariffs on imports of cold rolled steel, which is used in car production and construction, from China to 522 percent, saying that China had not cooperated in its investigations into dumping practices. Read More US raises duties on Chinese steel The U.K. and European Union have been urged to follow suit but, in comparison, the EU has only a tariff of 16 percent on Chinese cold rolled steel and EU countries are at odds over whether to impose higher import tariffs. China has responded to the U.S.' tariff hike by saying it would continue with controversial tax rebates to steel exporters that will help to fund a restructuring of its industry and effort to cut steel production capacity by 100 million to 150 million tons by 2020. James Bouchard, founder, chairman and chief executive of steel services group Esmark, agreed that there was "no doubt about it" that China was dumping steel and said that the impact had been "devastating" for businesses. "Whatever the lowest price is, whatever any country quotes through their trading companies, the Chinese will just come in and make it a lower price so there doesn't ever seem to be a bottom to the Chinese prices. They'll always take that order and that's had a very aggressive downward pressure on the American pricing," he said, also speaking on the sidelines of the Platts Global Metals Awards on Thursday. Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies are meeting in Japan next week to discuss what actions can be taken to reduce the steel glut and wider industrial overcapacity. A particular focus will be to look at curbing government subsidies for steel production. Goncalves also called for more coordinated action on tackling the problem. "We need to act in a coordinated fashion with other countries," he said. "So far it's only been the U.S. that has been talking and acting and it's very important that we have other countries, especially Japan, the U.K. and Germany, working with us to resolve this massive problem of overcapacity," he said. Although Bouchard said that action by the G7 could make a difference, he noted that excess capacity had already been "devastating." "When China has 150 million tons of excess capacity it's been devastating to small manufacturers, small businesses and industrial consumption and might across the world." More From CNBC Critics say plans to slash the number of private channels is a ploy by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to replace powerful TV barons who have opposed his leftist Syriza party Greek lawmakers on Sunday adopted another batch of controversial spending cuts and tax hikes ahead of a crunch Eurogroup meeting expected to unlock much-needed bailout funds for the debt-ridden country. The 7,000-page bill that raises the sales tax cap and introduces a contingency mechanism to slash spending further in case of budget overruns was passed thanks to the Syriza-led coalition government's slim majority in parliament, according to an AFP count. All 153 of the government coalition's MPs voted in favour, while outside the parliament building in Athens more than 10,000 people protested against a recent string of unpopular reforms. The contingency mechanism in the new legislation, labelled "the cutter" by Greek media and designed to cut spending if the country fails to meet fiscal targets in 2018, is of chief interest to Greece's international creditors. "European leaders get the message that Greece is sticking to its promises. Now, it's their turn," Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras said Sunday ahead of the vote. People across Greece's political spectrum have criticised the latest in a series of sweeping reforms for the austerity-weary nation. "No one in Greece will remain unaffected by the typhoon of the new measures", Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of the New Democracy main opposition party said in parliament Sunday. "Employment is punished, property is prosecuted", he added. "The measures we are talking about aren't pleasant. Especially for citizens that have already endured a lot," Tsipras admitted on Sunday. But he said "this is the first time that the sacrifices seem to have a prospect of paying off." Greece and its European creditors are locked in talks on how to reduce the country's debt burden, which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said must happen if it is to contribute any more of its own funds. But EU economic powerhouse Germany has been deeply opposed to alleviating any of Athens' debt. Tsipras said "this is the first time the debt issue is discussed with the appropriate attention within the international institutions". Story continues Greece urgently needs the next tranche of bailout funds to repay big loans to the European Central Bank (ECB) and IMF in July, and has already fallen behind in paying for everyday government duties and public sector wages. Eurozone finance ministers are set to discuss a deal for Greece at a closely-watched meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. German financial daily Handelsblatt has said Athens could receive between nine and 11 billion euros if a deal is struck. A single three-litre jeroboam of 1999 Romanee-Conti was snatched up for 60,000 Swiss francs by an anonymous buyer A Geneva auction house raked in more than $4 million Sunday for a collection of "grand crus" from Burgundy's renowned Domaine de la Romanee-Conti wine estate. The 1,407 bottles that went under the hammer beat expectations and sold for a total of 4.2 million Swiss francs ($4.3 million, 3.8 million euros), with a single three-litre jeroboam of 1999 Romanee-Conti snatched up for 60,000 Swiss francs by an anonymous buyer. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, which takes its name from its most famous vineyard, is widely considered to be one of the world's finest wine producers. "We're very happy with the results," the head of the Baghera Wines auction house Michael Ganne told AFP. Stored in perfect conditions for the past 15 years at the heavily-guarded Geneva Freeports customs-free zone, the bottles belong to a single investor who has asked to remain anonymous. The collection is "unique" and "historic", Ganne said ahead of the sale, explaining that it is extremely rare for more than 100 bottles from the prestigious estate to be auctioned at once. Some 50 people had gathered at the Geneva auction house, but much of the activity happened on the phone or through written orders, mainly from wealthy Asian buyers, Ganne said. About 85 percent of the bottles presented were snapped up, he said. Seven grand crus produced between 1952 and 2011 at the producer's Romanee Conti, La Tache, Richebourg, Romanee-Saint-Vivant, Grands Echezeaux, Echezeaux, and Montrachet vineyards were sold off in 266 batches. In addition to the jeroboam of 1999 Romanee-Conti, the top lots included 12 bottles of an 1988 Romanee-Conti bought for 144,000 Swiss francs. Grand crus -- literally 'great growth' in French and indicating wine from France's best vineyards -- produced by the tiny Domaine de la Romanee-Conti are so expensive largely because they are so rare. Only 200 bottles are expected to be made there this year, and more than 100,000 people are on a waiting list to acquire a single bottle, Ganne said. The second half of Sunday's auction offered up around 3,000 bottles of grand crus from Bordeaux, as well as American wines, vintage champagne and Cuban cigars, which together sold for 2.0 million Swiss francs. Arriving in Australia this week for the world business forum, Richard Branson, like many people, says he learns better through experience than reading huge reams of text. His success has translated into a whole empire of Virgin companies airlines, a bank, credit cards and a hotel chain. Also read: Why billionaire Richard Branson has never had an office The self-made billionaire shares his top 10 tips for becoming successful. 1. Follow your dreams and just do it According to Branson, you will live a much better life if you just do it and pursue your passions. Those people who spend their time working on things they love are usually the ones enjoying life the most. They are also the ones who dared to take a risk and chase their dreams, he said. Also read: Branson is shameless...and you should be, too 2. Make a positive difference and do some good If you aren't making a positive difference to other people's lives, then Branson says you shouldn't be in business. Companies have a responsibility to make a difference in the world, for their staff, their customers everyone, he said. 3. Believe in your ideas and be the best He is passionate that belief in yourself and belief in your business ideas can make all the difference between success and failure. If you aren't proud of your idea and believe in your plans, why should anybody else? Also read: Alaska Air to buy Virgin America for $US2b 4. Have fun and look after your team Branson believes that fun is one of the most important, and underrated, ingredients in any successful venture. If you're not having fun, then it's probably time to call it quits and try something else, he said. If your staff are having fun and genuinely care about other people, they will enjoy their work more and do a better job. Find people who look for the best in others, praise rather than criticise, and love what they do. Also read: Entrepreneur has Branson's ear on jobs 5. Dont give up On every adventure Branson has been on whether setting up a business, flying around the world in a balloon or racing across oceans in a boat he says there have been moments when the easy thing to do would be to give up. Story continues By simply not giving up, brushing yourself down and trying again, you'll be amazed what you can achieve. 6. Make lots of lists and keep setting yourself new challenges If you don't write down your ideas, they could be gone by the morning, he warns. Write down lists to keep track of your goals, and you'll be amazed what challenges you overcome. 7. Spend time with your family and learn to delegate Branson believes that the art of delegation is one of the key skills any entrepreneur can master. If you find people who can take on tasks you aren't good at, it frees you up to plan for the future, he said. It also gives you time to spend with your family, which is the most important thing of all. Also read: Branson feels 'sadness' over Virgin sale he couldn't stop 8. Try turning off the TV and get out there and do things Rather than sitting in front of a screen all your life, switch off the TV or the computer and go out into the world there are so many fascinating people to meet, exciting adventures to embark upon and rewarding challenges to take on that there's no time to lose. 9. When people say bad things about you, just prove them wrong As a self-made successful billionaire, Branson knows first-hand that some people will react to success by trying to hang onto your coat tails. He suggests that the best thing you can do is to not only ignore them, but to prove them wrong in every single way. We've had a particular writer claiming Virgin Galactic is a white elephant we'll prove them wrong when we go to space later this year, he said. 10. Do what you love and have a sofa in the kitchen As long as you are surrounded by the people you love, doing what you love, it really doesn't matter where you are, Branson said. When we are on Necker we tend to spend most of our time in the kitchen. If you've got a bedroom too, and a partner that you love, you really don't need much else. Philippe Dauman, president and CEO of Viacom, speaking at a ceremony honoring media magnate Sumner Redstone with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Hollywood, California n March 30, 2012 The chairman and chief executive of media giant Viacom challenged on Monday the attempt to oust him from elderly billionaire Sumner Redstone's family trust, which controls both Viacom and CBS Corp. Philippe Dauman, the Viacom chief, and board member George Abrams, filed a court complaint alleging that Redstone's daughter Shari is abusing her power to seize control of the $40 billion media empire against her father's wishes. But Redstone's lawyers say the colorful 92-year-old tycoon made the decisions himself, and blasted the two for suggesting he was not mentally competent to handle his own affairs. The lawyers countered Monday by asking a separate court to endorse the removal of Dauman and Abrams. The moves follow a chain of events that began when Shari Redstone won oversight over her father's health care early this month after a court battle with his ex-girlfriend. On Friday Shari Redstone, the vice chair of both CBS and Viacom, appeared to consolidate that power after her father dismissed both Dauman and Abrams from the board of National Amusements Trust, the Redstone family trust that has a controlling shareholding in both companies. - Still 'engaged & attentive' - A spokesman rejected allegations that Sumner Redstone was not fit to make such decisions and that he was manipulated by his daughter. He criticized both Dauman and Abrams for focusing on estate issues and not on challenges at Viacom itself. Sumner Redstone remains "engaged, attentive and as opinionated as ever," spokesman Mike Lawrence said, and he removed the two from the trust "based on what Mr. Redstone believes are the best interests of beneficiaries and shareholders." The spokesman did note that Redstone "has significant speech impairment" and so does not make verbal statements on the important corporate issues. But on Monday Dauman and Abrams asked a Massachusetts family court to invalidate the order for their removal, saying it represents "an unlawful corporate takeover" by Shari Redstone. Story continues They noted that after they were dismissed from the trust, she installed her own daughter and a friend in positions of power. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said. "He is clearly being manipulated by his daughter." "Her singular goal is to assume complete control of his businesses, despite Mr. Redstone's long-term desire for a professionally managed trust and an independent board of directors." Abrams, a longtime close friend of the tycoon, repeated the allegations that Redstone's capacity to make a decision over the companies is "diminished" and that the decisions were against his longstanding wish to have the two companies professionally controlled and managed. On Monday Redstone's lawyers countered with a petition asking Los Angeles state superior court to confirm the validity of the dismissal of Dauman and Abrams. At the time he made that decision, the petition said, Redstone "had not been adjudged incompetent by a court of proper jurisdiction, nor had any medical evidence of incapacity been presented." It noted that just six months earlier Dauman had told a court Redstone was fully mentally competent. Shari Redstone meanwhile called it "absurd" to say she controls her father. "Sumner makes his own decisions... and has his own team of independent advisers to counsel him," she said. - Depressed shares - At stake is control over two powerful US media companies. Viacom controls some of the top cable-TV brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, as well as Hollywood giant Paramount Pictures. CBS Corp owns CBS television, Showtime and other media properties. Viacom's management and Dauman in particular have come under shareholder pressure for the company's lagging performance. Dauman was named chairman in February but had been opposed by Shari Redstone. For the six months to March 31, the first half of Viacom's fiscal 2016, company revenues were down 4.2 percent at $6.2 billion, but net earnings were up 68.2 percent at $752 million. The share price remains far below its 2014 peak above $88. Before Redstone's moves became public Friday the shares closed at $39.05. On Monday they jumped 2.7 percent to $40.10 in afternoon trade. Add Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren to the growing number of Democrats who have declared war on the sharing economyspecifically, ridesharing. At a speech at the New America Foundation's annual conference on May 19, Warren argued, "For many, the gig economy is simply the next step in a losing effort to build some economic security in a world where all the benefits are floating to the top 10 percent." At some points Warren did seem to praise ridesharing for offering "more rides, cheaper rides, and shorter wait times." She also laid out the regulatory barriers that cartelize most taxi markets and create vast inefficiencies. However, immediately after pointing out the many consumer benefits of this innovative business model, Warren ended her temporary cease fire by pointing to Uber's and Lyft's recent exit from Austin, Texas over the city's fingerprint background check requirements. She said, "[Uber and Lyft fight] against local rules designed to create a level playing field between themselves and their taxi competitors." What Warren and other critics of the sharing economy cannot seem to comprehend is that there are two ways to "level the playing field." One is by extending antiquated, anti-competitive regulations to new technologies. The otherand far betteroption is to remove these barriers so that legacy business models can adapt to new competition. Given the many downsides of fingerprint background checks, including higher costs, longer processing times, and false positive results, Austin should have removed the fingerprint requirement from its taxi drivers instead of applying it to ridesharing drivers. The common failure of fingerprint databases to keep up-to-date records on those who were arrested and then never charged with a crime has many negative effects. This is the main reason why the NAACP and Austin Area Urban League came out strongly against these requirementswhich they correctly argue disproportionately harm minorities. Beyond Warren's push to apply pointless regulations to new business models, there were countless other problems with her speech. The most glaring is her push to extend collective bargaining to every worker. When discussing collective bargaining, Warren argued that, "every worker should have the right to organizeperiod." Warren does not seem to care that ridesharing drivers are rightly classified as independent contractors instead of employees. Independent contractors can join a union (such as the Freelancers Union), but for good reason they cannot collectively bargain. Extending collective bargaining to independent contractors makes no sense and would violate federal laws against price-fixing. Not to mention that collective bargaining, which requires an employee designation, would take away most of the benefits that make sharing-economy work so appealing, namely flexibility. For example, 50 percent of Uber drivers work less than 10 hours a week and 80 percent of Lyft drivers work under 15 hours a week. Warren also claimed that ridesharing relies on, "extremely low wages for drivers." This may be true compared to senators' speaking fees, but for a single mother working while her children are in school or for a college student trying to earn some extra income in between classes, the ability to earn about $15 an hour after expenses is important. After all, given the Fight for $15 movement, is this not the wage that activists desire for workers? Warren is the latest in the long line of Washington Democrats who cannot hide their distaste for the independent, flexible work that many workers preferespecially working mothers and millennials. While much of this opposition is led by labor unions that desperately want to unionize sharing-economy workers, another reason is the utter lack of understanding of why someone would want to drive for a ridesharing company. Given that these powerful individualssuch as Hillary Clintonusually do not even drive themselves around, it is no wonder they look down on the decisions that millions have made to earn extra money by driving with Uber or Lyft. Speaking of Clinton, while she clearly values independent work (99 percent of the Clintons' labor income since leaving the White House came from independent contractor "gigs"), she apparently does not want others to participate in the new economy. This new economy is driven by work that is flexible, mobile, and individualized, and the sharing economy is just a small subset of the new opportunities provided by technological progress. So when Bernie Sanders says "I am not a great fan of Uberyou can quote me on that," he is actually showing his love for a 20th century model that gave employers high levels of control over their workers. What Democrats such as Warren, Clinton, and Sanders fail to realize is that opposition to the sharing economy is a losing political strategy. While it is a positive sign that Warren did not call for an outright ban on ridesharing, what she fails to realize is that applying a 1930s model of employment and regulation to new technologies will effectively destroy many sharing-economy companies. If government gets between voters and their Ubers, Democrats can kiss flexible voters goodbye. Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and the author of the forthcoming monograph Uber-Positive: Why Americans Love the Sharing Economy. Follow him on Twitter here. This article originally appeared in Reason. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning EBrief. Bank of America's net income for the quarter ending June 30 was $3.9 billion, down 19.4 percent A US appeals court threw out a nearly $1.3 billion penalty against Bank of America on Monday, concluding the bank had not committed fraud amid the housing bust. The federal court ruling overturned an October 2013 jury verdict that Countrywide's sale of bad loans to mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac constituted fraud. A federal judge subsequently had sentenced Bank of America, which acquired Countrywide in 2008, to a $1.27 billion penalty. The US Justice Department had alleged that Countrywide had, under the so-called "Hustle" program, eliminated key checkpoints on loan quality and compensated employees solely based on loan volumes. That led to "rampant instances of fraud," it alleged. But BofA argued on appeal that the evidence "shows at most an intentional breach of contract, but was insufficient to show fraud," the US appeals panel wrote. "We agree, concluding that the trial evidence fails to demonstrate the contemporaneous fraudulent intent necessary to prove a scheme to defraud through contractual promises." Morning commuters wait to board a train in a subway station in New York on May 11, 2016 The New York subway is the seventh busiest in the world and has its highest ridership in 70 years, increasing delays and forcing management to formulate a plan of salvation. The morning commuter crush in Brooklyn, the city's most populated borough, can be overwhelming. Tempers can fray. Sometimes commuters have to wait for at least one, if not two trains to go by before they can board. "I saw two women pulling each other's hair because they had bumped into each other," said commuter Ana Fernandez, although such behavior is rare. Kevin Ortiz, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) that operates the subway, said: "We are a victim of our own success." In 2015, New Yorkers clocked up 1.76 billion journeys on the subway, the highest number since 1948 and an increase of 61 percent in 20 years. The city's population has grown by nearly a million since 1994 and crime in the subway, at an all-time high in the early 1990s, has drastically fallen. Since 1981, $115 billion has been invested in what is one of the oldest subway networks in the world, which Ortiz described as having been in a "state of decay and disrepair" in the early 1980s. Today, it is considered the quickest and cheapest mode of transport around the city and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. David King, assistant professor of urban planning at Columbia University, said the transit system is largely in good repair. "Crowding issues are likely a larger source of troubles," he said. "The trains are safe and clean, and breakdowns are rare." A looming closure of the tunnel that connects the ultra-hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg to Manhattan, for possibly 18 months of repair work, is likely to make overcrowding even worse. - Technology to the rescue - The 4, 5 and 6 lines that ply much of the same route from Brooklyn, up the eastern side of Manhattan to the Bronx have more passengers than the entire subway systems in Boston, Chicago and Washington put together. Story continues "I go early, before the rush," said Fernandez, who commutes on the 6 line. A recent report from the New York state comptroller has highlighted an increase in delays, which the MTA attributes largely to the need to do maintenance work while ensuring that the subway operates 24 hours a day. "It is certainly a challenge to meet that increased demand," said Ortiz, who outlined various steps that the MTA is taking in the short and the long-term. All trains are currently being used but the plan is to upgrade existing equipment. The MTA has ordered a new type of train that has no separation between carriages and would increase capacity. MTA is also rolling out advanced signaling, the Communications-Based Train Control, which pinpoints the precise location of each train, allowing operators to run trains closer together to provide more service. In the longer term, New York plans to extend the Q line to help relieve pressure on the 4, 5 and 6 lines, billed as the first major expansion of the subway system in more than 50 years. Beyond the scope of the MTA, some blame exponential growth of parts of Brooklyn, where high-rise towers are being built in the place of older, smaller buildings. "They're overdeveloping when it comes to real estate with absolutely no plans for infrastructure -- transportation, schools, everything," said David Dobosz, a retired teacher from Brooklyn. "There needs to be a thorough and robust conversation with the city as they move forward with development plans," recognized Ortiz. "There needs to be more of a robust collaboration between us and the city." But the situation is not unique to New York. Chicago, San Francisco and Washington have also all launched large-scale projects to upgrade their subways. CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's navy has detained three Chinese ships with around 100 crew on board on suspicion of illegal squid fishing, officials said on Monday. The ships were spotted on Friday having entered South Africa's 200 nautical mile economic exclusion zone without permits. When South African officials asked the ships to sail to port they attempted to flee but were eventually captured. "We cannot tolerate the plundering of our marine resources, which are a source of food security," Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said in a statement. "We are also looking into the sudden influx of these vessels in our waters." The three vessels - Fu Yuan Yu 7880, Fu Yang Yu 7881 and Run Da 617 - had a combined total of almost 600 tonnes of squid when the navy escorted them to shore. Inspectors found all three ships had no permits to fish locally. Crew members have been detained on the ships. Captains face fines and possible jail sentences if found guilty. Globally, illegal fishing costs the industry around $23 billion each year, with one in four fish thought to be caught illegally in African waters. In October, a Sao Tome and Principe court won a key victory against illegal fishing by organised syndicates when it convicted the captain of a vessel and two crew members on a number of charges, Interpol official said. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Joe Brock) By Jessica Toonkel (Reuters) - The legal battle over control of Sumner Redstone's $40 billion media empire has investors hopeful that change will come to underperforming Viacom Inc . On Friday, Sumner Redstone removed both Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from the trust that will determine the future of CBS and Viacom after controlling shareholder Redstone dies or is declared mentally incapacitated. Dauman fired back on Monday saying the moves to replace him and Abrams from both the trust and National Amusements board would amount to an "unlawful corporate takeover" by Sumner's daughter, Shari Redstone. Sumner Redstone's privately-held movie theater chain National Amusements holds 80 percent of the voting stock in both Viacom and CBS. Separately, Sumner Redstone on Monday asked a Los Angeles Court for an order validating his removal of Dauman and Abrams from his trust and from the board of National Amusements Inc. The outcome of the court cases, and who ends up with control over the trust, and over the National Amusements board, will have wide-ranging implications for Viacom and CBS shareholders and could result in changes at the top of both companies, possibly through mergers and acquisitions. Some investors are hopeful that change is imminent. Viacom shares rose 2.5 percent to $40.02 on Monday. This whole company should be a case study of how to destroy shareholder value, said Salvatore Muoio, principal with New York-based S. Muoio & Co, a major owner of Viacom voting shares. They should sell this business to the highest bidder and get it over with. Michael Cuggino, president and portfolio manager at San Francisco-based Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, which owns voting shares of CBS and Viacom, said he would also welcome some change at Viacom, including a sale, but had concerns about what kind of premium Viacom could get from a potential buyer right now. Story continues Cuggino said he would welcome the idea of Viacom becoming part of CBS again, but would need to make sure it made sense for CBS. Viacom spun off CBS in 2006. "There are certainly a lot of good synergies there," he said. Others investors are showing more patience. Mario Gabelli, the second-largest owner of Viacom voting shares, told CNBC on Monday that Dauman has six months to turn the company around. Representatives for CBS and Viacom declined to comment. Viacom, like other media companies, has suffered from falling ratings at its cable networks such as Nickelodeon and MTV as younger viewers migrate online and to mobile video. Over the past 12 months, Viacom is down 40 percent, lagging the Standard & Poor's 500 Media Index <.SPLRCME>, which is off only 4.7 percent. CBS shares edged down 0.5 percent to $52.49. BATTLE FOR CONTROL Redstone, who turns 93 on Friday, suffers from diminished mental capacity and is dependent on his daughter, Shari Redstone, the lawsuit said. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said in a statement. The complaint named Shari Redstone, her son Tyler Korff, as defendants and trust members David Andelman, Norman Jacobs and Leonard Lewin as nominal defendants. A statement sent on behalf of Shari Redstone said, It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father ... Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere." Redstone's attorneys have said he made the changes to the trust and board after trying to reach out to Viacom's board to discuss the future strategy of the company. The California and Massachusetts courts will need to sort out which of them has jurisdiction, and that may not be easy, said Keith Davidson, a probate lawyer in California. Massachusetts will likely have a strong preference to let California take jurisdiction, especially since a part of the case has already been litigated here. But you never know, Davidson wrote in an email. The standards for determining that someone is not mentally competent differ. California requires evidence of a mental defect that correlates to the specifics of the situation, such as a will or contract; Massachusetts does not have that requirement but does look to expert opinion and would evaluate a persons ability to manage affairs effectively, lawyers said. Viacom said in a statement its board has tried to meet with Sumner Redstone many times, adding that he was silent during a recent call about the company's strategy. Sumner Redstone has not participated in an earnings conference call or an annual investor meeting since 2014. Sumner Redstone plans to name National Amusements general counsel Tad Jankowski and family friend Jill Krutick to the trust, sources told Reuters on Sunday. Besides Shari, trust members include her son, lawyer Tyler Korff; David Andelman, another lawyer who is on the CBS board; Norman Jacobs, Sumner Redstone's divorce lawyer; and Leonard Lewin, who represented Redstone's first wife, Phyllis, in her divorce from Redstone. 'LIVING GHOST' Sumner Redstone and Dauman have worked together for more than 30 years, and Redstone has called Dauman "a great friend." In February, Shari Redstone was the only one to vote against Dauman's elevation to executive chairman of Viacom to replace her father. This month, a judge dismissed a lawsuit by a former girlfriend who had argued Redstone was not mentally competent to remove her from his advance healthcare directive. The case, which claimed that Redstone was a living ghost, shined a spotlight on Redstone's health. The mogul struggled to speak when questioned by attorneys. But he was clear about wanting ex-girlfriend Manuela Herzer out of his life, and putting his daughter in charge of healthcare decisions if he could no longer make them. In that trial, Dauman submitted statements in November that Redstone was engaged and attentive in recent conversations. However, the complaint filed Monday claims that Redstone suffers from dementia, impaired cognition, a slowness of mental processing, a loss of memory, apathy and depression. (Additional reporting by David Ingram in New York; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) [Justin Trudeau was accused of manhandling the Conservative whip and elbowing an NDP MP on Wednesday in the House of Commons. GLOBAL NEWS] Opposition MPs reacted strongly after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized again for his behaviour in the House of Commons now dubbed elbowgate. On Wednesday, Trudeau walked into a crowd of MPs, mostly from the NDP, while pulling Conservative whip Gordon Brown through the crowd, and in the process he appeared to elbow NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau. Brosseau later left the House, missing a vote on the motion to limit debate on the assisted dying bill, which Trudeau had been trying to get started when he crossed the floor. That motion later was defeated by a vote of 172-137. Trudeau apologized in the House on Thursday for the incident, saying, Members, rightfully, expect better behaviour from anyone in this House. I expect better behaviour of myself. Several MPs spoke afterwards in the House about the incident and the subsequent apology. Here are seven of the most notable reactions. Rona Ambrose Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose said Trudeaus actions disrespected all MPs, not just those directly involved. Everything he did from the moment he rose from his seat was unnecessary and unsettling, she said. It was nothing less than an affront to everyone in this House. Ambrose said if the incident had happened in any other workplace, the consequences for the person in Trudeaus position would be much more serious. She also said it was indicative of the prime ministers overall attitude towards the other parties in Parliament. From the beginning, from the very first day in fact, weve all had the sneaking suspicion that the prime minister thinks that the Opposition is a bit of an inconvenience, Ambrose said. Peter Kent The prime ministers behaviour and the profanity spoken to honourable members last night is at odds with his many statements professing high standards about bullying, about respect for women and about respect for this House, Conservative MP Peter Kent said in the House on Thursday. Story continues Kent also recalled an incident from December 2011 when Trudeau had to apologize after calling him a piece of sh during question period. Referring to the loud, crude insult in 2011, Kent said that he accepted Trudeaus apology at the time. Now, weve heard the Prime Ministers apology today, Kent continued. It was delivered with, I believe, humility. I believe there is sincerity in the words that he spoke to the House today. But Kent also said that he hoped Trudeau sought out counselling for anger management and that Trudeaus spontaneous, impetuous crossing of the floor last night, touching a fellow colleague and pushing and issuing profane comments, is not only a breach of our privilege but it is a contempt of Parliament. Linda Duncan Linda Duncan was one of several NDP MPs who decried the prime ministers actions on both Wednesday and Thursday. Like Kent, Duncan said Thursday that she believed that Trudeaus apology that day was sincere. But she also said it wasnt good enough. He apologized for his physical assault but hes not apologized for the assault on our rights and privileges, she said. Stockwell Day The Alberta MP, and former Canadian Alliance leader, said that Trudeaus actions were a direct contradiction to Trudeaus appearance at the MPs prayer breakfast, where he read Bible scripture about treating people with respect and kindness. The prime ministers behaviour was surreal and disturbing, Day said in the House on Thursday. We all know what its like to lose our temper, but I just have never seen that and I was in a provincial legislature for 14 years, I was in a federal Parliament for 11 years, he said. I have just never seen a prime minister doing that. I dont know that I have ever seen a member of a party grab another member. Michael Cooper The Conservative MP from St. Albert-Edmonton called the prime ministers actions on Wednesday an assault. What took place yesterday was an assault, Michael Cooper said in the House on Thursday. Was a criminal assault. Candice Bergen Candice Bergen was another Conservative MP who decried the prime minister for the Wednesday incident specifically the physical contact with colleagues. The MP from Manitoba said that for someone in a workplace to to physically touch (someone), it is so unbelievable to have seen it on Thursday in the House. She also directed some anger at other Liberal MPs who were present on Wednesday. I saw some of them cheering when he charged over here, Bergen said. Colin Carrie Colin Carrie, a Conservative MP, addressed the Liberal health minister in the House on Thursday, asking Jane Philpott what her duty would be as a doctor if a patient comes to her with an incident like this physical molestation. He also said the Liberal government will do whatever is required to push through their agenda, and said that Trudeau became angry because the Speaker was required to break a tie vote. By Lin Noueihed and George Georgiopoulos CAIRO/ATHENS (Reuters) - An EgyptAir jet carrying 66 passengers and crew from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean south of Greece on Thursday, with Athens saying the plane swerved in mid-air before plunging from cruising height and vanishing. Greek state television said aircraft debris had been found in the sea during a search for the missing Airbus A320. Earlier, Greek officials said pieces of plastic and two lifevests were found floating some 230 miles south of Crete. Officials were reluctant to speculate over the disappearance while the search was underway. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said it was too early to rule out any explanation, including an attack like the one blamed for bringing down a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula last year. But despite the caution, the country's aviation minister said a terrorist attack was more likely to have taken down the aircraft than a technical failure. In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama received a briefing on the disappearance from his adviser for homeland security and counter-terrorism, the White House said. In Athens, Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said the Airbus had first swerved 90 degrees to the left, then spun through 360 degrees to the right. After plunging from 37,000 feet to 15,000, it vanished from Greek radar screens. Greece deployed aircraft and a frigate to the area to help with the search. Greek defence sources told Reuters earlier that two floating objects, coloured white and red, had been spotted in a sea area 230 miles south of the island of Crete. According to Greece's civil aviation chief, calls from Greek air traffic controllers to the jet went unanswered just before it left the country's airspace, and it disappeared from radar screens soon afterwards. There was no official suggestion of whether the disappearance was due to technical failure or any other reason such as sabotage by ultra-hardline Islamists, who have targeted airports, airliners and tourist sites in Europe, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle Eastern countries over the past few years. The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers - with one child and two infants among them - and 10 crew, EgyptAir said. They included 30 Egyptian and 15 French nationals, along with citizens of 10 other countries. Asked if he could rule out that terrorists were behind the incident, Prime Minister Ismail told reporters: "We cannot exclude anything at this time or confirm anything. All the search operations must be concluded so we can know the cause." French President Francois Hollande also said the cause was unknown. "Unfortunately the information we have ... confirms to us that the plane came down and is lost," he said. "No hypothesis can be ruled out, nor can any be favoured over another." With its archeological sites and Red Sea resorts, Egypt is traditionally a popular destination for Western tourists. But the industry has been badly hit following the downing of the Russian Metrojet flight last October, killing all 224 people on board, as well as by an Islamist insurgency and a string of bomb attacks. NO RESPONSE Greek air traffic controllers spoke to the pilot as the jet flew over the island of Kea, in what was thought to be the last broadcast from the aircraft, and no problems were reported. But just ahead of the handover to Cairo airspace, calls to the plane went unanswered, before it dropped off radars shortly after exiting Greek airspace, Kostas Litzerakis, the head of Greece's civil aviation department, told Reuters. "During the transfer procedure to Cairo airspace, about seven miles before the aircraft entered the Cairo airspace, Greek controllers tried to contact the pilot but he was not responding," he said. Greek authorities are searching in the area south of the island of Karpathos, Defence Minister Kammenos told a news conference. "At 3.39am (0039 GMT) the course of the aircraft was south and south-east of Kassos and Karpathos (islands)," he said. "Immediately after, it entered Cairo FIR (flight information region) and made swerves and a descent I describe: 90 degrees left and then 360 degrees to the right." The Airbus plunged from 37,000 feet (11,280 metres) to 15,000 feet before vanishing from radar, he added. Egyptian Civil Aviation minister Sherif Fathi said authorities had tried to resume contact but without success. "NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING" At Cairo airport, authorities ushered families of the passengers and crew into a closed-off waiting area. Two women and a man, who said they were related to a crew member, were seen leaving the VIP hall where families were being kept. Asked for details, the man said: "We dont know anything, they dont know anything. No one knows anything." Ayman Nassar, from the family of one of the passengers, also walked out of the passenger hall with his daughter and wife in a distressed state. "They told us the plane had disappeared, and that theyre still searching for it and not to believe any rumours," he said. A mother of flight attendant rushed out of the hall in tears. She said the last time her daughter called her was Wednesday night. "They havent told us anything," she said. EgyptAir said on its Twitter account that Flight MS804 had departed Paris at 23:09 (CEST). It disappeared at 02:30 a.m. at an altitude of 37,000 feet in Egyptian air space, about 280 km (165 miles) from the Egyptian coast before it was due to land at 03:15 a.m. In Paris, a police source said investigators were now interviewing officers who were on duty at Roissy airport on Wednesday evening to find out whether they heard or saw anything suspicious. "We are in the early stage here," the source said. Airbus said the missing A320 was delivered to EgyptAir in November 2003 and had operated about 48,000 flight hours. The missing flight's pilot had clocked up 6,275 hours of flying experience, including 2,101 hours on the A320, while the first officer had 2,766 hours, EgyptAir said. At one point EgyptAir said the plane had sent an emergency signal at 04:26 a.m., two hours after it disappeared from radar screens. However, Fathi said later that further checks found that no SOS was received. FRANCE, EGYPT TO COOPERATE The weather was clear at the time the plane disappeared, according to Eurocontrol, the European air traffic network. "Our daily weather assessment does not indicate any issues in that area at that time," it said. Under U.N. aviation rules, if the aircraft is found to have crashed in international or Egyptian waters, Egypt will automatically lead an investigation into the accident assisted by countries including France, where the jet was assembled, and the United States, where engine maker Pratt & Whitney is based. Russia and Western governments have said the Metrojet plane that crashed on Oct. 31 was probably brought down by a bomb, and the Islamic State militant group said it had smuggled an explosive device on board. That crash called into question Egypt's campaign to eradicate Islamist violence. Militants have stepped up attacks on Egyptian soldiers and police since Sisi, then serving as army chief, toppled elected President Mohamed Mursi, an Islamist, in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. In March, an EgyptAir plane flying from Alexandria to Cairo was hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus by a man with what authorities said was a fake suicide belt. He was arrested after giving himself up. EgyptAir has a fleet of 57 Airbus and Boeing jets, including 15 of the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, according to airfleets.com. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein, Amina Ismail, Ali Abdelatti, Mostafa Hashem, Asma Alsharif, Eric Knecht, Victoria Bryan, Siva Govindasamy, Sophie Louet, Tim Hepher, Michele Kambas, Lefteris Papadimas, Renee Maltezou, Brian Love and Miral Fahmy.; Writing by Lincoln Feast, Samia Nakhoul and David Stamp; Editing by Bill Tarrant, Paul Tait and Peter Graff) By Lin Noueihed and George Georgiopoulos CAIRO/ATHENS (Reuters) - An EgyptAir jet carrying 66 passengers and crew from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean south of Greece on Thursday, with Athens saying the plane swerved in mid-air before plunging from cruising height and vanishing. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said it was too early to rule out any explanation, including an attack like the one blamed for bringing down a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula last year. The country's aviation minister said a terrorist attack was more likely than a technical failure. Greece deployed aircraft and a frigate to search for the missing Airbus and officials said they had found pieces of plastic and two lifevests that appeared to have come from an aircraft in the sea 230 miles (370 km) south of Crete. Egypt said it would lead the investigation and that France would participate. Other countries also offered to help, including Britain and the United States. In Washington, President Barack Obama received a briefing on the disappearance from his adviser for homeland security and counter-terrorism, the White House said. Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said the Airbus had first swerved 90 degrees to the left, then spun through 360 degrees to the right. After plunging from 37,000 feet to 15,000, it vanished from Greek radar screens. According to Greece's civil aviation chief, calls from Greek air traffic controllers to flight MS804 went unanswered just before it left Greek airspace, and it disappeared from radar screens soon afterwards. There was no official indication of a possible cause, whether technical failure or sabotage by ultra-hardline Islamists who have targeted airports, airliners and tourist sites in Europe, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle Eastern countries over the past few years. The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers - with one child and two infants among them - and 10 crew, EgyptAir said. They included 30 Egyptian and 15 French nationals, along with citizens of 10 other countries. Asked if he could rule terrorist involvement, Prime Minister Ismail told reporters: "We cannot exclude anything at this time or confirm anything. All the search operations must be concluded so we can know the cause." French President Francois Hollande also said the cause was unknown. "No hypothesis can be ruled out, nor can any be favoured over another." With its archaeological sites and Red Sea resorts, Egypt is a traditional destination for Western tourists. But the industry has been badly hit by the downing of a Russian Metrojet flight last October, in which all 224 people on board were killed, as well as by an Islamist insurgency and a string of bomb attacks. NO RESPONSE Greek air traffic controllers spoke to the pilot as the jet flew over the island of Kea, in what was thought to be the last broadcast from the aircraft, and no problems were reported. But just ahead of the handover to Egyptian controllers, calls to the plane went unanswered. "About seven miles before the aircraft entered the Cairo airspace, Greek controllers tried to contact the pilot but he was not responding," said Kostas Litzerakis, head of Greece's civil aviation department. Shortly after exiting Greek airspace, it disappeared from radars, he said. Greek authorities were searching the sea south of the island of Karpathos, Defence Minister Kammenos told a news conference. "At 3:39 a.m. (0039 GMT), the course of the aircraft was south and southeast of Kassos and Karpathos (islands)," he said. "Immediately after, it entered Cairo FIR (flight information region) and made swerves and a descent I describe: 90 degrees left and then 360 degrees to the right." The Airbus plunged from a height of 37,000 feet (11,280 metres) to 15,000 feet before vanishing from radar, he added. Egyptian Civil Aviation minister Sherif Fathi said authorities had tried to resume contact but without success. "NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING" At Cairo airport, authorities ushered families of the passengers and crew into a closed-off waiting area. Two women and a man, who said they were related to a crew member, were seen leaving the VIP hall where families were being kept. Asked for details, the man said: "We dont know anything, they dont know anything. No one knows anything." Ayman Nassar, from the family of one of the passengers, also walked out of the passenger hall with his daughter and wife in a distressed state. "They told us the plane had disappeared, and that theyre still searching for it and not to believe any rumours," he said. The mother of a flight attendant rushed out of the hall in tears. She said the last time her daughter called her was Wednesday night. "They havent told us anything," she said. In Paris, a police source said investigators were now interviewing officers who were on duty at Roissy airport on Wednesday evening to find out whether they heard or saw anything suspicious. "We are in the early stage here," the source said. Airbus said the missing A320 was delivered to EgyptAir in November 2003 and had operated about 48,000 flight hours. The missing flight's pilot had clocked up 6,275 hours of flying experience, including 2,101 hours on the A320, while the first officer had 2,766 hours, EgyptAir said. At one point, EgyptAir said the plane had sent an emergency signal at 04:26 a.m., two hours after it disappeared from radar screens. However, Fathi said later that further checks found that no SOS was received. FRANCE AND EGYPT TO COOPERATE The weather was clear at the time the plane disappeared, according to Eurocontrol, the European air traffic network. Under U.N. aviation rules, if the aircraft is found to have crashed in international or Egyptian waters, Egypt will automatically lead an investigation into the accident, assisted by countries including France, where the jet was assembled, and the United States, where engine maker Pratt & Whitney is based. Russia and Western governments have said the Metrojet plane that crashed on Oct. 31 was probably brought down by a bomb, and the Islamic State militant group said it had smuggled an explosive device on board. That crash called into question Egypt's campaign to contain Islamist violence. Militants have stepped up attacks on Egyptian soldiers and police since Sisi, then serving as army chief, toppled elected president Mohamed Mursi, an Islamist, in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. In March, an EgyptAir plane flying from Alexandria to Cairo was hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus by a man with what authorities said was a fake suicide belt. He was arrested after giving himself up. EgyptAir has a fleet of 57 Airbus and Boeing jets, including 15 of the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, according to airfleets.com. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein, Amina Ismail, Ali Abdelatti, Mostafa Hashem, Asma Alsharif, Eric Knecht, Victoria Bryan, Siva Govindasamy, Sophie Louet, Tim Hepher, Michele Kambas, Lefteris Papadimas, Renee Maltezou, Brian Love and Miral Fahmy.; Writing by Lincoln Feast, Samia Nakhoul, David Stamp and Philippa Fletcher; Editing by Kevin Liffey) By Ahmed Aboulenein CAIRO (Reuters) - The Egyptian military found the personal belongings of passengers and other debris from an EgyptAir jet floating in the Mediterranean, Cairo said on Friday, confirming that the plane had plunged into the sea with 66 people on board. The navy said it had found the debris about 290 km (180 miles) north of the coastal city of Alexandria and was sweeping the area in search of the plane's black box recorders. President Adbel Fattah al-Sisi offered condolences for those on board, amounting to Cairo's official confirmation of their deaths. Although fingers pointed towards Islamist militants who blew up another airliner over Egypt just seven months ago, no group had claimed responsibility more than 24 hours after the disappearance of flight MS804, an Airbus A320 that was flying from Paris to Cairo. Three French investigators and a technical expert from Airbus arrived in Cairo early on Friday to help investigate the fate of the missing plane, airport sources said. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said on Thursday that it was too early to rule out any explanation for the disaster. The country's aviation minister said a terrorist attack was more likely than a technical failure. Friday's announcement that debris had been found followed earlier confusion about whether wreckage had been located. Greek searchers found some material on Thursday, but the airline later said this was not from its plane. While there was no official explanation of the cause of the crash, suspicion immediately fell on Islamist militants who have been fighting against Egypt's government since Sisi toppled an elected Islamist leader in 2013. In October, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for blowing up a Russian jetliner that exploded after taking off from an Egyptian tourist resort. Russian investigators blamed a bomb smuggled on board. Last year's crash already devastated Egypt's tourist industry, one of the main sources of foreign exchange for a country of 80 million people, and another similar attack would crush hopes of it recovering. While most governments were cautious about jumping to conclusions, U.S. Republican candidate for president Donald Trump tweeted swiftly after the plane's disappearance: "Looks like yet another terrorist attack. Airplane departed from Paris. When will we get tough, smart and vigilant?" Many hours later his likely Democratic rival Hillary Clinton also said it appeared to be an act of terrorism, although she said an investigation would have to determine the details. Officials from a number of U.S. agencies told Reuters that a U.S. review of satellite imagery so far had not produced any signs of an explosion. They said the United States had not ruled out any possible causes for the crash, including mechanical failure, terrorism or a deliberate act by the pilot or crew. Amid uncertainty about what brought down the plane, Los Angeles International Airport became the first major U.S. air transportation hub to say it was stepping up security measures. "LIVES ARE SO CHEAP" The plane vanished just as it was exiting air space controlled by Greece for air space controlled by Egypt. Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said the Airbus swerved radically and plunged from 37,000 feet to 15,000 before vanishing from Greek radar screens. According to Greece's civil aviation chief, calls from Greek air traffic controllers to MS804 went unanswered just before it left Greek airspace, and it disappeared from radar screens soon afterwards. There was no official indication of a possible cause, whether technical failure, human error or sabotage. Ultra-hardline Islamists have targeted airports, airliners and tourist sites in Europe, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle Eastern countries over the past few years. The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers, including one child and two infants, and 10 crew, EgyptAir said. They included 30 Egyptian and 15 French nationals, along with citizens of 10 other countries. A320s normally seat 150 people. The plane had made scheduled flights to Tunisia and Eritrea on Wednesday before arriving in Paris from Cairo. At Cairo airport, a man sat on a brown leather couch crying with his hands covering his face on Thursday. "How long will Egypt live if human lives are so cheap? he said. The mother of a flight attendant rushed in tears out of the VIP hall where families waited. She said the last time her daughter called her was Wednesday night. "They havent told us anything," she said. (Writing by Lincoln Feast and Peter Graff; editing by David Stamp) US Defense Secretary Ash Carter (L) administers the officer oath to Yale ROTC students at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, US May 23, 2016. REUTERS/Yeganeh Torbati By Yeganeh Torbati NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Reuters) - As a young chemistry professor at Yale University in 1969, Gary Haller voted to boot the U.S. military's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program off the Ivy League school's Connecticut campus. Like many American schools at the time it was gripped by protests against the Vietnam War. Yale's faculty considered the presence of ROTC, which trains future officers and provides college scholarships, to be tacit support for an unpopular war. "People were just so outraged," Haller said. Four decades on, however, he views the ROTC through a different lens. We want to produce students who are leaders in every segment of our society," said Haller, now an emeritus professor who led a faculty committee that helped pave the way for the ROTC's return to Yale. "Whether you like the military or not, it is a big segment of our society. On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited his alma mater for the first commissioning since the Vietnam era of cadets and midshipmen who participated in the program for all four years of college. The ceremony is the latest evidence of a sea change in the attitude of elite universities, which shunned the military for four decades in part because of its controversial "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy for gay personnel. Now they have come to realize that their graduates should have as much influence on a major instrument of American power as they do in the halls of the White House or the trading desks of Wall Street. The return of ROTC to Ivy League campuses is a return to the norm that prevailed for more than 200 years, when graduates routinely marched, flew and sailed from campus to combat. "I really do believe deeply that ROTC needs to be back on campuses like ours so that our students can have a truly hands-on, active role in shaping the next military," said Yale College Dean Jonathan Holloway, whose father served in the Air Force. Story continues John Lewis Gaddis, a prominent Yale historian who supported ROTC's return, said he was always struck by how few students had ever met anybody in the military. Carter referenced that in his speech on Monday, noting that the ROTC graduates had "helped bridge a divide that has persisted for too long." "For some of your classmates, you're the first member of the military they've ever gotten to know." The move benefits the military, too. It enables recruiters, who finds it much easier to hit their recruiting targets in the South than in urban coastal areas, to "make sure that theyre capturing all parts of the country, including the Northeast, said Katherine Kidder, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. Even if youre capturing a small portion, youre leavening the force with folks who are graduating from elite schools she said. PENTAGON MOVES The Pentagon's moves in the last five years to ease entry for gay and lesbian troops and open combat positions to women have helped make ROTC's presence more palatable to politically liberal students and professors. The Navy and Air Force ROTC programs returned to Yale in 2012, after the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." ROTC has made similar inroads across the Ivy League and on other elite campuses. A Navy ROTC branch is set to open at Brown University this fall. There were 122 Navy ROTC midshipmen spread across six Ivy League campuses in 2016, compared to 53 at three Ivy League schools in 2011, according to Navy data. A Navy ROTC branch is set to open at Brown University this fall. There were 42 Air Force ROTC cadets in the Ivy League in 2016, compared to 28 in 2011, according to Air Force data. The class of 2016 at Yale includes 10 Navy midshipmen and four Air Force cadets out of 1,300 graduates. Part of the motivation to allow the military programs to return has been financial. Congressional moves in the 1990s and 2000s threatened to cut some federal funds for universities that barred military recruiters or ROTC, and one such measure survived a legal challenge at the Supreme Court in 2006. For Carter, military recruiting at schools such as Yale is consistent with his effort to enlist segments of society that do not typically consider a career in the armed forces, such as Silicon Valley tech experts. Monday's ceremony also closes a personal loop for Carter. As a Yale freshman in 1972, his was the first class that had no ROTC on campus. "Feelings were still raw on campus, including with the faculty," Carter said on Monday during a plane ride to New Haven. He described himself as "not having caught the anti-war bug" in his college years. "The climate that was there on campuses when I was in college has really very much dissipated," he said. Before she entered Yale and the Navy ROTC in 2012, Gabrielle Fong, 22, was warned by officers that her uniform might invite critical comments and even spitting from passersby common reactions to uniformed personnel during the Vietnam War years. She remembers thinking, "What did I sign up for?" Fong said she was pleasantly surprised to find that was not the case. One of the officers to be commissioned on Monday, she will soon report to the destroyer U.S.S. McCampbell in Japan. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by John Walcott and Ross Colvin) Sub-Saharan Africa has done well over the past few years. The overall trends in Sub-Saharan Africa point to accelerated democratization, development, and economic opportunity, said Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield recently before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A number of countries have ended long-running conflicts and are rebuilding, others have held successful elections in the past year. Economic opportunities are improving and per capita income has been increasing steadily. However, in spite of these positive trends, instability and conflict continue to bedevil parts of the continent. And much of that is due to terrorism and violent extremism. Terrorist organizations such as al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, and al-Murabitoun are exploiting state fragility and political and economic vulnerabilities, said Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield. We see violent extremists focusing their recruitment efforts where there is a lack of economic opportunity, political and social alienation, poor governance, corruption of elites, and lack of accountability for abuses by security forces. In the Lake Chad Basin region, Boko Haram continues its attacks in northeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. In West Africa and the Sahel, terrorist groups have conducted attacks against hotels and a resort frequented by westerners. In East Africa, al-Shabaab has launched large-scale attacks against the African Unions forward operating bases and other targets throughout Somalia and Kenya. And ISIL is attempting to co-opt local insurgencies and conflicts to expand its networks. The United States is working with individual countries and trans-national organizations in Africa to boost their military capabilities, and to strengthen law enforcement, judicial, and other criminal justice sector institutions. At the same time, we are working to stop the recruitment, radicalization and mobilization of people to engage in terrorist activities. We are expanding engagement with African governmental and non-governmental partners to better understand the drivers of violent extremism and design effective responses. We are working closely with government partners at both the national and sub-national level to adopt more effective policies to prevent the spread of violent extremism, said Assistant Secretary of State Thomas-Greenfield. The United States is committed to partnering with the people and governments of Africa to promote democracy, peace and prosperity. NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's government called on its opponents on Thursday not to stage street protests against an electoral oversight commission that they accuse of bias, after three demonstrations in less than a month led to clashes with police. On Monday, police fired teargas and water cannon at protesters outside the Nairobi offices of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Some officers with batons pursued protesters, beating and kicking them. A few demonstrators had thrown stones. "There are legal, constitutional and progressive ways of addressing issues without violence and shedding blood through demonstration," Deputy President William Ruto said in comments made in the northeast of Kenya and released in a statement. The United States, Kenyan activists and international rights groups have condemned the police action. U.S. Ambassador Robert Godec said security services used excessive force. Western diplomats have urged the authorities and citizens to prepare carefully for presidential and parliamentary elections due in August 2017, in a nation where ethnic fighting followed the 2007 vote and the 2013 result was disputed via the courts. The opposition, led by Raila Odinga who unsuccessfully challenged the 2013 result and is expected to run again, has promised more protests. It blamed police for the violence. The police said they would investigate officers who broke the law. The IEBC was set up under the 2010 constitution, drawn up in the wake of the post-2007 election violence in which 1,200 people were killed. Voting in Kenya is largely guided by ethnic loyalties rather than political allegiances. The opposition has sought talks to reform the commission. "I have no powers to disband IEBC," said President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is expected to seek a second and final term in 2017. "I took an oath to defend the constitution and will not break the law nor allow others to do so." The commission oversees elections in Kenya, including ensuring voter lists are up to date and supervising counting. Critics say the IEBC lacks the neutrality needed to referee a fair vote and wants it scrapped. IEBC members deny the charges. One way to disband the IEBC would be via a public petition seeking the support of parliament, where Kenyatta's coalition has a majority. (Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Gareth Jones) PARIS (Reuters) - Hundreds of petrol stations faced shortages in France on Saturday as protests over a labor law reform led to a fall in refinery output and blockades that hampered fuel supply and prompted consumer panic. France has been hit by a wave of strikes over the past week after President Francois Hollande's Socialist government opted to force the unpopular labor market reforms through the lower house of parliament without a vote. Oil workers at Total voted on Friday to shut down output at three refineries, in Donges, Feyzin and Normandy and by Tuesday all three would be totally halted, CGT delegate Thierry Defresne, told Reuters. The process had already started with French oil industry group UFIP saying Total had shut units at all three refineries. Deliveries from Total's Grandpuits refinery were blocked by protesters, prompting output to run at reduced flow. The fifth one in La Mede was operating normally, it said, something Defresne denied saying no oil products were coming out it. In addition, three of Total's nine oil depots were blocked, UFIP said. The news of fuel shortages and blockades sent drivers rushing to petrol stations to fill their tanks as a precaution. UFIP said 317 out of Total's 2,200 petrol stations in France had run out of all or some fuels on Saturday. Total runs nearly one petrol station out of five in the country. Shell and Eni petrol stations were not facing any disruption, UFIP said. Data for supermarkets, which sold more than 60 percent of the fuel in France last year, was not immediately available. Several departments in the northwest imposed restrictions on limiting the volume of fuel per vehicle or banning jerry cans. But UFIP, which represents oil makers, estimated nearly 90 percent of the country's petrol station were supplied normally. "We are not in shortage at country level even if, locally, especially in the Great West, some stations may be out of stock. Products are available and we are doing our best efforts to supply networks," UFIP President Francis Duseux said in a statement. A prolonged strike at refineries in France in 2010 led to a glut of crude in Europe because it could not be delivered to refineries, and thousands of petrol stations ran out of fuel. Defresne said the situation could be avoided if the government withdrew its labor reform bill. (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Bate Felix; Editing by Ralph Boulton) By Emily Flitter LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump assured gun owners on Friday he would protect their constitutional right to bear arms and eliminate gun-free zones if elected, accusing Democrat Hillary Clinton of wanting to weaken gun rights. Trump, who will almost certainly be the Republican presidential nominee, picked up the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, a politically powerful lobbying group which claims more than 4 million members. Trump's remarks at the NRA's national convention in Louisville, Kentucky, were not a surprise, but they could solidify his status among conservatives who see protecting the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment as a top priority. Trump also planned to meet on Monday with U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, a source close to the Trump campaign said. The two are expected to consult on foreign policy. The source said Corker remains on Trump's list of potential vice presidential running mates. Clinton, who is close to clinching the Democratic Party's nomination for the Nov. 8 election, has vowed to take on the gun lobby and expand gun control measures to include comprehensive background checks for gun buyers, including at open-air gun shows and online. Trump, who is trying to unite the Republican Party behind him after a brutal primary battle, accused Clinton, a former secretary of state to President Barack Obama, of wanting to end the 2nd Amendment, which says in part that the people's right to keep and bear arms "shall not be infringed." "Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment, not change it; she wants to abolish it," Trump said. Clinton campaign senior policy adviser Maya Harris said Trump is peddling falsehoods and denounced "Donald Trump's conspiracy theories." She said Clinton believes there are "common-sense steps we can take at the federal level to keep guns out of the hands of criminals" while protecting the Second Amendment. Trump told the NRA he would eliminate gun-free zones imposed in some areas, noting that the 2015 shooting deaths of four U.S. Marines at an armed forces recruiting center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, took place in a gun-free zone. "The Second Amendment is on the ballot in November," he said. "The only way to save our Second Amendment is to vote for a person you know: Donald Trump." The NRA's convention took place on the same day that a man brandished a gun at a checkpoint near the White House in Washington and was shot and wounded by a law enforcement officer. The New York billionaire's NRA speech was another step in his drive to make more conservatives comfortable with his candidacy. Earlier this week, he released a list of 11 potential Supreme Court nominees who are conservative jurists, a step well-received on the right. Many conservatives, who had backed other Republican candidates in the 2016 race, worry that Trump is a closet liberal on many issues. But Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, said it was time for them to get over their qualms about the 69-year-old candidate. "If your preferred candidate is out of the race, it's time to get over it," Cox told the NRA audience. "Are there valid arguments in favor of some over others? Sure. Will any of it matter if Hillary wins in November? Not one bit." In another step toward trying to unify the party, Cox has invited members of Congress to a small roundtable discussion with one of Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr., on Wednesday at the Capitol Hill Club near the U.S. Capitol, a copy of the invitation said. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Susan Cornwell in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) CBC Voters in Vaughan have elected former Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca as their next mayor after an extremely close race, CBC News projects. Del Duca, who has lived in the city north of Toronto for more than 35 years, beat Vaughan city councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, who has served five terms, by 851 votes on Monday. There were seven candidates in all. "I know the community very, very well, and frankly, I believe I'm the only one in the race who can say that I've proven that I know how to d MONDAY, May 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- "Beam us up, Scotty!" U.S. researchers say they've developed a small, wearable health monitor they're likening to the "Star Trek" tricorder. The flexible Chem-Phys patch can be worn on the chest and tracks biochemical and electrical signals in the human body. It then communicates all that wirelessly to a laptop, smartphone or smartwatch, said a team of engineers from the University of California, San Diego. The device also provides real-time data on electrocardiogram (EKG) heart signals, plus levels of lactate, a biochemical that helps chart physical effort, the team said. "One of the overarching goals of our research is to build a wearable tricorder-like device that can measure simultaneously a whole suite of chemical, physical and electrophysiological signals continuously throughout the day," said project co-leader Patrick Mercier, an electrical engineering professor. Mercier believes the Chem-Phys has a number of potential uses, such as athletes monitoring their training or doctors managing heart disease patients. "This research represents an important first step to show this may be possible," he said in a university news release. Most commercial wearable devices only measure one signal, such as steps or heart rate, and almost none measure chemical signals, such as lactate, Mercier noted. The next steps include adding sensors for other vital signs and chemical markers, such as magnesium and potassium, he said. An article describing the device appears in the May 23 issue of the journal Nature Communications. More information There's more on your vital signs at the U.S. National Institutes of Medicine. When our team at Databricks planned our contributions to the upcoming Apache Spark 2.0 release, we set out with an ambitious goal by asking ourselves: Apache Spark is already pretty fast, but can we make it 10x faster? This question led us to fundamentally rethink the way we built Sparks physical execution layer. When you look into a modern data engine (e.g. Spark or other MPP databases), a majority of the CPU cycles are spent in useless work, such as making virtual function calls or reading or writing intermediate data to CPU cache or memory. Optimizing performance by reducing the amount of CPU cycles wasted in this useless work has been a long-time focus of modern compilers. Apache Spark 2.0 will ship with the second generation Tungsten engine. Built upon ideas from modern compilers and MPP databases and applied to data processing queries, Tungsten emits (SPARK-12795) optimized bytecode at runtime that collapses the entire query into a single function, eliminating virtual function calls and leveraging CPU registers for intermediate data. As a result of this streamlined strategy, called whole-stage code generation, we significantly improve CPU efficiency and gain performance. The Past: Volcano Iterator Model Before we dive into the details of whole-stage code generation, let us revisit how Spark (and most database systems) work currently. Let us illustrate this with a simple query that scans a single table and counts the number of elements with a given attribute value: To evaluate this query, older versions (1.x) of Spark leveraged a popular classic query evaluation strategy based on an iterator model (commonly referred to as the Volcano model). In this model, a query consists of multiple operators, and each operator presents an interface, next() , that returns a tuple at a time to the next operator in the tree. For instance, the Filter operator in the above query roughly translates into the code below: class Filter(child: Operator, predicate: (Row => Boolean)) extends Operator { def next(): Row = { var current = child.next() while (current != null && !predicate(current)) { current = child.next() } return current } } Having each operator implement an iterator interface allowed query execution engines to elegantly compose arbitrary combinations of operators without having to worry about what opaque data type each operator provides. As a result, the Volcano model became the standard for database systems in the last two decades, and is also the architecture used in Spark. Volcano vs Hand-written Code To digress a little, what if we ask a college freshman and give her 10 minutes to implement the above query in Java? Its quite likely shed come up with iterative code that loops over the input, evaluates the predicate and counts the rows: var count = 0 for (ss_item_sk in store_sales) { if (ss_item_sk == 1000) { count += 1 } } The above code was written specifically to answer a given query, and is obviously not composable. But how would the twoVolcano generated and hand-written codecompare in performance? On one side, we have the architecture chosen for composability by Spark and majority of the database systems. On the other, we have a simple program written by a novice in 10 minutes. We ran a simple benchmark that compared the college freshman version of the program and a Spark program executing the above query using a single thread against Parquet data on disk: As you can see, the college freshman hand-written version is an order of magnitude faster than the Volcano model. It turns out that the 6 lines of Java code are optimized, for the following reasons: No virtual function dispatches: In the Volcano model, to process a tuple would require calling the next() function at least once. These function calls are implemented by the compiler as virtual function dispatches (via vtable). The hand-written code, on the other hand, does not have a single function call. Although virtual function dispatching has been an area of focused optimization in modern computer architecture, it still costs multiple CPU instructions and can be quite slow, especially when dispatching billions of times. Intermediate data in memory vs CPU registers: In the Volcano model, each time an operator passes a tuple to another operator, it requires putting the tuple in memory (function call stack). In the hand-written version, by contrast, the compiler (JVM JIT in this case) actually places the intermediate data in CPU registers. Again, the number of cycles it takes the CPU to access data in memory is orders of magnitude larger than in registers. Loop unrolling and SIMD: Modern compilers and CPUs are incredibly efficient when compiling and executing simple for loops. Compilers can often unroll simple loops automatically, and even generate SIMD instructions to process multiple tuples per CPU instruction. CPUs include features such as pipelining, prefetching, and instruction reordering that make executing simple loops efficient. These compilers and CPUs, however, are not great with optimizing complex function call graphs, which the Volcano model relies on. The key take-away here is that the hand-written code is written specifically to run that query and nothing else, and as a result it can take advantage of all the information that is known, leading to optimized code that eliminates virtual function dispatches, keeps intermediate data in CPU registers, and can be optimized by the underlying hardware. The Future: Whole-stage Code Generation From the above observation, a natural next step for us was to explore the possibility of automatically generating this handwritten code at runtime, which we are calling whole-stage code generation. This idea is inspired by Thomas Neumanns seminal VLDB 2011 paper on Efficiently Compiling Efficient Query Plans for Modern Hardware. For more details on the paper, Adrian Colyer has coordinated with us to publish a review on The Morning Paper blog today. The goal is to leverage whole-stage code generation so the engine can achieve the performance of hand-written code, yet provide the functionality of a general purpose engine. Rather than relying on operators for processing data at runtime, these operators together generate code at runtime and collapse each fragment of the query, where possible, into a single function and execute that generated code instead. For instance, in the query above, the entire query is a single stage, and Spark would generate the the following JVM bytecode (in the form of Java code illustrated here). More complicated queries would result in multiple stages and thus multiple different functions generated by Spark. The explain() function in the expression below has been extended for whole-stage code generation. In the explain output, when an operator has a star around it (*), whole-stage code generation is enabled. In the following case, Range, Filter, and the two Aggregates are both running with whole-stage code generation. Exchange, however, does not implement whole-stage code generation because it is sending data across the network. spark. range ( 1000 ). filter ( "id > 100" ).selectExpr( "sum(id)" ).explain() == Physical Plan == *Aggregate(functions=[ sum ( id #201L)]) +- Exchange SinglePartition, None +- *Aggregate(functions=[ sum ( id #201L)]) +- *Filter ( id #201L > 100) +- *Range 0 , 1 , 3 , 1000 , [ id #201L] Those of you that have been following Sparks development closely might ask the following question: Ive heard about code generation since Apache Spark 1.1 in this blog post. How is it different this time? In the past, similar to other MPP query engines, Spark only applied code generation to expression evaluation and was limited to a small number of operators (e.g. Project, Filter). That is, code generation in the past only sped up the evaluation of expressions such as 1 + a, whereas today whole-stage code generation actually generates code for the entire query plan. Vectorization Whole-stage code-generation techniques work particularly well for a large spectrum of queries that perform simple, predictable operations over large datasets. There are, however, cases where it is infeasible to generate code to fuse the entire query into a single function. Operations might be too complex (e.g. CSV parsing or Parquet decoding), or there might be cases when were integrating with third party components that cant integrate their code into our generated code (examples can range from calling out to Python/R to offloading computation to the GPU). To improve performance in these cases, we employ another technique called vectorization. The idea here is that instead of processing data one row at a time, the engine batches multiples rows together in a columnar format, and each operator uses simple loops to iterate over data within a batch. Each next() call would thus return a batch of tuples, amortizing the cost of virtual function dispatches. These simple loops would also enable compilers and CPUs to execute more efficiently with the benefits mentioned earlier. As an example, for a table with three columns (id, name, score), the following illustrates the memory layout in row-oriented format and column-oriented format. This style of processing, invented by columnar database systems such as MonetDB and C-Store, would achieve two of the three points mentioned earlier (almost no virtual function dispatches and automatic loop unrolling/SIMD). It, however, still requires putting intermediate data in-memory rather than keeping them in CPU registers. As a result, we use vectorization only when it is not possible to do whole-stage code generation. For example, we have implemented a new vectorized Parquet reader that does decompression and decoding in column batches. When decoding integer columns (on disk), this new reader is roughly 9 times faster than the non-vectorized one: In the future, we plan to use vectorization in more code paths such as UDF support in Python/R. Performance Benchmarks We have measured the amount of time (in nanoseconds) it would take to process a tuple on one core for some of the operators in Apache Spark 1.6 vs. Apache Spark 2.0, and the table below is a comparison that demonstrates the power of the new Tungsten engine. Spark 1.6 includes expression code generation technique that is also in use in some state-of-the-art commercial databases today. cost per row (in nanoseconds, single thread) primitive Spark 1.6 Spark 2.0 filter 15 ns 1.1 ns sum w/o group 14 ns 0.9 ns sum w/ group 79 ns 10.7 ns hash join 115 ns 4.0 ns sort (8-bit entropy) 620 ns 5.3 ns sort (64-bit entropy) 620 ns 40 ns sort-merge join 750 ns 700 ns Parquet decoding (single int column) 120 ns 13 ns We have surveyed our customers workloads and implemented whole-stage code generation for the most frequently used operators, such as filter, aggregate, and hash joins. As you can see, many of the core operators are an order of magnitude faster with whole-stage code generation. Some operators such as sort-merge join, however, are inherently slower and more difficult to optimize. It takes less than one second to perform the hash join operation on 1 billion tuples on both the Databricks platform (with Intel Haswell processor 3 cores) as well as on a 2013 Macbook Pro (with mobile Intel Haswell i7). How does this new engine work on end-to-end queries? Beyond whole-stage code generation and vectorization, a lot of work has also gone into improving the Catalyst optimizer for general query optimizations such as nullability propagation. We did some preliminary analysis using TPC-DS queries to compare Spark 1.6 and the upcoming Spark 2.0: Does this mean your workload will magically become ten times faster once you upgrade to Spark 2.0? Not necessarily. While we believe the new Tungsten engine implements the best architecture for performance engineering in data processing, it is important to understand that not all workloads can benefit to the same degree. For example, variable-length data types such as strings are naturally more expensive to operate on, and some workloads are bounded by other factors ranging from I/O throughput to metadata operations. Workloads that were previously bounded by CPU efficiency would observe the largest gains, and shift towards more I/O bound, whereas workloads that were previously I/O bound are less likely to observe gains. Conclusion Most of the work described in this blog post has been committed into Apache Sparks code base and is slotted for the upcoming Spark 2.0 release. The JIRA ticket for whole-stage code generation can be found in SPARK-12795, while the ticket for vectorization can be found in SPARK-12992. To recap, this blog post described the second generation Tungsten execution engine. Through a technique called whole-stage code generation, the engine will (1) eliminate virtual function dispatches (2) move intermediate data from memory to CPU registers and (3) exploit modern CPU features through loop unrolling and SIMD. Through a technique called vectorization, the engine will also speed up operations that are too complex for code generation. For many core operators in data processing, the new engine is orders of magnitude faster. In the future, given the efficiency of the execution engine, bulk of our performance work will shift towards optimizing I/O efficiency and better query planning. We are excited about the progress made, and hope you will enjoy the improvements. To try some of these out for free, sign up for an account on Databricks Community Edition. Further Reading At recent talks led by the United States, Russia and France, representing the Co-Chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to advance a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict following a significant escalation of violence along the Line of Contact in early April. In a joint statement, the Co-Chairs reiterated that there can be no military solution to the conflict, and insisted on the importance of respecting the 1994 and 1995 ceasefire agreements. They noted that both Presidents reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire and the peaceful settlement of the conflict and agreed to finalize in the shortest possible time an OSCE investigative mechanism, as well as an expansion of the existing OSCE monitoring mission. The Presidents also agreed on a next round of talks with an aim to resuming negotiations on a comprehensive settlement. Nagorno-Karabakh is a small piece of land that lies within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, but has been under control of ethnic Armenian separatists, with Armenias support, since 1994. The United States strongly supports the Minsk Group process and the Co-Chairs efforts to mediate a fair and just resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the principles of international law, the UN Charter, and the Helsinki Final Act, particularly the principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity, and self-determination. LISLE, Ill., May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, partnered with Jewel-Osco and Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families, to honor a Tinley Park, Ill. military family on Saturday night. Joining them for this surprise event was platinum-selling country music star, Randy Houser. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f88736cf-94c5-42dc-ab1d-cbdeff1b22a8 Houser invited the Zmysly family backstage before his performance at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater and surprised them with a gift of $5,000 in free groceries at Jewel-Osco, courtesy of Eckrich. The family then watched Houser perform in Chicago. Together, Eckrich and Houser have partnered to honor U.S. military families since 2014. Houser is known for hits including his four No. 1 singles How Country Feels, Runnin Outta Moonlight, Goodnight Kiss and We Went as well as the Top 5 smash Like A Cowboy. He recently released his fourth studio album, Fired Up, via Stoney Creek Records. The 17-song project follows Housers breakthrough album, How Country Feels, and features his latest No. 1 hit We Went and current single, Song Number 7. Im thankful for the opportunity to team up with Eckrich to give back to our military families, said Houser. Its great to see them before the concert and surprise them with free groceries. They get pretty excited and its humbling to honor and thank them for their sacrifices. Yuriy Zmysly served as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps. He was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. His wife, Aimee, and his brother, Andry, are his full-time caregivers. The couple has a two-year-old daughter. This was an amazing night and we really want to thank Eckrich, Jewel-Osco and Randy Houser for this wonderful experience, said Aimee Zmysly. Operation Homefront is a great organization and they have been a great help to our family. We just want to thank everyone for tonights gift. The event is part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront. The Zmysly family is supported by Operation Homefronts Hearts of Valor program, a network of caregivers for wounded, ill or injured service members. Operation Homefront supports these caregivers through annual retreats, support groups and online communities. Eckrich, a brand of Smithfield Foods, in its fifth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has donated more than $2 million to the organization since 2012. Now through July 4th, Eckrich is donating 5 cents for every purchase of specially marked products, up to $500,000, to Operation Homefront to assist military families. Randy Houser has been committed in helping us honor military families across the country, said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. We appreciate his partnership and support for military families. We also appreciate Jewel-Osco for partnering with us as we give a special thanks to the Zmysly family for their sacrifice. We hope they enjoy $5,000 in free groceries. For more information about Eckrich, please visit www.eckrich.com. About Eckrich Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.eckrich.com. About Jewel-Osco Established in 1899, Jewel-Osco, owned by New Albertsons, Inc., is becoming the favorite food and drug retailer in every market throughout the Chicagoland area. They operate 185 stores in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, employing 31,000 associates while continuing to grow. Find more company information at JewelOsco.com and follow their social channels at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, and YouTube.com/JewelOsco. About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, Cook's, John Morrell, Gwaltney, Kretschmar, Margherita, Curly's, Carando and Healthy Ones. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. About Operation Homefront A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefronts expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.operationhomefront.net. About Randy Houser With an inimitable voice the New York Times describes as wholly different, thicker and more throbbing, a caldron bubbling over, Randy Houser racked up three consecutive No. 1 hits and more than four million in singles sales to date with his Stoney Creek Records album, How Country Feels. He topped the charts with the title track, Runnin Outta Moonlight and Goodnight Kiss (also his first No. 1 as a songwriter) and earned critical acclaim for his powerful delivery of the Top 5 smash and CMA Song of the Year-nominated "Like A Cowboy." Houser added a fourth No. 1 to his catalogue with We Went, the lead single from his new album, Fired Up, and its second single Song Number 7 is currently available at country radio and digital retailers. He is currently on the Somewhere On a Beach Tour with Dierks Bentley. For more information, visit www.RandyHouser.com or follow on Twitter @RandyHouser and www.Facebook.com/RandyHouser. Detailed Agenda as of May 23 with Panelists on Each Panel Now Available on Website NEW ORLEANS, May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2016 Louisiana Energy Conference will be held in New Orleans at the Westin Canal Place Hotel at 100 Rue Iberville on Wednesday through Friday, June 1 - 3, 2016. The Conference will feature a series of 23 panels during the first two-days that will discuss key domestic and international industry developments and issues. This year the Conference will include three field trips on June 3 to both offshore Gulf of Mexico and onshore south Louisiana facilities. Executives from nearly 70 leading public and private exploration and production and oil field services companies as well as representatives from energy-related private equity firms, industry trade groups, regulatory agencies, investment banks, institutional research groups, and law firms will participate in the panel discussions. A detailed agenda as of May 23, 2016 including the companies and the individual representatives on each panel is now available on the Conference web site, www.LouisianaEnergyConference.com, under the Agenda tab. The site also includes details on the three field trips scheduled for June 3. Attendance at the Conference is directed to investment professionals including buy side and sell side analysts and portfolio managers, as well as private equity and wealth management executives and trust officers. There is no cost for investment professionals attending the Conference. The cost for all other attendees is $295 for the three-day event. The Conference web site www.LouisianaEnergyConference.com provides online registration and full details on the event which is being hosted by Al Petrie Advisors. For additional information including sponsorship opportunities, please call (504) 799-1953 or email info@LouisianaEnergyConference.com. CARLSBAD, Calif., May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Prescott Companies, an Associa company, has been chosen to manage two community associations in the San Diego area. The Southern California management firm is providing full management services, including financial, community management, communications, record-keeping and administrative services to the following associations: Champagne Village A 457 unit 55+ community in Escondido, California, next to the Lawrence Welk Resort, an attraction for many tourists in SoCal. There are about a dozen full-time on-site staff employees, multiple amenities and beautiful views of the mountains. This association will become part of the Associa family on June 1. The Vineyards at High Meadow Ranch A large master plan and sub-association community under development in East County San Diego with views of downtown San Diego and the Pacific. The quaint neighborhood currently has seven homes and has hired Associa in advance of the development to come. This association became part of the Associa family in mid-May. "One of these neighborhoods is large and established while the other is small and extremely upscale. I think that speaks to the versatility and customization we provide to our communities," says The Prescott Companies Director of Business Development Derek Fricke. "I want to thank these association boards for putting their trust in Associa to help them realize their vision for many years to come." Building and managing successful communities for more than 37 years, Associa is the worldwide leader in community management with over 10,000 employees operating more than 180 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. Based in Dallas, Texas, our industry expertise, financial strength, and innovation meet the unique needs of clients across the world with customized services and solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com or www.associacares.com. Stay Connected: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/associa/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/associamarketing Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Associaonline/ As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Ethiopia is facing the worst drought the country has experienced in half a century. Triggered by El Nino, the drought follows two consecutive poor harvests--a disaster in this country of 90 million people where the vast majority subsist on rain-dependent agriculture. In the worst-hit areas, the drought has killed nearly all crops. Failed crops means little food for people and no fodder for livestock, causing cattle to die by the hundreds of thousands. And then, in April, torrential rains began to drench the cement-hard soil of the parched Ethiopian country side, causing flooding and displacing thousands of people. Today, some 10 to 20 million Ethiopians are in need of aid. An estimated 435,000 children need treatment for severe acute malnutrition, and up to 2.5 million children, pregnant women and nursing mothers are in need of supplementary feeding. The United States announced that it is adding 128 million dollars to the more than 570 million we have already delivered to Ethiopia, said Acting Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Affairs Thomas Staal. "This new funding underscores the United States' commitment to working with Ethiopia to prevent this drought from becoming a humanitarian catastrophe," he said. The funds will provide fundamental humanitarian aid, including relief food assistance, safe drinking water, malnutrition treatment, mobile health teams, and seeds for planting. This contribution supports the food requirement needed for the next three critical months. But so much more is needed. Ethiopia has requested aid to the tune of 1.4 billion dollars. The United States is delivering vitally important humanitarian aid to the Ethiopian people, and we call on our friends and partners to join us in alleviating this potential humanitarian disaster. Following Tunisias extraordinary democratic transition, the United States remains committed to helping the Tunisian people expand their economy so the entire country can prosper. Last November, Secretary of State John Kerry launched the United States-Tunisia Joint Economic Commission, a mechanism to support Tunisias economic reform priorities and encourage private sector ties that would benefit both countries. Speaking at the Commissions first meeting on May 6th, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Catherine Novelli, the Commissions co-chair, said that the group is concentrating on three areas: finding new opportunities in the agriculture and food sector, strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, and growing the Information and Communications Technology sector. Thus the United States will help Tunisian farmers and food producers find U.S. partners and increase bilateral trade opportunities. We will also provide targeted training and technical support to facilitate high-potential exports. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises are the lifeblood of economic growth in Tunisia, comprising over 80 percent of Tunisias economy. Yet Tunisian entrepreneurs face a complex process for registering a business.Many lack access to credit. These are systemic barriers to economic growth and job creation. We will therefore work with our partners to simplify the process for starting a business. And finally, the United States will help the Government of Tunisia to reach is goal of connecting every Tunisian school to the Internet by 2017, and all Tunisians by 2020. The Joint Economic Commission is about building Tunisian partnerships with U.S. firms and finding tangible ways to unlock the potential that already exists in the Tunisian economy, said Under Secretary Novelli. We have a tremendous opportunity to expand our economic relationship and bring our countries closer together, creating jobs in Tunisia and the United States. Rwandas power supply is getting a boost thanks to American company ContourGlobals new Kivuwatt 25 megawatt methane gas-to-power plant.Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for the Kivuwatt Power Plant on May 18th in Kibuye, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda Erica Barks-Ruggles complimented the American company that worked to complete the project and reach full commercial operation. It is truly a remarkable feat of engineering and persistence that has helped turn on the lights for nearly 45,000 Rwandan households, she said. Ambassador Barks-Ruggles told the distinguished participants in the ceremony, including Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda; Minister of Infrastructure James Musoni; and President and CEO of ContourGlobal Joseph Brandt: By demonstrating that the methane gas from Lake Kivu can be harvested on a commercial scale, through a bankable gas-to-energy project, ContourGlobal has also paved the way for future projects that will bring even more electricity to Rwanda. One of those projects is the expansion of ContourGlobals own investment in Rwanda through Phase II of Kivuwatt, which will add an additional 75 megawatts to Rwandas grid. That is enough electricity to bring an additional 150,000 Rwandan households on the grid and to expand existing capacity by an additional fifty percent! ContourGlobals efforts have proven that science and engineering work on a large scale, the Ambassador noted. This has lowered the risk for other companies both in Rwanda and in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has also lowered the cost of financing for future projects so that they can be brought on line faster and more cheaply to harness this unique energy resource. We are not only helping Rwanda turn on the lights, said Ambassador Barks-Ruggles, but we are training Rwandans to keep those lights on, and providing them with the knowledge and tools to expand job creation in their communities, and build their future. In conclusion, she noted that she looks forward to seeing even more U.S. companies work hand-in-hand with our Rwandan partners to develop innovative projects to provide needed power to Rwandas people and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. Reports of atrocities committed by ISIL continue. In Raqqa, ISIL beheaded four teenage boys and young men supposedly for providing information to the anti-ISIL coalition. In Mosul, ISIL terrorists reportedly set a house on fire and burned a 12-year old Christian girl to death because her mother did not pay the required jizya tax quickly enough. These events demonstrate once again that ISIL, as Secretary of State John Kerry said, has built a bureaucracy out of brutality. But recent news from Iraq and Syria is not good for ISIL. The anti-ISIL Coalition is squeezing the terrorist group, gaining back territory, damaging its financial network, and killing its leaders. Just this month the Coalition struck and killed two high-value terrorists. The first was Abu Hamza, known to be a motivational leader responsible for coordinating ISIL fighters and finances in the Euphrates River Valley. The second was Hamzas associate Abu Sufiyah, who was in involved in chemical attacks in the same area. On the ground in Iraq, ISIL recently suffered a blow when Iraqi forces entered the strategic town of Rutbah and substantially cleared it of terrorists. Although a small town, Rutbah is of outsized significance because, as Colonel Steven Warren, Spokesman for the anti-ISIL Coalition, explained, Rutbah lies on the main route between Baghdad and Jordan, and opening it will impact the economies of Jordan and Iraq and will deny ISIL a critical support zone. Colonel Warren also noted that over the past week in Syria, opposition forces conducted several operations and seized five villages. And the Syrian Democratic Forces training camp in northern Syria is graduating another group of 200 Arab fighters who will join the Syrian Arab Coalition. So far in Syria, Colonel Warren said, ISIL has lost 20 percent of the territory it once held; in Iraq, 45 percent. And the Coalition continues to hit ISILs economic lifeline - its oil production, cash centers, and illicit banking hubs. The fight against ISIL remains difficult, and the populations of Raqqa and Mosul and other towns in Syria and Iraq still suffer cruelly under ISILs hand. The terrible wave of recent bombings in Baghdad perpetrated by ISIL continue to show its depravity, killing scores of ordinary citizens, including women and children. But despite ISILs brutality and blood lust, it is under significant pressure and losing ground every day. The 66-member Coalition, drawn from every corner of the globe, is determined to turn ISILs losses into defeat. Leopoldo Lopez in 2014. JORGE SILVA ((REUTERS)) More information Espana da la nacionalidad a seis opositores venezolanos perseguidos por Maduro The Spanish government has awarded Spanish citizenship to six members of Venezuelas opposition at the end of a week that has seen renewed protests in the South American country despite a state of emergency declared by President Nicolas Maduro. Among the six are the sister and brother-in-law of Leopoldo Lopez, the opposition leader being held in a military prison, along with the CEO of daily El Nacional, his wife and two children. Spanish deputy prime minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told reporters after the decision, made at the weekly Friday cabinet meeting, that the six are very affected by political persecution and that awarding them nationality will allow them to deal with harassment with better democratic guarantees. The parents of Leopoldo Lopez were given Spanish citizenship last year. English version by Nick Lyne. AIHce 2016 Off and Running A rainy weekend that failed to deter record Preakness crowds at Baltimore's Pimlico racetrack on Saturday gave way to sunny skies May 23 as the AIHce 2016 conference and expo commenced in earnest. BALTIMORE -- A rainy weekend that failed to deter record Preakness crowds at Baltimore's Pimlico racetrack on Saturday gave way to sunny skies May 23 as the AIHce 2016 conference and expo commenced in earnest. AIHA and ACGIH officials welcomed attendees who filled a ballroom inside the Baltimore Convention Center for the opening ceremony, with AIHA President Daniel Anna, Ph.D., CIH, CSP, giving a shout out to a delegation attending from China's State Administration of Work Safety and greeting those not on site who are attending this year's Virtual Conference. Anna said AIHA's search for a new CEO should be completed by this years's Fall Conference, which will take place in San Antonio in October. Steven Lacey, Ph.D, CIH, CSP, president-elect of AIHA, spoke about young workers' safety and urged attendees to focus on the fact that young workers are twice as likely as older ones to be injured at work. "We want to change this," he said, asking the crowd to help distribute and get the word out about Safety Matters, an interactive module AIHA and NIOSH have developed for use in schools and community organizations. Monday's keynote speaker, Dr. Adam Steltzner, lead landing engineer for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, discussed the decade- long project he headed that successfully landed that unmanned vehicle on Mars in 2012. He urged his audience to separate people from the ideas they hold, hold on to doubt, and find something to love in everyone they work with. Noise News: Link to Traumatic Injuries Explored BALTIMORE -- A May 23 session at AIHce 2016 focused on noise exposure measurements and highlighted some very large data sets being utilized to understand excessive exposures in U.S. worker populations, including miners, military personnel, and industrial workers. Some of the most eye-opening presentations concerned noise's link to traumatic injuries and also to illnesses. Rick Neitzel, Ph.D., CIH, FAIHA, outlined a job exposure matrix he and colleagues have created for American and Canadian workers exposed occupational lay to noise. He explained that so far, their data show average noise exposures above the OSHA PEL dropped sharply after 1979 but have not fallen since about 2000. There is no strong downward trend shown in noise levels, said Neitzel, adding he and his colleagues are trying to make their data publicly accessible. He noted their is an increasing amount of data linking noise exposure to diabetes. Ben Roberts, MPH, a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, discussed how their matrix has revealed noise exposures by miners, for whom hazardous noise is a significant hazard. Electricians, laborers, and material movers are among the worker groups in mining with high exposures, he said. Dr. Cheryl Estill, a NIOSH industrial hygiene supervisor, discussed an analysis of Ohio workers' noise exposure as found by Ohio BWC consultation visits. Noise exposure was significantly related to trauma claims by company, she reported, and neurotoxic chemical exposure above the OSHA PEL was somewhat related to trauma claims by company. She cautioned that comp claims may underrepresent actual injuries. Scenes from AIHce 16 Day One AIHce 16 features an interactive trivia game throughout the convention center, attracting attendees. BALTIMORE -- Day One of the AIHce 16 Exhibit saw a flurry of activity early in the morning, especially around the AIHA-sponsored booth where the man of the hour was signing copies his latest book. Adam Steltzner, Team Leader and Chief Engineer EDL of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover Project, opened the show with his session on his new book, The Right Kind of Crazy: A True Story of Teamwork, Leadership and High Stakes Innovation. Once the exhibit hours opened, Steltzner spent a good part of the morning signing copies of his book for a line of attendees that wrapped about the booth and then some. Steltzner's discussion focused on human curiosity, the importance of collaboration and innovation, and more. One the show floor, nearly 5,000 industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety professionals stopped to check out the some of the newest products in the industry, as well as emerging trends in training and regulation. My stops included EMSL, where air and lab testing programs were on display, and Sensidyne, which was debuting a new Bluetooth monitoring app. The 10:30 a.m. session on Monday included a discussion on confined space safety, led by consultant David Kudlinksi. The session saw a packed house, and featured an in-depth breakdown on the defining characteristics of a confined space, including what dictates a permit-required space for workers. Some of the characteristics Kudlinksi stressed to focus on included: possible oxygen deficiencies, hazards introduced to confined spaces, management of charge (MOC), vertical versus horizontal rescue, and physical obstruction, just to name a few. The show is just getting started, but already there are topics and ideas being shared with lots of enthusiasm and engagement. (Bloomberg) -- LendingClub Corp., the online loan pioneer working to shore up investor confidence since the surprise resignation of its chief executive officer on May 9, climbed in New York trading after a Singapore-based investor disclosed a stake of as much as 11.7 percent. LendingClub shares closed 8.3 percent higher at $4.32 each on Monday, paring losses for the year to 61 percent. A group of four companies controlled by Tianqiao Chen, including Shanda Media Ltd., holds 29 million shares of LendingClub and 15.7 million options, according to a regulatory filing Monday from Chen and the firms he controls. They paid $148.7 million for the shares, including commissions, and an additional $11.2 million for the options, according to the filing. If the options are exercised, Chens group would be LendingClubs largest shareholder, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. We are a strong believer in the innovative business model LendingClub has pioneered and we are positive on its long-term prospects, the Shanda group said in an e-mailed statement. We look forward to supporting LendingClubs efforts to strengthen its competitive advantages and continue leading the development of the industry. Shock Waves LendingClub stunned shareholders May 9 by announcing Renaud Laplanche, 45, its founder and CEO, had resigned after internal reviews. The board cited two incidents: The firms staff altered application dates on $3 million of loans before their sale, and Laplanche failed to disclose his interests in a fund that LendingClub invested in. The disclosures sent shock waves through the online lending world, which has struggled in recent months with a slowdown in investor demand for the debts it produces. Laplanche had been one of the leading voices for a new crop of financial services companies, having built LendingClub into one of the dominant players in his industry over the past decade. When the San Francisco-based firm and its competitors were founded, they called their business peer-to-peer lending. The idea was that they would connect borrowers with people who wanted to make a little extra money by lending out their savings, cutting out the middleman: banks. Story continues Temporary Pause But as the industry has grown, hedge funds, asset managers and even banks themselves have replaced individuals as the main funders of the loans. That backing helped the industry arrange more than $36 billion in debt last year, compared with $11 billion in 2014. Some of those investors have temporarily paused buying loans from LendingClub since Laplanches exit, forcing the company to seek out new investors. The firm is working with Jefferies Group to line up buyers of its debts, a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters said Friday. The Shanda group said its investment in LendingClub was consistent with an overall strategy of backing industries with a large-scale and long-term, sustainable growth potential, and in particular, pioneers and leaders of innovative business models within these industries. In the filing, the group said it may discuss the companys business, operations, corporate governance or future plans with LendingClubs board, management and investors. Shanda also added that it may hire legal and financial advisers to help the company and could evaluate strategic alternatives that arise. LendingClub said in a statement that its pleased the Shanda group was increasing its investment and highlighted the investors impressive track record identifying disruptive companies in industries including technology and finance. We view its actions as an endorsement of the long-term prospects and value of our business model, LendingClub said. (Updates with closing share price in second paragraph, company comment in last.) To contact the reporters on this story: Hugh Son in New York at hson1@bloomberg.net, Noah Buhayar in Seattle at nbuhayar@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Eichenbaum at peichenbaum@bloomberg.net, Steven Crabill, Steve Dickson 2016 Bloomberg L.P. AFP News Ukraine on Sunday denounced as dangerous lies suggestions from Russia that it was preparing to use a "dirty bomb". Its western allies also dismissed the allegations from Moscow, just hours after Russia went public with the claims. In conversations with his British, French and Turkish counterparts, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu conveyed "concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a 'dirty bomb'", Moscow said. Russia did not mention the alleged "dirty bomb" allegation in its statement following Shoigu's call with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. "If Russia calls and says that Ukraine is allegedly preparing something, it means one thing: Russia has already prepared all this," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on social media. "I believe that now the world should react as harshly as possible." Earlier Sunday, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denounced Moscow's claims as "absurd" and "dangerous". "Russians often accuse others of what they plan themselves," he added. A British defence ministry statement said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had "refuted these claims and cautioned that such allegations should not be used as a pretext for greater escalation". And in Washington, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson dismissed Moscow's "transparently false" claim. "The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation," she added. - 'Vile strikes' - Russia also announced Sunday that it had destroyed a depot in central Ukraine storing over 100,000 tonnes of aviation fuel. Kyiv's energy operator meanwhile said scheduled power cuts had been introduced in the Ukrainian capital due to Russia's repeated strikes on the nation's power network. The blackouts started from 11:13 am (0813 GMT) with consumers in Kyiv divided into three groups "disconnected for a certain period of time", energy company DTEK said. DTEK reiterated calls for residents to use electricity "sparingly" and for businesses to limit their use of external lighting. More than one million Ukrainian households have lost electricity following recent Russian strikes, according to the Ukrainian presidency, at least a third of the country's power stations having been destroyed ahead of winter. Zelensky condemned the "vile strikes" in comments late Saturday, after Russian attacks caused power cuts across the country. - 'Save your strength' - In the southern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rig, deputy mayor Sergiy Miliutin was dealing with emergencies and power outages from his underground bunker, used as a venue for a children's martial arts competition. "I've reached a point where I just survive on my drive. You have to stay level-headed and save your strength. No one knows how long this will all last," he told AFP. The intensification of Russian strikes on Ukraine, particularly energy facilities, came after the bridge linking the annexed Crimea peninsula to mainland Russia was partially destroyed by an explosion earlier this month. It was another major setback for Moscow's forces, battling to contain a Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south and east of the country. French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that it was for Ukrainians to decide when "peace is possible", in comments made in Rome at the start of a peace summit. Ukraine reported three deaths in an overnight Russian artillery strike in the Toretsk area, a governor of the eastern Donetsk region said. Inside Russia, two lines of defence have been built in the border region of Kursk to deal with any possible attack, a local governor said on Sunday. On Saturday Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor in the neighbouring Russian border region of Belgorod, said the construction of defence structures had begun. Gladkov said two civilians had been killed in strikes there Saturday, and that 15,000 people had been left without electricity. - Kherson evacuations - Meanwhile Ukraine's SBU intelligence service said it had detained two officials of Ukrainian aircraft engine maker Motor Sich on suspicion of working with Russia. The SBU said management at the company's plant in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region -- partly controlled by Russian forces -- had colluded with Russian state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec. The suspects had supplied Russia with Ukrainian aircraft engines that were used to make and repair attack helicopters, the SBU said. In the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, which Russia claims to have annexed, pro-Moscow officials on Saturday urged residents to leave "immediately" amid a "tense situation" at the front. Kherson, the region's main city, was the first to fall to Moscow's troops and retaking it would be a major prize in Ukraine's counter-offensive. A Moscow-installed official in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, told Russian news agency Interfax on Saturday that around 25,000 people had left Kherson city to the left bank of the Dnipro River. Ukraine has denounced the removal of residents from Kherson, describing them as "deportations". bur-imm/raz/jj/lcm Spanish journalist Salud Hernandez-Mora. CLAUDIA RUBIO HO (AFP) Salud Hernandez-Mora, the correspondent in Colombia for the Spanish daily El Mundo, has been missing since Saturday in one of the countrys most conflictive areas and has likely been kidnapped, say the countrys armed forces, who have launched a search. The journalist, who also works for leading Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, was preparing a story on illegal cocaine crops in the Catatumbo region in the northeast of the country, near the border with Venezuela, an area where several armed groups operate. President Juan Manuel Santos issued a statement on Twitter saying he has given the order to find Hernandez-Mora. More information El Ejercito de Colombia busca a la periodista espanola Salud Hernandez-Mora The Defense Ministry says that Hernandez-Mora, who had not requested protection from Colombian security forces, was reported missing on Sunday morning. She was last seen in the small town of El Tarra on Saturday afternoon. Catatumbo is an area largely controlled by the guerrillas of the FARC, ELN and EPL. The government is currently holding peace talks with the FARC and the ELN. El Mundo says that Hernandez-Mora was in an area controlled by the ELN. Hernandez-Mora, who has been reporting from Colombia since 1999, is a long-standing critic of the peace process with the FARC and ELN. In a report tweeted on Friday evening, she said local people had held a strike to protest the disappearance of two children and that she could not leave the area. El Mundo said that it was also in touch with a nun named Amanda Bedoya in El Tarra. I was with Salud discussing a number of issues. She interviewed me, and around midday on Saturday she took a bus in the direction of Cucuta, El Mundo reported her as saying. English version by Nick Lyne. At the event, sponsors including Global Brain, Garena, Appier and Braintree will bring a wealth of expertise, thought leadership, and open up doors to global networks The Echelon Asia Summit 2016 is gearing up to be a jam-packed event with a plethora of startups from across many verticals and countries coming to exhibit. The event will also feature an eclectic mix of speakers such as Edward Chia, the founder of Timbre Group; Karoli Hindriks, Founder of Jobbatical; Kipp Bondar, Chief Marketing Officer of HubSpot, and they will be sharing their expertise and thoughts on entrepreneurship. Apart from these, delegates and participants can also expect to walk away with valuable insights and networking opportunities from the events sponsors. e27 speaks to Appier, Global Brain, Garena, Braintree to find out what they can bring to the table. One of Singapores few unicorns, the Internet and gaming platform has made great strides and pivots since its humble founding years as an online gaming service. At Echelon Asia Summit 2016, Garenas President Nick Nash will be shedding light on how Garena connects the dots for consumers in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. He will be touching on the market potential for Southeast Asia in the e-commerce, payments and digital content space, attendees will gain insight into this disparate region and how Garena has successfully diversified its business to build an internet and mobile business using a hyper-localised strategy, filling pertinent gaps in regions tech ecosystem to serve the undeserved. Also Read: Your #ECAsia2016 would be incomplete if you didnt meet these amazing companies at the Echelon Create Marketplace! On its interest and role in Echelon, a spokesman for Garena also said: We are committed to the growth and development of the technology industry so supporting Echelon is our way of giving back to the community with the goal of driving the tech startup ecosystem in the region. We also actively identify and play the role of an incubator for promising technology start-ups in Southeast Asia. Through the provision of funding, market intelligence, operational expertise, capital markets know-how and a larger, more regional platform for exposure, we aim to build an ecosystem that will lead to the sustainable development of the internet and mobile industry. Story continues Chih-han Yu, CEO and co-founder of the Taipei-based cross screen analytics and targeting company Appier will be participating in a free flow fireside chat on A.I trends and how it will impact businesses. With the increase in multi screen usage from desktops to smartphones and interconnectivity in Asia, businesses need to develop robust A.I-enabled solutions to manage the complexity in this cross-screen era. Also Read: Meet the 8 Malaysian startups who will rock TOP100 Echelon Asia! Yu will share insights from the early days of artificial intelligence, and how the field and impact of AI has grown and impacted us since drawing from his experience first as a researcher in robotics (when he worked on self-adapting robotics systems to help polio patients), and later as an entrepreneur creating artificial intelligence driven games pivoting to the AI-driven business solutions company that is Appier today. The Tokyo-based VC firm Global Brain (GB) is actively looking for startups in APAC to invest. But before you pitch your idea to them, there are three things you need to know about GB. It is one of the oldest independent VC firm in Japan, with more than 30 exits, so it knows very well the kind of hurdle startups will face in each stage of growth. GB also invests globally, from its office in Tokyo, Silicon Valley, Seoul and Singapore. GB is tracking each regions technological and business trends carefully. GBs venture capitalists include a range of industry experts, engineers and entrepreneurs, and thus can provide startups access to networks and expertise in those key areas. GB is also interested in working with large enterprises to support the growth of startup ecosystems in the region, and facilitate connections between them and startups. Global e-payments platform Braintree believes partnering with Echelon will help bring together like-minded folks who are interested in nurturing the startup and innovation ecosystems and supporting those looking to create and run their own businesses. Tyson Hackwood, Head of Braintree Asia will be speaking on the topic of Scaling your business internationally. Delegates can also check out the Braintree booth in the Build/Reach zone as well as the after party on Day 2 (16/5) at Club Kyo. So if youre interested in a coffee and a chat about how Braintree can help you, or even just looking for some advice on payments, stop by and say hello. Come on down to Echelon Asia Summit 2016 to soak in the hype, with a 20% discount given to all e27 fans. Simply use promo code SUMMIT20 here. The post Echelon Asia Summit 2016: here are what startups and delegates can learn from our sponsors appeared first on e27. Mariano Rajoy is promising to maintain current policies in place if he is re-elected. Javier Cebollada (EFE) Acting Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy is promising Brussels further adjustments to the Spanish economy if he wins the June 26 elections. EL PAIS has seen a letter written by Rajoy to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in a bid to avoid sanctions against Spain for its continous deficit target misses. In his letter, Rajoy talks about the complex political context in Spain following the December elections In the letter, written on May 5, Rajoy talks about the complex political context in Spain following the inconclusive elections of December 20, which yielded a hung parliament. The country has been without a new government since then, and a fresh election on June 26 is expected to yield a similarly fragmented political scenario. Although the Popular Party (PP) leader has repeatedly denied in public that he is planning any new spending cuts, his message to Brussels suggests otherwise. We are aware of the need to get out of the procedure for excessive deficit as soon as possible, and in the second half of the year, once a new government is in place, we are prepared to adopt new measures, if they are required, in order to meet the target, he writes. No talk of cuts Javier Casqueiro The dramatic cuts to social spending and government worker wages, which Rajoy introduced as soon as he took office in December 2011, are nowhere on the PP platform ahead of the June 26 elections. Nor was there any mention of new cuts before the December 20 vote. The acting prime minister is not admitting the need for any belt-tightening either in public or in more private talks. Instead, he is saying that Spain simply needs to keep the same policies in place, create around half a million new jobs and contain spending by regional governments. This will bring the deficit down within target levels, he says. Spain ended 2015 with a budget deficit of 5.1% of GDP, a full 10 billion above the target. The sanctions could reach as much as 2.1 billion, but Juncker against the opinion of several members of his own team has decided to postpone the decision until after elections are held. We have concluded that this is not the proper political moment to take that step, said Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici a few days ago, after announcing that sanctions are being put on hold. However, Brussels is already asking for a further 8 billion in spending cuts. So far, Rajoy has told Spaniards that there is no need for more impopular cuts, and that if elected, he would even lower taxes. In his letter, the acting prime minister underscores the reforms that Spain has already undertaken, particularly the labor reform of 2012, and holds that these efforts should be taken into account by EU authorities. English version by Susana Urra. Need help understanding Southeast Asias third largest startup market? This spreadsheet has everything youd ever need According to Boston Consulting Group, Vietnam is the fastest growing middle class in Southeast Asia. The World Bank has ranked it in the 78th place in its ease of doing business index and many young Vietnamese go to study abroad and return with valuable entrepreneurial knowledge and understanding of Western markets. With a population of more than 90 million people, internet penetration rate of 30 percent, mobile subscription of 145 per cent and young and talented developers, the country holds great potential. Foreign and local investors have started to notice and pour money into it and it is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing startup scenes in the region. Although Vietnam has many legal and political challenges, it managed to grow huge and successful companies such as VNG, its first unicorn, VC Corp, valued at US$125 million and Vat Gia Viet Nam JSC, valued at US$75 million. These estimations are from 2014 and we can assume that they have only risen since then. The estimated number of startups in Vietnam fluctuate between 1,400 and 3,000 startups, making the country the third largest ecosystem in Southeast Asia, only behind Singapore and Indonesia. Also Read: iboxs bringing a Vietnamese flavour to the TOP100 The startup landscape in Vietnam saw 67 investments in 2015, a 130 per cent increase over 2014 which had 28 investments. The data is from a Topica Founder Institute (TFI) report, a local incubator. It also claimed that 25.8 per cent of these deals were seed round funding, mainly provided by foreign investors. One of the most challenging aspects in covering Vietnams startup scene is its lack of transparency. There are various reasons for this, but the fact is that many funding round sums remain undisclosed, thus making it harder to understand the extent of success of this scene. This is not common among other startup scenes weve reviewed that feel the need to share their ecosystems success and create further opportunities from it. Story continues There is still lots of work that needs to be done for this scene to develop further, but its getting there. To help startups, investors, and potential business partners navigate their way through Vietnams burgeoning startup scene, and inspired by the Israeli crowd-sourced startup list created by Eden Shochat, weve created an open source document a database, if you will detailing funding rounds and exits, VC management firms and accelerators, angel investors along with their contact information, and what kind of opportunities theyre looking for. Feel free to add, edit, or comment. The idea is to crowdsource information for the benefit of the entire Vietnamese startup ecosystem. If youre not on the list and would like to add your name, feel free to do so. Also, if youre an investor and would like to amend your entry, please do. Also Read: Israeli embassy in Vietnam launches women-focused startup competition We hope this list will be useful to investors and startups as well as to individuals all over the world looking for an entry point into the Vietnamese startup scene. If you have any thoughts or suggestions about this crowdsourcing experiment, please share your opinions in the comments below. The article Vietnams startup scene in one neat spreadsheet first appeared on Geektime. Photo courtesy of Pixabay. The post Vietnams startup scene in one neat spreadsheet appeared first on e27. The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out - Rwandan minister of finance and economic planning, Claver Gatete, has dismissed reports that his country had abandoned a joint SGR deal with Kenya - Gatete said he was misquoted by some media houses when he talked about the Tanzanian railway route; he said he did not mean that Rwanda would take the route - President Uhuru Kenyatta, Paul Kagame and Yoweri Museveni had in 2013 signed a deal to have one railway project Rwanda has not abandoned a deal to access the Indian Ocean through Kenya, the country's minister of finance and economic planning has said. Claver Gatete told a Rwandan newspaper that the report that his country had pulled out of the Kenya-Uganda-Rwanda standard gauge railway deal was misleading. The Daily Nation had, on May 17, reported that Rwanda had decided to take the Tanzanian route as it was cheaper. READ ALSO: Relief as plan to have standard gauge railway cut through Nairobi National Park shelved According to estimates by the Rwandan government, the Tanzania route would cost about $ 800 million (KSh 80.5 billion) to $ 900 million (KSh 91 billion). These are lower than the Kenyan route estimates of $ 1 billion (KSh 101 billion). The Dar es Salaam-Isaka-Kigali/Keza-Musongati (DIKKM) standard gauge railway (SGR) project is expected to be completed by March 2018, and is estimated to cost $5.2 billion, the paper reported. The move would have clearly gone against the June 2013, memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. READ ALSO: Kenya decides to go it alone on crude oil pipeline President Uhuru Kenyatta and his counterparts, Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame, had signed a deal binding them to enhance development in the countries. The meeting held in Entebbe, Uganda, had resolved that they would build one standard gauge railway system from Kenya to Rwanda. They were also to set up two oil pipelines connecting the countries. Rwanda's abandoning of the standard gauge railway project could have dealt a big blow to Kenya's push to be East Africa's economic hub. Uganda had already broken the 2013 MoU. In March, Musevenis administration abandoned the pipeline deal with Kenya and opted for Tanzania. Uganda also cited cheaper costs as a reason for opting to take the Tanzania route. READ ALSO: Musevenis party boss fighting for life after falling off Mango tree Image: PSCU Source: TUKO.co.ke Joaquin Guzman, durante un examen sanitario en la prision de El Altiplano. AFP More information El Chapo Guzman intenta negociar una pena minima con EE UU Joaquin El Chapo Guzman will plead guilty if extradited to the United States in exchange for a reduction in his applicable sentence. Thats according to his lawyer, Jose Refugio Rodriguez. The leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel wants to avoid an American trial, because in the past, traffickers who have chosen that route have received tough sentences. It is a fact that if extradited he will plead guilty to the charges against him there because, if not, he will have to face a trial where his culpability will be discussed, and experience tells us that all those who have been in his situation who went to trial did very poorly, the legal representative explained. In Texas, he stands accused of criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess firearms, money laundering and murder The Mexican government said on Friday that it had approved the United States extradition request for El Chapo to appear before two US district courts. California is accusing Guzman of organizing a cocaine-distribution network. In Texas, he stands accused of criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess firearms, money laundering and murder. It is worth noting that the US government gave enough guarantees that it will not seek the death penalty for Guzman Loera if he is extradited and tried in that country, the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry said. Mexicos approval of the extradition request did not discourage Guzman Loera, his attorney explained to EL PAIS during a telephone interview. Refugio added that it is actually better for his client to face justice on American soil because he has seen how other people who have been in situations like his ended up with very favorable conditions that would never be granted in Mexico. Joaquin Guzman is a person who is willing to face justice on American soil but only if there is an agreement regarding the conditions he will face, Refugio said. One incentive would be a plea deal that would reduce his applicable sentence and keep him out of a maximum security prison. The leader of the Sinaloa cartel hopes to secure a plea bargain similar to that of his former associate and friend Jesus Hector El Guero Palma Salazar The leader of the Sinaloa cartel hopes to secure a plea bargain similar to that of his former associate and friend Jesus Hector El Guero Palma Salazar. Both men were imprisoned in Puente Grande Federal Prison (Jalisco state) in the 1990s. According to court papers, they controlled the facility and smuggled in drugs, alcohol and prostitutes. Guzman escaped in 2001, while Palma was extradited to the United States in 2007, where he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for drug trafficking. El Guero, who was one of the leaders of the cartel, will be freed next month for good behavior after serving nearly nine years, his prison record says. It may take one to three years for Mexican and American officials to process El Chapos extradition. During that time, his defense team will try to avoid extradition through appeals while negotiating a plea bargain with US officials. Until we formalize an agreement we will keep fighting on national soil, because Joaquin is not defeated on national soil. El Chapo remains hopeful that he will reach a plea deal with American authorities. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. A Tesla Model 3 sedan, its first car aimed at the mass market, is displayed during its launch in Hawthorne, California, March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Joe White/File Photo By Paul Lienert and Alexandria Sage DETROIT/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc has surprised parts makers with plans to move up the launch of high-volume production of its Model 3 to 2018, two years earlier than planned - an acceleration that supplier executives and industry consultants said would be difficult to achieve and potentially costly. In the past three months, Tesla (TSLA.O) has told suppliers the company was doubling its original production projections to 100,000 Model 3s in 2017 and 400,000 in 2018, several supplier industry executives familiar with the plans told Reuters. Details on Model 3 production projections have not been reported previously, and Tesla did not break out target volumes for the Model 3. Tesla has taken 373,000 orders for the Model 3 - which has a starting price of $35,000, about half its Model S - and has said it would begin customer deliveries in late 2017. But it has made no promises, and, on earlier models, customers waited months for delivery. Citing "tremendous demand," Chief Executive Elon Musk told analysts on an April call that the company planned to boost total production, including the existing Model S and Model X crossover, to 500,000 in 2018 - two years earlier than its original target and a 10-fold increase over the 50,000 vehicles it made in 2015. Musk said Tesla told suppliers to prepare for Model 3 production tests in July 2017, a goal he acknowledged may be unrealistic for some. But he said the "aggressive" target was necessary to reach production goals. "Now, will we actually be able to achieve volume production on July 1 next year? Of course not," he told analysts. "The reason is that even if 99 percent of the internally produced items and supplier items are available on July 1, we still cannot produce the car because you cannot produce a car that is missing 1 percent of its components, he said. Musk said the Model 3's simpler design, new production hires and enthusiastic suppliers would help the company make its goals. He said Tesla would drop suppliers that could not meet deadlines and would bring more parts production in-house than traditional automakers typically do. He did not specify how much or which parts. Story continues "It's very important for us to have the ability to produce almost any part on the car at will because it alleviates risk with suppliers," Musk told analysts. Industry experts said Tesla's new goals were extraordinary and raised doubts it could meet them. The handful of North American auto plants capable of building 500,000 vehicles a year are all run by automakers with decades of experience, they said. Tesla continues to have delivery delays for its Model X SUV. Its Model S also missed delivery targets when launched. SPEEDING UP ASSEMBLY One complication is that Tesla has not finalized the Model 3 design and specifications, said automaking consultants and supply executives who asked not to be identified because Tesla prohibits them from disclosing contract details. Musk has said the Model 3 design and engineering would be complete in June, 13 months ahead of the planned production startup. Under ideal conditions, automakers have launched new assembly lines in 18 months, but they typically take two to three years after the first tooling and supply contracts are signed, several manufacturing consultants said. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU.N), for example, is converting a Sterling Heights, Michigan sedan plant to make 300,000 Ram 1500 pickups a year, a 50 percent increase in capacity. "FCA already has the talent and the money, and the underlying machinery is already installed in the plant," said one longtime supply sales executive. "They're aiming to be up and running in 2018, so they have two years and suppliers are wondering if they'll make that deadline." Tesla says the Model 3 features 6,000 to 7,000 unique components, fewer than the typical automobile with a combustion engine and the Model S, which has more than 8,000 parts. The company still is soliciting bids for parts and machinery, according to representatives from several of companies that have received them, as well as industry consultants who monitor such bids. Automaking consultant Ron Harbour of Oliver Wyman said increasing production at the Fremont plant to 500,000 vehicles in 2018 would require more stamping, welding and assembly machinery that "could take up to 18 months to order and install." He said Musk's plan to make parts in-house can minimize risk, but it also can be more expensive and distracting. Tesla's production push comes at a time of high demand for machinery and tooling created by a surge in product launches coming from established automakers, said a Detroit-based supplier sales executive. Jeff Schuster of industry forecaster LMC Automotive said the goals were "implausible," in part because Tesla's battery factory in Reno, Nevada, was unfinished. Aluminum, lithium and other materials - already in short supply - "could be another limiting factor," said Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions. Earlier this month two top manufacturing executives left the company. Last week, Tesla said it had hired Peter Hochholdinger, formerly of Volkswagen AG's (VOWG_p.DE) Audi brand, as vice president of vehicle production. Tesla may pay a premium for work to speed up the Model 3 production launch, supplier executives said. The company has increased its 2016 capital spending forecast by 50 percent to about $2.25 billion. On Wednesday, Tesla announced it would sell up to $1.7 billion in new common shares, in part to pay for machinery and engineering for the Model 3. "I'd be really surprised if he can launch production by next July," said Frank Faga, a Detroit-based auto manufacturing consultant. "But this is a guy who says he's going to Mars. Who am I to say he can't do this?" (Additional reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in Seoul. Editing by Joseph White and Lisa Girion) (Adds quotes, details) By Tife Owolabi YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 22 (Reuters) - A crude oil pipeline in Nigeria's southern state of Bayelsa operated by the local subsidiary of Italy's Eni (LSE: 0N9S.L - news) was attacked on Sunday, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) said. The attack comes just days after President Muhammadu Buhari said he had heightened the military presence in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, where attacks in the last few weeks have driven the country's oil output to a more than 20-year low. Desmond Agu, a spokesman for the NSDC, a government agency, said the Agip pipeline was attacked in the early hours of Sunday, around 12:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Saturday). "A gang of armed youths ... vandalised pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with dynamite and ignited fire on the line," he said, adding that one of the suspected attackers had been arrested. Eni, which operates in Nigeria through its subsidiary Nigerian Agip Oil Company, could not be immediately reached to comment on the attack. Former militants have called for a halt to a resurgence of attacks in the Niger Delta, saying it is an unnecessary distraction for Buhari's administration. (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram. Editing by Jane Merriman) (Recasts on row over Turkey joining EU) By William James LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Chief (Taiwan OTC: 3345.TWO - news) 'In' campaigner Prime Minister David Cameron clashed with members of his own party on Sunday over the impending referendum on Britain's European Union membership, dismissing claims that he would be powerless to stop Turkey joining the EU. Cameron is leading the campaign to keep Britain inside the EU ahead of the June 23 referendum, the outcome of which will have far-reaching consequences for the country's economy, its role in world trade and its global diplomatic status. But many in his Conservative Party, including several cabinet ministers, are campaigning to leave the bloc, raising the prospect that a long-standing rift over Europe could become a permanent split and threaten Cameron's ability to govern after the vote. 'Out' campaigners sought to seize the initiative on Sunday by focusing on immigration, one of the most emotive issues in the Brexit debate, after six out of the last seven polls in the last week showed the Remain campaign in the lead. A 'Vote Leave' dossier said Britain would be exposed to increased immigration and security risks from Turkey if it ever joined the EU, saying that Cameron could not stop it becoming a member of the 28-country bloc. "We are not going to be able to have a say. I do not think that the EU is going to keep Turkey out," Penny Mordaunt, a junior defence minister in Cameron's government, told the BBC. That prompted Cameron, who has tried to avoid clashing directly with members of his own party in the debate, to abruptly criticise Mordaunt as "absolutely wrong" in an interview on ITV (LSE: ITV.L - news) 's 'Peston on Sunday' show. "Britain and every other country in the European Union has a veto on another country joining. That is a fact," he said. "And the fact that the 'Leave' campaign are getting things as straightforward as this wrong I think should call into question the whole judgement in making the bigger argument about leaving the EU." Story continues He also dismissed the idea that Turkey would join the bloc any time soon, joking that its current progress towards accession meant it would not become a member until the year 3000. Highlighting a schism that extends far into the upper echelons of the party, both campaigns later issued briefing notes criticising senior Conservatives in the rival campaign, including pro-EU finance minister George Osborne and the figurehead of the Brexit campaign, Boris Johnson. Turkey began its EU accession talks in 2005 after decades of knocking on the door but progress has been very slow due to a range of issues, including its human rights record. FOOD PRICES Cameron also warned voters that they would face higher grocery bills if the country decides to leave the EU, citing a potential drop in the value of sterling. "Independent studies show that a vote to leave would hit the value of the pound, making imports more expensive and raising prices in the shops," he said in a statement. His comments mark a shift in campaign tactics by the 'In' side: a push to make explicit the link between the macroeconomic risks that have dominated the Brexit debate so far, and their potential impact on Britons' daily lives. The warning comes from a government analysis of the short-term impact that a British exit would have on voters. It modelled a 12 percent fall in the value of sterling, a figure it said was based on external impact assessments, and predicted the effect on prices after two years. The analysis said the average family's weekly food and drink bill would rise by almost 3 percent, or 120 pounds ($175) per year, and that clothing and footwear costs would rise by 5 percent, or 100 pounds per year. However, the rival 'Out' campaign disputed the analysis, saying that "protectionist" EU policies pushed up prices. ($1 = 0.6894 pounds) (Reporting by William James; Editing by Ros Russell) By Jibran Ahmad and Matt Spetalnick PESHAWAR, Pakistan/HANOI (Reuters) - Senior members of the Afghan Taliban met to choose a successor to their former leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Monday after U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed his death in a drone strike inside Pakistani territory at the weekend. The Taliban themselves have made no official statement, but two senior members of the movement said Pakistani authorities had delivered Mansour's badly burned remains for burial in the western city of Quetta. Pakistani officials, however, denied handing over a body. On a three-day visit to Vietnam, Obama called the death "an important milestone", saying Mansour had rejected peace talks and had "continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces". The president authorized the drone strike that killed Mansour in a remote region just on the Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan on Saturday. U.S. forces targeted Mansour because he was plotting attacks that posed "specific imminent threats" to U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, said Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later specified that the Taliban were planning new attacks against American targets in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul. Davis said the attack was carried out under U.S. rules of engagement allowing the military to conduct defensive strikes. He said it was the first time to his knowledge that U.S. troops had attacked inside Pakistan using that rule. Previous strikes there were done under U.S. rules on counterterrorism. Pakistani authorities have said the attack was a violation of the country's sovereignty and an official from the foreign ministry told the U.S. ambassador in Islamabad that the attack could "adversely impact" peace talks. U.S. military officials said they had discussed their interest in Mansour with Pakistan. Reaction from Islamabad was otherwise relatively muted and a number of questions remained over what exactly happened. An undamaged Pakistani passport in the name of Wali Muhammad, which Pakistani authorities said contained a visa for Iran, was recovered next to the burned-out car at the scene of the attack and is believed to have belonged to Mansour. The Taliban have set up a 10-member commission to try to establish how Mansour was picked out by the U.S. drones, sources within the group said. They added that he had crossed into Pakistan from Iran, where he had been holding meetings with Iranian officials and Taliban leaders located there. According to Taliban officials, the movement has set up offices in Iran, which Mansour used to visit. A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry was quoted on state media denying that such an individual had crossed the border from Iran to Pakistan at the time in question. NO SHIFT IN U.S. STRATEGY Although some individual Taliban members have said that Mansour was killed, the group's leadership, keenly aware of the need to limit splits, has not issued its own confirmation, concentrating instead on naming a successor. "The leadership is being very careful because one wrong step could divide the group into many parties like former mujahideen," one Taliban official from the eastern province of Nangarhar said, referring to guerrilla leaders who fought the Soviets in the 1980s before splitting into warring factions. Mansour's number two Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the militant network blamed for a series of high-profile attacks in Kabul, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the movement's late founder Mullah Mohammad Omar are among the main contenders. Yaqoob initially opposed Mansour's claim to the leadership when his father's death was belatedly made public last year. Choosing a member of Mullah Omar's family would be a means of building consensus, but one of the Taliban officials said Yaqoob was reluctant to take over. Serious divisions emerged last year when it was confirmed that Mullah Omar had been dead for two years, leaving his deputy Mansour in effective charge of the movement and open to accusations he deceived his commanders. Haqqani had the backing of Pakistan, while Yaqoob had support among members of the Afghan Taliban, one member of the leadership council, or shura, said. The killing of Mansour appears to have set back any prospect of a start to peace talks between the Taliban and the Western-backed government in Kabul. However, Obama said they represented the only chance of ending decades of war in Afghanistan. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," he said. He stressed that the operation against Mansour did not represent a shift in U.S. strategy in Afghanistan or a return to active engagement in fighting, following the end of the international coalition's main combat mission in 2014. The U.S. currently has 9,800 troops in Afghanistan and a decision is expected later this year on whether to stick with a timetable that would see their numbers cut to 5,500 by the start of 2017. (Additional reporting by Samihullah Paiwand in Gardez, Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar, Rafiq Shezar in Jalalabad, Drazen Jorgic in Islamabad, Gul Yousafzai in Quetta and Syed Rasa Hassan in Karachi, Babak Dehghanpisheh in Beirut and David Alexander in Washington; writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Mary Milliken) By Matt Spetalnick and Martin Petty HANOI (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is set to lay out more of his plan for a stronger alliance with Vietnam on Tuesday, after scrapping an arms ban that was the last big hurdle between two countries drawn together by concern over China's military buildup. The removal of a vestige of the Vietnam War suggests U.S. worries about Beijing's reclamation of islands in the South China Sea and deployment of advanced radars and missile batteries in the disputed region trumped concerns about Vietnam's human rights record. Washington had for years said a lifting of the ban would require concrete steps by Vietnam in allowing freedom of speech, worship and assembly and releasing political prisoners. In a joint news conference on Monday with Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang, Obama said "modest" human rights improvements had been made and the decision to end the embargo was about the changing dynamic in ties and "not based on China". Obama is to meet civil society representatives on Tuesday, among them dissidents, who may disagree with his arms ban decision. Some Vietnamese activists have expressed disappointment that Obama may have given away leverage with the communist leadership. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was evidence engagement had worked in nudging Vietnam to make concessions, like its "unprecedented" commitment to set up independent labour unions under a U.S.-inspired Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. In a statement late on Monday, Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong spoke of the importance of building relations of mutual respect while "not interfering in each other's internal affairs". TRADE PUSH Obama will give a speech in Hanoi about the development of relations since normalisation in 1995 and will champion his signature TPP, which would remove tariffs within a 12-nation bloc worth a combined $28 trillion of gross domestic product. Vietnam's manufacturing and export-led economy is seen as the biggest TPP beneficiary. Annual U.S-Vietnam trade has swelled from $450 million when ties were normalised to $45 billion last year, and Washington is a big buyer of Vietnam's televisions, smartphones, clothing and seafood. The TPP is not a done deal, with opposition expected in Washington amid concerns about competition and a loss of U.S. jobs. Obama said he was confident the trade pact would be approved by legislators and he had not seen a credible argument that the deal would dent American business. Obama will on Tuesday fly to Ho Chi Minh City, the country's commercial hub, which was called Saigon until North Vietnamese tanks rolled into the city in April 1975 to bring U.S.-backed South Vietnam under communist rule. He will meet young entrepreneurs at one of the co-working spaces that host Vietnam's budget tech startups, which have been receiving attention from angel investors and Silicon Valley funds. Obama spoke of a U.S. intention to work more closely in defence areas with Vietnam, which is keen to build a deterrent against China. Vietnam and the United States last year held coastguard and humanitarian training exercises. Washington has longstanding defence alliances in the region with the Philippines, which is also at odds with China, and Thailand, and organises annual war games with both. (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen, Ho Binh Minh and My Pham; editing by Andrew Roche) By Francois Murphy and Michael Shields VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria could elect the European Union's first far-right head of state on Sunday, with support for Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer buoyed by a migration crisis that has heightened fears about employment and security. Opinion polls suggest the presidential race between Hofer and former Greens leader Alexander van der Bellen will be close-run. A far-right victory would resonate throughout the 28-member bloc where migration driven by conflict in the Middle East and Africa has become a major political issue. Austria took in 90,000 asylum seekers last year, more than 1 percent of its population, many of them shortly after it and neighbouring Germany threw open their borders last autumn to a wave of migrants including refugees from Syria's civil war. The government has since clamped down on immigration and asylum, but that about-face only fuelled support for the far right, which was already capitalising on widespread frustration with the country's two traditional parties of government. Sunday's run-off election comes four weeks after Hofer unexpectedly won the first round with 35 percent of the vote. The president traditionally plays a largely ceremonial role but swears in the chancellor, can dismiss the cabinet and is commander in chief of the military. Whoever wins, the election is likely to be a new high-water mark for Europe's resurgent far right, all the more significant for being in a relatively prosperous country with comparatively low, albeit rising, unemployment. It will also indicate whether mainstream parties were right not to close ranks and call for an anti-Freedom Party (FPO) vote, with many feeling it would only have bolstered the FPO's argument that it is taking on a hostile political establishment. HEAVY BLOW The first-round vote was a heavy blow to the ruling Social Democrats (SPO) and their coalition partner, the People's Party - for the first time since Austria's president became directly elected in 1951, neither party will provide the head of state. The result also set off a party revolt within the SPO that led to rail boss Christian Kern becoming chancellor, replacing Werner Faymann. Whether the more popular Kern's arrival will affect the outcome on Sunday is unclear. Van der Bellen, who came second in the first round on 21 percent, has accused his opponent of having an authoritarian view of the president's powers, saying Hofer wants to dismiss the government so snap parliamentary elections can be held. The next parliamentary election is due in 2018, but with the eurosceptic FPO running first in opinion polls on more than 30 percent, it would be well placed to win a snap vote. Hofer has said he would, as president, already have dismissed the government over its handling of the migration crisis, but would not do so immediately if he became head of state. Tabloid reports of immigrants availing themselves of Austria's generous benefits, as well as of crimes in which immigrants have been suspects, have played into the FPO's hands. A Gallup poll for the Oesterreich newspaper last weekend found Hofer ahead by a 53-47 margin based on 600 people surveyed. But it was a dead heat among those who said they were certain to vote, a key factor after nearly a third of eligible voters failed to cast ballots in the first round. Bookmakers, however, gave Hofer as favourite. Betting website bwin.com, for example, gave odds of 1.45-to-one for Hofer and 2.55-to-one for van der Bellen. (Editing by Ralph Boulton) SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression Postal ballots in Austria's presidential elections are set to determine whether Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer will become the European Union's first far-right head of state. A projection by the SORA Institute for broadcaster ORF after the polls closed on Sunday put Mr Hofer and former Greens leader Alexander Van der Bellen in a dead heat on 50% each. The final result will hinge on the large number of postal votes - almost 900,000, a record 14% of Austria's 6.4 million eligible voters - which will be added to the totals today. Mr Hofer caught everyone by surprise when he scored 35% in the first round of voting. Support for Mr Hofer, a 45-year-old aviation engineer, has been buoyed by a migration crisis that has heightened fears about employment and security. Around 90,000 asylum-seekers arrived in the country last year - the second-highest number in the EU on a per-capita basis. Mr Hofer could give the far-right real power in a western European country and confirm a trend of anti-establishment parties stamping on liberal traditions across the continent. If Mr Hofer wins, he has threatened to dismiss the government coalition of Social Democrats and centrist People's Party if it fails to heed his repeated calls to do a better job. With his party now outpolling the main groupings in popularity, he could be tempted to dismiss the power-sharing administration in order to give the Freedom Party the chance to win an ensuing election. But his rival, an economics professor, could also overturn the traditionally cosy relationship between Austrian presidents and governments. Running as an independent, Mr Van der Bellen, 72, has said he would not swear in a Freedom Party chancellor even if that party wins in the next elections, which have to take place within the next two years. That, too, could create political upheaval and uncertainty that has so far not been seen in post-war Austria. Mr Van der Bellen's views stand in stark opposition to his rival's anti-immigrant and eurosceptic messages. Story continues Observers thought he would have little chance of beating his polished rival Mr Hofer in the runoff. Karin Cvrtila from polling institute OGM called his surprise success an "election thriller". "He has really recovered in the past couple of weeks, partly because of a good campaign," she told AFP. The president traditionally plays a largely ceremonial role but swears in the chancellor, can dismiss the cabinet and is commander in chief of the military. By Silvio Cascione and Maria Carolina Marcello BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's interim government was rocked on Monday by the loss of one of its key figures, Planning Minister Romero Juca, who stepped aside amid accusations he had conspired to obstruct the country's biggest-ever corruption investigation. Interim President Michel Temer was counting on Juca, a close confidant and experienced senator, to steer a budget bill through Congress to avoid a government shutdown next month. However, a recording of his conversation with a suspect in the investigation threatened to stain the new, centre-right administration, already unsettled by a series of policy reversals during its first week in office. The scandal weakened Brazil's currency on fears of further instability less than two weeks after President Dilma Rousseff was suspended to stand trial in the Senate for allegedly breaking fiscal laws, leaving former Vice President Temer to lead the country. "Starting from tomorrow, I will step aside," Juca, appointed by Temer after Rousseff's suspension, told reporters in Brasilia. He denied any wrongdoing and insisted that his recorded comments had been distorted and taken out of context. In the recording, made before Rousseff was put on trial and published by newspaper Folha de S. Paulo on Monday, Juca told a friend he agreed on the need for a "national pact" to limit the graft probe rattling the political establishment. Asked for help by his ally, ex-senator Sergio Machado under investigation in the probe, Juca replied: "The government has to be changed in order to stop this bleeding," Folha reported, adding that the conversations were taped "secretly." Juca said the conversation happened either at his home or at his office but it was not clear how the hour-long recording was made. Local media reported it may be connected with Machado who has been negotiating a plea bargain deal with prosecutors. Machado was not immediately available for comment. Juca and other ministers in Temer's new government are under investigation for their alleged roles in the massive bribery scheme stemming from state-run oil company Petrobras. At a press conference earlier on Monday, Juca insisted that he would never interfere in the investigation and his comments were not incriminating in any way. He said the "bleeding" he was referring to was Brazil's free-falling economy and the Rousseff government's recent paralysis. By the end of the day, however, the scandal had reached a fever pitch in the capital Brasilia, and Juca announced his plans to take a leave of absence from the ministry until public prosecutors make public statements exonerating him. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index was knocked lower by the news, falling 0.8 percent on Monday. The local currency lost 1.8 percent against the U.S. dollar. Temer said in a statement that Juca would support the government from the Senate to ensure that the budget and other reforms were passed. A trained economist with over 20 years in the Senate, Juca was a key member of Temer's new economic team that is racing to approve a series of economic measures in Congress aimed at rescuing investor confidence in the slumping Brazilian economy. New Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles will announce on Tuesday some of those measures to include limits to public spending to close a widening fiscal gap that cost Brazil its coveted investment-grade rating. EARLY BACKLASH The blow of Juca's leave of absence followed a political about-face over the weekend, when Temer reinstated the culture ministry just over a week after announcing he was folding it into the education ministry to save money. The decision to combine the ministries provoked the ire of famous artists and musicians, adding to a backlash against the interim government last week that included protests outside Temer's Sao Paulo residence. Eliane Cantanhede, a seasoned political columnist, wrote Monday on the website of the Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that tossing Juca overboard was the only option for Temer, but that it will not solve the interim president's political problems. "Juca is gone, but the trail of the recordings remain ... and will serve as the fuel to further ignite the movements that will take to the streets against Temer," she wrote. Federal police in the southern city of Curitiba have spearheaded the Petrobras probe with broad popular support. They said on Monday they had no direct knowledge of the Juca recording but were not concerned about his reported remarks. "From everything we have seen so far, it's extremely clear that (the investigation) has not and will not be blocked by anyone," said Igor Romario, a lead investigator on the case. Sergio Moro, the federal judge who has overseen much of the Petrobras case, said at a public event in Sao Paulo that he would not comment specifically on the Juca recording. But he said "the judiciary has demonstrated its independence in relation to the other powers and to any political interferences." (Additional reporting by Caroline Stauffer and Brad Brooks; Writing Brad Haynes and Alonso Soto; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Andrew Hay) By Silvio Cascione and Maria Carolina Marcello BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's interim government was rocked on Monday by the loss of one of its key figures, Planning Minister Romero Juca, who stepped aside amid accusations he had conspired to obstruct the country's biggest-ever corruption investigation. Interim President Michel Temer was counting on Juca, a close confidant and experienced senator, to steer a budget bill through Congress to avoid a government shutdown next month. However, a recording of his conversation with a suspect in the investigation threatened to stain the new, center-right administration, already unsettled by a series of policy reversals during its first week in office. The scandal weakened Brazil's currency on fears of further instability less than two weeks after President Dilma Rousseff was suspended to stand trial in the Senate for allegedly breaking fiscal laws, leaving former Vice President Temer to lead the country. "Starting from tomorrow, I will step aside," Juca, appointed by Temer after Rousseff's suspension, told reporters in Brasilia. He denied any wrongdoing and insisted that his recorded comments had been distorted and taken out of context. In the recording, made before Rousseff was put on trial and published by newspaper Folha de S. Paulo on Monday, Juca told a friend he agreed on the need for a "national pact" to limit the graft probe rattling the political establishment. Asked for help by his ally, ex-senator Sergio Machado under investigation in the probe, Juca replied: "The government has to be changed in order to stop this bleeding," Folha reported, adding that the conversations were taped "secretly." Juca said the conversation happened either at his home or at his office but it was not clear how the hour-long recording was made. Local media reported it may be connected with Machado who has been negotiating a plea bargain deal with prosecutors. Machado was not immediately available for comment. Juca and other ministers in Temer's new government are under investigation for their alleged roles in the massive bribery scheme stemming from state-run oil company Petrobras. At a press conference earlier on Monday, Juca insisted that he would never interfere in the investigation and his comments were not incriminating in any way. He said the "bleeding" he was referring to was Brazil's free-falling economy and the Rousseff government's recent paralysis. By the end of the day, however, the scandal had reached a fever pitch in the capital Brasilia, and Juca announced his plans to take a leave of absence from the ministry until public prosecutors make public statements exonerating him. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index was knocked lower by the news, falling 0.8 percent on Monday. The local currency lost 1.8 percent against the U.S. dollar. Temer said in a statement that Juca would support the government from the Senate to ensure that the budget and other reforms were passed. A trained economist with over 20 years in the Senate, Juca was a key member of Temer's new economic team that is racing to approve a series of economic measures in Congress aimed at rescuing investor confidence in the slumping Brazilian economy. New Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles will announce on Tuesday some of those measures to include limits to public spending to close a widening fiscal gap that cost Brazil its coveted investment-grade rating. EARLY BACKLASH The blow of Juca's leave of absence followed a political about-face over the weekend, when Temer reinstated the culture ministry just over a week after announcing he was folding it into the education ministry to save money. The decision to combine the ministries provoked the ire of famous artists and musicians, adding to a backlash against the interim government last week that included protests outside Temer's Sao Paulo residence. Eliane Cantanhede, a seasoned political columnist, wrote Monday on the website of the Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that tossing Juca overboard was the only option for Temer, but that it will not solve the interim president's political problems. "Juca is gone, but the trail of the recordings remain ... and will serve as the fuel to further ignite the movements that will take to the streets against Temer," she wrote. Federal police in the southern city of Curitiba have spearheaded the Petrobras probe with broad popular support. They said on Monday they had no direct knowledge of the Juca recording but were not concerned about his reported remarks. "From everything we have seen so far, it's extremely clear that (the investigation) has not and will not be blocked by anyone," said Igor Romario, a lead investigator on the case. Sergio Moro, the federal judge who has overseen much of the Petrobras case, said at a public event in Sao Paulo that he would not comment specifically on the Juca recording. But he said "the judiciary has demonstrated its independence in relation to the other powers and to any political interferences." (Additional reporting by Caroline Stauffer and Brad Brooks; Writing Brad Haynes and Alonso Soto; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Andrew Hay) By Paul Lienert and Alexandria Sage DETROIT/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc has surprised parts makers with plans to move up the launch of high-volume production of its Model 3 to 2018, two years earlier than planned - an acceleration that supplier executives and industry consultants said would be difficult to achieve and potentially costly. In the past three months, Tesla has told suppliers the company was doubling its original production projections to 100,000 Model 3s in 2017 and 400,000 in 2018, several supplier industry executives familiar with the plans told Reuters. Details on Model 3 production projections have not been reported previously, and Tesla did not break out target volumes for the Model 3. Tesla has taken 373,000 orders for the Model 3 - which has a starting price of $35,000, about half its Model S - and has said it would begin customer deliveries in late 2017. But it has made no promises, and, on earlier models, customers waited months for delivery. Citing "tremendous demand," Chief Executive Elon Musk told analysts on an April call that the company planned to boost total production, including the existing Model S and Model X crossover, to 500,000 in 2018 - two years earlier than its original target and a 10-fold increase over the 50,000 vehicles it made in 2015. Musk said Tesla told suppliers to prepare for Model 3 production tests in July 2017, a goal he acknowledged may be unrealistic for some. But he said the "aggressive" target was necessary to reach production goals. "Now, will we actually be able to achieve volume production on July 1 next year? Of course not," he told analysts. "The reason is that even if 99 percent of the internally produced items and supplier items are available on July 1, we still cannot produce the car because you cannot produce a car that is missing 1 percent of its components, he said. Musk said the Model 3's simpler design, new production hires and enthusiastic suppliers would help the company make its goals. He said Tesla would drop suppliers that could not meet deadlines and would bring more parts production in-house than traditional automakers typically do. He did not specify how much or which parts. "It's very important for us to have the ability to produce almost any part on the car at will because it alleviates risk with suppliers," Musk told analysts. Industry experts said Tesla's new goals were extraordinary and raised doubts it could meet them. The handful of North American auto plants capable of building 500,000 vehicles a year are all run by automakers with decades of experience, they said. Tesla continues to have delivery delays for its Model X SUV. Its Model S also missed delivery targets when launched. SPEEDING UP ASSEMBLY One complication is that Tesla has not finalized the Model 3 design and specifications, said automaking consultants and supply executives who asked not to be identified because Tesla prohibits them from disclosing contract details. Musk has said the Model 3 design and engineering would be complete in June, 13 months ahead of the planned production startup. Under ideal conditions, automakers have launched new assembly lines in 18 months, but they typically take two to three years after the first tooling and supply contracts are signed, several manufacturing consultants said. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, for example, is converting a Sterling Heights, Michigan sedan plant to make 300,000 Ram 1500 pickups a year, a 50 percent increase in capacity. "FCA already has the talent and the money, and the underlying machinery is already installed in the plant," said one longtime supply sales executive. "They're aiming to be up and running in 2018, so they have two years and suppliers are wondering if they'll make that deadline." Tesla says the Model 3 features 6,000 to 7,000 unique components, fewer than the typical automobile with a combustion engine and the Model S, which has more than 8,000 parts. The company still is soliciting bids for parts and machinery, according to representatives from several of companies that have received them, as well as industry consultants who monitor such bids. Automaking consultant Ron Harbour of Oliver Wyman said increasing production at the Fremont plant to 500,000 vehicles in 2018 would require more stamping, welding and assembly machinery that "could take up to 18 months to order and install." He said Musk's plan to make parts in-house can minimize risk, but it also can be more expensive and distracting. Tesla's production push comes at a time of high demand for machinery and tooling created by a surge in product launches coming from established automakers, said a Detroit-based supplier sales executive. Jeff Schuster of industry forecaster LMC Automotive said the goals were "implausible," in part because Tesla's battery factory in Reno, Nevada, was unfinished. Aluminum, lithium and other materials - already in short supply - "could be another limiting factor," said Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions. Earlier this month two top manufacturing executives left the company. Last week, Tesla said it had hired Peter Hochholdinger, formerly of Volkswagen AG's Audi brand, as vice president of vehicle production. Tesla may pay a premium for work to speed up the Model 3 production launch, supplier executives said. The company has increased its 2016 capital spending forecast by 50 percent to about $2.25 billion. On Wednesday, Tesla announced it would sell up to $1.7 billion in new common shares, in part to pay for machinery and engineering for the Model 3. "I'd be really surprised if he can launch production by next July," said Frank Faga, a Detroit-based auto manufacturing consultant. "But this is a guy who says he's going to Mars. Who am I to say he can't do this?" (Additional reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in Seoul. Editing by Joseph White and Lisa Girion) Eduard Sharmazanov meets with National Defence Minister of Greece in Athens On May 22, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Eduard Sharmazanov, who is in Athens for a working visit, had a meeting with the National Defence Minister of Greece Panos Kammenos. The sides expressed satisfaction with the present high-level military and political cooperation. Eduard Sharmazanov positively assessed the fact that the officers of the RA Armed Forces are given an opportunity to get trained in the Hellenic Republic. Mr. Sharmazanov noted that issues regarding the security for both Armenia and Greece are considered priorities. He underlined that Turkey is a real threat for the region. Turkey does not only deny the Armenian Genocide, but has illegally kept Armenia under blockade for 23 years and has forcibly occupied one third of Cyprus, the Armenian parliament official noted. Eduard Sharmazanov condemned the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and added that Turkey was the only country that during those days was openly supporting Azerbaijan. He informed the Greek Minister about the Azerbaijani barbarities towards the Armenian soldiers, as well as the peaceful population, which to his conviction were committed in the style of ISIS. The tortures of the civilians by Azerbaijan are considered as bad manifestation of military crime, Eduard Sharmazanov stated. Mr Kammenos, in turn, highlighted the strengthening and rapprochement of the Armenian-Greek relations. He expressed gratitude to the RA National Assembly for the statement unanimously adopted on March 24 of the previous year condemning the Greek Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. The National Defence Minister of Greece has stressed that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be settled exclusively through peaceful means. He considered inadmissible any attempt of the military solution of the problem. At the end of the meeting Eduard Sharmazanov awarded Panos Kammenos the RA NA Speaker's Memorial Medal for his significant contribution to the strengthening and developing of the Armenian-Greek bilateral ties. On the same day Eduard Sharmazanov and Panos Kammenos visited Syntagma Square and laid a wreath at the Unknown Soldiers Monument. By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Israel resumed cement shipments to the Gaza Strip on Monday, ending a 45-day-old ban it imposed after it accused the Palestinian enclave's Hamas rulers of seizing some of the stock meant for rebuilding homes destroyed in a 2014 war. Hamas has denied Israeli charges that it siphons off cement imports to fortify attack tunnels. Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, welcomed the resumption of the shipments, saying in a statement that "all sides need to ensure that cement deliveries reach their intended beneficiaries and are used solely for civilian purposes." The first of some 90 truckloads of cement entered the Gaza Strip through an Israeli-controlled border crossing on Monday and Palestinian officials said they expected some 4,000 tonnes of the material would be brought in by the end of the day. "But this can be reversed if we see another (Hamas) violation," an Israeli official told Reuters. The United Nations said 140,000 houses were partially or completely damaged during the 2014 war between Israel and the Hamas-led Gaza militants. Palestinians said 2,100 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 67 Israeli soldiers and six civilians were also killed. Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, said 1,000 houses were currently under reconstruction and 70,000 other homes with minor damage have been repaired. Another 1,000 houses were completely rebuilt by Qatar. U.N. officials and international visitors to the region in past weeks have urged Israel to speed up the entry of construction material into Gaza to speed up the rebuilding process. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Richard Balmforth) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya expects tourist arrivals to jump by a third this year to 1.6 million as Western governments lift warnings against travel to the East African nation, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) said on Monday. Visitor numbers and earnings plunged in the last four years as al Shabaab militants from neighbouring Somalia launched attacks on Kenyan soil in retaliation for Kenya's military intervention in Somalia. "The issue we had last year was security ... we dont have that," Jacinta Mbithi, acting chief executive of KTB, told a news conference. "We have enjoyed that calmness and various countries lifted their advisories, others simply downgraded it." Britain and some other countries have already lifted travel warnings and Mbithi said airline bookings showed that visitors were 27 percent higher in the first quarter of this year. She said she expected visitor numbers to rise to 1.8 million in 2018, matching a record high in 2011, as the industry recovers from the slump. Tourism is one of the main hard currency earners for Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta's government wants to bring in 3 million visitors a year according to its manifesto when it was elected in early 2013. (Reporting by John Ndiso; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Susan Fenton) By George Obulutsa and Humphrey Malalo NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan police fired tear gas and water cannon on Monday to disperse hundreds of people protesting at alleged bias in the country's electoral commission, and at least one person died in the disturbances. The next presidential and parliamentary polls in Kenya, East Africa's largest economy, are not due until August 2017 but politicians are already trying to galvanise supporters in a country long prone to political strife. Violence erupted after the 2007 vote and the opposition disputed the outcome in 2013. On Monday police launched tear gas at a convoy of vehicles carrying opposition leaders and supporters accompanying them on foot in the capital Nairobi to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the capital. In the western city of Kisumu, the political bedrock of opposition leader Raila Odinga, one man died after sustaining an injury as he ran away from the clashes. "The injury he has was in the mouth which is very much consistent with somebody who was running and then fell down," Willy Lugusa, the regional police commander, told Reuters. He said police did not use live ammunition. Officials at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu, where the man was rushed by ambulance, said the man had no gunshot wounds. "He fell down as he was running away from rioters," Sam Oula, a doctor at the hospital, told Reuters. The opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) accused police of using live bullets to break up their rallies, adding they had collected two cartridges from one spot where protesters were dispersed in Nairobi. "We condemn this brutality in the strongest terms possible," Moses Wetangula, one of the leaders, told a news conference. CORD, led by Odinga who lost the 2013 vote and unsuccessfully challenged the result in court, has accused the electoral commission of bias and said its members should quit. IEBC officials have dismissed the charge and say they will stay. Seven protesters were arrested in the port city of Mombasa, police said earlier. About 300 demonstrators there held up placards reading "IEBC must go home now". Protests called by CORD are in their fourth week. Police have sometimes used tear gas and water cannon against stone-throwing protesters. (Additional reporting by Joseph Akwiri in Mombasa; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by) SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression By Tom Perry and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Air strikes hit the only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city on Sunday in the heaviest bombing since February, a rebel official and monitors said, jeopardizing access where around 300,000 Syrians live. Russian warplanes carried out the attacks on the Castello road, which was still open but dangerous, the official and monitors said. Defense officials from Syria's government and its ally Russia could not immediately be reached for comment. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights group said the road was hit in a week of escalating air strikes, with Sunday's attack the most intense yet. The city of Aleppo, about 30 miles (50 km) south of the Turkish border, is divided between the government and rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A truce was brokered by the United States and Russia in February. But the agreement has since unraveled, with fighting and bombardment in Aleppo playing a big part in its collapse. Kurdish-led YPG forces, which control the Sheikh Maqsoud area in Aleppo that overlooks the Castello road and are tacitly aligned with the government, have also disrupted the road with snipers who target civilians using the road that is a lifeline for the city to the countryside. Mainstream Syrian rebel groups said on Sunday they would no longer abide by the U.N. truce deal unless the Syrian army ended a major assault on their positions in the suburbs of Damascus within 48 hours. A statement by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) signed by nearly 40 rebel groups that operate across Syria said they would deem the cessation of hostilities deal as having "totally collapsed" if the assault by Syrian government and allied Lebanese Hezbollah forces fighters did not cease within two days. [L5N18G1A9] The signatories, who include Western- and Turkish-backed groups operating on the main frontlines in northern and southern Syria, said that once the two-day period had ended, rebels would respond with "all the legitimate means to defend the civilians living in these areas". In their joint statement, the rebels said the continued attacks by the army on the besieged rebel-held areas around Damascus and their strongholds in Aleppo city and Idlib province were putting peace-making efforts at risk. The Syrian army stopped extending the cessation of hostilities this month after accusing rebels of violating the agreement by firing at government-controlled residential areas RUSSIAN JETS POUND ALEPPO HIGHWAY A senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area said there was heavy Russian bombing of rebel areas on the strategic route all day, developments the Syrian Observatory confirmed later. "From 1 a.m. until 10 a.m., Russian jets were not quiet on the Handarat-Castello front," said Zakaria Malahefji. "A group (of fighters) stationed there was killed." Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman said the raids had been happening for a week. "This is more intense than the last days," he added. A Russian defense ministry statement issued on Saturday accused insurgents of firing missiles at nearby areas, identifying them as members of the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which was not included in the truce. Rebels fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army say Nusra has little or no presence in Aleppo city. Russia deployed its air force to Syria last year to bomb in support of the Syrian military and its allies. Rebels say they can distinguish Russian from Syrian warplanes by the accuracy and intensity of their bombing, the way they fly in squadrons and the fact they carry out raids at night. Syrian government forces have mounted several offensives aimed at encircling rebel-held eastern Aleppo but these have all failed to date. West of Palmyra city, which the Syria army took with Russian aid, heavy battles continue to rage with militants. Rebels said air strikes on residential areas and busy market places on rebel-held towns and cities across northern Syria that killed dozens would not go without being avenged. On Sunday, several civilians were killed in aerial bombing of rebel held Idlib city's main busy market place. (Additional reporting by Lidia Kelly in Moscow; Editing by Tom Heneghan) By Tom Perry and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Air strikes hit the only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city on Sunday in the heaviest bombing since February, a rebel official and monitors said, jeopardising access where around 300,000 Syrians live. Russian warplanes carried out the attacks on the Castello road, which was still open but dangerous, the official and monitors said. Defence officials from Syria's government and its ally Russia could not immediately be reached for comment. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights group said the road was hit in a week of escalating air strikes, with Sunday's attack the most intense yet. The city of Aleppo, about 30 miles (50 km) south of the Turkish border, is divided between the government and rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A truce was brokered by the United States and Russia in February. But the agreement has since unravelled, with fighting and bombardment in Aleppo playing a big part in its collapse. Kurdish-led YPG forces, which control the Sheikh Maqsoud area in Aleppo that overlooks the Castello road and are tacitly aligned with the government, have also disrupted the road with snipers who target civilians using the road that is a lifeline for the city to the countryside. Mainstream Syrian rebel groups said on Sunday they would no longer abide by the U.N. truce deal unless the Syrian army ended a major assault on their positions in the suburbs of Damascus within 48 hours. A statement by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) signed by nearly 40 rebel groups that operate across Syria said they would deem the cessation of hostilities deal as having "totally collapsed" if the assault by Syrian government and allied Lebanese Hezbollah forces fighters did not cease within two days. [L5N18G1A9] The signatories, who include Western- and Turkish-backed groups operating on the main frontlines in northern and southern Syria, said that once the two-day period had ended, rebels would respond with "all the legitimate means to defend the civilians living in these areas". In their joint statement, the rebels said the continued attacks by the army on the besieged rebel-held areas around Damascus and their strongholds in Aleppo city and Idlib province were putting peace-making efforts at risk. The Syrian army stopped extending the cessation of hostilities this month after accusing rebels of violating the agreement by firing at government-controlled residential areas RUSSIAN JETS POUND ALEPPO HIGHWAY A senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area said there was heavy Russian bombing of rebel areas on the strategic route all day, developments the Syrian Observatory confirmed later. "From 1 a.m. until 10 a.m., Russian jets were not quiet on the Handarat-Castello front," said Zakaria Malahefji. "A group (of fighters) stationed there was killed." Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman said the raids had been happening for a week. "This is more intense than the last days," he added. A Russian defence ministry statement issued on Saturday accused insurgents of firing missiles at nearby areas, identifying them as members of the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which was not included in the truce. Rebels fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army say Nusra has little or no presence in Aleppo city. Russia deployed its air force to Syria last year to bomb in support of the Syrian military and its allies. Rebels say they can distinguish Russian from Syrian warplanes by the accuracy and intensity of their bombing, the way they fly in squadrons and the fact they carry out raids at night. Syrian government forces have mounted several offensives aimed at encircling rebel-held eastern Aleppo but these have all failed to date. West of Palmyra city, which the Syria army took with Russian aid, heavy battles continue to rage with militants. Rebels said air strikes on residential areas and busy market places on rebel-held towns and cities across northern Syria that killed dozens would not go without being avenged. On Sunday, several civilians were killed in aerial bombing of rebel held Idlib city's main busy market place. (Additional reporting by Lidia Kelly in Moscow; Editing by Tom Heneghan) By TJ Strydom JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is not being investigated for espionage over his part in establishing a surveillance unit in the revenue service and does not face arrest, the state prosecutor and police said on Monday. The elite Hawks police unit is investigating a tax surveillance unit within the South African Revenue Service (SARS) set up in 2007 when Gordhan was the commissioner of the revenue authority. Gordhan, who headed SARS from 1999 to 2009, has said the spy unit set up at the tax agency was lawful. The National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams asked South Africans to "stop deriving political mileage of this matter," after media reports last week that the minister's arrest was imminent. "There are no charges of espionage being investigated against minister Gordhan," Abrahams told a news conference. "In the event that the minister is implicated, I will make the decision at the conclusion of the investigation as to whether or not any person or persons must be prosecuted, including the minister." Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi had said earlier Gordhan was not a suspect and that police were not singling out the finance minister in its investigation of the surveillance unit. The Sunday Independent reported at the weekend that Hawks chief Berning Ntlemeza had sent Gordhan's lawyers a letter to reassure him he would not be arrested. Gordhan, who was reinstated as finance minister in December, said last week that a newspaper report of his imminent arrest was an attack on the Treasury. The rand firmed briefly after the news Gordhan faced no arrest, touching 15.5230 per dollar in early trade from a close of 15.6355 on Friday. The currency was flat as of 0940 GMT. The currency had weakened last Monday to a two-month low after the newspaper report on Gordhan's arrest. The report was denied by the presidency, police and prosecutors. The report had raised concerns of a repeat of the run on the rand and bonds in December after President Jacob Zuma changed finance ministers twice in a week. It also comes as South Africa is trying to fend off a credit ratings downgrade. Moody's earlier this month left its rating of South Africa's debt at Baa2, two levels above sub-investment grade, but assigned a negative outlook, saying risks to implementation of structural and fiscal reforms remained a factor. Fitch and Standard & Poor's rate the country one notch above sub-investment grade and plan to release their reviews in June. (Writing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by James Macharia and Janet Lawrence) SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea dismissed on Monday a North Korean proposal for military talks as "a bogus peace offensive" and said it was formally rejecting the overture because it lacked a plan to end the North's nuclear programme. North Korea's proposal on the weekend for talks between the two Koreas, a repeat of a call by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a congress of his ruling party this month, came after a period of heightened tension on the peninsula. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February, triggering tougher international sanctions and the adoption of a more hardline position by South Korean President Park Geun-hye. North Korea said dialogue between military officials from the two sides was urgently needed to reduce tension, and suggested they be held in late May or early June. South Korea said the offer was insincere. "The dialogue proposed by the North does not mention its nuclear programme, which is the fundamental issue for peace on the Korean peninsula and South-North ties," South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a briefing. "Proposing dialogue without an expression of its position on denuclearisation is a bogus peace offensive for bogus peace that lacks sincerity." Moon said the South had sent a message over a military hotline on Monday expressing regret over the North's proposal and asking it to state its position on denuclearisation. This month, at the first congress of North Korea's Workers' Party in 36 years, Kim declared his country a nuclear weapons state and vowed to press on with nuclear development, which he said was defensive. In the run-up to the congress, North Korea test-fired a series of missiles including a submarine-based ballistic missile. It also attempted a launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile. South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles political ties with the North, said Pyongyang's intention may be to sow discord among the public in the South and create a rift in the international commitment to sanctions. "Let me repeat: Now is not the time for dialogue," said ministry spokesman Cheong Joon-hee. North Korea came under tougher international pressure with the March adoption of a U.N. Security Council resolution that was even backed its lone major ally China, which disapproves of its nuclear arms programme. South Korea has also cut off all commercial contacts with the North. The two Koreas have remained in a technical state of war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. (Reporting by Jack Kim) ALMATY (Reuters) - Tajikistan's president Imomali Rakhmon will be able to run for an unlimited number of terms after a series of constitutional amendments were backed in a weekend referendum. The changes won support of 94.5 percent of voters, Central Election Commission chairman Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda told reporters on Monday citing preliminary results, adding that turnout was 92 percent. "May 22 became a historical date in the country's political life," he said. The amendments will allow Rakhmon, head of state since 1992 and president since 1994, to run again when his current term ends in 2020. The minimum age for presidential candidates was also lowered, so Rakhmon's elder son Rustam could also run at that time. Rakhmon enjoys sweeping powers amid a flourishing personality cult, and few doubted that referendum results would show landslide popular support for the proposed amendments. He keeps a tight lid on dissent, and his power was strengthened last year when the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) was banned after the government accused it of being behind an attempted coup. A third major change approved by the referendum was a ban on religious political parties, which will prevent the IRPT from being reformed under a new guise. Tajikistan, the poorest former Soviet republic, is mostly Muslim and its economy depends heavily on Russia, which is in recession. Moscow maintains a military base in the country which borders volatile Afghanistan. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by Dmitry Solovyov and Toby Chopra) Azerbaijan is trying to change situation on diplomatic front - says political analyst (video) Armenia must do everything to play time and restore the military equilibrium in the region, political analyst Yervand Bozoyan said on May 23. Otherwise it will be impossible to restore peace in the region. Wars begin when the balance is disturbed and end after changes in the balance. The international mediators see that today the equilibrium is changed in favour of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan threatens to start a big war against Armenia. Trying to avert the war, the foreign powers are trying to make such suggestions that will satisfy Azerbaijan, he said. Not only is Azerbaijan trying to change the situation in the military front, but it is also trying to change the situation on the diplomatic front. Armenia should work on both fronts. If Nagorno Karabakh is simply a territory for Azerbaijan, it is a security zone for us. If we lose Karabakh, we shall lose Zangezur. If we lose Zangezur we shall become a blind gut in the region because such a small country cannot survive in this region, the political analyst said. He says Armenian authorities are not inclined to make any compromises, but they might yield to foreign pressures. Our society should not allow this to happen. The pressure is also beneficial to the authorities in order to show the world that they cannot make concessions under inner pressure. Three climbers have died during a weekend when 30 people fell sick while trying to climb Mount Everest. Among them was a woman who was attempting to prove that vegans can succeed at the toughest physical challenges. Lecturer Maria Strydom, from Melbourne, Australia, was reported to have died from altitude sickness. Dutchman Eric Arnold, 35, died on Friday and Indian climber Subhash Paul died overnight on Sunday as he was being helped down the 8,850 metre-high mountain by Sherpa guides. Two other Indian members of Mr Paul's team - Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh - are missing. Academic Dr Strydom, who also uses the name Marisa, was an experienced mountaineer who had previously reached the summits of Argentina's Aconcagua and Mount Kilimanjaro. She was attempting to mount the highest seven peaks on each of the seven continents in order to disprove claims that people who consume no animal products struggle with extreme activities. Dr Strydom told the website of Monash University, where she works: "It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak. "By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more." Her husband, Robert Gropel, also a vegan, was among those who fell ill on the mountain and had to be airlifted off the mountain. Everest reopened last August after it was closed by the Nepali authorities following two devastating years when 18 people were killed during Nepal's earthquake and 16 Sherpas died in 2014. Dr Strydom told her university website she was well aware of the risks. She said: "We've all heard stories of frostbite and having to turn around from excessive waiting times due to inexperienced people blocking routes. This can lead to life threatening situations and death." Sky News Australia said her family were devastated to have found out she had died by Googling her name. Mr Arnold was able to reach the summit, tweeting his success, but apparently died on the way down, despite having plenty of bottled oxygen. Story continues A statement from the expedition leader of the group that included Mr Arnold and Ms Strydom said: "Eric summited Mount Everest on 20 May 8am and fulfilled his childhood dream. "During the ascent he was doing well, but after the South Summit he was struggling a bit. Descending from the summit he became slower and slower and it became clear that something was wrong. "We managed to bring him down to the South Col; to his tent, gave him more Oxygen, lots of drinks and food and it looked like he was recovering. Unexpectedly Eric passed away that evening in his tent. "Marisa was doing well until the 'Balcony', but became very slow after this and decided to turn around. "Normally this would give her enough time to descent safely, but her condition deteriorated rapidly. Halfway between the South Summit and Balcony she was hardly able to move and became very confused. "Her Husband and several Sherpas struggled all night to bring her down and miraculously she made it back to the South Col. "We managed to stabilise her (and) with Medicine & Oxygen and Marisa was able to walk out off the tent herself the next morning. Helicopter rescue is only possible from Camp 3, so we continued our descent the next morning. "But 2 hours out of camp she collapsed. Her Husband tried to retrieve her, but this was not possible anymore. Rob was evacuated by helicopter from Camp 2 the next day." The majority of those who have fallen sick have developed frostbite or fallen ill with altitude sickness near the summit, one expedition organiser said. But a climber who made his way down after a successful climb, Begian Jelle Vegt, said: "There are some problems with, let's say, people who are not that experienced slowing things down. And that creates problems for other people." Other climbers have expressed concerns that too many climbers are trying to reach the summit in one of the few narrow windows of opportunity when the conditions are favourable, causing blockages on the route. Favourable weather has allowed nearly 400 climbers to reach the summit from Nepal since 11 May, but the altitude, weather and harsh terrain can cause problems at any time. United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams said the union will endorse either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders for U.S. President "soon", and called for unity among Democrats behind the eventual nominee, at a press briefing in Detroit, Michigan, May 19, 2016. REUTERS/Joseph White (Reuters) By Bernie Woodall and Joseph White DETROIT (Reuters) - United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams said on Thursday the union will endorse either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders for U.S. president "soon," and called for unity among Democrats behind the eventual nominee. Williams, head of the richest U.S. union, vowed that the labor group will be "all in" to support the eventual Democratic nominee. The UAW has more than 1 million current and retired members. In a news conference at UAW headquarters, Williams did not say whether the UAW would endorse a candidate before the June 7 Democratic primary in California, but said he and top union leaders could decide quickly over the phone when the time comes to announce a decision. In early polling of UAW members, 28 percent preferred Donald Trump, who is now the presumptive Republican nominee. Williams said the poll was conducted at a time when Trump talked about bringing jobs back to the United States and before the union distributed comments Trump made last August in a Detroit News interview when he said U.S. automakers should shift production from Michigan to states where wages could be lowered. Williams would not reveal how Clinton or Sanders fared in the early polling among UAW members when Trump received about 28 percent of the support. Williams said he did not know the current level of support among UAW members for Trump, but he indicated that he is confident most of the onetime Trump supporters would side with a Democratic candidate. Williams said the Republican Party is for "free trade" and not "fair trade" and that the result of a Republican presidency would be lower wages for U.S. workers. "I don't want a president that has a good line," said the UAW chief. "I want to know what the detail is." Williams said, "It's not a game show." Separately, he said he may seek a meeting with Tesla Motors Inc's Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk when he calls on other corporate leaders. Story continues Williams said he met twice with Musk five years ago, before he became UAW president in mid-2014. Tesla's factory in Fremont, California, which is nonunion, has increased production and the number of employees greatly since then. Williams said the UAW continues to work to organize the Tesla plant but he would not give any details on how intense that effort is. "It's still a priority," he said. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain. BlackRock Alternatives has raised $4.5bn in the first close of its fourth Global Infrastructure Fund, which is more than half its targeted size. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The exchange rate of USD on May 23 amounted to 477.58 AMD. The Central Bank informs the exchange rate has decreased by 0.05 AMD compared to the previous day. The exchange rate for Euro decreased by 0.63 AMD, comprising 535.41 AMD. The British Pound 692.11 AMD. (3.61 AMD decrease). Irelands largest accountancy body has called for the UK to remain within the EU and for its members to contribute to an informed debate within their communities. Chartered Accountants Ireland President Mr Liam Lynch addressing the AGM in Dublin, expressed strong support for the UK voting to remain part of the European Union. He said: Our membership is widely spread, with 4,000 members in Northern Ireland, 2,000 in Great Britain, 17,000 in the Republic of Ireland and over 1,000 elsewhere. This gives us a unique perspective on the current debate. These are informed professionals who use their professional training to look at issues and consider what outcome might, objectively speaking, be preferable. We therefore conducted a survey where we asked them for their views [Coyne Research, 2016]. In this survey, of those who expressed a preference, 82% in Northern Ireland preferred to remain in the EU, 86% in Great Britain preferred to remain in the EU and 97% in the Republic of Ireland and rest of the EU want the UK to remain in the EU. He added. Mr Lynch was elected President of Chartered Accountants Ireland at its 128th Annual General Meeting in Dublin on Friday, 20th May, and takes over as president from Tony Nicholl. Shauna Greely, Finance Business Partner with Ulster Bank, based in Dublin was elected Deputy President of Chartered Accountants Ireland. Feargal McCormack, Managing Director of PKF-FPM, a chartered accountancy and business consultancy practice with offices in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was elected Vice President. Source: www.businessworld.ie Half of the European Union's member states on Monday called for the removal of barriers to the free flow of data both within and outside the 28-nation bloc to ensure the continent can benefit from new data-driven technologies. In a letter to the European Commission and the Netherlands - which holds the rotating EU presidency - ministers from countries including Poland, Britain, Sweden and Finland urged Brussels to make sure regulation is not a barrier to the development of data-driven technologies and to avoid one-size-fits-all rules for online platforms such as Amazon and Facebook. "It is vital for European competitiveness to take a positive approach to new advancements in digital technologies and business models," wrote the ministers from Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden. "Europe can benefit significantly from new data-driven technologies if the right future-proof regulatory framework is established." The Commission last year unveiled its Digital Single Market strategy, a wide-ranging plan to knock down barriers in the online world to give Europe a better chance of competing with mainly U.S. tech giants. On Wednesday, it will present the results of its inquiry into online platforms and where it thinks action may be needed. While Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip has ruled out a single regulation covering all online companies, it is likely to tackle perceived problems in areas such as copyright and telecoms as well as probe further into the terms of use of services such as Google's Android and Apple Inc's IoS mobile operating system. The strategy has faced accusations of protectionism - which the Commission says are unfounded - and data flows to the United States have endured a particularly tough ride since revelations of mass U.S. government snooping programmes. Ansip - who is overseeing the strategy - has spoken out against limits to cross-border data flows. "It's extremely important to allow free data flows across the EU and we know that in some member states there are ideas to localise data inside of those beautiful countries. They are very popular but it's a dead end," he said in the European Parliament in April. The EU is expected to present a proposal enabling the free flow of data across the bloc later this year to counter data localisation initiatives in countries such as Germany and France. The letter also called for EU telecoms rules to be simplified so as to foster investments in high-speed broadband, an area where the EU has been lagging behind the United States, Japan and South Korea.(Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Modified On May 24, 2016 02:43 PM By Arun The National Green Tribunal (NGT) strikes again, this time in Kerala. The tribunal's special circuit bench at Ernakulam has banned the use of diesel vehicles that are older than 10 years. The bench headed by Justice J Swatanter Kumar issued the interim order based on a petition filed by Lawyers' Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF). The ban will be imposed in six cities, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kothamangalam, Thrissur and Kozhikode, after thirty days from today. A similar ban is currently in effect in Delhi, that prohibits the usage of diesel vehicles that are a decade old. The tribunal has also ordered a fine of Rs 5,000 to be imposed on the offenders. The petition filed by the forum alleged that Kochi was amongst the most polluted cities, and gases spewed by old diesel vehicles such as lorries and buses should be kept in check. Going one step further, the NGT has banned registrations of diesel vehicles with engines larger than 2,000cc in Kerala. This ban is identical to the one prevalent in Delhi at the moment. Naturally, the blanket ban in Delhi hadn't invoked a pleasant response from the auto fraternity. For instance, German auto giant Mercedes-Benz has put all investments on hold. Similarly, Toyota has been vocal about its disappointment as well and has been openly critical of the ban. On the other hand, desi automaker Mahindra has found a way to adhere to the new regulations by introducing a 1.99-litre variant of its popular mHAWK engine, that powers the Scorpio and the XUV500. With the ban extending to more than one market, automakers are sure to feel the heat. Other states, such as Maharashtra and Karnataka are also considering similar measures to curb pollution, in major metro cities such as Mumbai and Bangalore. The NGT bench in Mumbai had recently voiced concerns over pollution levels following a petition from a well-known Mumbai lawyer who's also a very vocal environmentalist. The Maharashtra Government has also considered steps like Odd-Even Rule for cities like Mumbai. Other cities that we think could be affected will include Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai. We think the ban on old diesel vehicles has its share of positives and negatives. Of course, with rickety, ill-maintained vehicles off the road, pollution is bound to go down. However, think about old cars that comply with emission norms even today. There's no reason for them to be banned. In my opinion, a blanket ban has never solved anything. India definitely needs its own version of an automobile fitness test that determines roadworthiness of a vehicle. We will keep updating this space as and when more information is available on the issue. What do you think about the blanket ban on decade old diesel cars? Do you think the ban is justified? Let us know through the comments section below! Published On May 23, 2016 11:46 AM By Sumit Indian automakers have responded to the gloomy results of the third round of crash tests on Indian cars conducted by the global NCAP (New Car Assessment Program). Most of them have tried to take cover under the claim of their compliance with the standards set by the Indian government. Related Read: 4th Round Of Global NCAP Crash Tests Soon Maruti Suzuki has said that checking the safety levels of Indian cars as per global standards is unfair since the rules differ in India. R.C. Bhargava, chairman of the company, was quoted as saying, Standards for testing cars made in India are fixed by the Indian government. All car manufacturers follow those standards. What is the purpose and relevance of standards being set for crash tests for Indian vehicles being set by some other country or some other organisation? Who defines those standards and why should we listen to them? Even food items made in India are tested here and their standards fixed in India and same is the case with standards fixed for other industries. Renault also had a similar response, but said that support for the adoption of international safety norms is required in the country. The statement from the company read: Safety is of paramount importance for Renault and all our products meet and exceed the requisite safety standards set by Indian Regulatory Authorities. India is gradually moving towards international safety norms by including more robust safety regulations and the assurance of the Bharat NCAP is a positive step in this direction. As a customer-focused company, Renault fully supports this initiative and we are already future-ready in terms of technology, design and engineering for enhanced safety for all our vehicles. Indian government has announced that the crash test regulation for the existing cars will come into effect in 2019 and for the new cars in 2017. Renault is committed to comply with these timelines. Recommended Read: Indian Cars And Crash Test Failure -- Whom Do You Blame? The testing variant of the Scorpio was not equipped with airbags. Mahindra & Mahindra offered this as its excuse and said, Typically, in any star rating process, non-airbag variants do not perform well on safety standards. All Mahindra automotive products are developed and manufactured to meet or exceed the safety standards set in India for a safe driving experience. In fact, many models exceed the expected regulations of 2019. The star rating as released by Global NCAP in the latest crash test was conducted on a non-airbag variant of the Scorpio. Most variants of the Scorpio are equipped with airbags and a safety package. Approximately 75 per cent of Scorpio customers choose the airbags variants of the vehicle. There is nothing more important to us than our customers safety. We are committed to meeting and exceeding all current and future safety norms and in most cases giving our customers choice of enhanced safety beyond the regulated standards. Hyundai too essentially rephrased what Maruti and Renault said. The statement issued went like this: Hyundai vehicles are designed and built to meet all the prescribed safety standards set by Indian regulatory authorities. It is evident that car companies relying on Indian safety standards to make their cars has led to the government deciding to adopt its own testing procedure and standards for crash tests. To be known as Bharat NCAP it will have some alterations compared to the global NCAP. Details of the same are likely to emerge in a week. Modified On May 23, 2016 04:12 PM By Alshaar With sanctions against Iran being lifted recently, the countrys automotive industry has emerged as a lucrative market for the world. Consequently, Tata Motors is now looking to grab a foothold in the Middle-Eastern nation through a joint venture to assemble its petrol cars. The Indian carmaker is in discussions with Iranian vehicle manufacturer Iran Khodro Company for a collective undertaking to assemble knocked down units of certain petrol cars, including the latest compact car Tiago, Bolt and Zest, which are powered by the company's new Revotron petrol engines, according to dna. The report also said that Iran Khodro will just be a contract manufacturer. However, its sales network will also be employed by Tata to sell its cars in Iran although the branding will continue to remain the same. The plant, expected to be situated in either suburban Tehran or Masad, is expected to start rolling out cars by 2018. While Tata has set its sights on assembling around 1 lakh cars per year from the facility initially, it is set to gradually ramp up the numbers. As for Iran Khodro, its a Tehran-based company that has been collaborating with several leading automobile companies from Europe and Asia over the years. Most notably, it has re-signed a deal with Peugeot, the French car manufacturer for which it had previously assembled various models. IKCO also manufactures trucks, buses and E-Class passenger cars under license from Mercedes-Benz. Among Asian automotive manufacturers, Iran Khodro is cooperating with Suzuki for the Grand Vitara and Suzuki Kizashi. Modified On May 23, 2016 02:40 PM By Sumit for Toyota Corolla Altis The production version of facelifted Toyota Corolla has finally been spotted in Turkey. The car looks stunning and we can say so, courtesy the released images on its website. The car has got a lot of updates to show. Some of the important modifications are to the front profile, where the carmaker has introduced sleeker headlamps with LED light guides. The modified headlamp cluster gives the car a refreshed and a piercing look. The front grille has been modified as well to suit the headlights of reduced height. The rear also looks new thanks to the new LED tail lamp clusters and chrome accents. Other updates in the new version of the Corolla includes a choice of 16/17-inch alloy wheels and new chrome accents at the door handles. Sadly, we are left bereft of a glance inside and therefore, there is some mystery left for the auto enthusiasts. The 1.8-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel mill with power figures as 140PS/173Nm and 88PS/204Nm respectively, look powerful enough to be carry forwarded to the new version. The transmission duties are also likely to remain unaltered with a six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic gearbox on offer. The car will be first launched in Europe where production will take place in Turkey initially. Though there has been no official word about its Indian launch, we are expecting it to hit the Indian roads by 2017. Toyota plans to launch the next-gen Fortuner here first. Read More on : Corolla Altis price Green Party candidate Alexander Van Der Bellen has won Austria's presidential election, scoring a narrow victory over Norbert Hofer of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria, according to official provisional results. Der Bellen's victory prevents Hofer becoming Austria's first far-right president since the end of World War II. Alexander Van der Bellen Roland Schlager | AFP | Getty Images The election was very close, with Hofer appearing to lead on Sunday. However, postal votes counted on Monday gave Van Der Bellen the victory. Van der Bellen won 50.3 percent of the vote, compared to Hofer's 49.7 percent after postal votes were in, the Austrian Interior Ministry said. Hofer conceded defeat in a post in German on his Facebook page on Monday. "Of course I'm sad today. I would like to watch out for you as president of our wonderful country. I will remain loyal to you and make my contribution for a positive future of Austria," he said. The weekend's voting was the second-round of the presidential election, following a first round in April that was won by Hofer. However, he failed to gain an overall majority, resulting in this weekend's run-off. The Freedom Party of Austria is viewed as right-wing to far-right, with a populist slant to its policies. It strikes a hardline on immigration, which is particularly contentious in Austria in the wake of Europe's refugee crisis. Norbert Hofer Robert Jaeger| AFP | Getty Images Hofer's opponent and Austria's soon-to-be president, Van Der Bellen, came second in the first round. "This victory in extra time may bring some relief to European policymakers and financial markets as the feared scenario of a populist at the head of a core euro zone country has not materialized after all," Carsten Brzeski, the Frankfurt-based chief economist at ING-DiBa, said in a note on Monday. "Nevertheless, the result also stresses that almost half of the Austrian voters in fact did vote for right-wing populist Hofer and seem to sympathize with a very strict stance on Austria's refugee policy and a very distant relationship with the European Union (EU)," he added. Van Der Bellen will be the first Austrian president since World War II without the backing by one of the two main parties. This would have applied to Hofer too, had he won. Anti-Hofer protesters in Vienna, Austria, on May 19, 2016. Omar Marques | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images In a conference call on Friday, the president of the Austrian Central Bank, Claus Raidl, said Hofer's putative success was "not flattering for us, to say the least." He added that Hofer's Freedom Party had failed to distance itself from the Nazi rule of Austria from 1938 to 1945. "In Austria we have the burden of the past and this Freedom Party never really drew a red line through the past," Raidl said. Hofer, who worked as an aeronautical engineer before turning to politics, has struck a more pragmatic line as party leader compared to his polarizing predecessor, Heinz Christian Strache. This may have helped Hofer make inroads in more centrist constituencies. The presidential role is a largely symbolic one in Austria, with the main leadership coming from the chancellor. Werner Faymann of the Social Democratic Party resigned from this role last week, after his popularity was hit by his handling of the refugee issue. He has been succeeded by Christian Kern. "He (the president) is more of a figurehead," Raidl said. "The chancellor is not the boss of president, but the president is also not the boss of the chancellor He cannot dissolve parliament the only thing he can do, but this has never been done, he can dismiss the chancellor and the government. I think (this) will never happen," he added later. watch now During a 30-minute hearing in an Illinois federal courtroom Thursday, a former business relationship manager for the $1 billion Scott Credit Union pleaded guilty to a fraudulent loan scheme of more than $12 million. Theodore J. Longust, 50, formerly of Columbia, Ill., admitted to financial institution fraud, misapplication of funds, money laundering and filing a false report. Branding is a complex initiative that involves two primary components external branding and internal branding. External branding is the more well-known element and generally involves a companys external image, reputation, logos and the like. Internal branding is often the overlooked side of branding but is essentially the most important. It involves a companys culture and core values. It influences how employees perceive the organization, how they treat their customers or members and how they treat each other. Internal branding is the guts of the organization, and without it, the external brand will eventually fail. Internal branding serves many purposes. When done correctly, an internal brand campaign increases employee morale and helps them feel like they have a stake in the organizations success. When that happens, employees are committed and will change their behaviors to align with the brand and its values. A successful internal branding campaign transitions your staff from employees to brand ambassadors. They dont just work for your financial institution anymore. They live the brand and model what it represents. Launching an Internal brand campaign should always happen in conjunction with your external brand launch, but thats not the only time an internal brand campaign benefits your organization. Sometimes the external brand is strong, but employee morale is declining. An internal brand campaign helps employees renew their commitment to your financial institution and its brand. This is especially true if you never did internal branding when you launched your external brand. An internal brand campaign is also effective when a new CEO takes the reigns. Toyota launched an internal brand campaign recently as part of its efforts to consolidate its four North American locations onto one large campus in Texas. The purpose of the campaign was to unify the company. A major new glasshouse is opening in Essex following a two-year legal battle by growers to secure planning permission. The first phase of a 9.7ha expansion scheme was unveiled by Valley Grown Nurseries unveiled at Nazeing, near Harlow, on Friday (20 May). NFU president Meurig Raymond described the glasshouse as good news for British growers, the British public and the British economy. Self-sufficiency in the horticultural industry has fallen for a number of years, said Mr Raymond at the glasshouse opening. See also: Planning permission how farmers can get it right We now import four out of every five tomatoes eaten in this country, at a time when the public is actively seeking to buy quality British produce. There is tremendous scope to grow more salad crops to meet public demand, but modern agriculture and horticulture require investment in modern buildings and modern facilities, he added. Thats why this new development is so welcome. Scope for growth Lee Stiles, of the Lea Valley Growers Association, said developments such as the glasshouse would help ensure the area had a viable economic future. We have a great opportunity to grow more local food, reduce food imports and create local jobs through glasshouse expansion in the Lea Valley. The development represents the largest addition of glasshouses to the Lea Valley since the 1950s, with the new structures used for growing tomatoes and sweet peppers. Valley Grown Nurseries obtained planning permission in 2014 to construct the glasshouse within the Green Belt, but the decision was challenged by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. The authority unsuccessfully took its case to the High Court and then the Court of Appeal. The NFU provided support to growers during the appeal process. Delighted at planning permission Jimmy Russo of Valley Grown Nurseries praised the union and the Lea Valley Growers Association for helping to make the expansion scheme possible. After several years of uncertainty, and huge financial costs, we are delighted that Epping Forest District Council has been fully justified in granting planning permission. Mr Russo added: It is great news that the challenge has been dismissed and we can now get on with growing fantastic food. Situated just north of London, the Lea Valley had the highest concentration of glasshouses in the world in the 1950s, but the growing area has since declined by about 80%. Today, there are 121ha of specialist glasshouses, where growers produce 80m cucumbers and 70m sweet peppers annually, as well as other salad crops. Indigenous People Lead March Against Monsanto in San Francisco by RR On May 21st, Aztecs led the march, Winnemem Wintu tribal leader Caleen Fisk came from the Shasta County area to speak, and Tongans from East Palo Alto represented the Pacific Islands. The March Against Monsanto on Saturday moved along the Embarcadero, ending at the Aquatic Park in San Francisco. Top photo by Helene Sisk. This past weekend in San Francisco, Aztecs led the march, Winnemem Wintu tribal leader Caleen Sisk came from the Shasta County area to speak, and Tongans from East Palo Alto represented the Pacific Islands. Caleen said that when the Shasta Dam was constructed during World War II the salmon runs were blocked and Chinook salmon became endangered. Salmon is key food for bears and the environment's natural flow was disrupted. Salmon are of key importance to native Americans spiritually as well. Caleen said that in native tradition the salmon gave humans voice. Another Native American woman leader said it is time for men to step, not down but aside, and work with native women who are carrying on traditions. Native women are at the forefront of working to save the environment as well as the culture. The speaker, from the East Bay, announced a salmon protection mega event is being planned for September in Oakland. People will be invited to walk, run, boat, or ride to the group action. In Hawai'i, Mauna Kea summit is a water source and sacred land. It is threatened by the expansion of the world's largest observatory for optical, infrared, and submillimeter astronomy. Tongans at the rally identify as cousins of the Hawaiians who are fighting to protect the aina, the land. May 21, 2016 - Blueberry workers who struck for three days this week overwhelmingly voted Saturday, May 21 to be represented by the United Farm Workers during a union representation election overseen by the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board. It was the second union election victory in a month. Farm workers at two related Oxnard, Calif. companies with a total of 240 employees voted for the UFW on April 20 at Hiji Bros., Inc. celery company and the Seaview Growers Inc. nursery. Klein Management blueberry workers voted 347 to 68or 82 percentfor the union during state-conducted balloting beginning at 5:30 a.m. Saturday. The ALRB said 627 workers were eligible to vote.News of the blueberry workers vote for the UFW was announced 20 miles south in Bakersfield at the unions 20th Constitutional Convention while delegates and alternates received reports about significant gains farm workers have scored through UFW organizing and contract negotiations. Gov. Jerry Brown speaks to the 7 p.m. convention dinner Saturday night at Bakersfields Rabobank Convention Center. Former President Bill Clinton addresses thousands of farm workers and supporters during the union convention at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday.Events at Klein Management began Monday when employees protested unfair labor practices and a reduction in their piece rate pay. The company responded to the protests by firing three crews of blueberry workers, which prompted the strike. State law requires balloting to be conducted within 48 hours after a valid election petition is filed when workers have walked out of the fields, although the ALRB did not respect that law when it caved in to grower pressure to delay the election beyond 48 hours.The UFW vows to press for bargaining over a union contract with the McFarland ranch as soon as the election results are certified by the Sacramento-based ALRB.Klein Management markets its blueberries under the Gourmet Trading Co. label. The northern Kern County farm town of McFarland was the setting for the popular 2015 feature film McFarland U.S.A. starring Kevin Costner.United Farm Workers SANTA CRUZ, CA, May 20, 2016 Santa Cruz Biotech (SCBT) ahas been fined $3.5 million and agreed to give up its animal dealer license and close its research laboratory, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees research facilities. Photo: A goat at Santa Cruz Biotechnology in April of 2011. The penalty is the largest in the history of Animal Welfare Act enforcement, said Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN), a nonprofit research watchdog that monitors illegal activities in U.S. research laboratories.SAEN first exposed the violations of federal law at SCBT with news coverage in 2008 and has filed multiple complaints with the USDA against SCBT.According to the USDA email:"On May 19, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. entered into a settlement agreement, otherwise known as a consent decision . . . The consent decision provides that Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. is not admitting or denying that it has violated the AWA, and contains an order that includes a provision to cease and desist from violating the AWA, assessment of a $3.5 million civil penalty, revocation of its dealers license effective December 31, 2016, and agreement to submit a letter to cancel its research registration by May 31, 2016."The USDA communication goes on to say:"APHIS filed complaints against Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. on July 19, 2012; November 4, 2014; and August 7, 2015 for allegedly failing to maintain the basic standards of the AWA on multiple occasions.""This precedent setting action by the USDA is not only the largest penalty ever issued, but with the closure of the Santa Cruz Biotech lab and their dealer facility as well, the abuse of thousands of animals has ended forever," said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Co-Founder SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation NOW). "We cannot adequately applaud the actions of the USDA."See also: http://www.all-creatures.org/saen/ca/res-fr-ca-scb.html Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) Since 1982 a single landowner and sweatshop entrepreneur has benefited from US interventions in Honduras.While Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton ignored pleas from Congress to cut off support to Miguel Facusse', who was remembered as a "colorful character" by the LA Times when he passed away last year at the age of 90. Today, I provide background for a new report from International Affairs Review: "Basta Ya! The United States is Overdue for a New Policy Approach in Honduras" by Laura Blume 23May16 Today we receive a dispatch from International Affairs Review of George Washington University addressing the deadly situation in Honduras. Background and bibliography are provided as context for today's report. As we previously reported, a single landowner and sweatshop entrepreneur has been the main beneficiary of US tax dollars since the days when Honduras existed as a base for Contras death squads under the lead of Ambassador John D. Negroponte. The rise of Miguel Facusse Barjum, who created many jobs in Honduras (at less than US$0.99/day), was already noted in 1983 by right wing columnist Lucy Komisar, who lauded him as an opponent of land reform. Facusse' started his business with a takeover of the National University, with help from "contras" illegally funded by the US: "It was a center of support for the Sandinistas and the Salvadoran guerrillas. Facusse and his colleagues put together a campaign chest of about $125,000 and picked a thirty-six-year-old former dean of the university's law school, Oswaldo Ramos Soto, to run for rector as the candidate of the conservative student federation. "We opened up the doors to the newspapers and radio and TV for these guys," Facusse explained. "It was like a political campaign." For the US, Honduras was a pit of poverty that could easily be used as a base for attacks against the left wing regime in NIcaragua. The population would eventually be left landless, except for predators like Facusse' who would establish a network of sweatshops for trade with the US. Policy has not changed since Reagan, and becoming increasingly deadly with age. In 2004, Tom Hayden reported the prison fire in Tegucalpa that killed 105 inmates. Guards allegedly kept them locked in until incarceration ended with incineration. According to The Washington Post, "... one prisoner, Pablo Cardona, said the guards "fired at us repeatedly from outside the cellblock to stop us from leaving, despite our cries for help." But prison fires have become routine since then, with the death toll of a 2012 fire in Comayagua exceeding 350. These policies employ suppression tactics based on New York City's "zero tolerance" police strategies of the '90s, and were instituted on the advice of the Manhattan Institute think-tank and the Giuliani Group, which have exported the New York model to Latin America. Since the 2009 coup, murder under the color of law has vastly increased. The source is traced traced directly to Fort Benning, Georgia and Monterey, California by CEPR Breaking news this week (16nov12) reveals that soldiers vetted by the U.S. chased after, shot and killed a 15-year-old boy, Ebed Yanes, who supposedly ran through a check point on a motorcycle in Tegucigalpa on the night of May 26. The Associated Press Alberto Arce and Martha Mendoza reported that, according to a soldier involved in the incident who came forward: The boy, he said, did not stop at the checkpoint, but raced through it. They followed him in the Ford pickup, chasing him through the dark alleys for at least five minutes. The boy turned into an alley too narrow for the truck, so the driver stopped. The lieutenant sitting in the front passenger seat ordered the unit to open fire as he jumped out of the truck and started shooting. Two other soldiers got out and fired from 30 meters away, with soldier Eleazar Abimael Rodriguez dropping to his knee in the firing position, said the soldier, who is now a protected witness. The motorcyclist was shot. AP notes that the soldier alleged to have fired first, Josue Sierra, was trained last year at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), formerly known as the School of the Americas (SOA), at Fort Benning, Georgia, and has been charged with attempting to cover up a crime and violating official duties. Lt. Col. Reynel Funes, who allegedly oversaw a cover-up of the murder (in part by having the soldiers switch out their weapons) also attended the SOA in 1984, and went to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in 2006, AP reports. Land reform and union organizing, ever the target of US intervention were dealt with most harshly by Miguel Facusse', whose work is seen at the upper right of this page. He died last year at age of 90 of natural causes, remembered by the LA Times as a "colorful character". This is where today's story begins: Basta Ya! The United States is Overdue for a New Policy Approach in Honduras By Laura Blume Contributing Writer May 22, 2016 On March 3, 2016, Honduran indigenous rights advocate and environmental activist Berta Caceres was assassinated. The details of who was behind her murder remain unknown, but a fellow activist and friend of Berta adamantly claims, [t]he government of Juan Orlando Hernandez is responsible. Caceres had previously received numerous threats for her opposition towards the Agua Zarca Dam. Since her death, Honduran protests have erupted demanding justice and U.S. advocates have rallied to oppose the U.S. Agency for International Developments (USAID) continued support of the Agua Zarca Dam. Caceres daughter has spoken out against U.S. military aid to Honduras, which she argues fuels repression and violence. While Caceres death has reinvigorated debate over U.S. policy in Honduras, the controversy is not new. U.S. security assistance to Honduras is meant to address rampant crime and insecurity plaguing the country, but instead it appears to be making a bad situation worse. In devising a strategy to address instability in the region, the United States has repeatedly referred to its past success in combating violence and drug trafficking in Colombia. There certainly are Colombian policies that may be worth trying to replicate in Honduras, like using innovative urban planning to reduce marginalization and violence. However, these constructive initiatives are not the policies that the United States is pursuing. To end the violence in Honduras the United States must change its policy. U.S. policymakers should refocus on funding community-based violence prevention programs and supporting serious anti-corruption initiatives. To date, militarized approaches to ending violence have led to persistent allegations of human rights abuses in Honduras. The roles of the Honduran army and its law enforcement agencies have been blurred over time, which has contributed to such violations. As InSight Crimes David Gagne explains, soldiers are trained for combat and to kill adversaries, not settle disputes or investigate crimes. Militarization of law enforcement destroys trust and community support for police, both of which are key components to successful efforts to combat crime. In fact, research suggests that the militarized responses to crime have exacerbated insecurity and strengthened gangs in Honduras. Moreover, there are examples of inexcusable collateral damage: a joint U.S.-Honduran drug raid in the remote La Moskitia region in 2012 resulted in the deaths of two children and two pregnant women, and wounded numerous other innocent villagers when the officers mistook their passenger boat for one filled with narcotics traffickers. Additionally, there have been pitfalls in monitoring the distribution and use of weapons that are introduced into the country by U.S. security aid. A 2008 cable released by WikiLeaks shows that U.S.-supplied weapons to Honduras are now in the possession of the Zetas drug cartel. This discovery is not surprising after considering the staggering levels of corruption in Honduras. In 2011, the Vice President of the Honduran Congress cited a report that up to 40% of police were involved in organized crime. Corruption at the highest levels of Honduran institutions has previously foiled U.S. missions in the country. Even American trained and monitored Honduran special operators have been accused of pocketing a $1.3 million share of illegal proceeds seized during an operation. Given the high levels of corruption found across Honduran institutions, U.S. military and law enforcement assistance has not achieved the stated goal of diminishing violence. While homicides are down slightly from previous years, there is controversy over the validity of recent crime statistics. Further, part of the reported decrease in homicide rates may have more to do with professionalization of gangs as opposed to actual improvements in citizen security. Despite all of this, the U.S. Congress has increased military assistance to the region for 2016. Arguing that U.S. military assistance has not been effective, however, does not imply that the United States should resign itself to playing a passive role in combating violence in Honduras. Given the role that the U.S. policy of criminal deportations played in creating the transnational gang crisis that is behind a significant portion of the violence in the country, the United States has an obligation to assist in ameliorating the situation. Moreover, unless the United States wants the unaccompanied minors crisis to continue, investing in programs to support at-risk youth and to reduce violence in Honduras is in U.S. national interests. Therefore, it is time for a fundamental shift in U.S. policy toward Honduras. First, the United States should reevaluate the allocation of aid dollars going to Honduras. Instead of prioritizing interdiction of narcotics and arming corrupt military and law enforcement, the United States should focus aid on what has been successful. For instance, many of the existing violence prevention programs under the Central American Regional Security Initiative are worthy of expansion. The Latin American Public Opinion Project conducted a multi-year evaluation of the USAID community-based programs and found that treatment communities saw 43% fewer reported occurrences of murders than would be expected without treatment. These USAID initiatives have not only been effective at violence reduction; they also do not lead to high levels of collateral damage like militarized alternatives. Second, the United States should fund efforts to address structural causes of violence that contribute to ongoing gang recruitment, such as marginalization, poverty traps, and inequality. Here is where Colombia should act as a model. In the 1990s, Medellin was the worlds most violent city, with a homicide rate significantly higher than that of any cities in Honduras. Today, while problems persist, the homicide rate decreased from 381 per 100,000 in the mid-1990s to 20 per 100,000 in 2015. Comuna-13, historically one of Medellins most marginalized and violent neighborhoods, now has tourists flocking to it to see the innovative urban planning initiatives that have helped fuel the Medellin Miracle. Adopting a Medellin-inspired approach to reducing urban spatial segregation in Honduran urban centers and offering secure forms of intercity transit would be highly beneficial towards improving the security situation. Third, as others have advocated, the United States needs to push for genuine anti-corruption efforts in Honduras. The United Nations-supported International Commission against Impunity (CICIG) in Guatemala is another example worthy of replication. While the CICIG has undoubtedly had its own share of problems, it helped expose the immense corruption scheme, known as La Linea, that resulted in the resignation and arrest of former President Otto Perez Molina. CICIG has also led cases against major criminal organizations that were previously considered to be untouchable, gone after police involved in extrajudicial killings, and taken on the largest state company. The CICIG is funded through voluntary contributions from the international community. Yet, the United States has consistently played a vital role in financing the CICIG, funding nearly half of the Commissions annual budget. In response to a wave of protests in 2015, Honduras did convene the Support Mission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras, however, most agree that this current effort to replicate the CICIG in the country is a mere "charade. The United States should use its leverage to advocate and offer financial support for a true anti-corruption commission in Honduras. Observers have begun to draw parallels between the current U.S. policies in Honduras and U.S. policies in Latin America during the Cold War. It seems that once again the United States prefers to support regimes that are loyal to U.S. interests, regardless of their human rights records or the undemocratic means by which they come to power. If the United States is indeed weary of the rising anti-American sentiment among leftist governments in Latin America, arming and funding corrupt, right-wing regimes that are committing atrocious human rights violations is a very poor strategy. Approaches like the Obama administrations recent efforts to normalize relations with Cuba are a much better way to combat lingering resentment to U.S. hegemony in the region. Similarly, if the goal of U.S. aid to Honduras really is violence reduction, the United States needs to change its approach. Improving citizen security will require expansion of local violence prevention programs, demilitarization of law enforcement, and rigorous anti-corruption efforts. Laura Blume is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Boston University. She graduated from Simmons College in 2013 with a BA in Political Science and Public Policy. Her research focuses on citizen security issues in Central America and Mexico. Photo taken by the U.S. Department of State and is licensed under CC-BY-2.5. Laura writes for The International Affairs Review, a graduate student-run publication of The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, D.C. Her article above was originally published here. The future of radio belongs to us. The newest playlists are linked at Washington, DC Talk about clout. When retired US Army veteran Leonard K. Jackson talks of his years-long wait to secure VA disability benefits for a range of physical and mental health issues suffered while serving, he has the White House behind him. Thats right, the White House, as the Obama Administration has used Jackson as a poster boy of sorts for Obamas efforts to simplify and speed up the Talk about clout. When retired US Army veteran Leonard K. Jackson talks of his years-long wait to secure VA disability benefits for a range of physical and mental health issues suffered while serving, he has the White House behind him. Thats right, the White House, as the Obama Administration has used Jackson as a poster boy of sorts for Obamas efforts to simplify and speed up the veteran benefits appeals process. When I call to check on my status, they always tell me that it has just been assigned to someone, or that they are working on it, he writes. It seems, however, that even an endorsement from the White House is not enough, given the backlog of claims: no fewer than 440,000 veterans are still awaiting decisions on their veterans benefits. Making a bad situation even worse, writes Jackson in a blog on the official White House website, is the fact that any new information on a claimants health submitted to Veterans Affairs (VA) causes the appeals process for that file to start over, from the beginning.Jackson, who served from 1980 through 1983 and suffers from depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), writes that he first filed for VA disability in 2001.Fifteen years later, he has yet to receive benefits.Admittedly, there was a hiccup along the way that delayed his case even further: when Jackson was initially denied (as most claims appear to be), he lacked any knowledge and supports to file an appeal, and therefore dropped his application. I submitted several letters from VA doctors as evidence to back up my claim, Jackson writes on the official website of the Obama Administration. These doctors agreed that my injuries happened while on active duty, and are service-related, yet my claim was still denied. I didnt know what to do. I had no help, and barely knew how to file an appeal, so I let it go.However, the single father of two tried a second time, and after securing some advice from other veterans, filed an appeal for his VA benefits in 2011 - ten years after he was first denied.That was five years ago. Hes still waiting for an answer.The biggest issue is that whenever I submit new evidence, my case basically goes back to the start of the process. So, the worse my conditions get, the further away I get from someone making a final decision on my claim.Its no surprise, then, that Jackson is serving as an advocate for the Obama Administrations effort to streamline the appeals process to ensure that the initial claim is preserved in the face of new information, rather then re-starting the process all over again - adding layer upon layer of delays to the appeals process and thus, chronically delaying the release of VA disability benefits to deserving service personnel.The proposal, if passed, would see most veterans having filed an appeal achieve a final decision on their case within one year. Thats still too long for most veterans, but advocates like Jackson say it would be an improvement. I am counting on this change. It would mean relief from the constant stress of wondering whether my case is being looked at, or whether it is just gathering dust, or whether theres more I could do to fight for my case.The goal of the proposal, if passed, is to see the one-year approval time frame in place by 2021.Advocates of veterans waiting years for needed VA disability benefits note the disconnect between service personnel enlisting and putting their lives on hold to serve their country in an immediate capacity, and the years-long wait to receive appropriate benefits for injuries endured while serving.It has left many a veteran with no other option than to file a VA disability lawsuit, in an attempt to achieve some form of justice, and just a little much-needed help May 23rd, 2016. By LucyC How white is white? Now theres a burning questionone Im sure has kept people awake for decades. And it is now set to be an issue, possibly the central issue, in a consumer fraud case recently filed against Colgate. Colgate Palmolive, allegedly, has been making claims that its optic white platinum toothpaste Goes beyond surface stain removal to deeply whiten teeth. And, as if that werent enough, the toothpaste also Deeply whitens more than three shades. Three shades? More like 50 shades (of grey area). And just to be technical as were on the subjecta shade can refer to the darkening of a colorso I would think that shades of white may not actually be the precise meaning Colgate had in mindbut who knows. In any event, color theory aside, Lori Canale isnt happy with any of the shades of white she has allegedly failed to manifest using said toothpaste. So shes filed a class action. But Im betting this wont be an easy one. Aside from the difficulty in defining the extremely vague claim three shades of white, Canale alleges in the Colgate Optic White Toothpaste lawsuit that the toothpaste isnt up to the job no matter what your definitionbecause it is 1 percent hydrogen peroxide, which is not a large enough amount of hydrogen peroxide to do the job. Further, the product is not in contact with teeth for a long enough time to do what the company claims it does. So, whats needed is more H2O2 and more time? But then how much is too much? Too much would almost certainly end up a lawsuit as well. But were still back to the central questionjust what shades of white are at issue here? A trip to the nearest house paint section at your local DIY store is enough to clearly make this point. Are we talking Cloud white, Duck white, Titanium white, warm white, cool white, off white, gray white, bright whiteand then there are decorator whitesyou know Lily white, Whisp white, Honeycomb white, Great white (?), China white, Cotton whiteshould I go on? OMG. And we havent even touched on lighting! Think black lightscast your mind back to your best friends 1970s bedroom (at the risk of dating myself) that harboured the secret black light. Wowturn that baby on and in addition to lighting up all the Who and Led Zeppelin postersyou could blind everyone in the room if you smiled. Light is very important. Theres another shadeDazzling whiteor maybe Knock-out white. One thing is certainno one seems to want yellowand grey is definitely out. But Im not sure how one would prove that three shades of white is not achievable with this toothpasteas no baseline has even been established. What color are you starting withor should we use the term shade? Or tint? And is there such a thing as too white? Not to mention, the name Opticmeaning of or relating to the eye or visionmakes this kind of an eye of the beholder situation, no? So its probably off to a lab somewhere that this lawsuit will be heading as theres just too much variability in everyones teeth and every possible shade of white. This whole lawsuit takes me back to a dinner I was at once. I was sitting across the table from a news anchorwoman. And the entire time I couldnt take my eyes of her teeth. I didnt hear a word she said, and I have no idea how I got through the conversation, because all I could see were her teethand all I could think was who has teeth that white? I couldnt tell you what shade of white her teeth were. Andimportant pointwe were in restaurant lighting. Think bistrodinnersoft lighting. Im sure this is a very vexing problem. Who doesnt want white teeth? But perhaps the most important thing is that you have teeth. After thatits all gravybrown gravy. Just dont forget to brush! Well be keeping an eye on this oneits US District Court for the Southern District of New York Case number 7:16-CV-03308-CS. Tags: Consumer Fraud This was posted on Monday, May 23rd, 2016 at 11:15 am and is filed under Consumer Fraud . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy. Manhattan Night is a twisty thriller that somehow manages to surprise and entertain despite employing nearly every trope from film noir. Written and directed by Brian DeCubellis (in his first feature) and based on Colin Harrisons 1996 novel Manhattan Nocturne, the film not only borrows stylistic elements from noir standard-bearers such as Double Indemnity and The Big Sleep, it combines them with touches of erotic whodunits such as Basic Instinct and Dressed to Kill. DeCubellis overdoes his homage, howeverthe result is a second-rate potboiler. To wit: Theres the past-his-prime hero, played by Adrien Brody as New York newspaper crime columnist Porter Wren. He introduces himself and his sad-sack tale through voiceover (naturally). Hes a family man, seemingly devoted to busy doctor Lisa (Jennifer Beals) and their two kids. As Porter drives the city looking for his next scoop, moving from one grisly murder to the next tragedy, his journeys often accompanied by a gloomy jazz tune in the background. At a business function, Porter meets Caroline Crowley (Yvonne Strahovski), an enigmatic blonde/femme fatale who asks him to look into the unsolved murder of her eccentric filmmaker husband, Simon (Campbell Scott). Though Porters not sure about taking the side gig, Caroline cajoles and explainsover many drinks and smokes back at her placethat Simons body was found in the rubble of a demolished building. She knows theres more to the story, and doesnt buy whats in the official police report. Of course, Porter cant resist the case or the girl, and he uncovers a bigger plot involving blackmail and sexual obsession that could put his career and his and his familys lives in danger. The conflict arises from a number of red herrings that involve Simon and Mr. Hobbs (Steven Berkoff), a billionaire media mogul who happens to be the new owner of Porters newspaper. The convoluted plot, which tangentially explores themes of privacy and control, turns out to be Manhattan Nights saving grace. The mystery is somewhat engaging, despite an overabundance of plot contrivances. (Theres less screen time to watch the characters skirt the line into caricature.) Brodys sad, expressive eyes and distinct visage are perfect for Porters haggard countenance and flawed character. While theres no doubt in anyones mind that hell sleep with the younger Caroline, the scenario in which it happens is ridiculous. Spoiler alert: They dont have sex after the first night of flirting in her apartment because Porter must have a few scenes of struggling with his conscience first. But after a second meeting at her apartment to discuss her husbands death, he reaches the elevator only to realize he forgot his phone. He sneaks back into the apartment, and in those two minutes Carolines already in the shower pleasuring herself. She sees her voyeur, and instead of kicking him out, they end up coupling against a wall. The scene feels so inorganicand staged. The Caroline character is the most problematic in Manhattan Night. Whereas Jennifer Beals Lisa is just woefully underwritten as the dutiful wife, Strahovskis Caroline is proffered as a sexually independent, strong-willed woman who uses men to get what she wants. But look a little more closely, and quite the opposite is true. Carolines objectified and controlled by the abusive men in her life. Its such a tiresome angle, but par for the course with the old-school cliches that abound. The films most interesting performance is one we only see in flashback. Scott does a terrific turn as tortured artist/filmmaker Simon, whos a sort of amalgam between Kurt Cobain and Andy Warhol. Simon used to stage outrageous stunts and performance pieces, and captured everything on tape. Caroline gives Porter access to all of Simons recordings, and he unearths the real mystery of his dame in distress. DeCubellis and cinematographer David Tumblety effectively depict the grittiness of the city, shooting darker, muted tones and capturing plenty of shadows in the process. The scripts dialogue, including Brodys gumshoe monologues, is decidedly old-fashioned, but it works because Porters a man out of time: a Bazooka bubble gum-chewing newspaper columnist. DeCubellis tries a few times to update Harrisons mid-90s novel by throwing in pop culture references, namedropping Leonardo DiCaprio or Jessica Chastain, but it clashes with the films throwback aura. If only DeCubellis had focused on tightening the plot, excising unnecessary contrivances and extraneous characters (the great Linda Lavin comes out of nowhere toward the end of the film), Manhattan Night could have been a more tantalizing, albeit procedural, saga. Instead, its bogged down by hackneyed characters that do no justice to the film noir titles it tries to emulate. Director: Brian DeCubellis Writer: Brian DeCubellis, based on the novel Manhattan Nocturne by Colin Harrison Starring: Adrien Brody, Yvonne Strahovski, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Beals, Linda Lavin, Steven Berkoff Release Date: May 20, 2016 in theaters and on demand Christine N. Ziemba is a Los Angeles-based freelance pop culture writer and regular contributor to Paste. You can follow her on Twitter. Morrissey is infamous for canceling tours (really, really, really infamous). And, after the fickle musician was listed on the lineup for the Chicago Riot Fest last week, a one-sentence post appeared on the official Moz fan website, True to You, saying that Morrissey would not be performing at the festival, which takes place Sept. 16-18 at Douglas Park. Maybe Morrissey will use this newfound free time to run for mayor or to rewrite his book instead. Riot Fest organizers have yet to comment on the apparent miscommunication between them and their would-be headliner. Theres nothing quite like a well made Old Fashioned. Trouble is, a good Old Fashioned is hard to come by. Not unlike the margarita, its, at heart, a great cocktail that has been ruined for decades of unnecessary tinkering. The result is an inconsistent and often disappointing experience. The OF is an OG cocktail arguably the original American cocktail. A recipe for a bittered sling or cocktail, described as a combination of spirits, bitters, sugar and water, appears in print as early as 1806. In 1862, an Old Fashioned Holland Gin Cocktail is listed in Jerry Thomas Bon Vivants Companion. Though the recipe made no mention of whiskey, it did contain all of the other key components. As Thomas prescribed, Crush a small lump of sugar in a whiskey glass containing a little water, add a lump of ice, two dashes of Angostura bitters, a small piece of lemon peel, one jigger Holland gin. Mix with small bar spoon. Serve. The Old Fashioned as we know it, however, didnt arrived until 1881 at The Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, where bartender James E. Pepper decided to use bourbon as the base spirit. And thats how the recipe stayed until 20th-century meddling (and muddling) turned the cocktail into a cloying and complicated mess. The practice of muddling fruit is the most unfortunate development (the addition of soda water is a close second). Prohibition is over. Youre not drinking bathtub hooch so why hide good whiskey under all that unnecessary sweetness? Let it sing! Unfortunately, too many bartenders still adhere to the fruit salad preparation, which often makes ordering an old fashioned a crap shoot. (For the record, Im not passing judgment here; old habits die hard, even if the classic recipe is easier and faster.) So you can roll the dice on an Old Fashioned, or simply order a Sazerac instead a classic cocktail similar to the Old Fashioned, but made vastly more interesting and delicious through the addition of absinthe and Peychauds bitters, which give it a more complex, herbal character. The history of the Sazarac is also as deep and rich as the old fashioned. Tracing its roots back to 1830s New Orleans, the cocktail was devised by a pharmacist named Peychaud as a delivery system for his proprietary brand of bitters. As it gained popularity with local revelers, the concoction soon found its way into NOLA barrooms. Though originally made with brandy (which is a variation worth trying), the 1870 phylloxera epidemic in France put the spirit in short supply so bartenders pivoted to rye. Like New Orleans itself, the Sazerac is dark and mysterious, with layers and depth that elevate and augment the whiskey (or brandy) without masking it. There is little mystery, however, to making a good Sazerac. The recipe is fairly precise leaving little room for error, making it the perfect cocktail for whiskey lovers who have been burned too many times by bad old fashioneds. Sazerac recipe Ingredients 2 oz. rye whiskey 1 tsp. simple syrup 1/2 tsp. absinthe 4 dashes Peychauds bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters Lemon peel Directions: Pack a tumbler with ice and water to chill. In another tumbler, combine the simple syrup, bitters, and rye. Add ice, and stir for about 20 seconds. Empty the ice from the first glass, and coat the inside of it with absinthe. Discard the remaining absinthe. Strain the mixture from the second glass into the first. Express the lemon peel over the drink, rub the peel along the rim of the glass, and add to the drink. Recipe notes The two-glass preparation is ritual, not necessity. Using a mixing glass or tin is a perfectly cromulent variation. The inclusion of Angostura is a matter of debate. If youre a Peychaud partisan, you can leave it out. Like Angostura, putting the lemon peel directly into the cocktail is hotly contested. I like it because I think the extra citrus adds more complexity, but traditionalists call it sacrilege. The original recipe calls for the cocktail to be served chilled and neat; although, its not uncommon for it to be served over ice depending on the preference of the house of the individual guest. Jim Sabataso is a writer, cocktail enthusiast, and bar director for The Palms Restaurant in Rutland, Vermont. Follow him on Twitter @JimSabataso. Ah, the wonders of technology. Its crazy to imagine what life will be like in a few years as were driving around in autonomous cars as we play backgammon with other passengers. That sensor in the stop sign? It just noticed you made a rolling stop. The guy in the Corvette next to you will be able to send you a message that your Toyota Corolla is an embarrassment to society. Think its not coming? Try driving a 2016 Audi TT. The car uses what Audi calls a Virtual Cockpit that seems to be borrowed from a future society on another planet, one that understands the finer pleasures of German automotive engineering. The display is friggin huge at 12.3-inches in width and, as you drive, you can watch Google Earth roll by in what seems like a dream state. Uncle Bobs barn appears minus the cows and the manure, the neighbors pool (which you know he purchased after getting a second mortgage) scrolls into view as you realize you can barely afford a jet tub at Menards, and you notice theres a portion of a lake in your area that winds incalculably behind a row of trees near a preternatural weed line. Who knew, right? All of those things are 100% true and they looked glorious as I drove around mindlessly trying to figure out how it all works. There were times when I wanted to just stare at the TFT screen, which has exactly 1440 540 pixels, and take it all in. You might think Im exaggerating with the future society comment, but Ive driven a Tesla Model S and this is even better. Not so much the whole car driving itself thing and going to 0-60 in three seconds, but the screen (located above the steering wheel with no center touchscreen) is fantastic. When I noticed the lake, I went home and looked up the name and tried to figure out how to drag my kayak out there. Thats technology at its best. The TT revealed things I didnt know, opened my eyes to things I didnt see, and made me more aware of my surroundings. Oddly, its not the default view on the screen, so you have to press a View button to expand the screen and open up Google Earth for your navigational pleasure. This also puts the tachometer and speedometer on the lower left and right portion of the screen. Not to get too techie here, but the quality of the screen really is thanks to NVIDIA. The company makes a chipset called Tegra that never sputters or flickers. If there wasnt a smooth Google Earth animation playing on the 12-inch screen, if it flickered or looked like crap, youd disable it or maybe watch the road instead. Here, its like an Xbox game, one that involves finding lakes and coveting your neighbors pool. Ive never seen anything quite like it. The controls are also sublime. Theres a rotary dial in between the seats that you use to flick and gestures your way through the options. Other than Google Earth, you can skip through tracks playing from your phone, look up your contacts and make calls, and even browse through some of the connected car features for finding gas stations and local events. Like most new Audi models these days, the car connects to an LTE network for the Internet service. My only minor complaint is that I kept looking for a center touchscreen. I was happy in some ways that there isnt one, since it would make the dash a bit too cluttered, but if you have driven newer cars you get accustomed to looking there to control the climate and other options. The TT lets you adjust the temp and use the seat warmers but pressing electronics controls on the vents, which is rather ingenious (and something else Ive never seen). By the way, the Audi TT is fast. I drove a version that let me put the top down, and theres so much pep here for a small car that you have to put your head back if you really floor it from a full stop. Its not as fast as one of my all-time favorite small cars (that would be the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG) and doesnt quite have the same cornering ability, but its in the ballpark. Also, the AMG didnt help me find that fishing spot. Id pay $42,900 for that TT feature alone. And off we go! After 20 years, a long parade of directors and nonstop scrutiny from hardcore fans, the long-awaited live-action adaptation of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillons seminal Vertigo series, Preacher has officially been released onto an unsuspecting public. If you had told me five years ago that the creative team to finally crack the code of this seemingly unfilmable property would be the writers/producers behind Superbad and Pineapple Express, wellin all honestlymy pretentious, college-age self would have obnoxiously demanded to know how they were allowed anywhere near a comic book adaptation, after the underwhelming Green Hornet. And, yet, here we are. Surely all those who saw Rogens name attached and came expecting yet another raunchy stoner comedy were no doubt in for a nasty (if hopefully pleasant) surprise. Though the pilot deviates from the original text in fairly significant ways, its clear that Rogen, Goldberg and showrunner Sam Catlin have attempted to capture the spirit of the comic as best they can. In that regard, mission accomplished. Now that viewers are done picking their jaws off the floor, its time to take a look at some of the most powerful and crazy moments of the shows phenomenal pilot. Though revealed earlier this week when AMC released the first few minutes of the pilot online, the opening in the church in an unnamed African country, perfectly embodies the tone of the show. What at first seems to be dramatic and even a bit frightening, quickly devolves into a shocking, hilarious gorefest. This exploding religious leader motif also sets up one of the pilots best, most subversive jokes (see below). Bonus points for hinting at the shows cosmic reach by opening the episode with a shot of space that looks as though its been filtered through an 80s educational video. You wanted violence and cool action? Directors Rogen and Goldberg have that in spades, with each major character given their own unique fight sequence. First up is Cassidy, who finds himself trapped in a luxury airplane with a bunch of people who want him dead. Pulling a Jackie Chan, the vampire uses all manner of available objects (bottles, trays, etc.) as weapons. The real button is when he impales one attacker with a champagne bottle and uses it to pump out some blood for later use. Next up is Tulip, who we get our first look at during a quite dramatic flashback, wherein she is in the midst of a brawl in the back of a speeding car as it careens through a cornfield (soundtracked by Carly Simons Youre So Vain). Pinning her attacker down, Tulip delivers a memorable deathblow via an ear of corn. Finally, theres Jesses bar fight with Donnie and his cronies. While not as elaborate as the other two, this particular set piece is by far the most dramatically satisfying, given that the episode has built Donnie up to be the worst kind of abusive, vile redneck (that Jesse breaks Donnies arm while hes still wearing a Confederate uniform from a Civil War reenactment is icing on the cake). The kicker, however, is the brief smile that flashes across Jesses face as hes kicking ass, as if to say, Yeah, this is what I really love doing. If Tulips opening action set piece establishes her as one badass chick, her subsequent scenes with the young farm children promptly made her one of my favorite new TV characters. How can you not love someone who complains to kids about their boy troubles while constructing a homemade bazooka? Given the characters design in the book, Ruth Negga may not have been the obvious choice for the role, but dammit if shes now making me wish comic Tulip were a little more like TV Tulip. Following journeys to Africa and Russia, the entity saves its most high-profile target for last: noted movie star/Scientologist Tom Cruise. As with the religious leaders before him, Cruises encounter results in his spontaneous combustion, which is reported via a news broadcast. Considering the (alleged) strife that South Park caused when they made reference to Cruises unorthodox beliefs/rumored homosexuality in the infamous Trapped in the Closet episode, its a daring potshot to take. In aligning themselves with the comics anarchistic, give no shits sense of humor, Rogen and Goldberg seem determined to prove that a lucrative Hollywood career has not softened them. Moreover, when asked about this particular joke in a post-screening Q&A at WonderCon, showrunner Sam Catlin simply laughed and, citing advice from his legal counsel, wisely pleaded the fifth. One of many, many, many challenges in adapting the Preacher comic lies in how to portray Arseface, the young, disfigured son of Sheriff Root whoper his nicknamehas a face that resembles an ass. And while the comic version is almost cartoonishly grotesque, the show aims for a more downplayed version that confines the major deformities to the lower half of Eugenes face. Kudos should be given to the make-up artists who do a great job at transforming actor Ian Collettis face without the use of CGI. More than just helping to pull off this technical marvel, however, Collettis portrayal brings real dimensions to the character. Despite the fact that his dialogue is all mumbles (with the aide of subtitles), Colletti manages to convey the damaged humanity beyond the prosthetics. When he talks about not wanting to go to church because he no longer hears God when he prays, its legitimately heartbreaking and demonstrates that the series has a lot more going on beneath than surface, than general shock value. While not quite as visceral as when he commands an antagonist to go fuck [himself] in the comic, Jesses ill-conceived bit of advice to pathological mamas boy Ted does effectively illustrate the gruesome downsides of his newfound abilities. The fact that this graphic sequence is juxtaposed with Jesses concluding sermon, in which he proclaims hes here to save everyone, serves as a wonderful and rich bit of dark humor to end the episode on. Mark Rozeman is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and regular contributor to Paste. You can follow him on Twitter. Lets begin with a thought experiment: What would happen if an aide from Bernie Sanders campaign announced that Sanders strategy going forward would be to disqualify and defeat Hillary Clinton with negative ads? Can you imagine the backlash such a remark would garner in the media? The independent Vermont senator would be accused of bullying, sexism, and a whole mess of other horrible things. Still, this exact situation happened last month, but flipped. Instead of a Sanders aide it was a Clinton aide who made the remark to CNN. Throughout this primary the Clinton campaign has done its best to tarnish Bernie Sanders with the behavior of his followers, claiming they are bullies and out of control and it is all Bernies fault for using such divisive rhetoric. This strategy makes sense considering the independent senator from Vermont is far more trusted than Hillary Clinton when it comes to which candidate people think is looking out for them. It is good strategy albeit a dishonest one. But, while the campaign is just doing its job to get the former Secretary of State elected, the media has failed us. Weve heard, time and again from commentators and journalists, the campaigns narrative repeated. So-called Bernie Bros are horrible; Bernies online supporters are harassing Hillarys supporters; these unruly people are behaving badly due to the rhetoric used by Bernie Sanders, who should just step out of the way for President Hillary Clinton. Many talking heads have asked if Bernie is hurting the party by creating disunity and disruption. The New York Times recently ran an article titled Bernie Sanders, Eyeing Convention, Willing to Harm Hillary Clinton in the Homestretch. The Nevada Democratic convention put this narrative on blast. Sporadic reports of chaos turned into a full blown scandal that resulted in the Nevada Democratic Party sending a warning to the DNC that the violence was a harbinger of what is to come in Philadelphia. The party went further to blame Bernie Sanders for the incident due to his rhetoric and message. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), a Clinton surrogate, also claimed that she felt unsafe, and that she received death threats from angry Sanders supporters. It is worth mentioning here that as a prominent United States Senator, Ms. Boxer probably receives death threats regularly. It isnt right, but it is a reality of holding public office at that level. It is also noteworthy that the videos of her from the event do not exactly convey terror as she was leaving she blew kisses and goaded the Sanders supporters on. The outrage began after 58 Sanders delegates were rejected due to administrative technicalities. Voting irregularities have abounded in this primary, most notably in states where Hillary Clinton won like Arizona and New York. In this case, those 58 delegates could have swung the result in favor of Sanders. The Nevada Democratic Party officials were then accused of changing the rules last minute to give Clinton more pledged delegates and ignoring the voice votes on the floor. This anger turned into shouting and rattling of barricades, but not much else if the videos are to be believed. Still, the Nevada Democrats complaints prompted longtime Clinton ally and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz to get involved. She called on Sanders and Clinton to denounce the violence supposedly caused by his campaign. In response, Bernie issued a scathing retort, and the situation has devolved from there. As my colleague Shane Ryan pointed out in a recent (satirical) piece, despite a lack of video proof in the over 20 hours of footage collected from the event, media outlets like The New York Times and NPR reported that chairs were thrown and the situation became dangerous. Even Politifact, the fact-checker of The Miami Herald (which endorsed Clinton), in its takedown of the allegations of fraud at the convention, seemingly gave a pass to those who had made the chair-throwing claims: Theres no clear evidence of a chair being thrown, but the post-adjournment attitude was tense with Sanders delegates screaming obscenities and pushing back barriers between the crowd and the main stage. It took Snopes to come out and acknowledge that the allegations of chair-throwing were flat-out unproven. The way this situation has been treated in the news is as terrible as it is predictable. Throughout this primary there has been a double standard in how the two Democratic candidates are covered in the media such was the point made with the thought experiment. Sanders is being held accountable for all of his followers while Clinton is not held to the same level of scrutiny. As it so happens, the only real incident of violence motivated by the primary was from a Hillary supporter against a Bernie supporter. On May 14th, Wendell Pierce, a celebrity Clinton backer known for his work on the hit show The Wire, grabbed a female Bernie Sanders supporter by her hair and struck her in the head after a political discussion. However, the media has largely been silent on the matter. However, if Nevada was any indication, had it been a male Bernie supporter who committed battery (and probably assault) against a female Clinton supporter, it would be headline news for a week. Still, the question is this: Are we to demand that Hillary Clinton apologize for the Wendell Pierce incident or condemn the violence of her most radical supporters? Let's take another, less extreme, but no less upsetting example: I recently wrote an article documenting sexism on David Brock's Blue Nation Review Facebook page. BNR is Hillary Clinton's propaganda outlet. Every single article I found relating to Jane Sanders had sexist comments underneath. Here are my least favorites. But fanatical Clinton supporters aren't just limited to BNR's propaganda pages. They're literally everywhere. JerkslikeU need to walk home. Too bad u didn't fall off onto the tracks like a typical #BernieTheBi*chDog https://t.co/UjIgwqFYgT AlexVerba (@13wam) May 20, 2016 Should Hillary Clinton now have to condemn this behavior from her supporters? Is it really indicative of a larger trend of sexism and violence in her camp or platform? Or another example: A few weeks ago my colleague and I reported that some Clinton supporters banded together to take down pro-Bernie Sanders Facebook groups by posting pornography. The groups were downed, but whether or not these efforts played a role is an open question. That said, there is no denying that there were such attacks. That incident then raised questions about an initiative from David Brocks super PAC, Correct The Record, which just put $1 million on paid internet trolls. It isnt hard to imagine the response Sanders or his allies would get if they similarly announced that they would essentially bankroll cyber harassment, and an event like the Facebook attack were to happen shortly after. Should Clinton condemn the attacks? Are they representative of an intolerance for free expression within her campaign, platform, or rhetoric? Brock, who is Clintons attack dog, actually encouraged ageism, an under-reported form of bigotry, when he called Sanders health into question, and demanded the Vermont Senator release a note from his doctor testifying to his good health. CNNs Anderson Cooper went on to ask Sanders about his age at a townhall in early February. Ageist articles followed with titles like Bernie Sanders is Too Old to Be President. This line of attack clearly took hold on Clintons more fanatical online supporters (click image to enlarge): It isnt just the elderly who have fallen victim to ageism from the Clinton camp. The former Secretary, herself, has made ageist and demeaning remarks about millennials, accusing them of not doing their research, and simply wanting things given to them. Is Hillary Clinton ageist? Are her supporters overall? Earlier in the primary, some of Clintons celebrity surrogates (other than Mr. Wendell Pierce) said some outlandish things about female Bernie supporters. For example, Gloria Steinem dismissed Sanders millennial female supporters as merely following the boys. Madeleine Albright, with Clinton standing next to her laughing, said that women who dont vote Hillary are going to a special place in Hell for women who dont help each other. Should Clinton apologize for these remarks and condemn identity politics? Ill leave it to my readers to answer these questions for themselves, but my point is simply this: Because there are fanatics in every single movement, the media has a responsibility to recognize who those people are, and not give them a megaphone. To do so though it may mean more clicks or viewers, or higher ratings misrepresents the larger group, and hinders our ability to have genuine political discourse. Even in reporting a story about an incident like what happened in Nevada, it is important to get all of the facts right before reporting. Bernie Sanders, in telling the truth about our political system, and opening peoples eyes to the harsh reality that our government represents and responds primarily to the wealthy, has provoked the ire of the political establishment, which is comfortable with the status quo. The fact that there is so much power stacked against Sanders, makes it doubly important for news outlets to do their homework. Given their roots in the Massachusetts DIY scene, its not surprising that Worcester rockers The Hotelier place a heavy emphasis on maintaining an active relationship with their fanbase. Frontman Christian Holden still writes an annual State of the Union post on their Tumblr every January, and up until last year, the band frequently hosted Reddit AMAs to address current events and how they related to them and their music. Sadly, as they embarked on recording their third album Goodness, fans excitement rapidly grew from passionate to diabolical, with even some of Holdens friends impersonating music publications in a bid to get early access to the music. So the AMAs ceased, and the band retreated into the silence to finish their record. As of now, consider that silence broken. Besides streaming Goodness in its entirety on Bandcamp to accompany a recent Stereogum feature, The Hotelier will be hosting their first Reddit AMA in months tonight at 7 p.m. EST to discuss their new record, upcoming tour, and generally touch base with the fans on the status of The Hotelier going forward. Whether you only just now discovered the band and want to know more, or have been desperately waiting for the opportunity to ask Holden why he frequently wears yellow crocs onstage, tonights your chance to find out. Just dont try to impersonate anybody. It doesnt work. Goodness will release officially on May 27 via Tiny Engines, and you can pre-order the record here. The Hotelier are also touring stateside up through mid-July with Told Slant, Bellows and Loone, and you can check out the dates for that here. Watch the video for lead single Piano Player below. Commerz Real has leased space at Milanese office property Torre Alfa, which belongs to the portfolio of its open-ended real estate fund hausInvest. The ratings agency Cerved has concluded a lease agreement from 1 January 2017 onwards for the office property, which is located in the office district San Donato [] Goodman Group is developing a 31,000 sqm logistics centre for its new customer Fressnapf. Scheduled for completion in December 2016, the 18 million investment will be developed on a 47,000 sqm converted brownfield site in the Port of Duisburg. The facility for Fressnapf features 31,000 sqm of storage space and [] The Birmingham office of Knight Frank has advised a Mercedes retailer on the acquisition of nine Mercedes-Benz dealerships, including four in the West Midlands. The deal sees Hong Kong-based Lei Shing Hong, which represents the Mercedes marque in China, South Korea and Cambodia, gain its first foothold in the UK. [] Javascript Error Javascript is deactivated in your browser. To use all functions on this portal, for example the login, Javascript must be activated. Please activate Javascript in your browser settings. Prologis has signed four lease agreements totalling more than 32,700 square metres at Prologis Park Chorzow. Prologis Park Chorzow is a state-of-the-art distribution park on the western outskirts of Katowice, in the immediate vicinity of the A4 Motorway connecting Ukraine and Germany and 15 kilometres away from the Gliwice-Sosnica interchange, [] Jupiter is hit by an average of 6.5 objects per year that create impacts large enough to be visible from Earth, according to preliminary results from a worldwide campaign by amateur astronomers to observe the giant planet. The estimate was presented at an international workshop on Jupiter for professional and amateur astronomers organised by Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure at the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur in Nice, France. Meteors impacting Jupiter's upper atmosphere can create spectacular fireballs, such as the one observed by amateur astronomers Gerrit Kernbauer and John McKeon on 17th March 2016. This was the fourth in a series of fireballs in Jupiter observed serendipitously by amateur astronomers since June 2010. Groups of amateurs worldwide have coordinated efforts to obtain improved estimates of the number of small bodies around Jupiter and how they interact with the planet. Marc Delcroix, who coordinates a 60-strong group of amateur astronomers worldwide said, "Dramatic impacts with Jupiter can be captured with standard amateur equipment and analysed with easy-to-use software. But to get a good estimate of how often these events occur, we need observers around the world who are willing to collaborate to create a programme of more-or-less continuous monitoring of Jupiter. It takes time and commitment -- observations of no impacts are just as important as detecting a fireball. In 3 years since our programme started, amateur contributors from Europe, the US and Australia have analysed the equivalent of more than 56 days of videos -- around 53,000 videos -- without discovering an impact. This is a result in itself and, together with the reports of amateur astronomer John McKeon, has helped us come up with our preliminary estimate which slightly reduces previous estimates of the flux of impacting objects in Jupiter. We are now working to further enhance our software to improve its usability, while maintaining its simplicity and efficiency, to reach an even wider participation by amateurs. This should help in refining the impact estimations for Jupiter, and hopefully discover new impacts." Isshi Tabe and Dr Jun-ichi Watanabe, of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) in Japan, set up the Find Flash project following the observation of an impact flash by four Japanese amateur astronomers on 20th August 2010. Tabe explained, "We recognised the importance of impact flashes for estimating the number of small bodies around Jupiter. We have perhaps more than 50 Japanese amateur astronomers in our association who take video images almost every night. We also have around 10 nights per year observation time on bigger telescopes in public and professional observatories, which allows us to employ a narrow band methane filter to detect fireballs in Jupiter's upper atmosphere more efficiently. We've carried out the observational campaign for three years, but unfortunately we have never yet detected any impact flashes. We expect to have an increasing of number of observations over the next few years and to get valuable data both from bigger and smaller telescopes. However, in northern hemisphere of Earth, especially in Japan, we can only get consistently good observational conditions in summer, so it is important that we work together with other amateur groups around the world to get more data." John McKeon, who observed the St Patrick's Day impact said, "Collaboration is extremely important in the amateur astronomer community. On March 28th I became aware that an amateur astronomer in Austria, Gerrit Kernbauer, had discovered a possible impact on Jupiter on March 17th. I remembered I had been filming Jupiter around the same time, with the intention of illustrating a double moon transit of the planet. I'd filmed a total of 207 short 55 second movies of the planet over a period of about 3 and half hours and had processed them to create a time-lapse animation. When I checked back through my videos, I found the impact in the second last video I had taken. This secondary observation helped to confirm the impact event. Having a hand in this discovery, and the input and support from other amateurs in the analysis of the event, has changed and improved my imaging process for the future." "The new estimate of 6.5 impacts a year of comparable size objects lies at the bottom part of our previous estimate of impacts in Jupiter," said Ricardo Hueso of the University of the Basque Country and chair of the workshop's scientific organising committee. "Constraining this number is important to improve our expectancies of observing large impacts in the planet, such as the Shoemaker-Levy impact in 1996 and the 2009 impact. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the statistics of a very few number of impacts detected, but plans to improve our detection methods and perform systematic searches will help us to detect more of these objects. That will allow us to know more about the current architecture of the outer Solar System and the role of Jupiter in protecting the Earth from comparable impacts." Evolution can be an emotionally charged topic in education, given a wide range of perspectives on it. Two researchers from Arizona State University are taking an in-depth look at how college professors handle it. In a first-of-its kind study, scientists from ASU School of Life Sciences have found that a majority of professors teaching biology in Arizona universities do not believe that helping students accept the theory of evolution is an instructional goal. In fact, a majority of study participants say their only goal is to help students understand evolution. According to the study's authors, this finding was surprising. The exploratory research, published in the scientific journal CBE--Life Sciences Education, looked at how instructors perceived their role in helping students accept evolution. It also looked at the extent to which professors address the perceived conflict students may have between religion and evolution. "Evolution is one of the key concepts in understanding biology," said Sara Brownell, senior author of the study and assistant professor with the school. "My own view is, 'Why would we want to teach evolution, if we don't want our students to accept it? We teach them that cells have membranes and we expect them to accept that. Why should evolution be any different?' Yet instructors in our study don't see it that way. For most of them, evolution is separated -- first, in understanding and second, in accepting the concept." Brownell studies biology education, in particular how undergraduate biology students learn and how instructors can develop more effective ways to teach. In biology education, evolution and religious beliefs are often "hot-button" topics that play out publicly in the media as an "either--or" scenario, in which one side wins and the other loses. This, according to the ASU researchers, may negatively affect students who have religious beliefs. Previous outside studies show that more than 50 percent of undergraduate biology students identify themselves as religious. Yet, this study shows most instructors in Arizona neither acknowledge their students' religious beliefs, nor discuss that there are a variety of beliefs about science. And, the study shows a majority of instructors are hesitant to discuss the topic in class. "Whether acceptance of evolution is the goal may depend on what you define acceptance to be. If you define accepting evolution as rejecting a belief in God, then that may not be an appropriate goal," said Elizabeth Barnes, co-author of the study and a graduate student in Brownell's lab. "While evolution is the basis of biology, evolution and religious beliefs do not have to be in conflict. Science answers questions about the natural world, about things we can test. Science does not have a test for whether God exists or had a role in planning how life unfolded." Brownell and Barnes said the study revealed additional important points. It showed that many instructors perceive barriers, such as lack of training or context of the coursework, that cause them to avoid talking about evolution and religion in the classroom. Additionally, personal beliefs about the role God plays in evolution seem to impact what they are actually teaching. Many instructors say they believe evolution and religious beliefs are in conflict, so rather than discuss this with students who may be religious, they stick to only teaching facts about evolution. "Many science instructors believe they can simply give facts about evolution, but research has shown that we have to attend to the emotional components and religious beliefs our students have," said Barnes. "Clearly, this is not a black and white issue. We have to come together in the middle somehow -- no more extremes," added Barnes. This study included instructor participants from ASU, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University and 10 Arizona community colleges. It included professors who currently identified themselves as agnostic and atheist, as well as Catholic, Jewish, Protestant and 'questioning.' Brownell and Barnes said the next step is to investigate this issue on a national level. This study focused on professors teaching biology in Arizona, which is listed in a 2013 Gallup poll as being in the lower one-third of religious states in the U.S. The pair is currently studying how religious students in the classroom perceive the topic of evolution and religion. They are also investigating what instructors and students believe 'acceptance' to mean in regards to evolution. Two new studies raise enough questions about a possible link between childhood cancer and light therapy for newborn jaundice that clinicians should exercise caution in prescribing the treatment for infants whose jaundice is likely to resolve on its own, a pediatric oncologist from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center argues in an editorial published by the journal Pediatrics. The suggestion of a link, however, should not deter use of the treatment, also known as phototherapy, in babies who otherwise would be at risk of brain damage or hearing loss. Despite the inconclusive findings, the editorial notes that the research represents an important and novel approach using "big data" to begin to discern whether environmental factors may be implicated in the development of pediatric cancer. Two companion studies, also published in Pediatrics, examined an association between phototherapy and pediatric cancers. The first study, the California Late Impact of Phototherapy Study (CLIPS), analyzed data from five million infants born in California hospitals between 1998 and 2007. The study used administrative data that linked the billing code for phototherapy and the diagnosis code of childhood cancer. The strongest association is a 1.6-fold increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The risk of Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer of childhood, also rose to statistical significance. The second study -- the Late Impact of Getting Hyperbilirubinemia of photoTherapy (LIGHT) study -- analyzed data from 500,000 children born in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system between 1995 and 2011. The associations between phototherapy and childhood cancer were not statistically significant, but an association with AML was again observed. The studies come at a time when the number of infants receiving phototherapy is increasing, in part, the researchers suggest, because of the availability of light therapy units that can be used in the home. In the Kaiser study, 16 percent of babies received phototherapy in 2011, up from 3 percent in 1995. In both studies, the associations were stronger and statistically significant among children with Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome are already known to be at an increased risk of leukemia. "Even though the results are inconclusive, they are worrisome enough that phototherapy should not be presented as risk-free. That being said, however, the brain damage and hearing loss from high bilirubin levels are real and well-documented, and the suggested risk of cancer from these new studies is both unclear and very small," says the editorial's lead author, Lindsay Frazier, MD, of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's. "What is concerning is the fact that, at least in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system, the number of children receiving phototherapy has dramatically increased. The risks associated with such a prevalent exposure require close scrutiny." Even in the CLIPS study, which found a statistically significant association between phototherapy and childhood cancer, the absolute numbers involved were very low. Of the 5 million infants studied, 58 who received phototherapy later developed cancer. The increased risk of AML, for instance, was based on 10 cases among the 178,000 children who received phototherapy, versus 103 cases in the 4.9 million children who did not. "Studying why children get cancer is very difficult because it is such a rare disease," Frazier says. "The association between smoking and lung cancer was relatively easy to detect because the disease is well over 10 times more common than childhood cancer. There are about 225,000 new cases of lung cancer a year in the United States, versus 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer. Thus, to study childhood cancer, a scientist needs to find a way to study large populations. The authors are to be commended for finding a way to do just that. But even in these studies of huge populations, the number of children who actually develop cancer remains quite small." Despite the small numbers, the editorial advises clinicians to weigh a possible link with cancer in determining which babies need phototherapy. "In the end, acknowledging that the information is imperfect, general pediatricians and neonatologists must make a choice," the editorial concludes. "These data suggest that phototherapy may not be harmless, and that the risks as well as the benefits need to be weighed before flipping the switch." The rise of User-Generated Content (UGC) -- information submitted by members of the public or posted on social media -- has changed journalism forever, according to a new study in Digital Journalism. As Lisette Johnston from City University, London, explains: "As more news organisations move towards becoming 'digital first', the skills journalists are expected to possess have changed. They must become more "tech-savvy" In turn, the role of the journalist itself is being redefined, as are the skills needed by newsroom staff." To understand the evolution of journalism in the age of social media, Johnston studied how journalists from BBC World News integrated UGC into their reports on the conflict in Syria. She studied hours of video as well as interviewed reporters and newsroom staff. As expected, UGC formed a large part of the material she studied. More than half the 35 reports or 'news packages' on Syria she analysed opened with a UGC clip. She also found that the amount of UGC integrated by BBC journalists increased as the conflict wore on and reporters found access to the country more challenging. Peak USG usage also coincided with large-scale protests and violence. But the increasing amount of UGC used by BBC journalists was only part of the story. The journalists to whom Johnson spoke said they felt 'they had to harness a variety of new skills to enable them to "harvest" content uploaded to digital platforms'. They also found themselves actively engaged in "social media newsgathering" -- for images, contacts and eyewitnesses -- across multiple platforms, a practice encouraged by their managers. Johnston's contacts also admitted that it took time to become 'social news savvy' and develop a 'more forensic' approach to their work. Shifting through the immense volume of UGC posted online posed a huge challenge, as did verifying what was chosen -- a task made even more difficult in a war zone, where contacting the uploader of the footage could put his or her life at risk. Journalists had to become 'detective-like' when verifying footage found online; but even if they weren't responsible for the actual verification themselves, they had to learn how to use UGC appropriately in terms of attribution, labelling and caveats. As for the future, Johnston concludes that 'being capable of processing UGC and being able to navigate social media platforms which audiences inhabit are becoming core skills which journalists need to possess and maintain'. In other words, in a 'social' world, journalists must now adapt to not being the only ones telling the story. A biomass recovered from common plant could help purify water from contamination of copper and zinc. The article by Gustavo Ferreira Coelho and Affonso Celso Goncalves Junior and published in Open Chemistry reports on the possible use of biosorbents derived from Jatropha curcas waste, to remove heavy metal ions from water. Once released from the industry into the environment, accumulated toxins and trace amounts of heavy metals can contaminate waterways for decades or more in concentrations high enough to pose severe health risks on human health, let alone meet the standards for potability. Conventional methods for removing heavy metals from water -- such as treatment with activated carbon or more advanced technologies like ion-exchange resins -- have proved very effective, but they can, however, be too expensive for use in developing countries, especially in rural areas. This need for low cost, sustainable and ecological alternatives has fostered research on biosorption -- a biological method often advised as a cheaper and more effective technique for heavy metal ion removal and recapture from industrial wastewater. Now, the article by Brazilian researchers -- Prof. Gustavo Ferreira Coelho from the University Center Dynamic of Cataracts in Parana and Prof. Affonso Celso Goncalves Junior from the Research Group on Soil and Environment -- published in Open Chemistry reports on the possible use of biosorbents derived from Jatropha curcas waste, to remove heavy metal ions from water. Native to the American tropics, perennial Jatropha curcas has already been hailed as unique as a potential substitute for petroleum, or as a source of biodiesel. Now, the article published in Open Chemistry suggests its use for removing heavy metal ions, i.e. -- copper and zinc, from water. The biosorbents obtained from the plant appear to act similarly to commonly used commercial adsorbents. But importantly, production of Jatropha curcas biosorbents is cheaper when compared to commercial alternatives. Coelho and his team tested three different adsorbents obtained from Jatropha curcas seeds. They checked the influence of different conditions on the adsorption of copper and zinc ions on these adsorbents and were able to figure out optimal conditions determining the top parameters for adsorption. While still early, the researchers think that their findings add to solving the problem of water pollution by using cheap but effective and fully natural-derived adsorbents to remove heavy metal ions from water; an urgent problem for developing countries which struggle with drinking water shortages. The spread of yellow fever (YF) is a global health threat. In response to current outbreaks in Angola, other African countries, and China, which represents the first ever documented cases of YF in Asia, the World Health Organization (WHO) convened an emergency committee on May 19, 2016 to underscore the severity of the outbreak. In the current issue of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, noted infectious disease authorities from South Africa and Singapore explain the epidemiology and ecology of YF and discuss the factors that can increase and decrease the likelihood of progression from outbreak to epidemic. While the YF vaccine is very effective, the WHO is concerned that the outbreak in unvaccinated populations poses a strong risk of epidemics both in Asia and Africa. However, despite repeated references to the limited supply of vaccine, WHO did not declare the present outbreak "a global health emergency," because the outbreak appears to be coming under control, and did not recommend lowering the dose of vaccine to extend the supply. Unfortunately, this is a misapprehension of the actual situation. As of 19 May 2016, Angola has reported 2420 suspected cases of YF with 298 deaths (WHO Situation Report Yellow Fever 20 May 2016). Among those cases, 736 have been laboratory confirmed. Despite vaccination campaigns in Luanda, Huambo, and Benguela provinces, circulation of the virus in some districts persists. As long ago as February, a WHO expert, after visiting the country, reported that the true figures could be actually10-50 times more, meaning many thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths. In most of the world YF is the subject of history books. Responsible for tens of thousands of deaths, the last recorded outbreak in Europe was in 1905 in Gibraltar and in the United States in New Orleans the same year. While YF traveled slowly around the world by ship in the past, it can now move quickly by air, infecting unvaccinated populations overnight. With this increasing risk, the world's annual vaccine production of just over 40 million doses is not nearly sufficient to replenish emergency stockpiles and contain outbreaks if YF follows the same path as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, also spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Historically, market forces have always kept the YF vaccine supply below demand. "The current scenario of a YF outbreak in Angola, where there is a large Chinese workforce, most of whom are unvaccinated, coupled with high volumes of air travel to an environment conducive to transmission in Asia, is unprecedented in history," warns lead author Sean Wasserman, MBChB, of the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. "These conditions raise the alarming possibility of a YF epidemic, with a case fatality of up to 50%, in a region with a susceptible population of two billion people and where there is extremely limited infrastructure to respond effectively." The growing number of imported cases in China shows how critical it is to recognize this risk now in order to take adequate preemptive action so that a global catastrophe can be averted. Epidemic YF in the Americas was successfully controlled through mass vaccination and mosquito reduction programs. Failure to sustain vector control and vaccination programs has led to the reinvasion of A. aegypti across large swaths of the Americas, as evidenced by ongoing chikungunya and Zika outbreaks. "If sufficient YF cases occur in cities to facilitate urban transmission, we may yet see YF epidemics again in the Americas," cautions Dr. Wasserman." In an accompanying editorial, J.P. Woodall, PhD, from ProMED, International Society for Infectious Diseases, Brookline, MA, USA, and T.M. Yuill, PhD, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA emphasize that the Angola outbreak could result in the spread of YF outside of both Africa and China and that WHO alone may not have sufficient resources to contain the infection. They suggest that the United Nations may have the necessary funds and can call in multiple relief agencies to attack the epidemic. They explain that that mosquito control alone has not been successful for stopping dengue fever and outbreaks in the tropics of Zika, another virus carried by A. aegypti. They also have little confidence in border controls being effective due to corruption and inefficiencies. "In the final analysis, vaccination is the only solution, but there are concerns that the world may run out of doses," according to Dr. Woodall and Dr. Yuill. "There could be a solution. Studies have shown that the vaccine is so potent that one fifth of a dose immunizes just as well -- so an existing five-dose vial could protect 25 people. The WHO has the authority to declare temporary use of the lower dose, which would usefully expand the supply." An innovative new archaeological study has revealed in detail for the first time how individual towns, villages and hamlets across swathes of medieval England were decimated by the Black Death. The research, led by Professor Carenza Lewis from the University of Lincoln, UK, drew together data on finds from thousands of test pits excavated in rural locations across the East of England over the past decade. Using pottery sherds as a proxy for the presence of human populations, Professor Lewis calculated the drop-off in finds after England was struck by the plague epidemic which killed millions of people across Europe and Asia between 1346 and 1351. The stark results, published in the journal Antiquity, indicate 'eye-watering' falls in population within rural communities which are still inhabited today and generally regarded as 'survivors' of the Black Death. The new data reveal which places were most severely hit by plague, from the level of individual plots and parishes up to whole towns and counties. In some locations, such as Binham in Norfolk, Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, Shillington in Bedfordshire, and Great Amwell in Hertfordshire, catastrophic declines exceed 70 per cent. Data was gathered from more than 2,000 one-metre square test-pits excavated by members of the public under professional archaeological supervision between 2005 and 2014 across the six counties of eastern England. These spanned 55 different rural settlements which are inhabited today (deserted medieval villages were deliberately excluded from the study). Of those 55 locations, 90 per cent recorded a decline in the number of test pits yielding two or more sherds. Overall there was a decline of 45 per cent in pottery finds between the high medieval (early twelfth to early fourteenth centuries) and the late medieval period (late fourteenth to late sixteenth centuries) across the area studied. Professor Carenza Lewis, an archaeologist and Professor for the Public Understanding of Research in the School of History & Heritage at the University of Lincoln, said: "The true scale of devastation wrought by the Black Death in England during the 'calamitous' fourteenth century has been a topic of much debate among historians and archaeologists. Recent studies have led to mortality estimates being revised upwards but the discussion remains hampered by a lack of consistent, reliable and scalable population data for the period. "This new research offers a novel solution to that evidential challenge, using finds of pottery -- a highly durable indicator of human presence -- as a proxy for population change in a manner that is both scalable and replicable. It shows that pottery use fell by almost a half in eastern England in the centuries immediately after the Black Death. This supports the emerging consensus that the population of England remained somewhere between 35 and 55 per cent below its pre-Black Death level well into the sixteenth century. "Just as significantly, this new research suggests there is an almost unlimited reservoir of new evidence capable of revealing change in settlement and demography still surviving beneath today's rural parishes, towns and villages -- anyone could excavate, anywhere in the UK, Europe or even beyond, and discover how their community fared in the aftermath of the Black Death." Batty, a bulldog who was born blind, was dumped at a shelter by his previous owner at just 5 months old - but now he's finally going to his forever home. Batty was more than likely a product of backyard breeding. Upon arriving at the Sacramento SPCA (SSPCA) in California almost two months ago, Batty was covered in his own feces and had a large abscess on his chin. But in caring hands, Batty went from a neglected dog to a more confident and happy pup. He learned how to make his way around on a leash ... So, Gonzales' wife, Rosario, and the Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital in Texas made it possible for Roberto to see his closest friends one last time as one of his final wishes. On Saturday, the two horses were brought to the hospital's front doors, where Roberto met with them and other family members . Their names are Sugar and Ringo - and these two horses are Roberto Gonzales' best friends. Roberto is a wounded veteran, shot during the Vietnam War in 1970, and was one of the hospital's very first patients when it opened in 1974. Today, he is paralyzed and his organs are failing, according to News 4 San Antonio. So, Sugar and Ringo made the 150 mile trip to the hospital, on the anniversary of the day he was shot, May 21. The visit was also a testament to Roberto's love of the animals, as both he and his wife trained and raised horses for nearly 40 years together. "When the horses came up to him, he actually opened his eyes," Rosario told News 4 San Antonio. "They came up to him and I think they were actually kissing him." Brussels Airlines chief executive Bernard Gustin was flying high this past St. Patricks Day on record profits and ambitious plans to future-proof his fast-growing company, including new routes to Toronto and Belfast. Then the future landed quite tragically five days later when suicide bombers attacked the Brussels Airport, killing 16 people and wounding 150 others. An explosion at Brussels Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people later the same morning in the worst day of terrorism in Belgiums history. Its so rare that you go so quickly from paradise to hell, Gustin said in an interview. Arnaud Feist, the CEO of Brussels Airport, adds: It was just surreal. It was a war zone. I couldnt believe it was happening in my airport. The two longtime colleagues and friends recently visited Toronto via Brussels Airlines new direct flight to Pearson, which launched in April just days after the airport reopened on a limited basis after the bombings. The CEOs say the new long-haul route sends a positive signal that life is going forward after the unforeseen devastation. They are uniquely positioned to share the horror of the attack, how (if possible) one could prepare for it and the silver lining that came from their darkest hour. Can you briefly what unfolded for you that day? Feist: I was in my car on the way to the airport when I was told a few minutes after 8 a.m. by my chief of security about the explosions. It was the peak travel time of the morning. My first reaction was to be there, but I wasnt allowed to enter the building because police told me it wasnt safe. Gustin: I was in the office very early. Arnaud called me to tell me about the events. You are close (airline office is in another building on site) but you are distant because you dont have access. But you see the first pictures and it makes your blood run completely cold. I was 700 metres away. You could see the hole in the building where we have an airport ticketing office, where we usually have five people sit, which has been completely destroyed. After the first bomb went off they hid in the back. The second one went off right in front of where they sat . . . Really an inventory of your people starts. So the first day was really about our people, our passengers, finding solutions. What was going through your head? Feist: It was very difficult to accept that this had happened. The injuries were dramatic. The bombs were made not to destroy the building but to kill and injure people. There were nails in them, so people lost their lives, but many also lost their legs or arms or eyes because of the shrapnel. How did your employees react? Feist: A number of our employees entered the building to rescue the victims, and really a number of them acted as heroes at the risk of their (own) lives, and took victims out of the danger zone. Of course for them it was very difficult and still is difficult emotionally, psychologically. They need support so we immediately had a team of psychologists on site to help people cope with the situation. We still have them actually seven weeks after the event. I think its important. Its not the same for everyone. We accept that it could take a long time for some people to cope with what they have seen and heard. Gustin: We still have 20 people on medical leave because theyve seen things that none of us want to see. Were you prepared? Feist: A terrorist attack had not been tested. You cannot foresee all crisesOn a regular basis we have crash exercises. We have hundreds of people simulating the crash of an airplane. Its a full-scale exercise. It helps, but you can never be prepared for the real crisis real people, dead people, injured people. (It helps that) we know each other the ambulance, fire brigade, police, secret service, so we knew exactly who was doing what. . . . It was a very efficient way of working. What has been the business impact? Gustin: It was right before Easter weekend, with 22,000 departures a dayWe couldnt wait for a week and while its not the best financial decision we decided to restart operations from regional airports and for long haul counted on support of Lufthansa (our major shareholder) for Zurich and Geneva. Of course you have an impact with the airport being closed for 12 days, and we could only have one-third of our demand being served through regional airports with extra added costs. We estimate the financial impact will be 70 to 100 million euros. ($102 million to $145 million (Cdn.)) Feist: Im surprised by the speed of the recovery. We recently had 72,000 passengers in one day, which is a positive sign. We are both optimists by nature but this shows travelers want to go back to their normal life. What advice do you have for other employers? Feist: Zero risk doesnt exist in any business. We are compliant with all kinds of regulations and nevertheless this happened. You have to be able to react quickly. Explosions took place in the public part of the area, an unsecured area, so the first lesson we learned is to cope with such a crisis where are the pitfalls, where are the problems. Its very stressful for everyone. But if you know how the other parties in the room will react and what their job is it will make things much smoother because every minute counts. Gustin: It will never be as it was before, we can never forget what happened but there are also positive things that will come out of this: the binding of the community and to be able to bounce back when youre badly hit. SHARE: Early in her just released book Makers and Takers, Rana Foroohar offers the kind of tidbit that makes an excellent talking point at those barbecues where you know not a soul. Are you aware, the conversation might begin, that the top 25 fund managers in the U.S. make more money as a group than all the kindergarten teachers in all of America combined? Foroohar is assistant managing editor at Time magazine and you can infer from the books subtitle The Rise of Finance and the Fall of AmericanBusiness that the takers occupy the realm of finance, the makers are regular folk/the real economy, and the gulf between the two is vast, causing seemingly irreparable harm. This may not rock you back on your heels, nor elicit a reaction of shock, nor even surprise. Income inequality has become entrenched: advantage, Wall Street. But Foroohars exploration of financialization transcends the income inequality divide. After, oh, four decades of the shifting sands of capitalism toward, chiefly, market capitalism, what has been created, Foroohar argues, is a headwind or obstacle to economic growth when once finance was a catalyst for it. Gosh that seems long ago. Almost Jimmy Stewart era. But even I can recall a time when stock analysts werent paid all that much more than journalists back in the day before banks owned investment houses. Then suddenly all those guys over on Bay Street, regardless of talent or intellect, were taking positions in stocks underwritten by their own houses and issuing buy recommendations and so forth. Thats penny ante stuff. Foroohar plucks Apple Inc. as a helpful example of how insane capitalism has become. Three years ago, under CEO Tim Cook, Apple was in the market to borrow $17 billion (U.S). A reader might well ask: the mighty Apple needed to borrow funds? Funny you should ask. As Foroohar points out, the tech/cult giant had $145 billion in the bank, with another $3 billion in profit landing monthly. That money is not kept in the bank on the corner. Rather, it is scattered about the globe, including accommodating offshore financial institutions. Should the company repatriate those funds, it would have to pay taxes. It would rather not. There is something a little off about a quintessentially American firm dodging a huge chunk of American taxes, Foroohar writes. Now you will want to know: for what purpose did Apple require the $17 bil? R&D? A brilliant new product? No. It needed the funds, as Foroohar puts it, to buy off investors by repurchasing stock and fattening dividends, which would goose the companys lagging share price. Stock buybacks as a way of pumping share prices have been commonplace for years. Foroohar notes that S&P 500 companies spent more then $6 trillion on share buybacks and dividend payments in the decade to 2014. She likens share buybacks to sugar highs. Meanwhile, jobs are cut and innovation stifled, all in service of the short termism or quarterly capitalism that has been part of the conversation during the American presidential campaign, at least among the Democratic contenders. So this financialization actively works at slowing economic growth, Foroohar argues. She quotes a former Goldman Sachs banker likening this development to a zero sum game between financial wealth-holders and the rest of America. A financial system that has stopped serving the real economy and now serves mainly itself, as Foroohar argues, is clearly a sickness. Perhaps a viral image would be more appropriate, as she considers the low-interest- rate, debt-fuelled, consumerist atmosphere that keeps the economy chugging along. What kind of an economy is it when 70 per cent of output is consumer spending? In the books forward, Foroohar revisits a 2013 exchange with a former official in the Obama administration who was a key player in the financial crisis. A number of journalists were present for this off-the-record briefing. Asked whether bank reform in the wake of the crisis had been unduly influenced by Wall Street, the insider replied that such was not the case. But, Foroohar noted, 93 per cent of the public consultations on one aspect of the reform bill had been held with the finance industry. Foroohar writes: The official looked at me in a way that seemed to show honest befuddlement, and said, Who else should we have taken them with? It was then she knew that she had to write a book. Anyone interested in the conversation should buy it. SHARE: Kirstyn Mayers, 28, isnt your average Prince Edward County cottager. In fact there is no cottage yet. But there is a 4.5-acre land-locked plot in a speck of a place called Demorestville, north of the fashionable County hub of Picton. Mayers and her husband Daniel wanted to buy a rural property close to her grandparents place, where she spent summers and had worked at a winery. They would check out listings and poke about for a handymans special when visiting the County. In the end, their piece of paradise turned up on Kijiji two years ago. What is so attractive about the County is its beautiful but youre right in the centre of Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and theres so many people from the city that are out there either seasonally or full-time. I have friends like I have in the city. Its not a culture shock, she said. Then theres the reality of Toronto real estate prices that have made the Mayers doubt they will ever buy in the city. It seems like you have to be ready to spend $1 million to get a home, she said. Affordable condos are usually in areas that are really over-saturated with condo buildings. Nice neighbourhoods that have a couple of condo buildings in them are really expensive, she said, adding that maintenance fees make condos feel more like renting than owning. In April the Mayors moved from a Queen St. and Ossington Ave. apartment and to a rental house in Don Mills where theres more room for Freia, 2, and 4-month-old Mobias. A key feature of the new Toronto location is its quick getaway access. They have a small trailer parked on their County property and try and go up every weekend May to Sept. Its a five-minute drive to the 401, so getting out to the County in the summer is a lot faster. Were still on the subway line so it doesnt feel like were completely out of touch with everything, said Mayers. Its like an hour shorter commute so if youre leaving on a Friday night or Saturday morning it saves a lot of time. Theres no fixed timeline for building on their land. Right now Daniel needs to be in the city for work. When we bought it we had a timeline in mind, but every season that passes it gets pushed further back, she said. Read more about: SHARE: JoJo Fletcher says she went into filming the new season of The Bachelorette, which kicks off Monday, without making any rules for herself. When you set rules you get in your own head and it doesnt really work out anyway, the 25-year-old Texan told media last week. Im going to let myself be me. Well, OK, maybe there was just one rule. I really wanted to make sure I didnt say too much too soon. I didnt give anyone too much hope unless I knew thats exactly how Im feeling. So no, Fletcher wont be following in the footsteps of former Bachelor Ben Higgins and telling two people she loves them. When Higgins issued his I love you, but rejection of Fletcher on a beach in Jamaica earlier this year, it was one of the bigger blindsides in franchise history. Fletcher has nothing but nice things to say about Higgins, who got engaged to Lauren Bushnell on that same beach (rumour has it theyll get hitched in a televised wedding before the end of the year). In fact, she says being with him taught her what a good relationship looks like. It definitely taught me what I deserve and what kind of men are actually out there. And after a month or two of laying low at home, letting her broken heart heal, she was ready to answer the call when ABC asked her in March to be the next Bachelorette. Filming that show was one of the greatest experiences of my life but also one of the hardest; there were so many highs but definitely a lot of low lows, Fletcher said. In that, she echoes previous Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, who called the process very hard and very exhausting in an interview. I had so much fun on The Bachelor minus the day Chris Soules sent her home that I thought it would be easy breezy being the Bachelorette and be glamorous. And it was not. I didnt get any sleep. Youre so isolated. Producers dont allow phones or Internet access, so you cant talk to your friends, you cant talk to your family. When youre not (filming) youre either alone or with producers who are feeding you things that they want to see happen, she said. And then there was the social media backlash including death threats that followed an episode in which she slept with the runner-up on a date; an incident she says was blown out of proportion in the editing, which made it seem as though the couple was miked in the bedroom. You see a closed door. You hear words that we could have even been saying at dinner time, Alberta-bred Bristowe says. Nonetheless, she added she wouldnt change a thing about how her season played out. Nowadays, her social media interactions are 80 to 90 per cent positive, she says. Shes still engaged to Shawn Booth; she has designed a collection of prints, clothes and drinkware with Chelcey Tate; shes a spokeswoman for Tresemme Beauty-Full Volume products; and shes exploring a singing career in Nashville, where she and Booth live. Shell make an appearance in the Bachelorette season premiere (9 p.m. Monday on City and ABC) along with former Bachelorettes Ali Fedotowsky and Desiree (Hartsock) Siegfried to give advice to Fletcher. You dont need to do what producers want you to do or what America wants you to do, Bristowe says. If youre going to find someone who loves you, you have to completely be yourself and do the things that you would do in a regular situation. Dont worry what others are going to think. It will pass. Its advice that Fletcher seemed prepared to take. I was myself, and I stayed true to what I believed in and everything that I said during filming, she says. If there is a social media backlash, its completely out of my control. There isnt anything I would change. SHARE: Neil MacAlasdair wants to make something clear: hes not in love with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He often gets teased about his supposed royal crush and laughs it off as the price of being national chair of the Young Monarchists of Canada. Its hardly the most popular organization on campus. He and his colleagues spend a lot of time protesting that the Royal Family is not an anachronistic tax drain on Canadians or a meddler in internal politics. These are the two most common complaints, along with the idea that monarchists in Canada, especially young ones, breathe rarefied air. True, hes been fascinated with the monarchy since he was in Grade 6 at Upper Canada College, but its with the institution, its history and role in Canada, rather than with individuals. Moreover, he says he has many other interests and begins to list them casually, as if hes no different from any other 21-year-old university student. Badminton, hiking and, uh . . . and he pauses. Were doing the interview in the living room of his parents Toronto home and he glances towards the piano. The piano. I like Handel. Hes almost as good as Bach, and he pauses again before adjusting his comment. Well, Bach is three times more exciting and 10 times more dramatic than Handel . . . And I love beer. Well, English-style ale . . . Im a bit of a snob about it. I like Laphroaig scotch and Dewars . . . If this has been an attempt to show hes just a regular guy, its not working. Neil MacAlasdair is anything but ordinary and with someone else, his comments might come across as arrogant. They dont because hes likable, open and funny. Still, its difficult to see a student whos beginning a four-year PhD program next fall in evolutionary genomics on scholarship at the Sanger Institute affiliated with Cambridge University as ordinary. The school is named after biochemist Frederick Sanger, who laid the foundation for genetic sequencing in the mid-50s and won two Nobel prizes. Other Cambridge notables in the evolutionary field are Charles Darwin as well as my personal heroes Ronald Fisher and J.B.S. Haldane. MacAlasdairs passion for the field shines through. Biology is at the precipice that physics was 100 years ago, he says. The 20th century belonged to physics . . . . Can you imagine if we could simulate life and predict how it will change? Thats the ultimate dream of evolutionary biology. Asked how he envisions using his degree, he replies: Its almost impertinent for me to say what road I will take. The week of our interview, he was still writing undergraduate exams at U of T and planning for the visit of Governor General David Johnston for the Queens 90th birthday hosted at a Toronto hotel by the Monarchist League of Canada and to take a brief holiday in Scotland. His father, a retired engineer, was born there, while his mother, a former English teacher, is from China. MacAlasdair speaks fluent Mandarin and says his second language gives me a whole different way of being. MacAlasdair has been chair since 2013 and steps down before he leaves for Cambridge. The chair is appointed solely by Robert Finch, chair of the Monarchist League, who declined to provide more detail on the selection process or provide Young Monarchist membership numbers. For now, however, MacAlasdair is very much caught up in promoting an understanding of the monarchys role in Canada. Some people are really surprised and shake their heads at the whole idea of it, he says, but most people are curious. MacAlasdairs comments about his group are echoed by his U of T colleague Aiden Nicolas, whose speech at a recent Monarchist League luncheon in Toronto was reprinted in the Canadian Monarchist News. We are not fans (of the monarchy) but believers in our countrys constitutional arrangements, he said. Nor are we into the frippery of the trivial: exciters and fancy dress and dining out . . . Most of our work we do in T-shirts and jeans, the hard slogging of postering our campus or answering a skeptical radio host or dare I say debating with the unconverted in a pub at the end of a long day of studies! Most of the work of the youth wing is casual; in fact, Finch says it exists in a virtual setting that includes anyone in the Monarchist League under 25, and with no formal list of campus organizations or activities. Students most often meet informally in pubs where, according to Dylan Mainprize of Hamilton, they toast the Queen and we simply discuss the monarchy. While the focus is on the institution, MacAlasdair has his favourites among royals. He admires Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, and whose birthday is celebrated on this Victoria Day long weekend. She was very stoic and an impressive figure. She was queen in turbulent, incredible times when the role the monarchy would play was being worked out. MacAlasdair rejects any notion that the monarchy in Canada is on shaky ground. (A poll last month indicated Canadians were split whether the country should continue as a constitutional monarchy for coming generations.) Rather, he describes the Queens work ethic as inspirational, and says she has instilled responsibility and that same sense of duty in the next generations of royals. He believes Canadian groups like his will be singing Happy Birthday to a reigning monarch for many years to come. Meet four other Young Monarchists She reminds me of my grandmother Steven Uren, Calgary A fourth-year commerce student at Athabasca University, Uren, 22, is former chair of the Young Monarchists and says he has always felt a connection to the crown. He remembers lining up at the airport with his Grade 5 class to greet Queen Elizabeth in his hometown of Sidney, B.C. She bent down and made a special, personal connection with everyone. She reminded me of my grandmother . . . Some of my friends think that were from the flat-earth society but I dont care. People say the British royal family but she is Queen of Canada and she has a special place in our hearts. The royal Afghan connection Haris Yaqeen, Mississauga Born in Canada, Yaqeen, 20 and finishing third year at U of T, grew up with stories of the Afghan monarchy because his fathers family was close to the royals before they fled after the Soviet invasion in 1979. (His mothers parents are from Burma.) He describes his familys position in Afghanistan as being landed gentry, and while not overly impressed with the record of Afghan royalty he says Queen Elizabeth has devoted her whole life to service. His familys interest in foreign affairs led him to study international relations with a focus on Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, and he hopes to be involved in establishing governance capacity in post-conflict zones. Charmed by Charles Drew MacEachern, Charlottetown Having just finished his final year in politics, Asian and religious studies at the University of Prince Edward Island, MacEachern, 21, leaves soon for Japan and the Japan Exchange Teaching program, or JET. Hell be on a contract, which he can extend up to five years, assisting an English teacher in a Japanese school; he will find out where sometime this month. He became a Young Monarchist when he was 19, and says a highlight was a chance to meet Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, with other students during a visit to P.E.I. A former parliamentary page, he mentioned in his bio that politicians use pretty colourful language. Prince Charles laughed at that, he says. They were both gracious and actively engaged. Mention the war Dylan Mainprize, Calgary A history and communications student at McMaster University going into his fourth year, hes 20 and aims at a career in the RCMP or Canadian Armed Forces. His dad is in the Canadian reserves and his grandfather served in the Second World War. I love my country, he says, and the monarchy is part of that. Theres a sense of cultural importance. I will get kind of heated when I hear insults and I have to defend the monarchy, he says. Often people dont realize the commitment . . . (Then Princess Elizabeth) drove an ambulance in World War II and thats hard work. SHARE: Update - June 24, 2016: Following publication of this article, new information became available through genetic testing. In fact, DNA analysis confirmed that the bear was a blond grizzly, not, a grizzly-polar bear hybrid. To clarify, the 2006 photo above is a confirmed grizzly-polar hybrid, not, the bear that is the subject of this article. When Didji Ishalook spotted the animal on the crest of a hill during a recent hunt in Nunavut he thought he had either an Arctic fox or a polar bear in his sight. Only when the 25-year-old approached his kill did he realize he might have something even rarer. Theyre saying its a grizzly-polar bear hybrid, he said in an interview from his home in Arviat, 250 kilometres north of Churchill, Manitoba. Known either as a grolar or a prizzly depending on whether the father is a grizzly or polar bear, the find which can only be confirmed through genetic testingis so rare that only a half-dozen or so kills have been confirmed in the last decade. I think its 99 per cent sure that its going to turn out to be a hybrid, said Ian Stirling, an emeritus research scientist with Environment Canada and adjunct professor at the University of Alberta. Ishalooks bear, which was caught in accordance with laws that allow Inuit to practice subsistence hunting, has now been skinned and the fur is sitting in his freezer, though he plans to send it to a taxidermist. Photos of the freshly killed animal were posted to Facebook earlier this month, picked up by the CBC and are now buzzing through international scientific circles. They are attracting attention not only for the rarity of the potential find the first confirmed polar-grizzly hybrid in recent memory was trapped in 2006 but for what it might tell us about bear evolution and adaptation in the face of climate change. The unusual thing here is how did a male grizzly bear bump into a female polar bear, said Andrew Derocher, a biology professor at the University of Alberta who studies the effects of climate change on polar bears. Most of the mating activity of polar bears is occurring out on the sea ice, so theres a spacial discontinuity between where a grizzly bear would be in the spring and where a polar bear would be in the spring. He said that Ishalooks bear does not appear to be an albino grizzly. If it is just a very blonde grizzly it would be the palest he has ever seen. But its claws appear to be longer and more grizzly-like than other hybrids that have been caught and examined. We havent done the genetics on this and, until we do, we wont really be able to say anything conclusively, Derocher said. In most cases, hybrids are the result of male grizzly bears travelling and mating with female polar bears. This occurs because male grizzlies emerge earlier from winter hibernation and head out in search of food while female grizzlies tend to stay close to home. Warmer temperatures in the Arctic may be one reason that grizzly bears are wandering north, bit its not the only one. Improved population-management techniques and strict hunting quotas have also allowed the grizzly populations to grow and forced them to seek out new territory. David Garshelis, a bear specialist and adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, said there have been documented cases of grizzlies and polar bears feasting together on a whale carcass in the area of Hudson Bay. This sort of intermingling is necessary because it takes several days of contact to induce ovulation in female polar bears. The fact that a grizzly and polar bear are mating tells you that theyre hanging out, said Stirling, a specialist in polar bear behaviour. This isnt just a casual one-night stand kind of thing. It also points to the historical and genetic links between the species, as does the fact that the cubs can themselves go on to reproduce. The offspring of these unions can vary quite a bit. Derocher said that one set of sibling grolars found several years ago with their polar bear mother looked nothing alike: one resembled a polar bear while the other was more like a grizzly. But the survival of hybrid cubs depends greatly on what species they act like, said Beth Shapiro, an associate professor at the University of California Santa Cruz specializing in genome evolution and ancient DNA. In her studies of bear hybrids, Shapiro has discovered many grizzly bears with polar bear ancestry in their genes. But the opposite is almost never true. This suggests that such offspring just dont survive as polar bears in the Arctic, Shapiro said. Being white is obviously absolutely critical to both hiding and hunting (in the Arctic), explained Stirling, who has worked with Shapiro. For a grizzly bear thats feeding on vegetation or in the salmon stream, it really doesnt matter what colour it is. Theres no disadvantage to being black or white or whatever. Finding the genetic material of polar bear in grizzly bears has all sorts of possible implications in the face of a changing climate and warming Arctic, which is causing sea ice to melt and could put the polar bear populations at risk. There have been warm spells in the Arctic before warmer than it is right now and there wasnt a lot of ice around. One of the questions has always been how these bears survived said Stirling. It seems like to some degree hybridization may have been part of the process that was involved in maintaining the polar bear gene through warmer periods. Both Stirling and Shapiro said governments should consider protecting the rare hybrid bears because of the clues they may yield about polar bear evolution and how the species is affected by and responds to climate change. The more we learn about evolution and DNA, we learn that (hybrids) arent at all unnatural, Shapiro said. This is maybe an evolutionary mechanism for polar bear DNA to stick around even if polar bears cant because of climate change. - Read more about: SHARE: One desperate night, Torry Harriss mother handed over an envelope of cash in exchange for a bed in a detox centre. In the six years leading up to that moment, Harris had gone from taking a few Percocets a day to discovering oxycontin. Thats when it started to spiral out of control, he said. Soon he could stomach dozens of daily doses of the powerful painkiller and was looking for something harder. In a search for help, his family paid the price, shelling out more than $20,000 for three stays at Addiction Canada, a chain of private rehab centres, to pull Harris back from the brink of death. Private treatment came after stints in public programs, where he often butted heads with staff, sometimes breaking strict abstinence rules in favour of having a smoke. When he got to Addiction Canada, the disagreements with staff continued, but took on a different tone. It seemed like I knew more about medications than he did, Harris said of one of his caregivers, a man known as Dr. Tucker. The drugs Harris says he was prescribed including muscle relaxants, sleep aids and anti-anxiety pills were familiar to him, and in some cases exactly what he wanted to see. I was just coming in off the streets, an addict, right? So I was sneaky and I was able to talk them into giving me basically what I wanted. And they just went with it. When Harriss mother dropped him off at the detox centre, she watched him disappear behind the doors, into the hands of virtual strangers to care for him at his most vulnerable moment. At that moment he, like countless others, slipped into a grey zone in Ontarios health care system, at a time when opioid addiction is being labeled an epidemic and a public health emergency. There are no standards that must be followed; you and I could open a treatment centre tomorrow if we wanted, Colleen Dell, research chair in substance abuse at the University of Saskatchewan, wrote in an email. John Haines, the man who opened Addiction Canada, the treatment centre where Harris sought life-saving treatment, was arrested earlier this month, alleged to have employed unlicensed doctors. Police charged him with drug trafficking, defrauding clients of more than $6 million, money laundering, and benefitting from the proceeds of crime. The OPP investigation continues, said Det. Sgt. Cathy OConnor, who called it huge but would not elaborate on the nature of the probe. Police also arrested Richard Tucker, who they allege posed as a doctor, charging him with fraud and drug trafficking. Another man who was allegedly working without a medical licence was charged last summer with fraud and impersonating a doctor. The case is set to go to pretrial in June. Tucker had no comment on the allegations when reached by telephone at home. Ive hired some counsel and hes representing me. Thats all I can say, he said. Haines did not respond directly to the Stars requests for comment about the criminal charges and allegations from former staff members and clients of subpar conditions and unpaid wages. In an emailed statement, Seth Fletcher, the companys chief operating officer, said all currently employed medical personnel are qualified, licenced and registered with their respective provincial colleges. Addiction Canada is an organization where all lives matter, it said, adding the chain continues to operate. Through our stringent policies and commitment to best practices, we believe that we provide the very best in addiction services for our clients. In Ontario, the Ministry of Health currently does not set any regulations for private rehab centres or addiction counsellors, and accreditation with oversight bodies, such as Accreditation Canada (which accredits more than 1,100 medical centres, including CAMH, Mount Sinai, and St. Josephs Health Centre) is voluntary. The ministry is not currently considering regulations for the facilities, according to a spokesperson, who added that municipalities set regulations with respect to building standards, fire codes and other health, safety and occupancy issues. In the case of Addiction Canada, municipalities have in fact stepped in. The companys Recovery Academy in Utopia, Ont., is under a court order requested by Essa Township to prevent it from administering medical treatment at the site, which is zoned for community use, like a daycare or a private school. At the Burks Falls facility, north of Huntsville, the township council voted against zoning and planning amendments, but the property owner appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, where a decision has yet to be made. Josh Bells mother insisted that he go to rehab in Burks Falls after short stints in government-funded facilities, including one in his hometown of North Bay, had failed to curb his addiction. Online it looks really nice, he said. She thought that because it was so expensive, the place must be magic. He is clean now, with the help of methadone, since moving to the Owen Sound area with his partner and following his daughters birth. But he credits his new lifestyle, not rehab, for his sobriety. His mother, Debra Deibel, insists Addiction Canada, and Haines, saved her sons life. She is in regular contact with Haines, texting him for advice about Bell and other favours, such as help with her rent or errands, which she says he happily does. She calls the criminal allegations against him ridiculous. The guys got his heart in the right place, she said. I do believe that he is dead-set on helping people overcome the disease of addiction. Possibly the place is not being run properly. Former client Lance Hawkins says people there for the wrong reasons can find anything to complain about. Its really tough hearing all this bad stuff, he said. He calls the criminal allegations silliness. For him, the bottom line is his sobriety. It saved my life. In the absence of a sweeping public health strategy, treatment for addiction can be left to families to sort out on their own in the private system. Thats a path clinical psychologist Dominique Morisano says fewer people should have to turn to. I have been shocked at the number of referrals and requests I get for help as a private clinician, she said, speaking in general about her practice. Addiction is a public problem. It is a societal issue. It affects all of us, in one way or another, she said. We need to address the issue of addiction collectively, as a society. - THREE VOICES Former staffer Tracey Harrison started working at the Utopia, Ont., Recovery Academy in September 2015 as a registered practical nurse. From the time she started, before any patients had arrived at the facility, little red flags were coming up, she said. When she left weeks later, she says, the automatic defibrillator in the detox centre had no battery, and she had seen pills kept in empty urine sample containers with sticky notes denoting what was inside. Youre dealing with peoples lives, and addicts are so vulnerable, she said. While there is an incredible need for an addiction centre in the Barrie area, she said, shed like to see a change in management at the centre. After her departure, Harrison filed a claim for unpaid wages with the Ministry of Labour, and an order to pay was issued in March. In an emailed statement, Addiction Canada COO Scott Fletcher said the company follows the Employment Standards Act and takes Ministry of Labour directives very seriously. The Star was not able to independently verify all of Harrisons claims. Founder John Haines did not respond to a request for comment about the allegations. Former patient Jarred Robinson, 29, left Winnipeg in summer 2014 to spend 90 days in rehab at Pickerel Lake. The $18,000 bill was footed by his parents, who took out loans, he said. He almost went into diabetic shock at the centre one night because his insulin and blood sugar testing equipment was locked away and he couldnt find a staff member to unlock them in the middle of the night. He says the fridge was full of rotting food and he saw rat droppings and despondent messages from former clients scrawled on the walls. Youre seeing stuff like that everywhere, the remnants of people who have just given up in the past. You feel like you have just gotten so taken for, he said. Despite that feeling, Robinson said he found some helpful staff members. Theyre human beings, and there are some that want to do the right things and help people. Ultimately he would like to see more affordable options and stricter regulations to protect others in his situation, he said. The Star was not able to independently verify Robinsons claims. Addiction Canadas John Haines did not respond to a request for comment about the allegations. Addictions expert Colleen Dell is the research chair in substance abuse at the University of Saskatchewan and a professor in the schools of sociology and public health. Part of the problem is we dont look at (addiction) as a disease, and it is, Dell said. People will say, Just get over it, just dont drink. As we know more and more about the brain now, thats not an option. She says a wide range of treatment options exist for addiction and its all over the board, starting with basic distinctions as to whether the program is abstinence-based or uses harm reduction techniques. From there, its up to the owners of the rehab centre as to what elements are woven in to the treatment, from yoga-based programs to ones rooted in religion. The key thing is theyre not evidence-based. With social media and the web we can make things look really good now and I dont think for the most part the general public thinks about: What is the evidence behind that? SHARE: The death of an 18-year-old Bolton man, stabbed on Saturday night during an altercation at Wasaga Beach, has shaken residents of his tight-knit community, friends say. Everybody is inside, nobody wants to talk. Theyre all in shock, said Alessandro Costa, a friend of the victim. The whole town, theres no one to be found. Ontario Provincial Police have not released the identity of the deceased, but the Star was able to confirm the victim is Francesco Molinaro, of Bolton. Huronia West OPP responded to a call about an altercation at the Pizza Pizza on Mosley St. around 10:35 p.m. Saturday. Police have not released any details regarding a suspect, or stated whether anyone is in custody in connection to the stabbing. Detectives were on the scene early Sunday morning, with an area closed for hours as police investigated. Surrounding roads reopened around 11 a.m. Sunday, after investigators identified several points of interest, and a Wasaga Beach firefighter hosed an area of sidewalk that appeared to have blood. Anyone who comes to a community with a knife in their pocket is usually prepared to use it, said Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith. It could have happened anywhere. Its unfortunate, and its very sad. A friend hosted a gathering Sunday to remember Molinaro, who was working in a trade after graduating last year from Boltons St. Michael Catholic Secondary School. Costa, a 15-year-old St. Michael student, knew Molinaro through his older brother and said hell be remembered as a hard working and solid friend If he could see that you were down, he would always be there for you and try to lighten up your mood. Boltons Antonella Mercurio, whose daughter went to school with the victim, said fellow parents found news of Molinaros death devastating . . . We are totally heartbroken. A GoFundMe crowdfunding page set up to raise money for Molinaros funeral had raised more than $19,000 in donations by Sunday evening. Francesco was a beloved son, brother and friend whose life was taken too soon. He had a big heart and always cared most about his family, reads the page. His personality could light up a room and he always made people smile. All of us, we were crying . . . We started talking about memories that we had with him, said Costa, described Molinaros gathered friends. I already know going back to school on Tuesday is going to be hard for everybody. Police say a post-mortem will be conducted on Monday in Toronto. Funeral plans are unconfirmed. With files from the Wasaga Sun SHARE: Warning: Graphic content. For years Douglas Whaley snuck into his co-workers office when no one was around, ejaculated into her coffee cup and on her desk and rubbed his penis on her phone. He filmed himself doing so 25 videos were discovered by police when they searched his phone and computer during a voyeurism investigation, a judge said at his sentencing hearing in Newmarket in February. It is disgusting and extremely disturbing. I feel violated, said his co-worker, who had no idea this was going on until the videos were discovered. The woman, whose identity is under a publication ban, believes she ingested his semen without her consent or knowledge, and that he intended for her to ingest it. But Whaley, 41, was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, mischief to property. This does not describe the gravity of the crime that was committed against me, she said in her victim-impact statement of the mischief charge. In an interview she said she does not want to minimize sexual assault in any way, but she feels like she was forced into oral sex. She says she knows the current definition of sexual assault would not capture what happened to her, but she hopes that could change. I am a victim of sexual assault, she told the court in her victim impact statement, adding in an interview later: We need to make the charge and punishment fit the crime. An assault requires touching or some kind of threat related to the application of force, University of Ottawa law professor Carissima Mathen says. This is clearly a kind of violation, but I think it falls into a grey zone (in the criminal law). (The Court of Appeal recently upheld a sexual-assault conviction where a man overpowered a woman, forced his way into her apartment and made her watch him masturbate.) It also wouldnt fall under a charge of criminal harassment because it was done secretly and the victim didnt know one of the requirements of harassment is that the victim feel fear. There are lots of ways for a persons sexual integrity to be violated without an assault, Mathen says, and some of them, such as voyeurism and the non-consensual dissemination of sexual images, have been inserted into the Criminal Code fairly recently. Its difficult for the Criminal Code to cover every variation of human evil and pathology. People have infinite ways to be horrible to each other . . . the criminal law is always in a necessary mode of catch-up, unfortunately, Mathen says. Nneka MacGregor, executive director of WomenattheCentrE, says the lack of an appropriate charge reflects a narrow understanding from both society and the law about the scope of sexual assault. Setting light to a garbage can is mischief to property, says MacGregor. Ejaculating in your co-workers drinking cup, not once but on multiple occasions, is not the same thing. But what the law does when it categorizes everything under this mischief to property, it loses sight of the real seriousness and the type of danger of that type of assault on women. In addition to the mischief charge, Whaley also pleaded guilty to four counts of voyeurism and one count of illegally entering a dwelling to commit an offence. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with six months credit for pre-sentence custody. He was also banned from using a camera, video recorder or a smartphone or computer equipped with a camera for 10 years. In his ruling, Ontario Court Justice Peter West said Whaley videotaped unsuspecting victims in the shower and sneaked into a home and videotaped himself masturbating and ejaculating into the victims underwear. There are many words which come to mind to describe Mr. Whaleys conduct: despicable, demeaning, vile, appalling, horrendous, horrific, inexcusable, unforgivable. I know that there are many others, West said. West compared Whaleys actions particularly entering a home and masturbating with the residents panties in hand to the early behaviour of sex killer Russell Williams. You shake your head at me, sir, West told Whaley in court, but the kind of breaking into houses . . . and doing what you did and videotaping is exactly what that individual did. Thats where it started. Whaley, a technician, had a previous conviction from 2011, where a security guard spotted him in a Walmart taking up-skirt pictures of a 16-year-old girl. He was caught by the same security guard in 2013, two months after his probation ended, taking photos of a womans buttocks area, the judge said, leading to police obtaining a search warrant for his phone, computer and data storage. According to the ruling, he bragged to his probation officer and a psychiatrist that he collected about 14,000 spy-cam-type photos between 2005 and 2014. He hasnt fully admitted to the gravity of his behaviour, West said, noting Whaley told his probation officer and a psychiatrist that he was fine now. Prior to being sentenced Whaley stood up in court, his jaw tight. Id like to have them know how truly sorry I am, he said. I need to apologize for any fear or anxiety they still have. I really hope they can overcome these obstacles, and I pray that one day down the road they might just be able to forgive me. Whaley declined to comment when approached at the hearing. Whaley was initially charged with administering a noxious substance with the intent to annoy or aggrieve, but that charge was dropped or withdrawn at the time of his guilty plea. Experts say it is unclear whether semen could be considered a noxious substance by the court and whether the appropriate intent could be established in such a case. Whaleys co-worker says she was shocked by the numerous delays and postponements during the case Whaley made his guilty plea in February 2015 but was only sentenced a year later. Even more disillusioning, she says, is the feeling that her case fell through the cracks. I am convinced if he wasnt a repeat offender and there werent other victims in this case, he would have only received a probation term for only my charge. SHARE: Standing just down the street from where his cousin was shot dead, Trevor Young said he cant stop wondering what the mother of two young sons, with a third on the way, was thinking as she lay dying. Knowing that she was carrying a baby, I just dont know what would have been going through her mind, Young said Sunday, glancing down Jamestown Cres. to the intersection where Candice Rochelle Bobb was killed, now host to young children laughing and chasing each other in the dusk light. Did she think, am I going to live or am I going to die? Exactly one week after Bobb was fatally shot prompting an emergency c-section to deliver her premature son a small group of Jamestown Cres. residents and religious and community leaders gathered in the north Etobicoke neighbourhood for a vigil to remember the young mother, and to call for an end to the violence that cut her life short. Bobb is among the victims of a surge of violent crime that has seen the citys homicide count double that of this time last year, up to 30 from 15. Bishop James Robinson, from Faith Open Door Ministries, said there is a dark force that has been hovering over the Rexdale neighbourhood that includes Jamestown Cres., in north Etobicoke, for well over a decade. It dates back to 2005 the infamous Year of the Gun, when Torontos homicide total spiked to 80. As then, residents today dont know whos next, Robinson said, his voice blasting through speakers set up in a central courtyard and echoing through the community. He urged the person or people responsible for Bobbs death to turn themselves in, and urged anyone with information to come forward. You live here, you know whats happening, you know whats going on. I appeal to you people: dont allow any coward to prevent you from speaking the truth, he said. The problem in this city is too much hush-hush. Bobb, 35, of Malton, was killed just after 11 p.m. last Sunday when the car she was in was sprayed with bullets while parked near Jamestown Cres. and John Garland Blvd. She was the only one of four occupants who was shot. The driver took the car to Etobicoke General Hospital, where doctors pronounced Bobb dead but delivered her baby. Young, Bobbs cousin, did not have the latest information on the baby boys health status but believes the child is still in stable condition. The rest of the young womans family, including Bobbs two other sons who are both under 16, are holding up all right, considering the tragic circumstances that hit us like a fastball, he said. Police have said the car in which Bobb was riding was targeted for unknown reasons. No one inside the car was known to police. As the group gathered in a courtyard on Jamestown Cres. to sing songs to honour Bobb and speak about gun violence, a pair of uniformed police officers patrolled the area on bikes. In the wake of Bobbs death, there have been calls for a greater police presence in the area; in just over a year, Jamestown Cres. alone has seen three gun-related deaths. In March 2015, Donald Beckles, 46, was shot dead while smoking a cigarette on the porch of his Jamestown Cres. home. Three months later, down the street, Lecent Ross, 14, was killed by a single bullet from an illegal semi-automatic handgun. A 13-year-old boy was later charged with manslaughter. Its never ending. We are still in pain everybodys hurt, said Jennifer Lawrence, a resident of the area for the last ten years. People in the community did not know Bobb because she lived in Malton, but a handful of locals and religious leaders wanted to honour the life that was lost there, Lawrence said. They also wanted to raise awareness about the need for change in the area, beginning with law enforcement. Police only come when theres a killing, Lawrence said. SHARE: The quizzical look behind Aubrey Grahams bifocals disappears when the opening chorus of Hotline Bling blasts out from a nearby iPhone. Oh yes, I like that one! he hollers, and shows his missing tooth as he smiles and bobs his head to the music he finally recognizes. The song, of course, is the stratospherically popular hit written by that other Aubrey Graham. Drake. Aubrey Sr. full name: Aubrey Douglas Graham laughs when he learns that he shares two names and an initial with one of the most recognizable musicians in the world, Aubrey Drake Graham. But Graham the elder, at 83 years old, is under no illusions about who the real Aubrey Graham is. Youd have to ask him what he thinks of having my name! he laughs. He certainly had it first. Graham was born in western Jamaica in 1933, and has lived in a small brick bungalow off Kennedy Rd. in Scarborough for almost 50 years. He grew up digging the old folk songs of his home country, stuff like Sly Mongoose, he says. When he got older he savoured the gospel stylings of Mahalia Jackson and became a huge fan of the King of Calypso, Harry Belafonte. Drake? Hip hop? Not so much, though he has a clear fondness for some of the hit singles. I used to have so much of these records, Graham says wistfully. I dont listen to music anymore . . . As soon as you reach 50 you forget about that. Leaning on the hood of an old sedan in his driveway, his head shrouded in short white hair that matches his snowy goatee, its clear that any similarity between the two Aubreys ends with the moniker. Swap Drakes swagger for casual gentility, trade his flowing verbiage for speech at a glacial pace, and youll have the elder Graham. Prompted by questions about his family name, Graham hearkens back to the days of the British Empire. The roots of his surname, he says, stem from a group of four brothers who sailed out from Scotland to the West Indies. Hes not sure when, except that it was way, way back. Eventually they settled in Jamaica, where white ancestors mixed with black, until Graham was born in the early thirties. As a young man in Jamaicas Westmoreland region bumping his favourite Belafonte tunes, no doubt Graham says he found work as a police officer and jail guard, and briefly served in the army. He moved to Toronto somewhere down sixties, he says, before he worked for almost three decades at a Goodyear tire factory. Single now and living with two tenants in his Scarborough home, Graham says he was once married and has three children, adults now, and 11 grandkids. Dont ask me where they live, he says. My wife part and left with them quite a few years ago. As Drake himself put it: They always say the hottest love has the coldest end. Graham is all smiles as the final bars of one of Drakes premier tunes fade out on the iPhone. He says that hes met Grahams all across Jamaica and here in Canada; he even worked with another Aubrey Graham at the Goodyear plant. Maybe the 6 God shares some of the same blood as those Scottish brothers, he wonders. But dont bet such a revelation would make him go, to borrow the rappers turn of phrase, zero to 100, real quick. The rapper touched down in 86. Graham, as hes quick to point out, has been around a lot longer than that. Read more about: SHARE: When Scarboroughs Shawn Johnson converted to Islam about seven years ago, there was one thing he really missed: Jamaican jerk chicken. Being a Muslim you have to eat halal and what I find is that theres no halal Jamaican food really, he said. Halal meat must be slaughtered in a specific way, by a Muslim, and if Johnson didnt cook it at home he had to do without. But with some help from his mom Rosemarie, he decided to fill a niche himself. Its catching on you know? said Rosemarie, who came to Canada from Jamaica in 1975 and has been cooking ever since. We decided, might as well do a business out of it and let everybody get a taste of my cooking, she added, standing beside drum barbecue and a tent full of family members, busy serving up steaming plates of chicken and corn on the cob. Roses Kitchen made its debut at the fourth annual Halal Food Fest, held in Mississauga over the long weekend, just one of the vendors combining different traditions for a unique, only-in-Canada multicultural mash-up, from butter chicken poutine to beef bacon. Festival founder Salima Jivraj said she started it four years ago after her halal foodie blog exploded and she realized the market was absolutely something thats not tapped into. Its now billed as the largest halal food festival in North America, attracting over 35,000 people last year. From halal Mexican to Malaysian, Jivraj sees the event as a meeting place for different flavors, and a chance to support smaller businesses that might otherwise have trouble marketing themselves. One of our goals as organizers is to have diversity, she said. People dont want to see just the usual suspects. At a jewel-bedecked booth near the front of a packed Mississauga International Centre, Henna Sethi and her mother Nina were selling dates wrapped in different spices. Henna, a banker who makes the treats with her family as a side business, warns theres a tsunami of flavours, in each one. Dates are traditionally served during Ramadan, but the mother-daughter duo has combined them with Paan, a South Asian mouth freshener. A lot of people are coming to our table and theyre like, what is this? Henna said with a laugh. The community has loved the fusion of different tastes, added Nina. Mehmet Solmaz, who owns Solmaz Finest Meat Products, sells everything from Sujuk, a traditional dry, spicy Turkish sausage, to beef bacon. We try to bring all that European western products converted into halal versions and try to keep the flavour, not exactly for Middle Eastern or South Asian people, but somewhere in the middle between the west and the east, said Solmaz. We have a lot of customers that are not Muslim but they buy from us because they like the flavour, they like the quality of it, he added. Solmaz grew up in Turkey watching his father, a halal butcher, using his knife perfectly like an artist. He now runs his business alongside his brothers. His secret, he said, isnt spices, but family. A lot of people say, what do you put inside? I say, you know what, I just put my love inside. SHARE: Giraffes: theyre weird! These spindly creatures have necks so long that their bodies are studies in brilliant adaptation. Their torsos are stunted to support their impossibly long necks. Their dangerously thin legs grow super straight, keeping them from bowing under pressure. Their blood pressure is twice as high as our own which allows them to pump blood more than six feet up in a straight shot so it can make it all the way to the brain. Scientists know that these adaptations all emerged relatively quickly (on an evolutionary scale, that is) because the giraffe only separated from a common ancestor with its closest relative, the okapi, around 11 million years ago. In that time, the giraffe has become well, a giraffe while the okapi has maintained the zebra-esque appearance of their ancestors. But the giraffes genes suggest that these radical changes were the result of a few subtle mutations. The first full genome sequences of the giraffe and the okapi were published Tuesday in Nature Communications. Douglas Cavener of Penn State University, who co-led the research team with Morris Agaba of the Nelson Mandela African Institute for Science and Technology in Tanzania, told the Washington Post that he was pleasantly surprised by all the findings. Cavener and Agaba compared the genomes of the giraffe and the okapi (along with those of 40 other mammals, including humans) to figure out what genes might give giraffes their quirks. Because the okapi and giraffe genome are so similar, any differences could be used to hunt down the genes behind long necks and hardy hearts. Instead of completely new genes, they found 70 genes with giraffe-specific mutations. Theres a misconception that to make something novel in evolution you must be doing something very dramatic at the DNA level, but that just isnt the case, Cavener said. You can have these very subtle changes in DNA that create dramatic effects. Most of the genes they found are known to help regulate physical development in other mammals, which is exciting it adds credence to the idea that tweaking these genes could turn a donkey-like creature into the tallest animal on land. Some of the genes they identified, such as one called FGFRL1, simultaneously influence the skeletal and cardiovascular development of other mammals. And that makes sense, because it wouldnt be a case that youd create an animal with a long neck and then say oh, we have a problem with the cardiovascular system, it cant support this, and then have that change, Cavener said. In other words, tweaks in these multitasking genes could have simultaneously created long necks and long-neck-supporting cardiovascular systems, whereas a mutation on a skeletal gene alone might have resulted in one very dead giraffe. More research is needed to know whether or not these genes are truly behind giraffes long necks. For now, theyre just promising candidates. A lot of subtle changes went into giraffe evolution, and were just scratching the surface of what the genetic changes are, Cavener said. Cavener plans on testing out some of these genes soon. He and his team will breed genetically modified mice, replacing their own copies of individual genes with the mutated giraffe version. With any luck, they might see some familiar looking skeletal or cardiovascular changes. Understanding how these creatures handle such high blood pressure without injury could help develop treatments for humans, the researchers say. And the genomic analysis of the giraffe will have more immediate applications as well: The team plans to look at the genomes of possible subspecies of giraffe to determine whether theyre actually distinct from one another. If they are, then some of those subspecies are clearly endangered, Cavener said. Populations have declined by 40 per cent over the past 15 years because of poaching and habitat loss, he explained, and some estimate that there could be fewer than 10,000 giraffes left by the end of the century. But if some giraffe populations have unique genes, they could disappear even sooner. This could be quite useful in finding them, he said. SHARE: WASHINGTONAs the Obama administration prepares to publish a long-delayed accounting of how many militants and non-combatant civilians it has killed since 2009, its statistics may be defined as much by what is left out as by what is included. Release of the information was first envisioned three years ago this month, as part of strict new guidelines President Obama announced for the United States controversial use of drones and other forms of lethal force to battle terrorism abroad. Such operations, Obama said in a 2013 speech at the National Defense University, would also be subject to new transparency and oversight. The casualty numbers, like the guidelines, will cover places where the United States conducts airstrikes but does not consider itself officially at war: Yemen, Somalia and Libya. They are likely to exclude Pakistan, where the CIA has conducted hundreds of drone strikes but which the administration has long labelled part of the Afghanistan war theatre. The United States still does not publicly acknowledge CIA attacks inside Pakistan, although the Pentagon announced Saturday that it had targeted Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in Pakistan. Not all strikes in the included countries are considered counterterrorism actions, which must be approved by the highest level of government. With U.S. Special Operations forces deployed to all three places, some strikes are defined as self-defence and can be approved by the defence secretary. That was the case on March 5 in Somalia, when manned and unmanned aircraft killed an estimated 150 Al Shabab militants at a training camp, the largest such nonwar strike ever, and on May 12, when U.S. forces called in an airstrike after African peacekeeping troops they were accompanying were attacked by militants west of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. The totals will almost inevitably be challenged by independent groups that keep their own tallies and for years have charged that the administration undercounts civilian casualties caused by drone strikes. Beyond debates over statistics, there are broader questions on how, when and where Obamas guidelines apply, how they have changed amid a mutating threat, including the growth of Daesh (also known as ISIS), and what standing they will have after the president completes his term in January. My hope is, is that by the time I leave office, there is not only an internal structure in place that governs these standards weve set, but also an institutionalized process ... so that people can look at actions taken by their government on an annualized basis, Obama said last month. The pending announcement will also be accompanied by additional information on the guidelines, perhaps elevating them to an executive order, according to several senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not yet been made public. How Obama plans to impose the standards he has set on future administrations is unclear. We have a system for making rules that will bind across time that involves statutes passed, treaties adopted, constitutional change, etc., said Robert M. Chesney, associate dean and director of the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas law school. Its just not possible, as a legal matter, for decisions of one administration to become binding in a legal sense on their successorsany more than Obama was bound by policies and rules imposed by his predecessor, George W. Bush. At the time the guidelines were written, drone-fired missiles appeared to have become Obamas counterterrorism weapon of choice. By early 2013, he had launched hundreds of strikes, most of them in Pakistan, compared with around 50 throughout the Bush administration. But the president and his top advisers were concerned that the program had too few controls and publicly stated justifications under international law. The secrecy that necessarily surrounded itvirtually all Pakistan strikes have been conducted by the CIA and are considered covert actionslimited the ways in which they could defend it. While acknowledging that some civilian casualties had occurred, they said that claims of hundreds or more deaths by non-government organizations have been wildly inaccurate. Obama himself recalled the dilemma in a news conference last month, saying that theres been, in the past, legitimate criticism that the ... legal architecture around the use of drone strikes or other kinetic strikes wasnt as precise as it should have been, and theres no doubt that civilians were killed that shouldnt have been. The beginning of 2013 seemed the right time to promulgate new rules. With the end of the Iraq War, the planned U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the perceived diminishment of Al Qaeda, senior administration officials said, there would be less need for drone strikes. The goal was to establish a long-term legal and procedural framework for those occasions that required them. With operations in Pakistan gradually ending, the CIA would be eased out of the business of lethal attacks, and they would become the sole responsibility of the military. The guidelines were only applicable to nonwar zonesplaces defined as outside areas of active hostilities. A policy term that does not appear in the international laws of war, the concept can theoretically be applied anywhere in the world and has been a subject of sharp debate among international-law experts. The United States justifies its counterterrorism attacks under a variety of domestic and international laws. The Authorization for Use of Military Force passed by Congress in 2001 allows force to prevent further attacks by Al Qaeda, responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks that year, and the government for more than a decade has construed this to include al-Qaedas associated forces. A complete list of associated forces has never been released, although both Bush and Obama have said it includes Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, and Obama has said individuals in Al Shabab with AQAP ties can be subject to counterterrorism strikes. The administration also considers the Daesh part of Al Qaeda, despite the bitter rivalry between the groups, while it has unsuccessfully pressed Congress for a new AUMF to cover the Daesh more specifically. Article II of the Constitution gives the commander in chief powers to defend the country. It is a provision frequently cited by Bush and eschewed by Obama at the beginning of his administration, but later incorporated into his lexicon of legal justifications. International law allows countries to defend themselves and their allies in the event of an armed attack, which the government has interpreted as extending to preventive defence against defined terrorists wherever they are located. When the administration announced its new rules for counterterrorism, it said they went beyond those required by law. Under the 2013 guidelines, deadly attacks would be used only against those groups and individuals posing a continuing, imminent threat to U.S. persons, a much smaller universe than the former U.S. interests. Only the president could approve such strikes, and the go-ahead would be given only when there was a near certainty of no civilian casualties. Since the guidelines were adopted, and released in an unclassified summary, the terrorism landscape has changed considerably, and the administration has struggled to keep up. Two countriesIraq and Syriahave been added to the list of designated war zones, where the military and the international laws of war impose somewhat different rules. The Daesh, officially born in 2014, has spread its tentacles across the Middle East and North Africa. We are continuously refining, clarifying, and strengthening our standards and procedures for reviewing and approving direct action against terrorist targets located ... outside areas of active hostilities, a senior administration official said of the rules, officially known as the counterterrorism PPG, for Presidential Policy Guidance. The reduced number of lethal actions predicted three years ago by administration officials has come to pass, but almost all of the reduction has been in Pakistan, where the number of strikes has steadily fallen from a high of more than 100 in 2010 to only two reported by outside observers so far this year before Saturdays military strike. But the focus of U.S. activities has expanded elsewhere, outside the war zones. In Yemen, the number of airstrikes peaked in 2012, fell over the next two years, and has begun to rise again this year. In Somalia, it has increased steadily since the PPG was first announced. Two airstrikes on alleged terrorist targets this year in Libya were the first since the 2011 joint air offensive by the United States and European allies that ousted Moammar Gadhafi. For those trying to tally them outside the government, the number of recent counterterrorism strikes has been muddied by the separate category of defence for Special Operations forces on the ground and the fact that some strikes, but not all, are publicly announced. In emailed responses to written questions, the Defense Department said it keeps no central list of strikes outside areas of active hostilities. Some are announced by the Pentagon, some by Central Command in charge of Yemen, and others by the Africa Command. Some are not made public at all, consistent with operational security, the response said. The CIA, whose drone strikes remain secret, is still thought to be operating drones in Yemen. Since the beginning of November, official releases have documented about half of more than 30 U.S. strikesmore than half in Yemen, two in Libya and the rest in Somaliaas compiled by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, one of several organizations that count them based on local reporting and other sources. Independent counts of civilian deaths in individual operations are zero or in low single digits, far reduced from previous years tallies. We are committed to transparency, the Defense Department said. While not all strikes are announced or publicly acknowledged in real time, information on all of our strikes taken outside areas of active hostilities will be aggregated for release in future annual releases. With files from Julie Tate. Read more about: SHARE: I dont know if Mordechai Ronen is familiar with the philosophy of the late Emil Fackenheim, famed University of Toronto professor. But he seems to have absorbed Fackenheims most cited dictum that after the Holocaust Jews are commanded to survive in order to deprive Hitler of a posthumous victory. Hitlers aim was to erase the Jews from the face of the Earth. The fact that they exist, indeed flourish, today is evidence that he has failed. The memoir Ronen wrote with Steve Paikin, host of The Agenda on TVO, is called I Am a Victor. He survived the Holocaust; the victory is his, not Hitlers. In the late 1990s he and his son Moshe accompanied Prime Minister Jean Chretien on a visit to Auschwitz, the notorious German death camp in Poland, where Ronen had been an inmate. At one point Chretien asked him how he felt. He replied: I came here more than 50 years ago with my family in a cattle car and my parents and sisters were murdered here Now, I return in the company of my prime minister, in a limousine, with my son whos the head of the Canadian Jewish community. I feel like a victor. Hence the title of his book. Fackenheim was an ardent Zionist, convinced that the existence of the State of Israel is a guarantee that Hitler wouldnt get his victory. In 1948, three years after being liberated from Auschwitz and days after Israels Declaration of Independence, the 16-year-old Mordechai arrived in the land under very dramatic circumstances. He came with his two brothers, who also survived, and was by then a member of a radical Zionist group, later to be incorporated in Likud, the political party of Israels Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Mordechai Ronen spent 18 years as a professional soldier in the Israel Defence Forces. Afterwards, together with his wife and their two sons, he came to Montreal to visit one of his brothers who had immigrated to Canada earlier. They stayed. The Ronen family retained their Zionist commitment while living in Canada. They settled in Toronto where they fused their love of Israel with boundless enthusiasm for their new country. Ronens is a story of survival and gratitude because he was spared the gas chambers, was privileged to raise a family, to serve the Jewish people and the Jewish state, and to live in Canada. His is a kind-of religious testimonial but not a work of theology. Most exponents of the Jewish religion are reticent about forgiving God for what had befallen their people. Instead, they often ask or imply: Where was God at Auschwitz? How could a good God allow the slaughter of millions? But this survivor is first and foremost thankful: In spite of it all, I still believe in God. I still believe his looking out for me enabled me to survive the Holocaust. For that, I shall always be grateful, as long as I have breath left in me. Scholars often remind us that memoirs, not least Holocaust memoirs, moving as they are, are poor sources when it comes to establishing historic events. But they are invaluable and often inspirational for those who come after them and want to sense what it must have been like to start life again, despite the suffering and the losses. Ronens book is of that ilk. Early in May Jews will mark Yom Hashoa, a day devoted to prayer and reflection on what happened during the Holocaust. They will again try to remember without denying God and, perhaps even more important, try to make sure that what happened then never happens again to any people. Dow Marmur is rabbi emeritus of Torontos Holy Blossom Temple. His column appears every other week. SHARE: Many Canadians are unaware that in the immediate postwar decades, federal and provincial governments funded draconian adoption policies that harmed unmarried mothers across Canada. This is being referred to by scholars as the adoption mandate or the Baby Scoop Era. Unmarried mothers in the hundreds of thousands were systematically and often violently separated from their babies by means of adoption in Australia, New Zealand, U.K., Canada and the United States, simply because of their marital status. In Canada, more than 350,000 unmarried mothers were impacted by the mandate from 1940 to 1970. During this period, more than 60 church-run and government-funded maternity facilities operated in Canada, managed by mainstream religions including Catholic, Anglican, United, Presbyterian and Salvation Army. Once placed in a maternity home, it was unlikely an unmarried mother would leave the experience with her baby. In these facilities, adoption rates were as high as 96 per cent, while rates for surrender in Ontario outside of maternity homes were about 76 per cent during the 1960s. This is in contrast to today, where unmarried mothers relinquish their babies for adoption at the rate of approximately 2 per cent. Maternity facilities were quasi-incarceral settings where unmarried mothers were confined for three to five months of their pregnancy until they gave birth. The environment was punitive and shaming. To be rehabilitated or redeemed, the penance for the sin of out-of-wedlock pregnancy was the relinquishment of the baby for adoption. Women confined in Canadas maternity homes report being subjected to physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse. Unmarried mothers from maternity homes were routinely dropped off at hospital to labour alone, their file indicating MISS or BFA (Baby for Adoption) instigating hospital protocols for unmarried mothers prior to the signing of consents. Mothers report verbal, physical, psychological, punitive and harsh treatment in Canadian hospitals. My own research has shown unmarried mothers were segregated from married mothers, left to labour alone, denied pain medication, and restrained on delivery tables. Mothers were prevented from eye contact with their babies in delivery rooms by use of sheets, pillows, aversion of mirrors, or other means, in order to prevent bonding ignoring the fact these mothers were already bonded to the baby they had carried for nine months. Mothers were routinely denied their right to see, hold and feed their babies after birth. Some were told their babies died, only to learn their child had been adopted when their child sought them out years later for reunion. Others still do not know if they delivered a boy or a girl. Mothers report the use of threats, fear, duress, lies, trickery and even physical force to obtain uniformed consents, with no legal counsel, many signing alone, with only a social worker or two in attendance. Mothers were routinely not given a copy of any paper signed, and were usually not informed of their right of revocation. Mothers were returned to the community immediately after birth, still recovering from childbirth, in shock and traumatized from the harsh treatment and loss of their baby, told to keep the secret, never to tell their future husbands, and provided no counselling or aftercare. Many of these mothers continue to live with the stigmatized identity of an unwed mother and continue to keep the secret. These women must be acknowledged. A Senate inquiry or Parliamentary committee to investigate these matters, such as the one held in Australia, is called for by these mothers, now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. A parliamentary committee will serve to inform those children separated from their mother by adoption that they were loved and wanted; not abandoned. It may serve to reach out to those who continue to hide in shame and secrecy and who may not know about the support services available to them today. An inquiry will also validate the lifelong psychological and intergenerational damage to families caused by these practices, and may serve to facilitate affirming and healing reunions, and repatriation to Indigenous status, lost in the adoption transaction. It can also raise awareness for the need for transparency in adoption records still closed in PEI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec, and Northwest Territories. At the very least, it may serve to provide those impacted with the mental health services they were denied so many years ago. Valerie Andrews is executive director of Origins Canada, a federal non-profit organization supporting those separated by adoption. SHARE: At what point will you say no to this war? This was the burning question asked by Jesuit priest Daniel Berrigan on May 17, 1968, as he ignited a new current in the U.S. antiwar movement. Joined by brother and fellow cleric Philip, along with seven other Catholic activists, Daniel Berrigan seized hundreds of draft files from the Knights of Columbus Building in Catonsville, Maryland. Using homemade napalm concocted reputedly of kerosene and Ivory soap flakes, a replica of the terrible incendiaries cascading from U.S. bombers in Vietnam, Berrigan burned the draft files, apologizing for the fracture of good order, the burning of paper instead of children. With his passing April 30, just days before his 95th birthday, encomiums to this intrepid activist, poet, prolific author, and steadfast peace advocate have graced the pages not only of the religious press, but also The New York Times, The Guardian, The Economist, and the New Yorker. Following his arrest and sentencing for his role in the Catonsville protest, Daniel extended his political dissent by evading the law for four months in what he called felonious vagrancy, becoming the first priest to top the FBIs Most Wanted list, and popping up, Houdini-like, for media interviews to protest the war in Vietnam. By the time of his rearrest in August 1970, he had helped inspire a rash of protests and acts of civil disobedience across the U.S., including sit-ins, demonstrations, and the public burning of draft cards. According to U.S. peace activist John Dear, who considered Berrigan his greatest friend and teacher, Berrigan was a world changer, and, along with Martin Luther King, Jr., Catholic Worker founder Dorothy Day, and Mohandas Gandhi, represented one of the greatest paladins of peace in the 20th century. Berrigans peace advocacy continued long after the bombs stopped falling in Vietnam. He protested the U.S. military intervention in Central America and acceleration of the nuclear arms race during the 1980s, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, all the while reaching out to AIDS victims in New York City, and later, the Occupy Wall Street movement. His consistent denunciations of the war-making sins of the state and his lifelong screed against what he termed American military imperialism made his relationship with the Catholic Church a complicated one. His stance on Vietnam and refusal to denounce certain controversial protesters, such as the self-immolating Roger LaPorte, for example, did not sit well with the powerful Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York, who allegedly put pressure on Berrigans Jesuit superiors to send him into ministerial exile in Latin America. After widespread protest, Berrigan returned from Latin America after only three months, apparently even more radicalized by the poverty and state violence he had witnessed there. In addition, some on the religious left critiqued Berrigan for his unflinching opposition to abortion and euthanasia, his lack of alacrity surrounding the churchs sex abuse scandal, and the sense that his protests alienated as many as they attracted. Berrigans response to this latter critique was characteristically witty and laconic: A good peace movement starts out small and gets smaller. Despite his award-winning poetry and profound writings, Berrigans stubborn embrace of peace, for a variety of reasons, will perhaps be his most perduring legacy. First, at the heart of his peace message is that every person must be treated with respect, dignity, and compassion. Every human life is precious. There are no exceptions. Such a stance does not fit easily into a post 9/11 political milieu marked by a globalized war on terror in which illegal non-combatants are held without charge or trial, torture is rebranded as enhanced interrogation, and relentless drone strikes obliterate women and children as collateral damage. Second, for Berrigan, you cant have peace without justice. Economic and social justice form the requisite social soil for the tendrils of peace to spread and flourish. Third, the path of peace involves conflict. Like Martin Luther King, Jr., Berrigan knew that one could not shy away from compassionate contestation in order to wage peace. The work of pacifism is never passive. Ultimately, Daniel Berrigans greatest legacy may well be his life itself, which demonstrates that, even in times of war, peace is always possible. Stephen Bede Scharper, a former editor of Orbis Books, teaches at the University of Toronto. Stephen.scharper@utoronto.ca SHARE: My wife and I recently moved into a place most people like to describe in euphemisms: a residence for seniors, for the golden age, for 55 and better, etc. In fact, its an old age home, but one that allows for independent living while providing support when needed. Some people suspect us of having given up on life by parking ourselves in never-never land. Thats not how we see it. Our primary purpose is to live near at least some of our family without being a burden to any of them. Even if the cost may deprive them of their inheritance we hope to bequeath to them less complicated memories and no sense of guilt that they havent done enough for us. Unlike in previous generations, the ethos of contemporary society seems to suggest that admitting to being old is something of a character flaw. Hence the euphemisms and, more menacing, the promotion of so-called anti-aging devices and potions. By listening to old people instead of vainly trying to make them deny their age, itll soon become apparent that their actual experiences are often very life-affirming. Last December John Leland reported in the New York Times that he had followed a number of old people over several years and came to the sobering conclusion that they see themselves very differently from the way theyre being viewed in our ostensibly enlightened society. Leland wrote: A paradox of old age is that older people have a greater sense of well-being than younger ones not because theyre unreservedly blissful, but because they accept a mixture of happiness and sadness in their lives, and leverage this mixture when events come their way. The reason may be wisdom. Leland quoted Monika Ardelt, a researcher at the University of Florida: Even as the brain slows down or memory deteriorates, older people are often better decision-makers, recognizing patterns or being more attuned to the effects of their decisions. I take great comfort from this observation and think of it when people look askance at my way of facing reality. Not that Ive suddenly and improbably grown wise, but that Im being realistic. As Ardelt put it: Wisdom may not necessarily increase in old age other researchers have found that it does not but it becomes more central to peoples lives as they age, and compensate for much of the decline. Laura Carstensen, the founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity, was cited by Leland to have come to a similar conclusion: The older people get, the more positive they are about aging and the more adaptive they are to their limitations. Much of that is reflected in the atmosphere and the rich programming in our home. Gifted teachers, some of them fellow-residents, keep us abreast with whats going on in the world, not to help us kill time but to enrich our lives. The experience may also help to turn or return old people to religion, not out of fear of death but out of love of life. Leland cited an old person whom he interviewed: My favourite part of the day is waking up in the morning and thanking God for another day. The first prayer Jews are bidden to recite when opening their eyes reads: I thank you, living and eternal sovereign, for you have mercifully restored my soul within me; your faithfulness is great. Over the years these words have gained ever deeper meaning for me. Whereas most young people assume that all they have is owed to them, old people perceive it as a gift that evokes gratitude and celebration. Nobody should feel sorry for us. Dow Marmur is rabbi emeritus at Torontos Holy Blossom Temple. His column appears every fourth week. SHARE: Democracy loves openness, but governments quite often do not. After all, secrecy is usually the politically easier path. So how does a country ensure public transparency, even when it may not seem to be in the best interests of the governing party? The answer is an access to information law that ensures openness and a watchdog capable of enforcing it. Canada, sadly, has neither. Our access to information system, which was designed for a pre-digital world, hasnt been updated in 30 years. And our watchdog has no teeth. This suited the obscurantist Harper Conservatives just fine. But Justin Trudeaus Liberals came to power promising a new era of openness, and in short order set up a parliamentary committee to look at giving Canadas access laws a much-needed overhaul. It was all very hopeful. How discouraging, then, to see the Liberals, just six months into their mandate, already on the wrong side of a clash with Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault. At issue is a campaign promise to give the information commissioners office important new powers. Under the current system, the commissioner can investigate complaints and recommend that information be released, but she cannot force the government to comply. If she disagrees with the rationale for a refusal to share, she can take the matter to court. But in recent years this has become increasingly impractical. In 2013-14, government departments and agencies invoked cabinet secrecy more than 3,100 times to avoid sharing information a 49-per-cent uptick from the previous year. Thats a lot of potential court cases. Evidently, the Liberals agreed. They vowed to heed the call of transparency advocates and invest the commissioner with the authority to issue binding orders that would force government disclosures. It would be an important move toward transparency. But a proposal the Liberals are now floating would fully undermine it. The government recently raised the possibility that, under an updated access law, cabinet members would have a veto that would allow them to block the commissioners new powers whenever they wanted. In other words, the government now seems to be promising to do much better on openness unless it decides not to. Unsurprisingly, openness advocates are beside themselves. Legault suggested that the veto would actually make the new system worse than the old one. It would create an oversight model that is actually a mirage, she said. Vincent Gogolek, executive director of the British Columbia Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, was pithier: We think this is a bad idea, he told the House committee. No kidding. Clearly there must be limits to openness. Some sensitive information ought to be kept from public view, whether on national security or matters of personal privacy. But as Duff Conacher, a founder of the group Democracy Watch, told the committee, it should be up to the information commissioner to determine whether an exemption applies in every single case. Thats right. The decision should be in the hands of the information commissioner. And where theres disagreement, the burden should be on the government, with its significant resources, to make its case to the court. Good thing the Liberals are merely floating this idea. That means theres still time to yank it down to earth and bury it. If the government is serious about its much-vaunted commitment to open government, it will do just that. SHARE: Doug Kass shares his views every day on RealMoneyPro. Click here for a real-time look at his insights and musings. Doug's Morning Musings Originally published at 8:54 AM EDT on May 20, 2016 Let's start the day today with a roundup of news and observations: The Markets I took in some of my index shorts at good prices Thursday amid four weeks of market declines. I remain in a pessimistic mode, but a practical one. Trading around positions seems to be a reasonable strategy given what expect for 2016's balance -- a choppy, newsy and even random market that's governed by machines and algos. I continue to expect low-double-digit percentage declines for the S&P 500 for the year as a whole. Ergo, I'll be a short seller on any market strength. I still believe that stocks began making an important and major market top in May 2015, and that what we've seen since has just been a part of that process. Of course, the market might be due for a bounce in the near term, so I responded accordingly yesterday by reducing my short exposure. The Fed Despite growing expectations for the Federal Reserve to boost rates at its June or July meetings, I still don't foresee any rate hikes this year (as I expressed in December in my 15 Surprises for 2016). The Fed's June meeting is simply too close to Britain's "Brexit" vote, and I expect greater visibility of a U.S. economic downturn to appear by July. Did you see the carnage in many fixed-income sectors over the past two days -- particularly in closed-end municipal bond funds? Remember: When sentiment turns, liquidity dries up. Ergo the expression: "Sell when you can, not when you have to!" Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) Valeant received another notice of default from bondholders Thursday. I would avoid Valeant's shares, as I believe things could end badly there. Apple (AAPL) I've been quiet about Apple over the past few weeks. The shares are trading in the $90s, buoyed by Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) , (BRK.B) and its purchase of about $1 billion of AAPL stock. But my bearish thesis for Apple remains intact, and I believe Berkshire will be proven wrong. I give the stock a 12-month target of about $80 a share vs. Thursday's $94.20 close, and I'll consider shorting more AAPL in the $95 to $100 range. I continue to believe that Apple won't eclipse its 2015 earnings-per-share peak for years, given the conclusion of the iPhone's last important upgrade cycle and the absent of any needle-moving new products. The New York Times' James B. Stewart discusses the concept of Apple as a value play in an interesting recent column, but I respectfully disagree. As CNET.com reported yesterday, the Android just blew past the iPhone. Retail's Winners ... and Losers I'm simpatico with Jim "El Capitan" Cramer that Amazon (AMZN) and Walmart (WMT) will ultimately win the retail battle. But I suspect that I'm even more negative than Jim is on the rest of the bricks-and-mortar space, where I see numerous "value traps." I have no longs in retail space and one major short: Nordstrom (JWN) , which has been berry, berry good to me. I also recently shorted Foot Locker (FL) , which l'll have more to say about next week. I expect to launch even more shorts in the sector on any strength in the weeks ahead. Do Your Research My big theme yesterday was on the importance of doing your own research. After all, few "experts" saw the retail sector's recent carnage coming, even though the evidence for it was right in front of us. Consider how unlikely it is to succeed in delivering great investment returns when you participate in what I call "Group Stink." (This is one of the reasons that I see Peak Hedge Funds.) I'll admit that doing your own research is hard work, but think about how much research goes into Jim Cramer's hard-hitting CEO interviews on Mad Money. And remember, be wary of the self-confident -- especially many of the business media's "talking heads." Many are trying to sell you something, and they're often not being honest with themselves or us. And frequently, their knowledge of a given company is "miles wide and inches deep." As I noted yesterday, you can do your own independent and innovative research while in your pajamas! Miscellaneous As I've mentioned previously, a lot of high-profile stocks are rolling over these days. So, I'd recommend avoiding Apple, Ford (F) , General Motors (GM) , Netflix (NFLX) , Starbucks (SBUX) and Walt Disney Co. (DIS) even though they might seem "cheap." I'm short on all of them, and my diary is filled with critical analyses of each one. As always, the most important factor that I see is slowing secular profit expectations for them all. Position: Long SH (small); Short IWM, AAPL, F, GM, SPY (small), QQQ (small), SBUX (small), DIS (small), NFLX (small), FL (small) Fixed Income Isn't the Place to Be On both stocks and bonds I am the polar opposite of Mae West, who once said, "There are only two types of men I like -- foreign and domestic. Originally published at 2:14 PM EDT on May 19, 2016 In several of my recent posts I have suggested that there is reward vs. risk on anything income-related -- including bond-equivalent stocks -- and anything in the fixed-income world should be sold, post haste. I continue to believe this to be the case. A mean regression in yields is virtually inevitable. Only the timing is in question. Check out the utter carnage in closed-end municipal bond funds yesterday and today. In today's session, some of these funds are down by over 2%! I fear that in fixed income, the worst is yet to come. And that likely includes my old friend, Blackstone/GSO Strategic Credit Fund (BGB) , in high-yield land. Position: None Always Avoid 'Group Stink' Originally published at 1:19 PM EDT on May 19, 2016 Thanks for the nice responses to my morning post on how to do your own independent, differentiated and value-added research. My advice: Always be creative in your research process. Most people simply interpret and analyze the same fundamental and technical data, view research from similar sources and attend the same conferences and management presentations. In other words, most players are simply talking to each other! I call this "Group Stink." While the investment world has never before been this transparent, remember that: We're inundated more than ever before with the same data. The technicians are all reading the same charts. The fundamentalists are all interpreting the same data and listening to the same eternally optimistic company managements. Much of the business media report the same pablum over and over again from the same commentators and "talking heads" (who are usually just "talking their book" anyway). As I mentioned earlier, I'll suggest in the coming days some additional innovative research techniques that I've devised over the years. Position: None Let me emphasize that trading around positions is just that -- it is not a cosmic statement on the markets. Bidding My Time Originally published at 2:41 PM EDT on May 19, 2016 I fully expect to re-establish an outsize short exposure if and when the market rallies. The market, in part because of the aviation disaster and the Fed, has become too newsy. Intraday moves are likely to be more spastic than usual. Ergo, I reduce my VAR -- value at risk. Meanwhile, I see breakdowns in a number of my shorts, including Caterpillar (CAT) , Disney (DIS) , Starbucks (SBUX) , Coca-Cola (KO) , iShares China Large-Cap (FXI) , Netflix (NFLX) , Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) . Position: Short CAT, DIS, SBUX, KO, FXI, NFLX, F, GM APPLE and STARBUCKS are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. See how Cramer rates the stock here. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells APPL or SBUX? Learn more now. Doug Kass is the president of Seabreeze Partners Management Inc. Under no circumstances does this information represent a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. The key to successful investing is to take the long view and block out the daily noise. That's particularly true when it comes to the cruise line industry, which continues to grow, despite concerns about the safety of international travel. Last year, for example, the world's floating vacation villas welcomed 23 million passengers, up from 15 million in 2006. That figure will jump to 24 million this year, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. The main country driving that growth: China, where the ballooning middle class is increasingly eager to cruise its cares away. Between 2012 and 2014, the number of Chinese passengers rose at a 79% annual rate, according to the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association. "Chinese cruise tourists will most probably surpass one million in 2015," said Zheng Weihang, the association's vice-president, in a January Maritime Executive article. "I expect this number to reach 2.5 million by the year 2020, 4.5 million by 2025 and seven million by 2030." One of the first international cruise companies to establish itself in China was RoyalCaribbean Cruises (RCL) , the world's largest cruise operator. Royal Caribbean has 47 ships and nine more on order. The company is now diverting some of its newest ships to the east, including the 4,200-passenger Quantum of the Seas, which started sailing out of Shanghai year-round in 2015. This year, the company will bring its Chinese fleet to five when it adds the new 4,180-passenger Ovation of the Seas. To be sure, the cruise industry can be highly volatile. For example, passenger growth slowed, following the sinking of the Costa Concordia in 2012 and the power outage that left the Carnival Triumph dead in the water in the Gulf of Mexico in 2013. But the industry has rebounded from those woes, and aside from strong prospects in China, it can look forward to continued growth in mature markets like the U.S., where just 24% of the population has taken a cruise. Higher passenger numbers and a jump in onboard spending propelled Royal Caribbean to a 5.6% year-over-year revenue increase in the first quarter, to $1.92 billion, matching the consensus forecast. Earnings per share more than doubled, to $0.46, and were well ahead of the $0.31 analysts expected. The Brussels terrorist attacks hurt the company's Mediterranean business, but that meant that North Americans stayed closer to home, buying Royal Caribbean's cruise packages in Alaska, Bermuda and the Caribbean, instead. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean is an under-appreciated income play: the $0.375 quarterly dividend yields 1.9% on an annualized basis. But if you look beyond that below-average yield, you'll see a tidal wave of dividend growth: In the last four years, RCL has boosted the payout by 150%. The dividend should keep rising with Royal Caribbean's profits. In its last earnings report, the company upped its full-year EPS guidance from $6.15 to $6.35 for 2016, which would be an increase of 27% to 32% from 2015. The average analyst estimate calls for EPS to jump to $7.21 in 2017. Along with the higher earnings comes a higher share price -- or at least the expectation of one. The average 12-month price target on the stock sits at $99.50, nearly 30% higher than today's finish. Royal Caribbean trades at just 12.6 times the $6.25 a share analysts expect it to earn this year, the same as Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings but a discount compared to Carnival at 14.8. So if you're looking to dip a toe in the cruise industry, grab some Royal Caribbean shares now. --- Royal Caribbean's forecasted gain of 27% pales in comparison to the returns you could pocket using a simple strategy I've found. In just 9 minutes a week, you can use it to generate a tidy "side income" of $67,548 a year-guaranteed! Click here to see how easy it is to collect thousands of dollars in "Free Money" every month. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Shares of Ford Motor (F) and General Motors (GM) are down about 14%each over the past 12 months, as electric-car pioneer Tesla Motors grabs a lot of the industry's attention. Yet, despite their double-digit earnings-per-share growth projections for the next five years, Ford and GM are tagged as slow movers on Wall Street. However, the time to buy long-term growth opportunities is when they are undervalued. With more than 4% dividend yields and low payout ratios, investors can continue to bank on both stocks and await an eventual turnaround. Let's take a closer look at these two outstanding investments. Founded by the great grandfather of chairman William Ford, Ford is the second-largest U.S. based automaker. The $50-plus billion manufacturing heavyweight has received solid response from non-U.S. markets, judging by recent monthly numbers. April sales rose 6.3% across the 20-largest markets in Europe. There was also a 7% increase in China. In the United States, Ford had a 4.4% uptick thanks to the F-Series. Ford is also trying to re-invent itself and stay in tune with the times. The buzz is that the company's working on an electric vehicle to compete on a mass-market basis with the Tesla Model 3 and GM-owned Chevrolet Bolt. Although annual revenue is nowhere near the peak of $160 billion in 2006, Ford is far more profitable, with a steady 4% to 5% operating margin, much different than its earlier volatility. Over the past five years, Ford has delivered between $3.5 billion and $9 billion annually in free cash flow, after a spate of share buybacks and paying dividends anywhere between $900 million to $4 billion annually. With a 4.55% yield, three years of dividend growth, from 20 cents in 2011 to 60 cents last year, Ford's payout ratio of less than 29% shows how it can keep pushing incomes. Although one could argue that Ford's juicy valuation of about 6.22 times forward price-earnings has more to do with the stock's fall compared with peers such as Ferrari,Honda Motor and Toyota, the stock is a smart proposition. It is a great income play for conservative investors looking for a steady capital inflow, regardless of the stock price movement. Meanwhile, GM's leadership in truck models in well-known. The company boasts an impressive line-up of models and an extensive network to sell automobiles. Much like Ford, GM failed to increase revenue meaningfully but remained profitable in the past few years, churning out $6 billion to $9 billion in net income regularly. On a free-cash-flow basis, GM delivered $2 billion to $5 billion every year over the past three years. If the projected 14% per year EPS growth for the next half a decade isn't impressive enough, GM's almost 5% dividend yield is. The annual payout of $1.52 a share and 27.1% payout ratio could keep rising. In the recent past, GM hasn't shown a lot of promise. Cadillac sales slumped in the United States, as did those for Buick, Chevrolet and GMC in April. GM is also in the line of fire after supposedly overstating fuel economy ratings. However, putting all those issues aside, on a cash flow basis the stock is fairly stable. That should support dividends payments, worth $2.3 billion annually. With a cash balance of $18 billion-plus, GM is a safe bet for dividends, given that the cash chest is virtually worth two years of profits and is the among the biggest when compared with Ferrari ($0.6 billion), Honda ($16 billion) and Nissan ($8.67 billion). Stay with this safe dividend bet. --- An 85% accurate trader gives his personal guarantee: "Give me nine minutes a week, and I guarantee you $67,548 a year." He turned $50,000 into $5 million trading this way, and for a limited time, he is guaranteeing investors at least $67,548 per year in profitable trades if they follow this simple step-by-step process. Click here to see how easy it is to collect thousands of dollars in "free money" every month. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. There's no way Bayer's (BAYRY) $62 billion bid for genetically modified seedmaker Monsanto (MON) can survive the heightened U.S. government scrutiny that has already prevented deals including Halliburton's (HAL) proposed merger with Baker Hughes (BHI) . The farmers won't stand for it, not with this much crop protection/seed market share. This is why I believe this deal will be blocked. Bayer, the Germany-based conglomerate with specialties in health care and agriculture says in a statement that it "has a highly successful track record working together with global authorities to gain regulatory approvals, given our prior acquisition experience including Aventis CropScience, Schering AG, and Merck Consumer Care." That's too optimistic, given the regulatory environment in the U.S. A suit by the U.S. Justice Department to block Halliburton's merger with Baker Hughes this year is part of a larger pattern of increased opposition by the federal government to some mergers and acquisitions. Using data from the Federal Trade Commission andThe Deal, a subsidiary of TheStreet.com, TheStreet discovered a pattern of increased regulatory actions challenging mergers that dates back to the Reagan administration. Under President Obama, the FTC, DOJ and other regulatory bodies have challenged and blocked a higher proportion of U.S. deals than ever before. At the same time, deals are getting bigger and more complicated. Call it "Big Business vs. Big Government." With Halliburton, the Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Delaware claiming that the deal threatens to eliminate competition, raise prices and reduce innovation in the oilfield services sector. The complaint alleged that the acquisition would eliminate important head-to-head competition in markets for 23 products or services used for on- and off-shore oil exploration and production in the U.S. The government made similar arguments when it sued to block the sale ofGeneral Electric's (GE) appliances business to Electrolux. GE, an Action Alerts PLUSholding, eventually scrapped that deal and sold the business to Chinese company Qingdao Haier for $2 billion more. At the time of publication, Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS held no positions in Bayer or Monsanto. General uncertainty today left markets in Europe down. In the U.K. politicians and the country's treasury issued a stark warning about a possible 'Brexit'. The Treasury said that a vote to leave the European Union could send the country into recession. The vote is now a month away. In London, the FTSE 100 had a rollercoaster day, closing down 0.32% at 6,136.43. Royal Mail was the biggest gainer on the FTSE, closing 4.3% up after analysts made positive remarks about the mail provider's full-year results. RBC moved their recommendation from underperform to perform. Satellite operator Inmarsat lost just over 4% today, after disappointing returns issued last week. In Frankfurt, the Dax closed 0.55% down at 9,861.92 and the Cac 40 closed at 4,325.10, 0.66% down. Bayer (BAYRY) continued to decline throughout the day, closing almost 6% down, after it unveiled a $62 billion, unsolicited takeover offer for Monsanto MON. The pharmaceuticals and chemicals maker plans to fund part of the purchase with a rights issue. OCI fell almost 10% in Amsterdam after it was revealed that fertilizers maker CF Industries (CF) cancelled a complex $8 billion takeover, after U.S. lawmakers cracked down on tax inversions. Fiat Chrysler closed more than 4% down in Milan after a German newspaper claimed that the German Federal Motor Vehicle Office had shared suspicions that the car maker had cheated in emissions tests with the European Commission and Italian authorities. Fiat declined to comment on the Bild-am-Sonntag report but reiterated: "Fiat Chrysler vehicles are in full compliance with current emissions rules." Greece's ASE index was up 1.5%, closing at 649.10 after the government agreed additional austerity measures. Eurozone finance ministers are meeting tomorrow to assess whether it will unlock the next tranche of its bailout. Leslie Niemann is a school teacher from Salt Lake City, Utah, who teaches year eight maths (or as the Americans would put it, eighth grade math). Shes not really a fan of Australian rock music and isnt all that familiar with Sydneys Sticky Fingers. But as it happens, one of her underachieving students is obsessed with the band, who are currently in the middle of a US tour. Though obviously being in year eight precludes him from actually going to see the band perform. Sensing an opportunity to inspire one of her students, Ms Niemann struck a deal with the student. As she recounted on Facebook in a post since shared by the band, she told the student that if he picks his grades up, shed go to the StiFi show and get him a reward. I teach 8th grade math in Salt Lake City. I made a contract with one of my students that says, if he gets a C in my class, this term, then I would go to the concert and get him something little as a reward, Ms Niemann wrote in her post. The teacher was thinking shed get the student a flyer, a sticker, maybe a shirt but when she showed up to the bands soundcheck with her story, the fine men of The Sticky Fingers Band decided to do her and her student one better. Freddy Crabs, I hope thats right, came up to me and I explained why I was there, she wrote. My student was trying to get a C in my class and their band was his motivation. Currently, he has a D+ and I was hoping to buy something little that would motivate him to get the C. He was very touched by my story and said, Ill be right back. He came back with, what at first I thought was a tray, but later learned it was a drum slip cover (correct?), signed by all the members. They signed words of encouragement. It was wonderful. They shared their own academic struggles and took this picture with me. I showed the cover to my student who began to wildly jump up and down. His sister, who was with him, began to cry. I told him it is his when he earns the C. He has one week and is so close. I believe he will do it thanks to you guys. I will keep you updated. You are so amazing and now one of my favorite bands as well. So to Ms Niemanns Sticky Fingers-loving student, wherever you are, best of luck, champ. Q: We have a metal table and set of chairs in our kitchen. The metal straps on one seat have started to come away from the frame of the chair. We use cushions on the seats, so any repair would not show. Do you know of any local metal shops that do this kind of repair work? Centreville A: You could take the chair to a welding shop, but for a lot less money you may be able to repair it yourself using a two-part epoxy designed for use with metal. Try the weld epoxy first, advised Pamela Perry, chief executive and owner of Live Wire Mechanical, a welding shop in Manassas (571-422-7604; livewiremechanical.com), after looking at the pictures you sent. She said she has recommended this same approach to some of her personal clients who had similar problems. Although we could weld it, it would be $75 an hour, she wrote in an email. It would take an hour. An example of a suitable product is J-B Weld Twin Tube, which goes for $7.99 on the manufacturers website and even less from some retailers. A reader wants help fixing this ivory statuette. (Reader photo) We have an ivory Holy Family set that came to the United States from Japan in the 1950s and was given to us in the early 1960s. Josephs flower has broken off a few times, and my husband has tried to glue it to the ear and hand. It recently broke again. Do you know anyone who works on ivory? Dagsboro, Del. Terry Drayman-Weisser, a conservator who worked on ivory objects for many years at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore but is now retired, strongly suggests that you seek help from a conservator experienced in working with ivory. Ivory is porous, she said, so it absorbs adhesives and solvents. If the adhesives turn yellow with age, they will discolor the ivory around the repair, disfiguring the object, she wrote in an email. This is likely irreversible. She especially warned against using epoxy, other permanent adhesives, super glues and silicone-based adhesives. Drayman-Weisser does not take on repair work from the public but recommended Steven Pickman (310-625-1892; spobjectsconservation.com), who has had his own firm since 2009. Pickman said he would be happy to give a free assessment and estimate if you make an appointment and bring the statue and flower parts to his studio. (When objects are too large or fragile to bring in and he has to travel, he does charge for this assessment.) Pickman said there is no way to estimate what a repair might cost until he sees the object. A photograph isnt enough because there are often hairline cracks or other damage that show up only on close inspection, he said. Pickman, too, warned against trying to glue valuable objects back together without knowing specifics about the materials and adhesives. I charge twice as much to undo something, he said with a laugh. That pricing isnt a policy, but its what often happens, because getting rid of glue from a botched repair often takes more time than it does to do the actual repair correctly. Ivory repairs are particularly tricky, he said, because the material is water-sensitive and expands and contracts significantly as humidity fluctuates. Also, he said, its important to use an adhesive thats not as strong as the material its bonding. If it breaks again, you want the adhesive to break, not the object. On a statue such as yours, he said, he would probably use a soluble acrylic resin. If youre in no hurry to fix the statue, you may want to take advantage of the conservation clinic offered by the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Its a way to get a free assessment and advice, not actual treatment. But the clinic operates only during the school year, and the last one for this session has been held. The next opportunity will be in September. To make an appointment, call Janis Kraft at 302-888-4786. Have a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com . Put How To in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo. Tanishq Abraham, 12, talks about beginning his university education this fall. He's been accepted at two California universities and hopes to be a doctor by age 18. (KOVR-TV via AP) A 12-year-old California student who already has three community college degrees said he plans to attend college in the fall to study biomedical engineering. The boy aims to become a doctor and medical researcher by age 18. Tanishq Abraham of Sacramento has been accepted to University of California at Davis and received a regents scholarship to University of California at Santa Cruz, but he has yet to decide which university hell attend, reported Sacramento television station CBS 13. I think Ill be 18 when I get my M.D., Tanishq said, referring to a doctor of medicine degree. Tanishq started community college at age 7, and last year he received associates degrees from American River College, a community college in Sacramento, in general science; math and physical science; and foreign language studies. At first, professors at the college didnt want Tanishq in their classes because of his age. But finally a professor agreed to let him attend if his mother, a doctor of veterinary medicine, also took the class. Tanishq looks into a microscope in a lab at American River College in Sacramento, California. He earned an associates degree last year from the community college. (KOVR-TV via AP) There were times when I had to explain general relativity and special relativity to my mom, he said. Biology professor Marlene Martinez said the boy was not afraid to ask lot of questions. In lecture he would always pop up with so, does that mean . . . or what about this? Martinez said. Tanishq has always picked up knowledge quickly, his father, Bijou Abraham, told NBC News. We tested him and discovered that he was pretty smart, Abraham said. We were surprised when we started giving him advanced stuff and he was picking it up really fast. Tanishq says child geniuses are often seen as odd. When you think of a genius, you think of a mad scientist kind of thing, he said. But he pointed out hes just an ordinary kid who likes learning and microscopes but also playing video games. I just think learning is fun, Tanishq said. Dear Readers: A reader wrote: My Sound Off is about the all-too-frequent speakers who refuse to use microphones because I talk loud enough. Wrong! Its not pleasant to listen to someone whos shouting, or whose voice softens during the presentation. Listeners shouldnt be expected to shout out that they cant hear. People with hearing impediments shouldnt have to embarrass themselves in front of a group to declare it publicly so the speaker will use the microphone. Mary Anna, Omaha, Neb. I hear you! I do many speeches and presentations during the year and always request a body mic, also known as a lavalier. A sound check is imperative, and many times there are hot spots where there is feedback, and its important to get this obtrusive noise fixed. However, if its a small group in a room (not hundreds in an auditorium), I ask the audience if they can hear me, or would they like me to use a mic. P.S.: A funny note: When I wear a headset that has a mic, the metal part goes around the back of my head, with a loop or ear hook that rests on my ear. They usually use gaffers or duct tape to secure it. When Ive finished the speech and take off the headset, there usually is a handful of my hair stuck to the tape! Dear Readers: Other uses for baking soda: * As a natural deodorant. * As toothpaste. * To minimize cat odor in litter boxes. * To soothe an upset tummy. * To eliminate other household odors. Baking soda is so versatile that having some around the house is the smart thing to do. My pamphlet, which is filled with hints using baking soda, will save you a bundle of money. To order a copy, visit my website, Heloise.com, or send $5 and a stamped (68 cents), self-addressed, business-size envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Baking soda should be in every kitchen and bathroom. Its one of those must-have items that is safe, cheap and friendly to the environment. Dear Readers: Many of you responded with hints related to a Sound Off about excessive junk mail. K.H. in Jerseyville, Ill., offered this solution: Write VOID on the offer, fold the envelope it was mailed in and write No Thanks on it. Then take the postage-paid envelope that came with it, put everything received back in it and mail back. Ken in Lubbock, Tex., wrote: Take out the SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope), tear your address off the letter to you and write on it No Thanks. Put it in the envelope and mail it back. That costs the sender 49 cents postage and 50 cents handling. You will get nothing else from that company. These are a few ways my readers have suggested to stop junk mail! One even said to write dead or moved on the bounce back and that will stop it. Maybe. Heloises column appears six days a week at washingtonpost.com/advice. Send a hint to Heloise , P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Tex. 78279-5000, or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. THE District Shootings wound five, one critically Five people, including two women, were shot in the District on Monday afternoon and evening in four incidents in the District. One victim, a man, was in extremely critical condition, D.C. police said. He was shot about 9 p.m. in the 2900 block of Second Street SE. He was unconscious and not breathing when found, said Officer Hugh Carew, a police spokesman. The incidents marked another particularly violent day in the District, reminiscent of May 16, on which at least five shootings were reported, two of them fatal. In addition, the shooting of the two women Monday brought to four the number of women shot in the District within two days. All four were shot in Ward 7, amid a surge in violence there. The two women wounded Monday were shot about 3:40 p.m. in the 3700 block of Hayes Street NE. Both were conscious when taken to hospitals for treatment, police said. On Sunday, the two other women were shot about 4:20 a.m. in the 3500 block of East Capitol Street SE. Martin Weil MARYLAND Man who tried to fire at officer pleads guilty A Lanham man who tried to shoot a police officer in Prince Georges County during a chase is expected to serve 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to assault. The conviction and sentence are part of a plea deal that Joseph Clay, 22, struck with prosecutors over the October incident, prosecutors said Monday. Law enforcement personnel tried to stop the car he was in near New York Avenue and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway because of its slow speed, authorities said. They said Clay left the car and ran, and during a foot chase he allegedly pointed a gun at a detective and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire, police said. Lynh Bui Crash after apparent medical emergency A 22-year-old man died when the car he was driving crashed in Landover after he apparently had a medical crisis, police said. State Police said he experienced the emergency before his car crashed into a jersey wall on eastbound Route 50 west of Lottsford Vista Road. Police said they think he died as a result of the medical emergency, not the crash. His name was not released. A female passenger was unhurt. Justin Wm. Moyer Man is fatally shot in Temple Hills area A man was shot and killed early Monday in the Temple Hills area, Prince Georges County police said. Hakim Akinbi, 30, of 23rd Parkway was found in the 4400 block of the street about 1 a.m., police said. No motive or suspects have been identified. Dana Hedgpeth Man is killed after confronting car thief A District Heights man was slain Saturday as he confronted someone who was trying to steal his SUV, according to police. Diartianan Rivers, 27 of Southeast Washington, was arrested and charged with murder in the death of Thomas Barnes, 52, police said. The incident occurred in the 1900 block of Rochelle Avenue in District Heights around 4:30 a.m. Police said Barnes had heard his car being started. Lynh Bui BLOOD DONATIONS BLOOD DRIVES Tuesday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Loudoun Government Center, 1 Harrison St., Leesburg, 866-256-6372; Tuesday 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Leesburg town offices, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg, 800-733-2767; Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Loudoun Rescue Company 13, 143 Catoctin Cir. SE, Leesburg, 800-733-2767; June 3, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Loudoun Fire and Rescue, 801 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg, 800-733-2767. INOVA BLOOD DONOR CENTER Mondays noon-8 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays noon-4 p.m. Dulles Town Center, 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling. 866-256-6372 or inova.org/donateblood. FIRST AID FIRST AID/ADULT, INFANT AND CHILD CPR/AED Fauquier Hospital Medical Office Building, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Call for schedule. Registration required. HEARING DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER Technical assistance through the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and presentations to businesses, civic groups and schools. Third Tuesdays 2-5 p.m., Workplace, 205 Keith St., Warrenton. Call for an appointment, 800-648-6324; TDD, 540-373-5890. Free. FREE HEARING TESTS Age 18 and older. Mondays-Thursdays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. 703-858-7620. Registration required. HEARING LOSS, TINNITUS AND MENIERES SYNDROME SUPPORT For all ages, including parents of children with hearing loss. First Fridays at 2 p.m., Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2906. NORTHERN VIRGINIA RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING Age 18 and older, second Tuesdays 10 a.m., Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. HEARING LOSS OUTREACH Free referrals. Fourth Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Loudoun County Workforce Center, 102 Heritage Way, Leesburg; third Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Free appointments: 703-430-2906 or nvrcloudoun@aol.com. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVORS Provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice. 703-771-9020. CRISISLINK Suicide and crisis intervention. The organization provides community education, has a volunteer crisis response team and offers CareRing, a daily telephone outreach program for the elderly and disabled. 703-527-6016, volunteer@crisislink.org or crisislink.org. PIEDMONT CHAPTER, NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS Serves Fauquier, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Support group, education classes and events for people living with mental illness and their family members. First Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Sycamore Room A, Warrenton. 571-426-8213. NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHAPTER, NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS A support group, classes and programs for people living with mental illness and their family members. naminorthernvirginia.org. PREGNANCY, PARENTING ADOPTIVE FAMILY PRESERVATION Adoptive families discuss common experiences; registration required. Third Tuesdays 12:30-2 p.m. Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd. Call 703-941-9008, Ext. 23, or email jmellerio@umfs.org. BIRTHRIGHT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY Free pregnancy tests, baby clothing, transportation and support throughout pregnancy, 823 S. King St., Leesburg. 703-777-7272. BOND BETWEEN US A nonprofit organization that offers support to birth parents when children have been placed for adoption. Fourth Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. Call for location. 703-771-7844. BREAST-FEEDING SUPPORT Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Fauquier Hospital Family Birthing Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. DAD SUPPORT New and expectant fathers share ideas. First Tuesdays 7 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6360. FOR THE CHILDRENS SAKE A group for separating or divorcing parents to share advice. Four-hour session weekly. Information : 703-391-8599 or fitsfoundation.org. LA LECHE LEAGUE Mother-to-mother support and breast-feeding information. 10 a.m. second Wednesdays in Warrenton, 540-351-6103. Third Fridays 10:15-11:45 a.m., call for location, 703-444-7386. Second Fridays 10:15 a.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., 703-431-3852; Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Panera Bread, 43670 Greenway Corp. Dr., Ashburn, email lllashburn@gmail.com. Third Fridays 10:15 a.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 46833 Harry F. Byrd. Hwy., Sterling, 540-338-4637. LOUDOUN FATHERHOOD PROGRAM Fathers discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent. Meets every other Saturday for two hours for four months; sponsored by Northern Virginia Family Service. 571-748-2796. Free. LOUDOUN NURTURING PARENTING PROGRAM Positive parenting techniques; children attend with parents. Registration required. Call 703-771-3973, Ext. 27, or email nurturingprogram@lcsj.org . Free. MOTHERNET/HEALTHY FAMILIES LOUDOUN Program links first-time parents with medical, social and educational resources to give children a socially and physically healthy start in life. Family support workers meet with participants in homes. English-Spanish translation provided. 703-444-4477, Ext. 217, or inmed.org . NEW MOTHERS SUPPORT Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Pavilion, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg, main entrance. Babies welcome. 703-858-6360. YOUNG PARENT SERVICES Support for teenage parents. Loudoun County Department of Family Social Services, 52 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg. Call for times. 703-771-5375. ONLINE CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION PROGRAM Inova Loudoun Hospitals Web-based program uses animation, videos and interactive activities to guide users through the basics of childbirth, breast-feeding and caring for newborns. 703-858-6360. thebirthinginn.org/classes. PARENTING ALONE GROUP For parents of school-age children who have lost a spouse or partner to cancer. Second Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-698-2536 or email jennifer.eckert@inova.org . PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH SUPPORT Childbirth Solutions Resource Center, 8393 W. Main St., Marshall. 571-344-0438. SENIORS EXERCISE EQUIPMENT Weights, treadmills, bikes and a cardio-glide. Instruction provided. Age 55 and older. Weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. FITNESS FOR PEOPLE 55 AND OLDER Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 1-1:45 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. $36, 12-visit card. EYE CARE LensCrafters staff members will clean glasses and make minor repairs. Second Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2397. Free. INOVA LOUDOUN MOBILE VAN Blood pressure checks. Second and fourth Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling, 571-258-3280; first Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. LAUGHING YOGA FOR SENIORS I mprove flexibility and balance. Thursdays 9:30-10 :30 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. LOUDOUN ADULT DAY CENTERS For seniors with physical limitations or memory loss, a safe and social environment, therapeutic activities, individualized care and respite for caregivers. Limited transportation. Sliding-scale fees. Weekdays in Leesburg, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 703-771-5334; Purcellville, 571-258-3402; and Ashburn-Sterling, 571-258-3232. SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Senior Center at Cascades. First and third Wednesdays 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Sign up in the Leesburg Senior Center lobby. Second and fourth Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Carver Center. First and third Mondays, 12:30-5 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 703-737-8741. Free. ZUMBA GOLD CLASS: For people 55 and older who are learning Zumba for the first time, or those who prefer a lower-impact version. The fitness program combines Latin and international music with dance.Thursdays 11 a.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. $12. TAI CHI Stretching and strengthening movements. Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. ZUMBA GOLD CLASS Age 55 and older. Wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing; bring water and a towel. Tuesdays 11 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m. Senior Center of Leesburg, 102 North St. NW, Leesburg. 703-737-8039. $24 per month. SUPPORT GROUPS AL-ANON SERVICE CENTER OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA A volunteer is available 24 hours with information for spouses, family members and friends of problem drinkers. 703-534-4357 or 877-339-8350. Mondays 8 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 125 W. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-554-2747; Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, 877-339-8350; Fridays 8:30 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main St., The Plains, 800-344-2666; Tuesdays 12:15 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, Route 29 N., 540-347-7448; Tuesdays 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 p.m. Warrenton Presbyterian Church, 91 Main St., 800-344-2666. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Various meeting times and locations in Loudoun County. 800-208-8649 or 703-876-6166. nvintergroup.org. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVER SUPPORT For those who care for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Fourth Wednesdays 4-5:30 p.m. The Villa at Suffield Meadows, 6735 Suffield Lane, Warrenton. 540-316-3800. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVERS SUPPORT For those caring for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Second Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-430-9229. galileeumc.org. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVER SUPPORT Emotional, educational and social support for family members and friends of people with the disease. Third Saturdays 10 a.m. Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, 20145 Ashbrook Pl., Ashburn. Call 703-771-5407 or email lesley.katz@loudoun.gov. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831 or alz.org. ALZHEIMERS SUPPORT First Tuesdays 10-11 a.m. Spring Arbor Assisted Living, 237 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg. 540-338-6520. ALZHEIMERS SUPPORT First Wednesdays 4 p.m. Leesburg Adult Day Center, 16501 Meadowview Ct., Leesburg. 703-771-5334. TALK ABOUT CURING AUTISM A nonprofit organization educating and supporting families affected by autism. tacanow.org. AUTOIMMUNE SUPPORT Last Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jackson Building, 209 Gibson St., Leesburg. Email autoimmunesupport@hotmail.com . BEREAVED PARENT SUPPORT One-on-one counseling is available. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT For those experiencing loss because of the death of a loved one. Age 18 and older. Third Mondays 1 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-957-1800. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT Fourth Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Tower, Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-0588. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT For those with new diagnoses or starting treatment. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT For those who have finished treatment, have had a recurrence or metastatic breast cancer. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Free. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE FUND Loudoun County residents who have received a diagnosis or have undergone treatment in the past 12 months are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Areas included are wigs, bras, puffs and prostheses, mammograms and medical bills, food and help with utilities, rent or mortgage, and transportation costs. The Pink Assistance Fund has been established by the Loudoun Breast Health Network. lbhn.org. CANCER SUPPORT Oncology nurses, social workers and spiritual care providers offer education and support to patients, families and caregivers. Second Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2273. CANCER SUPPORT Life with Cancer, for patients, family members and friends. Second Thursdays 7 p.m. Ashburn Presbyterian Church, Room 202, 20962 Ashburn Rd. 703-729-2012. ashburnpresbyterian.org. CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND RESOURCE GROUP Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.-noon (no meeting first Wednesdays), Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv. CARING FOR AGING PARENTS Support group. Confidential. Fourth Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Family Focus Counseling Service, 20-B John Marshall St., Warrenton. 540-349-4537. CHADD PARENTS SUPPORT For parents of children with ADD/ADHD. Fourth Sundays 3 p.m. KinderCare, 44051 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza. chadd.nova loudoun@gmail. com . CHRONIC ILLNESS SUPPORT Tuesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv. COFFEE AND CONVERSATION: Support for those discouraged because of illness, bereavement, caregiving or a loved one in the military. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS For parents who have experienced the death of a child. First Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. 540-882-9707. CREATING AND CONNECTING Two-hour art therapy and relaxation workshop for cancer patients. Every other month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-858-8850. DEPRESSION BIPOLAR SUPPORT ALLIANCE OF WESTERN LOUDOUN Saturdays 3 p.m. Purcellville Library, 220 E. Main St., Carruthers Room. Call 703-431-7160 or email kathy@dbsanca.org. DROP-IN GRIEF SUPPORT For those coping with a death. Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. St. Davids Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-597-1781. FAMILIES OVERCOMING DRUG ADDICTION SUPPORT First and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-9221 or email myfodafamily@gmail.com. GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER YOUTH AND PARENT SUPPORT A group in partnership with Metro DC PFLAG. Fourth Sundays 4-6 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 22135 Davis Dr., Sterling. 703-328-6518. GRIEFSHARE Open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Tuesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. Purcellville Baptist Church, 601 Yaxley Dr., Purcellville. Call 540-338-0918 or email caring@purbap.org. Workbook, $15. GRIEFSHARE Nondenominational seminar and support group. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free. GRIEF SUPPORT Sponsored by Hospice Support of Fauquier County. Individual counseling available. First and third Thursdays 3:30-5 p.m. Hospice Support Office, 42 N. Fifth St., Warrenton. Registration required. Call 540-347-5922 or email hospicesupport@verizon.net. GRIEF SUPPORT Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. HOSPICE SUPPORT Free medical-equipment loan facility for Fauquier County residents. Especially needed are donations of wheelchairs, bedside commodes, rolling walkers, electric hospital beds, shower benches and chairs, adult diapers, lift chairs, Ensure and hospital bed mattresses. 540-347-5922. LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER For women undergoing or emerging from cancer treatment. Every other month, 6:45 to 9 p.m. ,Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-776-2820. Free. LOUDOUN CHADD SUPPORT Led by Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, lower-level conference room, 25 W. Market St. 703-669-2445. LOUDOUN INTERGROUP OF OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS Fellowship and support. For locations and times, call 571-420-2012. oa.org. LYME DISEASE SUPPORT Fourth Sundays 2-4 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Conference Room A and B, Leesburg. Go to natcaplyme.org or email loudounlymeadvocates@gmail.com. LYME DISEASE SUPPORT Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, 6398 Lee Hwy. Access Road, Warrenton. 540-347-7265 or email lymeinfauquier@gmail.com. LYME DISEASE SUPPORT First Tuesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Email charphealy@yahoo.com. MADD LOUDOUN VICTIM SUPPORT For those who have been affected by drunken driving. Third Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. 210 Wirt St., Leesburg. 540-338-6491. MAN-TO-MAN CANCER SUPPORT Sponsored by Loudoun Cancer Care Center, for prostate cancer patients and their families. Second Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Call 703-858-8857 or email karen.archer@inova.org. MENDED HEARTS Northern Virginia chapter, for heart surgery patients and families and friends of heart disease patients. Third Saturdays 11 a.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (Patient Information Lounge) . 703-924-6244 or mendedhearts200.org. MENOPAUSE SUPPORT Third Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (second floor, Patient Education Room). 703-858-8060. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT Saturdays 10:30 a.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-2826. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT Last Sundays 2-4 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Pl., Potomac Falls. 703-771-4256. NAR-ANON FAMILY SUPPORT For those affected by loved ones with addiction. Meaningful Mondays, 7-8 p.m., Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-203-9792; Wisdom Wednesdays 7-8 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 37730 St. Francis Ct., Purcellville, 703-606-7125; Serenity Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, 703-606-7125. PARKINSON'S SUPPORT Open to anyone with Parkinson's disease, family members and caregivers. First Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. Call for Ashburn location. 571-442-8851. POST-PARTUM SUPPORT Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Cornwall Campus, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. 703-909-9877. Email lamckeough@gmail.com. Registration required. REACH TO RECOVERY Home visit program for mastectomy and lumpectomy patients. Temporary prostheses, exercise instruction and encouragement. 703-938-5550. SEXUAL ASSAULT AND INCEST SURVIVORS GROUP COUNSELING Services provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice and the Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter are free and confidential. 703-771-9020. SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS EMPOWERMENT SUPPORT Sponsored by Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative. Child care available with 48-hours notice. Mondays; call for times and locations. 540-349-7720. SPIRITUAL SUPPORT GROUP For cancer patients, family members and friends. Third Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8850. STROKE SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS SUPPORT Second Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon, Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second floor, Patient Education Room. 703-858-6667 or robynthomson@inova.org . SUICIDE COUNSELING Third Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Office, Conference Room 2, lower level, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. 703-587-1618 or survivorsofsuicidelossleesburg@gmail.com. WOMENS SUPPORT Sponsored by Services to Abused Families. Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Confidential location. 540-825-8876. WIDOW AND WIDOWER SUPPORT Third Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. WOMENS CANCER SUPPORT Woman to Woman, first Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Registration required. 703-858-8850. MISCELLANEOUS ALZHEIMERS ASSOCIATION WORKSHOP The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimers Disease, Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Potomac Green, 44499 Oakmont Manor Sq., Ashburn. 800-272-3900. Free. Registration required. BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS AND STROKE RISK ASSESSMENTS May 31, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital cafeteria alcove, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6000. Free. BRAIN TRAUMA SURVIVORS BROWN BAG LUNCH For survivors and caregivers, first Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second-floor Patient Education Room. Call 703-737-3150 or email jberg@braininjurysvcs.org. Free. CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS For ages 2-5. Children may not be kindergarten-age-eligible. Sponsored by the Loudoun County public schools Child Find Center. 571-252 - 2180. CHOLESTEROL SCREENINGS Weekdays 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Fauquier Health LIFE Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. Registration required. $35. EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLIES Loudoun residents who are in need can receive a free three-day supply of groceries. Supplies are distributed Mondays through Saturdays by Loudoun Interfaith Relief. 703-777-5911. interfaithrelief.org. FAUQUIER FREE WALK-IN MEDICAL CLINIC Patients must call Thursdays from 12:30 to 1 p.m. to register for the clinic, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Patients are also seen by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fauquier and Rappahannock residents only. Bring proof of address for the first visit. Patients cannot have Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Information: 540-347-0394 Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. FAUQUIER HOSPITAL BISTRO SENIOR SUPPER CLUB Nutritious meals and fellowship for people 55 and older. Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro on the Hill, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $5.49. GAMERS UNION FOR TEENS WITH ASPERGERS Youths 12 to 21 interact through gaming; their caregivers meet for networking. Second Tuesdays 6 p.m. Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Rd., Leesburg. 703-777-0323. Free. HEROES (Hometown Enabling Relationships, Opportunities and Empowerment through Support) is a program for military families. A trained volunteer provides support to military members and their families, from pre-deployment up to two years post-deployment. Assistance includes financial help, job placement, family care and mental health services. heroescare.org or email caring@purbap.org . INOVA LOUDOUN HOSPITAL MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS Tuesday 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling; Wednesday 10 a.m.-noon, Lansdowne Woods, 19400 Leisure World Blvd., Leesburg; Thursday 10 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Information: 703-858-8818 or inova.org/mobilehealth. Free. LOUDOUN CARES INFORMATION AND REFERRAL HELPLINE Call for help in finding resources for county residents who are dealing with rent eviction, utility cut-offs, needed health care, employment and more. 703-669-4636. MASSAGE FOR COUPLES Friday from 6-8 p.m. Fauquier Health Wellness Center, 419 Holiday Ct., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. $55 per couple. Registration required. MOTOR SKILL SCREENINGS Birth to 21 months. First Thursdays, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. Call for an appointment. 703-858-7620. Free. NORTHERN VIRGINIA LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN Call for help in resolving complaints related to long-term-care facilities. 703-324-5861. ROAD TO RECOVERY, for cancer patients who need rides to appointments. 410-781-6909. Email jen.burdette@cancer.org. Free. SEVEN LOAVES FOOD PANTRY Individuals and families can receive a three-day supply of food, distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10 a.m.-noon. 540-687-3489 or sevenloavesmiddleburg.org. STROKE LECTURE A presentation by Edward Puccio, medical director of the Inova Loudoun Department of Emergency Medicine. May 31, 2-3 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital patient education room, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6000. Free. TICKS AND LYME DISEASE PROGRAM Age 18 and older. Stephen Hood, a senior health educator from the Loudoun County Health Department, will discuss the dangerous diseases ticks can carry and how to protect yourself. Wednesday from 1-1:45 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. Free. TREE OF LIFE FOOD PANTRY Serving western Loudoun County. Food is delivered Wednesdays and Saturdays. 703-554-3595. Compiled by Sandy Mauck TO SUBMIT AN ITEM Email: ldliving@washpost.com Fax: 703-777-8437 Mail: Health Calendar, The Washington Post, 104 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Suite 101, Leesburg, Va. 20175 Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Tarreece Sampson, 24, was a teachers aide at Ft. Hunt Elementary School in Fairfax County and worked with students at the Mott Community Center. (Photo by Katie Moylan) Tarreece Sampson had placed a call to say hed arrived safely at his Fairfax County home, but in the chaotic moments that followed early Friday morning, the friend he had called would hear the killing of the well-regarded teachers aide, Sampsons family said. The Virginia medical examiner said Monday that Sampson died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Sampson, 24, who worked for Fairfax County schools, called the friend after pulling his car into the Cityside apartment complex after 2 a.m. on Friday after a night out, said his aunt, Patrice Turner. The building is in the Huntington section of the county. Sampson got out of his car and walked into some type of incident in progress, possibly the vandalism or theft of a car, Turner said. The friend remained on the line and heard what followed, Turner said. Fairfax County police detectives have described to relatives what unfolded, but Turner said she would not relay that account fully because it might hamper the apprehension of Sampsons killer or killers. Turner said the friend heard gunfire and then a few final words from Sampson: Ive been shot. Turner said the friend then called 911. Fairfax County police responded to the scene in the 6000 block of Richmond Highway about 2:20 a.m. and found Sampson unresponsive in the parking lot of the apartment complex. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been arrested in Sampsons slaying, and police have not released a description of the killer or killers involved in his shooting. A Fairfax County police spokesman declined to comment on Turners account of events but said that detectives think Sampson did nothing to provoke the shooting. It seems at this point he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, said Officer Don Gotthardt, a Fairfax County police spokesman. There is speculation he may have thought the bad guys were in need of help. He may have even gone to help them. Those are things that are still under investigation. Gotthardt said detectives have no evidence to suggest that Sampson was trying to intervene to stop a crime, as reported by some media outlets. Last Tuesday, Sampson had done well in an interview for a special-education teacher position and was named employee of the month at a local community center where he managed youth-recreation programs. He was an instructional aide at Fort Hunt Elementary School in Fairfax County before his death. Sampson graduated from Iona College in New York in 2013 and was taking graduate courses at George Mason University. He was planning to become a youth mentor at a local church, and his family said he was engaged to be married. Turner said Sampsons death was especially troubling because he had dedicated his life to trying to steer young people in the right direction. He was a wonderful, loving nephew, Turner said. He was a guy who never failed to explain to the younger generation about how to do the right thing. The principal at Fairfax Countys Weyanoke Elementary, where Sampson previously worked, said Sampson was skilled at reaching the hard-to-reach students and was a role model, particularly for boys of color. I just wish we could turn back the hands of time on that day, Turner said. Diartianan Rivers, 27, of Southeast Washington, has been arrested and charged. (Prince Georges County Police) A District Heights man who was fatally shot Saturday was killed as he confronted someone attempting to steal his SUV, according to police. Diartianan Rivers, 27, of Southeast Washington, was arrested and charged in the killing of Thomas Barnes, 52. Officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 1900 block of Rochelle Avenue in District Heights about 4:30 a.m. and found a man with a gunshot wound, police said. Barnes was taken to a hospital, where he died. Barnes had run out of his home and confronted Rivers when he heard his SUV being started outside, police said. Rivers then allegedly shot Barnes and sped away in the vehicle, which was later spotted in Southeast D.C. Officers in the District pursued the car into Prince Georges County, where Rivers crashed on Oxon Run Drive and was arrested, police said. Authorities charged Rivers with first- and second-degree murder and other related violations. They say Rivers admitted his involvement in the incident and is in jail without bond. A woman says she was sexually assaulted twice while riding Metro's Red Line. Here's the latest on the investigation. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) A woman says she was sexually assaulted twice while riding Metro's Red Line. Here's the latest on the investigation. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) A 39-year-old woman was raped at knifepoint on a moving Metro train just before 10 a.m. last month in the Wheaton-Glenmont area of Montgomery County, prosecutors said in court Monday. This is a horrifically terrifying experience. It certainly was for the victim in this case, Assistant States Attorney Elizabeth Haynos said in court. She said the woman, not surprisingly, had felt safe riding alone in a train car. I dont know many people who would have thought this would have happened in such a public arena and that somebody would have the audacity to do that, particularly at 10 a.m., Haynos said The suspect, John Prentice Hicks, 39, of Northeast Washington, was making his first court appearance in Montgomery County District Court in the case. Judge Zuberi Bakari Williams ordered Hicks held in jail on no-bond status. Hicks is due back in court June 10. John Prentice Hicks, 39, appeared in court Monday in connection to an alleged rape on a moving Metro train in April 2016. (Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office) [Have you been a victim of crime or unwanted behavior on Metro? Share your story.] According to Haynos and Metro Transit Police, on April 12, Hicks approached a seated passenger aboard a northbound Red Line train and began speaking to her. He allegedly pulled out a knife, forced her to a different part of the car, raped her, then ordered her to another area of the car, and forced her to perform a sex act, court statements and records allege. Detectives arrested Hicks in the District last month on the same day as the assault, according to D.C. Superior Court records. He was transferred to Montgomery County late last week. According to an arrest document signed by Metro Transit Detective C.H. Dorrity, investigators used high-definition surveillance video inside the Glenmont station, records from the suspects Metro SmarTrip card, and the womans recollection to identify Hicks. Metro police officers also recognized him as the suspect in an indecent-exposure case that took place on Metro, according to Haynos. When Metro Transit Police detectives initially charged Hicks, they cited three counts: attempted first-degree rape, first-degree sex offense and second-degree assault, according to court records. Haynos, the prosecutor, said in court that based on evidence that has been collected during the course of this investigation, this will be charged not as an attempted first-degree rape but as a first-degree rape. The investigation started at 10 a.m. April 12, when the woman in the case approached a Metro employee on the platform of the Glenmont station, which is at the end of the line that extends into the eastern portion of Montgomery County. Metro police officers were summoned, the woman talked to them and she was taken to Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. According to what she told police, she had fallen asleep aboard the train in her seat about midway in a car and awoke around the Takoma station, which is at the border of the District and Montgomery. She told police she noticed a man dressed in black and about 35 to 40 years old. He approached her. Do you have a boyfriend? he asked, the woman recalled to police. Are you going to Glenmont? As the train made its way through the Forest Glen station, the man pulled out a folding knife and flashed the blade, the woman told police. The man then placed the woman in a bearhug and forcefully guided her to a separate portion of the train car, blocking her attempts to exit, wrote Dorrity, the detective. The man then raped her, Haynos said. Hicks then moved her to have her sit in the corner of the car, where he assaulted her again, police charge. During some point of the aforementioned events, a struggle ensued over the knife, which caused a laceration to [the victims] finger, Dorrity wrote in court papers. When the train reached the end of the line at the Glenmont station Hicks allegedly left the train and ordered the woman to stay on board. She saw him reboard a different car, according to court records, at which point she left her train car and approached the Metro worker. Investigators reviewed surveillance video, which show a man exiting the car at the time described by the woman. They sent this image to other officers, who recognized Hicks as a suspect in the indecent-exposure case, according to Haynos. Detectives also reviewed a database of passenger card use, which showed that a SmarTrip card registered to John Prentice Hicks was processed exiting at Glenmont Station at 1000 hours April 12. Detectives showed the woman a mug shot of Hicks from a previous arrest as part of an array of photographs that included five other men. She identified Hicks as her assailant, police said. This is the man from the train today, she said. I recognize the shape of his face. She also said she recognized the size of his face and his eyes and added: I dont think he had hair or facial hair, though. Detectives asked how certain she was on a scale of 1 to 10 that the photo was that of the man who attacked her. Seven out of 10, she said. In court Monday, Haynos cited a series of earlier convictions for Hicks: first-degree sexual abuse in 1995, attempted second-degree child sexual abuse in 2000, and unauthorized use of a vehicle in 2000 and 2007. Kate Finley, an assistant public defender who represented Hicks in court Monday, asked Williams to set a bond for Hicks. She said she knew of no convictions for him during the past nine years. She said Hicks has worked for the past 11 years as a certified forklift operator, lives with his mother and has four young children. His highest concern right now is to be able to get back to work, she said. A Baltimore city judge acquitted officer Edward M. Nero on May 23 of four criminal counts in the case of Freddie Gray. Nero is one of six police officers charged in Gray's arrest and subsequent death. (Ashleigh Joplin/The Washington Post) A Baltimore city judge acquitted officer Edward M. Nero on May 23 of four criminal counts in the case of Freddie Gray. Nero is one of six police officers charged in Gray's arrest and subsequent death. (Ashleigh Joplin/The Washington Post) A judge found police officer Edward M. Nero not guilty of all criminal charges in the case of Freddie Gray, whose death last year in police custody sparked riots and widespread anger in the city. The acquittal by Judge Barry G. Williams, announced Monday in a packed courtroom, is the first verdict reached in the Gray case. Nero is the second officer to face trial on charges related to Grays arrest and death. The first officers trial ended in a hung jury. Nero, 30, hugged his lawyers and wiped away tears after Williams read his decision, which culminated the six-day trial. Friends and fellow officers, including Officer Garret Miller, who is also charged in connection with Grays arrest, lined up afterward to congratulate Nero. The officer had opted for a bench trial rather than have his case heard before a jury. [Transcript of the verdict hearing for Nero] Nero is among six Baltimore officers to face charges in the case of Gray, 25, who died in police custody a week after being injured in the back of a police van in April 2015. Grays death sparked rioting and arson fires in the city and brought additional scrutiny to the deaths of young black men at the hands of police officers nationwide. Nero was acquitted of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. All of the charges are misdemeanors; Nero was not charged in Grays death. Neros attorney, Marc Zayon, said in a statement that the nightmare is finally over for Nero, his wife and the rest of the family. He said Nero and the other officers charged had done nothing wrong and urged the prosecutors to drop the remaining cases. Nero, one of the first officers to encounter Gray the day of his April 12, 2015, arrest, was on bike patrol when he responded to a call for a chase. He stood watch as Gray was arrested, according to testimony, but he did not touch Gray until the young man was already in custody. Nero later helped load Gray into the police van but did not secure him with a seat belt. It was not immediately clear what, if any, effect Mondays verdict could have on the cases against the other officers or if the remaining defendants would also choose to have their cases decided by a judge rather than a jury. The officers who still face trial, their lawyers and the prosecution are under gag orders and are not permitted to discuss their cases. Immediately after the verdict was announced, a small group of protesters demonstrated outside the courthouse, but the scene remained mostly calm. At one point, a cluster of demonstrators chanting No justice, no peace briefly surrounded a member of Neros family as he walked to a parking lot. Tessa Hill-Aston, head of the Baltimore NAACP, said she was disappointed with the outcome. Its not a good day, she told reporters. Freddie was fine until they stopped him . . . and they had no reason to arrest him. She said she expected an emotional reaction from many city residents, as she had been in court with people from all walks of life who were upset by the verdict. Westley West, a 28-year-old minister in Grays West Baltimore neighborhood, said after the verdict that he was frustrated by what he sees as a lack of accountability in Grays death. 1 of 7 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad The scene outside of the courthouse after Baltimore officer was acquitted in Freddie Gray case View Photos A judge acquitted Baltimore police officer Edward M. Nero of all four charges filed against him in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody last year. Caption A judge acquitted Baltimore police officer Edward M. Nero of all four charges filed against him in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody last year. May 23, 2016 Officer Edward Nero, center, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, leaves a courthouse after being acquitted of all charges in his trial in Baltimore. Patrick Semansky/AP Wait 1 second to continue. Thats a problem for me, West said. We need justice in Baltimore. In a statement, Lt. Gene Ryan, president of the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, applauded the decision. The states attorneys office responded to the riots and violence in Baltimore by rushing to charge these officers rashly and without any meaningful investigation, he said. Billy Murphy, an attorney for the Gray family, said that as long as this was a fair process, then justice was done. [Timeline and charges in Freddie Gray case] Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Nero will now face an administrative review through the police department. She said the city was prepared for the possibility of unrest. By afternoon though, there had been no reports in Baltimore of any disturbances in response to the verdict. After Grays arrest last year, he was placed in the back of a police van with his hands cuffed behind his back and his legs shackled. Prosecutors say he suffered a neck injury and lost consciousness as he was being transported. He died about a week later. The prosecution had argued that Gray never should have been arrested in the first place, saying he was detained without probable cause and his arrest amounted to second-degree assault. The state also argued that Nero was guilty of reckless endangerment for failing to seat-belt Gray in the police van. Just days before the arrest, an email was sent to all officers noting that department policy required that all detainees, without exception, be secured with seat belts during transport. The defense contended that Nero, who responded to a call to chase a fleeing suspect in a high-crime area, acted as any reasonable Baltimore police officer would during the incident. Zayon argued that Nero didnt touch Gray when he was first detained, and later only touched him in an effort to help him find his inhaler. The defense also said there was no evidence that Nero read the department's new seat-belting order. Several officers who testified said that it was not common practice to have detainees wear seat belts. In his lengthy ruling from the bench, Judge Williams addressed each charge in detail, restating the prosecutions arguments for conviction and the defenses rejoinders. In each instance, Williams ruled that the state had not established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. On the assault charge, Williams said that Nero was not the officer who made the stop and arrest, did not handcuff Gray and thus could not be convicted of assault or the misconduct charge associated with it. The judge said the initial contact between Nero and Gray was legally justified and not reckless. Williams also found the state did not prove Nero committed a crime by failing to secure Gray with a seat belt. The judge said prosecutors did not show Nero had direct responsibility for placing a seat belt on Gray or even that he was trained to do so. The new seat belt requirement may not have gone into effect until after the incident in question, the judge said. Either way, he said, the charge of misconduct required corrupt intent, and the state did not prove that. [Prosecutors say Nero made arrest without a justification in Freddie Gray case] Mere error in judgment is not enough to constitute corruption, he said. The verdict is a blow for Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who brought charges against the six officers May 1, 2015. Mosby sat in the front row for much of the trial but was not in court for the verdict. Prosecutors Michael Schatzow and Janice Bledsoe handled the case. This is a real shot across the prosecutions bow, said Tyler Mann, a Baltimore defense lawyer who previously served as a Baltimore prosecutor. When you cant even convince one person that he broke the law, thats not a good sign. Mann said he doubts that the result will change the way prosecutors handle the other officers cases. I think theyre going to move forward with every case theyve made their bed, and now they have to lie in it, he said. In an earlier trial involving Officer William G. Porter, jurors were unable to reach a decision, and a mistrial was declared. Porter will face retrial later this year. The officer facing the most serious charges, police van driver Caesar R. Goodson Jr., is set to go to trial June 6. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) said at a news conference Friday that the trial had exposed what appeared to be gaps in police training. We really have to learn from this incident, the idea that maybe officers were not trained in something that they should have been trained in, he said. Hopefully we will learn. Baltimore police said outside police agencies are handling the inquiry into whether Nero, who joined the force in 2012, and the other officers involved in the Gray case followed department policy. A city police spokesman said it will not be completed until the criminal cases against the five other officers are finished. That is because the officers could be called as witnesses at one anothers trials. Nero will remain on administrative capacity until then, the department said. Keith L. Alexander, Lynh Bui, Peter Hermann and Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report. Raaheela Ahmed, 22, speaks with Lindsey Adva, 17, at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Md. Ahmed, who is running for a seat on the Prince Georges County Board of Education, is one of several young Muslim women getting involved in local politics. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) When Raaheela Ahmed knocks on doors to meet potential voters, she covers her black headscarf with a floppy hat so people wont be distracted from what she has to say. She greets high school students as yall and confides, with a disarming laugh, that she sometimes sneaks to her office gym to pray. Poised and self-confident at 22, Ahmed is one of a group of young Muslim women, all children of immigrants, who are entering electoral politics in the Maryland suburbs. Eager to help counter the anti-Muslim rhetoric that has been part of the 2016 presidential contest, they say they feel emboldened by their American upbringing and the encouragement of male Muslim mentors. My dad was always involved in politics. I remember carrying signs for him in parades, said Ahmed, who grew up in Bowie and is seeking a seat on the Prince Georges County Board of Education. Her father, Shukoor Ahmed, 53, an engineer from India, ran unsuccessfully five times for the Maryland House of Delegates and is managing her campaign. He tried so many times, but he was forever an outsider, Raaheela Ahmed said. I speak with less accent, so people take me more seriously. [Where Trumps call for banning Muslims resonates] Prince Georges and Montgomery counties have diverse and growing Muslim immigrant populations, from Pakistani doctors in Potomac to Somali cabdrivers in Riverdale. In Montgomery, community leaders estimate there are 98,000 Muslim residents, though no official statistics are available. While some affluent Muslims have become important political donors, most maintain a low profile. Few have run for office in the state, and almost all who have are men. There is one Muslim city council member in College Park and one in Takoma Park, one Muslim member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and one Muslim state delegate, Democrat Hasan Jalisi of Baltimore County. But a younger generation of Muslim American women is testing the political waters, urged on by ambitious men like Shukoor Ahmed and Hamza Khan, 28, a Democratic activist who chairs the Muslim Democratic Club of Montgomery County. Members of the Muslim Democratic Club of Montgomery County meet in Silver Spring. From left: Hamza Khan, Hasan Mansori, Aminda Kadir, Rida Bukhari-Rizvi and Nadia Syahmalina. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) This spring Khan managed the campaigns of Rida Bukhari-Rizvi, 32, a policy analyst from Burtonsville who ran for the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, and Nadia Syahmalina, 34, an Indonesian American financial manager from Rockville who ran in the Maryland primary to become a delegate for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. Both women narrowly lost, and Syahmalina said she will focus her efforts for the rest of this year on turning out the vote for Clinton in the general election. In interviews, both she and Bukhari-Rizvi said they were energized by their first forays into partisan politics and eager to do more. I was reluctant at first, but Hamza urged me to run, and it became more than a seat on a committee, said Bukhari-Rizvi, a Pakistani American who wears a white headscarf and is part of the Shiite sect of Islam. We have never been given a voice before, but Im part of a new crop of Muslim American women who are well-educated and well-spoken. We can help combat Islamophobia, and we can carve out a future for others. If no one gives us the mantle, we will take it. Shiites are a minority in the U.S. Muslim population of about 3 million. There are many more Sunni Muslims in Maryland, too, with subdivisions along ethnic, political or linguistic lines. There is a also a smaller population of U.S.-born Muslim converts. [The lonely life of a Syrian refugee in Maryland] Khan, a Pakistani American, grew up in Montgomery County and said the Muslim elite there has long been dominated by South Asian entrepreneurs. He is actively working to open the political arena to other Muslim groups, and especially to women. We have nearly 100,000 Muslims in the county, from many countries and walks of life, but their political influence is zero, he said. Few of them have faith in the democratic process, and many come from patriarchal societies. This is a battle to empower Muslim women. Syahmalina, the Clinton supporter, comes from a moderate Muslim community and does not wear a headscarf. Although active in Indonesian culture and causes, she said she had thought of politics as dirty and was nervous when Khan persuaded her to run. When the results of the April 26 primary were announced, she was astounded to have finished fourth among eight candidates. I was way down on the bottom of the ballot, and I have a long name, she said. I thought I might get a few hundred votes, but I got 37,000! Rida Bukhari-Rizvi, left, jokes with Nadia Syahmalina during a gathering of the Muslim Democratic Club of Montgomery County. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) Syahmalina said she has a passion for changeand wants to bring a different face to the national conversation about Muslim Americans, reflecting her Indonesian heritage. We are not all South Asian and Middle Eastern, she said. Raaheela Ahmed, Bukhari-Rizvi and Syahmalina all said they want to offer voters a reasonable, appealing image at a time when they say U.S. politics has become poisoned by anti-Muslim fears. As professional middle-class women, Hamza and others said, they may seem less threatening to voters than their male peers. With women, there is a trust factor. People tend to open up more to them, said Zainab Chaudry, who is Maryland state director for the Council on American Islamic Relations, a nonprofit advocacy group. Although she is younger than Bukhari-Rizvi and Syahmalina, Ahmed has more political experience. She ran for the Prince Georges school board in 2012, when she was a college student, and was appointed to the University of Maryland Board of Regents for 2014-2015. A financial consultant, she presents herself as a mainstream liberal despite her conservative attire. Her campaign fliers call for better school safety, parental engagement and financial accountability. At her recent meeting with immigrant high school students in Hyattsville, Ahmed delivered a pep talk on how to overcome self-doubt and succeed in life. Asked whether she had felt threatened or insulted in public, she shrugged. This is the [Donald] Trump era. There is a lot of ignorance, and people make judgments, she said. I am a U.S. citizen with a good education. I am also a Muslim, and I wear the hijab. . . . I dont want people to see just my faith when they look at me. I want them to see the real me. In an interview at her home in Bowie, with her parents beaming nearby, Ahmed said she had grown up surrounded by South Asian relatives, with everyone speaking Urdu. But she also described herself as an American girl, born and raised in Prince Georges, who connects easily with black and white voters alike. In 2012, she ran a close second behind the school board chairwoman, Jeana Jacobs. This year she won the April 26 primary, coming in ahead of Jacobs and another candidate; she will face off in the November general election against Cheryl Landis, 61, a career school system employee. Nobody thought I would win in the primary, not even my parents, but I got twice as many votes as I did the last time, Ahmed said. A lot of people remembered me when I knocked on their doors. I think they feel like I am home-grown. Officer Edward Nero, center, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, leaves a courthouse after being acquitted of all charges in his trial in Baltimore. May 23, 2016 Officer Edward Nero, center, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, leaves a courthouse after being acquitted of all charges in his trial in Baltimore. Patrick Semansky/AP A judge acquitted Baltimore police officer Edward M. Nero of all four charges filed against him in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody last year. A judge acquitted Baltimore police officer Edward M. Nero of all four charges filed against him in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody last year. A judge acquitted Baltimore police officer Edward M. Nero of all four charges filed against him in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody last year. Note: Baltimore police officer Edward M. Nero was acquitted of all four charges filed against him in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody last year. Here is the transcript of the verdict hearing held Monday in Baltimore. THE CLERK: The Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Part 31, is now in session. The Honorable Barry G. Williams presiding. THE COURT: Good morning, everyone. Please be seated. THE GALLERY: Good morning, Your Honor. THE COURT: Call the case. MR. SCHATZOW: Good morning, Your Honor. This is the case of State versus Officer Edward Nero, Number 115141033. Present on behalf of the State, Im Michael Schatzow; Deputy States Attorney Janice Bledsoe; and Assistant States Attorneys Matt Pillion, John Butler, and Sarah Akhtar. THE COURT: Good morning. COUNSEL: Good morning, Your Honor. MR. ZAYON: Your Honor, Good morning. For the record, Marc Zayon. As the Court knows, I represent Officer Edward Nero, to my left, with Allison Levine, as well. THE COURT: Good morning. You may be seated. All right. This Court has been asked to render a decision in this matter and will give the information as follows: The State has charged the defendant with assault, misconduct in office by corruptly performing an unlawful act, reckless endangerment and misconduct inoffice by corruptly failing to do an act that is required by the duties of his office. In order to convict the defendant of assault, the State must prove that the defendant caused offensive physical contact with Freddie Gray; that the contact was the result of an intentional or reckless act of the defendant and was not accidental; and that the contact was not legally justified. In order to convict the defendant of misconduct in office, the State must prove that the defendant was a public officer, that the defendant acted in his official capacity, and that the defendant corruptly did an unlawful act. For this count, the State alleges that the defendant arrested Freddie Gray without probable cause. In order to convict the defendant of reckless endangerment, the State must prove that the defendant engaged in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another; that a reasonable person would not have engaged in that conduct; and that the defendant acted recklessly. Finally, in order to convict the defendant of the second count of misconduct in office, the State must prove that the defendant was a public officer; that thedefendant acted in his official capacity; and that the defendant corruptly failed to do an act required by the duties of his office. For this count, the State alleges that the defendant failed to ensure the safety of Freddie Gray by failing to secure Mr. Gray with a seat belt during the process of Mr. Gray being transported in a police vehicle while he was in police custody. The State has the burden of proving, beyond a reasonable doubt, each and every element of the crimes charged. If the State fails to meet that burden for any element of a crime, this Court is required to find the defendant not guilty of that crime. I will discuss each allegation in order. Again, the defendant is charged with the crime of assault. In order to convict the defendant of assault, the State must prove that the defendant caused offensive physical contact with Freddie Gray. The defendant acknowledges that any unwanted or unwarranted contact can be considered offensive, and the evidence is clear that at no point did Mr. Gray want to be touched by any of the officers. Two, that the contact was the result of an intentional or reckless act of the defendant and was not accidental. Clearly, when the defendant touched Mr. Gray, it was done intentionally. But for reasons that I will soon discuss, I find that it was not reckless, but acknowledge that is not the end of the analysis. And finally, that the contact was not legally justified. In order to assess whether the contact was not legally justified, it is helpful to discuss some of the facts presented at trial. All times mentioned are on the morning April 12, 2015. At 8:40:03, video time stamp one minute and fifteen seconds of Exhibit 41, shows the defendant coming down an alley. And at 8:40:10, video time stamp one minute and thirty-five seconds, it shows Officer Garrett Miller on foot, and the defendant on bike riding over to the area where Mr. Gray is ultimately detained. At 8:40:13, there is a call over KGA, which is Exhibit 40, where either Miller or the defendant calls out, We got one. Miller testified that he apprehended Mr. Gray, and that Mr. Gray gave up without a fight and did not resist. He testified that the defendant did not touch Gray at any time prior to the time Miller approached and detained Gray. By the time Miller cuffed Gray, the defendant was standing to their left at the ramp. While Miller believed that the defendant was ready to assist because they work together, he reiterated that the defendant did not have anything to do with the cuffing and initial detention. While Miller detained Mr. Gray at the handicap ramp, he told the defendant to go retrieve Millers bike, which Miller had left in the court when he got off his bike to chase Mr. Gray. Exhibit 56 and 41 both show the defendant getting on his bike at 8:40:21, video time stamp fourteen seconds and four minutes and thirty-seven seconds, respectively. And approximately twenty seconds, later Exhibit 41 shows the defendant walking with two bikes toward the area where he ultimately met with Miller and Mr. Gray. I note that the video does not show Miller and Mr. Gray at the corner at that time. Finally, Exhibit 41 shows Miller walking towards the corner with Mr. Gray at 8:40:52, video time stamp five minutes and sixteen seconds. The State concedes, that pursuant to Wardlaw and Terry, that Miller had a right to stop Mr. Gray but, based on the KGA tape, part of the defendants statement, and part of Millers statement referenced at trial, wants this Court to find that the defendant was an integral part of the initial detention and subsequent arrest of Mr. Gray. Officer Miller, who testified under a grant of immunity from the State, stated unequivocally, while on the stand and under oath, that he was the one who detained and handcuffed Mr. Gray, that he was the one who walked Mr. Gray from the handicapped entrance to the wall where the defendant met him after retrieving officer Millers bike. Mr. Brandon Ross clearly stated that it was not the defendant who was with Mr. Gray initially but another bike officer. Mr. Ross saw the defendant with two bikes walking towards Mr. Gray and the other officer, and this was after the bike officer cuffed Mr. Gray. There is no value for Brandon Ross to say this because he is not a friend of the defendant. He saw what he saw, and it corroborates the testimony of Miller stating that he and he alone was involved in detaining, cuffing, and taking Mr. Gray to the wall to await transport, and it is consistent with the statement of the defendant where he stated that he went to get the bikes and met Miller and Mr. Gray at the opening of the court. This is corroborated by States Exhibit Number 41, which shows the defendant walking with two bikes. The testimony that was presented from Miller and the interview with the defendant, where both indicated that we handcuffed, is more in line with the habit of Baltimore City Police Officers who testify to speak in terms of what was done by the collective and not necessarily what is done by the individual. Therefore, the Court does not find that the use of the term we implicates the defendant in either participating in the initial detention of Mr. Gray or the subsequent decision to arrest Mr. Gray. The Court finds that the only contact that the defendant had with Mr. Gray at the first stop at Presbury Street occurred when he interacted with Gray after Miller walked him to the area to await the van. By that time, the Wardlaw/Terry stop had been effected by Miller and only Miller. It was Miller who detained Mr. Gray. It was Miller who cuffed Mr. Gray. And it was Miller who walked Mr. Gray over to the area where the defendant met them. When the detention morphed into an arrest, the defendant was not present. As such, the Court rejects the states theory that the defendant was involved in the arrest because, absent I and we, there are no credible facts to show that he was involved in the touching of Mr. Gray before Miller brought him to the corner. Furthermore, the Court does not find, with the facts presented, that there was a duty on the part of the defendant to ask any questions of Miller before he assisted with the continued detention and ultimate arrest of Mr. Gray. The defendant was aware of the KGA call from Rice; knew that Miller had detained Mr. Gray and moved him from one area to another; and that a van had been summoned. For the same reasons, minus the van call, the defendant did not have a duty to make an inquiry of Mr. Gray. Since the defendants contact with Mr. Gray came after Mr. Gray was detained by Miller, this Court finds that the contact by the defendant was legally justified and not reckless. Therefore, as alleged by the State, there is no assault by the defendant. Next, the State alleges that the defendant corruptly arrested Mr. Gray without probable cause, and that the arrest rises to the level of misconduct in office. Misconduct in office is corrupt behavior by a public official in the exercise of his duties of office or while acting under color of law. In order to convict the defendant, the State must prove, one, that the defendant was a public officer; two, that he acted in his official capacity; and, three, that he corruptly did an unlawful act. There is no question that elements one and two of the misconduct charge are met since the defendant was a public officer acting in his official capacity on the day of Mr. Grays arrest. But, as noted, the Court does not find that the defendant detained Mr. Gray at the ramp, nor does the court find that any actions by the defendant turned the detention into an arrest. The Court does find, based on a review of Exhibit 41, the testimony of the defendant, Mr. Ross, and Mr. Miller, that the initial contact concerning detention and arrest occurred when Miller, acting alone, interacted with Mr. Gray. As such, this Court does not find that the defendant detained or arrested Mr. Gray without probable cause. The propriety and basis for Millers actions are not before this Court and, therefore, have not been assessed by this Court. The State has indicated its belief that the facts as presented lend themselves to the application of accomplice liability for all the charges, and the defendant should be held criminally liable for the actions of Miller and others as an accomplice. In order to convict the defendant of any of the charges under the theory of accomplice liability, the State would have to prove that a crime occurred; and that the defendant, with the intent to make the crime happen, knowingly aided, counseled, commanded, or encouraged the commission of the crime, or communicated to the primary actor in the crime that he was ready, willing, and able to lend support, if needed. The States theory from the beginning has been one of negligence, recklessness, and disregard for duty and orders by this defendant. There has been no information presented at this trial that the defendant intended for any crime to happen. Nor has there been any evidence presented that the defendant communicated any information to a primary actor that he was ready, willing, and able to lend support, if needed, to any crime. Since the assault and misconduct are based on a detention and arrest that this Court has already determined was effected by Miller acting alone and on the information provided over KGA, and especially where there is no conspiracy charged, this Court does not find that accomplice liability on the charge of assault and misconduct is an appropriate application of the law. I will now discuss the charges of reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. The State alleges that the next two criminal acts occurred at what is referred to as the second stop. After Mr. Gray was placed in the van at the first stop, he was driven a block or so away to the Mount Street location where the van was met by the defendant, Miller, Rice, and other officers. When the van driver opened the door, Mr. Gray was seated. Rice and Miller took Mr. Gray out of the van. Miller retrieved his cuffs, replaced them with flex cuffs, and placed shackles on Mr. Gray. At this point, allegedly, Mr. Gray had gone limp. So, to get him back into the van, Rice got into the van and pulled Mr. Gray by the shoulders while the defendant had Mr. Grays legs. At three seconds of Exhibit 35, which is the video by Mr. Ross, the video shows the defendant kneeling down and placing his hands on Mr. Grays lower body. By eleven seconds, his hands are off. And at thirteen seconds, Rice jumps out of the van. The State alleges that the failure of the defendant to seat belt Mr. Gray once he was placed back in the van rises to the level of reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. In order to convict the defendant of reckless endangerment, the state must prove that the defendant engaged in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another; that a reasonable person would not have engaged in that act; and that the conduct and that the defendant acted recklessly. Reckless endangerment focuses on the actions of the defendant and whether or not his conduct created a substantial risk of death or injury to another. The crime occurs when the actions are found to be unreasonable under the circumstances presented. It does not focus on the end result, which can be, if charged, a separate crime. Two questions are at issue here. Question 1: Could an officer, similarly situated as the defendant, reasonably rely on the fact that an officer in the van with the detainee could and would, if required, seat belt the detainee, especially when that person is a superior officer? Question 2: Could an officer, similarly situated as the defendant, reasonably assume and rely on the fact that the transport officer, who presumably has custody, would and could make sure that the detainee now inside of his van is properly secured before driving off? The answer to both of those questions, based on the facts presented, is yes. As to the reasonableness of not taking steps to seat belt Mr. Gray, this Court finds that a reasonable officer in the defendants position and, in particular, the defendant, could reasonably assume that an officer, superior or not, in the back of the van would make a determination as to whether seat belting was appropriate under all the facts that that officer was aware of at the moment. This Court does not find that a reasonable officer similarly situated to the defendant, at the point where there are people coming out on the street to observe and comment, would approach the lieutenant, who just got out of the van, to tell him to seat belt Mr. Gray or make an inquiry concerning the issue of whether or not Mr. Gray has been seat belted. There is no evidence that was part of his training and no evidence that a reasonable officer would do the same. While the State did not present clear evidence of any protocol in the approximately 1500 pages of General Orders or directives concerning transfer of custody from an arresting officer to a transporting officer, a review of policy 1114, Exhibit 2, published on April 3, 2015, which may not have gone into effect until after the incident in question, does shed some light on the issue. Policy 1114 requires that when a person is taken into custody, members shall ensure the safety of a detainee. Section 1.5 of the policy notes that whenever a detainee is transported in a police vehicle, one must make sure that the detainee is searched and handcuffed by the arresting member before being placed in a police transport vehicle, and the transporting officer must also search each detainee prior to placing him in the transport vehicle. The policy goes on to state that all passengers shall be restrained by seat belts. This Court has to assume that member and one is in reference to police officers who are required to follow the General Orders. The policy seemingly uses police vehicle, police transport vehicle, and transport vehicle interchangeably. The Court notes that there certainly could be differences that are relevant, but no definitional terms were presented during the trial by the State. It is certainly reasonable to believe that before a vehicle pulls off, the officer who is charged with transporting a detainee may have the duty to make sure that the person being transported is properly secured and, if not, seek help from other officers if there is a need to do so. However, this Court acknowledges that there may be circumstances where that duty may shift or be nonexistent in relation to a particular officer. But, again, this Court is making its decision only on what has been presented for this trial for this defendant. Having found that a reasonable person would act similarly to the defendant, the Court does not find that his actions were reckless and, therefore, finds that there is no criminal liability under the theory that the defendants failure to act recklessly endangered Mr. Gray. Finally, there is the misconduct charge stemming from the stop on Mount Street. The State alleges that the defendant failed to ensure the safety of Mr. Gray when he failed to seat belt him after Mr. Gray was placed back in the van. As stated previously, misconduct in office is corrupt behavior by a public official in the exercise of his duties of office or while acting under color of law. In order to convict the defendant, the State must prove that the defendant was a public officer; that he acted in his official capacity; that he corruptly failed to do an act required by the duties of his office. Again, there is no question that elements one and two of the misconduct charge are met since the defendant was a public officer acting in his capacity as a law enforcement officer on the day of Mr. Grays arrest. Here, unlike in the other misconduct charge, the State asserts the defendant failed to do an act required by his office; and that failure to act is corrupt behavior; and, therefore, the defendant should be convicted of misconduct. Along with the analysis this Court used to determine whether the defendant was guilty of reckless endangerment, I also must determine whether, under this statute, he corruptly failed to do an act required by the duties of his office. While this Court has already determined that the defendant is not guilty of reckless endangerment, based on the facts presented, I believe I still must determine whether he corruptly failed to do an act that is required of his office. The comments to the Maryland Pattern Jury Instructions note that the committee chose not to define or explain corrupt or corruptly, believing that the words communicate their meaning better than a definition would. A review of relevant case law shows that a police officer corruptly fails to do an act required by the duties of his office if he willfully fails or willfully neglects to perform the duty. A willful failure or willful neglect is one that is intentional, knowing, and deliberate. And mere error in judgment is not enough to constitute corruption, but corruption does not require that the public official acted for any personal gain or benefit. In order to fail to perform a duty, the defendant had to know about this duty. Out of the more 1500 pages of the General Orders, at best, there seems to be ambiguity on the issue of when custody is transferred concerning someone who has been arrested and is about to be transported by the non-arresting officer. Again, the Court does not find that the defendant was the one who placed Mr. Gray under arrest, but clearly the defendant was involved in placing Mr. Gray back into the van after Miller recovered his handcuffs and placed shackles on Mr. Gray. The State presented Exhibit 7, which is a document that showed on June 26, 2012, the defendant, when he was appointed as police trainee, acknowledged receipt of nine listed items, including the General Orders. It does not say in what format they were provided, but there was testimony that generally it was presented on a flashdrive. I do note that this form crossed out Police Commissioners Memorandums [sic]. It appears to be a given that any member of an organization is required to follow the rules of that organization once one is aware of the rules. Defense Exhibit 10 is General Order A-2, which is titled Departmental Written Directives. Under the General Information section, it states, in part, that Employees shall be responsible for complete familiarity with and adherence to written directives, general orders, and Police Commissioner Memoranda. As directed, written directives shall be maintained by employees in their General Manuals. It goes on to say that, Digital versions of General Orders and Police Commissioners Memoranda shall be distributed in a pdf file, via email. Simultaneously, hard copies of directives shall be printed and distributed to each member. New directives shall require all supervisors to communicate the content of the new directive to their subordinates at roll call. There was no evidence presented to this Court that at any time between 2012 and the date of this incident that the defendants General Orders were ever updated pursuant to the policy presented in General Order A-2. There is no evidence that he was ever given any information at roll call. This is not to say that the Baltimore City Police Department does not follow General Order A-2 concerning the dissemination of new orders and updates, just that it was not presented to this Court during this trial. The audits in Exhibits 20 and 21 concerning seat belting individuals in prisoner transport vehicles was presented to this Court, but clearly they were directed towards transport drivers and what they do by the time they get to Central Booking. The exhibits had nothing to do with what is done on the streets in an active situation. The State points to Exhibit 22, which shows that at 6:01 p.m., on April 9, 2015, the defendants police email account received, among other documents, amended policy 1114. Policy 1114 amended K14, purportedly to take away discretion when seat belting a detainee. Andrew Jaffe who is the director of IT for the police department stated that the emails containing new polices was sent out as a blind copy to all officers under All BPD, which is a distribution group that includes over 3000 people. He had no way of knowing if it was opened or read by the defendant, and it was not listed as high priority. The State entered three emails authored by the defendant on April 9, 2015, as evidence that he was using his email account on that day. I note that Exhibit 23 was sent at 1:28 p.m.; Exhibit 24 was sent at 1:39 p.m.; and Exhibit 25 was sent at 2:16 p.m. The State did not present any evidence to show defendant used his email at any time between 2:16 p.m. and 6:01 p.m., and certainly did not present any evidence to show that he used it after 6:01 p.m. on the 9th of April 2015. Concerning the training that the defendant received in the area of transport, Exhibit 27 is the defendants arrest and control performance evaluation from his time at the Academy. The State presented Officer Adam Long, who instructed the defendant on the issue of placing a person into a vehicle and how to seat belt them. In the eighty-hour course, Long noted that there were a number of modules taught, and that the defendant passed the section for placing a suspect into a vehicle. He did not state that there was separate training for placing someone into a transport wagon or van. He said there was no specific training for wagon drivers but noted, after the incident with Mr. Gray, there is now. Sergeant Charles Sullivan from the Western District was assigned as the defendants field training officer in 2012. Field training is 10 weeks, but he had the defendant for a few weeks less but did not know why. When asked about wagon training, he stated that he did not train the defendant on transport wagon or transporting prisoners, even though it was part of the required training. If he had, he would have used a van and shown him how to transport a prisoner. This was never done. A review of Exhibit 9, which is the defendants police trainee manual shows that Sergeant Sullivan initialed most of the areas where there is proof that the defendant completed a required task. Sullivan stated that if there was no check next to the area, the defendant did not complete the task. Sergeant Sullivan would have referred the defendant to General Orders if it was something that he trained him on. If he did not train him, he would not have referred him to the General Orders. Brenda Vicenti, who was the field training coordinator, admitted that she was not a trainer, and the area where it is noted for Arrest Procedures/Processing Prisoners in Exhibit 9, the very subject matter where the defendant would have received training for the issue at hand, she indicated she did not train him. She and the defendant initialed Review, but that was done because she was told to do so by someone at the Academy and believes that the defendant did the same. The Court is not satisfied that the State has shown that the defendant had a duty to seat belt Mr. Gray and, if there was a duty, that the defendant was aware of the duty. This Court finds that the State has failed to meet its burden to show that the defendant corruptly failed to do an act required. The Court also finds that, under the facts presented, accomplice liability does not apply for the charges of reckless endangerment and misconduct. Based on the evidence presented, this Court finds that the State has not met its burden to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, all required elements of the crimes charged. Therefore, the verdict for each count is not guilty. This Court is in recess. THE CLERK: All rise. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order in April to restore voting rights to 206,000 felons. Now Republicans are taking him to court. (Steve Helber/AP) Leaders of Virginias House and Senate went to the states highest court Monday in a bid to reverse Gov. Terry McAuliffes sweeping order to restore voting rights to 206,000 felons. Skipping lower courts, they filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of Virginia, contending that McAuliffe (D) exceeded his authority in April when he restored voting rights to felons en masse instead of individually. The lawsuit bankrolled by private donors presents a complex constitutional question with the urgency of presidential election-year politics. Republicans are seeking an expedited review so that reinstated ex-cons who have registered to vote can be stripped from the rolls before November. Virginia governors have restored felons voting rights, but none with anything close to McAuliffes scale and speed. From Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson to Tim Kaine and Bob McDonnell, every Governor of Virginia has understood the clemency power to authorize the Governor to grant clemency on an individualized basis only, said the lawsuit, filed on behalf of House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford), Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) and four other Virginia voters. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe made a decision to allow convicted felons to vote ahead of elections in November. Heres how the executive order works and why it has lead to a legal fight. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) The lawsuit follows McAuliffes executive order to restore voting rights to all felons who have completed their sentences and have been released from supervised probation or parole. [About 200,000 convicted felons in Virginia will have the right to vote in November] The governor says that his move helps former convicts to fully reenter society. Republicans call it a favor to Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, McAuliffes close friend and political ally, who could benefit from higher numbers of minority voters in the crucial swing state. [GOP wants a say on restoring voting rights to 200,000 Virginia felons] McAuliffe blasted the lawsuit, suggesting that Republicans were trying to hold onto a remnant of the Jim Crow era, since African Americans have been disproportionately affected by felon disenfranchisement. One in four African Americans in Virginia had been banned from voting because of laws restricting the rights of those with convictions. Today Republicans filed a lawsuit to preserve a policy of disenfranchisement that has been used intentionally to suppress the voices of qualified voters, particularly African Americans, for more than a century, McAuliffe said in a written statement. These individuals have served their time and are now living, raising families and paying taxes in our communities this suit is an effort to continue to treat them as second-class citizens. Virginia is one of 11 states that bar ex-offenders from voting unless they receive individual exemptions, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School. When McAuliffe announced his order in April, his office traced felon disenfranchisement to a set of state suffrage amendments, including poll taxes and literacy tests, that were mentioned in 1906 report that quoted one state senator as saying they would eliminate the darkey as a political factor in this State. The lawsuit, filed by Charles J. Cooper, who ran the Office of Legal Counsel under President Ronald Reagan, pushed back against the claim that felon disenfranchisement was rooted in racism. Governor McAuliffe has falsely suggested that Virginias felon disenfranchisement provision was first introduced into the Constitution after the Civil War for the purpose of disenfranchising African-Americans, the lawsuit says. But Virginia has prohibited felons from voting since at least 1830 decades before African-Americans could vote. One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is former Alexandria, Va., vice mayor Bill C. Cleveland, who is African American. McAuliffes predecessor, Republican Robert F. McDonnell, simplified and sped up the application process for nonviolent offenders. When he was governor, Democrat Timothy M. Kaine, now a U.S. senator, considered a broader action but opted against it on the advice of his senior counsel, Mark Rubin. A blanket order restoring the voting rights of everyone would be a rewrite of the law rather than a contemplated use of the executive clemency powers, Rubin wrote in 2010. And, the notion that the Constitution of the Commonwealth could be rewritten via executive order is troubling. McAuliffes order also allows ex-felons to serve on juries, run for public office and apply for restoration of their gun rights. It applies to all ex-felons, including those guilty of violent offenses such as murder and rape a point emphasized by Republicans. The lawsuit notes that attorneys for a man accused of killing a state police trooper in Dinwiddie County are seeking to have felons whose civil rights were restored added to the pool of eligible jurors for his trial. [In Virginia, felon voting rights mean a simpler path to gun ownership] The McAuliffe administration notes that felons would still need a judges approval before winning back their gun rights and would still be vetted by the jury selection process before being added to such a panel. McAuliffe said that nearly 80 percent of those affected by his order were convicted of nonviolent offenses. Still, Republicans say, that means McAuliffe restored rights to 40,000 violent felons. [McAuliffe study: Nearly 80 percent of felons allowed to vote were non-violent] A signpost stands on Mobile Drive at the Waples Mobile Home Park in Fairfax, Va., in February. (Allison Shelley/For The Washington Post) Four Latino families being evicted from a mobile-home park because at least one family member is undocumented and doesnt have a Social Security number filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday that advocates said could set a national precedent in fair-housing law. The families, who live at the Waples Mobile Home Park in Fairfax County, say they and more than a dozen of their neighbors are being forced to move because the parks managers are refusing to renew their leases if any resident in the household lacks proof of legal status. [Without Social Security cards, immigrants face eviction] Rosy Giron de Reyes moved with her family to a more expensive apartment in Annandale after her landlord said her husband and 5-year-old son could stay but she would have to leave. Its affected me a lot, especially economically, Giron de Reyes said through a translator Monday outside the federal courthouse in Alexandria, where the lawsuit was filed. A man carries his dry cleaning home at the Waples Mobile Home Park in Fairfax, Va., in February. (Allison Shelley/For The Washington Post) She said she and her husband worked multiple jobs for years in order to save up $25,000 to afford a mobile home, which they bought three years ago and began occupying on a lot they rented from the trailer park. At Waples, she said, she babysat for other children in her home to earn money. Now Ive been forced to look for other work, she said Attorneys for the families are alleging that the requirement for all tenants to have a Social Security card, visa and related documents or a passport is discriminatory because it disproportionately affects Latinos. Similar policies imposed by cities and counties across the country have been overturned in federal courts but few, if any, suits have been filed against private landlords, the attorneys said. [Rumors of more raids prompt warning from immigrant advocacy groups] This type of discrimination is all too common, but the law is unfortunately far from clear, said Ivy Finkenstadt, managing attorney with the Legal Aid Justice Center, which is representing the families along with the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. We are hoping that the federal court in Alexandria will take it one step further and prohibit this practice by a private landlord as well. The 150-lot park is owned by a limited partnership headed by Albert J. Dwoskin and managed by the A.J. Dwoskin & Associates property management firm. Mike Dean, general counsel for the firm, and Josephine Giambanco, who is the on-site manager of Waples Mobile Home Park, both declined to comment on the lawsuit on Monday. Finkenstadt and other lawyers said the evictions have forced low-earning residents who had managed to get an ownership foothold in highly expensive Northern Virginia to slip back into the crowded, high-cost rental market. [A pounding on the door, and then they were gone] The policy of requiring Social Security numbers has been in place for years but wasnt enforced until mid-2015, residents said. All of the families involved in the lawsuit have children who are U.S. citizens and include at least one adult with a Social Security number. All have lived in the park from between two and six years. According to the lawsuit, the park management told residents that the documents they sought were necessary to run criminal background checks. When offered other documents that would enable that research, such as Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers or passports from foreign countries, the landlord refused them, the lawsuit said. The landlord also required those households with undocumented residents to change from annual leases to month-to-month leases, according to the lawsuit, and imposed a $300 monthly fee in addition to the $765-per-month lot rent. Theyre kicking out people who have a history of paying bills on time and who have been good tenants, said lawyer Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, director of immigrant advocacy for the Legal Aid Justice Center. Even if the court ultimately decides the landlord has a right to do this, its equally clear the landlord doesnt have to do this. From left, Greg Garrett, Toni Garrett, middle, and Connie Knighting catch up outside the entrance to the Syria Mercantile Co. in Syria, Va. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) Unlike its faraway namesake, this Syria has no Muslims. Its a pretty village with trout in its rivers and black bears in its hills, home to many who cheer one of Donald Trumps most derided proposals: a ban on Muslims. Laurie Richards, the cashier at the general store, thinks the way others do: She doesnt like everything about Trump, but she thinks he is right to talk about temporarily barring Muslims from entering the United States. Islamist fanatics, responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, continue to commit murder from Brussels to San Bernardino, Calif. It only makes sense, she said. Do I think he will be perfect as president? No, said Richards, 43. But his provocative ideas such as his talk of a giant wall on the U.S.-Mexico border show an attitude, she said. It tells her that Trump gets it, that he understands the big problem and is open to dramatic fixes. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to stop all Muslims from coming into the United States. Here's what he has said about Muslims since 2011. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Of all Trumps ideas, the ban on Muslims is considered by his critics to be particularly off the rails. With 1.7 billion Muslims in the world, it aims to shut out nearly one in four people on the planet. It has been called racist, unconstitutional and unenforceable. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton has said that it is shameful and dangerous. Yet the idea turns out to have broader support than many of Trumps critics expected. Nationally, 64 percent of Republican voters said in a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll that they approve of the ban as did 45 percent of independents while 26 percent of Democrats do. John Jenkins, left, chats with Ronnie Cordin at the Syria Mercantile Co. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) In Syria, Va., a Republican-leaning town in a pivotal state, talk of the ban deplored by so many is exactly what is rallying people behind Trump. It is a case study of one of the key qualities of the Trump candidacy: His popularity has grown and held steady not despite his extreme rhetoric, but because of it. Just as confounding for Trumps foes, perhaps, is the fact that many of his supporters dont take the idea literally. They hear it as a rhetorical nod that he will change things. That complicates Clintons task as she attempts to draw a contrast with Trump. Several people said that it made little sense to pay attention too closely to election-year proposals because candidates rarely deliver when they are in office, especially if Congress is needed to approve a new measure. Richards, for instance, said she doesnt think a ban will occur, just as she knows that Mexico probably wont pay for the giant wall Trump talks about building on the southern border. But she said that no other candidate is telling her what she thinks: Just about anybody can set foot in the United States, and those days should end. Trump is no angel, she said, as she rang up a customers $3 egg-salad sandwich in a crossroads store that stacks items including milk and rifle carriers. In fact, she said, Trump sometimes is belligerent and crude, and she doesnt like his crass judgments about womens bodies and looks. I could rate him, too he is not the best-looking man! But until the day the government can give a 100 percent guarantee that it can screen out Islamist terrorists, there should be a ban, she said. Security is her No. 1 issue and a lot of people think the way she does. Molly Sanford is the co-owner of Hollerfolk Nursery. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) They wont change me Ask Trump voters about Clinton, or vice versa, and the charitable words voters use are wacko and liar. In a village of only 200 people, many said it is best to avoid talking about the November election. I dont want to get in an argument. I just want to sell my plants, said Molly Sanford, who was working on a crossword puzzle in front of the Hollerfolk Nursery. As she sat among the marigolds and begonias she talked, but not too loudly, about what a ridiculous idea a ban on Muslims is. Ban people of a certain religion in a country founded on the idea of freedom of religion? Sanford said, shaking her head. More puzzling than what he is saying is that he has so many followers. Those of us who are for Hillary, or even who are Democrats, we have to have a secret handshake, she said. Willie Lamar helps customer Carey Amberger at the pharmacy in Orange, Va. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) Ten miles down the road in Madison, Willie Lamar is a pharmacist and the mayor. There are such extremes in this election, he said, so its smart to steer talk in his drugstore to anything but politics. People are keeping their opinions close to the vest. . . . I have some very good friends who believe differently than I do. I know Im not going to change their mind. And they wont change me. Lamar, an independent who said he hasnt decided for whom to vote, said a Muslim ban, and other border-security ideas Trump is suggesting including a 2,000-mile wall to keep out Mexicans are not really viable. But people give him credit for talking about issues that need to be addressed. For people to take the wall literally or banning Muslims literally is as outrageous as Trump thinking he can do it. Its a rhetorical comment . . . whether his methods are doable or make any sense is beside the point. Trump is right that border security is a critical issue, Lamar said. But he thinks that banning people based on religion is un-American. Jimmy Graves, owner of Graves Mountain Lodge, says he is a Trump supporter. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) A new voice Thousands drive through Syria on a single day in the fall, when the Blue Ridge Mountains burst into color and the village offers apple butter, bluegrass music and hayrides. But mostly it is a quieter place where, unlike the close-in suburbs of Washington, the federal government is not well liked. Dairy farmers dont want to be told by federal authorities to fence their cows lest they pollute nearby streams. And Jimmy Graves is not happy that he was told to buy a $6,000 mechanical lift for his pool to accommodate disabled guests. I had to put it in four years ago and havent used it once, said the 79-year-old owner of the landmark Graves Mountain Lodge. He said his uncle was among the settlers of the village a century ago who picked the name Syria out of the Bible. Washington hasnt addressed two big needs: cellphone coverage and a road into the Shenandoah National Park that would bring more tourists. Still, more than in most elections, people are watching who will go to the White House. It got their attention in December when Trump called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our countrys representatives can figure out what the hell is going on. Last week, after foreign leaders denounced Trumps ban including the new mayor of London, who is Muslim the presumptive Republican nominee said there would be exceptions and ideally it would not be in place too long, just until we figured things out. An hours drive from Syria, leaders in Northern Virginias growing American Muslim community say that the way Trump talks about Islam is bigoted and scary, whether he intends to follow through on a ban or not. Many in that part of the state applauded Clinton when she said, It is not in keeping with our values, its not effective in protecting us and it plays into the hands of terrorists. But around this village of white clapboard Christian churches, many are supporting Trump and welcome his proposed ban, even though they said it will never pass Congress and shouldnt. More significantly, Graves said, people hear a new, clear voice saying the country needs to do more to keep out people who are unsuitable. Scott Clement in Washington contributed to this report. A member of Fred and Joan Horak's Jacob sheep flock roams around their property in Gettysburg, Pa. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Two newborn lambs mysteriously fell sick, quickly regressed and died in the spring of 1999 on a Texas ranch named for Saint Jude, the Roman Catholic patron of lost causes. That launched an odyssey for Fred and Joan Horak, retirees breeding rare sheep traced to the biblical era and named after the Jewish patriarch Jacob, who is described in the Bible as raising similar sheep. Their quest to discover why the lambs died ultimately helped advance research into Tay-Sachs, a genetic disease that affects humans as well as animals. Now scientists are fine-tuning new therapy that has extended life spans in diseased Jacob sheep and in cats. And the Tay-Sachs Gene Therapy Consortium plans to seek federal approval to begin clinical trials on humans next year. [These sheep may trace their ancestry back to Old Testament days] Scientists and advocacy groups say the therapy represents the best hope for fighting the disease, which usually kills children by age 5 and for which there is no cure. When Fred Horak and his wife, Joan, noticed some abnormalities in some of their sheep, they decided to figure out what was wrong. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) It would be a treatment three millennia in the making, dating to the domestication of a breed that has an unusual look some of them have four horns, some have six and a genetic defect that is also found in people. But the modern breakthrough required the Horaks tenacity, scientists connecting the dots and cutting-edge medicine. Its been a long journey, said Miguel Sena-Esteves, head of the consortium of eight scientists and doctors that developed the treatment. Tay-Sachs is caused when the body does not produce enough of an enzyme, Hexosaminidase A (HexA), which recycles toxins from the body. The toxins build, progressively destroying the nervous system. The earlier the onset in children, the quicker it kills. Consortium researchers use a re-engineered virus to introduce the gene that produces HexA, said Sena-Esteves, a scientist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School who specializes in gene therapy for neurological diseases. The virus is a cargo vessel, its genetic material removed and replaced with a concentrated dose of the HexA gene as its payload. Horak feeds the sheep. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Horak cleans food containers. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Acting like a bucket brigade, healthy cells pass along the gene until, in effect, they soak cells lacking HexA, enabling them to produce the crucial enzyme. The experimental therapy has extended the lives of cats, which have a similar genetic defect, from an average of four months to 18 months, the consortium reports. Some lived past age 2, the consortium reports. Cat, sheep, humans Outcomes are less dramatic with Jacob sheep: a 50 percent life span extension, from an average of nine months to 14.3 months. But the sheep are especially valuable in the search for a human cure. The Tay-Sachs gene in Jacob sheep is an 86 percent DNA match with the human HexA gene. The consortium plans to seek federal approval for human trials while refining the gene therapy and methods for administering it. Advocates also will push for routine newborn screening nationwide. There is no question now the disease can be treated, said Doug Martin, a consortium member whose work involving felines at the Scott-Ritchey Research Center at Auburn University in Alabama expanded in 2010 to include Jacob sheep. Its not perfect, but it can be improved. The Auburn treatment is administered by precision-guided injections through holes in the skull, which succeeded in getting therapy beyond what is called the blood-brain barrier. The goal is to develop an IV drip that fully treats the central nervous system by providing sufficient doses to both the brain and the blood system. A plate adorned with Jacob sheep sits on a table at the home of Fred and Joan Horak. Researchers eventually found that their sheep had suffered from Tay-Sachs disease. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) The treatment is in the first generation, said Susan Kahn, executive director of the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association (NTSAD), which helps fund research by the consortium and other scientists exploring different treatment methods. But I think the promise for the future is very positive. Tay-Sachs was identified in humans in the 1880s. Research on Tay-Sachs in animals dates to the 1960s, including at Auburns Scott-Ritchey Center. Although Tay-Sachs is deadly in children, a form of the disease that appears in early adulthood is not always fatal, though it causes severe neurological problems. The HexA gene defect occurs throughout the general population, but highest-risk groups include Ashkenazi Jews, French Canadians and American Cajuns. People of Irish-British Isles descent carry a moderately high risk, according to NTSAD. Both parents must be carriers to pass on the disease. Each of their children has a 25 percent chance of developing symptoms. Each also carries a 50 percent chance of being a carrier without developing symptoms, and a 25 percent chance of not inheriting the defect. The advances are a glimmer of hope, said Shari Ungerleider, whose first son, Evan, died from Tay-Sachs in 1998 at age 4 1/2. We were told, Theres nothing now that will help your child and there probably wont in your lifetime, either, said Ungerleider, who became active in Tay-Sachs education and is a past president of NTSAD. Now I strongly believe in my life we will see a child receive treatment. Something was wrong Shari Ungerleider and her husband, Jeff, knew something was wrong. At 6 months, Evan was not sitting up, much less trying to crawl. He still had that exaggerated startle reflex common in newborns. It being our first child, we were not sure what was going on, Ungerleider said. The couple, Ashkenazi Jews, knew they were in the highest-risk group for Tay-Sachs. But after a pre-pregnancy test, Ungerleider was told she was not a carrier. Seven months later, a pediatric ophthalmologist noticed a cherry-red spot on Evans retina, a tell-tale sign of Tay-Sachs. By then, Ungerleider knew all the indicators. When the doctor muttered under his breath, I said, Oh, my God, I know what this means. The couple later discovered that the pre-pregnancy test had been misread. Infants and children with Tay-Sachs gradually lose the ability to move, eat, see, swallow and breathe without assistance. Evan quickly regressed, needing more and more in-home nursing. Parents on average spend $60,000 per year caring for children with Tay-Sachs, said Ken Bihn, president and co-founder of the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation. Evan had numerous seizures daily. The most effective mix of medicines only reduced their frequency. Neurologists said it was like stepping on one ant and 100 more would come, his mother said. A second child, Justin, was born when Evan was 2 . The Ungerleiders tried to make family life as normal as possible. We spoke to a wonderful doctor who told us, Just cherish the time. It wont be a full lifetime, but make a lifetime happen with what you have, said Ungerleider, who has three symptom-free children. We took that advice to heart. Evan died at home in New Jersey a few months before the Horaks discovered their sick lambs in Texas. The Horaks quickly turned to veterinary pathologists at Texas A&M University to find out what killed their lambs. They determined it was a genetic disorder but could not pinpoint it and began consulting other experts. After tracing the lambs ancestry to a ram named Turner 183K, the Horaks began breeding the rams descendants for diseased sheep to help continuing research at Texas A&M. Their goal: Aid development of a carrier test for the mysterious genetic disorder so breeders could cull their flocks and protect the rare sheep. On a tip from another researcher, Edwin Kolodny obtained diseased Jacob sheep samples from Texas A&M. Kolodny had co-founded the Tay-Sachs Gene Therapy Consortium in 2007 to consolidate research into developing a treatment for humans. The discovery of Tay-Sachs in sheep is leading to advancements in possible treatments for humans. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Kolodny, now retired, determined that the lambs had died from Tay-Sachs, and it was a near-match to the disease the consortium was researching in people. Kolodny called the Horaks in 2008 with an offer to buy any carriers. The couple agreed to keep breeding for the defect. I have never been more touched than when I learned this could help children, Joan Horak said. Roughly 10 years after the deaths of Evan and the lambs, Kolodny delivered an update to the New York chapter of the national Tay-Sachs association. He talked about the Horaks, their Jacob sheep and the potential for finding an effective treatment. A bar mitzvah project Shari Ungerleider, at that time a board member of the New York group, recounted the story that night to her son Justin, then 12. It inspired his bar mitzvah project. Justin started Adopt-A-Sheep in Evans memory, raising money to help cover the cost of feeding and caring for the Horaks research flock. The carrier herd moved to Auburn in 2013 when the Horaks moved to Gettysburg, Pa. Four rams and 21 ewes produced 48 lambs last year for the research, with nine developing symptoms, said Ashley Randle, who manages the flock and houses breeders on her husbands family farm in Auburn. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Justin ran Adopt-A-Sheep for several years before NTSAD took over the project. I never expected it to go nationwide, he said. Helping families not go through what my family has gone through is all I ever wanted to do, said the freshman neuroscience major, who worked in a consortium lab last summer. I will do everything in my power to help find a cure. A treatment followed by a cure if either happens is way down the road. We havent gotten our heads around that stage, said the NTSADs Kahn. It has not been tried on humans. We are still trying to get through the various challenges and steps of getting a drug to patients particularly gene therapy, which is new and relatively untested. The consortium originally set a 2013 target to start clinical trials. But a setback led researchers to considerably retool the therapy. The new goal is to start trials in 2017. The underlying technology in gene therapy is advancing at a dizzying pace, putting research on a fast track, said Martin, a professor of anatomy, physiology and pharmacology at Auburns College of Veterinary Medicine. Money is a major hurdle to finding a treatment for Tay-Sachs in people, researchers and advocates say. The consortiums work so far has cost about $6 million, funded by the National Institutes of Health and private foundations. Money is an issue Clinical trials will cost at least $2 million more. If I win the lottery, I will write a check that same day, Sena-Esteves said. Unfortunately, I am not that lucky. It may take luck, said Bihn, the Cure Tay-Sachs president. Federal budget cuts make further NIH grants more difficult to obtain, researchers said. Ideally, a biotech company would step in. But it will be a challenge to find one willing to underwrite research and development of a treatment whose commercial potential would be limited by the diseases relatively small number of patients worldwide, researchers and advocacy groups said. That leaves grants from private groups including NTSAD and the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation. Any delay in finding a potential treatment is frustrating, said Bihn, whose daughter died from Tay-Sachs at 14. If we could fix just one kid, the money would come, he said. It is one of many contrasting realities in this story. In the past 10 years, researchers say, potential for a human treatment shifted from theoretical to probable. But that is two lifetimes for an infant with Tay-Sachs. What has been accomplished is a tale of persistence aided by modern technology. But Martin and Sena-Esteves also marvel at the backstory, how an ancient breed of sheep linked to the Jewish patriarch would have a nearly identical genetic defect to one that would be discovered some 3,000 years later in a Jewish subgroup that still carries the highest risk of developing Tay-Sachs. Any other sheep and youd say, Okay, theyre sheep, said Sena-Esteves. What are the chances they would be Jacob sheep? What are chances a human cure could come from a farmers curiosity about what was wrong with his lambs? Sometimes I ask myself, Can it all be coincidence? Lucas St. Clair, surrounded by Orin Falls in the North Woods of Maine, is trying to persuade the federal government to create a national monument with 87,500 acres of land donated by his family. (Yoon S. Byun/For The Washington Post) The nearly 88,000 acres were meant to be a gift, donated along with a $40 million endowment so that part of Maines pristine North Woods might be protected forever as a national park. But its not easy to give away a national park; Roxanne Quimby, the wealthy, polarizing co-founder of Burts Bees, has been trying for more than a decade. Her effort has bitterly divided this corner of New England, where shuttered paper mills have led to crippling unemployment and a shrinking population, and where distrust of the federal government runs as deep as the rivers and streams. We dont need you here! one man at a packed public meeting last week shouted at National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. You really, truly dont care what these people think! another man fumed. [How global warming will drastically change national parks] National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis listens to local residents opinions on a proposed national monument in the North Woods of Maine during a breakfast gathering in Millinocket. (Yoon S. Byun/For The Washington Post) The emotion isnt surprising. Out West, ranchers and farmers have long complained of federal encroachment on private land. But the fight over the Maine woods involves a private landowner wanting to hand over property, along with an unprecedented amount of funding. A century ago, philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. tried a similar approach to create the first national park east of the Mississippi Acadia National Park on Maines Mount Desert Island. History has been slow to repeat itself. In a single day last week, on a swing that included the angry crowd in East Millinocket, a more supportive crowd at a university auditorium in Orono and a couple of other stops, Jarvis got both slammed and supported. He heard what a great idea the proposed national park would be and what a terrible idea. He heard the government hailed as a potential savior for the areas economy and as a land-grabbing force that could harm the timber industry and destroy a way of life. [Yellowstone National Park is 144-years-old today, and still hot as ever] Some accused Quimby of trying to buy a legacy through her donation, and they criticized her son, who has taken over the effort in recent years, as a smooth talker full of empty promises. Others praised the family, calling their offer an act of extraordinary generosity, a once-in-a-century gift. Clad in his green-and-gray Park Service uniform and a stiff-brimmed ranger hat, Jarvis did his best to allay fears and correct misconceptions about the Park Service using eminent domain or imposing a litany of new regulations. A national park could give the local economy a boost, he said. But he acknowledged it wouldnt be a panacea. What I have heard here today are a lot of concerns, deep concerns, Jarvis told the mostly suspicious audience in East Millinocket. I take every one of these concerns very seriously. The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. This video gives a quick history of how the park system originated. (National Park Service) [11 jaw-dropping photos of what you can see in national parks and public lands] Outside, along Highway 157, dueling signs declare National Park No! and National Park Yes! Signs on mailboxes and in front yards read, No Park for ME. How many times do we have to say, No, its not what we want for the area? Millinocket resident Lorri Haskell said, noting that residents in towns near the proposed park voted against its creation, that the governor and legislature are opposed and that Maines congressional delegation refuses to introduce the measure necessary to create a national park. That leaves only the prospect of President Obama using his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to declare the land a national monument something he has done nearly two dozen times while in office. It has nothing to do with us anymore, Haskell said as she sat at her kitchen table. It has to do with whether President Obama is going to betray us. Is this how democracy works? A mile away, not far from empty storefronts and the mill where Great Northern Paper churned out paper and prosperity for more than a century, Bret Doe said it was time to embrace a different future. The paper mills are gone, and theyre never coming back, said Doe, the son of a police chief and grandson of a paper maker. The area is slow to realize that. Quimbys quest took root in the early 2000s. Flush from the success of Burts Bees the skin-care company famous for its lip balm she had been busy acquiring huge swaths of land east of Baxter State Park, home to Katahdin, the states highest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. [Heres what seeing bears at National Parks looked like 90 years ago] From the start, her dream faced skepticism, and her actions stirred only more acrimony. She closed her land to hunters and snowmobilers, violating a long-held Maine tradition of allowing such uses on private property. She also evicted people who had leased long-established camps along the East Branch of the Penobscot River. The only landowner up here who ever closed off land to the public is Roxanne Quimby, said Anne Mitchell, president of the Maine Woods Coalition, a group opposed to the national park. She ruffled a lot of feathers. In 2012, Quimby stepped away from the project and handed the reins to her son, Lucas St. Clair, who returned to his native Maine to salvage the effort. St. Clair is 37, a tall, bearded father of two, a one-time thru-hiker on the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail who also worked as a fishing guide in the Pacific Northwest. From the start, he took a more conciliatory approach, determined to win hearts and minds in a way his mother never did. He restored public access to tens of thousands of acres east of the Penobscot River and vowed to keep them as a recreation area for hunting, snowmobiling and fishing even if a national park or monument were next door. He built an 18-mile loop road around the proposed park, along with camping areas and hiking trails, and invited the public to come see it for themselves. He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a public relations agency and a Washington lobbying firm, part of an effort to reset the conversation with residents, Maines congressional delegation and the White House. He commissioned economic studies detailing how other communities had benefited from proximity to national parks and cited poll findings that two-thirds of residents in Maines 2nd Congressional District, which covers much of the state, would support a North Woods park. St. Clair also pounded the pavement, trying to assure folks that the government would not use eminent domain or impose air quality standards or buffer zones that would hurt the forestry industry. Mostly, he listened. Ive had 10,000 cups of coffee with just about everyone, he said. Ive stood at the end of the grocery store checkout line and asked people what they thought. Ive sat in a million town meetings. I went to bean-hole suppers and knocked on doors. His work has thawed once-chilly relationships and won allies around the state. The Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed the proposal. The Bangor Daily News also backed it, saying the region needs new life. Still, opposition has remained fierce and fiercely outspoken. Sometimes big ideas are just plain bad ideas, a group of opponents, including leaders of the Maine Forest Products Council and the Sportsmans Alliance of Maine, wrote to St. Clair and his mother last year. This is a region with incredible assets and huge potential, but unless you end your quest, the prospect of a national park or some other version of federal control, such as a national monument, will hang over the region like a dark cloud, scaring off the investment the region needs and deserves. Last fall, unable to persuade members of Maines congressional delegation to introduce park legislation, St. Clair began a push to convince President Obama to designate the land a national monument. Were that to happen this year fittingly, he says, during the Park Services centennial the land would be managed virtually the same as a national park. St. Clair often mentions other parks similar beginnings. Acadia began as Sieur de Monts National Monument. Grand Canyon National Park began as a monument designated by President Theodore Roosevelt. The creation of the modern Grand Teton National Park involved decades of bitter controversy over Rockefellers efforts to donate thousands of acres to the project, with Franklin D. Roosevelt first designating that land a national monument. In some ways, its par for the course, St. Clair said. People are really nervous about the unknown. Locals debated the unknown during the hours-long public gatherings last week. This would be a tremendous economic boon unique to this region. Its printing money, one man said. This is an insult of the people of Maine, a woman argued. It looks like a backroom deal. Scores of comment cards also filled wicker baskets: I regard this as nothing less than a hostile takeover of our land! Change is inevitable, it is essential to survival. During his visit, Park Service Director Jarvis told them that while he hasnt yet decided on his recommendation, the Quimby land is absolutely worthy and the promised $40 million endowment invaluable for getting it ready for the public. We have no representation anywhere in the national park system like the forests and lakes of northern Maine, Jarvis said, noting how they once had inspired the likes of Henry David Thoreau, among others. To which opponents merely scoff. A monument? What in blazes are they trying to monumentalize? countered Mitchell of the Maine Woods Coalition. Theres nothing extraordinary about it, except for a lot of black flies. Critics still worry that a park or monument would only create a modest number of low-paying, seasonal jobs. They fear the governments presence could scare off other investments and hinder Maines multibillion-dollar wood products industry. But many also feel that Quimbys money not to mention her spot on the board of the National Park Foundation matter more in Washington than the objections of local residents. It hasnt been a fair fight, they say. Away from all the emotions, St. Clairs Jeep Cherokee bounced along bumpy logging roads last Monday and onto the 18-mile loop of his familys proposed national monument. A light snow was falling. The peak of Katahdin briefly pierced the low clouds in the distance. St. Clair pointed out primitive campgrounds and privies awaiting visitors. He spotted moose tracks and a beaver dam. Beech, birch and maple trees extended in every direction. It was remote and scenic, serene and undisturbed everything the towns he had left behind were not. St. Clair parked his Jeep and hiked through the woods to a place called Orin Falls, where he has spent countless hours canoeing, fishing and swimming. Its easy to get caught up in the fight, he said. It becomes this, Are you for it or against it? But theres more to it than that. . . . Its a magical place. The spruces and pines towered along the banks. The snow kept falling. Rapids crashed over ancient boulders. For a moment, all the arguing seemed far away, and the only sound was the roar of nature. Dartmouth College undergraduate Christopher Hogan, left, spins a 10-minute set of music during a competition on campus in Hanover, N.H., where dancers were asked to determine whether the music was generated by humans or a computer algorithm. (Michael Casey/AP) Computers are pretty good at stocking shelves and operating cars, but theyre not so great at writing poetry. Scientists in a Dartmouth College competition reached that conclusion after designing artificial intelligence algorithms that could produce sonnets. Judges compared the results with poems written by humans. In every instance, the judges were able to find the sonnet produced by a computer program. The year-long competition was a variation of the Turing Test, named for British computer scientist Alan Turing, who in 1950 proposed an experiment to determine whether computers could develop humanlike intelligence. Results were announced last week. A three-judge panel that included Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Menand was asked to read 10 submissions six produced by humans and four algorithms. The machines were given nouns including wave, tourist and floor and programmed to produce a sonnet. What the software packages produced didnt have the flow or narrative of a good poem. Some also had idiosyncrasies of syntax and diction, uses of language that were just a little off, Menand said in an email interview. Competition co-founder Dan Rockmore, a Dartmouth professor, said he was surprised at the computers poor showing. But he wasnt that surprised. The judges were hunting for machines, so they are not looking at a Hallmark card and reading the poem inside, he added. The competition also included a short-story segment and one involving computer and human DJs. Algorithms were not much better at short stories than at sonnets, failing to fool a panel of judges although one judge was tricked by one story. The sets of music produced by DJs were more of a challenge, with dancers having a difficult time determining who or what produced the various sets. Two algorithm entries managed to confound about 40 percent of the dancers. Several efforts have been made to create programs that can generate music or text. The Associated Press, for example, is using computers to automatically generate reports about business earnings. Michael Casey, another professor who helped organize the Dartmouth competition, said the results demonstrated the challenges posed to machines when they try to mimic the arts though he wasnt giving up hope that one day a computerized Shakespeare would emerge. All the nuance of a story, all the form and precision in a poem can that be replicated by algorithm? Maybe, Casey said. By doing this once, we may be able to encourage whoever is out there working on this kind of thing to take part, and maybe we will get better algorithms. However, Sherry Turkle, an MIT professor and the author of Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, who did not take part in the contest, questions the whole idea of trying to get a machine to write a poem. Poetry needs to come from the experience of human meaning. That is what gives it life, she said in an email. Rockmore and Casey countered that algorithms already are playing a role in choosing the books people read and the music they listen to. It would be just a matter of time before computers generate the actual content that is read but rather than a writer, the artist would be the programmer designing the algorithm. What if you could write beautiful stories that made people happy at the snap of your fingers? Rockmore said. That would be a wonderful thing. It wouldnt mean humans werent writing great things, too. They are both different art forms. Massachusetts Suspect in ofcers fatal shooting is killed The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts police officer Sunday was killed in an exchange of gunfire as authorities closed in on him, authorities said. A Massachusetts state trooper also was wounded and taken to a hospital, officials said at a news conference. They did not release the troopers name but said he was up and walking later in the evening. A manhunt began after Auburn police officer Ronald Tarentino, 42, was killed during a traffic stop about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Tarentino stopped a vehicle on a residential road, and the vehicles occupant shot the officer and then fled the scene, Chief Andrew Sluckis said. Tarentino was taken to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, where he was pronounced dead. He had been with the Auburn police force for two years. The shooter was identified as Jorge Zambrano, 35. Associated Press Mississippi Father charged in death of child left in car A Mississippi man has been charged with second-degree murder after he left his 8-month-old daughter in an overheated car while he went to work. Joshua Lewis Blunt left the child in the vehicle outside the restaurant where he works for some period of time, Grenada Deputy Police Chief George Douglas told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. The child identified by the paper as Shania Rihanna Caradine was noticed by someone who was walking past the vehicle and who called police, the paper reported. Grenada County Deputy Coroner Jo Morman told the paper that the child was hyperthermic when she was found. The baby was taken inside the restaurant before paramedics arrived and was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed. Blunt remains in the Grenada County jail on a $250,000 bond. Peter Holley 12-year-old weighs college offers: A 12-year-old Sacramento student who has three college associates degrees and has been accepted to two University of California schools says he plans to study biomedical engineering and become a doctor and medical researcher by the time he turns 18. Tanishq Abraham has been accepted to UC-Davis and received a regents scholarship to UC-Santa Cruz but hasnt decided which hell attend, Sacramento TV station CBS 13 reported. Tanishq began community college at age 7 and last year received associates degrees from American River College. Associated Press OHIO Judge orders Planned Parenthood funding to continue Ohio must continue to provide funding to Planned Parenthood for certain programs while a state law aimed at keeping public money from going to the organization is being challenged, a federal judge ruled Monday. U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett granted a temporary order that blocks the state from diverting funding from Planned Parenthood affiliates in Ohio. The state law targets the roughly $1.3 million in funding that Planned Parenthood gets through Ohios health department. That money, which is mostly federal, supports certain education and prevention programs. The law would bar such funds from going to entities that perform or promote abortions. The restrictions, which had been slated to take effect Monday, were signed into law by Gov. John Kasich (R) in February. The temporary restraining order lasts two weeks unless the court extends it. Associated Press TEXAS Jury convicts teen in Iraqi mans death A Texas teenager was found guilty Monday of murdering an Iraqi man who had just arrived in the United States and was shot as he took family pictures in an apartment parking lot last year. A Dallas jury convicted Nykerion Nealon, 18, of killing Ahmed al-Jumaili, 36. The jury immediately began deliberating on a sentence for the teen, who faces up to 99 years in prison. Prosecutors said Nealon fired 14 rounds from an AK-47, striking Jumaili once in the chest in the parking lot of the complex where he and his family lived. Jumaili, who had been in the United States for about three weeks, ran to his apartment and collapsed. Dallas police said Nealon did not know Jumailis ethnicity and the case was not prosecuted as a hate crime. Nealon appeared to have been trying to retaliate for a separate shooting that took place at his girlfriends apartment, authorities said. Reuters NEW MEXICO Federal government, mines sued over spill New Mexico became the first state to sue the federal government and the owners of two mines over the release of 3 million gallons of wastewater from a southern Colorado mine, seeking tens of millions of dollars Monday for environmental and economic damage caused by the spill. The federal lawsuit says the environmental effects of the August 2015 spill are far worse than claimed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. New Mexico wants to be paid back for its immediate response to the disaster and receive funding for long-term monitoring, lost revenue and a marketing campaign to undo the stigma left behind by the bright-yellow spread of arsenic, lead and other heavy metals that fouled rivers in three Western states. The move comes days after New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas fired off warning letters to the EPA and the state of Colorado over the response to the Gold King Mine spill. An EPA contractor triggered the spill. The wastewater laden with arsenic, copper, lead, mercury and other dangerous pollutants rushed down a Colorado mountainside and into two rivers, setting off a major response by government agencies and private groups. Associated Press Man pleads guilty to aiding bomb plot: A man accused of aiding a foiled plot to bomb a Kansas military post on behalf of the Islamic State militant group pleaded guilty to conspiracy Monday, admitting that he lent a friend money to store the explosives he intended to use in the attack. Alexander E. Blair, 29, could get up to five years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 22. According to prosecutors, Blair lent John T. Booker $100 to pay for storage of a bomb that Booker planned to detonate in April 2015 outside of the Fort Riley military post, about 60 miles west of Topeka. Booker planned the Islamic State-inspired attack with two contacts who were actually confidential FBI informants. Associated Press Titled Ho Chi Minh - Mat troi soi sang muon doi (President Ho Chi Minh - the sun enlightens life), the work is about President Ho Chi Minhs ideology, morals and lifestyle as well as the beauty of Vietnam and its people. The Vietnamese Cultural Centre in Laos receive a musical work. ( Source: nhandan.com.vn) Musician Duangmyxay Lykaya has composed a line-up of musical works praising President Ho Chi Minh such as Hong Ha-Mekong (Red River-Mekong River), Bong sen do (Red lotus), Nho Chu tich Ho Chi Minh suot doi (Remember President Ho Chi Minh) and Nguoi bac cua chung ta (Our uncle), which have been performed at significant events in both nations. The musician said that his musical works have been composed with respect for President Ho Chi Minh. On behalf of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, Charge dAffaires Hoang Xuan Hai said that numerous art works raving about President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam-Lao special relations have been produced by Lao artists. He hoped a performance of this work will be delivered to the public soon../. BURMA Suu Kyi seeks space on Rohingya issue Burmas Aung San Suu Kyi asked to be given enough space to address the plight of the Rohingya Muslim population in her country, as visiting Secretary of State John F. Kerry pressed the Nobel peace laureate to promote respect for human rights. About 125,000 Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Burma have been displaced since fighting erupted in Rakhine state between the Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Many Buddhists see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and there is widespread hostility toward them, including among some within Suu Kyis party. The United States has long supported Suu Kyis role in championing democratic change in Burma but was surprised this month when she suggested that U.S. Ambassador Scot Marciel not use the term Rohingya. Emotive terms make it very difficult for us to find a peaceful and sensible resolution to our problems, Suu Kyi said at a news conference with Kerry in Naypyidaw on Sunday. All that we are asking is that people should be aware of the difficulties we are facing and to give us enough space to solve all our problems, she said. Kerry said he had discussed the Rohingya issue with Suu Kyi, describing it as very sensitive and divisive. Reuters EGYPT All scenarios under review in plane probe Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi said all scenarios are being considered in the investigation of the crash of an Egyptian airliner into the Mediterranean Sea last week but warned the media against speculation that it was brought down by a terrorist attack. All scenarios are now being considered, Sissi said in his first comments since the commercial jet disappeared Thursday from radar screens. He spoke Sunday at the opening of a fertilizer plant in northern Egypt, according to aired footage of the event. We should not say that one scenario is more likely, he said. EgyptAir Flight 804 plunged into the sea just after leaving Greek airspace about 2:30 a.m. Thursday with 66 people aboard. Investigators have found only small bits of wreckage that have provided few clues. Sissi also said Sunday that an Egyptian submarine capable of operating at about 10,000 feet below the surface has been dispatched to assist in recovery efforts. Heba Habib and Erin Cunningham GREECE Parliament passes omnibus reform bill Greeces Parliament on Sunday passed an omnibus reform bill providing for tax hikes, more austerity reforms and a new privatization superfund that will manage almost all state property. There was one small dent in the left-led government majority of 153 lawmakers in the 300-member Parliament, with one Syriza Party lawmaker voting against the superfund and the contingency mechanism that will trigger automatic spending cuts if Greece fails to meet the targets of its bailout deal with creditors. Greece hopes the creditors will complete the first assessment of its third bailout program, freeing loan disbursements that will allow it to meet its obligations and avoid default. Greece also hopes the vote will pave the way to a discussion on easing the terms of its loans. But it will have to navigate differences between the International Monetary Fund, which calls for a generous debt cut albeit with more austerity measures, and the Europeans, who want no such cuts. Associated Press 7 dead in Indonesia volcano eruption: The death toll in the eruption of a volcano in western Indonesia has risen to seven, with two other people in critical condition. Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province blasted volcanic ash as high as two miles into the sky on Saturday, said a National Disaster Management Agency spokesman. An official warned of more eruptions. Death toll from Sri Lanka storms rises to 92: The death toll from landslides and floods in Sri Lanka due to week-long heavy storms has risen to 92, officials said. Soldiers searching for victims of landslides that buried three villages pulled out eight bodies from the rubble, the Disaster Management Center said, adding that 109 people were missing. The rain has stopped in many parts of the nation. From news services TURKEY Erdogan threatens E.U. over visa-waiver issue German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkeys president on Monday that Ankara must fulfill all the European Unions conditions to secure visa-free travel for its citizens, but Turkey responded that it would suspend agreements with the E.U. if the bloc does not keep its promises. Reflecting concerns that journalists and political dissenters could be targeted, the E.U. said Turkey must narrow its definition of terrorist and terrorist act. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that is out of the question. Speaking after a meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Summit meeting in Istanbul, Merkel said she does not expect the visa waiver to be implemented at the beginning of July as was originally hoped. Merkel also expressed concern about a move to strip legislators in Turkey of immunity from prosecution. But she underlined her commitment to a E.U.-Turkey deal reached in March that aims to stem Europes migrant influx. The E.U. offered Turkey a visa waiver as incentive, along with up to $6.8 billion for Syrian refugees and fast-track E.U. membership talks, to get it to stop migrants from leaving for Europe. As part of the deal, the E.U. planned to accelerate the introduction of visa-free entry for Turks, with a target date of June 30. Turkey has met most of the 72 conditions laid down by the E.U., but Erdogans refusal to revise anti-terror laws has emerged as a stumbling block. On Monday, his adviser demanded that Brussels keep its side of the bargain. So long as they continue with this attitude, Turkey very soon will make very radical and clear decisions, Yigit Bulut told state-owned TRT television. Associated Press MEDITERRANEAN SEA E.U. naval mission to help Libya coast guard The European Union boosted the role of its naval operation in the Mediterranean on Monday after Libya granted permission for the E.U. to train its coast guard, as increasing numbers of desperate migrants leave the country in unseaworthy boats bound for Italy. At talks in Brussels, E.U. foreign ministers agreed to extend the mandate of Operation Sophia by a year and tasked it with building up the size and skills of Libyas coast guard and navy. The operation would also police a U.N. arms embargo off the coast of Libya once a U.N. Security Council resolution granting it permission is endorsed. E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the training effort will be very important to control Libyas territorial waters, together with our Libyan partners, as well as to control the migrant influx. The E.U. has long wanted to move Operation Sophia into Libyan waters, and longer-term onto land, to combat migrant smugglers. But its efforts have been hampered by the failure of the Libyans to quickly agree on a widely recognized national unity government that would approve any such move. The West is hoping that the new fledgling government in Libya will unify the country and help combat the Islamic State militant groups affiliate there. Libya descended into chaos after the 2011 death of leader Moammar Gaddafi. The coast guard move comes at a time when the Balkan route for migrants into Europes heartland has been largely closed and crossings from Libya to Italy are gathering pace again. About 54,000 migrants have been stuck in Greece since the Balkan border closures in March. Officials said Monday that Greek authorities will start a gradual evacuation of the countrys main informal camp for refugees and other migrants within 10 days. Police and government officials said the estimated 8,400 people at Idomeni will be sent to newly completed, organized camps. Associated Press Maldives ex-leader says he has received asylum in Britain: The former president of the Maldives said he has been granted political asylum in Britain, where he had traveled for medical treatment on leave from serving a jail term in his country. Mohamed Nasheed, the first democratically elected leader of the Maldives, was sentenced to 13 years in prison last year for ordering the arrest of a senior judge while in office. In January, he was granted leave to travel to Britain, apparently to undergo surgery. 2 dead as Kenyan police attack protesters: At least two people died when Kenyas police shot, beat and tear-gassed protesters across the country who called for the electoral commission to be dissolved over allegations of bias and corruption. The protests, held each Monday for the past four weeks, come before elections next year and are organized by Kenyas main opposition group. Palestinian killed after police-stabbing attempt: Israeli police said its forces fatally shot a Palestinian woman after she tried to stab a police officer at a West Bank checkpoint. Spokeswoman Luba Samri said that the woman approached the checkpoint with a knife and that an officer opened fire, killing her. The incident was the latest in eight months of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Twenty-eight Israelis and two Americans have been killed in this period, along with about 200 Palestinians. Fire at Thai school kills 17: A fire swept through a school for girls from poor hill-tribe families in Thailand, killing at least 17 in their dormitory, police said. The fire broke out as the girls, ages 5 to 12, slept in the Christian school in the northern province of Chiang Rai. Preliminary indications suggested that a faulty fluorescent light on the ground floor may have been the cause of the blaze, a senior regional forensics officer said. From news services AMONG THE many unfortunate aspects of the 2016 presidential campaign has been the bashing of trade deals by candidates across the political spectrum, including those who should know better, like the Democratic front-runner, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. As matters now stand, the next president whether its Ms. Clinton, her Democratic rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) or the Republican, Donald Trump will be someone who opposes President Obamas proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement with 11 nations. The TPPs best chance at passage might be during the lame-duck session between the election and Inauguration Day, when Mr. Obama will still be in office and Congress will still be dominated by past supporters of the measure. In case anyone campaigning for office in the meantime is interested in them, some fresh facts about the TPP have just emerged showing why the case against it that it would steal jobs from hard-pressed American workers, as previous such agreements have purportedly done is so badly overblown. A definitive 800-page estimate of the agreements impact on the American economy by the U.S. International Trade Commission shows that, by 2032, the TPP would raise U.S. annual real income by $57.3 billion above what it would have been otherwise, and it would create 128,000 full-time jobs. Given the enormous size of the U.S. economy, of course, these are modest improvements indeed: less than a percentage point in each case. Still, a net positive is a net positive. The wins and losses would not be evenly distributed across all economic sectors. Agriculture and services would account for most of the income and job gains, reflecting the deals prying open of Japans previously closed markets. Output in manufacturing, natural resources and energy would fall by $10.8 billion (0.1 percent), reflective, in part, of greater imports of light manufactured goods such as footwear from Vietnam. U.S. automobile output and employment would grow slightly. As was the case with previous agreements, the benefits of freer trade under the TPP would be diffuse and barely perceptible by the many, many people among whom they are distributed, but the costs would be concentrated and intensely felt. That economic reality creates a political one; indeed, its the political reality that accounts for some of the candidates posturing. Beyond economics, however, the agreement promises strategic benefits, including closer integration of the U.S. and East Asian markets and the establishment of U.S.-style market rules across a wide and wealthy region of the world where China is attempting to promote a neo-mercantilist playbook more to its advantage. Those kinds of considerations used to matter to anyone serious about aspiring to the presidency of the United States and the global leadership that role entails. We can only hope that, whatever happens in November, they ultimately prevail. The May 20 editorial Let D.C. budget authority stand pointed out that House Republicans are violating their own professed principles by threatening to take away the Districts right to decide how to spend locally raised tax dollars. But the editorial conceded that the House Republicans are right in their claim that under the Constitution they have supreme authority over the District. In fact, this threatened usurpation of the right of the District to decide local issues for itself is a misuse of the authority the Constitution gave Congress. It is true that the relevant clause of the Constitution gives Congress authority over the nations capital. But the Framers were reacting to the Continental Congress fleeing Philadelphia for New Jersey in 1783, threatened by a local uprising. Thus, the purpose of the Constitutions clause on the District was to secure the federal government from such local interference. It was not meant for Congress to govern or interfere in the capital citys local affairs. As James Madison recognized in Federalist No. 43 when speaking of the capital city, a municipal legislature for local purposes, derived from their own suffrages, will of course be allowed them. As the editorial said, the House Republicans may proceed with this interference anyway. If they do, the Senate should not endorse this action and, if it does, the president should veto it. Walter Smith, Washington The writer is executive director of DC Appleseed. A tour of the war zones in Iraq and Syria with the top U.S. commander ends, appropriately enough, here in Turkey, the strongest power in the region and the place where the modern troubles began a hundred years ago with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The abiding strategic fact about the current war against the Islamic State is that its part of a bigger process of reordering the post-Ottoman structure of this part of the world. We dont know what the outcome will be or what the borders will look like; the United States isnt even sure what it wants, as the local powers scramble for their selfish interests. But this is the big story we often miss, amid the drone strikes and terrorist bombings. My trip with Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. Central Command , distilled two themes: American military power remains overwhelming. Were still the arsenal of democracy, to use that hoary phrase, and once the American war machine gets going, it brings devastating firepower on adversaries such as the Islamic State. Now that our military is finally being employed more aggressively against the terrorist group, this enemy is in retreat and, unless we lose patience, it will eventually be shattered. American political power, by contrast, is limited and confused. We have conflicting goals. We talk about maintaining unitary states in Syria and Iraq, yet weve now created what amounts to a safe zone for Syrian Kurds and their allies in northeast Syria. As Operation Provide Comfort did for Iraqi Kurds 25 years ago, this will encourage an autonomous Kurdish zone. If American strategists have a vision to reconcile these conflicting aims, I dont see it. During my travels this past week with Votel, I kept encountering little nuggets that illustrated some of the realities of this conflict that the warriors see but the public usually doesnt. Inside one of the combat operations centers that run the war, below the massive screens that help the military coordinate surveillance drones, current offensive operations and air assets across the theater, you can see three reminders about how to process all this information: Is a decision required? Who else needs the information? Does it change a commanders estimate? I wonder if theres a similar checklist at the White House. Traveling with the U.S. military, youre inside a bubble of optimism that emphasizes whats going well and suppresses the negatives, with the effect that victory always seems nearer than it really is. One officer, in the middle of a briefing about U.S. operations against the Islamic State, summed up the situation this way: One side is going to the playoffs, and the other is going to the parking lot. A likable American assessment, but thats not the way conflicts work in this part of the world. The losers never go to the parking lot, unless theyre obliterated by genocidal violence. They retreat and come back in new forms. Another comment that may reflect our misplaced optimism came from Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, whos running the war from Baghdad and is one of the best U.S. commanders around. He said of the Islamic States recent upsurge in terrorist attacks against Shiites in Baghdad: In some ways its an indication of our success that the enemy is forced to change tactics. Ive heard similar upbeat comments for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the unfortunate fact is that suicide bombings, however desperate, keep this region unstable and in some ways ungovernable. Military commanders should be careful about outrunning their political bases of support. One commander rightly said the Islamic State is like cancer. In killing it, you need to make sure you dont kill the patient. Another used the Arabic expression slowly, slowly, in describing the right strategy for chipping away at the Islamic States capitals, Mosul and Raqqa. If we see these wars as part of a broader, decades-long process to reshape the post-Ottoman order, we realize how easy it is to make lasting mistakes. The scheming colonial powers of 1916 have been replaced by scheming regional powers such as Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are playing local proxies against each other to maintain their national interests. We see the plucky Kurds, once again playing for a national status they deserve but that the region may not be able to accommodate. And we see the United States: powerful, impatient, unsure of how to integrate its ideals and interests. My takeaway from this past week is that the military side is going well but the political needs a lot more work. Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Passengers at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago wait to be screened by TSA on May 16. Waits have been as long as two hours. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) FIRST TWO hours, now three hours this is how far in advance authorities are recommending people show up to catch a domestic flight, at least at some major U.S. airports with increasingly massive security lines. The Transportation Security Administration is struggling to keep up with a spike in airline travel that could result in line-waiting misery during peak summer vacation months. This is a totally unacceptable waste of time that violates the essential bargain between the TSA and air passengers. The TSA can do better and it must. Americans are willing to tolerate time-consuming security protocols in return for increased safety. The crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, which terrorists may have downed over the Mediterranean Sea, provides another tragic reminder of why. But demanding too much of air travelers or providing too little security in return undermines public support for the process. And it should: Wasted time is a drag on Americans economic and private lives, not to mention infuriating. Last year, a TSA inspector general sting found that undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons both fake and real past airport security nearly every time they tried. Enhanced security measures since then, combined with a rise in airline travel due to the improving economy and low oil prices, have resulted in long waits at major airports such as Chicagos OHare International . It is not yet clear how much more effective airline security has become but the lines are obvious. Part of the issue is that the government did not anticipate the airline travel spike, so the TSA is now rushing to get new screeners on the line. Part of the issue is that airports have only so much room for screening lanes. Another factor may be that more people are trying to overpack their carry-on bags to avoid checked-baggage fees, though the airlines strongly dispute this. There is one step the TSA could take that would not require remodeling airports or rushing to hire: Enroll more people in the PreCheck program. PreCheck is supposed to be a win-win for travelers and the TSA. Passengers who pass a background check are eligible to use expedited screening lanes. This allows the TSA to focus on travelers who are higher risk, saving time for everyone involved. TSA wants to enroll 25 million people in PreCheck . Here are four reasons so many flyers are getting stuck in long security lines at the airport. (Claritza Jimenez,Dani Johnson/The Washington Post) It has not gotten anywhere close to that, and one big reason is sticker shock: Passengers must pay $85 every five years to process their background checks. Since the beginning, this price tag has been PreCheck s fatal flaw. Impending reforms might bring the price to a more reasonable level. But Congress should look into doing so directly, by helping to finance PreCheck enrollment or to cut costs in other ways. The TSA cannot continue diverting resources into underused PreCheck lanes while most of the traveling public languishes in unnecessary lines. It is long past time to make the program work. Iraqi army soldiers stand by an Islamic State flag drawn on a wall in a house damaged by a U.S. airstrike where a tunnel dug by Islamic State militants was found in Kabrouk, Iraq, on May 17. (Alice Martins for The Washington Post) (Alice Martins/For The Washington Post) Surveying the wreckage of the Middle East and the fraying of Europe, President Obama understandably would like us to believe that no other policy could have worked better. The United States has tried them all, his administration argues: massive invasion, in Iraq; surgical intervention, in Libya; studied aloofness, in Syria. Three approaches, same result: chaos and destruction. So why bother? Why get sucked into a transformation that will play out for a generation, as Obama described it in his State of the Union address this year, rooted in conflicts that date back millennia? Even setting aside the offensiveness of such a sweeping dismissal of Arab potential, the formulation is wrong on two counts, one prescriptive and one analytical. It offers no plausible path for Obamas successor who, as Obamas own fitful, reluctant re-escalation shows, will not be able to ignore the region. Instead, it invites the kind of demagogic promises we have heard during the campaign, to carpet bomb Islamic militants until we find out whether sand can glow in the dark, as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) threatened, or, in Donald Trumps words, to quickly, quickly knock the hell out of the Islamic State and then come back here and rebuild our country. More fundamentally, the administrations fatalism ignores a fourth policy option that Obama, from the beginning, was determined not to try: patient, open-ended engagement using all U.S. tools diplomatic as well as military with a positive outcome, not a fixed deadline, as the goal. That is an approach that has worked before. In Korea, the United States forged an intimate alliance more than a half-century ago, and today U.S. soldiers and diplomats are still present. U.S. support deterred an external foe while and people forget this, given South Koreas stability today helping steady a society torn by civil war as its people gradually built a democracy. Obama came into office determined to avoid this approach. In Afghanistan, he set a timetable for troop withdrawal, untethered to conditions. In Libya, he bombed the Gaddafi regime out of power but did not stay to help a new government get on its feet. In Iraq, he overrode his civilian and military advisers and declined to keep in the country the 15,000 or 20,000 troops that might have helped preserve the stability the U.S. surge had helped achieve. The president did not defend that withdrawal because millennia-old hatreds made Iraq a hopeless case. Just the reverse, in fact: Success had made a U.S. presence unnecessary. This is a historic moment. A war is ending. A new day is upon us, he said in 2011. People throughout the region will see a new Iraq thats determining its own destiny a country in which people from different religious sects and ethnicities can resolve their differences peacefully through the democratic process. It does not require hindsight to appreciate the recklessness of his decision. True, few foretold just how completely the nation would fall apart, with a vicious caliphate occupying much of the country and a return of frequent bombings in Baghdad. But The Posts editorial page was not alone in warning at the time that a complete withdrawal sharply increases the risk that painfully won security gains in Iraq will come undone. I understand why Obama and so many other Americans reject persistent engagement, often derisively called nation-building. It is difficult, and the United States often does it badly and sometimes doesnt succeed; Americans cant impose democracy; we often end up doing work that we wish the locals or their neighbors would do. Obama is right, too, that other regions, such as the Pacific, are more important to the global economy and more central to U.S. strategy. But against all that wisdom stands one stubborn fact, again proved by Obamas re-escalation: The United States does not have a choice. The unraveling doesnt stay put, but spreads to Syria and Paris and Brussels and the skies over the Mediterranean and, eventually, the United States. Under conditions far more difficult than they might have been, the president finds himself unleashing bombers over Syria and dispatching soldiers into Iraq. He cannot acknowledge, maybe even to himself, that disengagement was a mistake. That is why, even as Americans are, once again, being killed in Iraq, Obama insists that no service members are in combat. But it would be healthy for the country, and the next president, to move beyond make-believe. There is no quickly, quickly defeating Islamist terrorism and there is no safe way to retreat from the challenge of combating it for the long term. Read more from Fred Hiatts archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Regarding Robert Kagans May 20 op-ed, How fascism comes to America: One need not be a fan of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to understand the differences among a mobocracy in 18th-century France, Italian and German fascist movements in the first half of the 20th century, and Mr. Trumps candidacy. The mob in France moved against a monarchy, not a democratic republic. Neither Italy nor Germany had a strong tradition of democratic governance or lengthy unity as a nation-state. The framers of our Constitution addressed the potential for mob rule descending into tyranny by creating a system of checks and balances at the federal level, and vesting important powers in the states. We have an independent judiciary, a free press now linked by the means of instant communication and a people who have stood up for our rights for more than two centuries. These are greater barriers to the rise of a tyrant than any example Mr. Kagan cited. Actual fascists murdered millions of people in the last century. We should not demean the loss of these innocents by cheapening the use of the term, any more than the Holocaust should be used to describe events that do not constitute a similar horror. Mark Disler, Rockville Robert Kagans analysis was frightening but accurate. That someone is willing to arouse bigotry and scapegoating in pursuit of political success is not surprising. What is surprising and scary is that so many Americans are willing to support such a person. Pandoras box having been opened, even if Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is defeated, the dangers to our carefully established political traditions and to all the groups he has scapegoated will need to be addressed at the ballot box, among playground bullies and in society generally. Terrie Gale, Washington Robert Kagans analysis of the Trump phenomenon dismissed the causes as maybe some voter unhappiness with economic stagnation or dislocation. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps fitness for the nations highest office is a legitimate concern. But it is irresponsible to ignore the cumulative effects on American voters of decades of unchecked government spending and regulatory growth; attacks on individual liberty, community autonomy and cherished societal institutions; encouragement of factional and class warfare for political gain; and deliberate degradation of the United States global esteem and power. According to voter polls, Mr. Trump is not the answer. Nor, it should be noted, are the other remaining presidential candidates. But those who refuse to honestly ask the question should not be surprised. Jack Lichtenstein, Alexandria We still do not know who or what is responsible for the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, but we know this much for certain: The terrorist danger is growing, and it wont be contained to the Mediterranean. Responding to criticism of President Obamas handling of terrorism, White House press secretary Josh Earnest boasted Thursday of all the setbacks the Islamic State has experienced in recent months, noting that in Iraq 45 percent of the populated area that ISIL previously controlled has been retaken from them. In Syria, that figure is now 20 percent. Thats like a patient who ignored a cancer diagnosis bragging that he finally reduced the tumor in his lung glossing over the fact that he let it spread and metastasize to his other organs. If he had attacked the Islamic State cancer early, Obama could have stopped it from spreading in the first place. But instead, he dismissed the terrorist group as the JV team that was engaged in various local power struggles and disputes and did not have the capacity and reach of a bin Laden and did not pose a direct threat to us. He did nothing, while the cancer grew in Syria and then spread in Iraq. Now the cancer has spread and metastasized across the world. According to a recent CNN analysis, since declaring its caliphate in 2014, the Islamic State has carried out 90 attacks in 21 countries outside of Iraq and Syria that have killed 1,390 people and injured more than 2,000 others. The Islamic State has a presence in more than a dozen countries and has declared provinces in Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Post reported in 2015 that since the withdrawal of most U.S. and international troops in December, the Islamic State has steadily made inroads in Afghanistan where it has poured pepper into the wounds of their enemies . . . seared their hands in vats of boiling oil . . . blindfolded, tortured and blown apart [villagers] with explosives buried underneath them. On the day an EgyptAir plane carrying 66 people disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea, White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters that investigators will look into all "potential factors that may have contributed to this tragedy." (White House) And while the Islamic State spreads and grows, al-Qaeda is making a comeback. Obama is touting the killing of Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour as an important milestone, but the truth is that the Taliban has made major military gains in Afghanistan and that has opened the door to al-Qaeda. The Post reported in October that American airstrikes targeted what was probably the largest al-Qaeda training camp found in the 14-year Afghan war. Sounds good except for one small problem: There were no major al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan when Obama took office. Now it is once again training terrorists in the land where it trained operatives for the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Al-Qaeda has also regained lost ground in Yemen, the country where it trained and deployed the underwear bomber who nearly blew up a plane bound for Detroit in 2009. And as a recent report from the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institutes Critical Threats Project notes, the Syrian al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al Nusra poses one of the most significant long-term threats of any Salafi-jihadi group and is much more dangerous to the U.S. than the ISIS model in the long run. Overall, Gen. Jack Keane recently testified that al-Qaeda has grown fourfold in the last five years. Were lying to ourselves if we think that the violence we are witnessing is going to be confined to the Middle East . . . or South Asia . . . or North Africa . . . or Europe. It is only a matter of time before the Islamic State and al-Qaeda bring this violence here to our shores. Indeed, in many ways we face a situation far more dangerous and complex than we did before Sept. 11, 2001. Before 9/11, we largely faced a danger from one terrorist network (al-Qaeda) with safe haven in one nation (Afghanistan). Today, we face danger from multiple terrorist networks with safe havens in a dozen or more countries. Moreover, we face something we have never seen before: two terrorist networks the Islamic State and al-Qaeda competing with each other for the hearts of the jihadi faithful and the backing of jihadi financiers. The way to win that competition is to be the first to carry out a catastrophic attack here in the United States. When it came to terrorist networks, the George W. Bush administration had a mantra: Were going to fight them over there so that we do not have to face them here at home. Obama abandoned that mantra. And now the danger is getting closer to home with each passing day. Read more from Marc Thiessens archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. The program aims to promote understanding on culture between Vietnam and several Southeast Asian countries, with diverse activities such as shows on traditional clothes, folk arts, paintings on traditional clothes, water puppetry, folk toy making and folk games. The highlight of the program is activity to discover 20 Southeast Asian folk games so that visitors will see similarities and differences among games in the region. Children colour traditional clothes (Photo provided by the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology) Traditional clothing shows and discovering the culture of countries through paintings are expected to draw the attention of children. Children will have a chance to work with groups and to be small models to wear traditional clothes of Brunei, Cambodia, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam. Puppetry performances will be held during the program. Especially, artists from Minh Tan puppetry group from the northern port city of Hai Phong will introduce how to control puppets. Puppetry performances by artists from Binh Phu group from Hanoi will help visitors understand more about daily life in the rural areas, as well as the sentiments of peasants. Children will also have opportunity to make toys with leaves, paint bamboo butterflies and kites under the guidance of artisans./. Chung Min Lee is a professor of international relations at Yonsei University in Seoul and a non-resident senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of the new book Fault Lines in a Rising Asia. Riding the crest of seemingly unstoppable growth, Asias rise has captured the popular imagination for three decades. By most hard-power measures, such as gross domestic product, trade volumes, technological prowess and military capabilities, Asia has emerged as the worlds third pillar, along with the United States and Europe. Indeed, many commentators have argued that the 21st century will not only be dominated by key Asian states such as China, India and Japan, and major middle powers including South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia, but also that the region as a whole is on its way to eclipsing the West. But as President Obama embarks on a highly symbolic trip to Asia, its timely to point out that such linear conceptions of Asias inexorable rise are misleading and incomplete, given the magnitude of political, security and socioeconomic problems confronting Greater Asia. With the Asian economic juggernaut coming to an end, due to lower growth in China, an aging Japan and South Korea, and Indias ongoing problems with corruption and a bureaucracy that impedes structural reform, the continent must be viewed from another angle: as a department store of many of the worlds gargantuan political and military challenges. Indeed, unless Asias strategically consequential states can significantly mitigate, if not resolve, the regions political and military deficits, Asias rise will never be completed. Today, the Asian continent confronts two major challenges. The first lies in the long-term consequences of Asias de facto arms race. According to figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the United States continues to lead the world in annual defense spending, at $596 billion, but the combined defense outlays of China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore reached $334 billion in 2015. The institute data also show that from 2010 to 2014, nine of the top 20 arms importers were Asian states. China seeks to contest the U.S. military in the western Pacific in order to project power into the so-called first and second island chains by the 2020s, and its aggressive moves recently in the South China Sea demonstrate its determination. And beyond this, the continent is home to three major geopolitical flash points: the Korean Peninsula, where North Korea could conduct a fifth nuclear test; the Taiwan Strait; and the Indo-Pakistani nuclear competition in South Asia. Asias de facto arms race creates deeper and wider security dilemmas and a constant, destabilizing introduction of more lethal, more accurate and longer-range weapons systems. If this military competition isnt worrisome enough, the region is also burdened by unparalleled political quagmires. In 2021, the Chinese Communist Party will celebrate its 100th anniversary and the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. China has made enormous economic strides since reforms began in 1978, and the Communist Party should be proud of its achievements. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage the worlds second-largest economy via ironclad one-party rule. As the party continues to crack down on dissent and the free flow of information, while also issuing edicts on empowered nationalism, stopping spiritual contamination and resisting foreign intrusions, China will be characterized by progressively harsh surveillance and internal policing. The partys biggest threat doesnt arise from the United States or Japan; it comes from the hundreds of millions of educated, globalized and economically well-off citizens who will demand increasingly great liberties and accountability from their government. Performance legitimacy the trade-off of popular political support for sustained economic growth despite constrained political freedoms no longer works as Chinas social contract. Asias political landscape is replete with other dangers, too, including the failed state of North Korea, with its nuclear weapons and increasing ballistic missile capabilities. Pakistan, also a virtually failed state, faces unprecedented socioeconomic challenges while being run by the army despite a facade of civilian rule, all while locked in a nuclear arms race with archrival India. Burma is transitioning to a quasi-democratic system, but the army refuses to fully surrender power. In Southeast Asia, democracy has regressed in Thailand, while Malaysias government is embroiled in a major corruption scandal. For all these reasons, the vast majority of Asian states feel much more comfortable with the United States rather than China as the indispensable power in maintaining regional stability and prosperity. There is no doubt that Asia has made enormous progress over the past half-century, but its time to wake up to the continents political, security and strategic quagmires. It is undeniably true that the liberal international order long led and maintained by the United States and the rest of the West faces problems. But attempts to blame the West for Asias problems today are intellectually shallow and politically expedient. Asia must undertake wrenching political reforms, including the embracing and strengthening of universal values, for an Asian century to truly dawn. Asia has risen, but it is far from reigning. Members of the Philippine Army practice a flag-raising ceremony on the eve of the country's Independence Day at Luneta Park in Manila on June 11, 2014. (Jay Directo/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images) Regarding the Chinese Embassys May 16 letter to the editor, Provocations in the South China Sea: Scarborough Shoal is well within the Philippiness Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 miles. It had been under the Philippiness effective jurisdiction before China forcibly grabbed it in 2012. The Philippiness claim is based on the terms of several treaties. The Philippines took to arbitration as it is an open, friendly, durable and rules-based dispute-settlement mechanism provided for under international law. The Philippiness case was pursued in response to Chinas unilateral and aggressive actions to assert unlawful claims to nearly the entire South China Sea. Arbitration promotes the rule of law in managing international differences and the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with the U.N. Charter. The Philippines will respect the arbitral tribunals ruling and hopes China will, too. The Philippines welcomes steps taken by the United States and other countries to support freedom of navigation and overflight, and unimpeded lawful commerce. It is one thing for my country to speak and act on the basis of what we perceive as being in the interest of the Philippines, but when others express their opinions in support of the Philippines and their grave concern over the security landscape in the South China Sea, it speaks volumes about what is at stake. It is clear who the provocateur is in the eyes of the international community. Darell Ann R. Artates, Washington The writer is the public diplomacy officer for the Embassy of the Philippines. The Supreme Court ruled Monday in favor of a black Georgia death-row inmate who claimed that prosectors kept African Americans off the jury that convicted him of murdering an elderly white woman. The court ruled 7 to 1 that Georgia prosecutors had violated the Constitution by improperly considering race when selecting a jury to judge Timothy Tyrone Foster. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. Justice Clarence Thomas, the lone African American on the court, dissented, saying that the evidence that prosecutors acted improperly was not strong enough to overturn Fosters conviction. The decision did not expand the law, but it laid bare a jury selection process that usually is opaque. It came about because Fosters lawyers, nearly two decades after the teenagers conviction in 1987, gained access to prosecutors notes under Georgias open records laws. The names of the black potential jurors were marked with a B and highlighted in green. Their race on juror questionnaires was circled. All were at the top of a list labeled Definite NOs and each was compared with the others, according to the notes, in case it comes down to having to pick one of the black jurors. In the end, they did not. The focus on race in the prosecutions file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury, Roberts wrote. The decision sends the case back to Georgia, where Fosters lawyer said his client deserves a new trial. It was one of three cases the court decided on Monday in which litigants who had claimed discrimination prevailed. The court decided that federal employees alleging discrimination have longer to file suit Thomas dissented from that ruling as well. And it upheld a lower courts decision that a new congressional redistricting plan was warranted in Virginia because of racial gerrymandering by the General Assembly. In selecting juries, potential panel members may be struck by lawyers on either side after questioning for a variety of cause reasons, such as whether they know one of the parties to the case or because they acknowledge that they could not be fair. But each side also gets a number of peremptory challenges, which allow the dismissal of a juror for no particular reason. In 1986, the Supreme Court ruled in a case called Batson v. Kentucky that it was unconstitutional to strike jurors because of their race. Later, the court said jurors cannot be rejected because of their sex. But almost no one thinks the problem has been eliminated. Prosecutors and defense attorneys need only find a benign reason for dismissal, and studies and experience have concluded that only the most incompetent lawyer will fail to come up with a justification that a judge can accept. Numerous studies have shown that prosecutors use their peremptory challenges to strike black potential jurors at a much higher rate than whites, because surveys show that African Americans are more skeptical of police and prosecutors. Criminal defense lawyers thus use their strikes on white potential jurors. Fosters lawyer at the Supreme Court, Stephen B. Bright of the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta, said his clients case is a textbook example. Foster, then 18, was arrested in the killing of Queen Madge White, a 79-year-old widow and former elementary school teacher in Rome, Ga. According to prosecutors, Foster broke into Whites home. He broke her jaw, coated her face with talcum powder, sexually molested her with a salad dressing bottle and strangled her to death, all before taking items from her home. Turned in by his girlfriend, Foster acknowledged the crime. But there were questions about his limited intellectual capacity and whether he had acted alone. But a judge accepted the prosecutors reasons for striking the black potential jurors, and Georgias Supreme Court upheld lower-court decisions against Foster. In a statement, Bright said the U.S. Supreme Court had no choice but to overturn those findings because of the unusual evidence discovered in the case. But he added: The decision in this case will not end discrimination in jury selection. Justice Thurgood Marshall said in Batson v. Kentucky that it would end only with the elimination of peremptory strikes. The choice going forward is between the elimination or reduction of peremptory strikes or continued discrimination. The court took a close look at how prosecutors selected the jury, and Roberts wrote that prosecutors reasons for excluding at least two of the potential black jurors were not believable. He used words such as mischaracterized and nonsense. Two peremptory strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows, Roberts wrote. In his dissent, Thomas did not find the evidence as compelling as his colleagues. He said he would have left the matter with the state courts. It was the trial court that observed the [jury selection] firsthand and heard them answer the prosecutions questions, and its evaluation of the prosecutions credibility on this point is certainly far better than this courts nearly 30 years later, Thomas wrote. He said the decision will lead to more defendants trying to reopen cases thought final. The court today invites state prisoners to go searching for new evidence by demanding the files of the prosecutors who long ago convicted them, Thomas wrote. If those prisoners succeed, then apparently this courts doors are open to conduct the credibility determination anew. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. agreed only that the lower courts decision could not be affirmed, and he offered his view of how the Georgia courts could proceed, which would not necessarily mean a new trial. The case is Foster v. Chatman. The Supreme Court on Monday, May 23, dismissed a challenge by three Republican lawmakers to a lower court ruling on redistricting in Virginia. (Andrew Harnik/AP) The Supreme Court on Monday left in place a lower courts decision that redraws some of Virginias congressional districts and creates the possibility of electing a second black U.S. House member from the commonwealth. The justices ruled unanimously that three Virginia Republican congressmen who challenged the lower courts decision Reps. J. Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman and Dave Brat do not have the necessary legal right to proceed. Without that, the court dismissed the appeal. Democrats cheered the decision, with the head of the state party calling it a blow to racial gerrymandering and an advance for fair representation. This decision strengthens a fundamental pillar of democracy by amplifying the voices of Virginians through better representation in Congress, Becca Slutzky, chair of the Virginia Democrats, said in a statement. But such cases have yielded mixed results for Democrats in Virginia. They recently lost a similar challenge of state House of Delegates districts, and the GOP-controlled General Assembly is preparing for another round of congressional and state legislative redistricting in five years. A three-judge panel last year decided that the Republican legislature had packed African American voters into the Hampton Roads-based 3rd Congressional District, which is represented by the states lone black congressman, Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, a Democrat. [Supreme Court may decide against Va. Republicans in redistricting fight] As a result, the surrounding districts became safer for white Republican candidates. At oral argument, the Supreme Courts liberal justices had aggressively questioned whether the Republicans had standing to challenge the lower courts efforts. The three federal judges who examined the commonwealths plan said it veered from partisan gerrymandering aimed at protecting incumbents for which the Supreme Court has shown a high tolerance into racial gerrymandering, which the Constitution forbids. The judges gave the legislature a chance to redraw the map, but lawmakers were unable to do so. So the lower court panel imposed a map of its own and redrew the boundaries in a way that hurt some incumbents and opened the way for a black candidate to run in District 4. State Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico), the African American chair of the state Senate Democratic Caucus and a one-time candidate for attorney general, is seeking the seat. An injustice has been rectified, he said Monday. Its important for voters to elect someone who best represent their hopes, their ideas and their ideals and worry about the color of their skin secondarily or not at all, actually, he said. Virginia declined to challenge the lower courts map, leaving space for Republican members of Congress to step in and fight it. Forbes and Wittman did not respond to requests for comment on Mondays decision. The state GOP declined comment. A Brat spokeswoman, Barbara Boland, said Mondays decision does not address what she called the fundamentally flawed ruling of the divided lower court. While the decision ends this case, nothing has changed for future [redistricting] actions elsewhere in the United States, she said. Because of the changes to what had been his old district, Forbes decided to run in District 2, where the incumbent was retiring. After oral argument, Forbes told the Supreme Court in a letter he would continue to run in District 2, no matter the outcome of the case. Given this letter, we do not see how any injury that Forbes might have suffered is likely to be redressed by a favorable judicial decision, Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote for the court in dismissing the appeal. Even if true, the court said, that would be only a debatable reason to consider overturning the panels decision. Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, said Forbess candidacy made it clear that the congressman expected the lower court map would probably stay in place. That made me understand how deeply the Republicans felt they were going to lose the case because thats who challenged it, the Republican members of the delegation, he said. In the decision, Breyer wrote that Wittman and Brat, who are both seeking reelection in their current districts, have not identified record evidence establishing their alleged harm. Representatives Wittman and Brat claim . . . their districts will be flooded with Democratic voters and their chances of reelection will accordingly be reduced, Breyer wrote. But he said the court searched the record for any evidence that the new plan will reduce their reelection chances, and have found none. While running for another term in Congress, Wittman is also raising money to run for governor in 2017. Because of the lack of standing, the Supreme Court did not address the central issue of the case: whether the Virginia General Assembly was motivated by protecting incumbents the states congressional delegation consists of eight Republicans and three Democrats or impermissibly used race in creating the districts. [Va. Republicans take redistricting fight to the Supreme Court] Under the Supreme Courts guidance and the Voting Rights Act, state lawmakers must consider the race of those who populate each district to ensure minorities have a fair shot at being represented. But lawmakers fail if they let race become the predominant issue in drawing the lines. The case is Wittman v. Personhuballah. Voters in June will go to the polls to elect members of Congress from the revised districts. For longtime observers of Virginia politics, the congressional lawsuit is the latest wrinkle in cyclical battles over district boundaries. C. Douglas Smith, vice president for the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madisons Montpelier, has advocated for reducing the influence of politics on the process. This is a fine Virginia tradition. Patrick Henry did it to James Madison in 1788, he said. We shouldnt call it gerrymandering. We should call it Patrick Henry-mandering. The Supreme Court is making it easier for federal workers to file employment discrimination lawsuits after quitting their jobs over conditions they consider intolerable. The justices ruled 7-1 Monday that workers who bring constructive discharge claims have 45 days from the time they resign to begin the process. The court rejected the Justice Departments position that the clock should start running when the alleged abuse occurs. The ruling gives employees more time to bring bias lawsuits for discriminatory acts that occurred months or years before legal action begins. The court sided with Marvin Green, a former Colorado postmaster who says he was forced to quit his job because of racial discrimination. A federal appeals court had dismissed Greens case after ruling that he had waited too long to file a complaint. Writing for the high court, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Greens lawsuit was filed within the 45-day time period because the clock didnt start running until he actually resigned from his post. Sotomayor said the ruling makes practical sense because some employees might delay resigning until they can afford to leave or for other reasons. The case is important to federal workers, who arent permitted to file an employment discrimination lawsuit until they first file an administrative claim with their agency. But the internal claim must be filed within 45 days of the date of the matter alleged to be discriminatory. The ruling resolves a split among lower courts about when the 45-day clock starts running for federal employees to notify their employers about the claims. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, saying his colleagues misread the statute. Thomas said it refers to conduct by the employer, not a workers decision to quit his job. Green, who is African American, was serving as postmaster general in Englewood, Colo., in 2008 when he applied for a similar post in Boulder. After he was turned down, he contacted a Postal Service counselor to investigate whether race played a factor. Relations with his supervisors soured after the discrimination complaint, and Green claimed he was a victim of retaliation. In 2009, his superiors suspended him without pay after accusing him of intentionally delaying the mail. Green signed an agreement Dec. 16, 2009, to leave the Postal Service in exchange for a promise that the agency would not bring criminal charges against him. But he waited nearly two months to submit his resignation. And he didnt make a claim of constructive discharge until March 22, 2010. Commuters using smartphones stand in line at a bus station in Beijing on March 2. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg) First there was the Berlin Wall. Now there is the Great Firewall of China, not a physical barrier preventing people from leaving, but a virtual one, preventing information harmful to the Communist Party from entering the country. Just as one fell, so will the other be eventually dismantled, because information, like people, cannot be held back forever. Or so the argument goes. But try telling that to Beijing. Far from knocking down the worlds largest system of censorship, China in fact is moving ever more confidently in the opposite direction, strengthening the walls legal foundations, closing breaches and reinforcing its control of the Web behind the wall. [Is this North Korea? Chinese netizens squirm as party tightens grip on Internet.] Defensive no more about its censorship record, China is trumpeting its vision of Internet sovereignty as a model for the world and is moving to make it a legal reality at home. At the same time confounding Western skeptics the Internet is nonetheless thriving in China, with nearly 700 million users, putting almost 1 in 4 of the worlds online population behind the Great Firewall. The Cyberspace Administration of China sang a song that promotes Internet censorship during a talent show hosted by the Beijing Internet Association. ( / Youku/Beijing Internet Association) China is the worlds leader in e-commerce, with digital retail sales volume double that of the United States and accounting for a staggering 40 percent of the global total, according to digital business research company eMarketer. Last year, it also boasted four of the top 10 Internet companies in the world ranked by market capitalization, according to the data website Statista, including e-commerce giant Alibaba, social-media and gaming company Tencent and search specialists Baidu. This path is the choice of history, and the choice of the people, and we walk the path ever more firmly and full of confidence, Chinas Internet czar, Lu Wei, boasted in January. After two decades of Internet development under the Communist Partys firm leadership, he said, his country had struck the correct balance between freedom and order and between openness and autonomy. It is traveling, he said, on a path of cyber-governance with Chinese characteristics. What China calls the Golden Shield is a giant mechanism of censorship and surveillance that blocks tens of thousands of websites deemed inimical to the Communist Partys narrative and control, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and even Instagram. In April, the U.S. government officially classified it as a barrier to trade, noting that eight of the 25 most trafficked sites globally were now blocked here. The American Chamber of Commerce in China says that 4 out of 5 of its member companies report a negative impact on their business from Internet censorship. Yet there is to be no turning back. Later this year, China is expected to approve a new law on cybersecurity that would codify, organize and strengthen its control of the Internet. It has introduced new rules restricting foreign companies from publishing online content and proposed tighter rules requiring websites to register domain names with the government. Apple was an early victim, announcing in April that its iTunes Movies and iBooks services were no longer available in China, six months after their launch here (though shortly after it announced a $1 billion investment in a Chinese car service). [Chinese companies face culture shock in countries that arent like China] As it pursues a broad crackdown on free speech and civil society, China has tightened the screws on virtual private network (VPN) providers that allow people to tunnel under the Firewall. The changes are not, as some initially feared, a move to cut off access to the outside world and establish a Chinese intranet but are instead an attempt to extend legal control and supervision over what is posted online within the country, experts say. Indeed, Chinas Firewall is far more sophisticated and multi-tiered than a simple on-off switch: It is an attempt to bridge one of the countrys most fundamental contradictions to have an economy intricately connected to the outside world but a political culture closed off from such Western values as free speech and democracy. The Internet arrived in China in January 1996, and China first started systematically blocking some foreign websites in August 1996. (The nickname the Great Firewall was first coined by Wired magazine in 1997.) But the system as it stands now really only began to be developed and implemented in the early 2000s. Google was first blocked, for nine days, in September 2002. YouTube was blocked after unrest in Tibet in 2008, and Facebook and Twitter followed after riots in Xinjiang in 2009. Still, there have always been deliberate loopholes. Take VPNs, tools that allow users in China to tunnel into the Internet via a different country. Virtual private networks enable users to encrypt traffic, circumvent censorship and experience the Internet exactly as if they were in the United States, for example, albeit at a cost in terms of browsing speed. The Chinese government has long known and accepted the fact that a small percentage of its population circumvents the Firewall using VPNs. It is, after all, essential that domestic and foreign businesses be able to access information across borders, and it keeps the English-speaking elite happy to allow them a small window on the world. They are willing to tolerate a certain amount of porousness in the Great Firewall, as long as they feel that ultimately, if they need to exert control, they can, said Jeremy Goldkorn, director of a media and Internet consulting firm called Danwei. The annual meeting in March of Chinas parliament, the National Peoples Congress, was just such a time, when security concerns trumped every other consideration. Internet browsing speeds slowed and some VPN services struggled. VPN technology is pretty simple, said Nathan Freitas, a leading developer of open-source software aimed at helping overcome online surveillance and censorship. VPNs exist at the pleasure of the Chinese Communist Party. Rachel Orr/The Washington Post The Communist Party is more concerned with what ordinary people read than what the globally mobile elite might encounter on the Web. Google is still blocked in China, and local search engine Baidu has its results heavily censored. But the difference between Baidu searches in Chinese and in English for the word Tiananmen, or the phrase Tiananmen tank man, is revealing: The Chinese searches yield no links to the pro-democracy protests in 1989 or the lone man who tried to prevent the tanks advance into the square just to the vast squares virtues as a tourist attraction. According to relevant laws, regulations and policies, some results are not displayed, Baidu informs its readers if the words tank man are entered. But searches in English are quite different, throwing up several websites, including a BBC photo gallery, a Wikipedia entry and several other Western sources of information. Rogier Creemers, a professor of law and governance at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said that is the same for most systems of censorship, recalling the prosecution lawyers famous comment at the 1960 obscenity trial of Penguin Books over D.H. Lawrences novel Lady Chatterleys Lover. Is it a book, the lawyer asked the jury, that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read? Creemers, an authority on Chinas Internet, said a similar question might be asked in Beijing. Is it the sort of website youd like the laobaixing [ordinary people] to read? Perhaps not, but we can be trusted to read it. Similarly, the degree of censorship is not the same throughout China, according to Vasyl Diakonov, chief technology officer at KeepSolid VPN in Odessa, Ukraine. Some IT hubs in the east of the country have relatively minor restrictions, while remote regions in western China where ethnic discontent runs highest have nearly all the well-known VPN protocols blocked, he says. Indeed, just using a VPN to access blocked websites can earn you a trip to the local police station in the troubled, Muslim-majority province of Xinjiang, residents say. In December, Beijing promoted its vision at a glitzy World Internet Conference in the historic eastern town of Wuzhen, the second such annual meeting, attended by leaders from Russia, Pakistan and several other nations that dont score highly on global indices of Internet freedom. Although it has failed to convince the West, Chinas latest moves to legalize and bolster its digital barrier bring Internet sovereignty a step closer to reality. One of the things the Chinese government is trying to do is to gradually change the facts on the ground, Creemers said. If it cant get agreement in the international sphere about Internet sovereignty, it will just present people with a fait accompli. Visitors gather at a Google booth during this years China International Electronic Commerce Expo in Yiwu, about 200 miles south of Shanghai. (AFP/Getty Images) At the same time, Edward Snowdens revelations about the scale of global surveillance conducted over the Internet by U.S. intelligence agencies has been the gift that keeps on giving for China, Creemers said, undermining any pretense that anyone else was really playing by the rules or any Western claims to the moral high ground. Even as Western firms here complain about Beijings restrictions on the Internet, the impact on Chinas domestic economy is less clear-cut. The consequences for China in what we might call the creative economy will be substantial, the consequences in terms of Chinas soft power will be substantial, but for the economy as a whole, it isnt necessarily decisive, said Lester Ross, partner in charge at the Beijing office of WilmerHale, a leading global international law firm, and a senior member of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. In any case, for Chinas current leadership, other policy objectives national security and keeping the party in power trump concerns about the deleterious effects of the governments heavy hand on the Internet, Ross said. For two brief hours in March, Google was temporarily accessible in China. The news provoked a brief flurry of excitement on social media and a plea from an unlikely source. [Is this North Korea? Chinese netizens squirm as party tightens grip on Internet.] Hu Xijin, editor of the nationalist state-owned Global Times newspaper, used the occasion to argue that the Firewall, though useful in its day, should be seen as a temporary emergency structure. We dont need to keep strengthening the Firewall, but should allow it to have loopholes and even allow it to slowly exist in name only, he wrote. Hu found himself in unlikely alignment with Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, who argued two years ago that the Great Firewall would one day be gradually dismantled, just as the Berlin Wall eventually fell. But the influential Chinese editor was out of step with official opinion. On the Sina Weibo microblogging site, his post was deleted by censors, and his newspaper soon afterward published an opinion piece defending the barrier and attacking Western media for hating it so much. It requires a sophisticated capability to keep out harmful ideas without damaging the nations global connectivity, the newspaper wrote. China has achieved this. It can communicate with the outside world, meanwhile Western opinion cannot easily penetrate as ideological tools. Creemers argues that predictions of the Firewalls imminent demise are a product of a mistaken post-Cold War consensus that Western freedom and democracy were inevitable and that the free flow of information over the Internet would help usher in a new era. The Internet, he said, is as much a tool for control, surveillance and commercial considerations as it is for empowerment. Read more: Chinese companies face culture shock in countries that arent like China Chinese media to British media: Learn some manners, you narcissistic barbarians In China, hostile foreign forces blamed for bursting stock market bubble Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Xu Yangjingjing contributed to this report. Pakistani civil society activists shout slogans during a demonstration in Multan on Monday against a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan. (Ss Mirza/AFP/Getty Images) For years, Afghanistans military and political leaders have been urging the Obama administration to go after Taliban chiefs who can kill U.S. and Afghan troops one day and then eat in restaurants in southwestern Pakistan a day later. And for years, President Obama has apparently resisted that call, mindful of the United States complicated relationship with Pakistan. Despite their shock five years ago when Obama sent the U.S. military into Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden, Pakistani leaders believed they were largely sheltered from U.S. drones and warplanes. There was an agreement a red line, as Pakistani leaders refer to it that restricted U.S. drone strikes to Pakistans lawless tribal belt in the northwestern part of the country, they said. But over the weekend, Obama again pulled the trigger, ordering the strike that killed Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in Baluchistan, far from the tribal belt. Now, some Pakistani leaders are rattled, saying they fear the United States is gearing up to bring the war in Afghanistan closer to Pakistans home front. It was the first drone strike in Baluchistan, and no doubt it was the crossing of the red line by the United States, said Khalid Hussain Magsi, who represents that area in Parliament. Its a clear message that the U.S. can do such strikes wherever they feel is required. On Monday, while confirming the death of Mansour, the White House did little to soothe the undercurrent of anxiety. We will continue taking action against extremist networks that target the United States, the White House said in a statement. We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven. U.S. officials characterized the strike as an isolated operation. Mansour was singularly opposed to peace in Afghanistan, said a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Plus, the United States had a lot of evidence, a lot of indicators, that there were additional attacks coming, additional attacks being planned under Mansours direction, aimed at our people in Kabul. At the same time, officials said the location and nature of the strike reflect a shifting calculation in the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, one that is less driven by the need for counterterrorism cooperation from Islamabad. Several U.S. officials said that Obama authorized the mission in a way that would essentially confront Islamabad publicly with Mansours presence and presumed protection in a region of Pakistan that has been off-limits to CIA drones. For eight years, Obama has talked about ending the war in Afghanistan. He tried a troop surge, a troop drawdown aimed at nudging Afghan soldiers into a more effective force, and finally three years of back-channel discussions aimed at goading the Taliban into peace talks. On Saturday, by launching several missiles into a white Toyota on a well-traveled highway, Obama apparently decided it was time to try a different tactic. The easy answer is the war in Afghanistan is not going well, the government of Afghanistan is facing trouble, the Taliban insurgency is escalating, said Daniel S. Markey of Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies. Obama, he said, had this opportunity to take this shot, and took it. Pakistans Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador David Hale on Monday to express concern, which appeared to stop well short of the formal protests that used to be routinely issued after drone strikes. The drone strike is different from all others because it has not only resumed a genre of kinetic action that is unilateral, but also illegal and expansionary in its geographical theater of targeted operation, said Sherry Rehman, a senator and vice president of the Pakistan Peoples Party who is a former ambassador to the United States. Rehman and other lawmakers said they also worried that the strike assuming Pakistani military leaders were unaware of it means their country is becoming more isolated. Just five years after [bin Laden] had to be taken out, its now another wanted person who had to be taken out of Pakistan, said Farhatullah Babar, a senator. And the government of Pakistan has denied, all along, that he was even in Pakistan. Obama saw the dangers of targeted strikes here in April 2015, when a U.S. drone targeting al-Qaeda militants killed two hostages, including the American Warren Weinstein, in Pakistans tribal belt. His latest decision also seemingly conflicts with recent reports that he has been resisting calls by Pentagon leaders to authorize offensive strikes against Taliban positions inside Afghanistan. But over the past year Obama has faced growing pressure from Afghan officials who argue that U.S. counterterrorism missions should go deeper into Pakistan. The killing of Mansour, said Sediq Seddiqi, spokesman for Afghanistans Interior Ministry, shows that no Taliban leader will be safe anywhere, even in Quetta and Pakistan, too. Bashir Bezhen, a Kabul-based political analyst, said Obamas decision has helped change the mind-set of the world and Afghans who thought that America is not serious in fighting terrorism. But Saifullah Mahsud, executive director of the Pakistan-based FATA Research Center, which monitors militant groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan, warned that both of those countries will soon regret Obamas decision. It was pretty stupid and just jeopardizes the whole security of the region by dividing the Taliban and making them 10 times more dangerous, he said. If the Taliban splinters, Mahsud said, groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda will fill the void. This just hits Pakistan in a place you are not supposed to hit people, he said. But U.S. officials said that Mansours demise should exert a strain on the Taliban and perhaps lead to defections. That would be progress, in the administrations view, and could lead to a reconciliation between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The airstrike doesnt mean the gloves come off in Pakistan, Markey said. But its likely to serve an American purpose and may help Afghanistan survive the summer. Miller reported from Washington. Antonio Olivo and Sayed Salahuddin in Kabul and Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad contributed to this report. Read more: In Afghanistan, al-Qaeda is working more closely with the Taliban, Pentagon says U.S. and Afghan forces rescue Pakistani politician from al-Qaeda group Why disaffected young Afghans are warming to a Taliban comeback Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Elder statesman Alexander Van der Bellen beat back the far-right insurgent candidate in Austrias high-stakes presidential race, claiming a wafer-thin victory in the final count Monday after a campaign that exposed the rise of populism in the West. Van der Bellen, 72, had fallen behind in the election-day vote Sunday but edged out Norbert Hofer, a 45-year-old aeronautical engineer from the far-right Freedom Party, after winning a majority of the hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots counted Monday. The Austrian Interior Ministry declared Van der Bellen, a longtime Green Party politician running as an independent, the victor with 50.3 percent of the vote to Hofers 49.7 percent. Across Europe, mainstream politicians breathed a sigh of relief even as the election offered fresh insights into the voting trends that may influence bids for high office by other populists, including Donald Trump in the United States and Marine Le Pen in France. Hofer was ultimately undone by a coalition of female, better-educated and urban voters who were less interested in supporting his opponent than defeating him. Had Hofer won, he would have become the most senior standard-bearer of the far right in Western Europe at a time when nationalist populists already hold sway in Eastern European countries, including Hungary and Poland, and have launched aggressive campaigns against the media and critics. A Hofer victory would have pushed populism into Europes core, proving that such platforms can win elections even in wealthy, economically advanced societies. Hofer had campaigned against migrants and Muslims and in favor of gun rights and low taxes. He shocked many Austrians and Europeans more broadly by coming in first in an initial round of voting last month. In contrast, Van der Bellen preached tolerance and inclusion, a message that just barely secured him the presidency. Speaking to the nation Monday evening, Van der Bellen said he had run a campaign that sought to stress the common good and put that above what separates us. But he also acknowledged the voter wrath with traditional politicians that nearly led to the election of a far-right president. We are going to need a different culture of talking to each other, a politics that is less focused on itself and the media and more on the real worries and real fears and also the anger of people in this country, he said. Please dont be disheartened, Hofer told his supporters while conceding defeat on his Facebook page. While admitting he was sad to lose, he said that the support for this campaign is not lost, but an investment in the future. The Freedom Partys secretary general, Herbert Kickl, sounded a defiant note, telling Austrias public broadcaster ORF that the result shows his party is well positioned for parliamentary elections in two years. He also said the party would consult Tuesday about technical aspects of the vote and reserved the right to contest the result if it finds any deficits. Politicians elsewhere in Europe, meanwhile, hailed the result as a near miss. Its a good day for Austria and a good day for Europe when the candidate of the right-wing Freedom Party isnt able to assert himself, said Katarina Barley, secretary-general of Germanys Social Democratic Party. The job of president in Austria is largely ceremonial. But Hofers vow to flex the muscles of the office, even threatening to dismiss the sitting government if it didnt control migration, turned what normally would have been a staid election into one that was closely watched across Europe. It also offered a glimpse into the kind of voting behavior that may make or break the prospects of other populists gunning for power, including Trump and Le Pen. Van der Bellen did not particularly excite Austrian progressives: Polls showed that almost half of those who voted for him did so primarily to stop Hofer from winning. Turnout was relatively high, at 72.7 percent, suggesting that both sides had managed to mobilize large numbers of voters. The polls targeting likely voters and commissioned by ORF also showed that Hofer was popular with male voters, while Van der Bellen appealed more to women and the young and better-educated. Rural voters tended to favor Hofer, while his opponent scored higher in cities. Some observers have tied Hofers rise to historical far-right roots in Austria, a country often perceived as never having quite dealt with its wartime Nazi sympathies. Yet other analysts suggest a phenomenon more similar to the one that has millions of Americans supporting Trump. Trump is a completely different personality. Hes a big-mouth, an elephant in a china shop, whereas Hofer comes across as more polite, said Peter Hajek, a Vienna-based political analyst. But the voters are very similar. Although Van der Bellens narrow victory fended off a Hofer presidency, analysts said the election might have done damage to the nation, arguing that the winner must now seek to heal wounds in a deeply divided country. Green Party politician Sven Giegold tweeted: The close race is covering up the big picture: Its a low point for democracy in Europe, when 50 percent are voting for a right-wing populist. Stephanie Kirchner contributed to this report. Read more Austrias right-wing populism reflects anti-Muslim platform of Donald Trump Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Iraqi pro-government forces advance toward Fallujah on May 23, 2016, as part of a major assault to retake the city from Islamic State. / AFP PHOTO / AHMAD AL-RUBAYEAHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images) Iraqi forces backed by U.S. warplanes advanced on Islamic State fighters in Fallujah on Monday, commanders and officials said, in the opening salvo of a fresh offensive to retake the militant-held city where nearly 100 Americans died in the early years of the Iraq War. Our forces are advancing, and things are going much better than we expected, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Monday from the operations command center east of the city. The Islamic State seized Fallujah, in Sunni-majority Anbar province, more than two years ago. On Monday, the popular mobilization forces an umbrella group for Iraqs largely Shiite militias announced that they had retaken the nearby city of Garma, where pro-government fighters had been bogged down battling the militants for months. The enemy is collapsing, Abadi said. Our message to civilians is that these operations are to save you from Daesh, he said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. The long-awaited offensive was announced late Sunday, and Iraqi police, counterterrorism forces, tribal fighters and Shiite militias were participating in the battle, authorities said. [War against Islamic State hits hurdles] Fallujah has long been a hotbed of resistance, and Islamic State fighters swept into the city in early 2014 on the back of an anti-government uprising in the area. Since then, the city has been ruled by the militants and has suffered from crippling shortages of food, medicine and fuel, residents and the United Nations have said. Aid has not reached Fallujah since the government in December recaptured Ramadi, the provincial capital about 32 miles to the west, the U.N. refugee agency said in a statement Monday. Supply routes were cut off by Iraqi forces and other armed groups, the United Nations said, preventing civilians from leaving. Iraqs military said Monday that it had wrested control of the area of Niaimiyah, south of the city. It also said that an Iraqi F-16, supplied by the United States, struck an Islamic State bombmaking factory and hit rocket launchers in the city. Since May 17, U.S.-led coalition air power has struck 21 targets in and around Fallujah, Col. Steve Warren, a Baghdad-based spokesman for the coalition, posted on Twitter on Monday. Iraqi security forces, he said, were meeting light to moderate resistance. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi meets with Iraqi military officers during his visit to a military base near Fallujah, May 23, 2016. EPA/IRAQI PRIME MINISTER OFFICE/HAND HANDOUT (Iraqi Prime Minister Office/Hand/EPA) In recent months, pro-government forces have recaptured swaths of Anbar province from the group, including the city of Hit and the nearby town of Rutbah. But while Iraqi forces appeared to have breached the militants defenses on the outskirts of Fallujah, the Islamic State is thought to have fortified its position in the center of the city. [Iraqi security forces break up protests in Green Zone] Iraqs military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, said Monday that the Islamic State has only 400 to 600 fighters in Fallujah. But the government also believes that as many as 70,000 civilians are still in the city. Fallujahs cellphone network was down Monday, and residents could not be reached. Iraqi forces have called on civilians to leave or stay home and away from Islamic State headquarters. This is a dangerous challenge, but the important thing is that we preserve the lives of civilians, Abadi said Monday. We demanded that they leave the city through secure roads, he said. But if they cant, they should stay inside their homes. Another concern is that Shiite militias, which have been accused of crimes against Sunni civilians, would take revenge on Fallujahs local population. Abadi said that the plan to retake Fallujah was put into place more than two months ago but that security breaches in Baghdad had hindered the offensive. In recent weeks, car-bomb and other suicide attacks have killed more than 200 people in the capital. But now it has started, he said. God willing, the operation will end with the entire liberation of Fallujah. Cunningham reported from Istanbul. Read more In Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State is in retreat on multiple fronts Iraq is broke. Add that to its list of worries. Under strain, Islamic State takes its battle to the streets of Baghdad Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Marcel Lazar Lehel is escorted by masked policemen in Bucharest after being arrested in 2014. He is expected to plead guilty in a U.S. hacking case on Wednesday. (Reuters) The Romanian hacker who allegedly accessed personal emails and photographs belonging to the family of former president George W. Bush and whose cyber-mischief revealed that Hillary Clinton was using a private email address as secretary of state is expected to plead guilty in a U.S. court Wednesday, court records show. A change of plea hearing has been scheduled for 44-year-old Marcel Lehel Lazar at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria. That is an indication that Lazar, better known by the moniker Guccifer that he is said to have affixed to the materials he stole, is likely to plead guilty as part of an agreement with prosecutors though the agreement would still need the approval of a judge and could fall apart during the hearing. Lazars defense attorney, Shannon Quill, declined to comment. Lazar was charged in 2014 with cyber-stalking, aggravated identity theft and unauthorized access of a protected computer in a nine-count indictment and was extradited to the United States recently from Romania, where he had been serving a sentence for hacking. Federal prosecutors alleged Lazar, who had worked as a cabdriver, was responsible for a number of high-profile hacks of U.S. officials accounts. [Hacker accused of exposing Clintons private email, Bush paintings appears in U.S. court] According to the indictment, Lazar accessed the email, Facebook account and other online accounts of a member of the Bush family, a former Cabinet member and a former member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. He then blasted messages with personal information from those accounts to media organizations or congressional staffers, according to the indictment. The release of personal emails from the Bush family briefly became the subject of gossip because they included paintings by George W. Bush, including apparent self-portraits in the shower and bath. Federal prosecutors alleged Guccifer was behind that intrusion and another involving the personal Facebook and email accounts of former secretary of state Colin L. Powell. In a roundabout way, Lazar revealed to the world Clintons use of private email address, a practice that is now the subject of a federal investigation into whether classified information was mishandled. Lazar claimed to have compromised the email account of former President Bill Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal and released memos Blumenthal sent to Hillary Clinton. Gawker noticed that the notes were directed to a private, nongovernmental email account. The New York Times later reported that Clinton exclusively used a personal account to conduct government business. Lazar said in a recent interview with Fox News that he repeatedly breached Clintons own private server, though law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation said there is no evidence to support that claim. Lazar never released any evidence to support his assertion, as he did when he successfully hacked the accounts of other well-known figures. In many ways, Lazars willingness to plead guilty comes as no surprise. In a wide-ranging, in-prison interview with journalist Matei Rosca last year, Lazar said he welcomed extradition to the United States and added, Ill plead guilty, no problem. Read more: Hacked e-mails indicate that Hillary Clinton used a domain registered the day of her Senate hearings Secret Service investigating hack of Bush family emails FBI probing whether political figures financial records were illicitly accessed Far-right ELAM and two other small parties won seats in Cypruss parliament for the first time during elections Sunday that were marked by the second-lowest voter turnout and biggest shift among swing voters in Cypriot election history. Analyst Christophoros Christophorou said final results indicate a strong undercurrent of disillusionment with the countrys traditional powerhouses. Eight parties will be represented in the 56-seat parliament, the most in 15 years. A third of registered voters didnt cast ballots. I want to believe that the choice of a large portion of the electorate not to participate in the elections will give pause to everyone, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said in a written statement. Christophorou said a sizable portion of voters sought to punish larger parties for a recent economic crisis in which the unemployment rate reached record highs. The results also may be a backlash to the doubling of the percentage of votes required to win a seat in parliament. Many interpreted the increse of the electoral threshold to 3.6 percent as an attempt to shut out smaller parties. This result has no effect on the formation of the government, which is already in place. That will change only after the next presidential elections, in 2018. The communist-rooted AKEL had its vote share shrink to its lowest level ever, with 25.7 percent, Christophorou said. But the party managed to hold on to second place behind right-wing DISY, which also hemorrhaged support of about 10 to 11 percent. ELAM, which is said to have links to Greeces Nazi-inspired Golden Dawn party, advocates a hard-line nationalist stance in ongoing talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots aimed at reunifying the ethnically split island. Cyprus was divided into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north in 1974, when Turkey invaded after a coup aimed at a union with Greece. The two other new parties, the center-left Citizens Alliance and the Solidarity movement, also espouse a tougher line in peace talks. Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have made significant headway after a year of renewed talks, but difficulties remain. Both men have said they aim to put together a deal by the end of the year. The emergence of the new parties in parliament could ratchet up pressure for a firmer negotiating stance in peace talks. But it doesnt necessarily mean it would result in a majority of Greek Cypriots rejecting reunification when a finalized peace deal is put to a referendum in both communities, Christophorou said. The multiplicity of parties in parliament could complicate the passage of contentious legislation if the two largest parties dont see eye to eye on a bill, he said. Associated Press Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world People check the site of a suicide bombing in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, on Monday. (Fawaz Salman/Reuters) Suicide bombers targeting prospective army recruits killed at least 45 and injured many in the restive southern Yemeni city of Aden in two assaults, highlighting the obstacles to ongoing peace talks in Kuwait. The first attacker targeted applicants gathered outside the home of a military commander, Brig. Gen. Abdullah al-Subaihi, killing at least 25, according to witnesses and Yemeni officials. There were a group of applicants standing outside the gate of Subaihis house carrying folders and filling out application forms when a terrorist stormed into the crowd blowing himself up and killing and injuring dozens, said Nabil Hassan Saleh, local journalist who arrived at the scene just minutes after the explosion. Saudi military threatens Yemen capital if peace talks fail The second attack unfolded 10 minutes later outside an army base that also served as a recruitment center, killing at least 20, witnesses and officials said. The base is less than a mile from the commanders house. Witnesses said a bomb was planted in front of the gate, but other reports suggested that a suicide bomber detonated an car laden with explosives. We heard the second explosion only minutes after the first explosion happened, said Bassam al-Qadi, 28, a human rights activist. There were lots of bodies lying on the ground in both locations. [Two ways the war in Yemen is turning into a disaster for the U.S.] Ambulances ferried the wounded to hospitals, he added. Many were in critical condition, hospital officials said. In a statement on social media, a local organization pledging allegiance to the Islamic State militant group asserted responsibility for both attacks. For nearly two years, the Arabian Peninsula nation has been torn apart by a civil war that pits a Saudi- and U.S.-backed government against Shiite rebels aligned with the forces of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The rebels and Saleh are in control of the capital, Sanaa, as well as large expanses of the north. Both sides are currently engaged in peace talks in Kuwait. [The tragic story of a dead baby shows the terrible toll of Yemens war] The government largely controls Aden, but other parts of the south are under the domination of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the terrorist networks Yemen branch. Mondays blasts underscore the tenuous situation in southern Yemen, particularly in Aden, a strategic port on the Arabian Sea and a key global oil shipping lane. Only a few months ago, the government backed by airstrikes from a Saudi-led coalition seized the city from the Shiite rebels, known as Houthis. Since then, Aden has been devastated by suicide bombings and assassinations, largely targeting government security forces. Mondays attacks were the third in about a month. Last month, a car bomb targeted the house of the head of security in Aden, injuring one person. Another car bomb exploded three weeks ago, killing four and injuring at least eight in the Mansoura enclave of Aden. Raghavan reported from Cairo. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world On Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of nurses gathered outside the Allina Health headquarters near Allina Healths Abbot Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis to protest proposed cuts to their health care and pensions, and patient and workplace safety. With their current contract set to expire at the end of this month, Allina Health has demanded that the next contract remove their current union health care plans and replace them with Allina Healths own, more expensive program which only provides care at Allina Health hospitals. Allina Health is a major health care system based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating 14 hospitals and many clinics throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. They employed 26,000 employees in 2014, and around 5,000 of these employees are nurses who are members of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union. The MNA bargaining team began negotiating a new contract in February, but Allina Health has not responded to the MNA proposals. Instead, they have further reinforced their demand to end the MNA-provided health care plans. During negotiations, they cited the $10 million the company would gain from transferring all nurses to their company health care. The WSWS spoke with nurses who expressed their anger and discontent with Allina Healths demands. Angela, a nurse for over 10 years and a bargaining team member, said, What we currently have is affordable health care. What theyre proposing is plans with high out-of-pocket maximums. Weve had these plans for quite some time and theyre trying to take them away from us. She added, If they want me to go to their plans, Im losing about 10,000 dollars. Lauren, a nurse who transferred from a nonunion hospital in recent years, said, If we use the health care from Allina, then we pay exorbitant out-of-pocket costs. Pretty much everyone will end up using it at some point. As nurses, we put ourselves in danger, whether it is infection or physically. We put ourselves at risk every day. Vicki, a nurse with 38 years experience, said, Theyre trying to cut us down to one plantheir plan. Drawing an analogy to 19th century miners who were forced to purchase everything from the coal company, Vicki said, Its like shopping at the company store. The only place you can go is their facilities, and its not very good coverage. A number of nurses made the point that they had already given up higher pay raises in order to keep their health care plans provided by the MNA. They emphasized that the shift to these health care plans would obliterate any raise offered by the company. A nurse who has worked at Allina for over three years said, They want to take health care away, which is basically part of our wages. Vicki agreed: Exactly, its another pay cut. Vicki added, Weve fought long and hard for these insurance plans and given up other things, and now theyre going to take the things we fought for away. Weve given up raises sometimes, and now theyre planning to take our health care away. Danielle, a recent graduate from nursing school and a new hire, said, In previous negotiations, we havent taken the pay increase, so weve paid for this health insurance, and they are trying to take it away. The Allina Health hospital system made $150 million last year and is using $140 million to merge two hospitals in its system, Mercy and Unity Hospital. This is undoubtedly a way to slash jobs, increasing the workload for nurses and jeopardizing patient safety. The demands by Allina Health underscore the continued efforts by the health care industry to remain profitable at the expense of the workers. The struggle by nurses against Allina Health follows the ratification of a new contract by union nurses at five other major hospital systems around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The aim is to leave the 5,800 Allina nurses isolated in their struggle against attacks on living conditions by the companywithout the support of 7,000 nurses at the other major hospital systems in the area. Nurses references to previous sacrifices in order to keep an affordable health care plan are a call back to their opposition to concessionary demands made by six Minnesota hospital systems, including Allina Health, in 2010. In that struggle, nurses eventually voted overwhelmingly for a strike in response to the intransigence of the major hospital systems in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area on the issue of nurse staffing levels. The MNA claims in its bargaining updates, In 2010, Allina Health agreed to address staffing and acuity issues in a new contract. Nothing happened. This is a false characterization of the events of the 2010 strike. In fact, at a mass meeting nurses voted by an 84 percent margin to authorize an open-ended strike against six hospital systems, comprising 14 hospitals where 12,800 registered nurses composed the bargaining unit. The meeting followed months of attempts at negotiations, where nurses demanded a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio, citing major patient safety concerns. After the authorization of the strike, on June 30 and July 1, 2010, the MNA had reached an agreement on a contract, dropping the key demand by nurses to ensure patient safety with a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio only five days before the strike was set to begin on July 6. This was a rapid turnaround, as two days earlier the MNA and the hospital systems had broken off negotiations, declaring their positions unbridgeable. Allina nurses facing cutbacks to their health care, pensions, and workplace safety share the same enemy in their struggle as nurses all over the country. The only way forward for the Allina nurses is to draw upon the lessons of their own struggle in 2010. Along with other sections of the working class, including the striking Verizon workers and teachers in Detroit and other cities, they must take the struggle into their own hands and fight for the unity of all sections of the working class on a socialist program. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is standing candidates in the July 2 federal election to win support for a socialist, anti-capitalist and anti-war program. SEP national secretary James Cogan heads the partys Senate team for New South Wales and is joined on the ticket by John Davis. Chris Sinnema and Peter Byrne are standing for the Senate in Victoria; and Mike Head and Erin Cooke for the Senate in Queensland. Will Fulgenzi will stand for the SEP in the House of Representatives seat of Wills in Melbourne. In Sydney, Oscar Grenfell will stand for the inner-west suburban seat of Grayndler and Gabriela Zabala for the south-western working class electorate of Blaxland. The SEPs campaign is directed to the ever growing number of workers and young people who want a genuine alternative to the Labor and Liberal-National Coalition dominated political system, which serves only the major banks, corporations and the rich. The Greens, along with other third parties and self-styled independents, are part of the same official establishment. They represent no alternative because they all defend capitalismthe ultimate cause of war, exploitation and social inequality. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the first double dissolution since 1987 with his rhetoric about exciting times and great opportunities. In reality, the election reflects the desperate crisis of Australian capitalism in the face of the greatest global economic breakdown since the Depression of the 1930s and rising international tensions. Australia is joining much of the world as it slides into deflation and recessiona result of the global slump and collapse of the mining boom. Over the past three decades, the wealthy have amassed obscene fortunes, while ordinary working people confront job destruction, declining real wages, insecure employment, dysfunctional health and education services, below poverty-level aged pensions and welfare payments, and outrageous house prices and rents. The policies of Labor and the Coalition are responsible for denying to an entire generation of working class youth the living standards achieved by their parents and grandparents. Since 1991, successive Labor and Coalition governments have involved Australia in continuous US-led wars for oil and other resources, as Washington seeks to retain its global domination through military force. Millions have been killed and entire societies destroyed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria, creating the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Sixty million desperate people have been forced from their homes, only to face brutal persecution wherever they seek asylum. Now the US, with the backing of Australia and other imperialist allies, is targeting Russia and China. Conflicts are escalating in both Europe and Asia that threaten to erupt into a devastating war fought with nuclear weapons. Only the Socialist Equality Party fights for a political perspective to prevent war and advance the independent interests of the working class. Our campaign appeals to all those who want to fight against militarism, nationalism, the persecution of refugees and the endless assault on social and democratic rights. It is aimed at raising the political consciousness of workers and youth and unifying the working class in Australia, Asia, the Americas and internationally in a common struggle to end the capitalist profit system. The election program of the SEP is focused on three key demands: Oppose militarism and war! Australian workers are being dragged toward a war they do not want and which is being prepared behind their backs. Millions of people still do not know that in November 2011nearly five years agothe Greens-backed Gillard Labor government handed over Australia as a base of operations for US Marines and nuclear-armed bombers and warships. After participating in the US-led wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East, the Australian military has been totally integrated with its American counterpart. The US-run facility at Pine Gap in the Northern Territory plays a critical role in US global spying, American drone assassinations and collateral killings, and the Pentagons ability to launch a nuclear war. The Coalition continued and expanded Labors support for the US pivot to Asia against China. In May, Turnbull signed an agreement to allow 14,000 troops from Singaporea US-aligned one-party stateto train each year in Queensland. The 2016 Defence White Paper committed to a massive increase in the defence budget, raising it from $32 billion in 20152016 to $59 billion by 202526. At least $495 billion will be squandered on military spending over the next decade, while both state and federal governments insist that there is no money for desperately needed social services and infrastructure. Barely 48 hours after Turnbull announced the election date, the US Navy, for the third time in eight months, deployed a warship into Chinese-claimed territory in the South China Sea. The Chinese regime scrambled jet fighters in response. What will happen when the US military carries out its next provocation? Will an American ship be fired on or sunk? Will a Chinese aircraft be shot down? Any candidate in this election who denies the danger of war is either deluding themselves or lying to the working class. The Australian ruling elites preparations for war are being accompanied by a four-year celebration of the centenary of World War I (19141918). After last years extravagant commemorations of the catastrophic Anzac landing at Gallipoli in 1915, this years nationalist myth-making will be devoted to the 1916 slaughter of nearly one million youthincluding tens of thousands of Australians and New Zealanderson the Somme battlefields in France. School children are being indoctrinated with patriotism and militarism to weaken and undermine instinctive anti-war sentiment within the working class and boost recruitment into the armed forces. To the extent they do discuss their war policies, Labor and the Coalition justify them with propaganda that China is an expansionist power, threatening global rules and the international system. In reality, the Australian ruling class is aggressively supporting Washington for its own economic and strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific region and internationally. The policies of the Chinese regime, which represents a corrupt capitalist elite, only increase the danger of conflict. Beijing is answering US threats with an arms race and militarist actions of its own. The SEP fights to break the conspiracy of silence surrounding the drive towards war. We call for the repudiation of the US-Australia alliance and all military basing arrangements with the US and other countries. Australian troops, as well as police and intelligence personnel, must be immediately withdrawn from Afghanistan, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific countries. The military apparatus must be disbanded, and the vast resources wasted on war preparations reallocated to socially useful purposes, including building badly-needed social infrastructure throughout Australia and the region. The SEPs candidates will appeal to workers and youth across Australia to join with their American and Asian counterpartsin New Zealand, East Timor and the Pacific Island states; in the Philippines, Indonesia and across South East Asia; on the Indian subcontinent; in Korea and Japan, and, above all, in Chinato take up the call issued by our world party, the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), and fight to build a new international anti-war movement to prevent the catastrophe of World War III. For social equality! On a world scale, one percent of the population now owns more wealth than the remaining 99 percent combined; while the 62 richest individual billionaires control more wealth than the poorest half of the worlds population3.5 billion people. While millions of Australian families struggle to make ends meet, the 50 richest individuals in the country have a collective personal wealth of nearly $120 billion. The Panama Papers are only the latest exposure of how the corporations and rich avoid paying tax on the profits and incomes they earn from exploiting the working class. While Labor accuses the Liberals of wanting to abolish penalty rates, case after case has emerged demonstrating that the Labor-aligned trade unions have made sordid deals with employers to slash workers payranging from McDonalds, Coles, Woolworths, to cleaning firms, and mining and construction companies. Real wages for workers are declining, with the fall in wages growth in Australia among the sharpest of all developed economies. The real rate of unemployment is estimated at 10.4 percent, with another 7.7 percent underemployed. Youth unemployment is over 30 percent in some working-class areas. The sharpest expression of widening social inequality is the horrific conditions facing the majority of Australias Aboriginal population. By every social measureincome, employment, education, health, housing, rates of imprisonment and life expectancythey are the most oppressed and vulnerable section of the working class. The SEP calls for a vast redistribution of wealth to secure the social rights of all, including the right to a stable and decent-paying job, a living income on retirement, free, high-quality public education and health care, affordable housing and access to culture and the arts. These social rights cannot be achieved without ending the domination of a financial and corporate oligarchy over economic life. The major banks, mining transnationals, retail conglomerates, pharmaceutical corporations and communications and energy giants must be expropriated and placed under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class. A multi-billion-dollar public works program must be initiated to provide full employment, resolve the crisis of social services and develop the infrastructure needed to address global warming and climate change. Defend democratic rights! For 15 years, Labor and Liberal governments, with the collaboration of the media, have manufactured terrorist scares and incidents as the pretext for handing draconian powers to the intelligence agencies and police to detain and interrogate suspects without charge and conduct rampant surveillance and spying. Unprecedented laws are being pushed through in NSW to give police the powers to restrict freedom of assembly, on the fraudulent grounds of protecting public safety. The SEP insists that the entire intelligence-police-state apparatus must be dismantled and all anti-democratic legislation abolished. The SEP opposes all forms of nationalism, racism and chauvinism, which are used to divide the working class, pitting workers in one country against those in another, in the interests of the ruling classes. We demand the abolition of Australias illegal border protection regime, which denies refugees their fundamental right to claim asylum. All people, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion or income, must have the right to live and work wherever in the world they choose, with full citizenship rights. Break with the two- party parliamentary system! The 2016 election is the outcome of a historic crisis of the Australian parliamentary system. Since 2010, three prime ministers have been removed through inner-party coups, while the position of prime minister has changed five times, expressing unprecedented volatility and instability within the entire parliamentary set-up. Moreover, after 30 years of unending attacks on social and democratic rights and 15 years of war, millions of people are deeply alienated from Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition. The response of all capitalist parties is to lie about their policies and conceal their real agendas. Behind the scenes, they are preparing authoritarian and dictatorial forms of rule, through the build-up of the state and police apparatus. The entire election is a travesty of democracy. Turnbull changed the Senate voting system and set up conditions for a double dissolutionassisted by the Greenswith the most anti-democratic aims. He gambled on the Liberals and Nationals winning a majority in both houses of parliament with arrogant lectures to the population about transitioning to a new economy, while providing tax cuts to business and high income earners. His plan was to use such a majority to ram through savage budget cuts, attacks on working conditions and even greater handouts to the corporations and the rich. As Turnbulls support plummets and he faces the possibility of leading the first one-term government to defeat since 1931, the Coalition is desperately seeking to divert the election campaign into racist attacks on refugees and hysteria over terrorist threats. The Labor Party, the oldest component of the two-party system, is attempting to win government with shameless lies that it will pour billions into health, education and infrastructure. Labors real policies, no less than those of the Liberals and Nationals, are austerity and militarism. Labor is not a lesser evil to the Coalition. Shorten and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen have committed themselves to doing whatever is necessary to maintain Australias triple A credit ratingwhich is crucial to the profits of the major banks. The credit rating agencies have made clear they will insist on savage cuts to social spending to slash the budget deficit. And Labor will obey their dictates. As for the tens of billions being squandered on the military and war preparations against China, Bowen declared that Labor has very little difference with the Coalition. Labors defence spokesperson, Stephen Conroy, has demanded that Australia prove its support for the US pivot by sending its own warships into Chinese-claimed waters in the South China Seaand risk provoking a military confrontation. Shorten has vowed to continue the bipartisan policy of denying refugees their right to claim asylum in Australia, and imprisoning them in hellish camps on remote Pacific Islands. The reactionary program of Labor and the trade unions is embodied in their nationalist and chauvinist efforts to blame overseas workers, particularly in China, for the destruction of jobs in manufacturing and other industriesrather than the real culprits, the profit-driven corporations. The question before millions of people is which party represents a genuine alternative to both the Liberal-National Coalition and to Labor? Within a day of the election announcement, the myth that the Greens are a progressive alternative was exposed. Greens leader Richard Di Natale and deputy leader Adam Bandt declared they would not only back a Labor government, but would take ministries in a Labor cabinet and implement its policies. Nothing could be clearer. A vote for the Greens is a vote for a government that will impose deeper social cuts, persecute refugees, expand anti-democratic laws and take Australia into a US-led confrontation with China. Numerous other parties are contesting the election, including those established by Nick Xenophon and Jacquie Lambie, various anti-immigrant formations, and a variety of single issue protest parties. Workers and youth should draw conclusions from the role already played by similar third parties such as One Nation and the Palmer United Party, and by the independents that propped up Labors minority government after the 2010 election. Far from opposing the agenda of austerity and war, they serve as agents of the corporate elite, no less than the major parties. They all promote nationalism, defend Australian capitalism and act to protect it against its international rivals and against the working class at home. By virtue of its history and program, the Socialist Equality Party represents the only genuine alternative for the working class. Support an internationalist and socialist program! Twenty-five years ago, the ruling elites and their media celebrated the restoration of capitalism by the Stalinist regimes in Eastern Europe, China and the former Soviet Union as the end of socialism and triumph of the capitalist market. The truth that Stalinism had betrayed the 1917 Russian Revolution and was the mortal enemy of genuine socialism, represented by the Trotskyist movement, was buried under a mountain of historical falsifications. Today, the failure of world capitalism has set in motion a profound political realignment. Growing numbers of workers and youth are searching for an alternative. They are not prepared to pay with their living standards and their futures to defend a system that only benefits a tiny layer of billionaires. In the United States, millions of peopleespecially those aged under 45have voted to support the campaign of Democratic Party presidential contender Bernie Sanders, because he presents himself as a democratic socialist and advocate of a political revolution against corporate power and social inequality. In the United Kingdom, Jeremy Corbyn won the leadership of the Labour Party by portraying himself as a socialist and opponent of war. Sanders and Corbyn are both capitalist politicians. Their aim has been to use left-sounding talk to prevent workers from breaking with the parties of the official establishment. They are only the temporary beneficiaries of a growing social movement. The support they have won, however, poses the need to bring into the working class an understanding of what a genuine socialist and revolutionary program actually is. That task is at the very centre of the SEPs election campaign. We will expose the various pseudo-left pretenders, such as Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative, as well as left elements within the Greens, who seek to confine workers and youth to the perspective of replacing one capitalist government with another within the existing parliamentary set-up. The virtually indistinguishable policies of the Coalition and Labor, the collapse of traditional political allegiances and the desire of workers and youth for real change have led to an election campaign marked by unprecedented crisis and unpredictability. What is incontestable, however, is that immense class struggles lie ahead. For 30 years, a ferocious and unending class war has been waged, but only by one sideby the corporate and financial elites and their governments. Now, workers around the world are re-entering the historical arenaand the Australian working class is no exception. For the SEP, the most important issue in our election campaign is winning workers and youth to the socialist and internationalist perspective of our world party, the ICFI. The working class must be united internationally if it is going to prevent war and change the world in the interests of the vast majority. The SEP fights for the establishment of a workers governmenta government of the working class, by the working class and for the working classthat will implement far-reaching socialist policies. To those who say this is impossible, our answer is: what is possible or not will be determined by struggle! We urge you to get involved! The SEP is based on the great heritage and principles of the Trotskyist movement and its fight against all forms of nationalism, chauvinism and opportunism. Our program represents your interests and the future of humanity. Vote for the Socialist Equality Party Senate and House of Representatives candidates on July 2! Join and build SEP election committees in our candidates electorates and in other areas of the country. Circulate this statement as widely as you can to your family, friends and workmates. Follow our campaign on the World Socialist Web Site and share our statements and commentary on Facebook and other social media. Organise a meeting in your workplace, university or community group and invite an SEP candidate to speak. Donate as generously as you can to our election fund and provide us with the resources necessary to promote the socialist alternative. We need your financial support! Above all, now is the time to take up the fight for international socialism and join the SEP, the Australian section of the ICFI! To get involved in the campaign, sign up at http://www.sep.org.au/ today. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200 The rightward shift of the pseudo-left party Syriza (Coalition of the Radical Left) has reached a new peak. On Sunday the Greek government pushed an austerity package through the parliament that puts all such previous measures in the shade. The bill passed with the support of 153 members of parliament from Syriza and the government's far-right coalition partner, the Independent Greeks. European leaders get the message tonight that Greece meets its obligations, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stated in his remarks before parliament just ahead of the vote. All opposition parties spoke against the new memorandum and voted no on Sunday. In recent years, the right-wing New Democracy and the social democratic PASOK pushed the country into a social abyss and implemented each of the EU's austerity demands. They only voted against the package because its passage did not depend on their support, and they are preparing for a change of government that will bring them back to the levers of power. The opposition of the Greek working class to ever deeper austerity presently finds no expression within the political establishment. In numerous strikes, occupations and demonstrations, the Greek population has shown that it rejects the entire right-wing policies that are being implemented against their will and behind their backs. Syriza has made clear in recent days that it is ready to crush this resistance with tear gas if necessary. In the week leading up to the vote the Greek parliament had agreed to new cuts in pensions and social expenditure, as well as tax hikes. Syriza then presented draft legislation for agreement this past weekend. Both legislative packages have been pushed through in expedited proceedings. The draft legislation contained an appendix regarding privatisation measures running to 7,500 pages, which parliamentarians were supposed to have read and evaluated in just a few days. Any public discussion of the wide-ranging measures has been precluded. The government is hoping to receive new credits of up to 11 billion euros at the meeting of the European finance ministers on Tuesday. In order to obtain this fresh money, Athens had to meet the brutal austerity diktats of its creditors. Syriza deputies had already voted unanimously for the austerity measures last week. The unanimous vote of Syriza's 144 deputies for the latest package on Sunday night, together with the nine deputies from the smaller coalition partner, the Independent Greeks, gave the government a majority in the 300-seat parliament. The relevant parliamentary committees had already debated the draft legislative package and voted for it to proceed on Friday. The opposition voted unanimously against it. The legislation heralds a further frontal assault on the Greek population. The first measures will come into force this summer. The government expects 1.8 billion euros more revenue from tax increases. VAT (sales tax) will be increased from 23 to 24 percent starting in June. By comparison, sales tax is only 19 percent in Germany. In July 2015, the government had already raised VAT from 13 to 23 percent. As a result, prices shot up. Now the Greek people will have to dig even deeper into their pockets for food, clothing, shoes, transit tickets, taxis and other goods. In addition, the lower rates of VAT that previously applied on some of the Greek islands is being raised, hitting residents and their main source of income, tourism. Taxes on petrol, alcohol, cigarettes, coffee and the Internet will rise. Additional charges will be levied on fixed line telephones and pay-tv, holiday apartments and rented rooms. The hated ENFIA charge, a levy on land and property introduced a few years ago under pressure from international creditors, will rise up to 25 percent. In Greece, many blue and white collar workers own their own homes or apartments, and so will be hit by this tax hike. Syriza's attitude towards ENFIA exposes its political bankruptcy and cynicism. In autumn 2014, hardly a day passed without a Syriza politician proclaiming an end to the ENFIA taxes. Tsipras had stressed on television that ENFIA was an absurd tax. It cannot be corrected; it can only be abolished. There was no longer any such talk once he took over the government; today Tsipras is responsible for the increase in this hated tax. Syriza is also acceding to a demands from the countrys lenders for reforms in the pharmaceutical industry. As in other EU countries such as Germany, medications in Greece can only be purchased in pharmacies. About 200 non-prescription medicines will now be assigned to a new category, so that they are readily available in supermarkets. This will mainly benefit the big pharmaceutical companies. A significant portion of the legislation relates to the government's privatisation plans. A new super-trust, similar to the German Treuhand that oversaw the privatisation of state-owned assets in former East Germany, the Hellenic Company of Assets and Participations, is to privatise Greece's publicly owned assets. It will be largely controlled by the lenders, is to operate for at least 99 years and take in 40 billion euros. Fifty percent of the proceeds are to be used in settling the country's debts and the other 50 percent for the development of the national economy. Four funds will be subordinated to the new super-trust as subsidiaries: the Greek Financial Stability Fund, responsible for the bank bailout since 2010; the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED), responsible since 2011 for the settlement and sale of assets; the Public Properties Company, in operation since 1998; and the new Entity for Public Partnership (EDIS). The EDIS fund will take over public services that are to be privatised. This directly affects three of Athens' public transport providers, the national railway company, the Central Olympic Stadium in Athens and the Post Office. A second round would then privatise water companies in Thessaloniki and Athens, the Greek motor industry, the Athens underground train system, the Public Buildings and Infrastructure Service and the state-owned power company DEI. After the Syriza government has already completed the acquisition of 14 regional airports by the German Fraport AG and the sale of the port of Piraeus to the Chinese COSCO, the port of Thessaloniki is soon to come under the hammer. The new super-trust is thus planning to break up all public facilities and services, subordinating them to the profit interests of private companies. This will inevitably lead to further cuts and a loss of thousands of jobs. In addition, the government intends to adopt a package of measures that will take effect automatically if budget targets are not met. This mechanism for budget adjustments, known in Greece as Koftis, would then impose further austerity measures on the country. Although some areas are excluded, wages and pensions, for example, are not. The cuts mechanism is based on a law derived from the EU stability mechanism, which Syriza had rejected in 2012 and termed unconstitutional because it subordinated the country to the desperate plan of a German neo-liberal Europe, as Syriza parliamentary Deputy Dimitris Papadimoulis said at the time in the European Parliament. But Syriza cares not a jot for what it said yesterday. The promises it made before entering government are being unceremoniously sacrificed to the new round of cuts. European finance ministers, with Germany's Wolfgang Schauble at the forefront, are demanding that Greece achieve a primary budget surplus of 3.5 percent by 2018. Even the IMF considers these expectations illusory and is making any further financial contribution to the bailout programme for Greece conditional on the country being granted immediate debt relief. But Schauble rejects this. He insists that debt relief be considered only after 2018. Nevertheless, the IMF is expected to participate in the new support payments to be agreed on Tuesday. President Barack Obama arrived in Hanoi late Sunday for a three-day visit aimed at aligning Vietnam more directly with Washingtons pivot to Asia. Forty-one years after the last US troops were forced to flee the country aboard helicopters taking off from the Saigon embassy rooftop, US imperialisms aim is to draw Vietnam ever more deeply into US war preparations against China. Among the items reportedly on the Pentagons wish list are the pre-positioning of military equipment in Vietnam, on the pretext of preparing for disaster relief, and increased access to the strategic ports of Cam Ranh Bay and Danang to the north, both of which served as major bases during the US war (196375) that killed an estimated 3 million Vietnamese. On the eve of the visit, Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security advisor, told reporters, What we want to demonstrate with this visit is a significant upgrade in the relationship between the United States and Vietnam as partners on many issues, even as we have areas of difference ... Giving voice to one of the main themes of Obamas Asian tour, which is to include a visit to Hiroshima, where the first of two atom bombs was dropped leading to the death of up to 350,000 Japanese, Rhodes added: It does show how history can work in unpredictable ways. Even the worst conflicts can be relatively quickly left behind. In other words, the memory of past imperialist crimes can be suppressed in order to prepare the coming ones. This is what administration officials have described as Obamas forward-looking vision. Rhodes acknowledged that one of the issues that would be discussed between Obama and the leaders of the Stalinist bureaucracy that rules Vietnam was the complete lifting of an arms embargo, allowing Washington to sell all manner of lethal armaments to its former enemy. The embargo was partially lifted in October 2014, when the US agreed to supply Hanoi with lethal maritime weaponry, providing credit for the purchase of two gunboats. A decision on scrapping the embargo entirely has yet to be publicly revealed, and there are apparent divisions in the US ruling establishment over whether to utilize human rights objections to arms sales as a means of extracting more far-reaching concessions from the Vietnamese government. At present, Russia is the source of 90 percent of Vietnams arms supplies, something both the White House and the US military-industrial complex are intent on changing. In recent months the Obama administration has also attempted to pressure Vietnam into reducing its bilateral military cooperation with Russia. Russian warships currently are allowed an unlimited number of visits to the Cam Rahn Bay port facilities, while the US is restricted to only three a year. Moreover, Vietnam has allowed Russian military aircraft to use its airbase at Cam Rahn Bay. Washington has protested the facilitys use by Russian refueling planes, which it says have allowed Russian strategic bombers to extend their range over much of the Pacific. The principal target of US efforts to achieve close ties with Vietnam, however, is China. Washington has worked assiduously to ring the Asian giant with military bases and to stoke tensions stemming from competing claims by China and other Asian countriesthe Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, Malaysia and Bruneiover islands and maritime boundaries in the South China Sea. These tensions boiled over in 2014, when the Vietnamese government denounced China for setting up an oil rig in waters of the South China Sea claimed by Vietnam. A subsequent xenophobic campaign sparked violent anti-Chinese riots. In 2015, Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Vietnamese Communist Party, visited Washington and received an Oval Office meeting with Obama, a reception rarely given foreign leaders who are not official heads of state. After the White House visit, the Vietnamese Stalinist leader was guest of honor at a dinner organized by the US Chamber of Commerce. Then as now, another key topic of discussion is the Transpacific Trade Partnership (TPP), a proposed US-dominated trade and investment bloc that has been designed as the economic component of Washingtons drive to encircle and confront China. Vietnam is seen as a key element in this system. Since 1986 and the ruling partys adoption of the policy known as Doi Moi (renovation), the country has attracted an ever increasing flow of foreign capitalist investment, emerging as the regions rising cheap labor platform under conditions in which its minimum wageUS$142.50 a monthis roughly half that paid in China. Under the terms of the TPP, Vietnam is expected to implement new sweeping economic reforms including the wholesale privatization of state-owned enterprises and the tearing down of remaining barriers to foreign investors and imports. Obamas visit comes in the midst of a new escalation of friction between the US and China as the American Navy continues to stage provocative freedom of navigation exercises aimed at sparking confrontations. Last week the Pentagon claimed that two Chinese fighter planes carried out an unsafe intercept of a US EP-3 spy plane carrying out operations over the South China Sea. Beijing denied the accusation, saying that its jets had kept a safe distance from the US spy plane and had made no dangerous moves. The official Chinese news agency Xinhua published a scathingly dismissive comment on Obamas trip, describing it as part of his farewell to the White House and advising the US president to reflect upon his policies that failed to contribute to regional peace and stability. It went on to warn that US-Vietnamese rapprochement should not be used by the United States as a tool to threaten or even damage the strategic interests of a third country. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Beijing last Thursday, Chinas vice minister of foreign affairs, Liu Zhenmin, issued a warning against the US provocations in the South China Sea. The Chinese people do not want to have a war, so we will be opposed to the US if it stirs up any conflict, he said. Of course, if the Korean War or the Vietnam War are replayed, then we will have to defend ourselves. Obama is the third US president to visit Vietnam. The first was Bill Clinton, who went in 2000, like Obama, at the end of his presidency, after having lifted a long-standing trade embargo five years earlier. George W. Bush staged a very brief visit to the country in 2006, limiting his activities to joining a search for the remains of a US pilot shot down nearly 40 years earlier and a visit to the Ho Chi Minh City stock exchange. Three months ago, seven movies that screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival ended up landing Academy Award nominations, and four of them won Oscars: Inside Out won Best Animated Feature, Amy won Best Documentary, Son of Saul won Best Foreign Language Film and Mad Max: Fury Road won six awards, the biggest haul of the night. This year, though, we shouldnt expect the same kind of Cannes/Oscar correlation. Even though the president of the Cannes jury was George Miller, the director of Mad Max, his panel gave awards to the kinds of movies that are unlikely to get much if any traction from Oscar voters. The Palme dOr winner, for instance, is Ken Loachs I, Daniel Blake, which is such a small slice of British working-class life that itll probably have trouble being noticed in the crowded awards season and because its in English, it wont be eligible in the Oscars Best Foreign Language Film competition, where Cannes titles most often show up. Also Read: 17 Biggest Winners and Losers of Cannes Film Festival 2016 Here are a few categories, and the 2016 Cannes titles that might show up there: BEST PICTURE The best bet is Jeff Nichols Loving, the true story of a 1960s couple in Virginia who sued the state after they were arrested for violating laws against interracial marriage. But Nichols, whose previous films include Take Shelter and Mud, is a resolutely understated director, and a subject matter that might lend itself to a classic awards-bait movie is dealt with so subtly that it might well be overlooked. Focus Features will no doubt wage an aggressive awards campaign for a worthy movie, but its best chance probably lies in the acting categories, particularly Best Actress. Also Read: 'Loving' Cannes Review: Ruth Negga Stands Out in Poignant Real-Life Drama Among the other high-profile English language films, Jim Jarmuschs Paterson is even smaller and subtler, while Andrea Arnolds American Honey, with Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough, is so raucous and over-the-top as to likely prove off-putting to many awards voters, as are the transgressive likes of Nicolas Winding Refns The Neon Demonand Paul Verhoevens Elle. Story continues I, Daniel Blake has a remote chance if voters take its political message to heart, but that seems extremely unlikely. BEST DIRECTOR Again, Nichols is the best bet for Loving and again, that would require voters to embrace a movie that seems like awards bait on paper but is far more understated than that on screen. ACTING AWARDS Ruth Negga, the star of Loving, is one of the likeliest Oscar nominees at Cannes this year. While her co-star Joel Edgerton did a great job playing a near-monosyllabic character, she is the heart of the film and will almost certainly be in any Best Actress conversations. Kristen Stewart won strong reviews for her performance in Personal Shopper, but a cerebral horror movie that deliberately never delivers what its audience wants is hardly Academy fare. Also Read: 'Personal Shopper' Cannes Review: Does Kristen Stewart Drama Deserve All Those Boos? Among international stars looking to crash the field, the never-nominated Isabelle Huppert might have a chance with adventurous voters who can accept the darkly, uncomfortably comedic Elle, while Brazilian actress Sonia Braga deserves a longshot campaign for her brave and touching role as an aging woman determined to hang onto her self-worth and sexuality in Aquarius. On the male side, Dave Johns and Adam Driver will find admirers for I, Daniel Blake and Paterson, respectively, but those small movies will have to work hard to get voters attention. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM This is the category where Cannes films most often show up being chosen for the festival can go a long way toward making a movie its home countrys official Oscar submission. The festival sensation Toni Erdmann has a strong shot at being nominated if Germany opts to submit it; others that seem likely to be their home countrys choices, and likely to find Academy admirers if they are, include Brazils Aquarius, the Philippines Ma Rosa, Belgiums The Unknown Girl and Irans The Salesman. Also Read: 'Toni Erdmann' Cannes Review: Spectacular Father-Daughter Comedy Knocks the Festival for a Loop OTHER CATEGORIES Steven Spielbergs The BFG, which screened out of competition, could be in contention for its special effects. Michael Dudok de Wits The Red Turtle, from the Un Certain Regard section, will almost certainly be a major player in the Best Animated Feature race. Laura Poitras Risk, a documentary about Julian Assange and WikiLeaks from the Oscar-winning director of Citizenfour, will be in the doc conversation, though itll hardly be the favorite her last film was. And the showbiz documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, will benefit from an HBO push and the voters fondness for Hollywood stories. OTHER AWARDS SHOWS Matt Ross Sundance title Captain Fantastic, which played in Un Certain Regard, could make a case at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. So could David Mackenzies Hell or High Water, if the American-set film from a British director qualifies as a U.S. production. Oh, and Sean Penns The Last Face might get a few Razzie nominations. THE BOTTOM LINE Ruth Negga, The Red Turtle, Toni Erdmann and The Salesman will be players. And not much else. Related stories from TheWrap: 17 Biggest Winners and Losers of Cannes Film Festival 2016 Ken Loach's 'I, Daniel Blake' Wins Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or 'The Last Face' Cannes Review: Sean Penn's Humanitarian Romance Misfires on Every Front As any right-swiper on Tinder will tell you, dating is expensive. But while a dinner for two at Red Lobster can be pricey, it could be worse. Deutsche Bank recently released their annual map of global prices, which compares the cost of common goods and experiences in cities around the world. When it comes to the cost of dating, love birds in Zurich, Switzerland fork out an average of $201 for a night on the town. It looks like The Beatles were wrong when they sang, Cant Buy Me Love. Zurich isnt the only city where romance comes at a price. Rounding out the top three are Copenhagen ($173) and Tokyo ($172) as the most expensive cities to go on a date around the globe.On the other end of the spectrum, Bangalore, India, is the cheapest city to go on a date, costing just $42 for a couple. Jakarta, Indonesia ($44.50) and Mumbai, India ($44.90) round out the bottom of the list. As any recovering online dater will tell you, every person defines a date in a different way. For the purpose of this survey, a date includes cab rides, dinner or lunch for two at a pub or diner, soft drinks, two movie tickets and a couple of beers. You might think that New York is be the most expensive American city to go on a date (its consistently among places with the highest cost of living), but youd be wrong (unless you plan on impressing your date with tickets to see the perpetually-sold-out Broadway show Hamilton). At $130, Chicago is the ninth most expensive place to go on a date around the world, and the most expensive city in the U.S. Jim Reid from Deutsche Bank says that the cost of transportation in Chicago could be contributing to the higher cost of a date. It might be to do with taxi prices being cheaper in New York City as more people have plugged in prices from, say, Uber than in Chicago, he told Yahoo Finance. Indeed, the average five-mile taxi trip costs $25 in Chicago compared to $13 in New York. A date in San Francisco will cost $128, and a date in New York City averages $126. These cities come in at #10 and #11 on the list. Story continues The index also examines the average cost of other typical date activities. In all cases, Zurich ranked as the most expensive in the world, and New York ranked as the most expensive in the U.S. A movie costs $19 a person in Zurich, $16.80 in London, and $16 in Tokyo. New York City was the most expensive U.S. city, with the average movie ticket costing $15.50 per person. When it comes to the cost of a standard dinner for two at a local pub, the top three cities are again Zurich ($80.20), Copenhagen ($73.10), and Tokyo ($68.70). New York City ranks fifth on the list with an average cost of $53. So whats the takeaway? If youre going on a first date in Zurich, perhaps its more economical to just meet for a coffee first. Do you have questions about the cost of dating in cities around the world? Email us at yfmoneymailbag@yahoo.com. As summer approaches, the weather is warming, tourists are traveling and romances are budding, which means it's becoming the busiest time of the year for restaurants. But eateries that have been benefitting from low unemployment rates, cheaper fuel and dropping commodity prices may face new challenges as minimum wage increases take effect in a number of states. According to the latest Restaurant Performance Index, released April 29, the RPI remained "in the expansion zone" in March, at 100.7, down 1.4 percent from February. The expectations index dipped slightly as well, down 0.2 percent to 101.2 in March, but the index continues to indicate a positive outlook for business during the coming months, according to the National Restaurant Association. [See: 13 Money Hacks to Turbocharge Your Investments.] Although word-of-mouth is still considered the most important driver of restaurant business, a food establishment's ability to promote itself through the Internet and mobile phones is becoming critical. One-third (32 percent) of patrons have used an app or coupon found online, and one in four diners have at least one restaurant-specific app on their phone, according to a recent RetailMeNot survey. With the macro drivers of the marketplace evolving, which publicly traded restaurant brands are poised for growth in 2016? "If you look at year-to-date performance, the stocks that have done the best have been either true growth stories, like Zoe's Kitchen (ticker: ZOES) and Wingstop (WING), or ones with very low expectations like Arcos Dorados (ARCO) and Cracker Barrel (CBRL)," says Nick Mazing, founder of New York-based Ampera Capital, a long-short investment management firm focused on consumer equities. "The best-performing stock is actually Krispy Kreme (KKD), which is up almost 40 percent year to date, but this is because they are being acquired, so it is a one-off." In looking ahead and analyzing future growth potential, Mazing is considering the uphill climb U.S. restaurant stocks may face in the second half of 2016. Story continues "While low unemployment, low gas and falling food commodity prices provided a nice tailwind into this year, restaurants will start to lap these results just as many scheduled minimum wage increases kick in. As a result, we will likely see a compression of both profitability and valuation metrics in the space," Mazing says. [See: 8 Easy Ways to Make Money.] For the second half of 2016, Mazing is looking at two companies that are not directly influenced by these factors. "One is the McDonald's master franchisee in Latin America, Arcos Dorados, which has done well year to date as the market is trying to price in the bottom in its largest market, Brazil, and look forward to a stabilization there," he says. "We are also looking at Yum Brands (YUM), the parent of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. The company has outlined a plan for a separation of its huge Chinese business and capital returns to shareholders." Dan Grote, certified financial planner at Latitude Financial Group in Denver, is also recommending Yum Brands because of its 11 percent gains this year. Also on his list is Bloomin' Brands (BLMN), better known for Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Flemmings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, which is up more than 12.5 percent so far this year, and Restaurant Brands International (QSR), known for the Burger King and Tim Hortons franchises, which has gained 7.7 percent year to date. Grote believes the companies are doing well because of consumer strength and says cheaper fuel prices are just beginning to positively affect restaurants. "While oil prices are rebounding, there is a lagging effect to our spending habits where the benefit of cheaper prices is empowering households to get out and spend. When we get out, we have to eat out. Restaurant stock advances are a byproduct," he says. Using social media as a metric to measure consumer satisfaction, the Boston-based strategy consulting firm, Stax, gives publicly traded companies a value that could also indicate future growth. "Through our own research, we are learning that social media sentiment or engagement is not only an indicator of company success, but there is a predictive relationship between consumer ratings, positive blog sentiment and firm equity value and returns," says Palash Misra, a director at Stax. The firm examines the ratio of positive mentions that a brand receives online and compares it to negative mentions. A ratio greater than 1 implies there is comparatively more positive feedback or buzz surrounding a brand. [Read: How Companies Invest in Financial Wellness.] "For Starbucks (SBUX) and Panera (PNRA), we have observed sentiment scores exceeding 2.0 times for Starbucks and 1.2 times for Panera," Misra says. "And as customer satisfaction or customer love is a leading indicator of company success, both companies appear to be regarded favorably in the eyes of customers." Christine Giordano is a freelance business journalist with a passion to help consumers make educated decisions. Also a columnist for Newsday, you can follow her on Twitter @chrisgiordano. Alfie Deyes Good morning. Here's everything you need to know in the world of advertising today. 1. Business Insider spoke to British YouTube star Alfie Deyes about his hectic schedule and how he deals with advertisers. Deyes has 5 million YouTube subscribers, 3 million followers on Twitter, 1.7 million Facebook fans, and he gets 16 million views per Snapchat story. 2. 6 things we learned about the future of TV from this year's upfronts. From the online video war, to the appetite for re-runs. 3. Premium publisher trade group Digital Content Next held meetings with media owners, tech companies, and advertiser representatives to discuss what to do about ad blocking. Digiday has the scoop on what the majority of the attendees agreed on. 4. A study from Secret Media claims the main reason people are using ad blockers is data-consuming trackers. Ads take up just 9% of the space on a web page, but are accountable for 54% of the load time, the study found. 5. A woman joyfully trying on a Chewbacca mask has become the most-watched Facebook Live video ever. It was watched tens of millions of times after being posted on Friday, but now appears to have been removed. 6. 26 of the most hilarious, unfortunate online ad placements. Examples of ad misplacement range from Donald Trump ads next to pro-Isis videos, to beer ads next to stories about drunk driving. 7. The fight for control of aging Viacom CEO's $40 billion empire is getting uglier. Sumner Redstone has removed Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from the seven-person trust that will determine the fate of both Viacom and CBS in the event of his incapacitation or death, two people familiar with the situation told Reuters Friday. 8. Here's why the rumored bid prices for Yahoo are all over the place. SunTrust's managing director, Bob Peck, says there's one important question that needs to be answered to clear the confusion: What exactly is being bid for? Story continues 9. Food nutrition labels in the US are getting a revamp. "The updated label makes improvements to this valuable resource so consumers can make more informed food choices one of the most important steps a person can take to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity," FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in a press release. 10. Chipotle is facing a big crisis that has nothing to do with E. coli. Analysts have said menu fatigue is to blame for the chain's sales declines. NOW WATCH: Adam Savage reveals why he and 'MythBusters' cohost Jamie Hyneman won't be working together anymore More From Business Insider If youre trying to find a doctor you can trust, your first instinct may be to call friends and family for a recommendation or to scour the Internet to see what other people think about local healthcare providers. But those people may have different insurance coverage or requirements for a doctor than you do, so there are better strategies for finding a doctorthey're backed by research or include information from professional medical organizations. As you work to find a doctor, start by asking healthcare professionals you respect who they would recommend. Then look through your health insurance plans directory to determine which of those doctors also accept your insurance. Check to see which candidates have office locations and office hours that are convenient. After you whittle down your list to a few names, call them to confirm that they still accept your insurance and are taking new patients. Before you decide, take some smart steps. Check Medical Credentials First, youll want to determine whether any prospective physician is board-certifiedwhich means he or she has gone beyond the competency standards required to get a medical license, and has undergone rigorous testing and peer evaluation in a specific area, such as internal medicine or dermatology. This will help you narrow down the choices as you try to find a doctor. Youll find that information on the American Board of Medical Specialties website or on your states department of health website. Know the Doctor's Hospital Many hospitals now employ hospitalists, physicians who provide in-patient treatment. That means when you find a doctor, he or she may not be able to give you hands-on care if you are hospitalized. Ideally, however, you want your doctor to have admitting or consulting privileges at the facility of your choice so that he or she can be as involved as possible in your care if youre in the hospital. Unless you live in a remote community, you probably have several hospital options reasonably nearby for elective surgery and other services. Safety should be your primary concern, and you can now check Consumer Reports hospital Ratings free to determine how well local facilities do at preventing infections. Story continues Find Out About Pharma Money Some doctors have financial relationships with drug or medical device companies, which can mean that they receive funding for research, speaking fees, or free meals and travel accommodations for conferences. Why should you care about this when you're working to find a doctor? Because you want to be sure that any doctors you see would prescribe the best possible drug or device for you, without a bias toward one with which they have significant financial ties. At the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments website, you can see whether a company has paid a doctor and what the fee was for (such as food and beverages). The ProPublica Dollars for Docs website will also name the drug or device any payments are related to, if that information is available, and list doctors who have received the highest payments by state. Search for Sanctions Before you decide on a doctor, you want to make sure he or she has not been sanctioned for professional misconduct such as medical negligence, fraud, or drug or alcohol abuse. (Sanctions can include reprimands, probation and restriction, suspension, or even loss of a physicians medical license.) At present, a physician is not required to notify you if he or she has been disciplined. To find out whether a physician on your maybe list is practicing while on probation or had prior disciplinary actions, look him up on your state medical board site. You can find a directory of state medical boards on the website of the Federation of State Medical Boards. More from Consumer Reports: 8 Ways to Boost Your Home Value Why your cable TV bill is going up Get the Best Cell Phone Plan for Your Familyand Save up to $1,000 a Year Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. The 2016 Billboard Music Awards featured no shortage of music stars, memorable performances and emotional speeches. But it also contained a star-studded group of presenters hailing from diverse backgrounds. From billionaires to rock stars, here are the top 5 presenters at this year's BBMAs. 2016 Billboard Music Awards: All Our Coverage 5. Michael Strahan [[{"fid":"613779","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":1024,"width":1548,"alt":"Heidi Klum and Michael Strahan","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] Heidi Klum and Michael Strahan speak onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas.Kevin Winter/Getty Images Sometimes less is more. Joined by Heidi Klum, the former New York Giants star -- and new Good Morning America host -- took the mic and simply exclaimed "Hot!" before presenting the award for Top Hot 100 Artist to The Weeknd with a broad grin. Billboard Music Awards 2016: Full Winners List 4. Mark Cuban The Shark Tank star and billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks was recently courted by Republicans from the "Never Trump" movement to launch a third-party presidential bid, prompting co-presenter Miss America winner Betty Cantrell to ask whether he would announce his campaign that night. Cuban chuckled and teased, "Today I am here to announce... this next category." 3. Bad Moms Stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, & Kathryn Hahn [[{"fid":"613819","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":1024,"width":1548,"alt":"Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristen Bell at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] Story continues Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristen Bell speak onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas.Kevin Winter/Getty Images The trio of actresses drew laughs by joking that they weren't actually bad moms because their kids were being watched backstage by Fetty Wap and hanging at Las Vegas strip club Spearmint Rhino. 2. Steven Tyler [[{"fid":"613724","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":1500,"width":1000,"alt":"Steven Tyler at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] Steven Tyler attends the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas.David Becker/Getty Images "What a crowd, what a mob, what a show!" exclaimed Tyler at the onset of his presentation speech. Draped in layered necklaces with a mustache and thick-rimmed glasses, Aerosmith's ever-colorful frontman -- who's been trying on a country-music career for size -- donned animated expressions while recounting the past winners of the prized Top Artist award before announcing Adele as this year's winner. Celine Dion Performs Powerful Rendition of 'The Show Must Go On' at Billboard Music Awards 1. Rene-Charles Angelil [[{"fid":"613878","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":1024,"width":1548,"alt":"Celine Dion performs at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]Celine Dion performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas.Kevin Winter/Getty Images After being surprised by her son's presentation of her Billboard Icon Award, a tearful Celine Dion asked her teenage son Rene-Charles if he could simply stand next to her. He was more than happy to oblige, comforting his mother in a touching gesture. It was especially heartwarming because Dion had weathered the loss of her husband and brother in the span of three days in January. A college or graduate school education can be costly for on-campus and online students alike, but there are ways to ease the burden of a hefty price tag. When it comes to financial aid, prospective online students -- just like traditional students -- should first ensure a program is accredited by the Department of Education so that students are definitely eligible for federal funds, says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Cappex.com, a website connecting students with colleges and scholarships. Here are five things they should keep in mind when applying for financial aid. 1. The process is generally the same as it is for on-campus students. Any student will have to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which many schools use to determine awards. [Learn what to expect your first time filling out the FAFSA.] "Students apply for financial aid using the FAFSA, the same as they do at other institutions. We contact them via their email account and direct them to their student portal when there's action they need to take," says Cheryl Storie, associate vice president of financial aid at the University of Maryland University College, of both traditional and online students at the school. Rick Wilder, director of student financial affairs at the University of Florida, described the financial aid process at the school as "identical" for both. Kantrowitz says financial aid, however, still needs to fully adapt to newer types of online degree programs -- such as those with skills-based curriculums -- as they emerge. Therefore, students in those programs should check with their school beforehand to see if aid is offered and in what forms. 2. Enrollment status is an especially important consideration. The decision of whether a student enrolls in an online program on a part-time or full-time basis might affect the amount of financial aid he or she receives, experts say -- just as it would for traditional students. Story continues This is particularly important for online learners to keep in mind as many work full time while pursuing their education; that decision can greatly impact an already-busy daily schedule. Many online programs require students to meet credit-hour requirements to receive certain amounts or types of aid, for example. Take Victor Torres, who lives in Cleveland and earned his online master's degree in special education from Michigan State University in 2015. He had to enroll on a full-time basis each semester while also working full time in order to receive aid. [Discover how to decide between part-time and full-time online degree programs.] "There were times where I had to pick up electives that I didn't even need for my program just so that I could continue going," the 31-year-old says, when some of his required courses weren't offered. 3. Some online programs have opportunities for federal work-study. Online programs may or may not offer options for work-study, a federal program that allows students to earn a portion of their college expenses through part-time work on or off campus. Its availability varies across online programs. UMUC, for example, no longer offers online students work-study, given the challenges online students face participating on top of their obligations outside of classes, Storie says. This is the first full year UMUC isn't involved with the program. "It's not the right population to do it," Storie says. Other schools, such as SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University, enable online learners to apply for work-study. 4. Certain scholarship providers are still hesitant about online education. Some scholarships are open to online learners in accredited programs, but this varies depending on the provider, Kantrowitz says. Students should conduct research beforehand to determine whether they are eligible for certain scholarships, experts say. Many scholarship search engines, for example, allow prospective students to specify their individual circumstances and find scholarships that meet their unique needs. Some scholarship providers, Kantrowitz says, still perceive online education as a lower-quality education and therefore won't open up scholarships to online students. At the same time, institutions such as Pennsylvania State University--World Campus offer competitive scholarship opportunities for part-time and full-time online students. [Explore tips for online students seeking scholarships.] 5. Starting early is key. Many online students are already consumed by jobs and other responsibilities, so it's important to not wait until the last minute to get started, says Marti Demarest, manager of academic support at Colorado State University Online. Doing so will ensure that online students are aware of any limitations in terms of aid for online students at specific institutions. CSU Online undergrad students, for instance, aren't eligible for stipends from the state's College Opportunity Fund, which is usually available for Colorado residents. "Get that FAFSA done as soon as possible," Demarest says, and many financial aid awards are given on an as-available basis, so "students have to start the process earlier than they think." Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center. Jordan Friedman is an online education editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at jfriedman@usnews.com. AFP Relax file photo Singaporeans are constantly on their smartphones, even when they go on a holiday. A new mobile travel report by KAYAK.sg shows that in contrast to ten years ago, 54 per cent of Singaporeans now remain connected to their smartphones when they travel abroad, as more travellers rely on gadgets and social media platforms to do anything from planning to sharing memories of a trip. About 89 per cent of Singporean travellers now book their trips online, with 66 per cent booking directly on the website of the hotel or airline. Travel agencies, which were used by 73 per cent of travellers ten years ago, has seen a sharp decline in popularity with visits from only 26 per cent of Singaporeans. The survey also shows that 61 per cent of travellers consult online travel agencies for inspiration when planning for a holiday, in contrast to a decade back when 58 per cent of Singaporeans sought advice from family and friends and 42 per cent went to traditional travel agents and other offline sources when planning for the next getaway. Ironically, the Internet and mobile technology has not helped Singaporean travellers save time on travel planning as 40 per cent of those surveyed said they spend more time planning their trips to day compared to a decade ago, mainly due to the wide variety of travel resources available online. Ten years ago, 67 per cent of Singaporeans preferred to check-in and pick up their boarding pass at the airport. Today, nearly half of travellers 49 per cent prefer to check-in and print their boarding passes at home, while another 22 per cent check-in online via smartphone and opt for a mobile boarding pass. Seventy-six per cent of Singaporean now share their travel experience on social networks compared to ten years ago when 57 per cent did the same through in-person meet-ups. Verizon in 1Q16: Challenges on the Road to 5G (Continued from Prior Part) Dynamics of Verizons capital expenditures In the previous part of this series, we learned about some challenges that Verizon sees in its 5G deployment. During the May 19 MoffettNathanson Media and Communications Summit 2016, Fran Shammo, Verizons (VZ) executive vice president and CFO, addressed the companys capital expenditures: Verizonshould look at a consistent CapEx Company, $17.2 billion to $17.7 billion. Shammo added, A lot of people have been talking about how CapEx is going to come down with SDN software defined networks. And I have said, no, it is going to stay flat for Verizon. Regarding capital expenditures, Shammo added, What we have done over the past two years, you see Wireline starting to decrease, you see Wireless increasing. Regarding Wireless, he noted, The majority of that capital is all going to densification. Shammo stated that the densification efforts should help the company in its 5G deployment going forward. He added that Verizon currently views 5G mostly as fixed wireless broadband solution to the home. Verizons capital investments in 1Q16 Now lets look at Verizons capital investments by segment in 1Q16. As you can see in the above chart, the companys overall capital expenditure decreased by ~7.6% YoY (year-over-year) in 1Q16. The Wireless component continued to dominate Verizons capital expenditures at ~$2.2 billion during the quarter. Meanwhile, the same figure for Wireline was ~$1 billion during the same quarter. For diversified exposure to leading telecom companies in the US, you may consider investing in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). SPY held a total of ~2.7% in AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), CenturyLink (CTL), Frontier Communications (FTR), and Level 3 Communications (LVLT) at the end of April 2016. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Like the comic book, the series Preacher tells the tale of Jesse Custer, a small town preacher with a dark past that has him rethinking his commitment to his faith. An extraterrestrial spirit traveled through outer space to Earth where it invaded the body of an African preacher. And from there, Jesse is introduced and he used "to do things," bad things. Up next, we swiftly meet Tulip OHare a woman kicking butt during a wicked car chase. Tulip is introduced as the gun-toting ex love interest of Jesse. Tulip is in Texas to recruit Jesse for a job of some sort. After the job proposal, Jesse headed to the sheriff's house to speak with his son Eugene, better known as Arseface, because his face looks like a butt. The character Cassidy made her debut at the bar, followed by a group led by Donny. Donny slugs Jesse and Jesse destroys Donny, resulting to Preacher and Cassidy winding up in jail together. And thus a friendship is born. Later on, Jesse talks to God, asking for forgiveness but instead, he gets a visit from a deathly spirit. Only the spirit doesn't kill Jesse it instead grants him special powers: A sense of will that can inspire others to follow his words. So, in his last sermon, Jesse promises to avenge the innocent, welcome those who are lost, and so on and so forth. It seemed though that he's starting to get the hang of this whole preacher thing, even if it leads to an adult man literally opening his heart to his mother at Jesse's suggestion. #NeverTrump? More like #OkayFineTrump. Donald Trump's bid for the presidency has torn at the seams of the real estate magnate's own party, spawning a movement of Republicans who vow never to support his candidacy. But now that Trump is the GOP's presumptive nominee, many of his fiercest critics within the party find themselves coming around though not necessarily with great enthusiasm. Read more: Donald Trump Just Hit a Huge New Milestone Here's a look at some of the most prominent GOPers to make the flip. Lindsey Graham Source: Susan Walsh/AP This one came as a shock to seasoned observers of the South Carolina senator, one of the party's most fervent champions of immigration reform. During his ill-fated presidential run last year, Graham pronounced himself "disgusted" with Trump's proposal for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, telling CNN that his party's frontrunner was a "xenophobic, race-baiting bigot." So intense was Graham's loathing for Trump that the senator held his nose and endorsed nemesis Ted Cruz in an effort to thwart the billionaire. Even after Trump vanquished Cruz in the Indiana primary, effectively clinching the nomination, Graham remained adamant that he wouldn't support his party's presumptive standard-bearer: I also cannot in good conscience support Donald Trump because I do not believe he is a reliable Republican conservative....(4) And now? CNN reports that Graham who still has no plans to publicly endorse Trump is privately urging top Republicans to fall into line behind Trump. A possible turning point? The two men held a phone call on May 11 to discuss foreign policy and national security a discussion Trump described as "very interesting" and Graham called "cordial [and] pleasant." Rick Perry Source: Eric Gay/AP Seeking to gain traction during his short-lived campaign for the nomination last year, the former Texas governor was unsparing in his denunciation of Trump. Story continues Speaking in July as Trump first sat atop polls of the GOP field Perry inveighed against Trump's candidacy as a "cancer on conservatism" that "must be clearly diagnosed, excised and discarded." Ending his campaign in September, Perry went out with guns blazing, saying, "Demeaning people of Hispanic heritage is not just ignorant, it betrays the example of Christ." Fast forward to this month, when Perry told CNN that while Trump "wasn't my first choice," he was "going to be open to any way I can help" including by serving as Trump's vice presidential running mate. "He is one of the most talented people who has ever run for the president I have ever seen," Perry said. Scott Walker Source: Morry Gash/AP Once seen as a leading contender for the Republican nod, Walker struggled for oxygen in a race remade by Trump's improbable candidacy and facing grim fundraising figures and even grimmer poll numbers, the Wisconsin governor quit the race in September. At the time, Walker said he was stepping aside to "clear the field" for a "positive, conservative alternative to the current front-runner." One day after Trump's victory in Indiana, however, Wisconsin Politics reported that Walker said he would "clearly" support Trump in the general election, citing his belief that Trump would be better than likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on taxes, Supreme Court nominations and government regulation. Kelly Ayotte Source: Jim Cole/AP One of the Senate's most vulnerable Republicans up for re-election in 2016, Ayotte told Fox Business' Neil Cavuto in July, "I don't support what [Trump] has done and I don't think he will be our nominee. So I don't think I'll have to worry about supporting him." But now that Trump and Ayotte will appear on the same ballot, after all, the New Hampshire senator is reluctantly supporting him though there's no formal endorsement forthcoming. "As she's said from the beginning, Kelly plans to support the nominee," a spokeswoman told WMUR after Trump became the presumptive nominee. Bobby Jindal Source: Gerald Herbert/AP What does Jindal call Donald Trump besides a "narcissist" and an "egomaniac" with "no understanding of policy"? His choice for president, of course. The ex-Louisiana governor and failed 2016 candidate penned a May 8 op-ed for the Wall Street Journal stating that while he was still dismayed by Trump's "outlandish behavior" and doubted his reliability on conservative issues, he preferred Trump's unpredictability to Clinton's "predictable" liberalism. Anthony Scaramucci The Wall Street Journal must be the go-to destination for anti-Trump Republicans to explain why they're now backing him, because it's also where hedge funder Scaramucci wrote on May 15 that Trump would bring "empathy" and a background as a "pragmatic entrepreneur" and "team builder" to the White House. Vanity Fair reminded readers of what the GOP megadonor had to say before Trump emerged triumphant: Trump was a "hack politician," he'd charged, doomed to "eventually implode" and qualified to be president only of "the Queens County Bully Association." Nikki Haley Source: Bruce Smith/AP When the South Carolina governor was tapped to deliver the GOP's official response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in January, her selection was seen as a rebuke to Trump. The Indian-American daughter of immigrants, then only , offered a sharp contrast to the man leading the polls for the party's nomination. Haley used her response to implicitly jab at Trump, warning Americans against "follow[ing] the siren call of the angriest voices." One month later, Haley endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, but that didn't stop Trump from winning the Palmetto State primary. Now that he's poised to claim the big prize, Haley's on board the Trump Train kind of. The Charleston Post and Courier quoted the governor as saying that she would "support the Republican nominee for president," though she ruled herself out of contention for the vice presidency. Image via Purple PR Image via Purple PR Adele is the best-selling artist around right now, garnering a ridiculous amount of sales from the release of her 21 and 25 albums. Both of those albums were released via independent label XL Recordings, but now that her contract with the legendary label is up, pretty much all of the record industry is looking to snap her up. The Guardian is reporting that a deal has already been reached between her and Sony, with 90 million ($130 million) exchanging hands for the deal. Sony, who own the title of the worlds second-largest record label, have effectively doubled her net worth following the reported deal. Last month it was reported that Adele was officially the richest ever female musician to come from the UK, with a net worth of 85 million, or $121 million. If the deal with Sony has indeed taken place, then her net worth will have rose to 175 million, which is approximately $253 million. A source tells Guardian that the deal was done through Sonys US label Columbia, and itll give Sony the rights to release her future music exclusively around the world. The contract is the most expensive record contract for a woman since Whitney Houstons deal with Arista in 2001, which came to 70 million. More from Pigeons & Planes In 2016 fast fashion prevails, gender inequality is rife in the industry, and leading brands are constantly under fire for producing their collections in unsatisfactory conditions. If these are problems that are regularly playing on your mind when making purchases, look no further than this jewellery line. Gurls Talk founder, model and feminist Adwoa Aboah has been unveiled as the new face of Pippa Small Turquoise Mountain, the Kabul-based diffusion line by designer Pippa Small, set up to help create and sustain jobs within Afghanistans jewellery making industry. During the Taliban regime (from 1996 until 2001) jewellery making was reportedly banned in Afghanistan, meaning that when the Taliban were eventually overthrown, the majority of the traditional artisans had fled, or were no longer practicing. Turquoise Mountain "an internationally accredited vocational institute training a new generation of Afghan artisans in woodwork, calligraphy and miniature painting, ceramics, jewellery and gem-cutting" was subsequently established in 2006 under the direction of Prince Charles and the former President of Afghanistan in order to reintroduce these skills, and offer jobs to young people in a country with a bleak future, ripped apart by the regime. For many men, career choices are still limited to jobs such as taxi driver or fruit seller, while women's options are even fewer and the majority are expected to stay at home, rather than work alongside men. The Turquoise Mountain workshops employ both males and females and encourage them to work alongside each other, a notion so progressive in the country that the company has faced numerous security threats in its short history. With Gurls Talk, Adwoa has quickly become the fashionable face of feminism, engaging with a new, large audience by using social media to promote her message of female empowerment. Now she's pushing that message even further in becoming the face of Pippa Small's remarkable jewellery line, changing lives in Afghanistan. Story continues "When I was approached to be the Pippa Small Turquoise Mountain ambassador for SS16, I didnt even need to think about it before accepting," Adwoa explains. "Its incredible what Turquoise Mountain are doing in Afghanistan not only are they helping to create jobs, boost the economy and promote the arts, but they are empowering women, which is a cause very close to my own heart through my Gurls Talk initiative. In a world where we are still struggling for gender equality even in the UK, it is awe-inspiring to see the work that Pippa Small and Turquoise Mountain are doing to combat the gender divide in Afghanistan by encouraging women to enter the workshop and earn for themselves all while crafting a truly beautiful collection of jewellery." Click ahead to see the entire campaign, to discover more about the remarkable collection and learn about Pippa's inspiring story... The SS16 Pippa Small Turquoise Mountain collection is available now. The collection is priced from 60 - 1650. What was the starting point in launching the Kabul-based diffusion line? Pippa Small: I have been working with Turquoise Mountain, a charity that has created a school of traditional craft in Kabul since 2008, teaching a bit and designing collections a few times a year. However, two years ago I realised that over the years a lot has changed every year a fresh generation of students graduate and are looking for work, and more and more women and girls were joining the workshop, so we needed to create a strong and sustainable relationship to support a growing group of artisans and their families. It is also clear that as the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, it is more and more crucial that young men and women have jobs and hope for a better future. The school and workshop are like a microcosm of a more harmonious, creative and wonderful environment with men and women working together and creating together. Photographed by Tierney Gearon Do you think the fashion and jewellery industries could do a lot more to create ethical and environmentally friendly products and effectively change the fast paced, disposable nature of consumerism? PS: I think there is a slow shift in the consciousness of shoppers and more of an interest in the providence of things who, how and where things are made but it is small and the tide of cheap disposable fashion is still strong. The move to less and more considered shopping is essential, we simply cannot continue at this rate. Jewellery is an interesting area when it comes to ethical products, as for so long the jewellery industry has had a reputation of exploitation, violence and environmental destruction around mining. However, the tide is turning; there are now international standards in place for responsible mining and there are alternatives with fair trade gold in the market and sustainably sourced gems. In working to empower and provide jobs through jewellery in communities who are very much in need, we can now see small-scale jewellery production having positive effects in communities. We still need to shout loudly about this as I feel people are still overall very unaware of the realities of the jewellery industry and the responsible alternatives on offer. Photographed by Tierney Gearon What was the inspiration for this collection specifically and why was Adwoa the perfect fit? PS: The inspiration for this collection was the Kuchi nomads of Afghanistan. When I first started to go to Kabul, one of the guards where I was staying told me that I looked like a Kuchi woman because I wore so many jangling necklaces and bracelets and bright coloured cloths. I was very flattered when I finally saw some nomad women who were passing through the city, with their faces uncovered and their swaying full skirts and rings on their fingers and long silver earrings. They looked free and confident and defiant. So this collection was inspired by the ladies of the Kuchi tribe who still follow their vast herds of sheep and goats up into the mountains for grazing. Adwoa seemed a perfect fit because she is brave, speaks out and is defiant too. In founding Gurl Talk, she has created a platform for girls to discuss their vulnerabilities where their self-esteem might be low, or their voice unheard, or concerns over body image and representation in the media. All of these are such vital topics for young girls to have a role model who is honest and open and who has suffered demons herself and is doing her best to overcome them. Photographed by Tierney Gearon Is the Pippa Small woman more discerning and considered when it comes to the story behind the pieces she invests in? PS: Our women are bold and creative, thoughtful and drawn to pieces of jewellery that have stories and are totally individual. They love the rough and organic feel and want to know where the pieces come from and who has made them. There is such a journey in each piece of jewellery, and a personal connection to be made in knowing the story between women. I shall never forget working in Mombasa in Kenya with a group of physically disabled women who were making jewellery out of recycled scrap metal. I was working with a woman who only had the use of one hand and the rest of her limbs were paralysed. As she sat in a homemade wheelchair, made from assembled bits of found parts, she put on the necklace we were making of brass flowers and exclaimed "Don't I look beautiful in this?". She truly did, and it so reminded me that women, jewellery and beauty are all caught in a delightful universal and timeless tangle. With our Turquoise Mountain collection, each piece is handmade by an Afghan man or woman who may be risking a great deal to have a job, to be leaving the house to go out and work a job that gives her financial independence and enables her to contribute to the family's income, that allows her to be creative, to work with a team, and follow a dream. The stones from the collection are all sourced in Afghanistan and bring with them another story. Photographed by Tierney Gearon You've been in the business for 20 years but how would you like to see your business grow? PS: I would love to see the business grow with more and more sustainable projects, working with craftspeople around the world who have traditions and skills that are in danger of being lost, of people who desperately need jobs and income, where the possibility of working in a safe and creative field is so much better than other options open to them like prostitution or being forced to migrate to find work. I would love to open more shops, and see the work of so many talented people selling all over the world. I would also love to collaborate with other brands in order to let the message of ethical jewellery reach other audiences and other markets its also always a wonderful aesthetic exercise collaborating with other designers. For more information visit www.pippasmall.com Photographed by Tierney Gearon Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Sophia Webster Opens Her First Store If You're Outraged By The Calvin Klein Ads, Read This This Fashion Designer Is Brutally Honest About The Industry's Ups And Downs The Taliban, whose chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour died in a weekend US drone strike, originated among young Afghan religious students who took refuge in Pakistan from the 1979-89 Soviet occupation. After the Soviet withdrawal they quickly extended their influence and burst onto the scene as an armed Islamic group in Afghanistan in mid-1994. They restored order amid a fierce civil war from 1992-1996, capturing the ethnic Pashtun southern city of Kandahar in October 1994 and Kabul on September 26, 1996 -- with backing from Pakistan and the tacit approval of the United States. But since their ousting in 2001 they have waged a ferocious insurgency against the Western-backed Kabul government that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Mansour ran the group for more than two years following the unannounced death from illness in 2013 of Taliban founder Mullah Omar. He officially became leader last July after Afghan officials disclosed Omar's death. Following the announcement of Mansour's own death, members of the Taliban's Shura, or high council, began meeting at an undisclosed location to choose his successor. The Taliban heartland is southeast Afghanistan, a region dominated by Pashtun tribes. The movement links many different groups, notably the Haqqani network of Sirajuddin Haqqani that is based in Waziristan, a border region in northwest Pakistan. After their takeover of Kabul in 1996 the Taliban enforced an ultra-strict version of Sharia or Islamic law, with games, music, photos, cinema and television forbidden and girls over the age of 10 barred from attending school. In March 2001 they destroyed the famous Bamiyan Buddha statues in central Afghanistan, provoking outrage around the world. Women had to wear full-length burqas and men were required to grow beards. Strict punishments including public executions were enforced. - Jihadist sanctuary - The Taliban controlled almost all of Afghanistan and turned it into a sanctuary for jihadist fighters training for holy war -- notably Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Story continues The Taliban refusal to surrender bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks in the United States prompted a US-led invasion. The Taliban regime capitulated on December 6, 2001 and its leaders fled to mountainous tribal areas on both sides of the border with Pakistan to rebuild and hit back at the "crusaders". They mounted countless attacks on US-dominated NATO troops in Afghanistan and on local forces loyal to Hamid Karzai -- a Pashtun who became the country's first democratically elected president in October 2004 but who was scorned by the Taliban as a US puppet. Karzai handed power to Ashraf Ghani in 2014, but Taliban attacks have continued and even grown fiercer, especially since NATO ended its combat mission in December 2014 and withdrew the bulk of its forces. A training and special operations cadre of around 13,000 soldiers remains, of whom roughly 10,000 are supplied by the US. But almost all the frontline ground fighting is now done by Afghan troops or police, who have sustained thousands of deaths or injuries. Taliban attacks intensified under Mansour. Last September they briefly captured the strategic northern city of Kunduz, their most spectacular victory in 14 years. The southern opium-rich province of Helmand is almost entirely under insurgent control. The militants also staged several deadly raids in the heart of Kabul, responding to increased pressure from the Islamic State group which has become a rival for jihadist leadership. In July 2015 Pakistan hosted direct talks between Afghan and Taliban leaders, with support from China and the US, but they collapsed after Mullah Omar's death was revealed. The drone attack came just days after representatives from the US, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan held another round of negotiations in Islamabad aimed at reviving those direct talks. But Mansour, whose death was confirmed Monday by President Barack Obama, was seen by Washington as an obstacle to peace. Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed a government bid to retain a ban on domestic trade in rhino horns, breeders and officials said Monday, in a dispute over how to end poaching. In a case bought by two game breeders last year, a High Court judge lifted a seven-year domestic ban on trade in rhino horn. The legal decision may have little immediate impact because a ban on international trade is unaffected, but the breeders believe open trade is the only way to stop poachers slaughtering rhinos. "Effectively it means that the private rhino owners are able to trade domestically rhino horns," Pelham Jones, chairman of the Private Rhino Owners Association, told AFP. The government said it was still studying the judgement, which was handed down last week. Rhino breeders want the booming Asian demand for rhino horn to be met by horns sawn off anaesthetised live animals, arguing that a legal source of horn could end poaching deaths. The horns grow back, but most conservationists disagree with the proposed policy. South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, some 80 percent of the worldwide population. Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails. It is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases -- as well as an aphrodisiac -- in Vietnam and China. Nearly 1,200 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa in 2015 in another year of carnage by poachers driven by the soaring price of horn. Despite pressure from some campaigners, South Africa has vowed it will not push for legalisation of international trade in rhino horn at a major wildlife meeting in Johannesburg in September. Pretoria (AFP) - South African state prosecutors said Monday they would appeal against a court ruling that President Jacob Zuma should face almost 800 corruption charges, triggering accusations that he was being protected from justice. Zuma has endured months of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals as the country battles falling economic growth and record unemployment. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) director Shaun Abrahams announced the decision to challenge a High Court order to reinstate 783 charges against Zuma, but denied there had been any political pressure. The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped in 2009, clearing the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later. At the time, state prosecutors justified dropping the case by saying that tapped phone calls between officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki's administration showed undue interference. But the Pretoria High Court last month dismissed the decision to discontinue the charges as "irrational" and said it should be reviewed by the NPA. "The judgement affects... the discretionary powers of the prosecutor," Abrahams told a press conference on Monday. "It is so important that I believe it needs a decision of an appeal court." Abrahams railed against suggestions that the NPA was reluctant to prosecute Zuma. "I will always do what is correct, irrespective of whether the individual concerned is an ordinary citizen, a cabinet minister or a sitting president," he said. "Any suggestion that I may have succumbed to any pressure to make my decision -- I can assure the public today that it is absolutely ridiculous and completely unfounded." Zuma later announced that he too was appealing the ruling that he should face the charges. "The president believes that the decision of the court affects him directly and is of a strong view that the court erred in several respects in its decision," the presidency said in a statement. Story continues - 'Delaying tactic' - The tapped phone recordings, which became known as the "spy tapes", were kept secret until they were released in 2014 after a legal battle fought by the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA dismissed the prosecutors' appeal bid as "a blatant delaying tactic to shield Jacob Zuma". "Abrahams is preoccupied with protecting president Zuma at all costs," it said. "The DA will not let this matter rest. President Zuma will face justice." Pressure on the president would increase if some or all of the charges -- which relate to alleged corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering -- were reinstated. "It will take a year or so before the case is heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal so for now he is safe," Gareth Newham, of the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria, told AFP. He added: "It is highly unlikely that the NPA will win the appeal." The ruling African National Congress (ANC) faces tricky local elections in August, but Zuma retains widespread support within the party and has appointed many loyalists to key positions nationwide. Last month, a commission that Zuma set up cleared all government officials -- including himself -- of corruption over the 1999 arms deal. Zuma, who was appointed deputy ANC leader in 1997, was accused of having accepted bribes from international arms manufacturers. The DA hopes to make major gains in the August elections, tapping into discontent over the ANC's struggle to deliver jobs, houses and education 22 years since the end of apartheid rule. In March, the president lost another major legal case when South Africa's highest court found he violated the constitution over the use of public funds to upgrade his private residence. The so-called "security" work, which cost taxpayers $24 million, included a swimming pool, chicken run, cattle enclosure and an amphitheatre. Zuma, 74, will have completed two terms in 2019 and is not eligible to run for president again, but the ANC could replace him ahead of the next general election. "The Signing of the Constitution of the United States," by Howard Chandler Christy (Wikimedia) Over the weekend a Washington Post op-ed titled We Must Weed Out Ignorant Voters from the Electorate got a lot of negative attention, including from me. And on reflection I still dont agree with the surface-level argument of the piece, which is that people who dont know enough about civics should be denied the vote. Theres too long an American history of struggles over the franchise to welcome an argument couched this way. But here is the part of the argument that does strike a chord with me. It is the reminder that overconfidence about civics, by everyone, is part of what makes this election cycle an unsettling and potentially dangerous one. Let me explain: *** Any exposure to American history offers reminders that public affairs in the country have often been in bad shape. The latest in the very long shelf of Lincoln biographies, A Self-Made Man by Sidney Blumenthal, takes its protagonist only to age 40 but offers a very vivid look at the close-run struggles over economic policy, tariffs and national banks, nation-building and nullification, and of course the extension of slavery in the 1830s and 1840s. The country would have been much worse off if several of those struggles had gone the other way, and of course it nearly came apart during the Civil War. Even beyond that unparalleled emergency, pick your decade and you can pick your crisis in the performance of the American government, the injustices of the American economy, and the cruelties or blind spots of American society. Things have always been dicey. (Yes, this is the same Sidney Blumenthal youre thinking of; read this engrossing book before you assume anything about it or him. For the record, hes a longtime friend of mine.) Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. VietJet Boeing Obama Vietnamese low-cost airline VietJet just placed a massive order with Boeing. The 5-year-old airline, known for risque PR stunts, including bikini-clad flight attendants, ordered a hundred 737 MAX 200 airplanes. US President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang watched VietJet CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner sign the deal at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. At current list prices, the deal is valued at $11.3 billion, although it's likely that VietJet received a discount upward of 50% off list prices. VietJet Boeing 737 Max 200 VietJet, which began operations in 2011, has courted controversy in recent years with its risque PR stunts. In 2012, the airline hired five bikini-clad beauty-pageant contestants to perform a Hawaiian-themed danced on board one of its flights. The Vietnamese government fined the airline $900 for the incident. In 2014, photos and video from an airline-sanctioned lingerie photo shoot leaked online. In addition, the airline has been known to hold celebratory in-flight fashion shows. Bikini-clad models aside, VietJet has followed an aggressive and successful growth strategy. According to the Centre for Aviation, VietJet has already captured 40% of the country's domestic airline market and saw its passenger traffic increase 70% in 2015. VietJet Bikini This year, VietJet is expected to overtake the nation's flag carrier Vietnam Airlines as its largest domestic airline. VietJet is also expected to hold an IPO as early as the second quarter of 2016, Bloomberg reported. The 100-aircraft order is a landmark deal for Boeing in Vietnam. The country has long been an Airbus stronghold in Asia. Until now, VietJet has operated an all Airbus fleet and currently has firm orders for more than 100 additional A320-family jets. The country's other major airlines Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific all operate predominantly Airbus fleets. Story continues Vietjet Flight Attendants The 737 Max 200 is a high-density seating variant of the Boeing's next-generation 737 Max 8 airliner. With the addition of an extra set of exit doors, Boeing will be able to fit 11 additional passengers per airline boosting capacity to 200. Boeing expects to deliver the VietJet planes between 2019 and 2023. VietJet currently operates 28 Airbus A320 and A321 airliners with an average age of just 3.6 years. Here's the infamous Hawaiian-themed in-flight performance: More From Business Insider How Did Aluminum Producers Fare in 1Q16? (Continued from Prior Part) Oversold Previously, we did a comparative analysis of aluminum producers 1Q16 production profile and other financial metrics. However, along with these fundamental analyses, traders and investors also look at technical aspects when making market entry or exit decisions. Moving averages and the RSI (relative strength index) are among the most widely used technical parameters. Generally, an RSI below 30 signifies an oversold position while an RSI above 70 is associated with overbought positions. In this part of the series, well look at RSI and key moving averages for different aluminum producers. Alcoa The graph above shows RSI and moving averages for different aluminum producers based on May 13 closing prices. As you can see, Alcoa (AA) has a 14-day RSI of 37. The stock could be nearing the oversold territory based on this parameter. However, with the recent correction, Alcoa has breached its 200-day moving average (or DMA). Some traders perceive breaching long-term moving averages to be a bearish (SPXS) (SDOW) indicator. However, Alcoa is still marginally above its 100 DMA. Peer companies Century Aluminum also has a 14-day RSI of 37 and is trading above its 100 DMA. However, with the recent pullback, CENX is now trading below is 20 DMA. Norsk Hydro (NHYDY) and Constellium (CSTM) have 14-day RSIs of 41 and 46, respectively. Some of these miners could be getting oversold with the recent correction in this sector. The recent round of sell-off in mining stocks has been driven by disappointing data points from China. You can read more about the recent data points from China in our series Chinas April Trade Data: What It Means for Metal Investors. Meanwhile, the key event that Alcoa investors should watch this year would be the companys impending split. You can read How Alcoa Plans to Create Value through Its Upcoming Split to explore this in detail. Browse this series on Market Realist: Time waits for no one except, apparently, Alice on a return trip to Wonderland, as we learn in this Yahoo Movies exclusive clip from Alice Through the Looking Glass (watch it above). Here, we meet Sacha Baron Cohens half-man, half-clock characterhes TImewho joins the returning Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter (and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, not seen in this sneak peek) for the sequel to 2010 hit Alice In Wonderland. That films director, Tim Burton, has handed the reins over to James Bobin (The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted) this time. Related: Watch Johnny Mad Hatter Depp Surprise Disneyland Visitors In the clip, Baron Cohens aggrieved Time visits Depps hatter to locate a certain yellow-ish haired thief who helped herself to something he wouldnt call important, nothing to fuss over, he assures his host, its just that he must have it backnot that Im concerned. Sounds like Time is really ticked off. Depps Hatter keeps things from boiling over further with an invitation to tea. As has been reported by outlets such as Cinemablend, Alice Through the Looking Glass has a time travel element, and its reasonable to assume Baron Cohen is after a device called a Chromosphere, which figures prominently in Alices bid to lift the now Sad Hatters spirits. Get a taste above, and go further down the rabbit hole when the film debuts this Friday, May 27. Alice Through the Looking Glass: Watch a trailer: A group of Amish teens was pulled over in a mini-van that reached speeds of 110 mph on Friday, and police say they were all under the influence of alcohol. Indiana State Troopers said the 2001 Dodge Caravan was clocked at the breakneck speed in a 60 mph zone just before midnight. As the troopers were catching up to the van, alcoholic beverages were tossed out of the windows, according to a police statement. Read: Cops: Amish Pastor Admits to Poisoning and Killing Wife Nine Years Ago Once the van stopped, police say they discoverd a 17-year-old boy in the driver's seat with a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. Cops say numerous alcohol containers, cases of beer, and other booze bottles including a "jug of whiskey" were in the vehicle. All told, there were five 16- and 17-year-olds three boys and two girls in the vehicle Further investigation revealed the driver was purportedly operating the vehicle on a learner's permit, the release said. All of the teens had allegedly consumed alcohol. The driver, who was not identified, faces charges of reckless driving, a person under 21 operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration level between .02 and .08, minor consumption of alcohol, littering, learner's permit violation, speeding, and unlawful possession of tobacco. Watch: Abby Wambach Gets Mocked By U.S. Men's Soccer Team After DUI Arrest The teen boy passengers face charges of minor consumption of alcohol and unlawful possession of tobacco. Both teen girls face minor consumption of alcohol charges. In an ironic twist, police initially had trouble making contact with the parents of the driving Amish teens because they had no telephones. All five were released into the custody of a relative of one the teens. "Alcohol, high speed, and teenagers is an all-too-often deadly combination," said Trooper Ben Reason. "I am glad we stopped these kids before they injured or killed themselves or someone else." Story continues Watch: Woman Driving With 15-Foot Tree Stuck To Car Gets Arrested For DUI Related Articles: London (AFP) - Hollywood star and UN refugee agency envoy Angelina Jolie is to become a visiting professor at Britain's prestigious London School of Economics, the university announced Monday. Jolie was named as one of four new "visiting professors in practice" who will contribute to a new master's programme on "women, peace and security". "I am very encouraged by the creation of this master's programme," Jolie said in a statement. "I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict." Also appointed was British former foreign minister William Hague, with whom Jolie co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in 2010. Visiting professors give guest lectures, and participate in workshops and public events as well as their own work, LSE said. Jolie said she was looking forward to "teaching and to learning from the students as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations." The Oscar-winning actress, who is married to actor Brad Pitt and has six children, has starred in films such as "Maleficent", "Salt" and "Wanted" as well as directing her own work, including "By the Sea" and "Unbroken". She has combined her work in film with advocacy, acting as a goodwill ambassador for the UN refugee agency UNHCR since 2001 before becoming a special envoy, travelling to meet with displaced people in camps in Greece and Lebanon. Earlier this month she said helping refugees was a common responsibility and called on the international community to do more to solve Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. "This is a duty that falls on all of us, to the next UN secretary-general, to all governments, to civil society, to everyone of us," she said in the speech in London. The two other new visiting professors are Jane Connors, Director of International Advocacy at Amnesty International Geneva, and Madeleine Rees, Secretary General of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Students will be able to apply for the Masters course from August at the LSE's Centre for Women, Peace and Security, which aims to promote gender equality and help women affected by conflict around the world. Angelina Jolie Pitt is taking her advocacy for womens rights into the classroom. The actor, director and the United Nations Refugee Agency special envoy was recently appointed a visiting professor at the London School of Economics. Jolie Pitt will be a lecturer at the schools Center for Women, Peace, and Security for a year, teaching students in a new masters degree program, the Independent reports. She has long worked to strengthen the rights of refugees and has advocated for ending female genital mutilation. It is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance womens rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict, Jolie Pitt said. Jolie Pitt will be working directly with William Hague, the United Kingdoms former First Secretary of State and Leader of the House of Commons. This course will help underpin our work in preventing sexual violence in conflict, developing expertise and research to assist us in tackling the culture of impunity, Hague said. I look forward to working with the LSE students and my fellow visiting professors. [Independent] By Denny Thomas and Swati Pandey HONG KONG/SYDNEY (Reuters) - ANZ Banking Group (ANZ.AX) is exploring plans to sell part or all of its life insurance and pension product development unit, valued at up to $4 billion (2.75 billion pounds) in total, people familiar with the matter said, in line with its broader strategy of raising funds to boost capital. The plans being worked out by Australia's No. 4 lender come months after it split its global wealth management business into separate arms, one focusing on developing insurance and pension products and the other focusing on distribution. ANZ is still streamlining the product development division before seeking bids for the business, the people said, declining to be identified as the plans were confidential. The people said no final decision to sell the operation has been made, and ANZ could yet decide to retain the business. The lender has already held informal discussions with investment banks on a potential disposal, but there is no clear time-frame for the launch of a formal sale process, according to the people familiar with the matter. The business could be valued at between $3 billion and $4 billion overall, according to one person. Like many global lenders, ANZ is exiting capital-intensive businesses at a time when banks are under increasing regulatory pressures to have a greater capital buffer against souring loans. Last week, ANZ said it has cut 200 Australian jobs due to slowing economy and weak lending growth. Australia's insurance sector has already seen a shake-up in recent months as the country's banks face increasing pressure to sell off non-core assets. The sector generated A$4.5 billion ($3.3 billion) in profit last year, according market research firm IBISWorld. Last October, National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), the country's No. 1 lender, agreed to sell 80 percent of its life insurance arm to Japan's Nippon Life Insurance. Then earlier this year, Macquarie Group (MQG.AX) sold its life unit to Zurich Insurance Group (ZURN.S) for an undisclosed sum. Story continues The ANZ business could attract interest from insurers from Japan and China among others, the people with knowledge of the matter said. An ANZ spokesman declined to comment. ANZ took full control of its wealth management and life insurance division in 2009 after buying a 51 percent stake in the business from former joint venture partner ING (ING.AS). ANZ has an 8.5 percent share of Australia's A$86 billion life insurance market, according to IBISWorld. ANZ sold its medical insurance business in New Zealand to nib NZ, a unit of NIB Holdings Ltd (NHF.AX) last year. (Reporting by Denny Thomas in HONG KONG and Swati Pandey in SYDNEY; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Shares of Applied Materials Inc. AMAT gained nearly 14% last Friday in response to betterthan-expected fiscal second quarter 2016 results. The companys pro-forma earnings per share (EPS) of 34 cents in the second quarter beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 32 cents and came in at the higher end of the guided range. Revenues Applied Materials reported revenues of $2.45 billion, up 8.6% sequentially and 0.3% year over year. Revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.41 billion, backed by higher demand in Southeast Asia, Korea and China and partially offset by lower demand in Taiwan, Europe, Japan and the U.S. Revenues by Segment The Silicon Systems Group (SSG) contributed 65% of revenues, up 15.6% sequentially and 1.7% year over year. The second-largest contributor was Applied Global Services (AGS) with 26% revenue share. Segment revenues were up 3.5% sequentially and 0.3% year over year. The Display segment was down 21.6% from the last quarter but up 2.5% from the year-ago level, contributing 7% to revenues. The Energy and Environmental Solutions (EES) segment accounted for 2% of total quarterly revenue, up 6.7% sequentially but down 34.2% year over year. Revenues by Geography China contributed 31% to revenues, Korea 21%, Taiwan 13%, Japan and U.S 11% each. While Southeast Asia contributed 10% of revenues, Europe contributed 4%. The U.S., Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Europe were the weakest, declining 44.1%, 31.3%, 2.2% and 1.4%, respectively, on a sequential basis. All the other regions increased from the previous quarter. Southeast Asia, Korea and China increased a respective 180%, 88.8% and 51.3%. Orders Total orders of $3.45 billion were down 6% sequentially but remained flat year over year. Backlog for the quarter decreased 34% to $4.17 billion, nearly half of which was attributable to SSG, followed by Display, AGS and EES. Margins Applied Materials generated gross margin of 42.7%, up 25 basis points (bps) from the previous quarters margin of 42.4% but down 55 bps from 43.2% reported in the year-ago quarter. Story continues Applied Materials adjusted operating expenses of $575 million increased 4.0% from the last quarter but decreased 0.7% from the year-ago quarter. Operating margin of 19.2% increased 128 bps sequentially but decreased 31 bps year over year. Net Profit On a pro-forma basis, Applied Materials reported net income of $376 million, or 34 cents per share compared with $302 million or 26 cents in the prior quarter. In the year-ago quarter, Applied Materials had reported a net income of $362 million or 29 cents per share. Our pro-forma calculation excludes restructuring, acquisition-related, impairment and other charges as well as tax adjustments in the reported quarter. On a fully diluted GAAP basis, the company recorded a net profit of $320 million (29 cents per share) compared with $286 million (25 cents per share) in the previous quarter and $364 million (29 cents per share) a year ago. Balance Sheet Inventories increased to $1.92 billion from $1.84 billion in the first quarter. Accounts receivables increased to $1.91 billion from $1.63 billion in the prior quarter. Cash and short-term investments balance was $2.64 billion at the end of fiscal second quarter compared with $3.12 billion in the prior quarter. Goodwill was 25.3% of total assets. The company generated $481 million in cash from operations. The company spent $47 million on capex and paid dividends worth $113 million. It used $900 million to repurchase 45 million shares. Guidance Applied Materials also provided guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2016. Revenues are expected to increase 1418 percentage points sequentially. Non-GAAP EPS is expected to come in a range of 46 cents to 50 cents. Our Take The second quarter was a decent one for Applied Materials, with both the top and bottom line surpassing the respective Zacks Consensus Estimates. In the second quarter, the ramp up of 3D NAND has led to significant market share gains. Combined CVD and etch revenues were at a nine-year high. Applied Materials has well-differentiated products and high market share and is efficiently delivering key enabling technology to logic and foundry customers. The company is doing very well on the service front and has witnessed 10 consecutive quarters of year-on-year growth. Applied is strongly positioned in China. In this quarter, Applied received a record number of semiconductor orders from China. Growing investments from Chinese domestic manufacturers have been the main catalyst. Notably, the company is getting considerable success in expanding beyond semiconductor, particularly in display. New display technologies like OLED are opening up new market opportunities for Applied. Applied continues to expect strong products and services demand in the near future driven by continuous adoption of new technologies by semiconductor and display customers. Management believes that Applied Materials is in a great position to grow sustainably and profitably based on its strong pipeline of enabling technologies, supported by expanding opportunities on the semiconductor, service and display fronts. Applied Materials currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks include TiVo Inc. TIVO, Netgear Inc. NTGR and Radcom Ltd. RDCM, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report NETGEAR INC (NTGR): Free Stock Analysis Report TIVO INC (TIVO): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLD MATLS INC (AMAT): Free Stock Analysis Report RADCOM LTD (RDCM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Roll out the red carpet! These two tots looked extra fresh posing for pretend prom. (Photo: Facebook) We already know how adorable it is when little kids get dressed up, but can adults sometimes take it too far when it comes to decking out their little ones? Kansas City radio station Hot 103 Jamz posted an image to their Facebook page of two tots dressed to the nines, with the little girl in a white long-sleeved dress with gold trim with a furry mermaid hem, her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She posed next to a small boy in a white suit with a gold bow tie. Baby Prom: 2 cute or 2 much? the caption on the photo asked. Reactions to the image were mixed, but most people took issue with small children pretending to be teenagers. Two particular complaints people had was that the little girls dress was too form-fitting for someone so young, and that she appears to be wearing a hairpiece. Maybe a cute girly baby doll dress. Of course the fitted is way too much. Her own hair should of been pulled up in a bun, one commenter said. So yes, the dress and weave is not cute or child like at all. Others argued that playing prom was too advanced for kids so young. These children will have nothing to look forward to by the time they are in high school, offered one commenter. This idea of baby prom is opening these babies up to alot more than meets the eye. Parents.let your kids be kids!!! Disneys Newest Princess Will Wear a Beautiful Red Gown But other people saw the picture more as an innocent (albeit elaborate) game of dress-up played by two adorable children and a good way to prepare them for getting gussied up in the future. These babies get to experience dressing up and learning how to act in a public place. There is 365 days in the year they have plenty of time to be kids. Lol. I love it. What do you think? Are these kids too young to be playing pretend prom? Or is this a harmless game of dress-up? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Another big milestone! Ariel Winter celebrated a high school staple event in style over the weekend, attending her senior prom in a curve-hugging strapless lace gown. She documented the moment on Instagram. "Senior #prom #2016 :) Hair//@charles_dujic Makeup// @kipzachary," she captioned one pic. WATCH: EXCLUSIVE: Ariel Winter Opens Up About Racy Instagram Pics, Building Her Confidence: It 'Just Grew Over Time' The Modern Family star also posed with her dad in her evening wear. Though she didn't share a photo with her boyfriend, Laurent Claude Gaudette, at the event, Winter did goof off with one of her friends in a separate Instagram post. She recently got candid with ET about her romance with Gaudette, saying, "We've been together for three years and for the three years he's always been so supportive, so loving, and he's really helped me build up my confidence as well. I'm just really grateful for him." MORE: Ariel Winter Praises Her Sister on Mother's Day: 'You Are the Most Amazing Mother I've Ever Known' She is preparing to start as a college freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles in the fall and couldn't be more thrilled. "I love UCLA. Everyone in my family loves UCLA. It's an amazing school," Winter told ET earlier this month. "The college process was so long and just really, really insane. But at the end of the day, I'm so happy with UCLA." Related Articles By Matt Spetalnick HANOI (Reuters) - The United States announced a complete end to its arms embargo on Vietnam on Monday, a historic step that draws a line under the two countries' earlier enmity and underscores their shared concerns about China's growing military clout. The move came during President Barack Obama's first visit to Hanoi, which his hosts described as the arrival of a warm spring and a new chapter in relations between two countries that were at war four decades ago. Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, has made a strategic "rebalance" toward Asia a centerpiece of his foreign policy. Vietnam, which borders China, is a key part of that strategy amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness and sovereignty claims to 80 percent of the South China Sea. The decision to lift the arms trade ban suggested such concerns outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and Washington would lose leverage for reforms. Obama told a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully and not by whoever "throws their weight around." But he insisted the arms embargo shift was not linked to China. "The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said. Obama later added his visit to a former foe showed "hearts can change and peace is possible." In 2014, the Obama administration eased the decades-old arms embargo to allow its former Cold War enemy to buy maritime surveillance and "security-related" systems to strengthen it with China in mind. Now Hanoi will be able to buy a full range of U.S. weapons and military equipment. Immediate big-ticket purchases are not expected, but Vietnam's military strategists are likely to seek U.S. drones, radar, coastal patrol boats and possibly P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft. The sale of arms, Obama said, would depend on Vietnam's human rights commitments, and be made on a case-by-case basis. The announcement met a mixed reception in the U.S. Congress, which can block foreign arms sales. Some lawmakers said they supported lifting the embargo, but would keep a close eye on Vietnam's human rights record. "Congress will work with the administration to ensure today's more expansive shift in policy aligns with U.S. interests, including the desire for progress on human rights," said Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But others, including some of Obama's fellow Democrats, saw a missed opportunity. "Now what incentive is left for the Vietnamese government to meaningfully enact human rights reforms and respect the civil rights of the Vietnamese people?" asked U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez, a California Democrat who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam. HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS The advocacy group Human Rights Watch reacted with dismay to Washington's decision to toss away a critical lever it might have had to spur political reform in the Communist Party-ruled state. Phil Robertson, the watchdog's Asia director, said in a statement that even as Obama was lifting the embargo, Vietnamese authorities were arresting a journalist, human rights activists and bloggers. "In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam - and basically gotten nothing for it," he said. Obama told the news conference with President Quang that Washington would continue to speak out for human rights, including citizens' right to organize through civil society. Obama is scheduled to meet with activists on Tuesday. Quang, who announced the lifting of the U.S. embargo before Obama could do so, was until recently minister of public security, which activists say harasses and arrests dissidents. Dissent was once the domain of just a few in Vietnam. But while the party has allowed more open criticism in recent years, it is quick to slap down challenges to its monopoly on power. Although the communist parties that run China and Vietnam officially have brotherly ties, China's brinkmanship over the South China Sea - where it has been turning remote outcrops into islands with runways and harbors - has forced Vietnam to recalibrate its defense strategy. Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at Australia's Defence Force Academy, said the steep costs of U.S. arms would remain a factor for Hanoi, pushing it toward its traditional suppliers of missiles and planes, particularly long-time security patron, Russia. On the other hand, lifting the embargo will provide Vietnam with leverage in future arms deals with those suppliers. China sees U.S. support for rival South China Sea claimants Vietnam and the Philippines as interference and an attempt to establish hegemony in the region. Washington insists its priority is ensuring freedom of navigation and flight. However, China's response to the embargo announcement was muted. The Foreign Ministry said it hoped the development in relations between the United States and Vietnam would be conducive to regional peace and stability. Underlining the burgeoning commercial relationship between the United States and Vietnam, one of the first deals signed on Obama's trip was an $11.3 billion order for 100 Boeing Co planes by low-cost airline VietJet. China is Vietnam's biggest trade partner and source of imports. But bilateral trade with the United States has swelled ten-fold over the past two decades to about $45 billion. Vietnam is also now Southeast Asia's biggest exporter to America. (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen, Ho Binh Minh, My Pham and Martin Petty in Hanoi, Greg Torode in Hong Kong and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Alistair Bell and G Crosse) Rome (AFP) - A major exhibition of Banksy's works opens in Rome on Tuesday and, as ever with the secretive British street artist, there is mystery attached. What will he make of a project he has not been involved in? Will he show up incognito? If he doesn't approve, will he make his displeasure known on the walls of Rome? The collection of more than 100 Banksy paintings, prints and sculptures sourced from private collections around the world is being billed by organisers as the first time such a large collection of the artist's work has been brought together in a curated, museum exhibition. Entitled "War, Capitalism and Liberty" it runs until September 4 at the Italian capital's Palazzo Cipolla. The organisers are a private, not-for-profit foundation who readily admit that Banksy is not associated in any way with an exhibition being staged in the kind of mainstream art venue he has long shunned. Perhaps because of that, the exhibition includes a wry nod to the artist's views of the art establishment. The first work visitors come across is a print of Banksy's image of an arthouse auction with bidders competing over a frame carrying the slogan "I can't believe you morons actually buy this shit." - 'Badge of self-serving mediocrity' - In rare interviews, Banksy has described himself as conflicted over the impact the high value of his works may have on his integrity, and the need for all artists to sell their output to survive. "When you look at how society rewards so many of the wrong people, it's hard not to view financial reimbursement as a badge of self-serving mediocrity," he told New York's Village Voice in an email interview in 2013. But according to London gallery owner Acoris Andipa, one of the curators, the Rome exhibition demonstrates that the Bristol-based artist has always been willing to sell his work to well-heeled buyers. "Oh heaven, he has always been commercial because that is how he puts food on his plate," Andipa told AFP on the eve of the opening. Story continues - 'He'll have a giggle' - The dealer said it was important to distinguish between site-specific Banksy works removed from their street settings to be sold, and works he had himself sold or given away. Asked what he thinks Banksy would make of the exhibition, he quipped: "I have no idea - you will have to ask him. "You could be him for all I know. I would imagine he will have quite a giggle." Andipa was an early spotter of the likely future value of the "romanticism, immediacy and poignancy" embodied in Banksy's creations and way of operating. "If there is one thing that defines him it is intelligence. He is very intelligent, and his artwork is very intelligent. "Each piece contains its own moral or social story, sometimes through humour sometimes through a bittersweet pill to swallow. At the end of the day he is a very smart individual." Emmanuele Emanuele, chairman of the foundation hosting the exhibition, said it demonstrated how Banksy had addressed three central themes of 21st Century life. "War, the changing nature of capitalism and the fight for individual liberty - this is what is radically changing the face of our society. "His art tells us that if we throw flowers, instead of bombs and deadly weapons, probably life would be better," he said in a reference to one of Banksy's most emblematic images - a youth throwing flowers in the manner of someone launching a Molotov cocktail. Andipa said he had owned or sold most of the works on display - and that he had no trouble persuading the owners to lend them for the exhibition. "A lot of these pieces are here because of a few lunches and telephone calls," he said. "It was a miracle. What you see here came together in a matter of weeks." MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's competition watchdog has filed an appeal against a fine of A$1.7 million ($1.2 million) imposed on British consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser for misleading consumers on painkiller marketing, arguing that it is too light. Australia's federal court this month imposed the penalty after finding Reckitt Benckiser had been deceptive in suggesting on its web site and packaging that its Nurofen Back Pain, Period Pain, Migraine Pain and Tension Headache products were formulated to target those types of pain although they all had the same active ingredient. "The ACCC will submit to the Full Court of the Federal Court that A$1.7 million in penalties imposed on a company the size of Reckitt Benckiser does not act as an adequate deterrent and might be viewed as simply a cost of doing business," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement on Monday. The commission has argued that a penalty of at least A$6 million would have been appropriate, in light of the millions of dollars in profits the company had made from the sale of those products. Reckitt Benckiser, which has a market capitalization of $70 billion, said its Nurofen division was "carefully considering the appeal with its legal advisers." (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Stephen Coates and Edwina Gibbs) MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's competition watchdog has filed an appeal against a fine of A$1.7 million ($1.2 million) imposed on British consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser (RB.L) for misleading consumers on painkiller marketing, arguing that it is too light. Australia's federal court this month imposed the penalty after finding Reckitt Benckiser had been deceptive in suggesting on its web site and packaging that its Nurofen Back Pain, Period Pain, Migraine Pain and Tension Headache products were formulated to target those types of pain although they all had the same active ingredient. "The ACCC will submit to the Full Court of the Federal Court that A$1.7 million in penalties imposed on a company the size of Reckitt Benckiser does not act as an adequate deterrent and might be viewed as simply a cost of doing business," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement on Monday. The commission has argued that a penalty of at least A$6 million would have been appropriate, in light of the millions of dollars in profits the company had made from the sale of those products. Reckitt Benckiser, which has a market capitalisation of $70 billion, said its Nurofen division was "carefully considering the appeal with its legal advisers." ($1 = 1.3841 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Stephen Coates and Edwina Gibbs) MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's competition watchdog on Monday filed an appeal against the A$1.7 million ($1.2 million) fine a court ordered British consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser pay for misleading consumers on painkiller marketing. "The ACCC will submit to the Full Court of the Federal Court that A$1.7 million in penalties imposed on a company the size of Reckitt Benckiser does not act as an adequate deterrent and might be viewed as simply a cost of doing business," Australia Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement. The commission said earlier in May a penalty of at least A$6 million would have been appropriate. (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Stephen Coates) VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria is sending 80 more police and support staff to boost patrols around the Alpine Brenner pass and catch rising numbers of unregistered migrants coming in from Italy, Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said on Sunday. He denied the move was in any way linked to presidential elections in Austria in which a far-right candidate was deadlocked with a former leader of the leftist Greens party, with postal ballots to decide the race. "It appears that here and there migrants are getting through at the Brenner, sometimes none, other times five, seven or 10. There is a also small number of asylum requests that pop up," Sobotka told reporters at an election event in Vienna. "So we will step up appropriate measures in the overall Brenner area," he said. "Thirty officials from the Tyrol area supported by 50 officers from the rest of the country will start an intensive dragnet," he added. "People are being stopped in regional trains, buses and cars." He said illegal crossings started to increase during the Pentecost holidays following a drop after he and his Italian counterpart met at the pass late last month. The neighbours have tried to play down tensions that flared after Austria said it might reintroduce border controls at the Brenner pass if it was necessary to curb the flow of migrants. Both Italy and Austria are members 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 an influx of migrants. Any toughening of border controls at the Brenner Pass would slow traffic on an important route from Italy to Germany, Italy's top trading partner. Hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa have crossed the Mediterranean to Italy since 2014, and Austria has said Rome must stop them from travelling on towards northern Europe. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Tom Heneghan) Vienna (AFP) - Austria was on Monday counting hundreds of thousands of postal votes to resolve a knife-edge election that could make it the first EU country with a far-right anti-immigration president. Preliminary results late Sunday put Norbert Hofer, presented as the friendly and moderate face of the late Joerg Haider's Freedom Party (FPOe), 3.8 percentage points ahead in the race for the largely-ceremonial post. But this paper-thin margin of just 144,006 votes could well be erased once around 700,000 postal votes are counted, with projections indicating that former Greens chief Alexander van der Bellen might emerge as victor in the final furlong. A final result is expected between 1500 and 1700 GMT, said interior ministry election official Robert Stein. FPOe leader Heinz-Christian Strache has already warned that a tie-breaking postal vote in favour of van der Bellen would be "very questionable", raising fears the party could contest the final result. - 'Gladiator' gun enthusiast - Gun enthusiast Hofer, 45, has tapped into unease about the record number of asylum-seekers at the height of Europe's migrant crisis, with his typical supporters made up of poorly educated working-class men. Around seven out of 10 working-class voters plumped for Hofer. But this self-proclaimed "gladiator" has also toned down the FPOe's message to appeal to voters disillusioned with the centrist parties in the current government that have dominated national politics since 1945. "I'm happy that we have finally rid ourselves of the cliches attached to the party," said supporter Henriette Hakl at the FPOe's beery post-election party on Sunday evening. "I get offended when someone says I'm from the extreme-right. I'm a post-war child, I love life but I want order in my country." Hofer's winning strategy has mirrored the success of other fringe political figures across Europe, as well as further afield as seen with the success of Donald Trump in the United States. Story continues In a first round of voting on April 24, candidates of the Social Democrats (SPOe) and their centre-right coalition partners People's Party (OeVP), were thrown out with just 11 percent of the vote. Their failure means that for the first time since 1945, the two parties are having to watch the runoff from the sidelines. This was the final straw for Werner Faymann of the SPOe, who quit as chancellor on May 9. His successor, railways boss Christian Kern, now has two years to win voters back from the arms of the far-right -- which is leading in the polls with more than 30 percent -- before the next scheduled general election. - 'Election thriller' - Whoever wins the race will face the difficult task of uniting a polarised nation. "The main rift is ... around issues like the EU, migrants and trust in the system," political analyst Thomas Hofer told AFP. Few observers thought the professorial and somewhat dishevelled Van der Bellen, 72, could beat his polished younger rival after lagging 14 points behind him in the first round. "Very few people thought I could catch up," Van der Bellen said late Sunday. "But in the last 14 days there has been such a momentum among voters -- musicians, actors, workers, totally different people across all generations, professions and all sections of society." Karin Cvrtila from polling institute OGM called his surprise success an "election thriller". "He has really recovered in the past couple of weeks, partly because of a good campaign," she told AFP. The FPOe forced Austria into international and European isolation when it forged an alliance with the OeVP in 2000. This time, however, observers note there could be less of a backlash in light of surging support for populist parties elsewhere in Europe. - Unpredictable leader - But other dangers lurk. Since the end of World War II, the Austrian head of state has performed a largely ceremonial role in the gilded halls of the Hofburg, the former Habsburg palace in Vienna. However, the new president could potentially shake things up, by using hitherto untapped powers to dissolve parliament or fire the government. "You'll be amazed what a president is capable of," Hofer said during the campaign. The far-right contender -- who is also a lower house leader in the Austrian parliament -- stressed that his "personal views and values" would not prevent him from being a "non-partisan president". "It's difficult to say what kind of leader Hofer will be -- whether he'll stay impartial like he does in parliament or add the FPOe imprint," political expert Hubert Sickinger told AFP. Vienna (AFP) - Fans affectionally call him "the professor" or "Sascha", a nickname for Alexander that nods to his Russian roots, while his critics decry him as a haughty "green dictator". Instead of healing Austria's political rift, Alexander Van der Bellen has proved as divisive a figure in the country's nailbiting presidential race as his far-right rival. Despite backing from the nation's most illustrous personalities including Chancellor Christian Kern, the ex-Green party leader struggled to convince many conservative voters, who accused him of pandering to the left. But he managed to beat the odds to pip Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party (FPOe) by a paper-thin margin of 31,000 votes. "He's the lesser evil of the two," was a commonly heard phrase at polling stations in Vienna, and Van der Bellen even used this pitch to undecided Austrians. "I ask all those who don't like me but perhaps like Hofer even less to vote for me," he had pleaded ahead of Sunday's runoff. In his first speech Monday as president-elect, Van der Bellen vowed to unite the divided nation, seeking to win the trust of the 2.2 million people who voted for Hofer. "There's been a lot of talk about this country's rifts. But I think you can also interpret the split as a sign that we are two sides of the same coin and each side is as important as the other. Together we make up Austria," he said. - No to pan-Germanism - At 72, the grey-haired economics professor cut a somewhat dishevelled figure next to gun enthusiast Hofer, 45. But first impressions can be misleading. Van der Bellen's decade-long career as leader of the Greens until 2008 has turned him into an agile and at times aggressive opponent in debates. "I don't want that Austria becomes the first country in western Europe led by a populist right-wing, pan-Germanic fraternity member," he told voters. Story continues He also vowed not to swear in FPOe chairman Heinz-Christian Strache as chancellor if the party, currently ahead in polls, wins the next general election scheduled for 2018. The remark prompted Hofer to call him a "fascist green dictator". Increasingly sharp exchanges between the two men often degenerated into political mud-slinging, highlighting their glaring differences over issues like the migrant crisis. Van der Bellen revealed he himself was a "child of refugees who has received a lot from Austria". Born in 1944 in Vienna, his father was a Russian aristocrat and his mother was Estonian. Both had fled Stalinism. The arrival of the Red Army a year later forced the family to escape to the southern state of Tyrol, where Van der Bellen spent an "idyllic childhood". He studied economics at the University of Innsbruck and finished his PhD in 1970 before going on to become dean of economics at the University of Vienna two decades later. Van der Bellen's professorial manner has become a familiar feature, often riling Hofer. "I'm talking about Europe: E-U-R-O-P-E. Never heard of it?" Van der Bellen taunted his opponent during a TV duel. "My God, the schoolmasterliness, Herr Doctor Van der Bellen," an agitated Hofer shot back. - Can't quit smoking - Adversaries have also accused Van der Bellen of being a "turncoat" because he was a member of the Social Democrats before joining the Greens in the early 1990s and eventually becoming their president. Under his leadership, the party went on to achieve record results, but he quit after the 2008 election when the Greens lost votes for the first time in almost 10 years. As Austrian president, he dreams of a fence-free "United States of Europe" that defends the rights of minority groups. An outspoken supporter of gay marriage, the divorced and recently remarried father-of-two garnered signatures from more than 4,000 public figures in the course of his presidential campaign. This prompted a seemingly unimpressed Hofer to attack his rival for being too highbrow: "You have the glitterati, but I have the people," he snapped. In his private life, Van der Bellen admits to two weaknesses: Donald Duck comics and cigarettes. "I once quit for four months... but why should I torture myself at my age!" he said. Paris (AFP) - The AXA group Monday became the first global insurer to cut ties with the tobacco industry, saying it would sell about 1.8 billion euros ($2.0 billion) worth of investments in the sector, to cheers from anti-smoking campaigners. "This decision has a cost for us, but the case for divestment is clear: the human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge," said Thomas Buberl, deputy chief executive of the French giant. The group took the decision "as a responsible health insurer and investor," AXA said in a statement, urging other insurers to follow its lead. "Smoking poses the biggest threat to public health in the world today," AXA said. "Its cost, estimated at 2.1 trillion euros per year, equals the combined expenses of war and terrorism," said the company, which a year ago also said it was pulling out of the coal sector. The company said it would begin by selling its equity holdings in tobacco companies, which are currently valued at about 200 million euros. AXA will also run down its existing bond holdings in the tobacco industry, valued at about 1.6 billion euros, it said. Buberl said that, by dropping the tobacco industry, the company was doing its "share to support the efforts of governments around the world." AXA, whose revenues from its health care business reached almost 12 billion euros last year, is the first global insurer to take this step, a spokesman for the group told AFP. The company said that as a major investor it wanted to be "part of the solution, and our hope is that others in our industry will do the same". AXA warned that without urgent action to curb the rise in smoking-related deaths, tobacco was expected to kill one billion people worldwide during the 21st century. - As if 'written by WHO' - "We need companies like AXA to signal that investing in an industry which kills its customers is simply the wrong thing to do," said Cary Adams, CEO of the US-based Union for International Cancer Control. Story continues Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the biggest in the world with shares in more than 9,000 companies, does not invest in tobacco. A major US pension fund, CalPERS, has shunned tobacco investments since 2001, but recent news reports said it is reconsidering this policy after calculating the cost in lost income at some $3.0 billion. Tobacco remains a profitable financial investment despite declining sales in the West, as smoking continues to grow in the developing world with increases in disposable income. Shares in tobacco giant Philip Morris International skyrocketed 80 percent in the past five years, while those of British American Tobacco have risen 55 percent. Nearly 80 percent of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO says some eight million people a year will die of smoking-related diseases by 2030, mostly in developing countries. AXA sold off some 500 million euros of assets in the coal industry last year ahead of the COP21 climate change conference in Paris. It has committed to tripling its environmentally friendly investments by 2020. The head of Axylia, a French firm specialising in socially responsible investments, hailed Monday's announcement as "incredible news". "It could have been written by WHO," he said. The AXA group Monday became the first global insurer to cut ties with the tobacco industry, saying it would sell about 1.8 billion euros ($2.0 billion) worth of investments in the sector, to cheers from anti-smoking campaigners. "This decision has a cost for us, but the case for divestment is clear: the human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge," said Thomas Buberl, deputy chief executive of the French giant. The group took the decision "as a responsible health insurer and investor," AXA said in a statement, urging other insurers to follow its lead. "Smoking poses the biggest threat to public health in the world today," AXA said. "Its cost, estimated at 2.1 trillion euros per year, equals the combined expenses of war and terrorism," said the company, which a year ago also said it was pulling out of the coal sector. The company said it would begin by selling its equity holdings in tobacco companies, which are currently valued at about 200 million euros. AXA will also run down its existing bond holdings in the tobacco industry, valued at about 1.6 billion euros, it said. Buberl said that, by dropping the tobacco industry, the company was doing its "share to support the efforts of governments around the world." AXA, whose revenues from its health care business reached almost 12 billion euros last year, is the first global insurer to take this step, a spokesman for the group told AFP. The company said that as a major investor it wanted to be "part of the solution, and our hope is that others in our industry will do the same". AXA warned that without urgent action to curb the rise in smoking-related deaths, tobacco was expected to kill one billion people worldwide during the 21st century. - As if 'written by WHO' - "We need companies like AXA to signal that investing in an industry which kills its customers is simply the wrong thing to do," said Cary Adams, CEO of the US-based Union for International Cancer Control. Story continues Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the biggest in the world with shares in more than 9,000 companies, does not invest in tobacco. A major US pension fund, CalPERS, has shunned tobacco investments since 2001, but recent news reports said it is reconsidering this policy after calculating the cost in lost income at some $3.0 billion. Tobacco remains a profitable financial investment despite declining sales in the West, as smoking continues to grow in the developing world with increases in disposable income. Shares in tobacco giant Philip Morris International skyrocketed 80 percent in the past five years, while those of British American Tobacco have risen 55 percent. Nearly 80 percent of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO says some eight million people a year will die of smoking-related diseases by 2030, mostly in developing countries. AXA sold off some 500 million euros of assets in the coal industry last year ahead of the COP21 climate change conference in Paris. It has committed to tripling its environmentally friendly investments by 2020. The head of Axylia, a French firm specialising in socially responsible investments, hailed Monday's announcement as "incredible news". "It could have been written by WHO," he said. Rabat (AFP) - Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana came close to beating Tirunesh Dibaba's 5000m world record and world best times of the year were set as Morocco hosted its first Diamond League meeting on Sunday at a windy Rabat. Also at the meeting, seven-time world champion American LaShawn Merritt never looked in any danger as he tore round the track in 44.66sec in the 400m. But in the very last race of the inaugural night, world 5000m champion Ayana blamed the wind after she came over five seconds short of Dibaba's 2008 record of 14min 11.15sec set in Oslo with a pace setter. Despite blazing to victory in 14min 16.31sec ahead of Kenya's Viola Kibiwot, who was some 13 seconds adrift with another Ethiopian Senbere Teferi in third, Ayana was clearly disappointed. "The wind was too much, I'm sure that I'll beat the record in one of my upcoming outings though," said Ayana, who aims to race both the 5000m and 10000m at the Rio Olympics. Other highlights of the night came as Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto, his face twisted in a grimace over the home straight, won the 3000m steeplechase ahead of three compatriots. He also set a season's world best time of 8min 02.77sec, beating the previous one he himself had established at Doha. The 21-year-old double world silver medallist from 2013 and 2015 was under pressure from Jairus Kipchoge Birech, but eventually ran over a second faster for his seventh Diamond League win after taking the lead on the last turn. Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi returned to competition after two bouts of surgery on his foot and then heel and 18 months out of racing, but the evening turned sour for the two-time Olympic silver medallist when he pulled up injured again. Another Kenyan victory came in the 1500m with Timothy Cheruiyot winning in 3min 33.61sec ahead of compatriot Silas Kiplagat and Australian Ryan Gregson. Ukrainian Bogdan Bondarenko boosted his Diamond Race hopes in the high jump, beating leader Erik Kynard with a jump of 2.31m to cut the gap to just six points. Story continues - Home cheer - Caster Semenya was on flying form, also setting a world best time for 2016 of 1min 56.84sec in the 800m as she eased ahead of Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba and the up-and-coming Frenchwoman Renelle Lamote. In the men's 800m France's 24-year-old Pierre-Ambroise Bosse booked himself a date at the Rio Games when he clinched victory in 1min 44.51sec, narrowly edging reigning 1500m Olympic champion, Algerian Taoufik Makhloufi (1:44.91). Bosnia's Amel Tuka was third. Another South African, Rushwai Samaai, won the men's long jump with a personal best effort of 8.38 metres, albeit with a favourable wind, beating world indoor champion Australian Fabrice Lapierre into second by 2cm. Poland were all smiles in the discus after world champion Piotr Malachowski won the event with an effort of 67.45m to fend off compatriot Robert Urbanek, who was second with 65.04. Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson ran into a 1.3sec headwind to register a 100m victory in 11.02sec. There was some home cheer as world and Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Abdelaati Iguider won the 3000m with a world best time for the year of 7:38.85 over the non-Olympic distance. Elsewhere at the meeting, Panama's Alonso Edward won the men's 200m in 20.07sec ahead of Ivory Coast sprinter Wilfried Koffi. A judge in Baltimore ruled Monday that police Officer Edward Nero is not guilty of assault, reckless endangerment and official misconduct for his role in an arrest that resulted in Freddie Gray's death last April. One of six officers charged in connection with Gray's death, Nero stood accused of arresting Gray without probable cause and being negligent for failing to buckle the shackled 25-year-old black man into a police van seat. Gray, who was arrested April 12, 2015, died a week later from severe neck and back injuries that authorities said he suffered in the police van. Nero, 30, faced a maximum of 10 years in prison on the assault charge. Gray's case sparked local civil unrest and days of protest nationwide. Baltimore prosecutor Marilyn Mosby charged the officers last year. The charges against them ranged from murder to the lesser offense of misconduct in office. Nero, 30, opted for a bench trial, in which a judge rather than a jury renders the verdict. Nero's defense attorney had argued that his client didn't arrest Gray, that it was the police van driver's responsibility to buckle Gray in , and that the department's seat belt requirement for detainees is a suggestion rather than a rule. Source: Uncredited/AP Nero is the second officer to stand trial in the Gray case. The trial of another officer charged with manslaughter, W . T the trials of Sgt. Alicia White and Officers Caesar Goodson Jr., Garret Miller and Brian Rice to move forward. Goodson, who drove the police can, faces a murder charge, while White faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, official misconduct and reckless endangerment. Story continues Attorney General Loretta Lynch visits the Baltimore Police Department in May 2015. Since , Gray's case has become a lightning rod for policing reform not just in Baltimore, but also around the country. Lastre Police Department over a pattern and practices of discriminatory policing and uses of excessive force. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, mayor of the majority black city, y. Batts , who is s white. Correction: May 23, 2016 A previous version of this article misstated the sentencing requirements for two of the charges against Officer Edward Nero. The charge of reckless endangerment carried a five-year sentence, while the misconduct charge had no maximum sentence. It also misstated the year when Freddie Gray's case became a catalyst around policing reform. The misstatement has been fixed. A judge cleared Baltimore Police Officer Edward Nero of all criminal charges Monday in the death of Freddie Gray, the first verdict in the six trials concerning Grays death in police custody last year. Nero, 30, was one of six officers involved in Grays arrest and one of three who were on bike patrol and chased Gray on April 12, 2015. Gray, who was black, died a week later from a severe spinal injury. Nero was charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and two counts of misconduct in office. After Grays death, the city erupted into violence not seen in Baltimore since the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968. Over the last year, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake fired Police Commissioner Anthony Batts and later announced she would not run for re-election after criticism for her handling of the unrest. Read more: Inside the Fight to Change Baltimores Police One Year After Freddie Grays Death In the six-day trial, prosecutors argued that Grays arrest itself was unlawful and said Neros failure to buckle Gray into the transport van amounted to reckless endangerment. Neros defense attorneys argued that the officer was merely following protocol during the confrontation with Gray, and that Neros role in his arrest minimal. Nero chose Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams to decide the case rather than a jury. The first trial of William Porter, who drove the transport van carrying Gray, ended in a hung jury in December. In a statement, Mayor Rawlings-Blake said: This is our American system of justice and police officers must be afforded the same justice system as every other citizen in this city, state, and country. Read more: Freddie Gray Mistrial Could Spell Trouble for Future Cases The Baltimore Police Department said Monday that Nero would remain in an administrative capacity with the agency while it conducts an internal investigation into the incident. The next trial involving Officer Caesar Goodson, Jr., the driver of the van, is scheduled to begin June 6. By Raju Gopalakrishnan MANILA (Reuters) - More than three months have passed since $81 million was stolen in a brazen cyber-heist from Bangladesh's central bank and sent to Manila yet authorities in the Philippines appear no closer to nabbing those who laundered most of the money through a bank and casinos here. Nobody has been arrested, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) - the nations equivalent of the FBI - has not been allowed to get fully involved in the probe, and a Philippines Senate investigation petered out last week. Several official and private investigators said they had hoped to make headway by following the money trail in the Philippines, but they told Reuters it has gone cold. They said the perpetrators probably knew the Philippines well and likely chose it because of the weakness of its money laundering laws. The cyber-heist, one of the biggest-ever in the world, shouldn't be seen as just the hacking of a bank, said Augustus "Ace" Esmeralda, a Manila-based private investigator. "It's more of somebody stealing the money employing a hacker, and someone who knows banks, the anti-money laundering system, the casinos ... It's the modern-day Ocean's 11," he said, referring to the Hollywood movie about a crime syndicate robbing Las Vegas casinos. "I call it Manila 12," added Esmeralda, who says he is following the case on behalf of two international bank clients. One of the key reasons is that casinos are not covered under the Philippines' anti-money laundering law, which means they are not obliged to report suspicious transactions or the players involved. The Philippines Congress decided in 2013 to keep casinos off the list of institutions covered under the law to allow the country's gaming industry to expand. Also hindering investigators are antiquated bank secrecy laws that are among the strictest in the world. They stipulate that almost all deposits and foreign currency details are confidential. The unidentified hackers infiltrated the computers at Bangladesh Bank in early February and tried to make 35 transfers of money, worth a total $951 million, from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. All but one of the attempted transfers involved were to the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) in the Philippines. Most were blocked, but $81 million went to accounts at a single branch in Manila. Story continues The Senate inquiry heard from those who handled the money that most of it then went to casinos and casino agents in the Philippines, including junket operators, through a remittance agency. BACCARAT TABLES Vast sums are gambled in Manila's high-end casinos each day. At the Solaire Resort and Casino, a Reuters team saw pink chips for one million Hong Kong dollars (about $130,000) at the baccarat tables of the VIP rooms. Nearly half the high-end gamblers there are ethnic Chinese, from mainland China or other parts of the region. Solaire, operated by Bloomberry Resorts Corp, has said about $29 million of the funds from the heist came to the casino and most was transferred to the accounts of two junket operators. "You go into a casino with one million bucks," said Senator Serge Osmena, a member of the committee investigating the case. "You bet 10,000, probably lose it, and you hand over 990,000 to your friend and he goes out and cashes it." The money then is untraceable, he said. Immediately after the heist it became clear that the money came to the Philippines. An NBI agent told Reuters that a team was on standby to make an arrest during Easter week at the end of March but was ordered to stand down with no reason given. The agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he did not know the arrest target's name. INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED The investigations are being handled by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), a government agency with modest resources, while the NBI, which has 5,000 agents on its rolls, is only being used in a support role. "We have minimal participation in the investigation," said NBI Director Virgilio Mendez when asked about the heist. He said he could not comment further. AMLC chief Julia Bacay-Abad said earlier this year the agency has only nine financial analysts to review millions of large transactions each month. She told Reuters last week that resources were not hindering the probe, though she declined to disclose how many investigators the AMLC has. Bacay-Abad also declined to comment on the probe's status. The NBI agent said he was frustrated watching the case from the sidelines and seeing the Philippines compared with other havens of money laundering. The AMLC has filed criminal complaints against the manager of the RCBC branch that received the funds, the owners of relevant bank accounts at the branch and the owners of the remittance agency that it says was a "cleaning house" for the money. It has also filed a complaint against Kim Wong, who owns the gaming firm Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company and also operates the VIP area of the Midas casino in Manila, and a Chinese associate of his called Weikang Xu. Wong, who is also Chinese and lives in Manila, told the Senate inquiry he received almost half the heist funds without knowing they were stolen. He, the owners of the remittance agency and the branch manager have denied any wrongdoing. Government agents told the Senate inquiry they have not been able to find Xu. Wong, who has been seemingly relaxed when giving testimony at Senate hearings, is close to several senior politicians, such as Alfredo Lim, a former Manila mayor. Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former national police chief, has told Reuters that Wong is "a friend of mine". Of the $81 million stolen, Wong told the Senate probe he received almost $35 million from the remittance company Philrem, and has handed back $15 million to authorities. Much of the rest, he said, had been spent in buying chips for clients. He has said the money was brought into the Philippines by two Chinese acquaintances, one from China and one from Macau, the world's biggest gambling hub. CHINA'S DENIAL Out of the rest of the money, the Solaire casino received about $29 million. Philrem, the remittance agency, has said it handed over the remainder to Wong and Xu in cash, but Wong has said the agency still has $17 million. Senator Ralph Recto, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, has said the network of Chinese people involved suggested the masterminds were from China, but that has been dismissed by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang as "complete nonsense." The focus of the Senate committee's report is likely to be on drawing up legislation that can strengthen anti-money laundering laws and ease bank secrecy laws, rather than identifying who was behind the laundering. But it is unclear whether any proposed change in the laws will get traction. Osmena said lawmakers had not wanted to amend the laws because their own finances could come under scrutiny. The Philippines elected a new congress this month and it will take office in July along with the nation's new president. But both Osmena and another senator leading the inquiry, Teofisto Guingona, lost their seats in the elections. (Additional reporting by Karen Lema, Manny Mogato and Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Howell) By Magdalena Mis LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A banned, British-made cluster bomb was used by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Amnesty International said on Monday, warning that civilians returning home in northern Yemen risked injury and death from "minefields" of deadly cluster bombs. Cluster bombs, dropped by air or fired by artillery, scatter hundreds of bomblets across a wide area which sometimes fail to explode and are difficult to locate and remove, killing and maiming civilians long after conflicts end. They pose a particular risk to children who can be attracted by their toy-like appearance and bright colors. The BL-755 bomb, manufactured in Britain in the 1970s, was located by Amnesty in Hayran in northern Yemen near the Saudi border. Amnesty said this was the first confirmed use of a British-manufactured cluster munitions since the adoption of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster bombs. The bomb, designed to break into more than 2,000 fragments, is known to be in the stockpiles of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Amnesty said. "Even after hostilities have died down, the lives and livelihoods of civilians, including young children, continue to be on the line in Yemen as they return to de facto minefields," said Lama Fakih, Amnesty International senior crisis adviser. "They cannot live in safety until contaminated areas in and around their homes and fields are identified and cleared of deadly cluster bomb sub munitions and other unexploded ordnance," Fakih said in a statement. A Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign in Yemen in March last year with the aim of preventing Iran-allied Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen's ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh from taking control of the country. More than 6,000 Yemenis, about half of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting and airstrikes over the past year, the United Nations says. Millions more have been displaced. The human rights group said during its recent mission it documented 10 new cases in which 16 civilians, including nine children, were killed or injured by cluster munitions between July 2015 and April 2016. A British government spokesman said Britain was satisfied that its arms export licenses for Saudi Arabia were compliant with U.K. and EU criteria. "The U.K. Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world," he said in a statement. Britain was not a member of the Saudi-led coalition and British personnel were not involved in carrying out strikes in Yemen, directing or conducting operations or selecting targets, he said. Amnesty said since the start of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen it documented the use five other types of cluster munitions used by the coalition forces manufactured by the United States and Brazil. The United Nations said in January that "troubling reports" that cluster bombs have been used on civilian areas in the capital of Yemen could be a war crime. Mark Goldring, Oxfam GB chief executive, said the Amnesty report was evidence that British arms sales were adding to suffering in Yemen. "This underlines a simple truth - Britain's arms sales and technical military support are fuelling a brutal war in Yemen," Goldring said in a statement. The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition was not immediately available for a comment. (Reporting by Magdalena Mis,; Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) Madrid (AFP) - The Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Sevilla went to extra-time on Sunday as neither side could score a goal in 90 minutes despite both teams being reduced to 10 men. Barca's Javier Mascherano was first to see red for bringing down Kevin Gameiro nine minutes before half-time. The La Liga champions also lost 59-goal top scorer Luis Suarez to injury early in the second-half. However, they resisted despite their numerical advantage for nearly an hour before Sevilla's Ever Banega was also shown a red card in stoppage time for denying Neymar a clear goalscoring opportunity. Yahoo Finance is tracking the stocks youre following, based on your Yahoo Finance ticker searches. Monsanto (MON) Bayer (BAYRY) has made an all-cash offer to acquire Monsanto for $62 billion. The deal, if successful, would create the worlds largest agrochemicals company. Tribune Publishing (TPUB) Tribune rejected the latest buyout bid from Gannett (GCI), which raised its per-share offer to $15 from $12.25. Tribune also revealed a $70.5 million investment from Nant Capital. Boeing (BA) Vietnams VietJet has agreed to buy 100 Boeing 737 MAX 200 jets. The deal, signed during President Obamas visit to Vietnam, is worth $11.3 billion at list prices. Lending Club (LC) - Affiliates of investment firm Shanda Group reported an 11.7% stake in Lending Club. The companys shares have fallen more than 40% since its CEO Renaud Laplanche resigned earlier this month following an internal probe. General Electric (GE) The company announced deals worth over $1.4 billion with Saudi Arabia as the country looks to reduce its dependence on oil. Aflac (AFL) The company has received its second downgrade in a week. Sandler ONeill cut its rating on Aflac from buy to hold following the stock's more than 20% move to the upside from its February lows. Germany-based Bayer publicly disclosed Monday morning details of its proposed acquisition of Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) following market speculation and stakeholder inquiries last week. Pricing Bayer confirmed it has made an all-cash offer to acquire all of Monsanto's common stock for $122 per share, valuing the company at $62 billion. The offer price represents a 37-percent premium over Monsanto's closing price of $89.03 on May 9 the final trading day before market speculation of the acquisition surfaced. Shares of Monsanto were trading higher by nearly 7 percent, but still notably below the acquisition price, at $108.54. The acquisition price also represents a 36 percent premium to Monsanto's three-month volume weighted average share price. Expectations Bayer noted that the acquisition represents a "compelling opportunity" to "create a global agricultural leader" and reinforce itself as a life science company with a "deepened position in a long-term growth industry." The company also expects the acquisition to be accretive to its core earnings per share by a mid-single-digit percentage point in the first full year after closing and a double-digit percentage thereafter. Related Link: Citi On Possible Monsanto-Bayer Tie Up: "Tax Synergies Unlikely To Be The Driver" Bayer also expects the acquisition to generate $1.5 billion in annual synergy savings after three years, in addition to further integrated benefits in the following years. "We have long respected Monsanto's business and share their vision to create an integrated business that we believe is capable of generating substantial value for both companies' shareholders," said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. "Together we would draw on the collective expertise of both companies to build a leading agriculture player with exceptional innovation capabilities to the benefit of farmers, consumers, our employees and the communities in which we operate." "Bayer is committed to enabling farmers to sustainably produce enough healthy, safe and affordable food capable of feeding the world's growing population," said Liam Condon, member of the board of management of Bayer AG and head of the crop science division. "Faced with the complex challenge of operating in a resource-constrained world with increasing climate volatility, there is a clear need for more innovative solutions that advance the next generation of farming. By supporting farmers of all sizes on every continent, the combined business would be positioned as the partner of choice for truly integrated, superior solutions." Story continues See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Bayer has gone public with its offer to by Monsanto and it's a whopper. It's offering $62 billion for the St. Louis based Agrochemicals company. Bayer's CEO says its an all cash offer. The offer is $122 a share and would be a 37% premium to Monsanto's closing stock price Friday. The Wall Street Journal says internal squabbles have broken out behind the scenes of the Anthem-Cigna merger, which could delay the deal or put it in jeopardy. The newspaper said the in-fighting is in part over how to deal with Express Scripts, which Anthem had accused of overcharging for drugs. Anthem is trying to buy Cigna in a $48 billion landmark deal. Iran says it has no plans to freeze the level of its oil production and exports, according to its Deputy Oil Minister and reported in Reuters. Currently, Iran's crude oil exports have reached 2 million barrels per day according to the minister and plans are to increase that over the summer. A meeting of the OPEC exporters' group, including Iran, is scheduled for June 2. German pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG (NYSE:BAYR) and Monsanto (NYSE:MON) are close to agreeing to a deal that will create the world's largest seed company, the FOX Business Network has learned. Bankers with knowledge of the matter say barring a deal spoiler the merger could be announced in the next 24 to 48 hours. These bankers also tell FOX Business the deal is not complete and a hitch could delay the timing or upend the transaction. Earlier this month Monsanto disclosed that it had received an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from Bayer AG for a potential acquisition of Monsanto and that the company was reviewing the deal. A potential combo could be worth $44 billion and would give Bayer a sizable footprint in the genetically modified crop business, according to an earlier report in the Wall Street Journal. While GMO food has become controversial for companies including Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) it remains a lucrative business. Monsanto shares have gained 8% this month as news of the deal surfaced. Press people for Bayer and Monsanto weren't immediately available for comment at the time of publication. Related Articles FRANKFURT, May 23 (Reuters) - Bayer shareholder Union Investment, a German mutual fund company, said it was bracing for Bayer paying more for Monsanto than what the German drugmaker is currently proposing, stretching the limits of what is acceptable. "The price that has now been disclosed is at the upper limit and it is just about economical," Frankfurt-based portfolio manager Markus Manns told Reuters in a written statement. He said the deal made sense strategically. "Should (the price) rise further, which is to be assumed, the takeover will become increasingly unattractive," he said. Bayer earlier said it had made an offer to buy U.S. seeds company Monsanto for $122 per share in cash, or a total value of $62 billion including debt, to create the world's biggest agricultural supplier. (Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Maria Sheahan) Berlin (AFP) - German chemicals giant Bayer said Monday it had offered $62 billion for US agriculture group Monsanto as it seeks to create the world's biggest supplier of seeds, pesticides and genetically-modified crops. In the biggest takeover ever attempted by a German company, Bayer said it made an offer for the American agrochemical giant at $122 per share in cash, or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros). The move spells a public relations risk for Bayer, especially in Germany, where popular scepticism is high of GM crops and the practice of patenting plant varieties, and where controversy has flared about the health risks of pesticide glyphosate which Monsanto markets as Roundup. Leverkusen-based Bayer hailed the planned merger as "an extraordinary opportunity to create a global leader in the agricultural industry. Monsanto is a perfect match to our agricultural business". Bayer CEO Werner Baumann said the company would have to "decisively address the point of reputation and challenges of Monsanto in Europe", adding that "our brand stands for responsibility, transparency and openness". The German firm said it expected synergies from the merger -- the biggest announced this year to date in the world -- to boost annual earnings by around $1.5 billion after three years. The announcement came just days after Saint Louis, Missouri-based Monsanto said it had received an unsolicited bid from Bayer following weeks of speculation about a possible tie-up. Monsanto has said it "will have no further comment until its board of directors has completed its review" of the offer. Bayer shares, which fell last week on news of the proposal, dropped another 5.7 percent to 84.42 euros Monday in Frankfurt, partially on investor concerns it might have offered too much to acquire Monsanto. - Image problem - According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies would together account for around 28 percent of global sales of pesticides and herbicides. Story continues Bayer CEO Baumann said the new mega-company could help feed the world. "The agriculture industry is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges of our time," he told journalists. "How to feed an additional three billion people in the world by 2050." Such a mega-merger could raise questions about market dominance, but Bayer said it "has a successful track record of working with global authorities to secure the necessary regulatory approvals". The other risk is damage to Bayer's image if it swallows GM giant Monsanto, which has long been a red rag to environmental groups worldwide. Heike Moldenhauer of German environmental group BUND said the glyphosate issue "should deter Bayer from swallowing a 'toxic' company like Monsanto". Sahra Wagenknecht of the far-left Linke party charged that Bayer's proposed acquisition of the "notorious genetics and poison company ... is a public menace". And Anton Hofreiter of the Greens party demanded that regulators block the deal, charging that "the Bayer bosses just want to maximise profits" and that the company is "the enemy of small farmers". "The planned deal wouldn't make the world better but worse" by reducing competition, heightening pressure on farmers, bringing more GM crops and expanding agro-industry "wastelands", he said. - 'Good fit' - Low commodity prices have piled the pressure on agricultural suppliers like Monsanto, which in March slashed its earnings forecast for 2016. Sluggishness in the industry has also sparked consolidation deals such as a merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical. Switzerland's Syngenta last year rejected an unsolicited offer from Monsanto, later agreeing to be bought by China National Chemical Corp for $43 billion. Last year, following the unsuccessful bid for Syngenta, Monsanto embarked on a huge restructuring programme, saying it would axe 3,600 jobs -- or 16 percent of its workforce -- by 2018, closing sites and writing down assets. Bayer, which employs around 117,000 workers, turned in record profits and sales in 2015, notching up a net profit of 4.1 billion euros on sales of 46.3 billion euros. The Bayer statement said it was "premature at this stage" to estimate when the two companies would be joined as one, or what the eventual workforce would be. Peter Spengler, analyst at DZ Bank Equity Research, said that "strategically and regionally Monsanto is a good fit" for Bayer. "Bayer will be significantly more leveraged than today but grabs a once in a lifetime chance to become a dominating world market leader in agriculture." When looking back on decades past, youll often hear the phrase they dont make em like they used to, and well theyre right, especially when it comes to pickup trucks. Today, pickup trucks still tote a work-hard attitude, but theyve become feature dense and more complex than ever before. Long gone are the days when air-conditioning was seen as an option, and nearly all mechanical problems could be fixed on the side of the road with a hammer. Ah, the good ol days; and for those of a certain age, this stoic 74 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 epitomizes them. These were built to be abused, worked hard, and put away wetall on a regular basis. And if Toyota didnt think you needed something, it wasnt included. However, while many were beaten to a pulp over decades of hard work, this one appears to have somehow survived, and now the bare-bones workhorse looks as clean as ever. Its also up for grabs on eBay. RELATED: Meet One Mans Million-Mile Toyota Tundra What makes these Toyota Land Cruisers truly memorable are their looks. Its hard to see an FJ45 and not smile; theyre timelessly good looking. According to this listing, it underwent a recent restoration in early 2015, only to receive a professional full-on restoration afterward. The fruits of their labor show, the Land Cruiser presents impeccably well in period correct Sky Blue. Though, while it may be restored to the nth degree, you can bet it still knows how to put in a full days work. These FJ40-series Land Cruisers featured a 3.9-liter carbureted straight-six on American shores, which made 125 horsepower and 209 lb.-ft. of torque. Sure, you wont get there fast, but make no mistake, you will get there. Power is sent to the ground courtesy of a four-speed manual, which motivated the models famously bulletproof four-wheel drive system. RELATED: This Land Cruiser Wheelie Video is Beyond Insane Out back, the FJ45 features a built-in headache rack and plenty of room in the bed for lumber, camping gear, boxes of vintage Toyota brochureswhatever you carry in a cleanly restored ute. That said, the fear of scratching this FJs lustrous paint may keep its bed empty for the most part. Story continues Mechanical upgrades over the past year are said to include new suspension components, a new gas tank, radiator, carburetor, starter motor, engine wiring, a new exhaust gasket, plus rebuilt brakes. Stopping power is always handy. RELATED: This 66 Toyota Land Cruiser is a Dune-Crushing Monster A quick look inside surely proves they really dont make them like the used to. You wont find any frivolities here. No carpet either. Just a singular gauge cluster, what looks to be a new leather bench seat, and a gear stick for rifling through. Sometimes less is more. All told, its a heart-achingly pretty rig, though not a cheap one. Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45s are pretty rare on the ground in the US, and those in this nick demand a premium, as this one does. It asks a tall $87,000. RELATED: Meet the Worlds Wildest Lexus V8 Hot Rod The story of the Groveland Boys might not surprise anyone familiar with the miscarriages of justice that sometimes marked race relations in the early 20th century. The case started in 1949, when four black men were accused of raping a white woman outside Groveland, Fla. One was killed by a mob a few days later, and the other three were tried and convicted. But thanks to Thurgood Marshall pursuing the case when he was executive director of the NAACPs Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial. Seven months after the Supreme Court decision, one of the men was killed and another injured in a shooting by the sheriff and a deputy from Lake County, where Groveland is located. The surviving two were convicted again, with one serving 19 years in jail and dying in 1970, two years after being released; the other was released in 1962 after 12 serving years and died in 2012. Many believe the Groveland Boys were innocent, and today, city and county governments, the Florida Senate and concerned citizens are pushing for the state to apologize, exonerate and pardon the four. In light of that effort, Gilbert King author of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America, which is being made into a movie spoke to TIME about why the Groveland Boys case still matters today. In the history of injustices in the U.S., what makes this case stand out? What really makes this case stand out is its kind of like a To Kill a Mockingbird-type case or a Scottsboro Boys-type case, where you have these really explosive allegations, and then the dynamic in the community just gets a little out of control, seeking vengeance. So theres a near lynching and then really a travesty of justice that follows, and ultimately, the Supreme Court overturned these verdicts. And then you had a sheriff in this Lake County that sort of took it upon himself to be the judge and jury. Story continues So much has changed in terms of racial equality between 1949 and today. Describe Groveland and the surrounding area at the time. You had these very powerful citrus people who really wanted a very strong sheriff in place to make sure that labor was kept in line, to make sure there was no organizing and union activity. So they really depended on a very strong sheriff to keep blacks in line [because they were] the labor in this community. Almost seven decades have passed between then and now. Why does this case matter today? Well, if you look back at this case, the doctor who examined the alleged victim in this case came up with a report that found no medical evidence to support her claims. And so the prosecution just hid [the doctor] from the defense. This witness was never able to testify, and the defense tried to subpoena him. But the judge overruled, saying it was irrelevant [because] we already have her word on what had happened to her. We dont need medical evidence. And so its still relevant because the families have never gotten closure on this. And I dont even know if closures the right word, but they do want some kind of exoneration or official pardon, posthumous pardon, on behalf of their family members. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter How certain are we that at least some of them are innocent? I make that case in my book, I think, pretty convincingly. Ive included the medical report that we never saw in the trial [and] the massive amounts of perjury that happened in this trial. Im absolutely convinced theres no rape that took place. I studied this for many years. Why is the state being targeted today for an apology, exoneration and pardons of the two who were later convicted, Walter Irvin and Charles Greenlee? You have to do whats called a posthumous pardon, and I think theres only been one in the state of Florida. And that was for Jim Morrison of The Doors, believe it or not. So this ones a little more serious. I think [to the people leading the effort for an apology], the truth is sort of obvious, and they want this corrected because a lot of the Groveland families still live in Groveland or in Lake County. Before they pass on, they want to see justice done, and the only form of justice they can possibly get is a posthumous pardon or exoneration. Will the apology, exoneration and pardons come eventually? My thinking is it will happen. Eventually this will happen. It still took eight decades to officially clear the Scottsboro boys. Someone is going to have the courage or the fortitude to do whats right, and ultimately, this will happen just like it happened with the Scottsboro boys. Its just a matter of time. Did we touch on everything thats relevant now, or was there something that we missed? I think it could be complicated because the alleged victim in this case is still alive. I made an attempt [to talk with her] towards the end of the writing of my book. I went down, I found her in Georgia [but she has since moved back to Groveland], and I stood outside her door and had a conversation trying to persuade her to talk about this. And her message to me was: Let sleeping dogs lie. DETROIT MI / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / Financial media company Benzinga announced today that the 2016 Benzinga Fintech Awards Gala will feature discussions from fintech experts on topics such as raising capital for startups, the effects of fintech on banking, profiting from big data analysis, alternative investments, and a special presentation from Thuzio co-founders Mark Gerson and Tiki Barber on building a Wall Street network. The panels will capture fintech at a pivotal moment in the space, as impacts from fintech disruption are being felt by consumers, institutions and government regulators alike. "Banking in 2020: How Fintech Will Impact Banks" will feature discussion by Digital Currency Group CEO Barry Silbert, Apex Clearing Corporation Chief Capital Markets Officer Jud Pyle, and Betterment COO and co-founder Eli Broverman, with moderation by Carey Koloja, Global Chief Product Officer at Citi Fintech. The panelists will discuss ways fintech is changing the relationship between consumers, banks and investors. "Big Data, Big Profits?: Finding the Bottom Line with Unique Datasets" will focus on ways firms can leverage data analysis to improve their operations and profit. Panelists include Ticker Tags CEO Chris Camillo, Deutsche Bank Global Head of Quantitative Strategy Yin Luo, and Matthew Granade, chief market intelligence officer for Point72. The panel will be moderated by Chicago Board Options Exchange Vice President of Business Development Katherine Clay. The venture capital panel, titled "Take Your Company from Zero to Hero: Insider Tips from VCs" will feature IA Ventures Roger Ehrenberg, Aquiline Capital Partners Vincenzo La Ruffa, and Susquehanna Growth Equity Partners Amir Goldman, and will be moderated by Robert Peck, managing director of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. The VCs will offer insight into forming relationships with venture firms, what partners look for in successful startups, and more. A special Benzinga Fintech Awards presentation will follow, titled "Young Guns: How These Entrepreneurs Built Their Fintech Companies and Landed Millions of Dollars in Enterprise Deals." A panel consisting of ChartIQ CEO Dan Schleifer, Likefolio founder Andy Swan, Estimize CEO Leigh Drogen and ValueStream founder Greg Neufeld. Benzinga CEO Jason Raznick will moderate. "How to Earn Big on Alternative Investments" will center around discussion of the alternative investment and lending spaces from OurCrowd Managing Partner Eli Zivotofsky, Credibly CEO Glenn Goldman and SeedInvest CEO Ryan Feit. Aaron Task, digital editor for Fortune, will moderate. Finally, BZ Awards guests will be treated to a special "fireside chat" with Thuzio co-founders Mark Gerson and Tiki Barber. Gerson, founder of the Gerson-Lehrman Group, and Barber, former New York Giants Pro Bowler, will discuss ways athletes can monetize their on-field personas after their playing careers and offer insight into networking in the world of finance. A cocktail reception and the Benzinga Fintech Awards ceremony, featuring a special performance by "Wall Street Mentalist" Oz Pearlman, will follow the panel discussion. About Benzinga Benzinga is a leader in financial technology via operation of its data and news products.. Trusted by millions each month, Benzinga.com features actionable news and analysis. Benzinga Professional is the premier real time news and data platform trusted to power the largest companies of finance. About the Benzinga Fintech Awards Designed to celebrate the most innovative companies within the financial technology capital markets sector, the Benzinga Fintech Awards provides winners with new opportunities for growth and partnerships. The Benzinga Fintech Awards will be attended by top fintech CEOs, venture capitalists, industry insiders, and media. Held at Tribeca Three Sixty in New York City on May 24, it is truly "The Oscars of Fintech." For more information on sponsoring, exhibiting, or attending the event, go to benzingafintechawards.com. Story continues Contact: Media Information Jake Serwer Jakeserwer@benzinga.com SOURCE: Benzinga If you only read one thing: Set aside your preconceived notions about the two likely nominees, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. This election is going to be close. While die-hard supporters of either candidate believes their victory inevitable, theyre mistaken. New national polls this weekend put the race within the margin of error, and swing-state polls have also tightened. Part of the reason for the competitiveness of the race is structural: the Electoral College and the balkanization of the partisan vote leaving just a few states truly in play. But with two historically unlikable candidates, the race for the White House this year will be more bitter than usual, posing a turnout problem for both parties. Mathematically precluded from winning the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders is escalating his feud with the Democratic establishment, endorsing the primary challenger to party chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and tapping his massive online fundraising list for him. Threatening a party schism, Sanders is complaining that he will be at a structural disadvantage at the Democratic convention in July having won fewer delegates than Hillary Clinton, making his plans to radically reshape his adopted partys platform all the more difficult. Hardly a beloved figure in politics, Wasserman Schultz is seen as being aligned with Clinton, who she endorsed in 2008, and has had a turbulent relationship with the Obama White House. But supporting the primary challenge of a party head is the latest sign that the Sanders revolution is hardly over, even if his electoral chances are nil. Donald Trump is courting evangelical Republicans in hopes of shoring up the support of a powerful GOP voting bloc. Many leaders in the movement most recently supported Ted Cruzs candidacy and are plotting to use his delegate slots to force the Republican Party platform in a more conservative direction. With Trump facing skepticism from the base on social issues, how he handles the coming fight may decide just how far the social conservative movement will be willing to go to help him in the fall. Story continues President Obama is in Vietnam today as part of a week-long Asia trip where he once again finds himself struggling to explain American politics to the world. Global leaders have been open about their concerns about Trumps protectionist and isolationist policy proposals, while some have questions about Clinton. Meanwhile, as Clinton seeks to put Trumps foreign policy on trial, the Republican presumptive nominee is fighting back, promising to use Clintons 2002 Iraq War vote against her, while whitewashing his own comments in support of the war. Clinton flips on a final debate with Sanders. Obamas anti-terror legacy is mixed. And Clinton attacks Trumps greatness. Here are your must-reads: Must Reads Evangelical Leaders Plan Meeting to Test Donald Trumps Values TIMEs Elizabeth Dias on a step that could lead to an eventual embrace of the presumptive Republican nominee Why Do Chinese and Russian Fighters Keep Buzzing U.S. Spy Planes? Experts divided over whether it signals U.S. resolve or weakness, TIMEs Mark Thompson reports Obama Pivots to Asian Damage Control As he starts Pacific trip, president confronts dismay over Trump, Sanders and Clinton [Politico] Donald Trump Defends His National Security Positions as Hillary Clinton Attacks Says no obligation to protect NATO countries if they dont pay up [Wall Street Journal] Ryan: Trump Could Win, But Im Not Betting On It The speaker talks up unity but still wants the nominee to clean up his act [Politico] Sound Off Theres no evidence he has any ideas about making America great, as he advertises. He seems to be particularly focused on making himself appear great. And as we go through this campaign, were going to be demonstrating the hollowness of his rhetoric. Hillary Clinton on Donald Trump on NBCs Meet the Press I havent thought about it. Well consider it. Hillary Clinton on Meet the Press on a potential debate with Bernie Sanders before the California primary. Her campaign had previously agreed to such a forum Bits and Bites Hillary Clinton Questions Trumps Level of Success [NBC] Megadonors Missing From Pro-Trump Super PAC [Center for Responsive Politics] National Rifle Association Endorses Donald Trump [TIME] President Obama Blasts Congress Over Zika Funding [TIME] Donald Trump Shifts Immigration Tone in Meeting with Hispanic Evangelical Leader [TIME] An LGBT Vote Failed in the House and Chaos Ensued [TIME] House Set to Begin I.R.S. Commissioners Impeachment Hearing [New York Times] Mission Not Quite Accomplished: Obamas Antiterrorism Legacy [Yahoo News] Bernie Sanderss Feud With the Democratic Leadership Heats Up [New York Times] LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - Commodities-related revenue at the 12 biggest investment banks tumbled 40 percent in the first three months of the year as lenders cut exposure to the oil and industrial metals sectors, a consultancy said on Tuesday. First-quarter revenue from commodity trading, selling derivatives to investors and other activities in the sector slid to $1.1 billion from $1.8 billion in the same period of 2015, financial industry analytics firm Coalition said. "Oil and base metals underperformed as concerns on the outlook for the energy sector curtailed banks' risk appetite," Coalition said in a report. "Precious metals performed significantly better following increased investor demand." Both oil and base metals prices were volatile in the first quarter, slumping to multi-year lows before rebounding. U.S. oil prices crashed below $27 a barrel on Jan. 20 for the first time since 2003 but ended the quarter near $40. Benchmark copper prices hit a 6-1/2 year low of $4,318 a tonne on Jan. 15 before climbing 12 percent to end the quarter at $4,847, or a rise of 3 percent from the end of 2015. In contrast, spot gold rallied 16 percent in the first three months of the year, locking in its biggest quarterly rise in nearly 30 years. The gold surge was driven by concerns about global growth, which battered equities and sparked a wave of safe-haven buying. In 2015, the banks' commodities revenue dropped 18 percent, mainly due to slow business in metals and investor products, and also reflecting a return to more normal turnover in the power and gas markets after the previous year's surge. Coalition tracks the following banks: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank , Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JPMorgan , Morgan Stanley, Societe Generale and UBS. (Reporting by Eric Onstad; editing by David Clarke) Former contestants of The Biggest Loser claim the show encouraged drug use for weight loss, including amphetamines and diuretics. Bob Harper was my trainer, Joelle Gwynn of 2008s Couples season told the New York Post. He goes away and his assistant comes in. Hes got this brown paper bag thats bundled up. He says, Take this drug, itll really help you. It was yellow and black. I was like, What the f- -k is this? After taking the pill once, Gwynn surmised, People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but its acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too. Also Read: Why 'Biggest Loser' Contestants Gain the Weight Back People would take amphetamines, water pills, diuretics, and throw up in the bathroom, said Season 2s Suzanne Mendonca, who also claimed she was forced to gain 40 pounds before she could even get on the show. They would take their spin bikes into the steam room to work up a sweat. I vomited every single day. Bob Harper tells people to throw up: Good, he says. Youll lose more calories.' Producers of the show deny the allegations, saying in a statement to TheWrap: The safety and well-being of our contestants is, and has always been, paramount. Contestants are told at the start of the show that there is zero tolerance for any weight loss drugs. We prohibit the use of any illegal substances, in addition to the many other rules and procedures of the show that are designed to ensure safety. Many former contestants sent emails to the Post after a study was released two weeks ago wherein Dr. Kevin Hall at the National Institutes of Health attributed weight gained after the show to changing metabolic rates, hormone levels and genetic predispositions. Also Read: Here's How Oprah Winfrey Lost More Than $27 Million on Weight Watchers in One Night However, some former contestants are claiming they had to take street drugs while starving themselves and then lie about how much weight they were actually losing. Story continues Lie and say you were following the directive of intaking 1,500 calories but I want you to do 800 calories or as little as you can, Harper allegedly told Gwynn. People were passing out in Dr. Hs [Rob Huizenga] office at the finale weigh-in, says Season 2s Suzanne Mendonca. On my season, five people had to be rushed to the hospital. He knew exactly what we were doing and never tried to stop it. The Biggest Loser doesnt save lives, Mendonca says. It ruins lives. Mentally, emotionally, financially you come back a different person. Half the people from my season have gotten divorced. The ripple effect isnt just weeks or months. Its years. Related stories from TheWrap: Alison Sweeney Quits as Host of 'The Biggest Loser' After 13 Seasons Viacom Biggest Loser as Mass Sell-Off Hits Media Companies One day before Bill Cosby is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing in a Pennsylvania court where he faces a trio of felony second-degree aggravated indecent assault charges that could land him behind bars for a decade, the 78-year old actor today was denied a pause in the proceedings so he could pursue an appeal. AND NOW, this 23rd day of May, 2016, the Application for Stay is DENIED, the Supreme Court of the Keystone State said Monday (read it here). Out on $1 million bail after being charged, the Cosby was basically arguing again that because a previous D.A. in Pennsylvanias Montgomery County promised back in 2005 never to prosecute, the current D.A. has no right to now do so. Mr. Cosby has a constitutional right to meaningful appellate review, and the Commonwealths commitment never to bring this prosecution should be enforced now, his May 12 petition to the state high court said. Opening with the phrase facts are stubborn things, current Montgomery County D.A. Kevin Steele filed an answer to the petition for review May 19 asking that it be rejected. Part of his argument was that such an action is what the Pennsylvania Superior Court had already done the top state court agreed. Which means The Cosby Show creator will be in Judge Steven ONeills Norristown, PA courtroom tomorrow morning to face evidence from Steeles team and possibly his alleged victim of 12 years ago, ex-Temple University employee Andrea Constand. After trying unsuccessfully in early February to get the case shut down based on the supposed no-prosecution agreement, Cosby and his lawyers on February 12 filed a direct appeal to PAs Superior Court to appeal ONeills ruling of February 3 that the Constand case involving the criminal charges could go forward. Not long afterward, Steele filed paperwork asking the higher court to reject Cosbys appeal attempt until after a trial is completed. With more than 50 women nationwide claiming Cosby drugged and assaulted them over the decades, newly elected Steele laid the first criminal charges against the actor at the end of 2015 to beat Pennsylvanias 12-year statute of limitations for such crimes. Cosby was arraigned December 30 and released on $1 million bail without entering a plea. Constand and Cosby had come to a settlement a decade ago in a civil case a settlement Cosby now wants back because he says Constand and her then-attorneys broke the deals confidentiality agreement. On May 13, Constands current lawyers filed a motion to have Cosbys case against her, her mother, her 2005 attorneys and National Enquirer owner American Media dismissed. Story continues The Pennsylvania Superior Court put a stay on the criminal matter on March 1, just a week before Cosby was originally set to be in ONeills courtroom for the first preliminary hearing on the charges. That stay was lifted late last month when the Superior Court quashed Cosbys appeal and ONeill set the new preliminary hearing date. RelatedNational Enquirer Wants Out Of Bill Cosby Lawsuit Against 2005 Rape Accuser A team of lawyers represents Cosby from L.A., D.C. and Philadelphia led by the actors main attorney Christopher Tayback of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. Related stories Bill Cosby To Face Trial Over 2004 Alleged Rape, Judge Rules Bill Cosby & Hugh Hefner Hit With Sexual Battery Suit Over 2008 Playboy Mansion Assault Claims Bill Cosby Tries Again To Halt Criminal Case Over 2004 Rape Claim thiel hamilton2 Peter Thiel is a billionaire and one of the best-known investors in Silicon Valley. But the PayPal cofounder says that none of his success would have happened if he had continued on his career path as a lawyer, which was, as he describes it, a "familiar track." Instead of continuing down that road, he moved out to California, cofounded a technology startup, and made a fortune. During a commencement speech at Hamilton College on Sunday, Thiel spoke out against conventional wisdom and the familiar track, pointing out two big cliches that end up being wrong more often than they're right. The first cliche that Thiel takes a shot at is "to thine own self be true." He said: Now Shakespeare wrote that, but he didn't say it. He put it in the mouth of a character named Polonius, who Hamlet accurately describes as a tedious old fool, even though Polonius was senior counselor to the King of Denmark. And so, in reality, Shakespeare is telling us two things. First, do not be true to yourself. How do you know you even have such a thing as a self? Your self might be motivated by competition with others, like I was. You need to discipline your self, to cultivate it and care for it. Not to follow it blindly. Second, Shakespeare's saying that you should be skeptical of advice, even from your elders. Polonius is a father speaking to his daughter, but his advice is terrible. Here Shakespeare's a faithful example of our western tradition, which does not honor what is merely inherited. The other piece of advice that Thiel believes is not justified is "live each day as if it were your last." He said: The best way to take this as advice is to do exactly the opposite. Live each day as if you will live forever. That means, first and foremost, that you should treat the people around you as if they too will be around for a very long time to come. The choices that you make today matter, because their consequences will grow greater and greater. The key to Thiel's speech is to avoid trusting the wisdom of crowds. Although Thiel says that teaching and tradition can still have value, he urged the recent graduates to do new things, not blindly follow in the footsteps of their teachers and parents. Story continues He certainly has backed some unconventional ideas about college. In 2010, he started the Thiel Fellowship, which pays teenagers $100,000 to drop out of college and start their own companies. Watch the full commencement speech below: NOW WATCH: 'Shark Tank' star Daymond John reveals the advantages of being broke More From Business Insider SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / BioNovelus, Inc. (ONOV) BioNovelus executives President and CEO Jean Ekobo, and CFO, Mark Johnson, will be in Costa Rica the week of May 23, 2016 touring and evaluating five coffee farms participating in a Pilot Test that has revealed CR-10 to be an effective coffee leaf rust killer. Additionally, BioNovelus has signed a Letter of Intent with a prominent Costa Rican distribution company dedicated to the production and commercialization of agrochemicals, fertilizers, fungicides, seeds and spraying equipment. This company also has expressed an interest in becoming the exclusive importer, distributor and seller of BioNovelus products throughout Central America. This alliance has the potential to open the Central American market to BioNovelus for its biodegradable biopesticide, CR-10. Costa Rica is fourth in size with 93,800 hectares of coffee plantations in the region. Honduras comes first with 282,500 hectares, followed by Guatemala with 276,500 hectares, El Salvador with 152,200 hectares and Nicaragua with 126,200 hectares. "Now that the rainy season has started, says Jean Ekobo, we are even more eager to monitor CR-10's performance. The data being collected by the farm cooperative CoopeAgri's is invaluable in proving that our product is effective throughout the entire coffee growing season." About BioNovelus Inc. BioNovelus, Inc. (ONOV) is a biotech company that honors the environment with an innovative and cost effective solution to problems associated with food production and water supply. Additional Information: For additional information: http://bionovelus.com Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements covered by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results for fiscal year 2015 and beyond could differ materially from the Company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "anticipates," "projects," "expects," "plans," "intends," "believes," "estimates," "targets," and other similar expressions that indicate trends and future events. Story continues Factors that could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements include, without limitation, variation in demand and acceptance of the Company's products and services, the frequency, magnitude and timing of paper and other raw-material-price changes, general business and economic conditions beyond the Company's control, timing of the completion and integration of acquisitions, the consequences of competitive factors in the marketplace including the ability to attract and retain customers, results of continuous improvement and other cost-containment strategies, and the Company's success in attracting and retaining key personnel. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update forward-looking statements as a result of new information, since these statements may no longer be accurate or timely. Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933, and are subject to Rule 3B-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this press release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and other results and further events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. Contact: Nathalie Ekobo Marketing & Communications Director BioNovelus, Inc. Skype: bionovelus.inc +1 602-888-3424 Info@BioNovelus.com SOURCE: BioNovelus Inc. Damascus (AFP) - More than 148 people were killed in bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in northwestern Syria, the deadliest attacks to date in the regime's coastal heartland. Seven near-simultaneous explosions targeted bus stations, hospitals and other civilian sites in the seaside cities of Jableh and Tartus, which until now had been relatively insulated from Syria's five-year war. The attacks on strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad's regime came as IS faces mounting pressure in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, where a major offensive to retake the jihadist-held city of Fallujah is underway. One hundred people were killed in Jableh and another 48 in Tartus to the south, including children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were "without a doubt the deadliest attacks" on the two cities since the start of the war. IS claimed the blasts in a statement, saying they were in retaliation for Syrian regime and Russian air strikes against the jihadists and vowed to carry out "more devastating and bitter attacks". IS is not known to have a presence in Syria's coastal provinces, where its jihadist rival, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, is much more prominent. But IS, notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies, suggested the creation of a "wilayat al-Sahel" or Islamic province for the coastal area. "I'm shocked, this is the first time I hear sounds like this," said Mohsen Zayyoud, a 22-year-old student in Jableh. - 'First time we see dead people' - In Tartus a 42-year-old bank employee was just as stunned. "It's the first time we hear explosions in Tartus, and the first time we see dead people or body parts here," said Shady Osman. Jableh lies in Latakia province, while Tartus is the capital of the adjacent governorate of the same name. Both have remained relatively secure even as the war has raged in Latakia province's rural northeast and throughout the country. Story continues The early morning attacks began at a bus station in Tartus, where regime ally Russia has long maintained a naval facility. The Observatory said a car bomb exploded and as people began to flock to the site two suicide bombers detonated explosive belts. A police source in the city confirmed a car bomb had hit the entrance to the station and two suicide bombers attacked inside, while footage from state television showed charred mini-buses and other vehicles ablaze. Around 15 minutes after the Tartus blasts, four explosions rocked Jableh further north. - Hospital blast - The Observatory said a car bomb and three suicide attackers targeted the bus station, a hospital, and a power station. One attacker detonated explosives inside the emergency room of the state-run hospital after carrying victims of the first attack there, and a police officer said a car bomb also targeted the Asaad hospital in the city. The attacks drew condemnation from around the world, while Human Rights Watch warned that targeting civilians "would appear to constitute war crimes". UN chief Ban Ki-moon denounced the "terrorist attacks" while France called the bombing heinous. US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov by phone and urged him to press the Syrian regime to halt its attacks on Aleppo in the north and Daraya near Damascus. State Department spokesman Mark Toner accused the Assad regime of using air strikes and attacks on civilians to gain tactical advantage and said Russia "has a special responsibility" to rein in Syrian government forces. Toner added that Washington is looking to Russia to provide the pressure needed to get the regime "to reconsider the fact that if this keeps up, we may be looking at a complete breakdown of the cessation", referring to a faltering truce agreed in February. The Kremlin said the attacks "demonstrate yet again how fragile the situation is in Syria and the need to take energetic measures to relaunch peace talks". World powers have struggled to rekindle UN-brokered peace negotiations which fizzled in April when Syria's opposition walked away in frustration at stalling progress on the country's dire humanitarian situation. Syria's conflict has evolved from a popular uprising to a multi-faceted war that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. IS has claimed deadly attacks in the West and throughout the Middle East, including twin bombings on military forces in Yemen's second city of Aden on Monday that killed at least 41 people. By John Davison BEIRUT (Reuters) - Bombs killed nearly 150 people and wounded at least 200 in Jableh and Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast on Monday in the government-controlled territory that hosts Russian military bases, monitors and state media said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in the cities that have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in the five-year-old conflict, saying it was targeting members of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 148 people were killed in attacks by at least five suicide bombers and two devices planted in cars. State media had said 78 people had been killed in what is Assad's coastal heartland. The attacks were the first of their kind in Tartous, capital of Tartous province and home to a Russian naval facility, and in Jableh in Latakia province, near a Russian-operated air base. The Kremlin said the blasts underscored the need to press ahead with peace talks after the collapse of a Feb. 27 ceasefire in April due to intensifying violence in a war that has killed at least 250,000 people. "This demonstrates yet again just how fragile the situation in Syria is. And this one more time underscores the need for new urgent steps to continue the negotiating process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness to fight with the Syrian government against "the terrorist threat" and sent his condolences to Assad, the Kremlin said. The Syrian Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the United Nations, state television reported, saying the blasts were a "dangerous escalation by the hostile and extremist regimes in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha", referring to support given to the rebels by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks. "BLOOD AND BODIES" One of the four blasts in Jableh happened when a man walked into a hospital emergency department and blew himself up. Another blast was at a bus station. The Tartous bombs also targeted a bus station, the Observatory and state media said. Younes Hassan, a doctor at the Jableh hospital, said he heard an explosion at the bus station, followed less than a minute later by the hospital blast. "Everything went into emergency mode, wounded people began arriving," he told Reuters by phone. The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned this latest attack on healthcare. The Tartous explosions occurred in quick succession, a driver at the bus station said. "People began running but didn't know which direction to go, cars were on fire, there was blood and bodies on the ground," Nizar Hamade said. Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel showed several twisted and burnt-out cars and vans. Islamic State claimed the attacks in a statement posted online by the group's Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had targeted "gatherings of Alawites". A second statement from the militant group said the attacks were carried out in a government-held area "so they experience the same taste of death which Muslims so far have tasted from Russian (and Syrian government) air strikes on Muslim towns." Amaq said 10 Islamic State members died in the attacks, 5 in Tartous and 5 in Jableh. Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said in an interview with Ikhbariya that terrorists were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians instead of fighting on the front lines, and vowed to keep battling them. The government refers to all insurgents fighting against it as terrorists. The Observatory said an area of Tartous hosting internally displaced Syrians near a blast site was briefly attacked by government supporters in reaction to the bombings. Some tents were burned but nobody was killed. Tartous governor Safwan Abu Saadah told Reuters reports on social media about refugees being shot were not true. He said some Tartous residents had gone to refugee areas to protect them from possible attacks. "Two days ago some camps in Tartous province experienced fires because of electrical problems ... today's reports that people burned (these camps) are not true. Nobody would turn against our guests in this way," Abu Saadah said. Bombings in Damascus and the western city of Homs this year killed dozens of people and were also claimed by Islamic State, which is fighting against government forces and their allies in some areas, and separately against its jihadist rival al Qaeda and other insurgent groups. Latakia city, which is north of Jableh and capital of the province, has been targeted on a number of occasions by bombings and insurgent rocket attacks, including late last year. Government forces and their allies have recently stepped up bombardment of areas in Aleppo province in the north, which has become a focal point for the escalating violence. Insurgents have also launched major attacks in that area. The only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city has suffered a week of increasingly heavy air strikes. Zakaria Malahefji, a senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area told Reuters the road was bombarded again on Monday and was dangerous to use. He said Iranian-backed fighters, who are supporting government forces, were mobilising in the southern Aleppo area. France's Foreign Ministry called the Tartous and Jableh bombings "odious" and said violence from all sides must stop if a political transition is to take place. (Additional reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus, Lisa Barrington in Beirut, John Irish in Paris and Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow; Editing by Janet Lawrence) The state of Louisiana may soon have a law designating attacks on police officers, firefighters or EMS personnel a hate crime, courtesy of a bill nicknamed after the Blue Lives Matter catchphrase, CNN reported. If the bill is passed into law and now that it has passed both houses of the Louisiana state legislature, Gov. John Bel Edwards intends to sign it the state will be the first "to have such as law on its books," according to CNN. In the text of the bill posted to the state legislature's web site, the law implements penalties of "an additional consecutive sentence of imprisonment with or without hard labor for not more than five years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both." Battery of a police officer is already a separate crime in Louisiana state law. Violence against law enforcement has plummeted nationally over the past three decades, leading some to question whether the law is necessary or just an underhanded maneuver to paint police as the victims amid national furor over use of force by law enforcement officers themselves. Blue Lives Matter is itself intended as a rejoinder to Black Lives Matter, the name of a nationwide protest movement determined to put an end to police killings of young black men. Louisiana is a world leader in incarceration, with 816 per 100,000 residents serving time. They are disproportionately black. Louisiana "holds a record number of prisoners serving life without parole for nonviolent crimes, over 90% of whom are black," reported Rolling Stone in 2014. " Among black men in New Orleans, one in seven is serving time, or out on parole or probation." The state's prisons are notoriously violent, with prisoners living in terrible conditions. this is terrifying...louisiana could be the first state to make cops a "protected class" under hate-crime law:http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/05/louisiana_cops_hate_crime.html ... Louisiana's govenor is a Dem. And he's expected to sign off on the Blue Lives Matter bill. "This bill is an attempt to counter the very vocal, visible and effective tactics of the Black Lives Matter movement and paint the police in a more sympathetic public light when in reality, they are increasingly more violent and violence against them is actually decreasing," Katwiwa, a New Orleans-based organizer, told NBC BLK. Story continues "Hate Crimes are designed to protect people's most precious identity categories, like race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, and gender identity," Anti-Defamation League Regional Director Allison Padilla-Goodman told CNN in a statement. "Proving the bias intent is very different for these categories than it is for the bias intent of a crime against a law enforcement officer." However, Louisiana legislators seemed squarely on the side of police. According to the Washington Post, the bill received unanimous approval in the state House, while the Senate voted 33 to three for it. The Boeing Co. BA has won an order worth $11.3 billion at list prices from VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company, a Vietnamese carrier, for 100 737 MAX 200 airplanes. This marks the single largest commercial airplane purchase by a Vietnamese company. The agreement was signed between Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, President and CEO of Vietjet and Ray Conner, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi during President Barack Obamas visit to Vietnam. Delivery of the airplanes will commence in 2019 and run through 2023. With this agreement, Vietjet will be able to expand its fleet to over 200 airplanes by 2023 end, incorporating the worlds most modern and advanced technology. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao believes that this agreement will allow Vietjet to contribute to the expanding joint trade turnover between Vietnam and the U.S. as well as to the development of the aviation industry in Vietnam. The 737 MAX 200 is an upgraded version of the 737 MAX 8. This variant has the capacity to seat 200 passengers, an increase of 11 seats from the previous versions of the 737. The models fuel efficiency per seat is also 20% higher than its peers in the single-aisle aircraft market. Boeing is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world in terms of revenues, orders and deliveries, and is one of the largest aerospace contractors. Its revenue exposure is spread across more than 90 countries around the globe. Demand for Boeings commercial airplanes is on the rise due to a steady improvement in passenger and freight traffic. We remind investors that in the first quarter of 2016, the Next Generation 737 model single-aisle jetliners proved its unfaltering popularity yet again, with the delivery of 121 airplanes. Currently, the company is producing 737 at the rate of 42 per month and it plans to ramp-up production to 47 per month in 2017, 52 per month in 2018 and 57 per month in 2019. Boeing currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked stocks in the aerospace and defense space include Engility Holdings, Inc. EGL, BAE Systems plc BAESY and CAE Inc. CAE, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BOEING CO (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report BAE SYSTEMS-ADR (BAESY): Free Stock Analysis Report CAE INC (CAE): Free Stock Analysis Report ENGILITY HLDGS (EGL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Hairstyles are not just for Bwood women! Our B-town men have also experimented quite a bit with their mane and have impressed us as well. The man ponytail seems to be the current trend doing the rounds. We fell in love with SRKs ponytail back then and it seems that there are a whole lot of other men who are keeping up with the trend. When Shahid Kapoor shaved his head for Haider, he tried to keep it under the wraps. However his newest look for his upcoming film Udta Punjab is out and has already taken social media by storm. The actor is seen sporting long unkempt hair, tied in a ponytail and we must say he looks super cool in his latest do! And Shahid is not the only one to have sported the ponytail, heres a look at other B-town men who have the swag to pull off the man ponytail. RT curentbollynews: Guys checkout Riteish Deshmukhs look from #Banjo pic.twitter.com/yoUPLy5TRQ Free Banjo Tuner (@123banjotuner) February 16, 2016 Riteish Deshmukh We recently spotted Riteish Deshmukh in an all new avatar! Yes, the actor has grown his mane for his upcoming film Banjo and we must say the ponytail looked quite good on him. @galat_fehmi Maybe inspired from SRK as he keeps Ponytail alot of times pic.twitter.com/PBLeNWZW1q Rizwan Khan (@iamrizkhan8970) May 15, 2016 SRK SRK literally started off the trend and still continues to woo his fans with his sassy ponytail. He sported the bad guy ponytail look in Don 2. While that did not impress us much, the cute extension of his silky hair in Om Shanti Om definitely made us fall for him. Story continues Arjun Rampal The Ra One star also gathered guts to grow his mane and in fact, his look even went viral on the net. His chiseled body and tall frame makes him the best guy in B-town to wear a ponytail. From Rock on to Om Shanti Om and Don, this actor has grown his mane more than just once and we must say nobody wears a ponytail like he does! RT if you LOVE the chemistry between Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu in Cheeni Kum. #HappyBirthdayAmitabhBachchan pic.twitter.com/l52wbZkMw6 UDTA PUNJAB (@IyanAmjad) October 11, 2014 Amitabh Bachchan Remember Big Bs cute little ponytail in Cheeni Kum? We must say, no one but Amitabh can pull off the look with such class and style at that age! Ranveer Singh Ranveer has in the past stood out for his quirky dressing and we are not surprised he decided to sport a ponytail. And just like his fashion choices, this too was a hit. 15 Years of Hrithik Roshan 15 yrs of style! Theres nothing sexier than a hot guy sporting a well-groomed ponytail! pic.twitter.com/bt4BNLjoGc Ankita Bhat (@ankuleo) January 14, 2015 Hrithik Roshan The Greek God also sported the sassy ponytail once upon a time and what a head-turner he was! Take a look. Shanghai (AFP) - The controversial boss of Chinese solar energy firm Hanergy Thin Film Power Group -- once listed as China's richest man -- has stepped down as chairman and executive director, the company said, almost a year after its shares imploded. Li Hejun stepped down from Friday "for the reason of strengthening corporate governance", Hanergy said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange, where its shares have been suspended since May last year after plunging 47 percent in less than half an hour, wiping $19 billion off its market capitalisation. The territory's securities regulators also announced a probe into the company. Hanergy had captured the attention of investors after growing more than sixfold to became the world's largest solar power company by market value before the collapse, amid questions over the firm's share price and revenue sources. The meteoric rise in share price once gave Li the title of China's richest man, according to one wealth survey, but he has since fallen well down the rankings and regulatory filings showed he later sold some of his shares at a 95 percent discount. He remains the chairman and chief executive officer of parent company Hanergy Holding Group, according to the parent. The statement said there were no matters relating to Li's resignation that needed to be brought to the attention of the stock exchange or shareholders. Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission has yet to make a public announcement about its investigation, almost a year after it started. Two other executive directors of Hanergy Thin Film also stepped down, according to the latest statement, with Yuan Yabin, a deputy general director of the parent taking over as chairman and an executive director of the listed unit. The collapse of Hanergy and some other top-performing stocks on the Hong Kong stock market prompted critics to question the oversight of regulators. By Paul Kilby NEW YORK, May 23 (IFR) - Brazilian sovereign debt was weaker on Monday following reports that the new planning minister had tried to stall the corruption investigation at state-controlled oil company Petrobras. Minister Romero Juca said he would not resign over the reports, but the news gave investors pause after a burst of optimism over the new government of President Michel Temer. "It is not good news for the new regime," said a New York-based trader. Brazil five-year CDS widened about 11bp in early morning trading to around 355bp-361bp, while the sovereign's 2026s were down about a point at 101.00-101.75, according to traders. Sovereign debt was underperforming a US$6.75bn deal priced last week by Petrobras, which saw its bonds sink last week following complaints about tight pricing on its 10-year. The 10-year 2026s were down just 15 cents at 95.10-95.60, but still well below a reoffer price of 98.374. The 2021s were being quoted at 98.60-98.90 versus a reoffer of 99.002. Temer this month replaced Dilma Rousseff, who is undergoing an impeachment trial. Temer has won praise for appointing a market-friendly cabinet, including former banker and ex-central bank chief Henrique Meirelles as finance minister. Juca's post as planning minister is particularly important to investors, given that he is in charge of overseeing Brazil's budget. (Reporting by Paul Kilby; Editing by Marc Carnegie) BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Planning Minister Romero Juca denied a newspaper report that he discussed hindering a major anti-corruption investigation and said he would remain a minister as long as he had the support of interim President Michel Temer. Juca, who is at the forefront of the new government's efforts to privatize state assets, said his comments in a taped conversation had been taken out of context by newspaper de Folha de S.Paulo and he called on the newspaper to publish the full transcript of the conversation. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Writing by Brad Haynes; Editing by Daniel Flynn) Brazil protests May 22nd Homeless workers party Things are already getting ugly for Brazil's new president, Michel Temer, and over the weekend protesters expressed their anger with a demonic chant for his ouster, according to Dom Philips at The Washington Post. From WaPo: Musicians railed against Temer at shows across Brazil this weekend, and their audiences sang for his ouster. Some chanted Temer out to a famous and melodramatic opera melody its sense of impending apocalypse playing with unfounded Internet rumors that Brazils unpopular new leader is a Satanist. This is not an auspicious beginning for Brazil's former vice president, and it also marks the end of everything pundits and scholars have predicted for the country. For the most part, even the most shocking things that have happened in Brazil since a massive graft scandal was uncovered have been priced in by the market. Yes, even the removal of President Dilma Rousseff (which is now basically a foregone conclusion) was priced in. In fact, the market liked it. She stood accused of trying to hide the wretched state of Brazil's economy when she took office for a second term in the fall of 2014. Now that the drama surrounding impeachment is over, we've entered a part of the story where the pundits and market watchers have yet to go. This is where we could see some real chaos as the Brazilian people find not just Rousseff's PT party unfit, but seek a complete cleansing of their political system. You see, the problem is that Brazil isn't just throwing Rousseff out, letting her successor rule with a fresh finance minister, and moving forward to get out of its current economic recession. Story continues No, that would be way too simple. Part of the reason why Brazilians are so angry with their government has to do with a 2014 sting called "Operation Car Wash." It revealed that the government was using the quasi-state oil company, Petrobras, as its personal slush fund. Politicians and businessmen from all parties and walks of life were complicit in this corruption, and the Brazilian people and, more important, the country's judicial branch want to hold them accountable for that. So instead of stopping with Rousseff, the arrests are continuing. That is why Joao Claudio Genu, a former treasurer of Rouseff's successor Michel Temer's Progressive Party, was just arrested for graft. It's a signal that heads will continue to roll, and it doesn't matter which party they come from. And then there's the economy, stupid What's more, since the economy is bad, there are a bunch of pressure points that the government is hitting in order to tighten its belt. That is why Temer himself is in trouble right now, and that's where this chant came from. Musicians and artists, including the legendary Caetano Veloso (think: Bob Dylan status), threw a bunch of big rallies and concerts protesting the government over the weekend. They're mad because Temer said he would do away with Brazil's Ministry of Culture to cut costs. Temer later walked back from his decision to cut the ministry, but the chant is still a thing, according to WaPo. It should also be noted that there are Brazilians who still support Rousseff. They call Temer "golpista" a scammer/con artist who pulled off an illegal coup against the president. Obviously, these aren't auspicious beginnings for the Temer administration. And after Temer, the known road for Brazilian politics ends. Economists, political analysts, and journalists alike are uncertain what it could mean for the country, and the market hates uncertainty. So hold on to your hats. NOW WATCH: Be sure to learn the actual meaning of these real estate 'code words' before looking for a new place More From Business Insider (Recasts for Juca stepping down to return to Senate, adds comments, market reaction) By Silvio Cascione and Maria Carolina Marcello BRASILIA, May 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's interim government was rocked on Monday by the loss of one of its key figures, Planning Minister Romero Juca, who stepped aside amid accusations he had conspired to obstruct the country's biggest-ever corruption investigation. Interim President Michel Temer was counting on Juca, a close confidant and experienced senator, to steer a budget bill through Congress to avoid a government shutdown next month. However, a recording of his conversation with a suspect in the investigation threatened to stain the new, center-right administration, already unsettled by a series of policy reversals during its first week in office. The scandal weakened Brazil's currency on fears of further instability less than two weeks after President Dilma Rousseff was suspended to stand trial in the Senate for allegedly breaking fiscal laws, leaving former Vice President Temer to lead the country. "Starting from tomorrow, I will step aside," Juca, appointed by Temer after Rousseff's suspension, told reporters in Brasilia. He denied any wrongdoing and insisted that his recorded comments had been distorted and taken out of context. In the recording, made before Rousseff was put on trial and published by newspaper Folha de S. Paulo on Monday, Juca told a friend he agreed on the need for a "national pact" to limit the graft probe rattling the political establishment. Asked for help by his ally, ex-senator Sergio Machado under investigation in the probe, Juca replied: "The government has to be changed in order to stop this bleeding," Folha reported, adding that the conversations were taped "secretly." Juca said the conversation happened either at his home or at his office but it was not clear how the hour-long recording was made. Local media reported it may be connected with Machado who has been negotiating a plea bargain deal with prosecutors. Machado was not immediately available for comment. Story continues Juca and other ministers in Temer's new government are under investigation for their alleged roles in the massive bribery scheme stemming from state-run oil company Petrobras. At a press conference earlier on Monday, Juca insisted that he would never interfere in the investigation and his comments were not incriminating in any way. He said the "bleeding" he was referring to was Brazil's free-falling economy and the Rousseff government's recent paralysis. By the end of the day, however, the scandal had reached a fever pitch in the capital Brasilia, and Juca announced his plans to take a leave of absence from the ministry until public prosecutors make public statements exonerating him. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index was knocked lower by the news, falling 0.8 percent on Monday. The local currency lost 1.8 percent against the U.S. dollar. Temer said in a statement that Juca would support the government from the Senate to ensure that the budget and other reforms were passed. A trained economist with over 20 years in the Senate, Juca was a key member of Temer's new economic team that is racing to approve a series of economic measures in Congress aimed at rescuing investor confidence in the slumping Brazilian economy. New Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles will announce on Tuesday some of those measures to include limits to public spending to close a widening fiscal gap that cost Brazil its coveted investment-grade rating. EARLY BACKLASH The blow of Juca's leave of absence followed a political about-face over the weekend, when Temer reinstated the culture ministry just over a week after announcing he was folding it into the education ministry to save money. The decision to combine the ministries provoked the ire of famous artists and musicians, adding to a backlash against the interim government last week that included protests outside Temer's Sao Paulo residence. Eliane Cantanhede, a seasoned political columnist, wrote Monday on the website of the Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that tossing Juca overboard was the only option for Temer, but that it will not solve the interim president's political problems. "Juca is gone, but the trail of the recordings remain ... and will serve as the fuel to further ignite the movements that will take to the streets against Temer," she wrote. Federal police in the southern city of Curitiba have spearheaded the Petrobras probe with broad popular support. They said on Monday they had no direct knowledge of the Juca recording but were not concerned about his reported remarks. "From everything we have seen so far, it's extremely clear that (the investigation) has not and will not be blocked by anyone," said Igor Romario, a lead investigator on the case. Sergio Moro, the federal judge who has overseen much of the Petrobras case, said at a public event in Sao Paulo that he would not comment specifically on the Juca recording. But he said "the judiciary has demonstrated its independence in relation to the other powers and to any political interferences." (Additional reporting by Caroline Stauffer and Brad Brooks; Writing Brad Haynes and Alonso Soto; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Andrew Hay) The Milwaukee Brewers have pitched pretty well of late, but that couldn't prevent them from being swept over the weekend. The rebuilding Atlanta Braves have also received some strong performances on the mound lately, which have them coming off an impressive series win. The teams open a three-game series at Turner Field on Tuesday night with a pair of starters looking to build on strong outings. The Brewers (18-26) had won three of four going into their road series against the New York Mets last weekend, but couldn't earn a victory despite limiting the Mets to 11 runs. Milwaukee was held to eight in the three games. "We pitched well enough to put ourselves in every game, but they pitched a little better," manager Craig Counsell told MLB's official website. Chase Anderson lasted five innings and gave up three runs while being hurt by Ryan Braun's misplay in left field in Sunday's 3-1 loss. Brewers starting pitchers have posted a 3.38 ERA in the last seven games - a major improvement as the club is last in the NL with a 5.45 ERA from the starters. ''I think we're all understanding of the position that we're in, but the goal is still to win games,'' said Braun, who singled once in four at-bats in his return after missing four games with a stiff back. ''We're encouraged by the fact that our starting pitching has been really good the last couple of times through. Those guys are throwing great. We're putting ourselves in a position where if we're able to get some big hits or make big pitches, we're going to start winning a lot of games.'' Jimmy Nelson (4-3, 3.07 ERA) will try to extend the rotation's resurgence. The right-hander has been excellent in his last two starts, allowing two runs in 15 1/3 innings, but going 0-1 in that span while receiving two total runs of support. Nelson can't complain to Julio Teheran (1-4, 2.73) about it, though. The Braves right-hander is getting 2.73 runs per game, fifth-lowest in the league. Story continues His last six starts have been a study in frustration, as he's 1-2 despite a 1.15 ERA. He's received 1.83 runs in those games. Teheran finally broke through for a victory in his most recent start, however, throwing 7 2/3 scoreless innings to win 3-1 at Pittsburgh on Wednesday. That began a five-game stretch in which the Braves allowed one or no runs three times - all of those victories. Atlanta (12-31) lost 5-0 at Philadelphia on Sunday, but that prevented a Braves sweep of the contending Phillies as the club completed a 10-game road trip at 4-6 before beginning 10 in a row at home. "I've seen a lot of good things during my first week here that we can build on," interim manager Brian Snitker said. "We're getting the train rolling a little bit. We've got to just keep taking it a day at a time and not look too far ahead." His players seem to agree after the dismissal of Fredi Gonzalez and Snitker's arrival last Tuesday. "I wouldn't be able to put my finger on it, but I do think there is a different feel," utility man Kelly Johnson said. "To be honest, making the change and having that done was something that was talked about almost from the beginning. So now, that's just another distraction that is gone." Ender Inciarte is 3 for 5 with a home run off Nelson, while Jonathan Lucroy is 4 for 8 with a pair of doubles against Teheran. The Braves have won 10 of the last 13 meetings with the Brewers. London (AFP) - Bananas, kettles and vacuum cleaners -- campaigners for Britain to leave the EU warn that even the most mundane things are subject to rules made in Brussels as they urge voters to "take back control". Bananas European Union rules on the shape of bananas have long been a symbol in Britain of the red tape imposed by technocrats in Brussels, but the campaign for the June 23 referendum has sparked fresh claims of interference. "So do you agree with this EU regulation which sets out how shops should sell bananas?" tweeted the Vote Leave campaign this week. Leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London, had earlier told a crowd that "it is absurd that we are told that you cannot sell bananas in bunches of more than two or three". "You cannot sell bananas with abnormal curvature," he added, saying this was one of the "pointless" rules that are "holding back this country". The EU has no ban on straight or bendy bananas or on how many can be sold in a bunch, although bananas are classified by quality and size so they can be traded internationally. European Commission regulation 2257/94 states that the fruit must be "free from malformation or abnormal curvature". Class 1 bananas can have "slight defects of shape" and Class 2 bananas can have "defects of shape". Vacuum cleaners Another rallying cry for eurosceptics, the vacuum cleaner, is subject to rules on energy consumption. "The EU has also taken control of the household appliances your family can use," claims Vote Leave on its website. "It has banned high-powered vacuum cleaners. Brussels also plans to outlaw British toasters and kettles." Earlier this month, the anti-EU Daily Express tabloid splashed the issue on its front page under the headline: "Now EU want to ban our kettles". The reality is a little more complicated. From next year, the EU will impose a limit of 900 watts on vacuum cleaners, down from 1,600 at the moment. Story continues "No decision has been taken -- or is scheduled -- to put forward new rules for kettles or toasters," the European Commission said in a recent blog post. The conservative Daily Telegraph newspaper suggested that Brussels has simply postponed the introduction of application of the new rules to these appliances to avoid antagonising Britons ahead of the referendum. Blowing up balloons Johnson has also revived the claim, first circulated five years ago, that children under the age of eight cannot blow up a balloon on their own. At the time, the European Commission said children were not banned, only that it recommended they be supervised by an adult while blowing up certain types of balloons to avoid risk of injury. By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal COLOMBO (Reuters) - Britain has granted refugee status to Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, who was jailed in 2015 after a trial that drew international criticism, his lawyer said on Monday. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, was allowed to go to Britain in January for medical treatment after President Abdulla Yameen came under international pressure to let him leave. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that cast a spotlight on instability in the Indian Ocean archipelago known as a paradise for wealthy tourists. "Nasheed has been granted political refugee status in the U.K.," Hasan Latheef, Nasheed's lawyer, told Reuters from the capital, Male. A British High Commission official in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo said it did not comment on individual asylum cases. The Home Office (interior ministry) in London was not immediately available for comment. Since his release from jail, Nasheed has called for sanctions against Yameen and his allies for detaining political prisoners, mainly opposition leaders, and for alleged human rights abuses in the Maldives. On Monday Nasheed issued a statement accusing Yameen of jailing all opposition leaders and cracking down "on anyone who dares to oppose or criticise him". "SLIDE TOWARDS AUTHORITARIANISM" "In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives, myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile - for now," Nasheed said in the statement. Nasheed was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012 after ordering the arrest of the judge. The United Nations, the United States and human rights groups said Yameen's government had failed to follow due process and that the case was politically motivated. The Maldives foreign ministry said the reports of Nasheed seeking asylum demonstrated his intention to avoid serving his prison sentence and "once again exhibited a distinct lack of commitment to the legal process". Yameen has proposed all-party talks to resolve the Maldives' political crisis but opposition parties insist their jailed leaders must first be released. His government has faced international criticism over the detention of 18 journalists after they said a proposed defamation bill was aimed at suppressing freedom of expression. Yameen, whose half-brother lost power to Nasheed in 2008, has rejected accusations that Nasheed's trial was politically motivated and said the legal process was fair. In 2009, Nasheed led the world's first underwater cabinet meeting to draw attention to the threat to his country posed by rising sea levels. (Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Gareth Jones) Bonn (AFP) - Using up all known fossil fuel reserves would render Earth even more unliveable than scientists had previously projected, researchers said on Monday. Average temperatures would climb by up to 9.5 degrees Celsius (17 degrees Fahrenheit) -- five times the cap on global warming set at climate talks in Paris in December, they reported. In the Arctic region -- already heating at more than double the global average -- the thermometer would rise an unimaginable 15 C to 20 C. Burning all known reserves of oil, gas and coal would inject about five trillion tonnes of heat-trapping carbon into the atmosphere, mainly in the form of carbon dioxide, a team wrote in the journal Nature Climate Change. This number -- about ten times the 540 billion tonnes of carbon emitted since the start of industrialisation -- would be reached near the end of the 22nd century if fossil fuel trends go unchanged, it added. Most of the UN climate science panel's projections for greenhouse gas emissions do not forecast beyond two trillion tonnes of carbon, more than enough to unleash a crippling maelstrom of rising seas, drought, heat waves and floods. Indeed, to have a better-than-even chance of holding global warming at 2 C (3.6 F), the total carbon budget -- including what has already been released -- is about one trillion tonnes, the UN has said. But extreme modelling scenarios cannot and should not be ignored, said the lead author of the study. "It is relevant to know what would happen if we do not take actions to mitigate climate change," Kasia Tokarska, a doctoral student at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, told AFP. - High stakes - There was still no guarantee, she pointed out, that the 195 nations which forged the Paris Agreement will deliver on their collective pledge to hold global warming to under 2 C (3.6 F) by cutting back on fossil fuels. Negotiators reconvened in Bonn this week to start turning the landmark political deal into an operational plan, but have found themselves bogged down in procedural discussions. Story continues "Policymakers need to have a clear view of what is at stake... if no meaningful climate policies are put in place," said Thomas Frolicher, an expert on environmental physics at the science and technology university ETH Zurich, in a comment on the study. Previous research had projected that Earth's temperature rise would slow down once the level of two trillion tonnes is reached -- beyond that threshold, the impact of additional carbon diminishes. Using up-to-date climate models, however, Tokarska and colleagues showed that much of this work had over-estimated the oceans' capacity to absorb the CO2 humans pumped into the air, along with the additional heat it generates. "The ocean takes up heat more slowly under those conditions," offsetting the slowdown in temperature rise, she explained by email. Older models had projected that depleting fossil fuel reserves entirely would heat the planet by 4.3 C to 8.4 C. The new study revises this to between 6.4 C and 9.5 C. And there's another wild card. Even if humanity manages to drastically curb its use of oil, gas and coal, Nature could add massive amounts of greenhouse gases all by itself, scientists warn. Hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon, mostly in the form of methane, are locked in the increasingly misnamed permafrost of the sub-Arctic region. Beyond a certain threshold -- and no one knows what that is -- global warming could irretrievably unlock these methane reserves. Inspired by the recommendation of a 9-year-old inventor during the White House Science Fair in April, President Barack Obama has put out a call to kids across the United States to share their thoughts on science, technology and innovation. Both in and out of classrooms, kids know firsthand how to inspire students in the STEM fields science, technology, engineering and math. So the president is asking young scientists and inventors to tell the White House what it can do to build the future of science, discovery and exploration. "Whether you care about tackling climate change, finding a cure to cancer, using technology to help make people's lives better or getting a human to Mars, we can't wait to get your input!" John Holdren, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, wrote in a White House blog post yesterday (May 19) to announce the initiative. [Summer Reading: Best Science-y Books for Kids] The online form (which doesn't require kids to submit personal information) includes questions such as, "What is your favorite thing about science, technology, engineering or math?" and "If you could pitch the president one idea on how we could make our country work better using science and technology, what would you say?" Holdren also noted the president's long record of encouraging kids to engage with science and technology. "He recognizes that the future of our country depends on the innovations and advances of today's students," Holdren wrote. At the annual White House Science Fair in April, the president reiterated this idea. "One of the things I find so inspiring about these young thinkers is that they look at all these seemingly intractable problems as something that we can solve," Obama said at the time. "There is a confidence when you are pursuing science. They don't consider age a barrier. They don't think, 'Well, that's just the way things are.' They're not afraid to try things and ask tough questions." Story continues From the inventions they've tried to the questions they've asked, students interested in STEM are encouraged to submit their ideas through the White House's blog. Follow Kacey Deamer @KaceyDeamer. Follow Live Science @livescience, on Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A large trader is buying more time for gains in Molson Coors Brewing. optionMONSTER's monitoring program detected the sale of 4,000 May 95 calls for $1.65 and the purchase of 4,000 June 97.50 calls for $1.85 on Friday. Volume was below open interest in the May contracts, which expired at the end of last week, indicating that a bullish position was rolled forward by a month to a higher strike for a net cost of $0.20. Long calls lock in the price where investors can buy stock, allowing them to profit from a rally with limited capital at risk. Their cheap cost can also generate significant leverage on a percentage basis if shares move in the right direction. (See our Education section) TAP fell 0.79 percent to $96.72 on Friday but is up 14 percent in the last three months. The beer company beat estimates on the top and bottom lines on May 3. Its next quarterly report is expected on Aug. 2. Overall option volume in the name was 4 times greater than average on Friday. Calls outnumbered puts by a bullish 12-to-1 ratio. More From optionMONSTER Camille Cosby Bill Cosby 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards - Backstage Getty Image Around 50 women have accused comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault. Currently, Cosby faces criminal charges in Pennsylvania in a case involving a former Temple University employee and is embroiled in a lawsuit brought against him by several of his accusers. His wife Camille Cosby was compelled to give a deposition in this lawsuit, but she ended up refusing to answer most questions that the plaintiffs lawyers asked. According to ABC News, Cosby gave her deposition on February 22 and on April 19. When a judge compelled Cosby to sit for the deposition, she said that she didnt have to answer any question regarding private communication between her and her husband. As a result, Cosby didnt answer a vast majority of questions, citing marital privilege, including questions about whether Bill Cosby acted with a lack of integrity in the couples marriage, and whether she had any knowledge of her husband manipulating young women. Its hard to decide whether to judge Camille Cosby or not on her support of her husband. Its hard also not to feel for her when she has to address the possibility of her husbands disturbing actions for PR and legal purposes. For instance, she previously in a show of support for her husband said that Bills alleged victims consented to drugs and sex, after he admitted in his own deposition that he provided them with quaaludes. In the April 19 deposition, she had no opinion when asked about whether this admission violated their marriage vows, and also declined to answer whether Bill provided her with drugs. These questions that Camille Cosby refuses to answer just reinforce how messed up this situation is. (via ABC News) Count Jessica Chastain among Xavier Dolan's biggest fans, just as his native Canada on Sunday applauded the young director's Grand Prix win Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival. "CONGRATS @XDolan on Grand Prix!!!! Forever proud of you baby!!!," Chastain tweeted after Dolan won the second-place trophy in Cannes for his family drama It's Only the End of the World. "@jes_chastain thank you honey! I am so so so touched! Can't tell you what the Emotion here is like!" Dolan replied on his own Twitter account to Chastain, who is set to co-star along with Natalie Portman in the Canadian director's first English-language movie, The Death and Life of John F. Donovan. Dolan got into another Twitter exchange with film blogger Jessica Kiang, who wrote: "I think Cannes might just have ruined Dolan forever. No chance he's going to rein it in now." Dolan dismissed Kiang's criticism with his own tweet: "I'll be alright, Jess. As long as I ignore your cheap parallelism between a life you don't know and a play you've never read." Read more: Berlin: Natalie Portman Joins Jessica Chastain in 'The Death and Life of John F. Donovan' Dolan's defying critics to pick up the Grand Prix, along with the Ecumenical Prize on Saturday, stirred pride back in Canada. "Dolan's two latest awards at Cannes are renewed recognition of his immense talent, of course, but also of the determined effort and sheer perseverance he has demonstrated from the outset. For all those reasons, he is a source of pride for us and for all Canadians," Carolle Brabant, executive director of Telefilm Canada, the country's biggest film financier, said in a statement following Dolan's wins. Emily Hampshire (12 Monkeys), who is also set to appear in The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, also applauded the Grand Prix win on her Twitter account: "This. Is. An. Artist!" It's Only the End of the World stars Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard and Lea Seydoux and portrays a man who returns home after a long absence to tell his family that he is about to die. Dolan in 2014 grabbed the third place Jury Prize for Mommy, a prize he shared with French director Jean-Luc Godard. It's Only the End of the World is the director's sixth film, and the fifth to screen in Cannes. Here are the winners from the 2016 Cannes film festival, as chosen by a jury led by Australian director and "Mad Max" creator George Miller: Palme d'Or: "I, Daniel Blake" British Director Ken Loach won over the jury with his moving tale of a carpenter (Dave Johns) who suffers repeated humiliations as he seeks welfare benefits after having a heart attack. Grand Prix: "It's Only The End of The World" Canadian wunderkind Xavier Dolan's film was booed by some critics but the jury felt it deserved second place in Cannes for his fraught family drama. It is the latest in a string of Cannes honours for the 27-year-old director who won the third-placed Jury Prize in 2014 for "Mommy". Jury Prize: "American Honey" Britain's Andrea Arnold came in third with "American Honey", starring Shia LaBeouf as the leader of a group of disaffected US teens selling magazines door-to-door. A throbbing soundtrack accompanies the youths on their slow-paced road trip, with plenty of marijuana smoking, drinking and falling in love. Best actor: Shahab Hosseini in "The Salesman" The Iranian actor won for his role as a man struggling to come to terms with an attack on his wife in their home. He sets out on a revenge mission while she tries to regain the upper hand and deal with the assault in her own manner. Best actress: Jaclyn Jose in "Ma' Rosa" Philippine soap star Jaclyn Jose won best actress for her mesmerising performance as a mother forced to sell drugs to survive before falling prey to corrupt police. Best director: Cristian Mungiu and Olivier Assayas The best director award was shared between Romania's Cristian Mungiu and France's Olivier Assayas. Mungiu shines a light on the post-communist social rot in his homeland in "Graduation", about a father trying to ensure his daughter can escape Romania's corruption with a scholarship to a British university. Story continues Assayas won for "Personal Shopper" starring Kristen Stewart, a movie that is an audacious mix of ghost story, murder mystery and existential drama. Critics, however, booed it. Best screenplay: Asghar Farhadi The Iranian director, who won an Oscar in 2012 for "A Separation", won best screenplay for "The Salesman". CANNES Rodrigo Teixeiras RT Features, an Indignation and Little Men producer and Martin Scorsese co-producer on Josh and Benny Sadies Uncut Gems, has boarded Late To Die Young, from Dominga Sotomayor, a double Rotterdam Tiger winner with Thursday Till Sunday, her debut, and The Island, which she co-directed. Deal came at Cannes as Paul Hudsons Outsider Pictures inked North America on another Chilean movie, Fernando Lavanderos No North. Produced by Sotomayors Santiago de Chile-based Cinestacion and RT Features, and set for a first-half 2017 shoot, the Sundance and Rotterdam Hubert Bals Fund-backed Too Late is a coming of age tale about three adolescents, set in an isolated rural community in the context of Chiles return to democracy, Sotomayor told Variety. She added:The alliance allows us to shoot soon; also, I admire the films RT Features is producing, its involvement, for example, in the next Kiarostami. RT Features has become a leading brand for works outside Brazil both in Latin America, the U.S. and France. Working with Chile further enhances our reach with international productions, Teixera added. As Latin America ever more finances and produces U.S. movies think Gaston Pavlovichs financing Scorseses The Irishman rather than relying just on Europe, Latin America filmmakers are increasingly also co-producing among themselves. Its interesting how new possibilities are opening up for co-production in Latin America, which determines new languages and new possibilities for communication and visibility across the region, Sotomayor commented. Indeed, presenting at Cannes more than 70 movies in development, production and post-pro Chilean producers struck a striking range of deals, in terms of film types and geography. The major new thrust, however, is strategic, and Latin-American focused, as the Chilean government and producers drove into co-production across the region, Chiles Arts and Audiovisual Industry Council (CNCA) launching new bilateral co-production fund with Argentina and Brazil. Inked with Brazils Ancine state-backed film-TV agency, latter sees one 2016 project receiving $100,000 in bilateral funding. Story continues As significant international theatrical sales on foreign-language films contract for all but name directors and a clutch of breakout movies, often with higher production values (think No, Gloria and this years Cannes Director Fortnight hit Neruda), co-production broadens films financing possibilities, scales them up, said Constanza Arena, exec director of CinemaChile, Chiles international film promo org. Also, on most films, co-production currently bring far more money to the table than licensing deals. At Cannes, CinemaChile organised producers co-pro meeting with Brazil, Croatia and Belgiums Wallonie Bruxelles Image. Also, Cinemachile is exploring a place for Chilean producers to meet their independent U.S producer counterparts. In the U.S., as Brazil and Italy, theres more of a demand for Chilean films than offer, Arena said. Also in Chiles business mix at the 2016 Cannes Film Market: *Rolling off rave reviews at Cannes, Pablo Larrains Neruda closed U.S. rights with The Orchard, in one of the earliest U.S. deals to be announced at Cannes. Movie had already wracked up strong pre-sales before its Cannes world premiere. *Paul Hudsons Outsider Pictures acquired North American tights to Chilean Fernando Lavanderos No North. Deal was inked by Hudson and Luis Cifuentes at Lucho Films. No North is a modern road movie, a story of love and a trip to Chile that isnt often seen on the screen, Hudson said. *Cinestacion also closed a minority co-pro deal on Die Monster Die, lead-produced out of Argentina and Alejandro Fadels second feature afterThe Wild Ones, which scooped Cannes 2012 Critics Week ACID/CCAS Distribution Support Award. *Italy inked with Chile on a joint co-pro co-development fund. *Also closed at Cannes, Cinestacion will put up minority equity on El Hombre de la Mancha, the second feature from Costa Rican Neto Villalobos (All About the Feathers). *Storyboard Media clinched French co-production from Les Films Figures Libres on Sergio Castros The Hidden Man, a docu-feature on Chiles most famed communist hitman, responsible for the assassination of multiple military officials associated with Augusto Pinochets dictatorship. Storyboards Tila: Fragments of a Psychopath, directed by Alejandro Torres, and Jorge Yacomans Fragments of Lucia were also acquired for distribution in Mexico by Vendo Cine. *Portugals Terratreme Films will co-produce Petit Frere, from Chiles Araucaria Cine, about a Haitian immigrant in Chile. *Latido Films rolled out sales on Pepa San Martins Rara, a Grand Prize winner at Berlins Generation KPlus, which has closed 10 international sales deals, with further licensing pacts under negotiation. Related stories Martin Scorsese's Sikelia Productions Partners With RT Features on 'Uncut Gems' Brazil's RT Features Give U.S. Independent Films a Boost Latin America: Up Next! - Gabriela Amaral Almeida CANNES We say it every year often repeatedly over the course of Oscar reason, as we puzzle over the quirks and oversights of the Academys choices: Actors and filmmakers are not critics. We dont say it as often at the Cannes Film Festival, though its just as often applicable. For every year the Cannes jury composed mostly of working industry professionals echoes their approval of a critics pet in Competition (Blue is the Warmest Color or Amour, to name two recent Palme dOr winners), theres another where they express a very different preference. Last year provided a good example of that, as Jacques Audiards Dheepan took the top prize from a Coen brothers-led jury, despite a critical reception that was more respectable than ecstatic. That mild divergence, as it turned out, was a mere warm-up act for the surprises of this years Competition awards, which left the festivals press contingent largely, sometimes angrily, baffled. How the hell did the best Cannes Competition lineup in about 15 years yield the worst set of winners? tweeted Varietys newest critic Jessica Kiang as the ceremony concluded with veteran British auteur Ken Loach taking his second Palme dOr for, I, Daniel Blake. She wasnt alone. Gallic cinema bible Cahiers du Cinema put it most melodramatically: A beautiful Competition wasted by a blind jury, they tweeted in French. Loachs film was by no means a derided winner. The film has dedicated champions Varietys Owen Gleiberman among them and its politically topical plea for welfare reform in the U.K. drew a strong emotional response from Cannes audiences. (Full disclosure: Due to conflicting assignments, I didnt see it.) But critical consensus appeared to decree it nothing new, another well-executed Loachian slice of social realism, but not the most arresting or exciting pick for the loftiest prize in world cinema. (Ten years ago, Loachs The Wind That Shakes the Barley drew similarly tempered reactions before landing a surprise Palme win.) Story continues If Loachs win drew a resigned shrug from many Cannes critics, thats perhaps because theyd already exhausted their ire on the previous announcement, the Grand Prix. That went to famously stroppy Quebecois prodigy Xavier Dolan for Its Only the End of the World a title that could aptly describe many critics wounded reaction to its win. Dolans latest, a hysterically pitched dysfunctional family drama shot in relentless close-up, drew the worst reviews of the fest that werent for Sean Penns The Last Face, prompting dismayed reactions even from many critics who had championed his previous work to which the 27-year-old director responded in kind with a series of piqued interviews that let his detractors know precisely what he thought of them. Boos circulated in the Cannes press room after Dolans name was called not an unfamiliar sound in Cannes, where catcalls greet a lot of work that, for better or worse, tests its audience. We heard it at the press screening for Olivier Assayas sleek, strange, ambiguity-ridden ghost story Personal Shopper which took the best director prize tonight, shared with former Palme dOr winner Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) for Graduation, a film that notched up fine reviews without many critics saying it ranked alongside his best work. Even Andrea Arnolds undisciplined but rapturous American Honey got its share of festival boos and was rewarded with the Jury Prize, the third of Arnolds career. (If juries didnt change every year, one might have thought to switch things up a little. But its important to note that juries vote with little sense of what has gone before. Again, they arent journalists.) Cannes, of course, should be a platform where difficult, divisive films can thrive and win awards, and Id be disinclined to trust any critic who found all the aforementioned titles beneath consideration. (For the record, I personally found Assayas provocation enthralling, and Dolans excruciating.) But rarely has a collective list of Cannes jury selections felt quite so disconnected from the picture painted by critics of that years festival. This year, many of the Competition titles most lavishly acclaimed by critics from Jim Jarmuschs Paterson to Paul Verhoevens Elle left empty-handed, while others judged to be sub-par or merely good by their celebrated makers standards (the Dolan and the Mungiu, but also Asghar Farhadis The Salesman) earned prizes. Opinions may vary on their worthiness, but its hard to deny that many of this years jury choices feel complacent, right down to the recurring category wins, a decade apart, for Loach and Arnold. The most prominent victim of that apparent complacency was German director Maren Ade. Her moving, wildly unconventional family comedy Toni Erdmann was the clear critical breakout hit of the festival, topping every critics poll at the fest by a notable margin and scooping the FIPRESCI critics prize the night before the ceremony. I was one of many on the Croisette who predicted that the narrative inventiveness and emotional pull of Ades film would carry it to a Palme win. Instead, it received zilch. Thats a disappointment not just to fans of the film, but those who were hoping the jurys choices would reflect what had become the festivals major talking point: the unusually high presence of female-driven stories in the Competition. As the likes of Toni Erdmann, American Honey, Kleber Mendonca Filhos rich Sonia Braga vehicle Aquarius and yesterdays surprise package Elle gained ardent fans, the streak led many to hope the jury might anoint the second female Palme winner in history, after Jane Campion 23 years ago. Millers jury, less preoccupied than we are with identifying such trends, didnt play ball, assembling a list of winning films dominated by male protagonists and perspectives, with only Arnold present to fly the flag for female filmmakers. Thats the jurys prerogative, of course they should award the films they like most, not those they feel most fit a certain zeitgeist. But it was a pointed underlining of just how differently jurors and critics viewed the standout virtues of this years Cannes program. The key difference is a simple one. Most critics at Cannes return to the festival year after year, viewing and reviewing the selection each time; Kirsten Dunst and Donald Sutherland, to name two of this years jurors, do not. While I, Daniel Blakes polemic storytelling seemed old hat to many critics on the Croisette, it may well have been a revelation to an industry peer whos less au fait with Loachs style and perhaps likelier than more academically-inclined critics to prioritize message over medium. Similar arguments can be made for other winners this year. The Salesman is fine, tweeted Telegraph critic Robbie Collin after the film took best actor and screenplay the only awards, under current Cannes rules, permitted to be given in tandem, which indicates that the jury faction pushing for Farhadis film was an insistent one. But the fact this Farhadi won two prizes makes me wonder how many others the jurors have seen. That may seem a snobbish attitude: Cinematic value doesnt have to be dictated by those fortunate enough to see everything, and get paid for the privilege. But that degree of exposure to, and absorption of, film can yield a different perspective, one that often pursues artistic innovation and bracing identity politics over more conventional but emotionally rewarding storytelling. Awards can be given for either: Its important to remember, away from the critics kvetching, how many conflicted motives, and how much jury infighting, might lie behind this years frustrating list of winners. Critics and jurors may come to Cannes from very different places, but it might well be that no one feels justice was entirely done tonight. Except Xavier Dolan. Related stories Michelle Rodriguez' 'Tomboy, A Revenger's Tale' Bought by Saban Cannes: Mondex & Cie Boards Antonio Banderas Starrer 'Picasso' (EXCLUSIVE) Cannes: Argentina, Chile Launch Bilateral Co-Prod Fund BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese government bureau is planning a base station for an advanced rescue ship in the disputed Spratly Islands, state media reported on Monday, as China continues its push to develop civilian and military infrastructure in the contentious region. The ship, which would carry drones and underwater robots, is set to be deployed in the second half of the year, said Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship, which is under the South China Sea Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport, according to the official China Daily. The civilian bureau has 31 ships and four helicopters conducting rescue missions in the South China Sea, and officials from the department told the China Daily they work with the military on such efforts. Officials said the rescue ship base station would enable rescue forces to aid fishing boats in trouble, and shorten the distance they need to travel. It is unclear on which island the ship will be based, but China has carried out land reclamation and construction on several islands in the Spratly Archipelago, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Washington has accused Beijing of militarizing the South China Sea after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia. China has said it plans to continue building civilian facilities in the region to benefit itself and other countries, as well as "necessary military facilities". Analysts say an airstrip China is building on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys could be used for both civilian and military jets. In a separate article, the China Daily said Beijing has build two lighthouses and four beacons on the disputed Paracel Islands and has set up four base stations for radio communications and civilian cellphone networks, providing "complete coverage of the area". The official People's Liberation Army Daily said on its microblog that China's South China Sea fleet carried out military drills to boost combat capability in the western Pacific on Saturday, without specifying exactly which area. (Reporting By Megha Rajagopalan; Editing by Michael Perry) BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Monday it hopes developing ties between the United States and Vietnam will be conducive to regional peace and stability, after the United States ended its embargo on trade in lethal arms with Vietnam. The United States had completely lifted the embargo on trade in arms with Vietnam, President Barack Obama said in Hanoi earlier on Monday, an overture that should enable an old foe to boost its defenses at a time of rising South China Sea tension. Obama said the sale of arms would depend on Vietnam's human rights commitments. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks on China's hopes for U.S.-Vietnamese ties when asked about the lifting of the arms embargo. China resents U.S. efforts to forge stronger military bonds with its neighbors amid rising tension in the disputed South China Sea. (Reporting by Megha Rajagopalan; Writing by Michael Martina; editing by Robert Birsel) * SF Holdings in accord with little-known listed metals firm * Asset swap, share deal with Shenzhen-listed Dingtai * 8 bln yuan new shares sale to finance growth * Biggest 'backdoor listing' since Focus Media $7.2 bln deal * China regulators stepping up backdoor deal scrutiny (Add industry details, background, graphic) By Donny Kwok and Twinnie Siu HONG KONG, May 23 (Reuters) - Giant Chinese courier company SF Holdings (Group) has struck a 43.3 billion yuan ($6.6 billion) deal with a little-known metals company that effectively gives the firm known as 'China's Fedex' a backdoor route to a listing on the Shenzhen stock market. With an eye on attracting investors as it lines up expansion overseas, SF Holdings has reached an asset swap and new share accord with Maanshan Dingtai Rare Earth & New Materials Ltd , the latter said in a filing. Under terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Dingtai will officially acquire SF, funding the purchase by issuing new shares to the courier. Reinvented as a logistics company, Dingtai will then be controlled by SF, whose founder and Chairman Wang Wei will run the new business. SF's 'backdoor listing' is the latest in a series of moves by big, privately held Chinese firms seeking a quicker route to a stock market presence than a time-consuming traditional initial public offering. The plan by SF is the biggest such deal since digital advertising company Focus Media's $7.2 billion backdoor listing last year. The planned deal comes weeks after Chinese regulators unveiled plans to tighten scrutiny of companies seeking backdoor listings to benefit from top valuations in mainland China. Trading in Dingtai shares, suspended since April 5, will remain halted pending further notice. Dingtai last traded at a price-to-earnings ratio of 126 times, Thomson Reuters data showed, giving it a market value of about $500 million. SF, the main competitor in China for international courier firms like DHL and Fedex Corp, didn't respond to requests for comment. With logistics a key development focus area for China in the coming years, its listing follows similar moves by smaller peers YTO Express and STO Express. Story continues Targeting a 60 percent jump in net profit to 3.48 billion yuan in 2018 from this year, SF had previously filed for clearance to launch an IPO, Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported. In an interview last year, an executive told Reuters SF, which already delivers to more than a dozen countries including the United States and Japan, was planning major expansion into Southeast Asia and Europe that would see a rapid build-up in its fleet of aircraft. Under terms of the deal, Dingtai also plans to sell new shares to 10 private investors, raising 8 billion yuan to upgrade logistics facilities. CITIC Securities , Huatai United Securities and China Merchants Securities acted as financial advisers for the deal. ($1 = 6.5460 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Donny Kwok and Twinnie Siu; Additional reporting by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China should reduce red tape to ensure the development of a healthy economy, the official Xinhua news agency reported Premier Li Keqiang as saying. Li also pledged to further cut administrative examinations and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses and give colleges and scientific research institutes more autonomy, Xinhua said late on Sunday, citing a transcript of a speech Li delivered on May 9. Li added that a level playing field will be created for private investors, adding that the State Council is mulling detailed measures to promote private investment. Li said that although China has to some extent streamlined administration, overhauled market regulation and optimized government services, there is still much work to be done. He cited unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspections and inadequate supervision as loopholes in market regulation. The premier said China's traditional international competitiveness has weakened, leading to a decline in growth of foreign trade and use of foreign capital. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, citing the relocation of some foreign-funded manufacturers from China to other countries. "We should guide some of them to move from eastern coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern regions," said Li, adding that manufacturing could create jobs and help address China's "great employment pressure". (Reporting by Engen Tham; Editing by Kim Coghill) Remember this day: May 23, the day Harry Styles went to war. In other words, principal photography is now under way for director Christopher Nolans World War II drama Dunkirk, featuring the film acting debut of the One Direction member (and his newly shorn hair). Styles doesnt appear in any of these first-look set photos, shot by French photographer Pierre Volot on location in Dunkirk, France, and shared on Twitter. Nevertheless, even absent a boy-bander, the images are beautiful and hauntinga good indication of whats to come when the film opens on July 21, 2017. Scroll down to take a look. According to the official synopsis released by Warner Bros. today, Dunkirk is an epic action thriller about thousands of British and Allied troops surrounded by the German army on the beaches of France in 1940. More than 300,000 troops were ultimately evacuated by sea in an operation that became known as the Miracle of Dunkirk. Though it was initially reported that Styles had a starring role in the film, the new press release lists him as a member of the ensemble cast alongside several other actors, including Jack Lowden and Barry Keoghan (both stars of last years Irish thriller 71). The films leading men include Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Kenneth Branagh, along with Nolans new discovery Fionn Whitehead (who, like Styles, is making his film debut). Dunkirk will be Nolans first historical drama, and his first period piece since 2006s steampunk magician fantasy The Prestige. All images: Pierre Volot via Twitter The next Supreme Court justicewhether nominated by President Barack Obama, another Democratic president, or even a President Donald Trumpis likely to move the Supreme Court substantially to the left on a host of issues, particularly in the realm of campaign finance. But the results may still be disappointing to progressives. Campaign finance has divided the Court ever since the first such case, United States v. Newberry (1921), spawned four opinions. Nearly a century later, little has changed. While about 40 percent of the Courts decisions overall are unanimous, the same is not at all true when it comes to campaign-finance cases. Since the landmark 1976 campaign-finance decision in Buckley v. Valeo, the Court has decided 20 cases challenging limits on campaign spending and contributions and only two have been unanimous. The last six, including Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, were decided 5-4. Recommended: The Narcissist The divisions between the justices run deep. To the Courts progressives, unrestrained political spending is a threat to American democracy that the government must regulate. To the conservatives, spending money to promote political change and discourse is a core part of the First Amendment, the essence of which is that government cannot be trusted to regulate political speech. In Buckley, the Court compromised. Buckley held that legislatures could regulate contributions to candidates and parties but could not limit political spending, whether by candidates or by individuals and groups acting independently of candidates. Buckley did not address spending by corporations. In 1990, however, over a stinging dissent by Justice Antonin Scalia, the Court in Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce voted 6-3 to uphold a Michigan statute prohibiting corporations from making expenditures in political races. By the late 1990s, the Buckley compromise had begun to fray. In a string of divided decisions, from 2000 through 2003, the Court deferred to legislative regulation of political contributions and spending. Though those decisions purported to follow Buckley, conservatives believed that they strayed far from Buckleys rationale. The appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the Court, however, flipped the majority. Since then, major cases striking down campaign-finance laws have included McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, holding aggregate caps on contributions to candidates unconstitutional; Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett, striking down government financing systems that award funds unequally based on private fundraising and outside spending; and finally Citizens United, which overruled Austin and struck down limits on corporate political spending. Story continues President Obama has been a vocal critic of Citizens United and presumably is confident that his nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, would vote to overturn the ruling. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have each vowed that opposition to Citizens United will be a litmus test for Supreme Court nominees. And even Trumpwhose self-funded campaign is a hallmark of his appealregularly expresses support for campaign-finance reform. So a new ideological majority could soon control the Court. Recommended: How Republicans and Democrats Swapped White Supporters That Citizens United will go at the first opportunity is apparent from American Tradition Partnership v. Bullock, decided two years after Citizens United. In American Tradition Partnership, the Montana Supreme Court held, in essence, that the First Amendment principles underlying Citizens United did not apply in Montana, because Montana is a uniquely corrupt state. (If that doesnt strike you as a problematic position, imagine a state court holding that Roe v. Wade shouldnt apply because abortion is a particular problem in that state). The Supreme Court summarily reversed the Montana Supreme Court. Notable, however, was that the Supreme Courts progressive wing dissented not merely from the judgment, but from the grant of certiorari itself, because there was no significant possibility of reconsideration of Citizens United by the majority. The Courts progressive wing, lacking the votes to overturn the Citizens United precedent, would not even concede that the decision, until overruled, should be enforced. So Citizens United appears to be a goner at the first opportunity. But how much difference will that make? Much less than people think. *** First, the vast majority of political money in the United States still comes from individuals. Corporate and union spending remains below 10 percent of total political spending in the United States. Second, overruling Citizens United will not automatically eliminate super PACs. Constitutional protection for super PACs hinges not on Citizens United but on SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission, a unanimous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (which included Garland). Though the opinion in Speechnow.org cited Citizens United, the plaintiffs actually based their casebriefed before Citizens United was decidedon older Supreme Court cases, including Buckley. So Speechnow.org could survive even if Citizens United were overturned. Recommended: End the Imperial Presidency Before It's Too Late And even if Speechnow.org itself were reversed along with Citizens United, corporations (and unions) would remain free to spend on ads intended to sway the public on issues. And pursuant to Buckley, more than 60 days before the general election or 30 days before a primary, such ads can discuss candidates as well as issues, so long as they refrain from expressly advocating that voters support or defeat any particular candidate. So while overturning Citizens United, and even Speechnow.org, would mark a significant change in Court doctrine, it wouldnt do all that much to alter campaigns. Both cases were only decided in 2010. Does anyone think money didnt matter in campaigns before 2010? In addition to Citizens United, a progressive Court majority would likely, at the earliest opportunity, reverse McCutcheon and Bennett. But McCutcheon affects only a small number of very wealthy donors, who could simply shift their efforts to independent spending, where it is harder to track. Reversing Bennett would assist legislators in designing government financing systems for campaigns, but the reality is that they have experimented with government financing systems nationally and in the states for decades, and they have never proved very effective, nor very popular with the public. The question, then, is: Would the Court go further and overturn Buckleys protection of independent expenditures and of ads that do not expressly advocate for the election or defeat of a candidate. Buckley has now been the campaign-finance lodestar for more than 40 years. Would a new, progressive majority overturn that precedent? Does anyone think money didnt matter in campaigns before 2010? Though none have explicitly said they would do it, assume that Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and any newly appointed justice would in fact be prepared to overrule Buckley and vote to uphold spending limits. Then what? At that point, the issue would depend on Justice Stephen Breyer. Assuming that he, too, would agree that spending limits should be constitutional, he would still need to overturn the Buckley precedent. In a 2006 decision striking down a Vermont law that limited spending by candidates and parties, Breyer wrote: Subsequent case law has not made Buckley a legal anomaly or otherwise undermined its basic legal principles And we do not perceive the strong justification that would be necessary to warrant overruling so well established a precedent. Of course, the progressives on the Court clearly feel that the conservatives overreached in Citizens United, deciding issues not properly before the Court. So Breyer may feel freer to upend the Buckley precedent. In his brief dissent from the grant of certiorari in American Tradition Partnership, he wrote, [I disagree] that independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption. Was he suggesting that all independent expenditures might be subject to government limitation, placing him at odds with Buckley, or just those by corporations, placing him at odds only with Citizens United? Its unclear. *** All of this begs a final question: If Citizens United, Speechnow.org, and even Buckley were swept away, how happy would progressives be? In the last campaign-finance case before Buckley, United States v. United Auto Workers (1957), it was the Courts liberalsJustices William O. Douglas, Earl Warren, and Hugo Blackwho argued that regulation was unconstitutional, writing, It is importantvitally importantthat all channels of communication be open to [the people] during every election, that no point of view be restrained or barred. Many Republicans would love to see more restrictions on political activity by unions and progressive advocacy groups. Congress is unlikely to pass any new campaign-finance laws so long as Republicans retain control either house of Congress. But Republicans control a substantial majority of state legislatures, and that is likely to continue even if Democrats score a big presidential win in 2016. Further, a 2016 Democratic presidential win could presage more Republican gains in the 2018 elections. These conservative legislatures are not likely to pass laws limiting political players and activities favoring conservatives; they are more likely to pass laws limiting progressive political influence. Progressives might not like the campaign-finance legislation those legislatures, given new latitude to regulate in a post-Citizens United, post-Buckley world, would produce. While a new justice on the Supreme Court may dramatically alter the Supreme Courts campaign-finance jurisprudence, the issue isnt actually going anywhere. This article is part of Confirmations: The Battle Over the Constitution, a partnership with the National Constitution Center. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian military and police forces are searching for a Spanish journalist who disappeared while reporting a story in Norte de Santander province, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Military sources and local media feared Salud Hernandez, 59, who has worked in the country for almost two decades, could be in the custody of Marxist rebels operating in the area but the Colombian government would not say whether the case was a kidnapping and called it a "possible disappearance." Hernandez, a journalist with Spain's El Mundo and local newspapers, was last seen on Saturday in the town of El Tarra in the northeastern province, along the border with Venezuela, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. "I order priority and dedication from the armed forces in establishing where the journalist Salud Hernandez is," President Juan Manuel Santos said from his Twitter account on Sunday. Hernandez reportedly was working on a story on illegal drugs and had been in the area for about 20 days. She is known for opinion columns highly critical of Colombia's insurgent groups. Both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) have presences in Norte de Santander. The ELN has continued taking people hostage even while it seeks to begin peace talks with the government. The armed forces and the police are working with local authorities and intelligence officials to find Hernandez, the Defense Ministry statement said. The country has been in peace talks with bigger rebel group the FARC since the end of 2012 and recently agreed to start negotiations with the ELN. Santos has said no talks will begin until all ELN hostages are freed. The 2,000-strong ELN has increased oil pipeline bombings in recent months and continued kidnappings in what many see as an attempt to pressure the government into beginning talks. Inspired by Cuba's 1959 revolution, the ELN has battled a dozen Colombian governments since it was founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964. While many Colombians are suspicious of peace talks with both groups, they are tired of the violence that has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions over more than half a century. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Helen Murphy and Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Bill Trott) Screen Shot 2016 05 23 at 9.54.26 AM The manufacturing recession may not have ended yet. A preliminary reading of activity in May showed that output fell for the first time since the peak of the Great Recession. Markit's flash manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) out Monday was 50.5. Economists had estimated that it improved to 51 from 50.8, according to Bloomberg. This index is basically on the edge of contraction, with 50 being the border between expansion and shrinkage. The manufacturing sector entered a slowdown last year after it was pressured by the energy downturn, the strong dollar and weak global demand. Although the services sector will continue to be an outsized driver of the US economy, manufacturing could be a drag on second-quarter growth, according to Markit chief economist Chris Williamson. "The weak manufacturing PMI data cast doubt on the ability of the US economy to rebound from its disappointing start to the year in the second quarter," Williamson said in the release. In May, some firms said uncertainty about the economy made them reluctant to spend, prompting them to reduce their production schedules, according to Markit. Manufacturers' outstanding work fell for a fourth straight month, indicating that operating capacity was slack. They continued to hire workers, but only at a slightly faster pace than the 34-month low recorded in April. The final April print of 50.8 marked the weakest improvement in business conditions since the series began in September 2009. Williamson said this dimmed hopes that weakness in the first quarter was temporary. Regional manufacturing readings from New York and Philadelphia released last week, which were weaker than forecast, also suggested that the sector's recovery is unraveling at a slower-than-expected pace. Deutsche Bank's Joe LaVorgna said last week that both surveys raise the risk that the Institute of Supply Management's manufacturing index for May due June 1 could slip below 50 into contraction. Story continues NOW WATCH: FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy More From Business Insider Wasatch IT now providing critical support for upgrades from Microsoft SQL 2005. Recommended update to 2014 would include major speed upgrades along with new tools and features in improved security, programmability, reporting, data analysis, integrations, and simplified avenues for cloud computing SALT LAKE CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / Now is the time to upgrade Microsoft SQL 2005 as support for it by Microsoft has been discontinued. Wasatch IT, an IT outsourcing company now provides services to make the transition to the latest Microsoft Server SQL 2014. Locally owned and operated Salt Lake City IT service company, Wasatch IT is helping business owners upgrade from the unsupported SQL 2005 to the more robust supported Microsoft SQL 2014. More information is available at http://www.wasatchit.com/sql2005/index.html Microsoft has ended official support for MS SQL 2005 as of April 12, 2016. Database software has improved over the last 10 years, and new organizational tools and faster speeds are prominent improvements. Since 2011, support has been limited, but now as it is cut off, those still running MS SQL 2005 will need to upgrade. Without upgrading, users can expect that their databases will become non-functional in time. Upgrading to SQL 2014 may require hardware upgrades and data cleanup, among other things. Microsoft has an upgrade advisor tool that comes with the SQL 2014 Feature Pack, but database managers and businesses may need a human guide to help them make the upgrade a smooth process. Justin Fleming, VP of Operations at Wasatch IT said, "As with all Microsoft products there is a shelf life and SQL is no different, we have all been expecting the end of life for SQL 2005 for a few years now. It is surprising to me to see and hear how many companies are still using SQL 2005. Without additional patches or support from Microsoft the vulnerabilities in SQL 2005 will continue to grow and grow. It is certainly concerning that so much of a company's critical data is stored in SQL databases and could be vulnerable to corruption because of unsupported software. Our recommendation at Wasatch IT is to make sure our customers and vendors have updated their software to supported versions of SQL, and with the 2016 general release coming on June 1st, we strongly recommend that if you haven't started a migration plan to get off SQL2005, now is the time! We are happy to help with any questions on licensing or how to upgrade your current systems." Story continues Advantages to MS SQL Server 2014 over MS SQL 2005 SQL Server 2014 isn't Microsoft's first upgrade to SQL. Microsoft had an upgrade in 2008 and again in 2012 but 2014 offers some significant upgrades, especially from the 2005 version. Enhanced security, programmability, reporting, data analysis, more integrations, and a simplified avenue to the cloud are just a few upgrades amongst many included with SQL 2014. One of notable improved organizational tools in 2014 is Delayed Durability a feature that reduces latency and delays. About Wasatch IT Wasatch IT, located in Murray, has been providing contract support for the Salt Lake and Utah Valley areas since 2002. They offer services in managed services, networking, computer security, software licensing, and virtualization. Wasatch IT was awarded the Utah 100 award by Utah Governor Gary Herbert for four years straight, from 2009-2012. For more information, contact Wasatch IT at 888-275-8850 or visit their website at http://www.wasatchit.com. For more information about us, please visit http://wasatchit.com Contact Info: Name: Justin Fleming Organization: Wasatch IT Address: 5242 S College Dr, Ste. 200 Murray, UT 84123 Phone: 801-983-3671 SOURCE: Wasatch IT browsing shopping Consumers are looking for a deeper commitment when it comes to clothes, and that could be bad news for middle-of-the-road retailers. "I think people are less interested in disposable apparel, something they buy and wear for just one season, and theyre looking to get more longevity out of their clothing," Robert Solis of "The Refined Gent" told retail blog The Robin Report. "People dont mind spending extra money on something thats like an investment piece that will stay with them, wont go out of style and can be worn for several seasons," he said. As further proof, The Robin Report points to Cotton Incorporated's Lifestyle Monitor Survey, which asked consumers their favorite pieces of clothing, and more importantly, why they liked those pieces comfort came out on top (78%), followed by how it fit (62%), followed by how it made them feel or look (46)%, how versatile it was (39%) and how durable it was (36%), suggesting that durability is not the most important factor for consumers, but that it's certainly getting there. But that raises the question: how do retailers get budget-minded shoppers to spend on more expensive clothes? The Robin Report points to brands that have been selling the "emotional" nature of apparel, such as Brooks Brothers' "My Brooks Brother Story" as one of multiple examples. But make no mistake even if consumers buy into the "emotional" nature of durable clothing, this growing trend is simply confirmation that consumers are still frugal and focused on finding the best value. Millennials might even be spurring this change. "I think that there's just very big shifts in terms of [what] consumers value, particularly with the millennial generation. They tend to be more value-based in terms of their purchasing behavior," Liz Dunn, CEO of Talmage Advisors said to Business Insider in October. "There are two ways to approach having a limited budget you can either buy really cheap stuff and a lot of it or buy higher quality things and fewer of them," she said at the time. Story continues Further, consumers can get bangs for their bucks with tons of dispensable clothing, like at a Zara or Forever 21 or they can get something that will last them a long time for a higher price point, like a durable winter coat. But those two categories fall on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Brands that fall in the middle that aren't stimulating an "emotional" experience or providing value, whether that be excellent quality for a higher price point or lower quality for a cheap price point have been ostensibly struggling to captivate consumers. Macy's, JCPenney, Kohl's, J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Gap have all been struggling. As consumers spend less on apparel, it's more important than ever for retailers to find a way to captivate shoppers be it through attractive price points, an exciting shopping experience, or truly good clothing, the latter of, arguably, has the greatest, most long-lasting power of all. NOW WATCH: We did a blind taste test of Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Papa John's pizza here's the verdict More From Business Insider Costco Wholesale Corporation COST is slated to report third-quarter fiscal 2016 results on May 25. The big question facing investors now is, whether the company will be able to deliver a positive earnings surprise in the quarter to be reported. In the trailing four quarters, Costco underperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by an average of 1%. In the preceding two quarters, the company delivered a negative earnings surprise of 3.1% and 6.8%, respectively. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Zacks Model Shows Unlikely Earnings Beat Our proven model does not conclusively show that Costco is likely to beat earnings estimates this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1, 2 or 3 for this to happen. Costco has an Earnings ESP of -1.64% as the Most Accurate estimate stands at $1.20, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $1.22. Costcos Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) increases the predictive power of ESP. However, we need to have a positive ESP to be confident about an earnings surprise. Factors Influencing this Quarter Costco continues to be one of the dominant retail wholesalers based on its breadth and quality of merchandise offered. A differentiated product range enables the company to ensure an upscale shopping experience for its members, resulting in market share gains. Moreover, Costco continues to maintain a healthy membership renewal rate. The company is also gradually expanding its e-commerce capabilities in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Mexico, Taiwan and Korea. However, investors are worried about Costcos comparable-store sales (comps) performance in the quarter to be reported. During the second quarter of fiscal 2016, Costcos comps inched up 1%, reflecting a 3% increase at U.S. locations, partially offset by a 7% fall in locations at Canada and a 3% drop at Other International outlets. While lower gasoline prices impacted U.S. comps, currency fluctuations adversely affected international comps. Costco witnessed flat comps for the month of April, following an increase of 1% in March, and flat comps in both February and January. Story continues COSTCO WHOLE CP Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise COSTCO WHOLE CP Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | COSTCO WHOLE CP Quote Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat: TiVo Inc. TIVO has an Earnings ESP of +25.00% and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Best Buy Co., Inc. BBY has an Earnings ESP of +2.86% and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). DSW Inc. DSW has an Earnings ESP of +2.17% and a Zacks Rank #3. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report TIVO INC (TIVO): Free Stock Analysis Report DSW INC CL-A (DSW): Free Stock Analysis Report BEST BUY (BBY): Free Stock Analysis Report COSTCO WHOLE CP (COST): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Saket S. DUBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As the Gulf states take steps to expand their use of clean energy, a bold plan by the United Arab Emirates to boost its use of renewable electricity from less than 1 percent to 24 percent in the next five years could be a game-changer for the region, experts say. Much of the world is moving away from oil for its electricity generation, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which says that globally the fossil fuel has dropped from a 25 percent share to 3.6 percent over the last four decades. Countries in the Middle East, however, have been bucking the trend. The IEA predicts that by 2019, the region which holds one-third of the world's proven crude oil reserves will still be generating nearly one-third of its electricity from oil, with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia leading the way. But dropping oil prices and growing concerns about climate change have exposed the downsides of relying on oil. As the Gulf's demand for power continues to rise, the UAE is leading the way in shifting to greener energy resources. "The implications of unmitigated climate change for the UAE make its cities unbearably hot, water even more scarce and the region more unstable," Rachel Kyte, the CEO of the United Nations' Sustainable Energy for All initiative, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Action alone and collectively to live in balance with the planet is fundamental for UAE's future prosperity, she said. SOLAR GIANT? At the Middle East and North Africa Renewable Energy Conference in Kuwait last month, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE pledged to mobilize $100 billion into renewable energy projects over the next 20 years. One of the projects in the UAE's renewables push is the $13.6 billion Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, which aims to become the biggest solar power plant in the Middle East. It is expected to generate 5 gigawatts of electricity enough to power 1.5 million homes by 2030. Dubai also plans to install around 100 electric car charging stations as part of its Green Charger Initiative. By 2050, Dubai wants to reduce its carbon emissions by 6.5 million tons every year, with the aim of becoming the city with the world's lowest carbon footprint, according to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has said it wants to add another 9.5 GW of renewable energy capacity to its current capacity of 80 GW by 2030, And Oman's power sector regulator, the Authority for Electricity Regulation Oman, has announced it will expand rooftop soar installations across residential homes, industrial and commercial buildings. In Qatar, French energy giant Total SA has announced a joint venture worth $500 million with state-run petroleum, electricity and water companies to develop a solar-power project with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW). And with a 70 MW solar project due to be operational by 2017, Kuwait plans to meet 15 percent of its energy needs with renewables by 2030, according to the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research. "Diversification is key," said Kyte. "The speed with which previously oil-dependent countries embrace diversification will be a factor in how well they thrive during the energy transition that is now underway." GROWING DEMAND FOR POWER It won't be easy for the Gulf to wean itself off of fossil fuels. In a report released earlier this month, the Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation, a multilateral development bank, said the Gulf Cooperation Council states need to add 69 GW of electrical production to their current total capacity of 148 GW in the next five years to meet demand. Member states currently rely on hydrocarbon exports for 80 percent of their revenue. The global collapse in oil prices has rocked the region, which lost $287 billion in oil export income almost 21 percent of GDP in 2015, according to the International Monetary Fund. But experts say the sunny region is in a prime position to use renewable energy particularly solar power both to meet its own energy needs and bring in much-needed revenue. The region already has some of the infrastructure it needs to become a major clean-power hub. The Gulf Cooperation Council countries are linked by a 1,200-km electrical grid, built to help provide backup power in case of a blackout in one part of the system. Expanded to other countries, that electricity highway could be the backbone of future power trading, experts say. "The Gulf has an exportable resource in solar energy that could eventually be on a comparable level to oil and gas," said Jonathan Walters, a former director at the World Bank. "Low oil prices might impel Gulf countries to find alternative exports, he said. And if prices rise again, domestic use of solar could soar, he said. Experts said they hope the rest of the Gulf States will look to the UAE as an example of how to tap into clean energy's potential. "Low oil prices and the need for clean air and secure supply chains of food and water all reinforce the wisdom of the UAE in taking a long-term view and moving to be a leader in renewable energy and energy productivity," Kyte said. "Now we hope the UAE can share its lessons in the GCC and across the developing world, she said. (Reporting by Saket S.; editing by Jumana Farouky and Laurie Goering :; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate) Almost every story about China in Africa features a reporter strolling down a hilly road with a local kid trailing behind, shouting, Ni hao! Ni hao! True, this has happened to me, and the Chinese presence on the continent is striking. But today theres another East Asian language cropping up Anyong haseyo! the young ones call out. Enter: South Korea, a harbinger of change that brings new competition to the continent. In recent years, South Korea has upped the ante on its engagement with sub-Saharan Africa. Theres been a massive boost in private investment and a wealth of new political relationships and hands-on development projects. Korea has even created its own Peace Corps-style organization, World Friends Korea, with around 700 volunteers in 30 African countries. Bilateral trade between South Korea and African countries jumped fourfold between 2000 and 2011 from $5.7 billion to $22.2 billion and exports to Africa rose five times in the same period. That may seem small compared with $166 billion worth of trade for China in 2011, but as a percentage of Koreas foreign aid budget aid to Africa climbed from 12 percent in 2002 to 26 percent in 2012 Africas importance to the countrys strategy is compelling. Because of the countrys role as a middle power, Korea has a duty to contribute to Africas poverty reduction and economic development, says Young Ho Park of the Africa team at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy. Korea believes it has something that China and the U.S. dont: been there, done that experience and a rags-to-riches story that serve as an economic model for other developing countries. An aid recipient from World War II until the late 1990s it received a total of $12.7 billion Korea was officially switched to donor status in 2009 when it joined the OECDs Development Assistance Committee. Korea views itself as a responsible global player, says Daragh Neville, projects officer for the Africa program at Chatham House. Its evolved from a war-torn, aid-dependent republic to a high-income country and global exporter of tech and culture. After the Korean War, it was among the poorest nations in the world with a GDP per capita of $67 about the same as Ghana at its independence but by 2014 that number had reached nearly $28,000, earning Korea a spot in the economic big leagues with countries like Spain. Story continues Gettyimages 169892494 South Korean President Park Geun-hye shakes hands with Mozambique President Armando Guebuza before a summit at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on June 4, 2013. Source: Jung Yeon-Je/Getty While the U.S. is famed for pushing for democracy alongside development, South Korea takes a different tack. The tiny country, about the size of Indiana, doesnt shy away from working with quasi-authoritarian regimes that prioritize growth over democracy. Take Rwanda or Ethiopia, two of South Koreas primary aid recipients and countries where the leaders are known as much for their economic aspirations as their heavy-handed rule. South Korea points to the success of its own postwar strongman, Park Chung-hee, who instituted the Saemaul Undong new community movement in the 1970s, credited with bridging the urban-rural divide and pulling South Koreans out of poverty. Today, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, similar to a Korean USAID, has Saemaul Undong replica projects in 21 African countries. The ethos of these projects is duality: agricultural projects like chick hatcheries in Comoros or developing drought-resistant olives in Tunisia coupled with investments in technology. Perhaps this approach is most evident in Rwanda, a country with major informatics ambitions but where four out of five people are farmers. In 2014, the Rwandan government struck a deal with South Korea to install fiber optic cables throughout the East African nation a move that would deliver 4G Internet to 95 percent of the country by 2017, up from from 8.3 percent in 2014. Then last October, South Korea unveiled a rural community development plan for Rwanda worth $11 million. But of course, South Koreas interest in Africa isnt purely altruistic. Theres economic gain from securing natural resources such as oil and gas, says Park, and in fact, conglomerate SK Group already has stakes in eight oil fields in six countries in Africa. And on a continent with over a billion people and a growing middle class albeit slowly Africas market potential is massive. Samsung currently operates in 32 African countries and is designing products such as phones and refrigerators specifically with African consumers in mind. Not to mention Africas enormous unrealized potential as a major food producer a fact not lost on South Korea, which imports some 90 percent of its food. All told, foreign direct investment from South Korea to Africa reached $287 million in 2010, up from $24.3 million a decade earlier, according to UNCTAD. And while the East Asian country pursues its broader mission to establish a so-called global Korea and share expertise, its efforts to distinguish itself from China, seen by many as an extractive development partner, have not been entirely successful. A 2014 Chatham House report called South Korea the lead villain in illegal and unreported fishing off the coast of West Africa, which means it was operating in restricted areas and depleting stocks where countless residents rely on fishing for their livelihoods. And there was the highly controversial deal in Madagascar in 2009, in which South Koreas Daewoo Logistics sought to lease roughly half of the countrys arable land. Malagasy people revolted, raising charges of neocolonialism, and the deal eventually foundered. It remains to be seen if South Koreas long-term bets on Africa will pay off, but K-pop may soon be blasting from matatu speakers. Many Korea populations believe Africa is richer than we think, says Park. And they might just be right. Related Articles On May 19, Cousins Properties Incorporated CUZ disclosed the signing of two new leases at One Ninety One Peachtree Tower in Atlanta. The new leases involve 50,940 square feet of space in aggregate. Notably, One Ninety One Peachtree Tower in downtown Atlanta is a 50-story Class A office tower that includes 1.2 million square-feet of space. Space in this property seems to be in demand for doing business downtown now with its leasing reaching 92% from 89% at the end of the first quarter. The building is one the most accessible office buildings in Atlanta for its strategic downtown location. Cousins Properties had acquired One Ninety One Peachtree Tower from Equity Office Properties in 2006. The company then transferred its headquarters to this building but spaces are also leased to other tenants. The signing of the two new leases is a positive for this real estate investment trust, especially after it failed to impress us in recent times. This is because, earlier this month, Cousins Properties reported first-quarter 2016 funds from operations (FFO) of 21 cents per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny and remaining flat year over year. Results reflected a decline in rental property revenues. However, the company has been in news as it disclosed a definitive agreement with Parkway Properties, Inc. PKY for a stock-for-stock merger and the simultaneous spin-off of the Houston-based assets of both companies into a new publicly traded REIT. As a result, Cousins Properties is set to emerge as a premier Sun Belt urban office REIT with a class A office portfolio. Shares of Cousins Properties climbed 1.35% to $10.53 during Fridays trading session. Cousins Properties currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). However, investors interested in the REIT industry can consider better-placed stocks like PS Business Parks Inc. PSB and Whitestone REIT WSR. Both stocks have a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 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. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report COUSIN PROP INC (CUZ): Free Stock Analysis Report PS BUSINESS PKS (PSB): Free Stock Analysis Report PARKWAY PPTY (PKY): Free Stock Analysis Report WHITESTONE REIT (WSR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research ZAGREB, May 23 (Reuters) - The Croatian privatisation agency CERP invited investors on Monday to express interest in a stake in electrical concern Koncar, part if a move to reduce public debt. CERP also said it would offer shares in two hoteliers on public auctions at the Zagreb bourse. "CERP aims to offer 20.49 percent of Koncar through bloc transactions on the Zagreb bourse. The deadline for binding offers is May 31 at noon local time (1000 GMT)," CERP said. An investor must buy at least 15,000 shares out of 526,926 shares that are on offer. The lowest price for one share is set at 670 kuna ($100.35). An auction for 30 percent of hotelier Suncani Hvar will be held on June 13 for initial price of 162.8 million kuna, while shares of hotelier HTP Korcula will be auctioned on June 6 in 12 packages each comprising around two percent of shares in the company. Details of the auctions can be seen on www.cerp.hr. Croatia, the newest European Union member and one of its weakest economies, is struggling to reduce its public debt which is now at 87 percent of gross domestic product. The government plans to sell stakes in companies and earn some 200 million euros in the coming months, hoping to reduce the public debt this year by one percentage point. It also hopes that measures to ease doing business, such as cutting red tape and various non-taxation fees on business, will improve business climate and increase investments in the economy which has just started to recover after six consecutive recession years. Last year the economy grew 1.6 percent after losing some 13 percent of the overall output from 2009 to 2014. ($1 = 6.6768 kuna) (Reporting by Igor Ilic Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) Brent Crude Oil Prices Fell from 2016 Highs Again: Whats Next? (Continued from Prior Part) API Cushing crude oil inventories The API (American Petroleum Institute) reported that Cushing crude oil inventories rose by 0.51 MMbbls (million barrels) from May 613, 2016. Energy data intelligence company Genscape reported that Cushing crude oil inventories rose by 694,176 barrels for the same period. Traders expected Cushing crude oil inventories to decline due to the supply outage in Canada. EIAs Cushing crude oil inventories The EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) released its weekly crude oil inventory report on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. It reported that Cushing crude oil inventories rose by 0.5 MMbbls to 68.3 MMbbls from May 613, 2016. Its the highest level for Cushing crude oil inventories ever. For more on nationwide crude oil inventories, read Rise in US Crude Oil Inventories Impacted Crude Oil Prices. You can also read the previous part of the series for latest WTI crude oil prices. Cushing crude oil inventory storage capacity Cushing, Oklahoma, is the delivery point for WTI (West Texas Intermediate) crude oil futures contracts trading in NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange). Its also the largest crude oil storage hub in the United States. Cushings crude oil storage capacity is 73 MMbbls. New pipelines coming online in 2014 and 2015 led to the rise in Cushing crude oil inventories. Impact of record Cushing crude oil inventories Cushing crude oil inventories are 13% higher than in the corresponding period in 2015. Record Cushing crude oil inventories could put pressure on crude oil prices. Multiyear low crude oil prices impact the margins of oil producers such as Ultra Petroleum (UPL), Bill Barrett (BBG), Carrizo Oil & Gas (CRZO), and Goodrich Petroleum (GDP). ETFs such as the ProShares Ultra Oil & Gas (DIG), the Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE), the Direxion Daily Energy Bear 3x ETF (ERY), the iShares US Oil Equipment & Services (IEZ), and the Fidelity MSCI Energy ETF (FENY) are also affected by uncertainty in the crude oil market. Story continues Next, well take a look at the latest update on the US crude oil rig count. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Warming oceans are bad news for a number of marine species, but cephalopods the many-armed mollusk group that includes octopus, squid and cuttlefish are doing just fine. In fact, over the past 60 years their numbers have been on the rise, according to a new study. Scientists gathered data from cephalopod fisheries around the world, examining how catch rates the number of cephalopods captured or sampled at one time changed for 35 species between 1953 and 2013. The researchers found steady increases in diverse cephalopod populations living in a variety of ocean depths and environments, suggesting that changing ocean conditions may actually be beneficial to cephalopods worldwide. [Cuttlefish Cuties: Photos of Color-Changing Cephalopods] Coincidentally, what originally led scientists to the discovery of booming cephalopod communities was a concern about declining giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) in South Australia, according to study lead author Zoe Doubleday of Australia's Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide. Doubleday and her colleagues launched their investigation on a global scale to find out if similar declines were happening elsewhere, she told Live Science in an email. "Surprisingly, analyses revealed that cephalopods, as a whole, are in fact increasing," Doubleday said. And as it turned out, even the giant Australian cuttlefish's prospects improved over the course of their investigation. "Since this study, cuttlefish numbers from this iconic population are luckily bouncing back," Doubleday said. Highly adaptable This cephalopod success story isn't entirely surprising, Doubleday explained, since the group is known to be extremely adaptable, referring to them in a statement as "weeds of the sea." They have high metabolic rates and grow continuously and rapidly over the course of their short lifetimes (most live only one to two years). Cephalopods also have flexible life histories, which means that certain key events in their lifetimes like sexual maturity can vary, depending on external factors. Story continues "As environmental conditions change, they [cephalopods] may change the rate at which they grow or the size at which they mature and reproduce,"Doubleday said. "These traits allow them to adapt to changing environmental conditions more quickly than many other longer-lived marine species." [Release the Kraken: Photos of Giant Squid] Cephalopods' high metabolic rates mean they need to eat frequently. And a rise in hungry cephalopods in the oceans could take a toll on prey populations including commercially harvested species, Doubleday said. Cephalopods hunt many types of prey, including certain other types of mollusks, fish and crustaceans, such as crabs and lobsters. In a pinch, they'll even eat each other, she added. And they may not have a choice. Other marine life is not faring so well in warming oceans, with a number of species in peril. According to a study published Nov. 1, 2013, in the journal Science, over the past 60 years, oceans have warmed 15 times faster than during any other time in the past 10,000 years. Scientists recently noted the devastating impacts of ocean changes on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, currently undergoing the worst bleaching in its history. Other reefs around the world are suffering from the effects of warmer oceans as well. Significant bleaching affecting corals in all three oceans at the same time And a study published in Oct. 9, 2014, in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, revealed that the biomass of large predatory fish in the world's oceans declined by two-thirds in the past century. And the pace is accelerating 54 percent of the decline happened in the last 40 years. While the scientists behind the cephalopod study don't know exactly what's driving the animals' success, they suggest that these large-scale changes in the ocean environments a result of global warming and overfishing are the likely culprits. Unraveling the specific factors and conditions that are helping cephalopods to thrive will be an important part of the larger story how human activity is affecting the ocean and all of its inhabitants, the scientists said in a statement. The findings were published online today (May 23) in the journal Current Biology. Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Brixen (Italy) (AFP) - Former champion Vincenzo Nibali said he is ready to bite into his deficit to Giro d'Italia leader Steven Kruijswijk on his way to stopping the Dutchman making history in Turin next Sunday. Lotto team leader Kruijswijk is poised to become the first Dutch winner of the three-week Italian race after stretching his overall lead on pre-race favourite Nibali to nearly three minutes. Nibali (Astana), nicknamed 'Lo Squalo' (The Shark), was in second place at only 41secs behind Kruijswijk after Saturday's 'Queen Stage' in the Dolomites mountains. But a mediocre performance in Sunday's 15th stage uphill time trial, when he lost further time due to a mechanical problem and a subsequent bike change, has left the Italian a massive 2min 51sec behind his Dutch rival. Nibali says there is now only one option if he is to wrest back the pink jersey. "I will attack as I have done before," said the Sicilian, who nonetheless admitted he is hoping fate will play a hand. "Things can change every day on this race: (Tom) Dumoulin was really strong and now he's gone home. So has (Mikel) Landa." Dutchman Dumoulin (Giant) spent several days in the pink jersey before pulling out on the 11th stage with saddle sores, while Spanish contender Landa (Sky) retired through sickness last week. Nibali virtually admitted the pink jersey could be heading to the Netherlands for the first time if Kruijswijk holds firm. "If Kruijswijk doesn't collape, it's a no-brainer. He will win the Giro." But the 31-year-old Italian, one of only six riders to have won all the Grand Tours of Italy, France and Spain, said he's not defeated yet. Following the race's final rest day on Monday, another hard day in the mountains awaits Tuesday. Although stages 17 and 18 hold little opportunity for Nibali to claw back time, stages 19 and 20 will be decisive before the final, celebratory ride into Turin next Sunday. Story continues Stage 19 is a 162 km run from Pinerolo which takes the peloton over the tough Col d'Agnello - the highest peak in this year's 99th edition - before a long descent into France and the subsequent climb to a summit finish in Risoul, where the Italian won a stage on the 2014 Tour de France. The decider will likely be stage 20 next Saturday, when the peloton tackles the Vars, Bonette and Lombarda climbs in an otherwise short but intense 132 km penultimate stage. With Spaniard Alejandro Valverde in fourth place and 38secs behind Nibali, the Italian could find a willing ally to help him unseat Kruijswijk. But despite their "mutual respect" of each other, Nibali admitted: "Let's say it wouldn't be easy." Instead, Nibali hopes to turn his hurt pride -- following his dismal time trial performance -- to his advantage. "My pride's been hurt but I'm still confident," he added. "I've always achieved my best successes after a defeat." By Michele Kambas ATHENS (Reuters) - Cyprus's ruling conservatives took the lead in Sunday's general election, results showed, while a far-right party won its first seats in the legislature amid voter disillusionment after a 2013 financial meltdown. With the voting tally at 100 percent, and an unprecedentedly high abstention rate, the right-wing Democratic Rally party was ahead with 30.6 percent of the vote followed by Communist AKEL with 25.6 percent. Compared to the previous elections of 2011, those two main parties on the Cypriot political scene suffered setbacks. AKEL's Communists lost up to seven percentage points while Democratic Rally lost 3.7 percentage points. By contrast ELAM, an extremist party forged on the coat-tails of Greece's Golden Dawn, scraped past a newly-imposed 3.6 percent electoral threshold and won up to two seats, according to preliminary estimates. "It's sort of a kindergarten version of Golden Dawn," said political analyst Hubert Faustmann, referring to the party formed in 2008. "All the big parties lost." Cyprus has an executive system of government and the president is elected separately, but the vote on Sunday was seen as a popularity gauge for President Nicos Anastasiades, whose term expires in 2018. Anastasiades represents Greek Cypriots in talks with Turkish Cypriots to reunite the island that was split in a 1974 Turkish military invasion triggered by a brief Greece-inspired coup. Diplomats are cautiously optimistic a solution could be in sight for the long-running conflict. ELAM disagrees with the vision of Cyprus reunited under a bi-zonal federal umbrella as part of a settlement. Other small parties share that view. "For the first time, Cyprus will get nationalists in its parliament," Golden Dawn leader Nikos Mihaloliakos told Greece's parliament minutes after the exit poll results were released. Sunday's election was the first since Cyprus required an international bailout in 2013, partly because of the exposure its systemic banks had to Greece's write-down of sovereign debt. It introduced a 'bail-in' on clients deposits at one major bank and wound down a second, leaving thousands of disgruntled bank deposit holders. "A lot (of the result) was dissatisfaction of the public with the bigger parties," said Faustmann. "Another reading could be that parliamentary elections in Cyprus are not that important, given the weakness of the Cypriot parliament," he said, referring to the power given to the executive. The abstention rate in the election exceeded 30 percent, one of the highest in a national vote since the inception of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. The prospect of a high abstention rate was expected and officials during the day repeatedly appealed to eligible voters to exercise their democratic right. "If this right is forfeited it gives others the right to decide for those abstaining ... if someone spurns that right, they shouldn't complain the next day," Anastasiades said. By law, voting is compulsory but authorities have relaxed prosecutions in recent years. (Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Tom Heneghan) And how DBS, StanCharts finance distributed ledger works. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is setting aside $500,000 in funding over a five-year period, to encourage residents to initiate projects that can help build greater cohesion and community spirit in public housing estates. Read more here. Singapore was ranked 4th in the worlds most expensive place to rent prime logistics space last year, according to the latest report from CBRE. As of Q4 2015, annual prime logistics rents in the city-state stood at US$10.91 per sq ft, behind Hong Kong (US$ $28.94), Tokyo (US$16.74) and Shanghai (US$16.36). Read more here. Standard Chartered Plc and DBS Group Holdings Ltd. developed and tested a distributed ledger late last year that may offer a solution to the risk of multiple-invoice fraud faced by the largest trade-finance banks. Read more here. More From Singapore Business Review Movies channel the world, even when theyre not trying to. At a festival like Cannes, the films that win awards and the ones that are most celebrated, which arent necessarily the award winners have almost always had a heartbeat of relevance. Theyre movies that speak to us because they matter, and they matter because they express whats going on around them. Yet at Cannes this year, that reality was only heightened by a gathering awareness of a theme that cuts across movies, directors, cultures, nations. Accepting the Palme dOr for I, Daniel Blake, director Ken Loach observed, We must say that another world is possible, and necessary. He was speaking of the issue that runs like a current through I, Daniel Blake, and that makes it such a trenchant and moving film: not just the bureaucratic perils of the British welfare system, but the fraying social safety net in the world at large the loss of security, jobs, the whole promise of a room with a view. What once might have seemed a leftist or even Marxist vision has become, for people across the globe, and for movie audiences everywhere, the new normal. The rich are concentrating their wealth; the sense of stability for almost everyone else is slowly eroding. Its a brave, scary, threatening new world. And the best films at Cannes this year were about pulling back the curtain on what that looks like. I, Daniel Blake does it with scalding passion, which is why this may finally be the movie to give Loach, at 79, his Mike Leigh crossover moment. Another Cannes highlight, Hell or High Water, tells the story of two bank-robbing brothers in West Texas it looks like a gun-totin wild-boy pop-genre exercise, and might have been nothing more had it been made 10 years ago and embeds that crackling tale in the maw of middle-class economic erosion. In these two movies, the desperation is right up front. To watch them is to touch a nerve of topical anxiety. But two of the other festival highlights tap into this theme with a sidelong resonance that sneaks up on you. Toni Erdmann, Maren Ades two-hour-and-42-minute-long German comedy about an oil-company consultant, Ines (Sandra Huller), who is trying to come to grips with her shambling, annoying, prankish semi-wreck of a father, is one of the first movies you have ever seen about the one percent thats really about the one percent, the intricacies of their spirit and style. It shows us the new breed of suits who are operating in a world far above the rest of us, so that almost nothing they do seems real, whether its cutting deals or cutting the jobs that grow out of them. Story continues Ines, beneath her tailored pantsuits and PowerPoint manners, actually appears to be a loving person, but she has made herself over into the high-level version of a human computer chip. She earns a lot of money, but that means that she can never speak truth to power. Shes on call to power, 24/7. Enter her dad, Winfried (Peter Simonischek), whos the grizzled, eccentric German-goofball version of one of those insufferable aging boomers who thinks that the world has been getting worse ever since he started getting older. He shows up in Bucharest, where Ines lives and works (one of the films themes is that the new money culture is an international club too expansive to have borders), and he tracks her to parties and meetings as if he were Bill Murray in What About Bob? He does it wearing false teeth, which make him look like Fredric March in the 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and then a more elaborate disguise consisting of a long-haired wig and slovenly jacket and tie that make him look like Leatherface minus his skin-mask. You may sense the theme here: Hes a walking horror. And an irresistible one. He is, in other words, the walking horror that Ines deserves. Toni Erdmann is about a father and daughter who need to lay down their arms which, on the films art-house crowd-pleaser terms, means either getting naked or putting on a massively oversize furry monster suit. This may be the most naggingly Teutonic movie ever made that builds to a big hug and a giggle. Yet what gives Toni Erdmann its subtle juice is the way that Ines and her father seem to be occupying completely different planes of existence. The way the film bridges them is not, in the end, entirely convincing, yet the double portrait is memorable. We all know that family relationships can be impossible, but in Toni Erdmann, its the crack in the earth between the haves and the have-nots that has left these two on separate spheres. Andrea Arnolds American Honey plunges the audience, with dizzying hand-held exhilaration, into the lives of a couple of dozen young pierced and tattooed drifters who have banded together into a roving derelict cult, driving around the Midwest in a van, where they have a scam going to use their hustle and beauty to guilt-trip people into buying magazine subscriptions. You may never have seen a movie that so eloquently captures the feeling of living not for the future but for the moment and, lets be clear, living that way is not a good thing. But theres a haunting question that shadows the flying-high hip-hop catharsis of American Honey, and that is this: How did these kids get here? The answer is everything the movie is really about. They are refugees of the new American non-dream. The heroine, Star (Sasha Lane), is fleeing a home of indifference and abuse, but in nearly three hours, hers is the one and only backstory we get, and thats by design. The movie is saying: We dont need to hear the other backstories we know them in our bones. Theyre about children who have not been given the structure and love they need, because the love and structure was disintegrating above them. American Honey is about the morphing of youth culture into a big-beat deadbeat party. Whats beautiful about the movie is that the characters have lost their innocence, yet they remain innocent. Theyre the fallout of the new world. Related stories Cannes: Critics Debate 'Elle' and Other Divisive Pics of 2016 Festival Cannes Launches Oscar Buzz for 'Loving,' Shia LaBeouf and Kristen Stewart Why Shia LaBeouf and Joel Edgerton Are the Born-Again Stars of Cannes After the passing of North Carolina's controversial House Bill 2, commonly known as the "Bathroom Bill," many musicians protested by canceling scheduled concerts in the state. In a statement, Dave Matthews Band said they will carry forward with their May 27th gig at Charlotte's PNC Music Pavilion, but donate a portion of proceeds to five charitable organizations defending equality: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Lambda Legal, ACLU of North Carolina, Equality NC and Time Out Youth. Dave Matthews Talks Bernie Sanders, New Album The band selected these groups with the assistance of NC Needs You, an organization that encourages performers to keep their North Carolina dates and raise awareness and resources in response to HB2. The law removes local legal protections for LGBT people and requires transgender people to use public facilities matching the gender listed on their birth certificates. ACLU, Lambda Legal and ACLU of North Carolina are each challenging HB2 in federal court. Equality NC is "dedicated to securing equal rights and justice" for LGBTQ North Carolinians, and the grassroots Time Out Youth provides support for LGBTQ teens around Charlotte. Dave Matthews Band will donate the funds through their Bama Works Fund, which has contributed a portion of sales from each concert ticket since 1999. The fund has raised over $40 million and made over 1,300 grants, primarily to charitable programs in and around Charlottesville, Virginia, where the band formed in 1991. DMB kicked off their massive 25th anniversary tour earlier this month. The jaunt stretches throughout the summer and concludes with a Labor Day weekend residency at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. Related Islamabad (AFP) - President Barack Obama confirmed Monday that a US drone strike in southwest Pakistan had killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, heralding a new chapter in the Afghan insurgency which had grown fiercer under him. Who will succeed him? Mansour was appointed head of the Taliban in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had in fact been dead for two years. He was widely blamed for leading the cover-up. The roster of candidates to succeed him, currently being debated at a shura (council), will include many of the same names who entered the fray last year. These include Omar's son Mullah Yakoub, who was favoured by some commanders as new leader but at the time judged too young and inexperienced, and Omar's brother Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund. Other possible successors are Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who helped Omar found the Taliban movement and is seen as close to the Pakistani establishment, and Mullah Adbul Qayyum Zakir, considered one of the group's most violent and committed commanders. But it is Sirajuddin Haqqani -- leader of the feared Taliban-allied Haqqani network responsible for some of the worst attacks on Afghan and US targets -- whose name has popped up most frequently among senior sources. His appointment could intensify the conflict even further. "This could be the time Haqqanis will try to take over the whole movement," said Pakistani security analyst Amir Rana. What does the death mean for the insurgency? Mansour had been particularly effective at subduing dissidents and eliminating rivals. Now, analysts believe, differences are once again likely to surface within the group. "This could help the peace process -- if it allows the moderate faction to come to the surface," said Ahmed Rashid, author of the book "Descent into Chaos". While infighting could buy some breathing space for beleaguered Afghan police and troops, the strategy of "divide and rule" may also backfire. Story continues "First Mullah Omar and now Mansour -- once you take the core out of a movement it could begin to unravel," said Imtiaz Gul, director of the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies. "On the other hand, peacemaking will become even more difficult if you are dealing with so many leaders. This has been the strategy for several years -- to splinter them and make deals -- but whether that works, we don't know." According to Rana, Mansour's death could also pave the way for groups like the Islamic State and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, long in the Taliban's shadow, to make inroads. What does the drone attack mean for Pakistan? The US has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan, mainly in the border tribal regions with Afghanistan, and leaked documents show Islamabad had quietly consented despite publicly protesting. But this was the first by the US in Balochistan province and Pakistan -- whose spy agency long supported the Taliban -- angrily denounced it as a violation of its sovereignty. It appears US patience with Mansour, who had resisted peace negotiations, finally snapped. If Pakistan was not a part of the plan, the incident marks the most serious incursion into its airspace since the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. But security analyst Talat Masood said the two countries would seek to mend ties sooner rather than later. "They will get over it because both countries need each other and they need to work together. There is going to be a change in Taliban leadership and Washington and Islamabad cannot afford to disconnect or have a rupture to the point they can no longer cooperate." The incident could also force Pakistan to rethink its policy. "They will probably push the Taliban harder and say look: engage in a political process, and if you fail to do that then you have no space in Pakistan," Masood said. Red Spring for Refining: Behind Delek's Losses in 1Q16 (Continued from Prior Part) Deleks segments Delek US Holdings (DK) has three segments: Refining, Logistics, and Retail. The Refining segments contribution margin rose by 7% over 1Q15 to $23.5 million in 1Q16. According to DKs management, Contribution margin is defined as net sales less cost of goods sold, operating expenses and other one-time expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization. The rise in the Refining segments contribution margin was due to business interruption (or insurance) proceeds of $42.4 million. Excluding these business interruption proceeds, DKs Refining segment reported a loss of $18.9 million in 1Q16, a decline that stemmed from the fall in the US Gulf Coast WTI 5-3-2 crack. The crack fell to $7.7 per barrel in 1Q16 from $15 per barrel in 1Q15. This was partly offset by higher volumes at the Tyler refinery. Changing oil differentials further impacted this segments contribution margin. HollyFrontier (HFC), PBF Energy (PBF), and Western Refining (WNR) also noted steep YoY (year-over-year) declines in their refining margins in 1Q16. Notably, the PowerShares Dynamic Large Cap Value ETF (PWV) has ~11% exposure to energy sector stocks. Retail and Logistics segments The Retail segments contribution margin fell by 2% over 1Q15 to $12 million in 1Q16. This was due to lower fuel margins and was partly offset by more fuel gallons sold and merchandise sales. On the other hand, the Logistics segments contribution margin rose by 10% over 1Q15 to $26.8 million in 1Q16. This was due to the acquisition of assets from subsidiaries of Delek US. DKs Logistics segment includes its master limited partnership, Delek Logistics Partners LP (DKL), which is expected to drive growth for the segment. Now lets see how DKs stock reacted after these results. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 (Reuters) - Los Angeles-based startup HelloTech and rival in-home tech support company Geekatoo on Monday said they had merged, in a sign of consolidation in the hotly competitive on-demand sector. HelloTech will combine its network of about 150 college students who provide on-demand tech repair to Southern California consumers with Geekatoo's U.S. network of about 5,000 technicians, the companies said in a joint statement. The merger connects HelloTech with Geekatoo's national market and provides Geekatoo with more access to venture capital funding, HelloTech co-founder Richard Wolpert said in an interview. HelloTech, which launched about a year ago, has raised $17 million from investors, while 5-year-old Geekatoo has raised close to $3 million. "You could either use capital to expand really quickly or you could merge with a company like Geekatoo that had already spent money doing this," said Mark Suster, managing partner at Upfront Ventures, which backed HelloTech. The new company keeps the HelloTech name and will be led by Wolpert. He said the deal was a stock transaction, rather than a cash payment, but declined to provide further details. Both companies dispatch in-home tech support within hours of a request to fix a wonky printer, install a new TV or troubleshoot WiFi problems, among other services. HelloTech hit a few bumps last year after launching, with some negative customer feedback that its workforce of predominantly college students was unprofessional. Wolpert said the company has worked out the glitches. HelloTech has a five-star rating on customer review site Yelp. Geekatoo Executive Chairman Christian Shelton saw demand for tech services rising as more people add internet-connected devices - such as the smart thermostat Nest or WiFi camera Dropcam - to their homes. The U.S. tech support industry makes about $30 billion in annual revenue, according to research by Parks Associates, a consulting firm. Story continues "The opportunity is massive," Wolpert said. The company's main competition is Geek Squad, a tech support service founded in 1994 and owned by big-box retailer Best Buy. HelloTech targets baby boomers with disposable income to spend on new gadgets and someone to help get them up and running. "There is enormous wealth in the baby boomer generation," Suster said, and their "digital lives are becoming increasingly complicated." (Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Andrew Hay) Demi Lovato rocked the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night with a performance of her hit song Cool for the Summer. But it was the symbol emblazoned on her shirt that ended up making the biggest waves. Demi Lovato has a symbol for transgender bathrooms on her shirt at the Billboard Music Awardspic.twitter.com/FGjlgJG9fS https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjGoOuwXEAEGj4Q.jpg:large Lovatos shirt prominently featured a l of solidarity with the transgender community. In a tweet, GLAAD acknowledged Lovatos subtle message. @ddlovato wears support for trans community during Billboard Awards performance http://www.glaad.org/blog/demi-lovato-wears-support-trans-community-during-billboard-awards-performance #BBMAs #LGBT In a blog post, GLAAD also thanked the artist for bringing visibility to the issue in the midst of a national debate over the transgender communitys right to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity. Demi Lovato continues to be a fearless ally for LGBT equality and acceptance, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, according to the post. She continued, By wearing her support for the transgender community, Lovato is raising critical visibility for vulnerable LGBT North Carolinians and sending an invaluable message of support to transgender people everywhere. NEW YORK (AP) -- Two days after the first loss of his career, Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist has developed a slight fever, leaving plans temporarily on hold for a rematch with Preakness winner Exaggerator in the Belmont Stakes. Trainer Doug O'Neill's assistant Jack Sisterson said Monday that Nyquist had blood work done ''to make sure nothing is going on.'' Nyquist finished third behind Exaggerator in the Preakness on Saturday, ending any chance of a Triple Crown try at the Belmont on June 11. Nyquist was scheduled to be shipped to Belmont Park on Monday morning, but the plan was scrapped when the 3-year-old colt had a temperature of 102 degrees. O'Neill said he still hopes Nyquist runs in the Belmont but needs to make sure he is healthy before traveling to New York from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Results of the blood work are expected Tuesday. After winning the Florida Derby on April 2, Nyquist was shipped to Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, and his return to training was delayed because of an elevated white blood cell count. At that time, he had no fever, was back on the track in a few days and went on to win the Derby on May 7. Nyquist came into the Preakness with an 8-for-8 record, including four wins over Exaggerator. But the tables were turned in the second leg of the Triple Crown on a sloppy track, and Exaggerator won by 3 1/2 lengths with Cherry Wine second, a nose ahead of Nyquist. Exaggerator, meanwhile, took a walk around the shedrow at his Pimlico stable on Monday, and trainer Keith Desormeaux said the colt could be back on the track Tuesday morning. Desormeaux said plans are for Exaggerator to be shipped to Belmont on Sunday. Others expected for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont include Cherry Wine and fifth-place Preakness finisher Lani, as well as Sudenbreakingnews (fifth in the Derby), Destin (sixth, Derby), Brody's Cause (seventh, Derby) and Governor Malibu, runner-up in the Peter Pan at Belmont on May 14. Photo: @lilyrosedepp/Instagram At just 16, Lily-Rose Depp is well on her way to eclipsing her father as the most famous person in the family. Shes acting in a new feature film, has appeared in multiple magazine editorials, and was tapped as the face of Chanel eyewear. Her latest gig is serving as the new face of Chanel No. 5, which is great for her but is it a wise choice for the French fragrance? On Monday, the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis announced on Instagram that Karl Lagerfeld tapped her to be an ambassador for Chanels iconic scent. The campaign image shows Depp kissing a giant bottle of the perfume while wearing a multicolored dress and a red bow tied in her messy ponytail. Its quite the honor for a teen, especially considering that this one follows big names like Gisele Bundchen and Nicole Kidman. Her predecessors beg the question: Isnt Lily-Rose an odd choice for this job? The fragrance is known as a sophisticated scent worn by older women, and this age group, historically, has been Chanel No. 5s target market. If you think about it, what high-school-aged girl has a bottle of Chanel No. 5 sitting on her vanity, ready for a pre-school day spritz? After asking multiple teens, it turns out that the answer is not many at all. Considering most 16-year-olds are either unemployed or working minimum wage jobs, this fragrance doesnt exactly fall at their ideal price point. Teens prefer more inexpensive options, usually branded by their favorite celebrity. I love the Katy Perry perfume, one New Jersey teen, referring to the Katy Perry Killer Queen Eau de Parfum ($20 for 3.4 fl. oz.), tells Yahoo Beauty. However, its not just popular opinion that displays this preference: Justin Biebers Someday by Justin Bieber fragrance made $3 million dollars in just three weeks when it was launched in 2014 and Britney Spears has a whopping 16 fragrances to her name, making her one of the most sought-after celebrity fragrance names to date. Story continues And its not just perfumes that teens select as their preferred perfume. Body mists are another popular option because of their light scent and affordability. I use body mists by the Body Shop and Victorias Secret, explains another teen. Ultimately, if a teenager has the means for buying a pricy perfume like Chanel, more power to them. But if youre a high school student looking for your signature scent, Chanel isnt usually the first that comes to mind. Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. MPW Insider is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today's answer for: How important is likability when it comes to leadership? is written by Perry Yeatman, CEO of Perry Yeatman Global Partners. As we can see from the headlines these days, political campaigns have for many people become more like popularity contests, hinging on questions like "who would you rather have a beer with?" or "who looks better on TV?" - as if either of these things has any relevance on who is the most qualified to lead the country. Call me crazy, but when I cast my ballot in November I'll be deciding based on my understanding of the candidates' policy positions and track record. I may not love who I vote for - sometimes I do, sometimes I don't - but I won't be concerned that how much I like the person will have any real bearing on how effective they'll be as president. And this is just another reason why I'm in business not politics. In business, trust, respect and what I call "value-add" are way more important than looks and likability. So to answer the question directly I'd say that likability is a "nice to have" not a "must have" in business. Why do I say this? First, if you review the most successful Fortune 500 CEOS of the past 25 years, you'll see that most wouldn't be described as nice or attractive. Indeed, many were feared, disliked and not particularly photogenic. Related: What Every Entrepreneur Can Learn From Facebook's Messy Start My own experience supports this as well. There are many bosses I've worked for whom I didn't really like whom I wouldn't care to have a beer with but were great leaders nonetheless. Likewise, I've had both bosses and colleagues whom I've liked very much but whom I wouldn't rate very highly in terms of their effectiveness. In contrast, I've never worked for a truly effective and impactful leader who wasn't worthy of trust and respect for their ability to make a real difference within the organization. Story continues I myself have often told my people that they don't have to like me. It's a bonus if they do - and often I do become friends with those I work with but truly that is a bonus. Case in point is a man in my consulting company in London. He was "difficult" and because of this some of the people in the office wouldn't ask him to join their project teams. But I always asked him to join mine. Why? Because he was the best. Simple as that. He did what he said he would do and it was always quality work. So, even if I had to smooth over some sharp elbow moments, I didn't care. I was all about getting the client the best product/outcome possible. Thankfully, I think more people are beginning to see things this same way. There is a growing body of research demonstrating that diverse teams perform better and encouraging leaders to surround themselves with individuals with different skills, beliefs and backgrounds. This trend says to me that likability in business is less important than performance. And business's clarity about what matters most and its focus on delivery/outcome is one of the things I value most about the sector. So, while I'm disappointed in our political process these days, I rejoice in the shifts going on in industry growing recognition for valuing substance over social graces and insight and action over just fitting in. Net net: if you ever have to choose between being liked versus being respected and valued, choose respect and value every time. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Does it feel real now? Less than three weeks after effectively clinching the Republican presidential nomination, real estate tycoon Donald Trump has overcome likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's early lead in the polls and is now running neck and neck with the former secretary of state suggesting that the general election may be headed toward a photo finish, not a Democratic blowout. For the first time since launching his improbable quest for the presidency in June, Trump boasts a nominal lead over Clinton in the closely watched RealClearPolitics polling average, edging her 43.4% to 43.2%. One month ago after Trump had rebooted his bid for the GOP nomination with a decisive victory in New York but before his victories in a series of Northeastern states and in Indiana finished off chief rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz Clinton enjoyed a 49.5% to 40.3% lead over Trump. What's behind the tightening? Trump's benefiting in no small part from the consolidation of Republican votes behind his candidacy. Take the ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday, which showed Trump leading Clinton 46% to 44% nationwide. Among Republicans, Trump a sharp improvement from March, when the poll showed Clinton picking up 14% of GOP votes to Trump's 75%. Source: Joel Auerbach/AP In a development that further underscores Trump's tightening hold on the party, even South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham once a tribune of the GOP's #NeverTrump movement, is now urging colleagues to rally behind Trump's bid, CNN reported Sunday. But Trump's climb in the polls isn't just a matter of uniting his own party. Independents are also trending his way, with the ABC/Post poll finding that Clinton has gone from a 48% to 39% lead with those voters in March to 35% to 48% deficit now a 22-point swing in Trump's favor. Story continues Trump has also seen his support among Democrats tick slightly upward, the poll found. Two months ago, Clinton led 86% to 9% with voters in her own party, while Trump now wins 11% of Democrats to Clinton's 86%. An unpopularity contest: While Clinton boosters hope that Trump's often-incendiary rhetoric and his staggering unpopularity with key demographic groups will doom his bid, her own favorability ratings aren't much better than the brash billionaire's. According to RCP, Clinton's average favorability rating stands at 37%, with her unfavorability rating at 56%. Meanwhile, Trump is viewed favorably by 35% of voters, while 58% view him unfavorably. FiveThirtyEight notes that the two are the most unpopular major-party candidates to face off in modern history. Donald Trump Donald Trump is escalating his critiques of former President Bill Clinton's decades-old incidents of alleged sexual misconduct. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee's campaign on Tuesday posted a video on his Instagram account featuring interview clips of women who have accused the former president of sexual misconduct. The video included past comments from Juanita Broaddrick and Kathleen Willey, a former White House volunteer. Set to creepy, minor-key music, the video spliced together the accusation that Clinton "assaulted" women before playing a clip for Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton laughing. "Is Hillary really protecting women?" Trump read the caption in the video. This isn't the first time Trump has targeted Clinton's history with women. Of the women mentioned in the video, Clinton has denied Willey's accusation that Clinton grabbed and kissed her at the White House in 1993. Broaddrick alleged in 1999 that Clinton had sexually assaulted and raped her more than two decades before. She revived those allegations earlier this year. Clinton, through a lawyer, has long ago denied her claims. Monday's video was also the latest of Trump's broadsides against the former president on Instagram. In a post earlier this year, Trump invoked Bill Cosby and Monica Lewinsky, captioning the former president under the headline, "Liar, Liar." Trump's push to undermine trust in Clinton comes as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee continues to maintain low levels of popularity among female voters. Trump has received the lowest favorability ratings among female voters of any major 2016 presidential candidate. Democrats are already hammering Trump for his numerous inflammatory statements about women. Last week, a super PAC backing Hillary Clinton posted an ad prominently featuring Trump's past comments on women's bodies. The ad showed women reading his statements about famous women, included his assertion that "a person who is flat-chested is very hard to be a 10," as well as his judgment that reality-television star Kim Kardashian does not have a good body but "absolutely" has a "fat a--." Story continues Despite his new targeting of Bill Clinton's past allegations, the real-estate magnate has taken a different tone previously when addressing the former president's conduct. Watch Trump's ad below: Is Hillary really protecting women? A video posted by Donald J. Trump (@realdonaldtrump) on May 23, 2016 at 8:27am PDT on May 23, 2016 at 8:27am PDT NOW WATCH: Hillary Clinton says shes open to the idea of having Mark Cuban as her running mate More From Business Insider On Monday, Donald Trump released over social media his newest attack ad against Hillary Clinton which focuses on her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Along with the ad, the presumptive GOP presidential candidate asks: "Is Hillary really protecting women?" The black and white spot runs for about 20 seconds and features women's voices, including Juanita Broaddrick, who accused Bill Clinton of rape. Bill Clinton is shown with a cigar in his mouth. The ad ends with Hillary laughing and the words: "Here we go again?" In a Dateline NBC interview that aired in February 1999, Broaddrick talked about Clinton in 1978, then Attorney General of Arkansas, sexually assaulting her. In a particularly emotional part of her interview, Broaddrick describes the aggressive way Clinton was allegedly kissing her while she was trying to ward off his advances. "He starts to bite on my top lip and I try to pull away from him," Broaddrick said in the interview. This is the exact segment Trump uses in his new attack ad. Broaddrick sued Bill Clinton in 1999 to stop the White House from keeping files on her in order to "smear and destroy her reputation." The suit was dismissed in 2001. These days, Broaddrick uses Twitter - her account verified by multiple reporters - to criticize Hillary Clinton and continue to tell her story about the former president. I was 35 years old when Bill Clinton, Ark. Attorney General raped me and Hillary tried to silence me. I am now 73....it never goes away. - Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 6, 2016 Thoroughly disgusting--Hillary's comments on rape. Shame on you, Hillary, shame on you!! - Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) September 15, 2015 Watch the new Trump ad and Dateline interview below: Is Hillary really protecting women? A video posted by Donald J. Trump (@realdonaldtrump) on May 23, 2016 at 8:27am PDT Read More: John Oliver Criticizes "Erratic Clusterf" of the U.S. Primary and Caucus System Aden (AFP) - Twin bombings claimed by the Islamic State group hit Yemeni forces in Aden on Monday, killing at least 41 people in the latest of a spate of attacks in the southern city. The attacks in Aden -- which is serving as the temporary government headquarters after rebels forced authorities from the capital -- follow a major military operation against jihadists in parts of southern and southeastern Yemen. Backed by a Saudi-led coalition, forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi are battling both Sunni extremists and Iran-backed Shiite rebels. In the first attack, a suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing to enlist at a recruitment centre near the Badr base in Aden's Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, the commander of Yemen's special security forces. A subsequent explosion inside the base killed seven soldiers, he said. Medics said that 38 people were wounded in the twin attacks. In a statement posted online, IS said one of its fighters detonated an explosives belt among "apostate soldiers" at a recruitment centre, followed by the bombing at a gate of the Badr base. The jihadist group, which has seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq, also claimed responsibility Monday for a wave of bombings in Syrian coastal cities that killed more nearly 150 people. A local resident in Aden described the scene of the Badr explosions as "horrible", saying body parts had been blown dozens of metres (yards) away. "They came to complete the procedure of their recruitment and receive their first salary," he said, speaking of the young men who had gathered outside the army centre. Abandoned slippers and sandals, apparently from the victims, covered the area, television footage showed. Aden resident Ramzi al-Fadhli said "wailing filled the air" as women identified the remains of relatives at Al-Jumhuriyah Hospital, where at least 32 bodies were taken. - Peace talks resume - Story continues Aden has seen a wave of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its jihadist rival IS after government forces drove Shiite Huthi rebels out of the port city in July with support from the Saudi-led coalition. The coalition launched operations in Yemen in March last year after the rebels seized control of Sanaa and other parts of the country, forcing Hadi's government to flee the capital Sanaa. Al-Qaeda -- which has a long presence in the Arabian Peninsula country -- and IS have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict to expand their zones of control in the south and southeast. In the past two months, government and coalition forces have hit back, driving Al-Qaeda militants out of the Hadramawt provincial capital of Mukalla, which they had controlled for a year. But attacks on security forces have left scores dead. On May 1, four guards were killed in a bombing that targeted the convoy of Aden's police chief General Shallal Shayae, in the second such attack on him in a week. Several attacks have also targeted troops in Hadramawt since government forces ended Al-Qaeda rule in Mukalla. Earlier this month, 47 police were killed in a series of bombings near Mukalla. The European Union condemned the attacks in a statement, saying they "highlight the importance of restoring peace and the rule of law throughout the country". UN-brokered peace talks between the government and rebels resumed Monday in Kuwait after they had broken off a week ago. UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the two parties "to exert all efforts to achieve a sustainable solution for the sake of easing the suffering of Yemenis". The government had demanded a written pledge from the rebels and their allies recognising an April 2015 UN Security Council resolution calling for their withdrawal from the capital and other territories, as well as the legitimacy of Hadi. Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi tweeted Sunday that the government had agreed to give the peace talks a "last chance". Fighting since the coalition intervention in March 2015 has killed more than 6,400 people, displaced about 2.8 million and left 82 percent of Yemen's population in need of aid, the United Nations says. A 67-year-old former drug dealer who overcame his own heroin addiction and two separate stints in prison did something extraordinary last week: He graduated from an Ivy League college. David Norman, who was released from an upstate New York jail in 2000 after serving more than six years for stabbing a man to death in a street fight, received a bachelors degree in philosophy from Columbia University in New York City on Wednesday. You know, we have a saying in the street, when people go to jail sometimes, Norman told WBUR radio. I wasnt arrested, I was rescued, and thats what happened to me. In prison, he helped run a program that teaches life skills to inmates preparing to reenter society. I had a moment of clarity in which I was able to recognize everything I had done at that point was fairly counterproductive and I needed to engage in some new activities and some new behaviors, Norman told the Daily News. I did a little inventory of myself to try to unearth what it was that led me astray in the beginning and what I need to do when I get home not to fall victim to this activity again. After his own release from prison, Norman became an outreach worker at New Yorks Mount Vernon Hospital, where he helped substance abusers get access to the services he didnt have when he was growing up. Norman went on to become a staffer for a community health program at Columbia and enrolled in the schools general studies program in 2006. He was the oldest member of Columbias graduating class. I had a good rapport with the young people because they always amazed me, Norman said. Currently a research assistant at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Norman said has no immediate postgrad plans other than writing a memoir. Working title: You Dont Have to Wait as Long as I Did. Story continues Of course, Norman wasnt the only ex-addict to overcome the odds this graduation season. Monica Careyette, a former meth addict who narrowly avoided jail time, graduated from Brandman University in Santa Maria, Calif., with a bachelors degree in sociology. I was facing 10 years in prison, Careyette told CBSLA.com. I honestly did not care if I lived or died. At Sundays graduation, she served as class speaker. I am living proof that no matter how hard you fall, you can overcome and succeed, Careyette told fellow graduates. From drug addict to college graduate dreams do come true. But such inspiring stories can occasionally turn into cautionary tales. Last year, Corey Waller, a Louisville native who grew up homeless but went on to graduate from Harvard, was indicted on drug and weapons charges after police found between 200 and 400 pounds of marijuana inside a storage locker Waller was renting. It was like someone socked me in the stomach, former Louisville Councilwoman Denise Bentley, who helped mentor Waller as a teen, told WDRB-TV after his arrest. As I said to Corey yesterday, you can always make lemonade out of lemons, and so I havent given up on him. AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch pension fund PGGM, a major shareholder in Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), criticised the company's climate change policy on Monday, a day before Shell's annual meeting. "We are not yet convinced Shell has sufficiently internalised the consequences of climate change in its strategy and future plans," the fund said in a statement published on its website. But PGGM said it would not vote in favour of a resolution put on the shareholder meeting's agenda by activist group "Follow This" directing the oil giant to transform itself into a "sustainable energy" company. The pension fund said that shareholders should not interfere so directly in the management of the company. "PGGM emphatically endorses the message that 'Follow This' is giving in its proposal: the demand for Shell to show more leadership" in developing renewable energy, the pension fund said. A Shell spokesman on Monday pointed to recent statements by the company's CEO Ben van Beurden that the company "recognises the importance of the climate challenge." "Our aim is to play a role in meeting these challenges by exploring solutions in areas of our technical expertise such as natural gas productions, efficient future fuels (eg, biofuels and hydrogen), carbon capture and storage, and also in emerging energy system technologies." In 2009, Shell called a halt to investments in wind or solar energy, saying they were too unprofitable and it saw the development of biofuels as more in line with its strategy. But this year the company partially reversed course and said earlier this month it has joined a consortium that is bidding to participate in a major wind turbine project in the North Sea off the Dutch coast. (Reporting by Toby Sterling. Editing by Jane Merriman and David Evans) E*TRADE Financial Corporations ETFC office in Manila, Philippines was raided by authorities and around 36 employees were arrested as part of an investigation into the companys alleged illegal trading for U.S. customers accounts. The news, first reported by the New York Post on Friday stated that the raid and arrests took place on May 10. Also, the authorities confiscated various office equipments including computers and printers. The detained employees, however, had been released. It is alleged that the New York-based online brokerage firm did not possess a license to execute trades in Philippines. Notably, the Manila office was established only for handling customer support services. Chief Executive of E*TRADE Paul Idzik acknowledged the news internally to employees in an e-mail dated May 12. Idzik stated in the email, As you may be aware, E*TRADEs Manila office was evacuated earlier this week in response to a local investigation. Since then, the office remains temporarily closed, and all customer traffic is being routed to our Sandy [Utah] and Alpharetta [Georgia] locations. E*TRADE mentioned that it believes that the allegations by the authorities in Philippines are completely without merit, and are cooperating fully, while vigorously defending ourselves and our colleagues. The company also stated that that it does not view the issue as a material event. Currently, E*TRADE carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better ranked stocks in the finance space include Raymond James Financial, Inc. RJF, KCG Holdings, Inc. KCG and LPL Financial Holdings Inc. LPLA, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report E TRADE FINL CP (ETFC): Free Stock Analysis Report KCG HOLDINGS (KCG): Free Stock Analysis Report RAYMOND JAS FIN (RJF): Free Stock Analysis Report LPL FINL HLDGS (LPLA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas is celebrating its 20th anniversary on June 17-19, and will feature an extensive lineup that includes Kaskade, DJ Snake, The Chainsmokers, Alesso, Marshmello, Martin Garrix, Afrojack and Knife Party. EDC New York 2016 Day 2 Highlights: Kaskade, Jauz, Nicole Moudaber & More The lineup was initially premiered by Pasquale Rotella, Insomniac founder, during an episode of Night Owl Radio on SirusXM's Electric Area on Friday (May 20), but now the electric sky roster is getting its official reveal. Billing over 250 dance music artists at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, EDC will also feature Zedd, Above & Beyond, Dada Life, Loco Dice, Datsik, Hannah Wants, Excision, Hardwell, Tycho and What So Not, among other anniversary surprises. Justin Martin, Hannah Wants, What So Not & More Announced for Your Paradise 2016 Festival "A milestone anniversary like this deserves a very special lineup, and we've got an incredible mix of top talent, on-the-rise names, old-school legends, and artists who have never played the festival before," said Rotella in a statement to Billboard. "We'll also be introducing extended set times that will allow DJs to really take our Headliners on a journey - and of course some specially curated 20th anniversary surprises that people will remember for years to come." General admission passes are currently sold out, but a limited number of VIP tickets are available here. Check out the full lineup below. [[{"fid":"614033","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":1080,"width":1240,"class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] We wont know for some time just what caused EgyptAir Flight 804 to plunge abruptly into the Mediterranean shortly after midnight last Thursday. But weekend reports suggest that a detonated explosive device is one of two probable causes. If it is eventually confirmed that the Paris-to-Cairo flight was yet another victim of a terror attack in a vicious season of them, we face one new reality and one big question. Related: EgyptAir Jet Sent Smoke-Alarm Warnings Before Crash First, its time to acknowledge that all recent terror incidents are targeted. This is a clear pattern now. It shapes up as eye-for-an-eye, the law of retaliation as found in the Quran and the Old Testament alike. In other words, what governments do or are seen by jihadist organizations to do could have consequences anytime, anywhere. EgyptAir 804, which went down shortly after it entered Egyptian airspace and 165 miles from its coast, regrettably fits the pattern. Second, we have to ask whether Egypt is now exporting the nearly rampant terrorist activity that has long plagued the nation and worsened markedly since Abdel al-Sisi, an army general, deposed Mohammed Morsi, Egypts first legitimately elected president, in a coup endorsed by the Obama White House three years ago. Al-Sisi immediately launched a bloody campaign against Islamic groups of many persuasionsviolent and nonviolent alikeand continues to fight armed militias active in the Sinai Peninsula. Related: EgyptAir Mechanic Suspected In Russian Plane Crash Is the downing of Egypt 804 retaliation? Is al-Sisis war against domestic terrorand more or less all political adversaries, toospreading across the Mediterranean? So far, we have predictably confusing accounts of what happened prior to the flight's abrupt disappearance from radar devices. The presence of smoke in the cabin, first reported on French television over the weekend, brings the causes of the crash down to a probable two. Officials in Paris say that either equipment failure ignited an electrical fire or an explosive device detonated. Story continues Prior Flight Paths of EgyptAir Flight 804 Aircraft | Graphiq But Greek aviation sources have indicated that Flight 804 swerved erratically before losing altitude and speculated that a faulty thrust reverser may have accidentally activated. This was the cause of a similar crash in Thailand back in the early-1990s. Now Mike Vivian, formerly a senior official with Britains Civil Aviation Authority, suggests the last-minute gyrations could indicate a struggle in the cockpit. There are few certainties, but theres a lot of circumstantial evidence, and the burden of it suggests that EgyptAir has just logged another terrorist incident -- this one killing 56 passengers and 10 crew. Related: French PM Says Nothing Ruled Out on Missing Egyptair Flight In the background, there are the coordinated attacks in Paris last autumn, in which 130 were killed and more than a 100 wounded. The more recent attacks in Brussels were originally planned as a second assault on the French capital. The violence in Paris occurred November 13. France flew its first airstrikes against the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility, six weeks earlier. Last October 31, a Russian charter jet flying home from an Egyptian resort was downed over the Sinai Peninsula by a terrorists device, Russias security service concluded after investigating; 224 people were killed. SIs Russian jets had begun bombing sorties against the Islamic State in Syria a month earlier. The law of retaliation? Related: Sisi Stirs Uproar on Free Speech After Egypt Transfers Islands We do not yet know whether France or Egypt may have been the target of the EgyptAir 804 attack, if it turns out to be one. But the weight of evidence suggests that the al-Sisi dictatorship was the likely target this time. In effect, al-Sisis aggressive hunt for homegrown Islamists may be metastasizing the nations deep divisions across the nations borders. Among other things, we have to ask: Was it possible for Egyptian nationals living in France and/or working at the airport to sabotage EgyptAir 804 in response to al-Sisis indiscriminate repression? Lets consider the gradually accumulating evidence. On the operational side, we know the pilot and co-pilot of EgyptAir 804 had lengthy records of top-tier service. The Airbus A320 they flew, in service since 2003, had no history of mechanical problems and an unmarred safety record. On the circumstantial side, we now know Egyptian airport employees had scrawled, We will bring this plane down on the underside of its fuselage roughly two years ago. The New York Times reported this Sunday as an eerie coincidence, but theres much to suggest this was eerie but no coincidence. Related: Egypt's Sisi Vows to Defeat Terrorism at Launch of New Suez Canal It was a year prior to the graffiti incident that al-Sisi seized power. The blood began to flow immediately, the arrests have ever since mounted, and Islamist militias active in Sinai have grown more lethal. Since then, EgyptAir has fired numerous of its airport and flight staff because of their political convictions, initiated crew searches prior to flights, and stationed security guards on its flights. Fine: Safety measures always are. But look at this as if in a mirror and you see a nation that may be putting deepening political and terror crises onto airplanes. Whats going on inside EgyptAir that makes these measures necessary? Egypt, where the Arab Spring flowered five years ago, is now radically polarized. The general-turned-president rules on a knifes edge and Egyptians now question how long his dictatorial regime can last. Are we watching a once-great Middle Eastern power in slow-motion collapse? Are airline passengers departing from European capitals now caught in the crossfire as al-Sisi fights to survive? Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: The contents of the black box from the EgyptAir jet that crashed on Thursday will be analyzed in Egypt if it is found intact, air accident investigator Hani Galal told Egyptian private broadcaster CBC on Monday. The recorder will be sent abroad for analysis if it is found in a damaged state, he said. Egyptian officials were able to track the plane for one minute before it crashed but were unable to communicate with the crew, the head of Egypt's National Navigation Services Company told the same channel. Egyptian officials did not see the plane swerve, Ehab Mohieeldin added, contradicting comments made by the Greek defense minister. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; editing by John Stonestreet) By Ellen Wulfhorst NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The debate over abortion, a focus of incessant controversy in the Americas, is heating up north and south as the region faces the election of a new U.S. president, a ruling by the highest U.S. court and the risk of the Zika virus in dozens of nations. Abortion plays a role in every U.S. election and this one, to choose a successor to President Barack Obama in November, is no exception. For the Democrats, front-runner Hillary Clinton and candidate Bernie Sanders say they are firmly pro-choice, while presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has said he opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother. Trump has also said that if elected, he would select conservative judges who could support efforts to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal in 1973. The Supreme Court is currently weighing a challenge to laws in Texas which critics say place a so-called undue burden on women seeking abortions. The restrictive laws, in place since 2013, forced the closure of more than half of the state's 42 clinics. If the Texas laws are upheld by the nation's highest court, whose decision is expected in June, advocates say they fear a ripple effect will tighten access to abortion services nationwide. In Texas alone, if the laws are upheld, up to 75 per cent of the state's clinics are likely to close, said Jill Adams, executive director of the Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. "That does not mean we will see a 75 per cent decrease in the abortion rate or a corresponding 75 per cent increase in the birth rate. Far from it," she said. "We know that resourceful people will apply creativity and ingenuity and if they are pregnant and don't want to be, they will find a way not to be," she said. Supporters of the laws say they protect women's health. They require clinics to upgrade to hospital standards and doctors performing abortions to have formal agreements to admit patients to local hospitals. Story continues "The court's ruling in this case will impact not only millions of women in Texas, but women seeking abortion throughout the country," said a legal brief submitted to the high court by attorneys for Planned Parenthood. Where similar laws have taken effect, the brief said, "women seeking abortion have suffered devastating consequences". South from the Caribbean and Mexico to Brazil, the threat of the Zika virus has raised the question of making abortion available to pregnant women who have been exposed to it. Outbreaks of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been linked to microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with small heads and other birth defects, have been reported in at least 41 countries or territories, most in the Americas. In light of the threat of Zika, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, has called on governments to reconsider policies that restrict access to services such as contraception and abortion for pregnant women. "Laws and policies that restrict her access to these services must be urgently reviewed," he said earlier this year. Some countries have recommended that women delay getting pregnant, advice that "ignores the reality that many women and girls simply cannot exercise control over whether or when or under what circumstances they become pregnant", he said. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled the Zika outbreak a global health emergency. "Few countries in the outbreak zone offer universal access to sexual and family planning services," WHO said in a statement. According to a one study, nations in Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest proportion - 56 per cent - of unintended pregnancies anywhere in the world, it said. (Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, additional reporting by Anastasia Moloney in Bogota. Editing by Jo Griffin; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) For six seasons, Emilia Clarke has played Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones, a role that has earned her two Emmy nominations. But before that, she was just a British actress nervous about her audition for the show so nervous, it seems, that she thought it would be a good idea to dance the Funky Chicken during that audition. [Game of Thrones showrunner] David Benioff was like you can do a dance like, as a joke, Clarke told Jay Duplass on Variety Studio: Actors on Actors. And I took him so seriously, because I was just so I might as well have brought in a little apple, like, a teachers pet; I just wanted it so bad. She told Duplass that Game of Thrones fans would unfortunately probably not have the chance to witness a reenactment. Ive tried to make [my character] funny, and it just doesnt work, she said. Khaleesi isnt funny. [Variety] BOURNEMOUTH, England -- Long stretches of pristine beaches and dramatic seascapes lovingly bracket this city of 191,400 on England's south coast. Unsurprisingly, it grew into a spa and resort town in the 19th century. And that legacy lives on: it's still best known for its throbbing nightlife, which mainly attracts a younger crowd -- casinos, resort hotels and clubs line its beachfront -- and its large population of retirees. A mayor once joked Bournemouth is where "hedonism" and the "blue-rinse" set peacefully coexist. But now a new group of denizens is joining Bournemouth's mix of partiers and pensioners: techies. Because the city has quietly morphed into a high-tech hotspot. A new report says that the value of tech companies in Bournemouth and Poole (its twin city to the west -- the two towns essentially blend into one another) jumped 68 percent -- to $508 million -- from 2010 to 2014. The report from Tech City UK, a government-funded entity created to bolster the country's burgeoning technology sector, follows one from last year that said Bournemouth/Poole was home to the UK's fastest growing tech cluster -- local startups grew by a sizzling 212 percent from 2010 to 2013. Tara Flynn, 30, co-founder of Ratio, a software company that operates Choose Wisely, a price-comparison website for financial products, says the reports upended preconceived notions. "There's a lack of realization in London and elsewhere that Bournemouth is so buzzing," she says. Bournemouth's hi-tech surge is a microcosm of a countrywide boom in digital startups. Britain's tech sector is growing 32 percent faster than the rest of the economy, generating revenues of 161 billion ($233 billion) and creating jobs 2.8 times faster than all other sectors. [READ: The UK seen as a strong country for entrepreneurship] And most of the action is taking place outside of London. Seventy-five percent of tech companies are located in regional cities like Cambridge, Oxford, Manchester and, yes, Bournemouth. Story continues Tech clusters tend to form around universities, and Bournemouth is home to two well-regarded schools: Bournemouth University and the Arts University College at Bournemouth. Tech City found that 86 percent of local companies cited the schools as being one of the area's main benefits. They're also a source of talent beyond the city -- half the employees in Britain's top-rated animation industry are BU computer animation graduates. But Bournemouth itself is the main beneficiary of the two schools' talent pool. "If you're a good company, it's easy to build and hold on to a team here," says Duncan Cook, 39, CEO of app developer 3 Sided Cube. [READ: Millennials rank the UK high as a country] Cook is an Arts College alum who opted to relocate back here when he started 3 Sided Cube as a one-man operation in 2004. "I thought to myself, 'That was a bloody nice place to live,'" he explains. His company now employs 25 people, is profitable and has clients ranging from American Red Cross to Boots, the UK's largest drugstore chain. Of course, there are downsides to being a 2-1/2 hour drive from London: mainly, a lack of access to large amounts of finance. To be sure, the money crunch is a national problem. Several studies have found that the inability of companies to raise the money needed to scale up has been the industry's biggest hurdle, despite an explosion of venture-capital investments that reached $3.6 billion last year, a 70 percent jump over the previous year. To help breach the finance gap and attract more VC money, several new accelerators are being launched in Britain, including a small one in Bournemouth. But so far, most of the money available here is small change, mainly angel investments and some early seed rounds. "You do have a lot of wealthy people here, but most of them are retired," Cook says. And big VC investors aren't inclined to move to Bournemouth. They tend to want to be personally involved in the businesses they invest in, which can limit the geographical spread of cash to London and nearby environs. So far, Flynn's Ratio has succeeded by self-funding its operations. But Flynn admits, "We want to grow internationally, and we may need a big cash injection at some point, but we won't find it in Bournemouth." That's a future worry, however. For now, the 30-year-old entrepreneur has no desire to say goodbye to Bournemouth's growing community of startups. "Its location is the best thing," she says. "There is an aspiration here to make it one of the most well-known digital hubs in the world." Received Certificate of Completion for New Stores; Off Price Locations Remain Hot Trend in Retail PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / Epic Stores Corp. ("Epic" or the "Company") (EPSC), a second-hand goods retailer that operates retail stores in the United States, announced continued progress as it moves closer to expanding into the San Antonio, Texas market. Epic's planned store in San Antonio received its Certificate of Completion last week. Management continues to expect the grand opening to occur within 60 days. Brian Davidson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Epic Stores Corp., commented, "Increasingly, consumers are spending money on new technology and experiences, and seeking ways to reduce their spending on fashion, and this is driving interest in lower-priced retail outlets like Epic Thrift. The oversupply of high-end fashion retailers, and the impact of discount and internet-based retailers is driving savvy consumers to seek alternatives for clothing purchases, as off-price channels continues to take market share from traditional retail locations. While the full-priced retail segment is struggling, discounters are thriving." "This trend is supported by the opening of more than 600 new discount retail units during 2015 across the United States, and our strategic expansion into San Antonio is a part of this industry growth," added Mr. Davidson. "Established retailers are closing traditional stores and opening discounted locations like Nordstrom Rack and Off Fifth brands. In the aggregate, the 'off-price' segment has grown more than 12% in the last year, growing to more than 4,200 locations nationwide. We are excited about capitalizing on this evolving trend and look forward to sharing more information on our new locations in the near term." About Epic Stores Corp. Epic is a second hand goods retailer that operates second hand retail stores in the United States. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, the company offers high quality, on-trend second hand clothing, accessories and household products at affordable prices. As of March 31, 2016, the company employed 165 employees and operated 10 retail stores in four states. Founded in 2010, Epic opened its first retail store in Phoenix, Arizona. Since that time, the company has opened additional stores in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas. All of the retail stores sell products directly to consumers. The company also operates a leading wholesale business that supplies used shoes, books and clothing to distributors. Story continues Forward-Looking Statements The information in this press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often include words such as "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes" and words and terms of similar substance in connection with discussions of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: (i) the adequacy of the Company's liquidity to meet its needs for the foreseeable future, (ii) the benefits expected to be recognized in connection with retail and whole sales, (iii) the Company's expectation that the current market conditions will continue. The Company's forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's business and performance, the economy and other future conditions and forecasts of future events, circumstances and results. As with any projection or forecast, forward-looking statements are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. The Company's actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in its forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise. Company Contacts Brian Davidson President and CEO Epic Stores Corp. Tel (623) 565-5758 Investor Relations Brett Maas Managing Partner Hayden IR Tel (646) 536-7331 brett@haydenir.com SOURCE: Epic Stores Corp. MLPs Closed 2.6% Higher Last Week: What Should Investors Know? (Continued from Prior Part) Ethane prices last week Mont Belvieu ethane prices fell marginally by 0.7% to $0.193 per gallon in the week ended May 20, 2016. Prices rose 2.6% to $0.194 per gallon in the previous week. However, ethane prices have fallen significantly over the years. Low ethane prices and higher costs for storing and transporting ethane resulted in ethane rejection. This means that producers leave ethane in the natural gas stream. Extracting ethane isnt always economical when prices are low. The costs of storing and transporting ethane are higher than the related costs for hydrocarbon gas liquids products. Read our series What is ethane rejection and why is it important for energy MLPs? to learn more about ethane rejection. The above graph shows weekly ethane prices over the past six weeks. Enable Midstream Partners (ENBL), Tallgrass Energy Partners (TEP), and Summit Midstream Partners (SMLP) are a few of the MLPs engaged in natural gas gathering and processing. Key developments in the ethane market Recent developments in the ethane market are expected to have a positive impact on MLPs involved in ethane projects. These MLPs include Sunoco Logistics Partners (SXL), Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), DCP Midstream Partners (DPM), and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD). Energy Transfer Partners forms 0.03% of the Global X SuperDividend US ETF (DIV). One of the developments is higher ethane use from petrochemical companies. Lower ethane prices resulted in petrochemical companies using ethane more as a feedstock in place of naphtha. According to Wouter van Kempen, DPMs CEO (chief executive officer), There are billions of dollars of investments in petchem facilities that are expected to come online in 2017 and 2018, and those crackers crack only one thing. That is ethane. These expansions, along with [BDH] facilities and exports, are anticipated to need ethane in excess of what is currently being rejected by the industry. And to give you some perspective, over 650,000 barrels per day of ethane are currently being rejected in the lower 48. Story continues Ethane infrastructure Ethane-related infrastructure, including plants to convert ethane to ethylene, has been developing in the United States. This development supports the rising demand for petrochemical companies. This is positive for ethane demand. Eventually, it will be positive for prices. Some companies are investing in export terminals for ethane. Theres an attractive export market for ethane in Canada, Asia, and Europe. In the next part of this series, well see why a 0.1% fall in crude oil production has impacted MLPs. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: By Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Half of the European Union's member states on Monday called for the removal of barriers to the free flow of data both within and outside the 28-nation bloc to ensure the continent can benefit from new data-driven technologies. In a letter to the European Commission and the Netherlands - which holds the rotating EU presidency - ministers from countries including Poland, Britain, Sweden and Finland urged Brussels to make sure regulation is not a barrier to the development of data-driven technologies and to avoid one-size-fits-all rules for online platforms such as Amazon and Facebook. "It is vital for European competitiveness to take a positive approach to new advancements in digital technologies and business models," wrote the ministers from Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden. "Europe can benefit significantly from new data-driven technologies if the right future-proof regulatory framework is established." The Commission last year unveiled its Digital Single Market strategy, a wide-ranging plan to knock down barriers in the online world to give Europe a better chance of competing with mainly U.S. tech giants. On Wednesday, it will present the results of its inquiry into online platforms and where it thinks action may be needed. While Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip has ruled out a single regulation covering all online companies, it is likely to tackle perceived problems in areas such as copyright and telecoms as well as probe further into the terms of use of services such as Google's Android and Apple Inc's IoS mobile operating system. The strategy has faced accusations of protectionism - which the Commission says are unfounded - and data flows to the United States have endured a particularly tough ride since revelations of mass U.S. government snooping programs. Ansip - who is overseeing the strategy - has spoken out against limits to cross-border data flows. Story continues "It's extremely important to allow free data flows across the EU and we know that in some member states there are ideas to localize data inside of those beautiful countries. They are very popular but it's a dead end," he said in the European Parliament in April. The EU is expected to present a proposal enabling the free flow of data across the bloc later this year to counter data localization initiatives in countries such as Germany and France. The letter also called for EU telecoms rules to be simplified so as to foster investments in high-speed broadband, an area where the EU has been lagging behind the United States, Japan and South Korea. (Reporting by Julia Fioretti. Editing by Jane Merriman) By Gabriela Baczynska and Karolina Tagaris BRUSSELS/ATHENS (Reuters) - The European Union said on Monday a Syrian asylum seeker's successful appeal against deportation to Turkey proved the bloc's deal with Ankara to limit migration was legal, while rights groups said the ruling exposed its "fundamental flaws". A Syrian national last week won the second and final appeal to Greece's asylum committee, which ruled the person would not be safe if returned to Turkey under an accord obliging Ankara to take back refugees and migrants who use people-smuggling gangs to reach Greek islands by boat from the nearby Turkish coast. Should more asylum seekers secure similar decisions, it would undercut the rationale behind the EU pact with Turkey, meant to deter people from risking the sea voyage to Greece by showing they have little chance of being allowed to stay. Rights groups criticized the March migration deal as immoral and against humanitarian law that bans arbitrary, mass deportation of asylum-seekers and says everyone must have an effective chance to have their requests individually assessed. Despite that criticism, EU leaders - under heavy pressure from grassroots anti-migration sentiment growing across the bloc after some 1.3 million people entered the European continent last year - pushed that deal through. Arrivals on the Greek islands near Turkey have since slowed to a trickle. Margaritis Schinas, spokesman for the executive European Commission, said the successful appeal proved the migration accord did not flout the law. "We made it very clear that all asylum applications would be treated on a case-by-case basis." "In all cases there are individual interviews, individual assessment and rights of appeal so there will be no blanket, no automatic return of asylum seekers. This is happening," he said. "FUNDAMENTAL FLAWS" Schinas said 51 people who did not apply for asylum in Greece were sent back to Turkey on Friday, raising the total of returns under the March agreement to 441. He added that Germany took in 103 Syrians directly from Turkey last Thursday under a provision of the pact obliging EU states to resettle one Syrian for every Syrian sent back. So far 280 Syrians have been brought into the EU under the clause. Among the most important goals of the pact is to deter migrants from paying human traffickers for boats to take them from Turkey to Greece, as hundreds of thousands did during a mass influx last year. Greek authorities have not disclosed details of the appeal. The government's spokesman for migration, Giorgos Kyritsis, said each case was assessed individually. "A positive or a negative decision does not prejudge the decision regarding another individual," he said. But Amnesty International said it highlighted "fundamental flaws" of the EU's migration collaboration with Ankara. "Turkey is not safe for refugees, it does not offer them full protection, and assurances on paper are simply not good enough," said Gauri van Gulik, AI's deputy director for Europe. "Until Turkey ends all violations against refugees and guarantees them full protection, nobody else should be sent back under this deal. Instead, Europe should focus on its part of the deal by accepting refugees for resettlement from Turkey." (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Mark Heinrich) LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - European regulators have lifted a warning on Pfizer's smoking cessation drug Champix - called Chantix in the United States - after a clinical study concluded it did not appear to increase the risk of neuropsychiatric side effects. Champix is approved as an effective therapy for helping smokers quit but the European Medicines Agency added a "black triangle" warning following reports linking it to agitation, aggression, panic, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. The special warning required additional safety monitoring for patients taking the medicine. Pfizer said on Monday that experts at the European drugs watchdog had now adopted a decision to change the label in the light of results from a large study, published in The Lancet medical journal in April, that provided safety reassurance. Pfizer's medicine, which has been prescribed to millions of patients around the world, also carries a "black box" warning in the United States relating to neuropsychiatric adverse events. A Pfizer spokesman said the company was awaiting feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the matter. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Jason Neely) Meet Alok Sagar, a visibly unassuming old man whom you may encounter while visiting the densely vegetated swathes of Betula and Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh. Sagar, an old resident of New Delhi, had wandered into the wilderness of Betul and Hoshangabad with a god gifted backbone to serve the underprivileged and marginalized classes in those areas. You may wonder why we used the noun backbone in describing the mettle of this white-bearded shabby-looking old vagabond. Heres why While postgraduates or postdoctoral fellows, especially from the top schools abroad, may choose to remain aloof from marginalized sects, Sagara PhD from Houston University in Texasis an exception. Sagar had bagged a bachelors in electrical engineering from Delhi IIT and a masters from the same institute before he left to Texas. After the PhD, he returned to his alma mater to a huge student following which included the incumbent governor of the Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan. Nearly 34 years ago in 1982, this selfless man resigned from his post as an IIT professor and has since been working untiringly for the betterment of the tribal folks in Madhya Pradesh. He single-handedly planted more than 50,000 trees in Betul district. The eco-conscious citizen also spreads his message of a greener world by collecting and distributing seeds among tribal people at a reasonable rate. His work with the Shramik Adiwasi Sangathan eventually saw him take on the role of an activist working towards securing tribes their rights. Sagars neighbours and even the tribal people he worked with were unaware of his identity of being a renowned academician. During the assembly elections in the district, when Sagar was unable to verify his background, the Betul district administration asked him to leave. And that is when Sagar revealed his true identity. Unlike the baseless fight over degrees of politicians, Sagar has set an example of being a true social worker, Hindustan Times quoted Sagars accomplice Anurag Modi. Story continues In India, people are facing so many problems, but people are busy proving their intelligence by showing their degrees rather than serving people, he added. Also read: Ex-army man turned security guard teaches slum children after work BRASILIA, May 23 (Reuters) - Brazilian federal police on Monday arrested a former treasurer of one of the parties in the country's ruling coalition as part of a wide-ranging graft probe centered on state-run oil company Petrobras, prosecutors said. Joao Claudio Genu, a former treasurer of the Progressive Party (PP), is accused of receiving about 1 million reais ($280,465) in bribes to distribute within his party. The PP supported now-suspended President Dilma Rousseff for years. It broke from the leftist leader last week when it backed her impeachment and suspension during a vote in Brazil's Senate. The PP is part of the coalition of interim President Michel Temer, who has named two of its members to head government ministries. ($1 = 3.5655 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Writing by Silvio Cascione; Editing by Paul Simao) By Alonso Soto, Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The Brazilian government plans to host a round of investor meetings to market a broad plan of asset sales, a key initiative to help raise cash and reduce a record budget deficit, a senior official and people familiar with the matter told Reuters. According to Wellington Moreira Franco, the head of a government agency to draw foreign investment to Brazil, a round of so-called roadshows is seen as a necessary step to advertise the assets and the legal and regulatory framework behind the programme. He did not give a timetable nor say which assets will be sold. Still, five sources with knowledge of the plan told Reuters over the past week that Moreira Franco and Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Serra will lead the roadshows, which may take place in New York, London and other financial hubs. Two of the sources said the presentations are scheduled for mid-July. The list of ready-for-sale assets is still in the making. Yet, interim President Michel Temer's government wants to sell majority stakes in the fuel distribution unit of oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA and in power utility Furnas Centrais Eletricas SA, and some of the facilities that airport authority Infraero runs, the sources said. Moreira Franco said the programme's goal is to help create jobs as Brazil wrestles with a two-year long recession and slumping commodity prices. Still, the plan could help Brazil raise extra funds to narrow a deficit that most economists forecast to top 10 percent of gross domestic product this year. "It's time to end with the government monologue and start building solutions with our partners," Moreira Franco said late on Friday, adding that the legal and investment framework will be designed in a way that bidders "feel safe and confident." The state asset sale programme offers more evidence of Brazil's policy shift since the Senate's decision earlier this month to try the impeachment of leftist President Dilma Rousseff. Temer, her replacement during the trial and afterwards if she is found guilty, has vowed to streamline Brazil's bloated state and open room for more private investment activity. Story continues It could become Brazil's most ambitious privatisation drive in two decades. Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Co PJSC, and Mubadala Development Co PJSC are among the sovereign wealth funds invited to attend the roadshows, three of the sources said. Canadian investment firms and European infrastructure companies have already been contacted too, the same sources added. Moreira Franco declined to give an estimate of how much the government could fetch from asset sales, although two of the sources said proceeds could range between $10 billion (7 billion pounds) and $20 billion (14 billion pounds) over the next two years. Some of the largest investment banks operating in Brazil will also attend the meetings, many of them representing potential buyers, the sources added. In a statement to Reuters, Temer's office said the government "plans to transfer to private investors several assets, stakes and companies, although it is still analysing which and which others will remain in the hands of the state." Spokespeople for Serra's office declined to comment. Spokespeople for the wealth funds and the Canadian firms including Brookfield Asset Management Inc (BAMa.TO), did not have an immediate comment. SANITATION, INSURANCE, LOTTERY Temer plans to deliver to lawmakers later on Monday a request to raise a key budget deficit target for this year, which requires congressional approval before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown. The new shortfall estimate is the so-called primary deficit goal, or the expected difference between spending and revenues before debt payments. Brazilian equities, bonds and currency have gained in recent months, on optimism that an eventual removal of Rousseff from office for breaking budgetary rules could usher in more business-friendly policies. Moreira Franco noted that the asset sale programme and contacts with investors could also help the government resume auctions of oil and natural gas exploration permits. The programme will be implemented in phases that will hinge on the ability of officials and their advisors to prepare deals, the sources noted. Moreira Franco said that no banks have yet been hired to advise on the programme. According to the sources, the government will first offer those state companies with the most attractive or profitable business models, keeping a smaller stake in them. At a later stage, the government would try to exit stakes in privately-held or listed companies owned by BNDESPar, an investment holding company controlled by state development bank BNDES, they said. The Temer administration is considering disposing of stakes in regional sanitation firms, helping them refinance debt they owe to the federal government, one of the sources said. Other assets include state lender Caixa Economica Federal's [CEF.UL] insurance unit and lottery licensing, the same source said. Between 1995 and 2002, then-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso embarked on the sale of mining firms, utilities banks and licenses to operate telecommunications and electricity networks that raised about $78 billion. Cardoso sold 10 companies as well as five road and seven railway concessions, more than any other president in the country's history. Brazil's federal government has 2 trillion reais ($568 billion) in direct or indirect stakes in about 77 companies, according to data compiled by Economatica and Thomson Reuters. Among federal agencies that invest in state-controlled as well as private-sector companies is BNDESPar, which manages 45 billion reais in equity holdings. (With additional reporting by Ethan Lou in Toronto; Editing by Mary Milliken) Idina Menzel is all about Elsa, no matter who she loves. The Frozen star spoke to ET on the Billboard Music Awards red carpet in Las Vegas about the recent petition, #GiveElsaAGirlfriend, which is calling for the Disney princess to have a female love interest in the sequel. The petition has been gaining some traction on the internet through the LGBTQ community. "I think it's great," she told ET on Sunday of the online campaign. "Disney's just gotta contend with that. I'll let them figure that out." MORE: 9 Things That Absolutely Need to Be in the 'Frozen' Sequel or We'll Plunge Disney Into Deep, Deep, Deep Snow "No matter what," Menzel said, adding Elsa "changed my life." And basically the entire world's! MORE: Disney Is Officially Making 'Frozen 2'! Plus, Listen to the New Song From 'Frozen Fever' There are two people on Earth who aren't the biggest Frozen fans however... and they just happen to be the daughters of Menzel's co-star, Kristen Bell! Watch the video below. Related Articles By Mohammed Mukhashaf ADEN (Reuters) - A suicide car bombing claimed by Islamic State killed at least 40 Yemeni army recruits and wounded 60 in the southern city of Aden on Monday, medics said, in one of the deadliest attacks yet on government interests. The attack occurred as the recruits lined up to enlist outside the home of a senior general near a military camp in Aden's Khor Maksar district, officials said. The port city serves as the temporary capital of Yemen's Saudi-backed administration while it seeks to seize back Sanaa from the Iran-allied armed Houthi group that took it in 2014, plunging Yemen into civil war. Local news website Aden al-Ghad showed pictures of soldiers picking up bloodied comrades in uniform from the ground and witnesses said ambulances with blaring sirens collected the wounded. Islamic State said the attack targeted "the apostate Yemeni army" and named the attacker as Abu Ali al-Adeni, according to a statement posted on its social media accounts. It said a bomb planted at the gate of the nearby Badr army base detonated afterwards. Officials said the second blast caused no casualties. The attacks follow gains by Yemeni government forces backed by the United Arab Emirates, who mounted an offensive on al Qaeda militants in southern towns last month. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has taken advantage of chaos in Yemen since the civil war began to win control over swathes of southern and eastern Yemen. Their militant rivals in Yemen's branch of Islamic State have carried out a series of suicide attacks on all parties to Yemen's tangled conflict, killing 25 police recruits outside the southeastern port city of Mukalla earlier in May. The militant threat has spurred U.N.-sponsored peace talks between the Houthis and Hadi's government in Kuwait that have made little progress since they began last month. The talks have been bogged down by differences over the implementation of a U.N. resolution calling for the Houthis to quit cities they control and hand over weapons and forming a more representative government. Yemeni forces pushed al Qaeda out of its base in Mukalla and killed 16 militants in a raid outside the city backed up by Gulf Arab helicopters on Sunday. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Noah Browning and Sami Aboudi,; Editing by Richard Balmforth and John Stonestreet) implosion explosion demolition A bombshell trade report lands next month which will reveal whether US advertising agencies accept rebates from media companies, and whether those agencies are transparent about disclosing them and passing them back to their clients, sources told Business Insider. The report, commissioned by advertiser trade body the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), is set to be more "explosive" than many people in the industry were prepared for, these sources say, because it will lay bare the practices media agencies use to make hidden margins on their advertising buys. A previous report on the same issues from the ANA, published in 2012, was widely ignored. The new findings are set to make many marketers sit up and take notice. Ad agency contracts generally say that client money should be spent transparently and honestly. Any indication that cash is instead being siphoned into schemes that only benefit agencies will cause trouble. One source, who is aware of the report's findings, told Business Insider there have been suggestions of the possibility of "jail time" for executives found to have been deliberately in breach of their contracts. Why this is an issue Media agencies are paid by advertisers to secure them the best and most efficiently priced advertising slots. However, one of the issues is whether buying agencies are actually securing the most strategic slots for advertisers, or whether they've made a previous agreement with a media owner to spend a set amount of their clients' ad dollars in order to receive a rebate. Rebates are standard media-buying practice in certain countries in Europe and Brazil. But they are not meant to exist in the US. Any sort of incentive is supposed to be disclosed and returned to the advertiser, unless otherwise previously agreed in the contract. Media agencies are supposed to spend their clients' money where the client will get the best value, not just where the agency gets the biggest benefit. Credits, or freebie ad slots which were granted precisely because an advertiser spent so much with a media owner are supposed to be returned to the client not sold on for the agency's gain. And rebates aren't supposed to be hidden income for other parts of the agency business, such as an agency group's barter, or programmatic, or international operations, which are harder for clients to audit. Story continues Some agencies argue that such volume-discount rebates belong to the agency to reward them for their bulk-buying power. That's the benefit of working with a big global agency, as opposed to a smaller independent and if clients are unhappy, they shouldn't sign the contracts. Business Insider does not yet know precisely which if any of these nontransparent practices the report will address, but sources told us the impact of the report's findings will be huge. A quick recap on the story so far jon mandel The controversy surrounding media agency rebates was thrust into the spotlight in March last year at the annual ANA conference. Jon Mandel, the former CEO of WPP media agency MediaCom, stood on stage and alleged agency kickbacks are still "widespread" and cited them as one of the reasons he left the industry. "Have you ever wondered why fees to agencies have gone down and yet the declared profits to these agencies are up?" Mandel said at the time. Later, he told Australian trade publication Mumbrella: "It was like somebody had died in the room." The interview was headlined: "Is this the most hated man in advertising?" The big six advertising agency holding companies responded to the speech by repeatedly outright denying they take kickbacks or rebates in the US. WPPs Martin Sorrell says firmly that media kickbacks are not a factor in America: There are no rebates in the U.S. #CannesLions Adweek (@Adweek) June 26, 2015 In October last year, the ANA hired two firms to investigate the media rebates and transparency issues plaguing the sector. ANA One of those firms is K2, an investigative consultancy staffed by former FBI agents and founded by "father-son detective duo" Jules and Jeremy Kroll. Jules Kroll founded the Kroll Inc. private security and intelligence empire. The appointment signaled to many people in the industry that the investigation was going to be uncomfortably forensic. jeremy kroll The ANA also hired Ebiquity's Firm Decisions division, a marketing auditor, which works with clients including Unilever, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Jaguar Landrover. The investigators are expected to release two separate reports in the next two or three weeks. K2 will present its evidence, but will not name names, according to sources. Firm Decisions will present guidelines for marketers based on its own and K2's findings. The guidelines are set to draw from the 52-page template contract UK marketer body ISBA released earlier this year, sources told Business Insider. An ANA spokesman told Business Insider: "The ANA report will be released in the coming weeks and we will respond to all inquiries at that time. At this time we have no additional comment." What's the report going to say? While many people in the industry were expecting the investigation to be like the 2012 ANA report vague findings and a list of guidelines that nobody is forced to adhere to it turns out the new ANA report will be more incendiary than that, according to the sources we spoke to. However, as there are still a few weeks before its publication, lots could still change. Here are some of the potential scenarios: The worst-case scenario: Evidence is presented of criminal behavior While the report itself is not going to name any individuals or agencies, if K2 or Ebiquity uncover any evidence of criminal activity, it is their responsibility to hand their findings over to law enforcement. Most people we spoke to about the report do not think agencies will end up in court. Advertisers will be reluctant to sue their agencies as it's a time-consuming and costly exercise, in which a marketer has to admit publicly that they had made a foolish appointment or didn't review their contracts properly. However, one marketing consultant, who asked not to be named, told Business Insider there could possibly be a federal investigation if there is political pressure on the issue of mis-selling. enron "You look at what happened post-Enron. It died down until senators put political capital on it. And it only takes one senator to start drum-beating about the issue. Then it becomes a big, bright light," our source said. "It's horrible, I don't wish it on anybody." People in the ad business have been jailed for their part in kickback schemes before. In the US, Ogilvy & Mather account chief Shona Seifert and CFO Tom Early got 18 months and 14 months respectively in federal prison in 2005 for over-billing the White House anti-drug account. Grey Global Group print chief Mitch Mosallem was given a 70-month jail sentence in 2003 for operating a kickback scheme on the Procter & Gamble and Brown & Williamson accounts. Interpublic Group in 2008 settled accusations from the SEC that it booked $250 million in clients' volume discounts as its own revenue, and two executives were forced to settle a complaints against them. More recently, with the rise of programmatic advertising, the way in which media agencies make their money has become even more complicated. It's a newer area and digital vendors are hungry for billings from big agency groups. Meanwhile, agency groups have set up central trading desks to buy and re-sell digital media. But those trading desks have long been the target of criticism. As Digiday wrote in 2012: "Theres something inherently fishy about an agency thats supposed to be unbiased funneling money through a vendor thats a sister company." Display LUMAscape Mark Ritson, Melbourne Business School associate professor of marketing, branding consultant, and Marketing Week columnist, thinks that the digital ad industry on many occasions exaggerates its audience figures (because, unlike traditional media, there is not a unified digital measurement metric that everyone agrees on,) which has "created a culture" of opaque behavior. He explained to Business Insider: I can exaggerate the audience size by a factor of five and Im not creating any direct crime. But the minute I turn that into dollars and sell someone something I knowingly know is not true, or incentivize them in a manner that's not correct when we turn an audience number into dollar figures it becomes a far more dangerous activity. Thats the issue. Nobody is going to go to jail for over-estimating an audience size. But you could go to jail, theoretically, for incentivizing the sale of that audience in an illegal manner or pricing it in a manner you know to be incorrect. When you put a dollar sign in front of the number, things get a lot more serious a lot more quickly. Another big concern among agencies is that the behavior of a few bad actors, poster boys for how not to conduct business in this space, will tar the entire industry with the same brush. The middle scenario: Clients and investors punish the agencies Brian Wieser Pivotal Research Last April, Pivotal Research analyst Brian Wieser downgraded the stock ratings for all the advertising agency holding companies he covers due to the client-media agency transparency issue. In a research note, he wrote: Rightly or wrongly, there is a growing perception among marketers that agencies have been mis-leading, transferring value associated with media volumes without clients full understanding or support. Wieser said he thinks it's unlikely the report will throw up criminal violations. But he still thinks it will make life harder for agencies. When the ANA announced former FBI agents at K2 were digging into the transparency issue, shares in advertising holding companies Publicis and WPP fell that day, he said. Investors began paying attention and now the majority of marketers, when exposed to details of practice, will do so too. Civil cases "are probably not likely, but would not be surprising either," Wieser said. "How much revenue is at threat is hard to imagine, but what seems clear is that clients are being more aggressive in their negotiations and, [with this report,] clients will have more leverage," he added. The best-case scenario: The report will reiterate that there is a deep level of mistrust between clients and their agencies but it will aid more positive conversations We already know trust is at a low. More than 70% of global advertisers and agencies surveyed by ID Comms agreed the way in which rebates are handles remains the biggest barrier to building long-term trust, as Marketing Week reported. ID Comms Graham Brown, a director at global media advisory firm MediaSense, said he hopes the report isn't made into a "tabloid press issue" not least by consultancy firms that could gain business if the report manages to find malpractice and instead helps marketers decide how important the relationship is with their agencies and whether they want to make it better, or review it. "It doesn't matter how severe [the report] is; it's all about the level-headedness of how people read it and respond to it because, at the end of the day, these are high-quality service providers that clients need," Brown said. He added: "For me, this is a boil that needs to lanced. Hopefully, with the toxicity that is within the relationship [at the moment,] this is like the antiseptic that cleans it up." Business Insider is investigating the client-media agency transparency issue. If you would like to provide information, both on-the-record, or anonymously, please contact loreilly@businessinsider.com. NOW WATCH: Heres what would happen if you fired a gun in space More From Business Insider (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Monday that an investigation into its editorial practices had found no evidence of political bias in the selection or prominence of stories shown on its Trending Topics feature. The company also said the investigation revealed that conservative and liberal topics were approved as trending topics at "virtually identical rates" and it was unable to substantiate any allegations of politically-motivated suppression of particular subjects or sources. (http://bit.ly/1Tvv3Nm) (Reporting by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Mary Milliken) ISTANBUL (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A new fund which aims to raise more than $3.8 billion for children's education in war zones and natural disasters has been launched on Monday at the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. Here are some facts about education in crisis: * Nearly 75 million children living in areas affected by war or natural disaster had their education disrupted last year, leaving them prey to child labor, trafficking and extremism. * In Syria more than 6,000 schools are out of use attacked, occupied by the military or taken over as an emergency shelter. * In northeast Nigeria and Cameroon, more than 1,800 schools have been shut due to the crisis and in conflict-hit Central African Republic a quarter of schools are not functioning. * More than 300 schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees have been affected by violence in the last five years. * An average of four schools or hospitals are attacked or occupied by armed forces and groups every day. * Attacks against schools and hospitals are one of the six grave violations against children identified and addressed by the U.N. Security Council. * The latest report of the U.N. Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict documented more than 1,500 incidents of attacks on, or military use of, schools and hospitals in 2014. * The majority of attacks against schools in 2014 were carried out in the Palestinian territories, followed by Afghanistan, Yemen, South Sudan and Syria. * Only half of refugee children are in primary school and a quarter of refugee adolescents are in secondary school. * The 'Education Cannot Wait' fund aims to raise $3.85 billion to reach 13.6 million children in need of education in emergencies within five years. It aims to reach 75 million children by 2030. * The fund was launched by the U.N. children's fund (UNICEF), the U.N. Special Envoy for Education Gordon Brown, national governments, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR), the Global Partnership for Education, and others. * More than 50 countries have endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, which declares support for the protection of education in conflict. Sources: Overseas Development Institute, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNESCO, UNRWA (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Ros Russell.; 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 http://news.trust.org) By Crispian Balmer ROME (Reuters) - Italy's most famous photo reporter, Gianni Berengo Gardin, has spent more than half a century documenting a disappearing world and now recognizes that even his own profession is fading fast. In a major retrospective of his work at Rome's Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Berengo Gardin's black-and-white photographs capture Italy's shift from a largely rural economy to its rapid industrialization following World War Two. The most recent reportage, dating from 2013-15, shows huge cruise liners docking in Venice, dwarfing the city's delicate architecture, unleashing hoards of tourists on the lagoon city. The pictures stand in stark contrast to Berengo Gardin's early images of Venice, from the 1950s and 60s, where a lone girl runs through St. Mark's Square and lovers kiss in an otherwise empty, colonnaded street. "You can no longer do photographs like that," 85-year-old Berengo Gardin told Reuters. "Venice is totally different to what it once was. It is full of tourists. It has all changed." Born near the city of Genoa in 1930, Berengo Gardin moved to Venice after the war. Photography was just a hobby until an uncle sent him books by the U.S. greats Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange, and he realized the camera's potential. He himself has now published more than 250 books and, despite his age, he still wanders around with a Leica camera hanging from his shoulder, ready to capture a fleeting moment. Although he has traveled widely, his most famous images were taken in Italy -- psychiatric patients imprisoned in dilapidated hospitals, youngsters dancing on a beach to music from a wind-up gramophone, workers in an Olivetti factory. "People go round the world to photograph places like Hawaii. Then they realize there is so much more beauty here," he said. The exhibition, which runs until Aug. 28, is called "True Photography", with Berengo Gardin arguing that unlike much of today's digital photography, his work is free of artifact. "There are a mountain of false photographs out there that pretend to be genuine, but that have in fact been manipulated in Photoshop. It is a type of fraud," he says. "I am an old photographer, born into an age of real photography, and I still want to defend it," he says. However, in a time when everyone uses their smartphones to capture every aspect of life, and with newspapers struggling to survive, Berengo Gardin fears he is defending a dying art. "You still have fashion photographers, but photo reportage as a career is over. I have friends who used to make a living out of this, people who were famous and successful but are now dying of hunger," he said. (Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) VIENNA (Reuters) - Far-right Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer conceded defeat on Monday in Austria's presidential election. "Of course I am sad today. I would have liked to take care of our wonderful country for you as president," he said on his Facebook page. The contest between Hofer and independent candidate Alexander van der Bellen in Sunday's election was too close to call and depended on postal ballots being counted on Monday. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Francois Murphy) Wall Street remains on edge. Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC) are having a hard time making headway in early trading as earnings season winds down and talk from Fed officials ramps up. In a speech in Beijing, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said the strength in the labor market may put upward pressure on inflation and increase the likelihood of higher interest rates. Indeed, San Francisco Fed President John Williams said this morning there could be two or three rate hikes this year. And Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren told The Financial Times on Sunday that the US is on the verge of meeting most of the conditions the Federal Reserve has set to increase interest rates next month. Mega-merger Monsanto (MON) shares shot up in early trading after Germany's drugs and chemicals group Bayer confirmed that it's interested in buying the US agricultural giant for $62 billion in cash. That translates to $122 dollars a share, a 37% premium based on Monsanto's closing price on May 9 before talk of a takeover first surfaced. Tribune Publishing (TPUB) shares fell in early trading. The owner of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune rejected Gannett's second takeover offer of $864 million dollars, but said it would allow the USA Today publisher access to some confidential corporate information. However, at the same time, Nant Capital said it would invest $70.5 million dollars in Tribune for a stake of about 13%, which would make Nant Capital the second-largest shareholder. Private equity firm Ares Capital (ARES) is buying lender American Capital (ARCC) in a deal valued at $3.4 billion. General Electric (GE) has inked more than $1.4 billion worth of deals with Saudi Arabia. This comes as the country looks to wean itself off from its dependence on oil by 2030. Fiat Chrysler (FCAU) shares headed in reverse ahead of the open after a German newspaper reported that the automaker used illegal software to manipulate emissions tests. Fiat Chrysler denies the allegations and said all its vehicles comply with EU emission rules. Story continues Arms embargo lifted The US is lifting its arms embargo with Vietnam, in a development that President Barack Obama said will pave the way for better relations between the two countries. Vietnam still has to meet certain requirements in order to purchase weapons, but the agreement will help Vietnam upgrade its weaponry as tensions rise with China. Boeing (BA) already announced a $11.3 billion deal with VietJet for 100 Boeing 737 MAX 200 jets. Battle for media empire The battle is heating up over the media empire Viacom (VIAB), with media mogul Sumner Redstone looking to finalize new trustees after removing two associates, including Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, from his trust. Now, Dauman and board member George Abrams are fighting back with litigation challenging their dismssals from the trust. By Athit Perawongmetha WIANG PA PAO DISTRICT, Chiang Rai, Thailand (Reuters) - Fire swept through a school for girls from poor hill-tribe families in Thailand, killing at least 17 in their dormitory, police said on Monday, and leaving charred remains of metal bed frames and wooden school chairs. The fire broke out late on Sunday as the girls, aged five to 12, slept at the Christian school in the northern province of Chiang Rai. Investigators are looking at the possibility of faulty lighting on the floor below. Charred wooden rafters opened to the sky at the Pitakiatwittaya School in the Wiang Pa Pao district of Chiang Rai. "Most of the losses were because the children were asleep," said district police chief Colonel Prayad Singsin. Two of five injured children were in critical condition, he said. Forensic experts sifted through the debris and ashes inside the concrete shell of the building. Preliminary indications suggested a faulty fluorescent light on the ground floor may have been the cause, Sant Sukhavachana, a senior regional forensics officer, told Reuters. A hot fragment fell on to a pile of clothes and started the fire, he said. The children likely died due to smoke inhalation. "There was a lot of smoke and the room where it happened was right below where the children were sleeping," he said. A total of 36 children of the 142 that attend the school were in the dormitory when the fire started, school head Pim Wasana told Reuters. The alarm was raised by a school cleaner, she said. "I am at a loss for words," she said. "I don't know what I should do, but the only thing on my mind now is to try to find a way to ease the parents' suffering." Namae Patikiri, a 57-year-old member of the Hmong hill tribe, lost six grandchildren in the blaze. "Five of them had only moved here a year ago," she said, crying. "The other one had only been here for two weeks." (Additional reporting by Pairat Temphairojana and Panarat Tehpgumpanat; Editing by Simon Webb and Nick Macfie) Baghdad (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of a long-awaited operation to retake Fallujah, one of two cities in the country still held by the Islamic State group. Here is a list of forces that will be involved in the battle: ISLAMIC STATE GROUP: A fanatical jihadist organisation that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, and also holds swathes of neighbouring Syria. IS, which has carried out a litany of abuses including beheadings and other extrajudicial killings, enslavement and rape, has been on the defensive in Iraq since last year, suffering a string of losses. COUNTER-TERRORISM SERVICE: Iraq's best-trained and most effective forces, which have served as shock troops in battles against IS across the country. But their skills have put them in high demand, and nearly two years of combat against the jihadists have strained the elite force. ARMY: While it performed poorly in the early days of IS's June 2014 offensive, the army has since improved with the help of training from the US-led anti-IS coalition. But some of its troops still lack experience, and the counter-terrorism service has previously had to step in to forward stalled army operations. POLICE: Includes both the paramilitary federal police, many members of which are drawn from Iraq's Shiite Muslim south, and local police forces from the Sunni Anbar province, where Fallujah is located. The federal police were an important element in the battle to retake the city of Tikrit last year, while local police bring knowledge of the province and are also tasked with holding recaptured areas. HASHED AL-SHAABI: An umbrella organisation of pro-government paramilitary forces that is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias. The militiamen have played a major role in earlier battles against IS, but some have also been involved in abuses including extrajudicial killings, kidnappings and destruction of property. Past targeting of Sunni Arabs raises concerns about how they will treat the tens of thousands of civilians still in Fallujah. TRIBAL FIGHTERS: Members of Anbar province tribes, their training and armament lags behind that of other forces, but they have important knowledge of local terrain, and were a key part of the successful defence of the Haditha area in Anbar against repeated IS attacks. INTERNATIONAL COALITION: A US-led coalition of countries carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq and Syria, and providing training and other assistance to forces fighting the jihadists in both countries. Ford Motor Co. F announced that it is recalling around 48,700 EcoSport sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) in India. The automaker has issued this recall to repair the faulty fuel and brake lines, and rear folding seats in these vehicles. Of the total vehicles recalled by Ford, 48,000 were manufactured over the period Apr 2013 to Jun 2014. The automaker will install a new bundle clip on the fuel and brake lines of these vehicles. The remaining 700 vehicles covered under the recall were produced between Jan and Feb 2016. These cars are equipped with a 60/40 rear folding seat. Ford said that around 40% of the vehicles rear seat back-rest is assembled with bolts that do not satisfy the companys material specification. There is a possibility of breakdown in these bolts. The auto industry is under pressure due to a series of recalls by different companies. Safety recalls dent the brand image of a company and add to expenses. Last month, Toyota Motor Corporation TM announced that it is recalling around 60,000 automobiles in North America due to faulty front passenger airbags, which may fail to deploy in the event of a crash. This poses the risk of injury to front seat passengers of the cars. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. HMC is recalling 143,000 vehicles in Japan as their airbags are equipped with faulty inflators produced by Daicel Corp., according to sources. One such airbag failed to deploy in a crash, leading to the recall. In Mar 2016, General Motors Company GM announced that it is recalling 6,300 police vehicles in the U.S. These vehicles are being recalled as the electric power-assisted steering runs the risk of failure. The vehicles covered under this recall mainly include Chevrolet Caprice Police Pursuit vehicles of model years 20142016. Ford currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report FORD MOTOR CO (F): Free Stock Analysis Report HONDA MOTOR (HMC): Free Stock Analysis Report TOYOTA MOTOR CP (TM): Free Stock Analysis Report GENERAL MOTORS (GM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. (Reuters) - Drew Peterson, a former Chicago-area police officer who is in prison for murdering his wife, went on trial on Monday on charges that he tried to hire someone in 2014 to kill the prosecutor who won his conviction. Peterson, 62, is accused of trying to contract the killing of James Glasgow, the Will County prosecutor. He allegedly sought a hit man from prison, where he is serving a 38-year sentence for the 2004 murder of Kathleen Savio, his third wife, a case that was made into a television movie starring Rob Lowe. Peterson is charged with solicitation of murder, and an eight-man, four-women jury was selected on Friday, with two alternates, for the trial before Randolph County Circuit Judge Richard Brown. Peterson has pleaded not guilty. The case centers on recordings made at the maximum security Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois where Peterson is serving his sentence and where a fellow inmate taped him allegedly saying he wanted to hire someone to kill Glasgow. The inmate, Antonio Smith, testified that Smith told him he would pay $10,000 for the murder and also that Peterson admitted to him that he killed his missing fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, the Chicago Tribune reported. Peterson's defense attorney Lucas Liefer argued in his opening statement that the recordings are half unintelligible and half nonsensical prison talk, the newspaper reported. Prosecutors say Peterson was obsessed with getting revenge on Glasgow after the former police officer was found guilty of murdering Savio. "Anger, hatred, revenge. Ladies and gentlemen, that is why we are here," State's Attorney Jeremy Walker told jurors, according to the Sun-Times newspaper online. Glasgow was called as a witness to testify about a diatribe that Peterson made against him during his 2013 sentencing hearing for the murder of Savio, the Sun-Times reported. Peterson was a long-serving police officer from the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook in northern Illinois, but his current trial is in Randolph County where the Menard prison is located. Story continues His defense attorney, Liefer, did not immediately return a phone call requesting comment. Savio was found dead in a bathtub in 2004, during a contentious divorce. Her death was at first ruled accidental, but suspicions were raised when Peterson's fourth wife disappeared in 2007. (Reporting by Fiona Ortiz; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Baltimore Police officer Edward Nero has been found not guilty by a judge on all four charges filed against him in the death of Freddie Gray. Nero, 30, had been charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in connection with the initial stop and arrest of Gray, who suffered extensive spinal injuries while in custody. Read: Six Police Officers Charged in Death of Freddie Gray Gray died a week after his arrest in April 2015 and his death ignited days of rioting and violence in Baltimore. The case was decided Monday by Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams. Prosecutors contended Nero demonstrated no regard for the 25-year-old's safety when he placed Gray on his stomach, and in shackles, in the back of a police van. "We believe that the search and arrest without justification are assault, your honor," Deputy State's Attorney Janice Bledsoe replied to the judge's question of whether arrest without probable cause constitutes a crime. Read: Freddie Gray's Mother Reportedly Tries to Take Her Own Life Defense lawyer Marc Zayon said his client's actions were legal and that the state's case was "nonsensical." "I can't believe I even have to argue this. The detention is OK, the cuffing is OK, the moving is OK, he said. "Being detained is a horrible thing, being cuffed is a horrible thing. But the law allows it. Watch: Was Freddie Gray Taken On A Wild Ride Inside the Police Van? Related Articles: Paris (AFP) - France's biggest insurance group AXA said Monday it was pulling out of the tobacco industry, divesting about 1.8 billion euros ($2.0 billion) of assets in the sector as part of the fight against smoking. Axa said the role of health insurers was changing as healthcare would focus in the future on prevention, not just on the cure, as the world battles with six million deaths from tobacco a year. Urging other insurers to take a similar stand, the company said it would immediately sell its equity holdings in tobacco companies, which currently are valued at about 200 million euros. It will also halt all new investments in tobacco industry corporate bonds and run down its existing tobacco industry bond holdings, valued at about 1.8 billion euros, it said in a statement. "As a responsible health insurer and investor, the AXA group has decided to divest its tobacco industry assets, currently valued at approximately 1.8 billion euros," it said. Thomas Buberl, Axa's deputy chief executive, said that through the divestment, the company was doing its "share to support the efforts of governments around the world. "This decision has a cost for us, but the case for divestment is clear: the human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge," he added. Axa, whose revenues from its health care business reached almost 12 billion euros last year, is the first global insurer to take this step, a spokesman for the group told AFP. Axa, second in Europe only to German giant Allianz, said as a major investor it wanted to be "part of the solution, and our hope is that others in our industry will do the same". Axa warned that without urgent action to curb the rise in smoking-related deaths, tobacco was expected to kill one billion people worldwide during the 21st century. "Its cost, estimated at 2.1 trillion euros per year, equals the combined expenses of war and terrorism," the company, which a year ago also said it was pulling out of the coal sector, added. Story continues On Friday, new laws on plain packaging for branded cigarette packets took effect in Britain and France. Despite resistance from tobacco companies, new neutral packs will be introduced in both countries over the coming months. It follows similar legislation in Australia, credited with helping to cut down on smoking rates, especially among young people. PARIS (Reuters) - Oil sector workers of French CGT and FO unions voted on Monday to begin a strike at Exxon Mobil's 240,000 barrels-per-day Port Jerome refinery in northern France, the unions said in a joint statement. Workers at a port terminal in Le Havre, northern France, which handles large volumes of imported petroleum products, also voted overwhelmingly to strike, the CGT said. The Port Jerome workers will join the rolling nationwide protest that began in March, aimed at forcing the government to withdraw contested labor market reforms. The unions said the strike and blockade of the refinery will begin at 0400 GMT on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for Exxon told Reuters earlier on Monday that production had not been affected by the strike, which has hit output at rival Total's refineries. (Reporting by Bate Felix, editing by David Evans) New York (AFP) - US industrial conglomerate General Electric said Monday it would invest $1.4 billion in Saudi Arabia in support of the kingdom's recently unveiled plan to diversify the oil-dominated economy. Jeffrey Immelt, the GE chairman and chief executive, announced a raft of strategic partnerships and initiatives, including with state oil giant Aramco, during his visit to the kingdom. "We are a committed partner in supporting the kingdom's transformational and diversified growth, underscored by our 80 years of presence in Saudi Arabia," Immelt said in a statement. GE said it is investing $400 million in a forging and casting facility that will supply the marine and energy industries, teaming up with Aramco and another company. The plant was expected to become operational by 2020 and create more than 2,000 new local jobs. GE also signed a letter of understanding with the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company to co-invest $1 billion in strategic sectors such as oil and gas, aviation and digital from 2017. GE said it could invest an additional $2 billion in Saudi Arabia beginning in 2017 in those same strategic sectors. "This strategic alliance with GE is an ideal fit to deliver on these goals, and together we will contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness and diversified growth of the Saudi economy," said Rasheed Al-Shubaili, chief executive of SAIIC, a joint venture that includes the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and Aramco. Immelt said the actions will create quality jobs for Saudi youth, help build a healthy chain of small and medium-sized businesses, boost exports and improve economic competitiveness. The Connecticut-based company said the deals would support the long-term reform program, Saudi Vision 2030 plan, that the kingdom unveiled in late April to move the largest OPEC oil producer away from its decades-long dependence on oil. General Dynamics Corporations GD business unit, General Dynamics Information Technology, has won a contract from the U.S. Navy to provide information technology services and support for security aid to the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) and Navy International Programs Office. The contract is worth $46.7 million and will run through a period of 48 months. Per the contract, General Dynamics will provide support for the projects financial and logistical analysis and management, IT services, international training and educational programs and cooperative programs. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, WA; Pensacola, FL; and Dayton, OH. According to Rich Farinacci, vice president and general manager of Professional Services and Training Solutions sector of General Dynamics Information Technology, the company is a pioneer provider of adaptive, integrated joint and coalition war fighting support services. Farinacci added, "Our highly experienced team understands NAVSUP WSS' challenges and will identify, demonstrate, assess and integrate current and new technologies to meet vital Navy requirements." We note that General Dynamics engages in developing mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat vehicles, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. The companys revenues are derived from a broad portfolio of products and services that help to keep its overall growth momentum steady. Over the years, General Dynamics has maintained a longstanding strategic alliance with the U.S. defense department and tries to meet its commitments in terms of maintaining product and service standards as well as delivery timing. General Dynamics currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked stocks in the aerospace and defense space include Engility Holdings, Inc. EGL, BAE Systems plc BAESY and CAE Inc. CAE, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report GENL DYNAMICS (GD): Free Stock Analysis Report BAE SYSTEMS-ADR (BAESY): Free Stock Analysis Report CAE INC (CAE): Free Stock Analysis Report ENGILITY HLDGS (EGL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. BERLIN (Reuters) - The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) broke off talks on Monday with representatives of the Muslim community that had been intended to ease tensions after the party declared Islam incompatible with the German constitution. AfD leader Frauke Perry said she had walked out of the meeting after a prominent German Muslim refused to retract a comment comparing the AfD with Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. Last month Aiman Mazyek, leader of the Central Council of Muslims that organized Monday's talks, likened the AfD's stance towards Muslims to that of the Nazis toward Jews in the 1930s after Perry's party called for a ban on minarets and burqas. "We had to let ourselves - and this really gets to us - be accused of being like a party out of the Third Reich," Petry told reporters. "Comparisons made time and again that the AfD is becoming more like the Third Reich were not withdrawn." German Muslims have been alarmed by the rise of the AfD, which entered three state parliaments in March by attracting voters angry with Chancellor Angela Merkel's welcoming of refugees fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. The influx of more than one million mostly Muslim migrants into Germany last year has hardened German public opinion on immigration and pushed the government to toughen asylum rules. This month AfD members backed an election manifesto that says Islam is not compatible with the constitution. After Monday's meeting Mazyek again criticized the AfD move. "Above all, the saying 'Islam doesn't belong in Germany' makes it clear that populism, defamation and the promotion of prejudice persist," he said. Some four million Muslims live in Germany, making up almost 5 percent of the total population. AfD wants drastically to reduce the number of refugees in Germany by rejecting Syrians and Iraqis who come from "safe third states" such as Turkey and Lebanon and turning down asylum applicants without identification documents, among other steps. It also wants to cut to 48 hours the processing time for asylum applications. (Reporting by James Swaden; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Edward Taylor FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Three investor groups called on Monday for a new, independent investigation into Volkswagen's emissions test-rigging scandal, saying the inquiries launched by the German carmaker so far may not be far-reaching or transparent enough. German investors' association DSW and Deminor, a Brussels-based firm which represents investors including the city of New York pension fund, said shareholders should be allowed to vote on launching such an investigation at Volkswagen's (VW) annual general meeting (AGM) on June 22. London-based Hermes EOS also called for an independent inquiry into the "potential liability of the members of the management and supervisory boards" of the German company. VW declined to comment. In September, Europe's largest carmaker admitted it had cheated diesel emissions tests in the United States. It has created a Special Committee on Diesel Engines headed by Wolfgang Porsche, head of the family clan that controls VW, to investigate the scandal and hired law firm Jones Day to find those responsible. But DSW said that wasn't enough. "When you have an independent investigation you can be sure that the findings will be publicised. With internal investigations you do not know whether everything has been made transparent," spokesman Juergen Kurz said. Deminor said VW's internal probe was only looking for "serious and manifest breaches" by the management, which de facto reduced the review of board members' liability. DSW mostly represents retail investors. Deminor declined to put a figure on the proportion of VW shareholders it represents. Hermes EOS advises investors with about 170 billion pounds in assets, but says its clients account for just 0.013 percent of voting shares at VW. Hermes EOS also urged VW investors not to ratify the actions of the management board at the AGM. Under German corporate governance rules, shareholders are asked to do this, though in VW's case the vote is likely to pass comfortably given the majority stake of the Piech-Porsche families. Story continues VW has so far declined to comment in detail about the initial findings of its probe. But it has said there were no indications to date that current management was involved in the scandal. The company, which has set aside 16.2 billion euros ($18.2 billion) to cover vehicle refits and legal costs, has also said it is reorganising the processes and structures used for approving the software for engine control units with more clearly defined and binding responsibilities. DSW acknowledged the chances of forcing an independent investigation were slim, given the Piech-Porsche families jointly control 52 percent of VW voting rights and are unlikely to back the proposal. If that happens, DSW could try to win a court order to enforce an independent investigation, DSW's Kurz said. (Reporting by Edward Taylor additional reporting by Jan Schwartz; Editing by Mark Potter) By Edward Taylor FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Three investor groups called on Monday for a new, independent investigation into Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) emissions test-rigging scandal, saying the inquiries launched by the German carmaker so far may not be far-reaching or transparent enough. German investors' association DSW and Deminor, a Brussels-based firm which represents investors including the city of New York pension fund, said shareholders should be allowed to vote on launching such an investigation at Volkswagen's (VW) annual general meeting (AGM) on June 22. London-based Hermes EOS also called for an independent inquiry into the "potential liability of the members of the management and supervisory boards" of the German company. VW declined to comment. In September, Europe's largest carmaker admitted it had cheated diesel emissions tests in the United States. It has created a Special Committee on Diesel Engines headed by Wolfgang Porsche, head of the family clan that controls VW, to investigate the scandal and hired law firm Jones Day to find those responsible. But DSW said that wasn't enough. "When you have an independent investigation you can be sure that the findings will be publicized. With internal investigations you do not know whether everything has been made transparent," spokesman Juergen Kurz said. Deminor said VW's internal probe was only looking for "serious and manifest breaches" by the management, which de facto reduced the review of board members' liability. DSW mostly represents retail investors. Deminor declined to put a figure on the proportion of VW shareholders it represents. Hermes EOS advises investors with about 170 billion pounds ($246 billion) in assets, but says its clients account for just 0.013 percent of voting shares at VW. Hermes EOS also urged VW investors not to ratify the actions of the management board at the AGM. Under German corporate governance rules, shareholders are asked to do this, though in VW's case the vote is likely to pass comfortably given the majority stake of the Piech-Porsche families. Story continues VW has so far declined to comment in detail about the initial findings of its probe. But it has said there were no indications to date that current management was involved in the scandal. The company, which has set aside 16.2 billion euros ($18.2 billion) to cover vehicle refits and legal costs, has also said it is reorganizing the processes and structures used for approving the software for engine control units with more clearly defined and binding responsibilities. DSW acknowledged the chances of forcing an independent investigation were slim, given the Piech-Porsche families jointly control 52 percent of VW voting rights and are unlikely to back the proposal. If that happens, DSW could try to win a court order to enforce an independent investigation, DSW's Kurz said. (Reporting by Edward Taylor additional reporting by Jan Schwartz; Editing by Mark Potter) BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany registered a record surge in crimes by right-wing radicals last year, with attacks on refugee centres rising more than five-fold, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Monday. Presenting the annual crime report, de Maiziere said politically-motivated crimes by the far-right had risen 35 percent in 2015 to nearly 23,000, the highest level since the government began keeping such statistics in 2001. "The sharp increase in politically motivated crime points to a dangerous development in society," de Maiziere told reporters at a news conference. "We are witnessing a growing and increasingly pronounced readiness to use violence, both by right- and left-wing extremists." Overall, the number of politically motivated crimes rose by 19 percent to nearly 39,000. Within that category, violent crimes such as assaults and attempted murders rose 31 percent, led by a 44 percent increase in attacks by right-wingers. Violent crimes by left-wingers rose by 35 percent. Attacks on refugee shelters surged to 1,031, compared to 199 in the prior year, and 923 of them were attributed to the far-right. De Maiziere said these numbers were likely to rise again this year, with 347 such attacks registered in the first quarter of 2016 alone. Germany took in more than a million migrants and refugees last year, many of them Muslims from Syria and other war zones. Arrivals fell in recent months but are expected to climb again with better weather for boats crossing the Mediterranean. On a positive note, anti-Semitic crimes fell 14 percent in 2015, according to interior ministry figures. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Noah Barkin and Tom Heneghan) Berlin (AFP) - German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer on Monday said it had offered $62 billion for US agriculture group Monsanto in a move which would create the world's biggest supplier of seeds, pesticides and genetically-modified crops. Bayer said it had made an "all-cash offer" for the US giant at $122 per share or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros). "The planned combination with Monsanto is such an extraordinary opportunity to create a global leader in the agricultural industry. Monsanto is a perfect match to our agricultural business," the German firm said. Bayer said expected synergies from the merger would result in an annual boost to earnings of around $1.5 billion after three years. The announcement comes just days after Monsanto said it had received an unsolicited bid from Bayer following weeks of speculation about a possible tie-up. According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies would together account for around 28 percent of global sales of pesticides and herbicides. Low commodity prices -- which have caused farmers to cut orders for supplies -- have piled the pressure on agricultural suppliers like Monsanto, which is based in Saint Louis, Missouri. In March, the US firm slashed its earnings forecast for 2016. Sluggishness in the industry has also sparked consolidation deals such as a mega-merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical. Switzerland's Syngenta last year rejected an unsolicited offer from Monsanto, later agreeing to be bought by China National Chemical Corp for $43 billion. Last year, following the unsuccessful bid for Syngenta, Monsanto embarked on a huge restructuring programme, saying it would axe 3,600 jobs -- or 16 percent of its workforce -- by 2018, closing sites and writing down assets. A major manufacturer of agricultural seeds and herbicides, Monsanto employs about 20,000 workers and describes itself as one of the world's leading biotechnology companies. The US group has been in the headlines in Europe recently over the weedkiller glyphosate, which it markets under the name Roundup. Story continues The EU last week failed to agree on the re-approval of glyphosate in Europe amid fresh fears the product could cause cancer. Bayer, which employs around 117,000 workers, turned in record profits and sales in 2015, notching up a net profit of 4.1 billion euros on sales of 46.3 billion euros. The Bayer statement said it was "premature at this stage" to estimate when the two companies would be joined as one. "If a deal is reached with Monsanto, until closing, Bayer and Monsanto would continue to operate as independent companies," it said. LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Retail tycoon Philip Green's Arcadia group was warned by a senior Goldman Sachs banker that a possible suitor of its BHS department store chain had a history of bankruptcy, British lawmakers were told on Monday. The 88-year-old, 164-store, BHS was placed into administration, a form of creditor protection, by owner Retail Acquisitions last month, putting 11,000 jobs at risk. Green owned BHS for 15 years before selling it in March last year for a nominal sum of one pound to Retail Acquisitions, a group of little known investors led by Dominic Chappell. The collapse of BHS is being investigated by lawmakers, Britain's Insolvency Service and its Pensions Regulator. The latter is investigating whether BHS's previous owners sought to avoid their responsibilities and should be pursued for a contribution to make good its 571 million pounds ($827 million) pension deficit. Anthony Gutman, co head of UK investment banking at Goldman Sachs, told a joint session of parliament's Work and Pensions and Business, Innovation and Skills select committees, that he provided Green unpaid "informal assistance" as the billionaire was a former client. He said he was asked by Arcadia to provide "observations" in December 2014 concerning takeover proposals for BHS received from Retail Acquisitions, which was called Swiss Rock at that time. "We indicated to them (Arcadia) that clearly the potential buyer here did not have retail experience, we indicated that the proposal was highly preliminary and lacking in detail," said Gutman. "We also indicated that the bidder here (Dominic Chappell) did have a history of bankruptcy." Arcadia finance director Paul Budge told the committees he knew of Chappell's bankruptcy but said Retail Acquisitions provided proof that they had lines of funding for 120 million pounds. He said that showed "their intentions were serious in terms of they wanted to run this business as a going concern." Anthony Grabiner, non-executive chairman of Green's Taveta Investments vehicle, told the committees failure to do a deal with Retail Acquisitions would have meant BHS falling into administration in 2015. "If this deal had not been done with this particular buyer the BHS business would have gone into administration 12 or 13 months earlier than in fact it did," he said. The select committees will hear from BHS pension trustees on Wednesday, Retail Acquisitions directors on June 8 and Green on June 15. ($1 = 0.6905 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey, editing by David Evans) LONDON (Reuters) - Retail tycoon Philip Green's Arcadia group was warned by a senior Goldman Sachs banker that a possible suitor of its BHS department store chain had a history of bankruptcy, MPs were told on Monday. The 88-year-old, 164-store, BHS was placed into administration, a form of creditor protection, by owner Retail Acquisitions last month, putting 11,000 jobs at risk. Green owned BHS for 15 years before selling it in March last year for a nominal sum of one pound to Retail Acquisitions, a group of little known investors led by Dominic Chappell. The collapse of BHS is being investigated by MPs, Britain's Insolvency Service and its Pensions Regulator. The latter is investigating whether BHS's previous owners sought to avoid their responsibilities and should be pursued for a contribution to make good its 571 million pounds pension deficit. Anthony Gutman, co head of UK investment banking at Goldman Sachs, told a joint session of parliament's Work and Pensions and Business, Innovation and Skills select committees, that he provided Green unpaid "informal assistance" as the billionaire was a former client. He said he was asked by Arcadia to provide "observations" in December 2014 concerning takeover proposals for BHS received from Retail Acquisitions, which was called Swiss Rock at that time. "We indicated to them (Arcadia) that clearly the potential buyer here did not have retail experience, we indicated that the proposal was highly preliminary and lacking in detail," said Gutman. "We also indicated that the bidder here (Dominic Chappell) did have a history of bankruptcy." Arcadia finance director Paul Budge told the committees he knew of Chappell's bankruptcy but said Retail Acquisitions provided proof that they had lines of funding for 120 million pounds. He said that showed "their intentions were serious in terms of they wanted to run this business as a going concern." Anthony Grabiner, non-executive chairman of Green's Taveta Investments vehicle, told the committees failure to do a deal with Retail Acquisitions would have meant BHS falling into administration in 2015. "If this deal had not been done with this particular buyer the BHS business would have gone into administration 12 or 13 months earlier than in fact it did," he said. The select committees will hear from BHS pension trustees on Wednesday, Retail Acquisitions directors on June 8 and Green on June 15. (Reporting by James Davey, editing by David Evans) Associated Press An Ohio man convicted of shooting five of eight family members killed in a 2016 massacre testified Monday he had no choice but to kill the mother of his child. Jake Wagner pleaded guilty last year to shooting the five victims, an attack that investigators said resulted from a custody dispute between two families. As part of his plea deal, Jake Wagner had agreed to testify against his older brother, George Wagner IV, in exchange for being spared the death penalty. Athens (AFP) - Greece is planning a police operation early Tuesday to evacuate the squalid migrant camp of Idomeni on its border with Macedonia, a report said Monday. Citing police sources, Greek TV station Mega said police reinforcements had been dispatched from Athens to help relocate 8,500 people from the camp where thousands of migrants and refugees have been stranded since the Balkans states closed their borders in mid February. Speaking to AFP, a police source confirmed an operation was in the works but declined to confirm it would be on Tuesday. Another police source said reinforcements had been moved to the area "to forestall reactions by a minority of migrants who could have a negative response" but denied that a forceful evacuation was imminent. "Most of the migrants would not have a problem with leaving... some additional precautions are taken to avoid having unpleasant developments," the second officer said, while denying there would be a full-scale evacuation of the camp. Over the past two weeks, 2,500 people had left the camp following efforts to persuade them to relocate to more organised camps, the source said. "In the last two weeks, there has been a 'mild' evacuation effort (through persuasion) that has already seen 2,500 people move out... this will continue," the second officer said. Thousands of migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty in the Middle East and Asia have found themselves stranded at Idomeni after Macedonia and other Balkan states denied them passage to northern Europe. They spent a miserable winter in the freezing rain and mud, with aid groups struggling to keep them fed and healthy, prompting several attempts to force their way across the border. Last month, 260 people were injured when Macedonian police fired tear gas in a bid to prevent a large group from storming the border. Idomeni (Greece) (AFP) - Greece said Monday it will step up efforts to clear the squalid camp of Idomeni where over 8,400 migrants remain on the border with Macedonia after braving a winter in vain hope of being allowed through to Europe. "The transfer of refugees trapped at Idomeni to hospitality areas probably begins tomorrow (Tuesday)," Yiorgos Kyritsis, the government's migration spokesman, told state news agency ANA. Most of the migrants are to be moved to camps at former industrial facilities near Greece's second city Thessaloniki over 10 days, he added, as Greek media reported that around a dozen squads of riot police were heading to Idomeni. Since Sunday, 400 people have already agreed to leave the camp for a reception centre, while 400 more are expected to follow on Monday evening, according to local police. The migrants have spent a brutal winter in the freezing rain and mud, with aid groups struggling to keep them fed and healthy, prompting several attempts to force their way across the border. "We hear there will be a police operation tomorrow to drive us out," said Ahmed, a 35-year-old Syrian. "We don't want to go to an army camp. What will they do, kill us?" The news was welcomed by the EU commission, with spokesman Margaritis Schinas saying Brussels has "repeatedly expressed the view that these people should be moved from the makeshift camp to more organised reception facilities." "We hope that (violence) will not be necessary," he said. - Persuading migrants to leave - Migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty in the Middle East and Asia have found themselves stranded at Idomeni after Macedonia and other Balkan states denied them passage to northern Europe. Many of the camp's residents are women and children keen to be reunited with male relatives who have pushed ahead on their own -- with the aid of smugglers -- hoping to find a place of refuge in EU states more financially viable than debt-hit Greece. Story continues A Greek government source earlier told AFP: "We will carry out a broader transfer operation as we have 6,000 available places in reception centres," adding that the operation would be gradual and that authorities hoped to avoid the use of force. "There will be a police presence and we will be persuasive, but we do not foresee pervasive use of force to make all these people leave in one go," the official said, indicating that there are currently 8,400 people at the camp. There are over 54,000 migrants stranded in Greece according to government estimates. The leftist government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has for months been trying to persuade many of the migrants to move away from makeshift tent cities at Idomeni and the port of Piraeus for their own comfort and safety. Through persuasion, the number of migrants at Piraeus was brought down from around 5,000 people in March to 1,500. However, many are wary of relocating to organised camps away from the border or the city of Athens, because it could be harder to find people-smuggling contacts. - Government criticised - State television ERT on Monday said additional translators were also being dispatched to Idomeni to assist the operation. Over the past two weeks, some 2,500 people were persuaded to relocate from Idomeni to state-run camps in the Greek interior, many of them converted former army bases, a police source told AFP. "In the last two weeks, there has been a 'mild' evacuation effort (through persuasion) that has already seen 2,500 people move out... this will continue," the officer said. Last month, some 260 people were injured when Macedonian police fired tear gas in a bid to prevent a large group from storming the border. Doctors at the scene said rubber bullets were also used, but the Macedonian authorities denied this. Local authorities and farmers have been for weeks pressing the government to evacuate the camp, pointing to an alleged rise in petty crime. The government was also criticised as the camp's sprawling size had effectively put out of action Greece's main commercial rail link through Macedonia, forcing companies to reroute their goods via neighbouring Bulgaria at higher cost. Greek markets and country-specific exchange traded funds (ETFs) surged Monday after Athens assuaged investors fears by laying the groundwork for an agreement on bailout loans and debt relief. The Global X MSCI Greece ETF (GREK) gained 4.1% Monday on two times its average daily volume. GREK has increased 40.9% over the past three months and was up 9.1% year-to-date. The Athens benchmark ATG equity index rose 1.2% after Greek lawmakers approved tax hikes and a new privatization fund on Sunday and freed up the sale of non-performing loans in exchange for bailout loans and debt relief, reports Sudip Kar-Gupta for Reuters. Related: Believe It: The Lone Greece ETF is on Fire The unlocking of more emergency loans for Greece has given some reassurance to investors concerning the country, Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at TF Global Markets UK Ltd., told Reuters. Trending on ETF Trends 24 ETFs Targeting Outperforming Mid-Cap Category A Little Known Outperforming Infrastructure ETF Fed Focus for Familiar Financial ETFs Bond ETF Investors: Dont Give Up Yields if Rates Rise 21 Consumer Discretionary ETFs for Economy Growth Moreover, Greek government borrowing costs dipped to a six-month low of 7.34%, alleviating some of the burdens on loans. Greek yields have been elevated on fears of a financial debt crisis, which contributed to the high borrowing costs that threatened to throw the countrys finances into disarray. There is better sentiment toward Greece, Hendrik Lodde, a fixed-income strategist at DZ Bank AG, told Bloomberg. They dont want to have a situation like last summer. The euro-zone leaders dont want that either, but the question is if they will succeed to satisfy their wishes. Eurozone finance ministers will meet on Tuesday to sign off on bailout loans for Greece and potentially outline plans to help the emerging economy reprofile its debt to make it more sustainable. Related: Morgan Stanley Upgrade Bounces Greece ETFs Moreover, a vote of confidence from the Eurogroup may also push the European Central Bank to restore a waiver for Greek government bonds that would deliver cheaper funding to its troubled financial sector and make Greek debt eligible for the expanded quantitative easing program. Story continues For more information on Greece, visit our Greece category . Global X MSCI Greece ETF From Cosmopolitan Most people choose to spend their wedding day surrounded by those they love the most - and for Canadian couple Dominic Husson and Louise Veronneau, that just happens to be cats. In fact, the pair loves felines so much that they decided to fly to California for their wedding, just so they could get married at the state's largest no-cage, no-kill cat sanctuary, Cat House on the Kings. "We are both animal lovers, and it shows she's a great person, and that's why I wanted to marry her," Husson told NBC News. "We are sharing these same values," Veronneau continued. "These are the basics of our relation[ship] - our love for animals." Their guests included over 1,100 of the sanctuary's cats, many of which were more than happy to cuddle up to the newly married pair. And while Cat House on the Kings' founder was originally a bit nervous about the wedding, she was relieved to see that the cats seemed more than happy to offer their congratulations as well as cats are able to. Since its founding, Cat House on the Kings has helped find homes for over 24,000 cats and 7,000 dogs - and based on the attention Husson and Veronneau's wedding has received, it's very likely quite a few more cats at the sanctuary will soon be finding their forever homes too. Follow Gina on Twitter. Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) - Gulf Arab foreign ministers agreed with their Canadian counterpart Monday to strengthen "cooperation" in the fight against the Islamic State group and other jihadist organisations, they said in a statement. Ministers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council agreed with Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion on the need to "dry up" sources of finance for jihadists. "The campaign against Daesh (an Arabic acronym for IS) and other terrorist organisations is not religious or linked to a religion or sect but rather a war on terror," they added in a statement. They agreed to "strengthen joint cooperation... to eradicate terrorism", including by "doubling efforts to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters" to Syria and Iraq, where the Sunni jihadist group has seized territory. The joint Arabic-language statement was released following a "strategic dialogue" between Dion and GCC ministers in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah. The statement, which came after deadly IS attacks on Monday in Syria and Yemen, condemned the "barbarian crimes committed by Daesh and other terrorist groups". It also comes after Dion on Saturday announced the start of a Canadian security pact with Tunisia, initially for three years, to support the North African country in its fight against "terrorism". The ministers also voiced support for the Iraqi government's "efforts to preserve security and stability", urging the creation of a "comprehensive" government there to "strengthen the capabilities of Iraqi security forces in their war on Daesh". Iraq has been hit by a months-long political crisis that has paralysed the legislature, as the country's forces battle to regain more ground from IS while also facing a major financial crisis. The ministers also reaffirmed their "rejection of Iran's support for terrorism and its actions that undermine stability in the region, including acts by Hezbollah", the Lebanese militia whose supporters are fighting alongside the Tehran-backed regime in Syria and which is listed as a "terrorist group" by GCC countries. Story continues The ministers vowed to work together "to confront (Iran's) interferences in the region". In addition to Iran's arch-rival Saudi Arabia, the GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Riyadh severed diplomatic relations with Tehran in January after Iranian demonstrators burned Saudi Arabia's embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Several other GCC members followed suit in cutting ties. Khartoum (AFP) - Arab tribesmen shot dead eight ethnic minority villagers as they prayed in a revenge killing in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, a medic and a tribal leader said on Monday. Two children were among five villagers wounded in the Sunday evening attack on a mosque in Arzini in West Darfur. "There are eight bodies in the mortuary," a medic from the main hospital in West Darfur state capital Geneina told AFP on condition of anonymity. "All have been killed by bullets to the head or chest," he said. A prominent West Darfur tribal leader said the villagers were from the Masalit minority. "There was a dispute between an Arab and a Masalit man over a payment in the local market yesterday (Sunday)," Sultan Saad Baherddin told AFP by telephone from Geneina hospital. "In the ensuing quarrel, the Arab lashed the Masalit man with a whip, and he then stabbed the Arab to death with a knife." Arab supporters of the dead man later gathered and demanded compensation from the villagers of Arzini, Baherddin said. "When the villagers failed to raise the hefty compensation during the day, gunmen attacked them in the evening when they were praying in the village mosque," he said. "The armed Arab men just started shooting the villagers. Eight villagers have been killed in the attack." Hundreds of relatives and supporters of the dead men gathered at Geneina hospital on Monday to take the bodies for burial, witnesses said. "There is tension in Geneina. The authorities have deployed soldiers across the town's main streets," a resident said. "The authorities have ordered the town's main market to be closed, and government offices have been shut for the day." Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against the Arab-dominated regime of President Omar al-Bashir. Bashir launched a brutal counterinsurgency and at least 300,000 people have been killed, the United Nations says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies. SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) - Hackers are probing the defences of banks in the Middle East, targeting employees with infected emails which gather information about the banks' network and user accounts, FireEye researchers said. FireEye, a U.S. cybersecurity company investigating the February attack on Bangladesh's central bank in which hackers stole $81 million, said there was no apparent connection with the heist or related attacks on banks in Ecuador and Vietnam. The identity of the hackers in all three cases is not known. Cybersecurity experts say the attackers would have needed to gather knowledge about bank procedures and systems, as well as gain remote access to launch fraudulent transfer requests. FireEye researchers said in a blog post that in early May they had identified "a wave of emails containing malicious attachments being sent to multiple banks in the Middle East." The senders appeared to be "performing initial reconnaissance against would-be targets" using techniques the researchers said were not usually seen in such campaigns. Qatar National Bank, the largest lender in the Middle East and Africa by assets, said last month it was investigating an apparent security breach of data posted online this week that revealed the names and passwords of a large number of customers. A FireEye spokesman said Qatar National Bank was not one of the "several banks" in the Middle East where researchers had found the malware. He did not identify which banks and which countries were affected. He said the malware had reported back to the hackers' servers, indicating at least some of the banks had been infected. Once opened, the malicious email attachments gather information on the user's system, including network configuration data, user and administration passwords and software running on the bank's computers. The security of banks and SWIFT messaging systems has come under scrutiny in the wake of the Bangladesh Bank attack. (Reporting By Jeremy Wagstaff; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) harry reid Hillary Clinton may run into some opposition from her own party if she decides to poach a Democratic senator as her running mate. In an interview on Monday, MSNBC host Joy Reid asked outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid whether he supported either Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Sen. Sherrod Brown as potential Clinton running mates. Harry Reid shot down the idea, pointing out that if Clinton chose a nominee from a Republican-controlled state, then the governor would fill the vacancy, essentially allowing the seat to switch hands. "If we have a Republican governor in any of those states, the answer is not only no, but hell no," Harry Reid said. "And I would do whatever I can and I think most of my Democratic colleagues here would say the same thing." He added: "I would yell and scream to stop that." Ohio state law requires the governor to appoint a senator to finish out the term. With former Republican presidential candidate John Kasich running the Buckeye State, it's a good bet that a Republican senator would serve for Brown's remaining two years. In Massachusetts, the nominee would serve for up to 160 days before state law requires the governor to hold a special election. Though Warren's work as an aggressive watchdog and consumer advocate has helped her garner a major national profile, many political observers have noted that Brown could also help burnish Clinton's progressive credentials. The senator has strong ties to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and hails from Ohio, the Rust Belt swing state that's critical to securing the electoral-college votes needed to clinch the White House. As she comes closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton is publicly keeping the door open to different options, recently even floating the idea of nominating someone from the business community. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez are all reportedly on the short list of potential running mates. Story continues NOW WATCH: Hillary Clinton says shes open to the idea of having Mark Cuban as her running mate More From Business Insider If you hate to exercise, you may benefit from a type of talk therapy that helps people accept negative feelings and uncomfortable sensations. Several recent studies suggest that this therapy, called acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), can boost people's physical activity levels and improve fitness in those who previously didn't exercise at all. ACT teaches mindfulness, which means that it aims to make people more aware of their thoughts and feelings in the current moment. People learn how to accept uncomfortable physical sensations and metaphorically "make room" for these feelings in their bodies, according to a 2015 study of ACT in Australia. They also learn to question whether a thought (such as "Exercise is intolerable") might be getting in the way of their goals, and learn to see these thoughts for what they really are just thoughts, as opposed to concrete facts. People also learn to identify their core values and are encouraged to engage in behaviors that support these values. Identifying the value, or meaning, behind a behavior may help people commit to that behavior, said Emily Cox-Martin, an assistant professor of medicine and clinical psychologist at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus who conducted a 10-week study of ACT on sedentary adults. For example, if someone says they want to be stronger so they can play with their grandchild, "this indicates that being an active grandparent is important to them, and that value can then be connected to the behavior [exercise] in a way that facilitates its maintenance," Cox-Martin told Live Science. Cox-Martin noted that ACT "isn't trying to change people's thoughts about exercise." Rather, "it helps someone understand what they value in life, and then how they can live a life consistent with those values," she said. [How to Start an Exercise Routine and Stick to It] In Cox-Martin's study, which was published in October 2015, the researchers tested the ACT-therapy strategy with 24 previously sedentary adults. All of the participants were taking part in a fitness program that involved starting up an interval training program exercising three times a week and receiving ACT. Story continues The researchers found that over 10 weeks, the participants completed almost all of the exercise sessions that they were asked to do (27 out of 30 sessions, on average). They also improved the time it took them to walk a mile by more than a minute, and increased their VO2 max, a measure of aerobic fitness level. One limitation of that study was that there was no control group. In other words, the researchers did not compare the results of the group who received ACT with another group that did not receive ACT. However, the researchers said the study showed that it was feasible to use ACT to help people reach higher levels of physical activity. The Australian study involved 59 adults who were doing only minimal amounts of physical activity. Researchers recruited them to participate in a 12-week program that aimed to get them to walk more. About half of the participants received a DVD that instructed them in ACT, while the other half didn't receive any training in ACT. At the end of the study, the participants in the ACT group were four times more likely to meet exercise guidelines in Australia (taking 3,000 steps in 30 minutes, five days a week) than people who didn't receive the ACT training. "The discomfort associated with physical activity initiation can be a strong contributor to premature termination" of exercise, the researchers, from Australian Catholic University and the University of Adelaide wrote in the February 2015 issue of the British Journal of Health Psychology. "[ACT] allows the individual to tolerate discomfort, accept uncomfortable experiences, and facilitate progress towards goals." However, more research is needed to determine whether the benefits of ACT seen in these early studies last over the long term, and whether the findings will hold in larger studies with more diverse populations. In addition, studies will look into whether programs that teach ACT can be adopted on a wider scale, so that people may be able to learn these skills at home or through a smartphone app, rather than participate in a formal program. "Acceptance and commitment therapy has already been used to help people change other health behaviors, like smoking cessation, using smartphone apps, and this would be a really interesting next step, especially given how widely used this technology is today," Cox-Martin said. Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 9, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Via Dave Lutz at JonesTrading, here's a super-quick guide to what traders are talking about right now: Good Morning! US Futures are under some pressure despite a $62Bln deal on the tape (Bayer for MON), losing 20bp as weaker PMIs abroad spark angst Its pretty much a sea of red across Europe, with the DAX off 70bp as HC (Bayer) leads losses, and banks reversing earlier strength to trade lower. The FTSE is off 34bp only tho, despite weakness in the Miners. Volumes are pacing relatively light across the continent. Over in Asia, Nikkei lost 50bp as exports plunged, but that smallcap Mothers index jumped 3.5% - Aussie was hit for 60bp as Miners were clubbed for 2%+ - while Shanghai climbed 60bp, bucking weakness in the region as Regulators rejected 2 IPOs on Friday. Most Emerging Markets were able to trade higher in Asia. The DXY is retreating slightly from highs, despite the Euro under pressure as purchasing managers surveys point to a slowdown in second quarter GDP. Treasury yields are slightly lower as market expectations of June rise have edged back down to 28%, while the Yen is jumping again as G-7 meetings provided no antidote to slow growth in the region. Despite the weaker $, metals are getting hit across the board - Ore dropped 5.4% overnight in Dalain, dragging the entire complex lower with Silver off 1% and gold just behind. Natty Gas continues to rebound over $2, but WTI under pressure as Iran throws cold water on Production Freeze hopes. Softs are weak, led by 1% drops in Wheat and Soy early. Its a Holiday today in Canada with Fin markets closed (Victoria Day) at 8pm we get Fed's Williams (Neutral, Non-Voter) speaking in New York we get the US Markit US Manufacturing PMI at 9:45, and EU Consumer Confidence at 10. Tonight at 6:30, Fed's Harker (Neutral, Non-Voter) Speaks on Economic Outlook in Philadelphia. Quiet in Washington today with Obama in Asia, at 9:30 the Supreme Court issues orders, including list of new cases; at 10am, court issues opinions; Major outstanding rulings include cases on: Puerto Rican debt, affirmative action, abortion, Obama immigration plan. Story continues NOW WATCH: FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy More From Business Insider There was hardly a dry eye in the house when a high school student with cerebral palsy stood up from his wheelchair for the first time ever to accept his diploma on May 20. Read: Cops Ignore Complaints About Kids Playing Soccer And Join Their Game Instead: 'We Got Our Butts Kicked!' Oklahoma teenager Micah McDade was born with cerebral palsy. He's had countless surgeries and hours of physical therapy. Not only has he worked hard to do well in school, but he's also fought to stand on his own two feet. While his parents, fellow students on the field and administrators onstage watcjed the Okmulgee High School graduation, McDade had a big surprise in store. McDade stepped out of his wheelchair for the first time and took his victory walk across the stage to get his diploma. "The crowds stood and cheered him on every step of the way," reports the Okmulgee County News, which captured the moment McDade fought so hard for. Read: Horses Visit Hospital to Be With Their Dying Owner One Last Time "His parents Mark and Anisa McDade said they couldn't be prouder. They stood that night along with the crowd, with tears of joy streaming from their eyes, reports the paper. The student had been working hard to fulfill his dream of walking. He never gave up on his path to someday do what comes naturally to most everyone else...walk. the paper reported. Watch: San Diego Gay Men's Chorus Demands Investigation After Padres' Star-Spangled Mishap Related Articles: A new art installation on Hong Kong's tallest building highlighting growing fears about the city's freedoms under Beijing has been cancelled, authorities announced, saying the artists showed "disrespect". The artwork was a giant digital countdown to 2047, the year an agreement guaranteeing Hong Kong's semi-autonomous status, made when Britain handed the city back to China in 1997, will come to an end. "We regret to announce that the work... would no longer be part of the exhibition," the Hong Kong Arts Development Council said in a statement, adding that the display "demonstrated disrespect". The artwork had run down the sides of the 484-metre tall International Commerce Centre, which occupies a prime harbourfront location, each night for around a minute since it opened Tuesday. The display coincided with a highly charged three-day trip by Zhang Dejiang, a top Chinese official who chairs China's communist-controlled legislature. Zhang stayed at a waterfront hotel diagonally opposite the ICC tower, on the other side of the city's famous Victoria Harbour. The artwork was "jeopardising our profession and puts at risk any future possibility to work in the public space", according to the arts council statement, which was published late Sunday. The 50-year agreement between Britain and China means Hong Kong enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland. But perceived interference from Beijing has led to growing concerns the city's way of life is already disappearing. Artist Sampson Wong confirmed that the artwork, which was originally scheduled to be on display until June 22, had been cancelled by authorities. "It takes time to digest what the city has become," he said on his Facebook page, adding that the decision was "super wrong". "History will have the conclusion...who is damaging the industry and jeopardising professionalism," Wong said. The year 2047 has become a key date for frustrated pro-democracy groups, who are calling for residents to have a say on what happens when the 50-year agreement lapses. Story continues Many young campaigners are calling for greater autonomy, self-determination, or even outright independence. China has dismissed that notion. Activists turned to the idea of a breakaway after mass rallies in 2014 calling for fully free leadership elections -- known as the Umbrella Movement -- failed to win concessions from Beijing. The large, glowing white numbers of the "Countdown Machine" run almost the entire length of the ICC, counting down the seconds to July 1, 2047 -- the exact date the agreement ends. Why do people get the overwhelming urge to move in the summer? Its one of those eternal questions, right up there with Can love really last a lifetime? and Why does the Trader Joes line Im in always move the slowest? Maybe the warm weather wanderlust happens because your kids are off from school, or you graduated from college, or perhaps you just got married. Or maybe its just because its warm. For whatever reason, summer is the prime time of year when Americans pull up rootsand find new places to plant them again. And this moving season is shaping up as one of the busiest in memory. As the economy continues to improve, job markets are opening wide, the sun is shining on folks financial prospects, and people are on the move. But where are they going, exactly? What are the hot spots drawing planes, trains, and automobiles full of new residents? And likewise, where are they leaving in droves? For insight into peoples past, present, and future moves, we looked to three data sets: Census Bureau migration data collected from 2009 to 2013 that tracked peoples moves in and out of metropolitan areas The number of cross-metro moving requests on moving.com Cross-metro search traffic on realtor.com Take a look at the most common long-distance (farther than 100 miles) migration paths among the 50 largest metropolitan areas based on the volume of people getting a move on: Its hard not to notice the exodus from New York. The New York metro area has the most escapeesbut then again, its the countrys biggest city. So we adjusted for city size and based our calculation on the ratio of inbound to outbound moves to come up with the most desirable citieswhere more people are moving in than moving out. So here are the cities that people are flocking to: move_in-05 What do these metros have in common? Affordable housing and strong job markets, mostly. Some of these places are just beginning to join the ranks of the housing markets elite class. Story continues For example, we first noticed dark horse Raleigh, NC, back in March when it popped up on our monthly hottest markets report, and then kept its spot in April. It turns out that Raleigh has one of the best job markets in both hiring opportunities and job satisfaction rate, according to Glassdoor.com. Florida is clearly the top state for new moves, and not just for the blue-haired set. Three central Florida cities make the cut, largely due to unusually strong job creation. Another factor: housing prices havent fully recovered from the crash yet, so there are plenty of deals to be had. Plus, the state has no income tax. Not all is rainbows and unicorns, however. A decline in foreign buyers is causing inventory to balloon in southern Florida. But, of course, this has a positive side, too, because it means theres actually inventory to buy and prices are not rising rapidly as a result of growth in inventory, said Jonathan Smoke, our chief economist. And then theres the Lone Star State. The San Antonio metro area, home to the Alamo and the NBAs Spurs, was one of the fastest-growing major U.S. metros in 2015, with 2.2% population growth, according to the Census Bureau. About 80 miles away, Austinthe city competing with San Antonio for the hallowed title of Birthplace of the Breakfast Tacois officially home to 2 million people, according to Census data. Thats about eight times its population a half-century ago when IBM opened a facility that set the stage for the tech boom. Austin now counts Apple, Google, Facebook, Intel, and Samsung among its top employers. But those who want to keep Austin weird have no need to despair: Hipsters, indie music, turtle racing, and a famous tower of junk still co-exist in harmony. Then there are the big losersand they are big. Americas largest cities are losing armies of residents, and there just arent enough people moving in to compensate. Take a look: move_in-04 Leaving New York, rather than moving to it, has established itself as a solid trendgetting away from the harsh winters, harsher summers, high taxes, exorbitant cost of living, and bad-tempered hot dog vendors. (And also the excitement, the glamour, the beautiful people, and the city that never, ever sleeps.) On the West Coast, where a San Francisco shack is going for $1.38 million, soaring home prices are pushing locals out and scaring away potential new ones. Where are they going? As you can see in the map above, New Yorkers are mostly moving to Florida. San Franciscans opt for cheaper cities away from the coast (but not outside California), and Angelenos head to Las Vegas. And everyone is moving to Texas! Must be the breakfast tacos. Of course, what you need in a hometown varies at different stages of your life. A bedroom community in Arizona may represent perfection for baby boomers, but soul-crushing boredom for millennials. To find out where the up-and-coming generation is setting its sights, we sliced and diced our own cross-metro search datapeople searching realtor.com for homes outside the area where they liveby age group. move_in-06 Worth calling out: Oklahoma City. More and more young, educated 25- to 34-year-olds choosing between the opportunities and excitement of city life and the affordability and warmth of a small town seem to be finding this growing city in the Great Plains to be the perfect compromise. WalletHub declared it the seventh best city to start a career, taking into account factors such as availability of entry-level jobs, median starting salary, economic mobility, and workforce diversity. Oh, and theres the Thunder, too. The post The New Hot Spots Where Americans Are Moving Right Now appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles * New media group has links to NBH Governor Matolcsy and family * New Wave received central bank grants, advertising money * Matolcsy says did not check grantees' ownership background By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST, May 23 (Reuters) - Shortly after National Bank of Hungary (NBH) Governor Gyorgy Matolcsy took his post three years ago, a group of businessmen launched an online media group that has grown rapidly with the help of the central bank. The company, New Wave, has received central bank grants totalling $2 million and a loan from a lender under the control of the central bank, according to NBH and company records. New Wave also received a bigger slice of money from a central bank advertising campaign than any of its online rivals, in the period covered by published NBH data. None of this funding violated any regulations or broke any laws, according to the central bank. It has nonetheless prompted some Hungarian media outlets and opposition politicians to allege New Wave received preferential treatment because it is owned by businessmen with close ties to Matolcsy and his family. Matolcsy and New Wave deny these allegations. New Wave said in a statement to media outlets: "It is completely incorrect to assume that support from the National Bank of Hungary's foundations transferred to these companies had anything to do with family ties." New Wave launched news website VS.hu in late 2013 and bought web portal Origo.hu from Magyar Telekom for $15 million in January this year to become one of Hungary's biggest online news groups. Balazs Weyer, Origo editor until 2011 and chair of Hungary's Editors' Forum, said that in his experience of the media industry, the speed of the New Wave group's expansion was "highly unrealistic" under normal business circumstances. "A mid-size media company acquiring the market-leading brand (Origo) is unimaginable outside the zone of power," he said. VS, the news website of New Wave, has been the only major news outlet to benefit from grants handed out by the central bank through six foundations, according to a list published by the foundations. Story continues Matolcsy set up the foundations in 2014 and endowed them with money from the NBH's operating surplus in 2013 and 2014. He said their aim was to promote financial education. VS received $2 million of grants last year to produce a series of articles on subjects that the NBH said were important but neglected in the local press. VS produced the series, sending reporters to produce about 10 video reports in places where Hungarian outlets rarely go, including Kenya and California. Only a handful of other news companies received grants, but much smaller ones. The next biggest media recipients were two small news stations, Echo TV and Business Radio, which received grants worth about $25,000 and $7,000 respectively for programming. Hundreds of companies and individuals in other sectors received money - grants or contracts - from the foundations. The total spending on grants, and the selection process involved, was unclear. The central bank did not directly address Reuters questions about the grant to New Wave, instead referring to Matolcsy's comments to daily newspaper Magyar Nemzet on May 6. "The foundations do not examine what owners stand behind the supported projects," Matolcsy said. "(VS) submitted a modern, excellent programme that fits the foundations' philosophy perfectly, so we supported it." Matolcsy is a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who described him as his "right-hand man" when he served as economy minister in 2010-2013 and nominated him for the NBH job. Orban has enjoyed strong support in print and broadcast news, with most leading outlets either swinging behind his Fidesz party or largely refraining from criticism during the 2014 election. But online outlets have been more critical. Fidesz has sought to increase its influence in online media for several years, according to sources with knowledge of the government's communication strategy. "New Wave is an important new player among media groups close to Fidesz, one that strengthens the party's influence in the online sphere, where it had less clout than in the traditional press," said media analyst Gabor Polyak of the Mertek Institute think-tank in Budapest. Orban's government denies infringing on media independence and says it meets EU standards on media freedom. A government spokesman declined to comment on central bank ties to New Wave or allegations of Fidesz influence. JOURNALISTS QUIT Matolcsy's cousin, Tamas Szemerey, played a central part in the launch of New Wave; his consultancy firm BanKonzult paid registration fees to state authorities on behalf of the media company when it was set up in 2013, the registration documents show. Weeks later a Czech company called Idspisa bought a majority stake in New Wave through a subsidiary. Jan Nagy, Szemerey's long-time business partner, is the only board member listed at Idspisa, according to company records. He is also listed as the "official representative" for the subsidiary, Bawaco. New Wave's other shareholder and its CEO is Istvan Szaraz, a close friend of Matolcsy's son Adam and Szemerey's son Bertalan, according to media reports and sources close to New Wave. While no one is asserting that these deals have cross legal lines, the partners' links to Matolcsy have led to some opposition politicians calling for him to resign, accusing him of nepotism. Matolcsy has dismissed such calls as political opportunism. Reuters was unable to contact Nagy. Szemerey did not reply to repeated emails seeking comment about the central bank funding and allegations of preferential treatment. His son and Matolcsy's son also could not be reached for comment. Szaraz did not address Reuters questions on the NBH funding and allegations of preferential treatment, but said it was his idea to launch the media group, which started with a tourism site. "Next came VS... we had to grow it to a sustainable level," he said by email. "Economy of scale considerations led us to (acquisitions). We now want to secure our online portfolio the largest reach on the Hungarian market." The money given to VS, the news website, and others was made public last month when the constitutional court struck down a law to restrict financial scrutiny of the foundations. The disclosure led to 12 VS journalists resigning in protest at the grant. Some said they quit because they had not been told about the grant and were disturbed by the NBH funding in light of Matolcsy's links to New Wave. Others said they knew VS had received a grant but did not realise it was so big. "Independent reporters find it ever more difficult to work for owners who have no government ties, independent of state financing," said Andras Kosa, one of the journalists who quit. However, media analyst Polyak said he had seen no signs of state influence in VS or Origo's content. He said online readers demanded critical coverage and it was unlikely that any news site carrying propaganda could attract the readership "vital to ensure survival" in the long run. AD REVENUE New Wave's news site VS received 56 million forints ($198,390) from the central bank in the last three months of 2014 for an NBH advertising campaign about its funding-for-lending programme for businesses, according to data on the NBH website. This was before New Wave's acquisition of Origo, at a time when VS was not among the country's big online media companies. Origo was the second-biggest beneficiary of NBH advertising revenue, receiving 46 million forints in the final quarter of 2014, while other web outlets each received less than 10 million. The central bank and New Wave did not respond to Reuters questions about the advertising campaign spend. In January New Wave received a loan from MKB Bank which sources close to the media group said was to help fund the $15 million Origo acquisition. At the time, MKB was under the control of the central bank, which was restructuring the loss-making lender after the state stepped in to buy it from Germany's Bayern LB. The loan agreement is documented in New Wave's records, but not its size. Sources close to the company said it was several times bigger than its annual revenue, which was almost $1 million in 2014 - the latest year on record. The central bank did not address questions about the loan. New Wave and MKB Bank declined to comment on it. ($1 = 282.2700 forints) (Reporting by Marton Dunai; Additional reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Pravin Char) As per The Wall Street Journal, International Business Machines IBM has reportedly eliminated quite a few jobs last week with most cuts coming at the New York City, Poughkeepsie, N.Y, Research Triangle Park campus NC, and Boulder, CO. Media reports suggests that some of the jobs might be moved to cost effective places like India and total layoffs could be as high as 14K. In March, the company reduced 5,000 positions. IBM on Friday said that a refocusing is going on and it will employ more staff in newer and key areas like cognitive cloud computing and added that it had 20,000 open positions. However, Wall Street Journal, citing two unnamed employees, stated that IBMs internal job search tool listed between 7,000 and 8,000 open positions. IBM reported first quarter 2016 results wherein both earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate but fell year over year. In fact, this is Big Blues sixteenth consecutive quarter of decline in revenues and the worst quarterly revenue seen in the past 14 years. The company under CEO Virginia Rometty has embarked on an ambitious but a very time consuming turnaround. IBM has been moving away from its traditional businesses to newer (read lucrative) business avenues like cloud and data analytics. Though IBMs Strategic Imperatives are performing well but these are not enough to make up for the weakness in its traditional business. Further, currency fluctuations continue to wreak havoc on IBMs results as a considerable part of its revenues is generated from international markets. Intensifying competition in the cloud computing &data analytics arena is adding to woes. At present, IBM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the same space include Facebook Inc. FB, NetEase, Inc. NTES and Ellie Mae, Inc. ELLI. All these sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report INTL BUS MACH (IBM): Free Stock Analysis Report NETEASE INC (NTES): Free Stock Analysis Report ELLIE MAE INC (ELLI): Free Stock Analysis Report FACEBOOK INC-A (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Will Smith may have opted to sit this fight out, but other veterans like Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Brent Spiner, and Judd Hirschas well as Liam Hemsworths new heroare ready to go again in Independence Day: Resurgences extended third trailer (watch it above). Good thing too, because the invading aliens are also back in force to threaten life as we know it in director Roland Emmerichs follow-up to his 1996 monument-obliterating blockbuster. Related: Independence Day: Resurgence Brings You Up to Speed with War of 1996 Clip The new clip clocks in at nearly five minutes, and has more of the intergalactic carnage and chaos one might expect from its premise, in which the previous sci-fi sagas extraterrestrialshaving been defeated by Earths forces and, in particular, the heroic kamikaze actions of Randy Quaids pilotreturn for a rematch. If youre expecting copious CGI explosions, frantic aerial battles, and momentous speechifying, this latest advance peek hits all those buttons, and suggests Emmerich and co-writer/producer Dean Devlin are aiming to deliver more of what made the first Independence Day such a gigantic hit (minus, of course, Smith, who originally became a global star thanks in part to his participation in that film). Related: Brent Spiner Explains How His Independence Day Character Is Still Alive in Sequel Resurgence Its difficult to imagine Resurgence matching its predecessors $817 million global haul (which made it 1996s biggest box-office hit), but never underestimate audiences appetite for watching invading aliens destroy Americas most hallowed landmarks. The film arrives in theaters on June 24. Watch a trailer for the original Independence Day: The Independent Filmmaker Project has selected ten projects for its 2016 IFP Filmmaker Labs year-long fellowship for first-time feature directors, Variety has learned. The program, entering its 12th year, has previously included Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience), Alex Karpovsky (Girls), David Lowery (Petes Dragon), Dee Rees (Bessie), Andrew Dosunmu (Mother of George), Tim Sutton (Dark Knight), Jennifer Phang (Advantageous) and Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty). The selected projects for the 2016 IFP Narrative Lab and their attending lab fellows are: Alaska Is a Drag: An aspiring superstars diva fabulous dreams are hard fought working at a fish cannery in Alaska. Shaz Bennett (director, writer, producer), Jean-Pierre Caner (producer, consulting editor). Los Angeles. A Bad Idea Gone Wrong: A comedy about two would-be thieves who accidentally arm the alarm system and have to break out of the house they just broke into. Jason Headley (director, writer), Tim Fender (editor). San Francisco. Cold November: A 12-year-old girl being raised within a matriarchal household is taken through the right of passage of killing a deer for the first time. Karl Jacob (director, writer, producer), Pete Ohs (editor). Hibbing, Minn. Dayveon: Dayveon is a 12-year-old boy coming to terms with the death of his older brother. Amman Abbasi (director, writer, producer), Steven Reneau (writer, producer). Little Rock, Ark. Heartlock: A convict realizes his best shot at escaping is to master the art of ducking, a specialized form of prison manipulation in which an inmate befriends a flawed guard for the purposes of blackmail. Jon Kauffman (director, writer), Chris Cummings (writer), Dominic Laperriere (editor). New York, NY. Julia Blue: Julia, a bright university student, is preparing for a life abroad when she meets English, a damaged soldier returning from the war zone in eastern Ukraine. Roxy Toporowych (director, writer), Nilou Safinya (producer), Ben Kim (editor). Brooklyn, NY. Story continues The Missing Sun: After a solar flare powers down her remote community, Alma discovers her husband Terry comatose. Pursuing a series of bizarre clues, she soon believes Terry is astral traveling to reunite with his deceased ex-wife. Brennan Vance (director, writer, producer, DP, editor), James Christenson (producer). Minneapolis, Minn. Poor Jane: Jane and Henry are in a loving marriage. Another man humiliates Henry at a Christmas party and Jane decides she no longer loves him. Katie Orr (director, writer), Alex Orr (producer), David Swinburne (co-producer). Atlanta. Solace: When her father dies, Sole, 17, numbs her emotions with food. She unwillingly lives with her estranged grandmother. Tchaiko Omawale (director, writer, producer), Eileen Cabling (associate producer), Amanda Griffin (editor). Los Angeles. Untitled Hasidic Film: Given unprecedented access to New Yorks Orthodox Jewish community, the film is a story of faith and fatherhood performed entirely in Yiddish. Joshua Z Weinstein (director, writer, producer, DP), Royce Brown (co-producer), Daniel Finkelman (producer), Danelle Eliav (co-producer) Brooklyn, NY. Related stories Cannes: Film London Pacts with Independent Filmmaker Project on No Borders (EXCLUSIVE) Hamptons Fest Slates Richard Curtis' 'About Time' as Southampton opener Richard Linklater to Receive Director Tribute at 2013 Gotham Awards * Farm ministry had capped royalties on new varieties * Government to seek feedback over next 90 days before decision By Mayank Bhardwaj NEW DELHI, May 23 (Reuters) - India has temporarily withdrawn an order capping royalties on any new variety of genetically-modified (GM) cotton seeds, a government source said on Monday, bringing relief to U.S.-based Monsanto Co, the market's sole supplier. "We are temporarily withdrawing the order," said the source, who is involved in the decision-making process but didn't wish to be named because he is not authorised to talk to the media. In an order last week, the farm ministry said any company providing any new, advanced variety of GM cotton would not be allowed to charge royalties of more that 10 percent of the price of seeds, currently fixed at 800 rupees, for five years from the date of marketing. From the sixth year, the royalties, or trait value, will taper down by 10 percent every year. Along with putting a lid on royalties, New Delhi also tightened rules that regulate the sale of GM cotton seeds. The move was widely seen as another blow to Monsanto, the only company that sells GM cotton seeds in India, a leading producer and exporter of the fibre. The government will now seek feedback from various stakeholders in the next 90 days before reaching a decision, said the source, who gave no reason for the decision to temporarily withdraw the order. In March, India cut royalties paid by local firms for Monsanto's GM cotton seeds by nearly 70 percent and capped the price of its seed at 800 rupees for a packet of 450 grams after appeals by some state governments and farmers to lower the rate of the Bt variety that commands 90 percent of the market. The decision prompted Monsanto to warn it could consider pulling out of India. Shrugging off Monsanto's concerns, government ministers said India would keep regulating Bt cotton seed prices. Separately, India's antitrust regulator has ordered an investigation into Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India)(MMB), a joint venture with India's Mahyco, to probe whether the company had abused its dominant position as a supplier of GM cotton seeds. Story continues Monsanto, the target of a $62 billion offer from Germany's Bayer, introduced a GM cotton variety in India in 2002 despite stiff opposition from critics who questioned its safety. GM cotton seeds catapulted the country to being the world's top producer and the second-largest exporter of the fibre. Cotton is the only GM crop grown in India. A Monsanto spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; editing by Adrian Croft) By Anuradha Nagaraj CHENNAI, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Women domestic workers from India's southern Andhra Pradesh are languishing in jails in Gulf states after attempting to flee abusive employers or overstaying their visas, said an Indian state minister, urging the national government to help them. In a letter to India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, Andhra Pradesh's minister for non-resident Indian welfare, Palle Raghunatha Reddy, called for action to bring back the women. "Necessary steps should be initiated to bring them to their native areas safely by providing free travel and necessary visa documents at the earliest possible (opportunity)," he wrote. "Instructions should be issued to Indian embassy officials in Gulf countries to interfere in the matter and provide necessary help in terms of food, clothing and shelter." Government figures show there are an estimated six million Indian migrants in the six Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman. These include women who leave their villages to take up jobs overseas paying up to three times more than in India, putting their fate in the hands of recruitment agents, who often dupe them. There is no official data on the exact count of the migrants stranded in Gulf countries but experts put the numbers in tens of thousands, many of them in jail. Some of the migrants overstay on tourist visas and are unable to pay the fines required to return home. In some cases, they do not have exit visas. Many others have been jailed on petty offences waiting for their case to be heard, according to the Andhra Pradesh state government. Women from Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring state of Telangana "are being sold like products in a retail shop," Reddy wrote in the letter sent last week. "Women are being sold to the tune of 400,000 rupees ($6,000)in Saudi Arabia and between 100,000 ($1,500) to 200,000 rupees ($3,000) in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait," the minister wrote. He added that at least 25 women jailed in Gulf states have sought the state government's help recently. In response to a query in India's parliament in March, the foreign ministry said their diplomatic missions in all six Gulf states had registered complaints of physical abuse, maltreatment, non-payment of salary, and other grievances. Requesting anonymity, a senior official in the Andhra Pradesh government said a group of ministers from the state would travel to the Gulf next month to investigate the plight of migrants from their region. The state government is also in the process of appointing lawyers to provide legal advice to Indian prisoners in Gulf jails, the official said. ($1 = 66.58 rupees) (Reporting by Anuradha Nagaraj, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking and climate change. Visit www.trust.org) By James Regan and Martinne Geller PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - French insurer AXA (AXAF.PA) plans to stop investing in the tobacco industry, citing the impact of smoking on public health, and said it plans to sell its 1.8 billion euros (1.8 billion euros) of assets in the sector. AXA said it would divest its 200 million euros of equity holdings in tobacco companies immediately. It plans to stop all new investments in tobacco industry corporate bonds and to run off its existing holdings worth about 1.6 billion euros. "With this divestment from tobacco, we are doing our share to support the efforts of governments around the world," incoming AXA Chief Executive Thomas Buberl said in a statement on Monday. It is the latest in a string of setbacks for Big Tobacco, whose profit margins provide strong returns despite Western countries' ongoing decline in smoking rates. "This decision has a cost for us, but the case for divestment is clear: the human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge," Buberl said. AXA said that tobacco kills six million people a year and that the figure is expected to rise to eight million by 2030, mostly in developing countries. The cost to society is greater than that of alcohol or obesity, the company said. The move comes as countries around the world are cracking down. Last week, new tobacco packaging laws went into effect in the European Union, while the United States banned the sale of cigars to minors. AXA is not the first investor to ditch tobacco, though a spokeswoman said she believed it was the first global insurer to do so. The decision reflects a shift in the role of health insurers towards preventing health conditions, AXA said, including increased use of technology. The head of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) said it would continue to encourage other companies to follow AXA's lead. "We need companies like AXA to signal that investing in an industry that kills its customers is simply the wrong thing to do," UICC Chief Executive Cary Adams said. Story continues "This announcement to divest 1.8 billion euros is a milestone step in the right direction." The AXA spokeswoman declined to say which tobacco companies' stocks and bonds it owned, but said the holdings were longstanding and a small part of its general accounts. AXA shares were up 0.5 percent by 0853 GMT, broadly in line with the European sector (.SXIP). Shares of British American Tobacco (BATS.L) and Imperial Brands (IMB.L), two of the largest tobacco companies, were flat. (Additional reporting by Gwenaelle Barzic; editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely) * DSW, Deminor, Hermes EOS call for new independent inquiry * Groups say investigations so far not sufficient * VW declines to comment (Adds comment from Hermes Investment Management and Deminor) By Edward Taylor FRANKFURT, May 23 (Reuters) - Three investor groups called on Monday for a new, independent investigation into Volkswagen's emissions test-rigging scandal, saying the inquiries launched by the German carmaker so far may not be far-reaching or transparent enough. German investors' association DSW and Deminor, a Brussels-based firm which represents investors including the city of New York pension fund, said shareholders should be allowed to vote on launching such an investigation at Volkswagen's (VW) annual general meeting (AGM) on June 22. London-based Hermes EOS also called for an independent inquiry into the "potential liability of the members of the management and supervisory boards" of the German company. VW declined to comment. In September, Europe's largest carmaker admitted it had cheated diesel emissions tests in the United States. It has created a Special Committee on Diesel Engines headed by Wolfgang Porsche, head of the family clan that controls VW, to investigate the scandal and hired law firm Jones Day to find those responsible. But DSW said that wasn't enough. "When you have an independent investigation you can be sure that the findings will be publicised. With internal investigations you do not know whether everything has been made transparent," spokesman Juergen Kurz said. Deminor said VW's internal probe was only looking for "serious and manifest breaches" by the management, which de facto reduced the review of board members' liability. DSW mostly represents retail investors. Deminor declined to put a figure on the proportion of VW shareholders it represents. Hermes EOS advises investors with about 170 billion pounds ($246 billion) in assets, but says its clients account for just 0.013 percent of voting shares at VW. Story continues Hermes EOS also urged VW investors not to ratify the actions of the management board at the AGM. Under German corporate governance rules, shareholders are asked to do this, though in VW's case the vote is likely to pass comfortably given the majority stake of the Piech-Porsche families. VW has so far declined to comment in detail about the initial findings of its probe. But it has said there were no indications to date that current management was involved in the scandal. The company, which has set aside 16.2 billion euros ($18.2 billion) to cover vehicle refits and legal costs, has also said it is reorganising the processes and structures used for approving the software for engine control units with more clearly defined and binding responsibilities. DSW acknowledged the chances of forcing an independent investigation were slim, given the Piech-Porsche families jointly control 52 percent of VW voting rights and are unlikely to back the proposal. If that happens, DSW could try to win a court order to enforce an independent investigation, DSW's Kurz said. ($1 = 0.8921 euros) ($1 = 0.6908 pounds) (Reporting by Edward Taylor additional reporting by Jan Schwartz; Editing by Mark Potter) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. firm Iridium Communications Inc (IRDM.O) on Monday said its Satellite Time and Location (STL) system was ready for use as an alterative or companion to the U.S. Air Force's Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. Iridium developed the new STL system with Satelles, a private firm, to deliver signals using Iridium's 66 low-earth satellites, making it less vulnerable than ground-based terminals used for GPS services. The Virginia-based company said the STL system gives users access to accurate position, navigation and timing technology using inexpensive chips that work anywhere on earth, providing an alternative to GPS and a way to verify GPS signals. "STL can help solve an important and growing problem for governments and businesses, and serve as a platform for continued innovation," Matt Desch, chief executive of Iridium, said in a statement. Satelles provides technology and services to companies that are using the new capability to protect assets, authenticate users and carry out other functions reliant on GPS time and location. GPS jamming, "spoofing" and other attacks in recent years have prompted the U.S. military and other users to look for ways to augment and authenticate GPS signals. South Korea, for instance, told the United Nations Security Council last month that North Korea has been jamming its GPS signals since March 31, threatening the safety of civilian aircraft and vessels and violating international agreements. Desch said the new technology used chips that were the size of a postage stamp, and could ultimately be integrated into other devices, heavy machinery, automobiles and the power grid. The STL system transmits signals through Iridium's satellite constellation to deliver a unique code to each position on the ground that can be independently authenticated. Iridium and Satelles said the new system had been demonstrated in military, academic and commercial applications, but gave no specific details. Story continues Desch told Reuters in March that at least 20 military and government agencies and private companies had expressed interest in STL. Iridium gave no immediate details on any launch customers for the new service. (Reporting by Berlin Newsroom; editing by Jason Neely) Ukraine's Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry has written a letter to China's China National Complete Engineering Corporation (CCEC) with a request to decide on its participation in the privatization of public joint-stock company State Food-Grain Corporation. "I've prepared a letter to the Chinese side as for State Food-Grain Corporation. We ask to determine their position in the context of readiness to take part in the companys privatization," Minister Taras Kutovy said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. Commenting on the possible participation of the Chinese company in the privatization, the minister said that all our large holdings are mainly public. They are listed on exchanges. They have international investors in their capitals. Asked about the possible state-run companies' privatization scheme, Kutovy said that the ideal option for his is the sale of a minority stake of 25% with an option to purchase next 25% or 50%. The condition for his is achievement of good financial results. The government in August 2010 decided to create the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine. The corporation has a chain of branches, comprised of grain storage facilities, flourmills, fodder factories and a cereals factory. The 53 subdivisions of the corporation can store a total of 3.75 million tonnes of grain, which includes the grain handling capacities of Odesa and Mykolaiv ports of some 2.5 million tonnes of grain cargo per year. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State claimed responsibility for multiple bomb attacks in two Syrian cities on the Mediterranean coast that monitors said killed more than 100 people on Monday. The jihadist group's Amaq news agency said IS attackers had targeted "gatherings of Alawites in Tartous and Jableh", a reference to the minority sect to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group and state media said one blast hit a hospital. (Reporting by John Davison and Ahmed Tolba in Cairo) ROME (Reuters) - Italian vessels have helped rescue more than 2,600 migrants from boats trying to reach Europe from North Africa in the last 24 hours, the coastguard said on Monday, indicating that numbers are rising as the weather warms up. Some 2,000 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast from 14 rubber dinghies and one larger boat in salvage operations by the Italian navy and coastguard, the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres and an Irish navy vessel, the coastguard said. Another 636 migrants were rescued from two boats in Maltese waters, in operations involving Maltese and Italian vessels, it said. It gave no information about the nationalities of those saved. More than 31,000 migrants have reached Italy by boat so far this year, slightly fewer than in the same period of 2015. Humanitarian organizations say the sea route between Libya and Italy is now the main route for asylum seekers heading for Europe, after an EU deal on migrants with Turkey dramatically slowed the flow of people reaching Greece. Officials fear the numbers trying to make the crossing to southern Italy will increase as conditions improve in warmer weather. More than 1.2 million Arab, African and Asian migrants fleeing war and poverty have streamed into the European Union since the start of last year. Most of those trying to reach Italy leave the coast of lawless Libya on rickety fishing boats or rubber dinghies, heading for the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is close to Tunisia, or toward Sicily. (Reporting By Gavin Jones; editing by John Stonestreet) ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Abundant rain that continued last week in most of Ivory Coast's primary cocoa growing regions will boost the growth of flowers and pods on the trees, although harvesting remained weak and the quality of beans had not yet improved, farmers said on Monday. The world's top cocoa producer is in its rainy season, with heavy downpours in the coastal regions and forest areas expected to continue until the end of June. The rains are welcome to farmers during the mid-crop, which runs from April to September. Farmers said they needed sun and downpours until the end of June for the harvest to improve. In the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, an analyst reported 37 millimeters of rains this week, compared with 64 mm last week. Lazare Ake, who farms on the outskirts of Soubre, said the harvest was poor and beans were tiny. But he was optimistic about the change rains could bring, saying, "It's been two weeks of good rain, good for the development of flowers and pods." In the center-western region of Daloa, which alone produces a quarter of Ivory Coast's national output, farmers reported one heavy downpour for the second consecutive week. "We are happy because the soil moisture content is improving and that will support the blooming that is underway," said farmer Marcel Aka, who farms near Daloa. Good growing conditions were reported in southern regions of Aboisso, Agboville and Tiassale. However, farmers were not happy with the rains in eastern region of Abengourou, in western region of Gagnoa, and in southern region of Divo. Amadou Diallo, who farms in the outskirts of Divo, said the hot weather after the rains had negated the impact of the downpours. "We need more rain before the end of the month or the mid-crop will be a failure," Diallo said. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Makini Brice and David Evans) By Yeganeh Torbati NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Reuters) - As a young chemistry professor at Yale University in 1969, Gary Haller voted to boot the U.S. military's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program off the Ivy League school's Connecticut campus. Like many American schools at the time it was gripped by protests against the Vietnam War. Yale's faculty considered the presence of ROTC, which trains future officers and provides college scholarships, to be tacit support for an unpopular war. "People were just so outraged," Haller said. Four decades on, however, he views the ROTC through a different lens. We want to produce students who are leaders in every segment of our society," said Haller, now an emeritus professor who led a faculty committee that helped pave the way for the ROTC's return to Yale. "Whether you like the military or not, it is a big segment of our society. On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited his alma mater for the first commissioning since the Vietnam era of cadets and midshipmen who participated in the program for all four years of college. The ceremony is the latest evidence of a sea change in the attitude of elite universities, which shunned the military for four decades in part because of its controversial "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy for gay personnel. Now they have come to realize that their graduates should have as much influence on a major instrument of American power as they do in the halls of the White House or the trading desks of Wall Street. The return of ROTC to Ivy League campuses is a return to the norm that prevailed for more than 200 years, when graduates routinely marched, flew and sailed from campus to combat. "I really do believe deeply that ROTC needs to be back on campuses like ours so that our students can have a truly hands-on, active role in shaping the next military," said Yale College Dean Jonathan Holloway, whose father served in the Air Force. Story continues John Lewis Gaddis, a prominent Yale historian who supported ROTC's return, said he was always struck by how few students had ever met anybody in the military. Carter referenced that in his speech on Monday, noting that the ROTC graduates had "helped bridge a divide that has persisted for too long." "For some of your classmates, you're the first member of the military they've ever gotten to know." The move benefits the military, too. It enables recruiters, who finds it much easier to hit their recruiting targets in the South than in urban coastal areas, to "make sure that theyre capturing all parts of the country, including the Northeast, said Katherine Kidder, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. Even if youre capturing a small portion, youre leavening the force with folks who are graduating from elite schools she said. PENTAGON MOVES The Pentagon's moves in the last five years to ease entry for gay and lesbian troops and open combat positions to women have helped make ROTC's presence more palatable to politically liberal students and professors. The Navy and Air Force ROTC programs returned to Yale in 2012, after the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." ROTC has made similar inroads across the Ivy League and on other elite campuses. A Navy ROTC branch is set to open at Brown University this fall. There were 122 Navy ROTC midshipmen spread across six Ivy League campuses in 2016, compared to 53 at three Ivy League schools in 2011, according to Navy data. A Navy ROTC branch is set to open at Brown University this fall. There were 42 Air Force ROTC cadets in the Ivy League in 2016, compared to 28 in 2011, according to Air Force data. The class of 2016 at Yale includes 10 Navy midshipmen and four Air Force cadets out of 1,300 graduates. Part of the motivation to allow the military programs to return has been financial. Congressional moves in the 1990s and 2000s threatened to cut some federal funds for universities that barred military recruiters or ROTC, and one such measure survived a legal challenge at the Supreme Court in 2006. For Carter, military recruiting at schools such as Yale is consistent with his effort to enlist segments of society that do not typically consider a career in the armed forces, such as Silicon Valley tech experts. Monday's ceremony also closes a personal loop for Carter. As a Yale freshman in 1972, his was the first class that had no ROTC on campus. "Feelings were still raw on campus, including with the faculty," Carter said on Monday during a plane ride to New Haven. He described himself as "not having caught the anti-war bug" in his college years. "The climate that was there on campuses when I was in college has really very much dissipated," he said. Before she entered Yale and the Navy ROTC in 2012, Gabrielle Fong, 22, was warned by officers that her uniform might invite critical comments and even spitting from passersby common reactions to uniformed personnel during the Vietnam War years. She remembers thinking, "What did I sign up for?" Fong said she was pleasantly surprised to find that was not the case. One of the officers to be commissioned on Monday, she will soon report to the destroyer U.S.S. McCampbell in Japan. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by John Walcott and Ross Colvin) TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will ask U.S. President Barack Obama to take strict measures to prevent crime by people from U.S. military bases after the arrest last week of a U.S. worker in connection with the murder of a Japanese woman. Obama will visit Japan this week for a Group of Seven nations summit and he will also make a historic visit to the city of Hiroshima, which the U.S. military attacked with an atomic bomb in 1945. U.S. troops have been stationed in Japan since its World War Two defeat and about 50,00 remain in various bases. Occasional crime by U.S. personnel or civilian base workers infuriates Japanese people and often fuels call for the bases to go. "I expect him to ask President Obama to deal with the matter strictly, taking into account the Japanese people's feelings," Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference, referring to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was expected to ask Obama to ensure that strict discipline is enforced at bases and other measures are taken to prevent crime, Suga said. A 32-year-old U.S. civilian working at the Kadena air base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of dumping the body of a 20-year-old woman. Police are investigating. Okinawa, the site of a bloody World War Two battles, hosts the bulk of U.S. military forces in Japan and many residents resent what they see as an unfair burden. The island's governor, Takeshi Onaga, who was elected on a pledge to shift a big U.S. Marines base off the island, was skeptical anything would be done on crime. "We've heard 'strict enforcement of discipline' and 'thorough steps to stop recurrence' hundreds of times over the past several decades, but that nothing has changed," Onaga told reporters after meeting Abe. Obama's visit to Hiroshima on Friday will be the first by a serving U.S. president to the city devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945. Obama said in an interview with the NHK broadcaster on Sunday his visit would emphasize friendly ties between former enemies, and he reiterated he would not apologize for the atomic bomb attack. The city of Nagasaki was bombed three days after Hiroshima was bombed and Japan surrendered six days after that. A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save U.S. lives, although many historians question that view. Most Japanese believe they were unjustified. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Minami Funakoshi; Editing by Robert Birsel) Japanese pop star and college student Mayu Tomita is in critical condition after being stabbed over 20 times in the neck and chest on Saturday, allegedly by a man who stalked her. Since the stabbing, she has yet to regain consciousness. Authorities say Tomohiro Iwazaki ambushed 20-year-old Tomita before a fan event, demanding to know why she returned a wrist watch he had sent to her in January. Police arrested 27-year-old Iwazaki at the scene, where he admitted to wanting to kill Tomita with a pocket knife. "I lost my temper because she didn't clearly answer," he said, according to the BBC. Source: Jiji Press/Getty Images Last month, Tomita had notified police about Iwazaki after she noticed his fanatical comments and messages about her on various social media platforms. Although his accounts are now suspended, Iwazaki had recently out that Tomita was "looking down upon him," according to NBC. Tomita was a part of recording Secret Girls, a webseries about five girls who "lead secret lives as J-pop stars," according to NBC. In 2014, a man attacked two members of J-pop girl group AKB48, reportedly with a saw, at another meet-and-greet. A group of fishermen cut a humpback whale free from a fishing net on Saturday, May 21, off the coast of New Jersey. The fishermen called the US Coast Guard for help, but they were told it wouldnt arrive for an hour, according to reports. So the group began cutting through the net. The group was still cutting away when the guard arrived, Being in a better position, the fishermen finished cutting the net. This video shows the humpback whale after it was freed. It was taken by Sal Gotto, one of the fishermen who helped cut it free. Credit: Facebook/Sal Gotto The task of the Ukrainian government is to offer the fair pension provision system. The system would attribute to the proper level of social support of Ukrainian citizens and the removing of the deficit of the Pension Fund, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "Our task will be the following: to offer Ukrainian society the system that would establish fair pension provision. Ordinary Ukrainian citizen is to benefit it," the information and public relations department of the secretariat of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers reported, citing Groysman. He said that today the pension system in Ukraine is absolutely imperfect. The deficit of the Pension Fund is UAH 145 billion. The prime minister predicts growth of the deficit from year to year if measures to reform the fund are not taken. "This [the pension reform] is not the concern of the IMF [International Monetary Fund]. This is Ukraine's concern. This is the issue how Ukrainians will live when they become pensioners," Groysman said. On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver turned his gimlet eye on the United States presidential primaries and caucuses, which he describes as the electoral foreplay weve been engaging in since February. As even the most casual political watcher knows, both political parties nearly have their nominees, with the Republicans leaning towards the candidate that Oliver describes as, Donald Trump, Americas walking talking brush fire and the Democrats opting for Hillary Clinton the woman who exhibits too much or too little of every human quality depending on who you ask. However, as the primary process has rolled on, many Americans have questions about how votes in primaries and caucuses are translated into the delegates and superdelegates who will go to the conventions and choose the partys candidates. Oliver, a.k.a. the British Milhouse, does his civic duty by trying to explain the complex and arcane process so Americans can understand how a president is made. Turns out that much like sausage, you may not want to know how its made and it might be time to overhaul the system. By Douglas Busvine and Fayaz Bukhari TRAL, India (Reuters) - Rebels like Burhan Wani, more adept at spreading their message via smartphone than wielding an assault rifle, are becoming a rallying point in disputed Kashmir for youth who reject the authority of India's federal government. Wani, a 22-year-old commander of Islamic separatist group Hizb-ul Mujahideen, personifies a new generation of militant who is winning public sympathy in a battle that once again risks destabilizing the troubled northern region. "He is on a pious path and we are proud of him," said Mohammad Muzaffar Wani, the father of the militant who shot to notoriety with pictures of his group on social media last year, along with speeches calling Kashmiris to arms. "All of Kashmir supports his cause," Wani, the headmaster of a school, said in an interview at the family home in Tral in southern Kashmir. A massive crackdown by Indian security forces has contained a separatist revolt in Kashmir that first flared in the 1990s, with Pakistan's backing, but is now mainly homegrown. But the backlash it has provoked reflects what many Kashmiris call the refusal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-year-old government to engage in a meaningful dialogue over the fate of India's only Muslim-majority region. "The government of India has decided that they want to engage with the problem militarily, not politically," said Mirwais Umar Farooq, a hereditary religious leader and advocate of a peaceful path to independence. Separatist leaders accuse New Delhi of keeping people in Kashmir, long the center of a bitter territorial dispute between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan, under the heel of up to 750,000 security forces. At the same time, they say, it is pursuing a long-term strategy to effectively annex the region of 12.5 million people demographically, religiously and economically. The result, both moderate and hardline separatists warn, will be the further radicalization of a generation already brutalized by a crackdown on a wave of street protests that peaked in 2010. "It's troubling there should not be this level of alienation," said Naeem Akhtar, the state's education minister and a leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), that has run Jammu and Kashmir state in an unlikely coalition with Modi's Hindu-centric Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since last year. "We should try and build emotional bonds between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country," added Akhtar. "It will take time, but I think we are on course." Both parties say their alliance of opposites is working, but their development agenda - including a road building campaign to upgrade infrastructure ruined by decades of neglect - has yet to deliver. CAT AND MOUSE Human rights advocates say the militants are not capable of launching serious attacks, preferring instead to play cat and mouse with security forces, who outnumber them by more than 3,000 to one, to make a political point. "They have guns in their hands but circulating videos is not violence it's propaganda," said Khurram Parvez, an official of a civil society grouping. Wani, who remains at large, featured in a recent video, warming his hands by a forest campfire, chatting and laughing with colleagues. In recent months, outpourings of sympathy for the militants have escalated, with stone-throwing crowds gathering at the site of gun battles to thwart efforts to kill or capture the gunmen. Huge numbers have turned out, too, at funerals of rebels killed in "encounters", such as a recent shootout in which three militants - two linked to Wani - died. "The worrying part is that the trust deficit between the system and the public is huge," said a senior Indian military officer who estimates the number of militants active in the Kashmir Valley at about 200. "The only way they can express their grievances is by violence against the symbols of the state," said the officer, who sought anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Militancy has decreased in Kashmir, a senior aide to Modi told Reuters, but social volatility has increased as security forces systematically eliminate domestic rebels, who rely on the sympathy of many Kashmiris. "Before, the goal was to neutralize foreign infiltrators," the aide said, on condition of anonymity. "Now the domestic terrorists are being bumped off." Female student Shaista Hameed, 22, and a male youth died in stray fire in one such encounter, in the village of Lelhar in February, that killed a militant from the Pakistan-backed rebel group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Two rebels escaped, shielded by a stone-throwing crowd. "These militants are our brothers," said a local high school senior, who gave his name as Tariq. "They are fighting for us and demanding the right to freedom." Asked how he saw his future, he said, "If the atrocities continue, I will take up the gun." Graphic: Militant violence in Kashmir - http://tmsnrt.rs/1XDQ7qa (Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Douglas Busvine and Fayaz Bukhari TRAL, India (Reuters) - Rebels like Burhan Wani, more adept at spreading their message via smartphone than wielding an assault rifle, are becoming a rallying point in disputed Kashmir for youth who reject the authority of India's federal government. Wani, a 22-year-old commander of Islamic separatist group Hizb-ul Mujahideen, personifies a new generation of militant who is winning public sympathy in a battle that once again risks destabilizing the troubled northern region. (Graphic: Militant violence in Kashmir - http://tmsnrt.rs/1XDQ7qa) "He is on a pious path and we are proud of him," said Mohammad Muzaffar Wani, the father of the militant who shot to notoriety with pictures of his group on social media last year, along with speeches calling Kashmiris to arms. "All of Kashmir supports his cause," Wani, the headmaster of a school, said in an interview at the family home in Tral in southern Kashmir. A massive crackdown by Indian security forces has contained a separatist revolt in Kashmir that first flared in the 1990s, with Pakistan's backing, but is now mainly homegrown. But the backlash it has provoked reflects what many Kashmiris call the refusal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-year-old government to engage in a meaningful dialogue over the fate of India's only Muslim-majority region. "The government of India has decided that they want to engage with the problem militarily, not politically," said Mirwais Umar Farooq, a hereditary religious leader and advocate of a peaceful path to independence. Separatist leaders accuse New Delhi of keeping people in Kashmir, long the center of a bitter territorial dispute between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan, under the heel of up to 750,000 security forces. At the same time, they say, it is pursuing a long-term strategy to effectively annex the region of 12.5 million people demographically, religiously and economically. The result, both moderate and hardline separatists warn, will be the further radicalization of a generation already brutalized by a crackdown on a wave of street protests that peaked in 2010. "It's troubling there should not be this level of alienation," said Naeem Akhtar, the state's education minister and a leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), that has run Jammu and Kashmir state in an unlikely coalition with Modi's Hindu-centric Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since last year. "We should try and build emotional bonds between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country," added Akhtar. "It will take time, but I think we are on course." Both parties say their alliance of opposites is working, but their development agenda - including a road building campaign to upgrade infrastructure ruined by decades of neglect - has yet to deliver. CAT AND MOUSE Human rights advocates say the militants are not capable of launching serious attacks, preferring instead to play cat and mouse with security forces, who outnumber them by more than 3,000 to one, to make a political point. "They have guns in their hands but circulating videos is not violence it's propaganda," said Khurram Parvez, an official of a civil society grouping. Wani, who remains at large, featured in a recent video, warming his hands by a forest campfire, chatting and laughing with colleagues. In recent months, outpourings of sympathy for the militants have escalated, with stone-throwing crowds gathering at the site of gun battles to thwart efforts to kill or capture the gunmen. Huge numbers have turned out, too, at funerals of rebels killed in "encounters", such as a recent shootout in which three militants - two linked to Wani - died. "The worrying part is that the trust deficit between the system and the public is huge," said a senior Indian military officer who estimates the number of militants active in the Kashmir Valley at about 200. "The only way they can express their grievances is by violence against the symbols of the state," said the officer, who sought anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Militancy has decreased in Kashmir, a senior aide to Modi told Reuters, but social volatility has increased as security forces systematically eliminate domestic rebels, who rely on the sympathy of many Kashmiris. "Before, the goal was to neutralize foreign infiltrators," the aide said, on condition of anonymity. "Now the domestic terrorists are being bumped off." Female student Shaista Hameed, 22, and a male youth died in stray fire in one such encounter, in the village of Lelhar in February, that killed a militant from the Pakistan-backed rebel group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Two rebels escaped, shielded by a stone-throwing crowd. "These militants are our brothers," said a local high school senior, who gave his name as Tariq. "They are fighting for us and demanding the right to freedom." Asked how he saw his future, he said, "If the atrocities continue, I will take up the gun." (Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) The Kellogg Company is being sued for its Whole Grain Cheez-It crackers, which not only contain more refined grains than whole grains, but essentially have the same nutritional value as original Cheez-Its. The complaint, filed last week in federal court by customers who purchased the product in New York and California, allege that the labeling of this product as Whole Grain is false and misleading, because the primary ingredient in Cheez-It Whole Grain crackers is enriched white flour, quotes Consumerist. Beyond Quinoa: 7 'New' Whole Grains to Try Slideshow Though the Whole Wheat product does contain whole wheat flour, enriched white flour is the first ingredient to be listed, indicating that there are more refined than whole grains in the product. In comparing the nutritional information for both products, the calories, fat, saturated fat, protein, and total carbohydrates are the same. The company is being accused of breaking laws against unjust enrichment, consumer protection, false advertising, and more. Consumers are seeking out whole grain foods, and expect that when they see the words whole grain on the package that whole grain is the main ingredient, said Maia Kats, litigation director with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Kelloggs Whole Grain Cheez-Its have more white flour than whole grain. Its effectively a junk food, and Kellogg is taking financial advantage of consumers who are trying to make better decisions for their health. Kris Charles, a Kellogg Company spokesperson, tells The Daily Meal, While we dont normally comment on pending litigation, this suit is completely without merit. Our Cheez-It Whole Grain labels are accurate and in full compliance with FDA regulations. We stand behind our foods and our labels. NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya expects tourist arrivals to jump by a third this year to 1.6 million as Western governments lift warnings against travel to the East African nation, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) said on Monday. "The issue we had last year was security ... we dont have that," Jacinta Mbithi, chief executive of KTB, told a news conference. "We have enjoyed that calmness and various countries lifted their advisories, others simply downgraded it." (Reporting by John Ndiso; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Catherine Evans) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan police used teargas and water cannon to disperse protesters on Monday after demonstrations against an electoral body the opposition wants scrapped resumed in the afternoon. Police fired teargas at a convoy of vehicles carrying opposition leaders and their supporters who accompanied it on foot. A water cannon truck later chased the cars in the convoy out of the main town centre, a Reuters witness said. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri and George Obulutsa; Editing by Catherine Evans) In an unusual yet inspirational move, Kerala-based designer Sharmila Nair launched a new collection of saris modeled by two transgenders. Sharmila told BBC that Gowri Savitri and Maya Menon had no prior experience in modelling and that she found them through an organization called Queerala that works with members of the LGBT community in Kerala. Image courtesy: BBC While contemplating a method to showcase her new collection of handloom saris, she came across a post on Facebook about the Kerala governments new policy to better the lives of transgenders. She too felt the need to help. She reportedly never uses professional models in her campaigns but here was an exceptional opportunity. When Sharmila first met Gowri and Maya, both were dressed in trousers and shirt. They are transgender men who wish to be women. When we dressed them up in our saris for the campaign, they were totally transformed. They looked so gorgeous, she told BBC. Image courtesy: Red Lotus Image courtesy: Red Lotus It is a fact that transgenders are a socially excluded community in India. With no concrete reforms to help them, they often dance at weddings or child births, beg and even indulge in prostitution to earn a living. Fully aware of the general prejudices that people hold against their community, Quartz reports that both Gowri and Maya had warned Sharmila about the repercussions of using transgender models and how it would negatively impact Red Lotus (her brand). But that wasnt the case. Reportedly, soon after the launch, the Kochi-based designer was flooded with orders from India and abroad. In the past two weeks, weve already sold more than 100 saris. Besides people in India, weve received lots of orders from Britain, Singapore, Australia and the US, Sharmila told BBC. Image courtesy: Red Lotus Image courtesy: Red Lotus Both Maya and Gowri are graduates but remain unemployed because of their background. If nothing else, Sharmila hopes that the campaign has brought them enough visibility to help them secure jobs in the future. Also read: Working towards acceptance for the transgender community Ukraine and the United States will sign a mutual assistance agreement between their customs authorities, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "Today I will have a meeting with Commissioner of U.S. Customs [and Border Protection Robert Gil Kerlikowske] and we will sign an agreement on interaction between the United States and Ukraine. Hopefully, we can conduct technical modernization of customs together we need a lot of new equipment to prevent contraband and violations, to upgrade our software and, eventually, to refresh our human resources potential," Groysman said in a video address posted on Facebook on Monday morning. He also said that the government would adopt normative acts "aimed at resolving customs problems; we will create a single window at customs." Washington (AFP) - The United States urged Russia on Monday to press Syria to stop bombing opposition forces and civilians in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs. The appeal came in a phone call from Secretary of State John Kerry to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. "Russia has a special responsibility in this regard to press the regime to end its offensive attacks and strikes that kill civilians, immediately allow relief supplies, as determined solely by the UN, to reach all in need, and to comply completely with the cessation of hostilities," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. The United States and Russia are co-partners in the so-called Vienna diplomatic process of the International Support Group for Syria, which met last week in the Austrian capital but made no notable progress. The 20 world and regional powers taking part in the process have so far failed to turn a fragile cessation of hostilities in Syria, in effect since February 27, into a durable truce between the government and opposition groups. Toner said the regime of President Bashar al-Assad was using air strikes and attacks on civilians to gain tactical advantage. He said the United States is looking to Russia to provide the pressure needed to get the regime "to reconsider the fact that if this keeps up, we may be looking at a complete breakdown of the cessation." He said a cessation of hostilities was needed to create an environment for negotiations to begin. Indirect negotiations between the government and the opposition have been held three times in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations, but have made no progress. No date has been set for their resumption. "Such a (diplomatic) solution will allow all parties to focus on the shared threat posed by Daesh and other terrorists," Toner said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, the anti-regime militant group that the United States is also fighting. London (AFP) - Britain stages a referendum in exactly a month's time on whether it should remain in the European Union, following an often troubled relationship over recent decades. Ahead of the June 23 vote, here are some key dates in Britain's relationship with the EU: - August 9, 1961: Britain makes its first formal application to join what was then the European Economic Community (EEC) under Conservative prime minister Harold Macmillan. - January 14, 1963: France's then-president Charles de Gaulle vetoes the application for the first time. He does the same thing for a second application on November 27, 1967. - January 1, 1973: Britain finally enters the EEC at the same time as Ireland and Denmark, after De Gaulle has left office. - June 5, 1975: In a referendum on membership of the EEC, Britain votes "Yes" by slightly above 67 percent. - November 30, 1979: Prime minister Margaret Thatcher demands a rebate on Britain's contribution to the European budget in a speech which became best known for a phrase attributed to her as: "I want my money back!" - September 20, 1988: Thatcher gives a landmark speech in the Belgian city of Bruges which has come to be seen as a rallying cry among eurosceptics for less European political integration. - November 22, 1990: Thatcher is forced to resign. Her growing euroscepticism was seen as a contributing factor as many felt it was lowering Britain's influence in Europe. - February 7, 1992: The Treaty of Maastricht, which underpinned the next stage of European integration, is signed. Britain secures an opt-out from joining the single European currency. - July 23, 1993: Prime minister John Major holds a confidence motion in his government over the Maastricht Treaty after serious infighting in his Conservative Party over Europe. He is caught on camera calling eurosceptic ministers plotting against him "bastards". - April 20, 2004: Labour prime minister Tony Blair, a europhile, announces his intention to hold a referendum on the European constitution. It is never held, after France and Denmark rejected it. Story continues - January 23, 2013: Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron promises a referendum on EU membership if his party wins the next general election. - May 22, 2014: The anti-EU UK Independence Party tops the polls in European Parliament elections with more than 26 percent of the vote, securing 24 seats. - May 7, 2015: Cameron's Conservatives win a surprise clear majority in the general election, clearing the way for a referendum to be held. - February 20, 2016: Cameron announces a date for the referendum after negotiating key reforms at a summit in Brussels. - April 15, 2016: Referendum campaign begins. hot chicken kfc Nashville hot chicken is one of the best things that has happened at KFC in decades and the chain's top chef agrees. KFC's head chef, Bob Das, told Business Insider that the spicy dish was his favorite new menu item in his 16 years working at the chain. The dish is based on the eponymous Nashville, Tennessee, specialty that much of the country didn't know existed until it debuted on KFC's menu in January. "The whole idea of Nashville hot was, unless you lived in Nashville and had an hour to wait in line, or had a bunch of money and lived in New York City or Los Angeles, you had no access to the Nashville hot," KFC CMO Kevin Hochman told Business Insider recently. KFC's new menu item was meant to change all that. At first, some Tennesseans were less than impressed with the efforts, protesting against a chain restaurant adapting the regional delicacy. KFC Hot Chicken KFC ultimately won over the locals, however, with Nashville becoming one of the top markets for the dish, according to KFC. The brand has called Nashville hot chicken one of the most successful menu-item launches in the chain's history. Das told Business Insider that the chain was entering a new era of innovation, kicked off, in part, by the success of Nashville hot chicken. The change comes at a time when KFC is seriously investing in the culinary side of its business. A year after launching a Colonel Sanders-centric marketing campaign, KFC is doubling down on telling what Hochman calls the brand's "food story." "I think we have a huge food story to tell, especially compared to our competitors," Hochman told Business Insider. "I think it's going to take time. You can't just pivot from Double Downs to 'We make fried chicken in the back of the house' overnight." The company is attempting to make Colonel Sanders the symbol of this quality. KFC launched a "Re-Colonelization" program in April, with a national employee retraining effort and a "Colonel Quality Guarantee" for customer satisfaction. New ads brag that KFC makes food "the hard way," and a recently launched blog called "Chicken Chattin'" is dedicated to addressing misconceptions about KFC's menu items. Story continues The efforts have been complicated by uneven execution at locations across the US, something Re-Colonelization and extensive remodeling efforts are trying to fix. KFC seems confident, however, that Nashville hot chicken, The Colonel's Original Recipe, and other dishes that haven't yet debuted will resonate with customers seeking genuine, authentic comfort food. "The new 'healthy' now for people is 'real' and we have real food," Hochman says. NOW WATCH: Heres how many calories are in 6 of the most popular fast-food kids meals More From Business Insider President Obama on Monday began his weeklong trip to Asia in Vietnams capital, Hanoi, where he will spend three days before visiting Japan, as he aims to cement a renewed cooperation with two of the U.S.s biggest former wartime adversaries and counteract Chinas growing assertiveness in the region. The visit, part of Obamas farewell tour as he prepares to leave office later this year, is his 10th trip to Asia during his eight-year term and a furtherance of his strategy to pivot U.S. foreign policy toward the continent. President Obama is looking towards the future and ensuring that his policy of rebalance to Asia leaves a positive legacy, Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales and author of Vietnam Since 1975, tells TIME via email. The President is set to meet with the Vietnamese government leadership, including the countrys de facto head, Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, as he pushes for greater economic and strategic ties between the two nations. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the G-7 industrial nations that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe currently chairs. Heres what you need to know: 1. Obama lifted a long-standing U.S. arms embargo on Vietnam. In a press conference Monday, the U.S. leader announced that his government was opting to end a ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam that had been in place for over four decades. Over time what weve seen is a progressive deepening and broadening of the [bilateral] relationship, Obama said. And what became apparent to me and my administration at this point was that it was appropriate for us not to have a blanket, across-the-board ban. Obama is the third U.S. President to visit the Southeast Asian nation since the end of the decade-long Vietnam War in 1975, with his predecessors Bill Clinton and George W. Bush doing so in 2000 and 2006 respectively. Although Clinton resumed diplomatic relations with the Vietnamese government in 1995, the U.S. embargo on the sale of weapons still persisted. Story continues Obama partially lifted the ban two years ago to allow Vietnam to purchase naval-defense equipment, but there had been increasing calls from both sides to do away with it entirely. The lifting of the arms embargo gives Vietnam some leverage in dealing with China, Thayer says. Vietnam will be drawn into a very special regional club that includes U.S. allies and strategic partners. 2. Concerns over Vietnams human-rights record remain. Some supporters of the arms embargo have cited Vietnams poor treatment of its citizens as one of the primary reasons not to lift the ban. The countrys communist government routinely jails dissenters, cracks down on the media and quashes protests. Obama addressed the issue of human rights Monday by calling it one of the areas where our two governments disagree. He added that the U.S. respects Vietnams sovereignty and will not try to impose a democratic system on the country. Read More: Obama Must Insist on Release of Vietnamese Political Prisoners At the same time, we will continue to speak out on behalf of human rights that we believe are universal, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly, and that includes the right of civil society to organize and help improve their communities in their country, he said. Hanoi appears to be making some effort to mitigate these concerns, having reportedly released a Catholic priest who was one of its most high-profile political prisoners two days before Obama landed. It has also expressed a commitment to the U.S. requirement of allowing independent labor unions as part of its signature of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the international trade alliance, in part, aimed at counterbalancing Chinas growing power. 3. China is not happy about the deepening U.S.-Vietnam relationship. The Chinese leadership has long resented the U.S. presence in the South China Sea a region it considers its sovereign territory despite claims by Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam and has accused the Obama Administration of militarizing the expansive water body and key international trade route. That line of thinking was reinforced last week ahead of Obamas visit, when Xu Bu, Chinas ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accused the U.S. of turning the South China Sea into a disturbing regional hot spot in an op-ed for Singapores Straits Times newspaper. Read More: Whats New on Chinas Artificial Islands in the South China Sea? Basketball Courts According to Xu, U.S. officials have repeatedly made irresponsible remarks about Chinas presence in the region and gone even further to drive wedges between China and Southeast Asian countries. Thayer says the U.S. and Vietnam have a growing convergence of strategic interests to challenge Chinas dominance. Vietnam does not want to ally with the United States against China, he says, but Vietnam would like to see the U.S. do the heavy lifting to counterbalance Chinas military power. Obama specifically referenced the region in his speech, saying the United States and Vietnam are united in our support for a regional order, including in the South China Sea, even as he denied the decision to lift the arms embargo was prompted by considerations of China. 4. Obama will visit Hiroshima, but wont apologize. The most anticipated event on the trip, however, is his stop in Hiroshima, where, in 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb, killing more than 100,000 people. Obama is the first U.S. President to visit the city, where the incident remains a point of resentment and contention among the Japanese people. Obama said he would not apologize for the U.S. actions seven decades ago, however, with Reuters quoting him as saying in an interview with Japanese state media that its important to recognize that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions. The primary goal of the visit, he said, is to reflect on the nature of war and the suffering it engenders. I think it is also a happy story about how former adversaries came together to become one of the closest partnerships and closest allies in the world. Two Burmese migrant workers sentenced to death for the murder of two British holidaymakers in Thailand were convicted on deeply flawed DNA evidence, lawyers for the two men allege in an appeal submitted Monday. A team from the Lawyers Council of Thailand is working pro bono for the mothers of alleged killers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo to appeal the Dec. 24 conviction, which came after a heavily criticized investigation by Thai authorities. Their defenders allege that, as members of a marginalized migrant community, the pair were a convenient scapegoat for Thai police scrambling to identify the perpetrators of the September 2014 rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and the murder of David Miller, 24, on the popular vacation island of Koh Tao. Read More: This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao A team of Thai, Burmese, British and Australian lawyers, translators and advisers has compiled a 198-page argument against the conviction and sentencing, which was submitted to an appeals court Monday morning. It alleges that the two Burmese men were not initially given access to lawyers or decent translators, and that they were tortured and coerced with threats into giving confessions, which they later retracted. The appeal focuses mainly on the DNA evidence relied upon for the conviction, some of which in court was only referred to in the form of verbal hearsay evidence. Strikingly, the lawyers say DNA taken from the murder weapon, a hoe, did not match DNA samples of the convicted men. The defense insists this evidence, including that allegedly taken from cigarette butts, sperm and saliva is wholly unreliable, inadmissible, the lawyers said in a press release, and should not have been considered by the Court in its ruling as it was not collected, tested, analyzed or reported in accordance with internationally accepted forensic standards. BISHKEK, May 23 (Reuters) - A court in Kyrgyzstan fined the country's biggest gold miner Kumtor, a unit of Canada's Centerra Gold, about $10,000 for environmental damage on Monday in a move following renewed tensions between the government and the firm. The Central Asian republic and Centerra have been locked in a bitter dispute over profit sharing and Bishkek said last year it was withdrawing from the negotiations. Kyrgyzstan's environmental and technical safety authority has filed several lawsuits against Kumtor for a total of about $103 million and Monday's ruling concerned the first of those. Kumtor's lawyers told reporters at the hearing that they would appeal the ruling. Kyrgyz prosecutors raided the company offices last month to collect documents related to a separate criminal case alleging financial violations by the firm. (Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov, editing by David Evans) Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton targeted her likely Republican rival at a Detroit event on Monday, calling him a "bully" and charging that he'd "bankrupt America." Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has been looking toward the general election and targeting Clinton recently as he has surged in national polls. Now, Clinton is returning fire by attacking Trump on his business record, immigration policies, economic policies, and supposed "bullying." NBC News called it "the best preview yet of her campaign's general election strategy." Here are some of the attacks Clinton mounted on Trump at the Service Employees International Union's annual convention: "He could bankrupt America like he's bankrupted his companies. Ask yourself: How could anybody lose money running a casino? Really." Clinton was apparently referring to Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. "We need a president who will use the bully pulpit to stand up for working families. But the last thing we need is a bully in the pulpit." "What kind of country would we be if we let Donald Trump rip our families apart? We have to reject this wrong vision for America with a strong, clear voice." "A lot of Republicans themselves say Donald Trump is a disaster waiting to happen to America." "What little we know of his economic policies would be running up our debt, starting trade wars, letting Wall Street run wild. All of that could cause another crash and devastate working families and our country." "Trump economics is a recipe for lower wages, fewer jobs, more debt." Trump has been relentless with his attacks on Clinton in recent weeks. On Monday, for instance, he posted a video on his Instagram account featuring interview clips of women who have accused former President Bill Clinton, Hillary's husband, of sexual misconduct. The clip asked whether Hillary Clinton was "really protecting women." Story continues At a National Rifle Association event on Friday, Trump attacked Clinton over her gun-control policies and claimed that she would "abolish the Second Amendment." Trump has also gone on several tweetstorms about Clinton, often referring to her by his preferred moniker: "Crooked Hillary." NOW WATCH: Hillary Clinton says shes open to the idea of having Mark Cuban as her running mate More From Business Insider Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with his Slovak counterpart Andrej Kiska on the sidelines of the UN World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, where the sides exchanged views important bilateral relations and international cooperation. "They also discussed issues related to the creation of an East European gas hub with the participation of other countries in the region," the Ukrainian presidential press service said on Monday. "The two leaders emphasized the two countries' algorithm of interaction in the direction of European integration in the context of Slovakia's EU presidency in the second half of 2016," it said. "The point at issue was, in particular, practical assistance by the Slovak side in reforming the Ukrainian economy, as well as Slovakia's support of decisions by the EU's governing agencies on visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine," it said. What is more, Poroshenko and Kiska considered ways to enhance trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. "In this regard, they noted the importance of this year's scheduled meeting of the intergovernmental Ukrainian-Slovak commission on economic, industrial, research and engineering cooperation," the press service said. The Ukrainian president also thanked the Slovak leader for backing Ukraine's position on inadmissibility of the North Stream 2 project. MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- The Latest on Manchester United (all times local): --- 9:20 p.m. Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has praised Louis Van Gaal for bringing academy graduates into the first team. Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have established themselves as regular squad members and potential stars of the future. It was only due to injuries that Van Gaal resorted to deploying the youngsters. But Woodward says Van Gaal ''leaves us with a legacy of having given several young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest stage. Everyone at the club wishes him all the best in the future.'' Woodward, the most senior executive below the owning Glazer family, praised Van Gaal for behaving with ''great professionalism and dignity throughout his time here.'' Woodward concluded Monday's statement announcing the 64-year-old Van Gaal's firing by saying ''everyone at the club wishes him all the best in the future.'' --- 9:00 p.m. Louis van Gaal is disappointed he has been fired by Manchester United and insists the ''foundations are firmly in place'' for a successful future at the club. The Dutchman was fired by United despite winning the FA Cup on Saturday, the club's first trophy since Alex Ferguson retired three years ago. United missed out on the Champions League by finishing fifth in the Premier League. Van Gaal said in a statement: ''I am very disappointed to be unable to complete our intended three-year plan. I believe that the foundations are firmly in place to enable the club to move forward and achieve even greater success.'' He added: ''I hope that winning the FA Cup will give the club a platform to build upon next season to restore the success that this passionate set of fans desire.'' Van Gaal said ''it has been particularly rewarding to see so many young players take their chance to break into the first team and excel. I look forward to watching the continued development of these young players next season.'' Story continues --- 8:40 p.m. Manchester United has fired manager Louis van Gaal after two turbulent years at the English Premier League club. In a widely expected announcement, the club confirmed that the 64-year-old Van Gaal was leaving ''with immediate effect.'' Van Gaal had already told reporters on Sunday ''it's over'' - without expanding. Although Van Gaal delivered United's first trophy since Alex Ferguson retired by winning the FA Cup on Saturday, a fifth-place Premier League finish meant the team missed out on Champions League qualification. Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is expected to replace Van By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of a hard-line Republican conservative faction in the U.S. Congress wants to impeach the nation's top tax officer and said lawmakers could do this without accusing him of any crime. Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen should be impeached within weeks, said Jim Jordan, chairman of the House of Representatives Freedom Caucus, in an interview. Jordan's demand comes amid numerous Republican attacks on the IRS in recent months. Bashing the tax-collecting agency is a perennial Capitol Hill practice, but Jordan and a handful of other conservatives have been pushing it further than usual. He said Jordan could be impeached simply because he had betrayed the trust put in him by the U.S. public to carry out his job correctly. "When someone violates the public trust in such a way as this individual has, and that agency has, then that's what warrants ... impeachment," Jordan said. Impeachment is a formal charge of wrongdoing for a trial that would occur in the Senate, where a two-thirds vote is necessary for removal from office. Republicans control only 54 of the 100 Senate seats, making such a vote unlikely. Asked when the House should act, the Ohio Republican replied: "I hope before we leave for the summer break." The IRS said in a statement that Koskinen has provided Congress with full cooperation and truthful testimony and remains focused on serving U.S. taxpayers. On Tuesday, Republicans will detail their complaints about Koskinen at a House Judiciary Committee hearing. Never popular with lawmakers, the IRS angered Republicans in 2013-2014 in a controversy over its handling of applications from conservative political groups for tax-exempt status. The episode caused a shake-up of top IRS personnel. Koskinen was brought in by the Obama administration in late 2013 to restore order. But the House has since approved several bills attacking the IRS and its budget has been sharply cut. Jordan said a second hearing in June would be about determining the standard for impeachment. The grounds for impeachment listed in the Constitution are "treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Koskinen has declined an invitation to testify on Tuesday. He is accused of failing to comply with a congressional subpoena and misleading investigators. Republicans have said his inaction resulted in the destruction of thousands of key emails. Up to now, impeachment has been used against two presidents, a cabinet secretary, a senator and 15 federal judges, according to the Congressional Research Service. (Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Andrew Hay) Seventeen girls died after a fire swept through the dormitory of a school for children of hill tribes in northern Thailand, officials said Monday, with a survivor describing fleeing as flames engulfed the building. The fire started late Sunday night, meaning many of the children at the school run by a Christian charity were asleep as flames spread through the two-storey wooden building. "The fire broke out at 11 pm on Sunday (1600 GMT). Seventeen girls were killed, with five injured," Colonel Prayad Singsin of the police in the town of Chiang Rai told AFP. Two of the injured are in a serious condition, he said, but initial fears that two more girls were missing had been discounted after rescuers picked through the charred debris. The school in Wiang Pa Pao disttrict is home to girls aged between six and 13. Those in the dormitory on Sunday night were drawn mainly from the deprived local hill tribes, who live too far away to travel to school every day. Television interviewed one girl aged around 10 who escaped with several friends. "I woke up and saw a lot of smoke. It was dark. The fire had broken out downstairs so I called to my friends" she said, describing her flight. But those who did not wake up in time died. "There were 38 students inside the dormitory when the fire broke out. Some were not yet asleep so they escaped," deputy provincial governor Arkom Sukapan told AFP, confirming the death toll. "But others were asleep and could not escape, resulting in the large number of casualties." Photographs on the school's Facebook page showed firefighters struggling to douse the flames as they tore through the building. Thai media showed a fire truck spraying water onto the blaze as the upper storey was consumed by the fire. Thailand is home to a patchwork of hill tribes who mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar. Many are descendants of refugees from Myanmar or China and exist within subsistence farming communities with their own distinctive dialects and rituals. Story continues They mostly live beyond the reach of state resources, meaning hill tribe children suffer at school as well as in their health and development. Poverty means adults are easy prey for drug gangs who pay them to smuggle narcotics -- including heroin and amphetamines -- across the zone, known as the "Golden Triangle". Thai security forces frequently engage in deadly gunbattles with hill tribe drug mules in the region. That link engenders prejudice among many Thais and hill tribes are often portrayed negatively in the media. Chiang Rai town and the surrounding hills are popular with foreign tourists for hiking and adventure sports. Visitors can go on tours to see the isolated tribes, although the practice of taking posed photographs at villages has come in for criticism. Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the kingdom. From Esquire Here at the shebeen, we long ago determined that we were going to keep an eye on Senator Tom Cotton, the bobble-necked loon from Arkansas and semi-official pen-pal of the mullahs in Iran. I believe that he believes that, if He, Trump craters the Republican brand in November, the party will turn its lonely eyes toward him as the True Conservative who can lead it away from the smoking pile of rubble in the desert. Previously, Cotton largely has appeared on our radar as having gone Full Wolfowitz on foreign policy. He really is the Great Neocon Hope. On Thursday, though, as The Hill informs us, he began to unfold his domestic priorities-namely, keeping America's prisons full to bursting. Take a look at the facts. First, the claim that too many criminals are being jailed, that there is over-incarceration, ignores an unfortunate fact: For the vast majority of crimes, a perpetrator is never identified or arrested, let alone prosecuted, convicted and jailed. Law enforcement is able to arrest or identify a likely perpetrator for only 19 percent of property crimes and 47 percent of violent crimes. If anything, we have an under-incarceration problem." This seems to me to be something of a law enforcement problem; it doesn't seem to have anything to do with how many people already are in jail. The problem with our overcrowded-and dangerous-prison systems is that they aren't crowded enough. Cotton has been bughouse on this issue for a while now; in January, as Tiger Beat On The Potomac told us at the time, Cotton worked hard to torpedo that rarest of all birds-an actual bipartisan effort to solve an actual problem. This drew the ire and astonishment of noted civil libertarian John Cornyn of Texas. Backers of the bill say their changes to sentencing laws merely allow qualifying inmates to have their cases revisited by the same judge and prosecutor who landed them in prison. The judge would then have the discretion to hand down a reduced sentence. "It's not true," said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) of opponents' insistence that violent criminals could be freed under the sentencing reforms. "I'd say, please read the bill and listen to people like [former Attorney General] Michael Mukasey, who makes the point, which is a critical point, that there's no get-out-of-jail-free card." Story continues Doesn't matter to Cotton that the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, or that underpaid public employees have to manage things in overcrowded prisons. The only thing that matters is that he was in Baghdad, and you weren't, and he's thus qualified to speak on criminal justice reform in the United States because Support The Troops, or something. "I saw this in Baghdad. We've seen it again in Afghanistan," recalled Cotton, who served in the Army during both wars. "Security has to come first, whether you're in a war zone or whether you're in the United States of America." Yeah, you start turning loose all those people convicted of weed-related offenses and the next thing you know, they're planting IED's all over Colorado. By 2020, I figure he'll be running around Iowa in body armor and flexing in every cornfield to the mystification of the populace. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. Earl Gibson III/Getty ImagesCeeLo Green will launch his summer tour in conjunction with the start of the first Circle Live Summer Concert Series in New York City. The three-time Grammy Award winner will perform on June 7 outdoors by the Hudson River in midtown Manhattan. Ticket holders will also enjoy a one hour cruise prior to his concert. Green is kicking off his 13-city The Love Train Tour PT 2 promoting his latest album, Heart Blanche. His stops will include Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, before wrapping up the tour June 26 in Tucson, Arizona. Greens latest single, Working Class Heroes, is featured on the Barbershop 3 soundtrack. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Ukraine and the United States on Monday signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual assistance between the two countries' customs authorities. Head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Roman Nasirov signed the document on behalf of Ukraine, while incumbent U.S. Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Richard Gil Kerlikowske represented the United States. The agreement was signed in the presence of Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, who announced after the official signing ceremony that "Ukraine's customs system requires structural change." "We hope very much for your support and assistance. I'm sure that the customs reform will be our next success after the reform of the national police," Groysman told Kerlikowske. The U.S. Commissioner said in turn that signing the agreement "will let us continue building our cooperation in that sector." In his words, the agreement creates the necessary legal basis for the exchange of information and helps our countries implement laws concerning customs rights. "This agreement enables us to share experience and further improve our relations," Kerlikowske added. Hes a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot. He doesnt represent my party. He doesnt represent the values that the men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for. Id rather lose without Donald Trump than try to win with with him. I wish he would leave the party. I dont care if he runs as an independent. If we lose the 2016 election, so be it. You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell. That was Lindsey Graham back in December. At the time, Trump was also firing off scathing attacks against Graham, then one of his rivals in the race for the GOP nomination. But it appears the South Carolina senator is suddenly softening his tone on the presumptive Republican nominee. On Friday, Graham told CNN he spoke with Trump and they had a good conversation. I must say he reached out, number one, Graham said. And I was glad to talk to him. And Saturday, Graham reportedly urged donors at a private GOP fundraiser in Florida to unite behind the real estate mogul and former Celebrity Apprentice star to keep the Republican Party intact and Hillary Clinton away from the White House. He did say that we need to get behind him, Teresa Dailey, who attended the event, told CNN on Sunday. According to Dailey, Graham told attendees that he has no plans to formally endorse Trump. So what made him change his tone? Graham, a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN on Friday that Trump asked really good questions during their conversation. I think hes reconsidering a little bit about what to do in Syria, he said. I dont know if Hillary Clinton what will Hillary Clinton do different than President Obama? President Obama has no strategy to destroy ISIL. Saturdays fundraiser was hosted by former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman, a former Republican National Committee finance chairman who also co-chaired Sen. John McCains 2008 presidential bid. And McCain, who endorsed Grahams unsuccessful 2016 campaign, said this month that he would support Trump as the Republican nominee. Story continues Ive said all along that I would support the nominee of the party, McCain told CNN. I believe that a Hillary Clinton presidency will cause the economy to continue to stumble along and put us in the economic malaise that weve had for eight years. The Arizona senator further warned his congressional colleagues to fall in line. You have to draw the conclusion that there is some distance, if not a disconnect, between party leaders and members of Congress and the many voters who have selected Donald Trump to be the nominee of the party, McCain said. You have to listen to people that have chosen he nominee of our Republican party. I think it would be foolish to ignore them. But speaking to reporters at the Capitol Monday night, Graham denied telling donors to back Trump. I never told anybody to give money to Donald J. Trump, Graham said. Ive told people if I had money to give, Id give it to the House and Senate candidates. It is important to unite our party, our House and our Senate candidates. If you want to help Mr. Trump, God bless you. Dailey walked back her comments, too. I just want to be clear, Dailey said in a follow-up interview with CNN on Monday. [Graham] never said, get behind Donald Trump, exactly. What he said was, we have to get behind the party and support the party and do what we need to do to raise the funds necessary to make sure that Donald J. Trump is elected the next president of the United States. By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - The U.S. aviation lawyer who won compensation for victims of the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing and is now seeking $330 million from Russia for the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 in 2014, says Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held responsible. Jerry Skinner, who is leading Australian law firm LHD's compensation claim against Russia and Putin in the European Court of Human Rights, says he is confident of success but admits the case, like that of Lockerbie, may take years. The Malaysian Airlines' Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 28 Australians. The aircraft, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, the Dutch Safety Board concluded in its final report. Skinner said he had no personal issue with Putin, but that the Russian president had opened himself to liability through his extensive control over the Russian state. "Nothing happens in Russia that he doesn't approve of, therefore vicariously he's responsible," Skinner told Reuters in an interview on Monday in Sydney. Skinner said evidence from witnesses, videos, photographs, radar, air traffic control tapes supported his compensation case. "All of that stuff is available and even without the Russian's contribution I am confident in saying that it was the Russians who caused this event to occur," he said. The LHD lawsuit is on behalf of 16 victims from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, and 33 next of kin. Each claimant is seeking $10 million in damages. Skinner won similar compensation for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 which was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people. Skinner said international political pressure was needed to uncover the truth behind the downing of MH17. "I'm hopeful that the Australian government gets involved. We need the leverage of one of the governments whose hands are clean," he said. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Monday echoed the sentiment for an independent investigation. "However painful and however difficult and traumatic it is for them to deal with the loss of their loved ones aboard MH17...we will work very hard to ensure that a system is set up, a mechanism is set up, to hold those responsible for this atrocity to account," she said. (Editing by Michael Perry) Miami (AFP) - About one in five men over age 80 lose the Y chromosome from their blood cells, and this condition has now been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, researchers said. The condition known a loss of Y, or LOY, is the most common genetic mutation acquired during a man's lifetime. Previous research has shown LOY can raise the likelihood of cancer and is more frequently found in smokers. Now, researchers say the condition may serve as a predictive biomarker for a wider range of health problems. For the study in the American Journal of Human Genetics -- led by Lars Forsberg and Jan Dumanski of Uppsala University in Sweden, along with colleagues Britain, France, the United States and Canada -- researchers examined cases of LOY in more than 3,200 men with an average age of 73. Around 17 percent showed LOY in blood cells. Those who had been already diagnosed with Alzheimer's had a higher degree of LOY, they found. Also, those who had not yet been diagnosed with dementia but had LOY were more likely to develop Alzheimer's in subsequent years. "Having loss of Y is not 100 percent predictive that you will have either cancer or Alzheimer's," cautioned Forsberg. Some men with LOY in the study lived with no symptoms well into their 90s. "But in the future, loss of Y in blood cells can become a new biomarker for disease risk and perhaps evaluation can make a difference in detecting and treating problems early." According to Chris Lau, professor in the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, the study sheds little light on why Alzheimer's risk may be elevated in these men. "Although informative, the study is preliminary in nature and only highlights the fact that the Y chromosome could serve important functions beyond male sex determination and sperm production," said Lau, who was not involved in the study. "What exactly on the Y chromosome that increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease is the key issue." Since the Y chromosome contains many genes -- some unique to men and others shared with women, who do not have a Y chromosome -- more research is needed. "It depends on what is lost to determine what is important for Alzheimer's disease. Without such information, the loss of Y is just an observation," Lau said. LONDON (AP) -- Louis van Gaal's time as Manchester United manager came to an end on Monday after two seasons at the club. The decision will likely be welcomed by United supporters, with a growing number becoming disenchanted with his low risk, defensive-orientated style of play. Van Gaal spent almost $375 million in transfers at Old Trafford and won one trophy - the FA Cup in what proved to be his last match in charge. Here are some of the highs and lows of his tenure at United. --- HIGHS: 1. WINNING THE FA CUP: ''Now I have won the cup in four countries,'' a grinning Van Gaal said after the 2-1 extra-time win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. ''Not many managers can say that'' It didn't count for much in the end - within an hour of the final whistle, it was being widely reported that Van Gaal would soon be out of a job - but the victory at Wembley Stadium at least gave him something tangible to take from his reign, and is his undoubted high point. It got United back among the trophies after a three-year gap and gave the club a record-equaling 12th FA Cup title. 1. TOP OF THE LEAGUE It seems a while ago now, but United was top of the league this season. A commanding 3-0 win against Sunderland last September saw United climb the summit for the first time in two years. ''It is a very nice feeling, being top,'' Van Gaal said. ''It is not so easy to keep that.'' And that was as good as it got for United in the Premier League under the Dutchman. 1. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RETURN A fourth-place finish in the 2014-15 season saw United return to the Champions League after a one-year absence. United was back where it belongs - among Europe's elite. And everything pointed to a successful season in 2015-16 when United surged to an easy two-legged win over Club Bruges in the Champions League playoff in August, with new signing Memphis Depay demonstrating his full range of skills and Wayne Rooney scoring a hat trick in the second leg to end a goal drought of more than nine games. Story continues He appeared ready to embark on a relentless scoring run but instead, he managed only four more goals until January. His barren run coincided with a gradual but continual slide in United's form. 1. BEATING LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER CITY If one match under Van Gaal cements itself fondly in the memories of United supporters, it is the 2-1 victory against fierce rival Liverpool at Anfield in March 2015. It strengthened United's grip on fourth and derailed Liverpool's efforts to replace United in the Champions League qualifying places. To make it sweeter for United, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was sent off in his last appearance against United before joining the Los Angeles Galaxy. A 4-2 comeback victory against crosstown rival Manchester City the following month saw a rare attacking demonstration from the Van Gaal's side and the Dutchman leaves having lost just one of four Manchester derbies. He also won all four league matches against Liverpool. --- LOWS: 1. MISSING OUT ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE A failure to guide United into next season's Champions League badly damaged Van Gaal's stock. A finish in the top four, coupled with winning the FA Cup, and Van Gaal might have limped on. As it was, a second season in three years away from the European elite, missing out on the prestige and vast riches, and playing on Thursday nights in the Europa League just wasn't good enough for the Old Trafford hierarchy. Playing in the Champions League is the minimum requirement at United and Van Gaal couldn't deliver it. 2. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT Van Gaal had earlier disappointment with the Champions League this season. United was eliminated at the group stage after losing 3-2 to Wolfsburg on Dec. 8 in a match United headed into knowing victory was essential. When United was pitted in a group with PSV Eindhoven, Wolfsburg and CSKA Moscow, the draw was viewed as favorable for Van Gaal. But the doomed European campaign was symptomatic of United under his guidance - the team appeared focused on defensive organization and lacked the attacking flair and creativity to break down stubborn opponents. 1. VAN GAAL CONTEMPLATES QUITTING A loss to Stoke on Dec. 26 was United's fourth straight defeat and left Van Gaal looking bewildered and pondering his future when he faced the media after the match. ''It is not always the club that has to fire (me),'' Van Gaal said. ''Sometimes I do that by myself.'' He had walked out of a news conference after four minutes, 58 seconds in the build-up to the Stoke match, after speaking of his frustration at Jose Mourinho being linked with his job. But another stagnant display at Britannia Stadium left the Dutchman appearing to be headed for the exit. 1. HUMBLED BY MK DONS Failure to reach the Champions League under David Moyes, Van Gaal's predecessor, meant United entered the League Cup in the second round for the first time in 19 years. United was drawn to play third-tier MK Dons on the back of encouraging news, having confirmed the signing of playmaker Angel di Maria from Real Madrid in a 59.7 million pound ($84 million) deal - a British transfer record. But MK Dons doused any excitement around the club by recording an emphatic 4-0 victory. While Van Gaal handed starts to a number of youth players, first-team players such as David de Gea, Danny Welbeck and Adnan Januzaj all featured and United was embarrassed. preacher-cruise Getty Image / AMC Few people could make blowing someone up from the inside out a compliment, and Seth Rogen is one of those people. The most buzzed-about joke since Preachers premiere at SXSW has been around the fact that in the shows universe, Tom Cruise is dead. The entity that eventually settles on the titular hero jumps from religious figure to religious figure, until it lands in Scientologist Tom Cruise, exploding him like the rest of the rejects. Cruises people reportedly reached out to the crew of Preacher, but nothing much came of their inquiry. Now, showrunner Sam Catlin and executive producers Seth Rogen and Adam Goldberg are explaining the gory details behind Cruises death. We wanted to have this entity try out a lot of different hosts, Catlin told The Hollywood Reporter. We went with a devout preacher in Africa, then we went to a Satanist and then we were like well, what else do we do? We kept waiting for someone to tell us we cant do that, he said. I think they were getting ready to, but once they realized how funny it was, I think they started to wait for somebody else to tell us no, and by then, it was too late. Evan Goldberg is trying to make it absolutely clear that theres nothing behind Cruise being blown up, telling The Hollywood Reporter, Theres no negative connotation to it. Were not making a statement. In fact, Seth Rogen loves Tom Cruise. I watch every movie of his that comes out. Edge of Tomorrow is one of the best fing movies ever. We only make fun of people we are big fans of. It would actually just feel too mean to make fun of people we dont like. I need to be able to go up to them and say, Its because I like you! Im the biggest Kanye West fan on the planet and Ive probably made fun of him more than anybody on a very large scale, and he gets it and thinks its funny. Before fans of the comics get up in arms about the changes already coming to their beloved series, it should be known that creator Garth Ennis loves the Cruise joke, which wasnt in the books. Story continues I thought it was smart. Its the third of three attempts by the entity to find a home. The African preacher, the Russian magister Tom Cruise. Look, if the Cruiser cant handle it, its going to need something special. And Jesse Custer is special indeed. (Via The Hollywood Reporter) London (AFP) - Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed said he has been granted refugee status in Britain, after being toppled from power and jailed in a "slide towards authoritarianism" that has forced him into exile. Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on controversial terrorism charges last year, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for spinal cord surgery after he fell ill. The island nation has been rocked by political turmoil in recent years, seriously denting its reputation as an upmarket tourist destination as current leader Abdulla Yameen enforces emergency rule. "President Yameen has jailed every opposition leader and cracked down on anyone who dares to oppose or criticise him," Nasheed, 49, said in a statement proclaiming his refugee status. "In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. "Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives, myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile -- for now." The Maldives government reacted swiftly, accusing Nasheed -- whose legal team includes the high-profile human rights lawyer Amal Clooney -- of trying to avoid serving his prison sentence. "The government of the Maldives is disappointed, if confirmed, that the UK government is allowing itself to be part of this charade, and further, is enabling an individual to circumvent his obligations under the law," it said in a statement. Britain's Home Office interior ministry declined to confirm the former president's status when contacted by AFP, saying it did not comment on individual cases. - Red carpet - Nasheed was accorded a red carpet welcome and received by Prime Minister David Cameron after arriving in Britain for medical treatment in a deal brokered by the former colonial power along with Sri Lanka and India. The United Nations has led international criticism of the treatment of Nasheed, who was elected in 2008 and served for four years before he was ousted in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. Story continues In 2015 he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on terrorism charges relating to the arrest of an allegedly corrupt judge in 2012, when he was still in power. The Maldives, best known as an idyllic destination for honeymooners, has instead been in the headlines with a succession of political dramas. Yameen is a half-brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for 30 years until his defeat by Nasheed in the country's first multi-party elections eight years ago. In November, the Maldives parliament approved a state of emergency and sacked Yameen's estranged deputy who was arrested in connection with a blast aboard the presidential speedboat that the government says was an assassination attempt. The impeachment was the second in just under four months -- Yameen sacked former vice president Mohamed Jameel after he accused him of trying to topple the government. And in April Maldives police briefly arrested 16 independent journalists while breaking up a demonstration against an alleged crackdown on freedom of speech. The Maldives last month stripped Nasheed of his pension entitlements and health insurance, after demanding he return from medical leave in Britain. Ukraine has no plans to buy coal in South Africa in 2016 minister Ukraine would not buy coal from South Africa in 2016, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk has said. "This year we would not buy [coal]. Today we can afford not to buy 'unclear' coal from South Africa, considering the current conditions and our opportunities," he said on 112 television channel. The minister did not specify the volume of coal bought in 2015 from the territories in Donbas that are not under control of the Ukrainian government. "Now we have created a technological scheme where we can save anthracite coal at generating facilities we have and coal stocks today would be enough to pass winter," he added. A man was held without bail Sunday after he was allegedly seen wheeling the body of his dead wife down a Staten Island road in broad daylight, officials said. A neighbor called an acquaintance who is an NYPD detective when he spotted Anthony Lopez, 31, pushing the womans body on a dolly on Post Lane near Riverview Terrace in Mariners Harbor at 7:10 a.m. Friday, police said. The detective, who called for backup, recognized Lopez because he had arrested him in the past, The New York Daily News reported. Cops said they discovered Lopezs 26-year-old wifes badly beaten corpse wrapped in blankets on the rusty metal cart that he allegedly dumped on a neighbors lawn, according to CBS. Read: 18 Girls Killed, Some As Young As 5 Years Old, After Blaze Tears Through School Dorm Authorities later identified her as Obiamaka Aduba. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. Obiamaka Aduba (Facebook) Lopez was found Saturday after police said they received a tip that he was in East Harlem. He had reportedly shaved his head and tried to flee, but was apprehended after a brief foot chase on 113th Street and First Avenue. He was charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse, cops said. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Sunday before Staten Island Supreme Court Judge William Garnett, who ordered Lopez held without bail on the murder charge. Garnett set a separate $1,000 bail on an open misdemeanor compliant of criminal mischief, the Staten Island District Attorneys office said. Read: Man Posing as Doctor Charged in Bogus Butt Injection Death of Mom: Cops Lopez had been arrested 52 previous times, according to reports. He was most recently arrested on April 30 for fare evasion in Brooklyn, cops said. He was described by neighbors as a known drug user with a temper who on many occasions was allegedly violent with his wife. Sources told the News that he beat her badly enough in the past to break bones and had her work as a prostitute. Her mom had tried to help her, but "every time her mother would buy her a new phone, he would take it and sell it," a police source told The News. Story continues "She deserved so much more than what her life turned out to be likeits sad that this is how her life ended," a friend identified only as Tiffany R. told SILive.com. (Lopez) has done enough harm in the past and he needs to be put away. He should get what he deserves." Watch: Man Tries Selling Weed on Craigslist With Photo and Phone Number, Cops Say Related Articles: The global humanitarian system is cracking under the weight of perpetual crisis. There are some 125 million people in need of humanitarian aid this year, a staggering scale of misery on the edge of survivability. Of those in need, 60 million have been displaced by conflict and oppression. And the average length of displacement for a refugee is now 17 years. Its a multi-generational catastrophe. There are currently more Level 3 humanitarian emergencies the U.N.s most severe designation than at any one time ever before. But those headline-grabbers (Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) account for just a fraction of those in need. There are hundreds of thousands of people displaced by conflict in Ukraine, Central African Republic, and Somalia and Ethiopia is facing its worst drought in 50 years due to El Nino, putting nearly 20 million people in need of food and other aid. The costs of crisis are, needless to say, escalating rapidly as well. The international donor community is spending 12 times on humanitarian assistance today than it did in 2000, but overall foreign aid has not even doubled in the last 15 years. No wonder the U.N. says there was a $15 billion funding shortfall to cover current humanitarian need across the globe last year. There has long been an admirable consensus among public and private donors that humanitarian crises require robust responses wherever they occur. Typhoon in pre-transition Myanmar? Send in rescue boats. Earthquake in Iran? George W. Bush sent Air Force cargo planes to deliver hundreds of thousands of pounds of relief supplies into the so-called axis of evil. But 80 percent of the humanitarian need is for man-made crises, not natural disasters, and thats where things get tricky. Violent conflicts with millions of civilians caught in the crossfire are a little more complicated than feel-good logistics operations after a flood. So with more people and more calamities costing more money whats the U.N. to do? Well, call a conference, of course. This week, the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit takes place in Istanbul, close to the action. Turkey is currently hosting more than 3 million refugees and asylum-seekers from Syria and Iraq, the most of any country in the world, according to the U.N. refugee agency. And that number is likely to rise following a deal with the European Union to stop further out-migration through Turkey. Story continues The summit has big ambitions: a global recommitment of basic humanitarian principles (i.e., dont bomb hospitals); more predictable funding goals to respond to crises; and more investment in early warning and risk analysis. And those are the easy ones. These are noble goals. But as it stands, the summit is more confab than treaty convention, likely resulting in some great voluntary commitments but no real binding agenda for change. And thats causing some frustration. Doctors Without Borders a leading medical emergency organization pulled out in advance because the conference didnt have enough real member-state commitments. In a statement noting that 75 of its medical facilities were bombed last year a gross violation of international humanitarian law it called the summit a fig-leaf of good intentions. And on the other side of the spectrum, Russias Vladimir Putin isnt going because he argues those pesky NGOs have too much say and therefore might prevent U.N. member states from watering down the outcome. So is there anything real to be achieved in Istanbul? The biggest difference anyone could make in the lives of the millions of people forced from their homes by savagery is to stop intentionally bombing and starving civilians and let them return and rebuild. But that wont come out of a voluntary summit. The humanitarian expense of keeping refugee and internally displaced people camps on life support not only diverts resource spending from long-term development, but also drives the costs of lost infrastructure and economic growth into the trillions of dollars. While the summit will raise these issues, it is unlikely to make any progress in resolving them. As David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee and a former British foreign minister, said recently, There is never a bureaucratic answer to a political problem. The next most important thing is the reform of the international humanitarian system itself. The collection of U.N. agencies and NGOs that sprung up over the last half-century was largely created to provide short-term emergency assistance, usually after a natural disaster, to keep people alive until they could get back home and rebuild. And this line of business has been largely successful. Investment in logistics, coordination, rapid deployment, and fundraising has made for very effective responses. Even more importantly, huge advances in reducing the risk of disaster in developing countries have been transformational in some places. In Bangladesh, in 1970, an average of 35,000 people died every year from storms and floods. Today, that number is approaching zero. A consistent, long-term investment in risk reduction by the United States and the U.N., combined with the political will and commitment to reform by the Bangladeshi government, has shown what is possible over time. But the international humanitarian system is not really built for what it is mostly called on to do today address long, slow, man-made crises. Can we really continue to think of Afghan or Somali refugees sitting in dusty border camps in Pakistan, Iran, and Kenya for several decades as a primarily humanitarian problem? We need to think about these populations as a longer-term development challenge. For hundreds of thousands of children who want an education, a job, or any semblance of a life with dignity these camps are the only life theyve ever known. For every Syrian refugee who has made the perilous journey to Europe, there are another nine who are refugees in poorer neighboring countries and millions more inside Syria who will have a rough road to recovery if the war ever ends. There are two big changes being discussed in Istanbul that could really make a difference and that the assembled NGOs, donors, and states could actually do something about. The first is to increase resources while shifting more of the spending toward helping people help themselves. There remains a vast need for rapid, life-sustaining action but once people are out of immediate harms way, they need to get on with life. That means ensuring quality education and health care, access to training and work, and decent housing. This is particularly a political challenge for the countries hosting refugees, as they are almost always reluctant to see these populations putting down roots. Ironically, there is evidence that putting refugees to work increases economic growth and decreases criminality and other problems that arise from forced idleness and an identity in limbo. One of the best ways to do this is to take some of the lessons from the big development changes of the last few decades like using public funds to attract private investment and apply them in humanitarian contexts. For example, the World Bank recently announced a $100 million investment to create 100,000 jobs in Jordan, split between Jordanian job-seekers and Syrian refugees. Or take Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of yogurt giant Chobani and an outspoken humanitarian activist, who has advocated for a jobs-focused agenda to address the displacement crisis. He also hires refugees to work in his own factories. The second is to make the humanitarian community itself more effective, more subject to transparency, and better coordinated. There have long been concerns about competition among the U.N. agencies and NGOs in emergency settings: that needs assessments and costs of delivering aid vary enormously, sowing distrust and confusion. In exchange for these improvements, the donor community may be more inclined to allow for longer-term planning and staffing of complex operations, rather than dribbling out funding commitments for only urgent necessities. This so-called grand bargain proposed by the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing would bring the rigor of evidence-based decision-making and evaluation that has transformed the traditional development sector in recent years. Given that most of the money comes from a few donors, and most of the implementation is done by a few large organizations, an agreement among key actors could go a long way. But lets be real. There will be no peace agreements signed in Istanbul this week. The countries intentionally bombing civilians arent showing up to announce they will stop. In the months to come, the number of displaced people worldwide is likely to go up, not down. And the root causes of these global catastrophes will not be pruned at the summit. But there is more money going from more organizations to more people in need than ever before in history, and preparation for the World Humanitarian Summit has forged a consensus that the international community can, and must, do better. Its not a cure-all, but an important first step. Photo credit: IBRAHIM CHALHOUB/AFP/Getty Images The BBC Show Top Gear is taking Matt Leblanc far from the New York City block of Friends the new host of the ultimate car program has already been to Morocco, France, South Africa, Cuba, Italy and Kazakhstan for the show. I would watch the show before and say, That looks so fun and Id love to be a part of that, and here I am now, LeBlanc told ABC News. Its a car show for petrol heads, obviously, but its also got a bit of travel in it. Youve got a bit of culture in it. Its got a bit of comedy in it. BBC announced LeBlanc as a co-host in February, along with British star Chris Evans. Since then, hes filmed in England (where he hasnt gone unnoticed) and across the world as the first American with the gig. LeBlanc and Evans replace Jeremy Clarkson, who was removed from the show after attacking one its producers. The new season of the show premieres on BBC America on May 30. [ABC News] Earlier this month, the world was reminded that it is still A-OK for workplaces to mandate gendered dress codes after a London receptionist at finance firm PricewaterhouseCoopers was sent home for not wearing high heels. In response, U.K. fashion magazine Stylist asked its male employees to teeter around in some pumps for the day. And the resulting video earned every one of those 13 million views. The verdict is simple: Heels suck. Here's what it's like to walk down stairs in heels: Source: Facebook Source: Facebook And here's what it's like to run: Source: Facebook Source: Facebook And don't get us started on what happens when heels meet : Source: Facebook Or grass: Source: Facebook The video does more than just provide a laugh at the expense of these hapless guys: It addresses a sexist double standard that plagues working women like Nicola Thorp, the PwC receptionist, and another who was forced to wear heels for her waitressing shift a woman whose went viral on Facebook. Read more: This Woman Was Sent Home From Work for Not Wearing High Heels at the Office One of the men in the video perfectly summarizes the double standard saying, "I genuinely feel sorry for women who are forced to do this." Watch the full video below: ISTANBUL (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she had told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan that his country needed a strong parliament and voiced concern over the Turkish parliament's decision to strip lawmakers of immunity. The move by the parliament, in a final vote last Friday, is likely to sideline the pro-Kurdish opposition and ease Erdogan's path to stronger powers. Speaking after talks with the Turkish leader in Istanbul, Merkel said: "I've made this clear in the conversation today that I also think we need an independent judicial system. We need independent media and we need a strong parliament." Saying the decision to withdraw the immunity of lawmakers caused deep concern, Merkel said: "I've made this clear to the Turkish president. She said she and Erdogan had talked about this openly but she still had some unanswered questions and she would follow developments in Turkey closely. Erdogan's opponents say the move to lift parliamentarians' immunity is aimed at pushing the pro-Kurdish HDP, parliament's third-biggest party, out of the assembly. Erdogan has accused the HDP of being the political wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a three-decade insurgency in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast and said he wants to see them prosecuted. The HDP denies such links. The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Merkel said she and Erdogan had discussed Turkey's campaign against the PKK and the rights of minorities. "I've made clear that the fight against PKK is right and necessary, but on the other hand everything must be done so that people of Kurdish origin get a fair chance in Turkey, that they can participate when it comes to wealth and development of the country," she said. Merkel also said that Turkey needed to fulfill all of the conditions set by Brussels before its citizens can get visa freedom in the European Union. Turks were due to get visa-free travel in the EU in return for stopping the flow of illegal migrants to Europe as part of a deal between the EU and Turkey. She said it did not look like all of the conditions for visa freedom would be met in the coming weeks. "It's foreseeable that some things won't be able to be implemented by July 1, namely visa freedom because the conditions are not yet fulfilled," she said. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Michael Nienaber and Michelle Martin in Berlin; Editing by Richard Balmforth) It's such a tradition in Hollywood that it borders on cliche: A top executive comes to the end of his or her run and, in exchange for stepping down, is given an in-name-only producing deal that neither the executive nor his or her (former) employer expects will be fulfilled. Instead, the executive simply bides his or her time until a new position elsewhere becomes available - hopefully. "I promise you that's the furthest thing from the truth," says Michael Lombardo, the HBO programming president who revealed Friday he will exit one of the most coveted jobs in television for, yes, a production deal with the network. Lombardo, who began his career with HBO 33 years ago as a business affairs lawyer and was elevated to the top programmer gig under CEO Richard Plepler nine years ago, insists he plans to pursue his creative passion as a producer with HBO. "Look, saying 'producer' is really a term for entrepreneurial," Lombardo tells The Hollywood Reporter in an interview. "Do I think I'm going to be driving all over the valley and west L.A. pitching a script? That's not my fantasy right now. [But] Richard has encouraged me to think big, and I'm going to do that." That means Lombardo isn't interested in an executive job at another network, he maintains. "This is full of hubris, but the thought of doing this anywhere else - there's nothing about that that sounds particularly intoxicating. HBO is in my DNA. I've done this a long time, I have a lot of relationships, there are people I'm excited to work with in different capacities in the future, and my intention is to do that for HBO." Lombardo insists the decision to exit was his, and that he and Plepler discussed a transition months ago, after HBO cleaned up at the Emmys last fall (despite fierce competition from Netflix, Amazon and traditional rivals AMC, Showtime and FX, HBO won 43 trophies, more than all networks for the 14th year in a row). But despite the awards prowess and arguably cable's most-watched show in Game of Thrones, HBO has faced creative challenges in recent years, as chronicled in a February THR analysis. Story continues Vinyl, the network's $100 million music industry drama, failed to impress critics and generated tepid ratings, which led HBO to replace showrunner Terence Winter for Season 2. The anticipated second season of crime anthology True Detective was massacred by the TV press and the future of the franchise is in doubt. In addition, high-profile projects in development have hit snags: Westworld, a pricey sci-fi drama from producer J.J. Abrams, has been delayed several times. A Lewis and Clark miniseries from Brad Pitt's production company was put back in development last summer after several weeks of filming. Expensive pilots from Steve McQueen and Jenji Kohan have been shelved. And two separate projects from David Fincher - Videocyncracy and Utopia - were shut down after production began. Drama chief Michael Ellenberg exited in January and his duties were subsumed by comedy chief Casey Bloys, who is presumed to be getting Lombardo's job now. The HBO issues are a potential headache for Time Warner because the network contributed 27 percent of the parent company's operating income in 2015. "Do I wish Vinyl was welcomed in a bigger way? Yes, I mean, come on, I put my heart into this stuff," says Lombardo. "Do I think with the team in place it has the chance of blowing people's minds? I do." He expresses regret at not being able to make the Fincher projects work, especially Utopia. "I really loved working with David, we just couldn't figure out the budgets," he says. "It was personally painful because I believed in his vision and I like him enormously." HBO, which hasn't launched a breakout hit drama since Game of Thrones in 2011, has been criticized for lavishing huge budgets on A-list name talent while developing hundreds of projects that have little chance of making it on the air. But Lombardo says he is enormously proud of HBO's original content, noting how the network was perceived as past its Sopranos-era prime when he took over in 2007, just as AMC and FX were the "pretty new girls in town." He does acknowledge the explosion in outlets - both linear and streaming - competing for high-end television product changed the way he approached his job. "It used to be if you didn't buy something, you didn't have to worry about someone else doing it and you going, 'Damn!' That's no longer true," he says, laughing. "But that's exciting, and it's gotten more people energized about being in the space." In fact, Lombardo, who began as a non-creative executive before eventually overseeing original series for both Cinemax and HBO, says the managerial aspects of the job were taking away from the creative parts he loved. And it's those parts he expects to pursue as a producer. "I never intended for this to happen, wasn't expecting it to happen, and I found myself all of a sudden the head of programming at this network I had been working at for many years," he says. "It's been a friggin' joy." Deputy Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Minister Eduard Kruhliak has been appointed coordinator for investment projects "Urban Infrastructure Project 2" and District Heating Energy Efficiency Project implemented using loans from the World bank. The press service of the ministry reported that the ministry's selection panel selected new consultants for the key groups for investment project management at an open tender. The tender was announced in late March 2016. The candidates were selecting using the consultant hiring rules of the World Bank. The agreement between Ukraine and the World Bank on a loan as part of the six-year investment project Urban Infrastructure Project 2 worth $350 million was launched in December 2014. The following companies signed the agreements for taking part in the project: public joint-stock company Kyivvodokanal (Kyiv), Kramatorsk Vodokanal (Kramatorsk, Donetsk region), Dnipro-Kirovohrad regional municipal enterprise (Kirovohrad), Kolomyiavodokanal (Sheparivtsi, Kolomyia district of Ivano-Frankivsk region), Zhytomyrvodokanal (Zhytomyr), Ternopilvodokanal (Ternopil), Ivano-Frankivskvodoekotekhprom (Ivano-Frankivsk), Kharkivvodokanal and Waste Treatment Municipal Company (both based in Kharkiv). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in 2014 provided a $382 million loan to implement the project introducing energy saving solutions in heating area at 10 companies. Vinnytsiamiskteploenergo, Miskteplovodenergia (Kamianets-Podilsky, Khmelnytsky region), Donetskmiskteplomerezha, Kharkivski Teplovi Merezhi, Ivano-Frankivskteplokomunenergo, Mykolaivoblteploenergo, Khersonteploenergo, Dniproteploenergo, Kirovohradteplo and Chernihiv combined heat and power plant were selected as participating companies. Ashton and Mila struck a pose as a pair. (Photo: Getty Images) Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have been together since 2012, but Sunday night marked the very first time they posed together as a couple at a celebrity event. The pair attended the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. While they didnt walk the red carpet together the 32-year-old actress was with her Bad Moms co-stars Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn while the 38-year-old actor flew solo they coupled up backstage for a photo op. Its the first picture, of just them alone, that they have posed for, and there were only two shots of them in total that they let the photog take. While they didnt smile in the photo they took together, they showed their pearly whites when they posed with Kate Beckinsale. Perhaps Milas outfit change put her in a better mood. (Photo: Getty Images) Mila rocked the heck out a sparkly strapless mini for the occasion (when in Vegas!) and had her hair styled up in a bun. The Ranch actor had on a lightweight striped suit. Neither of them really smiled for the photo. We wonder if they had a discussion before posing in which they decided to go serious face. That said, the duo, who will celebrate their first wedding anniversary this summer, seemed to be enjoying themselves at the event. Both presenters, they chatted up Kate Beckinsale and Demi Lovato backstage and there was a lot of smiling and laughing during those conversations. They were all smiles with Demi Lovato as well. (Photo: Getty Images) Despite rarely posing together, the parents of 1-year-old daughter Wyatt are down with PDA. However, they tend to exhibit it at sporting events, not Hollywood ones. Theyve locked lips for the Kiss Cam and for nobody but themselves. Related: A History of Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutchers PDA at Sporting Events While this is the first time theyve appeared as a couple at an awards show, its not the first time theyve attended one together. Well leave you with this photo of them, as well as some of their That 70s Show cast, back in 2000 aka when trucker hats were in fashion. Mila and Ashton with Lara Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama at the 2000 Teen Choice Awards. (Photo: Getty Images) Buying a home is a huge financial transaction, one you may do only once or twice in your life. So its understandable you might wonder if youre botching the job. Is the home you picked a good investment? Or did you perhaps wimp out too soon while negotiating your price? Will you make back your money, or take a bloody beating down the road? We feel your pain. To help quiet down those (terrifyingly loud) voices in your head, we decided to go to the pros who wheel and deal with hundreds of thousands of dollars on a daily basisbankersto get some of their tricks and tactics for landing the best deal. So lets hear what the money guys say: Learn what matters to the other party When Charlie Crawford was trying to buy a home in 2014, he hit a roadblock that threatened to derail the whole deal: The seller wanted to stay put for a full four months after the sale. That was a huge demandand while Crawford didnt have much experience buying a home, he tapped into his skills running a bank to figure out what to do. The most important negotiation skill for a banker is to understand what is important to the other party, and to be willing to compromise, explains Crawford, president of Atlanta-based Private Bank of Buckhead. In a successful negotiation, both parties end up feeling like they gave up some things, but retained some other important items. So rather than walk (or run) away from the deal, Crawford homed in on why the seller had to stay put for so longand learned that the 70-something woman was waiting to move into a newly built home that wasnt ready yet. It was clear that she did not want to move twice, Crawford says. So we allowed her to stay. But not before he got something he wanted: a lower price. The seller agreed to sell her home for 90% of the listing price and foot the bill for some repairs. This compromise was a good trade-off, he says. She got what was important to her, and we were able to buy her former home at a price we were willing to pay. Story continues Dont be afraid to walk away While Crawford and his family were willing to accept the inconvenience of renting for four months before moving in, he also knows that you sometimes need to walk away from the table. Case in point: At one point during negotiations, Crawford and the seller hit a stalemate on the offer price, but he did not cave. We stopped negotiating for a month and looked at other houses, he says. Then we came backand both sides were able to come to an agreement. While this move took guts, it was based on research: Crawford knew the sellers house had been on the market for nearly a year. He weighed the impact of the fact that it was winter, when fewer home buyers would be looking. While he could not eliminate all risks, he knew the odds were in his favorand it turns out he was right. Keep emotions in check While home buying often feels like a psychological roller coaster, Ken Weiner thinks its best for prospective home buyers to be a lot less emotional and a lot more analytical. And he should know: A former financial services executive with 30 years experience in investment banking and asset management, he now spends his days investing in real estate. In his mind, some of the questions buyers should ask themselves include: What is my risk? How long will it take to get back my return? What is the likelihood of getting back that return if something goes wrong? For answers, he arms himself with information. For instance, Weiner culls data on nearly 30 metro areas from HomeUnions Single-Family Rental report that help him make informed decisions on buying real estate for both the short and long term. But numbers aside, this doesnt mean that the buyer should minimize the importance of establishing trust. Even in a world of sharks, bankers are trying to get people to trust them, Weiner says. If a seller sees you are being reasonable and wants to make a fair deal, they will deal with you in kind. Get backup Bankers know theres strength in numbersso if you cant accomplish a goal on your own, call in reinforcements! Thats what Kathy Cummingsa consulting executive at Bank of Americaurged her own daughter to do to buy a home in New York City. She was fresh out of grad school with her husband attending law school, so their income limits their options quite a bit, she explains. So Cummings referred her daughter and son-in-law to the Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City, a housing counseling agency that works with various lenders. This agency is the primary administrator in the city for down payment assistance programs, and can provide new buyers with some needed muscle. They will be able to match her to programs she may qualify for with her limited income, Cummings says. Added bonus: They educate her on homeownership. And knowledge is power. More from realtor.com: Ask Our Chief Economist: Burning Questions Before You Buy The post Money Secrets Revealed: Buy a Home Like a Banker appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles By Alan Baldwin LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Formula One's showcase Monaco Grand Prix could see record lap times this weekend as a result of Pirelli introducing their new ultrasoft tyres, according to Mercedes technical head Paddy Lowe. Red Bull's Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo set the race lap record of one minute 18.063 seconds around the Mediterranean principality's twisty low-grip layout last year but the cars are already faster this season. Lowe said the performance of the new compound, which will be making its first appearance in Thursday practice as an option along with softs and supersofts, would be "particularly interesting". "We're looking forward to seeing what kind of lap time improvement that might bring -- and perhaps even a new lap record," he said in a team preview for the race. "It's set to be an intense battle between ourselves, Ferrari and Red Bull, so we'll need a perfect weekend to come out on top." The ultrasoft is likely to be the default tyre for qualifying but is also a popular option for the race. "The large numbers of this compound nominated by the teams for the Monaco GP shows that it is a serious race tyre rather than just a 'qualifying special'," said Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery. Mercedes' Monaco resident Nico Rosberg has won the last three Grands Prix there but Renault-powered Red Bull arrive on the back of a sensational win in Spain for 18-year-old Dutch driver Max Verstappen. Ricciardo could also have the benefit of a new specification engine which Renault hope will bring half a second's improvement per lap. Verstappen's win was helped by Rosberg and Hamilton colliding on the opening lap in Spain, putting each other out of the race, and Ferrari and Red Bull then making strategy errors in his favour. Monaco leaves no room for error, with its metal fences and tight turns, and Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said the team had to get it right. "Once again, we have seen our competitors make steps forward which have given us an even bigger battle on our hands," said the Austrian. "Red Bull came out on top in Barcelona after a close fight with Ferrari, so it's clear that we are under attack from more than one angle. We cannot afford to drop the ball, so we must remain united, remain strong and hit back hard this weekend." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris) Mark those awards-season calendars: The National Board of Review has announced a date for its 2017 trophy show. The group has staked out Wednesday, January 4, for its annual awards gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan. NBCs Willie Geist will return as host. The ever-quirky NBRs event helps shift awards season into full gear each year, with its past three Best Film winners being Mad Max: Fury Road, A Most Violent Year and Her. Its awards celebrate excellence in filmmaking with categories that include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Performances, Best Ensemble, Breakthrough Performances, Directorial Debut and Spotlight Award as well as signature honors such as the William K. Everson Award for Film History, Freedom of Expression, and Special Achievement in Filmmaking. The 107-year-old group comprises film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics and students of varying ages and backgrounds Related stories Billy Bush Presumptive Nominee For 'Today' 9 AM Slot As 'Live With Kelly And Michael' Loses Michael Strahan Willie Geist Debuts On Sunday 'Today' Show April 17 Willie Geist Takes Over Sunday 'Today' In April, While CBS Still Mulls 'Sunday Morning' Transition Plans Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a multilateral French peace initiative as he met his French counterpart on Monday, offering instead to hold direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Paris. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he would speak to President Francois Hollande about the proposal while an aide to Valls later said there was little new in Netanyahu's remarks. "It can still be called the French initiative because you would host this genuine effort for peace," Netanyahu said. "But here's the difference: I will sit alone, directly, with president Abbas in the Elysee (French presidential) palace or anywhere else that you choose. Every difficult issue will be on the table." Netanyahu, who has repeatedly expressed his opposition to the French proposal, said "this initiative can still take place in Paris, because that would be a marvellous place to sign a peace accord." Valls is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories to advance his country's plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. He is due to hold talks in Ramallah on Tuesday with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Abbas has welcomed the French initiative to hold a meeting of foreign ministers from a range of countries on June 3, without the Israelis and Palestinians present. Another conference would then be held in the autumn, with the Israelis and Palestinians in attendance. The goal is to eventually relaunch negotiations that would lead to a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has regularly called for direct talks and offered to meet Abbas, and he reiterated his argument on Monday that peace would not be achieved though "international diktats." A Valls aide said the only new element in Netanyahu's comments was his mention of talks in Paris. Palestinian leaders say years of negotiations with Israel have not ended its occupation and have pursued a strategy of diplomacy at international bodies. Story continues Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. - Political turbulence - An upsurge in violence since October has killed 205 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say. The unrest has steadily declined in recent weeks but on Monday a Palestinian woman was shot dead at a checkpoint north of Jerusalem while trying to stab a border policeman, Israeli authorities said. Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the recent unrest. Hussein Ibish, a scholar at Washington's Arab Gulf States Institute, said the initiative is doomed to fail. Ibish said "the Israeli side is most unlikely to cooperate in allowing a French initiative they do not trust to create a new peace-making forum." The United States, he added, "seems to want to preserve the old triangular model in which it is the main third party, even though that model is completely stuck. So the obstacles seem too great to me." Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Those arguing for a new peace effort say the lack of any initiative leaves a vacuum that can be filled by hardliners on either side. Valls has sought to address Israel's concerns over the French initiative, saying it would not try to impose a solution and that negotiations between the two sides would ultimately resolve the conflict. He has at the same time criticised Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank, considered a major stumbling block to peace. Jewish settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law and built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Valls's visit also comes at a time of political turbulence in Israel, with Netanyahu expected to soon finalise negotiations with the party of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to join his coalition. Lieberman, who lives in a West Bank settlement and is detested by the Palestinians, is expected to take on the key role of defence minister. Netanyahu has sought to ease concerns over the expected entrance of Lieberman's party into his coalition, saying his government would still seek peace with the Palestinians. Bank Mykhailivsky (Kyiv) has set limits on cash withdrawal from bank cards, the bank has told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the report, the restriction on Visa bank cards is set at UAH 5,000, MasterCard at UAH 1,000 per day. According to the bank, restrictions were imposed in connection with the installation of new software. At the same time, the expiration of restrictions is not known. Editor of the Hroshi (Money) TV Program Oleksandr Dubynsky on his Facebook page claims the board of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on May 23 declared the bank insolvent. The operator of one of the bank branches told the agency the bank has problems with cash. She said it is not known whether temporary administration will be introduced in the bank or it will be merged with Platinum Bank (Kyiv). The agency failed to get comments from the bank's press service. The NBU also refrained from comments. Netflixs exclusive deal with Disney for pay-TV window rights to the Mouse Houses movie titles in the U.S. will commence in September. Under the pact signed three and a half years ago Netflix will become the exclusive U.S. pay-TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar, chief content officer Ted Sarandos wrote in a blog post Monday. Currently, Starz has the pay one output rights to Disney titles in the States. Netflixs U.S. rights cover Disney movies starting with 2016 theatrical releases, which means American streaming subs will not have access to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Instead, Starz will have streaming rights to the blockbuster space epic in the U.S. Disneys 2016 movie slate includes Zootopia (pictured above), as well as The Jungle Book, Captain America: Civil War, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Finding Dory, Steven Spielbergs The BFG, Petes Dragon, Doctor Strange, Moana and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The 2016 (Disney) releases will start rolling on in September and well share specific dates/titles closer to their premiere on the service, a Netflix rep said. Meanwhile, Netflix also disclosed that several older Disney titles will be leaving the service in June. Those include Hercules (June 1) as well as Mulan and Hunchback of Notre Dame (June 24); Disney movies that will remain include Tarzan, Robin Hood, Lilo & Stitch and Emperors New Groove. In Canada, Netflixs output deal with Disney began with 2015 releases after the previous agreements for the pay-TV window with Corus Entertainment and Bell Canada expired (which means subs in the Great White North will have access to Force Awakens). According to Sarandos, Netflix sees about a 20% increase in movie watching by members in the U.S. around Memorial Day weekend, and the exec provided a list of new titles coming to the service over the summer. On May 27, Netflix will launch Adam Sandlers new comedy, The Do-Over, the second original film with Sandler after The Ridiculous Six. Do-Over stars Sandler and David Spade as buddies who reunite at their 25th high school reunion for the ultimate mulligan: wiping the slate clean by faking their own deaths. Story continues In June, the streaming service is set to add Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park: The Lost World and Jurassic Park 3 (June 1); Oscar winner Spotlight (June 22), about the Boston Globes investigation into the Catholic Churchs cover up of child abuse by priests, starring Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Michael Keaton; and Netflix original comedy The Fundamentals of Caring (June 24) with Paul Rudd and Craig Roberts. That will be followed by The Big Short (July 6) with Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale; Brahman Naman (July 7), another Netflix original film, which brings the ribaldry of American Pie and takes it to India in the 1980s, per Sarandos; Tallulah (July 29), another Netflix original starring Allison Janney and Ellen Page; plus movie franchises Back to The Future and Lethal Weapon. In August, Netflix will premiere The Little Prince, an animated film based on the beloved childrens book, featuring the voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Ricky Gervais, Marion Cotillard and James Franco. Other titles also arriving in August include The Fast & The Furious, The Wedding Planner and St. Vincent. Related stories Idina Menzel Responds to Campaign to Give 'Frozen's' Elsa a Girlfriend Netflix Buys Australian Comedy 'Ricketts Lane' for U.K. Aziz Ansari on 'Master of None's' Universality: 'Everyone Has Drama in Their Lives' Photo: Mary Galloway At long last, we have a start date for London's all-night underground. From 19th August, we'll be tapping in at sunrise on the Central and Victoria lines, and the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Northern lines from Autumn. The scheme, which will operate on Friday and Saturday nights, was due to start on 12th September last year, but a backlash from London Underground workers' unions, in the form of a series of 24-hour strikes, slowed the process. London's new mayor, Sadiq Khan commented: "The Night Tube is absolutely vital to my plans to support and grow London's night time economy creating more jobs and opportunities for all Londoners. The constant delays under the previous Mayor let Londoners down badly. I have made getting the Night Tube up and running a priority, and London Underground has now confirmed that services on the first two lines will launch on 19th August. Apparently the service will offer 2,000 new jobs and provide a sweet boost to the economy too a speculated 360m over a 30 year period. Besides longer nights out and fewer night buses, what impact will a 24/7 Tube service have on women in London? And how will drinking on the underground be satisfactorily managed? All questions that are, at this moment in time, difficult to answer, but important to speculate upon. As Sadiq Khan himself outlined in a speech in Brixton last March, women are increasingly falling victim to violence on London's public transport system. "Women face specific challenges on our transport network that are not currently being addressed. I was appalled about the recent decision by British transport police to scrap the sexual violence unit. Reports of sexual offences on the London Underground almost tripled over the past five years. As mayor I will take these problems seriously." Last week ActionAid reported that at least 36% of women (from a market research project involving 2500 women) living in the UK's major cities have felt at risk of harassment on public transport and that number soars to 51% in London. Story continues A separate report by the London Assemblys Police and Crime Committee has outlined 12 potential Tube stations on the new night-line where the running of all-night Tubes could result in increased violent activity. The study highlights the following stations: Camden Town, Victoria, Vauxhall, Brixton, Waterloo, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, London Bridge, North Greenwich, Leicester Square, Charing Cross and Hammersmith. The researchers claimed that the British Transport Police had begun working with the The Metropolitan Police to ensure these stations increase the number of police on patrol when the Night-Tube begins. Certainly pubs and clubs will benefit from the new service, but drunk behaviour on the overground is already an issue for weekend services. Alice Jones commented in The Independent that: "It would be nice to think that removing the urgency which an 11.30pm deadline imposes on an evenings fun might slow all the binge drinking, but it probably wont. What one saves on a taxi fare will end up being spent on a couple more pints. Good news for the Treasury, bad for the individuals bank balance and hangover." It is surely bad news for Uber, mini-cab and black taxi drivers too as the cost of getting the Tube home is about the same as the starting fare of a black cab. While we'll have to wait to see how these doubts play out over the course of the summer, one thing is for sure, the old "last Tube home" excuse will no longer be valid... Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Angelina Jolie Is Teaching A Class About Violence Against Women Whether Youre Trans or Not, Passing Privilege Affects All of Us Man Charged With Attempted Murder Following Unprovoked Attack On Four London Women WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The No. 2 Republican in the U.S. Senate offered legislation on Monday to impose sanctions and travel restrictions on Vietnamese nationals found to be "complicit" in human rights violations, hours after President Barack Obama said he would lift the arms embargo on Vietnam. "It's important to remember even as President Obama is traveling to Vietnam, that Vietnam is a brutal communist regime that continues to disregard basic human rights," said Senator John Cornyn of Texas. He said he would offer his legislation as an amendment to a must-pass defense policy bill the Senate is due to consider starting this week. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Peter Cooney) valkyrie tessa thompson Marvel Studios announced a host of casting news for the upcoming film "Thor: Ragnarok" last week, revealing that Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, and Karl Urban were joining the film. They also confirmed that Tessa Thompson, who starred in "Creed" and "Selma," would be playing the Asgardian heroine Valkyrie. Her casting adds a welcome bit of much-needed diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but in some ways it only highlights the studio's other problems with whitewashing. The heroes from the Thor comics are based on Norse mythology, and in the books almost all of them were originally white. This is partially because comics historically have a problem with diversity, but also because, you know, they're a bunch of Viking gods, so it made a certain amount of sense. In the movies, however, Idris Elba was cast as the traditionally white Heimdall, and Thompson is now going to play the fair blonde Valkyrie. Norse mythology seems like the one area where Marvel could've maybe been given a pass when it comes to diversity, and it's great to see they've instead chosen to cast black actors to play these characters. It also makes it even more mystifying that they're casting white men for characters that should by all rights really be of Asian descent. The studio raised eyebrows when they cast "Sherlock's" Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange, a traditionally white character who is seeped in Asian tradition and mysticism. The comics-accurate casting might've merely be a missed opportunity to not have a white male lead for the 14th movie in a row, but they also cast Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One, a powerful sorcerer of Tibetan descent. This blatant whitewashing earned Marvel a well-deserved round of criticism. "Doctor Strange" co-writer C. Robert Cargill blamed political issues with China for the race swap, not that it makes it any better. Story continues tilda Swinton Marvel Marvel also botched an opportunity to diversify with their upcoming Netflix series "Iron Fist." The character is white in the comics, but has been criticized for being an outdated "orientalist-white-man-yellow-fever narrative." Instead of updating the character with an Asian actor, they instead cast Finn Jones, best known for playing Ser Loras Tyrell in "Game of Thrones." It's somewhat maddening that a cast of characters directly based off of Scandinavian gods is more open to diversity than characters with roots in Asian history and culture. If her past work is anything to go off of, Tessa Thompson is going to be a terrific Valkyrie, and it's nice that Marvel didn't arbitrarily limit themselves to a white actor. Maybe by the time we get to Phase Four that ethos will be true for heroes on Earth and not just Asgard. NOW WATCH: Seth Rogen explains why Marvel is great at making sequels More From Business Insider By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposal to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a "kind of propaganda or advertisement" in his election race, a senior North Korean official said on Monday. Trump, in a wide-ranging interview with Reuters in New York last week, said he is willing to talk to the North Korean leader to try to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program, proposing a major shift in U.S. policy toward the isolated nation. "It is up to the decision of my Supreme Leader whether he decides to meet or not, but I think his (Trump's) idea or talk is nonsense," So Se Pyong, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, told Reuters on return from Pyongyang after attending the first ruling party congress in 36 years. "It's for utilization of the presidential election, that's all. A kind of a propaganda or advertisement," he said. "This is useless, just a gesture for the presidential election." "There is no meaning, no sincerity," So added. As a candidate, U.S. President Barack Obama made unfulfilled campaign promises to meet the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), he said. North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February, triggering tougher international sanctions and the adoption of a more hardline position by South Korean President Park Geun-hye. So, who is also North Korea's ambassador to the U.N.-backed Conference on Disarmament, reiterated that his country was prepared to return to stalled six-party talks on its nuclear program. China and Russia backed the idea, but the United States and its allies South Korea and Japan reject it, he said. "As a responsible nuclear state ... we will never use them first," So said. "If the United States use their nuclear weapons first, then we have to use also that one." "If the United States gives up their hostile policies and changes their attitude, then we also (can) have relations as a normal country," So said. "To South Korea, we proposed high-level military talks but South Korea refused now." South Korea dismissed on Monday a North Korean proposal for military talks as "a bogus peace offensive" and said it was formally rejecting the overture because it lacked a plan to end the North's nuclear program. So said that North Korea would not share nuclear technology with other countries. "As a responsible nuclear state, we keep and observe the obligations of non-proliferation of nuclear technology". (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Tom Heneghan) * Seven top execs leave inside five months, including drugs chief * Challenges mount up, from patent expiries to Entresto and Alcon * CEO Jimenez under pressure to reverse share price fall By John Miller ZURICH, May 23 (Reuters) - With seven departures in the space of five months, Novartis's top management is in upheaval just as CEO Joe Jimenez tries to tackle a list of challenges that have seen the drug firm's share price fall 25 percent since July. The most dramatic exit came last week, when head of pharmaceuticals David Epstein quit as his division was broken in two. By splitting oncology into a department of its own, Novartis aims to make the most of a high-margin business that it bought from GlaxoSmithKline for $16 billion last year, a reorganisation that has business logic for analysts. "After years of empire building ... that's what investors want", said Cedric de Fonclare, a fund manager at London-based Jupiter Asset Management and a Novartis investor. "Clearly, the future of that company will be about specialised drugs, high-value drugs, so they can face up to what is the challenge in this industry: price deflation and price pressure." But the departures also reflect ongoing problems, as well as longer-term management instability. U.S. country head Christi Shaw left this month after overseeing, with Epstein, the lacklustre launch of Entresto, Novartis's seemingly promising heart-failure medication, now expected to garner less than half the sales in 2016 than analysts had been forecasting. Novartis did get a break last week, when global guidelines on the treatment of heart failure strongly endorsed the drug. But the product pipeline is a pressing issue for the firm after the expiry of the U.S. patent for Gleevec, its best-selling blood cancer drug, which has put $2.5 billion of revenue at risk. ALCON TROUBLES Alcon head Jeff George departed in January after yet another quarter of falling sales in the division's core ophthalmic surgery equipment amid a lack of innovative products and customer disappointment with cutbacks in training for surgeons. Story continues "Over the years, the company has been like a revolving door when it comes to senior managers departing -- below the CEO level, that is," wrote Tim Anderson, a Bernstein analyst. "We have wondered if this has contributed to periodic shortfalls at the company, because of a lack of continuity." Chief Ethics Officer Eric Cornut is leaving Novartis after 27 years, at a time when it is fighting U.S. allegations that its sales force bribed doctors to prescribe its medicines. Meanwhile Ameet Nathwani, global head of medical affairs, jumped ship to Novartis's rival Sanofi two months ago. Mark Fishman, director of the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, in Boston, is retiring, as is William Sellars, the head of oncology research. "Key positions are changing rapidly right now, in a situation where you probably prefer to have more stability," said Vontobel analyst Stefan Schneider. Novartis did not immediately respond to questions about the wider effect of so many management changes. But with its shares down so sharply since July's peak, while the broader European pharmaceuticals sector is down only 17 percent and cross-town rival Roche down 10 percent, it all adds up to a challenge for Jimenez as he prepares to explain to investors in Basel on Wednesday how he will revive Novartis's fortunes. (Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Kevin Liffey) HANOI (Reuters) - A BBC correspondent in Vietnam for U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to the country said on Monday he had been ordered by the Vietnamese authorities to stop reporting apparently because they suspected he had met one of the government's sharpest critics. "We have now been told that our accreditation has been withdrawn and all our reporting activities must stop," Bangkok-based Jonathan Head said in a report on the BBC's website. Vietnam's foreign ministry had no immediate comment. There were no other indications of a clampdown on foreign media and local media reported at length on Obama's three-day trip, which is aimed at bolstering diplomatic, economic and military ties though the U.S. side is expected to prod Hanoi on human rights. There was no suggestion that Head had been told to leave. Earlier this month North Korea expelled a BBC journalist for his reporting as a large group of foreign media members visited the isolated country to cover a ruling party congress. Communist party-ruled Vietnam has long been suspicious of the BBC, whose Vietnamese-language service is routinely blocked in the country because it often reports on human rights issues. The BBC World's TV service is relayed with a 10-minute delay in Vietnam. An on-camera report by Head from Hanoi on Monday was blocked for about 10 seconds, with a notice on the screen saying the program was temporarily suspended. Head said no reason was given by the authorities for the ban on his reporting activities. But he said that "in a fraught exchange" with officials it was suggested that it was because he had met Nguyen Quang A, one of about 20 dissidents who tried to run as independents for an election to parliament that took place on Sunday. Head said he had not met Quang A, who was detained twice last year after meeting political prisoners and attending democracy seminars abroad, and failed to get onto the ballot for the National Assembly election. (Editing by Michael Perry) U.S. to help Ukrainian customs officers fight against smuggling at airports, ports Nasirov U.S. experts in counter-smuggling will provide practical assistance to Ukrainian customs officers at airports and ports of Ukraine, head of Ukraine's State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov has said. "We've agreed that two teams [of U.S. experts] will work here one will work at airports, the other at ports of Ukraine, and will train our customs officers virtually afield," Nasirov told reporters in Kyiv on Monday after an official ceremony when Ukraine and the U.S. signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual assistance between customs agencies. In his words, this is the best assistance the Ukrainian customs can get. Nasirov also said that prior to the signing of the new agreement; Ukraine and the U.S. had worked under an agreement signed way back in 1990. As Interfax-Ukraine reported earlier, Ukraine and the United States on Monday signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual assistance between the two countries' customs authorities. Nasirov signed the document on behalf of Ukraine, while incumbent U.S. Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Richard Gil Kerlikowske represented the United States. The U.S. Commissioner said that the agreement creates the necessary legal basis for the exchange of information and helps our countries implement laws concerning customs rights. "This agreement enables us to share experience and further improve our relations," Kerlikowske added. President Barack Obama on Monday hailed the killing of Taliban chief Mullah Mansour Akhtar as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan, as the rattled insurgent group held emergency meetings to pick his successor. Saturday's drone strike, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, sent a shockwave through the rebel group, which had seen a new resurgence under Mansour. "We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda," the US president said in a statement. The Pentagon on Monday said Mansour represented a "specific imminent threat" to US and coalition forces in Afghanistan, and that the strike was not a sign that the United States was re-engaging the group militarily following the end of its combat mission in 2015. Obama, who is on a three-day visit to Vietnam, said Mansour had rejected efforts "to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children". He called on the Taliban's remaining leadership to engage in peace talks as the "only real path" to ending the attritional conflict. By late Monday, multiple Taliban sources told AFP the two frontrunners for the job were the Taliban founder's son, Mullah Yakoub, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, an implacable foe of US forces whose selection could signal the militants' desire to intensify fighting. Mansour was elevated to the Taliban leadership in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder, Mullah Omar, had died two years earlier. Mansour was killed on Saturday near the town of Ahmad Lal, in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, when missiles fired from a drone struck the car he was travelling in. Story continues Pakistan, which says it is hosting the Afghan Taliban's top leadership in order to exert influence over them, has lambasted the United States over the drone attack, calling it a violation of its sovereignty. In his statement, Obama said American forces would continue to go after threats on Pakistani soil. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven," he said. - Haqqani takeover? - But the strike could signal a fresh blow for US-Pakistan ties, which have improved markedly in recent years since the killing of Al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Pakistan's foreign affairs ministry said it had summoned the US ambassador Monday to express concern over the weekend bombing. A statement said the prime minister's special assistant on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi had told David Hale that such actions could "adversely impact" the ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The US has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan, mainly in the tribal regions along the Afghan border, with leaked documents showing Islamabad had quietly consented, despite publicly protesting. This time however both sides insisted Pakistan was informed only after the fact. A meeting of the Taliban's Supreme Council, which was convened following Mansour's death, continued into its second day Monday, according to senior militant sources, though the group has yet to release an official statement. A senior Taliban source told AFP many of the leadership were lying low in Pakistan while some had fled across the border to Afghanistan. "The shura (council) meeting is continuing at an undisclosed location, they keep on moving due to the fear of US drone strikes," he said. Little is known about Mullah Yakoub, Mullah Omar's twenty-something son, who was passed over for the leadership role in 2015. But analysts say the appointment of Sirajuddin Haqqani -- leader of the feared Taliban-allied Haqqani network with a $10 million US bounty on his head -- could further intensify the conflict. President Barack Obama said Monday that the violent death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour by a U.S. airstrike should send a clear signal to anti-American extremists that were going to protect our people. Obama also said Mansours death was an important milestone in the yearslong effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. It has been confirmed that he is dead, Obama said Monday during his first visit to Vietnam. He is an individual who, as head of the Taliban, was specifically targeting U.S. personnel and troops inside of Afghanistan who Obama sent there to help counter terrorism and help train Afghan troops. Mansour was killed when a U.S. drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan, though it was unclear whether the airstrike took place on Friday or Saturday. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last year. Obama authorized the attack and was briefed before and after it was carried out, aides said. Speaking at a news conference following his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Obama said the fatal attack on Mansour did not represent a change in U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan, which is to help train Afghan forces. Obama ended the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. We are not re-entering the day-to-day combat operations that are currently being conducted by Afghan security forces, Obama said. Our job is to help Afghanistan secure its own country, not to have our men and women in uniform engage in that fight for them. On the other hand, where we have a high-profile leader who has been consistently part of plans and operations to potentially harm U.S. personnel and who has been resistant to the kinds of peace talks and reconciliation that ultimately could bring an end to decades of war in Afghanistan, then it is my responsibility as commander in chief not to stand by, but to make sure that we send a clear signal to the Taliban and others that were going to protect our people. Story continues And thats exactly the message that has been sent, Obama said. Mansour was chosen to head the Afghan Taliban last summer after the revelation of Omars death in 2013. The Taliban is the most powerful insurgent group in the war-ravaged country, where an estimated 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded and 5,500 government troops and police officers died last year alone. The Taliban seized power in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan according to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law until the group was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Almost 15 years later, about 13,000 troops are in the country from a U.S.-NATO coalition, including around 9,800 Americans. While they are mostly focused on training and helping Afghan government forces battle the insurgency, about 3,000 troops are conducting counterterrorism operations against the Taliban and the extremist groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State. In a written statement issued before the news conference, Obama said Mansours death marked an important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan. Obama said Mansour had rejected Afghan government efforts to engage in peace talks with the Taliban with the goal of ending violence that has killed thousands. He called on the organization to choose the path toward peace. The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability, Obama said. ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. HANOI (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said during a visit to Vietnam on Monday it was important to maintain freedom of navigation in Asia and disputes over the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully, not by whoever "throws weight around". He was speaking after announcing that Washington would completely lift its ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its former war enemy. Without mentioning China, he said the advance in relations between the United States and Vietnam reflected "common concerns about sovereignty and independence". (Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Ron Bousso LONDON (Reuters) - Oil discoveries in 2015 fell to their lowest since 1952 as energy companies slashed exploration budgets in the wake of the oil price fall, creating a gap for meeting future demand, analysts at Morgan Stanley said on Monday. The oil and gas industry discovered 2.8 billion barrels of oil outside the United States last year, the equivalent of one month of global consumption, the U.S. bank said, quoting data from consultancy Rystad Energy. Including the United States, where the rapid expansion of the onshore shale industry unlocked major resources over the past decade, global discoveries rose to 12.1 billion figure - but still the lowest since 1952, when the oil industry was one-seventh of its current size. Oil discoveries are vital to replace resources, meet still-growing demand and offset the depletion of existing fields. The sharp drop in oil prices over the past two years has led companies including Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell to sharply reduce budgets, particularly for exploration, where spending fell in 2015 to around 95 billion from $168 billion two years earlier, according to Morgan Stanley. Despite a big increase in exploration spending since the start of the decade, when oil demand rapidly rose, there have been few major hydrocarbon discoveries, such as Statoil's Johan Sverdrup field off Norway's coast or Eni's giant Zohr gas field off Egypt. BP last week announced the surprise departure of its exploration boss, and a shift in its oil search strategy that is focusing mainly on expanding existing fields rather than venturing expensively into the unknown. SHORTAGE A big increase in new oil fields in recent years and the ramp up of Iran's production following the lifting of international sanctions mean that in the short term, the impact of the low exploration record will be limited. But even under the most modest demand forecasts, driven by a drive to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, where consumption will decline to around 86 million barrels per day in 2030, only around two thirds of the demand can be met by currently producing fields or resources under development, Morgan Stanley said. Story continues "Building this capacity over the next 25 years will require ongoing investment. Our strong suspicion is that this will be higher than what companies are currently spending, even relative to the 2 Degrees scenario under which demand is falling." The outlook for exploration remains challenged, the bank said. "The return on exploration dollars spent has clearly deteriorated in recent years. On top of this, oil companies increasingly need to consider scenarios for oil demand in which there may not be much need for further exploration." (Editing by William Hardy) Head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Roman Nasirov hopes mobile teams consisting of representatives of various departments will start working on the problem sections of the state border of Ukraine in a few weeks. "I hope that in the near future, as soon as we sign and will be able to start [the project], it is not a matter of months, it is a matter of weeks, we will be able to launch the mobile teams. I think the major regions will be Volyn, Zakarpattia regions, the southern region, including Odesa and Kherson, and partially Mykolaiv region. These will also include Sumy and Kharkiv customs services," Nasirov told journalists in Kyiv. According to him, possibly as early as Wednesday, May 26, the Cabinet of Ministers will be submitted a draft interagency agreement on the establishment of specialized units that will work at customs offices and which include representatives of various departments. The official said the representatives of the agencies that will be part of the team will be able to carry out any checks. The last-ditch attempt to save convicted murderer Kho Jabings life was led by Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss. AFP file photo. Lawyer Remy Choo reflects on the failed attempt to save Malaysian Kho Jabing from execution, and explains a tradition of the Singapore legal fraternity. My coroners inquiry into Benjamin Lims death was substantially finished this week. On Thursday afternoon (19 May), I came back to the office to see Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss rushing out in Court attire, with a group of interns and trainees in tow (my law firm shares office space with hers). She told me she was hurrying to the High Court to file a last-ditch application to try to save Kho Jabing from the gallows. It crossed my mind that I should probably drop by the High Court with her because Jeannette doesnt normally go to Court and it might be helpful for her to have moral support. So I rushed down to the High Court to be with her team and talked through some of the law that she was going to present. I learnt that she had been asked by Jabing and his family to file the application just a day before. It took Jeannette another more than 3 hours of waiting at the Registry before she finally got an audience before JC Kanan Ramesh at around 5.30 p.m.. Given the seriousness of the application she was going to make, Alfred Dodwell and I asked to attend in Chambers as observers with her, but were turned down. Jeannette went in alone, up against a top team of 3 lawyers from the AGC in a last-ditch attempt to get the Court to stave off Jabings execution on Friday at 6 a.m.. 3 nerve wracking hours later, we found out that Jeannettes application was turned down by JC Ramesh, but we heaved a sigh of relief to hear she had been granted permission to file an appeal against the decision at 11 p.m. the same night. Racing against the clock, Jeannette managed to get the notice of appeal filed on time. The reprieve was short lived. 10 minutes later, Jeannette got an unprecedented call from the Registry asking her to argue the application before a 5 Judge Court of Appeal at 9 a.m. the next morning.Jeannettes team spent most of the rest of the night preparing for the application the next day. Story continues At midnight, the team called Alfred Dodwell for backup. Although he was at the airport picking his sister up, he agreed to be counsel the next day despite the short notice. Given the stakes, he felt he could not refuse. Slightly past midnight, we placed a call to former President of the Law Society Chandra Mohan K Nair, who agreed to accompany Jeannette to Court to address the Court of Appeal on the clemency process if necessary. Kho Jabing was executed on the afternoon of Friday, May 20. Malay Mail file photo On Friday morning, another former President of the Law Society and my colleague, Peter Low, sat at the bar table in Court with Jeannette. With them were a battery of young assistants and aspiring public interest lawyers: Damien Chng, Priscilla Chia and Johannes Hadi. Fridays hearing before the Court of Appeal was scorching. Jeannette and Alfred got put on the back foot by the Court, which accused them of an abuse of process. Lawyers from the Attorney-Generals Chambers insinuated that they were bringing the application in bad faith and for collateral purpose. 3 hours later, the Court of Appeal denied the stay application and ordered that Jabing hang. That same afternoon, Jabing was dead. Whatever one might think of the death penalty, or those on the receiving end of it, as a lawyer I thought it was important to share this. The legal profession has a quaint tradition called the cab-rank rule, which obliges lawyers to take on any case they have competence to handle regardless of any belief or opinion which he may have formed as to the character, reputation, cause, conduct, guilt or innocence of that person. It takes its name from the rule that London taxis are obliged to take the passenger who comes along as long as that taxi is at the front of the taxi queue. Sometimes, this tradition is honored more in the breach than the observance. On 19 May 2016, two lawyers accepted a seemingly hopeless brief: to stave off the execution of a condemned man. In the best traditions of the bar, Jeannette and Alfred stepped into the breach and argued their clients case with vigour. The mainstream media has taken great pains to highlight Jeannettes political affiliations, spotlighting the fact that she is an opposition lawyer. I dont recall the mainstream media spotlighting the affiliations of PAP MPs acting for unpopular clients. The media is insinuating that Jeannette is somehow politicizing or using this case for capital. This smearing is unfair, untrue and dangerous. Those casting aspersions today might well need lawyers with courage when they find themselves on the wrong side of the law. I recall that when I was a pupil, the only lawyer who dared to handle such cases was M Ravi. That isnt the case now. The machinery of death no longer rumbles on unchallenged. Defendants in politically unpopular cases have more lawyers to turn to than they used to. Alfred, Jeannette, and their tireless support team have my greatest respect and admiration for maintaining one of the best traditions of our profession: acting courageously without fear or favour for those who need and ask for representation. Long may that tradition continue. Remy Choo is a lawyer with Peter Low LLC. This note was first published on his personal Facebook account. It has been reproduced with his permission. The views expressed here are his own. By Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai police shot dead a Rohingya Muslim from Myanmar on Monday during a dramatic mass escape of detainees from an immigration camp in southern Thailand, police said. Police Lieutenant Colonel Noppadon Rakchart said 21 Rohingya fled the Phangnga Immigration Detention Centre at about 1 a.m. after sawing through an iron bar in their communal cell. One was shot dead and three arrested after throwing stones and punches at police and immigration officers who gave chase, said Noppadon. The other 17 escaped. Tens of thousands of Rohingya "boat people" have fled poverty and persecution in western Myanmar since religious violence erupted there in 2012. Many headed for Malaysia but often got waylaid at human trafficking camps in the jungles of southern Thailand or arrested by the authorities. Most Rohingya are stateless and unrecognized by the two countries, Bangladesh and Myanmar, they call home. This complicates repatriation, which can lead to lengthy spells in overcrowded Thai detention centers, which Rohingya often try to escape. The latest attempt was triggered by "stress and homesickness," said Noppadon. "They have been inside for almost a year." The Rohingya was killed because "he resisted arrest and attacked the police", Police Major General Worawit Parnprung, Phangnga police chief, told Reuters. "The police had to defend themselves," he said. The Phangnga detention center had held 28 Rohingya, all of whom illegally entered Thailand by boat, he said. The number of migrants leaving Myanmar and Bangladesh by boat in the past year plunged after both countries cracked down on human smugglers and traffickers. Thai police launched a sweeping operation against gangs in May 2015 after the bodies of 30 suspected migrants were found in jungle graves near the Malaysian border. Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi asked to be given "enough space" at the weekend to address the plight of the Rohingya population, as visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed the Nobel peace laureate to promote respect for human rights. (Additional reporting by Pairat Temphairojana; Writing by Andrew R.C. Marshall) By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 (Reuters) - Oracle Corp filed a multibillion-dollar copyright lawsuit against Google because Oracle failed in its own attempts to enter the smartphone market, a Google attorney said in closing arguments on Monday. In a retrial in federal court in San Francisco, Oracle Corp has claimed Google's Android smartphone operating system violated its copyright on parts of Java, a development platform. Alphabet Inc's Google unit said it should be able to use Java without paying a fee under the fair-use provision of copyright law. A trial in 2012 ended in a deadlocked jury, and if the current jury rules against Google on fair use, then it would consider Oracle's request for about $9 billion in damages. The case has been closely watched by software developers, who fear an Oracle victory could spur more software copyright lawsuits. However, investors see little risk for Google because the company could afford to pay a onetime fine, and the possibility of an injunction that would force Google to pay ongoing royalties to Oracle appears remote. In court on Monday, Google attorney Robert Van Nest played a video of a speech by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison praising "our friends at Google" for building devices that use Java. Ellison then suggested Oracle should also build similar hardware. But Oracle was never able to build a smartphone of its own, Van Nest said, so it decided to accuse Google of unfair copying instead. "They now want all the credit and a whole lot of money," Van Nest said. "That's not fair." An Oracle attorney was expected to make a closing argument later on Monday. (Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) (Adds quote from Oracle closing statement) By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 (Reuters) - Oracle Corp filed a multibillion-dollar copyright lawsuit against Google because Oracle failed in its own attempts to enter the smartphone market, a Google attorney said in closing arguments on Monday. However, an Oracle attorney accused Google of taking its intellectual property without permission and reaping huge profits as a result. In a retrial at U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Oracle Corp has claimed Google's Android smartphone operating system violated its copyright on parts of Java, a development platform. Alphabet Inc's Google unit said it should be able to use Java without paying a fee under the fair-use provision of copyright law. A trial in 2012 ended in a deadlocked jury, and if the current jury rules against Google on fair use, then it would consider Oracle's request for about $9 billion in damages. The case has been closely watched by software developers, who fear an Oracle victory could spur more software copyright lawsuits. However, investors see little risk for Google because the company could afford to pay a onetime fine, and the possibility of an injunction that would force Google to pay ongoing royalties to Oracle appears remote. In court on Monday, Google attorney Robert Van Nest played a video of a speech by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison praising "our friends at Google" for building devices that use Java. Ellison then suggested Oracle should also build similar hardware. But Oracle was never able to build a smartphone of its own, Van Nest said, so it decided to accuse Google of unfair copying instead. "They now want all the credit and a whole lot of money," Van Nest said. "That's not fair." But Oracle attorney Peter Bicks said it was Google that needed a quick way to build a viable smartphone, and purposefully decided to use Java without a license. Bicks presented internal Google documents, in which company executives contemplated being "out of business in 10 years" if they did not quickly enter the mobile market. "They knew they were breaking the rules, they knew they were taking short cuts, and they knew it was wrong," Bicks said. (Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) By Karin Strohecker LONDON (Reuters) - Pakistan's stock exchange could see initial public offerings of power sector projects amounting to some $1 billion in 2017 and 2018, the bourse's managing director said on Monday. He also said he also expected Pakistan to regain its stock index emerging market status this year. Referring to IPOs in the power sector, Nadeem Naqvi told Reuters in an interview: "The projects that have had financial close and are under construction now, the tendency is that - once they get commissioned - that is the time they come onto the market to restructure their debt-equity ratio, so about $1 billion will come in." Index provider MSCI said in March it was seeking feedback from investor on reclassifying Pakistan stocks to emerging market status from its current frontier market status - a less liquid and riskier subset of stocks. The decision to move Pakistan back to the emerging category - from which it was dropped in 2008 - is due in June 2016. Naqvi said he expected Pakistan to regain its emerging market status soon, if not in June then in December, adding he expected to see money coming in from abroad in anticipation of the decision. "We saw that in the case of Qatar or the United Arab Emirates, approximately $400 million came in within 6-8 months of the announcement, and the market there is relatively narrow," he said, speaking on the sidelines of a Renaissance Capital investment conference. "Our market is much more broader, but given Pakistan's risk factor ... I will be very happy if we get about $200-250 million to come in - now this would be the initial arbitragers which would position themselves for the index flows." Currently, around 30 percent of the freefloat listed on the country's stock exchange was held by international institutional portfolio investors, said Naqvi, adding this would inevitably rise once Pakistan was reclassified. "Anywhere between 40-45 percent (of foreign ownership) would be a number I would be comfortable with, anything beyond that it becomes risky because the volatility will increase." Story continues He also expects the market capitalisation, currently at $71 billion, to rise above $100 billion in the next five years, thanks to IPOs and share valuations. "Pakistan's discount against emerging markets is huge, and I think we will be seeing a narrowing of that discount, so even though the global valuations are not going to expand, Pakistan's discount is going to narrow, and there we are going to see that in the market cap." (Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) Patton Oswalt shared a heartbreaking post about his late wife, Michelle McNamara, over social media on Sunday. "Funerals are final but there's no closure. Memorials are hopeful but they don't bring back the dead," Oswalt wrote on Twitter. He also shared a picture of McNamara. Funerals are final but there's no closure. Memorials are hopeful but they don't bring back the dead. pic.twitter.com/K8Ss7DejEj - Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) May 23, 2016 McNamara died unexpectedly in her sleep a little more than a month ago. The 46-year-old noted true-crime author is said to have been free of known medical conditions, with no prior warning signs her health might have been in danger. The Los Angeles County coroner told The Hollywood Reporter autopsy results may take months because the office is so backed up with cases. Read More: Officials Probe Sudden Death of Patton Oswalt's Wife, Michelle McNamara Sunday's message was not the first Oswalt shared over social media about the loss of his wife. "She wrote lines that stung & hummed. 13 years in her presence was happily humbling," he wrote April 29. The comedian and actor penned a longer tribute for Time Magazine's website. "I loved her," Oswalt wrote. "This is the first time I've been able to use 'I' writing this. Probably because there hasn't been much of an 'I' since the morning of April 21. There probably won't be for a while. Whatever there is belongs to my daughter - to our daughter. Alice." McNamara, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, is best known for writing about real-life murderers and rapists, which is the topic on which she founded the website True Crime Diary. Oswalt tweeted that the work she started would continue. McNamara is survived by Oswalt and their 7-year-old daughter, Alice. Read More: Patton Oswalt Pays Tribute to Late Wife Michelle McNamara Austin Lee Russell, who goes by Chumlee on A&E's Pawn Stars, apparently agreed to a plea deal on Monday after drugs and weapons were found in his Las Vegas home when police raided the residence in March. The 33-year-old reality star is to plead guilty to one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports. In exchange for avoiding jail time, he will attend counseling and serve three years probation. If Russell takes the deal, the additional felony weapon charge will be withdrawn and he will have to surrender the weapons and drugs found at his home, according to the report. WATCH: Nick Carter Breaks His Silence After Arrest for Florida Brawl Per the arrest records, investigators allegedly found five ounces of marijuana, a small amount of methamphetamine, and 12 guns -- including handguns, hunting rifles and assault-style rifles at Russell's property. Four of the guns were reportedly registered to the reality star. According to police, the arrest was made when officers were executing a search warrant at Russell's home as part of a sexual assault investigation. He was not booked on any sex crime allegations, and was released on $62,000 bail. Russell is due back in court on June 1 to enter his pleas, ABC News reports. WATCH: 12 Guns, Marijuana and Meth Found in Austin 'Chumlee' Russell's Home When Arrested, Police Say Related Articles UPDATED, 1:06 PM: Austin Russell, known to reality TV fans as Chumlee on Historys Pawn Stars, will plead guilty in Las Vegas to attempted possession of a controlled substance. He was given three years probation on the misdemeanor charge but will avoid jail time. He also was facing a felony count of ownership or possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, but that charge will be stayed under todays deal. Russell agreed to attend counseling and forfeit property seized by Vegas police in a March raid on his home. The gun charge will be dismissed if he completes the terms of his probation. PREVIOUSLY, March 9: Austin Chumlee Russell, who has starred on the popular History program Pawn Stars since its 2009 launch, was arrested today on gun and weapons charges, Las Vegas police confirmed to Deadline. Officers were serving a warrant at Russells house in a sexual assault case when they found at least one gun along with methamphetamine and marijuana. Chumlee mug shot Austin Russell The Las Vegas Metro Police Department said in a statement that Russell, 33, was charged with drug possession and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He was booked in the Clark County Detention Center, and a spokesman at the facility said Russell remains in custody. (His mug shot is at right.) Police said he has not been charged in the sexual assault case but added that the investigation in continuing. A spokesman for History parent A+E Networks said the company had no comment. Neither did series producer Leftfield Pictures. RelatedReality Check: Pawn Stars Experts Trade Fame For Treasure In Lieu Of Paychecks Production wrapped February 24 on the 12th season of Pawn Stars, which quickly became Historys most popular series after its June 2009 premiere. And the burly regular everyone calls Chumlee became an instant fan favorite. At its height, the series drew 7 million viewers. During its 10th season in 2015, it averaged 1.8 million viewers in Live+Same Day. The series spurred spinoffs and offshoots at the cable net including Counting Cars and American Restoration and created a reality subgenre about pawn brokers and their stores. Story continues Set mostly at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop off the Vegas Strip, the series revolves around four main characters: store owner Rick Harrison, his father and shop founder Richard Old Man Harrison, son Corey Big Hoss Harrison, and the latters childhood friend Russell who earned the Chumlee nickname from the walrus sidekick in the old CBS cartoon series Tennessee Tuxedo. It centers on the bartering between the Gold & Silver employees and customers who bring valuable and/or wacky items into the shop. More than 425 episodes of Pawn Stars have been produced to date. Lisa de Moraes and Anita Busch contributed to this report. Related stories El Chapo Documentary, Ozzy Osbourne Series Highlight History's Summer Lineup; 'Six' Gets Premiere Date 'Barbarians Rising': Cast & Premiere Dates For History's Roman Empire Saga El Chapo TV Series In Works At History From 'Narcos' Co-Creator Pawn Stars favorite Chumlee is one step closer to avoiding jail time, and his attorney tells TheWrap that his client is pleased with the terms of a plea deal that awaits court approval. Chumlee, whose real name is Austin Russell, agreed Monday to a deal that will keep him out of a cell, if he keeps his nose clean. We are hopeful the court will accept this very fair resolution between law enforcement and Austin and are pleased with this result, attorney David Chesnoff said. Also Read: 'Pawn Stars' Regular Chumlee to Avoid Jail Time on Drug, Weapon Charges Russell will plead guilty to a felony weapon charge, along with a misdemeanor charge of attempted drug possession. In exchange, the reality TV star will receive three years probation and undergo counseling, Fox News reports. If he manages to avoid trouble during the probationary period, Russells felony count will be dismissed. However, if he should run afoul of the law during that period, Russell will face two to five years in prison for the felony weapons charge. Also Read: 'Pawn Stars' Arrest: Chumlee Had Lots of Pot, Guns and a Dance Pole, Report Says Russell will also not face charges stemming from a sexual assault allegation made against him. As reported last week, an investigation revealed a lack of evidence. Russell was originally charged with prohibited person possession of firearm, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana over 1 ounce and possession of schedule I schedule IV controlled substance, the latter for the Xanax. The reality TV star was arrested following a police search of his Nevada home in March. Also Read: 'Pawn Stars' Cast Member Chumlee Arrested on Drugs, Weapon Charges While the search was triggered by the sexual assault allegation, according to a police report, Russell admitted that they would find four ounces of marijuana in a vault in his home. The report also noted that police found 12 guns, four of them registered to Russell. Police indicated that they also found seven clear capsules containing 1.7 gross grams of methamphetamine in the residence. Story continues Russell is due back in court June 1 to enter his plea. Related stories from TheWrap: 'Pawn Stars' Regular Chumlee to Avoid Jail Time on Drug, Weapon Charges 'Pawn Stars' Arrest: Chumlee Had Lots of Pot, Guns and a Dance Pole, Report Says 'Pawn Stars' Chumlee Is 'Looking Forward to a Truthful Resolution' in Criminal Case, Attorney Says Good news about Savchenko, other two Ukrainians convicted in Russia expected in late May Positive information about the process of returning several Ukrainian citizens convicted in Russia to the homeland is expected already in a few days, the Petro Poroshenko Bloc press service reported on Sunday. "Good news about the political prisoners in Russia [Nadia Savchenko, Yury Soloshenko, Hennadiy Afanasyev] can appear already before the end of May," the Petro Poroshenko Bloc quoted Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker, Ukrainian representative in the Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko as saying. She said that the Ukrainian humanitarian subgroup had been conducting a very large amount of work to return the Ukrainians at the Minsk talks. "I want to note that the president is personally controlling the issue of the release of hostages," Gerashchenko said. "If speaking about the release of hostages, which are being held in occupied Donbas, there are 112 Ukrainians there today: these are the military and civilians. And the process of their freeing is still blocked: militants demand the amnesty be declared," she said. Afanasyev has been a defendant in the case over the setting up of a terrorist community in the Russian internal Republic of Crimea and has been sentenced to seven years at a high-security penal colony in Russia in the previous year as a suspected accomplice of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov. Later, in August 2015, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Sentsov to 20 years at a high-security penal colony for setting up a terrorist community in Crimea. Sentsov pleaded not guilty. On October 14, 2015, the Moscow City Court found Soloshenko, 73, former general director of the state-run enterprise Production Association Zorya (Poltava) guilty of espionage and sentenced him to six years in a high-security penal colony. On March 22, the Donetsk City Court in the Rostov region found Savchenko guilty in the case of killing of Russian journalists, Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin, and sentenced her to 22 years in a penal colony. The court also found her guilty of attempted murder and illegal crossing of the Russian border. Ukraine has later filed to the Russian Justice Ministry a request to extradite Savchenko to serve the punishment in her country. Lima (AFP) - Peru declared an environmental emergency on Monday in 11 Amazon jungle districts where mercury pollution blamed on unregulated gold mining is poisoning people and fish. Tests in the southeastern Madre de Dios region found "mercury pollution above the maximum permitted level, affecting river water, water species and local populations," said a report announcing the decision in the official government gazette. Environmental authorities detected high levels of mercury in local people's bodies which "can cause serious, chronic and complex health problems, particularly in children and pregnant women," it said. Mercury poisoning can affect vital functions such as the nerves, digestive system, lungs and kidneys, according to the World Health Organization. Monday's report blamed the pollution on "unsuitable practices by illegal and unregulated mining during the extraction of gold." Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal said the state of emergency involved sending medical aid and non-contaminated food supplies to the region. He said authorities have advised local people not to eat a species of catfish common in the region that has also been contaminated by the mercury. "We are going to suffer the consequences of mining activity in Madre de Dios for the next 80 years," the minister told a news conference. "We have to attack the root of this problem" by shutting down illegal mining operations, he said. LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian presidential contender Keiko Fujimori widened her lead over rival Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in an Ipsos poll on Sunday, despite a scandal involving Fujimori's top aide. Fujimori was seen winning 52.6 percent of valid votes in the June 5 run-off election compared to Kuczynski's 47.4 percent, according to the results of a mock voting exercise by Ipsos broadcast on local television show Cuarto Poder. The poll was conducted May 19 and 20, a few days after Univision and Cuarto Poder reported that the secretary general of Fujimori's center-right party, Joaquin Ramirez, was under investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A man identified as a DEA informant in the report said he had recorded audio of Ramirez affirming that Ramirez laundered $15 million for Fujimori in 2011. "One would have thought that as a consequence... there would be a spike in mistrust of Keiko Fujimori. That didn't happen," Alfredo Torres, the head of Ipsos in Peru, said on Cuarto Poder. Fujimori, the 40-year-old daughter of imprisoned ex-president Alberto Fujimori, has denied any wrongdoing and portrayed herself as the victim of a smear campaign. Ramirez, who has also denied wrongdoing, offered his resignation letter on Wednesday to keep the scandal from hurting her campaign. The results of the Ipsos survey, which showed Fujimori climbed 2.4 points in a week, were broadcast just before a presidential debate in which she confidently attacked Kuczynski as "elitist" and uncommitted to helping the country's poor. Kuczynski, a 77-year-old former World Bank economist, narrowly moved onto the second-round election after coming in second to Fujimori ahead of a leftist rival. "Kuczynski's plan is made for defending the interests of big businessmen," Fujimori said in her closing comments in the televised debate. "His vision... belongs to the transnational corporation." Kuczynski, who tends to shy away from direct confrontation, pointed to widespread corruption in the 1990-2000 government of Fujimori's father and urged Peruvians to vote for a candidate without any links to drug trafficking. Peru is virtually tied with Colombia as the world's top cocaine producer. "The narco-state is advancing and we have to stop it," Kuczynski said. Fujimori lost her first presidential bid in 2011 to President Ollanta Humala, who cannot run again this year because of term limits. The Ipsos survey of 1,803 people has a 2.3 point margin of error up or down. Some 12 percent of voters were still undecided or planned to cast a spoiled ballot. (Reporting By Mitra Taj; Editing by Michael Perry) Paris (AFP) - Petrol shortages caused long tailbacks of motorists in parts of France on Monday as protesters angry over government labour reforms blockaded some of the country's oil refineries and fuel depots. The action was the latest in three months of strikes and protests against the reform, which has set the Socialist government against some of its traditional supporters and sometimes sparked violence. Workers downed tools at six of France's eight refineries on Monday, the CGT union said. Prime Minister Manuel Valls denounced what he called trade union "blackmail" and urged the French people "not to succumb to panic" over fears that petrol supplies would dry up, assuring that the depots would be "unblocked". The northwest of the country was worst hit at the weekend, with riot police dispersing protesters at some fuel depots. The situation was exacerbated by some motorists rushing to stock up fearing that supplies were about to run out. "Talking about a shortage creates the shortage," said Finance Minister Michel Sapin. Local authorities in some areas imposed rationing, as the employers' federation Medef called on the government to "re-establish the rule of law". - Tailbacks and burning tyres - The government of embattled President Francois Hollande -- who is deeply unpopular and faces re-election next year -- said the situation had improved since Sunday when 1,500 of the country's 12,000 petrol stations had run dry, but did not have fresh figures. The Total group said 509 of its 2,200 stations had either run out or were suffering shortages Monday, up from 390 the previous day. The French authorities said the overall situation was "stable or slightly worse" than Sunday. Tailbacks slowed traffic, particularly in the northwest, where motorists waited for up to an hour to get to the pumps at some filling stations. Originally concentrated in northwest France, the protest action has spread south. Story continues At Fos-sur-Mer, near the Mediterranean port of Marseille, about 500 union activists closed a road leading to a fuel depot with burning tyres. Another road to the nearby refinery was also blocked. And in Donges, near Nantes on the northwest coast, union activists used wooden pallets and burning tyres to block access to a fuel depot. Some drivers were hopping across the border into Belgium to fill up their cars "We are in the front line of this conflict. Without petrol we can't work," said Amazigh, a 24-year-old lorry driver, who was filling his tank in the Belgian border town of Tournai. - 'French people held hostage' - The government, which forced the reform bill through the lower house of parliament earlier this month without a vote, insists it will not back down on the labour reform. Opponents say the law will erode job security and do little to bring down the unemployment rate, stuck at 10 percent and nearly 25 percent for young people. The government argues that the new law will make France's notoriously rigid labour market more flexible and create jobs. Labour Minister Myriam El Khomri, the author of the reform, condemned the blockades Monday. "I have a hard time accepting that workers are being held hostage, that the French people are being held hostage," she said during a visit to Marseille. In a gesture to road haulage drivers over the weekend, the government promised that their overtime pay would not be affected by the reform as they had feared. But another day of strikes and demonstrations against the draft law is planned for Thursday, with ports and trains expected to be also affected. A further day of action is planned for June 14, right in the middle of the Euro 2016 football tournament which will bring thousands of fans to France. "If the government does not withdraw its plan... the mobilisation will continue and increase," CGT general secretary Philippe Martinez warned Monday on RTL radio. However EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has called the French labour plans "the minimum required". Finance Minister Michel Sapin condemned the CGT's action, telling French television: "There is a certain point... at which (protest) action becomes illegitimate". Last week, train drivers and air traffic controllers walked off the job, causing cancellations across the country. Many of the rallies and demonstrations have ended in confrontation between masked youths and riot police. Some 350 members of the security forces have been injured in demonstrations since March. The proposed law now faces a vote in the upper house Senate. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) disclosed that the European Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Package Leaflet for CHAMPIX (varenicline) were updated to add safety and efficacy data from the EAGLES (Evaluating Adverse Events in a Global Smoking Cessation Study) trial. According to Pfizer, as part of the update, the black triangle symbol, which indicated the additional safety monitoring for CHAMPIX in the EU, was removed. The company added that EAGLES was a post-authorization safety study/post-marketing requirement study that was conducted in 16 countries and designed to evaluate the neuropsychiatric safety of CHANTIX/CHAMPIX and bupropion versus placebo and nicotine replacement therapy patch (NRT) in patients with and without a history of psychiatric disorder. The pharmaceutical firm said the outcomes of the EAGLES study were recently published in The Lancet. Secondly, the CHAMPIX EU label update was implemented after the adoption of a positive opinion by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency. The company's CMD for Internal Medicine, Rory O'Connor, reacted to say, "Smoking remains a major public health challenge, causing more than 5 million deaths worldwide each year. Since its introduction in the EU nearly 10 years ago, CHAMPIX has been prescribed to millions of adults to help them stop smoking. The new safety and efficacy information in the European label further supports the importance of CHAMPIX as a treatment option for healthcare providers and for those who are trying to quit smoking." Pfizer said that the European Medicines Agency approval to update the CHAMPIX label applied to all 28 EU member states, apart from Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The company added that the EAGLES data were currently under review by other regulatory authorities worldwide. See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Pfizer Inc. PFE announced that the European Medicines Agency has accepted for review the marketing authorization application for Trumenba (meningococcal group B vaccine). The acceptance marks the initiation of the EMAs review process for the vaccine. Pfizer is looking to get Trumenba approved for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B in individuals aged 10 years and older. We note that Trumenba gained accelerated approval in the U.S. for active immunization for the prevention of invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B in individuals aged 10 through 25 years of age. The company is currently looking to convert accelerated approval to traditional approval. Pfizer, Spark Therapeutics Report New Hemophilia B Data Also, Pfizer and Spark Therapeutics ONCE announced encouraging new data from initial patients dosed in the phase I/II study on SPK-9001, which is being evaluated for the treatment of hemophilia B. Spark Therapeutics' shares jumped 14.4% on the news. Overall, the shares gained 23.3% on the news. Data showed that the first three patients enrolled in the study witnessed adeno-associated virus -mediated factor IX activity levels following one administration of SPK-9001 at the initial low dose level. Additionally, none of the three patients received regular infusions of factor IX concentrates to prevent bleeding events found over the combined 28 weeks of observation. On the safety front, SPK-9001 was found to be well-tolerated and none of the patients required or received immunosuppression. Both companies intend to present an expanded dataset on the first cohort at the meeting of the European Hematology Association next month. We note that Pfizer and Spark Therapeutics entered into a collaboration in 2014 under which Spark Therapeutics will be responsible for conducting all phase I/II studies for any candidate that may be developed under its SPK-FIX program. On the other hand, Pfizer will be accountable for pivotal studies, any regulatory activity and global commercialization of any product that may result from the collaboration. Story continues Pfizer is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock. A couple of other top-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Bristol-Myers Squibb Company BMY and ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ANIP, each sporting the same Zacks Rank as Pfizer. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report PFIZER INC (PFE): Free Stock Analysis Report SPARK THERAPEUT (ONCE): Free Stock Analysis Report ANI PHARMACEUT (ANIP): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman moved Monday to clarify his seemingly inconsistent opinions about the mental capabilities of his long-time mentor and former corporate boss, Sumner Redstone. A Dauman spokesman called it outrageous to cite the CEOs opinion from last fall, that Redstone was engaged, attentive and opinionated as ever, in contrast to Daumans contention Friday that Redstone no longer had the mental capacity to make important decisions. The Viacom CEO suggested that his opinion from last year was only a passing observation, based on two brief meetings, that has been taken out of context and overblown. His new statement Monday said that his earlier observation did not speak to the more important issue in the raging contest for control of Viacom that the companys controlling shareholder, the 92-year-old Redstone, has fallen under the control of his daughter, Shari. Mr. Dauman never asserted that Mr. Redstone was free of undue influence; indeed his lawyers later stipulated that he was susceptible to undue influence, Daumans spokesman said. And Mr. Dauman never commented as to Mr. Redstones competence on any matter, at any time, much less his ability to make conclusive decisions about complex issues concerning large public companies. The question of Redstones mental capacity has come front and center in a mounting furor over control of his corporate empire, which includes CBS Corp. and Viacom. Redstone on Friday evening threw Dauman out as a board member of National Amusements, the holding company through which he controls Viacom and CBS. He also ejected Dauman and another Viacom board member, George Abrams, from the seven-member trust that will decide what happens to Redstones CBS and Viacom holdings when he dies. Dauman on Monday went to a Massachusetts court in an attempt to reverse his ouster. He argued that Redstone now lacks the capacity to have taken these steps. Redstones lawyers countered with their own lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court Monday, attempting to validate the changes in the National Amusements Trust. Their action threw in Daumans face the positive statements he made about the magnate just months ago. Story continues Daumans latest statement, in what has become an almost-hourly tit-for-tat, chastised the Redstone team for moving to validate his changes in California, saying that legal action amounted to Sharis attempt to run away from the Massachusetts courts and to deflect attention from the real issue: Whether our friend and colleague Sumner is under the undue influence of his daughter, surrounded by a web of unfamiliar lawyers and public relations firms that she directs. Related stories Sumner Redstone Goes to Court to Affirm Philippe Dauman Removal Philippe Dauman Files Suit To Block Removal From Redstone Trust Sumner Redstone Opposes Paramount Sale, Slams Dauman; Viacom Asserts Manipulation The fight over the future of Viacom is again escalating on Monday as chief executive Philippe Dauman and George Abrams have together filed a lawsuit challenging their removal from the Sumner Redstone National Amusements Trust. A complaint has been filed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Probate and Family Court and seeks a ruling to invalidate the changes announced on Friday night. Over the weekend, a spokesperson for Redstone said the removal of Dauman and Abrams was necessary given Viacom's performance and their intention to sell Viacom's subsidiary Paramount Pictures. Dauman is expressing concern about Shari Redstone's influence over her father, and the new lawsuit will be the latest to probe the competency of media mogul Sumner Redstone, who will turn 93 later this month. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan by removing professional managers and reportedly installing her daughter, an employee and a friend who are firmly under her control," said Dauman in a statement. "We all continue to have great respect and affection for Mr. Redstone, but he is clearly being manipulated by his daughter, Shari. After years of estrangement, she has inserted herself into his home, taken over his life, and isolated him from anyone not under her control, including longtime business colleagues. In fact, she has recently and repeatedly arranged to deny requests for Viacom board members to meet with her father." Dauman and Abrams (a longtime Redstone attorney) have been ousted from the seven-member Trust that exerts its influence over National Amusements, which owns 80 percent of both Viacom and CBS' stock. National Amusements general counsel Tad Jankowski, family friend Jill Krutick and possibly Redstone's granddaughter Kimberlee Ostheimer are being eyed as replacements. The three are seen as being much closer to Shari Redstone, who has been at odds with Dauman, and the latter is fighting back. According to the complaint filed in Massachusetts, Shari has been the "dissenting voice" in the Viacom boardroom, her "press campaign has includedand misleading statements regarding Viacom's performance," and when Viacom directors voted to replace Sumner Redstone as chairman in February, "Shari cast the lone vote against Mr. Dauman." Story continues The complaint follows on the heels of an unsuccessful petition by Sumner Redstone's longtime companion Manuela Herzer, who was thrown out of his home and attempted to reclaim her position as his healthcare agent. Back in November, Dauman said in a declaration that Redstone was "engaged and attentive," but now his lawsuit states the elder Redstone "cannot initiate or participate in meaningful conversation, including discussions concerning his business or personal affairs. His ability to understand and assess the consequences of his actions is limited. Indeed, during the first week of March, Mr. Dauman visited Mr. Redstone and Mr. Redstone appeared almost totally non-responsive, and could not meaningfully communicate at all." The complaint also asserts that Redstone's moves to oust him from the Trust are being handled by "a lawyer with whom Mr. Redstone has never before been associated." Dauman puts the blame on Shari. "Her singular goal is to assume complete control of his businesses, despite Mr. Redstone's long-term desire for a professionally managed Trust and an independent Board of Directors," added Dauman in his statement. "Shari's actions amount to an unlawful corporate takeover, and if effectuated, could have far-reaching consequences for thousands of shareholders and employees of Viacom." This morning a representative for Shari Redstone said in a statement on her behalf, "It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father or controlling what goes on in his household. Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere, and he has his own team of independent advisors to counsel him on corporate and other matters. As to the idea that Shari, an attorney and respected businesswoman, would 'unlawfully' use his name, that is utterly ridiculous." In launching the lawsuit, Abrams says, "For over 25 years Sumner has discussed his will and various Trusts with me and I was instrumental in setting up this Trust at the time of his divorce. He has impressed on me his wishes that the Trust be managed in a professional manner and that the children of his son and his daughter be treated fairly and equally despite some internal family conflicts. He also discussed at length with me his feelings about Viacom and CBS and the future of both companies. The changes purportedly being made would alter his previously and repeatedly expressed wishes. As a result of some of the information which has recently been received, I believe a court test on the question of undue influence is necessary." Philippe Dauman and George Abrams have filed a lawsuit to invalidate their removal as directors of National Amusements, the private company that controls publicly traded media firms Viacom and CBS. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Probate and Family Court injunction seeks immediate judicial relief and court ruling to invalidate what it calls the purported removal of Dauman and Abrams as trustees of a Redstone Family Trust, as well. Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her fathers well-established estate plan by removing professional managers and reportedly installing her daughter, an employee and a friend who are firmly under her control, Dauman said in a Monday statement. We all continue to have great respect and affection for Mr. Redstone, but he is clearly being manipulated by his daughter, Shari. After years of estrangement, she has inserted herself into his home, taken over his life, and isolated him from anyone not under her control, including long-time business colleagues. In fact, she has recently and repeatedly arranged to deny requests for Viacom Board members to meet with her father, he continued. Her singular goal is to assume complete control of his businesses, despite Mr. Redstones long-term desire for a professionally managed Trust and an independent Board of Directors. Sharis actions amount to an unlawful corporate takeover, and if effectuated, could have far-reaching consequences for thousands of shareholders and employees of Viacom. Also Read: Shari Redstone Calls Viacom's Accusations of Manipulation 'Absurd' My sole purpose in joining in this law suit is to allow a court to determine whether Sumner Redstone, in his current diminished capacity, has been subject to undue influence in his recent actions in changing his Trustees and in changing other documents, Abrams added. For over 25 years Sumner has discussed his will and various Trusts with me and I was instrumental in setting up this Trust at the time of his divorce. He has impressed on me his wishes that the Trust be managed in a professional manner and that the children of the son and his daughter be treated fairly and equally despite some internal family conflicts. Story continues He also discussed at length with me his feelings about Viacom and CBS and the future of both companies, that ousted board member continued. The changes purportedly being made would alter his previously and repeatedly expressed wishes. As a result of some of the information which has recently been received, I believe a court test on the question of undue influence is necessary. Also Read: Sumner Redstone Insists He Ousted Philippe Dauman, Opposes Paramount Sale Shari Redstone is part of a group that controls the future of both CBS and Viacom. Her father, Sumner, unceremoniously removed Dauman and George Abrams from those ranks last Friday night. Some including those at Viacom clearly believe Sumner is too incapacitated to make such a decision, and that Shari is taking advantage of the situation to remove her rivals. The shocking move did seem a bit odd, as Sumner had championed Dauman through most of his career and Shari clearly never wanted her fathers French protege to take the reins of Viacom. The rest of the board seemed fine with that notion of new leadership at the time, handing Dauman the chairman title that previously belonged to Sumner, who is now chairman emeritus. However, Viacom hasnt exactly been a success story for the ages as of late under Daumans leadership read about its rough recent 22 months here. Related stories from TheWrap: Viacom Director: Sumner Redstone Move to Oust Aides Is 'Unsettling and Sad' Shari Redstone: 'I Fully Support My Father's Decisions' in Ousting Philippe Dauman Philippe Dauman Booted From Sumner Redstone Trust, Calls Move 'Illegal' Viacom Board Votes to Stop Paying Sumner Redstone By Manolo Serapio Jr and Neil Jerome Morales MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's vow to root out crime and drug abuse will get a boost from the country's first-time acting win at the Cannes Film Festival for a drama on a small-time drug dealer, a senator and anti-crime advocate said. Filipino actress Jaclyn Jose won Best Actress for her role in "Ma' Rosa", a brutal dive into the Manila underworld directed by Brillante Mendoza. "It will strengthen the fight," Senator Vicente Sotto III, who used to head the policymaking Dangerous Drugs Board under the Office of the president, told Reuters. "It's not only coincidental, but it's providential," said Dante Jimenez, head of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, of Jose's win in a film that tackles drugs and how to eradicate them. Set in Manila's slums, "Ma' Rosa" tells the story of Rosa Reyes, portrayed by the 52-year-old Jose, who owns a small store and sells drugs with her husband to make ends meet. Both are detained at a police station after their home is raided, leaving their three children to find the money needed to pay off corrupt police officers in order to free their parents. It was the first acting honor for the Philippines at Cannes, and also the first international win for Jose. Mendoza, 55, won the Best Director award at Cannes in 2009 for "Kinatay". Jose's victory comes weeks before Duterte is sworn as the Philippines' 16th president. Duterte, who vowed to crush crime, corruption and drug abuse, has a huge lead over his rivals in an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog of the May 9 election. Citing a government report, Jimenez, whose own brother was killed by a drug syndicate in 1990, said 93 percent of the Philippines' 42,000 villages were "drug-infested". Duterte, who is pushing to reimpose the death penalty by hanging, promised to wipe out drugs and criminality within six months of taking office. Duterte's often outrageous comments have won him huge support and his tirades about killing criminals and a joke about a murdered rape victim do not appear to have dented his popularity in the largely Roman Catholic country. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. and Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Nick Macfie) An Australian law firm has filed a compensation claim against Russia and President Vladimir Putin in the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of families of victims of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, shot down on July 17, 2014 over the territories that are not under control of the Ukrainian government, Reuters has said with reference to Australian media reports. The jetliner crashed in Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, including 28 Australians. Australia's Fairfax media reported on Saturday 33 next of kin were of victims named in an application by Sydney law firm LHD Lawyers, representing people from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. The application was filed on May 9 and names the Russian Federation and Putin as respondents and seeks $10 million in compensation per passenger, the report said. Reuters could not immediately reach LHD Lawyers for comment. The Dutch Safety Board, which was not empowered to address questions of responsibility, did not point the finger at any group or party for launching the missile. The Boeing 777 plane of Malaysia Airlines en route from Amsterdam to Kuala-Lumpur crashed on July 17, 2014 in the eastern part of Donetsk region near the village of Hrabove. The jet had 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board, all of whom died. The Dutch Safety Board on October 13, 2015 published a report on the MH17 crash. It says, in particular, that the airliner was shot down by a Buk surface-to-air missile. Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos will finally be allowed a hero's burial, the nation's controversial incoming president said Monday, in what would be a huge win for the late strongman's family as it pursues a return to power. Rodrigo Duterte also said he would pardon ex-president Gloria Arroyo, who is being detained at a military hospital while on trial for graft and vote fraud. The announcements by Duterte, who takes office on June 30, are sure to enrage critics who warned ahead of his landslide election win on May 9 that he was a dictator in the making with no regard for the rule of law. Speaking in his hometown of Davao, Duterte said he was prepared to risk nationwide unrest on the flashpoint issues surrounding two of the nation's most controversial figures. "I will allow protests," Duterte said when asked about the expected reaction. Duterte said he would grant the long-standing wish of the Marcos family to have the patriarch buried at a Manila cemetery for some of the nation's most revered war heroes. "I will allow the burial of Marcos in the Heroes' Cemetery, not because he was a hero but because he was a Filipino soldier," Duterte told reporters. Marcos and his family fled to US exile in 1986 after millions took to the streets in a famous "People Power" revolution. Marcos, who was accused of overseeing massive widespread human rights abuses and plundering $10 billion from state coffers, died three years later in Hawaii. His embalmed body is now stored in a crypt at the family home in the northern Philippines. His son and namesake has led a remarkable political comeback for the family, rising to become a senator in 2010 and running for the vice presidency in the latest elections. Marcos Jnr is currently in second place in the tally count and is likely to lose narrowly to Leni Robredo. However, at 58, he is still young enough to achieve his goal of becoming president. Story continues The Marcos clan has insisted the late ruler deserves to be buried at the cemetery, arguing he was a World War II hero for resisting the Japanese occupiers. However American and local historians have disputed his military credentials. Duterte said allowing Marcos to be buried at the cemetery did not necessarily make him a hero, pointing out other soldiers without gloried reputations were also there. But current President Benigno Aquino, whose parents led the democracy movement against Marcos, did not allow the burial, arguing it would be the "height of injustice". Duterte also said on Monday that he believed Arroyo, who has been detained since 2011, should be free. "I'm ready to grant a pardon to Arroyo. Arroyo to my mind should already be released," Duterte said of the president from 2001 to 2010. MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President-elect Rodrigo Duterte will aggressively implement the country's family planning law to push his economic growth agenda, one of his aides said on Monday, in a move that could add to simmering tensions with the Catholic church. Congress passed a law in December 2012, despite opposition from church leaders, allowing public health centres to hand out contraceptives such as condoms and pills and teach sex education in schools. Duterte is pushing for "rapid and sustained implementation" of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, said Ernesto Pernia, an economic advisor to the tough-talking 71-year-old who assailed the Catholic church on Sunday, calling it "hypocritical". The past six years saw the Philippine economy's average annual economic growth topping 6 percent, but critics say the improvement has not translated into jobs or better livelihoods for millions of poor. About a quarter of the country's population of around 101 million remains poor, official data show. "If you enable families to limit and phase their children to what they can afford and what they can provide for, then that's going to have an effect on poverty and inequality," Pernia said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel. Pernia, a former university lecturer and economist at the Asian Development Bank, will join Duterte's Cabinet as chief of the National Economic and Development Authority. He will form part of an economic team headed by Carlos Dominguez, who has been named finance secretary. Pernia's comments followed Duterte's remarks in Davao City on Sunday saying he would defy the Catholic church's opinion on family planning and might push for a three-child policy, though he did not elaborate how that would be carried out. Duterte, who has yet to be proclaimed the May 9 poll winner, has a huge lead over his rivals based on an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog. He is due to take office on June 30. He is hugely popular in a country that has the largest Catholic concentration of any Asian nation, despite his vow to hang criminals "until the head is completely severed from the body," rape joke, and tirades against Filipino clergies. Pernia said Duterte's economic programme focuses on tackling the urgent need to cut red tape in government and addressing traffic problems in the capital to encourage investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, which will create more jobs. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Michael Perry) Philadelphia hosted two very different national political conventions in the FDR era that reshaped the Democratic Party and saw the surprise GOP nomination of Wendell Willkie. Willkies name has been in the news recently because of the political accession of Donald Trump. Like Trump, Willkie was a businessman with no political experience who campaigned in 1940 to become his partys presidential nominee. But President Franklin D. Roosevelts renomination in 1936 in Philadelphia also had far-reaching implications for the Democrats, as it started the shift away from the southern states as their predictable solid South voting base. Links: Part One Of Series | Part Two Of Series 1936: Roosevelt maneuvers the Democrats to the left There was little doubt that the incumbent President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, would be named as the nominee at Philadelphias Municipal Auditorium and Convention Hall in June 1936. The behind-the-scenes drama had been in the convention run-up, when Roosevelt and his New Deal supporters sought to minimize the influence of the conservative southern states at the convention and within the party. Prior to the 1936 convention, the Democrats required that two-thirds, and not a simple majority, of delegates needed to approve their presidential nominee at the convention. The rule guaranteed that the more-conservative southern states had an effective veto over any nominee, and it greatly increased the odds of extended voting. For example, at the infamous 1924 Klanbake convention in New York, it took 103 ballots to choose West Virginias John W. Davis as a compromise candidate, but not until the Ku Klux Klan made an appearance to object to a potential nominee, New Yorks Al Smith, who was Catholic. In Philadelphia 12 years later, the Roosevelt team ensured that the 1924 experience would not be repeated. Working with James Farley, the Democratic National Committee chair, Roosevelt convinced state party leaders to endorse a majority vote system for Democratic conventions; the FDR team then moved to control the convention rules committee. Story continues The convention itself lasted five days. Roosevelt was acclaimed as the nominee, without opposition, in a voice vote. The highlight was his acceptance speech in front of 100,000 people at Franklin Field. There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny, Roosevelt told a nationwide audience. 1940: An outsider candidate takes the Republican nomination Four years later, the Republican convention in Philadelphia was the polar opposite of the 1936 Democratic affair. There was no expected nominee, and in fact, as many as 12 candidates were expected to fight for the delegates votes. The leading contenders were New Yorks Thomas Dewey and Ohios Robert Taft, who had led in polling leading up the June 1940 convention. But among the other contenders were newspaper publisher Frank Gannett, Michigans Arthur Vandenberg, former President Herbert Hoover and Willkie. The ultimate outsider, Willkie had been a Democrat until 1938. As a corporate attorney and utilities company president, Willkie had also fought with the FDR administration. And as Republican, Willkie gained a national following as he made speeches and earned the support of influential media figures who touted Willkie as a fresh-faced candidate. Willkie also differed from most of the other candidates in that he wasnt an isolationist and he favored American intervention, if needed, in the European war that had just seen France fall to Nazi Germany. And more than 100 Willkie Clubs had sprung up across the nation in the months before the convention; these grassroots organizations wanted an alternative to Roosevelt. At Philadelphias Convention Hall, Willkie supporters packed the audience. Dewey led on the first ballot with 36 percent of the vote, with Willkie in third place. But polling data showed that Willkie and not Dewey or Taft, had more national support. By the third ballot, Willkie turned the tide; the Dewey and Taft supporters tried and failed to broker a compromise where one man was the presidential nominee, with the other as the vice presidential nominee. That effort failed and Willkie was named as the nominee on the sixth ballot, when Pennsylvania and Michigan supported the outsider candidate. His win is considered one of the great surprises in political convention history. Willkie had been considered a 3 percent favorite for the nomination just one month before the Philadelphia convention. In the fall election, Roosevelt easily won an unprecedented third term in office. Recent Historical Stories on Constitution Daily Phillys convention history: When Republicans ruled This day in 1856: Violence on the U.S. Senate floor On this day, Abraham Lincoln is GOP nominee in an upset 23 May - Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach admitted that she has many ideas when it comes to her next venture after her reign, and opening up her own restaurant is one of the few options the beauty queen has in mind. As reported on Push, Wurtzbach, who signed an endorsement contract with Banco de Oro (BDO) recently, stated that she had thought about establishing her own business as soon as she hands over her crown to her successor. "I have many ideas, but then I would keep changing my mind because of different plans and the pageant. I did consider putting up a restaurant, or partnering with some trusted friends or chefs," she said. Wurtzbach also added that she will only get back to her plans after her reign. She continued, "Everything is fleeting. Even my crown is fleeting. My reign is not going to be forever, so I have to think about the future as well." Wurtzbach is no stranger to the culinary world. She previously took up a one-year diploma course in professional culinary and pastry arts, with restaurant operation at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan City. She was even employed as a line cook at a restaurant in England after her graduation, only to return to the Philippines to resume her career in showbiz. (Photo source: instagram.com/piawurtzbach) On May 17, 2016, we issued an updated research report on Pioneer Natural Resources Company PXD. Pioneer Natural Resources oil-weighted reserve base and large drilling inventory (over 20,000 liquids-rich drilling locations in low-risk resource plays) with significant resource potential are catalysts for shareholder value creation. The company boasts a deep inventory of high-return, liquids-leveraged drilling opportunities. Pioneer Natural Resources has increased its production growth guidance for 2016 to 12% from 10%. Despite the weak pricing environment, the company intends to add rigs for the development of its key growth areas the Spraberry and Wolfcamp acreage. The company has also increased capital spending projection for the same. The Texas-based companys strong hedging position cushions it from commodity price fluctuations. It has hedged 90% of the oil production for the remainder of this year and about 80% production for the next year at promising levels. As is the case with other independent exploration and production companies, results for Pioneer Natural Resources too are directly influenced by oil and gas prices, which are inherently volatile and subject to complex market forces. Realized prices could differ significantly from our estimates, thereby affecting the companys revenues, earnings and cash flow. To a certain extent, the companys long-term production and reserve growth depends on its acquire-and-exploit model. In keeping with this, Pioneer Natural Resources may find it difficult to complete accretive transactions in the future. This could, in turn, negatively impact its growth rate. Moreover, disappointing results from the companys properties in the Eagle Ford Shale could pose challenges for the stock. In addition, the Permian operations face potential risks. The company is slowing down its traditional vertical Spraberry program and accelerating the horizontal Wolfcamp program. From an operational point of view, this can create inefficiencies and pose higher execution risk. Stocks to Consider Currently, Pioneer Natural Resources carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the oil and gas sector include CVR Refining, LP CVRR, Murphy USA Inc. MUSA and Braskem S.A. BAK. All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MURPHY USA INC (MUSA): Free Stock Analysis Report BRASKEM SA (BAK): Free Stock Analysis Report PIONEER NAT RES (PXD): Free Stock Analysis Report CVR REFINING LP (CVRR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland has adopted a new law banning construction of wind farms close to dwellings and hiking project costs in a move which the industry says could hobble Poland's move to renewables and away from coal. Wind farms must be built at a distance from housing of at least 10 times the height of the turbine, or about 1.5 to 2 km, under the law which was adopted by the lower house of parliament on Friday. The new regulations will also result in higher property taxes for wind farm owners, which the industry says could trigger bankruptcies. "As a result, wind farms will disappear from the Polish landscape," said Wojciech Cetnarski, head of the Polish Wind Energy Association. Czech utility CEZ, which is developing wind farm projects in Poland, said that if the law was enforced it would be forced to write down the value of some of its Polish assets and would consider seeking potential compensation. Representatives of Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), which designed the new regulations, said that it had to reform regulation of the industry and address citizens' complaints about noise from wind farms. "Because of the renewable energy madness we are reducing our GDP growth," Energy Minister Krzysztof Tchorzewski said, referring to subsidies granted to renewable energy sources. European Union rules call for Poland, which generates most of its electricity from highly polluting coal, to produce 15 percent of it from renewable sources by 2020 versus around 12 percent currently. PiS says the new regulations will not pose a risk to Poland attaining that target. (Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; editing by Jason Neely) Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis embraced the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican on Monday in a historic encounter both sides hope will lead to greater understanding and dialogue between the two faiths. The first Vatican meeting between the leader of the world's Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam marks the culmination of a significant improvement in relations between the two faiths since Francis took office in 2013. "Our meeting is the message," Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, shortly after he had hugged and kissed his guest, Vatican officials told a small pool of reporters covering the event. In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar, an institution that also comprises a prestigious seat of learning, said the two sides had agreed to convene a "peace conference". A statement quoted Tayeb as telling Francis: "We need to take a joint stance, hand in hand, to bring happiness to humanity. Divine religions were revealed to make people happy, not to cause them hardship." The imam's deputy, Abbas Shuman, told Egyptian TV channel CBC that the two leaders had agreed to resume dialogue and that the proposed conference would cover the issues of poverty, extremism and terrorism. The Vatican did not immediately confirm the conference plans. A spokesman said the talks had been "very cordial" with the imam spending 30 minutes with the pope and just over an hour in total at St Peter's. Tayeb's decision to fly to Rome, unexpectedly announced last week, followed the easing of serious tensions that marked the reign of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI. Ties were badly soured when the now-retired Benedict made a September 2006 speech in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly protests in several countries and reprisal attacks on Christians. Pope John-Paul II met the then-grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo in 2000, a year before the September 11 attacks on New York transformed relations between the West and the Islamic world. Story continues Monday's visit was effectively the long-delayed reciprocal meeting and the Vatican said that both clerics had "underlined the great significance of this new meeting". Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope and the imam had "mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world." These included working together for world peace, rejecting violence and terrorism, and the situation and protection of Christians against a backdrop of conflict and terrorism in the Middle East." - Promoting 'true Islam' - The pope presented the imam with a copy of his recent encyclical, Laudato Si', a letter to the faithful in which he urges the world to wake up to the threat posed by climate change and economic inequality. Tayeb decided to accept the invitation to Rome as a result of the numerous conciliatory gestures Francis has made to the Muslim world since being elected in early 2013. "If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening," Shuman told AFP on Sunday, adding that the imam wanted to promote "true Islam and to correct misunderstandings created by extremist terrorist groups." "He encourages countries not to deal with their Muslim citizens as groups that present a threat," Shuman said. "And he encourages Muslims in Western society to meld with their societies... it is a message for both sides." After the tensions of the Benedict years, Francis moved quickly to set a new tone, sending a personal message to the Muslim world to mark the end of the first month of Ramadan of his pontificate. The Argentinian pontiff followed up by pushing various inter-faith initiatives and he was accompanied by both Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Islamic studies professor Omar Abboud when he visited Jordan and Israel in 2014. But perhaps the gesture that clinched the deal was the most dramatic piece of political theatre of his papacy: his April visit to the migrant crisis island of Lesbos which concluded with him bringing three Syrian Muslim families back to the Vatican. This recap contains spoilers for the Preacher series premiere, Season 1, Episode 1. Something is coming war, shouts an African preacher as an unidentified force from Outer Space, as the initial title card suggests, hurtles towards Earth. Midway through his sermon his triumphant speech gets interrupted as hes shell-shocked by that unidentified force, which knocks him to the ground. While his flock deems this a miracle, its quite the opposite as he stands up and starts claiming hes the chosen one, he explodes. Just. Like. That. That gut-filled, gory explosion, the frightened, blood-soaked flock and a creaky upside down cross outside the church pretty much set the tone for the first season of Preacher. Meet Preacher, or Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper). The small town of Annville, Texas generally chooses the former. Hes a drinker, a smoker and his past haunts him just a bit. He skipped town for several years but is back in Annville and has taken up his late fathers congregation. But dont let his western boots and silver tipped wing collar fool you hes still a man of God. Kind of. When young Chris Schenck (who you may recognize from the annoying Peter Pan Geico commercials) approaches Custer after a sermon and enlists him to hurt his dad because hes been abusing his mother, this preacher entertains the idea but ultimately takes the lawful option, calling on the towns Sheriff to take care of the domestic situation at the Schenck home to no avail, of course. Pray for me, Preacher, says little Schenck. If anyone were listening, I would, mutters Custer as the kid walks away. Meanwhile on a private flight, an Irish barman entertains a boozing group of yuppies. But on a quick trip to the bathroom, this Irishman sees a bible and realizes hes been ambushed by these same yuppies. Why? Because hes not exactly like them. Meet Cassidy (Joe Gilgun), a sadistically cheerful Irish vampire who lives on the run. He singlehandedly kills everyone aboard the private flight in spectacularly unhinged fashion. They try to eliminate Cassidy by pouring Holy Water on him but, clearly, that would have been too easy. The killer moment (pun intended), however, is Cassidy annihilating the pilot with a broken champagne bottle and then using said bottle to siphon out a few pints of blood so that, hopefully, after the inevitable crash of the now unmanned plane and Cassidys subsequent skydiving escape, he can regenerate himself. Unfortunately, hes completely disfigured upon landing and his elixir is bust, but a passing cow provides enough nourishment to get Cassidy back on his feet. Arent you a sight for sore eyes, why dont you come down here and given good ol Cassidy a kiss? he says before he devours her. So far, so gory. Story continues Back in Texas, Custer goes to visit Walter, an older member of his congregation who apparently isnt doing so well. But when he arrives at Walters home, Custer runs into his past one he clearly isnt ready to handle, so he ducks out. Meet Tulip, or should we say Priscilla Jean Henrietta OHare (Ruth Negga), who is, quite simply, a badass and also Custers ex-girlfriend. We get the first glimpses of said badassery in Kansas, as she tries to eliminate two thugs in a moving car. She pulls a Mike Tyson and bites one of their ears off (later telling Custer its simply a leftover piece of shwarma). Awesome! So awesome! yells a little kid who, with his sister, sees Tulips murderous rampage. He was a really bad man, clarifies Tulip. In addition to kicking ass and shaping the minds of young children, Tulip is a mastermind; she builds a bazooka out of alcohol, used cans, duct tape and tin toy soldiers. But no matter how tough she is, Custer clearly left a dent in her heart the day he left Annville. But back to the bazooka with it, she takes out a helicopter, more thugs and finishes what we later learn was a job. Tulip tries to convince Custer to take on one of those jobs. But it looks like hes sticking to being a preacher, although shes heard that he pretty much sucks at it. We get little tidbits of their previous relationship, but were barely scratching the surface. Meanwhile, in Russia, theres been an incident similar to the one in Africa. Enter DeBlanc and Fiore more on them later we saw them briefly in Africa after the incident with that exploding preacher, so its safe to say well be seeing them again. Back in Texas, Preacher goes to visit the Sheriffs son, Eugene, who is also known as Arseface. His face is permanently disfigured into, wellyou know, because he tried to kill himself. Hes pretty chipper considering the fact he attempted suicide. His castrating Sheriff of a father doesnt think Eugene should be going to church because he might be distracting to other churchgoers. Wow, way to be harsh, pop. But whats even harsher is that Eugenes prayers and conversations with God have all of a sudden become very quiet. Do you think that there are some things so bad that even God wont forgive? Eugene asks Custer. Custer reassures him that God doesnt hold grudges. His suggestions to Eugene, to really listen to God and get down on his knees, are almost self-reflective. But Custer cant even look at Eugene as he talks about God a clear sign that Custer is having his own doubts about what he preaches. Eugenes overwhelming happiness at the fact that God is willing to forgive further oust Custer as a particularly troubled man of the cloth. Custer doesnt feel that same happiness. Eugene thanks Custer with a hug and a final slurp because, you know, his mouth doesnt close all that well and Custer heads out. Word has gotten out to Betsy Schencks husband, Donnie, that Custer tried to check up on her about what appeared to be domestic violence turns out Betsy likes it. Either way, Donnie isnt too happy about the preachers meddling and meets up with Custer at a bar to lay hands on him in a not particularly healing way. But Custer has the final laugh when Donnie gets too cocky. Custer piques Donnies interest promising that Donnies going to be hearing a bunny in a beartrap noise coming from his own mouth. Custer proceeds to beat him and his cronies up, locking Donnies arm into an unholy position that, in fact, ends up eliciting that high-pitched bunny squeal from Donnie. Custer so far has had a jam-packed schedule. After quite an eventful few days back in Annville, he is thinking of quitting the church. But in one last attempt to regain his faith, Custer heads over to his church and, just like he had told Eugene to do, gets on his knees and prays but instead demands an answer from God. God, please forgive me, he says. Yet, still no answer. But when the doors to the church open Custer feels a sliver of hope. But his hope may be misplaced as an invisible force enters, just like with the preachers in Russia and Africa, knocking pews aside as it approaches Custer until it finally enters him and knocks him out. To be fair, he fared better than the other two holy men. Custer wakes up after three days to find Emily, his church assistant who has major hots for him, and Cassidy, his new vampire friend, at home with him. Preacher is up just in time for the Sunday sermon where hes planning to tell his flock hes peacing out. On his way to church, however, hes intercepted by one of his pesky congregants, who has been whining about his mother to Custer since he arrived back in Annville. When Custer tells him for the umpteenth time to be honest and open his heart to her he takes it all too literally and flies to Florida to see his aging mother and tell her the truth. But, to match the gory precedent, he also cuts out his heart with a butcher knife and hands it to his mother. Back in Texas, Custer looks upon his congregation and Eugene and realizes he cant leave them. Hes going to avenge the innocent and cool the wrathful and welcome those who are lost and speak the word of God This is why Ive come home, to save you. Just then, it looks like the mysterious DeBlanc and Fiore, who may or may not have a penchant for eating teabags, have arrived in Texas on the trail of the mystery force, ominously stating, Its here. Dun-dun-dun. It looks like our Preacher has a newfound power, although hes at the moment unaware of it. People do what he tells them to do, so what is the extent of his power? When will he find out he has it? And perhaps most importantly, why Jesse Custer? The show is taking a break and repeating its first episode next Sunday for Memorial Day, so well have to wait until June 5 to find out. What did you think of the Preacher premiere? Weigh in below. Related stories Cannes Launches Oscar Buzz for 'Loving,' Shia LaBeouf and Kristen Stewart TV Review: 'Preacher' Summer TV Preview: Cable Takes Advantage of Broadcast's Slow Period Loaded with eye-popping action sequences, cheeky humor and unexpected sweetness, the premiere of Preacher, based on the comic book series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, suggests that AMCs supernatural dramedy just might turn out to be the best new show of the year. But we can debate that after youve worked your way through this recap and its reminders of how appealingly badass Dominic Cooper and Ruth Negga were as the titular preacher, Jesse Custer, and his combustible old flame, Tulip OHare. WELCOME TO ANNVILLE | As the pilot began, a shadowy something and surely something is the scientific term for it made its way from outer space to enter and then explode the body of a priest in Africa. Over the course of the episode, this thing made itself briefly at home in one religious type (a magister at a Satanic temple in Russia) after another (Tom Cruise at a Church of Scientology), trailed on its travels by an as-yet-unidentified pair that called to mind the tag team of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd from Diamonds Are Forever. RELATEDFear the Walking Dead Renewed for Season 3 at AMC Meanwhile, in Annville, the towns prodigal son, Jesse, was approached by the young son of Donny Schenck, a churchgoing Civil War re-enactor and all-around ahole. Having heard about the preachers rough-and-tumble past, the boy hoped that Jesse would beat his father for beating his mother, Betsy. Turned down, the kid asked the preacher to pray for him. If anyone were listening, Jesse said to himself, I would. That night, he asked Annvilles sheriff, Hugo Root, to look into the abuse report. And the lawman replied that hed be glad to if and only if Betsy filed a formal complaint. (Charmed.) ACTION FIGURES | Three-thousand feet above Annville, an Irish flight attendant named Cassidy (Joe Gilgun) learned to his horror that he wasnt merely pouring out cocktails for a planeload of rich cokeheads, he was pouring out cocktails for a planeload of something even worse for a blood-sucker like himself: vampire hunters! After doing away with his attackers in a fight scene that shouldve satisfied even John Woo fans, Cassidy grabbed an umbrella to protect himself from the imminent dawn and leapt from the now-pilotless plane. As introductions go, that was gonna be hard to beat. And yet Story continues Preacher Recap Season 1 Tulip did it. We met her in Kansas, as she was locked in an epic battle over a map with two foes in a car speeding through a cornfield. Though she emerged victorious by pulling a Mike Tyson on one of the thugs ears, since more adversaries were on the way, she was forced to recruit the kids on whose farm the car finally died to help her make a bazooka out of tin cans and toy soldiers. (Tough, gorgeous and brilliant to boot? Who could possibly resist Priscilla Jean Henrietta Tulip OHare?!?) RELATEDInto the Badlands Snags Season 2 Renewal at AMC WE ARE WHO WE ARE | Checking in on Tulips Uncle Walter, Jesse deduced that his ex was in Annville and beat a hasty retreat before they could come face to face. However, after paying a visit to Betsy to ask if shed file a complaint against her husband a futile endeavor, since she insisted that she liked being hurt the preacher still wound up reconnecting with Tulip. When he insisted that he was done doing jobs with her, she replied, Im glad we still hate each other. Trouble was, he didnt hate her. I wouldnt know how, he admitted. Dont make me teach you, then, she shot back. (Banter grade: A.) Later, Jesse paid a visit to Sheriff Roots teenage son, Eugene, aka Arseface, who feared that the man upstairs was mad at him for shooting himself in the face (an act that left him with what looked like an anus for a mouth). God doesnt hold grudges, the preacher assured him. And if Eugene listened really closely the next time he prayed, Jesse was sure that hed once again hear the Lord talking back. MESS WITH THE BULLY | After making Cassidys acquaintance at the local watering hole, Jesse was assaulted by Donny for talking to his wife. Even as the d-bag taunted the preacher about what a tough guy he was supposed to have once been, Jesse didnt raise a hand to him. Until, that is, Donny announced that he was gonna go home and whup his son for tattling on him. Dont touch him, Jesse said. Whatd happen if Donny did? Youd hear a noise, Jesse replied, like a bunny might make if it was caught in a bear trap. And Donny would be making the noise. Obviously, a huge brawl ensued. Once Jesse with a helping hand from Cassidy had clobbered not only Donny but all of his fellow Civil War re-enactors, he asked if the creep was ready to hear that noise then broke his arm. RELATEDHell on Wheels: Final Seven Episodes Gets Premiere Date at AMC Arrested for his troubles, Jesse was bailed out by Emily, the young, widowed mom who helped him out at the church because she so clearly dearly loved him God. Unfortunately, the preacher didnt just thank her for being such an asset (ow!), he informed her that he was hanging up his collar. Still, he was willing to give the Almighty one last chance. So, upon entering the church, he gave God basically a Speak now or forever hold your peace ultimatum to which God didnt respond. Something did, though in fact, the thing that opened the show. It arrived and boom! Knocked Jesse on his ass. POWER? SUPER | Following a flashback to a young Jesse promising his about-to-be-murdered father that hed grow up to be one of the good guys cause theres way too many of the bad he awakened to learn from Emily that hed been out for three days. Now it was Sunday, the day he was supposed to tell the congregation that he was quitting. On his way into church, he was waylaid by Ted, a parishioner who, throughout the episode, had complained about his mothers criticisms. Be brave, said Jesse, something magical occurring as he spoke. Tell her the truth. Open your heart. Miraculously, off Ted went to do just that. At the pulpit, Jesse was starting to explain why he was giving up when he realized that he couldnt do it. Instead, he gave a helluvan inspirational speech, promising to be the good preacher that his flock deserved. This is why Ive come home to Annville, he concluded, to save you. But at what cost? While Jesse was re-turning over his new leaf, Ted was at his moms retirement home literally cutting into his chest to open his heart to her. Luckily or not? the duo whod been pursuing the thing were just arriving in Annville. So, what did you think? Grade the premiere below, then hit the comments with your review. Launch Gallery: Preacher Season 1 Photos Related stories Fear the Walking Dead EP on Chris' 'Breaking Point,' Alicia and Jack's Future and the Back Half of Season 2 Fear the Walking Dead Showrunner Talks Madison's Rick Grimes Moment, Daniel's Fiery 'Grave' and More Fear the Walking Dead Midseason Finale Recap: Ready... Flame... Fire! About half of Ukrainians believe that their country should first carry out reforms and only then think about European Union membership; a mere 6% of Ukrainians currently support the idea of Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO, as is seen from the findings of a poll of 2,000 respondents GfK Ukraine conducted in all regions of Ukraine, except the areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions currently not controlled by Kyiv, under a contract with the Institute of World Politics. The findings are available on the Yevropeiska Pravda (European Truth) website. Asked what the Ukrainian leadership should do if the European Union does not grant Ukraine a membership perspective in the near future, 46% said "it's necessary first to carry out reforms and only then talk about European Union membership." Another 16% believe Ukraine should rely only on itself ("Ukraine doesn't need to join anything, we will do on our own"), a mere 6% supported integration with the EU and NATO, 7% suggested that "the European Union will break apart anyway," 1% chose something else, and 21% were undecided. In terms of age, a mere 9% of older Ukrainians believe that, if the negotiations with the EU fail, Ukraine should join the Eurasian Economic Union, 18% of such respondents support Ukraine's self-isolation, and about a quarter of them were undecided. There are significantly more supporters of the idea that reforms should precede membership among younger respondents: about half of those aged between 18 and 34 hold this view. In geographical terms, more than half of Ukrainians living in the western (58%) and northern (51%) parts of the country and also in Kyiv (56%) give priority to reforms. This figure is somewhat lower in the center (42%), at the same time, quite a lot of respondents 25% - are undecided there. In the southern and eastern regions, 36% and 34% of respondents respectively prioritize reforms. The share of those undecided is significantly lower in the south (17%). Only about 23% of those living in southern Ukraine believe their country should not join any association or alliance. The number of those who believe that Ukraine should not integrate into the EU because it will break up is also the highest there (13%). Asked whether the signing of an association agreement with the EU was the right step, 41% said yes, 25% said this was a mistake, 11% did not care, and 23% were undecided. The share of those supporting the agreement is the highest among the young (49%) and middle-aged (45%) respondents and the lowest among those aged 65 or older (31%). The share of the EU association agreement supporters is higher among men (48%) than among women (36%); as many as 26% of women are undecided. The highest number of those approving of the signature of the agreement is in western (74%) and northern (53%) parts of Ukraine and in Kyiv (52%). Only 14% share this view in eastern and 19% in southern Ukraine. In the central part of the country, 33% approve of this agreement and 22% disapprove of it, with 34% of those undecided. In southern and eastern parts of the country, there are 26% and 29% of those undecided respectively. Asked when they expected to feel a positive effect from the association agreement with the EU, 23% said they expected this within the next five years, 14% within the next ten years, and 19% said the agreement would produce only negative consequences. As many as 1% have already felt some positive effects and 9% expect such effects within one year. Another 33% said they did not know when the agreement would bring about positive effects. In western Ukraine and in Kyiv, about a quarter of those polled (25% and 26% respectively) do not know when the agreement would produce a positive effect. In the central, southern, and northern parts of Ukraine, this figure is about 35%, and in the eastern 45%. The highest number of those expecting positive results from the agreement within the next five years is in western regions and in Kyiv (38%), while there are only 19% of such people in the northern part and 7% in the eastern part of the country. As many as 36% of respondents in the southern and 40% in the eastern part of Ukraine respectively believe the agreement would bring about only negative consequences. Based on the award-winning comic series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, Preacher takes to the small-screen pulpit on May 22 on AMC. As I say in my video review above, if you are a believer in gallows TV then you should take a leap of faith with this more consistently solid and fun than expected supernaturally propelled offering from executive producers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and showrunner Sam Catlin. Keeping all the rough edges, ultra violence, deformities and deifications of the source material, the 10-episode first season of Preacher stars Dominic Cooper as the hard-drinking and conflicted Rev. Jesse Custer. The preacher, who describes himself as a just another man who hurts by not helping, has returned to an unhappy flock in the backwater West Texas town he grew up in a place full of sin, paint-ballers and complaining parishioners. Custer is about to give up the cloth once way or another when a force from the beyond shows up and, lets just say, infuses him with something like a holy spirit and thats the thrust of our rewarding tale. deadline-review-badge-dominic-patten The heart of Preacher however is Custers newly acquired sidekick Cassidy, a hedonistic Irish vampire, and the right Reverends criminally inclined ex-girlfriend Tulip OHare. Both gleefully played with a ton of bite and spice, This Is England alum Joseph Gilgun and Marvels Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. semi-regular Ruth Negga, respectively, take Preacher off the leash. Add to that Jackie Earle Haley as well as a local and not necessarily upstanding power broker and you certainly have yourself something resembling a party. With big aims in mind, AMC has been escalating the Preacher promotional hype with trailers premiering during blockbuster The Walking Dead plus targeted screenings at TCA, SXSW and more to get the good word out. You can buy into that, but better yet, I say just sit down and give Preacher a bit of your Sunday it could make a true believer out of you. Story continues Click on my review above and tell us what you think. This review was originally posted on May 9 Related stories iPic Conspiracy Claim Against AMC & Regal Will Go To Trial In Clearances Case 'Fear The Walking Dead' EP Gale Anne Hurd Talks Explosive Midseason Finale, 'Walking Dead' Season 7 & What's Next 'All The Way' Review: Bryan Cranston & Anthony Mackie Superb In LBJ/MLK Pic May 23 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. The Times * Up to seven possible buyers have prepared final proposals for bids on Tata Steel's Port Talbot operations, as deadline for final submissions will close on Monday. (http://bit.ly/1YPILyf) * Eight executives of Heathrow airport could share a 10 million pound bonus pool, with part of the payout dependent on their creating the right "political climate" to approve a third runway. (http://bit.ly/1NFGGV5) The Guardian * UK's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the UK needed a serious debate about wealth creation, as he called for a new style of economics to tackle Britain's "grotesque inequality". (http://bit.ly/1NFGHZd) * Philip Green, who offloaded BHS for 1 pound leaving a 571 million pound deficit in its pension fund, could work with Members of Parliament on drafting new laws to ensure pensioners are protected in future, the MP Frank Field has suggested. (http://bit.ly/1NFGLIq) The Telegraph * One of Marks & Spencer's largest shareholders, Columbia Threadneedle, has called on the retailer to shed some of its underused stores, as new boss Steve Rowe prepares to unveil an overhaul of the company. (http://bit.ly/1YPC0wq) * A Long-running attempt by the private-equity tycoon Guy Hands to offload Odeon Cinemas has attracted interest from cinema chains in Mexico and Belgium. (http://bit.ly/1YPCbYs) Sky News * Household bills for food and clothing will rise by an average of 220 pounds a year if Britain leaves the EU, according to British Prime Minister David Cameron. (http://bit.ly/1YPC3rZ) * UK's Labour Party leader John McDonnell has claimed that the Labour Party helped to create an "unfair tax system" when it was last in power. (http://bit.ly/1YPCL8N) (Compiled by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese) May 24 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines * Goldman warned Green lieutenant BHS buyer had been bankrupt. (http://on.ft.com/1TzLzOy) * Fracking wins first approval in 5 years thanks to North Yorkshire. (http://on.ft.com/1TzLuuf) * Battle for control of Viacom heads to court. (http://on.ft.com/1TzLBpK) Overview * Retail tycoon Philip Green's Arcadia group was warned by a senior Goldman Sachs banker that a possible suitor of its BHS department store chain had a history of bankruptcy, British lawmakers were told on Monday. * Officials in northern England approved a shale gas fracking application from Third Energy on Monday in a shift indicating growing support for shale gas that Britain's government hopes can counter the decline in North Sea output. * The legal battle over control of Sumner Redstone's $40 billion media empire has investors hopeful that change will come to underperforming Viacom Inc. (Compiled by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Hay) Reynolds American's Update on Developing Broad Brand Strategies (Continued from Prior Part) Santa Fes volume growth Reynolds Americans (RAI) Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Companys Natural American Spirit brand aligns with consumers seeking authentic products. The company notes that Natural American Spirit brand is made of natural, additive-free tobacco. Natural American Spirit is a super-premium, undiscounted brand, which helped Santa Fes volume growth in 1Q16 rise above 20%. Among the other tobacco companies, Vector Group (VGR) and Altria Group (MO) do not produce additive-free tobacco cigarettes. Despite consumers being aware of the Natural American Spirit brand, less than 30% of adult consumers understand the brands proposition of environment-friendly products. According to the companys chief operating officer, Debra Ann Crew, Natural American Spirit ranks as the number seven cigarette brand in the US. Initiatives for awareness Reynolds American (RAI) continues to focus on the expansion of Natural American Spirit increasing its retail distribution in the US, as well as outside the US. As a result, RAI successfully completed the sale of the Natural American Spirit brands international rights to Japan Tobacco (JAPAY) (JAPAF) for $5 billion. RAI also started a direct mail campaign focused on direct communications with adult smokers, addressing the distinctive taste of Natural American Spirit. This increased communications by 30% in 1Q16, resulting in improving the brand education of its adult smokers. In addition, the brand acknowledges Earth Day and participates in cigarette litter prevention activities to communicate its earth-friendly business practices. This helped the double-digit organic growth of the brand. Moist snuff According to Crew, American Snuffs Grizzly brand is the top moist snuff brand in the US. The brands four-week Pack a Better Pouch, Pick a Better Prize promotion held on Grizzly.com doubled its number of adult consumers in February 2016, which was up by 50% from 2015. Grizzly experiences 10 million website page views from digital interactions. Story continues In the next part of this series, we will discuss the FDAs regulations for the innovation of vapor products. Reynolds American (RAI) comprises 3.6% of the PowerShares Dynamic Market Portfolio ETF (PWC). Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: NBA: Playoffs-Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors USA TODAY Sports Even with their Game 3 win on Saturday, there hasnt been much drama in the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Raptors avoided a sweep, but its still largely seen as an inevitability that Cleveland will be back in the Finals, unless absolutely everything breaks right for Toronto. One thing that could break right for them in a major way: indications are that Jonas Valanciunas could be back for Mondays Game 4, after he had been out since Game 3 of the Raptors second-round series against the Miami Heat with a right ankle sprain. Related Links: Jonas Valanciunas (ankle) upgraded to gametime decision. Signs are that he will play tonight for Raptors vs. Cavs. Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) May 23, 2016 Asked if Jonas Valanciunas (sprained ankle) will play in Game 4, Dwane Casey said, "We'll see." Some optimism within organization, too. Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) May 23, 2016 Before the injury, Valanciunas had been the Raptors best offensive player in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Getting him back is huge for their chances at pulling off the upset here, even though its still a longshot. At the very least, it takes the burden off of Bismack Biyombo, who has been producing in a big way since the injury but is still best suited to a reserve role given his offensive limitations. And anything that keeps Dwane Casey from having to play Luis Scola at all is a positive. It remains to be seen whether Jonas will be able to provide enough of a post presence to open things up on the perimeter for their backcourt, but theyre a lot more balanced offensively when Valanciunas is healthy and contributing. From Esquire Since the public lands of the United States belong to all of us, what say we see what the various greedy gombeens of our political and economic elites have been up to on our land? Oh, let's start here, where the Bozeman Daily Chronicle has alerted us to the fact that there are members of the House of Representatives who are anxious to give us the General Goods Glacier National Park. Or something. Take the Antiquities Act, for instance. For 110 years, presidents of both parties have used the law to designate national monuments and protect our shared heritage. This law has been wildly successful for protecting natural and historic places including many important waterways and fishing grounds. Over the past several years, anti-conservation voices in Congress, led by Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, have sought to gut the Antiquities Act and prevent presidents from protecting our public lands and heritage. This is almost unbelievable considering that Americans of all stripes support protecting these places. In addition, our public lands support a $650 billion outdoor recreation industry that includes fishing on our nation's rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. In addition to attacks on the Antiquities Act, public lands critics in Congress are also pushing to privatize, sell off and transfer to states our shared national lands. This is an antithesis to our democracy. Proponents of transferring our shared public lands to the states often argue that these lands will still be protected. However, the reality is different as states often do not have the administrative capacity or budget to manage these lands at the same level of protection offered by the federal government. It is for this reason AFFTA recommends these lands remain in the hands of all Americans, rather than in the hands of individual states or private interests. Keep an eye on Bishop. He just tried a neat trick with the help of Paul Ryan, the zombie-eyed granny-starver from the state of Wisconsin and first runner-up in our most recent vice-presidential pageant. The Congress managed to reach a "bipartisan deal"-grab your wallets, immediately-regarding the economic crisis in Puerto Rico. Bishop was behind a proposal to turn federal lands on the island of Vieques over to Puerto Rico, which is exactly what he wants to do in Utah with, say, Zion National Park. The Democrats working on the bill spotted this, however, and stripped that provision from the relief package Bishop was pitching. If you're wondering what Bishop's true feelings are, here's a little video for your edification. Story continues Yes, he does say the Antiquities Act is more "evil" than, say, the Fugitive Slave Act. He was the chairman of the House Natural Resources committee when he said it. Thanks, America. Meanwhile, the good folks at DeSmog Blog have hipped us to some shenanigans afoot regarding the upcoming auction of the right to explore for fossil fuels on the public lands. A representative from something called the Interstate Oil and Gas compact commission pronounced herself weary of how the public, which owns the land, keeps getting in the way of the various pits, gouges, and despoliations that make her bosses rich. So Western Energy Alliance is planning some counter-efforts with Keep It In The Ground which we'll be announcing probably later this month. We've also been working with BLM and Congress to say 'Let's just get rid of this circus, let's just have online auctions. eBay is out there, it can be done.' So BLM has also expressed concern for its employees as well. In fact, BLM Director [Neil] Kornze, in a hearing a couple months ago, was asked about all of these protests and even equated these protests with the militia who shut down and occupied the Malheur Wildlife Reserve in Oregon. So BLM is likewise concerned about the safety of its employees and it put in place security measures at last week's auction. But, what we're saying and what a lot of people are saying is, 'Let's just get rid of the circus. Let's do online auctions.' So hopefully BLM is compelled even more after Thursday to move in that direction. Pardon me, but working with whom? I consulted with Blog Director of Research Dr. Google and we agreed that the representative of the WEA probably found her material in the archives of legendary scientist Dr. Otto Yerass. The extraction industry and its various front groups have been working overtime to demonize the Keep It In The Ground movement, which did indeed cause a postponement of a land-use auction in Utah. (Here's a bit of propaganda from the WEA itself. You will note that the release pretty much wins at wingnut Bingo. Soros!) What the WEA rep is referring to is a House Oversight committee hearing into what happened at the Utah sale. Here's the video; the salient moment comes at about the 54:30 mark. Congresswoman Sherry Lummis asks Kornze if allowing protestors into the sale was "abnormal." Kornze replies that, hell, the BLM has had a pretty abnormal year, what with gun-toting lunatics drawing down on BLM personnel and taking over bird sanctuaries. You have to stretch pretty far to say he was "equating" the Keep It In The Ground people with the Bundy Bund. But those are the gymnastics required of you if your livelihood depends on razing the common wilderness. Or, as Boris's father in Love and Death put it... Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. SHANGHAI, May 23 (Reuters) - China Molybdenum (CMOC) said Chinese regulators have asked it to disclose how it will finance its $1.5 billion acquisition of Anglo American Plc's niobium and phosphates business in Brazil. The request comes after CMOC, one of China's largest producers of molybdenum, agreed to buy Freeport-McMoRan Inc's stake in the Tenke copper project in Democratic Republic of Congo for $2.65 billion. The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) asked CMOC to disclose how it proposed to finance the Brazil deal, requesting details on the percentage of debt it would use and whether it would enter into framework agreements for borrowing with banks, the company said in a statement posted on the SSE on Saturday. The SSE also asked CMOC to conduct an analysis of the impact new debt would have on financing expenses, the asset-to-liability ratio and to detail the measures the company would take to deal with resulting financial risks. The SSE stated that the use of debt finance would cause CMOC's asset liability ratio to rise, increasing operating costs and risks. (Reporting by Engen Tham; Editing by Stephen Coates) Bloomberg reported on Monday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission began an investigation into Deutsche Bank AG (USA) (NYSE: DB) and its mortgage-bond trading business. Investigators are examining the positions the bank's unit held and whether the bank delayed recording losses on certain securities over an extended period of time. A delay in writing down bonds could have helped boost the bank's earnings for at least a few quarters in 2013, the report added. "We are cooperating with this investigation, which is looking into previously recognized losses on certain positions," Amanda Williams, a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bank told Bloomberg. This isn't the first time that Deutsche Bank has come under the cross-hairs of a regulatory body. Regulators accused the company's executives in 2013 of having inadequate oversight of its employees and problems in reporting to both regulators and public investors. Despite the report shares of Deutsche Bank were trading higher by 0.71 percent at $17.03 early Monday afternoon, although they did spike down when news first hit. See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Verizon in 1Q16: Challenges on the Road to 5G Verizon on initial 5G deployment During the MoffettNathanson Media and Communications Summit 2016 held on May 19, 2016, Fran Shammo, Verizons (VZ) executive vice president and CFO, discussed the companys key challenges in its deployment of 5G. Shammo said, So when you think about commercial launch, when spectrum is freed up, when the standards are made, anybodys guess at this point, but it is not going to be in 2017. He added, I think the industry commercially with the manufacturers and where we are with our network, we could actually go as early as 2017. The overhang here is, first and foremost, you need standards set. 5G spectrum Regarding the 5G spectrum, Shammo noted, We currently have 28 given to us from the FCC for trial purposes. And as you know with the XO acquisition, we have an option to buy more 28 gigahertz. But we have to get that scenario set because the standard may be set at 39. He added, But really then, once you get the standard set then it comes down to the FCC. He stated that freeing up the spectrum for 5G is probably going to be a little slower roll. In February 2016, Verizon signed the purchase agreement for XO Communicationss fiber assets in an ~$1.8 billion transaction. The company expected to complete this transaction in 1H17. 5G versus 4G According to a March 13, 2015, Recode article, the expected theoretical peak download speed of 5G is 10 Gbps (gigabits per second). The latency for the technology is expected to be ~1 millisecond. The theoretical peak download speeds and latency of 4G are 1 Gbps and ~50 milliseconds, respectively. For diversified exposure to select telecom companies in the US, you may consider investing in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). This ETF held a total of ~2.7% in AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), CenturyLink (CTL), Frontier Communications (FTR), and Level 3 Communications (LVLT) at the end of April 2016. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: The legal defense of Russian citizens Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev will not appeal their sentence but may file a pardon appeal after the Ukrainian court's judgment takes effect, Alexandrov's lawyer Valentyn Rybin told Interfax on Monday. "We have made a decision not to lodge the appeal," the lawyer said, adding that the appeal deadline would expire on May 23 and the sentence would take effect in the small hours of May 24. The defense team plans to use legal mechanisms, Rybin said. "A pardon appeal may be filed with Ukrainian President [Petro Poroshenko]," he said. In his words, this appeal may be filed on behalf of the convicts or their lawyers. In turn, Yerofeyev's lawyer Oksana Sokolovska told Interfax that the sentence had actually taken effect on May 23. She also said they would file a pardon appeal. "We will lodge the pardon appeal with the president," Sokolovska said. She did not specify how long the appeal might be processed, as the law did not set a definite timeframe for that procedure. She wrote on Facebook later that the pardon appeal would be filed "shortly". A panel of judges in the Kyiv Holosiyivsky District Court sentenced Yerofeyev and Alexandrov to 14 years on April 18, 2016. John C. Reilly is one of the few actors around equally comfortable in a prestige drama from Terrence Malick or Martin Scorsese as in a wackadoo comedy opposite Will Ferrell. Reilly is right at home, then, in The Lobster, Yorgos Lanthimoss acclaimed, dark yet hilarious new film that takes place in a draconian future where people who cant find mates are turned into animals. Related: Colin Farrell Talks Absurd New Gem 'The Lobster and Gaining 40 Pounds for the Part Oh, yeah, and Reilly can sing his butt off, too. The 50-year-old earned an Oscar nomination for playing the lowly Amos Hart in the hit musical and Best Picture winner Chicago (named for Reillys hometown). Then there are films like Walk Hard, which combine the actors comedic and musical talents all delivered with a dramatic undertone. I approach comedy as if its a drama, and thats what makes it funny, Reilly told Yahoo Movies in our new episode of Role Recall (watch above). Some highlights: Casualties of War (1989) Reilly made his screen debut at 22 in this Vietnam War drama directed by Brian De Palma, who was so impressed with the actors work that the filmmaker expanded Reillys role in the film. That movie was insane for me, he said. It was the first time I had ever been on an airplane, the first time I had ever been out of the Midwest, the first time I had ever been in a movie. It was wild. Boogie Nights (1997) I just remember that as being the best summer of my life, Reilly said about this beloved '70s porn industry tale directed by his close friend and longtime collaborator Paul Thomas Anderson and featuring an ensemble that included Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. We were pulling all these people into our mad world of improvisation and our sense of humor. Related: Mark Wahlberg Role RecallBoogie Nights, Three Kings, The Departed, and More Story continues Chicago (2002) Reilly described what it was like to film his solo number, Mr. Cellophane, in this song-and-dance hit, one of three Reilly films that earned a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars that year (it beat out Gangs of New York and The Hours). We were in this cavernous, industrial space and it was pitch black in front of me. So to me it was just like being on stage and performing. I couldnt see the cameras, I couldnt see the crew, I couldnt see anybody. Step Brothers (2008) Reilly had a string of big comedy hits in the '00s, including Talladega Nights and Walk Hard, but none gets him more admirers than this laugher that paired him with Ferrell as highly stunted man-children whose parents marry. People come up to me every day about that movie, he said. For a big, broad comedy, people found a lot of common ground in that movie. The Lobster is now in select theaters. Watch the trailer: Bucharest (AFP) - Romanian campaigners said Monday they had collected three million signatures on a petition to block same-sex unions in the EU member state. Several groups linked to the Orthodox Church and united under the umbrella Coalition for Family are seeking a constitutional amendment to narrowly define marriage as the "union between a man and a woman". It is the second such move in Europe this month after a group of mostly right-wing Italian politicians said they will push for a referendum to overturn the introduction of gay civil unions in their country. "This is a historic moment," said Mihai Gheorghiu, one of the leaders of the Romanian initiative, which has been given strong backing by the Church. "Three million Romanians, in an unprecedented show of solidarity, signed this proposed amendment." The campaigners want parliament to change the wording of the current law which says marriage is a union between "partners", but they face strong opposition from gay rights groups. "This initiative's only goal is to incite public opinion against LGBT people," countered Accept, a group that promotes the rights of the LGBT community. This "offensive" is aimed at "further curtailing the rights of these minorities," Accept member Florin Buhuceanu told AFP, denouncing a "worrying erosion of Romanian democracy". Parliament will have to verify that the petition accords with the law and if no irregularities are found, Romania will organise a referendum on the issue. Rights groups including Accept, Amnesty International were were able to stave off a similar proposed amendment in 2013. Homosexuality in Romania was illegal until 2000, when the country decriminalised it after harsh criticism from the European Union and the Council of Europe. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said it was not discussing joint air strikes with Russia on Monday and called on Moscow to press Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to cease air strikes against opposition forces in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs. "We're not looking at joint operations," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner. "We're discussing with them proposals for sustainable mechanisms to better monitor and enforce the cessation of hostilities - we're not talking about joint operations." Toner said the United States was concerned about an uptick in violence in Syria - by both Islamic State and Assad's forces - and said Russia had a special responsibility to press the Syrian leader to end attacks and strikes that kill civilians. The Syrian government needs to recognize that "if this keeps up, we may be looking at a complete breakdown" of the cessation of hostilities, Toner said. A truce brokered by the United States and Russia in February has been unraveling for weeks. Washington urged the Assad regime to end its escalating attacks on Aleppo and Daraya, as well as besieging towns and obstructing humanitarian access, the department said. "Secretary Kerry raised these concerns in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov earlier today and urged him to press the regime to cease at once airstrikes against opposition forces and innocent civilians in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs," the State Department said in a statement. Islamic State claimed responsibility for bombs that killed nearly 150 people and wounded at least 200 in Jableh and Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast on Monday in the government-controlled territory that hosts a Russian military base. (Reporting By Arshad Mohammed and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chris Reese and Alan Crosby) By Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost airline, is prepared for a fare war to break out later this year and will cut its own fares sharply to increase its market share to sustain profits, it said on Monday. The Irish airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, also reported a 43 percent increase in net profits to 1.24 billion euros (0.96 billion pounds) in the year ended March 31, in line with analysts' forecasts. The cuts in fares, which will be focused on the winter season, will heap further pressure on rivals who have already warned about the impact of increasing competition on fares and have trimmed some plans for increases in capacity as a result. Ryanair's profit growth will also slow to 13 percent in the year to end-March 2017, with its fares expected to fall by an average of 7 percent over the year and by between 10 percent and 12 percent in the winter months compared with a year ago, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said. "If there is a fare war in Europe, then Ryanair will be the winner," he said in a video presentation following publication of its results. Any revision to the forecast for average fares was more likely to be down than up, he added. The lower fares will enable Ryanair to boost its passenger numbers by 9 percent to 116 million passengers, increasing its leadership of European aviation in terms of traffic. "This is a competitive signal to the legacy incumbents that this winter Ryanair intends to take further share," Investec analyst Robert Murphy said. Rivals including British Airways owner IAG, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have warned recently about the impact of increasing competition on fares. Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told reporters last week there was "too much capacity in the market." O'Leary also said he was more cautious than rivals about the summer period, when European airlines make almost all of their profit, saying fares in the three months to the end of September would be "flat if not slightly down." Story continues He warned, however, that the combination of falling fares and increasing oil prices could weigh on profitability in the year to March 2018. Ryanair described as "cautious" a forecast of a rise in profit to between 1.38 billion euros and 1.43 billion euros for the current financial year. That is short of the consensus market forecast of 1.47 billion euros according to a poll of more than 10 analysts conducted by the company. Ryanair's shares outperformed rivals last year as it improved its customer service without increasing fares, but its share price performance has been in line with that of the sector since the start of the year. Ryanair shares were up 1.5 percent at 13.41 euros at 0925 GMT on Monday. On a morning that the oil price fell around 1 percent, rival easyJet's shares were up 0.5 percent at 14.77 pounds while Lufthansa, IAG and Air France's shares were all up between 1 and 2 percent. (Editing by David Goodman and Greg Mahlich) New York (AFP) - The chairman and chief executive of media giant Viacom challenged on Monday the attempt to oust him from elderly billionaire Sumner Redstone's family trust, which controls both Viacom and CBS Corp. Philippe Dauman, the Viacom chief, and board member George Abrams, filed a court complaint alleging that Redstone's daughter Shari is abusing her power to seize control of the $40 billion media empire against her father's wishes. But Redstone's lawyers say the colorful 92-year-old tycoon made the decisions himself, and blasted the two for suggesting he was not mentally competent to handle his own affairs. The lawyers countered Monday by asking a separate court to endorse the removal of Dauman and Abrams. The moves follow a chain of events that began when Shari Redstone won oversight over her father's health care early this month after a court battle with his ex-girlfriend. On Friday Shari Redstone, the vice chair of both CBS and Viacom, appeared to consolidate that power after her father dismissed both Dauman and Abrams from the board of National Amusements Trust, the Redstone family trust that has a controlling shareholding in both companies. - Still 'engaged & attentive' - A spokesman rejected allegations that Sumner Redstone was not fit to make such decisions and that he was manipulated by his daughter. He criticized both Dauman and Abrams for focusing on estate issues and not on challenges at Viacom itself. Sumner Redstone remains "engaged, attentive and as opinionated as ever," spokesman Mike Lawrence said, and he removed the two from the trust "based on what Mr. Redstone believes are the best interests of beneficiaries and shareholders." The spokesman did note that Redstone "has significant speech impairment" and so does not make verbal statements on the important corporate issues. But on Monday Dauman and Abrams asked a Massachusetts family court to invalidate the order for their removal, saying it represents "an unlawful corporate takeover" by Shari Redstone. Story continues They noted that after they were dismissed from the trust, she installed her own daughter and a friend in positions of power. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said. "He is clearly being manipulated by his daughter." "Her singular goal is to assume complete control of his businesses, despite Mr. Redstone's long-term desire for a professionally managed trust and an independent board of directors." Abrams, a longtime close friend of the tycoon, repeated the allegations that Redstone's capacity to make a decision over the companies is "diminished" and that the decisions were against his longstanding wish to have the two companies professionally controlled and managed. On Monday Redstone's lawyers countered with a petition asking Los Angeles state superior court to confirm the validity of the dismissal of Dauman and Abrams. At the time he made that decision, the petition said, Redstone "had not been adjudged incompetent by a court of proper jurisdiction, nor had any medical evidence of incapacity been presented." It noted that just six months earlier Dauman had told a court Redstone was fully mentally competent. Shari Redstone meanwhile called it "absurd" to say she controls her father. "Sumner makes his own decisions... and has his own team of independent advisers to counsel him," she said. - Depressed shares - At stake is control over two powerful US media companies. Viacom controls some of the top cable-TV brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, as well as Hollywood giant Paramount Pictures. CBS Corp owns CBS television, Showtime and other media properties. Viacom's management and Dauman in particular have come under shareholder pressure for the company's lagging performance. Dauman was named chairman in February but had been opposed by Shari Redstone. For the six months to March 31, the first half of Viacom's fiscal 2016, company revenues were down 4.2 percent at $6.2 billion, but net earnings were up 68.2 percent at $752 million. The share price remains far below its 2014 peak above $88. Before Redstone's moves became public Friday the shares closed at $39.05. On Monday they jumped 2.7 percent to $40.10 in afternoon trade. By Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Democratic Party said on Monday it will give U.S. presidential contender Bernie Sanders a prominent say in writing its platform this year, a gesture that could ease tensions between Sanders' camp and party leaders, whom Sanders has accused of favoring rival Hillary Clinton. Sanders has remained steadfast in his long-shot battle with Clinton for the Democratic nomination for the November presidential election, even though he lags her in the delegate count with only a few state contests remaining. The divisiveness among the Democrats stands in contrast to the Republicans, whose party leaders are slowly rallying behind Donald Trump, their presumptive nominee. Sanders' tenacity appeared to be paying off: The U.S. senator from Vermont will be allowed to name five members to the 15-member committee that writes the platform at the Democratic Party's national convention in late July in Philadelphia even if he is not the nominee. Clinton will name six. The party said in a statement the split was based on the results of state votes to date "in an effort to make this the most representative and inclusive process in history." The party's chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, will name the committee's final four members. The Democratic Party's rules allow the chair to name all 15 members, suggesting that the party was trying to accommodate Sanders and his fervent supporters, who still pack rallies by the thousands as he campaigns in California, which will hold its primaries on June 7. Sanders did little to dispel the acrimony between himself and the party, which he joined only last year after more than two decades in Congress as an independent, when he said over the weekend that he was endorsing Wasserman Schultz's Democratic opponent in her Florida congressional district. On Monday, he repeated some of his criticisms of Clinton, whom he has suggested is vulnerable to influence by corporate donors to her campaign, which she denies. "We believe that we will have the representation on the platform drafting committee to create a Democratic platform that reflects the views of millions of our supporters who want the party to address the needs of working families in this country and not just Wall Street, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry and other powerful special interests," Sanders said in a statement. The Clinton campaign said it was pleased to see Sanders represented, describing the party as a "big tent." "Hillary Clinton is committed to continue welcoming different perspectives and ideas," spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement. Sanders, who has criticized Clinton for being too biased toward Israel, has named a pro-Palestinian activist and a prominent environmentalist among his picks for the committee. CLINTON TURNS ATTENTION TO TRUMP Clinton has said she now considers herself the de facto Democratic nominee. Increasingly, she has turned her attention to attacking Trump as a "bully" when speaking at campaign events while urging Sanders supporters to rally to her side. She told labor union members in Detroit on Monday that, if elected, she would embrace issues important to Sanders' supporters, including reform of campaign financing and reducing income inequality. Trump, meanwhile, is steadily escalating his criticism of both Hillary and Bill Clinton's relationship with women, using rhetoric that has little precedent in U.S. presidential politics. On Monday, Trump circulated a new online video that shows images of Bill Clinton, the former president, as voices of women play on the soundtrack saying he had assaulted them, before ending with the sound of Hillary Clinton, his wife, laughing. Though none of the women are identified in the video, one of the voices is that of Juanita Broaddrick in an NBC interview from 1999 in which the former nursing-home manager accused Bill Clinton of raping her in a hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1978. The Clintons' lawyer, David Kendall, said in 1999 that the accusation was false. The Clintons have declined to discuss the accusation and are ignoring his personal attacks, with Hillary Clinton saying instead she will defend vulnerable Americans from the consequences of Trump's proposals. "Trump economics is a recipe for lower wages, fewer jobs, more debt," she told the union members on Monday. "He could bankrupt America like he bankrupted his companies. I mean, ask yourself: How can anybody lose money running a casino, really? (Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler) DUBAI (Reuters) - A Saudi border guard was killed and three others were wounded by a landmine that exploded while on patrol alongside the border with Yemen on Monday, state news agency SPA reported quoting an interior ministry spokesman. The frontier has been largely calm since March after the Saudi government reached an understanding with Yemen's Houthi group to stop firing across the border in a move that had paved the way for peace talks now underway in Kuwait. SPA said the mine exploded in the morning in the Jizan region in southern Saudi Arabia when two border patrols passed on a designated road near the border with Yemen. One soldier died in the blast while three others were wounded and were taken to a hospital, the agency said. It was not immediately clear if the mine had been planted recently or had been there prior to the calm in place since March. The United Nations has estimated that more than 6,200 people have died in Yemen since the war began in March last year. Saudi Arabia has reported dozens of its soldiers or civilians have been killed in the conflict. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy in Cairo; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Tom Heneghan) Ukrainian army positions in Donbas came under 31 attacks over the past day, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters wrote on Facebook on Monday morning. According to the report, the town of Avdiyivka and its suburbs remained under fire. Ukrainian strongholds near that populated locality were attacked by use of large-caliber machineguns, grenade launchers and 82mm mortars overnight. The same types of weapons and anti-aircraft guns shelled Ukrainian positions near the town of Krasnohorivka. "Last night, the situation was most complicated in the Mariupol sector, including areas near the village of Shyrokyne," the report said. Ukrainian positions near the village were shelled by 152mm artillery guns after a series of grenade launcher attacks. Attacks launched near the village of Novotroyitske involved 82mm and 120mm mortars. Anti-tank missile systems were fired near the village of Pavlopil. Five drones were seen flying over the past day. Two of them were heading for Russia's territory. All was relatively quiet in the Luhansk region last night, yet Ukrainian positions near the town of Schastia and the village of Sokilnyky were attacked by small arms and grenade launchers early in the morning. By Alex Whiting ISTANBUL (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The world must give urgent attention to children caught up in conflict, disasters or exploitation, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi said on Monday, and leave no child behind. Children make up about half of the rising numbers of people affected by war and natural disasters, and there are many more who are caught up in forced labor or slavery, Satyarthi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "If you save one generation, then that generation would be capable to protect all generations to come. So invest in this generation now with a sense of urgency," Satyarthi said on the sidelines of the first ever World Humanitarian Summit. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called the two-day summit in Istanbul, has said the world is facing its worst humanitarian situation since World War Two. About 130 million people are affected by war or natural disasters, and some 60 million have been forced to flee their homes. Traffickers are preying on the rising number of children displaced by crises, Satyarthi said. Children who are hungry, have dropped out of school, are laborers or have been forced into child marriage also need attention, Satyarthi said. "We cannot leave any child behind." MAJOR PROGRESS Satyarthi, awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, said he has seen great progress in child rights in recent years. "Today so many people at the highest level are talking about children and education. That was not the case even five years ago." When Satyarthi began working on child trafficking 36 years ago, U.N. agencies had no programs to deal with the issue, because then people thought slavery did not exist, he said. Progress has not only been made in terms of attitudes but also results, he added. The number of child laborers globally has dropped from almost 260 million in 2000 to 168 million now, he said. The number of children out of school has more than halved in that time. "Concrete progress has been made. That shows that we are on the right track, but we are not still on the fast track," he said. For that, governments and aid agencies have to invest more in children. At the moment, several U.N. agencies are involved in different aspects of one child's welfare - for education, health, nutrition, protection from trafficking or labor. They need to coordinate more closely, he said. The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul is the first time Satyarthi has seen agencies working more closely together. "They are talking in one tongue here at the summit." SHOCKED BY EUROPE Satyarthi said he had been shocked at EU police reports earlier this year that some 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children who had fled to Europe had disappeared, many of them believed to have fallen into the hands of traffickers. "How could it be possible in countries like Germany or Italy where very simple technology of camera surveillance can protect people in the camps and other places?" Once they have disappeared it may be too late, he said, because it is so difficult to trace them, adding that investing in child protection is much less costly than trying to find children once they have fallen into the hands of traffickers. Although the sudden influx of migrants into Europe meant it was hard to respond properly, the protection of children in the camps needed to be addressed, he said. (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Ros Russell.; 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 http://news.trust.org) A schools proposal to ban leggings has received the best response from students A schools proposal to ban leggings has received the best response from students Apparently students can now show too much leg by wearing pants that, um, completely cover their legs. The New Hanover County School Board in New Hanover County, North Carolina, is receiving a lot of opinions from people all across Twitter after proposing a ban on leggings, and then asking students for their thoughts. Students: What do you think about changes made to district's Student Dress Policy? https://t.co/jmEoe6aFpa#policy8520 New Hanover Co Sch (@NewHanoverCoSch) May 16, 2016 The school districts potentially new dress code, AKA #Policy8520, proposes a ban on leggings, skinny jeans or other excessively tight-fitting pants unless covered by a top or dress to the appropriate length. And not just pants Dresses, skirts, skorts and similar garments must meet the same criteria as put forth above. But whats an appropriate length? One that cover[s] the posterior area in its entirety, according to the proposal. So basically students will only be able to wear tight pants if their butts are covered by something other than pants. The proposal was suggested by faculty members who just couldnt tolerate the current dress code any longer. We got some input from some of our principles asking for some support, New Hanover County School Board spokesperson Valita Quattlebaum told CNN. And the board decided to explore a policy that would help them. While we understand certain dress codes in schools if uniforms are enforced, this one just doesnt make sense to us. All students should be allowed to wear what is comfortable for them to sit through seven hours of classes each day. And, were talking about pants here. Story continues Both student and parents responded on Twitter, and their opinions make total sense (some of those opinions are longer than 140 characters). Our fave response? I think its a no from everyonethanks tho! We hope the school board pays attention to the feedback and recognizes that these student comments are right: Lets pay more attention to learning, and less attention to what kind of pants people are wearing. @NewHanoverCoSch I think it's more important to focus on the content of education rather than on dress code. I personally do not see the stephen (@_stephenreish) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch correlation between dress code and education. I've never seen a student cause distraction by being out of dress code, stephen (@_stephenreish) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch however I have seen many students lose their educational time over conflicts arising between them and staff members stephen (@_stephenreish) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch regarding their dress. I'm not saying that there is no need for a dress code; I'm saying that I think that it is made more stephen (@_stephenreish) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch of an issue than it has to be. I would personally rather there be an increased focus on improving the school system in stephen (@_stephenreish) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch I only own 3 pairs of jeans & they're all tight fitting. I wear leggings 4/5 days because they're comfortable & convenient. Foot (@toastyhan) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch As a parent I think this is ridiculous. Erin (@efortiscue78) May 16, 2016 Students: What do you think about changes made to district's Student Dress Policy? https://t.co/jmEoe6aFpa#policy8520 New Hanover Co Sch (@NewHanoverCoSch) May 16, 2016 Students: What do you think about changes made to district's Student Dress Policy? https://t.co/jmEoe6aFpa#policy8520 New Hanover Co Sch (@NewHanoverCoSch) May 16, 2016 __paragraph"> @NewHanoverCoSch I think it's a no from everyone...thanks tho! samantha deguida (@SDeGuida) May 16, 2016 The post A schools proposal to ban leggings has received the best response from students appeared first on HelloGiggles. Whether you call it a "gut feeling," an "inner voice" or a "sixth sense," intuition can play a real part in people's decision making, a new study suggests. For the first time, researchers devised a technique to measure intuition. After using this method, they found evidence that people can use their intuition to make faster, more accurate and more confident decisions, according to the findings, published online in April in the journal Psychological Science. The study shows that intuition does, indeed, exist and that researchers can measure it, said Joel Pearson, an associate professor of psychology at the University of New South Wales in Australia and the lead author of the study. [Top 10 Mysteries of the Mind] Intuition is a popular topic in psychology these days, and generally refers to a brain process that gives people the ability to make decisions without the use of analytical reasoning, the researchers suggest. Despite widespread acceptance of this idea by psychologists and the public, scientists have lacked a reliable test to gather objective data on intuition and even prove its existence. Previous studies didn't actually measure intuition because researchers didn't really know how to quantify it, Pearson said. Instead, these studies relied on information from questionnaires that asked people how they were feeling while they made decisions, which is more of a reflection of people's opinion of their intuition than an actual measurement of it, Pearson said. In the new research, however, Pearson and his colleagues came up with a series of experiments to determine whether people were using their intuition to help guide their decision making or judgment. The researchers defined intuition as the influence of "nonconscious emotional information" from the body or the brain, such as an instinctual feeling or sensation. Measuring intuition In the experiments, the researchers showed small groups of about 20 college students black-and-white images of dots moving around on one half of a computer screen. The researchers asked the students to decide whether the dots were generally moving to the left or to the right. As the participants made this decision, on the other side of the computer screen, they saw a bright, flashing square of color. Story continues But sometimes, the researchers embedded an image into the colorful square that was designed to trigger an emotional response from the participants. For example, each image was aimed at eliciting either a positive emotion (a puppy or a baby) or a negative emotion (a gun or a snake). However, the participants were not aware that they were being shown these emotional images because they flashed at speeds too fast to be consciously perceived. These subliminal images were meant to simulate the type of information involved in intuition they were brief, emotionally charged and subconsciously perceived. The results showed that when the participants were shown the positive subliminal images, they did better on the task: They were more accurate in determining which way the dots were moving. But they also responded more quickly and reported feeling more confident in their choice. [10 Things That Make Humans Special] The experiments also suggested that the participants became better at using their intuition over time, Pearson said. "It's all about learning to use unconscious information in your brain," he said. Just as people can become more comfortable making decisions when they apply logic and reasoning, they may also become more adept at trusting their intuition when they use it more frequently over time, the study revealed. Intuition can help people make better decisions under the right circumstances, Pearson said. The study showed that information subconsciously perceived in the brain will help with decisions if that information holds some value or extra evidence beyond what people already have in their conscious mind, he said. In the future, the researchers might be able to develop a method to train people to take advantage of their intuition and then test them to see if their intuition truly improved with more frequent use and practice, Pearson said. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. On Monday, the Supreme Court r, with an overwhelming majority, the death sentence for Timothy Tyrone Foster, a black man from Georgia who had been on death row for almost 30 years. BREAKING: Supreme Court throws out death sentence for black man in Georgia because prosecutors kept African-Americans off jury. In Foster v. Chatman, the judges' justification for their decision a 7-1 ruling in favor of overturning the sentence cited racial discrimination. According to the decision, prosecutors successfully obstructed black people from becoming part of the jury for Foster's trial. When he was 18, Foster was accused of killing a 79-year-old white woman. The prosecution used "peremptory strikes" to exclude black jurors. Both the prosecution and defense are awarded a certain number of peremptory strikes, which allow them to dismiss a potential juror without providing a reason. Victory for Timothy Tyrone Foster, if you can call it that after 29 years on death row. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-8349_6k47.pdf ...pic.twitter.com/Ypv5UHAL8G https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjJar15XEAADrUY.jpg:large "During jury selection at his trial, the State used peremptory challenges to strike all four black prospective jurors qualified to serve on the jury," the justices wrote. "... The focus on race in the prosecution's file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury," it added. Documents from 1986, newly discovered, included information about jury candidates. In these documents, the prosecution circled a candidate's race only when it read "black." In their notes, the black potential jurors were ranked, naming them "B#1," "B#2" and "B#3," Slate reports. This was done in case "it comes down to having to pick one of the black jurors," according to the prosecution. Story continues Foster's victory could well have wider legal ramifications on the justice system, which many regard as systemically racist. While blacks only account for 13% of the American population, they make up more than a third of the nation's inmates. A black person in the U.S. is six times more likely to be incarcerated than a white person. The SCOTUS ruling reaffirms, in no uncertain terms, that racially motivated jury selection is unconstitutional. This is a breaking story and will be updated. Hamilton, Bermuda-based offshore drilling firm SeaDrill Limited SDRL confirmed that the contract for its semi-submersible drilling rig, West Hercules to Norwegian oil major Statoil ASA STO has been terminated ahead of schedule. Notably, Statoil had initially entered into a contract with North Atlantic Drilling Ltd. NADL SeaDrills majority owned subsidiary to charter West Hercules for drilling in Norway. Per the terms of the contract, SeaDrill will receive a hefty compensation of approximately $61 million from Statoil. The company will also get dayrate and reimbursement of costs associated with disbandment of the rig from the latter. Despite the current improvement in crude prices, the commodity has been trading at substantially low levels for a considerable length of time. Given the lackluster pricing scenario, upstream companies are increasingly reducing investments in exploration and production operations as they are not been able to sell the commodities at attractive prices. So, they are hiring fewer rigs for drilling activities, in turn, leading to early drillship contract termination. Hence, SeaDrill, like its peers, is witnessing early termination of its drilling contracts. Recently, Seadrill Partners LLCs SDLP a wholly owned subsidiary of the company received a notice of termination for West Capella drillship contract from Exxon Mobil Corp. The company is likely to be compensated with almost $125 million, along with other direct costs, for the premature termination of the drillship contract. London-based SeaDrill has one of the youngest drilling fleets among all the offshore drilling contractors. The companys technologically advanced drillships are capable of operating in challenging environments. The company has a fleet of 879 units 121 drillships, 185 semi-submersible rigs, 536 jack-up rigs, and 37 tender rigs. Seadrill, however, continues to suffer from high debt levels, a number of obligations for new vessels, and a shrinking backlog of contracted business. Story continues The company is expected to release first-quarter 2016 results on May 26. It beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last quarter as well as the last four quarters with a positive average surprise is 8.97%. SeaDrill currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which implies that the stock will perform in line with the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report STATOIL ASA-ADR (STO): Free Stock Analysis Report SEADRILL LTD (SDRL): Free Stock Analysis Report NORTH ATL DRILG (NADL): Free Stock Analysis Report SEADRILL PTNRS (SDLP): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Deutsche Bank Chief Executive John Cryan addresses a news conference in Frankfurt, Germany, January 28, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Deutsche Bank is being probed by the SEC over mortgage securities it traded in 2013. The regulator is investigating whether Deutsche Bank inflated the value of securities at the time and hid trading losses, according to Bloomberg's Matt Scully, who first reported the investigation. "We are cooperating with this investigation, which is looking into previously recognized losses on certain positions," a Deutsche Bank representative said. Troy Dixon, who left the bank in 2013 and has since launched a hedge fund, oversaw the positions at the time. He was named one of Institutional Investor's "hedge fund rising stars" in 2015, and has won a handful of other awards as well. As Bloomberg's Scully notes, delaying bond write-downs could have cushioned the firm's quarterly earnings results at a time when the fixed-income market was collapsing and trading businesses were suffering across Wall Street. Dixon's hedge fund, Hollis Park Partners, declined to comment. Separately, The Wall Street Journal last week reported that Deutsche Bank is launching an internal investigation into a potential conflict of interest at the firm. It is investigating whether certain trades made by current and former employees starting in 2009 which led to personal profits for those employees were improper, according to the report. NOW WATCH: How Merrill Lynch changed the way people are paid on Wall Street More From Business Insider Skimming is a fairly common scam, which involves thieves placing a device over an ATM or other payment terminal that steals debit or credit card information from any cards used at that machine. But criminals are taking this one step further thanks to Russian-speaking Skimer group. The Kaspersky Lab reports that these Skimer scams began in 2010 but resurfaced as recently as this month, with Backdoor.Win32 Skimer malware infecting ATMs throughout the world, including in the U.S. What It Does Instead of installing a skimmer device to an ATM to take card data, the Skimer group turns the entire ATM into a skimmer. This gives the thieves the option to withdraw funds or gather card data any time a card is used at the ATM, including account numbers and PINs. Once card and account data is collected, the thieves can create counterfeit cards and use them to make ATM cash withdrawals. Often times the copied card is used at a non-infected ATM to help make it more difficult to identify the machine that is infected. The machines often sit with the malware on the system for months before the infection becomes active. To wake it up, the criminals insert a particular card that prompts a menu to activate the malware, which can happen in less than a minute. You can watch a demo from Kaspersky of the Skimer malware in action on Credit.com. Minimizing Your Risks To reduce your odds of being a victim of a skimming scam, try to use ATMs inside a bank, as these are harder for thieves to install any type of skimmers on because of the higher traffic and monitoring happening inside. But keep in mind, there is no guaranteed solution that can prevent you from being victimized. Because of this, it's important to monitor your credit card statements and other financial documents for any signs of fraud on your accounts. And, if you ever have reason to believe your personal information was compromised alongside your payment data, monitoring your credit can help you detect other types of fraud. You can view two of your credit scores for free each month on Credit.com and get your free annual credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Look for any charges you don't recall making or any accounts that you didn't open that are appearing on your report. If you discover any signs of identity theft, it's important to alert the appropriate authorities, and then you can work to get these problems removed from your report. You can learn more about disputing errors on your credit report here. More from Credit.com NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / SeeThruEquity, a leading independent equity research and corporate access firm focused on smallcap and microcap public companies, today announced it has initiated coverage on Reign Sapphire Corp. (RGNP) with a Price Target of $0.63. The report is available here: RGNP Initiation Report. SeeThruEquity is an approved equity research contributor on Thomson First Call, Capital IQ, FactSet, and Zack's. The report will be available on these platforms. The firm also contributes its estimates to Thomson Estimates, the leading estimates platform on Wall Street. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Reign is seeking to build a new premium consumer brand in the jewelry sector focused on ethically-sourced, Australia-mined sapphires. The company plans on doing this through a unique approach that combines a well-conceived consumer marketing program with an innovative approach to the supply chain. Successful execution would position Reign as what management has called the "world's first vertically integrated miners-gate to retail model for sapphire gemstones and fine sapphire jewelry." As part of the consumer strategy, Reign plans to leverage its supply chain, where it purchases rough commercial sapphires in bulk directly from commercial miners in Australia, and then control and manages the supply at each step along the way to retail, enabling the company control over quality, costs and design. "In our view, Reign's strategy is intriguing given what appears to be an underrepresentation of sapphires at retail in the US jewelry market - only 8% of total sales include colored gemstones - and the potential financial and quality benefits that could be achieved by controlling the process from the miners-gate to retail," stated Ajay Tandon, CEO of SeeThruEquity. "We are initiating coverage with a 12-month price target of $0.63 per share." Additional highlights from the report are as follows: New jewelry brand focused on sapphires Reign has articulated a bold goal of attempting to emerge as a disruptive new consumer brand in the $33 billion dollar US retail jewelry industry by introducing what it has called the "world's first color gemstone sapphire brand." Reign's strategy leverages the proven appeal of sapphires - a gemstone whose popularity has been proven over centuries, but which has been overshadowed by diamonds in recent times. The company is preparing to "re-introduce" sapphires to US consumers in a coordinated digital marketing campaign through social media, digital advertising, and influencer / blogger outreach. The campaign will be focused on developing a premium sapphire brand offering a range of "timeless" designs with a bit of an edge. It will also leverage an advantage of the company's miners-gate to retail strategy, which is that the company will be able to guarantee that its gemstones are conflict-free, ethically processed, all-natural, and from a verified source in Australia. Story continues Three-pronged sales strategy for new premium jewelry brand Reign plans to introduce two distinct inaugural collections - Reign Red Carpet and Reign Day-to-Night, as well as Reign Limited, an "accessibly priced" line. Reign's Red Carpet and Day-to-Night collections will feature rings, bracelets and necklaces, and will predominantly be comprised of 1.5mm to 2.5mm diamond and princess cut sapphire melees. Reign intends for its Red Carpet line to be marked by "bold" and "stunning" designs, targeted at women from households with incomes of over $100,000, while the Day-to-Night collection will be marketed towards women from households with income of $60,000 - $100,000, with price points of $10,000+ and $1,000-$10,000, respectively. The company will pursue a three-pronged go-to-market strategy including online / mobile commerce, wholesale, and retail channels. We expect Reign to launch its consumer website reignjewelry.com by the end of 2Q16, and believe the company will begin establishing a presence in boutique jewelry store windows / building a concept retail store in 2018, following a planned capital raise of at least $6mn by the end of 2016E to fund growth initiatives in 2017E-2018E. Initiate coverage with a price target of $0.63 Our analysis indicates a fair value estimate of $0.63 per share for Reign. Reign is a speculative growth story in the consumer sector that offers high risks and high rewards. Using what it believes is a unique miner's gate to retail business model, Reign is attempting to build an ambitious new jewelry brand that focused on color gemstone sapphire jewelry. The company has put together a thoughtful marketing strategy that re-introduces colored gemstone sapphires to the market with unique "timeless" designs, first by way of direct to consumer mobile, e-commerce sales and wholesale, followed by a select boutique retail presence. Please review important disclosures at www.seethruequity.com. About Reign Sapphire Corp. Reign Sapphire Corporation (RGNP), a Delaware Corp., was established in late 2014 as the World's first vertically integrated Miners-Gate to Retail model for Australian Sapphire Gemstones and Fine Sapphire Jewelry. RSC purchases rough sapphires in bulk directly from commercial miners in Australia. RSC controls and manages each step along the supply chain - sorting, polishing, cutting, faceting, jewelry manufacturing and sales of finished Reign fine sapphire jewelry. reignjewelry.com. About SeeThruEquity SeeThruEquity is an equity research and corporate access firm focused on companies with less than $1 billion in market capitalization. The research is not paid for and is unbiased. The company does not conduct any investment banking or commission based business. SeeThruEquity is approved to contribute its research to Thomson One Analytics (First Call), Capital IQ, FactSet, Zacks, and distribute its research to its database of opt-in investors. The company also contributes its estimates to Thomson Estimates, the leading estimates platform on Wall Street. For more information visit www.seethruequity.com. Contact: Ajay Tandon SeeThruEquity info@seethruequity.com SOURCE: SeeThruEquity The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has said that acting head of Agrarian Fund Oleh Lypovy helped to reveal a criminal sugar seizure scheme. "Media reports have said that Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Taras Kutovy informed that acting head of Agrarian Fund Oleh Lypovy was suspended from his post," the press service of NABU said on May 20. NABU noted that the minister said that Lypovy was suspended from the post as facts of sugar seizure in large amounts were discovered last week after the deputy prosecutor general of Kyiv region was detained by NABU detectives. "We draw your attention that an application of Lypovy to the NABU was a ground for opening the sugar seizure criminal case. In addition, Lypovy took active part in revealing the criminal scheme," NABU said. On May 18, 2016, NABU Director Artem Sytnyk said that the deputy prosecutor general of Kyiv region was detained in the case on the seizure of UAH 300 million worth of 30,000 tonnes of sugar from the Agrarian Fund. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday will take up, and likely pass, a resolution to repeal a new Labor Department rule aimed at protecting retirement savers from profit-hungry brokers, a move that President Barack Obama has threatened to veto. A notice sent to senators on Monday showed that a debate and vote on the resolution were scheduled for Tuesday morning, less than a week before the chamber recesses for the Memorial Day holiday. The vote requires a simple majority, which Republicans command in both houses of Congress. The House of Representatives passed its version of the resolution last month, in a vote along party lines. But the resolution will have a short life span. Obama has threatened to veto legislation undoing a key financial initiative of his second term. His administration in April released the rule to set a fiduciary standard for financial brokers who sell retirement products, requiring them to put clients' best interests ahead of their bottom lines. Republican leaders and some in the financial industry said complying with the rule would be expensive for brokers and result in higher costs for retirement advice that many Americans could not afford. They also said the rule did not take into account other laws and regulations on financial advice. The Senate fight started early, with Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, saying on Monday that Republicans wanted to "make it easier - easier - for giant Wall Street financial institutions to cheat Americans out of their retirement savings." Speaking on the Senate floor, the advocate for stricter financial regulation also said the vote was motivated by election-year politics and that the resolution "will sure help fill up the campaign accounts of the Republican senators who vote for it." (Reporting by Lisa Lambert and Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney) By Luke Baker JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A military affairs commentator interrupts his broadcast to deliver a monologue: I'm alarmed by what's happening in Israel, he says, I think my children should leave. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak warns of "the seeds of fascism". Moshe Arens, who served as defense minister three times, sees it as a turning point in Israeli politics and expects it to cause a "political earthquake". The past five days have produced tumult in Israeli politics, since conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unexpectedly turned his back on a deal to bring the center-left into his coalition and instead joined hands with far-right nationalist Avigdor Lieberman, one of his most virulent critics. Lieberman, a West Bank settler, wants to be defense minister. So on Friday, Netanyahu's former ally and confidant, Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, resigned and quit Netanyahu's Likud party in disgust. After a weekend to digest the developments, which are expected to be finalised in an agreement between Netanyahu and Lieberman on Monday to form the most right-wing government in Israel's 68-year-old history, commentators have tried to put it in perspective and found themselves alarmed. Arens, who has served as defense minister, foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, and is one of Netanyahu's early political mentors, said the machinations would have far-reaching repercussions. "Yaalon's ouster is likely to be a turning point in Israel's political history," he wrote in the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper. "A political earthquake is in the offing. It may take a little time, but it is coming. The law of unforeseen consequences is at work." The decision to jettison Yaalon in favor of Lieberman was all too much for Roni Daniel, a veteran military affairs commentator on Channel 2. "I cannot urge my children to stay here, because it is a place that is not nice to be in," he said in his monologue, going on to name a number of far-right politicians. "HOSTILE TAKEOVER" By bringing the Yisrael Beitenu (Israel Our Home) party into the fold, Netanyahu strengthens his coalition from 61 to 67 seats in the 120-member parliament. Lieberman's brand of politics -- pro-settlement, wary of peace negotiations, tough on the Palestinians -- sits far more comfortably with Netanyahu and his right-wing partners than the center-left does. But it means there is no countervailing voice in the government, and the person in charge of defense -- the most important portfolio in Israel after the prime minister -- is a civilian with little military experience. At a time when the command of the Israel Defense Forces is already at odds with the government over policies it feels are too hard-line, Lieberman's appointment risks creating more tension between the political leadership and the military. Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are on edge too. "What has happened is a hostile takeover of the Israeli government by dangerous elements," Ehud Barak, Israel's most decorated soldier and a former defense minister following his spell as head of government, told Channel 10 TV. Israel has been "infected by the seeds of fascism", he said, adding that it should be "a red light for all of us regarding what's going on in the government." Netanyahu sought to quell the rising criticism at a new conference on Sunday, describing himself as in charge and as having the nation's interests at heart. "I'm looking out for the country's future. I have proved that as prime minister. I hear a lot of voices; many things are said in politics," he said. "Ultimately, it's the prime minister who directs everything together with the defense minister, with the chief of staff, and apparently I haven't done such a bad job during my years as prime minister -- that's the way it is going to be now." Some allies leapt to Netanyahu's defense, saying the appointment of Lieberman was a sound decision and that he would offer "fresh thinking" as defense minister, but the focus of commentary was on the broader direction that Israel is taking. A DECADE IN POWER Netanyahu has held power for more than 10 years, spread over four terms. In that time, politics has moved steadily to the right, with his coalition now hinging on support from Orthodox religious and ultra-nationalist parties. There has been no progress in efforts to negotiate peace with the Palestinians, with Netanyahu saying Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is not the right partner because he rejects Israel's demand to recognize it as a Jewish state. At the same time, the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians seek for their own state together with Gaza, continues apace. Ties between Israel and the United States, its closest ally, have become strained, with Vice President Joe Biden saying last month that the U.S. administration felt "overwhelming frustration" with the Israeli government. For Daniel, who is regarded as a stalwart of the right, something has changed fundamentally. "It's over. I will not persuade my children. They will decide where they want to live. But if that once looked like a terrible tragedy to me, today it doesn't," he said. (Additional reporting by Jeffrey Heller,; Editing by Timothy Heritage) NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP: To: All Persons or Entities who purchased American Capital, Ltd. (ACAS) stock prior to May 23, 2016 . You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of American Capital to Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) for $6.41 in cash and 0.483 of an Ares Capital share for each share of American Capital stock held. In a separate transaction, American Capital is selling American Capital Mortgage Management, LLC for $2.45 per share to American Capital Agency Corp. The combined transactions represent a value of approximately $17.40 per share. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/american-capital-acas 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 www.zlk.com SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP: To: All Persons or Entities who purchased XenoPort, Inc. (XNPT) stock prior to May 23, 2016 . You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of XenoPort, Inc. to Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Under the terms of the transaction, XenoPort shareholders will receive $7.03 in cash for each share of XenoPort stock they own. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/xenoport-xnpt 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 www.zlk.com SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Shari Redstone doesnt appreciate the accusations that she has manipulated her ailing father into marginalizing current Viacom Chairman, President and CEO Philippe Dauman. It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father or controlling what goes on in his household, her spokesperson said in a statement Monday morning. Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere, and he has his own team of independent advisors to counsel him on corporate and other matters. As to the idea that Shari, an attorney and respected businesswoman, would unlawfully use his name, that is utterly ridiculous, the media statement concluded. Also Read: Sumner Redstone Insists He Ousted Philippe Dauman, Opposes Paramount Sale Shari was directly pushing back against a Sunday Viacom statement, which said the company was troubled and saddened by recent decisions, and that her 92-year-old father was being shamefully manipulated. The facts are clear. Viacoms 12-hour strategy meetings on May 17 and 18, that Sumner attended by phone, addressed all issues, including Paramount, to the satisfaction of all the independent directors, the Viacom statement said. Despite numerous requests, Lead Independent Director Fred Salerno and a fellow board member, who represent all shareholders, have still been unable to meet with Mr. Redstone. The Sumner Redstone we knew would never refuse a meeting about his businesses and he certainly would not want advisors to stand in for him. Mr. Salerno and his fellow Directors remain willing and eager to meet with Sumner at any time, it concluded. Also Read: Viacom War Paves Way for Litigation, Shareholder Battle Over Media Giant Shari Redstone is one member of a family trust that controls the future of both CBS and Viacom. Her father, Sumner, unceremoniously removed Dauman and George Abrams from those ranks late Friday. Some including those at Viacom clearly believe Sumner is too incapacitated to make such a decision, and that Shari is taking advantage of the situation to remove her rivals. Story continues Sumner Redstone had championed Dauman through most of his career and Shari clearly never wanted her fathers French-born protege to take the reins of Viacom. The rest of the board seemed fine with that notion of new leadership at the time, handing Dauman the chairman title that previously belonged to Sumner, who is now chairman emeritus. However, Viacom hasnt exactly been a success story for the ages under Daumans leadership read about its rough recent 22 months here. Related stories from TheWrap: Viacom War Paves Way for Litigation, Shareholder Battle Over Media Giant Viacom Director: Sumner Redstone Move to Oust Aides Is 'Unsettling and Sad' Viacom: Move to Oust Philippe Dauman 'Extremely Disrupting and Damaging' Viacom Board Votes to Stop Paying Sumner Redstone MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Twice Olympic shooting champion Michael Diamond has been arrested for drink driving and charged with firearms offences, the Australian Olympic Committee said on Monday, jeopardizing his chances of competing at a seventh Olympics in Rio. New South Wales police said they had charged a 44-year-old man with "high range drink driving, not keeping firearm safe and handling or using firearm while under the influence of alcohol." His driver's and firearms licenses had been suspended and he had been granted bail to appear at court on June 7, police said in a statement, adding that he had been involved in a domestic argument with a relative prior to his arrest. Police said a shotgun with 150 rounds of ammunition was found in his car and that a breath analysis later showed he was three times over the legal blood-alcohol limit. An AOC spokesman confirmed Diamond had been charged over the offences. Local media reported that Diamond had refused to take a breathalyzer after being stopped by police late on Saturday near his brother's house in a coastal resort north of Sydney. Diamond won trap gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, defended his title in his hometown Sydney four years later and hopes to become only the second Australian to compete at a seventh Olympics in Rio, matching equestrian rider Andrew Hoy. Australia's Olympic team chef de mission Kitty Chiller said Diamond's nomination for Rio was up to the sport's national governing body, Shooting Australia (SA), but added that the AOC could still overrule it. "If a conviction is proven to have brought that athlete or their sport into disrepute, then yes it would (rule an athlete out)," Chiller told local media. "If it is proven what has been suggested overnight, (it's) not something that I would want any of our team members to display." SA said it was gathering information on the case. "We can confirm that Shooting Australia is working closely with Michael to support him and to ensure that his welfare is protected," it said in a statement. Diamond's participation at the Rio Games was already under a cloud due to legal action taken by another local shooter, who was passed over for selection for the two-man trap team. Teenager Mitchell Iles has appealed to sport's highest tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to overturn his omission. Diamond, along with Olympic bronze medalist Adam Vella, were set to be selected by SA last month but the governing body held off naming the team pending Iles's hearing. SA said the appeal would proceed. (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford) Islamabad (AFP) - Through war and peace, the Taliban's Rahbari Shura has been at the heart of its decision-making process since the movement's inception, and is now tasked with finding a new leader to succeed Mullah Akthar Mansour. "Shura" means "consultation" in Arabic and is considered by some modern Sunni Islamic schools of thought to be the basis on which Muslim communities should implement representative democracy. In the case of the Taliban, it acts as both an advisory council for the Emir (leader) and crafts policy, with various committees dedicated to different aspects of life, much like ministries in a government. Rahimullah Yousafzai, one of the region's leading experts on the Taliban, says that since the Shura's founding its membership has comprised of tribal warlords, politicians and clerics -- most of them elderly -- with the number fluctuating between 12 and 20. "They are Pashtun, Tajik and Uzbek but Pashtuns are in the majority," he said. "Under this main Shura, there are several consultative commissions dealing with decisions relating to various departments such as military, finance, education, health, culture, NGOs etc," he adds. Many in the West have come to see the body as being synonymous with Quetta, the southwestern Pakistani city that is the capital of restive Balochistan province and home to many exiled Taliban leaders. This in turn has led to the council being known by some observers as the "Quetta Shura". Yousafzai, however, emphasises the leadership is spread across Pakistan, Afghanistan and Qatar, though security constraints make it difficult for full councils to ever convene. Rustam Shah Mohmand, an expert on Afghanistan and Pakistan's former ambassador to Kabul, says that when the Shura's general assembly is included its number rises to around 60. "It is so important that, when the Taliban dismantled the historic Buddha statues of Bamian during their rule in Afghanistan and Pakistan sent a delegation comprising intelligence officials and the-then interior minister to discuss it with Mullah Omar, he referred the matter to the Shura," he says. Story continues According to several senior Taliban sources a Shura consisting of high level members is currently under way in an undisclosed location to appoint Mansour's successor. Prime candidates so far include the son of Taliban founder Omar, Mullah Yakoub, who was granted a place on the council by Mansour, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the dreaded Haqqani network affiliate whom Mansour named as a deputy. Since Mansour's tenure was marked by factionalism, he was forced to rely more heavily on the council than his predecessor, says Yousafzai, and in the absence of a single standout candidate the next Emir too will likely be heavily dependent on the body. "Mullah Omar was given the title Amir-ul-Momineen (leader of the faithful) and had a role of a chief decision maker with the consultation of the Shura, then Mansour was more dependent on them and now the onus is on the body to select someone to unify them once more and continue their fight," said Yousafzai. Project tenders will be rolled out throughout the year. The Singapore government will be calling for a projected $2.82 billion of ICT tenders across FY16, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) revealed. These ICT tenders will comprise mainly infrastructure and ICT security bulk contracts due to some multi-year contracts ending in FY16, as well as contracts relating to agency-specific systems. One key focus for government procurement this year will be to enhance ICT infrastructure. For instance, Wi-Fi coverage will be extended to more areas within public schools, while data centre virtualisation will be increased to allow the government to modernise its hosting of ICT applications. A bulk tender for IT security services will also be called in this fiscal year. Such projects which are larger in scope, will be rolled out over a few years. In FY15, SMEs accounted for more than half of the total contracted value of ICT tenders. More From Singapore Business Review MP from the People's Front parliamentary faction Anton Gerashchenko plans to send an inquiry to the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, asking to refuse entry into the EU to former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. "An inquiry is to be sent to the EU Delegation to Ukraine with the proposal that Gorbachev should be refused entry into the EU due to his position that undermines the Ukraine-Russia relations. I believe such individuals should not be welcomed in the EU," Gerashchenko said in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine. He also said that Gorbachev would be included in Ukraine's stop lists. "We've already got a list of individuals who call on violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity. For instance [leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) Vladimir] Zhirinovsky is there. I will also propose that the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] include Gorbachev," Gerashchenko said. "He is not a frequent guest to Ukraine. But we should show our position on such types of issues," he said. Media earlier cited Gorbachev who told The Sunday Times that he backed Russian President Vladimir Putin's seizure of Crimea. Gorbachev particularly said he would have acted the same way as Putin if he had found himself in a similar situation. "I'm always with the free will of the people and most in Crimea wanted to be reunited with Russia," the last Soviet leader said. From Cosmopolitan Last week, pregnant blonde super celeb Blake Lively posted an Instagram referencing an iconic line from rapper Sir-Mix-a-Lot's 1992 hit, Baby Got Back: That line is basically the patron saint of all drunk sorority girls at Karaoke everywhere, and some people thought it was racially insensitive for Blake, a thin white woman, to quote from it: Now, Sir-Mix-a-Lot himself has responded to the controversy. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said he wrote the song about the cultural pressure women face to be skinny. "I wrote the song because I wanted Cosmopolitan, I wanted all these big magazines to kind of open up a little bit and say, "Wait a minute, this may not be the only beautiful," he said. "Fast-forward to Blake Lively. For her to look at her butt and that little waist and to say 'L.A. face with an Oakland booty,' doesn't that mean that the norm has changed, that the beautiful people have accepted our idea of beautiful?" he continued. 'It sounds like to me like she was giving the line props. I think we have to be careful what we wish for as African-Americans, because if you say she doesn't have the right to say that, then how do you expect her at the same time to embrace your beauty? I mean, I don't get it. I think it's almost a nod of approval, and that was what I wanted. I wanted our idea of beautiful to be accepted." And so there you have it! Sir-Mix-a-Lot has spoken and now we can all go back to drunkenly mis-quoting the song at the next dreaded karaoke birthday party we are forced to attend. And isn't that the whole point of everything? Follow Laura on Twitter. And now its official. Speaking in Hanoi on Monday, President Barack Obama confirmed the death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in a U.S. drone strike in the Pakistan. Significantly, it was the first ever U.S. drone strike in Baluchistan province, despite years of American bombing runs on al Qaeda targets in Pakistan, and brings to end the Mansours brief run as head of the group. At a news conference with President Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam on Monday, Obama insisted that the strike does not signal a change in U.S. military posture in the region. We are not re-entering the day-to-day combat operations, in Afghanistan, he said. But Mansour was specifically targeting the 9,800 U.S. troops in the country, and he had refused to enter into peace negotiations the Afghan government. What next? FPs Paul McLeary writes that The Talibans expanding operations in Afghanistans south has posed a vexing problem for Obama, who faces a hard choice: Keep the relatively strict rules limiting the numbers of US. airstrikes in place, or allow American pilots to bomb a broader array of targets at the risk of deepening Washingtons role in Afghanistan and causing more civilian casualties on the ground. More on the debate over U.S. airstrikes from FPs Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary here. Pakistans role. Its unclear how Pakistan will react to the strike, as it comes after months of failed Pakistani efforts to broker peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Just last week, Sartaj Aziz, Pakistans foreign minister, told diplomats from Afghanistan, the U.S., and China that the revelation last August that Taliban founder Mullah Omar had been dead for more than two years not only scuttled the Afghan peace process, it also let to the splintering of the Taliban. And despite Pakistans influence on the group, they had been unable to get things back on track. The New York Times reports that Pakistani officials were alerted to the strike only after it happened, and the operation is seen as a signal that the Obama administration was growing less patient with Pakistans failure to move strongly against the Taliban insurgency. While Pakistans powerful military establishment has quietly cooperated with the C.I.A.s campaign of drone strikes against Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban in the northwestern tribal areas, it has refused past requests from the spy agency to expand the drone flights into Baluchistan. Story continues East China Sea, the new South China Sea. With all of the attention being focused on Chinese land reclamation efforts in the South China Sea, the regions sleeper conflict, over fishing rights further east, is only now beginning to receive some attention. FPs Dan De Luce and Keith Johnson are on it, however, and in a brand-new story, note that Beijing has begun sailing bigger ships old navy vessels nominally now serving in the Coast Guard, near islands that Beijing and Tokyo both claim, as well as carrying out provocative flights with advanced jets overhead. Those aggressive tactics have alarmed Japan and raised the risk of a potentially violent incident between the two and unlike in the South China Sea, where the United States has been vague about its readiness to help the Philippines in a dispute with Beijing, Washington has made clear it will honor its treaty obligations to come to Japans rescue. Arming Hanoi. Tossing out 40 years of American policy, the Obama administration on Monday announced it was lifting an arms embargo on the communist government. The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations, Obama said Monday while in Hanoi. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving toward normalization with Vietnam. FPs Dan De Luce and Keith Johnson recently laid out whats at stake in the policy change, and what might be on Vietnams shopping list. In a note emailed Monday, IHS Janes defense analysts Jon Grevatt and Paul Burton write that with the ban lifted in full, Vietnam is finally shedding Moscows influence and will be able to purchase land systems and a wider spectrum of military aerospace platforms and systems from the US that will support Vietnams efforts to modernise its military and to secure its territory. Fallujah next. Embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi went on TV Sunday night to announce the start of operations to finally push the Islamic State out of the city of Fallujah, which the group has held for over two years. The city sits just 30 miles west of Baghdad, and has been used as a launching point for some of the deadly car bomb attacks which have killed scores of mostly Shiite civilians in the capital over the past two weeks. But the fight will be tough. And complicated. There are still tens of thousands of Sunni civilians trapped in the city, and the assault will be conducted by the mostly Shiite army, police, counterterrorism forces, along with local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shiite militias, some with some pretty series Iranian backing. A note: SitRep will be posting from the annual SOFIC Special Operations conference in sunny Tampa, Fla. this week. Well be attending a series of panels by the Pentagons top snake-eating generals and admirals and will have some exclusive one-on-one chats and updates over the next several days. Were going to tweet out as much as possible as it happens over at @paulmcleary, and if you have any suggestions, or requests, the line is always open: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com. Thanks for clicking on through as we kick off another week of SitRep. As always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley Vietnam President Obama has touched down in Vietnam. China is sure to be high on the agenda as Obama meets with the Vietnamese Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Like many of Chinas neighbors, Vietnam has clashed with Beijing over disputed maritime territories and is looking for American diplomatic support for its maritime claims. China isnt the only country using its fishermen as the tip of the spear in maritime territorial policy. CNN reports that Vietnam is now encouraging its fishermen to trawl the waters near the Paracel Islands, claimed by both China and Vietnam, in order to maintain the countrys assertions of ownership. Officials say Chinese fishermen attacked 17 Vietnamese vessels trying to fish in the area last year. China has trained, armed, and directed its fishermen, organizing them into militias to call dibs on contested waters and report on foreign ships. Kosovo The New York Times takes a deep look at Kosovos transformation into a hotbed of support for the Islamic State, encouraged in large part by Saudi-funded proselytization. The tiny European country has now produced an estimated 314 foreign fighters for the Islamic State, a figure which includes two suicide bombers. At the end of the Kosovo War, Islam in Kosovo had a largely moderate character, but officials say Saudi funding, and preachers that came in after the end of the conflict have sowed a message of intolerance and incitement to violence that has made the Islamic States message a disturbingly popular one. Russia An Australian law firm has filed the first lawsuit on behalf of families who lost loved ones on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 against Russia and President Vladimir Putin for their alleged role in downing the plane. The plane was shot down over Ukraine in July 2014 by a Buk missile, which American and German intelligence, as well as media investigations, say was carried out by Russian-backed separatists in the country. The firm, LHD Lawyers, filed the suit in the European Court of Human Rights and is asking for compensation in the amount of $10 million for every one of the 298 passengers lost aboard the flight. The Islamic State A social media campaign carried out by Islamic State fanboys has become a spectacular failure, allowing amateur sleuths to track down some of the groups online supporters. In anticipation of Islamic State caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadis audiotape this weekend, a number of the groups European followers posted pictures of their hands holding up written messages of support. Eliot Higgins, founder of the open source investigative outlet Bellingcat, spent the weekend crowdsourcing a geolocation campaign which used clues in the photographs to pinpoint the location where the pictures were taken and, potentially, the posters behind the photographs. Libya The European Union (EU) is expected to grant a request from the internationally-recognized Libyan Prime Minister Faiez Serraj for help training Libyan security forces to fight the Islamic State, the Wall Street Journal reports. EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to discuss the request. Serraj, however, has blocked the EUs Operation Sophia, a naval missions to stop human trafficking in the Mediterranean, from entering Libyan waters. Diplomats tell the Journal that the Libyan leader doesnt want any boots or any boats on the ground. Political problems continue to complicate the international push for unity in Libya as a top general from the Libyan National Army is laying down preconditions for engagement with a rogue governing faction. Reuters reports that General Khalifa Haftar said political leaders in the countrys east cant join up with the internationally-recognized government in Tripoli unless it shut downs the many armed militias that have proliferated there. Both factions are now maneuvering towards Sirte, where the Islamic State has a stronghold, raising the possibility of a military confrontation between the two. Money talks The Treasury Department sanctioned six individuals over the weekend for their alleged involvement in jihadist terrorism. Five of the individuals were sanctioned for their involvement with al Qaeda and one for his facilitation of the Islamic State in Libya. The five sanctioned al Qaeda supporters include three supporters of the groups Nusra Front Syrian affiliate, two based in Kuwait and one, Mostafa Mahamed, a senior leader for Nusra within Syria. The fifth al Qaeda member designated by Treasury, Salih Salim al-Qaysi, is described as a senior [al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula] official and a financial supporter of the affiliate based in Yemen. Photo Credit: /AFP/Getty Images A new company has come up with a way to "teleport" you from city to city without the potential for transporter accidents. The SleepBus shuttles sleeping passengers between Los Angeles and San Francisco. "It would basically be like you teleported to L.A." SleepBus cofounder Tom Currier t . "It would be cool." Buses leave at 11 p.m. and arrive sometime after 5 a.m. the next morning. Passengers are allowed to keep sleeping on the bus until 9 a.m., according to the company's site. The SleepBus Each rider on the SleepBus gets their own bunk with bedding provided by Casper, according to Inc. Pictures of the bus' interior reveal a lamp and outlets. SleepBus cubicles. There's also a community sitting area and free Wi-Fi. SleepBus community area. Tickets aboard the SleepBus cost $48 each way cheaper than a hotel, train or airfare. While other bus services like Greyhound and Megabus do offer service between L.A. and San Francisco, neither offers beds. After an initial run in April with a prototype bus, the company's Yelp page is accruing some positive reviews. However, SleepBus is holding off on its service until later this summer. "We unfortunately can't take any new reservations until we get more buses online and are working with our manufacturer to build 10 brand new buses right now," a message on the company's website reads. More trips should be available starting August 15, 2016. By Matthew Stock The unusual secretions of the Atlantic hagfish are being studied by scientists who want to harness the viscous and elastic properties of the creature's slime for human use. When attacked or threatened by a predator the marine creature defends itself by secreting a milky-white substance from its glands. This instantly reacts with the seawater around it to form a mass of slime that clogs the mouth and gills of the would-be attacker. But this slime has special properties that could benefit mankind, according to scientists from ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal institute of Technology). Hagfish slime is an extremely diluted hydrogel, consisting of over 99.99 percent water. Hydrogels are used in a multitude of everyday products including diapers, moisturisers and contact lenses. But hagfish slime is more efficient and fast-forming than other types of hydrogel, such as conventional animal gelatin. "Hydrogels are present in many everyday products; from diapers to face creams to food materials. And by studying the slime, we're trying to find out how we can make super hydrogels, so hydrogels that can entrap large amounts of water," said PhD student Lukas Boni. The glandular secretion the hagfish produces when attacked is made from mucin vesicles and tightly coiled skeins of protein measuring just 150 micrometers in diameter. When released by the hagfish they quickly interact with seawater; the mucin vesicles releasing a saliva-like substance and the skeins unwinding into long threads. Together they form a matrix of slime that can disable much bigger marine animals. How the coiled thread unwinds with such speed and efficiency when it comes into contact with seawater is still a mystery the team is working to understand. "One protein thread is coiled up into one skein, and if you extend this thread it is up to 30 centimeters long. And when these skeins come into contact with water they unravel and form these long protein threads, which span a network that together with the mucin entraps the water," said postdoctoral researcher Patrick Ruhs, adding that the protein threads have a similar property to spider silk and are extremely tear-resistant and elastic. The researchers traveled to Norway to collect samples of the hagfish's secretion before transporting it back to their laboratory in Zurich. "We bring in the fish, we sedate them, we blot them dry. And once they're sedated we put them on a dissection tray and then we mildly stimulate the ventral side of the fish. This causes the muscles to contract and the exudate, this glandular secrete, to be expelled," said Boni, adding: "After the sampling the fish wakes up again; so the fish is not harmed by taking the sample." They are now working to unlock the secret of the slime formation and its huge capacity to absorb water with the hope of recreating it artificially in the lab. Boni believes that the hagfish's natural system is far too complex to completely replicate, but is hopeful they can develop a gel that follows the principle of the natural slime. Similar research from the University of Guelph in Canada has proposed that the fibers of the hagfish slime could be used to make textiles. China; thats where Saab is right now. The former Swedish sweetheart went the way of the dodo, only to be revived by some Chinese businessmen with aspirations of an all-electric future and stacks upon stacks of cash (which has yet to come to fruition, mind you). Imagine, though, for a second, if Saab never went away at all. Imagine a new model had debuted just a few months ago at the New York Auto Show, and said vehicle was the lovely-looking 9-2 concept you see hereaimed at young professionals, hoping to take the CUV market by storm. RELATED: The 2011 Saab Phoenix Concept Was a Swedish Supercar of the Future Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. But it were up to German rendering artists Guentin Huber and Benjamin Baron, thats exactly what Saab would be building today. This is their vision of the 9-2 CUV, and its exceptionally lovely, staying very true to Saab form. Saab 9-2 is the solution, says Huber. It embodies natural strength, and is based on brand qualities, aeronautics, and turbo muscle. I especially like that last part. Combining Saabs signature Swedish sweet spot with an efficient yet powerful turbocharged engine, youd have to believe that the 9-2 would be an absolute hit, especially for Americans who gobble up these small SUVs like candy. RELATED: Youve Never Seen a Saab Fighter Jet Quite Like This But alas, this wonderful concept is nothing but a pipe dream. Saab enthusiasts everywhere can only imagine a marketable, mainstream Saab, with the DNA weve all come to know and love. The only thing left to do is plea; Saabs new owners, if youre reading this, this is your future. Get to work. RELATED: This Saab Really, Really Wants to be an Eleanor Mustang By Tim Ghianni NASHVILLE (Reuters) - Officials at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park killed the wrong bear after a man who was hiking the Appalachian Trail was bitten in the leg earlier this month, a park spokeswoman said on Monday. After a bear bit through the hiker's tent on May 10, park workers took saliva and fur samples to try to identify the bear that was responsible. The hiker was treated in a hospital and released. On May 13, before results came back from the DNA testing on the samples, park service wildlife officials confronted a 400-pound (180 kg) male black bear and tranquilized it. Wildlife biologists examined the bear and noted dental-canine injuries consistent with the hiker's wounds, said Dana Soehn, spokeswoman for the park, which straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border. "It was a large, dominant male bear that fit the profile of the bear we expected to be responsible for the attack," Soehn said. The biologists decided to euthanize the bear because it was too big to be carried for six miles from the back-country to a place it could be confined while awaiting the test results, and they could not fit a tracking collar on its head, she added. When test results came back, it was determined that the wrong animal had been killed, she said. Park officials tranquilized another bear on Friday and released it with a GPS tracking collar while they examined its DNA, but that animal has also now been ruled out as the attacker. Approximately 1,600 black bears live in the park, about two per square mile, but Soehn said attacks are rare. "We have about one attack with a human that causes injury each year," she said. (Editing by Fiona Ortiz and Andrew Hay) MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he will defy the Roman Catholic Church and seek to impose a three-child policy, putting him on a new collision course with the bishops a day after he called them "sons of whores". The southern mayor has yet to be declared the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed him ahead over his four rivals, three of whom conceded defeat. Duterte assumes office on June 30. Duterte's often outrageous comments have won him huge support and his tirades about killing criminals and a joke about a murdered rape victim do not appear to have dented his popularity in the largely Catholic country. "I only want three children for every family," Duterte said on Sunday in Davao City. "I'm a Christian, but I'm a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church." About 80 percent of the Philippines' 100 million population are Catholics, the largest concentration of any Asian country, who oppose abortion and contraception. On Saturday, he criticized the Church as the "most hypocritical institution", meddling in government policies and said some bishops were enriching themselves at the expense of the poor. "You sons of whores, aren't you ashamed? You ask so many favors, even from me," Duterte said in an interview broadcast by TV station GMA. Monsignor Oliver Mendoza, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Lingayen, whose head is the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the Church respected Duterte's opinion but that it would continue to speak against government policies that are contrary to Church teaching. "Because if we fail to do that, if we close our eyes, if we close our lips, we close our ears, what will be the role of the Church?" he said. Political analysts said they were not surprised at Duterte's statements because some bishops spoke out against him during the election campaign. "Like most liberal, secular politicians, Duterte is a deist," said Joselito Zulueta of the University of Santo Tomas. "This in itself is a self-serving position conceived out of human conceit. He will do as he pleases except when he's stopped by public criticism." He said Duterte's government was expected to clash more with the Catholic Church not only on population issues, but on the restoration of death penalty, legalization of divorce and planned distribution of contraceptives. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Nick Macfie) Johannesburg (AFP) - South African authorities have detained three Chinese vessels and 100 crew members for allegedly illegal fishing in Indian Ocean waters off Port Elizabeth, officials said Monday. The three ships were escorted into East London port after trying to flee from South African patrol vessels early on Sunday, and inspectors found about 600 tons of squid on board. "The operation has resulted in capturing of three foreign vessels," said a joint statement from the agriculture ministry, maritime security agency and the defence forces. The South African ships "had to increase speed in order to intercept the foreign fishing vessels which were speeding off," it added, saying the fishing vessels had no permits. Sicelo Fayo, manager with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), confirmed to AFP that the three trawlers were Chinese. The 96 sailors from the ships have been held for allegedly violating territorial waters regulations and illegal fishing. Another Chinese vessel was held last week and its crew charged and fined for violating environmental laws, according to Fayo. Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana expressed concern at the growing poaching of fish off South Africa. "We cannot tolerate the plundering of our marine resources," he said in the statement. A study by environmental campaign group Greenpeace last year showed that Chinese-flagged or Chinese-owned fishing boats operating off Africa had soared in recent decades, from just 13 in 1985 to 462 in 2013. Poroshenko: Ukraine to overcome two challenges on way to EU to fight Russian aggression, conduct reforms Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that Ukraine is to cope with two challenges on the way to the European Union (EU): to fight Russian aggression and conduct reforms. "We are to overcome two key challenges to realize this goal. First is effective counteraction to Russian aggression. We have built the Ukrainian army in two years with the help of volunteers and each Ukrainian citizen," he said in Kyiv on Saturday during the flag-raising ceremony near the presidential administration on the occasion of Europe Day in Ukraine. The second challenge is conducting key, systemic and comprehensive reforms. "Reforms that would change Ukraine, reforms that would build Europe in Ukraine, restore justice and make Ukraine the extremely effective state," he said. Poroshenko said that the road map for these reforms is the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP) that Ukraine has implemented. "Reforms are changes to the Constitution in part of rule of law, judicial reform. This is the step for establishing justice. Reforms are powerful anti-corruption steps," the president said. By Ed Stoddard JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed a government bid to uphold a seven-year ban on the domestic trade in rhino horn, an industry group said on Monday. The decision has no bearing on a ban on international trade in rhino horn. Potential domestic buyers could include those who see rhino horn as a store of wealth that could appreciate in value and those who want it as a decoration. Thousands of South African rhinos have been slain in recent years to meet demand for the horn in Asian countries, where buyers consider it an aphrodisiac, a cure for cancer or treatment for hangovers. "Legal finality has now been achieved," Pelham Jones, chairman of South Africa's Private Rhino Owners Association (PROA), told Reuters, saying trade could resume this year. Around 5,000 rhinos, or about a quarter of South Africa's population, are in private hands. Rhino horn can be harvested as it grows back and it can be removed from a tranquilized animal. The government has not revealed the size of its rhino horn stockpile but the PROA estimates its members have around 6 tonnes and reckons the state has close to 25 tonnes. The combined 31 tonnes could fetch $2 billion by some estimates. A spokeswoman for South Africa's department of environmental affairs said it would comment later in the day on the ruling, which was made on Friday. It was not immediately clear if the department would now appeal to the Constitutional Court, the top court in the land. Supporters of rhino horn trade say the money earned could be used for conservation and to pay for security. Opponents counter that a legal trade could tempt poachers who kill rhinos to launder their "blood" horns with clean supplies. The decision is a setback to government efforts to keep a lid on the domestic trade in rhino horn, which was imposed in 2009. It comes just months ahead of a major U.N. conference on wildlife trade that South Africa will host. The domestic trade ban was challenged by rhino owners in court last year and the moratorium was overturned. Both buyers and sellers of rhino horn in South Africa still need to apply for a permit, so that the government can keep tabs on the commodity. John Hume, the world's biggest rhino rancher who owns around 1,300 of the animals, said he was hoping to sell some of his stock of five tonnes. "We will certainly try and sell some rhino horn very shortly," he said. (Editing by James Macharia and Tom Heneghan) By Tom Bergin and Nathan Layne LONDON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shortly after 7 p.m. on January 12, 2015, a message from a secure computer terminal at Banco del Austro (BDA) in Ecuador instructed San Francisco-based Wells Fargo to transfer money to bank accounts in Hong Kong. Wells Fargo complied. Over 10 days, Wells approved a total of at least 12 transfers of BDA funds requested over the secure SWIFT system. The SWIFT network - which allows banks to process billions of dollars in transfers each day - is considered the backbone of international banking. In all, Wells Fargo transferred $12 million of BDA's money to accounts across the globe. Both banks now believe those funds were stolen by unidentified hackers, according to documents in a BDA lawsuit filed against Wells Fargo in New York this year. BDA declined comment. Wells Fargo, which also initially declined comment on the lawsuit, said in a statement to Reuters on Friday that it "properly processed the wire instructions received via authenticated SWIFT messages" and was not responsible for BDA's losses. BDA is suing Wells Fargo on the basis that the U.S. bank should have flagged the transactions as suspicious. Wells Fargo has countered that security lapses in BDAs own operations caused the Ecuadorean banks losses. Hackers had secured a BDA employees SWIFT logon credentials, Wells Fargo said in a February court filing. SWIFT, an acronym for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is not a party to the lawsuit. Neither bank reported the theft to SWIFT, which said it first learned about the cyber attack from a Reuters inquiry. "We were not aware, SWIFT said in a statement responding to Reuters inquiries. We need to be informed by customers of such frauds if they relate to our products and services, so that we can inform and support the wider community. We have been in touch with the bank concerned to get more information, and are reminding customers of their obligations to share such information with us." SWIFT says it requires customer to notify SWIFT of problems that can affect the "confidentiality, integrity, or availability of SWIFT service. SWIFT, however, has no rule specifically requiring client banks to report hacking thefts. Banks often do not report such attacks out of concern they make the institution appear vulnerable, former SWIFT employees and cyber security experts told Reuters. The Ecuador case illuminates a central problem with preventing such fraudulent transfers: Neither SWIFT nor its client banks have a full picture of the frequency or the details of cyber thefts made through the network, according to more than dozen former SWIFT executives, users and cyber security experts interviewed by Reuters. The case - details of which have not been previously reported - raises new questions about the oversight of the SWIFT network and its communications with member banks about cyber thefts and risks. The network has faced intense scrutiny since cyber thieves stole $81 million in February from a Bangladesh central bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Its unclear what SWIFT tells its member banks when it does find out about cyber thefts, which are typically first discovered by the bank that has been defrauded. SWIFT spokeswoman Natasha de Teran said that the organization was transparent with its users but declined to elaborate. SWIFT declined to answer specific questions about its policies for disclosing breaches. On Friday, following the publication of this Reuters story, SWIFT urged all of its users to notify the network of cyber attacks. "It is essential that you share critical security information related to SWIFT with us," SWIFT said in a communication to users. Reuters was unable to determine the number or frequency of cyber attacks involving the SWIFT system, or how often the banks report them to SWIFT officials. The lack of disclosure may foster overconfidence in SWIFT network security by banks, which routinely approve transfer requests made through the messaging network without additional verification, former SWIFT employees and cyber security experts said. The criminals behind such heists are exploiting banks willingness to approve SWIFT requests at face value, rather than making additional manual or automated checks, said John Doyle, who held a variety of senior roles at SWIFT between 1980 and 2005. SWIFT doesnt replace prudent banking practice he said, noting that banks should verify the authenticity of withdrawal or transfer requests, as they would for money transfers outside the SWIFT system. SWIFT commits to checking the codes on messages sent into its system, to ensure the message has originated from a clients terminal, and to send it to the intended recipient quickly and securely, former SWIFT executives and cyber security experts said. But once cyber-thieves obtain legitimate codes and credentials, they said, SWIFT has no way of knowing they are not the true account holders. The Bank for International Settlements, a trade body for central banks, said in a November report that increased information sharing on cyber attacks is crucial to helping financial institutions manage the risk. The more they share the better, said Leo Taddeo, chief security officer at Cryptzone and a former special agent in charge with the FBI's cyber crime division in New York. SYSTEMIC RISK SWIFT, a cooperative owned and governed by representatives of the banks it serves, was founded in 1973 and operates a secure messaging network that has been considered reliable for four decades. But recent attacks involving the Belgium-based cooperative have underscored how the network's central role in global finance also presents systemic risk. SWIFT is not regulated, but a group of ten central banks from developed nations, led by the National Bank of Belgium, oversee the organization. Among its stated guidelines is a requirement to provide clients with enough information to enable them to manage adequately the risks related to their use of SWIFT. However, some former SWIFT employees said that the cooperative struggles to keep banks informed on risks of cyber fraud because of a lack of cooperation from the banks themselves. SWIFTs 25-member board of directors is filled with representatives of larger banks. The banks are not going to tell us too much, said Doyle, the former SWIFT executive. They wouldnt like to destabilize confidence in their institution. Banks also fear notifying SWIFT or law enforcement of security breaches because that could lead to regulatory investigations that highlight failures of risk management or compliance that could embarrass top managers, said Hugh Cumberland, a former SWIFT marketing executive who is now a senior associate with cyber security firm Post-Quantum. Cases of unauthorized money transfers rarely become public, in part because disagreements are usually settled bilaterally or through arbitration, which is typically private, said Salvatore Scanio, a lawyer at Washington, D.C.-based Ludwig & Robinson. Scanio said he consulted on a dispute involving millions of dollars of stolen funds and the sending of fraudulent SWIFT messages similar to the BDA attack. He declined to name the parties or provide other details. Theoretically, SWIFT could require its customers, mainly banks, to inform it of any attacks - given that no bank could risk the threat of exclusion from the network, said Lieven Lambrecht, the head of human resources at SWIFT for a year-and-a-half through May 2015. But such a rule would require the agreement of its board, which is mainly made up of senior executives from the back office divisions of the largest western banks, who would be unlikely to approve such a policy, Lambrecht said. FIGHT OVER LIABILITY This week, Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank said its SWIFT account, too, was used in an attempted hack last year. That effort failed, but it is another sign that cyber-criminals are increasingly targeting the messaging network. In the Ecuadorean case, Wells Fargo denies any liability for the fraudulent transfers from BDA accounts. Wells Fargo said in court records that it did not verify the authenticity of the BDA transfer requests because they came through SWIFT, which Wells called "among the most widely used and secure" systems for money transfers. BDA is seeking recovery of the money, plus interest. Wells Fargo is attempting to have the case thrown out. New York-based Citibank also transferred $1.8 million in response to fraudulent requests made through BDAs SWIFT terminal, according to the BDA lawsuit against Wells Fargo. Citibank repaid the $1.8 million to BDA, according to a BDA court filing in April. Citibank declined to comment. For its part, Wells Fargo refunded to BDA $958,700 out of the $1,486,230 it transferred to an account in the name of a Jose Mariano Castillo at Wells Fargo in Los Angeles, according to the lawsuit. Reuters could not locate Castillo or verify his existence. ANATOMY OF A CYBER HEIST The BDA-Wells Fargo case is unusual in that one bank took its correspondent bank to court, thus making the details public, said Scanio, the Washington attorney. BDA acknowledged in a January court filing that it took more than a week after the first fraudulent transfer request for BDA to discover the missing money. After obtaining a BDA employees SWIFT logon, the thieves then fished out previously canceled or rejected payment requests that remained in BDAs SWIFT outbox. They then altered the amounts and destinations on the transfer requests and reissued them, both banks said in filings. While Wells Fargo has claimed in court filings that failures of security at BDA are to blame for the breach, BDA has alleged that Wells could easily have spotted and rejected the unusual transfers. BDA noted that the payment requests were made outside of its normal business hours and involved unusually large amounts. The BDA theft and others underscore the need for banks on both sides of such transactions often for massive sums to rely less on SWIFT for security and strengthen their own verification protocols, Cumberland said. This image of the SWIFT network and the surrounding ecosystem being secure and impenetrable has encouraged complacency, he said. (Additional reporting by Jim Finkle in Boston and Alexandra Valencia in Quito) By Manolo Serapio Jr MANILA (Reuters) - Steel and iron ore futures in China sank to their lowest since March on Monday, each tumbling nearly 6 percent at one stage, as faltering steel demand in the world's top consumer put renewed pressure on oversupplied markets. Steelmaking raw materials coking coal and coke slid 4 percent and other China-traded commodities also took a hit amid growing doubts about whether the world's second-largest economy is stabilising. Chinese steel and iron ore futures have fallen 30 percent from their peaks in April. The price surge was fuelled by bets that the worst was over for the country's economy, leading to bloated prices and volumes on domestic commodity exchanges and prompting regulators to impose curbs to restore order. Seasonal demand for steel has passed and the current weather, hot in some parts of China and rainy elsewhere, has slowed construction activity, said Kevin Bai, analyst at CRU consultancy in Beijing. "Along with the increased steel production that we saw in response to the price increase this year, prices will be under pressure," said Bai. Rebar, or reinforcing bar used in construction, fell as much as 5.7 percent to a session low of 1,936 yuan ($296) on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, its weakest since March 7. It was down 5.3 percent at 1,946 yuan by midday. On the Dalian Commodity Exchange, steelmaking raw material iron ore dropped as much as 5.8 percent to 350.50 yuan a tonne, its lowest since March 4. It was last down 5.4 percent at 352 yuan. Stocks of imported iron ore at China's major ports rose 1.6 percent from the previous week to 100.45 million tonnes on May 20, according to data tracked by industry consultancy SteelHome. It was the highest level since March 2015, and analysts warn of additional global supply this year. "The market started a bit tighter, but it is going to ease. We've got the extra Vale iron ore coming in near the end of the year and better weather coming, adding to supply," said Peter O'Connor, analyst for Shaw and Partners in Sydney. Story continues BHP Billiton, the world's third-largest iron ore miner after Rio Tinto and Vale, sees about 30 million tonnes of new seaborne supply this year. Sustained economic growth in China should support its iron ore demand until the start of the next decade although there will be continued volatility in steel and iron ore prices in the short term, said Claudio Alves, global director for marketing and sales at top iron ore miner Vale, at an industry conference last week. Elsewhere in China, Dalian coking coal and coke each fell 4.2 percent and Shanghai hot-rolled coil dropped 5.1 percent. Shanghai rubber fell 3.1 percent, Zhengzhou cotton slipped 2.2 percent and Dalian egg dropped nearly 2 percent. ($1 = 6.5450 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Additional reporting by Jim Regan in Sydney; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) J.J. Abrams, Justin Lin, Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, and Karl Urban at Star Trek Fan Celebration (Photo: Paramount) The folks at the helm of Star Trek are going warp factor 10 to keep Enterprise enthusiasts happy. On Friday, Paramount held a Trek celebration on the studio lot in Los Angeles attended by Star Trek Beyond producer J.J. Abrams, director Justin Lin, stars Chris Pine (Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), and Karl Urban (McCoy), and dozens and dozens of die-hard Trekkers. The wide-ranging event served multiple purposes: to ramp up the franchises 50th anniversary festivities; to hype the upcoming Beyond (including the launch of a new trailer); to dedicate a street on the lot to the late Leonard Nimoy. And, above all, it was geared to assure fans that the Trek team had their backs. Aside from free posters, T-shirts, Spock ears, Tribbles, and tickets to the world premiere, attendees got good news from Abrams about the fate of Axanar, a fan-backed film set about two decades before Kirk joined Starfleet that promised Hollywood-quality production. After filmmakers scored more than $1 million from Kickstarter and Indiegogo fundraisers, Paramount shut down the project citing copyright infringement. Abrams and host Adam Savage at Star Trek event (Photo: Yahoo) Well let J.J. pick it up from there: A few months back there was a fan movie, Axanar, that was getting made and there was a big lawsuit that happened between the studio and these fans, and Justinand I need to tell the story because he probably wouldntwas sort of outraged by this as a longtime fan. We started talking about it and realized this was not an appropriate way to deal with the fans. The fans should be celebrating this thing. Fans of Star Trek are all part of this world. So he went to the studio and pushed them to stop this lawsuit, and now, within the next few weeks, it will be announced this is going away, and that fans would be able to work on their project. Story continues More: New Star Trek Beyond Trailer Reflects What We Were Hoping to Achieve The announcement was met with raucous cheers from the audience. Watch J.J. Abrams discuss Axanar lawsuit: Lin, who tells Yahoo he grew up watching the original series with his dad, has been public in his disapproval of the suit. But Abrams might have pulled the phaser trigger prematurely. While both sides acknowledge that theyre working on a settlement, the deal doesnt seem as imminent as he made it sound. In a blog post this weekend, Axanar producer-writer-star Alec Peters, who was in attendance at the Friday event and blindsided by Abramss remarks, sounded an optimistic note. Even though were really excited by what J.J. Abrams and Justin Lin shared at last nights Star Trek Beyond event, the lawyers need to do their work (on both sides) before the lawsuit is officially resolved, he wrote. Axanar (Photo: Axanar Productions) CBS also tweeted that they are working on guidelines for all fan films were anxious to see what those guidelines say and make sure we have a clear idea of what needs to be done to meet those expectations. Once those two things are done, we have to get our team together to assess our current situation, determine what can be made (e.g. can we go with a current version of the script or do we need to change it), and take an inventory of what resources we have in-place to get it done. Once that process is done (and it could take a while), then well be able to explain where were headed and what were going to do. There was no immediate comment from the studio on Monday. In the lawsuit, Paramount claimed Axanar violated the studios rights to certain Trek characters, alien planets, and species (including Klingons and Vulcans), uniforms, ships, and even the made-up Klingon language. That last element, whether a language is copyrightable, has legal ramifications that stretch well beyond Hollywood and could even affect how computer programming is viewed by the courts. Earlier this month, a judge set the Axanar case to go to trial in January 2017. But it behooves Paramount to resolve the suit sooner. Over the coming weeks, the marketing blitz for Star Trek Beyond will kick off ahead of its July 22 release. The studio doesnt want to be in the awkward position of having its director and cast, already on record opposing what they see as an anti-fan action, forced to address the issue. Abrams and Lin leave the stage at Star Trek event (Photo: Yahoo) Plus, the studio is banking on Beyond to generate blockbuster box office and keep the franchise going. In addition to tentative movie sequels, theres a small-screen Trek arriving next January just in time for the potential trial. And if Axanar winds up scuttled, all that goodwill generated by last weeks fanapalooza could be scuttled with it. Matthew Burnett, CEO and co-founder of Maker's Row, is helping small businesses get their products made in the USA. His company connects over 100,000 brands with more than 10,000 American manufacturers. Prior to Maker's Row, businesses looking to produce overseas had a wealth of online resources, but were short on luck if they were trying to produce in the United States, Burnett told CNBC. His company simply evens that playing field. Burnett argues that there are legitimate advantages to producing in the United States including the minimal time difference, lack of language barriers and ease of quality control. "Often times, entrepreneurs, when they're producing products, they'll look at the cost of production overseas, but they don't compute how many you have to produce, what the turnaround times are, there's a variety of other variables that drive up that cost," he said. Burnett used to design watches for major brands like Marc Jacobs and DKNY. He learned his craft from his grandfather, who was a watchmaker. When he started making watches on his own, he said, he became frustrated with overseas producers. Burnett said that the factory he worked with had a 1,000-piece order minimum and took three to four months just to produce a sample. "What we're seeing from the rise of fashion bloggers and music videos, these small businesses that are producing domestically are able to catch onto trends much faster," which puts pressure on companies to push out products faster, he said. "You're seeing a lot of big brands now and small brands looking to produce domestically in order to have a faster turnaround time," Burnett said, adding that the order minimums are much lower in the U.S. There also is the perception that the "made in the USA" label is synonymous with good craftsmanship. Burnett said he was surprised by the number of Chinese businesses that contacted them, seeking American factories to produce goods that they intend to sell in China. Story continues Despite the quality of work, businesses have their products made abroad in efforts to reduce labor costs. This trend has led to the decline of manufacturing jobs in the United States, something Burnett watched happen in his hometown of Detroit. Burnett said he believes that making a high-quality product requires collaboration between manufacturer and designer, something he learned through his own experience. "They taught me how to make a world-class product, as opposed to just sending a drawing overseas and praying the product comes back the way that I designed it," he said. "Tickets to China are very expensive, and you're going to be spending tons of time overseas if you want to oversee the quality control of your product, which you always want to do," Burnett said. "Made in America" also has a more romantic appeal for consumers, he said. "This generation of consumer wants a product with a story and not just a product with a commercial, but a product with a story with someone that they can relate to and that's oftentimes coming from the small business community," Burnett said. More From CNBC The first e-commerce transactiona music CD, pizza, or weed, depending on who you asktook place around thirty years ago. That means that first truly native ecommerce generation is now in charge of their own foot traffic and armed with at least one device that spares them the trouble of leaving the house. This, paired with the broader shift in consumer behavior across all generations, means brick and mortars need to find new ways to compete with digital to inspire visits and sales. Stores are evolving and, along the way, challenging the very notion of what a store is for. Up against digital A big part of brick and mortars evolution is digital integration. Today, retailers are working to enhance and personalize customer experience by connecting to consumers in-store through their mobile devicesbuilding apps, targeting ads, and using beacons. You can find many examples of digital integration today, though online retailer Rebecca Minkoffs flagship store in New York offers one of the more comprehensive ones; its interactive wall and dressing rooms have been credited with tripling expected clothing sales. Timberland also just launched its first connected store while Nordstroms commitment to digital integration has been credited with 50% growth in revenue over 5 years. (They just hired a former Amazon exec to serve as CTO.) Target, too, is getting into the mix, launching an LA25 initiative where its testing 50 of its top enhancements in 25 Los Angeles stores. The IRL advantage But digital integration is not the only strategy; retailers can also draw on the in-real-life [IRL] advantages of the physical space. Immediacy comes in here, with more retailers enabling online ordering and pick up in store or curbside. Its competitive because fewer exclusively online retailers can offer this instant gratification, but is not necessarily a long-term strategy given that online fulfillment will continue to evolve and speed up. More effective is the opportunity to build community. Oftentimes, this comes in the form of caffeine; Barnes and Noble was an early innovator here, adding a Starbucks to a New Jersey store back in 1993. Since then, many retailers have adopted or tested in-store cafes, including Urban Outfitters, Target, Restoration Hardware, and Kohls. Along the same lines, Target, Whole Foods, and Nordstrom, among others, are offering cocktails in some stores. When trying to attract customers and increase dwell time, theres an advantage in offering something that cant be instantly downloaded, like coffee, booze, and yes, maybe even tattoos. (See Whole Foods.) Story continues Meanwhile, another concept that keeps popping up isahemthe pop up shop. The pop up shops currency is urgency; if customers dont come now they risk missing out forever. Bloomingdales is hosting a pop up inspired by the musical Hamilton while Macys is bringing in pop ups as part of the reinvention of its Brooklyn store. The pop up also presents a low-risk testing ground for online retailers, one compelling example being Warby Parkers touring store that was housed in a school bus. Butis it a store? As brick and mortar adapts, becoming deeper integrated with digital, acting a fulfillment center and expanding to offer drinks and other services, the classic definition of store begins to fragment. Already, the store has lost its longstanding position as the finale of the customer purchase funnel; in no small part because that purchase funnel itself is an antiquated concept. Savvy retailers and brands in general now think of the consumer experience as an ongoing loop, with consumers moving from digital to physical and back until, eventually, there may be no clear delineation between the two. This emphasis on the overall experience changes the expectations of stores. It also opens opportunities for more types of brands to invest in physical locations. For example, last year, there was an more than an hour wait at the Museum of Feelings in downtown New York City. The museum invited visitors to walk through a sensory presentation of each feeling: Optimism, Joy, Invigorated, Exhilarated and Calm, while its exterior changed color to reflect the social mood of New York. You might argue that this wasnt actually a store, but then it wasnt actually a museum either; The Museum of Feelings was a branded retail experience for Glade, generating buzz for an otherwise not-so-buzzed-about brand. More recently, Samsung launched Samsung 837, a first-its-kind cultural destination, digital playground and marketing center of excellence. Samsung 837 serves as a showcase for innovation, offering what may be the first virtual reality experience for many visitors and providing Instagram-friendly experiences like the walk-through Social Media Gallery. But whats unique about Samsungs space is that there is nothing sold there. Its an experiencean opportunity for Samsung to tell its story and give visitors a way to get excited about the brand theyll buy in the future. In cases like these, brick and mortars serve as a marketing vehiclean opportunity for brands to curate their own presence for customers, just as social provided the format to operate as a media company. Its a trend that makes Amazons decision to open its own brick and mortars seem strategic. But is the return there? It always comes back to data The ability to more accurately track consumer activity gives brick and mortars a host of insights. Not only can the more connected store know what was purchased, they can also see what products compelled the most research, price comparisons, or inspired trips to the fitting room. They can engage with in-store customers via social media as well as encourage and measure posts from their store and, increasingly, tap into emotional analytics. Further, more sophisticated attribution measurement is making it possible to determine what investments drove traffic to the store, even without purchase. Though it would be inaccurate to suggest that traffic and sales arent still the key performance indicators for most stores, this broader set of data, if put to use, can help a retailer optimize beyond the limits of its four wallsespecially critical at a time when stores are closing so rapidly that CNN wrote Store Closings are the Hottest Trend in Retail. Where to go from here Digital has an odd way of creating challenges and then presenting solutions for those challenges it creates. It offers a range of ways of to add genuine value, from brand awareness to interaction, coupled with pop-up flexibility. If retailers are savvier about embracing this value, theyll stand a better chance of attracting customers. If not, theyre not only missing out on opportunities in the near term, theyre limiting their future prospects for growthafter all, isnt it a waste to see a store as a fulfilment outlet? More From paidContent.org One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another three were wounded in Donbas over the past day, the Ukrainian Presidential Administration's spokesman for Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) issues Andriy Lysenko has said. "One Ukrainian solider was killed and three were wounded in hostilities in the past 24 hours. That happened in a mortar attack on the Avdiyivka industrial zone," he told a press briefing in Kyiv on Monday. The Luhansk sector has seen four enemy attacks, Lysenko said. In particular, militants shelled the villages of Zhovte and Solilnyky, the village of Novozvanivka came under enemy sniper fire twice. The town of Avdiyivka remains the hottest spot in the Donetsk sector. Shortly after midnight, artillery systems deployed in the militant-held village of Spartak close to the ruined Donetsk airport opened fire on ATO forces. "They had fired 240 rounds within one hour. In the second half of the day [on Sunday], the enemy used 82mm mortars, having fired about 30 bombs," Lysenko said. Other sectors in eastern Ukraine also saw attacks. In particular, the villages of Zaitseve and Nevelske, and the town of Krasnohorivka came under fire. All in all, there were 10 enemy attacks in the Donetsk sector alone in the past 24 hours, six of them were with the use of heavy weapons. The number of attacks in the Mariupol sector was the largest yesterday. Ukrainian troops were attacked 17 times, and the enemy used large-caliber weapons four times. In particular, the village of Shyrokyne, which is not far from the Ukrainian-controlled strategic port of Mariupol, was shelled with the use of mortars and artillery systems. What is more, the enemy also used guns of infantry fighting vehicles, antitank guided weapons, anti-aircraft guns along with sniper fire. In the past 24 hours, two enemy drone overflights were spotted - one was in the Mariupol and the other in the Donetsk sectors. A class action lawsuit against Fitbit (FIT) may have grown teeth following the release of a new study which claims the company's popular heart rate trackers are "highly inaccurate." Researchers at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona tested the heart rates of 43 healthy adults with Fitbit's PurePulse heart rate monitors, using the company's Surge watches and Charge HR bands on each wrist. Subjects were then hooked up to a BioHarness device that produced an electrocardiogram (ECG), to record the heart's rhythm against the data being produced by Fitbit's devices. Comparative results from rest and exercise, including jump rope, treadmills, outdoor jogging and stair climbing, showed that the Fitbit devices miscalculated heart rates by up to 20 beats per minute on average during more intensive workouts. "The PurePulse Trackers do not accurately measure a user's heart rate, particularly during moderate to high intensity exercise, and cannot be used to provide a meaningful estimate of a user's heart rate," the study document stated. The study was commissioned by Lieff Cabraser, the law firm behind the class action suit that is taking aim at three Fitbit models that use the PurePulse heart monitor, including the Fitbit Blaze, Fitbit Charge HR and Fitbit Surge. The suit claims the devices do not accurately measure heart rate, and the study was included as part of an amended complaint filed last week. In a statement, Fitbit called the study "biased" and "baseless," saying it lacked "scientific rigor." "It was paid for by plaintiffs' lawyers who are suing Fitbit, and was conducted with a consumer-grade electrocardiogram not a true clinical device, as implied by the plaintiffs' lawyers. Furthermore, there is no evidence the device used in the purported 'study' was tested for accuracy." However, a separate study by Ball State University in Indiana and journalists at NBC-affiliated TV station WTHR released in February, also showed that the Fitbit Charge HR missed heartbeats, marking an average heart rate error of 14 percent. Story continues "Calculating a heart rate that's off by 20 or 30 beats per minute can be dangerous especially for people at high risk of heart disease," the report explained. Fitbit did send a written reply to WTHR, saying that its devices "are designed to provide meaningful data to our users to help them reach their health and fitness goals, and are not intended to be scientific or medical devices." Fitbit also highlighted to CNBC a separate study from independent consumer-advocacy organization Consumer Reports which has found "the heart rate readings to be quite accurate." But the most recent study by California State Polytechnic University, if correct, could mean some users are putting themselves at risk, said Dr. Allan Stewart, director of aortic surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Stewart says it's a big assumption to believe that the study, which was paid for by a legal firm suing Fitbit, is correct. But if it is, he says, "athletes may be at a minimum improperly training and, at worst, potentially elevating their heart rates to an unsafe level where a massive heart attack is entirely possible." More From CNBC UPDATED: Sumner Redstone has asked a Los Angeles court to affirm his action in ousting two of his long-time business associates from the board and trust that oversees his corporate empire. The 92-year-old media barons petition Monday rejects contention that he was manipulated into booting Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from his holding company, National Amusements, at the whim of his daughter, Shari. Instead, he moved the men out because of legitimate concerns about the conglomerate and how it will function after he is gone, his representatives contend. Mr. Redstone has been clear and unequivocal in his desire to remove Philippe Dauman and George Abrams as trustees, attorney Robert N. Klieger said after filing the papers in Los Angeles Superior Court to validate the action. Mr. Redstone is saddened that Mr. Dauman is trying to make this dispute about his daughter. This dispute is not about Shari Redstone. It is about Mr. Redstones right to have the individuals he wants and trusts managing his assets upon his death, and protecting the financial interests of his grandchildren. Klieger also noted that Daumans position in recent days suggesting Redstone was mentally unfit to make an important change in corporate governance was at odds with his earlier stance on Redstones mental health. Mr. Dauman made this charge despite having never raised any questions regarding Petitioners capacity and despite having testified under oath six months ago at a time when petitioners cognitive ability was equivalent to (if not worse than) his cognitive ability on May 20 2016 that [Redstone] was engaged, attentive and opinionated as ever. Redstones legal team additionally pointed out that the terms of the National Amusements Trust require three doctors have to independently find the billionaire mentally incapacitated, in order to remove him from authority over the trust. That has not occurred, according to the papers filed by Klieger. Story continues A furor erupted in Redstones empire on Friday, when a lawyer for the billionaire faxed notices to Dauman and to Abrams, telling them that they would no longer serve as board members of National Amusements or on the seven-member trust that will govern the concern when Redstone is gone. National Amusement holds 80% of the voting shares in two conglomerates Viacom and CBS Corp. Dauman and Abrams earlier Monday filed a lawsuit of their own, claiming that Redstone never would have ousted them after decades of loyalty and service unless he was not of right mind or was under the influence of Shari Redstone. The younger Redstone is a 62-year-old lawyer who serves on the boards of both her fathers companies. She has long been known to have disdain for Viacom CEO Dauman. Related stories Philippe Dauman Files Suit To Block Removal From Redstone Trust Sumner Redstone Opposes Paramount Sale, Slams Dauman; Viacom Asserts Manipulation Shari vs. Philippe: War Over Future of Sumner Redstone's Empire Takes New Turns The extraordinary battle between Sumner Redstone and Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman intensified Sunday evening as a statement from Redstone questioned Daumans plan to sell a partial stake in Paramount Pictures to a strategic investor, among other criticisms. The lengthy statement issued by Redstone spokesman Mike Lawrence asserted that the 92-year-old mogul was mentally competent and acting independently in his decision on Friday to remove Dauman from his role as a board member of Redstones National Amusements holding company and from the trust that will inherit those holdings after Redstones death. Viacom responded Sunday with another statement asserting it is clear he is being shamefully manipulated. The verbal volleys that stretched through the weekend are taking a heavy toll on Viacoms rank and file. Employees who gathered on Saturday for the Peabody Awards in Manhattan could only shake their heads in dismay at the open warfare playing out in the media among the already-embattled Dauman, Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari. Employees received a memo on Saturday from Viacom lead independent director Frederic Salerno addressing the situation and urging them to stay focused on their work. The public criticism over the planned Paramount sale is likely to complicate the process for Viacom. Bidders may be wary of engaging in a process that could well wind up in court. Industry observers predict that the warring between Dauman and the Redstone family is bound to wind up in litigation. The latest Sumner Redstone statement countered claims leveled by Viacom on Saturday that Redstone has been unresponsive to requests by board members for face-to-face meetings. Dauman has acccused Shari Redstone of manipulating her father and making decisions in her own self-interest. In addition to Dauman, longtime Redstone lawyer and confidant George Abrams was also removed from the trust and from National Amusements. Viacoms claim that members of the board have been denied access to Sumner Redstone is untrue, the statement from Redstone said. In a letter sent on May 16 by his counsel to Viacoms CEO Phillippe Dauman and board members George Abrams and Frederic Salerno, Mr. Redstone asked to be briefed concerning managements plans for improving Viacoms business outlook and share price. This was an opportunity for direct engagement, but the board leadership did not respond. Instead, Viacom criticized Mr. Redstone for not speaking while participating by phone in a board meeting that followed. As Viacom knows well, Mr. Redstone has significant speech impairment and, for much of the past two years, has not relied on verbal statements at board meeting to make his opinion known. Story continues The statement also refutes claims that Shari Redstone has him on lockdown, and insists that Redstone fired Dauman, saying, He removed Mr. Dauman and George Abrams as trustees of the Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Trust and as directors of National Amusements, Inc. based on what Mr. Redstone believes are the best interests of beneficiaries and shareholders. Redstone continues to believe that it is in the best interest of Viacom that Paramount Pictures should remain wholly owned by the parent company. A statement issued by Viacom on Saturday claimed that Sumner Redstone was being manipulated and used by Shari Redstone so that she could gain control of the conglomerate. Shari Redstone responded by issuing a one-sentence statement, claiming that she respects her fathers decisions. Sumner Redstones newest statement explicitly denies that Shari is pulling the strings or taking advantage of her fathers failing health. And it again asserts that Sumner Redstone has the wherewithal to make decisions about his personal affairs. Viacom implied Shari Redstone played a role in choosing Mr. Redstones legal counsel, the statement reads. That statement is false. In fact, neither that counsel nor his firm has ever before represented any member of the Redstone family. The counsel was recommended to Mr. Redstone by his existing lawyers, and Mr. Redstone has met with and is working closely with his new counsel. It also boasts Sumner Redstones independence, claiming that the mogul, who is turning 93 on May 27, has hosted friends and family at his home and gone to his grandsons home for a baseball game in the past few days. The fight over Viacoms future reached new heights on Friday, after it was revealed that Dauman and Abrams were removed by Sumner Redstone as trustees of the trust that will oversee his holdings in Viacom and CBS Corp. after the moguls death. It was a shocking move, given that the Dauman and Abrams had been friends and associates for decades. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Dauman and Abrams are expected to be replaced on the trust board by National Amusements general counsel Thaddeus Jankowski and an unnamed friend of Shari Redstone. Viacoms statement late Sunday reiterated that directors have yet to be granted an in-person meeting with Sumner Redstone. We continue to be deeply troubled and saddened by this state of affairs. We have the deepest respect for Sumner Redstone, but it is clear he is being shamefully manipulated, the statement said. The facts are clear. Viacoms 12-hour strategy meetings on May 17 and 18, that Sumner attended by phone, addressed all issues, including Paramount, to the satisfaction of all the independent directors. Despite numerous requests, Lead Independent Director Fred Salerno and a fellow board member, who represent all shareholders, have still been unable to meet with Mr. Redstone. The Sumner Redstone we knew would never refuse a meeting about his businesses and he certainly would not want advisors to stand in for him. Mr. Salerno and his fellow Directors remain willing and eager to meet with Sumner at any time. Related stories Philippe Dauman Files Suit To Block Removal From Redstone Trust Shari vs. Philippe: War Over Future of Sumner Redstone's Empire Takes New Turns Sumner Redstone Ousts Philippe Dauman From Viacom-CBS Trust By Jessica Toonkel and Dan Levine May 22 (Reuters) - Media mogul Sumner Redstone is planning to name National Amusements Inc general counsel Tad Jankowski to the seven-person trust that will determine the fate of both Viacom and CBS in the event of Redstone's incapacitation or death, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters on Sunday. In addition, Redstone is set to name Jill Krutick, a family friend, to the trust, the sources said. The 92-year old Redstone on Friday removed Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from both the trust and the National Amusements board . Redstone is also discussing naming his granddaughter Kimberlee Ostheimer to the board of National Amusements, the sources said, requesting anonymity on grounds of not being permitted to speak to the media. Jankowski, Krutick and Ostheimer could not immediately be reached for comment. With the addition of Krutick and Jankowski, who has worked with Redstone's National Amusements since 1982, the trust appears to give Redstone's daughter, Shari Redstone, who is president and a board member of National Amusements, control to determine the fate of her father's $40 billion media empire. She is also on the trust and is vice chair of CBS and Viacom. The Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Inc Trust owns about 80 percent of Redstone's privately held National Amusements Inc, which in turn owns 80 percent of the voting rights in both Viacom and CBS. After Redstone dies or is incapacitated, the trust will determine all matters that come to a shareholder vote at both companies, including potential mergers or acquisitions. The trust's members are Shari Redstone's son, lawyer Tyler Korff; David Andelman, another lawyer who is on the CBS board; Norman Jacobs, Sumner Redstone's divorce lawyer; and Leonard Lewin, an attorney who represented Redstone's first wife, Phyllis, in her divorce from Redstone. Michael Tu, an attorney representing Sumner Redstone, declined to comment. Story continues Redstone removed Dauman and Abrams after he expressed concerns to them about Viacom's performance and received no response, according to a statement by Tu on Saturday. A spokesman for Dauman on Friday night called the steps "illegal and invalid" in an emailed statement to Reuters. Redstone's attorneys released a statement on Sunday saying Redstone opposed Dauman's plan to sell a stake in Viacom's movie studio, Paramount. Dauman has said he expects to announce a deal for the stake in June. (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel in New York and Dan Levine in San Francisco) With the Supreme Courts surprising decision in the Obamacare contraception case on Monday, the high court is down to just three major decisions in the last month or so in its current term. In recent years, the Justices have concluded their business in late June, before taking some time off in the summer. And usually, the terms final cases are among the Courts biggest- and potentially landmark decisions. But this year, after the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia in February, an eight-person Supreme Court has conducted its business in a different fashion, with several major cases returned to lower courts after a tie vote or a unanimous decision to remand a case. For example, the Court split in the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case, where it was asked to decide if requiring public school teachers to pay mandatory dues for union activities violated the First Amendment. The tie vote affirmed the rights of public unions to ask teachers to pay union dues, in a one-sentence statement, sending the case back to lower courts to consider again. And in Mondays Zubik vs. Burwell decision on Obamacare, all eight Justices agreed that the Court wouldnt decide this dispute over Obamacares contraceptive mandate and religious rights, telling lower courts and the parties involved to find a compromise solution. Court followers have pointed to three major cases that remain outstanding, sometimes theorizing or guessing how the Court and Chief Justice Roberts will handle them with a bench consisting of four conservatives and four liberals. The oldest-pending major case is Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, which was heard on December 9, 2015. The case is a challenge to affirmative action at Texas flagship public university. The University of Texas was required to admit all high school seniors who rank in the top 10 percent of their high school classes. Candidates for any remaining spots underwent a holistic evaluation process in which race is among the considered factors. The Court in 2013, the Court indeed issued a decision in the case, sending it back to the lower courts to be reviewed under a tougher constitutional standard. Story continues Then there is the case of Whole Womens Health v. Cole on abortion, which was heard on March 2, 2016. It is about a Texas law enacted in 2013 that would force about 75 percent of the states abortion services to close. The law requires that doctors at clinics have hospital admitting privileges within 30 miles of the clinics, and that clinics have facilities equal to those of an outpatient surgical center. The Court is considering is an appeals court properly handled a question about if the new restrictions would actually work to protect the health of women, and if the law imposes an undue burden on women who seek abortions. The Court last ruled on the second question in a 1992 decision, Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, which reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. Finally, the Court is considering a challenge to President Obamas executive orders on immigration in United States v. Texas, which was heard on April 18, 2016. The dispute between the Obama administration and 26 states and includes questions about the ability of the states to sue the administration and the alleged unwillingness of President Obama to honor the Constitutions Take Care Clause to execute laws passed by Congress. Two lower courts that ruled on the case agreed that the state of Texas had standing to sue the Obama administration because it had been potentially injured by immigration enforcement decisions, which could defer the deportation of 5 million undocumented immigrants. In November 2015, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower courts injunction that blocked President Obamas executive orders on immigration from taking effect. The Supreme Court added the Take Care Clause issue when it accepted the case. Among the other pending cases to be decided in the next four to six weeks are the corruption case of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, a case involving Puerto Rico and double jeopardy, and a question over the discovery of evidence during a traffic stop in Utah. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Looking back at Romer, a key Supreme Court decision about gay rights Before Obergefell, there was Goodridge: The birth of same-sex marriage in America When do Supreme Court Justices recuse themselves from cases? Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland during his visit to Istanbul, Turkey, to call on the Council of Europe to exert more pressure on Russia in connection with systemic violations of Crimean Tatars' human rights. "The president drew attention to systemic violations of rights of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in Russian-occupied Crimea. In particular, [he mentioned] the arrest of Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis Ilmi Umerov. In this connection, Petro Poroshenko called on the Council of Europe to increase pressure on Russia," the Ukrainian presidential press service reported on Monday. The parties also discussed the pace of Ukrainian reforms. Jagland welcomed the election of new Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko. He also hailed Poroshenko's efforts to reform the judicial branch of power in line with European standards. By Huw Jones and Tom Bergin LONDON (Reuters) - The SWIFT secure messaging service that underpins international banking said it plans to launch a new security programme as it fights to rebuild its reputation in the wake of the Bangladesh Bank heist. The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT)s chief executive, Gottfried Leibbrandt will tell a financial services conference in Brussels that SWIFT will launch a five-point plan later this week. Banks send payment instructions to one another via SWIFT messages. In February thieves hacked into the SWIFT system of the Bangladesh central bank, sending messages to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York allowing them to steal $81 million (56 million). The attack follows a similar but little noticed theft from Banco del Austro in Ecuador last year that netted thieves over $12 million and a previously undisclosed attack on Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank that was not successful. The crimes have dented the banking industrys faith in SWIFT, a Belgium-based co-operative owned by its users. The Bangladesh Bank hack was a watershed event for the banking industry, Leibbrandt will say. There will be a before and an after Bangladesh. The Bangladesh fraud is not an isolated incident ... this is a big deal. And it gets to the heart of banking. SWIFT wants banks to drastically improve information sharing, to toughen up security procedures around SWIFT and to increase their use of software that could spot fraudulent payments. SWIFT will also provide tighter guidelines that auditors and regulators can use to assess whether banks SWIFT security procedures are good enough. Leibbrandt will again defend SWIFTs role, saying the hacks happened primarily because of failures at users. However, some finance industry executives say SWIFT has not been as active as it should be in improving security. Users frequently do not inform SWIFT of breaches of their SWIFT systems and even now, the co-operative has not proposed any sanctions for clients who fail to pass on information, which SWIFT itself says is key to stopping future attacks. Story continues Some critics say SWIFT should also be more active in auditing clients and be ready to cut off members whose security is not up to scratch. But the messaging service says other authorities also have a role. SWIFT is not all-powerful, we are not a regulator and we are not a policeman," Leibbrandt will say. Former SWIFT Chief Executive Leonard Schrank said it appeared that SWIFTs security efforts had not kept pace with the criminals increased sophistication and that the co-operative needed to work hard to restore its reputation. They really have to earn that credibility back, he told Reuters. (Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Tom Heneghan) Whimsical cloud vortices dot the sky in a new satellite image of an island volcano. The shot, captured by the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite, shows eddies in the air near Mawson Peak on Heard Island. The island is in the Indian Ocean and belongs to Australia. At 9,006 feet (2,745 meters), Mawson Peak is the island's highest point, according to NASA's Earth Observatory, which released the image May 8. [See Images of Some of the Weirdest Clouds] Heard Island is off the beaten path, to say the least. It's nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from Australia and more than 600 miles (1,000 km) from Antarctica. But wildlife finds refuge on Heard Island and the islands that surround it. According to the Australian government, four penguin species make their home in the island group, living alongside 15 species of breeding birds, including albatross and petrol. Southern elephant seals, Antarctic fur seals and subantarctic fur seals also use the islands as breeding grounds. Heard Island is about 24 miles (40 km) long, and growing: Fresh lava has been flowing from Big Ben, the volcano whose highest peak is Mount Mawson, since at least the 1980s. What isn't dominated by fire is covered in ice: According to the Australian government, 70 percent of Heard Island is permanently glaciated. None of that is visible under the cloud cover in the new image, which was taken May 3. What is visible are the disrupted air patterns caused by Mawson Peak. The clear circles are called von Karman vortices after the physicist who first described them. It's not the first time satellite imagery has revealed such patterns. In 2012, NASA released a shot of Saint Helena, a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, featuring similar vortices. They also appear in a shot of Guadalupe in the Pacific taken that same year. Heard Island is in the "Furious 50s," latitudes known for their strong westerly winds. In short, according to the Australian government, the island is cold, cloudy, wet and windy. Vortices aren't the only cloud formations seen downwind of Big Ben's peaks, either. Cap clouds, which are dome-shaped cloud formations, are sometimes seen hovering over the tops of mountains. UFO-shaped lenticular clouds and twirling roll or rotor clouds (so named because they seem to roll along a horizontal axis, like a barrel down a hill) also form in the turbulent atmosphere above the island. Story continues Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Switzerland will inaugurate the opening of the world's longest and deepest train tunnel next week which, when complete, will help reduce travel times between cities by up to a full hour. After 17 years of construction work, the Gotthard Base Tunnel will open for the first time June 1, extending 57 km in length into the bowels of the earth 2,300 meters below the Gotthard massif in the Swiss Alps. With speeds reaching up to 250 km/hr, the travel time from one end of the tunnel to the other will take just 20 minutes. By December, when the tunnel is fully operational, passengers can expect to reduce their travel time on routes such as Milan to Zurich, and Basel to Lugano by between 25 to 40 minutes. Once the Ceneri Base Tunnel enters operation, travel times are expected to be slashed by a full 60 minutes by 2020. That means that instead of a four-hour train journey between Milan and Zurich, for example, travel times will be cut down to three hours. Other than the 20 minutes spent speeding through the underground tunnel, the existing Gotthard rail route is known for offering sweeping views of the Swiss Alps, from the forests of firs in the mountains to the palms and stone dwellings in the south of the country. The rail route takes travelers over 250 bridges and seven loop tunnels. Highlights of the Gotthard rail route include some of the highest bridges on the national railway network, including the Charstelenbach Bridge (127 m) and the Intschireuss Bridge (121 m), as well as a double loop tunnel which offers views of the Baroque church of Wassen from three different perspectives. Other scenic train journeys created to showcase Switzerland's landscape under Grand Train Tour of Switzerland program include the Glacier Express, an eight-hour journey that travel deep into the Alps; the Bernina Express which links the north and the south; and the GoldenPass Line, which takes travelers through three regions, and along eight lakes. The Gotthard Base Tunnel enters into regular operation on December 11, 2016. On May 19, 2016, Zacks Investment Research downgraded Syngenta AG SYT to a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) from a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Going by the Zacks model, companies carrying a Zacks Rank #4 have chances of underperforming in the broader market over the upcoming quarters. Why the Downgrade? Lower insecticides sales, fall in glyphosate prices, depressed rice market of Thailand and tight credit conditions in Argentina as well as Brazil have been weighing on Syngentas top line in recent times. Being a multinational company, Syngenta is often exposed to unfavorable currency fluctuations. A stronger U.S. dollar has been adversely affecting the companys foreign revenues and margins in the recent quarters. Moreover, Syngenta operates in the global agricultural industry, which exposes its trade to several cyclical fluctuations owing to climatic variations. Also, marketing of the company's genetically modified traits is often subjected to government regulations and restrictions across various markets. In addition, the company operates in a highly competitive industry, which might diminish its market share in the near future. Analysts remain cautious on the stock, which is clearly evident from the downward revision in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past 90 days. As a result, estimates for the stock fell roughly 1.6% to $3.72 per share for 2016 and 1.5% to $4.02 for 2017. Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked stocks in the industry are First Majestic Silver Corp. AG, Antofagasta plc ANFGY and BHP Billiton Limited BHP. All the three companies currently hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BHP BILLITN LTD (BHP): Free Stock Analysis Report FIRST MAJESTIC (AG): Free Stock Analysis Report SYNGENTA AG-ADR (SYT): Free Stock Analysis Report ANTOFAGASTA PLC (ANFGY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Beirut (AFP) - Under international pressure, Syria's government has agreed to partial aid access for thousands of civilians living under regime siege but one town near Damascus remains a "thorn in its side": Daraya. The town was one of the first to erupt in demonstrations against the government -- and one of the first to be placed under a strict regime siege in late 2012. Despite appeals from its residents, the United Nations and rights groups, Syria's government has steadfastly refused to allow aid convoys into the town, most recently in a dramatic 11th-hour rejection earlier this month. Since a partial truce began in February, aid groups have made modest strides in reaching some besieged areas with assistance. But Daraya remains without a drop of aid. "The regime is using its 'submit or starve' policy to try and take back the town," said Bissan Fakih, spokeswoman for The Syria Campaign, an advocacy group focused on the conflict. "Daraya is on the capital's doorstep, so the regime won't give it up." The town lies a mere 15-minute drive southwest of central Damascus and is even closer to the regime's prized Mazzeh air base, which hosts the feared air force intelligence services and their notorious prison. A source close to the government said: "Daraya has a special place in the government's mind. "The state wants to take Daraya -- it doesn't want a truce there. The location is too strategic." Clashes on the town's edges have intensified as pro-government news website Al-Masdar said the army would "kick off a major military operation" to capture Daraya in the coming days. - 'The forgotten siege' - Daraya was once known for its sprawling grape vines and factories producing delicate embroidered tablecloths sold throughout the capital. When Syria's uprising began in 2011, the town's protesters became renowned for handing out flowers and water to government soldiers. Story continues But daily death tolls grew as sniper fire turned to shelling and residents began to take up arms against the regime. In November 2012, government forces began "setting up checkpoints at all the entrances to the town", said local activist Shadi Matar. "By December, there were no safe ways to come into or leave Daraya." The siege shrivelled the town's thriving pre-war population of 80,000 down by nearly 90 percent. "Daraya is like the forgotten siege. It's one of the first places that was besieged, but even after the truce, no food or medical assistance came in," Matar said from inside the town. Hosam Khshini, a doctor in one of Daraya's clinics, said residents lack basic amenities and have resorted to eating wild grass. "Electricity? We don't even know what that is anymore. Water? It's all from the wells and it's not potable anyway. Food and milk for children -- none." Testimonies from the town echo the stories of more than 400,000 Syrians that the UN estimates live in towns besieged by the regime or by rebels. - 'A conundrum for the regime' - On May 12, Khshini and others waited with bated breath as a five-truck Red Cross convoy paused on the town's outskirts for final permission to distribute baby milk and medical and school supplies. But at the last minute, the trucks were refused entry, dashing residents' hopes. "Daraya is still a conundrum for the regime," Khshini told AFP. "The UN really tries to get inside but the regime refuses, giving flimsy excuses every time to block aid deliveries." Aside from Daraya's strategic location, government sources and opposition activists have different theories for why the regime is so unforgiving when it comes to the town. "Daraya is known as the school of the non-violent uprising," said Fakih of The Syria Campaign. She said the government resented that Daraya continued to defy "the dictatorship down the road". "Those peaceful days may be long gone, but the survival of this town is a thorn in the side of (President) Bashar al-Assad's plan to stamp out the uprising." But regime sources insist the particularly tough stance stems from the presence of extremist combatants. "Daraya is a red line for the regime because of the fighters there, most of whom are from hardline groups," the source close to the government said. "The groups in Daraya are some of the most religious. This is why the state believes that the humanitarian aid wouldn't even go to the civilians." Already before its truce with non-jihadist rebels began in late February, Syria's army insisted Daraya would not be included in the deal because the town hosted "terrorists". A government soldier said: "The fighters look very healthy while the civilians look poor and miserable... because someone is stealing everything that enters the town." Syrians gather near a burning car in the coastal town of Tartus, Syria, where suicide bombers blew themselves up on May 23, 2016. Syrian TV reports said the bombings took place in a packed parking lot during morning rush hour. (SANA via AP) Syrians gather near a burning car in the coastal town of Tartus, Syria, where suicide bombers blew themselves up on May 23, 2016. Syrian TV reports said the bombings took place in a packed parking lot during morning rush hour. (SANA via AP) Bomb blasts killed scores of people in the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus on Monday, and wounded many others in the government-controlled territory that hosts Russian military bases, monitors and state media said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in the Mediterranean cities, which up until now had escaped the worst of the conflict, saying it was targeting members of President Bashar Assads Alawite minority. (Reuters) Find more news-related photo galleries on the Yahoo News Photo Tumblr! Paris (AFP) - Syrian Kurds, who in March unilaterally proclaimed the creation of a federal region in northern Syria, on Monday opened a representative office in central Paris with several celebrities attending the launch. The office is not officially recognised by the French foreign ministry which views the opposition Syrian National Council as the "legitimate" representative of the Syrian people. The launch of the Rojava office -- the name of the self-proclaimed federal region -- was attended by former French foreign minister and Doctors Without Borders co-founder Bernard Kouchner, philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy and other leading Parisian figures. The move follows the opening of similar representative offices in Moscow, Berlin and Stockholm. "Our priority is to defeat terrorism and create stability in Syria," said Sinam Mohamed, a Rojava representative. The Damascus government and the Syrian opposition do not recognise the region. Washington has said it will not recognise any autonomous regions the Syrian Kurds set up under their planned federation but it has also said that it will continue to work closely with the Kurds. Syria's conflict has evolved from a popular uprising to a multi-faceted war that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. Kurds comprise about 15 percent of Syria's population and Kurdish fighters have been backed by Washington in the battle against the Islamic State group. Moscow has also steadily built up its alliance with the Kurds after a fallout with Turkey over the downing of a Russian warplane last November, pushing for the inclusion of the Syrian Kurds in UN peace talks. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with his counterpart from Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as part of his visit to Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss Poroshenko's visit to Azerbaijan, the Ukrainian presidential press service said. "The heads of state have agreed to hold a general bilateral intergovernmental Ukraine-Azerbaijan commission on trade and economic cooperation," the press service said. By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - The main Western-backed Syrian opposition has gained little by demanding the fall of President Bashar al-Assad other than fuelling killings and the refugee crisis, a senior official from Syrian's northern Kurdish region said on Monday. Syrian Kurds and their allies are finalizing plans for an autonomous political federation in the northern part of the country. They are pressing ahead despite the objections of foreign governments which fear Syria's disintegration and alarm from neighboring Turkey, which fears a growing Kurdish sway in Syria is fuelling separatism among its own minority Kurds. While talks to end the five-year conflict in Syria struggle, the plans are taking shape independently of United Nations-led diplomacy and creating facts on the ground in an area of the country known in Kurdish as Rojava. "The problem is not the fall of Assad or people that are ruling, but changing (the) system," Sinam Mohamed, a member of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union (PYD) told reporters in Paris. "It's not matter of fighting Assad or not. It's how do you change the system from a dictatorship into a democratic system in Syria. Look at the other opposition, they called for the fall of Assad, but they have gained nothing but killing and many refugees," she said. The PYD has been left out of the faltering Geneva peace process, where the main Western, Arab and Turkish-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) opposition group has suspended its participation after it accused the government of breaking a fragile truce and blocking aid to besieged areas. The HNC, which does include Kurdish groups, has accused the PYD and its allies of tacitly supporting Assad. Sinam Mohamed is co-chair of the alliance led by the PYD. It controls an uninterrupted stretch of 400 km (250 miles) along the Syrian-Turkish border from the Euphrates River to the frontier with Iraq, where Iraqi Kurds have enjoyed autonomy since the early 1990s. They also hold a separate section of the northwestern border in the Afrin area. She was speaking after opening a fourth overseas representative office for Rojava following similar moves in Moscow, Berlin and Stockholm. She said they aimed at giving the Syrian Kurds a voice overseas and promoting them as the best military force to defeat Islamic State militants in Syria. "Our priority is to defeat terrorism and build stability in Syria," Mohamed said. The French foreign ministry said it did not recognize the legitimacy of the Kurdish representative office. However, France is part of the U.S.-led coalition that is carrying out air strikes in support of the PYD's military wing, the YPG, and groups fighting with it as they make advances toward Islamic State's bastion of Raqqa. (Reporting By John Irish; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Anyone looking for proof that trends are cyclical need look no further than the Echo and Echoplex in Los Angeles on the first Tuesday of every month, where fans of emo and pop punk show up by the thousands to bask in nostalgia and sing along fervently to the anthems of their teenage angst. In a year and a half, the monthly Emo Night L.A. -- or Taking Back Tuesday as it's also called, nodding to the popular group Taking Back Sunday -- has grown from a barroom karaoke night started by friends T.J. Petracca, Barbara Szabo and Morgan Freed to arguably the city's most successful rock themed party night. The most recent event marked the series' first expansion to take over the upstairs Echo as well as the downstairs Echoplex, where it has run for over a year. On this first go at dominating two of Los Angeles' most popular rock clubs, Emo Night L.A. brought in almost 3,000 people over the night into the nearly 1,000-person capacity joint venues for a mix of live performances by Chris Conley of Saves The Day and Ryan Ross from Panic! at the Disco, plus DJ sets by Jack Barakat of All Time Low and local favorites production team Captain Cuts, among others. Dashboard Confessional Pines for 'May' in New Song: Listen Since launching in late 2014, the night has welcomed heroes of the 2000's emo scene primarily for unannounced DJ sets, including Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Mikey Way of My Chemical Romance, Jesse Mack Johnson of Motion City Soundtrack, and many more, building a fan following easily measured by the line out the door and around the block -- a considerable feat for a weeknight. And the influence is not just in Los Angeles. Now the Emo Night brand has expanded to host parties in San Francisco, San Diego, Toronto, Portland, Seattle, Omaha, Denver and Atlanta, with a summer tour coming up. Walking into the Echoplex on a Taking Back Tuesday night is indeed a portal to a bizarre, drunken Warped Tour-like world from more than a decade ago. The 21-and-over event caters to nostalgia with commitment, wherein throngs of 20-somethings down beers and sing along to songs by Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Blink-182 and contemporaries with full commitment, crowd surfing, moshing and shouting every lyric as loudly as possible. Story continues "I think people realize that this is really a place where you can come and let your guard down and it's not like other Hollywood clubs or bars where you kind of have to impress everyone and be someone that you're not," said Szabo, who runs a creative agency with her partners during the day. It's a sentiment echoed by FIDLAR's Zac Carper, who has DJed the party. Describing the experience of watching the crowd hold up lighters for Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" during his set as "life changing" and "probably the most fun I've ever had in my entire life," Carper said, "What's amazing about [Taking Back Tuesday] is that there was zero 'cool kid' factor. Everyone was just super into music and everyone was emotional. Nobody was out to impress anyone. There was zero snobbery." Justin Bieber Meets Blink-182, Drake, Sum 41 & More on Captain Cuts' Emo Mixtape: Listen Since DJing Taking Back Tuesday parties in San Diego and L.A., New Found Glory frontman Jordan Pundik said he's received invitations for similar events in Nashville and New York and is amazed by the level of excitement that he's seen. "I think the key to the success is definitely the attitudes people have going into it," he said. "Anyone that talks about it says how happy everyone is and how fun it is and that's the secret ingredient right there." For the promotion team behind Emo Night L.A., a lot of this all comes down to creating a community around the event where they try to personally engage with as many partygoers as possible, as well as credit those fans' commitment to the music and the night in general -- something they say is a defining characteristic of the scene. "It was the last culture that embraced the full album before digital downloads. I remember skipping school to get the new Alkaline Trio CD and now kids can just preorder it and it's already on their phone," said Freed. "You had to wait for those things, you waited and sat in your room and you listened to the whole album and it was physical and you had to actually be a part of it.... I think we're the last generation that actually fucking wanted it." Petracca added that fervor translates to the thousands of 20- and 30-somethings that turn out on a Tuesday night, noting the night may not have the same success were it held on a weekend. Blink-182's New Song Is 14 Seconds Long, So They Looped It For Ten Hours He said, "It takes a lot of commitment for people to be like 'I'm gonna go I'm gonna scream my head off, I'm gonna be super hung over on Wednesday,' but that's just it -- I'm gonna commit to it." Emo Night L.A.'s growth is not only a testament to the power of nostalgia, but to the resurgence of emo and pop punk in modern music as well. New bands such as 5 Seconds of Summer and Bring Me The Horizon have built massive followings drawing on the genre's forebears. In L.A., with the new upstairs expansion to four stages, the team behind the party promises to introduce new bands to its followers and "rebuild" the community. "The majority of that stuff that I currently listen to is the newer emo stuff," said Freed. "A lot of the stuff if you listen to it, it sounds like old Get Up Kids, it's fucking awesome. And I feel like every generation has that thing where it goes away and then comes back, then it goes away then comes back ... and now it's time for a newer generation to really experience what we did and do it with their own bands." For those artists celebrated, Taking Back Tuesday is also validation of their contributions to a genre that's often maligned. "It's certainly encouraging to know there's this much excitement and reverence for the scene we were in, because there was a long stretch of time when we were kind of feeling like this wave's kind of crashed and we had fun and now it's time to try other things in life," said Marko DeSantis, lead guitarist for the band Sugarcult. "Right now, what I think Emo Night represents in addition to being an unabashed party which is awesome, it also represents this cultural vindication for what we all did," DeSantis continued. "And at the risk of sounding self important, on behalf of all the bands in our scene, there is a sense of, yeah we fucking did this and it mattered to a lot of people who are now grownups and they're not ashamed to say and raise a glass to it and scream along to these songs when they hear them." [[{"fid":"614028","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":814,"width":1240,"class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] Gil Riego Photography [[{"fid":"614022","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":1870,"width":1240,"alt":" ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] Gil Riego Photography Washington (AFP) - Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike because he represented a "specific imminent threat" to US and coalition forces in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Monday. "They were specific things that we knew he had engaged in or was preparing to engage in, that were were directly threatening coalition and US forces," said Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. US President Barack Obama confirmed Monday that the Afghan Taliban leader was killed Saturday in the drone strike in Pakistan. The United States and NATO official ended combat operations against the Taliban in December 2014. But their forces are still authorized to carry out "defensive" strikes against Taliban fighters who pose a direct threat to US or coalition troops. In the Pentagon's view, the operation against Mansour was strictly in keeping with the rules, and not a sign that the United States was re-engaging the group militarily. "This is not a change in authorities at all, this is us continuing what we've been doing, which is conducting strikes of a defensive nature," Davis said. Mansour had led the Taliban since last summer's surprise announcement of the death of Mullah Omar, the movement's founder. Initially considered a proponent of peace talks, Mansour had led the group's biggest military advances since the Taliban's fall from power in Kabul in 2001. The United States still has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan, mainly in advisory and support roles with Afghan government forces. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Taliban under Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who was targeted in a U.S. drone strike, were planning new attacks against American targets in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul, a U.S. official said on Monday. The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was elaborating on an earlier Pentagon statement that Mansour was targeted because he was presiding over plots that posed "specific, imminent threats" to U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) VILLA PARK, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2016 / Robert L. Cashman, President of Service Team Inc. (SVTE), announced today that Service Team Inc. has entered into an Agreement to acquire MCV Companies, Inc. It is expected that the necessary steps to complete the acquisition will be finished in the next 30 days. MCV Companies, Inc. is a full service general contractor with revenue in excess of $2,000,000 in the year 2015. The Company builds room additions, remodels, landscaping and custom home designs. MCV Companies, Inc. has a staff of experienced professional builders to complete quality projects. Virgil Enriquez, President of MCV Companies, Inc. stated: "I'm excited about being associated with Service Team Inc. This relationship will enable MCV Companies, Inc. to expand its market. The Company anticipates significant growth over the next several years." Service Team Inc. located at 1818 Rosslynn Avenue, Fullerton, California, will provide additional information on the acquisition of MCV Companies, Inc. when it is completed in June of 2016. For more information, review MCV Companies, Inc.'s web site at: www.mcvcompanies.com and Service Team Inc.'s (dba Delta Stag) web site at: www.deltastag.net. About Service Team Inc.: Service Team Inc. is a fully reporting public company with its stock listed on the OTCPINK using the symbol SVTE. The Company, dba Delta Stag, is a manufacturer of commercial truck bodies and truck parts in the Southern California area. Service Team Inc. acquired 100% of Delta Stag in June of 2013, and since that time has maintained a sustained growth of more than thirty percent (30%) per year. Safe Harbor Statement: Safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as CBYI or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Service Team Inc. chris sacca shark tank hamilton abc Frequent "Shark Tank" guest judge and billionaire tech mogul Chris Sacca is saying that he didn't throw a tantrum after being turned away from "Hamilton." Sacca denied a report that he allegedly threw a fit when he and his wife, Chrystal English, were denied admission into Broadway's biggest hit show when it was discovered that the tickets he bought from StubHub were counterfeit. According to the New York Post, Sacca didn't take no for an answer when he was denied entry because of the fake tickets. The newspaper's source said that Sacca repeatedly asked, Do you know who I am? He was getting really angry at the ticket scanner, the eyewitness said of the alleged encounter, describing the mogul's tone as "condescending." He said he was a shark on Shark Tank and warned it wouldnt be good if they couldnt get in." The unnamed source said that Sacca proceeded to cause a scene with the person scanning tickets, and then asked for a manager. The theater's higher-up also told Sacca he couldn't get in and warned him about buying secondhand tickets. Sacca took to Twitter Monday and called the story "bulls--- gossip" and said it "didn't happen" on Twitter. @azdeandobbs Yo, Dean. Bullshit gossip. But thanks for the shoutout. Chris Sacca (@sacca) May 23, 2016 Sacca who, through his venture capital fund Lowercase Capital, was an early investor in companies such as Twitter, Uber, Instagram, and Kickstarter said he took selfies with the theater's staff and threw the blame on StubHub, a digital person-to-person ticket marketplace. Story continues @AmIClever I didn't take anything out on staff. They weren't even my tickets. I listened to the staff complain at length about StubHub. Chris Sacca (@sacca) May 23, 2016 Nothing like waking up to made up articles. My wife of five years is my "girlfriend" and taking 20 selfies with staff is a "tantrum." Haha. Chris Sacca (@sacca) May 22, 2016 A StubHub spokesman told the New York Post that it blamed seller error, and added that the company has reached out to apologize and get [Sacca] back to a show. Business Insider asked Lowercase Capital, "Shark Tank," and the New York Post for comment. NOW WATCH: 4 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones' More From Business Insider How Crude! Teekay Tankers Misses Analysts' Earnings Estimates (Continued from Prior Part) Market insights by Teekay In its first-quarter conference call, Teekay Tankers (TNK) gave insights on the tanker market, how it fared in the first quarter, and the outlook for the market in 2016. These insights will be helpful to assess the outlook for Teekay Tankers and other crude (DBO) tanker companies such as Nordic American Tankers (NAT), Tsakos Energy Navigation (TNP), Frontline (FRO), DHT Holdings (DHT), and Euronav (EURN). Tanker industry: 1Q16 The first quarter remained well supported by a strong oil supply and demand. However, many one-time factors led to a quarter-over-quarter decline in tanker rates. The first quarter was a maintenance period for many refineries, with maintenance postponed from 2015 due to strong refining margins. A mild winter in the Northern Hemisphere and rising bunker costs due to rising oil prices also pulled down tanker rates. Tanker outlook: 2016 In its first-quarter conference call, Teekay Tankers gave insights on the tanker industry in 2016. Teekay believes oil market fundamentals will continue to support the crude tanker demand. OPEC ( Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) oil production remains near record highs. The breakdown of recent talks in Doha between OPEC and non-OPEC producers will likely result in the oil supply remaining at elevated levels in the near term. US crude oil production recently fell below 9 million barrels per day for the first time since October 2014. This slowdown led to an increase in US crude oil imports. Also, the lift of the crude oil export ban resulted in the first few export cargoes leaving the United States. Global oil demand is forecast to grow by 1.2 million barrels per day in 2016. At the same time, relatively low oil prices encourage strategic stock and commercial stockpiling of oil. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte in Istanbul, Turkey, during his working visit to the UN World Humanitarian Summit, the Ukrainian presidential press service reported. "The effect of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and the finalization of the European Union's decision on visa-free travel for Ukrainian citizens were major issues on the agenda of the two heads of states," the press service said on Monday. The parties separately touched on the situation in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. Poroshenko stressed that he hopes for further solidarity and unity of the European Union in the support of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular through maintaining EU sanctions against Russia until it fully implements the Minsk peace agreements and let Ukraine retake its territory. "The leaders of Ukraine and the Netherlands also synchronized their joint actions in the framework of the investigation in the downing of flight MH17 by Russian proxies in Donbas in July 2014," the press service said. BANGKOK (Reuters) - The EU has not taken any decision on whether to ban fish exports from Thailand, the Thai foreign ministry said on Monday, clarifying comments made by its deputy prime minister that Bangkok had been given more time to end illegal fishing. Earlier Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan had said the European Union had given Thailand, the world's third-largest seafood exporter, a further six months to curb illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, more than a year after Brussels threatened Bangkok with a ban. The ministry said in a statement that Prawit had "merely stated" the EU had not reached a decision on whether to give Thailand a "red card", effectively banning its fish exports. "Thus Thailand still has time to work on this matter before such a decision will be made and Thailand reaffirms its commitment to continue working to tackle the problem," it said. Thailand's fishing industry employs more than 300,000 people, many of them migrant workers from neighboring countries who are often subject to ill-treatment. The industry's reputation has been tarnished by instances of human trafficking to meet manpower demand, forced labor and violence. The EU gave Thailand a "yellow card" - or warning - in April 2015 for failing to prevent illegal and unregulated fishing catch entering the supply chain and ending up in seafood exports to Europe. The warning required Thailand to clean up in six months or face a trade ban. A spokesman for the European Commission confirmed that no formal decision had yet been taken and said the next round of talks would take place in Bangkok in July. A Thai team visited Brussels last week to discuss progress. Since receiving the EU warning, Thailand has instigated new license and monitoring systems for fishing vessels, the director general of the Thai Fisheries Department, Adisorn Promthep, told Reuters last week in Brussels. Bangkok has also tightened regulations and imposed limitations on the catch, Adisorn said. The EU yellow card had been a "wakeup call" to deal with an obsolete fisheries law, he added. Authorities were also making more regular checks on vessels and demanded employers give workers written contracts, he said. That was to prevent labor abuses and human traffickers selling people on to boats, Adisorn said. (Reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak in BANGKOK and Julia Fioretti in BRUSSELS; Writing by Simon Webb; Editing by Louise Ireland and Gareth Jones) Skin-to-skin contact makes all kinds of sense for premature infants. Two photos of dads snuggling with their infants have gone viral this week, reigniting discussion about the power of skin-to-skin contact between parents and babies. I snapped a couple of pictures, Heather Whitten, the Arizona photographer who captured an image of her husband holding their feverish 1-year-old in the shower, told Today. It was just beautiful. It was not surprising or anything out of the ordinary; its how he has always been with the kids. What Whitten said she likes about the photo which she took in 2014 but reposted to Facebook recently, where it has been shared more than 38,000 times is that it shows it is OK to get naked with your son and nurture him. The important thing is really taking care of your kiddos. Related: Facebook Blocks Photo Featuring Plus-Size Model Tess Holliday From Being Promoted Another image this one of a father in a Swedish hospital enjoying some skin-to-skin time with one of his premature twins (as his young son follows suit with the other) has also gotten plenty of buzz. Also a repost, the photo originally was shared last year by a Danish family advocacy organization. It is now reaching viral proportions, with more than 22,000 shares after a South African organization posted it on Facebook last week. The caption, translated from Danish, explains a Swedish practice in which babies weighing around 1.5 pounds are placed on a parents bare chest instead of in an incubator. [Swedish professor] Uwe Ewald points out that the parents chest regulates the temperature better than an incubator, it reads. Skin-to-skin contact helps the baby to breathe better. The child becomes calmer and gains weight faster. Research shows that parents bacterial flora compared with hospital bacteria reduces the risk of serious infections in these delicate children. The Internet went crazy for this image of a dad comforting his sick son. (Photo: Heather Whitten) Story continues A 2015 study published in the journal Pediatrics confirmed that for preterm newborns, skin-to-skin snuggling sometimes referred to as kangaroo care can lower the risk of sepsis, a blood infection, and boost babies odds of survival by improving vital signs. While some U.S. hospital neonatal care units do allow the practice, its not the standard. But given the scientific evidence, senior study author Grace Chan told CBS News at the time that it would definitely be worthwhile to expand the practice here. It would certainly be well-received by new parents, judging by the theme of the nearly 1,000 comments on the recent post. My daughter was born at 25 weeks. I was constantly begging to do skin to skin, shared one woman. Many of the nurses acted like it was a big bother to them. It is so hard to have other people tell you that you cant hold your own baby. Others reported the practice had helped them. We practiced this kangaroo care regularly with my micro preemies. One born at 25.3 weeks and the other at 23.5 weeks they are now strong young adults at 20 & 19, noted one. Another added, My babies (twins) were born at 24 weeks. We did this at every opportunity. Their stats rose, breathing dependency reduced and they and I got a whole lot happier. Related: I Tried 7 Natural Deodorants and a Few of Them Actually Worked Another skin-to-skin benefit is that it has been shown to calm parents down, according to research. It seems to help the mothers too, Anne Bigelow, a professor and researcher of developmental psychology, told Scientific American several years ago. It reduces their stress level they report lower levels of depression, they seem to be able to be more sensitive to their babys cues, and the babies are more responsive to the mother through the whole first three months. Theyre recognizing their mother earlier, so the relationship between the mother and baby is off to a facilitated start. It works the same way with fathers too. In the U.K., many government hospitals have officially begun encouraging fathers to strip their shirts off in the delivery room and practice skin-to-skin contact with their newborns. And in 2007, a small Swedish study showed that fathers who stepped in for post-C-section moms and held their babies against their skin wound up with infants who were more easily soothed. As for the first photo, with the father in the shower with his son who ended up with a diagnosis of salmonella Whitten had originally shared it in a photo class, and observers misinterpreted it as being sexual. She had also previously shared it on Facebook, twice, only to have it banned and then reinstated. But she had concerns about how it would be seen from the start. I wanted to take it down just because I thought it would get blown out of proportion, she says. I thought the point was getting missed. It seems to be hitting the mark this time around, though, with more than 25,000 comments, many of them as supportive as this one: Your photo does what every photographer hopes theirs will do. It tells the story. A love story told by a good dad taking care of his sick child and a mom who only wanted to share that inspiring love with those of us who get it. Dont let the closed minded deter you! Its beautiful! Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Have a beauty story youd like to share with us? Email ybeautystories@yahoo.com. ypg Two Syrian Kurds were shot dead by a former member of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) earlier this month, in what the executioner said was a response to an incident last month in which the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) killed around 50 FSA fighters and transported them back to Kurdish territory in an open-top trailer. Tensions have flared as images of both incidents which could not be independently verified circulated on social media until the FSA-aligned rebel group Jaysh al-Thuwar disavowed the alleged murder of the Kurdish civilians as a "crime" by a disgruntled former FSA fighter. "The offender was fired by the rebels a month ago," the group said in a statement published on its website, calling the incident "a false military operation." The incident is symbolic, however, of the mutual distrust that continues to cast a shadow over the Kurdish-Arab relationship in northern Syria, even as the Obama administration has tried to bring Arab and Kurdish forces together to fight the Islamic State. That fragile partnership was tested again on Saturday, when the US' top military commander, General Joseph Votel, visited Kurdish commanders in northern Syria to discuss the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces' plans to retake territory from ISIS. The visit reportedly prompted fury from Syrian Arab rebels, who are wary of the US' support for the SDF. The Arab fighters are just camouflage, General Salim Idris, the former FSA chief of staff, told Voice of America on Monday. The SDF is the YPG, which collaborates with anyone Assad, the Russians, the Americans when it suits its purposes." He added: "I really dont think the Obama administration has thought this through. Will the Kurds give up Arab towns they capture? he said. Kurdish members of the Self-Defense Forces stand near the Syrian-Turkish border in the Syrian city of al-Derbasiyah during a protest against the operations launched in Turkey by government security forces against the Kurds, February 9, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said Story continues Hassan Hassan, a Syrian journalist and resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, addressed the "secondary conflict" brewing between Arabs and Kurds in The National last week. "Amnesty International has in seven months issued two major reports highlighting allegations of war crimes by rebel and Kurdish forces in northern Syria," Hassan, who cowrote "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror," noted. "The two reports are related to a secondary conflict brewing between Arabs and Kurds from Hasakah to Qamashli to Aleppo, which could easily spin out of control and add to the many conflicts that already plague the country." Kurdish and Arab fighters have a long history of mutual distrust that peaked between 2012 and 2013, when the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) battled FSA-aligned rebel groups for control over the Syrian city of Ras al-Ayn. Those tensions have reemerged over the past eight months. The YPG-controlled neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsood has come under siege by both Syrian government forces and the rebels, with reports emerging that the rebels have committed war crimes against the neighborhood's Kurds. In March, an intense battle between Kurds and rebels in Aleppo punctured the relative calm that had been forged by the cessation-of-hostilities agreement brokered by the US and Russia one month earlier. Syria map The rivalry has put the US in a difficult position. The YPG has proven to be the most effective force fighting ISIS on the ground in northern Syria, but the territorial expansion their victories have afforded them is vehemently opposed by Turkey, an important US ally and member of NATO. Ankara views Kurdish demands for autonomy as a threat to Turkey's sovereignty. It backs many of the rebel groups that have clashed with the YPG. Complicating the situation further is the High Negotiations Committee's (HNC) insistence that it should be the only opposition group represented at peace talks in Geneva, where multiple attempts to forge a political solution to the more than five-year war have failed. The HNC is a Saudi-backed coalition of Syrian opposition groups created in Riyadh in December 2015. Turkey has also objected, citing the Kurdish insurgency it is battling in its southeast. Syria The US-backed SDF was supposed to alleviate Turkey's anxiety by incorporating some Arab and Turkmen groups to offset Kurdish influence. But the SDF was established by members of Euphrates Volcano a coalition that included certain FSA factions but was dominated by the Kurdish YPG and has since clashed with the FSA's 13th division near the strategically important Azaz corridor. "The US may not want to jeopardise its relationship with a force that has helped it win key tactical battles against ISIL in Syria, but the unconditional support for the YPG is irresponsible because it creates unnecessary conflicts and undermines the long-term war against extremists," said Hassan. Not everyone would agree that the US's support for the YPG is "unconditional." And the case could be made that the US decision to gamble its relationship with Turkey which has been accused repeatedly of turning a blind eye to ISIS' illicit activities in favor of a closer relationship with the fiercely anti-ISIS YPG was a strategic move. Still, Washington's insistence that supporting the group is key to defeating ISIS was complicated in February, when YPG forces further west appeared to be actively coordinating with Russia to recapture territory taken by anti-Assad rebels near Azaz. FSA As Hassan noted, because one of the YPG's primary goals is to expand its territory in northern Syria by linking its Afrin canton with Jarabulus and because it is more "anti-ISIS" than "anti-Assad" the group is viewed suspiciously by Turkey and Sunni opposition groups in Syria. "Ive argued all along that empowering the YPG without doing the same for the Sunni Arab opposition would create an acute power imbalance in northern Syria," Middle East expert Charles Lister wrote on Twitter last week, noting that the "imbalance may spark a conflict that could outlast" the one between the regime and the opposition. "This position has nothing to do with being pro or anti anyone," Lister said. "Its merely the result of assessing broader dynamics in Syria's north." NOW WATCH: A global intelligence analyst explains why Russia isn't as strong as people think More From Business Insider By Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Three Indian policemen were shot dead at point-blank range on Monday in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, in the first such attacks in almost three years, a senior police officer said. The attacks followed a weekend shootout in north Kashmir in which five militants and one Indian soldier were killed, taking to 44 the total number of separatist fighters killed this year in India's most northerly region. The spike in violence comes against a backdrop of rising social tension and separatist sentiment in the Muslim-majority region, which for decades has been at the center of a strategic tussle between India and Pakistan. The three policemen were killed in two separate attacks in Srinagar, police official Ghulam Hassan Bhat told Reuters, with two killed in the Zadibal quarter of the city. "The militants fired at these cops from point-blank range, leaving them in a pool of blood," said Bhat, a deputy inspector general of police in the region. The assailants in the second attack shot dead the security guard of a political leader, also at point-blank range, and took his rifle. The attacks came two days after Indian troops killed five militants from Pakistan-backed militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Kupwara district bordering Pakistan. One soldier succumbed to wounds suffered in the gun battle. The number of militants sneaking across the de facto border between India and Pakistan has increased this year, helped by an early summer and a lack of winter snows in the mountainous region, a senior army officer said. "As compared to last year the infiltration is on the higher side," said Brigadier Rajeev Puri, of the Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army, estimating that around 225 militants were active in the Kashmir Valley. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir, each controlling part of the territory but claiming it in full. The Line of Control, or de facto border, runs along the lines of a ceasefire reached in 1948. (Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) The surprise resignation of moderate Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu earlier this month has once again cast doubt on the future of the refugee deal signed in March between Turkey and the European Union. But, whether it moves forward or not, the agreement is just one aspect of the broader Turkish-European relationship. And, in light of political developments in both Ankara and Brussels, its high time to rethink what that relationship should look like. Under domestic pressure to do something about the refugee crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel gave in to a series of demands from Turkeys strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in exchange for the refugee deal. Among these demands in addition to 6 billion euros and the introduction of visa-free travel to Europe for Turkish citizens was the promise to open a new chapter in Turkeys long-delayed accession process to the European Union. The prospect of Turkish accession is still remote, so Merkels promise was viewed as a mostly symbolic gesture that helped sweeten the deal for Erdogan. But given Turkeys evolution under his rule, and the countrys unpopularity in Europe, it was still a very unfortunate one. Its time to pull the plug for good on Turkeys EU candidacy and think seriously about alternatives. Though Turkey first applied to join the EUs predecessor, the European Economic Community, in 1987, the two parties did not enter the protracted accession negotiations until 2005. Candidates for EU membership must comply with a detailed list of rules, divided into 35 chapters, that deal with issues ranging from free movement of goods to judicial independence to norms of competition. Each chapter can only be opened and closed (when the candidate meets the requirements) with the approval of all EU member states. So far, Turkey has managed to open 15 chapters and to close only one. The rationale for Turkish accession is well known: it would more firmly bind the Muslim democracy and NATO ally to the West while boosting political and economic reforms at home. The prospective candidacy of a large country, jealous of its sovereignty, also appealed to countries like the U.K. that want to ensure the European Union remains a free trade area instead of turning into a more integrated political entity. U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama also supported Turkeys bid, furthering the notion that NATO and EU membership should go hand in hand. (A former French foreign minister, Hubert Vedrine, spoke for many exasperated Europeans when he suggested, in response, that perhaps Mexico should join the United States.) Story continues But domestic developments in Turkey have not fulfilled the hopes of the countrys supporters. Erdogans tightening hold on power and his plans for constitutional changes that would further strengthen the presidency have gone hand in hand with crackdowns on the opposition and the media. In a 2015 report, Freedom House denounced several years of decline of freedom of the press in Turkey. While the accession process did spur some progress in the early 2000s, it seemed to have little effect when it didnt suit Erdogans domestic agenda. His ruling party complied with EU rules when it came to weakening the armys role in politics, but instead of allowing a newly empowered civil society to become a check on its authority, it has only consolidated its power while weakening the countrys hard-won secular tradition. Furthermore, Turkey still refuses to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member, and occupies the northern half of the country with about 30,000 troops, more than it has ever committed to NATO operations. In violation of its customs agreement with the EU, Turkey refused to trade with Cyprus. To punish Turkish noncompliance, the Council of the European Union shelved talks on key accession chapters in 2006. And despite the hurdle this issue has already placed in Turkeys path, Erdogan has been further hardening his views in recent years. Beyond the disturbing rise of political authoritarianism in the country, many Europeans question Turkeys European orientation on geographic and cultural grounds. Only 3 percent of Turkeys territory is, strictly speaking, in Europe and its GDP per capita is less than a third of the European average. A Muslim country with 75 million citizens, bordering Syria, Iraq, and Iran, Turkey would soon become the EUs most populated country it if joined. Public opinion polls in Europe show that an ever-larger majority of voters oppose Turkish accession. Indeed, the issue has come to symbolize the gulf between Brussels, which is seen as trying to push accession, and actual Europeans, who are more than skeptical. In 2014, 69 percent of Germans opposed Turkeys membership bid (up from 52 percent in 2005) while only 26 percent were in favor. The same year, 83 percent of the French were opposed. Even in the U.K., whose diplomats have long supported the Turkish bid, only 34 percent of the population did in 2014. And here comes the dirty little secret of the negotiations: Turkish accession is unlikely to ever happen. At every stage, the next step must be approved unanimously by all EU member states, with the possibility of referendum in some countries. It is highly doubtful a consensus could be reached. (Consider that voters in the Netherlands recently rejected closer ties with Ukraine, a Christian, undoubtedly European country.) Yet the talks with Ankara keep going, like a bureaucratic zombie, because the various European participants expect someone else probably the French or Germans to cast the final veto and take the blame. In the midst of a refugee crisis, some might be tempted to argue for keeping up the charade, if only to secure greater cooperation. But this does more harm than good. The process is the worst of two worlds: its going nowhere, but can still be used as a scarecrow by anti-European populists. Though unrelated to the subject at hand, the prospect of Turkeys accession was brandished by fear-mongering opponents of the failed EU constitution during the French and Dutch referendum campaigns in 2005. Brexit partisans are trying to do the same today. The situation is understandably a source of resentment for many Turks, whose once-strong support for EU accession has waned. In addition, the conditionality of the EU accession process long seen by the Europeans as a means of leverage is becoming more of a burden than an asset in the case of Turkey. Feeling that he has the upper hand, Erdogan is not inclined to make concessions on his authoritarian ways, forcing the EU to either overturn its principles to get a refugee deal, or to look for another solution. As a disillusioned EU diplomat recently told me: We used to see accession talks as a strength, now its a constraint on us. Divorces are always messy, but there is no clear path to Turkish accession to the European Union. Kicking the can down the road will only poison relations further and encourage voices of discord in both Europe and Turkey. This doesnt mean European leaders should seek confrontation with Turkey. The EU is Turkeys number one trade partner, with nearly half of Turkish exports going to Europe. Furthermore, from energy diversification to the fight against terrorism and instability in the Middle East, Turkeys strategic importance to Europes southern flank is considerable theres a reason its a NATO ally. But a military alliance is not the same thing as political union. Besides, from its dithering on stopping jihadi fighters from crossing into Syria to its exploitation of the refugee issue to blackmail Europe into concessions, Ankara has not proven to be a consistent partner. As an EU member in full standing, Turkey would get a veto on Europes collective foreign policy decisions an unacceptable outcome. At heart, the Turkish case speaks to Europes inability to see its neighborhood though any lens other than enlargement. There is legitimate reason for that. Despite the current trend of Euro-gloom and democratic backsliding in countries like Hungary and Poland, it is undeniable that EU enlargement has been an extraordinary force for stability and democracy on the European continent. The long and excruciating integration process, with its extensive demands on rule of law and free market norms, has greatly contributed to cementing the transitions of central and eastern countries after the fall of the Berlin Wall. But enlargement prospects cant be used as a foreign policy tool forever. European leaders should start contemplating alternatives to accession for Turkey such as making the country a strategic partner, an option long favored by Angela Merkel herself: this could spur progress in a number of areas without promising, or demanding, the impossible. Its time for the EU to recognize its stable borders and develop an ability to defend them, reinforcing the notion that the continent can act as a political power rather than an ever-expanding international organization. In the photo, Prime Minister Erdogan speaks during the opening session of a conference at the Ministry For EU Affairs in Istanbul on June 7, 2013. Photo credit: STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) - A man accused of leaving his deceased infant daughter in an apartment last summer went on trial on Monday in northeast Ohio on charges related to the child's death. Eric Warfel waived his right to a jury trial and opted for a bench trial, in which a judge will decide if he is guilty of five felonies including gross abuse of a corpse, cocaine possession and tampering with evidence. Warfel in August pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but after a psychiatric evaluation Medina County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Collier ruled that he was competent to stand trial. Last July, a cable installer discovered the body of Ember Warfel in an apartment in Medina, about 32 miles (52 km) south of Cleveland. The cable technician was doing upgrades in all the units of the building. Law enforcement officials said Ember, who was born in October 2013, had been dead for at least a month. The medical examiner was not able to determine a cause of death because the body was badly decomposed, according to public records. After Ember's body was found, police located Warfel living in a motel with another daughter, who was 7-years-old at the time. According to Cuyahoga County Domestic Court records, the domestic court judge had given Warfel custody of Ember in part because of drug problems of the child's mother, Malinali Galdamez. Warfel had another child with Galdamez who died at 5-months old and the cause of death was ruled undetermined by a Cuyahoga County medical examiner. After Ember Warfel's body was found, police investigated the earlier death, but no charges have been filed in that case. (Editing by Fiona Ortiz and Bernard Orr) UPDATE with Gannetts response: For the second time, Los Angeles Times owner Tribune Publishing Company has rejected Gannett Companys $15-per-share takeover bid. The door isnt closed, however. Tribune, which also owns the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun, said Monday that it was open to further discussion. RelatedIs Tribune Publishings Chairman Planning To Bid For Gannett? In a statement, Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn called Gannetts $864 million bid inadequate, adding that, we remain unrelenting in our pursuit of value whether on a standalone basis or through a transaction, and believe the $70.5 million growth capital investment announced today from Nant Capitalwill support Tribunes transformation strategy. Gannett logo Dearborn was referring to a separate deal announced today with Nant Capital which will make a $70.5 million investment in exchange for stock. Nant will own 12.9% of Tribunes outstanding shares, making it Tribunes second-largest shareholder. Nant Capital founder Patrick Soon-Shiong is to join the Tribune board as vice chairman. Gannett countered with a different take on the latest developments. Despite repeated efforts by Gannett to engage with Tribune regarding its $15.00 per share all-cash premium offer, Tribune has continued to take actions that Gannett believes are designed to convey disproportionate control of the enterprise to select stockholders while ignoring its duties to all Tribune stockholders, the USA Today owner said in a corporate statement. Gannett notes that Tribune issued 4.7 million shares of common stock to a single investor, who will also be added to the Tribune Board, at the same price at which Gannett offered to purchase all outstanding Tribune common shares. This share issuance, when combined with the shares sold to an entity controlled by Tribune Chairman Michael Ferro, gives two members of the Tribune Board an ownership position of approximately 30 percent. Tribune again changed the composition of its board without stockholder participation; the newest appointee will not be subject to a stockholder vote for another year. Story continues Gannett said it would review whether to proceed with its acquisition offer. Meanwhile, Gannett shares were down 16.2% at midday. Dearborn said that Gannetts own encumbrances, including $650 million in pension and other benefits liabilities, made it seem an unlikely candidate for takeover. But he said he continues to be open to closed-door discussions with Gannett to assess whether there is a path forward. Regardless of the outcome, he continued, we are confident that we have the right strategic plan in place to leverage technology and effectively monetize our world-class content. Related stories Is Tribune Publishing's Chairman Planning To Bid For Gannett? Gannett Raises Tribune Publishing Offer By 22.5% Ahead Of Shareholder Vote Tribune Publishing Adopts Poison Pill To Block Gannett Buyout Effort Washington (AFP) - Los Angeles Times owner Tribune Publishing on Monday rejected a sweetened takeover offer from newspaper rival Gannett but left the door open to discussions on a potential tie-up. The rejection marked the latest volley in a contentious battle for Tribune Publishing, which also owns the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other large dailies. Gannett, which owns USA Today and over 100 other newspapers, boosted its bid last week to $864 million in an effort to create a national newspaper powerhouse. Tribune Publishing chief executive Justin Dearborn said the group wants to pursue its own "transformation strategy" for the digital age, but had signed a non-disclosure agreement that allows both sides to examine the finances of the other. "We continue to have serious doubts about Gannett's ability to enter into a transaction," Dearborn said in a statement, noting Tribune's large pension and benefits liabilities. "However, we stand ready to work with Gannett to assess whether there is a path forward that will create more value for both sets of shareholders. We have no preconceived ideas about where these discussions might lead, but the board is committed to engaging further in an effort to identify potential additional value for the company's shareholders." At the same time, Tribune Publishing announced it had received a $70.5 million "growth capital investment" from Nant Capital, giving the group controlled by South African-born entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong a stake of 12.9 percent. The investment at $15 a share -- the same as the Gannett bid -- "demonstrates strong support for our plan and provides additional capital to accelerate our growth strategies for the benefit of our shareholders and all other Tribune stakeholders," Dearborn said in a statement. Some Tribune Publishing shareholders have been pressuring the company to accept a deal with Gannett, arguing that a tie-up is the only way to survive in a declining newspaper industry. Story continues But the Chicago-based group rejected the first offer from Gannett as too low and last week said it would "not succumb to hostile tactics designed to steal the company from our shareholders." Tribune Publishing group was spun off from the larger Tribune Co. in 2014, and has been examining options such as the sale of the coveted Los Angeles daily. But following the Gannett offer the group said it would seek to remain independent as it refines its digital strategy. Gannett last year became the latest media conglomerate to break itself apart, splitting off its television operations into a new firm called Tegna. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called on the international community to hold their ground on the principles of protection of freedom, democracy and human rights. "We are back on the verge of a major hostility. It's not a hostility between 'the west' and 'the rest.' It's the hostility between those who seek harmony and those who seek domination. It's the hostility between those who play by the rules and those who believe that the rules don't really exist," Poroshenko said at a roundtable meeting at the UN World Humanitarian summit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday. "We see it very clearly in today's Russia a nuclear nation that sees democracy as a threat and freedom as a poison. This situation is not about a different interpretation. Its about different goals," Poroshenko added. According to him, freedom, democracy, free speech, basic human rights are "the invaluable assets, not commodities." "What you fight for is what you are. So, let's stand our ground! Let's stick to freedom and human rights!" he called on those present at the high-level leaders' roundtable "Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts" in Istanbul. * Turkey now a "de facto" presidential system, official says * Cabinet to be named on Tuesday, seen bearing Erdogan stamp * Investors nervous about shape of economic team * European parliament chief says Turkey faces one-man rule By Orhan Coskun and Nick Tattersall ANKARA, May 23 (Reuters) - As Turkey's incoming prime minister prepares to name his new cabinet, there is little doubt that its primary role will be to rubber-stamp what has already become reality: a shift to a full presidential system with Tayyip Erdogan firmly in charge. Erdogan on Sunday confirmed Binali Yildirim, a close ally for two decades and a co-founder of the ruling AK Party, as his new prime minister, ensuring government loyalty as he pursues constitutional change to replace Turkey's parliamentary democracy with an executive presidency. Yildirim's appointment will stamp out any vestiges of resistance in the AKP to Erdogan's plans, three senior party officials said, forecasting that the new cabinet, expected to be announced on Tuesday, would contain only loyalists. "We have entered a period of a 'de facto' presidential system, where Erdogan's policies will be implemented very clearly," one of the officials said, predicting five or six ministerial changes from the existing team. "They will lead to complete harmony between Erdogan and the cabinet ... Erdogan's decisions will be implemented without being touched," the official said, speaking anonymously because the final decision on the appointments has not yet been made. Erdogan and his supporters see an executive presidency - a Turkish take on the system in the United States or France - as a guarantee against the sort of fractious coalition politics that hampered Turkey's development in the 1990s, when it was an economic backwater with little clout on the world stage. His opponents, and sceptical Western allies, fear growing authoritarianism. Prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people for insulting Erdogan since he became president in 2014. Opposition newspapers have been shut and journalists and academics critical of government policies sacked. Story continues European Parliament President Martin Schulz criticised Erdogan's accumulation of power in comments published on Monday, describing it as a "breathtaking departure from European values" in a nation negotiating for membership of the EU. "We see Turkey under Erdogan on its way to being a one-man-state," he told German newspaper Koelner Stadtanzeiger. He said the European Parliament would not begin debating visa-free travel for Turks to Europe, a quid pro quo for Ankara's help in curbing illegal migration, until Turkey fulfilled all the criteria including amending its sweeping anti-terrorism laws, which Erdogan has resolutely refused to do. "It is incumbent on all of us to make clear that we cannot idly accept the monopolisation of power in the hands of a single man," Schulz said. In a sign of the possible turbulent relations to come with Brussels, Erdogan's economic advisor Yigit Bulut warned Ankara could suspend all of its agreements with the European Union if it failed to "keep its promises". MASTER MANOEUVRER Erdogan has made clear he wants to seek legitimacy for the presidential system, which will require constitutional change, via a referendum. To do that, he will need the support of at least 330 members of the 550-strong parliament, and unwavering backing from the AKP grass roots on the campaign trail. Outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was seen as too lacklustre a supporter of the presidential system. By replacing him, Erdogan aims to unify the AKP behind him just as the nationalist opposition is embroiled in a damaging leadership row and the pro-Kurdish opposition is tainted, in the eyes of some voters, by a surge in violence in the largely Kurdish southeast. "Now the road to changing the constitution to include a presidential system is completely open," a second senior AKP official told Reuters. Popular support for the presidential system is unclear, with a recent IPSOS poll putting it at just 36 percent. The ORC research firm was meanwhile cited in the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper as putting it at 58 percent. "The one-man rule has de facto begun, even though not constitutionally," Ozer Sencar, director of the Metropoll research firm, told Reuters. Yildirim, who has said his main aim as prime minister will be forging a new constitution, said on Monday the new cabinet list would be prepared quickly and be presented to Erdogan, who must approve it, as soon as he is available. Investors are most concerned about the shape of the new economic team, in particular whether Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, an anchor of confidence in overall charge of economic policy, will retain his post. A third AKP official, close to Erdogan, said it was crucial to keep an experienced team in place during turbulent economic times but that ultimately it would be the president's decision. His advisor Bulut, a former TV commentator who once accused opponents of trying to kill Erdogan through telekinesis, said that economic policy in Turkey would continue to be based on manufacturing, whoever was in charge. "If the system is solid, if it's working well, it doesn't matter who is running it," he told state broadcaster TRT. (Additional reporting by Gulsen Solaker and Ece Toksabay in Ankara, Paul Taylor in Brussels; Writing by Nick Tattersall; editing by Anna Willard) ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish Airlines aircraft at Istanbul's main airport was evacuated and searched after a note threatening a bomb attack was found on board on Monday, an airline spokesman said, although it later turned out to be a hoax. All 134 people, including the crew, who had been on board the flight from Ataturk Airport to the central Turkish city of Kayseri had been evacuated, the spokesman said. Another plane was later arranged for them, he said. Turkey has suffered a series of suicide bombings in its cities this year, including two attacks in tourist areas of Istanbul blamed on Islamic State and two car bombings in the capital, Ankara, which were claimed by a Kurdish militant group. Last year an offshoot of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for a mortar attack at Istanbul's second airport that killed one airport cleaner and injured another. A NATO member and a candidate to join the European Union, Turkey is participating in the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and also battling a militant insurgency in its largely Kurdish southeast region. (Reporting by Ceyda Caglayan, Writing by Seda Sezer; Editing by David Dolan) Suspected militants on Monday gunned down three Indian police officers in separate attacks in Srinagar, the main city in the restive state of Kashmir. Deadly attacks on security forces are relatively common in the disputed Indian-controlled Himalayan region, but Srinagar has been largely free from such incidents in recent years. Police said two officers were shot dead while patrolling in the old part of the city. A third was shot dead in a business district less than an hour later. "Three cops were killed in two different militant attacks," senior officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat told AFP in Srinagar. The militant group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen claimed the attacks, but there was no official confirmation it was responsible. Authorities said they were tightening security in already heavily militarised Srinagar in the wake of the attacks. The last major assault on security forces in Srinagar was in June 2013, when suspected militants attacked an army convoy and killed eight soldiers the day before a visit by then prime minister Manmohan Singh. Last year the city saw a series of grenade attacks on telecom company offices and paramilitary troop installations. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in its entirety. Several militant groups have since 1989 been fighting police or troops deployed in the Indian sector, calling for its independence or merger with Pakistan. Shares of security and protection services provider Tyco International Ltd. TYC scaled a 52-week high of $41.17 on May 20, before closing the trading session a notch lower at $41.13. Despite its strong price appreciation, this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) stock has enough fundamental strength to further drive its price upward. The stock is currently trading at a forward P/E of 20.0x and has long-term earnings growth expectation of 13.0%. Growth Drivers Tyco has been actively repositioning its portfolio to build a right mix of businesses and maximize long-term value for its shareholders. The companys acquisition pipeline also remains attractive and complements its existing businesses. During second-quarter fiscal 2016, Tyco closed the acquisition of consumer analytics firm ShopperTrak for $175 million. This strategic acquisition positions Tyco as a one-stop-solution provider of monitoring systems, data and analytics capabilities to retail clients. During second-quarter fiscal 2016, Tyco also signed a merger deal with the global diversified technology company, Johnson Controls Inc. JCI. Per the deal, Tyco will own 44% equity in the joint company. Post merger, the companies plan to strengthen their building products and technology, integrated solutions and energy storage portfolios. Tyco believes that this acquisition will help it to expand its global footprint in the building-technology market, enhance shareholder value and launch innovative solutions. With an improved and enriched product portfolio, the transaction creates immediate opportunities for near-term growth through cross-selling, complementary channel networks, and expanded global reach for established businesses. The new company will enjoy synergistic benefits worth $500 million through mutual sharing of resources over the first three years after closing of the transaction. These annual cost synergies are expected to be achieved by increasing efficiencies, eliminating redundancies, integrating the global branch networks, and leveraging the combined scale of business platform. In addition, the transaction is expected to create at least $150 million in annual tax synergies. We are bullish on the companys fortunes based on the relative stability of the global security and fire markets, as well as high and predictable cash generation and limited balance sheet risk. The company returns significant cash to shareholders through share buybacks and dividends. Tyco also continues to invest in its businesses to strengthen long-term competitive capabilities for both products and services. All these measures probably raised investor confidence and drove the shares to a 52-week high. Other Stocks to Consider A couple of other stocks that look promising in the industry include Alarm.Com Holdings, Inc. ALRM and SuperCom Ltd. SPCB, both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JOHNSON CONTROL (JCI): Free Stock Analysis Report TYCO INTL PLC (TYC): Free Stock Analysis Report SUPERCOM LTD (SPCB): Free Stock Analysis Report ALARM.COM HLDGS (ALRM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research F , the criminal j has been worried. Courts across the country are assigning bond amounts sentencing the accused based on algorithms, and both lawyers and data scientists warn that these algorithms could be poisoned by the prejudices these systems were designed to escape. Until now, that concern was pure speculation. Now, we know the truth. An investigation published Monday morning by found that these formulas are easier on white defendants, "The formula was particularly likely to falsely flag black defendants as future criminals, wrongly labeling them this way at almost twice the rate as white defendants," the investigative team wrote. Source: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images The algorithms don't take race directly into account, but instead use data that stands in for correlative information that could stand in as a proxy. The Florida algorithm evaluated in the report "Was one of your parents ever sent to jail or prison?" and "How many of your friends/acquaintances are taking drugs illegally?" Those two questions, for example, can appear to evaluate someone's empirical risk of criminality, but instead, they target those already living under institutionalized poverty and over-policing. Predominantly, those people are people of color. "[Punishment] profiling sends the toxic message that the state considers certain groups of people dangerous based on their identity," University of Michigan law professor Sonja Starr wrote in the New York Times in 2014. "It also confirms the widespread impression that the criminal justice system is rigged against the poor." The algorithm itself, of course, was not available for audit. Algorithms that inform decisions in the public sector are often developed and protected by private companies , a for-profit company that created the algorithm examined by ProPublica, that it does not agree with the results of the analysis. It "accurately reflect the outcomes" of its product, Northpointe said. Story continues White defendants were routinely given lower threat scores than black defendants. But the controversy over sentencing is just one early instance of a growing conversation about bias in the algorithms that decide everything from what news we see to how and where we travel. It's time to talk about algorithms: Algorithms seem impervious from the insidious influence of racism and prejudice, human innovations that can unconsciously creep into our fallible decision-making processes. Evaluations that come from algorithms imply that the results are scientific spat out by a cold computer working only with evidence. The process of sentencing by algorithms is even formally referred to as "evidence-based sentencing." "Scores give us simplistic ways of thinking that are very hard to resist," Cathy O'Neil, a data scientist and author of the upcoming book Weapons of Math Destruction, . "If you assign people scores and someone has a low score, it's human nature to assign blame to that person, even if that score just means they were born in a poor neighborhood." Source: AFP/Getty Images But just because algorithms are mathematical in nature, doesn't mean they're free from human bias. Algorithms spot and amplify patterns in human behavior, and they do it by looking at the data created by human behavior. Predictive policing algorithms that help police chiefs assign their patrols rely on crime statistics and records generated by police behavior, eventually amplifying the prejudicial behaviors that led to that data in the first place. As more news emerges of bias in algorithms whether it's the potential anti-conservative bias of Facebook's news algorithm or pricing schemes that charge Asian communities more for SAT tutoring the world is further disavowed of the idea that algorithms can't be as skewed as human reasoning. Often, they are skewed in precisely the same way we are. The U.S. has been considered a leader in many things -- industry, innovation and health care technology. In fact, America leads the world in dollars spent on health care, likely reaching $3.2 trillion this year. Despite this extravagant spending on medical care, we have failed to protect the most vulnerable. Infant mortality is defined as the death of a baby in the first year of life; we rank 27th for infant mortality in the rich countries of the world and 56 th overall. What does that ranking mean for babies born in the U.S.? It means they are twice as likely to die in the first year of life as children born in Korea or Spain and three times more likely to succumb in infancy than children in Finland or Japan. As a matter of fact, a baby born in America has about the same chance of celebrating her first birthday as one born in Lebanon and less chance of survival than the children of Cuba, Slovakia or Poland. [See: Best Children's Hospitals.] There is significant variation from state to state, with some states approaching mortality levels of a second world country. The major causes of death in our babies include congenital malformations, extremely-low-birth-weight premature babies and sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, very different than the major threats of malnutrition and infection encountered in resource-limited countries. While this should be startling news, it really is not, having been the case for decades. One must wonder then why our babies are dying despite spending trillions in the health care sector. The causes are multi-factorial but a significant percentage can be explained by health care disparities in both the extremes. Certain contributing factors probably jump right to mind, like limited access to health care. Nearly 25 percent of U.S. women do not get access to prenatal care. There are also risks with access after birth. Unlike the other developed countries of the world, the U.S. actually shows an increase in infant deaths around 4 months old that continues to the first birthday. Why? Because small babies get great health care in hospitals after birth no matter how complicated their health issues. After discharge, lack of appropriate wraparound services and lack of ability to access care increase the risk. Story continues Several other factors may go hand in hand with these access issues, including lower education, unmarried status, substance use and extremes of age, such as moms who are teens or over 40. Frequently, the economically challenged have both physical and societal comorbidities that can increase risk. Obese women are 25 percent more likely to have a premature baby; 33 percent if they meet the definition of morbid obesity. Cigarette smoking, known to be directly proportional to lower socioeconomic status, can increase the risk of complications leading to early infant death by 8.4 percent. Without preventative counseling and care before delivery and no care-coordination services for new and potentially young parents after birth, the cracks get wider and the ease with which babies slip through them remains tragic. [See: 8 Weird Ways Obesity Makes You Sick.] Health care disparity is also visible at the other end of the spectrum. Higher socioeconomic classes frequently engage in other behaviors that are quite risky on their own. Early cesarean section (before 39 weeks) can result in poor outcomes for babies. While a week or two may not seem like much, the body is very smart regarding fetal development. Keeping babies in the nurturing environment of the uterus occurs naturally for a reason -- to prepare them for life in the outside world. When there is fetal distress, the procedure is necessary and prudent, but a C-section should never be done out of convenience. In addition, another phenomenon of the economically advantaged has been in vitro fertilization. A great technological advancement for those struggling with fertility issues, it has been successful in changing the lives of many families. However, the practice of implanting multiple embryos to increase the chances of viability carries its own risks of prematurity and early infant death. And, since this modality is expensive, it is a risk only to those who can afford it. [See: In Vitro Fertilization Grows Up.] Lastly, and most pronounced of all, racial disparity contributes significantly to infant mortality. In African-Americans, 1 out of every 5 births is reported to be premature. In addition, in most U.S. states, mortality rates for black infants are at least two times higher than for white infants. Sadly, this has been the trend for decades and remains untouched by public health efforts. The sensitivities of our American society also contribute to our infant mortality numbers. In many countries around the world, babies younger than 26 weeks are not resuscitated and are considered a miscarriage or stillbirth. As our technology has improved, we will resuscitate babies on the cusp of viability, at 22 to 23 weeks gestation. The risk of mortality increases the younger the infant and the lower the weight. This practice could raise our infant mortality rates by as much as 30 to 40 percent. Many ethical questions are prompted by this fact: Just because we can support babies at younger ages, should we? What is the true survival? Does that correlate with quality of life? What are the societal costs of such interventions? When we look at the infant mortality numbers in our country, we are outraged, but a deeper dive into the issues shows what a complex problem it represents: A society in which your risk is dependant on your ability to access good and preventive health care. As we explore health care disparities, we cannot only look at those who are challenged but also those who have and expect carte blanche. Only when we understand both sides of this coin can we begin to level the field. Perhaps as we continue to define population health and debate the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act, we can stimulate more conversation on access and wraparound services like care coordination. Perhaps we can adopt strategies already in place in certain areas in the European Union such as home visits after discharge from the birthing hospital. Maybe then our babies will not be at more risk going home than they are in our hospitals. And how will we know we are doing well? When many more first birthday candles are being blown out. That will be a great party. Dr. Elaine Cox is the medical director of infection prevention at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. She is also the Riley clinical safety officer. Dr. Cox practices as a pediatric infectious disease specialist and also instructs students as a professor of clinical pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. The former director of the pediatric HIV and AIDS program, Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Riley, Dr. Cox helped lead the effort to change Indiana law to provide universal HIV testing for expectant mothers. By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a lower court ruling that Virginia's Republican-led legislature unlawfully considered race when drawing U.S. congressional districts by packing black voters into one in a move opponents said diluted black electoral clout. The case focused on the composition of a majority-black U.S. House of Representatives district, stretching from Richmond to Norfolk, held by the only black member of Virginia's congressional delegation, Democrat Bobby Scott. The justices ruled 8-0 against a group of current and former Republican U.S. House members who challenged a June 2015 lower court ruling that invalidated the district's boundaries after several voters who lived there filed suit in 2013. Virginia's Democratic attorney general decided not to appeal the 2015 ruling, but the Republican lawmakers took up the case. The Supreme Court on Monday found that those lawmakers lacked legal standing to bring the case in part because they could not show they were harmed by the lower court decision. The voters who sued in 2013 said Scott's district was racially "gerrymandered" by state legislators in 2012 to cram black voters into it and reduce black influence in neighboring districts in violation of the U.S. Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law. Michele Jawando, a lawyer with the liberal advocacy group Center for American Progress, called the ruling "good news not only for Virginia voters and voting advocates, but also for other states currently dealing with constitutional issues around their congressional district maps." "A just and fair democracy necessitates that all voters can access the ballot without worrying about political games and racial discrimination," Jawando added. Democrats have accused Republican legislators around the country of drawing electoral maps to minimize the influence of black and Hispanic voters, who tend to cast ballots for Democratic candidates. Republicans have accused Democrats in Democratic-led states of using the so-called redistricting process to minimize the clout of Republican-leaning voters. Following the 2015 ruling, the boundaries of an adjoining district, currently represented by white Republican Randy Forbes, were redrawn to add some black voters from Scott's district. This could make the district a possible Democratic pickup in the Nov. 8 election. Forbes is one of the Republicans who appealed to the Supreme Court. Two of the others, Robert Wittman and David Brat, said they had legal standing to bring the case because their chances of re-election would be reduced by having more Democratic voters in their districts. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) Three civilians wounded in ATO zone on May 20-22 local authorities Three civilians were wounded in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine on May 20-22, the Donetsk Regional Military-Civilian Administration has reported. One civilian man was injured in a mine blast on May 20 and was sent to Bakhmut central district hospital, the administration's press service said on Monday. "On May 21, two residents of the town of Avdiyivka were also injured in a mine blast. A man now receives out-patient treatment, while a woman was hospitalized in Avdiyivka," the press service said. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior U.S. lawmakers said on Monday they supported President Barack Obama's lifting of the embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam, but promised to examine closely any transactions to ensure they comply with U.S. interests, including human rights. "Congress will work with the administration to ensure today's more expansive shift in policy aligns with U.S. interests, including the desire for progress on human rights," the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Republican Bob Corker, said in a statement. The United States announced an end to the arms embargo on Vietnam on Monday, drawing a line under the two countries' old enmity. The move came during Obama's first visit to Hanoi. Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees the State Department budget, said lifting the ban sends a message to China, at a time when Beijing has claimed sovereignty over 80 percent of the South China Sea. "But it should not open the floodgates for sales of lethal equipment. Those decisions will be made on a case by case basis," Leahy said in a statement. He said decisions on approving arms sales should reflect an assessment of relevant factors, including progress by Vietnam's government in protecting freedom of expression and other human rights. Leahy is the author of the Leahy Law, which bars the U.S. State and Defense Departments from providing military aid and equipment for foreign military or police if they have committed gross violations of human rights. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle Editing by W Simon and Alistair Bell) President Obama announced Monday that the U.S. will lift a four-decade-long arms embargo on Vietnam, signaling an end to the last remnant of animosity between the two nations following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi alongside his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang, Obama said the U.S. is fully lifting the ban on the sale of weapons and military equipment to Vietnam. As with all our defense partners, sales will need to still need to meet strict requirements, including those related to human rights, he added, addressing the concerns of opponents to the lifting of the embargo in Washington. But this change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself, and removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War, he added. The U.S. leader denied that the lifting of the arms embargo has anything to do with the two countries shared concern at Chinas dominance over the South China Sea region, saying the decision stemmed from a desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam and to remove a ban thats based on an ideological division between our two countries. Obama is currently on a weeklong visit to Asia, and will travel to Japan after spending three days in Vietnam. By Ayla Jean Yackley and Humeyra Pamuk ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Global leaders met in Istanbul on Monday to tackle a "broken" humanitarian system that has left 130 million people in need of aid, a near insurmountable task for a two-day summit that critics say risks achieving little. Billed as the first of its kind, the United Nations summit aims to develop a better response to what has called the worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two, mobilize more funds and agree to better care for displaced civilians. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on governments, businesses and aid groups to commit to halving the number of displaced civilians by 2030. "We need to improve more direct funding to local communities and fix the persistent humanitarian funding gap," he said in a speech. "We are here to shape a different future," he told the gathering of 150 countries including 57 heads of government. But that may be difficult to attain. The global aid agency Medecins sans Frontieres pulled out of the conference earlier this month saying it had lost hope the participants could address weaknesses in emergency response. Critics say the global aid system has been overwhelmed by a proliferation of regional wars and failed states that have ballooned refugee numbers, and struggles with poor governance and corruption in recipient countries that consume some humanitarian funds before they can benefit those in need. Canada pledged $274 million in funding to U.N. agencies to help victims of natural disaster and armed conflict, with a focus on protecting women and children in war zones. "When we see hospitals being bombed, we have to say loud and clear this is unacceptable," Canada's minister of international development, Marie-Claude Bibeau, said. President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, which is saddled with around 3 million refugees from neighboring Syria's civil war, again accused the West of doing little to help Syrians. Erdogan has been among President Bashar al-Assad's fiercest critics and sees his removal as essential to ending Syria's war. "The extent to which the international humanitarian system lies broken is alarming," he wrote in an opinion piece published in Britain's Guardian newspaper. "The international community in particular has largely ignored its responsibilities toward the Syrian people by turning a blind eye to Bashar al-Assad's crimes against his own citizens." Turkey has run up around $10 billion in costs in taking in the majority of Syrian refugees since 2011, and the West's perceived futility in brokering a halt to Syria's multi-factional conflict has long been a sore point for Erdogan. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there needed to be improvements in how humanitarian aid is delivered. She met with Erdogan on Monday and later said she had told him that Turkey needed a strong parliament, voicing concern over Turkey's decision to strip opposition lawmakers of immunity. Merkel is facing accusations at home that she has become too accommodating of Erdogan, who faces accusations of creeping authoritarianism, as she tries to secure a European Union deal with Ankara to stem an influx of refugees from Turkey. (Additional reporting by Dasha Afanasieva and Meghan Rowling in Istanbul, Michelle Martin and Michael Nienaber in Berlin; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Alex Whiting ISTANBUL (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A crisis fund has been launched to raise $3.8 billion to help millions of children missing out on school because of war or natural disasters, U.N. special envoy Gordon Brown announced on Monday at the first ever World Humanitarian Summit. Nearly 75 million children living in areas affected by war or natural disaster had their education disrupted last year, leaving them prey to child labor, trafficking and extremism, according to research published in March. The fund aims to help more than 13 million children and young people over the next five years, and 75 million by 2030. "For the first time, we have a humanitarian fund targeting education," said Brown, the former British prime minister and now U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education. "A fund that plans not just for weeks or months but for years in support of a child's development. And a fund with a contingency reserve allowing us to act when a crisis hits ensuring no begging bowl has to be circulated," he added. On average, only two per cent of global humanitarian appeals are dedicated to education. Despite growing needs, funding for education in emergencies has almost halved since 2010, according to the London-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI). "Without school, young children caught up in emergencies are at risk of becoming the youngest laborers in the field, the youngest brides at the alter, the youngest soldiers in the trench, and in some cases, the youngest recruits vulnerable to extremism and radicalization," Brown said. Education is one of the items on a broad agenda for government and business leaders, aid groups and donors gathered in Istanbul for the two-day summit. They want to try to develop a more coherent response to what U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has called the worst humanitarian situation since World War Two, with 130 million people affected by war or natural disaster. Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai urged world leaders ahead of the conference to match their words with action. "I call on world leaders in Istanbul to be generous and back up their words with political will," she said. "They must deliver on each and every commitment they make, including fully funding the new Education Cannot Wait initiative." An average of four schools or hospitals are attacked or occupied by armed groups every day, the U.N children's agency (UNICEF) said ahead of the summit. In Syria alone, more than 6,000 schools are out of use attacked, occupied by the military or taken over as an emergency shelter. And in conflict-hit Central African Republic, a quarter of schools are not functioning, UNICEF said. "Education is an absolutely vital investment both for those children's futures, but also for the futures of their communities and their countries," Jo Bourne, UNICEF's head of education, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. AID FAILURE Since war broke out in 2011, Syria's education standards have dropped to the levels of South Sudan - which has some of the world's worst levels education - said Kevin Watkins, executive director of the think-tank ODI. "That's in part because of the failure of the international community to respond with the right type of funding at the right time," Watkins said on the sidelines of the summit. "We're seeing huge reversals of education in countries like Central African Republic, South Sudan, northern Nigeria and displaced populations in Cameroon and elsewhere," he said. Education for children in Syria and its neighboring countries is massively underfunded, he said. Funding is needed consistently, so children's schooling is not disrupted. "If you speak to the kids and parents concerned, they regard (education) as an absolutely fundamental priority. And there is something that you can do about it," Watkins said. The new fund will pool resources from government and private donors, to be used by local NGOs - who can deliver education much more cheaply and quickly than the World Bank or U.N. agencies, Watkins said. "At the moment ... almost all the money mobilized ... trickles down incredibly slowly, after quite a lot of it has been removed because of the costs of the system, and it delivers pretty meager results on the ground," he said. "I think this (new fund) ticks a lot of the boxes for fixing things that are clearly wrong in the system." (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Ros Russell.; 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 http://news.trust.org) (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected for the second time flamboyant former two-term Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's appeal of convictions on corruption charges including attempted extortion, wire fraud and other crimes. The court denied a request by Blagojevich to reconsider its March decision not to take up his appeal of a July 2015, ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld most of his convictions. Prosecutors said Blagojevich was at the center of a conspiracy to seek cash, campaign contributions and jobs for himself and others in exchange for state appointments, state business, legislation and pension fund investments. Among those actions were attempts to leverage his authority as governor to appoint a U.S. senator from Illinois when Barack Obama left his Senate seat after being elected president in 2008, prosecutors said. Blagojevich began serving a 14-year prison sentence in 2012. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday effectively overturned a black mans 1987 conviction for murdering a white woman, rebuking Georgia prosecutors for unlawfully excluding black potential jurors in picking an all-white jury that condemned him to death. The 7-1 ruling handed a major victory to Timothy Foster, who is 48 now and was 18 at the time of the 1986 killing of Queen Madge White, a 79-year-old retired schoolteacher, in Rome, Georgia. Prosecutors, however, still could seek a new trial. Black convicts make up a disproportionately high percentage of death row inmates in the United States. Opponents of capital punishment assert that the American criminal justice system discriminates against black defendants. During jury selection, all four black members of the pool of potential jurors were struck by prosecutors, meaning they were removed from consideration. Prosecutors gave reasons not related to race for their decisions to exclude them. Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the ruling, said prosecution notes introduced into evidence that shed light on the jury selection plainly belie the states claim that it exercised its strikes in a color blind manner. The sheer number of references to race in that file is arresting. The notes showed that the prosecution marked the names of the black prospective jurors with a B, highlighted them in green and circled the word black next to the race question on juror questionnaires. The prosecution gave reasons for excluding potential black jurors including that they did not make enough eye contact during questioning and were bewildered, hostile, defensive, nervous and impudent. Roberts said prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race when two of the potential jurors were excluded. Two such strikes based on race are two more than the Constitution allows, Roberts added. The Supreme Court ruled in 1986, the same year as this murder, that it is unconstitutional to take race into account when excluding potential jurors. Story continues Prosecutors said Foster broke into the elderly womans home in the middle of the night, broke Whites jaw, sexually assaulted her, beat and strangled her, and stole items from her house. Foster later confessed to killing White, according to court papers. 'RELIANCE ON RACE At the time of the trial, Fosters legal arguments regarding jury selection failed. But in 2006 his lawyers obtained access to the prosecutions jury selection notes, which showed that the race of the black potential jurors was highlighted, indicating an explicit reliance on race, according to Fosters attorneys. According to court documents filed by Fosters lawyers, the lead prosecutor said of his exclusion of the potential black jurors: All I have to do is have a race-neutral reason, and all of these reasons that I have given the court are racially neutral. Fosters lawyer, Stephen Bright of the Southern Center for Human Rights, said the legal challenge would not have succeeded without the notes. This discrimination became apparent only because we obtained the prosecutions notes which revealed their intent to discriminate. Usually that does not happen. The practice of discriminating in striking juries continues in courtrooms across the country, Bright said. The Supreme Courts ruling threw out a Georgia Supreme Court decision rejecting Fosters claim about prosecutorial misconduct in jury selection, meaning a state court will now reverse his conviction. The sole dissenter in the ruling was the courts only black justice, Clarence Thomas. Thomas said the case should have been sent back to state courts to determine whether Fosters claim could proceed. The office of Georgias attorney general had no comment on the decision. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Will Dunham) In line with its strategy to reduce costs, UBS Group AG UBS is reportedly eliminating jobs at its investment banking division. The news was first reported by Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. Last week, the Swiss banking giant dismissed at least a dozen of employees from its London offices. Affected positions include in equities, debt capital markets and leveraged finance operations. Amid revenue pressure and the challenging market backdrop for investment banking, the move is not surprising. Notably, the company reported a 64.2% decline on a year over year basis in net profits for the first-quarter 2016. The investment bank unit recorded adjusted operating profit before tax of CHF 370 million ($372.4 million), down 55.7% year over year. Post the global financial crisis, UBS has been undertaking strategic measures and has gradually shifted focus to its wealth management business in order to reduce reliance on investment banking. Among several initiatives, maintaining cost discipline remains a key objective for the company. In the first-quarter 2016 earnings call conference, UBS Group Chief Executive Officer, Sergio P. Ermotti noted that the company achieved further reductions of 100 million during the quarter. He stated, As we have progressed on detailing our cost reduction plans, we have defined specific front-to-back initiatives that we will now implement to achieve our net 2.1 billion savings target, despite increased on-going regulatory costs. Ermotti had also added, There is no magic bullet that can fully offset material revenue headwinds without compromising sustainable profitability, or in fact, the future of our franchise. Therefore, we will continue to carefully balance our investments in structural growth with tactical adjustments to our cost base to mitigate the cyclical headwinds we are facing. As of Mar 31 2016, the investment bank division of UBS employed 5,218 personnel, down from 5,243 as of Dec 31 2015. Bottom Line European banks are currently facing revenue pressure as volatility in commodity prices, slowdown of emerging markets and global growth concerns continue to affect business and client activity levels as well as market volumes. Stricter regulations and declining fixed income trading have forced banks to reduce costs through job cuts and compensation reduction. Earlier this January, Barclays PLC BCS said that it will axe around 1,000 investment banking jobs, primarily across Asia. Currently, UBS carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). A couple of favorably ranked stocks in the foreign banks space include Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CM and DBS Group Holdings Ltd DBSDY, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report UBS GROUP AG (UBS): Free Stock Analysis Report BARCLAY PLC-ADR (BCS): Free Stock Analysis Report CDN IMPL BK (CM): Free Stock Analysis Report DBS GROUP-ADR (DBSDY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Alasdair Pal and Patrick Graham LONDON (Reuters) - Almost two-thirds of the advisory firms who assist in stock exchange listings in London say they are struggling to guide Chinese firms through the process, a survey showed, in the latest sign of problems with such initial public offerings. The survey by accounting firm Moore Stephens showed 64 percent of advisers said they had faced difficulties in communicating with Asia-Pacific and Chinese companies listing on the small-cap Alternative Investor Market (AIM). "China is a key market for AIM, but unfortunately the adviser-client relationship is often not functioning as smoothly and successfully as it might," said Marty Lau, Head of Capital Markets at Moore Stephens. Of the 40-odd China-based firms to list on AIM over the past decade, only a handful have seen their shares rise in value. At a time when Beijing is steadily opening the way to more investment flows into and out of China, at least 15 Chinese firms on AIM have delisted and the majority have seen their value fall by at least 50 percent compared with their initial valuations. The lack of confidence in the Chinese listings has added to broader criticism of AIM, which one U.S. regulator has described as a "casino" where 30 percent of issuers are gone in a year. "Companies are very aware of the importance of good communication with advisers, as well as investors and regulators, but from where advisers are standing, especially as regards China, the appropriate channels are not always clear," Lau said. Nominated advisers are responsible for helping firms list and providing broking services and research coverage. Lau said that if companies opened offices in the UK and appointed UK-domiciled executive directors it might help restore confidence. But investors in the market say the issues are broader. "A lot of companies have had problems with corporate governance, and it's unclear why the exchange doesn't do anything about it," said Colin McLean, Chief Executive of SVM Asset Management and an investor in the market. He is an investor in Hutchison China Medtech (HCM.L), one of the few Chinese AIM stocks to have risen in price since its launch. Its shares are up nearly five-fold since listing. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal and Patrick Graham; Editing by Hugh Lawson) (Reuters) - Officials in northern England approved a shale gas fracking application from Third Energy on Monday in a shift indicating growing support for shale gas that Britain's government hopes can counter the decline in North Sea output. Britain is estimated to have substantial amounts of shale gas trapped in underground rocks and Prime Minister Cameron has pledged to go all out to extract these reserves. Councillors at North Yorkshire County Council voted in favour of the application 7 to 4 after two days of hearings. "This has been a very difficult decision for the Council to make and we know it is a difficult decision for the people of this county," said Richard Flinton, North Yorkshire's chief executive. Rasik Valand, Chief Executive of Third Energy said: "This approval, is not as a victory, but is a huge responsibility. We will have to deliver on our commitment, made to the committee and to the people of Ryedale, to undertake this operation safely and without impacting on the local environment." The approval gives a boost to Britain's shale gas industry nearly a year after local government officials in Lancashire rejected two permits for shale gas firm Cuadrilla that have essentially brought progress to a standstill. Cuadrilla has appealed against the decision and the government has since changed the rules to be able to approve shale gas permits at government level. Cuadrilla said if its permits receive government approval this summer, first shale gas from its wells could hit the British market in mid-2017. With permission to carry out fracking, Third Energy will now be able to test how much shale gas it could eventually produce from its site at Kirby Misperton. "This is an absolute travesty of a decision but the battle is very far from over." said Simon Bowens, Yorkshire and Humber campaigner for Friends of the Earth. Third Energy is 97 percent owned by Barclay's Global Natural Resources Investments. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps in London and Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru, editing by David Evans) Poroshenko to have phone conversation in "Normandy format" upon return from Istanbul Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will have a phone conversation in the "Normandy format" Monday night, after returning from Istanbul, the Ukrainian presidential press service has reported. A report posted on the Ukrainian presidential website on Monday says this phone conversation will follow "the trilateral phone conversation with French President Francois Hollande and German Federal Chancellor Angel Merkel, which took place on May 21." Unconventional is Yahoo News complete guide to what could be the craziest presidential conventions in decades. Heres what you need to know today. 1. The Trump Veepwatch, Vol. 3: Bob Corker In which Unconventional examines the presumptive Republican nominees possible and not-so-possible vice-presidential picks. Previous installments: Newt Gingrich, Jan Brewer. Name: Robert Phillips Bob Corker Jr. Age: 63 Resume: U.S. senator from Tennessee and former mayor of Chattanooga Source of speculation: Unlike, say, Marco Rubio or John Kasich, Corker had never really been touted as a top Trump veep pick. But earlier this month, Politicos Mike Allen a clearinghouse for inside-the-Beltway hype, dope and speculation suddenly reported that Republican insiders are buzzing about Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chair of Senate Foreign Relations, as an attractive, plausible vice-presidential pick for Trump. Allen then produced a pair of anonymous quotes as proof of Corkers buzzworthiness. Hes an independent guy kind of a tough guy whos not afraid to swim upstream, said a Republican who knows Corker well. Hes frustrated by being in the Senate and not getting anything done. I think hed really lean into this. Hes not afraid to buck the old guard. And hes no dummy: He jumped out on the Trump thing early. Corker is not well-liked by his colleagues in the Senate, said another Great Mentioner. A big reason is he likes to get stuff done with Democrats. Trump might find that attractive. Allens item pretty much did it. For the next couple of weeks, the buzz around Corker only got buzzier, with various outlets jumping on the Corker-for-VP bandwagon and conservative pundit Charles Krauthammer openly betting that Corker would wind up on the ticket. He has a bit of gravitas, Krauthammer swooned. Meanwhile, Trump seems to have taken the hint. On Friday, Robert Costa of the Washington post reported that Corker is scheduled to meet Monday with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, according to two people close to the Trump campaign. Story continues Now its Monday, and Corker is on his way to Trump Tower. We wonder what the senator and the Donald will be talking about. Sen. Bob Corker met with Donald Trump on Monday, and could become his running mate. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) Backstory: During the primaries, Corker repeatedly refused to endorse any of this years many Republican candidates. Im giving no advice, Corker said the day before Tennessees March 1 primary, breaking ranks with fellow Tennessee Republicans Sen. Lamar Alexander and Gov. Bill Haslam, both of whom backed Rubio. I didnt feel like me endorsing is the right thing to do. Yet unlike most of the rest of his Senate colleagues, Corker signaled early on that he was open to Trump. Shortly after Trump clobbered Ted Cruz by a whopping 14 percentage points in Tennessee, Corker released a terse statement condemning Republican pols for rallying around the #StopTrump banner. Heres my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice, Corker said. Whats happening in the Republican primary is the result of two things: the fecklessness and ineptness of the Washington establishment in failing to address the big issues facing our country and years of anger with the overreach of the Obama administration. And to be candid, I think the American people should be angrier than they are. As Trump solidified his standing at the front of the GOP pack over the next couple of months, Corker continued to warm to him. In late April, Corker surprised many Washington observers by praising Trumps big foreign policy speech as a really good transition in the campaign and commending Trump for challenging the foreign policy establishment that has been here for so long; in the same interview, Corker called Cruzs efforts to force a contested convention inappropriate, claiming he was repulsed by those who try to direct the electoral process in a certain direction and say, Well, no matter what people do, were going to cause this to happen at the convention. Trump called Corker that week. A few days later, Corker offered to help Trump develop his foreign-policy platform, likening the presumptive nominee to an earlier generation of conservative realists. Look, the foreign policy establishment in the last 15 or 16 years hasnt gotten things exactly right, Corker told USA Today. What I hear in what [Trump is] saying . . . is more of a George H.W. Bush view of the world. I hear him embracing more of a James Baker view of the world, and a larger degree of realism is making its way into his thinking, and I very much appreciate that. According to Costas report, Trump deeply appreciated the effusive support from Corker, especially at a time when others in the party were sharply critical. Corker went on to have a series of phone calls with chief Trump strategist Paul Manafort, while Corkers office supplied information to the campaign. Corker even instructed his partys many Trump haters just to chill and accept the candidates inevitable coronation. A coming together [is] taking place, he said. When asked directly whether Trump is grooming him for the running-mate gig and whether he would say yes if asked Corker tends to play coy. I have no reason to believe Im being considered for any position right now, and you have absolutely no control over it, Corker told Nashvilles News Channel 5. Certainly I would say running for it is actually a negative thing to do. Which is what someone would say if they were interested. Odds: As good as they can be. Corker clearly likes Trump or the opportunity for political advancement that Trump represents and the feeling seems to be mutual: so far, Corker is the only senator Trump has summoned to his headquarters in New York. When asked which qualities hes looking for in a running mate, Trump always says the same thing: that hes giving special weight to political experience; that he wants a vice president who can help him with legislation and getting things through Washington; that hes mostly considering established politicians who have been vetted over the last 20 years. Sounds a lot like Corker. During his 15-year career in politics first as mayor of Chattanooga, then as Tennessees junior senator Corker has established a reputation as a committed conservative who nonetheless likes to get things done, often defying the GOPs hell-no caucus to negotiate with the other side. Since arriving on Capitol Hill in 2007, Corker has doggedly worked to broker compromises on several major issues, including financial reform, the federal debt, immigration and Iran. The Christian Science Monitor once called him the Senate GOPs tireless dealmaker; Politico agreed, explaining that beneath the sharp tongue and air of disdain toward Washington is a man who believes in making a deal. Remind you of anyone? Like the author of The Art of the Deal, Corker one of the Senates wealthiest members honed his dealmaking instincts as a construction and real estate entrepreneur before entering the political fray. He even shares Trumps penchant for bluntness: [Corker] has chided the Senate for acting immature and described senators during a policy debate as a bunch of midgets. He questioned the silly bailout of automakers; he described a proposal from Sen. John McCain to suspend the federal gas tax as pandering extraordinaire; and, during the 2013 government shutdown, he berated Sen. Ted Cruz on the Senate floor. Corker says he thought about quitting Congress midway through his first term because he was fed up with not being able to get much done. So often has he insulted fellow senators, it almost sounds believable. Trump and Corker have a lot in common, and what they dont have in common Corkers Washington experience and foreign policy expertise only makes the senator a more compelling pick for Trump. On paper, the pairing makes perfect sense. The question now is whether theres any chemistry between them. Its a question they may be answering up on the 25th floor of Trump Tower as we speak. _____ 2. Trump says hes expanded the GOP. The numbers disagree. Republican presidential candidate Donald at a fundraising event in Lawrenceville, N.J., on May 19, 2016. (Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters) If anything about this summers Republican convention in Cleveland is certain, its that you can expect Donald Trump to boast about luring new voters to the GOP. Meanwhile, pundits are likely to predict that Trump could overcome the Democrats growing demographic advantage in key swing states states where white voters are no longer dominant majorities by continuing to attract nontraditional voters, many from the white working class, to the polls for the first time in their lives. But none of it is supported by the data at least not yet. According to Yahoo News Senior Political Correspondent Jon Ward, new numbers from the GOP primary show that increased turnout in several primary states was driven largely by already active Republican voters who have historically skipped primaries and voted only in general elections. Ward reports: The data so far indicate that Trump has not yet significantly grown the Republican Party. There are small numbers of new voters who came to the polls this year, and in one state New Hampshire that might be enough to help Trump win. But in several other swing states Virginia, Ohio and Michigan if the Democrats can reassemble the Obama coalition, Trumps new support is not enough to win. Optimus, the data and analytics firm that worked for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, focused its analysis on a few key states. In Virginia, there was a stunning turnout in the Republican primary on March 1. More than three times the number of primary voters in 2012 came to the polls a total of 1,025,452. Of that total, 18.6 percent, or 190,734, were regular primary voters. But they were swamped by voters who usually participate only in general elections. That group made up 72.1 percent of the Republican primary electorate in Virginia. Younger voters who werent eligible for previous elections and those who moved into the state made up 3.6 percent. Only 5.7 percent of the more than 1 million primary voters were new voters. Thats a total of 58,450 new voters. To put that in perspective, look at the 2012 general election. In 2012 in Virginia, President Obama defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney by almost 150,000 votes. Obama received 1,971,820 votes to Romneys 1,822,522. So if you add the nearly 60,000 votes to a Republican nominee, but the Democrat re-creates Obamas turnout which, again, is not a sure thing then the Republican is still 90,000 votes short. And keep in mind that the Virginia primary was one of the most closely contested in the GOP race. Trump won the state, but with only one-third of the vote. He got 356,840 votes but Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson received a combined 657,080 votes. Many of those Republican voters will turn out for Trump against Clinton, even if they opposed him in the primary. But some wont. To go further, Optimus looked at the results of almost 4,000 telephone surveys it did around the time of the primary. Using those responses, it built a model of the Virginia electorate and found that of the 72 percent of voters who were new to the primary but usually voted in the general election, the vast majority were voters who were likely to support a Republican candidate already. This confirmed that the new primary voters were almost all regular Republican voters who usually cast ballots only in a general election in the fall. They are not first-time voters or traditionally Democratic-leaning individuals who crossed over. The same dynamic surfaced in Ohio and Michigan. Only in New Hampshire did the 0ptimus data suggest that Trump might win where Romney lost. But as Ward notes, flipping New Hampshire into the Republican column would not be nearly enough to win the 270 Electoral College votes required to secure the presidency. Make sure to read the rest here. _____ 3. Pro-Sanders and anti-Trump protesters plan to take to the streets in Philly and Cleveland Passionate opposition: Donald Trump supporter is yelled at by protestors following a rally in Eugene, Ore., on May 6, 2016. (Photo: Ryan Kang/AP) Balloons. Confetti. Red, white and blue. And lots of standard-issue speeches by lots of standard-issue politicians. What goes on inside the hall at the Republican and Democratic conventions tends to be fairly predictable; its unlikely that even Donald Trump, he of marble, mirrors and gold-plated everything, will be able to stray too far from the script. But outside, on the streets, anything can happen. Thats especially true in a year like 2016. This summers conventions may not be contested, but they will certainly be conflicted, with deep divisions over the ideological direction of the parties and passionate opposition to the presumptive nominees. The protests are already taking shape. In Philadelphia the birthplace of the First Amendment nine groups have applied to the city for protest permits. The first to get the go-ahead was the March for a Clean Energy Revolution, which will consist of an estimated 5,000 climate-change activists trooping from City Hall to Independence Mall on July 24, the day before the convention formally begins. Applications from the American Dream Project (a melting ice sculpture of the words The American Dream by two Brooklyn artists) and Global Zeros Race to Zero (a no-nukes demonstration) are awaiting approval as well. But the vast majority of Philly protests wont be so, shall we say, polite. Thats because at least four of them, and possibly a fifth, will be organized by explicitly pro-Bernie Sanders groups which means that they will be protesting Hillary Clintons likely nomination. Last week, the city granted permits to three smaller pro-Sanders demonstrations think 2,000 to 3,000 attendees apiece set to take place at Thomas Paine Plaza, few miles from the Wells Fargo Center. (Sponsoring groups include Black Men for Bernie and the Equality Coalition for Bernie Sanders.) The more combustible event, however, will be the massive March for Bernie, which will overtake FDR Park prime real estate right next to the convention site, in full view of delegates and journalists for four straight days, from July 24 to July 28. Organizers expect 30,000 people to walk from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and camp out in the park for the duration of the convention; one of them, Karen Chamberlain, recently told the Philadelphia Daily News that she wants everyone to gather at the Liberty Bell to form a human peace sign before embarking on a final Let Freedom Ring march toward the Wells Fargo Center. We want maybe a million bells ringing as we approach the DNC to wake up the nation to the corruption that is going on in our country, Chamberlain said. In other words, dont expect Sanders supporters to stay quiet in Philly. The protest lineup for Cleveland is murkier. So far, at least eight groups have requested protest permits for the Republican convention; in total, the applications estimate more than 40,000 participants, 100 horses, more than 100 cars and other vehicles and, in the case of a group opposed to nuclear proliferation, one 48-foot inflatable rocket. The problem is that the city hasnt approved any of the permits yet. For weeks, in fact, Cleveland ignored written and verbal public records requests from journalists for copies of permit applications, failing to produce a single document or acknowledge receiving any new applications until publicly called out by Cleveland.com columnist Mark Naymik last Thursday. Now that some info has been released the city caved the day after Naymiks column came out at least one thing is clear: many of the protesters in Cleveland will be protesting Trump. Stand Together Against Trump a group of local physicians and other young professionals outraged by Trumps rhetoric against women and minorities wants to hold a 10,000-person demonstration in downtown Cleveland during the final day of the GOP convention. The Coalition to March on the RNC and Dump Trump plans to protest in Public Square before marching to Quicken Loans Arena and back on the first day of the convention with or without a permit. And the Peoples Fightback Center / March Against Racism, which is led by Cleveland activist Susan Schnur, intends to call attention to what it describes as the police murder of innocent black men, including Clevelands own Tamir Rice. One pro-Trump organization has applied for a permit as well; according to Cleveland.com, the group is coordinating with Bikers for Trump and Truckers for Trump and expects more than 5,000 marchers, 104 cars and trucks, 100 horses and four motorcycles. It may be awhile, however, before a final picture of the Cleveland protests emerges. The city has said that it does not plan to rule on protest permits or release parade routes until the U.S. Secret Service establishes a security perimeter around Quicken Loans Arena, which may not happen until two or three weeks before the convention begins on July 18 a delay that the ACLU of Ohio has described as unacceptable. Delays by the city are effectively blocking groups from exercising their fundamental right to political expression, ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link said in a written news release threatening to sue the city if it doesnt act by June 1. Cleveland is using security planning as a mask to suppress political speech. The citys decision to allow such long delays is creating unacceptable barriers for potential demonstrators, regardless of political affiliation. _____ 4. #NeverTrump? Never gonna happen! (Vol. 2) or, now even Lindsey Graham is reportedly telling Republicans to support Donald Trump Team Trump: On Friday, Sen. Lindsey Graham told CNN he spoke with Trump and they had a good conversation. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) An occasional Unconventional series exploring the latest news about the ongoing shadow convention to nominate a conservative #NeverTrump candidate and why the effort is doomed to fail. By Dylan Stableford Hes a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot. He doesnt represent my party. He doesnt represent the values that the men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for. Id rather lose without Donald Trump than try to win with him. I wish he would leave the party. I dont care if he runs as an independent. If we lose the 2016 election, so be it. You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell. That was Lindsey Graham back in December. At the time, Trump was also firing off scathing attacks against Graham, then one of his rivals in the race for the GOP nomination. But it appears the South Carolina senator is suddenly softening his tone on the presumptive Republican nominee. (Read the full version of this story here.) On Friday, Graham told CNN he spoke with Trump and they had a good conversation. I must say he reached out, number one, Graham said. And I was glad to talk to him. And Saturday, Graham reportedly urged donors at a private GOP fundraiser in Florida to unite behind the real estate mogul and former Celebrity Apprentice star to keep the Republican Party intact and Hillary Clinton away from the White House. He did say that we need to get behind him, Teresa Dailey, who attended the event, told CNN on Sunday. According to Dailey, Graham told attendees that he has no plans to formally endorse Trump. So what made him change his tone? Graham, a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN on Friday that Trump asked really good questions during their conversation. I think hes reconsidering a little bit about what to do in Syria, he said. I dont know if Hillary Clinton what will Hillary Clinton do different than President Obama? President Obama has no strategy to destroy ISIL. _____ The best of the rest Sanders delegates are bracing for a convention fight https://t.co/fhDJum98K1 w @catherine_lucey Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) May 20, 2016 Cruz's campaign is over, but his delegates fight on https://t.co/P8gSQwJ7XN Seema Mehta (@LATSeema) May 21, 2016 Clinton, Sanders duel over Latino vote in California (from @AP) https://t.co/kpCWwZ1jWU Michael R. Blood (@MichaelRBloodAP) May 22, 2016 A group of the GOP's top 50 donors told @alexburnsNYT and I they will not give a dime to Trump. Here's why > https://t.co/Z2dFPuSqJn Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) May 22, 2016 Will Ohio Republicans who worked for Kasich help Trump in the state? "They would be shot," says @JWGOP https://t.co/5M55OApomy Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) May 22, 2016 Washington GOP convention awards 40 of 41 delegates to Cruz over Trump https://t.co/9bzMhoUU7F pic.twitter.com/29iroGlquH The Hill (@thehill) May 22, 2016 _____ History lesson Republican Convention Announcement of the Nominations at Musical Fund Hall, Philadelphia newspaper print, 1856. (Collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania) To all of this years failed presidential and vice-presidential candidates: if at first you dont succeed, theres always next election cycle. At the inaugural Republican convention held June 17-19, 1856, in Philadelphia a Pennsylvania delegate named John Allison nominated for VP a man he described as a good fellow, a firm friend of freedom and an old line Whig. (Before it became the GOP, the Republican Party, formed in 1854 to oppose the extension of the peculiar institution, was a hodgepodge of Whigs, abolitionists, Free-Soilers and anti-slavery Democrats.) Hes as pure a patriot who ever lived, added Illinois delegate William B. Archer, seconding the nomination. Can he fight? asked Rufus P. Spaulding of Ohio. Yes! Archer replied. Have I told you he was born in Kentucky? Hes strong mentally; hes strong physically. Hes strong every way. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it the Illinois movement got underway too late, after most delegates were already committed to other candidates; their man lost, 253 to 110, to former Sen. William L. Dayton on New Jersey on an informal ballot, and his name was subsequently withdrawn. Still, the good fellow from Illinois was flattered when news of his near-nomination later reached him. I reckon that aint me, he said. Theres another great man in Massachusetts named Lincoln he was likely referring to former Bay State Governor and Congressman Levi Lincoln Jr. and I reckon its him. Abraham Lincoln was, of course, wrong about that. Four years later, he would be president. _____ Countdown For the latest data, make sure to check the Yahoo News delegate scorecard and primary calendar. * Protesters block Fos fuel depot * Exxon says strike has not hindered refinery output * Total shutting down three of five refineries (Adds updated details from Total, strike at Elengy) By Bate Felix PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - France's hardline CGT and FO unions toughened their stance against labour market reforms on Monday by launching a strike at oil and LNG terminals, and blockading a fuel depot in the southern port city of Marseille. The rolling strikes, which began in March and have gathered pace in recent weeks, have disrupted fuel supplies in France since Friday with protesting workers blockading petrol depots and halting production at refineries. French oil and gas company Total, which operates five of the eight refineries in France, said it has started the process of shutting down its Normandy and Donges refineries. It said in a statement the strikes had led to the shutdown of the Grandpuits refinery near the French capital, and its Feyzin refinery, while La Mede refinery was running at minimum output level due to a blockade. Rival Exxon Mobil said the strike has not affected output at its two refineries but striking workers had blockaded the oil terminal at Fos-sur-Mer in southern France. Oil sector workers in the CGT, which is France's biggest trade union, and at the third biggest FO, said on Monday they planned to intensify the action until the government withdraws a labour reform law, because they say it will hurt workers. "It is clear that the dissatisfaction with the law is unwavering," the unions said in a statement. As part of efforts to force the government to withdraw the bill, the union launched a strike at the Fos-Lavera oil terminals on Monday. "No ship is operating at the installations," Pascal Galeote, CGT Secretary General at Marseille port told Reuters. The terminals supply PetroIneos Lavera, Total's La Mede and Exxon's Fos refineries on the southern coast. They also supply Total's Feyzin; Varo's Cressier in Switzerland and the MiRO refinery in Karlsruhe, Germany, via pipelines. Story continues Another branch of CGT said that workers at Elengy, which operates three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in France will also join the strike from midnight on Monday. A similar prolonged strike at French refineries in 2010 led to a glut of crude in Europe because it could not be delivered, and a spike in refined product prices due to low output. The French government has moved to reassure the public that France was not running out of fuel after shortages at hundreds of petrol stations in several regions sparked panic buying. Finance Minister Michel Sapin accused CGT of holding France hostage, saying the government would take the necessary action to end the blockades and restart production at refineries. Total said in a statement it had begun the procedure of shutting down its 247,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Normandy; 220,000 bpd Donges and 117,000 bpd Feyzin refineries. Its 101,000 bpd Grandpuits refinery was running at minimum output. It said 678 out of its 2,200 petrol stations across France had partially or completely run out of fuel, while striking workers were blockading two out of its nine fuel depots. There are 78 primary fuel depots in mainland France. (Reporting by Bate Felix and Jean-Francois Rosnoblet; editing by David Clarke and David Evans) The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has revealed American actor and comedian Joel McHale as its host for the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards. McHale - who is also a television producer and has hosted E! network's "The Soup", in addition to authoring the book "Thanks for the Money: How to Use My Life Story to Become the Best Joel McHale You Can Be" - will take to the stage on on June 6 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, along with two special guests performing at the event. Both Grammy-award winning songstress Jennifer Hudson and Michael C. Hall were previously confirmed to perform, with Hall to pay tribute to David Bowie, this year's Board of Directors' Tribute honoree, and Hudson engaged to close the show. The 2016 event, in collaboration with jewellery brand Swarovski, aims to recognise extraordinary design excellence across the industry, with the live performances marking the launch of its expanded format for the first time. New York (AFP) - A US appeals court threw out a nearly $1.3 billion penalty against Bank of America on Monday, concluding the bank had not committed fraud amid the housing bust. The federal court ruling overturned an October 2013 jury verdict that Countrywide's sale of bad loans to mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac constituted fraud. A federal judge subsequently had sentenced Bank of America, which acquired Countrywide in 2008, to a $1.27 billion penalty. The US Justice Department had alleged that Countrywide had, under the so-called "Hustle" program, eliminated key checkpoints on loan quality and compensated employees solely based on loan volumes. That led to "rampant instances of fraud," it alleged. But BofA argued on appeal that the evidence "shows at most an intentional breach of contract, but was insufficient to show fraud," the US appeals panel wrote. "We agree, concluding that the trial evidence fails to demonstrate the contemporaneous fraudulent intent necessary to prove a scheme to defraud through contractual promises." Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of an African American death row inmate who accused prosecutors of bias for selecting an all-white jury that convicted him of murder. In a 7-1 vote, the justices struck down a Georgia Supreme Court ruling denying Timothy Foster an appeal of his death sentence for the 1986 murder of an elderly white woman. Only conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, the court's sole African American member, dissented. "This means that Timothy Foster is entitled to a new trial at which jurors are not excluded based on race," his lawyers said in a statement. The decision, coming nearly 30 years after Foster's conviction, reinforces accusations by death penalty opponents that racism continues to affect jury selection in the United States. Foster's lawyers argued that prosecutors had maneuvered to keep blacks off the jury, presenting as evidence prosecutor's notes at a November 2015 Supreme Court hearing. The notes, obtained in 2006, included a list of prospective jurors with the handwritten letter "B" next to the names of African Americans on the list. They were rejected for the jury under a selection process that allows prosecutors to block, or "strike," a certain number of potential jurors. The prosecutors drew up a list of six prospective jurors to be struck from the panel, Foster's lawyer told the court: five were black and one opposed the death penalty. - 'Arresting' references to race - Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said the prosecution's notes "plainly belie the state's claim that it exercised its strikes in a 'color-blind' manner." "The sheer number of references to race in that file is arresting," he wrote. The state of Georgia had vehemently defended the prosecutors, arguing that they had documented their actions in order to show they were being thoughtful and not discriminatory in considering prospective black jurors. Story continues But the court's majority said the state's argument "reeks of afterthought," saying it had never been raised before in the case's 30-year history. "The focus on race in the prosecution's file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury," Roberts wrote. "The state's new argument today does not dissuade us from the conclusion that its prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race when they struck Garrett and Hood from the jury 30 years ago," the opinion said, referring to two African American potential jurors, Marilyn Garret and Eddie Hood. The Supreme Court ruled in 1986 for it to be unconstitutional to take race into account when excluding potential jurors. The court's decision reverses a Georgia state supreme court order denying Foster appellate review of his death sentence, and remands the case "for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion." Christina Swarns, attorney for the prominent civil rights organization NAACP, welcomed the decision, saying the justices "properly reaffirmed the longstanding principle that racial bias in jury selection is unacceptable under the US Constitution." - Thomas dissents - Foster confessed to murdering Queen Madge White, a 79-year-old retired school teacher whom he sexually assaulted and killed in her home in Rome, Georgia in August 1986. Now 48, he was 18 at the time of the killing. In his dissent, Thomas said the Supreme Court should have sought clarification from the state supreme court rather than overrule it. In doing so, "the court affords a death-row inmate another opportunity to relitigate his long-final conviction," he said. Justice Samuel Alito wrote a concurring opinion that, while agreeing with the majority's conclusion, cautioned that it was important not to "lightly brush aside" the state's legitimate interest in a process that "militates against repetitive litigation and endless delay." However, Foster's lawyer Stephen Bright said the evidence gave the court no choice but to find that prosecutors intentionally discriminated in striking black prospective jurors. They "lied about it by giving false reasons for their strikes when the real reason was race," he said in a statement. "The exclusion of black citizens from jury service results in juries that do not represent their communities," he added, "and undermines the credibility and legitimacy of the criminal justice system." A recent survey in a parish in Louisiana, another southern state, showed prosecutors were three times as likely to strike black prospective jurors than white ones. A sign protesting a recent North Carolina law restricting transgender bathroom access is seen in the bathroom stalls at the 21C Museum Hotel in Durham, N.C., on May 3, 2016. (Photo: Jonathan Drake/Reuters) A Virginia school board has voted unanimously in favor of requiring students to use locker rooms and bathrooms matching their biological gender. The Grayson County School Board, in the southwestern part of the state, voted 5-0 last Friday to approve the bathroom ordinance, which is designed to prevent transgender students from using bathrooms they feel match their gender identities, if not their biological sex. The move comes despite a statement from the schools superintendent, Kelly Wilmore, that there are currently no transgender students enrolled at the school. The vote is a preemptive strike and the local communitys response to the Obama administrations recent declaration that public schools must allow transgender students to choose which restrooms they use based on gender identity. The new Grayson County policy defines sex specifically as, an individuals immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth and states that an individuals original birth certificate may be relied upon as a definitive evidence of the individuals sex. The Arizona-based conservative Christian nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom came out in support of the vote, according to local news station WDBJ-7, while the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia used the hashtag #shameful in its tweet about the new policy. Several people praised the school boards action on Facebook. The ordinance passed by the Grayson County School Board on Friday is just the latest in a series of defiant actions taken against the joint directive issued by the U.S. departments of Justice and Education, which issued the directive earlier this month amid the federal governments current legal battle over a controversial North Carolina law that aims to regulate where transgender people can go to the bathroom. Story continues In fact, before the order was even officially issued, Texas state leaders had made clear which side they were on. This will be the beginning of the end of the public school system as we know it, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick declared shortly after news reports surfaced about the forthcoming directive. At the Texas GOP Convention in Dallas, Gov. Greg Abbott assured fellow Republicans that the Lone Star State would not give in to the federal governments orders. I want you to know, I am working with the governor of North Carolina, and we are going to fight back, Abbott stated. Our country is in crisis, and Texas must lead the way forward. Abbott later took to Twitter to double down on his opposition to Obamas directive. I announced today that Texas is fighting this. Obama cant rewrite the Civil Rights Act. Hes not a King. #tcot https://t.co/vDgfQPZXjR Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 13, 2016 JFK wanted to send a man to the moon. Obama wants to send a man to the womens restroom. We must get our country back on track. #tcot Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 17, 2016 It didnt take long for other Republican governors to follow Abbotts lead. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant called the bathroom guidance the most outrageous example yet of the Obama administration forcing its liberal agenda on states that roundly reject it. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson deemed the directive social engineering and urged schools to ignore it, while in Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin said, Its difficult to imagine a more absurd federal overreach into a local issue. In Virginia, however, the Grayson County School Board appears to have acted independently of Virginias Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe, who, just one week after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed that states controversial House Bill 2 into law, vetoed a religious freedom measure that he argued would legalize anti-LGBT discrimination. According to WDBJ-7, the Grayson County school bathroom policy was introduced to the school board by state Sen. Bill Carrico, who also happened to sponsor the very bill that McAuliffe vetoed. As the father of a high school student, it is appalling to me, Carrico told the Christian Science Monitor in a recent interview about bathroom bills. Where is my daughters Fourth Amendment right to privacy? Where? She has none? Theres only two sexes a male and a female. Nothing protects transgender as a sex. So-called bathroom bills and the rights of transgender individuals have been the subject of heated national debate ever since North Carolinas McCrory signed HB2 which also prevents local governments from enacting nondiscrimination laws without state approval into law this March. Days before the federal government released its public school guidance, McCrory had refused to heed Attorney General Loretta Lynchs call to repeal the states bathroom law, prompting North Carolina and the U.S. Justice Department to file dueling lawsuits against one another. There is no room in our schools for discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against transgender students on the basis of their sex, Lynch said in a May 13 statement announcing the joint directive. Schools that fail to comply with the directive risk losing federal funding as well as a civil rights lawsuit. Ukraine needs intl help to set up trust fund to return Donbas to civilian life - Poroshenko Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has stated Ukraine needs support of international organizations to establish a trust fund to return to Donbas to civilian life. "Russia's aggression had very serious humanitarian consequences for Ukraine," Poroshenko said, when speaking at the UN World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. He noted "Russia has violated the rules of international humanitarian law," and Ukraine insists on the need for the UN Security Council's response to these violations. In addition, the president noted Ukraine "needs cooperation with international organizations, which will contribute to the creation of a trust fund to return Donbas to civilian life." "Ukraine is committed to protecting civilians and facilitating provision of quick relief to those who suffer ... We pledge to work on improving protection of internally displaced persons... Ukraine also wants to work with international organizations to set up a trust fund to restore peace in Donbas," Poroshenko said. The president noted Ukraine supports the question of convening a separate forum next year under the auspices of the UN for a more efficient operation of international and regional organizations to prevent and resolve conflicts. Mari Filer isn't your typical high school graduate. The teenager from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is not only valedictorian of her graduating class, she has also earned over $2 million in scholarship money and boasts an astounding 4.56 GPA. "This type of success is available to anybody," Filer told WIAT News 42, revealing that she was accepted to 39 colleges and universities. The graduate has decided to attend her father's alma mater, Florida A&M University, a historically black university in Tallahassee, Florida. The Central High School graduate posted her amazing accomplishment to Twitter. "Graduated as valedictorian with a 4.56 GPA, over 24 college credits, and over 2.8 million dollars in scholarships! Shoutout to God!" Mari Filer. While the tweet went viral online, receiving over 40,000 retweets, some detractors were less than impressed with her success: @__simplyMari @messyheaux I don't believe you @__simplyMari 4.56 gpa but only 24 college credits. Something doesn't add up @__simplyMari @ApocalypseAfc $2.8 million in scholarships where you going Mars University? I hate to do this but how tf do you get a 4.56 gpa, 2.8 million dollars in scholarships and 24 college credits?pic.twitter.com/DF3JE8VvFy https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ci3CF3kUoAAJTAx.jpg:large 4.56 GPA, on what scale??? What school costs $2.8 million?https://twitter.com/__simplymari/status/733065081248993281 ... https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CixeykMWkAAoyYq.jpg:large Filer told WIAT some of the comments she'd received: "That's a lie," "She's doing this to boost her ego," that she was trying to "make herself look better" by doing this and that, "You can't even get above a 4.0 GPA" and "Where are you going to school, Mars University?" But Filer isn't letting the haters distract her. "When I post my accomplishments or awards, I always give God the credit because it's his to give," the valedictorian told WIAT News. "God is not done with me yet." A few years ago, early-stage breast cancer patients enrolled in clinical trials testing whether zoledronic acid could reduce breast cancer recurrence. When the trials ended, researchers concluded that this bone-preserving bisphosphonate, used to treat osteoporosis, could also help cure breast cancer in post-menopausal women -- while causing minimal side effects. Oncology clinical trials can yield amazing benefits. They provide long-term monitored care to patients, as well as another care option and access to new medications. They also contribute to scientific knowledge that helps us address cancer, plus its high health care costs and emotional toll. If you are interested in enrolling in a trial, I commend you. If you are uncertain, I do not fault you: 3 of every 4 people don't understand the process. Here is a primer on what to expect, and why enrolling is becoming a more viable -- and important -- care option: [See: What Your Doctors Wish You Knew.] The Lowdown Oncology clinical trials test whether potential therapies can treat cancers, measuring their effectiveness and determining how they work. Many trials test new drugs, while some study drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration to mine for new benefits. Consider a trial if you are not satisfied with the standard cancer treatments. Begin by consulting with your doctor. Many physicians will recommend a trial, but if they do not, ask for their take. Some doctors initially overlook trials because they fear losing your business or are unaware of all existing trials. You can also locate and enroll in trials by visiting CenterWatch.com and ClinicalTrials.gov (and patients who see doctors in my medical group may also visit our research institute's site). Apps like Apple's ResearchKit now offer another option, but take heed: Although such apps let you enroll more easily than traditional methods, they do not account for key factors including demographics and patient-study match. Story continues We have to take such factors into account. To qualify for a study, you must be diagnosed with the appropriate cancer type and be healthy enough (able to hold a job, for example). You should also ask your doctor whether you can stop chemotherapy for one or two months, so researchers can properly evaluate the study drugs. Studies are formally phased; you will be enrolled in a Phase I, II or III trial. Phase I trials test for treatment safety and proper dose. Phase II trials evaluate how participants respond to the recommended dose established by Phase I, if the drug passes Phase I (7 in 10 drugs do). Only 1 in 3 treatments then advance past Phase II to Phase III, when we assess how participants taking the treatment fare compared to a control group receiving a placebo (or a placebo combined with the standard treatment). Drugs that pass Phase III may be submitted for FDA approval, and this whole process can take five to 10 years. Software determines which patients are divided into which group in Phase III trials, not the researchers. If you are in the control group, which you will be unaware of, you still could benefit from the trial. Placebo-controlled trials are designed to maximize care for all participants, never using placebos alone when effective therapies or potential cures are available. I have also seen the placebo effect in action; the mind is a powerful thing. No matter which group or phase you are participating in, do not expect to benefit from trials because they are just not predictable. Trials can last several years because that's how long it takes to evaluate how therapies work long-term within the human body, and because researchers need to study thousands of people often across diverse populations. Before you even begin participating, you must be briefed, sign consent forms and have your shared information securely stored (as it will be throughout the process). [See: How to Disinfect Germ Hotspots.] The Issues Now is a great time to take advantage of oncology clinical trials. Start with promising scientific advances taking hold with targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Enrolling lets you access these extremely expensive treatments. Private donors and government sources are taking steps to make trials more available, efficient and productive. Johns Hopkins University recently announced it is founding a $125 million institute that will conduct trials, while Vice President Joe Biden's $1 billion "moonshot" cancer initiative strives to streamline trial enrollment. In addition, the U.S. Senate is considering one bill (already passed by the U.S. House) aimed at strengthening and modernizing trials, and another to help enroll more women and minorities in National Institutes of Health trials. These efforts are encouraging but also necessary. Minorities are especially underrepresented in trials; less than 2 percent of National Cancer Institute-funded trials from 1993 to 2013 included enough minorities to meet NIH specifications. And while the number of registered trials internationally has increased dramatically since 2004 (the 206,658 trials in 2015 were 16 times the 2004 figure), grant spending has leveled off: It increased by only 2 percent annually from 2008 to 2014, after increasing by 9 percent annually from 2002 to 2008, largely due to declining contributions from governmental sources like the NIH. Because of these decreasing subsidies and skewed public attention, research into many cancers is severely under-funded. While breast cancer studies receive a lot of public funding, prostate and pancreatic cancer studies get much less. Another issue: Trials are expensive and difficult to carry out, because they need numerous patient volunteers and because small mistakes can force scientists to start over. Due to essential study checkpoints, 7 in 10 trial volunteers fail prescreening, and another 1 in 3 then fail further vetting. Researchers struggle to recruit enough patients, and sometimes delay or fail to complete trials. You can help counter these issues, in addition to helping yourself or somebody you care about. Support a foundation addressing an under-funded cancer. Write your representatives asking for funding. And if your doctor recommends it, please consider a trial -- especially if you are a minority or over 65. Most participants are younger caucasians, but different ethnicities and ages respond uniquely to treatments, and most oncology treatments are approved only through trials. I have heard the arguments against enrolling, especially patients telling me they don't want to be a guinea pig. But wild guinea pigs do not live as long as domestic ones. You can be better off under the close supervision of a trial than without it. But don't just take my word, ask a patient who has been part of a trial. Ninety-eight percent say they would consider participating again. You don't have to know what bisphosphonates are to interpret that statistic. [See: Which Practitioner Do I See, and When?] Leon Hwang, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group in the Washington, D.C., area. He serves as the group's chief of staff for oncology service in its Washington and suburban Maryland practice. Dr. Hwang serves on the Ethics Committee and the Institutional Review Board of the Mid-Atlantic region of Kaiser Permanente, as well as the Health Disparities Committee of NRG Oncology. In addition to clinical practice, he is the lead investigator for several clinical oncology research trials and has been named a Health Care Hero by American Cancer Society. A Venezuelan man was charged over the weekend in the death of a Miami mother whose cosmetic butt injections caused a fatal embolism. Police say Jose Robusto, 43, posed as a Venezuelan doctor and injected an oily, yellow substance with a plastic syringe into 28-year-old Suyima Torres' buttocks for $1,500 back in April 2013, the AP reports. Watch: Parents Allow 6-Year-Old Boy with Big Ears to Get Plastic Surgery The Miami woman returned to Robusto's so-called clinic which was reportedly only licensed to offer massages days later for a second injection for $800, police allege. Following that injection, Torres died of what medical examiners ruled was an embolism. Torres left behind two young daughters. After the death, authorities say Robusto fled to Venezuela. He was arrested Friday when he returned to Miami. Watch: Janice Dickinson's Fiance Gets 7-Hour Plastic Surgery for Wedding On Saturday, Robusto was booked on charges of manslaughter and practicing unlicensed medicine resulting in death. It was not clear early Monday if he yet has an attorney. Messages left with the Miami-Dade prosecutor's office were not immediately returned. Watch: Nurse, 25, Undergoes Butt Lift Surgery To Look Like Kim Kardashian Related Articles: By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) - By early adulthood, adults who were born prematurely at low birth weights are less likely to be employed and to have children, and more likely to have lower incomes, be single and have chronic health conditions than those born at a healthy weight, according to a new study. The new study continues to follow the first generation of extremely low birth weight babies who survived in the early era of advanced neonatal care, said lead author Dr. Saroj Saigal of McMaster University in Ontario. We reported their outcomes a decade ago at 24 years of age and at that time they were comparable to (full-term) children, despite the fact that 28 percent had disabilities, Saigal told Reuters Health by phone. Employment and educational parameters were similar. But after the transition to adulthood, there are differences between the groups, she said. The researchers studied 189 adults born between 1977 and 1982. One hundred had been born prematurely, weighing less than 1 kg, while the other 89 had weighed more than 2.5 kg. All participants completed standardized questionnaires on health, education, employment, social integration, sexuality and reproduction. More than half of each group were women. One in five of those born premature had neurologic impairments. In their mid-20s, the two groups had similar life circumstances and achievement, and at ages 29 to 36, educational achievement and family and partner relationships were still similar - but fewer premature adults were employed or employed full time. On average, the premature group was making $20,000 less per year than the term group. Half of the premature group was never married or single, compared to about a third of the full-term group, and 20 percent had never experienced sexual intercourse compared to 2 percent of the term group, as reported in JAMA Pediatrics, May 23. Neurological disabilities explain some of the differences, but personality differences also play a role, Saigal said. Overall the majority were educated, living independently, employed, contributing to society, but those born very premature tended not to be go-getters as much as those born at term, she said. More adults in the premature group also reported being homosexual or bisexual than in the term group, although its not clear why that would be and the sample of people in this study was relatively small, she said. Most of the difference came from individuals in the low birth weight group identifying as bisexual, said Peter Anderson of Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, who was not part of the new study. The study has provided enormous insights into our understanding of how these infants transition through childhood to adolescence to adulthood, Anderson told Reuters Health by email. The results are predominantly positive given their vulnerability at birth. Hopefully children born today should do equally well if not better than children born earlier, given advancements in neonatal care, Saigal said. The majority of times we do not know why infants are born this early. (This story has been refiled to replace the headline) SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1qEVV5r JAMA Pediatr 2016. A group of veterans protesting in front of Trump Tower in Manhattan on May 23, 2016. (Photo: Grace Brailsford-Cato) A group of veterans went to Donald Trumps headquarters in midtown Manhattan on Monday to demand an apology and answers after the presumptive Republican presidential nominees campaign admitted a veterans fundraiser did not raise as much money as he had initially claimed. Alexander McCoy, who said he was a Marine Corps veteran who helped organize the protest, described Trumps handling of the January fundraiser as unacceptable. Were here as a group of veterans to reject Donald Trump, McCoy said. It is unacceptable that he made a commitment and failed to live up to it. He said he raised $6 million for veterans and claimed to have done so, and yet there has been no accountability for that money. He continued: He has failed to show where a lot of that money went. And he failed to raise as much as he claimed to have raised. And it is unacceptable for Donald Trump to try to take advantage of the goodwill that American voters feel for our men and women in uniform to try and get votes while failing to live up to his own commitments. The protest came on the heels of a Washington Post report published Saturday, in which Trumps campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, said the fundraiser only brought in about $4.5 million. Trump held the Jan. 28 fundraiser instead of participating in a Fox News GOP debate that evening. At the time, he said the network was treating him unfairly. At the event, Trump announced that it had raised $6 million. Lewandowski attributed the fundraising shortfall to donors who reneged on promises to participate. There were some individuals who hed spoken to who were going to write large checks [and who], for whatever reason didnt do it, Lewandowski told the Post. Lewandowski declined to identify the donors who failed to participate. He also would not say exactly how much was raised or where the money went. The Post was only able to identify about $3.1 million in donations that went to veterans groups. Story continues About a dozen protesters showed up to Trump Tower on Monday. McCoy described them as veterans who connected through grassroots organizing tools and social media after hearing about the Post story. He said they were not part of an organization. In addition to the fundraising shortfall, the protesters objected to the lack of information about where the money Trump raised for veterans ended up. Another one of the organizers, Perry OBrien, questioned Trumps national security policies. OBrien, who said he served with the Army in Afghanistan, argued that Trumps plans would make the country more dangerous than it is now. Hes shown to be reckless, impulsive, and combines inexperience with bravado and confidence, which is a deadly combination, as many of us who have served overseas know. Its guys like that that get people killed on battlefields, OBrien said. Yahoo News asked OBrien whether the group would try to contact Trump or meet him inside the tower. He said that the protest was an attempt to communicate and that he hoped Trump would hear the message. We hope that he will apologize to veterans, OBrien said. By Jessica Toonkel (Reuters) - The legal battle over control of Sumner Redstone's $40 billion media empire has investors hopeful that change will come to underperforming Viacom Inc (VIAB.O). On Friday, Sumner Redstone removed both Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from the trust that will determine the future of CBS and Viacom after controlling shareholder Redstone dies or is declared mentally incapacitated. Dauman fired back on Monday saying the moves to replace him and Abrams from both the trust and National Amusements board would amount to an "unlawful corporate takeover" by Sumner's daughter, Shari Redstone. Sumner Redstone's privately-held movie theater chain National Amusements holds 80 percent of the voting stock in both Viacom and CBS. Separately, Sumner Redstone on Monday asked a Los Angeles Court for an order validating his removal of Dauman and Abrams from his trust and from the board of National Amusements Inc. The outcome of the court cases, and who ends up with control over the trust, and over the National Amusements board, will have wide-ranging implications for Viacom and CBS shareholders and could result in changes at the top of both companies, possibly through mergers and acquisitions. Some investors are hopeful that change is imminent. Viacom shares rose 2.5 percent to $40.02 on Monday. This whole company should be a case study of how to destroy shareholder value, said Salvatore Muoio, principal with New York-based S. Muoio & Co, a major owner of Viacom voting shares. They should sell this business to the highest bidder and get it over with. Michael Cuggino, president and portfolio manager at San Francisco-based Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, which owns voting shares of CBS and Viacom, said he would also welcome some change at Viacom, including a sale, but had concerns about what kind of premium Viacom could get from a potential buyer right now. Cuggino said he would welcome the idea of Viacom becoming part of CBS again, but would need to make sure it made sense for CBS. Viacom spun off CBS in 2006. Story continues "There are certainly a lot of good synergies there," he said. Others investors are showing more patience. Mario Gabelli, the second-largest owner of Viacom voting shares, told CNBC on Monday that Dauman has six months to turn the company around. Representatives for CBS and Viacom declined to comment. Viacom, like other media companies, has suffered from falling ratings at its cable networks such as Nickelodeon and MTV as younger viewers migrate online and to mobile video. Over the past 12 months, Viacom is down 40 percent, lagging the Standard & Poor's 500 Media Index (.SPLRCME), which is off only 4.7 percent. CBS shares edged down 0.5 percent to $52.49. BATTLE FOR CONTROL Redstone, who turns 93 on Friday, suffers from diminished mental capacity and is dependent on his daughter, Shari Redstone, the lawsuit said. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said in a statement. The complaint named Shari Redstone, her son Tyler Korff, as defendants and trust members David Andelman, Norman Jacobs and Leonard Lewin as nominal defendants. A statement sent on behalf of Shari Redstone said, It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father ... Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere." Redstone's attorneys have said he made the changes to the trust and board after trying to reach out to Viacom's board to discuss the future strategy of the company. The California and Massachusetts courts will need to sort out which of them has jurisdiction, and that may not be easy, said Keith Davidson, a probate lawyer in California. Massachusetts will likely have a strong preference to let California take jurisdiction, especially since a part of the case has already been litigated here. But you never know, Davidson wrote in an email. The standards for determining that someone is not mentally competent differ. California requires evidence of a mental defect that correlates to the specifics of the situation, such as a will or contract; Massachusetts does not have that requirement but does look to expert opinion and would evaluate a persons ability to manage affairs effectively, lawyers said. Viacom said in a statement its board has tried to meet with Sumner Redstone many times, adding that he was silent during a recent call about the company's strategy. Sumner Redstone has not participated in an earnings conference call or an annual investor meeting since 2014. Sumner Redstone plans to name National Amusements general counsel Tad Jankowski and family friend Jill Krutick to the trust, sources told Reuters on Sunday. Besides Shari, trust members include her son, lawyer Tyler Korff; David Andelman, another lawyer who is on the CBS board; Norman Jacobs, Sumner Redstone's divorce lawyer; and Leonard Lewin, who represented Redstone's first wife, Phyllis, in her divorce from Redstone. 'LIVING GHOST' Sumner Redstone and Dauman have worked together for more than 30 years, and Redstone has called Dauman "a great friend." In February, Shari Redstone was the only one to vote against Dauman's elevation to executive chairman of Viacom to replace her father. This month, a judge dismissed a lawsuit by a former girlfriend who had argued Redstone was not mentally competent to remove her from his advance healthcare directive. The case, which claimed that Redstone was a living ghost, shined a spotlight on Redstone's health. The mogul struggled to speak when questioned by attorneys. But he was clear about wanting ex-girlfriend Manuela Herzer out of his life, and putting his daughter in charge of healthcare decisions if he could no longer make them. In that trial, Dauman submitted statements in November that Redstone was engaged and attentive in recent conversations. However, the complaint filed Monday claims that Redstone suffers from dementia, impaired cognition, a slowness of mental processing, a loss of memory, apathy and depression. (Additional reporting by David Ingram in New York; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Vice Media has named Ciel Hunter, an 11-year veteran of the youth-oriented media company, to the position of head of content overseeing operations across mobile and digital platforms. Hunter takes over for Alex Miller, who is returning to Vices London office as the newly appointed creative director of Viceland EMEA. Under Millers tenure, Vice launched Broadly, its first female-centric digital channel. As head of content, Hunter will oversee Vice Medias digital presence across the web, including its video and editorial arms, as well as on platforms like Snapchat and Verizons Go90, in addition to new and emerging platforms. Hunter also will work to integrate Vices existing verticals with the recently launched Viceland TV network. In addition, under her purview will be the six new digital sites Vice plans to launch this year, covering health, gaming, travel, LGBTQ, money and sustainability. Those will join Vices existing 11 owned-and-operated sites. Hunter is a perfect example of what makes us unique, Shane Smith, Vice founder and CEO, said in a statement, noting that she joined the company as an intern and received increasing responsibilities as the company grew. Knowing her as I do, I can tell you Vice and our other verticals are in for quite a ride in the years to come. Added Hunter, Vice continues to revolutionize the way we tell stories to our audience around the world Im thrilled to get working with our writers, editors, and photographers to take Vice to the next level. Vices unique monthly online visitors in the U.S. fell 17% in February from the previous month, according to comScore figures, but traffic has since rebounded to reach 60.8 million unique visitors for April (up 75% year over year). Hunter has previously served as the lead creative director of the Creators Project, Vice and Intels arts-and-culture channel. As executive creative director for Vice Media, she has led the companys owned-and-operated music channels, Noisey and Thump, and oversaw talent relations. She has also led strategy and creative on partnerships with YouTube (including producing the YouTube Music Awards); Apple Music; and Live Nations joint venture with Vice, Live Nation TV. Most recently, Hunter led the effort to build out Vices virtual-reality projects, managing Vicelands partnership with Samsung to produce VR content. Story continues Related stories Viceland Hires Series of Execs To Bolster EMEA Expansion Vice to Launch 6 New Vertical Sites, 20 TV Channels Worldwide This Year ESPN, Vice Team Up in Sports-Programming Pact Ukrainian diplomat involved in cigarette smuggling scandal to be prosecuted if there is evidence against her deputy FM Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has not issued any permit for shipment of diplomatic cargo or mail to the husband of the first secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy in Slovakia, Oksana Lischyshyn, who was detained when transporting contraband cigarettes, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko said. "The Foreign Affairs Ministry has not given this family any right to use any of our vehicles or our facilities, and no mail has been handed to them diplomatic or otherwise," Prystaiko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday. The deputy minister noted that the Foreign Ministry expected to receive a copy of the letter signed by the first secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy in Slovakia, the existence of which was earlier reported by Head of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration Hennadiy Moskal. "I want to see the letter that will convince me that the embassy employee, and not just a member of their family, has been involved [in smuggling]," he said adding that there were two people in the car: the relative of the diplomat and a driver. He said that if the existence of such a letter is confirmed, the embassy official will be recalled to Ukraine and will be held responsible in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. According to the deputy minister, the ambassador of Ukraine to Slovakia is aware of the incident on the border, but as of Saturday he knew nothing about the existence of the letter. "If the ambassador was not aware [of the situation], it is bad. It is even worse if he knew, but did nothing. In this case, the Foreign Ministry will make a relevant proposal [about his dismissal] to the head of state," Prystaiko said. The deputy minister also said that a diplomatic passport alone does not give any right to evade customs inspection. "Only diplomats that work abroad and have diplomatic immunity have such a right, Prystaiko said. The press service of the Zakarpattia regional branch of the State Fiscal Service reported earlier an attempt to smuggle tobacco products across the state border by a holder of a diplomatic passport which was stopped at the Luzhanka checkpoint. On May 21, 2016, a Volkswagen Transporter van driven by a citizen of Ukraine entered the "green corridor" of the checkpoint. At the customs control, he presented a diplomatic pass of a citizen of Ukraine, a certificate of registration of the vehicle, and a letter of one of Ukraine's embassies that the car is carrying diplomatic cargo, which, in accordance with the law, is not subject to control, the Fiscal Service reported. On Monday, May 23, Head of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration Hennadiy Moskal said that the detained a Volkswagen Transporter minibus with a cargo of smuggled cigarettes belongs to the Embassy of Ukraine in Slovakia, and its driver is "a resident of Kyiv, Serhiy Lischyshyn, who is the husband of the first secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy in Slovakia." Moskal said the smuggler presented the customs and border guards "a diplomatic passport and a letter signed by his wife", according to which the minibus was transporting diplomatic cargo on May 21-24 and was not subject to control. "When customs officers suspecting that the van was carrying contraband, began to insist on the inspection, Lischyshyn expressed his outrage and started threatening to call the consul. "Customs officers contacted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and after obtaining a permit the inspection of the minibus revealed 5,685 cartons of cigarettes worth UAH 620,000," Moskal's press office quoted him as saying. Vietnamese budget airline VietJet, famed for its bikini-clad air hostesses, has agreed to buy 100 passenger jets from US aircraft maker Boeing for $11.3 billion, the airline said Monday, in a deal signed in front of President Barack Obama in Hanoi. In a statement, VietJet said the deal was "the largest ever single commercial airplane purchase in Vietnam aviation". It was penned in front of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and the American leader, who is on a three-day trip to the communist nation. A White House official confirmed the deal for 100 Boeing jets was among a raft of commercial agreements sealed on Monday worth more than $16 billion. "We expect this will support 60,000 American manufacturing and technology jobs," the official added. Founded in 2007 VietJet, which has previously drummed up publicity with bikini-wearing air stewardesses, is making a major move into the lucrative Southeast Asian aviation sector. In February the carrier announced that it had signed a $3.04 billion deal with US engine maker Pratt & Whitney, underscoring the growth potential of the region's low-cost airline market. Industry players have said that Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, is a key growth market for budget air travel, driven by a growing middle class, many of whom are travelling for the first time. US aircraft maker Boeing has forecast that the region needs 3,750 new airplanes in the next 20 years, with more than three-quarters of the deliveries being single-aisle airplanes favoured by budget carriers. The decision by the United States to lift the decades-old arms embargo on Vietnam doesnt mean that Hanoi will be making a mad dash to buy American-made weapons. In fact, President Obama, in announcing the historic move at a joint press conference with the Vietnamese president, Tran Dai Quang, went out of his way to stress that the Cold War enemy wouldnt suddenly be awash in the latest military technology. Related: The Real Captain Kirk Takes Command of the Navys New $4 Billion Destroyer Every sale that we make to everybody is viewed as a particular transaction, and we examine what's appropriate and what's not, and there's some very close allies of ours where we may not make a particular sale until we have a better sense of how that piece of equipment may end up being used, Obama said. So we're going to continue to engage in the case-by-case evaluations of these sales, he added. Vietnams military spending more than doubled between 2004 and 2013, reaching $4.4 billion, or 8 percent of total government spending, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Current defense spending is roughly $5 billion a year. The country was the 12th largest arms importer in the world between 2010 and 2014, and around 80 percent of its purchases have come from Russia. IHS Janes estimates that Vietnam will set aside $1.6 billion for defense purchases this year, with that numbering rising to $2 billion by 2020. Related: Growing Debt Threatens US National Security: Defense Leaders But what does Hanoi want to buy? Its not a secret that Vietnam is trying to boost its maritime defensive capability, given Chinas aggressive moves to expand its footprint in the South China Sea. Ben Moores, a defense analyst at consultancy IHS Janes, said Vietnam has a roughly $13 billion shopping list of military equipment, including patrol aircraft, tanks, combat jets and attack helicopters, according to The Wall Street Journal. CNN Money reports that early speculation includes Lockheed Martin's P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. The planes three main mission areas -- anti-submarine and surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance make it an interesting option for Vietnam as it jockeys for position with China in the region. Story continues Vietnam is also expected to increase its maritime security by procuring more combat aircraft and naval patrol craft. A possible early contender might be the F-16 jet fighter, which is already one of the worlds most widely-used warplanes. Related: Why the Navys New Combat Ship May Fail Against Real-World Threats However, U.S. defense contractors arent the only ones hoping to expand their sales. The Saab Gripen from Sweden has been cited as a possible option for new fighter jets, and other fighter and patrol planes from Europe and South Korea appear to be in the running. One key component of any arms sales will be financing. Although Hanoi plans to enhance its military capabilities with foreign arms purchases, the countrys economy is still relatively small, ranking 50th globally in GDP, well behind others in its region, including Korea, Thailand and, of course, China. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang said on Monday his country and the United States had differences, especially on human rights, and that the two sides needed to narrow those differences. U.S. President Barack Obama is visiting Vietnam where he announced that Washington would completely lift its ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its former war enemy. (Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Nick Macfie) Indonesian rescuers searched for survivors in scorched villages and devastated farmlands Monday after a volcano erupted in clouds of searing ash and gas, killing seven and leaving others fighting life-threatening burns. Witnesses have described sheer panic as waves of gas and fine rock were unleashed from Mount Sinabung on Sumatra island Saturday, consuming farmers trying to flee the slopes of the highly active volcano. The fast-moving flows -- reaching temperatures of up to 700 degrees Celsius (1,300 Fahrenheit) -- incinerated homes and left livestock blackened and peeling. Agustatius Sitepu, the head of the local military in Karo district where the volcano is situated, arrived to scenes of chaos as rescue crews raced to reach those left alive. "The villagers who managed to survive were running around in panic, trying to save themselves," he told AFP on Monday. "There were only a few dozen. They were terrified. They were covered in ash." The eruptions were so violent that townships as far away as 12 kilometres (seven miles) were covered in thick layers of ash, he added. Villagers are trying to recover from Saturday's eruption. Abdi Putera, an orange farmer, was busy getting rid of the volcanic ash which covers his oranges, despite the government warning the area is still dangerous. "If I don't blow off the ashes, it will get thicker and thicker and will eventually damage my oranges. If that happens, I wouldn't be able to sell my crops and make a living for my family," Putera explained. - 'Red Zone' - Those worst affected were all farming within the "red zone" -- an area four kilometres from Sinabung declared off limits by authorities -- when the volcano erupted. Six bodies were recovered Sunday, with three others rushed to hospital suffering horrific burns. One of the victims succumbed to their wounds by nightfall, taking the official toll to seven, local disaster mitigation agency chief Nata Nail told AFP on Monday. Story continues "Two more remain in the intensive care unit, suffering burns to 90 percent of their body," he said. Footage showed their clothes blackened and hanging off charred limbs as rescue teams brought them by stretcher to hospital. Nail said rescue teams were still finding survivors on Sunday during sweeps of homes and farms in Gamber village. The Sinabung mountain has shown less activity on Monday, but officials from the Indonesian meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency known as the BMKG are continously monitoring the mountain's activity. "The Pyroclastic is very dangerous. Not only because of its flow and steam, but it also brings secondary dangers such as cold lava flow and flash floods," said Arif, an officer with the BMKG. Residents were ordered to evacuate Gamber in late 2014 due to the unacceptable risk from lava flows, dense ash and falling volcanic rock. But some villagers grew tired of living in temporary shelters and began returning to their farms for economic reasons, despite repeated government warnings. "We hope because of this disaster, those living near Sinabung, and tourists, will realise that Sinabung is still very dangerous," Nail said. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After another period of inactivity it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since. Sixteen people died during a particularly fierce eruption in 2014, and Sinabung remains at the highest alert level. The 2016 Cannes Film Festival, which began May 11 and runs until May 22 in Cannes, France, featured a festival first: screenings of virtual reality (VR) short films and presentations in a pavilion dedicated exclusively to VR. But not everyone is convinced that virtual reality should be part of cinema's future. Famed director Steven Spielberg said he's skeptical about VR's effectiveness as a storytelling tool, and questioned whether it should be seriously considered as a means for developing and presenting visual narratives. [Beyond Gaming: 10 Other Fascinating Uses for Virtual-Reality Tech] Spielberg voiced his concerns during the festival, saying VR was potentially "dangerous" because it allows the viewer too much freedom to make their own choices about which parts of a story to engage with, rather than presenting them with a single, fixed narrative path crafted by a writer and director, Reuters reported. He cautioned that VR might "forget the story" in favor of offering an immersive environment with a number of potential narrative threads or isolated dramatic moments that viewers could explore. But perhaps it isn't surprising that an established director who is accustomed to steering an audience through a film using carefully considered staging, camera placement, lighting design and editing would be wary of a medium that allows viewers to make their own choices about where to look. A brand-new language However, some moviemakers are more than ready to embrace the new technology. Spielberg's naysaying aside, other festivalgoers hailed VR and its immersive worlds as an exciting new direction for cinema, offering fresh opportunities for storytelling. "Madagascar" co-director Eric Darnell presented a 6-minute VR film at Cannes titled "Invasion!" and told Reuters that he saw VR not as an extension of cinema, but as "its own thing," describing it as "a brand-new language." Story continues Penrose Studios produced the animated VR short "Allumette," which was also shown at Cannes. The studio said in an online description of the film that "VR movies are a new art form, wholly different from cinema, the stage play or the opera that came before." And Oriane Hurard, a producer and production manager attending the Cannes festival, gleefully tweeted a photo of the VR headset included in her Cannes "swag bag," saying "La revolution est en marche! [The revolution is underway!]" Il y a un casque VR dans le sac de #Cannes2016 cette annee. La revolution est en marche ! pic.twitter.com/SJG9dw4UZ9 Oriane Hurard (@Orianehurard) May 11, 2016 Motion pictures have undergone many changes since the first procession of sequential images flickered to life before an audience in the early 20th century. Indeed, new technologies emerged over the decades that followed and pushed the medium, and filmmakers, forward. Movies have transitioned from silent to full of spectacular sound and from black-and-white to color, and along the way, voices arose that sounded warnings about how these dramatic changes would destroy the art of cinema forever. So far, that hasn't been the case. While VR headsets aren't likely to replace movie theaters just yet, skeptics may want to think twice before they dismiss VR. Virtual reality is only the latest technology to challenge media makers to try a different approach for sharing their stories and it probably won't be the last. (Looking for a VR headset? Our sister site Tom's Guide put together a great primer on the best ones on the market right now: The Best VR Headsets.) Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - From Walt Disney's hand-signed Mickey Mouse doll to his animator's desk and chairs, a trove of the late animation entrepreneur's memorabilia will go up for auction next month and offers a glimpse into the origins of the "mouse house." The "Collecting Disney" auction, held by Van Eaton Galleries on June 18 in Los Angeles, will offer more than 700 lots from the Disney archives, expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million. Among the items on sale, which are coming from the collections of private owners, is one of the first dolls ever made of the anthropomorphic Mickey Mouse, one foot signed by Disney and given as a gift to a woman, estimated to fetch between $50,000 and $70,000, said gallery owner Mike Van Eaton. "This particular doll was given to woman that he drove an ambulance with in 1917 in World War One. A lifelong friend of his, he gave her one of his most cherished possessions and he signed it on the bottom in French dedicated to her," Van Eaton said. A set of furniture from Disney's office, designed by Kem Weber, is estimated to fetch between $60,000 and $80,000, while an original score of the first ever song written about Mickey Mouse is expected to fetch between $15,000 and $20,000. Disney co-founded an animation studio in 1923, which eventually grew into a feature film production studio with films such as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Bambi" and "Cinderella." He died in 1966 aged 65. The Walt Disney Company is now one of Hollywood's top players, producing live action and animated feature fare. The auction is centered on the history of the Disney studio, Van Eaton said. The items will be exhibited ahead of the sale from May 25 through June 17 at the Van Eaton Galleries. "It wasn't the films the made the studio so much, it was the merchandise, the marketing of the characters that really made Disney what it is today and that's what we're trying to show in this auction," Van Eaton said. Other highlights from the sale include early original drawings of the first two Mickey Mouse cartoons, 1928's "Steamboat Willie" and 1929's "Plane Crazy," expected to fetch upwards of $4,000. A program for the studio's first animated feature, 1937's "Snow White," signed by Disney and more than 50 staff members, is expected to fetch upwards of $5,000. (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Sandra Maler) Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows, the jester Trinculo proclaims in William Shakespeares The Tempest. Shipwrecked on a mysterious island and beset by foul weather, Trinculo takes shelter underneath the beastly Calibans cloak till the dregs of the storm be past. The castaway does so even though Caliban stinks like a fish and may even be part fish: A man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish; he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell. All in all, a repellent companion with whom to weather a storm. As in great literature, so in great-power politics. Transpose the lesson of Calibans cloak to world politics protagonists who recoil from one another in normal times can set aside glaring differences to quell a common threat. Think about democratic United States and Great Britain making common cause with totalitarian Soviet Union to vanquish the Axis powers during World War II. But such fellowships are flimsy seldom do they outlast the storm. Trinculo casts off Calibans cloak as soon as the tempest subsides. The Grand Alliance barely outlived World War II. Asian politics has seen few stranger bedfellows than Vietnam and the United States. To borrow from Trinculo again, Chinese bellicosity in disputed waters in the South China Sea has created enough misery to unite the former foes in defense of Vietnams offshore waters and skies. On May 23, while on a visit to Vietnam meant to tighten economic and defense ties, U.S. President Barack Obama lifted a longstanding embargo on arms exports to Vietnam. Done in the hope of exacting concessions on trade and human rights, the details of the deal remain unannounced. While Obama denied that the decision had anything to do with China, few believe he can disregard the China factor in U.S.-Vietnam relations. Whether Hanoi and Washington can buck Shakespearean logic fashioning a partnership that endures after they ride out the storm currently raging remains to be seen. Story continues Most intriguing for any U.S. mariner, though, is the news that Hanoi might reopen the splendid deepwater harbor at Cam Ranh Bay to U.S. Navy warships as part of the quid pro quo for revoking the arms ban. If so (and bear with me here), the Vietnamese leadership, playing the part of Trinculo, will have invited the United States, cast as Caliban, to spread out his cloak helping keep out the monsoon that is China. Strange bedfellows indeed. Depending on the agreements terms, that could let the U.S. Navy mount a regular presence in the western reaches of the South China Sea. Doing so is a must if the United States wants to uphold freedom of navigation in the 1.4 million-square-mile sea. China has challenged the customary and treaty law of the sea which both maintain that no one owns the sea by claiming indisputable sovereignty across a massive swath of Southeast Asian waters and skies, including expanses allocated to Vietnam by the law of the sea. Washington replies to Beijings challenge by flouting it. Sending U.S. ships through contested waters and planes through the sky overhead preferably in unison with allies and friends constitutes a statement that the international community does not accept Beijings effort to poach its neighbors offshore waters and airspace or to otherwise exceed its prerogatives under the law of the sea. Thats a statement seafaring states must make, over and over, to preserve hard-won nautical freedoms. Theres an unwritten use-it-or-lose-it principle in international law: Treaties are little more than bits of parchment. They can lose force over time if governments ignore them in part or in whole. If stakeholders in the legal order neglect to challenge an unlawful claim, that claim has a way of calcifying into international practice over time. Its imperative, consequently, that underwater surveys, surveillance flights, flight operations, and the other hosts of operations guaranteed by the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea continue throughout Southeast Asias high seas and offshore exclusive economic zones. Use it or lose it! To sustain that regular offshore presence required, though, navy and coast guard vessels need nearby logistical support. Ships cannot remain at sea for long without refueling, rearming, or restocking their storerooms. Enter Cam Ranh Bay. Cam Ranh has been an important naval outpost since France colonized Indochina in the late 19th century. And it has featured in events of world historical importance. For instance, Russian Adm. Zinovy Rozhestvensky brought his ill-starred Baltic Fleet into the bay in 1905. There, it took on coal and stores before continuing north to meet a grim fate at the hands of Japanese Adm. Heihachiro Togos fleet at the Battle of Tsushima Strait (111 years ago this May 27). Nor was Cam Ranh Bays role in history a one-off thing. Imperial Japan captured the seaport during its 1941 to 1942 onslaught on the Southern Resource Area aka Southeast Asia and its strategic position made an ideal staging base for assaulting Malaysia and Singapore. Starting in the mid-1960s, the U.S. Navy and Army developed seaport infrastructure in the bay to help wage the Vietnam War. The Soviet Union expanded the port after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, while Russian engineers have renovated it in recent years. The infrastructure to host U.S. and other foreign ships is now in place. All thats missing is a decision from Hanoi to readmit the U.S. Navy to its erstwhile operational hub. One hopes Hanoi and Washington both hold their noses at the fishy smell and conclude an arrangement providing such access. Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, perhaps historys foremost exponent of sea power, explains why places like Cam Ranh Bay are so crucial. For Mahan, the strategic value of any seaport hinges on three attributes: its geographic position; its strength, meaning its natural defenses or capacity to be fortified against attack; and its resources, meaning the ports capacity to provide for its own needs and those of visiting fleets. Apply Mahans yardstick to Cam Ranh Bay. The harbor is abundant in all three attributes. It adjoins the eastern approaches to the Strait of Malacca, granting ships based at the bay influence over shipping through this vital nautical thoroughfare. Its closer to the disputed Paracel Islands than Chinas nearest naval hub, the base at the city of Sanya on Hainan Island to the north. And besides outflanking China, Cam Ranh supplies ready access to deep water: The seafloor drops off precipitously outside the harbor letting submarines submerge, and vanish, soon after leaving port. Small wonder that over the last eight years, Hanoi has invested in a flotilla of Russian-built diesel-electric subs to counter China. And how strong is the seaport? No military base, including Cam Ranh, is exempt from missile attack in this age of long-range precision weaponry. But Cam Ranh is better off than many potential targets. The harbors sprawling size and shape would allow navies based there the luxury of dispersing assets to piers and anchorages all around the periphery. That would help confound Chinese rocketeers efforts to target U.S. and Vietnamese vessels. And old-fashioned hardening measures toughly constructed buildings and infrastructure on the port guarded by antiship and antiair missiles would lend the seaport resiliency. Such improvements should be part of any U.S.-Vietnam accord on naval access. And lastly, the harbor is lavishly endowed with natural resources. Cam Ranh Bay is located not just adjacent to important waterways, but also sits in the verdant southern part of Vietnam, not far from the important metropolis Ho Chi Minh City. Foodstuffs to feed the port and the fleet are in ready supply. Nor should fuel pose major problems: Vietnams crude oil reserves are second only to Chinas in the region. If Hanoi consents to a long-term U.S. Navy presence, meanwhile, stockpiling supplies and spare parts at Cam Ranh should cause little trouble: The U.S. Navy has based ships in foreign ports such as Yokosuka, in Japan, Bahrain, and Naples for many decades. It could replicate similar arrangements in coastal Vietnam. Some things to watch for as Obamas excellent adventure unfolds: First, the big question of whether or not Vietnams communist leadership will decide to readmit the U.S. Navy. Second, on what terms? Will Hanoi accept only a rotational presence, whereby ships tarry at Cam Ranh for lengthy intervals but then return home? Or is the leadership amenable to more generous terms, such as permanently establishing a home port for a squadron of ships? Third, how large a presence will Hanoi allow? How many hulls will it permit to dock there, and what types of hulls? A flotilla featuring major combat vessels like destroyers or cruisers ships festooned with sensors and armaments of all types is quite a different policy implement for Washington than a squadron of lightly armed littoral combat ships. It would also make quite a different statement vis-a-vis Beijing about U.S. and Vietnamese capability and resolve. And, lastly, what will Hanoi let the U.S. ships do once stationed at Cam Ranh Bay? Welcoming a former enemy back into Vietnamese territory is no small move, even four decades after the Vietnam War. Will the two navies mount joint patrols of disputed expanses? Will their coast guards form joint units to police Vietnamese waters? Or will Hanoi permit U.S. commanders a free hand to do Washingtons bidding? One imagines, since Trinculo is sheltering beneath Calibans cloak for expediencys sake, Vietnamese leaders will take a restrictive view toward U.S. maritime exploits. That will let Hanoi doff the protective cloak when (and if) the storm passes. It will grant the U.S. Navy access to Cam Ranh Bay while reserving the right to withhold that access for any reason or no reason at all. And for two erstwhile enemies making common causes, thats fitting. Photo credit: LUONG THAI LINH /Pool/AFP/Getty Images Washington REIT WRE disclosed the completion of the previously announced Riverside Apartments acquisition in Alexandria, VA for $244.8 million. This apartment community already has 1,222 units and there is the scope to develop additional units onsite. Riverside Apartments comprises three 15-story buildings on around 28 acres. Aside from a clubhouse, the property has a two-story fitness center, exercise studio, social room, outdoor pool with lap pool as well as an outdoor theater. This acquisition seems a strategic fit given the strong potential of the asset to generate income. It is situated half a mile from the Huntington Metro station, close to the intersection of Route 1 and the Capital Beltway, in the center of the growing Huntington Metro market. The property is already 98% leased. Moreover, there is a scope for renovation of around 850 units for generation of rental income. Being positioned in a market that anchors the North end of the Fort Belvoir-Carlyle employment corridor, there is a likelihood of continued solid demand for the property. This is because, over the next 18 months, new employers in the region like The National Science Foundation and MGM National Harbor are estimated to stimulate job growth within three miles of the property, the company said. Notably, Washington REIT has a diversified portfolio of 55 properties, which include 25 office properties, 16 retail centers and 14 multifamily properties. The assets comprise around 7 million square feet of commercial space and 4,480 residential units as well as land held for development. However, currently, Washington REIT has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Investors interested in the REIT industry can consider better-placed stocks like DCT Industrial Trust Inc. DCT, PS Business Parks Inc. PSB and Whitestone REIT WSR. Each of these stocks have a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PS BUSINESS PKS (PSB): Free Stock Analysis Report WASHINGTON REIT (WRE): Free Stock Analysis Report WHITESTONE REIT (WSR): Free Stock Analysis Report DCT INDUSTRIAL (DCT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump addressed a conference of Latino evangelical leaders via video message this past weekend to court their potential support. The Latin Leaders Fest is the annual national conference of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, an organization of more than 40,000 Latino evangelical churches. Some 1,200 people attended the event in Anaheim, which included Christian music performances and breakout sessions on topics like business, education, ministry and Israel. NHCLC president Samuel Rodriguez, Jr., has been critical of Trumps plan to deport the countrys 11 million undocumented immigrants and build a southern border wall, and he has been calling on Trump to apologize for his hurtful, erroneous, and dangerous statements on the Latino immigrant community. Trumpwho shifted his tone on immigration in a private meeting with an NHCLC representative earlier this monthdid not apologize in his video message. Clinton directly addressed fears of undocumented immigrant deportation under a Trump presidency. We have a candidate who wants to tear families apart, and forcibly deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, who calls Mexican rapists, who talks about banning Muslims from entering the country, she said. That is not who we are as a people. You can always count on me to fight for you. Clinton also talked about lessons of faith she has learned, including inspiration she draws from one of the Apostle Pauls New Testament letters: Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, you shall reap a harvest of blessings,' she said, quoting Galatians 6:9. Trump gave his message from his private plane. He did not address his personal faith or his deportation policy, but said he is going to take care of minority unemploymentonce and for all. He said people that are poor are going to pay nothing in taxes, but when they will start paying taxes after you are making a lot of money, and hopefully that is going to be soon. On immigration, he said people will come in legally, but he is going to stop the drugs. From Esquire "Why did you let me film this?" It's a question that isn't posed explicitly until one of the film's final scenes, but it's a defining one. Anthony Weiner stands a few feet from the TV, watching silently as the returns confirm he has been trounced in the 2013 New York mayoral race, when Josh Krieger, who shot and directed the film, asks it of him. The answer is, technically, a simple one: Krieger worked on the former congressman's 2005 mayoral campaign, was his New York chief of staff, and knew him well. When he heard Weiner was trying to restart his political career after his comically infamous sexting scandal, Krieger, by then a filmmaker, immediately asked his old boss if he could document it. But that really only answers the question of why it was Krieger as opposed to anyone else. As for the more pressing question-Why would someone trying to extricate himself from one of the great media frenzies of the digital age allow anyone to follow him around at close quarters with a camera and basically no restrictions? that's a tougher one. It gets to the heart of Anthony Weiner, the character. And it gets to the heart of this relentlessly paced, incorrigibly funny, often cringe-inducing documentary that follows the attempted rehabilitation of a disgraced public figure from the most intimate of perspectives. Weiner begins with a montage tracing the history of the titular politician's public persona. There is his meteoric rise to prominence as a made-for-TV liberal firebrand bubbling over with passion and personality. There is his spectacular fall from grace as one of the last great tabloid scandals erupts over tweets he sent featuring sexually explicit photos. It's a whirlwind glimpse of his life through the dazzling lens of the public eye, a romp through the kaleidoscope of political celebrity. And then, suddenly, we crash back to earth, to a dimly lit living room, comfortable but modest, where Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, play with their young son. Story continues It's a first glimpse of the extraordinary access granted to Krieger and co-director Elyse Steinberg. Wherever Weiner and his team go, it seems, so goes the camera. It is never more than a few feet away as he sits at his campaign offices raising money, meets with his campaign's inner circle, travels to and fro in a black SUV, and marches in every parade there is-from Gay Pride to Puerto Rican Day. It's there for his most private interactions with Abedin, even when his sexting scandal erupts anew and the two are thrust into the kind of firestorm that surely puts a marriage in jeopardy. The looks Huma Abedin gives her husband-silent, glowering stares that betray a cold fury underneath-are worth the price of admission. Abedin herself is a fascinating presence on screen. She was often cast as the victimized Good Wife throughout the initial scandal, but that was never the full story. She is, after all, a world-class political operative, a major player in the Clinton machine who, even in 2013, had her eyes on a prominent position in a future Hillary Clinton White House. There are glimpses of her skill and stature in the film: when she gets on the phone to "close the deal" with big-money campaign donors, or when, as the second scandal erupts, she tells her husband's communications director to "look happy" in front of the waiting cameras as the staffer leaves a crisis meeting. Weiner says early on that the two decided together that a successful campaign would be "the most direct way back" to the life they'd had, implying it was her idea as much as his. And when it all begins to implode, she recedes from the fold, taking more and more calls-and advice-from Clinton adviser Phillippe Auclaire. She knows which way the wind blows, and she's not about to be caught up in it. She's a quietly calculating enigma, but her steely facade does break occasionally. The looks she gives her husband-silent, glowering stares that betray a cold fury underneath-are worth the price of admission. And standing in her kitchen at the height of the redux scandal, she turns towards the camera slightly and says it all: "It's like living a nightmare." It's a nightmare wholly created by her husband, but his relationship to that truth is complicated. At various points, he rants to the camera about the media's obsession with shiny objects and its refusal to let him campaign on the issues. That's echoed by some of the essential New York characters he and the camera run into on city streets and at campaign events. People he meets at parades and marches implore him to keep going and ignore his detractors. When, towards the beginning of the campaign, a press gaggle asks again and again about the initial scandal, an onlooker can't help but scold them: "We don't care about his personal garbage," she shouts, "We're from the Bronx." Weiner himself is not unaware of his culpability, though. The media is obsessed with what he did, he says at one point-but then, addressing the camera, he admits it unequivocally: "I did that thing." At times he seems eager to reflect, in front of anyone who'll listen, on his own shortcomings and neurotic complexities. He is almost magnetically attracted to cameras and microphones-an addict, by his own admission, with attention for a vice. But it's attention from a peculiar kind of disembodied source: the viewer he'll never meet, and, eventually, the sexting partners he'll never see or touch. It's stimulation without intimacy, an encounter without a connection. It's polished and glittering and empty. And it raises the question-one amplified in the Age of Trump-about whether a certain brand of emotionally stunted narcissism is the hallmark of at least one species of political animal. The film sweeps away the pretense and the illusion that dominates a modern political campaign's outermost layers. While cable news might show the duck floating along placidly, Weiner is proof enough the feet are paddling desperately beneath the surface. There are times, like his meltdown on Lawrence O'Donnell's MSNBC program, where the turmoil that besets the campaign-and the candidate personally-is there for all to see. (Weiner's way of processing it-playing the clip over and over, cackling-tells its own story.) But often, the true state of things is obscured from view. The film takes you to the City Island community board meeting at the height of the second controversy, where he pulls a crowd of dozens adamantly against him into his corner with one long, impassioned rhetorical flourish. And it takes you to the midtown McDonalds he darts into to escape his most infamous digital partner, Sydney Leathers, who has come to disrupt his concession speech next door. It's hard to forget the sight of a 23-year-old, the tattoo of a many-limbed tree sprawling across her back, sprinting after a mayoral candidate through a fast food restaurant. It's harder, still, to ever see the bright-and-shiny TV appearances of any candidate the same way again. Krieger and Steinberg's film is a peerless examination of politics in the digital age, capitalizing on extraordinary access to pull back the curtain on a rapidly disintegrating public-figure paradigm. It's fast, it's funny, and it's the timeliest of reminders that those trying to lead us can be bruised, confused, and desperate for validation. An electronic cigarette exploded in the face of a man in Albany, New York, recently, leaving him with a hole his tongue and burns on his hand, CNN reported. The explosion also knocked out several of the man's teeth. But this is far from the first injury caused by an exploding e-cigarette, or e-cig. The battery-powered devices work by heating a liquid, which typically contains nicotine as well as other chemicals, into a vapor that a user then inhales. But the lithium-ion battery that heats the liquid within an e-cig poses a big safety risk: The batteries have the potential to explode, Dr. Michael Siegel, a tobacco researcher and professor of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, told Live Science recently. [E-Cigarettes: What Vaping Does to Your Body] Last month, a teen in New York City was hospitalized after an e-cig exploded while he was testing it out in a store, according to CBS News. The explosion damaged both of the teen's eyes. And in November 2015, an e-cig explosion left a Tennessee man potentially paralyzed, the Huffington Post reported. The explosion fractured the man's vertebrae and bones in his face, and knocked out a tooth. In July 2015, a young man in Alabama was airlifted to a hospital and placed on a ventilator after an e-cig blew up in his face. In addition to first-degree burns on his face and chest, the explosion left the young man with a hole in the roof of his mouth that made it difficult for him to eat, according to AOL News. And earlier last year, a man's exploding e-cig was powerful enough to shatter glass in the Southern California store he was in, NBC Los Angeles reported. After the blast, the man was rushed to the University of California San Diego Burn Center for treatment. Why e-cigs explode In a 2014 report, the U.S. Fire Administration examined e-cig explosions between 2009 and 2014. Lithium-ion batteries in other devices such as cellphones and laptops have also been known to cause fires, the report said. But the design of e-cigs with their cylindrical shape, and the weakest structural point at their ends makes these devices more likely than others to explode if the battery fails, according to the report. Story continues The fires start in the battery. While all batteries contain electrolyte solutions (this is an essential part of how they work), the solutions used in lithium-ion batteries are different from those in regular batteries because they are flammable, the report said. In a lithium-ion battery, the solution can become overheated, reach its boiling point and then rapidly expand and catch fire, causing the battery to explode, according to the report. Laptops and other devices have rigid plastic cases that prevent an exploding battery from doing much damage. But in an e-cig, the explosion can lead the cylindrical container of the device to explode, too, causing the device to "be propelled across the room like a bullet or small rocket," the report said. Follow Sara G. Miller on Twitter @saragmiller. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Donald Trump Multiple factors appear to be behind Donald Trump's surge in recent national polls, pulling the presumptive Republican presidential nominee into a dead heat with Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. The Manhattan billionaire on Monday overtook Clinton in the RealClearPolitics polling average for the first time. Trump led Clinton by a fifth of a percentage point in what is the gold standard of polling averages. According to the surveys that have shown him narrowing the gap, Trump has benefited by quickly consolidating the support of his party while Clinton is still locked in a grueling primary battle. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday had Clinton holding a 3-point lead, 8 points down from her lead the month before. The survey showed Trump's support among Republican voters shooting up from 72% in April to 86% in May. Just 6% of Republicans now say they won't support the presumptive Republican nominee in the fall, compared with 13% in April. Clinton's support among Democrats was slightly below Trump's number with his party. The former secretary of state had the support of 83% of Democrats polled as part of the survey, while 9% said they were not backing her. More potentially concerning for Clinton: The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that just 66% of Democratic primary voters supporting Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator challenging her for the nomination, said they would support Clinton against Trump. Those numbers jibe with a poll released earlier this month conducted by Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist during the 2008 campaign. The poll, conducted in late March, found that just 64% of Sanders supporters said they would vote for Clinton in the general election. Another Sunday poll from ABC News and The Washington Post found almost identical splits to the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll in terms of Republican and Democratic support for Trump and Clinton. Trump held a 2-point lead in the ABC/Post poll. Story continues And that survey also broke down support by ideological bend as well as partisanship. The numbers didn't look especially great for Clinton. Clinton's lead over Trump among self-identified liberal voters dropped from a lead of 77% to 16% in March to a lead of 69% to 24% in May. The Democratic frontrunner also saw a drop-off in support among self-identified conservative voters, going from being the preference of 23% of respondents in March to 18% in May. Trump went from 69% to 74% in that same time frame. Clinton led the Manhattan billionaire by 49% to 39% among voters who viewed themselves as moderates but that also represented a 12-point drop from her March lead. On the partisan side, independent voters favored Trump by 48% to 35%, a massive swing from the 48%-to-39% edge Clinton held in March. Together the polls displayed a growing subset of both self-identified liberal and independent voters who are straying from Clinton in a matchup against the presumptive Republican nominee, while Trump is consolidating support among the GOP establishment. They suggest that perhaps Clinton's biggest challenge over the next few months could be rallying the same kind of consolidation from Sanders supporters and other traditionally Democratic voters. NOW WATCH: 9 people who may be on Donald Trumps 'short list' for vice president More From Business Insider [Warning: This story contains spoilers for the series premiere of AMC's Preacher.] "Tom Cruise has died." When these four words were uttered at the Hollywood premiere of AMC's Preacher, there was an uproarious outburst of laughter throughout the auditorium - a mixture of genuine amusement and total shock. No matter the emotion, it produced a reaction, and simultaneously set the tone for the Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon comic book adaptation's twisted sense of humor. Read More: 'Preacher': How the Premiere Defines Its Hard-Hitting Hero In the opening episode of the new AMC drama, a heavenly entity crashes onto Earth and slams into the body of an African preacher. The man collapses on the ground for a beat, and when he stands up, the members of his flock are in awe of the miraculous moment. Seconds later, the preacher shouts at his disciples: "Be quiet!" Instantly, they obey his orders, and the preacher realizes he now possesses an extraordinary power, calling himself the "chosen one." But to paraphrase the Grail Knight in Indiana Jones, the host chose poorly, and subsequently leaves the preacher's body - causing him to explode into a huge mess of guts and gore all over his congregation. (Watch the scene, below.) Throughout the premiere, it's implied that the entity tries inhabiting a few other religious individuals before ultimately and successfully landing on Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), the hero at the heart of the series. One such holy man is Tom Cruise, according to a news report and like the African preacher, he did not survive the experience. Read More: How AMC's 'Preacher' Is Different From the Comics Although the show is based on a comic book, the Tom Cruise scene was created specifically for the series. It was born from a conversation between showrunner Sam Catlin (Breaking Bad) and executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, as they tried to figure out how the entity would wind up bonding with Custer. Story continues "We wanted to have this entity try out a lot of different hosts," Catlin told The Hollywood Reporter. "We went with a devout preacher in Africa, then we went to a Satanist and then we were like well, what else do we do?" Catlin said they discussed having the host travel to a synagogue or a mosque next, before coming up with the idea of exploring Scientology: "And I said, 'What if it's Tom Cruise?' We immediately realized that we had to do that." To Catlin's surprise, no one tried to stop them from committing to the joke. "We kept waiting for someone to tell us we can't do that," he said. "I think they were getting ready to, but once they realized how funny it was, I think they started to wait for somebody else to tell us no, and by then, it was too late." "There's no negative connotation to it," Goldberg stressed when speaking with reporters at a press conference. "We're not making a statement." Rogen added that he's a big fan of Cruise's work: "I watch every movie of his that comes out. Edge of Tomorrow is one of the best f - ing movies ever." In fact, he claims that he and Goldberg only try to take shots at people they appreciate in real life. "Our humor often involves a lot of pop cultural references to actual people that I as a person in Hollywood find myself face-to-face with," Rogen said. "We only make fun of people we are big fans of. It would actually just feel too mean to make fun of people we don't like. I need to be able to go up to them and say, 'It's because I like you!' I'm the biggest Kanye West fan on the planet and I've probably made fun of him more than anybody on a very large scale, and he gets it and thinks it's funny." Read More: How Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Finally) Brought Violent Comic 'Preacher' to TV Garth Ennis, writer of the Preacher comics, was immediately hooked on the idea: "I thought it was smart. It's the third of three attempts by the entity to find a home. The African preacher, the Russian magister Tom Cruise. Look, if the Cruiser can't handle it, it's going to need something special." Indeed, it establishes Jesse Custer as a man who can handle the weight of the word of God, defining the show's central character in a very important way. It also establishes the show's sense of humor, and the fact that Preacher exists in a parallel world to our own. "This is a world where Tom Cruise exists and he's dead," said Catlin, laughing. "It buys us all sorts of things." But just as importantly as defining characters and the universe, according to Rogen and Goldberg, it was just "a hilarious joke that we love." As of yet, they have not heard back from Cruise's camp - at least, not officially. "I think he'll find it funny," Rogen said. "I would think it's funny if somebody blew me up!" Read More: 'Preacher': TV Review What did you think of the Tom Cruise joke? For more on the Preacher series premiere, click here for our postmortem with producers. File Photo The recent incidents occurred across China involving police officers using violence signify one crucial issue: China needs to confront the problem of police officers abuse of powers so to check them from arbitrarily expanding their authorities on law enforcement. The powers that police force possesses in China is too broad and obscure, which is not helping with the goal of building a rule of law society. Policemens powers should be restricted and clearly specified by law and regulations. They have the rights to take an individual away from a scene or detain him/her only if that individual has been proven to cast serious harm to social order or become a public safety threat. For people who have conducted minor violations or wrongdoings, police are not allowed to take coercive measures to restrict their personal freedom. Rather, police should first identify themselves with their badge before interrogating or investigating. Any coercive measures are forbidden unless there is solid evidence proving the relevant individual is involved in a crime. As for police physically assaulting suspects, it shall not happen under any circumstances whatsoever. To put policemens powers under leash, it is necessary to strengthen supervision and accountability mechanisms. The logic behind all these brutal violence from police is not because the officers were ignorant of the law, rather, they just knew far too well that they could walk free no matter what they did. Strengthen the supervision on law enforcement is definitely necessary, and it must be through the clarification of the law and regulations on what conduct is to be punished, banned, restrictive, and forbidden. The judicial system in China has yet to establish specialized counterparts for overseeing the law enforcement. As for now, the void is not helping with the effectuating of supervision. To win public's trust, the relevant police branches involved in the incidents should be excluded from the investigation and supervision body. Any institution involved in the case shall be banned from publishing so-called "the truth". It'll also be better to hand the case to non-local judicial authorities to investigate when necessary. (Translated from <> : http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1472501) It?s so lovely looking forward to that beach holiday we all long for, white sand and all day cocktails. But, who actually takes the time to go and explore the destinations we all pay a fortune to go and visit?? So many countries have hidden stories that we are just not going to find lying on the beach. Taking the time to go and seek out the mystery of your chosen paradise can be more rewarding than you think!? I recently travelled over to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. An island known for it?s volcanic ?Pitons? and black sand beaches (and the odd white sand beach), also has a vibrant culture that you just cant miss out on.? Kool And The Gang at The Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival Calypso Band and Stilt Dancers at Capella, Marigot Bay May has been host to the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival?which has been running for a mighty 25 years. Held on Pigeon Island, Gros Islet in the north of Saint Lucia, this event showcases some of the most interesting parts of Saint Lucian culture and included everything from Jazz, Latin Music, Reggae and R?n?B, to Creole and Caribbean rum and food. This years line up included huge names such as Shaggy, Omarion and Mark Anthony. Old favourites like Kool And The Gang, George Benson and Creole band Kasavv, stole the show and had crowds singing and dancing like crazy! Even the local hotels took part by putting on art shows and traditional music for their guests. Next year?s festival runs from May 5th ? 14th 2017 with tickets priced between ?35-?55. It?s definitely an event to put in your diary! Views of the Marina at Capella, Marigot Bay Capella One Bedroom Suite The two ends of Saint Lucia are very different and there is quite a variety of resorts choices available. Whilst visiting I stayed in a gem of a hotel hidden away in Marigot Bay, a natural cove on the northern west coast of the Island about 40 minutes drive from Casties City. Set in the beautiful marina at Marigot Bay you really get to see the variety of nationalities that this island attracts. This hotel is luxury at it?s finest and everything from the food to the above and beyond service, made staying here a pure delight. The rooms are beautiful and if you dont get the gorgeous marina views than not to worry as you can cry about it in your very own private jacuzzi! Story continues The setting is very colonial and takes inspiration from the fact that Saint Lucia has been fought over fourteen times by the British and French over it?s history. A lot of the town names and food is heavily influenced by the French and the people of Saint Lucia are all bilingual, speaking both English and Creole (a dialect of French). Rooms start at just ?475. More info can be found over at Capella Marigot Bay. Castries Market Whilst in the north, you can take a trip down to Castries Market where you will find all sorts of home grown fruit and veg along with homemade spice rum and trinkets a plenty. Don?t forget to stop of and get some rum cake or creole bread on your journeys, it will definitely be worth it! Tropical Plants Of The Rainforest? Zip Lining Through The Rainforest? There is literally so much to do in Saint Lucia and the island is very green due to the volcanic nature. The northern part of Saint lucia is also home to a huge natural rainforest which is very accessible and you can even zip line through it, which is just what I did! It took 8 very high zip lines to swing my way back down through the rainforest! I got to see some amazing plant life along the way with Kennedy, our very vocal guide from Rainforest Adventures giving us an endless bunch of facts and figures.? Cocoa Tree at The Rabot Estate Chocolate Making From Scratch The southern side of the island is very beautiful and has it?s own secret treasures. You will find many fishing villages and of course the twin Pitons, Gros Piton and Petit Piton down this side. Head over to the Rabot Estate cocoa plantation which is home to the world famous Hotel Chocolat. You can even stay on the plantation in one of Hotel Chocolat?s 14 rooms at Boucan. Enjoy making your own bar of chocolate from scratch or dine at their gorgeous restaurant where everything,?yes EVERYTHING on the menu, contains cocoa in someway. The Drive Through Volcano at?Soufriere Me in the Sulphur Springs Bath Soufriere, again along the south west coast of Saint Lucia, is considered to house the world?s only??Drive through volcano? and it is without a doubt, a sight to be seen! The famous Sulphur Springs lie within this very volcano and some of them are so hot you can actually see them boiling on the surface. You can pay a small admission price of around ?6, to bath in the cooler but still extremely warm black waters and then cover yourself in the natural mud before washing away and finding yourself at least 5 years younger! ;-) Don?t worry too much about eruptions, as although this volcano is considered??dormant? it is still due an eruption. The last one was in the later 18th Century but park guides informed me that they will see signs up to 2 years in advance of when an eruption is coming.good to know!? Views of Gros Piton from Ladera Resort Open Villa at Paradise Ridge, Ladera Resort You will find many idilic resorts in Saint Lucia and this is one that?should be at the top of your list.?Ladera Resort, located in?Soufri?re is in a?league of it?s own. The rooms here are open on one side with?picturesque views over the?Caribbean?sea and the infamous Pitons. Take a swim in your private pool and look down?to see one of Saint Lucia?s only white sand beaches which is just a short drive by complimentary shuttle. Food here is?absolutely delicious and live music is played at dinner every night! You can choose to dine in room or head to the restaurant and enjoy a dance with one of the local bar staff. One of the great features at this resort is that they only employ locals, so the whole atmosphere really is uplifting, Let?s not forget the spa! Take a dip in a huge copper bath tub to unwind or you can even have the spa come to your room for a super soothing full body massage! Rates start at around ?396 per night and rooms can be booked at Ladera all year round. More info on travelling to Saint Lucia and popular attractions can be found via The Saint Lucia Tourist Board. Return flights with British Airways start from ?564 per person? Have you been to Saint Lucia? Where did you stay and what did you think? Let me know and follow me on Twitter. More Travel stories can be found over on my personal blog. Related Articles A LUX Welcome To The Maldives My Underwater Adventure In The Maldives Looking for a stock that might be in a good position to beat earnings at its next report? Consider Tutor Perini Corporation TPC, a firm in the Building-Heavy Construction industry, which could be a great candidate for another beat. This company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. In fact, in these reports, TPC has beaten estimates by at least 35% in both cases, suggesting it has a nice short-term history of crushing expectations. Earnings in Focus Two quarters ago, TPC expected to post earnings of 13 cents per share, while it actually produced earnings of 18 cents per share, a beat of 38.5%. Meanwhile, for the most recent quarter, the company looked to deliver earnings of 16 cents per share, when it actually produced earnings of 31 cents per share instead, representing a 93.8% surprise. Thanks in part to this history, recent estimates have been moving higher for Tutor Perini. In fact, the Earnings ESP for TPC is positive, which is a great sign of a coming beat. After all, the Zacks Earnings ESP compares the most accurate estimate to the broad consensus, looking to find stocks that have seen big revisions as of late, suggesting that analysts have recently become more bullish on the companys earnings prospects. This is the case for TPC as the firm currently has a Zacks Earnings ESP of 1.89%, so another beat could be around the corner. This is particularly true when you consider that TPC has a great Zacks Rank #1(Strong Buy) which can be a harbinger of outperformance and a signal for a strong earnings profile. And when you add this solid Zacks Rank to a positive Earnings ESP, a positive earnings surprise happens nearly 70% of the time, so it seems pretty likely that TPC could see another beat at its next report, especially if recent trends are any guide. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report TUTOR PERINI CP (TPC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCAU) closed on the day to a three-month low as its fight with Germany over vehicle emissions escalated after the countrys most-read newspaper, Bild am Sonntag, reported that German authorities found the company to have cheated on testing. According to a Bloomberg report, the aforementioned German newspaper reported that the Germanys Federal Motor Transport Authority concluded that the Italian-American carmaker allegedly used illegal software to manipulate emissions controls. Fiat Chrysler dropped as much as 5.9%, hitting the lowest intraday price since February 26. FIAT CHRYSLER Price and Consensus FIAT CHRYSLER Price and Consensus | FIAT CHRYSLER Quote A dispute between German regulators and the Italian-American carmaker came about on May 19, when Fiat refused to meet with the German Transport Minister to discuss findings of an emissions probe, the Bloomberg article notes. Moreover, European Union statutes state that Italy is responsible for testing Fiat cars because the automakers regional operations are centered in the country. If the Italian authorities are content with Fiats vehicles then, unless the German authorities can demonstrate to the Italians that they are missing something in their interpretation, we dont expect any repercussions for the carmaker, wrote Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst at Evercore ISI in London, per Bloomberg. The German Transport Ministry has relayed their findings to their counterparts in Italy and the European Union. This may very well be another Volkswagen (VLKAY) situation. The German automakers scandal with emissions tampering brought forth much criticism of the company. Back in Mach, Volkswagen was sued in Germany over the scandal, and then had to payout $18 billion for its cheating last month. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and if this issue continues to escalate, its ranking may very well drop. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report VOLKSWAGEN-ADR (VLKAY): Free Stock Analysis Report FIAT CHRYSLER (FCAU): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Value investing is always a very popular strategy, and for good reason. After all, who doesnt want to find stocks that have low PEs, solid outlooks, and decent dividends? Fortunately for investors looking for this combination, we have identified a strong candidate which may be an impressive value; Hannover Ruck SE HVRRY. Hannover in Focus HVRRY may be an interesting play thanks to its forward PE of 11.1, its P/S ratio of 0.7, and its decent dividend yield of 2.5%. These factors suggest that Hannover is a pretty good value pick, as investors have to pay a relatively low level for each dollar of earnings, and that HVRRY has decent revenue metrics to back up its earnings. But before you think that Hannover is just a pure value play, it is important to note that it has been seeing solid activity on the earnings estimate front as well. For current year earnings, the consensus has gone up by 1.9% in the past 30 days, thanks to 1 upward revision in the past one month compared to no downward revisions. This estimate strength is actually enough to push HVRRY to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggesting it is poised to outperform. So really, Hannover is looking great from a number of angles thanks to its PE below 20, a P/S ratio below one, and a strong Zacks Rank, meaning that this company could be a great choice for value investors at this time. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report HANNOVER RUECKV (HVRRY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research This weekend, I hopped on a train for my annual trek to Maker Faire, held this year at the San Mateo Events Center. Over 150,000 people attended this years show, coming to check out new drones, 3D printers, robots and more. This particular event is the granddaddy of Maker Faires, started by Maker Media and its visionary founder Dale Dougherty. It bills itself as the greatest Show and Tell on Earth. (Theres a National Faire in Washington, D.C., a New York event, and global Faires in France, Germany, Tokyo and more.) Ive long been following the Maker Movement as a part of my overall interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. These shows have become increasingly important as a means to introduce kids to these fields. At Maker Faires, children get hands-on experience with electronic gadgets, from programming to soldering. Kids can play with robotic kits, try building a drone and generally tinker with all sorts of gizmos. Maker Faires typically feature dozens of speakers from the technology world who share details about what theyre doing and how it relates to the Maker Movement. As one walks around these shows, you see kids excited to learn about technology and making things. This years show also included booths from major sponsors like Intel, Google, Microsoft and more. One new exhibitor at this years Bay Area event was the Department of Energy, who wanted to give kids the chance to interact with its scientists and to try to get them involved in the future of energy. Kids are untapped resources that will help deal with climate change, energy issues and the environment, said Jetta Wong, director of the DoEs Office of Technology Transition. (U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz recently blogged about the subject.) Still, one concern of mine about the Bay Area Maker Faire is that very few minorities attend this show. This is not the fault of the folks who manage the Maker Faire, as they work extremely hard to make this event inclusive. In fact, on Friday, the first day of the show, they and sponsors LinkedIn, RoboTerra and ThinkLogix brought over 4,000 students from underserved communities to the show to see demos and play with the various projects. However, this underscores the fact that the tech community as a whole has to work harder to get kids of all genders, races and ethnicity interested in STEM, as these scientific disciplines will open up new opportunities for them in the future. Story continues The Maker Faires true importance lies in its focus on getting kids interested in making things. Over the last few years, I have written multiple pieces on STEM focusing on how companies around the world are backing STEM-based programs. All of them see how important these disciplines will be in the future. Still more germane to them is the real concern that if we cannot get kids trained in the sciences, we will not have the engineers and scientists to run our companies in the future. Indeed, just about every business is having to rely more and more on the role technology plays in their world. The need to get this generation of students interested in STEM and tech has become a priority for companies, educators and parents. To that end, these Maker Faires, along with the tireless efforts of teachers, educators and companies rallying around STEM, can plant seeds of interest and help cultivate these future scientists and engineers. If they are successful they will create the next generation of leaders who will guide and power the businesses, schools and homes of tomorrow. Tim Bajarin is recognized as one of the leading industry consultants, analysts and futurists, covering the field of personal computers and consumer technology. Mr. Bajarin is the President of Creative Strategies, Inc and has been with the company since 1981 where he has served as a consultant providing analysis to most of the leading hardware and software vendors in the industry. Tax season is officially in the rear view, which means most of us are breathing a sigh of relief. But some of us remain anxious. Its not about the chance of being audited (which is small, though terrifying), but rather about the fear that well have our identity stolen. If youre self-employed whether an Uber driver, an Etsy artist, or something less 21st century (like a freelance journalist) the companies that pay you are legally required to provide a 1099 to help you prepare your taxes. And with the explosion of the sharing economy, more people are getting these documents instead of W-2s, the tax form reserved for employees. Companies physically mail out 1099s, but because mistakes happen, tax deadlines are immovable, and the Internet is so convenient, some finance departments email these forms out instead. And often, they email these tax forms out unencrypted, even though doing so is reckless. Thats because these documents carry sensitive data like Social Security numbers and email is a prime target for hackers looking for identities to steal. If you dont think this could happen to you, consider this. Over the past six years, more than a half-dozen people have emailed me unencrypted financial forms containing personally identifying information. One company a multi-million dollar, major American brand even did it twice. Social security numbers are more susceptible and more valuable than ever, says Rob Douglas, a security consultant who specializes in identity theft and scams. Douglas first testified before Congress about protecting personally identifying information in 1998. Since then, just about the only thing that has changed is how easy it has become for fraudsters to snatch our sensitive digits. From the massive degree of identity theft linked to the Office of Personnel Management hack to the billions lost in tax refund fraud, its clear that there are a lot of things bad guys can do with your Social Security number. Criminals love this crime, because it is a crime that pays, and theres so little prosecutor interest, says Douglas. For instance, the San Diego police wont even look at an identity theft case unless theres at least $40,000 involved, he says, because there are so many of them. Imagine having that amount lifted from your bank account today and not finding anyone willing to help you tomorrow. Story continues So naturally you would assume its illegal to treat someones vital information so carelessly, right? Wrong. Though the Social Security number is a federal identifier, states have authority over how theyre handled, which means the protocols vary. Currently just 12 states restrict the physical mailing of Social Security numbers, but no states ban emailing them. Again: Its completely legal to put someones Social Security number in an email. Thats a problem. While we may feel like email is safe, and while providers like Apple, Google, and Microsoft have made it so that notes sent and received from addresses within their domain (gmail.com, for instance) are secure, once a message starts traversing the open web, all bets are off. When emails are sent, they typically move from the software on the sending computer to servers called mail transfer agents. They will likely go through several of these nodes until they reach their recipient. Between these relays, emails are encrypted, but when they hit a server, they are unencrypted, read, and then re-encrypted before being sent along to the next node. Milton Mueller, professor of public policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology, warns this process could be imperfect in terms of security. The content of the messages is revealed to, and can be altered by, intermediate email relays, he says. Mueller says the problem is that the email nodes are independently managed, so one nodes encryption policy might be slightly incompatible with that of another. And some nodes may even be compromised, allowing hackers to access all the information flowing through them. Still, you can protect your data by encrypting files containing private info. Most recently, with that major American brand, I requested that they do this. To my amazement, not only did a financial professional at this Fortune 500 company not know how to encrypt a PDF file, but neither did its tech team. (Its as simple as checking a box.) People who should know how to do encryption particularly when it comes to sensitive financial information its not that they dont know how to do it, its not even in their protocol, says Douglas. Its mind-blowing that we havent wrapped our minds around this issue. I told this company exactly how to encrypt my file, and yet it was still sent unprotected. What will it take to actually make people respect others private data and handle it responsibly, like they would with their own sensitive information? Douglas says it requires financial professionals to stop looking at these vitals as minutia, as just numbers on a page, and instead see them for what they are: a persons financial identity. But thats unlikely to make a big enough difference. Instead, Douglas believes that the only thing that will change the nonchalant way people handle Social Security numbers via email or on paper would be a tragedy of such a nature of physical harm to some people that it shocks the nations conscience. For instance, on Oct. 15, 1999, 20-year-old Amy Boyer was murdered in front of her apartment by Liam Youens, a stalker who found Boyers address after buying her Social Security number from a website. He shot her multiple times before turning the gun on himself. In the outrage that followed, Amy Boyers Law was presented to prevent the display or sale of anyones Social Security number. The law never passed, so the conscience-kick Douglas referenced has yet to come. And despite my Social Security number parading around the Internet like a color guard, I have not fallen victim to identity theft or any other fraud. Its my hope that Im in the clear, but Douglas isnt as optimistic. I have no doubt that your [Social Security number] is out there, he says. Statistically, multiple times over. "We got this at a bargain price and do not expect to take a loss," said Wang Jianlin, Chairman and President of Dalian Wanda Group, during a CCTV interview on May 25. The topic of the interview was Madrids iconic landmark Edificio Espana, which now belongs to Wanda. In June 2014, Wanda acquired the 25-story Edificio Espana, which was built in the 1950s, for 265 million (about 2.2 billion yuan). The company reportedly hopes to turn it into a hotel and shopping centre, but they are currently waiting on final approval from the local government. The building is not a historical landmark because it is only a little over 50 years old, said Wang. A website has been launched to protest the demolition and reconstruction project, but only about 70,000 people have signed the petition in the past year. Given that there are more than 4 million residents in Madrid, that number proves that opposition is not very strong, according to Wang. Edificio Espana has been vacant for several years, and was constructed thanks to bank loans. The bank later repossessed the building because the loans could not be repaid, Wang explained. With regards to plans for demolition and rebuilding, Wang said: "It is not that we want to demolish it. It is that Spanish experts have said the reinforcing steel is corroded. It cannot continue to bear the weight, so the building must be dismantled." When the former Spanish ruling party sold the building, they agreed to demolition and reconstruction. However, the incumbent opposition rejected the previous agreement, so Wanda decided to sell it. Now, according to Wang, the government is once again discussing the project, and Wanda is waiting for the final ruling. In Game of Thrones, the power struggle is constantly in flux. One episode, a man could be on top of the world with a massive army behind him. The next week, hes got a blade sticking out of his chest. With season 6 of Game of Thrones entering its second half, we are ranking the characters in Westeros and Essos based on their power, influence, and potential to make a big splash later on down the road. 1.) Sansa Stark It is breathtaking how much Sansa has changed. The naive princess is now taking charge of reclaiming Winterfell and letting Littlefinger know just how badly he screwed her over by by handing her over to Ramsay. Once the most powerless girl in the series, Sansa now seeks to be the Queen in the North. 2.) Daenerys Targaryen Dany did not do much on this episode, but remains high on the list for bringing the Dothraki back under her sway. But while we saw the queens wrath last week, this week we saw her capacity for forgiveness as she commanded Jorah to find a way to live while on the verge of tears at the thought of losing him. 3.) Euron Greyjoy Say hello to the new Lord of the Iron Islands. Euron has paid the iron price for Balons throne and now seeks to do the same with Yara and Theon. Not even the loss of his entire fleet fazes him. 4.) Ramsay Bolton He didnt appear this week, but the Lord of Winterfells evil presence hangs over every scene in the north. He holds all the cards right now, and the Starks will have to overcome the odds to defeat him. 5.) Yara Greyjoy Despite a rousing speech, Yara did not have Daenerys ability to bring men to follow the will of a queen. That didnt faze her, though, as she promptly went out and took all of the Greyjoy ships for herself. 6.) Bran Stark Hes not fully ready, and he just lost his closest buddy, but Bran is now in possession of immeasurable power that could turn everything in Westeros on its head. 7.) High Sparrow For a man who supposedly rejected worldly pleasures, the Sparrow is enjoying a lot of power right now. He has the Tyrells and the Lannisters by the necks, though they are starting to realize who the biggest threat in Kings Landing is right now. Story continues 8.) Jon Snow Jon has taken a backseat to Sansa since they reunited last week, but you cant blame him. Unlike the fans, Jon took no pleasure in executing Olly and just wanted to be done with killing. He remains high on this list, though, because all it takes is one big moment for Jon to whip out Longclaw again. 9.) Jorah Mormont Jorahs speech to his khalessi was truly moving. It seemed at first that we might be seeing the Andal for the last time as he gets the luxury of heading off to die offscreen. Instead, hes been sent off on a race against time to find a cure for greyscale before it consumes him. 10.) Cersei Lannister The Lioness wasnt present in this episode, but she has put her plans to strike back at the Faith Militant in full motion. Its impressive that in spite of everything that has happened she has managed to make an unholy alliance with the Tyrells, but how long will it last? 11.) The Waif The Waif has just been wrecking Arya left and right since the new series started. She thinks Aryas not ready to join the Faceless Men, and she may be right, considering the unsure looks that were on her face in this episode. 12.) Tyrion Lannister The language and cultural barriers have made Tyrions job as Steward of Meereen almost as much of a nightmare as being Joffreys Hand was. But his plan to make a truce with the slavers seems to be working, and that will at least buy them some more time to hold the door until Daenerys gets back. 13.) Davos Seaworth With Jon still gathering his wits about him, Davos has become Sansas right hand man in their quest to take back the North. It may not be long before he becomes the next Lord Commander. 14.) Petyr Baelish If you didnt know, youre an idiot. If you did know, youre my enemy. With those words, Sansa broke through Littlefingers defenses in a way that no one ever has before. He was able to impart some last bit of information to Sansa before leaving her sight for good, but he will now have to manipulate the battle in the North from afar. 15.) Kinvara Say hello to the First Servant of the Lord of Light. She has the same confidence and grace that Melisandre once had before everything went to hell for Stannis, and Varys attempts to undermine her were gracefully dodged. Is she right that Daenerys is Azor Ahai? 16.) Arya Stark A girl may claim to have no name, but judging by her reaction to that mocking show that depicted her father and sister as buffoons, Arya may still have the attachment to her past that the Faceless Men wish for her to disown. 17.) Varys The eunuch has done a great job putting plans in motion and countering the moves by the Sons of the Harpy, but hes finally met his match in Kinvara. 18.) Brienne of Tarth Yeah, sure, Brie. Go ahead and call Tormund that wildling with the beard. We all know that you two are going to hook up at some point, considering how hes the first man that has ever admired you for who you are at first glance. An Alabama woman killed her own dog in order to fake a miscarriage using its blood and organs, police say. Anita Parker, 43, spent the last few months pretending she was pregnant to lure her estranged husband back into their home, according the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office. Read what Johnny Parker has to say about the dog's death, and what he thinks of his estranged wife. https://t.co/39BjjyJQef WAAY 31 (@WAAYTV) May 21, 2016 Realizing she couldn't fake a pregnancy forever, Parker allegedly killed her chihuahua, Dolly, on Thursday, ripped out her guts and smeared them on the bed and floor of the couple's home. Read: Little Dog Named Bubba Tests Positive for Heroin and Meth in Shocking Case of Animal Cruelty Lawrence County Sheriff's Office Chief of Staff Tim McWhorter told InsideEdition.com that the grisly act was an attempt to stage a miscarried 6-month-old fetus. The plan started to unravel after Parker was rushed to the hospital, where staff allegedly told her and her husband, Johnny Parker, that she'd never been pregnant much less had a miscarriage. Read: 'Hero' Dog Saves Owner From Bear Attack on Trail: 'I Never Run Without Him' "A while later, [Johnny Parker] goes home, " McWhorter said. "He goes out to the garbage and he finds his dog cut open." Mr. Parker called authorities, who picked up his wife. During questioning, McWhorter said Mrs. Parker fessed up to the whole thing. Anita Parker was charged with felony cruelty and has since made $7,000 bond. Watch: Five-Year-Old German Shepherd Named Quasimodo Has Short Spine Syndrome Related Articles: Most people who menstruate hate getting their periods. But some people no longer consider it a necessary evil; in fact, they're getting rid of their periods altogether. If my period doesn't stop I'm going to have to go on hormonal birth control fml. I chose the IUD for a reason. Doctors across the country are reporting that a growing number of women are expressing interest in stopping their menstruation cycles with the help of birth control. "In general, I think views are changing really rapidly," D, who runs an OB-GYN clinic at the University of Washington in Seattle, recently told NPR. "There's absolutely no medical need to have a period when you're on contraception." The only reason I use to have birth control was to stop my period There are several options for women seeking to stop their flow, from a hormonal intrauterine device inserted in the body to specially designed birth control pills like Lybrel. "There is no medical reason why a woman has to menstruate every month," Alyssa Dweck, an assistant clinical professor of OB/GYN at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York, told The Atlantic. "And there is nothing wrong with tweaking the system if bleeding is difficult for women." I use birth control to stop my monthly period, not because I want dick I've been cool off dick for a minute! 9 months celibate in fact. According to a study by the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the trend of using birth control to stop periods has been growing for over a decade. Their surveys proved that between 2003 and 2006, more women had heard about suppressing their menstrual cycles and were interested in doing so. Although 40% wanted to "never" have a period again, 89% were worried about potential side effects of using birth control to suppress their cycles. Story continues Yet scientists and women's health experts are still debating whether eliminating one's monthly cycle might have negative side effects, as well as why women still have periods at all. Some studies suggest that modern women have far more periods per year than their hunter-gatherer ancestors, whose lifestyles included longer periods of breastfeeding and other natural factors that reduced the frequency of periods. Researchers note similar patterns in some women from rural societies. Overall, scientists are still baffled by the evolutionary process behind modern menstrual cycles, which are an anomaly among all warm-blooded species. "What we are experiencing, as part of our evolution, is very unusual," anthropologist Beverly Strassmann told the BBC. Strassmann is a prominent critic of the theory that human menstruation cycles are so common because they were favored by evolution, arguing instead these unique cycles are a byproduct of anatomy and other factors. Not all doctors are confident that using birth control to stop a natural cycle is completely safe. Jerilynn Prior, an endocrinologist at the University of British Columbia, believes that people should think carefully before opting for menstrual suppression, especially young women whose bodies are still developing. "Important studies, like what are the effects on the breast? What are the effects on bone haven't been done," Prior told NPR. Only time and further research will reveal the true risks and benefits of altering women's monthly cycles. Geneva (AFP) - The new Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT), set to become the world's longest railway tunnel when it opens on June 1, is a "godsend for Europe", EU transport commissioner Violeta Bulc told Swiss media Monday. The 57-kilometre (35.4-mile) tunnel, which runs under the Alps, was first conceived in sketch-form in 1947 but construction began 17 years ago. Since then, some 28.2 million tonnes of mountain rock have been excavated and an estimated $12 billion (10.6 billion euros) spent to construct a tunnel that should trim travel times through the heart of Europe. The GBT "will be a vital link connecting Rotterdam (and) Antwerp with the ports of the Adriatic," Bulc told the Swiss daily Tages Anzeiger. It will make north-south travel more fluid, curb air pollution and "will be a driver of growth in Europe," the Slovenian national was further quoted as saying. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, along with Swiss officials, are due to attend the grand opening next week. A series of test runs are scheduled for the coming months, with full service starting in December. Among other benefits, the GBT aims to shave travel time between Zurich and Milan down to two hours and forty minutes, roughly an hour quicker than the trip currently takes by rail. The GBT will displace Japan's 53.9-kilometre Seikan tunnel as the world's longest train tunnel, and bump the 50.5-kilometre Channel Tunnel that links England and France into third place. Austria's delayed Brenner Tunnel could however slot into second place when it opens in about a decade at an estimated length of 55 kilometres. Ursula Burns, the chairman and CEO of Xerox Corporation XRX, recently briefed investors at a shareholders' meeting about the progress made on the company's plan to separate into two public companies. At the same time, Xerox is focused on its strategic transformation program, which aims to deliver $2.4 billion in cumulative savings over a span of three years, including savings from ongoing and incremental productivity initiatives. Despite a challenging market environment, the company was able to fulfill many of its goals, as well as return a significant amount of capital to its shareholders in 2015. The company continued to work on streamlining its business last year by selling its Information Technology Outsourcing unit and restructuring its government healthcare business. Additionally, under the Document Technology segment, Xerox introduced nine new products that have been successful in reconfirming its position as the leader in market innovation. For 2015, the company reported revenues of $18 billion and returned $1.6 billion to its shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. Xerox also declared that it would increase its annual dividend by 11% in 2016. In 2015, the company conducted a review of structural options for its portfolio and capital allocation. On the basis of this review, the company decided on splitting into two independent, publicly traded entities. While one would comprise Document Technology and Document Outsourcing businesses, the other would comprise its Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) business. Both these entities would likely feature among the Fortune 500 companies and will be leaders in their respective markets. With a strategic focus on various markets, Xerox expects to capitalize on the unique strengths of its Document Technology and BPO businesses and capture the value-creation opportunities post split-off. In the past few months, the company has made significant progress in building its operational and financial foundation for both the businesses. The company expects to file its initial Form 10 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission this July, while it is looking forward to complete the entire separation process by the end of the year. In Apr 2016, the companys management announced that the separation will be planned as a tax-free spinoff of the BPO business to the current shareholders of the company. Alongside, the companys board of directors declared that following the separation, Burns would serve as the Chairman of the new Document Technology entity. During a separate voting session, Xerox shareholders approved PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the companys registered public accounting firm for 2016. The company additionally declared a quarterly cash dividend of 7.75 cents per share, payable on Jul 29, 2016, to shareholders of record on Jun 30, 2016. Headquartered in Norwalk, CT, Xerox has its business spread worldwide. It is a global corporation that sells business services and document technology products to businesses and governments of all sizes. Xerox carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks worth a look include PFSweb Inc. PFSW, PRGX Global, Inc. PRGX and Viad Corp VVI. All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report VIAD CORP (VVI): Free Stock Analysis Report PRGX GLOBAL INC (PRGX): Free Stock Analysis Report PFSWEB INC (PFSW): Free Stock Analysis Report XEROX CORP (XRX): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York energy investor has been indicted for engaging in a multiyear scheme to evade paying over $45 million in taxes in connection with the sale of an oil company and the purchase of paintings by European artists, U.S. prosecutors said on Monday. Morris Zukerman, a former Morgan Stanley banker who serves as chairman of investment firm M.E. Zukerman & Co, pleaded not guilty at a hearing in federal court in Manhattan to charges that included tax evasion and wire fraud. The charges followed a two-year grand jury investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanley Okula said in court. Both Okula and a lawyer for Zukerman, James Bruton, said he is in plea talks. "Hopefully, we'll be able to resolve this with the government to make things right and resolve things for Mr. Zukerman," Bruton said following the hearing, where his client's bail was set at $2.5 million. Zukerman, 71, worked at Morgan Stanley from 1972 to 1988 and served as joint head of the investment bank's energy group, according to his company's website. In 1988, he launched M.E. Zukerman & Co, which, according to its website, concentrated its investments in energy, natural resources and agriculture companies. Prosecutors said Zukerman schemed to evade paying taxes on income earned on a 2008 sale of an oil company he co-owned through an M.E. Zukerman subsidiary with a publicly traded company that resulted in his firm receiving $130 million. While the company was not named in court papers, around that same time his company sold a Texas-based firm called Penreco that was co-owned with ConocoPhillips. Prosecutors said Zukerman transferred the sale's proceeds to a trust and various corporations, including one from which he directed $50 million be used to buy paintings by European artists from the 15th through the 19th centuries. In buying those paintings, which were used to decorate his Manhattan apartment and two family members' apartments, Zukerman further sought to avoid over $4.5 million in New York state taxes owed on their purchases, prosecutors said. Story continues He also schemed to avoid paying New York taxes on a $645,000 pair of diamond earrings, prosecutors said. Zukerman also made $1 million in fraudulent deductions for charitable contributions related to buying property on Black Island off the coast of Maine, and orchestrated fraudulent investment interest expense deductions, prosecutors said. The case is U.S. v. Zukerman, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 16-cr-194. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) With so much to watch on TV, it can be difficult to plan ahead. But were here to help! Here are the five shows you wont want to miss this week. The Price Is Right Primetime Specials: Monday-Wednesday, May 23-25 at 8 p.m. on CBS CBSs Big Three reality series Survivor, Big Brother and The Amazing Race take center stage in a trio of Price is Right primetime specials with the hosts of the respective programs joining Drew Carey while veteran players like Boston Rob Mariano, Will Kirby and Tyler Oakley compete head-to-head. The Night Manager: Tuesday, May 24 at 10 p.m. on AMC AMC has one more chance to make up for the criminal lack of #Hiddlesbum with its telecast of the Tom Hiddleston/Hugh Laurie U.K. miniseries when the finale airs tonight. Nashville: Wednesday, May 25 at 10 p.m. on ABC Maybe Youll Appreciate Me Someday is the all-too-appropriate title for the series finale of our favorite country music-themed guilty pleasure. Admit it: youre gonna miss Rayna, Juliette, Deacon, Scarlettheck, even Maddie when this show is gone. The Eighties: Thursday, May 26 at 9 p.m. on CNN CNN ends its look back at the MTV Decade with an episode devoted to the AIDS crisis, a generation-defining event thats both a shameful and inspirational part of contemporary American history. Bloodline: Friday, May 27 on Netflix Head back down to the Florida Keys to spend another season with Kyle Chandlers brooding detective and his troubled family. And in between your Bloodline binge, you can also feast on Netflixs documentary series, Chefs Table, which returns for another round of mouth-watering episodes. A flotilla from the South Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy, consisting of two destroyers Hefei, with the hull number of 174 and Lanzhou, with the hull number of 170, a guided missile frigate Sanya, with the hull number of 574 and a comprehensive replenishment ship Honghu, with the hull number of 963, conducts live fire shooting in the Western Pacific Ocean on May 21, 2016. Zachary Quinto delivered Trekkies a special surprise at a Star Trek Beyond fan event at Paramount Studios on Friday night, held to celebrate the franchise's 50th anniversary and launch a new trailer for the upcoming film. Quinto, who plays Spock in the J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot, toasted original Spock actor Leonard Nimoy and unveiled a newly named street on the Paramount lot: Leonard Nimoy Way. WATCH: How 'Star Trek Beyond' Pays Homage to the 1960s TV Series and Leonard Nimoy In the toast, the 38-year-old actor spoke of his friendship with Nimoy and the late actor's family, many of whom were in attendance at the event. Nimoy died in February 2015 at age 86. "When I got this role I never imagined how my life would change, not only because of the creative experience but even more because of the personal experience with Leonard Nimoy and the relationship I forged with Leonard," Quinto told the audience. "And now that he is gone, I feel even more grateful that relationship has led me to my relationship with his family, and I love them like my own," he added. "They carry on his spirit in such beautiful ways." After unveiling the new street sign Quinto had his own "fanboy moment," stopping to take a picture of the gathered crowd, which he later posted to Instagram calling the occasion "maybe the most humbling moment of my Trek experience." At the event, ET's Ashley Crossan caught up with Quinto and his Star Trek castmates, Chris Pine and Karl Urban, who spoke about the 50th anniversary and the love they get from the show's fandom. Story continues PHOTOS: First Look at 'Star Trek' Art Exhibit Commemorating the Sci-Fi Franchise's 50th Anniversary "It's a big milestone for the franchise, and it's a great opportunity to share with people what they love about the franchise," Pine told ET. "We have a passionate fan base. We all love one another so much to have [that] mirrored back to use by the fan community is fantastic." The latest installment promises to give nods to the franchise's original series, with Quinto saying, "I definitely feel like there's a spirit of retro celebration of the origins of the franchise in this film." PHOTOS: Never-Before-Seen Original 'Star Trek' Photos! That wasn't the last surprise of the night -- Abrams and director Justin Lin announced that Beyond will have its world premiere in IMAX at the San Diego Comic Con in July. They also promised everyone in attendance at Friday night's event a free pair of tickets to the premiere. Talk about fan service! Star Trek Beyond hits theaters July 22. Watch the video below to find out how the new film will pay homage to the original series and Nimoy. Related Articles For Immediate Release Chicago, IL May 23, 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 Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), Chevron Corp. (CVX), ConocoPhillips (COP), Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) and HollyFrontier Corp. ( HFC). Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: Surprise Build in Domestic Crude, Fuel Stocks Drop The U.S. Energy Department's weekly inventory release showed that crude stockpiles recorded a surprise build. Whats more, supplies at the Cushing, OK storage hub jumped to its highest level on record. On a bullish note though, the report revealed that refined product inventories gasoline and distillate both decreased from their previous week levels. Analysis of the EIA Data Crude Oil: The federal governments EIA report revealed that crude inventories increased by 1.31 million barrels for the week ending May 13, 2016, following a decline of 3.41 million barrels in the previous week. The analysts surveyed by S&P Global Platts the leading independent commodities and energy data provider had expected crude stocks to go down by 3 million barrels. The Midwest refiners decision to replace Canadian imports (affected by the raging wildfire) with crude from the U.S. Gulf Coast led to the surprise stockpile build with the world's biggest oil consumer. In particular, crude inventories at the Cushing terminal in Oklahoma the key delivery hub for U.S. crude futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange were up 461,000 barrels from the previous weeks level to a new all-time high of 68.27 million barrels. Following the twelfth inventory rise in 14 weeks, at 541.29 million barrels, current crude supplies are up 12% from the year-ago period and are at the highest level during this time of the year. Story continues The crude supply cover was down marginally from 33.7 days in the previous week to 33.6 days. In the year-ago period, the supply cover was 29.8 days. Gasoline: Supplies of gasoline were down for the second successive week as demand strengthened, while imports and production both fell. The 2.50 million barrels draw almost twice the analysts polled number of 1.3 million barrels decrease in supply level took gasoline stockpiles down to 238.07 million barrels. Despite last weeks decline, the existing stock of the most widely used petroleum product is 6% higher than the year-earlier level and is comfortably above the upper half of the average range. Distillate: Distillate fuel supplies (including diesel and heating oil) fell 3.17 million barrels last week, again easily outpacing analysts expectations for a 1.4 million barrels drop in inventory level. The decrease in distillate fuel stocks the fifth in as many weeks could be attributed to stronger demand and lower imports. But at 152.16 million barrels, distillate supplies are still 19% higher than the year-ago level and are well above the upper half of the average range for this time of the year. Refinery Rates: Refinery utilization was up by 1.4% from the prior week to 90.5%. About the Weekly Petroleum Status Report The Energy Information Administration (EIA) Petroleum Status Report, containing data of the previous week ending Friday, outlines information regarding the weekly change in petroleum inventories held and produced by the U.S., both locally and abroad. The report provides an overview of the level of reserves and their movements, thereby helping investors understand the demand/supply dynamics of petroleum products. It is an indicator of current oil prices and volatility that affect the businesses of the companies engaged in the oil and refining industry. The data from EIA generally acts as a catalyst for crude prices and affect producers, such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), Chevron Corp. (CVX) and ConocoPhillips (COP), and refiners such as Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) and HollyFrontier Corp. ( HFC). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free. About Zacks Equity Research Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term. Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today. About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report CONOCOPHILLIPS (COP): Free Stock Analysis Report VALERO ENERGY (VLO): Free Stock Analysis Report HOLLYFRONTIER (HFC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL May 23, 2016 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Alt-Energy, part 1, including JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (JKS), JA Solar Holdings. Inc. (JASO), Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL), Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (YGE). Industry: Alt-Energy, part 1 Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/81301/alternative-energy-stock-outlook---may-2016 Last year was historic for the U.S. renewable energy sector, with a number of important decisions taken at both the state and federal levels, which will likely play a key role in determining the trajectory of this industrys future growth. Governments, businesses and cities around the world are making concerted efforts to speed up the evolution of energy use. As the global energy system transformation is the backbone of climate action, the world has come closer under a set of major cooperative initiatives. It is these environmental considerations that are driving demand for alternative energy sources. A U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report projects that electricity generation from renewable sources will increase by 11.3% in 2016 and 4.4% in 2017 in the U.S. Generation from renewables other than hydropower is forecast to grow by 13.3% in 2016 and by 8.6% in 2017. A more comprehensive study by the Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows that the country can generate most of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050. These favorable demand growth trends notwithstanding, the abundant availability of fossil fuels and the resultant drop in oil prices have emerged as key competitive challenges for the industry. The industrys long-term fundamentals nevertheless remain favorable. Below we discuss some of the major alternative energy sources: Solar A major growth area in the renewable space is solar energy. An EIA report indicates continued growth in utility-scale solar power capacity, which is projected to average almost 13 gigawatt (GW) in the 20152017 period. In spite of the rapid uptake, solar will still be just 1.1% of total U.S. utility-scale generation in 2017, indicating room for immense growth. Story continues Solar growth has historically been concentrated in customer-sited distributed generation installations. The EIA expects utility-scale solar capacity to expand over states like California, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas and Georgia. Per the latest report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the U.S. trade association of approximately 1,000 companies in the solar energy industry, the U.S. solar energy industry reached 7,260 megawatt (MW) DC in 2015, up 16% over 2014. This brought the cumulative PV installations to 25.6 GW DC, the largest annual total ever, buoyed by strong contributions from each of the three segments: utility, non-residential and residential. In particular, the residential market grew 66% year over year in 2015, setting a yearly record. The SEIA expects the U.S. PV market to witness strong growth in 2016 with installations reaching 16 GW DC, representing a staggering 119% increase over 2015 with utility-scale installations accounting for 74% of the years total installations. Solar in China: Although Chinese economic woes continue to hit the market, the longer-term prospects for solar in China remain intact. China has established itself as the worlds largest market for solar panels and will likely be the home to a quarter of the planets new energy capacity from solar panels in the years to come. China is speedily adding as much power generation as possible, and solar is just one source of the new energy generation coming up in the country. In Mar 2016, China released its 13th Five-Year Plan that outlined considerable investment in the renewables sector. The countrys National Energy Administration (NEA) announced plans to triple capacity over the next five years, to reduce Chinas carbon emissions and become the worlds leader in clean energy. The nation is aiming for 143 GW of capacity by 2020. This rise was underlined in 2015, as China, with a 43.2 GW capacity, was ahead of the long time leader Germany. China also supplied 70% of the global output of solar panels in 2015, producing an astounding 43 GW. While outlining its clean energy goals for 2016, the NEA has set a target of 15 GW of new solar PV capacity. China had earlier pledged to attain peak carbon emissions by 2030 or earlier if possible. The country had set a daunting target of boosting the share of non-fossil fuels to 20% of its energy mix by 2030. The following leading Chinese solar stocks are sure to make the most of the favorable government stimulus: JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (JKS), JA Solar Holdings. Inc. (JASO) and Trina Solar Ltd. ( TSL). Ontario, Canada-based solar product manufacturer Canadian Solar Inc. ( CSIQ) is also well positioned with its diversified manufacturing base and project portfolio in Canada, China, Japan and the U.S. Wind The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reported that the U.S. wind industry installed 520 MW during the first quarter of 2016. This is the strongest-ever quarter since 2012 bringing the installed wind capacity to 74,512 MW. Wind capacity of over 10,100 MW is currently under construction following the five-year extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) in Dec 2015. As per the EIA, wind capacity grew by 12% in 2015 and it is expected to increase by 9% in 2016 and 10% in 2017. The AWEA noted that wind power added more capacity than any other energy source, leading the country with 41% of all new electric generating capacity in 2015 (followed by solar at 28.5% and natural gas at 28.1%). Zacks Industry Rank Mixed Outlook We rank all the 257-plus industries in the 16 Zacks sectors based on the earnings outlook and fundamental strength of the constituent companies in each industry. To learn more visit: About Zacks Industry Rank. ?The way to look at the complete list of 257+ industries is that the outlook for the top one-third of the list (Zacks Industry Rank of #88 and lower) is positive, the middle 1/3rd or industries with Zacks Industry Rank between #89 and #176 is neutral while the outlook for the bottom one-third (Zacks Industry Rank #177 and higher) is negative. ?Within the Zacks Industry classification, the Zacks Industry Rank for Solar is #104 out of 257. This corresponds to the middle third of the list, implying a neutral outlook. ?The Zacks Industry Rank for the Other Alternative industry is #100 out of 257. This puts the industry once again in the middle third of all industries. ?The recent losses suffered by some of the fundamentally strong solar stocks can be good buying opportunities for investors with a longer-term horizon. The U.S. solar market continues to grow with 2015 being the biggest year yet in the solar history, per the SEIA. ?Please note that the Zacks Rank for stocks, which is at the core of our Industry Outlook, has an impressive track record going back years, verified by outside auditors, to foretell stock prices, particularly over the short term (1 to 3 months). While JinkoSolar Holding holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. ( YGE), is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com/performance Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JINKOSOLAR HLDG (JKS): Free Stock Analysis Report JA SOLAR HOLDGS (JASO): Free Stock Analysis Report TRINA SOLAR LTD (TSL): Free Stock Analysis Report CANADIAN SOLAR (CSIQ): Free Stock Analysis Report YINGLI GREEN EN (YGE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f95197%2f5aeea7cb2b2d4aad88508b95b78340ed Remember when sporting a temporary tattoo was the coolest thing ever as a kid? Well, one artist from the New Zealand is taking it up a notch by pledging to help airbrush sleeve tattoos for sick kids. Don't worry, the tattoos are easily removed. SEE ALSO: Man quits his job to travel Australia in a campervan with his cat Benjamin Lloyd from the Bay of Plenty has been airbrushing for 10 years around the country, but only started painting tattoos in the past few months for adults for fun. Then he began giving kids tattoos, who had an incredible reaction. "It's just amazing watching their confidence and their ego boost up," Lloyd told Mashable Australia. "The only bad thing is that they don't want to take a shower afterwards." Each tattoo takes around nine minutes to paint, which Lloyd describes as "a real challenge as you need to be quite fast." A video where he paints young Jun was uploaded on Sunday, showing the process from start to finish. If you're wondering, the kids definitely get a say on what design they'd like on their body. Lloyd promised in a Facebook post on Sunday that he would paint all the sick kids at Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital, if he received 50 likes. The post has since received more than 250,000 of them. "I went to sleep and it had gone crazy overnight," he laughed. Lloyd will start giving tattoos to kids at the hospital very soon, but in the meantime, he's just managing the influx of interest from the public that he didn't anticipate, getting his friends to answer enquiries for him. It's certainly a unique, and popular way to get sick kids feeling good about themselves again. tattoo Image: facebook/benjamin lloyd art collection tattoo Image: facebook/benjamin lloyd art collection [h/t NZ Herald] By Anastasia Moloney SAN SALVADOR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Six months pregnant with her first child, teenager Estefanie Esmeralda is well aware of the dangers the mosquito-borne Zika virus may pose to her unborn baby. Yet she like many people in El Salvador can not have a legal abortion, which is banned in the socially conservative nation. "I've been told about Zika, the problems it can bring and the precautions I need to take to not get the virus. It's a risk that you run," said the 16-year-old as she waited for a free pre-natal check-up at the country's main hospital for women. "I don't think the abortion law should be changed," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Babies aren't to blame for Zika and the mistakes people make. Babies are a blessing from God." El Salvador's health ministry has advised women to postpone pregnancy until 2017 after a rise of babies born in Brazil with microcephaly, a condition marked by an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain linked to Zika. But a legal abortion is not an option. Due to El Salvador's stringent law, among the world's most restrictive, women ending unwanted pregnancies risk illegal, unsafe back alley procedures and the possibility of prison. El Salvador, with 6.4 million residents, is one of three Latin American countries that outlaw abortion without exception, even in cases of rape, incest, a severely deformed fetus or when a woman's life is in danger. The Zika outbreak in El Salvador has done little to ignite debate about easing the ban. Most Salvadorans are members of the Roman Catholic Church or numerous Christian Evangelical churches that consider abortion a sin and believe the rights of unborn children, enshrined in El Salvador's constitution, should be protected from conception. Earlier this year, the top United Nations human rights official, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urged Zika-affected countries to ease abortion laws. In El Salvador, health ministry figures show the number of suspected Zika cases has fallen sharply from a peak of more than 1,000 cases a week in January to fewer than 50 a week in April. But cases could spike with the upcoming rainy season. Since the outbreak began, health authorities say 259 pregnant women reported symptoms of Zika, which include fever and joint pain. Of that number, some have given birth and others are being monitored. There have been no confirmed cases of microcephaly linked to Zika in El Salvador. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded that infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women is a cause of microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities. For chief neonatologist Dr. Ana Lorena Parada, who works with newborns at the women's hospital, Zika has not shifted her position on abortion. "Personally, I'm not in favor of abortion," Parada said. "An abortion isn't a solution. It can have consequences. "A 12-year-old can't decide for herself if she is ready to have an abortion," she said. But El Salvador's vice-minister of health, Dr. Eduardo Espinoza, questions the nation's abortion law. "It seems to me that this is a little archaic, and that it is not fair," Espinoza said in an interview. He said women's rights groups must lead a pro-choice debate and pressure lawmakers to ease the ban. "It doesn't depend on us. I'm obliged to comply with the law and the law states we can't interrupt a pregnancy," he said. PRISON FOR MISCARRIAGE The Citizen Group for the Decriminalisation of Therapeutic, Ethical, and Eugenic Abortion (CFDA), a local rights group, says the abortion ban causes maternal deaths by forcing women to undergo dangerous back street abortions. Angelica Rivas, a lawyer at CFDA, says the ban particularly affects poor women, as wealthier women can travel abroad to private clinics. An estimated 35,000 clandestine abortions take place in El Salvador every year. "The abortion ban kills and harms women, and in this country it can also put women in jail," Rivas said. Under Salvadoran law, doctors must report cases of women who they suspect of having induced an abortion. The rights group says scores of women have been wrongly convicted of murder and imprisoned when they in fact suffered miscarriages, stillbirths or pregnancy complications. Of the 147 women prosecuted for abortion-related crimes between 2000 and 2014, 25 remain in jail, with some serving sentences as long as 40 years, the CFDA said. Resistance to changes to the ban comes from not only the Catholic church and evangelical groups but conservative lawmakers and the left-wing ruling FMLN party that fear alienating voters. Elsewhere in Latin America, however, reproductive rights campaigners say Chile may ease its outright abortion ban. In March, Chile's chamber of deputies approved a bill to decriminalize abortion in some circumstances. The bill needs to be approved by the Senate to become law. (Reporting by Anastasia Moloney, editing by Ellen Wulfhorst. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) On May 23, 2016, we issued an updated research report on Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. ZBH a major player in the musculoskeletal industry. The consolidated company formed post the merger of the legacy Zimmer Holdings and Biomet, recently reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2016 results with respect to both earnings and revenues. Net synergies from the merger are currently anticipated to exceed $350 million in pre-tax by the end of the third year, post transaction. The company also expects the merger to contribute 95 cents to $1.05 to adjusted earnings per share with $135 million of pre-tax, net synergy savings in the first year of the acquisition. Moreover, the growth rate of adjusted earnings per share beyond 2015 is likely to accelerate. Zimmer Biomet, post integration, will operate on a more comprehensive and diversified musculoskeletal portfolio, commanding 17% market share and attractive cross selling opportunities. The combined company will be supported by a research and development spending capability of approximately $360 million. We are also encouraged about the gradually stabilizing global musculoskeletal market. The last three reported quarters witnessed gradual stability in this market with better-than-expected sales growth in certain geographies, banking on improved procedural volume. This was driven by favorable demographics and growing utilization of musculoskeletal healthcare in emerging markets and under-penetrated developed markets. However, macroeconomic uncertainties, pricing pressure and unfavorable currency adversely impacted sales in the first quarter. As expected, currency headwinds continued as a major threat, accounting for the sluggish top line worldwide. The huge margin contraction also posed hurdles. In addition, intense competition in the orthopedic market continues to raise concerns. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Key Picks in the Sector Some better-ranked medical products stocks are Boston Scientific Corporation BSX, ICU Medical, Inc. ICUI and NuVasive, Inc. NUVA. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BOSTON SCIENTIF (BSX): Free Stock Analysis Report NUVASIVE INC (NUVA): Free Stock Analysis Report ICU MEDICAL INC (ICUI): Free Stock Analysis Report ZIMMER BIOMET (ZBH): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Mark Zuckerberg says many Facebook users would be interested in a dedicated "news tab" to find professional "high quality" journalism (AFP Photo/LLUIS GENE ) San Francisco (AFP) - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says conservatives are an important part of the social network after a meeting aimed at defusing concerns it is politically biased. "We've built Facebook to be a platform for all ideas," Zuckerberg said on his Facebook page after a meeting at the company's California headquarters to discuss allegations in a news article that Facebook was suppressing conservative voices in its "trending" news stories. "Our community's success depends on everyone feeling comfortable sharing anything they want. It doesn't make sense for our mission or our business to suppress political content or prevent anyone from seeing what matters most to them." Zuckerberg called the meeting after technology news outlet Gizmodo last week reported allegations that Facebook was deliberately omitting articles with conservative viewpoints from a sidebar that lists popular stories. Facebook has denied the allegations, reportedly made by a former employee, while promising to investigate. "The reality is, conservatives and Republicans have always been an important part of Facebook," Zuckerberg wrote after Wednesday's meeting. "Donald Trump has more fans on Facebook than any other presidential candidate. And Fox News drives more interactions on its Facebook page than any other news outlet in the world. It's not even close." He added that he recognizes that "many conservatives don't trust that our platform surfaces content without a political bias" and noted that "I wanted to hear their concerns personally and have an open conversation about how we can build trust. I want to do everything I can to make sure our teams uphold the integrity of our products." The meeting was scheduled to include political commentator Glenn Beck and talk show host Dana Perino. Others invited included Zac Moffatt, a political consultant who worked for former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney; Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute; and Barry Bennett, an advisor to presumptive Republican presidential candidate Trump. Story continues CNN conservative commentator S.E. Cupp, another attendee, tweeted after the gathering, "Very productive meeting at @Facebook with Mark and team. Strong commitments to address issues, as well as to work together on common goals." Zuckerberg's post elicited more than 17,000 "likes" shortly after the message appeared but some questioned the allegations. "Frankly, I do not know where they got this perception" of bias, wrote Loni Reeder. "I have more Republican/Trump nauseating propaganda floating across my page (unwanted propaganda, I might add!) than I do of nominees Clinton and Sanders. It's MY perception that they simply wanted to find a way to further inflate their pathetic agenda and to get some additional undeserved press." Googles first venture into virtual reality began with a sneaky trick. When the company introduced its Cardboard viewer in 2014, it decided to not include a head strap, forcing users to instead hold the viewer up to their faces. The official line at the time was that this was done to keep Cardboard comfortable. Thats partially true. Having what amounts to a small cardboard box strapped to your face is not a great experience. But in documents it shared with manufacturers of Cardboard headsets, Google shared a far more technical reason for this design decision. When the user holds the Cardboard with their hands against the face, their head rotation speed is limited by the torso rotational speed (which is much slower than the neck rotational speed), a design guideline document reads. This reduces the chance of VR sickness caused by rendering (and) latency and increases the immersiveness in VR. Latency is a big deal for VR: If a headset introduces a noticeable delay, viewers can can start to feel motion sickness, because what they see doesnt align with what their body feels. Higher-end VR headsets have largely cracked this problem for most people. But Cardboard was based on phones and their built-in sensors, which just werent made with this kind of application in mind. Moving too fast with a Cardboard headset would have made you sick, so Google tricked you into slowing down by forcing you to move your entire upper body instead of just your head. This anecdote is worth keeping in mind as Google is getting ready to take its VR efforts to the next level. Many expected the company to do what Oculus and HTC have done: Build a singular product to sell to consumers, perhaps mobile but with an integrated screen. Instead, the company unveiled Daydream, an Android-based VR platform at its Google I/O developer conference in Mountain View, California last week. Daydream is based on the next version of Android, code-named Android N, and combines high-end mobile phones with custom-built headsets that these phones can be inserted to. To produce both Daydream-ready phones and accompanying headsets, Google is collaborating with eight different mobile phone manufacturers, including Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei. Basically, you can expect many high-end Android phones to be sold later this or early next year to be ready for Daydream. And just to get things started, Google will also build its own headset, and likely add Daydream compatibility to the next generation of its Nexus line of phones as well. Story continues Daydream headsets, which are expected to ship this fall, will be a lot more immersive that Cardboard viewers. For one thing, theyll be more comfortable to wear, and not made out of cardboard material. But Google also put a lot of effort into cracking the VR sickness problem. You have to minimize motion-to-photon latency, said Google VR head Clay Bavor at Google I/O. To do so, Daydream-optimized phones are going to bring this latency below 20 milliseconds. A rendering of the reference design for Daydream VR headsets. Google has plans to build and sell such a headset this fall, but also wants to enable partners to build their own. Courtesy of Google Daydream wont have the same kind of positional tracking available to high-end headsets like the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift, at least not at launch. That means that users wont be able to move through a space while theyre being tracked by cameras like the ones that ship with those two headsets. The HTC Vive in particular is impressing with its ability to track users within a ten-by-ten feet space, making it possible to wander through virtual worlds while actually walking around in circles in your living room. Experiences built for Googles headsets will by necessity be a lot more stationary. However, the company is again raising the bar above Cardboard by mandating the use of a Daydream remote controller that will work a bit like a touch pad-equipped magic wand, making it possible to point to and grab objects. This will help developers to again use clever tricks, like the one pioneered by Penrose Studios for one of its Gear VR experiences a while back: Instead of making users walk around in a virtual world, Daydream developers could let users rotate the world around them, and zoom in on objects to explore 3D spaces without ever having to leave the comfort of their own couch. The Daydream home screen, as shown at Google I/O. Daydream-capable phones will switch to this user interface as soon as they are inserted into a Daydream headset. Courtesy of Google That makes Daydream potentially a lot more ubiquitous. Not everyone has the space, or the commitment, to install a room-scale VR system in their home. Mobile VR, on the other hand, can be used anywhere, and easily taken to a friends house to show off. Add to this the fact that Daydream is based on phones, which will make the headsets a lot more affordable. Not Cardboard-cheap, but cheap enough to be picked up en masse. Samsungs Gear VR has shown that consumers are willing to use mobile VR if its cheap, or given as a free add-on for premium phones, with a million active users in April alone. With Daydream, Google is now getting ready to take mobile VR to the next level. Instead of just building one single Google-branded headset, the company built an ecosystem and in turn, it is tricking us again: Just like Cardboard, Googles VR worlds wont be the most immersive, cutting-edge technology. Instead, theyll be the ones with the lowest barrier of entry. But we wont mind, just like we werent bothered by holding that Cardboard viewer up to our face. Instead, well buy VR-ready handsets by the millions when its time to replace our current phones, and Daydream headsets will be the accessories we wont be able to pass up. And heres the good news: This time, they will even feature a head strap. Related stories Imax Wants to Add Virtual Reality Lounges to Its Theaters Xiaomi Wants to Take on Roku and Apple TV With New Streaming Box YouTube's Plans for Virtual Reality: A Dedicated App, Content Partnerships and 360-Degree Video Ads By Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Half of the European Union's member states on Monday called for the removal of barriers to the free flow of data both within and outside the 28-nation bloc to ensure the continent can benefit from new data-driven technologies. In a letter to the European Commission and the Netherlands - which holds the rotating EU presidency - ministers from countries including Poland, Britain, Sweden and Finland urged Brussels to make sure regulation is not a barrier to the development of data-driven technologies and to avoid one-size-fits-all rules for online platforms such as Amazon and Facebook. "It is vital for European competitiveness to take a positive approach to new advancements in digital technologies and business models," wrote the ministers from Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden. "Europe can benefit significantly from new data-driven technologies if the right future-proof regulatory framework is established." The Commission last year unveiled its Digital Single Market strategy, a wide-ranging plan to knock down barriers in the online world to give Europe a better chance of competing with mainly U.S. tech giants. On Wednesday, it will present the results of its inquiry into online platforms and where it thinks action may be needed. While Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip has ruled out a single regulation covering all online companies, it is likely to tackle perceived problems in areas such as copyright and telecoms as well as probe further into the terms of use of services such as Google's Android and Apple Inc's IoS mobile operating system. The strategy has faced accusations of protectionism - which the Commission says are unfounded - and data flows to the United States have endured a particularly tough ride since revelations of mass U.S. government snooping programs. Ansip - who is overseeing the strategy - has spoken out against limits to cross-border data flows. "It's extremely important to allow free data flows across the EU and we know that in some member states there are ideas to localize data inside of those beautiful countries. They are very popular but it's a dead end," he said in the European Parliament in April. The EU is expected to present a proposal enabling the free flow of data across the bloc later this year to counter data localization initiatives in countries such as Germany and France. The letter also called for EU telecoms rules to be simplified so as to foster investments in high-speed broadband, an area where the EU has been lagging behind the United States, Japan and South Korea. (Reporting by Julia Fioretti. Editing by Jane Merriman) May 21, 2016 marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. What started as a formal establishment of diplomatic relations in 1951 has today become an unbreakable bond of infallible trust; time-tested friendship, and above all a shared world-view. Over the last several decades, both countries have always found each other standing shoulder to shoulder. Our two nations have become inseparable in shared values, interests, and a global outlook. We speak entirely different languages, have our unique cultures and until recently had limited direct people-to-people interaction. Yet our people have developed an immense reservoir of love and friendship for each other. What a bond, what an amazing relationship! We have walked together for 65 years now. We see 2016 as another promising year for the mutual prosperity and development of our two brotherly countries. In todays world, economic aspect of inter-state relations assumes a critical priority. It is indeed a strategic imperative that guarantees longevity and sustainability of relations between countries. China-Pakistan also need to keep economic relationship at the core of their relationship and aim for forging even greater trade and economic partnership. The 21st century is the Asian Century. China is the engine of not just Asias growth but of the world. China has successfully lifted its 700 million people from poverty through prudent policies and reforms. The Chinese experiment of rendering its huge population into demographic dividend is an example of how skilled human resource of a country can be leveraged asa factor of development. With the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence introduced by Premier Zhou Enlai, China has followed a foreign policy that has earned the respect of the world. It has emerged peacefully on the world scene by employing soft power rather than deployment of hard power. Pakistan looks at the peaceful rise of China as a source of strength and stability for the Southwest, Central Asian and Asian regions. President Xi Jinpings One Belt, One Road (OBOR) vision is so central to establishment of peaceful and prosperous regional integration. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project of OBOR will be a game changer for both our countries and the wider region. The One Road, One Belt initiative has all the attributes of binding many geographical regions into a well-knit robust economic block. It can also serve as a basis for durable peace in the region and beyond, by replacing animosity with cooperation among the member countries. History bears witness to the fact that economic partnership have turned archrivals and foes into friends and partners. President Xis visionary concept is one of development, progress and prosperity through win-win partnership. It is the harbinger of a new era of peace and stability, offering the promise of transforming the regional economic landscape. China and Pakistan are resolved like never before to work together to achieve a community of shared destiny as envisaged by President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Nawaz Sahrif. We are two countries with a shared history of intellectual and economic growth. Two people bound by bonds of friendship and trust. We have been great together for the past 65 years, and indeed the next 65will be even better. The author is the Chief Minister of Punjab Province of Pakistan. There is nothing in consumer tech right now that's as hot as the smartphone market, even as it nears saturation in many regions, and the real beauty of it is that there are so many options. Every company out there wants a piece of the action and they're all looking for ways to differentiate their products, so there really is something for everyone. It's not easy to make a choice that can truly be considered wrong since different people have different needs and wants, but there is one line of smartphones that people probably shouldn't bother with unless they having a burning desire to dump hundreds of dollars into a dead platform. As noted by market research firm Gartner, Windows Phone's share of the global smartphone market actually fell below 1% this past quarter for the first time ever, market yet another stop on Microsoft's one-way trip to smartphone irrelevance. As such, the worst mistake you can make when buying a new phone is to buy a Windows Phone, unless you're fine with burning cash on a platform that's on its way out. Actually, there is one smartphone platform that somehow has an even lower share of the global market BlackBerry OS but it's so low that it's not even worth discussing anymore. HUGE LEAK: This is our first look at a real iPhone 7 According to Gartner's estimates, smartphone shipments grew 3.9% in the first quarter of 2016 compared the same quarter one year earlier. That seems like a small figure, but it's pretty impressive when you consider how far iPhone sales fell between January and March. Gartner says total "smartphone sales," which is a figure that actually includes end-user iPhone sales and estimated channel sales for other brands, reached 349 million units in the quarter. Samsung led the way with estimated shipments totaling 81 million units, which is indeed a massive number that was bolstered by the launch of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Chinese Android brands grew too fast in the quarter though, so Samsung's global market share actually fell to 23.2% in the first quarter from 24.1% in the same quarter last year. Story continues Meanwhile, Apple's global smartphone market share saw a much bigger drop, from 17.9% in Q1 2015 to 14.8% in Q1 2016. "In a slowing smartphone market where large vendors are experiencing growth saturation, emerging brands are disrupting existing brands' long-standing business models to increase their share," Gartner research director Anshul Gupta. "With such changing smartphone market dynamics, Chinese brands are emerging as the new top global brands. Two Chinese brands ranked within the top five worldwide smartphone vendors in the first quarter of 2015, and represented 11 percent of the market. In the first quarter of 2016, there were three Chinese brands Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi and they achieved 17 percent of the market." Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 9.00.38 AM Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 9.03.37 AM Related stories 10 paid iPhone apps on sale for free for a limited time Siri brews coffee and even starts a party thanks to a $150 DIY home automation setup 11 paid iPhone and iPad apps on sale for free today More from BGR: Watch the Britney Spears BMA performance that the internet is going crazy over This article was originally published on BGR.com Analysts have urged Washington not to intensify regional tensions by provocative words or actions ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Hanoi on Monday. Obama's tour should not harm the interests of countries in the region, as some are currently involved in maritime disputes, they said. It will be Obama's 10th trip to Asia as United States president. According to Vietnamese media, Hanoi is paying great attention to this visit and has prepared a high-level reception for Obama. White House officials say Washington is considering lifting restrictions on arms sales during Obama's first visit to Vietnam. He will also visit Japan. "It's a kind of farewell tour for Obama, who expects to enhance his diplomatic legacy during the visit," said Jin Canrong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China. However, this should not be done by harming the interests of countries in the region, Jin said. Fu Mengzi, vice-president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the US is "making new friends", in addition to its existing allies, to carry forward its Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to rule soon on a unilateral arbitration case submitted by the Philippines on its territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. Fu said that in view of this arbitration, the US should not "hype up" the situation or cause provocation in words or actions. Observers said Vietnam is not likely to side with the US, as the Asian country is trying to strike a diplomatic balance among nations including China, the US and Japan. During Obama's visit to Japan, he will attend the G7 summit on Thursday and Friday and will end his trip with a visit to Hiroshima. He will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, which marks the atomic bombing of the city on Aug 6, 1945, that helped end World War II. Jin said that with the Asia-Pacific region becoming increasingly important in global strategy, one purpose of Obama's visit to Japan is to bolster relations with its ally in the region. Regarding the trip to Hiroshima, the White House has said it is not willing to give an apology. "However, an apology for the past could be played up by Japanese media," Jin said, adding that this will not be accepted by China. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Thursday, "We hope that by inviting leaders or political figures of other countries to visit Hiroshima, Japan is telling the world that it will never tread on the path of militarism again, as it once brought unspeakable suffering to its people and the people of Asia." US Trade Representative Michael Froman, who will accompany Obama on the trip, said the Trans-Pacific Partnership will open the Vietnamese market and benefit US businesses, citing the high tariffs there for vehicles and beef. The partnership is a trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim countries signed in February in Auckland, New Zealand, after seven years of negotiations. It has not entered into force Froman also acknowledged challenges in Vietnam concerning child labor, intellectual property rights and the environment. He said the Obama administration is consulting with US Congressional leaders to discuss holding a vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The US, Vietnam and Japan are part of the proposed pact, but both Japan and the US are facing an uphill battle to ratify it. U.S. president Barack Obama (Xinhua file photo) HANOI, May 23 -- President of the United States Barack Obama on Monday announced the United States is lifting a decades-long arms embargo on Vietnam. Obama made the announcement at a press conference co-chaired with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Vietnam's capital Hanoi during his ongoing visit to the country. While answering questions from media at the conference, Obama also made it clear that the United States may sell weapons to Vietnam under a case-by-case basis. The United States "will continue to engage on case by case evaluation to do so (sell weapons)," he said. The Vietnamese president, for his part, said that "Vietnam welcomes U.S. decision to completely lift arms embargo on Vietnam." The United States imposed an arms embargo on communist-ruled north Vietnam in 1964, while in 1984, the United States included Vietnam on the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) list of countries that were denied licenses to acquire defense articles and defense services. Vietnam has been still under the embargo despite the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1995. In July 2013, former Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and Obama launched the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive partnership during Sang's visit to the United States. In 2014, the U.S. partially lifted the arms embargo against Vietnam, allowing transfer of maritime security-related defense articles to Vietnam. Pham Quang Vinh, Vietnamese ambassador to the U.S. said in an interview with Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA ahead of Obama's visit that the embargo is "the last barrier in bilateral ties." Obama arrived at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi late Sunday night, kicking off his first visit as U.S. president and the third consecutive one by a U.S. president to Vietnam since the two countries normalized ties. His visit, made at the invitation of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, is scheduled to last till Wednesday. Sri Lankan people pray for those affected by floods and landslides at the Gangarama Temple on the Vesak Day in Colombo, Sri Lanka, May 21, 2016. Vesak celebrations have been cancelled in many areas across the country, while all contributions are being made to help the victims of the extreme weather. (Xinhua/Ajith Perera) COLOMBO, May 23-- Rescue troops on Monday recovered at least seven more bodies from a landslide site in Sri Lanka's central Kegalle district bringing the total death toll from Sri Lanka's flash floods and landslides to 92, the Disaster Management Center said. Kegalle District has recorded the highest number of deaths with 57 people being killed when two massive landslides struck Aranayake and Bulathkohupitiya last week, owing to heavy rains and strong winds. The military said that search efforts were continuing in Aranayake as over 135 bodies were still buried under the mud and rock. While rains had ceased in several areas on Monday, the Disaster Management Center said that people had to remain vigilant due to continuing monsoon showers. So far 500,000 people have been affected by severe floods and landslides across the island country and over 250,000 had been shifted to temporary shelters. Medical help was also reaching out to people who were injured in the floods and landslides and health officers said there was a threat of water borne diseases once water levels receded. A United NationsOCHA situation report released here on Monday said that there was concern for immediate and longer term health problems following the floods in Sri Lanka due to large quantities of standing water, which risked leptospirosis and water-borne, skin diseases and vector-borne diseases. The UN said that many wells and other sources of drinking water had been damaged or destroyed, and populations required access to sources of clean, safe water as well as sanitation facilities. In the latest weather alert, the Meteorology Department said that heavy rains were expected across some parts of the island for the next few days while strong winds would be experienced along the coastal areas. BEIJING, May 23 -- China hopes the improving Vietnam-U.S. relations will benefit regional peace, stability and development, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday. As Vietnam's neighbor, China is glad to see the country develop "normal cooperative relations" with all other countries, including the United States, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a routine press briefing. Hua's comments came as American President Barack Obamais paying his first visit to Vietnam. Earlier on Monday, Obama announced in Hanoi that the United States is lifting a decades-long arms embargo on Vietnam. China hopes the move will be conducive to regional peace, stability and development, Hua said, noting that the arms embargo was "a product of the Cold War" and should not continue to exist. Photo taken on May 20, 2016 shows a visitor eating a turkey leg at the Shanghai Disney Resort. [Photo: CRIONLINE.com] Shanghai Disney Resort has begun its six-week pre-opening series of trial operation since May 7. So far, around 960,000 people have visited the park. During the trial operation, however, visitors have voiced complaints - too crowded and too expensive for food. For example, a turkey leg costs 55 yuan (8.4 US dollars) and one cookie charges 25 yuan (3.8 US dollars). Two bowls of noodles, one cup of coke and one basket of pork buns cost 180 yuan (28 US dollars). They usually charge less than 100 yuan (15 US dollars) in total at an ordinary Chinese restaurant. The Shanghai Disneyland is expected to attract at least 30 million visitors each year. The Great Wall is a must for any group visitto China. The group from Clark Atlanta University takes a picture on the Great Wall on Friday.[Photo by Yan Dongjie/chinadaily.com.cn] A group of African-American students from Clark Atlanta University on a cultural communications trip to China enjoyed a day of fun with students from Beijing Foreign Studies University on Saturday. More than 200 students from both sides met, making it the largest gathering of its kind between Chinese and African-American students in recent years, said Chen Yi, a project director with the China-United States Exchange Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Beijing and Hong Kong that supports the program. (Global Times) 09:55, May 23, 2016 Experts expect preemptive oversight State-owned enterprises (SOE) may be allowed to buy into companies like Youku Tudou and Baidu's iQiyi.com, as Chinese authorities reportedly consider tightening the oversight of video websites. According to a Caixin Magazine report, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) may allow SOEs to oversee the content and operations of video websites. SOEs may also have decision-making authority over the websites, the report said. Quoting an anonymous executive from a video website, the Caixin report said the SAPPRFT is recommending that each video website sells anywhere from 1 to 10 percent of its shares to SOEs. The initial list of SOEs includes China National Radio, China Radio International, Beijing Media Network, Hunan Broadcasting System and Shanghai Oriental Pearl Media. "If the method is proven effective, [the government] may consider adding more SOEs to the list," the anonymous executive was quoted as saying. The person said the plan has already been modified and the initial proposal "was more extreme." "The SAPPRFT is currently consulting various parties, trying to learn if each party is interested in joining the plan, the percentage of shares involved, how to evaluate such equity stakes and other details. There is no final plan yet," the Caixin report quoted another source as saying. The source said acquiring equity is just one of the plans currently being discussed and the discussion is still in the initial stages. Considering other factors are involved, there is still a long way to go before any plan can be actually implemented, the source said. As for the plan's influence, the executive said video website content will be more strictly scrutinized, and some in-house dramas or reality shows may be modified. The Caixin report has been removed as of press time. A separate report by Bloomberg said the SAPPRFT met the video providers on May 18 to discuss the plan. The regulator suggested the signing of non-binding agreements between video providers and state companies by June 10, Bloomberg reported. Both Youku Tudou and iQiyi.com declined to comment when reached by the Global Times. Striking a balance Analysts said the key issue is how to draw the line between the market and government supervision. Luo Ting, director of the Phoenix School of the Communication University of China, told the Global Times that online video differs from other fields as "it involves ideology and cultural security." "Given that there had been a proliferation of pornographic and unhealthy content on the Internet, the government should intervene," Luo said. The Chinese government recently banned the portrayal of "seductive" consumption of bananas on live-streaming websites as part of its efforts to clamp down on "inappropriate and erotic" online content. Xiang Ligang, CEO of telecommunication industry portal cctime.com, said the "special management stakes" shows the government is exploring new ways to supervise the Internet. "For many years, there have been various problems on different media platforms. Most of these websites are privately-run In the past, the government has had little influence over the operations of video websites. The government cannot punish [the websites] on a daily basis or shut down [a website] at will as it would trigger a backlash," Xiang said. "To some extent, [the special management stakes] shows the government's attitude, which is that it wishes to find a way to exert influence on these websites," Xiang noted. His views were echoed by Zhu Wei, deputy director of the Communications Law Research Center at the China University of Political Science and Law, who told the Global Times that the government wishes to create a mechanism to exert preventive measures, as current regulations only punish the perpetrators afterwards. Crewmembers of theNanhaijiu 118 conduct a rescue drill on May 11 Drones and robots could be used to help ships that get into difficulties China is considering deploying an advanced rescue ship that could carry drones and underwater robots to the Nansha Islands this year to help ships in trouble, including foreign vessels. Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship Nanhaijiu 118, under the Ministry of Transport's South China Sea Rescue Bureau, told China Daily of the plans. "Our bureau is planning a duty post in the Nansha Islands, with a ship based there. This will possibly be carried out in the second half of the year," Chen said, without specifying which island the ship will be based at. Wang Wensong, captain of the Nanhaijiu 118, said the ship proposed for the mission might be bigger than his 3,700-ton vessel and will be equipped with advanced rescue facilities. "It might carry drones and underwater robots," Wang said. ULAN BATOR, May 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese soldiers are on a parade at the opening ceremony of the Khan Quest 2016 peacekeeping military drill in Tavan Tolgoi, Mongolia, May 22, 2016. Mongolia. Mongolia kicked off its annual multinational peacekeeping drill on Sunday, with an eye to boosting military-to-military interoperability on peacekeeping missions. Military personnel from 47 countries in five continents have arrived in Tavan Tolgoi, a Mongolian military training ground about 65 kilometers away from Ulan Bator, capital of Mongolia, for the military exercise code-named "Khan Quest 2016." (Xinhua/Zheng Chuang) A CCTV News screen grab shows the arm of a sick student. Environmental NGOs are suing three chemical plants in a high-profile case of alleged soil contamination that may have affected students at a school in eastern China. Zhang Jianwen, spokesman for Changzhou Intermediate People's Court in Jiangsu province, confirmed on Sunday that a public interest lawsuit has been filed with the court. The suit has been brought by the groups Friends of Nature, China Biodiversity Conservation and the Green Development Foundation. The court accepted it after receiving the indictment and related material. Last month, blood samples taken from students at Changzhou Foreign Language School reportedly showed abnormal readings after the students moved to the school's new campus near the former sites of the chemical plants. The nongovernmental organizations allege that the three chemical factories polluted the environment. They have asked the court to order the factories to remove pollutants and to pay environmental restoration fees, according to the indictment. An aerial view of the Changzhou Foreign Languages School in East China's Jiangsu province. The school is located 100 meters from reportedly polluted former site of three chemical plants across the road. [Photo/Xinhua] Zhang said, "We'll pay attention to the case and strictly carry out the procedures for public lawsuits in line with the law." He did not release further details about the case, such as when it will be heard. The NGOs submitted the indictment to the court on April 29, alleging that the factories moved out of the area after seriously polluting land in Changlong, where the plants were located, adding that the polluted areas have not been restored. Wang Wenyong, a lawyer at the foundation, said the litigation is based on surveys the three NGOs carried out after the alleged pollution occurred. After negotiations with Friends of Nature, "we decided to combine efforts to bring a civil public interest lawsuit against the factories", he said. "We are studying and collecting other evidence in the case and are considering appealing to other departments involved with it at an appropriate time," he added. In April, the State Council made an environmental report to the National People's Congress Standing Committee, which for the first time drew the attention of a number of deputies. Deputies Yan Yixin and Du Liming suggested that the government increase soil monitoring posts and provide a special fund to prevent soil from being damaged. Chen Jining, minister of environmental protection, said in the ministry's annual work report in January that it is considering the Action Plan on Soil Pollution Prevention and Control, a national campaign targeting soil pollution. The Shanxi police cracked down a kidnap case in northern Chinas Datong city on May 11. The police received report on May 10 that Jiu Baoshi, Chairman of Huayue Group, was kidnapped on his way to work and a ransom of 20 million USD was asked for his life. The police tracked down two suspects in 18 hours, both of whom were shot dead during the 20 minute gun fight, with the victim rescued safe and sound. This video contains violent scenes that some may find disturbing, viewer discretion is advised. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: Azerbaijan can become a hub for export of Polish products to Iran and Central Asia, Vice President of the Polish Agricultural Market Agency Jaroslaw Olowski told Trend. This would open a new page in cooperation between Azerbaijan and Poland, Olowski said. "We would like to continue and expand the cooperation, the foundations of which were laid two years ago," he said. "In recent years, our relations weakened. One reason for that is a change of government in Poland, but the devaluation of the national currency of Azerbaijan became a more compelling reason. After the manat cheapened, Azerbaijan started to import less from Poland.' "I can see that Azerbaijan almost completely provides itself with agricultural products, but it can become a hub in the region for the further sale of agricultural products of Poland and other goods to neighboring countries," Olowski said. He added that currently Polish producers seek new markets. "After imposing an embargo on trade with Russia, which is Poland's main trading partner in the region, Polish producers are seeking the new sales markets for their products," Olowski said. "Azerbaijan is one of the potential markets." "But Poland also considers Azerbaijan as a hub for further export of Polish products to the markets of Iran and Central Asian countries, as Azerbaijan coexists with all of these countries," he added. Olowski stressed that Poland is also interested in the import of a number of agricultural products from Azerbaijan. "I know that citrus fruits, olives, nuts and so on are grown in Azerbaijan," he said. "I think that Poland will be interested in the import of these products." Olowski added that Poland would also like to provide the region with its experience in the field of veterinary and phytosanitary. "Poland's veterinary and phytosanitary control services are recognized as one of the best in Europe and the country would like to introduce its technologies and apply its knowledge in the countries of the region, including Azerbaijan," Olowski said. "This envisages the exchange of knowledge, as well as the introduction of new various farming systems." According to the State Statistics Committee, the Azerbaijan-Poland trade turnover amounted to 20.74 million manat in January-April 2016, that is, 13.6 percent more than in the same period of 2015. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: Armenian armed forces have 15 times violated the ceasefire with Azerbaijan on the line of contact over the past 24 hours, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said May 23. Azerbaijani positions, located in the village of Kohneqishlaq of the Agstafa district, were shelled from the positions located on the nameless heights and the village of Paravakar of Armenia's Ijevan district. Azerbaijani positions, located in the villages of Aghdam and Agbulag of Tovuz district, were shelled from the positions located near the villages of Mosesqekh and Chinari of Armenia's Berd district. Further on, Azerbaijani positions were shelled from the nameless heights of Khojavand and Fizuli districts. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Special Representative on the South Caucasus Kristian Vigenin is on a visit in the region, the press service of the OSCE PA told Trend May 23. Vigenin will hold meetings in Armenia May 23-24, visit Georgia May 25-26, and then travel to Azerbaijan, the press service said. The OSCE PA special representative will arrive in Azerbaijan May 27 and discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons, and other issues. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Details added, first version posted at 13:41 Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The results of the World Humanitarian Summit will contribute to the improvement of living standards of the people who suffer from humanitarian crises around the world, said Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. "We in Azerbaijan know very well what it means to be a refugee or an internally displaced person," said President Aliyev addressing the World Humanitarian Summit underway in Istanbul May 23. The president reminded that for over 20 years, more than one million of Azerbaijanis have suffered from military aggression and occupation by Armenia. "As a result of this aggression, 20 percent of our internationally recognized territory is under occupation," said the president. "More than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons." The president said that Armenia committed ethnic cleansing and genocide against Azerbaijanis. "Khodjaly genocide committed by Armenia in 1992 is recognized by more than 10 countries. As a result of Khodjaly genocide, 613 civilians were brutally killed, among them 106 women, 63 children, 70 elderly. More than 1000 people are missing," said Ilham Aliyev. He further said that Armenia continues its policy of aggresion against Azerbaijan. "In April of 2016, Armenia launched new attack on peaceful Azerbaijani citizens. As a result of this attack, our soldiers and officers, as well as 6 civilians were killed. More than 30 civilians wounded. As a result of shelling of our citizen villages, more than 500 houses were damaged, more than 100 houses completely destroyed and burned," said the president. President Ilham Aliyev also informed the summit participants that the Armenian army used prohibited weapons against Azerbaijani civilians, in parituclar white phosphorus bombs. "All the war crimes committed by Armenia are documented and presented to international monitors," he said. "In order to protect our civilian population, Azerbaijani army conducted successful counter-attack, and only after that the aggressor stopped." The president reminded that Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions, demanding immediate and uncontiditional withdrawal of Armenian froops from the teritory of Azerbaijan. "Nagorno Karabakh and 7 other districs of Azerbaijan are occupied," said the president. "In some cases the UN Security Council resolutions are implemented within days, if not hours. In our case - it has remained on paper for more than 20 years. This is the policy of double standards against Azerbaijan." "Armenia must implement these resolutions or be sanctioned. Territorieal integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored," said Ilham Aliyev. Details added, first version posted at 13:41 Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The results of the World Humanitarian Summit will contribute to the improvement of living standards of the people who suffer from humanitarian crises around the world, said Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. "We in Azerbaijan know very well what it means to be a refugee or an internally displaced person," said President Aliyev addressing the World Humanitarian Summit underway in Istanbul May 23. The president reminded that for over 20 years, more than one million Azerbaijanis have suffered from military aggression and occupation by Armenia. "As a result of this aggression, 20 percent of our internationally recognized territory is under occupation," said the president. "More than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons." The president said that Armenia committed ethnic cleansing and genocide against Azerbaijanis. "Khodjaly genocide committed by Armenia in 1992 is recognized by more than 10 countries. As a result of Khodjaly genocide, 613 civilians were brutally killed, among them 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly. More than 1,000 people are missing," said President Aliyev. He further said that Armenia continues its policy of aggression against Azerbaijan. "In April of 2016, Armenia launched new attack on peaceful Azerbaijani citizens. As a result of this attack, our soldiers and officers, as well as 6 civilians were killed. More than 30 civilians wounded. As a result of shelling of civilian villages, more than 500 houses were damaged, and more than 100 houses were completely destroyed and burned," said the president. President Aliyev also informed the summit participants that the Armenian army used prohibited weapons against Azerbaijani civilians, in particular white phosphorus bombs. "All the war crimes committed by Armenia are documented and presented to international monitors," he said. "In order to protect our civilian population, Azerbaijani army conducted successful counter-attack, and only after that the aggressor stopped." The president reminded that Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions, demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory of Azerbaijan. The president said that Nagorno Karabakh and seven other districts of Azerbaijan were occupied by Armenia. "In some cases the UN Security Council resolutions are implemented within days, if not hours. In our case it has remained on paper for more than 20 years. This is the policy of double standards against Azerbaijan." "Armenia must implement these resolutions or be sanctioned. Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored," said Ilham Aliyev. Another serious threat to the region, according to Azerbaijani president, is the outdated Armenian nuclear power plant in Metsamor. "There is information that Armenia is illegally using the radioactive waste," said Ilham Aliyev. "Former prime minister, parliament members and other officials of Armenia declared this April that Armenia has a nuclear weapon, the so called the "dirty bomb". This statement must be thoroughly examined by corresponding international organizations. Armenia's nuclear threat and blackmail must be stopped." President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan does its best to overcome the consequences of humanitarian catastrophe caused by Armenia. "More than $6 billion were spent to improve the living conditions of our refugees and IDPs," he said. "The level of poverty among refugees and IDPs dropped from 75 to 12 percent, in general poverty level in Azerbaijan dropped from almost 50 percent to 5 percent in the last 12 years," he said. Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan provides and will continue to provide assistance to countries suffering from similar problems. "We provided financial assistance to support the UN Ebola response and recovery actions. We are also committed to promote cooperation among relevant institutions and stake holders for ensuring access of population to early warning system and disaster risk information," he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: The withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories should be ensured, said Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. He made the remarks addressing a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels May 23. The recent escalation on the frontline has signaled that the status quo in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may lead to violence and severe military clashes, said Mammadyarov. "Everyone is fed up with the status quo, which is not reliable and remains unsustainable and unacceptable. Demilitarization and withdrawal of troops has to be ensured," he added. Azerbaijan's foreign minister pointed out that moving beyond this situation by means of constructive negotiations can bring the desired peace and stability to the region. "However, the statements threatening Azerbaijan with "dirty bombs" bears no indication of any intention of Armenia in this regard," said Mammadyarov. "In the meantime, we call on international community to closely scrutinize Armenia's disobedience to commitments taken under international conventions on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," he said. "This is critically important in view of previous and recently discovered notorious criminal cases related to trafficking of radioactive materials from Armenia to potential third countries." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva are taking part in the First World Humanitarian Summit, which opened in Istanbul, Turkey, May 23. The summit is being held by an initiative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with the organizational support of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The summit involves representatives of 177 countries, including 125 heads of state and governments. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the 5th Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah IV Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Lebanon Tammam Salam, as well as leaders of other countries are taking part in the summit. A video message from Pope Francis to the participants of the summit will be played out. Seven round table meetings and 15 sessions, where issues of organization of humanitarian relief supplies will be discussed, will be held during the summit. Non-governmental organizations, international humanitarian structures, representatives of private sector have also been invited to participate in the summit. In total, nearly 6,000 people are attending the event. The purpose of the summit is to strengthen the international humanitarian system. It is not a coincidence that Istanbul was chosen as a venue to host the summit, since Turkey received the largest number of refugees. The summit will continue its work May 23-24. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: Azerbaijan and Israel discussed the issues of nuclear safety and reiterated that all the countries have the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry told Trend May 23, commenting on the Deputy FM Araz Azimov's visit to Israel. During the visit, Azimov met with the Israeli foreign minister, representatives of the country's parliament and state bodies. The meetings discussed topical issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel, as well as problems of the Middle East and South Caucasus. The Israeli side was informed about the fact that Armenia's Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant poses a threat to both Azerbaijan and the entire South Caucasus. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting in Turkey's Istanbul, May 23. During the meeting, the presidents expressed satisfaction with the successful development of brotherly and friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey in political, economic and other areas. They noted the importance of regular visits and mutual high-level meetings in terms of further strengthening the bilateral relations. It was also pointed out that the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul will contribute to the expansion of international cooperation. During the meeting, the parties discussed the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and exchanged views on the further development of bilateral relations. Professor Peter Kopacek, the founder and director of Master programme on engineering management at Vienna University of Technology, world famous Austrian scientist after two days of training held at Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) shared his impressions with us in connection with his visit. Mr. Kopacek finished his doctorate studies on management with distinction in 1971. Between 1986 and 1990 he worked as professor for "Systems Engineering and Automation" at University of Linz, Austria. From 1990 - 2008 he headed the Institute for 'Handling Devices and Robotics', Vienna and he was the president of the Austrian Society for Systems Engineering and Automation (SAT). Since March 1985 Mr. Kopacek worked as vice president and general secretary of IFAC/Austria and of OGART (Austrian Society for Automation and Robotics) the Austrian IFAC. He received three Honorary Doctor titles. He is also corresponding member of the Saxonian Academy of Sciences and the German Academy of Technical Sciences. He is a member of IFAC, IFR, IEEE and a winner of 'Engelberger' award from the Industrial American Robotics Society. Professor Peter Kopacek is the author of six books and more than 300 articles. It should be noted that Mr. Kopacek visited Baku for the first time in 1978. So, it is your second visit to Azerbaijan. In this connection, what kind of changes did you see in Baku compared with your first visit? Your country and Baku city has changed a lot within the past years. Now Baku more looks like some western city. I do not know what the future actions of city authorities will turn to be. If they plan to construct a business and tourism megalopolis it is all right. It is impossible not to see changes that took place in Baku. After two days of training what impressions have you formed about BHOS and our students? I have been informed that BHOS is comparatively new school. It was founded 2011 enrolling Bachelor students. It was impressive for me that only the best students from the secondary schools are able to be admitted to BHOS. They are very bright students. Would you be glad to return to Azerbaijan particularly to BHOS? First of all I must say that I am not young. However if BHOS invites me, there is no problem for coming back. It is exciting for me to learn new environment. I often visit countries of the world. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: SOCAR president, MP Rovnag Abdullayev visited the new campus of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) being under construction and situated at Bibiheybet. He closely familiarized himself with the work carried out at the magnificent building. Rovnag Abdullayev said that a number of lecturing halls and laboratories would be constructed by the leading companies of the globe for free at BHOS new campus, the largest one in the Caucasus, comprising hostel, academic buildings, large stadium and other grandiose infrastructural objects. "The whole complex of the higher school will be commissioned this year," Rovnag Abdullayev said. He also brought forward special assignments connected with the exploitation of the complex to be started by forthcoming September. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: Gold reserves in Azerbaijan have increased more than twice in recent years thanks to new explored deposits, said Huseyngulu Baghirov, Azerbaijani minister of ecology and mineral resources. Baghirov made the remarks during his interview with the website of Azerbaijan's ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP). The minister said that thanks to the upgraded base of drilling rigs and the use of new techniques and technologies, the efficiency of geological exploration work has been increased. Baghirov noted that about 900 fields were registered in Azerbaijan's state and territorial balance of reserves of mineral resources. Moreover, 253 of these fields, including 18 ore, 55 non-ore, 179 deposits of construction materials and one underground fresh water deposit, have been registered after the establishment of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, added the minister. Baghirov said that thanks to new deposits, the needs in building materials and non-ore materials are being fully satisfied. Azerbaijan produced 727.2 kilograms of precious metals (597.1 kilograms of gold and 130.1 kilograms of silver) in January-April 2016, which is by 0.6 percent more than in the same period of 2015, according to Azerbaijan's State Statistics Committee. The country also produced 560 kilograms of copper during the reporting period that is by 2.3 times more than in January-April 2015. Edited by SI Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: Timely and successful finalization of the Southern Gas Corridor project is critical for bringing alternative gas volumes to Europe, said Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. He made the remarks addressing a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels May 23. The revised European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) reaffirmed the importance of completing the Southern Gas Corridor project for achieving the pan-European energy security, said the foreign minister. "The groundbreaking ceremony of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), held on May 17 in Thessaloniki, Greece, marked another milestone in this regard," he added. "Azerbaijan is and will remain a committed partner to meet joint strategic interests in the field of energy security." Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan has always demonstrated a strong political will to develop the relations with the EU based on principles of equal partnership and mutual benefit. He recalled that Azerbaijan introduced the draft Strategic Partnership Agreement to the EU a year ago. "This agreement will lay the solid foundation for upgrading our bilateral relationship to qualitatively new level and for better securing our common interests," said Mammadyarov. He said the visit of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to Azerbaijan was a good opportunity for reviewing and discussing the future direction of the EU-Azerbaijan relations. "We attach great importance to enhancing our bilateral cooperation in many areas of shared interest, and, having recently finalized joint consultations on the scope of Strategic Partnership Agreement, we understand that the EU will come up with an official mandate to launch negotiations soon," said Mammadyarov. "Currently, we are working on the resumption of existing political dialogue mechanism aimed at re-energizing our bilateral cooperation," said the minister. "Furthermore, we are also ready to resume negotiations on Common Aviation Agreement with the EU." "There is huge untapped potential in the area of transport as well," noted Mammadyarov. "Azerbaijan continues to make all the efforts to further contribute to the development of transit corridors in our region, particularly the East-West and South-North corridors." The minister also said the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, expected to be operational by the end of this year, will join the ranks of the region's most critical infrastructures once China's Silk Road Economic Belt concept comes to the full reality. "These projects will serve as an effective instrument for engagement in wider areas of common interest between the EU and Azerbaijan," he added. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are negotiating the opportunities of transporting Turkmen gas to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor, Natig Aliyev, Azerbaijani energy minister, said in an interview with ANS TV channel. "There are two pragmatic options," the minister said. "The first option is to construct the Trans-Caspian pipeline, while the second option - to connect the platforms in the Caspian Sea through the subsea pipelines." "The Southern Gas Corridor envisages the transportation of 16 billion of Azerbaijani gas annually," Aliyev said, adding that at the same time, it is open to other sources, including Turkmenistan. "Turkmenistan claims about an opportunity of exporting up to 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year to Europe, but on condition of its sale on the country's border, in this case - on the shore of the Caspian Sea," the minister said, adding that this raises big questions. "At present, Turkmenistan can export up to five bcm of gas from the offshore fields annually with the further increase up to 10 bcm," said the minister. "This option creates great prospects for the Southern Gas Corridor." Aliyev said that despite the reality of the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline, there are a number of unresolved issues, which do not depend on Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan's position is that while constructing this pipeline, the country is creating opportunities for each country to export its gas to Europe," he said. "Azerbaijan is even ready to make additional investments, increase the capacity of the pipeline, build additional gas compressor stations, but the country needs guarantees in the form of long-term contracts of the potential exporters, including Turkmenistan, with the buyer-countries in Europe." The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov details added (first version posted at 10:13) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are negotiating the opportunities of transporting Turkmen gas to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor, Natig Aliyev, Azerbaijani energy minister, said in an interview with ANS TV channel. "There are two pragmatic options," the minister said. "The first option is to construct the Trans-Caspian pipeline, while the second option - to connect the platforms in the Caspian Sea through the subsea pipelines." "The Southern Gas Corridor envisages the transportation of 16 billion of Azerbaijani gas annually," Aliyev said, adding that at the same time, it is open to other sources, including Turkmenistan. "Turkmenistan claims about an opportunity of exporting up to 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year to Europe, but on condition of its sale on the country's border, in this case - on the shore of the Caspian Sea," the minister said, adding that this raises big questions. "At present, Turkmenistan can export up to five bcm of gas from the offshore fields annually with the further increase up to 10 bcm," said the minister. "This option creates great prospects for the Southern Gas Corridor." Aliyev said that despite the reality of the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline, there are a number of unresolved issues, which do not depend on Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan's position is that while constructing this pipeline, the country is creating opportunities for each country to export its gas to Europe," he said. "Azerbaijan is even ready to make additional investments, increase the capacity of the pipeline, build additional gas compressor stations, but the country needs guarantees in the form of long-term contracts of the potential exporters, including Turkmenistan, with the buyer-countries in Europe." The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: Kazakhstan plans to construct an oil terminal in its Kuryk port in the future, the Kazakh National Transport and Logistics Center told Trend May 23. However, no timeframe of the terminal's construction was revealed. Transshipment of oil from the port of Kuryk will also be carried out by a ferry complex, which is now under construction. "The main destinations of oil transportation through the Kuryk port's ferry terminal are Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia and Latvia," said the Center. As of today, cargo transportation by ferries from Kazakhstan to the ports of the Caspian littoral states is possible only through the port of Aktau. The ferry terminal at that port has been working at the limit of its capacity for the recent years. Kazakhstan plans to increase transit transportation from the current 18 million tons of cargo to 33 million tons in 2020 and to 50 million tons in 2030. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Tehran, Iran, May 23 By Emil Ilgar - Trend: Iran has planned to increase gas deliveries to power plants by 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) to 65 bcm in the current fiscal year (started on March 21), Hamidreza Aragi as Director General of Iran's National gas company said. During the last fiscal year, supplying gas to power sector reached 58 bcm, sharing 83 percent in total fuel deliveries to this sector, Aragi told Shana news agency. He added that Iranian power plants currently need 73.5 bcm of gas. Iran supplied 50 bcm and 38 bcm of gas to power plants during the fiscal years, corresponding to 2014 and 2013. According to the latest report, released by Iran's Energy Ministry, some 7.619 bcm of gas was suppied to power sector in 55 days of the current fiscal year, indicates a 9.7 percent decrease year-to-year. The country also consumed 531 million liters of liquid fuels in this sector during the mentioned period. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 23 By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend: Turkmenistan's Road Transport Ministry will sign a contract with South Korea's Hyundai Corporation to purchase buses. This is stipulated by the decree signed by Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Turkmenistan will purchase 496 intraurban Hyundai New Super Aero City buses and four Hyundai New Super Aero City buses for disabled people, as well as spare parts and expendable supplies. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 23 By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend: Ashgabat will host an annual meeting of the Regional Ozone Network for Europe & Central Asia on May 24-27, read a message from the Ozone office under Turkmenistan's State Committee for Environmental Protection and Land Resources May 23. The event will be held by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) with the assistance of Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry and State Committee for Environmental Protection and Land Resources. The experts on ozone layer protection, the employees of regional customs, as well as representatives of international organizations will participate in the event. The meeting will focus on close cooperation in monitoring the trading with ozone depleting substances (ODS). The Regional Ozone Network for Europe & Central Asia, which was created under the UN in 2003, brings together 12 countries and three subregions (Caucasus, Balkans and Central Asia). Tashkent, Uzbekistan, May 23 By Demir Azizov - Trend: The assets of Uzbekistan's Ipak Yuli Open Joint-Stock Innovation Commercial Bank stood at 1.761 trillion soums in 2015 as compared to 1.272 trillion soums in 2014, read a report from the Uzbek Securities Market Coordination and Control Center. Official exchange rate on May 23 is 2914.10 soums/$1. The assets of Ipak Yuli have increased by 38.4 percent over 2015. The bank issued loans worth 932.6 billion soums in 2015, as compared to 663.1 billion soums in 2014. The bank's liabilities increased by 39.8 percent and stood at 1.596 trillion soums in 2015. Its net profit stood at 34.631 billion soums in 2015, as compared to 26.696 billion soums in 2014. Ipak Yuli was founded in 1990. The bank has a branched structure of mini banks, express centers and branches in Tashkent and several regions of the country. The total assets of Uzbek banks increased by 25.1 percent and stood at 65.2 trillion soums, while the total loan portfolio of the country's banks rose by 27.3 percent and stood at 42.7 trillion soums in 2015. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, May 23 By Demir Azizov- Trend: Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in Uzbekistan on an official visit. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral relations and prospects for their development, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said May 23. The two ministers discussed the draft program and agenda of the upcoming Uzbek-Chinese high level contacts. The sides also reaffirmed their interest in the fruitful outcomes of Uzbekistan's chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2015-2016 and successfully holding the SCO anniversary summit in Tashkent. Some international and regional problems were also reviewed during the two ministers' meeting. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iraqis have promised to remove ban on import of Iranian cement, Abdolreza Sheikhan, secretary of Iran's Cement Industry Employers Association said. Following several meetings between Iranian and Iraqi officials, Baghdad promised to give priority to Iranian exports, once general ban on cement import is removed, Sheikhan said, Fars news agency reported. He further said that Iraq has banned cement import due to security problems in the country and oil price fall, adding Iraq's cement demand currently is met by its domestic production. Sheikhan earlier said that Iran's cement and clinker exports witnessed a 20 percent fall in last fiscal year (ended March 20) and stood at 15 million tons. Earlier Iraq's market was sharing 60 percent of Iran's cement export, Sheikhan said, adding last year Baghdad increased custom tariff for each ton of Iran's cement from four to $13. Iran currently exports cement to some 24 countries including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Oman, India, and China. Last year, Sheikhan warned that Iran is gradually losing its domestic and foreign cement markets. "Cement supply and demand is not balanced in the market and this has created problems for producers," he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran, India and Afghanistan have signed an agreement on establishment of an international transport and transit corridor from Iran's south-eastern port of Chabahar. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed the trilateral accord, dubbed the Chabahar Agreement, in Tehran, May 23, Iran's state-run IRINN TV reported. Both Ghani and Modi are today on a visit in Iran. On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Iranian president said that Chabahar port will connect India to Afghanistan, Central Asian states as well as Eastern Europe. He further said that the regional countries should use all available opportunities to expand relations. Rouhani underlined that the joint activities between Iran, Afghanistan and India will be beneficial to the whole region and will contribute positively to the peace and stability, adding that other countries can also join the trilateral agreement of cooperation as well in the new future. He also said that Iran's Urban Development and Road minister, Abbas Akhoundi and counterparts from India and Afghanistan will meet regularly to review the progress made in the project. The Indian prime minister, for his part, said that the signed deal could alter the course of history in the region. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran, India and Afghanistan have signed an agreement on establishment of an international transport and transit corridor from Iran's south-eastern port of Chabahar. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed the trilateral accord, dubbed the Chabahar Agreement, in Tehran, May 23, Iran's state-run IRINN TV reported. Both Ghani and Modi are today on a visit in Iran. On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Iranian president said that Chabahar port will connect India to Afghanistan, Central Asian states as well as Eastern Europe. He further said that the regional countries should use all available opportunities to expand relations. Rouhani underlined that the joint activities between Iran, Afghanistan and India will be beneficial to the whole region and will contribute positively to the peace and stability, adding that other countries can also join the trilateral agreement of cooperation as well in the new future. He also said that Iran's Urban Development and Road minister, Abbas Akhoundi and counterparts from India and Afghanistan will meet regularly to review the progress made in the project. The Indian prime minister, for his part, said that the signed deal could alter the course of history in the region. "The three-nation pact will strengthen our ability to stand in mutual support against those whose only motto is to maim and kill innocents," added Modi. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani also said on the sidelines of the signing ceremony that Asia is changing and moving towards being an economic power. "In our decision we wanted to prove that geography is not our destiny and we are not restricted by geography, and by our will and resolution we can change the geography," he said. The step that starts in Chabahar will be extended to a comprehensive development and it will lead to an economic and cultural cooperation, added the Afghan president. The Chabahar port connects Central Asia with Southeast Asia. Establishment of the Chabahar Port and the Chabahar free zone promotes regional trade and commerce. The port will open a transit route to Afghanistan and Central Asia for Indian goods and products, bypassing the land route through Pakistan. New Delhi also wants to bring gas from Central Asia to the port and then transport it to India. The route also provides Afghanistan with access to international waterways through the shortest, safest and most cost-effective routes, as well as an alternative transit route for the Karachi and Hairatan ports. It also reduces the country's economic dependence on volatile routes passing through the unsafe territory in Pakistan. Tehran, Iran, May 23 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Iranian tankers will start their first post-sanctions journeys to Europe in the coming weeks, according to Ramin Rajaei, an official at the National Iranian Tanker Company. He also pointed out that European tankers are also expected to travel to Iran soon, IRNA reported May 23. European tankers have been unable to dock at Iranian ports for five years due to sanctions. The sanctions were lifted after Iran's nuclear deal with world powers was put into force in January. The official went on to say that Norwegian and British companies have signed deals with Iran for providing the country with new shipping equipment. The Iranian fleet includes 70 tankers, making it the biggest tanker fleet of the world. Iran faces a struggle to increase oil exports because many of its tankers are tied up storing crude, some are not seaworthy, and foreign shipowners remain reluctant to carry its cargoes. Tehran is seeking to make up for lost trade to Europe following the lifting of EU sanctions imposed in 2011 and 2012, which deprived it of a market that accounted for over a third of its exports and left it relying completely on Asian buyers. Iran has increased its oil export from 1 mbpd under the sanctions to 2.2 mbpd now and is increasingly concerned with the number of tankers it could get to carry the oil. The 70 tankers used to carry 90 percent of the sanctions-era oil. But now they are able to cover less than half, meaning the country needs more foreign tankers and needs them quick. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Emil Ilgar - Trend: Iran, Afghanistan, and India signed a trilateral deal in Tehran on Monday to turn the Iranian southeastern port of Chabahar into a regional transit hub. The deal was signed in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Chabahar can be a connecting point between different countries, such as India with Afghanistan, Central Asia, Caucasus, and Eastern Europe, said President Rouhani on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, IRNA reported. During his meeting with the Afghan president, Rouhani said: "The document that is going to be signed today by Iran, India and Afghanistan, will be the ground for development of all three countries, as well as the region," president.ir reported. During the same meeting, President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani said: "Kabul seeks regional cooperation with Iran, in bilateral and multilateral context". He added: "Today a significant step in the relations and bilateral and regional cooperation among the three countries will be taken and this transit line will significantly affect regional cooperation". Prior to that, India signed 12 agreements with Iran, aiming to invest billions of dollars in setting up industries - ranging from aluminum smelter to urea plants - in Iran's Chabahar free trade zone. The Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran and the India Ports Global Pvt signed an agreement on the development of Chabahar port. Meanwhile, the Finance and Economic Affairs Ministry of Iran and the Exim Bank of India; the Indian National Aluminum Company (Nalco) and the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO); and the Indian Railway PSU IRCON and the Iranian Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company signed agreements. It was also expected that Modi's visit to Tehran may see finalizing of a contract, giving developmental rights of Iran's Farzad-B gas field to India's ONGC Videsh Ltd. But no agreement has been reached so far. The Farzad-B field was discovered in 2008 but no contract to exploit the 12.5 trillion cubic feet of recoverable reserves has so far been concluded with Iran. India has begun paying back $6 billion in debt from past oil purchases, last week giving Iran $750 million. It has said it will pay back the remainder of the debt. In 2012, Iran was India's second-largest crude supplier but oil exports subsequently fell due to international sanctions over Iran's nuclear program. Tehran, Iran, May 23 By Mehdi Sepahvand, Emil Ilgar - Trend: Iran has denied that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor has passed through Iranian borders to Pakistan, according to the country's foreign ministry's spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari. Ansari made the remarks at a press conference in Tehran on May 23, Trend's correspondent reported from the event. The mentioned Taliban leader was killed in a US strike in Pakistan, according to Pakistani sources. Pakistani security officials told AFP news agency they recovered two bodies charred beyond recognition. The man, who is suspected of being Mansoor, was said to be returning from Iran and was using a Pakistani passport with the name Muhammad Wali. Ansari refused to comment if Iran helped to locate Mansoor, but said that Iran supports any action that helps the region's stability. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iranian and Indian officials signed 12 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on the sidelines of a meeting between Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi May 23, Iran's state-run IRINN TV reported. The signed documents envisage cooperation in various fields including science, culture, technology and diplomatic affairs as well as economic and financial cooperation. The parties also signed documents on developing the strategic Chabahar port, located in south eastern Iran. Heading a big political and economic delegation Modi arrived in Tehran early May 23 on a two-day visit to strengthen trade, investment and energy ties with Iran. Modi, is the first Indian Prime Minister who visits Iran in the last 15 years. India will be trading to double its oil imports from the Islamic Republic, as Iran is India's second biggest oil supplier. Also India is looking on getting rights to develop a giant gas field in the energy rich Iran. Speaking of his trip, Modi recently said energy projects are the main points on agenda, pointing out the development of Iran's Farzad-B oil field as one of the most important ones. Tehran, Iran, May 23 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Israel is responsible for four Iranian diplomats kidnapped in 1982, said Foreign Ministry's Spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari at a press conference in Tehran on May 23, Trend's correspondent reported. Ansari said that Iran still considers them alive. Iran's Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan also said on May 23 that Tehran has evidence that four Iranian diplomats kidnapped in 1982 in Lebanon are in Israeli prison. Three Iranian diplomats, as well as the reporter of Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency were abducted in Lebanon on July 4, 1982. The missing diplomats are Ahmad Motevaselian, Seyed Mohsen Mousavi,Taghi Rastegar Moghadam and Kazem Akhavan. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Khalid Kazimov - Trend: The 14th summit of the Asian member states of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) has kicked off in Tehran. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Aragchi, alongside with 45 representatives from 25 Asian countries will attend the three-day summit in Tehran to discuss implementation of the CWC, IRNA news agency reported. Iran and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will host the summit. According to the website of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, The Convention aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. States Parties, in turn, must take the steps necessary to enforce that prohibition in respect of persons (natural or legal) within their jurisdiction. The OPCW is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force in 1997. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran and India decided to turn their merely trade relations into comprehensive economic ties, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said. Rouhani made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tehran, May 23, Iran's state-run IRINN TV reported. He said the Indian PM's visit to Tehran will pave way for further expansion of economic ties between the two countries. Iran's energy resources, as well as India's rich mineral reserves enable the two countries to cooperate in various industries, added Rouhani. He further touched upon the documents signed between the two countries on developing Iran's south eastern strategic Chabahar port, saying the port can turn into "a very big symbol of cooperation" between Iran and India. The port can connect various countries in the region, including India and Afghanistan, to Central Asia, Caucasus and Eastern Europe, Rouhani added. He also said the two parties have had very detailed discussions on the ways to organize relations between Iranian and Indian banks. Tourism cooperation was another topic of negotiations, added Rouhani. Since India has made much advancement in the new and high technologies, such as ICT, biotechnology, nanotechnology and aerospace, the two countries also decided to boost their scientific relations, added Rouhani. He also said Iran and India will enhance cooperation in establishing regional peace and stability, as well as fighting terrorism. Iranian and Indian officials signed 12 memorandums of understanding for cooperation in various fields, including science, culture, technology and diplomatic affairs, as well as economic and financial cooperation. The parties also signed documents on developing the strategic Chabahar port. Heading a big political and economic delegation Modi arrived in Tehran early May 23 on a two-day visit to strengthen the trade, investment and energy ties with Iran. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister who visits Iran in the last 15 years. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Khalid Kazimov - Trend: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has agreed to pardon or reduce the sentences of 669 convicts on the occasion of a religious holiday (Mid-Shaban). ISNA news agency reported that Ayatollah Khamenei has agreed with the proposal of the head of judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani on amnesty. Earlier, Ayatollah Amoli Larijani appealed to the supreme leader with a letter in which he asked for pardon or commuting the sentences of the convicts. The supreme leader signed a relevant decree. Iran's Constitution allows the Supreme Leader to pardon or reduce the sentences of convicts upon the recommendation of the judiciary chief. Amnesties and reduced prison terms are granted mainly on occasions marking religious and national festivals in Iran. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: If not for Iran, the "Islamic State" (IS, aka ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group would rule the entire Syria, says Major General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, said Iran has helped the Syrian government to stand against the terrorist group, IRNA news agency reported May 23. The Islamic Republic views the Syrian regime as its main strategic ally in the region, as well as a part of the "axis of resistance" against Israel. Tehran has always expressed support for the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Western countries accuse Iran of running military operations in Syria, but Tehran denies those accusations. Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that they only provide military consultations to the Syrian forces. Soleimani further said the US has been forced to back off from all of its purposes in the region. The Islamic Republic is definitely the winner on all the frontlines in the region, he said, adding however Iran's presence on certain frontlines in the region is not significant. He said for instance, Tehran has a very low presence in Yemen, but the "enemies" are facing defeat in the country due to their "wrong logic." As a result of the war in Yemen, the Shiite rebel group Ansarollah's power in the country has been consolidated, added Soleimani. Yemen has been in turmoil since September 2014, when rebels overran the capital Sana'a, forcing President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia. Since March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition, which includes Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, has been battling the rebels to restore Hadi to power. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of providing military support to the Yemeni Shiite rebels, something that Tehran denies. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Khalid Kazimov - Trend: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out the possibility of a military attack on the Islamic Republic. "Military attack on Islamic Establishment is unlikely, today. Yet Jihad still exists. Among Jihads, there is 'Great Jihad'," the official website of the supreme leader quoted him as saying at the graduation ceremony of cadets at Imam Hussein University. He added that 'Great Jihad' means not abiding by enemy whom the country is fighting. Refusing to abide by enemy in economy, politics, culture and art is "Great Jihad", he added. He made the remarks on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the liberation of the strategic port city of Khorramshahr from Iraqi forces under the former dictator Saddam Hussein. "We are at asymmetrical war with global arrogance. In this war, will powers are fighting. The stronger one will win," he said. "The nuclear issue and missiles are excuses. Of course excuses are useless and they can do nothing. The point is Iran doesn't follow arrogance," he added. Tehran, Iran, May 23 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Islamic countries should seek a way to liberate the hajj from the Saudis, Iran's Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani said. "The Saudi rulers have repeatedly proven that they do not have the ability to secure the hajj pilgrimage," he said, the Mehr news agency reported May 23. Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of failing to give assurance that Iranian pilgrims will be safe. Iran lost about 2,000 souls in last year's hajj during a stampede. Tehran accuses the Saudi government of causing the casualty through mismanagement. Tehran also says Saudi Arabia should issue visa for Iranian pilgrims inside the Iranian territory. But Saudi Arabia closed its embassy in Iran over a public seizure that followed political disputes between the two Muslim countries earlier this year. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Khalid Kazimov - Trend: An Iranian minister has dismissed reports suggesting Ministry of Science, Research and Technology has employed a former US security official. The Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Farhadi has said the reports on employing a US security official in the ministry are baseless, Mehr news agency reported May 23. He added that those who have spread the rumors can be prosecuted. Farhadi further said that several doctored photographs aimed at accusing the ministry have been published. Over the past week, a group of conservative media outlets have published reports suggesting that the recently appointed acting head of the ministry's center for international cooperation, Saideh Lotfian, had served as a US security advisor in Dubai. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazi who is on an official visit to Poland conferred with Polish Digital Affairs Anna Strezynska. The two sides agreed to set up a joint committee to combat organized crimes. Diplomatic ties between Iran and Poland started in the 17th century and several large institutions for Oriental studies are now active in Poland. Iranians hosted 100,000 Polish and provided them with welfare facilities during the Second World War after Germany occupied the East European country. Ties between the two friendly countries of Iran and Poland are growing and the two sides are seeking to bolster relations in all arenas. Tehran hosted a conference earlier this month to mark the 540th Anniversary of Iran-Poland Diplomatic Relations. The event was held by the foreign ministry in cooperation with the Polish Embassy in Tehran. A schoolgirl boarding-house in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai was burnt down late Sunday night, killing 17 girls, injuring five others while two girls were missing, a local newspaper quoted police as reporting on Monday, according to Xinhua. According to the Nation newspaper, the fire broke out at the boarding-house of Pithakkiart Witthaya School in Wiengpapao district at 11 p.m. Sunday. The girls who died in the fire were between five to 12 years old. There were 38 schoolgirls staying at the boarding-house. They came from hilltribe villages in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai to study in the town. After the blaze broke out officials could only evacuate a few of the girls while the rest were trapped inside. NATO seeks to maintain dialogue with Russia and avoid confrontation, NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said Monday. In 2014, NATO suspended practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia amid strained relations over the Ukrainian crisis, as the alliance accused Moscow of involvement in the conflict. Political dialogue in the NATO-Russia Council, however, was not halted. In April, a Russia-NATO Council meeting at the level of permanent envoys was held in Brussels. "NATO wants to avoid confrontation with Russia. We do not seek a new Cold War... While we strengthen our defence, as our responsibilities require us to do, we will continue to strive for meaningful dialogue with Moscow... We continue to view Russia's full integration into the global community of sovereign nations as essential to our security. And we hope that one day that will be the case," Vershbow said at the UK Parliament. According to Vershbow, the main obstacle to NATO-Russia rapprochement is that "Russia continues to violate the sovereignty of its neighbours." Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey is acting as a mediator in the settlement of armed conflicts, says the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He made the remarks speaking at the opening ceremony of the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, aired live by the TRT Haber news channel May 23. Erdogan said international community should make efforts to resolve armed conflicts. He also expressed hope that the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul will give an important momentum to the settlement of humanitarian problems. Turkey is one of the countries actively helping Syrian refugees, added Erdogan. "Turkey has spent $10 billion to upkeep the Syrian refugees, and there are three million Syrian refugees in the country," he said. Erdogan added that at the same time international community has allocated $455 million for the Syrian refugees. First World Humanitarian Summit is being held by an initiative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with the organizational support of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The summit involves representatives of 177 countries, including 125 heads of state and governments. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the 5th Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah IV Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Lebanon Tammam Salam, as well as leaders of other countries are taking part in the summit. The purpose of the summit is to strengthen the international humanitarian system. It is not a coincidence that Istanbul was chosen as a venue to host the summit, since Turkey received the largest number of refugees. The summit will continue its work May 23-24. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Details added, first version posted at 12:24 Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 Trend: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged to cut the number of displaced people in half by 2030, and find better solution for refugees. "We need to invest in humanity, " Ban Ki-moon said at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 23. Ban Ki-moon said that humanity has shared responsibilities. He then thanked the government and people of Turkey. "I proposed this summit four years ago. Today, the urgency has only grown. A record number of people, 130 million, need aid to survive. Over the next two days, people of the world are looking at us for commitment. First, conflict prevention and resolution. We must do more to prevent conflicts that takes up more than 80% of humanitarian funding. That requires greater political will, leadership and perseverance. Second, strengthening protection of civilians who are under attack as never before. It is time to impose international humanitarian and human rights law," he said. First World Humanitarian Summit is being held by an initiative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with the organizational support of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The summit involves representatives of 177 countries, including 125 heads of state and governments. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the 5th Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah IV Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Lebanon Tammam Salam, as well as leaders of other countries are taking part in the summit. The purpose of the summit is to strengthen the international humanitarian system. It is not a coincidence that Istanbul was chosen as a venue to host the summit, since Turkey received the largest number of refugees. The summit will continue its work May 23-24. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: Today there is a need for renewed global consensus regarding humanitarian principles, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 23. She stressed that the scale of the suffering that is witnessed today, is shocking. She also stressed the need for complete system of humanitarian aid. "What we need more than anything else is reliability with regard to those who support the delivery of humanitarian aid," Merkel said. She also said that Germany will make more funds available humanitarian assistance and aid. "We need crisis, emergency and response facilities that are well funded," Merkel said. First World Humanitarian Summit is being held by an initiative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with the organizational support of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The summit involves representatives of 177 countries, including 125 heads of state and governments. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the 5th Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah IV Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Lebanon Tammam Salam, as well as leaders of other countries are taking part in the summit. The purpose of the summit is to strengthen the international humanitarian system. It is not a coincidence that Istanbul was chosen as a venue to host the summit, since Turkey received the largest number of refugees. The summit will continue its work May 23-24. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Three million refugees of other nationality, having different customs and traditions, could have a demographic impact on any country for the last five years. More than 4.5 million people became refugees as a result of the military conflict in Syria, which was earlier one of the most intellectually advanced countries of the Arab East. At present, there are three million refugees only in Turkey. This has been the most severe humanitarian crisis since the World War II. Along with Turkey, refugees from Syria took refuge in such neighboring countries as Jordan and Lebanon. According to the Saudi authorities' statements, there are two million Syrian refugees on the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It should be stressed that Turkey has created the most favorable conditions for the refugees from Syria, mainly dominated by ethnic Arabs, Kurds and Circassians, compared to neighboring countries. There are also cultural centers for refugees in the container cities in Turkey. Aside from that the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) of Turkey has issued special AFADARD payment cards for Syrian refugees. However, the Turkish government and the refugees themselves well understand that no matter which living conditions are created in Turkey, still it can't replace the life in the homeland. The First World Humanitarian Summit kicked off in Turkey's Istanbul on May 23. This forum is ambiguously assessed both in Turkey and beyond. There is an opinion that by holding this summit, Turkey allegedly advertises itself and its help to Syrian refugees. But the country, which has allocated $10 billion from the state budget to upkeep Syrian refugees, doesn't really need advertising. Addressing the opening of the World Humanitarian Summit, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the international community has allocated $455 million to upkeep Syrian refugees. That's a minuscule amount compared to the funds Turkey has spent to upkeep the Syrian refugees. The Turkish president expressed hope that the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul will give an important impetus for the settlement of the humanitarian crisis. However, the Turkish president's hopes will hardly be justified. Despite the fact that the EU promised to allocate $3 billion for Turkey to upkeep the Syrian refugees, Turkey still hasn't received the promised funds. Although it is clear that the issue of the Syrian refugees is not only Turkey's problem, the country may not receive the promised funds from the EU in the end. Given all this, one can say that at this moment Turkey is a leading country in rendering humanitarian aid to the Syrian refugees. --- Rufiz Hafizoglu is the head of Trend Agency's Arabic news service, follow him on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Research shows that 94 percent of the Chinese population are suffering from at least one form of mental illness. (Photo : Getty Images) A recent research led by Fiona Charlson found that 94 percent of Chinese people suffering from substance use disorders, anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses are still left untreated. In India, only 1 out of 10 mentally ill people is receiving treatment from a specialist. "In China, mental, neurological and substance use disorders accounted for 7 percent of all [years of healthy life of the whole population] in 1990, rising to 11 percent by 2013," said the researchers of the study. "Similarly in India, the proportion of all burden explained by mental, neurological, and substance use disorders rose from 3 percent in 1990 to 6 percent in 2013." Advertisement The Lancet stated that the staggering number of people who are not receiving proper psychiatric treatment is a result of a number of factors. These include poor access to mental health services and facilities, lack of trained professionals in the field of psychiatry, high levels of stigma, and low investment in improving mental health services. The Guardian reported that the mental health care sector only receives less than 1 percent of the total national health budget in both countries. Despite the current advancements in the assessment, diagnosis and interventions for mental illnesses, a strong stigma against the mentally ill continues to linger in the present-day societies across China and India. According to professor Graham Thornicroft of the community psychiatry at the King's College London, the same scenario occurs in all the other countries on earth. He described the neglect of the people with mental illness as "astonishing" and "a major scandal." He believes that the governments should realize the indirect yet harmful effects of mental illness to people's lives. The research also revealed that there will be an increase of 10 percent in the years of healthy life that will be lost in China by 2025. At the same year, India is projected to have a staggering 23 percent increase. Dementia is expected to affect more lives in both countries in the next 10 years. A Chinese doctor evaluates the treatment of a young child who comes into the hospital with his parents. (Photo : Getty Images) Dr. Wang Jun of the Shaodong County Peoples Hospital in Hunan Province suffered from a fatal blow to his skull on Wednesday. The ear, nose and throat specialist is the most recent victim of yinao, or the medical ruckus that plagues hospitals in the country. The New York Times reported that the family members of a patient who was waiting in line attacked Dr. Wang while the latter was busy treating other patients. Advertisement A report from Xinhua said that the family members were not pleased with the treatment received by patients. They perceived that the doctors were not "vigorous" in serving the patients. The doctor fell to the ground after being cursed at and hit by the assailants. Unconscious for a few hours, he received immediate life-saving efforts from the hospital's medical personnel. However, he did not survive the lethal attack. Dr. Wang was in his early 40s. Two of the suspects were immediately arrested by the police, while another suspect surrendered later that day. The unfortunate death of Dr. Wang is only one of the many cases of Chinese doctors and nurses who experience abuse from the families who have bad perceptions of the current health care system. They are often verbally abused and humiliated, while some practitioners suffer from physical violence. The phenomenon is labeled "yinao," or medical ruckus, in the country. A total of 4,599 security incidents which occurred in hospitals have been recorded by law enforcement officials in 2014. Many of these involved agitated families of patients. The records show that 1,425 people had been involved in such attacks to hospital professionals. The news about Dr. Wang's death spread like wildfire within the day when the attack occurred. It drew government officials to state their promises for a more protective hospital environment. Meanwhile, many people expressed anger against the assailants and pity for the demise of the doctor. China's top lawmaker Zhang Dejiang believes that Hong Kong is better off following the One Country, Two Systems than separating from the mainland. (Photo : Getty Images) Zhang Dejiang, a top legislator of China, reaffirmed that One Country, Two Systems is to be retained as the principle of governance in Hong Kong and the rest of China. On Wednesday, Zhang spoke highly of "One Country, Two Systems" in front of hundreds of Hong Kong business leaders, representatives and government officials in an official banquet. Advertisement Prior to this event, Zhang held a meeting with lawmakers and the members of Executive Council about further developing the social and economic positions of Hong Kong through the aforementioned principle. "If the foundation is shaken, and the bottom line is compromised, how can we maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability?" Zhang replied to the advocates of the separation of Hong Kong from China with "localism" as the group's ideology. Zhang further stated that Hong Kong will remain under the said principle, and any conjecture of changing it is "groundless." The principle already enforces a high level of autonomy for the people of Hong Kong, and there are no plans of abolishing it. China Daily reported that "One Country, Two Systems" enabled the city to maintain its free economy, as well as its prestigious status as a center for international finance. "The central government cares about Hong Kong's economy, which is facing downward pressure amid the drop in mainland visitors," said lawmaker Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung. "But Hong Kong's economy can't survive on its own. It will get better only when the national economy is doing well." Zhang emphasized the need for Hong Kong to strengthen the city by creating a strong platform which will include wide-ranging services for the people. Capital flows also need to be aided, and the Belt and Road initiative must be pushed forward to achieve progress of the Chinese economy. He stated that the city must also deepen its relationship with the mainland to develop the markets in the Belt and Road routes. Construction workers lay the foundation for a new apartment building in Henan Province. (Photo : Reuters) Sunac China Holdings Ltd., one of the most active real estate buyers in China, is currently negotiating to buy more land from other developers, Chairman Sun Hongbin announced, as reported by Bloomberg. Advertisement "We're in talks on many, many projects, big and small," in cities including Beijing and Shanghai, Sun said in an interview in Beijing. Compared to open auctions where parcels of land have been sold at higher prices, Sun said "the prices are all fairly reasonable." Among the 10 Chinese developers with the most acquisitions this year, Sunac has five deals that total almost $600 million, while Evergrande Real Estate Group Ltd., the biggest acquirer, has four deals worth $5.8 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Sun said that it is managing its cash flows well to keep it "very safe." In 2014, buyers started to actively buy land in China's biggest cities, as the housing market recovered due to policy easing, until it spread to smaller cities. In 29 second-tier cities, which include provincial capitals such as Nanjing, the average price of residential land increased 77 percent in the first quarter of 2015, SouFun Holdings Ltd. said. "While home prices in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Suzhou are not yet a bubble, there's already a bubble in their land prices," Sun said. "If developers want to make money based on those land prices, home prices will have to go much, much higher." On Thursday, May 19, the company said that it is buying seven projects from Top Spring International Holdings Ltd. for 4.39 billion yuan ($671 million) to enter Shenzhen, southern China's business hub. It cancelled its deal with Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd. about a year ago after negotiations with Kaisa's offshore bondholders on debt payments were delayed. According to SouFun, the average new-home price in the city jumped 60 percent in the past year. Since last year, Sunac has entered more second-tier cities like Nanjing, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou to look for more affordable land parcels for its land bank. Data by SWS Research Co. showed that the company has acquired about 46 projects worth 55 billion yuan in 15 months. SWS analyst Kris Li reported in March that it is still unclear if the acquisition would bolster Sunac's gross margin, which declined 5 percentage points last year. Lou Yanqing, deputy general manager of Sunac's Beijing operations, said that Sunac is selling one of most expensive residential units in Beijing, One Sino Park, for an average of about 170,000 yuan a square meter. Lou added that the company also sold eight of 52 apartments in the 227-unit development in the first week of May with a total of 500 million yuan in contract sales. Government data released in April showed that home prices increased in 65 of 70 Chinese cities, with prices in second-tier cities exceeding those in larger hubs. Santa Ono, the University of Cincinnati president who admitted his past battle with depression stands with his best trophy ever, a Cello trophy. (Photo : Twitter/ Prez Ono) The University Of Cincinnati President Santa Ono left his more than 70K followers on Twitter and a fund-raising audience in shock after he admitted that he tried to kill himself twice during his teenage years. His admission came after the UC commemorated a student, who took his life by his own hands in 2014. Advertisement In the fundraising event of 1N5, Ono said that he wanted to impart that depression is treatable and it's not yet end for the people suffering from the condition because they can still move on with their life, Cincinnati reported. In front of about 200 audience, Ono disclosed that he tried to kill himself by overdosing on cold medication and beers when he was 14. He attempted to end his life again in his 20s. "There's light at the end of the tunnel. If you have the proper counseling and support, it's really possible for you to move past that and move back into functioning life," Ono said in a statement obtained by the publication. He added that he overcome these conditions and expressed his wish to remove the stigma associated with mental illness The UC president emphasized that support, medication and seeking professional help made him get through the dark times of his life. On May 22, Sunday, a UC official said that Ono's admission of his past battle with depression was a significant way to address and help students of the university suffering the same condition. The UC is now providing five free sessions of mental illness counseling. The UC president garnered more admiration from the university professionals as well as students after he shared his life struggle. In Ono's Twitter, he asked to help eradicate the stigma of mental illness. He also requested everyone to support the group 1N5. My message tonight: There should be no stigma for those with mental illness. I tried to take my own life 2X. We need to support each other Santa J. Ono (@PrezOno) May 22, 2016 1N5 is an Indian Hill fundraiser that took its name from the fact that one in five people is suffering from mental illness. The group is centered on helping youth with mental illness. Organizers of 1n5 disclosed that they collected $115,000. Since Ono assumed the office as the 28th president of the University of Cincinnati in 2012, he has been admired and loved by the students as well as people outside the campus. In 2015, he turned down his annual bonus of $200,000 and instead requested that it would be given to 14 scholarships and charities, according to WCPO. Aside from the recipients, he asked that $10,000 will be given to the family of the Cincinnati police who was killed while on duty. Ono has not accepted his yearly bonus for three consecutive years since he served as the president of the university. He also rejected an increase to his base salary of $520,000. Check out an artistic video about fighting the stigma of mental illness: L-R: Marty Friedman, Dave Mustaine, Nick Menza, David Ellefson in 1991; Mick Hutson/RedfernsNick Menza, Megadeth drummer for more than a decade and part of the band's classic Rust in Peace lineup, has died at 51. Menza collapsed during a performance with his fusion band OHM in Los Angeles Saturday night and was rushed to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead according to a statement from his friend and biographer, J. Marshall Craig, and his manager, Robert Bolger. "Earliest reports indictate he suffered a massive heart attack," the statement read. "I woke up this morning to a text message from my son, with the news of Nick Menza's passing. Shocked, devastated, and saddened don't begin to describe my feelings," wrote Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine in a statement on Sunday. "As a player, Nick had a very powerful jazzy flair, unpredictable and always entertaining, And as great a drummer as he was, the time spent with him as a person, a band mate, and a friend was even more fun. There were several times we discussed him coming back to the band, but for various reasons it never came together." "The Megadeth family take care of each other, and expect to hear soon about an initiative to help Nick's children. All of us in this community are connected, take care of yourself and your loved ones. My deepest condolences go out to Nick's family," the statement concluded Megadeth co-founder Dave Ellefson wrote, "Condolences to the Nick Menza family and friends. We have lost a gentle giant... A true artist and friend to us all. #ripnickmenza." Menza, the son of jazz saxophonist Don Menza, first joined Megadeth as drum tech for Chuck Behler, joining the band as drummer in 1989 after Behler's departure. He left Megadeth in 1998 to deal with health problems. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Samsung Galaxy Note 6 release in mid-August as Galaxy Note 5 now available for $99.99 (Photo : YouTube/ Samsung Mobile) Samsung unveiled the latest device in its successful phablet line, the Galaxy Note 5, less than a year ago. Still, Samsung enthusiasts are already looking forward to the Galaxy Note 5's successor, the rumored Galaxy Note 6. Historically, the Korean tech giant usually unveils their new Note models in the middle of the third quarter. With May coming to a close, it is unsurprising how details about the upcoming Galaxy Note 6 have already made their way online. Based on the available accounts, the soon-to-be released phone is a force to be reckoned with. Advertisement According to Forbes, Samsung is currently testing two design versions of the Galaxy Note 6. Similar to the flat and curved screens of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge, it could be expected that the upcoming phablet may have a curved screen as well. Moreover, the publication claims that the upcoming Note 6 would be equipped with 4G connectivity through either the latest Exynos Chipset or the latest Snapdragon chipset. Elsewhere, Know Your Mobile has gotten wind of a possible United States release date for the Galaxy Note 6. According to a recent tweet by Evan Blass, or @evleaks, on the popular social media site Twitter, the phone would arrive in a couple of months, specifically in August. "Samsung Galaxy Note 6 US release scheduled for week of August 15th," read Blass' tweet published less than two weeks ago. Samsung Galaxy Note 6 US release scheduled for week of August 15th. Evan Blass (@evleaks) May 11, 2016 Moreover, in the same Know Your Mobile report, it was revealed that Samsung recently showcased its new RAM chip which is rumored to be a part of the upcoming Galaxy Note 6. The new chip, which was unveiled in the recent Samsung Mobile Solutions Forum in China, uses a 10nm architecture at an impressive 6GB. Should the new chipset be for the Galaxy Note 6, there is no denying how powerful the upcoming Samsung offering would be. The Korean tech manufacturing company has yet to comment on persistent rumors surrounding the specification and release date of the Samsung Galaxy Note 6. Tech insiders, however, believe that it would not be too long until Samsung officially announced the arrival of the well-sought after phablet. Watch the video below to know more about Samsung Galaxy Note 6: Android 6.0 "Marshmallow" is a version of the Android mobile operating system. (Photo : Facebook / AndroidGeeks) Samsung Galaxy A9 is among the first A series smartphones from the South Korean tech giant to receive the official Android Marshmallow update. The update is currently rolling out for the unlocked model of the device - SM A9000 - in China for the firmware version A9000ZCU1BPE2. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow bring a number of goodies to the handset, including Google Now on Tap, Doze mode, granular permissions, and native fingerprint reader support. Users can update their devices manually by going to Settings > About Device > Software update. Advertisement Samsung Galaxy A7 and Galaxy A5 will probably be the next devices to receive the latest Google OS update, according to Sammobile. While there is no official information on the availability of the update for the smartphones over the Wi-Fi Alliance, some regional variants of Galaxy A7 and Galaxy A5 have been certified running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. With regard to the rollout, the tech manufacturer usually begins the update some weeks after renewed Wi-Fi certifications are published. The Galaxy A3 is expected to get the update as well. Meanwhile, there are expectations that Samsung will roll out Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update to the Galaxy A8, Galaxy Alpha, and Galaxy Tab S2. Currently, the Galaxy J7 and Galaxy J5 variants for the United States and several regions in South Korea already run Android Marshmallow. However, the same models in other regions around the world run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and therefore, these handsets will get the OS in the near future. Furthermore, the South Korean tech giant has started rolling out the latest operating system from Google for the unlocked Galaxy Note Edge in Europe, according to Samsung official blog. This update has build number N915FYXXU1DPE1. The update comes with security patches from the monthly Security Maintenance Release in addition to other new features. On the other hand, Samsung has rolled out a bug-fix update for its Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy S7. The update has firmware version FXXU1APE9, which fixes issues like inability to save files to the SD card, recorded videos flickering during playback, and power saving mode failure when Google Now is operational. With the update, users get improvements to Always on Display feature on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Watch the clip below for more information. A Giza criminal court acquitted on Sunday businessman Salah Diab and 10 others on charges of illegal assembly and the possession of unlicensed weapons. The court also sentenced two defendants in the same case to one year in prison and another to six months. Diab's defence team, which includes prominent lawyers Farid El-Deeb and Fathy Serour, attended the court session. In November 2015, Diab and his son Tawfik were arrested from his villa in Giza over charges of possessing unlicensed firearms after security forces stormed his house on orders from the prosecution following a fight next to his villa, according to his family lawyer El-Deeb. In 2004, the businessman co-founded El-Masry El-Youm newspaper, currently Egypt's largest privately-owned daily. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's National Air Navigation Services Company issued a statement to respond to media reports saying that EgyptAir pilot contacted the control centre National Air Navigation Services Company administrative board chairman Mohi El-Din Azmi denied late Sunday media reports that the pilot of the crashed EgyptAir MS804 contacted Egypt's control centre, in a statement published by Al-Ahram newspaper. Foreign media reports on Sunday said the pilot spoke with Cairo's traffic control centre for a few minutes saying there was smoke in the aircraft and that he would make an emergency descent, before the plane disappeared from the radar. The Egyptian armed forces said on Thursday that no distress signal was received from the plane. Last contact Egypt's National Air Navigation Services company said in Sunday's statement the plane was spotted on the radar on the border point between Egyptian and Greek airspace (KUMBI point), 260 nautical miles from Cairo, according to Azmi. The last contact with the plane was at 2:30am Cairo time, Egypt's Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said in a Thursday press conference. Egyptian authorities tried to contact the flight again at 2:50am without any response, Fathy said. According to a Greek civil aviation department timeline published on Thursday, the flight was transferred to the next air traffic control centre and was cleared to exit from Greek airspace at 2:48am Cairo time. Flight path Azmi said on Sunday that the plane was at an altitude of 37,000 feet within the flight path, without any deviation, and that it disappeared from the radar screens less than a minute after it entered the Egyptian airspace. Greece had said the aircraft "made swerves and a descent" after it entered Cairo FIR (flight information region). "... immediately after it entered Cairo FIR and made swerves and a descent I describe; 90 degrees left and then 360 degrees to the right," Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said on Thursday. Azmi said the air traffic control centre was assisted by airplanes that were in the surroundings of EgyptAir flight MS804 which called for it and offered any information about it and that the search and rescue units were then notified. He added that all legal procedures were taken by the company to seize the aircraft's recordings. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's military chief of staff Lieutenant General Mahmoud Hegazy flew to the United States in an official visit that is set to last for a few days, Egypt's military spokesman said in an official statement. Hegazy's visit comes upon an invitation from the US's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; where both sides are set to hold discussions on military cooperation between the armed forces of both countries. Egypt and the US have been maintaining a resilient relationship through continued military relations during Egypt's fight against terrorism. The Egyptian chief of staff's visit comes two weeks after the US delivered an initial shipment of mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) to Egypt, which was described by the US as "a crucial capability needed during these times of regional instability and part of the continuing strong relationship between the US and Egypt. The batch, delivered in May, is the first batch of a total 762 MRAP vehicles that the United States will transfer to Egypt at no-cost to the Egyptian government under the US Department of Defence's Excess Defence Articles grant program Search Keywords: Short link: The prisoners, who were jailed for protesting, had signed a statement announcing the beginning of a hunger strike in protest against their jail sentences Egypt's Doctors Syndicate called on the interior ministry and top prosecutor Nabil Sadek to refer to hospital 22 convicted prisoners who have been holding an open-ended hunger strike, a statement by the syndicate read. The prisoners serving sentences from two to five years for participating in protests against the Egyptian-Saudi island deal signed a statement announcing the beginning of the hunger strike starting 18 May in protest against their jail sentences. Following many complaints and calls by families of the convicted to the syndicate, the doctors called on the interior ministry and the prosecutor-general to closely monitor the health status of the 22 strikers. "We demand that the responsible authorities immediately take action and refer the prisoners to hospitals, as there have been reports of deterioration in the health of the strikers, which could lead to serious consequences," the statement read. The prisoners announced in their statement that their hunger strike would start with 10 people with more to follow in the upcoming weeks until 47 convicted prisoners are on hunger strike. More than 150 people were sentenced to between two and five years in prison on 14 May over their participation in protests against an Egyptian-Saudi Red Sea maritime border demarcation deal last month. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's army announced on Monday that it carried out "successful pre-emptive strikes against terrorist elements," killing 13 militants in northern and central Sinai following a shootout. The army spokesman said in an official statement that third field army units were able to neutralise or destroy 30 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that were planted to target moving units northwest of Mount Halal. He also said that 50 anti-tank mines were found in the same area, adding that a storage area for explosives was discovered in a canyon in Mount Halal. According to the spokesman, 100 plastic barrels full of explosive material used in manufacturing IEDs were found, as well as five bags of ammonium nitrate. The army also destroyed three cars and two motorcycles which it says belonged to the militants. The operation is part of a larger security effort dubbed 'Martyr's Right,' which was launched in September 2015 with the aim of fighting Islamist militants in Sinai. The Martyr's Right operation was put into action following coordinated militant attacks on several army checkpoints that killed 21 soldiers in July 2015. Egypt has been fighting an Islamist insurgency based in North Sinai for decades. Search Keywords: Short link: Pope Francis on Monday embraced the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the prestigious Sunni Muslim center of learning, in a sign that a five-year suspension of important Catholic-Muslim ties was over. As Sheik Ahmed el-Tayyib arrived for his audience in the Apostolic Palace, Francis said that the fact that they were meeting at all was significant. "The meeting is the message," Francis told the imam. The two men spoke privately for 25 minutes in the pope's private library, bidding each other farewell with an embrace. El-Tayyib and his delegation then had talks with the Vatican cardinal in charge of interreligious dialogue. The meeting comes five years after the Cairo-based Al-Azhar froze talks with the Vatican to protest comments by then-Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict had demanded greater protection for Christians in Egypt after a New Year's bombing on a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria killed 21 people. Since then, Islamic attacks on Christians in the region have only increased but the Vatican and Al-Azhar have nevertheless relaunched ties, with a Vatican delegation visiting Cairo in February and extending the invitation for el-Tayyib to visit. Francis gave him a copy of his environmental encyclical and a peace medal. After the audience, el-Tayyib travels to Paris to open a Muslim-Catholic conference on East-West relations. The Vatican's relations with Islam hit several bumps during Benedict's papacy. He outraged Muslims with a 2006 speech quoting a Byzantine emperor as saying some of the Prophet Muhammad's teachings were "evil and inhuman." The subsequent suspension of talks with Al-Azhar institutionalized the bad blood. El-Tayyib, however, sent a message of congratulations to Francis upon his 2013 election and said he hoped for renewed cooperation. Francis responded, and has made clear over the course of his three-year pontificate that relations with Islam are a top priority. In a recent interview with the French Catholic newspaper La Croix, Francis took a conciliatory line toward Islam, saying "I sometimes dread the tone" when people refer to Europe's "Christian" roots. "It is true that the idea of conquest is inherent in the soul of Islam," he said. But he added that Christianity, too, had its "triumphalist" undertones. "It is also possible to interpret the objective in Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus sends his disciples to all nations, in terms of the same idea of conquest." He added that when looking to the causes of Islamic terrorism, it is better to "question ourselves about the way in an overly Western model of democracy has been exported." Search Keywords: Short link: The delivery of MRAPs to Egypt is part of the continuing strong relationship between the US and Egypt, says Major General Charles Hooper, the US embassys senior defence official in Cairo On 12 May Egypt received the first shipment of armoured vehicles from the US. The US Embassy in Cairo featured an article on its official website on the details of the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, designed to protect soldiers from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), landmines and other forms of attacks. Thursdays delivery was the first batch of a total of 762 MRAP vehicles that the United States is transferring to Egypt, the article reported. Originally designed to support United States military operations in Afghanistan, MRAPs provide enhanced levels of protection to soldiers and are proven to save lives. The delivery of these MRAPs to Egypt provides a crucial capability needed during these times of regional instability and is part of the continuing strong relationship between the US and Egypt, said Major General Charles Hooper, the US embassys senior defence official in Cairo. The website explained that the shipment of the MRAPs is part of the US Department of Defences excess defence articles grant program, in which the vehicles are transferred at no cost to the government of Egypt. This delivery is the most recent step taken by the US government in support of Egypts fight against terrorism and is part of a broad range of military cooperation initiatives between the two countries. Also last week, Egyptian Defence Minister Sedky Sobhy met with Vice Admiral Joseph Rixey, director of the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The DSCA oversees contractual arrangements for armaments and defence assistance abroad, for which it is required to gain congressional approval. The military ties that bind Egypt and the US are moving towards closer cooperation and coordination in the coming period, said Sobhy, according to a press release issued by the Egyptian army following the meeting. Vice Admiral Rixey expressed his gratitude to the Egyptian army for the efforts they have exerted to preserve stability in the region and said the US hopes to increase the scope of military cooperation between the two countries armed forces. The meeting took place as arrangements were being finalised for the arrival of the MRAP shipment to Alexandria. A day after the delivery, on 13 May, the DSCA website reported that the US State Department had approved a possible sale to Egypt of a number of UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles, manufactured by Boeing. The estimated cost of the deal is $143 million. The report added that the DSCA has already notified Congress of the possible sale. MRAPS, the specifications MRAP vehicles were designed to withstand attacks by IEDs, landmines and other explosive devices. The V-shape hull and raised chassis are designed to deflect explosive forces. The body of the vehicle and glass are heavily armoured and explosive resistant. The vehicles are designed to operate efficiently in extreme environments and rugged mountainous or desert terrains. In 2007, the US Defence Department allocated $50 billion for the production of 27,000 MRAPs of which 10,000 were produced in the first year. Hossam Ibrahim, a researcher specialising in US affairs, says both Cairo and Washington are moving to strengthen partnership and cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Washington wants Egypt to achieve real success against the extremist organisations in the Sinai. There is a trend in strategic and security thinking in the US that believes that, while Cairo has a clear vision and is determined and serious in its fight against terrorism, it tends to handle the campaign against terrorist organisations in the framework of conventional warfare. Fixed roadblocks, checkpoints and similar measures are manifestations of this conventional approach, which is no longer appropriate given the qualitative shift in the direction of unconventional security threats. The MRAP, said Ibrahim, signals a necessary move in the direction of non-conventional means of confrontation. So is there is a link between the armament consignments and the restructuring of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in Sinai? Ibrahim believes it is more useful to view the deal not in terms of a military purchase by Egypt but in terms of what it means in the framework of the fight against terrorism in which Washington is keen to see major progress. It should be viewed as part of the process of military cooperation between the two countries which is itself a facet of the political evolution of Egyptian-US relations in the post-30 June Revolution period. A senior military official told Al-Ahram Weekly that the Ministry of Defence had earlier explored the acquisition of advanced mine detection equipment from countries that cooperate militarily with Egypt but was unable to find what it was looking for. Most terrorist operations in Sinai use roadside mines, IEDs and other such explosives. Such attacks have become a major threat to military personnel and equipment, and the army was eager to acquire the best possible protection. Military experts view military cooperation between Cairo and Washington independently from political relations, which have had their ups and downs in recent years. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and political and military leaders from both sides have all described the two countries military relations as strategic. *This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The French navy said Monday that one of its ships is aiding in the search for traces of EgyptAir Flight 804, which crashed in the Mediterranean on Thursday. The vessel, which is equipped with sonar that can pick up the underwater "pings" emitted by the flight's recorders, is specialised in maritime surveillance and marine rescue and police missions. The 80-metre (262-foot) ship left its Mediterranean home port of Toulon on Friday with a crew of 90, including two judicial investigators. The search area is roughly halfway between Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria and the Greek island of Crete, where the water is 8,000 to 10,000 feet (2,440 to 3,050 metres) deep. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's state-sponsored Islamic authority (Dar Al-Ifta), which issues edicts, said on Monday that an announced plan by the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood group to re-examine its political ideology and activities was overdue. A sub-body of Dar Al-Ifta that monitors jihadist and extremist edicts said that recent remarks by Brotherhood leaders indicating the movement aims to carry out a major reassessment is a result of an "ideology of failure" and its "defeat in the political and religious fields." The religious unit made the comments days after a senior Brotherhood leader in exile, Gamal Heshmat, said his movement seeks "major revisions," mainly politically, while stressing the group would separate its political and religious work. The Islamic authority said the announced plan by the group is "inevitable to preserve the security of society and protect individuals from drifting towards violent, militant ideology that characterised the group over the past period." It urged the once-ruling organisation to review all strategies it had adopted and have contributed to "violence and polarisation" in Egypt. Heshmat's statement came as Tunisia's Islamist Party Ennahda, a Brotherhood offshoot, made a similar announcement saying that it has learned "there is no future in political Islam." "All sides within the [Brotherhood] group have stressed the determination to separate the competitive party work from that of preaching and education. This will be announced soon," Heshmat told the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency last week. He said the move will help develop the organisation and reintroduce it to public opinion in a better shape. Ill-timed move? The 88-year-old Brotherhood has worked for decades in the shadows before it was catapulted to the forefront of Egyptian politics following the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The group's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted after a year-long rule that alienated large segments of the Egyptian population. The group has since been forced back underground, with most of its upper echelons and supporters thrown behind bars.The Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political wing established in the aftermath of the 2011 uprising, was dissolved by a court ruling in August 2014. On the announced reform efforts, researcher of Islamist movements and a former Brotherhood member Ahmed Ban told Ahram Online "it is a call that will not go any further." He said that the organisation should have made such efforts while holding legitimacy during its reign. "Now they are not part of the state's calculations," he said, explaining that the group would no longer be allowed to combine politics and religion. "Separation means they will aim to keep both branches of work but segregate them functionally, which they will no longer be permitted to do in Egypt," he added While some observers say the move indicates a compromise, the group, nevertheless, does not seem to seek a settlement with the state but is rather working towards lobbying against a "regime of coup." "There must be major revisions... but we first need a sensible organisation to bolster an anti-coup movement... to topple a regime of coup," Heshmat said. Heshmat made allusions, however, that the re-evaluation of the group's strategies will not be an easy task given that the movement is suffering from what he called a "major administrative vacuum" amid a rising schism of late. The Brotherhood has been lurching from crisis to crisis, with the recent rise of an internal rift boiling over between chief Mahmoud Ezzat of the group's London office and a youth administration at home. The split, which came to surface late last year, intensified last week with the group's London leaders sacking eight senior members, including former international cooperation minister Amr Derrag, after more than 240 members signed a document calling for an across-the-board election that would in turn force out long-serving leaders. Youth leaders at home have snapped back, announcing a list of sackings of long-time leaders of the international bureau. Search Keywords: Short link: The plane crashed over the Mediterranean on Thursday, with all 66 people on board believed to be dead Egypt's top prosecutor called on Monday his French counterpart to ask for any video footage of EgyptAir flight MS804 which later crashed in the Mediterranean during its stay in Charles de Gaulle Airport, a statement from the prosecutor's office read. The prosecutor also asked for any recording of communications between the plane's pilot and French air traffic controllers. The Egyptian prosecutor also sent a request to Greek authorities for all their information on the accident; from a possible distress call to all records of communications between the pilot and Greek air traffic controllers. The plane passed through Greece on its way to Cairo International Airport. The flight crashed in the Mediterranean on Thursday, with all 66 people on board believed to be dead. The Egyptian military located debris, personal belongings, plane seats and human remains in the Mediterranean on Friday near the spot where the plane vanished from radar. The reason behind the crash has not been determined. The black boxes are yet to be located. Search Keywords: Short link: Hisham Geneina issued a report claiming that theft by public officials has cost the treasury LE600 billion in recent years Egypt's State Security prosecution summoned the country's former top auditor Hisham Geneina for questioning on Tuesday over his report claiming that theft by public officials has cost the treasury LE600 billion since 2012. In January, the country's top prosecutor issued a gag order on Geneina's report. In March, a presidential decree dismissed Geneina from his post and appointed his deputy, Hesham Badawy, as the acting head of the Central Auditing Agency. Since taking office, Geneina has on more than one occasion reported widespread corruption in some of Egypts most powerful institutions, including the police, the judiciary and intelligence agencies. Also in March, the State Security prosecution said that Geneina had exaggerated the sums lost to corruption by referring to violations that took place prior to 2012, and that he had abused his position as head auditor in gathering documents to make his case. Search Keywords: Short link: A car bomb hit a crowd of young men queueing up to enlist in the Yemeni army in the southern port city of Aden on Monday, causing dozens of casualties, a security official said. The official was not immediately able to give a precise casualty toll from the bombing outside the Badr base in the Khormaksar district of the city, where the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi is based. Search Keywords: Short link: Bombs killed nearly 150 people and wounded at least 200 in Jableh and Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast on Monday in the government-controlled territory that hosts Russian military bases, monitors and state media said. Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks in the cities that have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in the five-year-old conflict, saying it was targeting members of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 148 people were killed in attacks by at least five suicide bombers and two devices planted in cars. State media had said 78 people had been killed in what is Assad's coastal heartland.The Kremlin said the bomb blasts underscored the need to press ahead with Geneva peace talks after a Feb. 27 ceasefire collapsed in April as violence intensified in a war that has killed at least 250,000 people. The attacks were the first of their kind in Tartous, capital of Tartous province and home to a Russian naval facility, and in Jableh in Latakia province, near a Russian-operated air base. "This demonstrates yet again just how fragile the situation in Syria is. And this one more time underscores the need for new urgent steps to continue the negotiating process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness to fight with the Syrian government against "the terrorist threat" sent his condolences to Assad, the Kremlin said. The Syrian foreign ministry sent a letter to the United Nations, state television reported, saying the blasts were a "dangerous escalation by the hostile and extremist regimes in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha", referring to support given to the rebels by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. "Blood and bodies" One of the four blasts in Jableh hit near a hospital and another at a bus station. The Tartous bombs also targeted a bus station, the Observatory and state media reported. Younes Hassan, a doctor working at the Jableh hospital, said he heard an explosion at the bus station, followed less than a minute later by the blast at the hospital. "Everything went into emergency mode, wounded people began arriving," he told Reuters by phone. The Tartous explosions also occurred in quick succession, no more than 10 seconds apart, a driver at the bus station said. "People began running but didn't know which direction to go, cars were on fire, there was blood and bodies on the ground," Nizar Hamade said. Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel showed several twisted and burnt-out cars and minivans. IS group claimed the attacks in a statement posted online by the group's Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had targeted "gatherings of Alawites". Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said in an interview with Ikhbariya that terrorists were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians instead of fighting on the front lines, and vowed to keep battling them. The government refers to all insurgents fighting against it in the conflict as terrorists. Bombings in the capital Damascus and western city of Homs this year killed dozens of people and were also claimed by IS, which is fighting against government forces and their allies in some areas, and separately against its militant rival al Qaeda and other insurgent groups. Latakia city, which is north of Jableh and capital of the province, has been targeted on a number of occasions by bombings and insurgent rocket attacks, including late last year. Government forces and their allies have recently stepped up bombardment of areas in Aleppo province in the north, which has become a focal point for the escalating violence. Insurgents have also launched major attacks in that area. The only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city has suffered a week of increasingly heavy air strikes. Zakaria Malahefji, a senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area told Reuters that the road was heavily bombarded again on Monday and was dangerous to use. He said Iranian-backed fighters, who are supporting government forces, were mobilising in the southern Aleppo area. France's foreign ministry called the Tartous and Jableh bombings "odious", and said violence from all sides must stop if a political transition is to take place. Search Keywords: Short link: The United States and its allies conducted 17 strikes against Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria on Sunday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released on Monday, the Combined Joint Task Force said seven strikes near four cities in Syria hit two tactical units, a weapons storage facility and destroyed two vehicles, a rocket rail, an improvised explosives facility and an oil pump-jack. In Iraq, 10 strikes near five cities hit a communications control center, suppressed a heavy machine gun position and destroyed multiple fighting positions, among other targets, the statement said. Near Fallujah, three bunkers, two tunnel entrances were destroyed and two weapons sites were hit, the statement added. Search Keywords: Short link: A banned, British-made cluster bomb was used by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Amnesty International said on Monday, warning that civilians returning home in northern Yemen risked injury and death from "minefields" of deadly cluster bombs. Cluster bombs, dropped by air or fired by artillery, scatter hundreds of bomblets across a wide area which sometimes fail to explode and are difficult to locate and remove, killing and maiming civilians long after conflicts end. They pose a particular risk to children who can be attracted by their toy-like appearance and bright colours. The BL-755 bomb, manufactured in Britain in the 1970s, was located by Amnesty in Hayran in northern Yemen near the Saudi border. Amnesty said this was the first confirmed use of a British-manufactured cluster munitions since the adoption of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster bombs. The bomb, designed to break into more than 2,000 fragments, is known to be in the stockpiles of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Amnesty said. "Even after hostilities have died down, the lives and livelihoods of civilians, including young children, continue to be on the line in Yemen as they return to de facto minefields," said Lama Fakih, Amnesty International senior crisis adviser. "They cannot live in safety until contaminated areas in and around their homes and fields are identified and cleared of deadly cluster bomb sub munitions and other unexploded ordnance," Fakih said in a statement. A Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign in Yemen in March last year with the aim of preventing Iran-allied Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen's ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh from taking control of the country. More than 6,000 Yemenis, about half of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting and airstrikes over the past year, the United Nations says. Millions more have been displaced. The human rights group said during its recent mission it documented 10 new cases in which 16 civilians, including nine children, were killed or injured by cluster munitions between July 2015 and April 2016. A British government spokesman said Britain was satisfied that its arms export licences for Saudi Arabia were compliant with U.K. and EU criteria. "The U.K. Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world," he said in a statement. Britain was not a member of the Saudi-led coalition and British personnel were not involved in carrying out strikes in Yemen, directing or conducting operations or selecting targets, he said. Amnesty said since the start of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen it documented the use five other types of cluster munitions used by the coalition forces manufactured by the United States and Brazil. The United Nations said in January that "troubling reports" that cluster bombs have been used on civilian areas in the capital of Yemen could be a war crime. Mark Goldring, Oxfam GB chief executive, said the Amnesty report was evidence that British arms sales were adding to suffering in Yemen. "This underlines a simple truth - Britain's arms sales and technical military support are fuelling a brutal war in Yemen," Goldring said in a statement. The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition was not immediately available for a comment. Search Keywords: Short link: The United States called on Russia on Monday to press Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to cease air strikes against opposition forces in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs, the State Department said. Washington also urged the Assad regime to end escalating attacks on Aleppo and Daraya, as well as besieging towns and obstructing humanitarian access, the department said. "Secretary Kerry raised these concerns in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov earlier today and urged him to press the regime to cease at once airstrikes against opposition forces and innocent civilians in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs," the statement said. Search Keywords: Short link: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says there is "a great risk" to about 50,000 civilians the UN estimates are still in Fallujah, especially for those trying to flee the Iraqi government offensive to retake the city from the Islamic State extremist group. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday "it's important that they have some safe corridors that they could use." He called the situation in and around Fallujah "very fluid." The United Nations is providing emergency assistance including water, shelter and food to those who make it out, Dujarric told reporters in New York. He said authorities are transporting a lot of displaced woman and children to Amiriyat al Fallujah, about 30 miles south of Fallujah, while men and boys are reportedly being transported by Iraqi authorities to central Anbar for security screening. Search Keywords: Short link: President Barack Obama said Monday he remained confident the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal would be ratified in the United States despite strong political opposition in Washington. "The reason I remain confident is it's the right thing to do," he told reporters in Vietnam where he is currently on a three-day visit. "I have not yet seen a credible argument that once we get TPP in place we are going to be worse off... we're going to be better off," he told reporters in a press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart. But the US leader conceded getting the ambitious tariff-slashing deal through a hostile, Republican-dominated Congress will be "noisy". Even elements of his Democrat party are opposed to the deal, which aims to gain lower tariff access and bring down trade barriers to US goods in a market representing 40 percent of the global economy. The pact also aims to wrest influence from a booming China, which dominates Asian trade. But critics warn TPP will damage American business by giving cheaper overseas goods preferential access to its domestic market, slashing wages and jobs. Vietnam has readily embraced the deal and on Monday President Tran Dai Quang backed the TPP as a game-changing pact that can reshape global trade. He said the pact can "be a driver of economic growth in (the) Asia-Pacific region", adding Vietnam "is committed to fully implementing" all of its clauses, which include recognition of workers' rights. Currently unions are banned in Vietnam. The deal must now be ratified by the 12 participating countries. The 12 signatories to the TPP agreement are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. Search Keywords: Short link: US forces killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in an air strike last week because he was engaged in plotting that posed "specific, imminent threats" to US and coalition personnel in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Monday. Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the attack against Mansour inside Pakistan on Saturday was a defensive strike aimed at disrupting the Taliban plotting. Mansour was engaged in "specific actions, specific things ... in real time," Davis said. Asked if the Taliban threats were imminent, he said: "Yes, specific imminent threats to US and coalition personnel ... in Afghanistan." Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's government is setting its growth rate target at 5.2 percent of GDP for the coming fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance announced on Sunday. The government plans to increase public investment by 50 percent in the 2016/2017 fiscal year's budget to EGP 107 billion, according to an emailed statement. A foreign currency crunch has slowed the country's economic growth by stifling production, while an overvalued pound has hindered exports and kept foreign investors at bay. The shortage worsened following the downing of a Russian commercial jet after it departed from Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh resort last October, killing all 224 passengers on board. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the crash. Egypt-led investigations into the incident are still underway. Tourism receipts, a major source of foreign currency income, were down 66 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Growth slowed to 4.5 percent in the first half of the current fiscal year, compared to 5.5 percent a year earlier, Minister of Finance Amr El-Garhy told Egypt's parliament while presenting the new budget on Sunday. He predicted a growth rate of 4.4 percent for the entire 2015/2016 fiscal year. In April, the World Bank predicted growth would slow to 3.3 percent in the current fiscal year, after reaching 4.2 percent in the 2014/2015 fiscal year, before rebounding thereafter. The bank cited liquidity issues as affecting sectors such as extractives and an underperforming tourism sector internally, while sluggish recovery in the Euro zone would weigh on growth and lower oil prices might negatively impact workers remittances from the Gulf, another major source of national income. Search Keywords: Short link: In a recent lecture at New York University, you talked about GE's global localisation strategy. So how do you see Egypt fitting into such a strategy? I think in many ways, Egypt is a perfect example of what I mean when I talk about globalization; the passwords about these big global flows or trade POs or things like that. I think today it is much more about sovereign local problems, so when I come to a place like Egypt, it is really trending in line with what I would say are three streams of ideas. One is local need, so you ahve need of electricity, need for healthcare, and need for industrialisation, local modems and things like that The second is how a project is financed, so you need to try to get in line with global ACAs, export agencies, and central banks. Remember the section of the speech when I talked about financing being kind of the lifeblood, if you will, of globalisation today. And the third layer is job creation, in many ways every country in the world - like the US, Egypt, and Europe - everybody needs to find ways to create work. So my discussions today revolve around how to connect those to be layers: how to solve local problem, how do you finance it, and how do you create jobs. That has to be done on a country by country basis. The local team has to give me ideas, and I help them to connect the dots. Another question about your localisation strategy: You see the world in a different way because of protectionism policies mentioned in US elections, and so the company is moving parts of manufacturing facilities out of the USA, one of these facilities is the multi-modal in Suez. Do you consider this to be a trend in the future? It will be much more about creating regional solutions, local and mutual solutions versus having one product that ships nicely around the world. So if we do, let us say, locomotives here in the multi-modal facility, we will ship certain components from the US and assemble them here in Egypt. They may create some jobs in the US, but they will also create jobs locally. Then what you might be able to do in Egypt is have products that you manufacture here and you ship to the rest to the continent of Africa. I just think the world today is much more about these multi-local relationships, building new collaborations and trying to string that into a global framework, which we have in GE, a kind of unified strategy and things like that. It is a very different global flow today but Egypt in many ways is a great example of what I talked about on Friday. What were the main issues of the discussion in your Saturday meeting with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi? What was your impression of the discussion, and how was the last meeting different from earlier meetings? The last time I met the president was in early 2015 at in the economic conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, during which we focused specifically on energy issues. It was a very focused discussion, and subsequently we got brought up to date on the power projects that came online in 2015 and 2016. I would consider that as a successful first step. What we talked about yesterday is the next phase, and think both sure in long-term again there is list of projects that we think are extremely meaningful to the people of Egypt and have to do with infrastructure and productivity. We do believe we can come up with a financial solution in that context. We brainstormed financing and then the third phase [of our localisation] strategy, which is the construction of multi model facility that can do local assembly, investment into software resources, and shared-services in Egypt. So again project financing and job creation that is what the president and I discussed yesterday. And so there is a keen interest at GE that we sense that there is a great opportunity to be very focused and helpful in Egypt right now. Lets talk more about the multi-modal facility. I understand we can be an innovation hub for the region in the near future. Is this your vision as well? Totally. Let take a look at something like wind turbines. So one of the interests of the country is to diversify power generation, and it is very hard to ship the components for wind energy from North America, the US, to the rest of the world. So, we look at Egypt as a very good hub - particularly the Suez trade zone it is a very good hub for wind turbines to see how we can do work not just for Egypt, for North Africa, for the rest of the continent, and for the Middle East. Let's look at locomotives. Locomotives, again, are a very good way to bring global components into a place you can ship into new assembly in the Suez zone. Many different countries in the region, in the Middle East and Africa, need locomotives. You know every country is different, you have got tremendous education here, so you have human resources and logistics. These are two unique strengths we try to find that we think can be invested in the country. When you mention logistics, are you talking about resources that the Egyptian government offers, or your own facilities? And what are you doing to enhance the infrastructure? You know, again I think there is a little bit of both. If the government vision for the Suez economic zone takes place, it could be a tremendous logistical hub for people like us to ship our products to the rest of the continent and to the Middle East, so I would view that as a government imitative. You have a piece of logistics, just with the modernisation of rail lines. So, my understanding from the team here is that 0.7 percent of the goods travel by rail today. There is no industrial country on earth where you ship that many goods by truck, and can do so productively. So we bring a solution, but the government also has a very good framework by which you can invest in the country. And you are still talking about almost $200 million to be invested in this facility? Yes, over time, not all at once. Probably four to five different GE businesses can be participants. When we say multi-modal, we mean a variety of GE divisions will participate: power generation, locomotives, oil and gas. So I think we are also trying to figure out ways to do things more quickly. One of the ideas we have, and Egypt is not unique in this regard, is the energy efficiency of equipment installed in Egypt is low. Its old equipment. Were trying to come up with a solution where we can upgrade the power generation capability today. This would mean hiring software talent, working with smart business, doing digital execution. Those are things that can be done quickly. Good results, job creation in the short term. Its going to take several years to build a factory, so were trying to intersperse the things we can do more quickly and try to have a portfolio of different things were working on in Egypt. Your discussion with President El-Sisi, of course, included renewable energy technology and the possibility of working with Egypt in the near future. How do you find this balance between working with Egypt on gas turbines and at the same time working on renewable energy? Thats a good question. The first wave were gas turbines, and one of the features of the first wave was getting power generation online quickly, which is something we were able to do using a certain technology with gas availability. Diversification is a good thing for the country; whether wind turbines or clean coal, we think thats a good strategy for the country. Its one of our strengths; we can do several different technologies, and bring them to Egypt. We embrace having more than one kind of technology to execute locally. What is the share of renewable energy in your work activities all over the world? Our renewable business is 9 billion dollars of revenue globally. Egypt would not be the biggest, but over time it will be a very meaningful part of this revenue. Africa is growing quickly in wind, so when Egypt is a logistical hub for renewable energy, it will be attractive for GE. According to Egyptian officials, twenty percent of energy production is to come from wind farms by 2020. Do you think this is reliable deadline that can be met? There are many countries, Europes aspiration is 30 percent, 20 percent is not unreasonable in terms of a goal. I really believe that diversification is a good thing. Gas, coal, wind, thats a positive thing. Oil exploration is attracting big partners in the past couple of years. GE is showing interest in investing in exploration. How do you see GE's potential in Egypt? There is a great deal of interest by global companies in oil exploration. We dont do exploration per se, we just provide the equipment. Companies like BP, ENI they are our customers. When I talk to many of the oil companies, they see Egypt in a very positive light. There will be more investment as it pertains to where the oil exploration business will go. I see this as a positive for the country over the long-term. You had discussions with senior officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Aviation. How did you see the recent troubles in the aviation industry, and how can your company work on reducing risk in the field of aviation? First and foremost Id express my regrets to the people of Egypt, I think its a great tragedy and my heart goes out to everybody whos affected. I think the most important thing is to find out what happened. Were in a critical phase right now where nobody knows what happened, so I think first things first, lets find out what happened, and then if there are potential solutions in terms of if we can do anything better. That would take place once people really know what happened. In the bigger picture, EgyptAir has been a customer of ours for a long time. There are many GE powered aircraft in Egypt, so weve always invested in ways that allow us to be a good supplier with the Ministry of Aviation or the company itself. Since I think you're a key player in innovation, let's go back to your vision to the international economy. How is the company rebranding and recreating itself since you have been chairman and moved the company to focus more on industry? Whats the philosophy behind it? Id say two things, its my belief today to focus on things that are core and have real depth, and industrially we have capabilities that are second to none. We try to make a company narrower and deeper in terms of our core competency, and then just the nature of technology is changing dramatically. If you look back in time, GE products are based on pure science and physics. In the future analytics will be as important to everything we do, so the merger between physics and analytics are taking place in front of our eyes and we want GE to be in the lead of that. While the previous industrial age had software companies and industrial companies as separate entities, the new industrial age says that those two have to be joined together. In GE we want to be in the mix. Every new gas turbine we sell has hundreds of software and the products take a substantial amount of time to run. That time could be used to achieve an extraordinary efficiency and fuel performance and emissions reductions and things like that, and so we want to lead that transformation. Every big company has a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. How does GE pursue such a programme in Egypt? This is a great question. You see over time we have had a focus on secondary education, youth education and community health, and those are the things that have been associated with GE's CSR. Those will always be important, and we will always be doing things there. But in my belief, the largest CSR initiative almost everywhere in the world right now is jobs creation. In other words, I think what every country in the world suffers from are things like youth unemployment. So what I take seriously with our team is how can we do a good job with developing SMEs, how we can make sure that were not just succeeding in our supply chain, but instead helping create the next generation of companies in every place that we compete. Its not a classic definition of CSR, but I think its a more practical definition of CSR. Its something that I honestly think GE is quite good at, we have a 100 years of history of training and investing in people. That is a very important structure to yourself , again in the markets, there are very specific ways to give back to society. Again, what I try to do is make SME development, which would be classically looked at as CSR, and try to make that more part of what we bring when we come to a country. So whats your message to the global business community after your visit to Egypt? I think whats most important is that my team here is a great team. They have the ideas, they know how to get it done. Typically, my value added is the when, kind of, ticking at the right point in time and so I think there might be ways to find a place where you bid, but its not always completely risk free. I think if you have a clear idea of investing in Egypt, you have to take risk and believe that the returns are greater than the risk. When I look at Egypt today, that is how I feel. Its not that its easy, but I think you are betting on something that has the potential to have forward momentum. That is my job as CEO of the company. I say, Ok, lets go now. This is the right place, here is how much risk we take, we think returns will be this much. But its not going to be easy and its not going to be simple. So what you are really trying to do is find the other side, a counterparty that is trying to swing with you as you. So thats how I see Egypt big upside but not easy. From discussions in the US and in Dubai at Minds + Machines, I understand that each country with a big foothold of GE requires specific goals from extending cooperation. Some companies are focusing on research and development and others on manufacturing. What about Egypt? In general, I think the point is how does a country like Egypt solve its local need and create jobs at the same time? That is the goal, and you need good partners to do that. I think thats what the government here is trying to do, which is to say, Lets find a way to invest in infrastructure, but create jobs at the same time. The second thing is the incredible youth initiative that exists in Egypt Egypt still has among the best schools in the region, maybe the world. I have some of the graduates here sitting in front of me! I think what you need is to unleash the youth movement. Finally, the hardest thing for the president is that you need to do things now, and you need to do them for the long term. If you look at oil and gas, its great for Egypt, but it will take years to develop. So you have to think, how quickly can we do efficiency, how quickly can we do wind turbines. So I think you need the right partners, you need to unleash the youth movement and you have to think in the short and long-term at the same time. So when a chairman and president meet, what kind of language encourages foreign investments? What I liked about President El-Sisi is that he wants to make things happen. Ive done this now for a long time in a lot of different places, and I noticed he wants to do it on behalf of the people, and thats not always true in other places. You see the intentions are there, and the will is there. What I like most about him is that he likes to negotiate on the deal. I find that to be awesome. I love it. It shows a certain hands-on quality, and what I can do is deliver the company. We have a great team on the ground, but the reason why Im here is to assure the president that I can deliver GE to him here in Egypt. Im looking for someone who is trying to get something done and is in it for the right reasons. Theres always going to be bumps in the road, but if there is a foundation of trust, you can get stuff done. And we deliver. We execute. Once we shake hands, were good. So we have been in Egypt a long time we have stayed in tough times and I think its such a meaningful, important, critical place in the world. GE wants to be a good partner here. My last question is about the American presidential elections how do you see the economic policies of both candidates? Look, I love my country. Im a proud American. I want to see US do well. Both candidates are, in terms of global economy, protectionists. And I dont agree with that. With either one. So, I love my country, but Id love to see us engaged globally in an instructive way. How can such "protectionist approach" affect American companies abroad? As big multinationals, we can navigate our own way. At the end of the day, we are 5 percent of the worlds population, 25 percent of the worlds economy we have a lot more to lose by not being engaged in the world than we have to gain from protectionism. So I think in the end, I think that logic prevails. Search Keywords: Short link: The Nile Choir will perform The Tale of the Clouds & the Nile, the story of legendary creatures that live on the banks of the Nile River The Nile Choir, the Nile Projects Cairo-based community music programme, will perform The Tale of the Clouds & the Nile on Saturday 28 May at Falaki Theatre. In their first-ever performance, the choir will take the audience on a journey that spans 4,132 miles and explores the diverse cultures and sounds of the river Nile. According to the official press release, The Tale of the Clouds & the Nile tells the story of legendary creatures that live on the banks of the Nile River, brought together by extraordinary circumstances and a harsh drought. The fable was written and composed by the Choir members as a collective; artfully combining the languages, instruments, and rhythms of the countries that share the Nile River to create an epic, unified sound. The Nile Choir is the brainchild of The Nile Project founded in 2011 with an aim of addressing the Nile basins cultural and environmental challenges. A collaboration between 11 Nile countries, the Nile Project brings together musicians, professionals and amateurs, organises educational workshops, raises awareness of the ecosystems and cultures living alongside the Nile banks, and launches music tours. Programme: Saturday 28 May, 8pm Falaki Theatre, Falaki Street, AUC Downtown Campus, Cairo Search Keywords: Short link: 05.23.2016 17:00 Charitable giving is on the rise in China but the government needs to find ways to boost donations to areas where state funding is limited By Richard N. Cooper The Ash Center at Harvard University has begun a program to study emerging private philanthropy in China, made possible by the vast growth in private wealth in China over the past three decades that has led to 102 individuals making it to the Forbes' list of world USD billionaires, and many more with wealth in excess of 100 million yuan. The program has assembled a list of the top 100 givers in the 12 months from September 2014, with such gifts ranging from 1 million to 400 million yuan. Over half the gifts were to improve education, followed by social welfare and disaster relief. Over half of the gifts went to state or state-owned institutions, including universities, schools and health care facilities. Over 40 percent were private endeavors. For men, looks are important. Rich women want their partner to be at least 175 cm tall and good-looking, and prefer high-income doctors with private practices who graduated from medical schools in Seoul. Rich men predictably want stunningly beautiful, tall women, preferably with a master's degree in a fluffy subject like music, art or dance. Their job, if any, is unimportant. The end of the year is traditionally a peak time for matchmaking firms to distribute surveys to the press in the hope of attracting more business from bachelors and bachelorettes, and this year is no exception. Here is one of surveys they conducted to find out how to land a super-rich partner. Men According to the matchmaking firm behind this straw poll, Korea's wealthiest families will consider men who are up to 10 years older than their daughters. Doctors have traditionally been favored as grooms, and those with private practices are especially in demand due to their relatively lax schedules and higher income compared to salaried physicians in hospitals. Lawyers have also been the traditional favorites, but their popularity has waned due to the proliferation of law schools. Until recently, only a few hundred attorneys were selected by the Justice Ministry each year among those who passed the notoriously tough state-administered bar exam. But their numbers are growing, which means average wages in the profession are not as high as they used to be. Other high-income professions have also been included over the last few years, such as hedge fund managers and stock analysts and even high-income insurance salesmen. Women While women with bachelor's or master's degrees in the arts are preferred as brides among wealthy families, their jobs do not matter since rich grooms prefer their brides to raise children at home. But there is a preference for women with some work experience, since this is considered to improve their sociability. Slender women between 164 to 167 cm and three to four years younger than the groom are considered preferable. Other important factors are foreign language skills, since they believe that this helps with the children's education. Rich families often look into the medical history of a potential bride and her family. Family background is more important than personal abilities. Rich families look for brides and grooms from families of similar social status because they see marriage not simply as the union of two individuals but of two families. Choices are often made not based on personal happiness, but social status and reputation, which often results in couples splitting up due to family pressure even though they may genuinely love each other. North Korea in a message on Saturday called for urgent military talks with Seoul in the next few weeks. The North Korean military sent the message to the Defense Ministry here, saying the talks should be held at a "convenient time and place" in late May or early June. The next day, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, which handles inter-Korean affairs, also said Seoul and Pyongyang must urgently hold military talks. The ministry declined, reiterating that North Korea must first take palpable steps toward denuclearization. Pyongyang sent the message through a military hotline it had earlier severed unilaterally after the South pulled its workers out of the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex in February. Also on Saturday Kim Yong-chol, who serves as head of the United Front Department, left Pyongyang on a trip to Cuba. And a day earlier Kim Yong-nam, the perennial president of the Supreme People's Assembly, attended the inauguration ceremony of the president of Equatorial Guinea. It appears that North Korea is minded to break its international isolation now that a massive party congress earlier this month has consolidated the new power structure. A Foreign Ministry official here said, "North Korea is struggling to find an escape route as international sanctions increase pressure." Pyongyang appears to have been jolted by tough sanctions announced by traditional ally Russia as well as Switzerland, where leader Kim Jong-un attended boarding school and holds vast slush funds in secret bank accounts. "By sending envoys to Cuba and Equatorial Guinea, North Korea appears to be moving to consolidate ties with its few remaining allies," a diplomatic source said. The proposal of military talks seems mainly aimed at halting propaganda broadcasts along the border. One military officer said, "North Korea is trying to appear nonchalant about South Korea's resumption of propaganda broadcasts after the North's latest nuclear test, but it's clear that Pyongyang is wearying of the constant insults aimed at its leader and demoralization of troops stationed along the DMZ." Russia has halted financial transactions with North Korea, and the EU has added 18 individuals and one organization to its North Korea sanctions list. The international sanctions aim to strangle the flow of hard currency into the Norths nuclear and missile programs. The Russian central bank last Thursday told all Russian banks to halt financial dealings with North Korean agencies, organizations and individuals on the UN Security Council sanctions list, Radio Free Asia reported. The order said the banks must immediately freeze bonds held by sanctions targets and close accounts related to the North's development of nuclear weapons and missiles. A Russian presidential decree will also take effect soon to close North Korean bank branches and joint venture firms. But Russia will continue to allow financial transactions between Russian and North Korean banks authorized by the UN. The measures deal a blow to North Korea because the two countries have only recently increased cooperation. Russia has been criticized for giving the North Korean regime a lot of leeway by allowing its banks to open accounts for North Korean banks and settling business with North Korea in roubles. "What's important is whether the international community including Russia and Switzerland will put their decisions into action," a diplomatic source said. "If they do, the North will suffer a lot." A recent gasoline price hike in the North seems due to Russia's downsizing of supplies to the North. The EU has announced its third round of sanctions since the North's latest nuclear test. This has brought the number of sanctions targets to 66 individuals and 42 organizations. They will be banned from entering EU countries and their assets will be frozen. President Park Geun-hye will be accompanied by a huge entourage of 169 businesspeople on her upcoming visits to three African nations and France. The president is visiting Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and France from Wednesday until June 5. Representatives from 22 big corporations, 102 small and mid-sized companies and 42 state-run companies will accompany Park on her trip. Ahn Jong-beom, the senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, said the Africa trip will offer Korean businesses a bridgehead to advance into the largely unexplored market there. The three countries boast more than five-percent GDP growth rates, which offers plenty of opportunities for Korean businesses, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Korea has fared poorly compared to Japan in attracting foreign tourists since November 2014. The blame seems to lie with Korea's inferior tourism infrastructure and the weak yen. Until 2014, Korea was able to lure more foreign tourists than Japan, mainly thanks to a double-digit increase in Chinese tourists every year in the late 2000s. That brought over 10 million foreign tourists to the country for the first time in 2012, overtaking Japan. Another elderly North Korean apparatchik has died, clearing the way for younger officials to take the helm. Workers Party secretary Kang Sok-ju, who was in disastrous charge of international affairs, died of cancer of the esophagus on Friday. He was 76. His death follows the demise of United Front Department chief Kim Yang-gon in a mysterious car crash last year. North Korean officials including Choi Ryong-hae (3rd from left) greet guests at the funeral of Workers Party secretary Kang Sok-ju in this screen grab from [North] Korean Central TV on Friday. The North's erratic diplomacy is now in the hands of Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and former Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, who has been promoted to a senior party post. At Kim Yang-gon's funeral last year, Ri Su-yong did not rank high enough in the pecking order even to make it on the list for funeral services, but for Kangs funeral he is listed at No. 6. Ri Yong-ho, whose name was also missing from Kim Yang-gon's funeral guest list, is listed at No. 21. "Kim Jong-un's lineup of new diplomatic officials are likely to go all out to take the North out of isolation from the international community," said Chung Sung-jang at the Sejong Institute. But the two Ris are believed to have risen to their positions because of their personal ties to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rather than based on their capabilities. Workers Party secretary Kang Sok-ju sit with former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2009 (file photo) /Newsis Ri Su-yong has served as ambassador to Switzerland and watched over current leader Kim while he was at boarding school there, while Ri Yong-ho is the son of Ri Myong-je, a crony of former leader Kim Jong-il. Kang majored in International Relations and minored in French at Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies and started his diplomatic career in 1969. He gained the trust of Kim Jong-il in the 1980s and was a regular at his private parties and diplomatic functions. But his health deteriorated and he disappeared from the radar after visiting Cuba in July last year. Premier urges less red tape, improved regulation, better services 2016-05-23 10:17 BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has demanded less red tape, improved regulation and better services to promote sustained and healthy development of the economy. Li made the remarks in a national teleconference on May 9. Although China has made progress in streamlining administration, overhauling market regulation and optimizing government services, there is still much work to be done, said the premier in a speech released on Sunday. According to him, some power delegation measures were not fully implemented. Unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspections and inadequate supervision revealed loopholes in market regulation. "Although the economy operated steadily in the first quarter, with improvements in structure and quality and better-than-expected indicators, downward pressure remains considerable and the foundation for economic stabilization and improvements has yet to be consolidated," said Li. In addition, China's traditional international competitiveness has been weakened, featuring decline in the growth rate of foreign trade and utilization of foreign capital, said the premier. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, citing the relocation of some foreign-funded manufacturers from China to other countries. "We should guide some of them to move from eastern coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern regions," said Li, adding that labor-intensive manufacturing enterprises could create jobs and help address China's "great employment pressure". To that end, Li said China will explore ways to implement pre-establishment national treatment and negative list management system for foreign investors. The government will create a level playing field for all investors, said Li, adding that the State Council is mulling detailed measures to promote private investment. On the basis of trial programs, the government will make a market entry negative list and eliminate unreasonable restrictions and invisible barriers in sectors, including electricity, telecom, transport, oil and gas, utilities, elderly care, medical treatment and education. Meanwhile, the premier pledged to further slash administrative examinations and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses and give colleges and scientific research institutes greater decision-making power in runing schools and scientific research. Over the past three years, State Council departments have canceled or delegated to lower authorities the administrative examination and approval power over 618 items, totaling 36 percent of the items subject to approval. China has given green light to 76 percent of investment projects that previously required central government approval. More than 95 percent of foreign investment projects and more than 98 percent of overseas investment projects now could register online to put on record. Since last year, an average of 40,000 businesses are set up every day, due to lowered business threshold and improved business environment. Related: President Xi stresses innovation to bolster economy BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked senior officials to "make innovation the pivot of development," according to a speech published in the People's Daily on Tuesday. "China's economy, now the world's second largest, still suffers from low quality of growth. Lack of innovation ability has been the Achilles' heel for economic development," said Xi in the speech, given at a symposium attended by ministerial and provincial officials in January this year. Full story Premier Li vows further cut of red tape to support restructuring BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang on Monday vowed to advance government reform and improve public services to support economic restructuring. The government should remove policy barriers to contribute to the development of a new economy, mass entrepreneurship and innovation, Li told a national conference on government reform. Full story Chinese premier urges to streamline governance to spur economy BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Monday that efforts to streamline government administration, transform government functions and boost efficiency will be redoubled to spur economic vitality and attract overseas investment. The premier set out the goals at a national teleconference at the State Council in Beijing. Full story Premier stresses employment as China's economy slows BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged for more efforts to support employment to guard against large-scale unemployment on Friday. China should shift to growth propelled more by skilled workers and innovation and continue with proactive policies to create jobs, Li said at a symposium held during his visit to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Full Story Mauritius celebrated with book's second edition From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-05-23 15:17 Dancers perform on a beach in Mauritius. [Photo provided to China Daily] Mauritius: Heaven on Earth, a travel book written by Chinese diplomats in Mauritius, was released in its second edition in Beijing on Friday. The book's eight chapters depict Mauritius from aspects ranging from people and food to history and culture, also providing useful travel information for Chinese tourists to the island in the southwest of Indian Ocean. "I know when visitors, especially from China, visit the island, they also want to acquire new knowledge and learn about a new culture. This is why I think this book is an essential read for perspective visitors to prepare themselves for the visit to Mauritius," said the Vice-Prime Minister of Mauritius Xavier-Luc Duval, who presented the new edition. Book cover of Mauritius: Heaven on Earth. [Photo provided to China Daily] More than a dozen Chinese diplomats who have worked at the Chinese embassy to Mauritius helped gather the information and pen the book. The first edition was published in 2014. "The book offers the detailed observations of Chinese diplomats as they work and live in Mauritius, their understanding and deep emotion of the country and the people," said Zhang Ming, vice-minister of foreign affairs for China at the book release ceremony. Since the agreement on mutual visa exemption between China and Mauritius was signed in 2013, the number of Chinese tourists to Mauritius has been growing. According to Duval, nearly 90,000 Chinese tourists visited the country in 2015, 41 percent more than the previous year. Related: Picture book brings 'better ideas, better solutions' to children Science writer unveils the art of seeing things differently He is the third British prime minister this year and will enter 10 Downing Street as the youngest PM in two centuries. BBR Music GroupGranger Smiths brand new baby boy is a week old today. The Backroad Song hitmaker announced the new arrival Friday on his Facebook page. Heart and hands are full, the post said, accompanied by a photo of his family seated in a porch swing, with Granger holding four-year-old daughter London, and wife Amber balancing both two-year-old Lincoln and the newborn. We added one more boy to the clan. River Kelly Smith has joined his brother and sister! Its back to work for the father of three, as he plays Stampede Houston on Tuesday night. His new single If the Boot Fits is currently climbing the charts. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. #Korean Air Korean Air plane heads to Cebu to bring back stranded passengers An alternative Korean Air plane departed for the Philippines on Tuesday to bring home passengers stranded after another plane run by the air carrier overran the airport runway in C... #(G)I-dle I-dle tops local music charts with 'Nxde' Girl group (G)I-dle topped daily and weekly charts of five major local music streaming services with its release "Nxde" on Tuesday, a week after it dropped. "Nxde," the main tra... We've been following the pre-production for Dunkirk, however an official release today confirms that filming has begun on Christopher Nolan's next film. Set during the early days of World War II, the film "opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in." As we reported, a huge number of well-known actors are attached, including our own Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy and Mark Rylance. On top of this is a huge range of unknown actors and first-timers. Harry Styles - yes, that guy with the hair from One Direction - is signed on for a role as is Love / Hate's Barry Keoghan. Keoghan also starred in horror-thriller Traders, alongside fellow Love / Hate alum Killian Scott, the fantastic Troubles-set thriller '71 and, most recently, the big-budget RTE production of Rebellion. It's not yet known what role Keoghan will play, however it is known that he'll be joining Aneurin Barnard - who starred in the Irish / Scottish horror Citadel - and Cloud Atlas' James D'Arcy. Dunkirk is slated for a July 2017 release. Like Silent Storm last week this biopic of designer/architect Eileen Gray from Northern Ireland director Mary McGuckian (The Man On The Train, Rag Tale) gets a belated release. If memory serves it opened the 2015 JDIFF and then promptly fell off the radar. Possibly because its beset with problems. Opening with an auction for Eileen Grays Dragon armchair, the action moves to an elderly Gray (Brady; 32A, How About You) watching slides of what is probably her most famous design: the modern minimalist house E-1207 in Cap Martin on the French Riviera. We then flashback to Paris of the thirties and Gray impresses journalist Jean Badovici (Scianna, Baaria) with her latest exhibition of functional art and so he proposes an article on her. The two fall in love, the passion inspiring Gray to design E-1027 but jealous Swiss architect Le Corbusier (Perez) defaces the white walls with what many call ugly murals. This drama has a niche audience with anyone outside a vested interest in the Modern Movement and Grays designs struggling to find the goings on all that intoxicating; the dialogue veers from sounding like two lecturers debating in an empty hall or culled straight from memoirs and yet, bar those students of the form, are never privy to the wider context: what made Grays stand out? What were other artists/designers/architects up to in that era? The characters, cold and aloof, are a bore and dont entice enagement with their various predicaments; villain of the piece Le Corbusier is the only one with any real life but in regularly breaking the fourth wall - a biased opinion on the scene unfolding - snaps the audience out of the moment. McGuckians framing is sometimes stiff as if one is watching actors mill about an art exhibition, the velvet rope just out of shot. The lifeless pace isnt helped by the syrupy soundtrack which drips over every line of dialogue, which itself sounds dubbed. The biggest fault though its that The Price of Desire doesnt sell E-1027 as something beautiful or how ground-breaking the design was. None of this is the casts fault; although Brady and Badovici fail to convince as lovers, they are strong in their respective roles, showing some talent for getting their mouth around very mealy dialogue. It can look pretty too with McGuckian doing what she can to bask the film in gorgeous sunlight. Premier urges less red tape, improved regulation, better services Updated: 2016-05-23 08:50 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has demanded less red tape, improved regulation and better services to promote sustained and healthy development of the economy. Li made the remarks in a national teleconference on May 9. Although China has made progress in streamlining administration, overhauling market regulation and optimizing government services, there is still much work to be done, said the premier in a speech released on Sunday. According to him, some power delegation measures were not fully implemented. Unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspections and inadequate supervision revealed loopholes in market regulation. "Although the economy operated steadily in the first quarter, with improvements in structure and quality and better-than-expected indicators, downward pressure remains considerable and the foundation for economic stabilization and improvements has yet to be consolidated," said Li. In addition, China's traditional international competitiveness has been weakened, featuring decline in the growth rate of foreign trade and utilization of foreign capital, said the premier. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, citing the relocation of some foreign-funded manufacturers from China to other countries. "We should guide some of them to move from eastern coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern regions," said Li, adding that labor-intensive manufacturing enterprises could create jobs and help address China's "great employment pressure". To that end, Li said China will explore ways to implement pre-establishment national treatment and negative list management system for foreign investors. The government will create a level playing field for all investors, said Li, adding that the State Council is mulling detailed measures to promote private investment. On the basis of trial programs, the government will make a market entry negative list and eliminate unreasonable restrictions and invisible barriers in sectors, including electricity, telecom, transport, oil and gas, utilities, elderly care, medical treatment and education. Meanwhile, the premier pledged to further slash administrative examinations and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses and give colleges and scientific research institutes greater decision-making power in runing schools and scientific research. Over the past three years, State Council departments have canceled or delegated to lower authorities the administrative examination and approval power over 618 items, totaling 36 percent of the items subject to approval. China has given green light to 76 percent of investment projects that previously required central government approval. More than 95 percent of foreign investment projects and more than 98 percent of overseas investment projects now could register online to put on record. Since last year, an average of 40,000 businesses are set up every day, due to lowered business threshold and improved business environment. Tsai's inaugural speech leaves crucial Straits questions unanswered Updated: 2016-05-21 08:05 (China Daily) As anticipated, the new leader of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen resorted to rhetorical ambiguity in her inauguration speech. She harped on the same old string of neither crossing the mainland's red line, nor endorsing the 1992 Consensus on one China. As she had done on multiple previous occasions, she pledged her administration will strive to preserve peace and stability in cross-Straits ties, as well as the existing mechanisms of dialogue and communication. She wants all the benefits cross-Straits rapport has brought to Taiwan, but without acknowledging what made that possible. Both the mainland and the previous administration in Taiwan led by Ma Ying-jeou agreed on the 1992 Consensus, which established the political bedrock for the good momentum in cross-Straits ties over the last eight years by highlighting the one China principle. Yet, as evident before, this is not to Tsai's taste. She said she respects the historical fact that the two sides talked and reached a number of agreements in 1992, and said her administration will handle cross-Straits ties in accordance with the "Constitution of the Republic of China", the "Regulations on Relations between People in the Taiwan and Mainland Areas" and other relevant laws. Which on the surface at least sounds fine, because the "regulations" contain a mention of "national unification". But this might be giving her the benefit of a benign interpretation. Respecting the "historical fact" does not mean she respects the agreements themselves. Once again, she has not clarified her real attitude to the 1992 Consensus. Nor does Tsai's vow to abide by the island's "Constitution" qualify as a tacit nod to one China, for it does not have a specific definition of the territory of the "Republic of China". It should not be forgotten that Tsai was believed to be a main contributor to previous Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui's definition of cross-Straits ties as "state-to-state". She has reportedly said in private that she would "continue to implement the 'two states' theory without mentioning it". During her 2012 bid for the Taiwan leadership, Tsai again threw out the core slogan of "two states", saying "The Republic of China is Taiwan, Taiwan is the Republic of China". There has been no credible proof offered that her position has changed. Tsai has even taken a step back from what her Democratic Progressive Party predecessor Chen Shui-bian said in his inaugural speech in 2000. As long as the mainland doesn't use force against Taiwan, Chen promised, he would not declare independence, change the name of "Republic of China", initiate the writing of the "two states" theory into the "Constitution", propose a referendum over unification or independence, or abolish "the Guidelines for National Unification and National Unification Council". Despite Chen's capricious antics during his years in office, that speech did give some predictability to cross-Straits ties under a leader from the DPP. Both sides of the Straits need predictability now. Tsai, too, has said she wants it. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C. in June 2015, Tsai said she would strive to "build a consistent, predictable and sustainable cross-Straits relationship". Her inaugural speech, however, was a sign that the relationship may be anything but predictable in the years to come. It left too many crucial questions unanswered. Just as the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council in Beijing commented on Friday, what Tsai presented was an "unfinished answer sheet". So we have heard what she had to say, we now have to see what she does. In the long shadow of her and her party's denial of one China, Tsai has plenty to do to make sure the hard-earned goodwill between the two sides does not evaporate overnight and trigger more uncertainties. Beijing didn't fly into a rage at her ambiguity. But Tsai should finish her answer sheet for the benefits of all people on both sides of the Straits - the earlier the better. (China Daily 05/21/2016 page5) Tsai's only sensible option is to endorse Consensus Updated: 2016-05-23 08:02 By Li Zhenguang(China Daily) Taiwan's main opposition Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, April 15, 2015. [Photo/IC] Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, who will lead the island over the next four years, resorted to rhetorical ambiguity in Friday's inauguration speech. Tsai is yet to give a forthright answer on the 1992 Consensus that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, which has served as the political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. Instead, she said in her speech that she "respected" the fact that "several political agreements were reached by both sides in 1992", but stopped short of mentioning the 1992 Consensus. However, she said she wants to prolong the peaceful exchanges that have been established, and promised that the island will be "a staunch peacekeeper" in regional security affairs, in which cross-Straits ties serve as a "key link". And Tsai did pledge to address cross-Straits affairs in line with the "Regulations on Relations between People in the Taiwan and Mainland Areas" and other relevant laws. Yet, as a statement issued by the mainland after Tsai's inauguration speech said, "Taiwan independence" remains the biggest menace to peaceful ties, because Tsai failed to touch upon the nature of the cross-Straits relations, let alone the prospect of some DPP secessionists attacking the one-China principle. The truth is, just like the Cairo Declaration signed by the heads of the governments of China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1943, which justified the return of Taiwan to China and the postwar order in Asia-Pacific region, the 1992 Consensus is the fundamental agreement between the two sides of the Straits. The worst-case scenario would be Tsai attempting to continue trying to muddle through without endorsing the Consensus completely or even denying it completely. Should that happen, the mainland will have to prepare for and deter the DPP's future moves to seek "independence". It is also noteworthy that Taiwan has been invited to attend the Geneva-based World Health Assembly as an observer just three days after Tsai's inauguration, in accordance with the one-China principle reflected in the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1. As a special arrangement since 2009, the island's participation in the WHA will reveal a lot about whether the DPP will acknowledge the reality there is only one China. The WHA's belated invitation, which stresses that the DPP will be taking part in the event based on the one-China principle, enshrines the principle in Taiwan's political participation in international affairs. If the Taiwan health authorities seek to challenge this in Geneva, insisting that the WHA's reiteration of the one-China principle has something to do with the mainland's "interference", the special arrangement is unlikely to last. Worse, it might add more political uncertainties to cross-Straits relations, which the Kuomintang painstakingly steered in the right direction over the past eight years. Tsai should relinquish her delusional thinking that the mainland will sit idle while her party tries to tear China apart, bit by bit. The only option left for her is facing up to the 1992 Consensus. The author is a professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies of Beijing Union University. Description Hope Day and Convoy of Hope will partner with local businesses, churches, government agencies and nonprofits during a community celebrations at the following locations Saturday, June 4, 2016 at the New York & New Jersey locations and times listed below: Nassau County ELMONT Start Time: 12:00 p.m. HENDRICKSON AVENUE PARK Between Plainfield Avenue & Roquette Avenue Elmont, NY FARMINGDALE Start Time: 11:00 a.m. FARMINGDALE VILLAGE GREEN 361 Main Street Cross Street Prospect Street Farmingdale, NY HEMPSTEAD Start Time: 10:00 a.m. 660 FRONT STREET Hempstead, NY ROOSEVELT Start Time: 11:00 a.m. 250 NASSAU ROAD Western Beef Parking Lot Roosevelt, NY VALLEY STREAM Start Time: 12:00 p.m. ARTHUR J. HENDRICKSON PARK POOL PARKING LOT 123 W. Merrick Road Valley Stream, NY WESTBURY Start Time: 11:00 a.m. 801 CARMEN AVENUE Next to Carvel Westbury, NY Suffolk County AMITYVILLE Start Time: 1:00 p.m. 641 BROADWAY Route 110 & Ronald Drive North Amityville, NY BRENTWOOD / ISLIP Start Time: 11:00 a.m. BRENTWOOD RECREATION CENTER 99 Third Avenue Brentwood, NY GORDON HEIGHTS / MEDFORD Start Time: 11:00 a.m. GRANNY ROAD PARK Corner of Dunbar Avenue & Granny Road Cross Streets Dunbar Ave & West Bartlett Rd Gordon Heights/Medford, NY RIVERHEAD / FLANDERS Start Time: 11:00 a.m. 46 BELL AVENUE Flanders Road (Route 24) Flanders, NY During the celebration, Hope Day in partnership with Convoy of Hope and the respective communities will provide of goods and services including free: groceries, health services, haircuts, family portraits, job services, a carnival, ahot meal, veteran services and more. Identification is not required to attend and participate in the event. In 2015, more than 82,000 guests of honor were served by Convoy of Hope Community Events around the country. Learn more about the event by visiting hopedaynetwork.org . Hope Day is a partner of Convoy of Hope, a faith based organization founded in 1994, with a driving passion to feed the world. With a long history as an early responder in times of natural disasters, Convoy of Hope has been a Four Star Charity as recognized by Charity Navigator for 12 consecutive years. In the last 20 years, Convoy of Hope has served more than 70 million people. ABC News(NEW YORK) -- The crucial black boxes from EgyptAir Flight 804 have yet to be recovered since the plane disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea last week with 66 aboard. But countries including the United States, France and Egypt are all contributing to search teams combing the area. Here's what to know about the hunt for the black boxes that could potentially shed light on what caused the plane to lose contact near the Egyptian coast while en route to Cairo from Paris Thursday: Search Area Is Nearly the Size of Connecticut Search teams are working a nearly 5,300-square-mile area in the Mediterranean Sea -- an area nearly the size of the state of Connecticut. Pinpointing the location of the black boxes could be extremely difficult as the pingers on the boxes only emit their ultrasonic signal within a 2-mile radius. Additionally, the debris from the crash has been floating for days, so it may have been carried far away from the area where the plane initially lost contact. Egypt Focuses on Recovering Bodies, Sends Submarine Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi told reporters Sunday that while the black boxes have yet to be recovered, search teams are continuing to recover human remains and other parts of the plane. Fathi told ABC News their No. 1 priority is finding the bodies of the deceased. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi told reporters an Egyptian oil ministry submarine capable of diving to nearly 10,000 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean was en route to the crash site Sunday. The depth of the Mediterranean at the crash site is roughly 10,000 feet. Americans Spot More Than 100 Pieces of Debris U.S. Navy aircraft participating in the search found two fields of debris this weekend. The first debris field was found by a P-3 flight Saturday and the second -- reported to be three nautical miles in radius -- was found Sunday, the U.S. Navy said. It was not clear how far apart the two fields are from each other. Another U.S. Navy P-3 flight searched the area Monday, but it was not immediately clear if anything new was spotted. France Sends Ship to Detect Signals, Collect Debris A French ship has also arrived at the search area and intends to focus on detecting signals and collecting any debris, a spokesman for the French Navy told ABC News. The ship can possibly detect signals deeper than approximately 5,000 feet, but that can depend on the strength of the signal and the direction of signals, the French Navy said. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper. Stocks fall flat as Monsanto and Apple can't take charge. Catch The Final Round at 4 PM ET with Jen Rogers and Yahoo Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer. Winners and losers Stocks starting the week on a down note include insurer Cigna as the Wall Street Journal reports it and Anthem are fighting over terms of their planned $48 billion merger, offshore driller Transocean after Citi reiterated a sell rating on the stock, and Tribune Publishing after Tribune's board rejected rival Gannett's latest merger offer. Stocks pushing higher today include LendingClub as the troubled online lender hired Jeffries to find investors for its loan funding, payment processor First Data after a positive Barron's piece over the weekend, and Monsanto. The agro-chemical firm surged as drugmaker Bayer bid $122 a share, or $62 billion, including debt for the company. The state of the markets Joining The Final Round for more on the markets is Jurrien Timmer, Director of Global Macro at our sponsor Fidelity Investments, and featured speaker on the Fidelity Viewpoints State of the Market webcast. Timmer says the recent run-up in the market was just a 'sugar rally,' and tells us what's needed for stocks to break out of their range-bound ways. The Fed's John Williams: more rate hikes are coming Here's a major question for investors this summer: Will the Fed raise rates? And what could be the possible fallout? Yahoo Finance editor-in-chief Andy Serwer speaks with San Francisco Fed President John Williams to get his outlook on rate hikes for this year, and 2017. NOTE: the full interview with John Williams and a transcript of that interview will be published on Tuesday. May 24th. Looking ahead (Adds Breakingviews link) By Nate Raymond and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK, May 23 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Monday threw out a jury's finding that Bank of America Corp was liable for mortgage fraud leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, voiding a $1.27 billion penalty and dealing the U.S. Department of Justice a major setback. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York found insufficient proof under federal fraud statutes to establish Bank of America's liability over a mortgage program called "Hustle" run by the former Countrywide Financial Corp. The Justice Department claimed Countrywide, which Bank of America bought in July 2008, defrauded government-sponsored mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by selling them thousands of toxic loans. But in a 3-0 decision, U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Wesley said the evidence at most showed that Countrywide breached contracts to sell investment-quality loans, and that there was no proof it intended any deception. "The trial evidence fails to demonstrate the contemporaneous fraudulent intent necessary to prove a scheme to defraud through contractual promises," Wesley wrote. Bank of America said it was pleased with the ruling. A spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, whose office pursued the case, had no immediate comment. The lawsuit was filed in 2012 following a whistleblower's complaint, and remains one of the biggest government enforcement cases to go to trial in connection with the U.S. housing meltdown and financial crisis. A federal jury had in 2013 found Bank of America and Rebecca Mairone, a former midlevel Countrywide executive, liable for fraudulently selling shoddy loans originated through its "High Speed Swim Lane" program, also called HSSL or "Hustle." The Justice Department said the program rewarded staff for generating more mortgages and emphasizing speed over quality, and resulted in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being lied to about the quality of loans they bought. Story continues Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were seized by the government in September 2008 and remain in conservatorships. Following the verdict, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in 2014 imposed a $1.27 billion penalty on Bank of America and ordered Mairone to pay $1 million. Bank of America was sued under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, a law adopted after the 1980s savings and loan scandal targeting conduct "affecting" federally insured financial institutions. The Justice Department has relied on FIRREA for several financial crisis-linked cases in part because it provides 10 years from the time of the alleged fraud to bring cases. Joshua Rosenkranz, a lawyer for Mairone, called the case "a massive government overreach," and said Monday's decision could have ramifications for other mortgage-related enforcement actions against banks. But he said the decision was also narrow because it did not address a closely watched issue over whether the government could sue a bank under FIRREA for conduct "affecting" itself. No appeals court has addressed that issue, which has emerged in other cases against banks. The case is U.S. v. Countrywide Home Loans Inc et at, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-496. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler) (Adds latest political scandal and details of new fiscal target) SAO PAULO, May 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's government on Tuesday will announce spending curbs and other measures to reduce its rising debt burden and plug a yawning fiscal deficit as it seeks to regain the confidence of investors, Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said. Speaking at an event in Sao Paulo on Monday, Meirelles said the short- and long-term measures will be aimed at helping pull Latin America's largest economy out of its worst recession in decades. Interim President Michel Temer has embarked on a business-friendly program since taking over from suspended leftist President Dilma Rousseff earlier this month. He named Meirelles, a former central bank governor, to lead the finance ministry. But any new policy announcement this week could be overshadowed by reports that Planning Minister Romero Juca, a key member of Meirelles' new economic team, sought to stall a massive corruption scandal at state-controlled firms. Juca, an experienced senator and key Temer ally, has been negotiating with Congress for the approval of a new so-called primary deficit target this week to avoid a government shutdown in June. The government will deliver to Congress later on Monday a new deficit target of 170.5 billion reais ($47.92 billion) for 2016, which would be a record and equal to 2.75 percent of Brazil's gross domestic product. The primary balance, or the difference between revenues and expenses before debt payments, is a key gauge of the health of a country's public finances. ($1 = 3.5581 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Erick Noin; Writing by Alonso Soto; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Paul Simao) Illegal logging has eviscerated Cambodia's forests - destroying around a third of the total in the country in the past 30 years (AFP Photo/Stew Magnuson) (AFP) Phnom Penh (AFP) - Cambodia's prime minister has ordered a million hectares of forest be included in protected zones as the country faces one of the world's fastest deforestation rates. The move, which covers five new areas of forest, will bump Cambodia's conservation zones up by a fifth, bringing more than a quarter of the country's land under protection. "The Ministry of Environment must... list the five forests as protected areas," said the order signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen, which was seen by AFP on Saturday. The new conservation areas will include parts of Prey Lang -- a forest where activists have long been risking their lives to expose the illegal logging that has eviscerated Cambodia's forest cover. The lucrative trade, lubricated by violence and bribery of forestry officials and border guards, has contributed to the clearance of around one third of the country's forested land in the past 30 years. Hun Sen has been in power throughout that time, but conservationists say he has made little headway in reducing illegal logging despite trumpeting several crackdowns. His government has also been criticised for allowing firms to clear hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest land -- including in protected zones -- for everything from rubber and sugar cane plantations to hydropower dams. Other forests named in the new order are Prey Preah Roka, Prey Siem Pang Khang Lech, Prey Chrak Robeang Khang Tbong and Prey Veun Sai -- all of which were previously administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The NGO Conservation International welcomed the new protections, calling the decree a "bold move". "These sites represent the most important forests in Cambodia for biodiversity conservation and support of human wellbeing, and if managed correctly could lead to a paradigm shift in Cambodias development pathway," said Tracy Farrell, the regional director of CI's Greater Mekong program. Story continues According to the organisation, Cambodias forests provide refuge to over 800 globally threatened species, more than half of which depend on forests to survive. Many local communities also depend on the woodlands for their livelihoods. Last week Cambodian authorities banned a documentary about a high-profile land activist, Chhut Vuthy, who was shot dead by a military policeman while investigating deforestation in a remote area in 2012. In November 2015 a forest ranger and a policeman who were investigating illegal logging were killed. At least 10 people, including a soldier, were arrested over the murders. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabis-based medicines, announces arrival of a Cannabis Science delegation beginning in Cape Town, South Africa to launch a historic Africa Healthcare initiative led by President & CEO, Co-Founder Raymond C. Dabney. Mr. Dabney is accompanied by Dr. Allen A. Herman, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of CBIS, Mr. Melvin P. Foote, President and Executive Director of Constituency for Africa (CFA), and Dr. Julius Garvey, surgeon and noted advocate for African healthcare and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of CBIS. Beginning in Cape Town, South Africa, the CBIS delegation is here to meet with key stakeholders in government, the private sector, civil society, and academia. The delegation will then move forward to other countries and major cities in the continent. CBIS is dedicated to collaboration with international regulatory agencies in South Africa and other African countries to provide access to high quality, first-class cannabinoid pharmaceuticals to those critically in need of new treatments for life threatening and debilitating conditions. CBIS products, broadly described, are medical cannabinoid formulations developed from one or more of the cannabinoid compounds found in the cannabis plant. By establishing operations in Southern Africa to develop and supply pharmaceuticals throughout the African continent, CBIS intends to access an underserved market with a total population of over 1.1 billion people. Through Public Private Partnerships in Southern Africa, the Company believes it can bring new products to market and increase company revenues, all while contributing to economic development in Africa through job creation, capacity building, and technology transfer. The Government and the educational and research leaders of South Africa continues its leadership in its development and implementation of initiatives to strengthen the country's health-care infrastructure and improve the delivery of health-care education and services to the South African people. Given this, we believe that South Africa and other African countries have indicated interest and are perceived to be ideal potential partners for CBIS as we explore opportunities to establish educational and pharmaceutical development operations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Story continues The delegation will also discuss the critical role that the Raymond C. Dabney University (RCDU) will play in the development of cannabinoid and other plant-based pharmaceuticals across the continent. RCDU is developing partnerships with universities in the United States and these partnerships will expand education and training opportunities in law and healthcare to members of disadvantaged communities and populations, and provide intellectual and laboratory resources for pharmaceutical development. The delegation will discuss the expansion of this model partnership to include African governments across the continent including educational and research institutions. The company believes that at the heart of its drug development program there is a broader development objective that will improve the capacities of government, educational and research partners in across the continent of Africa. The discussions will explore three main areas: 1. The legislative and regulatory environment that governs the growth of cannabis and the development of approved medicines based on the cannabis plant. We will meet with and discuss this with government ministers of health and agriculture. Additionally, we will explore the processes required by the Medicines Control Councils (the FDA equivalent agencies) of African countries to establish drug development programs. 2. What partnerships with educational, research, and community organizations will be necessary for effective drug development programs? 3. What are the education and training needs of our potential African country partners? "I am very excited to arrive on the African continent for my very first visit," said Mr. Dabney, "and I look forward to developing sustainable partnerships with the governments and people of Africa." Mr. Melvin P. Foote, President and Executive Director of Constituency for Africa (CFA), said, "At the heart of this visit is the creation of a drug development program that emphasizes local job creation, education and training. The Constituency for Africa joins CBIS in this venture because we believe that this program will develop sustainable job creation across a number of key sectors." Dr. Allen A. Herman, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of CBIS, suggested, "Drug development programs, by their very nature, require well-trained sophisticated personnel and that this comprehensive CBIS program will create the intellectual and industrial infrastructure that will serve as a platform for plant-based pharmaceutical development across a wide range of local sources." About Cannabis Science, Inc. Cannabis Science, Inc., takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on skin cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company are detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - CLEARink Displays and Suzhou Jinfu (300128.SZ) today announced that they have established a Joint Venture in Shanghai, China. The Joint Venture will commercialize CLEARink's breakthrough reflective display technology for various ePaper applications in China. JinFu, a Suzhou, China based company was founded in 2004 and is listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange. With a market cap of over US$1b and about 4,000 employees JinFu today supplies display modules and assemblies to various applications including mobile devices. Its customers include BOE, Foxconn, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, and others. Jinfu has a strong presence in the display market in China including robust channels into various targeted ePaper market segments. The Joint Venture will address established and emerging reflective display market applications including mobile phones, wearable devices, tablets and eReaders. The Joint Venture will also supply electronic shelf labels to the massive Chinese retail market, where dynamic pricing and price accuracy are most desired. "JinFu has been very successful in the display industry in China and our JV with CLEARink will give us access to a technology that meets so many of our customers' needs," said Mr. Fu Guoping, Founder and Chairman of JinFu. "CLEARink's technology and our cost effective display manufacturing expertise together will realize the true potential for ePaper." CLEARink intends to launch its first monochrome product in early 2017, and will unveil its first color reflective display prototypes, at the occasion of SID's Display Week 2016 in San Francisco. The color displays will be launched commercially in 2018. "Our Joint Venture with JinFu will deliver cost effective reflective displays in China. Using CLEARink displays, mobile device makers will finally be able offer devices that are sunlight readable, always-on, while also having a long battery life", said Frank Christiaens, founder & CEO of CLEARink Displays. "The overwhelming response we have received from potential customers shows a big gap in the display market that CLEARink can address." Story continues Interested mobile device makers that are visiting DisplayWeek 2016 can contact scott@clearinkdisplays.com to set a time to see product demos in CLEARink's private suite. About CLEARink Displays, Inc. CLEARink is a leader in reflective display technology for Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs), wearables, and mobile devices. CLEARink's TIR technology is a superior alternative to existing reflective displays, providing unparalleled video and color representation, using a fraction of the energy consumption of LCD displays, with a highly competitive cost structure. The TIR technology from CLEARink is patent protected. Founded in 2012, the company has raised more than US$10 million in financing from top-tier venture capital firms and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. About JinFu New Material Co. Ltd Founded in 2004, JinFu successfully launched its IPO on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2010. With 14 subsidiaries and about 4,000 employees, JinFu specializes in electronic materials for optical films and display modules, and has in-house R&D and production capabilities. dea marijuana In April, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released a letter to lawmakers saying that it would reviewmarijuana's classification as a Schedule I drug, considered the "most dangerous class" of substances. Marijuana was classified as Schedule I in the early 1970s, shortly after the passage of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA). The CSA forms the backbone of US drug policy. It established the scheduling system, which places legal and illegal drugs with potential for abuse into five categories from Schedule V, the least dangerous, to Schedule I, the most dangerous. Substances in Schedule I are considered to have "no currently accepted medical use" and are completely prohibited. Drugs in the Schedule II to V classification are considered to all have some amount of medical use and therefore undergo varying amounts of regulation. The system sounds sensible enough, but a closer look at what chemicals are in each schedule reveal flaws long pointed out by the system's critics: BI GRAPHICS_Drug Scheduling chart In the current scheduling system, marijuana is placed in the same "most dangerous" category as heroin, one of the most powerfully addictive and dangerous illegal substances on the planet. Psychedelics like peyote and LSD and the party drug MDMA (ecstasy) round out Schedule I. Meanwhile, tobacco and alcohol, the two most widely used and deadly substances in the US, are nowhere to be found. Fentanyl, a painkiller approximately 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and hundreds of times more powerful than heroin, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in Schedule II. To many observers, the US's drug scheduling seems arbitrary. To understand why, it's instructive to look back at how the schedules were made. Story continues The five groups were determined during the approval process of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. The scheduling of most drugs was determined by Congress during the debate over the bill and was supposedly chosen according to the scientific and medical evidence at the time. But Kathleen Frydl, a historian at the University of California at Berkeley, has rejected that characterization in her book, "The Drug Wars in America, 1940-1973": While presented as a scientific evaluation, and offered as a lucid and legible categorization of drugs, in reality Schedule I was used to accommodate and continue the posture toward drugs regulated under the Harrison Narcotic Act (heroin); Schedule II drugs in turn inherited the practices and norms associated with the Drug Control Abuse Amendments of 1965 (amphetamines, barbiturates). ... In this way, the CSA enshrined in law the arbitrary distinction drawn between two groups of drugs. ... The legislation was not a scientifically arbitrated scheme of drugs, but a political framework that consolidated a host of decisions, as well as some failures, to decide how to manage the drug portfolio of the United States. A marijuana plant is seen at the The Global Marijuana March in Toronto, May 7, 2011. Demonstrators took part in a march to support the legalization of marijuana. REUTERS/Mark Blinch Once the scheduling was established, the law gave the US Department of Justice and the attorney general the authority to revise the scheduling of drugs already classified or designate scheduling for new drugs, according to a report by the Drug Policy Alliance. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was given the power to conduct a scientific and medical evaluation of a substance to make a recommendation over whether it should be scheduled which is binding to the Justice Department. But once a substance fell into Justice Department control, it stayed there. When the DEA was created in 1973, the attorney general passed scheduling power on to the agency, which it has held ever since. Such a system presents a troubling conflict of interest: The law-enforcement agency whose budget depends explicitly on the magnitude of the threat from illegal drugs is in charge of determining the dangerousness of those drugs, rather than a scientific or medical body equipped to evaluate changing research or scientific data. The DEA has long argued that its scheduling decisions are rooted in science, despite its status as a law-enforcement agency. "Really it comes down to science. That's the foundation of the argument. We're bound by that scientific and medical evaluation," Russ Baer, staff coordinator in the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at the DEA, told Scientific American last month. marijuana California The history of marijuana's scheduling over the last 30 years, however, would seem to suggest otherwise. The attorney general under President Richard Nixon, John Mitchell, placed marijuana in Schedule I in 1970 at the recommendation of Assistant Secretary of Health Roger O. Egeberg. In a letter to lawmakers, Egeberg indicated that his recommendation was provisional until studies could determine a proper scheduling. Around the same time, Nixon created the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse, aka the Shafer Commission, to research the substance. The commission's findings, released in 1972, recommended that marijuana be decriminalized and said that the threat had been exaggerated. "The existing social and legal policy is out of proportion to the individual and social harm engendered by the use of the drug," the report concluded. The commission's recommendations were ignored by Nixon. In 1994, Nixon aide John Ehrlichman told Harper's Magazine that the criminalization of marijuana and heroin was a thinly veiled attempt to discredit the "anti-war left and black people." "We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did," Ehrlichman said. Over the years, the DEA has repeatedly resisted attempts to reschedule or de-schedule marijuana, despite the appeals of advocacy groups and the DEA's own members. In 1972, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) petitioned the DEA to reclassify marijuana to Schedule II so physicians could prescribe it. While the petition was denied, it started a long legal battle that forced the DEA to start a scientific and medical evaluation of the drug. In 1986, the administrator of the DEA initiated public hearings on the rescheduling of marijuana. After two years of hearings, the DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young recommended rescheduling marijuana. "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care," Young wrote in his ruling. Eric Holder DEA administrator John Lawn overruled Young's ruling, citing the testimony of doctors conducting research in the field. By the time the DC Court of Appeals affirmed the DEA's decision in 1994, the petition had taken 22 years to process. Subsequent petitions to reschedule marijuana have taken nine and seven years, respectively, to process. And they have similarly ended in failure. In the intervening years, organizations such as the American Medical Association, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all made recommendations to reschedule marijuana or suggest that marijuana be allowed as medicine for certain patients. The National Academy of Medicine's recommendations were solicited by the White House in 1997 and then summarily ignored. Since California began allowing medical marijuana in 1996, 22 other states and Washington, DC, have followed suit, permitting the medical use of the drug in some form, a decision in direct opposition to the position of the federal government. A 2014 Medscape survey of roughly 1,500 doctors found that 56% supported legalizing medical cannabis nationally, with 82% support among responding oncologists. Even US President Barack Obama's former attorney general has come out in favor of rescheduling. "I certainly think it ought to be rescheduled," Holder said in a February 2016 interview. "You know, we treat marijuana in the same way we treat heroin now, and that clearly is not appropriate." Still, many drug-policy advocates are skeptical at the practical effects of rescheduling marijuana in a currently toxic political climate. Mark Kleiman, a New York University professor specializing in issues involving drugs and criminal policy, wrote in a blog post in 2014 that "rescheduling" marijuana is a "red herring" that would have "zero" practical effect on medical marijuana. Meanwhile, Bill Piper, the director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, wrote that while "rescheduling would be huge politically," it wouldn't do much for patients or users. The solution, according to Kleiman, is opening up medical research to the scientific community. One of the primary reasons that the DEA has rejected rescheduling marijuana is because of a lack of evidence of its medicinal value. Incidentally, however, one factor of why there isn't enough evidence is that the DEA restricts how much marijuana can go toward research, because of its Schedule I status. Any prospective study must be approved by the HHS, the US Food and Drug Administration, and the DEA, a review process that has existed since only the late 1990s. Currently, the University of Mississippi is the only institution licensed to cultivate marijuana for research, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. NOW WATCH: This is how the legal marijuana industry is affecting Mexican drug cartels More From Business Insider By Alonso Soto, Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The Brazilian government plans to host a round of investor meetings to market a broad plan of asset sales, a key initiative to help raise cash and cut a record budget deficit, a senior official and people familiar with the matter told Reuters. According to Wellington Moreira Franco, the head of a government agency to draw foreign investment to Brazil, a round of so-called roadshows will help advertise the assets and the legal and regulatory framework behind the plan. He did not give a timetable nor say which assets will be sold. The planned sales, which could be Brazil's most ambitious privatization drive in two decades, offer more evidence of a policy shift since the Senate's decision earlier this month to suspend leftist President Dilma Rousseff and try her on charges of breaking budgetary rules. Five sources with knowledge of the plan told Reuters over the past week that Moreira Franco and Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Serra will lead the roadshows, which may take place in New York, London and other financial hubs. Two of the sources said the presentations are scheduled for mid-July. The list of ready-for-sale assets is still in the making. Yet, interim President Michel Temer wants to sell majority stakes in the fuel distribution unit of oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras and in power utility Furnas Centrais Eletricas SA, and in ventures in which airport authority Infraero has minority interests, the sources said. Moreira Franco said the programme's goal is to help create jobs as Brazil wrestles with a two-year long recession and slumping commodity prices. Still, the plan could help Brazil raise extra funds to narrow a deficit that most economists forecast to top 10 percent of gross domestic product this year. "It's time to end with the government monologue and start building solutions with our partners," Moreira Franco said late on Friday, adding that the legal and investment framework will be designed in a way that bidders "feel safe and confident." Temer, Rousseff's replacement during the impeachment trial and afterwards if she is found guilty, has vowed to streamline Brazil's bloated state and open room for more private investment. Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Co PJSC, and Mubadala Development Co PJSC are among the sovereign wealth funds invited to attend the roadshows, three of the sources said. Canadian investment firms and European infrastructure companies have already been contacted too, the sources added. Moreira Franco declined to give an estimate of how much the government could fetch from asset sales, although two of the sources said proceeds from stake divestitures could range between $10 billion (7 billion pounds) and $20 billion over the next two years. Some of the largest investment banks operating in Brazil will also attend the meetings, many of them representing potential buyers, the sources added. In a statement to Reuters, Temer's office said the government "plans to transfer to private investors several assets, stakes and companies, although it is still analyzing which and which others will remain in the hands of the state." Serra's office declined to comment. Mubadala is unlikely to attend, a spokesman said. Spokespeople for QIA and ADIA, as well as the Canadian firms including Brookfield Asset Management Inc, declined to comment. SANITATION, LOTTERIES Temer planned to deliver to lawmakers later on Monday a request to raise a key budget deficit target for this year, which requires congressional approval before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown. The new estimate is for the so-called primary deficit goal, or the difference between spending and revenues before debt payments. Brazilian equities, bonds and currency have gained in recent months, on optimism that an eventual removal of Rousseff from office for breaking budgetary rules could usher in more business-friendly policies. Moreira Franco noted that the asset sale programme and contacts with investors could also help the government resume auctions of oil and natural gas exploration permits. The programme will be implemented in phases that will hinge on the ability of officials and their advisors to prepare deals, the sources noted. Moreira Franco said that no banks have yet been hired to advise on the programme. According to the sources, the government will first offer those state companies with the most attractive or profitable business models, keeping a smaller stake in them. At a later stage, the government would try to exit stakes in privately-held or listed companies owned by BNDESPar, an investment holding company controlled by state development bank BNDES, they said. The Temer administration is considering asking debt-laden regional governments to sell to investors or surrender to the federal government their stakes in some of their sanitation firms, one of the sources said. Other assets that could be put for sale include state lender Caixa Economica Federal's insurance unit and lottery licensing, the same source said. Between 1995 and 2002, then-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso embarked on the sale of mining firms, utilities banks and licenses to operate telecommunications and electricity networks that raised about $78 billion. Cardoso sold 10 companies as well as five road and seven railway concessions, more than any other president in the country's history. Brazil's federal government has 2 trillion reais ($568 billion) in direct or indirect stakes in about 77 companies, according to data compiled by Economatica and Thomson Reuters. Among federal agencies that invest in state-controlled as well as private-sector companies is BNDESPar, which manages 45 billion reais in equity holdings. (With additional reporting by Ethan Lou in Toronto, Stanley Carvalho in Abu Dhabi and Tom Finn in Doha; Editing by Mary Milliken and Frances Kerry) Bangladeshi rescue workers search for survivors after Cyclone Roanu hit Chittagong on May 21, 2016 (AFP Photo/) Thousands of Bangladeshis were left homeless on Sunday after Cyclone Roanu battered the impoverished southern coastal region, ripping apart flimsy houses and killing at least 24 people. The storm on Saturday ploughed through low-lying villages in the Chittagong and Barisal regions, where residents described seeing metres-high walls of water. Many Bangladeshis were returning safely home on Sunday after authorities evacuated more than 500,000 to shelters before the cyclone hit, packing winds of up to 88 kilometres (54 miles) per hour. But officials said thousands of others along the coast had been left stranded in their homes as seawater barrelled through dykes and flooded dozens of villages. "Before we could realise, the whole village was washed away by a huge wall of water," said Abu Siddique, a councillor from Banshkhali district in Chittagong. "It came at least six hours early, giving the villagers no time to rush to cyclone shelters. Those who died were caught by a sudden rush of water," he told AFP. "They (authorities) said the storm surge would be four-feet high but in some places the water that hit our shore was as high as 10 feet (three metres)." Bangladesh's disaster management chief said thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed and 24 people had been killed in total. About half of those who died were from the Chittagong region which bore the brunt of the storm, Disaster Management Department head Reaz Ahmed told AFP. "Some 80,000 tin-and-mud-built homes were damaged by the storm in the coastal regions including 23,000 homes which were completed knocked down," Ahmed said. Authorities were sending relief supplies including rice and other dry food to affected areas, where many poor residents already have very little and scratch a living as small fishermen or farmers. Television footage showed villagers sitting helplessly in front of their flattened houses. "In a moment my home was destroyed," an unnamed villager in Bhola island off the Barisal coast told the private Independent Television channel. Story continues A week of extreme weather has wreaked havoc across South Asia, with Sri Lanka pounded by the heaviest rains in 25 years triggering severe floods and landslides. - Regularly battered - More than 80 villages in Bangladesh's Barisal were flooded after a rain-swollen dam burst and forced residents to flee, the Daily Star newspaper said on Sunday. Seawater also gushed through shops and warehouses in the commercial hub and main port city of Chittagong, police and industry officials said. "Food supplies worth one billion taka ($12.5 million) was damaged after seawater entered our warehouses," Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahbubul Alam told AFP. Flights at Chittagong's international airport resumed after two days of shutdown from the storm which weakened after making land. The government said it was deploying a minister and top disaster officials to the worst-hit areas to assess the damage. Bangladesh is regularly battered by cyclones which form in the Bay of Bengal. Cyclone Aila in 2009 killed 300 people while Cyclone Sidra claimed 4,000 lives in 2007. Earlier this month lightning strikes killed an unprecedented 59 people in Bangladesh in three days as tropical thunderstorms hit the country before the annual monsoon, which runs from June to September. (Adds comment from Bial) By Matthias Blamont PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - Portuguese drugmaker Bial and French laboratory Biotrial are at fault "on several counts" for a failed drug trial that left one person dead and five others hospitalised in January, French Health Minister Marisol Touraine said on Monday. All trials of the drug, designed to treat mood and anxiety issues as well as coordination disorders linked to neurological issues, have since been suspended. The victims were given the experimental drug made by Bial during a phase one trial at a private facility in Rennes, Brittany, run by France's Biotrial. "A final investigation report confirms that the conditions under which the test was approved did not breach existing legislation," Touraine told journalists. "Inspectors consider, however, that Bial and Biotrial are responsible on several counts; regarding the dosage prescribed (...) and the time taken to alert authorities," she said. An initial inquiry in February had already established that Biotrial had been too slow to react when the first subject became sick. Touraine said the five patients who had fallen ill after the trial were out of danger and no longer in hospital, but she criticised the way Biotrial had managed the crisis. In their final report, inspectors from France's IGAS social affairs inspectorate found that the company had not properly informed volunteers and had followed a flawed testing protocol. Biotrial has contested the IGAS findings, complaining of "carefully orchestrated leaks". Bial said it was "profoundly saddened" by the outcome of the Rennes trial but added there had been no data to suggest it should not proceed with the progressive dose increases approved by authorities beforehand. Touraine said on Monday that Biotrial had been given a month to outline measures it planned to take in order to avoid any repeat of the accident. France will work with the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency to improve trial practices at an international level, she said. Story continues In addition to the IGAS investigation, the affair is the subject of a separate judicial enquiry. Cases of early-stage clinical trials going badly wrong are rare but not unheard of. In 2006, six healthy volunteers given an experimental drug in London ended up in intensive care. On Jan. 21, U.S. company Johnson & Johnson said it had suspended international trials of a drug similar to the one experimented by Bial. (Editing by Gareth Jones and Laurence Frost) German authorities carried out a sweeping emissions probe found not only VW vehicles, but other major car brands, including Italy's Fiat, showed up irregularities (AFP Photo/Sajjad Hussain) (AFP/File) Berlin (AFP) - Germany on Thursday blasted Fiat for its "uncooperative attitude", saying the Italian carmaker had refused to meet German officials to address questions on whether their vehicles complied with emissions regulations. German authorities carried out a sweeping emissions probe after Volkswagen admitted last year to rigging its engines to cheat pollution tests. Not only VW vehicles, but other major car brands, including Italy's Fiat, showed up irregularities in the probe. Fiat officials were due to hold a meeting with German authorities on Thursday to discuss the problem but cancelled the talks abruptedly through a lawyer's letter, the transport ministry said in a statement. The carmaker had declined to meet as it deemed Italian officials to be the only authority responsible on the question of whether their vehicles complied with existing emissions regulations, the ministry said. "This uncooperative attitude of Fiat is completely incomprehensible," said Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The probe carried out into the emission values of all vehicle models on German roads found that of 53 models tested, 22 models emitted high nitrogen oxide values and possessed a technical device that raised questions. The models in particular have devices that, under specific temperatures, switch off systems that are meant to remove harmful nitrogen oxide from cars' exhaust. The systems for cleaning pollutants are deactivated at low temperatures to protect engines or prevent a possible accident, as is allowed by EU regulations, but it was not clear whether some makers used this provision to bend the rules. Dobrindt said Germany would push for the loophole to be closed, to ensure that "manufacturers can no longer hide behind the excuse of protecting engines". HERNDON, VA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - iDirect Government (iDirectGov), a leading provider of satellite communications to the military and government, today unveils its Evolution 3.4.1 software, which powers the company's next-generation 9-Series portfolio of remotes and defense line cards. iDirectGov will showcase the new software release in the company's booth, No. 1712, during the 2016 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC), which runs today through May 26 in Tampa. Evolution 3.4.1 delivers enhanced features in security, performance and efficiency to the 9-Series product line in support of the company's defense and government customers whenever and wherever they need effective satellite communications. The software supports the 950mp, 900 and 9350 remotes as well as the DLC-T and DLC-R defense line cards -- all from a single platform. Offering the latest transmission security (TRANSEC) enhancements in the air, on land and at sea, the Evolution platform is Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Level 3 certifiable. The 9-Series remotes and DLC line cards support dual-domain TRANSEC. One-way TRANSEC is a new feature that secures broadcast traffic from the hub to a network of receive-only remotes The flexible and scalable 3.4.1 software enables 9-Series remotes to operate and coexist in future networks, helping defense and government customers to easily transition to future releases. The flexibility of 3.4.1 simplifies the recovery of remotes without local manual intervention. Bringing iDirectGov's 9-Series to life, the new software release enables secure, fast and flexible satcom on a global scale. With the Evolution platform, the entire 9-Series line of remotes is capable of nearly double the in-route Msps of its predecessor with almost 10 times the packets per second capability. For airborne, maritime and land-based communications, the latest Evolution software drives the 9-Series with: Mission-critical applications, connectivity and security Efficiency, mobility and ease of use Support of high-speed Communications on the Move (COTM) The ability to run both two-way and one-way networks simultaneously (GBS capable) Extended frequency ranges, which allow users to access the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) constellation, as well as High Throughput Satellites (HTS) A reduced footprint Story continues "Evolution 3.4.1 delivers a new, advanced level of satellite communications capacity to the field," said John Ratigan, president of iDirect Government. "The satcom software energizes and elevates the 9-Series remotes and line cards, enabling iDirectGov's customers to connect, command and coordinate their critical assets in the field better than ever before. We are enthusiastic about the Evolution platform leading in proficient next-generation satellite communications deployment for airborne, maritime and land-based customers." About iDirect Government iDirect Government, LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of VT iDirect, Inc., delivers secure satellite-based voice, video and data applications with anytime and anywhere connectivity in the air, at sea and on land. iDirect Government's advanced satellite IP solutions are used for critical ISR, airborne, maritime and COTM communications to support force protection, logistics, situational awareness, disaster recovery and emergency response. Building on more than 15 years of global satellite communications experience, iDirect Government provides the most bandwidth-efficient, scalable and highly secure platform to meet specialized applications of multiple federal, state and local government agencies, including the Department of Defense, both domestically and abroad. iDirect Government is headquartered in Herndon, Va. For more information, please visit http://www.idirectgov.com/. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (centre) speaks at a joint press briefing with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Tehran on May 23, 2016 (AFP Photo/Handout) Tehran (AFP) - India agreed Monday to finance the development of an Iranian port as a trading hub, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to revive economic ties with Tehran after the lifting of sanctions. The Indian leader met Iranian officials including supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani during a visit that he said would mark "a new chapter in our strategic partnership". Modi and Rouhani oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the provision of a line of credit from India's EXIM Bank to develop Iran's southern port of Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman. Rouhani hailed the project, saying it could become a "great symbol of cooperation between Iran and India". Modi's visit, the first by an Indian premier to Iran in 15 years, comes after international sanctions against Tehran were lifted in mid-January following an agreement with world powers over its nuclear programme. Since that long-awaited agreement was reached in July, officials from dozens of mainly Asian and European countries have visited Iran to seek a share of its 80-million strong market. India, China's greatest economic rival in Asia, is among the last regional powers to arrive. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Iran only days after the sanctions were lifted and pledged to expand trade to $600 billion in the next 10 years. Xi's visit was in line with his signature foreign policy initiative known as "One Belt One Road". - Afghan corridor - The first train to connect China and Iran arrived in Tehran in February loaded with Chinese goods, reviving the ancient trade route known as the Silk Road. President Park Geun-Hye of South Korea visited Iran at the beginning of this month. Iran and South Korea decided to triple their annual trade volume to $18 billion and Woori Bank opened an office in Tehran, becoming the first South Korean lender to do so. Modi and Rouhani were joined by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to sign a three-way transit accord. Story continues The deal, bypassing Pakistan to connect Iran, India, and Afghanistan to central Asia, would boost economic growth in the region, Modi said. "We want to link to the world, but connectivity among ourselves is also a priority," he said. "The corridor would spur unhindered flow of commerce throughout the region. Inflow of capital and technology could lead to new industrial infrastructure in Chabahar." - India thirsty for oil - The port, "when linked with the International North South Transport Corridor, would touch South Asia at one end and Europe at another." Rouhani said it was "not merely an economic document but a political and regional one" with a message of regional opportunities for development. He cautioned the agreement was not against any other country, but to the benefit of "peace and stability in the region". "Other countries too can join this document of partnership in future." The volume of trade between Iran and India in the past 11 months reached $9 billion, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency. India is reportedly seeking to double its imports of oil from the Islamic republic. Tehran was New Delhi's second largest oil supplier until 2011-12, when the sanctions cut its dependence on Iranian oil. India still owes Iran $6.5 billion that Tehran was unable to recover because of the international sanctions. India has begun paying back the debt. In the evening, Khamenei received Modi. "As you mentioned, in addition to oil and gas, Chabahar, one of the major east-west and south-north connecting points can be a platform for deep, long-term and beneficial cooperations," he told Modi. The Afghan president praised his counterparts and said the Chabahar partnership was only the beginning. "I thank them because they believe that Afghanistan is going to be stable and they are wagering on our stability," said Ghani. He also met Iran's supreme leader at the end of his brief visit. "Iran will never withhold any technical, engineering or infrastructural help from Afghanistan to harvest its natural resources," Khamenei told him. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has no plans to freeze the level of its oil production and exports, Deputy Oil Minister Rokneddin Javadi was quoted on Sunday as saying, as the country tries to raise its crude exports to pre-sanctions levels. "Under the present circumstances, the government and the Oil Ministry have not issued any policy or plan to the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) towards halting the increase in the production and exports of oil," Javadi, who also heads the state-run NIOC, told Iran's Mehr news agency. "Currently, Iran's crude oil exports, excluding gas condensates, have reached 2 million barrels per day (bpd)," Javadi said. "Iran's crude oil export capacity will reach 2.2 million barrels by the middle of summer." A meeting of the OPEC exporters' group, including Iran, is scheduled for June 2. Plans for a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to shore up crude prices by freezing output fell apart in April when Saudi Arabia demanded that Iran, its main rival for influence in the region, join in. Iran's oil exports were badly dented by Western sanctions and since these were scrapped in January, it has been determined to build its exports back up, making a compromise with Saudi Arabia almost impossible. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom, dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; Editing by Kevin Liffey) BAGHDAD, May 23 (Reuters) - A deal between Iraq and the International Monetary Fund for a $5.4 billion standby agreement is credit positive and will improve liquidity for the cash-strapped government, Moody's said in a statement. The agreement will help finance Iraq's fiscal and current account deficits, the rating agency said. The deal, reached on Thursday, could unlock $15 billion more in international assistance over the next three years to help an economy hit by the plunge in oil prices since mid-2014 and a costly battle against Islamist militancy. (Reporting By Stephen Kalin; editing by John Stonestreet) JERUSALEM, May 23 (Reuters) - Partner Communications , Israel's second-largest mobile phone operator, reported on Monday a drop in first quarter profit and sales as competition in the cellular market continued to erode service revenues. Israel's mobile phone industry was shaken up in 2012 with the entry of a host of new operators, sparking a price war that led to steep drops in subscribers, revenue and profit at Partner and two incumbent rivals. Partner also cut its final ties with French telecoms group Orange earlier this year after nearly two decades of operating under the name Orange. "The first quarter of 2016 was marked by our decision to part with the Orange brand and to launch the Partner brand," said Chief Executive Isaac Benbenisti. "The unification of the operations under the Partner brand is expected to streamline systems and improve the customer experience." Partner reported a profit of 14 million shekels ($3.61 million) in the first three months of 2016, down from 25 million shekels a year earlier. Revenue slipped 7 percent to 977 million shekels. The company's subscriber base fell 3 percent to about 2.69 million and its total cellular market share dropped to 26 percent from 28 percent a year earlier. ($1 = 3.8798 shekels) (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch) el chapo baby On Friday, the Mexican Foreign Ministry announced that it had approved the extradition of jailed drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman to the US to face charges including drug trafficking, homicide, and money laundering in Texas and California. Coming after two rulings by two Mexican judges, the ministrys decision effectively clears the way for Guzmans transport to a US courtroom. But, as US experts and Guzmans own lawyers have said, the kingpin still has means to fight his transfer. We expected it. It is no surprise, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, one of Guzmans lawyers, said of the ministry's decision in an interview with Milenio TV, according to The Associated Press. Guzman knows and is conscious that the real battle against extradition is going to be waged through the constitutional appeals process, Rodriguez said, adding that the kingpin could stay in Mexico for one to three years as the appeals process plays out. Guzman now has up to 30 days to appeal the decision, after which a judge will decide how to move forward. His defense team has at least two attempts to appeal, according to The Washington Post, which could last months. "It kind of sounds crazy because he was first apprehended two or three years ago. So a lot of people think, "Oh, you got him, just bring him across the border," David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego and the director of the schools Justice in Mexico program, told Business Insider prior to the ministrys decision. "They forget one important consideration, which is there is a process." There's both a sort of technical process and what we can think of as due process. I mean, there's the technical steps, Shirk said, referring to the diplomatic and bureaucratic wrangling involved in the extradition process, and then there's the fact that he actually has some rights. Mexico El Chapo Guzman prison transfer Story continues The Sinaloa kingpin, apprehended in January after his July breakout, has been in Mexican custody for more than four months, and the extradition process with Mexico can take anywhere from six months to over six years, Mike Vigil, the former chief of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Agency, told Business Insider. The Mexican governments approval of extradition came less than two weeks after Guzman was suddenly transferred from a high-security jail in central Mexico (one that he broke out of in July 2015) to another one near Ciudad Juarez, not far from El Paso, Texas. The relocation fueled speculation that Guzman who has signaled his willingness to cut a deal with the US under certain conditions was about to be sent north, an unlikely assumption, according to Vigil. Just because they put him there doesn't mean that it's imminent, hardly the case. Because under the extradition treaty, the attorneys" can file legal injunctions, Vigil told Business Insider before the ministry issued its decision. El Chapo Guzman lawyer trial plead case And for every injunction that the defense attorneys will file, under the Mexican extradition treaty, they have to hold a judicial hearing for each and every injunction, which takes a lot of time, Vigil added. In particular, Guzmans attorneys have seized on the prison transfer, arguing that it hurts the drug lords defense because the new prison is far from the court dealing with his case. Rodriguez told the AP that Guzman could be transferred back to the original prison if jail officials deem the conditions acceptable. Vigil also suggested Guzman could try to strong-arm his way out of extradition using violence and intimidation. There is a very strong possibility that he will launch a frontal assault on the Mexican government, to try to intimidate the government to stop his extradition," Vigil told the AP. Future developments in the case however far down the road they happen could also come unexpectedly, as the Mexican government will likely try to keep the legal proceedings under wraps. It seems to me that the pattern has been when extradition happens, they happen in a swift and usually unexpected fashion, insofar as the authorities don't want people to know that someone's being moved because that could obviously lead to a jailbreak attempt or something like that, Shirk said. NOW WATCH: EX-DEA AGENT: What I did when a drug dealer tried to bribe me with $3 million More From Business Insider Moscow (AFP) - Moscow on Friday proposed that Russia and United States, which have been flying separate bombing campaigns in Syria, launch joint air strikes against jihadists from next week, a proposal the Pentagon swiftly rejected. "We are proposing to the US, as the head of the International Syria Support Group, to take part as of May 25 in joint operations between the Russian air force and the air force of the coalition," Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said in televised comments. Shoigu said that the proposal included strikes against Jabhat al-Nusra and other illegal armed groups that do not support a frail truce brokered by Moscow and Washington in February. He also proposed that joint strikes target "convoys containing weapons and ammunition (and) armed units that illegally cross the Syrian-Turkish border." "We believe that adopting these measures will ensure the transition to a peace settlement process over all of Syria's territory," Shoigu said. "Of course, the leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic has agreed to these measures." Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis rejected Moscow's proposal, saying the US military does "not collaborate or coordinate with the Russians on any operations in Syria." US State Department spokesman John Kirby said nothing had been agreed. "What we are discussing with our Russian counterparts... are proposals for a sustainable mechanism to better monitor and enforce the cessation of hostilities," Kirby said. He added that the "vast majority" of the violations of the truce had been carried out by the regime, which is backed by Moscow. - Russia 'enabling' Assad - "Russian operations are supporting and enabling the Assad regime and our focus is solely on degrading and defeating ISIL," Davis said, referring to the Islamic State jihadist group. Davis added that the Pentagon had received "nothing formal" from its Russian counterpart regarding the proposal. Story continues Russia and the United States pledged earlier this month to redouble efforts to find a solution to the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions since 2011, and extend a truce across the war-torn country. Despite diplomatic efforts to resolve the five-year conflict, Moscow and Washington have been critical of each other's bombing campaigns in Syria. The West has accused Moscow -- a staunch supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- of propping up the regime by targeting rebels fighting Assad in strikes Moscow said were aimed against "terrorist" organisations. Moscow has in turn repeatedly slammed the US coalition, saying its strikes in Syria have been ineffective. Shoigu said Friday that Russia would reserve its right to unilaterally strike "international terrorist and illegal armed groups that have not adhered to the cessation of hostilities" starting from May 25. - Russian withdrawal? - President Vladimir Putin surprised the West in March by announcing the partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria, saying Moscow's task in the war-torn country had been "on the whole" completed. The Pentagon said Wednesday that Russia's military strength in Syria had barely changed since the partial withdrawal was announced. Baghdad-based US military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said that Russia had established some sort of forward operating base outside Palmyra, the ancient city Syrian forces recaptured in March from Islamic State jihadists with the help of Russian air strikes and special forces. The Russian defence ministry denied that it was building a base in Palmyra, saying its military installations in the area are a "temporary camp" used for demining operations. Meanwhile Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday said his Lebanese Shiite movement would boost its support for Syria's regime after one of its top commanders was killed there last week. According to Hezbollah expert Waddah Charara, the Shiite militant group has sent between 5,000 and 6,000 combatants to Syria since 2013. Hezbollah has accused Islamist extremists of killing its commander Mustafa Badreddine in an artillery attack near Damascus. last week. lagos nigeria yellow Nigeria's economic crisis is getting worse. On Friday the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics revealed that the country's economy shrank by 0.4% year-over-year in the first quarter way worse than expected. Economists were expecting the country to grow by 1.8% year-over-year, according to the Bloomberg consensus. And now analysts aren't feeling too good about the situation going forward. "We have long warned of a slow-burning crisis in Nigeria," Capital Economics' Africa economist John Ashbourne said. "It now seems that this view was too optimistic: the country is headed into a full-blown economic crisis." Nigeria continues to suffer from numerous economic headaches, including lower oil prices and the government's controversial foreign-exchange and price-control policies (which analysts have more or less deemed a failure). The biggest drop in growth was in Nigeria's manufacturing sector, which Ashbourne wrote was crushed by the country's FX policies. "This is very bad news for Nigeria's government, which has justified the current FX system as a method of promoting non-oil industries," Ashbourne said. "It is now clear that these policies have as we'd long argued made a bad situation worse." Still, the scariest thing about this latest gross-domestic-product number is that it doesn't factor in any of the debilitating problems Nigeria has seen in the second quarter, including but not limited to the fuel-shortage crisis and some of the oil-production disruptions by the Niger Delta Avengers. In short, Ashbourne concluded grimly, "the worst is yet to come." Screen Shot 2016 05 20 at 3.57.02 PM NOW WATCH: FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy More From Business Insider * Eurobond is first since sanctions were imposed * Demand tops around $5.5 bln - source * Books to close on Tues to allow more investors in - sources * Russia aims to raise up to $3 bln this year * Cash needed to fill holes in budget * Main international settlement agencies not signed up (Adds details on timing, quotes, background) By Kira Zavyalova, Oksana Kobzeva and Lidia Kelly MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) - Russia launched on Monday its first Eurobond offering since sanctions were imposed over Ukraine, but Western banks were not taking part and sources said the offer would be extended by a day in the hope of attracting Asian investors. One financial market source said demand had topped about $5.5 billion, with the closure of the order book to be postponed until Tuesday to enable more investors to take part. A second source confirmed the new timing of the book-closing. "This is a working process and is not a negative signal," a trader with a Russian bank said. The first source said that the extension was aimed at giving Asian investors "a look in the morning." Market insiders said the placement was likely to attract mainly domestic investors because foreign players were wary of buying without the seal of approval from Western financial institutions. That would not prevent a successful placement because domestic demand is high. But it would mean Russia would have to offer a higher premium. It would also deny the government the opportunity to make the point it had hoped to prove with the Eurobond - that it can still tap Western debt markets despite being subject to financial sanctions. "It's not clear to what extent foreign players can take part," said Alexei Tverdokhleb, a trader with Bank Zenit. The biggest obstacle for foreign investors was the fact that the two main settlement agencies, which play a crucial technical role in placing bonds internationally, have not signed up to handle the paper. The involvement of the two, Euroclear and Clearstream, is viewed by many Western investors as a guarantee the transaction is safe. Clearstream declined to discuss the matter while Euroclear had no immediate comment. Story continues The agencies were reluctant to get involved because of the sanctions risk, according to several banking sources. Instead, a Russian agency will act as settlement house for the placement. BUDGET GAPS The size of the Eurobond placement was not disclosed, but according to budget forecasts Russia may raise up to $3 billion in foreign debt this year. Last time, Russia raised $7 billion in Eurobonds in September of 2013 in four tranches: five-, 10- and 30-year dollar-denominated issues and a seven-year euro-denominated tranche. Moscow wants to fill gaps in its budget caused by an economic slump and demonstrate that it can finance itself, regardless of sanctions. A prospectus obtained by Reuters showed the finance ministry would place a 10-year dollar-denominated Eurobond and the placement will be organised by VTB Capital, a unit of state-owned lender VTB, which is itself subject to Western sanctions. The prospectus said Russia's National Settlement Depositary (NSD) will be the clearing system for the Eurobond, while "no assurance can be given" about whether any other settlement agencies will hold the paper. The finance ministry said it would not use proceeds from Eurobond to help companies which were subject to sanctions, the prospectus stated. The ministry is offering a yield of 4.65-4.90 percent, two banking sources said. That represents a premium on other comparable paper issued by Russia. "Clearly Russia is trying to do this in the old-fashioned capitalistic way by offering you 50 bps upside, saying that you are losing an opportunity here of getting 3.25 percent in cash terms, that you are giving this away, you are punishing yourself because of U.S pressure," Yerlan Syzdykov, head of emerging debt at Pioneer Investments in London. But he said issues with the settlement agencies and the fact that VTB is under sanctions would weigh on international investors. "Many people could be reluctant," he said. Before the decision to move the deal to Tuesday, a London-based fund manager had called the new bond's premium "attractive" but cited timing concerns for a potential participation. "We have to check with our compliance department but that will take 2-3 days and they are pricing today (Monday) so realistically we won't be able to participate," the manager said. SANCTIONS AND INVESTORS The finance ministry had invited Western and Russian banks to bid for the role of placement organiser, but no Western financial institutions came forward, even though sanctions do not expressly forbid helping organise a bond placement. Western banking sources said they were dissuaded because U.S. and European regulators had warned them off and they did not want to risk incurring fines from the regulators. Dmitry Polevoy, chief economist for Russia and CIS at ING bank, said in a note the deal was "indeed a surprise", with suspicion arising that it was structured specifically for non-foreign investors. "A scenario of a state-owned bank using excess forex cash to buy the new bond is one of the opportunities with the NSD settlement, solving potential sanction-related issues," he said. Russia's central bank has been tightening regulations of forex usage by local banks, trying to minimize foreign currency risks to the economy and leaving some of the players with forex surplus as a result. Yields on Russia's existing Eurobonds rose slightly after the announcement. Russia's 2023 dollar Eurobond was yielding 4.04 percent, up from 3.96 percent at the open. (Additional reporting by Katya Golubkova in MOSCOW, and Sujata Rao, Claire Milhench and Marc Jones in LONDON; Writing by Katya Golubkova and Christian Lowe; Editing by Jason Bush and Hugh Lawson) May 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's elite Hawks police unit has no plans to arrest finance minister Pravin Gordhan as part of an investigation into a surveillance operation set up by the Revenue Service during his time in charge, a spokesman said on Monday. "He is not a suspect," Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi told Reuters, adding that the unit was not singling out Gordhan in its investigation of the surveillance unit, (Reporting by TJ Strydom; Editing by Ed Cropley) GOLDEN, CO--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc. (SEER) (SENR), a provider of environmental, renewable fuels and industrial waste stream management services, announced its wholly owned subsidiary, MV Technologies ("MV"), has secured a purchase order for its proprietary H2SPlus System to be deployed in a landfill gas recovery and processing project based in Southeast Michigan. The order has an initial value of $750,000 and the system is designed to easily accommodate future site expansion. The H2SPlus System, with a capacity of 3,800 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM), will serve as a critical component in the user's program to generate the quality of landfill gas necessary for beneficial use as an alternative energy source gas and meet increasingly stringent emissions control limits. Landfill gas recovery systems put a noxious gas to productive use and provide local utilities, industries and consumers with an opportunity to use a competitive, renewable source of energy. The project is expected to be operational by the fall of 2016. Tom Jones, vice president of business development for MV, commented: "This order validates our decision in 2015 to focus on the growing landfill gas market and is now the 12th installation of MV's H2SPlus System in a landfill gas management application. Moreover, the installation will increase the aggregate amount of LFG treated by MV's H2SPlus Systems to over 30,000 SCFM nationwide. In fact, the current 12 MV installations throughout the U.S. remove more than 500 tons of deadly hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) gas per year, which upon combustion, is converted to an equivalent amount of SO 2 . With SO 2 being one of the five major regulated greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, it's rewarding for everyone at MV to develop and commercialize technologies that contribute to a cleaner and safer environment. "Increasing our presence in the landfill gas segment of the renewable energy market is a very important part of SEER's overall business strategy. H2SPlus system sales generate both project revenue on the initial transaction as well as long-term, recurring revenue from supplying our proprietary, expendable media and other additives, that we call BioActive Media or BAM. At expected flow rates and projected H 2 S concentrations, this four-vessel system will require approximately 11,000 cubic feet of MV's BioActive Media on an annual replacement basis," added Jones. "We are proud to have two of the top five U.S. landfill gas recovery organizations award us this purchase order for a large-scale renewable energy project," said J. John Combs III, SEER's chairman and CEO. "The momentum with our H2SPlus System rollout is building and this repeat project with two large, industry leaders validates the reliability and efficacy of our H2Splus system and BioActive Media. Additionally, the purchase order expands our growing installed base in the national LFG market and we are confident MV's market share is moving in tandem as we continue to establish our value proposition and demonstrate our superior efficiencies and performance." Landfill Gas Landfill gas (LFG) is created when organic waste in a municipal solid waste landfill decomposes. This gas consists of about 50% methane (the primary component of natural gas), about 50% carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs). Instead of being allowed to escape into the air, LFG can be captured, converted, and used as an energy source. Using LFG helps to reduce odors and other hazards associated with LFG emissions, and helps prevent methane from being emitted into the atmosphere and contributing to local smog and global climate change. Landfill Gas for Energy Of the approximately 2,400 active or closed municipal solid waste landfills identified in LMOP's national database, nearly 600 of them have one or more LFG energy projects in operation, resulting in 648 operational projects. EPA estimates that as many as 400 additional landfills could cost-effectively have their methane turned into an energy resource, producing enough electricity to power nearly 473,000 homes across the United States. The remaining landfills in LMOP's database either have a project in the construction or planning phase, previously had a project that has since ceased operating, or are not known to have LFG energy potential based on the data available. Economic Benefits of Using Landfill Gas as a Resource LFG energy projects are a win-win opportunity for all parties involved, whether they are the landfill owner/operators, the local utility, the local government, or the surrounding community. Once the LFG system is in place, the captured gas can be sold for use as heat or fuel or be converted and sold on the energy market as renewable "green" power. In so doing, the community can turn an environmental and financial liability into an asset improving both the local community and the planet. Recovered Landfill Gas Almost any entity can use LFG for a variety of purposes. One option is for utilities and power providers to purchase the electricity generated from the recovered LFG. Purchasing electricity from LFG enables utilities and power providers to add a renewable energy component to their energy portfolios. In addition, any entity (including municipalities, local industrial customers, and other organizations) that has a need for a direct and constant power supply is a good candidate for LFG use. LFG can be piped directly to a nearby facility for use as either a boiler or industrial process fuel. Direct use of LFG is reliable and requires minimal processing and minor modifications to existing combustion equipment. About Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc. Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc. (SEER) (SENR), identifies, secures, and commercializes patented and proprietary environmental clean technologies in several multibillion dollar sectors (including oil & gas, renewable fuels, and all types of waste management, both solid and gaseous) for the purpose of either destroying/minimizing hazardous waste streams more safely and at lower cost than any competitive alternative, and/or processing the waste for use as a renewable fuel for the benefit of the customers and the environment. SEER has four wholly-owned operating subsidiaries: REGS, LLC; Tactical Cleaning Company, LLC; MV Technologies, LLC and SEER Environmental Materials, LLC; and two majority-owned subsidiaries: Paragon Waste Solutions, LLC; and ReaCH4biogas ("Reach"). For more information about the Company visit: www.seer-corp.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of various provisions of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, commonly identified by such terms as "believes," "looking ahead," "anticipates," "estimates," and other terms with similar meaning. Although the company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements should not be construed as fact. Statements in this press release regarding future performance or fiscal projections, the cost effectiveness, impact and ability of the Company's products to handle the future needs of customers are forward-looking statements. The information contained in such statements is beyond the ability of the Company to control, and in many cases the Company cannot predict what factors would cause results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. All forward-looking statements in the press release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions. The Taiwan country-specific exchange traded fund jumped Monday, testing its long-term trend line, after newly elected President Tsai Ing-wen pushed for closer economic ties with Southeast Asia and a possible increase in smartphone orders. The iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (EWT) rose 2.7% Monday and was testing its long-term resistance level at the 200-day simple moving average. Meanwhile, rival First Trust Taiwan AlphaDEX (FTW) gained 3.6%. Related: Taiwan ETFs Poised to Generate Big Returns In an inauguration speech, President Tsai called for closer cooperation with Southeast Asia, expressing interest in bringing Taiwan into the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, along with discussing the New Southbound Policy that would focus on countries in the region besides China, reports Noriko Okemoto for Nikkei Asian Review. Kenny Wen of Sun Hung Kai Financial argued that it is a smart move given the rising labor costs in China, compared to Southeast Asia. For example, Cathay Financial Holding is buying into Indonesian and Philippine banks while electronics manufacturer Gintech Energy has production facilities in Thailand. Taiwanese markets have been slipping in recent weeks on uncertainty over the presidential elections. Over the past month, EWT dipped 6.4% and FTW declined 8.5%. Trending on ETF Trends Pipeline Opportunity With An MLP ETF 24 ETFs Targeting Outperforming Mid-Cap Category A Little Known Outperforming Infrastructure ETF Fed Focus for Familiar Financial ETFs Bond ETF Investors: Dont Give Up Yields if Rates Rise The local main board had been depressed in recent sessions due to foreign institutional selling and worries over cross-Taiwan Strait ties ahead of a power transition on May 20, Hua Nan Securities analyst Henry Miao told Focus Taiwan. Moreover, Taiwanese markets, notably the tech sector, received a boost on optimism that Apple (AAPL) orders for iPhone 7 will be higher than estimated. Story continues Related: Applied Materials Earnings Beat Helps Semiconductor ETFs Power Up Now, investors simply seized on a strong showing made by semiconductor stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week and an upbeat mood about a possible improvement in shipments of the next-generation iPhones to hunt bargains today, Miao added. The tech sector is the largest component of the two Taiwan ETFs underlying benchmarks, accounting for 57.4% of EWTs holdings and 48.2% of FTW. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing makes up 25.2% of EWT and 4.6% of FTW. For more information on Taiwan, visit our Taiwan category . iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF iPad in school A school committee meeting in Maine might just reveal why Apple's iPads are having a tough time breaking into the classroom. Last week, a technology director for Auburn district schools presented a study that indicated that students and teachers in grades 7 through 12 overwhelmingly favor laptops over iPads, reports the Lewiston-Auburn Sun Journal. But the most surprising part of the study is how some of the teachers and students feel about iPads. One teacher cited by the study said that the iPads "provide no educational function in the classroom. Students use them as toys," adding that word processing is "near to impossible." One teacher even said "the iPads are a disaster." Students weren't much more positive, according to the Sun Journal. WE NEED LAPTOPS!!! one student reportedly wrote three times in the study. Ultimately, the Maine Learning and Technology Initiative will offer school districts the option to "refresh" and swap their iPads for MacBook Airs. Minutes from the Auburn School Committee meeting have yet to be published online. According to market researcher Futuresource Consulting, in 2013, iPads and iPhones accounted for nearly 39% of educational purchases. But in 2015, iOS devices only accounted for 19%. According to IDC, in the third quarter of 2015 an important quarter as students head back to school Chromebooks accounted for 78% of all notebook shipments to U.S. schools. The iPad learning curve Apple has signaled it wants its iPad to be used in schools. Earlier this year, Apple updated its iPad software with a new Classroom app that's designed to help teachers guide students through lessons. Earlier this year, Apple bought Learnsprout, a startup that made a dashboard for teachers and administrators to analyze student data. But the iPad's push into education has had missteps. The Los Angeles school district halted its contract with Apple in 2014 over rumors that Apple and its partner, Pearson, might have recieved preferential treatment when winning the original $1.3 billion contract to provide iPads and curriculum to schools for $798 each. Story continues Other groups, such as the Technology for Education Consortium, have questioned whether Apple's educational pricing is fairly applied to different school districts. Last quarter, Google's low-cost Chromebooks outsold Apple Mac laptops for the first time driven mostly by quickly growing educational sales. But it's worth noting that the Auburn school district only recently looked at iPad usage by middle and high schoolers. The district runs a program with "1:1 iPad Placement with every Auburn kindergarten student" which appears to be going well. Recently, the Wall Street Journal took a look at an elementary school in Yuma, Arizona, in which Apple has provided each of its students with an iPad. A teacher at that school says that the iPads enhance her students' learning. NOW WATCH: Hidden Facebook tricks you need to know More From Business Insider SENDAI, Japan, May 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso in a meeting on Saturday that it is important to refrain from competitive currency devaluation, according to a statement from the Treasury Department. Lew, who met Aso earlier on Saturday at a Group of Seven summit in Sendai, northeastern Japan, also underscored the Group of 20 commitment to use all policy tools to promote growth, the statement said. Lew also reinforced the importance of approving and implementing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, the statement said. (Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Chris Gallagher) * Coup for Boeing, as airline has only operated Airbus so far * Airline also signs $3.04-bln deal for Pratt & Whitney engines * VietJet says its fleet to exceed 200 by end of 2023 (Adds details of order, background, quotes) By My Pham and Siva Govindasamy HANOI/SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) - Vietnam's VietJet on Monday agreed a firm order of 100 Boeing 737 MAX 200 jets worth $11.3 billion at list prices, making it one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing low-cost carriers. The deal, signed during U.S. president Barack Obama's visit to Vietnam, represents a coup for Boeing, as VietJet has only operated its European rival Airbus' A320 airplanes since it began operations in December 2011. The airline also signed a $3.04-billion deal for engines made by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies, for the 63 Airbus planes of the 99 it ordered and 7 hired since 2013. VietJet says it now has 36 Airbus planes in service, and the delivery of the Boeing planes, expected during 2019 to 2023, will bring the fleet to more than 200 aircraft by the end of 2023, potentially surpassing flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, (IPO-VAL.HM) which now has 89 operating aircraft. Vietnam Airlines ordered 19 Boeing 787 and 14 Airbus A350 planes and 11 of those have been delivered. "Our investment in a fleet of B737 Max 200 will accommodate our strategy of growing VietJet's coming international route network, including long haul flights," President and Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao said in a statement. VietJet has been rapidly expanding in Southeast Asia while taking on Vietnam Airines in the domestic market, and the Boeing deal is the biggest aircraft order in the country's history. The budget carrier has a 40 percent share of Vietnam's domestic market and will probably surpass Vietnam Airlines this year as the largest domestic carrier, according to a January report of the CAPA Centre for Aviation. VietJet has ambitions to become a pan-regional low-cost airline, following in the path of AirAsia of Malaysia and Lion Air of Indonesia, which also ordered hundreds of single-aisled planes, such as the A320 and Boeing 737. Story continues Southeast Asia's airline market has grown rapidly over the last decade, fuelled by the emergence of budget airlines that offer greater travel options for the middle class. VietJet will also be unique in being one of the few low-cost carriers to order both Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, as operating two types of planes is costly. Lion Air is the only other one, starting services with 737s before also ordering A320s and operating both aircraft types concurrently. The 737 Max and A320neo are the upgraded versions of both planes that promise better fuel economics and lower running costs. Airlines generally get discounts at list prices. (Reporting by My Pham; Writing by Mai Nguyen; Editing by John Chalmers) 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Geneva, May 22 (CNA) An encounter between the China and Taiwan delegations, arranged or fortuitous, at this year's World Health Assembly (WHA) remained uncertain hours before the opening of the meeting in Geneva, given the responses by the leaders of the two delegations to questions on that issue. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Beijing, May 23 (CNA) Chinese scholars on Monday had mixed views of cross-Taiwan Strait relations following the inauguration of President Tsai Ing-wen () on May 20, but the majority opinion was that bilateral ties were in for a bumpy ride, at least in the near future. spaminator said: if Hillary Clinton sucked her husband might not have cheated on her. Click to expand... I was about to say something like that. Thanx for stealing my thunder.I knew a woman that said her husband cheated on her. She got so angry that she took him to the cleaners. Then I a few years later she told me that they had not slept together for ten years and that she had made him sleep on the couch all that time. I asked her, who cheated on who and why was she surprised. :lol:Trump slams Clinton for stupidity in misspelled tweetPresumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump blasted Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton for her stupidity in a tweet Sunday morning, but misspelled the word judgment in the process.Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be president because her judgement has been proven to be so bad! Would be four more years of stupidity, Trump wrote.Trump has frequently been mocked for spelling errors in his tweets.While the dictionary does list 'judgement' as an alternate spelling, many spell check operations consider it a misspelling. Merriam-Webster notes that judgement is an older spelling that has fallen out of use in the United States. Geekologie has shut down. Thank you to everybody. Now go be happy. A roundup of Capitol and state government news items of interest for Monday, May 23, 2016: PROGRESSIVE PRIORITIES: A quartet of left-leaning advocacy groups conducted a panel discussion on the results of the 2016 session of the Iowa Legislature. Representatives from Progress Iowa, NARAL Pro-Choice America, AFSCME Council 61 and Citizens for a Healthy Iowa discussed the issues they believe state lawmakers should have addressed, and Democratic state legislators Sharon Steckman of Mason City and Marti Anderson of Des Moines provided their perspective of the session. The legislators discussed Democratic priorities like pressing for more state funding for public education, and adding provisions for paid family leave and equal pay. Steckman and Anderson lamented the amount of state revenue lost by providing tax incentives to businesses, and Democratic legislators work to ensure state funding continued to be appropriated to womens health care providers like Planned Parenthood. ANIMAL FEEDING RULES: Officials with the state Department of Natural Resources are seeking public input on proposed rule changes for animal feeding operations. DNR administrators are holding five public hearings from Tuesday through June 3 to gather comments on a proposed rule that incorporates recent legislation, allows marketing solids from open feedlots as bulk dry animal nutrients, provides clarification of requirements in the rules, and repeals unnecessary and outdated rules, lists and Internet addresses. Written or oral comments can be made at any of the following hearings: May 24, 10 a.m., Carroll County Courthouse, Downstairs Meeting Room, 114 E. Sixth St., Carroll: May 25, 10 a.m., Clay County Administration Building, Boardroom, 300 W. Fourth St., Spencer; May 26, 10 a.m., Muse-Norris Conference Center, North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Drive, Mason City; May 31, 10 a.m., Washington County Conservation Board Education Center, Marr Park, 2943 Highway 92, Ainsworth; and June 3, 10 a.m., Northeast Iowa Community College Dairy Center, Room 115, 1527 Highway 150, South Calmar. Also, written comments can be sent to Gene Tinker, DNR, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319; or by e-mail to Gene.Tinker@dnr.iowa.gov. Comments must be received on or before June 3. -- Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau On Aug. 29, 1984, Charles Jaeger was found in a pool of blood in his bed at his Dyersville home. He had been shot in the back of the head with a rifle or a handgun. Jaegers wife, Eileen, reportedly found his body, surrounded by splattered blood. He was rushed to the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, where he died at 8:23 p.m. Gone Cold: Exploring Iowa's unsolved murders Gone Cold: Exploring Iowa's unsolved murders is a year-long collaborative effort by Iowa news organizations to revisit some of the most brutal Law enforcement officials say the doors were locked and there was no sign of forcible entry. The murder weapon was never found. Jaegers two sons were in a bedroom next to their parents room the night of the slaying. They said they didnt hear the shot or the ambulance sirens, and that a train roaring past, practically in the homes backyard, muffled any sound. Eileen, who told investigators she was sleeping downstairs, reportedly heard some sounds coming from her bedroom, noises that apparently got her attention. The crime scene was compromised from the beginning, by necessity. Paramedics moved Jaeger from the waterbed where he was presumed to have been shot. The crime scene wasnt sealed once the victim was found. The Division of Criminal Investigation wasnt called in until after Jaeger was flown to Iowa City. There are conflicting reports about the cooperation of Jaegers wife and children in the investigation. During a search of the residence, investigators collected 133 items, including numerous personal letters and love letters sent to Jaeger from women in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, New York and small towns in Nebraska, South Carolina, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Charles Jaegers brother, Ed, said Charles had asked his wife for a divorce but she refused. Ed Jaeger said there was a lot of tension in the house that summer. Charles had planned to leave Eileen, and had moved some of his possessions to a rented apartment and had opened his own checking account, evidence shows. Investigators hold differing theories about who was involved in the murder, but possess little evidence to prove or disprove any theory. The first step in solving the crime would be finding the gun. DNA evidence, which wasnt commonly used in 1984, could also play a role in solving the crime. GRAFTON Officials are considering making changes to a rural Worth County intersection in the wake of a crash earlier this month that injured a Grafton man. Terry Haxton, 55, of Grafton, was hurt at Thrush Avenue and 390th Street when his pickup was hit May 12 by a sport utility vehicle state troopers say ran a stop sign. Worth County Supervisor Merlin Bartz said that intersection, which is about three miles west of Grafton, was on local residents radar screens before the crash. Ironically, about five days before I had a businessperson in Grafton saying could we do something about that intersection, he said at last weeks Worth County Board meeting. Bartz and fellow supervisors Dave Haugen and Ken Abrams discussed the potential benefits of lighted signs, signs warning that cross traffic does not stop or rumble strips at the intersection. The crash that injured Haxton, who has since been released from the hospital, was the second crash there this year, said Worth County Engineer Richard Brumm. Worth County crash injures one MANLY | At least one person was injured in a two-car crash at the intersection of 390th Stre In December 2013, two female motorists were hurt when police say one of them drove out from the stop sign into the path of the other vehicle. Two more were hurt in a collision there in September 2013. The May 12 crash was reported about 9 a.m. The 2013 collisions were 10:22 a.m. and noon. Bartz and Haugen said they favored rumble strips, but all three supervisors had concerns about the impact that noise from the strips could have at a nearby residence. The intersection used to have rumble strips but they were not added when the road was repaved, Brumm said. If theres not rumble strips put in at an intersection, its usually because somebodys living right next to where the rumble strip would be, Brumm said. No vote was taken. Brumm said he would investigate whether there were any other intersections in the county that needed rumble strips. Generally, grinding the lines into the pavement at more than one intersection dramatically lowers the cost, he said. The issue will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the board, which meets weekly at 9 a.m. Mondays at the Worth County Courthouse. Before anything is decided, board members should discuss the situation with people who live near the intersections, Haugen said. Theyve gotta live with it every day, he said. MASON CITY | A Mason City man police say crashed a car into a garage early Monday has been arrested. Trapp Trotter, 29, is charged with misdemeanor failure to obey a traffic control device, failure to maintain control, reckless driving, interference with official acts, driving while license denied/suspended/canceled, aggravated assault on a peace officer, leaving the scene of a property-damage accident and operating while under the influence. Trotter hit a garage and utility pole in an alley in the 0 block of North Jefferson Avenue about 2:30 a.m., police say. Police were initially called to a disturbance Trotter had been at, but while on the way, an officer saw Trotter drive past in a red Pontiac Grand Am, said Mason City Police Lt. Frank Sterns. Trotter crashed into the objects in the alley within a block and a half of the sighting, then got out and ran, Sterns said. He was apprehended at 9 North Madison Ave. and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. He remains jailed on $1,000 bond. -- Molly Montag MASON CITY | A Mason City man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Thursday for dealing methamphetamine. Tyrel James Finger, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. He conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine between January 2015 and July 31, 2015, according to U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa documents. Finger was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after he gets out of prison. There is no parole in the federal system. He also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. -- Mary Pieper Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Twenty-nine years ago I graduated from law school. Its been almost three decades since Ive been able to officially call myself an officer of the court, a title I wear with a great deal of pride and an even greater amount of embarrassment. Ive always been a little ashamed of using that moniker because, in a vague way, it implies valor on my part that I dont possess. The word officer makes me think of someone in a uniform, either on an urban or foreign battlefield, defending fellow citizens against imminent danger. Thats hardly the stuff of my daily life. Yes, its true some attorneys confront very real threats in the course of honoring their oaths to uphold the law. Ive written about one of them, someone I knew quite well, who went to Mississippi in 1967 during the waning days of the civil rights movement and had encounters with screaming bigots and the Ku Klux Klan. My father was not alone in this, not by a longshot. That particular moment in history was filled with brave men and women, some of whom also happened to be lawyers, the real-life Atticus Finches who walked among us in those dangerous days. Then, of course, there was Thomas More, who paid for his scruples with his life. But these are magnificent exceptions to the more mundane rule, and, while I will always be extremely proud of my pedigree and of the work it involves, I do not equate it with the profound physical courage demanded of other officers. Last week, President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Valor to 13 public safety officers who have exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety. The honor, created by Congress in 2001, recognizes the type of bravery that requires both mental and physical acuity, the symbiosis of mind, body, and most especially, heart. Twelve of the men who received their medals were able to take them from the hands of a clearly moved commander in chief. One, tragically, surely surveyed the ceremony from heaven as his grandmother accepted the award in his name. Sgt. Robert Wilson III earned that medal on March 5, 2015. He was at a GameStop store in North Philadelphia, buying a present for his son, when two brothers entered the store and announced a robbery. They brandished semi-automatic handguns, Wilson drew his weapon and engaged the robbers, two on one. He is credited with having distracted the robbers from other customers in the store, and didnt stop shooting, even though he himself had been wounded. He was stopped only by a fatal bullet to the head. There were no other casualties that day. I remember reading about Wilson last year, and I could barely make it through the reports without stopping to wipe my eyes. That mans courage is too big for words, too deep for normal understanding, too painful for dispassionate discussion. He and his brothers and sisters in uniform stand alone. They form an island of honor we can observe, but cannot hope to inhabit. The other officers honored last week had similar stories, and, while they escaped with the precious rest of their lives, their acts are no less heroic than Wilsons. One rescued a toddler from a knife-wielding predator. One, off duty, rescued a man from a burning car and suffered serious injuries. One engaged in gunfire with a young man who had shot and wounded his parents and was threatening to go on a rampage near an elementary school. I know police officers have been the target of negative publicity in the past few years. Some of it is justified, I suppose, although I do think there has been far too much negativity and far too little context given to the stories in Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore, New York and elsewhere around the country. Hashtags about racial divides are newsworthy and make for juicy headlines, but they have a tendency to demonize one side and canonize the other. Neither posture advances the truth. What I do know is that the bad cops, that bread and butter of investigative journalists, are in the minority. And even the bad ones are still, on occasion, noble creatures who have willingly enlisted in a profession that places them on a collision course with danger, every blessed day. The vast majority court that danger with pure hearts, and the souls of giants. All of this is to say we owe this profession a higher level of deference and respect than we do almost any other, except perhaps the firefighters who run toward the flames and the soldiers to who run toward the gunfire. Their flaws come from their humanity, and we are all susceptible to that. But their heroism reaches heights that we will never touch, and that should be remembered. Im grateful to the president for remembering our bravest. CARSON CITY, Nev., May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mexus Gold US (OTCQB:MXSG) (Mexus or the Company) announced today that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with MarMar Holdings of Mexico at its Julio/Santa Elena property. Under the 50/50 joint venture agreement, MarMar will operate the mine and carry all costs. In addition, the company is announcing that the Julio/Santa Elena property will now be known as the Santa Elena mine. MarMar Holdings is owned by Marco Martinez of Monterrey, Mexico. Mr. Martinez has over 40 years of experience in mining including work done at Penoles La Herradura open pit mine. MarMar has an extensive staff including lawyers, certified geologists, engineers, equipment operators and general labor to work the Santa Elena mine. In addition, MarMar owns equipment capable of moving up to 100,000 tons of ore a day. Certified Geologists from MarMar are already working the property and have identified additional ore bodies. The company is bringing in a blast hole drill and will do the initial shoot when ready. Initially, Mexus had planned to do a test 10,000 ton heap leach pad. This agreement changes the plan and will allow the heap leach pads and ponds to be built much larger. Added Mexus CEO Paul Thompson, The scale and scope that MarMar brings to this project will allow the mine to be built out much larger and much faster than we had planned. This is a great fit for Mexus and a win for our shareholders. Marcos knowledge and experience with large mines will prove invaluable as we move forward. Between our geologist, Cesar Lemas, and MarMars certified geologist weve identified over 1,000,000 tons of mineralized material with an average value of 1.5 gram AU per ton. This material sits at the surface with an initial mining depth of 3 meters and no overburden. We know that this properties value goes much deeper than that. In addition, the certified geologists will begin a drill program that will be the basis of creating an NI 43-101. Our goal is to mirror what Penoles did just 30km south of our property and create a world class mine that will produce gold for years to come. About Mexus Gold US MEXUS GOLD US is an American-based exploration company with holdings in Mexico. Mexus' fully owned Santa Elena mine is located 54km NW of Caborca, Mexico. The property sits in an area which is currently being mined by some of the largest mining companies in the world. Mexus has drill results which show a high grade, multi vein system throughout the property. Mexus also owns the rights to the Ocho Hermanos property, which is located 80km NE of Hermosillo, Mexico. This property will be drilled to show a proven reserve once our flagship property is in full production. Preliminary drilling on this property has been extremely promising. Founded in 2009, Mexus Gold US is committed to protecting the environment, mine safety and employing members of the communities in which it operates. For more information on Mexus Gold US, visit www.mexusgoldus.com Cautionary Statement Forward looking Statement: Statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the failure to complete successfully the development of new or enhanced products, the Company's future capital needs, the lack of market demand for any new or enhanced products the Company may develop, any actions by the Company's partners that may be adverse to the Company, the success of competitive products, other economic factors affecting the Company and its markets, seasonal changes, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results may differ materially from those contained in this press release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any statements in this press release. SAN ANTONIO, May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Valero Energy Partners LP (NYSE:VLP) today announced that members of partnership management will attend the MLPA Investor Conference on Thursday, June 2. About Valero Energy Partners LP Valero Energy Partners LP is a fee-based master limited partnership formed by Valero Energy Corporation to own, operate, develop and acquire crude oil and refined products pipelines, terminals, and other transportation and logistics assets. With headquarters in San Antonio, the Partnerships assets include crude oil and refined petroleum products pipeline and terminal systems in the Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent regions of the United States that are integral to the operations of nine of Valeros refineries. Please visit www.valeroenergypartners.com for more information. Contacts Investors: John Locke, Vice President Investor Relations, 210-345-3077 Karen Ngo, Manager Investor Relations, 210-345-4574 Media: Lillian Riojas, Director Media Relations and Communications, 210-345-5002 TEMPE, Ariz., May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northern Tier Energy LP (NYSE:NTI) today announced that Western Refining, Inc.s (NYSE:WNR) Registration Statement on Form S4 has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and that NTI has filed a definitive proxy statement with the SEC for the special meeting of its common unitholders to vote on the previously announced proposed merger of NTI and a subsidiary of WNR, and related matters pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 21, 2015, by and among NTI, WNR and various of their respective affiliates. The special meeting will be held on June 23, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., Tempe, Arizona Time, at the Phoenix Airport Marriott, located at 1101 N 44th St., Phoenix, Arizona 85008. NTI expects to commence mailing the proxy statement and proxy card on May 23, 2016, to NTI common unitholders of record at the close of business on May 19, 2016. Only NTI common unitholders of record at the close of business on May 19, 2016, will be entitled to vote at the special meeting. The deadline for NTI common unitholders to submit their proxy by telephone or electronically via the internet is 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on June 22, 2016. If delivered by mail, the proxy must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on June 22, 2016. Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, each NTI common unitholder (other than WNR and its subsidiaries) will have the option to elect to receive either (i) $15.00 in cash without interest and 0.2986 of a share of WNR common stock, or (ii) $26.06 in cash without interest, or (iii) 0.7036 of a share of WNR common stock for each NTI common unit held. Elections to receive all cash or all stock consideration will be subject to proration as provided for in the merger agreement to ensure that the total amount of cash paid and the total number of shares of WNR common stock issued in the merger as a whole are equal to the total amount of cash and number of shares of WNR common stock that would have been paid and delivered if all NTI unitholders made an election to receive a mix of consideration. NTI expects to commence mailing the election forms on May 23, 2016, to NTI common unitholders of record at the close of business on May 19, 2016. Each election form allows an NTI common unitholder to elect the form of consideration they wish to receive in connection with the merger, which elections will be subject to the proration set forth above. NTI common unitholder elections must be received by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 21, 2016. However, NTI unitholders who hold their common units through a bank, broker or other nominee may be subject to an earlier deadline and should carefully read the instructions from their bank, broker or nominee. Any NTI common unitholder who becomes an NTI common unitholder after May 19, 2016, or who did not otherwise receive a form of election, should contact American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, toll-free at (877) 248-6417 or their bank, broker, nominee, trust company or other fiduciary to obtain a form of election. NTI common unitholders who have questions about the proxy statement or voting their NTI common units should contact D.F. King & Co., Inc., toll free at (866) 416-0556. NTI common unitholders who have questions about the election form or electing their form of consideration should contact American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, toll-free at (877) 248-6417. About Northern Tier Northern Tier Energy LP (NYSE: NTI) is an independent downstream energy company with refining, retail and logistics operations that serves the PADD II region of the United States. Northern Tier operates a 97,800 barrels per stream day refinery located in St. Paul Park, Minnesota. Northern Tier also operates approximately 169 convenience stores and supports approximately 114 franchised convenience stores, primarily in Minnesota and Wisconsin, under the SuperAmerica trademark, and a bakery and commissary under the SuperMoms brand. Northern Tier is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. More information about Northern Tier is available at www.northerntier.com. Important Notice to Investors This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed merger of NTI and a subsidiary of WNR. In connection with the proposed merger, WNR filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of NTI that also constitutes a prospectus of WNR. The Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on May 23, 2016. NTI expects to commence mailing to its security holders a definitive proxy statement/prospectus on or about May 23, 2016. WNR and NTI also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about WNR and NTI once such documents are filed with the SEC through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by WNR will be available free of charge on WNRs website at www.wnr.com under the Investor Relations section or by contacting WNRs Investor Relations Department at (602) 286-1530. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by NTI will be available free of charge on NTIs website at www.northerntier.com under the Investors section or by contacting NTIs Investor Relations Department at (602) 302-5450. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Participants in Solicitation Relating to the Merger NTI, WNR and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the common unitholders of NTI in connection with the proposed merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of the general partner of NTI is set forth in the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K for NTI, which was filed with the SEC on February 26, 2016. Information about the directors and executive officers of WNR is set forth in the Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for WNRs 2016 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 22, 2016. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified as any statement that does not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These forward-looking statements include statements about, among other things, record and meeting dates, the mailing of the proxy statement/prospectus and the election forms, the Agreement and Plan of Merger and proposed transactions relating thereto. NTI cannot, and does not, give any assurance that expectations about future events will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These risks and uncertainties include the risks that the proposed transaction may not be consummated. These and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in more detail in filings made by WNR and NTI with the SEC, which are available to the public. All forward-looking statements are only as of the date made and NTI does not undertake (and expressly disclaims) any obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. RenukaD wrote: Neuroscientists, having amassed a wealth of knowledge over the past twenty years about the brain and its development from birth to adulthood, are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language. (A) Neuroscientists, having amassed a wealth of knowledge over the past twenty years about the human brain and its development from birth to adulthood, are (B) Neuroscientists, having amassed a wealth of knowledge about the brain and its development from birth to adulthood over the past twenty years, and are (C) Neuroscientists amassing a wealth of knowledge about the brain and its development from birth to adulthood over the past twenty years, and are (D) Neuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge over past twenty years about the brain and its development from birth to adulthood, (E) Neuroscientists have amassed, over the past twenty years, a wealth of knowledge about the brain and its development from birth to adulthood, Meaning is crucial to solving this problem: Concepts tested here: Meaning + Grammatical Construction A: Correct. over the past twenty years undergoes as a separate action B: unspecified amount of time underwent specifically over the past twenty years undergoes C: unspecified amount of time underwent specifically over the past twenty years undergoes D: as a result as a separate action E: as a result as a separate action Hence, A is the best answer choice. Dear Friends,Here is a detailed explanation to this question-Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that neuroscientists are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language, and over the past twenty years they have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the human brain and its development from birth to adulthood. The introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- drawing in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.This answer choice acts upon the subject - "Neuroscientists" - with the independent verb "are now drawing" to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option A uses the phrases "having amassed a wealth of knowledge over the past twenty years" and "are now drawing", conveying the intended meaning - that, neuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the development the human brainfrom birth to adulthood, and, they are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language.This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; "having amassed" is part of a modifying phrase, and "are now drawing" is part of a dependent clause, meaning there is no independent verb to act upon the subject - "Neuroscientists". Further, Option B alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "development from birth to adulthood over the past twenty years"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that over anneuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the development the human brainover the past twenty years,, from birth to adulthood; the intended meaning is that, neuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the development the human brainfrom birth to adulthood.This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; "amassing" is a present participle acting as a noun modifier, and "are now drawing" is part of a dependent clause, meaning there is no independent verb to act upon the subject - "Neuroscientists". Further, Option C alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "development from birth to adulthood over the past twenty years"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that over anneuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the development the human brainover the past twenty years,, from birth to adulthood; the intended meaning is that, neuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the development the human brainfrom birth to adulthood.The sentence formed by this answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "now drawing solid conclusions"; the use of the "comma + present participle ("verb+ing" - "drawing" in this sentence)" construction incorrectly implies that over the past twenty years, neuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the human brain and its development from birth to adulthood, and, they are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language; the intended meaning is that neuroscientists are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language, and,, over the past twenty years they have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the human brain and its development from birth to adulthood; remember, the introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- drawing in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.The sentence formed by this answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "now drawing solid conclusions"; the use of the "comma + present participle ("verb+ing" - "drawing" in this sentence)" construction incorrectly implies that over the past twenty years, neuroscientists have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the human brain and its development from birth to adulthood, and, they are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language; the intended meaning is that neuroscientists are now drawing solid conclusions about how the human brain grows and how babies acquire language, and,, over the past twenty years they have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the human brain and its development from birth to adulthood; remember, the introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- drawing in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.To understand the concept of "Comma + Present Participle for Cause-Effect Relationship" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~3 minutes):All the best!Team_________________ Profile evaluation request [ #permalink Hi, please review my profile and let me know your feedback Details: GMAT score: 680(Q49,V33) Gender: Female Education: Electrical Engineering from one of the premier Engineering colleges of India- National Institute of Technology CGPA : 9.2/10 2012 passout Class 12th: 93.2% Professional experience: 5 years as of Aug 2017(admission target) 1. Currently working as a business analyst in the management consulting team of a leading UK based automotive consulting company (Sep '15-Present) - Worked on various market entry strategy, due-diligence and business strategy projects for global clients 2. Worked as Assistant Manger in India's leading 4 wheeler manufacturer in the electrical design department for 3 years(Aug '12-Sep '15) Achievements: 1. Awarded "employee of the quarter" twice in the last job role 2. Conceptualised and constructed a low cost portable ventilator with my team and won accolades at many events at IITs(India's best technical institutes) 3. Won several electrical system design competitions in college International experience: 1. Worked on Strategy projects for US and China clients 2. Visited Japan for a week for supplier audits and trainings Extra-curricular activities 1. Volunteered for the SAE North India section MTTP event in 2013 2. Student Head and Founder of the Entrepreneurship cell of my college(2012) 3. Convener for the Entrepreneurship fest for college in 2012 4. Head of various organizing committees for college events(2009-2012) 5. Participated in a 2 day Social camp in 2006 I am targeting the following colleges: 1. Ross School of Business 2. Insead 3. Wharton 4. Kellogg School of Management Please let me know your thoughts/suggestions. Thanks in anticipation. vt1991 wrote: Requesting my profile Evaluation: I intend to apply for 2017 MBA intake. Indian, Male, 25 years old GMAT 740 (Q50, V40, AWA5.0, IR7) TOEFL - 116 Education : Bachelor of Technology (BE equivalent) in Petroleum Engineering (non-IIT). Graduated in 2013. GPA : 8.6/10. Graduated among the top 5% of my class. Work Experience : 4 years by the time of matriculation Post-MBA Goals : Consulting in Oil and Gas domain Designation : Field Engineer (July 2013 present) Company : Leading Oilfield Service Provider (read Schlumberger, Halliburton) Highlights: 1. Promoted to Lead Operations Engineer for a major client in under 11 months as compared to usual 15-18 months. 2. Independently handled 2 major on-shore accounts for my company, only Field Engineer to have the distinction yet. 3. Successfully spearheaded 4-member team leading operations for one of India's E&P firm in Rajasthan, India - one of the harshest onshore environments; generating revenue of USD 1.8 million 4. Presently leading operations for India's largest private E&P firm's unconventional operations; generating annual revenue of USD 1.5 million with a gross profit of 66% 5. As Project Lead and Field Engineer met customer's evaluation criteria in 100% of Oil wells completed under the contract 6. Earned distinction for leading operations for first deployment of leading technology in India; responsible for extensive cross-functional collaboration with client and different Product Line 7. Received Letter of appreciation for operational excellence from the client Extra-curriculars/Leadership experience 1. Volunteer, English Conversation Teacher, Tibet World NGO, March 2016 2. VP of University Student Chapter of Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 2012 3. Marketing Head Annual University Festival, Mar12 - Led 150-member volunteer team; streamlined groupings; planned for month long publicity campaign across universities in different states of Gujarat; resulted in footfall of 6000 in 3-day event 4. VP and member of founding team of Universitys Robotics Club 5. Head Boy (2007 2008) Honours & Awards: 1. Chevron/SEG Student Leadership Symposium (Las Vegas, USA, Nov 12) - Selected for the Chevron Corporation/Society of Exploration Geophysicists Student Leadership Symposium. Among the 50 student leaders selected from 268 SEG student chapters across the world. Awarded Travel Grant by Chevron. 2. Final Year University Project awarded Letter of Appreciation by General Manager, ONGC (India's State-owned NOC) Main concerns: 1. Lack of extracurricular activities/non-profit work post graduation: My work schedule rotates me between 3 different cities periodically, most of the times in remote areas of the country. 2. No promotions but increasing responsibilities throughout my career : Getting a promotion in my company is a very rigorous process and you are eligible for a promotion only after you have acquired all the requisite competencies necessary before moving into the next role. The recent downturn in the Energy sector hasn't helped matters either with a promotion freeze in place across the board. Target Schools: 1. Cornell Johnson 2. UCLA Anderson 3. Yale SOM 4. Indian School of Business 5. Carnegie Mellon - Tepper 6. HKUST 7. HEC Paris Hello there!And very good to hear from you!So there are many great things in your profile- you seem to have done very well in both your academic and professional careers, you have a great GMAT and a very strong GPA, and you work in what is (Stillan excellent and lucrative industry which should provide you with many options when you graduate.That having been said there are a few weaknesses, none of them major though - you are a non IIT grad, and from a very touch and competitive pool (Indian Male Tech.. even if not IT), and your volunteer work does seem a bit thin from here (Although I may be wrong and feel free to correct me if so).I think your main challenge and mission will be to present to the varied AdComs a unique and fascinating profile. Meaning your career is good your numbers are good, but there may be many other applicants like you - with similar profiles, so the question you should be asking yourself is why should the Adcom choose YOU over all these other people? And you need to give them reasons to do so.Very solid and clear goals will help, as will fantastic essays, and an overall exciting narrative.Other than that, your school list seems quite fair, although given your industry I would also suggest you look into the two excellent Texas programs - Rice and McCombs which will fit your profile very well, and both of whom have excellent placements in Oil and Gas.I hope all this helpsBest,JF In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say "sustainable locavore burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals and drinks long after the buzz has fadedor if the lingering hype is still justified. Spicy Village takes the adage, "you get what you pay for," wrings its neck, and chops it into unrecognizable bits. The Henan kitchen's menu of low-price dishes dares you to pinch pennies as it offers dish after toothsome dish of noodles, dumplings, cooked vegetables, and soups. It's value is staggering. Its hard plastic decor is perfect. And the Spicy Vegetable Hui Mei is heaven for $5.75. A proper table of dishes at Spicy Village, including fried peanut and lamb soup (Scott Heins/Gothamist) Your first order of business is to get there early. Since opening in 2010, Spicy Village has been a favorite for noodle fiends on the LES, and the spartan, florescent dining room boasts less than twenty seats. On weekends, a line snakes up Forsyth Street toward the door. Put your name down, then send a friend to the corner bodega to pick up beer. The place is BYOB, which is glorious for obvious reasons. Spicy Vegetable Hui Mei (Scott Heins/Gothamist) A server will hand over paper menus as you take your seat, and a quick scan will confirm that you've come to the right place. Spicy Village's special is hui meiessentially wide, flat wheat noodles served in dry stews or soups (the meat soups arrive with a slightly opaque color, but don't worry, that hazy lamb water is fantastic). Hui mei bowls come topped with an assortment of cilantro, mushrooms, bok choy, or tofu, and are excellent as-is, or with a little red pepper added on. A hearty bowl will cost you roughly $6. It's impossible to go wrong. Garlic Chinese Baby Bok Choy (Scott Heins/Gothamist) Appetizers and sides at Spicy Village run the somewhat-familiar gamut of Manhattan dim sum. There are savory pancakes, steamed vegetables, xiao long bao dumplings, and edamame. On a recent visit, the fried peanut ($3.25) and garlic Chinese baby bok choy ($5.95) were welcomed heartily by the half-consumed bottles of Tsingtao at our table. By the time the steaming bowls of noodles, savory meat, and herbs arrived, well, you get the idea. Year after year, we've declared Spicy Village one of the city's best "cheap eats" options, and it's safe to say that pattern will continue. The place is certainly the best value for Chinese food in Manhattan. Crowd around one of their larger tables with a group of friends and, pop open a beverage of your choice, order a big bowl of noodles, pick up your chopsticks, and I assure you, everything will feel correct. Spicy Village is located at 68 Forsyth Street between Canal and Hester Streets on the Lower East Side (212-625-8299). Late last year Hudson Companies won approval for its controversial bid to demolish the aging and low-ceilinged Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library and replace it with a 36-story luxury condominium. Now the Post is reporting that federal prosecutors are investigating the bidding process that resulted in the $52 million project. Hudson head David Kramer and his wife have given $9,125 to the mayor's campaigns since 2007, according to the Post. The tabloid reported that while Kramer has not been issued a subpoena, he is "one of many people being looked at." In a statement to Gothamist, Kramer suggested that the subpoenas may be related to one of the myriad other investigations into Mayor de Blasio's campaign fundraising efforts, rather than the library sale specifically: We worked very hard on our proposal for the Brooklyn Public Library, which included a $52 million purchase price, double the amount of required affordable housing and an interim library to maintain service during construction. We participated in 11 public hearings, which culminated in an overwhelming vote of approval by the City Council. This was one of the most reviewed, questioned, transparent, public processes for a development. And as far as I know, none of the purported subpoenas have had anything to do with the library project. As part of the $52 million proposal, developer Hudson Companies will construct a public library branch on the first floor of the tower at 280 Cadman Plaza West. Plans also call for 114 units of below-market rate housing at an offsite location in neighboring Clinton Hill. More than a dozen developers placed bids on the project, and Hudson Companies' offer was at least a million dollars less than some of the competing offers (some detractors have described Hudson's offer as low-ball). Yesterday the NY Post reported that this discrepancy is the grounds for a new investigation by US Attorney Preet Bharara and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance into the 14 developers who bid on the project. According to the tabloid, several developers have been issued subpoenas. Vance's office declined to comment. The Mayor's Office said Monday that it was not aware of any investigation into the Brooklyn library sale. In statements Monday, both City Hall and the Brooklyn Public library reiterated their stance that Hudson was the best choice for the project. Brooklyn-based Second Development Services bid $6 million higher than Hudson, but offered to build affordable housing in a different borough; Hudson pitched a shorter construction timeline than some of the other bidders, and offered to establish an off-site interim library. With $40 million from the sale, the BPL will renovate public libraries in Bushwick, Fort Greene and Boerum Hill, and build an $8-million new library in Sunset Park. Critics have argued that the planned library is not big enough to serve Brooklyn Heights' spiking population, and that the affordability in the off-site units is not deep enough. "Hudson Companies offered by far the best proposal for our library patrons and the community at large," said Brooklyn Public Library spokeswoman Madeline Kaye of the PR firm BerlinRosen in a statement. BerlinRosen, the Mayor's PR firm of choice, was issued a subpoena late last month, along with a few of Mayor de Blasio's top aidespart of the ongoing federal investigation into his fundraising efforts. Just last week, the mayor named BerlinRosen head Jonathan Rosen one of five privileged "agents of the city," formally exempting him from the state's Freedom of Information Law. "The RFP process for this project followed a strict protocol," said mayoral spokesman Austin Finan. "Hudson Companies was awarded the contract meritoriously as its bid provided the best overall package for the library and the community at large, including the most affordable housing." Second Development Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the alleged subpoenas. Toll Brothers, another developer that outbid Kramer, declined to comment. It's one of the most polarizing pizza creations outside of "pizza" bagels. At its core: salty slices of generic ham and chunks of pineapple straight out of the can plopped onto a plain cheese pizza. For something so simple, Hawaiian Pizza has garnered a whole lot of hatred. But some of the city's newest pizzerias are breathing new life into the toppings combination, supplanting speck for cold cut ham and adding things like sliced jalapenos to up jazz up the already unique sweet-and-salty combination. Can these next wave pizzaiolos save the Hawaiian Pizza from its bad reputation? To move forward, first we must look back. Despite its name, Hawaiian Pizza isn't from the Pacific archipelago. It was actually created in Canada in 1962 by a Greek ex-pat looking to do something with the surging popularity of tropical culture and flavors post-World War II. "People said 'you are crazy to do this," creator Sam Panopoulos recalled to Atlas Obscura. And yet, here we are today. Social Drink & Food (Michael Tulipan) The combination of sweet-salty-tart combination is popular in other iterations (see: margaritas), so why all the hate towards the Hawaiian? A quick poll around Gothamist HQ cited "ruin[ing] the glory of pizza with the stupidity of ham" and pineapple making the pizza soggy. Some restaurants worked around the latter by switching up the fruit, like Bruno in the East Village, who have a seasonal peach and ham pie. But others are going full Hawaiian, bringing the retro pie back into the limelight. Here are a few examples: Emmy Squaredapplies their Detroit-style method to the Lou-Wow ($19), a thick crusted creation with mozzarella, spicy pineapple and ham topped with the restaurant's red sauce. "[Chef and owner] Matt [Hyland] loves Hawaiian pie because of the combination of the sweetness of the pineapples and the fatty, salty ham. It is a great flavor combo," co-owner Emily Hyland explained of their Hawaiian pie. "New Yorkers sometimes love to hate on this particular combo, but we think it is a great compliment of ingredients that work really well together!" New rooftop eaterySocial Drink & Food and slice destinationBaker's Pizza both employ a spicy element in their versions. At the former, the Hula Hula ($12) uses the classic ham and pineapple with a scattering of fresh jalapenos, while at the latter, the Spicy Hawaiian ($20) uses specka lightly smoked ham similar to prosciuttoalong with the pineapple and jalapenos. Pizza Beach adds rosemary to their Pineapple & Speck ($20 UES, $18 LES), which also comes with jalapenos. Speedy Romeo Neither Speedy Romeo nor Paulie Gee's are, strictly speaking, new (though the former's recent expansion does count), but they're both champions of the Hawaiian Pizza all the same. "Our riff on the Hawaiian pizza is named after Dick Dale the father of surf guitar rock," Speedy Romeo co-owner Todd Feldman revealed. "We layer it in bechamel and top it with speck, wood grilled scallions, provel cheese and of course pineapple." Paulie Gee's Porkypineapple ($16), meanwhile, uses Italian tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses baked with house-pickled pineapple and draped with speck once the pie's out of the oven. So will these nostalgic pizza makers elevate the Hawaiian Pizza from flaccid corner slice reject to haute pie status? They're certainly going to try. And as long as they don't even look at a stalk of broccoli, we'll let them. Mayor Bill de Blasio has a fairly contentious relationship with the horse carriage industry. First he promised to ban carriage horses, then he decided just to limit them, but then the Council wouldn't even vote on that... so now the drivers are getting a raise. The Daily News reports, "The city Department of Consumer Affairs quietly hiked the price of a carriage ride last week, part of a Michael Bloomberg administration deal that had been on hold while de Blasio duked it out with the drivers over the possible ban. Drivers can now charge $54.08 for the first 20 minutes of a ride, and $21.63 for every 10 minutes after. Before the rate hike, the drivers were allowed to charge $50 for the first 20 minutes, and $20 for every 10 minutes after." Forty minutes is apparently the average trip length, so you'll have to shell out just under $100. NYCLASS, the animal rights group that supported de Blasio, is unhappy; executive director Allie Taylor told the News, "Mayor de Blasios failure to protect these animals is now complete. He rewards an industry that abuses animals and sends horses to slaughter, while claiming he is a champion of animal rights. Its pathetic, but expected at this point from a mayor who stands for nothing." The FBI and Manhattan DA's office are currently investigating the six-figure donations NYCLASS made to de Blasio's non-profit, Campaign For One New York, that existed to push his signature initiatives. The Mayor's office said, "This raise is nothing more than the byproduct of a City Council bill that passed several years ago. No mayor has done more to protect horses and this rate increase does not stand in the way of the mayor's steadfast commitment to removing carriages from city streets." (Gaby Del Valle/Gothamist) It's been over a year since the massive East Village explosion collapsed three buildings, killed two people, injured dozens more, and shut down businesses. Since then, some of the businesses affected by the explosion have returned to the neighborhood, with one notable exception: Pommes Frites, the beloved French fry spot/peak drunk-food establishment. Last summer, Pommes Frites's co-owners Suzanne Levinson and Omer Shorshi announced they would be opening a new spacenot in the East Village, but at 128 MacDougal Streetand the time has finally come. (Gaby Del Valle/Gothamist) The new Pommes Frites is nearly twice as large as the old location800 square-feet compared to 500and boasts a few upgrades: more fryers in the back, medieval decor, a beer and wine license, more seating space, and a bathroom. Other than those few differences, everythingnamely the crispy golden fries and almost overwhelming selection of accompanying saucesis the same. From outside, you wouldn't be able to tell today was the shop's grand opening. There was no fanfare, but plenty of customers were drawn in by the European-style storefront and by news of the reopening. (Gaby Del Valle/Gothamist) "I've been coming here since I was fifteen," said Zej Moczydlowski, a loyal Pommes Frites patron, while eating his usual order of fries with cheddar and war sauce. "I'm thirty now, and it's still the same good food." Moczydlowski, a New York native, was one of the 786 backers who contributed to Pommes Frites' IndieGoGo campaign last year. "They were an East Village mainstay," he said of the old location. "After St. Marks lost its roots, they were still there." (Gaby Del Valle/Gothamist) Just like the old location, the new spot will be open until 1 a.m. on weekdays, and possibly until 4 a.m. on weekends. "We're still testing that out," said co-owner Suzanne Levinson. Due to community board restrictions, they can only serve beer and wine until 1 a.m., regardless of how late they stay open. "We're excited to be here on MacDougal," said Levinson. "But I feel like I'm on 2nd Avenue again." We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today Al Santariga has seen his fair share of aliens. Hes seen Bigfoot, hes seen orbs, hes had encounters with winged demons. On Saturday, he stood in Pine Bush Karatetemporarily dubbed the Paranormal Center for Interactive Discussions for the Pine Bush UFO Festivaland held court over a rapt group eager to hear about the time a spaceship parked itself over his house in Yonkers. Santariga, a postal worker and the head of the Bronxville Paranormal Society, is a big man with neatly trimmed white hair and a white goatee. Around his neck hangs a large silver crucifix, and above that, a small green pouch containing a tiny hunk of moldavite, a type of glass believed to have been formed after a meteorite collided with Earth. At his side sits his co-founder, Bryan Bowden, who is clicking through a series of illustrative slides on a flat screen monitor. Santariga said he and a friend were sitting outside one evening in the dead of winter, next to a field. A light theyd been watching inch across the sky suddenly stopped moving, and from it dropped three red balls, like an ethereal chicken laying its eggs. The audience leaned in closer. They came down one after the other, they just floated down, got about halfway to the tree line and just blinked off, he said. At this point, Santariga said, something told him to look up. He did, and there he sees a triangle crafta common type of UFOfloating directly above his house. The building is no more than 50 feet high, and the craft is no more than 50 feet above it. Its completely silent and pitch black, but theres no mistaking that it was a vessel of some kind. It was so close you could see metalwork, the rivets. It was put together somewhere, Santariga said. With that, the craft began to float toward the treeline, where it disappeared. If I would have blinked my eye, I would have lost it in the night sky, he said. Does anyone have any questions? In many ways, the Pine Bush UFO Festival is like any other small town street fair: people sell fried dough from plywood stands, kids hand-dip candles, and couples sway their hips to a cover bands rendition of Hey Jealousy. The difference, though, is that the tables filled with handmade jewelry and handouts from the local rotary clubs are interspersed with offerings of a different kind: tarot card readings, healing crystals, and enough alien kitsch to fill a black hole. Known among locals as the Roswell of the East Coast, Pine Bush has a long history as a hotbed for extraterrestrial activity. Residents of the town, located about two hours north of the city, have been logging reports of bizarre sightings since the early 1900s, though things really took off, so to speak, between the 50s and 90s. Hundreds of witnesses claim to have seen everything from boomerang-shaped objects shooting through the sky to strobe lights flashing in the hamlets formerly wooded areas. Sightings curtailed sharply in the late 90s thanks to rampant development in the open spaces, but by then it hardly mattered: Pine Bushs reputation as an extraterrestrial salt lick had been firmly cemented for decades. These days, believers and non-believers alike are happy to capitalize on the alien aesthetic. Locals chow down at the Cup and Saucer, a roadside diner with a sign featuring a spaceship beaming up a mug of coffee. At a cafe called All Things Delicious, owner Kirsten Drossell peeks from behind a strand of Martian bunting. She tells me that local businesseshers includedtry to stay on brand with whatever the rest of the town is up to, whether its a season, holiday or, in this case, festival dedicated to space invaders. I think its good for small businesses to say, Yep, this is what were doing today, she said, gesturing toward a case filled with dyed green confections. So these all come down tomorrow. The green cream puffs are only for today. I asked her whether she believes that aliens have a particular affinity for Pine Bush. I really dont decide one way or the other, she said. Yeah, stuff may be out there. And maybe its not. (Photo by Tod Seelie / Gothamist) One of the most striking elements of the UFO Fest is the genuine, almost academic approach to considering extraterrestrial life, contrasted sharply with the blatantly absurdthe tinfoil hats, the Mulder/Scully 2016 t-shirts, the bug-eyed alien tchotchkes teeming from everywhere. The event was capped off with the shortest but most enthusiastic parade I have ever seen, with a handful of local businesses going all out on their floats, the same ones theyve surely dusted off since the festivals inception six years ago. A set of Stormtroopers wandered up and down the street, posing for photos with kids clutching life-sized inflatable aliens. Captivating snippets of conversation drifted through the air: If evolution is true, there are about 20 missing links, I heard a guy in mirrored sunglasses say. If Jesus came down right now, hed be arrested, said another. William Wiand, a ponytailed man wearing a t-shirt tucked into his pressed cerulean jeans, was taking questions underneath a large tent. As a lifelong experiencer, he was one of the festivals marquee speakers, and his presentation had just concluded as I sidled into a metal folding chair. On the drive to Pine Bush, I couldnt help but notice the number of Trump for President yard signs dotting meticulous, rolling lawnsthe candidate won Orange County by more than 50 percentage points. Given Trumps disdain for outsiders, I wondered how warm a reception aliens could realistically expect from a group intent on building a wall at the Mexican border. I raised my hand and asked Wiand whether he thought, in the event that aliens made themselves known to us, we would react with hostility. Yes, he answered without pause. If something enters our airspace, we shoot it down. He said he hoped that any visitors might conduct some degree of recon before making contact, to ascertain the types of beings Earthlings are and how best to approach us. You have to feed your soul with love, he explained. Kathy Morley, a trim woman wearing a headband featuring two alien heads bopping from wire antennae, was among the group encircling Al Santariga while he recounted the tale of his UFO visit. Her work is in meditation, reiki and hypnosis, though she moonlights as a seer. The first time she was approached by aliens, Morley said, was in the early 90s while she was living in Accord, New York. They reached out to me, and I reached out to them, she said, explaining that was given a detailed glimpse of their home planet, down to the plant life. But things got a little out of hand when a group of them decided to move into her house. I was scared out of my mind, she said. Her extraterrestrial house guests remained in her home, watching her, until she threw them out two weeks later. How, exactly, did she do that? I told them to get the fuck out now, she said. I asked her if she supposed they were friendly. They must have been OK, she replied, since if they werent, things likely wouldnt have turned out quite so well for her. They probably would have taken me away, given me an implant, done something nasty to me, she said. Its going to be in my book, but the books not ready yet. Ellen Richey (center), vice-chairman of risk and public policy for Visa Inc, shakes hands with Li Jinzao (left), general director of the China National Tourism Administration, at the launch of 2016 China-US Tourism Year on Feb 29 in Beijing. CHINA DAILY Ellen Richey, chief of Visa Inc's risk and public policy, swears by clear standards and war on static data As vice-chairman in charge of risk and public policy for Visa Inc, Ellen Richey is the company's voice for lawmakers, regulators and clients globally. They hear her often on topics like payment system security. One of her major tasks is to ensure Visa continues to drive the future of payments security. Tremendous changes are taking place in the payments industry, driving innovation through wider application of Internet technologies, she said. Asked about striking a balance between security and innovation, Richey said, "Security has to be No 1. We can't have insecure innovation. That's why we call it responsible innovation." Visa is keen to make the security standards clear so that people could develop innovative solutions that are also acceptable from a security standpoint. "The idea is that we make standards so that everybody is on a level playing field in order to develop innovations that will be secure," she said. The company announced in February the launch of the Visa Developer platform to drive innovation in payments and commerce. The platform allows software application developers to have open access to some of Visa's most popular payments technologies and services, including account holder identification and person-to-person payment capabilities. The company is constantly researching new security technologies such as biometrics. It is working with the companies that are doing biometrics research to determine what types of standards should be applied. Furthermore, it is looking for whatever technologies that may be next. Richey said a huge opportunity to support innovation lies in China. Visa wants to develop local solutions, especially when mobile payments are fast becoming popular. "We think by coming to China, we can support the secure development of mobile payments so that they will use technologies like tokenization and biometric authentication with your fingerprints, eyes and voice. "All those things will make mobile payments even more secure than plastic payments. But the important point is you have to do it at the beginning. You can't start with something insecure and then try to build security on it after. It's usually quite a bit difficult to catch up later," she said. Richey joined Visa in 2007. Before assuming her current role in October 2014, she concurrently served as chief legal officer and chief risk officer of the company. Prior, she had many years of experience in enterprise risk management at Washington Mutual Inc and Providian Financial Corporation. "Trust is a key element of any payments system," she said. "You have to have trust that when you put your payments credential into a merchant, it won't be stolen. You have to have trust that the transaction will be accurate and reliable." In order to maintain trust, every market player has to participate in data protection. Payments technology companies like Visa, for instance, will create a dynamic code every time a client uses his/her card. So if someone steals the card information, they cannot use it to commit fraud. "One of our No 1 priorities is to take the static data out of the system wherever we can. So chip cards and tokenization are extremely important to us," she said. At the same time, Visa is trying hard to ensure that all the players in the system follow its data security standards and develop common standards for innovation. It will be interesting with new companies coming into the picture, she said, for they will provide new payments devices like cars, refrigerators or other Internet of Things-enabled devices that are not used to the type of security expected by leading payments technology companies. Apple Inc launched a smartphone-based payments system called Apple Pay in China on February 18. There are three layers of security in the phone: First, Apple Pay assigns, encrypts and stores a unique device account number on an iPhone or Apple Watch, instead of storing the actual credit or debit card number. Second, the payments system creates a dynamic security code to validate each transaction. Third, to access the payments application, a client has to use his/her fingerprint to operate into the device. Richey said Visa will bring the same type of security if clients are going to make a payment with their car or their refrigerator. "We will have a very clear separation of payments portion of the infrastructure from the rest of the device. We'll ensure that portion of the device is made to our standards and not made to whatever standards they may apply in their industry," she said. Consumer-centered commerce is growing rapidly in China, with the idea that the consumer is in the center of the picture at anytime through new types of devices. "Chinese people are technologically advanced, therefore in the forefront of adopting mobile payments. It will be interesting for me to see whether the Chinese payment environment will adapt quickly to the Internet of Things," she said. "Both the scale and the willingness of people to try new things are favorable for our industry as long as we do it right from the start." Born on the east coast of the United States, she took a great interest in languages in her education, majored in linguistics and Far Eastern languages when she went to Harvard University. She studied Chinese back in the 1960s and early 1970s but has not used it since then. When she was attending a launch ceremony for the China-US Tourism Year in Beijing in February, she asked her colleague to make a footnote of the tones for each Chinese character in a sentence that she wanted to say to the audience. Interested in travel, she first entered the workforce as a flight attendant for two years. Later, she realized that airline business is very risky economically and went to Stanford Law School, following her father's footsteps to become a lawyer. She worked for a law firm in California and then for a bank that had a very large payment business, moving gradually from the legal to the risk management profession in the banking industry. "As a woman in the financial industry, when you do find yourself in a room full of men by yourself, that can be challenging," she said. "I think women are strong leaders. I don't really subscribe to stereotypes about women when you say they are more sensitive or have more emotional intelligence. Maybe so, but I do think what's important is to have this balance so that you have different points of view and different life experiences represented." CLOSE-UP Ellen Richey Vice-chairman of risk and public policy for Visa Inc Nationality: USA Education: 1970: Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Far Eastern Languages, Harvard University 1977: Juris Doctorate at Stanford Law School and Urban A. Sontheimer Third-Year Honor Career: 1994-2005: Vice-chairman of Enterprise Risk Management, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, Providian Financial Corporation 2005-06: Executive Vice President, Card Services, Washington Mutual Inc Oct 2014-June 2015: Chief Legal Officer and Chief Enterprise Risk Officer, Visa Inc July 2015-present: Vice-chairman, risk and public policy, Visa Inc Humans are varied, complex creatures: sometimes you want to exercise, and other times you want to eat everything in sight. Sometimes you crave a greasy slice, sometimes you'll only consider an eight-course tasting menu. Whether you're into foie gras and fine wine or pizza and fried chicken, this week's eclectic food events are sure to please every palate. On Monday, chefs Morgan McGlone and Matty Matheson will be kicking off their four-day takeover of the Chefs Club by Food & Wine's kitchen. The two chefs will be serving up an eight course meal, featuring their interpretation of Nashville Hot Chicken, every night until Thursday. The prix-fixe tasting menu includes foie gras torchon, buckwheat pancakes, grilled chicken hearts, and, of course, fried chicken. Reservations can be made via OpenTable or by phone. This Wednesday, a group of pizza-loving running enthusiasts, led by The 'Za Report, will be hosting the latest installation of their monthly Pizza Crawl. The group of runners will meet at Greeley Square, run 3.1 miles throughout Manhattan, and stop to refuel at three mystery pizzerias along the way. The three slice pit stops are all a surprise, but each one will be dishing up square slicesit's this month's theme. In addition to pizza, there will be giveaways and prizes at the finish line. Purchase tickets here. On Thursday, indulge in some of the best food and wine New York has to offer at Brooklyn Uncorked's 10th anniversary party. The extensive menu includes grilled Japanese eggplant from The Norm at Brooklyn Museum, ramp crostini from Runner & Stone, and smoked Arctic char from Untitledeach of which is paired with wine from vineyards including Bedell Cellars and Palo Santo. Purchase tickets here. For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors Citing maintenance and infrastructure needs far outpacing funding and staffing across Montanas state park system, the Montana State Parks Foundation recently released its list of the states four most endangered parks. The report is the first for the foundation, which formed last year, but one it intends to produce annually. The 2016 report lists Bannack, Makoshika, Hell Creek and Sluice Boxes state parks as the most endangered due to both site specific and systematic challenges. While the foundation rather than the agency developed the list, the agency agrees that the four parks are significant sites with serious issues, said Patrick Doyle, marketing and communications manager at Montana State Parks. The four parks are great examples of some of the bigger issues were seeing, he said. Bannack, located west of Dillon, is Montanas first territorial capital and now a historic ghost town. The park flooded in 2013 damaging 19 buildings. Plans for a series of flood mitigation holding ponds have yet to break ground and the parks fire mitigation system has also failed, according to the report. Makoshika, located near Glendive, is the largest state park. The area is known for badland rock formations and paleontological artifacts. But the sandy soil means erosion, with a landside washing out the main gravel road in 2011, and a continual need for short-term fixes when road reconstruction is really necessary, the report says. Hell Creek, located on Fort Peck Reservoir near Jordan, has seen attention recently as Montana State Parks officials consider not renewing their federal lease to manage the site past 2021. The parks visitation is intensely seasonal, and summer campers routinely overwhelm the space and facilities including an inadequate septic system, the report says. Sluice Boxes, located near Belt, has developed a partylike atmosphere detracting from families enjoying the area. Graffiti has also been a more recent problem but the park sees very little management or law enforcement presence due to lack of funding, according to the report. The agency has roughly 60 staff for the 55-park system, a workforce stretched thin during the busy season, Doyle said. Montana State Parks has faced increasing demand, but has a smaller budget than the state parks in most other western states. The department has a $16 million maintenance backlog and a less than $8 million annual budget. Parks released a new strategic plan last year, calling for funding higher ranking parks and possible re-designation or divestment of other sites. Yet even with budget woes, Montana state parks saw a record of more than 2.48 million visitors last year -- up 11 percent from the previous record in 2014 and 34 percent above the 10-year average. Parks officials cite strong visitation in shoulder seasons from February to April and October and November as major factors in the record. Parks supporters launched the foundation to advocate and develop new programming for Montanas state parks. Although the agencys financial struggles have highlighted much of the conversation, the report is intended to raise awareness, said foundation Executive Director Marne Hayes. Its not to raise a red flag and say, Our parks are in shambles, but to say, Lets talk about the parks, and what we need to do, she said. Yes, there are some things that are pretty grave and some need some work, but there are great things going on and parks are of great value. We want to make sure as were getting the word out that were not always just talking about parks are broken, but were talking about the potential in parks. Hayes says that getting the foundation rolling has been a bit of a learning process. Getting out into park-impacted communities to meet people, talking to legislators and seeing what other foundations may be interested in funding projects has been a major focus, she said. Working alongside the foundation is a learning experience for the department as well, Doyle said. At the heart with the foundation is advocating for our park system, he said. Weve never had a foundation solely devoted to state parks issues. Its exciting to see how it has grown, and were to see it grow in the coming years. On June 7, the voters of HD83 have a chance to stand up for someone who has stood up for us -- Kim Abbott. For two decades, I have had the honor of working by Kim's side to raise Montana's minimum wage, provide affordable health care to Montana families and make sure our schools have the resources they need to educate our kids. Kim's been there for us when it mattered most. By being there with her when it matters -- with our votes in this primary election -- we get to not only return the favor, but also get the added benefit of sending an experienced, passionate and effective leader to work for us in the state House. I hope you'll join me in supporting this extraordinary community leader with your vote on June 7. The Democratic primary in Senate District 40 features a longtime state representative seeking his districts senate seat, and a political newcomer concerned about income inequality and the environment. Voters will chose between Hal Jacobson, 65, and Josh Manning, 41, to represent the party for a district that includes the Helena Valley, extending northwest to Lincoln and west into Powell County. The district is currently served by term-limited Democrat Christine Kaufmann. Manning, a civil rights investigator for the Human Rights Bureau of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, notified voters on social media that he suspended his campaign for personal reasons. Because his name will still appear on the ballot, Manning answered questions about his policy stances and says he will continue in the general election if Democratic voters give him the nod in June. Jacobson was born and raised in Helena, earning a degree in political science from Carroll College. The small business owner and part-time musician with The Hopeful Troubadours served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008. He has also served or is serving on several boards and with organizations, including the former Kessler School Board from 1991 to 1994, the Lewis and Clark County Heritage and Tourism Council, the Grandstreet Theatre board of directors and the Montana Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. I feel like I have unfinished business, he said of his reason for running, including supporting legislation to encourage sustainable, good-paying jobs, funding infrastructure and promoting and enhancing education. We need to strongly support public education and certainly look for more funding, both at the K-12 level and for higher and vocational education, Jacobson said. I think theres a strong connection between a viable public education system and good jobs. Missing from the education discussion is the pending retirement of Baby Boomers, and those jobs need qualified applicants. Jacobson says he would like to continue serving the district as Kaufman has done, emphasizing the importance of constituents feeling he is accessible. He recalled a situation as representative where a family negotiating a federal bureaucracy called him out of frustration, and he was able to help. Its critical to make a connection with people so that they feel comfortable contacting me, he said. Jacobson says that he supports access to medical marijuana, but has not formed a position on a specific initiative or piece of legislation. On the issue of public land management, he is staunchly against an attempt to transfer federal land ownership to the state. I know its a formula for losing thousands of acres of public lands -- Im convinced theres no way we could afford it as a state, he said. We do need to work with the federal government to get better management in place. In line with his stance on education, Jacobson supports funding statewide pre-K. A new campus for the Montana Historical Society was among the casualties of the failed infrastructure bill. While he does not believe funding could come through a standalone bill, Jacobson sees value in storing and displaying Montanas history and supports a new building. Its not only important to Helena, its important to the state, he said. During his time as a legislator, one piece of legislation that stands out is a bill that studied voting systems in the state, he said. That study revealed issues with punch card ballots that were later eliminated. In his eight years in the House, Jacobson touts his 60-percent bill passage record. You dont achieve those sorts of numbers without working with the other side, he said. Josh Manning was born in Michigan, later moving to eastern Idaho and later to Missoula in his early years. He attended the University of Montana for a time before earning his bachelors degree in journalism from The Evergreen State College in Washington. This is his first run for public office, but the district encompases many of his interests, including access to trails and places he frequents for outdoor recreation. Manning sees income inequality as the biggest issue facing the state. He supports earned income tax credits, a bump in the minimum wage to $14 or $15 per hour, and expansion of unions in the public and private sector. The environment is the top issue he believes deserved more attention in past sessions. He favors moving away from a natural resource based economy to a more diversified energy portfolio with renewables. Public lands must also be protected, he said. I wish wed be more forward thinking, he said. We need to find more sustainable ways to have energy that makes sense. Manning called Kaufmann a champion on civil rights, and he hopes whoever serves the district continues those efforts. Infrastructure funding, medical marijuana and pre-K funding as budgets allow all get Mannings support. Transferring federal lands does not. Im glad we have both federal and state managing lands, he said. Theyre both doing a great job and I see no reason to interrupt that process. Although he has suspended his campaign this cycle, Manning wants voters to know he will be around for a potential future run. After her primary opponent Sam Kitzenberg suspended his campaign, Edith "Edie" McClafferty is now the only candidate hoping to win the Senate District 38 seat in the Montana Legislature. McClafferty, 55, of Butte, is a fifth grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and minors in special education and reading. "There is one reason I wish to continue to represent Butte-Silver Bow and Jefferson County at the Legislature so I can continue my work strengthening local communities expanding regional job growth," said McClafferty, who currently represents House District 73 in the legislature. "Ive worked on education policy and funding because I want to ensure all our children in Montana have a quality education. "Ive fought to protect our rights to continue to enjoy our public lands as we choose. "I supported Medicaid expansion, and fought for our state institutions because communities throughout Montana rely on a strong medical community. "I supported the negotiated contracts of public employees because these hard working individuals are our friends and neighbors who deserve competitive wages. "During the next session Montanas deteriorating infrastructure, public education, health care, energy distribution, public lands, and job creation will all be on the agenda. I will roll up my sleeves and work with both sides of the aisle to work together for the people of Montana." OPELIKA, Ala. (AP) Shrewd, intelligent and disciplined, House Speaker Mike Hubbard was the general of the GOP offensive in 2010 to win Republican control of the Alabama Legislature, a legislative body that had been under the direction of Democrats since Reconstruction. The 2010 campaigns were bolstered by a series of indictments and scandals involving Democrats, which provided easy campaign fodder for the GOP. After winning, Republicans, in a victory lap special session, passed sweeping new ethics legislation. "Ethics was a subject that set Republicans apart from the Democrats," Hubbard wrote in his book, "Storming the Statehouse" about the 2010 campaign. Six years later, Hubbard will go on trial under that same ethics law on charges that he used his political positions to make money and obtain financial favors from lobbyists and company heads with business before the Alabama Legislature. Hubbard faces 23 felony ethics charges accusing him of steering GOP campaign work to his media companies and using his office to obtain employment, investments and benefits for his companies. Opening statements are expected Tuesday in what's become a season of scandal in Alabama, with a trio of embarrassments facing three top GOP office holders. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has faced calls for his impeachment following a sex-tinged scandal involving a former top aide. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore faces possible ouster from office over accusations that he violated canons of judicial ethics by trying to block same-sex weddings, despite the U.S. Supreme Court decision effectively legalizing gay marriage nationwide At the center of it is the case against Hubbard. The high-profile corruption trial will bring a roster of the state's political and corporate elite into an Opelika courtroom as prosecutors call to the stand Bentley, former Gov. Bob Riley, heads of corporations and prominent lobbyists powerful people from whom Hubbard asked for investments or help for his clients, according to prosecutors. Hubbard, 54 and a native of Georgia, was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1998 and later became minority leader in the House and chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. After the 2010 victory, Hubbard was elected as speaker. "In Alabama, the governor is not the most powerful politician. Many would argue the speaker of the house is. If you are a strong speaker, you are the prime minister because nothing gets around the speaker," said Natalie Davis, a political scientist and pollster at Birmingham-Southern College. HINDSBORO Girl, 15, dies in crash Police are investigating a Sunday afternoon accident near Hindsboro that claimed the life of a 15-year-old girl. The Douglas County Coroner's Office said Amberlyn P. Humes of rural Oakland was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m. The male driver of the vehicle reportedly later died after being taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, although this could not be confirmed Sunday night. The coroner's office said Humes was in a vehicle with one other female and one male occupant that was eastbound on County Road 300N when it left the road just after 2 p.m and rolled over several times, ejecting all three. Both the other female involved and the male were taken to Carle; the remaining survivor is understood to be in critical condition. The crash is being probed by the coroner's office, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and a crash reconstruction team from the Illinois State Police. SHELBYVILLE Loop Lake bike ride The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Lake Volunteers Association are hosting the Loop Lake Shelbyville bike ride Saturday, June 11. All rides will start from the Lake Shelbyville Visitor Center with registration from 7 to 8:30 a.m. and include a 22-, 46- or 65-mile option. Proceeds benefit the association. Riders should return to the visitor center by 3:30 p.m. and must be older than 14. Anyone younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Early registration is $25, and day-of-ride registration is $30. Register by Wednesday, May 25, to receive a T-shirt. Go to www.tinyURL.com/lakeshelbyville for a registration form. For more information, call the Lake Shelbyville Project Office at (217) 774-3951, ext. 2. DECATUR Car seat check HSHS St. Mary's Hospital is holding a free car seat safety check, in association with the Macon County Health Department, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 27, in the west lot in front of the hospital. For more information, call (217) 464-2966. DECATUR Waddling Wood Ducks Learn about wood ducks during the free Waddling Wood Ducks program 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28, at Rock Springs Nature Center. The program will investigate the lives of wild wood ducks: where they live, what they eat and how their habitat can be protected. The first five groups to register will receive a wood duck nesting box. The program is free. Pre-register online by noon Friday, May 27, at www.maconcountyconservation.org. CHARLESTON Superintendent named Current Charleston School District Assistant Superintendent Todd Vilardo will take a step up later this year when he'll replace the district's retiring superintendent. The Charleston school board voted Wednesday to name Vilardo to the position, starting July 1, the day after current Superintendent Jim Littleford retires. Vilardo has been assistant superintendent since 2008, the same time Littleford began as superintendent. Currently, his main duties are overseeing the district's curriculum and related matters. The board's vote on Vilardo's appointment Wednesday was 5-0; members Susan Daniels and Jason Coe didn't attend. The board didn't conduct a formal search for the new superintendent and followed Littleford's recommendation to name Vilardo to the position. DECATUR Lindy J. Miller, a female parolee who had multiple outstanding arrest warrants, was taken into custody early Friday, as well as Dave Dawson, the former managing editor of the Herald & Review, who was allegedly involved with helping her to avoid capture. Special Deputy U.S. Marshal Adam Walter contacted Dawson on May 11 to explain to him that he would be subject to arrest if he aided or concealed the whereabouts of Miller, who had a parole warrant from the Illinois Department of Corrections and a felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance. On Monday, two more arrest warrants were issued for Miller for the same offense. At about 1 a.m. Friday, Walter learned that Miller, 33, and Dawson, 59, left a vehicle at a Decatur residence to have the windows tinted. Dawson assisted Miller in getting the tinted windows, Walter wrote in a probable cause affidavit. After the vehicle with tinted windows was picked up at 2:05 a.m., Walter followed the vehicle to an eastside residence. He took Dawson and Miller into custody at 3 a.m. Dawson was managing editor of the Herald & Review until his relationship with the paper was severed earlier this month. He is being held in the Macon County Jail pending his bond hearing at 8:30 a.m. today. Concealing/aiding a fugitive is a Class 4 felony punishable by probation or one to three years in prison. Miller, who also was booked into the jail, is scheduled to appear at the bond hearing. Sell your Adam Smith ties, everybody, and smash your busts of Ronald Reagan. It's all over. Why? Because we have entered a new era of "nationalism," or "patriotism," or simply "Trumpism," and the GOP will never be a traditionally and ideologically conservative party ever again. That seems to be the conclusion of a vast and growing number of prominent conservative commentators who are sure that Donald Trump has changed, or destroyed, conservatism forever. Type "The Republican Party is Dead" or "GOP R.I.P." into a search engine and you'll get a sense of how far and wide this notion has spread. Consider the inestimable Peggy Noonan, writing from the Olympian heights of the Wall Street Journal. She is increasingly adamant that Trump has ushered in a grand new era, a kind of Year Zero for the American right. The once-conservative masses no longer want to hear about liberty or freedom -- they want to be "protected" by government, Noonan wrote in February. As Trump solidified his power, Noonan set about to shoot the wounded. "Those conservative writers and thinkers who have for nine months warned the base that Mr. Trump is not a conservative should consider the idea that a large portion of the Republican base no longer sees itself as conservative," she wrote last month. A week later, Noonan again castigated anti-Trump forces in Washington. She insinuated that the Beltway elitists opposed to Trump seek to rebuild a post-Trump GOP as "a neoconservative, functionally open-borders, slash-the-entitlements party." That won't happen, she insists, because "centers of gravity are shifting. The new Republican Party will not be rebuilt and re-formed in (the tony D.C. suburb) McLean, it will be rebuilt or re-formed in Massapequa (the Long Island suburb made famous by Joey Buttafuoco)." Looking past the uncharacteristically weak and unfair snipes, this is somewhat amusing, given where Noonan works. The Wall Street Journal -- arguably America's best newspaper, by the way -- is editorially closer to "open borders" than any other mainstream outlet. Its position on entitlements is even more stridently -- and more correctly -- in favor of major reform, as was Noonan not long ago. The term "slash" is beneath her, given that this is the sort of irresponsible left-wing rhetoric she once decried. Which gets me closer to my real point. A few years ago, Noonan lionized another populist movement. "Here is a great virtue of the tea party: They know what time it is. It's getting late," Noonan wrote. "If we don't get the size and cost of government in line now, we won't be able to. We're teetering on the brink of some vast, dark new world -- states and cities on the brink of bankruptcy, the federal government too. The issue isn't 'big spending' anymore. It's ruinous spending that they fear will end America as we know it, as they promised it to their children." The point here isn't to criticize Noonan, of whom I am a fan (though I have profound disagreements with her of late). Again, she is hardly alone in claiming that Trump represents a welcome break from conservative ideas as we've known them -- ideas I once associated Noonan with. We can debate whether the New Thinking is good or bad. But we can all agree that one of the lessons of the Trump moment is that the conventional wisdom can change in an instant. And yet to listen to Trump's biggest media cheerleaders, most of them in that populist heartland of New York City, the new conventional wisdom will go on and on -- forever. As George Orwell noted, such assumptions stem from power-worship; that the winner of the moment will be invincible for all time. For instance, in 2010, when Noonan was praising the free-market and constitutionalist tea party, our entitlement situation was worse, our immigration problems were no better, and Big Government was roughly the same (serious) threat it is today. Yet now she rallies to the protectionist and Constitution-agnostic Trump, despite Trump's admission he will do nothing to fix entitlements or shrink government. The math on entitlements hasn't changed, just the mood. Hence Trump's focus on a Muslim ban and a wall on the Mexican border. Whether or not those are good ideas (I think the former is insane, the latter sadly necessary), it seems rather silly to expect this agenda to permanently displace the ideas that have formed the backbone of the conservative movement for generations. The mood will change again. It will be interesting to see whose ideas change with them. Dear Dr. Roach: I am always asked to redo tests, echo ECG, stress test ECG, nuclear stress test. The results are barely mentioned, yet the test is always indicated another time. Is this a waste of money (for the patient)? In someone with no known blockages and no symptoms, how often should a stress test be done? M.W. A: Stress tests are not routinely recommended as screening tests, which is to say for testing people with no symptoms. They can be dangerous, because like all screening tests, they can have a false-positive result, which leads to anxiety and unnecessary other tests. In the case of heart disease, the test often is coronary angiography, which is an invasive test. They also can have false-negative results, which can lead to a false sense of security and failure to get proper medical therapy. Many physicians order these tests in good faith, because they want to help their patients. They know heart disease remains the leading cause of death, and any experienced clinician has had patients die from heart attacks, often the first heart attack. While I understand the motivation, the experts agree and the data show that getting the stress test as a screening tool is more likely to cause harm than good. Seizure reaction Dear Dr. Roach: Am I wrong in believing that one is not supposed to administer cardiac compressions for seizures? I see health professionals, even RNs, doing it time and again after a simple seizure because they cannot get a pulse on the person. One would not necessarily find a pulse following a seizure, correct? Please advise health professionals of the proper way to treat a person during and after a seizure, because they do not know. S.O'G., RN A: Witnessing a seizure when you have not previously seen one is very frightening, and I often see well-meaning people attempt to help, but in a dangerous fashion. However, I have never seen anyone attempt chest compressions. During a seizure, trying to find a pulse may be impossible. But the heart must be working if the person is moving. Medical professionals should know better. Here are some things to do when you witness a generalized seizure (often called a "grand mal" or tonic-clonic seizure): Ease the person to the floor (if not there already) and make sure there is nothing dangerous nearby; turn the person onto his or her side to help breathing; protect the head with something soft; NEVER put anything into the person's mouth; and avoid chest compressions or mouth-to-mouth breathing, as these almost never are necessary. Call for emergency help if: the seizure is in water; the person injures him- or herself; the seizure lasts more than five minutes or a second one starts immediately; the person does not breathe after the seizure stops; or this is the person's first seizure (look for medical alert jewelry or identification card). After a seizure, a person is usually fatigued and confused for a period of time, and often needs help getting someplace safe. In a world where most people have a mobile phone, calling the person's home, friend or relative isn't hard. I recommend everyone have an ICE (in case of emergency) contact on their phone. Both iPhones and Android phones allow emergency access for these calls. More information is at: www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/basics/first-aid.htm. The Red Cross also has a very good free mobile app to help people deal with emergencies, including seizures. WASHINGTON -- Bernie Sanders is playing a dangerous game. If he and his campaign continue their scorched-earth attacks against the Democratic Party, they will succeed only in one thing: electing Donald Trump as president. I say this as someone who shares much of Sanders' political philosophy; I too, for example, see health care as a basic right. He has run a remarkable and historically significant campaign, pulling the party to the left and pumping it full of new progressive vigor. His crowds are almost as big as Trump's and perhaps even more enthusiastic. Most important, he has brought legions of young people into the political process. But he hasn't won the nomination. Hillary Clinton has an insurmountable lead in pledged delegates, earned by her performance in primaries and caucuses. In the aggregate, she leads Sanders by about 3 million votes. The will of the party is clear: More Democrats prefer Clinton over Sanders as their nominee. Instead of accepting this obvious fact, the Sanders campaign is behaving like a 2-year-old who can't have ice cream for breakfast. All along, Sanders and his aides have claimed that the party establishment was unfairly tipping the scales in favor of Clinton. Now the Sanders people have gone further and are deliberately stoking anger and a sense of grievance -- less against Clinton than the party itself. This is reckless in the extreme, and it could put Trump in the White House. I do not believe I am being alarmist. The conventional wisdom holds that Trump's astronomically high disapproval numbers should make him unelectable. His misogyny turns off women; his bigoted immigration stance repels Hispanics; his shoot-from-the-lip temperament disturbs voters concerned about national security. On paper, this should be a cakewalk for any Democrat with a pulse. In this election cycle, however, the conventional wisdom has been consistently wrong. It didn't see the Trump phenomenon coming. It thought Jeb Bush would be the GOP nominee, or maybe Marco Rubio. It viewed Sanders as nothing more than a fringe candidate. Most of the Nostradamuses of political commentary, let's face it, are on a serious losing streak. The Real Clear Politics poll average has Clinton narrowly leading Trump, 45.8 percent to 42.5 percent; a Fox News poll released Wednesday actually showed Trump with a slight lead. At this point in a presidential year, general-election polls usually don't mean much. And yes, Democrats have a built-in Electoral College advantage. But it would be foolish not to plan for a tight contest in which every single vote counts. Clinton is a better campaigner than many people give her credit for, but she has two major vulnerabilities that Trump will seek to exploit: Many people do not find her trustworthy, and she has been a leading member of the political establishment for decades. Trump's central flaw is much more serious -- he is completely unfit for the job of president and could do great damage to the nation both domestically and internationally. But clearly many Americans are in an anti-establishment mood. The question is whether they are so disgusted with traditional politics and politicians that they will cross their fingers and take a flyer on Trump. I hope not. But the Democratic nominee will be all that stands between Trump and the White House. It is possible to believe Clinton would be far from an ideal president and also believe she must be elected because Trump would be an unthinkable disaster. Given this context, Sanders and his campaign are being shamefully irresponsible. Rather than accept defeat, they claim loudly that the party's nominating process was rigged against them. They display a degree of entitlement that they have not earned. They rail against "unfair" and "undemocratic" party processes -- unless they work in Sanders' favor. So party conventions -- such as the one last weekend in Nevada, at which Sanders tried and failed to win a couple of extra delegates through parliamentary maneuvering -- are bad. But holding caucuses, which have limited participation, instead of primaries is good, because Sanders did very well in caucus states. Sanders has every right to continue his campaign until the nominee is officially chosen at the convention in Philadelphia. But if he means it when he says he will do everything in his power to keep Trump from being elected, he has to do more than just modulate his rhetoric against Clinton. He and his campaign must stop attacking the Democratic Party in a way that might discourage voters in the fall. I mean right now. This is serious. DECATUR ATI Fleet Services of Illinois would like to welcome technicians Brian Wakeland and John Charlton to its staff. Brian and John, both of whom came from Rush Truck Centers, bring a combined 70 years of experience, including Eaton Fuller/IH/Cummins engine/and Mack certifications, to the ATI Fleet Services team. We are excited about the new addition to our already highly trained staff, and welcome all of John and Brian's customers to the family. ATI Fleet Services of Illinois, at 2850 N. Woodford St., is a full-service preventive maintenance, heavy truck and auto repair center. For more information about the many services ATI Fleet Services of Illinois provides, go to www.atifleetservices.com or call (217) 876-7662. MOUNT ZION Linda Roberts of Best Trips Ever has been recognized as a top travel agent, as well as top agency for groups, by worldwide tour operator Collette. A certified Collette specialist, Roberts is consistently ranked as the top agent in Illinois based on revenue and passengers. Were thrilled to recognize Linda Roberts for her support and a successful partnership with Collette said Dan Sullivan, Jr., president of Collette. Her dedication to her clients is admirable and her knowledge of so many destinations is a credit to her love for travel. In 2015, Roberts traveled with groups to Italy, Iceland and the Canadian Rockies. She will head to Australia/New Zealand, Peru and Alaska later this year with availability on all tours. To learn more about Best Trips Ever and upcoming Collette tours, call (217) 864-4666. 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. Madison serial entrepreneur Mark Gehring is in line for a special award at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Conference on June 7. Gehring will receive the Ken Hendricks Memorial "Seize the Day" award, named for the late Beloit businessman to honor entrepreneurial leaders who have been considered crucial to Wisconsin's economic growth. Gehring co-founded Geometrics in 1992, featuring radiation treatment planning software he developed at UW-Madison and now, owned by Philips, is used to plan treatments for 150,000 U.S. patients each year. Since then, Gehring has co-founded UltraVisual Medical Systems, with radiology imaging software; Propeller Health, with asthma inhaler sensors; Sharendipity, with software tools for consumers; and HealthMyne, with oncology imaging analytics. The Entrepreneurs' Conference, presented by the Wisconsin Technology Council, will be held June 7-8 at the Alliant Energy Center. In the seven years since his daughter Grace was born with Down syndrome, Patrick Ryan has learned that if those with the disorder are given the same opportunities as others, and are encouraged to learn in their own way, they can thrive. What Down syndrome looks like today is going to be so different from what it looked like 40 years ago, said Ryan, co-owner of Ryan Ambulance, the title sponsor of GiGis Playhouse, a new Madison center that held its grand opening Sunday. The Madison GiGis, 4104 Monona Dr., is the 30th location in North America of the national nonprofit group of Down syndrome achievement centers. The playhouse serves children and adults, offering free therapeutic and educational programs. GiGis, in the works for more than three years, is separate from the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society, which also provides support and networking for people with Down syndrome and their families. The build-out for the 3,500-square-foot center cost about $100,000 and GiGis annual budget will be about $120,000, said Zane Torgrude, a former MADSS board chair who is now the Madison GiGis board chair and got the new center off the ground. He said he wanted to raise a years worth of operating expenses and hire a site coordinator before they signed a lease and moved forward. Besides the site coordinator, the whole place will be run by volunteers, Torgrude said. Torgrude, whose grandson, Noah, has Down syndrome, called the new placehouse a dream come true Sunday. While its difficult to gauge, there are about 200 to 250 families in south-central Wisconsin with a Down syndrome member, he said. Nancy Gianni founded GiGis, named after her daughter, now 13, in 2003 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Both were in Madison Sunday to celebrate the new location. This group has worked so hard to make this happen, she said. To watch a grandfathers love for his grandson turn into this, and watch Madison rally around it, is really something. Gianni said GiGis motto is one child, one diagnosis and one community at a time, and she was encouraged to see such a big turnout for Sundays grand opening. Ryan is the local GiGis board vice president, and said before Grace was born, he and his wife, Alison, struggled with infertility. They were in Ukraine to adopt son Jaxson, now 13, when Alison realized she was pregnant. That resulted in daughter Tatyana, now 11, named after one of the caregivers in Jaxsons orphanage. Two years later, she became pregnant with Grace. The Ryans knew about the Down syndrome diagnosis prenatally, and before Grace was born, Ryan said he was given some valuable information by a father who called his Down syndrome son the easiest kid I have. The man said that when he came home from work, that child didnt care what type of shoes he had, or what kind of jeans he had on, he would just come up to him, give him a big hug and tell him that he loved him. That anecdote rings true to him now, Ryan said. When I come home from work, Grace runs from 20 yards away screaming Daaaddy and jumps in my arms, every day. Ryan said hes seen Grace bring joy to others in countless situations. The family was at a wedding last fall and Grace was on the dance floor by herself. Then she started to grab peoples hands. One man danced with her for three songs before Grace ran into her fathers arms. He gets teary recounting the story, but Ryan said the mans wife came over to him bawling, and told him, That was the most beautiful thing Ive seen. That was my husbands favorite song. [Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a correction. The original misstated the location of GiGi's Playhouse. It is in Madison.] Kortney Moore, charged last week with first-degree intentional homicide for the shooting death of a man outside a town of Madison gas station, had threatened to shoot another man in April, about a week after his brother, Martez Moore, was killed, according to court documents filed Monday. Moore, 28, was charged Monday with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, for making the threat in public. A 36-year-old man told police he was walking on Badger Road on April 27 when a car driven by Moore pulled up, and Moore got out and said to him, I should shoot yo (expletive) right now, but there are too many people around, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court. Moore, who remains in the Dane County Jail on $500,000 bail after he was charged Friday with shooting Elijah Washington III, 28, of Madison on May 11, was granted a signature bond for the new charge after appearing in court Monday. Court Commissioner Jason Hanson said setting more cash bail would be pointless. Moores brother, Martez Moore, 30, was shot to death on April 19 outside Martin OGradys Irish Pub, 7436 Mineral Point Road, on Madisons Far West Side, in the first of three fatal shootings in three weeks in the Madison area. According to the complaint: The man told police that it seemed like Moore, whom he said he did not know, wanted revenge, but he had no idea what for. People he was walking with identified Moore as the brother of someone who had been killed. The man told police that he felt targeted but does not have a beef with nobody. He said the situation was shocking to me and I dont want anybody to get hurt. Another witness told police he heard the driver of the car, after he stopped and jumped out, tell the man, I dont got no gun. Another witness said he heard the driver tell the man, Im not gonna shoot you, there are too many people around. But another witness said he heard the driver say something like, Youre lucky there are so many witnesses, or Id shoot you. Moore will be back in court on the homicide charge on June 13. David N. Thompson Sr., of Madison had his toe amputated so he went to Jamaica in April to recover, and when he came back, he was dead. In between, his sister and a friend say, someone raided the dead man's credit cards and wallet and overcharged the credit cards of the relatives who thought they were hiring a medical evacuation service. They have now hired a lawyer in Jamaica and also requested the consulate there to investigate. His sister, Laura Kiefert, has a blunt summary of what she believes happened: "Most likely everyone involved allowed Dave to die in an effort to extort as much money as possible." The owner of the ambulance services denies "any impropriety." Thompson, 52, died April 26 after suffering a stroke and a heart attack. The circumstances are cloudy, said Kiefert, of Green Bay. He had health problems and had traveled to Jamaica to stay with a friend and recover from his toe amputation, she said. She believes that the hospital he was taken to, Cornwall Regional Hospital, has a suspicious connection with an air-evacuation service that contracted to take Thompson to Florida for emergency heart treatment. That service, EMed Jamaica, charged $17,000, payable in advance, which Kiefert and another brother provided via their credit cards. Thompson was not transported anywhere beyond the airport, and died in Jamaica while Kiefert thought he was being airlifted to a Florida hospital. She was told he needed immediate resuscitation twice, en route to the airport and at the airport, and that he was pronounced dead when the ambulance returned to the hospital. "Our brother died before being flown to the U.S. for treatment that would have saved his life had he been transported in a timely fashion," Kiefert wrote on an online fundraiser page "Find Justice for Dave." "EMed Jamaica has refused any refund. During what was a painful, helpless, and terrifying ordeal for him, Dave, who was a decorated disabled American veteran, was robbed of $13,000 of cash and traveler's checks, and another $2,500 was withdrawn from his debit card since his death," Kiefert wrote. She has requested the credit card companies stop the $17,000 payment made in advance to the air evacuation company. After several bureaucratic delays, her brother's remains made it back to Wisconsin on Wednesday, with the help of Tuschen-Newcomer Funeral Home in Sun Prairie. Kiefert said her brother's memorial service will be Friday at the American Legion Post 209 in Orfordville, the family's hometown. Thompson was a 1982 Stoughton High School graduate who joined the U.S. Navy in 1984. He was a graduate of Upper Iowa University and worked as a business systems consultant for Fischer Scientific, according to his obituary. He is survived by a son, David Thompson Jr., of Oregon. Kiefert said her brother had Type 1 diabetes, which was related to his recent toe amputation. He had a mechanical heart valve and was taking several prescribed medicines for related conditions. Headed to Montego Bay He left Madison April 19 to spend some time in Montego Bay, intending to stay for one month with a friend of 20 years, Roy Rankine, and his family. Kiefert said she was called April 24 by Rankine, who said he had taken her brother to Cornwall Regional Hospital. Thompson had suffered a stroke and was semi-conscious. Kiefert said she spoke with a physician, relayed the prescription information and names of her brother's doctors at the Madison VA hospital, which would fax her brother's medical records. Based on her conversations with Rankine, including while her brother was in the hospital and in an ambulance, Kiefert said her brother's medication was withheld at Cornwall, where he was tied to the bed, and no one contacted his Madison physicians. The next day, Kiefert and her husband were preparing to fly to Jamaica when Rankine called and told them to contact the hospital immediately. When she did, Kiefert was told by someone identified as a doctor that her brother had a heart attack and needed to be transported out of Jamaica immediately for treatment, or he would die. "They told us we needed to get him to the veterans hospital in Miami," she said. That doctor told Kiefert to get the evacuation service number from the hospital's website, where the number of "EMed Jamaica" and its "Emergency Air Ambulance" is prominently displayed. Someone at that business who identified himself as a "Dr. Garth George," told her he would "assess" her brother's medical condition at the hospital, called her back and promised to "get him out of here." The cost would be $17,000 payable in advance. Kiefert and another brother in Wisconsin split that cost on their own credit cards, she said, and Rankine witnessed the long process of approving both credit cards. She was on the phone with him as he described the "doctor" emptying her brother's wallet of $6,000 U.S. cash and $7,000 in traveler's checks for "safe keeping." Nine hours after being promised her brother would be on his way to Florida, she was told he had died. He had "coded," or needed resuscitation, in the ambulance on the way to the airport and at the airport, so everyone returned to the hospital, where efforts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at 12:04 a.m. April 26. "It has been a nightmare ever since," said Kiefert. "We smelled a rat kind of early," said Kiefert's husband, Robert. "Every time there was another problem, the doctor at the hospital told us to contact the (air) ambulance people, and they kept finding reasons not to act." Because of the relatively short time Thompson was in the hospital, an autopsy was required. A copy of that autopsy report, provided by Kiefert, incorrectly places Thompson's death at April 28, instead of April 26. It is detailed and says he died of "congestive cardiac failure," related to his existing heart conditions. EMed denies charges The owner of EMed Jamaica, Duane Boise, contacted Friday, said all of Kiefert's allegations "are absolutely untrue." Asked if there had been any complaints about his company's handling of the Thompson transport, he said, "There has been no reason to be upset about it. We are more upset that a life was lost, that is not pleasant for our crew." "There (were) no improprieties" with Thompson's cash, either, he said. "There was one complaint in an email about money that was lost. We investigated that and could find no validity to the complaint." Answering another of Kiefert's allegations, Boise said, "I have never represented myself as a doctor." Kiefert is not giving up, however, and has requested the U.S. Embassy investigate "a theft against a helpless American" and also to look into the connection between the hospital and the ambulance service, and the long delay in transport. Kiefert is also upset that an ambulance company employee may have impersonated a physician when Kiefert talked with "Dr. Garth George." The emailed response from the U.S. consulate promised: "We will do what we can to investigate the issues raised in your email. Sometimes disputes of this sort require judicial intervention, a realm the U.S. Embassy unfortunately does not enter on behalf of its citizens." Kiefert chose a Montego Bay lawyer, Tanya Golaub, to investigate on behalf of the family, from a list supplied by the embassy. Golaub said she would not comment on the case "until I have some facts." The embassy contact would not answer the State Journal's questions about its intentions, either, and the hospital's administration could not be contacted. "My big mistake," wrote Kiefert to the State Journal, "was trusting an air ambulance company in Jamaica. I have since found out there are several air ambulance companies operating in Florida with planes on standby to retrieve Americans from the Caribbean. Had I been advised to contact one of them, my brother would still be alive. In addition, I have learned that the American air ambulances do not have a policy of charging the entire amount if a plane never even takes off. "This whole thing stinks to high heaven." A 55-gallon drum of duck fat was tipped over by vandals Sunday behind a Downtown building housing a restaurant, with the fat coating sidewalks near Capitol Square. Madison Fire Department's Engine No. 1 was called out at about 4 p.m. to the 100 block of North Carroll Street for the apparent grease spill. "The crew saw the spill coming from the alley behind the buildings on the west side of the square," said MFD spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster. "The drum of duck fat was tipped over behind Rare Steakhouse." Another oil drum containing peanut oil was tipped over behind the Field Table restaurant, but only a small amount of oil had leaked from the barrel because the cover held tight. "The chef had noticed the spill earlier and had attempted to wash it away with buckets of water," Schuster said. Duck oil is slippery, so the fire crew used an oil drying material on the sidewalks, and also to stop the flow of oil into two storm drains located downhill from the spill. "Firefighters consulted with the police hazardous incident team on the best way to clean up the oil," Schuster said. "The team leader advised not to wash the duck fat into the storm drain, and the oil didn't pose a danger to anybody." The chef contracted to have the duck fat spill absorbed. A high school graduation party that got out of hand on the West Side Saturday night drew hundreds of people to the home of the 19-year-old "popular" woman who hosted the party, leading to numerous 911 calls by irate neighbors and the arrest of a Madison man who allegedly drove in and out of the crowd and led chants against police. The party was in the 5200 block of Manitowoc Parkway, and was literally in the street, as well as in neighboring yards and driveways, before police arrived around 11:50 p.m. "She understood why officers were asking her to shut things down," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "When one officer inquired why so many had come to her graduation celebration, she said 'Because I am popular. Isn't it obvious?' The officer agreed that did seem to be the case." Police ordered the crowd to disperse, but one man who ignored orders kept driving his convertible up and down the street, music cranked and the top down. "This became something of a rolling dance party, as crowds of people gathered in and around his car as he drove up and down the block," DeSpain said. Officers said Devon Hughes, 25, Madison, was operating aggressively and recklessly, nearly striking pedestrians and parked vehicles that lined the crowded street. "As songs played, the driver at times led chants against police," DeSpain said. Hughes was arrested and tentatively charged with disorderly conduct, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, resisting/obstructing, carrying a concealed weapon and having sound producing or amplification devices. A Madison woman who admitted she started a fire at a Far East Side apartment building two years ago, causing $500,000 in damage, will remain free while she serves a two-year mental health commitment to the state Department of Health Services. Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke on Monday agreed with the findings of a report that Angela R. Schmidt, 52, does not pose a significant risk to the public, to herself or to property. Schmidt was charged with arson in January for the May 14, 2014, fire that started in her apartment at 9 Loomis Circle. One firefighter was injured in the blaze. Earlier this month, under a plea agreement, Schmidt was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and received a two-year commitment. Mondays hearing was to determine how she would serve her commitment. The fire initially displaced nine people, but six more were displaced the next day when the fire rekindled. Faculty from the University of Wisconsin Systems two-year colleges joined their peers at several four-year campuses Friday by approving a resolution declaring they have no confidence in the Systems president and Regents. The UW Colleges Faculty Council of Senators, which is made up of professors from the 13 two-year colleges across the state, approved the resolution on an 11-5 vote, with one member abstaining. They joined professors at six four-year UW System campuses who have said they dont have confidence in the Board of Regents or President Ray Cross in light of what many faculty members view as weak advocacy for public higher education among UWs leaders, and new tenure policies that make it easier for administrators to fire faculty members. UW-Eau Claire professors also met to consider a vote of no confidence in Cross and the Regents on Friday but decided they would put the resolution to an online survey of all the campus faculty. Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans in the Legislature have criticized the resolutions, saying they exaggerate the effect of the budget cuts and new tenure rules. The UW Colleges resolution opens by listing several things in which faculty say they do have confidence: Their students, their colleges role in spurring local economies, the value of their research and the ability of their institutions to live out UWs cherished service mission, known as the Wisconsin Idea. But the resolution states faculty members opposition to new shared governance policies that have weakened professors role in managing campuses, and actions by the Regents that support rather than decry austerity measures brought about by state funding cuts. The word tenure does not appear. Like resolutions that have passed around the state, it ends by declaring faculty have no confidence in Cross or the Regents to uphold the Wisconsin Idea. Finalists for financial aid director announced The directors of financial aid offices at Marquette University and the University of Missouri-Columbia are the finalists to lead UW-Madisons Office of Student Financial Aid. Susan M. Teerink, from Marquette, and Nicholas Prewett, from Missouri, are the top candidates for the position of director of student financial aid, which was held by Susan Fischer until she retired last year. The search for Fischers replacement was pushed back last November after Steven Hahn, the universitys vice provost for enrollment management, decided not hire any of the candidates. The city of Madison has appealed a court decision rejecting a challenge to the states decision to divert detainees from a mental health facility in Dane County to one about two hours away in Oshkosh. The change, adopted in April 2014 as a cost savings measure in the 2013-15 state budget, has meant police officers from Madison and other municipalities have had to transport scores of detainees to the facility, increasing overtime costs and taking away resources from their local communities. Madison Police Chief Mike Koval described the situation in an interview last week as a malady that has laid siege to our department. Madison Police Lt. Kristen Roman said police departments in Dane County handled 349 emergency detentions and other cases where someone had to be returned to Winnebago Mental Health Institute in 2015. Thats a lot of time and resources, Koval said, noting each trip to Oshkosh requires two squad cars in case one has to assist with a medical emergency. Its creating overtime issues. Dane County Circuit Judge James Troupis, who was appointed by Gov. Scott Walker, rejected the citys lawsuit in February, saying the 2013 law change gives the Department of Health Services secretary broad authority to make administrative decisions. Madison city attorney Michael May said the city is appealing because we think the judge made a legal error its a question of statutory interpretation. The case is now before the 4th District Court of Appeals based in Madison. Briefs are due on June 7. Two people were injured early Sunday in a shooting on the South Side that Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said was becoming an all-too-familiar scenario. "Once again, we're here all too frequently, seemingly playing 'Groundhog Day' with the same sort of themes becoming all too prevalent," Koval said. Two 26-year-old Madison friends were injured, one seriously, in the incident, which Koval likened to a "shootout at the OK Corral." Police found more than a dozen spent shell casings at the scene. After string of Madison-area shootings, community groups ask elected officials for help reducing gun violence Boys and Girls Club of Dane County CEO Michael Johnson said it's time for elected officials to stop "over-studying" issues of racial disparities and start funding solutions to them. Just after 3 a.m., police responded to reports of several shots fired in the parking lot of La Hacienda restaurant, 515 S. Park St., and a chaotic scene, with "people running in every direction imaginable," Koval said during a Sunday news conference. One man was found in the parking lot with a gunshot wound when police arrived, but it turned out he was just grazed by a bullet, Koval said. He was taken to a hospital, treated and released. A short time later, another man showed up at a hospital with "life-threatening injuries," after a bullet nicked his femoral artery, the chief said. He was operated on and is recovering, Koval said. Neither man is facing charges, the chief said. Disturbing to Koval is that while the violence began in the parking lot, it spilled into a residential neighborhood, he said. With that many rounds fired, Koval expressed concern that innocent people could have been injured. In push to stop violence, community groups focus on friends, family of potential shooters Community leaders are reaching out to members of two local factions in an effort to put the brakes on a feud that has claimed three lives over the past month. Four unoccupied vehicles in the parking lot had bullet holes, he said. South Park Street at bar time can be an extremely busy thoroughfare, he noted. The city is coming "perilously close" to a time when "an innocent, third-party bystander is going to be affected by this reckless behavior." The restaurant was crowded and the lot was full, he said. That the shooting didn't affect more people is "nothing short of a miracle," Koval said. A theme is emerging, he said, where police show up at a shooting scene, and victims, witnesses, family members and other contacts "know nothing about anything." The police investigation becomes challenging when even the victims won't say who was responsible. It's similar to what police have encountered over the past few weeks with a string of fatal shootings in Madison. Police have said the three fatal shootings in just over a month are related and involve two factions at odds with each other. The first happened early April 19 when Martez Moore, 30, was shot outside a Far West Side tavern. Then, Koval said Darius M. Haynes, 38, was "summarily executed," as he sat in a car at a gas station on Verona Road on May 10. The next day, Elijah Washington III, 28, was fatally shot at a gas station in the town of Madison. Kortney Moore, 28, who is the brother of the victim of the first homicide and who police say shot Washington, turned himself in to authorities May 15. It's too early in the investigation of the Park Street shootings to say whether they are related to the other violent episodes, Koval said, noting that none of the incidents can be classified as "randomized violence." With 3 linked homicides, retaliatory crime spree raises threat to new level Elijah James Washington III, 28, of Madison, was fatally shot at the Capitol Petro Mart on Rimrock Road. They are all "targeted" and those involved know each other "at some level," he said. Koval didn't know what caused Sunday's shooting. He said it could be a "classical beef" between people, or perhaps an armed robbery or drug-related incident. In any case, Koval said the chronic gun violence here seems to show no signs of abating. And with summer approaching, things could get worse, Koval warned, noting that as temperatures heat up, those without air conditioning can become more irritable, and when paired with alcohol, it can be an explosive combination. "I worry about what a long summer can look like since our spring has been morbid with violence," he said. Some unusual traffic slithered its way across a highway in southwestern Wisconsin over the weekend. The Grant County Sheriffs Office received a report of a large snake as long as the width of both lanes of traffic crossing Highway 61 south of Scoops Drive in the village of Dickeyville Sunday afternoon. The snake was described as grayish brown and is believed to be a python, according to an alert sent out by the office. Area residents were asked to closely monitor children and pets while theyre outside. Dickeyville resident Judy Grimes, who lives on Highway 61, said she called the sheriffs office Monday morning when she heard about the snake. Officers told her it might have traveled through the wooded area behind her house and across her yard before crossing the highway. Grimes said she will pay even closer attention to her grandchildren and the small dogs she watches when they play outside. Im a little worried about it, she said. Dickeyville snake breeder James Stelpflug said he was told Sunday evening that the snake was 4 feet long and about the circumference of a milk jug. On Monday, he said, he was told it was 20 feet long. If there was a python of that size in Dickeyville, whose population is just over 1,000, he said hed probably know about it. The snake could have been a native bull snake, he said, although hes not ruling out that its a python. Stelpflug, whos bred snakes for 28 years, said he offered to help the sheriffs office capture the snake if its located. If the snake is a python, it would die if temperatures were to dip below 50 degrees, he said. Late Monday, working off a photo of the snake snapped by a village resident, the sheriffs office confirmed the creature was just a very large, but completely harmless, bull snake. BARABOO The trouble with ridiculing Wisconsinites is we dont realize were being put down. In fact, we take most insults as compliments. We can be a backward lot. This explains why we call freezing January temperatures fishing weather. It also explains why, when our neighbors to the south derisively dubbed us cheeseheads, we didnt know enough to feel hurt. Instead, we embraced the nickname and started wearing foam cheese wedges on our heads. Wisconsinites accepted with that same lack of self-consciousness last weeks news that Americas Dairyland is home to more than half the drunkest cities in America. I wonder if people in Appleton, the city anointed drunkest of them all, are spilling out of the taverns and onto the streets, wearing foam fingers and chanting Were No. 1! No doubt the authors of the report on Americas drunkest and driest cities, published by 247wallst.com, would be perplexed by such a reception. And by Wisconsinites fascination with accessories made of foam. The report used statistics on binge drinking, alcohol-related deaths and overall health to rank cities weakness for the bottle. Wisconsin claims 12 of the 20 drunkest U.S. cities. Some might view such a showing as abysmal, but Wisconsinites would call it dominant. The Milwaukee metropolitan area came in at No. 17, with 23 percent of adults admitting to binge drinking. Sure, they couldve lied, but the secret is out on us: Cheeseheads are known to take a second drink. And sometimes an eighth. The twin cities of Janesville and Beloit were No. 16, but they deserve a pass. If you lived in Janesville or Beloit, youd drink, too. Racine ranked 15th, due to a high rate of driving deaths involving alcohol, as well as obesity and premature death. Sheboygan ranked 12th, topped by Wausau at No. 11. Despite its high binge drinking rate, Wausau ranked above-average in overall health. Perhaps this is true because Wisconsinites exercise as they imbibe, curling or playing softball or shooting darts to burn some calories. Someone should tell Racine to get with the program. Eau Claire ranked ninth because its home to 6.4 bars for every 10,000 residents, the second-highest in the country. They say that like its a bad thing. Fond du Lac ranked seventh, but overall passed its health test. The city has one of the lowest premature death rates, a fact the studys authors attribute to Fond du Lacs financial health. Less than 10 percent of residents live in poverty. Theres something to be said for $1 rail mixers. The La Crosse area came in at No. 6, because there are nearly 7 bars for every 10,000 people. In our states defense, significant capacity is needed there to accommodate Minnesotans sneaking across the Mississippi in search of real beer. Our capital city came in at No. 4. The only surprise there was Madison wasnt higher up the list. UW-Madison traditionally ranks among the top party schools, another dubious honor cheeseheads regard with pride rather than shame. Hey, Badgers fans are just happy to have beaten Ohio State at something. Next up was Green Bay at No. 3, but another pass is in order here. Until youve tried to survive a winter along the icy lakefront without carrying a fifth of brandy in your pocket, dont judge. Oshkosh-Neenah was ranked second, topped only by Appleton. Nearly 27 percent of adults in Appleton report binge drinking, highest in the nation. Id raise a toast to you, Appleton, but youre already on the floor drooling. Just think what that percentage might be if Appleton had more than 4.4 bars per 10,000 residents. In Wisconsin we call that a dry town. Speaking of dry towns, Provo, Utah, was named the least-drunk U.S. city. People there might ask, why would cheeseheads want to drink excessively, when it leads to risky behavior and unknown outcomes? Theyd be answering their own question. Its no accident the drunkest cities are in the upper Midwest. The winter is dark, the summer is short, and there isnt much else to do here. So we have a few pops and throw caution to the wind. You may say we should be ashamed of ourselves. But we say were No. 1. I hesitate to bring up facts. If recent years have proven nothing else, theyve proven that we have fully embarked upon a post-factual era wherein the idea that a thing can be knowable to an objective certainty and that this should matter has been diminished to the point of near irrelevancy. Donald Trump is the avatar of the era. Not content to rest on his laurels, he recently provided superfluous proof of his supremacy in mendacity. Asked by The New York Times to name the most dangerous place in the world hes ever visited, Trump replied there are places in America that are among the most dangerous in the world. You go to places like Oakland. Or Ferguson. The crime numbers are worse. Seriously. You wonder whether its worth correcting him. After all, neither Trump nor his followers seem especially interested in truth. But for the record, according to the Citizens Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice in Mexico, which tracks murder statistics around the world, only four U.S. cities make the list of the 50 most dangerous places on Earth. None of them is Ferguson or Oakland. Trumps use of those cities, both with high poverty rates and large African-American populations, is, of course, intended as a crude dog whistle to the angry white men hes courting some old-fashioned victim blaming and shaming to rouse the rabble. But it got me thinking about this whole concept of the most dangerous place on Earth. If by that we mean the place with potential for the greatest amount of harm to the largest number of people, maybe we should broaden our definition of danger. For example, climate change is sure dangerous, linked as it is to increased risk of fire, flood, famine, drought, freakish storms, high temperatures and resultant illnesses. The World Health Organization says this already contributes to 150,000 deaths a year and that between 2030 and 2050, the death toll could rise to a quarter million a year. A 2015 study in the journal Politics and Policy found the GOP is virtually the only major conservative party in any democracy on Earth still denying this reality and opposing measures to deal with it. So the most dangerous place on Earth could be Republican headquarters. Lead poisoning causes behavioral problems and irreversible brain damage in children and memory loss, high blood pressure, decline in mental functioning, reduced sperm count and miscarriages in adults. The water crisis in Flint, Mich., we now find, was the tip of the proverbial iceberg, with reports that high lead levels have been found in 2,000 water systems serving 6 million people in 50 states. So the most dangerous place on Earth might be your local water department. The economic collapse of 2008 wiped out $7.4 trillion in stocks, $3.4 trillion in real estate and 5.5 million jobs, according to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. It cost the average American household $5,800 in lost income. The effects were felt worldwide amid fears of a global financial meltdown, a Second Great Depression, brought about by too-big-to-fail-banks playing the U.S. economy like a Vegas casino. Some experts say the threat of a relapse endures. So the most dangerous place on Earth may be Wall Street. But it isnt. No, the most dangerous place on Earth is none of the above. Consider for a moment: To lead America through a world of complex and difficult challenges, the Republican Party offers us Donald Trump. He is pervy, thin-skinned, loud-mouthed and volatile, a preening bully and serial liar who shows little evidence of core values, nor even inner life. Yet, some large percentage of us thinks he should have access to the nuclear codes. So if you really want to know the most dangerous place on Earth, its simple. Its every polling place in America, come November. Nevada supporters of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders engaged in a shameful display of mob anarchy at that states convention a week ago, and so far the Vermont senators response has fallen far short of the leadership needed in such a volatile situation. Political conventions can be passionate gatherings, and activists have been known to parade, protest, clap, shout and engage in all manner of boisterous activity. But throwing chairs, hurling obscenities at party leaders and shouting down keynote speaker Sen. Barbara Boxer to the point where she feared for her safety? And making death threats against the party chair because you dont like the way things turned out? No. Sanders supporters became enraged when they realized that Sanders would not get more delegates to the national convention than Hillary Clinton, who, after all, won that states caucuses back in February. It is understood that some Sanders followers are new to the political party process dozens were disqualified from delegate duty because they failed to register as Democrats by the convention deadline. That does not excuse their taking a political process designed to ensure the peaceful passage of power and transforming it into a gutter brawl. State party Chairman Roberta Lange was subjected to threats against herself and her family in more than 1,000 calls and texts, many so vile they could not be printed here. Said one texter: Prepare for hell. The calls wont stop. Sanders must take some responsibility for things spinning out of control. He has repeatedly called for a political revolution, and blamed closed primaries primaries limited to, of all things, Democrats for poor showings. He has long fomented the notion that the party he has scorned but now wants to lead is ideologically bankrupt. This has given rise to contempt among some of his supporters for the party nominating process and now appears to be culminating in an intolerable level of aggression. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, has appealed directly to his colleague and said he was confident Sanders would do the right thing, noting that his response would be a test of leadership. If so, Sanders failed. What he offered last Tuesday was a token condemnation of the chaos that erupted, reserving most of his written statement for a rebuke of Nevadas Democratic leaders for using their power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place. The ill will has only grown, with some supporters publicly saying there could be trouble when Democrats convene in Philadelphia to choose a nominee in July. Sanders must take action now to broker a peace among the party he has split. That will call for more than a token statement. Delhi has accepted NEET as the only qualifying entrance exam for students aspiring for a career in medicine. Kejriwal has requested the President to not sign the ordinance on the delay of examination. By India Today Web Desk: The Delhi government has made a decision to make National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) the only entrance exam for entrance in medical courses this year onwards. (Read: CBSE Boards 2016: 8 types of parents and their reactions) NEET gets Union Cabinet Clearance: On Friday, May 20, the Union Cabinet marked NEET as the only qualifying examination for entrance in all deemed, government and private medical colleges In the presence of Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodiya, a high level meeting was held with vice-chancellors of medical colleges regarding the implementation of NEET Stayendar Jain, Delhi health minister came out in support of the SC verdict on NEET 2016 advertisement (Read: Exclusive! Meet Mudita Jagota who topped CBSE Class 12 exams under differently abled category) Arvind Kejriwal urges President Pranab Mukherjee to not sign ordinance: In a recent tweet, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked President Pranab Mukherjee to not sign the ordinance that calls for a delay of NEET this year The President is working with in-house officials in seeking clarification over the NEET issue (Read: Students of blind institute in Chandigarh hold 100 percent record in CBSE Class 12: Meet some unbeatable individuals ) Union Health Minister to meet President for clarification today JP Nadda (Union Health Minister) will meet President Pranab Mukherjee today, ie on May 23 with regard to his signing of ordinance The ordinance is that of postponing NEET till the next year The purpose of the meeting is clarification on the idea of NEET 2016 Over 15 states were opposing NEET so far, it would now be interesting to see what the President's take on this shall be. About 6.5 lakh students have appeared for NEET 2016 phase 1 on May 1, 2016. NEET: Important Dates: May 1, 2016: First phase of NEET 2016 July 24, 2016: Second phase of NEET 2016 August 17, 2016: Results of NEET 2016 (Tentative) September 30, 2016: Final date to complete admission procedures The states that opposed NEET 2016 include Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal and a few others. The main reason for opposing NEET this year was students inconvenience in preparation due to lack of time and excessive syllabus. Click here for more updates on India Today Education. --- ENDS --- The Board of Secondary Education, Haryana has declared the results of Class 10 on the official website. By India Today Web Desk: The Board of Secondary Education, Haryana has declared the results of Class 10 on the official website on Sunday, May 22. Yet again, girls have outperformed boys this year. The pass percentage of girls is 52.62 per cent as compared to that of boys which is 45.71 per cent. A total of 1,55,191 students were passed out of 3,17,507. This amounts to a slightly increase of about 3.04 per cent candidates over that of last year. advertisement In order to get the results, the candidates are required to follow the steps listed below: Go to the official website, http://www.bseh.org.in/ Click on the link, 'Secondary Examination result March 2016' The candidates should enter the roll number or name After submitting the same, the results will appear on the screen. The candidates must take a printout for future reference. District-wise pass percentage: The top position was bagged by Sonipat district, securing 69.84 per cent, followed by Mahendragarh district at 63.79 per cent and Faridabad at 34.47 per cent Also, rural students have performed better than urban areas. The rural pass percentage was noted at 50.38 per cent, whereas urban students secured 45.30 per cent pass percentage According to the reports, the government schools performed worse than private schools this year. About Haryana Board: The board was established in 1969 and conducts the Public Examinations at Middle, Matric (Secondary or High Schhool) and Senior Secondary School (Academic and& Vocational) levels twice a year in the state of Haryana through its affiliated schools. For any more information regarding the results, the candidates should visit the official website. Get latest updates on exam notifications and scholarships across India and abroad here. --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid a visit to Iran. Modi is on a two-day halt at Tehran to meet with Iranian leaders and sign important agreements between India and the Middle-East country regarding economic and diplomatic development of both countries. According to reports, the Indian government would invest around 500 million USD for the development of the Chabahar Port, close to Iran's border with Pakistan. advertisement Modi has also visited the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Tehran to pay obeisance and also speak to the head priest. PM Modi is the first Prime Minister to visit Iran in the last 15 years. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the last to take a trip to Iran. On this occasion, we bring to you 10 interesting facts about Iran: 1. The monarchy of Iran was overthrown on Februray 11 in 1979. Since then, the country has been identified as an Islamic republic. 2. The former name of Iran was Persia, which was in use till 1935. Persia was the most significant centre of trade of ancient Asia and Europe. 3. Iran ranks second in the world in the production of natural gas and third in oil reserves. 4. Iran's capital Tehran is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Around 27 people in Iran die every day from air pollution-related diseases. 5. In Persian, the word 'Iran' means 'Land of the Aryans'. This name justifies the historical significance that the country holds. 6. In 1953, American covert organisation, CIA, was involved in an operation, code named Operation Ajax, to overthrow the democratically-elected Iranian government of Prime Minister, Masaddegh. In return, the Iranian leader offered a 40 per cent of stake in Iran's oil industry to the United States. 7. Iran pumps nearly 4 million barrels of oil each day. The country has 10 per cent of the world's total oil reserves. 8. Almost half of Iran witnesses an arid desert climate. The region receives less than 4 inches of rain each year. This has made Iran devoid of perennial rivers. 9. Iranians have a unique water supply system named Qanat. Qanat is an underground channel with a series of vertical access shafts at regular intervals, which are used to transport water from an aquifer under a hill. The system of qanat dates back to 1,000 BC. 10. Cave paintings inside the Doushe Cave in Lorestan, Iran, date back to 8,000 BC. This is one of the oldest cave art found in the world. advertisement Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs? Click here to stay informed and know what is happening around the world with our G.K. and Current Affairs section. To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail to education.intoday@gmail.com. --- ENDS --- A visually-impaired student of Amity International School, Noida, Rakshit Malik holds the third position under the physically challenged category with 96.4 percent. The 18-year-old, who is 90 percent visually impaired, scored a total aggregate of 482 out of 500 with full marks in history. By India Today Web Desk: A visually-impaired student of Amity International School, Noida, Rakshit Malik holds the third position under the physically challenged category of Class 12 CBSE Boards with 96.4 percent. Rakshit's score at a glance: The 18-year-old, who is 90 percent visually impaired, scored a total aggregate of 482 out of 500 with full marks in history. advertisement He also scored 98 in economics, 96 in political science, 95 in psychology and 93 in English. Rakshit's success: Role of teacher and parents "The success behind my achievement is my mother, and she also worked hard with me day and night. I also want to congratulate my teachers, without their heartiest co-operation it would have been quite impossible for me to reach this success. Being visually impaired, it is quite impossible for me to go through the board and follow the school curriculum properly, so the teachers always give me additional time after class," said Rakshit. Rakshit lives with his parents in Karkarduma, Delhi. His father owns an electronic showroom in Krishna Nagar and his brother is a Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) alumni. Rakshit's parents speak: "I read his chapter loudly and used the marker pen to write down important points in bigger fonts so that he could learn them properly. I guided him till my best, the rest was his hard work", said his mother, Rachna Malik. "It is because of his own hard work that he achieved the success," said Rakshit's father, Rakesh Malik. "My son wants to be an IAS officer in the future, and I will try my level best to fulfil his dream." Rakshit's dream: Rakshit wants to be a professor or an IAS officer in the future. " I liked the teaching profession very much and wished to be a professor. I also have a dream to serve my nation and like to see myself as an IAS officer. But now, my primary focus is to pursue History from a good college," concluded Rakshit. Read: Meet CBSE topper Sukriti Gupta: Check her percentage here! Read: CBSE Results 2016: Check the scores of top 3 rank holders here Click here to get latest updates on education news. --- ENDS --- The UPSC committee, set up to review the Civil Services examination, will soon be asking the government to lower the upper age limit for candidates planning to appear in the esteemed examination. By India Today Web Desk: The committee appointed by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) last August will soon be asking the government to lower the upper age limit for candidates appearing in the Civil Services examination. Former education secretary BS Baswan is heading the committee, which was formed as part of an initiative by the central government to revamp the civil services examination. advertisement Why is the upper age limit being changed? According to the guidelines, the SC/ST candidates get a maximum of a 5-year age relaxation and those falling in the other backward classes can avail a 3-year grace. The candidates who are differently-abled get an additional 10-year relaxation. Amidst a string of protests in 2015 opposing a civil service aptitude test introduced in the preliminary exam by the previous government, the Narendra Modi government had promised to assess the esteemed examination "We feel that the entry age is on the higher side. At the same time, we realise that candidates should not be put to any unforeseen hardship. Therefore, we would prepare a road map which will give all candidates sufficient time to adapt to the new system," Baswan told HT The upper age limit for aspirants from general categories has increased from 24 years during the 1960s to 32 years for 2014 The proportion of successful candidates who were over 30 years in 2012 and 2013 was in the range of 6 to 11 percent It is a common belief that the candidates over 30 years who successfully cleared the civil services examination, found it difficult to adapt and internalise the core values demanded of the civil services The government officials and training schools entrusted with the charge of helping students successfully clear the civil services examination have been pushing for lowering of the entry age Meanwhile in Andhra Pradesh, during a felicitation ceremony in the state for UPSC rankers, Municipal Commissioner G. Veerapandian said that aspirants should start preparing for Civil Services right from college level for better foundation For making their point, the panel is trying to locate a disabled 43-year-old candidate belonging to schedule caste category, who had applied for relaxation on both grounds. When will the report be submitted? According to a senior government official a call on the recommendation would be taken only after the panel submitted its report. The panel has time till August to give its report. "I can only say that the government is very clear in its mind that it will not spring a surprise on the candidates," the official said, referring to the previous UPA government's last-minute decisions to change exam's format. In an attempt to ensure that the candidates preparing for the exams don't get a rude shock with sudden changes, the panel has been asked to, apart from making recommendations, tell a reasonable time frame required for implementation of the various recommendations. Read: Meet CBSE topper Sukriti Gupta: Check her percentage here! Read: CBSE Results 2016: Check the scores of top 3 rank holders here Click here advertisement to get latest updates on education news. --- ENDS --- The importance of Modi's Iran visit can be gauged from the fact that he is the first Indian PM to visit the Shia country in 15 years. By India Today Web Desk: "Our dosti is as old as history," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today after India inked key pacts with Iran, including that on development of the strategically important Chabahar port. Chabahar can become a very big symbol of co-operation between Iran and India," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani pointed out while addressing a joint press conference with Modi in Tehran. advertisement The importance of Modi's Iran visit can be gauged from the fact that he is the first Indian PM to visit the Shia country in 15 years. Also Read: India, Iran ink pact to develop Chabahar port; our dosti as old as history, says PM Modi Here's why Modi's Iran visit is important: India and Iran signed a deal to develop the Chabahar port, situated less than 100 km from Pakistan's Gwadar port According to an estimate, India will be spending $500 million for the development of Chabahar port. The move is aimed at cutting down the importance of Pakistan's Gwadar port, built with China's help Once operational, the Chabahar port will help India bypass Pakistan and transport goods directly to Afghanistan and central Asia Located in south-east Iran, the Chabahar port will enable India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan with which New Delhi has close security ties and economic interests. It will also open India's trade route to West Asia From Chabahar, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan, about 883 km from the port The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway, setting up road access to four major cities in Afghanistan - Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif India has already spent $100 million building a 220-kilometre road in the Nimroz province of Afghanistan. The road will be extended to Chabahar India will no longer be dependent on Pakistan's permission to allow Indian trucks to Afghanistan through the Wagah border. Chabahar will help New Delhi's efforts to engage with Kabul directly both strategically and economically India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran's border with Pakistan However, the project moved slowly mainly because of sanction by the West, primarily the US, against Iran. The sanctions were lifted in January, 2016 Chabahar Port is of a strategic importance to India. The port will help counter Chinese presence in the Arabian Sea. Chabahar is Indi's answer to China's Gwadar Can provide the diplomatic edge to India's ambition of developing a blue-water navy, India's partnership with Iran in Chabahar completes its strategic goal of encircling Pakistan as the port's development aims to bypass her in Afghanistan Chinese counter: The Chinese presence at Gwadar in Pakistan and threats posed by Kashgar-Gwadar corridor would be checked --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Jaishree Balasubhramanian Bangkok, May 23 (PTI) At least 17 girls aged between five and 12 were killed and several reported missing in a fire that swept through the dormitory of a private school for children of hill tribes in northern Thailand, police said today. Five school girls were reported injured in the fire which broke outat the the two-storey building of Pithakkiart Witthaya School in Chiang Rai province late last night. advertisement The girls who died in the fire were aged between five and 12 years old. There were 38 schoolgirls staying at the boarding-house, most of whom were asleep when the fire broke and were unable to escape the blaze. They came from hilltribe villages in Chiang Rai and chiang Mai to study in the town. After the blaze broke out officials could only evacuate a few of the girls while the rest were trapped inside. News Channel 3 reported that most of the victims were burned beyond recognition. Rescuers picked through the debris late last night and into the morning today. Scientific Crime Detection Division officials were dispatched to investigate the cause of the fire. The victims bodies were sent to a hospital for identification. Thailand, which is home to hill tribes who mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar, has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the country. PTI JB ABH --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Jaishree Balasubhramanian Bangkok, May 23 (PTI) At least 18 minor girls were killed and several others injured when a devastating fire swept through the dormitory of a private school for children of hill tribes in northern Thailand, police said today. Five school girls were injured in the blaze which broke outat the the two-storey building of Pithakkiart Witthaya School in Chiang Rai province late last night. advertisement The girls who died in the fire were aged between five and 12 years old. Two of the injured were in a serious condition. There were 38 schoolgirls staying at the boarding-house, most of whom were asleep when the fire broke and were unable to escape the blaze. They came from hilltribe villages in Chiang Rai and chiang Mai to study in the town. After the blaze broke out officials could only evacuate a few of the girls while the rest were trapped inside. News Channel 3 reported that most of the victims were burned beyond recognition. Rescuers picked through the debris late last night and into the morning today. Sawang Momdee, the Chiang Rai chief disaster mitigation officer, said disaster mitigation officials, rescuers and police combed through the boarding-house trying to locate the two missing girls, The Nation reported. Firefighters took three hours to put out the fire, and pulled survivors and bodies from a window on the second floor of the wooden building. The victims bodies were sent to a hospital for identification. Scientific Crime Detection Division officials were investigating the cause of the fire. Thailand, which is home to hill tribes who mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar, has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the country. PTI JB ABH AKJ ABH --- ENDS --- Far too many revelations and an edge-of-the-seat ending marked the halfway of Game of Thrones' Season 6. By Samonway Duttagupta: Here's a little spoiler alert before you read any further. What. An. Ending. It seemed like the perfect halfway point of Season 6. Episode 5, titled The Door, gave an answer to a big question--something that the fans have been waiting to know since Season 1. That revelation itself was enough to make this episode one of the best ones ever made in the show. advertisement The Door starts at Castle Black, moves straight to Braavos and Arya's training, sails to Pyke showing a crucial development for the Ironborn, covers an important chapter in Jorah Mormont's life, introduces a seemingly-important character at Meereen, and takes us straight to the Three-Eyed Raven's cave and ends it there. Here are a few developments you just can't afford to miss: Sansa and Baelish's reunion: That was evident from the episode's preview, wasn't it? But, Sansa meets Lord Baelish secretly--accompanied by Brienne though. Even though the meeting didn't go too pleasantly, Sansa learns an important truth about her uncle Blackfish. A girl gets a second chance: You have guessed it right. Arya gets another assignment from Jaqen H'ghar. And also a warning that she won't get another chance if she fails this time. Also, Arya learns an alternative truth about the events around her father's death. Iron Islands get a new heir: Don't think it was Yara Greyjoy. Neither was it her brother Theon. Nothing is a cakewalk in Game of Thrones. But it was surely an Ironborn who takes the Salt Throne--and he messes things up for the siblings. Dany learns about Jorah: Finally, Jorah the Andal revealed the truth about his disease Greyscale to his queen Daenerys. Dany gets emotional and gives Jorah a task that would be for his own good. I think this was the last episode we've caught a glimpse of him. Tyrion takes religious aid: Tyrion the diplomat takes yet another decision to maintain the calm in Meereen. And in order to do that, he calls upon a new Red Priestess named Kinvara. And she has travelled all the way from Volantis to come to their aid and seems to be as powerful and important as the Melisandre. So begins the march for Winterfell: Or shall I say, the plot progresses towards that certainty. After learning the truth about her uncle Blackfish, Sansa assigns Brienne an important task. She, along with Jon and the others, leaves Castle Black with a mission to form an army against Ramsay. Bran learns a great deal: And a bit too much to mess things up. The moment he gets too overconfident to get the Greensight without the Three-Eyed Raven's guidance, he creates a serious mess. The Night's King and his army of the dead have come too close, and they do claim a lot of lives in this place. What can easily be called one of the most intense sequences of the show, finally gives us answers as to why Wylis became Hodor. It's the same reason this episode has been titled The Door. advertisement Game of Thrones is clearly heading towards a merging of plots to an ultimate ending. This bold episode shows clear signs of the same. And looking at the ending of this episode, I can now safely say, Winter is here. --- ENDS --- "Winning and losing is a part of the election process and the party which loses an election could come win a majority in the next elections... this is the entire beauty of democracy," Raj Babbar said. "The country's economy has seen a severe setback in the past two years under Modi, people are dying for lack of water and electricity, law and order situation has gone beyond repair," Raj Babbar claimed. By Siraj Qureshi: Congress spokesman and MP Raj Babbar has said that the decision to form a pre-poll alliance with any party in the 2017 UP assembly elections will be taken by the Congress High Command and all options have been kept open in this regard. Babbar said the party lost Assam elections because of the polarisation of votes and not because the voters disliked Congress candidates. "All these political parties currently in the fray were born in front of the Congress and it is only a matter of time before Congress returns in full force," the actor-turned-politician said. advertisement Secular Mantra "The people of India are realizing now that the regional parties will not resolve their woes and the country cannot progress under these regional powers. Only the Congress and BJP were truly national parties, but the BJP is a selfish party that works on an agenda set by the RSS and it will destroy the secular fabric of the country," Babbar said. Defending the Congress's performance, he said that the Congress is the only party that has never seen its voters in a communal frame and has always believed in a secular democracy...and will continue to do so in the future too. "Winning and losing is a part of the election process and the party which loses an election could come win a majority in the next elections... this is the entire beauty of democracy," he added. Modi in line of fire Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Babbar said the slogan "sabka sath, sabka vikas" is a blatant lie as the BJP is a communal party and only thinks about the welfare of the majority community. "The country's economy has seen a severe setback in the past two years under Modi, people are dying for lack of water and electricity, law and order situation has gone beyond repair," he claimed. Commenting on Agra's power woes, the Congress leader said that the Supreme Court has mandated 24 hours electricity supply to Agra, but neither the Union government, nor the state government are making any efforts to comply with the apex court's decision. Dirty City? "Foreign tourists are afraid of coming to Agra now, as they don't feel safe in the city. The city is very dirty and the tourism business is dying a slow death," he said. "Both Modi and Akhilesh Yadav made a lot of tall claims before the elections about development of Agra, but nothing has been done till date." He said that the people of Agra are now fed up of being shuttled between BJP-SP and BSP and now want a fresh look into their woes through a party that has seen it all since independence and understands the ground reality. advertisement Slamming the Samajwadi Party, he said that the Akhilesh government was formed mainly on the basis of minority votes, but it has been the worst performer in terms of minority welfare in the country. The minority community is tired of the empty promises made by the Samajwadi Party and now wants the Congress to take up their cause in the coming assembly elections. --- ENDS --- Ten hours after the election results, Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh tweeted in his inimitable style "Today's results disappointing but not unexpected. We have done enough introspection shouldn't we go for a major surgery?" It was evident that the knives within the Congress were out. A day after Congress spokesperson PC Chacko came on record saying it would have been better had Digvijaya Singh spoken in the party forum. Today, it was Congress MP Satyavrat Chaturvedi who led the charge against Digvijaya Singh. Chaturvedi said, "People who talk about surgeries should look within first, it is because them that we have reached such a stage. Perhaps, these people are speaking as they are guilty conscious." advertisement Ajit Jogi criticises Digvijaya Veteran Congress leader and member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) Ajit Jogi also termed the utterances of Digvijay Singh as jumping the gun. Jogi said, "People who are in the CWC have a party platform to express themselves what is the need of speaking outside." Both these leaders have had a bone to pick with Digvijaya Singh for a long time and have now decided to strike as the iron was hot. Young leaders disappointed According to sources, some young leaders feel all this activity is being done so that senior leaders have an escape route ready. There is a strong buzz doing the rounds that a meeting of the CWC will be scheduled very soon. This CWC could be a precursor to the impending change in the Congress organisation which has been talked about for long. However, the Congress denies any infighting. Indicating that all is well, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi says, "The statement should be read in its totality." It has been two long years since the Congress got to 44 seats in the Lok Sabha. The talk about change in the organisation is yet to happen. There have been two CWC meetings in which discussions have taken place but the concrete action is yet to happen. The Congress has not won any state on its own since 2014. ALSO READ: Priyanka has charisma, will be very happy if she joins politics, says Digvijaya Singh --- ENDS --- Recently launched Moto G4 Plus is a great phone on many grounds. But how does it stand against its rivals, we tell you. By Javed Anwer: For a lot of people in India, Rs 15,000 is usually the budget for their next phone. This is also the price point, which has become very interesting in the last couple of weeks because we have seen some very unique phones launching around it. The Moto G4 Plus , a phone by Lenovo particularly stands out. But then that is not the only interesting phone in this price bracket. Lenovo also has the Zuk Z1, or rather Z1, at Rs 13,499. The there is the Micromax Canvas 6 at the Rs 13,999. Xiaomi's Mi 4 is still selling for Rs 14,999. And finally there is the last year's Moto X Play, which has a price of Rs 15,999. advertisement So which is the phone you should buy if you have a budget of Rs 15,000: The best-looker If you want the best-looking phone, you ought to get the Lenovo Vibe S1.Selling at a price of Rs 12,999, it is a gorgeous phone. It also gives consumers 32GB internal storage which is fairly generous, and has a fantastic screen. Although the metal and glass body also makes it somewhat fragile. Also Read: The best phones to buy in India this January But if durability along with good looks is what you want, get the Canvas 6 . It sells for a price of Rs 13,999. It has an all-aluminium body and a slightly better camera than the one in the Vibe S1. It also gives consumers 32GB internal storage. The performance is fairly good and so is the screen. Even the software, which has been a pain area for Micromax, is slightly better on the Canvas 6 because the company is using the version of Android Lollipop that looks somewhat closer to the stock Android. Phone with the best battery life Although the battery life of the Moto G4 Plus is not bad at all, in this price range the Lenovo Z1 wins big, all things considered equal. The phone has a huge 4100 mAh battery inside it, which can last up to two days if you are frugal with the way you use the phone. Even with heavy use, one full day is a certainly. The Zuk Z1 also gives consumers massive 64GB internal storage and fairly speedy hardware. And geeks, or the users who love to customise their phones, will love it because with CyanogenOS inside it, the phone offers consumers ample options to tweak and customise experience. That said, the Z1 is also a heavy and big phone, and has a slightly weaker camera compared to our top pick. However, the size of the Z1 is the reason why we have mention the Xiaomi Mi 4 here. This phone was launched long time ago but it has the similar hardware that you get with the Z1 but in a more smart-looking and smaller body. Selling at a price of Rs 14,999, for a long time it has been our favourite. It does have less internal storage -- 16GB -- compared to the Z1 but then at the same time offers a camera that is better than what you get with the Lenovo's phone. And yes, with MIUI inside it, the Mi 4 also offers ample options for a customised experience. The all-rounder and top pick advertisement Yes, this is the Moto G4 Plus. Despite some questionable design decisions that Motorola, or rather Lenovo, has made in the with the G4 Plus, there is no doubt in our minds that this is the best phone to buy for less than Rs 15,000. It's an all rounder with 32GB internal storage, adequately powerful hardware, and a fantastic camera for its price. And yes, just like other Moto phones it runs "pure" Android, which is bound to offer fuss-free and pleasant experience to most consumers. Also, our recommendation is for the 32GB/3GB version of the phone, which has a price of Rs 14,999. But if want save some money even the Rs 13,499 version with 2GB RAM/16GB internal storage is good enough. A few other points -- There are number of other devices in this price bracket, but they aren't as good as the ones we recommend here. -- If you want a water proof phone, the option for you is the Moto X Play , although it costs Rs 15,999. advertisement -- If you are stickler for updated software, we will suggest you get only the Moto phones and nothing else. Even the Z1 with its CyanogenOS is on Lollipop. -- Some of the older phones like Moto X (2nd gen) are good but longer recommended because software support for them will end soon. -- The Lenovo P1 has a huge 5000 mAh battery but overall the Z1 is a better phone. Also Read: Lenovo Z1 launched: Features, specs, launch date, price & everything you need to know -- The iPhone 4S, which sells for a price of around Rs 15,000, is not recommended. If you want iPhone, the cheapest one we recommend is the iPhone 5S. And that sells for around Rs 20,000. --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: A few weeks back, reports started doing the rounds that Ranbir Kapoor was dating a Delhi-based model. And then it was said that Ranbir's mystery girl was a Delhi-based make-up artist Bharti Malhotra. ALSO READ: Confirmed - Ranbir Kapoor is NOT dating Delhi girl Bharti Malhotra But now Bharti has finally broken her silence and cleared the air saying that she has not even met the Tamasha actor. In an interview to the Times Of India, "Last week, I got a call from a friend who asked me if I was dating Ranbir Kapoor. Like any other girl with no connection to Ranbir or even Bollywood, I thought someone was playing a prank on me. Then I got to know that I was being tagged as 'Ranbir's new Delhi-based girlfriend' by a news channel." advertisement There were rumours that Ranbir's sister Riddhima Kapoor Sahni introduced him to Bharti at a party. Bharti told the leading daily that she doesn't even know Riddhima and has no idea of who cooked up all these stories. "I have no means of meeting him, nor do I want to meet him. It is very awkward answering these things. Some people are saying that I must be happy to be in the limelight, but it is just stressful, with people calling me and my family, looking for more details," added Bharti. The Delhi-based make-up artist has also rubbished the reports of her going to Morocco to meet Ranbir. According to Bharti, she was in Jaipur with her boyfriend Prateek Chaudhary at the same time. "I have been dating him for the past three years. Our families know about us, and we will be formally engaged soon. I was on a vacation in Jaipur with him and I also have pictures from there. How could I be in Morocco? All these are false details and are there just to make the rumour more juicy. But it has really impacted my life. My boyfriend Prateek has been very supportive," Bharti told the leading daily. Meanwhile, Ranbir is shooting for his upcoming film Jagga Jassos and is not available for any comments. --- ENDS --- US cancer specialist says move can better protect against cervical cancer China should add a HPV vaccine into its national immunization program as soon as possible to better protect women from cervical cancer, according to a top US scientist. The call by Douglas Lowy, acting director of the US National Cancer Institute, comes 10 years after the first vaccine for the human papillomavirus received market approval in the United States. Today, such vaccines are used in about 120 countries and regions. Yet it is still not available on the Chinese mainland, which results in many women heading to Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan, where local authorities have cleared a vaccine for the market. HPV, which is largely sexually transmitted, is a major cause of cervical cancer and can also result in genital warts and other serious conditions. Cases of cervical cancer have been on the rise on the mainland, according to Qiao Youlin, a professor of epidemiology at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences' Cancer Hospital in Beijing. An average of 100,000 new cases are reported each year, making it the fifth most common cancer among women, he said. To reverse the trend, Lowy has suggested China vaccinate women against HPV, especially those living in areas with a high rate of cervical cancer. He believes girls aged 14 or younger should be the priority. His institute estimates that widespread use of some HPV vaccines now on the market could prevent more than two-thirds of cervical cancer cases from occurring. State-level program According to the World Health Organization, more than 500,000 women a year worldwide are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Of this number, 275,000 will die of the disease. Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO China representative, said 35 nations and regions have state-level HPV immunization programs. "Currently, no HPV vaccine is licensed in China, but there are companies working to develop them," he said. One such enterprise is the Chengdu Institute of Biological Products, which is building a production facility with an annual capacity of 2.5 million doses. About 10 vaccines have applied for approval from the China Food and Drug Administration, including domestic and foreign products. Qiao said GlaxoSmithCline, the pharmaceuticals giant, has finished phase 3 clinical trials on its vaccine, which could hit the Chinese market this year. The process has so far taken almost 10 years, he said. An estimated 17 percent of Chinese women aged 14 to 59 are infected with HPV. However, Qiao added that due to high costsabout $300 a dose"it will be hard to get (the GSC vaccine) integrated into China's national immunization program". Bian Ce, an associate professor of gynecology at West China Hospital in Sichuan province, said Chinese women aged about 45 are at the highest risk of cervical cancer, although the age could drop because women are becoming sexually active at a younger age and are more likely to have multiple partners than previous generations. "The youngest I've seen was 26," he said. He said a HPV vaccine is most effective if administered before a woman has intercourse for the first time. "The vaccines work, but they are definitely not the only way for prevention," Bian said. He recommends women aged 29 and over regularly undergo tests for HPV and cervical screening to spot precancerous lesions early. In the last three days, numerous attacks have taken place on the opposition CPM and BJP cadres and their offices with most of the attacks taking place in South Bengal where TMC has performed excellently. By Rohit Kumar Singh: Its five days for Mamata Banerjee to be sworn in as the chief minister of West Bengal for the second consecutive term but protests against the Trinamool Congress have begun over massive post-poll violence being witnessed in the state for the last three days. While the BJP took to the street with protest march to raise the matter, the "Jote" (CPM-Congress alliance) met Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi with a memorandum. advertisement BJP has declared that its workers would be observing black day on 27th May, the day when Mamata Banerjee takes oath as CM, as a mark of protest against the attack by TMC goons on its Howrah candidate Rupa Ganguly. Party State President Dileep Ghosh who led the protest said the series of attack on BJP workers was a pre-planned act to eliminate the Opposition. "With the massive mandate Mamata Banerjee has got, she now wants to crush all the voices of Opposition. We will not tolerate this and have decided to observe black day on 27th May", Ghosh said. It may be noted that in the last three days, numerous attacks have taken place on the opposition CPM and BJP cadres and their offices with most of the attacks taking place in South Bengal where TMC has performed excellently. In the evening, it was the "Jote" leaders to call on the Governor and raise the issue. Speaking to India Today exclusively, after meeting the Governor, Congress State President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said that Mamata Banerjee had unleashed a reign of terror in the state to finish the opposition. He demanded the Governor to intervene in the matter for course correction. Chowdhary said that the Governor had promised to look into the matter. "Mamata wants to eliminate opposition in Bengal. Assembly elections took place in five states but it was only in Bengal that post poll violence was taking place. We have met the Governor and asked him to intervene", said The Bengal Congress President. Few incidents reported in last three days: BJP candidate from Howrah Rupa Ganguly thrashed by TMC goons when she had gone to meet post poll violence victim In Hoogly, Vice-President of BJP's Women Cell Madhumita Bera was beaten and her house ransacked In South 24 Parganas district TMC attacked CPM and BJP cadres. Polling agent of BJP was beaten up. Total 5 injuries In North Dinajpur district, 7 seriously injured in violent clashes between TMC and CPM In East and West Midnapore district, violent clashes took place between TMC and CPM workers In Asansol district, TMC workers attacked BJP cadres and offices In Salt Lake, Kolkata TMC goons attacked CPM cadres In Sonagachi, Kolkata factional clashes took place between rival TMC camps. 4 policemen injured In Bankura district, TMC-CPM cadres clash In Raniganj, TMC goons shot a supporter of Congress-CPM alliance In Malda district, TMC-CPM clashes took place. 5 injured In Bardhaman district, a 26 year old youth was caught in TMC-CPM clash where firing was taking place and bombs were hurled by both sides. The youth was severely injured advertisement --- ENDS --- India, which already has direct train service with Bangladesh, has also announced two new routes. The two countries are currently operating Maitree Express between Kolkata and Dhaka. By Rakesh Ranjan: After the India-Myanmar-Thailand road link, the government is considering seamless rail connectivity with SAARC nations. The Indian Railways is considering rail links from India to Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The most prominent is the Indo-Myanmar rail route for which railways plan to connect Jiribam in India to Kalay/Mandalay in Myanmar. A senior railway ministry official said studies are being conducted on setting up at least five rail routes between India and Nepal while feasibility of another route is being examined between India and Bhutan. India, which already has direct train service with Bangladesh, has also announced two new routes. The two countries are currently operating Maitree Express between Kolkata and Dhaka. advertisement Approval Officials said initial work has started on rail projects from Tripura to Akhaura in Bangladesh and Haldibari in India to Bangladesh International Border. While the first project was announced in 2012-13, the latter was sanctioned in rail budget 2016-17. The projects are, however, subject to requisite government approvals in both countries. "A feasibility study was done in 2005 by Indian Railway through its engineering consultant RITES for a link from Jiribam to Kalay/Mandalay in Myanmar. The Jiribam - Imphal section (125km) which falls within Indian territory has been sanctioned and construction work taken up. Remaining portions from Imphal to Moreh (111km) within India and from Tamu to Kalay (128km) in Myanmar have not been sanctioned," said a railway board official. India is also seeking rail routes to Bhutan and Nepal. While a small link between Raxaul in Bihar and Birganj in Nepal is operational, railway officials said four new routes could be explored between the two countries. At present, Nepal does not have a rail network. However, meter gauge lines exist in some parts of the plains or terai region in Nepal. Geographical advantage Officials said India has a geographical advantage that its northern plains connect seamlessly to Nepal's terai region. Also, many railway stations like Jaynagar, Jogbani in Bihar and Sonauli, Rupaidiha in Uttar Pradesh are located very close to Nepal border. Railway lines from these stations can be extended up to Nepal for better connectivity. It may be noted that China has also announced constructing rail corridor to Nepal via Tibet. The connection, according to Chinese media reports, could include a tunnel under the Everest. It is to be an extension of the Qinghai-Tibet railway that links China with the Tibetan capital. Meanwhile, officials said India was also keen on reviving the railway link connecting India and Bhutan announced in 2008. The Nehru Golden Jubliee Railway Link was proposed as 18-km link connecting Hashimara in West Bengal to Toribari in Bhutan. RITES was asked to prepare the project report with assistance from Northeastern Frontier (NF) Railways but the consultancy firm failed to complete the survey work. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, May 23 (PTI) As Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke of plans to expand manufacturing operations in India, China apprehends that it could lead to possible exodus of Apple production chain and loss of tens of thousands of jobs, Chinese state-run media said. "It seems the time has come for China to consider whether it is ready for the possible exodus of Apple Incs production chain," an article in Global Times said, referring to Cooks comments during his India tour. advertisement Cook had discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "possibilities of manufacturing". "Cook shared Apple Incs future plans for India. He spoke of the possibilities of manufacturing and retailing in India. He appreciated the breadth of young talent in India and said the youth have significant skills which Apple would like to tap," an official statement had said. "Cooks words have prompted a heated discussion in China. Wage increase have apparently eroded Chinas labour competitiveness, resulting in the departure of a number of manufacturing businesses. Now people are wondering if Apple will be the next one," the Global Times said. Apples decision could affect the jobs of tens of thousands of Chinese workers. However, a see-saw battle between China and India over the technology giant is not the only solution, it said. It is natural that Apple would want to move its manufacturing base from China to another Asian nation to lower production costs. In fact, before Cooks words, some major Apple suppliers such as Foxconn had already announced plans to expand their business in India," the report said. China may need to promote the development of more local manufacturers and encourage them to move to less-developed central and western regions where labour costs are lower, it said. "Several factors are to blame for the slow manufacturing transfer from coastal regions to inland areas. Although a large amount of money has been allocated to boost development in western China in recent years by accelerating infrastructure construction, the environment for business development in the region is still lagging behind," it said. PTI KJV UZM AKJ UZM --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, May 23 (PTI) China has warned public of "relatively high risks" of geological disasters in parts of rain-battered Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, asking authorities to closely watch the bad weather and brace for any situations. Chinas Meteorological Administration (CMA) forecast possible mountain torrents in parts of rainy Hebei Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province and Yunnan Province in the same period. advertisement The administration asked local authorities to closely watch the bad weather and brace for any disasters, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Torrential rain has battered several provinces in China, affecting hundreds of thousands of people and causing heavy economic losses in the last few days. In the central province of Hunan, days of heavy rain have affected about 500,000 residents in 25 counties, with about 18,000 evacuated and 4,000 in need of emergency supplies, the provincial flood and drought relief headquarters said. The rainstorms have also damaged 46,000 hectares of crops. In south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, two people have died and 290,000 people in 16 counties have been affected by heavy rain. Rainstorms battered Guangxis north and east, forcing more than 12,000 people to evacuate, according to the regional department of civil affairs. The disaster has affected some 17,460 hectares of crops and toppled 610 houses, causing a direct economic loss of 470 million yuan (USD 72 million). In the past a few days, torrential rains have battered several provinces in China, killing at least 10 persons and affecting some eight lakh others besides causing heavy economic losses and toppling hundreds of homes. The extremely rare round of heavy torrential rainfall was stated to be once in more than 200 years. PTI KJV CPS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Vijayawada, May 22 (PTI) The historic Vijayawada city will soon have a new icon in the form of a City Square that will be built under the Public-Private Partnership initiative at the Swarajya Maidan in the heart of the city. Guizhou International Investment Corporation of China has designed the City Square that will come up on a five-acre land at an estimated cost of Rs 135 crore. advertisement Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved the design today at a meeting attended by Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Krishna district Collector Babu A, Municipal Commissioner G Veerapandian and representatives of GIIC. "The City Square will be a jewel in APs crown and be a large tourist attraction," Naidu said on the occasion. Vijayawada, the second largest city in AP, is currently serving as the "functional capital" of the state. The proposed City Square will have shopping complexes and a stupa depicting the heritage of the region. An underground parking lot will also be developed. The existing Rythu Bazaar (farmers market) at Swarajya Maidan will be relocated at Gandhinagar and a new complex built with 350 shops at a cost of Rs 4 crore, according to the district Collector. The existing government buildings belonging to the water resources department will also be dismantled to make space for the City Square. As the Swarajya Maidan has been serving as the only large vacant ground in the city for decades, where every public meeting is held besides the annual industrial exhibition, there has been opposition to convert it into a City Square as it deprived the city of "lung space". Allaying the apprehension, the Collector said vacant space that would be more than twice as large would be created and could be used for public purposes. PTI DBV NRB MKJ RDS --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) Congress leaders will fan out to different states on May 26 to tell people the "real" picture on the second anniversary of the BJP-led NDA dispensation. Senior party leaders including spokespersons would be addressing media conferences in different state capitals as also important cities to drive home the point that the governments boasts were hollow, AICC sources said. advertisement "This is a government that is far busier managing headlines than actually trying to manage the economy," the party said taking a dig at the government. In a commentary posted on its website, Congress said Modi government schemes are "either pale imitations of UPA schemes, ineffectively carried forward after re-branding them, or, as in the case of MUDRA, outright falsehoods". Taking a jibe at the functioning of Modi government, it said the government loves a good scheme because it loves to manage a grand event around the launch of the scheme, and then receive all the compliments for a well managed show! "If only this government could manage the schemes and the economy as well as it manages its public relations, the common man would be in a better position today. PTI SPG ZMN --- ENDS --- Dozens of Congress workers gathered at Shivaji Park area in Allahabad and hung a board bearing Rishi Kapoor's name outside a Sulabh toilet. By India Today Web Desk: Angry over actor Rishi Kapoor's recent remarks questioning the naming of country's assets after the Gandhi family, Congress workers named a public toilet in Allahabad after the Bollywood personality. Dozens of Congress workers gathered at Shivaji Park area in Allahabad today and hung a board bearing Rishi Kapoor's name outside a Sulabh toilet. Congress party workers justified naming of buildings, roads after the Gandhi family arguing that they played a huge rule in country's freedom. advertisement What's the issue Last week, Rishi Kapoor, took to twitter to question why "har cheez" (everything) in the country is named after the Gandhis. "Baap ka maal samjh rakha tha? (Do they consider it their father's property?)" tweeted the 63-year-old actor, once known as one of India's best romantic stars. "If roads in Delhi can be changed why not Congress assets/property ke naam?" he asked. "We must name important assets of the country who have contributed to society. Har cheez Gandhi ke naam? I don't agree. Sochna log!" said another tweet by Kapoor, whose scathing and often self-deprecating tweets have earned him over a million Twitter followers. "Why Indira Gandhi airport International? Why not Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh Ambedkar or on my name Rishi Kapoor. As superficial! What say?" Kapoor said as he posted a series of questions. Kapoor's comments had invited a massive protest by Congress workers outside his house in Mumbai last week. THINK. There are 64 prominent places named after them only in New Delhi! Do you need that many to commemorate them? pic.twitter.com/zdmVEAaal7 Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 19, 2016 We must name important assets of the country who have contributed to society. Har cheez Gandhi ke naam? I don't agree. Sochna log! Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 17, 2016 Also Read: Rishi Kapoor attacks Gandhis on public spaces named after them: Baap ka maal samajh rakha tha? Rename Delhi's Akbar Road to Maharana Pratap Road: General VK Singh to Venkaiah Naidu --- ENDS --- The Sonia Gandhi-led party was removed from power is Assam and Kerala. In West Bengal, where it contested the polls in alliance with the Left failed to make any dent in Mamata Banerjee's vote bank. By India Today Web Desk: Results for Assembly elections in five states were announced last week. While the BJP registered an emphatic win in Assam and opened its account in Kerala, the Congress suffered a huge set back. The Sonia Gandhi-led party was removed from power is Assam and Kerala. In West Bengal, where it contested the polls in alliance with the Left failed to make any dent in Mamata Banerjee's vote bank. advertisement Certain section of the media and the BJP leadership described the grand old party's poor show as a step towards 'Congress-mukt Bharat'. But is the picture really so gloomy for the Congress? Was the media right in projecting BJP win as a spectacular country-wide triumph for the party? Was it wrong to conclude that the Assembly elections in five states was rout of the Congress? Speaking to Karan Thapar on his show To The Point, BJP's MJ Akbar described his party's Assam win as unprecedented. Here's what MJ Akbar said: Can't compare apple and oranges. Assembly elections have their own dynamics. You can't compare national general elections with Assembly polls. Win in Assam is historic, unprecedented in electoral history. Who would have ever thought that the BJP will get a Muslim MLA from Cachar? In Kerala, we had a substantial presence in 7 or 8 Assembly segments. It's a movement forward. In West Bengal, we were written off by many but our performance was stupendous. We won 6 seats. The day Narendra Modi goes back to Bengal and asks for vote for himself, the state will give him 25 per cent votes. Congress has collapsed completely in Bengal. Manish Tewari counters BJP's claims: The fact remains that we lost Assam. But we lost the state after having serving for 15 years. If you juxtapose BJP's performance in Parliament to Assembly polls, their number of seats has actually come down. We may have lost Assam, we may have lost Kerala in a cyclical trend but has the BJP won? Outside Assam, the BJP has won almost nothing in the other states. The BJP has been trying to get its act together in Kerala since ages but nothing has happened so far. The BJP learnt from its defeat in Bihar and I agree that the Congress failed to capitalise on its good show in Bihar. The fact is that the BJP has just three seats in West Bengal. BJP's vote share has actually dropped. Watch the full debate here: --- ENDS --- Its 300 inmates are battling the same pathetic conditions which lead to the death of nearly 30 of them, made it to the headlines and caused a huge uproar. Inmates of the Gurukul old age home at Bhandwari village in Gurugram being served tea by a volunteer on Sunday By Baishali Adak: NGO Earth Saviour Foundation's old age home, Gurukul - the only such central government-approved facility in Delhi - has fallen into bad times again. Its 300 inmates are battling the same pathetic conditions which lead to the death of nearly 30 of them, made it to the headlines and caused a huge uproar. Now flung to the remotest and most desolate corner of NCR - Bandhwari village on Aravalli hills along the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road - it is again operating from tin sheds in extreme temperatures. advertisement In July 2015, the NGO was evacuated from Rangpur Pahari on the fringes of south Delhi due to flooding. Between May and June, three dozen inmates had succumbed to the heat inside the tin camp, dehydration and lack of medical aid. Their requests to the Delhi government for a borewell has fallen on deaf ears. Now, the charitable organisation is fighting the land mafia and villagers for survival in Haryana, says its founder, Ravi Kalra. Kamlesh says it's a sin to stay in a daughter's marital home and hence lives in the old age home. The NGO is home to elderly, ranging from the healthy to mentally-sick, bed-ridden and those breathing their last. Cast off children and women, rape victims are also left at its gates. States as far as Maharashtra send them the destitute, besides courts, asylums, prisons and hospitals. Kalra does not seek any government grant and funds minimal medicines, food and clothing for the abandoned inmates on his own. Wandering Kalra says, "We are tired of wandering in keekar jungles. I wonder, are we all so inhumane that we can't provide a small piece of land for our senior citizens?" He says he dreamt of a decent and undisturbed future when they moved to Haryana at the two-acre plot, Kalra's personal land. "However, this experience turned out to be worse than the troubles we faced in the past nine years." He laments, "Initially, some villagers drove us away saying we are spreading diseases. Then land mafia got scared that the value of farmhouses will fall because of us. So they spread rumours that we are running a kidney racket." Joyce from Kerala was employed with various embassies in her younger days. "The area SDM visited us with a huge police contingent some months back, did a thorough investigation and realised that it is pure charitable work. They first offered us land near Columbia Hospital, Palam Vihar, but we realised there is a temple on it and we will not be able to remove it. Then a vacant area next to a landfill was given to us and we refused cause of the stench. But now we are hopeful that they will give us a better alternate location." advertisement Necessities Basic necessities are still a luxury for them. Frequent power outages fail their generators and only one borewell proves insufficient. An equipped hospital with doctors is still a dream for Kalra. BL Anant sold his property worth `20 lakh for his daughters' weddings and is now forced to stay at the old age home He is assisted by a small team of volunteers, mostly college girls from the lower middle-class. One amongst them, Neetu, says, "I was a teacher here when the shelter home was located on Green Avenue Road, Vasant Kunj. When a fire erupted there in 2013 in which two persons were burnt to death, I got more attached to them. I vowed to never leave them now." Inspite of the harrowing conditions, it is amazing how senior citizens love this shelter to no end. Seventy-year-old Shiv Kumar, who says he was beaten by his nephew and pushed from the sixth floor, says: "I will die here but not go back ever." BL Anant, whose two daughters are settled in New Jersey, USA, says, "I sold my Rs 20 lakh worth of property in Paharganj to marry them in good families. Then my wife expired. I had nowhere to go. This is my home." --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) Punjabs Seechewal model of river cleaning, that involves eco-friendly and natural processes to treat wastewater and sewage, will be implemented by the Delhi government to infuse life into the Yamuna river, Water Minister Kapil Mishra said today. Mishra said this after visiting Seechewal Gaon in Punjabs Kapurthala to meet noted environmental activist Balbir Singh Seechewal, who has played a prominent role in reviving the Kali Bein rivulet. advertisement The minister was accompanied by a team of officials from Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The DJB team studied the decentralised natural treatment system, oxidation pond, settling tanks and processes used to remove floating materials and how flow of water is maintained which ensures self-purification of the Kali Bein rivulet. "We have presented our plan to Seechewalji to clean the Yamuna river, which incorporates almost all the ideas that he has used, including decentralised wastewater treatment, oxidation ponds and maintenance of river flow. "We will ensure that the Yamuna river is cleaned on a war footing and will ensure that the Punjabs Seechewal model of river cleaning is implemented in Delhi," Mishra said. PTI SBR NSD ZMN NSD --- ENDS --- By PTI: Srinagar, May 22 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is developing a mobile application that will help tourists make online bookings and reservations for their visit to the state in a hassle-free manner. "The Tourism department is developing a mobile application which will enable visitors to make online bookings and reservations in a hassle-free manner," Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who holds the Tourism portfolio, said during an interaction with tourism players here. advertisement In a bid to improve footfall of tourists this summer, Mehbooba sought cooperation from tourism and business fraternity in reviving the states economy which primarily depends on its lucrative tourism industry. While interacting with various delegations, she stressed that people associated with the industry have to do a lot to establish a feel-good factor among the visitors. It is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that no tourist is harassed, she said. Seeking support in maintaining peace, the Chief Minister said it is the states tourism and business fraternity which has to suffer the brunt when there is disturbance in the Valley. Mehbooba asked the Tourism Secretary to operate pre-paid taxis from strategic locations, like airports and railway stations for tourists. "We have to reach out to the tourists with open arms so that they enjoy the hospitality for which we are known all over the world," she said, while asking hoteliers, houseboat owners, shikarawallas, ponywallas, tour and travel operators to facilitate visitors so that they go back with rich memories. Asking the Tourism department to promote paying guest concept among people residing in downtown areas, Mehbooba said the government is actively pursuing withdrawal of advisories imposed by some countries on visiting the state. The Chief Minister also floated the idea of incorporating adventure tourism in school curriculum at secondary level. She said the government over the last one year has made strenuous efforts in projecting Kashmir as a world-class tourist destination. Roadshows will be organized in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia from where the Valley receives a fairly large number of tourists, Mehbooba said. She said there are still many places to be explored which will provide a rich experience to visitors. PTI MIJ AQS RG GVS --- ENDS --- All thanks to Sri Lanka, the state now has a replica of the famous Avukana Buddha statue. And new Buddhist sites are being developed in the state. By India Today Web Desk: If you are someone who travels to different places for the love of Buddhist sites, the state of Telangana would be able to please you in the times to come. While the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) has already been planning to develop and reconstruct Buddhist sites in the state, help has been offered by Sri Lanka and China. advertisement According to a report by The Times of India, the country's first ever Buddhist theme park, named Sriparvatarama (Buddhavanam) is being built at Nagarjuna Sagar. And the Sri Lanka government has sent a 27-feet replica of its famous Avukana Buddha for the same. Isn't that amazing? Also read: 3 of the most unusual-yet-beautiful Buddha statues in the world The report reveals that the statue has been donated under the Indo-Sri Lankan cultural exchange programme. The massive Buddha statue has been installed at Dhyanavanam, the meditation area of the park. "The government of Sri Lanka also donated Dhamma Bell and has shown interest in building their Simhala-Vihara complex on the premises of Sriparvatarama (Buddhavanam). Similarly, the World Buddhist Cultural Society, Tibet, and the Pragnopaya Charitable Trust, UP, have started their activities at the site. We expect more Buddhist organizations to commence their activities very shortly," P Ramulu, chairman, TSTDC, told The Times of India. If you think that's all, the next bit of information will come across as a pleasant surprise. The state tourism board has acquired 279 acres of land on the left bank of River Krishna for the development of Buddhist sites that will give visitors an insight into the origins of Buddhism and highlight the important parts of Buddha's life. In the near future, China and other Southeast Asian are expected to help TSTDC complete this project successfully. The expectations are high in this regard, especially after all the help that have been pouring in for the reconstruction of around 10 monasteries that were submerged in the Krishna Valley following the construction of the Nagarjuna Sagar dam. When completed, this theme might Telangana's tourism to a great extent, and could possibly play an important role in making the state an important destination for Buddhist tourism in India. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Lalit K Jha Washington, May 23 (PTI) Some elements in the Pakistani military and the ISI had "shown a willingness" to work with terrorist outfits, a top American Congressman has alleged after the US said it has killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike deep inside Pakistan. "I think that there is an element in the ISI, an element in their security services that in the past have shown a willingness to work with terrorist organisations, especially inside Afghanistan," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee told CNN yesterday. advertisement "And my hope is that now that has come back to bite, that there is a realisation that that support has to end," he said. Asked if Pakistan can be an ally in the war on terror, Royce said, "I think the civilian government is." Asked whether he believes that Pakistan gave the okay for the drone strike against Mansour or was given advanced warning, Royce said, "some elements in the Pakistani military are conflicted here for this reason. Theyve worked with the Taliban in the past, but at the same time, the Taliban and their allies, their other radical allies, are also trying to overthrow the civilian government inside Pakistan itself." "And so, this has complicated the situation for Pakistan since they have lost so many civilians to attacks by Taliban and other affiliated radical organisations. So, I think end of the day, the fact that weve taken out the Taliban leader might allow us to see an evolution in this, where we get more security in the region," he said. Mansour, who was in his early 50s, and another militant were targeted in a precision air strike by multiple unmanned drones operated by US Special Operations forces yesterday in Pakistans restive Balochistan province close to the Afghan border. Royce said the airstrike against Mansour was an important development because he had "killed thousands and thousands of people." "So, the fact that we took out their leader, this is important, but its only the first step. If were really going to give the air power, the support necessary to make certain that the Afghans can hold their ground against the Taliban," Royce said. PTI LKJ ABH --- ENDS --- Eva Longoria finally tied the knot with beau Jose Antonio Baston in Mexico, in a dress designed by Victoria Beckham. By India Today Web Desk: The wedding of actress Eva Longoria with businessman Jose Antonio Baston was a beautiful affair in the beautifully exotic Mexico. The couple got married in a sunset ceremony in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, a lakeside town roughly 88 miles (141 kms approx) from Mexico City. According to People magazine, the couple had hosted their bash at Baston's house and finished off the big day with fireworks. "They married on an altar under lots of little lights," a source told People. "It was very romantic. Eva wore her hair down and smiled during the whole ceremony. He was in a gray suit." A photo posted by Ricardo Barroso (@barrosohome) on May 22, 2016 at 9:24am PDT advertisement Two days ago, Eva had taken to Instagram to share a picture of the couple's rings and two cards reading 'Jose Baston' and 'Eva Baston'. "In our garden, surrounded by a small gathering of people we love, Pepe and I tied the knot! #TalkAboutBlessed #ImStillFloating #OmgMyFeetHurt," she wrote. In our garden, surrounded by a small gathering of people we love, Pepe and I tied the knot! #TalkAboutBlessed #ImStillFloating #OmgMyFeetHurt A photo posted by Eva Longoria Baston (@evalongoria) on May 22, 2016 at 7:44am PDT "I've been waiting for a day like this my whole life," the former Desperate Housewives star told Hola! USA. It's no secret that the lovely bride's wedding dress was designed by one of her closest friends, none other than Victoria Bechkam. Here's what it looked like: Congratulations @evalongoria The smartest,most beautiful woman I have ever met.I feel honored to call you my friend X Such a wonderful day filled with Love X We love Pepe so much!!! @davidbeckham #blessed #toomuchtequilla #omgmyfeethurt #inlovewithmexico ????? A photo posted by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on May 22, 2016 at 9:29am PDT Ricky Martin, Mario Lopez, Melanie Griffith, and Victoria and David Beckham were among the approximately 80 guests who were in attendance, according to Hola!. The Desperate Housewives actress, 41, and her new husband, 47, first stepped out as a couple in November 2013. Baston, president of Latin-American media brand Televisa, proposed during a vacation in Dubai in December 2015 with a stunning ruby engagement ring. Another major feature of Eva and Jose's wedding were uggs. Yup, those comfortable clouds you wear on your feet. Not only did Eva make Victoria Beckham slip into them, but has now made new-husband Jose Baston also join in. Morning after foot attire... Me and VB relaxing by the lake ??? #YesIGotHerToWearUggs A photo posted by Eva Longoria Baston (@evalongoria) on May 22, 2016 at 10:57am PDT She posted this picture of the two setting off on their honeymoon, relaxing in a pair of brown uggs during the flight. Matching pajamas? Check! Matching slippers? Check! Got my husband? Check! #HoneyMoon #LunaDeMiel #Love #HusbandAndWife ?????? A photo posted by Eva Longoria Baston (@evalongoria) on May 23, 2016 at 12:16am PDT Here's to a happy married life, you two! --- ENDS --- advertisement This year's Everest campaign has been hit by high winds on some days when climbers had been counting on the weather 'window' to open to make their summit bids before the monsoon sweeps in next month. In this May 7, 2014, file photo, a trekker stands in front of Mount Everest, which is 8,850 meters high (centre), at Kala Patthar in Solukhumbu District. Reuters By Reuters: A 43-year-old Indian mountaineer has died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest, in the third fatality on the world's tallest mountain in as many days since climbing resumed after last year's avalanche tragedy at Base Camp. Subash Paul, who climbed the 8,850 metre (29,035 feet) on Saturday, perished the next day due to exhaustion, Wangchu Sherpa of the Trekking Camp Nepal company said on Monday. advertisement An Australian woman and a Dutch national have also died since Friday due to altitude sickness in the notorious 'death zone' where the air is so thin that only the fittest can survive without supplementary oxygen. Hiking officials and climbing veterans say the deaths raise questions about the preparations and safety standards of some climbing operators, with cut-price local companies competing for business as international outfits scale back operations. This year's Everest campaign has been hit by high winds on some days when climbers had been counting on the weather 'window' to open to make their summit bids before the monsoon sweeps in next month. Queues have formed on the final stretch to the summit, which is often secured by a single rope line, leading veterans to complain that slow and inexperienced climbers were holding up others and putting them at undue risk. "Many climbers without any experience crowd Everest every year, and companies often use poor quality equipment... offering cheap packages to clients who are exposed to security risks," Nepal Mountaineering Association Chief Ang Tshering Sherpa said. "Climbers with well-managed companies employing experienced guides are safe." Hiking officials blame the government, which charges $11,000 for each Everest permit, for failing to spend any money on safety measures. The government collected $3.1 million from 289 climbers as permit fees so far this year. But officials blame inadequate preparation on the part of climbers. "The deaths were not due to accident or the crowd," Tourism Department official Sudarshan Dhakal said. "Energy loss and altitude sickness mean that they were not well prepared." Retrieving bodies Expedition organisers were assembling a rescue team on Monday to retrieve the bodies of Australian university lecturer Maria Strydom and Dutch climber Eric Ary Arnold. Strydom died before reaching the summit on Saturday, one day after Arnold perished after attaining the peak. Apart from the three deaths, two other Indian climbers have been missing on Everest since Saturday, and hiking officials said chances of finding them alive were slim. Another Indian woman who fell sick was being escorted to lower camps and will be evacuated by a helicopter, an agency official said. advertisement While fatalities are not unusual, there are fears the latest casualties could again hit mountaineering in Nepal. At least 18 people died a year ago when an earthquake sent a massive snow slide careening into Base Camp, while an avalanche in the treacherous Khumbu Icefall killed 16 guides in 2014. The back-to-back tragedies had halted climbing on Everest. "It is a difficult and challenging climb and many people have died," Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Brisbane, adding that the government was assisting with the repatriation of Strydom's body. Arnold Coster, the owner of Arnold Coster Expeditions which led the group containing both Strydom and Eric Ary Arnold, said both climbers became ill very quickly on the descent. The Dutch climber was assisted down to the South Col camp, the final camp before the summit, where he was given oxygen and medicine but "unexpectedly passed away that evening in his tent," Coster said in a Facebook post. Strydom decided to turned back from her attempt to reach the summit and was assisted down to the South Col by her husband, veterinarian Robert Gropel. After spending the night there, she walked out of her tent to continue the descent, only to collapse on the Geneva Spur, two hours from Camp 3 where helicopter evacuations are possible. advertisement The expedition leader said Gropel, who himself suffered high altitude pulmonary oedema on the descent, tried unsuccessfully to carry his wife's body down the mountain. He was evacuated by helicopter to Kathmandu on Monday. May is one of the most popular months to scale Everest before the peak is shrouded by rain, cold and cloud brought on by the monsoon in June. Good weather over the past two weeks has allowed more than 350 climbers to reach the summit this month from the Nepali side of Everest. Several people have climbed from Tibet. Among them was 19-year-old Alyssa Azar, who on Saturday became the youngest Australian to reach the summit, and Lhakpa Sherpa, who notched a new record for female climbers with her seventh ascent. ALSO READ: Nepali woman climbs Mount Everest for seventh time, creates history A 43-year-old Subash Paul died on Saturday while descending from the summit of Mount Everest 34-year-old Maria Strydom from Australia died on Saturday while descending from the summit of Mount Everest 36-year-old Eric Ary Arnold, a Dutch climber, died on Saturday while coming down on high-altitude slopes known as the "death zone" Everest climbing season opens for first time since 2015 tragedy advertisement --- ENDS --- Mark Zuckerberg is betting heavily on virtual reality for his company's future. The social networking site last year bought a British virtual reality start-up. By Indo-Asian News Service: Social networking giant Facebook has hired a team of experts in London to create the first European base for its Oculus virtual reality division, a media report said. The social network has substantially expanded its British team of engineers and developer relations staff in the last six months after acquiring Oculus for $2 billion in 2014, the Telegraph reported on Saturday. advertisement Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is betting heavily on virtual reality for his company's future. The social networking site last year bought a British virtual reality start-up, Surreal Vision, and moved its team to the Oculus office in Redmond, Washington, the report said. The Oculus team in Britian is led by Mike LeBeau, a former senior engineer at Google who founded the company's voice search software. He moved to London to join Oculus in January this year. "We're going to build some really cool stuff," LeBeau said in a Facebook post. Also Read: Oculus Rift begins shipping, reviews suggest waiting is OK Zuckerberg strongly believes that virtual reality will be the next major technology we use to interact with each other. "VR (virtual reality) is going to be most social platform (and) we've created new teams at Facebook to build the next generation of social apps and VR," Zuckerberg said earlier this year. Besides Facebook, Google and Sony are also making huge efforts to bring virtual reality into the mainstream. Apple is also believed to be exploring the technology. --- ENDS --- The 30-year-old Vidarbha player rode on strong domestic performances to earn an India call-up for the short limited-overs tour to Zimbabwe. By Akshay Ramesh: No one saw that coming! Quite a few eyebrows were raised when Faiz Fazal was named in India's limited-overs squad that is touring Zimbabwe next month. (Full Squad) Not many might remember his three-year stint (2009-11) with the suspended Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals. The left-handed opening batsman managed to be part of the club only till 2011 in which he played 12 matches. (Meet Shardul Thakur, rookie pacer called up for Tests vs West Indies) advertisement Cut to 2016, Fazal is all set to play under MS Dhoni in Zimbabwe. Riding on his strong domestic performances, Fazal has earned an India call-up and is now the only player in the squad without an IPL contract. Here are 10 things to know about Faiz Fazal The 30-year-old made his first class debut way back in 2003 for Vidarbha against Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, he has played 79 first-class matches and has scored 5341 runs at 40.25. Fazal played 12 IPL matches during his three-year stint with Rajasthan Royal and scored 185 runs. Fazal is currently playing T20 cricket in England. Playing for Hetton Lyons Cricket Club in the Durham County, Fazal scored a couple of centuries this season. His first ton (104) came off 101 balls and his second was a patient knock (108 off 163). Fazal was the top-scorer for Vidarbha in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season with 559 runs at an average of 39.92 including two centuries. Notably, the left-handed opener is the vice-captain of his Ranji team. Fazal scored a match-winning century for Ambati Rayudu-led India A in Deodhar Trophy final against Dinesh Karthik led India B in January this year. Fazal proved his worth in the 50-over Vijay Hazare tournament smashing 312 runs from seven matches at an impressive average of 52. Fazal asserted he was a big-match player when he scored a ton for Rest of India in his team's record-breaking chase of 480 against Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai in the Irani Cup final earlier this year. Fazal made 127 runs from 280 balls and set a solid platform for his team to gun down Mumbai's total. Fazal's first class stats show he can also roll his arm over a bit. The medium-pacer has 20 wickets against his name off 79 matches. Fazal, at 30, had told that his Ranji Team was aiming to become the fittest side in the country. The Indian selectors should have certainly taken note of his statement before adding him for the short-tour of Zimbabwe. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Visakhapatnam, May 22 (PTI) Around 1,400 kg dry ganja worth over Rs 2 crore, was today seized by sleuths of the Excise department in the district and two youths were apprehended for allegedly transporting the contraband, officials said. The ganja was seized when it was being transported to Tamil Nadu in a lorry at Anakapalle. L Ramesh (25) and S Chiranjeevi (24), both native of Paderu were arrested, said KVP Naidu, Inspector (Task-force) of Anakapalle prohibition station. advertisement The smugglers had packed the contraband in 70 gunny bags and placed it in luggage cabin of the vehicle. They had covered it with tarpaulins, the officer said. Acting on a tip-off, the officials of Excise department intercepted the vehicle and seized the contraband. One G Kalyan managed to escape from the spot, Naidu added. A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 was registered and investigations are underway, he said. PTI COR NRB PVI --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) The University Grants Commission has asked varsities to "religiously" follow the norms in awarding degrees to students without delay or face "punitive action". The move comes after the UGC received many complaints about the delay on the part of the varsities in awarding degrees. In a letter to Vice Chancellors, UGC secretary Jaspal S Sandhu said as per the regulations, the degree award date "shall be within 180 days from the day of the date by which the students are expected to qualify and become eligible for them." advertisement The senior UGC official said a span of 180 days from the day the results are out are more than sufficient to perform the task which constitutes perhaps one of the most fundamental and primary duties of a university. It is understandable that withholding degree of a student who has successfully completed his tenure in the institution of his enrolment, for whatever reasons, amounts to constraining his opportunities, Sandhu said. "UGC has taken a serious view of this issue and will be constrained to take punitive actions as notified in Regulation 9 of UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012 against the university," the UGC secretary said in the letter. Under these regulations, the Commission can take action against universities including withholding grants, he added. PTI ADS SRY SK SRY --- ENDS --- From criminalizing homosexuality to adopting anti-discrimination laws, the world is divided into two blocs. Where does India stand? Find here. By India Today Web Desk: What US President Barack Obama termed 'a victory' for the country was the Supreme Court ruling that made same-sex marriage legal across the United States. This well celebrated landmark ruling came in 2015. But United States is not the only country that is pro-LGBT. Many western countries are in this club including Canada, Belgium, Spain, France, Portugal. In fact, the Netherlands was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2010. advertisement According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association's data on the sexual orientation laws in the world, there are still many countries where homosexuality is a criminal offence and has death penalty as punishment. Source: Twitter/reddit In countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan and 13 others, homosexuality is punishable with death sentence. India gives an imprisonment of 14 years or more. The fight for legalization of homosexuality is still on in India. 75 other countries too have adopted imprisonment as a punishment against homosexuality, this includes Myanmar, Algeria, Libya, Sri Lanka, Kenya among others. Western countries adopt anti-discrimination laws These countries continue to follow 'archaic' laws whereas the western countries have not only decriminalised homosexuality but adopted anti-discrimination laws as well. 76 countries have anti-discrimination laws regarding employment, hate crime, hate speech, constitutional rights and other non-discrimination protections. Indian citizens are still devoid from a right as basic as marrying someone, well gender no bar. The country is still among many countries which belong to the league that is anti-LGBT. --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) India has banned its nationals from travelling to Libya, irrespective of the purpose of the visit, in view of the prevailing security situation in that country. Announcing this today, External Affairs Ministry said the decision has been notified to all Immigration authorities. "In view of prevailing security situation in Libya, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the Government has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose," the MEA travel advisory said. advertisement Asking Indian nationals for compliance, the ministry said the travel ban is effective from 3 May, 2016 till further orders. The MEAs announcement came a day after reports of a Libyan former minister being killed in clashes between unity government forces and fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Sirte. Libya is witnessing increased violence due to clashes between them. PTI PYK SK --- ENDS --- "The agreement to develop Chabahar port for which India will provide $500 million is a key milestone," the PM said. By India Today Web Desk: India and Iran signed key 12 agreements, including three on development of the Chabahar port for enhanced connectivity on the second day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Tehran. KEY PORT "Chabahar can become a very big symbol of co-operation between Iran and India," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a joint press conference with PM Narendra Modi in Tehran. advertisement PM @narendramodi begins Press Statement, thanks President Rouhani for his gracious hospitality pic.twitter.com/gvVqNCxamk Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 "The agreement to develop Chabahar port for which India will provide $500 million is a key milestone," the PM said. OLD FRIENDSHIP Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and Iran are not new friends. "Our dosti is as old as history," PM Modi said. Visiting Iran a great privilege for me. India & Iran are not new friends. Our 'Dosti' is as old as history: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/2JfHqL7bFD "The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership," he added. Commenting on the ties between the country, the PM said: "We can never forget that Iran was among the 1st countries to come forward in support when earthquake struck my state, Gujarat, in 2001." Thanking President Rouhani, he said, "Your leadership and the clarity of your vision have deeply impressed me." TACKLING TERROR Modi said India and Iran will consult each other closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. PM: We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 He ended his speech with couplet by the poet Ghalib to describe the India-Iran relationship. PM @narendramodi ends with a beautiful couplet by the poet Ghalib to describe the #IndiaIran relationship pic.twitter.com/RKaG3HCFku Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 Also read: PM Modi's Iran trip could help in reviving old ties --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Ammar Zaidi Tehran, May 23 (PTI) A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar Port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed here today by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. advertisement The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The two countries noted with deep concern that terrorism and ideologies of violent extremism "continue to infest and ingress" the region and agreed to enhance regular consultations between National Security Councils and others concerned on terrorism, security and related issues such as organised crime, money-laundering, narcotics trade and cyber crime, said a India-Iran Joint Statement issued later. Modis visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, comes months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on the southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from Indias western coast, bypassing Pakistan. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose is an important milestone," Modi said in joint media interaction with Rouhani. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. The trilateral pact on Transport and Transit Corridor, linked to the Chabahar port development, was signed later by India, Iran and Afghanistan in the presence of Modi, Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Rouhani said each of the three countries will name a minister for follow-up action. "They (leaders) look forward to early delineation of all necessary rules and procedures leading to operationalisation of the transport and transit routes within the timelines stipulated in the Agreement," the Joint Statement said. (MORE) PTI ASK AKK VSC AKK --- ENDS --- "Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi said on his official Twitter feed, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group. By Reuters: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launching of an offensive to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Falluja after the military told residents on Sunday to get ready to leave before fighting started. "Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi said on his official Twitter feed, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group. advertisement He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shiite Muslim militias. A US-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighbouring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support. First city to fall Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the jihadists, in January 2014, six months before the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria. Iraqi officials said Shiite militias, including ones backed by neighbouring Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city proper, as they were largely in the battle for Ramadi, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents. The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Falluja since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months. Families who cannot flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city, the military's media unit said in a statement on state television, a tactic employed with some success in other recent offensives. Deputy District Council Chairman Falih al-Essawi said three corridors would be opened for civilians to camps west, southwest and southeast of the city, and a subsequent military statement said some residents had begun to flee. "Our goal is to liberate civilians from Daesh's repression and terrorism," Abadi said in a televised speech. Trapped civilians Residents told Reuters about 20 families set out from a southern front-line neighbourhood late on Saturday but that only half of them made it out. Some were intercepted by Islamic State, while others were killed by explosives planted along the road by the jihadists, the residents said. The United Nations and Human Rights Watch said last month that residents were facing acute shortages of food and medicine during a siege by government forces. Aid has not reached the city since the Iraqi military recaptured nearby Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital, in December. Essawi told a local television channel on Sunday that more than 75,000 civilians remained in Falluja, in keeping with a recent US military estimate of 60,000 to 90,000. About 300,000 people lived in the Euphrates River city before the war. advertisement Retake Mosul Known as the "City of Minarets and Mother of Mosques", Falluja is a focus for Sunni Muslim faith and identity in Iraq. It was badly damaged in two offensives by US forces against al Qaeda insurgents in 2004. Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for Abadi, said the city's "liberation" would help restore normal life to Anbar province, over which Islamic State took nearly complete control in 2014. Following recent government offensives in Rutba and Hit, control of Falluja would secure the road more than 500 km (300 miles) from Baghdad to the Jordanian border and northwards to Haditha, 190 km (115 miles) northwest of the capital. But Islamic State still controls vast swathes of territory and major cities such as Mosul in the north. Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake Mosul this year, although some officials question in private whether the army will be ready in time. --- ENDS --- NIA had earlier sent Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to USA seeking information on ISIS recruits who used Facebook and to Australia regarding information on the jihadis who used Trillian (free instant messenger). By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: NIA had earlier sent Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to USA seeking information on ISIS recruits who used Facebook and to Australia regarding information on the jihadis who used Trillian (free instant messenger). But both USA and Australia directed India to approach Ireland as the server was based there. And since there was no MLAT treaty with Ireland, NIA will be sending Letter Retrogatory to the country to access info on FB. advertisement Similarly, for highly encrypted mobile application Trillian, a favorite of ISIS India recruits, NIA had sought assistance from Australia only to be redirected to New Zealand. Though important time has been lost, NIA has prepared LR to be sent shortly. The information given out by the companies FB and Trillian will be important digital evidence. Nia has six cases of ISIS, for which they will start charge sheeting from first week of June. Most of the ISIS recruits were using smart phones, Tabs and laptops to indulge in secret chat on 25 social network sites with high end encryption to avoid detection. Most of the chat, took place on Face book and Trillion. ALSO READ: ISIS India recruits: A techie, a businessman and a 'heartbroken' teen --- ENDS --- Software engineer Abu Anas, a resident of Tonk, Rajasthan, revealed to investigators that he took "personal loan" of Rs 2 lakh from Axis bank to fund trips of two ISIS recruits. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Could ISIS recruits in India have taken bank loans to finance their journey to war-torn Syria to join Abu-Bakr-al-Baghdadi-led caliphate. Abu Anas, a software engineer and resident of Tonk, Rajasthan revealed to investigators, that he took "personal loan" from a reputed bank to fund trips of two ISIS recruits. This comes close to financial Action Task Force (FATF), The global money laundering agency, which had already issued warnings based on case studies in Europe and Saudi Arabia where Jehadis obtained loans from reputed banks to finance attacks. advertisement Sinister designs Abu Anas wanted to fly to Syria to join Islamic State. NIA arrested several of these youths in January for their alleged affiliations to Janoodul-Khalifa-e-Hind, an IS outfit. But here comes the shocker. That India based ISIS Jihadi, took two lakh rupees lone with an intention to fly to Syria and defraud the bank. The confession was made by Abu Anas, a software engineer and a native of Tonk in Rajasthan, who told sleuths that he had "applied for a personal loan with Axis bank. Money laundering What is more dangerous is, that not only did Anas have plans for himself, to fly to Syria to join ISIS when he was arrested. But intended to help many other Jihadi recruits. NIA investigation has revealed that it is with this loan money, Abu Anas was able to send two Hyderabad based youth Arshad Ayub and Mohammed Kadeer to Syria. Both youth in their mid 20's reached Syria in early part of 2015. Abu Anas recieved money from Mohammed Khader from UAE through Western Union money transfer by submitting a Adhaar card photo copy bearing no 067596592294. As per NIA sources, Abu Anas, after taking a loan of two lakh rupees had transferred around Rs 1,490000 in cash at state bank Hyderabad in Nampally into account of Mohammed Khader, who was then at Dubai. Money was to be used to get his visa approval for Turkey so that he could reach Syria to join ISIS. Later, another amount of Rs 20,000 was deposited in khadeer's account. The second name of Arshad Ayub alias salaudeen who had gone to Syria also figured but no amount has could be found to him but investigation is still underway. It was not just that Abu Anas was giving money, he was also receiving money in installments. Abu Anas recieved an amount of Rs 40,000 in three installments from Mohammed Khader from UAE through Western Union money transfer. This was done by submitting a Adhaar card photo copy bearing no 0675965922946 and the money was received in Rajasthan. That ISIS recruits were fearless from either using the money from the bank or submitting a Adhaar card. Adhaar card photo copy of Abu Anas. While ISIS recruits were going through usual route of Dubai or Turkey, Abu Anas decided to fly to Japan, a longer and more expensive route to avoid being detected. advertisement The global money laundering agency, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), had already issued warnings based on case studies in Europe and Saudi Arbaia where jihadis obtained loans from reputed banks to finance attacks. India is a full-fledged member of the inter-governmental body. Meanwhile, NIA which is probing the IS-inspired module in India has taken up the matter with the banks and financial institutions. Abu Anas who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail could also possibly make a confessional statement under section 164 Crpc. ALSO READ: Islamic State video calls for jihad after Brussels attack --- ENDS --- Alia Bhatt is on a roll. Just a few hours after wrapping up Gauri Shinde's next, the 23-year-old actor was on her way to the sets of Badrinath Ki Dulhania. By India Today Web Desk: Alia Bhatt is one busy actor. Just a few hours after wrapping up Gauri Shinde's next in Singapore, Alia has already hit the sets of Karan Johar's Badrinath Ki Dulhania. The 23-year-old actor is on a career high with films like Udta Punjab, Gauri Shinde's next and Badrinath Ki Dulhania in her kitty. ALSO READ: Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt are back with Badrinath Ki Dulhania advertisement ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan won't romance Alia Bhatt in Gauri Shinde's next Gauri, who shot to fame with her directorial debut English Vinglish in 2012, has finished shooting for her second film. The filmmaker shared a picture with Alia calling it a wrap on her untitled film. After wrapping up shooting with Shah Rukh Khan in Gauri Shinde's next, Alia is all set to romance Varun Dhawan once again on screen in Badrinath Ki Dulhania. And hours after the wrap-up party, Alia posted a picture enroute the sets of Badrinath Ki Dulhania. Rise and shine!!!! From one film to another... #badrinathkidulhania madness begins???? #SetFeels #ShootLife A photo posted by Alia (@aliaabhatt) on May 22, 2016 at 6:20pm PDT Varun and Alia are back with the sequel to the 2014 hit film Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. Touted to be the first ever love franchise, Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a story set against the rural background of North India. The film is set to hit the screens on May 10, 2017. With Alia on a roll, her fans can't wait to see her in different avatars in all her upcoming films. --- ENDS --- A look at some bizarre incidents that have taken place over the years, where people have lost limbs and sometimes lives, often in strange attempts to feed or fight the animals. By Vishakha Saxena: A 35-year-old drunk guy in Hyderabad jumped into a lion enclosure at Nehru Zoological Park on Sunday, apparently to 'shake hands' with the four-legged beast. Fortunately, Mukesh was rescued unhurt by zoo authorities even as lionness Radhika, who was inside the enclosure, ignored him. #WATCH: Drunk man jumps into a lion's enclosure in Hyderabad, was safely rescued by zoo authoritieshttps://t.co/an77mTXpImANI (@ANI_news) May 22, 2016 advertisement Indian zoos are not strangers to such incidents. Here's a look at some bizarre incidents that have taken place over the years, where people have lost limbs and sometimes lives, often in strange attempts to feed or fight the animals. 1. September 2014, Delhi zoo A 22-year-old man, reported to be mentally unstable, was mauled to death by a white tiger - Vijay - in Delhi zoo. According to eye-witnesses, the man jumped into the lion enclosure, following which Vijay simply stared at him for 15 minutes. Worried onlookers starting screaming and throwing stones at the tiger - actions that seemed to have aggravated the big cat. Vijay locked its jaws around the victim's neck and mauled him for around 15 minutes before police managed to reach the scene. 2. March 2014, Gwalior Zoo In this bizarre incident, a drunk engineering student jumped into an enclosure for two white tigers in Gwalior Zoo and proceeded to spend an hour inside, dancing erratically and making faces at them. Motive, you ask? He wanted to challenge the big cats for a fight. The student, Yashonandan Kaushik, jumped in believing that the ferocious predators will attack him. Instead, the two captive tigers got frightened and ran away. 3. October 2012, Karnataka Bellary Zoo A tiger at Karnataka's Bellary zoo bit off a two-year-old boy's arm, when he tried to feed the beast a chocolate. The tiger named Bhima attacked the child when his grandmother left him alone near the cage. 4. October 2012, Bhubaneshwar Nandankanan zoo Lioness Supriya attacked a 42-year-old man and dragged him almost 40-feet inside her enclosure. The man was reportedly drunk and mentally unstable. According to eyewitness accounts, the man Surya Narayan Das stripped to his underwear before scaling the wall of Supriya's enclosure. He then turned to greet people around him with folded hands, and jumped inside. 5. July 2012, Tata Steel Zoological Park A 32-year-old man was mauled and seriously injured by a tiger after he sneaked into its enclosure at the Tata Steel Zoological Park in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. The man was found unconscious outside the cage of full grown tiger Raghav by security personnel. According to reports, he jumped into the enclosure and opened Raghav's cage in effort to steal one of his cubs. The tiger attacked him and tried to pull him inside, but the gate fell down, leaving Asif outside. advertisement 6. August 2009, Hyderabad Nehru Zoological Park Another drunk visitor got his arm mauled at the Nehru Zoological Park while attempting to feed grass to a white tiger. Carrying grass, 35-year-old Ramesh walked up to the big cat's night house after visiting hours and shoved his hand through the grill bars, possibly to throw the grass near the tiger. The tiger lunged at him and mauled his arm down to the wrist, tearing out a good part deal of flesh from his right arm. 7. December 2007, Guwahati Zoo A 50-year-old man, got his hand torn off by two tigers during an attempt to take a photograph of the animals. According to officials, Jai Prakash Bezbaruah put his left arm into the tiger enclosure through the iron grills to take their picture and the female tiger pounced on him and caught hold of his arm. Bezbaruah lost his left arm and died later. advertisement 8. December 2000, Kolkata Alipore Zoo A drunk man jumped the zoo fence and swam across a moat to 'fight' a tiger. Witnesses said the man started acting like a circus ringmaster. The guards spotted him and asked him to stop, but it was already too late. He was mauled to death by the animal in its enclosure. 9. January 1996, Kolkata Alipore Zoo Believe it or not, but two drunk men entered a tiger enclosure at Kolkata's Alipore Zoo with the intention of putting a garland on the tiger. The animal killed one of them and injured the other. A clipping from Wilmington Morning Star, January 1, 1996 10. March 1988, Delhi zoo Three-year-old Nitin Walia was visiting Delhi zoo with his parents when he put his right hand inside the cage and a white tiger ripped it apart. Walia's arm had to be amputated. According to a ToI report, the family received Rs 12,40,000 as damages from the zoo in 2011. --- ENDS --- On the first day of office of her second consecutive stint, Jayalalithaa signed numerous files implementing various welfare schemes promised in AIADMK's poll manifesto. By India Today Web Desk: Moments after taking oath as Tamil Nadu CM today, J Jayalalithaa got down to business fulfilling a slew of poll promises. The Tamil Nadu CM was at the secretariat immediately after the swearing-in ceremony which was held at the Madras University auditorium. On the first day of office of her second consecutive stint, Jayalalithaa signed numerous files implementing various welfare schemes promised inAIADMK's poll manifesto. advertisement Amma gets going: Orders free 200 units of power to handloom weavers. Tasmac shops (government run liquor shops) to open from 12 noon to 10 pm. Earlier, the shops were open from 10 am to 10 pm. 500 such shops to be closed. 8 gm gold to women getting married. Crop loans to farmers waived off. "All types of loans taken by small and medium farmers from banks, cooperative banks, loans taken on crops, short and long term loans will be waived. This will cost the government's exchequer Rs 5,780 crore," a statement issued by the state government said. Amma's army Jayalalithaa's new Cabinet will have 28 members, out of which 13 have been included for the first time. While Jayalalithaa will be keeping important portfolios like police, home and general administration, her long time loyalist O Paneerselvam will continue to be the state finance minister. Keeping poll promises During poll campaigning, Jayalalithaa had promised a phase-wise ban on liquor in her state. "If AIADMK comes back to power then prohibition will be introduced in phases. The timing of the liquor shops will be reduced, the bars will be closed, rehabilitation centres will be opened and the number of liquor outlets will be reduced," Jayalalithaa had said. Stalin attends oath taking ceremony Top DMK leader MK Stalin attended Jayalalithaa's swearing-in ceremony. This is the second time Stalin, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, attended Jayalalithaa's swearing-in after participating in her oath-taking ceremony in 2001. Stalin, attired in white shirt and dhoti, was spotted seated in the 16th row at the Madras University auditorium. Karuna slams Jaya However, DMK chief Karunanidhi was not impressed with his son Stalin getting a 16th row seat during the ceremony. "Jayalalithaa shows her natural character of taking revenge even during the swearing-in ceremony," a statement issued by the former chief minister said. "This was premeditated to insult DMK and while I look at her, I know that she will not change," Karunanidhi said. advertisement Also Read: Tamil Nadu Assembly poll: Jayalalithaa vs Stalin, bout one From India Today magazine: AIADMK - A party of one --- ENDS --- A man hailing from Uttar Pradesh was thrashed by a mob in Mangalore for asking sexual favours from a woman standing at a bus stand. By Aravind Gowda: A man from Uttar Pradesh was thrashed by a mob in Mangalore for misbehaving with a woman. According to the police, the youth flashed currency notes at a woman in a bid to receive sexual favours near the Mangalore city bus-stand. The woman objected to his behaviour and raised an alarm following which he was confronted by people present at the bus stand. advertisement HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED: The woman was on her way to a nearby town for work when the youth signalled at her with lewd gestures. Subsequently, a crowd gathered and thrashed the youth before the police intervened. The youth claimed that he mistook the woman for a 'prostitute'. Police has filed a case and is trying to ascertain the youth's background. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Karachi, May 22 (PTI) A 31-year-old Ukrainian woman, who was allegedly kidnapped in Pakistan three years ago, was today rescued during a police raid in Sindh province, police said. Katrina was found in Katho village near Mithi in Tharpakar district and her alleged abductor was arrested, Sarfaraz Nawaz, SSP, Tharparkar district said. "A joint team of Rangers and police raided the village following a tip-off that a foreign woman was present there and we found Katrina and also arrested her suspected kidnapper, Abdul Munaf Nohrio," he said. advertisement Katrina could barely speak Urdu and told the law enforcement officials in English that Munaf had kidnapped her from Rawalpindi three years ago and brought her to Tharparkar, the SSP said. However, Munafs parents said that their son had married Katrina after the two met on a social networking site. The possibility of other people being involved in the kidnapping is not being ruled out, Shaikh said, adding, an FIR has been registered against Munaf. Katrina and Munaf would be handed to a police team from Rawalpindi for further investigations, he said. PTI CORR RCB NSA RCB --- ENDS --- By PTI: Colombo, May 22 (PTI) Rescuers pulled out 15 more bodies from the muddy debris of disastrous landslide taking the toll to 84 while over 100 people remained missing today in floods triggered by the heaviest rains in Sri Lanka in over a quarter century even as relief aid poured in from across the world, including India, for lakhs of displaced people. advertisement The heavy rains have pounded Sri Lanka since last weekend, triggering huge landslides that have buried some victims in up to 50 feet of mud. Sri Lankan army and other rescuers pulled out 15 more bodies in the last 24 hours in the worst-hit district of Kegalle, about 100 kilometres from here. The Disaster Management Centre said the death toll in the landslide has reached to 84 while 116 people are still missing. Around 3,40,000 people have been displaced across the country in the floods and landslides, said Pradeep Kodippili, spokesman of the Disaster Management Centre. The death toll is likely to go up as rescue teams reach some of the worst-hit areas, authorities said. The national Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that 21 of Sri Lankas 25 districts have been badly affected due to the floods and landslide. The military said the search for the missing persons is on in Aranayake where over 40 bodies have been pulled out from the debris. "The sun was out this morning, yet the search operations were not easy," Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said. Meanwhile, floodwaters were receding in the capital Colombo and in the Western provinces Kelaniya and Kaduwela areas. Sri Lankan authorities are now bracing to meet the mounting challenge of preventing outbreak of diseases as floodwaters are being contaminated with garbage and raw sewage. "There is a real danger of diarrhoea and skin diseases spreading among the flood victims," Colombo Municipal Council medical chief Ruwan Wijayamuni said. International aid poured in Sri Lanka, bringing help to lakhs of people driven from their homes by heavy rains and deadly landslides. Various nations, including India, Pakistan, China, Australia and Japan are bringing in aid supplies such as blankets, water-purification tablets and drinking water. An Indian Air Force plane and two naval ships carrying emergency supplies arrived in Colombo yesterday. (MORE) PTI CORR PMS AKJ PMS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Jammu, May 23 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Forest Minister Choudhary Lal Singh today apologised for his alleged communal slur against a delegation of Gujjars. "If I have inadvertently hurt anyones sentiments or feelings, I am sorry for the same. My effort has always been to serve all the communities of the state," Choudhary Lal Singh said in a statement here. advertisement The Gujjars in a written complaint to Gandhi Nagar police station had accused the minister of using foul language and threatening them during a meeting with its delegation a few days back. He said he always entertains people, who call on him, irrespective of their caste, creed or religious affiliation and added his comments were misinterpreted. "I was speaking to my Gujjar brothers in Dogri about the increasing temperature in Jammu. I had said that mercury would reach 47 degrees Celsius in Jammu. This was misunderstood by some people who linked it to 1947 when the country got freedom. 47 degrees should not be confused with the tragedies of 1947," he said. PTI TSS AB RCB SK RCB --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Kamal Nath: It's wrong to blame Sonia Gandhi for Congress's debacle After suffering several debacles in the recently-concluded state Assembly elections, the Congress is rife with contending visions for the future and in its analysis of the drubbings. Confirmed: Ranbir Kapoor is NOT dating Delhi girl Bharti Malhotra There were reports of Ranbir Kapoor dating a Delhi-based girl Bharti Malhotra, but now it has been revealed that the Delhi girl is in a relationship with someone else. advertisement Afghan Taliban leader in Pakistan likely killed in US drone strike The United States conducted a drone strike on Saturday against the leader of Afghan Taliban, likely killing him on the Pakistan side of the remote border region with Afghanistan in a mission authorized by US President Barack Obama, officials said. IPL 2016: Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard nearly come to blows Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were involved in a tussle during the Indian Premier League game between Gujarat Lions and Mumbai Indians. The Lions defeated Mumbai and secured a playoff spot. --- ENDS --- There have been many cases involving people being driven to suicide after they were tortured and harassed by the Punjab police, and most ended their lives in lock-ups. After the fields, now Punjab's police stations are earning a bad name for suicides. A 21-year-old woman committed suicide in a Bathinda police station on Saturday under mysterious conditions. The victim identified as Jasbir Kaur, was allegedly tortured by the police in the name of questioning which compelled her to take the extreme step. Jasbir was found hanging inside a police station bathroom. She was living in her maternal grandfather's home in Kotra Kaura village of Bathinda. advertisement "Jasbir had gone to pay obeisance at a Patiala Sikh shrine along with her friend Baljinder Kaur who went somewhere else with her boyfriend. When Baljinder's parents lodged a missing report, the police had called Jasbir for questioning. The police scared the girl by asking questions about Baljinder's boyfriend. She was fearful when she asked to go to the loo where she committed suicide," Jasbir's aunt Kulwinder Kaur said. Mental torture Sources said Baljinder was reported missing in Patiala but her friend Jasbir was mentally tortured by Bathinda's Ballianwali police station. Ballianwali police station is trying to hushup the case. Sources say the accused police officials have blamed the family members for the suicide saying that the local Panchayat members and the family members themselves had brought the girl to police station. However, SSP Bathinda Swapan Sharma has ordered a probe into the suicide. "We have ordered a probe. Strict action will be taken against the police officials if they are found guilty of harassing the victim," Swapan Sharma said. Forced suicides This is not an isolated case where a person committed suicide in a Punjab police station. Earlier on May 18 two Barnala cops were arrested on charges of forcing a farmer to commit suicide in the police station. Handhiaya Police station ASI Charanjit Singh and head constable Saudagar Singh allegedly tortured a farmer Baldev Singh, 35, who committed suicide in the police station on May 11 by consuming poison. The victim was taken to the police station where he was severely tortured. Earlier on April 29, 2016, a Ludhiana SHO Davinder Chaudhary, ASI Buta Singh and constable Swaran Singh were suspended for compelling a 26-year-old youth to commit suicide. A 55-year-old farmer Masih, a resident of Khera village in Gurdaspur district had ended his life last month by jumping before a train. A Punjab police inspector Vidya Sagar had tortured the farmer in the police station and was demanding money for his release from the family. The cop was suspended after deceased's family members protested. --- ENDS --- The project of national importance which aimed at building a 90-seater aircraft with state of the art technology has not moved much beyond the files even after four years of its inception. A parliamentary panel expressed its concern over the delay in the plan to develop a national civil aircraft. By Amit Agnihotri: India's ambitious plan to develop a national civil aircraft to reduce dependence on imports for procurement of planes and associated services has remained a non-starter, a parliamentary panel has said expressing concern over the delay. The project of national importance which aimed at building a 90-seater aircraft with state of the art technology has not moved much beyond the files even after four years of its inception. advertisement Technology The parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, which reviewed the performance of the department of scientific and industrial research, further noted that though the country has mastered space technology, it is yet to develop technology for a commercial aircraft. "The committee is extremely disappointed that a programme of great importance such as the national civil aircraft development programme has made very little, rather no progress during the last four years," said the parliamentary panel. The panel has urged the department to intensify its efforts for effective operationalisation of the programme while taking note of the complexities involved in the project. The panel has also asked the government to allocate sufficient funds so the programme is not further delayed. The national civil aircraft programme had been included as a new scheme in the 12th Five-Year Plan of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research with an initial allocation of Rs 10 crore in 2012-13. The CSIR and the National Aerospace Laboratories had done a feasibility study for developing a 70-90-seater civil aircraft. No funds However, in 2013 and 2015, the department of scientific and industrial research informed the panel that they were unable to initiate the programme as the nodal agency for its implementation was yet to be identified. When asked the reason for delay in indentifying a nodal agency, the panel was told that no financial allocation was made for the programme in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The department had told the panel that financial constraints during 2012-13 and 2014-15 led to reduced allocations to CSIR. However, the panel noted that there was some hope for the project as an in-principle agreement has been reached between the Hindustan Aeronautics, Bengaluru, and NAL to set up a special purpose vehicle for developing the national civil aircraft. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Washington, May 23 (PTI) Scientists have developed a novel biosensor that can detect molecules associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers, as well as certain types of cancer. The device, developed by researchers at the National Nanotechnology Laboratory (LNNano) in Brazil, is a single-layer organic nanometre-scale transistor on a glass slide. It contains the reduced form of the peptide glutathione (GSH), which reacts in a specific way when it comes into contact with the enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST), linked to Parkinsons, Alzheimers and breast cancer, among other diseases. advertisement The GSH-GST reaction is detected by the transistor, which can be used for diagnostic purposes. The project focuses on the development of point-of-care devices by researchers in a range of knowledge areas, using functional materials to produce simple sensors and microfluidic systems for rapid diagnosis. "Platforms like this one can be deployed to diagnose complex diseases quickly, safely and relatively cheaply, using nanometre-scale systems to identify molecules of interest in the material analysed," said Carlos Cesar Bof Bufon, Head of LNNanos Functional Devices and Systems Lab (DSF). In addition to portability and low cost, the advantages of the nanometric biosensor include its sensitivity in detecting molecules, according to Bufon. "This is the first time organic transistor technology has been used in detecting the pair GSH-GST, which is important in diagnosing degenerative diseases, for example," Bufon said. "The device can detect such molecules even when theyre present at very low levels in the examined material, thanks to its nanometric sensitivity," he said. The system can be adapted to detect other substances, such as molecules linked to different diseases and elements present in contaminated material, among other applications. This requires replacing the molecules in the sensor with others that react with the chemicals targeted by the test, which are known as analytes, researchers said. The team is working on paper-based biosensors to lower the cost even further and to improve portability and facilitate fabrication as well as disposal. The challenge is that paper is an insulator in its usual form. Bufon has developed a technique to make paper conductive and capable of transporting sensing data by impregnating cellulose fibres with polymers that have conductive properties. PTI MHN SAR SAR --- ENDS --- There have been movements to keep police officers accountable and nail instances of misconduct in the United States. But why? This video will tell you! By India Today Web Desk: An officer with the New York Police Department has been stripped of his gun and badge after he pointed his gun at a bystander who was filming a violent arrest in Harlem. The video shows two officers in plainclothes pinning a man to the floor in the lobby of an apartment building. The officers are agitated and one of the them, wearing a black t-shirt, points his gun at a bystander and repeatedly shouts "Back up!" advertisement Calvin West, the bystander, recorded the incident and posted it on Facebook. West revealed in an interview that the officer threatened him by saying, "Move. Get out of here. I'm not playing with you all. I'll shoot." What led to the incident? Another video, recorded just before the gun pointing incident, shows the officer exiting the lobby of the building and walking up to a young man only to punch him. Later identified as 19-year-old Jahnico Harvey, he was reportedly charged with disorderly conduct and issued with a desk appearance ticket. This started with the police men investigating a double-parked car. While the officers were speaking with the driver, two men riding dirt bikes drove up and started circling them. As the officers got distracted, the two suspects in the car tried to escape. Dayshawn Bettway, 21, one of the dirt bike riders, was followed by the officers into the lobby of an apartment building. This was where he was arrested and charged with assault, reckless endangerment, obstruction and resisting arrest. The two police officers (Photo: Instagram/young_cullet) The double-parked car, a 2015 Hyundai sedan, had been reportedly stolen from Connecticut and during a search of the vehicle ammunition and marijuana were discovered. The second dirt bike rider, the driver of the car or the passenger have not been arrested yet. Public's right to 'cop watch' As far as filming of police officers in public places is concerned, federal courts have been inconsistent about it. There have been movements such as "CopWatch" to keep officers accountable and catch instances of misconduct. Black Lives Matter movement too works on this principle. --- ENDS --- Beijing has argued that the application of countries that have not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) should be treated as a whole, suggesting countries like Pakistan and Israel should also be considered along with India. By Ananth Krishnan: A day before President Pranab Mukherjee's arrival in China, Beijing firmly reiterated its stand against an exception being granted to India in joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Sources told India Today the issue is expected to figure in talks this week. The president will arrive in the southern manufacturing heartland of Guangzhou on Tuesday and attend a high-profile business summit, before travelling to Beijing on Wednesday for talks with the Chinese leadership. advertisement Beijing has argued that the application of countries that have not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) should be treated as a whole, suggesting countries like Pakistan and Israel should also be considered along with India. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week rejected that argument, pointing out that France was a member of the NSG, a group that governs nuclear trade, at a time when it was also a non-NPT country. 'India's a different case' But the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday made clear it saw India's case as different. "You mentioned that when France joined the NSG it was not a party to the NPT. France was a founder of the NSG so the issue of its acceptance to the NSG did not exist," spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters. "The NSG is an important component of the non-proliferation regime and this regime is founded on the NPT. This is a long term consensus of the international community which was reaffirmed last year by the NPT review convention. That is why NSG has been taking the NPT signatory status as a must-have standard for acceptance of new members". ALSO READ: China denies it is blocking India's bid to be NSG member Hua said it was China's view that next month's NSG plenary which will discuss India's membership should not take a country-by-country view. Pakistan also wants NSG membership Pakistan has also said it was seeking NSG membership. Asked if China would support its bid, Hua made clear that it was China's view that the question of all non-NPT countries should be considered together. "Whether non-NPT countries can join the NSG, there are discussions within the group and there are major differences. That is why for a long time China along with other counties has been maintaining there should be thorough discussions on whether non-NPT countries can join the NPT and the decision should be made in consensus. Pakistan is not party to the NPT. This applies to all non-NPT countries, including Pakistan. Our position is not targeted at Pakistan but applies to all NPT countries," Hua said. advertisement Zero tolerance against terror: Pranab The issue is one of many thorny subjects expected to come up during the visit of the president, who in an interview with official Chinese media also called for "zero tolerance" in the global fight against terrorism. India and China have been grappling with differences in the UN Security Council after Beijing placed a hold on listing JeM chief Masood Azhar. Hua played down India's two-month deployment of the navy's eastern fleet in the South China Sea and northwest Pacific for exercises with the US and Japan, saying it had no objections to "normal military actions" and it hoped it would be conducive to regional stability. Beijing welcomed the president's remarks in an interview with Chinese media that both sides sought a fair and reasonable solution to the boundary dispute, adding that China was "ready to work with India to accelerate negotiations and resolve this historic issue at an early date so as to move forward our bilateral relations". ALSO READ: US supports India's entry to NSG despite China, Pakistan opposition --- ENDS --- advertisement US president reiterated he would not apologize for the devastating attack. Barack Obama arrives to board Air Force One for travel to Vietnam and Japan. (Photo: Reuters) By Reuters: Barack Obama said on Sunday his visit to Hiroshima, the first city to suffer an atomic bombing, would emphasize friendly ties between former enemies. But the US president reiterated he would not apologize for the devastating attack. Obama will become the first sitting US president to tour the site of the world's first nuclear bombing this Friday, accompanied by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. advertisement Hard choices In an interview with Japanese national broadcaster NHK, Obama said the reality is that leaders often have to make hard choices during times of conflict and no apologies would be included in brief remarks he is expected to make in the western Japanese city. "It's important to recognize that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions, it's a job of historians to ask questions and examine them," Obama said. "But I know, as somebody who's now sat in this position for the last seven and half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during wartime." The bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 killed thousands instantly and about 140,000 by the end of the year. Nagasaki was hit on 9 August and Japan surrendered six days later. Bombings- necessary evil? A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save US and Japanese lives, although many historians question that view. Most Japanese believe the bombings were unjustified. Obama, who won the Nobel peace prize in 2009 partly for his stance on nuclear non-proliferation, added that he felt emphasis needed to be placed on the current relationship between Washington, one of Japan's key allies, and Tokyo. "I think it is also a happy story about how former adversaries came together to become one of the closest partnerships and closest allies in the world," he said. Apology- to be or not to be Critics argue that by not apologizing, Obama will allow Japan to stick to the narrative that paints it as a victim. The Abe administration has affirmed past government apologies for Japanese actions during the war, but asserts that future generations should not have to apologize for the actions of their forebears. Obama said the visit will be a time to reflect on the harsh toll that war takes at any time. "Since I only have a few months left in the office, I thought it was a good time for me to reflect on the nature of war. Part of my goal is to recognize that innocent people caught in war can suffer tremendously," he said. advertisement "And that's not just the thing of the past. That is happening today in many parts of the world." ALSO READ: PM Modi invited by Barack Obama to US next month Dubai lawyer offers job to Obama so he can learn more about 'tolerance of Islam' --- ENDS --- By PTI: Gurdaspur (Pb), May 23 (PTI) A Pakistani national was nabbed by BSF while he was allegedly trying to cross-over to the Indian side along Indo-Pak border near Kanshi Barwan Border Outpost (BOP) in Pathankot district. The man, who was apprehended yesterday close to the Bamial Sector BOP, has been identified as Mohammad Shah, a resident of Manyal in Pakistans Punjab province, said R K Bhatian, Commandant of 132 BSF Battalion. advertisement A live cartridge of 9 MM pistol, Rs 2,349 in Pakistani currency, a passbook of a Pakistani bank, an AC remote and a watch were found from his possession, the BSF official said. During preliminary investigation, Shah said he crossed the border inadvertently, according to Bhatian. A probe is on, he added. On January 2, this year, four heavily armed Pakistani terrorists had attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station, killing eight people, including seven security personnel. The terrorists were killed in an 80-hour gun battle. PTI CORR VJ NSD SC --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, May 23 (PTI) Pakistan today summoned US ambassador David Hale to express concern over the drone strike by American forces in Pakistani territory to kill Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour which it said was a "violation of its sovereignty". According to a statement by the Foreign Office, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi pointed out to the US envoy that the drone strike was a "violation of Pakistans sovereignty and a breach of the UNs Charter that guarantees the inviolability of the territorial integrity of its member states." advertisement Fatemi also emphasised that "such actions could adversely impact the ongoing efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) for facilitating peace talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban." The Special Assistant said that Pakistan and the US had been closely coordinating in the fight against the menace of terrorism and that "this cooperation needed to be maintained". Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. PTI SH PMS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Gurdaspur, May 22 (PTI) BSF personnel today apprehended a Pakistan national while he was allegedly trying to cross over to the Indian side along Indo-Pak International Border near Kanshi Barwan Border Outpost (BOP) of Bamial Sector in Pathankot district. The person has been identified as Mohammad Shah, a resident of Manyal in Pakistans Punjab province, said R K Bhatian Commandant of 132nd BSF Battalion. advertisement A live cartridge of 9MM pistol, Rs 2,349 in Pakistani currency, passbook of Pakistan Bank, an AC remote and a watch were recovered from his possession, the BSF official said. During preliminary investigation, Shah said he crossed the International Border inadvertently. Investigation is on, Bhatian added. PTI CORR VJ PL NSD SK NSD --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) As government looks to widen social security cover in India, pension regulator PFRDA is readying a media blitzkrieg and has decided to rope in a PR agency to increase visibility and public awareness of such products. The public agency, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) said, will design and execute an ongoing programme for one year "to ensure media visibility through a high-impact communication strategy and proactively organising national and regional media relation programmes". Currently, 1.30 crore subscribers are registered under various schemes under the National Pension System (NPS) regulated by PFRDA, with the total assets under management (AUM) in excess of Rs 1.20 lakh crore. Keen to spread awareness and increase subscriber base, the regulator plans to train 75,000 people who will form a "totally committed" workforce for implementation of the NPS. In its request for proposal, PFRDA said the objective of the PR strategy will be to increase awareness and disseminate information about various policies, activities and schemes to promote old-age income security. advertisement "Keep the media abreast of all important developments related to PFRDA and its activities. The PR agency will proactively identify appropriate media opportunities to highlight business developments and announcements," the RFP said. The selected agency will also have to monitor and report on conversations around PFRDA and its schemes and activities on social media channels and "advise appropriate action". "Setting up and updating of pages/blogs etc on social media vehicles (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube etc) and managing promotion of NPS and other schemes on these platforms (are part of the profile).," the RFP added. PTI NKD CS ARD ABM --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Ammar Zaidi Tehran, May 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gifted Iranian Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamenei a rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran written in Kufic script and attributed to Prophets son-in-law Hazrat Ali. Modi, who called on Khamenei at his office, gifted the Supreme Leader the specially commissioned reproduction of rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran attributed to Hazrat Ali, the fourth Islamic caliph and first Shia Imam. advertisement Khamenei, a 76-year-old Shia Grand Ayatollah and two-time former president, has the final say over matters related to Irans foreign policy and key issues. Written in Kufic script, the manuscript is a prized possession of the Ministry of Cultures at Rampur Raza Library in Uttar Pradesh. Kufic - developed around the end of the 7th century in Kufa, Iraq - is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also gifted President Hassan Rouhani specially commissioned reproductions of Mirza Ghalibs collection of poetry in Persian. First published in 1863, Kulliyat-e-Farsi-e-Ghalib is a collection of over 11,000 verses by Ghalib. The reproduction is from a rare copy of the books 1867 edition to which some missing pages have been added from a copy of the 1872 edition from Maulana Azads personal collection preserved in the library of Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi. Modi also gifted him Sumair Chands Persian translation of Ramayana. Translated into Persian in 1715 and copied in 1826, the Ramayana is a rare manuscript and contains over 260 illustrations ? possibly the largest number in any hand-written Ramayana manuscript. Modis visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. PTI ZH AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Ammar Zaidi Tehran, May 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today accorded a ceremonial welcome as he met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for talks to deepen trade, investment and energy ties. Modi, the first Prime Minister to visit Iran on a bilateral visit in 15 years, was received by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the forecourts of Saadabad Palace - the seat of executive in Iran. advertisement Military bands played national anthems of the two countries after which Modi inspected guard of honour. Following this, the two leaders had a 30-minute restricted meeting to discuss bilateral issues of strategic and business importance. Delegation-level talks followed it, leading to signing of agreements on development of Chahabar port on southern coast of Iran, setting up of an aluminium smelter plant and rail line. PTI ANZ ABH VMN ABH --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Ammar Zaidi Tehran, May 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signifying the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, called on Khamenei at his office towards the end of his two-day visit. advertisement "A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. Khamenei, who has the final say over matters related to Irans foreign policy and key issues, welcomed Modi. "Prime Minister of India H E Narendra Modi @narendramodi met with Leader of Revolution," said a tweet from his office. Earlier in the day, Modi met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and held one-on-one talks. The two countries pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as they signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India also committed around USD 500 million for the important port in Irans southern coast, which will serve as a "point of connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States countries and East Europe. Modis visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. PTI ZH AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- By PTI: Jaipur, May 22 (PTI) A week after five infants died at a hospital in Ajmer, Rajasthan Health minister Rajendra Rathore today issued directions to all the government hospitals with neonatal unit to provide the newborns with all the necessary treatments in time. The minister asked hospitals administration officials to take proper care of admitted newborns, provide all necessary treatment in time and, if required, refer them to other suitable hospital, a spokesperson said. advertisement Rathore also rejected allegations that the newborns in JLN hospital in Ajmer died due to "carelessness" and claimed that four of the dead newborns were born preterm. Five newborns, who were admitted to the JLN Hospital Ajmer separately, died on May 14 night and May 15 morning. Meanwhile, PCC President Sachin Pilot expressed concerns on deaths and alleged that the government was trying to cover up the matter. "The government should take up serious step to improve situation," Pilot said. PTI SDAPVI RG PVI --- ENDS --- A Delhi court today rejected the plea of a constable of Govindpuri police station, saying no case was made out against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. By India Today Web Desk: A Delhi court today dismissed a criminal defamation complaint filed against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by a police constable for allegedly using the slang "thulla" to describe policemen. Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg's order came as a relief to Kejriwal against whom several defamation pleas have been filed in various courts. ALSO READ: Will not spare my own children if they are involved in illegality, says Kejriwal advertisement Key Developments: The court rejected the plea of a constable of Govindpuri police station, saying no case was made out against the Chief Minister This was another complaint against the AAP leader, who has already been summoned for July 14 on a similar plea of a Lajpat Nagar police station constable by a court which held that prima facie he committed the offence of defamation The court today dismissed the complaint of constable Harvinder filed on July 22, 2015, in which he had claimed he was insulted by Kejriwal's remark in a TV interview The policeman had sought summoning of Kejriwal for the alleged offence under section 500 (defamation) and 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) of IPC, contending that the word used by him had demoralised the entire police agency The plea had contended that "using a derogatory and demeaning term like 'thulla' to refer to police personnel is equivalent to referring to all Delhi Police officials as lethargic and unproductive. "This word has, therefore, harmed the reputation of the complainant in the eyes of general public including his family, relative and friends," it had claimed --- ENDS --- Pune has new restaurants and eateries that promise to cater to the city's taste for good food. You must check out these two new places in Pune. Photo courtesy: Simply Pune The city's been flooded with a host of new restaurants and cafes but one place that's creating buzz is Madness, a trio of innovative concepts that promises to have Pune "in the grip of madness". The owners have come up with three distinct concepts within one building that houses the venture called Social Clinic. So, there's a medical-themed restaurant, a bubbling-with-energy comedy club called the Donkey's Arse, and SuperHeroes, a vibrant children's recreation centre. advertisement Also read: These young food trendsetters from Pune are on the rise Comedy night If you've been looking for something vibrant and entertaining, Donkey's Arse takes care of that. This is the comedy club that hosts a variety of events and is done up in colours with graffiti that instantly brings a smile to your face. The seats are best defined as quirky and range from a Dachshund lookalike to a fish, hippopotamus and even a woman's lap. Donkey's Arse is a comedy club, one of the three parts of Madness. Photo courtesy: Simply Pune Little cocoon While you're out watching a performance or grabbing a drink, the little ones are entertained in this rooftop party hub called SuperHeroes, an innovative space where children are transported into a fantasy world of super heroes with a variety of activities. Meal for Two Rs 1,300 plus taxes At Opposite SBI Bank, Lane 7, Koregaon Park Tel 9168686709 Also read: Japan comes to Juhu: With Kaiseki, small portions make a large meal Cocoa Creations Get a box of delectable Nama chocolates at Royce. Photo courtesy: Simply Pune Get a box of delectable Nama chocolates at Royce. Photo courtesy: Simply Pune Over two years after it opened shop in Mumbai's Palladium Mall, Royce, the Japanese chocolate maker and confectioner from Hokkaido, has arrived in Pune with its range of very unique flavours, including the signature Nama, a cube of creamy melt-in-the-mouth ganache. They have a total of 22 varieties here with some quirky variants such as the potatochip chocolate, chocolate wafers and baton cookies. The chocolates are made with fresh cream from the farms near their headquarters in Hokkaido. Meal for two Rs 1,000 for a box of 20 cubes of Nama At Phoenix Market City, Viman Nagar --- ENDS --- He would resume his responsibility on Monday by chairing a meeting of District Development Board (DDB) Doda. By Naseer Ganai: Separatist turned mainstream politician Sajad Gani Lone is all set to return to Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet after getting an assurance from the Bhartiya Janta Party that he would be given charge of another Ministry in coming days. He would resume his responsibility on Monday by chairing a meeting of District Development Board (DDB) Doda. In April this year Lone took oath as minister in Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's cabinet. However, he expressed unhappiness over allotment of portfolio to him and resigned from the council of Ministers. Lone, who was previously given Ministry of Animal Husbandry, was expecting much bigger portfolio. But, the BJP allotted him the Ministry of Social Welfare, considered as less important portfolio. advertisement Resignation Lone refused to join the Ministry and shot a resignation letter to the BJP in anger. A Peoples Conference leader said that Lone has done extensively work as Minister for Science and Technology when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was Chief Minister. He said he had desire to continue the work which he did in previous stint. The Peoples Conference sources said Lone would be given charge of Ministry of Science and Technology apart from the Social Welfare Ministry. The BJP didn't accept his resignation and continued negotiation with him as they didn't want to lose lone support in Kashmir. Plunge into politics Lone had allied with the BJP ahead of 2014 Assembly elections invoking sharp condemnation from both separatists and mainstream. The PDP and the National Conference had invoked Lone's meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to criticize and condemn him during the election campaign of 2014 elections. In 2009, separatist turned mainstream leader, Lone took plunge into electoral politics from north Kashmir' Baramulla parliamentary constituency describing his participation in polls as "a shift in strategy, not ideology." He, however, lost to the NC candidate Sharif Din Shariq. In 2014 elections Lone's party Peoples Conference won two seats from Kupwara area of north Kashmir. --- ENDS --- Alia Bhatt has replaced Shraddha Kapoor in Aashiqui 3, but there is no bad blood between the two actors. By India Today Web Desk: Shraddha Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were recently in news for their alleged cat fight. Buzz had it that things were not good between the two B-Town divas. Reason - stiff competition and Sidharth Malhotra. In fact, the rumours became strong after Alia replaced Shraddha in Aashiqui 3, which also stars Sidharth. ALSO READ: Rumoured lovebirds Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra to star in Aashiqui 3 advertisement ALSO READ: Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor fighting over Sidharth Malhotra? But it seems there is no bad blood between the two as Shraddha has recently expressed her happiness over Alia being a part of Aashiqui 3. According to a report in Times of India, the Baaghi actor affirms that she would be happy if Alia becomes a part of Aashiqui 3. In fact, she clarified that there is no ill feeling for not being a part of the third instalment of the hit franchise since Aashiqui 3 would be a new story. In fact, the 27-year-old actor said that she would look forward to watching the film. Be it 1990 or 2013, Aashiqui has always been a hit with the audience. If in the 90s, Aashiqui made Rahul Roy an overnight sensation, the same magic worked for Shraddha in 2013. After two duds in a row, Aashiqui 2 gave Shraddha's career a fresh lease of life. And since then there has been no looking back for this actor. But the actor is unfazed that she isn't a part of Aashiqui 3. In April this year, the news of the third instalment of Aashiqui came out. In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, Mahesh Bhatt confirmed that he would produce Aashiqui 3 and he has decided to rope in Alia and Sidharth for the film. The film is currently in its scripting stage and is said to go on floors next year. --- ENDS --- The war of words between the BJP and Congress leaders broke out on Twitter after Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned the Z category security provided to Smriti Irani. By India Today Web Desk: Union HRD minister Smriti Irani was involved in a war of words on Twitter with Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi in which she took a dig at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over his party's poor show in the recent Assembly elections. The twitter spar between the two leaders broke out after Chaturvedi, while interacting with another person, reacted to a tweet targeting her over her remark that she was threatened on social media with "rape and murder" like Nirbhaya. advertisement Chaturvedi's opening salvo "A perceived threat to Smriti Irani's life gets Z security, here I am struggling to get rape/death threat investigated," Chaturvedi tweeted. "I don't have Z security madam," Irani responded. Soon, the women were involved in a pungent series of tweets targeting each other. Spat turns ugly "I presume no security at all then," Chaturvedi said. "Why are you so interested in my security? Planning anything?" Irani shot back. "Not worth my time, so don't worry on that front Smriti Irani, you must concentrate on creating another campus ruckus," the Congress spokesperson responded. Target Rahul "That's more Rahulji's forte. Oh wait, losing Assam is. My bad. Have a good day," was Irani's sarcastic reply. Smriti Irani had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi. "Repeatedly losing and yet becoming a minister in the cabinet is your forte. You have a glorious day too Smriti Irani," Chaturvedi hit back. Here's exchange of tweets between the two leaders: Ms @ShefVaidya a perceived threat to @smritiirani 's life gets Z sec,here I am struggling to get rape/death threat investigated.cut the crap Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016 @priyankac19 I don't have Z security Madam. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016 Madam I don't know the internal workings of Home Ministry, i go as per newspaper reports. I presume no security at all then @smritiirani ? Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016 @priyankac19 why are you so interested in my security? Planning anything? Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016 Not worth my time , so don't worry on that front @smritiirani , you must concentrate on creating another campus ruckus. Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016 @priyankac19 dats more Rahulji's forte. Oh wait, losing Assam is. My bad. Have a good day. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016 Repeatedly losing and yet becoming a minister in the cabinet is your forte. You have a glorious day too @smritiirani Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016 --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss 7 participant and model Sofia Hayat, who last year made news by posting a nude pic on her Twitter account, for protesting against porn ban in the country, has now shocked everyone with her extreme transition. Sofia has apparently turned into Mother Sofia; her Instagram pics and status message confirms her changed outlook towards life. "I am mother of all. The earth was created when I spoke the word. Om. I have awoken to spread the truth. I am the the living truth," it reads. advertisement Sofia's new life is all about wearing no make up, being a vegetarian and dressing up like a nun. She has also got a Om tattoo done on her forehead apart from other religious tattoos. Mother Sofia has also shared some words of wisdom on her Instagram account. "When you know that the world is an illusion for us to learn something, but has been infiltrates by reptilian programming, you can start to let go of the ego..and the ego is everything that you think you are..clothes...makeup..job..personality..religion..your family..when you let go of all of this..then all that is left is love and freedom..and that is what you are. Namaste. Gaia Mother Sofia." (sic) "It's all about you. You create this world. In knowing you are a creator. .you can then harness your own mind to what you want in life. See..we have been tricked into thinking we are not so great and powerful..but you are. Children of divine source of me. Your time is finally here. Just release all negative programming. Your electric body has been programmed for so long you think you are less. .but stop "thinking", feel..from your heart. For it is the heart that can release everything and bring you above the programming of the matrix. You all know the programming. It's that negativity that you were not born with..you are love and always were creator gods full of joy, love and compassion. How wonderful are you!!! Welcome yourself back. I love you infinitely..because you never die..you are eternal as is my heart and love for you. Namaste. Gaia Mother Sofia (sic) Check out her recent Instagram posts in her new avatar. Love A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on May 22, 2016 at 12:08pm PDT Vegan breakfast gluten free yummy! #vegan #foodporn #vegan egg #instalove #instafood #instalove #healthy A video posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on May 21, 2016 at 1:44am PDT Breakfadt the enlightened way :) #vegan #buddha #breakfas #chiaseeds A video posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on May 17, 2016 at 2:17am PDT Operation went well.. A bit woozy and dizzy.. But good :) A video posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on May 9, 2016 at 11:59am PDT My beautiful friends and angels @nitinsharma_london love you lots. How handsome is Clarke Kent!! A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 21, 2016 at 3:49pm PDT Holy days are herr A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:27am PDT My newnew tattoo. Om on my 3rd eye. #om #tattoo #awakening #gaia #tattooedgirls #tattoos A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 5, 2016 at 1:23pm PDT Final tattoo Goddess Isis by James Cook @steeljunction_tattoos #tattoos ##goddess #tattooed #tattooedgirls A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 6, 2016 at 2:10pm PDT My new tattoo on my left arm #metatronscube #tattoo by James Cook @steeljunction_tattoos #tattoos #tattooed #tattooedgirls A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 6, 2016 at 2:09pm PDT advertisement --- ENDS --- advertisement advertisement Following the attacks, Srinagar city has been put on high alert. By Ashraf Wani: The Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed the responsibility of the twin attack in Jammu and Kashmir today. It has also warned of more attacks. Highlights Hours, two policemen, including a junior level officer, were killed by gunmen in a hit-and-run attack in summer capital Srinagar, another attack was reported in Tengpora area of Batmaloo. A police man has been reported to be martyred and his service weapon has also gone missing. Following the attacks, Srinagar city has been put on high alert. A senior police officer about the first attack said, "Motorcycle borne militants attacked a 'Naka' (checking) party near the mills in Zadibal area of Srinagar city today (Monday)." "When the motorcycle borne militants were signalled to stop, they fired at the police party resulting in the death of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a constable. "The militants fled after carrying out the attack. A high alert has been sounded in the city to nab the assassins." This is the first major strike by separatist guerrillas in Srinagar city after the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government took office in Jammu and Kashmir. advertisement --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Ammar Zaidi Tehran, May 23 (PTI) A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed here today by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. advertisement The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. Modis visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, comes months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on the southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from Indias western coast, bypassing Pakistan. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone," Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Iran in 15 years, said while addressing the media jointly with Rouhani. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. The trilateral agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor, linked to the Chabahar port development, was signed later by India, Iran and Afghanistan in the presence of Modi, Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. (MORE) PTI ASK AKK VSC AKK --- ENDS --- Obama says Mansour's death removes the leader of an organization that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on US and coalition forces and that has waged war against the Afghan people. By AP: President Barack Obama says the death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour marks an "important milestone" in the longstanding effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. Obama says Mansour's death removes the leader of an organization that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on US and coalition forces and that has waged war against the Afghan people. In a written statement issued as he traveled in Vietnam, Obama says the U.S. will continue to take action against extremist networks that target the United States. advertisement Mansour was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. Also read: Afghanistan intelligence confirms Taliban leader Mansour's death --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Jaishree Balasubramanian Bangkok, May 23 (PTI) Two Indian men have been arrested for allegedly duping two of their compatriots of USD 1,200 each after promising them lucrative work in Thailand, police said here today. The two men identified by Thai Tourist police as Vineeth Unnikrishnan, 30, and Anooj Mottaammal, 25, were arrested over the weekend at the Friendship Bridge on Thai-Lao border in the northeast province of Udon Thani, police officials said. advertisement The duo had allegedly duped their two compatriots of USD 1,200 each on promising them regular work of laying internet cables for which they were told that they would get paid USD 1000 a month, online Thairath media reported. The two fled with the money and crossed into Laos. The two victims then contacted tourist police who managed to catch the swindlers when they crossed back into Thailand. The two victims who were identified as Sujith Chengathi, 27, and Abin Varkey, had reportedly respondedto an online brochure promising excellent work package. The two were helpedby their parents and relatives who mortgaged land and property to raise USD 4000 for their visit to Thailand to get the work. Thai tourist police and immigration authorities swung into action and the swindlers were arrested at the bridge checkpoint as they returned from Laos. PTI JB SUA SUA --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Aditi Khanna London, May 24 (PTI) Britain has granted political refugee status to ousted former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, his lawyer has claimed. A prominent human rights campaigner and Maldives first democratically elected president, 49-year-old Nasheed had been allowed to go to Britain in January for the for spinal cord surgery following a deal brokered by Sri Lanka, India and the UK. advertisement His lawyer Hasan Latheef claimed yesterday that Nasheed had been granted political refugee status, but the British government is yet to comment. "In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile - for now," Nasheed said in a statement confirming his exile. The Madives government said yesterday that it was disappointed that the UK government had agreed to "be part of this charade", adding that British ministers were helping with efforts to circumvent the law. Nasheed became Maldives first democratically elected leader in 2008, ending three decades of rule by former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and served for four years before he was toppled in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. He was supposed to return to Maldives after the treatment, but remained in London where his wife and daughters have been living since he was jailed. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after allegedly illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that put a spotlight on instability in the Maldives. The jail term was widely criticised by international bodies, including the United Nations, and foreign governments. A popular figure on the world stage, Nasheeds case was championed with the help of a international legal team that included Amal Clooney, the British human rights lawyer and wife of the American actor Georg Clooney. He was accorded a red carpet welcome and received by Prime Minister David Cameron after arriving in Britain for his treatment. Cameron described Nasheed as his "best friend" in 2011 and this year hosted the ex-president, his wife and Amal at Downing Street after he arrived in London. The Maldives stripped Nasheed of his pension entitlements and health insurance last month, after demanding he return from medical leave in Britain. PTI AK MRJ MRJ --- ENDS --- By PTI: mountaineers Kolkata, May 23 (PTI) West Bengal government is sending a team of officials to Nepal for co-ordinating the rescue operations of two mountaineers from the state, who had reportedly gone missing at Mount Everest. Trinamool Congress legislator and outgoing Sports, Housing and Youth Affairs minister Arup Biswas said a three-membered team led by S A Baba, Principal Secretary of youth affairs department, will leave from Kolkata tomorrow. advertisement He said that the body of another mountaineer Subash Paul, who had reached 8,849-metre summit on Saturday but collapsed while descending the Hillary Step ice wall, will be brought to the state and the government will extend all required support to his family. Biswas said the team will try to co-ordinate the rescue operations of both Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh, who have gone missing. The government has also started a control room in the state secretariat where the families of those missing can call, seeking information. West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi condoled the death of Pal saying, "He conquered highest peak of the world and died a heros death while returning. He will remain an inspiration to the adventure loving youth of West Bengal". He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and innumerable admirers. PTI NIK SUS RCB --- ENDS --- The annual 'self defence' camp of the right-wing outfit, which was organised in Ayodhya, witnessed workers training with rifles, swords and lathis. By India Today Web Desk: The Bajrang Dal recently organised a training camp in which its workers were trained to use arms and other weapons. The annual 'self defence' camp of the right-wing outfit, which was organised in Ayodhya, witnessed workers training with rifles, swords and lathis. According to a report in The Times of India, the Bajrang Dal, which is the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parisha (VHP), has planned similar training camps across Uttar Pradesh. advertisement Similar camps would be held till June 5 in Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Pilibhit, Noida and Fatehpur. The report said that the Dal's main objective behind organising the camp was to train its activists so they can 'protect Hindus from non-brothers' when needed. What's the real motive behind Bajrang Dal's camp? Bajrang Dal's training camp, that too in Ayodhya, is likely to trigger a fresh debate over the ruling BJP's intentions over the highly sensitive Ram temple issue. | All you need to know about the Ayodhya dispute While top BJP leaders have avoided talking about the matter, party leaders like Subramanian Swamy, Yogi Adityanath, Sakshi Maharaj and others have been vocal about it. Swamy had recently said that he was hopeful of a 'positive' verdict from the Supreme Court in the matter. "We'll wait for the Supreme Court's verdict. I am confident that the apex court will give a favourable judgment. And if it happens, by the end of the year, construction of a Ram Temple will begin with mutual consent," Swamy had said. | Asaduddin Owaisi takes on Subramanian Swamy on Babri Masjid BJP's Uttar Pradesh in-charge, Keshav Prasad Maurya, who once took active part in VHP's Ram temple agitation, had said that Ram temple issue was a "matter of faith for his party". | BJP will build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, says Mahesh Sharma "BJP has never made it an issue. BJP wants a grand temple at Ramjanmabhumi. This is a matter of faith for us. This isn't a political or electoral issue for us," Maurya had said. Bajrang Dal conducts its annual self defence camps in Ayodhya (UP) pic.twitter.com/nUE0U5EDXA ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 23, 2016 Bajrang Dal conducts its annual self defense camp in Ayodhya pic.twitter.com/SxvM8Fxcci ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 23, 2016 Bajrang Dal conducts its annual self defence camps in Ayodhya (UP) (14/05/16) pic.twitter.com/VLdnMAmES3 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 23, 2016 --- ENDS --- Nearly 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate, banned in many countries as they are listed as "hazardous" for public health, a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report said. High levels of potassium bromate/iodate were found in sandwich bread, pav, bun and white bread. By India Today Web Desk: The simple bread, consumed by millions across the country almost every day as a staple food, could contain carcinogens, a study released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has warned. In fact, this doesn't just include white bread, but brown, multigrain, wholewheat and even the ragular buns, pavs and pizza bases. Reacting to the CSE report, Health Minister J P Nadda said, "We are seized of the matter. I have told my officials to report to me on an urgent basis. There is no need to panic. Very soon we will come out with the (probe) report." advertisement Here's What You Need To Know Nearly 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate, banned in many countries as they are listed as "hazardous" for public health, a CSE report said It claimed that while one of the chemicals is a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans), the other could trigger thyroid disorders but India has not banned their use CSE's Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML) tested 38 commonly available branded varieties of pre-packaged breads, pav and buns, ready-to-eat burger bread and ready-to-eat pizza breads of popular fast food outlets from Delhi "We found 84 per cent samples positive with potassium bromate or iodate. We re-confirmed the presence of potassium bromate or iodate in a few samples through an external third-party laboratory. We checked labels and talked to industry and scientists," CSE officials said "Our study confirms the widespread use of potassium bromate or iodate as well as presence of bromate or iodate residues in the final product," said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE The study found that 84 per cent (32/38) samples were found with potassium bromate or iodate in the range of 1.15-22.54 parts per million (ppm) Around 79 per cent (19/24) samples of packaged bread, all samples of white bread, pav, bun and ready-to-eat pizza bread and 75 per cent (3/4) samples of ready-to-eat burger bread were positive CSE said, "High levels of potassium bromate/iodate were found in sandwich bread, pav, bun and white bread" involving virtually all top brands CSE has urged food regulator FSSAI to ban the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate with immediate effect and prevent their routine exposure to Indian population - With PTI Inputs --- ENDS --- By Javed Anwer: Apple is the world's biggest technology company in more than one ways. But it is also a company largely indifferent to India. Apple does sell its products in India. But unlike say Google or Microsoft, it doesn't have any big office or development centre here. It has a handful of people looking after the company's operations in the country, but compared to what a firm like Samsung has, the scale of this operation is minuscule. advertisement This week all of this changed. In a first for an Apple CEO, the company's boss Tim cook visited the country. Publically his agenda has been to get a feel of the country, its culture and the way business is done here. He met some top businessmen, attended a grand Bollywood party and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But behind the scenes, there was something more significant. Cook's visit is seemingly the manifestation of Apple's decision to put in India on its map. And no, this map doesn't concern the Apple Maps, although to improve that for India, the company is opening a new development centre in Hyderabad. Apple is finally ready to the business in the country the way other technology companies do it. A bigger team for India Apple is setting up a new, bigger team that will look after its business here. It is opening, to start with, a development centre where it wants to utilise the talent of Indian engineers. Tim cook has said the centre could employ as many as 4,000 people. Then, it wants to talk to developers making apps for iOS and is opening a new facility to work with them in Bengaluru. Finally, there are all indications that the company hopes to increase the size of its corporate office in Gurgaon. It is hiring more people for this office and by the end of the year could have a big number of employees who are on its payrolls. Also read: Tim Cook says 4G critical for bringing out richness of iPhone The company finally understands that India is a big and unique market that requires the full-scale operations instead of the usual import-a-few-iPhones-and-sell-them-to-rich-consumers. There are all indications Apple hopes to increase the size of its corporate office in Gurgaon. By the end of the year this office could have a big number of employees who are on Apple payrolls While Cook met Bollywood stars and watched IPL games on evenings, his days were mostly spent meeting the Apple team in India. The company is looking at all the options, including a better pricing strategy and manufacturing or at least "making" products like the iPhone in the country. It is also getting ready to open its first retail stores in the country, which are expected to come up in Delhi and Mumbai next year. Two important meetings advertisement Tim Cook met a lot of important people during his visit to India, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but his most important meetings were those that didn't get too many headlines. And no, we are not talking about his "meeting" with Lord Ganesha. The most important meetings of Cook were with Reliance Jio executives and Airtel's chairman and CEO Sunil Mittal. Apple, unlike other phone companies like Google that makes software for Android phones or Samsung, is very different in how it sells phones. One of the reasons behind Apple's big profit in the last 9 odd-years is its tie-ups with telecom operators. The iPhone has done well in every market where it has managed to get the operator tie-ups going and it has done poorly in almost every market where such model hasn't worked. The reason is simple: iPhone is an expensive device, even in the US. But Apple sells it so well because operators absorb the initial cost. They buy the iPhone at the full price then sell it to consumers for $199 or something like that. Rest of the money they recoup by selling data, which a consumer has to buy from them for one or two years of contract that he or she signs while buying the phone. advertisement In India's phones are sold in brick & mortar shops -- and now online -- at their full prices. There is no operator subsidy model here and that makes the iPhone prohibitively expensive for most consumers. Apple can look into ways to price it more aggressively but that would also mean significantly lower margin, something that the company would not like to do. The company finally understands that India is a big and unique market that requires the full-scale operations instead of the usual import-a-few-iPhones-and-sell-them-to-rich-consumers The contract model has not worked in India so far. But Tim Cook's visit and his thoughts about 4G rollout in India shows that Apple wants to give it another go. Both Reliance Jio and Airtel are in the middle of rolling out 4G services. And that Apple believes is its chance to kickstart the operator model in India. It is certain that during his meetings with Jio executives and Mittal, Cook must have discussed how the operator model of buying phones can pushed again in India. The Apple CEO doesn't like 4G only because it is speedy. That has no bearings on because 4G is speedy for all phones and not just the iPhone. he likes it because for India this is a new technology and Apple can join in the bandwagon and for partnerships with the operators at a time when they are pushing it to consumers. advertisement Of course, much of this realisation that India is important is self-serving. Apple's traditional markets -- the Western Europe and the US -- are saturated. Even in Japan, Hong and China, the sale of the iPhone is no longer rosy. India is a big, and untapped, market for Apple. But it is also unique. To do the business here, Apple has finally realised that it needs to be here in a way that India accepts and recognises. Also read: Full-on love affair: 6 quotes from what Apple CEO said about India --- ENDS --- By Shivangi Mishra: Expanding its line of DJ Technics headphones, Panasonic India on Monday launched the DJ 1200 headphones here. Priced at RS 12,999, the DJ 1200 will be available for purchase at Panasonic's brand stores. This model especially serves professionals and DJs but music enthusiasts can also buy it, claims the company. The DJ 1200 headphones come with features like 41mm driver units and freestyle monitoring. They also have reversible housing, allowing single side monitoring. advertisement The 41 mm driver units equipped with neodymium magnets and 1500mW input capacity, offer quality sound for all types of music. The DJ 1200 come with 24K Gold plated plug and a long copper-clad Aluminum wire. The headphones have a foldable design allowing users to carry it around in the carry couch that is provided with the headphones. Also Read: Panasonic launches T50 with quad-core CPU, 1GB RAM at Rs 4,990 With a wide and comfortable padded headband, these offer a perfect fit, says the company. "DJ Technics headphones are synonymous with high quality audio. DJ 1200 are our new high performance headphones of DJ Technics range with free-style monitoring. With its superior audio and high-frequency range, we assure you that you will never miss a beat", said Gaurav Ghavri, product head, Panasonic India. Earlier this month, the company also launched its low-range, affordable RP-HF300 headphones priced at Rs 1,499. The RP-HF300 is also a foldable model with a 30mm driver with neodymium magnets. Also Read: Panasonic appoints Manish Sharma as executive officer --- ENDS --- Arla opens Senegal facility Arlas new Dano milk powder packaging facility has been officially opened in Dakar, capital of Senegal which the company sees as a significant gateway to further expansion in the West African region. Arlas new Dano milk powder packaging facility has been officially opened in Dakar, capital of Senegal. The new site is said to be an important step for the farmer-owned dairy company as it pursues its 2020 Strategy with Senegal a significant gateway to further expansion in the West African region. The new plant has a capacity to annually handle 5,000 tonnes milk powder made in Europe from Arlas farmer owners milk. At the 14,000m2 plant, fat filled milk powder and instant whole milk powder will be re-packed into various retail-sized packaging, for example foil sachets, which are said to be affordable and easy to mix with water to get a glass of milk. The facility is the latest milestone in Arlas ambition to actively take part in developing the dairy market in West Africa and providing affordable nutrition of high quality to consumers in the region, said Steen Hadsbjerg, head of Arla in Sub Saharan Africa. It will also contribute with jobs as we will initially employ 20 people in the production and more as we grow the sales and thereby also the production volume. The sachets from the plant will initially be distributed to wholesalers and stores in Senegal by Arlas partner, Dakar-based partner Agroline, and later extended to neighbouring countries. Agroline has a very strong ambient and chilled distribution setup across Senegal. Senegal will be our hub for expanding into Mali and also Mauretania with our products. Depending on capacity we expect to launch in Mali later this year, said Hadsbjerg. Arla already offers Dano long-life liquid milk in Senegal and said that its ambition is to drive a full value added product range. In addition to the retail business, in March 2016, Arla signed a mozzarella agreement with YUM-YUM, a local pizza chain in Senegal. Senegals population is approx. 14 million people. Its dairy market is quite developed, Arla says, with an estimated value of 250m. The fastest growing categories are said to be flavoured milk powder, evaporated milk and yogurt. Average growth of the market is projected at 5% per year until 2020.Senegal plays a major role as transit country for milk powder imported in Mali, Burkina Faso and so on. Academic cat Who owns the copyright in works created by university faculty under US law is contested, and has recently become relevant with the advent of commercially valuable digital courses created by faculty members . It is also highly relevant for traditional scholarly publishing, however.Now assume, for argument's sake, that the teacher exception to the work made for hire doctrine does not apply after the coming into force of the 1976 Copyright Act, and universities do own the copyright in the work of their faculty, provided the individual employment contract does not stipulate anything to the contrary. The wording of the relevant 101 Copyright Act is certainly broad to entertain this possibility. It appears that up to 1990s, most employment contracts with university professors did not address copyright ownership in works created by faculty, but maybe some reader has more insight. So we have a potential 20 year or so window in which the universities, not the professors, own the copyright in the scholarly writings of the professors.When an academic publisher accepts a work for publication, the author often has to assign the copyright in the work to the publisher, or at the very least grants the publisher a non-exclusive license for publication and distribution. Problem is, "nemo plus iure transferre potest quam ipse habet" - you cannot assign a right you do not own. If the copyright in the work was owned by the university, it is being published and distributed by the academic publisher without the copyright owner's consent.As some have pointed out - and I unfortunately do not know the original source for this theory - this could potentially expose academic publishers to massive liability. US Copyright law knows statutory damages for copyright infringement of between $ 750 and $ 30,000 per work (up to $ 150,000 in case of wilful infringement, but the publishers here hardly commit the infringement wilfully). Elsevier, the largest scholarly publisher worldwide, publishes approximately 400,000 articles annually, and its archive contains 13 million documents . If for even a fraction of those works it does not have the necessary rights for publication, the statutory damages could exceed not only Elsevier's annual revenue, but global GDP.Since scientific publishers have been increasing subscription fees for journals to an extent university libraries publicly call "unsustainable" and privately " extortionist ", universities may be motivated to sue, if only to increase their bargaining power.One immediately apparent problem with such a suit, should it be successful, would be the recourse scientific publishers may take to the authors having assigned rights they did not own. Faculty may be in no position to actually compensate scientific publishers for statury damages awarded against the publishers, but universities should be hesitant to throw their faculty under the bus. So we may not be seeing this legal action soon, although I for one would love to see some of the profits of academic publishers being returned to universities. Nexenta and Intel to Host Webinar Discussing Open Software-Defined Storage on Intel-based Hardware Nexenta (@Nexenta), the global leader in Open Source (News - Alert)-driven Software-Defined Storage (OpenSDS), today announced, in partnership with Intel, it will be hosting a complimentary webinar, "Storage on Your Terms: Nexenta Software-Defined Storage with Intel." Join Michael Letschin, Field CTO at Nexenta and Shawna Meyer-Ravelli, Product Marketing Engineer at Intel (News - Alert), as they discuss the storage characteristics needed to meet the workload demands of enterprises, data centers and cloud environments. They will share insights on how to deliver software-defined infrastructure for legacy and next-generation enterprise applications, virtual workloads, file service applications, and more-all while maintaining the freedom to choose which platform to run on. The webinar will be on Thursday, May 26 at 9am PT. Today's technology leaders need to tackle the big trends-cloud, big data, the Internet of Things, mobility, social media-while lowering IT spend year over year. That's a tall order. Storage cost projections are becoming unsustainable, and organizations need new, more cost-effective ways of delivering storage. Nexenta provides a software-only storage solution that includes a rich feature set across all block, file, and object storage needs. In this session you will learn more about the main kinds of software-defined storage technology landscape organizations will likely deploy including, scale-up, scale-out, containerized, file, block and object storage platforms. Each solution is easy to support with Nexenta software and commercial off-the-shelf Intel-based hardware. To register, please visit: http://intel.ly/1X8aFXb Tweet this: [email protected] and @Intel to discuss #OpenSDS on Intel-based hardware in webinar, Thurs, May 26th at 9am PT. http://intel.ly/1X8aFXb #OpenSDx Event Details What: "Storage on Your Terms: Nexenta Software-Defined Storage with Intel" complimentary webinar When: Thursday, May 26th at 9 a.m. PT Who: Michael Letschin, Field CTO at Nexenta and Shawna Meyer-Ravelli, Product Marketing Engineer at Intel RSVP here: http://intel.ly/1X8aFXb About Nexenta Nexenta is the global leader in Open Source-driven Software-Defined Storage (OpenSDS) with 6,000+ customers, 400+ partners, 42 patents, and more than 1,500 petabytes of storage under management. Nexenta uniquely integrates deep software-only "Open Source" collaboration with one of the largest and most vibrant Open Source communities (46,000 members) and a comprehensive vision around a commodity hardware-centric "Software-Defined Storage" innovation enabling ANY app, cloud platform and protocol. Nexenta is 100% Software-based; and 100% hardware-, protocol-, cloud platform-, and app-agnostic providing organizations with Total Freedom, protecting them against punitive "vendor-lock-in", "vendor-bait-n-switch", and "vendor-rip-n-replace" gimmicks. Nexenta provides enterprises with the "true" benefits of "true" Software-Defined Everything-centric Cloud Computing - from data centers to end users; from the infrastructure to apps. Nexenta enables everyday apps from rich media-driven Social Living to Mobility; from the Internet of Things to Big Data; from OpenStack and CloudStack to Do-It-Yourself Cloud deployments - for all types of Clouds - Private, Public, and Hybrid. Founded around an "Open Source" platform and industry-disrupting vision, Nexenta delivers its award- and patent-winning software-only unified storage management solutions along with enterprise-scale 24x7 - around the globe - All Love - service and support with a global partner network, including Canonical, Cisco, Citrix, Dell, Docker, HPE, IBM, Lenovo (News - Alert), Micron, Quanta, SanDisk, Seagate, Supermicro, VMware, Western Digital, Wipro, and many others. Nexenta: 100% Software. Total Freedom. All Love. For more information, visit, www.nexenta.com, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. Also, download the newly published Nexenta Special Edition Software Defined Data Centers (SDDC) for Dummies eBook. Nexenta, NexentaStor, NexentaConnect, NexentaEdge and NexentaFusion are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nexenta Systems Inc., in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks, service marks and company names mentioned in this document are properties of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523006207/en/ [May 23, 2016] Apps4Rent Is the First to Launch Multi-Tenant SharePoint 2016 with a 30-Day Risk-Free Trial Apps4Rent LLC, a Microsoft (News - Alert) Cloud Solution Provider, today announced the availability of hosted SharePoint 2016, becoming the earliest to bring into market a multi-tenant version of the latest release from Microsoft. To help users adopt the newest technology, Apps4Rent is currently offering a no-obligation, 30-day risk-free trial. Wade Dube, a Business Manager at Apps4Rent explains, "SharePoint 2016 is the most advanced release ever and has been built from the ground up to tap into the full potential of cloud and hybrid technologies. 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Now, by adding SharePoint 2016 to its repertoire, Apps4Rent offers more SharePoint hosting choices than any other vendor of SharePoint. Key Features of Hosted SharePoint 2016 from Apps4Rent Get the advantage of hybrid capabilities: Built with hybrid implementation as a primary objective, SharePoint 2016 integrates well with SharePoint Online, also available from Apps4Rent. No infrastructure, no management needed: Hosted SharePoint 2016 resides on state-of-the-art, SSAE-16 Type II certified data centers in the New York metropolitan area. As a fully managed and hosted solution, Apps4Rent will take care of the infrastructure, monitoring, management, backups, and software updates. Expert support for end-users, round-the-clock: Apps4Rent's Microsoft-certified SharePoint experts are available 24 x 7 x 365 over phone, live chat, and email to solve any issues in minimum turn-around time. 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View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523006304/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Itongadol.- Attorneys for Likud and Yisrael Beytenu met late Monday night in an effort to finalize a draft of a coalition agreement after apparently resolving a crisis over pensions for veteran immigrants and other disadvantaged elderly people. The progress in the coalition talks came after a day in which Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) each delivered militant addresses to the press in which they vowed not to compromise. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed the impasse and said it would be resolved, "There are negotiations, which have ups and downs," Netanyahu told the Likud faction. "I\ve conducted countless processes of negotiations. It takes an effort, and there are always crises and blow-ups. They always say everything is collapsing, but the truth is that nothing is collapsing. It just takes time. Don\t lose hope." Netanyahu met with Kahlon and Liberman in an effort to settle the dispute, which led to the apparent breakthrough and the meeting of Likud attorney David Shimron and Yisrael Beytenu\s Leon Litenetsky. But earlier, both sides drew lines in the sand. "We compromised on matters of religion and state and the death penalty," Liberman told his faction. "We said we wouldn\t compromise on two basic issues: The Defense portfolio and pension reform. We said all along that it was a pension reform for everyone, not just immigarnts from Russia as it is being presented [by Kahlon.] Unfortunately, the answers we have gotten from the Finance Ministry have been unsatisfactory. This gives me a bad feeling. We are at a dead end. We\re waiting to get a new offer." As part of the negotiation, Liberman tried to expand pension benefits to immigrants from the former Soviet Union (certain benefits accrue based on the number of years lived in Israel and the number of years worked, which excludes some Soviet immigrants who are now retired). Kahlon, however, wanted to ensure that any pension increases would apply across-the-board to the nation\s elderly needy population, not just immigrants. According to media reports, Ze\ev Elkin had proposed a flat NIS 2,300 retirement supplement, but the Finance Ministry balked over the NIS 2.5 billion price tag. Russian activists also noted that there was a NIS 3,000 cap on supplements, so many people would only see a minimal increase in welfare. Liberman was pushing for a NIS 500 monthly welfare increase that would help 230,000 elderly people at a cost of NIS 1.9b a year, though the Treasury was willing to offer only NIS 300, and wanted to spread out the increase over several years. On Monday afternoon, Kahlon went public with his proposal of a NIS 1.3 billion-NIS 1.3 billion plan (including an already-planned NIS 350 million pension supplement increase). "The proposal we offered Yisrael Beytenu is exceedingly fair," Kahlon told his faction. "It does not discriminate, it\s not sectoral, and it applies to the entire public." Further complicating matters, Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett also raised a demand in return for his party\s support for the deal. He called on Netanyahu to fix what he said were problems within the security cabinet in order to count on his party\s eight votes in the plenum vote. Bennett said his call came "In light of the lessons learned from Operation Protective Edge and the Second Lebanon War, in which cabinet members did not share quality intelligence and weren\t properly trained for their roles, when tested with the responsibility for the army." The Bayit Yehudi leader said his plans include, among other things, appointing a military secretary to the cabinet, which will be in charge of security updates as well as preparing the cabinet to perform their duties through increased trips into the field and granting easier ministerial access to information. "Fixing the cabinet\s defects is a must for the security of Israel, and for guarding on the lives of citizens and IDF soldiers. In the Second Lebanon War and Operation Protective Edge, Israel paid the expensive price for these defects," Bennett said. The Likud said in response that it was "not reopening coalition negotiations with any party, including Bayit Yehudi." Likud minister Yariv Levi said the message from Bayit Yehudi hurts the ability to complete the expansion of the national government, and that he expected Bennett "to act with the responsibility that is expected of him." However, the Bayit Yehudi party remained adamant, later stating that it had unanimously approved Bennett\s proposal to amend the defects of the cabinet that was serving during the 2014 war with Gaza. SPRINGFIELD -- As the final nine days of the spring legislative session kicked off Monday, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner called on members of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to remain focused on passing a balanced budget for next year. Rauner said that if Democrats want to use tax increases to balance the budget, they also need to approve portions of his pro-business, union-weakening turnaround agenda, a position that has contributed to the ongoing standoff that has left the state without a budget for nearly a year. The governor wants agreements with Democrats on issues such as changing workers compensation laws to make them more business-friendly and letting local governments decide what issues they negotiate with their employees. Democrats have said those issues are unrelated to the budget and should be set aside. They are 100 percent related to the budget -- 100 percent, Rauner said Monday, speaking at a news conference in his Statehouse office, where he was joined by Republican legislative leaders and members of the business community. We cant have balanced budgets if our government spending is growing faster than our economy is growing. Its not possible. Rauner praised the efforts of bipartisan groups of lawmakers that have being meeting for the past several weeks to try to forge compromises, and he said hes cautiously optimistic that a deal can get done before the May 31 deadline. After that, it would take a three-fifths majority in each chamber to approve a budget. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said the situation is more than a battle of wills between Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. We are really fighting for the very soul of this state, she said. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said Republicans are willing to compromise on taxes if Democrats will agree to some of the governors proposals. Durkin said the state is not going to accept another year without a budget. If that happens, its going to be on the Democrats hands, he said. Greg Baise, president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, said business leaders are willing to back a tax increase but likewise need to see commitments to changing workers compensation laws and holding the line on property taxes. But Sean Stott, a government relations director with the Laborers International Union, said Rauner is pushing workers compensation changes that rank-and-file lawmakers took off the table months ago. They are categorically anti-middle class, and theyre just a giveaway to big business, Stott said. Republicans and business groups have been pushing for stricter requirements for workers to prove that their injuries are job-related. Instead, Stott said, lawmakers should focus on forcing insurance companies to pass on to their customers savings from previous changes to workers compensation laws. Meanwhile, the House and Senate convened Monday afternoon but gave no indication of how they plan to address the budget before the deadline. The House approved a bill that would require the state to give social service providers 30 days notice before canceling contracts. The bills sponsor, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, said it was in response to the Rauner administration suspending grants without notice last year in an effort to balance the budget. The Senate approved a host of Rauners appointments to state posts. MATTOON -- Along with many high school seniors, Michele Sinclairs time passing through the halls of Mattoon High School on a daily basis is limited. Sinclair will soon be graduating the last class of her seven-year stint as MHS principal, from which she will retire June 30. It feels surreal to me, Sinclair said. It doesn't even seem real. I think I am one of these people who is in denial until something slaps me in the face. I think it will be the day I walk out that it will be real. Up until then, I am just going about doing my job. Despite her retirement date being just about a month out, she said she does not try to think about it much. Every once a while, though, the thought of whatever task she is doing or whatever event she is at pops into her head. Occasionally, I will think, Wow, this is my last time I am going to do "this," whatever "this" is, she said. But, I have been here for so long it is really difficult to think about not coming back. Eighty percent of my thoughts revolve around Mattoon High School. Sinclairs 31-year teaching career kicked off with a brief stretch in Arthur before continuing at MHS when she started in fall 1985 as a math teacher. After 19 years, she moved up to assistant principal at the high school in the fall of 2004, and then later moved up to serve as the top principal starting in 2009. I've kind of grown up here, Sinclair said. With only a few more weeks left, she said she did wish she could have spent more time in the classrooms. There is so much behind-the-scenes work and paperwork that it made it difficult to be as visible a principal as I wanted to be, the MHS principal said. Since Sinclair became principal, student achievement, attendance and graduation rates have improved at the high school, according to Superintendent Larry Lilly. Lilly said Sinclairs work dealing with behavior issues at school through programs and recognition of good behavior also proved effective in her time there. For those students who posed behavior challenges, she worked tirelessly with the students and parents to get those kids to school and make better choices, he said. As a result, we have seen discipline issues plummet at the high school. She has also helped implement several programs like the credit recovery program to get students back on track. Sinclair said she is most proud of the work she has done with the BIONIC program, which is student and teacher mentoring program. That involves so many teachers and so many students, 120-130 students, who are leading in a positive way and creating a really caring culture here, she said. You see good things come out of this. In this program, upperclassmen mentors help other students transition through their time at MHS, whether they are a freshman, transfer, extended absentee student or someone dealing with grief. In the grief team, students visit families of students and staff who have lost a loved one. It was very comforting to see the student team at my doorstep after my mother passed away recently, Lilly said. They brought us a pie and offered their condolences to my family. As well as being up for retirement, Sinclair it is just time to move on. I hope that my teachers and staff know that I always just wanted them to be their best and that the students know that I had their best interest in mind for every decision that I made, she said. Richard Stuart, current Shelbyville High School principal, will be taking over as the MHS principal on a three-year contract with a base salary of $106,600 when Sinclair leaves. The education field will not be over for the soon-retired principal, yet. Sinclair will be teaching some remedial math courses at Lake Land College after leaving MHS. I am really looking forward to teaching again, Sinclair said. She expects to substitute teach in her retirement and spend more time babysitting her granddaughter as well. She hopes to also join the Exchange Club and participate in more community service work. Michele Sinclair left a long-lasting positive mark on MHS over the past 30+ years as a teacher and administrator, Lilly said. I will miss her as an educator and friend. Dr. Jason Kruger recently received the John J Hanigan, MD, award at the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Departments annual meeting. Dr. Kruger was nominated by the Lancaster County Medical Society [LCMS] board of directors for his advocacy efforts for a variety of community health related issues. Dr. Kruger graduated from the emergency physician residency training in South Carolina at Palmetto in Health Richland in 2007 and moved to Lincoln to become an emergency medicine physician at CHI Health St. Elizabeth. During his eight years in Lincoln he has held several leadership roles including president of Lancaster County Medical Society, president of the Nebraska Emergency Physicians, and treasurer for the Nebraska Medical Association. In 2016, he became the chief of staff of CHI Health St. Elizabeth. In addition to his leadership roles he has served on numerous local and State board of directors, committees and task forces. In 2011, he became the medical director for the Lincoln Lancaster Emergency Medical Service. In this capacity he has been invaluable to our community in helping with a variety of issues including our Disaster Preparedness protocol. In 2013, he was recognized by his peers at the annual Nebraska Medical Association meeting as the Young Physician of the Year. LCMS, the physician membership organization for Lancaster County is proud to recognize Dr. Kruger with this honor. Lincoln Industries President, Tom Hance, is pleased to announce the selection of John Wilson as technology director. Wilson will oversee, lead, and manage new technologies that Lincoln Industries is evaluating. He will be responsible for all innovation functions related to identifying and developing value add solutions that are consistent with the business strategy to grow the business as well as the process of integration to production. Wilson was previously with ConAgra Foods in Omaha as a Sr. director, Process R & D and Process Engineering. He has a mechanical engineering degree and a graduate certificate in strategic technology management both from the University of Illinois. Lincoln Industries is the largest and most diverse privately-held metal finishing company in North America. They are a growth-oriented company who for over 60 years has been solving technically difficult problems for premium brands like Harley Davidson, PACCAR, John Deere, Polaris, Navistar and Mercury Marine. Known for its unique company culture, Lincoln Industries has been named to the Top 25 Best Medium-Sized Companies to Work for in America List, seven times. Just over a year after a fire caused nearly $2 million in damage to shops at Old Cheney Center, landlord Marlyn Schwartz said the shopping area at 56th Street and Nebraska 2 is close to making a full recovery. Five tenants -- Capital Patio & The Flame Shop, Eileens Colossal Cookies, Red Clover Market, Gold Smith Jewelry and Cedar Hill, formerly Aunt Pattys Attic -- got the worst of the May 8, 2015, blaze. All of those businesses were closed because of the fire -- some for a few days, others for several months. Schwartz said working with insurance companies and keeping his tenants from moving to another location were the biggest challenges. Red Clover Market, a health store next door to Capital Patio, was hit particularly hard by fire damage. The Lancaster County Health Department required Louan Denman to replace all of its inventory. Denman, the store's general manager, said the interior was gutted and everything was replaced. Five months later, Red Clover finally opened. Were getting new customers every day, but its not up to the level that we would like it to be, Denman said. But it will be. Mary Brobst, the owner of Gold Smith Jewelry, said her store didnt have fire damage, but there was plenty of smoke damage. It was kind of funny because some customers didnt notice the smokey smell, others said, Oh yeah, I smell that, Brobst said. Some couldnt stand to be in the store, they said I cant be here and booked it. The fire started behind Capital Patio, which faced the brunt of the flames, Schwartz said. Capital Patios owner, Chuck Burns, said the store now has upgraded renovations. Burns installed two large garage doors in front that can open up during nice weather, which he said is more suitable for the stores outdoor vibe. It gave us an opportunity to completely rethink our space, how we wanted to redo it to best facilitate the products that we sell and how we present them to our customers, Burns said. This facelift didnt come without a price, Burns said. The reconstruction process has been somewhat pricey, but in long run, Burns hopes that like any investments it will pay off. Being closed for renovations left some tenants wondering if they could count on their old clientele. Burns' customers proved to be loyal. Our customer support through the calendar year that this whole thing encompassed, we had to rely on very little of our loss of income insurance, which is essentially a testament to their willingness to support us, he said. For Burns, the true effect of the fire won't be known until later in the fall when people are looking to purchase fireplaces. Overall, Schwartz believes the center is very close to making a full recovery. Apart from some minor details with each tenant, he has seen business return mostly to normal. I cant speak for each tenant but I see activity pretty much as it was before the fire, Schwartz said. It speaks well for each tenant. They probably are in a unique situation where they either supply a service or a product of better quality (than other businesses) so people are coming back. And everyone emphasized the outstanding performance by Lincoln Fire and Rescue, which limited the damage. Thanks to the customers and community, were back, Burns said. Were back home. Katherine Ankerson is the new dean for the University of Nebraska-Lincolns College of Architecture. She will rejoin UNL, where she previously served as professor and associate dean at the College of Architecture from 1996-2011. Ankerson, who teaches at Kansas State University, replaces interim dean Scott Killinger, who in turn replaced interim dean Kim Wilson. Once her appointment is approved by the NU Board of Regents, Ankerson will be the first permanent dean of the College of Architecture since Wayne Drummond stepped down in 2011. Calling the appointment an honor, Ankerson said she looks forward to leading the college into its next era. I am committed to the transformative power of planning and design in our lives and communities and join with our faculty, staff, students and alumni to continue building the college into national prominence, Ankerson said in a news release. Marjorie Kostelnik, who began as the interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs earlier this month and who led the search for a new dean, said she was confident Ankerson will help the College of Architecture break new ground. This is an exciting time at the college, Kostelnik said. Faculty and students are involved daily with work that inspires, with a focus on how architecture and design must confront real challenges in todays world. Ankerson just completed her fifth year at Kansas State, where she led the interior architecture and product design department. Chancellor-elect Ronnie Green called Ankerson a proven administrator, educator and scholar. She also has a strong vision that understands the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to prepare the next generation of building and landscape architects, interior designs, and community and regional planners, Green said. This combination positions her as a transformational leader for our College of Architecture. What you see on screen is what you get when it comes to Hannah Huston. Even behind the lights, the cameras, the makeup and the elegant outfits, Hollywood has done anything but go to her head. From Grand Island native, to Arnold Elementary preschool teacher, to finalist on "The Voice," a lot has changed for Huston over the years. But two things have stayed constant: the people in her life and her authenticity. The people, her Day 1 fans, are the friends and family from her Nebraska home. And after interacting with her through texts, hand-written letters and quick trips to Los Angeles, they know that superstar or not Huston will return home with the same humble attitude she left with. Every time I go out to visit her I wonder if shes going to be different or sucked into this limelight, Hustons sister, Rachel Huston, said. Im always so wrong with that. Shes still the same down-to-earth person every time. A friend and one of the first videographers to work with Hannah, Nick Goodwin, said shes almost humble to a fault. He first noticed her modest personality after filming the submission video of Huston and her band for NPRs "Tiny Desk Concert" contest back in January 2015. Hustons performance of her first co-written song with friend and musician Crystal Davy caught The Voice casting agencys attention. Numerous emails about auditioning for the show flooded into her inbox, but Huston still thought it was only junk mail, too good to be true. The agency was persistent in hunting her down and eventually got a hold of one of the directors, Goodwin. I think it took a decent amount of people to be like, look, youre so talented. Youre ridiculous. You can do this, for her to even want to do it in the first place, Goodwin said. It took a few nudges from friends to audition. Now she stands among the final four. But her friends and family can all agree with the feelings of whatever happens, happens when it comes to results. Its a sense of relief right now. We can go out there and just enjoy the night and not worry about it, said Candy Huston, Hannah's mom. I think were all kind of on the same page here. This has really just been a blessing. Its served its purpose. Not winning "The Voice" wouldn't turn her world upside down. Huston herself will be the first to admit this. She's still shocked her name will be announced on the night of finals, Rachel said. I think her mentality at first was if I go home thats OK because these people are fantastic and Ive learned so much, Rachel said. Now her mentality is wow, I have nothing to lose. I think the whole time she has been just seeing where it goes, learning as much as she can, making relationships that matter -- and thatll be good for her. Her supporters from Nebraska will tell you her purpose has always been the same. It will always be about the people and the relationships, not the fortune and the fame. Shes very other-oriented, Davy said. In conversations over the phone, the first thing she talks about is how much she loves everyone, or about how much she respects the people in the industry who put on the show. Shes one of those humans with a radar for the people around her. The genuine and on-command connections she makes with people might be a huge reason for her success, but theres no doubt she has the voice and talent to back it up, her friends and family said. Defining success is ultimately up to Huston. The people who knew her and supported her before the rest of America fell in love with her always will stand behind her future decisions -- whether theyre music-related, teacher-related, or both. Just because shes taking a new step without her preschool kids, with music, doesn't mean that her teaching career was insignificant at all, Rachel said. She has two passions: one being teaching and one being music. Shes just trying to tap into the other one and see what happens. She's really taking this one full force. One thing is certain, whatever the future has in store for Hannah, Nebraska will welcome her back in the good life. President Barack Obamas communications strategists found a perfect tool to distract the public in recent days: Bathrooms. And who can use which ones. It involves everyone. Its contentious. Its emotional. So the media lap it up. And as his manipulators know full well, the controversy invites countless other public figures to weigh in and feed the flames, news cycle after news cycle. In yet another executive overreach to redirect public discussion, Obama arbitrarily ruled that every public school receiving federal funds must allow the minute fraction of society who are transgender to use the restrooms of their choice, not their biological genders. Were being played again, folks. Heres whats really at stake: Obamas heir apparent and legacy protector, the 68-year-old Hillary Clinton, is getting shredded in Democratic primary after primary by a 74-year-old socialist, Bernie Sanders. Obama would also like to distract you from the slipping new-job creation rates. Obamacare and its artificial state exchanges are crumbling beneath the weight of their own costs and disincentives. A federal judge last week ruled against a crucial part of that program. Disturbing reports of the militarys poor readiness mount, including planes being cannibalized for parts to keep half the jets flying. Obamas sanctions against Russia have failed to change any of its behaviors in Ukraine, Crimea, Syria or the high seas. Another special ops member was killed in Iraq, where, according to Obama, there are no U.S. boots on the ground, and anyway, theyre not in combat. ISIS has lost territory but none of its deadly car-bomb punch in urban Iraq. And the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, admits those JV ISIS guys will not be curtailed under this president. Trump is winning the Republican nomination with a campaign slogan, Make America great again. It is, of course, just another empty T-shirt phrase, like hope and change. But its simple and catchy. Whats the main theme of Clintons campaign? Or does she even use a catchy phrase? Correct. There is none. If there were, it would be something like Ill be Baracks third term, only more so. Thats a risky theme given the latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll. Only 21 percent of Americans believe the country is on the right track, while 68 percent say the wrong track. You want more of this? Unlike her slick husband, Hillary Clinton is a horrible campaigner: stilted, programmed, strident. She shows her sincerity by TALKING LOUDER! Half the time shes playing defense against her own words, as in West Virginia, where she reveled in all the coal companies and miners shes going to put out of work. As one direct result, after winning 67 percent of the primary vote there against a real opponent in Obama eight years ago, this time, as the presumptive party nominee, she could capture only 38 percent against Sanders 51 percent. Worse for her, 50 percent of women there voted against the first potential female commander in chief. And 43 percent of Sanders voters said theyd jump to Trump in November. The Democratic nominating system, of course, is rigged in her favor with unelected superdelegates. Sanders is trying to convince them to defect by earning more popular votes in primaries than she does. Thats difficult, but not impossible. Its also mortifying for Clinton. Shes fundraising now, attacking Trump and Sanders, trying to take advantage of the bathroom distraction. Trump has already pivoted to general election business while she fights a rear-guard action against Sanders. But the best thing Clinton has going for her in November, polls show, is Trump. Clinton and Trump are both unpopular, disliked and not trusted. For now, the female New Yorker is less disliked than the billionaire New Yorker. That might change, given Trumps media skills. But meanwhile heres a possible Clinton campaign slogan: Not as bad as the other one. CHICAGO -- The results of the first nationally representative assessment of technology and engineering literacy are in, and they're generally positive: 43 percent of eighth-grade students are proficient at solving real-world problems. And of these students, female white and female black students outperformed their male peers overall. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is commonly known as the Nation's Report Card, these students demonstrated solid competency in thinking through problems systematically, and using computer-based tools to solve scenario-based questions. Now on to some bad news: Only 25 percent of lower-income students (those eligible for the National School Lunch Program) scored at or above the proficient level, compared with 59 percent of higher-income students. For English-language learners, only 5 percent were proficient. Additionally, compared with 56 percent of white and Asian students, only 30 percent of Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students, 28 percent of Hispanic students, and 18 percent of black students scored proficient or above. I believe this is yet another illustration of how children of parents with higher educations and greater financial resources in better-funded schools simply know so much more than poorer kids. Let's take one example of a scenario that involves a habitat for a classroom iguana named Iggy. The students were first given some information about iguanas and their basic needs, then were asked a variety of questions aimed at diagnosing potential solutions to several problems the iguana might face because of the design of its cage. For instance, determining what cage designs might alleviate the iguana from being too cold, dehydrated or too active at night. If you had at least a middle-class upbringing and went to a moderately resourced school where the teacher had a fish aquarium in the classroom -- or an incubator in which baby chicks were hatched, or a tarantula, hamster, guinea pig, lizard, snake, you name it -- the aforementioned scenario has a palpable connection to real life. Maybe you only had a lonely fish in a science classroom tank, but you could probably draw connections between the differences in room temperature in the day, with 30 kids' body heat in the room, and nighttime. Or maybe you went to a zoo or an animal sanctuary as part of a school field trip sometime in grade school and had some personal connection to the idea of a wild animal in a human-maintained habitat. Even with the aid of given facts, these are crucial bits of background knowledge that would benefit a child trying to understand the scenario of a classroom iguana and then draw conclusions about what kind of cage would keep it warm. Low-income students rarely have deep, wide reserves of background knowledge. Speaking from personal experience, until high school both my sons went to poorly resourced schools in a low-income community where more than half the students were on the free or reduced-cost lunch program. Their classes were never taken on field trips to see live animals, and neither of my sons can remember having had live animals in their classrooms (unless you count tadpoles, I suppose). The schools were barely surviving and the teachers didn't have district support to maintain animals in the classroom, unlike in their current schools. In surveys accompanying the Technology and Engineering Literacy test, nearly two-thirds of eighth-graders (63 percent) indicated that their family members most often taught them about building things, fixing things, or understanding how things work. Nineteen percent of students responded that they taught themselves, and 13 percent of students reported that they learned from their teachers. This obviously leaves students with parents who have low education levels and little money for enrichment activities like visits to zoos, museums or science camp significantly less able to compete with better-resourced peers. It is a great thing that this national assessment uses realistic situations for students to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills. And it's very useful for us to understand how the students perform. But we have to recognize that the results may say less about how well students can solve problems than they do about the disparity of intellect-building resources in their lives. In Boulder, Colorado, a shopper can stop at the Helping Hands Dispensary and buy a few buds of Chupacabra, described as a very potent, uppity strain that's ideal for daytime medicating and full-on ripping. Its marijuana, classified as a Schedule 1 drug like heroin and LSD, but theres no problem. The feds have decreed a hands-off policy of enforcement of the federal marijuana law for states that have voted to legalize the plant. So its a stupefying example of government inconsistency that the Drug Enforcement Administration has snarled red tape around a request from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to import seeds of hemp, marijuanas non-psychoactive cousin, for research. The hemp seeds can contain no more than 0.3 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical in marijuana that gets people high. University researchers wanted to plant two acres of industrial hemp for research this year. But theyve been forced to drop the plan. Its illegal to transport hemp seeds across state lines. I think it will take an act of God for us to get that permit and get everything squared for us to plant this year, said Hector L. Santiago, assistant dean of the Agricultural Research Division in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. The door for more research was supposedly opened by the 2014 Farm Bill. Hemp already accounts for $580 million in annual sales, according to the Congressional Research Service. Hemp is used in everything from textiles to fiber board that is stronger and lighter than wood to paper products. Bastcore, a startup based in Omaha, is developing machines to process hemp. Now its looking at setting up a facility in Colorado. Bastcore founder John Lupien said the DEA is doing this on purpose to mess everything up. Kentucky also had problems with the federal government. The DEA seized 250 pounds of hemp seeds. But the agency backed down after the state sued. Last year Kentucky universities and farmers planted 922 acres of hemp. Nebraska is trying to do everything by the book. State senators have passed legislation to allow pilot projects to study hemp. It hasnt worked. To be fair, the Democratic Obama administration shouldnt have to shoulder all the blame for the problem. The Republican-controlled Congress could have approved a legislative fix. In fact Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sponsored a bill to remove hemp from the definition of marijuana in federal law. But no surprise Congress has not been able to get the job done. Whatever theyre smoking in Washington these days definitely seems to impair judgment and productivity. The Moores were first-class people. Our large family shopped there starting in the 1930s with fresh produce as the big draw. As a young boy during the war, I often stopped in to look for bananas after carrying papers. If they could be found in Lincoln, it was at Ideal Grocery! What a loss for Lincoln. The news media and many politicians, with the notable exception of Sen. Ben Sasse ("Sasse stands ground," May 18), seem to be ignoring the 800 pound gorilla in the room, the Republican party aligning itself with the Ku Klux Klan! Donald Trump is their man and supporting him is supporting the sickness of white supremacists. Even after Trump somewhat reluctantly disavowed the endorsement of the KKK, the reasons they endorsed him are still there. Perhaps Senator Deb Fischer and others should reeducate themselves on the history the KKK, an organization of cowardly murderers, haters of Jews and Catholics, promoters of segregation and Jim Crow laws and other acts of infamy. A Long March 2-D rocket carrying China's first microgravity satellite, the SJ-10, blasts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province at 1:38 am on April 6, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] The world's first satellite that can achieve quantum communication between the space and the Earth will be launched in July, a leading expert in the field said on May 21, the news website ThePaper.cn reported. Pan Jianwei, a quantum expert and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, revealed the news at a seminar held in Shanghai. The satellite is dedicated to quantum science experiments, and it will serve as evidence that China is leading the world to achieve satellite-earth quantum communication, Pan said. "There are many bottlenecks in the information security. The Edward Snowden case has told us that the information in the transmission networks are exposed to risks of being monitored and being attacked by hackers," Pan said. As the basic unit of matter to carry energy, the quantum is inseparable and could not be copied, Pan said. The no-cloning theory of quantum mechanics is a breakthrough that ensures data encoded in photons is secure on the networks and cannot be captured or copied during transmission, he said. Pan also said that the 2,000-km quantum communication main network between Beijing and Shanghai will be fully operational in the second half of this year. Government agencies and banks in cities along the route can use it first. President Xi Jinping visited the control center of the Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication main network in April in Hefei, capital of Anhui province, during his field-study tour to the province from April 24 to 27. In 2012, Pan's group built the world's first metropolitan area quantum network in Hefei, linking 46 nodes to allow real-time voice communications, text messages and file transfers. The quantum satellite is part of the country's Strategic Priority Program on Space Science that started in 2011 and planned to launch four satellites by the end of the year. The first satellite of this program, a dark-matter satellite, has been launched into space in December last year and is collecting data. The second, the country's first microgravity satellite, the SJ-10, was successfully launched on April 6 this year. A hard X-ray telescope for black hole and neutron star studies is also expected to be launched in the second half of this year. Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler has announced Lincoln has been named a Playful City for the third year. Playful City USA, a national recognition program established by KaBOOM!, is celebrating its 10th anniversary of honoring cities and towns across the country for making their cities more playable. Lincoln became the first city in Nebraska to be a named a Playful City when it received the designation in 2014. The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department are two of the City departments who are part of the community effort to promote the importance of play. Reducing childhood obesity is an important goal, and it will take a team of community partners to accomplish it, said Beutler. We must continue to be dedicated to increasing fun opportunities for children to be active. I thank our Parks and Health departments for the work they do every day to encourage our kids to adopt healthy behaviors at a young age. Beutler said the Playful City designation supports Lincolns goal to be the healthiest city in the country. In 2013, Mayor Beutler issued a five-year challenge to the community to make healthy living a top priority. He called upon young people and adults to improve their health with more physical activity and healthy food choices. Jeanne Baer's "ArtEffects" show at Doc's Place features 40 photos transformed into "paintings" that comprise the art show at Doc's Place Art Gallery in the Haymarket in June. The painterly photos were taken during Baer's travels throughout Europe, Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico. The opening reception, part of the First Friday Walk, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. June 3. The artwork will be sold at a 15% discount the night of the opening. All works are printed and stretched on gallery-wrapped canvases which do not need framing or further enhancement. A travel photographer for more than 40 years, Baer creates her ArtEffects pieces to express her memories of exotic places versus their technical accuracy."While photos capture moments with exactness, memory doesn't record those moments in the same way," explains Baer. "What was in razor-sharp focus with a depth of field from here to infinity in the camera becomes a soft-focus, up-close-and-personal recollection back home, at least for me. The exhibit is called, "ArtEffects: Foreign Fotos Reframed." The opening reception will also feature her ArtEffects notecards and greeting cards for sale. Doc's Place Bar and Art Gallery is open daily at 140 North Eighth St. in the Historic Haymarket. The show will remain up through June. Coming soon - Women in Sales & Business (WISB) monthly meeting Wednesday, June 8 at Hillcrest Country Club, 9401 O St. Lunch at 11:30 a.m., presentation follows 11:55 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost: $18, includes lunch ($10 for meeting only). Register at www.wisblincoln.org or email wisblincoln@gmail.com to RSVP. Next Saturday - St. Leger Cowley Chapter of DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution to meet at 1 p.m. in the Flanagan Room at at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, 5401 South St. Program: "Sharpie: Nebraska's Queen of the Air," presented by Diane Bartels. For DAR info., contact Jennie at (402) 975-9447. (No meetings in July and August.) Coming soon - Women's Welcome Club luncheon 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 14 at the Country Club of Lincoln, 3200 S. 24th St. Guest speaker Walt Miller to discuss the Naval Ammunitions Depot in Hastings, and a history of this area as it appeared in WWII. All women of Lincoln invited to the luncheon. Womens Welcome Club offers group activities such as several card groups, including Hand and Foot, Tick, and newly-started Pitch. Reservations (required) due by Thursday, June 9. Luncheon costs $13. New women interested in attending may call Aileen at (402) 488-0132. More information about the organization at www.womenswelcomecluboflincoln.org RACINE Based on an enthusiastic Post Prom crowd, Rotary Club of Racine Founders awarded a grant to Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin. Rotary awarded the grant of $5,000 after Veterans Outreach received the loudest crowd noise during a vote at the annual Rotary Post Prom event at Festival Hall. The students could also vote for Womens Resource Center and a water bottle refill station at North Beach. We thought it would be a great way to introduce the students to giving back to the community, said Chris Terry, Rotarys Post Prom Co-Chair. According to Terry, Rotary awards between $60,000 and $80,000 in grants in Racine each year. Ironically, the $5,000 grant set aside for the Post-Prom vote will perfectly cover the cost of sponsoring a home as part of Veterans Outreachs Tiny Homes Project. The vote took place on television Saturday night after an informational presentation to students. We hope they can take this with them and this is the start for many of them of a lifetime of volunteering and giving back, Terry said. RACINE COUNTY The blind, white horse leading Rochesters inaugural Decoration Day parade wasnt a political statement, said the mans great-grandson. Thats the horse he had. They had a small farm, used him to farm, said Rob Kohl, who is returning to Rochester for the villages annual celebration. Kohl, formerly of the City of Burlington, is a great-grandson of James D. Wright, the man credited with beginning Rochesters first Decoration Day parade, in 1867, to honor soldiers killed during their military service. That was the time when loved ones decorated their graves. It now is known as the Memorial Day parade. Memorial Day is a federal holiday, observed on the last Monday in May. It commemorates the U.S. service men and women who died while serving. Wright rode that horse in honor of his brother, Joseph D.H. Wright, who was killed on May 15, 1864, while serving in the Army during the Battle of Resaca in Georgia during Shermans march. Didnt ride him very fast, quipped Kohl, 75, who lives with his wife, Gay, in Sun City West, Ariz. Wright had served as a telegraph operator in the Civil War, Kohl said. Weve been in just about every war since the Revolutionary War, Kohl, a retired process engineer, said of his family. Wright, wearing a red sash atop his horse, led the parade for about 50 years, Kohl said. Initially this parade was on May 15, marking his brothers death, but it later moved to the last Monday in May, with the rest of the country. He was still spry at 90, buzzing around on a bike, he said of Wright. But his great-grandfather was killed in 1920, at age 90, when a car struck his bicycle. I wish I had the opportunity to met him, Kohl said. Instead, he and his wife will return to Racine County for the Memorial Day weekend, and plan to attend Rochesters 150th consecutive Memorial Day parade. While the first parade was more than 150 years ago, this reportedly marks the 150th consecutive parade since there were a few years missed early on. And leading this years parade will be a white horse and rider dressed in period garb to replicate his great grandfathers role in the commemoration. William Johnson, co-chair of Rochesters Memorial Day Committee, said they decided to bring back the white horse to lead this years parade in honor of the 150th celebration. Sticking with the historical theme, members of a Civil War re-enactment group will participate in the parade and camp in Pioneer Park. He said Rochesters parade is the longest, consecutively hosted Memorial Day parade in the state, and some believe it is the longest, consecutively operated Memorial Day parade in the country. I dont think Ill be involved in the parade, but Ill be rooting them on, Kohl said. Animal highways Securing safe wildlife corridors across borders must be a conservation priority Beyond just profitability Recognising the failure of the state to retain youth and hoping to inspire a paradigm shift, Idea Studio Nepal is helping convert bright ideas into viable businesses that serve not just the investors but the society at large BP Koirala Cancer Hospital tries to free rogue staffers The BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Chitwan is trying hard to release five employees who were arrested Friday after they were found turning patients to private clinics without offering treatment at the hospital. Consultations to be held before technical meeting The Ministry of Commerce wants to hold consultations with Chinese Embassy officials first to prepare for a technical level meeting planned with a Chinese team to formulate a protocol to the recently signed Transit Transport Agreement (TTA). Dog business booms as pet ownership expands Demand for various breeds of pet dogs has been increasing gradually in the Kathmandu Valley, thanks to a growing trend of keeping pets. EgyptAir: Submarine searches for missing flight data recorders Egypt has deployed a robot submarine to search for the flight data recorders of the missing EgyptAir plane. Fair concludes with record no. of visitors The Kantipur Hissan Edufair-2016 concluded on Sunday after disseminating information on Nepali colleges and courses to around 200,000 visitors over the last four days. Falluja assault: Iraq PM announces beginning of military operation Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of a military operation to retake Falluja from so-called Islamic State (IS). Fledgling Maoist Centre faces leadership battle Days after 10 Maoist factions merged to form the CPN (Maoist Centre), Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed holding district-level conventions of the new force across the country within one month. For some, Valley stir safe landing for Madhes feud Madhesi intellectuals have welcomed the Capital-centric protests of the Madhes-based parties. Some are hopeful that the Sanghiya Gathabandhans rallies in Kathmandu will find a safe landing for the protracted Madhes movement. Goods brought by Chinese train reach Rasuwagadhi A much publicized trainload of goods dispatched from Lanzhou in China has arrived at the Nepali border at Rasuwagadhi after making an 11-day, 3,030-km journey. If you build it, they will come An aspiring entrepreneur himself, Kavi Raj Joshi, always thought Nepal lacked a proper platform for young entrepreneurs to reach out to investors, and remain connected and visible in the market India offers additional 10,000 MT of cooking gas to Nepal India has agreed to export additional 10,000 metric tonnes cooking gas to Nepal every month from Paradip Port of Odisha state to meet the shortage of LPG cooking gas in Kathmandu. India should reflect on why their projects in Nepal are stuck in limbo Even three months after the end of the border-centric protests, the government and the agitating Madhesi Morcha have not been able to hold meaningful talks. Man goes blind in one eye after botched cataract surgery A 69-year-old man from Kalyan VDC in Surkhet, who lost vision of his left eye following a cataract surgery, have accused Surkhet Eye Hospital of negligence. 'Melamchi dream' likely to come true in one and half year A hope has been raised that Kathmandu valley folks would be able to use the water distributed by Melamchi drinking water project, the most awaited drinking water project, within one and half years. Migrant crisis: Libya intercepts boats carrying 850 people Libyan coastguards say they intercepted boats carrying 850 migrants trying to reach Europe on Sunday. Blasts kill more than 100 in Syrian government coastal heartland: monitor Bomb blasts killed more than 100 people in the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartous on Monday, monitors said, in a government-controlled area that host Russian forces. Nepali women married to Indian men wait for 7 yrs Menu Sapkota of Nagarkot in Bhaktapur had got married with an Indian national Sauav Goyal in Delhi two years ago. Protest strengthening natl unity Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal (SSFN) Chairman Upendra Yadav has defended the protest launched by the Federal Alliance in the Capital, claiming that the protest will strengthen the national unity. Sanghiya Gathabandhan mulls broader participation in its protest The agitating Sanghiya Gathabandhanan alliance of Madhesi and Janajati forceshas said that its Kathmandu-centric protest remained effective and it will now include other communities apart from Adivasi and Janajati in their struggle against the constitution. SC refuses stay order in Penner case The Supreme Court has refused to issue a stay order against the decision of the Immigration Department to deport Canadian citizen Robert Penner on account of his provocative posts on Twitter that fuelled social discord. Stung by delays, survivors press for time-bound recovery works Frustrated at endless delays in the post-disaster reconstruction process after the Gorkha earthquake of April 2015, the displaced people have demanded that the law governing disaster management set a mandatory timeframe for beginning and completing reconstruction. VDC secys complain of workload VDC secretaries in Kavre have expressed their grievances over high daily workloads, warning of a delay in earthquake reconstruction unless the situation improves. 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 Mbale regional referral hospital is grappling with an acute drug stock out. Patients are now said to be buying essential drugs from private health facilities. The Principal Hospital Administrator, Simon Kisabagire acknowledges the problem which he attributed to poor funding by government. He says the hospital budgeted for Shs1.5 billion but only received Shs 980 million for the financial year 2015/2016. He says in the most recent cycle, the hospital only received 55% of the requisitioned drugs. According to Kisabagire they are mostly out of Oxygen, Anesthetics, Antibiotic and Artesunate injection for people with complicated malaria especially pregnant women. He adds that the hospital caters for about 4 million people from 14 districts. Violence broke out in Lira Town this afternoon as police used teargas to disperse traders protesting their eviction from the illegal Coronation Park market. The Chaos erupted when the law enforcement team destroyed more than 100 kiosks in an attempt to get rid of all the street vendors. However, this forced traders operating outside the market to turn violent, blocking the road and burning tyres, forcing police to swing in action. Robert Okello Ayo, Lira Municipal Senior Law Enforcement Officer says they gave several notices to those operating in the illegal markets to vacate but they turned a deaf ear. Over Shs 28billion secured from the African Development Bank as a loan was sunk into this market but authorities said vendors refused to take up stalls. Slowing economic growth in China and growing household debt in South Korea are two major risks facing the country's financial system, the outcome of a recent survey showed Monday. In a poll conducted by the Bank of Korea (BOK), 73 percent of respondents cited China's slowing growth as a potential threat that could cause havoc in South Korea's financial market. The semiannual survey was conducted April 6-20 on 78 economists that included bank officials and foreign asset managers. The respondents were asked to pick up to five elements that posed systemic risks for South Korea's financial market. The portion of responses citing China-related risk dropped significantly from 90 percent six months earlier, but the category continued to top the list. Slowing growth in the world's second-largest economy has created serious problems for not only South Korea's financial market, but for its real economy as well. South Korea's exports have dropped every single month since the start of last year as its shipments to China, the world's single largest importer of South Korean products, also dipped at similar rates each month. Such problems in exports and the economy might soon translate into financial risks, those surveyed apparently believed. In the BOK poll, 59 percent of those surveyed said the possibility of a growing number of local companies becoming insolvent posed a serious threat to the country's financial system, up from only 32 percent six months earlier. Household debt continues to remain a financial risk with 54 percent of respondents citing the problem, though the portion dropped from 62 percent according to the BOK. The country's household credit reached a record high of 1,207 trillion won ($1.02 trillion) as of the end of last year. The central bank is set to release its latest tally later in the week with many anticipating a continued increase in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the portion of responses citing systemic risks stemming from a U.S. rate hike nearly halved to 38 percent from 72 percent six months earlier. The U.S. Fed has stood pat on its key rate since December when it raised the key rate by 25 basis points in the first U.S. rate hike in nearly a decade. The Fed is said to be ready to again hike the policy rate as early as June. (Yonhap) This is the second in a series regarding on how to handle North Korea after Kim Jong-un's ascension to power in the recent Workers' Party Congress. ED. By Doug Bandow Whatever the issue and occasion, North Korean ambitions loom large. Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong recently opined that the confrontation between America and his nation "will lead to very catastrophic results, not only for the two countries but for the whole entire world as well." Actually, most of the world doesn't much notice the North and wouldn't be particularly affected by conflict there. Nevertheless, everyone would benefit if international relationships involving the Democratic People's Republic of Korea became more normal. Interviewed by the Associated Press, Ri defended the right of his nation to possess nukes and blamed American hostility for forcing the DPRK to create a nuclear deterrent in self-defense. The latest missile test, he said, gives the North "one more means for powerful nuclear attack." However, Ri suggested a potential deal with North Korea: "Stop the nuclear war exercises in the Korean Peninsula, then we should also cease our nuclear tests." It's an idea worth pursuing. Pyongyang is unlikely to ever agree to fully disarm. It has spent too much developing nuclear weapons. They are the only reason other nations pay attention to the otherwise small, impoverished nation. Nukes also offer security against the world's greatest military power, which has demonstrated a propensity for ousting the regimes of largely defenseless antagonists. Nevertheless, there are more limited steps which Pyongyang might be willing to take, having already established its nuclear bona fides. Halting additional nuclear tests is one. Ending military exercises with South Korea would be a small price for Washington to pay. In fact, America's conventional military presence on the peninsula is superfluous, a relic of the past. The Republic of Korea long ago surpassed the North on every measure of power save military. And the latter failure is merely a matter of choice. The ROK began to take off economically during the 1960s. Today the South has around 40 times the GDP of the DPRK. South Korea also has twice the population, a vast technological edge, and far greater international reach and support. Although Seoul's forces are outnumbered by those of the North, the ROK possesses newer equipment, larger reserves, superior naval and air forces, and a much bigger industrial base. If the South wanted to match North Korea man for man and tank for tank, it could do so. But it doesn't need to, since the U.S. will do the job. Of course, the ROK is not alone. The U.S. is surrounded by "allies" constantly demanding additional support and reassurance. The Europeans possess a larger collective GDP and population than America but still expect to be subsidized and coddled. Only now, 70 years after the end of World War II, has Japan authorized its forces to aid those of America if the latter are attacked. Washington's security guarantee is a bad deal for the U.S. Which creates the opportunity for a win-win agreement with North Korea. America should bring home its conventional forces. Then South Korean forces would be on call in the event of war. Thus, military exercises on the peninsula would serve no useful purpose. So Washington should offer to trade away the maneuvers. Start by offering to end exercises in exchange for the North dropping nuclear tests. Then propose troop withdrawals. In return the DPRK might end missile tests, back its conventional units away from the border, and freeze nuclear activities. Seoul might suggest some other concessions. It is impossible to know what is possible without pursuing talks. America could add a little extra incentive: diplomatic relations. There is no good reason not to have regular contact between the two nations. A bonus would be providing North Korea with a way to contact Washington without having to arrest another errant American for one alleged crime or another. Of course, the gambit might turn out to be a propaganda ploy, with the Kim regime unwilling to follow through. Pyongyang might quickly violate any agreement that it reached. Possible, but unknowable without taking up Ri's challenge. And no one has a better solution. Preventive war is unthinkable. The latest sanctions have bitten more deeply than before, but remain inadequate to force change in Pyongyang. And Beijing is not prepared to jettison its unpleasant ally. At the moment, all the U.S. and South Korea can do is watch the DPRK continue testing nuclear weapons and missiles. The North long has been an insoluble problem for the U.S. But Foreign Minister Ri's remarks suggest the possibility of at least reducing the threat posed by North Korea. The administration should take up the challenge. Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World" and co-author of "The Korean Conundrum: America's Troubled Relations with North and South Korea." Backcourt Score: 68 Combined Points Per Game: 33.3 Combined Win Shares: 12.2 Combined Box Plus/Minus: 3.4 Combined VORP: 4.8 Reggie Jackson faced heaping amounts of pressure this season after signing an $80 million extension with Detroit. In the face of all that scrutiny, he delivered. Jackson notched career highs in points, assists and three-point percentage during his age-25 season, leading Motown back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. KCP proved a solid wingman. Despite making a career-low 30.9 percent of his triples, he notched career-highs in BPM (1.1) and VORP (2.2). She looked just like a ball of cotton candy with a little Barn Owl face and wings stuck onto it, said Karla Bloem, Executive Director of the International Owl Center, about their newest owl staff member when she arrived. In the past nine days, shes lost so much fluff she now looks like a Barn Owl wearing a tutu. This eight-week-old Barn Owl fledgling joins four other educational ambassador owls at the owl center in Houston. Uhu the Eurasian Eagle Owl, one of the largest owl species in the world, joined the staff at the end of last summer. Ruby and Rupert the Great Horned Owls have been working at the center since it opened in March 2015, and Alice the Great Horned Owl, now 19 years old, has been working with Bloem to educate people about owls since 1998. While Great Horned Owls are a common species across all of North America and thus easy for people to relate to, Barn Owls are so rare in Minnesota and Wisconsin that they are considered to be an accidental species, and they are endangered in Iowa. They used to be more common through the 1960s, but then receded from the northern parts of their range across the U.S. The reason is not well understood, but could relate to the change in farming practices. Barn Owls are not well adapted to cold climates and need large, grassy areas in which to hunt. The new Barn Owl has started working at the owl center right away so she can adjust to being around lots of people and new situations. While she is too young to be tethered to a perch like the other owls during the day, she hangs out under a drapery of mosquito netting (the same that is used to cover cots in mosquito-infested areas) so she can meet visitors and learn where her space is at the center. Like the other owls, the Barn Owl lives off-site in the country and is allowed to fly free at night in an aviary, commuting to work each day in the centers Owlmobile van. Whats the owlets name? She doesnt have one yet. People are asked to email name suggestions to karla@internationalowlcenter.org by May 31. Staff will then chose a name from the list of submissions. The name will be gender specific and befitting an owl of professional status. Bloem encourages people who want to see the young owl to visit the center as soon as possible. This little owl is growing up so fast. Just one week makes a drastic difference in her appearance. The International Owl Center is open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with programs at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. The International Owl Center is a non-profit organization. More information is available on its website at www.InternationalOwlCenter.org. Onlookers gather to view the fire-gutted remains of the old Wisconsin-Minnesota Light and Power Co.s power plant, which was located at 412-416 S. Second St. in downtown La Crosse. This power plant fire, caused by a lightning strike, occurred 100 years ago, May 25, 1916, and resulted in much of La Crosse being without power for three days, according to Tribune files. The former site of this power plant is now occupied by the Riverside Parking Ramp on Second Street between Jay and King streets. When my father would declare, Its a good day to fly, he meant there was cloud cover and no more than a slight breeze. He didnt mean that there werent delays at OHare. It was a reference to World War II, when his European tour of duty lasted from December 1943 to May 1945. A time when the weather determined whether he would be going into combat that day. He was a waist gunner and radio operator on a B-24 Liberator bomber as part of the Armys 15th Air Force. I have his letters home, written from bases across the U.S. Yuma, Sioux Falls, Savannah then from towns all over Europe, sent through central post offices so that their origins couldnt be traced. These letters, scrawled in ink on government-approved stationery, were addressed to his mother (whom I dont believe could read) and his five sisters. My father, who loathed writing even short notes, wrote to his brothers-in law. He was the only one out of the nine siblings to serve in World War II. If my Dad wrote letters to his brothers, they didnt save them or at least they didnt give them to my brother or me; our small archive is drawn from the women in the family. At 18, my father was drafted. Hed never been out of New York before; his parents had emigrated from Sicily and never left the neighborhood where they first settled. Two weeks after he began basic training, his father died. He was sent home for three days and reassigned to a different group when he got back to Fort Dix; he always believed he owed his survival to that reassignment. There was no reason for this belief, and yet it remained unshakable. Maybe it was because there was nothing about survival or not surviving that made any sense. You either came back from a mission or you didnt. And many didnt. Nobody was to blame but the enemy, weather or mechanical failures. And so you came up with your own rationale for why some were more fortunate than others. You thanked your dead father and your own dumb luck. The few details that I remember of my fathers memories of the war are odd ones, or perhaps they simply reflect his unwillingness to reminisce. I must have been 15 or so when he told me that the only meal he looked forward to when he was in the Army was chicken-fried steak. I was a kid, remember, so I replied with the haughtiness of a nutritionist: Wasnt that incredibly unhealthy? He laughed for what must have been three minutes. Finally he sputtered, You think they worried about our cholesterol? When he assessed good days to fly, he was talking about heading over Axis targets to drop bombs. If the weather was too clear, the planes were too easy to spot; if the winds were too strong, the targets were harder to hit. His sole aim was to get back to the base with the plane and himself intact. About 20 years ago, my husband, Michael, and I were flying into Munich because one of his sons was spending his junior year abroad at a university in Tubingen. When I gave my father a copy of our itinerary he said, Oh, Munich! I know Munich. We bombed their ball bearing factories. He had one other story, about how in 1945 toward the very end of the war in Europe a dreaded Messerschmitt jet followed his plane, which was already damaged and split from its formation. The Messerschmitt was swift and agile; the beat-up B-24 was not. They figured they were done but after a few minutes, the German pilot waved his wings in a gesture of goodbye and took off in another direction. Ill never know why he let us go my father would repeat, especially as he got older and started remembering more, or at least revealing more about what he remembered. For some reason, Ive always lived under flight paths. From Brooklyn to Long Island to London to New York and now in Connecticut, I look up to see planes, large and small. I always hope its a good day to fly. Among Wisconsinites who lack ID cards and other documents proving their identity, race is a key factor in who requests free IDs to vote and whose requests are approved, according to data cited Monday in a court trial of a challenge to the states voter ID requirement. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are progressive groups and individuals who say they faced hardships to vote under recent election changes in Wisconsin. The most prominent of those is voter ID, set to take effect in a presidential election for the first time this November. Monday brought the second week of a trial of the suit in federal court in Wisconsins Western District. Attorneys questioned administrators for the Wisconsin DMV, which issues free voting IDs to those who request one and lack another state-issued ID card. The division also oversees a petition process for those who request a free voting ID but lack underlying documents, such as a birth certificate, required to obtain one. Such petitioners are few in number. But theyre central to the plaintiffs legal argument that voter ID disproportionately harms racial minorities, young people and the very poor. Members of those demographic groups are less likely to have a drivers license or other ID and also are less likely to have the underlying documents to get a free voting ID from the state, according to several expert witnesses in the suit. Some individual cases highlighted in the trial dealt with people whose names were misspelled on their birth certificates. Others were elderly African-Americans born in the Jim Crow South circumstances in which record-keeping often was incomplete. The state, as defendant in the suit, contends DMV staffers have worked extensively with those who request a free ID to help them get one. On Monday, the plaintiffs highlighted DMV data showing racial disparities in those who requested free IDs, as well as which of those requests were rejected. Two-thirds of the 981 people who used the petition process to request free IDs through April 19 were minorities, who make up 12 percent of the states citizen voting age population. Thats according to data submitted by the DMV to Allan Lichtman, an expert witness for the plaintiffs. Through May 12, the number who filed such petitions was up to 1,389, Kristina Boardman, DMV administrator, testified Monday. The majority of those petitioners, 1,132, successfully obtained IDs through the process, she said. The plaintiffs have focused on the handful of petitions that were rejected, arguing those voters were unlawfully disenfranchised. Of the 61 people whose requests were denied through May 13, 85 percent, or 52 of them, were African-American, Latino or Native American. The plaintiffs in the suit also cited cases of people who waited months or years to get a free ID after they requested one. In at least one case, a petitioner reportedly died while waiting for the state to issue them a free ID. Gov. Scott Walker earlier this month issued a rule he said is aimed at helping people to vote in the November election if theyre stalled in the petition process. It allows DMVs to issue temporary receipts to use in lieu of ID cards to those who are in the process of obtaining ID cards for voting but cant produce the necessary documents before the election. Walkers office said the rule could help those who have errors on documentation, such as a misspelled name on a birth certificate. Lets celebrate the rising young stars in the 7 Rivers Region the up-and-coming entrepreneurs and public servants who are making our region a better place to live. The 7 Rivers Alliance and the River Valley Media Group are seeking nominations for our Rising Stars Under 40 contest the people under age 40 who are making a positive difference as emerging leaders. There are so many dynamic young people who are sharing their time and talent to make their companies and their communities stronger and more vibrant, Publisher Mike Burns of the River Valley Media Group said. We want to share their stories, celebrate their contributions and encourage a new generation of dynamic leadership in the 7 Rivers Region. Thats especially important because a number of area employers could lose up to half of their workforce in the next five years, meaning that our emerging leaders will play a critical role in recruiting young talent to serve the 7 Rivers Region. Nominees must be under the age of 40 on Aug. 1, and work in the 7 Rivers Region. That includes Winona, Houston and Fillmore counties in Minnesota. Nominations are due July 1. In the spirit of celebration, the 7 Rivers Alliance and the River Valley Media Group will publish a special section honoring these rising stars and bring them together for a reception later this year. PHILADELPHIA When she was more than 100 years old, onetime New York socialite Brooke Astor became Americas most famous case of financial elder abuse. Her son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of stealing tens of millions of dollars of her assets. Her grandson Philip Marshall testified against his father and helped put him in jail. Today, Philip Marshall does speaking engagements around the country, talking about the red flags of such abuse. For years, my battle for my grandmother, and my battle against my father, consumed my life and consumed our family, he said. Last month, Marshall received an award from the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, or CARIE, based in Philadelphia. Astor died in 2007 at age 105. In 2009, after his fathers six-month criminal trial, Philip Marshall said, he realized that when elder abuse hits home, it hurts deeply. While my grandmother was emotionally and financially abused, her case is far from isolated. Millions of victims suffer similar injury. I watched my grandmothers world diminished and compromised by her own son, my father. Anthony Marshall, a former U.S. ambassador and Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, died in 2014 after being convicted of conning his mother into altering her will so he could gain control of her fortune, estimated at $200 million. He then disinherited his two children, Philip and Alexander, whose testimony helped put him in prison for swindling his mother, who had Alzheimers disease. After my fathers trial and after heart-wrenching testimony, this was a very bittersweet harvest, Philip Marshall recalled. In February 2015, Marshall testified before the U.S. Senates Special Committee on Aging. Then he took a leave from teaching at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island to become an elder-justice advocate. Awareness and advocacy are critical, he says. I could have disregarded calls for help from staff, caregivers and friends. I could have found false consolation in thinking my grandmother had had a good life and, in the throes of dementia, wasnt cognizant of her circumstances. I could have maintained the fallacy that families should not air their dirty linen in public even when financial assets are being stolen. He wants banks to monitor accounts owned by seniors, much as brokerage firms monitor customer accounts. Wall Street is way ahead of big banks on this, Marshall says. If Grandma is cashing $25,000 checks to a brand-new person, the banks should take note. They can use data mining to flag unusual transactions. Banks can report to law enforcement and Adult Protective Services, or share with a third party, a practice known as permissive reporting. One model is SeniorSafe in Maine, spearheaded by Judith Shaw, president of the North American Securities Administrators Association. SeniorSafe is a collaborative effort by Maine regulators, financial institutions, and legal organizations that educates bank and credit union employees on how to identify and help stop financial exploitation of older adults. Astor, once a society doyenne, lived her final years mostly on a urine-soaked couch in her drafty Park Avenue apartment, Philip Marshall revealed in a 2006 lawsuit. Priceless paintings, promised to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, went missing or were sold by Anthony Marshall. Astors son also forced his mother to sign codicils to her will, while at same time trying to declare her mentally incompetent. My father had power of attorney, and he used that as a weapon and a shield, starting by writing himself big checks, Philip Marshall recalls. The amounts were so large that these were irregular transactions on a bank account, which could have been detected and alerted her financial institution. Anthony Marshall was Brooke Astors only son, from her second marriage to Charles Marshall. After she was widowed, she married millionaire businessman William Vincent Astor and became a philanthropic powerhouse and a pillar of New York society. She inherited Astors personal fortune of $60 million, as well as the Astor Foundation money, donating to causes and institutions in New York City over the years. Other things that raised red flags? She was led to believe she didnt have any money. She was asking permission to buy things. Through the staff and caregivers, I found out she thought she was running out of money, and that things had to be sold, Philip Marshall said. Baby boomers in particular need to advocate for the elderly, he adds, since were not in the Sixties anymore, were in our 60s. We can effect a transformation now as great as what we did then. We benefit, and the next generation will too. You have the power to keep local news strong for the coming months. Your financial support today keeps our reporters ready to meet the needs of our city. Thank you for investing in your community. Stories like these are only possible with your help! Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe Los Angeles Police arrested Phillip Darryl Cole, 54, on Saturday afternoon for allegedly burning two homeless people in an encampment in the Vermont Knolls neighborhood in South L.A., according to the L.A. Times.Police haven't revealed many details about the incident or victims, but what we do know is that early Thursday morning, a man doused a tent with flammable liquid and lit it on fire. The victims are alive but were seriously injured. Police identified Cole, a local transient, on a bus bench near Florence Avenue and Figueroa Street. Likely because he poses a huge flight risk, Cole is being held on a stiff $1.27 million bail. As always, the homeless have it rough. But this year has been especially bad in L.A.. Computers and other machines have and will continue to change the way people do business and how we live. Many researchers use the term artificial intelligence (AI) to describe the thinking and intelligent behavior demonstrated by machines. While AI can be helpful to human beings, scientists warn, it can also be a threat. We live with artificial intelligence all around us. A few examples are iPhones personal assistant Siri, searches on the Internet, and autopilot programs on airplanes. AI is not new. But it is quickly getting more and more complex, and, well, more intelligent. Stuart Russell teaches computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He says humans should be sure to make AI products that we like. If we are going to make systems that are going to be more intelligent than us, its absolutely essential for us to understand how to absolutely guarantee that they only do things that we are happy with. In the future, Russell says, many of todays jobs that require a lot of physical labor will be replaced by machines with artificial intelligence. These include agricultural jobs, and ones with repetitive duties like telephone call centers. AI machines could also replace jobs like ones in the financial industry jobs that require studying a lot of data. This could lead to more questions. But if we replaced all the jobs that require human physical labor and then we replace all the jobs that require human mental labor, then you have to ask, well, 'Whats left?' Russell sees artificial intelligence changing the economy and current way of life. Most people will be employed, possibly even self-employed, in providing individualized personal services to other human beings, that we wont have mass employment in manufacturing or in financial services. He says that means the large factory, or large office building with thousands of people doing the same thing, will go away. Guruduth Banavar is IBMs Chief Science Officer of Cognitive Computing. He sees a future where new jobs such as data engineering will be created. The future will require everybody to work with these learning reasoning machines. So I think the skill set for many of these jobs will end up being different in the future. The health care industry is one area artificial intelligence is already changing. AI can process huge amounts of data, so doctors can use the most up-to-date information to diagnose and treat patients. IBMs Watson technology is already in use at hospitals in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Banavar says Watson helps doctors keep up with information. The difference between going to a doctor who has Watson versus not having Watson is very big, because when doctors, you go to a doctor today you might find somebody who is 10 years out of date. There is also a dangerous side to artificial intelligence. One example is combining drone aircraft technology and AI to create autonomous weapons. Stuart Russell is working to create international treaties to ban such weapons. He says the risk is that people will use this technology to develop a kind of poor mans nuclear weapon. It is a race against time because the weapons are starting to emerge, the research is moving into development, development is moving into production... IBMs Banavar points out the value of artificial intelligence, including search engines and the autopilot function on planes. The debate about whether artificial intelligence is good -- or bad -- for humans continues. Researchers agree there is no question that the technology is here, and will continue to change life on our planet. Im Anne Ball. Elizabeth Lee wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball wrote it for Learning English. George Grow 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 artificial intelligence n. the thinking and intelligent behavior put into machines repetitive adj. happening again and again data n. information cognitive adj. relating to or involving conscious mental activities like thinking, learning, understanding drone n. a small flying machine flown remotely by a pilot autonomous adj. existing or acting separately from other things or people Three people died over the weekend climbing Mount Everest and two others are missing. A 43-year-old Indian climber died as he was helped down the summit, or peak of the mountain, said Wangchu Sherpa of Trekking Camp Nepal on Monday. Two others died on Mount Everest within hours of each other this weekend. The first was Dutch citizen Eric Arnold, 35, followed by Australian Maria Strydom, 34. All the climbers reportedly died from altitude-related sickness, or a lack of oxygen. The area near Mount Everests summit has been called a death zone because the air is so thin, many people cannot survive without oxygen from a can. Two other Indian climbers Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh have been missing since Saturday. Wangchu Sherpa said it is not likely they could survive Mount Everests extreme weather conditions. The latest tragedies continue safety concerns about companies that assist climbers on Mount Everest. The head of the non-profit Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Tshering Sherpa, said some companies offer cheap packages to get business. But they use poor equipment. Climbers with well-managed companies employing experienced guides are safe, he said. Many people are trying to reach the summit at the same time, he said. Some climbers are delayed going up or coming down. This puts those climbers at more risk for sickness and death. This was a man-made disaster that may have been minimalized with the better management of the teams, he said. The last two disasters on Everest were caused by nature, but not this one. Tshering referred to last years earthquake and avalanche on Mount Everest that buried at least 19 people at a base camp. The other came in 2014, when 16 guides were killed while crossing a difficult part of the mountains. Both disasters halted climbing on Mount Everest for two years and raised concerns about the stability of mountain trails. But just last week, officials were upbeat about the rest of the climbing season after more than 200 people reached the summit in the previous 10 days. The base camp was busy with climbers preparing for trips before monsoon rains in June. The return of climbers to Mount Everest after two years has been good for the tourism economy in Nepal. Climbers pay for many services to help them reach the summit. They hire Sherpa mountain guides, cooks, porters and medical teams. They also pay for official permission, or permits, to hike. These expenses bring in millions of dollars for Nepal. Now Nepal tourism officials will have to re-evaluate the climbing season as they wait and see how the latest deaths on Mount Everest affect future business. Im Bryan Lynn. Anjana Pasricha reported on this story for VOANews.com. Additional material came from The Associated Press and Reuters news agency. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments, and post on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story base camp n. a camp from which mountaineering trips begin summit n. the highest point of a hill or mountain porter n. a person hired to carry luggage or other loads altitude n. the height of an object or point underline v. to emphasize something, such as a position cheap adj. very low in price stability n. the quality or state of something not easily changed evacuation n. the act of emptying a person or place minimize v. to reduce something to the smallest possible degree upbeat adj. cheerful, positive, optimistic reevaluate v. evaluate again or differently Doctors in Pakistan are studying two brothers who seem in fine health during the day, but are unable to move when the sun goes down. The school-age boys, 9-year-old Shoaib Ahmed and 13-year-old Abdul Rasheed, live near the city of Quetta. They have been called solar kids because of their condition. Their father, Muhammad Hashim, says the boys lead a perfectly normal life during the day. But once the sun goes down, they go into a vegetative state. They are unable to walk, talk or even open their eyes. They cant eat or drink, nor get up or lay down, the father said. But we are hopeful they will be okay by the grace of God, he added. A team of 38 doctors has performed hundreds of tests on the boys in an effort to identify the possible cause of their condition. Pakistans government is providing free medical care to their family. Doctors have sent blood samples to researchers in other countries. They have also conducted tests on other family members. Researchers have gone to the boys village to collect soil and air samples. Doctor Javed Akram is with Pakistans Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. He said the nightly paralyzation of the boys remains a big mystery. What we have understood from research is that it happens when neurotransmitters in the brain suffer imbalance, he said. Dr. Akrams team is currently working with doctors in five other countries to learn more about the condition. They guide us a lot and we are moving forward together on this, he said. The boys father has a simple theory about what causes the condition. I think my sons get energy from the sun, he said. But doctors have already ruled out the possibility that sunlight is responsible. They note that the boys can move normally during the day even when kept in a dark room or during a storm. Im Bryan Lynn. Muhammad Ishtiaq and Robert Raffaele reported on this story for VOANews. Bryan Lynn adapted their report for Learning English. The Associated Press provided additional material used in this story. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story solar adj. relating to or determined by the sun vegetative adj. a state in which a person loses cognitive ability grace n. a virtue coming from god conduct v. to organize and carry out sample n. a small amount of something given for trying or testing paralyzed adj. when a person or part of the body is partly or fully not able to move neurotransmitter n. a substance in the body that carries a signal from one nerve cell to another imbalance n. a lack of proportion or relation between two things President Barack Obama has lifted the 50-year-old limit on the sales of military weapons to Vietnam. The announcement of the decision was made by Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang Monday at a joint news conference with Obama in Hanoi, following a meeting between the two leaders. Quang also said the two countries have agreed to strengthen their partnership. He said their militaries will cooperate, and there will be an increase in trade, health care and visits by citizens of each country. He called Obamas decision an end to a painful chapter. Obama said the weapons sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those on human rights, but this change ensures Vietnam has access to equipment it needs to defend itself. Obama noted that the United States and Vietnam have both fought and cooperated during the past century. He said the two countries have had diplomatic relations for the past 20 years, and the relationship has reached a new moment. Obama told reporters that the decision was not made because of Chinas increased aggression in the area. He said it was made because both countries want to complete a long process that many veterans of the Vietnam War began many years ago. He noted that one of the veterans was a former prisoner of war, Republican Senator John McCain. Hua Chunying is a spokeswoman for Chinas foreign ministry. She said, as a close neighbor to Vietnam, we welcome (a) normal and cooperative relationship between Vietnam and other countries, and we certainly hope such development of bilateral relations is conducive to regional peace and security. She said, the arms embargo is the product of the Cold War. It should not have existed. We hope for a normal relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam. But on Sunday, Chinas official news agency said, the calculating move will serve only Washingtons own strategic purposes as the United States seeks a re-balance in the Asia-Pacific. Obama noted that the U.S. and Vietnam still do not agree on many human rights issues. And he said each weapons sale will be reviewed before it can take place. But he said it is right to end the ban because of an increased level of trust and dialogue between the militaries of the two countries. He said more American ships may enter Vietnams ports at the invitation of the government. Phil Robertson is the deputy director and Asia director of Human Rights Watch. The group strongly disagrees with Obamas decision to end the weapons ban. Robertson said, as Obama was lifting the U.S. arms embargo, the Vietnam authorities were busy arresting journalist Doan Trang and other human rights activists and bloggers on the street and in their houses. In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam and basically got nothing for it. Im George Grow. VOA Correspondent Cindy Saine reported this story from Hanoi. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. Bomb attacks in two Syrian cities left at least 100 people dead and many others wounded Monday. Syrian state television and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on the attacks. Four bombs exploded in Jableh, a city on the Mediterranean Sea. At least one of the bombings was a suicide attack. Syrias state news agency said three rockets were fired into the city. It said the rockets hit a bus station near the entrance to the town. At least 53 people were killed in that attack, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian military forces are in control of Jableh. Three more bombs at least one of which was a suicide attack - exploded in Tartus, a city 60 kilometers south of Jableh on the Mediterranean coast. The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights called the bombings in Tartus an unprecedented attack. Syria's state news agency reported that attackers targeted a bus station in Tartus. Syrian state television said at least one suicide attacker set off explosives near the bus station. Minutes later, a car bomb exploded at the station. Another 48 people died in that attack. A news agency linked to the Islamic State said the militant group was responsible. The Amaq news agency reported on social media that "attacks by Islamic State fighters hit Alawite gatherings in Tartus and Jableh on the Syria coast." The militants and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad follow competing forms of Islam. Assad and his family are Alawites. Im Jonathan Evans. This story first appeared on VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted the story 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 kilometer n. a measurement of length equal to 1,000 meters unprecedented adj. never done or known before People in Ivory Coasts largest city have tired of youth gang members who have terrorized parts of Abidjan. Abidjan residents say the young men and boys some as young as 10 years old have been linked to attacks, robberies and even murders. The residents call these youth gangs microbes, the French word for germs. They are very dangerous elements, said one woman about the groups, adding that they usually control local streets at night. A few days ago, she said, they attacked an internet cafe. The gangs started in a crowded, poor neighborhood of Abidjan called Abobo. It is not known exactly how many microbes there are, but the best estimate is several hundred. One man said that even when people catch gang members doing criminal acts and turn them over to police, they are seen back on the streets days later. Police do organize raids and arrest the microbes, but many get released quickly because they are so young. There is no follow-up, no justice, the man said. So next time we wont take him to authorities, he will be lynched, and thats all, the man added. Last month, angry residents killed a 19-year-old gang chief in the street. That attack fueled revenge attacks on citizens. Some residents have set up their own self-defense groups to deal with the problem. A man named Issa leads one of those groups. He said gang members are attacking mothers and parents in the neighborhood in very violent ways. He added that police had only a single car patrolling the neighborhood and this is not enough to protect residents. He compared the situation to being trapped with lions and not being able to defend yourself. Some resident groups arm themselves with sticks and long knives while guarding the streets at night. But Issa said carrying defensive weapons did not stop the violence so they have now turned to a different method. We told ourselves we should try to establish trust between us and these kids, he said. Residents are now trying to listen to gang members and try to understand what causes them to turn to crime. Most of the gang members still have parents, but they mainly live away from them on the streets. One young man said he has nothing to eat at home because no one in his family has a job. I had to take care of myself, he said. The government is trying to reach out to gang members. The government also has a program to protect vulnerable children. Leontine Zagba heads the program through Ivory Coasts Ministry of Women, Family and Child Protection. When you have no self-esteem, you have nothing to lose and will do anything, she said. The government is trying to help some gang members get their self-esteem back. A test project last year sent about 70 teenagers to a rehabilitation center to learn work-related skills like mechanics, woodworking and sewing. But many former microbes still have trouble when they try to get a job. Im Bryan Lynn. Emilie Iob reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments, and post on our Facebook page, thank you! ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story gang n. an organized group of criminals germ n. a microorganism that causes disease patrol v. top keep watch over an area by regularly walking or traveling through it machete n. a broad heavy knife often used as a weapon vulnerable adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally or emotionally self-esteem n. confidence in ones own worth or abilities resident n. a person who lives somewhere permanently lynch v. to kill someone for an alleged offense with or without a legal trial kid n. the informal term for a child or young person teenager n. a person aged 13 to 19 Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida gestures during a press conference at the International Media Center in Hiroshima, Japan on April 11, 2016 after Foreign Ministers meeting of G7 countries visit the Peace Memorial Museum. [Photo/IC] On Friday, Japan's Foreign Ministry released the agenda of the G7 summit meeting, which the island country will host this week. Social and economic issues aside, Japan has decided to put "maritime security" on the agenda, saying it will highlight the "importance of rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes". Japan will also hold two outreach sessionsone for Asia and the other for Africaon the sidelines of the G7 meeting. As it is the first summit to be held in Asia in eight years, Japan has taken it as an opportunity to talk about the region's path towards prosperity. So it has invited the leaders of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam to discuss "quality infrastructure investment" and "open and stable seas". When two Japanese officials gave a briefing on the summit on Friday, a Tokyo-based German journalist said Asia's prosperity is not possible without China and the Republic of Korea, two major players in East Asia. "You haven't invited China and South Korea to the summit. Does that make sense?" he asked. The two officials were obviously surprised by this question because they could hardly find words to answer. It is fair to say that even though Japan, the only Asian nation in the G7 group, wants to put regional issues on the summit's agenda, the exclusion of China and the Republic of Korea makes such discussions essentially meaningless. With many tough, complicated issues challenging the region, this is a missed opportunity to foster a sense of cooperation in the face of common challenges. The World Bank has trimmed its 2016 and 2017 economic growth forecasts for East Asia. While developing nations in East Asiafrom Indonesia to Chinahave benefited from careful economic policies, global risks are considerable and threaten the region's outlook. Among these are a slowdown in high-income countries, the slump in exports and financial market volatility. At the same time, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is brittle and could break at any moment, provoking a crisis of global dimensions. China, Japan and the ROK are members of the Six-Party Talks, a framework to resolve the DPRK nuclear issue through dialogue. China's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei has visited the ROK and Japan for discussions on the resumption of the Six-Party Talks aimed at denuclearizing the peninsula. It is urgent for regional governments to coordinate more and forge a greater sense of cooperation to overcome the difficulties and fulfill the high hopes and aspirations of people living in the region. Better cooperation would strengthen the economic foundations, extend prosperity to the furthest reaches of the region and allow it to play an important role in the world commensurate with its size and economic importance. Plainly, Japan's government has not convinced itself of the importance of cooperation with the country's neighbors. Cooperation with China would reduce Japan's vulnerabilities rather than exacerbate them, said Sheila Smith, senior fellow with the US Council on Foreign Relations, in her book Intimate Rivals: Japanese Domestic Politics and a Rising China. The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn Kriti Sanon and Sushant Singh Rajput are currently in Budapest shooting for the film Raabta, which is all set to release in February 2017. But if rumours are to be believed, the makers of the film have roped in Deepika Padukone for a special song appearance. According to this Times of India article, Deepika will join the cast in Budapest on 1 June to shoot a peppy song composed by Pritam. "Deepika is Dinesh [Vijan]'s lucky mascot. When he shared the idea with her, she immediately came on board," says a source to TOI. Raabta is a romance-drama, and the film has already been in the news for the sizzling chemistry between the lead pair. Deepika, on the other hand, has just wrapped up her schedule for xXx: The Return of Xander Cage with Vin Diesel. She had earlier done a song appearance in Dum Maaro Dum for a song with the same name. Sir Ian McKellen has essayed some of the most iconic literary roles on the big screen - from Gandalf the Grey in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to Sherlock Holmes, and Magneto in X-Men. But in his own words, the roles he's enjoyed doing the most are the ones based on William Shakespeare's stories. In India for Shakespeare Lives, a global programme launched by the British Council and GREAT Britain Campaign to celebrate the Bard's works and influence on film, McKellen spoke to Firstpost on the influence of Shakespeare on his life, the universality of his stories and the need for people to discover Shakespeare in film and theatre. "Shakespeare has been a part of my life since a very early age, when I saw a Shakespeare production. It's been something I have really enjoyed as an audience and subsequently acting. It's not the only sort of acting I'd like to do but I cannot imagine what my life could have been without Shakespeare," he told Firstpost. Speaking of 'Shakespeare in Film', one can't not talk about Vishal Bhardwaj, who is often known as 'Bardwaj' for his brilliant translation of the Bard's works in Bollywood. With Maqbool (based on Macbeth) Omkara (based on Othello) and Haider (Based on Hamlet), Bhardwaj has expertly captured the Shakespearean themes in Indian context. Maqbool was based in the Mumbai underworld, Omkara in rural Uttar Pradesh and Haider in 1990s Kashmir. McKellen himself brings up Bhardwaj, saying, "There is not a word of Shakespeare in Bhardwaj's films but it's to do with themes and with the characters and situations (that make it Shakespearean.)" From Elizabethen to contemporary settings, theatre to big screen, Britain to India, Shakespeare's works are enduring. Asked about this universal imapct, Mckellen says, "he's like play doh or plasticine you can just screw him into a ball you can throw him away but he will keep bouncing back." Watch Ian Mckellen in conversation with Firstpost here. Spoiler Alert: Do not read further if you've not watched Game of Thrones, Season 6, Episode 5. The Door, what an episode! Wow. Last week, I was joyous that there weren't many characters (relevant and important to the show's premise) that died. I think I spoke too soon. By the end of the episode, I went into a fit, much like how Hodor does and then I hugged my knees and became what can be only described a sobbing mess. After I recovered from a classic Game of Thrones episode, one that simply shreds the viewers' guts, rams daggers into hopeful hearts and mangles one's very core, it all seems to be coming together bloody beautifully. First, let's get one thing out of the way: Ser Jorah finally confessed his love for Danaerys, knowing fully well that he is mostly likely going to die of grayscale and also knowing that he will never get out of the friend-zone. Ever. For anyone who has ever experienced love, unrequited, such a confession would be impassioned, powerful; the scene between Danaerys and Ser Jorah was awkward, artificial and lacked emotional depth. It was wooden (much like Jorah's skin) and underwhelming, especially with Daario Naharis hearing the whole thing (give them some space for Gods sake!). It was a tawdry way of addressing unrequited love and terminal illness. In Mereen, another Red Woman, Kinvara, makes an appearance at Tyrion's doorstep. Tyrion, palpably scared (or perhaps charmed by her beauty read as cleavage) was a stuttering mess as he appeared too grateful when she responded positively to him to help Danaerys maintain her reputation as the Mother of Dragons, Unburnt etc among the masses. Varys on the other hand is quite sceptical, but in that fairly short scene, this new Red Woman shuts Varys up by telling she knows personal things about how his genitals were cut-off by the second grade sorcerer Varys looks scared and convinced. There was something off about this new character, she's definitely sketchy and also perhaps someone we should watch out for. In the grey, cloudy, Iron Islands, Yara doesn't manage to claim the throne. Surprise! Surprise! She is mansplained by her uncle, Euron Greyjoy (who killed Balon) that he would do a much better job than her as a King. All those gathered, smitten and sold by his gregarious mansplaining oration cheer for him. Yara and Theon are now on the run for their lives because right after Euron is proclaimed king he says, "Where are my niece and nephew? Let's go murder them." Ah. Classic Game of Thrones. There's more brother-sister bonding time in Castle Black and they set out to take the North back, by taking baby steps. Sansa, like I had argued in my earlier piece, is in fact stepping up to take the Stark name and more importantly lead, she is also lying and keeping things from her brother qualities that are important for leadership in this really twisted fantasy world, I suppose. Arya's gotten a new assignment to kill and again, it looks like she might mess up because the girl asks too many questions. All these storylines were small developments, compared to what's going on in Bran Stark's part of the world. Time moves slow in Bran's quarters, also tedious and oft boring. He's a greenseer a quality/power (almost nonexistent, extremely rare) that allows him to travel to the past, see the present, control the minds of beasts (and Hodor, so probably another human as well) and see into the future. We have all wondered about Bran's role in the war(s?) to come, what is the three-eyed raven teaching him? Bran is the key to unlocking many mysteries in the past, especially if he knows about Jon Snow's mother: is she Lyanna Stark? Does he also have the Targaryen blood in him? Bored out of his wits (probably because the Three-Eyed Raven keeps pulling him out of the interesting parts of the past), Bran goes on a solo trip, but what he sees is the army of the dead the White Walkers and the Night's King (yes, the really bada** Zombie-blue-eyed chap from previous season's Hard Home). Bran stays there too long and the Night's King touches Bran, leaving his mark upon Bran, and the sacred cave is no longer a safe place for Bran because the White Walkers can now enter it and they do. This unauthorised solo weir-wood session cost Bran deeply. An important revelation in this episode is that the Children of The Forest had in fact created The White Walkers to protect themselves from the men who were plundering their land and their forests. In an action-packed ten minutes, Bran and co are asked to run out of there, a place that is now crawling with zombie skeletons. Summer valiantly defends his master and friends and dies. Through the visions, the Three-Eyed Raven takes Bran to the stables in Winterfell, where his grandfather tells a young Ned to "fight to win" and in the background, you see Willys (Hodor). As the Night's King stabs the three-eyed raven, he vanishes into black dust in Winterfell. Hodor carries Bran out to safety as Meera yells: "Hold the door, Hold the door" and carries Bran's sled. Hodor stands against the door with all his might, keeping the zombies from coming out, screeching Hodor...Hodor...Hodor. In Winterfell, Willys, the young boy convulses screaming "Hold the door...Hold the door...Hodor." Replete with supernatural elements White Walkers, zombie skeletons, Bran's taking control of Hodor's mind and his visions in Winterfell this portion of the episode was perhaps the most human in all of Game of Thrones history. Unwittingly, Bran is asked to grow up his childish mistake, his deviance throws him with a slap from his own reality he is not ready as the Three-Eyed Raven tells him and yet, Bran has to be ready, there is simply no other choice. The show really triumphs in Hodor's demise. He never said a word other than Hodor in the entire series and yet has gotten the honour and accolades he deserves through his death. Hodor was just as human as humans can be and as heroic as heroes can be. The show has fully embraced the notions of 'prophecy' and 'destiny' with this Hodor's entire life was meant for this one beautiful sacrifice. In the previous season, Cersei's encounter with the blood-witch or maegi (also highlighted in season 6) has sown certain seeds in her mind. Throughout the show, various Lords do various awful biddings based on 'unfounded' prophecies. In the previous seasons of the show, there was a general dismissal of destiny and prophecy. By pitting various prophecies against the other, they didn't mean much and could be dismissed as superstition. Not all the prophecies came true, while some did, so the believers could believe and the non-believers were happy not to. For example, Melisandre did blood magic and revealed that Stannis Baratheon was meant to claim the Iron Throne that's clearly not the case. Shireen's death was supposed to ward off imminent danger to Stannis as well again that was not true. However, Jon Snow coming back to life, Melisandre seeing only Snow in the flames, the fact that Willys' (Hodor) epileptic seizure as a child was meant to protect Bran way ahead in the future is quite troubling to the mind. Prophecies help guide the story characters on the show are supposed to either confront these destinies or conform to them. The show seems more comfortable with the supernatural than it was ever before. Game of Thrones, despite its dragons and blood-magic, has been about cause and effect and people's self-interests, agendas how they generate the plot. Now, it will be interesting to see how much more of 'crystal ball' techniques will influence the story that is essentially about men and women their bloodlust and quest for absolute power. Correction: The article has been updated to reflect Euron Greyjoy instead of Aeron Greyjoy. The fifth episode of Game of Thrones season 6 is out and it was action-packed, the ending was not what we had hoped we would get to see. Ever. [Spoilers ahead] As Hodor, the 'gentle giant' who has helped Bran over the last few seasons and perhaps the only 'family' Bran thought he was left with, is now gone. #HoldTheDoor hashtag went viral as grieving fans took to social media to describe their pain and angst. And we share in that sorrow. RIP Hodor. Weather forecast: A massive flood made of tears of #GameofThrones fans will drown this world tonight. #Holdthedoor Purva Bhogle (@PurvaBhogle) May 22, 2016 Hoooold the dooor Hooold the dooor #Holdthedoor Holdoor Hodor What a sad story stop missing with us #GameofThrones Pablo (@Naif__79) May 22, 2016 #GameofThrones #HoldTheDoor Hold the door! Hol the door! Hol t door! Hol dor Ho dor Hodor J. Tovar (@coffeeandwine1) May 22, 2016 #HoldTheDoor. And he held it. One of the most emotional episodes in GoT ever. Coleen Nevado (@Kyuleen) May 22, 2016 Until his dying breath, he held the door. #HoldTheDoor JV Membrebe (@jvmembrebe) May 22, 2016 New Delhi: In a perpetual tussle between the state straining to regulate prices of private enterprises versus free markets, private airlines have won the first round. After aviation regulator DGCA published its latest analysis on fares over the weekend, no one in his right mind can seek regulation of air fares. This was an analysis of 20 domestic sectors on revenue earned and the number of seats sold by scheduled private airlines in the highest fare bucket. And all the DGCA has to show for its efforts is that the highest revenue share from highest priced tickets was just 3.52% across India's six private airlines. This was shown for just one private airline on one sector. Other airlines earned ridiculously low revenue share from highest priced tickets across various sectors, punching holes in the war cry against exorbitant air fares. So Jet Airways earned close to 96% of its revenue on the Delhi-Dehradun sector by selling tickets at various price bands lower than the highest fare. On this sector, less than 1% of total seats offered by Jet Airways were sold at the highest priced ticket. IndiGo's biggest indiscretion was on the Kolkata-Chennai sector where it earned just 0.47% of its total revenue from highest priced tickets, by selling 0.17% of its seats! GoAir earned just 3.41% of its revenue on the Delhi-Patna route through the highest priced tickets by selling less than 1.3% of total seats on the sector on this fare. Similar stats are available for SpiceJet, Vistara and AirAsia India. These data follow close on the heels of another study which the DGCA had conducted for fares in 2014, where again airlines were spared the blushes as number of seats sold on the highest fare bucket were minimal. Then, a check on air fares on 10 busy domestic routes by the ministry of civil aviation last Diwali again found airlines pricing tickets at "reasonable" levels. Though air passenger associations have questioned such data in the past and some industry experts warn that DGCA is not really equipped to conduct such an analysis - the fact remains that India should stay away from price raj. It will be in no one's interest if the state begins to control air fares. Over the last several months, dozens of Members of Parliament have spoken in one voice on the urgent need to cap air fares, saying airlines are fleecing flyers. A Parliamentary Standing Committee, in fact, recommended earlier this month that there should be a cap on at least Economy Class fares, alleging that airlines have been charging "predatory" fares during peak seasons. If the government actually accedes to MPs and caps air fares, it would be doing the airlines a huge disservice. In a highly competitive domestic airline industry which has been bleeding for years due to government's own skewed taxation policies, capping of fares is neither practical nor advisable. Besides, capping could embolden airlines to seek an assurance from the government over return on investment, like in the case of airports with regulated tariffs. Just like cab rides, flyers rarely complain when they get one-way, all inclusive tickets of about Rs 1,000 or Rs 1,500 or similarly ridiculous low prices. They also forget to vent their anger on social media when they book seats on an airplane at dirt cheap prices through advance booking. As we speak, private airlines are running a summer discount campaign where seats are available at ridiculously low prices. MPs and others agitated over air fares have been pointing to instances such as the recent Jat agitation when airlines charged exorbitant fares for even short routes. Earlier, Indians working in the Gulf region complained to the Prime Minister about exorbitant fares during holidays and peak summer season. The government must step in when airlines begin charging exorbitant sums during, say, natural calamities or unforeseen disasters. It already does, by asking Air India to offer seats at reasonable rates and warning private airlines against jacking up prices. This is a wise move but anything beyond this to regulate fares is going to be counter productive. Anyway, as per existing laws, air fares cannot be capped. With the repeal of Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the provision of airfare approval was dispensed with by the Government. Under the prevailing regulation (Sub Rule (1) of Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937), every air transport undertaking engaged in scheduled air services is required to establish tariff, taking into account relevant factors such as the cost of operation, characteristic of service, reasonable profit and the generally prevailing tariff. In addition to the legal hurdle on capping fares, the ministry is also bound by its own earlier directive which asked all airlines to display fares on their websites in compliance of Sub Rule 02 of Rule 135, Aircraft Rule 1937. Airlines remain compliant to the regulations as long as the fare charged by them does not exceed the fare structure displayed on their website. And this stipulation has rarely been broken. The DGCA has a fare monitoring unit (TAU) which regularly analyses fares and whether airlines are violating the fare buckets which are already pre-determined for each route. Then, the Competition Commission of India also steps in occasionally, checking air fares. The best way to allow the airline sector to grow is to let the carriers decide how to price tickets, where all to mount flights and what business model to follow. Already, airlines are fuming over a proposal to cap fares to regional routes at Rs 2,500 per hour of flying. This is one of the proposals in the Draft Civil Aviation Policy. The government believes that if there is viability gap funding (VGF) given to airlines for mounting flights on these less-viable routes, it is within its rights to cap fares. Airlines, of course, beg to differ. And of course, if even after VGF the cost of flying on such routes is more than the revenue generated, an airline will decline to launch flights. The government has not exactly covered itself with glory over its handling of Air India, the sarkari airline which continues to guzzle crores of taxpayers' money while remaining buried under a mountain of accumulated losses. Because of its parentage, this airline is forced to obey dictats on fares, routes etc. But if private airlines were to run their businesses on capped fares, we may soon have many more Kingfisher Airlines in our skies. German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer on Monday said it had offered $62 billion for US agriculture group Monsanto in a move which would create the world's biggest supplier of seeds, pesticides and genetically modified crops. "Bayer has made an all-cash offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Monsanto company for $122 per share or an aggregate value of $62 billion" (55 billion euros), the German firm said in a statement. The German chemicals and drugs group said it expected synergies from the merger which would result in annual earnings contributions of around $1.5 billion after three years. The announcement comes just days after Monsanto said it had received an unsolicited bid from Bayer following weeks of speculation about a possible tie-up. According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies would together account for around 28 percent of global sales of pesticides and herbicides. Low commodity prices -- which have caused farmers to cut orders for supplies -- have piled the pressure on agricultural suppliers like Monsanto, which is based in Saint Louis, Missouri. In March, the US firm slashed its earnings forecast for 2016. Last year, following an unsuccessful bid for Syngenta, Monsanto embarked on a huge restructuring programme, saying it would axe 3,600 jobs -- or 16 percent of its workforce -- by 2018, closing sites and writing down assets. A major manufacturer of agricultural seeds and herbicides, Monsanto employs about 20,000 workers and describes itself as one of the world's leading biotechnology companies. Bayer, which employs around 117,000 workers, turned in record profits and sales in 2015, notching up a net profit of 4.1 billion euros on sales of 46.3 billion euros. Srinagar: Even as the Jammu and Kashmir government prepares to massively increase footprint of both local and foreign tourists this year, the daring attacks carried out by unidentified militants on the cops Tuesday could well trample its plans to have a bumper tourist season. Three personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police, including an officer, were killed in two attacks in three hours in Zadibal locality and Tengpora area of Srinagar, rattling a lull prevailing over the city for some time now. Early on Tuesday morning suspected militants struck at two different places in the heart of Srinagar city. The first attack took place in Zadibal locality, where two policemen were shot dead by suspected militants. According to eye witnesses, two motorcycle borne youths stopped in front of a tea stall near a police post, where two policeman assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad and head constable Nazir Ahmad, were having tea, when the attackers shot them dead. As the disturbing pictures of the killed policemen were being ferociously circulated on social networking sites, the news of the death of third policeman came in from Tengpora area of Srinagar, where the assailant even decamped with his service rifle. The killings come at a time when police in Srinagar have been searching for some missing boys from different areas of Srinagar, sources in Kashmir Police, said. The state government, according to officials, has been working hard these days to persuade tourists and filmmakers to return to Kashmir Valley, but these attacks are likely to have a bearing on the minds of both local and foreign tourists. National Conference working president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah termed the killings as worrying. Omar asked Mehbooba-led PDP-BJP government to reassure residents of Srinagar and visitors and allay their fears. Militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujhadeen called a news agency to take responsibility of the attack. Its operational spokesperson Burhanuddin Wani told the news agency that the attack was carried out by a special squad of the outfit. Besides, killing three policemen of Special Operation Group, the militants managed to decamp with a rifle of a slain policeman, he said. The last such attack took place in 2013 when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. Owing to the promotional activities of the tourism department of state, 92,7815 tourists, including 28,954 foreigners, visited Kashmir in 2015, official data says. To improve footfall of tourists this summer, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, on Monday sought cooperation from all tourism and business stakeholders. Seeking support in maintaining peace at all costs, the chief minister said the states tourism and business fraternity have to suffer the brunt when atmosphere of peace is disturbed in the Valley. But MY Chapri, former chairman of Houseboat Owners Association, told Firstpost that it was surprising for him how at the beginning of every tourist season there is suddenly an attack in Kashmir, which works well in favour of other tourist destinations and decreases the number of tourists visiting the state. Todays attack could well deter tourists like every attack does from coming to Kashmir. Outsiders have little idea that no tourist has ever been harmed in Kashmir, but still people get scared to come to Kashmir, he said. I pray that at least this year we would witness an increase in the number of tourists coming to Kashmir. We are hoping for a revival of tourist industry in Kashmir after the devastating floods. The government is also trying to help, he said. Mufti who holds the tourism portfolio has been pushing for revival in both the infrastructure and attitude of players towards the tourists. She told a delegation of industry players on Monday that they have to reach out to tourists with open arms, so that they experience the rich hospitality for which we are famous all over the world. But no one knew that on the next day the militants would strike in the heart of city and imprint fear not just on just in the minds of locals but tourists too. State government officials say the attacks were designed to scare away tourists in the peak travel season. However, the attacks happened far away from the tourist spots in the city. When the Handwara incident happened we had almost 50 percent booking cancelled. Outside media tends to exaggerate things as everyone is being killed on the streets of Srinagar. Naturally these shootouts also would have an impact on the industry, Javed Burza, president, Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF), told Firstpost. We are expecting a tourist season better than then last five years. Hope we there would be no more attacks, he said. New Delhi: ED is soon expected to make a fresh request for Vijay Mallya's extradition under the India- UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in connection with its money laundering probe against the liquor baron in an alleged bank loan fraud case. Officials said the agency is expected to place the request before the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) soon, in order to execute the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by a Mumbai court against Mallya, seeking execution of the 1992 signed MLAT between the two countries against a fugitive. The India-UK MLAT has a clause where the treaty can be invoked in a criminal probe case seeking the "transfer of persons, including persons in custody, for the purpose of assisting in investigations or giving evidence" and it is understood that ED considers this step a better legal tool than the regular extradition action to get a person back to country, under investigation by Indian probe agencies. In extradition without MLAT, an agency has to file a charge sheet first and then notify the counterpart country to send back the fugitive, which is a time taking affair. The agency, which wants Mallya to join the probe in the Rs 900 crore IDBI alleged loan fraud probe case "in person", has virtually exhausted all legal options to bring him back to India including issuance of the NBW warrant against him based on which it made the requests for revocation of his passport and subsequent deportation bid. However, the UK had early this month made it clear that the liquor baron cannot be deported and had asked India to seek his extradition instead. The agency has also asked the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him even as it is working to attach Mallya's Indian assets under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED is also understood to be considering issuing Letters Rogatory (judicial requests) to at least seven countries to not only probe Mallya's finances but also that of his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA). Mallya had left India on 2 March using his diplomatic passport. The agency has registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on an FIR registered last year by the CBI. ED is also investigating financial structure of Kingfisher Airlines and looking into any payment of kickbacks to secure loans. India has tightened rules for the sale of genetically-modified cotton seeds, a government order said, in a move that will cap royalties for any new variety that the market's sole supplier - U.S.-based Monsanto Co - decides to develop and sell. The farm ministry in March cut royalties that local seed firms pay to Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India) (MMB), a Monsanto joint venture with India's Mahyco, following complaints from domestic firms that the venture was overcharging for a gene that produces its own pesticide. As well as cutting the royalties, the government capped genetically modified (GM) cotton seed prices at 800 rupees for a packet of 450 grams after appeals by some state governments and farmers to lower the price of the Bt variety that commands 90 percent of the market in India. Now, if Monsanto decides to introduce any new, advanced variety of its GM cotton, the world's biggest seed company cannot charge royalties more that 10 percent of the price of seeds, fixed at 800 rupees, for five years from the date of commercialisation, according to Thursday's ruling. From the sixth year, the royalties, or trait value, will taper down by 10 percent every year, said the order, which laid down these guidelines without naming Monsanto. Also, as GM traits are expected to have a limited period of efficacy, any variety which loses its effectiveness will not be eligible for royalties, the order said. The new order is tougher than the royalty arrangements announced in March. "We are evaluating the order," said a Monsanto spokesman in India. The order also specified that any local seed company seeking licences for selling any new Bt cotton variety shall get the licence within 30 days of requesting the licensor. Terming the latest order as a "huge blow" to innovation in agricultural biotechnology, the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises-Agriculture Focus Group, a pro-GM advocacy group, said the decision would discourage companies from investing in research. Bhubhaneshwar: Pitching for better business environment for startups, Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan on Saturday said India has done away with the 'licence raj', but 'inspector raj' continues to some extent. He also said that regulations should be for betterment of the industry and not to discourage entrepreneurs and suggested a system of self-certification for the industries with some checks on the part of the authorities to prevent any misuse. Advocating an easier set of regulations for small and medium enterprises in India, Rajan gave examples of the UK and Italy saying, "We have seen that while regulations are liberal in United Kingdom, it is very heavy in Italy. It is seen that the start ups in the UK grow faster than their Italian counterparts." Addressing ministers, bankers, bureaucrats and other stakeholders at the 4th Odisha Knowledge Hub, the RBI chief also said Indian economy is in the midst of recovery but some areas are still under stress. Calling for a need to focus on the development of small and medium enterprises that require 'hand-holding' by the state governments and other agencies, Rajan said, "Indian economy is in the midst of recovery. However, some areas are still under stress and need to be focused in order to get them better." A good monsoon will be helpful for the growth of the economy, Rajan added. Small and medium enterprise require focused attention, the governor said and mooted setting up new institutions to finance SMEs to ensure easy access to funds. Rajan said public sector banks have increased their credit to small and medium enterprises after RBI identified medium enterprises as priority sector and that he was optimistic about growth of startups if provided required facilities to grow. "Provision of easy entry and easy exit, smooth availability of finance, access to input and output market, protection from creditable taxes and healthy competition in the sector are the areas need to be focused by the planners and the governments," Rajan said and called upon entrepreneurs to take risk under safety net. Stating that the government needed to create a proper environment for the start ups, he said "though India has done away with the licence raj, inspector raj continues to some extent". Factory and boiler inspectors and other field level regulators should have adequate knowledge on the initiatives being taken by the government and RBI for the betterment of small and medium enterprises, he said. Light regulation, he said, is very important in small and medium enterprise sector and a heavy regulation many times do not give easy entry and easy exit which is why people keep away from it. Field level regulators must have information regarding the initiatives, he added. The RBI governor appreciated the system of self certification for the industries. He, however, said the authorities should ensure that there is no misuse of it. Rajan stressed on easy access to finance for the sector as people who come here were mostly start ups. After RBI in its last revision identified medium enterprises in the priority area, bank lending to them had increased from Rs 4 lakh crore in 2012 to Rs 7 lakh crore in 2015, he said, adding public sector banks had increased their lending ratio to SME sector during last some years. Rajan emphasized on new technology and new institutions to lend credit to the sector which could grow and become big enterprises after some time. "These entrepreneurs mostly depend on small banks and credit to them is given basing on different factors," he said adding as certain companies vanish after taking loans, the system of unique identification of promoters should be there. He said the big problem for SMEs are not being paid in time. "We should think of evolving a system for exchange against non-payment which will help the entrepreneurs to raise their working capital instead of waiting for days to get their money back." The RBI governor also advocated for safety nets for the start ups besides being given skill training and access to national and international market. Doesnt anyone want to know how Manmohan Singh and a farmer in UP stood guarantor for Vijay Mallya? Mr Singhs accounts of Rs 14000 and Rs 4000 were frozen by the Bank of Baroda because the records showed he had pledged to back Vijay Mallyas defaults, if any. Surprisingly, no one seems to be asking how this quantum leap took place. I am not very good at math but there is a teeny weeny bit of a difference between being a farmer worth Rs 18000 and having a loan of Rs 400,000 and some other guy taking away Rs 94 billion and swanning off to London. The puzzling part is that Mr Singh has never heard of Vijay Mallya and vice versa. So how deep does this nexus by the banks go and how exactly does this mutually satisfying scheme work? I ask you, how many more Manmohan Singhs are out there whose documents were used sans their permission to make them guarantors and complete the official paperwork. Ten thousand? A hundred thousand, maybe more. Is this a scam of high proportions and how common is it? Are there thousands of little people out there standing as official back-ups for the very rich, untroubled in this cheatin game until there is trouble. And then they are hauled up and hassled. The Bank of Baroda has immediately defrosted the farmers accounts which is not really a very generous act seeing as how they are the ones who froze them in the first place. Also, opening them up again also does not answer the question of how this arrangement was made. Sure, some clerical cum computer glitch sent out the freeze message and there is egg on B of Bs face and someones head will roll but for banks that harass the average joe and make life miserable this is happy payback time. Any way you hack it, the fish smells big time. Where is Mallya and where is Manmohan Singh and where and how do the two cross each other to engage in a fiscal transaction. If Mr Singh did not sign his name as a guarantor and he has no assets even near the Mallya loan how was he made the guarantor? Isnt it incredible that these sort of things happen and it is kind of accepted in a loping sort of shoulder shrugging way as par for the course. You have to agree that there is not only one isolated incident and it is not a mistake. Mr Singh was the guarantor albeit without his knowledge. It did not just happen by error. Which brings us to some basic questions that anyone out there could answer. Is it common practice to use poor and unknown people as guarantors without their permission just so the demands of the wealthy can be fast tracked? If Mr Manmohan Singh is shown as a guarantor for Vijay Mallya why have his accounts been released? Shouldnt they stay frozen? Was he or was he not a guarantor and should all these banks not be now held to a higher degree of probity? Is this specific bank not guilty of malfeasance, falsifying documentation and misusing its customers confidentiality. A total breach of trust. What is amazing is that it doesnt become a major issue. The banks are so powerful they can be so blatant and nothing will happen. Already the revelation is leaking air. They have opened up Manmohan Singhs accounts so party over. Everyone is a happy camper. Which belies the basic question; who is scamming whom? And how often and for how much Panaji: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he would not even spare his own children if they were found to be involved in illegalities. "Tomorrow even if my child is involved in illegality, I will not spare him (and) I will take stringent action against him," Kejriwal said addressing a public meeting here, kicking off the The Aam Aadmi Party's campaign for the Goa Assembly polls scheduled to be held in 2017. Kejriwal recalled how the AAP government (in Delhi) had dismissed its own Food minister from the Cabinet after he was caught demanding bribe. In his 40-minute speech, Kejriwal touched on the issue of liquor baron Vijay Mallya's debt to the banks. The Delhi Chief Minister alleged that Congress had given Rs 9,000 crore subsidy to Mallya. "We gave (electricity) subsidy of Rs 1,400 crore which benefited 36 lakh families (in Delhi). But the Congress kept on criticising AAP government for the subsidy. We gave subsidy to help the common men, while Congress gave Rs 9,000 crore subsidy and that too for one person, Vijay Mallya," he alleged. Taking a dig at BJP, Kejriwal said, "when the party came to power (at the Centre) they allowed him (Mallya) to run away so that he is not caught." The Delhi Chief Minister further said his government has slashed down the power tariffs in Delhi to the second lowest as against highest in the country a year and half ago during Congress rule. "Then government was not heeding to the demand of the people that private firms providing electricity to Delhi were running scams. But when we came to power, we did the audit of their accounts through CAG which revealed Rs 8,000 crore scam," Kejriwal claimed. "We want to take action against these power firms and recover the money but the case is pending in the Supreme Court. Once we win the case, we promise that Delhi's power tariff would be reduced further," he added. Pune: In a fresh allegation against state Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse, a local builder on Monday claimed that he misused his power to buy a piece of land owned by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in the name of his wife and son-in-law. Last week, AAP targeted Khadse alleging that calls were made from the fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's house in Karachi to a mobile phone used by the minister, a charge which Khadse rubbished as "baseless" saying the phone number was not in use for last one year. Hemant Gavande, a local construction professional, alleged here on Monday that market value of the three-acre land in Bhosari near here was approximately Rs 40 crore, but Khadse purchased it from the original owner in the name of his wife Mandakini and son-in-law Girish Chaudhary at a throwaway price of Rs 3.75 crore. The land was purchased on 28 April, 2016 from the original owner Abbas Ukani, a resident of West Bengal, keeping its present owner, MIDC, in the dark, he alleged. "Since land is acquired by MIDC and owned by it, it cannot be sold to any person or entity," Gavande stated. The original owner had now approached the court, requesting that the land should be returned to him, he said. "I have informed the MIDC officials about the deal and asked them to file a police complaint. If they fail to do it, I will lodge a complaint," Gavande said. Meanwhile, a statement from Khadse's office in the evening said, "There was no question of changing reservation of MIDC plot at Bhosari as acquisition process was in progress. The process for acquisition of land is being independently implemented by MIDC." Purchase transaction and acquisition were two separate legal processes, it added. Mumbai: Maharashtra policeman Rafiq Shaikh Taher Patel, who scaled Mt. Everest last week and suffered frost-bite, has been rushed to the Army Hospital in New Delhi from Kathmandu on Monday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. Patel, working with Aurangabad Rural Police, became the first policeman from the state to scale the world's tallest mountain, but suffered frostbite in his foot while returning to the Everest Base Camp. Patel, 30, was airlifted from Lukla region to Kathmandu and admitted to a hospital there on Sunday for treatment. Upon learning of his condition, Fadnavis said he called up Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and sought the best treatment for the policeman. Parrikar directed Patel to be airlifted to New Delhi and he was admitted to the Army Referral Hospital for treatment on Monday, he added. Fadnavis called up Patel and congratulated him on his achievement and assured the best of treatment at the hospital. Aurangabad Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and district Superintendent of Police N. Reddy have appreciated the government's efforts in the matter. After two earlier unsuccessful attempts due to inclement weather conditions and natural calamities in the past two years, Patel against started on the difficult expedition on May 15 and finally succeeded in reaching the summit on May 19. He hoisted the Indian tricolor and the Maharashtra police flag atop the world's tallest peak at 8,848 metres. "Such a proud moment! Our Aurangabad Police Constable becomes the 1st policeman from Maharashtra to scale Mt Everest! " Fadnavis said in a tweet last week. An avid mountaineer, Patel had scaled seven other tall peaks in the Himalayas including Mt. Dhaulagiri and Mt. Kanchenjunga. For the Everest expedition, he availed financial help from friends and relatives and also took a loan of Rs.500,000 to finance the climb. New Delhi: The CBI on Monday claimed to have recovered Rs 85 lakh cash from alleged beneficiaries of HUDA land allotment scam in which industrial plots in Haryana were purportedly given away at throwaway prices even as a crucial file related to the allotment process is "missing". CBI sources here said during searches on 21 May, the agency had recovered Rs 85 lakh from the premises of Panchkula residents Anupam Sood and Sachin Sood, while Rs 6.25 lakh were recovered from Mona Devi and Rs eight lakh from Nandita Hooda, all believed to be beneficiaries of plot allotments. They said the agency has included an IPC section related to destruction of evidence. Haryana Police is also looking for the file which carried details of allotment process through a separate FIR. The agency has registered a case for alleged irregularities in allocation of industrial plots at Panchkula when the then Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was the chairman of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), a move dubbed by him as "personal vendetta". Explaining the case, CBI sources said in one instance 2000 sqm of industrial plot was given at meagre Rs 60 lakh which was much lower than the market rate. The case which was handed over from Vigilance Bureau of Haryana to CBI has named "the then Chairman of HUDA", three former bureaucrats, 13 beneficiaries and unknown officials of the authority and state government. The chief minister is the chairman of HUDA. After registering the case on 16 May, CBI carried out searches at 16 locations including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Faridabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Rohtak against the former bureaucrats and beneficiaries who are alleged to have used their "links" in getting industrial plots at Panchkula. According to the FIR, industrial plots were given to 14 people by allegedly manipulating certain provisions of allotment which included allowing them to submit their applications even after the last date of submission ended. The 14 people who had been alloted lands had submitted their applications on 24 January, 2012 whereas the last date of submission was 6 January, 2012, the FIR alleged. The former chief minister, while reacting to the CBI move, termed it as "personal vendetta" and alleged that these cases were only "diversionary tactics" being adopted by BJP-led government in the state. "They have not been able to fulfil any of the promises made so far. So they are diverting the people's attention through such cases which is purely witch-hunting," he claimed. Gurugram: Refusing to pay a toll tax of Rs 60, a bus driver allegedly tried to crush a toll plaza manager under the wheels when asked to stop the vehicle. The incident happened around 1120 hours yesterday when a bus, belonging to a private city bus service, reached the Kherki Daula toll plaza and the toll collector asked the driver to pay the toll of Rs 60, but he refused and tried to flee, police said. On seeing that driver was trying to flee without paying, the manager signalled the driver to stop but he tried to crush him under the wheels. The manager jumped aside to save himself, they said. The incident was captured on CCTV which the toll company later handed over to Gurugram (formerly known as Gurgaon) Police, based on which a case was registered against the accused bus driver in Kherki Daula police station. In another incident, a toll collector was manhandled in his toll plaza office allegedly by 6-7 persons after he asked a truck driver to pay the toll tax, police said. The incident, which was also captured on CCTV, happened on Friday when the toll collector asked the truck driver to pay the fee, they said. The driver refused to pay, saying he was from the area and also showed the toll collector a registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle, as local people are exempted from paying toll tax. But the toll collector refused to allow him to go without paying as the RC was "forged", following which the driver called some people from a nearby village and manhandled him, police said. Gurugram Police PRO Hawa Singh said, in both the incidents, police have registered cases against people yet to be identified. "We are examining CCTV footage given by the toll staff and are investigating," he said. Editor's note: This article was originally published on 29 April, 2016. It is being updated in light of Isro's successful launch of 104 satellites on Wednesday. After India launched its own space shuttle on 23 May 2016, and Isro launched 20 satellites from Sriharikota in June 2016, the space research organisation launched 104 satellites on Wednesday. Flashback to June 2016 Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on 22 June, lifted off successfully with the country's earth observation satellite Cartosat, Google company Terra Bellas SkySat Gen2-1 and 18 other satellites from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. The PSLV rocket standing 44.4 metres and weighing 320 tonnes, tore into the morning skies at 9.26 am, breaking free of the earths gravitational pull. The 20 satellites weighed 1,288 kg. Andhra Pradesh: ISRO launches record 20 satellites from Sriharikota pic.twitter.com/t5FnVjfzq4 ANI (@ANI_news) June 22, 2016 The rocket's main cargo is India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation. This satellite is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B. The other 19 satellites weighing totally around 560 kg are from the US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune. The whole launch mission will be completed in around 26 minutes. Wednesday's mission is the first time Isro will be launching more than the 10 satellites with a single rocket. For the first time, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) launched a winged-flight vehicle, called the Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) that can launch satellites, which will orbit around the Earth. Also known as hypersonic flight experiment, the RLV-TD then glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal. What's interesting is that this can be considered India's own 'space shuttle': it can help with low cost, reliable and on-demand space access, according to Isro scientists. ANI, on its Twitter feed, also included a video of the launch: WATCH: India launches its first indigenous space shuttle, the RLV-TD from Sriharikota(Andhra Pradesh)https://t.co/G0SxiQbJgw ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 The RLV-TD was a 6.5 m structure that weighed 1.75 tons (approx 1,600 kg) and resembled an aeroplane. It was elevated into the atmosphere on a special rocket booster. India now has a constellation of its own seven satellites that make up the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) that will work together to provide accurate services including terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, mobile phone services, mapping and land surveying data, voice navigation for cars and disaster management. The satellite launch, which took place on Thursday, was hailed by the prime minister as a "great gift to people from scientists", ANI quoted him as saying: We will determine our own paths powered by our technology with this successful launch. Its a great gift to people:PM pic.twitter.com/sl989oZmu4 ANI (@ANI_news) April 28, 2016 Dedicating this to Indian sailors & fishermen' courage of exploring the unexplored, it will be known as 'NAVIC'-PM pic.twitter.com/GyjuCGuApV ANI (@ANI_news) April 28, 2016 Dubbing the system as Navic (Navigation with Indian Constellation), Narendra Modi invited the Saarc nations to navigate with Indian constellation of satellites, reported The Financial Express and added that "this is an example of Make in India, made in India and made for Indians." According to the officials of Isro, the total cost of the project amounts to around Rs 1,420 crore. So what will be the benefit of this satellite navigation (satnav) system? In simple terms, such satnav systems are employed as a global positioning system. The Wire explains that these are "used the world over to accurately track and know the location and positioning of... pretty much anything with an appropriate receiver and transmitter on it." Our satnav system will be similar to the United States' GPS (which has 24 satellites) and to those of China, Europe and Russia, according to The Hindu. We've all heard of space being the final frontier (with due credit to Captain James Tiberius Kirk). And it looks like the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is taking its steps, slowly but surely, to the destination. Isro has launched 57 foreign satellites from 20 countries: Six from Singapore, including the 400 kg TeLEOS-1, the primary satellite, in September 2015, four American, one Canadian and one Indonesian satellite, along with Indias Astrosat as the primary passenger. The feathers in its proverbial hat, of course, are the missions Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan, the Mars orbiter. According to Isro, the former, which is the country's first Lunar Exploration Mission, was a "high-resolution remote sensing of the moon in visible, near infrared (NIR), low energy X-rays and high-energy X-ray regions". But the key takeaway was that water was detected in the form of vapour in trace amounts. Chandrayaan also helped in the historical Mars Orbiter Mission. Mangalyaan, the $74 million mission, that took place in September 2014, put India on the map making it the first country in the world to have successfully launched its mission to the Red Planet on the very first attempt and joining Europe, Russia and the United States in successfully sending probes to orbit Mars. This helped Isro win the 2015 Space Pioneer Award presented by the National Space Society of the USA. The Hindu BusinessLine reported that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests recommended a 50 percent increase in Isro's annual budget, a necessary addition considering the organisation's efforts to join the global space market, which is valued at more than $200 billion and growing. Space has never been this interesting before and Isro's future possible missions, such as the Chandrayaan-2 and even one to Venus, promise to get even any non-geek excited. With inputs from PTI Imphal: A group of militants on Sunday ambushed a convoy of the Assam Rifles killing a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and five jawans in Chandel district of Manipur near the Indo-Myanmar border. The incident occurred at around 1 PM when the personnel of 29 Assam Rifles were returning to their camp after inspecting a landslide site at Holenjang village in the interior tribal district, defence and police officials said. After the attack by insurgents, the troops retaliated but the insurgents managed to flee under thick forest cover and bad weather. It is suspected that two or more militant groups jointly carried out the attack in Joupi Hengshi area under Molcham police station, the officials said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed security forces to take "strongest possible action" against militants involved in the ambush. Singh reviewed the situation with Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other top officials in the security establishment and also spoke to Assam Rifles Director General about the attack, officials said in New Delhi. "The area of the encounter has been cordoned off and intensive combing operations have been launched to neutralise the insurgent group and prevent them from crossing over to Myanmar," Assam Rifles officials said. Besides Subedar Baldeo Sharma, the JCO, the other deceased were identified as riflemen Pawan Kumar, Mahesh Gurung, Bhupender Kumar and Akhilesh Kumar Pandey and Havaldar Surajit Barla. Their mortal remains are being sent to their homes. Last year, 18 army personnel were killed in the same district in an ambush by NSCN(K) militants. Lieutenant General Praveen Bakshi, Army Commander Eastern Command, expressed his condolences to the families of the bravehearts. "The nation owes gratitude to the ultimate sacrifice made by Assam Rifles personnel like them in the fight against insurgents. We in the Army are committed to provide all necessary support to their families in this hour of grief," he said. He said these acts of violence by insurgents reinforce their resolve to carry out relentless operations against such anti-national elements for furtherance of peace in the region. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on May 26 the plea of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines who are accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast, seeking permission to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there has recently been extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. A vacation bench comprising Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud would hear the fresh plea of Girone on Thursday in which he has sought modification of a Kerala High Court order granting him bail in the case. The marine, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy in New Delhi, has said that he be allowed to go back to his native place till the arbitral panel decides the jurisdictional aspect in the matter. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Centre had earlier informed the court that international arbitration proceedings in the matter would be completed by December 2018. The court had earlier stayed all criminal proceedings, including the trial of the two marines. While allowing the joint request of India and Italy, the apex court had said the proceedings would remain stalled till the jurisdictional issue about which country has the right to conduct trial was decided through international arbitration. The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. The complaint against the Italian marines was lodged by Freddy, the owner of the fishing boat 'St Antony', in which the two Indian fishermen were killed when the marines opened fire on them allegedly under the misconception that they were pirates. When Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the young militant commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit in south Kashmir, addressed people directly for the first time on a public platform in August last year, he spoke on a different note the Khilafat. The idea of Khilafat - different from traditional demands of Kashmir's ageing separatists asking for implementation of UN resolutions in Kashmir was Wanis way of communicating with Kashmiri youth, and with Islamist movements elsewhere. This was a clear departure from old practices of sending faxed and email statements to media outlets and intended to not just for audiences within Kashmir, but outside too. The video was uploaded on a Facebook page, dedicated to militancy in Kashmir, and within minutes it was fiercely circulated on WhatsApp in Kashmir. The 22-year-old commander seen as new face of tech-savvy militants in the valley contrary to his traditional counterparts, in the video urged youth to join his outfit and asked the Kashmir police to shun their fight against the militants. We want to send a message to the people of Kashmir, especially youth, that they should come and join us, Wani, said, while being flanked by two gunmen in military fatigues. A Kalashnikov, a pistol and a Quran were neatly arranged in front of him. The production and the style of Wanis sermonising stunt was highly influenced by propaganda videos by al-Qaeda and Islamic State style propaganda videos, trying to attract recruits from the Muslim world for the pan Islamic Jihad. This was, and till now, remains the only video of any Kashmiri militant addressing people directly through social media. The Kashmir police swung into action but the video had gone viral even before they could have alerted a Central agency in Chandigarh to block the page, which carried the video. Since then the Cyber Cell of Kashmir police in Srinagar has been at the forefront of a new war waged in the virtual world between militants and security forces. It constantly monitors activities of militants and their sympathisers on a daily biases, and there is even a proposal of upgrading these cells in every district of Kashmir in near future, as IG Kashmir, Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani, recently informed. But fighting a war, in the virtual world, with a majority of the population sympathetic towards militants in valley is almost impossible. And as one of the old hands a counter-insurgency specialist in Kashmir police told Firstpost, we are presently fighting this war in virtual world with least qualified staff and meager resource. For the movement God seems to be on our side. But despite thousands of Facebook pages dedicated to glorifying militancy in valley and generating content to attract youth towards the idea: it is not clear if this strategy has paid off for drawing new recruits from outside the Kashmir. But what it has done, to a large extent, is attracted and influenced, if not made part of, young minds to the idea of militancy. GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt General Satish Dua told The Indian Express recently that separatists in Kashmir are being helped by an ongoing global internet and social media based radicalisation campaign. We are aware that the separatists design is also drawing mileage from the ongoing global internet and social media based radicalisation campaign, which is impacting adolescent minds. Lt General Dua told The Indian Express. It is true that Wanis sermonising video was influenced by the global internet phenomena and its power of outreach, but it has hardly been able to attract recruits from the outside world. For example, even if you go by the Armys own admission, less than 20 militants have successfully infiltrate across the LoC till April this year. The number stood at 25 last years, down from 65 in 2014 and 97 in 2013. Few five years back the numbers could have well stood at hundreds and ten years back it could have well been in thousands. The near impossible job for militants to infiltrate towards this side of Kashmir is also largely attributed to the strong counter-infiltration grid, which has become more robust over the years. Although he (Burhan) has failed to attract cadres from outside but in Kashmir there is no dearth of him. If there is a unifying tool apart form religion in Kashmir, it is the social media. The use of Facebook is rampant in Kashmir that could be the reason they (militants) have become heros in the minds of young people, the counter-insurgency specialist, said. Even my nine year son know the name of Burhan, the police official, said. That could well be the reason the numbers of aspiring to be militants are swelling. Experts say a sustained campaign of continuously uploading pictures and video by militants does have an impact, when it comes to attracting youth towards the militancy. But no militant has been arrested till now for the reason he was active on social media. I think there are hundreds of pages being managed by people in Pakistan, another police official, added. For example whenever a militant is killed these days in valley immediately after his funeral a picture of his dead body is uploaded on a Facebook page dedicated to the martyr, it gets thousands of likes on the same day and next day police blocks the page and some where another page appears suddenly. Gillani, the IGP says, the police has blocked more than 300 pages on Facebook "and they are not only related to Burhan (the militant commander). They include those pages which were objectionable." Adding that there has been a slide in the activity of militants on Facebook since the police started taking action against these pages. "We devised a strategy by which we were able to control them now." Gillani said. Although majority of Wani's accomplices have been killed in recent months, including two on Tuesday, police officials in south Kashmir say there is no dearth of young recruits who often are influenced through social media. "But there is a shift now," another police officer based in south Kashmir said, "notice a recent video in which a militant is seen pushing the crowd and training his gun towards them -they perhaps wanted to escort him out of the crowd. This video is an eye opener, conforming that the militants don't even trust Kashmiris because they think they are responsible for the surge in recent killings of local militants by security forces," he said Srinagar: Militants carried out two strikes within as many hours in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, killing three policemen, including an officer, and decamping with service rifle of one of the slain cops. In the first strike, militants shot dead two policemen in Zadibal area of Srinagar at around 10: 45 AM. The ultras shot at the two cops from close range at Mill Stop in Zadibal area which connects the city to Hazratbal Shrine and super speciality SKIMS Hospital at Soura, a police official said. The two cops died on the spot, he said, adding the deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Mohammad and Head Constable Nazir Ahmad. The slain cops were posted at Zadibal Police Station. Police and other security forces have been put on an alert to look out for the assailants, who managed to flee the spot. In the second strike, militant Three policemen killed in Srinagar militant strikess shot at constable Mohammad Sadiq, who was posted as personal security guard to chairman of J&K Pasmanda Tabqajaat (downtrodden classes) Mohammad Abdullah Chatwal, at Tengpora on Parimpora-Hyderpora Bypass road. The militants also snatched the service rifle of the injured cop before fleeing from the spot, the official said adding the attack took place at around 12 noon. The cop later succumbed to injuries at Police hospital at Batamaloo. These major attacks in the city come after nearly three years. The last such attack took place on June 22, 2013 when policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. New Delhi: Bread samples of virtually all top brands in Delhi contained cancer-causing chemicals, a study released on Monday said, prompting the Union Health Ministry to order a probe. Nearly 84 percent of 38 commonly available brands of pre- packaged breads including pav and buns, tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate, banned in many countries as they are listed as "hazardous" for public health, the report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. It claimed that while one of the chemicals is a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans), the other could trigger thyroid disorders but India has not ban their use. The bread samples which were tested included brands such as Britannia, Harvest Gold and the fast food chains -KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Subway, McDonalds and Slice of Italy. Britannia, KFC, Domino's, McDonald's and Subway denied that these chemicals were used in their products. Other brands did not comment despite repeated attempts. Reacting to the CSE report, Health Minister JP Nadda said,"We are seized of the matter. I have told my officials to report to me on an urgent basis. There is no need to panic. Very soon we will come out with the (probe) report." CSE's Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML) tested 38 commonly available branded varieties of pre-packaged breads, pav and buns, ready-to-eat burger bread and ready-to-eat pizza breads of popular fast food outlets from Delhi. "We found 84 per cent samples positive with potassium bromate or iodate. We re-confirmed the presence of potassium bromate or iodate in a few samples through an external third-party laboratory. We checked labels and talked to industry and scientists. "Our study confirms the widespread use of potassium bromate or iodate as well as presence of bromate or iodate residues in the final product," said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE. The study found that 84 per cent (32/38) samples were found with potassium bromate or iodate in the range of 1.15-22.54 parts per million (ppm). Around 79 percent (19/24) samples of packaged bread, all samples of white bread, pav, bun and ready-to-eat pizza bread and 75 percent (3/4) samples of ready-to-eat burger bread were positive. CSE said, "High levels of potassium bromate/iodate were found in sandwich bread, pav, bun and white bread" involving virtually all top brands. CSE has urged food regulator FSSAI to ban the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate with immediate effect and prevent their routine exposure to Indian population. Reacting to the issue, Britannia denied using Potassium Bromate or Iodate and said,"All Britannia breads products are in 100 percent compliance to the existing food safety regulations as stipulated by FSSAI." In a statement, it, however, said that as per FSSAI, for potassium Bromate/Iodate the permissible limit is 50 ppm max (On flour mass basis). "The CSE report clearly states that the third part lab report did not find Potassium Bromate or Iodate in Britannia Bread samples. Britannia will however scrutinize the possibility of any residual presence of these compounds through any of the primary raw materials used in the bread manufacturing process," it said. Echoing similar reactions, KFC said,"The safety and health of our customers is our top most priority and we are committed to following the best international standards and serving the highest quality products to customers. "We have stringent processes in place to ensure that the food we serve complies with requirements laid down by FSSAI and is absolutely safe for consumption," it said. McDonald's India also strongly denied the "claims and accusations" and termed it "completely baseless". "McDonald's India does not use potassium bromate or potassium iodate in the flour and all other ingredients that goes into our buns. The claims made by CSE in their press release and report are completely baseless. "We serve our customers with the highest quality products across all our restaurants. We go through a lot of efforts to ensure our food is safe for our customers and have stringent quality processes at every stage," said Vikram Ogale, Director, National Supply Chain and Quality Assurance at McDonald's India. Subway meanwhile said that there seems to be a "confusion" as there is no such item as "Subway Subz Burger", (which was analyzed by CSE) on its menu. "We would like to inform you that subway does not use Potassium Bromate and Potassium Iodate in the flour utilized in baking its breads. Instead, Subway uses a bread improver, based on an enzyme (protein) technology derived from natural sources to improve the overall performance of its breads," it said. Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, which owns Domino's, said that it adheres to the highest quality standards and Indian food laws and follow all process to maintain the highest level of food safety across all our restaurants. "We do undertake certificate of analysis/undertaking from our flour suppliers on no usage of Potassium Bromate/Potassium Iodate in our flour supplies. We also carry out regular assessments of the flour to ensure compliance in this regards," it said. Its 12.30 pm in the afternoon and she has just woken up to a cup of tea made by her sister. The next few hours are spent with her sisters family and catching up with her mother, before getting ready for her performance at a hotel in Panvel a central suburb of Mumbai. Thirty six year old Simran is a rage in the Mumbai bar circuit and she is a transgender. When I asked her about the police raids on four illegal dance bars in Mumbai last week, she just dismissed the story. Yeh sab politics hai. Raids toh humari life ka hissa hai. Isme toh sab miley huye hai. Baat toh paise ki hai (This is all politics. Raids are part of our lives. Everyone is involved in this. It is all about money)." With an estimated 20 percent of cross-dressing men in the Mumbai bar scene, it is one demographic that is steadily growing. It just shows that there arent enough women out there and a demand that is filled by the transgenders, who are very talented, work hard on their performance and seek appreciation. There is also a feeling amongst the dance bar owners that a transgender presence brings luck, informs Suhail Abbasi, founder trustee, Humsafar Trust, a leading NGO working in the LGBT space. And business is good for transgenders such as Simran, who are often invited to private shows and weddings. She is one of the few who has learned ballet and her mujra numbers are a rage. As the only earning member of her family, Simran is part of the trade since the mid-90s. Though the 2006 bar dance ban affected many girls, some like Simran were in touch with their customers directly. Yeh ban ka koi matlab hai kya? Yeh mera phone kaafi hai (This ban has no meaning when my cellphone is with me!)" But the truth is that many bar girls were lost to the sex work and that included the transgenders, who are now eager to get back to work, rather than beg on the streets. With the SC to hear the plea of bar owners on the new law of Maharashtra government, under which they have to adhere to 26 strict conditions to get a licence, dancers like Simran are unimpressed. Yeh CCTV camera rakhega toh kaun customer aayega? (If you have CCTV cameras outside, which customer will come inside)," she questions. Discuss court and law, and the dancer comes up with a simple explanation. The government is earning tax through the licence, the owners earn part of our earnings and we are in business too. It is the cops that harass us all the time. That needs to be controlled. Ab yeh neta log ko samajtha nahi hai kya (Dont these politicians understand this), she asks. While the Centre has framed a policy of reservation for transgenders under the OBC category, it is far from empathetic to the community on the ground level. And it is left to the NGOs like Humsafar to look into their issues. They are our target group in terms of HIV intervention and violence they face at work. Hats off to them in the way they handle situations like those and still continue to work, explains Suhail Abbasi. Even as the Maharashtra government passed the Dance Bar Regulation Bill, which has provisions for stringent action against the violators, it is doing nothing to protect the health and security of the women, as well as the growing number of transgenders in the business, states Ashok Row Kavi, founder, Humsafar Trust. There is a bar dancer's association. It was part of the petition, which fought against the ban on the dance bars, which has been ignored. Even the NGOs working with them were not consulted in drafting this bill. The bill is obviously drafted by the state government to harass the women and transgenders and stop them from practicing their trade, added Row Kavi. Calling the bill a hetero-hegemonic mindset, Ashok Row Kavi asked, Will the wooden plank surrounding the dancing arena ensure the conduct of the men in the bars? The purported aim is to stop the minds of youth from being corrupted that can be prevented in a simple way teach the youth how to control their drinking and their wandering hands. The intent should be strict laws like the western countries, without infringing on the privacy of people entering such places, he added. Away from all this debate, Simran is getting ready for her mujra in the opening gala night of Kashish, the Mumbai International Queer Film Festival on 25 May. I have a new outfit and rehearsals are on. Jarur aana (Do come), she says. You can follow the author here @smitadeshmukh Soon after Assam Governor PB Acharya on Sunday invited Leader of Legislature Party of the BJP Sarbananda Sonowal to form the state government, speculations were rife as to who would take oath along with the new chief minister at the gala event on Tuesday. Although no official list of names is out yet, BJP is likely to follow 5 MLAs : 1 ministry formula to accommodate its allies in the new cabinet. According to regional media, the new ministry is likely to have 10 MLAs from the BJP, three from the Asom Gana Parishad, two from Bodoland People's Front and one from the Gana Shakti Party. A new ministry is required to have 19 members but Sonowal is likely to start off with 17 legislators. Among the prominent names that are doing the rounds for inclusion in the to-be-formed ministry are Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chandramohan Patowary, Siddhartha Bhattacharya or Hitendra Nath Goswami, BJP's Atul Bora (not AGP chief Atul Bora), Phani Bhusan Choudhury, Kesab Mahanta, Chandan Brahma or Pramilarani Brahma among others. BJP legislators Ranjit Dutta, Ranjit Das, Angurlata Deka, Parimal Suklabaidya, Shiladitya Deb, Padma Hazarika and Aminul Haque Laskar are touted to be part of the first Sonowal ministry. Lone MLA from the Gana Shakti Party, Bhuban Pegu, could also find a ministerial berth for himself. There are also talks of either Bhattacharya or Goswami taking over as the Speaker but nothing can be confirmed in the absence of an official notification. In all probability, the ministry would soon see an extension as the BJP allies are quietly raising decibels seeking more ministerial seats. On Sunday, the key allies of the BJP the AGP and BPF had a closed-door meeting on the ministerial equations. For the moment, bonhomie exists among all the alliance parties and Sonowal knows well that if the allies are not satisfied soon, he won't have a smooth run in his new office. The oath-taking ceremony would take place at the College of Veterinary Science playground, Khanapara at 4 pm on Tuesday in the presence of 10 chief ministers, around 30 union ministers and three-to-four deputy chief ministers. The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), which is presently ruling the state of Jammu and Kashmir in a coalition government with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is now eyeing urban local bodies (ULB) and panchayats in the state, for which elections are likely to be held in August this year. To garner the maximum possible support for the coming elections, the BJP has introduced the system of public darbars in all the three regions of state, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The party has designated 10 ministers for 10 districts of the Kashmir valley, who will be holding darbars after every 15 days to strengthen the party at the grassroot level. The idea of public darbars was first introduced in the winter capital Jammu, and it turned out be a grand success, and from 11 May, BJP ministers held public interactions in six districts of Kashmir. The BJP won 25 seats in the 2014 Assembly elections and the highest vote share of 23 percent for the first time in the electoral history of the state. However, in the Muslim majority region of Kashmir, it failed to open an account, securing a vote share of just 2.2 percent. But just two years after that remarkable election, it has come to represent, like any other political party in the state, particularly Kashmir valley, where it was considered to be a pariah. We are preparing for the local bodies and panchayat elections, but that is not entirely the purpose of these darbars. We had promised to take governance at the doorsteps of people and that is what we are doing, said the BJP minister in the state government, Choudhary Lal Singh, to Firstpost, who has been tasked with the responsibility of Srinagar, where he recently presided over a meeting that saw participation by several top officials of the district. Singh said ministers will be holding public darbars in all the 10 districts of Kashmir once in a month. The state government headed by Mehbooba Mufti is likely to hold both urban local bodies and panchayat elections any time after the completion of Amarnath Yatra, and the final call is likely to be made during the budget session of the legislature in Srinagar. The panchayat elections held in early 2011 after a gap of 37 years in Kashmir, witnessed the killing of many aspiring candidates and elected ones, allegedly by militants. The municipal elections were held in early 2005, after a gap of 26 years. When the state came under the Governor's Rule from 8 January to 3 April, the administration had finalised arrangements for holding municipal elections in the first week of May. Governor NN Vohra has decided to hold the urban local body polls in April-May and the panchayat elections in June. However, before the election schedule could be announced, the PDP-BJP revived its coalition government but it issued no order to the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold ULB elections. The municipalities have already completed their five-year term long back in March 2010, and elections havent been held since then, while the panchayats would cease to exist on completion of their five-year term on 16 July. BJP state spokesman Khalid Jehangir said his party has registered more than three lakh members in the Valley and it was for the first time in the history of state that the BJP has a district president and a sizeable base in every district of the Kashmir Valley. I am taking care of Ganderbal, along with Minister for PHE and Irrigation, Sham Lal Choudhary. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh is in-charge of Bandipora, the first meeting that we held which saw massive response, Jehangir told Firstpost. This is an initiative by the BJP to get as much close to the people of Kashmir as any political party can. At the same time, we would like to mobilise the cadres for the upcoming ULBs and panchayats polls too, in the state, he added. The municipal elections are likely to be held first, followed by the panchayat elections. The National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has also urged the cadres to gear up for the upcoming elections, describing the grassroot level democratic institutions as pivotal for the transformation of rural areas in terms of development. The real fountainhead of power and, therefore, success of the party in the upcoming elections would go a long way in realising this cherished agenda. Massive participation of youth and women is imperative for ensuring their effective involvement in decision-making at local levels, Abdullah said, while addressing party workers recently. Chennai: Several industry captains and film actors marked their presence at the swearing-in ceremony of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister on Monday. Industrialists, including Tractors and Farm Equipment Manufacturer Chairperson Mallika Srinivasan, Apollo Hospitals Managing Director, Preetha Reddy, NAC Jeweler's Chairman and All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation Zonal chairman N Anantha Padmanabhann were among those seen in attendance. Members of film fraternity, including South Indian Artiste's Association President Nasser, Association's General Secretary, Vishal, Actors Ananda Raj, Prabhu, 'Gundu' Kalyanam, Senthil, Vaiyapuri were also present. Actor-Politician and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi President R Sarath Kumar, who lost in the polls contesting from Tiruchendur, was seen sitting in the front row. About 1,500 police personnel, who were deployed for security, had a tough time controlling the crowd who had lined up en route to the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in. Major arterial roads in Chennai were decked up with AIADMK party flags, posters and banners of Jayalalithaa for the oath-taking ceremony. Party cadres from neighbouring districts arrived as early as 6 AM to witness their leader's swearing-in ceremony. LCD screens were installed at vantage points at the Marina beach to help cadres and the public witness the event. Meanwhile, it was celebration time for AIADMK workers at the party office here and in various parts of the state as Jayalalithaa was sworn-in. Party workers burst crackers and distributed sweets on the occasion. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Justice (Retd) P Sathasivam on Monday invited Pinarayi Vijayan, who was elected leader of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) legislature party, to form the new government in Kerala. Earlier, Vijayan was unanimously elected Leader of the LDF legislature party. In the 140-member Kerala Assembly, LDF has 91 MLAs, including CPM's 58, CPI's 19 and five of CPM-IND. Vijayan's name was suggested by party secretary Kodieyri Balakrishnan as per the decision of the state committee and it was approved by all the MLAs. After the meeting, Balakrishnan met the governor and staked the claim of LDF to form the next government and handed over letters intimating election of Vijayan as the leader of the LDF Parliamentary party and expression of support from Legislature parties leaders of other constituents of the LDF. E Chandrasekharan of CPI and AK Saseendran of NCP were also present. Accordingly, as per the provisions of Article 164 (1) of the Constitution, the governor appointed Vijayan as the chief minister and sought from him the list of persons to be appointed as ministerial colleagues, a Raj Bhavan press release said. The swearing-in-ceremony of the proposed Cabinet will be at 4 pm on 25 May at the Central Stadium. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India and Iran shared interest in the growth and prosperity of each other and that it was a privilege for him to visit the Islamic republic. "India and Iran are not new friends. Our 'dosti' (friendship) is as old as history," Modi said, in a joint media conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at Tehran. "As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows," Modi said. Can never forget that Iran was 1st country to come forward when earthquake had struck my state of Gujarat: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/ZfZkIYnDZV ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 The media statement by Modi noted that the bilateral agreement to develop the Chahbahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about $ 500 million from India for this purpose, was an important milestone, which would boost economic growth in the region. Agreement to develop Chabahar port & related infra & availability of about 500 million USD from India for this,is an important milestone- PM ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 Praising the Persian heritage, he said, "the beauty and richness of the Persian heritage has attracted the world to Iran". He also added, "for me, visiting Iran is indeed a great privilege". Modi recalled his meeting with the Iran president at Ufa in 2015 and that the latter's "leadership" and clarity of his "vision have deeply impressed me". In the meeting that took place on Monday, Modi and Rouhani focused on the full range of India-Iran's bilateral engagement, exchanged views on the emerging regional situation and common global issues. Modi also said that the outcomes and agreements signed opened "a new chapter in our strategic partnership", and that the "welfare of our people is guiding our broad-based economic ties". Modi also said that India and Iran would consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. "We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security," he added. Later in the day, India and Iran will sign the trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement with the participation of the two countries along with Afghanistan. It will be a historic occasion.It'll open new routes for India,Iran&Afghanistan to connect among themselves: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/ydwtAXJdQ9 ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 This, Modi said, will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves and that India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. "The past history of our ties has been rich. President Rouhani and I would leave no stone unturned to work for its glorious future. Our friendship will be a factor of stability in our region." Welcoming Rouhani in India, Modi said that it would carry forward the agenda of their engagement and ended the conference with a couplet by Ghalib. Chandigarh: Prakash Singh, who headed the committee that submitted a report on the violence during the Jat quota agitation, has claimed that attempts were made by some people to influence him during its preparation. Singh, without naming anyone, said certain people had tried to make him issue a "clean chit" to some wrongdoers."...things like provoking some leaders against the Committee, making 'sifarish' (influencing the Committee), these things started from the beginning (when the Committee was formed)," the former Uttar Pradesh DGP told reporters on Sunday. Throwing more light, Singh said, "When the probe was in its final stages, some people thought there can be a question mark on their future, you know these days many officials have their political patrons, they send them (to influence). "But I will say one thing that everyone talked respectfully, they wanted that some people be given clean chit," he said. He said he prepared the report in an impartial manner as he felt his responsibility towards the people of Haryana has to be above all considerations. "I listened to all of them, I listened with patience, but I thought my responsibility towards the people of Haryana has to be above all considerations. And discharging that duty, I wrote what I thought was true," he said. Singh said he hoped the state government would make the report public soon. "I hope that Government puts this in public domain soon end ends its secrecy because many people have started to speculate about various things," he said. The Prakash Singh Committee report, submitted to the Haryana Chief Minister over a week back, found "deliberate negligence" on the part of 90 officials, including IAS and IPS officers, during the Jat quota agitation in February. The 450-page report submitted to the CM on May 13, is likely to be put in the public domain by month-end, official sources said. Singh said the officials who were negligent in performing their duty have been identified and their names given to the government. "The government, on its part, has also started taking action on the report, many SDM, DSPs have been suspended," he said. Asked to comment on the former DGP's statements, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said, "Prakash Singh is a man of such stature that nobody can put pressure on him." "He has been an upright police officer, it is an unnecessary googly which he has bowled. He should make the names of those persons public who tried to put pressure and also make public, the names of those officials who tried to approach him for favourable remarks in the report, so that we can take action against them," he said. Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala also reacted to the issue saying, "Prakash Singh should make names of those public who tried to approach him and put pressure." He said the INLD has been maintaining right from the beginning that the BJP government formed this Committee "so that it can have a report in its favour". "This Committee had been formed to deflect the severe flak which the Khattar government faced for its inept handling of the situation during Jat stir...," Chautala said. Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said everyone knew that the BJP dispensation in the state had failed to control the situation, which resulted in loss of many lives and damage to property. "I feel some officials are being made a scapegoat in connection with the Jat agitation," he said. Yesterday, speaking in Karnal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said that the state government would go by the Prakash Singh Committee report on the Jat stir issue and disciplinary action would be initiated against all officers and other officials found guilty. Khattar had said that three sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and nine DSP level officers had already been suspended and administrative action was being taken against them. On 17 May, the Haryana government had shunted out Additional Chief Secretary (Home) PK Das who was replaced by senior IAS officer Ram Niwas. Around 90 officers were indicted for "deliberate negligence" during the Jat quota agitation by the committee and adverse comments were made against them in its report submitted to the chief minister on 13 May. Thirty people were killed in violence and there was extensive damage to properties during the stir whose epicentre was Rohtak district. A war of words broke out on Monday on Twitter between Union HRD minister Smriti Irani and Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, with the BJP leader taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, saying that losing Assam elections was "his forte". The war of words began with a tweet by political columnist Shefali Vaidya, questioning double standards between verbal attacks on a Congress spokesperson and Smriti Irani. When @priyankac19 is trolled, it is an attack on 'dignity of women'but poisonous slander against @smritiirani is acceptable. Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya) May 23, 2016 In a tweet, Chaturvedi, while interacting with another person mentioned the HRD minister and said "a perceived threat to @smritiirani's life gets Z sec, here I am struggling to get rape/death threat investigated." Earlier, Chaturvedi was threatened by a Twitter user with rape and murder "like Nirbhaya," according to a report in Hindustan Times. Subsequent to the comments, she wrote an article on NDTV calling for more stringent laws against cyber abuse. Chaturvedi claimed that she was threatened with rape and murder merely because she pointed out a BJP spokesperson's use of insinuation to 'silence me on a TV debate.' Not one to hold back, Irani responded by telling Chaturvedi that she does not have 'Z' category security. The minister, however, later deleted her tweets. A verbal battle which began with a political debate on television quickly escalated into a slugfest over personal security and double standards over abusive trolling. In an exchange of words which was reminiscent of television news debates, the line between personal barbs and political battles was blurred. Chaturvedi stated that she didn't know the internal workings of Home Ministry and went as per newspaper reports. "I presume no security at all then @smritiirani ?," she tweeted. Irani responded by questioning the Congress leader "why are you so interested in my security? Planning anything?" Chaturvedi responded by taking a swipe, saying it is " "Not worth my time, so don't worry on that front @smritiirani, you must concentrate on creating another campus ruckus." "That's more Rahulji's forte. Oh wait, losing Assam is. My bad. Have a good day," Irani hit back with a jibe. Chaturvedi retorted with another sarcastic remark. Repeatedly losing and yet becoming a minister in the cabinet is your forte. You have a glorious day too @smritiirani Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016 Clearly, it appears that when it comes to 140-character political slugfests, everything is fair game, including personal security and online abuse. With inputs from PTI Like a microcosm of India, Mahakumbh Mela, the largest congregation of Hindus held every twelve years on the banks of holy rivers in Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Nashik and Ujjain, riddled with paradoxes. And central to this is the institution of akharas, organized groups of militant Hindu ascetics, formed to defend Hinduism against heretical religions of foreign invaders. As Ujjain Sinhastha ended on Saturday with Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) by the 13 recognized akharas, it once again underlined this fundamental paradox of Hindu social order. These high priests of Hinduism, who are supposed to have renounced worldly goods, are fighting among themselves for power and pelf. The Simhastha at Ujjain started last with a strong protest from three Vaihsnavite akharas against Madhya Pradesh governments decision to recognized Mahant Narendra Giri as president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), the apex organisation of Sikh and Hindu militant ascetics. Giri belongs to Shaivite Nirnanjani Akhara and supporters of his rival Mahant Gyandas of Vaishnavite Nirvani Ani Akhara (Vaishnav) have challenged his election in the Allahabad High Court. While the rivalry between the Vaishnavite and Shaivite dates several centuries back and has seen many violent clashes at previous Kumbh melas, there has been a spurt in clashes among various factions within the akharas of late. The month-long mela at Ujjain this time witnessed a bloody clash between two factions during election of the Sri Mahant of Ahvahan Akhara, a Varanasi-based Shavite outfit in which fire arms were used. A similar clash between two groups was reported in the Dutt Akhara, another Shavite outfit. The Vaishnavite akharas, which had split into two factions during Vishwa Hindu Parishads Ayodhya movement in the late eighties and early nineties, continue to simmer with inner squabbles. A powerful group within the Nirmohi Ani Akhara, for instance, is challenging Mahant Rajendradass claim to be recognized as Sri Mahant of the akhara. He has misled the mela administration in collusion with the self-styled president of the Akhara Patrishad, Narandra Giri, alleges Mahant Paramatma Das. Rajendradas belongs to Shyamanadiya Nirmohi Akhara while his rivals represent Ramanandiya Nirmohi Akhara. On records all the prominent akhara leaders deny existence of caste as a factor in contemporary Sadhu politics. This was reflected in the sharp reactions from Shankaracharya Swaroopanand and Akhara Parishad president Narendra Giri to the BJPs attempt to organise Shabri Kumbh at the Simhastha to woo Dalit and lower castes. Despite their claim that a Sadhu doesn't have any caste and any attempt to devide them on caste lines could prove dangerous, social historians maintain that caste has played a key role in evolution of the akharas since Mughal period. Hindu ascetics have played an important role in shaping Hindu thought and social order since early times, but the role itself has changed over the passage of time, says Robert Lewis Cross in his monumental study of Hindu asceticism titled The Sadhus of India. Though they differ over the origin of the institution, most historians agree that the first major attempt to organize them into Akharas was made by the first Shankaracharya (8th century AD), who established ten Shavite to defend Hinduism against the challenge of Buddhism and Jainism. The Vaishnavite groups with similarly structured Akharas appeared after Ramanuja in the 11th and 12th centuries. These proliferated after emergence of Ramanandi sects 13th century onwards that opened up gates of Hindi religious order to low Shudra castes. According to pioneering Indian sociologist GS Ghurye, militant asceticism began to depart from its strict orientation of world negation in 13th and 14 centuries to become more politically responsive and military active in defending Hinduism from the onslaughts of Islam. Robert Lewis Cross thinks the change was based on a policy of competitive territorial acquisition and arrogation of economic and political power. Its suppression by the British in 18th and 19th century influenced the character of medieval and, ultimately, contemporary ascetic organization, he writes in The Sadhus of India. Along with Muslim fakirs, the militant Sadhus formed to the first wall of resistant against British colonialism. While ruthlessly repressing their militancy, the British adopted a policy of carrot and stick with the akhara heads and this policy was continued by the Congress governments after the transfer of power in 1947. While the bargaining for power and pelf between the Indian sadhus and the ruling political establishment continued behind the stage, the first overt attempt to use them as a tool for political mobilisation of the Hindus was made by the RSS saffron brigade during the Ayodhya movement to capture power in Uttar Pradesh in 1991. But the demolition of the Babri mosque and post 1993 developments made it realise that caste one of the basic features of Hindu social organization presents a major road block in its path. Now that Narendra Modi has managed to capture power at the Centre and elections for Uttar Pradesh state assembly are due within a few months, the BJP is going all out to break this barrier by roping in the Sadhus from lower castes and Ujjain Simhastha is its latest experiment in that direction. VS Achuthanandan avoided repeated questions on chief ministership on Saturday at a presser in Thiruvananthapuram. The CPMs senior-most leader said he will continue to be the kavalaal (sentinel) of the people of Kerala, taking up their issues. Achuthanandan asserted that he is not someone who expects positions, thus, indirectly saying that any alternative positions party might offer to pacify him wouldnt be acceptable. The 92-year old was indeed hopeful of chief ministership after the Left Democratic Front (LDFs) big win in the state (91 out of 140 seats). But the CPM chose party strongman Pinarayi Vijayan for the post, citing Achuthanandans age and health issues. But, it is doubtful if Achuthanandan himself shared party view on his health. A few days ago, when reporters asked the veteran CPM leader about his interest in the CM position, the nonagenarian didnt mince his words. If the party wants me to take up responsibility, I will not shy away. There were also reports in the local media that Achuthanandan sought a brief-term as Kerala chief minister but the party denied that too. "I am completely healthy," Achuthanandan said on Sunday, while interacting with a forum of students that had gathered to facilitate him in Thiruvananthapuram. "There are no health issues. During the campaign for the 16 May polls, I had campaigned from Parasala to Kannur, addressed several meetings. My health now is the same as during the campaign. Is there any change in me now?" Achuthanandan asked. In the Saturday presser, Achuthanandan thanked all party workers and people who supported his election campaign in the 14 districts of the state, in a way, reminding them that he is the one who guided the party to a huge victory in the 2016 Assembly polls. Achuthanandan is, indeed, LDFs saviour in Kerala. At the age of 92, and despite his health issues, Achuthanandan travelled across 14 districts of the state, covering 200 kilometres daily, through 62 constituencies, for 14 days, drawing large crowds with his powerful attack on the Congress-led UDF government for its governance failures and series of scams. He promised the supporters action from the new LDF government on issues such as the solar scam, bar case and dubious land deals by the UDF government. Just why the party chose him to head the campaign and contest the elections knowing his health issues, but used the same reasons to deny him the berth of chief minister is something his supporters have begun to question. The reason isnt hard to surmise. Without Achuthanandans backing and campaign, it would have been tough for the Left front to pull off such a big victory against the Congress-led UDF and stave off challenges from the BJP-led third front emerging in the state. The CPM leader, who is the only living member of the group of 32 that split from the CPIs National Council in 1964 to form the CPM, commands such a following and such public support that CPMs central leadership (the Politburo) had to intervene in 2011 after the state unit denied a seat for Achuthanandan in the Assembly polls. Achuthanandan contested from Malampuzha constituency and won by a large margin. Born on 20 October, 1923, in Keralas Alappuzha district, Achuthanandan lost his parents at an early age. After finishing Class VII in school, he took up the job in a coir factory and soon began his early political life by organising coir workers and farmers in Kuttanadu in the Alappuzha district. Achuthanandans growth as a political leader was quick after his participation in the communist movement and Punnapra-Vayalar freedom struggle against the Travancore Diwan, CP Ramaswamy Iyers policies. Achuthanandan was arrested and was imprisoned for five years, and has spent four years underground during his political life. Vijayan, who was once a trusted lieutenant of Achuthnandan, developed differences with him at some point. The differences soon transformed into public verbal attacks, even forcing the CPM to suspend both Vijayan and Achuthanandan in 2007 from the Politburo. Vijayan was reinstated later. Achuthanandans public comments against Vijayan in the SNC-Lavlin corruption case irked the party leadership prompting it to warn the leader and turned the majority in state leadership against Achuthanandan. Achuthanandans difference of stance with Vijayan in Revolutionary Marxist Party leader, TP Chandrashekharan's murder in 2012 and his letter to the then Congress government supporting a CBI inquiry in the case too turned the party against him. But, the CPM couldnt afford to sideline Achuthanandan given his mass public support. Within the partys state leadership and in the Politburo, Vijayan enjoys stronger support than Achuthanandan. The Politburo has evidently attempted to pacify Achuthanandan by calling him CPMs Fidel Castro in India. The fact is even if the Politburo wanted to offer the position of chief minister to Achuthanandan, the decision would have met with strong resistance from the partys state unit. He knows this and has accordingly chosen so far to remain silent on the party decision when CPM general secretary, Sitaram Yechury announced the decision last week. But, at Saturdays presser, Achuthanandan gave an indirect warning to Vijayan, when he said he will continue to be the sentinel to guard the interests of public (note the words: He didnt say the party). For the new LDF government under Vijayan, thats a word of caution meaning that the senior-most leader will act as a corrective force within the party if the Vijayan government fails to act on crucial issues such as the solar scam, bar case and illegal land deals. Remember, even in the past, Achuthanandan has tactically withdrawn from his political adversaries within CPMs state unit, only to strike back at an opportune time. Tehran: India will invest billions of dollars in setting up industries -- ranging from aluminum smelter to urea plants -- in Iran's Chabahar free trade zone after it signed a pact to operate a strategic port on the Persian Gulf nation's southern coast. The inking of commercial contract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI. "The distance between Kandla and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable us quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link," he explained. "Over Rs 1 lakh crore investment can happen in Chabahar free trade zone," Gadkari said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit seeking to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way in the wake of lifting of sanctions against Iran. Iran, Gadkari said, has cheap natural gas and power that Indian firms are keen to tap to build a 0.5-million tonne aluminium smelter plant as well as urea manufacturing units. "We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount," he said. Gadkari said Nalco will set up the aluminium smelter while private and co-operative fertiliser firms are keen to build urea plants provided they get gas at less than USD 2 per mmBtu. Railway PSU IRCON will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods right up to Afghanistan, he said. Gadkari said India Ports Global Pvt, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest USD 85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi cargo berths. The Indian consortium has signed the port pact with Aria Banader Iranian. "The contract is for 10 years and can be extended. We will take 18 months to complete phase one of the construction," he said, adding that first two years of the contract are grace period where India doesn't have to guarantee any cargo. From the third year, India will guarantee 30,000 TEUs of cargo at the Chabahar port which will go up to 2,50,000 TEUs by the 10th year. An initial pact to build the Chabahar port was first inked during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government in 2003, but the deal slipped through during subsequent years. It has been aggressively pushed in the past one year, leading to signing of the agreement for phase-1 today, Gadkari said. "This is a historic event which will herald in a new era of development. We can now go to Afghanistan and further to Russia and Europe without going through Pakistan," he said. The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway, setting up road access to four major cities in Afghanistan -- Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. India is also reported to finance another road network inside Afghanistan to enable Iran to access as far as Tajikistan through a shorter route. The Indian joint venture company will invest more than USD 85.2 million in development of the port. India's Exim Bank will provide a credit line of another USD 150 million. India will install equipment and operate two berths in the first phase of the Chabahar port with an investment of USD 85.2 million and annual revenue expenditure of USD 22.9 million on a 10-year lease, Gadkari said. Gadkari also said India will build a 500-km railway between Chabahar and Zahedan which will connect Chabahar to Central Asia. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province on Iran's southern coast, is of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast. The port project will be the first overseas venture for an Indian state-owned port. VIENNA Austria came close to becoming the first European Union country to elect a far-right head of state as postal ballots on Monday decided a knife-edge presidential vote in favour of the anti-immigration candidate's environmentalist opponent. The results were awaited nervously by governments across Europe, where populist anti-immigration parties have surged over the past year on concerns over a refugee influx, continued weak economic growth and high unemployment. After the election was too close to call on Sunday, a count of absentee votes on Monday thrust 72-year-old Alexander van der Bellen past anti-immigration Freedom Party rival Norbert Hofer and into the largely ceremonial post of president. The Freedom Party and its European allies expressed disappointment at the defeat but delight at the record support from Austrian voters, while traditional parties of government breathed a sigh of relief. "Fifty percent confidence in Norbert Hofer is a gigantic showing," his campaign manager Herbert Kickl told public broadcaster ORF, toning down comments before the election that suggested the Freedom Party (FPO) might contest the count. "One thing is clear: there are many Norbert Hofers in the Freedom Party and we are very, very well placed for parliamentary elections - whenever they come," he added. The Interior Ministry count gave van der Bellen, a former Greens party leader, 50.3 percent of the vote, compared to 49.7 percent for Hofer. The margin of victory was just over 31,000 out of nearly 4.5 million valid votes cast. One factor behind the strong FPO showing was dissatisfaction with the two centrist parties that have dominated politics in Austria, often by governing in coalition, as they do now, and carving up top institutions between them over the decades. Opinion polls in the Alpine republic of 8.5 million people regularly suggest the FPO would win parliamentary elections if held now. The current government's term runs until 2018. "This is just the beginning," FPO boss Heinz-Christian Strache said on his Facebook page. Van der Bellen said he planned to unite Austria after its almost dead-even split in the vote. "We are the same," he said in his first speech as president-elect. "There are two halves that make up Austria. The one half is just as important as the other." (Please click on tmsnrt.rs/1YSxvkK for our graphic on right-wing party support in Europe) EMBARRASSMENT Hofer conceded defeat in a post on his Facebook page, thanking his supporters and telling them not to be despondent. The outcome averted a major potential embarrassment for Europe's political establishment though exposed how vulnerable it has become to a popular backlash against immigration. "It's a relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism," French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said in a Twitter post. "Everyone in Europe must draw lessons from this." Prosperous Austria has been swept up in Europe's migrant influx, fanning concerns about rising unemployment and the erosion of the country's high living standards. Pollster SORA had said mail-in ballots were likely to favour van der Bellen because they are traditionally used by more educated voters, 81 percent of whom backed van der Bellen on Sunday, according to SORA polling. The vote in Austria had unsettled leaders elsewhere in Europe, particularly in neighbouring Germany, where the new anti-immigration Alternative for Germany is on the rise. TWO HALVES In France, the National Front of Marine Le Pen is leading in polls ahead of a presidential election next year. Across the Channel, the UK Independence Party is campaigning for Britain to leave the 28-nation EU in a referendum on June 23. "Despite the disappointment, a historic score for our ally from the FPO," National Front Secretary General Nicolas Bay said on Twitter. "The future belongs to patriots!" Greece's leftist Syriza party said Hofer's strong showing "means it is time that alarm bells start ringing for Europe". Hofer, 45, has described himself as a centre-right politician and told voters not to believe suggestions from opponents that he would be a dangerous president. His party, however, traces its roots to the Nazi past that Austria has not confronted as openly as Germany. The FPO was founded by a decorated member of the Nazi SS who served as agriculture minister after Hitler annexed Austria in 1938. More recently, it has focused much of its critical campaigning on Muslim immigrants and its leaders have courted Jewish voters with moves like a recent visit by Strache to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. "Unfortunately, the dissatisfaction with the moderate mainstream parties is providing oxygen to those like Hofer and the Freedom Party, and we are seeing signs of these trends across Europe," European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor said of the Austrian election result. (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Ingrid Melander and Jean-Baptiste Vey in Paris, Kirsti Knolle and Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich in Vienna; Writing by Noah Barkin and Francois Murphy; Editing by Mark Heinrich) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Tehran: India and Iran on Monday inked a dozen agreements ranging from a contract to develop the strategic Chabahar port to an initial pact to set up an aluminium plant and one on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The 12 agreements and MoUs signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Iran to further deepen bilateral ties in diverse fields. The agreements were signed in presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation in 15 years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The documents were in the fields of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Also an agreement to provide $150 million credit line was signed by Exim Bank of India. IRCON signed an initial agreement to lay a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, while state-owned Nalco signed an MoU to look at possibility of setting up a 0.5 million tonne aluminium smelter at Chabahar free trade zone provided Iran gives cheap natural gas. An MoU was also signed between the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran and the Export Guarantee Corporation of India. The documents included an MoU between the foreign ministries of both countries for dialogue on policy-making and interaction between think-tanks. Another MoU was signed between School for International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of India. Also signed was an executive protocol between the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran, and India's Ministry of Science and Technology and an MoU between National Archives of India and National Library of Iran. An executive programme of cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance as well as an MoU between Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations was also signed. Tehran: Vowing to jointly combat terrorism and extremism, India and Iran on Monday agreed to share intelligence in a bid to fight the menace that is "rife and rampant" in the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during delegation-level talks discussed the spread of instability, radicalism and terrorism in the region. The two leaders, who had previously discussed the issue last year when they met in Ufa, Russia, shared common ground that terrorism and extremism posed several challenges to peace and stability in the region. "India and Iran share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. We also have shared concerns over the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region," Modi said in a joint media interaction after bilateral and delegation-level talks with the Iranian leadership. The two nations, he said, "have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime." The two countries also decided to enhance interaction between their defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security. The Iranian President said India and Iran have agreed to cooperate on intelligence sharing to combat terrorism. "Due to the importance of stability and security in the region especially in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen...because a big problem of terrorism was running rife and rampant in the region, the two countries discussed about political issues and have agreed to cooperate on intelligence sharing," Rouhani said. India and Iran, he said, have decided to "get closer to each other to fight terrorism and extremism and contribute to peace and stability in the region," he said. Stating that the past history of ties between the two nations has been rich, Modi said Rouhani and he would leave no stone unturned to work for its glorious future. "Our friendship will be a factor of stability in our region," Modi said. Quoting a couplet from Ghalib, the Prime Minister said once minds are made up, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step. Modi said India and Iran are not new friends and their 'dosti' is as old as history. "Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows," he said. During the talks, Modi said, the two sides focused on the full range of their bilateral engagement and views were exchanged on the emerging regional situation and global issues of common concern. Beirut: More than 148 people were killed Monday in bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in northwestern Syria, the deadliest attacks yet in the regime's coastal heartland. Seven near-simultaneous explosions targeted bus stations, hospitals and other civilian sites in the seaside cities of Jableh and Tartus, which until now had been relatively insulated from Syria's five-year civil war. The unprecedented attacks on strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad's regime came as IS faces mounting pressure in both Syria and Iraq, where Baghdad's forces on Monday launched a major offensive to retake the jihadist-held city of Fallujah. A hundred people were killed in Jableh and another 48 in Tartus to the south, at least eight of them children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were "without a doubt the deadliest attacks" on the two cities since the start of the war. IS claimed the blasts via its Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had attacked "Alawite gatherings" in Jableh and Tartus, referring to the minority sect from which Assad hails. IS is not known to have a presence in Syria's coastal provinces, where its jihadist rival and Al-Qaeda's local branch Al-Nusra Front is much more prominent. But IS is notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies. "I'm shocked, this is the first time I hear sounds like this," said Mohsen Zayyoud, a 22-year-old university student in Jableh. 'In the heart of the battle' "I thought the war was over and that I could walk safely. But I was surprised to see that we're still in the heart of the battle," he said. In Tartus a 42-year-old bank employee was just as stunned. "It's the first time we hear explosions in Tartus, and the first time we see dead people or body parts here," Shady Osman said. Jableh lies in Latakia province, while Tartus is the capital of the adjacent governorate of the same name. Both cities have remained relatively secure even as the war has raged in Latakia province's rural northeast and throughout the country. State media earlier said 78 people 45 in Jableh and 33 in Tartus were killed in the bombings. The attacks began at 9 am local time (0600 GMT) with three explosions at a busy bus station in Tartus, where regime ally Russia has long maintained a naval facility. The Observatory said one car bomb detonated first, and as people began to flock to the site two suicide bombers detonated explosive belts. A police source in the city confirmed a car bomb had hit the entrance to the station and two suicide bombers attacked inside. State television broadcast footage of the damaged station, where charred mini-buses lay on their sides while others were still ablaze. Approximately 15 minutes after the Tartus blasts, the explosions began in Jableh, 60 miles (40 kilometres) to the north. Blast inside hospital The Observatory said four blasts one car bomb and three suicide attackers targeted a bus station, a hospital, and a power station there. One attacker detonated explosives inside the emergency room of the state-run hospital after carrying victims of the first attack there, the monitor said. A police officer told AFP a car bomb also targeted the Asaad hospital in the city. A Kremlin spokesman condemned the attacks, saying they "demonstrate yet again how fragile the situation is in Syria and the need to take energetic measures to relaunch peace talks." A spokesman for the French foreign ministry also slammed the bombings as "heinous". World powers have struggled to rekindle UN-brokered peace negotiations which fizzled in April when Syria's opposition walked away in frustration at stalling progress on the country's dire humanitarian situation. Syria's conflict has evolved from a popular uprising to a multi-faceted war that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. IS seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, declaring an Islamic "caliphate" and spreading its influence. The group has claimed deadly attacks in the West and throughout the Middle East, including twin bombings on military forces in Yemen's second city of Aden on Monday that killed at least 41 people. Monday's bombings were reminiscent of a string of attacks in 1986 in northwestern Syria including in Tartus that killed 144 people and which Syrian officials blamed on the regime of Saddam Hussein in neighbouring Iraq. Rio de Janeiro: Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Brazil's two biggest cities to protest acting President Michel Temer, trying to keep up pressure on his interim administration only 10 days after he was sworn in. A march in Sao Paulo yesterday was headed toward Temer's residence, but police blocked roads near the house and the interim president left for the capital of Brasilia hours earlier. Organizers estimated 2,000 people participated in the demonstration. In Rio de Janeiro, about 1,000 protesters staged a march calling for Temer to resign. Some protesters want suspended President Dilma Rousseff back. Temer replaced her after the Senate voted to suspend the president and put her on trial for allegedly breaking fiscal laws. If 54 of the 81 senators agree that she should be impeached, she would be permanently removed from office and Temer could hold the presidency through 2018. Opinion polls say a majority of Brazilians want Rousseff impeached, and some of the protesters yesterday called for new elections, a mechanism that is not in Brazil's electoral law at the moment. Temer has faced daily protests in Brazil's main cities since he took office. Artists, intellectuals and politicians both left-leaning and moderate have also rejected him acting as president, not only for their opposition to Rousseff's impeachment but also for Temer's naming of an all white-male Cabinet that is trying implement more conservative policies. Even before Temer took office, a poll said 58 percent of Brazilians wanted him impeached, too. A Supreme Court justice has ruled Temer could face impeachment proceedings for signing decrees of the same kind as those that led to the impeachment proceedings against Rousseff, but that decision has yet to be ratified. Some of the protests against Temer were called by artists angered by his decision to fold the Culture Ministry into the Education Ministry under the control of a conservative politician with no experience in either area. On Saturday, Temer's administration announced he would re-establish the Culture Ministry, but critics said they would keep the pressure on him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Iran on a historic visit as it was the first visit by an Indian prime minister after a gap of fifteen years. On Monday, Modi described India-Iran friendship "as old as history" after the two sides signed 12 agreements, including three on development of the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation for enhanced connectivity. This was the second day of PM Modi's visit. PM Modi and Iran president Hassan Rouhani discussed trade, cultural ties and terrorism in their meeting. Before the joint statement, Modi visited the Bhai Ganga Singh Gurudwara in Tehran. First stop, for the community. PM @narendramodi arrives at the Bhai Ganga Singh Gurudwara in Tehran pic.twitter.com/J9Ck5H1knI Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 22, 2016 Here are the key points of Modi's Iran visit: A bilateral contract on the Chabahar port between India Ports Global Pvt. Ltd. and Arya Bandar of Iran envisages development and operation for 10 years of two terminals and five berths with cargo handling (multipurpose and general) capacities. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between India's Exim Bank and Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation for a line of credit from India of $150 million to develop the Chabahar port. Chabahar in South-East Iran will help skip Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan with which New Delhi has developed close security ties and economic interests. India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran's border with Pakistan. But the project moved slowly because of western sanctions against Iran. The sanctions were lifted in January and since then, India has been pushing for conclusion of an agreement. PM Modi also said that India and Iran shared a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region, he said. We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security. In the past decade, India and Iran had signed several MOUs but because of the sanctions regime, there has been no progress. The focus of Prime Ministers visit has been connectivity, infrastructure and boosting bilateral trade, and giving the India-Iran relations a solid commercial edge. India and Iran have now signed 12 agreements, including on cultural exchange, science and technology and policy dialogue between governments and think tanks. Modi is also slated to hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. With inputs from agencies Vatican City: Pope Francis met the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican on Monday in a historic encounter that was sealed with a hugely symbolic hug and exchange of kisses. The first Vatican meeting between the leader of the world's Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam marks the culmination of a significant improvement in relations between the two faiths since Francis took office in 2013. "Our meeting is the message," Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Vatican officials told a small pool of reporters covering the event. In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar, an institution that also comprises a prestigious seat of learning, said Tayeb had accepted Francis's invitation in order to "explore efforts to spread peace and co-existence." The "very cordial" meeting lasted around 30 minutes, the Vatican said in a statement after the talks. In all, the imam spent just over an hour at St Peter's. Tayeb's decision to fly to Rome, unexpectedly announced last week, followed the easing of serious tensions that marked the reign of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI. Ties were badly soured when the now-retired Benedict made a September 2006 speech in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly protests in several countries and reprisal attacks on Christians. Pope John-Paul II met the then-grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo in 2000, a year before the September 11 attacks on New York transformed relations between the West and the Islamic world. Monday's visit was effectively the long-delayed reciprocal meeting and the Vatican said that both clerics had "underlined the great significance of this new meeting". Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope and the imam had "mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world." These included working together for world peace, rejecting violence and terrorism, and the situation and protection of Christians against a backdrop of conflict and terrorism in the Middle East." Promoting 'true Islam' The pope presented the imam with a copy of his recent encyclical, Laudato Si', a letter to the faithful in which he urges the world to wake up to the threat posed by climate change and also calls for a rebalancing of the economic relationship between the industrialised and developing worlds. Tayeb decided to accept the invitation to Rome as a result of the numerous conciliatory gestures Francis has made to the Muslim world since being elected in early 2013. "If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening," the imam's deputy, Abbas Shuman, told AFP on Sunday. Shuman said Tayeb would be carrying with him a message for both the West and Muslims designed to promote "true Islam and to correct misunderstandings created by extremist terrorist groups." "He encourages countries not to deal with their Muslim citizens as groups that present a threat," Shuman said. "And he encourages Muslims in Western society to meld with their societies... it is a message for both sides." After the tensions of the Benedict years, Francis moved quickly to set a new tone, sending a personal message to the Muslim world to mark the end of the first month of Ramadan of his pontificate. The Argentinian pontiff followed up by pushing various inter-faith initiatives and he was accompanied by both Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Islamic studies professor Omar Abboud when he visited Jordan and Israel in 2014. But perhaps the gesture that clinched the deal was the most dramatic piece of political theatre of his papacy: his April visit to the migrant crisis island of Lesbos which concluded with him bringing three Syrian Muslim families back to the Vatican. New Delhi: In continuation of high-level engagements, President Pranab Mukherjee will set off on a four-day visit to China on Tuesday with an aim to further broaden ties between the two Asian economic giants as he will deliberate on a range of key issues, including the contentious ones with the Chinese leadership. Mukherjee is likely to raise the issues of China blocking India's bid to get a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar and its stand that New Delhi must sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to get membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The lingering boundary issue may also figure in talks. The president will be meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Premier Le Keqiang and other top leaders. This will be Mukherjee's first visit to China as president even though he had visited the country a number of times in different capacities. The last presidential visit to China was by Pratibha Patil in 2010. Ties between the two countries have been on an upswing since Xi's landmark India visit in September 2014, during which both the countries had signed 12 agreements and China pledged an investment of $20 billion in India's infrastructure sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited China in May last year and both sides had resolved to further deepen ties in a range of areas. However, irritants in ties cropped up recently after China blocked India's move to get a UN ban on JeM chief Azhar and opposed granting India membership of NSG, saying it must sign the NPT to get an entry into the premier group. Ahead of his visit, Mukherjee said China joining hands with India in the fight against terrorism will have "its own impact", indicating that the two countries must comer together to deal with the challenge. The comments came against the backdrop of Beijing blocking India's bid to put Azhar on the UN list of proscribed terrorists. Mukherjee will begin his visit by arriving in the highly industrialised Chinese city of Guangzhou on Tuesday. The city which has strong business links with India has an economy of over $1 trillion. He will be the first Indian leader to visit Guangzhou where Chan Buddhism originated and later spread to Japan and Korea. Besides interacting with the Indian community, which has over 3,000 businessmen, Mukherjee will also address the India-China Business Forum to highlight the investment opportunities in India. There, the President will have meetings with the Governor who is also the party secretary and attend a lunch in his honour. On the second leg of the visit, he will travel to Beijing, where he will hold wide-ranging talks with the Chinese leadership on key bilateral, regional and global issues. A key engagement of the President will be a roundtable of vice-chancellors of Chinese and Indian universities. A number of MoUs will be signed between academic institutions of both the countries. In Beijing, the president will also be talking to students of Peking University. Mukherjee will be accompanied by a delegation of academicians including vice-chancellors of two central universities as well as heads of IIT Delhi and Bhubaneshwar, IIM Ahmedabad and NIT Nagpur and Agartala. Union Minister Santosh Ganwar and four MPs will also accompany the president as part of the delegation. Pretoria: South African state prosecutors said on Monday they would appeal against a court ruling that President Jacob Zuma should face almost 800 corruption charges, triggering accusations that he was being protected from justice. Zuma has endured months of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals and as the country battles falling economic growth and record unemployment. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) director Shaun Abrahams announced the decision to challenge a High Court order to reinstate 783 charges against Zuma, but denied any political pressure. The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped in 2009, clearing the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later. At the time, state prosecutors justified dropping the case by saying that tapped phone calls between officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki's administration showed political interference. But the Pretoria High Court last month, dismissed the decision to discontinue the charges as "irrational" and said it should be reviewed by the NPA. "The judgement affects... the discretionary powers of the prosecutor," Abrahams told a press conference on Monday. "It is so important that I believe it needs a decision of an appeal court." Abrahams railed against suggestions that the NPA was reluctant to prosecute Zuma. "I will always do what is correct, irrespective of whether the individual concerned is an ordinary citizen, a cabinet minister or a sitting president," he said. "Any suggestion that I may have succumbed to any pressure to make my decision I can assure the public today that it is absolutely ridiculous and completely unfounded." Seoul: South Korea on Monday rejected the latest proposal by the North to hold military talks, saying Pyongyang first needed to take steps towards abandoning its nuclear arsenal. The North's leader Kim Jong-Un offered the military dialogue during a speech to a recent congress of the ruling Workers' Party - the first event of its kind in more than 35 years. North Korean military later urged Seoul to accept the offer to overcome the current "catastrophic state" of cross-border ties, proposing a preparatory working-level meeting in a message sent on Saturday. But Seoul's defence ministry, in a response sent across the border on Monday morning, effectively rejected the proposal that it said made no mention of Pyongyang's widely-condemned nuclear weapons programme, according to a ministry spokesman. "A proposal for talks with no mention of denuclearisation is mere posturing," Moon Sang-Gyun told reporters, describing the latest talks proposal a gesture for "fake peace". "We will firmly keep the stance that taking steps for denuclearisation should be the first priority when it comes to dialogue with the North," he said. Most of Kim's speech at the party congress had been devoted to talking up his atomic weapons programme, Seoul said. South Korea's conservative President Park Geun-Hye insists Seoul would only consider engaging in substantive dialogue with Pyongyang if the North takes a tangible step towards denuclearisation. But the North has repeatedly said the nuclear arsenal -which it describes a "national treasure" - is not up for negotiation. Tension has been running high since Pyongyang staged its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a long-range rocket launch a month later largely seen as a disguised missile test. The isolated state is banned under several UN resolutions from using any ballistic missile technology. The UN Security Council responded by slapping the strongest sanctions to date on the North in March. Idomeni: The women walked across the Syrian border into Turkey heavily pregnant, crossed the Aegean Sea in perilous journeys that risked their own lives and those of the babies they carried, because they dreamed of their children being born in a better world in a peaceful, prosperous country in central or northern Europe. But Balkan and European countries startled by the sheer number of people knocking at their doors shut their borders earlier this year, leaving pregnant women among about 54,000 people stranded in financially struggling Greece. Trapped by the closure of the Macedonian border, dozens of women have brought their children into the world in refugee camps in Greece, of which the largest is the sprawling, impromptu camp at Idomeni, on the border itself. There, women breast-feed their newborns in tiny tents, struggling to create adequate conditions in the alternating cold and rain or baking heat of the Balkan springtime. Most of the infants sleep on piles of blankets, while the luckier ones have baby cots donated by volunteers. Uday was born on 13 April. The entire first month of his life has been spent in the small tent his parents pitched in front of the Idomeni railway station, where his mother, 21-year-old Alia Mohamad, nurses him and struggles to quiet his constant crying. "The way I'm thinking about it, I don't know what his future is," said Mohamad, who fled with her husband from Aleppo in Syria and has been in Idomeni since 28 February. "What I think is that my child's future is lost. With this situation and with what we're going through, I don't believe he will have a future." Mohamad and her husband, Mahmud Kusa Ali, had hoped to reach either Belgium or the Netherlands and risked their lives to get to Europe. The boat that carried them from the Turkish coast punctured, she says, and they almost drowned. Now, they don't know what to do, and are considering that even a return to Syria would be preferable to the conditions they are in. "I'm desperate because my baby was born in such conditions. The child is tormented and I am tormented with him," says Mohamad. "We managed to escape the war and we came here where they closed the borders on us. We just want to live in safety." According to the local hospital in the nearby town of Kilkis, 120 women staying at Idomeni have given birth at the hospital since the start of the year, while one gave birth in the camp itself and was then transferred to the hospital. Many have since been transported to other, more organized camps or been settled in local apartments with the help of aid agencies, but an estimated 20 newborns are currently spending their first months of life at the sprawling camp that at one point housed more than 14,000 people. Among them is Fawaz, who was born on March 20. His home is a cluster of eight tents that form a small compound for an extended family from Syria, on the other side of the camp from Uday's family. He's dressed in a green baby suit as his mother tries to calm him with a pacifier. Wajdan Shalhob, 34, and her 37-year-old husband Ishaq Shalhob, fled their home in Daraa with their six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. "We left the war not to live in tents, in the filth and disease," she said. Her family's dream, like that of so many others, was to get to Germany. Despite pressure from Greek authorities for refugees to leave the sprawling Idomeni camp for organized refugee camps elsewhere, many of the women with very young infants are reluctant to move, fearing there will not be adequate care there for their babies. In Idomeni, volunteers and aid organizations have been delivering milk, diapers and other necessities for the children. "Every day we spend here seems like a whole year," said Fatima Dali Hassan, a 25-year-old Kurd from Aleppo who arrived in Idomeni with her husband Abdul Rahman and three small daughters, when she was seven months pregnant, heading for Germany. "We believed that in a month and a half we would be in a good place. I didn't expect that I would give birth here," she said. The family's new member, a little boy they named Mohamed, was born in Kilkis hospital on 27 March. "I wanted to go to Germany because my relatives are there. We started (this journey) for a better future of my children," she said. "The schools in Syria were destroyed. There is no future for children there. Syria is destroyed for the next 20 generations." Hassan says she prefers her little tent in a field in Idomeni to one of the organized camps, where she heard there was a shortage of milk for the children. "I will wait until God saves us," she said. One of Idomeni's youngest new residents is a baby boy born on 1 May. His 23-year-old mother Nariman Khello, a Kurd from the pulverized Syrian border town of Kobani, cradles him. Khello married her 29-year-old husband Khaled Khello a year ago and began her journey despite being pregnant. She's been in Idomeni for nearly three months now, living on the very outskirts of the camp where her husband tries to reinforce their small tent with blankets and plastic sheeting to give their newborn a bit more protection from the elements. "We came here to go to Germany," she says. "Here, my baby has no future. At night it's very cold and in the day it's very hot. May God help us." Sanaa, Yemen: A pair of suicide bombings killed at least 45 people in Yemen's southern city of Aden on Monday, security officials said. They said the bombings targeted young men seeking to join the army. One suicide car bomber targeted a line outside an army recruitment center, killing at least 20. A second bomber on foot detonated his explosive vest among a group of recruits waiting outside the home of an army commander, killing at least 25. Scores of others were wounded, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Yemen has for nearly two years been gripped by a war pitting the internationally recognized government against Shiite rebels who control the capital, Saana, and are allied with forces loyal to a former president. The country is also home to active al-Qaida and Islamic State group affiliates. No one claimed responsibility for Monday's attacks, which bore all the hallmarks of Islamic militants. Monday's blasts underline the precarious security situation in Aden, the country's main port on the Arabian Sea, several months after government forces and allied militiamen backed by a Saudi-led coalition retook the city from the Shiite rebels, also known as the Houthis. The city has in recent months seen a series of suicide bombings and assassinations mainly targeting army and security forces. Contributing further to the instability in Aden is recent the eviction of northern Yemenis, the work of suspected separatists who seek an independent south. In a separate incident, the officials said at least 20 people were killed in the city of Taiz when heavy rainfall triggered an avalanche of rocks that hit homes below in the residential Bani Omar district. Hanoi: President Barack Obama said on Monday that he remained confident the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal would be ratified in the United States despite strong political opposition in Washington. "The reason I remain confident is it's the right thing to do," he told reporters in Vietnam where he is currently on a three-day visit. "I have not yet seen a credible argument that once we get TPP in place we are going to be worse off... we're going to be better off," he said in a press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart. But the US leader conceded getting the ambitious tariff- slashing deal through a hostile, Republican-dominated Congress will be "noisy." Even elements of his Democrat party are opposed to the deal, which aims to gain lower tariff access and bring down trade barriers to US goods in a market representing 40 per cent of the global economy. The pact also aims to wrest influence from a booming China, which dominates Asian trade. But critics warn TPP will damage American business by giving cheaper overseas goods preferential access to its domestic market, slashing wages and jobs. Vietnam has readily embraced the deal and on Monday President Tran Dai Quang backed the TPP as a game-changing pact that can reshape global trade. He said the pact can "be a driver of economic growth in (the) Asia-Pacific region", adding Vietnam "is committed to fully implementing" all of its clauses, which include recognition of workers' rights. Currently unions are banned in Vietnam. The deal must now be ratified by the 12 participating countries. The 12 signatories to the TPP agreement are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. Karo: Indonesian rescuers searched for survivors in scorched villages and devastated farmlands Monday after a volcano erupted in clouds of searing ash and gas, killing seven and leaving others fighting life-threatening burns. Witnesses have described sheer panic as waves of gas and fine rock were unleashed from Mount Sinabung on Sumatra island Saturday, consuming farmers trying to flee the slopes of the highly active volcano. The fast-moving flows reaching temperatures of up to 700 degrees Celsius (1,300 Fahrenheit) incinerated homes and left livestock blackened and peeling. Agustatius Sitepu, the head of the local military in Karo district where the volcano is situated, arrived to scenes of chaos as rescue crews raced to reach those left alive. "The villagers who managed to survive were running around in panic, trying to save themselves," he told AFP on Monday. "There were only a few dozen. They were terrified. They were covered in ash." The eruptions were so violent that townships as far away as 12 kilometres (seven miles) were covered in thick layers of ash, he added. Villagers are trying to recover from Saturday's eruption. Abdi Putera, an orange farmer, was busy getting rid of the volcanic ash which covers his oranges, despite the government warning the area is still dangerous. "If I don't blow off the ashes, it will get thicker and thicker and will eventually damage my oranges. If that happens, I wouldn't be able to sell my crops and make a living for my family," Putera explained. 'Red Zone' Those worst affected were all farming within the "red zone" -- an area four kilometres from Sinabung declared off limits by authorities -- when the volcano erupted. Six bodies were recovered Sunday, with three others rushed to hospital suffering horrific burns. One of the victims succumbed to their wounds by nightfall, taking the official toll to seven, local disaster mitigation agency chief Nata Nail told AFP on Monday. "Two more remain in the intensive care unit, suffering burns to 90 percent of their body," he said. Footage showed their clothes blackened and hanging off charred limbs as rescue teams brought them by stretcher to hospital. Nail said rescue teams were still finding survivors on Sunday during sweeps of homes and farms in Gamber village. The Sinabung mountain has shown less activity on Monday, but officials from the Indonesian meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency known as the BMKG are continously monitoring the mountain's activity. "The Pyroclastic is very dangerous. Not only because of its flow and steam, but it also brings secondary dangers such as cold lava flow and flash floods," said Arif, an officer with the BMKG. Residents were ordered to evacuate Gamber in late 2014 due to the unacceptable risk from lava flows, dense ash and falling volcanic rock. But some villagers grew tired of living in temporary shelters and began returning to their farms for economic reasons, despite repeated government warnings. "We hope because of this disaster, those living near Sinabung, and tourists, will realise that Sinabung is still very dangerous," Nail said. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After another period of inactivity it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since. Sixteen people died during a particularly fierce eruption in 2014, and Sinabung remains at the highest alert level. Hollywood is in the grip a child sexual abuse scandal similar to that of Jimmy Savile in Britain, Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood has claimed. The 35-year-old former child actor said paedophiles had been protected by powerful figures in the movie business and that abuse was probably still taking place. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Wood said he had been protected from abuse as he was growing up, but that other child actors had been regularly "preyed upon" at parties by industry figures. "You all grew up with Savile Jesus, it must have been devastating," he said. Dual Olympic gold medallist Michael Diamond has been charged with drink-driving and firearms offences following an alleged domestic dispute north of Newcastle at the weekend. The 44-year-old trap shooting champion's hopes of competing in the Rio Olympic Games are now in doubt after he was arrested on Saturday night following an argument with his brother at a home in Stockton Street in Nelson Bay. Police allege that, when officers spoke to Diamond in the neighbouring suburb of Shoal Bay about 9.30pm that night, he was standing next to his vehicle but refused to undergo a roadside breath test. Officers from the Port Stephens Local Area Command then searched Diamond's vehicle and allegedly found a shotgun and 150 rounds of ammunition. Nigerias central bank governors are meeting amid a gloomy financial outlook for Africas largest economy. Numbers released last week show the country's economy contracting. Economists blame a shortage of fuel, persistent power outages and a fall in the production of Nigerias top moneymaker, oil. Nigeria is heading for a recession. Thats what analysts say after the National Bureau of Statistics announced the economy contracted by about four-tenths of a percent in the first quarter of this year. Africa economist at London-based Capital Economics John Asbhourne said a shortage of fuel and shortage of dollars to pay for imported goods stymied economic growth. He doesnt expect the second quarter to be much better. Its very, very likely the economy will shrink again this quarter, and then were in a recession, said Asbhourne. Oil is Nigerias top export and the primary funder of the government's budget. The global drop in the price of crude has cut revenue and harmed the economy. Also, oil production has dropped by a half-million barrels per day because militants blew up several key pipelines in the oil-producing Niger Delta region. Foreign exchange control Ashbourne said the government hasnt helped things by imposing controls on foreign exchange, leading to a shortage of dollars in the country. The shortage of dollars has ripple effects, including the shortage of gasoline, because Nigeria imports most of its fuel. Growth in manufacturing also shrunk in the first quarter. Ashbourne said manufacturers who rely on imported components cant get them. One of the reasons why a lot of manufacturing firms did really badly, as in food processing and so on, was that it was hard for them to buy inputs like glass to put tomato paste into, he said. Many have called on the central bank to devalue the currency in order to spur growth and end the shortage of dollars. President Muhammadu Buhari has said hes against doing that. It remains to be seen if central bank officials will take any action after they conclude their meeting in Abuja tomorrow. China has arrested 135 people in 22 provinces for illegally buying and selling vaccines, in the latest scandal shaking the Chinese publics confidence in vaccine safety. In an online statement Friday, the national prosecuting office said arrest warrants were issued for 125 people for running vaccine businesses without license. It said 15 of them have been formally indicted, and two were found guilty. Ten health officials were arrested for on-duty negligence. The accused health officials had worked at local public health centers and knowingly bought the illegal vaccines and used them on people, the prosecuting office said. The massive investigation followed a case in March when a doctor in the eastern province of Shandong were found to have sold 2 million doses of improperly stored or expired vaccines. Media reports said she stored the vaccines at room temperature, instead of keeping them refrigerated as required. Vaccines not stored and managed properly can lose their effectiveness and may not protect people being inoculated. The vaccines in the March case included those for hepatitis B, rabies, mumps and Japanese encephalitis. The scandal drew criticism from people upset with persistent food and drug safety issues in the country. Beijing quickly ordered an investigation to crack down on illegal businesses of vaccines. AP Beijings official media outlet, Xinhua news agency, has praised the response of some of Macau and Hong Kongs media to the Taiwanese Presidents inauguration speech on Friday. Claiming to cite Chinese-language newspapers in the two Special Administrative Regions, Xinhua acclaimed local publications for their conclusion that mainland China had expressed [a] firm stance while revealing flexibility and enough goodwill. The accuracy of Xinhuas assessment of the reaction from the Macau and Hong Kong press remains questionable however, especially as some alleged quotes from Hong Kong publications appear to be misattributed, while others could not be found at all. A Xinhua article yesterday accredited Sing Pao Daily News, one of the oldest Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong, as having resolved that, the Taiwan compatriots share blood ties with us and there is no force that can separate us. However, according to a second, separate Xinhua article, this is a direct quote from the mainlands Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. Xinhua also claimed Sing Pao warned that if Tsai refused to publicly accept the One China principle, her plan to participate in regional economic communities will be unrealistic. There was no article relating to the inauguration of Tsai Ing-wen on Sing Paos website yesterday when the Times tried to verify the attributed statement, and a search in the Cross-Strait section of the paper brought up no results. Macao Daily News said in its editorial on Saturday that Tsai has been inconsistent over China-Taiwan relations, changing constantly, and is becoming increasingly ambiguous on the issue. The author of the editorial identifies herself in the piece as a scholar who studies the history of Macau. She came to the conclusion that Tsais desire for less reliance on the Mainlands economy, together with her intention to keep relations stable, represents an inconsistency. Meanwhile, Hong Kongs Headline Daily said that cross- Straits relations would be adversely affected by Tsais opinions and that it would be difficult to have positive interaction between Beijing and Taipei if the new president is determined to maintain her position. In her speech on Friday, Taiwans newly-inaugurated president Tsai Ing-wen failed to announce her adherence to the One China principle, though she stated that she would seek common ground in cross-Straits relations. Mainland governmental entities such as the Taiwan Affairs Office responded angrily, describing Tsais inauguration speech as an incomplete test answer, defying the common will of people of both sides of the Straits [ to] strive for the prospect of Chinas peaceful reunification. Taiwans counterpart organization, the Mainland Affairs Council, took a contrary view, saying that Tsai showed maximum flexibility and exemplified good will in her address. The councils assessment of Tsais speech is almost identical to Xinhuas summation of the Mainlands reaction, though in reverse with each emphasizing their sides flexibility, restraint and good will. The entity added that it would continue to communicate with the Mainlands Taiwan Affairs Office to maintain the bilateral channel [see more on page 10]. MDT Thailands military seized power from an elected government on May 22, 2014, with the justification that it wanted to end chaotic and violent political confrontations that had wracked the country for years. But more than an attempt to restore stability was at play. Heres a look at the reasons for, and consequences of, the coup led two years ago Sunday by Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who continues to rule as prime minister: WHY? The coup really was traditional ruling elites latest and most decisive intervention in what is now a decade-long war for political power with billionaire telecommunications tycoon-turned-politician Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was a popular prime minister from 2001 until he was booted by an earlier coup in 2006. After years of political turmoil and musical chairs, his sister Yingluck Shinawatra came to power in a landslide election victory in 2011. Her government was ousted in the 2014 coup following about six months of protests and political street-fighting that paralyzed Bangkok, the capital. Arrogant and flexible in his ethics, Thaksin alienated the educated, urban middle class and alarmed traditional ruling circles royalists and the military who also feared his lock on the electorate challenged the power structure. The military also worried he would interfere in the succession when the revered and ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the throne since 1946 ended his reign. Thaksin has lived abroad since 2008 to avoid serving prison time for a corruption conviction he says was politically motivated. The anti-Yingluck protests were sparked by an amnesty bill that could have allowed Thaksin to return to Thailand a free man. LIFE TODAY The junta has since restored order, but at the cost of suspending many civil liberties, most notably freedom of expression. The military holds near-absolute power through Article 44 of the junta-imposed interim constitution. It allows Prayuth to take any measures deemed necessary to promote public order and unity. Most of the repression so far has been applied with a touch more paternalistic than brutal. When threats fail to keep critics and dissidents in line, they are detained at military bases, usually for no more than a week, for interrogation sessions called attitude adjustment. One major exception: Those convicted of insulting the monarchy face up to 15 years in prison. Lately, however, junta officials frustrated by repeat offenders have suggested they be sent to re-education camps, which implies at least longer detainments. Another ominous development is the prosecution of human rights lawyers. Military courts are empowered to try certain types of civilian cases. In March, the military were given police-like powers to seize assets, search premises and arrest and detain criminal suspects. Junta critics have expressed particular outrage over the recent arrest of the mother of a pro-democracy activist. Her alleged crime: failing to rebuke a Facebook friend who sent an alleged anti-monarchist message. ECONOMY The junta inherited a lagging economy, with policymakers hindered by years of political instability. Macroeconomic indicators showed Thailand underperforming much of the region, though this years estimated first-quarter growth of 3.2 percent was stronger than expected. Thailands export-led economy was especially vulnerable to Chinas downturn. Two of the strongest export sectors face other problems as well. Agriculture has been weakened by severe drought, while scandals in the fishing and seafood industry involving labor abuses and illegal fishing practices risked sanctions in the markets of the EU and the United States. Tourism, however, has remained strong, even after a bomb blast last year in central Bangkok killed 20 people. Boosting investment has been difficult, with some ambitious infrastructure projects stalled in part due to political uncertainties. Instead, the government has focused mainly on increasing consumption to stimulate the economy, particularly in rural areas. These measures, such as farming subsidies, were similar to Thaksin government policies that his critics derided as populist giveaways to buy voters loyalty. What concerns economists is that the juntas generally narrow focus on political stability constrains it from tackling the countrys acknowledged structural problems competitiveness, industrial production capacity, productivity, education and training, state-owned-enterprise reform that the pre-coup turmoil allowed to fester. FOREIGN RELATIONS Traditionally close relations between the United States and Thailand, its oldest ally in Asia, have seemingly been shaken. Moves by Bangkok to cozy up to Beijing have been widely interpreted as a response to Washingtons scolding of the military for uprooting democracy and violating human rights. The U.S. suspended USD4.7 million in security assistance funds and stopped top-level diplomatic exchanges. Washington has made clear that those restrictions will remain until civilian rule is restored. Prayuth, however, has been able to visit the U.S. for multilateral events. The U.S. has also continued to stage in Thailand its largest multilateral military exercise in the Asia-Pacific, albeit it on a smaller scale than before the coup. Thaksins most virulent critics regard U.S. cheerleading for liberal democracy as tantamount to backing for the former prime minister. Junta officials have expressed their annoyance at Washington, but how deep their anger actually runs is hard to gauge anti-American statements play well with their supporters, but military-to-military relations run deep. Bangkoks flirtations with Beijing involve relatively modest investments, closer military relations, and an increasing willingness to extradite Beijings political opponents, despite international criticism. At the same time, however, Thailand has stood fast against unfavorable financing terms offered by the Chinese for a much-desired major rail project, and has expressed interest in joining the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. THE FUTURE Thailands ruling generals have made clear they are not planning to yield control anytime soon. Initial plans to hold an election in 2015 were deferred until 2016, and are now deferred again until 2017. Their proposed draft constitution is fashioned to keep power in the hands of their allies in the traditional elite using the courts and bureaucracy as their tools at the expense of the voters political representatives. One provision could allow for an unelected prime minister a concept many Thais believed dead and buried a generation ago along with military dictatorship. Another would see the junta remain in existence for five years after the polls for what is described as a transitional period. The draft charter will be voted on in an Aug. 7 referendum that amounts to the first measurement of public sentiment toward the military government. The exercise will be far from free and fair campaigning for or against the draft is subject to nebulous rules that could land activists up to 10 years in prison. Even the sale of a Vote No T-shirt is considered against the law. Prayuth has said the junta will press ahead with its plans regardless of the outcome, suggesting that if the draft charter is rejected, a replacement will be enacted without a popular vote. In any case, a rejection would deeply undercut the legitimacy the junta has claimed for itself. FINAL WORD The streets of Bangkok may be calm, and the countrys resorts thronging with tourists. But the problem the junta faces is that it has not moved the country one inch away from the polarized politics it claimed to be seeking an end to, since it has been a party to the conflict all along. Grant Peck, Bangkok, AP A gunman fired shots yesterday into a small crowd attending an open air concert organized by a local motorcycle club, killing two people and wounding 11 others before shooting himself to death, police said. Police said the overnight shooting in Austrias westernmost Voralberg province was preceded by a loud argument between the gunman and a woman in a nearby parking lot. The man then fetched a gun out of his car, left the parking lot and went to a field that was used as a concert venue, where he started shooting into the crowd of about 150 people, apparently at random. They said he killed himself after returning to the parking lot. The woman was not wounded in the shooting near Nenzing, a town about 40 kilometers east of Austrias border to Liechtenstein. Local media quoted rescue workers as saying some of the surviving victims were in serious condition. Police spokeswoman Susanne Dilp said she could not confirm that but described their wounds as very diverse. A direct air link between Lisbon and Beijing, a long-standing objective of the governments of Portugal and China, is about to become a reality, at a time when a Chinese airline is taking a stake in Portuguese airline TAP. With restructuring, completed last week, of the capital of TAP Air Portugal, the airline that offers the most flights between the Portuguese-speaking countries, by August of this year Chinas Hainan Airlines (HNA) will have a share of 13 percent after converting the TAP bonds it subscribed. Humberto Pedrosa, representing the Atlantic Gateway consortium, said at a press conference last Friday that HNA, a shareholder of Brazilian airline Azul, which is part of the consortium that won the privatization of TAP (Atlantic Gateway), will have an indirect stake in TAP of 13 percent with the conversion of the bonds by Azul that [] may reach 20 percent. Portuguese weekly newspaper Expresso reported HNA taking a stake in the consortium will happen when the transaction is closed, when private shares are transferred to the state. Getting a link to the Far East as soon as possible, including to Beijing, was one of the goals outlined by the Portuguese Minister of Planning and Infrastructure, Pedro Marques, resulting from the Chinese involvement in TAP. David Neeleman, who in November sold about a quarter of the share capital of Azul to the HNA Group for 1.7 billion reais, has argued that the partnership with the Chinese group could allow the Brazilian carrier enter the Asian market through code share agreements. HNAs involvement in TAP was initially limited to financing the Portuguese company, through a bond issue of 90 million euros. The purchase and sale agreement of TAP shares stipulates that the State keeps 50 percent, and the Gateway consortium, has 45 percent, which may increase to 50 percent with the capital available to TAP employees. Jorge Costa Oliveira, Portugals Secretary of State for Internationalization, said last week that by the end of this year, a flight is expected to be launched between Hangzhou (capital of Zhejiang province), Beijing and Lisbon. The connection, for which they are reviewing the final details, will be operated by Beijing Capital Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA, the Secretary of State told Portuguese news agency Lusa. MDT/Macauhub A 65 year-old man was arrested by the Public Security Police Force (PSP) after being accused by a schoolgirl of taking under-skirt photographs, the PSP informed in press conference held yesterday at the police forces headquarters. A 17 year-old student called the police on Friday to inform them that a suspicious man was at the footbridge of Estrada da Areia Preta using his mobile phone to take photographs under the skirts of pedestrians passing by. As the police officers arrived on the scene, the accuser pointed to a man standing near the footbridge saying that on May 17 the same person had taken photos of her while she was using the escalator and afterward when she had crouched to tie her shoelaces. The victim explained to the officers that after tying her shoelaces, she had looked back to find the man quickly putting away his mobile phone in a nervous and suspicious manner. After crossing the bridge she was informed by an eyewitness on the opposite side that her suspicions had been correct and that he had photographed her. As she was late for school and was surprised by the incident, the schoolgirl did not inform the authorities immediately. However, after seeing the same person at the same location two days following the incident, and acting in the same suspicious manner, she decided to alert the authorities. The man, questioned by the police, admitted the crime and stated that he had been doing this since the middle of last year and had collected the photo files in an external computer hard drive at home. A search at his residence address found the referred hard drive to contain around 80,000 images of under-skirt photographs dated from August 2015 to the present day. The victim recognized photographs of herself in at least 10 images among the bundle as well as another five schoolmates who had already been contacted by the PSP regarding the case. fake currency case In a separate case, the Judiciary Police (PJ) recently caught two men from the mainland who were trying to pass fake currency in a casino located in Cotai. After being reported by the casino the men were intercepted by the PJ in possession of a total of 33 counterfeited HKD1,000 bank notes. The quality of the forgery was considered quite bad as they appeared to be photocopies of original bank notes. The men were presented to the Public Prosecutions Office accused of the fraudulent use of counterfeit currency. A group of 80 reporters and cameramen including nine Britons have been allowed to fly out of Saigon to Vientiane in Laos. They are the first Westerners to leave the capital of South Vietnam since it fell to communist forces on 29 April. That day there were chaotic scenes in Saigon as desperate South Vietnamese citizens tried to board overcrowded US helicopters in a bid to flee their own country. The next day, North Vietnamese tanks rolled in and forced a humiliating surrender. There are still 16,000 foreign passport holders, including thousands of Vietnamese with French passports, waiting anxiously for exit visas and a way out. After weeks of failed promises and delays, the Western journalists boarded a Russian-made plane belonging to the North Vietnamese Air Force to Vientiane in Laos, the only Indo-Chinese country that still has diplomatic ties with the US. The fall of Saigon has been marked by victory parades by the communist forces over the last few days. Posters of Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Viet Minh, have been placed on public buildings and marching bands paraded the streets. Some South Vietnamese welcomed the victory others loyal to President Thieu who could not get away committed suicide. Most are relieved that the war is finally over. The communist authorities have so far been lenient on Thieu supporters and are more concerned with re-educating former soldiers and young people, tackling growing crime and food shortages in an attempt to bring some sort of order to the streets of Saigon. Courtesy BBC News In context Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, and North and South Vietnam were unified in 1976. This was preceded by three decades of bitter independence wars, which the communists fought first against the colonial power France, then against US-backed South Vietnam. The US had entered hostilities to stem a perceived domino effect of successive nations falling to communism. The jungle war produced heavy casualties on both sides, atrocities against civilians, and the indiscriminate destruction and contamination of much of the landscape. In 1986, the communist government allowed in elements of market forces and private enterprise. But some party leaders still fear that too much economic liberalization will weaken their power base and introduce decadent ideas into Vietnamese society. In November 2000 President Bill Clintons visit to Vietnam was presented as the culmination of US efforts to normalize relations with the former enemy. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has welcomed the resounding yes vote in the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement on Northern Ireland, calling it a day for joy. The referendum, held yesterday on both sides of the border, returned a resounding yes vote with 71% of voters from Northern Ireland and 94% of those in the Irish Republic showing their support for the Good Friday peace agreement. This is the result we have worked for and wanted, said Mr Blair. Its another giant stride along the path to peace, hope and the future. The agreement signed last Easter seeks to resolve relationships within Northern Ireland between Northern Ireland and the Republic and between both parts of Ireland and England, Scotland and Wales and pave the way for devolution from Westminster with a new all-inclusive Assembly. It was signed on 10 April Good Friday by all interested parties except Rev Dr Ian Paisleys Democratic Unionist Party and Bob McCartneys United Kingdom Unionist Party. They objected to the presence of the IRAs political wing Sinn Fein in the multi-party talks leading up to the agreement. The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, told reporters she was delighted with the two nations endorsement of the agreement. Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble said: It is quite clear that a majority of unionists not as big a majority of unionists as I would have liked but a clear majority have endorsed this agreement. We have taken an important step forward. John Hume, leader of the nationalist SDLP, said that for the first time the people of both sides of the Irish border were speaking as one. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said he was prepared to sit down with David Trimble in a new Northern Ireland assembly now. Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said the overwhelming result was the true voice of the people. The British Government will press ahead next month with elections for a Northern Ireland Assembly. Courtesy BBC News In context After the euphoria of the positive vote for a peaceful solution to the problems of Northern Ireland came the reality. The first three years of the agreements implementation saw accusations and counter-accusation from both sides of the divide. Unionists said the republicans had not complied with the spirit of the agreements requirement for the decommissioning of arms. And Sinn Fein accused the British government of failing to demilitarize quickly enough. It added that it could not force anyone to give up arms and that the agreement only stated that the parties should use all their power to influence the process. Disagreement over decommissioning and policing led to the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly twice in 18 months in February-May 2000 and in August 2001. The issue has remained the major stumbling block in talks between all parties seeking to restore devolution since the Northern Ireland Assembly was suspended in October 2002 over alleged intelligence gathering by republicans. Direct rule finally ended in May 2007 when the Northern Ireland Assembly met with the return of devolution and DUP leader Ian Paisley as first minister. EgyptAir Flight 804s automatic radio messages about smoke in the front portion of the cabin were generated minutes before controllers lost contact with the aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, French accident investigator BEA said Saturday. The electronic signals offer a puzzling twist to what may have happened to the flight, which went down on Thursday with 66 people aboard. Two error messages, the first at 2:26 a.m. local time, suggested there was a fire on board, while later alerts indicated some type of failure in the planes electrical equipment. While similar signals have preceded air accidents in the past, the warnings arent associated with a sudden disappearance from radar as occurred with the Airbus A320 over the Mediterranean. A Malaysian Airlines flight shot down over Ukrainian airspace in July 2014 broke apart so quickly that on-board systems didnt have time to send distress messages. Its too long for an explosion and too short for a traditional fire, said John Cox, a former A320 pilot who is president of the Washington-based consultancy Safety Operating Systems. It says we have more question than we have answers. Spanning three minutes, the warnings were followed by alerts that fumes were detected by smoke detectors, one in a lavatory and the other in the compartment below the cockpit where the planes computers and avionics systems are stored, according to the Aviation Herald. CNN reported that the time stamps of the alerts match the approximate time the aircraft went missing. In the case of a mid-flight fire, the pilots would have been expected to radio a distress call and begin attempts to divert, Cox said. No such radio calls came from the EgyptAir plane. The transmissions, which are automatically sent to ground stations so airlines can monitor whether a plane needs maintenance, will probably provide valuable clues once theyre matched up against the planes crash-proof flight recorders. Egypts Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement Saturday that transmissions collected from the plane may have different causes and require further analysis before drawing any conclusions. We are looking at all the information that is collected but it is far too early to make a judgment or decision on single source of information, it said. Egyptian and French investigators said they couldnt comment on reports by CBS News that said the cockpit voice and flight-data recorders had been found. The network suggested on Saturday that search teams had discovered the devices near a site where body parts and aircraft debris had been located. The so-called black boxes, painted bright orange, store key flight metrics and sounds from the cockpit that could definitively detail what downed the plane. It took salvage crews several years to locate and recover the devices from the doomed Air France AF447 flight that went down in the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. Malaysian Airlines MH370 still hasnt been found more than two years after it disappeared. Egypts army has released both images and video footage of Flight 804 debris that show an intact yellow life jacket lying beside wrecked seat cushioning, tattered clothes and EgyptAir-branded metal plane parts, quashing hopes of finding any survivors. The condition of those remains and the way debris was found scattered may offer early clues about how the plane was downed, with a wide field of small pieces pointing to a mid- air breakup. Large chunks of wreckage might suggest the aircraft hit the water largely intact. The flight lost contact in the middle of the night in the wider area of the Strabo trench in the so-called Hellenic Arc in the seas south of Greece, where waters are as much as 3,000 meters deep. The wreckage was discovered about 290 kilometers north of the Egyptian city of Alexandria, authorities said. Officials arent ruling out any possible cause, including a deliberate act or malfunction, though Egyptian Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said the possibility of a terrorist attack is higher than a technical failure. The jihadist group Islamic State, often quick to claim responsibility for attacks on planes and cities in the Middle East and Europe, hasnt addressed the latest incident. An Islamic State spokesman released an audio message on Saturday confirming the death of Abu Umar Al-Shishani, a top commander, in a U.S. airstrike in March, but didnt discuss the EgyptAir downing. It was unclear when the message had been recorded. Andrea Rothman, Alan Levin and Tarek El-Tablawy, Bloomberg Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras braces for yet another vote on additional austerity measures, as European creditors remain at loggerheads with the International Monetary Fund about how much debt relief the country will get for its pain. Lawmakers in Athens are scheduled to vote today [Macau time] on an omnibus bill that includes measures ranging from the taxation of diamond dust and coffee to the transfer of thousands of real estate assets from the state to a new privatization fund. The debate will test the resilience of Tsiprass three-seat parliamentary majority, as euro-area states resist calls from the IMF to set less ambitious fiscal targets and hand Greece more generous debt relief. Approval of the measures is one of the prior actions Greece has to fulfill to unlock the next tranche of emergency loans from the European Stability Mechanism, the currency blocs crisis-fighting fund. The Eurogroup of 19 finance ministers will convene tomorrow to assess the countrys compliance with its latest bailout agreement struck in the summer of 2015. A positive assessment is also a condition for the Eurogroup to ease the servicing terms for over 200 billion euros (USD225 billion) of bailout loans handed to the country since 2010. Bloomberg Last Friday night, a leaking corridor outside the Border Gate resulted from a heavy rainfall, according to a report by Macao Daily News. The report informs that the situation was announced online, where it was claimed that more than 20 spots along the corridor ceiling have a similar leakage problem. Pedestrians realized the problem still continued a day after the initial reports, calling it the result of a Tofu-dreg project, (Chinese term for poorly-constructed building). Moreover, passengers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the relevant departments, since the leaking was left unattended overnight. SMEs expand to Hengqin The Federal General Commercial Association of Macau Small and Medium Enterprises (GAMSME) applied for one square kilometer of land in Hengqin, according to a report by Macao Daily News. David Chow, President of GAMSME, announced that the project will include facilities for shopping, education, medical care, as well as price-limited residences, which will give purchasing priority to Macau residents. Chow further noted that the project is still in its initial stage because the application has only just been delivered to related governmental departments for approval. IFT to launch art admin course The Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) will launch a new series of Certificates in Art Administration in July in a joint effort with the Cultural Affairs Bureau. The course is intended to train professionals for entry into the cultural and arts industry. According to a statement from the IFT, the new course has been strengthened by a team of teachers with experience and professional knowledge in the scope of arts management. Launched in 2011, the course has been provided to local residents for six consecutive years, seeing the participation of over a hundred people. IFT says that interested parties are invited to register until Friday, May 27. OBOR workshop held in Macau Over 50 delegates attended a One Belt, One Road (OBOR) workshop on Friday, co-organized by City University of Macau, the Maritime Silk Road Association (Macau) and the Institute of European Studies of Macau. The forum was the first of its kind in Macau and provided a forum to discuss the implications of the policy in terms of trade and investment opportunities in Portuguese-speaking countries. The president of the association, Thomas Chan, said that OBOR is open to all countries including the Portuguese-speaking countries, and that he believes Macau can play a role not only in the Maritime Silk Road, but also in the inland component, linking businesses. Hong Kong taxi owners and drivers at the Taxi Council launched TAXI last week, in an attempt to reclaim some of the ground they have lost to competitors such as Uber. Eight hundred drivers registered for the scheme, which claims to offer a superior user experience to costumers through endorsed taxi drivers who are obliged to sign up to a performance pledge. TAXI hopes to boost the number of registered drivers to 1,500, along with a further 3,500 independent drivers, stated the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in a recent report. According to figures compiled by Hong Kongs Transport Complaints Unit, complaints such as quarrels have risen fivefold in the past 11 years. They often included drivers refusing hire, overcharging passengers and not taking them to their destination via the most direct route, although there were over 93,000 registered complaints between 2003 and 2015, authorities claimed that the real figure could be significantly higher. An overcharging incident occurred in October 2015 when a Swiss tourist was made to pay HKD8,000 about 30 times the usual fare for a trip from Hong Kong International Airport to a hotel in Hung Hom. Police claimed that it was the worse such incident on record in the city. Meanwhile the ride-hailing app, Uber, has drawn criticism from taxi operators for disrupting the market, which in turn has caused anti-Uber protests and government crackdowns, SCMP stated. The legality of its services was also probed, leading to several court cases. The report recalled that the taxi industry has called for stricter regulation of these app-hailing services and is looking for ways to innovate and remain competitive. GAMING TAXES Mak Soi Kun has urged the government to raise the competitiveness of the local gaming industry after facing competition threats of markets such as Singapore, The Philippines and Vietnam. The lawmaker suggested this during the period before the agenda that the government should ease the rate of taxes on gaming concessionaires, proposing a point system aiming to provide incentives via tax reduction for concessionaries to successfully implement social responsibility and non-gaming related projects. We can put this clearly in the contracts, establishing tax incentives such as reduction on the tax rate for concessionaries that assume their social responsibilities and promote successfully projects not related to the gaming, Mak said. The lawmaker recalled that in the territory the taxation over gaming concessionaires is about 40 percent while in the other neighboring countries and territories, the same tax rate is only between 5 to 15 percent. In his opinion, Mak suggested that it represents a potential risk for this activity sector. NON-RESIDENTS Ella Lei, commenting on the findings of the official report on the mid-term review of the gaming industry, said that there are too many non-resident workers in management positions in the gaming industry. In this activity sector, there are still 2247 management positions, or higher working categories, that are being filled by non-residents, which represents year-on-year growing since 2010, the lawmaker said. FIVE-YEAR PLAN Pereira Coutinho accused the governments 5-year Plan for the Development of MSAR, currently under public consultation phase, of failing at the starting point. The lawmaker said that in the formulation of any plan it is important to do an exhaustive survey about the main problems that continue to affect citizens, as well as to think about which of the measures taken for the past 16 years were successful and which werent. In his opinion, the plan fails by not addressing these topics as well as for failing to consider that an important matter is the accountability of the high ranked officials. Rodrigo Duterte kept Filipinos guessing for months last year whether he would run for president. He repeatedly declared that he wouldnt, then cited different reasons when he finally did. On the campaign trail, he flipped and flopped on a number of key pronouncements. That has made it difficult to discern when the brash Duterte, who spikes his speeches with sarcasm and hyperbole for added punch, is serious or, in his own words, is just taking you for a ride. Some of the verbal U-turns made by the Philippines likely next president: RUNNING OR NOT? Last year, Duterte kept the entire country and his rivals at a loss over whether he would run for president, declaring initially in a June 21 TV interview that he was not closing the door on the prospect. I will leave it open for God to decide, he said. He turned around the next day, chiding reporters for not listening carefully and telling them what he actually said was that he was keeping his doorway open for women. As an October deadline for signing up for the race approached, he rejected clamors for him to run by supporters, some of whom, including his daughter, shaved their heads to underscore their plea. Duterte said he didnt harbor the ambition to be president. The following month, however, he switched places with a fellow party member who had registered for the race, saying he decided to run out of dismay over a decision to allow a rival candidate to run despite protests that she was not a natural-born Filipino as the constitution requires. He would later say he ran because his southern region has been neglected by past presidents. ZERO CRIME On the campaign trail, Duterte promised to end crime and corruption in three to six months, an impossible feat that nevertheless resonated with crime- weary Filipinos. If I fail, he dared, kill me. Duterte eventually toned down the big promise, saying in a campaign rally that I cannot really stop as in stop [crime]. For as long as there is society, and there are men and women and children in society, there will always be crime. Ending then gave way to suppressing crime. POPE GO HOME In November, Duterte cursed Pope Francis for causing a traffic jam during a Manila visit that trapped Duterte for five hours. He told a crowd, I wanted to call and tell him, Pope, you son of a bitch, go home. Dont visit here anymore. Amid ensuing criticism, he backtracked and explained that he was cursing the mishandling of the traffic and not the pontiff. Still, he wrote a letter of apology to the Vatican. After it became clear Duterte had won the presidency, his spokesman announced plans to visit the Vatican because he really needs to explain to the pope and ask for forgiveness. Three days later, Duterte shot down the idea, saying he had canceled the planned Vatican trip. Duterte said he had already sent a letter of apology to the leader of the Catholic world, adding, Thats enough. CONFRONTING CHINA Duterte and his camp have adopted a gamut of options in dealing with China over contested territories in the South China Sea. Under his presidency, he said the Philippines will prod China to abide by the upcoming decision of an arbitration court thats handling a Philippine lawsuit against Beijing. If China doesnt budge, he says hell be open to one-on-one talks with Beijing. Another time, he said he leaned toward multilateral negotiations that would involve the United States and Japan and rival claimant governments to resolve the escalating conflicts. But at a televised debate he revealed his most outlandish approach: He said he has thought about traveling to the disputed waters by Jet Ski and planting a Philippine flag on one of the new Chinese man-made islands, saying its up to the Chinese to shoot him and turn him into a national hero. BANK ACCOUNTS When one of Dutertes harshest critics, Sen. Antonio Trillanes, alleged last month that Duterte had a secret bank account with his daughter with at least 211 million pesos (USD4.5 million) that he failed to declare in 2014 as required by law, Dutertes spokesman initially denied the account existed. Critics, however, proved it existed by depositing a token amount to get a receipt that showed the names of Duterte and his daughter, prompting Duterte to acknowledge he had the account. He then suggested that the account had a smaller amount, but later backpedaled by saying at a news conference that he had a little less than 211 million pesos. Duterte said that amount wasnt declared because he had already spent it by the deadline that requires officials to make public only their existing assets. Although he has not fully disclosed details of the account and where the money came from, Duterte swore he wasnt corrupt and cites the absence of any corruption case against him in his more than 22 years as mayor of the southern city of Davao. RAPE JOKE In his most infamous campaign joke, Duterte said he had wished to be the first in line to rape a beautiful Australian missionary who was sexually abused and killed by inmates during a 1989 Davao jail riot. He later struggled to ease the backlash by saying his remark was slang for expressing his disgust, and refused to apologize. With criticism growing during the campaign homestretch, his spokesman and political party issued an apology on his behalf in which Duterte apologized to the Filipino people and said, I am a man of many flaws and contradictions. Duterte later disowned the apology and added that he never approved his own partys statement. Moments later, he grudgingly suggested that the statement of apology was fine. AP The recent G2E Asia 2016 conference has reportedly reached record-breaking attendance in its 10th year, attracting nearly 11,000 visitors from 83 countries and regions, up by 11 percent over last year. According to the executive vice president of Reeds Exhibition Greater China, Josephine Lee, there were about 950 buyers and decision makers with purchasing power. Lee revealed that over 713 conference delegates attended the expositions seminars, which represents an 8.5 percent increase from last year. Yes, [we] very much look forward to the next one, we already had a number of new ideas in mind that will bring another exciting G2E Asia back to Macau next year, concluded Lee. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Paul Beh, President of Reed Exhibitions, Asia-Pacific Region, told the Times that Macau needs to find its own niche, as different cities have already developed their MICE industry in their own ways. Beh claimed that cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore do not have a large base of industry, yet big events can be found in those cities. He stressed that the two regions have harnessed their infrastructure, communications, international airport links and accessibility. Not necessarily because they have a big industry there, but over the years they have proven to be very efficient, Beh emphasized. The president also believes that the under-construction Macau Light Rail Transit and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge would further create great accessibility in terms of bringing exhibitions, conferences and non-gaming activities to the city. Moreover, Beh stressed that Macau and Las Vegas are distinct cities that are incomparable. Though he said that Vegas has been a successful model for Macau, he believes that the MSAR could also be effective in both the gaming and non-gaming industries. There are a lot of non-gaming activities [in Macau]. MICE supports gaming and gaming supports MICE. They go hand in hand, he said. Speaking about the recent gaming downturn in Asias Las Vegas, Beh said, Gone are the days when gaming revenues in Macau are going up by 25 to 30 percent. He advocated that a more realistic increase would be in the single-digit range, adding that the industry will still grow but not at the same pace as before. Staff reporter The dredging of the access channel to the port of Maputo to allow the entry of vessels of up to 80 tons of gross tonnage will begin in May following the signing of a contract recently, Sunday newspaper Domingo reported. The contract, worth USD100 million for a 10-month contract was signed by the Maputo Port Development Company and Jan de Nul Dredging Middle East FZE, a dredging company based in Dubai, UAE Arab States, of family-owned group Jan de Nul, with financial headquarters in Luxembourg. Dredging to deepen the approach channel from the current 11 meters to 14 meters will create conditions for safe navigation and ensure that larger ships can dock safely, making the port of Maputo more competitive. The previous dredging operation of the Maputo port channel allowed access to vessels of up to 65,000 tons, which contributed to the expansion of the ferro-chrome and container terminals, a new terminal for grains and recovery of piers three, four and five. The Maputo Port Development Company is a private company resulting from a partnership between Mozambican state-owned port and railway company CFM and and Portus Indico, which in turn is made up of South Africas Grindrod group, DP World of the United Arab Emirates and Mozambican company Mozambique Gestores. MDT/Macauhub U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region hes tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference where he signaled a desire to leave behind the troubled history between the former war enemies and reward what he described as modest progress on human rights in the one-party state. At this stage, both sides have established a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect, Obama said, adding that every U.S. arms sale would be reviewed case by case. This change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself and removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War. Obama is seeking to strike a balance with Vietnam, which he called a vital country in one of the worlds most vital regions, amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the worlds most important waterways. Obama said the United States and Vietnam had mutual concerns about maritime issues and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. He said that although Washington doesnt take sides on the territorial disputes, it does support a diplomatic resolution based on international norms and not based on whos the bigger party and can throw around their weight a little bit more, a reference to China. Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnams leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang praised the expansion in security and trade ties between former enemies turned friends and called for more U.S. investment in Vietnam. He said there was enormous bilateral trade growth potential. U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before lifting the arms sale embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. Obama said the countries still have differences over human rights but noted modest improvements by Vietnam. The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with Chinas assertive land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. After three days in Vietnam, Obama heads to Japan for an international summit and a visit to Hiroshima, where he will be the first sitting president to visit the site of the first atomic bomb attack. He arrived in Hanoi, the capital, late Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to Chinas growing strength. Obama was greeted yesterday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making extraordinary progress. He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come. Obama will make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. The deal, which includes Vietnam, would tear down trade barriers and encourage investment between the countries that signed it. Critics worry it would cost jobs by exposing American workers to low-wage competition from countries such as Vietnam. They also say it would allow multinational corporations to challenge local laws by saying they violate the trade deal. Foster Klug, Hanoi, AP The number of patients in hospitals in 2015 increased by 4 percent year-on-year to 54,000, according to information released by the Statistics and Census Bureau (DESC). Of this number, those aged 65 and above (12,000) rose by 14.1 percent. On the other hand, the number of hospital patients under 15 years of age dropped by 1 percent to 11,000 last year. The occupancy rate of hospital patient beds in 2015 rose marginally by 0.8 percentage points year-on-year to 76.6 percent, with patients staying for average 7.4 days. This represents an increase of 0.1 days year-on-year. Hospital staff conducted a total of 1,627,000 external patient consultations last year, up 7.5 percent compared with 2014. Consultations in Chinese Medicine increased by 16.5 percent to 183,000, while those in Gynecology and Obstetrics (97,000) dropped 3.6 percent, which DSEC attributes to a decline in live births. Meanwhile, dialysis treatments, which numbered 83,000 cases last year, registered continuous upward growth of 8.1 percent. Attendances to emergency services (475,000) were also up last year, rising by 2.7 percent over 2014. Of these, emergency attendances on the Macau Peninsula rose 7.3 percent to 361,000, while those in Taipa dropped 9.4 percent to 113,000. Around 310,000 doses of vaccines were administered in hospitals and primary health care establishments in 2015, with vaccinations against Influenza alone accounting for 93,000 doses. The number of blood donors reached 10,157 in 2015, up slightly be 1.4 percent year-on-year. Of these, first-time blood donors increased by 8.1 percent to 2,948. In 2015 there were a total of 1,494 patient beds across Macaus five hospitals, according to DSEC. This represents a growth of 73 beds from the previous year. There were 1,674 doctors and 2,279 nurses, an increase of 5.2 percent and 14.5 percent respectively, year-on-year. The number of doctors and nurses per 1,000 population was 2.6 and 3.5 respectively, up by 0.1 and 0.4 compared with the ratios in 2014. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said during her inauguration speech on Friday that she will seek peaceful ties with China while resisting pressure from Beijing to acknowledge the idea that they are part of a single nation. Tsai said she would seek common ground with China and pledged to keep the peace as she was sworn in as the islands first female leader at the head of an independence-leaning party. In 1992, the two sides through communication and negotiations, arrived at various joint acknowledgments and understandings. It was done in a spirit of mutual understanding and a political attitude of seeking common ground while setting aside differences, she said. I respect this historical fact. Tsai, whose Democratic Progressive Party also won control of the legislature, said that Taiwan and China need to cast off the burdens of history and seek a relationship based on peace and stability. Taiwans benchmark Taiex index rose 0.5 percent as of 1.15pm in Taipei trading. Beijing had been stepping up pressure on Tsai to openly endorse the one-China principle, the understanding that both sides belong to one China, even if they have different ideas about what that means. Tsai acknowledged the historic 1992 talks between the two sides, which she said should form the foundation for future ties with China. The inauguration speechs call for peaceful cross-strait relations points to some stability in the immediate future, Marie Diron, senior vice president at Moodys Investors Service said in an e-mailed statement However, Taiwan will remain vulnerable to negative shocks to confidence related to changes, perceived or real, to Taiwans relationships with China. Such confidence shocks from periodic increases in tensions could hamper foreign direct investment. MDT/Bloomberg A public consultation on the Tourism Industry Development Master Plan will be held between May 23 and July 22. Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), said yesterday that the number of tourists is expected to grow by one to two percent year-on-year. According to Senna Fernandes, the main focus of the plan is to establish Macau as a world centre for tourism and leisure in the next 15 years. Amongst other goals, the plan aims to promote environmentally friendly hotels, as well as encourage the hotel industry to establish eco-friendly practices. According to the consultation material issued by the MGTO, mainland tourists represented 66.5 percent of the total number of tourists in 2015, followed by visitors from Hong Kong. International markets accounted for nine percent of local tourism revenue. This number represents a consistent decline over the past few years. By 2025, in the words of Senna Fernandes, the number of international tourists may account for 14 to 15 percent. In 2015, the city welcomed a total of 30,714,628 tourists, a number which is expected to reach at least 33 to 35 million in 2025. Other estimates based on a 3 to 5 percent annual visitor growth, put the figure at as high as 40 million. However, based on a recent report by the Macau Polytechnic Institute, last years tourist arrivals already exceed the regions overall carrying capacity. In response, Senna Fernandes claimed that Macaus carrying capacity should be expanded in the future. Furthermore, she commented that the gaming industry has been encouraged to offer more tourist products, and hopes that current the non-gaming offerings will be doubled in the coming years. The plan also intends to increase the number of international airlines flying to Macau. Senna Fernandes acknowledged that over 90 percent of the passengers arriving at the Macau airport are from the mainland. She claimed that regional airports, will help to draw more international tourists to Macau. In addition, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge development project will reduce the distance between the regions. Earlier this year, Senna Fernandes listed four major goals for tourism policy this year: to promote smart tourism by maximizing our use of the internet and social media platforms for tourism promotion; deepen the planning of tourism development; develop electronic administration and enhance tourism service quality; and strengthen regional cooperation, actively participating in international organizations. The consultation will span two months, during which the MGTO will arrange several public discussion sessions. Staff reporter lai chi vun dockyards revamp The master plan includes some concrete construction projects, like the development of the Lai Chi Vun village dockyard in Coloane as a tourist spot for an art exhibition center dedicated to traditional shipping handcraft. Other measures include the renovation of the Grand Prix Museum, hosting of the International Film Festival, creation of the Gourmet Capital, and introduction of top-class theme parks. On Friday, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) signed an agreement of direct admission with the Macau Portuguese School (EPM) at the campus of EPM. The agreement will mean that EPMs Form 6 graduates are eligible to apply for direct admission to USJ, sparing them the need to sit the universitys entrance exams as well as waiving the registration fees for the application. Under the new agreement, prospective students from EPM will only be required to take an English-language benchmark test and undergo an interview. Furthermore, applicants for direct admission will have an acceptance priority for the courses of their choice. USJs rector, Peter Stilwell, and the principal of EPM, Manuel Peres Machado, signed the agreement. Former IC chief acquitted Former Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) vice president Stephan Chan has been acquitted from charges of abuse of power, after it was alleged in 2011 that he had used his position to aid his brother in securing a service contract. The Court of First Instance dismissed the charges due to a lack of evidence. Separately the court decided that Chan was to pay a fine of MOP420,000 for inaccuracies in his required declaration of assets. He was found to have not declared some assets in 2008 and 2010. From the very beginning, I have never done any mistakes at work, so this verdict has created a very big impact on me, Chan told journalists. Another civil servant accused of leaking information to Chans brother during the procurement process, was also acquitted by the court. PSP arrest 39 illegal workers The Public Security Police (PSP) arrested 39 people on Saturday on suspicion of illegally working on construction sites in Cotai. After receiving a tip off last month regarding illegal workers, police authorities began an investigation on the Cotai site, which resulted in the arrest of 17 workers on the site itself as well as a further 22 found at a sites dormitory. The investigation found that some people arranged for the illicit workers to work at the construction site, PSP spokesperson Lam Keong told TDM. They arranged accommodation and vehicle escorts for them. According to Lam, it is possible that the illegal workers, aged between 20 and 50, collaborated with security guards of the construction sites so that they could enter them unobtrusively from the rear gate. Authorities are still investigating how the illegal workers entered Macau. Ahead of President Barack Obamas first visit to Vietnam, the country voted yesterday in once-every-five-year-elections for a rubber-stamp parliament whose membership has already been largely determined by the Communist Party. Amid worries about soaring public debt, a serious budget deficit and Chinas aggressive claims in nearby seas, theres also high hope for Obamas visit, both in the government, which wants him to lift an arms export embargo so it can better deal with Beijing, and among rights activists who want him to hold to account a repressive one-party state seen as treating its critics abysmally. Voting closed hours before Obamas arrival, and the results for elections to the 500-seat National Assembly are expected to be announced within 20 days. But they are mostly a formality: The Communist Party controls elections and has already chosen who runs and how many non- Party members have seats, according to Human Rights Watch. Expectations may be too high for any major announcements during Obamas trip. But just the fact that hes making time to visit Vietnam during his last year in office, when a presidents every waking moment is meticulously choreographed, signals its importance to his administration as it boosts focus on Asia, generally, and stands up to Chinas rising assertiveness in the region, more specifically. Obama must balance a desire to support Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam as they confront China over disputed maritime territory with worries about the tension with Beijing this will cause and about Vietnams reluctance to improve its terrible human rights record. Eventually lifting the arms sale embargo would remove a final vestige of wartime animosity and signal a strategic commitment between the former enemies. U.S. lawmakers, however, have urged the president to first make sure Vietnams rights record has improved, and more political activists are released, before lifting the ban. When he lands in Hanoi, and then moves south to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, he will see a vibrant, bustling land where many have been lifted from poverty in recent years. But Vietnam also struggles with public debt, the legacy of the war unexploded ordinances, for instance and environmental problems, like drought and salt intrusion in the countrys main rice-growing region. Some 69 million people are eligible to vote for the 14th National Assembly. A total of 500 deputies will be elected out of 870 candidates. Of them, 458 must belong to the Vietnam Communist Party, which is the only party allowed to govern under the constitution. Among those contesting, 339 candidates are women, accounting for 38.97 percent, while 204 candidates are from ethnic minorities, making up 23.45 percent, according to the list of candidates released by the National Election Council in late April. China is a major issue here, and especially its reclamation of land in disputed seas and its large-scale construction of military outposts on the reclaimed land. The United States worries that conflict could break out, but also about the ability of shipping and navies to move freely in the region. Ahead of Obamas visit, in what was seen as a goodwill gesture, Vietnam granted early release from prison to a prominent dissident Catholic priest. The Rev. Nguyen Van Ly has served several long terms in prison or been under house arrest for promoting political and religious freedoms. Both Washington and international rights groups criticize Vietnam for jailing people who peacefully express their views by using vaguely worded security laws. Hanoi says that only lawbreakers are punished. In March, seven bloggers and activists were sentenced for abusing democratic freedoms and spreading anti-state propaganda. Foster Klug, Hanoi, AP SONG CHEN/CHINA DAILY US President Barack Obama has merely half a year to go before leaving office, and to consolidate his administration's strategy of rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific before leaving office, he is visiting Vietnam and will attend the G7 Summit in Japan. Obama will be the third US president to visit Vietnam since the Vietnam War ended in 1975. While it is commendable that these two former foes turn their animosity to friendship, Washington is inspired by its geostrategic intent and wants Vietnam to be part of its rebalancing strategy. At present, the US is deeply upset by China's rapid rise. To sustain its regional leadership, it has not only dispatched its bombers and destroyers to challenge China, it has also been strengthening its alliances and partnerships. Vietnam is seen as being useful to the US' strategic plan, and Obama may announce the lifting of the decades' long arms embargo that the US has imposed against this former adversary. Although the US feels that China's growing military strength warrants its meddling, the facts clearly establish who has changed the previous regional balance. It was Japan that sparked the flare-up in the territorial disputes due to its "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands in 2012. The US should reflect on who are the revisionists, in terms of both history and territory, and which country is upsetting the status quo. And while it is true China has reclaimed land in South China Sea. It was Vietnam that started such activities. Hanoi has been doing such reclamation work for decades and is still doing so. Some of this reclamation work has been in the Xisha Islands which it has acknowledged belong to China. Therefore, blaming China for the deteriorating situation in the East and South China seas is hardly fair. The US argues that China is carrying out its reclamation work too fast and on too large a scale. But if China proceeded more slowly and on a smaller scale impressively, would the US change its attitude? No, it would still point an accusing finger at China. Tokyo and Hanoi welcome Washington being a counterbalance to China, but they should be aware that the US is using them as tools for its own purpose. Vietnam should be mindful of its ideological gulf with the US, and realize that buying a few weapons from the US is hardly going to make it more competitive with China. Since Vietnam and China have proven that they are able to resolve their differences, as shown by the Beibu Gulf Demarcation Agreement, they should continue to negotiate and make mutual concessions to find solutions to their outstanding disputes. US leadership in the region can be respected so long as it is unbiased. But to impose an order with partiality is unsustainable. President Obama's rebalancing strategy has not attained much during his tenure. With his departure, the strategy might be adjusted or dropped. With the renewed efforts to draw up a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, various stakeholders in the region are developing a greater sense of collective identity as well as common security. As this makes further progress, the US' rebalancing will lose its market. The author is professor and associate dean at Institute of International Studies, Fudan University. Visitor arrivals decreased by 3 percent year-on year to a total of 2,471,253 persons in April 2016, according to information released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), however the figure was up 4.4 percent when compared with the previous month, March. DSEC accredits the yearly decline to the fact that the Easter holiday fell in April last year instead of March as in this year. Last month same-day visitors dropped by 10 percent year-on-year to 1,247,036, whereas overnight visitors rose by 5.6 percent to 1,224,217. The average length of stay of visitors increased by 0.2 days year-on-year to 1.1 days, with same-day visitors holding stable at 0.2 days and overnight visitors climbing 0.3 days to an average of 2.1 days. Visitors from mainland China increased by 1.2 percent year-on-year in April to 1,651,662, coming largely from Guangdong Province (666,166), Hunan Province (75,290) and Fujian Province (65,373). Those visiting from South Korea (43,661), Thailand (25,321) and Taiwan (92,141) increased on a yearly basis by 5.9 percent, 39.5 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively year-on-year. On the other hand those from the Philippines (25,979) and Hong Kong (485,970) decreased by 0.7 percent and 19.4 percent respectively. Long-haul visitors from the U.S. and the U.K. decreased slightly year-on-year while those from Australia and Canada increased marginally. Analyzed by entry point, visitor arrivals through the Border Gate numbered 1,244,085 last month, while those entering via the Cotai checkpoint reached 168,025, rising by 3.7 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively year-on-year. Meanwhile those arriving via the Outer Harbor (510,658) and the Provisional Ferry Terminal in Taipa (352,025) fell by 19.6 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. Visitor arrivals through Macau International Airport increased by 13.9 percent year-on-year to 194,590. In the first four months of 2016, visitor arrivals totaled 9,928,359, marginally down by 0.3 percent year-on-year. For this period, Mainland visitors and Hong Kong visitors were down by 1 percent and 3 percent compared with the same four months in 2015. DB THAILAND More than 200 people marched in Bangkok yesterday to protest military rule on the second anniversary of the coup that toppled the countrys elected government. The march was one of the biggest anti-junta protests since the takeover and was treated with unusual tolerance by the authorities, who usually take a heavy-handed approach to dissent, both on the streets and online. SYRIA On a secret trip to Syria, the new commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Saturday he felt a moral obligation to enter a war zone to check on his troops and make his own assessment of progress in organizing local Arab and Kurd fighters for what has been a slow campaign to push the Islamic State group out of Syria. Spains conservative Popular Party could boost its share of the vote in fresh elections next month but not by a sufficient margin to break the stalemate that has stopped politicians from forming a government since December, according to a new poll. SRI LANKA The death toll from landslides and floods in Sri Lanka as a result of weeklong heavy storms has risen to 92, with soldiers searching for victims of landslides that buried three villages in the central hills pulling out eight bodies from the rubble. ISRAELs defense minister has officially stepped down, capping a tumultuous week of politics that is expected to bring a hard-line novice into the sensitive post. Moshe Yaalons departure clears the way for Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the hardline Yisrael Beitenu party, to join the government. NETHERLANDS Fans have attacked players of Dutch team Go Ahead Eagles after a promotion-relegation playoff match against top-flight team De Graafschap Doetinchem. The Go Ahead Eagles players were celebrating after Sundays 1-1 draw in Doetinchem ensured the team will return to the Dutch top flight next season when De Graafschap fans stormed the pitch and some aimed punches and kicks at the celebrating players. USA Casino giants MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts Ltd. are moving forward with plans to stop buying electricity from Warren Buffetts utility in Nevada, dealing a blow to the billionaires power service provider. MGM and Wynn have submitted applications with Nevada regulators seeking permission to leave NV Energy, a utility owned by Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc., according to filings with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission HONG KONG Days after it was launched, organizers have canceled an art installation on Hong Kongs tallest skyscraper that carried a politically provocative message about the citys relationship with mainland China. U.S. President Barack Obama lifts a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region that he has tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. THAILAND A nighttime fire at a dormitory at a primary school in northern Thailand kills 18 girls, many of whom had been roused by a dorm-mate but went back to sleep, thinking it was a prank. JAPANs fertility rate rose slightly last year, to the highest level since 1994, indicating Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes economic program may had some success in slowing the rate of population decline. The total rate rose to 1.46 in 2015, inching up 0.04 percentage points from the previous year, according to the health ministry. The biggest contribution to the change came from women aged 30 to 34. YEMEN A pair of suicide bombings killed at least 45 people in Yemens southern city of Aden yesterday, security officials said. They said the bombings targeted young men seeking to join the army. EGYPTs tourism minister said last weeks EgyptAir plane crash is unlikely to affect government plans to attract millions of visitors next year. The ministry is maintaining its projection that 10 million tourists will visit the North African nation in 2017, generating USD12 billion in revenue. AUSTRIA Left-leaning candidate Alexander Van der Bellen won the election to become Austrian president yesterday, but his right-wing rival was only narrowly behind, a result that reflects the growing strength of Europes anti-EU political movements. GERMANY Violent crimes motivated by right-wing political opinions rose more than 40 percent in last year as the country saw a large influx of migrants. BURKINA Faso Across the countrys capital, even the wealthiest neighborhoods, typically spared from such shortages, are suffering without water amid an unprecedented heat wave. Already the short supply has increased the price of a barrel of water more than 10 fold from just a few months ago. The Zhuhai government is planning to implement free Wi-Fi access at 710 public service facilities, according to a report by Jornal Va Kio. The citys governmental authority has already approved the project, which has an estimated completion date of 2020. In order to achieve that goal, the authorities will invest about RMB86 million to install 13,100 Wi-Fi access point devices. This provision of services to the community is one of the promises made by the Zhuhai government in its 2016 report. The plan states that within the next three years, the city will add, in three phases, 460, 179 and finally 71 access points. This initial investment will likely be followed by another RMB46.42 million investment in maintenance costs. The primary purpose of the new Wi-Fi services is to aid citizens in checking government websites and reading the news. According to Zheng Renhao, acting mayor of Zhuhai, the free Wi-Fi network should cover the major tourist spots, for the convenience of visitors to Zhuhai. The aforementioned report also states that future Wi-Fi access points will mainly be installed in primary government service offices and healthcare institutions. 62 percent of planned access points will be located in the citys west area. As of end December 2015, the city offered 91 active access points for free Wi-Fi. TWIN FALLS Rain is usually the enemy of growers trying to put up hay, but untimely rains are among the least of their concerns this year. Hay prices are soft again this year and the chances of improvement appear slim. The (market) outlook for hay is not looking good, said Steven Hines, University of Idaho Extension educator in Jerome County. Adding that its ironic in a year with good growing conditions and plenty of water. Growers started cutting their first crop of alfalfa in early May, about two weeks ahead of what is considered normal. According to the U.S. Department of Agricultures National Agricultural Statistics Service, 13 percent of the states first cutting of hay was down on May 15, ahead of last years pace when 8 percent of the crop had been cut. Progress is so far ahead of normal that there is no corresponding statistic for the five-year average. Voles have destroyed some fields, but the damage does not appear to be as widespread this year as last year. Winter annual weeds are plaguing fields, but nothing beyond what growers normally contend with. While very few fields gave been baled to give early yield estimates, he expects to see normal to above-normal yields in 2016. Hines saw some fields getting cut as early as a month ago. Some of that could have been green chop for dairies to feed immediately, but other fields were cut early so they could be tilled under and replanted to a different crop with a better price outlook. He has talked with growers who had cut hay ahead of the rain forecast for the weekend of May 20. Growers often try to avoid having hay down with that many rainy days in the forecast, but since the crop isnt worth anything anyway, they decided to cut. Dairy quality hay in the Magic Valley is selling for around $140 a ton, off about 12.5 percent from last years soft prices. With dairy prices forecast to remain below the break-even point for much of 2016, Hines said theres not much hope for hay prices to recover. Given where milk prices are, dairymen will buy hay from stack to the feed bunk, Hines explained. If they dont have stocks in, they are not going to lay stocks in. That observation is supported by the May 1 USDA Hay Stocks report which shows that U.S. hay stocks are projected to be the highest level since 2005 when levels reached 27.8 million tons. Stocks of all hay in the U.S. is estimated to be 25.1 million tons, up from 24.5 million tons a year ago. Idaho hay stacks are estimated at 950,000 tons, up 5.5 percent from last years 900,000 tons on hand May 1. Washingtons hay stocks are up 48 percent over last year to 400,000 tons. Oregon was also up 17 percent to 440,000 tons. California was fairly steady at 340,000 tons. Nevada and Utah both saw decreases in reported on-farm hay stocks. Nevada was down 7 percent to 215,000 tons and Utah was down 5 percent to 410,000 tons. According to the USDA, hay disappearance between Dec. 1 and May 1 totaled 69.9 million tons. This compares with 67.5 million tons for the same period a year earlier. Hay disappearance figures have hovered between 60 and 70 million tons since 2012. During the previous 11 years, disappearance levels stayed between 80 and 88 million tons. In Idaho, 62 percent of the hay stocks disappeared between Dec. 1 and May 1. With plenty of old crop hay available and the yield potential for new crop looking strong, dairy and cattle producers should find themselves in a buyers market. FARMINGTON, N.M. The largest farm on the Navajo Nation has been without water for more than a week after a pipeline break, endangering food crops worth millions of dollars and threatening jobs. Most of the crops on the land managed by the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry near Farmington, N.M., were planted just before the concrete pipe failed, cutting off water to 72,000 acres of farmland. Officials have pegged June 11 as the date to have repairs completed, with water flowing through a canal system days later. In the meantime, theyre holding out hope that the skies will stay cloudy and enough moisture will fall to sustain the plants in the desert. Hopefully with the small amount of rain weve gotten, that will help, said LoRenzo Bates, a farmer who represents the region on the Navajo Nation Council. At the end of the day, there will need to be some serious management decisions by all the growers as to whether or not to go with whats still there or replant. The irrigation canal delivers water to the tribal farm from the San Juan River through Navajo Dam. The water that was in the canal when the 17-foot diameter pipe broke May 13 is being rationed among the crops grown by the tribal company and those who lease land. A New Mexico State University research station is not taking water on its 250-acre plot nor is it planting anything new. Instead, the station is using the situation to study how plants respond to stress and the vulnerability of irrigation-dependent agriculture in the Southwest, said Kevin Lombard, superintendent of the schools Agricultural Science Center in Farmington. Its not a good time to be worrying about not having water, he said. Its very stressful, very emotional. Contractors and the chief executive of NAPI, Wilton Charley, said they believe the crops that include alfalfa, corn, beans and pumpkins can weather three weeks with little to no water, but anything beyond that becomes risky. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for operating and maintenance of the irrigation system that was built decades ago by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, federal officials said. The Navajo Nation oversees all on-site activities on the farms. Crews have spent the past week excavating the 20-foot section of pipe and figuring out where a replacement could be manufactured, given its age of 44 years. The expectation is that it could be fixed by June 11, but it would take a few days to refill the canal before crops could be watered from it, bureau spokeswoman Nedra Darling said. Darling did not have a cost estimate and didnt immediately know the pipes last inspection date. Hauling water to the farms or laying a pipe across the wash are not viable options because of the size of the farmland, Charley said. Already, the tribal farm and contractors are making tough decisions to let some crops go dry, forgo additional planting and lay off workers. John Hamby, whose family owns companies that grow pumpkins and popping corn on 5,100 acres of the tribal farm, cut half of the staff after the water break, leaving 15 workers. The number of people needed at harvest time swells to 600. The 1,000 truckloads of pumpkins produced per year are destined for fundraising and the popped corn to the wholesale market. Hamby said popping corn is less important right now than the pumpkins, which havent sustained much damage but also dont need a whole lot of water right now. If this would have happened in July, this would have been a disaster, he said. Mark Anderson, who heads Anderson Hay and Grain Co. Inc., said the company will expedite its first cut of alfalfa by a few days. From there, it goes to a compressing facility in Los Angeles and to domestic and export markets and to dairy farmers in the United States. So theres plenty of jobs impacted and plenty of customers and marketplaces that expect hay, he said. If there wasnt a fix in fairly short order, there could be a fairly big impact. Some of the tribal farms inventory from last year still is being shipped to the market, Charley said. Alfalfa, pinto beans, potatoes and corn are sold under the Navajo Pride label. He said its too early to tell whether this years expectations for harvest will be met. Once we get a better handle of where were at, well approach those discussions then, he said. Its not a good time to be worrying about not having water. Its very stressful, very emotional. Kevin Lombard, superintendent of New Mexico State Universitys Agricultural Science Center in Farmington Here is the recipe for a Treasure Valley RV resort: Start with a couple of retirees who are ready for a life of sunshine and leisure. Add a family with three boisterous kids and a dog. Sprinkle in a single guy whos in southern Idaho for six months to work on a construction project, and a recent divorcee who got the Airstream and the family pet in the split. Oh, and you might want to mix in a laundromat, swimming pool, dog park, full utilities and cable TV. Kris Freedman, president of Grapevine 7, a family-owned RV-park company, says Idaho is an increasingly popular stopover and destination spot for travelers from within and outside Idaho. Others in tourism agree. The tourism division within the Idaho Department of Commerce recently commissioned an image study to find out what potential tourists know and think about Idaho. Among the findings were that tourists who fall into the active family and outdoor enthusiast categories are interested in RVing and camping, as opposed to staying in hotels or vacation home lodging. Those groups also make up some of Idahos most loyal tourists. That could be why the Freedmans properties and others are getting a lot of business. Our clients here, and a lot of the people who come to Idaho, a lot of them are retired people. The generation thats maybe more than 65, worked one job, lived in one house, says Bobbie Patterson, who opened Arrowhead RV Park in Cascade with her late husband, Gerald, about 35 years ago. A lot of folks have said, To heck with that. Im selling the house. Patterson retired in 2013 from her longtime role as chief of the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau. Now, she runs the RV park that Gerald built with his own hands into a park with 120 RV spaces and several cabins and yurts. Booked Solid Freedmans Grapevine 7 operates three RV parks and resorts in the Treasure Valley, two in Valley County and three in Arizona. During summer, all five Idaho parks are at least 80 percent full on weekdays and 95 percent full on weekends, says Spencer Freedman, marketing director and property manager. Kris Freedman says the companys McCall park fills up for Fourth of July weekend in a matter of hours. But depending on what is going on that given week in the communities that facility is part of, that occupancy rate can hit 100 percent, he says. Patterson says her occupancy rate is similar. Most of the Freedmans travelers are from Idaho, neighboring Western states, Texas, Florida or Canada. The Freedmans and Pattersons parks both have small staffs. Grapevine 7s park in McCall has four to five employees year-round and about 20 in summer. A dozen or so people work at each of the Treasure Valley properties. Arrowhead RV Park also has some work-campers, Patterson says. They live in their RVs and work off the cost of their space. Two of her managers are work-campers who get $3,000 a month plus their space in exchange for running their operations. Industry Is Changing, As Are Customers The company that Kris Freedmans parents started in the 1950s near Denver, then moved to Idaho in 1986, has grown rapidly in recent years. Grapevine 7 acquired a park in Mountain Home two years ago and one in McCall five years ago. In his years of work in the RV industry, Spencer Freedman says he sees RVers typically starting out as your entry-level campers. They graduate to RV parks with their larger but still modest recreational vehicles. As the years go on, they start wanting the comforts of an RV resort and the space to park their hotel-on-wheels style RVs. We are taking our business more towards the RV resort side of things, because thats what most of the people are going to, Kris Freedman says. That is partly why the Freedmans company bought a property in Caldwell in 2005 and opened it as the Ambassador RV Resort. With 3,000-square-foot spaces and many of the comforts of home shared as in an apartment building the resort is popular with the Treasure Valley RV crowd. WiFi is as important as water and electricity these days for the RVers, Freedman says. Freedman and Patterson say their business depends on customers coming back year after year. So they will put together parties, barbecues, fire-pit gatherings and other social events. Patterson and her husband began a totem-pole carving program for RVers, bringing in a master carver and about 60 people a year. The park now displays dozens of totem poles that have been carved over the years, including a totem pole Patterson carved to memorialize her husband and hold his cremains. The motivation here is people want to come to the mountains and enjoy recreating, and weve found theyre happier here if we provide them with activities, she says. Arrowhead RV Park also offers beading, painting, potlucks and ice-cream socials, she says. A Vacationing Lifestyle And as RVs become more luxurious some have two bathrooms and central air more people are living in them, not just traveling in them, Patterson says. Theres the obvious: the retired 55-and-up couple who visit parks in Idaho during the summer and head south to Arizona for the winter. Theres the less-obvious: the newly divorced man or woman who starts out temporarily living in the RV, then decides its pretty convenient not to have to mow the lawn; or the family that is building a new home and needs somewhere to live during construction. With the Treasure Valleys construction boom, Spencer Freedman says his companys properties in Boise and Caldwell have plenty of part-year residents, working at the hospital for three months or working on a bridge. The Freedmans RV park in Eagle had 120 people on monthly rentals throughout the winter, he says. The monthly customers made up about 60 percent of the park. That kind of tells you how many people have taken it up as a lifestyle, he says. Patterson echoes that, saying some of her RVers figured out that it is cheaper to park their RV in the park and still work in the valley somewhere. The cost of renting RV spaces in Idaho is about half the price of states like Arizona, she says. Others will live in the RV during the summer, using it as a mountain place to get away instead of buying a cabin. Patterson, with her years working in tourism and promoting the Boise area, says the RV arena is different. It is made up of tourists who carry their beds with them. They may not be forking over $150 a night to stay in a hotel and dining out for every meal, but they are spending money on fuel, going shopping, paying for recreational activities and giving their time as volunteers at the local senior center. They spend money on medical care, she notes. Pattersons park and one nearby hold about 300 RVs, or 500 to 600 people, she says. Its a real economic driver in a community where you increase the population by 30 to 45 percent, she says. TWIN FALLS More than half of the citys employees could soon get a small pay bump if a proposal to adjust the citys salary table passes at Mondays Council meeting. The proposed change would adjust the citys salary table up by 4 percent. On average, this will give city employees a 2.4 percent raise, or 55 cents an hour on the average city salary, City Manager Travis Rothweiler said. Some employees could get a 4 percent raise while others wont see an increase. Out of the citys 276 employees, 168 would see their pay increase. Many of the those who would get raises are police and other public safety employees. Rothweiler said the mid-year change is a first step in stabilizing the citys pay table, and that city officials will look at the next steps as they work on next years budget. Well see whats warranted, what can reasonably be placed into the budget without significantly impacting the tax rate, he said. Rothweiler said the citys pay scale was lower than some its competition other cities and counties, including some in the Magic Valley. We are all competing for talent and we are all trying to fill vacancies, he said. Rothweiler said employee recruitment and retention has been an issue, in particular, in the police department, public works, and with the citys skilled professional positions. The mid-year boost will cost almost $144,000, to be paid for with savings Rothweiler and city Chief Finance Officer Lorie Race identified in other areas of the budget, according to the memo attached to the City Council agenda. It says the change is based on salary survey data and the loss of employees to other markets. The Council meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. in the City Council chambers, 305 Third Avenue East. The agenda and related materials are available online at the citys website tfid.org. TWIN FALLS Colin Randolph takes pride in knowing he could ruin someones vacation plans when they stop at the Twin Falls Visitor Center. My goal is to mess up at least four peoples vacations just by giving them other ideas to pursue while in Idaho, he said while laughing. And to be honest, Im pretty successful at it. Over coffee, he reminisced about a Denmark couple who was traveling through the western United States. After talking with them, he had convinced them to travel to Salt Lake City by way of Malta and Howell, and also to stop off and see the ATK Rocket Factory and the Golden Spike, even though it was never part of their original plan. His daughter Allyson Wright just laughs at the idea that her dad, a visitor center volunteer, would ever say that he ruins peoples vacations. Thats hilarious! Ruin? No, I dont think Id call it ruin, she said. When you go on vacation, you have a plan, or at least I do. So for him to be able to suggest something thats a little bit out of their way, and they decide to do it How cool is that? Now Randolphs name has a reputation throughout the city, and its brought people to the visitor center to ask an important question he just loves to hear. OK, where am I going this week? Love Where You Live Twin Falls wasnt always where Randolph thought he would end up. Colins father was an itinerant electrician with the U.S. government in the 1950s, and would work wherever the uranium mines were. Unfortunately, his father died, sparking a move for the family. During his teenage years, he and his family lived in Minneapolis until his brother decided he wanted to pursue archaeology. The entire family moved out West, and Randolph found his way to the University of Idaho. Upon graduation, Randolph had big plans to student teach somewhere in northern Idaho. In fact, when he arrived in Twin Falls for the first time, he swore he was going to be here for only nine weeks. Its funny how sometimes life has a different plan. Randolph calls it destiny, but something kept him here in the Magic Valley. Ive really come to love it, and I just made the decision long ago to love where I live, he said. This fall it will be 44 years in Twin Falls. Randolphs adventures were inspired by two sets of friends. One was going to live in the Twin Falls area for only two years, so they spent their entire time truly experiencing all of Idaho. The other family lived in Twin Falls for seven years and had never even visited Boise or Sun Valley. They were miserable. Thats when the realization happened. I just thought to myself: They are happy, and they arent; what do I want to be? he said. Randolph tried to find a new adventure every week but was often held back by the responsibilities and duties of everyday life. Now, though, he is retired and is having the time of his life doing what he loves. His daughter says that its his knack for finding the hidden beauty and positives in life that have helped him really find his rightful place among the Twin Falls community. My sister and I laugh all the time because he could be the spokesperson for Twin Falls, honestly. He loves it so much, hes so proud of it. Hes found the beauties and the good community connections that this is truly home. The best part about retirement, Randolph says, is the freedom to do what he pleases, when he pleases. To him, its always Saturday, and when its always Saturday, he can pursue what he truly loves: traveling and capturing moments. A Tourist Photographer See this photo? Randolph asked, handing over his phone displaying an Idaho mountain range. This was just three weeks ago. Its a picture of something I dont have to apologize for. But more than that, its a memory. Randolph has a theory when it comes to photography: He wants to take pictures he doesnt have to edit or apologize for. A lot of times you see people passing around their photographs and you hear them apologizing because they cut off the arm or a part of the body, he explained. I dont want to have to apologize for my photographs. Thats how hes come to call himself a tourist photographer. This style of photography comes from something more than a love for photography. It comes from a passion to see the country, and capturing all the memories and natural beauty along the way. It isnt the photography at all, its getting out and being part of the world around you. The photography is a result of that, he said. His love for photography dates back to the 1970s, when he received a package from his brother who was on leave in Japan from the Vietnam War. Inside that package was a camera. A TopKon film camera, to be exact. I remember taking it to a camera store and telling the guy I didnt understand and I thought I should just throw it away. He looked at me and said, If youre serious Ill give you $1,000 for it right now. And this was the 1970s! So, I asked him, Is this a nice camera? He replied, They dont even make these in the United States. Where did you get it? After realizing its worth, he started to learn how to use the camera. He took class after class and has learned to appreciate the art of capturing a memory. Throughout his time in Twin Falls, Randolph has taken more than 300,000 photographs that he stores on his computer, and 1,500 on his iPad that he carries with him to the Visitor Center. Its this expansive knowledge of the areas around Idaho that has helped him gain quite the reputation, but Randolph knows hes in the business to keep people happy. Nobody comes into the visitor center grouchy, they dont. And if theyre grouchy, they just keep driving, he said. So every person coming in is enjoying it, and they are looking for something to make their day better. Its that mindset that keeps people continuing to come back, and its what makes Randolph thankful hes been given the opportunities to do what does for the community. Create the Life You Want Michael McClymonds has been friends with Randolph for 37 years and has never once known him to do anything for personal gain. Hes truly a giving guy, no motives, no expectations of something in return, McClymonds said. Too bad were not all like that. As it turns out, it doesnt matter who you ask, youll likely get the same response: Randolph is a humble, selfless and charitable person. Throughout his 44 years in Twin Falls, Randolph has taught small-business marketing at both Twin Falls High School and the College of Southern Idaho. Hes worked as the director of career planning and placement, the director of financial aid and scholarships, and he volunteered with the Red Cross and United Way. In retirement, he splits his time volunteering at St. Lukes Hospital and the Visitor Center. Hes also the president of the Twin Falls Camera Club, an ever-growing community of photography lovers from all walks of life. Randolph is a for-the-people kind of man, and he truly just enjoys being able to help others see their true potential. Thats the thing, he doesnt do it to get accolades, McClymonds said. He truly does it to help the people, and he goes way beyond to do that Hes willing to help anybody. Hes a total giver and expects nothing in return. There is something to be said about a man who puts the needs of others before his own. That kind of selflessness is truly genuine, and it took no time to reveal itself at the end of an hour long conversation at the Starbucks at Filer Avenue and Blue Lakes Boulevard. If you ever want to kayak down the Snake River, I have two kayaks just sitting in my garage and you are welcome to them, McClymonds said. Only an hour earlier, he was sitting across the table from a stranger he knew nothing about. Yet he was still so willing to share his belongings in the hopes that others would see the beauty in what this world has to offer. Before he left with coffee in hand, he had one last things to offer that would certainly make a greater impact than any set of kayaks: Participate in life, he said. Dont sit back and wait for it happen. Create the life you want. Twin Falls Senior Citizen Center 530 Shoshone St. W., Twin Falls. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors 60 and older; $6, non-seniors; $3, children 9 and younger. Other items: cinnamon roll, $2; coffee 50 cents; soup to go, $3; lunch to go, $5.50. For lunch take-out, 11 a.m. to noon daily: 208-734-5084. Today: Pork tenderloin Tuesday: Hamburger stroganoff Wednesday: Meatloaf, or liver and onions Thursday: Teriyaki pork Friday: Meatballs with gravy Today: Quilting, 9 a.m. Tai Chi 108 Form class, 9 a.m.; free Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 10:30 a.m., free Encompass Health Care blood pressure checks, 11:30 a.m. University of Idaho Extension Service presentation on starches and carbohydrates Mega Monday game, 11:45 a.m. Bridge, 1 p.m. TOPS meeting, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday: Tai Chi exercise class, 9 a.m., free Foot clinic, 10:30 a.m. Ticket Tuesday, 11:45 a.m. Hand and foot canasta, 1 p.m. Cribbage, 1 p.m. Art classes, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Pinochle, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: Cinnamon roll sales, 7:30 a.m. Quilting, 9 a.m. Fit and Fall Proof, 10:30 a.m., free Music by Tom Lancaster and friends, 11:30 a.m. City of Twin Falls presentation on Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, 11:45 a.m. Bridge, 1 p.m. Chess, 1 p.m. Laughter Therapy, 5:30 p.m. Thursday: Tai Chi, 9 a.m., free Organ music by Pat Blessin, 11:30 a.m. Thunder Thursday game, 11:50 a.m. Visually Impaired Support Group meeting, 12:45 p.m.; information: Verna Motes, 208-732-0627 Pinochle, 1 p.m. Art classes, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Ladies AA, 6 p.m. Friday: Quilting, 9 a.m. Tai Chi 108 Form class, 9 a.m., free Fit and Fall Proof, 10:30 a.m., free Bingo, 11:45 a.m. Art class, 1:30 p.m. No dance on Friday **** West End Senior Citizens Inc. 1010 Main St., Buhl. Lunch at noon, suggested donation: $5, seniors, 60 and older; $7, non-seniors; $7 for take-out dinners; and $4, children 10 and younger. Sunday buffet at 1 p.m.: $5, seniors, 60 and older; $7, non-seniors; $4, children 10 and younger. Bus for lunch pickup: 208-543-4577 by 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Today: Pea soup, surprise sandwich Tuesday: Chili dogs Wednesday: Breakfast, waffles, 8 to 10 a.m. Thursday: Hot roast beef sandwich Sunday: Closed Today: SilverSneakers exercise program, 10:30 a.m. Pinochle, 7 p.m. Wednesday: SilverSneakers, 10:30 a.m. Bingo, early bird starts at 6:45 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m. **** Filer Senior Haven 222 Main St., Filer. Lunch at noon Tuesday through Thursday. Suggested donation: $5. 208-326-4608. Tuesday: Beef macaroni and cheese Wednesday: Chili dogs Thursday: Fried chicken Today: Bingo, 7 p.m. Tuesday: Puzzles, 11:30 a.m. Bingo, 12:45 p.m. Wednesday: Puzzles, 11:30 a.m. Bingo, 12:45 p.m., $2 Thursday: Puzzles, 11:30 a.m. Bingo, 12:45 p.m. Cards, 1:30 p.m. **** Ageless Senior Center 310 Main St. N., Kimberly. Salad bar at 11:30 a.m., lunch served at noon; take-out; home delivery. Seniors 60 and older, suggested donation is $5, under 60, $6.50 (not donations); children 10 and younger, $3. 208-423-4338. Wednesday: Battered cod Thursday: Chicken Friday: Baked ham Today: Exercise, 10 a.m. Tuesday: Snooker, 1 p.m. Bible study, 1:30 p.m. Bingo, 7 p.m. Wednesday: Tai Chi, 9:15 a.m. Exercise: 10 a.m. Thursday: Crafts, 1 p.m. Snooker, 1 p.m. Friday: Exercise, 10 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. **** Gooding County Senior Citizen Center 308 Senior Ave., Gooding. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $3.50 for seniors. 208-934-5504. Today: Tacos Tuesday: Ham and bean soup Wednesday: Potato bar Thursday: Turkey Today: Pool, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 11 a.m. Pinochle, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday: Pool, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Hand and foot, 3:30 p.m. Wednesday: Pool, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Fit and Fall Proof, 11 a.m. Shuffleboard, 3:30 p.m. Thursday: Morning out, 9 a.m. Pool, 9:30 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. Friday: Duplicate bridge, 1 p.m. Bingo, 6 p.m. Saturday: Pinochle, 1 p.m. **** Wendell Senior Center 380 First Ave. E. Lunch served at noon today and Friday. Suggested donation: $4 for seniors; $6 for under 60. 208-536-9951. **** Hagerman Valley Senior and Community Center 140 E. Lake, Hagerman. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors 60 and older; $7, non-seniors. All take-outs, $6. 208-837-6120. Today: Baked salmon Wednesday: Ham and potatoes Friday: Pizza Today: Blood draws (by doctors order), 8 to 10:30 a.m. 50/50 raffle Thrift Store, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bridge Club, 1 p.m. Wednesday: Thrift Store, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday: Thrift Store, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two bingo games **** Jerome Senior Center 520 N. Lincoln St., Jerome. 208-324-5642. Salad bar at 11:30 a.m.; lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors (age 60 and older); $5, non-seniors; $3, children under 12. Today: Pepper steak Tuesday: Fish or chicken Wednesday: Pork roast Thursday: Grilled hamburgers Friday: Turkey and dressing Today: Fitness classes with certified instructors, 10:30 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. Music by Ricki Lee, 11:30 a.m. Bridge, 12:30 p.m. Bunco, 12:45 p.m. Tuesday: Fitness class, 10:30 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. Wednesday: Breakfast, 7:45 a.m. Fitness classes, 10:30 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. Country Boys Band, 11:30 a.m. Womens pool, 1 p.m. Pinochle, 7 p.m. Thursday: Yoga Stretch, 10:30 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. Hand and foot, 1 p.m. Fitness class, 5:20 p.m. Freewill Baptist potluck, 6 p.m. Friday: Fitness class, 10:30 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. Bingo, 6 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m. **** Silver and Gold Senior Center 210 E. Wilson, Eden. Lunch at noon Tuesday and Thursday. Breakfast at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Suggested donation: $4.50, seniors (age 60 and older); $6, non-seniors. 208-825-5662. Today: Coffee, 7 a.m. Tuesday: Coffee, 7 a.m. Chicken haystacks Wednesday: Coffee and Bible study, 7 a.m. Breakfast, pancakes, 8 a.m. Thursday: Coffee, 7 a.m. Cod Friday: Coffee, 7 a.m. **** Richfield Senior Center 130 S. Main, Richfield. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors; $5.50, under 60. Today: Fried chicken Thursday: Hamburgers **** Golden Years Senior Citizens Inc. 218 N. Rail St. W., Shoshone. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors 60 and older; $5.50, non-seniors. 208-886-2369. Tuesday: Meat pizza Wednesday: Turkey sandwich Friday: Pork roast Today: Quilting, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday: Pinochle, 1 p.m. Friday: Pinochle, 1 p.m. **** Camas County Senior Center 129 Willow Ave. W., Fairfield. Breakfast, 7:30-11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors 60 and older; $5, non-seniors; $2.50, children 10 and younger. 208-764-2226. Tuesday: Chicken enchiladas Wednesday: Soup and sandwich Friday: Baked ham Monday: Exercise class, 9 a.m. Tuesday: Quilting, 10 a.m. Cards after lunch Wednesday: Exercise class, 9 a.m. Cards after lunch Thursday: Art class, 10 a.m. Friday: Quilting, 10 a.m. Music by Old Time Fiddlers Cards after lunch **** Blaine County Senior Center 721 Third Ave. S., Hailey. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors; $7, non-seniors. 208-788-3468. Today: Carved ham Tuesday: Chicken picatta Wednesday: Aloha coconut chicken Thursday: Pot roast Friday: Baked tilapia Today: Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 11 a.m. Connection Club, 11 a.m. Trip to Hunger Coalition, 1 p.m. Tuesday: Connection Club, 11 a.m. Bingo, 1 p.m. Wednesday: Kiwanis lunch, 11:30 a.m. Thursday: Connection Club, 11 a.m. Card games, 1 p.m. Chef Eriks food demonstration, 2 p.m. Friday: Connection Club, 11 a.m. Fit and Fall Proof, 11 a.m. Card games, 1 p.m. **** Minidoka County Senior Citizens Center 702 11th St., Rupert. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors; $6, non-seniors; $3, children 10 and younger; $4.50, home delivery. 208-436-9107. Today: Sweet and sour chicken Tuesday: Chicken fried steak Wednesday: Stuffed peppers Thursday: Spaghetti Friday: Closed Thursday: Pinochle, 6 p.m. Friday: Bingo, 7 p.m. **** Golden Heritage Senior Center 2421 Overland Ave., Burley. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors and children 12 and younger; $6, non-seniors.208-878-8646. Today: Pork chops Tuesday: Pig-in-a-blanket Wednesday: Meatloaf Thursday: Turkey dinner Friday: Fish burgers Today: Open billiards, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Chair yoga, 10:45 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. Tuesday: Wood carvers, 8:30 a.m. Bingo, 5:30 p.m., dinner for $3 Wednesday: Open billiards, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Chair yoga, 10:45 a.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. Thursday: Pinochle, 5:30 p.m. Friday: Open billiards, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pinochle, 1 p.m. **** Albion Senior Center 424 Market St., Albion. Open Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; lunch at noon. Suggested donation, $5 seniors, $5 non-seniors. Take-out available ($8.50), call by 11:30 a.m. 208-673-6210. Wednesday: Sloppy Joes This appeared in Saturdays Washington Post. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump still has not released his tax returns, breaking with decades of tradition, but he has offered the country a list of judges he would consider naming to fill Antonin Scalias Supreme Court seat, many taken on the conservative Heritage Foundations recommendation. The list is an attempt to shore up conservative support, and plenty of Republicans seem pathetically willing to be persuaded, though of course there is no reason to believe Trump would stick to the list. No matter how transparent the gesture, though, the list is another way in which Trump is damaging the countrys institutional fabric, in this case by further politicizing the judiciary. Sadly, Trump is not alone in wreaking such damage this year. Before Trump released his list, on the Democratic side Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, said that if he won the presidency, he would ask President Barack Obama to withdraw Judge Merrick Garland from consideration for the court so that Sanders could nominate someone who has publicly committed to overturning the Citizens United ruling on campaign finance. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton promised that she would have a bunch of litmus tests for her judicial nominees, including on Roe v. Wade, same-sex marriage, the Voting Rights Act and, yes, Citizens United, too. Committing to a list of judicial nominees at this point and promising to apply judicial litmus tests put the country on a dangerous path. By releasing his list, Trump has practically guaranteed that none of the judges he offered will be seen as fair over the next several months, their every ruling scrutinized for evidence that they are applying for the jobeven if they try to conduct their duties evenhandedly. Litmus tests, meanwhile, subvert the independence of the judiciary. If judicial litmus tests become acceptable, the number of commitments each side demands of its nominees would surely proliferate, the freedom of judges to decide specific cases would erode, and any assurance that those before the court could get a fair hearing would vanish. The judiciary is different from the other two, more political, branches of government, and politicians, in their search for short-term victories, should not be so eager to erode that difference. Judges are not immune to ambition or political ideology, but Americans have long expected and should still expect that judges be guided by other values: careful thinking, reverence for the facts of specific cases, respect for the intent of the elected leaders who write the laws, openness to counterarguments, a healthy amount of modesty and allegiance to the notion that their rulings must bear a rational relationship to the laws they interpret and the precedents they have set. A world in which judges must at the very least address these expectations is far better than a world in which they are assumed to be wholly political actors who need offer no justification beyond, I promised to rule this way. Whatever will Idaho do for viral quotes next legislative session? The most reliable providers wont be back, and neither will a number of their allies. Or newcomers to the task. The Republican primary election on Tuesday yielded a persistent theme in its results among challenged races. The more extreme insurgent candidates, whether incumbent or challenger, tended to lose to the more establishment conservative alternative. You can find no better case study than in Coeur dAlenes District 4, where the House seats were held by one from the insurgent group Kathleen Sims and one from the establishment conservative group, Luke Malek. (The Senate seat, held by Mary Souza, was unchallenged.) Malek, challenged by an insurgent, won his primary with 58.4 percent. Sims, challenge by an establishment conservative, lost hers at 48.4 percent. Theres Sheryl Nuxoll, the three-term senator from Cottonwood whose statements have gone as viral as anyones. Remember the Holocaust/health insurance exchange comparison, the false faith with false gods of Hinduism, and so many other greatest hits? This time she lost (48.8 percent), a result probably not widely expected. Likewise the bigger loss in the same district by Shannon McMillan (38.7 percent), known for her frequent votes against spending on education without explaining why. The theme was repeated up and down the state, not in every instance but in enough to make the trend line clear. Up along the Canadian border the new co-chair of the legislatures budget committee, Shawn Keough, has faced insurgent challenges for several cycles, and the margins have been getting closer. Still, in possibly the highest-profile legislative primary this year, she again survived (with 55.7 percent) another determined effort this year. Runner up among top primaries may have been in west Boises District 15, where relatively new establishment conservative Rep. Patrick McDonald was challenged by Rod Beck, who has been active in Republican politics for a long time (more than a quarter-century ago, he was state Senate majority leader) but is allied with the insurgents on the right. McDonald won, decisively (57.9 percent). Other serious insurgent challenges fell short too, to Rep. Kelley Packer in Bannock County (she had blasted the Idaho Freedom Foundations legislative index), to Maxine Bell (Keoughs House budget chair counterpart) and Stephen Hartgen of Twin Falls. Heres another useful measure. Gov. C.L. Butch Otter, more or less Idahos lead establishment conservative (with his own primary challenge two years ago to show for it), recently took the unusual step of endorsing a dozen Republican legislative candidates contested in the primary, some incumbents and some challengers, but all (obviously) on his side of the fence. Of that dozen, which included three challengers and nine seriously challenged incumbents, eight won, and one of the others lost only by a hair. Election night wasnt bad for Otter on the legislative front. If the 2014 primary election was something close to an overall holding action in the internal battle among Idaho Republicans, this years election marked some definite ground gained by the establishment. Does that make Idaho an outlier in the national Republican picture? More thoughts on this to come. President Erdogan could freeze the migration agreement reached with the EU because of double standards, stated Yigit Bulut; an adviser to the Turkish president. The issue of human rights has been a dividing issue between Ankara and the European Union as well as demands for Turkey to improve its legislation in relation to freedom of speech, fair judicial practice and minority rights protection. Bulut said Turkey can suspend the execution of its agreements with the European Union, including the customs union, if the European Union continues its policy of double standards in its talks with Ankara. His statements came after Erdogan alleged that the EU is delaying the implementation of the visa-free policy for Turkish citizens while easing it for some Latin American countries. President Erdogan can have his way to it as Turkeys new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed allegiance to him. He plans to make him an executive president by amending the constitution in order to legalize the de facto situation and bring to an end this confusion of ceremonial and executive presidential system. He hinted that the presidents wishes would be executed as he hailed him as a man of purpose, a man of the people, a tireless defender of the great Turkey. In a message to the international community especially those against Turkeys military actions against the Kurds, Yildirim said the anti-terror operations will end when all our citizens are safe. Operations will continue without pause until the bloody-handed terrorist organization PKK ends its armed actions. The division between Ankara and Brussels is expected to increase and there are doubts that the agreement will be implemented as agreed upon. The European Parliament will vote on the visa-free policy in June. The Israeli Prime Minister who is under fire over the resignation of Defense Minister tried to ease concerns saying he was in control of the countrys security and military plans. Israels Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon Friday announced he was quitting the Cabinet to protest the Prime Ministers recent conducts and because of lack of trust in Netanyahu. Yaalon is to be replaced by fascist Avigdor Liberman. I see to Israels security, and lead the operations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. In the end, the Prime Minister navigates all the operations with the Defense Minister and IDF chief of staff. It seems I havent done a bad job in the past two years, and so it will continue now. Responsible, determined, intelligent policies designed to uphold security. The pretty soon appointment of the leader of Yisrael Beytenu party has caused fears and worries in several countries as many fear that Libermans party known us ultra-nationalist may jeopardize peace efforts with Palestinians. To calm down fears to see peace efforts with Palestine compromised if Yisrael Beytenu joins the thin coalition, Netanyahu told his cabinet that he would always pursue the peace process with the Palestinians. I want to clarify that the government will continue to strive for a diplomatic process with the Palestinians, with the help of regional actors, he was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying. Netanyahu is believed to support a Pan-Arab peace plan based on two-state solution to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Israeli media last week indicated that Tel Aviv welcomed the Egyptian Presidents call to Palestinians and Israelis to seize peace initiative proposed by Arab countries and France. Netanyahu has rejected the French initiative aiming to organize an international conference of 20 foreign ministers on June 3 to set a framework for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians scheduled for next Fall. French Premier Manuel Valls is expected in Tel Aviv this Monday. He would try again to convince Netanyahu to back the French initiative already supported by Washington. A double suicide bomb attack targeting army recruits killed at least 45 people and injured dozens. The recruits were enlisting for army service in Aden. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack. Military sources said the first blast came from a car parked near the recruits and it killed around 20 outside the Badr military base, Khormaksar district, in the southern part of the city where the enlistment was taking place. The second suicide bomber was on foot and detonated his explosive belt in the midst of the recruits killing at least 25 people. Local news website Aden al-Ghad showed pictures of soldiers picking up bloodied comrades in uniform from the ground and ambulances rushing the injured to the hospital. Since the political tension began in Yemen in 2011, recruits have been targeted by suicide bombers in Sanaa and at other recruitment centers. Mondays double suicide attack comes almost eight days after a deadly attack, claimed by the Islamic State, on the port city of Al Mukalla left more than 40 people dead. It is one of the highest casualties in a single attack since the beginning of the year. The suicide attack on the recruits could raise safety issues as President Hadi is based in Khormaksar under heavy security. The country is entangled in a war against the Houthis and talks held in Kuwait between the warring parties have stalled. Fighting has been beneficial to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State because it enabled them to propagate their influence in Yemen although government and coalition forces have been forcing them out of Aden and Mukalla. Kenyas President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned that his country might withdraw its troops from Somalia if the international community does not plug funding gaps for the operation. According to UN Security Council Report, an online bulletin by the Council, President Uhuru, last weekend, told envoys from the UN Security Council in Nairobi that African countries contributing forces to the AU mission in Somalia will not fill the funding gaps but will rather pull out because of the huge cost implications. Much of the funding has been coming from the European Union. But in January, the EU cut its budget to the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) by 20 percent. As one of Amisoms major troop contributing countries, Kenya is questioning whether it was worth the huge cost Uhuru said. President Kenyatta reportedly raised the issue of accusations against Kenyan troops being involved in trafficking of charcoal and other goods in Somalia, saying that if people did not appreciate what they were doing, there was no reason for them to stay. Kenya has 3,664 soldiers based in Sector 2 of Amisom, which is under the African Union, but is technically a UN controlled peacekeeping mission. The majority of Kenyan forces are in lower and middle Juba region of Somalia. A withdrawal of Kenyan soldiers would impact negatively the war against terrorism as Kenyas Defense Forces (KDF) battle the terror group al-Shabaab. Benins president Patrice Talon has promised to turn the cotton fortunes of his country around by the end of his five-year term. Cotton is a major export for the tiny West African nation and contributes 40 percent of Benins foreign exchange earnings, 12 percent of GDP. In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde, the wealthy 57-year-old said output by Africas third-largest cotton producer was 260,000 tons during the 2015-2016 season, compared with a drop from 394,000 tons in the previous season with the lack of fertilizers and pesticides being the main reason behind the drop. Talon, dubbed the King of Cotton, won over 65 percent of votes cast in the second round of the presidential election in the small West African nation two months ago. The tycoon, who made his money in the key cotton sector and running Cotonous port a regional maritime hub had been critical of the previous administration. Now, he has the task of diversifying Benins economy which relies mainly on agriculture, trade and exports and uplifting it from poverty. The investigational anticancer therapeutic abemaciclib, which targets CDK4 and CDK6, showed durable clinical activity when given as continuous single-agent therapy to patients with a variety of cancer types, including breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), glioblastoma, and melanoma, according to results from a phase I clinical trial. Amita Patnaik, MD, associate director of clinical research at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics in San Antonio, Texas, and Geoffrey I. Shapiro, MD, PhD, director of the Early Drug Development Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, published these results in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. In February 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (Ibrance) for use in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole for treating postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. The oral CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib is a very different molecule from palbociclib, with distinct attributes that contribute to its discrete therapeutic effects, in particular, its single-agent activity, according to Shapiro. For example, abemaciclib has greater selectivity for CDK4 compared with palbociclib, which may explain why it does not affect white blood cell counts as severely, allowing it to be taken on a continuous schedule without treatment holidays, he said. Abemaciclib also penetrates the central nervous system, whereas palbociclib does not, raising the possibility that it could be used to treat primary or metastatic brain tumors, he added. Patnaik, Shapiro, and colleagues enrolled 225 patients with a variety of types of advanced cancer in the phase I clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of abemaciclib. In the dose escalation phase, the researchers determined that the maximum tolerated dose was 200 milligrams (mg) every 12 hours; the dose-limiting toxicity was grade 3 fatigue. In the expansion phase, single-agent abemaciclib was administered to 47 patients with breast cancer, 68 with NSCLC, 17 with glioblastoma, 26 with melanoma, and 15 with colorectal cancer. Among these patients, the most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss, kidney dysfunction, and decreased red and white blood cell counts. Radiographic responses were observed for some patients with breast cancer, NSCLC, and melanoma. Among the 36 patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, 11 had a partial response, with four of the 11 responders having continued prior endocrine therapy, and an additional 18 patients had stable disease. Among the 68 patients with NSCLC, two had a partial response and 31 had stable disease; one patient who had a partial response and 12 who had stable disease were known to have KRAS-mutant NSCLC. Among the 26 patients with melanoma, one had a partial response and six had stable disease. Three of the 17 patients with glioblastoma had stable disease, with two of them continuing to receive treatment without disease progression for 19 and 23 cycles, respectively. "These data show that abemaciclib is an oral drug that can be taken on a continuous schedule and achieve durable clinical activity against multiple tumors including breast and lung cancers," said Shapiro. "The results of the trial supported the FDA decision to grant breakthrough therapy designation to abemaciclib (previously known as LY2835219) for patients with refractory hormone receptor-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer," added Patnaik. Patnaik explained that because this study included 225 patients with different types of cancer, confirmatory clinical trials in specific patient populations are necessary to precisely define the role of abemaciclib in cancer care. Multiple clinical trials have already been initiated to evaluate abemaciclib as a treatment for certain groups of patients with breast cancer and NSCLC, as well as children with primary brain tumors and adults with brain metastases, she noted. Explore further Palbociclib showed antiproliferative activity in early-stage breast cancer Infant undergoing phototherapy for newborn jaundice. Credit: Katherine C. Cohen, Boston Children's Hospital Two new studies raise enough questions about a possible link between childhood cancer and light therapy for newborn jaundice that clinicians should exercise caution in prescribing the treatment for infants whose jaundice is likely to resolve on its own, a pediatric oncologist from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center argues in an editorial published today by the journal Pediatrics. The suggestion of a link, however, should not deter use of the treatment, also known as phototherapy, in babies who otherwise would be at risk of brain damage or hearing loss. Despite the inconclusive findings, the editorial notes that the research represents an important and novel approach using "big data" to begin to discern whether environmental factors may be implicated in the development of pediatric cancer. Two companion studies, also published today in Pediatrics, examined an association between phototherapy and pediatric cancers. The first study, the California Late Impact of Phototherapy Study (CLIPS), analyzed data from five million infants born in California hospitals between 1998 and 2007. The study used administrative data that linked the billing code for phototherapy and the diagnosis code of childhood cancer. The strongest association is a 1.6-fold increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The risk of Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer of childhood, also rose to statistical significance. The second studythe Late Impact of Getting Hyperbilirubinemia of photoTherapy (LIGHT) studyanalyzed data from 500,000 children born in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system between 1995 and 2011. The associations between phototherapy and childhood cancer were not statistically significant, but an association with AML was again observed. The studies come at a time when the number of infants receiving phototherapy is increasing, in part, the researchers suggest, because of the availability of light therapy units that can be used in the home. In the Kaiser study, 16 percent of babies received phototherapy in 2011, up from 3 percent in 1995. In both studies, the associations were stronger and statistically significant among children with Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome are already known to be at an increased risk of leukemia. Infant undergoing phototherapy for newborn jaundice. Credit: Katherine C. Cohen, Boston Children's Hospital "Even though the results are inconclusive, they are worrisome enough that phototherapy should not be presented as risk-free. That being said, however, the brain damage and hearing loss from high bilirubin levels are real and well-documented, and the suggested risk of cancer from these new studies is both unclear and very small," says the editorial's lead author, Lindsay Frazier, MD, of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's. "What is concerning is the fact that, at least in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system, the number of children receiving phototherapy has dramatically increased. The risks associated with such a prevalent exposure require close scrutiny." Even in the CLIPS study, which found a statistically significant association between phototherapy and childhood cancer, the absolute numbers involved were very low. Of the 5 million infants studied, 58 who received phototherapy later developed cancer. The increased risk of AML, for instance, was based on 10 cases among the 178,000 children who received phototherapy, versus 103 cases in the 4.9 million children who did not. "Studying why children get cancer is very difficult because it is such a rare disease," Frazier says. "The association between smoking and lung cancer was relatively easy to detect because the disease is well over 10 times more common than childhood cancer. There are about 225,000 new cases of lung cancer a year in the United States, versus 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer. Thus, to study childhood cancer, a scientist needs to find a way to study large populations. The authors are to be commended for finding a way to do just that. But even in these studies of huge populations, the number of children who actually develop cancer remains quite small." Despite the small numbers, the editorial advises clinicians to weigh a possible link with cancer in determining which babies need phototherapy. "In the end, acknowledging that the information is imperfect, general pediatricians and neonatologists must make a choice," the editorial concludes. "These data suggest that phototherapy may not be harmless, and that the risks as well as the benefits need to be weighed before flipping the switch." Tahir Rahman, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. Credit: Justin Kelley, University of Missouri Health In the aftermath of violent acts such as mass shootings, many people assume mental illness is the cause. After studying the 2011 case of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers are suggesting a new forensic term to classify non-psychotic behavior that leads to criminal acts of violence. "When these types of tragedies occur, we question the reason behind them," said Tahir Rahman, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Sometimes people think that violent actions must be the byproduct of psychotic mental illness, but this is not always the case. Our study of the Breivik case was meant to explain how extreme beliefs can be mistaken for psychosis, and to suggest a new legal term that clearly defines this behavior." Breivik, a Norwegian terrorist, killed 77 people on July 22, 2011, in a car bombing in Oslo and a mass shooting at a youth camp on the island of Utya in Norway. Claiming to be a "Knights Templar" and a "savior of Christianity," Breivik stated that the purpose of the attacks was to save Europe from multiculturalism. Two teams of court-appointed forensic psychiatrists later examined Breivik. The first psychiatric team diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. However, after widespread criticism, a second team concluded that Breivik was not psychotic and diagnosed him with narcissistic personality disorder. Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison. "Breivik believed that killing innocent people was justifiable, which seems irrational and psychotic," said Rahman, who also conducts forensic psychiatric examinations but was not involved with the Breivik case. "However, some people without psychotic mental illness feel so strongly about their beliefs that they take extreme actions. Current clinical guides, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, offer vague descriptions of alternative reasons a person may commit such crimes. Our suggested term for criminally violent behavior when psychosis can be ruled out is 'extreme overvalued belief.'" Rahman defines "extreme overvalued belief" as a belief that is shared by others and often relished, amplified and defended by the accused. The individual has an intense emotional commitment to the belief and may act violently as a result of that belief. Although the individual may suffer from other forms of mental illness, the belief and the actions associated with it are not the result of insanity. "In courts of law, there are not clearly defined, standard methods of diagnosing insanity for legal purposes," Rahman said. "This new term will help forensic psychiatrists properly identify the motive for the defendant's criminal behavior when sanity is questioned." Rahman said that more research on extreme overvalued beliefs is needed to understand how they develop. Identifying those at risk will give mental health professionals an opportunity to intervene before violent behavior occurs. "Certain psychological factors may make people more vulnerable to developing dominating and amplified beliefs," Rahman said. "However, amplification of beliefs about issues such as immigration, religion, abortion or politics also may occur through the internet, group dynamics or obedience to charismatic authority figures. We already warn our youth about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, teen pregnancy and smoking. We need to add the risk of developing extreme overvalued beliefs to that list as we work toward reducing the violence often associated with them." The study, "Anders Breivik: Extreme Beliefs Mistaken for Psychosis," recently was published in The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Explore further Anders Breivik is guilty: the fine line between bad and mad More information: The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, www.jaapl.org/content/44/1/28. 69-add3-295330130850 (HealthDay)Every school should have at least one full-time registered nurse, a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement says. "School nursing is one of the most effective ways to keep children healthy and in school and to prevent chronic absenteeism," Dr. Breena Welch Holmes, a lead author of the policy statement and chair of the AAP Council on School Health, said in an AAP news release. But school district policies about nurses may lack uniformity. And such policies often need updating, the AAP noted. In the past, the AAP supported having one school nurse for every 750 healthy students and one nurse for every 225 students who needed professional nursing assistance. But these ratios aren't enough to meet the health needs of today's students, the new policy says. "As student health needs became more complex, the school nursing role has expanded to include additional responsibilities," co-author Anne Sheetz said in the news release. Sheetz explained that school nurses now work with pediatricians. They help manage chronic conditions and develop individualized health care plans for each student, she added. In addition, more children need help with medical management or have special needs. Some of the conditions that require help from the school nurse include: asthma, diabetes, life-threatening allergies, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and seizures. Other duties a nurse might have include emergency preparedness and health education, the AAP said. The new policy statement was published online May 23 and in the June print issue of Pediatrics. More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on Journal information: Pediatrics The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on student health Copyright 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Children seem to interpret disjunction like conjunction, observes MIT Linguistics Professor Danny Fox. However, Fox adds, although it has been claimed children are very different from adults in the interpretation of logical words, the studys larger implication is almost the opposite namely that the child is [otherwise] identical to the adult, but there is a very small parameter that distinguishes them. Credit: Christine Daniloff/MIT Imagine, for a moment, you are a parent trying to limit how much dessert your sugar-craving young children can eat. "You can have cake or ice cream," you say, confident a clear parental guideline has been laid out. But your children seem to ignore this firm ruling, and insist on having both cake and ice cream. Are they merely rebelling against a parental command? Perhaps. But they might be confusing "or" with "and," as children do at times, something studies have shown since the 1970s. What seems like a restriction to the parent sounds like an invitation to the child: Have both! But why does this happen? Now a study by MIT linguistics professors and a team from Carleton University, based on an experiment with children between the ages of 3 and 6, proposes a new explanation, with a twist: In examining this apparent flaw, the researchers conclude that children deploy a more sophisticated mode of logical analysis than many experts have previously realized. Indeed, say the linguists, children use almost entirely the same approach as adults when it comes to evaluating potentially ambiguous sentences, by testing and "strengthening" them into sentences with more precise meanings, when disjunction and conjunction ("or" and "and") are involved. While using this common approach, however, children do not test how a sentence would change if "and" were directly substituted for "or." This more modest procedural problem is what leads to the confusion about cake and ice cream. "Children seem to interpret disjunction like conjunction," observes Danny Fox, the Anshen-Chomsky Professor in Language and Thought at MIT and co-author of a paper detailing the study. However, Fox adds, although "it has been claimed children are very different from adults in the interpretation of logical words," the study's larger implication is almost the oppositenamely that "the child is [otherwise] identical to the adult, but there is a very small parameter that distinguishes them." Quirky as this finding seems, it confirms a specific prediction Fox and some other researchers had made, based on previous studies in formal semantics (the area of linguistics that investigates the logic of natural language use). As such, the study reinforces what we know about the procedures both children and adults deploy in "and/or" matters. "There's a certain kind of computation we can now say both children and adults do," says Raj Singh PhD '08, an associate professor of cognitive science at Carleton University and the lead author of the new report. The paper, "Children interpret disjunction as conjunction: Consequences for theories of implicature and child development," is being published in the journal Natural Language Semantics. The co-authors are Singh; Fox; Ken Wexler, emeritus professor of psychology and linguistics at MIT; Deepthi Kamawar, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University; and Andrea Astle-Rahim, a recent PhD graduate from Carleton University. What adults do: the two-step To understand how children conflate "or" with "and," first consider how adults normally clarify what sentences mean. Suppose you have a dozen cookies in a jar on your desk at work, and go to a meeting. When you come back, a colleague tells you, "Marty ate some of the cookies." Now suppose you find out that Marty actually ate all 12 cookies. The previous sentence"Marty ate some of the cookies"may still be true, but it would be more accurate to say, "Marty ate all of the cookies." To make this evaluation, adults compute "scalar implicatures," a technical phrase for thinking about the implications of the logical relationship between a sentence and its alternatives. For "Marty ate some of the cookies," there is a two-step computation. The first step is to think through some alternatives, such as what happens if you substitute "all" for "some" (leading to "Marty ate all of the cookies"). The second step is to realize that this alternative spells out a specific new meaningthat all 12 cookies have been eaten, not just a few of them. We then realize the sentence "Marty ate some of the cookies" more accurately means: "Marty ate some, but not all, of the cookies." And now we have a "strengthened" version of the first sentence. The same process applies to the sentence, "Jane ate cake or ice cream." The sentence is true if Jane ate one or the other, and still technically true if she ate both. But once we compute the scalar implicatures, we realize that "Jane ate cake or ice cream" is a "strengthened" way of saying she ate one or the other, but not both. Fox has conducted extensive research over the last decade formalizing our computations of scalar implicatures and identifying areas where tiny differences in the logical "space of alternatives" can have far-reaching consequences. The current paper stems in part from work Singh pursued as a doctoral student collaborating with Fox at MIT. Why "or" and "and" merge for children The research team conducted the study's experiment by testing 59 English-speaking children and 26 adults in the Ottawa area. The children ranged in age from 3 years, 9 months, to 6 years, 4 months. The linguists gave the subjects a series of statements along with pictures, and asked them to say whether the statements were true or false. For instance: The children were shown a picture with three boys holding an apple or a banana, along with the statement, "Every boy is holding an apple or a banana," and then asked to say if the statement was true or false. The children were asked to do this for a full range of scenariossuch as one boy holding one type of fruit and two boys holding the otheralong with a varying set of "and/or" statements. The researchers repeated five sets of such trials, with the pictures changing each time. The results suggest that children are computing scalar implicatures when they evaluate the statementsbut they largely do not substitute disjunctions and conjunctions when testing out the possible meaning of sentences, as adults do. That means when children hear "cake or ice cream," they are generally not replacing "or" in the phrase with "and," to test what would happen. Without that contrast, the children still "strengthen" the meaning of "or," but they strengthen it to mean "and." Thus "or" and "and" can blur together for children. "They [children] don't use 'cake and ice cream' as an alternative," Fox says. "As a result, 'cake or ice cream' is expected, if we are right about the nature of the computation, to become 'cake and ice cream' for the children." And while we tend to think children are wrong to draw that conclusion, it is still the result of computing scalar implicaturesit just happens that, as Singh observes, those computations create divergent outcomes for children and adults. A universal process Other scholars say the study is a significant piece of research. Emmanuel Chemla, a scholar at CNRS in France, who has conducted previous research in this area, notes that the study's "highly counterintuitive prediction" appears to be "entirely correct." (Disclosure: Chemla has collaborated with some of the authors previously.) Chemla also praises the study's blend of formal semantic analysis with its experimental structure, stating that this kind of interdisciplinary approach is "often highly praised and called for, but rarely taken to such a high level." And he adds that in the future, it will be "important to develop a full theory of how children arrive at this stage, and how they move from it to an adult-like competence." The researchers say they agree with the need to examine that transition to the adult pattern of strengthening. In the meantime, they hope colleagues will consider the additional evidence the study provides about the formal logic underlying our language use. "The computational system of language is actually telling us how to do certain kinds of thinking," Wexler suggests. "It isn't us just trying to [understand] things pragmatically." Additionally, the scholars believe evidence from other languages besides English supports their conclusions. In both Walpiri, a language of indigenous Australians, and American Sign Language, there is a single connective word that functions as both "or" and "and" and appears subject to the strengthening process identified for children. And, Singh notes, linguists are now replicating the study's findings in French and Japanese. In general, Fox observes, across languages, and for children and adults alike, "The remarkable logical fact is that when you take 'and' out of the space of alternatives, 'or,' becomes 'and.' This, of course, relies on the nature of the computation that we've postulated, and, hence, the results of the study provide confirmation of a form that I find rather exciting." So, yes, your children may not understand what you mean about dessert. Or perhaps they are just being willful. But if they confuse "or" with "and," then they are not being childishat least not in the way you may think. More information: Paper: "Children interpret disjunction as conjunction: Consequences for theories of implicature and child development." Paper: "Children interpret disjunction as conjunction: Consequences for theories of implicature and child development." http-server.carleton.ca/~singh on-April-14-2016.pdf This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. Contextual factors, such as the race of participants in an experiment or the geography of where the experiment was run, can reduce the likelihood of replicating psychological studies, a team of New York University researchers has found. Their work, which appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), analyzed papers examined by the Reproducibility Project in an effort to identify potential challenges to replicating scientific scholarship. "The scientific community is continually evaluating how it can optimize its research process and should remain open to new practices to improve scholarship," observes Jay Van Bavel, an associate professor in NYU's Department of Psychology and the study's lead author. "These new findings suggest that we will need to improve both our methods and our theory if we want to improve reproducibility in science and we propose a roadmap for enhancing scientific research: scientists should avoid making universal generalizations based on limited data, explicitly define contextual factors that may influence their results, and work closely with original researchers to enhance reproducibility." Last year, the Reproducibility Project, a collaborative of psychology researchers, sought to replicate the findings of 100 previously published psychology studies. However, it was able to do so with only 39 percent of these studies, raising questions about the validity of the original scholarship. In March, a group of psychology researchers from Harvard University and the University of Virginia published a critique in Science, raising doubts about the Reproducibility Project's findings. They concluded that its analysis was statistically flawed and that several replication studies were poorly designed. In the new PNAS paper, the NYU researchers took a different approachthey focused on the nature of the research topic in the original studies. They re-analyzed all 100 papers that the Reproducibility Project sought to replicate, including some co-authored by other NYU faculty. Specifically, they assessed the extent to which the effects reported in the original studies were likely to be influenced by contextual factors such as time (e.g., pre- vs. post-Recession), culture (e.g., Eastern vs. Western culture), location (e.g., rural vs. urban setting), or population (e.g., a racially diverse population vs. a predominantly white population). In other words, they appraised the contextual sensitivity of the topics in the original 100 studies. The coders were blind to the results of the Reproducibility Project's replication attempts for all the papers they coded. The researchers then examined the relationship between ratings of contextual sensitivity (i.e., how likely context would affect the chances of replicating a given study) with the findings from the Reproducibility Project. The results showed that context ratings predicted replication success even after statistically adjusting for methodological factors such as effect size and statistical power. Specifically, studies with higher contextual sensitivity ratingswhere, for instance, altering the race or geographical location of study participants could alter the resultswere less likely to be reproduced by the Reproducibility Project researchers. In a second analysis, the NYU researchers examined which of the 100 replication studies were endorsed by the original authorsprior to the Reproducibility Project's data collection. Here they found that replication studies, which were not endorsed by the original authors, were far less likely to reproduce the results. Van Bavel and his colleagues note that challenges facing replication are not limited to psychologyand stretch back hundreds of years. For example, Sir Isaac Newton alleged that his contemporaries were unable to replicate his research on the color spectrum of light due to bad prisms. After he was able to direct them to better prisms (ones produced in London, rather than Italy) they were able to reproduce his results. In modern times, studies using mice or rats may be hampered by subtle environmental differences, such as food, bedding, and light, which can affect biological and chemical processes that determine whether experimental treatments succeed or fail. Explore further Experimental economics: Results you can trust @JeremySWallace With another surge in advertising, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Carlos Beruff has spent more than $3 million on television spots statewide. And most of that money is coming from his own pocket. It will be months before Beruff officially reports how much of his own money he has invested in his campaign to do the ad buys, but that number is now expected to be over $3 million, according to a source close to the campaign and later confirmed by the campaign. That would make Beruff the biggest self-funder in the nation for a U.S. Senate seat, surpassing Democrat Napolean Harris, who put in $2.1 million of his own money but lost his primary election in Illinois earlier this year. But hes got a long way to catch the top self funder for a seat in Congress this year. Democrat David Trone, founder of Total Wine, spent more $9.9 million of his own money, according to Federal Election Commission records, but lost in a primary for a seat in Congress representing Marylands D.C.-suburbs in late April. Beruff hasnt hidden the fact that he intends to self-fund a big part of his campaign. In interviews hes consistently said hell put his own money in the race, but has not said exactly how much. Ive always been a believer that if you dont bet on yourself how can you ask anyone else to, Beruff said in a recent interview with the Times/Herald. Self-funders have not had a great track record running for the U.S. Senate since 2010. Since then, nearly 90 percent of candidates who have put $1 million of their own money into a U.S. Senate campaign have lost. In total, 34 candidates have put $1 million or more into their campaigns. Thirty of those candidates lost either in the primary or the general election. Only four - two Democrats and two Republicans - won seats in the U.S. Senate, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The Florida Public Service Commission offered a glimpse into how bitter, and potentially personal, the high stakes debate over Florida Power & Light's request to raise its rates $1.3 billion may become later this summer. On Monday, the PSC voted unanimously to reject a request from the Office of Public Counsel, the lawyers who represent the public before regulators, who want more time to prepare their case. The OPC had asked the panel to reconsider a May 4 order by hearing officer and PSC Commissioner Lisa Edgar who ruled that the public counsel would have just over four weeks - until May 31 - to file its testimony in two parts of the rate case. She gave FPL just over five weeks - until July 5 -- to file its rebuttal. It was a timeframe that Public Counsel J.R. Kelly considered unprecedented, unworkable and unfair so, rather than file a motion with Edgar for more time, he and his staff asked for a full vote of the PSC. It backfired. In a 10-minute speech, Edgar called the effort "a wolf in sheep's clothing, a thinly veiled effort to force the full commission to review the pre-hearing schedule." She said that in her "eleven and a half years" on the commission she has ruled on several FPL rate cases and "timely acted upon" every request for an extension of time. Edgar's colleagues had no sympathy for Kelly's attempt to bypass Edgar. They sided with her, voted down his request with no debate, and adjourned the meeting. After the vote, Kelly said the short time schedule was unprecedented. He called the ruling a setback. "The abbreviated and accelerated testimony filing dates definitely weigh against the ratepayers who we represent because it does not give us enough time to fully vet all the issues in discovery,'' Kelly said. The decision came just days after Kelly prevailed against the PSC and FPL in a lawsuit that challenged a unanimous 2015 PSC decision that allowed the utility to charge its 4.5 million customers for its speculative gas fracking operation in Oklahoma. The Florida Supreme Court ruled that PSC had no authority to impose the charges for such activity without Legislative approval. In March, FPL filed for the $1.3 billion rate increase, which will mean about $13 a month for a residential customer with a 1,000 kilowatt hour bill and be phased in over four years. In April, FPL asked regulators to address three other issues related to the rate case. They asked the commission to decide how much of their profits from selling wholesale energy they must share with customers, how much to charge customers for storm hardening and how much money the company can keep from its investment in capital assets. Since the issues all relate to FPL's bottom line, the PSC staff then asked they all be consolidated in the rate case hearings which begin Aug. 22. Edgar, who is the longest-serving member of the PSC, serves as the pre-hearing officer in the case, a role that allows her to serve as both umpire and rule-maker as sparring parties battle it out over which issues will be allowed to come up at the hearing. But before those issues can be addressed, the lawyers representing the public and other parties in the case must collect data, ask questions, hire experts and investigate the record -- a process that takes the Office of Public Counsel more time than rival FPL because it must follow state contracting rules before it can hire outside consultants. After agreeing to consolidate the cases for the August hearing, Edgar set deadlines for the parties to submit the testimony of their experts and witnesses. She gave OPC until May 31 to submit its testimony regarding the portions of the case relating to storm hardening and company assets and gave FPL until July 5 to file its rebuttal. The testimony for the rates portion of the case would be due July 7, she said, and FPL would have until Aug. 1 to respond. But the lawyers for the public counsel argued that because the issues are interrelated, the deadlines should not be staggered but be the same for all the issues. On May 9, it filed a motion asking the full PSC to reconsider Edgar's motion. That clearly didn't sit well with Edgar. "I can assure you that nobody in this room has poured over the calendar, the varying dates, the array of potential issues in consolidating this case more than I have,'' she said on Monday. She warned that approving the motion to reconsider "could potentially harm the work of this commission." PSC Commission Chair Julie Brown asked OPC lawyer Patricia Christensen why they hadn't asked Edgar for the extension. Christensen replied, "We felt this was the best way to get before the commission." Edgar sat with her arms folded, her chin in the air, then exchanged words with Commissioner Ron Brise. Next, Brise asked again why they didn't go through Edgar "and request an extension?" Christensen answered again: "At the time we felt that was the quickest way to get it before the full commission. That is the choice that we made." FPL -- which asked that the three additional issues be addressed at the same time it was asking for its rate case -- and the PSC staff, both opposed giving the lawyers for the public more time. The staff noted, however, that while Edgar's ruling did not contain any "error" in law, the law did allow for the PSC to have the discretion to change the schedule if it wanted to. The commission decided it did not want to use its discretion. "Without a staggered schedule, FPL would have to review, seek discovery and review intervenor direct testimony covering four dockets and prepare to file its own testimony in just 25 days,'' said John Butler, FPL's lead legal counsel. He added that FPL has already received a "a massive volume of discovery,'' from the lawyers representing all parties in the case -- the ratepayers, the state's largest industrial power users, Wal-Mart, AARP and South Florida hospitals. After the hearing, Kelly acknowledged that he could file a motion for an extension but it may be futile. PSC rules give FPL seven days to respond, which will be the same day as their deadline. "I don't know any prior cases where we've had that short of a time frame,'' Kelly said. "FPL gets five weeks to file rebuttal - more time than they even have in the rate case filing and that gives them an advantage." Kelly said his office will proceed by filing "the best testimony we can and it will make the hearing process a little longer because we'll have to bear out more issues through cross-examination." Photo: Lisa Edgar, courtesy Florida Public Service Commission @MichaelAuslen For the first time, all five Republican candidates for U.S. Senate are set to take the stage at the same public event. U.S. Reps. Ron DeSantis and David Jolly, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, defense contractor Todd Wilcox and developer Carlos Beruff are all scheduled to speak and answer questions from local activists June 2 at the Boca Raton Marriott. The event, called "Future Florida U.S. Senate" is being put on by America First, an organization created last year by Margi Helschien, a political consultant and former vice chairwoman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party. After yet another member of her DUI Treatment Court didnt have a satisfactory answer to how they had replaced drinking in their lives, Justice of the Peace Karen Orzech threw up her arms in exasperation. Come on, you people. I know you all work hard and drink hard thats the definition. Were trying to change that definition. I want you all to be thinking of ways of having fun that doesnt involve alcohol, she said. The 14 people who took their turns in front of Orzech during the Friday hearing in early May were all members of the treatment court, a program designed to change the behavior of repeat offenders that uses supervision and personal accountability to address the substance abuse that is the root cause of their impaired driving. Orzech started the program in Missoula County Justice Court in 2007, and in 2009 went to a training session in Georgia to learn nationwide best practices for how they operate. The treatment court can be ordered for certain people convicted of their second or third misdemeanors for driving under the influence, with the hope of stopping their trend before a fourth DUI charge, which is a felony. A high blood-alcohol content indicates not only impairment but addiction. The whole idea behind it is not to wait to get excited about it when its a felony, but to do something about it much earlier on, Orzech said. Going through treatment court is less about stopping them driving drunk again as it is making offenders recognize and fix their overall substance problems. Offenders who are succeeding in the program can earn the ability to schedule their jail days or be allowed to do jail work instead, and have the potential to have their license reinstated at an earlier time. I believe its a better way of solving the problem, Orzech said. Without DUI court, its a hard suspension of their license and an interlock device on their car. Then they just drink when they arent driving. That doesnt solve the addiction. Being in DUI Treatment Court means a once a month trip to Missoula County Justice Court to see Orzech. At minimum, offenders sentenced to treatment court stay in the program for a year. The judge said the first few months, members are under heavier amounts of monitoring and testing to make sure they dont fall back into substance abuse. When youre dealing with people who are addicted to alcohol, they have brain damage. It can take three to four months to clear out and for them to begin to recover, for the brain to physically start to heal she said. I know the science. I have a PhD in microbiology. If they stay sober three or four months, all of a sudden a light goes off and they say I can have a better life. *** During Mays treatment court hearing, one woman looked down at the floor when Orzech asked her about a report from her probation officer that she has tested positive for alcohol, then told her she wouldnt be sending her to jail for the violation. Youre going to slide a little but thats OK. What we dont want is for this slide to get greased and send you down it, she said. The next woman looked right at the judge and, with a note of pride in her voice, said she hadnt used marijuana since she started treatment, and that her anxiety issues had cleared up. Thats great, Orzech said before looking up at the rest of the court. Smoking marijuana can make you anxious and it can make you paranoid. For each offender, Orzech asked questions about how their counseling or treatment programs are going and checked the records to see how they are keeping up with paying off their fines or finishing their jail time. She asked them about their kids, their hobbies, their schoolwork; wanting to know what is going well in their lives. Before they retook their seat in the gallery, she set them a task for the next month, and jotted down a note in their file on what they promised to accomplish. *** Orzech, who has announced she will retire in July after 18 years as Justice of the Peace, said she doesnt know what will happen to DUI Treatment Court when she is gone. While there are grants and other funding sources that could continue to pay for the court, she said that will all depend on who takes her place and if they too will be committed to continuing her program. On the desk in her office Orzech keeps a small pile of greeting cards that have been sent to her. Every month, she receives letters from treatment court graduates telling her they credit the judge with helping them get sober. This one is from one of the earliest grads. He said that whenever he gets depressed or starts thinking about drinking again, he thinks of me and everything we talked about, she said. He was in a bad way, but he made it. Clean water in Montana survived an under-the-radar attack in the U.S. Senate last month. And its a good thing, too, for it jeopardized Montanas famed fish and wildlife populations, as well as our drinking water and irrigation supplies. During debate before passage of the Senates Energy Appropriations bill, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., introduced an amendment to block implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection agencys so-called Clean Water Rule. The agency developed the rule several years ago at the request of industries that wanted clarification on which of the nations waters merit protection under the federal Clean Water Act. The rule, which was subject to a long public comment period and reviewed in numerous meetings and congressional hearings, simply affirmed that waters protected under the law when the act was passed 40 years ago including headwater streams in Montana still merit protection. Sen. Jon Tester continued his strong support for clean water by voting against this unsuccessful amendment. Perplexingly, however, Sen. Steve Daines voted for the amendment. In a recent op-ed Sen. Daines touted his efforts to protect Montana's lands and waters, and the jobs they support, by voting for the Energy Bill, which included permanent authorization of the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund. For that, he deserves thanks. However, Sen. Daines also undermined his stated support for fish and wildlife by then voting to kill the Clean Water Rule. He thereby supported dropping protection for water quality and important habitat supplied by Montana's headwater streams and some wetlands. These contradictory positions are inexplicable. The Senate energy bill will now have to be reconciled with a U.S. House version. This process will likely include more discussion of permanent authorization of the LWCF. It will also provide Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke an opportunity to demonstrate that he indeed, as he often states, identifies with Teddy Roosevelt, one of the nations most celebrated conservationists. He can do that by supporting full authorization of LWCF, and, by demonstrating he supports protecting Montanas headwater tributaries and streamside wetlands from pollution by reversing his position opposing the Clean Water Rule. Rep. Zinke recently stated unequivocally in an op-ed published in several Montana dailies that the EPAs Superfund program in Montana has failed. He cited this as a reason for not using this program to advance the stalled cleanup of toxic materials at the Columbia Falls Aluminum site. He said he prefers working things out with the responsible party at the site, Glencore, a large Swiss-based corporation. Glencore, however, has demonstrated little interest in cooperating. As with the Clean Water Rule, Rep. Zinke needs to take a second look at Superfund in Montana. Without this program and the funding and legal hammer it brings to the table, more than half a billion dollars of cleanup and health related aid to folks contaminated by asbestos in Libby would not have occurred. Certainly W.R. Grace wasnt going to help. Similarly, without Superfund, the heirs to the assets of the Anaconda Company, BPA-Arco, would not have been prodded into investing hundreds of millions into cleanup and restoration of the severely mine damaged upper Clark Fork basin from Butte and Anaconda to Milltown. The result so far has been a cleaner river, healthier communities, more trout and a restoration economy that has been a huge economic boon to the region. Certainly, Columbia Falls deserves as much. To some in Congress it is fine sport to deploy slogans and parrot industry in bashing EPA and federal laws that protect our water, air and lands. But this is one sport Montanas congressional delegation need not be part of. *** Chris Schustrom is Chairman of Montana Trout Unlimited Oh, what a joyous time the Democrats had laughing at the Republican Party as their tumultuous presidential candidate chaos played out in front of the nation for most of the year. While it was divisive for Republicans, it was entertaining to watch The Donald cop tons of free air time with blowhard bombast while the rest of the field tried to out-conservative each other to no avail. But that chaos had largely subsided when Trump became the Republican Partys presumptive nominee. It is now the Democrats who, unfortunately, find themselves embroiled in an increasingly nasty primary fight between backers of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Unlike the Republicans, the fight between Clinton and Sanders supporters is mostly about allegations of shady actions by Demo Party officials and insiders trying to put in the fix for Clinton than any great conflict between the candidates. Indeed compared to the angry insults and epithets thrown around by the Republican candidates, the battle between Clinton and Sanders has been downright mellow. Nonetheless, chaos has indeed come home to roost for the Democrats as conflict over selection of so-called super delegates, the conduct of party officials at state caucuses and primaries, and the seeming disregard by party leaders for the enormous energy the Sanders campaign has generated especially among young people who, for all the right reasons, have felt disenfranchised from status quo Democrats for years. The controversy starts at the very top of the Demo Party, with Debbie Wasserman Shultz, a Florida congresswoman and the chair of the Democratic National Committee, who has been a Hillary Clinton supporter from day one and is accused of rigging the system to favor Clintons candidacy through a number of dubious moves. Perhaps leading the complaints against Shultz and Clinton is the very strange kickback scheme in which large campaign contributors are running funds through state Demo party offices and then back to the Hillary Victory Fund to circumvent campaign contribution limits. Indeed, Montanas own Demo Party has been accused of participating in this activity, although the partys executive director, Nancy Keenan, continues to deflect criticism claiming theres nothing new or illegal about top-level candidates raising money for the party and down-ticket candidates. Keenan, however, ignores the fact that the operation, as reported in The Atlantic in late April, is a joint-fundraising committee for the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and 32 state Democratic Parties that Bernie Sanders campaign claims may have committed serious apparent violations of campaign-finance laws. While there have been no legal challenges filed with the Federal Election Commission, its fair to say supporters of Sanders challenge to Clinton were and are increasingly incensed at such manipulations during primary campaigns which, in the past, have generally seen Demo party officials refrain from endorsing or openly supporting candidates until the vote of the people occurs in primary elections and a candidate is formally nominated at the partys national convention. But in a clear sign of dissention, both Alaska and Maine voted at their state party conventions to eliminate the superdelegate process although perhaps not in time to significantly affect the 2016 race. As discontent escalated throughout the primary season. The anger at apparent manipulation by Demo party officials rose to the boiling point, finally erupting at the recent Nebraska Demo caucus. The actions that enraged Sanders supporters included quick voice votes approved without actually counting the votes, the elimination of more than 50 Sanders delegates whom party officials disqualified for administrative reasons, and calling in the cops while turning out the lights to bring the chaos to a premature end. Despite calls from party officials and incumbents for Sanders to drop his run and unite the party behind Clinton, thats not likely to happen. Sanders says hes in the race until the national convention. And having won 21 state primaries and caucuses, thats no surprise. In the meantime, although its like pulling teeth for many Republicans, that Trump will be their presidential candidate seems inevitable, thus avoiding a contentious fight at the partys national convention. Not so for the Democrats, however. Sanders continues to win primaries, and his supporters are truly up in arms. Moreover, it is uncertain and, for many, unlikely that supporters of Sanders political revolution will shift their allegiance to Clinton, who is widely seen as status quo. That the chaos that plagued the Republican Party has now shifted to the Democrats, is unfortunate, but in large part due to their own dubious manipulations. We are women across the state of Montana who support Judge Dirk Sandefur for the Montana Supreme Court because he is by far the most qualified person for this important position. Courts deal with crimes, car crashes, property rights, business contracts, divorces, parenting plans, adoptions, probates, right to privacy, Second Amendment rights, access to health care, access to streams and public lands, out-of-state corporate banks and insurance companies and more. When it comes to your legal rights, you need an experienced judge who will listen well, consider all the evidence, be fair and impartial, and make the right decision based on the law. District Judge Dirk Sandefur has shown himself to be that judge. He deserves your vote for Montana Supreme Court Justice. As a Cascade County district judge for the past 14 years, Judge Sandefur has presided over complex cases of all kinds in one of the busiest trial courts in the state. Most of the Montana Supreme Courts workload involves appeals from trial courts. The many other judges and former Supreme Court Justices (including many women), who have endorsed him know that Judge Sandefur is not only smart, considerate, and hardworking, but also has the necessary experience with all of the important legal areas that the Montana Supreme Court must handle. Judge Sandefur grew up in Great Falls, the son of an auto-mechanic and a working mom. He has been a police officer, a prosecutor, and a public defender, so he knows firsthand the importance and the challenges of enforcing our laws, treating people fairly, and keeping our communities safe. He's demonstrated that when your rights are at stake, he is the justice you want. Support Montana values. Support experience. Support Judge Dirk Sandefur for Montana Supreme Court. Carol Williams, Ellie Hill Smith Syd McKenna (plus over 80 other women) HELENA - A 20-year-old Helena woman faces two felony charges for allegations she exploited a 92-year-old man with dementia and bilked him out of thousands of dollars. Officials arrested Kayla Dawn Pennington on charges of exploitation of an older person and deceptive practices by common scheme. Pennington is accused of forging checks and taking advantage of the man while serving as his caregiver. In total, Pennington allegedly stole $6,800 from the man, according to documents filed in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court. The funds were extracted during 181 fraudulent interactions, which included purchasing car audio equipment and a $535 sponsorship to her softball team. Court documents say Pennington, alongside other caregivers, were hired on after the man, who also is partly deaf, was discharged from the VA Medical Center at Fort Harrison with a diagnosis of dementia. Pennington was chosen because her mother had gone to school with the man's son, who felt sorry for Pennington and "wanted to provide her with an opportunity to succeed," the documents note. As part of her payment, Pennington lived in the man's home. Court documents state she would have parties at the residence and at one point another caregiver found several people passed out at the home. Prosecutors also allege Pennington failed to provide appropriate groceries for the man while he was in her care. Pennington's bond was set at $5,000. SPOKANE Barking at bears, romping through the forest, sniffing for poaching evidence, getting petted by a child and maybe cooling off with a swim in the Pend Oreille River. It's all in a good day's work for Jax, a 1-year-old Karelian bear dog employed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "The beauty of this breed is that Jax can be calm and licking the fingers of a kid one moment and then turn it on when he's on the ground scaring the heck out of a bear," said Keith Kirsch, the Spokane Region Fish and Wildlife police officer who trains, houses and handles Jax full time. The agency's six Karelian bear dogs are being used across the state for wildlife research, enforcement and for conditioning bears, cougars and moose to avoid humans. The dogs also are ambassadors and conversation starters for public wildlife education, "They have the genetics to do it all very well," said wildlife biologist Rich Beausoleil, the agency's bear-cougar specialist in Wenatchee. Most of the dogs were purchased over the past 13 years for about $4,000 each from the Wind River Bear Institute in Montana. Jax is the first Karelian assigned to the Spokane Region. These wildlife service dogs are trained to confront sometimes dangerous animals without attacking or injuring them, Kirsch said. "We've used them to haze bighorn sheep off a highway," he said. Other states using Karelians for wildlife service include Montana, Nevada, California and the province of Alberta. The dogs sometimes are used to find orphaned bears so they can be taken to rehabilitation centers for eventual release. Nick Jorg, the officer who oversees Washington's Karelian program out of Seattle, said his 75-pound Karelian stepped up to another role in an unplanned bear encounter. "I was alone with Colter when we discovered two cubs up in a tree," he said. "I was trying to get out of there immediately when I saw this big, beautiful (black bear) sow barreling in on me. "Colter responded and plowed into her side. He rolled over a bear more than twice his size. That gave us a chance to get out of there. Nobody hurt." Beausoleil handles a Karelian named Cash that's been trained for a variety of work. In some cases, Cash will scent bears and cougars and chase them until they go up a tree so they can be tranquilized for wildlife study and collaring without having to be trapped. "Cash has dealt with 500 bears and 130 cougars so far in his career and saved a lot of staff time," he said. The agency's Karelians are taken to fairs, festivals and schools where they break the ice for staff to educate the public on living with dangerous wildlife. Jax came to Spokane last year and debuted at 5 months old with Kirsch as they responded to a black bear cruising a North Side neighborhood. The dog gave Kirsch an approachable platform to explain bear management to the crowd that had gathered on Oct. 16 along Lyons Avenue near Nevada Street. Meanwhile, department staff tranquilized and removed the bear from a tree. Kirsch traveled with the crew to a release site and Jax did his part to help convince the bear to stay out of town. "We don't hurt the animals, just condition them," Kirsch said. "We don't call them problem bears because the problems often are human-caused. Things like bird seed, pet food and unsecured garbage attracts bears and gets them into trouble. "It's not healthy in the long run for a bear to lose its fear of humans." Last week, Jax, Cash and Colter were used to condition two young orphaned black bears that had been caught during winter hanging around homes near Bead Lake. "They were skinny and wouldn't have made it through winter, so we trapped them and they were kept alive in an Idaho rehabilitation facility," Kirsch said. "We wanted to do a hard release to get them back in the wild with the right attitude." Hard release means they scare the bear rather than simply letting it go free. A text-book example of using Karelians to deal with a nuisance bear complaint goes as follows. Officers use a baited culvert trap to capture the bear. The animal is sedated, given a health exam and ear-tagged so it can be identified later if encountered. Neighbors are educated to clean up their garbage or other food sources that attracted the bear into trouble. Then the bear is released either on site or transported to a safer area. In either case, the dogs are used for a hard release. "We prefer to release on site because it's not good for a bear to be taken out of its home range," Beausoleil said. Instead of just drawing open the trap door and letting the bear go, at least two officers bring in dogs on leash to bark and raise the bear's anxiety. Another officer might carry a shotgun that fires non-lethal projectiles to sting the bear if needed to get it running away. The bear is given a head start out of the trap before the dogs are released to chase and scare it more before it leaves the area or climbs a tree. "The idea of a hard release is to create a negative impression so the bear learns to avoid the site and humans," Kirsch said. "You need at least two dogs to be effective. In the case of a grizzly, the minimum is three dogs." "Of 600 bears we've hard released, 96 percent have never been involved in another incident," Beausoleil said. Washington's Karelian Bear Dog program is funded by donations garnered online, from presentations and fund-raising events. "The GPS tracking collar I put on Jax was donated by the Northwest Sportsman Club," Kirsch said. The collar allows the officer to know the dog's position as it roams while the officer's working. "While I'm doing a routine check on hunters and their licenses, for example, Jax might be sniffing around beyond the scene to see if there's sign of an illegal kill," he said. "Very little gets by his nose. He finds stuff. He finds evidence, day or night." Working in wolf country adds more risk to the dog's work, Kirsch said. "It's a nerve-wracking deal to have him out there sometimes because wolves don't tolerate dogs." The Karelians are whistle trained and wear electronic collars when loose, but they're also encouraged to be independent thinkers, he said. "Jax is training quite well," Kirsch said, noting that he and the dog have been to clinics in Western Washington and he drives the pup to learn from veteran dogs in action whenever possible. At home and in the field he works on commands such as come, sit, down, no, up-up and leave it. "I want to let him cruise around and do his job without taking off after a white-tailed deer." The dogs live and travel with their handlers. "They're gentle at home, but not the best pets," Jorg said. "Colter will dig his way out of a fenced yard or climb over a 6-foot-tall fence no problem. He's so driven by his nose." The handlers' service pickups are fitted with air-conditioned club-cab compartments for the dogs. "They're always with us," said Jorg last week after the successful hard release of two bears in Pend Oreille County. "And sometimes we smell like it." Jorg pointed to slime on his dog's back. "When the bear climbed up that tree, it poohed on Colter. It looks like this job is going to end with a trip to the river for a swim." "These dogs are livin' the dream," Kirsch said. With the Montana Code School at the University of Montana set to expand services to the Bozeman area later this month, the program has announced the hiring of Nicholas Marucci as the new lead instructor. Montana Code School, a 12-week, intensive computer programming boot camp that got its start in Missoula in 2015 and will begin its inaugural class in Bozeman on Monday, May 23, creates a pipeline of talent for the technology community. The code schools mission is to address the acute and immediate need for computer programmers to serve Montanas booming tech sector by training the next generation of talent. Marucci is no stranger to the intensive boot camp method of learning, having attended DevMountain in Provo, Utah. Proficient in web development, he also has extensive experience in computer languages such as CSS, HTML and JavaScript. Marucci started his career with the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2009 he left the Marines and enrolled in college, graduating in 2012 from the University of Buffalo with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. He interned with General Motors Components Holding LLC, then worked with Parker Hannifin Corp.s Parflex Division, from June 2012 to November 2015. He then enrolled at DevMountain. For more information, visit montanacodeschool.com/. *** In other news from the University of Montana: Forestry professor Beth Dodson is the project director of a grant recently funded for $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Energys Biomass Research and Development Initiative. Researchers will use the grant to identify and overcome the barriers to using biomass from fuels-reduction and forest-restoration treatments. Dodson and her team will look at the logistics, economics and sustainability of using an otherwise disposed resource as fuel for bioenergy operations. This research will substantially improve our ability to sustainably use forest-based feedstocks to offset fossil fuels for the benefit of society and the forest resource, Dodson said. We will do this by improving the treatment design, harvest and handling of forest biomass to maximize environmental sustainability and human health while minimizing costs. Dodson will lead the operations team for the grant. John Goodburn, a UM forestry professor, will co-lead the silviculture team along with Michael Battaglia from the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. Ching-Hsun Huang, a forest economist from Northern Arizona University, will co-lead the economics team along with Nathaniel Anderson from the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. The agencies funded a total of $10 million to invest in green energy research, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and supported by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester. *** UM's school psychology doctoral program has successfully obtained accreditation from the American Psychological Association. The doctoral program matriculated its first student in fall of 2005 and graduated its first student in 2014. This is the programs initial accreditation. School psychologists, like clinical or counseling psychologists, are health service psychologists who provide expertise in mental health, learning and behavior to help children and youth succeed academically, socially and emotionally. The school psychology program is housed in UMs Department of Psychology and has three full-time faculty members: Greg Machek, Jacqueline Brown and Anisa Goforth. The department also includes the experimental psychology program as well as the clinical psychology program, which has been fully accredited by APA since 1965. Status as an accredited program means that doctoral students have met rigorous, nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality mental health care set by APA. Programs seeking accreditation by APA undergo an extensive self-assessment and onsite review by APA Committee on Accreditation. To learn more about UMs School Psychology Programs, visit hs.umt.edu/psychology/school-psychology/. *** A new edition of the award-winning, student-produced television program Business: Made in Montana is set to premiere across the state on MontanaPBS. Business: Made in Montana profiles companies that create products in Big Sky Country and do business around the state, the country and the world. The new program is scheduled to premiere at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on MontanaPBS. An encore presentation is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 5. This episode introduces viewers to Kalispell Kreamery in Kalispell, Flathead Lake Brewing Company in Bigfork, Louies Montana Pasties in Deer Lodge, KornUtopia in Missoula, Bad Goat Forest Products in Missoula and Montana Silversmiths in Columbus. Students at the UM School of Journalism and Department of Radio-Television produced the program during autumn semester 2015. Junior journalism student Caryn Foehringer hosts the program. During the past 23 years, Business: Made in Montana has featured more than 200 different businesses. *** UM will offer intermediate Hindi for the first time with the arrival of a new Fulbright Fellow and teachers assistant from India during the upcoming school year. Surbhi Jain will teach elementary and intermediate Hindi in 2016-17 as part of UMs South and Southeast Asian Studies in the liberal studies program. UM first offered elementary Hindi classes this year, taught by Fulbright teachers assistant Gaurav Misra, and became one of the four universities in the nation allotted a Hindi instructor. Jain, who is 23 years old and has never traveled beyond India before, holds a bachelors and a masters degree in English literature. She is from Uttar Pradesh, the Hindi heartland, but, since her father is in the Indian Air Force, has lived in many parts of India, including Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. Jains courses, LHS 191 and 291 in the fall and MCLG 191 and 291 in the spring, will build on the parts of Hindi taught by Misra. Jain and Misra are funded by Fulbright and brought to UM at the request of the South and Southeast Asian Studies program. The program hopes to continue applying for instructors to teach the Hindi 100- and 200-level sequences in the future. For more information on the courses, call Ruth Vanita, professor in UMs Liberal Studies Program, at 243-2171 or email ruth.vanita@umontana.edu. *** Joshua Millspaugh, an internationally recognized wildlife conservation researcher and educator, will join the College of Forestry and Conservation as the next Boone and Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation. Millspaugh was selected through a national search and will join UMs wildlife biology faculty this fall. He is currently the William J. Rucker Professor of Wildlife Conservation and interim director at University of Missouris School of Natural Resources. The club started its national endowed professorship program at UM in 1992. Millspaugh will become the fourth Boone and Crockett professor, following Hal Salwasser, Jack Ward Thomas and Paul Krausman. Millspaugh holds a doctorate in wildlife ecology from the University of Washington and has been at the University of Missouri since 1999, serving as the Pauline OConnor Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Management for four years. His research centers on the study of vertebrate population ecology at three scales: physiological processes, individual space use and resource selection, and population-level dynamics. He has received a superior graduate faculty award, the Missouri Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching and the USDA National Teacher of the Year award, among other recognitions for his teaching. Millspaugh also is a fellow in The Wildlife Society, organized by Boone and Crockett Club members in 1937, and has been recognized several times for his accomplishments. 4. One way to understand the shape of the presidential race is to look at two of its more flamboyant kingmakers, long-ago allies who are now bitter opponents. David Brock, above left, supports Hillary Clinton, and Roger Stone, right, backs Donald Trump. Both operate outside the official campaigns. The dynamic between the two of them is very interesting, a Democratic strategist said. This will be a battle about whos tougher. BAGHDAD Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq announced the beginning of military operations to retake the Islamic State-held city of Falluja, west of Baghdad, in a televised address late Sunday night. Iraqi forces were approaching a moment of great victory against the Islamic State, said Mr. Abadi, who was surrounded by top military commanders and the countrys elite counterterrorism forces. Falluja is about 40 miles west of Baghdad and has been under the control of the militant group for more than two years. The announcement comes at a time of deepening political and social unrest in Baghdad. Clashes between protesters and Iraqi security forces inside Baghdads highly fortified Green Zone compound on Friday left two people dead after security forces fired tear gas, water cannons and live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowds. More than 100 people were wounded, said hospital and police officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the news media. The Green Zone houses most Iraqi government ministries and foreign embassies. Many of the protesters were supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who has led months of demonstrations and sit-ins calling for government reforms. He has since issued a statement condemning the use of force against peaceful demonstrations and has vowed to continue to support the revolution against the government. God of Vengeance, the 1920s Yiddish play that is currently the subject of the Off Broadway drama Indecent, will be revived in its original language by New Yiddish Rep for two performances this June. Written by Sholem Asch, God of Vengeance is credited with presenting the first lesbian kiss on Broadway in 1923. It came under fire for its frank depictions of Jewish culture and homosexuality, and cast members were arrested on obscenity charges. This year, the play has come into the spotlight again as the topic of Paula Vogels Indecent, which opened at the Vineyard Theater this month. Indecent, which is spoken in English, Yiddish and German, features excerpts from God of Vengeance as it follows the play from its inception through its world tour and tumultuous opening in New York. (Charles Isherwood named it a New York Times Critics Pick.) New Yiddish Reps staged reading is to feature the entire text of the God of Vengeance, delivered in its original language, with English supertitles. Eleanor Reissa will direct and also act in the play. David Mandelbaum, the artistic director of New Yiddish Rep, will play a role as well. Butte police reports SISTER SPAT Kayla Hoffman, 24, of Butte was taken into police custody Sunday after reportedly pulling her sisters hair and wrestling her to the ground at a residence on the 2600 block of Walnut Street. Police say the two argued about Kaylas alleged drug use. A 13-month-old baby was in the home during the incident. Hoffman faces charges of felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor family member assault and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. UNWANTED MAN Police responded to Party Palace, 1 W. Park St., on Saturday for a report of an unwanted male. Christopher Parham, 26, of Butte was arrested for disorderly conduct after allegedly harassing employees and refusing to leave the premises. CHAPPED LIP BLUES Tiffiney Niehoff, 30, of Butte was arrested Saturday for shoplifting ChapStick Hydration Lock, valued at $2.68, at Walmart. She was seen taking the tube and entering the bathroom, where the packaging was found. She reportedly handed the tube to security, saying she had only used it once. DISTURBANCE Clifton Stack, 30, of Butte faces a misdemeanor charge of partner assault after a Butte woman, 31, said the two argued and he pushed her head to the floor Saturday. Police say she reported he ransacked her residence on the 600 block of South Dakota Street and took tools and clothing. PASSED OUT WOMAN Heather Gardipee, 35, of Butte was found passed out in the lobby of Holiday Inn Express and Suites, 2609 Harrison Ave., about 1:15 a.m. Sunday. She was wanted on a misdemeanor criminal contempt warrant issued in Butte city court. At the jail, police say she was found with a syringe, metal spoon and pipe. ARGUMENT ARREST Phillip Knopp, 33, of Butte was arrested for misdemeanor partner assault after his wife, 33, reported being afraid after they argued at their home on the 2300 block of Princeton Street on Sunday. Anaconda is known for its quiet, small-town atmosphere with its mountain scenery and main street dotted with lampposts. Every now and then, however, a quiet afternoon in Buttes sister city is interrupted by bass-heavy music erupting from a building on Park Avenue. But Anaconda residents arent starting a nightclub, as one might believe. Instead the sounds are from InMotion Studio a group fitness center at 217 E. Park Ave. in downtown Anaconda. Business co-owner Erin Nicholes said she, along with Larisa Bartoletti and Camille Everett, started the business in 2013, and the three female entrepreneurs havent looked back since. Today the studio offers classes in Pilates and yoga with instructor Kristine Smith. Clients can also take power and conditioning classes, Booty Barre (a workout that combines dance with yoga and Pilates) and Oula: a workout regimen invented in Missoula that brandishes the nickname dance mania for the soul. Nicholes, 36, said the idea for the studio came about organically when Everett, 33, moved from Missoula to Anaconda and brought with her a habit for doing Oula. Before being exposed to the rhythms of dance mania for the soul, Everett said she had always disliked exercise. I had tried everything, Everett said. I tried the treadmill and the elliptical and I hated it all I didnt like the monotony of it and I didnt like how hard it was. But in Oula Everett found something that was fun and fit her upbeat, outgoing personality. Eventually she got a certification to teach the dance-based workout. With Oula I just kind of forgot about (the exertion) because its all based on Top 40 hits and songs that you could sing along to, she said. I just kind of lost myself in it. Once Everett moved to Anaconda, she and Nicholes thought bringing Oula to Anaconda would be fun. The two began teaching the class at a local health club. But soon, Nicholes said, the classes grew and they found themselves teaching 5 to 6 days a week with up to 40 people attending at a time. We thought, given the interest in it, that we could probably do well if we opened our own studio and added other classes that went well with Oula. At that point Nicholes and Everett decided to launch InMotion studio with Bartoletti, 37, a family friend who shared the women's passion for fitness. Since 2013 theyve seen their business grow from three class formats to 10. Nicholes said their established client base has grown about three times since 2013, and they are constantly on the lookout for new certifications and workouts to keep their clients engaged. In addition, they have added a retail component, which boasts higher-end workout gear thats hard to find in Butte and Anaconda. Everette has been doing the merchandising and said shes made an effort to stock the shelves primarily with gear from women-owned and local companies. One company shes particularly excited about is Live Montanably a new, Philipsburg-based business devoted to funky, Montanan-themed caps, shirts and memorabilia. As for the growth of InMotion Studio, Nicholes said, she is excited and energized by the response and attributes the successes to the business's emphasis on how clients feel instead of how they look. Our classes are all based on the experience, she said. Our clients do lose weight, if thats what they want to do, and they do come here to look better but we really focus on how you feel with the idea that if you feel good, thats going to be projected in how you look. Bartoletti agrees. For me it just means that were not super result-based. Were more about providing a fun workout and then the results come. And what makes clients feel good, the three business women said, is the fun factor. They said working out doesnt have to feel like a chore it can actually be fun Working out doesnt have to be hard and it doesnt have to feel bad, said Nicholes. It shouldnt be about what you cant do it should always be about what you can do. Everett, meanwhile, said what makes InMotion special is its judgment-free atmosphere. I think for women (especially) its important that they dont feel judged, said Everett. I love our studio because I feel like you can just walk in and you are free to be whoever you are. When asked what message they have for perspective clients, Nicholes responded, You should come play with us its really fun. We can always count on our governor, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the State Land Board to contrive a no brainer to nowhere regarding our public lands. The latest being the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks will buy DNRC land for $11 million. FWP will use sportsmens dollars much earmarked for game management to buy public land we already own. I wonder if the Board ever read the Montana Constitution of 1889 all public lands shall be held in trust for the people. We the people already own our public land. In addition the Montana Constitution was purposely changed in 1972 to provide for multiple-use management of state lands MCA 77-1-203: The management of all the various resources of the state-owned lands includes wildlife, wildlife habitat and recreational use on our land. DNRC has already admitted it has disposed of 68,060 acres of our public land under the misguided Land Banking Program. Misguided by the fact that not one acre was professionally inventoried for wildlife habitat and wildlife species use, antiquities under the Montana Antiquities Act, historic values and other resources included under various resources before being sold. DNRC violated the laws. What did we get in return for ridding us of our land? Nothing. Are we to believe the Land Board and DNRC are struggling for funding and must rid us of our public land appraised only for timber dollar values and livestock animal unit dollar values by an appraiser selected to make our land values cheap under the Land Banking Program a rigged system? Is the public aware that DNRC is the recipient of the highest farm subsidies in the nation? Yes just a few years ago it was $8.5 million. What could DNRC possibly use all this federal money for? Perhaps an audit is in order. Now it wants FWP to pay it $11 million for public land we already own. This is a no brainer at the highest level. Public meetings and environmental document drafts for public review? Where were they? Who received them? Yes, the selected few for sure who would support the no brainer. All public lands are vital to our hunting heritage and game populations existing on these lands. If DNRC wants to remain incompetent to implement the intent of MCA-77-1-203 for multiple-use management, a signature by the governor to transfer management of our land to another agency who works for us on our land will do the job. Yet to be addressed is the federal and state subsurface mineral estate on these surface lands. We need a Land Board that understands multiple-use land management and the Law on OUR public state land. I for one say no to the latest bureaucratic no brainer to nowhere spawned in Helena in violation of our LAWS! This community and district are fortunate to have two quality individuals willing to represent our interests in the Legislature. There is, however, a difference between these two candidates. I believe Tom Welch has the ability to better bridge the gaps that have made our state government so dysfunctional. I have known Tom as a friend, neighbor, businessman, community leader and very generous individual for over 40 years. The professionalism Tom has developed in actively addressing the needs of our community has nurtured the amenities necessary to be a problem-solver. Toms ability to listen and hear, seek out information, his common sense, patience, maturity and solution-oriented style give him the tools to successfully work with all legislators, whether liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, urban or rural. As a rancher and member of this community I urge your support for Tom Welch to represent HD 72 in Helena. He will champion our needs and seek our guidance. -- Jim Hagenbarth, Dillon 2016 Asphalt Overlay Program Notice is hereby given that the City of Muscatine, Iowa, will receive sealed proposals in the office of the City Clerk, City Hall, until 10:00 a.m., June 8, 2016 for the 2016 Asphalt Overlay Program for the City of Muscatine. At 10:05 a.m. on the same day the City's Purchasing Agent shall open the bids received and announce the results. Bids will be reported to the City Council at their meeting to be held at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 16, 2016. Said proposals shall be acted on at that time or at such later time and place as may then be fixed. Description of the Type and Location of the Project The 2016 Asphalt Overlay Program consists of profile "milling", along with "hot mix asphalt" overlay of specified streets through the City of Muscatine, Iowa, and then adjusting existing "manholes" to fit the newly overlaid surface. The locations and estimated quantities are shown in the contract documents. The completion date is September 30, 2016. Proposals shall be submitted on a form furnished by the City and accompanied by a bid security in an amount equal to five (5) percent of the bid and shall stand as security that the successful bidder will enter into a contract for the work bid upon within ten (10) days after acceptance of his proposal by the City. The City reserves the right to defer acceptance of any proposal for a period not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days and to reject any and all bids, to waive technicalities and to enter into such contract as it shall deem for the best interest of said City. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Payment to the Contractor will be made from funds legally available for that purpose. Payment will be made on the basis of monthly estimates equal to ninety five (95) percent of the contract price. The balance of the five (5) percent due to the contractor will not be made earlier than thirty (30) days from the final acceptance of said work by the City, subject to the conditions and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 573 of the Code of Iowa. Before final payment will be made, the Contractor shall certify that all materials, labor and services have been paid for. All work is to be performed and completed under the guidelines of OSHA and in strict compliance with plans and specifications prepared by the City of Muscatine Public Works Department, which have heretofore been approved by the City Council and are now on file for public examination. Proposed plans, specifications, and contract documents may be obtained from the Department of Public Works, 1459 Washington Street, Public Works Department, Muscatine, Iowa 52761, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. This Notice is published by order of the City Council of the City of Muscatine, Iowa. Gregg Mandsager, City Administrator MUSCATINE, Iowa A Muscatine woman has been charged in the May 13 hit and run incident which injured a Muscatine teenager. Ruth Noemi Santiago, 25, is accused of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, a serious misdemeanor, and having no proof of liability insurance, a simple misdemeanor, according to Muscatine County Attorney Alan Ostergren. Alex Pobuda, 17, Muscatine, suffered a concussion and an injury to his hand after being struck by a car at the intersection of East Fifth and Sycamore streets. The teen had gone down the street to get an energy drink. Santiago was arrested May 20. She is set to appear in Muscatine County District Court at 8:15 a.m. June 7. Emily Wenger of the Muscatine Journal MUSCATINE, Iowa Am open house will be hosted by the Muscatine Community School District for the district's Director of Finance Jean Garner who is retiring after 32 years with the school district. The Norwegian Lundehund is an active dog that requires daily exercise to keep it healthy. It isnt hypoallergenic, so anyone with allergies might not fare well with this dog in the house. Error 404: Page Not Found Sorry, the page you requested was not found. It may have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. You can also return to the page you came from, go to the homepage, or visit our A-Z Site Index. Searching for your school? Visit the schools directory. If you arrived at this page by following a link within this site, please help us correct the problem by contacting the NNPS webmaster. 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 [] The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) has warned that the prevelance of cybercrime is increasing, and that people are defrauded of millions each year. It affects business sectors and consumers, and this has called on security measures to be put in place to protect assets and important information, said Kalyani Pillay, Sabric CEO. The responsibility of protecting yourself against cybercrime and increasing your cybersecurity lies with every single one of us. FNB, Capitec, and Nedbank provided advice on how to avoid falling prey to criminals targeting ATMs, and all stated that you should never allow anyone near you, your bank card, or the ATM while you are withdrawing money. ATM crime and scams Capitec said it has tightened card security to prevent skimming, but fraudsters have reverted back to older scams involving stealing a clients card and compromising their PIN at an ATM. Most schemes involve the criminals distracting clients at the ATM when they enter their PIN. They cancel the transaction and take the card while the client is distracted. The client believes the ATM has swallowed the card in reality, the fraudsters already have the card and PIN. While the client tries to get the ATM to release the card, the fraudster draws funds from another ATM. FNB offered the following advice on how to safely use ATMs: Do not ask anyone to assist you at the ATM not even a bank official. Go inside the bank for help. Never force your card into the slot if it wont fit. Do not insert your card if the screen layout is unfamiliar to you and looks tampered with. Dont use ATMs where the card slot, key pad ,or screen has been tampered with. If you think the ATM is faulty, cancel the transaction immediately and report the fault to your bank. Have your card ready before you approach the ATM to avoid opening your purse/wallet while in the queue. Follow the instructions on the ATM screen. Report suspicious items or people around ATMs. Choose familiar and well-lit ATMs where you are safe. Do not use the ATM if there are loiterers or suspicious people in the vicinity. Also take note that fraudsters are often well dressed, well spoken, and respectable looking. If you are disturbed or interfered with while transacting at the ATM, cancel the transaction and report the incident. Contact you banks Card Cancellations Contact Centre if you believe you card has been skimmed. More on cybercrime How criminals steal your credit card info Online credit card fraud warning for South Africans How criminals are skimming your bank cards The Japanese news publication Mianichi reported that 1.4 billion yen (R199 million) was stolen from 1,400 ATMs in convenience stores in Japan in the space of two hours on 15 May. According to the report, police suspect that the cash was withdrawn at ATMs using counterfeit credit cards containing account information leaked from a South African bank. Japanese police will work with South African authorities through the International Criminal Police Organization to look into the major theft, including how credit card information was leaked, said Mianichi. The ATM transaction data suggests that information from 1,600 credit cards issued by a South African bank was used. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that each transaction involved the removal of 100,000, the maximum withdrawal limit set for ATMs, and there were more than 14,000 transactions in the case. Police suspect that a group of more than 100 people extracted the money from the ATMs, which were located in Tokyo and 16 prefectures, the report said. Update: Standard Bank taken for R300 million Standard Bank said it has been the victim of a sophisticated, coordinated fraud incident. This involved the withdrawal of cash using a small number of fictitious cards at various ATMs in Japan, said Standard Banks Ross Linstrom. The target of the fraud has been Standard Bank and there has been no financial loss for customers. More on credit card fraud Why you should never sign a credit card slip when you use a PIN: security expert How criminals steal your credit card info Online credit card fraud warning for South Africans Its time to ditch old-fashioned concepts of energy access and embrace new technologies which can help propel South Africa into an era of universal access to electricity, according to PwC. In its report Electricity beyond the grid: accelerating access to sustainable power for all, PwC on Monday said the time is right for policymakers to take a fresh look at energy access which gives greater recognition to off-grid technology. On current trends, the International Energy Agency estimates that two-thirds of the worlds population will remain without electricity by 2030, the United Nations target year to achieve its goal of universal access to energy. John Gibbs, PwCs Africa deals power & utility lead, pointed out that there are still 634 million people without electricity in Africa. For the millions of people who dont currently have access to electricity, the old assumption that they will have to wait for grid extensions is being turned on its head by new technological possibilities, said Gibbs. While current electrification strategies tend to focus on national grid extension plans, policymakers should embrace new renewable off-grid technologies and innovative business models, according to Georg Baecker, senior manager and energy policy and regulation expert at PwC. The combination of centralised top-down grid extension with decentralised demand-driven bottom-up strategies, in the form of mini grids and especially standalone solutions, will speed up the increase in electrification levels, said Baecker. PwC foresees a major transformation of the electricity sector. Angeli Hoekstra, power & utility specialist for PwC Africa, explained that technological advances are rapidly changing off-grid options. Falling solar technology costs have spurred the growth of standalone home systems and are changing the economics of mini-grid systems. Battery storage technology is fast evolving to the point where it is going to play a significant role in utility-scale solar power storage and is beginning to feature in smaller-scale off-grid solutions. Together with access to mobile technology and mobile payment systems for microloans, a new era has arrived for beyond the grid electrification, said Hoekstra. How to speed up electricity delivery PwC makes five recommendations to help more consumers gain access to electricity at a faster pace: Develop an integrated energy access plan and map, so that everyone can plan with more certainty for either off-grid or grid extension solutions. Create an enabling environment for off-grid development. This includes clearer criteria for mini-grid development, support for skills and training and more supportive regulation to allow private players to unlock the off-grid market potential. Recognise the value of and promote the growth of mobile infrastructure, microloans and payment solutions in supporting energy access. Mobile infrastructure is proving crucial in the take-up of standalone home systems, giving providers a low-cost channel for customer relations and an ability to automatically manage non-payment. Establish an off-grid innovation and development fund. A highly visible development and innovation fund can play an important part in spurring off-grid growth. Have a high-level energy access champion that can drive results, to cut through bottlenecks and monitor results. Eskom could be given a run for its money Hoekstra predicts that current established integrated power utilities could be facing a very real threat in future, especially those with an unreliable electricity supply. This is because of technological advances in off-grid systems and battery storage, lower prices and an increase in energy efficient appliances. Old-style utilities will have to adapt their business models to avoid major sustainability challenges ahead as more customers start going off-grid, said Hoekstra. Fin24 More on energy South Africas nuclear build will cost less than R1 trillion: experts Record $330 billion invested in renewable energy President Barack Obama on Monday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region he's tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. President Barack Obama traveling in Asia Obama on Monday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam Obama also going to Japan for summit, historic visit to Hiroshima Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference where he signaled a desire to leave behind the troubled history between the former war enemies and reward what he described as modest progress on human rights in the one-party state. "At this stage, both sides have established a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect," Obama said, adding that every U.S. arms sale would be reviewed case by case. "This change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself and removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War." Obama is seeking to strike a balance with Vietnam, which he called a vital country in one of the world's most vital regions, amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways. Obama said the United States and Vietnam had mutual concerns about maritime issues and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. He said that although Washington doesn't take sides on the territorial disputes, it does support a diplomatic resolution based on "international norms" and "not based on who's the bigger party and can throw around their weight a little bit more," a reference to China. Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam's leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang praised the expansion in security and trade ties between "former enemies turned friends" and called for more U.S. investment in Vietnam. He said there was enormous bilateral trade growth potential. U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before lifting the arms sale embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. Obama said the countries still have differences over human rights but noted modest improvements by Vietnam. The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China's assertive land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Vietnam has not bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalized and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. After three days in Vietnam, Obama heads to Japan for an international summit and a visit to Hiroshima, where he will be the first sitting president to visit the site of the first atomic bomb attack. He arrived in Hanoi, the capital, late Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to China's growing strength. Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making "extraordinary progress." He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come. Obama will make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. The deal, which includes Vietnam, would tear down trade barriers and encourage investment between the countries that signed it. Critics worry it would cost jobs by exposing American workers to low-wage competition from countries such as Vietnam. They also say it would allow multinational corporations to challenge local laws by saying they violate the trade deal. Obama acknowledged the difficulties that TPP is facing in an election year, but said he was confident it would happen because "it's the right thing to do" for the United States, the region and the world. He said the deal would raise labor standards in the region to ensure workers have a better voice. The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to skyrocket in coming years. That would mean knocking down high auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where the uncertain global economy will be a top concern. They'll also grapple with a full array of world challenges, including the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and the refugee crisis in Europe. Obama will finish his trip in Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people, ushering in the nuclear age seven decades ago. Another bomb killed 70,000 in Nagasaki three days later. It will be a moment to reflect on the devastating costs of war and to try to give new impetus to the call for a nuclear-free world that Obama issued seven years ago in his first year as president. He has faced criticism, however, that his mere presence at the site of the a-bomb explosion could be viewed as apology for an act that many Americans see as justified. Here's the latest on the trial for an officer charged in the arrest of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died a week after he was critically injured in police custody (all times local): 11 a.m. A Baltimore police officer has been acquitted of assault and other charges in the arrest of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died a week after he was critically injured in police custody. A judge found Officer Edward Nero not guilty of misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. The judge announced his verdict Monday. Nero was one of six Baltimore police officers charged in the case. He waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead to argue his case before Circuit Judge Barry Williams. An earlier trial for an officer charged with manslaughter in the case ended in a hung jury in December. Gray's death about a year ago led to protests and rioting in the city and fueled the Black Lives Matter movement. 3:45 a.m. A Baltimore judge is expected to announce his verdict in the trial of a police officer charged in the arrest and subsequent death of Freddie Gray. Officer Edward Nero is charged with assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. Gray died April 19, 2015, a week after his neck was broken in the back of a police transport van while he was handcuffed and shackled, but left unrestrained by a seat belt. His death set off protests and rioting that month. Prosecutors say Nero unlawfully arrested Gray and was negligent when he failed to buckle him into a seat belt. Nero's attorney says the officer wasn't directly involved in Gray's arrest, adding it's the driver's responsibility to ensure a prisoner's safety. Both the state and defense delivered closing arguments Thursday. On Friday, we published excerpts from Winnie Odinga. She had penned a very serious piece on how Kenyas middle class perceive the low class who take to the street every time they are told to. The story however shifted to her lack of understanding of Kenyas economic reality, when she said that the middle class paying house girls less than Sh50,000 a month are responsible for creating slums. Winnie was castigated thoroughly on Twitter and rightly so. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics classifies anyone spending between Sh23,000 and Sh199,000 a month as middle class. Anyone above that belongs to the upper class, and less than 5% of the population are in that category. Spend Sh500,000 and above and you are probably in the 1%. Every country is different on their middle class income. According to estimates, the average middle class household in the US makes about Sh10 million a year. That translates to less than Sh1 million a month. A household generally has 2 working persons, so the average salary for a person considered to be in the middle class in the US is between Sh400,000 and Sh500,000 a month. Winnie Odinga was probably using the US estimates when telling us to pay our house girls Sh50,000 a month. But perhaps she should have addressed the upper class. Or maybe we need to re-define the middle class here in Kenya. What do you think? Blogger Robert Alai has started an online campaign to find a wife for flamboyant Lawyer Donald Kipkorir. Writing on his personal Facebook page, Alai asked ladies to avail themselves to ensure 2016 does not end without the rich lawyer finding someone. I think that I am going to campaign to get my friend Donald B. Kipkorir a wife. He is a lawyer, businessman and Ruto diehard. Please ladies, can you avail yourself. We cannot end 2016 with Donald still single. He cant sleep in his mansion alone. #AWifeForDonald please. Alais seemed to have been provoked by a post Donald made on his Facebook. The lawyer was wondering why Alai dislikes Deputy President William Ruto. This was coming just days after Alai claimed that Ruto had been rushed to Nairobi Hospital after collapsing. Heres Donalds post. Dearest Robert Alai Onyango You know we are virtual friends and also in terra firma. Our friendship is Inspite of your animus towards my friend, H.E Deputy President William Ruto. You have never explained to me why you harbour such intense hatred against him. Hope you will one day tell me. You cant make peace with one you dont know why he hates you. DP doesnt know why you hate him. But he doesnt reciprocate your hatred and wishes you well. Be that as it may, our Constitution and laws protect your right to express your thoughts in whatever manner. But the same Constitution and The Penal Code qualifies our rights. The law says that we have rights to personal dignity and respect of families. The laws also criminalizes alarmist publication, broadcasts that undermine public authority, false information and defamation. I will always stand by your Bill of Rights but know that the Deputy President has the same rights and more by virtue of his office. You can publish all allegations against him, but not false and alarmist. And not one that wishes him hurt or misfortune. Or that will stress his family and especially his children. In all my publications, which run over twenty years, you will not see one article i published that wished misfortune on anyone. There are people I dislike, but I will never publish my dislike against them. I will never demean, denigrate or belittle anyone. Not even those I hate. I will still remain a godfather to your daughter. Owadwa matin jolango kod joluo gin owete. Kik icha kata bedo gi sigu gi jolango ahinya! Donald Last week, a high-end nightclub in Westlands was accused of using its security team to routinely deny entry to non-Caucasian clients. The allegations were posted on Facebook by one Wamathai, who narrated how they were barred from entering the Alchemist Bar at around 11pm by the security personnel. At around 11pm Saturday night six of my friends and myself made our way to the Alchemist lounge in Westlands. However while at the entrance the bouncers informed us that we could not get in without giving a solid reason as to why, what shocked us more was that while we were still standing at the entrance trying to make sense of the situation, other ravers who were white were allowed entrance without any question, said Wamathai. Another Facebook user Dexter Findley, a white man, also claimed to have witnessed black people being turned away at the entrance or being thrown out the club or the dance floor, ostensibly to give whites space. The posts cause an uproar from Kenyans on social media. Now, one of the owners of the nightclub, Peng Chen said that he was equally shocked by the allegations and asked Wamathai to contact him. We cater to people of all races. We have employees from all races. Until last Saturday, we have never had any complaints about discrimination. We are sorry if these allegations are true and would love for the people affected to come and talk to us since no one has reached out yet, Peng, who is the former Easy Taxi Managing Director, told Heads Up. Peng and his girlfriend, former TV anchor Michelle Morgan, own the bar HANOI, Vietnam President Barack Obamas mission in Vietnam and Japan is to build stronger economic and security ties with Asian-Pacific allies anxious about the rise of an increasingly muscular China. That forward-looking message will be delivered even as he confronts the legacies of two wars long past Vietnam and World War II that still are fraught with emotion. Obamas first stop on his weeklong Asia trip was Vietnam, where he is the third sitting president to visit since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to Chinas growing strength in the region. Obama arrived in Hanoi late Sunday. During his three-day stay in Vietnam, hell make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation trans-Pacific trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. Vietnam also is hoping that Obama will use the visit to erase an irksome vestige of the war by lifting the U.S. partial embargo on selling arms to the country. The idea is under consideration, but concern about Vietnams human rights record could weigh against it. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where the uncertain global economy will be a top concern of the G-7 leaders. Theyll also grapple with a full array of world challenges, including the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the refugee crisis in Europe and Russian aggression. Also on the agenda will be Beijings assertive claims in the South China Sea that are causing tensions with other countries in the region. While the summit isnt expected to produce any breakthroughs, it gives leaders a rare opportunity to talk through the intractable difficulties they confront. Remember that leaders are lonely people, says Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the private Center for Strategic and International Studies. These people dont have much time to sit down with their peers to talk about common challenges. For all of that, the culminating moment of Obamas trip will be a solemn visit to Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people, ushering in the nuclear age seven decades ago. Another bomb killed 70,000 in Nagasaki three days later. It will be a moment to reflect on the devastating costs of war and to try to give new impetus to the call for a nuclear-free world that Obama issued seven years ago in his first year as president. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the Vietnam and Japan visits both reflect Obamas world view that we can move beyond difficult and complicated histories to find areas of common interest. You could not have had a more violent conflict than we had with the Japanese in World War II, as a visit to Hiroshima will certainly mark, but now they are among our closest friends in the world, Rhodes said. You could not have a more contested, controversial, costly, tragic war than the Vietnam War, and now (Vietnam) is becoming a partner of the United States, an important partner. Still, concerns about human and political rights shadow the presidents stay in Vietnam. The country did free a Catholic priest who had been one of its longest-serving political prisoners in the lead-up to the presidents visit. But the U.S. remains concerned about severe government restrictions on citizens political rights and limits on civil liberties and free expression. On Sunday, the country held parliamentary elections controlled by the Communist Party, which chooses who can stand for election. The governments heavy-handed response to recent unrest over mass fish deaths off the coast of Ha Tinh province prompted the advocacy group Human Rights Watch to call on Vietnamese leaders to put a stop to harassment, intimidation and persecution of environmental activists. In an unprecedented show of defiance for the communist country, thousands of people have protested publicly in at least seven cities on recent Sundays to demand a transparent government investigation. The protests were forcibly put down by security forces. In advance of the presidents visit, the White House invited representatives of Vietnam veterans organizations to trace progress in the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship. And it brought in Vietnamese civic to underscore its commitment to promoting human and political rights in the country. Rick Weidman, executive director for policy at the Vietnam Veterans of America, who participated in one of the meetings, said there still are wounds from Vietnam that need healing. He said the U.S. needs to do more to account for those still missing from the war and to help deal with ill effects from U.S. use of Agent Orange during the war. The administration is expected to announce more steps during Obamas visit to help with cleanup of the chemical herbicide. YOUNTVILLE From restaurants, wine bars and resorts around Napa County came mixologists to the Top Drink competition, each arriving with twists of fruits, spices and imagination. In the heart of the California wine country, the Napa Valley Museum hosted its fifth annual battle of the bars, pitting cocktail and food mavens from Napa to Calistoga with muddlers, shakers and strainers for the honors of the years finest mixed drink, hors doeuvres and food-wine pairings. More than 230 customers visited a cluster of booths turned cocktail bars outside the museum building to sample a kaleidoscope of flavors, from avocado to ras el hanout (a North African spice blend) to Japanese yuzu fruit. Top Drink, which debuted in 2012, is a fundraiser for the Napa Valley Museum, whose leaders describe the focus on craft cocktails as a pitch to younger Napans as much as for donations. We do this more for the visibility and the audience that we dont get with other events and because its just fun, said Jessica Penman, development manager for the nonprofit museum in Yountville. It reaches more of a millennial and Gen X crowd; part of it is the price point and part of it is the event itself. As at past Top Drinks, each team was required to include in its cocktails one ingredient chosen by the organizers. When the mixologists learned they all would have to fold pomegranate-flavored Charbay vodka into their creations, the Andaz hotels lead bartender pondered how to pull a cold-weather fruit into the spirit of the late spring. Pomegranates are a winter fruit; trying to get into a spring and summer line is difficult, said Vince Lundeen, who mixes cocktails at the hotels Mercantile Terrace and Mercantile Social. Its a bolder flavor than youd normally see in the spring. Into his concoction went all manner of tongue-brightening additions pineapple-basil syrup and lemon juice, joined by vanilla liqueur and finished with Cocchi Americano, an aperitif wine. Elsewhere among the pitched tents outside the museum, Joe Ogdie of the Solage resort in Calistoga prepared a cocktail he said would welcome the pomegranate flavor rather than compete with it. Joining the flavored vodka were lemon juice, sweet vermouth and a veritable spice rack of ingredients that inspired its creator to christen the drink the Marrakesh Express, after the song by Crosby, Stills and Nash. Those taking a sip also could sample bite-size squares layered with chicken liver mousse, graham cracker crust and a blueberry gelee on top. Exotic though its ingredient list might be, the Marrakesh Express had its inspiration in a far more classic cocktail, according to Ogdie, Solages director of food and beverage services. The best lemon drop I ever made was with a pomegranate vodka, he said as guests began lining up for their 1-ounce tipples. At the end of the day, this is an exotic lemon drop or at least a cousin of it. Long before Top Drink guests voted for the winning teams Oenotri of Napa for the best drink, CaMomi of Napa with the leading dish, the Solages Solbar for the top food-drink combination some visitors felt themselves winners simply for being able to partake of one-of-a-kind cocktails, even one created by staff from the museum itself. I was delighted by the Bloody Mary beet drink, said Katie Corna of Napa, referring to Mary Drop the Beet, the museums ruddy take on a Bloody Mary. It was spicy and really good, and I had no idea that combination could ever work. Its dangerous theyre all so delicious! she added, laughing. Napas LGBTQ Connection has been awarded grants totaling $1 million from the California Department of Public Health to expand mental health-related services to Upvalley, Fairfield and Sonoma Valley over the next five years. Its very exciting, said Ian Stanley, LGBTQ Connection program director. What was once a little program in Napa is now going to be a model for other communities in the state and beyond." This grant is an amazing gift to the valley, said Greg Miraglia, a dean at Napa Valley College and the national program manager for Stop the Hate, an educational initiative that provides training on how to create programs to support LGBTQ students. In total, the California Department of Public Health will award $60 million to 41 contractors and grantees throughout the state. The goal is to reduce mental health disparities across African-American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino, LGBTQ and Native American communities. Napa's LGBTQ Connection is one of only four recipients statewide with services for such youth. State funds will effectively double the organization's budget. The group works to increase the ability of community organizations, health services, faith communities, government and businesses to welcome and serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth and adults in the area. The nonprofit, a program of On The Move, is located at 780 Lincoln Ave. The money will be primarily used to establish an Upvalley support group to create a safe space where young people can connect and find their peers and form a community in ways that havent happened before in that community, said Stanley. The grant will also be used to open Sonoma Valley and Fairfield centers. LGBTQ Connection programs are intended to increase the number of LGBTQ youth who seek help instead of turning to substance abuse or unsafe sex to cope with stress and challenges, according to the grant proposal. It will also help connect LGBTQ youth to other youth, supportive adults and their families. An estimated 85,000 LGBTQ people live in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties, most of whom are disconnected or remain invisible for fear of rejection or for their own safety. LGBTQ youth in these rural and suburban communities report frequent discrimination, rejection from family, friends and teachers, and negative experiences at school and in the community, according to the grant proposal. In a 2012-2013 Napa County School Climate Survey, almost 75 percent of LGBTQ youth reported hearing homophobic and anti-LGBTQ slurs frequently at school, and 48 percent of LGBTQ students avoid some school-related locations, like bathrooms, due to feeling unsafe or uncomfortable. The survey reported that LGBTQ youth are up to seven times more likely to report having attempted suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers. Latino LGBTQ young adults who have been rejected by their families are more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, roughly six times as likely to report high levels of depression, and more than three times as likely to use illegal drugs and engage in unprotected sex than those from families who are accepting of their children, reports LGBTQ Connection. At least 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBTQ, mostly because they were rejected by their families, the service reports. Napas LGBTQ Connection is the only organization that is visibly and actively supporting the LGBTQ community at all levels form youth to seniors, Miraglia said. No matter what your feelings are about LGBTQ people, I think everyone can agree that there is great value in understanding young people and their differences and being able to support them, he said. In addition to the news of the grant, LGBTQ Connection is celebrating its five-year anniversary. Stanley said some of their biggest accomplishments include conducting the first LGBTQ community-needs assessment in 2012 and 2013, training hundreds of local organizations on LGBTQ best practices and awareness and creating support groups for youth and seniors. When we first started there was a lot of complacency in the community, he said. "Many people hadn't thought much about what it might mean to make Napa a place that welcomes and includes lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people as full parts of our community, he said. There were virtually no programs or services that addressed LGBTQ people's needs and quite a bit of hesitancy to get anything started. Over the last five years, and in large part because of LGBTQ Connection's efforts, awareness for LGBTQ issues has increased tremendously, numerous organizations have not only committed to inclusion but have implemented changes to be more welcoming, some local cities have taken steps to affirm their welcome to LGBTQ people as residents and visitors and local LGBTQ people (young and old) have visibly stepped into leadership more than ever before, said Stanley. Ian and all the people that have come together to provide those services have done more to make the LGBTQ community visible than any other organization in the 30 years Ive been here, said Miraglia. The work they do is beneficial to everyone. There is still a lot of work to do in order to create a truly welcoming, diverse and inclusive Napa County, but we are taking time to celebrate how far we have come, together with the community that with us has made this happen," said Stanley. CALISTOGA Once, during the era when Yosemites Ahwahnee Hotel was attracting well-heeled nature-lovers into the California wilderness, the Napa Valley had its own attraction Bothes Paradise Park. People would fly in to its adjacent airstrip, eat in the vast wood-paneled Paradise Lodge, toast each other at the rustic, well-stocked bar, lounge around by a blazing fire in the stone fireplace, or during warm weather take a leisurely dip in the spring-fed swimming pool. Then they might rent one of the many cabins that stretched back into the redwoods. For a decade Bothes Paradise Park offered a taste of the Napa Valley to travelers and vacationers. Then, Paradise was lost closed for seven years. Lost, but not forgotten. Reinhold and Jeanne Bothe had built Paradise Park in 1929 out of the estate of Lillie Hitchcock Coit (for whom Coit Tower in San Francisco was named). They were said to have fallen in love with the areas trails and springs. And so, For more than a decade their wealthy friends wined and dined in the large dining area, drank at a spectacular 80-foot bar, and enjoyed the beauty of this unique outdoor experience. This is according to a history of Paradise Park written by Cara ONeill for the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park Association. But World War II interrupted that high-flying style and the park closed and fell into limbo. The Bothes sold and then resold the park several times, according to ONeill. Then in March 1949, there was a small announcement in The Weekly Calistogan: Jean and Ren Bothe Announce That They Are Now Open At Bothes Paradise Park. However, this time the park also was catering to road-weary adventurers who were looking for a beautiful place to set up camp. And for 10 more years the park sputtered along. It was still a paradise, but now it was increasingly for campers and day-hikers. Marlene Zimmerman remembered Paradise Park as a child in a letter to the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park Association. On our way home from Mendocino County, our stopping point after the long trek down the mountains via Mount St. Helena was Paradise Park. We would go into the beautiful Lodge and talk about our adventures over a cool Shirley Temple and then we would swim in the pool, she wrote. By 1958 the Bothes were once again looking for a buyer of their park. According to ONeill, there was a joke floating around Calistoga: Looks like Bothe is making a living out of selling Paradise Park, the joke went, according to ONeill. But this time, as found in the park archives, the Bothes were selling the park to the state of California. And after much negotiation, Bothes Paradise Park became the property of the state. That was in July 1960. The large Paradise Park sign was removed that same year, ONeill wrote. In its place now stands the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park sign. Of the original Paradise Park Lodge, according to ONeill, The upper floor of the once glamorous Lodge was lowered in two parts to be sold intact and moved across Hwy. 29. Cabins from the property were also sold off to individuals. And the airstrip across the highway was turned into vineyards. So though Bothes Paradise Park has been lost to history, the trails and springs that once attracted the Bothes are still open for hikers at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. Today the park is run by the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District with its partner, Napa Valley State Parks Association. It hosts campsites and camping yurts as well as new this year remodeled cabins. The spring-fed swimming pool from the days of Paradise Park is still in use, and there is the Tucker House Visitor Center with displays, brochures, trail maps and gift items. The following was presented to the St. Helena Planning Commission this week: We live on McCorkle Avenue and we want to discuss the high-density zoning on the north side of the street. This zoning was haphazardly slapped on this street in 1993, without input from any of the current residents. Directly across the street are high-end, single-family residences on large lots. This is not good city planning. There is the 10-unit apartment complex at 664 McCorkle Ave. There is a pending approval of an eight-unit sweat equity project at 684 McCorkle Ave. and a developer is in the process of getting approval for the eight to 10, two- to three-bedroom apartments at 632 McCorkle Ave. These proposals alone will potentially add 130-plus more people, and up to 50-plus more vehicles within a few hundred feet of each other, on a street that has not had the necessary improvements to support that kind of density. We think that the city should reduce the zoning on the north side of McCorkle Avenue because it is poor planning and because the city has put the public at peril by neglecting to complete the required upgrades necessary on this street, to support the consequences of this erroneous high-density zoning. The hammerhead turnaround at the end of this dead end street, required by city ordinance, is only one of the improvements that would need to be made to support the designation of high density on this street. We believe that both sides of McCorkle Avenue should be rezoned to low medium density. Elizabeth and Glenn Goelz St. Helena Public comment period began Monday for revised draft EIR for General Plan The revised draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the city of St. Helena 2035 General Plan Update is complete and available at cityofsthelena.org/content/general-plan-0. Noah Housh, planning and community improvement director, released the report Friday. The 45-day public review and comment period opened Monday, May 23, and ends on July 7. The document is available for review on the city website, at City Hall and at the St. Helena Public Library. Housh said the Planning Department has tentatively scheduled a public hearing with the Planning Commission to receive comments on the EIR for June 21. The city is anticipating taking the General Plan and Final EIR, including the response to comments, back to the commission for a public hearing on Aug. 2 or 16, for review and recommendation to the City Council. Millliyet: Turkish and Finnish delegations hold talks on NATO membership in Ankara Honor X40 new version released: Big battery, 50 MP camera, beautiful color Rishi Sunak takes office as Prime Minister of Great Britain Indonesian armed woman tries to break into presidential palace Pashinyan's family newspaper writes that Konstantin Zatulin is forbidden to enter Armenia from now on President Raisi accuses U.S. of information terrorism, organizing riots in Iran AraratBank and 4090 Charity Foundation team up for the education of war participants Ursula von der Leyen: EU to provide Kyiv with 1 billion for urgent restoration of energy supply World Bank to provide Armenia with EUR 22.6 million of additional credit funds Macron asks Pope to call Putin to solve Ukraine crisis PM: Azerbaijan hinders search of Armenian soldiers' bodies in occupied territories German president assures Ukraine of his full support WSJ: Saudi Prince Bin Salman mocks Biden in private talks OSCE needs assessment mission is briefed on situation in Armenias Jermuk after Azerbaijan military aggression (PHOTOS) Armenias Pashinyan to Kazakhstans Tokayev: Mutually beneficial cooperation corresponds to our countries interests Driver, 41, dies in hospital 2 days after Armenia car accident US: Former student opens fire at school Armenia premier: Italy is friendly country, important partner for us Turkish Finance Minister says he would seek gas discount from Gazprom Mobile game developer AppQuantum leaving Russia, some employees to move to Armenia Surgeons create flexible catheter for robot-assisted brain surgery US State Dept.: We are interested in seeing stable Caucasus where we work both with Armenia and Azerbaijan US plans to allocate $25M to project to strengthen Armenia economy Copper prices decline Pashinyan to Xi: We will succeed in qualitatively raising Armenian-Chinese political dialogue to new level World Bank allocates Ukraine additional $500 million PSG offer Messi new deal Zelenskyy: If Moscow says Ukraine is making dirty bomb, then Russia made it Actor, comedian Leslie Jordan dead at 67 Design change, some new features, precise seeking in video: YouTube unveils updates Newspaper: Anti-CSTO consolidation initiative group of Armenia sends petition to parliament speaker World oil prices going up Newspaper: Armenia PM forbids political teammates to say anything about Karabakh Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenia positions Largest cruise liner in world 'Icon of the Seas' presented U.S. police officers mistake pet cat for mountain lion Joe Biden gets another Covid-19 booster shot US imposes sanctions on Nicaragua's gold mining industry Emery takes helm at Aston Villa Kremlin says Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents prepare to meet Frequent orgasms help women recover faster after childbirth, study claims Leading Party Sponsor: Conservative Party is not fit to run Britain 'From Old Memory': Drivers can't see road signs on section of North-South highway under construction in Yerevan Russian MFA: We are sure that attempts of external forces to split Moscow and Yerevan will not succeed Rating of scariest horror games is revealed: MADiSON ranked first Yair Lapid: Israel is deeply concerned over Russia and Iran's military ties Another school shooting in U.S.: 3 dead, including shooter Aston Villa want to invite Unai Emery Azerbaijani Armed Forces shell Armenian positions Kenyan police shoot and kill prominent Pakistani journalist OSCE representatives visit villages affected by Azerbaijani aggression in Syunik Province US presidential adviser calls OPEC's decision to cut oil production political move Lavrov: Russia and Iran gave comprehensive answers about alleged use of Iranian drones Netanyahu's comeback dominates Israel's elections Mourinho: Youre not going to teach Ronaldo how to take a free-kick Georgian president complains that she was not informed about Aliyev's visit Last solar eclipse of 2022 will take place on October 25: it will be possible to see it in Armenia too S&P Global Market Intelligence: Recession in Eurozone looks increasingly inevitable Benny Gantz tells his Ukrainian colleague that Israel will not supply weapons to Kiev Lernayin Artsakh beat BKMA Greek Armed Forces can effectively respond to any provocation by Turkey Qatar urges to depoliticize oil and gas General Staff of Armed Forces head discusses Ukraine with his British colleague Transplanted liver can last more than 100 years, study claims Zelenskyy: Russia wouldn't cooperate militarily with Iran if Israel had not denied air defense systems to Kyiv Azerbaijan sends note in connection with 'anti-Azerbaijani statements' on Channel One Ten Hag wants to get rid of Ronaldo Goldman Sachs foretells European business worst year since global financial crisis Nebula that appears after birth of star and double comet-like tail near Didymus-Dimorphos system: new Hubble photos Jeffrey Dahmer's father is going to sue Netflix over glamorizing murders Artificial intelligence leads political party in Denmark Aliyev says Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route should be increased U.S. State Department official expresses support for Armenia's sovereignty Mold may be culprit for severe lung disease Iranian MFA: IRGC exercises on borders with Azerbaijan are not directed against any neighboring state Pashinyan: Damage caused to country by corruption must be restored Rishi Sunak to become UK PM Messi and Neymar's salaries at PSG revealed Armenia official: Defense sector expenses will increase the most, state budget allocations will increase by 160bln drams Sergi Roberto will not help Barcelona for at least month Iranian president congratulates Xi Jinping: Tehran is determined to expand comprehensive relations with Beijing Russian MOD: Work on Ukraine's 'dirty bomb' comes to end Dollar drops, euro goes up in Armenia Unobvious Viber features for communication Fly Arna planning to conduct 2 weekly flights between Yerevan and Beirut Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan doubles gas and oil exports to Europe via Georgia Two quakes hit near Tbilisi Travis Scott is accused of cheating on Kylie Jenner again: Rapper responds Aliyev: Azerbaijan-Armenia agreement signing will be guarantee of peace in entire South Caucasus Over 1.5 million light bulbs lit simultaneously in India: New Guinness World Record Garibashvili: Georgia is ready to support peaceful neighborhood initiative in South Caucasus Luka Modric ruled out of Real Madrid's bid Azerbaijan to export 157 GW of electric energy via Georgia 3, including one foreigner, arrested after illegal weapons, ammunition found in Armenia town house Milliyet: Turkey has tightened control over the Bosphorus Strait due to mines in the Black Sea Kanye West accuses Quentin Tarantino of stealing his idea for 'Django Unchained' Northern France hit by tornado Armenia FM to head for Vatican on official visit US: Boy dies from rare brain-eating amoeba NYT: Israel gives Ukraine intelligence data to fight UAVs The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved solely through peace. Panos Kammenos, the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, stated the aforesaid during his talk with Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice President of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, who was visiting Greece. Also, the Greek minister considered any attempt at a military solution to the conflict to be unacceptable. Sharmazanov, for his part, condemned the aggression which Azerbaijan had unleashed against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) in early April, and added that Turkey was the only country to openly support Azerbaijan during those days. The Armenian NA deputy speaker informed the Greek minister about the Azerbaijani barbarity against the Armenian soldiers as well civilians. He noted that this barbarity was carried out in the manner of Daeshan acronym for the Arabic phrase al-Dawla al-Islamiya al-Iraq al-Sham (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). Azerbaijans torturing of [Armenian] civilians is the vivid illustration of a war crime, he added. At the end of the talk, Eduard Sharmazanov presented an award to Panos Kammenos, and in recognition of his considerable contribution to the strengthening and development of Armenian-Greek ties. On the same day, the Armenian parliament vice president and the Hellenic minister of defense visited the Syntagma Square, which is the central square of the Greek capital city of Athens, and laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. YEREVAN. In the year past, the national debt plan of Armenia was carried out by 93.5 percent. Atom Janjughazyan, Deputy Minister of Finance and Chief Treasurer, on Monday stated the abovementioned at the parliamentary debates on the performance of the 2015 State Budget. In his words, this indicator has surpassed the previous years statistic by 2 percent. As a result of the 2015 activities, the actual revenues have amounted to 1,167.7 billion Armenian drams (AMD). The collection of taxes and state fees have totaled AMD 1,067.9 billion, and the incoming official grants were AMD 29.9 billion, and they were carried out by 78.3 percent. One US dollar is currently equivalent to approximately AMD 478. The president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker the possibilities of the European Union on reception of refugees are limited, the communities are not able to accept millions of migrants, RIA Novosti reported. Speaking in Luxembourg at conference of the speakers of EU Parliaments he said that they have no adequate opportunity to accept millions of refugees. The president of the European Commission pointed the importance of the implementation of the migration agreement between the EU and Turkey, in particular, to resolve the refugee crisis in Greece, where, according to him, there are over 15 thousand migrants now. The agreement between Brussels and Ankara on restriction of number of the refugees and migrants entering the EU came into force on 20 March. According to it, all illegal migrants arriving to Greece through Turkey since March 20 will be returned back on the Turkish territory. In exchang,e the EU has undertaken to accept Syrian refugees from Turkey on the basis of "1 to 1". Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has arrived in Brussels for the meeting of the EU and Eastern Partnership foreign ministers. The meeting of the EU foreign ministers with their counterparts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine will be held on Monday. It is a very important meeting between the two Summits in Riga last year and the one coming up next year, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters before the meeting. She emphasized that this is extremely important for the EU always to keep balance between our intention to the south and our intentions to the east. Different issues, even when they get a little bit out of the main stream media, keep top position on the agenda of the European Union, Mogherini assured, adding that this is the case of our work, with Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan the presidents of whom I met last week in Vienna. YEREVAN. The 2015 State Budget deficit of Armenia grew strongly, and the new expenditures helped maintain economic activity. Arthur Javadyan, Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, on Monday noted the above-said at the parliamentary committee debates on the performance of last years state budget. In his words, the deficit increased because the state budget revenues reduced by 0.5 percentage point (up to 23.1%) against the GDP in 2015, as compared to the previous year, whereas the expenditures went up by 2.4 percentage points and amounted to 27.9 percent of the GDP. As per Javadyan, due to the much lower GDP growth than expected, the national debt against the GDP reached 48.7 percent by the years end. At the same time, the negative balance of trade reduced, along with the current account deficit also by 4.6 percentage points, up to 2.6 percent of the GDP. And so, imports decreased by 26. 5 percent (up to $3 billion 254 million), whereas exports fell by a mere 3.9 percent (up to $1 billion 487 million). Overall, the financial indicators of Armenia are within manageable limits, Arthur Javadyan assured. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics stated the need to begin negotiations on new agreements of the European Union with Azerbaijan and Armenia, the press service of the Latvian MFA reported. On 23 May in Brussels, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics took part in the 7th Meeting of Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers with participation of Foreign Ministers from the EU member States and the Eastern Partnership countries. The working session included a discussion on the ways for facilitating cooperation with partners in the follow-up to the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga. Edgars Rinkevics expressed the conviction that the Eastern Partnership will be considered truly successful only when citizens of the partner countries feel tangible benefits and, to this end, the continuity of the Eastern Partnership must be ensured. The Minister called on the EU to actively support the Eastern Partnership countries. The citizens of the Eastern Partnership countries must feel practical benefits from cooperation with the EU, said the Latvian Foreign Minister, while emphasising that the implementation of agreements on the deep and comprehensive free trade area, visa liberalisation, and closer sectoral cooperation are the right and necessary steps that the EU must take. Minister Rinkevics called for broader cooperation in transport, transit, energy, commerce, health and the IT sector. The partners resilience must also be further strengthened through support for the reform process, the promotion of public engagement, opportunities for interconnections and market access, and enhancement of strategic communication capabilities, said Foreign Minister Rinkevics. In his remarks, Edgars Rinkevics outlined one of the contributions made by the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council, namely, constructive cooperation with Belarus, and urged Belarus to establish a moratorium on the death penalty. Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian took part in the 7th European Union and Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers Meeting Monday. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, and foreign ministers of EU and Eastern Partnership countries delivered speeches at the meeting. Speaking at the meeting, FM Nalbandian stressed that the successful Riga Summit and the Joint Declaration reaffirmed the shared vision of the Partnership based on mutual interests and commitments and highlighted the main directions for further developing and strengthening of comprehensive cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. Referring to the Armenian-EU political dialogue, FM Nalbandian noted that 2015 was a special year for the Armenia-EU cooperation. He added: Last December I had the privilege to officially launch the negotiations on a new comprehensive agreement between Armenia and the European Union together with High Representative Mogherini. It will enable us to lay a new legal foundation for our relations based on shared values and respect for each others decisions and choices. The new agreement will reflect the depth and essence of our bilateral relations and set new guidelines for mutually beneficial comprehensive deep partnership. Three rounds of negotiations have already taken place. Touching on the Revised European Neighborhood Policy, the FM said: When the EU Council endorsed the Revised Policy, we were pleased to note that the principle of differentiation and tailor-made approach would be duly applied to the partners, taking into account the progress made in the implementation of their commitments in the area of democratic reforms. The FM also spoke of the Karabakh issue, stressing that the Riga Summit also reiterated full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held last week in Vienna was a productive one with the concrete agreements and commitments, including unconditional implementation of 1994-1995 cease-fire agreements, creation of investigation mechanism, and enhance the capacities of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, he noted. Regrettably, only days after the meeting Azerbaijani officials are making futile attempts to cast doubt on its outcome, presenting their own distorted interpretations contradicting the statement made on the results of the meeting by the high representatives of the Co-Chair countries. By fabricated accusations, Baku is trying to distract the attention of the international community from crimes committed by Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the vivid facts of the gross violations by Azerbaijan of the International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. Armenia together with the Co-Chair countries will do its utmost for the implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna and to continue efforts for the exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In his address, Nalbandian also attached importance to the role of the Eastern Partnership in strengthening of democracy and market economies, improvement of macroeconomic stability and the business environment, as well as enhancement of mobility and people-to-people contacts, noting that it opens new prospects for multilateral cooperation and enables to make a better use of their capabilities. Nalbandian also referred to the cooperation established with the EU in a number of areas: Armenia has been actively implementing provisions of the Riga Summit Declaration, including the ones related to the sectoral cooperation. Agreement on the participation of Armenia in the COSME Programme for small and medium-sized enterprises, was signed last year. Several days ago Armenia joined the Horizon 2020 public funding programme for research and innovation. Enhancing cooperation in the transport area is also on our agenda and we expect early start of negotiations on establishing a Common Aviation Area. Armenian students are actively benefiting from Erasmus+ and we are looking forward to enlarge cooperation aimed at capacity building activities relevant for Bologna Process. Ministerial Conference on European Higher Education Area which took place in Yerevan last year provided a good opportunity for further actions in this direction. We also have started discussion on joining Creative Europe Programme, which offers a broader frame for cultural exchanges. Armenia values EUs assistance to the agro-food sector and is looking forward to increased cooperation in promoting modernization and further reforms in agriculture and rural development, also within ENPARD programs. The enhanced mobility remains one of the important prerequisites for making our societies closer. The recent Armenia-EU High-level meeting on Mobility held in Brussels allowed us to take stock of more than two years of activities and assess future priorities. Both Armenia and EU view the implementation of the Readmission and Visa Facilitation Agreements as overall successful. We deem it important to start the Dialogue on Visa Liberalization with Armenia. Being well aware that Visa Liberalization Dialogue is a comprehensive process we also consider it as an additional incentive to foster reforms and cooperation with the EU in a number of areas. Armenia is actively engaged with the EU in productive Human Rights Dialogue and attaches special importance to deepen cooperation on strengthening institutions and good governance, and in judicial, anti-corruption and public administration reforms. In this regard we are working closely also with other international organizations, namely with the Council of Europe. Two days ago we have launched the Action Plan for 2015-2018, which will be implemented also with the EUs support. Armenia and EU is actively cooperating in parliamentary formats, Euronest and Parliamentary cooperation committee, as well as local government levels. Concluding his speech, Nalbandian noted that Armenia looks forward to advancing and deepening its comprehensive cooperation both within Eastern Partnership and European Neighborhood Policy, building upon the achievements that they have reached during recent years, in all possible areas and directions, giving due consideration to our commitments in other integration formats. YEREVAN. - There is no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Kristian Vigenin, said at the meeting with the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan Monday. Welcoming the guest, Sargsyan stressed that Armenia highly appreciates the role of the OSCE as an important organization in the area of pan-European security as well as an important platform for equal dialogue between the member states. According to the President, the OSCE parliamentary format creates a wide opportunity for communication between the deputies, using the cooperation possibilities in favor of security and promotion of dialogue between peoples. Sargsyan expressed conviction that thanks to Kristian Vigenins rich experience as a deputy and former member of the Bulgarian government will help him to approach the solution of the issues set before him much more comprehensively. The President stressed that the Armenian delegation will become more active at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, considering that Armenia will shift to the parliamentary system of governance as a result of the constitutional amendments approved by the referendum of 6 December 2015. For his part, Vigenin congratulated the Armenian President on the important step made by the latter towards the Karabakh conflict settlement in Vienna. He also noted that much effort is still needed to achieve long-term peace. According to the Special Representative, under these circumstances the OSCE PA sees its role in supporting the efforts towards establishing peace. I reconfirm that for OSCE PA there is no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the OSCE fully supports the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Vigenin said. 21:20 Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday refused to confirm the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour but said a DNA test will be done to establish the identity of a man killed in a US drone strike last week. "He is an Afghan national and the Pakistan government has no means to identify Afghan citizens," he told reporters. "Our law enforcement and intelligence agencies are still investigating the incident, but so far they have not been able to confirm the identity," the minister said. He said that an individual approached the government on Tuesday to claim the body of the second deceased person, saying "he is a relative of Mullah Mansour". "We will perform the DNA test of that person and if it matches with that of the deceased body, only then we will be in a position to confirm that it was Mullah Mansour who was killed in the incident," he said. He confirmed the attack on Pakistani soil but said that drone did not enter its airspace. "The attack was launched from other country," he said, but refused to identify exactly from where the strike was carried out. He said that he was unable to understand how the passport of the passenger traveling in the vehicle as Wali Muhammad was not damaged when everything was destroyed in the attack. Khan said investigation was going on about it. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] BENGALURU: Even though we were already expecting much during the years big Google I/O 2016 keynote, the event covered so much. The tech community definitely waited with bated breath ahead of this years Google I/O event, but no one could have expected it to be quite as action-packed as it was. Amongst what was covered, there were definitely a few surprises in store. From Assistant to Daydream, Google products, services take direct at its biggest rivals. If you have missed on Googles event announcements, heres a rundown of everything: 1. Google Assistant Earlier too, Google Now responded to voice queries, but it always seemed a little clumsy and impersonal compared to the results from Siri and Cortana. The upgrade of Now to "Google Assistant" can effectively respond to queries by searching Google for answers. It can order food, book tickets, and apparently just about anything else. The advantage of Assistant spans Google's new messaging app Allo, the new Google Home speaker, Android Auto, etc, it isn't just built into a phone. Read Also: App That Turns Smartphones Into Quake Detectors India To Get New Indigenously-Built Supercomputer Next Year US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, two days after a US drone struck at a vehicle the militant leader was riding in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Obama's statement, released by the White House, comes when Pakistan has remained vague about the identity of the two people killed in Saturday's US drone strike. Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif even late on Sunday said it was still not confirmed that Afghan Taliban leader Mansour was killed. Speaking to media on arrival in London, Sharif said he had received a phone call from US Secretary of State John Kerry informing him about the attack. Sharif, however, said the two bodies were disfigured beyond recognition and he could not confirm Mansour's death. Obama, who is in Vietnam, said Mansour's death marks an "important milestone" in the long-standing effort to bring peace in Afghanistan. The statement said: "Mansour's death removes the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on US and has waged war against the Afghan people." Obama said the US will continue to take action against extremist networks that target the US and coalition forces. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven. After so many years of conflict, today gives the people of Afghanistan and the region a chance at a different, better future." "Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to engage in peace talks and end the violence in the South Asian nation," the US president said. The violence led by the militant group has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, he said. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict -- joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," Obama said. Obama also said that the US will continue helping Afghan security forces and support President Ashraf Ghani in his efforts to forge the peace and progress that Afghan people deserve. He said the US military has sent a clear message to all those who target the US people and its coalition forces. John Kerry on Saturday informed the Afghan and Pakistan governments of the strike, authorised by Obama, targeting Mansour in the Pakistan-Afghan border town of Ahmad Wal, near Quetta. Kerry said Mansour had posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel". He also said the air strike sent "a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners". NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Mansour's death created an opportunity for progress towards peace in Afghanistan. The Taliban leader's actions had led "to the death and suffering of countless Afghan civilians and security forces", he said in a statement. Mansour took control of the group in July last year after the announcement of the death of Taliban's former leader Mullah Omar two years earlier. The killing of the Taliban leader is likely to have major ramifications both for efforts to kickstart peace talks and for the often stormy relationship between the US and Pakistan. Mansour's death came days after diplomats from Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China held the latest round of talks in Islamabad about a flagging effort to draw the Taliban into peace negotiations. His death would be a big blow for the Taliban as Mansour was gradually tightening his grip on the movement by bringing into his fold other leading Taliban members, including a son and a brother of his predecessor Mullah Omar, and by launching large scale attacks on Afghan security forces. A vacuum created by his death would once again trigger a leadership struggle, observers opined. The top Taliban leaders reportedly met on Sunday in the framework of their leadership council to discuss the successor of Mansour. The leadership council discussed regarding various possible successors, including the notorious guerrilla commander Sirajuddin Haqqani. Haqqani is the leader of the notorious Haqqani terrorist network and he reportedly played a key role in resolving the Taliban leadership issues following the confirmation of Mullah Mohammad Omar's death. According to sources, Taliban were also considering Mullah Yaqoob, the son of Mullah Omar, a potential unifier because of his father's name. However, the Taliban group has not issued any official statement confirming Mansour's death. --IANS py/vt/dg ( 741 Words) 2016-05-23-16:42:04 (IANS) When it comes to re-entering the workforce after raising a family, women don't need to hush up as a new study has found that being upfront with potential employers about gaps in a resume is a better strategy. Women, who want equal footing professionally, are usually given "Don't ask, don't tell" advice. This concept is so strong that many people on both sides of the hiring process think it is illegal, or at minimum inappropriate, to ask personal information about children or marital status. And recruiters and career websites often advise women to find "creative ways" to disguise resume gaps caused by family matters. The research from two Vanderbilt Law School economists contradicts conventional wisdom and finds a female applicant strongly raises her chances of getting hired if she gives personal information clarifying her resume gaps. And employers are legally allowed to ask these questions as well. Researcher Joni Hersch said the study provides the first-ever evidence that women who conceal personal information dramatically lower their hiring prospects. Co-author Jennifer Bennett Shinall added that employers overwhelmingly preferred to hire candidates who provided information to explain a resume gap, regardless of content. Any information that could flesh out a woman's job history and qualifications improved employment prospects relative to no explanation for an otherwise identical job candidate. "Some issues like revised schedules or working from home can often be enacted so trivially and at such low cost, but they aren't done because of concerns like 'we can't make exceptions for you,'" said Hersch. "What employers need to do is stop seeing these work/family balance issues as something exceptional because 80 percent of college educated women are in the workforce and they bear the majority of the childcare responsibilities." The research is in the paper 'Something to Talk About: Information Exchange Under Employment Law,' forthcoming in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. (ANI) Amid the ongoing controversy over the decision to clear an ordinance to keep state boards out of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) ambit this year, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will brief President Pranab Mukherjee on the issue on Monday. Severely condemning the 'politics' being played over the NEET, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda yesterday asserted that anyone purporting that the Centre was against the examination was grossly mistaken. President Mukherjee earlier sought legal advice on the ordinance to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical entrance examination for this year. The ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet on Friday, is aimed at partially overturning a Supreme Court verdict which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. The state government yesterday decided that the examination will be applied in all medical colleges in the national capital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called on the President yesterday to not to sign the ordinance. Kejriwal had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him not to bring any order against the Supreme Court ruling on NEET, saying the students had welcomed the decision as it discouraged well endowed parents from making 'donations' to get their children admitted into reputed private medical colleges. However the Centre cleared the ordinance to postpone the exam by a year so that the students have enough time to prepare. Even the Congress Party has slammed the government's decision to postpone the implementation of the exam alleging that private medical colleges were being favoured over the students. The Supreme Court had earlier ruled that the students will have to appear for NEET starting this academic session to seek admission to any medical or dental colleges in the country. More than 15 states were opposed to NEET and had raised issues like different syllabus and languages during the recent state health ministers' meeting. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1. Once the ordinance is issued, students of state government boards will not have to sit for NEET on July 24. (ANI) According to a recent study, a third of patients hospitalised with heart failure for the first time have not returned to work one year later. Lead author Dr. Rasmus Roerth from the Copenhagen University Hospital said that employment is crucial for self esteem and quality of life, as well as being of financial importance, in patients with all kinds of chronic illness. He continued that inability to maintain a full time job is an indirect consequence of heart failure beyond the usual clinical parameters of hospitalisation and death. Most information on heart failure is derived from studies in older patients since they are the majority. This has led to a knowledge gap regarding the impact of living with heart failure among younger patients, who perhaps have the most to lose from the condition. The study included 11 880 heart failure patients of working age (18 to 60 years) who were employed prior to being hospitalised for heart failure. Information on age, length of hospital stay, gender, education level, income, comorbidities and working status was obtained from Danish nationwide registries. The researchers found that one year after being hospitalised for heart failure for the first time, 68 percent of patients had returned to work, 25 percent had not and 7 percent had died. Younger patients (18 to 30 years) were over three times more likely to return to work than older patients (51 to 60 years). "This is perhaps not that surprising because younger patients have fewer comorbidities and may have a greater determination to stay employed," said Dr. Roerth. Patients with a higher level of education were twice as likely to return to work as those with basic schooling. The study also found that men were 24 percent more likely to return to work than women. Conversely, patients were less likely to return to work if they had stayed in hospital for more than 7 days, or had a history of stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or cancer. He concluded that removal from the labour market and dependence on public benefits has great economic consequences which go beyond the already significant financial burden that these patients place on the healthcare system. "More knowledge on what stops patients going back to work will put us in a better position to find ways of preventing it, for example with more intensive rehabilitation, psychological support, or education." The study has been presented at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure. (ANI) According to reports, roofs of around 20 houses collapsed in the storm struck area and many people are said to be still trapped inside the debris. The state police have commenced the rescue operations. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harsih Rawat, who has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the sting CD probe, on Monday hoped for an unbiased probe into the matter and assured to fully cooperate with the investigative agency. Rawat told ANI, "The CBI has given me a date for tomorrow. So, I am going to Delhi in the same regard. Whatever the CBI wants to know I will tell them as I said earlier that I am going to fully cooperate with the investigative agency. Now, I leave it on to the CBI to probe the matter in an unbiased manner." The CBI has asked Rawat to appear before it tomorrow. Earlier on May 20, the Congress government in Uttarakhand decided to constitute a judicial committee to look into various issues, including incidents unfolding after March 17-18 such as horse trading, misuse of agencies and sting operation among others. Justifying the Cabinet's decision, Rawat then said that it was in the wider interest of the state that this matter is handed over to a judicial commission. The video shows Rawat indulging in horse trading a day before President's rule was imposed in Uttarakhand on March 27. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged that the sting was proof of unfair means used by the Rawat regime to stay in power. Rawat has maintained his innocence in the matter and termed the entire episode as a "conspiracy" to tarnish his image. (ANI) "Hearty congratulations to our space scientists at ISRO on successful launch of India's first-ever indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD," the President said in a tweet. Echoing similar sentiments, Vice President Hamid Ansari wished ISRO all the best for their future endeavours. "I offer my congratulations to the Scientists, Engineers and Technicians of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the successful test of the RLV-TD," the Vice President said in a statement. Earlier today, heaping praises on the ISRO scientists for the successful launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the launch was the result of the industrious efforts by them. "Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. He further stated that the dynamism and dedication with which the scientists have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring. India launched its maiden indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle, RLV from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh today. The RLV Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD), that is ultimately aimed at putting satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter atmosphere, was carried up on a solid rocket motor. The nine-metre long rocket weighs 11 tonnes. Very similar in its looks to the US space shuttle, the double delta-winged RLV-TD being experimented is a scale model which is almost 6 times smaller than the final version. The 6.5 m long aeroplane like structure weighs 1.75 tonnes and was hoisted into the atmosphere on the special rocket booster. After launching from the Sriharikota spaceport, it would be glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal. The vehicle would re-enter the atmosphere after reaching a height of over 70 km. The mission is known as the hypersonic flight experiment and is expected to last about 10 minutes. (ANI) Retrenched PWD employees (Voucher staff) today held a demonstration in front of the office of Chief Engineer to press their demands. They were demanding the immediate reinstatement. It may be noted that as many as 2,650 voucher employees were retrenched on the directions from Election Commission of India before the assembly election here. Muthumurugan, President of the retrenched daily rated and voucher employees Association in a memorandum submitted to the PWD Chief Engineer urged to reinstate all the retrenched employees since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) enforced during the Election in Puducherry was now lifted.UNI PAB CS 1236 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-747208.Xml Now two-wheelers and four wheelers would be allowed through this outpost. Official sources said here today that one customs superintendent and three custom inspectors have been posted at this outpost which was opened yesterday. Sources said that permission of freight transport and tourist to Lumbini were not allowed through this route so far by the central government. This outpost, only 10 km form Lumbini, was closed by Nepal Government during Maoist movement in 1978.UNI XC-MB PR AS1459 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-747190.Xml Hitting out at the Akhilesh Yadav government of Uttar Pradesh ,Union MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra today said Samajwadi party government was vindictive towards opposition parties and extending benefits only to the party workers."This government is adopting pick and choose policy to benefit SP workers," he said, adding that people are fed up with the mis-rule of Samajwadi Party. He said this was very unfortunate that Samajwadi government, which is on the last leg of its tenure, has adopted pick and choose policy as far as extending benefits to the poor is concerned. "Those people who are sympathisers of the Samajwadi Party are getting government benefits while others' names are being struck off on one pretext or the other. This has happened in case of Lohia Gram Awas Yojana. Only those who are close to ruling party have got houses," he claimed.Mr Mishra told reporters that the Jungle raj is back. "People here no longer feel safe. When Akhilesh Yadav came to power he had the mandate to restore law and order. What happened in past four-and-a-half years is for everyone to see. The development has come to a naught," he alleged. Claiming that BJP will come to power in UP, Mr Mishra said there is no question of BSP front runner for the government. "Mayawati's party has lost its credibility. People were fed up with corruption in BSP and thus voted Samajwadi Party to power in 2012. But this decision has proved disastrous. Obviously, people will not go back to BSP and will opt for BJP because our agenda is development. They have seen two years' of the Modi regime where schemes like Ujjawala and Jan Dhan Yojana have transformed people's life," he said.Asked about the BJP's future in UP after the party's performance in just concluded elections in five states, the BJP MP from Deoria said politics is a game of giving messages. "In technical term, one may argue that results of five states will have no bearing in Uttar Pradesh because of different socio-cultural matrix. Actually these results boost the morale of party workers. These results give something to cheer about. If a party looses elections in a state morale of the workers gets low and if a party sweeps any state assembly result it boosts the morale. So these results will act as catalyst and will help workers put their heart and soul in the assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh," he added.The Union Minister, however, criticised the CM for making false charges against the Centre for not giving funds for development."These allegations are false. Modi government is acting on the principles of federal democracy and is supporting the sate governments as and when required. The 14th Finance Commission has increased state's share from 32 per cent to 42 per cent. The Centre has also taken care of the revenue deficit of many states and Uttar Pradesh is no exception. Many of the people-oriented schemes have been launched in collaboration with the state government. The charge of Chief Minister that Centre is not co-operating with Centre is false and misleading," he charged.UNI MB SW SB VN1425 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-747282.Xml APCC President N Raghuveera Reddy and other Congress leaders were arrested when they attempted to stage dharna in protest against the State Government's leniency in opposing illegal projects being constructed by Telangana government over the Krishna river. Tension prevailed for sometime at the Prakasham barrage here today, when Congress leaders, including APCC President N Raghuveera Reddy, and activists were arrested, while trying to stage a dharna. The police said the Congress leaders did not have prior permission to hold agitation on Prakasham barrage. APCC President N Raghuveera Reddy, Congress state Mahila President S Padmaja, Youth Congress state President D Avinash, former Minister K V Krishna Reddy, and former MP K Bapi Raju were among those who were arrested. The Congress activists prevented police from arresting the leaders, which led to some altercation between them. The arrested Congress leaders were taken to One Town police station and later they were shifted to Bhavanipuram police station. Police said that permission was given to the Congress to organise a protest dharna at Alankar theatre centre. But after concluding the programme there, the leaders rushed to Prakasham barrage, where traffic was disrupted for an hour.More UNI DP MVR AK 1700 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-747342.Xml Indonesia will focus its policy making on helping farmers to maximise returns from niche commodities including coconut oil and aloe vera with higher margins than other commodities like palm oil, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong said on Monday.Coconut oil, aloe vera and bamboo are becoming more "fashionable products" especially among buyers in Europe and the America, Lembong said at the opening of a meeting of coconut producing countries in Jakarta. Indonesia's government must work to keep these products as luxuries in order to keep profits high to benefit small farmers and incentivise more investment in growing coconuts, he said.Indonesia is the world's top palm oil producer and second-biggest coconut exporter after the Philippines. However, Lembong cautioned that Indonesia should avoid having coconut go the same way as what he called bulk commodities, such as palm oil, that lack the high margins for growers."We don't want this to be commoditized - high volume but low margin," said the Harvard-educated former hedge fund manager Lembong, referring to the wide gap in value between coconut and palm oil."We are neglecting emerging strategic commodities such as coconut, and even things like bamboo, aloe vera and other lifestyle products," he said. These products "have much greater potential as lifestyle products, as high end products, to accrue much greater benefits for farmers, than bulk commodities."As of 2014, Indonesia had a total of 3.6 million hectares of coconut plantations, about one-third of the area currently occupied by palm oil plantations.Coconut oil trades at around $1,400 a tonne, a more than $200 per tonne premium over palm kernel oil, and more than $700 per tonne against both palm oil and soybean oil, and has been supported by concerns over weather-related shortages."Smallholders are not capturing a sufficient share of the profit in the supply chain," he said, adding that in future the government will devote more attention and resources to maximise returns for farmers.REUTERS RSD AS1711 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-747861.Xml The main constituent of Lleft Front CPI(M) today reacted sharply on the statement of its front partner RSP over devastating election result of West Bengal assembly. RSP Tripura state secretary Sudarshan Bhattacharjee yesterday held CPI(M) responsible for poll debacle and alleged that forging alliance with Congress was not discussed well among the Left constituents. He also advised CPI(M) to change the political strategy if it wants to survive in India today. Because the decision of West Bengal was almost unitarily taken by CPI(M) and imposed on the Left partners, he alleged. Similarly, Left partner Forward Bloc has also accused CPI(M) for seat adjustment in West Bengal assembly election and stated that poor result of Left Front is the outcome of electoral understanding between CPI(M) and Congress. CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar today cautioned Left partners to be restrained from their comment considering the future of Left politics in India. The electoral understanding or seat adjustment with Congress in West Bengal was decided at top level of the front, he claimed. "Even then, if anybody has any objection or suggestion, must discuss among the front constituents. Every front leader must consider the main spirit of Left movement against communalism, casteism, capitalistic policies and impending threat of liberalisation and privatisation move of the present government," Mr Dhar said. He, however, pointed out that Left constituents have questioned the revolutionary character and politics of CPI(M), which is unexpected and irrelevant and said, "We must remember that CPI(M) and RSP or Forward Bloc are different entities but united for common agenda. We should not intend to get inside of functioning of each other." In the present crisis, CPI(M) has been carefully handling the situation and other front members also need to be passionate and serious, Mr Dhar said adding that Left front has been fighting against all threats of democracy and leaders should not make unnecessary comments on the issues. "I request all the front partners not to make sporadic comment that may further complicate the left front's unity and ultimately the long pursuing battle of left in India will be disrupted and weakened," Mr Dhar mentioned. He added that Tripura CPI(M) state committee will sit for two-day meeting on May 26 after Politburo meeting in New Delhi to review the election result of five states. The party will also announce political programme to counter the ongoing anti-people activities of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. UNI BB AKM SW AS1644 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-747505.Xml Reports from Darbhana, quoting Deputy Police Superintendent Dilnawaz Ahmad, said today that three motorcycle borne criminals opened fire on Safiur Rahman at Jamalhak village causing serious injuries to him last night. He is sarpanch candidate from Siso Purvi panchayat. Mr Ahmad said, the injured candidate had been admitted to Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital. On the basis of statements given by relatives, an FIR in this connection had been registered naming three people as accused, he said adding that raids were being carried out to nab them. In a similar incident in Vaishali district, Vijay Rai, brother of a mukhiya candidate from Manjhauli panchayat Ajay Rai, sustained serious injuries when criminals open fire on him under Bidupur police station area today. The injured had been rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital for better treatment. A case in this connection naming four persons as accused had been registered at Bidupur police station, police said adding that raids were being carried out to nab them.UNI XC-KKS SB AS1651 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-747529.Xml Kenya expects tourist arrivals to jump by a third this year to 1.6 million as Western governments lift warnings against travel to the East African nation, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) said on Monday.Visitor numbers and earnings plunged in the last four years as al Shabaab militants from neighbouring Somalia launched attacks on Kenyan soil in retaliation for Kenya's military intervention in Somalia."The issue we had last year was security ... we don't have that," Jacinta Mbithi, acting chief executive of KTB, told a news conference. "We have enjoyed that calmness and various countries lifted their advisories, others simply downgraded it."Britain and some other countries have already lifted travel warnings and Mbithi said airline bookings showed that visitors were 27 percent higher in the first quarter of this year.She said she expected visitor numbers to rise to 1.8 million in 2018, matching a record high in 2011, as the industry recovers from the slump.Tourism is one of the main hard currency earners for Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta's government wants to bring in 3 million visitors a year according to its manifesto when it was elected in early 2013.REUTERS RSD AS1752 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-747919.Xml The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today held a road show here for the upcoming 12th edition of "CII Agro Tech 2016". Mr Devanshu Gandhi, who was earlier the Chairman, CII Gujarat State Council and Managing Director, Vadilal Industries Ltd. explained that CII has been,for the last 2 decades, closely working with Governments at the Centre and State for policy advocacy related to Agri & food sectors. Mr Gandhi further said, "Building Global Competitiveness in Agriculture has been aptly decided as the theme of this event, keeping in view the immense potential of the Indian Agriculture today". The event is scheduled from November 19 to 22 this year at Chandigarh in which the President of India has been invited as the Chief Guest of the Inaugural Session.Accentuating the significance, role, relevance and the enduring need of technology for Indian agriculture, Dr Abhay Firodia, Chairman, CII Agro Tech 2016 & Chairman, Force Motors Ltd. encouraged Gujarat's enterprises to confirm their participation for CII Agro Tech 2016.Dr Firodia convinced that CII Agro Tech, since its inception in 1994, had played the catalytic force and continue to deliver the most reliable platform for agri prosperity. He strongly asserted that the Indian Agriculture is prepared to unleash its true potential in the next ten years where it would graduate from primary to University.Appreciating the entrepreneurial spirit of Gujarat, Mr K S Randhawa, IFS, Managing Director, Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Limited, said that the State has the most comprehensive and new agro business policy that will not only attract investors from Gujarat but also from other parts of the country. It has been designed to suit the most common and already existing challenges of this industry that include waste management along with strongly promoting skill enhancement and creating employability.CII Agro Tech boasts of over 200 satisfied exhibitors in every edition and has by now already sold 30% of the more than 8000 sqm of display area. Punjab & Haryana have always participated as the Host states. Gujarat too joined the band wagon, as committed by Mr Randhawa, other participating states areHimachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh.Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is partnering the event by way of encouraging thousands of farmers to attend the show and also organising a theme pavilion, focusing on technological innovations. Other partners of this event like Ministry of Food Processing Industries, and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce & Industry would be putting their best foot forward to encourage the food & food processing sector to participate at this four day mega eventThe event is expected to facilitate an interactive platform between the farm producers and the agriculture industry.Showcasing technological advancements in agriculture is a key highlight of CII Agro Tech 2016, which has already received confirmation of international participants from Bulgaria, Canada, China, Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands and Turkey and very soon companies based in Israel and USA would also be confirming.The union government is planning to establish a Make in India Pavilion to showcase the strengths of food processing sector in India and thereby encourage the agri & food based start-ups, thereby encouraging the bright & intellectual youth to embrace the huge commercial opportunity that could be source of reliable self-employment.UNI XC CJ 1904 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-748029.Xml A case was registred at Tseminyu Police Station regarding fraudulent withdrawal of Rs. 88, 94,000 by the Branch Manager of Vijaya Bank, Tseminyu Branch, a sub-division in Kohima district. According to Kohima Police PRO Atu Zumvu, during investigation, Yichanpemo Yanthan, a resident of Sunglep Village under PS- Baghty of Wokha district, presently residing at Oriental Colony of Dimapur was arrested on May 21. It was ascertained that a fixed deposit of Rs. 1,01,71,504 at Kohima branch of Vijaya Bank was transferred to Vijaya Bank of Tseminyu branch without the consent or knowledge of the owner. Against this fixed deposit, the Branch Manager one Yichanpemo Yanthan of Vijaya Bank, Tseminyu branch had forged the signature of the individual and applied for loan against term deposit in the name of the individual and sanctioned loan against this term deposit amounting to Rs 87, 50, 000. A saving account was also opened at Tseminyu Branch of Vijaya Bank without the knowledge or consent of the owner by forging his signature and this was used in transferring and withdrawing the loan amount. The owner eventually came to know of the transfer and asked for the withdrawal of his fixed deposit and it was transferred to Kohima and withdrawn. With no security for the loan taken, the branch manager was told to clear the loan, totaling Rs 88, 94, 000 with the interest. However, on checking, the loan was cleared on paper, but the cash was missing in the chest, Mr Zumvu informed. UNI AS KK SB AS1849 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0212-748063.Xml As BJP is gearing up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Saharanpur on May 26 the day central government completes two years in office - at least 45 union ministers and senior party leaders will swarm Uttar Pradesh next one week apprising people about the achievements of the NDA government. BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that during the campaign "Gram Uday se Bharat Uday tak" these union ministers will visit different places between May 27 and 31. "The ministers will hold meeting with people and tell them about the achievements of the Union Government," Pathak said here today. As per schedule every district will be visited by two union ministers and one senior party functionary. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and party's national vice-president Prabhat Jha will come to Lucknow probably on May 27 while union health Minister JP Nadda will got to Varanasi Prime Minister's constituency. Union HRD Minister Venkaih Naidu will go to Allahabad while Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will have interaction with people in Kanpur. "These ministers will not go one one day. They will have their schedule and accordingly they will go to the districts," Mr Pathak said adding that all district units have been asked to make preparations. He said that all the MPs have been asked to organise jan chaupals in all the blocks of their constituency besides every MP would attend programmes in six other states of the country besides their home state. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Prime Minister's Saharanpur rally which seems to be important in view of the BJP's `Mission UP'. The rally would be an informal launch of poll campaign in the state by the party. The party leaders of western UP particularly of Meerut, Bijnore, Moradabad, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Sambhal, Amroha, hapur have been asked to motivate people toi attend this rally. BJP's General Secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal is in-charge of PM's rally. Last year on the first anniversary of the NDA government , the PM had addressed a public rally at the birthplace of Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Deen Dayal Upadhyaya in a village in Mathura.UNI MB CJ SB 1948 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-748354.Xml Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Nicky Kire has said Nagaland has been blessed with a "natural storehouse" of various bio-resources, but was yet to explore its full potentiality due to lack of organisational setup for co-ordination such as processing and packaging technology and marketing, the state could not realise the potentiality of this sector, that could contribute to the economy. Speaking as Chief Guest at the "Celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity" on the theme "Mainstreaming Biodiversity Sustaining People and their Livelihood," organised by Nagaland State Biodiversity Board (NSBB) Department of Environment, Forest and Climate change at Khonoma village under Kohima district, Dr Nicky called upon Forest Department and State Biodiversity Board to provide guidelines and advise to any interested party in matters related to biological resources. He also urged the Department to assist individuals so that they could document, conserve and utilize biological resources in sustainable manner. Stating that increasing human activities such as intensification of agriculture, shifting cultivation, deforestation, urbanization, hunting and poaching, etc were some of the factors that affect biodiversity in the state, Dr Nicky said that in the recent years, many villagers have taken up conservation initiatives in their community land. He also urged the tribal, farmers and cultivators to identify and go for cultivation of economically important plants that could provide handsome returns. The chief guest also released "handbook of BMC guidelines" Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force, M Lokeswar Rao informed that National Biodiversity Board has agreed to provide fund for formation of Biodiversity Management Committee to 100 villages with the approval of NSBB. He stressed on the importance of protecting intellectual property right and royalty. Member of the Nagaland State Biodiversity Board Dr. Sapu Changkija expressed regret that Tragopan, the state bird, has been reducing drastically across the state. He opined that hunting and deforestation and timber logging has reduced Tragopan population. The Adviser Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary Trust, Tsilie Sakhrie also spoke. UNI AS PL SDR NS2050 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-748419.Xml The bodyguard of Patna University vice-chancellor opened fire on All India Students` Federation (AISF) activists when they tried to forcibly enter the official residence of VC under Pirbahore police station area here today in support of their demands of suspension of Patna Arts College Principal and others. Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj said here that Patna University Vice-Chancellor Y C Simhadri`s bodyguard opened fire in air to disperse AIFS activists when they tried to enter his official residence. He said nobody was injured in the incident. 'After breaking open the main door of the VC`s residence, AISF activists demanded that the Principal of Patna Arts College be suspended, suspension of some students from the college be revoked and the date of examination, beginning from tomorrow, be extended.AISF students were demanding Mr. Simhadri who was present at his residence to concede their demands immediately and also make an announcement in this regard.UNI DH KK AE GC2007 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0212-748243.Xml German bakery blast accused Mirza Himayat Baig, whose death sentence in connection with the blast was recently commuted to lifer by the Bombay High court, has urged authorities to shift him out of the Noose (Fansi) cell. He is still languishing in the Noose cell.The relatives of Baig, Tariq Baig told a section of media that even after being spared of capital punishment, his brother was still kept in the Fansi yard. Tariq said that his brother has already faced a six-year jail term under the tremendous pressure of the death penalty. Tariq said that his brother has made a written complaint through post to the High Court praying for his immediate shifting out of the yard.According to him he had also applied for shifting his brother either to Mumbai or Nashik jails was also pending.It may be recalled that Himayat Baig is currently facing a life term under Section 5(b) of the Explosive Substances Act and is lodged at the Nagpur central jail.Himayat Baig, the lone convict in the 2010 German Bakery blast which had rocked Pune, was awarded with capital punishment by a Pune sessions court. He was acquitted of all terror charges by the Bombay High Court (HC) just in March this year. The court, however, found him guilty of the charges of possession of explosives and awarded lifer to him.The prisoners who have to be executed are kept in fansi yard before they are hanged.MORE UNI RS PK CJ SHK 2154 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-748572.Xml Visakhapatnam rural police today arrested a woman Maoist(Area Committee Member), who was carrying a reward of Rs four lakh on her head and three Armed Maoist Militia members, each carrying Rs one lakh on his head. The arrested Maoist has been identified as Vantala Vasantha (26) alias Jyothi, native of Bonangipalle area under GK Veedhi and the militia members were P Sattibabu (40),P Kameswara Rao (21) from Koyyuru mandal and G Govinda Rao (26) from GK Veedhi area in Vizag Agency.Addressing the media, Superintendent of Police (Visakha Rural) Rahul Dev Sharma that Vasantha has been associated with the CPI Maoists since 2003 and was involved in 51 offences in Vizag Agency, including 15 murder cases, exchange of fire incidents between the cops and rebels, involved in the famine raids and few others offense. Vasantha was the ACM of East Visakha Joint Division, also worked in Andhra Odisha Border (AOB).The woman Maoist has decided to abandon her squad due to severe gynaecological problem, but she was forced to continue in the outfit as the Maoist top guns refused her decision, the police officer added. The Maoist militia members were active in Vizag Agency and were involved in several incidentsof loot, attack on houses of local leaders, extortion, pasting the Maoists' posters and informingthe police activities to the red-rebels. Replying to a question on the ongoing works of Armed Outposts (AOPs) at Rallagedda (Korukondaarea under Chintapalle) and few other places in Vizag Agency, Rahul said that the AOP atRallagedda set to be ready in short period.UNI BSR CJ AE 2330 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-748616.Xml Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif slammed the drone strike carried out by the United States in Balochistan a day earlier, saying that a strong protest had been lodged with the U.S. over the attack. According to Dawn, Sharif described the air strike in the Dalbandin area of Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. Talking to reporters after his arrival in London for a medical check-up, Sharif said that it was not clear that Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was among the two people reportedly killed in the air strike, adding that details of the incident were still being collected. A statement by the Foreign Office in Islamabad said that the US had shared the information that a drone strike had been carried out in Pakistan near the Pak-Afghan border in which Mansour was targeted. The information was shared with Prime Minister Sharif and Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif after the strike. The statement said that while investigations were being carried out, "Pakistan wishes to once again state that the drone attack was a violation of its sovereignty, an issue which has been raised with the United States in the past as well". The FO said that the fifth meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group held on May 18 had reiterated that a politically negotiated settlement was the only viable option for a lasting peace in Afghanistan and called upon the Taliban to give up violence and join peace talks. People close to the Taliban said the strike took place as senior 'commanders' were travelling to attend a wedding in a Pakistani village. The Taliban's chief justice official, Mullah Shaikh Abdul Hakim, could have been among those killed in the strike, they said. (ANI) Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar was also present in the meeting. Prime Minister Modi, who is presently in Tehran on a two-day state visit to Iran, will have crucial meetings later in the day with leaders of the host country. Several agreements of economic and strategic importance and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a series of projects are expected to be signed between both sides. Prime Minister Modi and President Rouhani will later jointly address the press, highlighting the developments. The trilateral agreement on connectivity of India with landlocked Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar will also be signed in the presence of Prime Minister Modi, President Rouhani and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. The prestigious Chabahar Port project was visualized during the NDA regime, though it hibernated for quite long, mainly due to the slapping of international sanctions against Iran. However, post-sanctions Iran is now ready for welcoming global role in its economy. India's age-old civilizational ties with the Persian Gulf nation and the solid foundation already put in place for the port connectivity and similar other projects come handy to bring the agreements to fruition now. They are expected to have rich dividends for the economies of both nations apart from having positive strategic and diplomatic impacts. (ANI) South Korea dismissed today a North Korean proposal for military talks as "a bogus peace offensive" and said it was formally rejecting the overture because it lacked a plan to end the North's nuclear programme.North Korea's proposal on the weekend for talks between the two Koreas, a repeat of a call by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a congress of his ruling party this month, came after a period of heightened tension on the peninsula.North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February, triggering tougher international sanctions and the adoption of a more hardline position by South Korean President Park Geun-hye.North Korea said dialogue between military officials from the two sides was urgently needed to reduce tension, and suggested they be held in late May or early June.South Korea said the offer was insincere."The dialogue proposed by the North does not mention its nuclear programme, which is the fundamental issue for peace on the Korean peninsula and South-North ties," South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a briefing."Proposing dialogue without an expression of its position on denuclearisation is a bogus peace offensive for bogus peace that lacks sincerity."Moon said the South had sent a message over a military hotline today expressing regret over the North's proposal and asking it to state its position on denuclearisation.This month, at the first congress of North Korea's Workers' Party in 36 years, Kim declared his country a nuclear weapons state and vowed to press on with nuclear development, which he said was defensive.In the run-up to the congress, North Korea test-fired a series of missiles including a submarine-based ballistic missile. It also attempted a launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles political ties with the North, said Pyongyang's intention may be to sow discord among the public in the South and create a rift in the international commitment to sanctions."Let me repeat: Now is not the time for dialogue," said ministry spokesman Cheong Joon-hee.North Korea came under tougher international pressure with the March adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that was even backed its lone major ally China, which disapproves of its nuclear arms programme.South Korea has also cut off all commercial contacts with the North.The two Koreas have remained in a technical state of war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.REUTERS PR RK0939 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0105-746953.Xml Peruvian presidential contender Keiko Fujimori has widened her lead over rival Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in an Ipsos poll , despite a scandal involving Fujimori's top aide.Fujimori was seen winning 52.6 per cent of valid votes in the June 5 run-off election compared to Kuczynski's 47.4 percent, according to the results of a mock voting exercise by Ipsos broadcast on local television show Cuarto Poder.The poll was conducted May 19 and 20, a few days after Univision and Cuarto Poder reported that the secretary general of Fujimori's center-right party, Joaquin Ramirez, was under investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration DEA.A man identified as a DEA informant in the report said he had recorded audio of Ramirez affirming that Ramirez laundered $15 million for Fujimori in 2011."One would have thought that as a consequence...there would be a spike in mistrust of Keiko Fujimori. That didn't happen," Alfredo Torres, the head of Ipsos in Peru, said on Cuarto Poder.Fujimori, the 40-year-old daughter of imprisoned ex-president Alberto Fujimori, has denied any wrongdoing and portrayed herself as the victim of a smear campaign.Ramirez, who has also denied wrongdoing, offered his resignation letter on Wednesday to keep the scandal from hurting her campaign.The results of the Ipsos survey, which showed Fujimori climbed 2.4 points in a week, were broadcast just before a presidential debate in which she confidently attacked Kuczynski as "elitist" and uncommitted to helping the country's poor.Kuczynski, a 77-year-old former World Bank economist, narrowly moved onto the second-round election after coming in second to Fujimori ahead of a leftist rival."Kuczynski's plan is made for defending the interests of big businessmen," Fujimori said in her closing comments in the televised debate. "His vision...belongs to the transnational corporation."Kuczynski, who tends to shy away from direct confrontation, pointed to widespread corruption in the 1990-2000 government of Fujimori's father and urged Peruvians to vote for a candidate without any links to drug trafficking.Peru is virtually tied with Colombia as the world's top cocaine producer."The narco-state is advancing and we have to stop it," Kuczynski said.Fujimori lost her first presidential bid in 2011 to President Ollanta Humala, who cannot run again this year because of term limits.The Ipsos survey of 1,803 people has a 2.3 point margin of error up or down. Some 12 percent of voters were still undecided or planned to cast a spoiled ballot.REUTERS PR RK1034 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0105-747001.Xml The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers trumpeted an agreement reached earlier this month to represent New York Uber drivers, saying it "gives organized labor an opportunity to shape the new economy in a way that supports and values workers and their families."But not everyone in the U.S. labor movement is cheering.The deal falls short of actual union representation, and it has revealed sharp divisions among labor advocates about how to address a central reality of the so-called gig economy: The classification of workers as independent contractors rather than employees.Under the terms of its agreement with Uber Technologies Inc , the Machinists will form an "Independent Drivers Guild" that will be able to intervene with the company on behalf of wrongly terminated drivers and negotiate for benefits, such as disability insurance and roadside assistance.The Machinists also agreed to refrain for five years from organizing strikes or unionizing drivers and said they would not push regulators to change the status of drivers from contractors to employees.Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, decried the deal as a "historic betrayal" of drivers because it gives up their most important tools to achieve economic power.She said her organization had been in talks with the Machinists about collaborating on a driver unionization campaign before the agreement with Uber. The Machinists had successfully organized car service drivers in the past, and Desai said her group believed a similar path would work with Uber drivers.Jim Conigliaro Jr, general counsel for Machinists Union District 15, said the agreement can help Uber drivers earn more money and work under better conditions in the short term. Longer term, if the National Labor Relations Board were to rule that drivers should be classified as employees, then a unionization drive would be possible."To us this deal is the best of both worlds," Conigliaro said.THE CHANGING NATURE OF LABORRideshare companies say contracting, rather than employing, workers keeps costs down and provides the flexibility drivers say they want.But contract workers are not entitled to the same legal protections employees enjoy, including minimum wage guarantees and overtime pay.Organized labor has struggled with how to react with the new realities of the rapidly growing part of the economy dominated by gig, or temporary and contract, workers. Some union officials have argued it's crucial to engage in new ways with the changing nature of labor, while others have doubled down on traditional organizing."We desperately need risk-taking innovation in search of the next model," said Service Employees International Union SEIU vice president David Rolf.Traditional collective bargaining does not work with on-demand tech companies, but new models, such as the Uber deal, can introduce worker organizing, he said.Last month, the SEIU drew flack from another union, Unite Here, for negotiating with internet-based home rental company Airbnb Inc to encourage its hosts to hire union-approved house cleaners who would make at least $15 an hour.The deal was abandoned after Unite Here, which represents hotel workers, attacked the arrangement as "cheap cover" for Airbnb."We are appalled by reports that SEIU is partnering with Airbnb," Unite Here spokeswoman Annemarie Strassel said at the time. She accused the rental service of "driving up housing costs and killing good hotel jobs in urban markets across North America."Seth Harris, a Washington D.C. lawyer who was deputy U.S.labor secretary from 2009 to 2013, said both unions and companies like Uber are formulating strategies for the new labor market in the face of outmoded labor and antitrust laws that restrict their options."Both sides are hemmed in, so they have found a way to navigate the narrow path those laws have carved for them," Harris said.The Machinists are not the only union to engage with Uber drivers. Earlier this year, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers launched a campaign to represent 600 of the company's drivers at New York City's LaGuardia Airport. The union, which like the Machinists is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, backed off after the Machinists launched their drive.Last month, Uber agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by California and Massachusetts drivers for up to $100 million.Drivers would remain independent contractors under the deal, but Uber said it would help establish an association for them to communicate with the company.The next day the Teamsters, in conjunction with worker rights group Silicon Valley Rising, announced it would launch a driver association in California. Kara Deniz, a spokeswoman for the International Teamsters, said it is difficult to predict what kind of organization will ultimately be formed."As a union whatever we do will be based on discussions with the drivers and their wishes," Deniz said.The Machinists' deal could make it difficult for other labor groups to take a harder line with Uber, unless drivers are united and clear in their demands, said Catherine Fisk, a labor law professor at the University of California Irvine."In the end what any worker organization can get is a function of the solidarity of the workers," she said.In Seattle, Uber and Lyft drivers worked with the Teamsters to lobby officials for an ordinance allowing them to bargain collectively. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit to block it, which is pending.Fasil Teka, an Uber driver who helped found the App Based Driver Association in Seattle, said collective bargaining - and the ability to strike - was his main reason for organizing.Otherwise, he said, "there would be no point in having a union."The one thing all sides agree on is that the struggle over how to organize labor in the new economy is just beginning, and for some observers, that's not a terrible thing."Unions are in a state of crisis and are desperately trying to figure out a model to stay relevant," said Phil Wilson, president of the Labor Relations Institute Inc, which casts itself as "the preeminent firm in countering union organizing campaigns."REUTERS PR RK1039 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0105-747007.Xml The arrival of a tough-talking foreign minister in Brazil marks a move away from the ideologically-driven diplomacy that raised tensions with the United States in the past decade and towards a big push on trade.Jose Serra's first foreign visit to Argentina on Monday is expected to center on restoring South America's Mercosur bloc to its purpose as a free trade area, after Venezuela's entry in 2012 turned it into a left-leaning political forum.The suspension of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to face an impeachment trial and her replacement by centrist Michel Temer as interim leader has pushed the political pendulum more toward the center in South America, following the election of a center-right government in Argentina last year."Diplomacy will once again reflect the values of Brazilian society and the interest of its economy, and no longer be at the service of the ideological preferences of one political party and its allies abroad," Serra said in his first speech as minister last week.His first move as Temer's foreign minister was to strongly rebuke Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua for interfering in Brazilian affairs by describing Rousseff's removal as an illegal "coup."Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is resisting opposition calls for a referendum to oust him in the midst of a painful recession, recalled his ambassador from Brasilia for consultations.Serra is under pressure to act against Maduro. The chairman of Brazil's Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged the government to trigger Mercosur's democratic clause and have Venezuela suspended. Maduro's government "is fast becoming an open dictatorship," Senator Aloysio Nunes told Reuters.REVIVING MERCOSURThe 74-year-old Serra is a prominent senator who would like to use his ministerial post as a springboard for a third bid for the presidency. His success may hinge on keeping his pledge to open new export markets for Brazil's tanking economy.His ministry has been given increased authority to negotiate trade deals. He plans to increase trade with traditional markets like the United States and the European Union, as well as more recent ones such as China, which has quickly risen to become Brazil's biggest export market.Relations between Washington and Brasilia cooled during the 2003-2010 government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who prioritized South-South relations but also raised Brazil's international profile while the economy was booming.Rousseff, his successor, was less rigid but ties with the United States were badly shaken in 2013 by reports of U.S.spying on Brazil, which prompted her to cancel a state visit to Washington.Serra said improved U.S. relations were inevitable and will rely on easing trade barriers between the two largest economies in the Americas."There will be greater alignment between the United States and Brazil on some global issues," said Michael Shifter, president of the InterAmerican Dialogue, a Washington-based policy group.Argentina will be fundamental in Brazil's renewed quest for trade as the top destination for Brazilian manufactured goods.In seeking to revive Mercosur, Serra will also ask the customs union to be more flexible on members reaching bilateral accords.His plans were applauded by business leaders."Mercosur must be more proactive, less closed," the head of Brazil's most powerful industry lobby CNI, Robson Andrade, said."Instead of political debates it should be negotiating international accords, such as with the European Union."IMPOVERISHED ITAMARATYAn intellectual who works late into the night and often sleeps through midday, the blunt and abrasive Serra would appear to be the least diplomatic figure to run Brazil's foreign policy.But the appointment of this high-profile politician to lead Itamaraty - as the foreign ministry is called - was welcomed by Brazil's respected diplomatic corps, largely sidelined by Rousseff. The ministry was underfunded to the point that diplomats posted abroad have been unable to pay their rents.Serra promised to put the ministry back at the center of government and rescue it from "penury" by covering a funding shortfall of 800 million reais $227 million.Brazil is in arrears on contributions to the United Nations and other multilateral organizations by $852 million, a debt that threatens its right to vote, Serra told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper on Sunday.Workers Party governments created 67 new embassies during 13 years in power, many in Africa and the Caribbean to win votes at the United Nations, where Brazil unsuccessfully sought a permanent seat on an expanded Security Council.Serra, pointing to the absurdity of Brazil having more embassies than Britain in the English-speaking Caribbean, plans to study the benefits of its 227 embassies and close those that are unproductive.REUTERS PR RK1040 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0105-747010.Xml The Afghan Taliban's leadership council met to start considering succession after a US drone strike in Pakistan targeted its commander, two Taliban sources told Reuters, in the strongest sign yet the insurgency had accepted he was dead.Yesterday the strike targeting Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Saturday was perhaps the most high-profile US incursion into Pakistan since the 2011 raid to kill al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and sparked a protest by Islamabad that its sovereignty had been violated.If confirmed, Mansour's death could trigger a succession battle within a Taliban insurgency that has proven extremely resilient despite a decade and a half of US military deployments to Afghanistan.The Taliban have not yet officially confirmed that Mansour was killed and there were conflicting accounts yesterday, with the Afghan government declaring him dead, while Washington stopped just short of doing so."At this point, we're not quite prepared to confirm that he was killed, though it appears likely," US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told "Fox News Sunday."The Taliban sources said that Sunday's meeting of the Rahbari Shura, or leadership council, included discussion of possible successors, including guerrilla commander Sirajuddin Haqqani.Haqqani, who has a 5 million dollar US bounty on his head, would likely prove an even more implacable foe of Afghan government forces and their US allies.He is widely seen by US and Afghan officials as the most dangerous warlord in the Taliban insurgency, responsible for the most bloody attacks, including one last month in Kabul in which 64 people were killed."Based purely on matters of hierarchy, (Haqqani) would be the favourite to succeed Mansour," said Michael Kugelman, a senior associate at the Woodrow Wilson Institute think tank.The Taliban were also considering Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, a potential unifier because of his father's name. Former Guantanamo detainee Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir and Mullah Sherin were also cited, the sources said.PAKISTANI PROTESTSThe Saturday drone strike, which US officials said was authorised by President Barack Obama, showed the United States was prepared to go after the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, which the government in Kabul has repeatedly accused of sheltering the insurgents.Pakistan protested yesterday, saying the US government did not inform Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif beforehand."This is a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," Sharif told reporters in London, saying it was still unclear who was killed.A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that Washington only notified Pakistan after the operation.It was unclear how long Mansour might have been inside Pakistan before the US strike. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry disclosed that a passport found at the site, bearing a different name, carried a valid Iranian visa.It added that the purported passport holder was believed to have returned to Pakistan from Iran on Saturday, the day of the drone strike targeting Mansour. Photos of the passport, bearing the name Wali Muhammad, seen by Reuters showed a passing resemblance to some of the old photos available of Mansour.If it is confirmed that Mansour had travelled to Iran before his death, it would raise new questions about the Taliban's use of neighbouring territories, including Iran.The drone strike underscored the belief among US commanders that the Taliban under Mansour's leadership had grown increasingly close to militant groups like al Qaeda, posing a direct threat to US security.Mansour had failed to win over rival factions within the Taliban after formally assuming the helm last year after the Taliban admitted Mullah Omar had been dead for more than two years.US Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had conducted a precision air strike that targeted Mansour "in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border".Mansour posed a "continuing, imminent threat" to US personnel and Afghans, Kerry told a news conference while on a visit to Myanmar."If people want to stand in the way of peace and continue to threaten and kill and blow people up, we have no recourse but to respond and I think we responded appropriately," Kerry said.PEACE TALKSEfforts to broker talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban had already stalled after a suicide attack in Kabul last month that prompted President Ashraf Ghani to prioritize military operations over negotiations.But Ghani's office said on Sunday the removal of Mansour could open the door to talks and that Taliban members who wanted to end bloodshed should return from "alien soil" and join peace efforts.US experts were less optimistic, cautioning against the idea that the shake-up would diminish the Taliban's broader sense of strength, particularly given the uneven performance of US-backed Afghan forces last year and a pullback by Western troops."The Taliban have made considerable progress in Helmand (province) and elsewhere, so it's hard to see much incentive for them to start compromising now," a US intelligence official said on condition of anonymity.The new US commander in Afghanistan is reviewing strategy, including whether to request broader powers to target Taliban insurgents and whether to seek a halt in plans to reduce the number of US forces in Afghanistan.One US government analyst said the Taliban were likely encouraged by the upcoming US presidential election."The Taliban, the Haqqanis, (Pakistani intelligence) and everyone else knows that ... the election this fall isn't going to bring in someone who wants to send more American troops to retake territory the Afghans are losing," the analyst said. REUTERS AKC PS -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-746907.Xml Deliberating the details of diplomacy. The leaders lead formal delegation level talks between #IndiaIran, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Ahead of the talks, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a "restricted" meeting. The prime minister, who arrived here on Sunday evening, was accorded a ceremonial welcome on Monday morning. India, Iran and Afghanistan will sign an agreement on Monday to develop the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. --IANS ab/vm ( 184 Words) 2016-05-23-12:10:03 (IANS) With energy security and regional connectivity high on his agenda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a wide ranging bilateral talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. After the restricted tete-a-tete, both the leaders led their sides in the delegation level talks. More than 10 agreements are likely to be signed between the two sides, including one on important Chabahara port project, which will give India a direct access to land-locked Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries. Mr Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Iran, was received by Mr Rouhani on the forecourts of Saadabad Palace, where a tri-service contingent presented a guard of honour for the visiting dignitary. A trilateral agreement on Chabahar trade will also be signed today between India, Iran and Afghanistan. Chabahar strategic port in south-east Iran will enable India to reach out to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. Besides, Zaranj-Delaram highway constructed by India will also provide direct access to Afghanistan's four major cities namely - Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.UNI MK PR SV 1320 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-747265.Xml The US aviation lawyer who won compensation for victims of the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing and is now seeking 330 million dollars from Russia for the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 in 2014, says Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held responsible.Jerry Skinner, who is leading Australian law firm LHD's compensation claim against Russia and Putin in the European Court of Human Rights, says he is confident of success but admits the case, like that of Lockerbie, may take years.The Malaysian Airlines' Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 28 Australians.The aircraft, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, the Dutch Safety Board concluded in its final report.Skinner said he had no personal issue with Putin, but that the Russian president had opened himself to liability through his extensive control over the Russian state."Nothing happens in Russia that he doesn't approve of, therefore vicariously he's responsible," Skinner told Reuters in an interview on Monday in Sydney.Skinner said evidence from witnesses, videos, photographs, radar, air traffic control tapes supported his compensation case."All of that stuff is available and even without the Russian's contribution I am confident in saying that it was the Russians who caused this event to occur," he said.The LHD lawsuit is on behalf of 16 victims from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, and 33 next of kin. Each claimant is seeking 10 million dollars in damages.Skinner won similar compensation for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 which was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people.Skinner said international political pressure was needed to uncover the truth behind the downing of MH17."I'm hopeful that the Australian government gets involved.We need the leverage of one of the governments whose hands are clean," he said.Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop today echoed the sentiment for an independent investigation."However painful and however difficult and traumatic it is for them to deal with the loss of their loved ones aboard MH17...we will work very hard to ensure that a system is set up, a mechanism is set up, to hold those responsible for this atrocity to account," she said.REUTERS RSD CS1412 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-747393.Xml South Africa's state prosecutor said today he would appeal against a High Court ruling which could lead to 783 corruption charges being reinstated against President Jacob Zuma.The ruling will bring some relief to Zuma as he faces mounting calls to quit from the opposition and even from members of the ruling African National Congress after a damning constitutional court judgment against him in March.A decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in April 2009 to set aside hundreds of charges allowed Zuma to run for president the same month.The NPA's decision at the time was based on phone intercepts presented by Zuma's legal team that suggested the timing of the charges in late 2007 may have been part of a political plot against Zuma.But the High Court last month ordered a review of the NPA's decision."I have decided to apply for leave to appeal against the judgment," the National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams told a televised media conference today.He said the law allowed the prosecutor a discretion that can be exercised at various stages of the an investigation, and that the court ruling could dilute the NPA's powers."It is also a matter that seriously affects the separation of powers. This is an important matter of principle which affects all prosecutions, it is so important. I believe it needs the decision of an appeal court," Abrahams said.The hundreds of corruption charges relate to a major government arms deal arranged in the late 1990s.Zuma said last month that an investigation into the deal had found no evidence of corruption or fraud. Critics denounced the findings as a cover-up and said they would continue to campaign for justice.REUTERS RSD VN1540 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-747600.Xml Ahead of concluding a trilateral agreement on transport and transit corridor among India, Afghanistan and Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Afghan President Dr. Ashraf Ghani here on Monday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Prime Minister's visit to Tehran at the invitation of Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani. "A trilateral agreement on transport and transit corridor among India, Afghanistan and Iran will be signed at a separate event, highlighting the significance that India attaches to developing connectivity using Chabahar as a regional hub," said Gopal Baglay, Joint Secretary (PAI), at a media briefing in New Delhi on May 21. "The trilateral agreement using Chabahar-Zahedan-Zaranj as a corridor will be a game changer for regional connectivity, especially for Afghanistan, which can find an assured and reliable alternative access to India via sea. The route will also significantly enhance prospects for India's connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond through synergies with other initiatives touching the region such as North-South transport corridor. The agreement is going to be signed at a high level, at ministerial level," added Baglay. Speaking to ANI here on Sunday, Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari termed the signing of trilateral agreement "historic". "India, Afghanistan and Iran are entering into an agreement for strategic transport development, which is also a historical development," he said. "If we have to go Afghanistan, then we have to go via Pakistan, but today with the opening of a new gate, we can expand our trade from Afghanistan to Russia to Europe. This will be beneficial to both India and Iran," he added. "The distance between Kandla port in Kutch District of Gujarat and Chabahar, seaport in Chah Bahar in southeastern Iran, is lesser than the distance between Delhi and Mumbai, which will also increase our port business," said Gadkari. (ANI) Iraqi forces clashed with Islamic State militants near Falluja today while bombing central districts in the initial hours of an offensive to retake the militant stronghold just west of Baghdad that could last several weeks.Some of the first direct engagement occurred in al-Hayakil area on the city's southern outskirts, a resident said. Troops also approached the northern suburb of Garma, the top municipal official there said, to clear out militants before turning attention towards the city centre.Air strikes and mortars overnight targeted neighbourhoods inside the city proper where Islamic State is thought to maintain its headquarters. But the bombardment had eased by daylight.Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, speaking on state television, described the forces' advance as "careful" and reliant on engineers to dismantle roadside bombs planted by the militants.Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km from Baghdad, was the first city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014. Six months later, the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria.Iraqi forces have surrounded the city since last year but focused most combat operations on IS-held territories further west and north. The authorities have pledged to retake Mosul this year in keeping with a US plan to dislodge Islamic State from their de facto capitals in Iraq and Syria.But the Falluja operation, which is not considered a military prerequisite for advancing on Mosul, could push back that timeline. Two offensives by US forces against al Qaeda insurgents in Falluja in 2004, which left the city badly damaged, each lasted about a month.There are currently between 500 and 700 IS militants in Falluja, according to a recent US military estimate.Army helicopters were shelling IS positions in nearby Garma and targeting movement in and out of the area in order to weaken resistance enough for ground troops to enter, Mayor Ahmed Mukhlif told Reuters.The defence minister and army chief of staff visited part of that northern axis today, a ministry statement said.POPULATED CITYPrime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who also faces political and economic crises in the major OPEC producer, visited a command centre set up nearby to oversee operations, exchanging his suit for the black uniform of an elite commando unit.Announcing the offensive in a late-night speech, Abadi said it would be conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias.Iraqi officials say the militias, including ones backed by Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city limits, as they were largely in the battle for nearby Ramadi six months ago, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents.State television showed footage of armoured vehicles sitting among palm groves on the city's outskirts, a green tracer glow emanating from shells and machine gun fire.Video showed a family standing in the daylight outside a simple one-storey home, cheering and waving a white flag as a military convoy passed by.The government has called on civilians to flee and said it would open safe corridors to areas south of Falluja. Residents living in the centre said they had moved to relative safety in outlying northern areas but roadside bombs were preventing them from leaving the city.Iraqi and US officials estimate there are as many as 100,000 civilians still living in Falluja, a city on the Euphrates river whose population was three times that size before the war. A six-month siege has created acute shortages of food and medicine, pushing the city towards humanitarian crisis.REUTERS RSD NS1643 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-747787.Xml Tehran (Iran): President Dr. Hassan Rouhani on Monday announced that May 23 will henceforth be called the 'Day of Chabahar' as India, Iran and Afghanistan signed the historic Chabahar Agreement. " This is a very important day for Iranians and now on it is going to be even more important because today is going to mark the day of cooperation between three of us, Iran, India and Afghanistan and from now on this day can be called the day of Chabahar, " he said at trilateral summit. Asserting that it was an important day in the history of the relationship between the three countries, Iranian President said that Tehran, Delhi and Kabul would give this message to the region that the path of progress of the countries of the region goes through cooperation and utilization of regional opportunity. "Of course the symbol of such cooperation is Chahbahar and Bahar means spring and it is a spring for three of us," he added. President Rouhani said that with the joint investments in Chahbahar, his country could connect India through reliable route to Afghanistan and also to those countries in central Asia and even to CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. "Today's document is not just an economic document. It is actually a political document and a regional one and the message of this document is that countries of this region need to utilize the opportunities provided by the region in order to develop and also expand on the regional cooperation," he added. He pressed that the business people and entrepreneurs of the three country and other countries in the region could now count on a new international corridor. "There is also a room in this trilateral agreement for other countries and for the activities of other countries and in the near future other countries can join this document of cooperation as well," he said. President Rouhani pointed that the agreement was not against any other country. "Today's agreement is not going to be against any other country. Our joint activities are going to be useful and beneficial to the whole region relatively to the peace and stability in this region," he said. Talking about the progress from here on regarding the agreement, he said that the three countries have assigned their ministers to look into the matter and review the progress. "We made the decision that each of us will name a minister to follow up on the progress made in this project and from our side. From the Iranian side, I have named our Minister for Road and Urban Development for this matter, His Excellency Modi named the Indian minister for road and transportation for this and Mr. Ashraf Ghani , His Excellency is going to soon announce his minister, " he said adding, " These three ministers will meet regularly with each other and they will review the progress made in this project and come back to us with their progress reports." Meanwhile, Afghan President Ghani lauded the Chabahar agreement saying, "100 years from now, historians will remember this day as the start of regional cooperation." (ANI) Colombian military and police forces are searching for a Spanish journalist who disappeared while reporting a story in Norte de Santander province, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.Military sources and local media feared Salud Hernandez, 59, who has worked in the country for almost two decades, could be in the custody of Marxist rebels operating in the area but the Colombian government would not say whether the case was a kidnapping and called it a "possible disappearance."Hernandez, a journalist with Spain's El Mundo and local newspapers, was last seen on Saturday in the town of El Tarra in the northeastern province, along the border with Venezuela, the ministry said in a statement yesterday."I order priority and dedication from the armed forces in establishing where the journalist Salud Hernandez is," President Juan Manuel Santos said from his Twitter account yesterday.Hernandez reportedly was working on a story on illegal drugs and had been in the area for about 20 days. She is known for opinion columns highly critical of Colombia's insurgent groups.Both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) have presences in Norte de Santander. The ELN has continued taking people hostage even while it seeks to begin peace talks with the government.The armed forces and the police are working with local authorities and intelligence officials to find Hernandez, the Defense Ministry statement said.The country has been in peace talks with bigger rebel group the FARC since the end of 2012 and recently agreed to start negotiations with the ELN.Santos has said no talks will begin until all ELN hostages are freed.The 2,000-strong ELN has increased oil pipeline bombings in recent months and continued kidnappings in what many see as an attempt to pressure the government into beginning talks.Inspired by Cuba's 1959 revolution, the ELN has battled a dozen Colombian governments since it was founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964.While many Colombians are suspicious of peace talks with both groups, they are tired of the violence that has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions over more than half a century.REUTERS RSD CJ AN1855 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-748149.Xml Iraqi government forces fought Islamic State militants near Falluja today and bombarded central districts at the outset of an offensive to retake the longtime jihadist stronghold on the western approaches to the capital Baghdad.Some of the first direct clashes occurred in al-Hayakil area on Falluja's southern outskirts, a resident said. Iraqi troops also approached the northern suburb of Garma, the top municipal official there said, to clear out militants before turning their attention towards the city centre.Air strikes and mortar salvoes overnight targeted neighbourhoods inside the city proper where Islamic State is believed to maintain its headquarters, but the bombardment had eased by daybreak.Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, speaking on state television, described the government's advance as "careful" and reliant on engineers to dismantle roadside bombs planted by the militants.Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists 50 km from Baghdad, was the first city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014. Six months later, the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria.Iraqi forces have surrounded Falluja since last year but focused most combat operations on IS-held territories further west and north. The authorities have pledged to retake Mosul, the north's biggest city, this year in keeping with a US plan to oust IS from their de facto capitals in Iraq and Syria.But the Falluja operation, which is not considered a military prerequisite for advancing on Mosul, could push back that timeline. Two offensives by US forces against al Qaeda insurgents in Falluja in 2004 each lasted about a month and wrecked significant portions of the city.There are currently between 500 and 700 IS militants in Falluja, according to a recent US military estimate.Iraqi army helicopters were rocketing IS positions in nearby Garma and targeting movement in and out of the area in order to weaken resistance enough for ground troops to enter, Mayor Ahmed Mukhlif told Reuters.The defence minister and army chief of staff visited part of that northern axis today, a ministry statement said.POPULATED CITYPrime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also grappling with political and economic crises in the OPEC member state, visited a command centre set up nearby to oversee operations, exchanging his suit for the black uniform of an elite commando unit.Announcing the offensive in a late-night speech, Abadi said it would be conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal allies and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias.Iraqi officials say the militias, including ones backed by Shi'ite power Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city limits, as they largely did in the successful battle to retake the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi six months ago, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents.State television aired footage of armoured vehicles sitting among palm groves on Falluja's outskirts, a green tracer glow emanating from shell and machine gun fire. A family stood in the daylight outside a simple one-storey home, cheering and waving a white flag as a military convoy passed by.Iraqi and US officials estimate there are as many as 100,000 civilians still in Falluja, a city on the Euphrates river whose population was three times that size before the war. A six-month siege has created acute shortages of food and medicine, pushing the city towards a humanitarian crisis.The Baghdad government has called on civilians to flee and said it would open safe corridors to southern areas, but roadside bombs have prevented most of them from leaving.The UN refugee agency UNHCR said 80 families that managed to flee in recent days via a main road or through agricultural fields were undergoing screening by the security forces.It said in a statement that at least three people had been killed trying to escape while 10,000 families were stuck inside "in a very precarious situation".Residents living in central Falluja said they had moved at dawn to relative safety in outlying northern areas but Islamic State patrols have since begun limiting movement even between neighbourhoods.Militants were also using mosque loudspeakers to urge civilians to donate blood, residents said.REUTERS RSD CJ VN1931 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-748178.Xml Brazil's newly appointed Planning Minister, Romero Juca, today denied a newspaper account that he had sought to stall a wide-ranging corruption probe by aggressively pushing the impeachment process of suspended President Dilma Rousseff.The Folha de SPaulo daily published excerpts of secretly taped conversations between Juca and Sergio Machado, a former senator and ex-president of oil company Transpetro, reported to have been recorded in March.Both Juca and Machado are under investigation in the more than two-year police probe sparked by corruption at Petroleo Brasileiro SA.The leak could expose interim President Michel Temer's Cabinet, named only in mid-May, to intensified criticism as it seeks to launch bold economic policies to lift Brazil out of its deepest recession in decades.As Planning Minister, Juca is in charge of overseeing Brazil's budget and was leading conversations with congressmen to vote this week a new fiscal target for 2016 and avoid a government shutdownTemer, who served as Rousseff's vice president since 2011, replaced her earlier this month after the Senate voted to hold an impeachment trial on charges of breaking budgetary rules. Under the country's constitution, the trial can last up to six months.Juca was quoted in the newspaper's partial transcript as agreeing to a "national pact" to circumscribe the probe. He was quoted as saying he had spoken with Supreme Court Justices and high-ranking military officials to ensure a "smooth transition" to a new government."We need to change the government to stop this bleeding," Juca was quoted as saying, after Machado is quoted as saying that chief prosecutor Rodrigo Janot was "going after" Juca and his allies.Juca said at a news conference that his comments had been taken out of context. He said that when he was talking about halting the "bleeding" he was referring to Brazil's free-falling economy and the Rousseff government's inability to do anything about it.He said that he had publicly and repeatedly called for Rousseff to be ousted, in part because of the country's economic problems.Juca said he expected to remain in his ministerial position and he called for the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper to release the complete audio tapes so that his words could be heard in their full context."I was talking with Machado about the economy," Juca said at the press conference. "I said there was economic bleeding and that we had to halt it."Temer told Folha he would decide today or tomorrow whether to keep Juca on as minister and said he supported the corruption investigation.A spokeswoman for the chief prosecutor's office in Brasilia said it had a copy of the taped Juca conversation, but she declined to comment on the newspaper report.Federal police in the southern city of Curitiba, who have spearheaded the Petrobras investigation and have widespread popular support.They said they had no direct knowledge of the Juca recording but were not concerned about Juca's reported remarks on the sweeping Petrobras-centered corruption investigation known as Lava Jato."From everything we have seen so far, it's extremely clear that Lava Jato has not and will not be blocked by anyone," said Igor Romario, a lead investigator on the case.Sergio Moro, the federal judge who has overseen much of the Petrobras case, said at a public event in Sao Paulo that he would not comment specifically on the Juca recording.But he said "the judiciary has demonstrated its independence in relation to the other powers and to any political interferences."Folha said the conversations were taped "secretly" but did not specify how. Juca said the conversation happened either at his home or at his office.Jaques Wagner was chief of staff for Rousseff. He wrote on Twitter today that the Juca tape confirms that those opposed to the suspended president only pushed for her impeachment so they could quash the Petrobras investigation. REUTERS SDR BL2323 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-748669.Xml BEIJING, May 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Dejiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), delivers a report on the system of people's congresses at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China, May 23, 2016. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang urged adherence and improvement to the people's congress system, China's basic political system, when delivering a report at the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Monday. Zhang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said the system of people's congresses is a choice of the history and the people, and must be cherished. Ever since the CPC was founded, it has been striving to realize the goal of people being masters of the country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. After practical and theoretical explorations, it finally chose the people's congress as the fundamental political system of China, Zhang told about 2,200 attendees to the lecture. Bail (Amendment) Act poorly drafted, says Judge Justice Carol Gobin gave her interpretation on Friday of Section 5(b) (ii) of the Act, in a judicial interpretation application brought by a police officer who was initially denied bail after he and another colleague were charged with three offences. In her ruling, Gobin held that the phrasing of the clause was a hopeless struggle and the result of an error in drafting and was ambiguous in nature. She said there was a distinction between possession of a firearm without licence and possession of a firearm used in a commission of an offence, nothing that the case raised a matter of importance with implications for the justice system, the liberty of the subject, the protection of the public. She also held that there was something in the provision which required clarification and the obscurity must be removed, adding that too plain a reading of the section exposed an obvious drafting error. She said the section ought to be modified to read that a court should not grant bail to a person if it is alleged that the person had in his possession and used a firearm or imitation firearm during the commission of the offence. Constable Ryan Reno Mahabir and PC Justin Charles were charged in April of last year with corruptly accepting $1,500 as a reward for forebearing to prosecute Michael Lewis for driving under the influence of alcohol. They were also charged with perverting the course of justice in concealing potential evidence and making a false entry in the Caroni Police Station diary with the intent to falsify potential evidence. At the time of the alleged commission of those offences, they were armed with their police issued firearms. When they appeared before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Aden Stroude, they were remanded into custody in accordance with provisions of Act. The two policemen were later granted bail when they appeared before Magistrate Joanne Connor at the Chaguanas Magistrates Court, four days later. Mahabir filed an interpretation claim in the High Court, asking for a determination as to whether Section 5 (5) (b) (iii) of the Bail Amendment Act No 7 of 2015 included persons who happened to be in possession of licenced firearms when it was alleged they committed an offence. Mahabirs lawyers argued that police officers who would be in possession of their police issued firearms were not the intended targets of the amendment and the intention of parliament was to deal with and penalise persons who were terrorising citizens with the use of illegal weapons. Mahabirs application was supported by the Police and Social Welfare Association, which gave evidence in the case through its president Inspector Anand Ramesar. Ramesar said the matter was of grave concern to the membership of the TT Police Service since they were all entitled to carry firearms. Ramesar deposed that the automatic deprivation of bail in circumstances where an allegation was made of the commission of an offence while co-incidentally by a police officer who happened to be in possession of his licenced firearm, had caused disquiet amongst the associations membership which expressed concerns that they could be targets of maliciously made allegations. The state argued that the legislation produced no ambiguity or inconsistency nor did an interpretation that allowed for the plain and ordinary words used by Parliament result in an absurdity. Because of the importance of the arguments, the judge awarded Mahabir 60 percent of his costs fit for senior counsel and one junior and instructing attorney. Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, Jayanti Lutchmedial, Alvin Pariagsingh and Kent Samlal appeared for Mahabir while Fyard Hosein and Randal Hector represented the Attorney General. Fireman robbed According to police reports at about 8.30pm Stefon Roberts of Chaguanas who also works part time driver at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was on duty when he was robbed. Reports said that Roberts was driving the companys motorbike in the vicinity of Amow Street, Enterprise Village, Chagunas when a lone gun man approached him. Pointing the gun at Roberts, the gun man announced a hold up and ordered that he hand over cash. Roberts was robbed of $1,500. The gun man escaped on foot. Roberts is attached to the Chagunas Fire Station. WPC Joseph is continuing investigations. In a separate incident, Freeport police officers are continuing investigations after burglars broke into a business place in Chase Village. Reports said that the intruders entered the business place by making a hole in the ceiling. Police said that at about 7.30pm Sauka Sooknanan secured her business place, The Liquor Ranch at Southern Main Road, Freeport and went away on Friday night. She returned at 9am on Saturday to find her business place broken into. Checks revealed a quantity of alcohol and cigarettes missing. PC Ramesar is continuing investigations. Man on ammo charge in court today Police reports said that at about 10pm last Thursday a team of police officers, including police constables Kumar, Beharry and Prime were on mobile patrol duty along the Longdenville Old Road near Chaguanas when they spotted a silver Hyundai Tucson vehicle speeding along the road way. The team of police officers gave chase and the driver turned unto the Railway Road Extension. The 22- year-old driver of Enterprise stopped the vehicle and attempted to run into some nearby bushes. He was detained a short distance away.Three rounds of 40 calibre ammunition was found in his right front pocket. Police officers also searched the vehicle and discovered a quantity of marijuana. A 27-year-old man who was the front seat passenger of the vehicle was also arrested and charged. The two men are expected to be taken before a Chaguanas magistrate today. In another police anti crime exercise, a 16-year- old teenager was among several other men arrested for possession of marijuana during an anti-crime exercise in Brasso on Saturday. The teenager of Claxton Bay is also expected to appear before a magistrate today. The exercise which started at 7pm and ended at 9pm was spearheaded by Sgt Gobin,Cpl Bunsee and other police officers of the Brasso Police Station. PM Rowley: Speak out on child marriage Do not turn your face away from the governance of your country, Rowley told the 2016 graduating class of the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) yesterday afternoon during commencement ceremony, Grand Stand, Queens Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. You have a requirement to pay attention to what is happening in Trinidad and Tobago, and if you see a requirement for change then you are required to demand that change because your voice is as good as, as useful as, anyone elses and must be heard. So if today, the change that is being demanded in this country is that we do not marry 12-year-old and girls under 18, well then you ought to have a point of view and you ought to express that point of view, Rowley declared. The graduands broke into spontaneous applause upon hearing the PMs advice to make their opinions known on the fact that under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, girls can get married from the age 12, under the Hindu Marriage Act girls can marry from the age of 14 while under the Orissa Marriage Act, the age of marriage is 15 for girls and 18 for boys. The PM also spoke about crime and how some communities are so afraid of the murders among us that they keep quiet rather than identify these criminals to police. Today we are spending more money on national security because our very lives depend on it...Walking among us today are a number of unidentified murderers. They may be right in front of you buying a roti and you dont know who they are. It is unacceptable for a small society like this to be facing hundreds of people being murdered every year and you dont know who is doing this, Rowley said. He expressed hope that the USC graduands, and fellow future leaders of TT, would speak up on matters that concern them, concern the nation, even as they perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. Sharon Rowley promotes righteousness As patron of the event, she was harping on the motto of En ToTo, the not for profit and non-governmental organisation: It is okay to do right. Rowley told the children present: Your teachers have a responsibility to inspire you, your parents have a responsibility to keep you on track and your government has a responsibility to give you the best education that it can. But even if we have the most dedicated teachers, the best school and the most supportive parents, none of this will be important if you do not fulfil your responsibility to yourself. She added that they needed to decide in their hearts what really excites and challenges them. Then Rowley stated: Once you decide, just start moving in that direction, every decision you make today, from what you eat, how you study to what you do with your spare time, to how you treat your friends, turns you into the person you will be tomorrow. Remember its okay to do right. She then spoke about her own husbands school days and the trials and tribulation he went through but because he always reached for the stars he is now Prime Minister. Joycelyn Francois-Opadeyi, director - En To To to Newsday: We are committed to young people. We go to the young people in various schools, focusing on areas such as Diego Martin, Carenage, Maraval and stretching to the East as far as Mt Lambert, with no particular criteria, but we share our programme with them. Its all to raise awareness to get them involved and focus on doing things in a particular way, like today, which is a family fitness with the highlight being the zumba competition. Some 40 to 50 schools from Port-of-Spain and the environs were invited to participate in the days activities. En To To focuses on children ages 11 - 17 who are trying to find themselves and looking for role models or mentors. Francois-Opadeyi said: This is one of the events we are doing today but the programme is so much wider than that. We look for different ways to get the students engaged. Sunway wants $350M Sunway is asking for damages due to Udecotts repudiation of a fit-out contract, worth about $298 million, for the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower at the Government Campus Plaza. In 2009, Udecotts board issued correspondence to Sunway, indicating it would engage it in relation to fit-out works, notwithstanding clouds looming over a previous $368.9 million construction contract which Udecott had awarded to the same firm. In 2005, Udecott had, controversially, awarded a first construction contract for the project to Sunway (under a different name) at a time when its board comprised persons later stated to be relatives of Harts wife, Sherrine. A commission of inquiry also heard evidence suggesting that Harts personal fax number appeared on correspondence issued by the contractor. The inquiry later recommended that the award of this contract be subject to scrutiny by law enforcement authorities. Though it entered into talks with Sunway and issued correspondence with the firm in relation to the second contract, the Udecott board later declined to award the contract to Sunway. Sunway contends this was done unlawfully. Religious bias in sex law It is alarming that as a country, we are saying that it is legal for a 12 year old girl to be married to 75 year old man and have sex with this innocent child, at his whim and fancy, under the cloak of an outdated religious law, because she is from a certain religious background, but if a 16 year old girl has intercourse with her 18 year old boyfriend, he can be arrested because he is a Christian, and engaging in intercourse with a minor. She said successive governments have sat by idly on this issue. Saying former prime minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar had in 2012 promised to address the matter, Dyer Griffith alleged that instead the topic was dropped for fear of losing voter support by certain religious groups. The view of the present Opposition in this matter should be publicly aired, as their last appointed Senate President has now openly stated that she sees no problem with a 12 year old girl being married and indulging in sexual intercourse. Dyer Griffith said the AOI demands the issue be addressed once and for all, without consideration of how many votes one would lose, but to do what is right for this country. She also urged action on laws governing gay/homosexual persons. The AOI deems it unfortunate that we are one of the few nations that continue to profile persons who are lesbians, gays, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), with our outdated Immigration Act in Section 8, which prohibits the entry of such persons into our country, said Dyer Griffith. Likewise, Sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act prohibit sex between persons of the same sex. We have been fortunate thus far, that no law enforcement official has ever tested the system and enforced this law, but not enforcing a law is not the avenue to deal with an issue. It should be debated and addressed, with the final decision either being to abandon a law, and if not, then enforce it. But at some point we need to stop pretending that it does not exist. Among the other prohibitions still on TTs law books without necessarily being enforced, Dyer Griffith also referred to abortion and marijuana smoking. The AOI asserts that the time is now for outdated laws to be amended, regarding sensitive topics that for decades have been sidelined by every Administration, because of the fear of the political back lash that they may encounter by opening the proverbial Pandoras Box in these matters, she urged. Political parties and Governments have veered away from these topics, because of fear that they would lose base support from certain groups who may frown over every one of these four topics, which we as the AOI view as unacceptable in our current society, as the role of political parties should not be solely on acquiring the majority support to win elections, but also to act as bodies to assist in directing good governance. Soca goes on cruise This is one of the initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts to promote calypso outside of the region. Line Minister, Dr Nyan Gadsby- Dolly, revealed the initiative last Saturday in her address at the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisations (TUCO) Junior Calypso Monarch Competition prize-giving ceremony, at the National Library, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain. This year marked the 40th anniversary of the competition. In a speech delivered by ministry official Damian Richardson on behalf of the minister, Gadsby-Dolly said, The ministry is working with the Ministry of Tourism on an innovative project called Soca on the Seas; a cruise to The Bahamas with the worlds biggest soca celebrities and DJs. This platform will promote Trinidad and Tobagos culture beyond the Caribbean diaspora. Gadsby-Dolly said calypso must be kept alive by utilising new, innovative channels to promote the art form. Saying that calypso has always represented the voice of the people, our trials and tribulations, our woes and stories, the minister lauded TUCO for safe-guarding the art form for future generations. In addition, you have helped to maintain the relevance of calypso not only during the Carnival season but throughout the year, Gadsby-Dolly said. The minister added that although calypso may be evolving, We must ensure that it is never lost. She said the ministry will launch the 2016 instalment of Mentoring by the Masters next month. This programme allows for the transfer of knowledge from senior, accomplished artistes to emerging practitioners and apprentices in their respective fields, she said, recognising TUCOS Winston Devine, who participated in the 2015 programme. Gadsby-Dolly urged calypsonians to embrace their talents. She also thanked parents, teachers, well-wishers and the competitions main sponsor - First Citizens, for their undying support. Among those receiving awards at the ceremony were 2016 Junior Calypso Monarch, Holy Name Convent student Sharissa Camejo, and runners-up, Dwayne Ta-Zyah OConnor and Desle Julien. Ministry developing chicken importation standards Dexter Morgan, Director, Consumer Guidance and Protection disclosed this during a Joint Select Committee meeting on Food Fraud at Parliament building, Port-of-Spain last Friday. Morgan said they working closely with the TT Bureau of Standards, the Caribbean Poultry Association and an organisation in Germany. Morgan briefly discussed the project as the Ministrys acting permanent secretary Norris Herbert told the committee of reports it received in the past about imported chicken. Acting Senior Project Analyst, Sandra Peter- Sarabjit explained when they got the reports, they visited poultry depots but did not find any case of such. Weve heard from consumers who claimed they had purchased parts that were large in size so the possibility did exist but it could not be proven in reaction to that. What we sought to do is to educate, and empower, so we recognised that if a potential threat is there we need to educate them, she said. She added that the ministry conducted one of its public outreach sessions with community groups. They also produced a brochure with tips for consumers on how to purchase chicken. Homeless persons learn about sex education, anger management Forde was one of the 20 participants who graduated last Friday from a three-day workshop, Aspects of our Life provided by the Society of St Vincent De Paul, at the CSDP centre, Eastside Plaza, Port-of- Spain. The workshop included programmes based on anger management, sex education, conflict resolution, decision making, self esteem and motivation, social and mental aspects of life, spiritual aspects of life and abuse prevention. Forde said, We as homeless people need these types of programmes to help us better our lives at different levels. We need to know that we are equipt and ready to go back into society to live a normal life. Programmes such as this will help empower persons toward betterment. I really hope the government can step in and provide more social programmes to help us. He said throughout the entire programme, the topic of self esteem has helped him make better decisions, and was now geared toward living a successful life. Another participant, Anthony Jacob said the programme was very uplifting, and he benefitted from the aspect of conflict resolution. I welcome an advance part of this programme because it was very uplifting, and I have learned a lot from the conflict resolution part of the programme because I have some lot problems with anger. He continued, This workshop has given me a lot of knowledge, that I can use if a problem arises I will know how to handle it. I will also like to see more programmes such as these to help the homeless in Trinidad and Tobago. Angelique Taylor, National President of the Society of St Vincent De Paul, encouraged the participants to continue striving for betterment. Dont let anyone tell you that you are not worthy, you are a child of God and you are not worthless. Everyone has their individual talent, gift, and we were put on this earth to use it for the agreement of God alone, Taylor said. Blood reagents here, no problem The reagents are used for testing blood and blood products for use in blood transfusions. Speaking to reporters at Fridays stakeholder workshop hosted by the Health Ministry and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to discuss the subject, Antimicrobial Resistance-A Global Health Concern, at the Marriott Courtyard, Deyalsingh said the matter had been dealt with after working wit the distributor. We have had a problem with the reagents to test the blood and those reagents landed in the country last night and are being distributed now. As I said earlier this week the situation would be resolved by Friday, today is Friday, and it has been resolved. Yes, there was a problem, we worked with the distributor, and the distribution took place between 2am and 6 am today, so things should normalise by later today or by tomorrow for the absolute latest, Deyalsingh assured. The North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) said during the period of shortage, they did have an adequate supply of blood and no services had been suspended. The NWRHA also stated that all elective and emergency cases wer emanaged without patient care being compromised at any time. Gupte: Find ways of minimsing hunting pressure Under the Conservation of Wildlife Act, the Minister can make changes to the regulations and this will be my focus, stated Minister Rambharat. He clarified that fines and penalties require Parliamentary approval and cannot be addressed in the limited time available. For those present at the consultation, the message from Minister Rambharat was of great interest as some concern had been expressed by the hunting stakeholders as to the purpose of the consultations. However, the recognition by the Minister of the role of hunting in sustainable livelihoods of many communities in Trinidad and Tobago and the independent stance of moderator of the forum, Wesley Gibbings promoted their trust in the process. The Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ZSTT), a non-governmental organisation well known for its conservation projects is also supporting the process having taken on the role of co-host along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries to promote the public discourse on hunting. This first event which was held at the Caroni Swamp Visitor Centre would be followed by two others, one in Tobago and the other in South East Trinidad. The ZSTT was singled out by the Minister for its facilitative role in the days event and recognised for its proactivity in tackling conservation issues of importance. President of the ZSTT, Gupte Lutchmedial explained that despite ones personal view on hunting, this is a cultural practice that is deeply embedded in our society and cannot be ignored. The practice of hunting has remained unchanged for decades and the ZSTT is interested in contributing to better regulations for the management of hunting, said Lutchmedial. In this regard, the services of the ZSTTs Conservation Adviser, Nadra Nathai-Gyan was made available to co-chair a Steering Committee appointed by the Minister to address matters related to hunting. The Conservator of Forests who also holds the title of Chief Game Warden, John Radgman serves as the Chairman. Nathai-Gyan explained that the consultation just concluded is one platform for the Steering Committee to share information with the public of its work in progress and invite comments from diverse groups that can be meaningfully considered. As for Lutchmedial, he has committed the ZSTT to seeing this process through to its conclusion as he reasoned, The ZSTT is well known for its conservation work and we want to be part of the solution come October 2016 when the hunting season opens. Measures to ensure sustainability can be put in place for our game animals and must find ways of minimising hunting pressure in the wild. Mindful that October is fast approaching, Minister Rambharat thanked the Steering Committee for the progress made in just a few months and indicated his interest in the final recommendations. Saunders: Leadership at all levels wanting And he has issued a challenge to the Government, Opposition, independent senators, head of public service and leaders of religious and civic bodies to reverse what he sees as a debilitating trend. Speaking in the wake of PSA President Watson Dukes decision to stay on as head of the union, despite being hauled before the courts on rape and indecent assault charges, Saunders asked, They must determine if that is a standard that is acceptable to them for leadership in 2016 and beyond? Are we are going forwards or backwards in laws, civil society and value systems? Saying he did not want to engage in a frolic of speculation, regarding Dukes matter, Saunders told Newsday that the issue was no longer about the PSA leader but a societal one. The conversation should be about the standards set for all leaders in the society, be it the prime minister, President or Chairman of the National Parent-Teacher Association, from top to bottom, he said. We have to forget the individual and concentrate on how we respond to the individual because the decisions we make today as leaders are going to affect the leaders of tomorrow and how they operate in public office. Duke was granted $250,000 bail after appearing in the Port-of- Spain Magistrates Court to cover charges which include four counts of indecent assault and one count of rape. Members of the PSAs executive have said they would stand behind the union leader. Saunders was member of the Duke-led Pioneers slate which beat the Reformers, led by former PSA President Jennifer Baptiste-Primus (now Labour Minister) in the November 25, 2009, election. He later spoke out against Dukes management style which resulted in him and other members of the then executive being removed from their positions. Saunders, a member of the newly-formed PSA Protectors, said that the unions general council and the executive should have at least launched an internal investigation into the matter and make a recommendations for Dukes suspension, with full pay, pending the outcome of his court matter. He said Duke should have done the honourable thing by adhering to Article 82 of the PSAs Constitution, which was revised by the unions Conference of Delegates in 2008. It states, in part, that the general council shall have power, either on the recommendation of the executive committee or acting in the first instance to take disciplinary action against any national officer, officers of a section, or ordinary member who in its opinion has been guilty of misconduct, calculated, or likely to bring the association into disrepute. The PSA is the representing union for the majority of the nations public servants. China says its ready if U.S. stirs up any conflict in South China Sea BEIJING Chinas attempts to claim a nearly 1.4-million-square-mile swathe of open ocean are without precedent and probably without legal merit, but Beijing continues to assert its right to the economically critical zone and increasingly puts its claims in military terms. Speaking to a small group of reporters in Beijing on Thursday, a high-ranking Chinese official made his warning clear: The United States should not provoke China in the South China Sea without expecting retaliation. (Article by Seema Mody, republished from //www.cnbc.com/2016/05/19/china-says-its-ready-if-us-stirs-up-any-conflict-in-south-china-sea.html) The Chinese people do not want to have war, so we will be opposed to [the] U.S. if it stirs up any conflict, said Liu Zhenmin, vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Of course, if the Korean War or Vietnam War are replayed, then we will have to defend ourselves. The so-called nine-dash line that China has drawn over most of the South China Sea a gargantuan territorial claim that stretches about 1,200 miles from its shores would give Beijing control over a zone thats estimated to handle about half of global merchant shipping, a third of the planets oil shipping, two-thirds of global liquid natural gas shipments, and more than a 10th of Earths fish catch. The Obama administration, backed by several Asian governments and entities such as the Brookings Institution, argues that such massive ocean claims at great distance from land are inconsistent with international law. China has a growing military presence in the region, including the wholesale raising of islands and construction of airfields on what were once atolls. The U.S. Navy operates there as well, increasingly in concert with regional powers such as the Philippines. Two Chinese fighter jets on Tuesday intercepted and passed within 50 feet of a U.S. military reconnaissance plane. We rely heavily on the South China Sea [for] transportation of resources and energy and the South China Sea is an important trading group for us. We attach great importance to peace and stability in the South China Sea, said Liu, who warned the United States that it cannot circle China by building military bases we cannot do so 30 years ago, or even now. Chinese people and the government feel like we havent been treated fairly because the U.S. is blaming China for rising tensions in the South China Sea, said Liu, who added that what matters is that the U.S. government has recognized that times have changed, [and the U.S.] can gain much more through cooperation than going to war. China is party to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and that framework provides no legal basis for China to claim its nine-dash area, said Alessio Patalano, senior lecturer in Naval History and East Asian Security at Kings College London. DigitalGlobe imagery of the nearly completed construction within the Fiery Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the western part of the Spratly Islands group But beyond that, Patalano said, Chinas actions have no historical precedent. There is not a precedent of this kind, and this is for two reasons, Patalano told CNBC. First until recently, technology didnt allow nation states to project power over the oceans as it is possible today. Second, todays degree of interdependence has no precedent in history, therefore issues over the ability of shipping to move through this basin has potential impact on the international system in a way that was not possible previously. The South China Sea for years has been a point of contention for bordering nations besides China, including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, but in recent years has become a larger nexus of disagreement as China has unilaterally declared the region its own. Chinas fishing fleet, the worlds biggest, operates increasingly within the legally exclusive zones of Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries. A tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to rule in the next couple months on Chinas expansive territorial claims, though China has already rejected those proceedings. As the dispute festers, experts see a higher chance of an unintended conflict between U.S. and Chinese vessels or aircraft, something that was witnessed in 2001 when a Chinese and a U.S. plane collided. China watchers say if a collision were to happen in 2016, a strong response from both sides could be possible. China attaches far greater importance to peace in the South China Sea much greater than the U.S. and Japan. No one should doubt our sincerity in this subject, Liu said. The Chinese government will uphold peace in Southeast Asia even for the sake of our own survival. In this sense we are actively against any moves that will jeopardize peace in the South China Sea. Liu warned that a conflict between China and the United States would have wide repercussions for the global economy. No country would want to see confrontations between [the] U.S. and China, he said, because [the] Chinese and U.S. economy will be hurt, and impacts will be felt across the world. Read more at: //www.cnbc.com/2016/05/19/china-says-its-ready-if-us-stirs-up-any-conflict-in-south-china-sea.html Submit a correction >> Dem lawmakers introduce legislation to ban a President Trump from banning Muslims (Freedom.news) Despite the fact that presidents generally have the authority to ban anyone from entering the U.S., for a host of reasons, a group of Democratic lawmakers wants to change that authority in a bid to preempt a President Donald Trump from doing what he thinks is best for U.S. national security. On the campaign trail Trump has called for a temporary ban on admitting anyone from Muslim-dominated countries with known terrorist entities at least until U.S. intelligence and Homeland Security officials find a way to properly vet these individuals. In the case of Syria, for example, the government is nearly non-functional, so there are no official sources for U.S. investigators to utilize when trying to vet Syrian refugees and migrants. The same is true of Libya, which is practically a failed state. Nevertheless, as reported by AMI Newire, a band of Democratic congressmen on Wednesday fired back at anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States by announcing new legislation to protect Muslim immigrants. The Freedom of Religion Act would ban religious litmus tests that could prevent immigrants and refugees from entering the U.S. Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.) and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) introduced the legislation on Wednesday, with a powerful cosponsor House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. The four primary sponsors last banded together in December on legislation condemning anti-Muslim bigotry. For over 400 years, people have flocked to our shores in search of religious freedom, Beyer said. America has always been a country that welcomes people from all faiths. Carson said the idea of a religious litmus test would betray our nations core values. Blocking immigrants because of their religion would send a demoralizing and dangerous message to the world that the United States is no longer a beacon of freedom, he said. This critical legislation signals that the United States has always been, and will continue to be, a country that welcomes people of all races, ethnicities, and religions. Wednesdays announcement was a not-so-thinly-veiled reaction to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who sparked a firestorm in December by suggesting banning Muslims from entering the United States. Trump made the remark after terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, that were either inspired or carried out by Islamic State militants. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life, Trump said in a statement at the time. Far from apologizing or dialing down his rhetoric, Trump has doubled down in recent speeches and interviews. He has renewed his call for the Muslim ban, and only stepped back slightly this week by suggesting that he may appoint former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to head a commission to study the idea. At almost the same time as Wednesdays press conference, Trump got some high-profile help from billionaire energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens at the SkyBridge Alternatives global-investment conference in Las Vegas. Pickens said he not only supported Trump for president, but his call for a Muslim immigrant ban as well. I like his immigration policy. I didnt say its permanent. But Id cut off the Muslims coming into the United States until we can vet these people Weve got to know. About 30 organizations have announced support for the bill announced Wednesday, including a number of Jewish organizations as well as the Anti-Defamation League. But opposition is likely from conservative groups allied with Trump. Indeed, an audience at a South Carolina rally loudly cheered the idea when Trump appeared a day after proposing his Muslim ban; a Christian Broadcasting Network correspondent lauded him for bravery. Beyer is leading the charge for the measure. In a Dear Colleague letter to House members on Tuesday, he referred to the current political discourse surrounding the issue of religious-based acceptance into the U.S., and noted that the idea behind the bill is enshrined in Article 6, Clause 3 of the Constitution. (The Constitution) bans religious litmus tests for Americans who seek or hold higher office, and the opening phrase of the Bill of Rights bans both the establishment of a national religion and limitations on the free exercise of religion, Beyer wrote. The Founding Fathers could hardly have been more clear in expressing their desire to make America a tolerant nation, and yet we are faced with a political atmosphere in which political candidates, pandering to fear and prejudice, have proposed introducing religious litmus tests to our immigration system. Beyer also observed that Trumps proposal could even potentially ban world leaders from entering the U.S., as well as scientific or business leaders who may be visiting U.S. shores for business or political purposes but any reasonable person knows that a President Trump would never do that. His proposal is specific to the national security needs of the country. That he identified radical Islam as problematic may have bruised some feelings, but as president his first obligation is to protect the country. That hardly seems debatable. This effort also smacks of hypocrisy. Democrats who are working in Congress and around the country to deny Christians religious freedom rights now want us to believe they are protectors of religious rights? Reporting by J. Taylor Rushing, American Media Institute. More: Freedom.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> Does Israel have trained animal spies? Or are these Middle Eastern countries just incredibly paranoid? Something strange is happening in the Middle East. A string of animals have been arrested on the grounds of espionage, prompting many to wonder whether these Middle Eastern countries are suffering from mass paranoia. In Iran, for instance, two pigeons were arrested in 2008 near a uranium enrichment plant. Officials said the birds were bearing a blue-coated metal ring, with invisible strings, but refused to provide more information. They suspected the rings and strings may have been used as a means for communications. No specifics were given about which country the birds pledged their allegiance to. Suspicions of espionage among pigeons extended to India. A pigeon with numbers attached to its tail was detained by Indian police on the grounds that it was working with Pakistan. Officials x-rayed the bird and booked it as a suspected spy, reported The Guardian. Nothing adverse has been found, but we have kept the bird in our custody, senior police superintendent Rakesh Kaushal told sources. A sketchy bunch of squirrels But pigeons arent the only suspects for these paranoid countries. Back in 2007, Iran took 14 squirrels hostage, which officials believed were equipped with spyware from Israel. The squirrels were carrying spy gear of foreign agencies, and were stopped before they could act, thanks to the alertness of our intelligence services, according to Irans state news agency. In response, a former CIA agent told NPR, No, its complete idiocy. You cant use squirrels for espionage. A couple of pigeons near Irans nuclear facility were detained the following year. Suspicions over pigeons were motivated by conspiracy theories that Israel has collected a zoo of technology which equips animals for its intelligence commissions. Although these conspiracy theories have been refuted multiple times over, they continue to prevail. In 2010, an Egyptian marine biologist started a rumor that Israel had released a GPS equipped shark that killed a tourist and left others injured off the Sinai coast of Egypt. Why would these sharks travel 4,000 kilometers and not have any accidents until they entered Sinai waters? questioned an Egyptian television talking head. The theory was further promulgated by the regions governor, who conjectured that the shark may have been working with Mossad to keep tourists away from Egypts Red Sea resorts. The dolphin with blood on its fins Another supposed attempt by Israel to manipulate wildlife occurred when a suspicious dolphin off Gaza drew the attention of Hamass Qassam Brigade Naval Commandos. After further investigation, officials dubbed the dolphin a murderer equipped with surveillance technology. Images of the supposed dolphin and its equipment were never released. New life was breathed into old conspiracy theories in late 2012, when authorities in the region of Darfur found a vulture outfitted with a GPS and satellite broadcast technology. Its leg tag confirmed that it was part of Jerusalems Hebrew University program. Israels park authority claimed ownership of the bird. They said it was one among a 100 other vultures involved in a study, which were in no way associated in reconnaissance. This isnt meant to cast all instances of animal espionage to the lunatic fringe. Since the 1960s, the U.S. has trained dolphins and sea lions to identify underwater mines as part of the Marine Mammal Program. Five dolphins were sent to Vietnam to put their monitoring skills to the test. In addition, during the Iraq War, dolphins were unleashed into energy waters to pinpoint mines. In short, Middle Eastern countries have reason to believe that animals could be used to spy on them. In many cases, however, such concerns have driven these countries to the brink of paranoia. Sources include: (1) Pri.org (2) TheDailyBeast.com Submit a correction >> Pentagon: China is restructuring its military for war as it boosts troop levels near Indian border (NationalSecurity.news) The Chinese military is undergoing a major restructuring to prepare it for future conflict, the Pentagon told Congress in its latest annual assessment of the Peoples Liberation Army, including taking a more aggressive posture towards its large and powerful neighbors. As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, the Pentagon said in its 145-page report that the Chinese military underwent a major restructuring last year to prepare it for conflict. The armed forces were reformed with new military regions, a new command structure, and updated strategies to better prepare for fighting regional, high-tech warfare, the report to Congress said. These reforms aim to strengthen the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) control over the military, enhance the PLAs ability to conduct joint operations, and improve its ability to fight short-duration, high-intensity regional conflicts at greater distances from the Chinese mainland, the report said. Abraham Denmark, deputy assistant defense secretary for East Asia, told reporters the military reforms are intended to enhance the PLAs ability to conduct joint operations by replacing the old military regions with new geographic commands, the WFB reported. Our approach focuses on reducing risk, expanding common ground, and maintaining our military superiority, Denmark said. Part of Chinas new military strategy has included the construction of islands in the South China Sea where military forces could be staged and utilized to control the strategic waterway that links the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In an emergency, make sure you can eat when others cant Click here From some of the 3,200 acres of new islands, China will be able to use them as persistent civil-military bases to enhance its long-term presence in the South China Sea significantly, the report said. In addition, China is attempting to assert sovereignty over Japans Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Meanwhile, a report from India-based NDTV, citing the Pentagon report, said China bolstered its defensive capabilities and deployed additional troops along its border with India. The report warned of increasing Chinese military presence including bases in various part of the world, and in particular in Pakistan, a long-time India rival. We have noticed an increase in capability and force posture by the Chinese military in areas close to the border with India, Denmark told reporters, adding that it was difficult to conclude Chinas real intentions behind the moves. It is difficult to say how much of this is driven by internal considerations to maintain internal stability, and how much of it is an external consideration, he said in response to a question on China upgrading its military command in Tibet. A separate NDTV report noted that Chinas five-year plan is for its military to become the worlds most modern by 2020. More: NationalSecurity.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Libyas Prime Minister-designate Sunday failed to win firm backing from the United Arab Emirate (UAE) after Abu Dhabi called for the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) signed in December. Faiez Serraj held talks with UAEs deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan to persuade the Emiratis to drop their support for rival government led by Abdullah Thinni supported by the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR). The UAE is allegedly providing military support to HoR-backed Libyan National Army, headed by self-style Khalifa Hafter who has been vehemently opposed to the Government of National Accord (GNA.) In a statement issued following the meeting between the two ministers, Abu Dhabi called for the implementation of the LPA which vests the GNA with power only after the HoR, known as the countrys legitimate legislature, endorses it. Prime Minister serraj early last week called on his cabinet members to take office even though HoR has not confirmed them. Since arriving in Tripoli few weeks ago, the GNA has been struggling to assert its power in the capital and across the country. It has taken control of several ministries including the ministry of foreign affairs. Sheikh Mansour called on Libya to shore up its unity and restore its security. Some 25 countries including the US last week pledged to ease the arms embargo imposed on the country since 2011 in a move to help the GNA acquire necessary military equipment to fight IS. Canada Saturday launched a $4 million security partnership with Tunisia to help the North African country address the growing terrorism threat, which has utterly crashed its economy. Visiting Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion told reporters in Tunis that Canada would not let Tunisia fall into decay due terrorism after it chose the path of democracy and stands ready to work hand in hand with the North African country to overcome security concerns posed by growing terrorism. The international community must support Tunisia in its fight against terrorism, Dion said during a joint press conference with his Tunisian counterpart, Khemaies Jhinaoui. For the Canadian top diplomat, endorsing the North African country will be profitable to the world. Tunisias future is a bit the worlds future, Dion said. Our two governments will make sure that partnership (.) is extremely efficient to lift Tunisia out of the vicious spiral where security is linked with economy. Canada has joined scores of countries, including the US and France, which have pledged support to Tunisia to help it win its fight against terrorism. Despite a successful transition into democracy, the north African country has been stranded in constant security instability marked by three major terrorist attacks which hit the country last year killing scores of people among whom 59 foreign tourists. Morocco, which backs humanitarian actions around the world despite its limited resources, has attended the World Humanitarian Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey this May 23-24. King Mohammed VI was represented at the summit opening by his younger brother Prince Moulay Rachid. The Summit aims at raising funds for humanitarian aid and reviewing ways to improve their distribution. On the sidelines of this event, Prince Moulay Rachid visited on Monday an exhibition showing Moroccos contribution in humanitarian action and peacekeeping operations. The exhibition displays the contribution made by the Moroccan royal armed forces over half a century in peacekeeping operations and the protection of civilians. With more than 2,300 peacekeepers, the North African Kingdom is currently the 15th troop contributor to UN peace operations. Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. UN Peacekeepers provide security and peace-building support to help countries in the generally difficult transition from conflict to peace. According to UN figures, there are currently 16 UN peacekeeping operations deployed on four continents. The Istanbul world humanitarian summit marks a turning point in how the international community prepares and faces crises, conflicts, natural disasters and population movements to prevent human suffering. The goal is to ensure that countries, non-governmental organizations and relief workers come together to address global humanitarian crises. The summiteers objectives include actions and commitments aimed at enabling countries and communities to better prepare for and respond to crises, and be resilient to shocks. They also reviewed the best practices, which can help save lives around the world and alleviate suffering. American aeronautic group Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) launched, via its branch Alcoa Fastening Systems, a plant in Casablanca as part of its expansion program in Morocco. The new plant, named Alcoa Fixations Casablanca, required a 5.4 million investment. It covers a total surface of 6,300 square meters. The new site is located at Casablanca free trade zone of Midparc, near the citys international airport and is expected to generate up to 200 jobs. Alcoa is already operating a plant at Bouskoura, near Casablanca. It also possesses three other factories specialized in training, pressing and screw fabrication. The American giant possesses more than 30 plants around the world and has established its European base in France. Morocco has become an attractive hub for most global aeronautic companies among which Airbus, Safran, Bombardier, Fleuron, Hexcelle. The French giant Thales is also expected to start a shop in the Midparc. Around 110 companies have established their local bases in Casablanca free trade zone which offers them exceptional business environment, including tax exemption for exportation for a period of five years. Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was allegedly traveling in this vehicle when he died. Photo: Barkat Tareen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Good morning and welcome to Fresh Intelligence, our roundup of the stories, ideas, and memes youll be talking about today. In this edition, President Obama confirms the death of the Talibans leader, Sanders supporters sue (again), and Trump second-guesses himself. Heres the rundown for Monday, May 23. WEATHER Expect a dreary Monday with showers across the Plains, the Northwest, and the Mid-Atlantic, and severe storms (including tornados and hail) possible from Minnesota all the way to Texas. Luckily, New York City will only see a few clouds, and temperatures should hit the low- to mid-70s. [USA Today] FRONT PAGE Obama Confirms Death of Taliban Leader in U.S. Airstrike Early Monday morning, Obama confirmed reports that Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, was killed Saturday morning in a U.S. drone strike. In a statement, Obama called Mansours death an important milestone in the effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. The strike was the first American drone attack in Balochistan, a province in southwestern Pakistan thats known to be the headquarters of the Afghan Taliban. Mansours death represents the Talibans second leadership crisis in a year. [NYT] EARLY AND OFTEN Sanders Supporters in California Sue Sanders supporters in California are taking a cue from their candidate and refusing to go quietly. One of Californias minority parties along with the Voting Rights Defense Project, which recruits voters for Sanders, filed a lawsuit against registrars of voters in two counties and Secretary of State Alex Padilla to extend the registration period until June 7: the date of the California primary. The suit claims registration is confusing for independent voters. Coincidentally, most independent voters support Sanders. Washington State Backs Ghost of Candidate Past It seems voters in the state of Washington didnt get the memo that Ted Cruz dropped out of the Republican race over the weekend, the states GOP convention awarded 40 of 41 elected delegates to Cruz rather than hand them over to Trump. Will it make any difference in the long run? Probably not. But its the principle of the thing. [Seattle Times] Bernie Sanders Makes Surprising Endorsement Its no secret Bernie Sanders isnt Florida congresswoman and Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultzs biggest fan the two have traded fire on a number of occasions. But on Sunday, Sanders took his battle with the Establishment to new heights when he publicly endorsed Wasserman Schultzs opponent, Tim Canova, in his attempt to oust her from her congressional seat. Bern. Trump Goes Back on Key Suggestion It appears the Trump campaign is backpedaling on one of its suggestions, otherwise known as policy proposals. The Hill reports that the Republican front-runners top foreign-policy adviser has begun to quietly reach out to Muslim and Middle Eastern Republicans and conservative activists. According to the aide, most want to support Mr. Trump, but theyre not clear about some of the statements hes made. What part of a Muslim ban is unclear? [The Hill] THE STREET, THE VALLEY Sumner Redstone Expands His Circle of Trust Sumner Redstone, the 92-year-old media mogul who recently underwent a competency trail, is preparing to add two new people to the seven-person trust that will determine the fate of his businesses after he dies he kicked two trustees out and will reportedly replace them with a lawyer and a family friend. [Reuters] U.S. Lifts Weapons Embargo to Vietnam President Obama landed in Vietnam early Monday morning where he announced the United States will lift an embargo on the sale of military weapons thats been in place since 1975. The move reflects warming relations between the U.S. and Vietnam and the Obama administrations growing concern with Chinas military power. [WaPo] Bayer Surprises Monsanto With $62 Billion Bayer, the German chemical and pharmaceutical company, surprised Monsanto, another chemical and agricultural behemoth, when it offered to buy the company for $62 billion in cash. In buying Monsanto, Bayer is seeking to become the worlds biggest supplier of genetically modified seeds no word yet on how Monsanto feels about all this. [Bloomberg] Motorola Keeps the Mid-Aughts Dream Alive Motorola posted a video to its YouTube account that seems to hint at a reboot of the ultimate mid-aughts cool-kid cellphone: the Motorola Razr. If the angsty high-school footage wasnt enough of a hint, the video is set to Boys Like Girls$2 2006 hit, The Great Escape. Our inner teen is freaking out. [CNet] MEDIA BUBBLE Michelle Fields Will Have to Deal With Trump Again Michelle Fields, the Breitbart reporter who charged Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski with simple battery after he grabbed her arm at a campaign event, is heading to the Huffington Post where shell continue to cover the presidential campaign. Fields quit her job at Breitbart after the highly conservative site sided with Trump over its own reporter in the spat. [CNN] Tribune to Gannett: You Tried It Tribune Publishing has decided to reject Gannetts latest $864 million takeover proposal, Reuters reports. According to anonymous sources, Tribune is willing to offer Gannett access to some of its confidential corporate information, but it considers Gannetts offer to be inadequate. Its unclear whether Gannett will come back with a higher offer. [Reuters] Coloring Book Makes History Chance the Rappers new album is the first in history to debut on the Billboard 200 based solely on streaming numbers. Thanks to new tracking methods, the magazine can count how many times Coloring Book has been streamed and convert that number into equivalent album sales. PHOTO OP Monday, Basically Were guessing Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams has a bad case of the Mondays today, thanks to some merciless karate-kick action from Warriors forward Draymond Green during last nights game. MORNING MEME Failed Republican Presidential Candidate Has A Life, Okay? Ohio governor John Kasich was spotted jamming out at a Memphis May Fire concert this weekend. Those earplugs wouldve been a great debate accessory. OTHER LOCAL NEWS Another Reason Not to Go to Florida Scientists have discovered three Nile crocodiles, a species native to Africa, in Floridas swamps. Unlike regular crocodiles, which are bad enough, this species grows up to 18 feet long, can weigh as much as a small car, and is much more likely to crave the taste of human flesh between 2010 and 2014, Nile crocodiles were responsible for 480 attacks on people and 123 fatalities in Africa. Time to get a refund on those plane tickets. [CNN] Nerds, Unite! When a 9-year-old boy in Cleveland, Ohio, had his entire collection of Pokemon cards stolen, his parents did the logical thing and called the police to track them down. The officer in charge of the investigation not only hunted down the bully whod taken the cards and got them back he also gave the kid his own vintage collection. If you need any proof that pure joy exists in the world, click through and take a look at the expression on this kids face. [KTLA] HAPPENING TODAY Obama Goes East The president kicked off his weeklong trip to Vietnam and Japan yesterday, where hell work to build stronger relationships with both countries, push for approval of the Trans-Pacific trade agreement, and become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima. [NYDN] Verdict to Be Announced in Freddie Gray Officer Trial A judge in Baltimore, Maryland, is expected to hand down his verdict today in the case of Officer Edward Nero, who faces misconduct in office and reckless-endangerment charges. Nero arrested Gray in April of 2015; Gray later died in police custody. [Bloomberg] A police officer guards a crime scene in Lafayette. Photo: Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images Law enforcement personnel in Louisiana are about to be designated a protected class under hate-crime law, according to a new bill that just passed the states two legislative bodies with near unanimous approval from lawmakers, and which Governor John Bel Edwards is now expected to sign, according to the Washington Post. The legislation, referred to as the Blue Lives Matter bill, would make it a crime to target someone because of actual or perceived employment as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical services personnel, punishable with up to five additional years in prison or a maximum fine of $5,000 (for a felony offense). At present, Louisiana already protects minorities from hate crime attacks on the basis of their race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion, but not their chosen occupation. Blue Lives Matter activism has emerged as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and asserts that, as the criticism of, and outrage over police-related deaths, excessive force, and racial profiling has become more mainstream, police officers face increasing levels of discrimination and violence though as the Post notes, so far evidence of any such rise seems inconclusive at best, and an FBI report that came last week indicated that cops are actually now, on average, safer than theyve been in decades. Nonetheless, proponents of Louisiana HB 953 point to instances in which first responders have been targeted, especially a case in which a sheriffs deputy was randomly executed at a Houston gas station last fall, leading to national outcry from the law enforcement community linking the crime to rhetoric coming from activists like the Black Lives Matter movement (though its worth noting that the assailant in that case turned out to have a history of mental illness and a few months ago was found incompetent to stand trial for the crime). Critics of the Louisiana bill include the Anti-Defamation League, which is one of the leading advocates in the country for hate crime legislation. According to CNN, the ADLs regional director, Allison Padilla-Goodman, argued in a press release that the new bill confuses the purpose of the Hate Crimes Act and weakens its impact by adding more categories of people, who are already better protected under other laws, also noting that proving the bias intent is very different for these categories than it is for the bias intent of a crime against a law enforcement officer. Padilla-Goodwin has additionally pointed out to the Advocate that Louisiana law already provides the option of extra punishment for crimes that target police, as do 36 other states. Elsewhere, the New Orleans chapter of the Black Youth Project 100, which works to raise awareness about police brutality, has also rejected the potential law, highlighting how few police officers are killed each year in comparison to the number of people killed by police violence, and arguing that we cannot allow the gains of the civil rights movement to be squandered away by police officers scrambling to avoid criticism from their constituents. They call the bill an insidious attempt to destabilize our First Amendment rights as community members who hold the police, and others sworn by oath to serve and protect, accountable, adding that Including police as a protected class in hate crime legislation would serve to provide more protection to an institution that is statistically proven to be racist in action, policy, and impact. A similar bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, by Colorado Republican Ken Buck, which proposes adding law enforcement personnel to the federal hate crime statute, but it has not yet been scheduled for a vote. Just over here un-rigging the system. Photo: Justin Sullivan/2016 Getty Images On Sunday, Bernie Sanders stepped up his fight against the Establishment, and in California, so did his supporters. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sanders backers have filed a federal lawsuit requesting voter registration to be extended past the states May 31 deadline until June 7 the day of the primary. The suits plaintiffs, which include two Bay Area voters, the American Independent Party (which has had its own registration woes in recent weeks), and an organization called the Voting Rights Defense Project an organization campaigning to increase voter turnout for Sanders allege voters dont understand the rules to register for the primary. Registrars of voters in two counties as well as Secretary of State Alex Padilla are named as defendants. Theres mass confusion, William Simpich, the Oakland civil-rights attorney who filed the suit, told the Times. Mistakes are being made. This is a situation that really shouts out for some uniformity. What he means is that, according to the lawsuit, officials in some of Californias 58 counties dont do an adequate job of informing their constituents about the registration process. Democrats have opened up their primary to independent voters, or those registered with no party preference. But according to Simpich, not all independent voters are aware that they can vote in line with a party. From the Times: The suit focuses on whether no party preference voters who intend to cast ballots by mail understand they can ask for a ballot from one of the three parties that allow them to cross over and participate in the race for president: the Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party, and Californias American Independent Party. If they do not make the request, those voters will receive a ballot with a blank space where partisan ballots list the presidential candidates. As of last week, the Times points out, only 9 percent of no party preference voters in Los Angeles County had requested and been mailed a ballot for the Democratic party; in Orange County, only 23 percent of no party preference voters have asked for partisan ballots. Sanders has good reason to be concerned that California voters with no party preference might not know they can vote for Democratic candidates his support among independents has given him a boost in almost every Democratic primary to date. California is a particularly crucial primary for Sanders; at this point, its all but impossible for him to win the required number of delegates to be the Democratic nominee, but his campaign is hoping hell arrive in Philadelphia having won enough delegates to influence the partys agenda. It is far too late for Establishment politics and colonial Oversight Boards. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Theres plenty for a democratic socialist to hate about the new deal for resolving Puerto Ricos debt crisis. The agreement reached by the Obama administration and Speaker Paul Ryan last week will slash the islands minimum wage and subjugate the territorys local governments to an Oversight Board one that will be dominated by Republicans and legally bound to act in the best interests of Puerto Ricos creditors. Oh, and just to make sure the deal isnt tainted by any hint of democratic legitimacy, no one who has ever been elected to represent the Puerto Rican people will be allowed to serve in this shadow government. Thus, it isnt shocking that Bernie Sanders is railing against the deal. I am urging the Senate Democratic Caucus to make it clear to the Republican leadership that this legislation is unacceptable and will not be supported by Senate Democrats, Sanders wrote in a letter to his colleagues in the upper chamber. In my view, we must never give an unelected control board the power to make life and death decisions for the people of Puerto Rico without any meaningful input from them at all. But theres a strong argument for not letting the democratically legitimate become the enemy of the good. True, the current deal enjoys the support of such nefarious right-wing organizations as Americans for Tax Reform, but it also has the backing of the Jubilee USA Network, which represents virtually all of Puerto Ricos religious leaders. And theres a lot for a Puerto Rican priest (or any of the islands residents) to like about the deal. First and foremost, the territory cant wait until the political revolution for some form of financial relief. At present, the Puerto Rican government cant fund its pensions or finance basic services, like fuel for school buses and police cars. And this July, the island will fall another $1.9 billion behind on its debt payments. Puerto Rico needs debt-restructuring yesterday which is to say, it needs a form of debt relief that congressional Republicans can vote for right now. Even the current plan, which establishes a pseudo-colonial shadow government tasked with trading debt haircuts for austerity measures, is running into a wall of reactionary opposition. Some hedge funds would rather see Puerto Rico pull a Soylent Green on its elderly than fail to pay its debts in full, and theyre bankrolling a massive lobbying effort thats put the fear of God (and/or primary challenges) into much of the House GOP. The prospects for a more Sanders-friendly debt deal look pretty bleak. And, as Felix Salmon argues, rule-by-appointed-technocrat has its upsides: In the coming debt negotiations, the Oversight Boardwhich is temporary, not permanent, and will probably feature a bunch of Wall Street debt-restructuring typeswill essentially offer to swap creditors existing bonds, which will never get paid back in full, for new securities. Those new bonds will have a much lower face value, in total, but also a much lower chance of default. Bondholders will only take the deal if they believe that the new bonds, unlike the old bonds, will be paid back in full. And since theyve been burned by a succession of elected governments, an unelected Oversight Board is exactly the kind of reassurance they need that theyre not just giving up claims for nothing. [emphasis added] Salmon also notes that the boards mandate to act in the best interests of creditors is defined rather loosely: A restructuring agreement is in a bondholders interest if it pays out more than available remedies under the non-bankruptcy laws and constitution of the territory. Which is, essentially, more than nothing. Plus, the Oversight Board has other, more populist mandates. Among these is a requirement that it provide adequate funding for essential public services and the public pension system. Nonetheless, Sanderss full-throated opposition to the deal is valuable: It will give Puerto Rican voters a chance to register their views of the agreement, when they chose between Sanders and Hillary Clinton who supports the deal with reservations in the islands June 5 caucus. The easy-breezy days of running circles around a divided GOP field have come to an abrupt end. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Yes, it must be fun and ego-gratifying to be Donald J. Trump right now. Hes won the GOP presidential nominating contest without the complex nightmare of a contested convention, and without significantly depleting his personal fortune (so far as we know). The Republican and movement-conservative Establishments are grudgingly but steadily moving into his camp. When he comes to Washington for meetings with his vanquished intra-party foes, its with the air of a barbarian chieftain visiting Rome after the Sack. His opinion-leader and journalistic detractors are in a state of cowed confusion over their failure to accurately assess his political strength. Pollsters are entering his presence with surveys showing he could indeed beat Hillary Clinton (he needs only one every once in a while to support his vainglorious talking points). And he still has his formal coronation as the most unlikely GOP nominee since Wendell Willkie ahead of him before the general-election campaign gets fully underway. For the Donald, life is good, right? Maybe so, but not for long. Throughout the pre-primary and primary phases of the GOP presidential-nominating process, Trump had a bunch of advantages he will soon lose. He was a novice pol who was regularly defying expectations amidst almost universal predictions of failure. He was the dominant media object in a very crowded field of opponents. He had the strategic flexibility associated with doing relatively well in every region of the country and among every major category of Republican voter. He was independent of any sizable bloc of endorsers, donors, or surrogates, operating from his own tight-knit personal army. He was functioning within a Republican Party dominated by the older white voters that were his principal base, and where the minority voters he so deeply offends were rare and insignificant presences. Now he is about to become the Titular Head of the Republican Party, with presumed responsibility for a big, divided and (at the moment) fearful coalition of down-ballot candidates and allied constituency and interest groups. Even if he minimizes the value of party support, hell have to deal with constant advice and admonitions from party officials, many of whom not-so-secretly would prefer that he lose and leave them to inherit the GOP. Hes already beginning to hustle money to finance his campaign. Given the binary nature of general elections, he can no longer count on the kind of huge margins in media coverage he enjoyed when it was 16 Lilliputians trying to overcome the orange-haired Gulliver. For that matter, in Hillary Clinton he will finally face an opponent as well known as he is. He will not be able to run a national campaign that divides and conquers a scattered and regionally dependent opposition. Hell be fighting Clinton one-on-one in the same fixed set of battlefield states. Instead of dealing with an electorate where he can find support all across demographic groups, Trump will be beginning in a deep, deep hole with African-Americans, Latinos, and professional women, with sure support only from groups like non-college-educated conservative white men, which any Republican can and must carry by huge margins. At key moments in the campaign like the debates, Trump will no longer be addressing an audience that inherently hates political correctness and thus has a high tolerance for borderline racist and sexist rhetoric and insult-comedy. And Clinton and her allies will be able deploy their massive oppo-research files on Trump in a consistent, relentless manner very much unlike the occasional, clumsy, and halfhearted Trump-bashing undertaken by his primary opponents and the mainstream media. After all, its not like Democrats need to treat him with kid gloves because theyll need to appeal to his core supporters down the road. Most of all, if the worm ever turns on Donald Trumps immensely lucky 2016 campaign, its likely to turn fast and hard. Much of his party will abandon him in a heartbeat if thats the best way to preserve Republican control of Congress and state governments. The media folk he despises and seeks to threaten and intimidate will be unforgiving if he begins to stumble. It could get very ugly very fast. Perhaps Trump will be luckier and more skillful than I suspect in the very different context of a general election. But anyway you cut it, hes going to have a lot of white-knuckle moments from here on out. And it just isnt going to be as much fun. President Obama with Vietnamese president Tran Dai Quang. Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images The United States will finally let Vietnam enjoy the fruits of its military-industrial complex. On Monday in Hanoi, President Obama announced the end of Americas arms embargo against the communist nation, decrying the weapons ban as a lingering vestige of the Cold War. Just a generation ago, we were adversaries and now we are friends, Obama said at a news conference with Vietnamese president Tran Dai Quang. The embargo was partially lifted in 2014, but the administration had previously suggested that a full repeal would require Vietnam to significantly improve its record on human rights. In the last two years, the Vietnamese government has continued to jail political prisoners and suppress protest movements. But the nation also got into a maritime dispute with another, much larger communist nation one the U.S. happens to consider its No. 1 frenemy in the South China Sea. On Monday, Obama dismissed the notion that his decision to end the embargo was in any way related to U.S. policy toward China before saying that the move will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself. The president went on to say that all potential sales will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and will need to meet strict requirements with regards to human rights. In Hanoi, Obama announced a series of commercial deals that met those standards including an $11 billion sale of 100 Boeing 737 aircraft. Until now, Vietnam has procured most of its defense equipment from Russia. The BBC argues that this fact is unlikely to change in the immediate term, both because U.S. technology may be too sophisticated for Vietnams needs and because accepting too much American weaponry could invite unwelcome attention from their rivals in Beijing. However, the country could very much use more American-made surveillance systems to track the movement of Chinese naval forces. Analysts tell the New York Times that, in return for access to such equipment, Vietnam might grant the U.S. entry to the deepwater port at Cam Ranh Bay. Obama touted other forms of cooperation between the onetime adversaries, including the (still-unapproved) Trans-Pacific Partnership, a research collaboration between universities in both countries, and the introduction of the U.S. Peace Corps to Vietnam. In his most direct acknowledgement of the war that ended in 1975, Obama thanked the Vietnamese government for helping the U.S. track down the remains of missing soldiers and pledged to assist in the ongoing removal of land mines and un-exploded ordnance, which continue to drive up the conflicts civilian death toll 41 years after the Fall of Saigon. L-R: Really good president, good president, extremely bad president. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images As the matchup between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton takes shape, it has begun to dawn on some conservatives that the Republican Party faces a distinct handicap: The Democrats will have two popular ex-presidents to campaign for them, and the GOP will have none. Bill Clinton is the partys most effective surrogate for wife Hillary, writes Byron York in the conservative Washington Examiner: Republicans havent had the same luck. The only two-term GOP president in the last generation, George W. Bush, has stayed mostly out of politics in the seven years since he left the White House. Meanwhile, writing for The Wall Street Journal opinion page, Richard Benedetto grapples with President Obamas value as a surrogate. When Mr. Obama ran for office in 2008, a central part of his campaign strategy was to heap blame on George W. Bush, writes Benedetto. How has Mr. Obama dodged similar treatment? How indeed? The answer, Id suggest, is something along the lines of by governing competently rather than presiding over a flaming wreck of a presidency. But this answer presumes a level of introspection into the success of the last two Democratic presidents, and the conspicuous failure of the one wedged between them, that is absent from both columns, and from conservative thought in general. York notes the GOPs ex-president situation is a mess, a situation he casually describes as luck. The closest his column comes to exploring the source of this misfortune is to note the bad blood between Donald Trump and the Bush family, especially Trumps statement that Bush peddled false intelligence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. (Jeb Bush stood haplessly by, unable to defend either himself or his brother.) Of course, Jeb could not defend his brother because, while Trumps indictment was exaggerated (the Bush administration was victimized by bad intelligence), it was not entirely false (the administration also manipulated the intelligence at its disposal). Benedetto tries to solve the mystery as to why Americans loathed Bush while liking Obama. He does not consider the hypothesis that the comparative performance of the two administrations in domestic and foreign policy may account for this disparity. Instead, Benedetto fixates on the role of Obamas media manipulation, especially his skillful use of flattering images: He heads a savvy public-relations machine that markets him like a Hollywood celebrity, a role he obligingly and successfully plays. One of the machines key tactics is to place Mr. Obama in as many positive news and photo situations as possible. Ronald Reagans advisers were considered masters of putting their man in the best possible light, but they look like amateurs compared with the Obama operationwhich has the added advantage of a particularly obliging news media. If only Bushs media handlers had thought to try that! Oh, wait: ABOARD THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLNPresdient George W. Bush, delivers an inspirational speech to the sailors and the nation, on the flightdeck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, 30 miles off the coast of San Diego, (05/01/03), that the Iraqi conflict was coming to an end but the war on terrorism is not over. The president will spend the night on the ship before leaving early tomorrow morning. (Photo by Don Tormey/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Photo: Don Tormey/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images The news media did in fact transmit the Bush administrations images of the president swaggering on the deck of the aircraft carrier, and clearing brush on his ranch in a cowboy hat, and standing on the rubble of the building that was destroyed by terrorists after his administration neglected repeated, urgent warnings of a planned attack. Many of these images were fawned over at the time, even by the mainstream media. Chris Matthews slathered over Bushs Mission Accomplished coup. The trouble is that it eventually became clear the mission was not accomplished at all. Jimmy Carters failed presidency became the Republican Partys favorite point of comparison for every Democratic candidate or plan well into the 1990s, and they even hauled out the ghost of Carter in 2008 to taint Obama. Carter was a pretty lousy president, though he also suffered from unfortunate macroeconomic timing. Beginning in the 1980s, Republican messaging relied heavily on the connection between the presidents agenda and the economys performance. This formula has worked out badly for the last quarter-century, as George H.W. Bush and then his son presided over recessions, and Clinton and then Obama presided over expansions. And yes, long-term trends like negative partisanship have created a situation where most people feel frustrated with politics because they believe their side is losing. Nonetheless, Obama is and has consistently been far, far more popular than any of the leading Republicans. Even if we discount the role of economics completely, though, the difference in governing quality is stark. Democrats have a governing program and a cadre of policy advisers that is responsive to empirical reality and able to effectively respond to real-world problems. Republicans have none of these things, and the rise of Trump has shown that the problem has grown worse, not better. Republicans dont have an ex-president problem. They have a failed party. Photo: David Ward/Getty Images Serious question: When your dog looks in the mirror, what does he see? A playmate, maybe. An adversary, sometimes. But could he possibly recognize himself? For that matter does a dog have a sense of self? These are abstract questions, and it is too bad for us that dogs cant answer for themselves. And so, instead, scientists who study animal cognition have devised a test for measuring these hard-to-comprehend concepts, involving the use of one commonplace household object: the mirror. Its called the mirror self-recognition test, and since its inception in the 1970s it has been considered be the gold standard of determining whether or not a creature possesses self-awareness. Elephants, chimpanzees, and dolphins are among the creatures who have passed, suggesting that these animals have a sense of self. But plenty of other primates, along with highly intelligent creatures like octopuses, are either confused by or totally uninterested in the mirror. Dogs, for example as you no doubt know if you have ever kept one for a pet fail the mirror test. They do not seem to know, or perhaps they dont really care, what is going on with the mirrors scentless, two-dimensional representation of a dog. They may try to fight the dog in the mirror, or play with it, but very few dogs demonstrate any behaviors that would signal they recognize the reflection as their own. According to the standards set by this test, this means that dogs must lack a self-concept. And yet, in recent years, some prominent scientists have begun to question the authority of this test. People say, This species has no self-awareness because we tested it in the mirror, primatologist Frans de Waal said in a recent interview with Science of Us. But I would argue that self-awareness is a broader concept than that. And I cannot imagine that a cat or a dog even though they dont recognize themselves in the mirror I find it hard to imagine that they have no awareness of themselves. Its possible, then, that an animals failure to pass the mirror test says more about a human lack of imagination than the animals lack of a self-concept, as de Waal argues in his book, Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? Because, think about it: Why should a mirror mean anything to most animals? Some newer takes on the mirror self-recognition test are suggesting that self-awareness is less of a yes-or-no question, and instead exists on something like a spectrum and some of the most creative work being done in this area happens to involve dogs. The mirror test is said to have been inspired by an offhand observation jotted down by Charles Darwin as he watched a London Zoo orangutan named Jenny gaze at her own reflection in a mirror; the experience seemed to leave her astonished beyond measure. In the 1970s, Tulane University psychologist named Gordon Gallup Jr. came across these notes, and from it devised his mirror self-recognition test or, what he called the first experimental demonstration of a self-concept in a subhuman form. The classic version goes like this: The experimenter places some colored but odorless dye somewhere conspicuous on the animals body, and then places a mirror in front of the animal. If the creature picks at the dye in some way, this is supposed to suggest self-recognition that the animal knows that this is his own reflection and also knows something is off about the way he looks. As science writer Virginia Morell phrased it in her book Animal Wise, an animal that passes the test reacts to the unfamiliar mark just as you or I would scrape at a blog of mustard we notice on our lapel when looking in a mirror. The link to self-awareness borrows from human developmental psychology. In human development, when humans start to recognize themselves in the mirror at the age of about 2, thats also the age in which they become very self-conscious, de Waal explained. They start to show so-called self-conscious emotions, like pride or shame or embarrassment; they also begin to use personal pronouns, such as I and me. Recognizing yourself in the mirror, the theory goes, signals that you are at least beginning to grasp your you-ness. At least, thats what it means for humans, and perhaps for other animals with brains like ours, which are highly attuned to social intelligence. But, then again, not every mind on Earth works exactly like a human mind. The human experience of the world is informed largely by what we see; for other animals, though, other senses are far more important. To return to our canine pals: Dogs have okay vision (they may not see colors as vividly as humans, but they are not color-blind), but they dont understand the world through their eyes they understand the world through their noses. Which is why, a few years ago, one rather inventive researcher created a twist on the mirror test, one that would make sense for dogs and their superior sense of smell. The experiment has come to be known as the Yellow Snow Study. It is as gross as it sounds. About 15 years ago, an animal cognition researcher named Marc Bekoff was dissatisfied with the notion that a dogs failure to pass the mirror test meant that the animal lacked a self-concept. And so he devised a new test for his dog, Jethro. Over the course of about five winters, whenever I walked my dog, Jethro, I would put on gloves and I would see where he peed, and I would move it. And then I would move the pee of other dogs, said Bekoff, now a professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The idea was that if Jethro showed less interest in his own urine, that might be a sign of self-recognition in an olfactory creature. This is exactly what happened, and Bekoff later published his findings in 2001 in Behavioural Processes. It was really simple to do, Bekoff said. Though people thought I was weird. A problem with the Jethro study, though, was that it involved only Jethro. And so earlier this year, Alexandra Horowitz who studies animal cognition at Barnard and runs its Dog Cognition Lab ran a version of the yellow snow test in her lab. In it, about three dozen dogs were presented with canisters that held either their own urine, or the urine of another dog, or a sample of their own urine to which the experimenters had added an additional scent. Horowitz is still analyzing her findings, but early results are suggesting that, like Jethro, the dogs in her study were least interested in their own scent though Horowitz is not so sure what, exactly, this can tell us about their self-concept. I dont think its a self-awareness test, exactly, she said. But it does say something about identity. It also speaks to the necessity of finding new ways of testing or observing the concept of self-recognition in animals, ones that are tailored to the individual species interaction with their worlds. And some scientists are already taking on the challenge posed by de Waal in his book in some exciting ways. Octopuses, for example, have sticky suckers on their eight long arms that tend to attach to any surface they come in contact with any surface, that is, except for their own skin, which could be the way an octopus demonstrates self-recognition. Or consider bats, which live in caves with thousands of other bats. They fly out of these caves in the dark, and so they need to do echolocation while there are thousands of other bats doing echolocation at the same time, de Waal said. So all these shrieks are coming out, and they need to pick out the sound of their own. This, too, could be a form of self-recognition. To return to our original question, though: What does a dog see in the mirror? Judging from their behavior, they likely perceive from their own reflection an unsettlingly scent-less image of a dog, which may be why some dogs try to fight it, and others simply seem to dismiss or ignore it. What that along with the more, uh, creative, urine-centric versions of the mirror test actually means about a dogs sense of self is less clear. But it does suggest that the idea of self-awareness may be a spectrum, with some creatures having none or very little of it, and others having rich autobiographical memories and experiences. What does a dog know about themselves? I think they have this sense of mine-ness and this sense of body-ness. This is my body; this is my bone, Bekoff said. I dont know that they have a rich sense of self like you and I might have. And that in itself is probably a form of self-awareness. If you define self-awareness a bit more broadly, I would say every species has to have some of it, de Waal said. Its a vague concept, and the boundaries are also probably vague. Zooming out, the failures of the mirror test are a small example of the larger failures de Waal sees in the traditional ways of testing all sorts of intelligence in animals. Thats really the challenge of our field, de Waal added. To find ways of testing animals on their terms, and their strengths. This is about them, in other words not about us. Photo: Bloomberg/Bloomberg Finance LP/Getty Images For years, rumors have persisted about a Chinese propaganda army known as the 50 Cent Party, which argues with government dissenters on social media and in comment sections online. The legend of the group so-called because its members supposedly receive 50 cents in yuan (or eight American cents) for every post has come to reflect the belief that Chinas propaganda arm is ever-present online, keeping a watchful eye on its citizens and keeping them in line, online. A new study, summarized by NPR, finds that many of the assumptions made about the 50 Cent Party are unfounded, and theres little evidence to suggest that a dedicated team of online commenters actually exists. Instead, researchers at Harvard found that almost no systematic empirical evidence exists for this claim, or, more importantly, for the Chinese regimes strategic objective in pursuing this activity. According to leaked emails from the countrys Internet Propaganda Office, pro-government social-media posts are made by government employees who otherwise have bigger jobs to do the same way you might be asked to tweet about your employers latest project or product. Its an extra task performed piecemeal, likely without extra compensation, rather than by a dedicated team. In other words, in this arena at least, Dennys has a more institutionalized social-media strategy than the Chinese government. But perhaps more important than who is posting is when they do it and how. The social-media propaganda game isnt a steady torrent of pro-government messaging intended to change hearts and minds, but rather an attempt to distract critics in highly focused bursts, at times of controversy or planned collective action. Roughly one of every 178 posts on Chinese social media is made by a government employee for propaganda purposes, but those posts arent published at a regular pace. Theyre timed to overwhelm dissent at key moments. In other words, the Chinese government appears to have figured out that you cant actually win an argument online you can only distract your opponents and drown them out. The cast of Game of Thrones at the 67th annual Emmy Awards. Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic Just last month, on The Late Late Show, Emilia Clarke made clear her wishes for Game of Thrones to let some male genitalia see the sunlight for once. And according to Maisie Williamss version of the theme song, death and boobies is all we usually get (though the show has seen some penis freedom in the past). But on Sunday nights episode, death and penis came back into the mix. Was not ready for that harrowing scene on tonight's Game of Thrones. Been a while since I stared at an uncircumcised penis for that long. Dan Amira (@DanAmira) May 23, 2016 kinda wanna cry about game of thrones today, kinda wanna rewatch it and pause on the penis close up mom lover (@sweettinyboy) May 23, 2016 I don't even watch Game of Thrones, nor do I like it, but the first penis they decide to show on screen isn't Jon Snow's? Unfathomable. Becca Christensen (@belbots) May 23, 2016 Okay, so its an awkward shot, and hes checking out some warts down there (wow, no thanks). But it happens the penis is exposed. Add this one to the list of TV shows offering full-frontal male nudity warts and all. Welcome to th egeneral, weve got fun and rape accusations. Donald Trump may live in a (very classy) glass house, but that wont stop him from throwing stones. On Monday, the grotesquely misogynistic Republican nominee released an Instagram ad titled, Is Hillary really protecting women? The 15-second spot layers clips of women tearfully accusing Bill Clinton of sexual assault over a menacing photograph of the former president smoking a cigar until the voices of the victims are drowned out by Hillary Clintons maniacal laughter. Among the clips featured in the ad is a 1999 Dateline interview with Juanita Broaddrick, a former nursing-home administrator who claims Clinton raped her in Arkansas 38 years ago. Broaddrick reiterated that charge via Twitter this past January. I was 35 years old when Bill Clinton, Ark. Attorney General raped me and Hillary tried to silence me. I am now 73....it never goes away. Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 6, 2016 Thoroughly disgusting--Hillary's comments on rape. Shame on you, Hillary, shame on you!! Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) September 15, 2015 Over the past few weeks, as Trumps critics have drawn attention to his vast back catalogue of sexist commentary, the Donalds primary rebuttal has been, I know Bill Clinton is a misogynist, but what am I? Nobody in this country and maybe in the history of this country politically was worse than Bill Clinton with women, Trump told a crowd in Oregon in early May. The Donald went on to accuse Hillary Clinton of being, in essence, her rapist husbands co-conspirator. She would go after these women and destroy their lives, Trump said. She was an unbelievably nasty, mean enabler, and what she did to a lot of those women is disgraceful. The attack is unlikely to significantly undermine the Democratic front-runners standing with female voters this dirty laundry has been airing out for decades now. Still, Trumps affinity for describing Bills baggage in lurid (if unsubstantiated) detail makes attacking the mogul on the grounds of misogyny a costlier gambit for the Clinton camp. And it forces pro-Clinton feminists to confront the tension between Hillarys disregard for her husbands accusers and the contemporary norm of giving self-identified victims of sex crimes the benefit of the doubt. Of course, Trump would not benefit from voters believing the accounts of every self-identified rape victim. Nor, for that matter, would he benefit from voters accepting a certain real-estate moguls analysis of Bill Clintons accusers. The whole group, its truly an unattractive cast of characters Linda Tripp, Lucianne Goldberg I mean, this woman, I watch her on television, just vomiting. She is so bad. The whole group Paula Jones, Lewinsky its just a really unattractive group, Trump told Fox News in 1998. And Im not just talking about physical, but I am also talking about physical. I dont necessarily agree with his victims, Trump added. His victims are terrible. He is really a victim himself. Photo: Getty Images A weeklong series on the art of entertaining, for women who are too busy for Pinterest. When youre the child of immigrants, you tend to feel like your familys version of Western traditions are mere pantomimes a Target-brand take on designer holidays. Other peoples Christmas trees come from farms; yours comes from its ratty box in the crawl space above the garage. Your mom never truly understands the importance of getting the Disney-brand Valentines Day cards instead of the generic ones with no cartoons. Halloween costumes are always some variant of [Insert Your Race Here] Princess, and hey, look, you already have the perfect outfit. But for us, Thanksgiving was different. It was the one holiday a year where we werent just play-acting. Starting when I was 5, my parents began hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for our family friends. At the first one, the four of us and 12 more of the other kind of Indians sat around our formal dining table as my mom served up hot dish after hot dish. As the years went on, the size of Thanksgiving grew exponentially, a kids table was added, and traditions began to form. Thanksgiving quickly became my standard-bearer for what a great dinner party should be family and friends gathered around a table, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. And it was with Thanksgiving in mind, many years later, that my best friend and I found ourselves elbow-deep in a vat of potentially poisoned chicken, trying and failing to explain the concept of Diwali to 15 hungry guests while concealing our advanced state of meltdown. Hosting a dinner party is an inherently performative act, intended to showcase a set of skills you forgot to register for at Macys. And the larger the holiday, the larger the performance, which isnt something Sanjana and I took into account when we decided to throw a dinner party on Indias biggest holiday, Diwali, widely accepted as the start of the New Year. What we did take into account was that no one in our extended circle of Los Angeles friends had thrown a Diwali party since Mindy Kaling in 2005, and she had only RSVPd maybe for ours anyway. Imbued with the type of confidence that can only come from utter inexperience, we were off to the races. We started strong a witty email invite, a modest guest list but failed to do little else by way of planning, assuming that our tradition would create itself through sheer force of will. Ill admit it: I was chasing the high of Thanksgivings past. In recent years, the tradition had diluted significantly from its late-90s heyday. As the kids table grew up and grew apart, wed all made new friends, ones I wanted to build my own rituals with. A Diwali candle. Photo: Getty Images Foolishly forgoing any other real planning, we nailed down but one detail: the centerpiece of our meal would be Padma Aunties chicken, a dish my mother had brought with her to California when my parents immigrated from Fort Wayne, Indiana. It had been a consistent crowd-pleaser growing up in my house. But even Padma Auntie was proving to be little help. The recipe my mother had re-created from memory offered delightful suggestions like onions lots!! and turmeric some, but little by way of actual measurements. In our final hours of panic the evening before, my older sister swooped in to right the ship, trimming our proposed menu (13 items, rolled out over five courses) to a rational amount (five items, copious liquor), picking out a layout and decor scheme, and slow-cooking all 15 pounds of chicken with what little time we gave her. And then she got food poisoning. So I drove her to the ER, live-tweeted her hospital stay, and then put four hours into convincing my mom to leave the hospital and cook our side dishes instead. (Shes on an IV! Its barely a stomachache, its fine.) We were just 45 minutes out from the moment our slowly simmering dinner was about to be fed to our unsuspecting friends when my sister casually mentioned, Maybe it was the chicken that got me sick, and not my soup I ate some when I cooked it. We panicked. We turned the heat just a little higher on the gas range. We served it anyway. And the party was fine. In the end, the mismatched guest list cohered, the food was all served hot, and no one seemed to have caught on to the fact that the story of Diwali my mother told was colorful but wildly inaccurate. Still, it didnt live up to my Thanksgiving expectations. Rather than a room full of our nearest and dearest, wed patched together a jumble of co-workers, friends we knew would show up on a school night, and guys we were trying to date. They were all willing to eat the food and play the tepid card games that we brought out alongside dessert, but I cant imagine anyone climbed into the car afterward and exhaled, Dont tell Mindy, but Beej and Sanj sure know how to throw a Diwali party. At least no one else wound up in the hospital but thats still a low bar for a successful party. Sanjana and I spent the next year quietly ruminating on the idea that maybe traditions are forged by better friends and happier hosts. And yet, when the holiday rolled around again, we Gchat-joked our way into hosting another dinner party, one whose guest list seemed to expand every time Sanjana would utter the word Diwali to me. It meant a little more to us that year; it wasnt just a chance to showcase our hostess skills and performative piety, but a way to share a meal with our friends while exposing them to a culture that meant a great deal to both of us. That year, the menu was planned ahead, tables and chairs borrowed in advance, hand-drawn name cards placed carefully at every setting. Friends asked to bring friends, so we squeezed them in, breaking every residential fire code in the process. My father told the Diwali story, and his rendition was much more accurate, although traditionally the narrative doesnt include a loud cross-room betting match about the Washington Wizards chances with my friend Zach. Everyone ate, everyone lingered, and by the end of it we were all so exhausted there was no time to measure where the night might one day fall on the yardstick of nostalgia. A few years later, my sisters friend Carolyn pulled me aside at another Diwali dinner, the first one Sanjana and I hosted since Id left Los Angeles for New York. It was the year wed upgraded to printed invitations, and our largest dinner to date. An original attendee who stuck around through the food-poisoning incident, Carolyn had been a fixture at every Diwali since. I love coming to this dinner every year and its really great to bring my boyfriend this time, she said. Its such a nice way to catch up on how far everyone has come each year. And then it hit me: Once we stopped trying to make a tradition, wed somehow made a tradition. Id flown in from across the country. The attendee list continued to swell in size; as people added to their families, they also added to ours. Padma Aunties chicken had become iconic. Wed still failed the only math problem Indians are bad at: calculating the time it takes two people to cook a 40-person dinner intended to be served well before midnight. But despite competing with the myriad other parties on a Halloween-weekend Saturday, everyone we invited had shown up. And when Sanjana and I gave our toast, we realized this year no one needed an explainer on the meaning of Diwali. They all already knew, because Diwali dinner was now something we all shared. Just here for those three flawless actors. Reply Thread Link i've been waiting for this since amc announced. i'm so excited. but i have to wait till tomorrow to watch wahh lol Reply Thread Link What was that plane scene about?? Reply Thread Link Watching! I like what I've seen so far! Reply Thread Link I'll have to catch this later. Definitely interested but too emotionally crushed by GoT to watch rn. Reply Thread Link ah shit i forgot and it's already halfway through Reply Thread Link Apologies! I should have submitted it earlier, I think with the BBMA it's been busy for the mods so wasn't accepted until a bit later. Reply Parent Thread Link this doesn't look like my kind of show but ruth negga deserves all the best things <3 Reply Thread Link i forgot ruth was in this! i'll def have to watch later. Reply Thread Link So is this any good Reply Thread Link whats it about? Reply Thread Link Here's a trailer for the show : And a synopsis (kinda spoilery) : Fulfilling a promise to his deceased father, one-time outlaw Jesse Custer returns home to West Texas to take over his dad's church. Jesse's mission, however, becomes twisted when his body is overcome by a cryptic force that unleashes within him a highly unconventional power. Together with hell-raising ex-girlfriend Tulip and Irish vagabond Cassidy, the preacher-in-training embarks on a journey to find God in a world inhabited by holy, hellish, and everything-in-between characters. The darkly comedic "Preacher" is based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's popular 1990s comic book franchise of the same name. Executive producers include Sam Catlin ("Breaking Bad"), and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg ("Superbad," "Neighbors"). Reply Parent Thread Link hmmmmmmmmm maybe ill check it out. doesnt really sound like my type of show tho. AMC shows are very hit or miss for me Reply Parent Thread Link Tulip was awesome Reply Thread Link This show is so great so far. I'm thrilled to see my babies Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun again! Reply Thread Link I'm loving the show so far Reply Thread Link The character's name is "Arseface", so yeah. Reply Parent Thread Link Okay, for tomorrow. Reply Thread Link Does IMx count if it's basically Immature after a rebrand? Reply Thread Link I love this song ngl Reply Parent Thread Link I was just watching Immature a couple of days ago. BET Jams had 'We Got It' and bunch of other 90s songs I almost forgot about Reply Parent Thread Link Why do I feel like they basically used leftover set pieces from Scream? I never saw the video before now though, I miss this song! Reply Parent Thread Link ONTD, what's your favorite one album wonder? (other genres are welcomed) Reply Thread Link Neither of these women qualify. Although Tapesty was monstrously huge and Carol King's other albums didn't touch it sales wise. Reply Parent Thread Link Lily Allen's It's not Me, it's you is actually better than her first album Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Lily's sophomore>>>>>>>>>>>> And even Sheezus has bops, just listened to some of them this morning Reply Parent Thread Link i bought a vinyl of Tapestry at a thrift store not knowing who she was but because it had a cat on the cover and its probably one of my favorite thrift purchases. such a good album. Reply Parent Thread Link This was my jam back in 5th/6th grade. Reply Thread Link I honestly only remember the remix which is essentially an entirely different song. Reply Parent Thread Link the radio wore out the remix which is aight, but this had me parched for whatever boy/male actor i found attractive at the time Reply Parent Thread Link I was going to put them on this list but I've already used them in another ONTD Original I did in the past Reply Parent Thread Link yes this song is so good, lmao I remember making my aunty burn me a copy of this album for me, I only remember this song and a Time After Time cover I think one of them got hit by a car and died :(. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link is that one girl doing the background "what what"s the sassy attitude girl from bring it on? her acting in BIO still affects my life ngl lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Omg yes! I loved Blaque & Bring It All To Me. Reply Parent Thread Link can't forget this! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Just in case people forgot about this treasure Reply Thread Link I'm kinda surprised by this tbh Reply Parent Thread Link Have you never heard of her before? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I love this song so fucking much. Reply Parent Thread Link I love this song! Throwback! Reply Parent Thread Link Brooke Valentine's Chain Letter, though. Reply Thread Link That was not successful. She was a one hit wonder that didn't even have that big of a hit. Reply Parent Thread Link this song will forever be my getting ready to go out song Reply Thread Link The Miseducation was a hell of a one hit wonder album if people are still begging and pinching pennies to watch Lauryn Hill spoofeed a shit performance to them 17 years later Reply Thread Link Tbh I would too. I could pay $100 for a small ass venue performance where she shows up 3 hours late and gives a half ass performance of 3 songs (only one of which is from her album) before storming off stage, and I would still consider myself unworthy. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm going to be controversial and say while the Miseducation was good it wasn't THAT great for people to be letting her play them in this day and age. Reply Parent Thread Link groove theory!! also inoj! Edited at 2016-05-23 06:20 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link i love amel larrieux and her solo stuff. her voice is beautiful. and she follows me on twitter - which means nothing since she follows about 5,000 accounts. lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link I've been super into the inoj cover recently. I didn't even realize it was a cover or how "recently" it came out. I always thought it was from the early 90s. Reply Parent Thread Link Looooove 'Tell me' Reply Parent Thread Link two of my 90s faves Reply Parent Thread Link And yet it is impossible to find a legit place to buy/stream most of these tracks :( Not exactly a new problem, but I hoped in this day and age rare music was more accessible. I feel like half of this stuff I would have been able to find on morpheus back in the day. slightly OT but I've been really frustrated lately because I've been subscribing to this person's YT channel which is a goldmine for old school r&b/funk, which I've been listening to a lot of lately: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqOqNgseTFxyx20oGj_hd2Q And yet it is impossible to find a legit place to buy/stream most of these tracks :( Not exactly a new problem, but I hoped in this day and age rare music was more accessible. I feel like half of this stuff I would have been able to find on morpheus back in the day. Reply Thread Link Maybe try the tags on Tumblr? You can save music from there (although, be careful, as I think you can get viruses that way). ETA: Also, I think there is a way to save it off of YT, but I've never actually done that. And it sucks, imo, to not be able to legit dl these songs cause the artist(s) aren't getting money, but there are songs out there that just aren't anywhere and it's frustrating. Edited at 2016-05-23 07:41 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I've saved a few tracks off youtube, but the sound quality is pretty eh :( I guess I'll have to resort to good old-fashioned cd buying which is annoying because I'm trying to reduce clutter in my house, not build it. Reply Parent Thread Link youtube to mp3 converter . com Reply Parent Thread Link I tried this website: discogs.com when I can't find some very obscure songs/artists it on Amazon or Itunes Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Cleopatra 5ive LFO No Authority Reply Thread Link Naah, 5ive's Invincible still did pretty good and Let's dance from the 3rd album still charted in various top 10. Reply Parent Thread Link If OP is from the US, 5ive was barely a one hit wonder. Idt they released multiple albums here. Reply Parent Thread Link Jagged edge, 112, Brian McKnight, shiet.. Too many. Wish they still made good baby making music. Reply Thread Link Paris Hilton stars are blind Reply Thread Link I hate to say it but the whole damn Paris album was a BOP!! Reply Parent Thread Link Lol icu Reply Parent Thread Link Stop this Reply Parent Thread Link Scalding Reply Parent Thread Link Lukewarm considering the previous album was more successful and had bigger hits, and the following album was successful and had a few hits. Reply Parent Thread Link I won this album playing pass the parcel when I was 10 and 'Can't Hold Us Down' really got me thinking about feminism tbh! lmao then my Mum heard the swearing and busted in my room asking what I was listening to. Reply Parent Thread Link i always wondered how she got away with having her bare vagina on the cover until I realized it was just the ties in her pants that make it look like a vag. Reply Parent Thread Link ugh that carl thomas song is so good Reply Thread Link lol. This is going to last. Reply Thread Link This is going to last forever Reply Thread Link Their wedding is going to have chalkboards with hand lettering and mason jars, and I'm guessing the favours will be little cannabis gummies in the shape of douchebags. Reply Thread Link i wonder what they'll name their child Reply Parent Thread Link My PE teacher asked me do some chalk-letterring for his wedding, because someone told him I went to art school. I hope he'll pay me at least. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link she looks dirty Reply Thread Link Thinking the same thing And she's ugly Reply Parent Thread Link lmao are they trying to look miserable in that photo Reply Thread Link i think they're trying to look 'enraged'. Reply Parent Thread Link i just saw the caption, oop @ me! either way it's dumb lol Reply Parent Thread Link They look thrilled Reply Thread Link I mean, congrats and all, but HOW can he not have learned from the terrible life choices made every in single episode of his crazy-ass show?? Lawd. I mean, congrats and all, but HOW can he not have learned from the terrible life choices made every in single episode of his crazy-ass show?? Lawd. Reply Thread Link nev is the one who tries to romanticize it all lmao Reply Parent Thread Link you'd think he'd be more familiar with how bad decisions end... Reply Thread Link I hate nev Reply Thread Link There's other ways to fight mid life crises. Reply Thread Link Max is like my #1 TV-crush. Silver daddy <3 Reply Thread Link max is everything. i love it when he yells at people on the show lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Lmaoooo. Shotgun weddings huh. Good luck sis y'all need it Reply Thread Link ugh. 7 months. why. i've been dating my SO for 4 1/2 years, living with him for 3, traveled, been through trauma, intimate with each other's families, still gonna take our time as far as marriage. and especially kids, hooooly fuck. you want to know the person you're gonna be tied to for the rest of your life!! Reply Thread Link they look like hostages being forced to take that engagement announcement pic. yikes lmao also what the fuck is that second picture. is she feeding him from her stomach?! Reply Thread Link that hairline Reply Thread Link Omg, for some reason I thought you were talking about the sick child. I had to do a double take to see that he was wearing a hat... :/ Reply Parent Thread Link Seriously, like who cares? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Comments like this are so fucking dumb. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link idg what's wrong with it. like, it's receded a bit, but it's not even that obvious unless you put an old pic right beside him Reply Parent Thread Link That bloat. LOL @ the defensive stans Reply Parent Thread Link @ what they were doing, very sweet :') @ chris's hair, what fresh hell Reply Thread Link Man, she's such an awful human!!! Reply Thread Link That's sweet. I love when people do this. I missed her in the movie. I love Pepper. Reply Thread Link same. please come back pepper. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. Pepper is my favorite. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. Pepper proves you don't have to be a super hero to be a badass human being. Reply Parent Thread Link me too, she wouldn't have let Tony be the way he was tho Reply Parent Thread Link pepper single-handedly redeemed all the iron man films the events of aou and civil war literally wouldn't have happened if she was there though Reply Parent Thread Link I just saw Civil War for the first time yesterday and that fucking helicopter bicep curl was worth the $15 admission alone. I'm also debating going back so I can see it in IMAX 3D. Because got damn. Reply Thread Link i saw this vine before my second viewing and busted a gut so bad in the theater lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link LMAO i wasn't expecting that Reply Parent Thread Link This is amazing. I don't blame you, Bucky, your best fran is ripped as hell. Reply Parent Thread Link I was fully expecting his arm to get ripped out of the socket or something. Not off his body, just a severely displace shoulder. Reply Parent Thread Link same Reply Parent Thread Link I wish I had the tools to edit this and add fart noises Reply Parent Thread Expand Link IMAX 3D oh yes worth it do it Reply Parent Thread Link You better hurry if you wanna catch it in IMAX, I imagine it's gonna get kicked out of there for X-Men and Alice coming out on Friday (if you're in North America). Reply Parent Thread Link Between this, and my Bae Sebastian Stan sponsoring a showing of CW, complete with food and drinks for Big Brothers and Big Sisters LA out of his own pocket, its a good week for the CW cast. https://www.instagram.com/p/BFuW-pwH0yX/?taken-by=ulisan98 Edited at 2016-05-23 06:26 pm (UTC) Thats a very sweet thing for them to do (Goop too). Its always nice to see celebrities who have so much privilege giving back.Between this, and my Bae Sebastian Stan sponsoring a showing of CW, complete with food and drinks for Big Brothers and Big Sisters LA out of his own pocket, its a good week for the CW cast. Reply Thread Link what a prince ;A; Reply Parent Thread Link awww, i didn't know about that unless it's posted here, i'm pretty much ignorant Reply Parent Thread Link he's such a sweetpea <3 Reply Parent Thread Link He is such sweet guy. And guy says in the comments that Seb reached out to them. So sweet. Reply Parent Thread Link bless him :* Reply Parent Thread Link This precious, caring turtle. Be still my heart. Reply Parent Thread Link This was so sweet. Reply Parent Thread Link Aww Reply Parent Thread Link oh the sweet turtle man <3 Reply Parent Thread Link Awww <3 Reply Parent Thread Link he is perf tbh Reply Parent Thread Link Damn, does this mean I have to give props to Goop and RDJ of all people? Reply Thread Link cancer is such an asshole :( hope he had a good time meeting them Reply Thread Link I saw Civil War this weekend finally. I'm totally torn on loving it for an Avengers movie and being completely disappointed it's the last CA movie and it wasn't even about Cap. I just have a lot of feelings about it right now He needs to go back to looking like this:I saw Civil War this weekend finally. I'm totally torn on loving it for an Avengers movie and being completely disappointed it's the last CA movie and it wasn't even about Cap. I just have a lot of feelings about it right now Reply Thread Link That's not happening without implants. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao cruel Reply Parent Thread Link Way harsh, Tai Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Why would you say that Reply Parent Thread Link LOL Edited at 2016-05-23 07:33 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I really, really, REALLY hope it is not the last CA movie, Evans keeps sending such mixed messages!!! Also, feel free to spill your feelings! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Oh it's the last CA movie?? Admittedly I haven't seen all of the other Avengers movies/those character's movies (I hope that makes sense I wasn't sure how to word it) but CA is my fave. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This idiot should have kept this hair, it was such a good look. and Henleys are the best shirts Reply Parent Thread Link I want at least one more Captain America movie that has a lot more focus on the key players of Winter Soldier i.e. Steve/Sam, Steve/Buck, Steve/Natasha, Maria Hill/Fury and all combinations combined (Tchalla can join in anytime as well). Bucky and Sam hijinks also included Reply Parent Thread Expand Link this was his best look by far RIP Reply Parent Thread Link this is very nice also i bet RDJ loves that picture because it makes him seem almost as tall as chris Reply Thread Link So sweet of her. I know people hate her but to honest, meeting that kid probably made his day. Reply Thread Link goop is a bit pretentious in interviews but tbh i get the feeling that she's really nice/personable irl bc everyone she works with tends to love her. Reply Parent Thread Link nothing about her seems unkind tbh. it's easy to rag on her for Goop but I've never heard about anything that actually indicates she's not a good person. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yeah, she seems like a nice person who gets along with her colleagues and tries to do some good, she just lives in a different reality than the rest of us. I actually think she's become aware of a lot of the criticism over her elitism/pretentiousness and has since dialed it down in interviews and such. Reply Parent Thread Link this is super sweet and i hope he had an amazing time Reply Thread Link the first haircut he got made him look cute again AND THEN HE DOES THIS?! UGH Reply Thread Link Right? I am not pleased! Reply Parent Thread Link probably because she requests an exorbitant amount of money to be in them for all of 10 minutes and they blow all their money on RDJ's salary. Reply Parent Thread Link I want an, "It started out with a kiss" bottle sooooo bad. Reply Thread Link It sucks that he's married...and Mormon. Reply Thread Link lmao i wasn't attracted to him but when i found out he was mormon years ago i went over to check if he was like... the conservative type and stumbled upon an interview where he said: If you ever wondered what a cross between Morrissey and Springsteen would sound like, wait till you hear 'Read My Mind', set to be the third single from Sam's Town. It's Flowers's homage to 'the good old days, the honest men, the restless heart, the promised land, the subtle kiss that no one sees ...' 'I used a bunch of cliches that are dying and that were good to have around,' says Brandon Flowers. 'In 50 years I don't think you're gonna look back at 2006 and say "the good old days". But when you talk about the good old days [of] the Fifties, there really was something good about it. Whereas right now it's like we're creeping closer and closer to hell!' Reply Parent Thread Link rme at that quote such a white thing to say Reply Parent Thread Link I was in middle school in 2006, sounds like the good old days to me. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao. God don't get me started. he was something else in the beginning. prob. still is but he's calmed down a lot/is careful about what he says nowadays thanks to the media dragging him. bless. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I feel like Panic! should be somewhere on this list. Then again, they take some long breaks and go through some changes. Fall Out Boy would definitely be on it. Modest Mouse surprises me. I know Slipknot were festival kings back in the mid 00s. Reply Thread Link Besides Reading&Leeds Fest (UK) and Hangout Fest (US), scene bands like Paramore, FOB, and Panic are never booked. Pretentious festivals always try to cater to music snobs when it comes to the headliners. Reply Parent Thread Link The funny thing about this is Brandon wasn't always a good performer tbh. It wasn't until 2013/14 that he actually really grew into himself as a live performer IMO. Reply Thread Link ia Reply Parent Thread Link I think after Sam's Town (07) he grew as a performer so much. His voice as well Reply Parent Thread Link I think he got good before '13 but in hindsight, after loving them since 2004, that I didn't see TK live until 2012 (and Brandon solo in 2010) because I think I would've fallen out of love with them had I see them perform in the Hot Fuss era! Reply Parent Thread Link he's so hot omg Reply Thread Link I need to see them in concert Reply Thread Link lemme sip Reply Thread Link i bet bflow's D taste like Pepsi-Cola. Reply Parent Thread Link I need him and Lana to collaborate and the song should be called june 21st cos they share bdays Reply Parent Thread Link He's such a dork. Love him. I'd love to see him live someday. LOL @ "Taylor Swift's boyfriend". Reply Thread Link is he sick on that picture? (honest question) Reply Thread Link LMAO @ that gif. does anyone know where it's from? Reply Thread Link I love him, but his bobblehead thing is nagl. Reply Thread Link Just gimme dat diq Bflow tbh Reply Thread Link mr. brightside is honestly the song of my generation Reply Thread Link I'd love to see them live someday. Reply Thread Link I'm seeing them twice this summer. I'm desperate for a new album though since Battle Born was anthem rock perfection. Reply Thread Link The Israeli government hopes to jump start development of a massive natural gas field in the Eastern Mediterranean, ending an extended period of delays. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved of a new deal for the Leviathan gas field over the weekend, a field that Noble Energy and Delek Group are poised to develop. At issue was a prior pledge from the Netanyahu government, which gave the energy companies a guarantee that they would not be hit with any regulatory or pricing changes for ten years. Israels Supreme Court invalidated that clause in March, calling it unconstitutional. Noble Energy warned that the court ruling could delay development. Related:The Wildest Predictions For Oil Prices In 2016 To comply with the courts decision, the latest deal removes that controversial provision. But the Netanyahu government also included language in the deal that could lead to compensation to the companies if regulation changes in the future. This is an important milestone in creating a stable investment environment," Noble Energy said in a statement. The new version gives future government space to judge whether to change policies in the field of natural gas, should this be required," Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a statement. Related: Argentina Makes Good On Debts With These Energy Giants Noble Energy and Delek Group intend to produce natural gas from the Leviathan field, with the hopes of bringing production online by 2019. Development has suffered several years of delays due to regulatory uncertainty. The Leviathan promises to provide gas to Israel, but also gas for export to Jordan and Egypt. The Israeli public has pushed back on the deal, arguing that the government is doing too much to protect the gas companies, at the expense of consumer prices. Meanwhile, Italian oil giant Eni is moving quickly to develop a competing gas field off the coast of Egypt. The massive Zohr field is one of the largest discoveries ever recorded in the Mediterranean. Eni is fast-tracking the project, which could allow it to beat Noble Energy to the punch, bringing a major source of gas to the region. By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Officials from the Canadian province of Alberta, where wildfires continue to rage, have lifted the evacuation order for eight oil sands operations north of Fort McMurray, where the fires started, but production is still offline, pending a governmental green light. Smoke is still preventing the resumption of production at the major Suncor and Syncrude oil sands facilities. The authorities also approved phased re-entry for camps near Nexen's Long Lake, ConocoPhillips's Surmont facilities and camps near Enbridge Inc's Cheecham terminal. All oil worker camps were evacuated due to the fire, but Enbridge now says that its terminal is returning to a state of full operation. Related: The Biggest Winner Of The Oil Bust: Interview With Aeromexico Last Monday, Suncor said it had ordered the evacuation of 8,000 workers from its oil sands camps in the Wood Buffalo municipality and shut down operations as authorities expanded the evacuation zone north of Fort McMurray, where the wildfires started over three weeks ago. Syncrude Canada has also shut down its oil sands mine and processing plant due to smoke on the site, located north of Fort McMurray. The company said that it evacuated all personnel, some 4.800 of them. Enbridges Cheecham oil sands terminal was also battling the spread of the fire less than one kilometer from the facility. The terminal is approximately 47 miles southeast of Fort McMurray, also in the Wood Buffalo region. About 4,000 workers were removed from camps north of the city run by Noralta Lodge and South Pacific Resources. Related: Argentina Makes Good On Debts With These Energy Giants As a precaution, some million barrels per day of oil sands crude production was lost because of disruptions to regional pipelines over a two-week period, and much of that production remains offline. The fire has caused the evacuation of Fort McMurray's entire population of nearly 90,000. The authorities have said that residents can return home beginning June 1 if conditions are favorable. By James Burgess of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In the two-and-a-half years Amy Bladow has been serving drinks in Milwaukee, her bar BarNone has become a staple on Water Street. BarNone isn't Bladow's first rodeo, either. The Colorado native has spent plenty of time behind the bar in Madison, where she played volleyball at the University of Wisconsin. Now, Milwaukee has become her home and she couldn't be happier. Bladow took a few minutes to chat with OnMilwaukee.com about her life behind the bar. If you want to know more, you can hit her up on Twitter, too. OnMilwaukee.com: How long have you been tending bar? Amy Bladow: I tended my way through college at Wisconsin and have been here at BarNone since we opened in October 2009. OMC: How did you get started? AB: It's what all the good-looking people were doing! OMC: Is there a big difference between Milwaukee bars and Madison bars? AB: Well, for one thing, everybody in Madison is a Badgers fan. But there's more diversity in Milwaukee bars when it comes to music, cocktail lounges, corner bars, dives and beer bars. Milwaukee really has something to offer everybody. OMC: What's your preferred shift? AB: I love my job. When you own your own place, you end up work a lot of different shifts but I would have to say happy hours and "Monday Fundays" are my favorites because I get to spend time with all of my best regulars. OMC: Let's talk drinks: your favorite and least favorite to make, pour or serve? AB: Favorite? Whiskey. Powers, if you want to get particular. I don't particularly enjoy mixing up a bloody at 1:30 a.m. on a Saturday. Come in Sunday morning, though, and I would love to do that for you. OMC: Owning a bar is different than just punching the clock. What do you like most about it? AB: I have truly loved the adventure and challenge of owning my own business. I've met some of the most amazing people and I'm thrilled to be here in Milwaukee. It's such an amazing place with a bar scene that is incomparable to anywhere else. What more could I ask for? OMC: It can get pretty crazy in here. Ever find yourself in the middle of a fight or cleaning up puke? AB: Surprisingly enough, dudes puke way more than girls! What's up with that? Yup, I've had to clean it up and it's gross every single time. Amateurs, please stay home ... this is Milwaukee! OMC: Pick-up lines: worst one you've heard and do they ever work? AB: They're mostly all horrible but sometimes, the effort is cute. One time a guy put his cell phone number in his own phone, handed it to me and told me to keep it. I wondered how he would have answered if I had decided to call him. OMC: How do you decide when somebody has had one too many and what's your process for cutting them off? AB: It's different for everybody but it's not too hard to tell when somebody has had too much. I try to get them some water and make sure they get home safe. I'd rather they get home in a cab and not in a Bell (Ambulance). OMC: Do you drink when you're working? AB: Why do you think I love my job so much? OMC: What's a fair tip? AB: I think a buck a drink is good or 20 percent on a tab is about standard. OMC: When you're not working, and I know it's a lot, what do you like to do? AB: I really like to explore the city I live in. I love finding new places to eat and drink. I'm a huge Brewers fan, too, so I'm at Miller Park a lot. Craig Counsell is my favorite. OMC: Besides your own place, what's your favorite bar? AB: Yikes, that's a tough one. Right now, I'm in love with The Hamilton (823 E. Hamilton St.). They do things with cocktails I can only dream about. OMC: When you're on the other side of the bar, what's your poison? AB: My standby is always good whiskey but my cocktail of choice is Effon Cucumber and water. OMC: You're a Badger, living and working right in the middle of Marquette country. If Wisconsin and the Golden Eagles are playing at the same time, what's on the TV in your bar? AB: I'm a proud Badger alumnus. I suppose it's a good thing I have more than one TV, but the crowd will in red and singing "Varsity." That's never a question in BarNone. Go big red! The pantheon of jazz -- America's classical music -- is awash in brilliance, from Armstrong to Ellington to Coltrane and beyond. But don't let the musical constellations obscure the fainter lights, especially those shooting stars that burned brightly, but briefly. They often provide some of the music's most shining moments. One such fireball was organist Baby Face Willette, who recorded a pair of Blue Note discs as a leader in the early 1960s (he also performed on a few sessions, too, accompanying sax man Lou Donaldson and guitarist Grant Green) and two more for Chicago-based Argo. Willette had a Milwaukee connection. Correction, Willette still has a Milwaukee connection. Forty-odd years after he was based here, the organist's son, Steve, still calls the North Side home. Willette, who died in 1971, is shrouded in mystery and while some sources say he was born in 1933 in Little Rock, others say New Orleans. "I thought he was from Chicago," living Brew City jazz legend Berkeley Fudge tells OnMilwaukee.com. Roosevelt Willette likely learned the piano from his mother, a missionary who played in church or from his uncle Fred Freeman, who also played. Church -- his father was reportedly a minister -- was also likely where Baby Face (so called because of his youthful visage) was introduced to the organ. He accompanied gospel groups put together by his sisters Dorothy and Georgia before finding his way into R&B and touring North America with the likes of Johnny Otis, Guitar Slim, Big Jay McNeely, Joe Liggins and others. (Touring) was always a hassle, Willette is quoted as saying in the liner notes to his Face to Face disc. I would just go where there was work. Sometime in the 1950s he began centering on Chicago, doing stints in the city -- the last known of which was from 1966 to 1971. There, he turned his attention to jazz. Fudge remembers the self-taught Willette, who couldn't read music; but just barely, it seems. He takes a while to answer, carefully considering his responses, and appears to really be scanning his memory bank. "It wasn't a long time (that Willette was in Milwaukee)," recalls Fudge, noting that he shared the stage with the organist at the Wilson Club on 12th and Center Streets. Also treading the boards was tenor saxophonist John "Wild Man" Gilmore famous for his work with Sun Ra. "At that time the organ was coming back out (in jazz)," he adds. Few who wrote about Willette at the time fail to mention his stature and his dapper good looks. Those must have been formidable traits in Willette because Fudge conjures those details up too. "He was a nice guy. He was a little guy; a little, small guy and he dressed real nice all the time." Willette's four Blue Note appearances (two mentioned above plus his own "Stop and Listen" and Grant Green's "Grant's First Stand") were all recorded in January 1961 (except "Stop and Listen" which was committed to tape in April of that year). His two Argo sets -- "Mo-Roc" and "Behind the 8 Ball" -- were recorded in May and November 1964, respectively. From there, Willette seems to disappear from recorded jazz. Organ jazz enthusiast and scholar Pete Fallico notes on his doodlinlounge.com Web site that five tracks recorded in '65 remain unreleased. While even casual jazz fans won't recognize his name, Baby Face charmed the conoscenti. New York Times jazz critic Ben Ratliff is a Willette devotee. "'Face to Face' transcends the cliches of organ jazz records," he told an interviewer. "There is a drive and a gut feeling on the record -- and really excellent playing -- that makes you feel that you are not listening to just another organ record." That's hardly the language of a supposed bona fide diplomat who presents an image to the world as a politician concerned to bring about an end to the five-year Syrian conflict. The US Secretary of State repeatedly sounds anxious to alleviate the appalling suffering of the Syrian nation, where over the past five years some 400,000 people have been killed and millions displaced as refugees. Anyone who has not been brainwashed by Western media propaganda knows full well that the suffering of Syria has been caused by Washington and its allies sponsoring a covert war for regime change in that country. Kerry was speaking during another round of failed negotiations -- this time in Vienna -- along with other leaders from the 17-nation International Syria Support Group that includes Russia, as well as the United Nations. The "support group" is a disgustingly erroneous name, given that certain members of this entity -- primarily the US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- have done everything in their power to sponsor a proxy terrorist war on Syria. If the truth were not so abject, it would be laughable. In a Voice of America report headlined "US still has leverage in Syria," Kerry is quoted thus: "He said the greatest leverage [on Syria] was the fact that [President] Assad and his backers would never be able to end the war in Syria if they declined to negotiate a political settlement." Consider the pernicious import of that for a moment. In other words, America's top "diplomat" is laying down a criminal ultimatum to the sovereign state of Syria and its elected government of President Bashar al-Assad. Kerry is saying in no uncertain terms that unless the Syrian authorities do not accept Washington's demand for regime change, then the country is facing never-ending war. Of course, being a weasel-worded diplomat, Kerry does not use the illegal term "regime change." He instead talks about "political transition." And he has set a date in August for this "transition" to take place. But what Kerry's euphemistic jargon boils down to is this: the Syrian president and his administration must vacate government -- or else face more violence and destruction. This is the political objective that Washington and its allies in NATO, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have wanted all along. They want what is an independent, anti-imperialist Syrian government to give way to some composite regime that would be a puppet for Washington's geopolitical interests in the oil-rich, strategically vital Middle East region. Any replacement regime would spurn its erstwhile allies of Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement to become an American vassal. In reality, the supposed pro-democracy change that Washington allegedly wants to install in Syria would be dominated by a repressive, fundamentalist regime that would betray the interests of the Syrian people. We can count on this outcome because the proxies who are waging Washington's covert war are dominated by extremists fully aligned with their despotic sponsors in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Kerry's apparent confidence in predicting that Syria faces a war of attrition if it does capitulate is a tacit admission by Washington that it controls the illegally armed factions in Syria. The United States may officially proscribe terror groups like al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al Nusra and the so-called Islamic State (also known as Daesh). The US pays lip service to "defeating terrorism." But anyone with an informed understanding of what is really happening in Syria and other countries subjected to US-led regime change knows that Washington has orchestrated these same terror groups for its criminal political objectives. This is corroborated by the fact that Washington refuses to coordinate its (ineffectual) bombing campaign with Russia to eliminate the terror groups. It is corroborated by the fact that Washington and its allies point-blank refuse Russia's proposals at the UN Security Council to designate other known terror outfits -- Jaysh al-Islam and Ahrar al-Shams -- as terrorist. "A farmer using synthetic chemicals is not a good farmer: indeed, he destroys and poisons his land's productivity and contaminates food forever". -- Eric V. Encina Filipino farmers in Quezon Province, and all over the Philippine archipelago, and other farmers all over the world need to wake up now to sustainable farming methods! The time is ripe for us to go back to natural agriculture or natural farming. Vermicast (worm manure) for example is a real scientific and a real-world solution, and a natural alternative to synthetic fertilizer. Vermicast is one of the best approaches to save farming in the Philippines and elsewhere. It is a concrete way to break free from the pestiferous addiction to artificial and chemical fertilizers. In farming, the most important thing is the long-term health of the soil. If and when soil is naturally and carefully kept and maintained without contamination, then the diversity and quality of the yields or produce is safer for health, good for nutrition and good for the environment. For example, the introduction of synthetic chemicals in the Philippines in the 1970's was pressured by powerful agro-chemical companies. The push for using synthetic chemicals was to increase output for exports and to meet the demands of the growing population. Now are experiencing the negative payback. Philippine farming is now at a deplorable level of horrendous environmental damage. The long-term damage includes soil erosion caused by chemical-reliant farming practices. Organic farming methods for high value crops is dying in the Philippines. Tragically, it is now near impossible for short-term financial reasons to restore organic farming, especially for highly value crops for export. We need to think long-term and apply natural solutions. Because of the influx, pressures and adroit operations of the massive chemically-based intensive farming methods in the last 60 years in the Philippines, the few remaining local, native and indigenous food plants, including wild yam, are now in the process of becoming man-made extinct. And there seems to be no preventive methods or efforts on the part of the Government or international agencies to save indigenous native food plants from extinction. Coconut plant trees, which are common in the Philippines, has become hybridized and modified. Banana varieties are also being modified and hybridized. Are hybridized humans in our future too? Once native seeds and indigenous native food plants have been altered, genetically modified, hybridized and bio-engineered, the original species will be gone forever. It is analogous to privatization and the selling-off of national assets. Real development in farming should be done by the natural and moral ideals of ecological protection, conservation biodiversity and natural habitat for all humans, animals and other creatures. That is the only way to sustainable and economic security for present and future generations. We are all stewards of all God's creation and we are morally responsible to care for our earth habitat just as we care for our souls. To quote The Most Rev. Bishop Sanchez Sorondo, the Chancellor of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences: "The challenge of climate change has become not only economic, political, or social. It is also an issue of morals, religion, values such as justice and social inclusion. The obligation of solidarity with future generations and the moral obligation to care for the Earth, namely creation which is our habitat." I am a campaigner for organic farming and planning with my family to do our small, but significant part by way of the organic farming project here in the Philippines. By writing articles I hope to awaken the people to their spiritual callings of this day. Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future The Democratic establishment and liberal commentariat lathered itself into a fine hysteria last week. What began as a Clinton surrogate meme -- (Bernie has done his job, but now he's hurting Clinton and should get out of the race) -- became a maddened chorus. The predictably angry reaction of Sanders delegates -- and truly deplorable behavior by some -- to preemptory rulings by a pro-Clinton Nevada party chair was blown into a mythical scene of chair-throwing violence, based largely on a report by a biased reporter who wasn't even there. The divisive DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz did her best to escalate rather than defuse the situation. Zealous Clinton advocates like Barney Frank and Paul Krugman slurred Sanders character because he wouldn't drop out of the race. Pundits like Eugene Robinson ("behaving like a two year old") and Jonathan Chait ("maddeningly narcissistic") piled on. Sanders voters were scorned as befuddled innocents who can't do addition, or, as Hillary Clinton earlier suggested, dupes that are being misled by Sanders misinformation. The New York Times and the Washington Post fanned the fames with alarmist headlines. Slurs and insults are an odd way to build party unity. What is this fit of hysteria about? What has Sanders done to trigger this circular firing squad? What does Bernie want? What Bernie Wants Sanders' intentions are not a secret. He has stated them clearly from the beginning of his remarkable presidential run. He hopes to win the nomination. And he intends to build a "political revolution" to change the direction of the party and the country, to challenge the corrupted politics and rigged rules that work only for the few and not the vast majority. As movement builder, he has every reason to stay in the race. He's still drawing stunning crowds. He's still energizing a new generation. He has a responsibility to take his message across the country, to educate and proselytize. As a candidate, he stays in the race because voters keep him in. He still has a shot -- however small -- at the nomination. He keeps gaining momentum. He's won five of the last six primary contests, and basically tied the sixth (Kentucky). He won the closed primary in Oregon even after the mainstream media press declared that the race was over. He's now got a chance to win California, in a primary marked by the diversity of its voters. His campaign raised more from its small donors than the Clinton campaign for the fourth month in a row in April. As things stand now, Clinton seems certain to finish the primary season with more elected delegates than Sanders and with more total votes. If elected delegates chose the nominee, she would win. But they don't. Clinton will not have won the required majority of the delegates to the Democratic Convention, because the rules of the party say that the 712 superdelegates who are appointed, not elected, get to vote for whomever they think is the stronger candidate. These are party officials, politicians, and leaders of DNC accredited institutions. They constitute 15% of the convention voters and will determine who is the nominee. Playing by those rules, Sanders says he will appeal to those delegates to choose him when they cast their vote at the convention. He has a strong argument to make, particularly if he wins California. He's the only candidate left standing whom Americans view favorably. Clinton suffers historic levels of disfavor, exceeded only by that of Donald Trump. Coming from nowhere, Sanders has grown stronger as his message has spread. Sanders runs better against Trump than Clinton in both national and most swing state polls. He fares far better among independents. He is more likely to inspire and turn out vital millennial voters. His message -- and his integrity -- will be a stark contrast to the bombast and duplicity of Trump. Surely he has a case to make. So Sanders continues his critique of Hillary Clinton on issues and on the big money fueling her campaign. He continues to call on the Democratic Party to "open its doors and let the people in," not remain a party "dependent on big money campaign contributions and... a party of limited energy." [DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz's tone deaf response to that was to repeal Obama's ban on lobbyist contributions to the Democratic Convention). Sanders has already made it clear that if he doesn't win the nomination, he will endorse and stump for the winner. The most notable addition to his stump speech recently has been an extended attack on Donald Trump, featuring the riff: "I come from the working class of this country, and I will be damned if we will allow the Republican Party...to win the votes of working class Americans." Democratic voters seem at ease with Sanders' course. A recent CBS/NY Times poll showed that by 59-34% Democratic voters say that the "long race for the nomination" will help the Democrats in November rather than hurt it. (And the number is a sharp contrast with 2008, when by a virtual reverse margin (38-54%) Democrats thought the long race hurt the party in November.) By 50 to 48, Democrats describe the party as united rather than divided, again a stark contrast with 2008 when by 56 to 42% Democrats thought the party divided. By 83-14%, Democratic voters already say they'll support Clinton if she becomes the nominee. The hand wringing about Sanders dividing the party seems overwrought at best. House leader Nancy Pelosi, one of the few Democratic leaders not to lose her head in the past days, has it right. She praised Sanders"as a positive force in the Democratic Party," saying "he's has awakened in some people an interest in the political process that wasn't there...And I think that's positive." So why the hysteria? The Clinton Problem Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 (5 comments) SHARE Globalization Expressway to Universal Slavery If humans were largely moral and ethical beings, then globalization could be a workable proposition. Unfortunately, the dark behavioral narcissism expressed by compulsive greed and an infinite appetite for power seems to have become the guiding precept of our collective nightmare. Sunday, October 30, 2016If humans were largely moral and ethical beings, then globalization could be a workable proposition. Unfortunately, the dark behavioral narcissism expressed by compulsive greed and an infinite appetite for power seems to have become the guiding precept of our collective nightmare. (4 comments) SHARE Globalist Clinton: Clear and Present Danger to World Peace This current United States presidential election cycle is completely out of the ordinary. Even though the division and contentions between Hillary Clinton's supporters and Donald Trump's supporters are not policy oriented, like they should be, they are nonetheless extremely vivid in the realm of rage and raw emotions. It appears that most Americans will be motivated to cast their ballots with hatred in their guts. Saturday, October 22, 2016This current United States presidential election cycle is completely out of the ordinary. Even though the division and contentions between Hillary Clinton's supporters and Donald Trump's supporters are not policy oriented, like they should be, they are nonetheless extremely vivid in the realm of rage and raw emotions. It appears that most Americans will be motivated to cast their ballots with hatred in their guts. (12 comments) SHARE Clinton vs Trump: Lesser of Two Evils or the Devil You Know In United States politics, what worked like a charm for decades, especially with the fake left, was the lesser-of-two-evils argument. Not a vote for someone, but a vote against someone else. Once again it is at play in the 2016 election cycle, but with many new and unexpected twists. Friday, September 30, 2016In United States politics, what worked like a charm for decades, especially with the fake left, was the lesser-of-two-evils argument. Not a vote for someone, but a vote against someone else. Once again it is at play in the 2016 election cycle, but with many new and unexpected twists. (16 comments) SHARE Democracy Is Dead Democracy Is Dead | NEWS JUNKIE POST Friday, July 1, 2016Democracy Is Dead | NEWS JUNKIE POST (5 comments) SHARE If Bernie Sanders Is Real, He Will Run as an Independent As far as the Democratic Party nomination, let's face it, it is already a done deal...it was always Hillary Clinton's turn. It would be absurd, for example, to think that Bernie Sanders could win the key state of California from Clinton. The power brokers of the Hollywood machine, and their immense wealth and influence will make sure it doesn't happen. Monday, May 23, 2016As far as the Democratic Party nomination, let's face it, it is already a done deal...it was always Hillary Clinton's turn. It would be absurd, for example, to think that Bernie Sanders could win the key state of California from Clinton. The power brokers of the Hollywood machine, and their immense wealth and influence will make sure it doesn't happen. (28 comments) SHARE Paris Attack Will Foster an Orwellian Police State Just like 9/11 in the United States, it seems that the way France's bloody Friday will be exploited matters more than the tragedy itself. There is no better justification to crack down on civil liberty, freedom and other principles that define the essence of democracy than the good old permanent global war on terror. Tuesday, November 17, 2015Just like 9/11 in the United States, it seems that the way France's bloody Friday will be exploited matters more than the tragedy itself. There is no better justification to crack down on civil liberty, freedom and other principles that define the essence of democracy than the good old permanent global war on terror. SHARE New Orleans a Decade after Katrina: 'Waiting for Godot' Courtesy of Disaster Capitalism For me, Katrina's arrival to the Crescent City was always personal. I used to own a place in New Orleans. To my surprise, the house was spared any significant damage by Katrina. My new goal became to document the event as accurately as I could. Friday, August 28, 2015For me, Katrina's arrival to the Crescent City was always personal. I used to own a place in New Orleans. To my surprise, the house was spared any significant damage by Katrina. My new goal became to document the event as accurately as I could. (2 comments) SHARE Interview: Haitian-Born Author Dady Chery Dissects Haiti's Ongoing Occupation Gilbert Mercier interviews the Haitian-born author and scientist, Dady Chery, about the situation in Haiti since the earthquake of January 2010. This is a rare discussion of Haiti by someone who grew up in that country and has a profound knowledge, not only of the developments but also of their cultural and historical context. Chery is the author of the book "We Have Dared to Be Free: Haiti's Struggle Against Occupation." Thursday, August 6, 2015Gilbert Mercier interviews the Haitian-born author and scientist, Dady Chery, about the situation in Haiti since the earthquake of January 2010. This is a rare discussion of Haiti by someone who grew up in that country and has a profound knowledge, not only of the developments but also of their cultural and historical context. Chery is the author of the book "We Have Dared to Be Free: Haiti's Struggle Against Occupation." (16 comments) SHARE US Empire: American Exceptionalism Is No Shining City On a Hill US Empire: American Exceptionalism Is No Shining City On a Hill | NEWS JUNKIE POST Saturday, May 16, 2015US Empire: American Exceptionalism Is No Shining City On a Hill | NEWS JUNKIE POST (4 comments) SHARE US Military and NATO: Praetorian Guard of the Orwellian Empire even as the US has projected its power worldwide through military might, its clever ideologues have managed to convince a large portion of their public that their ambitions for global hegemony are altruistic and benevolent. This dichotomy between the fictional discourse and the brutal reality of US imperialism, applied globally since 1945, is more blatant than George Orwell's worse fears expressed in "1984". Sunday, March 8, 2015even as the US has projected its power worldwide through military might, its clever ideologues have managed to convince a large portion of their public that their ambitions for global hegemony are altruistic and benevolent. This dichotomy between the fictional discourse and the brutal reality of US imperialism, applied globally since 1945, is more blatant than George Orwell's worse fears expressed in "1984". (35 comments) SHARE The Illusion of Democracy The Illusion of Democracy | NEWS JUNKIE POST Wednesday, March 4, 2015The Illusion of Democracy | NEWS JUNKIE POST (1 comments) SHARE The US War Culture Has Come Home to Roost olice violence in the United States should not surprise anyone. In Ferguson, Missouri, we have witnessed the use against US citizens of Iraq-tested war technologies. On August 17, 2014, a police force using armored vehicles and military tactics fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at peaceful protesters who had been demanding justice Thursday, August 21, 2014olice violence in the United States should not surprise anyone. In Ferguson, Missouri, we have witnessed the use against US citizens of Iraq-tested war technologies. On August 17, 2014, a police force using armored vehicles and military tactics fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at peaceful protesters who had been demanding justice (3 comments) SHARE Engineering Failed States: The Strategy of Global Corporate Imperialism Global corporate empire: sovereign nations are the only obstacle Imperialism has long been a collective disease for humanity. In its current perverse capitalist incarnation, imperialism's methods have become even more brutal and ruthless. Corporate imperialism aims to break the national spirit. The few remaining sovereign nations are the final obstacles to the looming threat of a global transnational corporate empire. Sunday, August 10, 2014Global corporate empire: sovereign nations are the only obstacle Imperialism has long been a collective disease for humanity. In its current perverse capitalist incarnation, imperialism's methods have become even more brutal and ruthless. Corporate imperialism aims to break the national spirit. The few remaining sovereign nations are the final obstacles to the looming threat of a global transnational corporate empire. We had hired 30 engineers. That took us three years. As we scaled up, we wanted to expand to 150, not in one year, but in three months," recalls Siddhartha Nihalani, Head of Engineering, Practo Technologies, which provides technology solutions to healthcare providers. For Practo, at that stage, growth was imperative but, without quick hiring, impossible. There were no easy answers. The reasons for slow hiring, says Nihalani, are many. One, companies give applicants coding tests on paper and then check them manually. This is time-consuming and subjective. At times, applicants have to be flown down to the office, too, says Nihalani. In such a scenario, Practo would have had no option but to lower its growth ambitions. It was then it discovered HackerRank - a tech start-up that uses software to test skills of programmers, helping companies hire quality talent. HackerRank helped Practo assess 1,500 people in three months. With operations in Bangalore and California, HackerRank has its roots in a college project of two friends, Harishankaran Karunanidhi and Vivek Ravisankar, studying in National Institute of Technology, Trichy, who developed a software to help students evaluate coding skills. At that time, they did not know what to do with it further, and after passing out took jobs at IBM and Amazon, respectively. The next year, in 2009, they left their jobs and developed the project into a company called InterviewStreet. The idea was to set up a business around helping students get better jobs through skill assessment and mock interviews. The self assessment was a big hit and attracted 100 candidates every month. But conducting mock interviews was tough. "Recruiters felt it was unethical to give away interview questions as it would be in conflict with their day job," says Karunanidhi. The two started asking around for feedback and, through a friend, got in touch with Mekin Maheshwari, the then Vice President of Engineering at Flipkart. In February 2011, Flipkart became its first corporate client. Word of mouth got them five more paying clients in the next three months. The big break came in June 2011, when the company was selected for Y Combinator. It claims it was the first Indian company to be shortlisted for the American accelerator programme. At this stage, feedback from mentors such as Paul Graham and Mark Jung made the founders realise that getting candidates was a bigger problem for companies than assessing them. They decided to start a web community of programmers called HackerRank, in 2012. Gradually, they changed the focus from students to companies and developed a platform called HackerRank for Work, which lets companies set up coding challenges to be solved by potential employees online. The software automatically evaluates the work and sends top results to companies. Mathias Connot, Director of Talent Acquisition at US-based cloud and virtualisation software company VMware, says the software has helped them save 75 per cent of the screening time and look for "diamonds in the rough". The 26-year-olds renamed the company HackerRank from InterviewStreet. To expand the pool of potential hires, the co-founders hit upon the idea of strengthening the HackerRank community by setting up coding challenges every month. They also got companies on board for hiring the winners of these contests. This gave them a lot of traction in the technology world. It is now a 1.5-million-strong community of programmers, considered to be the third-largest online programming community in the world after GitHub and StackOverflow, says Karunanidhi. "Technology is one of the biggest sectors for recruitments in India. As new programming languages keep coming in, it is important for companies to engage with the talent so that they have a database of people with the right skill sets who may not be looking for a job right now but can be hired in the future," says Archana Jerath, Business Head, SHRM India, an association of HR professionals. In contrast to resumes, which may not give the true picture of a person's coding skills, online tests are an objective way to find the right candidates, she adds. "Technology is one of the biggest sectors for recruitments in India. As new programming languages keep coming in, it is important for companies to engage with the talent" Meanwhile, the selection for Y Combinator helped in fund raising. HackerRack raised $3 million from Khosla Ventures, led by billionaire entrepreneur Vinod Khosla. It used the money to hire a sales and operations team in California. While the engineering team is based in Bangalore, the 140 employees are evenly distributed in the two locations. New Add-ons HackerRank for Work was working well for companies looking for junior and mid-level hires. But for hiring at the senior level, companies wanted to oversee the entire assessment process. So, HackerRank developed another product, CodePair, in 2013, which helps companies test coding skills in real time. "It is a Google Drive-type software with audio and video functions. The recruiter can not only see the code candidates are writing in real time but also understand their thought process," says Karunanidhi. As the client base increased to 1,000-plus, and top names such as Amazon and Walmart came on board, in June 2014, it raised another $9.2 million from Khosla Ventures and Battery Ventures. Last year, it got $7.5 million from Japan-based Recruit Holdings' HR Technology Fund. It has received $20 million in funding till date. To beef up its top deck, HackerRack hired former Facebook ad sales executive Grady Burnett as Chief Operating Officer and Google's veteran software engineer Ahmed Aly for creating programming content. "The idea was to give senior people charge of operations so that we could focus on product development," says Ravisankar, who looks after the US operations and customer acquisition. In November 2014, to tap the market for mobile apps, HackerRank developed DroidRank, which checks the efficiency of apps for Android. In June 2015, it launched DbRank, which tests skills of database programmers, business analysts and data scientists, as well as SudoRank (to assess systems engineers). In January this year came a job search app, HackerRank Jobs, to connect companies to software engineers. Here, too, coders have to pass a test. "Applying to a company is like sending the job resume in a black hole. We are trying to make the process transparent. The applicant will be informed if he or she will get an interview call or not," says Ravisankar. Over 20 companies such as Intuit and Quora have joined the platform. The company does not make money from the hacker community but from companies that partner with it for assessments. The cost of an enterprise package varies from $10,000 to $25,000, which includes access to all of HackerRank's products. HackerRank also recently partnered with Microsoft for enabling code search on Bing. It has code snippets based on commonly-searched items that can be used by programmers for learning and checking the quality of their solutions. It is also developing a platform for assessing web developers and iOS app developers, which will be launched by the end of this year. Ashwin Singh, Senior Manager, APAC Talent Acquisition, Juniper Networks, says, "HackerRank is a vital component of our campus recruiting strategy. Through the assessment tool as well as CodePair, it has helped us uncover top-notch tech talent, while reducing screening time drastically. It is a great engagement platform for our technical community and has helped us drive our innovation agenda." As the company keeps launching new products to tap new segments, it remains true to its tagline - making the world flat by democratising the hiring process. This coming June 2016, Marriott International will present an exciting and authentic new product at the pristine beach of Nai Yang, Phuket. Inspired by cultural and architectural characteristics of Thailand, the Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach is located amidst the natural beauty of Phuket Island. The resort offers a new definition of relaxation and tranquility, and combined with genuine Thai hospitality, aspires to elevate vacationing to a unique level. The 180-room resort is located on Nai Yang beach which is considered one of the most scenic parts of Phuket. It will be the latest addition to the Marriott family in Thailand. Nai Yang is renowned for its exclusivity, powdery white sand, and the tropical vegetation and lush green forest within the Sirinath National Park. All the more reason to leave the bustle of the city behind and embrace the beauty and harmony of the natural environment and surroundings, from the moment one enters the Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Nai Yang Beach. Upon arrival, guests are greeted with signature welcome drinks in the open-air lobby lounge which is designed in Marriotts signature Great Room concept and where one is immediately captivated by the stunning views, the sound of the waves and fresh taste of the cooling Andaman sea breeze. The rooms are designed in two unique styles in a traditional-Thai and sophisticated concept with relaxing earth tones for those who enjoy Thai architecture, or the sleek-contemporary Thai decor for a more modern feel. A stay in the luxury Pool Villas located directly on the natural and exclusive beachfront will prove an unforgettable, exclusive experience. The Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach offers quality facilities and attractions which can be enjoyed 24 hours a day, enabling the guest to spend precious time and a memorable vacation within the resort. A choice of several restaurants and bars is available, offering both Thai and international cuisine where guests will be treated with personalized service and meals are prepared by professional local chefs. The Andaman Kitchen, an all-day dining restaurant, features a wide array of dishes whereas the beachfront Big Fish Grill serves fresh seafood. The Big Fish Bar, also located on the beachfront of the resort, offers a wide range of enticing beverages, from local signature drinks to international renowned cocktails. Guests may also choose to enjoy afternoon tea in the spacious open-air lobby lounge with its spectacular views. A variety of facilities and recreational activities are available at the resort. Guests will especially appreciate the magnificent large lagoon-inspired swimming pool meandering throughout the resort. A fully equipped 24 hour fitness center, the luxurious Quan Spa with its tempting signature treatments, children-friendly facilities and activities at the Kids Pool area and beachside Kids Club, help ensure that every guests desires are addressed. The Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach is furthermore an ideal and impressive venue for exclusive meetings and events. Its 108 sqm ballroom and several function rooms, all with natural daylight, enable the resort to cater for various types of events ranging from private parties to exclusive seaside weddings. Just minutes away from the rest of the world, the Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach is only a short drive from Phuket International Airport and conveniently located near the old town of Nai Yang with its local restaurants and bars, as well as many natural attractions and scenic points of Phuket. For more information and reservations, please contact Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach via telephone number +66 (0) 76 625 555, or via email bookmarriott@marriott.com Credit: (c) Alain Herzog, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne EPFL spin-off Gamaya has just raised 3.2 million francs for its agricultural drone system. The system combines a miniature hyperspectral camera and artificial intelligence to give farmers very precise information on the health of their crops. It can also be used to ensure fertilizer, pesticides and other treatments are used sparingly. Gamaya, an EPFL spin-off, has developed an automatic, aerial system for monitoring crops using a hyperspectral camera affixed to a drone. The system detects a wide range of information, including seed type, stage of growth, hydration level, parasites and diseases. The aerial views can also be used to cut costs by ensuring that herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are only applied to areas that need them. The company has just raised 3.2 million francs from investors including the Sandoz Foundation, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Seed4Equity and the Swiss venture capital firm IV Partners. In addition, last Thursday it was awarded the W.A. de Vigier award worth 100,000 francs. Sensing the spectral signature of plants Hyperspectral cameras expand the spectrum of colors that can be detected by recording light wavelengths from visible to infrared. They are therefore effective in picking up the "spectral signature" of plants, which varies with their stage of growth and the surrounding conditions. A lack of water or nutrients, for example, modifies the physiological state of plants and affects how they reflect light. So a healthy plant will have a different spectral signature from that of a plant experiencing stress. Wide range of variations have been documented and put into databases. Gamaya developed a software program that maps the nuances of the spectrum detected by the drone onto colors visible to the human eye. Each problem has a color, which means farmers can analyze their crops in detail on their computer screen. The system also provides advice such as how much fertilizer to use and yield projections. Well-suited for the vast croplands in South America The system, which simply requires farmers to operate a drone, is now ready for use with soy, corn and sugar cane fields. "We are starting out by targeting Latin America, where the market is estimated to be worth five billion dollars," said Yosef Akhtman, the company's CEO. The farms there are vast, which means that conditions are frequently uneven. The system has already been successfully tested by farmers in Brazil. Gamaya says its system can help farmers boost their harvest, bring down costs and reduce disease-related risks. "It could boost profits by up to 30% by helping farmers quickly and accurately resolve problems," said Akhtman. The company, which was founded last year, has been selected by Forbes and Business Insider as one of the twelve most promising young companies in agriculture-related technologies. "This system's ability to enhance efficiency in crop treatment could also help address the main challenge awaiting agriculture: we will have to produce as much food between now and 2050 as we did over the past 10,000 years combined." The global population is expected to reach some 10 billion people by mid-century. Explore further MSU lands first drone Funnel for beer making from Mijiaya. Credit: Jiajing Wang. Residue on pottery from an archeological site has revealed the earliest evidence of beer brewing in China left from a 5,000-year-old recipe, researchers said Monday. The artifacts show that people of the era had already mastered an "advanced beer brewing technique" that contained elements from East and West, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal. Yellowish residue gleaned from pottery funnels and wide-mouthed pots show traces of ingredients that had been fermented togetherbroomcorn millet, barley, a chewy grain known as Job's tears, and tubers. "The discovery of barley is a surprise," lead author Jiajing Wang of Stanford University told AFP, saying it is the earliest known sign of barley in archeological materials from China. "This beer recipe indicates a mix of Chinese and Western traditionsbarley from the West; millet, Job's tears and tubers from China." The discovery indicates that barley made its way to China some 1,000 years earlier than previously believed. Barley "may have been used as a beer-making ingredient long before it became an agricultural staple," the study said. The archaeological site at Mijiaya, near a tributary of the Wei River in northern China, includes two pits dating to around 3,400-2,900 BC. It contains artifacts that point to beer brewing, filtration and underground storage, as well as stoves that may have been used to heat and mash grains. However, it is impossible to know exactly how the beer tasted, researchers said, because they do not know the ingredients' exact proportion. "My guess is that the beer might have tasted a bit sour and a bit sweet," Wang said. "Sour comes from fermented cereal grains, sweet from tubers." Elite drink Evidence of beer brewing has been found around the same time period in Iran and Egypt, experts say. "The introduction of Middle Eastern barley into a Chinese drink fits with the special role of fermented beverages in social interactions and as an exotic ingredient which would appeal to emerging elite individuals," said Patrick McGovern, an expert on biomolecular archeology at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. McGovern, who was not involved in the study, agreed the techniques used for brewing in China were advanced, and that "ancient peoples, including those at Mijiaya, applied the same principles and techniques as brewers do today." They knew to use heat to break down carbohydrates, and the underground location of the brew site "is very significant," he added. "A cool spot is important in controlling heat, which if it gets too high can destroy the enzymes responsible for the carbohydrate to sugar conversion," he said. Lower temperatures would also have been important for keeping the beverage cool in storage. Modern beer-makers such as Dogfish Head Brewery have tried to recreate some drinks from the past, and McGovern suggested offerings for any who might like to experience a flavor similar to the 5,000-year-old brew concocted in northern China. "I would look to a variation on several of the Dogfish ancient ales," he said. "Maybe overlapping between Ta Henket, which includes barley and some exotic herbs and fruits, and Chateau Jiahu, representing an earlier phase of ancient Chinese brewing." Explore further Discovery of proteins that cause haze in beer 2016 AFP Aircraft can travel quicker, but ships are required for really heavy lifting. Credit: Sarah E Ard/US Navy The disappearance of EgyptAir flight MS804, presumed lost over the eastern Mediterranean on a flight between Paris and Cairo with all 66 on board, is the latest passenger aircraft to go missing. The loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 along with its 239 passengers over the Indian Ocean in March 2014 still looms large the aircraft is yet to be found. While the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean greatly differ in size, both disasters highlight the difficulty of search and rescue operations at sea. Maritime search and rescue is difficult for many reasons, but operations at sea are inevitably complicated in comparison to those on land not least due to the need for international cooperation, and the effects of the shifting waters under which that which is lost must be found. An aircraft that crashes on land may end up in inaccessible areas such as tropical forests or mountain peaks, but it will remain at the same location until it is located. And this location, wherever it is, is most likely to be within a single sovereign state's national territory, jurisdiction and responsibility. At sea, however, the additional dimension of depth makes the rescue teams' efforts extremely hard. This not only comes from the physical difficulty of working under the pressure and depth of the water column above any wreck, along with the darkness or disturbed seabed sediment that make visual location and identification almost impossible. But the flight data recorder transmitter is limited to a range of about 5km: the depth of seawater into which any wreckage falls may mean a strong signal becomes weak and distant, even to those searching directly overhead. Finding MH370's transmitter in the 73.5 million km2 of the Indian Ocean is an incredible task; at 2.5 million km2 the Mediterranean may be smaller, but it is certainly not small. Further complicating the issue is that, as time passes by, sea currents and weather conditions such as the sea state will cause wreckage to drift. In practice, this means the search and rescue area must continue to expand, rather than shrink, for every hour the search goes on. Teams form an increasingly bigger circle outwards from the estimated point of last contact in this case, where Greek air traffic control lost contact with the EgyptAir jet. The search areas' radius increases with calculations based on the weather conditions and time. As an indication, debris from flight MH370 has been recovered in Mauritius and South Africa, more than 2,500 miles from the estimated crash site. Search and rescue teams working at sea are also subject to the "tyranny of distance": ships are slow in comparison to aircraft or road vehicles, and take a long time to reach the crash site. Even then, they are limited in how long they can sustain their search until they must return to port to take on more fuel or supplies, and then again return to the area of operations. At all times, ships are at the mercy of the weather conditions even strong winds can significantly affect performance. This is why the first and quickest search and rescue response is usually assigned to patrol aircraft or helicopters that can quickly reach an area. Due to their altitude they also have a greater capability to see or locate through radar wreckage or survivors. Of course aircraft too have even more limited flight time, and are little help in the rescue, rather than just the search, aspect of operations. International search and rescue The need for an international mechanism to provide search and rescue at sea led the International Maritime Organisation to develop the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue. It was adopted by its signatories in 1979 and came into force in 1985. This convention is supplemented by the 13 search and rescue regions, maritime zones that detail which specific states have authority and responsibility to carry out search and rescue operations. Based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, all merchant vessels in an area have a duty to "proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress, if informed of their need of assistance", and this is why the responsible state is required to coordinate civilian shipping in the area. Although nations' responsibilities are defined, not all have the capacity to cover huge ocean territories, and this is why international cooperation is essential. This means not only that foreign states contribute their assistance where needed, but that coastal states accept that foreign shipping or aircraft may enter its territorial waters. This should give a sense of how different and difficult it is to conduct search and rescue at sea. Hopefully, and bearing in mind the huge volume of transoceanic flights and flows of shipping over the vast expanse of ocean worldwide, improving technology and better collaboration between states will continue to help minimise loss of life at sea. Explore further Sentinel-1A spots potential oil slick from missing EgyptAir plane This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Two sisters pose for a photo following a BYU graduation ceremony. New research from BYU looks at the factors contributing to educational attainment among siblings. Credit: Savanna Sorensen, BYU Photo If you have three or more siblings, odds are that you have at least one year less of education than someone who has no siblings. More kids in your family. Less education. This pattern isn't new, but a team of researchers led by BYU sociology professor Ben Gibbs studied why that educational dip occurs and found that there are exceptions to the trend. One group that is a major outlier is Mormons. Despite large family sizes, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) don't feel the same educational attainment effects. For Mormons, the negative relationship between years of schooling and number of siblings is 66 percent smaller than those raised in other religious groups. "I think Mormons are an interesting case because it's one example of a faith community that has really high fertility patterns, in fact the highest fertility patterns in the U.S., who don't seem to suffer as much by having these large families when we look at educational attainment," Gibbs said. The root of this educational issue in families goes back to a simple concept: resource dilution. In 1989, researcher Judith Blake presented the theory, which stated that children from large families don't receive as much education because the family resources are spread out over more people. Follow up research by social scientists across the United States supported the theory, which developed into something of an iron law: the more siblings you have, the less education you will obtain. But it turns out this iron law isn't so ironclad after all. The research by Gibbs, Ohio State professor Doug Downy and Oxford research fellow Joseph Workman was published in Demography last week and shows that the resource dilution theory has an exception. When the government or community helps make raising children less burdensome, the effect of Blake's theory decreases significantly. "Our argument would be that resource dilution is probably a law," Gibbs said, "but those resources don't have to come from the parents." Gibbs and his colleagues came to this conclusion by extending Blake's original data to include newer cohorts of data: people born in the 1950s,1960s and 1970s. They found that the negative effect of sibship size (the amount of siblings in an immediate family) on educational attainment was cut in half between the beginning and middle of the 20th century. "The 50s and 60s was the time of the Great Society, when we invested a lot in making higher education more expansive, accessible and affordable," Gibbs said. "From the 40s on, we had a lot of social programs (GI Bill, Medicare/Medicaid) that influenced how a family experiences childrearing and its cost in ways that may have even shaped something as important as how much education a person has." Regardless of where support comes from, community or government, its effect is substantial in helping ease families' struggle to provide educational resources for their children. Also, support isn't just money given to families; it can include anything from childcare to education initiatives. Two decades of work by Downey has uncovered some of these more essential resources. Gibbs explained that Mormons alleviate the responsibilities of raising kids in three main ways that could be causing this effect and helping them get more education regardless of how many children are in their family. First, about 90 percent of Mormon kids have adult mentors in their congregations that they feel give them significatn encouragement, when the national average among religious teens is about 50 percents. Second, Mormons donate income to the church, which can be used to help families in times of need and offset some financial hardship. Third, Mormon religious ideology encourages education and recommends that individuals make it a priority. "The presence of BYU is a great example of thismarrying the secular pursuit of education with this religious theological belief so that it's part of the same quest," Gibbs said. "As Mormons believe that the glory of God is intelligence, this often translates to get as much education as possible." The study isn't necessarily good news for people currently from large families. The researchers are concerned that the trend might be reversing due to growing income inequality and lack of government and community investment. "Right now, I think we're at the end of a golden era where families are under less burden and constraint," Gibbs said. "We find good evidence that growing inequality is reversing this trend." If Gibbs is right about the turning trend, reality could contradict the American Dream and the size of the family you're born into could explain more about how far kids go in education. But knowing this could help avoid that path. "Maybe we can borrow some of what we've learned about those time periods [when the effect was less] in today's debate about the role of the family in shaping kids' educational futures," Gibbs said. "In the name of equality, family resources could be far less of a factor for determining how much education kids obtain." Explore further Study finds shifting gaps in educational attainment among students of different incomes More information: Benjamin G. Gibbs et al. The (Conditional) Resource Dilution Model: State- and Community-Level Modifications, Demography (2016). Journal information: Demography Benjamin G. Gibbs et al. The (Conditional) Resource Dilution Model: State- and Community-Level Modifications,(2016). DOI: 10.1007/s13524-016-0471-0 The Romanian hacker known as Guccifer, who is charged with breaking into computer accounts of the Bush family, Secretary of State Colin Powell and others, is scheduled to plead guilty to federal charges. A change-of-plea hearing is scheduled Wednesday at U.S. District Court in Alexandria for Marcel Lazar, 44, of Arad, Romania, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty last month to charges including cyberstalking, unauthorized access to computers and obstruction of justice. The court records do not specify which charges Lazar will plead to. His court-appointed lawyer, Shannon Quill, declined to comment Monday. Lazar is best known for alleged hacks into accounts held by the Bushes that revealed private family photos and paintings connected to former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Lazar also made news earlier this month with unsubstantiated claims he hacked into Hillary Clinton's private email server. He was indicted in the U.S. in 2014. A Romanian court approved him for extradition earlier this year. The indictment does not identify the victims by name but describes "Victim 1" as "a family member of two former U.S. presidents." The Bush family member's hacked AOL account resulted in leaked emails, medical information, photographs, home addresses, and telephone numbers, according to the indictment. The website The Smoking Gun published some of the hacked photos, including pictures of paintings by George W. Bush, and a photo of George H.W. Bush in the hospital. The Smoking Gun said the hacked account belonged to Dorothy Bush Koch, the daughter of the elder Bush and sister of the younger. The indictment also identifies "Victim 3," believed to be Powell, and says his Facebook account was hacked, and posts went out under Powell's name stating "You will burn in hell, Bush!" and "Kill the illuminati!" Guccifer also claimed credit for hacking an email account of Sidney Blumenthal, a confidant of Hillary Clinton, in March 2013. That subsequent leak of Blumenthal's emails was the first time that outsiders became aware of Clinton's private "clintonemail.com" address, which she used to communicate with Blumenthal. It has now become part of the investigation of whether Clinton mishandled sensitive emails. Blumenthal appears to be described in the indictment as Victim 5, "a journalist and former presidential advisor" whose account was hacked in March 2013. Lazar told multiple news outlets earlier this month that he hacked Clinton's email server, but that he didn't publish any of the emails because he found them uninteresting. He offered no proof of his claims. Explore further Indictment over hacking of Bush family email accounts 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Simulating the human brain is proving tricky. But could mathematics based on symmetries help? Credit: youtube, CC BY-SA Given how much they can actually do, computers have a surprisingly simple basis. Indeed, the logic they use has worked so well that we have even started to think of them as analogous to the human brain. Current computers basically use two basic values 0 (false) and 1 (true) and apply simple operations like "and", "or" and "not" to compute with them. These operations can be combined and scaled up to represent virtually any computation. This "binary "or "Boolean" logic was introduced by George Boole in 1854 to describe what he called "the laws of thought". But the brain is far from a binary logic device. And while programmes such as the Human Brain Project seek to model the brain using computers, the notion of what computers are is also constantly changing. So will we ever be able to model something as complex as the human brain using computers? After all, biological systems use symmetry and interaction to do things that even the most powerful computers cannot do like surviving, adapting and reproducing. This is one reason why binary logic often falls short of describing how living things or human intelligence work. But our new research suggests there are alternatives: by using the mathematics that describe biological networks in the computers of the future, we may be able to make them more complex and similar to living systems like the brain. Living organisms do not live in a world of zeroes and ones. And if binary logic doesn't naturally describe their activity, what kind of mathematics does? I was involved in an international project which studied whether mathematical structures called "Simple Non-Abelian Groups" (SNAGs) may describe complex processes in living cells. SNAGs are commonly in mathematics and physics, and are based on the principles of symmetry and interaction. SNAGs offer a potentially powerful alternative to binary logic for computation. Helpful SNAGs There are infinitely many kinds of SNAGs. They were conjured by the brilliant 19th-century French mathematician Evariste Galois, who tragically died aged 20 in a fatal duel over a romantic interest. Indeed, he wrote much of his ground-breaking theory during a feverish night before the duel. The smallest SNAG A5 describes the symmetries of two beautiful 3D shapes known since the time of the ancient Greeks: the icosahedron (made of 20 triangles) and the dodecahedron (made of 12 pentagons). SNAGs can be thought of as the "multiplication tables" of how symmetries interact, rather than for how to multiply numbers. Dodecahedron and Icosahedron (Platonic Solids): 3D shapes with SNAG symmetry Dodecahedron and Icosahedron (Platonic Solids): 3D shapes with SNAG symmetry Unlike the ones and zeros used in binary logic with just two values, the SNAG for each of these shapes have 60 values or "symmetries". These symmetries operate like rotations that can be combined. Performing a rotation and following it with a second can have the same effect as another kind of rotation, giving a kind of "multiplication table" for these 60 symmetries. For example, if you rotate the icosahedron (the figure below) five times by 72 degrees clockwise around the axis through its centre and any vertex (corner) it will get back to the starting configuration. The structure of SNAGs is a natural kind of basis for computation that is just as powerful as binary logic, but presents a very different view about which computations are easy. To compute with SNAGs, nature (or humans or future computers) can use sequences of SNAG symmetries combined according to the rules. Patterns of events and interactions determine which symmetries occur in the sequence's variable positions. Symmetries in nature We have for the first time shown that there are SNAGs hidden in common biological networks. To do this, we analysed the internal workings of cells (their gene regulation and metabolism) using mathematics, computers and models from systems biology. We found that SNAG symmetries accurately describe potential activities in the genetic regulatory network that controls a cell's response to certain kinds of stress such as radiation and DNA damage. This may be hugely important as it means SNAGs can describe cellular processes intimately involved in self-repair, "cell suicide", and cancer. The specific SNAG involved in this gene network is A5. The 60 symmetries in this case are the result of particular sequences of manipulations by the cell's genetic regulatory network to transform ensembles of proteins into other forms. For example, when a set of five concentration levels of proteins is manipulated, it can be transformed to another set. When this is done many times, it can break some of the proteins down, join some together or synthesise new types of proteins. But after a specific number of manipulations the original five concentration levels of proteins will eventually return. It doesn't stop at cellular damage control processes. We have also shown mathematically that nearly all biological reaction networks must have numerous embedded SNAG components. However, lab work is still needed to explain how and to what extent cells exploit SNAGs in their activity. Computation with SNAGs has never yet been exploited in conventional computers, but we are hoping to use it. In the future, new kinds of computers and software systems may deploy resources the way some living organisms do, in robust adaptive responses. Driven by interaction with their environment, including human users, they could grow new structures, divide up tasks among different types of computational "cells" such as hardware units or software processes, allow old structures to wither and be reabsorbed if unused. Understanding how living things and brains use interaction-based computations, which are all around us, may radically reshape not only our computers and the internet, but the existing models of the brain and living organisms. SNAG-based computations may finally help us build better and more predictive working models of cells and of the brain. But we have only sighted the first examples, and so have a long way to go. After all, as Shakespeare and this discovery of SNAG-computation in cells remind us: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Explore further Working group seeks new algorithms for an old problem This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. For Immediate Release In conflict zones around the world, health care workers and facilities are under relentless attack, according to a new report No Protection, No Respect from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The Coalition of more than 30 nongovernmental organizations found that during 2015 and the first three months of 2016, deliberate or indiscriminate strikes on health care have killed medical workers and patients, decimated medical infrastructure, and robbed countless civilians of vital medical care in 19 countries around the world. The report also found that, in many instances, parties to conflicts failed to take required steps to avoid harm to medical facilities, staff, and patients and obstructed access to health care. The report shows both the pervasiveness and variety of attacks on health facilities, staff, and patients globally, said Leonard Rubenstein of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Coalitions chair. Sometimes the attacks are deliberate, sometimes theyre a product of indifference to the harms caused, and sometimes they represent gross failures to take steps needed to prevent death and injury but all violate long-standing obligations under international law. In its third annual report, the Coalition found evidence that hospitals and ambulances were specifically targeted in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Mali, South Sudan, Syria, and Thailand, and reports on the murder and kidnapping of polio vaccination teams in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Somalia. Overall, the report shows an alarming frequency and variety of attacks which deprive countless people of critical medical care. In Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, aerial strikes have decimated hospitals and clinics, killing doctors and the patients they are so desperately trying to treat, said Susannah Sirkin, director of international policy and partnerships at Physicians for Human Rights, a member of the Coalition. These attacks terrorize and inflict suffering on patients and health care providers. Turning hospitals into battlefields is a grave breach of humanitarian law and an affront to humanity. The report describes the burning and looting of hospitals and clinics, as well as brutal attacks on medical staff and patients in facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen. The Coalition also found that the passage of ambulances, medical supplies, or patients seeking care were routinely restricted in Central African Republic, Mali, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, South Sudan, Turkey, and Ukraine. Perpetrators clearly believe they will suffer no consequences if they attack or interfere with patients, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, said Laura Hoemeke, director of communications and advocacy at IntraHealth International, a Coalition member. The international communitys failure to halt such attacks has sparked a chain reaction of impunity. Among its recommendations, the Coalition report calls on the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization to carefully document and report attacks on health care workers and facilities. The Coalition also recommends that the UN Security Council refer such crimes to the International Criminal Court or other tribunals if states fail to fulfill their obligation to halt strikes on health care personnel and infrastructure. On May 3, the Security Council condemned attacks on health facilities and health workers, reiterating the fundamental principle of the laws of war that health facilities and medical workers must be protected from attack in armed conflict. It called on countries to take steps to prevent such attacks, investigate them when they happen, and prosecute perpetrators. The Security Council resolution was a welcome first step, said Diederik Lohman, health director at Human Rights Watch, a Coalition member. But the true test comes with its implementation. The Coalition reports lead authors include the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development, the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Human Rights Watch, Insecurity Insight, IntraHealth International, Physicians for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and the Syrian American Medical Society. Read the full report here. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here. Thousands of ethnic Hazaras from Afghanistan took to the streets of Kabul to demand the government include them in a multi-million dollar power transmission line. (Photo: Shadi Khan Saif) This week thousands of ethnic Hazaras from Afghanistan took to the streets of Kabul to demand the government include them in a multi-million dollar power transmission line. Demonstrators called on the government to change the planned route of the project, so that it would run through areas with large Hazara communities. Shadi Khan Saif has more on the controversy from Kabul. Thousands marched here in the capital, chanting and demanding justice and equality. It all started a few days back when the cabinet gave the green light on a 500 Kilovolt (Kv) power line, to carry much-needed electricity from Central Asia, via the northern provinces of Afghanistan. But the Hazara community, based in countrys center, said the plan excludes them from any benefits. The largely Shia Muslim minority has long faced persecution in Afghanistan. The Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani was touring England last week when the protestors were in full swing. While Ghani was addressing a gathering of intellectuals and researchers at the Royal United Institute of Security (RUSI) in London, a protestor interrupted him and accused of him racism, of excluding the Hazaras, with the power line project. Heres how he responded. The decisions on the project were made in the year 2013, a decision was made to pass the transmission line via the Salang Pass rather than the Baimyan valley, it was the wrong decision at the time but meanwhile three years of work have gone to prepare the Salang Pass, 6 million people would benefit from this transmission line compared to 10,000 to the alternative, but you have to take young men seriously and I appreciate their anger because if you dont have the tolerance for peoples legit anger you cannot guide the destiny of a nation. The events in London left marks on the state of affairs back in Afghanistan, with critics condemning the disrespect to Ghani and others calling for order and harmony. Here in Kabul, when the Hazara community held massive rallies, and gathered outside the presidential palace, the city was locked down by security forces. All major roads leading to the palace were sealed with shipping containers. And the protestors were granted only a single corridor for their rally. Murtaza Jafferi, a Kabul resident, joined the demonstration. He says this government is even worse than the last. It was much better during the previous government, people had jobs and were happy, but now all the youth are running away from the country, people are compelled to protest but see they have erected so many containers and stopped us from marching towards the Preisdential Palace, Jafferi told me. Karim Khalili, the vice president three years back when the decision over the transmission line was made, demanded the government discard the plan. Public opinion is divided over the route of the project. But the government claims any change would cost millions of dollars and be hugely delayed. And that provinces such as Bamyan will get enough electricity from the line, even if it doesnt run though it. Struggling to stabilize, the project has become a test of Afghanistans progress and a sign of ethnic tensions that underlie the countrys political stability. Professor Latif Nazari, an expert on political affairs says more political maturity is needed to ensure a smooth transition towards peace and democracy. People must ensure during such sensitive and high times to ensure not to damage the image of the country or allow external forces to exploit such situations, we need to move towards national unity day by day. Subject to frequent blackouts, only about 30 percent of Afghanistan has electricity. Under current plans, the project will go ahead in 2018. The vast majority of Vietnamese are not old enough to remember the Vietnam War. Today, instead of international conflict, theyre thinking about international integration. They have one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. And the young generation is thinking about how to spread that prosperity to all parts of society. Lien Hoang has this story from Ho Chi Minh City. This month, when US President Barack Obama comes to Vietnam, some of the groups hell be meeting include young leaders and entrepreneurs. People inside the country want to make sure to highlight this demographic, because it represents much of their hopes for Vietnam. The young generation is educated, tech savvy and have the luxury of peacetime to pursue their dreams. Thats just the kind of ambition Forbes magazine spotlighted last week with its second annual 30 Under 30 list. The list highlighted Vietnamese millennials who are making a mark in their fields -- -- Whether thats sports, music, startup businesses, community activism, or the sciences. One of these 30 under 30 stars is 28-year-old Arlette Quynh Anh Tran, a curator at San Art. Besides hosting exhibitions, the gallery supports artists through residency and exchange programs. After Tran spoke at the event, I spent a few minutes talking to her about what makes groups like San Art important. Many people think that art is just art but actually the artists are those who with their sensitivity, with their observance, they are very, they are intelligent. They have the talent to transform what they feel is problematic into something that can attract a lot of people. Tran says that artists are important because they can discuss controversial issues like poverty, social, justice and war. About half of Vietnams 94 million inhabitants are under 30 years old. And the World Bank says that Vietnamese overall are more educated than people in other countries with a similar level of income. Forbes Vietnam chairman Nguyen Bao Hoang called on these young people to use their assets to make a difference. Everybody in this room, the youth in this room, you are Vietnams golden generation. And what I mean by that is that from now and through the end of your productive working life, until you retire, Vietnam is going to go from a low-income, developing country, to a first-world nation. And its going to be on your shoulders and your backs that this happens. The event featured people like Luong The Huy, director of the LGBT rights program at the Institute for Studies of Society, Economics and Environment; Hoang Minh Nhat, founder of the Minh Nhat bakery chain; and Nguyen Tuan Manh, a piano player. But the list is not just about the 30 names in it. Its also about inspiring ordinary people around the same age to do their part. People like 24-year-old Pham Bao Long, who received a student discount to attend the Forbes summit. Before he had to head back to campus, Long told me it was helpful to hear from those who had experienced some success. This could encourage more people to invest in the community, or what he called social capital. If we have good social capital, then people will love one another and protect one another. No one can take care of us except ourselves, says Long. So when we invest in social capital, well have better relationships. People will care about one another and help society to succeed. Long sees himself doing that through his parents company, which provides affordable housing and loans at a lower interest than the market rate. I wouldnt dare say that were providing aid because this is an enterprise so we still depend on profits. But as a family business we think less about profit and more about society. Our family tries to sell property and land at a price people can afford, Long says. Today young Vietnamese will have opportunities their parents could never have imagined. And the 21st century has brought tools and benefits that young Vietnamese, like art curator, Tran, believe they have to take full advantage of. Whether its game makers, or biologists, or painters, Vietnamese are using technology in all kinds of professions. And whatever the sector, Tran is happy to see a diverse range of people, putting their skills to use. Our generation is very lucky that we grew up from nothing, with no internet or technology. So we experienced the time that we had to struggle to find information, recalls Tran. And then we see the change so that we dont take these changes for granted. So I think with technology and the urgent feeling of learning, its very much of this generation to develop and make change. From left: Supap, O and Munor. All lost their beloved in Thailand enforced disappearance. (Photo: Kannikar Petchkaew) Thai human right lawyer, Somchai Neelapaijit, was abducted in the capital city of Bangkok 12 years ago. Five alleged policeman pulled him from his car, and he hasnt been seen since. But in Thailand, Somchais case is not an isolated one. Rights activists say that at least 80 people have been forcibly disappeared over the past three decades. Kannikar Petchkaew has this story. Thats O Rakjareo, or O for short, an 11-year-old girl from Petchaburi in western Thailand. Shes trying to describe to me what her father looks like. He was a good man, she says, with a sense of humor. O hasnt seen her father, Por Cha Lee, or Billy, for two years. When she was nine years old. Her mother, Munor, remembers very well what happened that day he disappeared. I heard that Billy came down on the afternoon of the 17th. He was carrying honey with him and was detained by National Park officials at the checkpoint, she recalls. The head of the National Park arrested him and he has been gone since. A member of the ethnic Karen community living in the National Park in western Thailand, Billy was the leader of his community. With Billy gone, Munor says their house feels lifeless. Like theres no happiness anymore. Before he disappeared, Billy had filed a lawsuit against the officials of the national park, after they destroyed and burned the houses and property of more than 20 Karen families. The government had accused them of encroaching on forest land. 62-year-old Supap has a missing persons story of her own. In April this year, she saw her two dogs running home from work, like they do everyday, only that day her husband wasnt with them. He went off with two dogs and usually would come back at 3 in the afternoon. But he didnt, she told me. I waited till 8 at night then started running to find him. I roamed alone because we dont have any children, we just live together. Supap hasnt since her husband since he left that morning. I ran and I cried for him but didnt find him. I only found the dogs, she remembers Like Billy, her husband, together with their neighbors, had long been fighting for the rights of their land in northeast Thailand. Land the government claimed was state forest. Since 1980, the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances has recorded 82 cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand. None of these have been successfully resolved. It shows one of the main hypocrisy of the Thai government that it promised to end enforced disappearance. Thailand signed an intention convention against enforced disappearance, yet it failed to make enforced disappearance a crime in Thai law, says Sunai Pasuk, a Senior Researcher for Human Right Watch in Thailand. For Pasuk and other human right groups, Thailand has made little progress in ratifying the treaty. Theres no definition of enforced disappearance theres no successful prosecution of those responsible for the enforced disappearance. It is a total failure. It is a total lack of sincerity of the Thai government, Pasuk continued. Rights groups in Thailand believe the actual number of enforced disappearances is higher because some families of victims and witnesses remain silent. One reason is because state officials were the one responsible for enforced disappearance, according to Pasuk. We have cases in Southern Thailand where police and security forces were accused of committing enforced disappearance as part of their counter insurgency operation. We have the case of prominent human right lawyer, Khun Somchai Neelapaijit which, allegedly, police officers abducted him and disappear him in Bangkok, said Pasuk. Somchai had been the chairman of Thailand's Muslim Lawyers Association, and vice-chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of Thailand. Before he disappeared he fought cases such as representing Muslim defendants in terrorism cases in Thailands Deep South. Since the military coup in Thailand in 2014, the government has been less inclined to look into cases of forced disappearances. It is almost impossible to expect the government would take any real action to end enforced disappearances, Pasuk says. First of all, they themselves, by using power to arrest people without warrants, putting people in secret detention, that is a condition contributed to enforced disappearance. After waiting and fighting for two years, Munor and her 5 children have come to a resolution. I dont think he is still alive, she tells me. If he were still alive he would fight hard to go back to his family. Hes never left us this long. He loves the family too dearly. For Supap, things are not much different. We found the trace of a fire under a bamboo tree. We also found bones, but I dont know yet whose bones they are. And for O, when I asked her if shes still believes her father is still alive. Her answer was a just long silence. Michael Goot night and weekend editor Follow Michael Goot 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 Now that the school elections are over and done with, I can shift my focus to some other interesting tidbits that have crossed my desk. The education group High Achievement New York, which supports the Common Core standards, sent out a news release last week to bring attention to the website at www.WallOfShame.cc. High Achivement said this website seeks to publicly shame teachers and administrators who speak out in favor of the standards and tests. The website is called The Educational Wall of Shame: Illuminating Those Who Want To Misinform. It has a list of 14 educators and their pictures and gives them truthfulness grades such as F- or D-. These mostly downstate educators have been quoted as supportive of the Common Core standards or written something that concerns the anonymous organizers of the website. There are links to their letters or articles in which their comments appear. Instances of what the website calls bullying is a quote in Newsday from Lorna Lewis, superintendent of Plainview-Old Bethpage schools, saying she was disappointed in new Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa stating that if she were a parent and not a Regent, she would have her own children opt out of taking the Common Core tests. West Hempstead Superintendent John J. Hogans instance of bullying is a letter he sent to reply to parents correctly stating that there is no provision in state law for opting out. There is no contact information or information about who designed the website. It invites people to email them a prewritten email criticizing them for their stance on Common Core. When people click on the link, an email pops up that is pre-filled with the following text: Your attempts to misinform and mislead parents are improper, hurtful to education and will certainly not stop the opt-out movement. A matter of fact you will strengthen the resolve of parents to oppose polices that are hurtful to their children. It is truly a shame that you choose to side with those who want to hurt education, who want to advance a political agenda that benefits profiteers and who do not have the bests interests of children in mind. It is a shame that the only thing your actions do is hurt the very children you are charged with helping and protecting. High Achievement New York says websites such as these make it impossible to have a constructive dialogue on how to improve the state tests. If this online bullying happened in our schools or classrooms, it would be widely denounced. And yet, because this intimidation is carried out anonymously against adults, it has been disregarded. Let us be clear: the fact that this website operates anonymously online does not make it any less wrong. If anything, it is even more insidious, operating without any accountability, the letter said. The letter was sent to State Sen. Carl Marcellino and Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, who are chairpersons of their respective education committees, as well as Assemblyman Daniel ODonnell, who sponsored the Dignity for All Students Act anti-bullying legislation. Copies were also sent to New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa and Educations Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. HUDSON FALLS | Thomas TR Remsen, 31, of Spruce Street, passed away, surrounded by his loving family, on Saturday, May 21, 2016, at the Glens Falls Hospital. Born on July 27, 1984, in Glens Falls, he was the son of Thomas and Mary (Maille) Remsen. TR was a 2003 graduate of Hudson Falls High School, where he played sports. He was also on a traveling bowling team, a sport he loved and was very talented in. Following high school, he attended Adirondack Community College, graduating in 2005 with his degree in telecommunications. Following ACC, he furthered his education at SUNY IT in Utica and graduated from there with his Bachelor Degree in telecommunications and media arts. While attending school, he worked summers at Lake George Steamboat Company. After graduation, TR fulfilled a lifelong dream and love of the railroad, by being a conductor with the Upper Hudson River Railroad. He was especially proud of conducting on the Polar Express and piloting Thomas the Tank Engine. His last job was working at Subway until 2015. TR was a communicant of St. Marys/St. Pauls Church, where he served as an altar server and for 20 years, a member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 574. TR was a unique person with many, many, talents and interests. His music was his life. TR could play and owned multiple instruments. He had 36 harmonicas, a keyboard, violin, guitar and bass, drums, shakers, tambourines, and bongo drums. TR also wrote music and loved performing for his fans. He enjoyed playing at the Hudson River Music Hall, Rock Hill Bake House, and many open mikes at various venues throughout this area and in Pennsylvania. He also had a knack for computers, where he got his degree. TR had no problem finding his way around a keyboard or programing a computer. TR was also a people person, who was interested in everyones story. He was a kind, warm and thoughtful person, who was always looking out for his family and friends. He was big brother to his sister and his friends. One of TRs missions in life was looking out for the underdog. Even while fighting cancer, he fought as hard as he could, not just for himself, but for his family that he loved. TR was known for his wonderful sense of humor and even being as sick as he was, he was always there with his jokes and a wonderful smile. When signing his DNR, he commented that he didnt want to be a vegetable, but if he was, he would want to be broccoli. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Thomas and Carol Maille and Thomas and Elizabeth Remsen. TR is survived by his loving parents, Thomas and Mary Remsen of Hudson Falls; his sister, Kimberly Remsen of Hudson Falls; his aunts and uncles, Deborah Rourke and her husband, William, of Hudson Falls, Paul Maille of Shushan, Thomas Maille and his wife, Rita of Omaha, Nebraska and Nancy Powhida of Queensbury; and several cousins. Calling hours will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 25 at the Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main Street in Hudson Falls. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. Thursday, May 26 at St. Marys/St. Pauls Church, on the park, in Hudson Falls. The Rite of Committal will follow at St. Pauls Cemetery in the town of Kingsbury. The family would like to thank the Glens Falls Hospital Tower 2, CR Wood Cancer Center, the Renal Center on Broadway, Dr. Gillani, Dr. Yun, Dr. Mihindu, and all his friends, for the loving care and compassion given to TR and his family during his illness. Memorial donations may be sent to the Hudson River Music Hall, 10 Maple St, Hudson Falls, NY 12839, St. Marys/St. Pauls Church Restoration Fund, 11 Wall Street, Hudson Falls, NY 12839 or the Hudson Falls American Legion Post 574, 72 Pearl Street, Hudson Falls, NY 12839. Online condolences may be left by visiting the website: www.carletonfuneralhome.net. ARGYLE | An Argyle man was arrested by State Police on Sunday for allegedly threatening his estranged wife with a handgun during a domestic incident. Brian C. Mathis, 27, is accused of bringing a loaded .25-caliber pistol to his former residence at about 4:30 p.m., according to State Police spokesman Mark Cepiel. Mathis subsequently dropped the pistol and left the residence. He turned himself in a short time later, Cepiel said. Mathis was charged with felony third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of menacing with a weapon. He was arraigned in Argyle Town Court and is being held without bail at the Washington County Jail because he has a previous criminal conviction, according to Cepiel. Mathis and another man were arrested in November 2010 in connection with the burglary of two dirt bikes from a garage at a home on Route 47 in Argyle, according to Post-Star archives. He pleaded guilty in June 2011 to a reduced charge of third-degree attempted burglary and was sentenced that July to 6 months in jail and 5 years of probation, according to the Washington County Court Clerks Office. Mathis also had to pay nearly $3,578 in restitution. GREENWICH Mike Bodnar, a Department of Environmental Conservation forest ranger who is based in Cambridge and oversees more than 40,000 acres of state-owned land and waters, has been chosen to receive the Battenkill Conservancys 2016 Community Citizen Award. Sites under Bodnars jurisdiction include the state-owned river access sites along the Battenkill. Bodnar is the fifth recipient of the Battenkill Community Citizen Award, awarded annually to a resident who has contributed to the preservation and enhancement of the Battenkill watershed community. His award will be presented at Battenkill Conservancys sixth annual The Battenkill Runs Through It Beach, Music & Food Festival on Saturday at Greenwich Town Beach on Route 29. A 23-year veteran of the DEC, Bodnar was based in Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks before transferring to Washington County in 2002. Battenkill Conservancy officials said in a press release that they chose Bodnar as the recipient of this years award based on his stewardship of the area, his help with annual river and highway cleanups and his role in developing varied partnerships for the good of the watershed. Deputy Commissioner Kathy Moser will present Bodnar with the award. GREENWICH | The Washington County Historical Society is bringing back the Cronkhite Lecture Series. Local historian Michael Russert will present a two-part series of talks on the Civil War and the 123rd Regiment from Washington County at 7 p.m. June 2 at Greenwich Free Library, 148 Main St., and at 7 p.m. June 16 at Bottskill Baptist Church, 32 Church St. The first talk, With Heavy Hearts and Teary Eyes: The Civil War Odyssey of the 123rd New York Infantry Regiment," was first presented by Russert at the 2015 History Fair. His talk will focus on the history of the Washington County Regiment in the men's own words and images based on unpublished primary sources and accompanied by visuals. The second talk, Grave and Dignified Pillars of the Community: The Washington County Veterans After the War, will focus on life after the war. A free-will offering will be taken at both events and proceeds will go toward the Monument Project of the Georgia 28th/NY 123rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment group of re-enactors in Resaca, Georgia. The 28th Georgia/123rd New York Volunteer Infantry re-enacting unit is in the process of erecting a monument to honor the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry. The monument will be placed on the Resaca Battlefield. The 123rd New York fought there May 14 to 15, 1864. For a copy of the book, contact Steve Lapham at wchsbookshop@yahoo.com or call Debi Craig at 854-3102. FORT ANN A change in policy by the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal will result in the town switching to a local agency, according to Town Supervisor Richard Moore. NYMIR, which focuses on insuring municipalities, charged the town $27,173.55 in 2015, but that did not include downstream liability coverage in case the Hadlock Pond Dam failed again. To include downstream liability, NYMIRs renewal offer was for $40,452.96. Cool Insuring Agency of Glens Falls offered the insurance, including downstream liability, for $30,629.24. The Town Board voted earlier this month to accept the Cool Insuring Agency proposal. Moore, Dennis Fletcher, Floyd Varney and Deb Witherell voted in favor of the decision, and Gretchen Stark voted against it. Moore said the policy covers buildings and personal property, contractors equipment, commercial general liability, law enforcement liability, automobile and umbrella liability. There are numerous coverage limits. The savings between the NYMIR and the Cool offer is $9,823.72. The major difference in premium is NYMIR now charges an additional premium for downstream liability, Moore said. The town went without liability insurance for the dam between 2008 and earlier this year because of an unexplained miscommunication between NYMIR and the town. The dam, which was rebuilt after a 2005 collapse, was repaired and the pond refilled in 2008. But if the dam had collapsed again between then and Feb. 18, the town would have been insured for damage to the dam, but not for liability. Moore said liability coverage for downstream claims only went back into effect Feb. 18, so the town is now covered for both damage and liability. LAKE GEORGE A former Rochester-area school superintendent has been tapped as the interim leader for Lake George Central School District. The Lake George Board of Education has selected Jon G. Hunter to serve until a permanent superintendent begins work. Hunter is currently serving as interim superintendent for Byron-Bergen Central School District in Bergen in western New Yorks Genesee County. Lake George will pay Hunter a rate of $575 per day. He will not receive health benefits, nor will the district have to contribute to the state retirement system, because he is a retired educator, according to a news release. Before his current interim position, Hunter served as superintendent for Fairport Central School District in Rochester until retiring in January 2014. He also served as superintendent of Geneseo Central School District for six years and high school principal at Bethlehem Central School District for 13 years. Lake George Board of Education President Steven Jackoski said Hunter stood out from a strong pool of candidates. Dr. Hunter is an experienced and successful superintendent, has served in an interim capacity and also possesses specific skills that we are looking for, including a strong knowledge of school finance, excellent communication skills and a deep understanding of instructional practice, Jackoski said in a news release. Other qualities school officials cited previously that they were looking for in an interim leader is someone who understands collective bargaining agreements, has a solid grasp of instruction, is honest and candid about what they see as issues in the school district and is personable and willing to serve as the face of the district and can help in the search for a permanent superintendent. Seven interim superintendent candidates were interviewed, according to Jackoski. The school board had discussed previously that the interim superintendent may not be full time. Jackoski said in a follow-up interview that Hunters schedule will be flexible. He knows he doesnt have to work every day of the summer if he doesnt need to, and he was very pleased with that, Jackoski said. He added that Hunter likely will work full time in July and a possibly a lighter schedule in August. They will leave it up to his discretion. As for the per diem rate, Jackoski said the pay is in between the high and low rates that were being requested by candidates. Hunter said he is excited about the new position and helping Lake George with its transition. It is a district with quality programs, strong professionals and outstanding children, he said in a news release. Hunter lives in Ballston Lake with his wife Sabina. Hunter will replace Patrick Dee, who is leaving to become superintendent of Whitehall Central School District effective July 1. The Lake George school board has said it would like to have a permanent superintendent in place by January. That process has not started, according to Jackoski. The board is currently deciding whether to obtain an outside consultant. GLENS FALLS Kim Cook doesnt need to resort to spreadsheets or reports to know how many people Open Door Mission feeds in an average month. I dont need to look. Its between 1,600 and 1,800 and has been for several years. We have no room to grow. There isnt any way we can feed more people here, Cook said of the missions facility at Lawrence and Walnut streets. I know we have more people who would come if we had more space. Cook and the Open Door board of directors always want to expand and add more services, and she said Monday there is a plan in place for a new site in downtown Glens Falls the group is focusing on. Its still too early to say where it is, but there are a lot more things we want to be able to do, said Cook, who declined to identify the specific site. We are in the planning, preparation and permitting stage. We plan to come to the public next year to ask their help in raising the necessary funds. Cook said the group hopes to be able to open the larger facility sometime next year. Open Door plans to move forward with the project as a religious organization, and Cook has a counter for those who say a non-sectarian approach might be more effective. The important thing is, we serve everyone, Cook said. We consider we are a private-sector solution to a public-sector problem. We work with community and government agencies. We are just another way of doing it. Its not either/or, she said. The need is big enough. Moving in the direction of offering more opportunities, the Open Door has been growing in other ways, expanding its food pantry and school backpack programs and working more closely with clients on their issues. We have been building our foundation, Cook said. Open Door is also sponsoring a series of Bridges Out of Poverty trainings to help professionals and others in the community who work with the poor to be better able to respond to their needs. Bridges is an all-around program that addresses the basic issues of poverty and can help with other issues like homelessness and hunger, Cook said. More space is the main goal of establishing a new site, which would have a place for a permanent homeless shelter, eliminating the need to find a site for the Code Blue shelter that Open Door has run for the past three years. The plan for a larger center would include more room to serve meals, a bigger food pantry, a homeless shelter and space for workshops and counseling. There are things we can do because we are not government-funded, Cook said. We can serve people we might not be able to serve if we were a government organization. Pluses, minuses Michael Fonocchi, executive director of Shelters of Saratoga, a non-sectarian organization, said religious organizations like Cooks realize they are putting themselves out of the running for some funding. The biggest disadvantage is that sometimes you are eliminated from certain grants and certain funding, he said. I think it kind of stinks, but thats what it is. One of the questions you always see on the applications is asking what kind of organization you are a school, a church and sometimes you are excluded from the funds. Finocchi said he is impressed with what Cook and the Open Door have been able to accomplish. Shes trying to make a difference up there, he said. I think shes doing really good work. Duane Vaughn, executive director at Wait House, a Glens Falls shelter for homeless youths, notes he does not have a choice to be allied with a religious organization, because his group deals with minors. In New York, we do not have a choice, because any time you are dealing with people under 18, the state is involved, he said. We have to have the supervision of public agencies because they make sure there is a safe environment for our residents. But, he said, there is definitely a place for organizations like Open Door. The need has to be met, Vaughn said. If there are people who are in need, you have to help them. Starts in the chapel Like Open Door, the Salvation Army approaches helping others with religion at its base. For us, it all starts in the chapel. Thats how I have gotten to be doing this for so long, said Major David Dean, pastor at the Salvation Army of Glens Falls. Thats how the Salvation Army has been around for 140 years. We do serve people well, and we do serve anyone regardless of religious affiliation, race or anything else, he added. When people come to us for help, we do not hit them over the head with the Bible. But usually there are deeper issues than you can get to in a 30-minute interview. The focus does come with an issue. I think that, obviously, the one major disadvantage is knowing whether or not the government authority, whether it is federal state or local, is going to allow us to work with people who are in need, he said. Always need help Cook said people can feel free to donate at any time. As our programs have increased, so has our budget, she said. Anyone wanting to help can donate to our operational budget and can know that, as always, it will be used to meet people at their point of need. Cook said it is too early to comment on whether Open Door will be able to open a Code Blue shelter for cold nights before the end of the year. We know we would like to, but its really too early to say, she said. GLENS FALLS Mike Hoag and Jackie Lanoir were searching for the grave of Franklin Johndro, one of two Civil War Medal of Honor recipients buried at Bay Street Cemetery. Here it is, said Lanoir, who stooped down to pull grass from around the edges of a bronze marker before placing a United States flag and a smaller blue flag, signifying a Medal of Honor recipient, on the grave of Johndro, who died in 1901. Members of American Legion Post 233 of Glens Falls on Monday placed flags on about 1,000 graves of veterans at Bay Street Cemetery and about 2,000 flags on graves of veterans at St. Marys Roman Catholic Cemetery in South Glens Falls. For many, many years we have done these two cemeteries, said Hoag, commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2475 of Glens Falls, which assists the American Legion post with flag placement. Hoag has grown familiar with Johndros name over the years, and has researched the story of how Johndro, who served in the Union Army, captured 40 Confederate soldiers at the Battle of Chapins Farm in Virginia on Sept. 30, 1864. President Lincoln presented Johndro with the Medal of Honor on April 6, 1865. Veterans use the occasion as an opportunity to remind the community about patriotism and respect for the flag in advance of Memorial Day on May 30 and Flag Day on June 14, Hoag said. Spring is a good time to look and replace flags (at homes and businesses) that are worn, he said. Flags veterans place at cemeteries will remain on graves until after Veterans Day, said Thomas Burns, adjutant and treasurer of the local American Legion post. They create an inspiring display during that period, reminding area residents of how many of our departed citizens have sacrificed for their country through military service, he said. Warren County purchases flag holders, and the city of Glens Falls and American Legion share the cost of the flags. The post is seeking donations to replenish its flag fund, which has been depleted. Checks, made payable to American Legion Post 233 and designated flag fund, can be mailed to P.O. Box 285, Glens Falls, NY, 12801. FORT EDWARD This time, Washington County law enforcement officials were ready for questions about forfeiture funds. The county received $10,000 from the state in money forfeited by residents accused of crimes. The state sends money to the county almost every month, and generally the county supervisors accept the money without comment. But Hartford Supervisor Dana Haff made a strong effort last month to convince his colleagues to stop accepting the influx of cash. The supervisors dont know where the money comes from, he noted. Nationally, there have been many cases in which law enforcement officials seized cash after routine traffic stops and never charged the owner with a crime. Those owners must go to civil court, paying for their own attorney, and prove they earned the money legally. That can be expensive and difficult to prove, and many lose the money. It is then disbursed evenly to law enforcement groups that participate in federal or state task forces, which raises the possibility that Washington County could receive money taken from someone who was not charged with a crime. Those are civil forfeitures. Criminal forfeitures occur when the person is charged. Last month, the sheriff had not searched the federal database on forfeitures to determine the origin of the Washington County disbursement. But this time, Undersheriff John Winchell knew exactly where the money originated. And so Haff finally agreed to vote in favor of what he had called his least-favorite f-word. I was assured by the undersheriff this is criminal forfeiture, he said. It was seized from Joshua J. Bennett of Kingsbury, who pleaded guilty in February to criminally negligent homicide and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested after his girlfriends daughter, 13-month-old Kayleigh Cassell, died with heroin in her system. Bennett admitted to having heroin and cocaine in the home, accessible to children. However, he denied giving Cassell any drugs, and he maintained throughout the case that he was not responsible for the childs death. A witness said Cassells mother, Rachel Ball of Gansevoort, had admitted to her that she had given heroin to the child. The witness told police that Ball would put heroin in the childs bottle because the girl was colicky. The drug is a depressant that would likely have calmed her. As part of his plea deal, Bennett agreed to forfeit $10,000 seized from his home. Given that, the entire board of supervisors agreed to accept the funds. Of the $10,000, $4,100 will go to the county sheriffs department. The rest will be split between the county District Attorneys Office and the state Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services. Planner search ends In other business, the supervisors agreed to give up their search for a planner. Instead, they will promote a part-time clerk in the planning office to junior planner, a full-time position. The junior planner will make about $34,000. They advertised for a planner twice, but both times could not find a qualified applicant willing to work for the $52,500 salary. We couldnt afford anyone, said Budget Officer and Hebron Supervisor Brian Campbell. We got people that wanted a lot more money. But Haff said the county should keep looking for a planner. Im afraid if we authorize a junior planner, in short order well end up with 3 1/2 people in that office: director, planner, junior planner, clerk, he said. Well find a planner. Campbell noted that the resolution eliminated the staffing position of planner, so the county supervisors would have to vote to restore that before hiring a planner. Although Dana is right, that could happen, it cant happen without the whole board doing it, he said. It passed, with only Haff voting no. On the opening day of the AfDB Annual Meeting in Lusaka, AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina hosted a discussion among influential leaders, philanthropists, and businesses on how Africa can achieve nutrition security through increased investments and public-private partnerships. To empower people out of poverty, we must first invest in the gray matter infrastructure that will truly fuel this progressthe minds of our children. Nutrition is not just a health and social development issue, nutrition is an investment that shapes economic growth for all African nations, said Adesina. When the growth of our children is stunted todaythe growth of our economies will be stunted tomorrow. But when Africas children are nourished and can grow, learn, and earn to their full potential, we will be able to unleash the potential of the entire continent. READ MORE: AfDB president highlights new agenda to transform Africa New analysis released today from the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition shows increased investments to meet the World Health Assembly target of reducing stunting by 40 percent by 2025 could add $83 billion in additional GDP growth in just 15 sub-Saharan African countries. The full analysis from the Global Panel can be found here and additional statistics on nutrition in Ghana can be found at the end of this release. Country: Ghana Under 5 Population Size: 3,735,000 Prevalence of under 5 stunting: 19% in 2014 Increase or decrease in stunting: Decrease by 4 pct: 23% in 2011; 19% in 2012 Number of stunted children: 697,000 in 2014 Number of children wasted: 174,000 in 2014 % of women of reproductive age with anemia: 56% in 2011 Lately the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana drew attention to the diversion of $250 million from the Ghana Infrastructure Fund in the Bank of Ghana to a private bank. The deputy Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson also accused the running mate of the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo of driving away investors with his all-gloom comments about the Ghanaian economy. But speaking to some students of the Navrongo Nurses Training College in Navrongo on May 18, Dr Bawumia said it is The economy the NDC under John Mahama have created [which] is a real scary economy. It is scary if you are a student and worried about getting a job. Dr. Bawumia said the incompetence, cluelessness and untruthfulness of the NDC government coupled with unfavourable conditions like high electricity bills and over four years of unstable electricity supply (Dumsor) that is scaring away foreign investors and the donor community. This years concert dubbed The Battle of the Tribes saw top four Nigerian music genius who faced Ghanas finest four in a 3-round musical battle. Olamide, Harrysong, Mr Eazi and Flavour were the Nigerian men who faced Ghanas Shatta Wale, EL, Pappy Kojo, and VVP at the Accra International Conference Centre yesterday. Rapper Guru, who was secretly billed to make a surprise performance raised the curtain before Mr. Eazi and VVIP came to light the show. The first round saw Pappy Kojo who began his reassuring performance with a freestyle leaving all doubters mouths opened. While performing, fellow rapper Edem joined him to perform their track titled 2Raw together before concluding his impressive performance on the night with Awoa. Reggae Blues hit maker, Harrysong, also took in-charge of the stage with some fireworks on the night. He performed both his known and unknown tracks, and managed to get everyone in the auditorium standing on their feet. BBnZ Live star and 2016 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the Year winner, EL, took over the stage while the crowd chants his name. He invited his label mate, Shaker, to do a quick performance before fully taking over the stage. His performance didnt meet the crowds expectations due to technical challenges. Then came one of Nigerias finest lyricist, Baddo, in all-blue African prints. His new artiste, Victor Velmo, paved way for him. Even before making appearance, the crowd had chanted his name for minutes. He started his stupendous performance with his most known old masterpieces before sealing with his latest hit, Bobo. Self-acclaimed Dancehall King, Shatta Wale, also took over the stage in a grand style when he appeared in a glass kiosk and garbed in white suit. He performed hits after hits and ended with one of his latest Baby (Chop Kiss). Multiple award-winning Highlife star, Flavour, then closed the show with an evoking live band performance. From Ada to Finally, Flavour wowed everyone who was at the auditorium. Comparing the crowds reactions, Flavour, Shatta Wale and Olamide were the best on the night so technically, Nigeria defeated Ghana. The Nigerians came, they saw, they conquered. For the first time in five good years, Nigeria has triumphed comprehensively over Ghana at this years Tigo Ghana Meets Naija. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Dear Mike, The word colonialism or neocolonialism is frequently used when talking about Africa-China relations, both in the West and in Africa. On the surface I can see why it makes sense: like its colonial past, Africa again mostly exports raw materials, and frequently imports the finished products manufactured from these materials in China. In addition, though China finances infrastructure, that infrastructure is frequently mostly used to export raw material. Compared to an economic giant like China, African countries are much weaker and there is no doubt that Africa sometimes gets exploited. All of these realities look pretty familiar to Africans and I can see why the continents relationship with China is sometimes compared to European colonialism. This really bugs me. In the first place: calling the bad stuff China is doing in Africa colonialism ends up making the stuff Europe did there look much better. So lets be clear: there is no comparison. What Europe did to Africa is one of the worst things that have ever happened on the planet. By some accounts, a single European country (Belgium) killed more people in a single African country (now Democratic Republic of Congo), than died in the Holocaust. And that was only over less than a century. As a whole, European colonialism in Africa lasted about 500 years and caused some of the worst human cruelty, cynical destruction of local cultures and languages, and engineered underdevelopment ever seen in human history. Bad as some Chinese exploitation on the continent is, it is peanuts compared to even some of the milder outrages Europeans committed there over the centuries. For that reason you can see why it is very convenient for European commentators to call Chinese expansion in Africa colonial - because it allows them to look concerned about African welfare, which is a refreshing new position for them. The second reason calling it colonialism bugs me is that it allows African leaders to pretend they have no agency. Instead of taking the lead in fighting corruption and mismanagement, the colonial trope allows them to be all poor little us. While the power differential between China and any individual African country is obviously vast, this does not mean African governments are powerless. In fact, many researchers have shown that African governments exercise significant decision-making power in their negotiations with Chinese funders and companies. Governments put out tenders, and they decide the geographical placement, function, and completion deadlines of infrastructure projects. This doesnt mean they have full decision-making power, but they certainly have much more than African leaders ever had under colonialism. To call the relationship colonial is to underestimate all the decisions made by African leaders. In other words, it lets them off the hook for failures and mismanagement. One of the clearest examples of this is the environmental impact of Chinese engagement in Africa: illegal logging, wildlife smuggling and destructive mining are all driven by Chinese demand, but enabled by weak African governance. To look at them as examples of how Africa is being colonised by China is to excuse all the corrupt officials, indifferent governments and rotting institutions that enable this stripping of African resources. This is especially irksome because research has shown that if African governments set limits and enforce them, Chinese companies tend to play ball. Calling the relationship colonial is essentially to erase the real Africa and replace it with a fantasy of an eternal victim. This is bad for Africans not only because it allows African governments to hide from their responsibilities. It is also bad because it lets African children grow up with the idea that Africa is somehow a perpetual victim - no matter who is the coloniser, Africa is always the colonised. On the surface this makes commentators sound all righteously angry and concerned for Africas welfare. But when you unpack it, the logic is deeply racist, because instead of seeing colonialism as a historical crime that lays at the heart of Europes toxic relationship with the world, it sees it as somehow intrinsic to being African. It turns colonialism from something Europeans did to something Africans are. It carries the logic that what it means to be African is that youre always going to be colonised: first the Europeans, then the Americans, now the Chinese, and in the future, if they get it together, maybe the Peruvians, and 500 years from now, the Martians. Theyre all going to violate Africa because that is what Africa is there for: to be violated. This is a deeply racist and horrific view of the continent, which we smuggle in and hide in plain sight when we call the Africa-China relationship colonial. This is not to say that Chinas relationship with Africa isnt problematic in many ways. However, to describe those problems with the shorthand colonial does nobody any favours. In fact, it actually makes it harder for us to articulate the specific problems in the Africa-China relationship. In order to do that, we need a new word. I want to start by trying to make you feel better about the bad experience you had working for a Chinese company in Lusaka. Theres a pretty good chance that the bad attitude your boss was throwing your way wasnt personal, but represented a big culture divide between China and the rest of the world.Now, I dont know you and Ill just assume that you work hard, OK? The issue here is that the Chinese have a very different attitude towards work than most other people. You see, in a country of a billion+ people thats been terribly poor for most of its history, there are two powerful forces that drive the Chinese to succeed: 1) bitterness and 2) scarcity.The bitterness part comes from a sense that life is tough, brutal, competitive and in a country of a billion+ people that has been dreadfully poor for most of its history, one has to eat bitterness chi kuor suffer if you want to get ahead. And for most Chinese, that suffering, so to speak, comes through work, hard work.Thats why you see in Lusakas food markets or on the constructions, the Chinese are there before sunrise, they work seven days a week and push themselves really hard. Your late president, Michael Sata, who was one of Chinas biggest critics in Africa, even had to acknowledge that the Chinese work harder than anyone else: the Chinese dont care about working hours, they just work until the sun goes down, he said.Disciplined, hard work should be a good thing, right? It is, absolutely, but problems arise when the Chinese apply their rigid working standards to other people who either arent used to it or simply have a different outlook on work (like most Europeans for example). Combine this with Chinese managers who are too often totally inexperienced when it comes to managing people in different countries where they often speak the local language and know very little about the culture. The combination of those strong Chinese about work combined with limited, even bad, inter-cultural skills leads to lots of big problems between Chinese managers and their subordinates. A team comprising NADMO, soldiers from the 48 regiment, as well as from the Interior Ministry, inspected some parts of the capital after last Saturday's heavy rainfall to assess the extent of damage. Some areas visited by the team included Ashaiman, Circle, and Agbogbloshie, with some of the areas having experienced severe flooding. Government had over the years made some efforts in ensuring that drains from the capital were desilted. Some structures along drains have also been pulled down. Deputy Minister of Interior, James Agalga said government will continue to do more to prevent the sad occurrence on June 3, 2015, where over 150 people died at the flood and fire disaster at the Kwame Nkrumah circle. "The government of President Mahama has put measures in place to forestall the occurrence of that sad event. We don't want that to happen again, and so we have put measures in place. NADMO and all stakeholders are working around the clock," he added. The deceased was identified as Gideon Opoku Appiah,34. The injured, Hamza Mohammed, 39, and Yaw Kyere Dennis, 18, suffered gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi and the Holy Family Hospital in Berekum respectively. The incident happened following the installation of a sub chief at Kato, a town close to Berekum, according to the Police in the region. Police have information that the queenmother, Nana Afia Ababio wanted to install a chief against the advice of the Municipal Council and while she was in the process of doing that, the opposing side, started shooting and later attacked the palace," Brong Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Christopher Tawiah narrated the incident in an interview with Citi FM. Eventually three people namely Edmund Opoku Appiah; 34 years, Hamza Mohammed; 39 years and Yaw Dennis Kyere; 18 years, all sustained gunshots and were rushed to Berekum Family hospital, where Edmund Opoku Appiah died on arrival. Hamza Mohammed has also been referred to Komfo Anokye Hospital due to the seriousness of the injury. Dennis Yaw Okyere is on admission at the Holy Family hospital, ASP Tawiah added. According to him, police have intensified patrol in the affected area. According to Mr. Ayenini, it does not lie within the powers of the LMVCA to enforce the suit by the Supreme Court as the group is not a party to the suit. "If the EC does not enforce the orders in the manner that they [plaintiffs in the suit] understand when they filed the entry of judgment, they will go back to the court. David and the Let My Vote Count Alliance, they are not a party to the suit, so it does not lie with them to seek to enforce. So he is wrong to suggest that they will assist the EC to implement the orders. He is wrong. He ought to be told that what he is saying most unfortunate. He should stop it," Samson Lardy Ayenini told Accra-based TV3. Gary, was pronounced the primary physical custody of his 7-year-old daughter Leah, while his wife will be pay child support. The settlement was struck in an Indiana court after a long year of custody-lock between the stars and his wife. Amber Portwood, on the other hand, lost out the primary custody battle in 2011 for dealing with a drug addiction and anger management problems. The following year Portwood was sentenced to five years behind bars for drug possession, but was released in November of 2013, after serving just 17 months in prison. Gary Shirleys wife is expected to pay over $1,200 per month as child support. "1st Sam 2v3-8. Let me stir up a bit. Do u know that every Victor has once been a Victim Why do we sometimes allow what we see on Social media to affect us? Mentally, Emotionally, till we begin to question ourselves, our existence, when we see some posts that show an excellent life or lifestyle, we begin to stress ourselves unnecessarily. (see Naaaaaa, God why, he or she get 2 head). Truth is, can u bear what has Victimised them for them to be Victors now? Through d media show offs, think this, is this to inspire, encourage or to boast? Am I encouraging U to work hard and achieve or screw hard and attain (both ways). Truth is, d picture is me but has been filtered, enhanced and all but is that d true me??????? Its D me that I want U to see. All dat flashs aint real 90%. Dont let what u see affect u. Its easy to come brag about success but hide how it was really achieved. Dont get me wrong, there is a perfect life but thats when You Are Content!!!!! and Work & Pray Hard to achieve more. Lets Support each other. Pray 4 each other #love#live#laugh#learn. Have a Great fruitful Week. ALSO READ: Seyi Law buys wife a Honda SUV The roads of Lagos are spick and span with banners welcoming the President hanging everywhere. The Tafewa Balewa Square looked spotless this morning. I even heard some roads were repaired overnight. Even though this is the first time a sitting President would visit Lagos in 14 years I think all the cleaning up is just eye service. If the Lagos state government has been doing its job it wont need to do 'patch-patch' jobs overnight. Yes the new Governor has been trying but there is still a lot of work to do. ALSO READ: Okay thats enough about politics. On May 15, 2016 Seyi Law (a comedian who I find to be funny) was accused by a security guard at Eko Hotel of dashing him three hot slaps. Choi! Jesus is Lord! Apparently there was some sort of disagreement between Seyi Law and the security guard on the best way for him to exit the hotel after Kiss Daniels concert. Na wa o. These our celebs of nowadays should go for anger management. Yes, Seyi Law said the security guard hit his leg with his door but I dont think it warrants three hot, brain resetting slaps. According to the security guard the slaps made him cry, hot tears. Have you seen Seyi Laws hands before? He has big black hands brothers and sisters. It is not a joking something. Anyway kudos to Seyi Law for apologizing. A lot of other celebrities would have walked away and not said anything. In hindsight Seyi Law shouldn't have acted that way. I know celebrities are human beings but he should always realize that he is in the spotlight. There are no off days especially at a public event. If this was in America the security guard would have pressed charges and made sweet money off the comedian. Seyi Law doesnt strike me as a violent person, he is most of the times cheerful. I believe this was just a case of him being caught in a bad mood. Anyway we all learn from our mistakes. It seems Seyi Law has learnt from his. Tagged 'Cocktails and Dresses', the event was a grand launch as well as a fashion exhibition and sale for the online fashion retailer's very first outing where Nigerian brands showcased their products at a classy exhibition. The five months old brand is known to retail the very best of style pieces, sourcing for quality pieces from renown brands home and abroad. Known already for first class, prompt service and delivery, the few months old online fashion retailer is fast becoming one to reckon with in Nigeria. The event was put in place to get together vendors of classy pieces under a room for guests to have a great time shopping as well as meeting different brands and what they have to offer. Guests in attendance include Sen. Ben Bruce, Kate Henshaw, Oyinkan Ogunsanwo who represented the Lagos State Governor, Ono Bello and more stylish faces. The teenager who lives in Byazhin, in the Kubwa area of the FCT, according to prosecutor, Abba Zurumi , had stabbed Emeaghara of Phase 2, Site 1, inflicting a deep cut on him. The case was reported on May 9, at the Kubwa Police Station and the accused was arrested and charged to court, where she pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting the judge, Mohammed Marafa, to convict her under Section 247 of the Penal Code, with an option of N10,000 fine. It was gathered that Anjorin who is a chieftain of one of the branches of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACMRA), in the town, and a friend, were apprehended with the goat on Saturday, May 21, and while the friend managed to escape, Anjorin was brutalised by a mob on the street who were reportedly mostly students of the Adeyemi College of Education, before he was rescued by the policemen who took him to a hospital in the town. where he gave up the ghost. According to reports, the incident happened in the evening of Sunday, May 22, at the Igando area of Lagos State. It was gathered that the policeman had stopped the driver and demanded to be 'settled' but the man refused to give him any money, stating that he had already given some other officers some money when he passed the route earlier. The lifeless body of the late Danfo driver Photo Credit: Instablog9ja But this explanation did not go down well with the officer who allegedly dragged the driver out of his bus and started beating him. Olatunji made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a free malaria test and drugs outreach, tagged ``Health is Wealth at Solomon Hall, Mushin, Lagos on Saturday. Olatunji, who sponsored the programme said that such dividends of democracy were exemplified by the government of the then Western Region led by the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo. ``When I was growing up, I was one of the beneficiaries of the free health programme and education sponsored by the then old WesternRegion Government. ``Everybody enjoyed this programme without exemption, there was no discrimination at all, you dont have to know anybody before you enjoy it and it was free. ``Free health programme is a masses-oriented programme which is direct and produces the best return for the government, most importantly when we know that health is wealth. ``I want to follow in this footstep to give to my people programmes that will directly affect their lives not white elephant projects,he said. Olatunji said that he chose malaria treatment because it was still endemic in the society. ``I chose malaria treatment for my philanthropic programme because the sickness is still endemic in the society; according to the figure that I was given, 75 out of 100 people in our society have traces of malaria. ``Malaria is still a problem to our society so we need to tackle it frontally and we can see the result in the turnout of people for thisfree health programme. ``We have said that by Gods grace, the programme will accommodate everybody, drugs are provided free for everybody regardless of age, sex or status. ``This is what the government should be about providing people with direct programmes that will impact their lives, he said. NAN reports that about 400 people benefited from the programme. Anti-malaria drugs, Vitamin B Complex, Ferrous Sulphate and other drugs were also dispensed. The beneficiaries, mostly the elderly lauded the initiative with a 56-year-old self-employed, Mr Ahmed Oludengun, saying he was glad tohave benefited, adding that such should be continuous. ``This is a well thought initiative from the organisers because I have lost count of how many times I have been down with malaria this year. ``I will like government to support initiatives like this to make it continuous and not periodical, if it is made a regular exercise manywill not have to spend on malaria treatment. ``I commend the organisers for their efforts, he said. Omolayo Rasheed, a student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, said she equally came out to enjoy from the programme because she had been diagnosed of malaria from school. ``I was diagonised of malaria before leaving my school, so, when I was informed about this I felt it is an opportunity for me to get treatment. Yet she like many people in El Salvador can not have a legal abortion, which is banned in the socially conservative nation. "I've been told about Zika, the problems it can bring and the precautions I need to take to not get the virus. It's a risk that you run," said the 16-year-old as she waited for a free pre-natal check-up at the country's main hospital for women. "I don't think the abortion law should be changed," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation."Babies aren't to blame for Zika and the mistakes people make. Babies are a blessing from God." El Salvador's health ministry has advised women to postpone pregnancy until 2017 after a rise of babies born in Brazil with microcephaly, a condition marked by an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain linked to Zika. But a legal abortion is not an option. Due to El Salvador's stringent law, among the world's most restrictive, women ending unwanted pregnancies risk illegal, unsafe back alley procedures and the possibility of prison. El Salvador, with 6.4 million residents, is one of three Latin American countries that outlaw abortion without exception, even in cases of rape, incest, a severely deformed fetus or when a woman's life is in danger. The Zika outbreak in El Salvador has done little to ignite debate about easing the ban. Most Salvadorans are members of the Roman Catholic Church or numerous Christian Evangelical churches that consider abortion a sin and believe the rights of unborn children, enshrined in El Salvador's constitution, should be protected from conception. Earlier this year, the top United Nations human rights official, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urged Zika-affected countries to ease abortion laws. In El Salvador, health ministry figures show the number of suspected Zika cases has fallen sharply from a peak of more than 1,000 cases a week in January to fewer than 50 a week in April. But cases could spike with the upcoming rainy season. Since the outbreak began, health authorities say 259 pregnant women reported symptoms of Zika, which include fever and joint pain. Of that number, some have given birth and others are being monitored. There have been no confirmed cases of microcephaly linked to Zika in El Salvador. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded that infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women is a cause of microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities. For chief neonatologist Dr. Ana Lorena Parada, who works with newborns at the women's hospital, Zika has not shifted her position on abortion. "Personally, I'm not in favor of abortion," Parada said. "An abortion isn't a solution. It can have consequences. "A 12-year-old can't decide for herself if she is ready to have an abortion," she said. But El Salvador's vice-minister of health, Dr. Eduardo Espinoza, questions the nation's abortion law. "It seems to me that this is a little archaic, and that it is not fair," Espinoza said in an interview. He said women's rights groups must lead a pro-choice debate and pressure lawmakers to ease the ban. "It doesn't depend on us. I'm obliged to comply with the law and the law states we can't interrupt a pregnancy," he said. PRISON FOR MISCARRIAGE The Citizen Group for the Decriminalisation of Therapeutic, Ethical, and Eugenic Abortion (CFDA), a local rights group, says the abortion ban causes maternal deaths by forcing women to undergo dangerous back street abortions. Angelica Rivas, a lawyer at CFDA, says the ban particularly affects poor women, as wealthier women can travel abroad to private clinics. An estimated 35,000 clandestine abortions take place in El Salvador every year. "The abortion ban kills and harms women, and in this country it can also put women in jail," Rivas said. Under Salvadoran law, doctors must report cases of women who they suspect of having induced an abortion. The rights group says scores of women have been wrongly convicted of murder and imprisoned when they in fact suffered miscarriages, stillbirths or pregnancy complications. Of the 147 women prosecuted for abortion-related crimes between 2000 and 2014, 25 remain in jail, with some serving sentences as long as 40 years, the CFDA said. Resistance to changes to the ban comes from not only the Catholic church and evangelical groups but conservative lawmakers and the left-wing ruling FMLN party that fear alienating voters. Elsewhere in Latin America, however, reproductive rights campaigners say Chile may ease its outright abortion ban. In March, Chile's chamber of deputies approved a bill to decriminalize abortion in some circumstances. The 30-year-old and her seven children arrived safely in the region of Diffa, but almost one year on, they are hungry, scared of further violence and haunted by the bloodshed they witnessed. "Even now, the children dream about Boko Haram and cry," she said outside a thatched hut, held together with sticks and plastic sheets, in Assaga - a ramshackle site for the displaced located just a few miles from Niger's border with Nigeria. Gama is one of some 240,000 uprooted people living in Diffa, a sweeping tract of desert in southeast Niger sparsely populated with isolated villages and dotted with shrubs and trees. Many of the displaced live in makeshift huts alongside the country's main highway, having been driven from their homes in northeast Nigeria and southeast Niger by Boko Haram violence. The militant group has killed more than 15,000 people and displaced some 2 million in the West African states of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria during a seven-year campaign to carve out an Islamist caliphate. Military offensives mounted by a regional taskforce and Nigerian and Cameroonian troops have pushed Boko Haram further back into the northeast corner of Nigeria, prompting the militants to scatter and ramp up attacks across the border in Diffa. The violence has traumatised many of the Nigerian refugees and displaced Nigeriens residing in Diffa, and left them with scarce food or water, little opportunity to work or trade, and vulnerable to disease and malnutrition, aid agencies say. Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou said Boko Haram had not only caused significant upheaval in Diffa and destroyed schools and health clinics, but also paralysed the region's economy. Niger, one of the world's least developed counties, has also been hit by plummeting global oil prices and a soaring number of migrants passing through the vast, landlocked nation, crossing the Sahara Desert on their way to the Mediterranean coast. "We are facing a catastrophic humanitarian situation," Issoufou told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in Niger's capital, Niamey, before preparing to attend a panel on the Lake Chad Basin at this week's World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. NOTHING TO DO In Assaga, teenage boys slouch against tree trunks, seeking shade from the dry, midday sun as they play on their phones, while their fathers and grandfathers roam back and forth across Niger's east-west highway, swapping gossip and sharing stories. While the road divides the site into Assaga Niger and Assaga Nigeria, there is little tension between the two communities, said Nigerian refugee and father-of-six Kyani Buaki. Assaga is one of 135 informal camps in Diffa, a region hosting 160,000 uprooted Nigeriens and 80,000 Nigerian refugees. "We are the same people, us, our uncles, our grandparents - here, we are together," said Bukai, formerly a headmaster. The road running through Assaga has afforded aid agencies easy access to the camp, allowing them to provide food aid, and build health clinics, schools and sanitation facilities. Yet many people fear this makes the camp an easy target for Boko Haram, following a recent spike in violence in Diffa. There have been some 30 attacks by Boko Haram in the region this year, with half of them since April, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The militants have carried out raids, suicide bombings and looted a health centre, according to several aid agencies, and the government last month extended Diffa's state of emergency, which was first declared in February 2015, by three months. "When cars drive by, you sometimes see many people running away because they are afraid of bombings," said Mustapha, a Nigerien farmer who fled his village in Diffa and sought refuge in Assaga when he heard that Boko Haram were nearing the border. Many of Diffa's markets, and several in Nigeria, have been destroyed by Boko Haram or closed due to insecurity, leaving the young men in Assaga with little opportunity to work or trade. Some men said they had resorted to picking grass or chopping wood in the hope of selling it in order to feed their families. "Living here, we have fallen through the cracks, there is no market or business ... we have nothing to do," said 25-year-old Adam Alhagi Bukai, who used to work as a farmer in Nigeria. FEARS FOR THE FUTURE While the security situation worries many of the displaced, a lack of food aid is the most pressing concern ahead of the upcoming lean season and holy fasting month of Ramadan. "When we arrived in Assaga (last year), we received maize, millet, oil and tomatoes ... now we haven't received any food for five months," said 18-year-old Ataha Balai, a mother of two. Some 450,000 people in Diffa, more than half of the region's population, lack enough to eat, and a humanitarian funding shortfall is hindering efforts to ensure food aid reaches those who need it the most, said the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP). "This is worrying when you consider the threat that more people may be displaced in the coming months by the insecurity," said Fode Ndiaye, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Niger. There could also be pockets of displaced people in Diffa who have not yet been found, as the insecurity restricts the reach and access of aid agencies, said Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). U.N. aid chief Stephen O'Brien said Diffa posed a unique humanitarian challenge, where a combination of various factors could drive more displacement and make it harder to deliver aid. "These vulnerable communities are facing climate related challenges such as desertification, booming population growth, poverty, a lack of food and of course, Boko Haram violence." O'Brien will speak at the World Humanitarian Summit, hoping to raise awareness and funds for Niger's U.N. aid plan, which has only received a quarter of its $316 million target for 2016. A world away from dignitaries and diplomats, girls on the Nigerian side of the Assaga camp giggle as they swing up and down on a water pump like a seesaw, singing and making fun of each other as they fill up bright yellow and orange jerrycans. For Assaga's older residents, such joy and positivity is unfathomable as they ponder the future for their families. "We don't know when we'll be able to return home, but not until things are right, the situation is normal, and there are no problems left," said 50-year-old Bukai, choking back tears. In a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sani Usman, the chief bomb maker was killed by one of the terrorists as he attempted to escape from the group, just as some of the terrorists have been doing, because of the intensity of Operation CRACKDOWN launched by the military. The chief bomber, who was not named, is one of the sect's experts in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). "In a related development, one Julelebeeb who was appointed to take over is now completely blind because his two eyes were shattered by shrapnel, in the process of preparing an IED to consolidate his appointment," the statement said. Fasehun also urged Buhari to create an economic team involving former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, former Central Bank Governor, Charles Soludo, and prominent economist, Professor Pat Utomi among others. The OPC leader made the comment on Sunday, May 22, 2016, while addressing journalists in Lagos, Punch reports. A review of the governments economic team shows that it is made up of persons occupying their offices by nepotism and political expediency. Buharis current cabinet is an insult to Nigerian economic wizards at home and in the Diaspora, Fasehun said. This weakness became apparent with the mishandling of the 2016 budget. There is an urgent need for a complete overhauling of the governments economic team. "The government should quickly draft into its economic management team Chief Olu Falae, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, Chief Isiaka Adeleke, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Chukwuma Soludo and Chief Frank Kokori," he added. He also called on the Buhari administration to revert to the old fuel price of N86 per litre. The government, on Wednesday, May 11, announced the removal of fuel subsidy and a subsequent increase of the price of petrol to N145 per litre. ----------------------------------------------------------------- According to a report by The Cable, Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity said the president took the decision to prepare himself ahead of Ramadan. Shehu further explained that Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo will represent the president as he's currently faced with scheduling difficulties. In the words of Garba Shehu, The president is faced with scheduling difficulties and that is the reason for the postponement of the visit. He needs more time for Lagos and for Edo which had earlier been stepped down. Continuing, he said, 'As a result of this, the visit has been scaled down and he is being represented by His Excellency the Vice-President, who is going to Lagos to commission a few projects, leaving the rest for Mr. President. The President will undertake these visits after the Ramadan.' Bakare also went further to explain why he took part in the protests against fuel subsidy removal in 2012, during former President Goodluck Jonathans administration. Punch reports that he said In 2012, we were not against the economic arguments behind fuel subsidy removal. Instead, we wanted the government to investigate the subsidy regime, bring culprits in the maladministration of that regime to book and recover stolen funds before commencing the policy discourse around subsidy removal. We have not changed our earlier conviction in spite of a change in government. We have only acknowledged that the new government has persistently demonstrated its anti-corruption stance while seeking policy solutions to the economic crisis, though there have been gaps in policy management. Bakare also said We had expected that, in response to our call earlier in the year, the government would have consulted extensively with stakeholders and embarked upon extensive communication and enlightenment campaigns across the social spectrum, with particular attention to the middle class and the grassroots, on the new price regime prior to its introduction. This would have been a better-received sequence than the sudden policy introduction and the after-the-fact approach to informing and enlightening Nigerians. The sources also reportedly told ThisDay that the renewed attacks in the Niger Delta were due to the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to renege on his promise that his predecessor had nothing to fear from him (Buhari) after he handed over the reins of power on May 29, 2015. Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, the Senator said: I spoke with the former President on Friday. He told me that he was going to London to spend some times with his children. He did not indicate that he was under any stress and did not tell me that he was going on exile. What he said was that he would have loved to be at the Peoples Democratic Party convention in Portharcourt but he couldnt make it because he needed to be with his children. He told me that he was in touch with the leaders of the party across board and assured me that the crisis in the party would be resolved. It is not true that he is on exile. A mother of three, the woman told newsmen at the Government House Kano, that suspected Boko Haram members kidnapped her on the way to hospital in Maiduguri. On our arrival in Kano, the vehicle (in which she was conveyed) developed a problem I gained my consciousness and found that my body was strapped with explosive belt. It is in the course of repairing the car that I learnt the kidnappers have stripped me of my cloth and explosive devices were strapped on me, she said. She said the kidnappers told her that she was to go to the famous Kantin Kwari Market in Kano for ``Gods mission''. The commissioner urged the residents to be security conscious and report to the police whenever they noticed suspicious movements. Gov. Ganduje also urged the populace to be very vigilant, especially at markets. I have the hope that those, who are offended by virtually (all) the policies that we have pursued and still blow up the pipelines to express their anger, will sooner or later see the hope that we are trying very hard to produce and work with us in a communal brotherhood to fix this country, he said. Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi while ordering Fani-Kayode's remand said:"The defendant is hereby remanded in EFCC custody for three weeks pending a proper arraignment in court. "The applicants have never suppressed the date of the arrest of the defendant before this court. "Also, no evidence of the suit of the defendant before the FCT High Court was tendered by his counsel before the court." The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC brought Fani-Kayode to court to seek a remand order against him over a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretences and the alleged theft of N1.5 billion, property of the Federal Ministry of External Affairs. According to the anti-graft agency, the remand order is urgently needed to prevent Fani-Kayode from tampering with evidence. Earlier during the proceedings, counsel to the EFCC, Mr N.M.Anana, urged the court to remand the ex-Minister of Aviation. "We have an exparte application for an order of remand dated May 10, 2016 made pursuant to Section 261 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law. "Attached to the application is a nine-paragraph affidavit of urgency seeking the remand of the defendant in the EFCC custody. "We need this order of remand because if he is not remanded, he might interfere with the investigations in this matter, '' Anana said. Counsel to Fani-Kayode, Mr Wale Balogun, however, opposed the EFFC's application for remand. He said:"The applicants have suppressed some facts which Your Lordship would question why the application of the EFCC is being taken ex parte. "There is a pending suit before the FCT High Court to challenge the detention of the defendant. "The suit number is FCT/HC/1767/2016 between the defendant and the EFCC who are aware of the suit and have been served. "The defendant has been in EFCC detention since May 9 after which he was granted administrative bail the conditions of which he met on May 12. "In Abuja, they got another detention order for 14 days and what the EFCC did after was to bring him to Lagos." Balogun urged the court not to detain Fani-Kayode because of the pending suit he had instituted against the EFCC. Olonishakin said this at the inauguration of 12 refurbished gun boats and 40-bed space accommodation for troops in Okirika local government area of Rivers. He said that the military was currently assessing the situation in the Niger Delta with a view to engaging stakeholders to maintain law and order in the region. According to him, engagement with militants will involve governors of various states and political leaders in the Niger Delta. Government and military is using multi-faceted approach rather than force alone to ensure that resurgent attacks on oil and gas installations are stopped. We have told them (militants) to stop the destruction of oil and gas facilities and other critical national assets, as it negatively affects the economy with impact on livelihood of the people. If they (militants) have grievances, they should take it up with government rather than their current approach which is not in the best interest of the nation. If they continue to choose the path of bombing pipelines (after engagement moves), then we will go after them and deal with the situation appropriately, he said. Olonishakin said that efforts were on to provide more gun boats and other military hardware for troops to maintain 24-hours patrol of about 5,000 creeks and waterways in the region. The military chief said that the provision of military hardware would boost capacity of Operation Pulo Shield` to confront oil theft and illegal bunkering of petroleum products in the region. Repair of these gun boats will no doubt improve the capacity of the brigade to meet its responsibility in curtailing criminal acts in our inland waterways, he added. Olonishakin commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Commander of Army 2 Brigade Port Harcourt, Brig.-Gen. Stevenson Olabanji, for the repair of the boats. Also, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said that the armed forces were currently faced with logistics challenges in its operations in the Niger Delta. He said, however, that the challenges would not deter troops from continuing to fight the menace of sea piracy, militancy, oil theft and general insecurity in the region. According to him, the 40-bed space accommodation, will serve as an operating base for troops to patrol and respond to crises situations in the area. Other service chiefs at the event included the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Enugu, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, among others. The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, said on Monday that the military would engage Niger Delta Avengers to stop attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta. Olonishakin said this at the inauguration of 12 refurbished gun boats and 40-bed space accommodation for troops in Okirika local government area of Rivers. He said that the military was currently assessing the situation in the Niger Delta with a view to engaging stakeholders to maintain law and order in the region. According to him, engagement with militants will involve governors of various states and political leaders in the Niger Delta. Government and military is using multi-faceted approach rather than force alone to ensure that resurgent attacks on oil and gas installations are stopped. We have told them (militants) to stop the destruction of oil and gas facilities and other critical national assets, as it negatively affects the economy with impact on livelihood of the people. If they (militants) have grievances, they should take it up with government rather than their current approach which is not in the best interest of the nation. If they continue to choose the path of bombing pipelines (after engagement moves), then we will go after them and deal with the situation appropriately, he said. Olonishakin said that efforts were on to provide more gun boats and other military hardware for troops to maintain 24-hours patrol of about 5,000 creeks and waterways in the region. The military chief said that the provision of military hardware would boost capacity of Operation Pulo Shield` to confront oil theft and illegal bunkering of petroleum products in the region. Repair of these gun boats will no doubt improve the capacity of the brigade to meet its responsibility in curtailing criminal acts in our inland waterways, he added. Olonishakin commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Commander of Army 2 Brigade Port Harcourt, Brig.-Gen. Stevenson Olabanji, for the repair of the boats. Also, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said that the armed forces were currently faced with logistics challenges in its operations in the Niger Delta. He said, however, that the challenges would not deter troops from continuing to fight the menace of sea piracy, militancy, oil theft and general insecurity in the region. According to him, the 40-bed space accommodation, will serve as an operating base for troops to patrol and respond to crises situations in the area. A group of armed youths from Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa were alleged to have bombed an Agip pipeline in the state on Sunday, May 22. It was gathered that the ring leaders of the group Suoyou Ambu, Iyelawei and Fyneboy, are still on the run but one of them, identified as Peregbakumo, is in the custody of the NSCDC. The NSCDC Commandant in the State, Mr. Desmond Agu disclosed thisat a news conference on Monday, May 23. We are on the trail of other suspects who are on the run and we will surely apprehend them," Agu said. The condemnation was contained in a statement released by MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, Vanguard reports. It reads in part: The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to condemn and dissociate itself from the recent activities carried out by a group known as the Niger Delta Avengers. Their sudden emergence has absolutely nothing to do with the Niger Delta struggle but rather a tool by certain elements to destabilise the current government. Going by their actions and subsequent statements, it has become very apparent on who the sponsors of these group are. MEND serves notice to the international community that the Niger Delta region shall not be part of a secessionist Biafran State. Rather, the group believes in one strong united Nigerian federation where the principles and ideals of resource control; true federalism; rule of law/respect for human rights; democracy; free enterprise and a vibrant civil society are well entrenched in the grundnorm and put to practice. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) remains vehemently opposed to the fraudulent and unsustainable Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) headed by Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd) which still runs on the corrupt bureaucratic and operational template of the past administration. We have always made it very clear that unless the root issues which gave birth to the agitations in the Niger Delta region are addressed, in the form of a sincere dialogue, this programme will only continue to remain a mere cesspool of corruption. ------------------------------------------------------------------ This is contained in a communique at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress. The communique, signed by Mr Ayuba Wabba and Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, President and General-Secretary of the congress respectively, stated that the suspension was with immediate effect. The congress commended the leadership of the National Assembly and All Progressives Congress, led by Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the interfacing between the labour and the government on the issue. ``The congress will resume negotiation with government on the twin issues of hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products and any other issues that may arise thereof.'' The communique said that "NLC remains committed to genuine dialogue within the framework of international established and recognised principles of representation. ``The congress will continue to resist wrong legislation, policies and programmes and will always act in the best interest of Nigerians. ``NLC remains the only pan-Nigerian organisation not affected by religion, region, creed, partnership or primordial sentiments. ``The congress urges the government to play by the rules in its engagement with its constituent parts, stakeholders and non-state actors as proof of its commitment to deepening our democracy''. The communique therefore commended those who took part in the action in one way or the other and reaffirmed its commitment to the struggle. It stated that the action was taken in the best interest of the poor and the weak and to also draw government attention to the danger of relying on the importation of petroleum products. Reports say a power tussle between two contractors in the area was what led to the destruction of the facility. However, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in a swift reaction arrested a suspect who was allegedly involved in the criminal activity. Punch reports that the NSCDC commandant for Bayelsa state, Mr. Desmond Agu said: At about 0300 hours, a gang of armed youths allegedly led by one Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fyneboy, all of Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, vandalised a pipeline along the Azuzuama area of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with dynamites and ignited fire on the line. Through community help, we were able to arrest one of the suspects and identify some of the fleeing suspects. There was a lot of community collaboration. And we are grateful to the community because they dont like what the armed youth are doing. The court order was said to have been issued in connection to a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Okonjo-Iwealas denial was contained in a statement released by her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu. It reads: Our attention has been drawn to media reports regarding a court judgment alleged to have been entered against the federal government of Nigeria and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in respect of an action by the Socio-Economic Rights Agenda (SERAP) pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. The high court, according to the media reports, ordered the Federal government and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to provide information relating to N30 trillion Naira allegedly unaccounted for. Dr Okonjo-Iweala hastens to state that she was never served with any court processes in relation to the said matter. She has not read the judgment and would therefore defer any comments on the matter. However from the media reports, the case was instituted in February 2015 but was not served until July 2015 after Dr Okonjo-Iweala had already ceased to be the Minister of Finance. By the date the said papers were purportedly served Dr Okonjo-Iweala was no longer a public officer and could therefore not be the subject of a request for production of any documents or information under the Freedom of information Act. The court processes must have been served on others because the attention of Dr Okonjo-Iweala was never drawn to the matter in which she appears to have been sued personally. She therefore did not engage any lawyer to act for her in the matter. The decision of SERAP to anchor its case on a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation by former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo that N30 trillion about seven times the total annual budget during the Jonathan administration is missing confirms SERAPs dubious motives and its role as a tool for politically motivated actors. It is curious that the first time Dr Okonjo-Iweala is being made aware of a matter filed against her in court is in news reports reporting the delivery of judgment. She has instructed her lawyers to take steps to set aside the judgment as it affects her. ----------------------------------------------------------- Channels Television reports that he said This commission should be mandated to work closely with the stakeholders and power-plugs, as well as legislative houses to create a new national identity for the Nigerian people and facilitate the creation of an acceptable functional governmental structure for Nigeria. Bakare also added that Integrity is not enough to run a nation, Nigeria must be born again. The clergy man also asked the Federal Government to hold a referendum, where the people can put together a new constitution. Bakare added that Nigerias problems are caused by what he termed consequence of counterproductive national standards and self-limiting frameworks. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party`s National Convention on Saturday in Port Harcourt, approved the appointment of a seven-man Caretaker Committee led by Makarfi to organise a new convention. The committee was given three months to carry out the assignment which will produce new national officers of the party. "The appointment is an indication that a gold fish has no hiding place; Kaduna people are aware of the qualities of our new party leader. "We want to tell the world that the PDP family in Kaduna state is solidly behind Makarfi in this new assignment and we will move with him, step by step, until he achieves the result of his new assignment, he said. Hyat said members of the party in the state would work as his foot soldiers in the next three months to ensure success. "The party officials, members and women are all committed to this new assignment. Makarfi needs a solid platform to work and we have to contribute, he said. Mr Irimiya Kantiyok, the Minority Leader in the state assembly, also pledged the support of all PDP legislators in the state to the Makarfi committee. He said Makarfi`s appointment was well deserved because of his achievements as governor and Federal lawmaker. Reports say former Governor of Akwa-Ibom state and Senate Minority Leader, Godwill Akpabio moved motion for the removal of Sheriff, and the appointment of a caretaker committee. Akpabio said The committee shall be known as the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party. However, Sheriff insists that the decision at the convention is not binding, because he suspended the convention due to numerous court actions against the event. Inuwa Bwala, the spokesman to the embattled PDP chairman, who spoke to Premium Times, said Immediately the chairman (Sheriff) received another court injunction, he called a meeting of the National Working Committee and told them that it wasnt safe to continue with the convention of the party, especially since the court had forbidden elections virtually into all the offices. He announced the suspension of the convention at a press briefing, only for some people to go behind and claim that there was convention. There was no organ of the party that was represented at the convention. The convention was cancelled, and it remains cancelled until such a time the matters in court are resolved, for us to convene another national convention. Bwala also said his boss felt betrayed, adding that Naturally, you will feel betrayed if you are working with some people, only for them to go behind you to work against what you all agreed to do. The leader of the PDP Patriotic front in Kaduna State, Comrade Danjuma Bello, said in a statement on Monday 23 May 2016 that the decision sacking Sheriff and others has also proven that impunity, imposition and injustice is no doubt a thing of the past in the PDP adding that no individual or group can hold the party to ransom. This singular act has restored the hope and confidence of party faithful in our leaders. We urged the committee to meet with the Jerry Gana group and all aggrieved camps in the party to reconcile their differences, reposition, rebuild and return the party to the path of justice, equity and fairness for the betterment of our great party, the statement said. Actually, the party had two conventions, because as the original one was holding in Port Harcourt, another was going on in Abuja. The crisis in the party began after the chairmanship was zoned to the North-East, an indication that then occupant, Ali Modu Sheriff was planning to elongate his tenure during the convention. This led many members of the party to revolt and start plans for their own separate convention. When I told you that we were planning our convention, some of you thought we were joking. We just appointed some coordinators now. Before the end of the week, I think by Thursday, we would address a press conference to announce all the state coordinators, a source, said to be a former governor, told Punch about the alternate convention. Whatever Sheriff and his co-jesters are doing would soon become a nullity and I can tell you that illegality would soon jam illegality, the source added. Sheriff eventually attempted to cancel the convention due to a series of court cases against it. Members of the National Working Committee and I have been working since morning. We are confronted with a lot of challenges. The challenges are court cases and taking into account the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to supervise the election into the office of Chairman, Secretary and Auditor, he said at a news conference in Port Harcourt on Saturday. Based on the order of the court and on the account that our party is responsible and law abiding with high respect to the judiciary and courts, we do hereby state and put off the National Convention, he added. However, the convention still held and participants agreed to remove Sheriffand dissolve the partys National Working Committee. The motion was said to have been raised by Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio who also pushed for the appointment of a caretaker committee saying The committee shall be known as the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party. After Sheriffs removal, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike said: We will not allow the PDP to die or suffer divisions under our watch. History will never forgive us if we watch the party die. Its a pity that Wike doesnt realize that the PDP is already dead. The PDP died in 2015, and it has still refused to resurrect. The opposition party refused to learn from the same mistake that led to its woeful loss in the 2015 elections and is still allowing discord to thrive within its ranks. Sheriff will go to court to contest his removal, PDP chieftain, Ibrahim Mantu and his group of Concerned Peoples Democratic Party Stakeholders have rejected the caretaker committee and the South West arm of the group is still sour about not being considered for the chairmanship slot. The PDP is in shambles, yet its members go about boasting that the 2019 election is theirs for the taking. The PDP has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to launch a worthy opposition against the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, but instead it is allowing a social media miscreant run its anti-APC campaign while its real members faff around. He said the media reports are false, baseless and misguided. Speaking on Sunday, May 22, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on arrival from Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, where he attended Saturdays National Convention of the party. For the purpose of clarification, there are no factions within the PDP family as I speak. What we have are contending interests. Such is common in any party. Yes, there were some disagreements, but the good thing is that we have not allowed such disagreements to degenerate into a major crisis that would warrant factions," Ekeweremadu said. Instead, what happened in Port-Harcourt over the weekend further confirms PDPs capacity to resolve issues in favour of laid down precepts and in the overall interest of our great party and nation." On the court order, which restrained the party from conducting election into some offices, the Senator said that the PDP did not violate any court order. He stressed that the convention did not conduct any election, but simply acted within its constitutional powers as the highest decision-making organ of the PDP to appoint an interim National Working Committee (NWC) to oversee the affairs of the party and also conduct elections into the NWC positions within 90 days. Make no mistake about it, All Progressives Congress, APC, is a good party by all standards. But my regret is that we are not managing our victory very well, the governor said. I have no doubt in my mind that the old man (Buhari) will succeed. All I pleaded with Buhari to capture in the current fiscal year are in the budget. I want to assure Ndigbo that all that are due to us will definitely get to us, he added. Okorocha had earlier said that he would not run in the 2019 presidential elections because God told him to settle for the governorship. ------------------------------------------------------------------- We just have to change trajectory for this nation to survive. Change is difficult. The silver lining is there. Things will definitely get better progressively, he said. It is a journey in which we are set. We are going through the period of labour and at the end of labour comes rejoicing. This nation will be great again. No doubt that we are going through a very difficult time. No question that we could not have continued doing things the way we were. We would not have been here today, but for God Himself who gave us President Muhammadu Buhari, he added. Odigie-Oyegun had earlier said that God has a hand in Nigerias troubles. ------------------------------------------------------ In a statement by the Ogun State PDP, the Chairman, Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele, on Sunday, May 22, 2016 declared the appointment of the ex-Kaduna State Governor a welcome development designed to reposition the PDP for victory in subsequent elections in Nigeria. The statement which was released by the state's Publicity Secretary, Malik Ibitoye, quoted Ogundele as saying, "The Ogun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) under the Chairmanship of Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele hereby salutes the courage of the PDP National Planning Committee headed by His Excellency, Gov. for its decision to reposition the party by dissolving the National Executive of our party and setting up of Caretaker Committee." ALSO READ: Nwanosike says Port Harcourt convention will refresh opposition 'While it is not a lie that our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has faced some challenges in recent times, the greatest reality is always the willingness and tenacity of members to assiduously work to ensure this political ship is steered to safety. This has been demonstrated, again, by party members and leaders at the Port Harcourt Convention. 'By our actions at the convention on Saturday, 21 May, the PDP can be likened to a phoenix capable of regenerating itself, rising from its own ashes and subduing predictions of doom. This great feat is sired by the genuine love for the party and determination of members to steady the voyage despite the turbulent political sea we have continually travelled on. The day has broken for all forces and political leanings to return to base, integrate and build formidable strengths for the futures greater battle,' Ibitoye said. While the state PDP await a credible National Convention where new National Working Committee members will be elected within 90 days, Ibitoye assured members of resolving internal differences to reposition the party in the state for the 2019 elections. 'We however assure all members of our great party, PDP in the State of our resolve, in the spirit and letter of the Port Harcourt Convention to work assiduously towards uniting all various interests and reposition the party for sure victory in the 2019 general elections,' Ibitoye said. According to him, the graduation is coming ten years after the university was established. (There has been) for over 10 years, Lalong told the News Agency of Nigeria. And now, setting up a university as a speaker and now back as a governor I have no reason not to work on ensuring that the university was accredited and also there is graduation from that university. To date, they have done accreditation for 17 courses and ready for convocation. As a matter of fact, if not for little challenge in terms of funding, the first convocation, I was preparing for June this year. However, we are hoping that before the end of the year, they will have their first convocation. That will tell you the passion we have about education. For some of us, our parents were not rich and because of that, the only opportunity at that time was the public schools. We went to public schools and today, we are what we are because we went to public schools. The students said this at the weekend in Abuja, at a press conference addressed by Comrade Daniel Dansho and Comrade Joshua Ariyo, JCC chairmen of Plateau and Oyo zones respectively. They said the sack of the vice chancellors was in accordance with the provisions of Universities (miscellaneous provisions) Decree no 11 of 1993. We believe that the sack of the vice chancellors of the 13 universities was done according to the law. The universities act does not have provision for elongation or renewal of tenure of vice chancellors. Those who are misjudging the actions of the Minister of Education should seek knowledge on public service rules and regulations. They should stop heating up the polity, he said. The JCC leaders decried the actions of Tijjani Usman whose tenure as NANS president, they claim expired last year. Tijjani Usman should stop parading himself as NANS president since his tenure expired in September last year. We are calling on both public and private organizations as well as individuals to note that Tijjani doesnt represent NANS and whoever deals with him does so at his own peril. We are also calling on Comrade Usman to halt his campaigns against the federal government and organize a free and fair election for Nigerian students as soon as possible, the group said.They announced that NANS election was scheduled for May 31, 2016. According to a TechCabal report, this new expansion into Accra seems to be part of an aggressive expansion drive by the logistics company into the African market. Since it began operations in 2009, Uber has expanded to over 400 cities in over 60 countries. The company has established presence in five African countries including Morocco, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa. The company's most recent launches were in Abuja, Nigeria, and Kenya's second-largest city, Mombasa. Techcabal reports that Leon Mwotia, Uber's tri-lingual, left-handed Kenyan-Canadian international launcher will be at the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) to speak about the company's roll-out plans in Ghana. Right now, it is hard to judge how traditional taxi drivers in Ghana will react to Uber's presence - a problem the company has had to deal with in most of the other countries where the company operates (In Kenya, its vehicles were even set on fire at one point). In this light, Kim K has become that go-to personality for women making fashion choices as well as brides-to-be making wedding dress selections - Hey! Shes been married trice and looked mesmerizing in two! Pulse.ng now looks into the six times the mother-of-two has inspired bridal looks for some of us. 1.) Kim in Marchesa This is one of Kim's most stylish looks of all time. She stepped on the red carpet for the Emmy Awards in 2010 looking like a Greek goddess. The star donned a specially made Marchesa Grecian gown with metallic straps to create a built-in necklace. OMG! Kim looked amazing! Which bride doesnt envy her style? 2.) Kim in Donna Karan Kim was a knockout in a stunning all white ensemble as she attended the 21st Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at Pacific Design Center on February 24, 2013 in West Hollywood, California. The then-pregnant star looked stunning with slicked black hair, glossy plump lips and a luxurious looking stole - which, along with a wrist-full of diamond bracelets, drew attention away from her growing baby bump. ALSO READ: 3 stunning looks Blake Lively wore to Cannes Film Festival 2016 3.) Kim in Givenchy For her third wedding to rapper Kanye West in Italy in 2014, Kim proved practice makes perfect as she donned a simple but detailed lacy Givenchy number. In a sleek, form fitting shape, the lace gown highlighted her famous assets while remaining elegant and glamorous. This is undoubtedly the bridal look for the next generation. 4.) Kim in Valentino The star wowed in cape-sleeve silk crepe white Valentino gown as she arrived the black carpet for the InStyle Awards in 2015 in Los Angeles. Kim's eight-month gone pregnancy was on full display just like her jaw dropping beauty. While her dress clung to every curve as she walked by, so was her signature slicked dark hair and natural make-up face. Gorgeous! (She also has this same dress in black) 5.) Kim in Vera Wang Even though her marriage to Kris Humphries lasted just 72 days, Kim's outstanding Vera Wang wedding dresses is lasting a lifetime. The star opted for old classic Hollywood and wore three different dresses that were worth around $75,000. No bad luck to any bride, but these looks were simply must-haves. 6.) Kim in Vivienne Westwood For the under-chic opening of Sofia Coppola's debut opera, 'La Traviata,' Kim went for a glamourous look. The mother-of-two stunned in a figure-hugging white Vivienne Westwood dress while exposing her signature curves and beautiful face. Kanye West was proud just like akny groom, who gets to see his wife-to-be in this sensational look! The southern mayor has yet to be declared the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed him ahead over his four rivals, three of whom conceded defeat. Duterte assumes office on June 30. Duterte's often outrageous comments have won him huge support and his tirades about killing criminals and a joke about a murdered rape victim do not appear to have dented his popularity in the largely Catholic country. "I only want three children for every family," Duterte said on Sunday in Davao City. "I'm a Christian, but I'm a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church." About 80 percent of the Philippines' 100 million population are Catholics, the largest concentration of any Asian country, who oppose abortion and contraception. On Saturday, he criticised the Church as the "most hypocritical institution", meddling in government policies and said some bishops were enriching themselves at the expense of the poor. Monsignor Oliver Mendoza, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Lingayen, whose head is the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the Church respected Duterte's opinion but that it would continue to speak against government policies that are contrary to Church teaching. "Because if we fail to do that, if we close our eyes, if we close our lips, we close our ears, what will be the role of the Church?" he said. Political analysts said they were not surprised at Duterte's statements because some bishops spoke out against him during the election campaign. "Like most liberal, secular politicians, Duterte is a deist," said Joselito Zulueta of the University of Santo Tomas. "This in itself is a self-serving position conceived out of human conceit. He will do as he pleases except when he's stopped by public criticism." As you drive down Harrison Street by Central High School, traffic flows a little easier today. Recently, the already slow school zone, has been down a lane due to construction on the Central High School addition. Ken Henry, a union worker with Laborers' Local Union 309, spoke of the wage disagreements that caused the strike. The contractors gave every other trade their wage increases but they wont give us our wage increases," Henry said. "... Were the lowest paid scale. When asked how long he believes the strike will last, Henry said, Depends on the contractors. This is the best peaceful way of getting what you need or getting what you want. To hear the complete interview, click the audio button below: Your browser does not support the audio tag. An estimated 2,000 supporters of Exelon, including 600 from the Quad-City region, will gather today at the Capitol in Springfield to urge lawmakers to pass the Next Generation Energy Plan. Employees of Exelon's Illinois nuclear plants, including the Quad-Cities Generating Station in Cordova, will participate in the rally, as well as clean energy advocates, elected officials, business leaders, key stakeholders and employees' families. "We want to show them that these are the people that ultimately would be effected if there is a lack of action on the legislation," said Bill Stoermer, spokesman for Exelon's Cordova station. "What we want to do is ensure that the legislators know how important this is not just to Quad-Cities, but all of Illinois that the legislation gets passed before the end of the session." Exelon has said it needs the Next Generation Energy Plan to pass before the General Assembly's scheduled May 31 adjournment in order to avoid shutting down the Clinton Power Station next summer. If the legislation is not passed, Exelon said the Quad-City nuclear plant could close July 1, 2018. It has a license to operate until 2032. Stoermer said the company remains "cautiously optimistic we can get the bill through." The bill would extend subsidies to nuclear plants to put them on a level playing field with wind and solar energy industries, which already are subsidized. Exelon has argued it too should receive subsidies because, like wind and solar, nuclear power does not generate carbon pollution. The proposal would cost the average residential customer of its northern Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison 25 cents extra per month. Last week, the Illinois Senate held a three-hour committee hearing, but the energy committee has not yet voted to send the bill to the Senate. If it passes the Senate, it still must go to the House for approval and onto the governor. For months, Exelon has been promoting its economic impact in the state as well as in Rock Island County, where it employs 800 and is the county's largest single taxpayer. Stoermer said the group plans to fill the capitol's rotunda with supporters and Exelon employees, including employees of ComEd, the distribution subsidiary of Exelon. "We're literally working day and night (to get the legislation passed)," he said. Students in a new class at Rock Island High School did more than learn about entrepreneurs, inventors and start-up companies. They became them. Since school began last fall, students in the INCubatoredu Entrepreneur and Enterprise Class have participated in hands-on activities to develop and test ideas for a business. They met with local entrepreneurs and companies and worked closely with business mentors to develop an actual product or service. While all nine teams of students ended the year with solid, well-researched business ideas, the future of their business ideas is coming down to a Pitch Night on Thursday in the high school auditorium. In a competition modeled after the ABC-TV series "Shark Tank," the event will allow the five finalist teams to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges and potential investors. "Just because a team is not in the final five doesn't mean they can't develop their business idea," said Trish Matson, the business teacher leading the first-time class at Rock Island. "Their businesses could continue. It's up to these kids. We're hopeful there will be an angel investor there." A panel of representatives from the Rock Island-Milan Foundation and the Rock Island Rotary the program's financial sponsors will do the judging. Awards will be presented for Best Pitch, Best Product Viability and Best Overall. The students will be trying to convince investors to help them take their businesses to the next level. "This is real life," said senior Jakob Beierlein, who has high hopes for his team's VisiCase product a cellphone case with a foldable magnifying screen. "It is a class, but this is a real business, real money. If we get picked, we will have real money to produce 1,000 cases to start." His JIBSS team, named for the students' initials, is pitching a request for $14,000 to get the startup going. Their invention, which even has a prototype thanks to assistance from Muscatine-based HNI Corp., would magnify anything on an iPhone screen by 1.5 times. "It's what reading glasses would do," said Beierlein, whose own father's struggles to read his cellphone inspired the idea. Matson said the INCubatoredu curriculum was created by a Barrington, Illinois, high school and since has spread to more than 30 schools nationally. The Rock Island program was kickstarted last year with $25,000 in donations from the Rotary club and the school district's foundation. Some of the funding was used to convert a former consumer science classroom into a state-of-the-art classroom. "The kids have really embraced the program," Matson said. "Two of our teams are making money already, which is unusual." Teams already making their products and profiting are BuddyBraids, a team that makes custom braided dog leashes, and Mad Batter, which makes bite-sized cake rounds. Junior Lauren Forslund, part of the BuddyBraids team, said they have sold about 20 of the five-foot dog leashes, paid back the $182.32 in startup money they borrowed from the program and have made a profit. "It was hard to understand all the business aspects and what was needed to just get one business started," she said of the process. The team learned about all the types of insurance they would need to turn BuddyBraids into an actual viable business. "We haven't done that, but that's what we'd do if we win (Pitch Night) Thursday," Forslund said of securing the coverage. Another team, Recallz, has a plan to develop an app that would alert users when product recalls are announced. "We're on the brink of development," team member Jeremy Smock said. "It depends on if there is an interested investors (at Pitch Night). We could all get funding (for all the teams) or none of us." Smock, a senior, said his team is requesting $75,000 to start up and is offering an investor 10 percent equity in the company. Recallz team member Seth Tobin, a junior, thinks he could keep the business moving ahead next year even after the seniors graduate. "After Thursday we'll decide if we want to keep going," he said. "I've learned to stay positive and see how far we can take it." He said the class always "felt real life." "Now I'm thinking of being an entrepreneur when I go off to college," Tobin said. Matson said experts from a variety of fields assisted the teams as mentors and were guest speakers on various subjects. The year also included field trips and high-profile business speakers at events by the Quad-Cities Chamber and Women's Connection. The students even saw "Shark Tank" reality star and investor Daymond John when the chamber hosted him last August. Meghan Peters, 27, of Clinton, died Sunday in an apparent fall in Eagle Point Park in Clinton. According to a media release from Lt. Nick Carlson of the Clinton Fire Department, someone contacted the fire department at 11:38 a.m. about a person who apparently had fallen. A command post was established at 36th Avenue North and McKinley Street. Fire crews responded with nine personnel, a rescue van, two engines, an ambulance, a utility vehicle and a command vehicle. Clinton police brought a utility vehicle, and MedForce also was called to the post. Peters, who was spotted from a cliff in the park, apparently had fallen about 50 feet. She was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency responders tried resuscitation efforts. The Union Pacific Railroad shuttled people and equipment to the scene from the command post. Arrangements are pending at Lemke, Clinton. PITTSBURGH A western Pennsylvania man is now facing a possible death penalty following his conviction in the murders of his neighbors, two sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker. Jurors in Allegheny County convicted 45-year-old Allen Wade on all counts Monday, including criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and related counts. The panel had deliberated for seven hours Friday. Prosecutors said Wade shot 44-year-old Susan Wolfe and 38-year-old Sarah Wolfe after they returned from work on Feb. 6, 2014, then stole a bank card and withdrew $600 hours later. Wade's public defender argued that police rushed to judgment to charge Wade because of the victims' prominent sister, Democratic Iowa state Rep. Mary Wolfe. Prosecutors are seeking capital punishment rather than life in prison without parole in the penalty phase of the trial. EARLIER STORY Allen Wade was convicted Monday morning on all counts two counts of criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and related charges for the deaths of Sarah Wolfe, 38, and her sister, Susan Wolfe, 44, on Feb. 6, 2014, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Details to come. As Bruce Beyer was coming over the Centennial Bridge into Davenport one day last week, a sight caught him by surprise. The Ferris wheel at Modern Woodmen Park was spinning again, and maybe this time, after waiting two years, he would be able to give it a whirl. Beyer of Davenport rode the Ferris wheel at the city-owned ballpark for the first time during a Quad-Cities River Bandits game Thursday night. He rolled his wheelchair right into one of the gondolas that the city and the team had re-engineered specifically for that purpose. They did the right thing, Beyer said. It should be a great thing from this point forward. Beyer along with two other men who use wheelchairs Mitch Swanson of Lynn Center, Ill., and Gary McDermott of Clinton had brought the deficiency to the citys attention when the ride first opened in spring 2014. I was with Mitch at the ballgame, and we decided to see if we could take a ride, said McDermott, who is chairman for the city of Clintons ADA commission. Unfortunately, we were not able to access the Ferris wheel. The Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1992, but it was not until 2010 when all amusement rides built from that year on had to have at least one ADA-accessible component. Beyer said he expected to be able to ride Davenports Ferris wheel when it first opened, but he discovered it did not have a proper loading ramp or accessible gondola. I sat there the first night and thought, Wait a minute; I cant get on this, he said. Thats how the ball got rolling. The three men got in touch with the Davenport Civil Rights Commission, which already had been dealing with the rides manufacturer, Chance Rides, on the ADA issue. Back when the ride was being designed, Chance Rides assured the commission it would be built to standards, commission director Latrice Lacey has said. A Chance Rides representative has said the ride was ADA accessible when it first opened in 2014. Lacey said that the commission did an accessibility review in 2014 and found several deficiencies, which it outlined in a memo to city officials in November 2014. Chance Rides, the city and River Bandits management all agreed to have the gondola retrofitted to accommodate wheelchairs. A philanthropic arm of Genesis Health System has agreed to cover the costs. Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch said last week that the gondola was widened enough to accommodate a rider in a wheelchair and a second rider as well. He said it was the citys desire to be more inclusive, so all riders can have a companion to go along with the experience. McDermott has been successful in several complaints he filed for accessibility compliance in both the public and private sectors. While the case involving the Davenport Ferris wheel never ended up in a lawsuit, he said that was brought up as a possibility if any of the parties involved refused to comply. McDermott said the city and the River Bandits stepped up to the plate and got it done. We had meetings, and we had dialogue with them. It was a good outcome without any problems at all. Im happy to see it that way, rather than push harder. Not everyone was on board at first. McDermott said some city officials were convinced that disabled riders could self-transfer out of their wheelchairs into gondolas. They were pushing for the self-transfer idea at first, probably because it was much easier for them to do, McDermott said, adding self-transfer would create too much liability. You would be missing half the population in wheelchairs who cant do that, he said. You would be discriminating against those people. They eventually did the right thing. Swanson, who suffered a spinal cord injury after being rear-ended by a semi-trailer 25 years ago, said he is happy the issue with Davenport got resolved. Everyone worked together, Swanson said, adding he, Beyer and McDermott were included in the process. The city of Davenport stood up, and it was a good conversation all the way through. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a clarification from Lacey about the accessibility review in 2014. DES MOINES Iowa Republicans, who for months were pulled 17 different ways by a plethora of presidential candidates sparring in a grueling nominating campaign, are now slowly making their way back to base camp under Donald Trumps victorious banner. We think that were moving forward as a united front. We have more people joining all the time, said Ed Brookover, a senior advisor on Trumps national team specializing in delegate selection who attended Saturdays Iowa GOP state convention at the Iowa State fairgrounds. Theres a healing process for everybody. Brookover acknowledged there are Republicans with misgivings about an presumptive and unconventional presidential nominee making his first political bid in seeking the nations highest office, but he said Trump allayed some of those concerns last week by releasing a list of likely nominees he would consider to fill U.S. Supreme Court openings and landing the backing of the National Rifle Association with his stance on protecting Second Amendment rights. Also with his support for pro-life issues, the 2016 GOP presumptive presidential nominee also has staked out positions calling for smaller government and individual responsibility that are the basic tenets our party has been founded on, Brookover noted. In the primary process, we focus on our disagreements. Now were getting to the place where we focus on our agreements, he added. I think that as (Trump) continues to push out his policy proposals, there will be more and more folks who say, oh, yeah, I get it now, I understand why my fellow Republicans have been for him and Ill join the team. A majority of the 1,555 delegates at Saturdays GOP event were supporters of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, including Iowa Congressman Steve King a Kiron Republican who ironically helped Trump get his start in Iowa but ended up backing his chief rival en route to a Feb. 1 win in Iowas leadoff caucuses. When Cruz recently suspended his 2016 bid, King said he was probably a two on a Trump scale of one to 10. Now Im probably a four or five today. The pace of this recovery is faster than I thought, so I think one could have an expectation that well get there by Cleveland, but a lot of this is going to depend on Trump. Cleveland is the site of the 2016 Republican National Convention once thought to be a place where an open free-for-all over the partys presidential nomination would play out but now is viewed as a potential launching pad if Trump, established party leaders and influential conservatives can forge a unified front. I am working with the Trump campaign to put together as many pieces of our values and belief system as we can, King said Saturday, and if we can get people around Donald Trump that reflect our values, that we can work with, I want to get to a place where in Cleveland I can stand up and say: Im confident that he will work with you and hell work with Congress and that we can put our government back on the rails again. King estimated that between five million and eight million constitutional conservatives stayed home on Election Day in November 2012 because GOP nominee Mitt Romney did not do enough to attract that vital voting bloc. He said that number could grow this November with a Trump-Hillary Clinton matchup, King noted, so he absolutely needs to reach out. We cant do that for him, but we can work with him and send him that message. Trumps unconventional campaign style has caused some consternation among GOP traditionalists who worry his inflammatory and sometimes contradictory statements are alienating female and ethnic voters but also are reaping the benefit of attracting new followers fed up with the countrys direction under the current dysfunctional atmosphere in Washington, D.C. Tana Goertz, a senior Trump advisor in Iowa, said she senses Republicans are getting on board the Trump train because they dont want to hand the keys to the White House to likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Its going well. Its going fantastic, said Goertz, who was stationed at an often-visited Trump table at Saturdays state convention. Weve had numerous people whove already come on board, reach out to us, offering their support, their help, their guidance. Weve got five pages filled with volunteers that want to get aboard. State GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann said he senses the party faithful are beginning to rally around the Trump banner and he expects Trump will be back in Iowa this fall as the GOP presidential candidate. I have no doubt whatsoever that Donald Trump has a favorable opinion of Iowa. I have no doubt whatsoever that he is going to aggressively campaign here and I have no doubt that the vast majority of these people that are filling these seats behind me are going to be voting for Donald Trump and Chuck Grassley and Rod Blum and the list goes on and on and on, Kaufmann said. Brookover said its premature to talk about Trumps general-election campaign strategy, but he noted that Iowa likely will be in play as a swing state which could bring Trump back to a state he visited extensively during the run-up to last Februarys precinct caucuses. Good afternoon, Quad-Cities. Here is your National Weather Service forecast. This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 87 degrees. That's right, 87 degrees. South winds will be around 15 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tonight there is a 50 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. There will be increasing clouds with a low around 61 degrees. New rainfall amounts could be less than a tenth of an inch with higher amounts are possible during thunderstorms. Tuesday there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a high near 81 degrees. New rainfall amounts could be less than a tenth of an inch. Higher amounts are possible during thunderstorms. Tuesday night there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a low around 66 degrees. New rainfall amount could be between a quarter and half of an inch. Lane changes, that's life on I-74 in the Q-C Check out these photos from the 2016 Billboard Music Awards. A western Pennsylvania man is now facing a possible death penalty following his conviction in the murders of his neighbors, two sisters from Clinton, Iowa. Prosecutors say Allen Wade, 45, shot 44-year-old Susan Wolfe and 38-year-old Sarah Wolfe after they returned from work on Feb. 6, 2014, then stole a bank card and withdrew $600. Jurors found Wade guilty on all counts today, including criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and related counts. Canadian Pacific crews are busy cleaning up a train derailment this morning. The derailment of 28-full coal cars occurred around 8 p.m. Sunday about five miles south of Sabula, Iowa. The railroad says there were no injuries and the train was not carrying any dangerous goods. Hillary Clinton's political advocates -- I prefer "meat puppets" -- are wringing their hands over the Republican vulgarian Donald Trump. They're upset over the boorish things he says about women, but, even worse, they're anguishing over the death of American outrage. What bothers them is that anti-Trump outrage isn't as widespread as the Clinton campaign hoped. And GOP Chairman Reince Priebus triggered them even more by suggesting that Trump's character issues weren't all that big a deal. This so enraged the Clinton meat puppets that you could hear their teeth gnashing. Clearly, they're in need of therapy. And I will prescribe a cure. But first, what really set them off? It was that attempted New York Times hit piece about how Trump allegedly mistreats women. It blew up in their faces after the featured grievant, model Rowanne Brewer Lane, said it was all a negative spin job. "They spun it to where it appeared negative," Brewer Lane said. "I did not have a negative experience with Donald Trump and I don't appreciate them making it look like that I was saying it was a negative experience because it was not." I'm not crazy about either Trump or Clinton. The fact that The Hillary or The Donald might be president almost makes me yearn for a yurt in the wilderness. There, I could read the Constitution alone, in peace, like some oblivious hermit, without worrying what the next president will do to it. Except for tribalists and the willfully ignorant, most Americans should know by now that Trump is the GOP presidential nominee because the Republican Party Establishment lied to and manipulated its base for so long that voters stopped believing a damn thing it said. And Clinton is the Democratic candidate because, even though she's tired and stale and hopelessly establishment in the year of insurgency -- and apt to change accents in midsentence -- she still knows how to win the old Democratic way. She's backed by President Obama. And she's lined up Democratic Party insiders as superdelegates. And they want her to slice them some big chunks of cheese as tokens for their fealty. Right now, though, Clinton's meat puppets aren't worried about Queen Hillary handing out American cheese to party hacks. Instead, they're worried about the lack of outrage over Trump. And so they whine and whine: How does Trump get away with treating women that way? Why isn't America as angry as we are? Does character even matter in American politics anymore? If you're mystified about Trump and the death of outrage and lack of character evidenced in our national political actors, here's what you could do. Find a dark room with a mirror. Bring with you a small lit candle. Stand before that mirror and spend three minutes in complete silence wondering about the death of outrage, then repeat after me: "Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton." If that doesn't work, try one of these: "It's only about sex," or "Everybody does it" or "It's a private matter." Repeat until the words lose all meaning, becoming mere sounds, unintelligible, so they'll transport you to your safe meditative space. If that doesn't work, there's one more. Repeat the following: "If you drag a hundred-dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find." Those immortal words belong to James Carville, the Clinton Democratic operative who -- with Hillary's assent -- set the tone on how the Clintons would treat women who dared accuse former President Clinton of sexual harassment. And the woman Carville referred to was Paula Jones. She wasn't fancy or rich, just a working woman sexually harassed by Bill when he was governor of Arkansas. But she was denigrated by Clinton's top advisers as "trailer park" trash, as someone so craven she'd crawl on dirt for the cash to slander Bill. She was telling the truth. It was a straightforward sexual harassment case. If Bill had been a private-sector CEO, he'd have been fired. But Hillary and Bill fought back, using the "nuts and sluts strategy," denigrating Jones and others, including Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and the intern Monica Lewinsky. As part of all this, Bill Clinton, as president, lied under oath. He committed perjury. Just consider the mental gymnastics it takes to excuse perjury in a sitting president. Consider the lack of character it takes to defend it. Consider the lack of foresight it takes to do this while avoiding the effect it could have on the republic. Not only was sexual harasser and liar Bill Clinton defended, but he also was politically rehabilitated by many of the same actors, by feminists and by the Democratic insiders. And the damage was done. Hillary and Bill and their meat puppets told us then that character didn't matter. It was all a private thing. In essence, they helped give birth to Trump. You might say Hillary -- protecting Bill to guard her own ambition -- was midwife to the Trump campaign. Because without a rehabilitated Bill Clinton there could never have been a Trump candidacy. Trump would not have been conceivable, let alone possible. So if Hillary Clinton and her meat puppets wonder about what happened to character and outrage in politics, all they have to do is this: Just look in the mirror. And tell themselves the death of outrage is only a private matter. SPRINGFIELD As the final nine days of the spring legislative session kicked off Monday, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner called on members of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to remain focused on passing a balanced budget for next year. Rauner said that if Democrats want to use tax increases to balance the budget, they also need to approve portions of his pro-business, union-weakening "turnaround agenda," a position that has contributed to the ongoing standoff that has left the state without a budget for nearly a year. The governor wants agreements with Democrats on issues such as changing workers' compensation laws to make them more business-friendly and letting local governments decide what issues they negotiate with their employees. Democrats have said those issues are unrelated to the budget and should be set aside. "They are 100 percent related to the budget 100 percent," Rauner said Monday, speaking at a news conference in his Statehouse office, where he was joined by Republican legislative leaders and members of the business community. "We can't have balanced budgets if our government spending is growing faster than our economy is growing. It's not possible." Rauner praised the efforts of bipartisan groups of lawmakers that have been meeting for the past several weeks to try to forge compromises, and he said he's "cautiously optimistic" that a deal can get done before the May 31 deadline. After that, it would take a three-fifths majority in each chamber to approve a budget. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said the situation is more than a battle of wills between Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. "We are really fighting for the very soul of this state," she said. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said Republicans are willing to compromise on taxes if Democrats will agree to some of the governor's proposals. Durkin said the state "is not going to accept another year without a budget." If that happens, "it's going to be on the Democrats' hands," he said. Greg Baise, president of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, said business leaders are willing to back a tax increase but likewise need to see commitments to changing workers' compensation laws and holding the line on property taxes. But Sean Stott, a government relations director with the Laborers' International Union, said Rauner is pushing workers' compensation changes that rank-and-file lawmakers took off the table months ago. "They are categorically anti-middle class, and they're just a giveaway to big business," Stott said. Republicans and business groups have been pushing for stricter requirements for workers to prove that their injuries are job-related. Instead, Stott said, lawmakers should focus on forcing insurance companies to pass on to their customers savings from previous changes to workers' compensation laws. Meanwhile, the House and Senate convened Monday afternoon but gave no indication of how they plan to address the budget before the deadline. The House approved a bill that would require the state to give social service providers 30 days' notice before canceling contracts. The bill's sponsor, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, said it was in response to the Rauner administration suspending grants without notice last year in an effort to balance the budget. The Senate approved a host of Rauner's appointments to state posts. An investigation is ongoing into the roughly 7-inch-long destructive device, which was wrapped in electrical tape and had a fuse, the American News reported. Nobody in the building or in the surrounding structures was evacuated and there weren't any specific threats reported. An X-ray showed it was a "real device," and authorities took extra caution to remove it from the roof and get it to a safe spot for disposal, Brown County Emergency Management Director Scott Meints said. Sparkler bombs, which are illegal in South Dakota, can be a real threat, even though they sound harmless, the newspaper reported. "They are considerably dangerous," Meints said. "We made the right move of taking the precautions." The Aberdeen Police Department, Aberdeen Fire and Rescue and Brown County Emergency Management also assisted. Division of Criminal Investigation officials took the device to the Aberdeen department's shooting range south of the city and destroyed it in a hole with a countercharge. That charge is to make sure any explosion is directed into the ground, said Jeff Metzinger, a special agent with DCI. A loud bang and a ring of smoke marked the object's destruction, the newspaper reported. YANKTON | The amount of unwanted Asian carp that anglers are dumping along the Missouri River in the Yankton area has increased in recent years, leading to problems, state and federal officials say. Dumping dead fish technically is considered littering, which is against the law, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resource Manager Gary Ledbetter told the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan newspaper. The piles of rotting fish also lead to odor problems. "In small doses this wouldn't be a problem, but with the increase in fish being dropped and the weather getting warmer, you can bet it will be a problem later on," he said. Asian carp is considered an invasive species, and anglers probably think they're doing the right thing by removing them from the water, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Conservation Officer Dan Altman said. "In the grand scheme of things, I think the people doing this think they are helping," Altman said. But he noted that, "whether they pull out and kill 10 or 100 Asian carp, it is still only a drop in the hat compared to how much are still in the river." Anglers should properly dispose of the fish rather than just dump them on the ground, Ledbetter said. "We want to educate people to the fact that this is littering, and that we will be doing our best to teach them as to why they shouldn't doing this," he said. One misconception that people have is that Asian carp are inedible, according to Altman. It is the native carp that do not taste good when cooked, he said. ABERDEEN | The trial for an Aberdeen man accused of stabbing a woman to death will be held in Pierre. Thirty-four-year-old John Hemminger is charged with murder in the death of 26-year-old Jessica Goebel, who died after being stabbed in January 2015. He was to stand trial in Aberdeen this month, but Judge Scott Myren in late April granted a change-of-venue motion from defense attorneys who worried about the ability to seat an unbiased jury in Brown County. The American News reports that the trial is now scheduled from Aug. 22 to Sept. 7 in Pierre, with Hughes County residents serving on the jury. Any hearings leading up to the trial will still be held in Brown County. BISMARCK, North Dakota | A woman accused of beating a man with a coffee mug is facing two charges in federal court. Vanessa Taylor, of Fort Yates, has pleaded not guilty to assault with intent to commit murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. Authorities say the incident happened in March on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Trial is scheduled for July 18. A federal public defender could not be reached for comment. Stacy Moke of Haywire Fencing in Belle Fourche didn't expect to be recognized for his support of the National Guard. But his employee, Skye Martin, also of Belle Fourche, felt his boss deserved recognition for employer support. Martin is a heavy equipment operator with the 842nd Engineer Company that's based in the Northern Hills. Moke received a plaque recently from Martin and Vern Bills, South Dakota committee member for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. In Martin's nomination, he noted that Moke "is highly supportive of everything I do in the Guard." He also noted that Moke knows what the National Guard is about after spending 12 years himself in a South Dakota National Guard bridge unit. Bills has been in the role of helping National Guard members recognize their employers' support for a number of years. The ESGR is a Department of Defense office working to recognize outstanding employer support and advocating for service members and their civilian employers. He also is a veteran of the South Dakota Army National Guard and served in the 842nd. May 18, 1916 Friends of Joe Tobillcox from the Empire section will be pained to learn that he has undergone an operation in the Deadwood hospital and is in a serious condition. Mrs. Jacob Thompson, his mother, accompanied him to the hospital. Russell Arndt and Fred Young came over from Vale yesterday to take their final examinations in the Newell School. May 20, 1926 Charles Lawell is to be in charge of the Tourist Park this coming season. A charge of 50 cents per night will be levied against all cars, except those owned by people from outside of town here on trading trips. The maintenance expense is to be paid out of the funds collected. Charley Wilson is putting up a new building at his farm on Horse Creek to accommodate the Mexican beet workers. His sugar beets are making rapid growth since recent rains and he is preparing to join the ranks of the affluent beet growers of the project. May 14, 1936 The Newell High School senior class and the high school teachers were guests at a lawn party given by Mrs. N.A. Viken Wednesday evening. Games were played during the evening, after which the hostess served a delicious supper. Reported from the Vale vicinity, Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Duprel were pleasantly surprised Friday evening when a group of friends charivaried them. A most pleasant evening was spent dancing, after which refreshments were served. Leonard Duprel and Barbara Schaff were married May 5. May 16, 1946 When Secretary Lynn Hanson, State Aeronautics Commission, landed at Newell airport recently for a brief stop, he had to utilize the city streets for a take off. The incoming landing was made following heavy precipitation and narrowly averted disaster. However, he played it safe in departing, secured permission to use the highway north from the airport and made a perfect takeoff with his Taylorcraft Trainer. May 17, 1956 Mrs. Day Hoover, Vale, lost her right forearm Tuesday afternoon as the result of an accidental discharge of a falling rifle at their home. The mishap occurred when she was reaching for an item on a top shelf, when she apparently lost her balance and grabbed on to the rifle to keep from falling, causing the discharge. The bullet shattered her forearm. Mr. Day brought her into Dr. Pokorney for treatment, where the good doctor transported her to Belle Fourche for amputation below the elbow. Tony Todoroff, who is affiliated with the Izaak Walton League, reported that nine pair of quail out of 200 purchased by the Belle Fourche group had been planted in the Newell area and urged people to watch for and help protect these birds. May 19, 1966 Mr. & Mrs. DeWayne Eatherton and daughter of Interior and Mr. & Mrs. Donald Donahey and David were Sunday guests of Charles Mix and Ellen Kelly and boys at their Vale home. Airman Larry R. Killinen, son of Mrs. Verna Killinen of Newell, has joined the Seventh Fleet in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam as a crew member aboard the anti-submarine warfare carrier USS Intrepid. The Intrepid flight deck is providing a mobile landing field for attack aircraft used in support to US and South Vietnam ground forces. May 19, 1976 Cottonwood School teacher, Mrs. Jane Scofield, her pupils and mothers Mrs. Howard Orwick and Mrs. James Orwick took a skip-day trip to the Ft. Meade Museum Friday and attended the It Started Here South Dakota bicentennial program. The Butte County Director of Equalization, Larry L. Christianson, would like to remind taxpayers of Butte County that any complaint on your assessment may be made to your local township, town or city review board, which shall meet on the fourth Monday of May (May 24) and sit in session for six days. May 21, 1986 The Royal Oak Restaurant opened on Thursday, May 15 on the south edge of Newell. Dan Colgrove began construction last fall on the building. Darlene Wilke is the manager. The new restaurant is open from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. and features home style cooking, a banquet room and full buffet. A grand opening is planned as soon as they are organized and help is hired. The Wetz School, teacher Wanda Dunn and students along with several mothers are enjoying weekly end-of-the-school-year programs. On April 30, Rev. Lloyd Hinshaw showed interesting slides about his trip to Haiti. On May 9, they took a field trip to Sturgis to attend a farm safety program after which they enjoyed lunch at Pizza Hut. On May 12, Sharon and Holly Oedeokoven showed pictures and souvenirs of their trip to Europe several years ago. May 15, 1996 Newell Police Chief Fred Lamphere announced Monday the toxin believed to have poisoned over a dozen cats and dogs in Newell is the outlawed poison 1080. The substance was taken off the market in the early 1970s because of the harmful side effects in nature. Lamphere said the poison was used to control rodents and prairie dogs, but was linked to secondary deaths of the black footed ferret and eagles and was then taken off the market. The cats and dogs may have eaten mice that died from 1080 that was accidentally released and spread by the recent high winds. Regular adult education classes (GED) will not meet again until fall, however, should anyone need to complete requirements during the summer, arrangements can be made with Gwenn Vallery or Marcie Ellis. Students who plan to study during the summer may keep their books; however, if you have GED books that you are not using, please return them to the school or one of the instructors. Authorities are searching for a missing state prison inmate. According to a news release from the South Dakota Department of Corrections, minimum-security inmate Paul Steiner left his community service job in Rapid City on May 20 without authorization. Steiner is housed at the Rapid City Community Work Center. Community Work Centers house minimum-security inmates and parolees in the Community Transition Program. Steiner, 62, is described as a white male, 6 feet tall, 180 pounds, with white hair and blue eyes. Anyone who sees Steiner or knows of his whereabouts should contact law enforcement immediately. The Obama administration recently issued a new regulation one of the 195 new regulations issued so far in 2016 to more than double the salary threshold under which employees can qualify for overtime pay of time and a half. Like so many of the administrations regulations, the new overtime rule is a one-size-fits-all mandate that doesnt take into account individual needs and regional differences. In fact, it will actually end up hurting the citizens it is meant to help: employees and the job creators who hire them. Currently, employees making $23,660 or less per year automatically qualify for overtime after 40 hours per week. The new rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) would raise that threshold to $47,476, effective Dec. 1, 2016. Labor costs will go up and many hard-working, mid-and-entry-level employees will feel the squeeze. Employers will be forced to either pay these new labor costs or reclassify salaried employees as hourly workers and limit their hours. Additionally, employees who will be converted from salaried to hourly will lose the flexibility they have today. Not only is this bad for business, it also makes it more difficult for new and mid-level workers, many of whom live paycheck-to-paycheck, to support their families and advance their career. By forcing small businesses, restaurants, retailers, colleges and universities to comply with yet another costly new mandate, the administration is hindering economic growth and stifling innovation. The best way to strengthen the middle class is to boost our economy by lowering the tax burden, removing costly regulatory mandates and increasing workplace flexibility. Unfortunately, this new overtime rule will have the opposite effect. Earlier this year, I cosponsored the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act, which would require DOL to pursue a balanced and responsible approach when updating federal overtime rules. Under this legislation, DOL would be required to perform a deeper analysis of the impact changes to overtime regulations will have on businesses, nonprofits, local economies, health-care providers and colleges. Senator Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has pledged to file a Resolution of Disapproval to stop this new rule, which I wholeheartedly support. Since the rule was first proposed in 2014, DOL received nearly 300,000 comments, many of which came from employees, business owners and local government officials, who tried to explain that the rule would stifle growth. Still, the DOL pushed forward with the rule, disregarding the input from those it says it is trying to help. Additionally, the administration failed to take into account regional differences when finalizing this new mandate. Whats good for South Dakota may differ greatly from whats good for California and New York. This is especially true when youre talking about cost of living and family budgets. Employees deserve fair pay for an honest days work, but forcing employers to comply with this rule is irresponsible. It threatens businesses, employees, state and local governments and the economy as a whole. If the president wants to truly help the middle class he should start by withdrawing this misguided rule. Sentence against Russian citizens convicted of terrorism in Ukraine comes into force MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) The sentence in the criminal case against two Russian nationals, Alexander Aleksandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, found guilty of terrorism by a Ukrainian court, came into force on Monday, RIA Novosti reported. Yes, the sentence came in force today, the legal defense did not file an appeal, Oksana Sokolovskaya, a lawyer for Yerofeyev told RIA Novosti. Aleksandrovs lawyer, Valentin Rybin, said that the sentence will take effect on midnight of May 24, because the sentence was read to the accused on a holiday. Rybin also said that its unlikely that any appeal would be filed. Rybin also said that the defense of both Russian nationals is waiting for proceedings in the potential exchange for Ukrainian national Nadezhda Savchenko, who was convicted in Russia over the murder of two Russian journalists. Ukrainian authorities claimed that Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev were captured in an eastern region of the country during an attack on a bridge on May 16, 2015. The men, who faced terrorism charges, serve in the Third Special Forces Brigade, which is based in Togliatti, a city in southern Russia, according to Ukrainian officials. The men also faced allegations of waging of a war of aggression, illegal border crossing, illegal carrying weapon and ammunition, illegal entry to an occupied territory and unleashing of war. Moscow strongly denies the allegations. The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier that the men "were not on active service in the Russian Armed Forces" at the time of their capture in May 2015. In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities began a military operation in Donbas against the local residents who objected to the coup. According to the UNs latest data, over 6,200 people have been killed in the conflict. Ukrainian officials and some Western states have repeatedly accused Russia of interfering in Ukraines domestic issues. Moscow has repeatedly claimed that it has had absolutely no part in the events in southeastern Ukraine and does not supply the self-defense forces with military equipment and ammunition; that it is not a party to the domestic Ukrainian conflict and is interested in Ukraine overcoming the political and economic crisis. Russian Supreme Court upholds ban on transfer of parcels with books in detention MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) The Supreme Court of Russia has upheld the ruing of the Russian Ministry of Justice, banning transfer of parcels containing books and press, to people who are placed in detention, RAPSI learned in the court on Monday. Evgeniy Ermochenkov, who is currently in detention, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, claiming that Minsitrys rules regarding transfer of books unlawful. According to current rules, people in detention have a right to read literature and press only if said literary products belong to detention centers library or were bought by the centers administration. Ermochenkov claimed that these rules restrict a person from mass media and literature, measures that allegedly violate the Constitution and Federal legislation. Representative of the Ministry, Igor Tsaplin asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. He argued that legislation allows restricting rights of people in detention. He also said that the rules in question do not violate the rights of detainees because detention centers are subscribed to newspapers and journals and also have radio receivers and sometimes the TV sets as well. Two alleged ISIS recruiters detained by St. Petersburg court ST. PETERSBURG, May 23 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) The Nevsky District Court of St. Petersburg has detained two citizens of Tajikistan suspected of recruiting new members for ISIS, a terrorist organization banned in Russia, for two months, RAPSI learned in St. Petersburg Main Investigations Directorate of Russia's Investigative Committee. According to investigators, the suspects, born in 1984 and 1985, worked at Sennoy Market, a historic grocery market in Saint Petersburg, and abetted people to join the Islamic State (ISIS). They were arrested on May 20. Weapons, religious literature, attributes and documents important for investigation have been seized during the searches conducted in their apartments. The Islamic State is currently one of the major threats to global security. Over three years, these terrorists have managed to seize large areas of Iraq and Syria. The organization is also attempting to spread its influence to North Africa particularly, Libya. The area controlled by ISIS covers up to 90,000 square kilometers. Cypriot firm appeals against dismissal of $690,000 lawsuit MOSCOW, May 23 (RAPSI) Cyprus-based company UCF Partners Limited has appealed against the Moscow Commercial Court decision to reject its claim to recover 461.4 million rubles (about $690,000) from OOO Edil-Import (Internet store Holodilnik.ru) as a compensation for infringement on exclusive rights for audiovisual works, the Monday court records show. The Cypriot company has appealed the decision the lower court made on April 13 with the 9th Commercial Court of Appeals. According to the plaintiff, it is the owner of rights for audiovisual works in the form of 5-second-long advertising clips. As the plaintiff has noted, the defendant placed these clips for airing on various Russian TV channels in the period from July to November of 2013 in the framework of an advertisement campaign of Holodilnik.ru online retailer. The defendants counsel has maintained that the Cypriot firm had failed to prove that it was the exclusive owner of rights for disputed clips, and the fact that the defendant had placed the disputed advertisements on federal TV programs. The defendant also insisted that the plaintiff failed to present documented information on the number of times the clips had been aired, thus rendering it impossible to calculate the amount of compensation. Yet another argument put forward by the defense was the fact that the founder of the company participating in the creation of the disputed clips, which is a third party in the case, is the spouse of the UCF Partners Limited general representative in Russia; therefore, according to the defendants counsel, the claim was an abuse of rights on the part of the plaintiff. The defendant believes that by lodging the claim the plaintiff has attempted to recover compensation for the alleged infringement on the rights for disputed clips, for the placement of which a third party (founded by the spouse of the plaintiffs representative in Russia) was responsible in accordance with an agreement made with the defendant. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that access to Taiwan for American lamb was approved. American Sheep Industry Association President Burton Pfliger (N.D.) applauds the announcement as this is the first new export-market access for American lamb in years."The sheep industry appreciates the department's efforts in elevating entry for U.S. lamb exports as a market access priority and for making meaningful progress for lamb to move into Taiwan after more than a decade," comments Pfliger. "We also want to acknowledge the years of assistance from the office of the Governor of Idaho in driving this issue with USDA."There are companies shipping beef to Taiwan who are anxious to include their lambs cuts in those shipments," continues Pfliger. "Hopefully, the white table cloth restaurants will be interested in our high value cuts, such as lamb racks and loins."U.S. lamb was collateral damage in several key markets, including Taiwan, following the first U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in beef in December 2003."Reopening these markets has been a top priority for the lamb industry, because lack of access in Asia has been a significant obstacle for U.S. lamb exports," explains Dennis Stiffler, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Mountain States Rosen and vice chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. "Weakness of the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar has recently reduced exports to our two largest markets. So now more than ever, U.S. lamb needs a broader range of alternative destinations. Our industry has had some recent success in the Middle East, Central America and the Caribbean, but we really need greater access to Asian markets in order to meet our export goals. We see the reopening of Taiwan as a great first step."Last year, Taiwan imported nearly 17,714 metric tons of lamb and sheep meat products, valued at more than $74 million. In terms of value, the market was split about evenly between Australia and New Zealand - the only two supplying countries currently serving Taiwan. It was the 11th-largest export for New Zealand lamb and sheep meat in 2015 and it was Australia's 12th-largest market.Through the first quarter of 2016, U.S. lamb and lamb variety meat exports totaled 2,676 metric tons - up 18 percent year-over-year. However, export value was 16 percent below last year's pace at $4.5 million. 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. The Hindu, May 23, 2016 by Jatin Desai [Photo caption] Victims of hostility: aEvery time relations between India and Pakistan nosedive, it affects Indian prisoners in Pakistan and vice versa.a File photo shows Swapandeep Kaur shows off a photograph of her father Sarabjeet Singh to the media at her residence at Bhikhiwind, near Amritsar. [photo credits] AP India and Pakistan must immediately revive the Joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners. To be in prison in oneas own country is itself a nerve-wracking ordeal. But imagine how much more agonising it must be to languish in another countryas prison, often endlessly, and for no fault or for minor transgressions, especially if the two countries in question happen to be India and Pakistan? Every time relations between the two nations nosedive, it automatically affects Indian prisoners in Pakistan, and vice versa. This was most recently typified in the film Sarabjit. Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national convicted by a Pakistani court, died in May 2013 after prison inmates brutally attacked him in Lahoreas Kot Lakhpat Jail. A week later, in what was seen as a tit-for-tat assault of Sarabjit, Sanaullah Ranjay, a Pakistani prisoner, died in a Jammu jail when Indian prisoners attacked him. The stories are similar: if Indian prisoners like Sarabjit, Kirpal Singh, Vaaga Chauhan and Ratan Das have died in Pakistani prisons, Pakistani prisoners like Nawaz Ali and others have died in Indian prisons. What ties their stories together is pain, pathos, and a sense of being victimised. Profile of prisoners Whenever a fisherman who has been arrested from the other side of the border dies, it takes at least a month for his body to reach his relatives back home. Fishermen Vaaga Chauhan and Ratan Das, both from Una in Gujaratas Saurashtra region, were reportedly arrested by Pakistani authorities when their boats strayed into the countryas waters. Though they died in Karachi on December 12, 2015, and February 8, 2016, respectively, their bodies arrived in India months later, only on April 14 this year. Similarly, Nawaz Alias body reached Pakistan a month after his death. These men were not criminals or terrorists; small errors on their part and hostilities between their nations cost them their lives. Yet, not even a fraction of the concern and outpouring of emotion for the deaths of brave jawans is extended to these fishermen; there is no uproar, no debate. Perhaps this has something to do with their low economic status, semi-literacy, and invisibility to the public in both countries. I have met many Indian fishermen who spent a long time in Karachi Jail. I have also met a few Pakistani fishermen in Rajkot Jail in Gujarat. All their stories are either of miscalculations made while negotiating the sea or errors in direction, both of which have to do with the absence of a clear demarcation of boundaries in the waters. These prisoners have nothing to do with the policies of their respective governments, but they bear the consequences of these policies or are often held up as aprizesa in a tense geo-political conflict. In Gujarat, where there is pollution near the shores and an overabundance of trawlers, fishermen have no other option but to go farther into the sea to catch fish. This explains why there are more Indian fishermen in Pakistanas jails than the other way round. Also, while most Indians in Pakistanas prisons are fishermen, the opposite is not true. A couple of weeks back, I met some Indian fishermen who had been released from Pakistanas prisons and repatriated to India in March, in their villages in Gujarat. They recounted similar horror stories: of being denied sufficient food, health services, communication with family members, and delay in consular access. The sad reality is that neither India nor Pakistan treats these prisoners within the norms laid down by international covenants or with any decency. The need for timely repatriation And hereas what makes the situation glaringly unfair. India and Pakistan had signed the Agreement on Consular Access in 2008, according to which consular access must be provided within 90 days of arrest of either countryas prisoners. This period is given to help verify the personas nationality and enable necessary steps to repatriate the person to his or her country of origin. There have been instances where prisoners could not be released and repatriated because their nationalities were not verified on time. Even today, 18 Indian fishermen remain in Pakistanas prison after completing their sentences more than a year ago. In January 2008, India and Pakistan set up the India-Pakistan Joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners, which consisted of retired judges from both countries. The committee worked hard to seek early repatriation of prisoners who have completed their sentences in the other countryas jail and also ensure that they are treated humanely. It met every six months and visited prisoners in both countries. It discussed issues such as health and food of the prisoners and the need to evolve a mechanism for humanitarian treatment of women, the mentally challenged, juvenile prisoners, and so on. For prisoners lodged in jails in the neighbouring country, meeting judges from the higher judiciary meant a lot. It gave them hope and confidence of returning to their homes. They brought to the notice of the committee members the hardships they faced in these prisons. This intervention helped the prisoners receive better medical treatment. It also allowed family members to find them through the committee members. Both governments applauded the role played by the committee. Unfortunately, this committee has not met since the Narendra Modi government came to power. In April, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, while assuring the family members of Kirpal Singh that his remains would be brought back soon, said the government would try to revive the judicial committee. Union Minister V.K. Singh told the Rajya Sabha later, much to everyoneas surprise, that the committee had been meeting. This is not true. India and Pakistan must immediately revive the committee to ensure that the prisoners are ensured their rights and are repatriated at the earliest. It is time that these prisoners, who are victims twice a first of poverty and circumstance, and then of a geo-political conflict a are not held hostage. The least India and Pakistan can do is evolve a policy of no arrest on straying fishermen. Jatin Desai is a journalist and General Secretary of Pakistan-India Peoplesa Forum for Peace and Democracy. ProPublica takes deep dive to idenitfy statistical biases in risk assessment software | Main | SCOTUS has "firm conviction" strikes in Georgia capital case were "motivated in substantial part by discriminatory intent" May 23, 2016 SCOTUS concurrences explore what Montgomery GVRs might mean for juve murderers originally sentenced to death Continuing its recent trend, the short-staffed Supreem Court opted in this new order list not to grant certiorari review in any new cases. But the list still has some intrigue for sentencing fans thanks to dueling concurrences in a set of cases vacated and remanded for further consideration in light of Montgomery v. Louisiana. The start of Justice Alito's corcurrence in Adams v. Alabama sets up what makes these cases potentially different from other post-Montgomery GVRs: The present case differs from most of those in which the Court grants, vacates, and remands for reconsideration in light of Montgomery. The petitioner in this case as with a few others now before the Court was sentenced to death prior to our decision in Roper v. Simmons, 543 U. S. 551 (2005), which held that the Eighth Amendment prohibits a death sentence for a minor. During that pre-Roper period, juries in capital cases were required at the penalty phase to consider all relevant mitigating evidence, including the chronological age of a minor and a youthful defendants mental and emotional development. Eddings v. Oklahoma, 455 U. S. 104, 116117 (1982); see also Roper v. Simmons, supra, at 603 (OConnor, J., dissenting) (A defendants youth or immaturity is, of course, a paradigmatic example of the type of mitigating evidence to which a sentencer in a capital case must be permitted to give full effect). After Roper, death sentences imposed on prisoners convicted of murders committed as minors were reduced to lesser sentences. Justice Alito goes on to explain his view that this case history might be of constitutional consequence now: In cases like this, it can be argued that the original sentencing jury fulfilled the individualized sentencing requirement that Miller subsequently imposed. In these cases, the sentencer necessarily rejected the argument that the defendants youth and immaturity called for the lesser sentence of life imprisonment without parole. It can therefore be argued that such a sentencer would surely have felt that the defendants youth and immaturity did not warrant an even lighter sentence that would have allowed the petitioner to be loosed on society at some time in the future. In short, it can be argued that the jury that sentenced petitioner to death already engaged in the very process mandated by Miller and concluded that petitioner was not a mere child whose crimes reflected unfortunate yet transient immaturity, post, at 2 (SOTOMAYOR, J., concurring in decision to grant, vacate, and remand), but was instead one of the rare minors who deserves life without parole. Justice Stotmayor is not so sure that Justice Alito's view on this matter should carry the day on remand, and she explains why in her concurrence: Miller v. Alabama, 567 U. S. ___ (2012), did not merely impose an individualized sentencing requirement; it imposed a substantive rule that life without parole is only an appropriate punishment for the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects irreparable corruption. Montgomery, 577 U.S., at ___ (slip op., at 17) (internal quotation marks omitted). Even if a court considers a childs age before sentencing him or her to a lifetime in prison, that sentence still violates the Eighth Amendment for a child whose crime reflects unfortunate yet transient immaturity. Id., at ______ (slip op., at 1617) (same). There is no indication that, when the factfinders in these cases considered petitioners youth, they even asked the question Miller required them not only to answer, but to answer correctly: whether petitioners crimes reflected transient immaturity or irreparable corruption. 577 U.S., at ______ (slip op., at 1617). The last factfinders to consider petitioners youth did so more than 10 and in most cases more than 20 years ago. (Petitioners post-Roper resentencings were generally automatic.) Those factfinders did not have the benefit of this Courts guidance regarding the diminished culpability of juveniles and the ways that penological justifications apply to juveniles with lesser force than to adults. Roper, 543 U.S., at 571. As importantly, they did not have the benefit of this Courts repeated exhortation that the gruesomeness of a crime is not sufficient to demonstrate that a juvenile offender is beyond redemption: The reality that juveniles still struggle to define their identity means it is less supportable to conclude that even a heinous crime committed by a juvenile is evidence of irretrievably depraved character. Id., at 570; see also id., at 573; Miller, 567 U. S., at __ (slip op., at 17). May 23, 2016 at 09:55 AM | Permalink Comments While sending these cases back may reflect normal practice (giving the lower courts a chance to address the merits of the remaining arguments after Montgomery resolved retroactivity), these opinions also indicate why these cases justify an exception. In particularly, the oncurences demonstrate that four of the justices have different readings on Miller and Montgomery. Two -- Alito and Thomas -- believe that Miller & Montgomery merely require that the jury had the capacity to consider the youthfulness of the offender as a mitigating factor. Since that was already a mitigating factor when these offenders faced death and the jury felt that the maximum penalty was warranted, Alito and Thomas see no reasonable likelihood that the same jury would not have imposed life without if their choice had been between life without and life with. Two -- Sotomayor and Ginsburg -- believe that Miller & Montgomery requires a more specific-type of consideration of youth. In their view, youth is not just one type of mitigating factor. For a juvenile offender, it is such an overwhelming mitigating factor, that the sentencer needs to make specific findings to overcome a presumption that life without parole is inappropriate. Since the death penalty instructions at the time of the original trial did not accurately state this presumption and the requisite findings, the old jury verdicts may not be relevant. For the states, which of these views is correct matters. Is it enough for the sentencer to make a finding that life without parole is appropriate or do sentencers need to go further and make a specific finding that the offense demonstrates "irreparable corruption" and and "irretrievably depraved character"? (Both of which are rather vague standards that could prove to be problematic in states that use jury sentencing.) In short, once more, lower courts are left to read the tea leaves and (inevitably) screw up trials waiting for clarity from the modern day equivalent of the Oracle of Delphi. Posted by: tmm | May 23, 2016 3:12:12 PM Post a comment SCOTUS concurrences explore what Montgomery GVRs might mean for juve murderers originally sentenced to death | Main | "An Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of Certificates of Recovery as Collateral Consequence Relief Mechanisms" May 23, 2016 SCOTUS has "firm conviction" strikes in Georgia capital case were "motivated in substantial part by discriminatory intent" The Supreme Court's one criminal justice ruling today comes in Foster v. Chatman, 14-8349 (S. Ct. May 23, 2016) (available here), a capital case out of Georgia involving a Batson claim. Chief Justice Roberts wrote the opinion for the Court, which garnered six votes, and its ruling is reasonably summarized via these passages: As we explained in Miller-El v. Dretke, [i]f a prosecutors proffered reason for striking a black panelist applies just as well to an otherwise-similar nonblack [panelist] who is permitted to serve, that is evidence tending to prove purposeful discrimination. 545 U. S. 231, 241 (2005). With respect to both Garrett and Hood, such evidence is compelling. But that is not all. There are also the shifting explanations, the misrepresentations of the record, and the persistent focus on race in the prosecutions file. Considering all of the circumstantial evidence that bear[s] upon the issue of racial animosity, we are left with the firm conviction that the strikes of Garrett and Hood were motivated in substantial part by discriminatory intent. Snyder, 552 U. S., at 478, 485.... The contents of the prosecutions file, however, plainly belie the States claim that it exercised its strikes in a color-blind manner. App. 41, 60 (pretrial hearing). The sheer number of references to race in that file is arresting.... The States new argument today does not dissuade us from the conclusion that its prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race when they struck Garrett and Hood from the jury 30 years ago. Two peremptory strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows. Justice Alito has an interesting corcurrence about procedures that I will likely discuss in another post. Justice Thomas, in notable contrast, dissents on the merits, and his dissent starts this way: Thirty years ago, Timothy Foster confessed to murdering Queen Madge White after sexually assaulting her with a bottle of salad dressing. In the decades since, Foster has sought to vacate his conviction and death sentence on the ground that prosecutors violated Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U. S. 79 (1986), when they struck all black prospective jurors before his trial. Time and again, the state courts have rejected that claim. The trial court twice rejected it, and the Supreme Court of Georgia unequivocally rejected it when Foster directly appealed his conviction and sentence. Foster v. State, 258 Ga. 736, 736, n. 1, 738739, 374 S. E. 2d 188, 190, n. 1, 192 (1988), cert. denied, 490 U. S. 1085 (1989). A state habeas court rejected it in 2013. App. 175176, 192196. And most recently, the Supreme Court of Georgia again rejected it as lacking arguable merit, Ga. Sup. Ct. Rule 36 (2001). See App. 246. Yet, today nearly three decades removed from voir dire the Court rules in Fosters favor. It does so without adequately grappling with the possibility that we lack jurisdiction. Moreover, the Courts ruling on the merits, based, in part, on new evidence that Foster procured decades after his conviction, distorts the deferential Batson inquiry. I respectfully dissent. May 23, 2016 at 10:26 AM | Permalink Comments Thomas has long been an outlier in these cases where Roberts and Alito (including by opinions they wrote) find problems with peremptory challenges on racism grounds. Not sure if Scalia dissented along with him each time, but at this point, it would be almost surprising if he didn't dissent. The procedural issue that led the Court to at the last minute to ask for additional briefing etc. made it even less so. Posted by: Joe | May 23, 2016 2:09:51 PM Without doubt, Thomas remains "the cruelest judge" Posted by: anon | May 23, 2016 5:26:31 PM Is it no wonder I so often agree with him? Thomas is the justice with whom I am most likely to agree when in lone dissent. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | May 23, 2016 6:00:22 PM This case should have been an easy case that never needed to make it this far. It's a case where the Prosecution lost themselves a conviction by abusing the process. The 14th Amendment isn't about the individual case, but about deterring this behavior. It's very probable the defendant got a windfall because of these actions. It's possible he'll still be convicted, who knows, but they shouldn't have taken the actions they took in the first place. Posted by: Erik M | May 23, 2016 6:36:24 PM "The 14th Amendment isn't about the individual case, but about deterring this behavior." I'd say it's both. SCOTUS taking a case is generally not about the individual case but setting forth rules for everyone. The 14A, however, is often about the individual case, even if protecting personal rights is just for the individual involved. Posted by: Joe | May 24, 2016 9:35:33 AM Sorry, I meant in the Batson context. Posted by: Erik M | May 24, 2016 4:25:49 PM Thomas got it right-- You know, it's interesting to look at Miller-el v. Dretke--that 1962 memo--there was NO evidence that the people making the strikes actually read that memo--therefore it's pretty curious that it was evidence in the case. See Fed. Evid. R. 402. Posted by: federalist | May 25, 2016 11:16:49 AM Post a comment A double shooting occurred at 10:04 p.m. Saturday night near the intersection of Francisco and Taylor Streets in North Beach. As KRON 4 reports, two victims were injured, but details are otherwise scarce. As ABC 7 reports, the victims were taken to SF General to the brand new trauma center, in fact, which opened for business and began accepting patients earlier in the day and they are both reportedly in stable condition. CBS 5 refers to the two victims as "bystanders." No motive or suspects have been named. After Star Wars director George Lucas took his proposed museum of narrative art packing to Chicago two years ago, despite pleas from the mayor and other local leaders to consider a few more sites here, there's a new full-court press to lure Lucas back. A full page ad in the Chronicle this past Friday much like one that was taken out in 2014 attempts to make it loud and clear to Lucas that he should most definitely build the museum on Treasure Island, as we learned last week he's considering doing. "Dear George Lucas," the ad, embedded below, reads. "Thank you for all you have done for San Francisco. We care about arts education for our young people and believe The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art belongs in San Francisco." "Its programs are important to all our innovators, artists, educators, and residents from every diverse background," it continues. "You have contributed a great deal to the cultural and economic prosperity of our region and we appreciate the importance of what this extraordinary collection and vital public programs would offer to future generations." Funding for the plea appears to have come from sf.citi an organization that, according to its website, "represent[s] the tech sector in conversation with city policy makers." Both former and current elected officials lent support to the effort, and the names of Dianne Feinstein, Gavin Newsom, Willie Brown, and David Chiu grace the page. Treasure Island is set to undergo a 20-year redevelopment plan that will add roughly 8,000 new housing units (in addition to several hotels), and it is in this redevelopment that the museum would be slotted. "Treasure Island is wide open for the kind of development that could incorporate this particular facility and give it a sense of place, so that people recognize that Treasure Island is a place worth going to and an important part of San Francisco," ABC 7 quotes former SF Mayor Art Agnos as saying. This conversation is only possible because of the problems Lucas is still having in his wife's hometown of Chicago, the city he chose to bring the museum to after he failed to secure approval to build it in the Presidio. City officials are planning to meet with Lucas's team this week to discuss details of the potential Treasure Island site. Showing the Attack of the Clones director Friday's Chronicle ad will likely help officials make the case that after a false start, SF is finally ready for both Lucas and his museum. Previously: Oh For God's Sake: George Lucas Is Back, Wants To Build His Museum On Treasure Island Now A shopper at San Francisco's Stonestown Galleria was left shaken and injured this weekend, after an aspiring mugger tried to swipe her purse. According to the San Francisco Police Department, it was 4:30 p.m. Saturday when a 26-year-old woman walked through the parking lot of the Stonestown Galleria, located at 200 Winston Drive in San Francisco. Suddenly, police say, a man who appeared to be about 18 years old pushed the woman to the ground and "began tugging" at her purse. The suspect was so eager to wrest the bag from her grasp, police say, that he punched the woman as she lay on the pavement. However, a witness to the attack then intervened, yelling to the miscreant to end his evil act. Apparently frightened by the attention cast toward his disturbing behavior, police say the suspect "got scared and fled to a waiting car," driven by a male witnesses say looked to be around 16 to 17 years old. The victim suffered scrapes to her knee and bicep, as well as some wrist pain, and was treated at the scene, according to the SFPD. The vehicle, which police say was a white, four-door Ford Taurus, headed in an unknown direction. As of Monday morning, the suspects remain at large. SIOUX CITY | With a big financial boost in May, enough money has arrived to make a connected recreational trail along the Missouri River for walkers, runners and bicyclists. The upcoming trail link will eliminate a frustrating three-mile gap between two riverfront trails, the Chautauqua Park trail to the south and Chris Larsen Park trail to the northwest. Those trails run in the space between the river and Interstate 29. Sioux City Parks and Recreation Department Director Matt Salvatore has said the connector will be built by 2019 at the latest, depending upon financing coming completely. If all the needed $2.9 million is made available this year, the work could be done in 2017. All but about $300,000 has been pinpointed, after Missouri River Historical Development, Inc. on May 13, presented a $1.25 million Development Grant to the city of Sioux City. That adds to $1.3 million set aside through the federal Transportation Alternative Program, as allocated by the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council Policy Board. The MRHD grant will boost funding for quality-of-life projects, chiefly completion of Sioux Citys trail-system segment along I-29. Quality-of-life enhancements are key to economic and workforce development, MRHD President Mark Monson said. Sioux City has the beginnings of a world-class trail system. MRHD wants to assist in the development of that system. Trails in Sioux City first arrived in the early 1990s, and the Chris Larsen Park riverfront trail arrived ahead of the Chautauqua trail. The connector for the two trails will require bridges over the Floyd Channel and Floyd River. Once that connector is done, people will be able to travel nine miles from Chautauqua Park to the city's aquatic center at Riverside Park. "The beauty and atmosphere of being near the river, when you are running or biking, adds a lot to the trail," Salvatore said. The $1.25 million grant award to the City of Sioux City brings MRHDs total contribution to non-profit organizations and governmental entities to more than $26 million since 1994. The trail financing news comes during a frustrating year for people on city trails and streets. A season of I-29 reconstruction and other work has made usage of the riverfront trail possible only in separated chunks. "Unfortunately, there will be limited access to the riverfront trail for parts of the summer. Crews will be working hard to bring the trail back as soon as possible," Salvatore said. Additionally, Siouxland Trails Foundation Director Bob DeSmidt, of Sioux City, said he's also concerned streets where cyclists often ride are also impacted by 2016 construction. He cited the intersection of Cunningham Drive and Transit Avenue, and east-west Morningside Avenue will soon have closed lanes near Lakeport Street. DeSmidt said Morningside Avenue is a key route for people to reach well-used county roads east of the city. DES MOINES | The Iowa Supreme Court on Monday brought an end to a long legal battle between the former Argosy Sioux City riverboat casino and state gambling regulators and the casino's former local partner. The court denied the Belle of Sioux City's request to review an Iowa Court of Appeals ruling that upheld previous rulings that led to the casino's closure. The Belle's application for review was the company's last chance to keep the case alive. "I am very happy that the Supreme Court ruled the way they have, and we would hope that's closure on that," said Mark Monson, board president for Missouri River Historical Development, the state-licensed nonprofit gaming group that had held Woodbury County's gambling license with Argosy. A three-judge panel of the Iowa Court of Appeals in March ruled that the Argosy's incomplete gambling license renewal applications with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission in 2012 and 2013 did not trigger protections spelled out in Iowa law and that the IRGC's subsequent actions to deny the Argosy's Iowa-based operator, Belle of Sioux City, a gaming license and award a license to another applicant did not violate the Belle's right to due process. In his application to the Supreme Court for review of that ruling, the Belle's attorney, Mark Weinhardt, of Des Moines, said the Court of Appeals misinterpreted the state's casino license renewal statute, the court incorrectly and inconsistently determined the extent to which agencies are bound by their words and actions, and the court's ruling damages litigants' due process rights before state agencies. Monday's one-sentence order denying further review upheld that ruling. "The Court of Appeals issued a thorough and well-reasoned decision. We're pleased with the Supreme Court's affirmation, which now ends this litigation," said Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for the Iowa Attorney General's Office, which represented the IRGC. Throughout the case, Weinhardt had continually argued that the IRGC had given Argosy officials inconsistent messages throughout the license-renewal process and had denied them due process by deciding to close the casino long before granting the casino operators a hearing in which to contest the decision, which ultimately led to the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City. Weinhardt did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday. IRGC administrator Brian Ohorilko said the Supreme Court's action affirms the regulating board's belief that it had followed the law throughout the process. "We always felt confident that we had been complying with Iowa law and had given everyone an opportunity," Ohorilko said. "It does give us a little bit of affirmation, and we're grateful we had the chance to argue our position." Belle, a subsidiary of Wyomissing, Pa.-based Penn National Gaming Co., the nation's largest gaming operator, had challenged the IRGC's actions when granting a state gaming license in 2013 to the Hard Rock and MRHD, its local nonprofit partner, as well as subsequent judicial rulings that upheld those actions. MRHD formerly held Woodbury County's gambling license with Argosy, but a lengthy contract dispute between the two led to the IRGC's decision in April 2013 to accept bids for Woodbury County's first land-based casino. In December 2014, Belle appealed District Judge Eliza Ovrum's Nov. 7, 2014, ruling in Polk County District Court that the IRGC had acted within its authority when it granted the gaming license to Hard Rock and MRHD. The Supreme Court transferred the case to the Court of Appeals. The IRGC ordered the casino to close in July 2014 because it was in violation of a state law that requires casinos to partner with licensed nonprofit groups. The Argosy's license lapsed after MRHD refused to sign off on a license renewal application. Ovrum upheld that IRGC decision, and the floating casino was closed July 30, 2014, two days before the $128 million Hard Rock opened in downtown Sioux City. The Argosy boat and accompanying structures on shore have since been removed from the Missouri riverfront. The boat was sold to an Illinois shipyard. Still remaining to be decided is a breach of contract lawsuit Belle filed against MRHD in 2012. In that suit, Penn claims that MRHD "schemed" to replace the Argosy with another operator even before their contract expired in July 2012. MRHD has denied the charges and has countersued. Little action has taken place in that case during the past two years while the lawsuit challenging the IRGC's actions progressed. SIOUX CITY | Plans are in the works for an outdoor memorial to a slain 1880s prohibitionist preacher. Cornerstone World Outreach has offered to pay $5,087 for a small parcel of city-owned land near Third Street and Wesley Parkway for a memorial to the Rev. George Haddock that would include a monument, bench and landscaping. Haddock, who spoke out against Sioux City saloons, was shot and killed on Aug. 3, 1886, outside a bar at the corner of Fourth and Water streets. In 1936, a group of local residents embedded in the street a circular, metal marker at the spot where he fell that night, with the message, "Haddock Died Here." The historic marker was excavated prior to construction of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which opened in August 2014. The Haddock marker is now housed at the Sioux City Public Museum. In 2014, the Rev. Cary Gordon, executive pastor of Cornerstone World Outreach, said $20,000 has been raised by his congregation to fund a new Haddock monument, which he hoped would be placed on the edge of the Hard Rock's outdoor venue. At the time, the monument was described as a black granite obelisk, about 6 feet tall, bearing an image of Haddock with an excerpt from a book by his son about his family's view of their father's murder. Gordon could not immediately be reached for comment Friday. During its weekly meeting Monday, the council will be asked to approve a resolution signaling the city's intention to sell the 20-by-20-foot parcel at Third Street and Wesley Parkway to Cornerstone. Because the land is in an urban renewal district, the city must first advertise the parcel for at least 30 days. Haddock, a Wisconsin-based prohibitionist, moved to Sioux City in 1885 and eventually became the pastor of First Methodist Church. Known as the "fighting preacher," Haddock opposed Sioux City's local option laws, at the time, which allowed bars and liquor stores to sell alcohol under Iowa's prohibition laws. "He made no small number of enemies against the brews and saloon owners in Sioux City," Matt Anderson, curator of the Sioux City museum, said. Haddock rented a carriage with another pastor to collect evidence for a prohibition violation case. On their return, Haddock was confronted by a group of men at the muddy intersection of Fourth and Water streets. Armed with a small metal pulley wheel attached to the end of a rope, Haddock approached the men. He was then shot and killed. Despite eyewitness accounts, no one was ever convicted of his murder. CORRECTIONVILLE, Iowa | Memorial Day parkgoers won't be able to enjoy the beach area at Little Sioux Park this weekend, mainly because there won't be any beach there to enjoy. Record lake levels have flooded the beach completely, prompting the Woodbury County Conservation Board to close the area until further notice. The beach had been set to open Saturday and to remain open until Labor Day. Rick Schneider, director of the Woodbury County Conservation Board, said above-average precipitation the past two years has made an impact on Little Sioux Lake's water levels, causing flooding to reach all the way to the beach's parking barriers. He said he hasn't seen that for nearly 30 years. "Weve seen that happen one other time," Schneider said. "I think it was back in the 1980s that I remember the water being about that high. High water levels have also made the beach restroom septic system unusable, causing the facility to remain closed until water levels recede. The tent camping area along the west side of the lake is also completely flooded and will remain closed for the entire season, Schneider said. Schneider said all other campgrounds and facilities at Little Sioux Park will be open to the public on Memorial Day weekend. Little Sioux Park is the only Woodbury County park experiencing this level of flooding, he said. When will the beach reopen? Schneider said the current strategy is to watch and wait. He said an outlet tube that drains the lake is partially blocked, possibly by a beaver dam, causing the lake to drain slowly. Schneider said he is hoping enough of the beach area will be above water in time for the July 4 weekend. "By the time you hit mid-June on, the beach is really popular," Schneider said. "So we're hoping we can get it open before too long." Sioux City had its sixth-wettest April on record this year, which caused minor flooding in several area bodies of water. Rain chances continue every day this week. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls forecasts Memorial Day will be partly sunny with a high of 80 and a 40 percent chance of rain. SERGEANT BLUFF | Sergeant Bluff Fire and Rescue has received a $25,000 grant from the American Heart Association aimed at helping rural EMS crews better respond to heart attack victims. The grant is part of the American Heart Associations Mission: Lifeline, a community-based project aimed at improving the system of care for heart attack patients in rural Iowa. Funding is being awarded for hospitals and ambulance services to enhance their equipment and training. The program is made possible by $6.1 million in funding, including a $4.6 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. We are truly grateful to the American Heart Association and the Helmsley Charitable Trust for this grant, Traci Handke, Sergeant Bluff Fire and Rescues EMS lieutenant, said in a news release. We will now have the opportunity to identify a heart attack faster and provide lifesaving treatments before significant damage, or even death, occurs. SIOUX CITY | Thanks to Saturday night's clear skies, Siouxlanders enjoyed an unobstructed view of the May 21 Blue Moon. But tonight likely won't be a repeat. According to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, clouds will begin moving into Siouxland tonight, bringing a 60 percent chance of precipitation. Late thunderstorms are possible, but severe storms are not expected. Tonight's low will be 64 degrees. Further east, much of central South Dakota and Nebraska will be under severe thunderstorm or tornado watches. Lincoln and Yankton counties in South Dakota are among those under a severe thunderstorm watch through 3 a.m. Rain chances increase to 90 percent during the morning hours Monday, with showers and thunderstorms expected to bring a quarter to half inch of rain to the area. Monday's high will be 76. Storms may redevelop in the afternoon and evening hours, with some potentially capable of producing 60-mph wind gusts and half-dollar-sized hail. Monday's low will be 59. Tuesday's high will be 82 degrees with a 10 percent chance of rain. Chances increase to 60 percent Tuesday night, with thunderstorms likely. Periodic thunderstorms will remain possible for the remainder of the week, hovering around 50 percent Wednesday through Friday. A few storms could be severe. Highs will be near 80 degrees. UPDATE: Conditions in several northwest Iowa counties will be capable of producing brief funnel clouds this evening, according to a weather statement from the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. The statement includes Osceola, Dickinson, Sioux, O'Brien, Clay, Plymouth, Cherokee, Buena Vista, Woodbury and Ida counties. Conditions will remain favorable for funnel cloud development through 7 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect in Osceola, Lyon, Sioux and O'Brien counties through 6:15 p.m. Storms could be capable of 60-mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail. A flash flood warning is in effect for southeastern Sioux County, western O'Brien County and central Plymouth County through 9:30 p.m. The National Weather Service reports 2 to 3 inches of rain have already fallen in some areas. UPDATE: At 4:41, local law enforcement in Sioux County reported a tornado two miles north of Granville, according to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. UPDATE: The severe thunderstorm warning for Woodbury County was cancelled just after 4:50 p.m. SIOUX CITY | The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has placed northern Woodbury County and southeastern Plymouth County under a severe thunderstorm warning through 5 p.m. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing quarter-sized hail is moving northeast. The thunderstorm was projected to arrive at Merrill by 4:40 p.m. and Le Mars by 5 p.m. Law enforcement in Hinton, Iowa, reported ping-pong ball size hail at 4:38 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. Sioux Gateway Airport has reported Sioux City has received .9 inches of rain so far today. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls reports chances of showers and thunderstorms continue this evening through 11 p.m., with an additional tenth of an inch possible. SIOUX CITY | Jennifer Rose Bass, a commercial broker associate with Century 21 ProLink, has been awarded the certified commercial investment member designations by the CCIM Institute. Bass was one of 149 commercial real estate professionals nationally who earned the designation by passing the institutes comprehensive exam on April 5. The group hails from 38 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and several provinces in Canada. The CCIM designation is awarded to commercial real estate professionals upon successful completion of an analytical curriculum and presentation of a portfolio of qualifying industry experience. The curriculum addresses financial analysis, market analysis, user decision analysis and investment analysis. Bass is a licensed realtor in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. SIOUX CITY | Hospice of Siouxland recently added two positions of "clinical nurse liaison" to be assigned to the two Sioux City hospitals, and a position of "hospice health care consultant" who will work with local and regional nursing homes, assisted living facilities and medical clinics. Susan Morgensen will be clinical nurse liaison at Mercy Medical Center -- Sioux City, and Nancy Burkhart will be clinical nurse liaison at UnityPoint Health -- St. Lukes. They will work with physicians and hospital personnel and serve as case manager to hospice inpatient care. Ann Myers is the hospice health care consultant, coordinating palliative and hospice services with physicians and local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Morgensen and her husband, Paul, live in South Sioux City and have five children and two grandchildren. She has worked at Hospice of Siouxland since 2013, with previous experience at Cedar Valley Hospice in Waterloo, Iowa (eight years), the surgery department at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo (three years), and ICU at Mercy Medical Center -- Sioux City (22 years). Burkhart and her husband, Dan, enjoy life on the farm and have three grown children. For the past 22 years she has worked in several different roles at Hospice of Siouxland, with previous experience as an RN on the urology/postsurgical floor at St. Lukes. Myers and her husband, Dan, are lifelong residents of Sioux City and have five grown children. They were co-owners/operators of long-term care facilities in northwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska for the past 15 years. Prior to that she was an RN with Mercy Homecare. SIOUX CITY | Buy Fresh Buy Local Siouxland, the non-profit organizer of the Sioux City Farmers Market, has named Rebecca (Becky) Kempers as the Farmers Market manager. Kempers is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a bachelor of ccience degree in family and consumer affairs and a minor in business. Additionally, Kempers has an associate degree from Western Iowa Tech Community College in graphic design. Kempers, a rural Kingsley area native, will be on site every Wednesday and Saturday through the end of October. She replaces Stacy Orndorff, who has been manager for the past two years. Orndorff will return to the Farmers Market as a vendor with the Java Hub Jr. coffee wagon. For more information about the Sioux City Farmers Market, visit farmersmarketsiouxcity.com. A long list of have-to-dos both personally and professionally, day in and day out, tends to dampen motivation. The second factor involved is your comfort level. Being comfortable prevents many from taking a leap forward. The question then becomes whether you are truly content and happy with where you are, or deep down, do you desire to move forward? Dilemma Each time a switch is made, there is a feeling of both excitement and overwhelm. It is exciting to anticipate being at a new level, but in reality there is the need to face a steep learning curve. This is in addition to continuing the feat of building a business. The good news is that within a few months of determined effort, you should find yourself on more of an even keel and enjoying life. As a motivated individual and as time progresses, you will be ready to take on the next leap to learn more. The future is a blank canvas, paint your vision today The Key To Business Success The key to business success is to know yourself well. There is tremendous stress in changing direction and it may affect relationships with those around you. Consider these questions: Are you bored; if so what will advancement do for your outlook? Do you subconsciously dream about advancing forward? Are you ready to put steps in place to make advancement possible? As you begin to consider these questions, also be in tune with your mood. Should you find yourself feeling a tinge of excitement contemplating the idea of moving forward, this may be the signal that its time to chart a new course. Before you create a plan of action there are a number of items to be considered. Out of all of your experiences, which talent brings the most satisfaction? How may you leverage this talent into something bigger and bolder? Establish sound reasons as to why this new idea is to be approached. Once the above has been figured out, it is time to create your unique plan of action. Will you build an entrepreneurial venture or do you have a good idea as to which companies will embrace your talent? In either case, reflect on your complementary talent, strengths and motivation for making the change. The reasoning for this is that your unique story is the basis for building a sound personal brand statement to build upon for a strong branding program. It is your story that attracts attention of your intended employer or clientele and key to your business success. Republished by permission. Original here. 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 ANNAPOLIS (May 23, 2016)An infestation of cankerworms have eaten the leaves off of many trees in Anne Arundel and Prince Georges counties; however, entomologists with the Maryland Department of Agriculture expect most trees to survive the defoliation without difficulty."These green caterpillars are often mistaken for the much more destructive gypsy moth," said Forest Pest Management Program Manager Bob Tatman, "Their presence, coupled with the obvious defoliation, has led some local residents to express concern about what's going on. Trees experiencing defoliation due to cankerworms usually recover completely if they are not otherwise stressed."Cankerworms are native insects that have exhibited small sometimes three-year outbreaks around Maryland, the last one was in 2012 to 2015 in Charles, Calvert, St. Mary's and Washington Counties. The outbreaks are difficult to predict and more likely to be gone after the second year than to persist. Residents who are concerned about the cankerworm's impact on high-value trees may want to consider insecticide treatment by a licensed pesticide applicator. In addition, watering and fertilizing may also help keep trees healthy.For a list of licensed pesticide applicators near you, click here To see the difference between gypsy moths and cankerworms, click here For more info on Maryland Forest Pest Management, visit the program's website or call (410) 841-5922. LEXINGTON PARK, Md. (May 23, 2016)The Patuxent Partnership (TPP) has named HTii and Northrop Grumman Corporation as the 2015 Small and Large Business Members of the Year. The announcement was made at TPP's May 10th Annual Dinner to a sold out crowd of over 300 members and guests. "Every year it is a great pleasure to select companies who have exemplified commitment to the community and support for Pax River. To be considered for the award, member companies must demonstrate strength in business performance, employee culture, community affairs and volunteer activities. HTii and NGC have demonstrated excellence in all of these areas and we are proud to name each of them Members of the Year" said Gene Townsend, President of the TPP Board of Directors. In 2015, HTii concentrated on growing new capabilities and bringing on new engineers to meet their ever growing customer demands. HTii's team is highly regarded for their use of IBM tools and has been invited to present at several major IBM symposiums. Most recently, the team presented to an audience of 20,000 at the IBM InterConnect conference. Internally, HTii celebrates the work of their "HTii Heros," the men and women of HTii who have served in our military. At their 2015 annual awards dinner, each employee who has served in the military was recognized, totaling over 400 years of military service in their small group. In honor of sacrifices made by them, and their families, a donation was made to a veteran's group chosen by the employees. HTii employees are busy all over Southern Maryland, volunteering for programs such as Wrapping Arms 'Round Many (WARM), Civil Air Patrol, SMECO's Board of Directors and much more. They also support STEM through sponsorship of the quadcopter "Torch Team," that recently won the local student quadcopter competition in St. Mary's County. "We are so very proud to call Southern Maryland our home," said Dorothy Hammond, CEO of HTii, "our employees take pride in everything that we do, to help not just our company but our community." TPP's Large Business Member of the Year, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC), is recognized as being one of the best places to work in the nation. Their goal is to make sure that all employees feel welcomed, respected, included and valued in a culture where each employee can contribute in a meaningful way. NGC has made it a priority to provide their employees with programs and services that support all aspects of their employee's lives. In 2015, NGC contributed to numerous programs and initiatives. Contributions in Southern Maryland totaled over $216,000. They also recognize the importance of a hands-on approach and encourage all employees to participate as volunteers to support the community. A long time and strong supporter of STEM initiatives, NGC supports school programs, community organizations, professional associations and government initiatives, including: Patuxent River Navy League, St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce, Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Cyber Patriot Program, Robotics, St. Mary's County Science Fair Mentoring Program and much more. NGC helps to design and implement solutions and strategies intended to transform and empower our communities. Working in conjunction with their stakeholders, they are developing partnerships for stronger communities. "Our employees are motivated to volunteer and mentor students and engage in community activities whenever possible. It is through this community citizenship that we have the greatest impact," said Scott Stewart, NGC's Corporate Lead Executive for the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River, "You will find NGC employee involvement at many schools and STEM programs in the region. Whether volunteering at an after school club like robotics or Destination Imagination, or providing direct support in the classroom as Subject Matter Experts, NGC employees are a vital resource to the students they mentor." The Patuxent Partnership works with government, industry and academia on initiatives in science and technology, hosts programs of interest to NAVAIR and the broader DoD community, supports workforce development including education initiatives and professional development. Visit www.paxpartnership.org. PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme. (May 23, 2016)The Calvert County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.WEEKLY SUMMARY: During the week of May 16 through May 22, deputies responded to 1,278 calls for service throughout the community.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-28479: On May 20, while Deputy J. Denton conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Catalina Drive/Coyote Trail, in Lusby, he determined the driver,, to be driving while impaired. He was placed under arrest and charged with two (2) counts of Driving while impaired (controlled substance and alcohol) and for Possession of Paraphernalia (folded bill).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-28278: On May 19, Deputy W. Durner conducted a welfare check on the driver of a vehicle located on West Chesapeake Beach Road, in Dunkirk. The driver was reported to be asleep with the vehicle still running. He observed in plain view a crack pipe in the driver's lap. At that time he searched the vehicle and took, into custody and charged her with CDS Possession with intent to Distribute Narcotics (crack cocaine), Possession of Crack Cocaine and for Possession of Paraphernalia (pipe).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-28106: On May 18, Deputy B. Robinson responded to the District Court on Duke Street for the report of a CDS violation. While, was attending court and subsequently searched to be taken into custody, heroin was located on his person. He was charged with CDS possession of heroin and transported to the Detention Center.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-27951: On May 17, Deputy T. Mohler received a radio dispatch regarding suspicious persons on private property at Radio Drive/Prince Frederick Blvd, in Prince Frederick., was seen attempting to conceal an illegal substance and paraphernalia on his person. He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with Obstructing and Hindering, Possession of Paraphernalia (syringe), Possess of Heroin and CDS Administer Equipment Possession/Distribute.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-27888: On May 17, Deputy C. Fox was dispatched to the North Beach Senior Center, located on Chesapeake Avenue, in North Beach. It was reported that an individual, who was under the influence of an unknown substance, refused to leave the property when asked., was found to be in possession of a controlled dangerous substance (Oxycodone) without a prescription. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Detention Center for processing.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-27949: On May 17, Deputy S. Esposito responded to the Library on Costley Way, in Prince Frederick, for a report of damaged property. Sometime around 3:40pm, an unknown individual broke a glass globe off one of the outside lights.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, THEFT ATTEMPT CASE #16-27735: On May 16, Deputy R. Burggraff was dispatched to Oxford Way, in Huntingtown, for the report of an apparent theft attempt. It appeared an unknown suspect(s) had cut the exhaust pipe off of a box truck in order to get access to the catalytic converter. This crime took place sometime between May 137:00am on May 16.THEFT CASE #16-28383: On May 19, Deputy Y. Bortchevsky responded to the parking lot of a building located at Harbor Road, in Chesapeake Beach, for the report of a theft. An unknown individual(s) removed the front registration plate from a vehicle that had been left unattended for approximately two (2) weeks.THEFT CASE #16-28193: On May 18, Deputy P. Aurich was dispatched to the Dunkirk MTA Park n Ride in response to the report of a theft. Sometime between 5:00am6:00pm on May 18, an unknown suspect(s) stole the tailgate from a Ford truck while it was parked in the parking lot.THEFT CASE #16-28091: On May 18, at approximately 10:00am, Deputy A. Curtin responded to the CVS store located on Ward Road, in Dunkirk, for the report of a shoplifting. An unknown male had stolen multiple electronic toothbrushes (OB PRF, Sonicare HLT and Sonicare FLX) brands. He entered a vehicle and was able to get away before he could be detained.THEFT CASE #16-27797: On May 16, Deputy C. Idol responded to Frederick Avenue, in North Beach, for the report of a theft. Sometime between May 13May 16, a black and red 26" NEXT PX 6.0 men's mountain bike was stolen.THEFT CASE #16-27786: On May 18, Deputy J. Buck responded to Laurel Drive, in Lusby, for the report of a theft from a vehicle. Sometime on May 15, between the hours of 4:45pm11:30pm, an unknown person entered the victim's unlocked vehicle and stole a wallet, MD driver's license, Credit Cards, Social Security Card and money.THEFT CASE #16-27774: On May 16, Deputy K. Williamson responded to Fairwood Drive, in Huntingtown, for the report of a theft. Sometime between 3:00pm on May 13 and 9:00am on May 16, an unknown suspect(s) had stolen a Trane Air Handler and copper tubing from a home under construction.THEFT CASE #16-27760: On May 16, Deputy K. Williamson responded to Miss Sam's Way, in Huntingtown, for the report of a theft. The victim reported that sometime between 7:00pm on May 128:30am on May 16, someone entered an unlocked vehicle and stole a Blackberry cell phone and office key card. Over a year has passed since Baltimore erupted in violent protests following the death of Freddie Gray, and predictably, the respective political parties propose vastly different remedies for what ails "Charm City." Progressives (those political actors formerly known as "liberals") seek to double down on the status quo. These folks focus on the need for increased social spendingand ever more government. On the other side of the aisle, many conservatives view the plight of Freddie Gray as one of welfare state (and, possibly, law enforcement) failure. Without doubt, America's leading progressives believe expansive government is the answer. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, in a recent Maryland campaign stop, promised to direct "hundreds of billions" of dollars in new investments in urban America. President Obama, in a post-riot press conference last year, complained that desperately needed "mass investments" for inner city revival would never materialize in a Republican Congress. Sen. Bernie Sanders, for his part, labeled Mr. Gray's neighborhood a "third world country" a few months ago. (How ironic that Mr. Sanders' voting record helped make it so). Always calling for more 'investment' The common denominator for this crowd is more "investment"; always more "investment"; never enough "investment." Note that the left co-opted this capitalist term some time ago. It implies that every taxpayer dime spent in Baltimore and elsewhere magically yields a measurable return. A case in point is the proposed Baltimore $3 billion subway line Governor Larry Hogan terminated last summer over cost concerns. In a recent Baltimore campaign stop, local transportation expert Clinton took issue with the decisionto widespread acclaim. Not surprisingly, Ms. Clinton's mass transit plan is all about spending money where the votes are; not so much for where the efficiencies lie. Recall that it has long been standard practice for Maryland politicians to steer local aid to Baltimore City. The vast majority of this money goes to public schools where over $900 million, or approximately $15,000 per student is now spent. This per student amount is almost always the highest among Maryland's 24 subdivisions. Education spending hasn't produced results Unfortunately, this money pit continues to reward failure. Baltimore City's public schools produce the lowest SAT scores of any Maryland subdivision. More students drop out of high school here than anywhere else statewide. And the public school system hires the least number of "highly qualified teachers." It has been a perennial fight to get air conditioners installed in classrooms. And students at nearly 100 city schools continue to use bottled water almost ten years after lead was discovered in their drinking fountains. Such dysfunction is by now familiar to all of us. But not to worry, the federal government has come to the rescuewith a grant. The U.S. Department of Education will now fund social workers and psychologists to provide therapy sessions to students believed to be traumatized by last year's riots. This new program will allegedly help our students recover from "a violent event in which the learning environment has been disrupted." If only periodic street unrest was the dominant cause of so much educational failure! The plight of our public schools is only one of many problems plaguing Baltimore. The dysfunctions are familiarand ever present: too many pregnant teenagers, too many sick babies, too many fatherless children, too many single income households, too many high school dropouts, too many welfare dependents, too few manufacturing jobs, too much drug culture, too much gang violence, too little hope. Government failures encourage these trends at worst; at best, hyper-expensive government solutions do little to fix them. Legacy of mass arrests One issue unique in Baltimore's recent history is its legacy of mass arreststhat horrific political policy foisted on the police and the African American citizens of Baltimore ten years ago. Recall this was not DWB ("Driving While Black"). Rather, it was BWB ("Breathing While Black"). Thousands of innocent people rounded up and placed in custodyand all to get those all-important public safety stats looking healthier for campaign consumption. Sadly, said policy resulted in approximately 1/6th of the population of Baltimore placed under arrestin one year! The legacy of such negligence rings clear: for young men like Freddie Gray, career choices often mean whether or not to flee from the police. No discussion about Baltimore is complete without citing its self-inflicted tax burden. Consider that its property and income taxes are the highest statewide. Added to this is an onerous capital equipment levy on businesstwice that of other Maryland subdivisions that impose the tax. The predictable result: Baltimore is America's largest city without a Fortune 500 company. A radically different approach to a city on the brink is desperately needed. Anything less and the "post-Freddie Gray era" will look remarkably similar to the status quoan unacceptable proposition for those of us who grew up in and around this once great American city. Bob Ehrlich is the former governor of Maryland and Jim Pettit is a political consultant. (AP) Honolulu has agreed to pay $80,000 to settle a lawsuit from two gay women who allege a police officer wrongfully arrested them after seeing them kissing in a grocery store. Details of the settlement were announced May 20 in federal court in Honolulu. Its still subject to City Council approval. The council is expected to consider the settlement at a July 6 meeting, said Honolulu Deputy Corporation Counsel Nicolette Winter. The Department of the Corporation Counsel believes that the tentative settlement is in the best interests of the city, Corporation Counsel Donna Leong said in a statement. Courtney Wilson and Taylor Guerrero were visiting Hawaii from Los Angeles last year when, according to the their lawsuit, they were harassed and arrested because the officer didnt like their public displays of affection in a Foodland store on Oahus North Shore. They were walking through the aisles holding hands and at one point hugged and kissed, the lawsuit said. Officer Bobby Harrison, who was shopping in uniform, observed their consensual romantic contact and, in a loud voice, ordered plaintiffs to stop and `take it somewhere else. The women complied and continued shopping, the lawsuit said. When Harrison again saw them being affectionate with each other, he threatened to have them thrown out of the store. While the women were in the check-out line, Harrison grabbed Wilson by the wrist, and she started to call 911, the women described last year. All three got into a scuffle and Harrison arrested them. They were charged with felony assault on an officer and spent three days in jail. Charges were eventually dismissed. After the lawsuit was filed, the Honolulu Police Department opened an internal investigation. The internal investigation was completed, and the allegations were not sustained, department spokeswoman Michelle Yu said in an email. Harrison retired at the end of last year, she said. The settlement dismisses Harrison from the lawsuit and isnt an admission of any wrongdoing, Winter said. Wilson said she and Guerrero are no longer a couple but remain friends. She went back to Los Angeles while Guerrero decided to stay in Honolulu. Im glad its over, but at the same time we wanted the officer to suffer some sort of repercussion, Wilson said. Guerrero ended up working and living in Honolulu partly because a condition of their release from jail required them to say on the island. By the time the charges were dismissed, Guerrero found she liked living here. Im happy with it, Guerrero said of the settlement. Im just glad its over with. After paying their attorneys, Wilson and Guerrero plan to split whats left from the settlement amount. (WO) Vice President Joe Biden told the U.S. Military Academys class of 2016 on May 21 that greater diversity, including more women and openly gay soldiers, will strengthen the countrys armed forces. Having men and women together in the battlefield is an incredible asset, particularly when theyre asked to lead teams in parts of the world with fundamentally different expectations and norms, Biden said in his speech at a graduation ceremony at Michie Stadium on the West Point grounds along the Hudson River. More than 950 cadets received their degrees and commissions as second lieutenants. Among them were the first seven women to be commissioned into combat divisions since combat restrictions for them were lifted. The vice president saluted class president Eugene E.J. Coleman for publicly coming out as gay. Before the repeal of the militarys dont ask, dont tell policy in 2010, E.J. would have been discharged from the Army, and we would have lost an incredible talent, he said. Thanks for your courage, E.J., and I expect were going to hear big things from you, pal. Biden also warned the graduating class that its facing a vast range of complex challenges, including battling Islamic State extremists, containing outbreaks of contagious diseases and defending against cyberattacks. Whenever the stakes are highest, we turn to the United States Army, he said. Whether its fighting terrorism, training our partners, reassuring our allies or providing humanitarian relief, we call on you, he said. And right now, the stakes could not be higher. Biden singled out cyberattacks as a growing threat that could allow American enemies to knock out the nations power grid or disable satellite systems. The bad thing about advanced technology is that it gives immense powers to stateless actors, Biden said. He added: Youll need to dominate the cyber realm as you do the physical one. Biden also was West Points commencement speaker in 2012. CAIRO (Sputnik) Both countries have been laying claims to the Red Sea coast area for decades. Earlier this year, Sudan reportedly asked for talks with Egypt, warning it would otherwise take the dispute to an international court. "This area belongs to Sudan based on geographical, political and legal considerations. We will continue raising this issue," Bukhari Afandi, the head of the Sudanese Foreign Ministrys Department of Neighboring Countries, said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The fire that erupted in the dormitory at 11 p.m. local time (16:00 GMT) killed 17 and injured five more people, while one girl remains missing, the Sanook news website. According to the website, children aged up to 12 years lived in the dormitory. The website added that the authorities were working to identify the ignition cause. BEIJING (Sputnik) According to the China Daily, Beijing is considering a possibility to deploy the vessel capable of carrying unmanned aerial vehicles and underwater robots in the second half of 2016. It was added in the newspaper that the vessel would be deployed in order to help both China's and foreign ships in trouble. Beijings territorial claims to the Spratly Islands, known as Nansha Islands in China, which are believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves, run counter to those of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. China has recently intensified construction works on the reefs it controls around the disputed Spratly Island archipelago. The newspaper added that the splitting attempts had been undertaken since the death confirmation of the group's longtime leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in July 2015, which had intensified differences within Taliban leadership. The efforts could prove even more efficient after Mullah Mansour, who succeeded Mullah Omar as the leader of Taliban, was likely killed in an airstrike on Saturday. Afghanistan is experiencing significant political, social and security-related instability, as radical extremist organizations, including the Taliban, continue to stage attacks against civilian and state targets. TOKYO (Sputnik) According to media reports, a 32-year-old US Marine veteran confessed to stabbing and strangling a 20-year-old woman near the US Kadena Air Base on Okinawa on Friday. "As the governor of Okinawa, which is home to the majority of US military bases, Id like to talk directly with President Obama in order to protect the lives and property of our residents," Onaga told reporters after a meeting with Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The militants, believed to be nationals of Pakistan, were killed in an airstrike carried out by a foreign drone in the eastern Afghan province bordering Pakistan, the TOLO News broadcaster reported , citing a local government spokesman. A Daesh commander was among the militants, the channel said, adding that the group had been trying to carry out attacks in the area. Security in Afghanistan has drastically deteriorated in recent months as both Taliban insurgents and Daesh, outlawed in Russia, the United States and several other countries, have expanded their activities in the country's east and south. MOSCOW (Sputnik) South Korea's Defense Ministry has rejected military talks proposed by North Korea, stressing the importance of dealing with the issue of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, the ministry said Monday. "We expressed regret that North Korea had proposed to hold military talks without any mentions over its nuclear problemWe will firmly keep the stance that the North's denuclearization step should be a top priority when it comes to dialogue with Pyongyang," ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency. The statement comes after a North Korean proposal, made on Saturday, on holding a working-level meeting by early June in preparation for military talks, according to the news outlet. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Sunday, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed that the country's government had been informed about a US drone strike targeting Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour. US officials and the Pentagon said that the strike targeting Mansours vehicle killed the Taliban leader near the remote southwestern Pakistani town of Ahmwad Wal near the Afghan border on Saturday. During Sunday's trip to London, Sharif described the US drone strike as a violation of Pakistan's national sovereignty, the Dawn newspaper reported. The prime minister's remarks echo Sunday's statements by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, which said that the issue of violations of Pakistan's sovereignty by the United States have been raised multiple times in the past. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia fears that the replacement of Taliban leader Mullah Mansour, killed by a US drone, with Saranj Haqqani to be the worst of all, Russian Special Presidential Envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said Monday. This means the Taliban will select a new leader. The worst of all would for [that leader] to be Saraj Haqqani, who is the most radical of the figures in the leadership, Kabulov said. On Sunday, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed that the country's government had been informed about a US drone strike targeting Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour. US officials and the Pentagon said that the strike targeting Mansours vehicle killed the Taliban leader near the remote southwestern Pakistani town of Ahmwad Wal along the Afghan border on Saturday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The killing of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has removed one obstacle in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a statement on Monday. Removing Mansur from the battlefield eliminates one roadblock to peace in Afghanistan, Carter stated. Earlier in the day, President Barack Obama confirmed Mansour's death in a US drone strike carried out several days ago. Mansour has been Taliban's top commander since the death confirmation of the group's longtime leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in July 2015. BAGHDAD (Sputnik) On Sunday, the Iraqi government deployed at least 20,000 troops to combat extremists in the city, advising residents to flee the city ahead of the operation. "We remain prepared because our phase has not begun yet," Gen. Abdel Ghani Asadi said. According to the official, the forces currently participating in the operation have launched offensives from four directions to surround the city. The new supercomputers will be kept in different institutes across the country. "A supercomputer can be used for various purposes like climate modeling, weather forecast, discoveries of drugs among others," Sharma said. In April 2015, the Government of India approved the plan to build a cluster of 80 high-performance supercomputers with a total budget of Rs 4,500 crore (US $666 million) over a period of seven years. The mission supports the government's vision of "Digital India" and "Make in India" initiatives. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, which built India's first supercomputer, the PARAM 8000, is handling the project. NEW DELHI (Sputnik) On Saturday, Washington carried out the drone strike killing Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour near a remote southwestern Pakistani town near the Afghanistan's border. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif slammed the strike as a violation of the country's sovereignty. "In the meeting, Mr. Tariq Fatemi pointed out that the drone strike was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and a breach of the United Nation's Charter that guarantees the inviolability of the territorial integrity of its member states. He also emphasized that such actions could adversely impact the ongoing efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) for facilitating peace talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban," the statement read. The foreign ministry stressed that Pakistan and the United States had been closely coordinating the anti-terrorist fight and the coordination had to be further maintained. He further said that this decision is mainly political as Vietnam has wanted the removal of embargo which it saw as a political discrimination. Obama had done it with Cuba, Iran and strengthened relations with Myanmar. Hence, he announced this move with Vietnam on Monday at a joint press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart, Tran Dai Quang. Talking about the future relations between the United States and Vietnam, the analyst said that this will not in his opinion lead to big ticket purchases of weapon systems from the United States. Vietnam is firmly locked into purchasing from Russia. All its maintenance and repair crews all have been schooled in Russian technology- military handbooks, military equipment thats what its going to remain in Vietnam. He further said that Vietnam has been importing weapons from Russia for many years and it has helped the exporters as well. There is a joint cooperative in oil and petroleum industries between the two countries and their relationship is very old, dating back to the Cold War. Vietnam is a bridge for Russia to Southeast Asia, Thayer said. The analyst then spoke about Vietnams position in the international arena and whether the country will be able to continue maneuvering between China and the US now that the embargo has been lifted. On Monday, President Obama held his first meeting with Vietnams communist leadership as part of his landmark three-day visit to the country. The trip is aimed at improving relations and deepening cooperation between the two long-time rivals. However, it has been suggested by some analysts that Obama will also strive to seal the transformation of an old enemy into a new partner to help counter Chinas alleged aggression in the region. Currently, Urals is not traded on stock exchanges, and is mainly priced by market information agencies, such as Platts, based on the Brent-Urals differential. Russian energy companies and regulators have voiced growing concern over unfairly large discount differentials between the benchmarks. An independent pricing mechanism based on futures would provide a market-based platform for trading the commodity. The issue is set to be discussed during a Russian-Chinese Intergovernmental Commission on Energy Cooperation meeting due to take place later this month. "The sides agreed to look into the possible parameters and contract volumes which may base their pricing mechanisms on the results of St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX) deliverable exchange contracts trading results for exported oil," a protocol for the upcoming meeting said, as quoted by the newspaper. SPIMEX ran its first trial trade in Russian export oil futures in November 2015. The futures are planned to be priced in dollars, with one contract's assets equivalent to 1,000 barrels. A minimum deliverable unit will amount to 720,000 barrels, according to the stock exchange. Several showcases, planned by the Brazilian authorities, would advertise select state-controlled assets to private investors, according to a statement by Wellington Moreira Franco, chairman of foreign investment agency in the Brazilian government . Whilst the plan is still in the works, it is yet unclear which particular assets would be first in line for privatization, however, as state-controlled oil and mining and aluminum industries have been worst hit by the recession and decline in global commodity prices, the semi-public oil giant Petrobras might see an increase in private capital involvement. Jose Serra, Brazil's Foreign Minister, along with Franco, will host several meetings with investors in New York and London, with a possible date of the large-scale advertising campaign set for mid-July. Aside of Petrobras, the Temer government might sell its stake in one of the nation's largest utility companies, Furnas Centrais Eletricas. Select infrastructure assets might be possibly subject to privatization as well, as energy, utilities and transportation have become a heavy burden to the Brazilian budget during the last years of Rousseff administration, impairing the fiscal outlook and the economy's overall resilience to external and domestic shocks. "It's time to end with the government monologue and start building solutions with our partners," Moreira Franco said last week after promising transparent regulatory framework and safety guarantees to private investors buying into Brazilian assets. Last time Brazil indulged in across-the-board privatization was in 1997, when Petrobras was partially sold to private investors, along with other state-controlled assets at that point. This time around, the nation's economy is poised to see an even greater increase of private sector investment, potentially enhancing the performance of many companies. Yet, as cost-saving measures are likely to be enforced immediately following the privatization, unemployment might skyrocket, whilst real disposable incomes of most Brazilians would decrease. Local media have reported Temer's plan for economic reform would include a privatization of at least 230 power plants, the national postal service, and state-run airports like Infraero among other assets, affecting hundreds of thousands of employees currently of government-funded payroll. The government intends to raise between $10 bln and $20 bln by late 2018 with the hope that the economy would unravel at a fast pace. The government "plans to transfer to private investors several assets, stakes and companies, although it is still analyzing which and which others will remain in the hands of the state," interim administration said in a statement. Currently, the Brazilian government own some $568 bln total worth of assets in direct and indirect stakes in roughly 77 enterprises, and the government's initial planning includes partial sales of its stakes in most commercially viable companies most attractive to investment capital. Further down the road, less efficient companies would be subject to privatization as well. MOSCOW (Sputnik) It was earlier announced that Russia presented 16 investment projects for the Far East to the AIIB, with an estimated combined value of $8 billion, including developing infrastructure along the Northern Sea Route. We have met with the president of the AIIB, it is a very promising institution which could play a very important role. We need to get down to active cooperation with the AIIB. Together we have planned a roadmap of RDIF and AIIB future cooperation. The projects will be announced later because the AIIB is still forming its team. Perhaps, we will announce the projects at the Eastern Economic Forum, Dmitriev told RIA Novosti. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is a $10 billion sovereign fund established to make equity investments, primarily in the Russian economy. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Greek authorities plan to evacuate Idomeni migrants camp located near Greek-Macedonian border, media reported Monday. According to the information obtained by the German Spiegel magazine, Athens plans to start the evacuation of a jungle refugee camp on Tuesday morning. The magazine added that during the operation that would last for three days, refugees would be relocated to the vicinity of the Greek city of Thessaloniki to provide them with proper health services and housing. It was reported that $81 million was taken from a Bangladesh bank in February and $9 million from a bank in Ecuador at the end of 2015 by thieves using forged requests to transfer money, according to The Wall Street Journal. Late last week, the money transfer service alerted banks around the world that they should report any unauthorized access to the system immediately. We specifically remind all users to respect their obligations to immediately inform Swift of any suspected fraudulent use of their institutions Swift connectivity or related to Swift products and services, the company wrote in a message to their clients. Meanwhile, an IMF mission led by Ron Van Rooden, which completed its work in Kiev last week, praised the considerable progress Ukraine had made over the past year in stabilizing its economy. The IMFs four-year financial bailout plan for Ukraine originally envisaged the release of four loan instalments to Kiev in 2015 and another four in 2016. So far, Ukraine has received only the first tranche of $5 billion and a second one worth $1.7 billion. Kiev now expects a third, $1.7 billion tranche to arrive in late June instead of two instalments worth $3.4 billion Ukraine originally hoped for. The IMF wants Kiev to slash spending and increase revenues, while making major changes to receive the promised $1.7 billion. Pension reform is another major condition, and it looks like Kiev has agreed to raise the retirement age. Life expectancy in Ukraine is among the lowest in Europe as one in four Ukrainians doesnt live long enough to become a pensioner. And still, the IMF demands that we raise the retirement age and the authorities are ready to make it happen, Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of the opposition Ukrainian Choice movement, wrote on Facebook. Privatization of state-owned enterprises is yet another condition for unlocking IMF funds for the money-starved Ukrainian government. The Verkhovna Rada has two weeks to approve the privatization of almost 400 state-run enterprises, including several in the fuel and energy sector, which had earlier been listed as strategically important. Selling state property for a song is the price Ukraine will have to pay for another handout by these loan sharks, Medvedchuk wrote. Ukraine will apparently have to also reform its gas market, even though it has already raised gas utility prices bringing them in line with the so-called market levels. The IMF also believes that Ukraine is spending too much to keep its state-run energy company Naftogaz afloat and demands that it be broken up in line with EUs energy packages. The European Commission, for its part, demands a reform of Ukraines gas-transit system depriving Naftogaz of its transit duties. The government has already promised to do this before the year is out. This means that the Ukrainian state is going to lose control of its gas transit sector, which will wind up in private hands with the loss of much-needed transit payments from Russias Gazprom. Meantime, Ukraines state government debt keeps rising and now stands at $65.2 billion, an imposing figure several generations of Ukrainians will have to work hard to repay. Merkel ignores those in Turkey who share European values and principles. Instead, Erdogan is exporting his Turkish principles to Europe and sending journalists to court, now German journalists too. It would be funny if it werent so sad, Dundar said. He added that half of the population in Turkey disagreed with Erdogan, but the German leader just didnt listen to those who advocate freedom, human rights, secularism and democracy during her visits to the country. Dundar added, however that he was fully aware of Angela Merkels predicament in view of the current migrant crisis, which the EU is trying to handle with Turkeys help. "The American way of life Yeah, this is not our way, you know. Ours is different, and I'm very glad I have been able to show it. Russian motorcyclists must have a spirit of their own, not America's," Zaldostanov said. "Night Wolves have not illicitly copied the Western motorcycle culture, but have created our own Russian style." Unlike any stereotypical motorcycle gang, Night Wolves moved away from themes like drugs and organized crime and became involved in political activism. In his film, Portaankorva stressed the Night Wolves' active pro-Russian stance in the Ukrainian conflict. "Surgeon" himself was born in what now is Ukraine and spent his childhood in Sevastopol. Like many people of his generation, he considers Russia and Ukraine a united homeland. As TTIP is seen as depending on European Union membership, it seems logical to suggest that leaving the EU could protect Britain, however, with David Cameron showing such support for the trade deal many have suggested that he could sign a post-EU Britain up to a TTIP-style agreement with the USA, without having to rely on other European leaders' backing. "With its attack on workers' rights, democracy and public services TTIP and trade deals of this kind will always be in Cameron's interest. Regardless of EU membership or not, the Tories will more than likely find more ways to hand money and power to their friends in the corporate world," Cat Boyd, an activist and spokesperson for Global Justice Now told Sputnik. David Martin, Scotland's senior MEP and European Socialist Group spokesperson on trade, told Sputnik: "The reality is TTIP does not support either the exit or remain arguments concerning the UK's position in the European Union referendum. Even if the UK were to vote to leave the EU, a Cameron or Tory Government could still negotiate their own TTIP, and the outcome would be much worse as the Cameron Government are much more gung-ho free marketeers than the European Commission, which would mean we would ask for far fewer concessions from the US. Plus our negotiating position would be much weaker outside the EU because we have a much smaller market for the Americans to trade into." 34 days to go, so here is reason #34 to leave the EU: 34) For public services, it is best that Britain avoids TTIP. Brexit (@NoThanksEU) May 19, 2016 However, as nobody is able to predict how post-EU trade agreements may take shape, it looks like the "leave the EU to save our NHS" rhetoric may continue to be one of the Brexit campaign's top slogans for some time. We (MEPs) said all these things before and people have now seen these secret documents and are protesting. We have seen such protests before, but not on the scale we can see now. More and more people are actively coming out against [TTIP] in Greece, France and Germany, Marias said, adding that he expected the TTIP talks to grind to a halt ahead on the upcoming elections in France and Germany. Notis Marias said that he was sure that Barack Obamas plans to wrap up the TTIP talks while he is still President were bound to fall flat. We are optimistic about our ability to organize a major movement against TTIP and prevent it happening. I believe that proponents of this deal will find it very hard pushing it through, at least before the French and German elections are over. This will give our STOP TTIP campaign time to better organize and make sure the deal is never signed, he emphasized. The TTIP trade deal aims to deregulate trade between the United States and the European Union, which together comprise 60 percent of global production. The secretive deal has sparked widespread concern that it will lower environmental, health, safety, and workers rights standards, as well as enable the extra-judicial settlement of disputes in circumvention of national sovereignty. BRUSSELS (Sputnik) The EgyptAir Airbus A320 plane, carrying a total of 66 people, disappeared from radar screens over the Mediterranean Sea, 10 miles into Egyptian airspace on May 19. The plane was headed from Paris to Cairo. EgyptAir said that the Egyptian Armed Forces have discovered the wreckage and personal items from flight MS804 295 kilometers (183 miles) from the coast of Alexandria. "All our availability [is devoted] to work and [to] support the work that is ongoing in these days that we follow very carefully and that we support in all possible ways to clarify the dynamic and obviously to follow up in any appropriate way once it will be clear," Mogherini told journalists. Merkel drew criticism after negotiating the controversial EU-Turkey migrant deal in an effort to persuade Turkey to stop the flow of migrant across its borders into Greece, Bulgaria and the West Balkans. Under the deal, "irregular migrants" in Greece those deemed ineligible for asylum are returned to Turkey in return on a one-for-one basis for a Syrian refugee being relocated from refugee camps in Syria to EU member states. The deal has drawn criticism from humanitarian agencies who say the camps where migrants are processed are in effect detention centers, which is against international law. With demand for thorough Islamic education constantly rising, Sweden's first tax-funded imam training starts this autumn at Kista High School in Stockholm, Swedish Radio reported. The initiative was taken by the school's headmaster Abdulkader Habib. Back in 2011, Kista High School launched comprehensive tax-funded education in Islam with the aim of becoming "one of Sweden's foremost institutes for Arabic and Islamic studies." Students at the school are already trained in classical as well as dialectal Arabic, calligraphy, Islamic theory, as well as interpretation of sacred texts from a Muslim and interfaith perspective. This autumn, the curriculum will be extended to include imam schooling. PARIS (Sputnik) The relatives of the victims insist that the Belgian authorities had information that Salah and Ibrahim Abdeslam, who took part in the attacks on Paris, were radicalized but no action was taken. "Despite the signs from the surveillance services in charge of monitoring people preparing for armed attacks, people who were known to be radicals were not prosecuted. The result is known the deaths of innocent people. We are taking legal action against Belgium so that this failure will not happen again," lawyer Samia Maktouf was quoted as saying by the RTL radio station. Legal highs, also known as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) can be purchased in shops on the high street and are believed to have the same addictive properties and potency as ecstasy, cannabis and even heroin. The popularity of these drugs has increased dramatically over the last few years. Commander Simon Bray explains ordering NPS off the internet counts as importing, even if possession isnt illegal #NPSconference Addaction (@AddactionUK) March 15, 2016 A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) study, titled World Drugs Report, showed that in 2013 alone, 670,000 British nationals between the ages of 15 to 24 had tried legal highs. This was not the only concern the number of deaths also increased from 10 in 2009, to 68 in 2012. UNODC UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME World Drug Report 2013 http://t.co/fZWDzNxcVm pic.twitter.com/8okFIWfZjb ActaMedicaPortuguesa (@ActaMedPortug) June 27, 2013 This statistic demonstrates the reason for the ban and why the police and the government are so concerned. The dark web is an untraceable area of the Internet. It is used by criminal drug gangs to sell and trade in illegal activity. The dark web contains different websites, but the IP addresses are hidden. They can be visited by any user but it is difficult to see who is behind these sites. According to Commander Bray, this may make it harder to access the drugs. "But, of course it is not going to be so easy for the average person to get hold of them. I can go on a website now using Google and there are about 100 different websites selling these things. I'm not so good at getting onto the dark web, I haven't got into bitcoins. I've got a credit card and I 'aint going to go on the dark web with that, thank you very much. That would put me off," said Bray. However, some critics of the ban on legal highs believe that it is an exercise that will only put the most vulnerable people of society at risk. Many of the shops that sell these drugs have attempted to do so responsibly, with shop owners refusing to sell to those under the age of 18. Professor Nutt, a British psychiatrist and neuropycopharmacologist, who specializes in the research of drugs, believes the ban will only increase deaths and that most shops who sell legal highs, do in fact practise quality control and are responsible. However this new ban will mean that no one is in charge of how much can be sold to any one individual. I signed this letter along w/ over 1,000 others from around the world urging the UN to end the drug war.https://t.co/SHx8l8e4rB #UNGASS2016 David Nutt (@ProfDavidNutt) April 16, 2016 "It will be a scary market and there will be much less safety, deaths will increase," Nutt said in a recent interview. The newspaper cited counterterrorism experts as saying that special camps have been set up in Syria to train women soldiers for the terrorist organization. This information has also been confirmed by Europol chief Robert Wainwright. According to the newspaper, women attract less attention and find it easier to pass security checks. TALLINN (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania met in the western Estonian town of Kuressaare to discuss the security issues, interstate defense cooperation and preparations to the NATO summit in Warsaw. The sides exchanged opinions on the movement of NATO forces across the Baltic region and supported the idea to simplify the bureaucratic procedures for border crossing. "Figuratively speaking, NATO allies' tanks should be able to enter Estonia without visas and not have to wait for several days at the border until the necessary documents are ready," Hanso said as quoted in the ministry's statement. BERLIN (Sputnik) According to a police criminal statistics report, a total of 402,741 offenses by foreigners were recorded in 2015, while in 2014 the number amounted to 156,396. "A large influx of people, who arrived in Germany as refugees in 2015, has been reflected in the police criminal statistics," de Maiziere told journalists, presenting the report. "As long as we are members, our country cannot be 'run.' Membership of the EU makes Britain literally ungovernable, in the sense that no administration elected by the people can govern the country," he wrote. "[The EU has] become so complicated, so secretive, so impenetrable that its way beyond the ability of any British government to make it work to our advantage." Post-Brexit Security Concerns 'Astonishing' In defiance of Cameron, Hilton shot down the PMs claim that the UK would face a security crisis, if it left the bloc. "The idea that a British prime minister can't protect Britain properly without the EU is frankly astonishing and, if true, rather alarming," Hilton wrote. He also took aim at "the arrogant and dismissive treatment of Britains relatively modest demands in the 2015/2016 negotiations," saying that it showed: "the EU is just not interested in anything other than superficial change." While acknowledging the potential risk involved with leaving the bloc, Hilton said cutting ties with the EU was "the ideal and idealistic choice for our times: taking back power from arrogant, unaccountable, hubristic elites and putting it where it belongs in people's hands." Steve Hilton's on the EU "A stinking cesspit of corporate corruption gussied up in the garb of idealistic internationalism". Indeed. Ben Kelly (@TheScepticIsle) 23 May 2016 Opinion polls have suggested the June 23 referendum will be a closely fought vote, with support largely split between the Remain and Leave camps. Although the sales to a number of Greek islands like Kos and Samos have declined, in particular due to a high number of refugees entering the country in the area, "the demand for Crete, Corfu and Rhodes, which are particularly popular with holidaymakers from Germany, on the other hand, has increased," the DRV spokesman said. The popularity of the country has not even been affected by the fact that local services for tourists have become more expensive. For instance, beer, hotel accommodation and cigarettes will cost more due to a new austerity package approved by the government to get the country out of the debt crisis. Turkey's popularity as a holiday resort has on the contrary decreased amid terrorist attacks in Istanbul and other Turkish cities this year, the magazine wrote. The demand for Egypt has also decreased compared to the previous year, the magazine wrote. Timmermans writing in an opinion piece for Policy Exchange admitted the EU was in a crisis following the fallout from the global financial crash which exposed weaknesses in the Eurozone, as well as the current migrant crisis which has shaken Schengen to the ground. His comments come as a time when the latest Eurobarometer poll shows that only 37 percent of Europeans have a positive image of the EU, down 4 percentage points since spring 2015. The positive image of the EU has lost ground in 24 Member States, most strikingly in Estonia (36 percent, down 13 percentage points), Germany (3 percent, down 11) and the Czech Republic (27 percent, down 10). BRUSSELS (Sputnik) The proposal will provide new legal frameworks for immigration to help address the massive flow of undocumented migrants to the bloc. "I am relatively confident that we will now reach relatively clear system in Europe, that of course will only function fully if we see solidarity in Europe. This will be accompanied by proposal by the European Commission on legal immigration. We have to make it possible for people to immigrate legally to Europe," Juncker said at the Conference of the Speakers of the European Union Parliaments in Luxembourg. According to Juncker, refugees are currently entering through "the European window." Of late, Denmark has been pulling out all stops in order to solve the problem of home-grown extremism, while at the same time providing law-abiding Muslims with opportunities to integrate and merge into the Danish society. As the debate around plans to evict and blacklist "hate preachers" continues to seethe, the anti-immigrant and conservative Danish People's Party ventured to suggest that radical imams are only the tip of the iceberg and the real problem is the number of Muslims itself. "The problem is that there are too many people with a Muslim background in Denmark. This is why we have these discussions, conflicts and parliament debates on religious freedom borders, which end up in frustration and only aggravate the tension," the party's integration and immigration spokesman Martin Henriksen argued in a TV debate. Federica Mogherini, Italian politician and high representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security, released a statement saying that the request would be dealt with during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, "with a view to making this operational as soon as possible so as to support the Libyans with the many challenges that need facing." Following the closure of the Western Balkan route and a deal stuck between the EU and Turkey to deport migrants arriving on the Greek shores of the Aegean Sea, refugees have been forced to re-route and in the past few days, the Libyan coastguard has intercepted 850 people in boats destined for European shores. The refugees, mainly from African countries were found in seven inflatable boats near Sabrathra, west of the capital Tripoli. Italy's foreign ministry recently revealed that it was considering renewing a 2008 accord that was agreed between former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and ex-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in which Italy pledged billions of dollars in investment in return for energy contracts and control over illegal migration from North Africa. Can Kosovo become a NATO member at all? Theoretically it can, if Kosovo is able to bypass the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which defines it as a part of Serbia, as well as if the Serbs in the Kosovo Parliament vote in favor of the creation of an army in Kosovo. According to UN Security Council resolution 1244, only NATO military forces, namely KFOR mission, can be deployed in the territory of Kosovo. The resolution is unlikely to be canceled as Moscow and Beijing will veto such a decision in the UN Security Council. So how could Kosovo bypass the resolution and create its own army despite mandatory UN regulations? For this case, Washington and Pristina seem to have a plan "B". They can just "rename" the security forces acting in Kosovo within the KFOR into the Kosovo Armed Forces. In the same way, the "rebranding" helped to transform the Kosovo Protection Corps into the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), the local response force developed in line with NATO standards and set to be deployed during crisis response operations. Although the KSF has not received permission to use heavy weapons, it can still participate in international peacekeeping operations. Some experts argue that in a similar way the US might help Kosovo create its own army which would operate under NATO supervision. If this happens, Kosovo might become another precedent, namely the world's first "state under NATO control". BRUSSELS (Sputnik) Van der Bellen gained 50.3 percent of votes during the second round of presidential elections, while Hofer secured 49.7 percent of the votes, according to Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka. "The media and our political opponents like to misrepresent what we stand for, but the voters can see through this and are looking for a new type of politics because the Brussels ruling elite and the stale, old parties of Europe have let them down," Janice Atkinson told RIA Novosti. Atkinson criticized senior EU figures for undermining European countries' statehood. The upper house of the Brazilian parliament voted 55-22 earlier in May to start impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the countrys budget deficit ahead of the 2014 re-election. The 68-year-old has been suspended from office for 180 days, pending trial. Vice President Michel Temer is assuming presidency during that period. The senate vote to advance the impeachment process occurred despite procedural irregularities in the lower house led by Eduardo Cunha, a politician featured in the Panama Papers who also has dozens of Swiss bank accounts. Many Brazilians believe that the powerful Cunha bribed members to support impeachment. For a moment it appeared that the besieged Rousseff would receive a reprieve from the impeachment vote, after Cunha was ousted by the Supreme Court in relation to ongoing corruption charges. Cunha was replaced by Waldir Maranhao, who immediately called to annul the lower chamber vote. Maranhaos attempt to halt the impeachment was dashed by the head of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, a political ally of both Temer and Cunha, with all three men members of the opposition Brazilian Democratic Movement Party. Calheiros announced that the vote would continue, with the issue already abdicated by the lower house to the Senate. Facing a constitutional crisis, Maranhao quickly rescinded his calls for annulment and the impeachment against the Brazilian president proceeded. During the emotional process, which has featured amusing and absurd references to gangrene, God, the Devil, and numerous calls by lawmakers for voters to reelect them, the Senate presidents tooth fell out of his mouth on live television while he was speaking. Dilma Rousseff speaks out against the impeachment process The suspended Brazilian president has taken to calling the impeachment a coup, as well as an affront on the democratic process. She blames the old Brazilian oligarchy, that, while clamoring for austerity and a sell-off of the countrys natural resources for private profit, has been unable to democratically implement their conservative economic imperatives on a country that has elected the Workers Party, which advocates for a strong social safety net, in four consecutive elections. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; The fourth blast hit an emergency department in Jabla when a suicide bomber detonated himself, local self-defense forces told RIA Novosti. "The fourth explosion took place in the Jabla hospital. Seemingly, a suicide bomber detonated himself after entering the hospital pretending to be helping the people wounded in the previous blasts." Over 70 people were killed. Explosions in Tartus Soon after the Jabla attack, several blasts occurred at a bus terminal in the coastal city of Tartus. Images released by the NDF of the bombing in Tartus #Syria pic.twitter.com/SX2Rzr83Tu Michael Horowitz (@michaelh992) 23 2016 . "Two or three blasts occurred at the new Tartus bus terminal. One of them took place close to a state gas station. The police and army have cordoned off the area. People are helping doctors to evacuate the wounded and the dead", a witness told RIA Novosti. Series of explosions struck #Assad core loyalist coastal areas reportedly 4 in Jablah and 3 in Tartus. pic.twitter.com/dQDJCxce6Y Stork (@NorthernStork) 23 2016 . 4 explosions hit #Tartus city, in bus station, near Gas station, and near Al-Basel hospital. First explosion was the biggest, followed by 3 iad tawil (@iadtawil) 23 2016 . At least 30 people were killed in the triple terrorist attack. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups including Daesh. According to our figures, as a result of seven explosions more than 100 people died. Many of the seriously injured are hospitalized in Jabla and Tartus, the police told RIA Novosti. A pair of suicide bombers detonated their explosives vests in a queue of young men at a Yemeni army recruitment center near the Badr base in the southern city of Aden. Pair of suicide bombings kill 45 people in #Yemen's southern city of #Aden, security officials say OpTruth (@OpTruth9) May 23, 2016 The attackers were targeting the recruits who were reportedly enlisting to fight against the Houthis in the north. Suicide bombing in #Aden, South #Yemen kill dozens of new recruits trying to join Pres Hadi forces based in #Suadi. pic.twitter.com/wR5Y7JWAO2 Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5) May 23, 2016 According to military sources, one of the attackers triggered his bomb while parked in a car outside the recruitment center, leaving 20 people dead, while the second exploded in the midst of a group of young men in Aden's Khormaksar district, murdering at least 25 more. The source in Mosul said that the brutal execution was carried out in public and the charred bodies were left lying in the street. Ar-Rutbah was overrun by Daesh terrorists in 2014 and retaken by Iraqs government forces last week. Daesh, outlawed in multiple countries, including the United States and Russia, still controls large swaths of land in northern and western Iraq. On Sunday, the Iraqi government announced the start of an offensive against its second stronghold in Fallujah. CAIRO (Sputnik) According to Baghdads command operations, the so-called head of Fallujah, known as Haji Hamsa, and several of his aides were killed. Moreover, Daesh commander Abu Amir Ansari was killed, and his aides were injured in the region of Albu Shajal, the bureau said. Currently, Aleppo is part of the silence regime in Syria, a ceasefire brokered by Russia and the US. However, the situation in the city remains complicated. Over the past several weeks, the fiercest clashes in Syria have taken place in Aleppo. "With major military operations already underway in Aleppo and more to come, the province is emerging as the focal point of the war in Syria. Of the ongoing battles in the region, the largest and most decisive is the fight between rebels and loyalists for the divided city of Aleppo," a report by Stratfor think tank read. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, seven blasts hit the Mediterranean coastal cities of Jabla and Tartus, killing more than 100 people, according to local police. "Firstly, the increase of tension and such terrorist activity is, undoubtedly, a cause for grave concern. Secondly, it once again demonstrates the fragility of the situation in Syria. And thirdly, it once again, perhaps, demonstrates the need to continue [taking] vigorous steps to proceed with the negotiation process," Peskov told reporters commenting on the explosions. According to media reports, Daesh, a group prohibited in numerous countries including the United States and Russia, has taken responsibility for the attacks. BEIRUT (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, seven blasts hit the Mediterranean coastal cities of Jabla and Tartus, killing more than 100 people, according to local police. According to the Syrian SANA news agency, the Cabinet also denounced a suicide attack in Syria's northeastern town of Qamishli, which killed at least five people on Sunday, and shelling of areas in the northwestern Aleppo province, including the city of Aleppo, Nubbul, Zahraa, as well as attacks on southwestern city of Daraa. Islamic State, a group prohibited in numerous countries including the United States and Russia, has reportedly taken responsibility for the attacks. BEIRUT (Sputnik) Earlier on Monday, seven blasts hit the Mediterranean coastal cities of Jabla and Tartus, killing more than 100 people, according to local police. Special forces arrested a suicide bomber who belongs to the terrorist group Ahrar ash-Sham. The terrorist planned to blow himself up near a hospital in Jabla, the source said. Media reports suggest Daesh terrorist group has taken responsibility for the attacks. In fact, media reports have suggested Pakistani officials were informed after the drone strike had been carried out. Concerns Over Taliban Splintering While US officials were concerned Mansours leadership was pushing the Taliban closer to jihadist groups like al-Qaeda, there are fears his death could trigger further fracturing within the group, as rivals engage in a power struggle for control. Pakistan has previously denounced US drone strikes on its territory, labelling them a breach of sovereignty, with the latest incident set to further strain relations between Washington and Islamabad. US assassination of Mullah Mansoor was in reality a drone strike against QCG process; its effects will be long felt pic.twitter.com/Zp3qhCwTdP Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) May 22, 2016 Pakistan officials have long argued that the only way to end the conflict in Afghanistan was to negotiate with a united Taliban, with concerns Mansour's death could have a negative effect on the peace process. The death comes amid stalled peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, with last month's deadly suicide bombing in Kabul leading Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to prioritize military solutions rather than negotiations. While the Taliban are yet to make a public statement in reaction to the news, it's understood the group's leadership council have already met to choose a successor. DUBAI (Sputnik) The morning session included common consultations and was limited to addresses from delegation heads, the source said. The talks between the delegations and UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed are expected to continue in the evening. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier on Monday, seven blasts hit the Mediterranean coastal cities of Jabla and Tartus, killing more than 100 people, according to local police. We express our deep condolences to the family and relatives of those who died, and to the entire Syrian people, and wish for a quick recovery to those wounded. Yet another bloody act by terrorists on Syrian soil calls for decisive condemnation. It was done with the open goal of obstructing the cessation of hostilities supported in Syria since February 27 and also with the goal of stonewalling the political settlement to the Syrian crisis, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Media reports suggest Daesh terrorist group has taken responsibility for the attacks. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message to his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad on Monday, expressing condolences for the loss of over 100 civilian lives in the western Latakia and Tartus provinces, the Kremlin press service said. "The Russian leader underscored that this tragedy was further proof of the barbaric and inhumane nature of terrorist groups that are waging a bloody war on the Syrian people," the message circulated by the Kremlin read. Putin confirmed Russias continued support to the Syrian government in its fight against terrorist menace, saying he expected that the perpetrators of bombing sprees in the cities of Jabla and Tartus would be brought to justice. CAIRO (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the Iraqi armys information bureau told Sputnik that the Iraqi troops had killed 36 Daesh members, including two commanders, one of whom, known as Haji Hamza, headed Daesh in Fallujah. "Of course, everything depends on the situation in the theater of war, we also want to minimize casualties among the local population. I think that the operation to liberate the city will take no more than a few days," the source told RIA Novosti. GROZNY (Sputnik) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last Friday that Moscow had proposed to Washington to conduct joint airstrikes against al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups refusing to respect ceasefire in Syria. Washington has so far rejected Moscow's proposal. "They have received our proposal but refused itIt is their position," Lukyanov said ahead of a high-level international security meeting in southern Russia. According to Lukyanov, US actions in relation to international terrorists in Syria attest to "rather basic" double-standard policies regularly conducted by Washington. MOSCOW (Sputnik) During the opening ceremony in Tehran, Dehqan said that the new plant will also manufacture various types of ammunition, including shoulder-fired missiles, according to the FNA news agency. Earlier in the day, the Iranian military unveiled the Pouria ultra-heavy tank transporter, the Felaq optimized tank and the Siraf unmanned aerial vehicle at the Beit ul-Muqaddas 28 drills underway in the country's central Isfahan province. An old woman tried to interfere asking why they were beating him but the attackers screamed at her telling her to leave. Then police arrived and joined the two hooligans in beating him I really don't know if the Arab is still alive. They pushed him into a police van, not an ambulance, and disappeared. It later turned out that the two were Border Policemen (who didn't identify themselves) the witness said. Another witness said, He was beaten only because he's Muslim, Super Yuda owner Kobi Cohen told Walla News. His only crime was that he's not Jewish. Cohen further said that the original attackers were joined by plainclothes policemen and that there were as many as 10 people beating the worker. All the neighborhood knows him and knows that he's a good guy who isn't looking for trouble, the victims father told Haaretz. The father of the assaulted youth further said that this attack demonstrates the situation in Israel at the moment and he holds the prime minister and the public security minister responsible for such horrible incidents. He added that the entire nation has seen the video and the police shouldnt wait for his complaint but should check this on their own and make those cops and thugs pay. The journalist said that right now there is a push for Plan B, which has always been Plan A, which is to balkanize and create a sectarian state within Syria to undermine and fragment the unity of the Syrian people. This is basically a separatist movement that they are creating with YPG, which we know consists of predominantly Kurdish factions, probably 80 to 90%, with very little Arab inclusion in there. So it is very clear that it is an attempt to create a shadow state inside Syria. We see the UK funding the so-called Free Syrian Police. The Canadian and Qatari governments are funding the local administration council so it is trying to divert government away from the Syrian government itself. The undercover UK foreign office and CIA outsource mercenaries under the guise of humanitarians, such as, The White Helmets. So there are other boots on the ground in Syria. According to the journalist, all of this is to achieve regime change in Syria and also to balkanize Syria and create sectarian states in the country. Talking about the recent deadly attacks in the Syrian cities of Tartus and Latakia, Beeley said, According to reports coming from Latakia, the attack was carried out by Ahrar ash-Sham. I have been told that this is probably one of the worst suicide attacks of the five years of the war against Syria. If Ahrar ash-Sham is responsible for these attacks then that directly puts the US in line for being accused of criminal terrorism in Syria. They have consistently supported Ahrar ash-Sham as being moderates and when they refused to allow Russia to designate Ahrar ash- Sham and Daesh as terrorist organizations, we had a massacre in the area around Hama and Homs. How many massacres have to be carried out against the Syrian people before the international community turns around and accuses the United States of the terrorism that they are perpetrating in a sovereign nation? Beeley stressed. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The report bases its conclusions on an audio message by Daesh spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani that was released over the weekend. "Al-Adnanis statement that the Islamic State [Daesh] does not fight to keep territory undercuts the groups current raison detre," the report stated. "As a self-professed caliphate, the Islamic State is fighting battles it knows it cannot ultimately win, including the upcoming battles for Raqqa and Mosul." MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, seven blasts hit the Mediterranean coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus, killing more than 100 people, according to local police. Daesh has reportedly taken responsibility for the attacks. "These terrorist attacks constitute a dangerous escalation on the part of the regimes of hatred and radicalism in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha, and are directed at derailing efforts to save lives of Syrians, derailing the Geneva talks and the cessation of hostilities," the SANA news agency quoted the letter as saying. HMEYMIM (Sputnik) The escalation of the situation in Syria is linked to al-Nusra Front leaders and groups allied wiith them to derail the reconciliation process in the country, the head of the Russian Reconciliation Center said Monday. "The escalation of the situation in a number of Syrian regions is, before all, linked to the aim of the leaders of al-Nusra Front and groups allied with it to derail the process of reconciliation of the sides," Lt.-Gen. Sergei Kuralenko said in a statement. "In the Aleppo region, al-Nusra Front leaders are finishing forming an assault group totaling over 6,000 militants in order to block the government troops in the city with a strike from the east, while in the north they seek to cut off access to the city of Nubl." President Erdogan has directly announced his intention to selectively prosecute opposition members in a bid to consolidate power. "My people do not want to see guilty lawmakers in this Parliament, especially the supporters of the separatist terrorist organization," said the Turkish president, regarding overt or tacit support of any kind for the PKK. The pro-Kurdish HDP Party, Erdogans primary political opposition, has the third-largest representation in the Turkish Parliament, and holds 59 seats. Every HDP-affiliated lawmaker now faces prosecution for any number of capricious charges, including terrorism. Not only will the opposition face ouster from the Parliament, but potentially long-term imprisonment and even torture. Calling it the end of Turkish democracy, HDP Party leaders have decried Davutoglus resignation, as well as the constitutional amendment stripping away prosecutorial immunity. "This coup would be a most crucial step for Erdogan to replace Turkeys parliamentary democracy, which he has twice declared 'de facto over,' with an absolutist presidential system in which the legislative, executive and judiciary powers are virtually monopolized by the president himself," said the HDP Party chairmen in a letter. The political opposition faction also accused the Turkish leader of being "in an organic relationship with Daesh." MOSCOW (Sputnik) US President Barack Obama confirmed in a statement on Monday the death of the Talibans leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in a US airstrike carried out two days ago. "We have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like al-Qaeda," Obama said during his visit to Vietnam. TEHRAN (Sputnik) Tehran is discussing withdrawing of its lawsuit against Russia in relation to the delivery of S-300 air defense systems (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) with Moscow, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hussein Jaber Ansari told Sputnik Monday. Currently, we are discussing the issue with Russia to achieve an agreement, Ansari said. He added that the second batch of the systems would be delivered to Iran before the end of the year. Earlier on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the beginning of military offensive to reclaim the city from Daesh terrorists. Fallujah, located in the western Anbar province some 65 kilometers from Baghdad, has been under the terrorists control since 2014. For India, these missions are more than just going port to port and displaying their flag, rather it is about engaging in naval diplomacy and showing off the naval muscle of the country. The Eastern Fleet will take part in Exercise Malabar, an annual joint naval event, alongside the United States and the Japanese Maratime Self Defense Forces. The Fleet is comprised of two stealth frigates, INS Satpura and Shahyadri, the Shakti fleet replenishment ship and the Kirch guided missile corvette. The goal of the Exercise is interoperability, however, many have commented that it is rather just a way for the US to increase its influence in the region. Most particulary, it is China that India, the United States, and Japan fear will gain power in the South China Sea. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the statement, "unprofessional actions by the US crew" endangered the civilian air traffic in the region. "The US military official was informed that the Russian air defenses detected on May 22 a US RC-135 plane carrying out a reconnaissance mission over the Sea of Japan close to the Russian air space," the ministry said in a statement. "The US plane was flying with switched-off transponder without agreeing its flight plan with regional air traffic control services. The plane used flight echelons allocated for regular flights by civilian aircraft," the statement said. The Taliban needs to decide if they want a peaceful future and would negotiate with Afghan government officials, the spokesperson added. On Monday, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a statement that the killing of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has removed one obstacle in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. On July 29, 2015, Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis office confirmed that "based on credible evidence," Mullah Omar had died in Pakistan in April of 2013. In April, a Russia-NATO Council meeting at the level of permanent envoys was held in Brussels. "NATO wants to avoid confrontation with Russia. We do not seek a new Cold War While we strengthen our defence, as our responsibilities require us to do, we will continue to strive for meaningful dialogue with Moscow We continue to view Russias full integration into the global community of sovereign nations as essential to our security. And we hope that one day that will be the case," Vershbow said at the UK Parliament. "Raytheon [Integrated Defense Systems] has begun deliveries of pulse power containers in support of the US Navy's railgun program," the release stated. The containers, which are comprised of multiple pulsed power modules, will be integrated into the Navy's railgun test range for additional development and testing, Raytheon noted. "Thats influence the administration could use to press Vietnam to better its very bad human rights record. But thats now leverage lost with todays action," Royce said of President Barack Obamas decision to allow lethal arms sales to Vietnam. Earlier on Tuesday, Obama announced from Hanoi that the United States would lift the ban on arms sales to Vietnam, a measure that has been in place since 1984. Elsheikh is said to be living in Syria with two wives and two young children. His younger brother was reportedly killed fighting within Daesh ranks in Iraq in 2015. Elgizouli blamed British authorities for failing to stop him from traveling with Elsheikh after imploring embassy officials to confiscate his passport. All four of the so-called Beatles were reported to have been radicalized in the same region of London's Hammersmith and Fulham borough. Emwazi was killed in an airstrike in November, Aine Davis was captured the same month, while Koteys whereabouts are unknown. "On May 16-22 NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states engaged fighters nine times came to recognize and to accompany Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea," the ministrys statement, published Monday, read. Portugal took over the four-month Baltic Air Policing mission in Lithuanias Siauliai air base on May 4 with four F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters. Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin scoffed at Western assertions that Russia poses the preeminent threat to the US and NATO, labeling the idea of an attack against the military alliance "the type of thing that only crazy people think, and only when they are dreaming." Faced with the need to keep the budget spigot open, a Cold War-inspired Beltway commentariat continues to ratchet up "protective measures" against Moscows "aggression," by installing a missile defense system in Romania and constructing another similar missile defense system in Poland. NATO is now considering deploying permanent troops on the border between Poland and Russia, while undertaking a series of costly and polluting military exercises, steps from Russian lands. Pippi Longstocking may have suffered from psychosis, used drugs or had a brain injury, claimed psychologist Martin Forster, who was commissioned by TV profile Niklas Kallner to investigate a secret person with strange behavior. In a YouTube clip, Niklas Kallner got the psychologist, who was unaware of who he was analyzing, increasingly worried by counting up several of Pippi's trademark mannerisms and personality traits. "This person treats their animals as if they were adults, always looks for kicks, uses firearms. Once, this person got the idea they could fly like an eagle and threw themselves off a cliff," Niklas Kallner told the unaware psychologist, adding that the person also ate a toadstool, "because you could not drink it." Fosters legal team claimed that the prosecutions tactics had "an explicit reliance on race," for their success. His conviction came after a 1986 Supreme Court decision declaring it unlawful for prosecutors to exclude jurors on the basis of race. This decision sprang from the 1986 Batson vs. Kentucky case, where prosecutors used peremptory challenges to exclude four black jurors from the jury pool. The defendant, James Kirkland Batson, an African-American, was charged with burglary and receipt of stolen goods, and claimed that his Sixth Amendment rights, to a fair trial by an impartial jury, were violated. Stephen Bright, one of Fosters attorneys said, "They have to scrutinize the reasons that prosecutors give and that they can't just give them at face value because if that is going to happen then this is going to continue from now on." MOSCOW (Sputnik) Activities of the Russian Aerospace Forces and Chinese Air Force trigger concerns of the United States, US Air Combat Command Commander Gen. Herbert Carlisle said. "Our concern is a resurgent Russia and a very, very aggressive China," Carlisle said Sunday in an interview with USA Today newspaper, speaking about interceptions of US warplanes by Russian and Chinese aircraft. He added that the concerns are caused by attempts of Moscow and Beijing to expand their influence in Eastern Europe and the Pacific region. For example, one of the issues on the agenda is deployment of American B61-12 nuclear bombs to Germany, and maybe in Turkey and Italy. The main features of the new bomb are increased accuracy and operational distance. It can be carried by both tactical and strategic bombers. The deployment of B61-12 bombs to Europe will turn this arsenal in to a strategic threat against Moscow. However, the most important that at the upcoming summit the US is likely to address the issue of a mechanism to make urgent decisions within the alliance, the analyst suggested. "American experts say that the principle of consensus doesnt work well in the current situation, especially when NATO needs to deploy its Response Force. Thus, the consensus principle may be replace with a more effective one," Ermakov said. According to him, if the alliance approves a new approach it would give the US the right to dictate its will to NATO. Currently, Washington is transforming NATO into what it was during the Cold War, a military bloc aimed against Russia. But some countries within NATO, including France and Germany, are opposing the trend. They insist that the increased military buildup will not help settle tensions with Russia. Paris and Berlin have been insisting on dialogue with Moscow. The US wants a meeting of the Russia-NATO council before the summit in a bid to justify the militarization. "Washington would say that there is a mechanism to resolve tensions with Moscow the Russia-NATO Council and it works well. The US wants to imitate a consensus with Moscow," the analyst explained. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The planned trip would be fourth for Putin, after visits in 2001, 2006 and in 2007. Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the Greek Republic May 27-28, 2016. There will be meetings with [Greek] President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. It is expected that during high level talks, key issues of bilateral trade, economic, and investment activity will be discussed, as well as the realization of joint projects in the areas of energy and transportation, the press service said. Ushakov said earlier that Putins visit to Greece was scheduled alongside trips to China and Belarus in May and June. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Under an agreement with the European Union, Turkey has to fulfill 72 conditions by the end of June in order for its citizens to be granted visa-free travel to the borderless Schengen Area. A source in the German government told the Bild newspaper that Ankara was unlikely to meet the outstanding criteria notably changing its controversially broad anti-terror laws before the end of the year. The free travel arrangement is part of an EU-Turkey pact on curbing the flow of refugees to Europe. Brussels also promised to speed up talks on Turkeys entry to the 28-nation union in exchange for Ankaras commitment to take back undocumented migrants. Last week, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that al-Nusra Front frequently violated the ceasefire and was trying to draw those rebel groups that have agreed to uphold the truce into its terrorist activities. Al-Monitor echoed this sentiment, saying that al-Nusra Front "has intensified its own attacks throughout Syria, in direct violation of the ceasefire, sometimes in collaboration with other Salafi groups. Most notably, the al-Qaeda affiliate is reportedly seeking to establish its own 'emirate' around Idlib and is wooing Salafi fellow travelers to its cause." As a result of these efforts, al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham launched a joint attack on the Alawite village of Zara, located in the Hama province, killing 19 civilians. The Sana news agency described the tragedy that took place earlier in May as a "massacre." MOSCOW (Sputnik) In April, media reported that NATO member states were preparing to deploy about 4,000 troops in the Baltic states as well as in Poland as part of the Alliances strategy of military buildup on the Russian border. "Judging by the rhetoric which is rapidly returning to the times that have been left far in the past. But unfortunately the very essence of this organization [NATO] means keeping using such rhetoric. So we wrong when we thought that this all had become history, Peskov told journalists. "NATO is a product of confrontation and a tool created for confrontation. How a tool like this can boost European stability and security is a point of controversy," Peskov said. BEIJING (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Obama announced the decision to completely remove US restrictions on lethal arm sales to Vietnam, in force since 1984, at a press conference during his official visit to Hanoi. "As a close neighbor to Vietnam, we welcome Vietnam developing friendly cooperation with other countries, including the United States. We hope that such relations will contribute to regional peace and stability," Hua said at a briefing. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On May 1, AfD party members gathered in Stuttgart for a party conference where they adopted a 1,700-page election manifesto, which, in a chapter devoted to Islam, states that Islam is not a part of Germany. "They [the Council of Muslims] demand that we reject our own political platform, which we voted on on April 30th and May 1st. We demand from them that they declare our order [constitution] to be more important than Islam and especially Sharia law," Ronald Glaser said. In his words, the meeting with the leader of AfD Frauke Petry had been initiated by the head of the ZMD Aiman Mazyek. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Sunday, the Indian prime minister arrived in Tehran on his first official visit to Iran. The sides are expected to sign several bilateral contracts. "Due to the importance of stability and security in the region, especially in such countries as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and taking into account the fact that the problem called terrorism is relevant today as never before, our two counties discussed how they can cooperate on intelligence and get closer in the fight against terrorism and extremism, how they can contribute to the stability and security in the region," Rouhani said during a press conference broadcast by the Times Now TV channel. The NATO classes are meant to show the Polish youth how important closer ties with the bloc are. But they are also undoubtedly designed to send a message to both Poland's allies and opponents on what Warsaw's strategic goals are. The classes, scheduled to last up to four hours a week, will cover a variety of topics, including Poland's participation in NATO war-games and the bloc's potential permanent base in the country (something Germany has opposed). Polish schools have already received all the necessary material for the classes, the Foreign Affairs ministry said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) In April, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced that the ministers of 20 countries would take part in a meeting in Paris to relaunch the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Neither Israeli nor Palestinian officials will be attending the event scheduled for June 3. Direct negotiations are the only way to achieve peace. We will not achieve it through a UN-style international conference, or diktats from the international community regarding our security," Netanyahu told French Prime Minister Manuel Valls in Jerusalem, as quoted by the Haaretz newspaper. The Israeli prime minister urged his French interlocutor instead to advance direct negotiations with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian top diplomat Sergei Lavrov will meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest on May 25 and will discuss the relations and cooperation between the countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday. "During Lavrovs upcoming talks with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, [the sides] will discuss the current state and development of bilateral relations. Future steps have been outlined for maintaining and increasing mutually beneficial economic cooperation in conditions of the sanctions war unleashed by the United States and the European Union," the statement read. Budapest is still interested in cooperation with Moscow in deliveries of Russian hydrocarbons to Hungary, despite the fact that the South Stream pipeline project was canceled. BERLIN (Sputnik) The bill was passed by the Turkish parliament on Friday. Pro-Kurdish members of the parliament say it specifically targets them for their political views. "The lifting of immunity of a fourth of the Turkish lawmakers gives grounds for serious concern," Merkel told reporters after meeting Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The chancellor said she had raised the issue during her meeting with Erdogan in Istanbul but not all of the aspects of the problem had been addressed. ROME (Sputnik) Italy is set on cooperation despite the fact that the political divisions in Austria exposed by the recent presidential elections cause concerns. Obviously, there are cultural and political concerns caused by the fact that Austria, regardless of the election results, will be a country politically separated in two. I suppose that cooperation with the Austrian authorities will keep on regardless of the results, Gentiloni told journalists. GROZNY (Sputnik) The Aegis system uses advanced radar and powerful computers to control weapons aimed at enemy targets. Originally developed for ships, the system has been modified for land use, and it is central to a NATO missile defense system now being installed over Russian objections in Romania and Poland. "Any threat will always meet a proper response," Lukyanov said ahead of a high-level international security meeting in southern Russia. Russia has repeatedly expressed concern over the creation of the ballistic missile defense system in Europe, approved in 2010 during a NATO summit in Lisbon. A group of European countries, including Poland, Romania, Spain and Turkey, agreed to deploy elements of the system on their territories. However, neither the US nor Russia or the EU can single-handedly stabilize the situation in the region. Amid other global problems, Washington, Moscow and Brussels could start a constructive dialogue on the Middle East, political analyst Igor Istomin wrote in an article for the Russian newspaper Izvestia. There are three factors making such cooperation possible, according to the author. GROZNY (Russia), (Sputnik) Last week, NATO foreign ministers signed an accession protocol for Montenegro, paving the way for the tiny alpine nations entry to the military bloc. It still needs the approval of national parliaments to make Montenegro a full member. "It is their personal decision, personal choice. They decide whatever they decide. If they believe it benefits their national security then so be it. If not not," Lukyanov said ahead of a high-level international security meeting in southern Russia. "I have not heard anything proving that Montenegro's accession to NATO will significantly strengthen the Alliance's military-political potential," Lukyanov stressed. The expansion comes at a time when relations between Russia and NATO have become increasingly strained. The North Atlantic Alliance has used anti-Russian rhetoric to beef up its military presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltics. Moscow has insisted that NATO's muscle-flexing close to its borders risks undermining regional security and stability. Ermakov maintained that the anti-Russian stance is used to convince some NATO members that there is a real threat to their security and they need to invest more in defense. This is the main reason behind a common refrain that the bloc needs to reinforce its collective security, particularly on its eastern flank, due to Moscow's supposedly "aggressive" behavior. "I think that the issue of collective security has been raised because the alliance is not monolithic," he noted. "Some of its members need to be persuaded to spend more on defense. This would allow the bloc to develop infrastructure close to Russia's borders." BAKU (Sputnik) The status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is neither reliable, sustainable nor acceptable, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said Monday. "The recent escalation in front-line has signaled that 'status quo' in the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict may lead to violence and severe military clashes. Everyone [is] fed up with the status quo which is not reliable and remains unsustainable and unacceptable. Demilitarization and withdrawal of troops has to be ensured," Mammadyarov said at the Eastern Partnership Ministerial Foreign Affairs Meeting, as quoted by Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry. The minister said that constructive negotiations could lead to peace and stability in the region. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Sunday, Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim was elected as the new chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and tasked to form the government as a new prime minister. Yildirim is a strong supporter of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and has already promised to continue fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "Despite the pessimistic prospects for the Kurdish issue in Turkey, President of Iraqi Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, Turkish Kurds and the Turkish government are now holding negotiations on various directions. Barzani is working on it very actively, and Turkish Kurds place their best hopes on him," Hoshawi told Sputnik. "Europe is also exercising some pressure on Turkey, and Ankara is not in the best position internationally at the moment, therefore it has to take into account considerations of the European partners. So, there is a hope that despite all the hawkish statements, parties [in Turkey] will have to find a compromise," he said. On May 9, Sergei Lavrov and John Kerry issued a joint declaration calling for all countries not to provide financial or military support to Daesh, al-Nusra Front and other radical groups. However, currently Moscow and Washington are at odds over the Jaysh al-Islam militant groups. Russia has repeatedly urged to label it a terrorist group. However, the US has considered it a moderate armed group. On May 17, the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) held a meeting in Vienna. The group issued a joint communique, having confirmed the previous agreements by the US and Russia. They include a joint transition governing institution in Syria by government and opposition representatives, a new constitution, and presidential and parliamentarian elections. "The US president mentioned Russia, but preferred not to name other members of the official nuclear club, including China, the United Kingdom and France," the media outlet noted, pointing out that several other nations are believed to have nuclear weapons, including India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. Another major reason for Russia to keep its nukes intact involves Washington. The US has not ratified the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans all nuclear weapons in all environments. Moscow ratified the deal in 2000, but CTBT will only enter force when all signatories ratify it. In addition, Moscow, according to the Svobodnaya Pressa, has to consider the funds that the US allocates for defense purposes nearly $600 billion a year. Washington's "gargantuan" military budget, as analyst Finian Cunningham described it, exceeds those of other big spenders, including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, the UK, Germany, Japan and India. ANKARA (Sputnik) The two leaders held a meeting on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. According to the Anadolu news agency, the sides agreed that Turkey and EU institutions should continue dialogue to assess fight against terrorism in light of the visa liberalization process, given Ankara's priorities. In mid-March, Brussels and Ankara agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the European Union through its territory in exchange for Syrian refugees accommodated in Turkey, on a one-for-one basis. In return, the 28-member bloc pledged to accelerate the Turkish EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and the Schengen Area. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last Friday that Moscow had proposed to Washington to conduct joint airstrikes against al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups refusing to respect ceasefire in Syria. Washington has so far rejected Moscow's proposal "The discussion focused on the situation in Syria, including in light of Russia's proposal to conduct joint operations against terrorist groups operating in that country as well as other illegal armed groups that refused to join the ceasefire regime," the ministry said in a statement. According to the statement, the top diplomats also discussed the possibility of "intensifying efforts by the international community to facilitate the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the statement, Moscow welcomes efforts of a number of politicians aimed at finding a compromise between various political forces in Venezuela. "The development of the situation in Venezuela causes concern. On the background of a complex economic situation, the political struggle there is again threatening to turn into street violence. Unfortunately, the escalation of tensions is being fed from the outside," the ministry said in a statement. "We are hoping that such efforts will bring positive results. We are ready to join these efforts if it's deemed necessary," the ministry said. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Last week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault expressed the desire to lift sanctions against Russia, if the conditions in Ukraine change. In April, Frances lower house of Parliament voted 55 to 44 to adopt a resolution to end the sanction against Russia. I think the French have been strong and will continue to be, Fried said when asked about opposition within France to renewing the anti-Russian sanctions. Fried added that during a recent visit to Paris, he saw signs of France willingness to uphold the sanctions until the implementation of the Minsk peace process is successful. The US delegation plans to hold two side events, according to the release. "[One] event focuses on the use of alternative sentencing measures for terrorism-related offenses as a way to promote disengagement and rehabilitation." MOSCOW (Sputnik) The closure of the camp was first announced by Karanja Kibicho, Principal Secretary of the Kenyan Interior Ministry, earlier this month. "The camp was a security threat, a haven for terrorism and conduit of contraband goods as well as a danger to the environment We are looking forward to discussions on how best to fast-track the repatriation of refugees process so that they can go back and contribute to rebuilding of their country," Ruto said, speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit, as quoted by the politician's press service. "Whether or not the United Kingdom stays within the EU is entirely a matter for the British people to decide. But I will say what matters for NATO. NATO is founded on the idea that we can achieve more when we work together. That is also the basic principle of the EU. In many ways, NATO and the European Union complement each other," Vershbow said at the UK Parliament during his visit to London. UK citizens are set to vote on June 23 in a referendum on the country's EU membership. Supporters of the UK exit from the bloc argue that EU membership has eroded the countrys independence to legislate, direct its economy and control its borders. Opponents warn that leaving the European Union could deeply harm the UK economy. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier this month, a Sydney law firm filed a lawsuit in the ECHR against Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin on behalf of the relatives of the victims. The families are demanding $10 million in compensation for each victim of the air crash. "The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation has no information regarding the claims brought to the ECHR from the relatives of the Australian and New Zealand passengers of the Malaysia Airlines plane," the ministry's press office told RIA Novosti. LONDON (Sputnik) The Soviet Union began putting parts of the modular space station into low orbit in 1986. Mir was deorbited and fell into the Pacific in 2001 after 15 years in space. "It could have been maintained, although the question is whether this would have been practical," Sergei Krikalev, a former cosmonaut, told RIA Novosti. Krikalev, who marked this year 25 years since his first mission to Mir, said the space station had been so well-built technically that it could have served longer. "But flying for the sake of flying was pointless," he noted, adding Russia had been planning a second station and there would not be enough money for both. "On May 20, Lockheed Martin delivered the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center, Florida," the release stated. "The spacecraft will now undergo final processing in preparation for a September launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 rocket." OSIRIS-REx, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer "will collect at least 60 grams (2.1 ounces) about the weight of a full-sized candy bar of pristine asteroid material and return it to Earth for analysis," Lockheed Martin explained. Thousands of guests have been visiting the facility established by the Click Art Museum in Chennai ever since its doors opened. As many as 24 "interactive" paintings known as "optical art" or "3D art" are on display at the museum, as a culmination of three years of hard work. The works of art are the brainchild of south India-based artist, AP Shreethar, who has put together dozens of art-driven facilities. He admits this was his first breakthrough though he has been in the profession for decades. Speaking to Sputnik, Shreethar said: "I never expected this kind of overwhelming response from the public. I owe this success mostly to the social media." In 2015, presiding Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled not to overturn the sentence for Bout. The ruling was followed by an appeal by the defense team. Bouts defendants will respond to the prosecutors arguments for an appeal to reconsider the case before June 2. Tarasov explained that Bout couldnt have been legally held accountable for crimes he was charged with, because conspiracy is only possible under US legislation if all parties involved are aware of it. Bout, the lawyer stressed, was deceived by his alleged partner-in-conspiracy, Andrew Smulian, as the latter "apparently" knew of a US security service operation. In this case we have presented evidence that [Smulian] knew of the operation before it began and was cognizant of the ultimate goal of the operation, which was to convince Viktor Bout to come to Thailand, Tarasov underscored. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The United States need a re-examination of national system of whistleblower protections, former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden said. "We need iron-clad, enforceable protections for whistleblowers, and we need a public record of success stories. Protect the people who go to members of Congress with oversight roles, and if their efforts lead to a positive change in policy recognize them for their efforts. There are no incentives for people to stand up against an agency on the wrong side of the law today, and thats got to change," Snowden was quoted as saying by The Guardian on Sunday. He added that response to the inspector general with evidences of wrongdoings could be a mistake, but "going to the press involves serious risks, but at least youve got a chance." According to the report, Washington will supply NATOs European force with only one battalion instead of the planned two. Earlier it was reported that a total of four battalions would be deployed on NATOs eastern flank, with Germany and Britain providing one each. But in the end, the Americans said that its European allies should form the fourth battalion themselves, in order to play a greater role in their own defense. The news came amid recent meeting in Brussels, which were attended by foreign ministers of all NATO member countries. NATO officials were planning to deploy a total of four thousand troops in the Baltics in the framework of an effort to strengthen the military blocs presence in Eastern Europe. Those forces were supposed to be divided between Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Five other Baltimore officers are charged in connection with Grays death. The 25-year-old African American man was arrested on April 12, 2015 and died one week later after suffering a spinal injury while in police custody. Grays death in police custody from the injury which many believe was caused by a deliberately rough ride, led to an enormous uprising throughout the city, leaving the community squaring off with a heavily militarized police force, as well as the National Guard. Grays death in Baltimore, along with similar incidents in other US cities, sparked the "Black Lives Matter" movement and a nationwide effort to re-examine police practices. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Earlier on Monday, Baltimore police officer Edward Nero was acquitted on all charges stemming from his role in the 2015 arrested of the 25-year old African-American Freddie Gray. "In the case of any disturbance in the city [of Baltimore], we are prepared to respond," Rawlings-Blake stated. "We will protect our neighborhoods, our businesses and the people of our city." The document also states that Lazar breached a Facebook account to post messages like, "You will burn in hell Bush!" and "Kill the illuminati! Tomorrows world will be a world free of illuminati or will be no more!" Brian Fallon, a presidential campaign adviser for Clinton, denied these claims, saying, "There is absolutely no basis to believe the claims made by this criminal from his prison cell. In addition to the fact that he offers no proof to support his claims, his descriptions of Secretary Clinton's server are inaccurate. It is unfathomable that he would have gained access to her emails and not leaked them the way he did to his other victims." Fallon went on to say that, "We have received no indication from any government agency to support these claims, nor are they reflected in the range of charges that Guccifer already faces and that prompted his extradition in the first place. And it has been reported that security logs from Secretary Clintons email server do not show any evidence of foreign hacking." The finding was part of a Pentagon 30-year aviation, inventory and funding report, which determined that the US military is retiring more fighter aircraft than they are obtaining, Defense One reported on Monday. The report also explained that after 2021, inventory will continue to decline until it hits the lowest point in 2031. The Air Force has insufficient resources to maintain the FY 2016 NDAA mandated number of fighter aircraft (1900) beyond the 2017-2021 FYDP. At the current resource levels, projected aircraft service life divestiture outpaces procurement. This will substantially drop the total number of combat coded fighters and fighter squadrons through the 2022-2026 FYDP. The inventory drop will continue until it reaches its lowest level in 2031, the report stated. The 47-year-old Saudi national was accused of financing the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. He was captured in Pakistan in 2003 by local security forces and was later handed over to US authorities. He faces the death penalty if found guilty. Human rights groups have suggested that between 2003 and 2006, al-Hawsawi was kept in one of the US secret "black site" jails in allied countries used by CIA to detain and torture terror suspects. Hawsawi was mentioned in a 2014 US Senate report, indicating that he was at some point illegally detained in Lithuania before being sent to Guantanamo Bay. The outspoken Donald Trump supporter appeared on "Fox News Sunday," detailing his perception of the dangers of a Clinton presidency, and urging voters to support the presumed GOP nominee. Jumping the gun with his comments, Sessions intoned that, "Hillary Clinton is the most anti-Second Amendment president perhaps we've ever had. Sessions further asserted that her Supreme Court nominees would overthrow the Second Amendment entirely. If confirmed, this would be the first tax data sharing pact agreed by Panama in the wake of the so-called Panama Papers scandal, triggered by German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung last month. The outlet published materials it claimed came from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca that allegedly exposed involvement of the world's wealthy and influential people in offshore schemes. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The boat with African migrants from all parts of the continent was stopped on Sunday, UK broadcaster BBC cited a government spokesman as saying. The report comes less than a day after Libyas new unity government requested assistance from the European Union to help it train coast guards. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the issue would be raised during a European Council meeting on Monday. The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 190,000 migrants have arrived in Europe this year after navigating the Mediterranean Sea as of May 18, while 1,359 have died on all Mediterranean routes. HANOI (Sputnik) The president made the announcement during a joint press conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi. "I can also announce that the United States is fully lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam that has been in place for some 50 years," Obama said. The US president is on a three-day visit to Vietnam, during which visit Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, before leaving on May 25 for an economic summit in Japan, and then will visit Hiroshima. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier, five Australian families, the family members of those killed in the air crash, turned to the ECHR with suit against Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The families are demanding $10 million in compensation for each victim of the air crash. "A suit is a suit until it is accepted for review by a court, and when the court informs the parties of which side theyre on. Such cases have not been accepted before. The court first of all will make a decision if it is even going to review the suit or not, or if it doesnt have any sort of likelihood of being won," Peskov told journalists. Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed with 298 people on board on July 17, 2014, in eastern Ukraine after being shot down while en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam. Kiev and independence supporters in Donbass have blamed each other for the downing of the MH17 plane. LONDON (Sputnik) Krikalev, a Russian veteran cosmonaut and record holder for the second longest time in space , said that scientists are professionals who can see beyond political disputes. They are used to treating one another with respect and are always ready to support one another. "I feel that just when a rift between politicians grows wider, the community working in science, technology and space grows closer together to somehow offset this divide," Sergei Krikalev, of Russias state-run Roscosmos space agency, told RIA Novosti. Krikalev arrived in the United Kingdom last week for an outreach event at Imperial College London attended by dozens of spacefarers from Russia, the United States and Europe. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Yuksekdag referred to the Turkish military operation against the Kurds, particularly in Cizre, which she regards as a war crime. Other countries are <> keeping silence and in such a way are supporting the actions of Ankara. They are linked to Turkey with partner relations and agreements. However, they should refuse to cooperate with the Erdogans government. [By] cooperating with the bloody political regime they become accomplices in its bloody crimes, Yuksekdag told RT. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The minister was speaking at the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in the Turkish city of Istanbul, which was called by UN chief Ban Ki-moon. It seeks to improve the global humanitarian system, including increased funding. "I confirmed today that Germany will increase its contribution by 10 million euros to a total of 50 million euros this year," Steinmeier said in a statement circulated by the German Foreign Ministry. The top diplomat stressed that pooled UN funds should be able to disburse financial aid without "complicated debates," which means increasing funding not only to response but also to long-term programs. CAIRO (Sputnik) The delegation consisting of two representatives are inspecting the measures taken by the local authorities and staff to ensure passenger safety in arrival and departure halls, as well as boarding inspections. In addition, the experts will examine the operations of the cargo terminal and procedures for transporting cargo on board aircraft departing for the British capital. A EgyptAir Airbus A320 plane, carrying 66 people, disappeared from radar screens over the Mediterranean Sea, 10 miles into Egyptian airspace on May 19. The plane was headed from Paris to Cairo. EgyptAir has said that the Egyptian Armed Forces have discovered the wreckage and personal items from flight MS804 some 180 miles off the coast of Alexandria. Owner/trainer Mike Sinclair's Heavenly Bet ($4.60, part of entry) overcame post eight and controlled the terms through the middle of the race en route to a 1:55 score over her stablemate Winners Over in the $23,700 Gail's Diner Series Final on Sunday (May 22) afternoon at Tioga Downs. While Winners Over (Dan Clements) was away most sharply in the field of eight, Scott Coulter gradually worked Heavenly Bet forward through a :27.3 first quarter-mile before clearing with just over a circuit to go. The two would continue at the head of the field throughout, with Heavenly Bet spared of pressure due to a failed first-over bid by Ghost Runner (Tom Jackson). After intermediate fractions of :56.4 and 1:24.4 over good going, the three-year-old Bettors Delight filly faced a challenge from her stablemate on the far turn. Heavenly Bet proved superior of the Sinclair pair, holding sway by three-quarters of a length. Well Shaded (Fern Paquet Jr.) emerged out of traffic to take third, while Shesgotthebeat -- a winner in both her preliminary events -- only could manage a fourth-place finish after she was compromised by badly stalling cover on the far turn. The afternoon's other three featured events -- an $11,000 Open Pace and two $7,500 second-round divisions of the Nichols True Value Series -- all went to driver Tom Jackson, who led all drivers on the 13-race program with that natural hat trick. Meadows invader Nitro Seelster ($4.40) sustained a first-over push to reel in Believe This Bob for a 1:52 Open win, while Fresh Cut ($44.80, 1:54.2) and Le Gambe ($4.30, 1:54.1) prevailed in their respective Nichols True Value splits. No one hit the 50-cent Pick 5, resulting in a $208.67 carryover to Friday (May 27) evening's program. Tioga Downs offers four programs next week, with a 6:30 p.m. EDT first post on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and a 1:30 p.m. EDT Memorial Day card on Monday. (Tioga Downs) Trot Insider has learned that Dorothy Burtch, well known secretary with the Ontario Harness Horse Association from 1968 to 1994, passed away peacefully in her 93rd year on Thursday, May 19. She was predeceased by husband Bob. Loving mother of Daryl (Julie), Jean Whidden (Les) and Gary (Valerie). Will be sadly missed by seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Friends will be received at the Ridley Funeral Home, 3080 Lake Shore Blvd. W. (at 14th St., between Islington and Kipling Aves., 416-259-3705) on Tuesday, May 24 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesday, May 25 at 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. A Celebration of Dorothys Life will be held in the Chapel on Wednesday, May 25 at 12 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to Cystic Fibrosis or a charity of your choice in Dorothys honour would be appreciated. Messages of condolence may be placed at RidleyFuneralHome.com. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dorothy Burtch. With the 2016 Pepsi North America Cup eliminations just a few weeks away, every eligible three-year-old pacer aiming for Canadian harness racing's biggest prize has made an on-track appearance as those colts and geldings aim to displace the reigning divisional kingpins. For the past several years, Trot Magazine's Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book has served as an initial barometer for the colts and geldings that may be in the running for the sophomore pacing set's single biggest payday. This year's edition of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup will be contested on Saturday, June 18 at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario. Listed by the Spring Book odds as featured in the April 2016 edition of Trot Magazine, here are the horses that are still Cup-eligible as of the April 15 sustaining payment and have raced or are in-to-go as of May 23, 2016. ( indicates a horse not listed last week) Control The Moment / 3-1 -- qualified on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished second, individually timed in 1:53.4; entered to qualify on May 23 at Mohawk Boston Red Rocks / 5-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished first, timed in 1:50.3 Betting Line / 8-1 -- last raced on May 21 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished first, timed in 1:49.4 Big Top Hanover / 10-1 -- raced on May 22 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished second, individually timed in 1:51.2 Nvestment Bluechip / 14-1 -- qualified on May 20 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished first, timed in 1:53.3 Racing Hill / 15-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished second, individually timed in 1:49.2 American Passport / 16-1 -- -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished seventh, individually timed in 1:49.4 Travel Playlist / 18-1 -- qualified on May 18 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished first, timed in 1:53.2 Katies Rocker / 20-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished third, individually timed in 1:51 Ideal Rocky / 22-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished second, individually timed in 1:50.3 Nocturnal Bluechip / 24-1 -- raced on May 20 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished seventh, timed in 1:51.2 Voracity / 25-1 -- qualified on May 20 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished second, individually timed in 1:54.1 Im Some Graduate / 30-1 -- last qualified on May 10 at Harrah's Philadelphia, finished second, individually timed in 1:54; entered to race on May 23 at Harrah's Philadelphia Pretty Boy Hill / 30-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished second, individually timed in 1:51.1 Check Six / 32-1 -- last raced on May 22 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished first, timed in 1:52.3 All The Cookies / 35-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished seventh, individually timed in 1:51.3 Mystical Rock / 35-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:50 Rollaroundtheworld / 38-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished eighth after making a break Inspiration View / 40-1 -- raced on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished fifth, individually timed in 1:54.4 JDs Chancey Design / 40-1 -- raced on May 22 at Hawthorne Race Course, finished first, timed in 1:54 Easy Lover Hanover / 40-1 -- last raced on May 15 at Flamboro Downs, finished ninth, individually timed in 1:58.4 Magnum J / 42-1 -- last raced on May 14 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished seventh, individually timed in 1:55.3 Kokanee Seelster / 45-1 -- last raced on April 30 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:54.2 The Catamount Kid / 45-1 -- raced on May 22 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished fourth, timed in 1:53 Mindtrip / 48-1 -- last raced on May 14 at The Meadowlands, finished first, timed in 1:52 Tom Hill / 50-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished third, individually timed in 1:51.1 Manhattan Beach / 50-1 -- raced on May 22 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished third, individually timed in 1:53 Arsenic / 50-1 -- raced on May 20 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished third, individually timed in 1:50.1 New Talent / 50-1 -- raced on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished third, individually timed in 1:53.4; entered to race on May 23 at Mohawk Highlandbeachycove / 55-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished first in 1:51.1 Michaels Victory / 60-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:51 Tap Into Power / 60-1 -- raced on May 21 at Yonkers Raceway, finished eighth, individually timed in 1:55.3 Cruise Patrol / 60-1 -- raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished fifth, individually timed in 1:51.2 Dreamfair Mesa / 60-1 -- raced on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished second, individually timed in 1:53.4 Flaherty / 60-1 -- raced on May 20 at Westerrn Fair, finished first, timed in 1:54.4 Bettor Memories / 65-1 -- last raced on May 20 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished fifth, individually timed in 1:51.1 Stonebridge Beach / 65-1 -- raced on May 15 at Rideau Carleton Raceway, finished third, individually timed in 1:56.1 Think On It / 65-1 -- last raced on April 21 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:53.2 Good Living / 65-1 -- qualified on May 10 at Harrah's Philadelphia, finished second, individually timed in 1:53.3; entered to race on May 23 at Mohegan Sun Pocono Dr J Hanover / 70-1 -- last raced on May 16 at Yonkers, finished first in 1:57.1; entered to race on May 23 at Yonkers Lyons Snyder / 70-1 -- last raced on May 22 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished first in 1:49.4 Some Gold / 70-1 -- last raced on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:54 Max Is Back / 70-1 -- last qualified on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished third, individually timed in 1:54.1; entered to race on May 23 at Mohawk Rock Power / 75-1 -- last raced on May 21 at The Meadowlands, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:52.3 Major Hill / 75-1 -- last raced on May 19 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished second, individually timed in 1:52 Sutton Seelster / 90-1 -- raced on May 16 at Western Fair, finished first in 1:55.3 Beast Mode / 100-1 -- last raced on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished first in 1:53.3 Brookdale Sonny / 100-1 -- raced on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished first in 1:53.3 Totally Great / 110-1 -- last qualified on May 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, finished third, individually timed in 1:58.1; entered to race on May 23 at Mohawk THIS past week Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale dismissed an application for a judicial review requested by the Director of Public Prosecution John Masters. The matter was heard in the Supreme Court on March 3 and April 15 this year. The parties involved were Masters from the Office of the DPP, and the Attorney General Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles, who represented the respondent, Magistrate Jolyon Hatmin. Queens Counsel Ariel Misick, also appeared and made submissions in defence of the magistrates decision, on behalf of the Bar Council, which was an interested party in the proceedings. The issue surrounded the magistrates decision not to allow Stephen Hill, an attorney from the United Kingdom and who was contracted by DPPs office, to be heard in his court last July. Hill was contracted by the DPP to appear in court as and when instructed to do so. But on July 24, 2015, when he appeared in the magistrates court to represent a matter for the DPP, Hatmin refused to hear him on the grounds that he was not qualified to practice law in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This is because he was not admitted to practice in the TCI nor deemed admitted under the provisions of the Legal Profession Ordinance which regulates the practice of law within the Islands. In seeking a review of this decision, Masters, who represented the matter in person before the Chief Justice, submitted to the supreme court that Hill was at that time a subordinate officer of the DPP under section 100 (3) of the constitution. He also submitted to the court that Hill was therefore exempt from the provisions of the Legal Profession Ordinance. He was also seeking an order from the Chief Justice directing Hatmin to allow Hill to appear in his court. Masters argument was that the constitution gives him unfettered powers to appoint subordinate officers as is the case with Hill, and that the legal profession ordinance does not come into play in these instances. However, the court disagreed, stating that while the DPP is at liberty to make application to the court for the admission of any attorney that he wishes to appear in any cause or matter, the Legal Profession Ordinance provides that it is a matter for the Chief Justice, and not the DPP, to determine whether the applicant is a fit and proper person to be admitted to the Bar. The Chief Justice also found that while the DPP an independent prosecuting authority established by the constitution that independence is intended to free the DPP from political oversight or interference when carrying out his constitutional mandate to institute, take over, continue and discontinue proceedings. But that it does not free him from due observation of the law or the provisions for appointing public officers set out in the constitution from which he himself derives his authority to act. The judgment read: "Mr Masters submission that the LPO applies to everybody who practices law in the TCI except the DPP who is not in any event required to be an attorney and who is at liberty to instruct persons who are not attorneys, or persons who are attorneys but are not admitted to the practice here, to appear in our courts, is frankly startling. It goes on to read that the LPO restricts the practice of law to persons who are admitted to the local Bar and to the Crown law officers who the Ordinance deems admitted under section 14 (1), and that breach of its provisions constitute a criminal offence which would be prosecuted by the Crown Prosecutors in the usual way. The CJ added: "It cannot be that the DPP is above the law he is appointed to uphold. The Chief Justice stated that as an institution of good governance the DPP must uphold the rule of law, and that he cannot give himself the power to appoint officers subordinate to him within the office of the DPP, when constitutionally that power resides solely in the Governor, or his delegate, acting on the advice of the Public Service Commission. She further found that no person is entitled to practice law in TCI unless he or she is admitted to the Bar under and in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Professional Ordinance and that any attorney engaged by him to conduct matters in any of the courts who is not a member of the local Bar or a Crown law officer must be admitted in accordance with the provisions of the LPO. In her judgment the Chief Justice stated that the Magistrate Hatmin was correct in refusing to hear Hill in his court, as he was not entitled to appear in criminal proceedings before the Magistrates Court, not having been admitted to the bar as required by the Legal Profession Ordinance. She noted that had he been permitted to appear, he would have been committing an offence under the LPO, aided and abetted by the magistrate. As such the DPPs application for a judicial review was refused. She is expected to hear counsels on the issue of costs soon. By Olivia Rose IN AN effort to curb Haitian sloops transporting illegal migrants to the Turks and Caicos Islands, Minister of Border Control Ricardo DonHue Gardiner met with the Haitian counsel to discuss possible solutions. The Ministry of Border Control in a recent release explained that there has been an increase in the number of illegal sloops entering the TCI recently. The subject minister met with the Haitian counsel to discuss the issue and to stem the tide of illegal migrants to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Gardiner before the meeting stated that: "The issue of illegal migrants to our Turks and Caicos Islands is an ongoing security concern that requires vigilance and effective policies to deter those who would transport and smuggle illegal migrants into Turks and Caicos Islands. "We are taking measures to enhance our border security and I continue to work with the Haitian consulate here as well as the Haitian government to address this issue. Over the next few months, the Ministry of Border Control will be implementing additional security measures to further enhance the protection and integrity of the Turks and Caicos Islands borders. According to reports from the ministry three sloops were detected and intercepted within the last seven weeks of which two were intercepted within three days of each other; the combined total was 230 people. The ministry has since cautioned those who would attempt to illegally migrate to the Turks and Caicos Islands that these vessels will be detected by Turks and Caicos Islands radar systems, and passengers will be repatriated to their homeland. While reminding those in the TCI that might be inclined to harbour illegal migrants that the penalties for harbouring illegal migrants have been increased effective April 1. "If you are caught providing assistance or shelter to an illegal migrant, you are subject to a fine of $20,000 on summary conviction or to a term of imprisonment of four years, or to both, as well as the possibility of revoking your status in Turks and Caicos Islands. The Opposition last week lambasted the Government for not doing enough to address the issue of illegal entry. Leader of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said real efforts must be made by the Government to address the entry of illegal sloops into the country. "For a few years the Governor and members of the Government travelled back and forth to Haiti and have reportedly engaged in talks with the Haitian government and other authorities. "As shadow minister for border control, I posed questions over the years on the progress of these talks. She noted that a few weeks ago the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Border Control and Labour reported that there was a decline in the number of sloops. "And within a week we have seen three, with a report of 12 escapees from the detention centre and one escapee from the airport ranks (a deportee). "We recognise the efforts of the radar station personnel and are indeed grateful that no one was injured during the escape from the detention centre. "We have not heard the Government on this issue and the people of this country are still wondering whether the talks with Haiti have borne any fruit, whether they remain in progress and what it is that the Government plans to do address this issue. The Opposition leader remarked that the high risk of loss of life, the cost to detain and repatriate a detainee, and the high risk of escape or a successful entry by illegal means, should be a cause for concern for the Government. A lunchtime bomb threat called into Kessler Elementary on Monday was one of many across the country and in the United Kingdom. Longview police community service officer Cindy Lopez-Werth said after an hour of searching, police found no bombs or explosive devices in Kessler. The Longview school, which has 320 students, was evacuated immediately. Students were allowed back in around 2:30 p.m., and school was scheduled to resume as normal Tuesday. Police said the call was left at the school at 12:04 p.m. and was received by a staff member in the front office. Police believe it was a prerecorded message, or a robocall. The caller indicated there was a bomb inside the school. Longview School District spokeswoman Sandy Catt said the staffer who received the call reported hearing phrases such as Theres not a lot of time, and Its going to explode. Around the same time, a secretary at York Elementary School in Vancouver received a robocall bomb threat, according to The Columbian. According to other news agencies, schools in Delaware, Colorado, Maryland and the United Kingdom, among other places, received bomb threats Monday. It was not known whether they are related or orchestrated by one person or one group. Catt said the district has never received a robocall threat before. This was something that was really new to us. Obviously we always want to err on the side of safety, Catt said. A lot of things went right. Its always a teachable moment. Catt said district officials and police still will determine possible future bomb threats on a case-by-case basis. Longview police are investigating. An FBI spokeswoman said Monday that the agency was not investigating. New Delhi: Concern was voiced in Parliament today over ongoing strike by Air India pilots which has been going on for two weeks with members alleging that the extreme "arrogance" by the government was not helping resolve the matter even as the national carrier had lost Rs 300 crore. Nishikant Dubey (BJP) raised the matter during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, saying the government was not acting even after Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told the House several days back that talks would be held with the striking pilots. Dubey said while he was not justifying the strike by the pilots, they alone were not at fault for it as circumstances needed to be looked into. He said implementation of Dharamadhikari Committee and a proposal to set up a Civil Aviation Authority was pending even while the government was pumping in money to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore as turnaround plan. Pilots should be called for talks immediately, the BJP member demanded. In the Rajya Sabha, BJP members raised strong objection to the government's attempt of not holding a discussion on the functioning of civil aviation ministry despite the matter being listed for over a fortnight and sought the Chair's intervention in holding it during the current session itself. Rajiv Pratp Rudy (BJP) said even though a discussion on civil aviation ministry's functioning is listed in the business of the House, it is being positioned in such a way that the same is not taking place. "Is this House a lesser House," the former civil aviation minister questioned, alleging that it was a "deliberate act" on the part of the government to ensure that the discussion on civil aviation ministry does not take place. PTI hidden What weighs 77 pounds, goes 50 mph (80 kmph) and looks like a Swiss cheese on wheels? An electric motorcycle made from tiny aluminum alloy particles using a 3D printer. European aeronautics giant Airbus unveiled the 'Light Rider ' in Germany on Friday. Manufactured by its subsidiary APWorks, a specialist in additive layer manufacturing, the motorcycle uses hollow frame parts that contain the cables and pipes. The frame weighs just 13 pounds, about 30 percent less than conventional e-motorbikes. APWorks chief executive Joachim Zettler said the complex, branched hollow structure wouldn't have been possible with conventional production technologies such as milling or welding. The company is taking orders for a limited run of 50 motorbikes, costing 50,000 euros ($56,095), plus tax, each. They'll have a range of 37 miles (60 kilometers). This announcement is in light of the recent crash of Egyptian Airbus A320 among other crashes. The company was recently avarded 500 million pounds UK contract by Babcock-Lockheed JV. Associated Press hidden Social networking giant Facebook has hired a team of experts in London to create the first European base for its Oculus virtual reality division, a media report said. The social network has substantially expanded its British team of engineers and developer relations staff in the last six months after acquiring Oculus for $2 billion in 2014, the Telegraph reported on Saturday. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is betting heavily on virtual reality for his company's future. The social networking site last year bought a British virtual reality start-up, Surreal Vision, and moved its team to the Oculus office in Redmond, Washington, the report said. The Oculus team in Britian is led by Mike LeBeau, a former senior engineer at Google who founded the company's voice search software. He moved to London to join Oculus in January this year. "We're going to build some really cool stuff," LeBeau said in a Facebook post. Zuckerberg strongly believes that virtual reality will be the next major technology we use to interact with each other. "VR (virtual reality) is going to be most social platform (and) we've created new teams at Facebook to build the next generation of social apps and VR," Zuckerberg said earlier this year. Besides Facebook, Google and Sony are also making huge efforts to bring virtual reality into the mainstream. Apple is also believed to be exploring the technology. IANS hidden By Abhishek Baxi Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (KT Rama Rao), popularly known as KTR, is the Minister of Information Technology, Government of Telangana. The 40-year old minister is the son of first and current Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekhar Rao. But this is not a feature on nepotism or a political opinion on KTRs performance. Its about how Telengana, and Hyderabad, is aiming to be a global business city built on foundation of key sectors like IT/ITeS, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. The sleeper success Yes, theres the delightful Hyderabadi biryani, and the lip-smacking food in the lanes next to Char Minar. Shopping in the dingy alleys of Laad Bazaar is still a delight, but Hyderabad is not just known for its glorious past and much revered culture now. Unarguably, the credit of putting Hyderabad on the world IT map goes to Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004. Unleashing a series of reforms after taking over the reins of state and emphasising the use of IT, he made Hyderabad one of the IT hubs in India earning praise from the industry and media for his public policies and approach to governance. India Today called him the IT Indian of the Millennium while Economic Times awarded him as the Business Person of the Year and Time magazine awarded him as South Asian of the Year'. Naidu coined the slogan Bye bye Bangalore, hello Hyderabad to counter Bangalores rise as Silicon Valley of India while struggling with infrastructure issues and attracted foreign investment especially in key sectors such as information technology, biotechnology, healthcare, and various outsourcing services". Microsofts India Development Center, for example, was the companys biggest development center outside its global headquarters in Seattle. By the end of financial year 2003-04, software exports from Hyderabad reached one billion dollars and it became the fourth largest exporting city in the country. Politician by chance Away from his fathers political indulgence, KTR had the usual academic and career ambitions. He secured two postgraduate degrees M.Sc in Biotechnology from the University of Pune and an MBA in Marketing & e-Commerce from City University of New York (CUNY). While on his stint as an IT professional in the US, a new role mandated him to come back to India in 2004. And that turned out to be the turning point in KTRs political career. In 2006, K Chandrasekhar Rao resigned from the UPA giving away his Lok Sabha seat for the cause of a separate state of Telangana. KTR resigned from his job to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and actively participated in the Telangana movement playing a stellar role in ensuring that the issue was represented well at the national level and mobilised people on the ground to protest and pressurise the Government of India to pass the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. In a short span, KTR emerged as one of the most popular leaders in South India and is fondly called the Young Tiger of Telangana by his followers. He was also awarded the Most Inspirational Icon of the Year 2015 by CNN-IBN. The grand ambition A progressive and disruptive young thinker, KTRs vision is to make Hyderabad a global city and Telangana the most sought after investment destination in the country. In Hyderabad alone, over 320,000 people directly working in the IT/ITES sector, and with an output of US$74 billion, Hyderabad is the fifth-largest contributor to India's overall gross domestic product. Hes focused on making Hyderabad a fully WiFi-enabled city, and building Hyderabad into one of the best cities in the world for startups and entrepreneurship activities. Under his leadership, Hyderabad is now home to the largest start-up incubator in the country T-Hub. A 70,000 square feet facility constructed with an investment of Rs 40 crore in the first phase, the T-Hub can house up to 300 start-ups and provide a futuristic workspace for up to 800 people at once. All one needs is a great idea. Walk in with an idea and walk out with a product." KT Rama Rao The next wave And the vision is reaping fruits now. Hyderabad is once again seeing significant interest from home-grown innovators and global corporates. With Apple, Hyderabad now is proud to be home to 4 of the top 5 most valued tech companies' largest office outside USA: Google, MS & Amazon KTR (@KTRTRS) May 19, 2016 Last year, KTR led an IT department delegation on a two-week tour to the US with the agenda of discussing and reaching partnerships with corporate giants on various areas of collaboration with the Government of Telangana. He met industry leaders like John Chambers of Cisco, Mark Hurd of Oracle, and John Veihmeyer, of KPMG. He also met Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, and Amazon top brass who assured their continued support to the States initiatives in the IT space. Last year, Google announced that it would set up its biggest development centre outside the US in Hyderabad, with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crore and Amazon announced that it would set up its second Fulfilment Centre in the state that is expected to be larger than the existing one. Uber too announced plans to set up its first Center of Excellence in Asia and invest over US $50 million in Hyderabad, its biggest investment outside the US. The Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Group announced investing Rs 2,500 crore in Telanganas FMCG domain for 2015-16. Closer home, Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka met with KTR during his visit to T-Hub and the company announced that it was going to expand its Pocharam campus to double the capacity to 25,000 employees as compared to 12,000 employees, making it Infosys biggest campus. In an incredible testimony of the governments single window clearance mechanism for mega investors, more than 1,000 organisations were given clearance between July and August 2015, paving the way for flow of investments worth Rs 25,000 crore and creation of 70,000 new jobs. (Also Read: Apple opened its development office in Hyderabad: Heres why) According to Narsi Reddy, Co-founder & Managing Director of Smartron, one of the exciting product startups India born in Hyderabad, Shri K T Rama Rao is a young and dynamic leader and has transformed the business environment of Telangana to a very business friendly state. We have seen the technology and IT industry consolidating in the last year plus under his dynamic leadership. The IT Policy of the Govt. of Telangana has been one of the most unique, created with a clear understanding of what the business entities require to operate with quick turnaround times. This in turn is sure to attract newer investments and is sure to take this business friendly state to the next level. Work in progress Another brainchild of KTR, the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) has enabled around 40,000 out of the 75,000 engineering graduates turn readily employable for industry during 2015-16. According to KTR, TASK should be mandated to create a workforce of 100,000 by the year 2022 creating a sustainable ecosystem of job creation. With KTR as the first IT Minister of the state, the IT sector has recorded huge exports of Rs 68,258 crore through 1,300 IT units, including 500 global companies, which shows 16 per cent growth. Yet, despite successfully attracting several marquee investors, KTR Is disappointed with its not-so-pleasing 16th rank in the World Bank's ease-of-doing business index (Andhra Pradesh managed to grab the second rank). We hope to emerge among the top three Indian states in ease of doing business, he said. hidden Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the scientists for successfully launching India's maiden winged reusable launch vehicle (RLV) as a technology demonstrator. He took to twitter to convey his wishes to the team. Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 The dynamism & dedication with which our scientists & @isro have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 "We have successfully accomplished the RLV-TD mission. The lift-off was at 7.00 a.m. from the first launch pad here," ISRO director Devi Prasad Karnik told IANS after the shuttle returned to the Earth. The 1.7-tonne RLV was launched from ISRO's spaceport here in Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km northeast of Chennai off the Bay of Bengal coast. The mission has qualified India to enter the elite club of space-faring nations like the US, Russia and Japan, which developed and used RLVs for their space missions over the years. "The long-term objective of this mission is to reduce the launch cost by 80 percent of the present cost by using a reusable vehicle," Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director K. Sivan told IANS ahead of the test. IANS hidden Why has the sea ice cover surrounding Antarctica been increasing slightly, in sharp contrast to the drastic loss of sea ice occurring in the Arctic Ocean? A new NASA-led study has found the geology of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are responsible. The researchers used satellite radar, sea surface temperature, land form and bathymetry (ocean depth) data to study the physical processes and properties affecting Antarctic sea ice. They found that two persistent geological factors -- the topography of Antarctica and the depth of the ocean surrounding it -- are influencing winds and ocean currents, respectively, to drive the formation and evolution of Antarctica's sea ice cover and help sustain it. "Our study provides strong evidence that the behaviour of Antarctic sea ice is entirely consistent with the geophysical characteristics found in the southern polar region, which differ sharply from those present in the Arctic," said lead researcher Son Nghiem of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. The study was published in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment. The researchers analysed radar data from NASA's QuikScat satellite from 1999 to 2009 to trace the paths of Antarctic sea ice movements and map its different types. They focused on the 2008 growth season, a year of exceptional seasonal variability in Antarctic sea ice coverage. Their analyses revealed that as sea ice forms and builds up early in the sea ice growth season, it gets pushed offshore and northward by winds, forming a protective shield of older, thicker ice that circulates around the continent. The persistent winds, which flow down slope off the continent and are shaped by Antarctica's topography, pile ice up against the massive ice shield, enhancing its thickness. This band of ice, which varies in width from roughly 100 to 1,000 kms, encapsulates and protects younger, thinner ice in the ice pack behind it from being reduced by winds and waves. The team also used QuikScat radar data to classify the different types of Antarctic sea ice. Older, thicker sea ice returns a stronger radar signal than younger, thinner ice does. They found the sea ice within the protective shield was older and rougher (due to longer exposure to wind and waves), and thicker (due to more ice growth and snow accumulation). As the sea ice cover expands and ice drifts away from the continent, areas of open water form behind it on the sea surface, creating "ice factories" conducive to rapid sea ice growth, the researchers said. IANS tech2 News Staff In late April, 2016, The IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad mandated a panic button on all smartphones. From 2017, no phone can be sold in India without a single button mechanism to contact the nearest redressal agency. The specifics of which agency should receive the call for help was to be specified at a later date. While mobile manufacturers are willing to work with the government and include the panic button in their devices, the question of which agency would connect to the number was not answered. This is where One Touch Response come in. They have the technology in place to offer a safety service, as they are India's first on demand safety service. OTR provides a database of local emergency service providers that can respond appropriately to the situation, in a particular location. The calls are routed to one of One Touch Response's command and control centers. They also have staff in place to take live calls, and are trained to stay on call till the situation is resolved. These services are offered by One Touch Response through an API as well, which allows smartphone partners to integrate the service with a panic button. An SMS from a feature phone can also take advantage of One Touch Response's emergency SOS service. Arvind Khanna, Founder, One Touch Response says, The panic button in mobile handsets, supported with a helpline and a strong on-ground response team can revolutionise the safety mindset of all, and particularly of women in our country. At One Touch Response, our objective is simple, to safeguard citizens and provide an assured quick response when they are faced with any real life situation involving personal safety. The DoT notification gives us an impetus to collaborate with mobile phone companies by integrating our services and technologies towards addressing this pressing and urgent requirement. tech2 News Staff After the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) and the A7 (2016) we also heard about the Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) which was launched only for the China markets in March this year. A Polish website however has tracked down the smartphone headed to Indian shores which could indicate that it could be coming to India and other global markets as well. The source spotted the smartphone on import/export tracking website Zauba. Tagged as the SM-A910F, about 5 devices have been imported to India for testing. While its has shown up only on Zauba's import listing for now, there is also news about a Polish retailer who has started accepting pre-orders for the same handset, indicating a global roll out for the mid-range smartphone. Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display along with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor, paired with 4GB RAM and an Adreno 510 GPU. There's 32GB of internal storage and the device comes equipped with a 16MP rear camera along with a 7MP front facing camera. Connectivity features include an Accelerometer, GPS, compass, NFC, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, WiFi and Bluetooth. The smartphone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out-of-the-box and is powered by a 5000mAh battery. hidden International financial messaging service SWIFT told clients on Friday to share information on attacks on the system to help prevent hacking, after criminals used SWIFT messages to steal $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank. Earlier on Friday, Reuters reported that Wells Fargo, Ecuador's Banco del Austro (BDA) and Citibank, whose managing director, Franchise Risk & Strategy, Yawar Shah, is SWIFT's chairman, did not inform SWIFT of an attack last year in which more than $12 million was stolen from BDA. The banks and Shah all declined to comment on why they did not inform SWIFT. Banks use secure SWIFT messages for issuing payment instructions to each other. The network is considered the backbone of international finance but faith in its security has been rocked by the theft from Bank Bangladesh's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. SWIFT said in a communication to users on Friday that they should "immediately inform SWIFT of any suspected fraudulent use of their institution's SWIFT connectivity or related to SWIFT products and services." SWIFT spokeswoman Natasha de Teran said banks whose SWIFT systems had been hacked should inform SWIFT. She said she was unable to say whether banks, such as Wells Fargo, that received messages they later discovered were fraudulent, should inform SWIFT. SWIFT has a role to play in educating its members about cyber threats, said Doug Johnson, senior risk adviser at the American Bankers Association, noting there were disparate levels of security across financial institutions globally. The ABA is a powerful lobby group for the U.S. banking industry. This is a teachable moment for everybody who uses the SWIFT system to recognize that there is an effort by criminals underway to compromise the end points of companies using that system, Johnson said in a statement to Reuters after SWIFT communicated to its users on Friday. SWIFT is especially concerned about the use of malware to access interfaces with the SWIFT network. The Belgium-based co-operative, which is owned by its user banks, said it needed technical information from systems which have been compromised with malware to better understand the risks of attack. Malware was used in the hacks on Bank Bangladesh in February and in the BDA case in January 2015. "It is essential that you share critical security information related to SWIFT with us, "SWIFT said. SWIFT told clients it would notify them as soon as possible of cases where malware had been used to attack systems "so that you can better target your preventative and detective efforts". SWIFT did not inform clients about the BDA theft because it was unaware of it, a spokeswoman told Reuters. Reuters hidden A San Francisco-based company has won a U.S. government-sponsored competition with an alcohol monitoring devices that can be worn on the wrist, the latest milestone in the development of wearable technologies that monitor and diagnose medical conditions. BACtrack, a privately held medical device maker, took the $200,000 top prize in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Wearable Biosensor Challenge on Thursday with its wristband monitor, which measures blood alcohol levels via sweat on the skin. The product, dubbed BACtrack Skyn, has not yet been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for marketing approval. Dr. George Koob, head of the NIH's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said he expected the device to be a valuable resource for alcohol research community. It can help doctors accurately measure a patients drinking history, and not just depend on the most recent tests," Koob said. "This can help a lot with the treatment. Medical, law enforcement and transportation officials have long sought better technology for detection of blood alcohol levels. Traditional portable breath alcohol testers (PBTs) are unwieldy and can cost over $1,000, and they don't provide ongoing monitoring of alcohol levels. The blood alcohol monitoring devices used in legal and medical circles are big and bulky, like a ball and chain for the ones using it, said Keith Nothacker, president of BACtrack. We wanted to make something people would want to wear." The device in its current form will not, however, be a substitute for breathalyzers or blood tests used by law enforcement, because the device does not provide real-time blood-alcohol levels. Nothacker said it takes about 45 minutes for ethanol to be transmitted through the skin, and that the device is designed to provide a recent history of alcohol use. BACtrack has been experimenting with consumer-centric alcohol testing for several years. In 2013, it introduced the BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer, which syncs with a smartphone to track blood alcohol content. BACtrack beat seven other smaller companies to win the NIH competition. Milo, a Santa Barbara based technology startup, won the $100,000 second-place prize for its design of a wearable alcohol content tracker that also uses a skin sensor and communicates with a smartphone using wireless technology. Reuters tech2 News Staff Xiaomi is one company that has its hands in many product categories, only a fraction of which are available in India. Come 25 May, and we are going to see Xiaomi get into yet another product category - Drones! In a forum post last week, Super moderator vincent_khoo teased the image of what seems to be a Daydream-ready drone. This was further confirmed by a tweet from Xiaomi's India head Manu Jain where he tweeted an image asking followers to guess what it was. According to GSMArena, the device will not come cheap and the price of the drone is expected to be in the region of CNY 3,999 (approx Rs 41,500). The teaser image shows a quadrocopter with a camera in-built. Rumours have it that the camera is capable of shooting 4K videos at 30fps. The drone may also be controlled by the Mi Band as well as hand gestures. It will naturally come with its own smartphone app as well. More details of the drone will only be known on 25 May. Naina Khedekar A lot has already been said and written about how Internet of Things (IoT) is the tech trend of the future. Big tech giants and startups alike are trying to leverage the technology and get everything we use in our day-to-day lives connected. iBot Control Systems is one such Hyderabad-based company in the startup space that claims to be on a mission to drive IoT innovation for Indian businesses in alignment with the Make in India initiative. This B2B IoT startup is working with Microsoft across three continents and also bags a position among Nasscoms Top 5 Iconic Startups in India. In a year, founder Ravi Subramanyam aims at making iBot worlds pioneering company in the IoT space. Subramanyam said it was during a conversation with a CEO (of a large durables company) that he realised consumer durables companies or manufacturers were losing a lot sales and services were channel driven and had no consumer connect. This resulted into misplaced warranties and losses. This gave birth to iBot Control Systems in 2011. iBot was started with the objective of connecting manufacturers and owners of products/machines with themselves, thereby enabling two-way chatter which would lead to improved efficiencies and better consumer satisfaction, he tells us. It basically builds products, presents solutions and finally invoices for managed IoT services. The revenue model includes one-time fee for setup and activation of the connected processor and a then recurring subscription fee for a machine/month. The business/revenue model of providing a managed service and charging subscriptions makes sure that we are as much tied in to our customers as they are into our technology. iBot is a winning proposition with global scale opportunities, adds Subramanyam. iBot was one of the 11 startups chosen (from 1400 applicants) by Microsoft Ventures for its Spring 2015 batch. It was a later stage startup and its journey with Microsoft began with the four month program. "We could associate with the synergy and didn't look at it like a startup. "During the program, we introduced them to Microsoft's head of enterprise sales of India. We found the technology a good way to bundle with our products. The India journey then started replicating outside the country, Ravi Narayan of Microsoft Ventures tells us. "At Microsoft Ventures, there's a gamut of support we provide all the way from mentoring to technology enablement, market support, access to funding, investors," Ravi adds. But IoT is still at a nascent stage and caters to niche audiences. The journey for iBot too hasnt been very smooth venturing into this no-so-well-known territory. One of the major hurdle iBot had was to design a platform that could be used for multiple purposes; and especially, one that could connect with any kind of product or machine. Conventionally, most electronic devices were designed for single or specific purposes only, such Xbox for gaming, a Wi-Fi router for hotspots, etc, adds Subramanyam. While early stage funding and mentoring is important, the problems get even deeper and grave when startups move ahead in their journey. That's where Microsoft Ventures wants to make a difference. "We found that there are not too many companies that provide support after a point. We have a scaleup program for startups looking to scale beyond initial prototyping of technology as they look to make the prototype a business model. Then there are high potential companies that are pretty much in the mainstream. There are newer hurdles like they've never raised extremely large amount of money earlier, not build two products at a time, want to go beyond the boundaries of India. So, there is a certain dimension of complexity that they want to get past. This puts us in a position wherein we arent competing with any other incubators and accelerators. In fact, they look at us as partners to take some of their graduates," Ravi explains. Subramanyam points out that most electronic device manufacturers do not care about security at the hardware level. When we talk about connecting physical objects that can perform autonomous functions (doors, access gates, refrigerators, power generators, etc.), the thought of an intrusion is potentially more dangerous, when compared to a virus attack on an email, he explains. iBot claims to ensure that industrial grade technology is deployed, and security is part of the design and not an afterthought. He further adds that this has been possible due to cloud computing and platforms such as Azure. Microsoft Ventures program has helped us in more ways that we can ever describe. It was the launchpad for iBot to get everything right the business model, the market focus, our GTM with Microsoft, continued guidance and support for various other growth opportunities," adds Subramanyam. The bootstrapped company that spent the first two years in garage with two employees, now has a team of 25 today. NARSINGDI: Mahfuzul Huq Nujuzzaman, DIG, Dhaka Range and Amena Begum, SP, Narsingdi visiting the gutted chemical godown of Narsingdi Mom Textile recently. Taliban leader Mullah Mansoor 'killed in US strike' Agencies, Kabul : Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor has been killed in a United States strike in Pakistan, according to multiple sources, a year after he was appointed leader of the group. Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said on Twitter that he was dead, the country's spy agency also said he had been killed and a source close to Mansoor told Al Jazeera he believed the reports to be true. Earlier on Saturday, US officials told several media organisations that drone attacks authorised by President Barack Obama had probably killed him and another Taliban member. A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also said the strike appeared to have been successful. The Taliban, which has a history of denying developments that could hurt its standing, has not yet issued an official statement though some of the group's officials earlier denied the reports. False rumours on the deaths of Taliban figures have circulated before. In December, the Afghan government said Mansoor had died after a gunfight. The Taliban later released an audio message from him in which he denied he had been killed. US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday that the Taliban chief posed a "continuing imminent threat" to US personnel in Afghanistan and to Afghans, and was a threat to peace. "This action sends a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners as they work to build a more stable, united, secure and prosperous Afghanistan," Kerry said. Kerry said the leaders of both Pakistan and Afghanistan were notified of the strike but he did not say whether they were told before or after the attack took place. He said he had phoned Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Blasts kill more than 120 in Syrian govt coastal heartland A Syrian army soldier and civilians inspect the damage after explosions hit the Syrian city of Tartous, in this handout picture provided by SANA on Monday. Reuters, Beirut :Bomb blasts killed more than 120 people in the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartous on Monday, monitors said, in a government-controlled area that host Russian forces.Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in the Mediterranean cites that have up to now escaped the worst of the conflict, saying it was targeting supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.Scores were wounded in at least five suicide attacks and two car bombs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, the first assaults of their kind in Tartous, where government ally Russia maintains a naval facility, and Jableh.State media confirmed the attacks but gave a lower toll.Fighting has increased in other parts of Syria in recent weeks as world powers struggle to revive a threadbare ceasefire in western Syria and after peace talks in Geneva this year broke down.State media reported that a car bomb and two suicide bombers attacked a petrol station in Tartous. In Jableh, one of the four blasts hit near a hospital, state media and the Observatory reported.Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel of what it said were scenes of the blasts in Jableh showed several twisted and incinerated cars and minivans.Pictures circulated by pro-Damascus social media users showed dead bodies in the back of pick-up vans and charred body parts on the ground.The Syrian Observatory said at least 53 people were killed in Jableh, and 48 in Tartous.The interior ministry said in a statement more than 20 people had been killed, and one state media outlet put the death toll at 45 people.Bombings in the capital Damascus and western city Homs earlier this year killed scores and were claimed by Islamic State, which is fighting against government forces and their allies in some areas, and separately against its jihadist rival al Qaeda and other insurgent groups.Russia, which intervened in the Syrian war in support of President Bashar al-Assad last September, operates an air base at Hmeymim in Latakia and a naval facility at Tartous.Latakia city, which is north of Jableh and capital of the province that is President Assad's heartland, has been targeted on a number of occasions by bombings and insurgent rocket attacks. Flight operations at Ctg Airport, seaport resume Chittagong Bureau : Flight operations at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport resumed on Sunday morning after being suspended for 24 hours due to cyclonic storm Roanu. Assistant Commissioner of Immigration of the airport Palash Kanti Nath said all domestic and international flight operations to and from the airport resumed around 8:30am. Airport authorities suspended all flight operations at the airport when maritime port Chittagong has been asked to hoist signal number 7 that resulted in cyclonic storm Roanu. "The flight operation resumed when a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Dhaka landed at the airport just after 8am", airport Manager Wing Commander Reazul Kabir told the media. Meanwhile, the activities in country's premier seaport Chittagong swung into action after nearly 24 hours. The authorities earlier kept ready all the jetties and receiving and delivery of goods started Monday evening after reaching the vessels at the jetty from outer anchorage which were anchored at the safer places during the cyclone, Jafar Alam (Member Operation) of the Chittagong port said. The storm claimed at least 15 lives in Chittagong which suffered the maximum number of casualties and damage. Syria conflict: Deadly blasts rock Assad strongholds Near-simultaneous car and suicide bombings hit the main bus station in Tartous A series of car and suicide bombings has hit two government strongholds on Syria's Mediterranean coast. State media said at least 78 people were killed, while a monitoring group put the death toll at more than 145. Four bombings targeted bus stations in the port city of Tartous and in Jableh, a town to the north, which have until now escaped the worst of the civil war. A news agency linked to so-called Islamic State (IS) said the jihadist group was behind the attacks. Amaq cited an IS source as saying militants had targeted "gatherings of Alawites", a reference to the heterodox Shia sect to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs. Russia - a key backer of Mr Assad - has a naval base in Tartous and an airbase near Jableh, from where it has conducted air strikes on IS targets across Syria. The state news agency, Sana, cited a police source as saying that 45 people were killed and many others, most of them women and children, were injured in Jableh. It reported that two bombs exploded at the main entrance of the town's bus station. A suicide bomber also blew himself up at the entrance of the emergency department at Jableh National Hospital, it added. The fourth blast reportedly occurred near the offices of Jableh's electricity directorate, on the outskirts of the Amara residential district. In Tartous, more than 33 people were killed and 47 injured, Sana said. A car bomb was detonated at the main gate to the city's bus station, while a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest inside the facility, it added. Another bomber blew himself up in a residential area in the west of the city, according to Sana. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group which relies on a network of sources on the ground, reported that 97 people were killed in Jableh and another 48 in Tartous. It also said the two bombings at the bus station in Jableh were suicide attacks. Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said terrorist groups were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians because they were unable to fight the Syrian army. "We will not be deterred," he told al-Ikhbariya TV. "We will use everything we have to fight the terrorists." Russia expressed concern at the blasts and said they underscored the need to continue peace talks between the government and opposition. "Of course a rise in tension and terrorist activity cannot but heighten concern. It is further proof of how fragile the situation is in Syria and demonstrates the necessity to continue active steps towards resuming talks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. Asked whether Russia would consider its decision in March to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, Mr Peskov pointed to a statement by President Vladimir Putin, noting that the country's infrastructure allowed for a "very flexible approach". IS, which is fighting both government and rebel forces trying to topple Mr Assad, has killed scores of people in suicide bombings in Damascus and Homs this year.--bbc.com BEZA accelerates process for establishing economic zones Staff Reporter : Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has speeded up its process for establishing Economic Zones (EZs) in different areas of the country, aiming at attracting more domestic and foreign investments, creating new jobs and propelling growth. According to a document of the World Bank (WB), the major development partner for setting up of the economic zones, the BEZA and the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) in the last two years licensed 16 economic zones and hi-tech parks and assessed 33 sites, completed feasibility studies, and master plans for new zones. BEZA also issued licenses to 11 private zone developers including licensing to Mongla Economic Zone on a public-private partnership basis. The tendering process for the development of EZs in Mirshorai, Shrehatta and other locations has started. It has assessed 12 sites and drafted another nine for pipeline Economic Zones. The new BEZA Act has been approved and a gazette notification for the private Economic Zone policy has been published. The WB together with UK-DFID and International Finance Corporation (IFC) is supporting the government to develop EZs and hi-tech parks through the Private Sector Development Support Project (PSDSP). The project till now has helped create nearly 5,500 jobs. PSDSP has also supported the Green Zone Initiative of the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), which includes solar lighting in the Chittagong Export Processing Zone, the setup of an environmental laboratory, and ISO14001 certification to 21 enterprises. According to the WB document, business registration time has been reduced from 44 days to 8 days. BEPZA has developed and implemented a one-stop shop system for registration, export and import licensing, customs clearance, and other regulations in their EPZs. The construction of the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park is progressing rapidly. The BHTPA has licensed two Hi Tech Parks under a private public partnership (PPP) model and seven private Hi-Tech Parks. The process for licensing two additional PPP parks has started. The Employment Incentive and Skills Enhancement Programmes of BHTPA have trained and facilitated employment for thousands of people. A total of 11,457 people have received industry-specific training or certification and 52 firms now comply with international quality standards (ISO 9000 or equivalent). Guidelines for private IT Parks have been formulated and two private software technology parks (STPs) have been declared and three firms have started operation in the Janata Tower STP. Incentives for investors and developers are gazette and published. The World Bank Board of Directors approved an additional financing of $130 million for PSDSP on 5 April, 2016. The additional support will scale up project achievements and put greater emphasis on quality, social, and environmental standard compliance within the zones. "This will directly support the government's target of establishing 100 zones in the next 15 years to contribute to the national jobs agenda. Fragile dams in coastal region invite disaster Thousands marooned: People returning to battered villages need succour Embankment in Mohipur Union under Patuakhali district was damaged due to recent cyclonic storm Roanu. This photo was taken on Monday. Staff Reporter :Flash flood resulted from extremely intense rainfall and storm surge led to disaster for the people living in the country's costal areas. Heavy rainfall coupled with surge during the latest cyclonic storm Roanu caused flash flood washing away dams and embankments that remained fragile over the years, wrecking havoc to the costal people.Admitting the matter, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, the Disaster Management and Relief Minister, on Sunday said that damage of dams and embankments by storm surge caused the losses of lives and properties in cyclone Roanu.He said this while speaking at the 'District Disaster Management Meeting' in Chittagong. Chittagong, one of the coastal districts, was ravaged badly by the Roanu, leaving 13 deaths caused by drowning or homes collapsing during the storm. The storm surge entered into the vast areas of Sandwip, Banshkhali, Anwara and Sitakunda upazilas under the district after the damage of dams affecting more than 250,000 people. Maya said the courage of the people in the district, the government's preparedness, and efforts by the Fire Service and the volunteers could minimise the damage of the storm to a certain degree. "But fragile dams let the storm surge to enter the villages leaving the people dead. The lives, crops, livestock, farms, houses would not have been lost if these dams were been built properly," he said.He, however, said that the damage was not as high as we had feared. The meeting said that thousands of people have been stranded in flood waters in Cox's Bazar, Patuakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Barguna, Chandpur, Jhalokathi, Bagerhat and Bhola.Engr Mosharraf Hossain, Minister for Housing and Public Works, also present at the meeting.Meanwhile, people who fled their homes for cyclone Roanu on Monday started returning to their wind-battered village homes, urging authorities to arrange essential relief materials for them.The strong cyclonic storm weakened Saturday afternoon after lashing into Bangladesh's coastal districts, flooding villages, triggering landslides, leaving at least 24 people dead and affecting thousands.It also damaged nearly 85,000 homes, as water submerged houses, cut off roads, destroyed embankments and crops and uprooted trees."About 100,000 people returned to their damaged and flooded homes Monday. Thousands are still staying in cyclone shelters as their homes were submerged by flood water," Jahir Uddin, Vice-chairman of Moheshkhali Upazila Parishad, told The New Nation on Monday.Moheshkhali is an Island off the coast of Cox's Bazar.Jahir Uddin said people of Moheshkhali are badly affected by the cyclone Roanu and they urgently need shelter, clean water, foods, sanitation and other essential relief items.An estimated half-million people of the costal districts fled their homes for cyclone shelters following warnings from the authorities. ACC initiates probe against 11 BD foreign missions Ex-FS Mijarul Quayes to be brought under scanner: Allegations of financial corruption, abuse of power against some officials Sagar Biswas :The Anti Corruption Commission [ACC] has planned to investigate financial corruption and other anomalies allegedly committed by some officials working at 11 Bangladesh missions abroad.In line with the strategy, the ACC has summoned relevant documents of the embassies and high commissions where several officials, including head of missions, are reportedly involved in massive corruption and abuse of power in the foreign countries, officials said on Monday.The foreign missions are - United States of America, France, China, Italy, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Canada, Philippines and Malaysia.Confirming the matter, a highly placed source in ACC told The New Nation that Deputy Director, also Investigation Officer of ACC, Mahbubul Alam has recently sent letters to the concerned authorities, including Director General of the Mission Audit Directorate, in this regard.In the letter, the ACC has asked the DG of the Mission Audit Directorate to provide necessary information along with relevant documents as per requisition [of ACC] within May 30.As per information available, the ACC in the letter has sought all official records, related papers of financial transactions, including audit reports, of the eleven missions since 2009-2010 to 2014-2015 fiscal years. "ACC has decided to investigate the anomalies in foreign missions following some specific allegations. It has taken all the allegations, received from different quarters, into cognizance. And in line with the strategy, the ACC has sent letters to concerned departments," Public Relations Officer of ACC Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said on Monday.It is learnt that, the ACC has taken decision to initiate the investigation following series of allegations against some officials and employees of the eleven embassies and high commissions. In most cases, the sufferer Bangladeshis, residing in these countries, have lodged the complaints with the concerned sections of ACC and Foreign Ministry. In the complaints, several expatriates and other related persons have alleged that like the general officials and employees, some senior officials, including ambassador, high commissioner and consulate general, have pocketed huge amount of money by abusing official power. The ACC, at the same time, also will investigate the alleged corruption of some foreign ministry officials, including a former Foreign Secretary, sources said.Especially, former Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes, now ambassador in Brazil, is now under scanner of ACC for his large-scale financial corruption and abuse of official power. It is alleged that Mijarul Quayes had misappropriated Taka one crore of the government in two terms when he was Foreign Secretary. And without refunding the money, he had joined London mission as High Commissioner. According to official statement, Mijarul Quayes took Tk 50 lakh from the government when he was posted Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation from his previous posting as High Commissioner to the Maldives. He again took Tk 50 lakh more on advance from state exchequer when he was promoted to Foreign Secretary in 2009. The Auditor General Office had raised objection about his abnormal dealings while preparing report in 2011. But the Foreign Service official did not face any obstacle to get an appointment as ambassador in Brazil despite huge anomalies and power abuse. Earlier in 2008, the ACC conducted an extensive investigation about corruption of officials in Abu Dhabi embassy when around 60,000 complaints from sufferer people were submitted with the ACC. Begum Editor Nurjahan no more UNB, Dhaka :Nurjahan Begum, editor of the country's first illustrated women's weekly 'Begum', passed away at a city hospital on Monday. She was 91.Nurjahan, also the country's first woman journalist, breathed her last at Square Hospitals around 10am, said hospital officials. "She died in the morning. She suffered a cardiac arrest around 8:30am. When doctors were trying to help her recover, she suffered cardiac arrest for the second time," said Nurjahan's eldest daughter Flora Nasrin Khan Sathi. She left behind two daughters-Flora Nasrin and Rina Yasmin Miti- and a host of relatives, followers and well-wishers to mourn her death. From the hospital, Nurjahan's body was taken to her Narinda residence where her first namaz-e-janaza was held after Zohr prayers around 2:30 pm. The body was brought to the Central Shaheed Minar around 4pm enabling people from all walks of life to pay their last respect to the legendary editor. She was buried at Mirpur Intellectual Graveyard after the second namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan-1 Jam-e-Mosque after Magrib prayers, said Flora Nasrin. Nurjahan was admitted to the hospital over respiratory problems, including pneumonia, on May 4 and later shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on May 7 as her condition deteriorated. She had been on life support since then.Born on June 4, 1925 at Chalitatilo village in Chandpur district, she passed matriculation from Shakhawat Memorials Girls' High School in 1942. She obtained intermediate in 1944 while Bachelor of Arts degree in 1946 from Lady Brabourne College in Kolkata. Nurjahan earned repute as a pioneering woman journalist as she edited the weekly 'Begum' for over six decades as a mouthpiece of Bengali women. The magazine mainly carried write-ups of women as part of its motto to promote the backward Muslim womenfolk.She was the daughter of another prominent journalist, Mohammad Nasiruddin, editor of the then popular newspaper 'Saogat'. Nasiruddin founded the weekly Begum in 1947 and first published from Kolkata a month before India gained freedom from British rule. The office of Begum was shifted to Dhaka in 1950.The first editor of the magazine was late popular female poet Begum Sufia Kamal.The magazine has been playing an outstanding role in creating women writers.In 1951, Nurjahan was married to noted writer and journalist Rokonuzzaman Khan, popularly known as Dada Bhai, who died in 1999. She had been awarded Begum Rokeya Padak in 1997.Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at her death.In a condolence message, the President prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family members. In her condolence message, the Prime Minister recalled with profound respect the unique contributions of Nurjahan Begum towards awakening the women of this subcontinent. "The nation has lost a great woman at her death," she said. Sheikh Hasina prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed her deep sympathy to Nurjahan Begum's bereaved family.Earlier, the Prime Minister had taken all the responsibilities for the treatment of ailing Nurjahan Begum when she was admitted to the hospital. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also expressed profound shock at her death.Besides, Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Arefin Sidique expressed deep shock at her demise. Protect forests rights of indigenous people Helen Clark : When indigenous rights are recognised and enforced, communities successfully manage their forests - and make crucial contributions to climate change mitigation. For indigenous and forest communities, insecurity of land rights perpetuates poverty, inequality and environmental degradation. Strengthening land rights for those communities is essential but will also be critical to the fight against climate change. Last year, major new global frameworks critical to sustainable development were endorsed by the international community. They included the 2030 Agenda and the associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. As the international community moves to implement these ambitious frameworks, there is the potential for a new era of co-operation around eradicating poverty, reducing disaster risk, spurring green growth, and significantly reducing inequalities. However it will be impossible to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change without decisive action to protect the world's forests. A growing body of evidence shows that when indigenous and community rights are recognised and enforced, communities successfully protect and manage their forests, making crucial contributions to climate change mitigation. If we are serious about fighting climate change, then we must be serious about upholding the rights of the indigenous communities which live in and protect the world's forests. As with many development challenges, it is the poorest and most vulnerable members of society who face the greatest risks from having insecure land rights. In some countries, indigenous peoples and forest communities face threats to their lives as they strive to protect their ancestral lands from logging, mining, and agricultural interests in the face of insecure or weakly enforced land rights. On average in 2014, one environmental defender was killed every week, and almost half of those were indigenous people defending their ancestral lands from outside interests. Women are also adversely affected by not having secure land and tenure rights. Their rights may be denied by discriminatory laws and practices, leaving them dependent on men for basic economic survival and vulnerable to violence, poverty, and food insecurity. These problems are particularly acute for rural women. Large-scale land acquisitions, land degradation including desertification and biofuel production are reducing the availability of fertile land for farming as well as also increasing competition for the marginal lands more likely to be allocated to women farmers. These issues intersect with other inequalities, from poverty, illiteracy, poorer health, and low levels of education. All these may impact on women's ability to participate in decision making and governance processes. In rural Latin America, only 25% of land holdings are owned by women. This drops to 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa, and to under 5% in Western Asia and North Africa. Failure to address tenure security for women comes at a high price for development. Granting land rights to women can raise farm production by twenty to thirty per cent in developing countries, and result in significant gains for countries' food security and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). UNDP's 50 years' experience of empowering women and working with indigenous and local communities have convinced us that land rights across these groups are essential if the ambitious global goals set by world leaders are to be achieved. Fortunately, new opportunities to increase the land and resources owned and managed by indigenous peoples and forest communities are emerging. Technologies for mapping and land demarcation are improving and becoming more accessible. International and national human rights frameworks are being expanded and implemented. A growing body of evidence highlights the tangible environmental, social, and economic benefits of indigenous and community ownership of land, forests and resources. Despite the legal, social, and cultural barriers to advancing land rights for women, the path forward to advancing their rights to secure land tenure is also clear. Securing the rights of indigenous and forest communities and of women to land and natural resources will be an important step towards achieving sustainable development for all. (Helen Clark is the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and the former Prime Minister of New Zealand). Readers Forum Read in pursuit of knowledge : Hectic debate goes on in our country regarding the right to free thinking and speech. The US government and its allies throughout the world consider crimes like gay-marriage and sodomy as human rights if those are committed between the two or more mutually. But political philosophers have warned against exercising of any right if it creates anarchy in the society. Moreover, since religion is one of the major sources of rights, nothing against the religious values is acceptable. Further, State cannot create rights but recognises, protecting ethics and morality. The US government has been ferrying anarchy and disorder throughout the world and it has targeted Bangladesh as its next board. We remember the day when the Nixon administration sent aircraft carrier Enterprise with nuclear arsenal in support of Pakistan against Bangladesh in December 1971. The Awami League winning 167 seats in the National Assembly in 1970 earned the right to form the government in the centre, but the minority People's Party and its civil and military allies rose against the majority that shed blood of millions of people. The unrest that prevails in the country at the moment is the contribution of the US government. Now in order to get rid of our ignorance, we must read Political Science, Rights Chapter in particular. A philosopher said, men are of four categories. There are some men, who know that they know something. They are learned. Keep company with them. There are some men who know something, but they do not know that. They are sleeping. Rouse them. There are some men who do not know anything, but they know it. They are the people who could be guided and knowledge could be instilled. There are some men, who do not know even that they do not know anything. These people are dangerous. Avoid them. Ameer Hamzah Dhaka RAJUK's expensive tour programmes News report in a national daily on Saturday said Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkhya (RAJUK) sent 14 lawmakers including a minister on 22 foreign trips who went on more than one trips in recent past to gather knowledge on urban planning. RAJUK spent over Tk 2.0 crore and it is yet unknown what contributions, if any they made to bring about improvement to city planning. RAJUK has spent the public money but in our view these were mainly 'pleasure trips' arranged by the Capital Development Authority for MPs to buy their support apparently to cover up failures, pervasive corruptions in housing projects and misuse of budgetary fund. These are almost open secrets. The MPs mainly related to Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works could do better service to the nation by asking for transparency and accountability of RAJUK projects instead of becoming its guests on 'study tour' abroad. Dhaka is now the second least livable city globally which needs fresh look to its expansion plans and civic amenities. It requires participation of experts and other stakeholders in city development and MPs having no knowledge and training about modern city planning have nothing to do with it. People must get involved in such study tours and planning who can make critical contributions to bring changes in existing master plan to address issues like widening city roads, sanitation, water logging and utility supplies without road digging or least infrastructure dislocation. But it appears that RAJUK is otherwise busy. We know Dhaka city has already a master plan but professional bodies and environmental groups such as Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), Institute of Architects, Bangladesh and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon were so far ignored and instead sycophants and professionals close to the government made the plan, which proved unworthy so far for execution. It is clear that RAJUK can build a well-planned city unless the two City Corporations, WASA, Water Development Board and such other organizations can be involved with the process. The report quoted an MP who went on several study tours as saying they made recommendations but he was not aware whether these were implemented. But the fact is that they are not right persons to do it. The former works minister enjoyed 60-day trips to India, USA, UK, Germany and nine other countries over three years. Some others enjoyed 28-day study tours using RAJUK fund and Purbachal Town Project without however visible benefits of such expenditure to strengthening the urban planning. We know that Purbachal Town Project and many such projects are in shamble where contractors are prolonging work to mint undue money. We don't know how RAJUK will justify the cost of such foreign tours adding to the cost of plots and flats. Misleading post-mortem reports THE evidence of gang rape of college student Sohagi Jahan Tonu that came out in her DNA report over the failure of the two-time earlier post-mortem reports that could not find any such evidence, came as a big surprise to the nation. It surfaced in the DNA report carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after the investigation was transferred to its hands from Police and Detective Branch. Meanwhile the results of the second post-mortem report carried out by physicians of Comilla Medical College Hospital (CMCH) remained withheld in the backdrop of the first report, also carried out by CMCH physicians, did not find sign of rape on her body. CMCH have rejected to publish the second time post-mortem report due to contradictory results appeared in the DNA report. It has come as a big shock to the nation as to why a same murder case is showing two results.DNA findings have identified three persons involvement in the blood sample. Police have so far interrogated 58 persons in connection with the murder. Meanwhile RAB have also carried out a shadow investigation but did not make the results so far known. With the new turn of the investigation as the DNA report has taken to light, not only the parents of the unfortunate girl but also the nation as a whole now believe that a breakthrough has been achieved to identify the rapists and killers by similar DNA test. The possibility of arresting the murderers is also within sight. But question arises as to why earlier post-mortem reports were not able to identify rape as the cause of the murder. It also raises the suspicion whether any power quarter is working from behind to mislead the investigation and deny the proper prosecution and trial of the offenders. Since the offence has taken place at a highly sensitive place within Comilla Cantonment, the suspicion is only getting stronger. "We've found samples of spermatozoa of three men on the dress and underwear of Tonu in the DNA test conducted at the CID's Dhaka laboratory," media report said quoting a CID official. Such statement is enough to remove doubt that Tonu was killed after being raped. We must say that the murderers must be nabbed as soon as possible and put on trial. We also want to make it clear that nothing should be allowed to mislead the final report on the killing of the ill-fated girl and trial of offenders whatever powerful they may be. It is sad that in our country the culture of impunity is allowing powerful people to escape from the catch of law and it may be true in this case also when the father of Tonu is a lower grade employee of the Cantonment Board. But we believe that the government must take note of the people's anger and outcry and nobody will be able to misguide the process of law. Despite privacy concerns and accusations of crony capitalism, the House, for now, is advancing legislation that would pave the way for electronic license plate readers to be used by law enforcement. The proposal was sold to the House Committee on Criminal Justice recently as program that would encourage drivers to purchase liability insurance. SB 54 by Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Lake Charles, would set up a pilot program in nine parishes that would utilize already-existing license plate reading cameras to issue tickets to uninsured drivers. The system would work by pairing the cameras information with a database of license plates and their drivers who have lapsed insurance policies. A similar bill by Johns was passed by the House and Senate last year but was vetoed after arriving on former Gov. Bobby Jindals desk. The bill would levy a $200 fine to ticketed drivers, a portion of which would go to an outside vendor to pay for use of the multi-million dollar camera software. This has nothing to do with a money grab, said Johns. This is about trying to enforce a current law that is on the books. We still have more than 15 percent of drivers out there today who blatantly said Im not going to carry drivers insurance. Opponents to the bill compared it to Louisianas red light cameras that are connected to out-of-state vendors. Critics complained that the bill had vague descriptions of how the license plate cameras would ultimately be used by law enforcement and how the $200 fine would be spent by the state. We have on the one hand somebody saying that this is about insurance, and then we have somebody from the East Baton Rouge District Attorneys office whos saying its not just about insurance, its about other investigations, said Kyla Blanchard-Romanach from the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. That opens up this data to being looked at for all sorts of reasons and exposing innocent peoples information. Johns said his legislation would ultimately cost non-compliant drivers less. Currently, those without insurance coverage have to pay a $500 ticket and the drivers car can towed away. 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. President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Illinois congressional candidate C.J. Baricevic is getting the majority of his campaign funding, almost a quarter-million dollars worth, from attorneys most of whom ply their trade in the Belleville-based court system headed by Baricevics powerful father, 20th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge John Baricevic. In the latest intersection of law, politics and family within the Metro Easts famously insular legal community, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch analysis found that C.J. Baricevic has received more than $246,000 well over half his total of individual itemized contributions from lawyers and others associated with more than 70 law firms. Virtually all of them have filed or defended cases in the circuit where Baricevics father is the chief judge. One of those firms alone has donated more than $37,000 to the Democratic candidate through its lawyers and employees in recent months, the newspaper found, with even its secretaries giving the top allowable contribution of $2,700 each. C.J. Baricevic asserted that his support from attorneys doesnt stem from his fathers status as chief judge, but from his own status as a fellow lawyer. He is a partner in the Belleville firm Chatham & Baricevic. My peers are donating to me, which is flattering, said Baricevic. A lot of these people encouraged me. ... Without their support, I probably wouldnt have run in the first place. His father, Judge Baricevic, vehemently disputed any connection between his position as chief judge and his sons strong support from attorneys. He said the chief judges official authority to assign cases to other judges was in practice carried out by people under him. Call any lawyer, call any judge. I do not interfere with the normal process of assigning cases to other judges, he said last week. You wont find one lawyer who will make that accusation, because its unfounded. No one has alleged that Judge Baricevic has improperly meddled in case assignments. But critics say the lawyer-donors unusual generosity toward his son raises the question of whether those attorneys feel pressure to give. Common sense would tell you if you give money to the chief judges son, hes going to like you, and if you dont, he wont, said Belleville City Clerk Dallas Cook, a Republican who is running for 20th Judicial Circuit clerk and is suing to get Judge Baricevic removed from a judicial ballot this year in an unrelated election dispute. Its always been tyrannical rule here by Democrats, said Cook. This is just up another notch. C.J. Baricevic, 31, is attempting to unseat U.S. Rep Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, the freshman GOP incumbent. The 12th Congressional District takes in Jackson, Williamson, Perry, Franklin, Jefferson, Union, Alexander and Pulaski counties, as well as St. Clair County and parts of Madison County in the Metro East. Baricevic maintains that the real story in the campaign is that he is raising most of his money from individual donations, while Bost relies heavily on Republican Party money and PACs. Federal election records show Bost has raised more than $700,000 from those sources, comprising almost half his total campaign income. Baricevic has raised only about $70,000 in PAC and party money, less than 15 percent of his total. The big money is all going to Mike Bost, all the big PAC contributions, said Baricevic. He said that pattern proved Bost was a D.C. insider. John Baricevic, 68, has been on the bench for more than a decade in the 20th Judicial Circuit, which encompasses St. Clair, Monroe, Perry, Randolph and Washington counties. For decades, the elder Baricevic has been a major figure in St. Clair Countys powerful Democratic political culture. Prior to joining the bench, he was county board chairman and, before that, states attorney. In 2012, Judge Baricevic publicly considered running for the congressional seat his son now seeks. St. Clair County, along with neighboring Madison County, has long been a national magnet for plaintiffs in asbestos-related litigation. Baricevic himself hears felony criminal cases, but as chief judge, he has administrative authority over the flow of all the cases in the circuit. Unusual level of support Even in a Metro East legal community with a long history of supporting Democrats, the level of support for C.J. Baricevics campaign is unusual. The last Democrat to hold the seat, former Rep. Bill Enyart, D-Belleville, won election in 2012 with about the same amount in individual itemized funding as Baricevic currently has. But only about $182,000 worth of Enyarts individual donations came from lawyers, comprising less than 40 percent of his total, the newspapers analysis found. Thats against Baricevics $246,682 in attorney-related money, or 55 percent of his total. The highest-donating law firm among Baricevics contributors, Keefe, Keefe & Unsell of Belleville, gave at least $37,600, partly though top-level donations through four attorneys and one spouse. In addition, three of the firms secretaries, two legal assistants and a receptionist each donated the top allowable contribution of $2,700 an unusual level of giving for people who arent in higher-paying occupations. Those six donations all were made on the same day in March, according to C.J. Baricevics campaign records. None of that in itself violates federal election law, as long as the money actually originates with the employees and wasnt given to them by an employer for the purpose of making the donation, according to a Federal Election Commission spokesman. Phone and email messages seeking comment from the donors at the Keefe firm werent returned last week. A partner at another of the top-donating firms, Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer & Shevlin of Belleville, dismissed the suggestion that lawyers in Judge Baricevics circuit feel any pressure, implied or otherwise, to make political donations to his son. Thats absolutely untrue, said the partner, Bernard Ysursa. Weve given to all Democratic candidates and we support them and well continue to do so. Ysursa and his partners have donated a total of $10,850 to C.J. Baricevic, records show. Thats significantly more than they gave to former Rep. Enyart in 2014, though its slightly less than they gave to Enyart in 2012. In Illinois judicial circuits, the chief judge has general administrative authority in his or her circuit, including the authority to assign cases to other judges, according to an official description provided by the states court system. Judge Baricevic said that in practice, those assignments are carried out by an administrator who works for me, but that I dont tell her who to assign cases to. Asked why he believes his son has such unusually high support from attorneys in the circuit, Baricevic argued that he has a broad base of support. Your theory of influence is absolutely inappropriate and a waste of your readers time, he said. Its not accurate. A spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is trying to hold the seat against C.J. Baricevics challenge, said the newspapers findings raised questions of potential conflicts of interest between his fathers power in the courtroom and the lawyers funding his campaign. It is clear that C.J. Baricevic has far more support in the trial lawyer community than he does among the majority of 12th District voters, NRCC Spokesman Zach Hunter said in a written statement. A controversial circuit The 20th Judicial Circuit is no stranger to controversy. In 2013, St. Clair County Associate Judge Joseph Christ died of a cocaine overdose at a hunting lodge owned by the family of fellow St. Clair County Judge Mike Cook. Cook ultimately was sentenced to two years in federal prison on heroin and weapons charges. This year, Baricevic and two other 20th Circuit judges who were facing a scheduled retention vote opted instead to announce their resignations, then run for those vacant seats as new candidates. Since retention of a sitting judge requires an extraordinary majority 60 percent of the vote while a regular judicial election requires only a plurality, the move will make it easier for the three judges to remain on the bench. Both the judicial and congressional elections are scheduled Nov. 8. Dallas Cook, the Belleville city clerk, has sued to prevent the judges from completing what he alleges is a scheme to sidestep the state constitution. The suit is pending. (Cook isnt related to Judge Mike Cook.) The area that is now the Illinois 12th Congressional District was Democratic for generations, then flipped to the Republicans with Bosts election in 2014. Flipping it back this year was considered a key to national Democrats long-shot hopes of winning back the U.S. House. Its hard to see how Democrats get anywhere near a House majority without winning this seat, Nathan Gonzales, co-publisher of the Rothenberg-Gonzales Political Report, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last year. C.J. Baricevic wasnt the national Democrats choice for the race, with detractors citing his youth, political inexperience and lack of adequate fundraising. But the party failed to recruit anyone else, and Baricevic will be on the November ballot. SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Secretary of State's office says a plan to issue driver's licenses and state identification cards in Illinois that are more secure won't require additional state funding. Spokesman Henry Haupt tells The (Springfield) State Journal-Register that the office will launch the program using the same amount of money saved from upgrades made to cut costs. The effort to begin issuing Illinois driver's licenses and ID cards from one central facility was announced last week. State officials said it will mean more secure cards and bring the state closer to meeting federal security guidelines. Illinois has a Jan. 22, 2018, deadline to provide identification valid under the Real ID Act of 2005. Haupt says funding has been flat for the last six years and about $1 million less since 2010. ___ This story has been corrected to show the deadline for Illinois to provide valid identification under the Real ID Act is Jan. 22, 2018, not Jan. 22, 2008. One person died after a traffic crash Monday in Randolph County, according to a news release from the Illinois State Police. At about 12:12 a.m., a blue 2014 Ford pickup truck was driving north on Illinois 4 when it crossed the center line and hit a sliver, 2003 Ford pickup truck head-on. Sarah L. Schilling, age and location unknown, suffered fatal injuries. She was a passenger in the silver truck. It was driven by Alan Schilling, 53, of Sparta. Eric Wenzell, 31, of Percy, was charged with improper lane usage, but state police say the investigation continues and more charges are pending. The Southern BALTIMORE Prosecutors are 0-for-2 in their efforts to hold Baltimore police accountable in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray after an officer was acquitted Monday in the racially charged case that triggered riots a year ago. A judge cleared Officer Edward Nero of assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct, concluding that Nero played little role in Gray's arrest and wasn't responsible for the failure to buckle the black man into the police van where he suffered a broken neck. Upon hearing the verdict, Nero hugged his attorney and appeared to wipe away a tear. Nero's lawyers said he and his wife and family are "elated that this nightmare is finally over." "The state's attorney for Baltimore City rushed to charge him, as well as the other five officers, completely disregarding the facts of the case and the applicable law," they said in a statement. Prosecutors had no comment; they are under a gag order. Nero, who is white, was the second of six officers charged in the case to stand trial. The manslaughter case against Officer William Porter ended in a mistrial in December when the jury deadlocked. Prosecutors plan to retry him in September. Trial No. 3 that of van driver Caesar Goodson, who prosecutors believe is most culpable in Gray's death is set to begin in two weeks. He is charged with second-degree murder. David Weinstein, a Florida attorney and former federal civil rights prosecutor who has been following the case, said the verdict will probably serve as a "wake-up call" for prosecutors. "This speaks to the notion a lot of people had when this first happened, which is that it was a rush to judgment," Weinstein said. "The state's attorney was trying to balance what she had with the public outcry and call to action given the climate in Baltimore and across the U.S. concerning policing, and I think she was overreaching." Gray died a week after suffering a spinal injury in the back of the van while he was handcuffed and shackled but not belted in. His death set off rioting, looting and arson that prompted authorities to declare a citywide curfew and call out the National Guard to quell unrest in Baltimore for the first time since the riots that erupted in 1968 over the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Gray's name became a rallying cry in the growing furor over the deaths of black men in clashes with police. Nero, 30, waived his right to a jury trial, choosing instead to let Circuit Judge Barry Williams decide his fate. The assault charge alone carried up to 10 years in prison. "The state's theory has been one of recklessness and negligence," the judge said. "There has been no evidence that the defendant intended for a crime to occur." Nero remains on desk duty and still faces a departmental investigation that could result in disciplinary action. About a dozen protesters gathered outside the courthouse as the verdict was read, but they were far outnumbered by members of the media. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake noted the departmental review and pleaded for calm. "We once again ask the citizens to be patient and to allow the entire process to come to a conclusion," she said. "In the case of any disturbance in the city, we are prepared to respond. We will protect our neighborhoods, our businesses and the people of our city." Gray's family settled with the city for $6.4 million in September. An attorney for the family, Billy Murphy, said they respected the verdict, and he commended the judge for resisting "enormous pressure" and showing "tremendous courage in ruling against public opinion." Some legal experts said the judge's ruling was so narrowly tailored and the facts so different from those of the other defendants that it provides little guidance to what could happen in the upcoming trials. Baltimore defense attorney Warren Alperstein, who watched the trial, said Nero wisely elected a non-jury trial, because a judge is more capable of applying the complex constitutional questions involving what is a proper arrest. The van driver, though, should put his fate in the hands of a jury, because "when you're facing a murder charge, as Goodson is, you do not want to put all your eggs in one basket," Alperstein said. On the morning of April 12, 2015, Lt. Brian Rice was on patrol in a high-crime neighborhood when he made eye contact with Gray and Gray ran away. Rice called for backup, and Nero and Officer Garrett Miller responded. According to testimony, Miller jumped off his bicycle, caught up with Gray and put him in handcuffs. Gray was placed in the back of the van, seated on the bench. A few blocks away the van stopped, and Rice and Miller took Gray, who police said had been kicking, screaming and shaking the van, out of the wagon, placed him in leg irons and replaced his metal cuffs with plastic ones. The officers, with Nero's help, loaded Gray back into the van, sliding him in his belly, head-first. Nero's attorneys said Nero touched Gray only twice first to help him up from the ground after he had been handcuffed and was asking for an inhaler, then to help put him back in the van. After Gray was taken into custody, police found a knife on him. But the judge did not allow testimony about that. Prosecutors argued that police had no probable cause to arrest Gray. But the judge said that Nero was not involved in the arrest, so the question of whether it was improper was irrelevant. Tessa Hill-Aston, president of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP, said officers' failure to see that Gray was buckled in "speaks to a lack of training." "That's where the system failed Freddie. Because everyone is passing the buck on who is supposed to strap him in," she said. ___ Associated Press writer David Dishneau in Hagerstown contributed to this report. David Lauderdale writes a column for The Island Packet of Hilton Head-Bluffton. Lauderdale has won many awards over many years for his words about the people, culture, traditions and issues of the South Carolina Lowcountry. His columns are good, the type of stuff that makes the newspaper reader clip and save. Many columns are humorous. Some are provocative. All are insightful. Recently, Lauderdale ventured beyond the boundaries of southern Beaufort County to address controversy surrounding a Lowcountry institution that has seen its share, dating to the Civil War and before. Many people who criticize The Citadel do not understand the South Carolina Military College. Without detailing its history, Lauderdale fosters understanding in the context of addressing why the institution was right not to grant the request of a prospective female student to wear the hijab, traditional Muslim headdress. In the process, he hits the larger issue of a nation that has lost sight of what individual rights mean. As he states, the student is not facing discrimination, but The Citadel IS being treated unfairly. Well summarize no further. Lauderdale says it best. Here is an abridged version of his column: The Citadel is not for everyone. South Carolinas military college in Charleston cannot be all things to all people. In fact, its essence is that it is one thing to a few people. The bigger problem is that we have become a nation with individual rights on steroids. Citadel cadets learn that life inside those walls is not about I. Or me. Or my. It is about a corps. This is why The Citadel was right to tell an admitted student that an exception would not be made for her to wear a hijab, or headcover different from the corps. She requested the exception in keeping with her faith. But this is not about faith. It is about a corps. It is not about freedom of expression or constitutional rights. Its about a corps. It is not about an outdated tradition, as defenders of the student claim. It is about a corps. In a corps, people give up themselves for something larger. People now claim rights that never existed. Like the so-called right to wear whatever you want to wear at a military college. Thats foolishness. So now The Citadel is portrayed as insensitive, at best, for sticking to its mission of building a corps. The student involved said it was not fair. She always wanted to go to The Citadel and now she must give up one thing if she wants to get another. And why is this The Citadels problem? It shouldnt be. It is The Citadel that is being treated unfairly. Perhaps the courts will be called on to sort this out. So be it. But the bigger problem is that we have become a nation with individual rights on steroids. And our greatest moments as a nation, and as individuals, have always been when we give up ourselves for the person on our left and the person on our right. Its the kind of thing military schools teach very well. As Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five moves forward with an assessment of its facilities, one issue the board will be looking at is what to do about the old Ellis Avenue Elementary School. Built in 1931, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It currently houses a number of district departments including the finance office, human resources, information technology, special services, special education and psychological services. The building has great character, but requires a great deal in upkeep, Public Relations Director Bill Clark said. Problems with the aging structure range from moisture seeping through outer walls to limited access to people with disabilities, he said. Difficulties in making repairs and maintaining the building are intensified by guidelines set by the NRHP, Clark said. If at all possible, the district must repair rather than replace systems in the historic structure, he said. If a mechanical system breaks down and you have to replace it, you have to use one that is substantially similar in appearance and function to the one you are removing, he said. Even things as simple as the original ceiling tiles have to be replaced with some that are as old they are and that look much like the original, Clark said, adding that it is very difficult to find replacements for them. Clark noted that the handrail along one of the stairs has been pulled out because of termite damage and will have to be replaced with the same type of wood. In addition, anything the district does has to be reversible so that the building can be taken back to the way it was, he said. Under NRHP guidelines, restrooms cant be updated to accommodate people with disabilities, he said. The guidelines also prohibit adding an elevator to make the basement and second floor wheelchair accessible. However, Clark noted the building is exempted from following the Americans with Disabilities Act because its protected under an architectural covenant. Whether the district continues to use the Ellis building to house the departments currently there will probably be addressed during the facilities assessment and planning process, he said. The district will have to decide, is it feasible economically to rehabilitate this building to a higher level than what it currently serves, or would it be more practical to create another structure that would serve the same purpose? Clark said. The district faces one almost constant problem with upkeep of the Ellis building, he said. While the outside brick walls are definitely solid, they are not waterproof. There is no vapor barrier between the outer wall and the inside plaster. Instead, plaster was applied directly to the inside of those exterior, brick walls, Clark said. When it gets wet outside, the bricks absorb the moisture, he said, noting they pull it inside where it gets behind the plaster and the plaster starts bubbling up and peeling off. The plaster cant be removed, but has to be sanded down and the plaster reapplied, Clark said. This is something you cant really fix, he said. You just have to keep coming back to it. In addition, some inside walls have been re-plastered over and over again because of cracks caused as the building settles, Clark said, noting theres at least one crack that runs all the way from the roof to the basement. Moisture is definitely a problem in the basement where the information technology department is housed, along with all its networking equipment and hardware, he said. This section was once the cafeteria, and the IT Department was put there because of the space. Its located on the outside wall of the building, and the bricks pull moisture in from the outside, Clark said. In addition, when we get heavy water infiltration, it all finds its way down to the basement where weve got all that equipment, he said. The servers are off the floor a little bit, but if much water comes in, the staff has to scramble to move them higher off the floor, Clark said. The buildings flat roof is another area of concern, he said. Thats another thing that cant be changed here because it would change the exterior appearance of the building from an architectural standpoint, Clark said. So far, the staff has been pretty successful with keeping the leaks out, but flat roofs tend to leak more than pitched roofs, he noted. If trustees decide to continue using the building, its going to be very expensive, Clark said. A building assessment done 15 years ago determined it would cost $3 million at that time to rehabilitate the structure to a highly functioning level. But if the district decides not to continue using it, it will have to find somewhere else to house the six departments that are now located there. In addition, it will have to decide what to do with the building, Clark said. The Ellis School was designed by South Carolina architect James B. Urquhart and constructed by Lupo and Holcombe Builders. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. /By Azernews/ By Gunay Camal The Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has brimmed and simmered for over two decades, but it escaped the due attention of the international community. Nonetheless, everything has changed with the worst outbreak of violence since a 1994 ceasefire in early April. When intense fighting broke out on April 2-5 in Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani land occupied by Armenia back in 1990s, the international community, including the U.S., the European Union, and Russia urged to calm with a view to prevent full-scale war from reigniting. After a Moscow-brokered ceasefire and the U.S.-initiated Vienna talks between the two sides in mid-May, the hostilities slowed. But, a lasting peace is still a delusion as the status-quo cannot be a guarantor of peace. Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, is sure that today everyone understands that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must sooner or later be resolved peacefully and through negotiations An opinion was formed in Europe, the U.S. and Russia that the conflict needs attention and that time has come to find a solution to it, he said in an interview with ANS TV channel. Mammadov is sure that the April events on the frontline have once again attracted the attention of international community, the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as a variety of international and regional organizations to the Karabakh conflict, and have shown that the conflict is not frozen. Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. But despite the ceasefire in 1994, low-scale fighting continued along the line of contact for the past 22 years. Failure of the Mediating group -- the OSCE Minsk Group -- to make meaningful progress toward peace only brought a backslide toward more war rhetoric. Mammadov reminded that Azerbaijan's desire is to fairly settle the conflict based on within the framework of international law. Commenting on the expansion of the powers of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman after the Vienna meeting, Mammadov said that Azerbaijan has expressed its official position on the issue. "The main idea here was to strengthen the ceasefire regime. Armenia, just as in the beginning of April, has been constantly engaged in provocations. In this regard, several proposals were expressed, and one of them is an extension of the mandate of the OSCE Representative for monitoring. We said that that we do not object to this proposal," Mammadov said. The OSCE mission regularly holds monitoring on the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, but it failed to regulate accurately the situation since the first days of its activity. The frequent ceasefire violations occur almost every day, causing great hardship for the people living near the frontline, as they can't live their normal everyday lives and are always under a threat. Persistent shootings by the Armenian forces lead to casualties, even deaths among the civilian Azerbaijani population. The latest clashes, whereas, showed the risks of rising violence. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov has addressed the plenary session of the 16th Doha Global Forum. The FM highlighted Azerbaijan`s role in ensuring international and regional security, the country`s contribution to the global fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He drew the audience`s attention to occupation by Armenia of twenty per cent of Azerbaijan`s international recognized territories. The FM said official Yerevan continues to disregard resolutions of the UN Security Council and other international organizations demanding an unconditional and immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan`s lands. /By Azernews/ By Gulgiz Dadashova Rapidly expanding trade and nascent investment promise stronger links between China, the worlds second largest economy, and Azerbaijan, an energy rich country on the Caspian basin. Economic ties between Azerbaijan and China play a large role in the bilateral political relationships. The two share a common interest in boosting the collaboration and partnership, as the rapid rise of China and Azerbaijan, and the growing integration between them, has a clear boost for regional projects. The expansion of cooperation in the areas of law-enforcement and security could contribute to further strengthening of the bilateral relations, believes President Ilham Aliyev. The Azerbaijani leader sounded this statement in a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by Meng Jianzhu, a special envoy of the Chinese President, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party, Secretary of the party`s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission in Baku on May 22. The delegation included senior officials of all law-enforcement and security bodies and the Foreign Ministry. Emphasizing that the bilateral cooperation covered many spheres, President Aliyev noted that relations between Azerbaijan and China were successfully developing in political, economic, transport, trade and humanitarian areas. The head of state noted that national leader Heydar Aliyev played an exceptional role in the establishment of fundamental principles of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and China. Emphasizing that China was a friendly and fraternal country for Azerbaijan, President Aliyev said that development of ties with China was among key foreign policy priorities of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan attaches serious importance to all-round cooperation with the Asian countries as much as with the Western ones. Azerbaijan, which is capable of playing a role of a bridge, in a broad sense of a word, between East and West, is keen on cooperating with China in all directions. In a speech to the Chinese delegation, the president praised the bilateral political ties and noted that Azerbaijan was interested in having more Chinese companies involved in its economy and expanding tourism cooperation. President Aliyev also pointed to good prospects for cooperation in transportation of goods by railway from China to Europe passing through Azerbaijan, adding that active work was conducted in this regard. Underlining the importance of Azerbaijan-China cooperation in combating terrorism, extremism and separatism, President Aliyev said Azerbaijan faced Armenian terrorism and separatism. The Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be solved in accordance with norms and principles of international law, within Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity, the president said, once again reminding that this conflict poses a threat to regional security. China joined the top 10 of largest trading partners of Azerbaijan for the first time in 2015. To date, the volume of Chinese investment projects in Azerbaijan, which started realizing since 2002, has already reached $300 million. Alternative energy sources, as well as tourism and agriculture are the main areas of cooperation between China and Azerbaijan. The sides have repeatedly discussed potential for development of cooperation in such areas as cotton growing and livestock. The Chinese delegation in their turn said they wanted the conflict to be solved peacefully. Jianzhu said his country respected Azerbaijan`s efforts to ensure its territorial integrity. Meng Jianzhu, apprising the bilateral relations, for his part emphasized that China was interested in expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan in the fields of security, law-enforcement, fight against terrorism, transnational economic crimes, cybercrimes, as well as in ensuring security along the Great Silk Road. He pointed out that cooperation in the field of security could contribute to regional cooperation, describing the Great Silk Road project as a promising one. The Great Silk Road is a general name of a caravan road, which has been the main two-way trading bridge of East and West since III century BC up to now. The Great Silk Road starts in Japan and China stretches up to Europe cutting through India, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, Caucasus, Asia Minor, Northern Africa including/connecting Indian Ocean, Chinese sea, Japanese sea, Red sea, Caspian sea, Black sea, Azov sea and Mediterranean sea. Azerbaijan actively participates in the restoration of the Great Silk Road having in view its geographical and strategic position and economic demand. The Great Silk Road was not only a means of trade between the East and the West, but an important means for the exchange of cultural values. The active cooperation between China and Azerbaijan strongly contributes to the realization of the Great Silk road program. Jianzhu further hailed the Azerbaijani president`s state visit to China as successful, saying important documents on the expansion of cooperation were signed during the visit. He also noted that presidents Ilham Aliyev and Xi Jinping enjoyed friendly ties, saying China regarded Azerbaijan as a friendly and fraternal country. Azerbaijan and China opened a new page in their relations after President Ilham Aliyev visited China in December 2015. During the visit, several meetings, negotiations were held and 10 documents were signed. Cooperation issues almost in all spheres were discussed. The special envoy emphasized that the main goal of the Baku visit was to give impetus to the execution of agreements achieved by the heads of state during president Aliyev's state visit to China. The special envoy said that prior to visiting Azerbaijan he met with President Xi Jinping, who described Azerbaijan as a beautiful country and expressed his desire to visit it. The head of state invited Xi Jinping to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan at his convenience. China is a huge opportunity and a priority market for Azerbaijan. More than 50 agreements were signed between the two countries so far. Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) has recently opened a representative office in China to support and encourage relations between the two countries businessmen, as well as expand Azerbaijani goods export to the Chinese market and attract China's leading investment funds to the Azerbaijan economy. The trade turnover with China reached $565.1 million last year, while its unit weight in the total trade turnover of Azerbaijan amounted to 2.74 percent, according to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee. Hempel Paints, a major player in the decorative, protective, marine, container and yacht markets and a leader in the coatings industry, has launched a new addition to its Fusions Effects range of paints in Saudi Arabia. The company held a series of workshops to introduce the Makhmaleyat range of paints to more than 1,500 applicators in the kingdom. The workshop also revealed the most prominent techniques and guidelines for using Hempel Paints under the best global practices. Speaking at the launch, Mohamad Abdul Motaleb, the retail and promotion manager, said: "Hempel aims to help applicators benefit from its newest products to offer the best results to its customers according to top-notch quality and low maintenance, not to mention extending the products life cycle." "This workshop complements the strong demand of the paint industry in Saudi Arabia and highlights the need to raise the level of expertise," he added. The workshop included a lecture on paints and the evolution of the industry in general, as well as the introduction of Makhmaleyat, which is part of the creative range of Fusions effects paints that cater to different preferences and tastes by giving the room an elegant and sophisticated velvet look. "The final look varies in colour tone from dark to light reminiscing the movement of the fabric; and while it takes more time to dry, it gives the applicator the flexibility to fix and retouch when needed. Makhmaleyat adds glamour to the walls and fits in both classical and modern styles as it breaks the limits of standard paint," explained Motaleb. At these workshops, the participants tested the Makhmaleyat range of paints and were also given tips on the correct use of the material and the methods to implement the trims and finishing in construction works as per the latest techniques in the field of modern decor and paint developments. Hempel Saudi Arabia was established in 1973 with main branches in Riyadh, Jeddah, Jubail and Yanbu and a factory in Dammam. It now has a dominant stake in the Saudi market contributing to the preservation of many vital buildings in the kingdom.-TradeArabia News Service Dubai will host a major summit that will focus on manufacturing excellence and technology that will help in the expansion of the GCC region's industrial base. The GCC Manufacturing Excellence and Technology Summit 2016 will be organised by Expotrade, global conference producers, on November 14 and 15 November at Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa. Significant expansion of the GCC regions industrial base in terms of the number of factories and size of investments over the last five years is a clear indicator of manufacturing becoming the key sector contributing significantly to the regions economy, the organisers said. Data from industry reports indicate that across the GCC, 3,257 factories were set up within the last five-year period. The United Arab Emirates is at the forefront of this growth with the country expecting the manufacturing sector aiming to contribute 25 per cent to its overall GDP by 2025. Taking advantage of this robust growth, manufacturers are adopting lean manufacturing practices to improve productivity, streamline processes, reduce waste and be cost effective, a statement said. Under the theme Achieve Manufacturing Operational Excellence, the summit will address major developments, cover success stories and focus on key topics such as IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), matured lean processes, process excellence & quality management, advanced industrial robots, mobile technologies for smart factories and improve environmental performance with green manufacturing. Strategies to improve operational capabilities to achieve excellence in manufacturing will be shared through keynote presentations, panel discussions and case study presentations by experts and top executives from the leading manufacturers in the world. Ashraf Zaki, manufacturing director, Colgate Palmolive; Kunal Sharma, national head - operational excellence and centre of excellence, Coca-Cola; Mario Naldini, director of manufacturing, Pirelli; Jagdish Ramaswamy, president - corporate business excellence, Aditya Birla Group; Sathish Narayanan, productivity lead- Lean Six Sigma - Middle East & Africa, Pepsico; and Souraj Salah, business process improvement manager, Juma Al Majid Group, amongst others have confirmed to speak at the summit. Brad Hariharan, regional director, Expotrade Middle East, said: The GCC regions emergence as a manufacturing powerhouse is imminent. Keeping this in mind, the GCC Manufacturing Excellence and Technology Summit has been designed. As the only event of its kind in this region, the summit will bring together the whos who of industry heads to network, ideate, engage in cross-sector knowledge sharing and learn techniques that will help your organisation assess its capabilities and attain global competitiveness. At the summit, participants can learn from industry experts from across the globe the techniques and nuances to improve and attain excellence in manufacturing operations. The summit will attract over 300 senior department heads representing engineering, lean manufacturing, operational excellence, process innovation, process development, plant production, process management, quality assurance and control, Six Sigma, supply chain, IT and cyber security, R&D, designing and health and safety. - TradeArabia News Service A group of high-level investment professionals from Japan recently visited the Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) managed Industrial City Abu Dhabi 1 (ICAD 1), in Abu Dhabi, UAE. ZonesCorp officials welcomed the visiting group and also gave a presentation showcasing its model for developing industrial infrastructure in Abu Dhabi and creating an effective commercial environment to support growth and economic diversification with specialised economic zones, said a statement from ZonesCorp. The visit was headed by the director general of the JCCME UAE-Japan desk who was accompanied by a senior consultant from Nomura Research Institute in Japan to study the investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi and look at best practices for managing economic zones. ZonesCorp is rapidly becoming one of the leading destinations for industrial investment in the region attracting over $1 billion worth of foreign direct investment in the last two years from companies all over the globe. This includes investment by some of Japans biggest industrial and manufacturing names including Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Adeka Corporation, Nippon Steel and the Sumitomo Metal Corporation. During the visit the group also toured a number of the top facilities operating in the economic zones and the Worker Residential Cities showcasing the extensive infrastructure available to investors and the broad mix of companies that have set up successful facilities. The tour included a visit to Neopharma, which is one of the worlds leading pharmaceutical manufacturers with a facility in ICAD 1. The visit took place as part of a wider delegation of Japanese statesmen and business leaders visiting Abu Dhabi to attend the 4th Abu Dhabi-Japan Economic Council hosted by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. The aim of the council is to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, promote trade and investment, build long lasting trading relationships and encourage advanced knowledge and technology transfer. Saeed Issa Al Khaili, acting chief executive officer at ZonesCorp, said: We were delighted to welcome the delegation from Japan. The ICADs are a natural fit for Japanese investors looking to access the emerging markets of the Middle East and the more mature markets of the west thanks our world class infrastructure, tax free environment and the low operating costs, he added. TradeArabia News Service Russian shipbuilder Krasnye Barrikady has been awarded a near-$1 billion contract by Iran to build five offshore drilling rigs for use on Iran's part of the Gulf shelf, a company official told Reuters. The project, which was under discussion for almost two years, will be financed jointly by Russia and Iran, the official said. Iran will soon make a 15 per cent advance payment on the $200 million price of the first rig, he said. - Reuters A group of Chinese investors plan to spend $370 million towards setting up infrastructure at Oman's southern port of Duqm in a project that could attract billions of dollars in investment. The Omani government is working to develop the area around Duqm, on a stretch of barren coast 550 km south of the capital Muscat, into a major business zone as part of efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil. The industrial park deal, signed during a visit to Oman by Wang Yong, a member of China's State Council or cabinet, could provide a big boost to that project and reduce pressure on Omani state finances, which have been hurt by low oil prices. Yahya al-Jabri, chairman of the Omani state authority developing Duqm, predicted the 1,172-hectare industrial park would attract $10 billion of investment by 2022. "The Chinese companies will be responsible for building the infrastructure, and then will be allowed to lease the land to Chinese investors. Almost all the projects will be financed by Chinese banks," Jabri told reporters. Ali Shah, chairman of Oman Wanfang, the Chinese-owned company that will manage investments at the industrial park, said it would include light and heavy industry as well as a $150 million, five-star hotel, a $100 million hospital and a school. Planned investments include an oil refinery, a cement plant, a factory making pipes for the petroleum industry, an automobile assembly plant, and a 1-gigawatt solar power generation facility, officials said without naming the Chinese companies that would build the projects. Oman Wangfang is a subsidiary of China-Arab Wanfang Investment Management Co, which was established with government backing in 2015 by companies in the northwestern Chinese region of Ningxia, according to the parent firm's website. - Reuters Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi announced the launching of an offensive to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Falluja after the military told residents to get ready to leave before fighting started. "Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi said on his official Twitter feed, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group. He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A US-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighbouring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support. Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the jihadists, in January 2014, six months before the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria. Iraqi officials said Shi'ite militias, including ones backed by neighbouring Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city proper, as they were largely in the battle for Ramadi, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents. The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Falluja since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months. Families who cannot flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city, the military's media unit said in a statement on state television, a tactic employed with some success in other recent offensives. Deputy District Council Chairman Falih al-Essawi said three corridors would be opened for civilians to camps west, southwest and southeast of the city, and a subsequent military statement said some residents had begun to flee. "Our goal is to liberate civilians from Daesh's repression and terrorism," Abadi said in a televised speech. TRAPPED CIVILIANS Residents told Reuters about 20 families set out from a southern front-line neighbourhood late on Saturday but that only half of them made it out. Some were intercepted by Islamic State, while others were killed by explosives planted along the road by the jihadists, the residents said. The United Nations and Human Rights Watch said last month that residents were facing acute shortages of food and medicine during a siege by government forces. Aid has not reached the city since the Iraqi military recaptured nearby Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital, in December. Essawi told a local television channel on Sunday that more than 75,000 civilians remained in Falluja, in keeping with a recent US military estimate of 60,000 to 90,000. About 300,000 people lived in the Euphrates River city before the war. Known as the "City of Minarets and Mother of Mosques", Falluja is a focus for Sunni Muslim faith and identity in Iraq. It was badly damaged in two offensives by US forces against al Qaeda insurgents in 2004. Saad Al-Hadithi, a spokesman for Abadi, said the city's "liberation" would help restore normal life to Anbar province, over which Islamic State took nearly complete control in 2014. Following recent government offensives in Rutba and Hit, control of Falluja would secure the road more than 500 km (300 miles) from Baghdad to the Jordanian border and northwards to Haditha, 190 km (115 miles) northwest of the capital. But Islamic State still controls vast swathes of territory and major cities such as Mosul in the north. Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake Mosul this year, although some officials question in private whether the army will be ready in time. - Reuters Bomb blasts killed scores of people in Jableh and Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast on Monday and wounded many others in the government-controlled territory that hosts Russian military bases, monitors and state media said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in the cities that have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in the five-year-old conflict, saying it was targeting members of President Bashar Al-Assad's Alawite minority. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 145 people were killed in attacks by at least five suicide bombers and two devices planted in cars. State media said 78 people had been killed in what is Assad's coastal heartland. The attacks were the first of their kind in Tartous, capital of Tartous province and home to a Russian naval facility, and Jableh in Latakia province, near a Russian-operated air base. The Kremlin said the bomb blasts underscored the need to press ahead with Geneva peace talks after a February 27 ceasefire collapsed in April as violence intensified in a war that has killed at least 250,000 people. "This demonstrates yet again just how fragile the situation in Syria is. And this one more time underscores the need for new urgent steps to continue the negotiating process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness to fight with the Syrian government against "the terrorist threat" sent his condolences to Assad, the Kremlin said. The Syrian foreign ministry sent a letter to the United Nations, state television reported, saying the blasts were a "dangerous escalation by the hostile and extremist regimes in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha", referring to support given to the rebels by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. "BLOOD AND BODIES" One of the four blasts in Jableh hit near a hospital and another at a bus station. The Tartous bombs also targeted a bus station, the Observatory and state media reported. Younes Hassan, a doctor working at the Jableh hospital, said he heard an explosion at the bus station, followed less than a minute later by the blast at the hospital. "Everything went into emergency mode, wounded people began arriving," he told Reuters by phone. The Tartous explosions also occurred in quick succession, no more than 10 seconds apart, a driver at the bus station said. "People began running but didn't know which direction to go, cars were on fire, there was blood and bodies on the ground," Nizar Hamade said. Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel showed several twisted and burnt-out cars and minivans. Islamic State claimed the attacks in a statement posted online by the group's Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had targeted "gatherings of Alawites". Syria's Information Minister Omran Al-Zoubi said in an interview with Ikhbariya that terrorists were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians instead of fighting on the front lines, and vowed to keep battling them. The government refers to all insurgents fighting against it in the conflict as terrorists. Bombings in the capital Damascus and western city of Homs this year killed dozens of people and were also claimed by Islamic State, which is fighting against government forces and their allies in some areas, and separately against its jihadist rival al Qaeda and other insurgent groups. Latakia city, which is north of Jableh and capital of the province, has been targeted on a number of occasions by bombings and insurgent rocket attacks, including late last year. Government forces and their allies have recently stepped up bombardment of areas in Aleppo province in the north, which has become a focal point for the escalating violence. Insurgents have also launched major attacks in that area. The only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city has suffered a week of increasingly heavy air strikes. Zakaria Malahefji, a senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area told Reuters that the road was heavily bombarded again on Monday and was dangerous to use. He said Iranian-backed fighters, who are supporting government forces, were mobilising in the southern Aleppo area. France's foreign ministry called the Tartous and Jableh bombings "odious", and said violence from all sides must stop if a political transition is to take place. - Reuters Telecommunications and technology firm Cisco will focus on the rapid transformation and opportunities brought about by digitisation, at its annual Partner Summit due to be held on May 24. At the event, the company will reveal to its partners its strategy for accelerating profitable growth together and speak about the business outcomes that new solutions can bring to customers across sectors. The event serves as a platform to ensure better alignment and a greater value exchange within the Cisco Partner Ecosystem. Partners will be able to engage with Ciscos global and local executives, network with industry peers and receive updates on Ciscos partner strategy. The pace of change in our industry is accelerating and while this means a wider array of market segments and areas where we are able to deliver tangible impact and business outcomes, it also highlights the need for closer alignment and collaboration with our channel partner community, said Frida Kleimert, head of channel and commercial sales at Cisco UAE. As the market transforms and every country, city, and business become digital, we need to bring greater value to our customers. The opportunities for Cisco and our partners are huge and are growing more rapidly than ever. Cisco is committed to capturing market trends while empowering our partners to develop their own digital niche so we can meet the changing needs of customers today and tomorrow, she added. Kleimert will open the summit, followed by keynote presentations by Milo Schacher, vice president of EMEAR Partner Organisation at Cisco, on the Power of Cisco Partnerships and Denny Trevett, vice president of ecosystem sales acceleration at Cisco, on Driving Digitisation with our Partner Ecosystem. Other speakers from Cisco include Mike Weston, vice president, Middle East; Gordon Thomson, managing director, enterprise networking, EMEAR; Clinton O' Leary, cloud lead, Middle East; and Ivan Duggan, enterprise networks technology sales leader, EMEAR. The Cisco UAE Partner Summit will be held at the Ritz Carlton in Dubai, UAE. TradeArabia News Service The Nissan Kicks, the all-new global compact crossover, will be available for sales in Brazil in August, followed by Latin American left-hand drive markets later in 2016. Ultimately, it will be introduced in more than 80 global markets. The Kicks features Around View Monitor and Moving Object Detection, which use four on-board cameras to present a view of the car and to warn the driver of any unseen hazards. The segment-first intelligent mobility system is just one of the stand-out features of the new crossover, whose concept was first shown at the Sao Paulo Motor Show in 2014, said a press statement. Front seat occupants of the Kicks will face the latest version of Nissans Gliding Wing dashboard design, which is dominated by a centrally mounted seven-inch full colour display housing a comprehensive infotainment system with Smartphone connectivity. The Kicks also features a cabin full of innovative features that would be expected by technology hungry consumers. The interior promises best in class passenger space in the rear despite the coupe-like roofline as well as one of the largest load areas in its class, said the press statement. The Kicks will come with established design signatures, such as Nissans V-motion grille, boomerang head and taillights, and the floating roof with a wraparound visor look to the windscreen and side glass. During the engineering process, much attention was paid to the cars overall aerodynamic performance not only to benefit its dynamic performance, but also its overall refinement by reducing wind noise. With Kicks, we have developed a compact crossover in the best Nissan tradition. It will offer best-in-class design, convenience and technological innovation. And, it will demonstrate Nissans commitment to Nissan Intelligent Mobility. Kicks is a car to confidently take on the city, said Keno Kato, corporate vice president of product planning at Nissan. To meet initial Brazilian demand, Kicks will be produced at Nissans benchmark plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Ramp-up to full production will start within 2016 at the Nissan facility in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, the site of a $192 million investment to prepare for Kicks. TradeArabia News Service Saudi Aramco and PT Pertamina (Persero) have awarded the engineering and project management services contract to conduct the basic engineering design (BED) study for their joint Cilacap Refinery upgrade project to Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Limited. The contract was signed by Said Al-Hadrami, vice president of international operations, Saudi Aramco and Rachmad Hardadi, refining director of PT Pertamina at Pertaminas Head Office in Jakarta, today. This follows a heads of agreement (HOA) which was signed by Pertamina and Saudi Aramco in November 2015 to formalise the collaboration for the project. As the Cilacap refinery upgrade will be implemented jointly by Pertamina and Saudi Aramco, this milestone is considered as a significant achievement towards this joint venture formation. It is essential to have a strategic partner with both technical and financial capability to execute such a large project. Saudi Aramco is an ideal partner, said Hardadi. Signing this contract for the Cilacap Refinery upgrade project marks a key milestone for Saudi Aramcos partnership with PT Pertamina. Saudi Aramco takes a long-term view on such investments and partnerships, where we seek projects that will bring mutual benefits to the partners and countries that will last for many decades. We look forward to this venture that enhances Indonesias prosperity through greater energy security and strengthens our companys global energy value chain, said Al-Hadrami. Amec Foster Wheeler will develop the scope for the proposed upgrade project for the existing refinery located in central Java and will finalise the process configuration and licensors packages over the next nine months. The upgrade of the Cilacap Refinery is part of Pertaminas Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP), aimed at improving Indonesias energy security and involves the expansion and upgrade of its domestic refineries. The overall upgrade project cost for the Cilacap Refinery is estimated to be approximately $4 billion to $5 billion. Once the upgrade is completed, the capacity of the Cilacap Refinery's will increase to 370,000 barrels per day. In addition, gasoline and diesel production will be maximised and higher quality base oils will be produced from the refinery, which are targeted to be absorbed domestically. The upgrade will also enhance the petrochemicals capacity of the refinery to exceed more than 600 KTPA of aromatics and 160 KTPA of polypropylene. The companies are targeting to complete the front end engineering design (Feed) stage in 2018, and kick off the EPC phase in 2019. The project upgrade is targeted for completion by the end of 2022. Hardadi said this collaboration is the first step towards other similar partnerships between Pertamina and Saudi Aramco with regard to refineries in Dumai (in Sumatra) and Balongan (in Java). - TradeArabia News Service Oil discoveries in 2015 fell to their lowest since 1952 as energy companies slashed exploration budgets in the wake of the oil price fall, creating a gap for meeting future demand, analysts at Morgan Stanley said on Monday. The oil and gas industry discovered 2.8 billion barrels of oil outside the US last year, the equivalent of one month of global consumption, the US bank said, quoting data from consultancy Rystad Energy. Including the US, where the rapid expansion of the onshore shale industry unlocked major resources over the past decade, global discoveries rose to 12.1 billion figure - but still the lowest since 1952, when the oil industry was one-seventh of its current size. Oil discoveries are vital to replace resources, meet still-growing demand and offset the depletion of existing fields. The sharp drop in oil prices over the past two years has led companies including Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell to sharply reduce budgets, particularly for exploration, where spending fell in 2015 to around $95 billion from $168 billion two years earlier, according to Morgan Stanley. Despite a big increase in exploration spending since the start of the decade, when oil demand rapidly rose, there have been few major hydrocarbon discoveries, such as Statoil's Johan Sverdrup field off Norway's coast or Eni's giant Zohr gas field off Egypt. BP last week announced the surprise departure of its exploration boss, and a shift in its oil search strategy that is focusing mainly on expanding existing fields rather than venturing expensively into the unknown. SHORTAGE A big increase in new oil fields in recent years and the ramp up of Iran's production following the lifting of international sanctions mean that in the short term, the impact of the low exploration record will be limited. But even under the most modest demand forecasts, driven by a drive to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, where consumption will decline to around 86 million barrels per day in 2030, only around two thirds of the demand can be met by currently producing fields or resources under development, Morgan Stanley said. "Building this capacity over the next 25 years will require ongoing investment. Our strong suspicion is that this will be higher than what companies are currently spending, even relative to the 2 Degrees scenario under which demand is falling." The outlook for exploration remains challenged, the bank said. "The return on exploration dollars spent has clearly deteriorated in recent years. On top of this, oil companies increasingly need to consider scenarios for oil demand in which there may not be much need for further exploration." - Reuters Petrochemicals giant Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) has recommended the appointment of new presidents at three of its affiliates, including one subsidiary which experienced a deadly fire last month, industry sources said on Monday. No reasoning was given by the sources for the changes at the companies, which are all located in Jubail, Saudi Arabia's biggest industrial city on its eastern coast. Sabic declined to comment. The sources said Sabic recommended to the board of United Petrochemical Company that it appoint as its new president Abdullah Al Shamrani. In April, 12 workers were killed and 11 were injured after a fire broke out during routine maintenance at United, which is owned by Sabic, with a 75 per cent stake, and two government funds. As well as the appointment of Shamrani, who was president of AlBayroni Al Jubail Fertilizer Company, a number of United's general managers are also being replaced, according to two of the sources. Shamrani was due to start on May 18, according to one of the sources. The other changes being recommended include the appointment of Mansour al-Qsoumi as president of Arabian Petrochemical Company, known as Petrokemya, with Khalid Al Elyani replacing him as president of Saudi European Petrochemical Company, known as Ibn Zahr. Elyani is currently general manager of operations at Sabic's Sadaf joint venture with a unit of Royal Dutch Shell.-Reuters Revellers take part in the 'Festival of Colors' in Warsaw, Poland, on May 21. The event refers to the tradition Hindu festival of Holi celebrated across India on the occasion of the arrival of spring. It takes place on the approach of vernal equinox, in the month of Phalguna (February-March) and is one of the most joyous and colorful Hindu festivals.-epa Emirates Airline will now offer Visa Checkout, allowing shoppers to book tickets using either their debit or credit cards online and on any device, with just a few clicks. Visa Checkout, the online checkout service by global payments technology company Visa, is now available to Emirates Airline customers in 15 countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, the UAE and the US. Emirates customers can now conveniently use Visa Checkout with any Visa debit or credit card to make Emirates Airline ticket purchases to its global network spanning six continents directly from the emirates.com website. The service solves the frustration that many online shoppers face in having to submit large amounts of information such as their name, card numbers and billing address - each time they want to make an online purchase. Paul McCrea, Visa's vice president of products for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: We are delighted that Emirates Airline will now offer Visa Checkout to customers in 15 countries who wish to book air tickets online. For Emirates customers, Visa Checkout is quick and easy to use, particularly as they book air tickets more frequently on smaller devices like mobile phones and tablets but still want to use the payment cards they already know and trust. Ultimately, Visa Checkout will ensure that consumers have a seamless and secure experience while booking a host of exciting travel options on the worlds largest international airline Emirates Airline. Globally, our Visa Checkout merchant partners are already seeing the benefits, and we are expecting similar results with Emirates. - TradeArabia News Service Hevea Cafe, a culinary haven in Bahrain, has welcomed Chef Guy Gateau as its new maestro of the kitchen as well as the property's new general manager. Hailing from France, Chef Gateau has an innate history with food that transcends traditional perspectives. Perceiving his career as an art and constantly channeling his energy into beautifully presented, succulent dishes that rival those of any internationally acclaimed high end bistro, Chef Gateau manifests his affinity for the culinary world through his relentless forays into its innovative side. Also running the show as the general manager of Hevea Cafe, Chef Gateau is transforming the cafe into one of Bahrains premium destinations for those with a refined taste looking for an experience that hits right at home with his unique ability to satisfy all tastes. Elaborating on his dual role in Hevea Cafe, he said: As the general manager of Foods Unlimited, Heveas parent company, I have a multi-faceted role in the operation. Of course, my culinary background is the driving force. Heveas concept was already mapped out and the menu designed. However, to make the vision of the owners a reality, I have made several changes to the menu and have trained our chefs and kitchen staff on new dishes like the very popular Excoffiers Madras Kingfish and enhanced our pastry menus. I have also worked with the staff to develop more leadership on kitchen and service teams and a spirit of cooperation between the two forces. Chef Gateau has over 30 years experience in the hospitality industry and has worked extensively in Europe, North America and the Middle East. He holds a Master Chef classification with the highest level of training in Sous Vide cooking and state-of-the-art equipment. Gateaus early career as a chef was spent in some of Frances most renowned Michelin-starred restaurants, including the Restaurant Alain Chapel and the Laurent. He served as the chef de cuisine at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow and followed that up with prominent stints in establishments with high volume operations like the Ritz Carlton in New York, John F. Kennedy Center and Potomac in Washington, DC. He later became consulting chef for The Royal Palace of the Emir of Qatar in Doha, Qatar, personally executing all functions for visiting dignitaries and heads of state granting him experience and expertise unrivalled. Expanding on his experience and its significance, Chef Gateau said: I have always worked with multi-cultural staff from around the world. These interactions broadened not only my culinary knowledge but management skills as well. One is the sum of his/her own experiences. This is what I bring when I work on a project and what makes me a professional. And of course, one cannot avoid adding a personal touch in this line of work. Although the quality of the food is paramount it is just a part of the whole experience. In following that philosophical ideal, I have made many changes here at Hevea since my arrival with the culinary side reflecting just one of those changes. Speaking about Hevea Cafes elaborate interior setup, he said: From a great location at the ground floor of Al Aali Shopping Complex, Hevea Cafe boasts a great dining room, inspiring decor, relaxing space located between two open terraces, one inside the mall and the other on an outside terrace. We buy only fresh foods and select the best ingredients we can find. We focus on great teas and coffees, and the freshest inspired mocktails. We follow the great taste, food vision and appreciation of our owners. By coupling team spirit and a natural talent for a casual approach enveloped in a classy ambience, we have a winning operation. To commemorate the holy month of Ramadan, Hevea Cafe will have a special Ramadan Menu that will cater to the local cultural requirements in taste. Chef Gateau and his team are creating an entirely new separate menu that will consist wholly of Middle Eastern dishes with the distinguished signature of Hevea Cafe as opposed to just incorporating elements into their existing menu, thus highlighting the Cafes propensity towards innovating to propagate the utmost satisfaction of their clientele. - TradeArabia News Service VFS Global,a leading outsourcing and technology services specialist, has appointed Peter Brun as its new chief communications officer effective July 1. In his new role, Brun will be responsible for corporate communications, marketing and branding, and corporate social responsibility of VFS Global, and will be based at the companys head office in Dubai, UAE. He will also join the extended executive board of VFS Global. A Swiss national with a rich experience of 28 years, Brun joins VFS Global from Kuoni Group. He has been with the Kuoni Group since August 2005, initially as head of communications for market Switzerland, and since March 2008 in his current role as chief communications officer. Prior to joining Kuoni he spent 17 years dedicated to the media industry (radio and television) gaining experience as a journalist, moderator, anchor and finally as a managing director and chief editor a position he held at Radio 24 AG, Switzerlands largest private radio station based in Zurich, from 1999 to 2005. He has completed various journalism and media management programmes in Switzerland and the US. He was the winner of the prestigious Switzerlands Spokesperson of the Year Award in 2012, and has won several awards in connection with the Kuoni Annual Report. Brun said: VFS Global is an incredible success story. I have been following the company and its global progress for many years and I am very pleased that I will now have an opportunity of contributing to this story. Zubin Karkaria, CEO VFS Global Group, added: As we look at further developing and expanding our business, we are pleased to have Peter onboard at VFS Global strengthening our management team. Ours is a very people driven business and hence we have always focused on attracting and retaining the best professionals. Peters appointment is a validation of the same. - TradeArabia News Service Michael Kasch, General Manager of Centro Sharjah, was awarded Manager of the Year at the recently held Rotana Annual Conference in Abu Dhabi. Kasch is a veteran in hospitality services and has been in the hospitality arena for over 2 decades. He started his career with Rotana in 2011 joining the pre-opening team of Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Arjaan Rotana in the capacity of executive assistant manager, thereafter at Towers Rotana in the same position. In November 2013 he was appointed as the new general manager of Centro Sharjah, in charge for the overall management and operations of the hotel including sales and marketing, development of the companys policies and colleagues, as well as management of all food and beverage and financial operations. I am proud and overjoyed to receive this recognition said Kasch. He further added I would like to personally thank my entire team at Centro for their continuous efforts and support which has played a major role in achieving this accolade." - TradeArabia News Service Everything is bigger in Texas, including coal consumption. The Lone Star State purchased more Powder River Basin coal than any other state in 2014, the last year for which complete figures are available. Today, Wyoming miners are having increasing difficulty competing in their top market. The proximity of prolific shale plays to major population centers has led to a construction boom in new natural gas fired plants. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates Texas will add 3.2 gigawatts of new natural gas capacity in the next three years, or enough to power more than 2 million homes. IHS Energy anticipates Texas will increase its wind generation capacity by 40 percent to 26 gigawatts before the decade is out. The consulting firm reckons the wind boom is largely driven by the federal production tax credit. Wind and gas prices are so low that utilities have taken to mothballing coal units for much of the year, shuttering them during the shoulder seasons when demand wanes. Coal is being attacked on all fronts, said Mike Pickens, a utility analyst who tracks the Texas grid, ERCOT, at IHS. Youve got one wave from renewable development in the region, but you also have pressure from the natural gas markets right now. Solar construction is also expected to jump in the coming years. Some 5 gigawatts of new solar are anticipated in Texas, Pickens said, competing with coal during the daytime hours when demand is greatest. We are expecting coal to be under pressure for the next couple years, he said. Texas power plants bought 57 million tons of Wyoming coal in 2014, or 15 percent of the 394 million tons sold by Cowboy State mines that year, according to EIA statistics. Illinois (54 million tons), Missouri (41 million tons), Wyoming (25 million tons) and Michigan (22 million tons) round out the top five. Powder River Basin coal is not without its advantages in the Lone Star State. The Texas power plants that burn Wyoming coal tend to be newer, at least compared with their counterparts nationally, making them more efficient and cheaper to deploy. And Wyoming coal remains competitive with natural gas and wind. If natural gas prices rise to $2.75 per million British Thermal Units, as IHS expects them to in the coming years, Texas utilities may well turn back to coal. Still, the trend lines paint a gloomy picture. Total Texas coal consumption is down by 16 percent since 2007, when the states utilities purchased more than 100 million tons from mines in Wyoming and other states. New regional haze requirements have some predicting a wave of plant closures. IHS estimates nearly 1.7 gigawatts of Texas coal-fired power could go off line if utilities choose to shutter plants instead of making costly environmental upgrades. Those retirements would be in addition to the closure of JT Deely, a San Antonio coal plant slated to shut down in 2018. The CPS Energy facility consumed, on average, 7.5 million tons of Powder River basin coal over the last five years. In 2014, the 8.6 million tons it purchased represented 15 percent of Wyomings Texas sales. That figure was down in 2015, when the 840 megawatt plant bought 5.5 million tons. Its closure will nevertheless leave a Texas-sized hole in Wyoming producers market. The question for Powder River Basin miners is how many other Lone Star State utilities follow suit. Help Yourself Stuff to help you. Food for Fines The Natrona County Library will hold a Food for Fines drive through May 31. Library users may donate nonperishable food items at any library branch. In exchange, accrued library fines will be cleared. The promotion applies to late fees on books and other library items, and does not include fees for lost or dam NARFE meets Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a business meeting at noon on Tuesday in the meeting room at the Casper Senior Center at 1831 East Fourth St. The guest speaker will be Nicholle Gerharter from the Natrona Count Library. She will give a presentation on the resources available at the library and how to navigate for those resources. Stroke group meets Casper Stroke Group will meet at 6 p.m., on Tuesday at Elkhorn Rehabilitation Hospital. Meal is provided and any stroke survivor or caregiver is welcome. Senior center computer classes Computer classes are taught in the Casper Senior Center Computer Lab, 1831 E. Fourth St. Please join us for the enjoyable, informative classes taught in a relaxed atmosphere. All ages are welcome and class sizes are small to allow for individual attention. Bring your laptop or use one in the lab. The cost is $50 for each eight-hour class, book cost (to be determined) for Word & Excel. Registration and contact information is Jan Burnett, 259-2869. May 24-25, Microsoft Excel (1 to 5 p.m. each day): Explore workbook/worksheet cycle, creating, editing, printing, formatting, formulas/functions, and charts. Bookkeeping or accounting experience is helpful. Textbook required. Financial skills for home owners Habitat for Humanity, the Heart of Wyoming and the Wyoming Housing Network will be offering a free four-week class for people who are interested in gaining the financial skills they need to become home owners. The class will begin at 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday. Childcare is provided. Those who are interested should contact Habitat for Humanity, 145 N. Durbin St., Ste. 243, at heartofwyoming@gmail.com or at 234-1348. Space is very limited. Learn about Pinterest The Natrona County Library will offer a 'Pinterest' computer class at 5:30 p.m., on Wednesday in the Tech Center. Come learn about Pinterest, a simple, online way to organize images, projects, ideas, and favorites. Attendees will learn how to create an account, make boards, pin, find pins in particular categories, and follow other pinners. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Men's cards workshop A Men's Cards Workshop will be held at 1 p.m., on Saturday, May 28, at the Natrona County Library. Make any-occasion cards for men and learn card design ideas and stamping techniques taught by Kay Capps. All supplies provided. Please sign up in advance for this free workshop by calling 577-READ ext. 2 or emailing reference@natronacountylibrary.org. Handgun/self defense class offered Randy Cain is offering Handgun 101 at the Stuckenoff's Shooting Complex June 11 to 13. Cost is $600 each. Randy Cain is a world renowned self defense instructor and one of the last disciples of Jeff Cooper and the original Gunsite Academy. Handgun 101 is designed to drill down to the very basics of firearm safety, manipulation and marksmanship. It is suitable for the complete novice up through expert. A second follow-on class, Close Quarter Tactics, is offered June 17 to 19. CQT focuses on what really happens if a weapon is drawn. The class focuses on avoiding dangerous situations, but if Murphy has his way, then deflecting the initial attack, re-positioning and meeting the threat. Randy combines his lifetime of martial arts and firearms training to give his students the best chance for survival. Information and registration www.guntactics.com. Local contact Joe MacGuire (307) 333-3653. Class enrollment is limited. Powerful tools for caregivers Wyoming Dementia Care is offering family caregivers of those with dementia-related illnesses, including Alzheimers, a new self-care education program called Powerful Tools for Caregivers. The free class will meet each Wednesday for six weeks, beginning June 15 and ending July 20, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Central Wyoming Senior Services, 1831 E. Fourth St. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a nationally recognized, evidence-based program that provides caregivers with the tools and strategies they need to better handle the unique challenges of caregiving. The class is provided at no cost to caregivers by Wyoming Dementia Care in collaboration with Powerful Tools for Caregivers, with partial funding from a Wyoming Center on Aging-University of Wyoming grant. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Call Dani Guerttman at Wyoming Dementia Care, 265-4678, for information. Parkinson's monthly support Join us at 5:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500, Casper. The support group is open to anyone with Parkinson's or caring for someone with Parkinson's. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon. Upcoming meetings will be June 14 and July 12. Parkinson's exercise Rocky Mountain Therapy is offering a Parkinson's exercise program. Join us from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500. These classes are open to anyone with Parkinson's or caring for someone with Parkinson's. Thursday's class is tailored for the individual with more advanced Parkinson's and focuses on improving endurance, safety and managing symptoms. We are open to all ages and can tailor the class to meet varying exercise needs. The cost of the class is $5. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon. Dog manners obedience class Dog Manners Obedience Classes/STAR Puppy Classes will be held at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds, sponsored by the Central Wyoming Kennel Club. Cost ranges from $40 to $100. The Central Wyo Kennel Club is hosting classes for puppies and adult dogs focusing on Socialization, Training and Responsible Dog Ownership. For more information go to centralwyomingkennelclub.org or call Charlene at 473-1614. Celebrate Recovery every Friday Looking for a nontraditional approach to recovery from your hurts, habits and hangups? Celebrate Recovery meets at 5:30 p.m. every Friday at Highland Park Community Church, just south of Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital on East Second Street. We start with a family meal, followed by praise and worship. At 7 p.m., there's either a lesson from Celebrate Recovery's planned curriculum or a testimony by a person who has found recovery through Christ. Then, people go to gender-specific small groups until 8:30 p.m., when dessert and fellowship conclude the evening. Child care is available at no cost. For more information, contact Chris at 265-4073. Self-transformation class set Conscious Co-Creation/Self-Transformation & Healing, taught by Cathy Hazel Adams, is 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, at the Agricultural Resource Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. Adams is an Intuitive Quantum Transformation & Energy Healing Practitioner and Certified Matrix Energetics Practitioner. The class is also offered live via webinar. For more information, go to www.cathyhazeladams.com or call 797-9677. Saturday morning watercolor Art 321, Casper Artists Guild Saturday morning watercolor classes are 10 a.m. to noon, with the following lineup of classes: May 28, practice session; June 4, watercolor on Yupo paper; June 11, practice session; June 18, Holly Bryson, including figures in your paintings; June 25, practice session. For more information, please call Ellen Black at 265-6783. Here and Now: Dementia-focused monthly art class Classes are every third Tuesday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. There is no charge. Here and Now is a program made possible through a collaboration between Wyoming Dementia Care and the Nicolaysen Art Museum. It is designed to provide a supportive environment for people with dementia and Alzheimers and their loved ones. To register, contact Dani with Wyoming Dementia Care 265-4678, ext. 106, or at wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or Zhanna Gallegos at 235-5247 or at zgallegos@thenic.org Susan Griffith has taught social studies for 28 years at Roosevelt High School and substitute-taught, beginning in 1986, for two years when it was known as Roosevelt Learning and Assessment Center. She stayed at the school because she fell in love with these kids because they have not a clue of how great they can be. She is active in the local Alpha Delta Kappa teachers sorority chapter and was nominated for its state Excellence in Education Award two years ago. She won and subsequently won the Northwest Region Award. Last summer, she won the International Excellence in Education Award at the International Convention in Salt Lake City. Youve been honored at several levels by Alpha Delta Kappa. What is that group and what is your involvement? It is a teacher sorority that really promotes education of women all over the world, obviously international, looking at how to better educate women, whether in a rural place or an urban situation. Ive been a member for many years. We have some philanthropic events that we do, were active with Hospice, Seton House, other types of programs, weve worked with schools in South Vietnam, all over the world if necessary. (Winning the international award) made me feel very humbled because I was in presence of these fabuluous teachers. To be singled out for what I love to do was wonderful for me. There was a $5,000 award, $2,500 to my school and $2,500 went for my benefit of education. I bought several things for resources and things that make my classroom a better place to learn. Part of the schools award went to our breakfast program; the other part went to our student council fund, and some went to Interact and Meals on Wheels, service organizations our kids are a part of. How would you describe the ways students are the same and have changed since your career began? Students at Roosevelt when I first started were very angry, not successful at all, because they were sent to a school that was supposed to fix them, but they found out that learning was actually more fun simply because they got individual attention smaller classes, better relationship with teachers. Students who come today come by choice; they choose to come here. They find out they can be successful if they choose to. Again, the relationship with teachers, smaller class size, some of our students just connect better to this smaller environment. What brings you back every year? Theres always a new challenge of kids who say I dont like school, I dont want to be here. Three or four years later, they graduate and they are so proud of what they do. Do you attend graduation each year? I do attend every graduation, because all of the work they have done, and we have done, with parents, friends and family, it all pays off. They are so delighted to have graduated, some for the first time in their whole family. They feel a sense of accomplishment they probably wouldnt have felt in another school. Fifteen hundred miles from the Deep South, in a central Wyoming middle school, a Confederate flag and a racial slur were scrawled on a bathroom wall. In a rural town 100 miles to the north, a teenager stood up in an assembly and gave an impersonation of Donald Trump that left a Latina student in tears. On the other side of the mountain range, in another small, tight-knit community, a middle-school student created a project on the Alamo that suggested serious violence toward Mexicans. Each of these incidents happened this semester in a Wyoming school and was reported to the media. Each was handled by the administrators of the respective schools in similar ways. They were addressed quickly and individually as behavioral issues, with school leaders declining to engage in a class or school-wide discussion on intolerance. In two of the cases, teachers who pushed for greater action reported reticence and hostility from their administrations. Diversity in Wyoming is supposed to be taught in social studies and language arts classes as part of statewide standards. But its rare that students have the opportunity to take it as a stand-alone course. One of the few classes that probe issues like race and social injustice is taught in the one region of Wyoming where the minority population is the majority, the Wind River Indian Reservation. Experts in education say that is not surprising given the disparity of opinions at the university level on whether diversity training is a necessity for educators. From middle school to the undergraduate level in Wyoming, diversity is a hot potato that no one wants to hold too long. *** Heather Pasquinelli first heard about the Confederate flag graffiti at Wind River Middle School from the janitor who scrubbed it from the bathroom wall. He wanted to make sure the teachers two adopted children were faring OK at the school. They are both African American. The language arts teacher asked her principal about the incident and was told it had been taken care of. A few weeks later, a sixth-grader brought Pasquinelli a sheet of paper hed found in the printer tray in her classroom. Say yes to more dead black people, it read. She lost her breath. Mrs. Pasquinelli, did you print this? the child asked. The student responsible was turned in by classmates, and the principal and family addressed how to move forward. But the conflict swelled, and Pasquinellis subsequent discussions in her classroom denouncing hate speech and intolerance were frowned upon by the administration, she said. Pasquinellis superintendent, Diana Clapp, said she disagrees with Pasquinellis interpretation of the administrations response. In the case of the graffiti, it was removed promptly. In the case of the printout, and subsequent issues with the Confederate flag, parents and principals spoke with the student, Clapp said. As a school in the third most diverse district in the state, Wind River has escalating repercussions for hate speech and actions, and a definition of what those terms mean in its handbook, she said. However, when these incidents come up, they arent necessarily ideal moments to teach about intolerance, Clapp said. By the time a child does something offensive, it becomes a disciplinary matter, she said. It cant be broadcast to the rest of the school, hobbling the opportunity for further discussion, she said. The place for that discussion is in the classroom with a teacher who is prepared. When asked if her district could benefit from a class on diversity, the superintendent said yes, if the teacher has the skills to handle difficult subject matters and the curriculum is strong. Its hard to do it right, she said. Its also hard to deal with racism, she admitted. *** Experts in education in Wyoming say there is a distinct reticence toward multiculturalism, diversity and social justice in curriculums, even at the university level. Even the term social justice offends some, who say it is politically loaded. Based on my own experience, there is a lot of resistance to exposing anything to do with cultural diversity that kind of curriculum that is going to tell you how to treat someone who is different than yourself, said Lydiah W. Nganga, a professor of elementary and early childhood development at the University of Wyoming. Many undergraduates studying to be teachers appear to believe that diversity is not important for educators planning to work in Wyoming, she said. But Nganga disagrees. Teaching to diversity is good teaching. When you are teaching to diversity, you are taking care of the whole child, she said. Even if you have one child that comes from a culturally different background, you still need to take care of that child in your class. Diversity training goes beyond race. Its about teaching to families of different socioeconomic backgrounds, children from different cultural backgrounds and children with special needs, for example, she said. Though Nganga infuses diversity training into her classes, that approach is not ideal, she said. The reality is at the moment we really dont have that requirement (at UW-Casper), she said. Because we dont, it is better to do something than not to do anything at all. One of the few high school classes in the state where teenagers are encouraged to interact with the complexity of racism and social conflict is taught at Wyoming Indian High School in Fremont County School District No. 14, about 20 minutes from Wind River High School. Its a night class based on a nationally respected curriculum, Facing History and Ourselves. It encourages discussion on the social construct of race and the history of civil rights movements and helps students draw parallels to the modern day and the Native American experience, said teacher Colleen Whalen. After more than a decade teaching the class, the teacher is convinced of its importance in Wyoming. Im concerned with the push on test scores that civil rights curriculum is losing out, she said. I believe every school in Wyoming should have some type of diversity education or civil rights education. Looking at these difficult themes is a balancing act, but the course has helped her students engage in the world and find legal, nonviolent ways to protest inequality, she said. Its a powerful curriculum, and not just for the students on the reservation, she said. Even though Wyoming seems to have a predominately white population, we are part of the world, she said. The kids are going to go out in the world. We have the people of color that have always been in Wyoming. One of Whalens students, Phillip Mathews, is graduating from high school this month. The 18-year-old said he believes that diversity classes can make students more aware and help different types of people find a mutual understanding. I think it would really help if it was taught in all schools, he said. Its easier to teach a kid than to change an adult. It was eye-opening for him to look at the Black Panther movement and the civil rights era, to understand where those movements failed and where they succeeded. Those histories are not simple, he said. Worlds are not all sunshine and rainbows. Its more of the gray line between all of it, he explained. Theres usually something good thats happening, and on the other side theres something bad. I think these classes will help kids understand those sides and learn how to walk the middle line. *** For Pasquinelli, the disconnect between her views and those in the administration became overwhelming. Her teaching strategy was called into question as being one-sided. The administration told her before beginning a unit on the Holocaust that she would have to script her discussion questions and win approval from the principal before class. Pasquinelli is a teaching fellow for the U.S. Holocaust Museum, and the unit is one shes taught for years. There were vocabulary words in her curriculum, like bigotry, that she was encouraged to leave out so as not to incite further contention on issues like the Confederate flag, she said. OK, we dont talk about bigotry, because we dont want anyone to be uncomfortable? she asked. That is my biggest issue the idea that teaching tolerance is optional. The teacher grew up in a racist environment and had to learn how to deal with these things on her own. As a result, she wants to encourage kids to be advocates, to stand up for others and to challenge the beliefs they bring to school. She is unapologetic about condemning intolerance in her class, she said. Clapp said she could not comment on personnel or student disciplinary issues but did say that scripted questions are not unusual. Pasquinelli quit her job recently at Wind River because of the incidents and the administrations response. She will move her two Wind River children to another district. Next year, she will teach at Wyoming Indian High School. FARMINGTON, Utah A father and son accused of tying up five members of a Utah family will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found along their likely escape route to Wyoming. In the first Utah court appearance for Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, and Dereck James DJ Harrison, 22, an attorney for the father acknowledged that her client is a person of interest in the death of Kay Ricks. But lawyer Susanne Gustin said she doesnt know what evidence police have or if Flint Harrison or his son will be charged in that case. Obviously its a very difficult situation for him, but its hard to talk about that when the Rickses have lost somebody, Gustin said, declining to elaborate on what her client has said about the allegations. The younger Harrison, sporting a thick beard and wearing a red jail jumpsuit, requested more time to find a private attorney. His grandmother, Marlene Brown, attended the hearing but declined to comment outside court. Police are investigating the death of Ricks, 63, as a homicide. While they have not directly linked the two cases, authorities say the coincidences are too strong to ignore. The Harrisons have been charged with kidnapping and other crimes alleging they invited a woman and her four teenage daughters over for a barbecue May 10 and held them captive in the basement of a house in Centerville, outside Salt Lake City. Prosecutors say the Harrisons were using drugs and wrongly believed the mother had reported them to authorities. The family managed to break free and escape. The Harrisons fled and were hiding out in the Salt Lake City area when Ricks disappeared during his light rail maintenance shift May 12, police say. The body of the Mormon grandfather was found five days later and 130 miles away, along the route the men likely took to a hideout in remote Wyoming, police say. Ricks Utah Transit Authority truck was discovered near their makeshift campsite. The Harrisons were arrested May 14 near Pinedale after a five-day manhunt. Flint Harrison turned himself in to police, and his son was spotted near a roadblock later that night. They were sent back to Utah to face charges in the kidnapping. Wyoming police say that having the Harrisons jailed there will give them time to fully investigate Ricks death. An evidentiary hearing for Flint Harrison was scheduled for Aug. 9. His son will be back in court next week when he hopes to have a private attorney. Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report. GOSHEN COUNTY Heavy, gray clouds rolled overhead as fifty ewes anxiously bleated when Dawn Gara approached with an armful of hay. Food rules their world, Gara said. The way to a sheeps heart is through its stomach. Gara, 45, helps her sons Lucas, 11, and Brett, 9, run Gara Brothers Show Lambs, which sells lambs to 4-H members, at the family farm about 12 miles south of Torrington. Garas husband, Ervin, raised sheep for 4-H when he was young, so the couple decided to continue the tradition, she said. In 1900, Wyoming was home to about 5 million sheep, according to the Wyoming Historical Society. Last year, United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service reported a Wyoming sheep population of 345,000. Although large herds arent unheard of in Wyoming, the Torrington area is mostly home to small outfits like the Garas, who keep 50 ewes, three rams and about 65 lambs. While the family focuses on hay farming, they also raise about 300 head of cattle to keep the operation diversified. Their motivation for raising sheep is to carry on the 4-H legacy, not necessarily the sheep industry, Gara said. Brodie Mackey, of Stonecypher Show Sheep, agreed. Mackey, 26, raises sheep with his four younger brothers about four miles north of the Garas. This isnt our primary focus, Mackey said. This is just kind of a hobby. As children, the brothers discovered sheep through 4-H. (Raising sheep) brings us together as a family, Mackey explained the decision to continue the hobby. We noticed we spent a lot more time together in the summer taking care of the livestock, so we didnt want to just get rid of it. Not all Torrington-area sheep ranchers are new to the industry. Shannon Pickenpaugh, of Muddy Flats Livestock, said his family has raised sheep for 100 years. Like the Garas, Pickenpaugh raises both cattle and sheep. They use to call (sheep) mortgage makers, Pickenpaugh said. Because when everybody ran sheep and cattle, the sheep were what paid the mortgage. Mackie said Americans lost their taste for mutton, the meat of older sheep, after World War II. And, Pickenpaugh explained, the introduction of synthetic materials decreased the demand for wool. After WWII, he said. the sheep kind of dwindled away. However, sheep ranching is making a comeback. Over the last 10-12 years here in Goshen County, he said. The sheep numbers have just grown. An increased demand for lamb meat and growing interest in 4-H are driving factors in the industrys growth, he explained. Its an easy project for kids to get started in, he said. Its fairly cheap, and its almost impossible to lose money on sheep. He added that while ewes and lambs were consistently profitable, feed could cause losses. Pickenpaugh sold his sheep before entering the Army, but after he retired, he got back into the business as joint venture with his son. Mackie, who helps with 4-H livestock judging, said he believes the organization contributes to the community by helping children find solid values early. You just think about what 4-H prepares you for in life, he added. You have the career development, public speaking and work ethic. Although 4-H offers other programs, Mackie said raising sheep was an easy entrance into the livestock world with minimal overhead. For the Gara brothers, 4-H is a pathway to the future. The oldest, Lucas, said that while he loves sheep, he also enjoys the robotics program. Im pretty much going to be a scientist, he asserted. Biology-wise, (sheep) are alive, so that counts. His younger brother, Brett, was more focused on the future of the family business. I want to be a farmer, he said. And take over my dads farm. Both said that no matter what their future held, they intended to raise sheep for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile back at Stonecypher, the Mackeys are also planning for the future. The whole goal is to raise the ewe base to 100 head, Mackey said. But, thats still very small in the scheme of things. Because the sheep he raises are a niche market, growing the business to a larger scale could bring in enough profit to move the endeavor past the hobby line, he explained. Charlie Hardy, a former Catholic priest and social justice activist who ran for the U.S. Senate two years ago in a 1970 Crown school bus, is again seeking federal office. The Cheyenne resident said Friday he is running for Wyomings U.S. House seat, which will be vacated by U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis. Hardy, a Democrat, plans to bring the same message against money in politics, which he believes sways politicians loyalties from average people and trains their attention to the needs of corporations. This whole question of money in politics theres just that feeling that elections are bought and sold, he said. Theyre not won. If you have more money, you can fill the airwaves, fill the television waves. I would rather fill the hearts of people, which is more important than anything else. The 77-year-old challenged U.S. Rep. Mike Enzi, a Republican, and lost in 2014. This year, he enters a crowded race for Senate that includes at least 10 Republicans, an independent and another Democrat, Ryan Greene. The primary is Aug. 16. The general election is Nov. 8. Republican Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is expected to raise $1 million for the race. Hardy, who works as a substitute teacher, said he borrowed about $55,000 for his last campaign. This year, he will not borrow any money, meaning he is relying solely on contributions. I really believe Liz Cheney will be the nominee of the Republican Party in Wyoming, he said. And there is light-year differences between the way I see the world and the Cheney family sees the world. In addition to questioning campaign fundraising, Hardy supports raising the minimum wage, measures to eliminate the gender-wage gap and gay rights. Hes concerned about high school graduates access to college and skilled job training, and the plight of immigrants and former prisoners and felons. Hardy said recent job losses in coal, oil and gas and uranium demonstrates how politicians have failed to diversify the economy. Thats because they care more about millionaire CEOs than workers, he said. Hardy wears Levis that cost around $50 a pair. Theyre made in Egypt, he said. They could be sold for $50 in Wyoming and people could be sewing in Wyoming, he said. They could be paid even $25 an hour. They pump more than one of those out an hour. Hardy served as a Catholic priest for 29 years, including in parishes in Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs and Casper. He was superintendent of Wyoming Catholic schools and was a missionary in South America, living for eight years in a cardboard-and-tin shack on the outskirts of Caracas. He wrote a book about his experiences during that time, Cowboy in Caracas: A North Americans Memoir of Venezuelas Democratic Revolution. Hardy said he doesnt plan to divert much from his 2014 campaign strategy. But he expects more young people to play a central role in his campaign. Only 10 percent of possible Wyoming voters between ages of 18 to 24 voted in the last election, he said. A group of eager, mostly young volunteers are behind him many of whom he met in recent months while campaigning for Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, he said. Will the bus return? He said he doesnt know. Hardy will continue with the 2014 theme of Run with Charlie a reference to his morning ritual of running for 30 minutes or so. Its been fun running in the past, but Ive never felt the enthusiasm that Ive felt today from these young people, Hardy said. I would much rather have volunteers than money, much rather. And enthusiastic volunteers. Only Jackson and Billings, Montana, remain in Outside Magazines online contest to identify Americas best town of 2016. As of Monday evening, Billings boosters were well ahead of Jackson junkies, having garnered 77 percent of early voting. The magazine will shut down voting May 27. Until then, voting is available at www.outsideonline.com/2056761/best-towns-2016. The magazines website says We looked for places with great access to trails and public lands, thriving restaurants and neighborhoods, and, of course, a good beer scene. Jackson turned away Seattle to earn its slot in the finals. Billings, which was a late addition to the original field of 64 communities, made it to the finals by topping Ludington, Michigan. Along the way, Jackson defeated communities known for their outdoor amenities Mammoth Lakes, California; Sedona, Arizona; Sun Valley, Idaho; and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Billings bested Livingston, Leavenworth, Washington, Boise and Bend, Oregon. The communications manager for the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Kate Foster, said her organization is working with our social media heavy hitters in tourism to share updates on the contest. Its been a casual collaboration, but it is a contest, she said. There is a little bit of one-upmanship, but we also like to play together. Its a good opportunity to highlight what makes both our communities special. She embraced the idea of a border war. The communities around Grand Teton and Yellowstone (national parks) are similar communities, but we didnt mind beating Seattle, she said with a laugh. We feel like we are an amazing outdoor destination, and we certainly feel we have a lot to offer. PINE RIDGE, S.D. Baptiste Bat Pourier and his wife, Patty, like to say theyre semi-retired, but they are plenty active doing business, and keeping things local, this time in the reservation town of Pine Ridge. I dont think a person should retire. Ive seen a lot of people do that, and they just get old, Bat Pourier said on a recent Thursday, as he wound down from a grand re-opening celebration at Pine Ridge Oil, and the launch of their latest business venture, Pine Ridge Trading Co., in downtown Pine Ridge. The new general store will add a much-needed retail boost to Pine Ridge, a town at the heart of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where economic growth has come slowly. Bat and Patty purchased Pine Ridge Oil from the daughter of its founder Al Hemingway in 2007. The service station offers mechanic services, oil changes and tire repairs along with bulk fuel deliveries. But about a year ago, the Pouriers decided to add on the Pine Ridge Trading Co., featuring gift and souvenir items, jewelry, scarves, hats, original artwork, purses, blankets and drums, Black Hills gold and Black Hills silver. We wanted to make it a nice place where people could come and get a good gift right here in Pine Ridge, without having to go out of town, Patty said. And one of the other things we like is the sales tax goes back to the tribe, so it continues to help the community. Staying local was also the emphasis in choosing Medicine Root Construction from Kyle and Murdock Electric of Pine Ridge for renovation of the interior and exterior of the building in a rustic trading post motif, she said. The recent grand reopening included a proclamation from Oglala Sioux Tribe President John Yellow Bird Steele, who honored longtime Pine Ridge Oil employee Marsha Lehman for her 34 years with the business. The president recognized her for her dedicated service and for treating people with dignity and respect. She worked with the previous owner and now shes working for us, Patty said. The Pouriers have deep business ties to Pine Ridge and surrounding communities in southwestern South Dakota and the Nebraska Panhandle. They founded the first of a chain of Big Bats gas and convenience stores in Pine Ridge in 1989, expanding with two locations in Hot Springs and single stores in Chadron, Nebraska, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska. They operated another fuel transport business, were partners in a propane company and helped re-establish the Lakota Country Times newspaper. Bat and Patty sold the five Big Bats convenience stores to their sons, Tye and Corey Pourier, in 2007 and also sold the newspaper to current owner, editor and publisher Connie Louise Smith. They also currently operate an automatic teller machine installation and service business, along with the trading post and service station, and maintain a small cattle ranch near Chadron. Being in business gets in your system and you cant get it out, Bat said. CHEYENNE The Wyoming Legislature needs more voices representing everyday people, one candidate for the state House of Representatives said. Cody Haynes, a Republican running for the House District 7 seat, believes he can be such a voice. Im not a politician. Ive never been a politician, he said. I think thats something we do lack actual real people that arent politicians. Haynes will be up against incumbent Rep. Sue Wilson, R-Cheyenne, who is running for re-election. I think sometimes we just need regular people that have managed their own budgets or their own business, he said. Haynes said the states economy and energy sector would be his top priorities, if elected. He said Wyoming needs to work to diversify its economy but also help existing industries and employees. I think that Wyoming should have been moving down the road of diversifying the economy a long time ago, he said. But because some parts of the state are completely dependent on the energy industry, Haynes thinks the state should work to find markets for coal. When you look at towns like Wright, if theyre not selling coal, theres no reason for that town to be there, he said. Were bleeding these jobs because we cant get the coal out. At the same time, though, Haynes sees an opportunity for Wyoming to be a leader in alternative energy. As other states work to make cleaner, more environmentally friendly energy sources part of their utility portfolios, Haynes said Wyoming can serve that need. If they need it, we might be able to provide it, he said. As Wyomings economy contracts and budget cuts become necessary, Haynes said the Legislature needs to make sure it is spending money in the most effective way. I think we need to make sure were looking at all options, he said. However, Haynes is not in favor of cutting state employees or benefits, which he sees as a promise to those employees. Haynes said he supports Medicaid expansion. We need to make sure people are getting taken care of that need it, he said. Haynes would also like to work toward policy that would encourage people to stay in Wyoming or move to the state. I want Wyoming to be a good place to live, he said. We either have to grow or die. House District 7 generally encompasses the northwestern chunk of Laramie County and many of the ranchettes north of Cheyenne, and it dips down to include a section of the Dell Range Boulevard area. It includes the area around Frontier Mall, the Four Mile Road corridor, Horse Creek, Clawson Elementary School and the former Quebec-01 missile site. The filing period for candidates is underway and continues through May 27. This years primary will be held Aug. 16, and the general election will occur Nov. 8. State representatives, who have a term of two years, are paid $150 per day of work during the session and interim committee meetings. Lawmakers also are eligible for a $109 per diem for each day of work. Lets examine what Bernie Sanders supporters did in his name this past weekend. As the Nevada Democratic convention voted to award a majority of delegates to Hillary Clinton an accurate reflection of her victory in the states February caucuses Sanders backers charged the stage, threw chairs and shouted vulgar epithets at speakers. Security agents had to protect the dais and ultimately clear the room. Sanders supporters publicized the cellphone number of the party chairwoman, Roberta Lange, resulting in thousands of abusive text messages and threats: Praying to God someone shoots you in the FACE and blows your democracy-stealing head off! Hey bitch. ... We know where you live. Where you work. Where you eat. Where your kids go to school/grandkids... Prepare for hell. Veteran Nevada reporter Jon Ralston transcribed some of the choice voicemail messages for the chairwoman, some with vulgar labels for women and their anatomy: I think people like you should be hung in a public execution. ... You are a sick, twisted piece of s- and I hope you burn for this! You f-ing stupid bitch! What the hell are you doing? Youre a f-ing corrupt bitch! The day after the convention, Sanders supporters vandalized party headquarters with messages saying, among other things, you are scum. And the candidates response to the violent and misogynistic behavior of his backers? Mostly defiance. Asked by reporters Tuesday about the convention chaos in which operatives from his national campaign participated Sanders walked away in the middle of the question. Finally, mid-afternoon Tuesday, Sanders released a statement saying, I condemn any and all forms of violence, including the personal harassment of individuals. But he blamed the Nevada party for preventing a fair and transparent process, and he threatened Democrats: If the Democratic Party is to be successful in November, it is imperative that all state parties treat our campaign supporters with fairness and the respect that they have earned. It is no longer accurate to say Sanders is campaigning against Clinton, who has essentially locked up the nomination. The Vermont socialist is now running against the Democratic Party. And thats excellent news for one Donald J. Trump. The Sanders Campaign spent its time either ignoring or profiting from the chaos it did much to create, the Nevada Democratic Party wrote in a formal complaint to the Democratic National Committee. Part of the approach by the Sanders campaign was to employ these easily incensed delegates as shock troops. The Nevada Democrats, warning of similar disruptions at the national convention in July, accused the Sanders campaign of inciting disruption and, yes, violence. A few weeks ago, I wrote that I wasnt concerned about Sanders remaining in the race until the very end, because he doesnt wish to see a President Trump and will ultimately throw his full support to Clinton. Sanders has, indeed, lightened up on Clinton and is instead trying to shape the Democrats platform and direction. But his attacks on the party have released something just as damaging to the causes he professes to represent. Coupled with his refusal to raise money for the party, his increasingly harsh rhetoric could hurt Democrats up and down the ballot in November and beyond. We are taking on virtually the entire Democratic establishment, Sanders proclaims. The Democratic Party has to reach a fundamental conclusion: Are we on the side of working people or big-money interests? he asks. The Democratic Party up to now has not been clear about which side they are on on the major issues facing this country, he announces. This was Ralph Naders argument in 2000: There isnt much difference between the two parties. It produced President George W. Bush. Sanders said at the start of his campaign that he wouldnt do what Nader did, because there is a difference between the parties. Yet now his supporters, the Nevada Democratic Party says, are behind physical threats and intimidation, scuffles, screams from bullhorns, and profane insults and numerous medical emergencies among delegates pressed up against the dais. This, even though they were wrong on the merits. Ralston writes that the Sanders folks disregarded rules, then when shown the truth, attacked organizers and party officials as tools of a conspiracy to defraud the senator of what was never rightfully his in the first place. And this, despite only two additional delegates being at stake, as The Washington Posts Philip Bump points out not enough to make a difference in the race. More to the point, no grievance justifies what happened in Nevada. Yet Sanders, recklessly, is fueling the fire. After 15 years serving the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson, Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas must submit a letter of retirement to Rome by mid-August. He has no choice. The churchs canon law requires all bishops to submit a letter by the time they turn 75. Kicanas hits that benchmark Aug. 18. From there, its up to Pope Francis to accept or reject the resignation. Usually, the pope accepts. But that doesnt mean August heralds the last days for the current Tucson bishop. Retiring bishops usually serve until the pope appoints a replacement. That can take six to eight months sometimes longer. Even after a successor is established, Kicanas, a Chicago native, has no plans to live elsewhere. I will stay on in the sense that I will be living here in Tucson, and I hope to help the new bishop in any way he finds helpful, Kicanas said. I think it will be a new moment in my life, but Im sure a good one. And although Kicanas is at peace with the transition, many will miss him. The diocese serves 450,000 Catholics. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild has considered gathering community leaders to pen a letter and just write to the pope and ask for him to give a special dispensation. Kicanas can suggest his replacement, though the process includes input from other bishops, a papal representative known as the apostolic nuncio and the Congregation for Bishops. The pope gets the final say. The diocese would not disclose Kicanas current picks. Beginnings Kicanas learned of his appointment as coadjutor bishop to the Tucson diocese on a Friday the 13th in 2001. As an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago at the time, Kicanas was giving a talk for pastors and principals when somebody slipped him a note saying the apostolic nuncio had called. And, well, you know he doesnt call about the weather, Kicanas joked. I finished the talk and dialed the number, and he said, Oh, Bishop, Im happy to inform you and of course your ears perk up that you have been appointed coadjutor bishop in Tucson. At which point I said, Pardon me? Kicanas had visited Tucson twice before, once on a personal retreat at the Redemptorist Renewal Center and once when U.S. bishops gathered here. I asked the apostolic nuncio, Well, are there any issues (in Tucson)? And he said, Oh no, no. Everything is going fine, Kicanas said. A report he received soon after said otherwise. Trouble in Tucson Kicanas was installed as coadjutor bishop in Tucson in January 2002 to serve under Bishop Manuel D. Moreno, who was battling prostate cancer and in the early stages of Parkinsons disease. Moreno retired early, at age 72, in 2003. As coadjutor, Kicanas immediately became Tucsons sixth bishop. Before Kicanas arrival, the diocese had paid $155,000 to settle claims from eight people who reported being sexually abused by diocesan personnel, Star archives show. The following years would bring a $14 million settlement with 10 men who described abuse by four local clergy members from the 1960s to the 1980s, the sentencing of three priests to prison for sexually abusing children, and 22 lawsuits that drove the diocese to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004. We were faced with abuse allegations, and we had no idea where the end was, Kicanas said. The concern was: How do we treat people equally and fairly so that the resources were available to help anybody who would come forward? And thats when we went into bankruptcy. The Tucson diocese followed the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon in the unprecedented move. At the time, plaintiffs expressed concern that the move was a copout. The reorganization process took a year and involved the sale of diocese properties and creation of a $22.2 million settlement pool for victims both known and unknown, Star archives show. It was always about acknowledging the victims and trying to bring about a fair and appropriate conclusion, said Monsignor Al Schifano, a retired priest at St. Thomas the Apostle Church and vocations director for seminarians. Schifano joined the priesthood late in life, leaving his position as a senior vice president at Sundt Construction Inc. He used that experience to help Kicanas during the bankruptcy. Lynne Cadigan, who represented most of the claimants along with fellow attorney Kim Williamson, acknowledged Kicanas competency and respect for the victims. The most important thing for the victims was a fast resolution so they could get on with their healing and a significant enough apology in the form of payment, Cadigan said. What Kicanas managed to do was work with the victims and the lawyers and have a quick resolution, which the victims appreciate, but they understand its not justice. Kicanas believes his position as a newcomer to Tucson helped him to make tough calls. It was very painful for (Moreno) having to address the sexual abuse issue because he knew these priests. Being an outsider was helpful because you could see things with a little bit more objectivity, Kicanas said. During those years, the diocese also put in place a new code of conduct and created an office to oversee the protection of children, adolescents and adults. David Clohessy, the director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), wrote in an email that Kicanas was the first of only 30 U.S. bishops to post predators names on his website, though Clohessy countered the praise with a critique of the bankruptcy as a means of protecting secrets and clerical careers. The list posted on the Diocese of Tucsons website now includes the names and assignments of 39 clergy and church personnel credibly accused. Kicanas has been the leader from day one that this is not just something that we are going to do for a little while, Schifano said, emphasizing the bishops campaign to restore credibility. We have to do this forever and stay alert and on top of this and make sure fingerprints are taken and reports are made to make sure this never happens again. A new chapter After the bankruptcy and the sale of diocese property, Kicanas and other church leaders launched a capital campaign in 2007 to raise $28 million. Called Our Faith, Our Hope, Our Future, the campaign went toward the purchase of new land, renovations of St. Augustine Cathedral, schools and religious programs and funding for retired priests, Kicanas said. The Diocese of Tucson stretches across nine counties in Arizona and includes 78 parishes and 25 schools. Southwestern dioceses, unlike those in other parts of the country, are growing, he said. Beyond Tucson During his time in Tucson, Kicanas has developed a national reputation and has met several popes, including Pope Francis. Bishops have their own organizations to run, their local diocese, yet they make this commitment on a national level, said Helen Osman, who ran the communications department for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for eight years. It takes them away from the diocese, but I think at the same time, its a point of pride for people locally, because they know their local bishop is representing them. Kicanas has served nationally on the boards of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the now-closed National Pastoral Life Center and as a member of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. He is also former chair of the Catholic Relief Services Board and former vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He is now vice chancellor of the Catholic Extension Society. Kicanas was expected to become president of the Catholic Bishops Conference in 2010 after several years as vice president, as is typical, but opponents campaigned against him. They were like, Maybe he is a little too progressive, and that is the fear they tried to raise, Osman said, adding that the snub did not honor Kicanas service or integrity. She praised his commitment to the local diocese. During the same time period, Star archives indicate that victims rights groups criticized Kicanas for possible knowledge about misconduct by Chicago priest Daniel McCormack, who studied at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois, where Kicanas was appointed rector in 1984. McCormack was later arrested and defrocked. Kicanas received media scrutiny again in 2014 when court documents suggested he may also have known in the 1980s about inappropriate behavior by a second Chicago priest at Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, where Kicanas once worked. In both instances, Kicanas told the Star that based on the information available to him at the time, he did not know about abuse committed by either man. A reputation for social justice Deacon Ken Moreland at Most Holy Trinity Parish has heard the occasional critique from people who consider Kicanas too liberal, but Moreland chalks that up to the bishops passion for social justice. In Arizona, most people think of Bishop Kicanas as a passionate leader on immigration matters in particular and being welcoming to the stranger and reaching out to migrants and refugees, said Ron Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference. Mayor Rothschild pointed to the bishops leadership two years ago when migrants arriving from Central America overwhelmed Tucsons Greyhound bus station. One of the things that made him great in Tucson was that he really understood the community and understood that it includes, here in Tucson for the church, a focus on assisting immigrants and refugees and our Hispanic and Native American populations, Rothschild said. He really got immediately the role culture plays in our community as a whole. During his tenure as bishop, Kicanas has reached out to leaders of other faith traditions. The Rev. Grady Scott of Grace Temple Baptist Church said Kicanas has worked to bridge the gaps between the Catholic Church and evangelical church. He is a great believer in, If there is an issue, lets bring people together and hear what theyre concerned about and try to respond to it, said Monsignor Raul Trevizo, vicar general and pastor at St. John the Evangelist Parish. They might say things we prefer not to hear, but they need to say what they have to say, and we have to listen. A pastor again Whenever Deacon Moreland drives Kicanas to one of the dioceses remote parishes, the bishop hunkers down for some paperwork. And if we travel in the fall, he is usually filling out about 5,000 Christmas cards, Moreland said. He has a Christmas card list that is unbelievable. He signs each one of them and puts a note in them. Kicanas has a knack for personal touches. He is always present and looks people in the eye and holds their hand and listens to what they have to say, said Peg Harmon, CEO of Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona. It doesnt matter if its a pregnant teen or an incarcerated adult or an immigrant traveling through or a homeless guy on the street. The Rev. Scott remembers seeing Kicanas on a plane not long after the two men had met. Kicanas immediately remembered him. I dont know where he gets all of his energy, Monsignor Schifano said. He is tireless. And he remembers everybodys names. It drives me crazy. Kicanas, a vegetarian, also wakes up early to exercise. In retirement, he doesnt plan on slowing down but will instead serve at a local parish still undecided and continue his social justice work, specifically in the areas of immigration, prisons, poverty and drug addiction. Issues for the new bishop to address will include the dioceses current priest shortage and the ongoing restoration of Cathedral Square downtown. The diocese hopes to secure funding to transform Marist College and the Bishop Manuel D. Moreno Pastoral Center into a community center and affordable housing for seniors. The project also includes the construction of a four-story complex for offices and an event center. Leaving behind administrative work makes time for hearing confessions and celebrating Mass the things that you really went into the priesthood to do, Kicanas said. Step into The Village Church for Sunday evening vespers and make yourself at home. The front entrance leads into a kitchen where dinner is already cooking Hawaiian food on an evening in early May. Kids dart around in the backyard. Early arrivals lounge on couches in the sanctuary, waiting for the service to start. There are no designated greeters, no churchgoers in their Sunday best. About 80 adults and 50 kids call this community home, not just on Sundays but throughout the week. Many live within a few miles of the church and scribble their names on a detailed sign-up sheet, volunteering to cook, watch kids or clean bathrooms. Our community is very flat, says Eric Cepin, one of the churchs two co-pastors. Almost everybody in our church has a key to the building, which is kind of unheard of. They come in and clean and cook, and at some level feel, like the building is their home, too. In some form, The Village Church has existed since 2001, but moved into its current building at 1926 N. Cloverland Ave., about seven years ago, transitioning from a focus on college students and young adults to young families. Beyond the hodgepodge of sofas and chairs in the sanctuary and the shared dinners following Sunday services, The Village differs from many other churches in its identification on its website as a neo-monastic mega house church. Thats a fancy way of saying The Village doesnt just talk about the values of the Bible, but is serious about living them even when its messy. God is not saying there arent going to be hard things in the world and everything is going to be great, but he is saying, Im with you. Im Emmanuel, says Julie Brunson, one of the founding members. Getting back to the monastic sense of things, its not that everything is going to be great, its that were going to be together. New monasticism The Village emphasized hospitality and community long before adopting the label neo-monastic. St. Patrick had his monasteries inside the townships and invited people in, Cepin said, referring to a book he and co-pastor Rod Hugen drew inspiration from The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West ... Again by George G. Hunter III. New monasticism is a movement within American Christianity that has roots in the 1930s, says Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, a leader in new monasticism and a 2003 founder of the Rutba House community in Durham, North Carolina. The movement experienced a resurgence in the early 2000s out of the sense that the established institutional churches in the culture became considerably compromised by their alliance with the powers that be, be that business or political or whatever, he says. Around 2010, about 100 communities identified with new monasticism, Wilson-Hartgrove adds. That identification can vary in meaning. The Village, for example, doesnt share daily meals or economic resources in a formal sense. It also differs theologically from communities that associate themselves with the emerging church movement. The Village calls itself orthodox, and bases doctrine around the Apostles Creed and values what Jesus is valuing, including truth, authenticity and creativity, Cepin, 43, says. Although Hugen, 63, and Cepin are ordained ministers through the Christian Reformed Church, The Village affiliates with no particular denomination and falls somewhere between evangelical and mainline Protestant traditions. I see a trend of post-denominationalism in these communities, Wilson-Hartgrove said by phone from North Carolina. People are more concerned with how faith calls them to live than with the particular tradition they grew up in. everyone who attends has something to offer The kids at The Village squirm free during the opening and closing parts of the Sunday vespers service. A group dances in a back corner to live music, while others shake small maracas out of time. Here, Adrienne Crawford, 33, feels comfortable with her three children, ages 7, 6 and 4. Her oldest has Down syndrome and hasnt always been well-received in other churches. She isnt the only one who feels this way. Ryan McCulley also has two children with special needs. More than acceptance, McCulley, 42, and his wife feel as though their 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son are treated like they have something to offer fellow churchgoers. We started the church, but really worked on empowering other people, Brunson says. Because its an organic model rather than organizational model, as people come in, that changes things about the church. Throughout the month, members might attend Pilgrim Groups (like Bible studies) and then monthly Monastic Communities, which focus more on community service. We have an autistic man on our leadership, and he has preached several times, Cepin says. In the middle of one sermon, he completely had a meltdown. Brunson, 49, continues. He said, Im having a panic attack. Im going to sit down, she says. And everybody was just like, OK, and brought him a chair and a glass of water, and pretty soon he got up and went on. no secrets kept Because The Village offers relationship that is long-suffering and is willing to be in-depth with people who are struggling, financial stability can be challenging, Cepin says. Many in the church come from difficult backgrounds. This year, after 15 years, is the first year well be fully self-sustaining as a community, meaning we can pay reasonable salaries to our pastors and the mortgage on our building, he says. Beyond financial struggles, dealing with messy lives makes transparency essential. For example, Hugen says the church has encountered registered sex offenders wanting to join. So what do you do with them? he says. If you say, Im not on the list and hide, then were going to confront you and not let it go. But if youre here and repentant and sorrowful and honest, then we can talk about it and get parents involved, perhaps restricting Sunday attendance or building access. And people have been asked to leave. Theres no secret-keeping, because its not one-on-one; its collective, says John Cepin, Erics father and a marriage and family therapist of more than 30 years. John and wife, Patti, have attended The Village for several years. Eric Cepin estimates that just about everybody at the church volunteers, which means just about everybody has been background-checked. You dont get to hide here, Hugen says. support extended When Cepin stands up to preach on the Apostles Creed in early May, hes wearing a plaid shirt, ripped jeans and Nikes. Every now and then, someone rises from a sofa, wandering out of the sanctuary to return with a mug of coffee or glass of water. The casual atmosphere attracted Kristina Henry, who first discovered the The Village while church shopping for her cousin. Already a Christian, Henry had cut ties with church, mad after her brothers suicide, and was using drugs. I came to The Village bringing someone else, angry with God, not intending to stay, just trying to get her comfortable, Henry, 33, says. She ended up not sticking with it, and I did, for some reason. A year and a half later, Henry, who has multiple sclerosis, says she has stopped using drugs and is making progress toward healing from a traumatic childhood. Church members have picked her up from the hospital late at night after an MS flare-up and cared for her in the midst of guilt following a drug-use relapse. I had nothing at all, but now that I have something to look forward to, these people might love me and I might have a community. Now I have a reason not to do this, Henry says. If I have a problem, I call somebody. All are In process Usually, Sunday evening vespers end with a bellowing of Happy Birthday provided the honorees brings treats to share. The Village is liturgical with its commitment to certain rites the singing of Happy Birthday, for example yet casual in its style. The Village is traditional and liturgical in terms of following the Apostles Creed and having their own church rhythms, but in a way thats really open and inviting to creativity and open for discussion, says Corey Gilchrist, a 29-year-old member of the leadership team and musician in one of the churchs bands. Most of its music is written in-house, based on biblical scriptures. Art made by members hangs on the walls. Who is Jim Falken? The mystery surrounding that question took some mind-bending turns over the weekend, including an FBI report over a stolen pseudonym, and a threat by John R. Dalton Jr. to sue whoever is using his name to explain away the acts of Mr. Falken. You may recall that on Friday, I reported on the appearance and disappearance of a news site calling itself the Arizona Daily Herald. The Herald first became widely known on Sunday, May 15, when a person calling himself Jim Falken sent emails to the Pima County supervisors and the candidates for supervisor, asking their opinion of the road-repair plan Supervisor Ally Miller had released the day before. My reporting and that of the Tucson Weekly and Tucson Sentinel suggested that the Herald website may have been set up by a staff member in Millers office, Timothy DesJarlais. He had repeatedly used the pseudonym Jim Falken in an online role-playing game. He has also apparently set up online news sites before: The web sites Tucson Trumpet and NSNBC International list him as the contact or contributor. On Friday, Miller had a choice of whether to cast her suspicions on DesJarlais, a 19-year-old staffer who works part-time for the office and is running for the Marana school board, or to defend him. In a decision that could determine her political future, she chose to back him, full force. Miller and DesJarlais told KVOA-TV on Friday they were filing reports with the FBIs cyber-crimes unit. Their complaint was that someone else had assumed DesJarlais online alter-ego, Jim Falken, in an effort to besmirch Millers office. That complaint has two problems. One is that its unclear whether it would be a crime to use an online pseudonym used by someone else. Another is that the Arizona Daily Herald seemed to be trying to bolster Miller by asking candidates about her road-repair plan, not harm her. Another potential problem: Filling a false report with the FBI is itself a crime. Then came Saturday afternoon. DesJarlais and Miller had been claiming that a man named John Dalton was the one who used the Jim Falken name to start the Arizona Daily Herald. That afternoon, their claim seemed to come true. An email from Jim Falken, using the email address editor@azdailyherald.com, went out to news outlets and politicians around Pima County. Here are excerpts: My name is John Dalton and I am currently a resident of central Tucson. I have gotten into blogging and I wanted to start up my own news platform but to both protect my identity and make me seem objective, I utilized the pseudonym, Jim Falken, which I happened to run across while observing some nation roleplaying and blogs by a Timothy DesJarlais. Although I did use the same pseudonym as Mr DesJarlais, under no circumstances did I ever intend to assume his identity... Upon further research, there is another John Dalton out there who has come from Michigan and ran for Arizona delegate during this years state convention. It has come to my attention that Mr. DesJarlais has gotten me confused with this John Dalton, although we are two different people with different phone numbers. It also seems others have been confused and alleged that Mr DeJarlais is the owner of the Arizona Daily Herald... The final paragraph: Id like to repeat that none of my emails or texts were ever intended to impersonate Mr Dalton or Mr DesJarlais and I would like to offer my sincere apology to both the media, Supervisor Miller, all the candidates, and both Mr. DesJarlais and Mr. Dalton. Because of the nature of confusion surrounding my site, I have already terminated it and I will soon be deactivating this email. I meant no ill will towards anybody and this is purely a news blogging attempt gone wrong. I hope all of you will understand and I wish all of you the best of luck moving forward into the summer. The email is signed, John R. Dalton Jr. This email seemed to solve the mystery, and I was preparing to write a mea culpa, explaining that DesJarlais and Miller were right and I had been wrong. Then two things happened or didnt happen. The first was that the email writer calling himself John R. Dalton Jr. didnt answer any phone calls I made to the number provided in the email or respond to any emails. I was prepared to believe him, but I wanted to meet him first to verify he was really John Dalton. He wouldnt make any contact at all. The second was that the real John R. Dalton Jr. called. You see, there is a John R. Dalton Jr. living in Tucson. Hes a 25-year-old who moved from Michigan last year and is preparing to attend the University of Arizona this fall. Hes a Republican who was a delegate to the state convention from Legislative District 9. And he was wondering what on Earth was going on with people throwing his name into this political mystery. He said he had nothing to do with it, had only once met DesJarlais and Miller, and was a bit upset they were using his name. A story on the Arizona Daily Independent website quoted Miller accusing a John Dalton of being behind the Arizona Daily Herald. There may be other John Daltons around, but Saturdays email writer, claiming to be from the person who started the Arizona Daily Herald, had signed off as John R. Dalton Jr. The real Dalton, the one who was a delegate to the state convention, wrote this in an email to local Republicans on Sunday: The e-mail sent to you using my name is fraudulent in its entirety. The person who wrote the e-mail obviously did so as an act of desperation and made some very big mistakes. The person says that he is not to be confused with the other John Dalton out there who has come from Michigan and ran for Arizona delegate... In this section of the e-mail, it is apparent the person is referring to me, yet at the end of the e-mail he signs off using the full legal name of the only John Dalton, in the entire city of Tucson, who is from Michigan and was a state delegate, John R. Dalton Jr. He went on to say that, once a criminal investigation identifies who was using his name, he plans to file a civil suit. Separately this weekend, John Winchester, who is running against Miller in the Republican primary, uncovered a message sent to him April 24 via his campaign web page, from Jim Falken of the Arizona Daily Herald asking to be put on Winchesters mailing list. It includes a phone number that, when called, says the voicemail is for Timothy DesJarlais. Its the same phone number listed on the Tucson Trumpet website. After the weekends uproar, Sharon Bronson, a Democrat and chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, on Monday asked the county administration to investigate the matter. County spokesman Mark Evans said the county administrator, Miller nemesis Chuck Huckelberry, is planning to request that Sheriff Chris Nanos look into it. In short, Miller has gone all-in defending a questionable story by her young aide. The investigations by law-enforcement officials and journalists will reveal if that was a good choice. A Tucson High Magnet School student will have her artwork on display in the U.S. Capitol building for one year. Carolina Figueroa was named the winner of Congressman Raul Grijalvas 2016 congressional art competition for Arizonas 3rd Congressional District. Her piece, Contoured Happiness, is a pencil drawing of her cousin. Figueroa will receive a free trip to Washington, D.C., to see her work hung. Taking second place was Nicholas Adam Daniels of the Sonoran Science Academy. Stephanie Franco of Kofa High School earned third place. Catalina Highs Bahe wins $2K scholarship The Tucson Branch of the American Association of University Women has awarded a $2,000 scholarship to a Catalina High School senior. Kayla Bahe plans to attend the University of Arizona to study physiology. The Louise Hoppy Award has been given by AAUW for the past 25 years to a Native American woman entering college. Middler-schoolers receive grants for campus, community projects Southern Arizona middle-schoolers have been awarded grants to undertake projects on their campuses and around the community. As part of the Junior Changemaker Challenge, students could apply for up to $1,000 in project seed funding. The Challenge encourages youth to take leadership roles to build skills and the confidence that they can make a difference. The entries were judged by Changemaker High School students. Teams of students from the following schools were named winners of the Changemaker Challenge: La Paloma Academy-Lakeside, Roberts-Naylor K-8, AmeriSchools Academy, Desert Shadows Middle School Mesa Club, Mary Belle McCorkle Academy of Excellence, Highland Free School, Walter Douglas K-6 and San Xavier Mission School. The Boys and Girls Club of Tucson, Jim and Vicki Click Clubhouse, was also awarded seed money. Green Fields gets global award Green Fields K-12 School is one of 74 high schools in the United States to receive the Top Global Learning School award. The award recognizes schools with a commitment to fostering global citizenship through intercultural learning, both inside and outside the classroom. It is presented by AFS-USA, a nonprofit international student-exchange program, and by the National Society of High School Scholars, an international honor society dedicated to highlighting the accomplishments of high-achieving students. 9 UA students get scholarships from Phi Beta Kappa Association Nine University of Arizona students are being recognized by the Phi Beta Kappa Association of Greater Tucson. The association awarded nine $1,000 scholarships based on academic achievement, character and financial need. The winners are Justice Amarillas, Noe Arroyo-Williams, Tasanee Durrett, Pareena Kaur, Danyelle Khmara, David Setton, Anmol Singh, Katherine Witt and Nayelli Woods. Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller is seeking to redirect millions of dollars to road-repair efforts over the next 20 years. I believe that the biggest issue that the Board of Supervisors needs to solve is the road problem, she wrote of the plan on her campaign website. The board majority has not shown leadership in this area and they continue to blame others for their lack of leadership. Solving our crumbling roads problem will be one of my highest priorities in my next term. Funding for the sweeping proposal would come from several sources, including extending a half-cent sales tax for the voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority by a decade in 2026 and directing half of the authoritys revenues to road repair by 2023; ceasing to issue new voter-approved Highway User Revenue Fund bonds; and allocating more of those funds to road repair. An outline of the plan claims that it would raise more than $1 billion for road repair over 20 years while not raising taxes and ensuring fairness to all taxpayers. It describes bonds as a gimmick and not sustainable. Millers plan also calls for putting the voter-approved 1997 bonds back on the ballot, arguing that their possible impact on road-repair funding was not explained to the public. Several elements of Millers proposal raised the eyebrows of County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry. In a May 19 memo, Huckelberry says the plan does in fact raise taxes and would be unfair to the voters who approved the 1997 bonds and those who live in incorporated parts of the county. The extension of the RTA sales tax is, in Huckelberrys estimation, actually a tax increase. And Millers proposal to use general fund dollars for transportation staff salaries instead of HURF funds would require a countywide tax increase. Because the latter tax increase would fall on all county residents, including those in incorporated cities who Huckelberry said would receive no benefit, he described that part of the plan as grossly inequitable. To pay for road repairs as Supervisor Miller suggests is poor public policy and even worse tax policy, Huckelberry wrote. Such a proposal violates the basic principle of fairness. On Friday, Miller told the Arizona Daily Star that because the half-cent sales-tax extension would keep the rate where it was for the previous 20 years, it does not represent an increase. With regard to the new taxes Huckelberry said would be necessary, Miller responded that that assumes the county doesnt cut what she described as unessential spending elsewhere. I believe that this next board needs to come in and cut spending, she said. According to Millers plan, the funds raised would be used to fix all roads in the unincorporated county and its cities. With money raised by extending the RTA tax, for example, the plan would generate $250 million for Pima County and $429 million for cities within Pima County, according to her online summary. Huckelberry has also recently put forward road-repair proposals that include an additional half-cent sales tax administered by the RTA, though suggested pursuing it as soon as this year. In his memo responding to Miller, he said other parts of her plan are identical to his. As to the proposal to stop issuing additional HURF bonds, Huckelberry said that would amount to a bait and switch in which voters would be told that the county does not intend to comply with their intent when they approved the $350 million bond package in 1997. Additionally, the bulk of remaining projects in the bond package are within Tucsons city limits, according to Huckelberry. Because the proposed suspension of HURF bond issuance would eventually be put to the voters, as would the half-cent sales tax extension, Miller said it was inaccurate to describe it as a bait and switch. This would go back on the ballot for the voters to decide, she added. Outgoing Supervisor Ray Carroll, who has frequently sparred with fellow Republican Miller, said the plans chances of being approved are slim to none and panned it as appearing to have been whipped up on a cocktail napkin. This is simply a proposal. Its a proposal from me. I did it myself, Miller said of her hope that her plan serves as a starting point for the new board that starts in 2017. We had to get something on the table to work with. Ray can criticize it, but at the end of the day, Ray Carroll is gone, she said of her fellow supervisors intention to not seek re-election. And Ray has never put forth any kind of plan. Arizona hosts a significant quantity of pegmatite mineral deposits that have served as commercial sources of beryl, feldspar, lithium, mica, tantalum-columbium minerals, tungsten and quartz. Pegmatites are coarse-grained igneous rocks containing large crystals at least 1 centimeter in diameter. Composed of feldspar, mica and quartz, pegmatites are formed by the final stages of the crystallization of magma. They are sought after because of their valuable mineral and gemstone content. Significant production in Arizona began after World War II, as lithium-bearing pegmatites were extensively sought after leading to the discovery of the Arizona pegmatite belt extending from Lake Mead south to Kingman and southeast to Wickenburg, measuring 250 miles in length and averaging 55 miles in width. Located 10 miles east of Wickenburg and 45 miles northwest of Phoenix, the White Picacho District is in the southern part of the Arizona pegmatite belt, encompassing an area of 150 miles in Maricopa and Yavapai counties. The Midnight Owl Mine, also known as the Lithia King, is one of the prominent mines in the district known for its lithium deposits. Lithium, a silvery-white metal, is the lightest of all solid elements, having the quality of floating on gasoline. It occurs in percentages of less that 10 percent in amblygonite, lepidolite and spodumene. However, when alloyed with magnesium, it takes on the properties of hardness, including uses in armor plate. Lithium salts have uses including in the manufacture of glass, alkaline storage batteries, and as a carbon dioxide absorbent in submarines. Worked by brothers Earl F. and Sidney B. Anderson, who were public school teachers in Phoenix, the Midnight Owl Mine comprised five unpatented claims. With the erection of a mica mill in 1947, production began featuring open-cut methods. Between 1947 and 1952, 62 tons of amblygonite and 13 tons of beryl, along with columbite-tantalite concentrate, were mined and processed from the Midnight Owl Mine. Earl Anderson apparently ran into financial difficulties in the summer of 1952. An advance payment by the Alreco Metal Corp. for a bulldozer, along with an agreed-upon shipment of 200 tons of amblygonite, a lithium-sodium aluminum fluophosphate from the mine, never materialized. The company asserted in a letter to Arthur L. Flagg, office engineer for the Arizona Department of Mineral Resources, a formal complaint regarding the matter, threatening legal action, asserting that Anderson used the companys remittance for payment toward satisfying his old debts. Flagg responded with confidence in Andersons stockpile of amblygonite in pegmatite dikes on his property, however, confirming that he could exert no influence on Andersons business. A 1958 report cited that the mine produced several carloads of spodumene, along with amblygonite, beryl, columite and tantalite. Multiple companies involved in the procurement arrangement included the Maywood Chemical Co, Foote Mineral Co., the government depot at Rapid City, South Dakota, Mike Lyon of Arvada, Colorado, and an unnamed buyer in Germany. Mining activity during the 1980s involved a test lot of ore recovery involving a pilot gravity mill used to recover tantalum and other metals from the Midnight Owl Mine and nearby Homestead and Outpost mines. The mill included assorted crushing and grinding equipment, along with a Wilfley table used to separate heavy mineral particles from worthless rock. Drawn by the high-quality feldspar reserves in the White Picacho District, the Sid Anderson properties were acquired by Fansteel Corp. in 1987, which in turn leased the 12 mining claims comprising 340 acres to Steelhead Resources, Ltd. Dick and Mardy Zimmerman currently own claims at the Midnight Owl Mine, having generously hosted mineral-collecting trips for local mineral clubs. The mine is credited with a mixture of rare and microscopic minerals. Fluorescent minerals from the Midnight Owl Mine include eucryptite, a lithium-aluminum silicate found in massive gray pegmatite rock. William Ascarza is an archivist, historian and author of seven books available for purchase online and at select bookstores. These include his latest, In Search of Fortunes: A Look at the History of Arizona Mining, available through M.T. Publishing Co. at tucne.ws/7ka. His other books are Chiricahua Mountains: History and Nature, Southeastern Arizona Mining Towns, Zenith on the Horizon: An Encyclopedic Look at the Tucson Mountains from A to Z, Tucson Mountains, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum with Peggy Larson and Sentinel to the North: Exploring the Tortolita Mountains. Email Ascarza at mining@azstarnet.com Pena Blanca Lake west of Nogales has been re-opened after being closed last week as crews battled a wildfire nearby. Helicopters battling the La Sierra Fire used the lake to dip their water buckets. The Coronado National Forest said a closure of the area where the fire was burning has also been lifted. That area was between Walker and Sycamore Canyons south of Ruby Road to the international border. Motorists might still see firefighting vehicles in the area checking on smoke sources. The wildfire, which began in Mexico, burned nearly 5,000 acres but is about 90 percent contained on the U.S. side. Most personnel have been released from the fire, but crews are in the area doing mop up and patrolling. Massachusetts Officer slaying suspect is killed in shootout AUBURN The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts police officer died after an exchange of gunfire Sunday as authorities closed in on him at a small-town residence, police said. The man, identified as 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, burst out of a closet and opened fire on the officers as they approached him inside a duplex in Oxford, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said. Zambrano, who authorities said had a criminal history, was taken to a hospital, where he died. The manhunt began after Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. California Captain America loses perch to Birds LOS ANGELES Captain America has found a worthy competitor in a bunch of flightless birds. The Angry Birds Movie soared to $39 million in its debut weekend, knocking Captain America: Civil War off its first-place perch, according to comScore estimates Sunday. Civil War earned an additional $33.1 million for a second-place spot, bringing its domestic total to $347.4 million. Even in its third weekend in theaters, the superhero proved mightier than a batch of new adult comedies, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and The Nice Guys, which took the third- and fourth-place spots. Child prodigy enters university at age 12 SACRAMENTO A 12-year-old Sacramento student who already has three community college degrees and has been accepted to two University of California campuses says he plans on studying biomedical engineering and becoming a doctor and medical researcher by the time he turns 18. Tanishq Abraham has been accepted to UC-Davis and received a regents scholarship to UC-Santa Cruz, but he has yet to decide which university hell attend, Sacramento television station CBS 13 said Sunday . Tanishq started community college at age 7 and last year received associates degrees from American River College, a community college in Sacramento, in general science, math and physical science, and foreign language studies. A small but vocal contingent of the New York City's political class characterizes those of us who are alarmed by increasing crime and want more proactive policing, more effective prosecution and further refinement of state laws to ensure that lawbreakers face swift, sure consequences as nothing but reactionaries. The city remains historically safe, they say, so the order of the day should be more criminal justice reform. UNCW CHHS Dean Charles Hardy Selected for Membership in the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Charles Hardy, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, has been selected for membership in the NC Institute of Medicine. Hardy joins a prestigious body that includes more than 100 leaders in health care, academics, business and policy across the state. I am honored by this opportunity to contribute to the advancement of health policy and health care in the state, Hardy said. UNCWs participation in the NCIOM will further CHHS mission not only to educate future care providers, but to work with communities and the state on ways to improve the health of North Carolina residents. The NCIOM is an independent, quasi-state agency chartered by the NC General Assembly in 1983 to provide nonpartisan information on health issues. NCIOM task forces study and develop workable solutions for complex health concerns facing the state. We are pleased to welcome these new members to the NCIOM, said Dr. Adam Zolotor, president and chief executive officer of the NCIOM. We look forward to working with them to continue the mission of the institute, seeking constructive solutions to statewide problems that imped the improvement of health and efficient and effective delivery of health care for all North Carolina citizens. As a member, Hardy may serve on selected task forces or be asked to write or review material for the North Carolina Medical Journal. His current term runs through 2020, with an opportunity for reappointment. -- Tricia Vance #CHHS Itellum's Cielo Clears New User Milestone, Shakes up Costa Rican Telecom Share Tweet By Steve Anderson Contributing Writer By Steve AndersonContributing Writer One of the biggest new forces in the Costa Rican telecom market is Cielo, a complete applications platform for unified communications (UC) operations from Itellum. It's recently cleared an important milestone for the region, reaching 12,000 users, and it's also posing a major new challenge to other telecom operations in the region. With 12,000 users to its credit, Cielo represents the fastest-growing application of its kind in Costa Rica, as well as the overall leader in terms of use, at last report. Itellum offers a variety of features not commonly found in the region's telecommunications options, like video calling, secure options for voice calling, and even international calling. Since Itellum is offering this comparative powerhouse up at competitive rates, it's representing major value and drawing plenty of users. Users get a local Costa Rican telephone number, and users are actually allowed to pre-register a number with Itellum in advance for number portability later on. There are three subscription plans ranging from an option that allows unlimited calling to the United States and Canada, one that allows unlimited calling within Costa Rica, and one that allows unlimited calling to all three regions for one price. Itellum's CEO and co-founder Tim Foss commented Cielo is much more than a calling app. It is the first truly unified communications' mobile social networking portal that connects users in Costa Rica to the rest of the world. Cielo is the only telecom application platform that seamlessly integrates web services, an encrypted chat function, group communications with file sharing capabilities and videoconferencing, as well as the first and only unlimited calling plans offered locally. This would be good by itself, but Itellum has plans to expand still further, extending into Central America and father into South America and even into the Baltic regions, a development that Itellum is actively seeking new relationships to further in both operations and finances. The basic concept behind Cielo speaks for itself. It offers more than its competitors and it does so at a comparable price. When anyone can offer a premium good for a price that's approximately the same as the competition's, it leaves very little left in the way of value propositions left for other competitors to use. Competitors must either improve on Cieloperhaps on ease of use or some function left unconsideredor must beat it on price to have any hope of competing. Otherwise, only inertia will be left as a driver to hold the current customer base, and Cielo's value proposition is so strong that it may not even be possible to count on inertia holding it all together. In the end, it's easy to see why Cielo is one of the biggest names in Costa Rican telecom, and why an expansion effort likely won't be out of line. If it can carry that value elsewhere, it's likely to dominate other markets as well. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Article comments powered by Disqus Article comments powered by Edited by Maurice Nagle After all but locking up the Republican nomination, Donald Trump has gone from front runner to presumptive nominee. With the new status comes added pressure, including the constant barrage from the media and the public to release his tax returns. Trump's taxes It's become commonplace for a presidential candidate to release their tax returns, providing the American people with a look into their financial history. For Trump, however, he's been able to avoid releasing his financial information, saying that it's "none of your business" when pressed during a recent sit-down interview. While Trump has been able to get away with not releasing his returns, the Hillary Clinton campaign ran a new ad to highlight what he might be hiding, citing a recently released article as her source. Trumps income tax returns once became public. They showed he didnt pay a cent. https://t.co/BuF8T3Xh6v pic.twitter.com/JU69czHGyS Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) May 20, 2016 According to The Washington Post on May 20, the earliest available tax returns for Donald Trump are from 1978 and 1979. The paper cites a report from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission back in 1981 when Trump was forced to submit his returns while putting in an application to obtain a gaming license. In the article, it notes that according to New Jersey state records, "Trump claimed that his combined income in 1978 and 1979 was negative $3.8 million, allowing him to pay no taxes," despite telling The New York Times just a few years earlier that he was worth over $200 million. Analysts have confirmed that Trump is likely to pay little to no taxes due to using loopholes in the law. Ironically, the loopholes Trump is accused of using, are the same that he's been critical of on the campaign trail. Repeatedly, Trump has criticized corporations of abusing the tax code by shipping jobs overseas, and has even attacked former presidential candidates for not releasing their returns, including 2008 GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Election outlook While refusing to release tax returns would normally be a death knell for a presidential candidate, Trump has been able to weather the storm when faced with controversial situations before. When the former host of "The Apprentice" announced his candidacy for president last June, most political pundits and members of the media didn't give him a shot a success. Fast forward 11 months and Trump is set to become his party's nominee, and head into the general election. A Trump-Clinton match-up is the most likely outcome, and according to the Real Clear Politics most recent rolling average, Trump has narrowed the former Secretary of State's lead down to just four points on a national level. This past January, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump avoided attending a GOP debate due to the fact that it would be moderated by Fox News' Megyn Kelly. The feud between Trump and Kelly has been anything but a secret, and the billionare real estate mogul decided to spend the time raising money for veterans' groups and charities. Trump and the military At the conclusion of his veterans' charity fundraiser, Trump informed the crowd, "We just cracked $6 million!." The campaign continued to stand by that number, but over time, the actually dollar amount had been challenged. Various news outlets, including CNN, reported that only about half, $3 million, had reached the charities and groups in question. On Friday, the Trump campaign confirmed that they only raised $4.5 million, about 75 percent of what was originally announced. Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski blamed the false number on donations that were promised by wealthy friends of Trump, but who ultimately didn't follow through. After backlash followed from several veterans' groups, The Hill reported on May 22 that a massive protest will occur on Monday, with United States Marines demanding Trump apologize for the incorrect information that he originally reported. "I am proud to be leading a protest tomorrow at Trump Tower with military veterans who reject @realDonaldTrump," Alexander McCoy, retired Marine and protest organizer, tweeted out Sunday night. "I demand that @realDonaldTrump apologize for using Veterans as props to get votes while failing to keep his promises," McCoy wrote in a follow-up tweet, going on to say that Trump's policies "would make America less safe." I am proud to be leading a protest tomorrow at Trump Tower with military veterans who reject @realDonaldTrump #VetsVsHate #VetsFireTrump Alexander McCoy (@AlexanderMcCoy4) May 23, 2016 According to The Hill, McCoy served in the the United States Marine Corps for six years, starting in January 2008 until December 2013. Since that time, McCoy has been a student at Columbia University. When the news broke of Trump's false fundraising for veterans, the retiredMarine took it upon himself to organize the protest. "As a veteran I think its unacceptable that he has made promises he is unwilling to keep," McCoy said. Election forecast Despite the negative press surrounding the campaign, Trump has been able to weather the storm of controversy since he announced his candidacy for president 11 months ago. Even with veterans and active military members voicing their opposition to Trump, the former host of "The Apprentice" is still doing well among members of the military, polling ahead of Hillary Clinton by a 2-to-1 margin in the latest survey by the Military Times. Goldwind Americas, unit of Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology, signs deal with US' Renewable Energy Systems The US unit of a Chinese company that is among the leading manufacturers of wind turbines for power generation is about to start a major wind-power project in Texas. Goldwind Americas, a subsidiary of China's Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co Ltd, signed an agreement on May 17 with Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc (RES) to acquire the 160-megawatt Rattlesnake Wind Project in McCulloch County, Texas. Once operational, the Rattlesnake will become Goldwind's largest US wind project to date. Xinjiang, listed on the Hong Kong Exchange, became the world's biggest turbine maker, topping European and US manufacturers, according to a report in the Financial Times. Goldwind Americas started in 2010, according to CEO David Halligan. "We have installed wind turbines from Minnesota to Chile," he said in an interview. "We do large-scale projects that provide power for utilities and we also do smaller-scale projects that provide on-site power generation for industrial and agricultural uses. "This investment in the Rattlesnake Wind Project highlights our long-term commitment to the US wind market and represents our first step of a five-year growth strategy," added Halligan. The Rattlesnake project, located about 125 miles northwest of Austin, Texas, will utilize 64 Goldwind 2.5 megawatt (MW) wind turbines. The 160 MW Rattlesnake project represents the first phase of an expected 300 MW wind project, which was developed and will be constructed by RES. Halligan said power produced by Rattlesnake will be sold to utilities in Texas that will in turn provide power for the utility market in the state. "We expect that once fully operational, Rattlesnake will be able to power from 100,000 to 150,000 homes," he added. In 2012 the Obama administration blocked a privately owned Chinese company - Ralls Corp - from building wind turbines close to a Navy military site in Oregon due to national security concerns. Ralls filed a lawsuit against the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for ordering it to stop construction. In 2015 Ralls reached a settlement and sold the disputed assets. "We have done advance work on this and we do not anticipate any similar action," said Halligan. While Texas has long been a haven for oil and natural-gas exploration, that state is among the leaders in wind-power production in the US. Texas was the second state after Iowa to pass a renewable portfolio standard, a policy that requires a certain amount of electricity come from renewable sources. The state has also developed transmission lines and networks that connect major population centers with power produced in rural areas. According to a report from the governor's office, Texas is ranked No. 1 in the country for wind energy capacity. Halligan said three factors make the state ideal for producing wind power. "The cost to build wind projects in Texas is low compared to other areas. Wind capacity in Texas is excellent and the state has plenty of open land," he said. Halligan said Xinjiang is providing the technology for the wind turbines. Parts of the turbines such as the blades may be made in the US. "About 60 percent of the cost of the Rattlesnake project will be sourced in the US," he added. Halligan said Goldwind hopes to start construction on Rattlesnake this year and complete the project in 2017. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com These are 2.5 megawatt permanent magnet direct-drive turbines that will be similar to the ones the company will utilize in the Rattlesnake Wind Project located in Texas. Provided to China Daily ICBC issues first RMB CD Updated: 2016-05-23 05:44 By AMY HE in New York(China Daily USA) Jiang Jianqing, chairman of ICBC, at an issuance ceremony for the bank's first renminbi-denominated certificate of deposit with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. AMY HE / CHINA DAILY Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has issued its first renminbi-denominated certificate of deposit, allowing institutions to issue and clear financial products denominated in the Chinese currency in the US. The CD allows borrowers to issue RMB-denominated securities in the US for trading and settlement purposes. The launch presents a significant milestone in serving to meet the growing demands among investors in the United States and around the world to have access to the RMB, said Jiang Jianqing, chairman of ICBC, in a May 20 statement. The RMB is an increasingly important part of the global payments system, as payments in this currency are growing faster than overall global payments in all currencies, he added. Between February and March, the value of RMB payments increased 18.5 percent. compared to a 10.7 percent increase in payments of other currencies, according to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). The RMB is the fifth-most active currency in global payments, it said. BNY Mellon Corporate Trust is the issuer and paying agent of the CD, which is valued at 500 million yuan ($76.3 million). It has a 31-day maturity and is the first RMB-denominated financial product settled by the Depository Trust Company. Previous RMB-denominated CDs were settled by Euroclear in Europe. "Our corporate trust team looks forward to its future collaboration with ICBC and DTCC (Depository Trust and Clearing Corp) and providing its solutions for trading, clearing and settlement of RMB in the US," said Brian Shea, CEO of investment services at BNY Mellon. "This innovation paves the way for us to further develop connections into major RMB trading and clearing centers across the world, he said. ICBC and BNY Mellon are members of the Working Group on US RMB Trading and Clearing, which promotes trading, clearing and settlement of the Chinese currency in the US. The group is chaired by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who attended the issuance ceremony. Bloomberg said that its important that US firms can easily use Chinese currency. Being able to clear RMB here will lower costs for firms that want to do business, make our financial centers more competitive globally, and strengthen US and Chinas relationships. All of that will help growth on both sides of the Pacific, he said. China, Thailand start joint military exercise Updated: 2016-05-22 07:42 (Xinhua) SATTAHIP, Thailand - Thai and Chinese marine corps held an opening ceremony for a joint military exercise codenamed Blue Strike 2016 here on Saturday. The opening ceremony, held at Sattahip Naval Base, Chon Buri province, was presided over by Royal Thai Navy Fleet Commander Naris Prathumsuwan and Wang Hai, deputy commander of Chinese Navy. The joint exercise includes joint training at sea and on land, evacuating people from conflict-affected areas and disaster relief in counter-terrorism occasions. Wang said the drill manifests the perseverance and ability of marine corps from both countries in counter-terrorism and maintaining peace in the region and the world. Naris said the drill would help boost the long-standing relationship between Thailand and China and the exercise was aimed at increasing cooperation between the two forces by sharing practical knowledge and experiences. The military drill is the third one of its kind, following the Blue Strike 2010 and Blue Strike 2012 joint training exercises. During the opening ceremony, marines also gave performances as a way of exchange. Chinese marines presented kung fu while their Thai counterparts performed Muay Thai. Sattahip Naval Base, where the headquarters of Royal Thai Marine corps is located, is the biggest naval base in Thailand. New lighthouses make sea safer Updated: 2016-05-23 08:29 By Zhang Yunbi in Sansha, Hainan(China Daily) A helicopter rescue teamtakes part in a lifesaving exercise on Thursday . [Photo/Xinhua] Range of recently constructed navigation aids in South China Sea helps all vessels China is perfecting maritime navigation aids for civilian vessels in the South China Sea, as the country has built two lighthouses and four beacons on the Xisha Islands, sources told China Daily. In addition to the visible aids - lighthouses, beacons and buoys - China is also offering radio aids to support navigation, such as the Automatic Identification System, a tool used around the world for marine contacts. As of May, China had four base stations for AIS communications on the Xisha Islands, providing complete coverage of the area, insiders familiar with China's navigation safety services and relevant buildups said on the condition of anonymity. Now, with a click on the client app on a cellphone, one can see the locations of vessels sailing in the Xisha area, including basic identifying information and destination. "The AIS service helps navigation in extreme weather conditions, including typhoons, and is critically important for avoiding collisions. Unlike cars, ships cannot make a sharp U-turn," one of several sources said. China's lighthouses have also been flashing in some parts of the Nansha Islands, including Huayang Reef, Chigua Reef and Zhubi Reef. The sources said the lighthouses have multiple functions, hosting base stations for services such as AIS, VHF and civilian cellphone networks, "making them a comprehensive platform". Before the navigation aids came along, some island dwellers put red caution lights on their rooftops to help ships find their way late at night, when nothing else could be seen in the darkness. Obama leaves worrisome legacy of drone killings Updated: 2016-05-23 11:40 By Chen Weihua(China Daily USA) As US President Barack Obama completes his second term, the controversial drone strikes he has dramatically escalated will clearly be part of his legacy. Reports show that the US military launched a drone strike on May 21 that killed Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in a western Pakistan province near the border with Afghanistan. There have been no reports about whether Pakistan's government was informed beforehand of the strike that took place on its sovereign territory. Neither was there any information on the others blown up in the vehicle by several US drones. The US government has been using euphemisms to describe such action as target killing, rather than assassination, just like the words "enhanced interrogation" instead of "torture" are used regarding Guantanamo prison detainees held without due process. While Obama's claim that the US has been the "standard bearer in the conduct of war", the drone strikes have drawn sharp criticism over their legality and the loss of civilian lives, described in White House euphemism as "collateral damage". In such a situation, Obama, a lawyer by training, has been making decisions himself as who should be on the kill list. This contrasts sharply to his days as a young senator from Illinois when he criticized such a counterterrorism approach by then-President George W. Bush. The latest book, The Assassination Complex: Inside the Government's Secret Drone Warfare Program, written by Jeremy Scahill and the staff of The Intercept and published by Simon & Schuster early this month, tells an entirely different story from the one by Obama and other US government officials. The book is based on the Drone Papers published by The Intercept last October with numerous secret documents by whistleblowers that detail the inner workings of the US military assassination program in Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia. Far from Obama's claims that drone strikes have been carried out with "near certainty", the book shows that some 90 percent of the people decimated in the strikes were not the intended targets. It was not what Obama said at a press conference during the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in early April, even when he admitted that civilians were killed. "It wasn't as precise as it should have been, and there's no doubt civilians were killed that shouldn't have been. ... We have to take responsibility where we're not acting appropriately, or just made mistakes," Obama said. The commander-in-chief then defended the program by saying "we've worked very hard to avoid and prevent" those strikes and "our operating procedures are as vigorous as they've ever been". It might be true that with the emergence of remote-controlled lethal weapons, the US may have saved American lives by not putting boots on the ground, but what is also true is that the cost of civilian lives in those countries from South Asia to the Middle East and North Africa has increased dramatically. The Intercept papers and book reveal that the strikes personally ordered by Obama could often be based on an intelligence system with many loopholes, and that the US military simply labels unknown people killed in drone assassination as "enemies killed in action". The publications also reveal that White House standards regarding drone strikes are confusing. For example, the White House policy standards stipulate that lethal force will be used only against targets who pose a "continuing, imminent threat to US persons". It does not fit the situation in Yemen and Somalia, where there was little US presence to justify such action. The Intercept papers and books are among some of the revelations of Obama's heinous drone-assassination program. The documentary National Bird, directed and produced by Sonia Kennebeck and released last month, tells the story of the horrible drone program from the viewpoint of three US whistleblowers, or three US military veterans who participated in the drone warfare but were haunted by the guilt of killing people on foreign soil, people whose faces they could not even see. The prolonged psychological horror suffered by civilian survivors of those drone strikes is also revealed in the documentary. The White House announced in March that it will release its drone playbook and the number of casualties regarding combatants and civilians. What is clear is that the whole world is watching this legacy of Obama's, while drone technology continues to proliferate around the world. Remember the panic caused in the US when a small amateur drone crash-landed last October on the Ellipse, the lawn outside the White House? Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 05/23/2016 page2) Ex-Taiwan leader brought island closer to mainland Updated: 2016-05-23 18:08 By Peng Yining(China Daily) Throughout his two terms, Taiwan's former leader Ma Ying-jeou brought the island closer to the mainland, increasing the number of tourists, business deals and talks across the Straits to a level not thought possible a decade ago, experts say. The mainland and Taiwan have built political trust during the past eight years and have improved cooperation in many fields and reduced conflict on international affairs, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office. During Ma Ying-jeou's tenure, 23 agreements were signed, including cooperation on trade and civil aviation. One month after the meeting in November between President Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou, the heads of cross-Straits affairs on both sides talked on a new hotline. According to a poll in Taiwan last week, 47 percent of the island's residents were satisfied with Ma's efforts in handling cross-Straits relations, a higher satisfaction rate than he got for other work. Chen Shui-bian, Ma's predecessor, got 21 percent when he left office in 2008. On Monday, Ma said both sides have reached a consensus of peaceful development, and he hopes Taiwan's new leadership could maintain the current "traffic rules", and use the cross-sea bridge of "peace". "The momentous meeting between Xi and Ma pushed cross-Straits relations to a new level. Without the mutual endorsement of the One-China principle, none of those accomplishments would have happened," said Huang Jiashu, a professor of Taiwan studies at Renmin University of China. He said closer cross-Straits ties not only benefit Taiwan financially, but also give the island wider space internationally, referring to the World Health Assembly, which Taiwan will participate in as an observer on Monday. Liu Guoshen, dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University in Fujian province, said Ma and the KMT have been criticized for being too cautious to push forward reform. "Ma did a lot of work to improve Taiwan people's livelihoods, but in the bigger environment of the global economic decline, people are increasingly complaining," Liu said. pengyining@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily USA 05/23/2016 page5) 2016 Billboard Awards held in Las Vegas Updated: 2016-05-23 11:03 (Agencies) Stevie Wonder and Madonna perform "Purple Rain" during the tribute to Prince at the 2016 Billboard Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 22, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] Madonna paid tribute to Prince, Kesha earned a standing ovation for her stirring rendition of "It Ain't Me, Babe" honoring Bob Dylan, and Celine Dion dedicated her Icon award to her late husband at Sunday night's emotion-packed Billboard Music Awards. The three-hour live telecast from Las Vegas stuck to its tradition of a performance-heavy annual show featuring top recording stars in spectacular production numbers. Singapore's Sentosa lures Chinese customers with expanded Alipay link Updated: 2016-05-23 15:03 (Xinhua) Currently, Chinese travellers can already make online bookings for hotel packages and attraction tickets on Sentosa's website, and select Alipay for online payment, before leaving their country.[Photo by R.G.B/Asianewsphoto] Chinese visitors can now pay through Alipay at over 110 locations at Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), RWS said in a statement on Monday. RWS said it has established a strategic collaboration with Ant Financial Services Group where Alipay, China's largest mobile payment provider, is appointed its preferred partner for China. Alipay is also named the official partner of S.E.A. Aquarium and Resorts World Theatre, both are the most-visited scenic spots in Singapore. Currently, Chinese travellers can already make online bookings for hotel packages and attraction tickets on the resort's website, and select Alipay for online payment, before leaving their country. Alitrip shows Chinese tourists different side of US Updated: 2016-05-23 05:24 By HEZI JIANG(China Daily USA) Sherri Wu believes that the 2016 China-US Tourism Year is an opportunity for Chinese travelers to get to know America better. For example, Wu, Alitrip's chief strategy officer, said that most Chinese people believe American food is just burgers and fries. "The US has a lot more to offer," Wu said. "They should go down to New Orleans to try the Southern food and experience the jazz." In October 2014, China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd established Alitrip, an online travel service platform that helps Chinese customers book domestic and international airline tickets, hotel rooms and group tours. Earlier this year, Alitrip kicked off the China-US Tourism Year with five new partnerships signed in the US, including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and four American travel agencies. By forming partnerships with Alitrip, airlines, hotels and tour operators can open storefronts on alitrip.com, where millions of Chinese travelers book custom trips. "The US is our No. 1 important outbound destination for 2016," said Wu, pointing out that the new 10-year US tourist visa gives online booking a bigger market share, whereas in the past tourists preferred to book through brick-and-mortar travel agencies due to the complicated visa application process. America's magnificent national parks are an attraction for Chinese visitors, said Wu. Also, the size of the country and a variety of cultures from the East to the West "made the US ideal for expanded, long trips". More than 2.6 million Chinese tourists visited the US in 2015, up by 16.8 percent from the previous year, according to the China National Tourist Office. "The number will keep rising," Wu said. In the past, Alibaba and other Chinese travel services had always been focused on selling packaged tours. Those tours aim to see the most famous places and cover the longest distance and as many countries or cities as possible, with trip names like "From Los Angeles to San Francisco, a comprehensive tour of California in 4 days" or "10 countries in 8 days" for a group tour to Europe. That old-fashioned type of trip is not what Chinese millennials seem to want. "A lot of our customers are between age 21 to 30, and 90 percent of them are college educated or have post-graduate degrees. They are what we call free, independent traveler,' " Wu said. "Instead of taking a bus to Yellowstone, they want to drive themselves, hike for a few days, and find a cabin to stay," she said. "They might only want to join a two-day group tour during a two-week trip. They like to explore by themselves. They look more into nature, museum and culture. "We want to provide unique and customize products for these customers," she said. "Those products are very lacking in China today." Alitrip is looking to become a platform on which customers can easily mix and match hotels, transportation and sightseeing tickets. Wu also hopes to cultivate a service on which Chinese travelers will be able to search for the best restaurants nearby with no language barrier and learn about what to order. In January, Alitrip launched the "US Destination Page". Though it's still far from Wu's vision, the page features many day trips, road trips and activities such as snorkeling and helicopter rides. What Alitrip is getting into reflects the trend of the Chinese tourism industry. "All of the online travel agencies are expanding the US market," said Maxwell Sun, chief marketing officer of Tours For Fun, a California and Sichuan-based travel service. "We are working on offering more personalized products and creating a better online booking system," Sun said. Though a young player in the tourism industry, Alitrip's advantage lies in what it knows about its customers, Wu said. Connected with Alibaba's other platforms, Alitrip knows its customers' purchasing behavior and other demographics. "We understand our customers very well. We are not just a travel site," she said. Alibaba Group's payment service, Alipay, is also increasing its efforts to serve outbound Chinese travelers. In January, United Airlines added Alipay as a payment option for its passengers, and Wu said the Alipay team is currently talking to many more American tourist destinations. In the future, Chinese tourists may be able to spend with Alipay and not worry about the credit limits on their cards, she said. "We want to make them feel that they can travel here as they travel domestically in China." hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com 3 poaching suspects shot dead in Kenya Updated: 2016-05-24 03:04 By HOU LIQIANG in Nairobi, Kenya(China Daily Africa) Kenya Wildlife Service rangers gunned down three suspected poachers in a national park and seized an AK-47 rifle on Sunday. Two rounds of ammunition, a spear, an axe and a scale also were recovered after a fierce firefight in Aberdare National Park, about 160 kilometers north of the capital Nairobi. An elephant in the park was poached on May 12, and since then, KWS had intensified patrols and intelligence-gathering there, according to a KWS statement. It also said KWS security personnel have been following up intelligence about three men who are believed to have been poaching in the last three days. At about 6:30 pm, two rangers, while gathering intelligence, were informed that the three men had already entered the park. The two rangers, who decided to mount an ambush on one of the routes frequently used by poachers in the park after their efforts at tracing failed, heard murmurs around 8 pm. The suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on the rangers, according to KWS. They were found dead after the gun battle. Police identified two of the deceased as Lazarus Kanyiri Kaheho, 33, from Tetu, and Erastus Kagara from Mwiyogo location in Nyeri County. The third body has yet to be identified. houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Truong Gia Binh, president of Vinasa. Photo enternews.vn Viet Nam News HA NOI Successful entrepreneurs inspired young people at a discussion last Friday about start-up businesses powered by information and technology (IT). Amidst an anticipated wave of start-ups in Viet Nam, fuelled by a new legal framework, young people heard about the potential of technology-driven businesses. Speaking at the gathering, jointly held by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Viet Nam Software and IT Services Association (Vinasa), Truong Gia Binh, president of Vinasa, said that the time was ripe for the rapid development of start-ups in Viet Nam. IT-powered start-ups are an inevitable trend in a digital world. Binh, who was also chairman of technology giant FTP, said that previously the rich were those who possessed an abundance of assets, land and cash. But today things have changed, as the rich have become those owning information and who are familiar with using technology. Uber was a clear example, being a giant transport service company that owns no cars. Viet Nam has a technology-savvy young generation with a global mindset, along with a high percentage of the population using the Internet, and is one of the leading countries in developing mobile applications, according to Binh. He cited estimated figures showing that Viet Nam had some 1,500 start-up firms, mainly in the IT sector. If we join together, with a Vietnamese will of steel, we will succeed, Binh said. Speaking about that Vietnamese iron will, Lu Thanh Long, chairman of software services company MISA, said starting a business always involved many challenges. The amount of work demanded by a start-up was very large, Long said. He added that there were periods when he had only one hour of sleep per day, and was still short on time to complete his work. Being prepared for challenges and high pressure are important. He noted that a start-up needed an idea, a business plan, consultancies, understanding of legal procedures, knowledge about how to raise capital and a plan for how to operate. Long added that universities and colleges should include courses on how to start a business in their educational offerings. He also said that the Government should provide assistance and develop incubators to support start-ups. In addition, procedures related to investments of venture funds in start-ups must be simplified, while the business climate for the operation of venture funds must be improved. Start-ups have received attention from the Government recently, with initial efforts to encourage entrepreneurs to build a start-up ecosystem. According to Hoang Quang Phong, VCCIs Deputy Director, the term start-up was mentioned, for the first time, in the draft document of the 12th National Party Congress in February. Recently, the Prime Minister approved a project to develop the national ecosystem for start-ups by 2025, in an effort to encourage a start-up boom. Also, a circular on venture capital funding is being drafted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. VNS HA NOI The nations sugar industry might be harmed by increased imports of sugar if the Ministry of Industry and Trades proposal to import an additional 200,000 tonnes is approved. Under the proposal, the total amount of imported sugar in Viet Nam could rise to 335,000 tonnes, including 85,000 tonnes included in the import quota called for in the nations WTO commitments; 50,000 tonnes imported by Hoang Anh Gia Lai from Laos and the proposed 200,000 tonnes. In addition, there are hundreds of tonnes of sugar smuggled into the country each year. The Agro-Forestry, Seafood Processing and Salt Industry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the proposal followed the issuance of the report from the Viet Nam Sugar and Sugarcane Association. That report indicated that Viet Nam was expected to produce some 1.2 million tonnes of sugar, a reduction caused by droughts and salt water infiltration of farm lands, while the nations total demand for sugar was forecast at 1.6 million tonnes. The country, therefore, would see a shortage of 400,000 tonnes of sugar. The MoIT said that the country would need a large amount of sugar this summer. This was the reason they proposed importing 200,000 tonnes of sugar, said Le Van Banh, the departments director. The prices of locally produced sugar have always been 20 per cent higher than imported sugar. For this reason, an increased amount of imported sugar could cause pressure on domestic sugarcane factories and farmers. Banh warned that the MoIT should be careful in considering the proposal to import 200,000 additional tonnes of sugar. We ask MoIT to collect ideas from four ministries, including MARD, Finance, Planning and Investment and Government Office, on the amount of imported sugar, he added. By the end of last month, the reported inventory at sugarcane factories was more than 300,000 tonnes, while commercial companies belonging to the association had over 25,000 tonnes. -- VNS The VGTA estimates it at no less than 500 tonnes, equivalent to $20 billion at current prices (VND34.2 million per tael). Photo vneconomy.vn Compiled by Thien Ly Viet Nam News The State Bank of Viet Nam has said no to the Viet Nam Gold Trading Association (VGTA)s proposal to mobilise privately owned gold. An anonymous SBV official told Saigon Times Daily that it would be very risky in terms of the price movements it might cause, claiming there has been no precedent by any government in the world in this regard. One of the VGTAs most important suggestions was that the central bank and Ministry of Finance should soon set up a national transaction floor for physical gold. Since the Government issued Decree 24 on management of gold trading in 2012, which enables the central bank to directly intervene in the local gold market, the market has become very stable while the number of gold traders decreased sharply from 12,000 units then to 38 now. Under the decree, bullion trading is only permitted by gold firms and credit institutions licensed by the central bank. To be licensed, however, a firm must have chartered capital of at least VN100 billion (US$4.8 million), paid VN500 million or more in taxes for the last two years and have branches in at least three provinces or centrally administered cities. As for credit institutions, they must have chartered capital of at least VN3 trillion ($144 million) and be based in at least five provinces or cities. These rules meant more than 10,000 small gold traders have shut down. In mid-2011 the central bank decided banks can no longer accept deposits of or lend in gold to prevent volatility in the market and strengthen the ong. But it has just added to the tonnes of idle gold lying with individuals in a country where using gold as a means of payment and a speculative asset is common. According to the VGTA, annual demand for gold bullion runs into dozens of tonnes. With the country mainly importing and exporting a little, increasing volumes are ending up in peoples hands. The VGTA estimates it at no less than 500 tonnes, equivalent to $20 billion at current prices (VN34.2 million per tael). Meanwhile, the economy is in great need of funds for socio-economic development and this is expected to increase from next year when the country may not be eligible for official development assistance because of its rising income and ability to raise funds in the international market, according to the finance ministry. The VGTA said mobilising the idle gold would help the country meet this demand. But it said an official gold trading floor would need to be set up to ensure the mobilisation could be done effectively. It was also necessary because the central banks ban on gold imports for non-licensed gold jewellers the requirements to get jewellers licence are also steep -- forces them to buy gold in the black market, which sustains smuggling. It would also enable the central bank to monitor gold transactions in the market. The VGTA also called on the central bank to expand the bullion trading network to remote and rural areas to meet peoples legitimate needs and allow businesses to import gold for making jewellery for domestic use and exports. Many analysts agree with the VGTAs proposals, pointing out that Viet Nam has in recent years issued international bonds several times to raise funds at high coupon rates. If the Government can mobilise idle gold, it can use it as collateral to borrow at lower rates. The Government has urged the central bank several times to mobilise idle gold, but in vain. But other analysts have rejected the proposal saying it is not quite necessary since many people already used their gold to invest into the economy in recent years since the central bank announced policies that made speculation in gold less attractive. As a result there have been no imports of the metal in the last two years, while before 2014 the country imported 30-50 tonnes of gold a year. Meanwhile, the countrys current gold bullion demand is from 10 to 15 tonnes per year.This means that peoples gold savings and their normal transaction can meet the market demand. VN firms find Russia increasingly attractive Recently TH Milk Food Joint Stock Company of Vietnam (TH Group), maker of the well-known TH True MILK brand, announced the start of the first phase of a high-tech integrated dairy, cattle breeding, and fresh milk production project worth $500 million in Moscow. It is Viet Nams largest food processing project in Russia and the first dairy project. The $2.7 billion project will be developed in three phases through 2025. Once completed, the 140,000ha facility will house 350,000 heads of cattle and produce 5,900 tonnes of milk a day, equivalent to 1.8 million litres annually. The project marks a turning point in investment ties between Viet Nam and Russia. More significantly, this huge investment is headed not from Russia to Viet Nam as might have been expected, but in the opposite direction. But the fact is more and more Vietnamese companies are going to Russia to explore opportunities, causing investment flows to be higher in that direction from Russia to Viet Nam. Vietnamese firms have invested $2.93 billion in 20 projects, some of them huge ones like the Rusvietpetro joint venture worth $2.02 billion and the proposed $190 million Ha Noi-Moscow mall in Moscow. Russia has invested $2 billion in 114 projects in Viet Nam, but this flow shows few signs of expanding. In March VTB Bank, one of Russias leading banks, and Viet Nams sovereign fund State Capital Investment Company (SCIC) signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen investment ties. VTB customers can invest in projects and companies in which SCIC owns stakes, and Vietnamese firms in which SCIC has interests can invest in countries where VTB operates. VTB will also be able to co-operate with SCICs partners to raise funds and do more deals in the international debt and capital markets. Bilateral ties are expected to get a boost when agreements signed between PetroVietnam and Rosneft, the leader of Russias oil industry, are implemented on schedule. Auto sales surge More than 85,400 cars were sold in Viet Nam in the first four months of this year, 28 per cent up from the same period last year. The Viet Nam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) reported that sales of passenger cars rose by 15 per cent to 47,530 units, commercial vehicles by 46 per cent to 31,668 and special-purpose autos by 65 per cent to over 6,210. In January-April sales of locally assembled autos exceeded 66,120 units, up 37 per cent year-on-year, while sales of imported vehicles rose 4 per cent to nearly 19,300. Sales growth was higher for locally assembled cars than imports in the first quarter. But things changed in April as the former dipped 2.5 per cent month-on-month to 19,500 units while sales of imported autos surged 29 per cent to 6,225 units. Thailand led in auto exports to Viet Nam in the first four months of the year, with 10,155 units worth US$733 million, surpassing previous leaders China and Korea. This is attributed to the preferential import taxes under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement. Under the agreement, import taxes on automobiles from ASEANs other members (Myanmar, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia, Brunei) falls from 50 per cent to 40 per cent this year, to 30 per cent by 2017 and zero per cent by 2018. Thailand has for long been a magnet for many well-known auto brands like Ford, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, which have set up production facilities there. Besides, the use of locally made components by foreign companies in the country has reached 80-90 per cent -- compared to 20-40 per cent in Viet Nam leading to lower prices than in other member countries. While last year Viet Nam imported 26,700 vehicles from China, 26,500 from South Korea and 25,000 from Thailand, in the first quarter of this year 7,800 Thai cars have been bought compared to 3,500 from China and 2,260 from Korea. According to the General Statistics Office, Viet Nam US$669 million importing 28,000 completely built-up (CBU) autos in the first four months of this year, down 23.5 per cent and 20.4 per cent over the same period last year respectively. VNS CUU LONG (MEKONG) DELTA The prolonged drought and saltwater have damaged more than 81,000 hectares of shrimp breeding areas in eight Mekong provinces, according to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Department of Aquaculture. Due to the impact of El Nino, in 2016 the average temperature of Mekong provinces was 0.1 1.5 oC higher than in previous years, the highest temperature ranging between 33oC and 37oC. Average rainfall in the Mekong Delta was 30 to 50 per cent lower than in previous years, but in some areas, rainfall was 80 per cent lower than in other years. The region was affected by drought in the first half of 2016. In the dry season of 2015 2016, due to shortages of freshwater, saltwater intruded into rivers and canals in the region two months earlier than usual. Saltwater has reached 50 to 70 km from the estuaries. Its the environmental conditions and bad weather that have caused freshwater shortages and an increase of salinity, unfavourable conditions for shrimp breeding. They have had a negative impact on the regions shrimp breeding industry, a spokesman of the Aqua-Culture Department said. Mekong provinces Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang have been damaged by the drought and saltwater intrusion. Ca Mau farmers suffered the biggest losses, followed by the shrimp breeding ponds in Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang. Salinity measured on the rivers in Ca Mau reached 3.6 4.2 per cent, and 4.0 to 5.5 per cent in breeding ponds. The salinity in areas far from rivers was higher than in coastal areas in the province. Losses caused by the drought and salinity intrusion incurred by Ca Mau are estimated at VN260 billion (US$11.7 million). Addressing a meeting in Bac Lieu on Thursday, Vu Van Tam, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, said the drought and salinity intrusion had seriously affected the shrimp breeding in areas in the Mekong Delta. Tam said support was needed for families who earn their living from shrimp farming. He also asked provincial authorities to assess the damages suffered by Mekong provinces. He told provincial authorities of Ca Mau, Kien Giang and Bac Lieu, which have been the hardest hit, to send work teams to districts to help local farmers cope with the difficulties caused by natural disasters. The provincial authorities must confirm areas and households affected by the drought and saltwater, and issue support policies to the affected farmers, said Tam. He also warned of the impact of La Nina and urged local farmers to pay attention to weather forecasts to minimise damages from La Nina. According to Ca Mau Peoples Committee, by the end of April 2016, the drought and saltwater damaged areas of 52,000 ha cultivated by 36,000 households in the province. Over 14,000 households have faced water shortages, including 8,000 families who need fresh-water supply in Ca Mau. The provincial authorities provided poor families VN20,000 for each cubic metre of fresh water purchased by these families. They have also supplied residents on Hon Chuoi Island 120 cu.m of fresh water free of charge every day. In addition, the chairman of Ca Mau Peoples Committee, Nguyen Tien Hai, has instructed departments and agencies in the province to focus on measures to combat drought and saltwater intrusion. The province has sped up construction of irrigation works with a total investment of VN18 billion ($810,000), which is expected to help minimise the impact of drought and salinity intrusion VNS. Building a platform for partnership on the conservation of biodiversity is urgently needed to accelerate collaboration among ministries, sectors and stakeholders. Photo tinmoitruong.vn HA NOI Building a platform for partnership on the conservation of biodiversity is urgently needed to accelerate collaboration among ministries, sectors and stakeholders, environmental experts have said. The initiative presented to a forum coorganised in Ha Noi late last week by the Viet Nam Environment Administration (VEA), the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) and the Viet Nam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE), was highlighted as one of the most effective solutions for the protection of biodiversity, which is increasingly under threat in Viet Nam. The purpose of the initiative was to help promote different stakeholders and partners to jointly provide technical support, policy advice, institutional capacity strengthening and resources for the sustainable use of ecosystem services, experts at the forum said. Speaking at the forum, Nguyen The ong, deputy director of the VEA under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said, Being well aware that Viet Nam is one of the worlds ten most significant biodiversity hotspots, related Vietnamese ministries and sectors had been in an all effort to find solutions to the situation. One of the initiatives introduced last year was the signing of a cooperative programme on biodiversity preservation 2015-2020 between the VEA and VNFOREST, the two authorities that share a common function and task in managing biodiversity. This programme provided for the coordinated implementation of State management in nature conservation and biodiversity through the development of legal documents, policies, plans and inspections, ong said. The Department of Nature Conservation of VNFOREST and the Biodiversity Conservation Agency of VEA were focal points for the implementation of the programme, he added. Both agencies have jointly developed a collaborative work plan for 2016-2017, according to the VEA official. According to the Viet Nams 5th National Report to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity for the period 2009-2013, biodiversity in Viet Nam was seriously threatened due mainly to increasing population pressures, over exploitation of natural resources, climate change, the fragmentation of state management of biodiversity, and a lack of policy and regulatory conformity. While biodiversity and ecosystem services played a vital role in the livelihoods of rural populations in the country, including millions of people living in the proximity of forests and in coastal areas, there was a lack of effective inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms in biodiversity management and preservation. There was also a lack of collaboration in response to overlapping functions among relevant ministries and agencies. The forum entitled, "Building a platform for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem services," was supported by the German Development Co-operation (GIZ) commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development and the United Nations Development Programme. It was held to celebrate yesterdays International Day for Biological Diversity 2016 with the theme of, Mainstreaming biodiversity: sustaining people and their livelihoods. -- VNS Multi-language book on Vietnamese epic poem launched HA NOI Vietnamese epic poem Luc Van Tien (The Story of Luc Van Tien) has been launched for the first time in three languages -- Vietnamese, English and French. The two-volume book comprises 296 pages of hand-written manuscript with illustrations and 312 pages of annotation. The new book Luc Van Tien will allow intellectuals access to Vietnamese literature and provide researchers with a creditable resource for their research on Vietnamese culture in the 19th century, Michel Zink, permanent secretary of the Academy of Inscriptions and Letters in Paris, said. Luc Van Tien was penned by the blind poet, Nguyen inh Chieu, in the nom script (the ancient Chinese-based Vietnamese script) in the 19th century. The multi-language book has been published by the Academy of the Far East in Viet Nam based on the original manuscript with coloured illustrations by French author Ugene Gibert. Gibert was an artillery lieutenant and lived in Viet Nam from 1895 to 1897. He learned about the Luc Van Tien through the French translation of Abel des Michels Vietnamese version in 1883. Gibert liked the work and asked someone to copy it by hand. He also came to Hue to ask Vietnamese painter Le uc Trach to illustrate the poem. Two years later, Gibert went back to France and offered the book to the Academy of Inscriptions and Letters in Paris. It is the only manuscript of Luc Van Tien. It was in storage for the past 120 years and almost no one paid attention to the books existence or its value. It was in November 2011 that professor Phan Huy Le discovered by chance several precious documents on a visit to the academy and found this manuscript with illustrations. The coloured illustrated manuscript has been preserved in good condition. The illustrations were on displayed as part of an exhibition in HCM Citys Institute of Cultural Exchange with France in 2013. VNS Viet Nam, US strengthen friendship through cultural exchange HA NOI Viet Nam and the US have made several efforts to strengthen friendship through cultural exchanges but it isnt enough for mutual understanding, according the president of the Viet Nam-US Association. Nguyen Tam Chien, the president of the association, was speaking at the Viet Nam-US Friendship: Cultural Bridge meeting held yesterday in Ha Noi, which attracted the participation of many scholars, cultural activists and members of the Friends of Vietnam Heritage organisation. Chien stressed that the people of the two countries should increase the exchange of literature, cuisine, art exhibitions and art performances. The quintessence of the two cultures is the invaluable gifts we can give each other to make the two nations genuine friends, he said. President Ho Chi Minh had established the Viet Nam-US Association in 1945. The meeting was organised to mark the publishing of the book Vietnam: Tradition and Change by scholar Huu Ngoc in Viet Nam and the United States, following the co-operation between The Gioi Publishers and Ohio University Press. At 98, Ngoc is among Viet Nams most famous scholars and is a keen observer of traditional culture and history. The new book, edited by Lady Borton and Elizabeth Collins, is a selection of the authors essays from his earlier book Wandering through Vietnamese Culture, the only English language book to win Viet Nams Gold Book Prize. This book sold over 10,000 copies in 10 editions but was too thick (over 1,200 pages) to be effectively distributed to foreign buyers. The editors then condensed the volume into a 300-page book to contain only the essential content under the title Tradition and Change. The book also comprises detailed footnotes and comments. My main objective is to emphasise the uniqueness of Viet Nam, Huu Ngoc.said. Many foreigners believe Vietnamese culture is simply the tail-end of China and we strongly reject this notion. While Viet Nam is certainly heavily influenced by Chinese culture, like Japan and Korea, we also boast of a vibrant culture of our own. Tran oan Lam, director of The Gioi Publishers, said we all have much to learn and enjoy from the book. Huu Ngoc has done us all a great favour by capturing traditional culture in a burnished gem that we can treasure forever. This book is the perfect gift from Viet Nam to the US. Other people actively engaged in promoting cultural exchange between two countries, such as writer Nguyen Quang Thieu and theatre director Truong Nhuan, were also part of the meeting. This event is part of a series of cultural events to welcome US President Barack Obama who is visiting Viet Nam today. Reminiscing about US President George Bushs visit, Chien said when the then president visited Viet Nam in 2006, he had said he loved Vietnamese food. He even let the car window opened to wave at Vietnamese people who welcomed him warmly., unlike other heads of state who mostly kept their car windows closed while travelling on the streets, Chien said. -- VNS ISTANBUL World leaders and aid groups meet in Istanbul on Monday for an unprecedented UN-backed humanitarian summit seeking to transform the worlds response to crises triggered by conflict and climate change. The over 60 heads of state and government gathered for the two-day summit convened by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will have to defeat considerable scepticism that the event will turn into a well-intentioned but fruitless talking shop. With some 60 million people displaced around the world and at least 125 million requiring assistance and protection, all participants agree the need for action is more urgent than ever. Host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also be keen to use the event to emphasise the contributions of his country, which is hosting some 2.7 million refugees from the Syria conflict. UN officials said ahead of the meeting that the summit represented an unprecedented chance to find a new approach to crises by tackling the root causes of conflict rather than just their bloody aftermath. "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set in motion an ambitious and far-reaching agenda to change the way that we alleviate and prevent the suffering of the worlds most vulnerable people," UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen OBrien said. He said the summit differed from other such events as it was aimed not at winning financial pledges but at finding a comprehensive strategy for dealing with crises. Fig leaf UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson echoed the need to tackle the "root causes" of crises emanating from conflict, as well as climate change. "We spend so much on dealing with the late causes of conflict but very little on prevention," he said. Eliasson said the summit should also see a "strong call" for respect of international humanitarian law, which has badly decayed with attacks on schools and hospitals in the conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen. The summit is the result of years of planning but there has been criticism that its actual outcomes could fall well short of its lofty ambitions. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is boycotting the event, saying it risked being just a "fig leaf" for the worlds failure on humanitarian action. "I regret very much that they came to that decision," said Eliasson. "One of the main purposes of this conference is our outrage against violations of international humanitarian law," adding he hoped the "convictions they (MSF) stand for" would come out of the meeting. In a move applauded by Eliasson, dozens of nations taking part in the summit issued a joint statement supporting the meetings aims, pledging to do more to tackle the underlying causes of conflict. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of the highest profile guests, said she hoped the summit would result in "better coordination between the different actors" and a "new systematic approach." Participants, many of whom include small and medium-sized non-governmental organisations, have a realistic but hopeful view of what the gathering can achieve. "Expectations for the summit have gradually reduced," said Rob Williams, chief executive of charity War Child, which supports and protects children around the world affected by conflict. "We still have the feeling there is a lot of good faith going into Istanbul. We also have a restricted view of what is possible to achieve," he said. AFP BANGKOK At least 17 girls died in the night after a fire swept through a school dormitory in northern Thailand, officials said on Monday, adding several others were either missing or injured. The fire broke out late at night, meaning many of the girls were asleep and unable to escape as flames engulfed the two-storey building. "The fire broke out at 11pm on Sunday (1600 GMT). Seventeen girls were killed and two are still missing, with five injured," Police Colonel Prayad Singsin, Commander of Wiang Pa Pao district in Chiang Rai said. Two of the injured are in a serious condition, he added. "The fire is out, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation," Prayad said, adding forensic officers were due to arrive on Monday. A Chiang Rai provincial official confirmed the death toll, adding that the privately-run school is home to girls aged between six and 13 years old, drawn mainly from the deprived local hill tribes. "There were 38 students inside the dormitory when the fire broke out. Some were not yet asleep so they escaped," deputy governor of the province Arkom Sukapan said. "But others were asleep and could not escape resulting in the large number of casualties." Photographs on the schools Facebook page showed firefighters struggling to douse the flames as they engulfed the wooden, two-storey building. Thai media showed a fire truck spraying water onto the blaze as the upper storey of the school was consumed by flames which tore through the roof of the building. Rescue workers picked through the debris late Sunday and into Monday morning. Thailands hill tribes mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar and are often beyond the reach of state resources, suffering at school as well as in their health and development. Poverty means some resort to drug smuggling for narcotics gangs across the zone, known as the "Golden Triangle." Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the kingdom. Chiang Rai town and the surrounding hills are popular with foreign tourists for hiking and adventure sports. Tourists can go on tours to the isolated tribes, although the practice has come under criticism for degrading their unique culture and treating the ethnic groups as "human zoos." AFP A number of people have complained that inspection visits are a nice way to ask for bribery money from an enterprise. Whats your point of view on such charges? In my opinion, an important reason is that we lack a guiding principle for conducting inspection visits on enterprises; i.e. the inspection mechanism and sanction policy on an inspection mission. Under our current law, each enterprise will only be subjected to an inspection visit from an authorized agency. However, in our country, there has not been any official legal document regulating how many official appraisal visits to an enterprise or an office can be conducted. Thats why in a year, one enterprise may receive several visits by different agencies, like the fire brigade, police, tax agent or others. In such situation, the enterprises owner cannot do any thing other than welcome the appraisers. In my opinion, such appraisal visits could be described as acts of terror against the enterprises! So, as far as Im concerned, government agencies should provide enterprises with better conditions to promote their business and production, not to prevent them from development. In other words, we should strictly implement the governments policy on administrative reform to cut down the red tape enabling enterprises to do their business. Have you experienced other red-tape measures that enterprises have to grin and bear? A very common red-tape measure that the enterprises are often asked to do is to contribute their money to something for the public interest called socialisation in Viet Nam. When an enterprise is asked to contribute a sum of money to build a public project in a locality, it is unlikely the enterprise would refuse the request. My argument here is that if a public project is authentically needed by people in a locality for example people living in flooded areas or more recently, people are affected by the mass fish deaths in central Viet Nam, the enterprises are willingly offering help to these people. But in a lot of cases, beneficiaries of the enterprises contributions are only small groups of people! Dont you think that in real life, appraisal missions conducted by specialized government agencies to an enterprise have helped them improve their responsibility towards their employees and the surrounding community? No, I dont think so. The act is to indulge in sophism. There are only a small number of enterprises breaching the law. Were now living in a society ruled by law. So, management agencies should be able to make a black list of enterprises that are likely to violate the Law on Enterprises or other Vietnamese legal documents. Of course, for enterprises in the black list, we have to adopt a special treatment toward them to make them become law obedient enterprises. In your opinion, how many appraisal missions an enterprise should receive in a year? Each enterprise should be checked just once in a year. Mission members should come from various agencies, including fire fighters, medical doctors or from other occupations depending on the specialisation of that enterprise. Of course, the mission must get permission from authorised people. This is one of the measures helping the enterprise focus their efforts on production and improving the livelihood of their workers so as to contribute more to the national budget. VNS HA NOI US President Barack Obamas three-day official visit to Viet Nam begins today, where he will make stops in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. Obama is the third consecutive US President to visit Viet Nam, following Bill Clinton in 2000 and George W.Bush in 2006. US President Barack Obamas visit to Viet Nam is set to further deepen the Viet Nam-US comprehensive partnership, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh said in a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency. Commenting on the significance of the visit, Vinh said it would be the third trip by a US President since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties 20 years ago. Two-way trade has soared to US$45 billion, a 20-fold increase since 1995. During President Obamas tenure, both countries signed a comprehensive partnership framework in 2013 and adopted the Viet Nam-US Joint Vision Statement in 2015, when Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid a historic visit to the US. Viet Nam-US ties have progressed in all fields, ranging from politics, national defence and security, science and technology, education, people-to-people exchange as well as regional and global issues of shared concern. Asked whether the visits significance would be diminished since Obama is to conclude his second term next year, Vinh said, throughout the history of the Viet Nam - US relationship, the normalisation and expansion of the bilateral strategic partnership had garnered the support of the US Democratic and Republican Parties. Personally, Obama pledged further focus on ties with Asia and ASEAN, as evidenced by the ASEAN-US Summit held in Sunnylands last February. Therefore, the visit was expected to push bilateral links forward from now on, not only during Obamas term of office, but also in following tenures. According to Vinh, a highlight of Obamas visit would be the continuation of mutually-beneficial ties on the basis of mutual respect, including respect of each others sovereignty, independence and political regime. On the back of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal soon to be enacted, he said two-way trade is to accelerate, adding that the visit would create a driving force for science-technology and education cooperation. People-to-people exchange or joint work on global issues such as climate change, maritime security and environment would be also among the major themes of the visit, he said. Regarding the possibility of the US lifting the ban on lethal weapons sales to Viet Nam, Vinh said it should be done as early as possible, hopefully during the visit, in order to remove the last barrier in bilateral ties and strengthen mutual trust. Once the TPP comes into force, he believes that two-way trade will surge in both quantity and quality, with growth expected to be around 20 percent per year, and pointed to science, education and people-to-people exchange as promising areas of collaboration. Switching to the East Sea issue, he called for the maintenance of peace, stability, maritime security and safety in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is a common concern for the region, including for ASEAN. As regards to the human rights issue, he said Viet Nam and the US had shared experience to better ensure the human rights of their peoples. Via increased dialogue, and on the basis of mutual respect, the two countries would strive to benefit their people and countries, he said.VNS HA NOI Health Ministry inspectors have ordered the suspension of sale on three batches of beverages produced by URC Ha Noi Ltd Company. The ban was enforced due to the amount of lead exceeding 0.05mg/L as printed on the products label. The suspended products include one batch of lemon tea titled C2 and two batches of strawberry energy drinks named Rong o (Red Dragon). The company was asked to withdraw the drinks which were sold on the market and report the number of ingredients used to make illegal beverages to the Health Ministry. The company involved will be allowed to resume sale of the drinks once their quality meets the ministrys criteria. VNS PHU YEN (VNS) The project to upgrade and expand National Highway 1 in ong Hoa District of this central province has damaged thousands of houses here, the residents and local authority have complained. Vo inh Tien, vice chairman of the districts Peoples Committee, said the project, which was completed seven months ago, was still having a serious impact on local living conditions. Tien said some 1,800 households around the project area had petitioned the local authority for relief, complaining that their houses were developing cracks and showing signs of subsidence. The petitioners said they had asked the project investor for an explanation and compensation when the project was still under construction but had received no reply even seven months after the completion of the project. Nguyen Thi Thu, whose house had sustained a 5m crack in the concrete ceiling, said she still remembered the conditions she suffered as the construction work took place nearby. My house would shake and the furniture would topple over throughout the house whenever a roller passed by. Every day, four or five rounds would be made with the rollers. It was like a series of earthquakes, Thu said. Another local resident, Nguyen Kim Ngoc, said his house suffered the same annoyance, pointing out several cracks in the walls. Both residents are among the locals demanding compensation. The local official said the districts Peoples Committee had also sent three reports to the provincial Peoples Committee and Department of Transport, briefing them on the situation, but they had received no response other than an order to await the approval of the Transport Ministry. Nguyen Thanh Tri, director of the Phu Yen Department of Transport, revealed they had received a reply from the investor Thang Long Project Management Unit saying the company had provided compensation worth VN5 billion (US$224,000) to a total of 990 households, noting that this was the limit of their insurance allowance. Currently, the investor said, the company had no further financial sources to provide additional compensation, adding that many of the 1,800 households were not located within the projects planned clearance zone. However, a representative from the investor, Nguyen Hoang Khanh, said a separate petition had been presented to the government, seeking a financial supplement to provide the additional compensation. VNS Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Brazil's two biggest cities to protest acting President Michel Temer, trying to keep up pressure on his interim administration only 10 days after he was sworn in. A march in Sao Paulo headed toward Temer's residence yesterday, but police blocked roads near the house and the interim president left for the capital of Brasilia hours earlier. Organisers estimated 2,000 people participated in the demonstration. In Rio de Janeiro, about 1,000 protesters staged a march calling for Temer to resign. Some protesters want suspended President Dilma Rousseff back. Temer replaced her after the Senate voted to suspend the president and put her on trial for allegedly breaking fiscal laws. If 54 of the 81 senators agree that she should be impeached, she would be permanently removed from office and Temer could hold the presidency through 2018. Opinion polls say a majority of Brazilians want Rousseff impeached, and some of the protesters Sunday called for new elections, a mechanism that is not in Brazil's electoral law at the moment. Temer has faced daily protests in Brazil's main cities since he took office. Artists, intellectuals and politicians both left-leaning and moderate have also rejected him acting as president, not only for their opposition to Rousseff's impeachment but also for Temer's naming of an all white-male Cabinet that is trying implement more conservative policies. Even before Temer took office, a poll said 58% of Brazilians wanted him impeached, too. A Supreme Court justice has ruled Temer could face impeachment proceedings for signing decrees of the same kind as those that led to the impeachment proceedings against Rousseff, but that decision has yet to be ratified. Some of the protests against Temer were called by artists angered by his decision to fold the Culture Ministry into the Education Ministry under the control of a conservative politician with no experience in either area. On Saturday, Temer's administration announced he would re-establish the Culture Ministry, but critics said they would keep the pressure on him. Taiwan will launch futures contracts for trading on the island of benchmark stock indexes from the US and India, a senior Taiwanese securities official said on Monday. The Taiwan Futures Exchange is planning a futures contract for India's Nifty 50 by the end of this year at the earliest or the first half of 2017, Tsai Shih-chuan, vice president of the Taiwan Futures Exchange, told Reuters on the sidelines of an exchange event. Tsai said the plans are to launch futures on the DJIA and S&P 500 at the end of 2017 at the earliest. The one for India will be faster...but the issue of time difference has to be resolved on (the contracts for) US stocks, Tsai said. The move is aimed at expanding Taiwans futures market and attracting foreign investors, he said. Last year, the island's futures exchange launched trading in Japan's TOPIX, so far the only foreign equity index futures traded in Taiwan. By the end of June, the Taiwan Futures Exchange plans to launch options on the Chinese yuan as a hedging tool, with contract sizes around $20,000 and $100,000, the exchange said in report issued Monday. CEDAR FALLS This city hasnt gone to the dogs, but a dog from here and by association, her owner has gone on to some statewide recognition. On April 16, Chloe, a 13-year-old Cavachon, became one of three dogs inducted into the Iowa Animal Hall of Fame at the 18th annual Raise Your Paw Auction. The event was sponsored by the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and Merck Animal Health. Chloe was honored in the Companion Category for her 11 years of service, which includes visiting patients in nursing homes in the Cedar Falls area and helping University of Northern Iowa students de-stress during finals week. This work is done largely through Cedar Valley PET PALS, a volunteer animal-assisted therapy group. Rachelle Yousefi, Chloes owner, said the experience is rewarding for all involved. Chloe just brings smiles to so many faces, Yousefi said. And she gives plenty of kisses. Yousefi said there have been times when a nursing home patient was nonverbal and mostly unresponsive, but petting Chloe brought a wide grin to their face. I feel like Im doing a meaningful thing, Yousefi said. Wendi Goetsch, a veterinarian at the Taylor Veterinary Hospital in Cedar Falls, penned Chloes nomination letter to the IVMA, who ultimately chose the pup as an inductee. It was her first time nominating a patient, but Goetsch said Chloe is special. Its great to see her unique service, Goetsch said. She spoke fondly of Chloes work at the Waverly Public Librarys summer reading program, where children read to visiting dogs. She also said Yousefis giving nature is remarkable. You can see her eyes light up too when she does this work, Goetsch said of Yousefi. WATERLOO Officials are investigating a fire that broke out in a Waterloo home Sunday night. Crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue went to 1137 Columbia St. after receiving a third-hand report of the blaze at about 11:47 p.m. Sunday. No one was home, and firefighters found a smoldering fire inside the bedroom, said Capt. Carl Reninger. He said a fire on the mattress was extinguished, and the home suffered heat and smoke damage. The cause hasnt been determined, and the city fire marshal is investigating the blaze. TOLEDO Two people have been arrested in connection with immigration investigations in Tama County. In separate cases, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigation petitioned the court to charge Ismael Ruiz-Zamorano, 39, with misuse of a Social Security number on Monday; and a grand jury handed up an indictment charging Elida Yepez-Alvarez, 31, on May 12. According to court records, authorities received a tip that Ruiz, a Mexican citizen, was working at Midwest Sleep in Toledo. Investigators found that Ruiz had obtained the job in November using a Minnesota identification card and a Social Security card with the name Juan Ramos and signed the Ramos name on employment eligibility documents, records state. Ruiz remained in custody at the Tama County Jail as of Friday. Yepez is accused of using a forged Missouri identification card and a Social Security number belonging to another person to obtain employment in November 2014. She is also accused of falsely claiming to be a United States citizen on an employment eligibility form. She is charged with unlawful use of identification documents, misuse of a Social Security number, false claim to citizenship and aggravated identity theft and entered a not guilty plea during a Tuesday court appearance. She is detained at the Linn County Jail in Cedar Rapids. It wasnt clear if the cases are related. CEDAR FALLS The University of Northern Iowa has named Gwenne Berry its first chief diversity officer. She will assume her new duties July 1. The University of Northern Iowa could and should be a leader when it comes to diversity and inclusion. We have allies on our campus, in our community and among our alums, Berry said in a statement. Im excited about engaging all of those constituents in making sure the university gets it right. Berry currently serves as the associate director and Title IX deputy coordinator at UNIs office of compliance and equity management. I know it sounds cliched, but the first thing I want to do is listen, Berry continued. I need to hear from students, faculty, staff and our community. I need to hear from alums and parents. I need to know where were succeeding and where we need some work. UNIs outgoing President Bill Ruud said he is excited for the expertise and passion Berry will bring to the position. She is someone that will take the challenges UNI has faced and continues to face and turn them into opportunities and possibilities, Ruud said in a statement. Berry is expected to be approved by the Iowa Board of Regents during its June meeting in Ames. Berry received a bachelors degree in journalism from Iowa State University and a masters degree in communication studies from UNI. Prior to her current position, she held positions in what was then known as the Office of University Marketing and Public Relations at UNI and also was a writer/columnist at the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Berry will report to the president and serve as a member of the executive management team to provide leadership on institutional diversity, inclusion, affirmative action and equal employment opportunity efforts. She also will contribute to the recruitment, retention and success of underrepresented faculty, staff and students. In 2015 minorities made up 9.4 percent of UNIs student body, up from 8.9 percent the previous year. UNI began a search for its first chief diversity officer shortly after holding a forum last fall with students who aired concerns about the campus climate on race relations, among other diversity concerns. UNI did a national search and interviewed five candidates. Berry was the only one who worked at the Cedar Falls campus. Iowa State University and the University of Iowa have similar positions. CEDAR RAPIDS According to Bill Clinton, by and large, almost all elections are about the future. As much as the candidates in the Iowa U.S. House 1st District primary say their race is about the future, Pat Murphy and Monica Vernon spend a lot of time talking about each others past. Murphy repeatedly pokes at Vernon for being a registered Republican until 2009 and suggests switching her registration was more of a political calculation than a reflection of her embrace of Democratic principles. Its not just a label, but a representation of what you believe fighting for the middle class, raising the minimum wage, and protecting Social Security and Medicare, says Murphy campaign manager Mike McLaughlin. Those are Democratic values and ideas that Pat has fought for. Likewise, Vernon repeatedly questions Murphys commitment to a womans access to abortion, suggesting women cant trust him when it comes to their reproductive choices. Its time he owns his record, says Vernon campaign manager Michelle Gajewski. Hes spent a lot of time hiding from his anti-choice record of votes against womens access. That tells me he cant be trusted. During his 24-year legislative career voters trusted him to support a state Lily Ledbetter law, making Iowa the first state to require equal pay for equal work, increase the child care tax credit, require insurance coverage for newborns and prevent insurers from denying contraceptive coverage, and protect abortion rights for women regardless of where they live in Iowa, according to his campaign. The Vernon campaign shoots back with Murphys role in forming a Dubuque County pro-life organization and his 100 percent rating from Iowa Right to Life. He has a 0 percent rating from Planned Parenthoods political action committee. His record is one of votes against womens access, Gajewski says. I dont know if hes changed. Vernon has been clear about why she changed parties, but I dont know if hes changed, Gajewski adds. Its clear hes been pro-choice longer than Vernon has been a Democrat, McLaughlin counters. The truth is that Pat is pro-choice, and when he was speaker of the House he defended the right to choose, McLaughlin says. In the legislature Pat worked hard to protect tele-medicine and funding for Planned Parenthood. Pat was doing all of this while Monica was still supporting and donating to pro-life Republicans. In the past Murphy has been endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood political fund, he adds. Vernon and Murphy do spend time talking about jobs and trade, making farmers pay to clean up the water supply, protecting Social Security and Medicare and making college affordable. However, time and again especially in their debates the Democratic hopefuls return to the past. Its not clear whether the history lessons are benefiting either candidate. Gajewski says Democratic primary voters simply dont care that Vernon switched parties. McLaughlin disagrees. They see Pat as someone who can be trusted because he has record of getting these things done. He has the longest, most extensive record of doing these things. Bison vs. panthers ERIK WALKER CEDAR FALLS Friday I thought I would take a quick peek to read The Courier when I noticed an editorial on the bison becoming the national mammal. Being that I am one of the few North Dakota State University transplants in the middle of Panther country, I just wanted to take a second to correct a couple of things for the local readers. First, NDSU has won the last five national titles, not four, and the animal was not chosen out of spite to UNI. The bison does have a storied history in this country; the panther does not, and I would leave it to Cedar Falls to make such a comment. I understand the UNI faithful are upset they keep losing to NDSU when it counts. If you are tired of that, contribute more money to your program so they can go and recruit better players. The selection of the national mammal had nothing to do with this rivalry; it was based on history. If the tables were turned and UNI won the last five titles, the animal would still be a bison and not a panther. National mammel KIRK HENDERSON WATERLOO Im trying to understand The Couriers negative reaction to the buffalo being proclaimed our national mammal. In the first place, why would you even bother, unless to prove somebody will criticize pretty much everything? Maybe you were trying to be funny. Mostly, you came off as mean and out of touch. Do you know where you live? Why dont you disparage prairie grass while youre at it? Perhaps you moved here from one of the tiny handful of states not included in the historic range of this majestic and most iconic of creatures that figures so prominently in the natural and cultural heritage of this country. Gee, what on earth were Congress and the President thinking? Bathroom issue KENNETH ROGERS WATERLOO The public schools are told by the Obama administration to allow transgenders to go into bathrooms or locker rooms. If the schools dont comply they will take away the educational funds. Do we really want a man or a boy coming into a girls locker room where the girls take a shower? The majority of Americans dont want this, Mr. President. Its time Americans get really upset or were going to lose all freedoms. Its time Congress gets involved and passes a law that withholding funding cant be used by our president. This president will use any means to get what he wants. Never forget ROBERT BLAIN CEDAR FALLS On Memorial Day, it is fitting and proper to honor those who have served and those who are currently serving. It is total hypocrisy to have allowed a sizable portion of our industrial base to be transplanted to Communist China. It is akin to gun running in pioneer times. When you purchase an item Made in China, you are financing the ongoing Chinese military build up and are supporting Chinas bullying in the South China Sea, which imperils U.S. service personnel. Alices (Legislative) Restaurant in Washington has paved the way for this apostasy via the fat cats and transnational corporations who engineered it and are profiting from it. Fifty years ago, the mere notion of such madness would have resulted in Senate investigations and lengthy terms in a federal penitentiary. Lest we forget? You need to remember Chinas role in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts and acknowledge their current war mongering. By AP/West Kentucky Star Staff May. 17, 2016 | 07:07 PM | LOUISVILLE KY James Comer has won the Republican nomination in Kentucky's 1st Congressional District one year after a heartbreakingly close loss in the GOP primary for governor.Comer wants to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, who has held the seat since 1995. He defeated Michael Pape, Whitfield's district director for two decades, and Hickman County Attorney Jason Batts. Miles A. Caughey Jr. finished fourth.After losing the nomination for governor by just 83 votes last year, Comer said he planned to return to his farm in Tompkinsville. But when Whitfield announced his retirement, Comer got calls from encouraging him to run.Comer staked an early lead based on poll results in and around Monroe County, where he's from. He told Greg Dunker and Joe Jackson during Tuesday night's WKYX-WNGO election coverage that he was grateful for support across the district."My home county came in big, I think we got about 98 percent of the vote in county with over 40 percent turnout. All the counties that surround me - we got over 90 percent of the vote of them in a 4-way race. And then we get out to McCracken County, Marshall County, Graves County - those were the big counties for us in the western part of the district, and we won those counties. So T.J. and I are so happy, and we look forward to the future.McCracken County Commisioner and long-time political journalist Bill Barleman asked Comer during WKYX-WNGO's election coverage if there was an issue that brought him victory on Tuesday.Comer said, "There were a lot of negative ads - and the Facebook posts from that campaign - I'm not even going to talk about. People are sick and tired of this same old politics, where people go to Washington D.C. and all they do is blame other people for the problems. We need people that are going to go to Washington, D.C. and solve the problems."Comer will face Democrat Sam Gaskins in the November election. 639 of 639 precincts - 100 percent x-James R. 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(19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) 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. 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You can test drive various casinos completely risk-free, so you can feel confident about your choice before you make a single penny deposit. May 22, 2016 | By Alec While most biomedical research projects involving 3D printing have access to immense budgets, one team of Texas students just proved that even low-cost desktop 3D printing can have a huge impact on the medical world. For just $6.42, they can build a 3D printed otoscope smartphone attachment, which can help diagnose preventable hearing loss. A perfect tool for doctors and patients in developing countries where a lot of people have smartphones, but hardly have access to medical care. As it happens, the developing world is also the region where hearing loss is most commonplace. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, hearing loss affects about 360 million people around the world, with many of them living in the developing regions of South Asia, Asia Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa. Thats no coincidence; hearing loss is usually caused by complications that can be easily prevented. Birth complications, chronic ear infections, drug use and unsafe work environments can all contribute. Primary prevention tools or diagnostic aids, however, are hardly available in those developing regions. Whats more, hearing loss usually has a tremendous impact on the economic and social wellbeing of patients in those parts of the world. According to the WHO, many children suffering from early-onset hearing loss and deafness dont even receive any schooling. Adults with the same problems, meanwhile, are almost completely unemployable. Fortunately, the student members of Texas A&M Universitys chapter of Engineering World Health found a 3D printing solution. With their LED otoscope smartphone attachment, people in the third world can take pictures of their inner ear, which will immediately reveal early complications when they can still be dealt with. The team, led by design leader Robert Hunt and vice president Tessa Bronez, is already looking into options for making an easy reproducible kit. Both joined the group three years ago, when it was just a small and unambitious team. We thought coming into our senior year, we should try to take some initiative and get more people involved and come up with something exciting, Hunt said. Gathering a lot of (electrical) engineers around them, they set out to tackle a major health problem. When going through a list of common obstacles for medical professionals around the world (provided by Engineering World Health), they found out that something like a low-cost otoscope didnt even exist. When starting on their design, the team immediately decided to build it around smartphones. We thought we could use a phone to make it low cost, because they could use the camera on the phone, Bronez said. A lot of people are surprised to hear that many people in developing countries have smartphones, particularly in the more urban areas where the hospitals are. The rest of the device is deceptively simple, consisting of nothing more than a few standard lenses, LEDs, and a motherboard, packed into a 3D printed clamp that can be adjusted for any smartphone model. While a doctors otoscope costs several hundred dollars, the smartphone attachment can be built for just $6.42. But the key parts are the red, blue and green LED lights that are also included in the device. During their research, the Texas students found that using different wavelengths of light instead of just white creates better contrasts during inner-ear imaging. Some complications are even better spotted using one of the differently colored LED lights. If youre looking at a certain type of infection, its easier to see if youre using green light than if youre using white light, Hunt said. The Texas students are currently looking into commercialization options and hope their tool can make a difference in the lives of millions of people. But they are also seeing it as a stepping stone for more similar projects. Hunt and Bronez have both used the 3D printed otoscope as a practical application example when applying for follow-up biomedical engineering studies. Bronez is headed towards Johns Hopkins University as a graduate student, while Hunt is going to Stanford University for a masters degree. Both will, however, continue to closely work on engineering tools that can have a huge impact in the medical world. The otoscope is, they say, just the beginning. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Glenn Silver wrote at 5/26/2016 4:53:24 PM:Could this instrument also be used in the poverty, stricken areas - rural and urban - within the US? Also, what training is required to use the otoscope? Can a layperson use it as a screening tool to let people know they need a more rigorous examination? May 23, 2016 | By Alec Dubai is known as an ambitious nation, and that ambition has even reached the world of 3D printing. As the Dubai Health Authority has just revealed, they will be implementing initiatives to develop a huge medical 3D printing sector that produces a wide range of new (biomedical) 3D printing applications. Among others, they will be looking to develop customizable 3D printed dentures, and are even planning to set up production platforms for 3D printed artificial limbs costing less than Dh400 (about $100 USD). This new announcement is part of one of the biggest 3D printing adoption programs the world has seen so far. Known as keen adopters of state-of-the-art technology, Dubai recently unveiled their own Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, which aims to make the country the 3D printing capital of the world by 2030. Unveiled just last month by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, this strategy will affect three main sectors in society: construction, medical products and consumer products. Its a strategy that was not completely unexpected, as the country has been a strong promotor of 3D printing initiatives. 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. As Dubai is known for its immense man-made islands, construction-based 3D printing will probably be the main focus of this new strategy. But as Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the board and director general of the DHA announced, they also harbor significant medical ambitions. To meet the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, DHA has begun determining the work methodology, which ultimately aims to utilize technology for the service of humanity and promote the status of the UAE and Dubai as a leading hub of 3D printing technology by 2030, he said. Their goal, he added, is to set up a medical 3D printing sector that is worth more than Dh1.3 billion (or $350 million USD) by 2025. Al Qatami as chair of the DHA board. That sector is expected to encompass a very wide range of 3D (bio)printed applications that can be used in all human health industries, and range from 3D printed casts, teeth to bio-implants. We plan to produce ceramic teeth in less than 20 minutes, use 3D printing in orthopedic surgeries and create 3D printed casts, which will speed the heeling process of patients by 40 to 80 per cent. The strategy ultimately aims to make Dubai excel in different medical surgeries, said Al Qatami. They will also be setting up various international (research) partnerships to explore, produce and export these applications. But perhaps the most eye-catching initiative the Dubai Health Authority is looking into is a production platform for 3D printed prosthetic limbs that cost just $100. They are aiming to have the platform up and running by 2025, and is expected to focus on bionic limbs that feature sensors detecting muscle flexing. As hundreds of thousands of people around the world cannot currently afford prosthetic limbs, a $100 option would truly be revolutionary. According to Saif Al Aleeli, the CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, the prosthetic limb plans are all part of their intentions to change patient treatment procedures as we know them. Using 3D printing in medical printing is important as it is considered to be one of the most important fields given its direct link to human life. Through these initiatives, we plan on using the latest technologies as well as partnering with organizations who have experience in the field of 3D printing to find solutions for medical challenges, he said. Well have to keep a close eye on Dubai from now on. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: May 23, 2016 | By Alec Its an exciting time from the resin-based 3D printing industry, where several companies are working on what could be the next generation of high resolution 3D printing technologies. Perhaps Carbon, with its extremely fast and high quality CLIP technology, is making the most noise. But the Peterborough, UK-based Photocentric cannot be ignored either. They have developed a very clever LCD screen-based 3D printing technology called Daylight Polymer Printing, which uses low-cost hardware to realize a very high resin 3D printing resolution. With their smallest 3D printer costing as little as 449 about $750 USD), they could have the power to bring resin 3D printing to home users. The company itself knows all about resin 3D printing, being one of the few companies that manufactures liquid photo-polymer resins. Founded thirteen years ago, Photocentric produces about 500 tons of the material every year, much of which is sold to 3D printer manufacturers. They already have offices in the UK and Phoenix, Arizona, and employ about 75 people. Perhaps in a bid to increase resin sales, they took a bold step in 2013, when they began development on their very own 3D printing system with help from a UK Govt. Innovate grant. As the company explained, they decided to opt for a remarkable concept that harnesses the power of mass-produced LCD screens, which are widely used in smartphones and other hand-held devices to ensure the highest resolution. As that technology is already well-established and affordable, it is a perfect light source for affordable 3D printing. The concept is simple - use the daylight emitted from an LCD screen to polymerize resin that is tailored to that wavelength and intensity. All other 3D printers that polymerize resin use a combination of both daylight and UV light at considerably higher intensities, they say. When combined with a custom resin that is extremely sensitive to daylight, a very low-cost platform is created. Photocentric has been able to make this work by developing the worlds most sensitive daylight resins. The power of this idea is profound. What might seem to be disadvantages- that it works solely in daylight and it works with orders of magnitude lower intensities of light are actually its greatest strengths, they say. Photocentric calls the technique Daylight Polymer Printing, or DPP (patent pending). Practically, it works by placing an LCD panel (which are mass-produced) under a resin tank. This shines pixels of plain light (not UV) into the resin. Using very little energy, the resin is solidified which also solves the problem of parts sticking to the bottom of the tank. As the company explains, that is caused by using too much UV energy, causing unwanted solidification. The very low intensity luminance from these screens, an order of magnitude lower than produced by digital light projectors and lasers, means there is no scattered light to create unwanted overcure - light used to harden a layer is simply absorbed at that depth and not passed on, they say. Incidentally, the low-energy approach also increases production speeds, while the light is not harmful to human eyes. Photocentrics potent Daylight Polymer Printing solution is getting quite a lot of attention, and has already won the Europe 2016 award for innovation in 3D printing at the IDTechEx show in Berlin last month. Innovation is one of our businesss core principles and in 3D Printing we have invented a completely new way to create images. This award has meant more to us because it was chosen by industry experts who have recognized the technical achievement, Photocentric managing director Paul Holt said of the victory. Earlier this year, the company also won the Queens Award for Enterprise: Innovation. But perhaps most importantly, the company has already embedded their technology into two low-cost 3D printers: the LIQUID CRYSTAL 10" Daylight Polymer 3D Printer and the LC Mini 3D printer. The LIQUID CRYSTAL 10model features a build platform of 200x100x200 mm and is capable of producing layers just 25 microns thick (220micron XY resolution). The smaller LC Mini 3D printer features a build platform of just 60x100x120 mm, but produces layers than are just as accurate as its larger brother. Whats more, both are very competitively priced, costing just 699 ($1000 USD) and 449 ($750 USD), respectively. The LIQUID CRYSTAL 10" 3D printer is already available on Photocentrics website, with the LC Mini following next month. Thanks to these price tags, both are doubtlessly attractive options for home users and should be very useful for producing small prototypes for jewelry, for instance. But Photocentric has said that this is only the beginning. The opportunities are limitless; higher and higher resolution screens becoming available in all formats from mobiles to large format televisions provide the lowest cost imaging systems ever imagined, they say, adding that larger 3D printers employing DPP 3D printing technology is forthcoming. A 17 inch 3D printer prototype can already be seen on their website. Photocentric, it seems, is aiming big. Posted in 3D Printer Maybe you also like: 3D Head wrote at 9/13/2016 12:16:46 PM:How safe bringing this printer home is? What precautions do we have to keep in mind when operating the printer? I am curious about the idea of a screen curing liquid photopolymer but what is its trade off when comparing with FDM printing? Does the resin cure and adheres to the resin tank? How easy/practical it is to clean the tank and printing platform? I think I have enough ketchup/wine stains on my carpet to bring liquid chemicals home.Maarten Visser wrote at 5/25/2016 4:40:47 PM:Looks great! Will a resin suitable for lost wax casting be available? When will the mini printer be available to the public? by Brooks Riley In the last year, two extraordinary events have indelibly changed the immediate course of history, for better or worse. In an utterly surprising move, Germany, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, spontaneously accepted over a million refugees, most of them from the war in Syria, only slightly changing the demographic landscape of that rich, stable, mature and responsible democracy, but making a much bigger splash. This year, for reasons that are still unclear, Americas Top Wild Card has all but bagged the Republican nomination. The two events are unrelated, and yet they serve to make one ponder the nature of nationhood and expectation. The two protagonists of these events could not be more different. So too their nations. Trump has succeeded in the land of the free-for-all, a place where narcissism is rewarded with undivided attention. Trump has just about won the Republican nomination, not because hes the best man, not because he knows jack all about governing, government, foreign policy or any other policy, not because hes rich, not because hes got a new vision, not because hes promised the moon, not because he wants to help the poor, but because hes loud. Hes so loud that we can hear him all the way over here on the other side of the Atlantic. He has always been loud, always looking for attention, a poor little rich boy who probably didnt get enough of it when it mattered. Narcissism usually has its roots in some chronic childhood slight. Whether its the father or the mother whos at fault doesnt matter. Now weve got this big old baby begging for more on a national scale. Trump has been around a long time. For as long as I can remember hes been a risible figure on the New York party scene, a local show-off who put his syllable on buildings and a series of trophy wives. He was never taken seriously before, and the fact that he is now being taken seriously points to a deep sickness in the American psyche, an infantilism that projects the mechanisms of The Apprentice, or Americas Top Model, or from earlier times, Queen for a Day on the future destiny of the nation. Reality has been left behind in the blurred lines between TV and life. Someone I knew who had worked for a soap opera production company once told me that weddings were a no-no in a soap opera, the reason being that the TV station would be inundated with wedding gifts for the fictional newlyweds, from fans who were unable distinguish fact from fiction, reality from TV. Now that were at a point where a minor TV celebrity is actually posing as a serious candidate for an office that ought to embody intelligence, experience, knowledge, maturity, and leadership abilities, we have to ask ourselves where it all went wrong, before its too late. Angela Merkel is in all ways the opposite of Trump. Shes intelligent, and clever too, shes experienced, she governs slowly but thoroughly, shes a scientist, with a scientists bent for getting to the bottom of a subject. Shes got a sense of humorwhat demagogues like Trump and Erdogan never doand shes not vain or narcissistic. When she makes a mistake, she admits to it (the Bohmermann affair). Above all, shes a statesman, that rare form of leader who transcends party politics for the greater good. What shes never been is a Mom, although that is her nickname here (Mutti), probably emanating from that other deep German yearning, to be taken care of by a Mutter der Nation or mother of the nation. Nearly one year on, her stunning action is paying off. The refugees are being slowly but surely woven into the national fabric. Dont believe everything you read to the contrary: The problem with journalism is that it always reports on the exception, never the rule (Why do you think Trump got so much attention?). The refugee crisis is not a crisis here, and with the help of a majority that has pitched in to help, it is less of an issue than it was a few months ago. True, the AfD, a right-wing minority nationalist party, has emerged, but the longer things continue to go smoothly the shorter its shelf-life will be. In spite of the huge extra costs for the refugees, Germanys prosperity is still on the rise, so much so that the conservative finance minister has just recommended a reduction in taxes. Is there something to be learned from these two events, some connection that could show the way toward a shift in political awareness? Two countriesone of them accepting a million refugees in a flash, the other wanting to throw millions out on their bums. It all boils down to why someone ever runs for the office of President in the first place: Is it to boost the ego or is it to change and improve the country? I used to deride German professional politicians, who join a party at a young age and work their way up the ranks. They were too removed from the people, too caught up in the machinations of their respective parties. Their perennial Parteitage, seasonal party conventions faithfully covered in the press, were a source of mild amusement for me. But seeing the ascendency of those whom Roger Cohen in the New York Times calls the know-nothingsand Trump is surely one of themIve changed my mind. A professional politician is well acquainted with a variety of issues, a knowledge that is built up over time and is under constant review according to present realities. An ego-driven ambitious politician will soon discover that he cannot proceed up the ladder without a well-informed strategy for improving the country and a firm knowledge of the facts, however they are to be interpreted. Personality and charisma are irrelevant to the issues, as they should be. In America, on the other hand, it is the cult of personality that defines politics. A brilliant, knowledgeable wimp will always lose out to a charismatic know-nothinga perilous situation for a country the size of America with its military might and increasingly dysfunctional two-party system. Some journalists are suddenly rushing to say that its okay if Trump wins as long as hes got good advisers. Somehow Im not convinced, envisioning a scenario where an expert with years of experience and know-how is suddenly fired for cracking a joke or using more than one syllable. Once in a while, charisma is accompanied by intelligence and honorable intentions. Obama was such a man, even if he was thwarted at many turns by the Republicans. If Trump wins the election, we will miss Obama for a long time to come. Today I read of a woman receiving death threats for wearing a cap that said America was never great. What is this obsession with greatness? Why does America have to be great? Why cant America just be good? Good to its people, helpful to its disenfranchised, fair to its transgressors, inviting to the tired and poor from other lands? If America ever was great, it was because it opened its doors and its heart, not because it had the biggest military or the highest fences or the most guns. Is Trumps idea of greatness tearing down everything good that has happened, and returning to a status quo with few benefits for the average citizen? The Republican Party itself has evolved into a party with no solutions of its own, just the destruction of solutions achieved by others. This is the club Trump has joined. The last time a country put a premium on greatness, hundreds of millions died as a result. But that very countrys remarkable turnaround over the last 70 years has made it paradoxically greater than it could ever have imagined. Germany is great today in part because it doesnt give a fig about greatness. (As German comedian Jan Bohmermann once put it, were proud of not being proud.) The issue is partly semantic: The word great used to mean big, as in Great Britain, or Great Barrier Reef. That it came to mean all-powerful or wonderful is one of those unfortunate twists of usage that leads to misunderstandings. The German language provides two words for great: gross, as in big, grossartig as in wonderful. America may be gross but for many Americans right now it is not grossartig. Greatness cannot be self-proclaimed; it is a compliment that can only be bestowed by others, not by a nation on itself. Thats why I could call Germany great (as in wonderful) with impunity: Im not German. But why should I? And why should it matter? The reason Trump has gotten as far as he has is that the country has itself become narcissistic, its obsession with its own greatness (as in all-powerful) the dangerous symptom of a national pathology that can only do harm. Narcissism is always about a deficit of self-esteem. With the wrong person at the helm next year, the rest of the world could be in for a nasty surprise. by Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future. George Orwell, 1984 These days every other person seems to be concerned about the future of Islamic Civilization. From the Islamists, the traditionalists, the Liberals, the Conservatives etc. almost everyone seems to have a stake in the future of Islam. While these different groups may have different vision of the future they do have one thing in common they almost always define the future in terms of the past: From the Salafis harkening back to a supposed era of purity, to the academics yearning for the Golden Age of Islam and to the more recent Ottoman nostalgia in Turkey and the wider Middle East. The study of history becomes paramount in such an encounter since a distorted view of the past can become a potentially unrealizable view of the future. As any historian will tell us each group reads history in terms of its own aspirations and agenda. For the Muslims world in general the nostalgia for the past usually seems to be heavy on reviving the glories of the past. The danger here being that one may start living in a non-existent romanticized past and be condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past. In the West every other political pundit seems to be calling for an Islamic Reformation even though parallel religious structures do not exist in Islam. What do these visions of the future-past look like and what can be learned from these? For the majority of Muslims, it is the time of the Prophet that represents an idealized society. However many of them implicitly also realize that by its own constitution that era cannot be replicated precisely because of the Muslim belief that the Prophet cannot come back and there will not be another prophet a perfect society needs a perfect man. The era after that which is most revered by (Sunni) Muslims is the era of the Righteously Guided Caliphs. What most folks fail to realize that that era was revered in classical Islam not because of it was a time of peace and prosperity but because of its proximity to the time of the Prophet. On one hand it was a time of great expansion where the foundations of Islamic governance were also laid down. On the other hand it was also a time of civil wars when there was a great deal of intra-Muslim bloodshed. To anyone who wants to revive that era, one must caution that it is also the time when the Khawarij, the intellectual ancestors of groups like ISIS first arose. One must be careful in what one wishes for. Then there is the Golden age of Islamic civilization centered on Baghdad, Cordoba and Samarkand. While the Islamists tout the greatness of this era what gets shoved under the rugs is that many of the rulers of this era were less than exemplary when it comes to their orthodoxy. Another fact that many people fail to recognize is that even during the Golden Age the majority of the subjects of the Islamic empire were non-Muslims including an appreciable percentage of scientists and philosophers who were instrumental for the rise of Islamic civilization. Science and technology back then as it is now is an international collaboratory enterprise. The last point is especially relevant to our day and age since the exclusion of non-Muslims in the national narratives in the Muslim world has unfortunately become the norm. Outside of small academic circles most people, Muslims or non-Muslims, are unaware of the fact that what came to be identified with the Islamic systems of governance was heavily borrowed from the Sassanids. The millet system of the Ottomans was inspired by a similar system that the Rightly Guided Caliphs has enacted which in turn was invented by the Sassanids. When the rulers of Vijaynagar in South India were copying the style of Muslim palaces they were actually copying the plans that Muslims had acquired from Sassanids. The greatest irony here being that while some modern day non-Muslim Iranians blame Muslims for destroying their culture, it was actually the Islamic culture that led to the widespread dissemination of the Iranian culture but under the Islamic garb. The lesson being that he early Muslims had to deal with many practical considerations of ruling a multi-ethnic multi-religious Empire and inspiration had to be taken from anywhere and everywhere. Even the aesthetics that came to be identified as quintessentially Islamic had roots in earlier civilizations. The archetypical image of how a mosque should look like is heavily borrowed from Eastern Orthodox Churches that the Muslims first encountered in their conquests of Syria and the Levant. These observations do not make these developments less Islamic but rather it shows the openness of the Islamic culture of a bygone era. The translation of Greeks works did not start in the time of Abbasids as in the popular imagination but rather it had already started in the second generation from the time of the Prophet. Khalid bin Yazid, an ummawid prince and a scientist himself was instrumental in sponsoring the translation project in Alexandria less than 50 years after the time of the Prophet. Then there is Al-Andalus or Muslim Spain has been romanticized by people as diverse as Tariq Ali, Osama bin Laden, head of States etc. It is supposed to represent a time when Jews, Muslims and Christians lived side by side in an era of supposed harmony. While one may disagree with the details of convicencia how it came to an end is where a great deal of disconnect lies in the minds of the Muslim masses. It was not just the advancing armies of Aragon and Castilia that doomed the culture of tolerance but the Almohad were equally intolerant towards the culture of coexistence. It is easier to kill a culture if it already has a self-inflicted wound. The last great flowering of the Islamic civilization was of course the Ottoman Empire. It is also arguably the most successful Muslim empire in history. The empire that now stands as the emblem of the Caliphate only took up that mantle in its declining years. The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople was followed by more than a century of Romanphilia. In fact Mehmet the Conqueror wanted to conquer Rome itself to reunify the Roman Empire. The Ottoman Sultans styled themselves as the Emperors of the Romans till the very end of the empire. People in the Balkans focus on the ethnic conflict in the dying days of the empire but fail to mention the 5 centuries of coexistence prior to that. Thus the question of brining back the Ottomans is more appropriately phrased as which incarnation of the Ottoman Empire as it greatly changed over the course of seven centuries. The dichotomies of Christian vs. Muslim disappear even more when one realizes that the majority of the Ottoman army at the siege of Vienna in 1683 may actually have been made up of Christians. Can we really imagine such a scenario three hundred years after the fact? If the Abbasids represented the Golden Age of Islam then perhaps the rise of Ottomans, Mughals, Safavids, the Mali Empire, the Indian Ocean trade networks and the spread of Islam in South East Asia should be termed as the Silver Age of Islam. There may be many more things that we can learn from the less glamorous and the seemingly peripheral parts of Islamic history: The question of Islamic law and how Muslims should live as minorities in a non-Muslim state has come to the fore in the West recently. Even some of the learned ulemas act as if this is an unprecedented situation and as if this has not happened before. Islam has been in China for longer than most Muslim majority places in the world. Chinese Muslims have a long history of integrating with and long conversing with a foreign civilization. Chinese Muslims arts, culture, language and even philosophy has much to teach the rest of the Muslim world if only they are willing to listen. Al-Andalus was not the only region of Europe that was occupied by Arabs and Berbers and brought advanced civilization there. Sicily was the Andalus that disappeared early on. What is however missing from discussions of Sicily is that Muslims did continue to flourish in Sicily for 150 years even after the fall of Islamic rule there mainly because of the somewhat enlightened rule of the Normans in Sicily. The most well known of these Christian rules was Roger II, after whom the most famous book of Islamic geography is named Kitab ul Rigel (The Book of Roger), by the celebrated geographer Muhammad Al-Idrisi. Even after the persecutions started it was not until 1336 that the last group on Muslims in Italy were forced to convert. My point here is not to argue that one must not look at the past for inspiration but as with most things in life the good comes with bad. It could be that none of the examples that I have outlined previously are that relevant to the present predicament of the Muslim world. Pick up almost any history text on Islamic history especially in Arabic, Persian or Urdu it reads more like a series of events than a meaningful analysis of history. Thus missing from the narrative of the Islamic world is the impact of the Black Plague in the historical imagination of the Muslim world even though which is equally devastating in the Middle East as it was in Europe or how the disruption of the Indian Ocean trade network by the Portuguese was instrumental in the long term economic decline of the Muslim world. Perhaps the answer may lie in something else entirely alternate history. By forcing Muslims to think about what could have been they may also start thinking about what could be in a more nuanced manner. There will of course be people who might object and say that why dwell in the past in any form whether positive or negative. It is however impossible to escape history, the kind of people that we want to become is usually a function of how we imagine how we got to be what we are. Historians may argue that all national, ethnic and even religious histories have an element of useful fiction and objectivity is relative at best. Even if we take this view we still have to answer the question, what kind of fiction do we choose for ourselves. We are who we are by the virtue of stories that we tell about ourselves. Make sense of history thus becomes paramount in moments of civilizational crisis. This is of course not to discount that there are indeed more urgent problems in the world like the Syrian Refugee crisis or the Climate Change but with a group of people that constitute around a forth of humanity there are enough people to have interesting and valuable thoughts to any subject under the Sun and perhaps even beyond. Invigor and The Big Smoke Sign JV to Promote Shopping Ninja Sydney, May 23, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Leading big data solutions company Invigor Group Limited ( ASX:IVO ) ("Invigor") has partnered with media Company, The Big Smoke, to produce a joint digital advertising product that will offer Australian brands and retailers a unique way to showcase their products and stories to a more targeted audience and at the same time leverage and promote the Shopping Ninja brand. - Media Company, The Big Smoke (TBS) announces a JV with IVO to promote Shopping Ninja - JV to produce digital content to help Advertisers and Brands showcase their products - Exposure to over 200,000 unique users per month to promote Shopping Ninja brand - The JV to generate revenue as well as a significant ROI for the Advertisers and Brands Shopping Ninja is Australia's first price comparison browser add-on and mobile application. It covers over 100,000 offers from all the major retailers and brands across consumer electronics, whitegoods and alcoholic beverages. Together, The Big Smoke and Shopping Ninja will be showcasing brands by combining the strongest elements of native content and unique data collection capabilities, providing an engaging and user-focused advertising solution. The Big Smoke and Shopping Ninja will be able to expose compelling native content to over 200,000 unique users per month creating a dialogue that will influence how readers consume and respond to digital advertising. Gary Cohen, Chairman and CEO of Invigor said "We see the partnership with The Big Smoke as an exciting opportunity to engage with consumers by increasing trust and recognising value from Shopping Ninja, while driving sustainable long term growth with a very cost effective model that also generates significant revenue." "The Big Smoke is one of Australia's leading digital publishers and has successfully built their business model around premium native content amongst a digital ecosystem that extends across bloggers, podcasters and social media influencers who they represent when working with brands. Together we can grow the users of Shopping Ninja whilst generating significant value to all" said Gary Cohen. Alexandra Tselios, CEO and Publisher of The Big Smoke said "We understand why many retailers are struggling to see a transparent ROI on their advertising spend, and are dissatisfied with many of their digital activities. We have put together a team of native content creators which includes top advertising executives who understand very well how to communicate a brands story. By being able to create quality native content as a publisher with an engaged Australia-wide audience, we have an incredible opportunity to truly impact the conversation between brands and consumers. This partnership will allow The Big Smoke and Invigor to provide an innovative media buy solution across the retail sector, and produce relevant and shareable content. We want to change the narrative around how readers view the brands they interact with while continuing to grow as a valuable content platform for our audience". About The Big Smoke, Belleford Group Pty Ltd Belleford Group Pty Ltd is the Publisher of The Big Smoke, one of Australia's leading opinion sites with over 350 writers from all walks of life including household names, Politicians, influencers and every-day Australians. The Big Smoke's content is discussed on commercial radio most days of the week Australia-wide and is also home to a curated digital marketplace. In 2015, The Big Smoke launched a sister-site in Portland Oregon, producing content by US writers catering to the US market. About Invigor Group Ltd Invigor Group (ASX:IVO) uses its complementary suite of big data products to source, aggregate, analyse and publish content for the benefit of businesses and consumers. Today its interconnected data sets enable enterprise clients including retailers, brands, shopping centres and government bodies to identify and better understand competitors, consumers, markets and demographics while providing the consumer with the best value-for-money. Using its current products and a pipeline of additional offerings Invigor will have the ability to provide an end-to-end solution spanning sales, product management, business intelligence, marketing, advertising, content creation and distribution, while monetising each step of the process. Today he is head brewer at one of the states largest and most decorated craft beer producers, but Josh Trujillos career at Marble Brewery started with a broom. A welder by trade, he wound up at Marble after leaving a fence company where he felt professionally stifled. A Marble customer and beer lover, he joined Marble in a very limited role about six months after its 2008 opening. I worked for eight hours a week when I started here. I would clean the pub on Mondays and I would bar back on Fridays, he says. At the end of each one of my shifts, I would go to the back and I would say Im done with what Im doing. Do you guys need help?' Marbles owners found plenty of ways to deploy his ambition not to mention his welding, plumbing and electrical know-how and moved him into the production side, where he studied under Marble president and brewmaster Ted Rice and industry veteran Daniel Jaramillo (now at La Cumbre). Trujillo showed such promise, Marble also paid for his formal brewery training through the American Brewers Guild. In 2013, he became head brewer. While that might sound like an implausible career arc in most professions, it is not unprecedented inside New Mexicos fast-growing craft brewing scene, which continues to cultivate its own workforce. Rice says he looks for the intangibles he saw in Trujillo passion for beer, initiative in prospective employees. He will hire people who match Marbles culture, even when they have no professional brewing background. While he has recently added a few employees with brewery experience, Most people walk in the door with nothing (in terms of brewery skills), Rice says, and we train them. The state boasts more than 50 craft breweries and will continue seeing new additions, said John Gozigian, executive director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild. He estimates those breweries employ 2,000-plus people. A few hundred of those work on the beer-making side, where jobs have become increasingly specialized. Gozigian says the local industry has a great track record for developing its own brewing expertise rather than importing it. Really most of the talent is homegrown; I would say 90 percent, says Gozigian, who was a former partner at Marble and also worked at La Cumbre Brewing Co. before taking over at the guild. There have been a handful of people who have been recruited out of state both at the brewpub level and the packaging brewery level, but, really, I would say thats a much smaller part of the source of talent. Several of the states most experienced brewers have formally trained through programs such as the American Brewers Guild or Chicagos Siebel Institute of Technology, but much of the education still happens on the job. Breweries often bring in entry-level employees and mold them in-house. They grow up in an very old-school kind of apprenticeship program, says Jeff Erway, president and founder of La Cumbre Brewing Co. His head brewer, Alan Skinner, had a biology degree and some home-brewing experience but had never worked at a commercial brewery until joining La Cumbre in 2014. His science aptitude made him a logical choice to handle the associated lab duties, but he still logged plenty of hours performing the more menial tasks and learning what Erway calls the nuts and bolts of the business before rising up the ranks. Just about every production brewery in this country is experiencing the same thing. They hire people kind of off the street and kind of teach them from point A and take them to point B and hopefully end up with a great employee in the long run; if not, hopefully that employee goes on and does great things in their career working for someone else, Erway says. The more-established local breweries have helped produce a workforce that continues fanning out amid the craft beer boom. Rice and Erway each can list several former employees who now lead breweries elsewhere in town career advancement they applaud rather than begrudge. And when they find themselves looking to hire more, they generally do not have to look far. Potential employees practically line up. Erway says he has hundreds of applications and resumes at his fingertips, while Rice says prospective employees often approach him directly. Typically I find them when they knock on my door. People send me emails and when the emails are inspired and driven by the passion for the industry and beer, then even if I really dont need to fill a position at that point in time, I like to bring people in and meet them, he says. The pipeline will likely only grow with the new brewing and beverage management curriculum at Central New Mexico Community College. (See sidebar.) Rice says it could be incredibly valuable when hiring to have candidates who already know the basics. Of course, getting a brewery job is hardly a fast track to fame and fortune. A gifted veteran with decades of experience might command a salary nearing six figures, but a midlevel staff brewer likely earns around $30,000 a year, and an industry newcomer could make $9 or $10 an hour and spend the day packing bottles into cardboard boxes. Yet the industry has so captivated the public that some people leave more lucrative careers for it. You could be paid five times that amount (in a different profession), but are you tortured? Do you dread the alarm clock every morning? Or do you wake up with visions of malt, hops, barley and yeast in your head and fanciful ways to combine them to make people happy? Rice says. And the good news for aspiring brewers is that there are jobs. New breweries continue opening and the existing ones continue growing, Gozigian says. Erway says he rarely goes a couple of weeks without hiring someone. Marbles recent $4 million production expansion means it is also in hiring mode. Just be prepared to work. Rice has taken to warning prospective employees that the brewery is not always glamorous. Making beer is part art, part science and a whole lot of manual labor. Cleaning equipment. Hauling heavy grain sacks. Rolling barrels. It takes a special mindset, worth ethic and, Erway notes, thousands of hours to truly learn the business. People always ask is there opportunity in this industry, Erway says, And it just depends on what kind of person you are. CNM has in recent years launched programs designed to meet the needs of the days fastest growing industries think cyber security and coding. Now its doing the same with beer. Starting this fall, Central New Mexico Community College will offer a brewing and beverage management associates degree, as well as a few industry-specific certificate programs. Nick Jones, a faculty member for the brewing and beverage programs, said courses will cover a wide range of topics, from historical influences to brewery sanitation protocols, equipment maintenance and the selection of ingredients for commercial beer production. CNM sought input from local breweries and industry experts when developing the curriculum, and Jones said the graduates should produce a pool of job candidates who require less of the standard on-the-job training. Jones is a former production manager for Santa Fe Brewing Co. Breweries who hire graduates of the program will find that they are familiar with a wide variety of techniques and that they possess significant background knowledge on any procedure that the brewery might train an entry-level employee in, he said via email. Breweries currently have little trouble filling entry-level jobs, according to John Gozigian of the New Mexico Brewers Guild, but he said CNM training should help job-seekers distinguish themselves in pools typically filled with people who have no professional experience. La Cumbre Brewing Co.s Jeff Erway agrees, but cautioned that the craft takes thousands of hours to master. It can definitely be a foot in the door it can be a way to get yourself to shine on paper, he said. But at the end of the day, just like any profession, until you actually get behind the desk or get up on the brewhouse, thats when you really, really start to learn. CNM spokesman Brad Moore said the school expects the first associates degree cohort to include 10-12 students, and for 12-18 to complete the brewing technology certificate of achievement in the first year. He said the program is meant to fill demand locally but could also attract students from around the region. CNM does not have its own brewing equipment, but spokesman Brad Moore said some labs will take place at local breweries. The school does have plans for a permanent facility of its own and will gradually phase in equipment, he said. Existing students can begin registering for the fall courses on May 31, while new students can sign up starting June 6. CNM also plans to host some brewing-related noncredit workshops, and those could start this summer. An Albuquerque man was charged Saturday with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after police say he injured two employees at a Sprouts Farmers Market on Lomas and San Mateo, according to a Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court criminal complaint. Wade Crosby, 23, was observed on security video throwing a glass jar at the head of a female store employee during a violent confrontation with several store employees on Friday evening, the complaint said. Crosby also threw can of energy drink at a second employee and punched several employees, an Albuquerque police officer wrote. The confrontation began Friday evening when Crosby and a second man, both dressed in womens clothing, entered the store about 9 p.m., police said. The two were confronted by store employees who recognized them from a previous incident of shoplifting. Police later arrested Crosby walking away from the store. He remained in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Sunday in lieu of $10,000 cash or surety bond. The second man was not found. An officer observed a cut and swelling on the forehead of one employee. Two employees were transported by ambulance to an Albuquerque hospital. For the past six years, New Mexicos economic story has been dominated by the continued recession and outward migration. By July 2017, officials anticipate that nearly 47 percent of all residents will qualify for some form of federal assistance. Despite blame being thrust on past and present government leadership, New Mexico residents are resoundingly calling for new leadership: business owners and executives. In a 2016 Garrity Perception Survey, a scientific poll of New Mexico residents conducted by Research & Polling with a 95 percent level of confidence, the desire of those spanning the political, generational and economic profiles of our state want business owners and executives to step up and be more active in helping to improve the states economy and in solving our social problems. Seventy-six percent of New Mexico residents, from all across the state, say it is time for New Mexico businesses to help our state out of its economic downturn. NAME: Tom Garrity TITLE: President ORGANIZATION: The Garrity Group Public Relations There are a number of ways for business executives to be involved, and it goes beyond important involvement in civic organizations and asking lawmakers to streamline taxes and incentives. One of the most effective programs Ive seen in support of small business is a program developed several years ago by Bernalillo County called an increment of one. The program, a brainchild of Deputy County Manager Vince Murphy, provided guidance and insight to help small businesses increase their staffing by an increment of one employee. Another program, the New Mexico Small Business Development Council, provides similar insight and assistance statewide. Its resources such as these that make New Mexico small businesses stronger, turning them into the types of business that can provide impactful change for our community. Bottom line: New Mexico residents want business leaders involved to improve our states economy. Meanwhile, 71 percent of New Mexico residents want business owners and executives to be more involved in helping solve New Mexicos social problems. Effectively addressing New Mexicos social problems will result in better positioning our state for future economic growth. The prospect that nearly half of all New Mexicans will be eligible for federal assistance within the next year presents an unflattering impression to companies considering relocating to our state, creating a perception that our residents are ill prepared for an advanced workforce environment. Businesses can help solve our complex social problems in a number of ways that go beyond the silent auction and annual donation. Yes, volunteering to provide insight and expertise as a board member for a nonprofit can help New Mexicos most vulnerable residents, as is channeling the power of your workforce to regularly volunteer as a mentor to a young person, prepare a meal for a family in distress or improve an aging part of your community. Companies such as Comcast and Intel have regular programs to positively support community initiatives. Our team supports programs such as the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico, runs a campaign for the United Way of Central New Mexico, and encourages individual team members to make their mark in the community by allowing flexible work schedules when it concerns community-related projects. Large or small, New Mexico residents want business to step up and be a part of the solution to address social problems. Fifty-five percent of New Mexico residents feel that business owners and executives dont care how their decisions affect the average citizen. This last insight is surprising yet predictable There are a lot of small businesses and large organizations doing great things in our communities, and thankfully, New Mexico executives havent resorted to seeing who can drop the largest coin in the proverbial bucket. However, its evident that the contributions arent large or meaningful enough, or the community is overwhelmingly unaware of what business owners and executives are doing to affect the lives of the average citizen. Aside from money and resources, New Mexico business leaders need to share our passions for the community and why we choose to do business in New Mexico. Sharing your story through your employees and your customers will help to break down that wall of perception that more than half of the state feels we dont care. Doing so, perhaps others will catch a glimpse of our passion and decide they want to do business here, too. BAGHDAD The Iraqi military said Sunday that it is preparing for an offensive to retake Fallujah, urging civilians to stay away from Islamic State headquarters and telling those who are unable to escape to raise white flags on their homes. The military statement gave no timeline for the operation but said counterterrorism forces, police, tribal fighters and popular mobilization units which include an array of Shiite militias will be involved. Fallujah has been under Islamic State control for more than two years and was the first city in the country to fall to the militant group. Although U.S. efforts to assist the Iraqi military have focused on the northern city of Mosul as the next target, there has been a growing push in Iraqi military circles to first recapture Fallujah, which lies just 40 miles away from Baghdad. But few expect an easy fight, with the city the location of some of the bloodiest fighting for Marines during the Iraq War. If Iraqi forces enter a drawn-out battle for the city, it could delay the already-stuttering efforts for Mosul, where President Barack Obama has said he expects an offensive to be imminent by the end of the year. The city has been besieged by the military and militia forces for months, with a growing humanitarian crisis inside due to limited access to basic medicine and food supplies. Estimates for the number of civilians that remain trapped range from 30,000 to 60,000. We call on all citizens who are still inside Fallujah to prepare to get out, the military statement said, adding that secure routes would be organized later. About 20,000 federal policemen with armored vehicles and artillery have arrived on the outskirts of Fallujah in preparation for storming the city, Lt Gen. Raeed Shakir Jawdat, commander of the federal police, said in a statement. The presence of a high number of Shiite militia forces around the city, who view much of the Sunni population as sympathetic to the Islamic State militants, has raised fears of sectarian reprisal killings directed at civilians during any operation. Lt. Gen. Abdulwahab al-Saedi, from Iraqs counterterrorism forces, confirmed he will lead the Fallujah operation. He previously led the operation to recapture Tikrit. The army, police and Shiite militias will fight only on the outskirts of the city, he said. Counterterrorism forces will storm the center, he said. The operation will be very, very soon, he said, refusing to give a timeline. He said that the U.S.-led coalition will give air support and that the battle will be difficult but not impossible. A California man was killed Sunday when the motorcycle he was driving slammed into a guardrail south of Artesia, New Mexico State Police said. Ruben Diaz, 49, of Newman, Calif., was traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on U.S. 285 when he lost control of the motorcycle, the agency said in a written statement. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation. BAGHDAD Amid hedgerows of computer screens in the joint operations center that runs the war against the Islamic State, Marine Brig. Gen. Bill Mullen explains the complex assault that drove the extremist fighters last week from the strategic town of Rutbah at the western edge of Anbar province. The battle showed how the campaign against the Islamic State, which has had a slow takeoff over the last 18 months, is supposed to work: In early May, a U.S. drone attack on a nearby highway killed Shaker Wahib, the terrorists military emir in Anbar, shaking morale. The day before the battle, the U.S. dropped two huge bombs on the minefields and berms surrounding the town. Then came the attack from a combined force of Iraqi army troops and hundreds of recently recruited tribal fighters who had been trained by U.S. Special Forces. When they moved in, only 30 Islamic State fighters stayed to fight, says Mullen. The rest had fled. Mullen has been running the operations room here for nearly a year. When he arrived, he says, a serious gloom enveloped the Iraqi military because of its humiliating defeats in Mosul and Ramadi. But with the recapture of Ramadi late last year, Mullen says, some of that lost confidence has returned. Iraq is still a nation in disarray, with bitter ethnic hatreds and a central government that has nearly collapsed. The military campaign rests on political quicksand. The fragility was shown by Fridays invasion of the Green Zone by Iraqi demonstrators who are enraged by the corruption of their government. Gen. Joseph Votel, the recently appointed Centcom commander who oversees the U.S. military in the Middle East, sees a mixed picture in the Iraqi military. They are getting better [but] theres still a lot left to do, he told me and several other journalists who traveled here with him. Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, a lanky, blunt-spoken officer who took command of U.S. forces in Iraqi and Syria late last year, explains: Weve had to pick them [the Iraqi army] off the ground and dust them off. They are certainly better than the enemy. Thats the standard. Votel and MacFarland are trying to accelerate a campaign that had seemed, at times over the last 18 months, to be foundering. Theyre more open to the media, as illustrated by our trip here, and theyre working harder to coalesce the elements of the U.S.-led coalition. Their goal is to stress the Islamic State on many fronts at once preparing assaults on Mosul, Fallujah and other strongholds. The military power that the U.S. can mobilize is daunting: We visited a warehouse packed with 37,000 sets of body armor and 32,000 M-16 rifles that will be airlifted to the Iraqis. We saw command centers that fuse intelligence from scores of drones and direct fire from missiles, jets, artillery and Special Operations commandos. We visited a camp in Taji where trainers from coalition nations are attempting to rebuild an army that lost face after its collapse in Mosul in June 2014, explains Lt. Col. Jim Hammett. Hes an Australian officer who helps command a 480-person team from Australia, New Zealand and Britain. Amid the endless frustrations of Iraq, the training team has a one-word motto: perseverance. The most striking change is the mobilization of Sunni tribes in Anbar since the Islamic State began to lose its grip in Ramadi last October. The government-paid Sunni militia in Anbar has grown this year from 6,000 to 9,500, and its now supplemented by an additional vetted force of 6,000 tribal shield fighters, who arent paid a salary but get weapons and death benefits. Another 9,000 Anbar tribesmen have volunteered on an unofficial basis. If more Sunni sheiks are working with the U.S. (and an Iraqi government they despise), its for a cynical reason: They think the American side is winning. U.S. commanders name seven Sunni tribes that are now contributing fighters against the Islamic State. Whats intriguing is that some of these tribes are said to be split, with part still backing the Islamic State and others defecting. The U.S. strategy is to treat the so-called caliphate as a weak state and turn the tables by mounting an insurgency against it from the inside. Americas military strength remains overwhelming, even after the tests of the past decade, and the emerging campaign almost surely will gradually disable the Islamic State. The problem, as nearly every commander here will acknowledge, is that U.S. military might cannot make a broken Iraq work as a nation. Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group The September 2015 death of Fidencio Duran, an 88-year-old Alzheimers patient who died just weeks after Bernalillo County Sheriffs deputies blasted him with pepper balls and sicced a police dog on him, is proving to be an Achilles heel for Sheriff Manuel Gonzales and rightfully so. The incident has triggered a lawsuit, called into question Gonzales opposition to lapel cameras, prompted an internal investigation into Durans death, and forced Gonzales to review how his office handles commendations. To refresh your memory: On Sept. 15, 2015, Duran was found wandering his South Valley neighborhood with a knife, distraught over the death of his wife a day earlier. Shirtless and wearing only one shoe, the 115-pound octogenarian waved the knife and told deputies, in Spanish, to shoot him. After a 90-minute standoff, deputies shot him with bruise-producing pepper balls and released the dog. The dog knocked Duran to the ground, breaking his pelvis and femur. After a month in the hospital, Duran died of pneumonia. The medical investigator ruled his death a homicide. Durans family has filed suit against Gonzales and the BCSO, seeking compensation and a court order forcing deputies to wear lapel cameras a move the family says might have prevented the deputies actions. Many questions about what transpired that day might have been answered had the officers been required to wear and turn on lapel cameras. Then comes news that, while Duran was fighting for his life in the hospital, Gonzales signed off on commendations for nine deputies and two sergeants involved in the incident. Commendations can help deputies move up the ladder. These undeserved commendations praised the cops for their high level of professionalism, even though that professionalism led to Durans death. While Gonzales reviews his offices commendation policy, oversees the internal investigation, and waits on the district attorneys decision whether to file criminal charges against any of his deputies and the outcome of the Duran familys lawsuit, he should take some time to rethink his stance on lapel cameras. If the sheriff fears negative exposure, he should remember that video footage can exonerate, too. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. The no-fly zone over Arroyo del Oso Park that has grounded model airplane pilots since January has been lifted. Barbara Taylor, director of the Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department, said last week that a letter has been sent to members of Duke City Electric Flyers, the primary model airplane club that used the park, informing them that they can return immediately. Im very happy that we came to a reasonable resolution of the issues, she said. It was an easy negotiation, and we all came to the table with an attitude of how can we make this happen? Under the agreement, Taylor said, pilots can use the park Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., but can have no more than six aircraft flying at any given time over the park and may not conduct low-level flying competitions. Further, pilots must be members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, follow that national organizations rules and carry AMA insurance. If you go The Duke City Electric Flyers club will sponsor a Memorial Day picnic and model aircraft flying demonstrations at Arroyo del Oso Park, Spain and Wyoming NE, to celebrate the return to the park. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the public. Bobby Davis, a model airplane pilot and owner of Hobby Proz in the Northeast Heights, specializing in radio-control cars and aircraft, said the temporary ban put a strain on his business since fellow grounded pilots had no need for spare parts or new aircraft. This is a good thing, he said of the lifting of the ban. It returns a popular activity to the park, particularly for the older retired guys who cant travel far, and their presence provides added safety to the park. Pilot Skyler Raver said hes glad that he can resume his previous routine. Id be out at Arroyo del Oso about 9 a.m., fly until 10 a.m. and then go to work. The citys ban, he said, was a knee-jerk reaction in response to a complaint. For more than 20 years, pilots had been flying their radio-controlled aircraft at the park near Spain and Wyoming NE. Although a city ordinance prohibits that activity in most parks, the pilots at Arroyo del Oso had an agreement with a previous mayoral administration. In January, the Parks and Recreation Department suddenly rescinded that agreement and posted signs prohibiting the activity. The move was made, Taylor said, in response to a handful of complaints, only one of which was in writing, from other park users who said they felt inconvenienced or endangered by the aircraft. Many of the pilots who flew out of Arroyo del Oso were retired seniors and veterans. Several surrounding neighborhood associations quickly came to the defense of the pilots and advocated for their return. Were elated to see that the city used common sense, allowed the pilots to return and is supporting a hobby that the neighborhood overwhelmingly enjoyed, said Barb Turiciano, secretary of the Arroyo del Oso North Neighborhood Association. Only electric radio-control aircraft can fly at Arroyo del Oso and at Balloon Fiesta Park. Much louder gas planes fly out the George Maloof Memorial Air Park on the West Side. Taylor said Parks and Rec is requesting funds to renovate the badly cracked runways at that park. An Albuquerque police narcotics operation in which undercover detectives haggled with transient drug addicts in some cases accepting the clothes off their backs in exchange for drugs, then arresting them is raising broader questions about the agencys approach to drug crimes, especially when using stings. APD says a court order allowing them to sell drugs on the streets, then arrest people is a valuable tool that lowers crime, while the public defenders office contends that police are targeting the poor and that the tactic has done nothing to battle drug crime in the city. The district attorney said the value of the operations is minimal. Albuquerque police have a court order allowing them to sell drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and crack on the streets. The order, which Detective Marc Clingenpeel wrote earlier this year, said that traditional methods for investigating narcotics have failed. It is believed that taking enforcement action against the purchasers of drugs in the area, if well known, will reduce the demand for drugs in the area, he said in the order, which was approved by District Judge Brett Loveless. Albuquerque police have used similar orders for decades to conduct the stings. Every so often, a detective brings the order to a judge to get permission. The order technically allows police to manufacture the drugs such as turn cocaine into crack but narcotics detectives said that enough drugs have always been in evidence that theyve never had to alter them. Loveless order is in effect until the end of the year. Alan Wagman, a public defender, said he has defended clients, dating back to the 1990s, who were arrested for buying drugs from undercover police officers. He said that undercuts the polices argument that it prevents crime. Theyve been doing this for 20 years. It clearly doesnt work, he said. Why create crime if it doesnt deter crime? District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said that, while these tactics have been used by law enforcement agencies across the country for years, she discourages the practice and said we must be willing to update and re-examine our way of thinking. Without buyers, the drug sellers quickly leave, but I suspect any impact would be minimal, at best, she said in an email. It is my opinion that we need to focus on the dealers, or those higher up the food chain. We desperately need to focus on rallying community resources to help deal with drug addiction and mental health issues. Parking lot sting The controversial sting operation was outlined in a series of criminal complaints obtained by the Journal. On May 9, Clingenpeel was waiting in a parking lot in southeast Albuquerque with crack cocaine when he spotted Anthony Pounds, 49. The detective asked him if he was looking for something. Hard, Pounds replied. Clingenpeel told him that he had $20 of crack cocaine. Pounds had only $5. The detective suggested that Pounds give him the money and his jacket in exchange for crack. Pounds handed over the jacket and $5.10, which was all in coins, and took a small amount of crack. He was then quickly arrested and booked into jail on a drug possession charge. He was there for two days. The operation was executed in a parking lot at Pennsylvania and Central NE. They arrested eight people: seven of them on drug possession charges and one person for drug trafficking. In most of the cases, those arrested had very little cash but bartered with the officers, offering them medicine, change, a tablet computer and a police radio for drugs. In one transaction, a detective was discussing a sale with a man when a woman walked up and wanted in on the deal offering $3, colic medication and sex. Both were taken into custody. Albuquerque police said the stings help fight drug problems in the community in several ways: they drive drug dealers out of certain areas by taking away their customers and they make people more leery about buying drugs on the streets. Think of a drug dealer like a retail store. If you take away the customers, then he has to go elsewhere, said Detective Brian Sallee, a longtime Albuquerque narcotics detective. Looking at changes But Wagman said the drug buys target the poor. Upper-income people buy drugs indoors. Low-income people buy drugs outside on the street, he said. The public defenders office has filed a motion trying to block the order that allows Albuquerque police to conduct the stings. Sallee said arresting poor drug addicts can prevent other types of crime pointing out that poor drug addicts commit property crimes to feed their addiction. And stolen items are often exchanged for drugs. Some of these people who cant afford to buy the drugs are willing to do anything to get them. I even had a guy flat out say, Do what you want with my child, just give me dope, he said. But Sallee said police do the operations all over the city, using drugs primarily crack from adjudicated cases, and they do not target the poor. He said detectives do other types of investigations that target drug users with different incomes. Narcotics Sgt. Luke Languit said that, while detectives plan to continue to use such sting operations, they are considering changes. Were recognizing that if theres a guy pushing a shopping cart with all his possessions, were not going to put a case against him, he said. Lets try to get him some services. City Councilor Pat Davis said he has written a letter to police Chief Gorden Eden asking for the department to stop the drug stings and instead target drug and firearms dealers. APD rolling in, picking off a couple addicted folks doesnt do anything to solve that problem, he said. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal Most of the major criminal, court and personal information databases in use in the state will soon merge so judges can do a quicker, more thorough background check before deciding how much or possibly whether to set bail for defendants. State officials say the Criminal History Clearinghouse could be operational by winter, but because it is a groundbreaking project that will link at least six databases, each with its own technology and subdatabases, the project could take longer and cost more than legislators budgeted for it. In addition to challenging logistics, the project has also scaled down in scope from what was pitched to legislators in this years session. When it got up and running, it was to be something everyone could access, said Rep. Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque. It gets to be more complicated than you think its going to be. Linking databases The states new meta-criminal database, called the Criminal History Clearinghouse, will link six databases already in use. Originally intended for use by police officers in the field along with judges, the clearinghouse will initially provide information only to judges as they determine bail for defendants. The system will link databases currently maintained by the federal National Crime Information Center and the states Administrative Office of District Attorneys; Children, Youth, and Families Department for juvenile records; Department of Corrections; Department of Public Safety, which includes the multidatabase Consolidated Offender Query; and the Administrative Office of the Courts for statewide court case history. As House majority leader, Gentry presented the bills that created the clearinghouse as a way to help police officers stay safe on the streets by knowing more about people they encounter and as a way to enable judges to keep the more dangerous and risky defendants in jail while they await trial. Its helping curb the boomerang thug problem, Gentry said earlier this month. But complications in launching the database mean it wont be immediately available to police officers, as Gentry had hoped. He said it will take more money to make the database available to police in their vehicles, and he said he plans to ask for that money from legislators in 2017. Legislators set aside nearly $800,000 this year for the project, with an annual recurring cost of about $600,000, almost all of it spent on eight employees working around the clock at a secured facility in Santa Fe that will house the Clearinghouse. Background reports At first, the Clearinghouse will be available only to judges and their background investigators, who must send in a request for a report to one of the Clearinghouse employees. The Clearinghouse, in turn, will run the defendants name and provide a report to the judge. Department of Public Safety Secretary Scott Weaver said his department is building the Clearinghouse to handle about 200 reports a day. He said the process is in its preliminary stage, so hes unsure how long each report will take to run. Currently, the best information is available to judges in Albuquerque and a few other courts, but many courts and specifically in most magistrate courts, the information available to judges is very limited. With better information about a specific defendant, judges can make informed decisions about release conditions , Artie Pepin, director of the states Administrative Office of the Courts, said in a statement. But Weaver said not all courts in New Mexico currently have access to background check resources, like the federally restricted NCIC. Nor do they all have enough staff to search the multiple databases for each defendant. NCIC is the most comprehensive of the databases, including 21 different categories of information, such as missing persons and property, restraining orders and sex offender registration, as well as people who are known terrorists or those who have attacked or threatened law enforcement. Some police officers in the states larger departments have access to NCIC in their vehicles. Those who dont, have access to it through their departments dispatchers. Currently, background investigators on staff at courts in Bernalillo County spend about 20 minutes on each report, doing individual searches of several databases. But they dont check some of the databases that will be linked to the Clearinghouse. For example, current background checks dont search the state Children, Youth, and Families Department database or the state Administrative Office of District Attorneys. District Court background investigators check the states court system, called Odyssey, and the federal National Crime Information Center, better known as NCIC, according to court spokesman Tim Korte. Metro Court background investigators check Odyssey, nmcourts.gov, NCIC, the state Motor Vehicle Division and Department of Corrections, and do Internet searches for other court databases as necessary, according to court spokeswoman Camille Baca. They then provide a report to judges to aid them in determining bail for a defendant. Reason for bail Under current law, a judge cant use criminal history or the nature of the charges as a reason to set a higher bail. Bail is supposed to only ensure that someone returns to court, so a defendant with a history of failing to appear or a reason to flee might justify a higher bail. Still, in practice, judges often set high bail for defendants accused of heinous crimes which they sometimes post while any bail at all could result in keeping a low-income person accused of very minor charges in jail pending trial. Those who have access to money can get out. Those who dont have access to money stay in jail, despite the danger level, Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Daniels said at a business community meeting this month. Its an irrational system. A constitutional amendment on the November ballot would change the rules for bail. If adopted, the amendment would allow judges to outright deny bail for certain felony defendants. It could also move the state toward using a risk assessment consideration for setting bail. Based on social science research, bail risk assessment tools use a matrix to rank defendants into four categories meant to measure how likely they are to reoffend before their trial or to not show up for trial. And to use that tool, judges need the most complete criminal history possible, Pepin said. SANTA FE, N.M. Rio Arriba County authorities have arrested a man on suspicion of breaking into the home of his 76-year-old neighbor and raping the woman. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Sheriff James Lujan says 30-year-old Jason Cordova was arrested Friday after DNA found on the victims body connected him to the May 4 attack. He faces several charges, including first-degree criminal sexual penetration and aggravated burglary. Initial reports show the suspect, who lived down the street from the victim, knocked on the womans door and forced his way inside when she answered. Hes accused of beating and sexually assaulting her. Lujan says the woman was taken to a hospital for extensive injuries. Court records show Cordova does not have a violent criminal history and has never faced felony charges. ___ UPDATE today from Associated Press LAS CRUCES Prosecutors have begun calling witnesses to the stand in the trial for a former Santa Fe County sheriffs deputy accused of fatally shooting a fellow deputy during an argument. The first witness to take the stand Tuesday was Sarah Martin, the widow of Deputy Jeremy Martin. Authorities say the deputy was shot and killed at a Las Cruces hotel by Tai Chan during an October 2014 work trip. Chan, now 29, has been charged with murder in Martins death. Sarah Martins testimony lasted several minutes before prosecutors finished questioning. Defense attorneys declined to question her. Randy Hudson, a guest at the hotel the night of the shooting, also testified, saying he heard a rapid burst of gunfire before three distinct shots were fired. Chans attorney told jurors in opening arguments that evidence indicates he acted in self-defense. By Lauren Villagran Journal Staff Writer LAS CRUCES Defense attorneys will argue that a Santa Fe County sheriffs deputy who shot his partner dead in an upscale Las Cruces hotel did so in self-defense. Prosecutors will try to prove that Tai Chan deliberately gunned down deputy Jeremy Martin. Both sides made their opening statements Monday in 3rd Judicial District Court in the trial of Chan, who is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Martin. Chan has pleaded not guilty. One of the more than 80 witnesses expected to testify is Chans then-girlfriend, Leah Tafoya, who is now Chans wife. She was on the phone with Chan when the gunshots were fired after midnight one night in late October 2014. Chan, 27, fatally shot Martin, 29, on the seventh floor of the Hotel Encanto after an argument that started at a pub where the two deputies had been drinking. They were spending the night in Las Cruces on their way home to Santa Fe after escorting a prisoner to Arizona. The night of the shooting, police dispatch began receiving numerous calls, and responding officers found Martin at the elevators of the hotel lobby suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. An autopsy showed that Martin was shot multiple times from behind. The defendant discharged not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, not eight, not nine but 10 rounds at his co-worker, striking him with five, prosecutor Gerald Byers told jurors during his opening statement. The evidence will show that the bullet wounds were all all in the back. Thomas Clark, representing Chan, told jurors in his opening statement that the forensic evidence including Chans own blood allegedly found on a hotel room bed, indicating a violent fight, and Martins DNA allegedly present on Chans gun would present a vastly different scenario. We believe the evidence points that my client, our client, acted in self-defense, Clark said. Not only is he not a coldblooded murderer, but he acted in the only way he could to defend himself from harm. Guests of the Hotel Encanto that night are expected to testify, as are a hotel security guard, a night clerk, DNA analysts and forensic pathologists. Friends of the deputies who were out drinking with the two men that night are also expected to take the stand. Chan appeared in court Monday in a light gray suit and pastel tie, flanked by attorneys John Day and Clark, both of Santa Fe. It was not immediately clear whether Chan himself will testify in the case. Among the first witnesses to be called was the Las Cruces police officer who found Martin in the hotel lobby, Connie Heard. It looked as if the elevator doors had opened and he just fell right out, she said. He had kind of crumpled onto the tile. There were multiple holes in him. She broke down momentarily before continuing: I could hear it was a moaning, a groaning and a gurgling. He wasnt dead. Martin was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died. Police officers found Chan in a stairwell landing leading to the hotels roof, the door to which was locked. According to the police affidavit, While being transported to the station Chan stated, I shot the guy and said that the person he shot was his friend. Chan has been free on a $600,000 secured bond in Santa Fe, under monitoring by an electronic ankle bracelet. The trial is scheduled to last two weeks. New Mexico is seeking more than $136 million from the Environmental Protection Agency and the owners of Colorados Gold King Mine, noting that dangers from contaminants spewed into the Animas River by the Aug. 5 mine spill are still lurking in New Mexico waters. In a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court, Attorney General Hector Balderas and the New Mexico Environment Department cite economic setbacks and environmental damage suffered by the state after more than 3 million gallons of toxic waste was dumped into the river. It demands reimbursement of $889,327 for short-term emergency-response costs paid by the state, more than $6 million to pay for long-term monitoring of the Animas and San Juan rivers and $130 million for lost income, taxes, fees and revenues suffered by the state because of the spill. The river only flows one way, said Ryan Flynn, New Mexico environment secretary. Trouble could still be coming for New Mexico. We have been pushing for a monitoring effort since October. Our concept is $6 million plus and five years of comprehensive monitoring that would give us a firm grasp of what is happening in the watershed. All EPA has said is we will give you is $465,000. That just doesnt cut it. A crew hired by the EPA to work on the Gold King Mine, north of Silverton, Colo., inadvertently breached a containment wall, releasing water laced with heavy-metal contaminants. The toxic water spilled into the Animas River, which flows from Colorado into New Mexico and joins with the San Juan River near Farmington. Flynn said efforts to resolve issues with the EPA outside of court have proved fruitless. I couldnt tell you what EPA is thinking, Flynn said. EPA seems totally unwilling to resolve this in a collaborative manner. Among the major impasses between New Mexico and the EPA has been appropriate screening levels for contaminant metals such as lead. Flynn said the EPA wants to impose a recreational standard that would be safe for hikers and campers, but New Mexico believes the much more strict residential standard should be applied because people live along the affected rivers in New Mexico. There are a lot of people whose homes are right on the river or who use the river for a lot more than kayaking, Flynn said. Balderas agrees. It is inappropriate for the EPA to impose weak testing standards in New Mexico, and I am demanding the highest testing standards that the EPA would impose in any other state in the nation to protect the health and well being of our citizens, Balderas said. Additionally, remediation and compensation dollars have been far too minimal for these very special agricultural and cultural communities who depend on this precious water source for irrigation and drinking water. They must be properly compensated, and there must be appropriate independent monitoring to prevent future dangers to public health and economy. The EPA does not comment on pending litigation filed by outside parties. But in a statement released Monday, the EPA said the agency takes responsibility for the mine spill cleanup and has been working to reimburse response costs and fund tribal and state monitoring plans as well as conduct its own monitoring of the Animas and San Juan rivers. EPA has funded about $1.3 million in reimbursements and monitoring cost for New Mexico to date, the EPA statement said. We continue to review documentation and applications for different entities in the state and will expedite payments. New Mexico has $7.1 million available in unallocated federal funds of which $108,000 has already been approved to fund real-time monitors in the river. The yellow-orange plume of waste that rushed out of the Gold King Mine carried more than 888,000 pounds of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc into New Mexico, forcing municipal and community water systems and irrigation ditches in San Juan County to stop drawing water from the Animas and San Juan rivers for more than a week after the spill. But because these heavy metals are still embedded in the sediment of the rivers, the threat of contamination still exists and some systems still cease drawing water from the rivers after rainstorms or heavy runoffs that set river waters churning. New Mexico officials say thats why the state is pushing for a rigorous monitoring system that will cost far more than the $6 million the EPA has been willing to pay. Flynn said the EPA has paid back more than $700,000 of the emergency-response money New Mexico shelled out dealing with the spill, but that the state is seeking another $800,000-plus from the federal agency to cover those costs. New Mexico also wants $130 million to pay for economic losses it attributes to the mine spill. We asked our analyst to be as conservative as possible, Flynn said. But there is stigma associated with this region due to the yellow river. He said that stigma had hurt New Mexico in revenue lost because kayakers, fishermen, hikers and other outdoorsmen have sought other places to enjoy outdoor recreation, tourists have selected other vacation destinations and consumers of agricultural products have looked elsewhere for their purchases. The facts speak for themselves, Flynn said. They (EPA) are clearly at fault. At the end of the day the law is on our side. EPA is now on the other side of the law it has been fighting to enforce for so many years. An Albuquerque research institute and a North Carolina-based medical laboratory company have entered into a new partnership that will bring about 100 new jobs to the Duke City. Mako Medical Laboratories, a Raleigh, N.C.-based company with an estimated 200 employees in the eastern U.S., on Monday announced a plan to expand with a new location at the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute in southeast Albuquerque. It will create jobs for laboratory technicians, administrative staff, sales and marketing professionals. The pay range will run from about $40,000 to six figures, said Joshua Arant, Makos chief operating officer and co-founder. Hiring should begin in about a month. Mako provides medical testing for doctors and other professionals and specializes in areas like urine toxicology and genetic testing. The Lovelace institute has a 70-year history in Albuquerque with a particular expertise in lung disease research but has actively tried to diversify its revenue stream, Robert Rubin, president and CEO, said during a news conference Monday. He said the partnership adds a new dimension to the institutes growth. We are a 50-50 partner with Mako and we will represent the (research and development) division of the company. We will be creating new technology, developing new tests as the technology is necessary to provide and meet the needs of medicine, which changes constantly, he said, noting that the challenge is finding ways to detect the constant flow of new drugs, especially those on what he called the informal marketplace. Arant said Mako will focus on commercializing what the lab yields. We were looking for that right partner, and they fit that mold because they had just a (research and development) facility and were more in the clinical diagnostic space. In our industry, the R&D costs the most money, (so) for us it was the perfect fit, Arant told the Journal in an interview. Six months in the making, the partnership has already yielded 100 new tests, Arant said. Mako will receive $150,000 in state Local Economic Development Act funding, which flows through local governments and is generally used to help with land acquisition, building improvements or other bricks-and-mortar work sought by private companies. The state also will help Mako apply for job-training funds. Arant said the Lovelace partnership provided the primary impetus for expansion into Albuquerque but that the states incentives also made it an attractive option. Mako is a fabulous company, and this is the first time theyve moved out to the West. They chose New Mexico to branch out and create 100 high-paying jobs, and its because of the environment weve created, Gov. Susana Martinez told reporters Monday. Eric Trujillo, a former monitor/guard at a federal halfway house in Albuquerque, could get just under a year for each of the women he sexually assaulted while they were in his custody. But he could also get more. Trujillo, 35, entered a guilty plea to sexually abusing six female inmates who were under his custodial authority in incidents dating back to 2012. The plea agreement says he can be sentenced to as few as four years and as many as 15 when he appears for sentencing. Court documents suggest there was more than one sexual encounter with each of the women housed at Dismas Charities on Menaul NW under a U.S. Bureau of Prisons contract. Trujillo, who had been released on home detention and other conditions pending trial, was taken into custody immediately after the Monday plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kirtan Khalsa. Khalsa ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared before Trujillo is sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge M. Christina Armijo. U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Monte A. Cason of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, Dallas Field Office, announced the plea. Trujillo also will be required to register as a sex offender, as specified in the agreement. He was arrested last November on a seven-count indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse of persons in official detention while he was a resident monitor at the house that provided lodging and other services for federal inmates under a contract with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The indictment was superseded in March to add sexual abuse charges involving two more women. The charges stemmed from a federal Department of Justice investigation, but officials provided few details about the case after Trujillos arrest. Authorities did say that Trujillo first sexually assaulted a female inmate on June 28, 2012. In the plea, Trujillo admits abuse of one inmate between June and September 2012, another between May 31 and Sept. 7, 2012, and others in November 2012, September to October 2012, July to October 2012 and Nov. 23, 2013, to March 19, 2014. The women, identified only by their initials, were in detention and under Trujillos supervisory and disciplinary authority. Collectively they also have filed a personal injury lawsuit naming Trujillo and Dismas Charities as defendants. Prosecutors asked the judge to bar the defense from inquiring about it during cross-examination at trial. Any such discussion would be highly prejudicial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Novaline Wilson and Sarah J. Mease said in their motion. It would confuse the jury and cause jurors to question the victims motivation when the reality is (they) are only exercising their right to seek remedy through civil action. The defense said in response that the victims have a substantial financial incentive to see (Trujillo) convicted in this criminal case. Prosecutors also wanted a pretrial ruling that excluded consent as a defense to sexual abuse, noting that because of the power differential between a detainee and a ward, consent is not a defense. Trujillo no longer works for the halfway house. Dismas Charities is a Kentucky company that operates 26 residential re-entry centers for federal prisoners in 11 states, according to a separate federal lawsuit by two more female inmates allegedly assaulted by a resident guard/monitor other than Trujillo at the same facility. That lawsuit said Dismas Charities, which has operated the Albuquerque center since 2005, received a $1.86 million base contract in 2010. It said that the layout of the center and the way in which female inmates were maintained made it ripe for physical assault. The litigation was settled in January. CHICAGO President Barack Obamas decision to lift the half-century-old arms embargo against Vietnam was seen by many veterans as a logical outgrowth of efforts to normalize relations between the U.S. and the southeast Asian nation. Obama vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the former enemies and embrace a new era. He steered clear of any condemnation of Vietnams for its treatment of dissidents. Terry Neilen served in the Army infantry in Vietnam in in 1967 and 1968. He says lifting the ban on arms sales makes sense in the face of Chinas growing influence in the region. Fellow Vietnam veteran Ned Foote says Americans long ago forgave Germany and Japan for World War II, so theres no reason not to do the same with Vietnam. A 46-year-old man who was critically injured in an apparently intentional hit and run last week has died, according to police. Police spokesman Tanner Tixier said Richard Sisneros, 46, was intentionally struck by a vehicle and then dragged on the 200 block of Virginia NE on Friday. He later died from his injuries, and police are now investigating the case as vehicular homicide. The driver, a white or light-skinned Hispanic man in his late teens or early 20s, fled in his vehicle, which was a black small SUV type car. The suspect was described as very thin with dark brown or black hair. A white or Hispanic woman with dark brown or black hair was in the passenger seat. Tixier asked anyone with information about the crime, suspects or vehicle to call 242-COPS. CHICAGO The way Terry Neilen sees it, lifting the ban on U.S. arms sales to Vietnam makes sense in the face of Chinas growing influence in the region. Fellow Vietnam veteran Ned Foote said Americans long ago forgave Germany and Japan for World War II, so theres no reason not to do the same with Vietnam. Were actually acting as a team in a sense, said Neilen, of Saratoga Springs, New York, who served in the Army infantry in Vietnam in in 1967 and 1968. Theyre joining together to give a show of strength. Foote, who heads the New York State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America, noted that the Vietnamese have helped account for missing American service members. President Barack Obamas decision to lift the half-century-old arms embargo was seen Monday by many veterans as a logical outgrowth of efforts to normalize relations between the U.S. and the southeast Asian nation that has become a major trading partner since the war ended in 1975. Obama, looking to bolster a government regarded as a crucial ally in the region, vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the former enemies and embrace a new era. He steered clear of any condemnation of Vietnam for its treatment of dissidents. The wars over, said Bernard Edelman, deputy director of government affairs for the Vietnam Veterans of America. He said the organization has not taken an official position on the presidents action, but he compared it to U.S. efforts after World War II to normalize relations with Japan, Germany, Austria and Italy. Weve tried to build bridges to the Vietnamese, Edelman said, while acknowledge that people whom I know and love and respect might be angry at what the presidents doing. Steve Rylant, of Loveland, Colorado, said he didnt think lifting the ban was a good idea. The wounds are too deep, said Rylant, who served at an Air Force base in Thailand during the war. Its taken this long for people to say welcome home.' Al Huber, 69, is president of the Illinois state council of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He said hes not worried about whether that country gets weapons, but he doesnt think Obamas decision to lift the embargo near the end of his presidency serves any purpose except his personal agenda. Obama said the move would ensure Vietnam can defend itself but denied it was in response to territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. China has warned the U.S. not to take sides, and Obama said the nation supports a diplomatic resolution. Still, human rights activists and some American lawmakers had urged Obama to press Vietnams communist leadership to offer greater freedoms before lifting the embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners, and there have been more detentions this year. Some rank-and-file veterans echoed those concerns. They have plenty of human rights violations to account for, and I dont feel its really appropriate to provide arms to them until we can see theyre more in line with our way of human rights, said Air Force veteran Jesse Hawk of Marietta, Georgia, who served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1973. He acknowledged Chinas growing influence but added, Until theres any kind of action, theres no need to go providing arms to a country that still has their own problems to deal with when you dont know if itll be used against their own people. Obama did not say how soon arms sales might begin. He said each deal would be reviewed individually. Neither the American Legion nor the Veterans of Foreign Wars has taken a position on the embargo, officials said. But under a resolution adopted two years ago, the American Legion opposes the sale of long-range ballistic missiles, as well as nuclear or biological weapons, to communist nations, spokesman John Raughter said. The group recognizes that the president must be the chief architect of U.S. foreign policy, said Raughter, adding that the organization would study the situation very carefully and discuss it at its national convention this summer. We realize there are a lot of factors at play, including China but we also remain concerned about the human rights situation in Vietnam. Army veteran Willie Guzman, who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, said that, as commander in chief, Obama had the right to lift the embargo. Theyre an ally of ours now, he said. I think they should be able to work together as a unit, you know, so we can help protect the freedom of that country as well. ___ Carola reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writer Dan Elliott in Denver and AP video journalist Johnny Clark in Marietta, Georgia, also contributed to this report. 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. NetSuite named Thomson Reuters the NetSuite 2016 SuiteCloud New Partner of the Year. The award, announced at the cloud-based financials, ERP and omnichannel commerce providers SuiteWorld 2016 user conference, recognizes a NetSuite partner that has helped joint customers grow. Last year, NetSuite and Thomson Reuters entered a partnership to create an integrated solution connecting the NetSuite cloud ERP with Thomson Reuters ONESOURCE Indirect Tax product, which was introduced to market in March 2016. The partnership was designed to help companies simplify the process and reduce the risk of calculating, collecting, reporting and remitting sales, use and value-added taxes. Created for small-to-large-sized businesses, the solution is easy to deploy and manages the sales and use tax process without the need to make manual modifications or tax rate entries. We are proud and honored to receive a formal recognition of the strong partnership we have forged with NetSuite, stated Chris Carlstead, managing director of indirect and property tax at Thomson Reuters. This award is indicative of the strong foundation we have built for fruitful, long-term collaboration. We understood from very early on that if we properly leveraged the complementary strengths of the NetSuite and ONESOURCE teams, we could dramatically increase both the agility and efficiency of our joint customers. Our partnership with Thomson Reuters can help companies navigate the complex waters of tax determination, reporting and compliance, especially as their businesses grow and expand across tax jurisdictions, stated Guido Haarmans, senior vice president of business development for technology partners at NetSuite. We are excited about joining forces with Thomson Reuters to help provide our customers best-of-breed solutions. IMGCAP(1)]Long ago, after obtaining my CPA license and spending two years in public accounting, I was appointed a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Over the next decade, I investigated at least a thousand fraud cases. Despite their variety, there was a common thread nearly all began and ended in the United States of America. But that was then and this is now. Last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Computer Sciences Corp. with falsifying its financial statements by manipulating profits on business in the United Kingdom, Australia and Denmark. Recently, Hewlett-Packard subsidiaries in Russia, Poland and Mexico paid nearly $4 million in bribes to public officials. This resulted in fines and penalties of more than $108 million. Several large U.S. companies in the metals, nuclear power and solar products industries have now become targets of cyberattacks that are believed to have been orchestrated by Chinese state-owned organizations. Such crimes can have a major impact on the auditors ability to attest to the fair presentation of financial statements. In 1933, when the Securities and Exchange Act required that all U.S. public companies be independently audited, most of their business was domestically based. Conducting an audit in a foreign country was, well, foreign. But that was then and this is now. Complicating the current state of affairs are U.S. corporate tax laws where American companies are increasingly choosing to be domiciled offshore. According to a 2015 study by Citizens for Tax Justice, more than $2 trillion is being held in tax haven countries. THE IMPACT ON AUDITORS Truly international U.S. companies are almost always audited by large global firms. So at least those auditors in America can rely on their colleagues in Uzbekistan to observe inventory or count cash. But most CPAs dont work for international firms, nor do they typically have colleagues abroad that can assist them. They are small practitioners, like Philip Levi of Quebec-based Levi & Levi, who practices both in Canada and in the U.S. Ive had a number of cases where I was required to seek help outside North America, Levi said. If it is a fraud matter, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is a global organization where I can readily locate anti-fraud experts around the world. But if it is strictly an accounting issue, I must rely on the international contacts Ive developed over the years. For those CPAs who dont know who they are dealing with, that can be very tricky. Ronald Durkin of Indico, Calif.-based Durkin Forensics, another small practitioner, agrees. Its all about relationships, he said, and all accountants are not equal. To work in an international environment, an American CPA might have to know what information he or she is entitled to have under foreign laws or privacy restrictions. But Durkin says there is no tried and true formula: It has taken me years to develop the right contacts abroad. Frankly, those relationships are one of my firms most valuable assets. GETTING YOUR FEET WET In the ideal situation, small CPA practitioners will start developing those global relationships before they are needed. Here are just a few ideas: Check with your American colleagues who do business internationally. Send introductory letters to those abroad who have been highly recommended. Follow up at least annually with reminders that also mention the services you can provide to them; international business is a two-way street. When traveling overseas for business or pleasure, take time to seek out other accounting professionals and introduce yourself. Buy them coffee or lunch. Consider joining one or more alliances of international accountants. There are several available, including the newly proposed venture between the American Institute of CPAs and the English-based Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, which could show promise. If you do forensic work, membership in the ACFE may be of value, as 40 percent of members live outside the United States. Even as a non-certified (associate) member, you can have access to a vast global network. Sign up for professional seminars and conferences abroad. There is simply no substitute for peer-to-peer networking. Remember, it is better to develop these contacts early. KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIDE The nature of fraud is ever-evolving but the working definition isnt. Fraud is essentially a lie with a special purpose: to deprive an innocent victim of money or property. Thirty years ago we could never have imagined that the culprits could be scraggly kids from the Ukraine, the steely-eyed military from China or worse even global corporations. But that was then and this is now. Realize when you need help in international waters and get in the boat. Because when it comes to fraud, the times they are a-changin. Dr. Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA, is founder and chairman of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, based in Austin, Texas, and the author of numerous books and award-winning articles on fraud. Reach him at jwells@ACFE.com. The desire for revenue has led states to more aggressively assert nexus over out-of-state corporations in both the income tax and the sales and use tax arenas, according to Bloomberg BNAs 16th Annual Survey of State Tax Departments. The survey clarifies each states position on the gray areas of corporate income tax and sales and use tax, with an emphasis on nexus policies, or the minimum amount of contact between a taxpayer and a state needed for the state to impose a tax on the taxpayer. Given the growing need for revenue, states are increasingly looking for new and unique ways to tax businesses, said George Farrah, editorial director of Bloomberg BNA Tax & Accounting. This year, all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the survey. New portions of the survey this year address treatment of pass-through entities, reporting federal changes, and sales tax refunds and qui tam (whistleblower) cases. The survey also features new sections for special industry sourcing rules, including airlines, radio and television broadcasting companies, and oil and gas. SHOCK OF THE NEW We come up with new questions by looking at hot topics in the world of state tax, as well as areas of particular complexity, said Melissa Fernley, managing editor in state tax. We will add in a question or a series of questions so that we can get a straight answer from the departments, sometimes even before states release official guidance. One growing area of complexity is nexus, she said. This year we asked the states whether employees flying into the state on a commercial airline for business purposes one to four times per year would create nexus in the state. Twenty states (two out of five) said that it would create income tax nexus. This at first seems surprising, but it indicates how states are looking to increase their revenue in any way possible, and are becoming more and more aggressive with their nexus policies. Public Law 86-272 further limits the states power to impose income tax by prohibiting taxing businesses whose only activity in the state is the solicitation of orders, so long as the orders are accepted at and delivered from a point outside the state. In 1992, the Supreme Court established a physical presence test in Quill for sales tax nexus, but left unanswered its relevance for income tax nexus. Among states recent challenges to Quill are the following: Ohios assertion of a theory of Internet nexus that would create taxable presence every time a retailers Web site is accessed by a customer in the state. The challenge by the Alabama Department of Revenue by its proposed Requirements for Certain Out-of-State Sellers Making Significant Sales into Alabama, which would require out-of-state sellers to collect use tax from Alabama customers if they have substantial economic presence within the state. A lawsuit filed by South Dakota seeking a determination that it may validly require out-of-state retailers to remit the states sales tax on purchases made into the state. Its becoming increasingly popular for states to try to enlarge their tax base, said Peter Stathopoulos, a partner and leader in Top 100 Firm Bennett Thrashers state and local tax practice. Its always easier to raise taxes on nonresidents because they are not voters and they wont make things difficult, so many states want to shift as much as possible of their tax base to nonresidents. You do that by having a very low nexus standard. Theyre always pushing the boundaries of minimum nexus to subject nonresidents to nexus thats the trend. The situation is akin to a speed trap designed to get revenue from nonresidents, according to Stathopoulos. Thats why its important for courts to remember why we have the Commerce Clause in the first place, he said. States will always have the incentive to try to impose their tax burdens on interstate commerce, and thats why courts should weigh the intent of the Commerce Clause, which was to prevent that. AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY For the first time, the survey has been expanded to include the treatment of pass-through entities, Fernley noted. We asked questions about whether the state requires partnerships to apportion their income at the entity level, or whether the state requires partnerships to apportion their income at the owner level, she said. The states were split on this issue, but what was really interesting about this question was that several states responded yes to both questions which are conflicting answers. This is an example of how the survey highlights areas of complexity and uncertainty sometimes the states arent even sure of their positions yet. Coverage of industry-specific sourcing methods also increased, with the addition of questions addressing airlines, broadcasting companies, and oil and gas. Industry-specific sourcing methods are popular among the states because they allow the state to capture more tax from industries that do not follow the typical patterns of sellers of tangible personal property or services, she said. Overall, the biggest takeaway is the continually increasing variety of state tax positions, Fernley said. Fewer states are applying physical presence nexus standards, while more are applying factor-based presence standards. The growing focus on remote sellers has led many states to develop special click-through nexus policies, or to impose nexus when a remote seller uses a contract carrier to deliver goods, for example. One in four states said that if an out-of-state corporation makes remote sales into the state and delivers goods into the state via contract carrier, it would trigger nexus, she said. Additional survey findings include: States are still unable to reach a consensus on how to source income, potentially leading to double taxation for companies. Complicating the issue are the myriad industry-specific rules imposed by the states. States are split on whether they require pass-throughs such as partnerships, S corporations and REITs to apportion their income using the same rules as corporations. Only six states have rules that are specific to pass-throughs, so many taxpayers lack guidance in this area. Adjustments to tax returns by other states, municipalities or foreign governments do not trigger a reporting requirement in most states. Only one in 10 states has consumer protection laws that allow purchasers to bring class actions against vendors for over-collection of sales tax. Navigating through the states different tax policy positions has not gotten any easier, said Fred Nicely, senior counsel at the Council on State Taxation. What is nice about this survey is that businesses and practitioners have all the state tax administrators responses to an issue, and state-by-state comparisons can be made. A roundup of our favorite recent tax fraud cases, including the most brazen fake business name in tax fraud history. Buffalo, N.Y.: Preparer Maung No, 27, of Seattle, has been sentenced to two years in prison and was ordered to pay $2,323,122 in restitution to the IRS after being convicted of filing more than 1,000 false returns. No was employed as a preparer for VPS Income Tax in 2011 and BTC Income Tax in 2012; the fee charged for income tax preparation was 10 percent of the tax refund amount plus bank fees. For the 2011 tax year, No prepared returns for approximately 565 clients and claimed an education credit of $1,358, an AOC of $2,000 and a Federal Fuel Tax Credit of $183 on each return without the knowledge of the clients. No knew that the credits were false and that the clients were not entitled to claim such credits. As a result, clients received inflated refunds, resulting in a loss of $3,543 to the IRS. No continued to conduct similar actions for approximately 574 additional taxpayers, costing the IRS $1,129,319. No also prepared returns for the 2012 tax year in the same fashion that cost the IRS $1,202,803. The total number of fraudulent returns prepared by No was some 1,138, for a total loss to the IRS of $2,332,122. Fairburn, Ga.: Creshika C. Wise, 31, a former IRS revenue agent who impersonated a taxpayer in order to steal more than $470,000, has pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated ID theft. According to authorities, the charges and information presented in court, Wise worked for the IRS from 2008 until the spring of 2016, when she resigned after her arrest in this case. In August 2013, Wise was assigned to audit the 2011 return of two married taxpayers who had significantly underpaid their 2011 federal income tax. That September, Wise and the taxpayers accountant met and agreed that the taxpayers owed $758,846, plus interest, to the IRS. Wise came up with a plan to steal most or all of that money. The day after she met with the accountant, she placed in the IRS file for the audit a fictitious IRS Form 4549, Income Tax Examination Changes, for the taxpayers. Wise falsified the form by reducing tax due to the IRS from $758,846 to $282,363 and by forging the accountants signature. A few days later, Wise opened up a new checking account in the name Creshika C. Wise sole prop d/b/a U.S. Treasury and Accounting Service. In October 2013, she e-mailed the taxpayer from her IRS e-mail account and asked him to wire the funds the taxpayers owed the IRS to her newly opened bank account. Wises e-mail provided the routing and account number for the account, which she described as belonging to U.S. Treasury and Accounting Service. Wises e-mail did not disclose to the taxpayer that she actually owned the account. The taxpayer never wired the funds as requested by Wise, as he had already mailed a check to the IRS for the full amount due. Wise received the check, and processed it for credit to the taxpayers account. Authorities said that she persisted in her scheme. Wise knew she had altered the IRSs records to reflect a tax due of $282,363 rather than $758,846. She also knew that when the IRS processed the check, the system would generate a refund check for any excess and mail it to the taxpayers. Wise turned her attention to getting the large check she knew would be coming to the taxpayers. She opened a new mailbox in her own name at a UPS store and soon afterward caused the taxpayers address to be changed in the IRS computer system from their correct address to that of Wises new UPS mailbox. In December 2013, impersonating the taxpayers, Wise filled out an online application for a new joint checking account in their names with a local bank. A few days afterward, she called the bank to see if the account was ready. In the call (recorded by the bank), Wise identified herself by name as one of the taxpayers and provided the taxpayers correct Social Security number to confirm that identity. Wise told the bank it was important the account be opened quickly, because she was expecting a large check from the IRS. Wises scheme failed; neither the taxpayers nor the IRS suffered monetary loss. Sentencing is Aug. 3. Champlin, Minn.: Preparer Rona Griffin has been sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty in January to 17 counts of preparing fraudulent taxes and failing to pay her own taxes. She was arrested in Indiana, a fugitive after twice failing to appear in court in early April. The Minnesota Department of Revenue began investigating her preparation business, which she ran out of her residences, in 2013. Early last year, the Hennepin County Attorneys Office charged her with 53 counts including failing to file her own returns despite making $150,000 to $200,000 per year. On the eve of her trial in January, Griffin pleaded guilty to the 17 counts and admitted to a number of aggravating circumstances, including that her scheme required a higher level of sophistication, that she abused a position of trust, forged documents to cover up the fraud, had multiple victims over multiple years and sent a letter to the Department of Revenue falsely stating that her only income was from child support and Social Security. The county attorneys office received information in late March that Griffin was preparing to flee. Investigators then learned that Griffin had bought a new Jeep in February, after she pleaded guilty. They also tracked her through an old electronic benefits transfer card to a pharmacy in Anderson, Ind., where police obtained video surveillance that showed her car and license plate. She was arrested on April 21. Investigators also learned that Griffin signed a lease for a house in Anderson on April 4, the day she was supposed to be sentenced in Minnesota. She used the names of the clients she had cheated as proof that she had income to pay rent. Kettering, Ohio: Preparer Dwain Fansler has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud relative to a scheme to defraud his tax prep clients by keeping a portion of their income tax refunds without their knowledge. According to court documents, between February 2011 and March 2014, Fansler, the sole member and owner of Dwain Fansler BBA ATA, e-filed federal income tax returns on behalf of his clients and directed the IRS to deposit all or a portion of his clients refunds, without the knowledge or authorization of his clients, into bank accounts he controlled. Fansler concealed his scheme by providing copies of the income tax returns to his clients that reflected a lower income tax refund than the actual income tax return that was filed with the IRS. Fansler filed approximately 657 returns for 421 clients that resulted in a total tax loss of $458,889. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Digital branding & media agency Asymmetrique has been assigned the marketing and brand communications mandate for CleanMax Solar. Asymmetrique will be responsible for a series of activities, including brand positioning, digital marketing and lead generation, social media marketing, content creation and marketing, website enhancement and maintenance. CleanMax Solar is a leader in solar solutions, with the largest installed base of rooftop solar power generation in India. As a first mover in the space, CleanMax Solar enjoys a reputation nationwide of being a solution provider with deep engineering expertise and a no-compromise attitude towards quality. Kuldeep Jain, Managing Director, CleanMax Solar, commented, We are excited to bring on board Asymmetrique as our brand solutions partner. With their fresh approach and creative thinking, we feel Asymmetrique is sure to add value and offer advanced business-led solutions. Reacting to the win, Nitin Gupta, CEO & MD, Asymmetrique, said, It gives us great pleasure to have acquired the opportunity to create strategic communications for CleanMax Solars unique solutions. Our aim is to position the brand as a pioneer in solar power projects and build an effective connect with consumers through focused, cutting edge strategies leveraging our innovative ecosystem. Winners of the D&AD Professional Awards 2016 were felicitated at an awards ceremony held in London on May 19. This year, Indian agencies walked away with 11 Wood Pencils. D&AD celebrates and nurtures outstanding work in the design and advertising industry each year with its international creative awards. A D&AD Pencil is recognised the world over as a shining symbol of the very highest creative achievement. The much-awarded Ariel Share the Load campaign bagged three Wood Pencils. Conceptualised and created by BBDO India for P&G Indias brand Ariel, the campaign is aimed at washing away the cultural stain of gender inequity at home. The Ariel Share the Load campaign score a Pencil each in the categories of Integrated - large business (over 500 employees), Advertising & Marketing Communications - Brand, and Ambient. Beauty Tips by Reshma, the social campaign done by Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai for NGO Make Love Not Scars calls for end of over-the-counter sale of acid and features beauty Vlogs by Reshma, an acid attack survivor. The campaign won two Pencils in the categories of Advertising & Marketing Communications - Not for Profit and Integrated Digital Campaigns. Another much-awarded campaign, Whisper Touch the Pickle, bagged a Wood Pencil in the Integrated - Large Business (over 500 employees) category. The campaign, done by BBDO India for P&G Indias brand Whisper serves as a metaphor to break free from all period related taboos. McCann Worldgroup Indias campaign, titled Musical Instruments, done for Daburs Grastrina won a Wood Pencil in the Illustration for Advertising category. The campaign seeks to communicate Dabur Gastrinas proven efficacy against gas problems by bringing alive humourously the embarrassing sounds an upset stomach can make. The campaign for Ambuja Cement A Giants Story has scored a Wood Pencil in the Casting for Film Advertising category. Conceptualised by Publicis India, the ad featuring wrestler Great Khali, aims to communicate Ambuja Cements giant compressive strength. Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbais campaign, titled #GodSaveTheOcean, done for Sprouts Environment Trust won a Wood Pencil in the Sustainable Product Design. The campaign promoted using eco-friendly Ganesha idols during the festival of Ganesh Mahotsava by creating unique fish friendly Ganesha idols from vegetarian food ingredients that the fish could eat. The idols were painted with natural food colours and were encased in river clay moulds. The size of the idols was also reduced to just 9 inches. The Rajasthan Tourism Logo Reveal done by Studio Eeksaurus Productions won a Wood Pencil in the Animation for Film Advertising category. The campaign involved a sand sculpture animation film using stop motion animation technique with sand for Rajasthan Tourism. The Two Sisters campaign done by Sisterconcern Design Studio, a design studio started by two sisters, bagged a Wood Pencil in the Graphic Design Stationery category. The campaign involved using the sisters childhood pictures as their business cards. Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India has expanded its channel bouquet with the launch of its 24-hour Bollywood movie channel, Sony Wah. The channel has been added on Doordarshans Free Dish DTH platform and is available on channel No. 61. SPN recently got license from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for two new channels Sony Wah and Sony Rox. Sony Wah channel has replaced duplicate Sony Mix channel slot on Frequency 11510, V, 29500 and is added in MPEG-2 format. Launched with an eye on the rural markets, the free-to-air channel will air a combination of movies from Sonys library as well as latest releases. PROI Worldwide, appointed Richard Tsang as Global Chairman at its annual meeting held in Atlanta. Richard has been serving as the Chairman, APAC Region, Global Development Group of PROI Worldwide since 2013, assisting the partnership in strategically expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific Region. From 2009 to 2012, he served as Vice-Chairman, Asia-Pacific, of PROI Worldwide. The appointment of Richard is particularly significant because he will be the first Asian to chair PROI Worldwide since the partnerships inception in 1970. Richard is a reputable business leader in the APAC region, and has been bestowed with over 15 business and professional accolades, including inclusion in PRWeeks 2015 Global Power Book Top 500 most influential professionals in the PR world and Asia Power List 2014 The 50 Most Influential People in PR, as compiled by PRWeek Asia. He was also included in Debretts Hong Kong 100 in 2015, a list that includes the 100 most influential people in Hong Kong. Back in 2012, Richard became the first Chinese individual to collect the Asia-Pacific SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement. He also earned the The Excellence in Achievement of World Chinese Youth Entrepreneurs 2009 award from Yazhou Zhoukan and World Federation of Chinese Entrepreneurs Organisation and collected Young Entrepreneur Award at the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards 2003. Richard currently holds over 50 board, committee and advisory positions in various business, religious, education and non-governmental organisations. I am extremely honoured to be the first Global Chairman to come from the APAC Region, commented Richard on his appointment. PROI Worldwide is already the global benchmark in terms of the number of PR professionals under its roof, the scope of services provided and the depth and breadth of network coverage. As the new chairman, my mission will be to help PROI Worldwide scale new heights by developing it into one of the world's most recognisable brands. He added, Following PROI Worldwides establishment, numerous strategic alliances between partner companies were forged. On the one hand, this led to a rise in business volume and number of cases handled by partner companies. On the other hand, PROI Worldwide took up the important responsibility of reshaping the global PR industry landscape, including the industrys contributions to society. I firmly believe that by leveraging the strong growth momentum gathered by PROI Worldwide, and its ability to go beyond geographical boundaries, we are fully capable of providing assistance to the needy and giving back to society with even greater success! Richard is the founder and Chairman of PROI Worldwide Greater Chinas partner, Strategic Public Relations Group (SPRG). Back in 1995, SPRG began operations as a boutique consultancy specialising in financial communications in Hong Kong. Under Richards leadership, SPRG successfully branched out, becoming an integrated public relations group with 300 professionals working from nine offices in the region. Within 20 years time, SPRG has transformed into Hong Kongs largest PR consultancy and one of Asias largest PR networks with fee income totalling US$21.8 million in 2015. SPRG has earned over 145 accolades in the past five years, including Asia Pacific Network of the Year by Campaign (SPRG became the first independent agency in Asia to ever win the award) ; PR Agency of the Year in Asia and Grand Stevie Awards Winner by The Stevie Awards; Greater China Independent Agency of the Year (Silver) by Campaign; Asia Pacific Financial Consultancy of the Year and Hong Kong Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report; and Local Hero PR Agency of the Year and Local Hero - Media Relations Agency of the Year by Marketing magazine. It is also The Most Influential Public Relations Consultancy in the PRC according to Association for the Promotion of Trade of China. Strategic CSR Network Limited, also founded by Richard, represents a means of contributing to society. Since late 2014, the not-for-profit organisation that operates under the motto CareConnectContribute has served as a platform for corporations, NGOs/charities and volunteer workers to join forces to help underprivileged people in Hong Kong on an ongoing basis. The recently concluded multiple state election saw millions of Tweets in multiple languages from principals, the people, media partners and government agencies, more than 4.5 million Tweets between April 20 2016 this year till May 20, as the polls closed. Some key data points of the season: Total Tweets for the elections eason of April 21 to May 21: Over 4.5 million Tweets Highest Tweet per minute: 740 Tweets per minute on Counting Day (May 19) at 12 PM Total Tweets on Counting Day: 400,000 Tweets (May 19) Total Tweets on Polling Day: 280,000 Tweets (May 16) Total Tweets on Polling Day for the state of Tamil Nadu: 100,000 Tweets (May 16) And this is what your Tweets looked like, when visualised on a time-lapsed map (click map to play 30 second video). Heat Map Link: https://twitterdata.cartodb.com/viz/6f25dc7c-1e43-11e6-90da-0ecfd53eb7d3/embed_map The Blue (TMC), Orange (AIADMK), White (BJP), and Green (INC) blinking dots on the Interactive Map indicate Tweets for various parties in different states across the country. The month-long election momentum was also represented in the Total Tweet Volume of over 4.5 million Tweets captured from April 21 to May 21, 2016, with the peak of conversation spiking on Counting Day on May 19 at 12 pm approximately with a total of 740 Tweets Per Minute. Link to interactive Reverb chart: https://reverb.guru/view/453642861156068869 Top Tweets of the election season https://twitter.com/mkstalin/status/733315263458738177 (2K RTs) https://twitter.com/BJPRajnathSingh/status/733194943225679872 (540 RTs) https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/733203121942323200 (200 RTs) https://twitter.com/Dev_Fadnavis/status/733215874341969920 (170 RTs) https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/733203121942323200 (197 RTs) PM Narendra Modis (@NarendraModi) Tweet congratulating the BJP government in Assam was one the Top Retweets (5,354 RTs) this election season. Counting Day on Twitter The conversation reached fever pitch on Counting Day, 19th of May 12 pm with the Tweet per minute count hitting 740 tweets. With 400,000 total conversations on Counting Day, Twitter was abuzz with election conversations as people Tweeted with hashtags #Election2016, #Verdict16, #BattleForTheStates, and #Verdict2016 to discuss the fate of party leaders. Most popular Twitter conversations on the counting day unfolded among the politicians, congratulating the winning ministers. Tweets from politicians, parties, party leaders, and political commentators on the on-ground action around the final results and predictions kept the platform alive through counting day. https://twitter.com/AIADMKOfficial/status/733166632424460288 (66 RTs) Link to interactive Reverb Chart here: https://reverb.guru/view/983100226081598515 Polling Day on Twitter As 4 states and 1 union territory went to poll on May 16, users Tweeted with hashtags #TN100Percent, #, #IVotedTN, #TNElections2016, and #TNVotes that trended through the course of the day. The Polling Day conversations reached 100,000 Tweets, making Twitter the perfect window to the on-ground action and energy of Polling Day. Link to interactive Reverb Chart: https://reverb.guru/view/260065201439207387 For the first time in the election history of Tamil Nadu, Twitter has collaborated with the local Election Commission (@TNelectionsCEO) to encourage and inspire citizens to exercise their constitutional right. Aimed to increase awareness around the elections in the state, Twitter India developed various tools and strategies for the Election Commission to drive people to Tweet and participate in the political discussions taking place in their constituency. The state of Tamil Nadu received 73.76% voter participation, and the high engagement and participation of the elections was witnessed on Twitter. Link to interactive Reverb Chart: https://reverb.twitter.com/view/603882350299578732 Chief becomes first AF E-9 to graduate Ranger School For more than two months, Ranger students train to exhaustion. They push the limits of their bodies, minds and souls, and on average, one in three candidates makes it through the grueling course. The average U.S. Army Ranger School student is in the rank of E-4 through E-6 on the enlisted side and O-1 through O-3 for the officers. Most are between 19 and 27 years old, and only about 21 Airmen graduate each year. Then there are candidates like 39-year-old Chief Master Sgt. William Speck, who in April, became the first Air Force chief master sergeant to graduate from Ranger School. I always had aspirations of attending Ranger School, back when I was a much younger security forces member in the mid-90s, Speck said. However, the opportunity never presented itself, that is, until about six months ago when I got the go-ahead to attend. At the age of 39, the desire was still strong, but at this stage of my career it wasnt just for the thrill-seeking part that comes with the training, it was more to gain a better understanding of the Ranger mission set. The Dayton, Texas, native is currently serving as the U.S. Special Operations Commands J6 operations superintendent where he supports the Rangers on a daily basis with their communications requirements. I had the privilege prior to Ranger School to fill in as the deployed regimental J6 sergeant major, where I learned and experienced a great deal, to include picking up on some of the communication challenges the Rangers are faced with on the tactical edge, Speck said. Although the deployment was a success, I felt it was important in my position to gain a better understanding of the dynamics and experience firsthand what its like to be a Ranger, so I jumped on the opportunity to go to Ranger School and make my lifelong dream a reality. Speck started Ranger School weighing 194 pounds; by graduation, he weighed 155. Out of 360 students, he was one of only 90 who graduated. The weight loss resulted from the daunting physical aspects of the course, but the real challenge was mental, caused by sleep deprivation and constant hunger. I thought the physical piece would be the toughest, but it was more of a mental hurdle for me. The long walks, especially at nighttime, were really challenging, Speck said. We only slept 15 to 30 minutes a night and we were starving because we were burning way more calories than we were consuming, and then having to walk 7 or 12 kilometers a night in the steep mountains of Dahlonega, Georgia, and the swamps of Florida, carrying 60 to 90 pound ruck strapped to our backs was really mentally challenging. Being tired and hungry, there were times where I really had to go to my happy place. I had to think there was an end to everything, and the only thing the RIs (Ranger instructors) couldnt stop was time. According to Speck, the Ranger School gives participants a complete sensory overload and can really overpower them. If you let it, the whole course can overwhelm you. I had to approach the course one event at a time. Whether it was the Darby Obstacle Course to the land navigation course, 5-mile run or the 12-mile ruck, (my mindset was) survive today and make tomorrow, the chief said. I had doubts everyday whether I would make it through. I had a saying, Ill quit tomorrow. Everybody who goes through that course second-guesses themselves. Im an older guy and I was praying every day that my body would hold up. The Ranger School is designed as a team concept where no one individual can make it through the course alone. They have a saying, You dont earn your Ranger tab; your buddies earn your Ranger tab. That is a 100 percent truth. Its a team event. Everybody has a role, and if one person fails in their role, then the team fails, Speck said. Speck said the most valuable lesson he learned from Ranger School was to re-examine the leader and follower roles. As an E-9 with 21 years of service, the leadership piece came naturally for me, but my biggest takeaway was how to be a better follower, Speck said. As we all know, it's just as important to be a good follower as it is to be a good leader, and sometimes as senior enlisted leaders, we forget that. Being a chief, and now wearing the Ranger tab, Speck said he wants others to learn from his experience. I dont want to just wear the Ranger tab, I want to give back, Speck said. Since my return, Ive had numerous Airmen, including joint service members, reach out to me to gain more insight on my experiences in the hopes of one day earning their own Ranger tab. It is my goal for those who really want it, to make their dream a reality, just like my leadership did for me. An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircrew with their WC-130J Super Hercules joined National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane experts May 16-20 to promote preparedness at five Gulf Coast cities.Before the hurricane season starts on June 1, the Hurricane Awareness Tour made stops in San Antonio and Galveston, Texas; New Orleans; Mobile, Alabama; and Naples, Florida. The tour was a joint effort between NOAA's National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center and the 403rd Wing's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.While its been around for more than 30 years, this is the second year the 53rd WRS has participated in all five stops of the awareness and preparedness event. The tour was in conjunction with the National Hurricane Preparedness Week.At each stop of the tour, officials encouraged people to prepare now.The least we can all do is get our friends, our family, our businesses, ourselves, ready for the next hurricane, Richard Knabb, NHC director, said at a news conference in San Antonio.The public and media also got the chance to tour the WC-130J, one of 10 specially configured aircraft operated by the Air Force Reserve, and NOAAs G-IV aircraft. Both are used to gather critical weather data for hurricane forecast models. While the G-IV flies at high altitude around and ahead of a tropical cyclone, the WC-130J flies through the hurricane at 10,000 feet.During a tropical storm or hurricane, 53rd WRS crews can fly through the eye of a storm four to six times. During each pass through the eye, crews release a dropsonde, which collects temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, and surface pressure data. The crew also collects surface wind speed data and flight level data. This information is transmitted to the NHC to assist them with their storm warnings and hurricane forecast models in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. During a typical year, the squadron will fly 60 to 100 missions for the NHC.This is an important outreach mission to educate the public, especially the children who will take the preparedness message back to their families, said Col. Frank L. Amodeo, the 403rd WG commander, who attended the event with the crew. It only takes one storm to make it a bad hurricane season, so prepare now.For hurricane preparedness tips, click here Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is trying all its tricks to book the resurgent BJP by hook or crook. AAP demanded that the Maharashtra government conduct an inquiry into the claims that Revenue Minister Eknath Khadses mobile number featured in the call logs of underworld don Dawood Ibrahims wife. It demanded that Mr. Khadse resign his post to ensure a fair investigation. AAP further believes this is a very serious charge against a Minister and it is the governments job to verify these claims, and it must. The party want the Maharashtra government to authenticate or refute the charges, thereby clear the air once for all. The Mumbai police crime branch carried out a full data analysis of the number that the AAP alleged belonged to Mr. Khadse. Police Officials pulled out all details of the number to conduct a thorough inquiry, and that exercise may break the ice. The controversial minister Mr. Khadse, is already reeling from allegations of his aide being caught in a bribery case by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and with this he is in total soup. AAP is trying very hard to wash BJPs dirty linen in public for sometime. Nickhil Mani (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it was surprised at the speed with which Mumbai Police gave a clean chit to Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse after the party alleged that calls were made from underworld don Dawood Ibrahims residence in Karachi to his mobile phone. We trust Mumbai Police but we are really surprised at the speed of the clean chit given to the minister. The charges are serious and deserve a thorough investigation, said National spokesperson of AAP Preeti Sharma Menon. Sharma had at a press conference on Saturday sought Khadses removal from the Cabinet, alleging that calls were made from Dawoods mansion to Khadses mobile phone. The minister had later rubbished the charges as baseless saying the phone number mentioned was not in use for last one year. His number received several calls from Dawood Ibrahims wife Mehjabeen Shaikhs number between September 4, 2015 to April 5, 2016, she claimed and asked the Police to investigate the matter. AAP, by procuring a copy of the bills obtained through an ethical hacker, had claimed that a particular number was active till last month and the last generated bill was for Rs. 683.22 as on April 23 this year which was dispatched to Khadses home address in Muktainagar tehsil in Jalgaon district of north Maharashtra. On how AAP intends to take forward the issue, Sharma said her party will wait and watch the turn of events for a few days and will move the court if needed. This is a national security matter and ideally the central government that should investigate it, the AAP leader added. Asked how true could be the claims of ethical hacker Manish Bhangale, she said, We have no relation with hacker as a party. We just came across his allegations and we think they are very serious and merit a thorough investigation. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has yet again hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress alleging that the two major political parties have a husband-wife kind of a relationship. I feel both the parties have a husband-wife kind of a relationship. Mister and Missus BJP-Congress. They are like husband and wife fighting inside the house. They know each others secrets, Kejriwal said addressing the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers. BJP knows the secrets of Congress and Congress of BJP. Someone told me that (Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar has several files of Congress leaders in Goa, but he wont take action against them. He will keep on threatening Congress with these files, the AAPs National Convener alleged. Both the parties share good relations and are fooling the people, he claimed. BJP and Congress have together looted people. Both parties combined are mafias, they run mafia raj, he further alleged. Kejriwal also accused BJP and Congress of having an unwritten understanding to rule for five years each in the country. While addressing the volunteers, he said there is no place in AAP for those who joined it to get the ticket. If someone has joined the party with an intention to get ticket, they may quit the party as their condition would be worse here. Dont join the party (AAP) for position or ticket. If you are here for ticket then dont come, the Delhi CM said. He said getting the AAP ticket is like shouldering a responsibility. Everyone has to take different responsibilities in the party. Ticket is yet another responsibility, he said. On the state election plans, Kejriwal said if his party wins then a Goan will be made the chief minister. He appealed to people of Goa to shun their old political loyalties and vote for AAP this time for the sake of the state. I was told that people are reluctant to come out in support of AAP fearing that they will lose benefits of government-sponsored social welfare scheme, if they are spotted in AAP group, he said. Dont worry, if they cancel the pension we will give all the pension with retrospective effect. Whatever benefits that were given by current government will be resumed (if AAP is voted to power) and dues will also be paid, he assured. Gujarat Lions all-rounder Dwayne Bravo was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for breaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct during his teams match against Mumbai Indians here at Green Park Stadium on Saturday evening. Bravo admitted the Level 2 offence (Article 2.2.7) for inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player in the course of play during a match. For Level 2 breaches of the IPL Code of Conduct, the Match Referees decision is final and binding. New entrants Gujarat Lions became the first team to confirm a play-off berth after defeating defending champions Mumbai Indians by six wickets. Britain has granted refugee status to Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives who was jailed in 2015 after a trial that drew international criticism, his lawyer said on Monday. Nasheed, the Maldives first democratically elected president, was allowed to go to Britain in January for medical treatment after President Abdulla Yameen came under international pressure to let him leave. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that put a spotlight on instability in the Indian Ocean archipelago known as a paradise for wealthy tourists. Nasheed has been granted political refugee status in the UK, Hasan Latheef, Nasheeds lawyer, told Reuters from the capital, Male. A British High Commission official in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo said it did not comment on individual asylum cases. Since his release, Nasheed has called for sanctions against Yameen and his allies for detaining political prisoners, mainly opposition leaders, and for alleged human rights abuses in the Maldives. Nasheed was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012 after ordering the arrest of the judge. The United Nations, the United States and human rights groups have said Yameens government failed to follow due process and that the case was politically motivated. Government spokesmen were not immediately available for comment on the British decision. Yameen, whose half-brother lost power to Nasheed in 2008, has rejected accusations Nasheeds trial was politically motivated and said the legal process was fair. In 2009, Nasheed led the worlds first underwater cabinet meeting to grab attention over rising sea levels that threaten his country. The Bombay High Court has set up a committee of representatives of NGOs to visit two childrens homes in the city to ascertain whether cleanliness is maintained and proper hygienic food is served to the inmates. Dr. K P Asha Mukundan, Director of Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, would head the committee, while other members would be nominated by Audience of One Foundation, Project Ashiyana and Ojus Medical Institution, all NGOs. The panel will visit the Umer Khadi Observation Home and the Dongri Childrens Home in the city regularly and see whether cleanliness is maintained and proper food is served to the inmates, said a division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and P D Naik last week on a suo motu (on its own) PIL based on media reports about these institutions. The committees hall make at least one or two visits every month without notice, the judges said. Advocate Rajiv Patil, acting as amicus curiae (friend of the court), informed during the hearing that an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at suburban Mankhurd where these children are given training is now virtually closed. Government pleader Anurag Gokhale submitted a report by the Chief Officer of Childrens Aid Society which says that since December 2015, short-term courses has restarted at the ITI. In a first major strike by separatist guerrillas after the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government took office in Jammu and Kashmir, a group of unidentified terrorists attacked a police party in the Srinagar city, killing three policemen on Monday. Militants hit two police posts in Srinagar on Monday morning and shot at least three policemen dead. Extremists shot the two cops from close range at the Mill Stop in Zadibal area that connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and a hospital in Soura, a police official said. The two cops died on the spot, he said, adding the deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Mohammad and Head Constable Nazir Ahmad. The Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed the responsibility of the twin attack in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also warned of more attacks. This is first such major strike in the city in nearly three years. The last such attack took place on June 22, 2013 when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. The incident comes two days after an encounter with militants in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, in which a soldier was killed. Security forces said that five militants were killed and two soldiers were wounded in a fierce gun battle in Drugmulla. Thousands of people participated in the funeral of the five dead militants a sign of growing restlessness in the Valley, expert say. Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir have witnessed a steep fall in militancy in recent years as compared to the troubled 90s with booming tourism and greater participation in elections. But recent months have seen a rise in violence across the Valley and thousands of people turning up at funerals of dead militants. Last month, the alleged molestation of a girl in north Kashmirs Handwara sparked violent demonstrations across the Valley after several protesters were killed in police firing. Barack Obama will not apologise for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima when he this week becomes the first sitting US president to visit the city, he told Japanese television. The comments are the clearest yet from his administration over an issue that raises hackles in the United States and has been the subject of heated debate for decades. Asked if an apology would be included in remarks he plans to make, he said: No, because I think that its important to recognise that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions. Its a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during war time. American airmen launched the worlds first atomic strike on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, causing the deaths of about 140,000 people. Tens of thousands were killed by the fireball that the powerful nuclear blast generated, with many more succumbing to injuries or illnesses caused by radiation in the weeks, months and years afterwards. The southern city of Nagasaki was hit by a second bomb three days later, killing 74,000 people, in one of the final acts of World War II. Obama travelled to Vietnam at the weekend and is due in Japan later this week. He will visit Hiroshima after attending the Group of Seven summit hosted by Japan. My purpose is not to simply revisit the past, but to affirm that innocent people die in a war, on all sides, that we should do everything we can to try to promote peace and dialogue around the world, that we should continue to strive for a world without nuclear weapons, Obama said in the interview with NHK, aired Sunday. US officials have consistently said in the weeks leading up to the visit that there would be no apology. Obamas upcoming visit has reignited an emotive debate over former US president Harry Trumans epoch-making decision to drop the atomic bombs. The speed, circumstances and repercussions of Trumans decision remain contentious. In Japan, majorities believe the mass bombing of civilians was unnecessary and perhaps even a crime. Many Americans believe that it avoided an even bloodier ground invasion of Japan. Nearly 80 per cent of survivors of the atomic bombings are not seeking an apology from Obama, as opposed to 16 per cent who want one during Obamas visit, according to a Kyodo News survey of 115 people. A historic deal to develop the Chabahar port in Iran, which will open up access to central Asia, was signed in Tehran on Monday after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Hassan Rouhani. Chabahar can become very big symbol of cooperation between Iran and India, the Iran President said after the pact was signed. PM Modi said: India and Iran are not new friends. Our dosti is as old as history. This is the first foreign port in which India is involved to this extent. The port in the Gulf of Oman on Irans southern coast with Afghanistan will allow India to bypass Pakistan to transport goods to Afghanistan and central Asia using a sea-land route. Pakistan does not allow India to send goods through its territory to Afghanistan and has only recently begun to allow a trickle of Afghan exports to cross through to India. India will help develop the port and invest around $200 million to develop terminals and cargo berths at Chabahar. A 500-km railway line between Chabahar and Zahedan will also be built with Indian collaboration. Indias move is also being seen as a balance to Chinas influence in Pakistan. India wants to develop the port as a counter to Pakistans Gwadar port, which was built with Chinese assistance and is 72 km from Chabahar. PM Modi was given a ceremonial welcome before his meeting with the Iran President, described by the foreign ministry as a restricted tete-a-tete. PM Modis visit the first by a Indian Prime Minister in 15 years comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra gave a thumbs-up to the President Pranab Mukherjee for passing a bill to save cows and bullocks from providing cheap nutrition and employment to the poorer sections of society. Its pretty obvious who the more valuable members to the society are according to the politicians: The cows! Jubel DCruz (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) Maharashtra BJPs senior leader Eknathrao Ganpatrao Khadse was one of the aspiring CM candidates after the death of Gopinath Munde. He had long desires for it as he is one of the prominent members of the party before the entry of people like Devendra Fadnavis. He is one of the great faces from Khandesh. Devendra Fadnavis from Vidarbha and Khadse are sworn enemies; they both are two opponents in one party. Nowadays, Khadses name randomly crops up in controversy and crime. Within a week, three controversies have been erupted on his name. First, his secretary was caught in accepting bribe, then his son-in-laws luxury cars and now he is alleged for having connections with Fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. Surprisingly, AAP leader has alleged but none of the BJP leader spoke in Khadses defense. However, when Vinod Tawdes degree row and Pankaja Mundes Chikki scam surfaced, entire Maharashtra unit of the party were in war zone to fight the battle. By this entire saga, one can understand that there is someone who wanted to finish his political career. Well, by this time we understand lot about the BJP. Some of its leaders are having no academic degrees, some are unelected freeloaders leeching taxpayers money, some are crooked zero credibility lawyers always scheming how to topple non-BJP governments. They have totally antagonized vast segments of the Indian voter due to various reasons. They have not delivered on even one promise they had made during elections, not sent even one corrupt politician to jail, not brought back even one dollar of stolen black money into the country. Forget about Khadse, there are much more skeletons that are going to tumble out of BJPs cupboard. From Chikki to CCTV and irrigation, many more scams will make their ways out in public. BJP leaders will expose their own ministers in future. Khadse was Finance Minister and later he was given additional charges of irrigation ministry portfolio in Shiv Sena BJP government of 1995-99. He was elected six times from his constituency. He had taken various issues of Maharashtra and specifically some of the burning topic of the state to the assembly. He stands out in assembly session by his speech. He is prominent figure for addressing farmers issues. He started his political career from the university elections. One productive leader is highly ignored just because PM Modi wanted his puppets to rule the state on his behalf. The Aam Aadmi Party demanded that the Maharashtra government conduct an enquiry into the claims that Khadses mobile number featured in the call logs of underworld don Dawood Ibrahims wife. It demanded that Khadse resign his post to ensure a fair investigation. The Mumbai police crime branch carried out a full data analysis of the number that the AAP alleged belonged to Khadse. Officials said they pulled out all details of the number. Earlier in the day, Khadse, already reeling from allegations of his aide being caught in a bribery case by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, issued a statement denying the AAPs allegations. Responding to the AAP allegation, Mumbai Police Commissioner declared to media that a full data analysis has confirmed that no calls were either made or received by the number in question to any Pakistan number during the specified period. Ethical hacker Mahesh Bhangale, who also addressed the press conference with the AAP, claimed that he procured the list of call details from the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) by impersonating Mehjabeen Shaikh, Dawoods wife and sought phone usage details from September 5, 2015 to April 6, 2016. The list of the most-dialled numbers that he got had one U.K. number, four Dubai numbers and five Indian numbers. Anyway, Mumbai cops gave him clean chit but its highly impossible to believe Mumbai Police under BJP control and CBI functioning under NDA. Nothing will come out. Is it being a BJP, MLAs or MPs is a certificate for honesty and integrity, while Congress MLAs or MPs are corrupt. However, will 9 MLAs those have switched over to BJP from Congress in Uttarkhand suddenly become honest and innocent. Netas are corrupt and will never be honest. BJP was claiming that they are not facing any corruption charges! But the news that one minister has connections with underworld don in Pakistan is the most serious thing to dismiss. Even Union Minister J P Nadda is also collecting money from pvt medical colleges to pass ordinance against NEET. If politicians hide their corruptions and illegal activities from public eye does it mean that there is no corruption? Khadse is the senior most party leader and considered the second-in-command in the ministerial council after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. If his name gets dragged in such a controversy, we have a reason to worry. However, CM of Maharashtra seems to be cool over entire issue as he can get rid of one opponent in party without many efforts. Two other BJP ministersRural Development Minister Pankaja Munde and Education Minister Vinod Tawdewere also in the dock over allegations of irregularities. Lets see who survives in this politics, the corruption or cunning ministers. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Bread, buns, biscuits and ready to eat pizza breads are some of the most commonly used instant food items. However, a research claims that these products may contain elements which could be carcinogenic to humans. CSEs new study tested some of the bread sold in Delhi and found residues of Potassium Bromate and Iodate in commonly consumed varieties. The use of Potassium Bromate classified as a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans) is banned in most countries. Also, Potassium Iodate, which contributes to thyroid-related diseases, was found.The group has now recommended an immediate ban on these two chemicals. In the CSE study results, products of 7 popular fast food Delhi outlets selling pizzas and burgers tested positive for chemicals. The study shows that 84 per cent of bread and bakery samples collected from Delhi contain residues of potassium bromate, potassium iodate or both. The use of these chemicals in the bread-making sector is banned in many countries because they are listed as hazardous for public health. India does not ban their use, a statement released by the Centre for Science and Environment said. Potassium bromate (KBrO3) and potassium iodate (KIO3) are chemical food additives which, according to Indian food regulations, can be used by bread makers and bakeries as flour treatment agents. Potassium bromate helps achieve high rising and a uniform finish. But the safety of these additives is under a cloud. In 1999, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified Potassium Bromate as possibly carcinogenic (cancer causing) to humans. It was found to cause tumours of the kidney, thyroid and cancer of the abdominal lining in laboratory animals.Considering Potassium Bromate as a genotoxic carcinogen, the JECFA (WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives) in 1992 said that use of Potassium Bromate as a flour treatment agent was not appropriate. The EU banned its use in 1990 and so did the U.K. Subsequently, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Nigeria, Peru and Columbia also decided to ban its usage. Globally, Potassium Bromate was allowed to be used on the assumption that the Bromate residues would not be present in the end product. This assumption failed across the world. Residues were being detected even after reducing the allowed limits of use and therefore, countries started banning it. Our study confirms that residues of Potassium Bromate are present in bread sold in India, Mr. Bhushan points out. Brian Deer was hired by the Sunday Times to find something big on MMR and started his investigation with an empty notebook. By John Stone Brian Deer revealed in an article last month in British Medical Journal that he was hired by a Sunday Times section editor in September 2003 who told him he needed something big on MMR (HERE ). The investigation, according to Deer, was not commenced on information but with an empty notebook. We are not told by Deer why the editor needed the story, and it is disturbing that the investigation apparently began as a fishing expedition. So far, BMJ have failed to respond to concerns. Deer wrote: For me the story started with a lunch. So many do. "I need something big," said a Sunday Times section editor. "About what?" I replied. Him: "MMR?" and goes on: So I took an empty notebook and made my own inquiries. It was the largest Sunday Times medical investigation since thalidomide. Deer does not at this point mention Andrew Wakefield but it seems likely that the editor wanted something big on the main critics of MMR rather than the product. It has been widely reported that the section editor was Paul Nuki, and the son of Prof George Nuki, who sat on the Committee on Safety in Medicines when it passed Pluserix MMR vaccine as safe for use in 1987 (which was later withdrawn 1992 after adverse side effects ): Pluserix was manufactured by SmithKlineFrench Laboratories, which was later incorporated into GlaxoSmithKline. In 2007 Paul Nuki left the Sunday Times to manage a UK National Heath Service website (NHS Choices ). While it has not been explained why the editor should have needed a big story on MMR the UK House of Commons Health Committee stated in its report The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry in 2005 p.60: The use of PR to counter negative publicity 221. . Considerable resources are invested into building long-term, sustainable relationships with stakeholders and key opinion leaders and journalists. These relationships are used to promote the use of certain brands and counter concerns relating to safety. Efforts to undermine critical voices in particular were identified, under terms of issues management. In later evidence, in response to the ISMs memorandum, Pfizer stated that PR is entirely legitimate and can help to educate and inform. According to the PMCPA, PR activities may include placing articles in the lay press, TV documentaries, soap operas etc. Later on in February 2009 Sunday Times proprietor James Murdoch was appointed to the board of MMR manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline with a brief to help to review "external issues that might have the potential for serious impact upon the group's business and reputation" (Guardian UK) . Coincidentally, or not, this was swiftly followed by new attacks on Andrew Wakefields reputation by Deer and other Times Newspaper journalists (HERE), (HERE), (HERE) & (HERE). Deer also failed to disclose in the BMJ article that he was privately the author of at least three complaints to the GMC , as disclosed by Mr Justice Eady in the High Court. One of the Lancet 12 children on a doctor visit not long after the BMJ articles were published in January. By Dan Olmsted On January 5, 2011, the British Medical Journal accused Dr. Andrew Wakefield of committing an elaborate fraud in the controversial 1998 Lancet report about 12 children who developed bowel disease and regressed after receiving the MMR shot. The cover article by journalist Brian Deer focused on the bogus data behind claims that launched a worldwide scare over the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Deer identified and interviewed parents of some of the children in the anonymous Lancet case series, describing what he said were significant disparities. I traveled to the family home, 80 miles northeast of London, to hear about child 2 from his mother, Deer wrote of one interview. The child had severe autism and gut problems that she blamed on the MMR. What Deer did not say in the BMJ article is that he had lied to the mother about his identity, claiming to be someone named Brian Lawrence (his middle name). Deer had written a number of critical articles about parents claims of vaccine injury, and if he gave his real name, he doubtless feared, Child 2s mother would not agree to talk to him. Once she checked his blog, she would be more likely to kick him out of the family home than sit still for what turned into a six-hour inquisition. He even created a fake e-mail address for his fake identity, and he used it to communicate with her: lawrence_b_st@yahoo.com. Why did the highly respected British Medical Journal sanction such deceit involving the mother of a child who, whatever the cause, was severely disabled? When the interview took place in November 2003, more than seven years before the BMJ article, Deer was not working for the journal. He was on assignment for The Sunday Times of London. The Sunday Times is owned by Rupert Murdoch, part of the News International division that has come under a Watergate-size cloud in England for its newsgathering tactics fraudulently obtaining confidential information, bribing police, hacking 9,000 phone numbers, gaining access to bank accounts, and using large financial settlements to keep some victims quiet. The BMJ article, titled How the Case Against the MMR Vaccine Was Fixed, has its roots in the Sunday Times. It is remarkably similar to one Deer wrote for the Sunday Times two years earlier, in February 2009. That article was titled MMR Doctor Andrew Wakefield Fixed Data on Autism and it cited much the same data and mentioned many of the same people featured in the BMJ article. The BMJ imprimatur gave Deer as well as the British Medical Association, which publishes the journal -- a peer-reviewed platform from which the story was broadcast far and wide, as conclusive proof of fraud. The BMJ dressed up its presentation with footnotes, charts, editorials, commentary and what it called editorial checking. But clearly, the crux of the article came from reporting Deer did while affiliated with the Sunday Times. Along with evidence presented at a General Medical Council hearing, Deer wrote in the Sunday Times, he relied on unprecedented access to medical records, a mass of confidential documents and cooperation from parents during an investigation by this newspaper. His work, he said, exposed the selective reporting and changes to findings that allowed a link between MMR and autism to be asserted. Deer did not identify Child 2 or his mother in either the Sunday Times or the BMJ he didnt need to. He had posted their names on his blog (subsequently removed); whats more, the names were known because the mother had spoken out on the researchers behalf and was a claimant in a failed legal case over the vaccine. (Deer has said any allegation he placed confidential information on my website is false.) False pretenses and confidentiality aside, the BMJs ethics code bars the use of anyones medical information without written permission -- even when the subject is anonymous. Any article that contains personal medical information about an identifiable living individual requires the patients explicit consent before we can publish it, according to the policy (italics in original). We will need the patient to sign our consent form, which requires the patient to have read the article. If she had done so, the journal would have gotten an earful about Brian Lawrence, Brian Deer and her subsequent dealings with the Sunday Times. That is the subject of our next article. -- Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism, and co-author, with Mark Blaxill, of The Age of Autism Mercury, Medicine, and a Man-Made Epidemic, to be published in paperback in September by Thomas Dunne Books. One of the Lancet 12 children on a doctor visit not long after the BMJ articles were published in January. By Dan Olmsted As she sat down to write the Sunday Times of London on Saturday, November 29, 2003, Rosemary Kessick was beside herself. The day before, a reporter for the paper named Brian Lawrence had come to her home to interview her and kept at it, relentlessly, for six straight hours. It was more like an inquisition than an interview. Everything she said about the regression of her severely autistic son what happened, when it happened, why she thought it was connected to the measles-mumps-rubella shot he had received -- was questioned as though she were a defendant in a courtroom. Her sons autism had manifested 13 years earlier, in 1990, and it still traumatized and blighted the family, but Brian Lawrence expected her to remember it like it were yesterday and describe it all with clarity; any uncertainty or hesitation seemed to immediately become a discrepancy. She had no confidence in what the reporter was going to write. She thought he might suggest she was, at best, an unreliable witness to her own childs mental and physical disintegration, or, at worst, that she wasnt telling the truth. As she began typing, she did not know it was Brian Lawrence who was not telling the truth a fact that became clear a few days later, when she found a picture online of Brian Deer, a journalist notoriously hostile to people who claimed that vaccines had injured their children. That was the man who sat in her living room, sneering and displaying no human qualities of compassion. On this day, the day after the inquisition, all she knew is that she didnt like the way she had been treated, not at all, and that is what she began typing to Brian Deers boss, John Witherow (who remains editor of the Sunday Times to this day). It is worth reading the letter, and the subsequent correspondence, in order and in toto (with only a few irrelevant details omitted), because the road it leads to is ultimately not the Sunday Times, but the British Medical Journal. The BMJ quoted from that interview this January seven years after Brian Lawrence arrived at her door, 20 years after the devastating events it described as proof of what the BMJ called an elaborate fraud by Dr. Andrew Wakefield to link developmental regression, bowel disease, and the MMR. Rose Kessicks son was one of the 12 children in the controversial Lancet study that first raised the possibility of a connection between shot and symptoms that warranted further study, and part of MMR litigation that had been dismissed. This past week - on Sunday, July 17, 2011 the trail wound back to the Sunday Times. Editor Witherow wrote a column subtitled As the storm over phone hacking rages on, the editor of The Sunday Times says deception can sometimes be the only path to the truth -- in which he defended the papers h tactics and singled out important investigations by the newspaper including Brian Deers outstanding work on exposing the doctor behind the false MMR scare. He rejected any criticism of the newspapers past conduct, citing the public interest. In other words, he said, citing another high-profile Sunday Times investigation, the ends justified the means. The Sunday Times has denied charges made this month by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown that the paper had blagged him, with Sunday Times personnel posing as Brown to gain access to his bank account. The real Gordon Brown referred the matter to police. From here on, my short comments are in italic, between the correspondence, and at the end. -- November 29, 2003: Dear Mr. Witherow [Editor, The Sunday Times of London], I was visited yesterday, Friday 28th November 2003 by Brian Lawrence who had introduced himself by telephone the previous Friday as the Sunday Times health correspondent. He had asked for the appointment which he told me was part of an exercise instigated by yourself in order to decide whether the Sunday Times should support the reinstatement of legal aid in the MMR cases. I [was] both surprised and shocked by the tone and emphasis of the questioning which stopped little short of interrogation from the outset. This questioning began with a launch into the exact nature of what happened on the day my younger son had received his MMR vaccine down to questions about where I worked, what the surgery [medical office] was like, what time of day it would have been. It was curious that having asked if I didnt mind the interview being recorded, Mr. Lawrence kept turning the same tape over every time it ran out. It must not be forgotten that whatever anyone's personal opinions on the causation, we are a family traumatised and blighted by seeing our normal, healthy, beautiful baby son transformed into a desperately disabled child and have been struggling to cope with everything that this entails for the best part of fourteen years. Mr. Lawrence displayed no human qualities of compassion and even began the session by firmly and categorically stating his sympathy, approval and admiration for those paediatricians and other health care workers who remain not only detached from the plight of their young patients and families but who display a distinct cold lack of compassion. This attitude was backed up by the anecdote of his sitting in a room with parents grieving the death of their child following medical negligence when he described graphically how he was ignoring their tears to watch the television over the parents' shoulders in order to follow the ongoing storyline of a soap. What I expect of the Sunday Times is the highest quality journalism and whilst I am well used to hostile questioning, sending a journalist of this calibre to abuse my hospitality in my own home was both unnecessary and inappropriate. The man arrived at 10.30am and left circa 4.30pm. Despite our own personal outrage at the totally insensitive questioning, demeanour and attitude of this journalist my deepest concerns surround the extent to which the Sunday Times apparently intends to rely on this individual's judgment to formulate an opinion on the legal cases. During the meeting Mr. Lawrence repeatedly displayed arrogance in his own perceived ability and knowledge which when probed, consistently revealed a dangerous bigotry and clear ignorance of the many legal and scientific facts salient to the MMR cases. He seemed to take delight in refuting many of the facts I was putting to him and I became so frustrated at one point that I telephoned my solicitor to check on the exact wording of one of the defence barristers at a court hearing. My solicitor took my call despite being in a meeting himself and responded to my request immediately. Mr. Lawrence also appeared irritated that the solicitor would not answer his requests to set up a meeting with him and did not accept his response that he was under instruction from the QC not to talk to the press pending the judicial review on the revoke of legal aid for the children in the MMR damage cases. A recurring theme of the meeting was Mr. Lawrence's besmirching of the integrity and competence of everyone concerned with the MMR cases spanning Richard Barr and his team, our barristers, Dr. Wakefield, me, my family and the expert witnesses. This all went way beyond what could be considered a reasonable assessment of humanity in general and was exceptionally insulting. A further theme was the suggestion that we the families are naive to the fact that everyone in life has their own agenda and we were merely being used by all concerned to further their own aims and objectives. Following yesterdays complete waste of my time I can only assume that Mr. Lawrences agenda was totally at odds from that which he used to gain access. His methods seemed more akin to the gutter press than what may be reasonably expected of responsible journalism. In addition, his whole appearance was shoddy and shifty with a clear lack of respect for me, my family or my house. I remain deeply shocked that such a journalist who, in my opinion is neither well informed nor particularly intelligent, should be let loose as a representative of a newspaper with the reputation of the Sunday Times. Whilst writing this I have just received an email from him which I will forward together with this, I have no intention of responding to Mr. Lawrences comments. I will also put both in the post to you and await your response. Yours sincerely, Rosemary C. T. Kessick -- Kessick remembers being surprised at the change from the day before that Deers e-mail represented, and noting that it arrived in the middle of typing her letter to the editor about his conduct. She did not read it until after she sent her letter to the Sunday Times. -----Original Message----- From: brian lawrence [mailto:lawrence_b_st@yahoo.com] Sent: 29 November 2003 11:09 Dear Rosemary, I hope you don't feel that I was too rude yesterday. I was mainly thinking aloud - trying to get an answer to a question that has been put to me - which is why not try to get the hearing when all the research is in and published. It may be that there are procedural reasons why that can't happen, and I'm only trying to suggest that maybe those aren't just things you leave to lawyers, because they might want the thing over and done with to get on with something else. In my experience, it's those people who are actually affected by the issue who are best placed to decide. I wasn't saying I didn't support your case or didn't think you were doing the right thing. Autism and MMR is a big issue and any trial is surely going to make a huge difference one way or another. Anyhow, if you have any questions, let me know. I'll come back when those with more influence over these things than I have let me know how the paper proposes to fall on this. Best wishes, Brian Chairman Chris Gent said: James has taken this decision to focus on his current duties as non-executive chairman of BSkyB and following his decision to re-locate to the United States as chairman and chief executive, international, of News Corporation. John Stone has written about both Murdoch and Davis and their proximity to the Dr. Andrew Wakefield MMR Lancet Paper BMJ topic. James Murdoch Still Supported by GlaxoSmithKline ran last July: Lancet Boss Failed to Disclose Own Conflicts to Parliament While Denouncing Wakefield Both posts run in full following the jump: James Murdoch, the beleagured News Corporation executive, has received a ringing endorsement from MMR manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline according to Reuters news agency on Friday. GSK who appointed him to their board in February 2009 insist Murdoch has made a strong contribution to the group and received share payments worth $158,000 in 2010. Murdoch was appointed to the board of the pharmaceutical manufacturer with a brief to reviewexternal issues that might have the potential for serious impact upon the group's business and reputation ." Within a fortnight of his appointment News International had published at least 5 articles attacking MMR researcher Andrew Wakefields integrity (one , two , three , four and five ). The accusations, while flawed, were devastating to Wakefields reputation. According to the Sunday Times, and its journalist, Brian Deer Wakefield was singly guilty of fabricating the data in the Lancet paper of 1998 although none of his 12 co-authors have ever repudiated it and one of them, histopathologist, Susan Davies subsequently wrote to British Medical Journal rebutting Deers interpretation of her evidence before the General Medical Council. Deers allegations were also based on his own inexpert interpretation of GP records which were never available to the authors of the paper. The allegations which were re-cycled by British Medical Journal were rebutted by Wakefield in his book Callous Disregard, and frequently in articles published on Age of Autism (AofA The Big Lie , AofA Time To Revisit Deer's Claims , AofA Part 2 Time To Revisit Deer's Claims ). In contrast to normal academic journal policy BMJ have adopted a legalistic defence of its allegations and (more here). Furthermore, they were forced to admit under pressure that they had undisclosed conflicts with MMR manufacturers Merck and GSK. The Sunday Times campaign against Wakefield began in 2003 when section editor Paul Nuki approached Deer saying that he needed "something big" on "MMR" . Nuki was the son of Prof George Nuki who sat on the Committee on Safety on Medicines when MMR/Pluserix were first introduced in the late 1980s. Shortly afterwards Deer interviewed parent litigants under a false name. Unknown to Sunday Times readers Deer also pursued his own official complaints against Wakefield and colleagues and came to an arrangement with General Medical Council lawyers that he would not be named in the case, leaving him free to continue reporting as if an independent journalist . Deers obtaining and use of confidential data remains to be investigated. A statement on copyright on his website probably dating back some years states (my underlining.): 'For reference, with regard to Brian Deer's MMR investigation, almost all of the key facts and documents are not public domain, and, such is the culture of plagiarism, he will act against authors who represent his writing, interviews, documents, or other research, as the fruit of their own inquiries, whether referenced or not.' In an article his website he also mentioned reading confidential reports in the MMR litigation and commented on them. When these issues were raised in British Medical Journal last year the journal took the step of removing several letters from its on-line correspondence, effectively banning all further reference to the matter from its columns. The role of both BMJ and the News International in this affair require urgent official investigation. Lancet Boss Failed to Disclose Own Conflicts to Parliament While Denouncing Wakefield Sir Crispin Davis, until recently chief executive of Reed Elsevier which owns the Lancet, failed to disclose his own conflicts while denouncing Andrew Wakefield to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee in March 2004. Sir Crispin failed to disclose either that he was a non-executive director of MMR defendants, GlaxoSmithKline, or that it was his own brother Sir Nigel Davis who had endorsed the Legal Services Commissions decision to pull the plug on the funding of the case in the High Court 3 days before ((HERE). This was barely more than a week after allegations had been levelled against Wakefield by Lancet editor Richard Horton, and Sunday Times journalist Brian Deer. Nor do Daviss conflicts ever seem to have been mentioned by Horton. Remarkably, these relationships had been mentioned in Sunday Times article about Sir Crispin, just weeks earlier: "Family get-togethers could become galling for Davis if he ever slips up, such is the incredible success he and his brothers have achieved. One of them, Ian, is managing director of McKinsey, the management consultancy, another, James, is a partner at the top law firm Freshfields, while a third, Nigel, is a High Court judge. "Daviss only other City job is as a non-executive board member at Glaxo Smith Kline, a position he secured last year." This did not stop Sir Crispin accusing Wakefield as he was cross-examined before the committee by Dr Evan Harris MP who had accompanied Deer to the Lancet offices 12 days earlier. He told Harris: At the time of the submission of the article there was no admission of conflict of interest. Three months later there was a written letter. I think I have got it somewhere here. To which Harris interjected: I have it here as well, 7 May 1998.: And Davis responded: "It actually says, 'There is no conflict of interest'. Should the editor then" However, what the interchange hides is the fact that Wakefield disclosed his involvement with the litigation while denying that there was a conflict - all of which had anyway long been known to the Lancet (AoA Smoke and Mirrors , AoA The Last Day of Wakefield's Defence). In the letter published on 2 May 1998 Wakefield had stated: "A Rouse suggests that litigation bias might exist by virtue of information he has downloaded from the internet: from the Society for the Autistically Handicapped. Only one author (AJW) has agreed to help evaluate a small number of these children on behalf of the Legal Aid Board. These children have all been seen expressly on the basis that they were referred through normal channels (eg, from general practitioner, child psychiatrist, or community paediatrician) on the merits of their symptoms. AJW has never heard of the Society for the Autistically Handicapped and no fact sheet has been provided by them to distribute to interested parties. The only fact sheet we have produced is for general practitioners, which describes the background and protocol for the investigation of children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. Finally all those children referred to us (including the 53 who have been investigated already and those on the waiting list that extends into 1999) have come through the formal channels described above. No conflict of interest exist." Daviss evidence was defective in not mentioning that Wakefield had made a disclosure while denying correctly that there was any conflict in the paper (nor was he corrected by Harris). He was also wrong in implying that Wakefield had taken 3 months to respond. The letter was published only 9 weeks after the original paper, and was responding to a letter from Dr Rouse dispatched only four days after publication, the delay being determined entirely by the Lancet and not by Wakefield. The delay quickly became a key part of the Lancets defence, with Horton claiming that he took Wakefield to mean that he had been engaged by the Legal Aid Board after the publication of the paper. Horton responded to Wakefield in the Journal on 17 April 2004: "We do not accept Andrew Wakefield and colleagues' interpretation of the letter published in The Lancet on May 2, 1998,..which was, in any event, only published 3 months after the original 1998 Lancet paper." And when Horton was examined by Sally Smith QC at the GMC in August 2007 the delay was beginning to extend to four months: Smith: Looking at the wording of the sentence you referred to "only one author that agreed to evaluate a small number of these children on behalf of the Legal Aid Board", you say you took that to mean since the publication of the paper and we are now some three or four months on. To which Horton responds with a single word: Yes (First amended complaint). This delay which seems to have been so important to Hortons and the Lancets case against Wakefield - has never had any basis in fact. The Sunday Times investigation by journalist Brian Deer began in 2004 with the highly questionable act of obtaining without the consent of parents or the Royal Free Hospital the confidential medical records of eleven sick children whose anonymised clinical conditions the Lancet paper had studied. An act which was repeated in 2006 by another News International paper, the Sun, who obtained and published confidential medical records of former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's son, Fraser. The Sunday Times investigation raised further questions which we put to the Inquiry. Given these events, The Inquirys initial response to our submission in November 2011 was to arrange for one of us to sign it as a statement of truth and then to call him to appear before the inquiry to give oral evidence on 6 December. But we, like other parents who have witnessed the press ongoing disregard for our cause, didnt hold our breath. One week before his appearance, the parent was told the Inquiry no longer required his attendance. On asking why, he was told by the Inquiry solicitors that the Sunday Times had exercised their right as 'core participants' to object to the witness statement. In fact they had successfully convinced the Inquiry that their version of events was different from the parents' submission and that Leveson would need to establish which version was accurate. However, assessing the veracity of competing statements was not within Levesons terms of reference and so the Inquiry rejected the statement and refused to publish it as part of its large body of evidence. The Inquiry moved in the space of a week or so from calling a witness to give oral evidence based on his statement of truth to rejecting his evidence in total. The role of core participant was introduced under the 2006 Inquiry Rules and entitles a core participant to be designated a "person [who] played, or may have played, a direct and significant role in relation to the matters to which the inquiry relates", or has a direct interest in these matters, or is likely to be subject to significant or explicit criticism during the course of the inquiry. "In line with natural justice" (in the Inquiry solicitor's words when explaining the rejection of our submission), core participants have advanced sight of witness statements that refer to them. Nowhere does legislation mention the right of core participants to challenge evidence they are entitled to see. It appears that Justice Leveson has introduced this practice as a rule to be followed in his own Inquiry following arguments from News Internationals lawyers. Having gained this new right, News International is now exercising it. The Inquiry solicitors asked News International lawyers if they were willing to share their submission with the parent; but they refused. In sum, News International lawyers, supported by the legal nonsense of natural justice, have sight of the parents' evidence and then get it thrown out. The parents on the other hand are not allowed to see New International's argument for rejecting their evidence. This travesty of legal rights is further compounded by Leveson's rhetoric about transparency. In his opening remarks on 28 July 2011, he referred to "the spirit of complete transparency which I intend should be one of the principal objectives of all of our work". What is also surprising is that many of the 500 witnesses so far submitting statements or appearing before the Inquiry have given evidence based on accounts that News International newspapers and other press outlets might object to. Yet these witnesses were given the opportunity to submit written evidence and be examined by Inquiry lawyers on their evidence. This raises a key question: how often have core participants successfully argued that the evidence of written submissions should not be accepted by the Inquiry? How many other potential witnesses have been excluded because NI or other core participants objected? Whilst the public continue to be deeply alarmed by the Inquiry's mounting revelations, they have no idea what other evidence of press misconduct is being kept from public view by legal manoeuvring behind the hearing. Whilst Leveson has deemed the parents' evidence inadmissible, well-known witnesses have been allowed to publically criticise press reporting in the early 2000s of parents' and others' legitimate worries about MMR safety. Alistair Campbell, former Prime Minister Tony Blair's press secretary, said the media were "grossly irresponsible" in reporting the 1998 Lancet paper. Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, having published several investigative reports questioning the safety of MMR, recanted and "ran a mea culpa" retracting their earlier investigation of its alleged dangers http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/01/in-memoriam-paul-foot-private-eye-in-an-ethical-tangle-over-mmr.html . Ms Fiona Fox, for the Science Media Centre, referred to the MMR as "the best known example of how poor media reporting can cause harm" http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/02/hacked-off-boss-martin-moore-sat-on-uk-government-panel-with-editor-who-hired-brian-deer-.html , http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/04/autism-the-64-billion-dollar-a-year-question-for-simon-baroncohen-ben-goldacre-fiona-fox-and-autism-.html . No mention in their accounts of the genuine worries parents have about MMR safety, the experiences of parents of autistic children who witnessed their child's regression closely following the jab, and of medical calls for a more cautious approach to vaccinations. The involvement of individuals who have misrepresented the children's case in the media goes beyond these witnesses to Dr Evan Harris, the adviser to Hacked Off, the anti-Murdoch organisation formed in the wake of the media hacking scandal. Hacked Off has refused to explain the presence of former MP Evan Harris as its advisor . Dr Harris who was also a member of the British Medical Association ethics committee at the time accompanied Brian Deer to the Lancet offices on 18 February 2004 to ambush Wakefield and colleagues with Deer's findings from the confidential medical records of children obtained without consent. Harris wrote an editorial in the Sunday Times, accompanying Deers first allegations against Wakefield on 22 February 2004, and led a debate against Wakefield under cloak of privilege in the House of Commons on 15 March 2004. When it comes to both the chairman and lead attorney for the Inquiry, Lord Leveson and Queens Counsel Robert Jay, it is troubling in this context that they have both played a role in denying the claims to justice of the MMR litigants. In October 2005, Leveson refused the parents' application for a judicial review of the decision of the Legal Services Commission to withdraw legal aid from their children's class action against MMR manufacturers ,while the Commission was represented at the original hearing before Sir Nigel Davis by Jay (R (Williams) v Legal Services Commission [article 6 and reasons to challenge to LSC's decision to withdraw public funding for the MMR]). The judgments of both Davis and Leveson remains embargoed to this day, leaving the roles of Davis's and Leveson's thinking and Jay's evidence obscure in this matter. Martin Hewitt, John Stone, David Thrower & Bill Welsh (Links in the text have been added by AoA) Related links: Sir Crispin Davis and James Murdoch No Longer on GSK Board http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/01/sir-crispin-davis-and-james-murdoch-no-longer-on-gsk-board.html Melanie Phillips, A Deer in the Headlights Spectator http://www.whale.to/vaccine/a_deer.html In Memoriam Paul Foot: Private Eye in an Ethical Tangle Over MMR http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/01/in-memoriam-paul-foot-private-eye-in-an-ethical-tangle-over-mmr.html Evan Harris Distances Himself From Brian Deer But His Position Remains Untenable http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/01/evan-http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/04/autism-the-64-billion-dollar-a-year-question-for-simon-baroncohen-ben-goldacre-fiona-fox-and-autism-.htmlharris-distances-himself-from-brian-deer-position-remains-untenable.html Hacked Off Boss, Martin Moore, Sat on UK Government Panel with Editor who Hired Brian Deer http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/02/hacked-off-boss-martin-moore-sat-on-uk-government-panel-with-editor-who-hired-brian-deer-.html Open Letter to Sunday Times Editor John Witherow: We wouldnt do fishing http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/02/open-letter-to-sunday-times-editor-john-witherow-we-wouldnt-do-fishing.html Brian Deer Hired to "Find Something Big" on MMR http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/03/brian-deer-hired-to-find-something-big-on-mmr.html Brian Deer Lords it at a Pharmaceutical Conference in France http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/11/brian-deer-lords-it-at-a-pharmaceutical-conference-in-france.html Autism: the 64 billion dollar a year question for Simon Baron-Cohen, Ben Goldacre, Fiona Fox and Autism Speaks UK http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/04/autism-the-64-billion-dollar-a-year-question-for-simon-baroncohen-ben-goldacre-fiona-fox-and-autism-.html An Elaborate Fraud, Part 1: In Which a Murdoch Reporter Deceives the Mother of a Severely Autistic Child http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/07/an-elaborate-fraud-part-1-in-which-a-murdoch-reporter-deceives-the-mother-of-a-severely-autistic-chi.html An Elaborate Fraud, Part 2: In Which a Murdoch Newspapers Deceptive Tactics Infect the British Medical Journal http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/07/an-elaborate-fraud-part-2-in-which-a-murdoch-newspapers-deceptive-tactics-infect-the-british-medical.html Newsletter: MMR and MLI MMR Sunday Times Investigation 22 February 2004 http://www.whale.to/v/mli.html My wife getting pregnant brought this all into sharper focus. Soon we would have to make these difficult decisions ourselves. Now to be clear, we're no strangers to the autism spectrum conversation- one of my best friends has Aspergers, and my wife is a BCBA who works with kids on the spectrum every single day... but digging deeper and hearing the many eerily similar stories of autism-related vaccine injuries from parent after parent was a new experience for us, and made me wonder where my self-assuredness about vaccine safety had come from-- and, most importantly, why it seemed to be something nobody was allowed to talk about. His story seemed far-fetched, but my friend is no storyteller, and I soon learned he was not alone in this experience. The first chink in the armor was a conversation with a friend of mine whose grandson, he said, was developing normally, got the MMR shot at 15 months, dropped into a fever that night, regressed suddenly, and has had severe autism ever since. Until recently - like most people - I assumed vaccines were 100% safe, and I thought anyone who thought otherwise was dangerous and selfish, putting everyone else at risk. I thought this because I was told this, by many people, many times. Let me say right up front that my wife and I have a 2-month old daughter, and we ARE vaccinating her , and that my #1 goal here is to learn as much as possible about how to care for her health, because if anything happened to her I honestly don't know what I would do. Right after my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, we heard about the documentary "Vaxxed", and how it had been yanked from the Tribeca Film Festival. We didn't pay it much attention until we saw the Today Show interview with the usually quiet Robert Deniro who said he regretted pulling it, and seemed sure there was more to the story than people wanted to believe. So we went and saw the movie for ourselves. We learned about the CDC whistleblower no national media were covering. We learned about CDC head Julie Gerberding going to work for Merck as head of immunizations after helping to cover up the MMR-autism link, and cashing out for millions. We learned about the existence of the United States Vaccine Court, which has paid out over $3.5 Billion to vaccine-injured children. Say what you will about the documentary, which we found to be eye-opening, these things in it were verifiably true, disturbing things- none of which guaranteed a link between vaccines and autism, but all of which called the "Vaccines are safe" and "Science is in" mantras into question. So I kept digging, and decided to do a series of podcasts on the subject, in an effort to find out as much as I could about the topic so we could decide the best way to handle vaccinating our daughter. What follows are 4 episodes: In this first one, I talk to "VAXXED" producer Del Bigtree about the CDC whistleblower, and why Doctor Andrew Wakefield, the director of the movie, may not be "The Father of the Anti-Vaccine Movement" as most seem to think. Episode 1 is live on iTunes here: https://goo.gl/nXkFPI And here's the direct link: http://goo.gl/32ypH9 In the 2nd (coming soon), I talk to investigative journalist Brian Deer, the man responsible for discrediting Wakefield all those years ago. In the 3rd (coming a little less soon, but still soon), I talk to Louis Conte and Mary Holland, each of whom has done a lot of scientific and common sense research, and the only viable conclusion they could reach is their children are vaccine-injured. They conducted a study with Pace University that learned the U.S. government has actually been paying out vaccine-injured children who *happen* to also have autism... for years... at least 80 cases that they know of. In the 4th and final episode (coming a little after the 3rd), since I hadn't spoken with an actual doctor, I talk to Dr. Stephanie Seneff, an MIT biologist who has been looking into this subject, and who feels the real culprit behind the skyrocketing autism numbers are the chemicals we use very cavalierly in our society... not just, but including, vaccines. This series of conversations taught me a lot about just how unsettled the debate on vaccine safety and the causal link between vaccines and autism really is. I hope you get as much out of them as I did. Again, to be clear, we're still vaccinating our daughter, but we're going to do it in as safe a way as possible, using resources like Dr. Sears alternate schedule to guide us... but the lesson I learned here was to question things, because questioning is really the only way to get answers, and for me the biggest red flag in all of this is how unwilling we as a society seem to be to even engage in this extremely important conversation. I understand the risks an anti-vaccine movement presents, and I have no intention of contributing to that, but I also don't think it's fair for us as a society to act like vaccine-injured children don't exist, and to treat their parents like they're crazy. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Let's have the conversation. Let's get the answers. There's a difference between being anti-vax (which we're not) and pro-safe vax (which we are), and there has to be a way to keep vaccinating children without hurting any, but until we start pushing the government and the pharmaceutical industry to do better, we'll never get there. It might be a long, difficult road, but that's no excuse not to try. Every year that passes without talking about this, more kids get hurt, and even one vaccine-injured child is too many. BIO: Justin Kanew is a writer-producer in Los Angeles who was also a 2-time contestant on "THE AMAZING RACE" on CBS with his best friend Zev-- the first ever Amazing Race contestant on the autism spectrum. He lives in Encino, CA with his wife Nicole, a BCBA, and his recently born daughter Kaia. He also hosts "GET IT GOT IT GOOD", a podcast that was recently #16 on the iTunes News & Politics" chart. Subscribe to it here: And follow him on Twitter here: @justin_kanew Web Toolbar by Wibiya Web Toolbar by Wibiya Date: 19 April, 2016. Place: Millersville, State of Tennessee, United States. Millersville is small town located on the northern side of the State of Tennessee, United States. With a population of just 6,000 inhabitants, it was the scene for a very unusual event that took place on 19 April, 2016. On a report published on 13 May on UFO specialised website MUFON.com, an anonymous resident related a possible case of abduction, including 2.5 hours of audio of the event. I was working in the shop separate from the house of a distance of 100 feet. I had begun working about 3 p.m. that day until almost midnight, when for unknown reasons I was drawn to the side door, the witness stated. I felt as if I was in a fog, he continued, and then [I] woke up on my back on the drive way to my house absent my cell phone and firearm 3 hours later, with my keys separated into both hands and the neck of my jacket pulled down to my elbows limiting my movement. The alleged victim affirmed he went to his house and called his mother in order to get some help. Then, they both realised that they had strange marks on their skin. I had multiple red dots almost the size of a penny on my upper scalp and strange markings on my back. Mother had the shape of Orions belt and another dot on the back of her right arm. When he finally found his mobile phone, he discovered something eerie recorded on it. The next day I charged my phone and noticed I had 2 hours and 29 minute blacked out video, including human and non-human language, he related. You can also clearly hear my dog deeply barking from inside mothers room, yet she does not remember any of it and cant believe she slept through the helicopters that had been circling as well as some ungodly loud deep pulsating hum descend and then ascend twice. If it had not been for the recording I would have not known that other people and other nonhuman entities were performing a procedure on me the unnamed reporter claimed. My identity needs to remain anonymous as this was a joint operation not just a close encounter, he advised. Draw your own conclusions For further information: http://mufoncms.com/cgi-bin/report_handler.pl?req=view_long_desc&id=76348&rnd= Long Description of Sighting Report April 19 20016 I was working in the shop separate from the house of a distance of 100 foot. I had begun working about 3 pm that day until almost midnight when for unknown reasons I was drawn to the side door. (Cell phone was recording from a previous video I made of the shop. The phone was set down on a cluttered work table along with my firearm.) I felt as if I was in a fog. I then woke up on my back on the drive way to my house absent my cell phone and firearm 3 hrs later with my keys separated into both hands and the neck of my jacket pulled down to my elbows limiting my movement. Seeing the stars and the outside garage light I knew where I was and alarmed yet could not understand how I got there and why I was on my back side. I used my keys to get in the house and noticed light coming from my elderly mothers room and surprised she was awake but groggy with my pittbull in bed with her. I immediately asked her what time it was and she replied 3:20 am and she asked where my phone was (I didn't know) and then asked where my side arm was (again I didn't know) At this point I think I freaked out a little and threw my keys from a loss of words and then began to tell her its here it got me its evil and it did something to me I've lost three hours and that my Aunt who had just passed away was right. After regaining some composer we both went into the garage where she covered me with her side arm from the garage door so that I could retrieve mine. Barn lights were off, door was unlocked, fire arm and cell phone recovered yet battery was depleted. Once back inside we took pictures of my back my head and my arm because it hurt to the bone when touching the skin. I had multiple red dots almost the size of a penny on my upper scalp and strange markings on my back. Mother had the shape of orions belt and another dot on the back of her right arm. The next day I charged my phone and noticed I had 2 hours and 29 minute blacked out video including human and non human language as well as sounds of me fighting with something verbally with responses. You can also clearly here my dog deeply barking from inside mothers room yet she does not remember any of it and cant believe she slept through the helicopters that had been circling as well as some ungodly loud deep pulsating hum descend and then ascend twice. We have a boot prints high on the door of the shop and very strange huge boot prints in the gravel as well as very small feminine prints in front of the shop. I myself am a military trained combat vet as well as the rest of the males I descend from. I have three hours of missing time and a 2.5 hour recording of some of what happened to me. Someone needs to contact me from your organization with the cell phone number provided I will submit the audio/video and the photos to help me get more answers as something was clearly done without my consent. If it had not been for the recording I would have not known other people and other nonhuman entities were performing a procedure on me. My identity needs to remain anonymous as this was a joint operation not just a close encounter. thank you. JC Christian Forces in Iraq: Help Us Save Christianity Wounded soldiers from a Nineveh Plain Protection Unit who engaged in battle with ISIS. ( Facebook) A spokesman and soldier with an Assyrian Christian defense force in Iraq has a message for the people and church of America in an interview with the Clarion Project: We need your help if Christianity is to be saved in the Middle East. Clarion Project spoke with Athra Kado, a media spokesman and soldier for the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU) in Iraq, who described the group's efforts to save Assyrian Christians, Yazidis and others from genocide. Earlier this month, the NPU battled the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in Telskuf alongside Kurdish forces backed by U.S. airpower. One U.S. Navy Seal was killed, who the NPU mourned and thanked as a "martyr." The NPU posted pictures and videos from the fighting on its Facebook page, including footage of three of its wounded soldiers. Below is the interview between the Clarion Project's National Security Analyst Ryan Mauro and the NPU's Ahtra Kado: Ryan Mauro: Can you tell us when the Nineveh Plain Protection Units started, how strong the group is and what its current activity is? Athra Kado: Recruits began being registered in August 2014 but we didn't receive the official permission of the Iraqi government. Then in November, the official announcement of the NPU's establishment was released and more than 2,000 Assyrian Christians from the Nineveh Plain registered. The first basic military training course happened in February 2015 for more than 500 men. All of the funding came from donations from our people in the diaspora and some great individual foreigners. After that, the NPU commanders asked for support from the Iraqi government for the trained 500 men and permission for a military camp for us. It took over eight months for us to get permission for it. The camp has been built by volunteers and with donations. The NPU is an official force, registered with the central Iraqi government. We are not a militia. We want to work with all official forces, but we are not getting the same treatment from them in return. We now get salaries, and our activity is focused on guarding Alqosh and Telskuf. Our forces in Telskuf recently defended it against an attack by ISIS. Mauro: What is the relationship between the NPU and the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government in Baghdad like? Kado: We are officially registered with the Iraqi government and we cooperate with the Kurdish Peshmerga and other forces in the Nineveh Plain. Mauro: Do you have any relationship with the U.S. government? Kado: We don't have any official relationship with the U.S. government yet, but we have had American individuals help us with training before. Mauro: What is your message to the people of America and the West as a whole? Kado: If the people of America want to help humanity, they have to us Assyrian Christians, especially if they want to help the people of the Nineveh Plain. We and the Yazidis are the only ancestral people of the area and we have our own humanitarian and military organizations. What we need is military support, just like the U.S. is giving to the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga. We need a part of the U.S. aid reaching the two governments--the Baghdad government and the Kurdish Regional Government. And we need the U.S. to help make the two governments help us, just like they do with all other official forces in the area. If the church of America wants to save Christianity in the Middle East, they have to help us, because Assyrians were the first nation to become Christians. The early origins of Christianity are here. We can save our people and help the people who are on the right side in the area, but we need your help. May 22, 2016 Nearly three years have passed since the Egyptian army ousted Mohammed Morsi, the first civilian president elected following the January 25 Revolution, and then there were the subsequent campaigns of harassment and persecution waged by the Egyptian security forces against the Muslim Brotherhood (with which Morsi is organizationally affiliated). Nevertheless, the Muslim Brotherhood remains strong enough to occupy a considerable part of the Egyptian landscape. Observers remain preoccupied by discussions about the future of the Brotherhood, the transformations it has undergone, the extent of its relationship with violence in Egypt, the re-assessments it has undertaken, its conception of relations with the outside world be it Arab or Western and the Brotherhood's fate in the wake of an ongoing escalation by the Egyptian regime against all its rivals and opponents. In an extended interview with Al-Monitor, Amr Darrag spoke about these and other issues. Darrag is a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood who is in charge of the Brotherhoods political office abroad; he is the former minister of planning and international cooperation and was a member of the Freedom and Justice Partys planning office. He offered what might be considered a wide-angle view of the Brotherhoods position and its role at the present moment, and in so doing offered his views on a number of topics. Internal reassessments within the Brotherhood Darrag touched upon the importance of the Brotherhood undertaking what he termed comprehensive reassessments, at the core of which is the importance of separating party-building activity from the movements other activities to avoid previous errors produced by the overlap of [religious] preaching with [political] partisanship. Yet Darrag, in offering this suggestion, remains committed to the belief in the central authority of Islam in all aspects of life. However, he calls for a specialization of tasks, such that the core of his view is that Islam is a comprehensive faith, but the institutions that labor in its service must be pluralistic, since human affairs have become more specialized and not everyone can do everything. The great mistake that Darrag sees is that the Brotherhood attempted to compete politically against a large segment of the population but at the same time work alongside them socially. This is simply not achievable. Therefore, the ideal situation would be for the Brotherhood to concentrate more on social and outreach-related concerns, and leave the [political] institution or other institutions that bear on competitive political life. A member of the Brotherhood who desires to engage in political life or enter the parliament for example might join a political party. But the Brotherhood itself would have no party. At the same time, he holds firmly to the Brotherhoods famous slogan that "Islam is the solution." It seems that Darrag, in this interview, was starting from the premise of reviving the outreach-oriented aspect of the Brotherhood, which fractured upon contact with politics. He aimed to convey a vision of restoring the Brotherhood to its original path of outreach-oriented activism separated from partisan political life. Still, the Brotherhood remains a potent political force that more closely resembles a pressure group. It is a suggestion that contains no small amount of bravery at the present time, especially his view of the importance of the Brotherhood not maintaining a party. On foreign relations In the course of his remarks, Darrag described the view of the European Union since the dispersal of the sit-ins at Rabia al-Adawiya and al-Nahdah squares as very unfortunate. In his view, the European position since Morsis ouster has long showed that there was international readiness to accept that governing democratic systems can be overturned without the perpetrators being held to account. Darrag went so far as to describe the reports released in both the Britain and the United States, both of whose contents might fairly be described as anti-Brotherhood, as result[ing] from pressures leveled by the Gulf states, and especially the [United Arab] Emirates, through lobbies under their control. However, he distinguishes between the British report and the report produced by the House Judiciary Committee. In the British case, they neglected to publicize positive aspects of the Muslim Brotherhood contained by the original report for example, the positive role that it played in combating extremism. As for the American report, Darrag believes it falls in line with election-season propaganda against Islam generally, Muslims and everything related to them. Darrag stressed, There is no coordination and there is no kind of communication with the US administration. He expressed the view that, [in US dealings with the Brotherhood] the double standard was quite clear, and this caused the Islamist youth and the youth throughout the region more broadly to view the United States of America in an extremely negative light, especially since America turned a blind eye to this coup and participated in stabilizing it and helping it to establish itself. Therefore, in his view, America must bear a large part of the responsibility. When it comes to other Arab states, Darrag took an accusatory tone, saying, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates chose to spend tens of billions of dollars in supporting the coup. He describes the recent visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to Egypt as a great disappointment to many who had banked on a change in the kingdoms position. On the subject of the reconciliation initiatives launched by many figures, such as Rashid al-Ghannouchi, Darrag said, Nothing practical comes of out of these initiatives. Darrag describes Hamas as a national liberation movement with an Islamic ideological core working solely to liberate its lands. From this starting point, the relationship between the Brotherhood and Hamas is based only on the fact that the latter attributes its ideological origin to the Muslim Brotherhood. In his remarks, Darrag spoke diplomatically in his way of describing the Brotherhoods relationship with foreign affairs and external actors. At the same time, he could not refrain from accusing the existing parties with bearing responsibility for what is happening in Egypt and participating in it, either directly or indirectly. But as a politician he also understands the balance of forces and knows that these forces, whether Arab or Western, cannot simply be dismissed. Moreover he strives to bring attention to their role in undermining the legitimacy of the current regime, and to perpetuate the image of the Brotherhood as a rational actor whom they need on the scene. Regarding violence Darrag began his remarks on this topic by emphasizing, The Brotherhood has never adopted any policies calling for the use of violence, terrorism or militarization. By way of evidence, he remarked that everyone knows the size of the Brotherhood in Egypt. Even with thousands of our members in detention, there are still vast numbers of Brotherhoods and their supporters [at large]. If there was any intention or directive to use violence, 'the country would have been lost.' Regarding a few acts of violence committed by some of the youth, Darrag said, Thats to be expected [given the] volume of killings, injuries, arrests, rapes and massacres like the one at Rabia and whats happening to the inhabitants of the Sinai Peninsula. Darrag expressed his view on the question of the so-called Qualitative Committees, which are associated by reputation with the Brotherhoods young members. He said, What happens is that [the group] no longer has the same control over some individuals as it once did, as Brotherhood leaders of the first, [second] and third ranks are mostly in prison. Those who are advanced to leadership positions [to replace them] cannot effectively communicate with the lower ranks, and naturally some portion of the Brotherhood youth are able to involve themselves along with others in minor operations such as setting police cars on fire or throwing Molotov cocktails. These are all matters that cannot be ascribed to the Brotherhood and that the organization has not adopted. Darrag knows that the revolutionary program that he believes the Brotherhood has currently adopted calls for a rejection of this regime and a refusal to recognize its legitimacy or its long-term durability. We will strive to remove it by the same means that many other peoples have tried, primarily nonviolent civil activism and refraining from cooperating with it from inside as a [loyal] opposition. In his remarks, Darrag sought to stress the idea that any violent practices employed by members of the Brotherhood do not stem from ideological motives, but rather from how they have suffered from killing, rape and dispersal [at the hands of the regime]. Even though he stressed the Brotherhood has changed and its current adoption of what it calls the "revolutionary platform," he nevertheless insists that the Brotherhood has not adopted the ideology of violence at all. In so doing, he reveals the state of oscillation that has afflicted the Brotherhood over the last several months as they seek to restrain the revolutionary understanding, curb the desire for vengeance among their younger members and keep from falling into the trap of systematic, destructive violence. This indicates the state of tumult and ferment that has taken hold within the Brotherhood; moreover, it has caused a fissure inside the Brotherhood between those who want vengeance and those who are warning against falling into it haphazardly. Concerning Morsi and relations with the regime On this topic, Darrag explained his vision of the relationship between the regime and the Brotherhood, saying, Even if the entire world recognized [President Abdel Fattah al-] Sisi, this still would not give him legitimacy. He voiced his opposition to the idea of accepting the coup as a fait accompli, saying, Our position is one of principle; it doesnt depend on who the president is or [the interests of] the Brotherhood. He repudiated any discussion of a negotiation with the regime over anything, saying that the regime is waging a zero-sum battle. He expressed the view that if Sisi were to leave Egypt or fall, it would constitute a major advance for the revolutionary movement. Naturally, the revolution does not stand or fall with the fortunes of Sisi the man. Regarding his view of what such a scenario might entail, he cautiously noted, The circumstances and balances [of power] at the time could impose a great many scenarios. Darrag admitted, There has been some trust lost between the [Brotherhood and the other opposition parties], because each side has accused the other of bearing responsibility for the presence of the military and their entering with such force into political life. Regarding his view of the role played by the Egyptian army, he stated, The army protects Egypt and its stability by carrying out its proper, defined role in defending the country and its national security, not in political positions, in governing, in the public square or interfering in the economy. Throughout the interview, Darrag sought to lay down the notion that the Brotherhood has changed its position regarding purported understandings with the regime that it had previously accepted. He stressed that the resistance to the regime, and not only Sisi, will continue, and he accepts the legitimacy of no one but Morsi. However, he has not yet advanced a vision of what would come next after Sisi were to leave power, except to admit that there is no trust in the other parties that have taken sides against the regime. He does, however, remain optimistic that there will be some sort of rapprochement, though this might run aground on the shoals of reality. Concerning internal disputes Darrag, as one of the representatives of a movement that claims it seeks to change its vision, called on the Brotherhood to be more transparent and open to society and that young people must be represented at the leadership level and in decision-making. He also advocated for maintaining the separation of particular institutions working within the Brotherhood and continuing accountability for past mistakes. In his view, the absence of the current Guidance Office and Shura Council overseeing it leaves the alternative [of electing] a Shura Council and Guidance Office that will contain a sufficient quorum of members. Darrag described the decisions taken by Mahmoud Izzat, who is overseeing the Guidance Office in an interim capacity, as a shock to many in the rank and file, and claimed "that increases the likelihood of a split in the Brotherhood. Nevertheless, he maintained that the Brotherhood will ultimately emerge stronger. Darrag sought in this interview to offer a different vision for the group in its handling of the youth and women, and presenting himself as a man with a fundamental vision of change toward a transparent institution within the Brotherhood. Despite the note of worry about a split within the group, he nevertheless appeared optimistic and nonconfrontational with other parties to the disputes within the Brotherhood. The text of the interview follows: Al-Monitor: Youve written a few articles on reassessments within the Brotherhood but until now the group has not officially apologized for the mistakes it committed while in power. Whats your take on it? Darrag: Self-examination is a healthy process that large organizations must undergo from time to time. Thats always the case, regardless of the question of apologies, or the groups tactics over the last 20 years. Moreover, the changes both large and small that Egypt has experienced and continues to experience require a comprehensive reassessment out of which we can draw conclusions about what we must do for our movement to become healthier, more institutionalized and more influential. When I wrote about the importance of separating party-building activity from the movements other activities, for example, it was an act of self-assessment. I was offering a model for the form of the relationship between the movement and the party to the people. One that avoids previous errors produced by the overlap of [religious] preaching with [political] partisanship. Al-Monitor: How can preaching and partisanship be separated? Explain the idea and its premises for us. Darrag: There are two essential points that must be explained. First, Islam is both an all-encompassing and a public religion. It is both religion and state, and has its own perspective on all social and political actions, as well as in every other aspect of life. At the same time, those perspectives contain a great deal of flexibility, such that it can encompass [all] people, regardless of the era or nation in which they live. But this does not mean that the institution that serves this faith must be the overseer of all the affairs that the faith encompasses. Thats the core of my view: that Islam is a comprehensive faith, but the institutions that labor in its service must be pluralistic, since matters have become more specialized and not everyone can do everything. Al-Monitor: How will you apply this on the level of [day-to-day] practice? How do you conceive of the movements ideal role within [Egyptian] society? Darrag: The proposal necessitates that there be room for the Muslim Brothers to work with the entirety of the Egyptian people. For it is clearly impossible for the group to compete politically against a large segment of the population but at the same time work alongside them socially. This is simply not achievable, and this is the largest mistake that took place. The Brotherhood bore the mistakes in [the partys] political tactics, despite the fact that the party benefited from the Brotherhoods support. As for the ideal situation, from my perspective it would be that the Brotherhood concentrate more on social and outreach-related concerns, and leave the [political] institution or other institutions that bear on competitive political life. A member of the Brotherhood who desires to engage in political life or enter the parliament, for example, might join a political party. But the Brotherhood itself would have no party and has nothing that might be termed a political wing. This would help the group to restore its standing in society, as it was before. Al-Monitor: Does this mean that the slogan "Islam is the solution" is still the Brotherhoods slogan, or do you think that it must move beyond this? And why? Darrag: Yes, that is still the Brotherhoods solution, and no one can dispute that "Islam is the solution," as the slogan means that Islam is a comprehensive religion and contains the solution to many of the problems that we face. But the details pertain to a [particular] tactic or tools through which we can implement this slogan. Al-Monitor: But some believe that the Brotherhood has not achieved any success under this slogan? Darrag: The validity of principles or slogans is not subject to change because those who were charged with implementing them succeeded or failed. In Egypt it is very difficult for anyone to say anything that is utterly removed from Islam or its source of authority. Generally speaking, the Brotherhood must undertake a great deal of self-examination in the realm of tactics and its administrative style, as well as in its decision-making so that it can develop into an organization that can cope with the nature of the times and the challenges they pose us. There are many details to this and interactions taking place right now that will necessarily lead in my opinion to the group emerging stronger than it was before and discharging its social and outreach obligations professionally and successfully. Al-Monitor: You were one of the first participants in the negotiations that took place with Catherine Ashton before the dispersal at Rabia al-Adwiyyah. How do you assess the role played by the European Union in the period prior to Rabia al-Adawiyas dispersal until now? And why? Darrag: In both cases its performance was deeply disappointing. Thats because in the period preceding the dispersal of Rabia, the debate basically revolved around how to resolve the current problem and how the sit-in could be ended peacefully while at the same time satisfying the demands of the "revolutionaries" in the street. But the message carried by Ashton and the other European and US officials was that we had to accept the status quo of the time, even though there was a president elected by popular mandate and even though there was a standing constitution, both of which were deposed by military force. This unfortunately showed that there was an international readiness to accept that governing democratic systems can be overturned without the perpetrators being held to account. This continued afterward, even to the extent of providing direct support and giving legitimacy to the regime of the coup, which was present and ongoing. It completely flew in the face of all the principles of democracy and respecting human rights the same principles that the European Union is always calling for in the face of serving existing interests, be they arms sales or economic agreements. Despite the fact that the European Union issued directives and recommendations less than two months following the coup that were clear in putting a halt to the sale of weapons or equipment to Egypt that might be used in the suppression of protests, these recommendations were not implemented. In fact, they werent even worth the paper they were printed on. The general position was one that supported the putschist regime instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with democratic values and principles. Even when the repression directly hit European citizens such as Giulio Regeni or Eric Lang the French national who was killed while in detention the European Union failed to take a serious stand to protect its citizens from the brutality of this repressive regime. Al-Monitor: What was your take on the British report and the recommendations of the House Judiciary Committee to the American Congress concerning the Brotherhood? Darrag: As a matter of principle, there is a difference between the two situations on the political level, but the common denominator between them is that theyre both reports that resulted from pressures leveled by the Gulf states, and especially the [United Arab] Emirate, through lobbies under their control in the American case. That holds despite the differing manner in which the reports were released, or what [their contents] reflected. Al-Monitor: Explain that difference to us. Darrag: In the British case, everyone knows the sheer scope of the UAEs economic and financial interests inside Britain. They exerted direct pressure and, as a result of these pressures, work began on a so-called reassessment of the Muslim Brotherhood in Britain. Moreover, the scene of the investigation was in Britain itself, and the influence of the local Muslim Brotherhood upon Britain. The primary goal of this report on the part of the countries that pressured the British government was political, and so they only released a slapdash summary after a year and a half of working on the report. This relied primarily on information that it was said was acquired after the original investigation concluded and without prompting anyone to reopen the inquiry. This was naturally most unfortunate, especially given that it neglected to publicize the positive aspects of the Muslim Brotherhood contained by the original report. For example, there was the positive role that it played in combating extremism, in several concrete instances. Despite this, the report insinuated that certain practices [of the Brotherhood] might lead to extremism, without [directly] accusing the Brotherhood of anything. Al-Monitor: What about those things that went unpublished? How did the Brotherhood handle the report to mitigate its negative ramifications? Darrag: There are many things about this extensive report [of which we knew large parts], including the infamous issue of the mosque in London that was affiliated with some extremist figures for over 10 years. At the time, the Brothers began to exert a positive influence with the young men who frequented the mosque in an effort to bring them to a proper understanding of the faith. It was frankly acknowledged in the report that the Brotherhood played a positive role in Britain in combating extremism and violence. As for the reports ramifications, practically speaking the report didnt have any negative consequences worth mentioning, but it should still be considered an unacceptable tarnishing of the Brotherhoods reputation. For our part, we had lawyers who sought through legal means to deal with the British government on this matter, to remove any possible negative impact that [the report] might have on the Brotherhoods reputation. The Brotherhood has nothing to fear, nor have we engaged in any behavior that would sully our good name. Al-Monitor: What about the report of the House Judiciary Committee in the US Congress? Darrag: For a long time there have many and repeated attempts by some members of the Republican Party in particular to raise the issue of putting the Brotherhood on the list of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations in America, and especially those [Republicans] who have alliances with the Emirati lobby, as Al-Monitor has disclosed before. There are also those who seek to score political points at home at this time. We believe that whats happening must be placed in the general context of one-upmanship that goes hand in hand with election-season propaganda against Islam generally, Muslims and everything related to them. Thats what were seeing especially in the candidacy of Donald Trump, for example, who broadcasts a hateful discourse that is rejected by many Americans. Al-Monitor: How will you handle this issue? Darrag: Its clear that the current US administration will not heed the committees recommendations. The deputy secretary of state for Middle Eastern affairs made it clear that there is no call for that. Moreover, they understand the danger inherent in pursuing an irresponsible measure such as this. The danger that we grasp, rather, is [what will happen when] the next Republican administration takes office, if it is accompanied by a GOP majority in Congress. Therefore we are trying in every way to reach out to the largest possible number of representatives from both parties as part of a public relations campaign through which we will explain what the Muslim Brotherhood and its role really are, and its place in the scale of moderation particularly in areas such as public work where it plays a major role in combating extremism, terrorism and violence. Well also try to make it clear that its dangerous to level unsubstantiated accusations. Al-Monitor: Some of the Brotherhoods young people view the groups leadership as having tried to placate the West and America and compare the degree of their peacefulness to their scale and [say] that they are captives of Western hegemony. How do you respond? Darrag: There are two general directions in dealing with the outside world and the great powers. The first thinks that the reins of global power are in the hands of the West, particularly the United States of America, and that these parties possess the tools to place anyones endeavors under siege. Those who hold this view think it preferable to remain loyal to these powers or, at least, to refrain from breaking with them. However, this is a narrow view, one that oversimplifies many factors and it is not held by the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood has moved over the course of its history with the conviction that holds steadfastly to resistance to outside hegemony and tyranny. It does not wait for pressure from anyone in order to adopt a peaceful, gradualist platform for promoting change. The times when it made recourse to a form of violence were directed against the occupier and its collaborators, and even that was over 70 years ago. But in the end, after the British occupation came to a close, the Muslim Brotherhood became enmeshed with public work, moving in tandem with its roots as a social movement based on paying close heed to society and promoting its welfare while at the same time upholding the values of opposition to assault upon other people and the terrorization of the innocent, as well as practicing democratic work and adopting the choices of the people. The Brotherhood, from this starting off point, has a fundamental responsibility before its people and not before America or the West. At the same time it is resisting massive campaigns aimed at tarnishing its reputation and that can be exploited to blot out the true image of the Brotherhood or Islamists more generally. The Brotherhood is keen to clarify the situation for the various peoples of the world and to communicate with them. We are continuing on our path, 2 years after the coup, without relenting from our work at all, because the Egyptian people deserve the right to walk a democratic path. Al-Monitor: What is the nature of the relationship between the Brotherhood and America? Is there any coordination or cooperation between the US administration and the Brotherhoods leadership? Darrag: There is no coordination and there is no kind of communication of that sort. All that happens are unofficial meetings, whether with members of Congress or think tanks. When we visit America we meet with some researchers who are concerned with Egyptian affairs, and at the same time were keen to meet with a few members of congress to provide a detailed explanation [of events]. For all that, we have never sought to meet with representatives of the US administration, nor has the administration sought out a meeting. Therefore the visits are more in the context of explaining our perspective and answering researchers questions. No more than this. Al-Monitor: How do you view the American role in solving the Egyptian crisis generally? And what about its role in the contentious relationship right now between the Brotherhood and the regime? Darrag: The truth of the matter is that at present America has put Egypt at the bottom of its list of priorities in terms of regional issues. This stems from the [administrations] strategic vision, a vision that does not look at the region as a whole with the same degree of interest as used to happen [in prior administrations]. Nevertheless America as the primary great power in the world presumably harbors certain responsibilities. Responsibilities such as defending the values that it publicly proclaims. America states that it is a defender of human rights and democracy; it celebrated with the people when the Arab Spring broke out and supported it. But when the military coup overtook both the people and their democratic regime, the US administration cooperated with it as a matter of course. Aid [to the Egyptian military] was not affected. The double standard was quite clear and this caused Islamist youth and the youth throughout the region more broadly to view the United States of America in an extremely negative light. After all,, it had shown itself to have a double standard and conspicuously failed to speak about human rights except when came to its own interests. This is what influenced the entire region, whether when it came to the spread of dictatorial practices or even civil wars stemming from [the regions] veering off the democratic path. I think that for the short and middle terms this will continue to have extremely negative influences upon the position of the United States as a primary great power. Because of this. Al-Monitor: Then, you agree with the opinion of many in the Brotherhood, and particularly with the young men among them, that America participated in the management of the coup? Darrag: I wont argue in this area, since the Americans deny it categorically, but the truth is staring us in the face now. America turned a blind eye to this coup and participated in stabilizing it and helping it to establish itself. One might compare the response to the outbreak of the Arab Spring when America supported the outcome of these revolutions, and then participated in the stabilization of the coup against them. Matters developed to the point that [America] turned a blind eye to acts of murder, detention and torture. Therefore America must bear a large part of the responsibility. Al-Monitor: The Muslim Brothers are accused of having wasted an opportunity to sign the Rome Statute. Now they are paying the price, since they cannot have Sisi tried before the International Criminal Court [ICC]. Darrag: The issue of joining the ICC is connected to the presence of a parliament, and of course everyone knows the circumstances under which parliament was dissolved in Egypt. But even more importantly, the statutes [governing] the ICC allow a petition to be made by a representative of the state. However, when such a petition was filed [on behalf of] Dr. Morsi they did not accept it on the pretext that he did not have the standing to make such a petition, even though he was an elected president demanding an investigation into his ouster. This constitutes an admission on the part of international institutions that the coup was legitimate. The other matter is that these arbitrations and decisions are subject to many political and international agreements. There is ample evidence of this, rendering the window for leveling international criminal charges and keeping presidents in office a very narrow, very difficult one. Many also know that the president of the republic is immune from some charges as long as he holds office, unless those charges are presented before the UN Security Council. And the Security Council, in the present political circumstances, could never come to such a decision. Al-Monitor: Some believe that this reveals the failure of the Muslim Brotherhood on the Egyptian issue and that the regime has outperformed it in managing foreign relations. Darrag: Really, thats an extremely unfair assessment. The [human rights] violations taking place arent directed against the Brotherhood alone even if they do bear the brunt of it. Likewise, putting an end to military rule and bringing the criminals to justice isnt just a responsibility of the Brotherhood alone. Those parties that are conducting fair investigations and that have produced clear reports on the subject such as Human Rights Watch have called out Egyptian officials by name. These reports must be placed in the hands of the international community to ensure that justice is done. The evidence is not hidden. It is not just either to compare the capabilities of a nation including both the Brotherhood and those outside it with a regime employing organs of state, external bodies and embassies all over the world, possessed of support from many agencies and massive funds from regional players that have spend unimaginable sums on lobbying. The tools at their disposal simply the tools of state simply cannot be compared what is available to peoples, especially if these states enjoy massive support, as the Egyptian regime does. The information available in the first draft of the European Parliaments resolutions was the fruit of intensive labor. But they never called upon them until [they needed redress for] the wrongs perpetrated in the case of Giulio Regeni. This reflects the deep injustice built into the international community. We will not soon forget that the [threat of a] lawsuit in Britain had an impact in preventing 43 Egyptian officials from traveling with Sisi in his latest visit to Britain. It is wrong for you to compare [a regime with] the capabilities of a state to the capabilities of a defenseless people being killed and jailed day in and day out, and with a limited number of political representatives scattered all over the world and in Egypt hounded and persecuted. Despite that, the movement continues. Al-Monitor: You have been accused of establishing a "cartoon parliament" abroad, prompting people to wonder about its role. Darrag: The truth is that diplomatic work abroad is a long-term affair, one that is unlikely to bear fruit in the near term. By way of example, members of the European Parliament so that they would have a complete picture of the Egyptian reality had frequent meetings with their [Egyptian] counterparts, engaging in many discussions and debates in an attempt to convince to adopt a [particular] position at the right moment. This is an ongoing effort and it requires the right circumstances to bear fruit. Also, when the speaker of the German parliament refused to have a meeting with Sisi, this was based upon a suggestion from existing members of parliament. All of this was the result of efforts made by [now] former parliamentarians, and it was work that they did well work in which they were experienced. Therefore I believe while the rules concerning parliament can sometimes be arbitrary nevertheless that does not at all negate the existence of some negatives in their performance. Still none of them were deficient and no one sold out the cause [to benefit] his private life. Al-Monitor: What was the extent of the rapprochement between the Brotherhood and Saudi Arabia after the arrival of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud? What is the main difference between him and his predecessor, King Abdullah? Darrag: There was a perception and belief on the Saudi side especially with King Abdullah that the experiment of moderate political Islam, if it were successful, would constitute a threat to the different model that governs in the Gulf states. However hard the Islamists tried to convince them that this was not correct, [it made no impact]. The revolutions of the Arab Spring arose as a result of despotic factors within these countries, but Saudi Arabia and the Emirates chose to spend tens of billions of dollars in supporting the coup. When King Salman arrived, we saw at first a relative decline in the level of support for the regime. It diminished greatly compared with what it had been previously during the reign of his predecessor King Abdullah. But naturally this did not mean a full about-face into supporting the Arab Spring and the Brotherhood. Its what drove us to the conviction that there is a difference in position between the current and former kings. We had hoped that [Saudi policy] would be premised upon neutral logic that answered the ambitions of the peoples [of the region] and not simply support a brutal putschist regime. After all, this also undermined the stature and image of the kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] in many parts of the Islamic world. Unfortunately, King Salmans recent visit to Egypt and the heavy political and economic support he provided to the Sisi regime came as a great disappointment to many who had banked on a change in the kingdoms position. Al-Monitor: Why havent we seen any reflection [of this], or an attempt on the part of the Brotherhood to benefit from this position in solving the Egyptian difficulty? Darrag: Saudi Arabia has a defined view regarding the importance of Egyptian security and stability. The Saudis are always proclaiming that this can only be achieved through the rule of the Egyptian army. Even now the kingdom continues to support the coup. But I believe, as an analytical matter, that this might change if it became clear to them that the regime now in existence had slipped into terminal failure and that its failure might lead to a state of instability with the potential to drive Egypt into the unknown. Foreign and regional organizations adamantly do not want this. Saudi Arabia might have a problem with Sisi as an individual, but they remain wedded to the army that has the ultimate authority and is a guarantor of Egyptian security and stability. Al-Monitor: To what extent is there a back-channel or line of communication between the Saudi regime and the Brotherhood? Darrag: Regarding the initiatives, the truth is that there are many who have volunteered to try and propose an initiative such as Sheikh [Rashid] al-Ghannouchi and others. But in the end nothing practical comes of out of these initiatives and none of these calls are heeded in Saudi Arabia. The Brotherhood are not the ones who rejected mediation, and they are part of the people who are trying to make their voice heard through every available means. [Nevertheless] we are truly interested in having a balanced relationship with Saudi Arabia. Al-Monitor: Given that, are there channels of communication to the new leaders in Saudi Arabia? Darrag: There is nothing direct, but there are many occasions when we meet some Saudi academics or media figures and express our positions clearly. Al-Monitor: What is the nature of these messages? Darrag: That we dont interfere in the internal affairs of any friendly country, and that all we are striving for is to regain our freedom and our democracy, the release of our prisoners and a halt to [Saudi] support for the current regime. We believe that this would be in the kingdoms strategic interest, to stand shoulder to shoulder with the peoples of the region and their choices, especially given the severe threats that they face. We believe Saudi interests [in combating these threats] overlap with those of the [regions] peoples particularly the Islamic ones whether it be [regarding threats like] Iran in Yemen and Syria or terrorist groups like the Islamic State. Al-Monitor: What is the Brotherhoods current relationship with Hamas? How does the Brotherhood view Hamas? Darrag: Hamas is a national liberation movement with an Islamic ideological core. It has its particularities as an institution or a movement working solely to liberate its lands. Any individuals ties with Hamas must be viewed in this light. Many governments around the world have dealt with Hamas just as they have dealt with Fatah and all the other factions that generally serve as the address for their work in liberating land from the occupation. Al-Monitor: But does their relationship with you negatively influence your relationship with the Egyptian regime? Darrag: These are ridiculous, unfounded accusations with no basis in fact whatsoever. Hamas is not hostile to the Egyptian regime; the Egyptian regime is hostile to Hamas. Hamas understands that it must have a relationship in one way or another with whatever regime governs Egypt. The latest negotiations between Hamas and Fatah that took place in Doha caused the Egyptian regime to understand that it had lost its position as the arbiter of Palestinian reconciliation and that this was not in its interest. Thereafter, the Egyptian mukhabarat [intelligence] began to get closer to Hamas and invited a high-ranking delegation to visit Egypt. We were surprised, after that invitation, when the interior minister charged Hamas with responsibility for the assassination of the prosecutor general. A few days after that a high-ranking Hamas delegation arrived and entered through the Rafah crossing to meet with the head of the mukhabarat. This showed everyone that these accusations are not serious and that some organs of state that understand the nature of Egyptian national security paid them no heed. Moreover, there are very important interests [binding] the Egyptian and Palestinian peoples that must be safeguarded. And by the way, this event showed the precise extent of frustration and lack of coordination between the different wings of the Egyptian regime, casting doubt over who truly rules Egypt. Al-Monitor: How do you evaluate the Brotherhoods relationship with violence after all the accusations and indications, particularly over the last year and a half, with the rising tenor of accusations directed against the Brotherhood employing violence of every degree of severity. Darrag: The Brotherhood has never adopted any policies calling for the use of violence, terrorism or militarization. We as an organization believe that the militarization of the revolution would bring many horrors upon the peoples of the region, and would leave the door wide open to foreign intervention. In addition this is against the Brotherhoods principles regarding the proper avenues of change. Everyone knows the size of the Brotherhood in Egypt. Even with thousands of our members in detention, there are still vast numbers of Brotherhoods and their supporters [roaming free]. If there was any intention or directive to use violence, the country would have been destroyed a long time ago. And if the Brotherhood had adopted a program of violence or of calling for violence, everyone knows the size of the Brotherhood in Egypt and what that would entail for the spread of violence. What I always say in forums abroad is that one must salute the Brotherhood and feel gratitude to it for not slipping into violent or terrorist practices, despite the forms of repression that the regime has directed against it over the last 2 years. The regime has behaved in this way in an attempt to drive people into adopting terrorist tactics in a bid to prolong its own life by presenting itself as fighting a war against terrorism; in effect it seeks to manufacture terrorism. Despite this, the Brotherhood has remained firmly and clearly on the peaceful path to revolution. For this, it deserves praise. Al-Monitor: What about certain acts of violence attributed to some of the young people? Darrag: There are a few acts of violence that have been undertaken by some of the young people, and thats to be expected. How could it be otherwise that after 2 years the vast majority of young people remain as resolute after they and their loved ones were subjected to such a volume of killings, injuries, arrests, rapes and massacres like the one at Rabia and whats happening to the inhabitants of the Sinai Peninsula and elsewhere? Should we really expect that not a single one of them would carry out some random operations for the sake of vengeance? This is not to excuse violence or terrorism, but if the Brotherhood had not handled itself [in a peaceful manner] this violence would have risen to even bloodier forms. Al-Monitor: You are accused of assassinating the prosecutor general? Darrag: This accusation was directed at three groups before, all by the same party, and every time it said, "Weve got the group responsible for the assassination and eliminated it." When they killed 12 leaders in October City last summer, they said that they had avenged the prosecutor general. And after that when they killed three young men in al-Maadi, they said that they were the ones whod killed the prosecutor general, and now also they direct the same accusation to individuals whove been detained in order to claim that the Brotherhood was the one responsible for killing the prosecutor general. And they claim that Hamas was involved [even while] the head of the mukhabarat invites a high-ranking delegation from Hamas. Its clear that they have no credibility; even the international media has nothing but mockery for these accusations. Al-Monitor: There are some groups within the Brotherhood that have actually formed what they refer to as the Qualitative Committees. Could you perhaps explain the extent of its organizational involvement with the Brotherhood at the level of financing and encouragement? Darrag: It isnt the Brotherhood alone to have been harmed by the regimes campaign of repression broad swaths of the Egyptian people have. As for those who participated in the peaceful movement in Egypt, at most 30% are from the Brotherhood, according to most estimates. Groups that engage in such operations in a systematic way in other parts of the world generally are driven by specific goals and announce their demands with every operation. The Brotherhood has not and will not do this. Instead what happens is that [the group] no longer has the same control over some individuals as it once did, as Brotherhood leaders of the first, [second] and third ranks are mostly in prison. Those who are advanced to leadership positions [to replace them] cannot effectively communicate with the lower ranks and naturally some portion of Brotherhood youths are able to involve themselves along with others in minor operations such as setting police cars on fire or throwing Molotov cocktails. These are all matters that cannot be ascribed to the Brotherhood and that the organization has not adopted. Allow me to propose an important note that should reveal the dangerous impact of repression in Egypt: Most of those recently detained are 17- or 18-year-olds, meaning that when the revolution broke out they were 12 or 13. This means that the oppressive climate and harassment by the security forces have shattered families and helped to cultivate a [political] awareness among the very young something that has made it very difficult to control some of the lower ranks in this climate. The Brotherhood does not adopt violence in a systematic manner. It is not organizationally involved with any group that does adopt violence, not through [indirect] support and not in any way whatsoever. On the contrary, you can see for yourself that they have committed to the peaceful path of the revolution, and all their formations and directives show as much. Al-Monitor: But there are statements from some Brotherhood cadres to the contrary and we have seen that some public facilities have been targeted as a means of discomfiting the regime. Darrag: Individual statements cannot speak for groups and movements; only official statements can do that. There are many declarations that have been poorly understood, whether theyve come from a person with a leadership position or not. But in the final analysis the leaders with senior organizational positions have been clear on the subject of violence. Al-Monitor: What is the understanding of revolutionary behavior in the Brotherhood? How can we understand the slogan that "anything without violence is peaceful"? Darrag: This slogan does not speak for the Brotherhood. But the young people who feel oppressed come out with statements or more accurately, slogans like this. But at the end of the day, it comes down to individuals. If the Brotherhoods critics believe that the words of the [supreme] guide that our peacefulness is stronger than bullets are purely for media consumption, then why dont they deal with these other slogans by the same standard? The revolutionary path does not offset the peaceful approach, but rather the slow, gradualist, long-term reformist path that had been the Brotherhoods program before the January revolution. As for the revolutionary program, it grew out of the Arab Spring, in an attempt to generate a radical change in a short space of time, and to do so decisively through bold but peaceful civil activism. Our definition of the revolutionary program is a rejection of this regime and a refusal to recognize its legitimacy or its long-term durability. We will strive to remove it by the same means that many other peoples have tried, primarily nonviolent civil activism and refraining from cooperating with it from inside as a [loyal] opposition. I wish to clarify that the revolutionary deed in and of itself depends on not leaving any room for systematic violence. The peoples choice and that of the revolutionaries was to topple the corrupt, oppressive regime and military rule. But the dictatorial regime is trying to equate these noble goals with violence and terrorism. Therefore I say with the utmost clarity that we will not abandon the revolution, or working to change the regime of tyranny, corruption and military rule. Nor will we live in fear of fraudulent, lying propaganda that constantly seeks to paint despotism and subjugation in flattering colors, while slandering the revolution and the revolutionaries. Al-Monitor: Whats your view on what the armed movements in Sinai are doing, particularly when the regime connects them to you? Darrag: Generally the adoption of violence in order to achieve political goals is something that the Brotherhood categorically rejects. The truth is that many of the violent organizations have put the Brotherhood at the head of their lists of enemies. On the one hand, those organizations charge the Brotherhood with responsibility for having accepted the principle of participation in the democratic process years ago. On the other, we must be specific about who is responsible for creating this climate in Sinai. The spread of lethal operations, destruction, forced expulsions and the exclusive reliance upon handling the locals by military and security means, the absence of any economic development, all this has created a tumultuous climate that inevitably leads to the rise of armed and violent operations. Al-Monitor: How do you view the spread of those organizations in Sinai? Darrag: In Sinai, the regimes repressive military tactics are not directed at those organizations but against the people of Sinai, starting with forced expulsion and arbitrary detention, as well as random killing. This has caused the people to feel as though they are not living in their own country and these groups have been stoking those frustrations. They found a popular base among some of those who have been oppressed by the regime not out of sympathy with their ideology but out of the conviction that this was the way to protect themselves and avenge their losses and their prisoners, both of which were borne out of the regimes repressive tactics. This is what has helped these organizations to spread throughout Sinai and the western desert, and its an extremely dangerous matter and a likely candidate for escalation. The situation was not like this nor anywhere near as dangerous before the military coup of July 2013. Al-Monitor: Is there any possibility that the Brotherhood will concede on its demand that Morsi return to rule, especially after the world has recognized Sisi as president? Darrag: Even if the entire world recognized Sisi, this still would not give him legitimacy. But Morsi is not considered the president by the Brotherhood alone; rather, he was elected president with 52% of the votes of the Egyptian people. That is a far larger percentage of the population than can be accounted for by the Brotherhood. Moreover he came to power through a democratic choice, one in which even his detractors participated. Al-Monitor: Why dont you accept the fait accompli? Isnt that a natural part of politics? Darrag: Our position is one of principle; it doesnt depend on who the president is or [the interests of] the Brotherhood. Its about supporting [electoral] legitimacy and defending democratic choice in Egypt and even outside Egypt. Accepting [Morsis ouster] as a fait accompli would be the greatest possible mistake we could make. We are striving [to prevent] the imposition of a model that would harm the democratic process in Egypt and in the world more generally. As for political matters, and what [would] happen in the transitional phase after the coup is removed, thats a political discussion that might be discussed through the options that will be proposed, in accordance with the popular will and that President Morsi must be a part of. We are of course speaking about all this [in the hypothetical scenario] after the coup is broken, legitimacy is restored and Morsi has returned to office. Al-Monitor: What if the regime executes Morsi or sentences him to life in prison? Darrag: If Morsi were to fall victim to misfortune whether by an act of the regime, the judiciary or an act of God this would not change the fact that he is the countrys legitimate president in the least. His presence or absence would not settle the question and the regime understands this. Therefore they will not pursue any policy against Morsi or his personal well-being, because they fear the popular reaction. Morsi being sentenced to many years in prison would in no way prevent Morsi from leaving [prison] and assuming [power]. This is what happened with Nelson Mandela after nearly 30 years in prison. The struggle of the peoples and the struggle of leaders is a classic thing in the annals of global revolution and Morsis cause is the worlds cause. Al-Monitor: What if Sisi were to depart tomorrow? How would the Brotherhood react? Darrag: The coup regime has put a great deal of weight on Sisi in [seeking to shore up] support for the coup. It has said that this man has a great deal of popularity, that he is the main card the putchist regime has, just as President Morsi is the main card against it. Despite the fact that this subject does not turn on Sisi alone, nevertheless his fall would constitute a major advance for the revolutionary movement. Naturally the revolution does not stand or fall with the fortunes of Sisi the man. This isnt just about who heads the regime, though without a doubt the head of the regime is a cornerstone of the regimes stability. The current revolution would consider Sisis fall the first step on the path to achieving the aims of the Egyptian revolution. Sisis fall might entail the collapse of the regime as a whole, or it might bring about an even worse situation, and perhaps a civilian leader unacceptable to the people [might be put in charge]. The circumstances and balances [of power] at the time could impose a great many scenarios. Al-Monitor: Have there been any offers from the regime to restore [the Brotherhood] to the public square in exchange for recognizing the regime? Darrag: We cannot work through this illegitimate military regime. More to the point, there have been no offers from the regime to recognize it and it is clear that this regime is embarked on a zero-sum game and wants to eliminate the Brotherhood, all of its competitors and anyone affiliated with the January revolution. Al-Monitor: But there have been many offers that the regime discusses having offered to you. And then there are the reports of meetings between you both. Darrag: All of these things are not serious. One time we hear that there is a public figure like Ahmad Kamal Abu al-Majid bearing a message from the regime. Another time we hear that figures from the Sufi movement or Al-Ashraf come bearing a "mutual understanding" initiative. But none of these [reports] have any foundation. We have not negotiated with the regime over anything for as I said it is waging a zero-sum battle. Al-Monitor: You have been accused of continuing the movement purely out of obstinacy, with some saying that the Brotherhood must announce its withdrawal from political life in order to secure the release of its detainees and an end to the death sentences. Darrag: Right now there is no room for political life for us to withdraw from in the first place. Even those other political forces that aided the regime during the coup have no place [in public life]. We believe from many experiments in other countries how individual initiatives like a mother of a detainee standing in the street or an individual protesting in parliament have turned into a massive revolution that brought down a regime. Individual initiatives and the current movement must continue, because the ongoing, vocal repudiation of this regime will eventually cause a large number of people to fuse into a hard core on the ground. We have seen the signs and harbingers of this in the popular movement, which broke out on April 15 and April 25. Its causes are likely to escalate, and the peoples will is certain to prevail at the end of the day. Al-Monitor: But why do you force people to participate? Darrag: No one is forcing anyone to participate. If we look at the movement we find people who never used to participate and others who did. No one can force a neophyte to protest, just as no one can force the veteran activist to stop protesting. The current movement belongs to the people. No one can tell the people to stop, and even if no one was called out to protest, they would come out anyway, for the people are fired up over their movement. Al-Monitor: But we hear that there is incitement from abroad to continue the movement and incite demonstrations despite the plight of the detainees and the harsh circumstances of those being pursued by the state. Darrag: Those who are abroad are not directing any call to anyone to participate or to come out [to protest], nor do we determine what activities they should undertake. All of this is decided by those who are on the ground inside Egypt themselves. We dont know peoples precise circumstances, so the movement is local and internal. Therefore youll find governorates where there is a large movement, others where it is small and still others were it is nonexistent. The question depends on the people who are located on the ground. Those who bear responsibility for what [misfortunes] befall the people are the ones who are putting people in prison, expelling them and killing them. Al-Monitor: Are you satisfied with the conduct of the Muslim Brotherhood abroad? Darrag: No one would claim that the role being played by those abroad is an ideal one. All those institutions and work located abroad were established under extraordinary circumstances, without prior experience in working within a diaspora, and by intensive personal effort in an extremely complicated regional environment. Moreover, there were many mistakes as a result of this effort, but without a doubt the political performance [of the Brotherhood] abroad has improved. It has produced studies [and held] in-depth discussions. This is generating accumulating achievements whose impact will become clear at the appropriate time. Al-Monitor: How does the Brotherhood view the Egyptian opposition, what is their position toward the latter and how do they coordinate their positions in confronting a regime that both parties believe is dictatorial? Darrag: I dont prefer to call any movement that doesnt recognize the legitimacy of the current regime "opposition," for the opposition is part of the regime. Part of any regimes legitimacy derives from the presence of an opposition. Al-Monitor: Do you agree that trust has been lost between the Brotherhood and others who repudiate the regime? Darrag: In fact there has been some trust lost between the two sides, because each side has accused the other of bearing responsibility for the presence of the military and their entering with such force into political life. But this will diminish with time as a result of the repressive tactics of the regime toward both sides, in addition to [the armys] failure to govern the country. Sooner or later, all parties will direct their efforts together, and they will agree on toppling this regime. We have seen the early warning signs of this in the April 25 movement of this year. We in the Brotherhood must prepare to clearly cooperate with everyone, and this is what we have announced at every opportunity. We are working hard to extend our hand to cooperate with all. The truth is that we must seize the opportunity, for the current regime has proven itself to be a manifest failure in shouldering its social, security, economic and political duties, and discontent with it is on the rise. Conflict between its various wings are on the rise as well and are coming out into the open every day. Every day the regime continues bringing new harm to the future of the country and its stability and that damage is extensive. Al-Monitor: What is the Brotherhoods view of the armys role in the governing regime? Darrag: The army protects Egypt and its stability by carrying out its proper, defined role in defending the country and its national security, not in political positions, in governing, in the public square or interfering in the economy. Al-Monitor: You are one of the representatives of the movement that has called for change. What is the essence of your view? Darrag: Our vision stems from the [fact that the] way in which the Brotherhood was managed was geared toward the period before the revolution. But now the Brotherhood must be more transparent and open to society. For everything to be handled in an institutional manner, all of the current leaders must be elected and speak on behalf of all the members. If young people comprise a large share of the organization, they must be represented at the level of the leadership and in decision-making. Similarly women must also have a space in the leadership. All of these changes must transform into institutional reality and in regulations [governing the group]. We seek to build complete confidence among all leaders in the importance of listening to the rank and file, and of representing them in governing the affairs of the Brotherhood before the world. And all the while maintaining the separation of particular institutions that work within the Brotherhood and maintaining accountability for past mistakes. This will help clear the air and many of the accusations directed against the Brotherhood. Al-Monitor: Who has been leading the Brotherhood since the coup? What is the role of the supreme guides office at this point? Darrag: Since the coup the Brotherhood has twice formed a supreme administrative committee to occupy the place of the Guidance Office. Therefore on a temporary basis until the election of a new office of the guide and a new Shura Council work continues through the current agencies through the supreme administrative committee that manages the brotherhoods affairs and that brings together all the proposals for preparing bylaws and electing a new Shura Council. We want the decision-making authority to be vested in the Guidance Office under the supervision of the general Shura Council but unfortunately this is not feasible at present. The alternative is the election of a Shura Council and Office of Guidance that will contain a sufficient quorum of members. Al-Monitor: Where is [Brotherhood leader] Mahmoud Izzat? Darrag: I am reluctant to answer that question. Al-Monitor: As one of the supporters of the change trend, do you think a split among the Brotherhoods members might occur? Darrag: We are talking about the process of retooling and restructuring from inside the group. We are not calling for a process of splitting up the group. We dont ask anyone to resign, but we are firmly resolved that we will reform the Brotherhood from within. Whoever takes on this responsibility should have the ability to change and should be entitled to bring about this change. Al-Monitor: What is your view of the recent proposed initiative by the Ten Administrative Offices and the subsequent decisions of the Shura Council as announced by Dr. Mahmoud Izzat on April 2? Darrag: There are many initiatives and attempts at bridging the gap coming from various sides. The most recent of these was the Ten Offices Initiative. All of these initiatives might have opened up roads wide enough to bridge the gap and minimize the schism, but unfortunately the decisions that have been announced by Dr. Izzat recently were a shock to many in the rank and file, whether because he was the one to take these decisions or because of their content. He cannot solve ideological disputes or clashes of opinion with an administrative decision. This unfortunately only deepens the chasm and increases the likelihood of a split. But in my view this will not occur, the Brotherhood will emerge stronger, larger and more capable of confronting the challenges faced by our country, with the aid of all honorable people in this nation. May 23, 2016 The Syrian crisis has seen many players, consultations and initiatives, but all have led to more airstrikes and civilian victims, as if the negotiations were not meant to achieve peace, but to confirm everyones willingness to continue fighting. The bellicose military players in Syria include the regime, its opposition, the Islamic State (IS), Jabhat al-Nusra, Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and the US-led international coalition. Other countries participate most prominently Turkey. Amid all these voices, countries with pivotal roles to play, such as Egypt, face difficulties espousing a clear view and adopting a definitive position on the crisis. The aforementioned chaos contributed to the difficult birth of the Geneva III negotiations to solve the Syrian crisis. The negotiations were postponed more than once, from February to April, as some factions of the Syrian opposition suspended their participation, while United Nations envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura unsuccessfully tried to convince them to attend. Subsequently, following the failure of the first round of Geneva III negotiations that began on April 22, the truce, which went into effect in February in Aleppo between regime and opposition forces, collapsed with a series of attacks by unknown factions that Human Rights Watch believed to be Syrian regime forces and armed opposition fighters. The attacks left 89 people dead and 135 wounded, not including more than 50 people who died in the shelling of the Aleppo hospital. Egypt restricted its reaction to the failures, addressing only the UN Security Council, where its UN ambassador, Amr Abu Atta, called for an end to what he described as the reluctance of countries to confront terrorism, [Jabhat al-Nusra] and their allies in Syria. He said Jabhat al-Nusra had exploited the cease-fire to expand its control over Aleppo territories where battles were waged between regime forces and armed factions. Based on an Egyptian proposal, the Security Council adopted an official press statement May 12 expressing outrage at all recent attacks in Syria directed against civilians and civilian objects including medical facilities. The council did not, however, mention any specific steps that international coalition countries pledged to take to combat Jabhat al-Nusra and IS in Syria despite Abu Attas statement about the reluctance of some countries. Based on the above, it would seem that the Egyptian leadership exaggerated the reluctance of some countries, or perhaps actually sensed some real reluctance but did not expect its statement or role in the Security Council to have any effect on the actions of those countries. Egypt may have seen the statement only as an expression of deep regret for the plight of civilians in the hopes of garnering support from the Syrian public for any future Egyptian participation in military operations against terrorism. It also might have hoped to gain support for any diplomatic efforts it might undertake to convince countries not to interfere. Bahaa el-Maghawry, former political science professor at Cairo University, agreed with this analysis. Speaking to Al-Monitor, he said, Naturally, there is reluctance on the part of some countries. The Russian airstrikes that began in September 2015 have had an unmistakable impact on [IS] and [Jabhat] al-Nusra and are testament to the fact that countries of the international coalition have been significantly sluggish in executing strikes of this magnitude, particularly considering that among key coalition members are countries such as Turkey and Qatar, known for their past support for [IS]. Through the statement, Egypt tried to gain Syrian support and express a clear stance regarding the plight of civilians in Syria. However, I do not expect Egypt to intervene militarily, but to content itself with convincing certain countries, such as Russia, of the need to soldier on, while giving support by providing them with available intelligence information, or convincing other countries to refrain from certain types of military intervention, as it did with Saudi Arabia with said diplomatic efforts hinging on the interests that Egypt shares with some countries. When asked why he ruled out military intervention, Maghawry said, Egypt is not an ally of [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assads regime, and any military intervention, even if only by air, would thrust Egypt into a confrontation and maybe even direct clashes with opposition factions. Any real attempt at combating terrorism represented by [IS] and [Jabhat] al-Nusra would be impossible to achieve without causing casualties among Syrian opposition forces. The Russian Foreign Ministry said April 25 that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized to his American counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry the need to have Syrian opposition forces withdraw from IS areas and block reinforcement avenues to extremist factions. In a May 17 statement, the Syrian Support Group which includes Lavrov and Kerry, as well as UN envoy de Mistura called on Syrias opposition to renounce IS and Jabhat al-Nusra. Lavrov noted that some factions that had previously been part of the truce later agreed, with Jabhat al-Nusra, to execute military operations in a clear breach of the truce. It is unlikely that Egypt will adopt a clear position on the Syrian crisis by backing Assad or the opposition, either politically, diplomatically or militarily, particularly in light of the overlap in territories controlled and some policies between some opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Thus, Egyptian support for Assad or the opposition would be detrimental to its interests for two reasons. First, Egyptian support for Assad means supporting Iranian interests in Syria, among them the project to export Iranian gas to Europe through Syria once international sanctions are lifted, pursuant to the July 2015 nuclear agreement. These interests fall contrary to Egyptian ambitions to export gas to Europe, in light of the gas reserve discoveries to be announced once maritime border demarcation agreements are concluded with Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Greece and other countries. Second, any support to the opposition, on any level, even political, would be construed as a push to remove Assad, an Alawite Muslim. That could lead to the disintegration of the Syrian Army, in which three-fourths of officers are Alawite, according to research published in December 2014 by Londons Al-Hayat newspaper. Also, most opposition leadership figures are Sunni or belong to other sectarian minorities. If the Syrian Army collapses, its weapons could be seized by IS or Jabhat al-Nusra, presenting a threat to Egypt and the whole region, as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated in a September interview with CNN. May 23, 2016 When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tehran on May 22, he tweeted in Persian to his 20 million plus followers, I have entered Iran, a country with which we have civilizational bonds. I am hopeful that we can strengthen the economic cooperation between our two countries. During his Iran trip, Modi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani signed agreements that not only would strengthen economic ties but also could reshape the economies of the region. The most important agreement signed between the countries pertains to developing Irans Chabahar port in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman. While the idea of developing Chabahar into a regional trading hub began in the 1970s, the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the Iran-Iraq War and later international sanctions against Irans nuclear program stalled the program. The development of the port paves the way for another important agreement: the trilateral transit agreement between Iran, Afghanistan and India. The transit agreement will open a route to the landlocked cities of Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif in Afghanistan, allowing India to bypass its rival, Pakistan. Rouhani said that the transit agreement could one day turn Chabahar into the connection point of various countries, including India, Afghanistan, and countries in Central Asia, the Caucuses and Eastern Europe. India looks to Iran as its gates to Afghanistan and Central Asia, wrote Mohsen Jalalpour, chairman of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture, in the Iran newspaper May 23. According to Jalalpour, Indias transportation costs to Afghanistan and Central Asia would be reduced by 30%. The Chabahar port also would be beneficial to India because it would put that country in a position to compete with Chinas investments in Pakistans Gwadar port. Jalalpour wrote that in the short term, the transit agreement would decrease the costs of Irans exports to Central Asia, and in the long term the Chabahar port could compete with the ports in the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. After the signing of the agreement, Rouhani told reporters that May 23 was an important and historical day for relations between the three countries. He said the agreement was a message to other countries in the region that the path to progress in the region is with cooperation and using regional opportunities. Rouhani added that the door is open for other countries to sign on to the trilateral agreement in the future. The second focus of Modis trip to India would be energy, according to Jalalpour. He believes that with an economy growing at 7% and a population of 1.2 billion, Iran has the potential to provide a large part of [Indias] energy needs. At the moment Iran exports 400,000 barrels of oil a day to India, but with Indias investments in Irans energy sector, this number will increase, wrote Jalalpour. India owed Iran $6.4 billion for crude oil exports that it was unable to pay due to international sanctions on the country. According to sources in India, a portion of this was paid before Modis trip. After Irans and Pakistans long-anticipated Peace Pipeline to transfer Iranian gas to Pakistan has been delayed for various reasons, Indias plan to transfer gas via the sea has been proposed as an alternative. Jalalpour wrote that while technology has not yet allowed this, negotiations have begun. Jalalpour concluded by saying that most estimates indicate that by 2030, India will have the third-largest economy in the world and that Iran must have a strategic outlook with respect to relations with India. In total, Iran and India signed 12 agreements. Vikas Swarup, Indias spokesperson for external affairs, tweeted an infographic highlighting the key points of the agreements. In addition to increasing economic ties, the two countries also agreed to expand cultural ties through their cultural ministries. During a press conference with Modi, Rouhani also said that Iran and India will expand political and intelligence cooperation in order to combat terrorism. He did not elaborate how. May 23, 2016 Iraqi security forces have launched Operation Break Terrorism in collaboration with the Shiite-dominated Popular Mobilization Units and local Sunni tribal mobilization forces to drive the Islamic State (IS) from the key town of Fallujah, the last major IS stronghold in western Anbar province. Fallujah, long a bastion of anti-government insurgent groups, was one of the first areas in Iraq to fall to IS and its allies in January 2014, months before the group overran Mosul and other Sunni-dominated parts of the country. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered the launch of the operation in the early hours of May 23, saying, "There is no option for Daesh [IS] except to flee," referring to the group by its common Arabic acronym. The operation was launched from the southeast, southwest, northwest and northern flanks of Fallujah, according to Karim al-Nuri, a spokesman for the mobilization units who spoke to Al-Monitor via phone from the Karmah area to the southeast of Fallujah, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Baghdad. "Their [IS] resistance has not been as heavy as we have been expecting," said Nuri. "They have been relying on vehicle-borne suicide attacks, planted bombs and snipers so far." IS supporters' accounts on Twitter circulated what appeared to be an official announcement from IS' Fallujah Wilaya, which claimed that 16 Iraqi forces were killed in a suicide car bomb attack east of Fallujah. Nuri said that over 10,000 mobilization unit forces have been taking "an active part in the battle," adding that his forces are cooperating with Iraqi security forces as well as tribal Sunni fighters. The Shiite paramilitaries have surrounded Fallujah since last summer. The US-led coalition also carried out seven airstrikes in the Fallujah area between May 14 and May 20 in preparation for the assault. US forces are currently involved in Operation Break Terrorism by advising Iraqi forces. But Col. Steve Warren, the US military spokesman in Baghdad, has told Fox News that the US-led coalition is not going to "drop bombs in support of the Shiite militias" who are based on the outskirts of Fallujah. The United States has been worried about the involvement of Shiite paramilitaries in offensives in Sunni areas because those forces are largely supported by Iran. According to Warren, between 500 and 1,000 IS fighters are believed to have remained inside Fallujah. No figures have been released by Iraqi authorities about the overall number of forces taking part in the battle of Fallujah, but some Iraqi news outlets have pointed out that as many as 20,000 federal police units have also joined the operation. Iraqi forces appear to have made some progress. Local media reported that Iraqi forces killed Abu Hamza, IS governor of Fallujah, and another senior leader known as Abu Amr al-Ansari on May 23. Gen. Abdulwahab al-Saedi, the commander of the Fallujah operation, said May 23 that IS forces have fled the battlefield in the Karmah and Saqlawiyah areas in the eastern and northern sides of Fallujah. Saedi also told Iraqi news media that Iraqi forces had taken the district of Karmah, 13 kilometers (8 miles) east of Fallujah on the first day of the operation. The attack on Fallujah by Iraqi forces came after an important victory in the nearby town of Rutba in Anbar on May 19. In December, Iraqi forces also recaptured Anbar's provincial capital, Ramadi, from IS. Fallujah is now the last major urban center in Anbar still under the control of IS jihadis. "Taking Fallujah will be a big blow to IS," Ahmed Ali, a senior fellow at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani's Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS), told Al-Monitor. "Strategically, [the success of this operation will mean] IS will not be as close to Baghdad as now, as Fallujah is the strongest IS-controlled point to Baghdad," he said. But pushing IS out of Fallujah will not mean the end of IS in Anbar province, which occupies around one-third of Iraq's area. Ali believes the extremist group will most likely relocate to the vast deserts of Anbar, "which will be very difficult to control." Prior to the launch of the operation, the Iraqi military called on Fallujah's residents to evacuate the town. A day before the offensive, the town's mayor had told the official Iraqi news agency, NINA, that over 50,000 civilians were still trapped inside the town. An important element of the Fallujah operation is the relationship between the Shiite Popular Mobilization Units and the local Sunni forces. In the past, local Sunnis and rights groups accused the mobilization units of abusing Sunnis in areas such as Tikrit and Diyala. But Nuri said there is no reason for concern now. "We are fighting with [Sunni] tribal forces from the area and this is the biggest testament of the level of trust between us," Nuri said. Amid the political turmoil that has engulfed Iraq in recent months and culminated in attacks by angry protesters on Abadi's and parliament's offices, a victory in Fallujah will be a boost to the embattled prime minister, given the symbolic and strategic value of the town. "A battlefield victory will bolster Abadi's position and help him dictate the points of the political agenda in Iraq," said Ali. May 23, 2016 As Yisrael Beitenu Party Chairman Avigdor Liberman enters the Defense Ministry this week, his declarations regarding the Palestinians will be put to the test of reality. Liberman has previously argued that Israel must depose Hamas rule in Gaza and even made this a condition for Yisrael Beitenu joining the Netanyahu government after the last election in March 2015. On April 16, Liberman declared at a cultural event in Beersheba that if he were defense minister he would put a condition to senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh: You can hold me to my word, he told the interviewer. If I were defense minister, I would give Mr. Haniyeh 48 hours. Either return the bodies [of Israeli fallen soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul] and the citizens [Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayyad] or you die. With this militant declaration, Liberman proved that he totally doesnt understand the balance of power in Hamas, and he doesn't understand that Haniyeh, despite his senior status in the movement, is not able to stand up to its military wing. Hamas, by the way, recommended this week that Liberman study the Israeli State Comptrollers Report regarding the conduct of the government and the Israel Defense Forces during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. In the past, Liberman also didnt hesitate to declare what he thinks about the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its leader, President Mahmoud Abbas. Hes not a partner, and you cant trust him, Liberman said in 2015. As operational steps he suggested stopping the transfer of funds to the PA (customs revenues) and rescinding the VIP travel documents allowing senior PA officials to enter Israel. Israel tried three wars, killed thousands, destroyed entire neighborhoods, and this hasnt helped it depose Hamas, Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, said this week in an interview with Al-Monitor. If Liberman is thinking of continuing in this way, hell be surprised. According to Hamad, Liberman is an extreme person in all respects; he has no boundaries and doesnt think rationally. He thinks he can solve everything with force and believes that through the mighty force hell deploy, in words and actions, hell solve all problems. Its a mistake. Liberman failed in his role as foreign minister, and hell fail utterly in the Defense Ministry. He will only create additional tension in the region in general and in the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians in particular. Hes a person who doesnt believe in peace and doesnt believe in a diplomatic solution. Liberman wants to exert force not only against Hamas in Gaza but also against the Palestinian Authority, and that says everything about him. Hamad argued that people in Gaza are not scared of Liberman being named defense minister. People here in Gaza are really not scared of him, he emphasized. At the end of the day, hell be dependent on and limited by Israeli policy. A., a resident of Gaza and member of one of the aid organizations in Gaza, told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Gaza residents have already experienced three wars and have no fear of Liberman. The situation in the Gaza Strip is already about to explode, he said. People are at the height of economic stress, and dying in an Israeli bombing is not the thing that scares them. On the contrary, more and more people in Gaza think the only thing that would bring change and guarantee a better life is an explosion, whatever the price may be. Only in this way would you and other Israelis understand that Liberman doesnt scare us. For us, the situation couldnt be worse, he said. Hamas considers a military conflict with Israel in the near future a likely possibility. In their estimation, a conflict could break out because of an Israeli decision to attack Gaza in order to depose Hamas, as the new defense minister pronounces, or it could happen if Liberman decides to tighten the blockade on Gaza and thus draw the region into another bloody war. Gaza is usually described as a barrel of gunpowder. Now, perhaps more than ever, any tiny spark could set off an explosion. The PA has also followed the political developments in Israel with preparedness and bewilderment. Just as the Palestinian leadership has felt that Israels restraint in recent months and its security cooperation have led to a decrease in tension between the two sides and a cessation of the intifada, Liberman arrives at the Ministry of Defense. Officially the PA claims that Liberman cant really worsen Israeli policy. According to the PA, a radical right-wing government rules Israel, which doesnt believe in peace, which tries to destroy the two-state formula and which cultivates the settlements. So what other damage could Liberman do? Gen. Adnan al-Damiri, spokesman for the Palestinian security services, told Al-Monitor that Israelis and Palestinians, despite all of the obstacles, the hostility and the difficulties, have arrived at a period of relative quiet. Each side has understood how the other side works and understood their common interests, Damiri said. Israel learned and understood the limits of force. Now comes the bouncer, Liberman [reference to a job he held as a student], who doesnt understand a thing about the Palestinians and wants to break all the rules. What does he want, an intifada? I want to tell you and the Israelis something about my personal history, Damiri said. In 1988, I was in administrative detention [detained without being indicted] in the Ketziot Prison along with another 6,000 Palestinians. One day former Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin came and met with the leaders of the prisoners. He told us, Im prepared to give you a state, but not prepared to talk with [PLO leader] Yasser Arafat. You will be able to stand at the head of the Palestinian state that will be established and run it alongside Israel. What do you say? We refused. We said that we are all soldiers of Abu Ammar [Yasser Arafat]. After that, he [Rabin] went and reached an agreement with Abu Ammar. I say this now, too: We are all soldiers of Abbas. Whoever thinks that deposing him would create a better situation is making a serious mistake. Liberman should do some homework before he turns everything into a battlefield. May 20, 2016 On May 18, psychologist and drama therapist Zeina Daccache opened the doors of Roumieh prison to a restricted but curious audience that had come to see "Johar Up in the Air," a play performed by inmates. Focused on the mentally ill sentenced to life, the play challenges the way society looks at prisoners while allowing the incarcerated to express themselves and perhaps find some sense of liberation. Drama therapy, according to the North America Drama Therapy Association, "can provide the context for participants to tell their stories, set goals and solve problems, express feelings, or achieve catharsis." These are the points Daccache has stressed during 10 years of working at Roumieh. She offered theater to the inmates for the first time in 2009 with the play "12 Angry Lebanese." That was two years afters founding Catharsis, the first drama therapy center in Lebanon and the Arab world. "Johar Up in the Air" features a cast of 38 inmates sentenced to life who tell the stories of mentally ill inmates, who also have life sentences. The latter live in a separate building, the Blue Building, to which they are confined. "When I was doing therapy with mentally ill people in the prison, I showed images of them to inmates serving life terms, who became sensitized to their condition," Daccache said. "It was the first time they realized what a mental illness was, and they chose themselves to interpret one of these real-life stories. They have a lot of problems. To forget their problems like that and carry the weight of somebody else, it's a huge step. Others, like the 'commander' you saw in the play, chose to remain focused on their own story. He had the idea that if he were mentally ill, he would become this maniacal character, always in the clouds, who thinks he is back with his militia. It's a way to help yourself face your demons. It is one of the benefits of drama therapy." Over the course of two hours of dance, songs and performances before an audience, the inmates talk about the unknown and the locked away from society, while facing their fears and overcoming their condition. To work with people in a more personal way, some therapists turn to art therapy. Myra Saad, an art therapist and mental health counselor, talked to Al-Monitor about such therapy, which is "more related to the visual arts." "It is different from dance, music and theater because patients have a tangible product at the end of the sessions," Saad said. "The choice of material indicates where to go, along with the personal goal of the patient. For example, for people who have a problem expressing themselves, we tend to use more fluid material, like gouache, while with someone looking for structure, we will use collage or colored pencils. In drama therapy, you can create a situation and work it out. Art therapy means acting on something and then acting on yourself." Saad worked with Daccache in prisons around the time "12 Angry Lebanese" was being produced, which gave her access to a prison population. "They feel a lot of anger, suffer from low self-esteem and self-hate because of what they did, as well as a lack of empathy, especially those who have mental health issues. Working on imagination with other people in the same conditions can help them let go of their anger, love themselves more and find a balance between feeling responsible and forgiving what they did, while developing empathy toward others, seeing them as human beings." Whether those undergoing therapy want to break out of a pattern, be listened to or be productive, the ameliorating effect is real, Daccache asserted. "They feel human again, free. They can say anything without being judged. They start to trust themselves and each other, which is amazing, because real friendships can grow in this jungle that is prison," she said. Daccache's initiatives are not only concerned with the well-being of the inmates. She stated, "A performance enacted by prisoners in front of society at large, based on their own stories, could make a change in it, in society, and ultimately, in the policies toward prisoners." Therefore, in "12 Angry Lebanese," the focus is on Law 163 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which allows for reductions in sentences. "The law existed in 2002, but began to be applied in 2009, after then-Ministers of Justice [Ibrahim Najjar] and Interior Ziad Baroud saw the play," Daccache said. "With the current play ['Johar'], we hope to challenge Article 232 [and 234] of the Penal Code, which stipulates that mentally ill people should remain locked away until a cure for insanity is found, which condemns them to life!" Armed with a psychiatric study conducted in two Lebanese jails and a legal study comparing Lebanese legislation to other Arab and European countries, Daccache intends to lobby parliament for a law-related project on incarceration of the mentally ill. "We always invite ministers, judges, lawyers, members of parliament and journalists, who spread the message, and decision-makers to reflect on a situation," she explained. "The others who come are curious people, but we are not going to stop at this audience. Through a documentary, we are going to tour Lebanese schools, universities, clubs and events to spread awareness of the issue. Sometimes, people who see a play open NGOs to help on the ground, others offer yoga classes for example or donate money for a cause. It has a real effect on society." Proving Daccache's point, during the May 18 performance, a number of audience members cried, apparently moved by the reality of those imprisoned for life. Nothing appears to be being done on the political front to improve their condition, especially mentally ill inmates. The drama therapist pointed out, however, "At least, they have a psychiatric unit in Roumieh, the only one in Lebanese jails." At Roumieh, some 3,500 men share a building built for 1,000 people, with barely enough water, air conditioner, clothing, mattresses, blankets and sanitation for a dignified survival. The poor conditions led to riots in June 2015. Following the unrest, Lebanese authorities and the International Red Cross developed a plan to finance the upgrading of conditions. It is unclear whether conditions have actually improved. Editor's note: This article has been updated since its initial publication. May 23, 2016 Turkish female journalist Arzu Yildiz was this week sentenced to 20 months in prison for her reporting on alleged Turkish arms shipments to Syria, a highly controversial issue that has riled Ankara and landed both journalists and judicial officials in jail. The court, however, did not stop there, and stripped Yildiz also of her parental rights. While the imprisonment of journalists may have become commonplace in Turkey, now ranking 151st on the World Press Freedom Index, the restriction of Yildizs parental rights marks a new milestone in the extent the pressure on journalists has reached, affecting even their familial ties and social standing. Yildiz is an experienced journalist who, after working for various media outlets, was left jobless a couple of years ago. Together with other jobless colleagues, she co-founded the nonprofit Grihat news site, where her reporting on the trucks controversy led to her conviction. The story in question was related to the interception of Syria-bound trucks in the southern provinces of Hatay and Adana in January 2014. Acting on tip-offs, prosecutors had issued search warrants for the trucks. But when stopped by police and gendarmerie officers, the men in the vehicles identified themselves as members of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and resisted the searches. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed at the time the trucks carried humanitarian supplies, but few were convinced. All judicial officials and security forces involved in the attempted search are behind bars today. The Cumhuriyet dailys Editor-in-Chief Can Dundar and Ankara representative Erdem Gul also found themselves behind bars for their reports on the story. Though they were released three months later, they received jail terms for revealing state secrets earlier this month. Another journalist who covered the issue, Fatih Yagmur, remains on trial. Yildiz, for her part, faced several investigations for her coverage of the incident and ensuing developments. The report that earned her the 20-month sentence pertained to the testimonies of the prosecutors who were arrested for attempting the search. On top of the prison term, the court in the southern city of Tarsus banned Yildiz from using certain rights. In an interview with Al-Monitor, her lawyer, Alp Deger Tanriverdi, explained what the ruling means. Let me tell you the most significant part: The ruling strips Arzu Yildiz of her motherhood rights, he said. She can no longer register her kids to school, open bank accounts for them or do other similar things on their behalf. She cant even go abroad with them. Asked about the grounds on which the court made the decision, the lawyer said, The court was [actually] supposed to suspend the sentence because Yildiz had no other conviction before. That was her legal right. Yet the court arbitrarily went ahead on grounds she committed the crime willfully, which automatically brought the decision to strip her from her rights. The court could have withheld this decision as well. Such restrictions are based on the following logic: 'Youve committed a crime willfully, so you are guilty before society as well. Thus, you must not be allowed to have a [bad] influence on your children.' Such is the intention of the clause, yet the court applied it to Yildiz to humiliate her. In remarks to Al-Monitor, Yildiz also lamented the court had acted arbitrarily. I have two kids one 6 years old, the other only four months. I think the court made this decision deliberately, knowing that Im a mother of two simply to hurt me more, she said. My kids are my whole world. What else do I have? The court now says I cant claim any right on them, cant register them to school and cant travel abroad with them. What hurts even more is that a ban that the courts withhold [even] from child molesters and rapists is being imposed on a journalist. Yildiz believes the ruling essentially aims to denigrate and humiliate journalists before the public. Yet, she remains adamant on soldiering on. I covered the MIT trucks investigation from beginning to end. In the meantime, I gave birth [to my second child] and left my baby home when she was only 20 days old to go watch the hearings in this case, she said. I did this without having any financial support. The story in question was published on Grihat, which we had launched without any financial considerations. With this ruling, the court is trying to prevent me from doing journalism but it wont succeed. The restriction on Yildizs parental rights sparked indignation from civic society groups and social media users. The issue became a trending topic on Twitter, generating about 50,000 tweets. Some court rulings are destroying the societys trust in the judiciary, the Turkish Journalists Trade Union (TGS) said, while Yildizs colleagues circulated pictures of her four-month-old daughter with the slogan Baby Zehra is not alone. The onslaught on critical media in Turkey has proceeded through wide-ranging means, including dismissal, judicial probes and imprisonment. According to a recent report by Press for Freedom, an advocacy project carried out by the Ankara-based Journalists Association, 894 journalists lost their jobs in Turkey in the first four months of the year and 74 journalists faced some kind of judicial action. Thirty-six journalists remain behind bars, according to the TGS. With the Yildiz case, the boundary of intimidation has moved even further, threatening the parental rights of journalists and undermining their standing in society and vis-a-vis the state. May 23, 2016 Turkeys parliament passed a constitutional amendment May 20 that revokes the immunity of current lawmakers in a move designed to prosecute members of the Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) and oust them from parliament. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voted in favor of the amendment, backed by a number of deputies from the main opposition, center-right Republican Peoples Party (CHP). Under the bill, parliament members under criminal investigation will see their files sent directly to the judiciary. The amendment affects 148 lawmakers who are the subject of 667 cases that prosecutors have already reported to the parliament speakers office, related commissions and the Justice Ministry. The bulk of those probes target HDP deputies. Of the 59 HDP lawmakers, 53 face charges in 405 cases, including 206 related to terror offenses, the overwhelming majority of which stem from their expression of objectionable views. While the amendment does not distinguish between parties, its spirit directly targets the HDP. Without mentioning the party, the preamble of the draft bill, submitted April 12 with the signatures of all AKP deputies, accused HDP lawmakers of providing physical, spiritual and moral support to terrorism. The Turkish public, it said, believes those deputies abuse their constitutional immunities and wants parliament to allow the trial of those who have committed such acts. The move brings to mind the political turmoil of 1994, when the parliament lifted the immunity of eight Kurdish deputies on grounds they belonged to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and pursued a separatist agenda. The deputies were bundled into police cars outside parliament and whisked away to jail. Since no one in Turkey would argue today that the ouster of the Kurdish deputies contributed to security and stability 22 years ago, what could possibly explain the current push for its repetition on an even larger scale? Erdogan is the key word in any explanation. The lifting of the HDP lawmakers immunity is President Recep Tayyip Erdogans political project. In a Jan. 6 speech, three months before the draft bills submission to parliament, he had sent an unequivocal message to the AKP, saying, Its imperative for parliament and the judiciary to take action against lawmakers who behave like members of a terrorist organization. The war Erdogan declared on the PKK in July has made the far-right MHP an ally of the AKP, and the two parties have come to join forces on almost anything related to the fight against the PKK. The parliamentary onslaught on the HDP was no exception. Yet the two parties combined number of seats in the 550-member house was only enough to meet the three-fifths majority required to put the amendment to a referendum. The outright adoption of the bill required a two-thirds majority, which was secured and exceeded with the support of about 20 CHP members, who brought the votes in favor to 376. The CHP, which was known for being against lifting the HDP members immunity, maintained an ambiguous stance throughout the process, unable to overcome fears of being perceived or portrayed as a supporter of the PKKs extension in parliament. Presenting various justifications, the party had announced it would support the bill. Yet, only as many CHP deputies did so in the final round of voting as was needed to clinch the two-thirds majority. The overwhelming majority of the 133 CHP deputies voted against the bill. The CHP secured the lifting of immunities without a referendum, thus sparing itself a campaign in which it would have had to persuade voters it was not working hand in hand with the HDP. Yet 51 CHP members are among those affected by the bill. If some of them share the HDP deputies fate and find themselves in court, the party will find itself in an ironic situation. After the amendment is signed into law by Erdogan, all files will be sent to the judiciary within 15 days and the legal proceedings will begin. Those convicted will lose their parliamentary seats. The constitution stipulates a by-election within three months if the number of vacant seats reaches 28. Though the trial of HDP members and their eventual loss of seats will take time, Erdogan will keep the by-election prospect as a backup formula in his plans to strengthen the AKPs majority in parliament and write a new constitution installing the authoritarian presidency he seeks. The whole amendment is designed to serve Erdogans drive for an executive presidency. As HDP lawmakers stand trial for supporting terrorism, the HDP itself will be criminalized. This, in turn, will aggravate the partys legitimacy problem and facilitate the Interior Ministrys removal of elected HDP mayors from office. Similarly, obstructing HDP electioneering in the next polls will become easier. All this is aimed at pushing the party under the 10% threshold to enter parliament, which will allow the AKP to grab the seats the HDP normally would have taken. The ultimate objective is to ensure the AKP clinches a stronger parliamentary majority in a potential early election. The lifting of immunity also serves to unite the nationalist, conservative Sunni front taking shape between the AKP and the MHP, on both the leadership and the grass-roots levels. Yet, the two parties rivalry in HDP-bashing continues, with the AKP clearly having the edge. The ruling party is the one that really bashes the HDP, while the MHPs position boils down to calling for more criticism. The more the AKP criticizes the HDP, the more voters it hopes to lure from the MHP and push the struggling nationalist party under the threshold as well. The onslaught on the HDP may promise gains for Erdogan, but it is a double-edged sword. On the other side of the coin, it means a democracy crisis for Turkey and a heavy price for the Kurdish question. The impending damage report could be summarized as follows: Lifting the HDP lawmakers immunity will amount to shutting the Kurdish movement out of legal parliamentary politics. This, in turn, is likely to enlarge the popular base for Kurdish separatist currents. Even worse, the embargo on legal politics will strengthen the hand of proponents of armed action, which will mean more Kurdish young people taking up arms. While delegitimizing the HDP, the Erdogan regime itself will lose legitimacy in the eyes of the Kurdish movements popular base. As a result, the Kurds emotional estrangement from Turkey will accelerate at a dramatic pace. Naturally, there is also an international dimension to the issue. Pushing Kurdish politics into the illegal realm will further damage the international standing of the Erdogan regime, already badly bruised due to its authoritarian tilt. And as parliament members go on trial for opinions they have expressed, more people will question how much freedom of thought remains in Turkey. May 23, 2016 Armed violence is the most used instrument of power for organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to impose their political agendas. But in recent months there have been signs that the PKK is having trouble managing this violence. The latest example came May 10 in the Durumlu village of Turkey's Diyarbakirs Sur district, when a massive explosion killed 16 civilians. According to villagers' statements, Orhan Yakar noticed a suspicious truck that night near his house. Yakar, who has been wary of recent animal thefts, asked the driver his identity and why he was in Durumlu. Yakar was not satisfied with the drivers responses and began arguing with him, but the driver pulled out his pistol and warned Yakar to go away. Yakar went to his house to get his own weapon and called on his relatives to help him. As the truck was driving away, villagers pursued it in several vehicles. Village head Bayram Yaman said the villagers did not know who was in the truck or its cargo. Just as they stopped the truck, there was a massive explosion. The blast left a crater 30 meters (almost 100 feet) wide and 4 meters (13 feet) deep. Three bodies were recovered, but 13 villagers were initially listed as missing and later identified as dead. Dozens of residents were wounded. The size of the crater suggested the explosive was nitrate based and enhanced with 10-12 tons of C3, a plastic explosive. The PKKs military wing, the Peoples Defense Forces, issued a written statement claiming that the truck, which had been loaded with explosives by PKK militants, was stopped by some local people while driving away and exploded because of bullets that hit in the ensuing clash. Although the PKK tried to avoid being blamed by pointing out villagers involvement, the incident generated strong reaction from regional Kurds and from the entire country. The blast was felt across the entire city of Diyarbakir. Authorities spent four grueling days recovering what was left of the bodies and performing exhaustive DNA analyses. Security sources in the region who spoke to Al-Monitor said the blast had left 39 Kurdish children orphans and eight women widows. The real target of the bomb was the governors office in the center of Diyarbakir, the sources said, noting there could have been hundreds of people killed if the truck had exploded in downtown Diyarbakir during the day. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the region also reacted to civilian losses. Mazlumder, a prominent human rights NGO, issued a statement titled We Loudly Denounce the Durumlu Disaster. No matter how the truck exploded, no person or organization can avoid being blamed for driving through a village with so many explosives and endangering people's right to life. With this incident, we once again remind the PKK of its responsibility to cease bombing attacks that have made our cities unsafe, have caused escalation of tensions and underline once again that such actions cannot be justified by citing social demands. What's behind the PKKs sharp increase in destructiveness in the clashes that have been raging since July? Why the surge of civilian losses in such actions? The first cause is the shift of clashes to cities. The PKK, in transforming itself from a rural- to an urban-based armed organization, seems unable to discern the effects of its decision on civilians, mostly fellow Kurds. Another reason is that the PKK is taking advantage of the experience and military training it has gained fighting in northern Syria and of abundantly available explosives and new weapons. It can now launch spectacular attacks with heavily bomb-laden vehicles. These newfound explosive and logistics capabilities make for more destructive attacks inside Turkey. Here, I want to report an observation I made during my trips to the clash zones. About 60-65% of the Kurds living in those areas want these clashes which they dont really understand to end immediately. Both the PKK and Ankara misinterpret the resentment of this mass of people who are most affected by such clashes and the resulting socio-economic disasters. Ankara sees people distancing themselves from the PKK and thinks, "Well, they are staying away from the PKK, therefore they must be supporting us. The PKK, on the other hand, misreads their attitude as, Ah, they are distancing themselves from Ankara. Therefore we can win them over by proving our strength. In reality, the anger of hundreds of thousands of Kurds is not against Ankara or the PKK, but the incessant clashes that severely disrupt their lives. Ankara and the PKK cannot understand that most of these people are furious with them both, with Ankaras slogan of "Obey us" and the PKKs Rise and take up arms. True victory will only come by winning the hearts and minds of the people of the region. The question now is, which side will be the first to succeed? May 20, 2016 GAZIANTEP, Turkey On April 26, the Turkish Yeni Safak newspaper reported that the Turkish army was mobilizing its ground forces to carry out a large-scale military operation to eliminate Islamic State militants from a northern Syrian area 18 kilometers (11 miles) deep and 8 kilometers (5 miles) wide. According to the newspaper, the Turkish army deployed almost half of its ground forces, led by a squad of elite forces, to create a safe zone along the Turkish-Syrian border 110 kilometers (68 miles) long and 45 kilometers (28 miles) deep. This safe area will allow the refugees to cross back into their country from Turkey, where their numbers exceed 2.7 million. In a related development, the head of the opposition-affiliated Syrian National Coalition, Anas al-Abdah, noted in a press statement on May 12, Turkey is entitled to establish a safe zone in Syria to secure the Syrians return to their country and protect its borders, according to the agreements signed between the two countries. Abdah further noted that the Adana Protocol signed between Turkey and Syria in 1998 provides the groundwork for Ankara to establish a safe zone in Syria, adding, If this happens, Ankara will have secured its border, and Syrians can then safely return to their country. The safe zone is to be located between the towns of Jarablous and Azaz along the Turkish border. The first is under IS control, while the second is controlled by Ahrar al-Sham, in alliance with local factions of the Free Syrian Army. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Fahim Abu Issa, the commander of the FSA-affiliated Sultan Murad Brigade, spoke about communication and coordination with the Turkish side in preparation for establishing a safe zone. The safe zone will be under the FSAs control, and the Turkish proposal is supported by the international coalition, he noted. The Sultan Murad Brigade is part of the Hawar Killis operations room, which receives ground support from the Turkish artillery that targets IS sites in northern Syria and air support from the international coalition. Abu Issa did not disclose the details of the Turkish plan, but said, We will continue our battles against the group until we liberate the entire northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo. After that, the safe zone will be announced and safe havens will be provided for refugees. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama rejected the idea of establishing a safe zone in Syria, and said in a press statement from the German city of Hannover on April 24, The issue surrounding a safe zone in Syrian territory is not a matter of an ideological objection on my part. It's a very practical issue about how do you do it? He added, Sadly, it is very difficult to see how it would operate short of going to militarily take over a big chunk of that country. However, some believe that the Turkish move is designed to occupy part of Syria. "It is a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and does not respect the relevant international resolutions of legitimacy, Eldar Khalil, a member of the governing body for the Movement for a Democratic Society, told Al-Monitor. Turkeys goal is not to protect refugees. The Justice and Development Party is using them for blackmail, he added. Khalil said that a safe zone was established both practically and effectively in Rojava [Syrian Kurdistan] in northern Syria, and our areas have turned into a truly safe haven for refugees. On March 17, Syria's Kurds announced a federal system within the areas under their control in the northeast, namely in Jazira, Kobani, Afrin and Tell Abyad. Khalil noted, There are tens of thousands of refugees and displaced Syrians in our regions. After [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan's government recently refused to receive those who were displaced from Aleppos northern countryside, our forces provided the means to safely take them to Afrin. He added, Thousands of Iraqis, including the people of Mosul who escaped from IS, are now in Rojava. Khalil does not hide the Syrian Democratic Forces' desire to take over the areas between the Kurdish regions in northern Syria that are currently under IS control, noting, Liberating the areas separating Kobani and Afrin will contribute to finding a solution to the deepening crisis in the country by draining the sources of support of IS, Jabhat al-Nusra and all other battalions associated with these extremist groups. Meanwhile, for others, talks about a safe zone in northern Syria are old news. Monzer Salal, a member of the governing body for the Syrian Promise movement, told Al-Monitor, This issue was brought up several times about a year ago. We have held various meetings in this regard with the Turkish side, the Syrian National Coalition and the interim government, equipped an administrative staff, prepared projects and even made military arrangements, but most promises regarding the safe zone were empty and dishonest. Salal, who was born in the town of Azaz, believes establishing a safe zone in northern Syria has been failing not because of military battles on the ground, but due to the lack of international will to do so. Salal stressed the Syrian Promise position regarding the safe zone: [We] believe it is extremely necessary to establish the safe zone in order for Azaz and its countryside to become a true safe area and a haven for all refugees and survivors who are fleeing the war. However, Nawaf Khalil, director of the Kurdish Center for Studies, downplayed the significance of the Turkish proposal. He told Al-Monitor, I rule out the possibility of the Turkish army taking individual steps because [Turkey] is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the international coalition. He added, Turkey is looking for excuses to occupy Syrian territory under the pretext of establishing a safe zone, but any unexpected move could result in a confrontation with the Kurds on the one hand and the rest of the international powers on the other. Analysts and experts on Syrian affairs believe it is likely that Turkey's efforts to impose a safe zone on its southern border will stumble against a US refusal, since the US offers air and ground support to the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Kurdish People's Protection Units constitute its military nucleus and have proven to be the most effective in fighting IS in Syria. The Franklin County community will welcome 80 new jobs with the opening of a distribution center in Russellville Industrial Park. Farmers Home Furniture announced today it will spend $10 million to increase its Alabama presence after acquiring a 325,000-square-foot facility at the park. The decision to expand in Franklin County came after a multi-state search for additional distribution center space. The employee-owned company, founded in 1949 by late entrepreneur Sherwin Glass, currently has 198 U.S. stores, 35 Alabama locations and more than 2,000 employees across the South. "This new distribution center, investment and jobs created by Farmers will be a major boost to our local economy," said Russellville Mayor David Grissom in a statement. "Russellville has a long history of supporting business and Farmers decision to open a distribution center here is further testament to our teamwork approach to working with business and industry." Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said Farmers will receive the state Jobs Credit at 3 percent of payroll for 10 years and the Investment Credit at 1 percent for the same period. AIDT, the state's workforce development agency, will provide training valued at $695,250. Franklin County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Mitch Mays said the company also will receive a 10-year property tax abatement valued at $592,157, as well as a sales tax abatement of $303,154. Farmers will pay all applicable education taxes, he added. Company leaders will begin hiring in November and December for the new distribution center on 191 Sibley Drive. Prospective applicants should visit farmershomefurniture.com for job information in September. Mays said the facility will begin shipping furniture in January of next year. "Companies that locate in Franklin County, Alabama always have successful endeavors," he said. "Farmers will be a great corporate citizen in Franklin County and the new jobs they create will have a lasting impact on our community." Kayla best day ever.jpg For Austin and Kayla Funk, May 21 was the 'Best Day Ever.' (Sarah Griffith Photography) In one wedding photo, the newlyweds are holding a heart-shaped sign that says, "Best Day Ever." That pretty much sums it up. Although 21-year-old former Auburn University student Kayla Perry, now Kayla Funk, has been battling cancer for several years now, she had her best day ever on Saturday when she and Austin Funk, also 21, got married. They met as teenagers in the same home-school group in Hoover in the fall of 2011. "It was beautiful," said Kayla's mother, Christen Perry, who has returned home to Birmingham. "It could not have been more beautiful." The families converged at the Beaches resort on the Turks and Caicos islands in the Carribean, with a wedding party of 43. "They got married on the beach, 10 a.m. on Saturday morning," Christen said. "I don't think it could have been more perfect. There was not a dry eye." The tears of joy came after years of watching Kayla struggle through difficult times. Kayla summed it up in a Facebook post the day after the wedding, thanking supporters of her Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts foundation, which raises money for pediatric cancer research. "It's so hard to believe that exactly three years ago I had just finished my very first of many rounds of chemo, two years ago I was in and out of the hospital struggling with the side effects of immunotherapy and a year ago today I was recovering from my first brain surgery," Kayla wrote. "Over the last 3 years the month of May has been typically difficult. But yesterday I married the man of my dreams, who has already loved me in sickness and in health. And today is the first full day of the rest of our lives as Mr. and Mrs. Funk. Thank you OHOH for your support and love over the last two years! Thank you for crying with me, praying for me, and now celebrating with us!" Austin and Kayla Funk were married on the beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Carribean. The wedding was officiated by Kayla's father, Rob Perry, an ordained Southern Baptist minister who graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He's now a financial planner for Northwestern Mutual, but previously served as music minister at First Baptist Church of Pleasant Grove from 2002-2005 and still leads worship at area church services. A local minister from Turks and Caicos co-officiated, but Rob Perry gave the message and led the ceremony. His scripture passage was Joshua 1:9. "The first thing he told them was to be strong and courageous," Christen said. "He told them to learn and speak each other's love language. He told them to expect and pray for the supernatural and allow God to do big things for them in their life." Austin and Kayla will return to Alabama on Tuesday and move into their new home, a loft apartment in Vestavia Hills. Kayla will have new scans and tests done later this week to check on the status of her cancer. The phones have been ringing pretty constantly this morning at water works offices in Gadsden, Rainbow City and Southside, workers agreed. "I'm still drinking it," one worker said in Southside, answering a question from a caller. That was the main message given to customers - while federal guidelines may have changed, the water in the three Etowah County communities remains safe to drink. Eight Alabama communities were included in a new drinking water health advisory for certain man-made chemicals last Thursday from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The warning instructed consumers that exposure to elevated levels of two synthetic compounds, known as PFOS and PFOA, can lead to a number of health problems over time, including cancer in adults and developmental effects to fetuses and breastfed infants. PFOA stands for perfluorooctanoic acid. PFOS is short for perfluorooctyl sulfonate. The chemicals are used to manufacture non-stick cookware, stain-resistant products like Scotchgard, fire-fighting foam, waterproof clothing and other consumer products. Gadsden Water Works serves both Rainbow City and Southside with water, though Southside only relies on Gadsden for water in emergencies, officials said. Mike Lankford, superintendent of environmental services for Gadsden Water Works, said the system's water quality "has not changed." During quality testing in 2014 and 2015, the system had levels of PFOS and PFOA well below the threshold at that time. Gadsden's level was 90 parts per trillion, while the federal guideline was 600. But on Thursday, the federal safety level became 70, triggering the advisory. Lankford said more recent testing shows Gadsden is now actually under the new level, at between 42 and 54, but officials will conduct testing over the next four weeks with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to confirm this. "Manufacturers of those two compounds have been working to phase them out, and we've tried to supplement our treatment process, so one of these or maybe a combination of the two has resulted in the lower levels," he said. Lankford said officials are still working to identify the source of PFOS and PFOA in the water. In a news release posted on the Water Works website, officials said the compounds "enter our source water from discharges north of our raw water intake, and may have been utilized since 1949." Southside Water Works Maintenance Superintendent Brandon Sewell said Southside gets water for its 3,800-plus customers from two wells on Green Valley Road and Matt Smith Road. Though the system is tied into Gadsden, it only pumps water from Gadsden during emergencies. The last time that occurred was Feb. 26 and 27 of this year due to a mechanical issue. Both Lankford and Sewell said officials only learned about the change in federal requirements on Wednesday, though there had been some talk of them changing a few weeks before. "We feel the water is safe," Sewell said. "If any other information should come up, we will let the public know as soon as possible." Damien Atticus Lynn.PNG Damien Atticus Lynn (Facebook) The family of a Sylacauga toddler is in mourning after the young boy was run over and killed in the driveway of the family's home. Damien Atticus Lynn, who would have turned 2 in September, died Friday after he was struck outside the home on Live Oak Lane. Damien's father, Ellis Lynn, said he and Damien's mother, Kelsey Stutler, were spending the day together with their two sons, Damien and 6-month-old Ashton. Some of his wife's friends came to pick her up at the home, and Lynn said that's when things went wrong. They put the youngest baby in the car, but Damien wasn't all the way in the vehicle. "One of her friend's slammed the lock on the door and the driver threw it into reverse,'' Lynn said. That's when Damien was run over. "I held him in my arms until the ambulance came but I knew he was gone,'' Lynn said. "He was dead in my arms." Damien was taken to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead there. Lynn said their youngest son is now in DHR custody, and he isn't able to see him. Lynn said he's struggling with Damien's death. "He was the light of the world,'' Lynn said. "He didn't meet no strangers. And every time somebody left, he'd blow them kisses. He was a daddy's boy." The death remains under investigation. Alabama State Trooper Chuck Daniel said they assisted Coosa County Sheriff's Office investigators, but said they are not the lead agency because it happened on private property. Sheriff's officials have interviewed multiple witnesses and said today they expect to release more information on Monday. Friends have started a GoFundMe account to help with Damien's burial expenses. "My son deserves justice. He was the most beautiful boy you'd ever meet,'' Lynn said. "If you have a boy or girl, make sure you keep them close and hold on to them because they can be taken from you in the blink of an eye. Cherish what you have." Hoover Best Buy Breakin.PNG Thieves tunneled their way into Hoover's Best Buy, stealing $100,000 in electronics. (Special to AL.com) Masked thieves smashed and tunneled their way into a Hoover store earlier this morning, stealing at least $100,000 worth of electronics. The break-in happened at Best Buy in Riverchase Village. Hoover investigators believe the suspects could be part of a larger group that has targeted other Best Buy stores in other southeastern states. The theft happened between 2 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., said Hoover police spokesman Capt. Gregg Rector. It appears the band of thieves - at least three of them - first tried to gain entry through the roof. They tried to cut a hole in the roof with some kind of cutting tools, Rector said, but either failed or changed their minds. Next, they went to the side of the brick building and made another attempt but hit some kind of barrier. Finally, they went to a third location, also on the building's side, and breached the wall, making a hole big enough for them to climb through. Rector said investigators believe they had sledgehammers as well as the cutting tool. Though the building does have a security system, the alarm did not sound, Rector said. Once inside, the suspects took laptops, iPads and iPods, as well as other devices. Rector said they don't have a complete inventory, but the loss is expected to exceed $100,000. There is video of the break-in, but authorities have not yet been able to identify them, in part because of the masks. The break-in was discovered when employees arrived at the store about 8 a.m. Rector said there have been similar attacks on Best Buy stores in Florida, Georgia and Texas. "We're pretty sure they're related,'' Rector said. "It's pretty big." A Childersburg man was killed Saturday night in a two-vehicle crash in Talladega County. Alabama State Troopers today identified the victim as Henry Arthur Curry. He was 67. The crash happened at 9:15 p.m. on Kymulga Road, four miles east of Childersburg, said Senior Trooper Chuck Daniel. Curry was driving a 2014 Toyota Camry that collided with a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Curry was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the pickup truck - 51-year-old Douglas Keith, also of Childersburg, was airlifted to UAB Hospital with serious injuries, Daniel said. The crash remains under investigation. Roy Moore, the suspended chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, has the support of the state's Republican Party. Moore, who was suspended earlier this month over an investigation into his actions relating to same-sex marriage, received a resolution of support from the state GOP's executive committee. The resolution was passed on Saturday. The resolution describes the probe by the Alabama Judicial Committee as being "politically motivated." The resolution also said that only the state legislature should have the authority to remove elected officials from office. Moore was suspended from the bench earlier this month after the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission brought charges of violating judicial ethics in the judge's opposition to same-sex marriage. A federal judge in Alabama ruled that same-sex marriage was legal last year, followed by a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Despite those rulings, Moore advised state probate judges to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Southern Poverty Law Center filed complaints with the judicial inquiry commission. Moore supporters rallied Saturday on the steps of the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery. TENNESSEE RIVER The Tennessee River in Decatur, Ala. (File photo) When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a health advisory last week that eight Alabama water systems contained levels of chemicals that could cause health problems, especially in pregnant woman and breast-fed infants, thousands of Alabamians were shocked to find that the water coming from their taps may not be as safe as they thought. So were the managers of the eight named water systems, toxicologists at the Alabama Department of Public Health and state regulators at Alabama Department of Environmental Management, who said they did not know in advance that the advisory was coming. While the new advisory is not an enforceable regulation or action, ADEM and ADPH said they will work together with the affected systems to bring them below the new advisory level. According to an email from ADEM external affairs chief Lynn Battle, some water systems along the Coosa River may be able to decrease their output of the chemicals, called PFOS and PFOA, by simply switching wells and that some operators have already done so. ADEM says additional monitoring is needed along the Coosa basin and will be conducted by the named systems and the department. A spokesman for the Gadsden Water Works said their water may already be below the new threshold, according to the most recent testing, but additional tests will be conducted over the next few weeks. Along the Tennessee River, ADEM is working with providers on a case-by-case basis to address the issue. John Guarisco, a toxicologist with the Alabama Department of Public Health, said that the advisory caught everyone by surprise but that the water systems are working hard to meet the new guidelines. "They're going to be diligently working on this," Guarisco said. "They're trying desperately to do the best they can. "They don't want to put out a product that's going to cause harm. It's not in their makeup as human beings, so they're going to work and try to get this under control as fast as they can." Expensive options For water systems where switching wells is not an option, meeting the new threshold could cost millions. The West Morgan-East Lawrence Water Authority, one of the eight named water systems, is already in the planning stages of adding a $30-$50 million reverse osmosis filtration system, general manager Don Sims told AL.com. "We do have a solution for it, it's just going to take time and money," Sims said. The system would take about two years to install, and about $1 million a year to operate once it's finished. The used filters would have to be taken to a landfill for hazardous materials. "It appears the only long-term solution to the problem is to remove it from the water," Sims said. "Even though the EPA and ADEM [announcement] is just a health advisory and not a regulation, eventually we feel like they will go to a regulation and once they go to a regulation then it is mandatory that we remove it from the water. "Right now it's just an advisory telling us that it's there and they don't know if it's dangerous. They just suspect that it's dangerous." Since Thursday's announcement, the utility has had two employees dedicated solely to answering calls from concerned customers who have heard about the advisory. Sims said the utility is preparing to release a large-scale communication to its customers about the issue. Sims said there is no federal money available to help water systems meet the new advisory level, so the utility will have to pay for the new filtration equipment itself. "The burden ultimately comes back to our water customers, who had nothing to do with the river being contaminated," Sims said. The West Morgan-East Lawrence Water Authority last year filed a lawsuit against chemical manufacturer 3M, which operates a major manufacturing facility on the Tennessee River in Decatur. 3M was the primary manufacturer of PFOS and one of several large-scale manufacturers of PFOA until 2002, when the company voluntarily phased out both chemicals. "We can't wait for the court decision on who's responsible for it," Sims said. "We'll just have to borrow the money and the customers will have to pay for it." What is PFOA, PFOS? PFOA stands for perfluorooctanoic acid. PFOS is short for perfluorooctyl sulfonate. Both are man-made chemicals called PFCs, which are extremely resistant to breaking down in the natural environment, making them persistent years after production. They were used to manufacture non-stick and stain-resistant coatings on consumer products, including fabrics, cookware, and waterproof products. According to the EPA, the substances were so prevalent and break down so slowly that nearly all Americans tested have some amount of them in their blood. However, the new advisory suggests that smaller amounts than previously thought could be associated with health problems, particularly among vulnerable populations, like pregnant women, breast-fed infants and infants whose formula is prepared with tap water. There is a limited amount of scientific research on the affects on humans, some with conflicting results. Some of the most serious health problems scientists believe might be associated with PFOA and PFOS have only been demonstrated in rats and mice. Still, the EPA found enough reason to issue the health advisory, warning exposure to the chemicals could be linked to "developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or to breastfed infants (e.g., low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations), cancer (e.g., testicular, kidney), liver effects (e.g., tissue damage), immune effects (e.g., antibody production and immunity), thyroid effects and other effects (e.g., cholesterol changes)." Attorneys for Gov. Robert Bentley filed a motion in court on Monday asking a judge to dismiss a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former ALEA Secretary Spencer Collier. Collier, the state's top law enforcement officer who was fired by Bentley in March, filed his lawsuit against Bentley, Rebekah Caldwell Mason and others in April. The day Collier was fired, he went public with allegations of an affair between Bentley and Mason - igniting the scandal that has engulfed the governor's office. The court filing specifically states it is on behalf of "Bentley for Governor, Inc." - one of five defendants named in Collier's lawsuit. The other defendants are Bentley, ALEA Secretary Stan Stabler (Collier's replacement), Mason and Alabama Council for Excellent Government (the dark money group that paid Mason's salary). None of the other defendants have filed responses to the lawsuit. The motion to dismiss argues that Collier's lawsuit "fails to state a claim" against Bentley for Governor, Inc. Mason worked for Bentley's re-election campaign before being hired as his senior political adviser. "The only basis of the complaint against this defendant appears to be the allegations that defendant Mason is an agent or servant of this defendant," the motion states. "Said allegations in this regard are insufficient and not in accordance with the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. "The complaint is so general, vague and/or ambiguous that Defendant cannot reasonably frame or file a responsive motion and/or pleading. Plaintiff has failed to provide sufficient factual descriptions of the alleged actions by this Defendant." Officials say a Washington County woman was killed almost instantly after an artery in her neck was severed in a freak accident outside of a nightclub. WLBT-TV reports Washington County Deputy Coroner Equoane Smith says 28-year-old Jacquilla Wilson died early Sunday morning after leaving the L&M Social Club in Hollandale. Smith says Wilson tripped and fell while holding two bottles that broke and severed the artery. Officials say she died almost immediately. Her death is being ruled an accident. Siddhu Srikakolapu Bob Jones Valedictorian A valedictorian speaks at a graduation ceremony. (Sarah Cole/scole@al.com) (Sarah Cole) A school board in North Carolina has voted to do away with naming valedictorians and salutatorians saying that competition for the top spots has become "unhealthy." Principals in Wake County, North Carolina would no longer be allowed to name valedictorians or salutatorians - the titles given to the two seniors with the highest grade-point averages - after 2018. Starting with the class of 2019, those titles would be replaced with Latin designations such as cum laude for students with a GPA of at least 3.75. The change comes after school board members said the desire to boost GPA was dictating the classes students were taking. "We have heard from many, many schools that the competition has become very unhealthy," school board Chairman Tom Benton told the News & Observer. "Students were not collaborating with each other the way that we would like them to. Their choice of courses was being guided by their GPA and not their future education plans." Much like the system used at many colleges, Wake County students with a GPA of 4.25 or higher would be designated summa cum laude; GPA of 4.0-4.249 would be magna cum laude; and 3.75 to 3.99 would be cum laude. Final approval on the policy change could come June 7. Fifteen years after riots pitted communities against each other, poverty is uniting residents of this English town. Oldham, UK I walk three miles from Shaw to Oldham every week no matter how the weather is, to come and collect the food here. I have to, I dont have anything else, says a middle-aged man in worn-out clothes as he devours his second portion of curry with egg. He clutches a parcel of donated food cereal, pasta and tinned goods. Like many others, the man who asked not to be named makes the weekly pilgrimage to the Oldham Unitarian Church every Monday morning. The church, in partnership with the Islamic charitable organisation UK Education and Faith Foundation (UKEFF), runs a weekly food and support service. The service provides free food, clothes and toys as well as legal, welfare and housing assistance, enabling a network of volunteers and support groups to reach out to local people in need of help. The One World Cafe at the church serves a free meal to around 70 people every Monday, while the food parcels help to sustain them throughout the week. The most deprived town in England Oldham, a town in the north-west of England, came to prominence during Britains industrial era, becoming, at one point, the cotton-spinning capital of the world. During the 1950s and 1960s, migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh arrived destined for the mills and factories, where they were often employed for lower wages than the locals. But the countrys industrial decline during the 1960s and 1970s was sorely felt here and when most of the mills shut down, few job opportunities were left for the towns indigenous or migrant population. Oldham, which a study by the Office for National Statistics recently found to be the most deprived town in England, still hasnt been able to rejuvenate its economy and many of its residents live in poverty. Feeding the needy and destitute Forty-four-year-old Nasim Ashraf works at a local technology and online development company. He started UKEFF in 2009 to address the concerns and issues in society but from an Islamic ethos. Inspired by his understanding of Islam, he says he wanted to help and feed the needy and destitute. So, with his wife Hafizan, he started collecting food donations to distribute to local people from their family home a modern but modest detached house on the outskirts of Oldham. It was a very simple choice for me to work with people in Oldham because I live here, he says. It is my and our collective responsibility to look after our locality. I would see people in our town and think this person is destitute, this person is hungry and this person hasnt got anything to eat. They may have children to feed and are struggling to cope. This is where I wanted to lend my support. He started looking into the support that was already being offered to Oldhams impoverished and noticed that people were often being turned away from food banks because they didnt have a referral that entitled them to food donations. Such referrals come in the form of food vouchers from registered organisations, such as the social services, medical professionals, schools or even religious leaders. It troubled him that these organisations were getting to decide whether somebody qualified for emergency food parcels. Nasim says he understands that these organisations have to follow certain remits to prevent the flood gates from opening, but he wanted his organisation to be more open. I just couldnt bear it, so we knew we had to set up another food bank somewhere that would be completely open to all of these cases. You dont have to be referred, you dont have to be means-tested or prove to anybody that you are worthy of some aid. It already takes a lot in order to use a food bank you have to kill off your pride so we will take anybody on. We are not you and us we are just us The Rev Bob Pounder is the Oldham Unitarian Churchs leader and minister. A staunch trade unionist and workers rights activist, he used to be the secretary of the Greater Manchester Fire Brigades Union and once went to Iraq while the country was enduring international sanctions to show solidarity with Iraqi workers. With his sleeves rolled up, he stacks cans of food with UKEFF volunteers and explains: Nasim and Hafizans project is exactly what we wanted to do with the church. The two parties may be from different religions but we are at one with our goals and we feel this cross-culture unity is showing how it should be done. At first, Nasim had tried to establish the food bank within the Asian community. Naturally I first approached the mosques, he explains. There were 36 mosques in the area at the time and I went to quite a lot of them to set this up. [I] spoke to the leaders and none of them were interested. Many of them said they would have to take it to the committees but its probably [a] no, because a mosque is a mosque; its a blessed place of worship and needs to be kept clean and we dont want people traipsing in and out. I think they had this vision of a constant stream of alcoholics and drug addicts coming to the mosque and this is because I stated my views on an open-door policy. But Bob encouraged him to use the church, a 1970s-built building beside the busy ring road. READ MORE: Inequality: Are the rich cashing in? Now UKEFFs open-door policy is on full view in the brightly lit, well-organised part of the church that serves as a cafe. White, Asian and black users sit together. There are locals and refugees, old people and young, homeless people and substance abusers, Muslims and Christians all eating together. Its a far cry from the images of Oldham that emerged 15 years ago when, during a weekend at the end of May, 2001, racial conflict rocked the town. After increasingly frequent demonstrations by far-right groups and tit-for-tat incidents between different communities, street battles broke out. Hundreds were arrested and 82 police officers and 22 passers-by were injured as bricks and Molotov cocktails were hurled in what became known as the Oldham Riots. Bob, Nasim and Hafizan believe these racial tensions have been consigned to the past and have made it part of their mission to promote a message of unity in the town. When you look at the arrest lists after the riots, most of those who were involved in stirring up the trouble were from out of town and using Oldham to push their own political agenda, says Bob. Our mission is to show that another world is possible and that underneath it all, everybody just wants change in the town, but that this is only possible when everyone cares about those with least in society. Nasim believes high rates of unemployment fuelled the trouble. I think when people have a lot of time on their hands due to unemployment they are going to look for someone to blame, which causes divisions and fighting. I think thats what caused the riots. People were bored and frustrated and the frustration has to be geared towards something, he says. But he feels there still needs to be greater integration between the different communities in the town. Being British-Asian/Muslim, I feel there is still a classification of them and us. We are third or fourth-generation immigrants and we need to start telling people, Come on now, we are good guys, we are British, just as British as you are, he says. We love a bag of chips on a Friday night and when we go to hot places like Pakistan we get sunburnt just like you guys. We are not you and us we are just us. We are one humanity. It does not matter what religion you follow. There is no judgement here Hasan is from Bangladesh. He arrived in the UK three years ago and, as an asylum seeker, isnt allowed to work. He has been using the service for nearly two months and says the food parcel is a massive help for getting through the week. Still, his family cannot afford to use electricity or heat their home and he says he struggles to feed them. The cafe offers more than just food for him. Its an opportunity to socialise. Loneliness is one of my main problems in this town, Hasan says. Johnny is an Oldham local and, as a heavy drug user, is one of the services more vulnerable attendees. UKEFF is one of the only places I can feel secure and relaxed and forget about the stress of my life, he says. They are such giving people and I appreciate their help every week. After collecting his own parcel, Johnny volunteers in the cafe, serving food and tidying plates. Its great because you can meet people from all walks of life here and, volunteer or not, everybody is treated and talked to at the same level, he says. There is no judgement here. Decisive action needed to help hundreds of thousands of students realise the dreams theyre working hard to keep alive. From the battlegrounds of the Middle East come exemplary stories of courage and resolve that we must all listen to and learn from. Batoul, a 14-year-old Palestinian refugee, has known conflict and war for much of her life. During her flight from Syria, her father and brother were killed. When I met her in Ain el-Helweh camp in Lebanon, I was moved beyond words. Despite the trauma, she was the highest performing student in her school. In tragedy, she preserved dignity and drew energy from despair. Education is what gives me hope, she says. Batoul exemplifies how deeply Palestinians value learning and developing skills, often against all odds, and how they seek to rebuild after so much has been lost. Drawing lessons As the World Humanitarian Summit begins in Istanbul, there are many lessons that leaders and participants can draw from Batouls story. None is more important than giving a new lease on life to political action aimed at resolving armed conflicts. Nothing will make a greater difference to Batoul and Palestinian refugees not to mention millions of other civilians than bringing about political solutions to end their plight. Batouls experience also highlights the immense value of investing in humanity. The summit will emphasise the importance of leaving no one behind, and yet, it will take very hard work to ensure that all children truly realise their right to education, even in contexts of conflict and crises. Our teachers become shelter managers during times of crisis and later return to being teachers. by As workers on the ground, we are all too aware of the enormity of the challenge. United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) provides education to 500,000 Palestinian girls and boys in 692 schools in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The story of Batoul is also the story of the specialists, teachers and school principals that stand on the frontline, delivering the education she values. I have the deepest respect for their determination and dedication. They operate in some of the most challenging environments one can imagine, and we in UNRWA have lost too many colleagues in recent years: 16 in Syria since the conflict began, with 28 missing, and 11 in Gaza during the 2014 war. The toll of conflict in the region At the Istanbul summit, UNRWA is unveiling a new report with deeply disturbing findings. Our study, titled Schools on the Frontline, which is due to be published, reveals that 44 percent of UNRWAs 692 schools across the Middle East thats a staggering 302 have been directly impacted by conflict and violence in the last five years. In Syria, at least 70 percent of 118 UNRWA schools have, at some stage of the war, been rendered inoperative, either because they were impacted by violence or because we have used them as centres to house the displaced. Our report is equally bleak about the impact of conflict on UNRWA schools in the occupied Palestinian territory. OPINION: Building a better future for Syrians in Turkey Eight-three UNRWA school buildings were damaged during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Ninety UNRWA schools were used as designated emergency shelters for almost 300,000 displaced Palestinians, including at least 150,000 children. Six of these school buildings were struck by artillery shells or other munitions, causing deaths and injuries. Weapons components were placed by armed groups in three other schools. In the West Bank, UNRWAs delivery of education services after nearly half a century of Israeli occupation has been facing increasing challenges in a context marked by Israeli security force operations, including the frequent use of tear gas, student delays at checkpoints, and school closures. This has been exacerbated with the upsurge in violence since last October. I join Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in condemning attacks on all civilians. OPINION: World Humanitarian Summit and Turkey As for Lebanon, periodic outbreaks of violence have forced 36 UNRWA schools to suspend classes for up to a week at a time on different occasions. More than 50 percent of all our schools in the country have been impacted at one time or another. In Syria, we are still able to offer daily classes to some 45,000 students many of whom achieve results above the national average. Through our innovative Education in Emergencies programme, we deliver classes to more than 50,000 children in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, through UNRWA TV broadcasts and interactive distance learning modules. In Gaza, the majority of our schools for quarter-of-a-million children reopened within weeks of the 2014 war ending. And, as in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank, hundreds of specifically trained psycho-social counsellors work with deeply traumatised children to recover and move on with their lives. Grand Bargain At the summit, we will highlight UNRWAs major investment in dignity, human development and a measure of stability for Palestinian refugees, who represent 40 percent of those in the worlds protracted refugee situations. Development action and emergency aid are expected to be a big theme at the summit, and live side-by-side under one roof in UNRWA. Our teachers become shelter managers during times of crisis and later return to being teachers. At the summit, we will join initiatives such as the Grand Bargain on humanitarian financing between donors and humanitarian organisations in a collective effort to work together more efficiently and effectively, and deepen the resource base for humanitarian action, including for Palestinian refugees. Ban underlined that necessary means needed to be mobilised in order to preserve and improve our investment in education for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugee children. It is their future and their humanity that is at stake and, as the UN secretary-generals report reminds us, there is but one humanity. Batoul has shown the courage to act. We must act equally decisively to help her and hundreds of thousands of UNRWA students realise the dreams they are working so hard to keep alive. Pierre Krahenbuhl is the Commissioner-General of UNRWA. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. The summit will take both Turkey and the humanitarian aid system to a new level. Fuat Keyman is Director of Istanbul Policy Center and Professor of International Relations at Sabanci University. Bulent Aras is the Conflict Resolution and Mediation Stream Coordinator at the Istanbul Policy Center. There are two important reasons for convening the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 23 and 24. The first is the need to revise and improve the structure of humanitarian aid within the framework of the United Nations. Put simply, the transition of the UN structure from emergency aid to humanitarian aid falls short when it comes to creating solutions for the increasing number of humanitarian crises. The second reason for holding the summit in Istanbul is rhythmic diplomacy, one of the founding principles of Turkish foreign policy in the post-2002 era, Turkeys approach to humanitarian diplomacy adopted in recent years, and the fact that it is home to 2.7 million Syrian refugees. Rhythmic and humanitarian diplomacy The overlap between humanitarian diplomacy and rhythmic diplomacy is mobilising international organisations and structures in connection with humanitarian crises while elevating Turkeys profile as much as possible. The cooperative vision of the UN and Turkey is what brought the summit to Istanbul. The lasting impact of rhythmic diplomacy in foreign policy can be seen by looking at the summits scheduled for the near future. Actually, the Least Developed Countries (LDC) summit held in Istanbul in 2011 had similar characteristics. What makes the World Humanitarian Summit different is that the LDC summit included regions in which Turkey was attempting to expand its influence, while this gathering in Istanbul is focused on problems next door and even inside of Turkey. Turkey is directly involved in the refugee issue, which is at the top of the list of problems the World Humanitarian Summit hopes to resolve. This summit aims to relieve suffering and to solve problems with interventions in regions where the crises and dramas are unfolding in other words, the objective is to create a humanitarian space. Today, we are talking about humanitarian crises that have dislocated 60 million people, about allegedly safe regions being under constant threat and attack, inaccessible to aid and about a situation that requires $20bn worth of funds annually. As crises and disasters increase, and the humanitarian space consequently needs to expand proportionately or even more rapidly, we are seeing shrinking humanitarian space and deadlock regarding solutions to these problems. Humanitarian sector This is the setting of the summit, with the purpose of restructuring the humanitarian system, which needs to shape the current problematic structure. The chairman and chief executive of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband, outlined the problem that forms the backdrop to the summit in a speech he gave a month ago at Georgetown University, where he used the phrase humanitarian sector instead of humanitarian system. This system is directed by the UN, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent and large international NGOs. The hegemonic structure maintained by the most powerful actors of the system is rigid, and there is a noticeable leadership problem. The by framework. One of the most important dilemmas in the field of humanitarian aid is the general sense of dissatisfaction in regions that receive aid.] The obstacle that the World Humanitarian Summit must overcome right from the start is to define the UN position, and to outline the principles and boundaries of humanitarian aid coordination. Every new actor that enters the system or sector may encounter doubts even if it is just a summit. This demonstrates the limits of structural transformation. The primary reason for convening the summit and opening the sector up to debate is a visible failure in the field. A view widely held by individuals and organisations is that there is a need for a proper transition from international organisations and large NGOs to local and national structures. However, it does not seem like this will be an easy transition. There is a mental barrier and a structural element that is difficult to overcome. For example, only 0.2 percent of total humanitarian assistance was made available for use by local and national NGOs in 2014. An example of meaningful work on this issue is the fact that the UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) announced that it will use 20 percent of its funds in 2020 through local NGOs and the Charter4Change coalition, consisting of 27 international NGOs, will do the same in 2018. Although a gradual change is projected, it looks like it will be difficult to achieve a transition towards local actors in the short term. One of the important goals of the summit is to gain systemic acceptance for a no-one-left-behind approach. We can predict that this will be a difficult objective to achieve for a structure that provides no place for local actors to render assistance. Donors naturally want to control the money they offer. It seems unlikely that they will relinquish this control. They want to control the channelling of funds into the system through channels they trust and are familiar with. The most significant problem, however, is the fact that the expectations of those who receive the aid cannot be met within this framework. One of the most important dilemmas in the field of humanitarian aid is the general sense of dissatisfaction in regions that receive aid. The Turkish factor Turkey has an international humanitarian aid and development policy that it implements through state and civilian capacities within a framework of humanitarian diplomacy. This is an approach that can be seen more clearly in its Africa opening and its Somali policy. By hosting first the LDC and then the the World Humanitarian Summit, it has become a candidate for playing a decisive role within a framework that will be restructured in what is in one sense a global system. In the meantime, a follow-up meeting of LDC will be held in Antalya at the end of May. OPINION: Building a better future for Syrians in Turkey With regard to its policies, Turkey takes an approach that can be described widely as peacebuilding with a broad framework that relies on integrating the tools of diplomacy, humanitarian aid and development. This approach allows NGOs to reach the masses while organisations such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, the Department of Religious Affairs, and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities do work ranging from development and education to infrastructure, while its diplomacy and mediation efforts aim to resolve disputes. The importance of Turkey is that it is positioned somewhere between the traditional Western donors and groups of emerging actors such as Brazil, India and China. Turkey recognises the role of the NGOs in a humanitarian system that is different from China and India, but also extensively cooperates with local organisations in a way that Western actors cannot. OPINION: Humanity should learn from refugees However, even though remarkable progress has been made, it is still too early to say that this model is now a success story as it is still being formulated. In this sense, the World Humanitarian Summit is an opportunity for Turkey to better understand its aid system, its shortcomings and the process of restructuring. This summit will also allow Turkey to express its point of view and contribute to the evolution of the humanitarian aid system and sector. However, the summit has not received the attention it deserves due to factors such as domestic political developments, consecutive elections and the fact that it is taking place immediately after the Justice and Development Party congress. In addition, dynamic structures such as the Civil Society Forum and the Intellectuals Forum that took place around the LDC summit in 2011, unfortunately, could not be formed for the the World Humanitarian Summit. These types of dynamic events allowed individuals such as Richard Falk, Ali Mazrui and Fantu Cheru to introduce new ideas critical of the UN system in 2011. The substitutes are the Academic Forum of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and side events of state and civilian organisations. In conclusion, it would be wrong to expect the World Humanitarian Summit to assume the mission of solving every problem. But all the concerned actors are in the belief that significant progress will be made. If Turkeys claims to humanitarian diplomacy are to go beyond hosting summits, it must contribute to the discussions that will take place there. As the global aid system is being restructured, in the meantime Turkey is attempting to consolidate its own approach, which makes interaction inevitable. In this regard, it is possible to say that the summit will take both Turkey and the humanitarian aid system to a new level. But we will have to wait to see what the results of the summit are in order to discuss what the new era will look like. Bulent Aras is the Conflict Resolution and Mediation Stream Coordinator at the Istanbul Policy Center and professor of International Relations at Sabanci University, Istanbul. Fuat Keyman is Director of Istanbul Policy Center and Professor of International Relations at Sabanci University, Istanbul. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Military base targeted in southern city dominated by armed groups, leaving at least 45 would-be army recruits dead. Double bomb attacks on would-be army recruits have killed at least 45 people in Yemens southern city of Aden, officials say. The local affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group claimed responsibility for Mondays attacks. In the first attack, a car bomb hit a crowd of young men queueing to join the Yemeni army, causing at least 20 casualties, the Associated Press news agency said, quoting an unnamed a security official. The explosion went off near the Badr military base in the Khormaksar district of Aden, where the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi is based. The bomber detonated an explosives belt after joining the queue at the recruitment centre. A second explosion went off inside the base afterwards, killing at least 25 more. Aden al-Ghad, a local news website, showed pictures of soldiers picking up bloodied comrades in uniform from the ground and witnesses reported seeing ambulances with blaring sirens collecting the wounded from the scene. In a statement after the attacks, ISIL called the men it killed apostate soldiers. Sympathisers of ISIL used social media to provide further details. They said a native of Aden they identified as Abu Ali al-Adani was responsible for one of the blasts. A picture was posted of a man using crutches approaching the centre, followed by before and after shots of the explosion site. The blasts came as more than 148 people died in attacks in Syria, also carried out by ISIL on Monday. Power vacuum Armed groups have gained ground in Aden since forces loyal to Hadi, and backed by an Arab coalition, drove Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, out of the city in July last year. The conflict between those two sides created a power vacuum that was exploited by al-Qaeda and allied groups. READ MORE: Who are the Houthis? Al-Qaeda and ISIL have claimed responsibility for a rash of attacks on government forces who drove Houthi rebels out. But over the past two months, government and coalition forces have hit back, driving the armed fighters out of Aden, as well as Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt province, which they had controlled for a year. UN assembly in Kenya will tackle some of the worlds most pressing environmental issues, including climate change. With traffic en route from Jomo Kenyatta airport to UN headquarters in Nairobi bumper-to-bumper in a choking pall of exhaust fumes, the UN reports contents fit the moment. They outline deaths caused by environmental degradation around the world. For example, every year air pollution prematurely kills seven million people. More than four million of those die from the effects of inhaling smoke from cooking fires, dying simply for trying to feed themselves women and children mainly among the victims. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, nearly one in four deaths are caused by some form of environmental change. Such are the desperate facts laid out in a series of hard science reports for journalists, delegates, and government ministers heading to the United Nations Environment Assembly being held this week in Nairobi. World failing to tackle deadly pollution crisis? We have compromised our life-support systems, said Achim Steiner, chief of the UN Environment Programme. We have to ensure that the environment sustains human health, rather than threatens it. The assembly is a kind of parliament of the environment. It is one of the first major meetings since the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and follows the Paris Climate Agreement last December. Resolutions passed this week would give impetus to the global effort to clean up our environment. But the challenge is formidable. In Africa alone, fertile lands are degrading. Over-cultivation, inefficient irrigation, and overgrazing are taking their toll. Forest cover is shrinking as a growing population demands more and more firewood. Global population growth, spiralling urbanisation, and soaring consumption are creating severe water shortages. Underinvestment and deteriorating infrastructure are placing enormous pressure on sanitation for millions in Africas megacities such as Kinshasa, Lagos and Cairo. Its clear African ministers are setting a high priority for the coming meeting, Egypts Minister of the Environment, Khaled Fahmy, said. We are expecting the assembly to hear the voice of Africa. The challenges are immense, not only environmental but economic and social. Indeed, human activities encroaching on natural habitats mean that diseases passed from animals to human beings are on the rise. So-called zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, bird flu and the Zika virus are among the bill toppers that have medical science worried. READ MORE: UN 80 percent of urban dwellers breathe bad air The UN will launch a big effort against the illegal wildlife trade and its impact on the environment. Microplastics in our oceans and the consequent risk to human health will also be discussed. And of course, climate change. Consider this: 200 times more people die prematurely every year from environmental degradation and pollution than from war and conflict. Delegates will argue the toss about potential solutions. For example: banning lead in gasoline on a global scale would help prevent one million premature deaths. For those sitting in Nairobis traffic jams, that will have particular resonance. Syrian activist and journalist tells Al Jazeera what life is like in and around Aleppo after the truce. Aleppo, Syria A figure is running through a cloud of smoke and brick-dust, his panting audible through the camera just keeping up behind him. Sirens are heard. Pillars of smoke rise up from behind residential buildings. Another air strike. Hadi al-Abdullah, a prominent Syrian journalist and activist, has been documenting the devastation left behind by Syrian and Russian air strikes on Aleppo, since a major flare-up in fighting weeks ago. Since the outbreak of the uprising, Abdullah has made a name for himself first, as an anti-regime activist in his home city of Homs, and later as a citizen journalist working in fraught, often incredibly dangerous conditions on some of Syrias major battlefields: Qusayr, Idlib and now Aleppo. Abdullah has made himself unpopular with both the Syrian government and al-Nusra Front, which detained him and another prominent Syrian activist, Raed Fares, in Kafranbel earlier this year. Abdullahs recent videos have shown air strikes falling on neighbourhoods in the east of Aleppo, as well as the devastation they cause: Bombed-out homes and market-places, children caught up in the violence. Al Jazeera speaks to Abdullah to find out more about the situation on the ground in Aleppo after the ceasefire. READ MORE: Syrias Civil war Explained Al Jazeera: In recent weeks, international media has focused on the escalating situation in Aleppo. What have you seen so far? Ive seen civilians under the rubble of destroyed buildings; a father looking for his children under the rubble, a mother searching for her kids. The situation is very difficult. Hadi Abdullah: Ive been filming everything in Aleppo since the beginning of the military campaign launched by the Syrian and Russian air forces. I have documented many massacres committed by both forces including the one in Al-Quds hospital, the hospital run by Doctors Without Borders. However, since the beginning of the ceasefire, the situation in Aleppo has become quieter. The city isnt being exposed to intense bombing in the way it was before. There are still ceasefire violations by the regime every day, mainly bombing from artillery, but its quieter than before. But, we have to distinguish between Aleppo and the countryside. The Aleppo countryside never went through any truce or ceasefire, either from the side of the rebels or the regime forces, so fighting is still going on there. Al Jazeera: And whats the situation south of Aleppo? Abdullah: When civilians were being bombed in the city, there was pressure on the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Islamic factions to open up a front with the regime so that civilians wouldnt be bombed any more. Many believed that if a new front opened up, the Russian and Syrian air forces would strike there, and the bombing on civilians would stop. So, Jaish al-Fateh [a rebel coalition that includes a number of Islamist factions including al-Nusra Front] took the town of Khan Touman, and then the town of Khaldiya, from regime forces, as well as a series of hills close by. I went there [earlier this month] to cover the military operations. Since then, the fighting hasnt calmed down. The bombing is not only over Khan Touman, but over all the western and southern areas in the Aleppo countryside. There, the bombing never stops. Al Jazeera: How are civilians in rebel-held Aleppo faring since the ceasefire came in? Abdullah: Civilians are beginning to restore their normal life, and the marketplaces are becoming busier, bit-by-bit. Some of the electricity cables that were cut during the last two weeks of military campaigns are being repaired. The streets are being cleared of rubble. But people are still afraid that the regime may carry out more ceasefire violations. Al Jazeera: Who are the main rebel groups now in Aleppo? Abdullah: Most of the brigades in Aleppo belong to the Free Syrian Army groups like Jabhat al-Sham (al-Sham Front), the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement as well as the Mujahideen Army. Those are the most prominent groups, although there are some Islamist factions from Ahrar al-Sham, Jaish al-Islam and so on, however, its mainly FSA forces. Al Jazeera: At the same time, theres been some debate on whether or not al-Nusra Front maintains a presence in Aleppo something the Russians and Syrians have used to justify recent air strikes on urban areas. Abdullah: Al-Nusra is rarely seen inside Aleppo. There are some individuals from al-Nusra who hail originally from Aleppo and live inside the city, but theres no headquarters for al-Nusra and they dont have a significant presence inside Aleppo. They exist more as part of Jaish al-Fateh in the countryside to the south. As I said, the main presence in the city is the FSA. Al Jazeera: In some of your recent videos, youre reporting in neighbourhoods of Aleppo while air strikes are falling nearby. Whats it actually like to report in those sorts of conditions? Abdullah: Youre in a neighbourhood and it might be attacked by rockets from aircraft, barrel bombs or shells. Ive seen civilians under the rubble of destroyed buildings; a father looking for his children under the rubble, a mother searching for her kids. The situation is very difficult. Al Jazeera: What hopes do you have for the short-term truce? Abdullah: Right now, I can hear military aircraft flying over Aleppo. Thats just proof of how fragile the ceasefire is. Im not hopeful at all. Nahla Nemr contributed to reporting Independent candidate Alexander van der Bellen has won Austrias presidential election after far-right leader Norbert Hofer conceded defeat. The interior minister said on Monday that Alexander Van der Bellen won 50.3 percent of the vote in Sundays knife-edge election, compared to 49.7 percent for Hofer, presented as the friendly and moderate face of the anti-immigration, populist Freedom Party (FPOe). Of course I am sad, Hofer said on Facebook as he conceded defeat. I would have loved to have looked after this wonderful country for you as president. Please dont be disheartened. The effort in this election campaign is not wasted, but is an investment for the future. Preliminary results late on Sunday had put Hofer 3.8 percentage points ahead in the runoff for the largely ceremonial but bitterly fought-over post of Austrian head of state, but postal ballots, which account for about 12 percent of eligible votes, swayed the result in Van der Bellens favour. A record 700,000 postal ballots were counted during Monday, dramatically putting Van der Bellen ahead by just over 31,000 votes in the final tally. India agrees to finance the development of Chabahar port that can turn into a transit hub for three countries. India, Iran and Afghanistan have signed a tripartite agreement to turn the Iranian port of Chabahar into a transit hub bypassing Pakistan, which has been the only route for war-stricken Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean. The agreement can change the course of history in this region, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday during his visit to Tehran. The accord, which calls for joint investments, will significantly boost the role of the under-tapped port of Chabahar. Once the project is realised, it will connect India to Afghanistan and central Asia, while Kabul will get an alternate route to the Indian Ocean. The idea is that if Chabahar is developed it would give India the equivalent of an alternate route from India through the sea route to Chabahar and from then on the land route that would lead through Iran to Afghanistan, Uday Bhaskar, the director of Society for Policy Studies, said. India agreed on Monday to finance the development of the port as a regional hub, as Modi sought to revive economic ties with Tehran after the lifting of sanctions. Regional opportunities The Indian leader met Iranian officials including supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani during a visit that he said would mark a new chapter in our strategic partnership. Modi and Rouhani oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the provision of a $500m line of credit. Today is an important and historical day of development of relations between the three countries, Rouhani said in a televised speech, seated between the two other leaders. From Tehran, New Delhi and Kabul, this is a crucial message that the path to progress for regional countries goes through joint cooperation and utilising regional opportunities. The deal is crucial for the landlocked Afghanistan, as it changes the geopolitics of the region and is seen as a way out of its dependency on Pakistan. Alternate route The Afghan president praised his counterparts and said the Chabahar partnership was only the beginning. Our will starts from Chabahar today, but its end will be an all-out comprehensive development and economic-cultural cooperation, said Ghani. The tripartite deal is likely to upset China, the greatest economic rival of India in Asia, and Pakistan, which has been the only transit route for Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean. Chabahar is not very far from the Pakistan port city of Gwadar, which is being developed by China. There is a strategic dimension which is that India will have its own connectivity options that bypasses Gwadar. And concurrently since India does not have access to Afghanistan and central Asia because of obstacles being raised by Pakistan, Bhaskar said. Clearly if Chabahar is realised it would be the kind of alternate route that would really not cause much comfort and happiness for China and Pakistan, he told Al Jazeera. The volume of trade between Iran and India in the past 11 months reached $9bn, according to Irans official IRNA news agency. Tehran was New Delhis second largest oil supplier until 2011-12, when the sanctions cut its dependence on Iranian oil. Obama announces move on historic visit as US seeks closer ties with Vietnam in the face of a China growing in strength. United States President Barack Obama has lifted a decades-old arms embargo on Vietnam, looking to bolster a former bitter enemy his government now sees as a crucial partner. Obama announced the full removal of the embargo after arriving in the communist country on Monday, saying that the move was intended as a step towards normalising relations and eliminating a lingering vestige of the Cold War. At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation, Obama said. Obama is seeking to strike a balance with Vietnam as China tries to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the worlds most important waterways. Lifting the embargo will be seen as a psychological boost for Vietnams leaders as they look to counter a resurgent China. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang thanked Obama for lifting the embargo. Vietnam has not bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalised and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. Massive business deals Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after relations were restored, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for US goods and an offset to Chinas strength. Very big commercial deals are being signed here numbering in the billions of dollars, Al Jazeeras Marga Ortigas, reporting from Hanoi, said. These are the biggest deals signed by Vietnam. One of the biggest deals was an $11.3bn purchase by VietJet airlines of 100 aircrafts from the US firm Boeing. Obama also announced several other deals. France is hosting an international conference in Paris in June aimed at reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has renewed rejection of a French peace initiative, telling the visiting French prime minister that peace cannot be forged through international conferences but only through direct negotiations. Peace just does not get achieved through international conferences, UN-style, Netanyahu said on Monday at a press conference with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls. It doesnt get to fruition through international diktats or committees seeking to decide our fate and our security when they have no direct stake in it. Paris plans to hold ministerial-level talks on June 3 as a first step in reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, which came to a halt in April 2014. The talks would initially exclude Israel and Palestinian authorities but would bring together representatives of the US, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, as well as representatives from Arab and European nations. READ MORE: Netanyahu slams France after UN vote on Al-Aqsa mosque The French hope that beginning with non-direct talks could lay the groundwork for an agreement later between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians have welcomed the French effort, but Israel has rejected it out of concern that the country will be faced with foreign dictates. Instead, the Israeli leader proposed sitting down for direct talks in Paris with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. I will sit alone directly with President Abbas in the Elysee Palace, or anywhere else that you choose, Netanyahu said. Speaking to broadcaster i24news, Valls said direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians had failed. The role of world powers is to ensure a regulated dialogue, Valls said in Tel Aviv. The French premier is expected to meet Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah on Tuesday. Earlier this year, Frances former foreign minister Laurent Fabius said France would recognise a Palestinian state in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem if the conference and efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian talks fail. US president calls apparent death an important milestone after several drones attack Mansoors car in Pakistan. United States President Barack Obama has said that the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in a US strike. In a statement on Monday, he called Mansoors death an important milestone. We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war with the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like al-Qaeda, he said. Afghanistans Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said on Twitter a day earlier that Mansoor was dead, the countrys spy agency also said he had been killed and a source close to Mansoor told Al Jazeera he believed the reports to be true. The Taliban has not yet issued an official statement, though some of the groups officials earlier denied the reports. PROFILE: Mullah Akhtar Mansoor Obama, who authorised the attack, was in Vietnam for his first state visit when the statement was issued. Speaking at a news conference following his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Obama said the fatal attack on Mansoor did not represent a change in US military strategy in Afghanistan, which is to help train Afghan forces. Obama ended the US combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. We are not re-entering the day-to-day combat operations that are currently being conducted by Afghan security forces, Obama said. Our job is to help Afghanistan secure its own country, not to have our men and women in uniform engage in that fight for them. US forces in Afghanistan Mansoor was chosen to head the Afghan Taliban last summer after it was announced that the groups previous leader Mullah Omar had died two years earlier. The Taliban is the most powerful armed group in the country, where an estimated 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded and 5,500 government troops and police officers died last year alone. It seized power in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan until it was toppled by a US-led invasion after the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Almost 15 years later, about 13,000 troops are in the country from a US-NATO coalition, including about 9,800 Americans. While they are mostly focused on training and helping Afghan government forces battle the insurgency, about 3,000 troops are conducting operations against the Taliban and groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Who is Mullah Akhtar Mansoor? Mullah Mansoor was born in around 1965 in a small village called Kariz in the Maiwand district of Kandahar. He belongs to Afghanistans Ishaqzai tribe. He fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan for a brief period and was a member of Harakat-i-Inqilab-i-Islami, a former paramilitary group formed by Maulana Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi to fight them. One of his first jobs for the group was overseeing the security of Kandahar airport. In 1996-2001, when the Taliban was in power, he oversaw the ministry of civil aviation. He rose to the upper echelons after Mullah Akhtar Osmani, a senior Taliban military leader and a close associate of Mullah Omar, was killed by US-led coalition forces in 2006 and Mullah Dadullah Akhund, the groups top military commander, was killed in 2007 by British special forces. Between 2007 and 2010 he was able to stake a claim for higher office when Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy of Mullah Omar, and Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, the Taliban government defence minister, were captured by the Pakistan Intelligence agency ISI. In July 2015, Afghan intelligence said that Mullah Omar had been dead for two years. Within hours of that announcement, the Taliban reportedly held a meeting and elected Mullah Mansoor as leader. But his appointment appeared to expose fissures in the group. A few months after his appointment, Taliban fighters seized the capital of Kunduz province after launching a daring raid from multiple directions. The attack was the biggest blow to President Ashraf Ghani since he took office a year before. In December 2015, Afghan officials said Mansoor had died after a gunfight. The Taliban later released an audio message from him in which he denied he had been killed. Mansoor refused to join any of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meetings, made up of representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States and aimed at reviving a peace process. After his persistent refusal to join talks, Afghan officials told Al Jazeera that action against the Taliban would be on the agenda for the fifth round of peace talks in early May. Despite his hawkish stands, Liebermans appointment will hardly change the Israeli agenda, analysts say. Gaza Strip In February 2015, Avigdor Lieberman, Israels new defence minister, who was serving as a foreign minister at the time, declared that; a fourth operation in the Gaza Strip is inevitable, just as a third Lebanon war is inevitable. As the second anniversary of Israels war on Gaza, dubbed Operation Protective edge, approaches, Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave say that Liebermans appointment as the Israels defence minister brings him a step closer to achieving his unsettling prophecy. We should not be fooled by Zionists who hate the Lieberman-Netanyahu unity, wrote Refaat Alareer, a Palestinian writer and activists, they, too, want Palestinians killed, but with [silk] scarves, not bombs! Lieberman, a staunch opponent of peace with Palestinians who heads of the extreme right wing party Yisrael Beiteinu, has served two terms as foreign minister and has little significant military experience. Over the past few years, Gaza in particular bore the brunt of Liebermans bravado. During the 2014 war on Gaza, Lieberman publicly criticized Netanyahu accusing him of not cracking down hard enough on Gaza. READ MORE: Letter from Gaza War was never over Since late 2008, Israel has carried out three major wars against Palestinians in Gaza. In July and August 2014, the Israeli army pounded Gaza from land, air and sea for 51 days. Of more than 2,200 Palestinians killed during that war, an estimated two-thirds were civilians, according to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs. More than 18,000 housing units were severely damaged or destroyed in the July/August war. Israel's war decisions are taken through considered strategies and within hierarchies. Lieberman is but one cog in the Israeli war machine. by Ahmed Alfaleet, former Palestinian prisoner There are more than 75,000 people who remain displaced across Gaza as a direct result of the July/August 2014 war. Despite the relative calm since the August 26, 2014 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, there have been more than 20 serious incidents that involved Israeli incursions, air raids, and missile exchanges with 23 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip since December 2015. On May 5, the Israeli military has carried out air strikes on Gaza Strip in response to what it said were mortar rounds fired into its territory. One woman was killed in the ensuing fire exchange in addition to the reported injuries. Lieberman has repeatedly advocated that Israel should re-occupy the Gaza Strip and conduct a thorough cleansing of the enclave, and supported targeted assassinations against Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip. Last month, he said that if he were defence minister [of Israel], he would give Hamas Ismail Haniya 48 hours to hand over two detained Israeli civilians who crossed into Gaza as well as the bodies of soldiers killed in the 2014 war or youre dead. Liebermans new position has predictably invited scorn from Hamas and Palestinian factions. If Lieberman is a real man, let him approach Gaza, said senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahhar. Fathi Hammad, Hamas former minister of interior, stated that Hamas is not intimidated by Liebermans threats to the movements leadership. We do not call for war, but we will fight if it is imposed on us, Hammad said. In a statement released on Thursday, the Palestinian foreign ministry,said Liebermans appointment confirms the lack of a peace partner in Israel. Analysis Israel: The rise of the new messianic elite The situation in the Strip, meanwhile, remains tense, with observers saying that any miscalculations might lead to a new, large-scale confrontation. Palestinian analyst Adnan Abu Amer depicts a grimmer view of the days ahead, suggesting that Lieberman is in search for an opportunity to put the force of his newly acquired position on display. Israel faces a leadership crisis.This enables politicians like Netanyahu and Lieberman to promote their agenda. The first stabbing operation in the West Bank or rocket launch from Gaza will telltale the nature of the days to come. Some of Liebermans hawkish stands include calling for the execution of certain Israeli Arab politicians, repeatedly questioning the loyalty of Israels Arab minority, proposing the beheading of anyone who opposes the Jewishness of Israel, and suggesting that Palestinian prisoners be drowned in the Dead Sea. He even went as far as to indirectly hint at the possibility of nuking Gaza. Ahmed Alfaleet, a former Palestinian prisoner and expert in Israeli affairs, says that despite his hawkish stands, Liebermans appointment will hardly change the Israeli agenda. Most massacres were committed by so-called peaceniks, said Alfaleet adding that Lieberman stands at the periphery of decision-making in Israel. Israels decisions are taken through considered strategies and within hierarchies. Lieberman is but one cog in the Israeli war machine. Unexpected meeting between Francis and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb followed easing of tensions during reign of Benedict. Pope Francis has met the grand imam of Cairos Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican in a historic encounter that was sealed with a hugely symbolic hug and exchange of kisses. The first Vatican meeting on Monday between the leader of the worlds Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam marks the culmination of a significant improvement in relations between the two faiths since Francis took office in 2013. Our meeting is the message. by Pope Francis Our meeting is the message, Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Vatican officials told a small pool of reporters covering the event. In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar, an institution that also comprises a prestigious seat of learning, said Tayeb had accepted Francis invitation in order to explore efforts to spread peace and co-existence. The very cordial meeting lasted around 30 minutes, the Vatican said in a statement after the talks. In all, the imam spent just over an hour at St Peters. Conciliatory gestures Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope and the imam had mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world. At the meeting, the pope presented the imam with a copy of his recent encyclical, Laudato Si, a letter to the faithful in which he urges the world to wake up to the threat posed by climate change and also calls for a rebalancing of the economic relationship between the industrialised and developing worlds. Tayeb decided to accept the invitation to Rome as a result of the numerous conciliatory gestures Francis has made to the Muslim world since being elected in early 2013. If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening, the imams deputy, Abbas Shuman, told AFP on Sunday. Ties were badly soured when the now-retired Benedict made a September 2006 speech in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly protests in several countries and reprisal attacks on Christians. After the tensions of the Benedict years, Francis moved quickly to set a new tone, sending a personal message to the Muslim world to mark the end of the first month of Ramadan of his pontificate. The Argentinian pontiff followed up by pushing various inter-faith initiatives and he was accompanied by both Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Islamic studies professor Omar Abboud when he visited Jordan and Israel in 2014. But perhaps the gesture that clinched the deal was the most dramatic piece of political theatre of his papacy: his April visit to the refugee crisis island of Lesbos which concluded with him bringing three Syrian Muslim families back to the Vatican. Children of hill tribes in northern Thailand unable to escape flames as they slept. At least 17 young girls died after a fire swept through the dormitory of a school for children of hill tribes in northern Thailand, officials said on Monday, adding that several others were either missing or injured. The fire started late at night, meaning many of the children were asleep and unable to escape as flames engulfed the two-storey building. The fire broke out at 11pm on Sunday (16:00 GMT). Seventeen girls were killed and two are still missing, with five injured, Colonel Prayad Singsin of the police in Chiang Rai told the AFP news agency. Two of the injured are in a serious condition, he said. The fire is out, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, Prayad said, adding that forensic officers were due to arrive on Monday. A Chiang Rai provincial official confirmed the death toll, adding that the privately run school was home to girls aged between six and 13, drawn mainly from the deprived local hill tribes. There were 38 students inside the dormitory when the fire broke out. Some were not yet asleep so they escaped, the provinces deputy governor, Arkom Sukapan, told AFP. But others were asleep and could not escape, resulting in the large number of casualties. Photographs on the schools Facebook page showed firefighters struggling to douse the flames as they tore through the wooden building. Thai media showed a fire engine spraying water on to the blaze as the upper storey of the school was consumed by the fire. Rescue workers picked through the debris late on Sunday and into Monday morning. Accidents common Thailand is home to a patchwork of hill tribes who mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar. Many are descendants of refugees from Myanmar or China and live in subsistence farming communities that are beyond the reach of state resources. Hill tribe children suffer at school, as well as in health and development. Poverty means adults are easy prey for drug gangs who pay them to smuggle narcotics including heroin and amphetamines across a zone known as the Golden Triangle. Thai security forces frequently engage in deadly gun battles with hill tribe drug mules in the region. That link engenders prejudice among many Thais, and hill tribes are often portrayed negatively in the media. Chiang Rai town and the surrounding hills are popular with foreign tourists for hiking and adventure sports. Tourists can go on tours to the visit the isolated tribes, although the practice of posing for photographs at villages has come in for criticism for degrading their unique culture and treating the ethnic groups as exhibits in human zoos. Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common in the kingdom. String of car bombs and suicide attacks hits hospital entrance, bus station and other places in Latakia and Jableh. At least 148 people have been killed in multiple attacks claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group in areas controlled by the Syrian government, a monitoring group said. Syrian state TV also reported the attacks, putting the death toll at 78. Simultaneous car bombs and suicide bombers hit bus stations, hospitals and elsewhere in the coastal cities of Tartus and Jableh on Monday, appearing to severely breach government defences, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The attacks were the first of their kind in Tartus, capital of Tartous province and home to a Russian naval facility, and in Jableh in Latakia province, near a Russian-operated air base. Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel of what it said were scenes of the blasts in Jableh showed several twisted and incinerated cars and minivans. The Observatory said 148 people were killed in series of attacks. It said there were seven explosions that ripped through both locations simultaneously: Four in Jableh, including three suicide bombs and one car bomb, and four in Tartus, including two suicide bombers and one car bomb. READ MORE: Syrias Civil War Explained US State Department as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks. The Kremlin said the bomb blasts underlined the need to press ahead with the Geneva peace talks after the collapse of a February 27 ceasefire owing to intensifying violence in a war that has killed at least 250,000 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness to fight with the Syrian government against the terrorist threat and sent his condolences to Assad, the Kremlin said. Syrias Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said in an interview with Ikhbariya that terrorists were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians instead of fighting on the frontlines, and vowed to keep battling them. The government refers to all rebels fighting against it as terrorists. Hospital blast In Jableh, dozens were killed when a car bomb went off near a bus station, followed by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive belt inside the station. Two men blew themselves up at the electricity company and outside the emergency entrance of a city hospital. Dozens more were killed in Tartus when a car bomb went off in the bus station, and then two men blew themselves up when people gathered, according to the observatory. ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack through one of its media arms, Amaq. It is the first time in this war that simultaneous attacks of this scale took place in Latakia, Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Gaziantep in neighbouring Turkey, said. Referendums outcome may alienate moderate Tajiks and escalate radicalisation with fears of violence on the rise. Tajikistan the poorest ex-Soviet nation with a long and porous border with Afghanistan announced on Monday the results of a constitutional referendum that makes the heavy-handed rule of President Emomali Rakhmon virtually unlimited, paves the way for his sons presidency, and outlaws faith-based parties. The Central Election Committee said 94.5 percent of eligible voters approved 41 constitutional amendments at Sundays vote with a 92 percent turnout. The referendum ballots to approve the amendments only allowed a yes or no option, without a chance to vote on each amendment separately. The referendums outcomes may alienate moderate Tajik Islamists and escalate the situation in Central Asia, as the strategically located region faces a rising threat from Afghanistans Taliban and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Rakhmon, a former collective farm chairman and minor communist official, came to power in 1992 amid a bloody civil war that claimed some 20,000 lives and ended three years later. He used Russian military and political backing to strike a peace deal with the Islamic opposition and powerful regional clans. READ MORE: Tajikistan shaves 13,000 beards in radicalism battle Initially, Rakhmon gave his former opponents posts in his government and let them participate in the privatisation of Soviet-era factories and real estate. But over the past decade he purged many of them, forcing them to leave Tajikistan, orchestrating trials that sentenced them to jail, and ordering massive security operations that killed dozens of people, his critics and independent online Tajik media claimed. One of the amendments approved at Sundays vote prohibits faith-based parties effectively outlawing the Party of Islamic Renaissance, one of Rakhmons civil war-era adversaries. Sixteen of the partys leaders are now standing trial for their alleged attempt to stage a coup, five of them face life in prison. Analysts warn the move will radicalise the partys supporters. Tajiks vote in referendum seen as cementing presidents power After the party was disbanded and discredited, the radicalisation of many of its members is rather predictable, Parvina Khamidova, a US-based Tajik publicist told Al Jazeera. The radicalisation process in the republic has begun a long time ago but may grow much stronger now because the Renaissance Party attracted the moderate part of believers, she said. Two more of the adopted amendments allow Rakhmon to run for president indefinitely and lower the age limit for presidential hopefuls to 30, permitting his 29-year-old son, Rustam Emomali, to take part in the 2020 presidential election. Emomali now heads the national anti-corruption agency, while Rakhmons other son and seven daughters hold top government jobs or own huge businesses. The referendum shapes Tajikistans political system in full accordance with the feudal system of the mid-19th century, when power was not just unlimited but also hereditary, Moscow-based expert on Central Asia Daniil Kislov told Al Jazeera. Most of what is now Tajikistan was part of the Bukhara Emirate that was conquered by Czarist Russia in the late 19th century. Although most Tajiks are Sunni Muslims, their language is closely related to Farsi, and Rakhmon never tires of emphasising the Aryan, or Iranian, roots of Tajik culture and statehood. READ MORE: Trouble in Tajikistan The 63-year-old leader has also developed an eccentric personality cult. Tajik media call him His Excellency and The National Leader. Lawmakers and schoolchildren dedicate poems to him and compare him to the sun and ancient Persian shahs. A law adopted in December makes Rakhmon immune to criminal prosecution. The mountainous nation of nine million is now the worlds most remittance-dependent nation with as much as half of its GDP formed by cash transfers from millions of Tajik men who mostly work in Russia, despite xenophobia and strict immigration policies, according to the World Bank. Their remittances dropped sharply last year because of Russias economic meltdown, while some of the stranded Tajiks became easy prey to recruiters from ISIL and other armed groups fighting in Syria. Hundreds of Tajiks are believed to have joined them. Tajikistans 1,400-km-long border with Afghanistan is more exposed as the US-led NATO alliance is pulling out of the ravaged nation. Meanwhile, the incessant flow of Afghan opiates further weakens and corrupts the Tajik economy. The Istanbul Summit will be an opportunity to help the next generation get back on its feet. The Iraqi army has begun its offensive to retake Fallujah from ISIL. The Iraqi government says it has begun an assault on Fallujah, the first Iraqi city to fall to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), back in January 2014. Few expect it to be an easy fight. Government forces had been surrounding the city for months. And ISIL has had time to dig in and bolster its defences. Fallujahs recapture would build on a series of recent victories against ISIL and leave Mosul as the armed groups only remaining foothold inside Iraq. But will the army succeed? And what would a victory mean for embattled Prime Minister Haider al Abadi? Presenter: Laura Kyle Guests: Matthew Glanville A former British soldier who fought in Iraq. He also served as a Special Adviser to the Governor of Anbar Province. Renad Mansour Research Fellow focusing on Iraq at Carnegie Middle East Centre. Matthew Henman Head of IHS Janes Terrorism and Insurgency Centre. The collective, Alchemy Sound Project, is a core quintet of composers and musicians whose compositions, on their debut album, Further Explorations cross over a foundation of chamber music with traditional jazz. The central players had united under the banner of the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute prior to this project. With diverse interests in global influences as well as backgrounds in a multitude of musical mediums, their challenge was to create jazz influenced by classical principles, a bit of a reverse process from the conventional approach.Saxophonist Erica Lindsay, who performs with theBig Band, also co-leads a quartet with Alchemy Sound Project pianist Sumi Tonooka, a group that includes bassist. Tonooka, whose accomplishments include a residency with The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, drew considerable attention for her solo release Now (Artists Recording Collective, 2012). Multi-reed player Salim Washington was a member of's Afro-Asian Music Ensemble and a founding member of the activist group, The Eco-Music Big Band. Bassist David Arend works across multiple genres and has performed with artists that run the gamut from the San Francisco Symphony to. Trumpeter Samantha Boshnack leads multiple groups and has played within the Washington Composers Orchestra. Not regular members of Alchemy Sound Project, trombonist Willem de Koch and drummer Max Wood join in on Further Explorations."Charcoal, Clear, Beautiful All Over" opens a ten piece collection prevalent with opulent yet understated expressions. The title track takes a more avant-garde approach but no less rich in atmosphere. Tonooka, Lindsay and Washington, in particular, build on the traditional lexicons of their respective instruments to keep the music from settling too long in one place. Following its stately opening, "Alchemical" provides a launch pad for some adventurous improvising from Tonooka and Lindsay before returning to a variation on the opening theme. More overtly jazz-oriented, "Waiting" and "Beta" have moments of wilder abandon while "Archetype" builds to boil and "Joie De Vivre" is as exuberant as its name implies.Further Explorations is an excellent debut from a talented group of composers and players. The goal of jazz/chamber integration is well balanced, primarily because this group has evident passion for rendering their individual and collective contributions to that organic end point. The invention, tonal shading and occasional raucousness on this album give it a warm glow and a sense of fun. The Whistle Blower is the eighth album from saxophonist Gilad Atzmon and his Orient House Ensemble, but sounds as fresh as the first. As one of the most fearless improvisers of the UK jazz scene, Atzmon has always worn his politics loudly on his sleeve, and here the story of an Israeli Jew who left home in search of new identities rings truer than ever over the course of seven original tunes. The listener emerges from the other ends of their tunnel with affirmation not only of survival, but more importantly of staying true to one's expressive potential."Gaza mon Amour" assembles a prime groove right out of the box, priming the canvas for Atzmon's sopranism. The tone he gets out of that higher reed is as distinct as his angular notecraft, sounding more like a Middle Eastern zurna than a Western woodwind. Wordless vocals from the band spike the rhythmic punch before their leader unleashes a sermon on alto. His integrity catapults him off the map into his own cartographic universe, unafraid to hit the ground running wherever may land. From hot spring to cool stream, Atzmon eases into "Forever," the first in a virtuosic ballad sequence. Yet what at first appears to be a leaner body reveals itself to be just as muscular as the previous, for there is an underlying strength to Atzmon's writing that fortifies his soloing with metaphorical protein. Pianist Frank Harrison adds shading to the canvas, allowing just enough sunlight from soprano to spread its warmth to distant grasslands on wings of loving, persistent memory. Deeper sentiments await in "The Romantic Church." Here Atzmon wields his alto more like brush than scripture, while synth textures from Harrison add cinematic flair. "Let Us Pray" continues the sacred theme. Atzmon on soprano cracks open a tirade of exposition, leaving Harrison to unpack some of the more intimate acrobatics. He works from short story to novella, allowing the inner drive of the music to push things forward and beyond. Drummer Chris Higginbottom offers artistic subtleties of his own at last call. Atzmon switches hats in "The Song," for which he plays accordion. This supple waltz is rich with lived experience and transparent optimism, and spotlights bassist Yaron Stavi's lyricism. The next two tracks, "To be Free" and "For Moana," put the soprano back into play, balancing rubato impulses with flourishing pianism before the title track finishes out the set with a colorful smile in a rhythmic and stylistic mash-up. As this knowing wink proves, there is nothing arbitrary about Atzmon's sound. He is more than a storyteller; he is a story-bringer who drops narratives like weighty tomes, the contents of which he proceeds to give summaries in one fell swoop, and always with a depth of charge that makes any interpretation that follows seem inevitable. The Humanitarian Country Team in Sudan today expressed shock and disappointment at the de facto expulsion by the Government of Sudan of one of its senior UN officials, the Head of Office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Ivo Freijsen. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the United []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... He's baaack. Cattaraugus County Bank in Little Valley, N.Y., has named Salvatore Marranca chairman less than two years after he retired as its chief executive. Marranca, who retired in 2014 after 30 years as president and CEO, was put in charge of the board in April, the $207 million-asset bank said in a press release on its website. He had remained on the board in the interim. Community banking Cattaraugus County Bank in N.Y. Announces CEO Succession Cattaraugus County Bank in Little Valley, N.Y., has announced a succession plan for its chief executive. February 21 Community banking How Vietnam Experience Shaped Two Bankers' Careers Salvatore Marranca and Garrett Richter have a lot in common: both found success in the banking world after army service in Vietnam. It was that wartime experience, though, that set them apart from most of their peers. November 11 Marranca was one of the subjects of an American Banker profile last fall of two bankers whose Vietnam War experience shaped their careers. Before he was drafted in 1970 and immediately after his service with the 518th Adjutant General Company as company clerk, Marranca worked as a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. examiner. Vietnam, the Buffalo native said in the article, "showed me there was a big world out there. It taught me the price of freedom." But after his return home he didn't tell people about his participation in the controversial conflict. "I literally threw out everything I had with any connection to the Army," he said. After 14 years with the FDIC, Marranca joined Cattaraugus County Bank as senior vice president and served on its board starting in 1983, and the following year he was appointed president and CEO. Marranca retained his seat on the board after he retired in 2014 and was succeeded as chief by Michael Wimer. Marranca took over the chairmanship from Robert Irwin, who will remain on the board, Buffalo Business First reported on Friday. Irwin has served as chairman since 2004, according to a Bloomberg business profile. We are entering a new era one in which terrorists place bombs in the sky and detonate them whenever they see fit. EgyptAir MS804 is just the latest example of their ability to transform an airliner into an IED. Authorities almost immediately agreed that MS804 was likely the victim of a terrorist attack. However, they aren't able to discern how that took place, given the extensive passenger screening the flight underwent on each leg of its journey. Ascertaining the method requires a look at the history of this particular flight and an honest appraisal of who stood to gain from the destruction of this plane and the brutal slaughter of its passengers and crew. Since 9/11, airline security has been focused on passengers and their luggage. However, recent terror events such as the explosion of the Russian jetliner over the Sinai Peninsula in October make the case that our focus ought to turn to those who manage airport security and/or have access to aircraft while it is on the ground. Every plane coming out of an area of unrest and Islamist activity is a potential bomb in the skies. This plane, which originated in Cairo as MS803, was set for a round-trip journey to Paris. The plane was on the ground in Cairo a full 24 hours before departing for Paris at 4:50 pm (Cairo time). It arrived in Paris at 9:40 pm (Paris time), and by 10:45 pm, it had taken off for the return leg of the journey. While on the ground in Paris, there was little time for a thorough security check of the aircraft, but due to the short turnaround, there was equally little time to smuggle a bomb on board, especially in light of the increased security presence at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Exactly six hours from the time it originally departed Cairo, the plane made its two inexplicable maneuvers before disappearing entirely, almost certainly from a catastrophic mid-air explosion. This timeline would suggest that the lethal device was already on the airliner before it left Cairo. The terrorists who placed the explosive device on MS804, I believe, were embedded among the security personnel entrusted with sweeping the aircraft in Cairo for potential danger. There are reasons to suspect the compromise of the security personnel in Egypt other than opportunity and access. Events in Egypt in recent weeks provide some insight. Beginning a fortnight ago, the country of Egypt has been wracked with violence and unrest between Muslim Brotherhood-sponsored rioters and the government of Egyptian president el-Sisi. Egyptian National Police (the equivalent of our Homeland Security, FBI, and CIA rolled into one) are themselves perpetrating much of the violence, directed at their own citizens. Hundreds of shops, hotels, and historic shopping areas throughout the country have been put to the torch, further crippling an already weak and tottering economy. Citizens are threatened and assaulted daily by members of the National Police, an organization that appears to be unraveling itself perhaps irreparably. The National Police have been infiltrated and undermined by a number of Muslim Brotherhood members/sympathizers, many of whom had participated in the Arab Spring uprising, sabotaging police efforts to regain control of Tahrir Square. They were not relieved from their duties for their actions, but only reassigned, giving rise to speculation that the Muslim Brotherhood had "friends in high places" among the security apparatus of the Egyptian government. These same officers surfaced again recently as the prime suspects in the assassination of eight police officials. The eight plainclothes officers died when the mini-bus in which they were traveling was showered with bullets from a nearby truck. More than 100 shell casings were found on the scene. The men responsible have melted back into the background and, at the time of this writing, have not been found. The Muslim Brotherhood briefly gained power with the election of their leader, Mohammed Morsi (pictured right), following the deposing of then-president Hosni Mubarak during the so-called "Arab Spring." Elated at having achieved their decades-old goal of seizing the reins of power, Morsi and his supporters began a series of actions to consolidate and secure their positions indefinitely essentially ensuring that no challenger would ever succeed in removing the Brotherhood from power, which led to the overthrow of the Morsi government by the Egyptian military. Described as a military coup by the pro-Muslim Brotherhood Obama administration, the truth is, the military acted at the behest of the legislature, to protect the established rule of law that Morsi had declared void. The Brotherhood will do whatever is necessary to regain power in Egypt. Their most effective tactic thus far has been to make the current president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, appear weak and unable to keep his promises to restore security, prosperity, and stability in the nation. The attack against MS804 and the Russian airliner, the widespread arson of historically significant tourist areas, and the internal disruption of the National Police force have all been weapons in the Brotherhood's arsenal as they create chaos and doubt in the minds of all Egyptians. When faith in the el-Sisi government is irreparably broken, the people will cry out for authoritative leadership. It is no accident an EgyptAir plane was targeted. It is a fact that the plane was on the ground in Cairo with plenty of time for Brotherhood sympathizers among the security forces to place an explosive device on board. The wanton and seemingly random destruction of a few aircraft with innocent passengers aboard makes for useful tools in the hands of Islamists. Add to this anarchical brew the support by el-Sisi (pictured left) for a French-backed plan to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians by effectively removing Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood-promoted narrative of el-Sisi "selling out" the Islamic agenda wins el-Sisi no friends in his homeland. With the apparent capability to turn airliners into IEDs in their arsenal, we must ask, where will the next plane come down? Flights originating and stopping in Cairo arrive in major American cities each and every day. If the terrorists are able to bring down a plane a full six hours after placing the device on board, might they soon have the ability (if not already) to time the explosion to take place over New York City; Washington, D.C.; or some other densely populated American city? In nations of unrest and pervasive Islamic influence, it is crucial not only that passengers be screened, but also that security personnel be vetted and re-vetted on a random and continual basis. Who are these security personnel, and to whom do they owe their allegiance? If we are not asking these questions and investigating the answers, we are setting the stage for further terrorist attacks from our skies. The men we are dealing with are sophisticated. They are endowed with nearly unlimited funding, and they take the long view in achieving their goals. Our short-attention-span security policy is a weak and brittle bulwark against people willing to wait decades before making their move. It is vital that we understand the enemy we face and focus our efforts correctly to identify those whose ideology renders him a source of danger. Islam doesn't have a "violence" problem. That is merely an inevitable downstream consequence of the fundamental principle that animates Islam, that being a devotion to achieving theological and political supremacy over all the earth and its people, as commanded by Islam's prophet, Mohammed. This teaching is a core element of Islam and renders it poisonous to humanity. The violent targeting of innocent non-combatants is simply the tool through which this corrosive teaching finds its expression in reality. Consequently, any meaningful opposition to terrorist aggression must first recognize and target this teaching as both illegitimate and illegal to propound. Central to surviving in this new era is the recognition that these incidents are not isolated events. Whether perpetrated by this terror group or that terror group, our enemy is easily identified and their motives discerned (and their intentions thwarted!) if we only have the political courage to do so. The author is the founder and executive director of the Global Faith Institute globalfaith.org and is an Egyptian emigre to the United States and a convert to Christianity. His father and uncle remain high-ranking leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in his former home of Cairo. The co-author is a freelance writer and serves as the communications director for the Global Faith Institute. He welcomes comments and visitors to his website, readmorejoe.com. Obama has asserted, by pure fiat, on no legal, medical, scientific, or commonsense grounds whatsoever, that he can dictate how children use school bathrooms around the country. This is an obnoxious and dangerous abuse of federal power, and it looks suspicious. What is Obama's motivation? Adults may not remember the deep shame and embarrassment children often feel, as early as age four, around toilet training. Sibling rivalry can get pretty intense. Being called a "poopy kid" by your brother or sister might look pretty harmless to parents, but young children can experience it as a sink-through-the-floor feeling of overwhelming shame. Getting bowel control is a learning process, and losing bowel control feels like a world-shaking catastrophe to a young child. Bathrooms are built for privacy because they are surrounded by fear and shame, even after a hundred years of "progressive" theories. Childhood shame around potty training occurs long before the even bigger ups and downs of puberty, another enormously sensitive time "down there." Sexuality is an enormous psychic force, not some parlor game. Sexual politics has reshaped generations of young people in Western schools, and from there sexual politics has swept the culture. You can see the results with your own eyes. Liberals have a long, long history of trivializing the emotional tempests of childhood and adolescence via the myth of "progressive parenting." But human biology wins that battle every single time they try to fiddle with the facts of life. Wise parents just don't interfere with a child's turbulent emotional growth; nature is much, much wiser than we are. We can protect children by giving them privacy and emotional support when they ask for it. The growing child is the only judge of what feels comfortable during the most vulnerable years. Leave it to nature. And here come Obama's feds, stomping through the most delicate moments in a child's life. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. This is relevant to Obama's Federal Bathroom Edict, decreeing that children who believe they are not their biological sex should be free to use any bathroom, boys' or girls'. Nobody seems to care about the other occupants of those bathrooms, who may have their own feelings about their space being invaded by sexually confused kids. Or adults. Nobody knows at what age children can make thoughtful judgments about such things. At a time in life when kids honestly believe in Santa Claus, the idea that they can make wise choices about questions that have adults deeply confused is unbelievably bizarre. Obama's Bathroom Edict is a dangerous brainstorm, a typical product of this dangerously reckless White House. We know where the left's obsession with sexual shaping comes from: it's the Frankfurt School of Marxism, imported into the United States as a social pathogen in places like the University of California at Santa Cruz, where Herbert Marcuse presided over "progressive" thought for a number of years. Marcuse "regarded the realization of man's erotic nature as the true liberation of humanity." Bottom line: act like a Bonobo chimp, who rub their genitals against each other to make peace. (Bonobos also engage in the usual range of chimp violence, including bachelor raids on neighboring clans to rape and steal females. Male chimps may also kill the babies of females to gain a reproductive advantage. These facts are never talked about in liberal circles.) I can't imagine what it must be like for a child to grow up in a sex fantasy-obsessed culture, including adults who are themselves deeply confused about their own sexuality. Puberty is a "critical period" when kids are most vulnerable, trying to decide who they are going to be as adults. In college I had a gay friend, part of a loose network of friends who would meet in the cafeteria to talk and waste time. My friend let's call him Raymond, to protect the guilty was a spectacular homosexual. I later realized that our favorite table in the cafeteria was the perfect observation point for Raymond to watch through the glass doors, to see who was going into the men's bathroom. Once or twice a day Raymond would get up to venture over there and come out literally dancing. His friends were tolerantly amused by it all. Later on, it turned out that Raymond had engaged in sodomy with his younger brother for years, starting very early. HIV was incubating and being spread mainly through male-to-male anal penetration. Nobody knew anything about AIDS at that time, before the epidemic exploded and people started dying. I've lost contact with Raymond, who was a brilliant guy, but I've heard that he and his younger brother died from the plague. Biologically, deadly epidemics break out when an immunized population comes into contact with a group that hasn't developed immunity to a pathogenic bug. AIDS is believed to originate from an animal reservoir of HIV and to have been transferred by an animal biting a person who had no immunity. It was then transmitted by blood-to-blood contact, exploding successively into new, unprotected groups of people. The biological basis of infection has been known since Louis Pasteur in the 19th century. When gay men coming from vulnerable populations started traveling to New York, San Francisco, and London, the epidemic exploded. Sex tourism to the Caribbean and Africa then infected black populations, which are still seeing a raging epidemic. This is why African leaders are not thrilled when Obama, in full imperialistic arrogance, demands that they adopt American and European sexual habits. Poor nations in Africa cannot afford the expensive "AIDS cocktail" keeping men alive in the West. They are being preyed upon by Western predators, and they know it. Sexuality is a force of nature, not a stick-on label. It has its own laws, and because it is the pathway to reproduction, it is highly constrained biologically. This is not something to meddle with. Obama is far and away the most arrogant and scientifically ignorant political leader we've ever had. Other politicians may use their power to fulfill personal fantasies. They have to bear the consequences. But Obama is bound and determined to impose his personal ideas on children. This is objectively insane. In America, we do not sacrifice our children to some freaky cult. We are not the Mayans. But our common sense is severely impaired after a generation of media indoctrination, and many of us have been suckered good. (Obviously the media themselves engage in dangerous practices with drugs and "alternative sex"). "Progressive parenting" is celebrated after a century of massive "progressive" failures has dumbed our people down to pre-industrial levels. Stupidity and ignorance, once rare and a matter of shame, have now become the norm. Our sophisticated media therefore act as a pathogenic agent, infecting each new generation with escalating sexual extremism, an addictive process that constantly demands bigger kicks. Healthy adults who are confident in themselves may be able to resist the tide of progressive delusions. Unhealthy adults, and vulnerable children, are the most at risk. Whenever media cult-indoctrinated adults realize that all their hopes have turned to ashes, they turn their personal rage into fodder for demagogues. Like Obama. A healthy culture protects its children against bizarre sexual experiments. Obama's Bathroom Edict is an obvious case of "progressive" experimentalism gone nuts. Don't let the feds tell your kids which bathroom to use. If somebody is confused about his sexual identity which is easy enough, given the crazed media give him a separate bathroom of his own. And find wise and helpful counselors, but only if the kids are comfortable with that. Never impose your own "progressive" ideology on others. And keep out the predators. The woods are full of them. They are often the victims of sexual fantasy indoctrination themselves. Keep them as far away as you can. On May 1, after marking the 41st anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam, residents in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) and major port cities in other parts of the country woke up to find thousands of energized young people taking to the streets in protest of a massive fish kill. They carried banners such as Fish need clean water, people need the truth and Stop poisoning fish our food source. EPA/LUONG THAI LINH Fish kill in Vietnam (via Google Images) Hundreds of tons of fish have been washing up on and blanketing the central coastline and beaches of at least four provinces in Vietnam including Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. This massive kill affected farm-raised, rare, and wild ocean fish, as well as crabs, shrimp and other aquatic life on which tens of thousands of people depend on for their livelihoods. These poisoned fish were being sold in local markets. Some are blaming this environmental disaster on toxic wastes piped into the South China Sea from Chinese-owned plastic and steel plants in Vietnam. However, communist officials claimed that there is no proof these plants are linked to the fish deaths; instead, the fish could have been killed by toxic discharges produced by humans (sewage). Since officials had advanced warning of the pending disaster and what its ecological consequences would be, the real blame lies with the communist regimes corrupt and incompetent officials who are responsible for enforcing the nations environmental laws. This isnt an isolated case, for these same officials enable huge amounts of toxic environmental pollution throughout Vietnam. However, what started out as peaceful protests soon turned violent when plainclothes police leading thugs from the state-funded Vietnamese Fatherland Front (VFF: Mat Tran To Quoc Viet Nam) infiltrated the crowds and created incidents to give uniformed police cause to react with violence, beating and arresting the protesters. When friends and family members of those arrested went to the police stations to post bail, they were also beaten. The detainments came the day before Tom Malinowski, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, arrived in Vietnam to scope out the situation in preparation for President Obamas visit on Monday. While there, Obama will be promoting the stalled lop-sided Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is advantageous to Vietnam, and the lifting restrictions on arms sales to Hanoi as part of his pivot to Vietnam. Many believe that he will circumvent issues of gross human rights abuses and political prisoners, and blame the fish kill on global warming. Ongoing Save our Seas, Save our Souls peaceful protests by Vietnamese-Americans are being held in Washington, DC on the steps of the Capitol, at the White House, and at the Vietnamese Embassy in support of their brothers and sisters in Vietnam who are being beaten and jailed for speaking out against the corrupt regime that enables these environmental disasters. Similar rallies have been held in California, Canada, Europe, and Australia, and more events are planned. According to Gary Sands, Director at Highway West Capital Advisors (HCMC; Twitter@ForeignDevil666), While many Vietnamese have taken to the streets in peaceful protest, others have organized a White House petition asking the U.S. government to investigate the cause of the fish deaths, which has 138,000 signatures so far, and comes ahead of U.S. President Barack Obamas visit. Others have led a petition on Change.org for international media to cover the crisis, which has seen scant coverage so far. The Mekong and Saigon rivers are considered by environmentalists as among the most polluted on the planet. Vietnamese authorities have admitted that over 80 percent of the household sewage of Ho Chi Minh Citys Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 20-22 million inhabitants, is being discharged untreated directly into the Saigon and other rivers, as well as their tributaries and canals in the area. Estimates for other population centers are similar. These rivers are where much of the fish are pen-raised for export to the U.S. and other countries as well as for local consumption. The rivers are polluted with industrial effluents/waste, arsenic, and toxic and hazardous by-products of the growing industrial sector such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), metal contaminants, chlordane-related compounds (CHLs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). Watch these videos and you will never eat fish imported from Vietnam again: Pen-raised fish for export are fed antibiotics and treated with hormones and fungicides that are banned for use in the US commercial fish industry. In Vietnam, fish are injected with hormones that are made in China from the dehydrated urine of pregnant women. Reportedly, fish prepared and packaged for market are often cleaned with ethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreezes. Fish exported from Vietnam to the U.S. are marketed under the names of tra, swai, basa, pangas, River Cobbler, White Catfish, Whitefish, and Gray Sole. These fish are typically priced as much as 64% below similar uncontaminated fish that are pond-grown in the US or other similar fish found in U.S. markets. The responsibility for inspecting imported seafood and pen-raised fish used to be that of the Food and Drug Administration; however, the 2008 farm bill transferred that responsibility to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Before, only 2 percent of imported seafood was inspected annually. However after the transfer, U.S. trade representatives have prevented such inspections from taking place for fear of igniting a trade dispute. Due to extreme political pressure regarding imports from Vietnam resulting from the pending the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade proposal, it is unlikely that any serious testing is taking place. Fish from these polluted rivers in Vietnam are teeming with high levels of poisons and bacteria. Untreated sewage discharge and other pollutants settle on the bottoms of rivers and ponds and provide most of the nutrients for the basa and tra fish, which are bottom-feeders (hence the nickname sewer catfish). And if you look for the A Product of Vietnam label when buying fish, you soon wont find it. The USDA recently announced that labeling for place of origin on packaging will soon no longer be required. Michael Benge spent 11 years in Vietnam as a Foreign Service officer and is a student of Southeast Asian politics. He is very active in advocating for human rights, religious freedom, and democracy for the peoples of the region and has written extensively on these subjects. The most ignored feature of the 2016 election campaign, that in so many respects turned out to be unique, is that no one among the candidates tried to provide an answer to two seemingly simple but critically important questions. The first: which country or organization represents the main danger to the United States? The second: is Turkey a friend or foe of the United States in regard to general developments in the Middle East, and to the Syrian Crisis in particular? The relationship between Obama and the president of Turkey, Erdogan, has a long and complex history. It started during the spring of 2009, when the young and totally inexperienced president of the United States, Barack Obama, chose Turkey as the first country to visit, keeping with his vision of a brand new relationship between the United States and the Muslim world. We are well familiar with the multitude of facts that lead every unbiased observer to the inevitable conclusion that a constant feature of Obama's political actions was a combination of ignorance and arrogance. As an example, when all military experts expressed their definite opposition to the idea of the complete withdrawal of the American military contingent from Iraq, Obama disregarded all advice, and these detachments left Iraq. The beginning of the de facto alliance between Obama and Erdogan was created in 2009. The most important questions that emerge are, was Obama totally ignorant of the fact that Erdogan was (and still is!) a hardcore Islamist, who was closely allied to Hamas and to the soon to be Islamic president of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi? Or, rather, was the connection with Erdogan a deliberate attempt of Obama to establish and develop close ties with Islamic friends of the Turkish statesman, particularly with the rising star Morsi? In either scenario, the strategy and the actions of Obama didn't look good. Under the first, the president looked like an ignorant politician, while under the second one, Obama had committed an impeachable offense by acting against the national interests of the United States. As far as Secretary Hillary Clinton is concerned, being a devoted employee of Obama, she was just blindly following her boss. Even more, besides the numerous occasions when Obama's secretary of state was praising Erdogan's Turkey as a loyal friend and ally of the United States, she gave a joyous high five to the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmed Davutoglu (the current prime minister of Turkey, who succeeded Erdogan on August 28, 2014), during their meeting in Abu Dhabi back in 2011. In one of his statements, Obama indicated that he considered Erdogan one of the five international leaders among his best friends. During the same year of 2011, an unexpected huge dark cloud appeared over the idyllic Obama-Erdogan relationship. It was kept almost a state secret in the United States, but it was an undeniable truth that Erdogan sided openly with the jihadists. For years, the Turkish authorities were allowing unrestricted access of jihadist volunteers coming from all over the world to Syria. Even the most superficial glance at the disposition of ISIS forces would reveal that they were concentrated in close proximity to the Turkish military detachments across the border. On some occasions, those forces could be located almost within walking distance of the Turkish military units. Neither Obama nor Hillary bothered to offer any comment, not to speak of taking certain action against the jihadists. With time, this situation became untenable, and the Obama administration offered its uncertain and limited support to the Kurdish forces resisting the Islamic assault. In May of 2013, Erdogan paid an official visit to Washington that, at least theoretically, offered an opportunity for the president of the United States to address the issue involving the Turkish support for the jihadists in Syria. Evidently, however, not only did Barack Obama have any issues with the Turkish policy on this topic, but even more, he was totally supportive of Erdogan. As Obama said in welcoming the Turkish politician to the White House, "[t]his visit reflects the importance that the United States places on the relationship with our ally, Turkey, and I value so much the partnership that I've been able to develop with Prime Minister Erdogan." The same speech contained an excerpt that would have been extremely shocking to Americans if the media had been ready to report it. "[A]s always, among the topics where I appreciate your advice is close to our hearts ... is how to raise our daughters well." Given the fact that as a hardcore Islamist, Erdogan is raising his daughters as most conservative Muslims do, it leaves room for the question: is the president of the United States ready to impose the rough Islamic dress code for women on his own daughters? To be sure, neither President Obama nor his secretary of state, Clinton, made any attempt to defend the numerous victims of the increasing authoritarian trend in the internal policy of Erdogan. There were, however, many representatives of the American political elite, including the governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty; senators Norm Coleman and Charles S. Robb; and a score of diplomats, who had expressed their concern about the negative trend in the politics of Erdogan. In an open letter to the president, dated February 20, 2014, the authors of this remarkable document, which was totally ignored by the media, declared that "in the meantime the damage to Turkish democracy keeps worsening. We believe it is important now to make it clear, privately and publicly, that Prime-Minister Erdogan's autocratic actions and demagoguery are subverting Turkey's political institutions and values and endangering the US-Turkey relationship." Now, during the final days of the Obama administration, President Erdogan once again visited Washington. This time he got the cold shoulder from his former ardent partner. The dream of joint visit, to go to Maryland, where a huge mosque waited to be inaugurated by both presidents, remained unfulfilled. Even Erdogan's visit to Washington in March of 2016 was able to capture the attention of the press. It turned out that the security people around the Turkish president assaulted some compatriots considered enemies of Erdogan, who had come uninvited. The American president didn't care about the scandalous behavior of his former best friend. The only fact that seemed to matter to Obama was the bitter realization that Erdogan would still be in power even after Obama left office. Georgy Gounev teaches ideology and strategy of radical Islam in the Emeritus Program of Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, Calif. He is the author of The Dark Side of the Crescent Moon, Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, N.J. and London (Great Britain), 2014. With Venezuela spinning toward chaos, its said that U.S. officials fear a military coup. We ought to ask Why? Democracy on the brain can be a dangerous condition. George W. Bush pursued his unwise nation-building policies under the assumption that, as he put it, democracies dont go to war with each other. (Note: technically were speaking of republics, not democracies.) So WWI was the war to end all wars, and now theres the political system to end all wars; hey, if a military solution didnt change mans nature, maybe a political solution will? But it was more correct to say that democracies hadnt yet gone to war with one another. Since Bushs days, the representative government in Russia chose to invade Georgia and Ukraine, both of which also have representative governments. Remember, too, that we, the standard bearer for democracy, have launched our share of military campaigns (this isnt to imply some werent justified, but its worth noting). Then there was Barack Obamas demo-folly, the so-called Arab Spring, which quickly devolved into the Jihadist Winter. Is Libya better off now than under Muammar Gaddafi? Was democracy going to give Egypt a better leader than Hosni Mubarak? Has it done so? For that matter, is Iran better off today than under the Shah? Going back further, Woodrow Wilson asked for a declaration of war against Germany in 1917, saying the world must be made safe for democracy. Germany got an unstable democracy with the Weimar Republic and then descended into tyranny (as is so often the case with nations) with Hitler. Of course, the lure of democracy is understandable; after all, having balancing powers within a nation can temper the capricious ambitions of a man. Nonetheless, democracy is sometimes just millions of people making the bad decisions slowly and inefficiently that a dictator could make with the stroke of a pen. Sometimes youre just making the world safe for collective stupidity. This brings us to Venezuela. It has more proven oil reserves than any other nation, eight times those of the United States. With a wiser populace which would beget a better government it could be as rich as Norway, which reaps the benefits of its vast natural resources. Instead, it has descended into turmoil. Power has been cut and there is little food, with a hamburger officially selling for $170 and a hotel room for $6,900 a night. Not surprisingly, a Caracas mayor is reporting that people are hunting dogs and cats in the streets, and pigeons in the plazas to eat. The capital also has the worlds highest crime rate, with a resident victimized every 28 seconds. The reason for this is no mystery. Venezuelans have stubbornly empowered vile, economy-rending socialist demagogues; the buffoonish Hugo Chavez was elected and then re-elected three times, which is akin to the Titanic backing up to hit the iceberg again. When Chavez was finally taken by cancer, Venezuelans decided to help their national cancer further metastasize and elected his ally, Nicolas Maduro. It just seems that some people hate the rich more than they love themselves. Considering this brings to mind the rhetorical question asked by former Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf (Im paraphrasing): What good is so-called democracy if Pakistan becomes a failed state? Venezuelans childish electoral decisions have led to their current plight and they need a military coup. And, hopefully, theyd get a military leader such as Musharraf. A coup wouldnt be a panacea. But given the phenomenon of regression to the mean (in other words, its hard for Venezuela to go anywhere but up right now), theres a decent chance theyd end up with a leader who might at least have some semblance of economic literacy. As for human rights, which ostensibly also concerns U.S. officials, its not as if Chavez and Maduro have respected them. And there have been relatively good military governments. After Chilean strongman General Augusto Pinochet steered his nation toward domestic tranquility and prosperity, he agreed to a restoration of representative government and peacefully stepped down in 1990. Of course, Pinochet was not a saint, and the Left despises him because he emerged from a coup that vanquished a devout socialist, Salvador Allende. But he was wise enough to consult with famed economist Milton Friedman when devising policy, and Milton beats Marx every time. Admittedly, one big difference between Pinochets ascendancy (1973) and today is that the U.S. would aid such men decades ago; we understood that a pro-American, anti-communist dictator was preferable to a democratically elected Marxist or jihadist, that a decent zookeeper is better than a democracy of two lions and one sheep voting on what to have for dinner. Now Western leaders are content to create democratically made sheep as long as theyre fleeced by socialist shears. Now, advocating autocracy here can seem remarkably un-American, especially to those who see being socialist as thoroughly American. Of course, these same people cheered when our courts repeatedly violated the Constitution and trumped popular will in striking down marriage-preservation laws. The point is that most all of us reject democratic determinations we consider grossly immoral or untenable; its just that not all of us know what morality is. But a larger point is that autocracy is not a moral or immoral choice, but the inevitable fate of an immoral people. Our second president, John Adams, once observed, "The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue; and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty. This applies in all times and places. Now, question: how much virtue do you see in the world today? Do the populations of Afghanistan, Iraq, Venezuela, Libya and Syria all places that many insist must have democracy strike you as particularly virtuous? We so often speak of liberty as if it emerges in a vacuum or has no prerequisites, ignoring that morality is the fertilizer of the tree of liberty and the monster of tyranny feeds on man's vice. For example, George W. Bush once marketed his nation building by saying that all people want freedom. Yet polls informing us that large numbers of Muslims prefer Sharia law to Western civil law show that they certainly dont want our conception of freedom. Just as significantly, however, there is a difference between wanting and acquiring. Most everyone wants wealth, but not all possess the ability and discipline to achieve it. Everyone wants health, but some still smoke and drink heavily and dig a grave with a knife and fork. And everyone wants good government, as they conceive of it, but some still glom onto demagogues who promise bread and circuses. So people may want freedom. All right, so does a caged beast. So does a toddler. But neither has the capacity to freely negotiate civilization without hurting himself or others. The issue is that a people may want better than what they have, but they cannot be better than what they are. A persons early life is always one of captivity and control, with the babe safely placed behind bars in a crib, with his life micromanaged and liberty curtailed by his nanny state, the parents. As he becomes civilized and his moral compass develops, he can incrementally be given more freedom and, ultimately, enjoy the full rights of adulthood. Yet if this civilizing process which includes insulation from corruptive influences isnt effected properly, the person can remain morally stunted, barbaric, in a childlike state of virtue. And then he may end up back in a crib, one with iron bars and no mothers loving embrace. And as it is for one individual, so it is for two, ten or enough individuals to make a group even a nation-size group. It is then, to quote British statesman Edmund Burke, that we become those men of intemperate minds who cannot be free, those men whose passions forge their fetters. And this is a cautionary tale for us. Even now we have a popular presidential contender who calls himself a democratic socialist. And when socialism is instituted democratically, its a good indication that your days of making decisions democratically may be numbered. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Twitter or log on to SelwynDuke.com Donald Trumps supporters say hell beat Hillary Clinton because hes saying what people want to hear, because hes pro-American, and because hes attracting all kinds of Democrats and independents. Hes winning because hes breaking all the rules. Not so fast. Unless Trump disciplines himself to stay on message and provide detailed solutions, and becomes very gracious (and quickly), he will not beat Hillary Clinton. Attack and Rant: Trump Is Everywhere Except on Message Trump gets distracted easily. Whether its Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, Megyn Kelly, or some protester in the 17th row of some auditorium at a campaign rally, Trump cant stay on message. Instead, he sidetracks himself with personal attacks. These attacks include calling John Kasich a baby, implying that Heidi Cruz is not attractive, saying John McCain is not a war hero, and questioning whether people would vote for Carly Fiorina in light of her looks. He even suggested that Ted Cruzs father had knowledge of the Kennedy assassination. Instead, Trump should have been building relationships with state and local Republican Party officials. Trumps proneness to getting himself sidetracked will hurt him as the Clinton machine attacks him from several angles at once. The Clintons are masterful at going after candidates to rattle them. When Hillary ran against President Obama in 2008, she attacked him for his lack of experience. Meanwhile, Bill characterized Obamas win in the South Carolina primary as not at all different from Jesse Jacksons in 1988. Translation: Like Jackson, Obama could win only black voters. The Clinton campaign also questioned Obamas birth records and wondered if he was fundamentally American in his thinking and in his values. And yet Obama never lost his cool or got off message. He never let these incidents take away from reminding voters of his core theme of hope and change. Contrary to Obamas discipline, Trump wastes days counterpunching, mocking, and inventing stories against anyone who criticizes him. Trump also brings these counterpunches into speeches at rallies, interviews with the media, and debates. The bottom line is clear: if Trump can knock himself off message with Marco Rubio, Megyn Kelly, or a Washington Post article; the Clintons will have his head spinning. Trumps Solutions: Nothing under the Hood? When Trump does focus on issues, he offers few specifics. Take Trumps two big issues: immigration and trade. Trump fails to explain how he will achieve building a wall or stopping U.S. companies from locating abroad. He floated a 50% import tax penalty on American products made abroad, but he seems to have walked away from that. In fact, besides picking up the phone and calling the CEOs of U.S. companies that locate overseas, Trump offers no serious solutions. Even on his plan to reduce corporate taxes, which could reduce American businesses departing from our shores, no one knows if he is serious. In 1984, people asked of Democratic hopeful Walter Mondale, Wheres the beef? because he didnt offer enough specifics. Trump suffers from this same problem. Trump also changes his mind. He was against the minimum wage, and now hes for it; he doesnt think the U.S. should support its allies (belittling our Middle Eastern partners) and then argues that the U.S. will back its allies; and he wants to cut the deficit but wont reform entitlements. Even on core Republican issues like taxes, while Trump called for lower corporate and individual taxes, he changed his mind on certain higher income earners. This hurt John Kerry in 2004 when he said he was for the Iraq War before [he] voted against it. While Clinton has consistency problems, she can better weather them than Trump. Despite being awkward and stiff, Clinton is more disciplined and measured in her rhetoric. All this leads to another difficulty Trump will face with the crucial undecided voters in the general election: hes not offering them a solution to fix the economic problems they face. There will come a point where these undecided voters get serious about who they believe is best capable of being president. If a candidate lacks elective office experience, he or she needs to offer specific, concrete policies to solve issues. Such was the case with Ross Perot in 1992. Perot spent money on 30-minute infomercials, detailing specific ways to cut the deficit. This not only demonstrated Perots ability to deal with problems, but also reinforced his core campaign theme get spending under control. Trump has not done anything like this, let alone the necessary homework on key issues. A Few White Males Like Him, but a Lot of Women and Non-Whites Dont Trump has high unfavorables among key voter groups so high that he wont be able to overcome them without a radical change of tune. Trumps unfavorables among women: 70-73%; among Latinos: 64%. This challenge is made worse because non-white voters doubled in size from 1980 to 2012. This was why Romney lost in 2012, even though he got a higher percentage (59%) of the white vote than Reagan got in 1980 (56%). Trumps supporters will dismiss this by saying Trump got more than 10 million votes in the primaries, surpassing Romney. But Trumps primary election victories wont be carried over to general election results. Many of these voters are registered Republican voters, independents who used to be Republicans, or renegade Sanders voters who re-register as Republicans in open primary states. Thats one reason why Trump won so many open primary states, while Cruz won so many closed primary states. It also means many of the crossover votes Trump got will not be loyal in the general election. They will either go with Sanders or, more likely, sit out instead of voting for Clinton. Besides, primary elections represent only about 18% of total voters. Most general election voters dont get serious until Labor Day. Trumps failure is that hes done little to prepare himself for a general election campaign. He did not use his nearly one year of campaigning to develop his approach to solving problems and to refine the best way to explain his approach to voters. Trump is lucky Sanders has kept Clinton from transitioning fully to general election mode. But that luck will run out when the conventions are over in August just when general election voters start paying attention. The one saving grace Trump has is that Hillary Clintons favorability rating has gone from about 56% to 36% over the past nine months or so. Interestingly, Sanderss favorability rating has increased from 29% to 52% over this same time frame. Moreover, Clinton struggles with men and young people. However, shes working on this, while Trump seems oblivious to his problems with women and non-white voters. At the end of the day, Trumps inability to win will come from the fact that he cant stay focused on his campaign message, that he fails to explain how he will solve the nations problems, and that hes generated too much ill will from too many voters. Trumps campaign is a set of 30-second commercials, punctuated by distracting personal attacks, rants, and raves. Enough voters will conclude that Trump is not serious and/or not capable, and enough voters will conclude that Clinton is more serious and/or capable despite holding their noses the whole time. For Trump to win, he must find a message and stay on it, provide detailed solutions (including the creation of focused policy teams that can blanket the media with detailed answers), and end the personal attacks. And for good measure, Trump should suspend his Twitter account until November 9. Steve Ackerman is a political and economic researcher and analyst. He has worked on several state and national campaigns. The worlds media are struggling to comprehend and explain the rise of a nationalist and populist candidate for chancellor in Austria, a country that formerly was a typical Western European liberal/progressive member of the EU. With the unanticipated rise of Donald Trump as a nationalist/populist in the United States as well as nationalists in France, Germany, and Britain and elsewhere in Europe, Austria is something of a test case for them. All over Europe, the wave of Muslims demanding entry and imposing their way of life on their hosts has shaken the hold of the progressive left on national governments and raised the specter of a weakening or even collapsing EU. Austria yesterday went to the polls to elect a new chancellor, and the results will be determined today by a count of mail ballots. As in the United States, mailed in absentee ballots have sharply risen as a share of the total vote. The Associated Press reports: Direct votes Sunday gave right-winger Norbert Hofer 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent for Alexander Van der Bellen, a Greens politician running as an independent. But final projections that include still-to-be-counted absentee ballots put each at 50 percent with Van der Bellen narrowly ahead. About 700,000 absentee ballots close to a sixth of total votes cast are slated to be counted by Monday evening for a final tally. Polling suggests that absentee voters tend to support Van der Bellen, so the outcome is completely unpredictable. This leaves the worlds media with the task of explaining something it doesnt, for the most part, like: a conservative, populist, nationalist wave displacing leftist, globalist, socialist dominance. There are some very surprising reactions. The BBC, for instance, is not pushing the panic button: The Freedom Party holds views that are unpalatable for many, but a sizeable chunk of the electorate view the group as a dynamic, "taboo-free" and plain-talking alternative to the staid, privileged and ineffective powers that be. In contrast, the normally more conservative U.K. Daily Mail is. Dominic Sandbrook writes: [Freedom Party Candidate Hofer] is a man described by one Austrian politician as a wolf in sheeps clothing, a ticking time bomb. This is a man who once called for Austria to be reunited with Germany, a man who has for years been sending out subtle signals about his fondness for Austrias history under the Third Reich, and the man who controversially said: Islam has no place in Austria. The truth is that Norbert Hofer is simply the modern face of nationalist extremism. The real giveaway, oddly enough, is in his favourite flower the blue cornflower. Though few people outside Austria would recognise the allusion, the blue cornflower is a symbol of Nazi nostalgia. During the mid-1930s, when the Nazis were banned in Austria, party members wore blue cornflowers so that they could recognise one another in public. Naturally, Mr Hofer denies that his fondness for the cornflower has anything to do with the Nazis. Yet his organisation, the Freedom Party, has never made a secret of its sneaking sympathies for Adolf Hitler, who was born in sleepy Upper Austria in 1889, and did not move to Germany until he was in his mid-twenties. Unlike their German neighbours, the Austrians have never confronted the truth about their crimes in the 1930s and 1940s, preferring to present themselves as victims of the Third Reich, instead of largely willing collaborators. Meanwhile, the New York Times acknowledges the crime wave that has frightened Austrians and led to Vienna police telling a young blonde woman attacked by Muslim immigrants to dye hair, to wear modest clothing, and not to go out alone on transit after 8:00. The Times writes: By any measure, the string of crimes has been terrible. A grandmother of three, walking her dog, raped along a riverbank. A 10-year-old boy sexually assaulted at a public swimming pool. A 21-year-old student gang raped near the giant Ferris wheel at Viennas famed Prater park. A 54-year-old woman beaten to death on the street. The fact that the crimes were committed by recent migrants from war zones and an immigrant who had lived illegally in the country for years added an especially volatile element to the political climate ahead of the presidential election on Sunday, when Austria could become the first European country to elect a far-right candidate as head of state since the end of Nazism. Nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment had already been whipped up by the surge of refugees who streamed into Austria last year. Now, the assaults and the coverage of them in the tabloid press could help the far-right presidential candidate, Norbert Hofer of the Austrias Freedom Party, in what appears to be a tight race against Alexander Van der Bellen, a former Green Party leader. The Times is typical of media coverage in highlighting crime but ignoring demography. The catastrophically low birthrates of Western Europe combined with the high birthrate of Muslim migrants has led to projections of huge Muslim shares of population within the lifetimes of many citizens. Because the EU has been pressing member states to do their part in accepting Muslims demanding entry, support for the EU is plummeting. Traditionally, the Austrian chancellor has been a primarily symbolic office, but Hofer has promised to strengthen it and use it to stem the transformation of Austria. Whichever way the election goes, expect the media to engage in a lot of hand-wringing. California insurance companies that invest in hydrocarbon fuel-related companies will be placed on a wall of shame. The war on fossil fuel continues in California, and this time, insurance commissioner Dave Jones (D) demands that all insurance companies report their investments in thermal coal enterprises and requests that they rid their portfolios of such. While apparently lacking the authority to require divestment, Jones is taking a page from the novel The Scarlet Letter by publicly humiliating those companies who have invested in coal-associated companies. Jones is also asking that insurers identify investments in oil and gas companies and names ExxonMobil as an example. These oil and gas company investments will likely be the next candidates for divestment. The basis for this demand is the "potential financial risks" to California insurance companies. Owing to Obama's war on coal and his EPA's effort to regulate coal-fired power plants out of existence, there is indeed some risk in these investments due to government regulation and also to the low price of natural gas (due to fracking). Hillary Clinton has also joined the war on coal, and her statement that she wants to close coal mines recently hurt her in the West Virginia primary. In essence, government is telling corporate boards of directors how to run their companies. Insurance companies invest billions of dollars in various ventures to earn income off the premiums paid by policyholders, yet Commissioner Jones is telling these companies that he is smarter than they are, and he wants to dictate where those investments should be made. Jones has declared an ideological war on fossil fuel under the pretense of saving the planet. There is no corresponding financial risk review for those insurance companies who have invested in renewable energy, although it certainly is warranted. On the contrary, insurance companies who invest in solar are singled out for special praise. Several green companies have gone bankrupt, despite being heavily subsidized, including Solyndra and more recently two solar energy giants, SunEdison and Spains Abengoa. Indeed, a group of U.S. insurance companies objected to the granting of Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection for Abengoa, as it might hinder their efforts to recover $250 million in surety bonds. Among those insurance companies is Liberty Mutual, which does business in California. There is another troubled solar project in California in the news recently, whose mirrors fried some electrical cabling amid concerns about the plants future economic viability. The motive for Jones's initiative is likely political. He has only two and one half years left in office due to term limits, and he obviously wants to maintain his street cred with the environmental lobby so he can pursue some other statewide office. Jones began his government career in the Clinton administration working as special assistant and counsel to U.S. attorney general Janet Reno. A former Marine is organizing a protest to demand that Donald Trump apologize for vastly overstating the amount he raised for veterans at a fundraiser earlier this year. According to published stories, Trump bragged that he had raised $6 million at the event. But recently, his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, admitted that the amount was $4.5 million. An accounting of the money raised at the event by the Washington Post showed that only $3.1 million had been raised. The Hill: Lewandowski later told CNN the amount raised was less than $6 million, and said the $4.5 billion figure he had given the Post earlier was inaccurate. The fundraiser brought in at least $3.1 million in donations to veterans groups, according to accounting by the Post. McCoy, who served in the Marine Corps from January 2008 to December 2013 and is now a Columbia University student, said the protest was a spontaneous, grassroots response to the revelations reported by the Post and CNN. "Donald has attempted to use the respect that American voters have for veterans to obscure the fact that he is completely unfit to be our commander in chief," McCoy, 27, told The Hill. "As a veteran I think its unacceptable that he has made promises he is unwilling to keep," he said. McCoy is a registered Democrat, but said he has no official connection to any campaign and that veterans of all ages, political affiliations, genders and services will be represented at the protest. McCoy says he is expecting somewhere between 20 and 40 veterans, with more participating online using #VetsVsHate. He said the hashtag was used previously to protest Trump's "Islamophobic attitudes." McCoy's press release cites a litany of other grievances with Trump: "He has insulted prisoners of war and later refused to apologize. He has demeaned our service members, referring to the US military as a 'disaster.' And he has signaled his support for privatizing the Department of Veterans Affairs, a move which is opposed by a majority of veterans. "If elected President, Donald Trump's policies would make America less safe. Based on his broken promises, we cannot trust Trump to live up to our commitments to our nation's veterans," he said. Trump has said he would order the military to waterboard terrorist suspects, despite the practice being against the Geneva Convention. He later backtracked from that stance, according to the Wall Street Journal. "It worries me that he would make that kind of statement because it puts our troops and our allies at greater risk," said McCoy, who served in embassy security in the Marines, before leaving as a sergeant. "It encourages and validates the actions of groups like [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria," he said. Why can't we have a home? asked Ann Coulter, in a recent BBC interview. It might be more accurate to say that because of immigration, America no longer feels like home to Ann Coulter. Coulter's opposition to immigration is based less on hostility to Mexicans and more on an attachment to the America she grew up in the America that no longer feels like home to her. Too many people on the right and the left dismiss views like Coulter's without serious consideration. To them, these views smack of xenophobia, or worse, racism. Out of an understandable desire not to offend, or make anyone feel unwelcome, our political elites failed to consider the ramifications of mass immigration. A nation's laws and cultural norms are a direct reflection of her people. There is no way to alter the underlying demographics of a country without changing its culture, and by extension its politics. If you are purely an economic conservative, you can live with mass immigration, but if you are a social conservative, it's more difficult. More important is the visceral effect mass immigration has on the native-born. Sociologist Robert Putnam described it as follows: [t]he short run effect of being around people who are different from us is to make all of us uncertain to hunker down, to pull in, to trust everybody less. Like a turtle in the presence of some feared threat, we pull in. When we no longer share a language or culture with our neighbors, we feel alienated. Ultimately, people like Ann Coulter are motivated by a feeling of alienation, not outright racial prejudice. On a positive note, Robert Putnam found reason for optimism that our current wave of immigrants will eventually assimilate. Some people who are worried about immigration in America for some reason believe that this new wave of immigrants doesnt want to speak English, but the level of language acquisition by this current wave of immigration is just about what it was 100 years ago when people were coming here from Russia, Poland, Italy or Germany. Then, we had a lot of concern about whether the country was going to become German-speaking. Most people who lived in St. Louis, Cincinnati or Milwaukee in those years spoke German, not English. But of course their kids learned to speak English and the grandchildren of those immigrants spoke only English. A dramatic reduction in the total number of immigrants arriving, along with an emphasis on the English language, will restore our sense of community and help integrate this current crop of immigrants into American society. If we take prudent steps to aid the process, ultimately Hispanics will become part of mainstream American society, and anti-Hispanic sentiment will be as strange to us as anti-German sentiment. The lid may finally blow off the Fast and Furious cover-up by the Obama administration, as a federal judge ordered the release of thousands of emails showing how then-attorney general Eric Holder obstructed, stonewalled, and misdirected congressional investigators looking into the program. People in the Nixon administration went to jail for less. New York Post: The documents reveal how senior Justice Department officials including Attorney General Holder intensely followed and managed an effort to carefully limit and obstruct the information produced to Congress, he asserted. They also indict Holder deputy Lanny Breuer, an old Clinton hand, who had to step down in 2013 after falsely denying authorizing Fast and Furious. Their efforts to impede investigations included: Devising strategies to redact or otherwise withhold relevant information; Manipulating media coverage to control fallout; Scapegoating the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) for the scandal. For instance, a June 2011 e-mail discusses withholding ATF lab reports from Congress, and a July 2011 e-mail details senior Justice officials agreeing to stay away from a representation that well fully cooperate. The next month, they went into full damage-control mode, with associate Deputy Attorney General Matt Axelrod warning an ATF official that providing details about Fast and Furious strikes us as unwise. Then in late August 2011, another e-mail reveals that Holder had instructed his staff to have an official at ATF close the door to his office to prevent information about the mushrooming scandal from leaking. Talking points drafted for Holder and other brass for congressional hearings made clear that Justice intended to make ousted ATF officials the fall guys for the scandal. These (personnel) changes will help us move past the controversy that has surrounded Fast and Furious, Assistant Attorney General Ron Weich wrote in August 2011. In an October 2011 e-mail to his chief of staff, moreover, Holder stated that he agreed with a strategy to first release documents to friendly media with an explanation that takes the air out of them, instead of just handing them over to Congress. Calculated efforts were made by senior officials to obstruct Congress, Chaffetz fumed. Over the course of the investigation, he recounted, the Justice Department has provided false information, stonewalled document requests, produced scores of blacked-out pages and duplicate documents and refused to comply with two congressional subpoenas. These emails show that the administration went far beyond the normal efforts to manage a hot political scandal. There is criminal activity here most notably obstruction of justice that needs to be investigated, with the perpetrators tried and sent to jail. But there is no pressure for an investigation. Indeed, the entire Fast and Furious scandal is now ancient history, the press having concluded there was nothing there. No amount of new information will get the New York Times or Washington Post to reopen the files on the case, and the rest of the media will almost certainly fall into line. The Obama administration can claim success. They were able to stretch out their response to the investigation to the point that with just months to go in Obama's term, no one cares if the facts of the case are revisited or not. They conducted a classic Washington cover-up campaign that did as it was supposed to do: it protected the principals Obama and Holder from being held accountable for their stupidity and criminal activity. In the wake of publishing an article attacking Donald Trump that was widely regarded as unfair and damaging to its reputation, you might think the editors of the New York Times had learned a lesson or two. The title of that article was Crossing the Line: How Donald Trump Behaved with Women in Private. The expression crossing the line indicates the disapproval of the editors, a judgment quickly refuted by the principal subject of what the Times regarded as demeaning behavior that was, in fact, welcomed by the purported victim. Yet in an editorial today arguing that colleges should not be able to know if applicants have criminal records, the Times editors employed the same metaphor: College Applications That Cross a Line. The Obama administration is rightly urging colleges and universities to re-evaluate how they use criminal-record information in admissions decisions. By asking about criminal convictions on their applications, the schools discourage applicants who are capable of performing academically at college and who present no danger to campus safety. The remedy is to stop asking about these records or at least delay the question until the applicant has received a provisional offer of acceptance. This position requires the Times to argue against common sense: Research suggests that colleges that admit students with criminal histories are no less safe than others. This seems to say that recidivism doesnt exist, but of course that isnt true. It is merely a way of jumbling together data and makng a non-assertion (suggests) into a scientific-sounding conclusion. The Times, along with most media, has accepted the phony assertion of a rape epidemic on campus, yet now it is arguing that admitting actual rapists, among other criminals, is no big deal. Not unreasonably, many people are alarmed at the efforts underway to make screening for criminal records illegal or at least discouraged by the federal government when it comes to jobs, college admissions, and other decisions about who can participate in activities that could endanger others. Reforms have included recommendations to make it easier for ex-offenders to obtain state ID cards, removing questions about criminal history from federal job applications and suggestions to do the same for college applications, and warning landlords that rejecting renters based on their criminal history may violate federal law. The federal focus primarily has been on making it easier for inmates to readjust to life outside of prison with the concern being that ex-convicts are more likely to commit crimes if they cant get jobs or secure housing. (snip) According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, nearly half of 25,000 inmates released from federal prisons in 2005 were rearrested for a new crime or violation of parole within eight years, and one-quarter were reincarcerated during that time. Opponents to reform measures, including an overhaul of mandatory minimum sentencing laws that is currently being considered by Congress, worry that by opening the door to ex-offenders, lawmakers will open a floodgate to crime. The Times is completely on board with these efforts to ensure that the commission of crimes has fewer consequences for the criminal, employing the language of civil rights: The Obama administration has taken several steps to combat discrimination against the more than 70 million Americans with criminal records. Discrimination! Why, we wouldnt want to discriminate against criminals. But when it comes to Donald Trump crossing some imaginary line that the Times draws with regard to behavior toward women, even when the women in question dont, that wouldnt be discrimination, apparently. Hat tip: Ed Lasky, Lauri Regan In a move calculated to respond to China's military build-up in the region, President Obama announced that the U.S. is lifting its decades-old ban on the sale of lethal arms to Vietnam. The lifting of the embargo will be seen by China as an escalation of tensions in the region, although Washington denies that the move is aimed at Beijing. The president is in Vietnam ahead of the G-7 Summit in Japan. Reuters: The move came during President Barack Obama's first visit to Hanoi, which his welcoming hosts described as the arrival of a warm spring and a new chapter in relations between two countries that were at war four decades ago. Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, has made a strategic 'rebalance' toward Asia a centerpiece of his foreign policy. Vietnam, a neighbor of China, is a key part of that strategy amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness and sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. The decision to lift the arms trade ban, which followed intense debate within the Obama administration, suggested that such concerns outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and that Washington would lose leverage for reforms. Obama told a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully and not by whoever "throws their weight around". But he insisted the arms embargo move was not linked to China. "The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said. He later added that his visit to a former foe showed "hearts can change and peace is possible". The sale of arms, Obama said, would depend on Vietnam's human rights commitments, which would be made on a case-by-case basis. Expect more of these bilateral security arrangements with other countries in the region, including the Philippines, whose fishing fleet has been contininously harassed by the Chinese navy. China's provocative actions in building an island and militarizing it have alarmed the administration, and China's aggressive posture has sent tensions in the region skyrocketing. War in the South China Sea? China may feel forced to respond to the U.S. lifting the Vietnam arms embargo. This sort of tit-for-tat diplomacy has been known to get out of hand, with war being an unintended outcome. But none of the nations involved including the U.S. and China wants war, so the hope that cooler heads will prevail seems reasonable. In April 2016, the British Royal College of Physicians published a study vindicating the public health value of e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to smoked tobacco. Demonstrating that e-cigarettes function as an effective aid to quitting smoking and are used almost exclusively by confirmed smokers, the report recommends that they be promoted as a healthier substitute to tobacco-containing cigarettes. On this side of the pond, however, where the politicization of science continues under the patronage of the Obama administration, leftists are willfully misrepresenting the use of e-cigarettes or vaping (so termed because the user inhales water vapor) as a gateway to tobacco smoking. In recent years, Democrats in Congress have been waging an aggressive regulatory assault on the sale of e-cigarettes. In this mission, they have found an ally in Big Pharma, which favors stringent regulations on vaping because its Nicotine Replacement Therapy products (gums and patches) are struggling to compete against e-cigarettes in the market. At the state level, too, legislators are following the example of Washington, D.C. For example, the Democrat-controlled state legislature in the kooky leftist enclave of Vermont genuflected and passed a 92% tax on e-cigarettes this year. It is worth noting that the 2016 session almost resulted in Vermont becoming the first state to legalize marijuana through legislative action. Ironic, much? Not if you consider the real motive behind the leftist opposition to vaping. Since the early twentieth century, Hollywood positioned the cigarette as the quintessential emblem of white American masculinity rugged, reliable, and rebellious. Describing how he began his decades-long dalliance with smoking, veteran actor Kirk Douglas wrote, At that time everyone smoked, and the cigarette was the favorite movie prop. The cigarette was ubiquitous on the American screen by the 1950s, when Philip Morris Companies Inc. (now Altria Group) launched its iconic Marlboro Man campaign. The Marlboro cigarette-smoking cowboy was depicted as a tough workman with the pioneer spirit of the Wild West and seductive charm. The enormous success of the campaign set a lasting example for tobacco advertising in the U.S., and in effect, it made the product synonymous with an aspirational brand of American masculinity the kind that the postmodern left despises. The white American patriarch has been traditionally understood as an independent man who provides for his family and contributes in meaningful ways to his community without any desire for intervention from the state. Consequently, such a figure frustrates the leftist project to create a population of isolated, confused, fragile, and dependent subjects who would willingly submit to an all-powerful government. Because he refuses to embrace the psychopathic brilliance (as Norman Mailer put it) of moral nihilism, gender relativism, sexual perversion and promiscuity, and general irresponsibility encouraged by the left, the Great White Male and his insignia here, the electronic twin of the cigarette are vilified at every turn in mainstream culture. Therefore, dont be fooled when the left bemoans the ills that could ensue should the e-cigarettes entice teenagers and pregnant women to take up tobacco smoking. These are crocodile tears. Indeed, the lefts contention on the basis of alleged heath concerns is entirely inconsistent with its support of marijuana legalization and serving alcohol to pregnant women in public places. Moreover, Democrats like California senator Barbara Boxer who denounce the e-cigarette as a delivery system for nicotine paradoxically also support the provision of clean hypodermic needles to heroin and other intravenous drug abusers as a form of harm reduction. Plainly, leftists are not concerned with scientific studies on the benefits of e-cigarettes. Rather, they are obsessed with undermining the historic symbolism and narratives surrounding traditional American masculinity. This is why the surging popularity of e-cigarettes makes them crazy. Meg Hansen directs the political communications of the Vermont House Republican Caucus. Her writing can be found at www.piersonharleth.com. Bernie Sanders has just contributed a sound bite to the Trump campaign that will be played over and over again as the election approaches. Speaking with John Dickerson on CBSs Face the Nation yesterday, Sanders confirmed Donald Trumps critique of the corrupt political system that includes both parties. With the release of the movie Clinton Cash, documenting the obscene amounts of money collected by both Clintons from wealthy interests with business before the federal government, the pattern of corruption that would return to the White House with the Clintons is certain to be the major issue of the Trump campaign. Particularly in outreach to Sanders supporters, his words yesterday will be particularly useful: Frankly, what the Democratic Party is about is people running around to rich peoples homes and raising obscene sums of money from wealthy people. Watch it here: Located in front of Barbour's General Store on King Street in downtown Saint John, in New Brunswick, Canada, is a set of eleven life-sized wood figures depicting people patiently waiting for something. One man buries his face at a newspaper. Another in trench coat, hands in pockets, lurks behind dark glasses. A bald gentlemen with a blond-haired child holds to a pinwheel while the child clutches a lollipop. Two guys chat on a motorcycle next to a lady. A woman sits on a bench, hands folded in her lap, as her child mischievously peeks over the back. An elderly man feeds a pigeon. The sculptural pieces called People Waiting was made by English-born Canadian sculptor John Hooper back in 1977 for Canada Post, and originally stood in front of the Rothesay Avenue post office for 30 years. The sculptures were commissioned as part of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's plan to grace government building with public art. But once the pieces started to weather, Canada Post did not wanted to pay for its upkeep. The city of Saint John then stepped in and paid the $15,000 needed for refurbishment. The statues were restored and relocated to its current site on King Street. Photo credit: Joe Schumacher/Flickr Photo credit: Ken Mojr/Flickr Photo credit: detricdestefanis/Flickr Photo credit: Tony Webster/Flickr Photo credit: Lyle Rains/Flickr Photo credit: Ian Muttoo/Flickr Photo credit: Joseph Hollick/Panoramio John Hoopers vaguely surreal, life-sized figures have been fixtures of Saint Johns public art scene since decades. They are instantly recognizable for the bulky characters and vivid colors. There is another set of figures at the base of Hooper's Time Piece clock tower near the Market Square entrance, and yet another one called People Apart Moving Together, in the lobby of the city's convention center. Time Piece features three life-sized figures a mother holding a baby, a biker with arms folded, and an old man with a cap is leaning on a cane. At the rotating top are four smaller figures, three men and a women engaged in various activities: men are using a sextant, telescope, and cell phone and the woman is looking at her wristwatch. At the very top are another four very small figures siting at a card table. Photo credit: Light Collector/Flickr Photo credit: saintjohn365.com Photo credit: Mike Capson/Flickr People Apart Moving Together. Photo credit: terinbob.blogspot.in Hoopers works can be found across the country and beyond. His playful carving called Balancing features four brightly colored whimsical wooden figures balancing on a Y-shaped beam, while a fifth character looking at the others in disdain. Balancing was originally installed outside of the National Arts Centre, in Ottawa, in 1981, but then relocated to Colonel By Drive in 2011. Hooper also fashioned a bronze statue of Canadian athlete Terry Fox, a deviation from his usual playful sculptures, that stands near Parliament Hill, also in Ottawa. A recipient of numerous awards including the Order of Canada, John Hooper died in 2006, at the age of 79. Photo credit: Adrian Berg/Flickr Photo credit: David Eppstein/Wikimedia Photo credit: Madeleine Dubois/Flickr Photo credit: Pierre-Andre SIMARD/Flickr Samsungs Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are making the rounds sweeping smartphone rankings, racking up positive review after positive review. Given their popularity, its no surprise that Samsung has already sold more than enough to cause a noticeable upswing in Samsungs total profits for the first quarter of 2016, despite the phones only being available for a few weeks out of that quarter. The high-resolution screen and amazing build quality make it easy to see why so many people have jumped on board the Galaxy S7 train, but with any popular good, there will always be some holdouts. Whether somebody thinks a better phone may be on the horizon, is unsure if a Galaxy S7 is right for them, or just wishes it was cheaper, Best Buy has a deal that may help them decide. Customers who head to Best Buy and walk out with an activated Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge on Verizon, Sprint or AT&T will also be able to walk out with a 32Class Samsung LED Smart TV. The $219 TV is also free for customers who buy their phone online, so long as its set to be ready to use on a 2-year agreement, Sprint Lease or Verizon installment plan. Customers willing to head out to their local Best Buy, however, have an additional offer; throw $250 into the pot and they can get a 48 Class TV of similar pedigree, normally worth $449. The 32 Class TV is a 720p affair, while the 48 Class rocks a 1080p panel, lending them similar pixel densities. Both TVs can display action movies, games and other content at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second and run Samsungs Tizen OS, complete with a web browser. Advertisement The deal is live until June 4th and requires one of the activation plans stated above; buying an unlocked phone will not net you a free or discounted TV. Customers cannot ask for rain checks, and the TVs quantities are limited, though the limit will likely vary from store to store. If youve been on the fence about Samsungs newest flagship duo and happen to want a new TV, this may just be what puts the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge above the likes of the HTC 10 and LG G5 in your mental list. There are many things that make Android the great platform that it has grown into, but its open nature is perhaps the foundation that everything is built upon. Sure, theres some gray areas surrounding the open source base code of Android and then the Google part of the Android we know and love, but for the most part Android is a far more flexible and open operating system and platform than any mobile offering before it. Its this openness that has allowed a great community of developers to grow up around the OS, and with a big community comes great events, and the Big Android BBQ is just one of them. Held every year in the US, its now coming to Europe, just as it did last November. This time around however, the weather should be better as its being held in August this year. In Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, the Big Android BBQ will be held during August 14th to August 16th at the Conference Hotel and tickets are now on sale. These tickets have different package levels, ranging from Bronze all the way up to Unobtanium, which is predictably the most expensive at a whopping 5,317, but this does include absolutely everything you could need. It also includes tickets and flights to the original event held in Texas every year as well as a greeting from the BBQs founder, Aaron Kasten, wearing and I quote a monocle and top hat holding a tablet displaying your name. This elusive package also includes a roped off table just for yourself. For those looking for more realistic tickets should look at the Bronze package which, at 75, gives you access to the event as well as the after party on Monday night. There are also Siver, Gold and Platinum tickets with the Platinum ticket topping out at 300. If youre curious about what all the different levels have to offer you can take a look at the official website linked below. Advertisement Theres always a lot going on during the Big Android BBQ, and this years will feature the Code Kitchen which offers developers prices for their quick coding skills, but also lots of other talks and demonstrations to help developers in the year ahead. Its also a great place to meet new people and do some networking with other developers and publishers, too. Streaming media to your TV can be done in a number of different ways, but theres no doubt that one of the simplest ways to do so is with Googles HDMI streaming dongle known as the Chromecast. Last year, Google launched a new model of the Chromecast and alongside it, they launched Chromecast Audio, a similar device that allowed users to plug into a home theater or speaker system that didnt have the Google Cast technology built in, and stream music to it. Normally, the Chromecast and Chromecast Audio are $35 each, but right now you can currently pick up each device for $5 off, bringing them down to $30 a piece. The Chromecast is geared towards streaming video and app/game content, but it will support the streaming of audio content as well to whatever TV or monitor its plugged into. The new design allows it to hang down from the HDMI port its connected to and when its not in use the back of the unit holds the HDMI cable magnetically. The new Chromecast also support 5GHz networks in addition to the 2.4GHz supported by the original model, and can be used to mirror the display of an Android device. With Chromecast Audio, the functionality is much the same but as stated above its only for streaming audio content to speakers, enabling WiFi on any speaker its plugged into. Next month is proving to be a month which will likely bring with it some interesting Motorola-related news. Lenovo, the company who owns Motorola, has already confirmed that they will be hosting an event in the early part of the month. One which the company has also already said they will be unveiling new mobile technology designed by Motorola. It is expected that an update on Project Tango will come through as part of the event, but speculation is mounting that Motorola will be announcing and introducing their latest Moto X range of devices. Although, if recent reports are correct, it wont actually be the Moto X that is being announced This thinking is due to a report which emerged last week suggesting that this year Lenovo and Motorola will forgo using the X name when it comes to their next-generation Moto flagship smartphones. Instead, the company will make use of the Z moniker. As such, the report does clearly imply that we could see the introduction of the Moto Z range of devices as the follow-up devices to the Moto X range. Advertisement At the time, this was just a report that came through and as such, nothing official came supporting the Z notation. While that is strictly speaking still the case, it is also being noted now that at the same time as those original rumor reports were coming through, Motorola was in the process of filing a trademark for Moto Z. As you can see in the image below, the trademark is specifically for the rumored Z addition to the Moto range and certainly does act as a high-degree of corroborating evidence for the emergence of the Moto Z line of devices and especially as the trademark also seems to include a description consisting of mobile phones, smartphones and accessories. Of course, whether the Z range will indeed replace the Moto X range or be something totally different, still remains to be seen. Although, that is looking increasingly likely as more reports like this come through. Although, it is also worth pointing out that the next-gen Moto flagship is one which is thought to be modular in nature, so as well as a name change, this years Moto main devices, could be very different from what we have had in the past. Chinese Internet business and handset manufacturer, Xiaomi, has reported a 5% increase in 2015 revenue compared with 2014. According to a report out of Fortune, the business reported 78 billion yuan (around $12.5 billion) revenue stream compared with 74.3 billion yuan for 2014, however Xiaomi are keeping quiet about their figures. A spokewoman told the source that this data is not from the company and refused to comment other than explaining how the business has sold over 70 million smartphones despite slowing handset sales. In U.S. dollar terms, and because the Chinese currency has devalued during the period, this represents a 3% rise in revenue over the duration. A slowdown which follows dazzling performance over the last few years. Although Xiaomi are careful to explain that they are more than a smartphone manufacturer, the industry has taken a keen interest in their smartphone sales. After a very successful 2014, which saw sales growth of around 135%, the company initially predicted it would sell 100 million smartphones in 2015. This figure was later revised to be 80 to 100 million, but the business fell short of this with a sales figure of 71 million. A year ago, Xiaomis founder, Lei Jun, explained how the Xiaomi Mi Note was better than the Apple iPhone, but the device was not the hoped-for sales success. Xiaomis devices have struggled in the face of slowing sales growth and stiff competition from other manufacturers, such as Huawei: regardless of this, the company increased device shipments by 2.5% year-on-year. Unfortunately, for 2016 the business appears to be suffering: weve already seen Xiaomi ejected from the top five global smartphone sales thanks to a decline of 5%. Part of Xiaomis problem appears to be that the business is struggling to sell devices outside of mainland China. Advertisement As regards the stockmarket, Xiaomi has a valuation figure of some $45 billion, which represents a price to earnings ratio of approximately 75. The price earnings ratios or PER is a metric used to value investors, with the higher the PER the higher the expected growth from the business. Xiaomis PER reflects how the business is more than a smartphone manufacturer, but the Internet side of the business missed the $1 billion sales target and by a long way too: in 2015, these businesses sold just $560 million (according to one investor). We are seeing Xiaomi invest in alternative products as far ranging as air purifiers, action cameras, drones and media streaming boxes, plus the Internet of Things, but so far the new products amount to under 5% of total sales. Even strong growth in these new products is unlikely to make up slowing smartphone sales. Sony was earlier rumored to have stopped all work on entry-level smartphones and tablets, as the company is said to be looking to streamline its mobile devices business that has been struggling to turn profitable for many years now. However, a new device called the Sony F3311 had earlier shown-up on benchmarking site, GFXBench, revealing that the company probably still hasnt quite given up the ghost when it comes to targeting price-conscious buyers around the world. The aforementioned spotted on GFXBench gave us a basic understanding about the upcoming handset. While Sony is yet to state anything officially about the device, online rumors seem to suggest that it will be marketed as the Xperia E5, which would be the fifth-generation handset in Sonys entry-level Xperia E line. Those rumors have now found further credence with the Sony F3311 appearing on a Russian customs report, which clearly mentions the handset as the next-gen Xperia E device. The document apparently mentions the device as the F3311/Xperia E5, which is the closest weve got to identifying the name of the next-gen Xperia. What we do know, however, is that the device will apparently ship with a 720p display panel, a MediaTek 6735 chipset, just 1.5GB RAM, a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. Although nothing can be confirmed right now, if the rumors surrounding the devices nomenclature is true, it may very likely be introduced as the fifth-generation Xperia E in emerging markets around the world. Advertisement Sony announced its latest Xperia flagship devices earlier this year at the Mobile World Congress trade show held in the Spanish city of Barcelona, and the devices have generally been well-received by large-sections of the global tech media. The Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Premium were launched in select markets around the world earlier this year, and India is one of the latest regions to have received the Xperia X and Xperia XA. Meanwhile, the company is also said to be ending its Xperia M and Xperia C lines, both of which apparently failed to generate enough traction among smartphone buyers in emerging markets. Debating the value of Birmingham Universitys black studies course Kehinde Andrews, Associate Professor in Sociology at Birmingham City University, wants to talk about studying black subjects. Birmingham City University has opened a black studies university course. The black experience in Britain is worthy of study, of course it is. But doesnt this course limit black students, make what should be a full education with all the navigating between opinion, debate and textual evidence into a safe space where minds are narrowed? Its more divisive than it is empowering, offering segregation over equality. He writes in the Guardian: While in the UK the student body has also become undoubtedly more diverse, the staff and therefore academic interests have remained overwhelmingly exclusive and white. Black British-born staff make up only 1% of full-time staff, representing just 85 out of the UKs 18,510 university professors and face barriers to promotion once employed. The unfortunate reality is that black studies has not emerged sooner because there has not been a critical mass of staff who could teach the subject. We at BCU are able to offer a high-quality black studies degree because our department has six full-time black academic members of staff who work in the discipline. Only black teachers can teach black subjects? Is work by non-black scholars like Harvards Roland Fryer into the causes of economic disparities between blacks and whites invalidated? What of non-black academic Eugene Genoveses studies on slavery and the role of religion in black American history? Is black history only for blacks? As she asks, is the course about black justice, politics and rights or a bona fide filed of study? We have started to build a network of scholars, a research community and to publish work on black studies in Britain. Sadly the majority of academic departments in the UK have no black members of staff at all, let alone enough to even hold a conversation about starting a black studies degree. Movements such as Why is My Curriculum White? and Rhodes Must Fall show that students are tired of some of the unrepresentative and outdated knowledge and experiences being reproduced in British universities. John Ellis is uncertain: In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, large populations of poor immigrants arrived in the U.S.Irish, Italians, and Jews from Russia and Poland. Their extreme poverty placed them at the bottom of the social ladder, and they were often treated with contempt. Yet just a few generations later they were assimilated, and their rapid upward social mobility had produced mayors, senators, judges, and even Presidents from among their ranks. None of this could have happened without first-rate public education. To be sure, they worked hard to get ahead, but they were not obstructed by something that afflicts the have-nots of today: as they walked through the school gates they were not met by people intent on luring them into Irish or Italian Studies programs whose purpose was to keep them in a state of permanent resentment over past wrongs at the hands of either Europeans or establishment America. Instead, they could give their full attention to learning. They took courses that informed them about their new lands folkways and history, which gave them both the ability and the confidence needed to grasp the opportunities it offered them. When we compare this story with what is happening to minority students today, we see a tragedy. Dr Andrews says thats not so: Birmingham is the perfect place to launch Black Studies, being one of Europes most diverse cities, with a strong history of community activism and engagement. For too long UK universities have overlooked the experiences and perspectives of those in the African diaspora. The contributions of Black scholars, activists and communities have not been recognised, creating a limited curriculum. Student movements have recently demonstrated this across the country, complaining of a narrow knowledge in universities, including the Why is my curriculum white? campaign The new degree offers students a critical understanding of British and global society, international study abroad opportunities and experiences working to improve conditions in communities. Isnt University education meant to be expansive? Is this a course in a bubble? Would you sign up? Anorak Posted: 23rd, May 2016 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Transfer balls: Manchester United hire Mourinho, Ibrahimovich and the fear factor So Jose Mourinho is the new Manchester United manager. Well, so say all the newspapers. The Guardian says the former Chelsea manger twice-sacked by the Blues will be handed 150m to spend and will first target Evertons John Stones. Sounds good. Man United need defenders and wingers. The Star says Mourinho has 200m and his number one target is Zlatan Ibrahimovich. Why? They have Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford. Why buy a player who will bock the talented Frenchman and the English tyros path? Will Jose just buy big to win big, farming youth out on loan? The Star says Mourinho will sign a three-year deal worth 10m a year. The Mail says Joses Manchester Untieds contract is 75m for five years, but does agree that he has 200m to spend on a new team. Inevitably one newspaper the Mirror calls the transfer kitty a war chest. The Express says he has 300m. The Mail adds that mid-way through this season, United paid the Portuguese 4m not to take another job. The Times says United deny making any payment. The Sun says Mourinhos arrival will trigger Ryan Giggs to leave Old Trafford. It also marks the end of Louis Van Gaals United stint. The Times says the Dutchman will leave with a bitter taste in his mouth and a sweet 5.4m in compensation. As for the future, well it will interesting. One thing is certain: with Mourinho in charge, Manchester United will win back the fear factor. Anorak Posted: 23rd, May 2016 | In: Back pages, Broadsheets, manchester united, Sports, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Italy-Tunisia, multi-purpose centre opens in Zarzis First phase of project NEMO for fishing and coastal development (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MAY 23 - The multi-purpose centre at Zarzis covering 600 sqm at the local fishing school is to be inaugurated on Tuesday. The new facility hosts a museum dedicated to fishing, a meeting room for training and a restaurant serving typical local produce and fish from the region. The centre has been built in the context of project NEMO aiming to strengthen cross-border socio-economic development in the coastal communities of Libya, Tunisia and Egypt by valorising and relaunching the fishing sector. In Tunisia the project, funded by the Italian foreign ministry with a voluntary donation from the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and collaboration from Tunisia's Directorate-General for Fisheries and Aquaculture, aims to promote sustainable socio-economic development in the Medenine region through the valorisation of a multi-purpose centre for the coastal communities of Zarzis, the relaunch of professional fishing organisations, income improvement through training and demonstration activities for local fishermen and marketing for their products. The cooperation project stems from the desire of the Italian government to activate special funding for the benefit of young people in countries involved in the so-called Arab Spring, according to the director of the Italian agency for development cooperation in Tunisia, Cristina Natoli. "In these countries the political transition phase has increased migration to Italy and Europe and illegal activities on the border with Libya," Natoli told ANSAmed. "For this reason the intervention aims to accompany local institutions in their task of directing rural coastal communities towards new income-generating activities that are complementary to existing ones, enabling beneficiaries not to abandon their roots to seek their fortune abroad," she added. The activities focus on the Medenine governorate, from where many young people migrate to Italy, often selling their fishing boats to raise the money needed for the sea crossing. These migrants are the children of fishermen or farmers who can no longer see opportunities in the traditional sectors, when in fact the local fishing and agricultural resources have great potential. NEMO - launched in March 2014 and due to end in February 2017 - is funded to the tune of around 800,000 euros and carries out its activities in full partnership with the Tunisian government and Directorate-General for Fisheries. (ANSAmed). Dozens killed in Yemen in double suicide attack Attacks targeted young people queuing to join army (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MAY 23 - Dozens of people have been killed in a double suicide attack in the port city of Aden in southern Yemen, Al Arabiya has said. The pan-Arab television news channel said at least 30 people died in Monday's attack against young people queuing outside a military centre to join the army. Other sources put the toll at 45. Police sources cited by Al Arabiya said 20 young people were killed in a suicide car bomb explosion and a further 25 by a suicide bomber wearing an explosive jacket. The attacks took place in the district of Khormaksar in Aden, which is being used as a provisional capital by the Saudi-backed government since Houthi Shia rebels control the capital Sanaa. Over 6,400 people have died in the civil war that broke out in March 2015. Jihadists belonging to Al Qaeda and ISIS have taken advantage of the situation to strengthen their presence in the country. (ANSAmed). Syria: Franciscan school in Aleppo hit by missiles 1 dead and 2 seriously injured. We will not leave, friars say (ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 23 - Missiles fell on a school run by Franciscan friars in the Syrian city of Aleppo early Saturday evening, killing one person and seriously injuring a further two, the Custody of the Holy Land has said. The victims were among elderly people who had sought refuge at the Terra Santa middle school and were reportedly all women. The missile attack would not lead to the friars' departure, the Custody said. "It is the time for prayer and fasting for Syria. The friars will remain in Syria alongside those in need," Fr. Francesco Patton, the newly elected Custos of the Holy Land, told Vatican Radio. "Up until today, the school, with its large park, was considered to be one of the city's few safe places. And the friars had turned it into an oasis from the war that has been ravaging the city," the Custody said in a statement. The school opened its doors to families with children in search of green space, young people wanting to escape from the fighting, and approximately 20 elderly people who transferred to the school after their homes were bombed. "The explosion was extremely violent, and it was strongly felt," said Fr. Firas Lutfi, OFM, the school principal. "Apparently there is no longer one place in Aleppo that is 100 percent safe," he added. Maintenance work at the school in view of upcoming summer camps for young people has been suspended pending "greater clam and serenity", according to Fr Ibrahim Sabbagh, a parish priest in Aleppo. The Franciscans run three centres in Aleppo: the St. Francis of Assisi parish, which has already been hit once, a branch of the parish Er Ram, hit five times, and the Terra Santa Middle School, which was hit on Saturday for the first time. There are currently 14 Franciscan friars in Syria of whom five in Aleppo, and the Custody has said repeatedly that they intend to stay.(ANSAmed). Syria: over 100 die in attack near Russian base TV ISIS claims triple suicide attack in Latakia province (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MAY 23 - Over 100 people are said to have died in a triple suicide attack near the Russian naval base of Tartus in Latakia province on Monday, pan-Arab television channel Al Jazeera reports. According to the government agency Sana, 45 people were killed in two explosions in Jableh, the locality closest to the base. Al Manar local correspondent added that the attacks were carried out by two suicide bombers, while a third person blew himself up in Tartus. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to its press agency Amaq. (ANSAmed). Istanbul summit: humanitarian aid +25% until 2018, Giro Italy 'investing in political stability' (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MAY 23 - Deputy Foreign Minister Mario Giro told ANSA on Monday at the World Humanitarian Summit that Italy had this year increased humanitarian aid by 25%, and that ''we will continue to do so until 2018, to 360 million euros''. ''This is without even counting the three billion euros invested in save and rescue operations since the beginning of Mare Nostrum,'' he added. ''For Italy, it is important to invest in political stability, accompanying efforts to end humanitarian crises with ordinary integration.'' (ANSAmed). BRUSSELS - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told a conference of EU parliament speakers Monday that "a continent of 508 million people should be able to integrate two million refugees". "If the impression persists that Europe is not capable of correctly solving the refugee problem, this is not down to the European Commission or the Parliament," Juncker added. A majority on the European Council voted in favor of refugee relocation and resettlement, he said, adding that since the beginning of his term the European Commission had presented proposals to avoid unfairly burdening Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Malta and Cyprus. "We expected members to enact those decisions but unfortunately this has not been the case in a certain number of countries," Juncker said. "On the contrary, they chose the national, unilateral way, without prior or sufficient consultation" with the EU and other countries involved, he said. Pope says must be no refugee without welcome Francis writes to Ban for First World Humanitarian Summit (ANSAmed) - VATICAN CITY, MAY 23 - Pope Francis said no refugees must be left without reception in a letter to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for the First World Humanitarian Summit, currently in Istanbul. "There must be no family without a home, no refugee without a welcome, no person without dignity, no wounded person without care, no child without a childhood, no young man or woman without a future, no elderly person without a dignified old age," Francis wrote. "Today I offer a challenge to this Summit: let us hear the cry of the victims and those suffering. "Let us allow them to teach us a lesson in humanity. Let us change our ways of life, politics, economic choices, behaviour and attitudes of cultural superiority". (ANSAmed). TUNIS - The historic leader of Ennhadha, Rached Ghannouchi, almost 75, has been re-elected to the leadership of the Tunisian Islamic party for a new five-year term. Ghannouchi was confirmed as president with 800 votes in favour, compared to 229 for Fethi Ayadi and 29 for Mohamed Akrout. His re-election brought to a close the 10th general congress of Tunisia's second largest political party and government coalition member alongside the secular modernists of Nidaa Tounes, as well as the party with the biggest number of seats in parliament. The more than 1,000 delegates present in Hammamet gave broad backing to all the items on the agenda, including the historic separation between political activity and religious preaching, which was carried with 80.8% of votes in favour. Political commentators present at the congress say this decision makes the party more modern, pluralist and respectful of democratic and civil rights. Delegates also approved new party rules comprising 136 articles - compared to the previous 40 - that open the door to internal democracy, pluralism and equal opportunities by introducing norms that facilitate party membership. Ennhadha is now focusing on inclusive economic development for a successful democratic transition in Tunisia and sets out to be one of the key actors in the political life of the North African country. "Today Ennhadha is a political and national party inspired by Islam and that operates in full compliance with the Constitution," said Ghannouchi in a speech shortly before his re-election, underscoring his distancing from political Islam. Turkey needs a strong parliament, Merkel tells Erdogan Expresses concern over revocation of MPs' immunity (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MAY 23 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday she had told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan that his country needed a strong parliament. CNN Turk quoted Merkel as expressing concern over the decision to withdraw the immunity of lawmakers, adding that ''I've made this clear to the Turkish president'', after her meeting with the Turkish leader. The removing of parliamentary immunity puts Kurdish MPs at risk of arrest for alleged links with the outlawed PKK. The meeting between the two leaders was held on the sidelines of the first UN World Humanitarian Summit and lasted about an hour. The meeting also focused on the EU-Turkey agreement on migrants and talks linked to lifting Schengen visa requirements for Turkish citizens. The German chancellor added that Turkey would need to meet all the conditions demanded by the EU before visa requirements could be lifted, including modification of anti-terrorism regulations. (ANSAmed). Raso has developed his strong experience in aviation from working more than 30 years with The Airbus Group. In 2009, he became a member of the Airbus Executive committee and participated to the most strategic decisions at the highest level of management of the company. Among his wide work experience, Raso served as the CEO of Airbus Military. His deep knowledge of the military aviation world is very valuable to the development of Comlux in several aviation applications combining both military and VIP transport. Raso said: It is an honor for me to be part of such a prestigious and dynamic company as Comlux. The Company is expanding quickly worldwide and I am very pleased to bring my experience at the most strategic level of the Group. As I am residing in Spain, I will work also with Comlux Espana to develop our presence in the Iberian market and to acquire new VIP clients in the region. I am delighted to welcome Domingo in the Comlux Group said Richard Gaona chairman and CEO of Comlux The Aviation Group. With his managerial experience and his wide expertise in the military aviation business, Domingo is a great asset for the development of the Group, and Comlux Espana in particular. All Emirates First Class and Business Class customers, as well as Skywards Platinum and Gold members travelling from Cape Town to Dubai will have complimentary access to the new facility, which has the capacity to accommodate 123 people comfortably. The lounge, which was recently opened, represents an investment of US$2,89 million by the airline. It is conveniently located in the international departures corridor next to Emirates preferred boarding point at Gate A3. Emirates airport lounges are an integral part of the airlines service and product offering for its premium and loyal customers, and the continued investment in airport services ensures the airline pays as much attention on providing luxury and comfort on the ground as it does on board it flights. Designed with a focus on comfort and quality, the new lounge, coupled with complimentary chauffeur drive service in Cape Town, dedicated check-in counters, as well as Emirates award winning on board service, ensures premium customers have a seamless, comfortable and enjoyable journey from the moment they start their travel until they arrive at their destination. Emirates expects to welcome approximately 65-70 premium customers on a daily basis at the lounge. Cape Town has become Emirates 39th lounge in its network of over 150 global points and the 14th destination to feature the airlines new lounge design concept, which includes Italian marble floors, leather armchairs and walnut wood finishes creating an upmarket contemporary space with a fresh relaxing atmosphere. It offers a dedicated dining area with a choice of bar seating, an extensive menu of complimentary hot and cold gourmet foods served buffet style, including local dishes, and a beverage service which includes a premium selection of champagne, spirits and South African and international wines. Customers will also have access to a fully equipped business centre with state of the art touch screen workstations, complimentary Wi-Fi and a dedicated lift to access the upper level of the lounge, which offers a quiet seating area, main dining room, a second TV area, main restroom with showers, and a prayer room. Effective on 23 June, Flynas will add a second daily service between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, increasing its combined offer with Etihad Airways to four daily services. Also on 23 June, Flynas will enter the Jeddah Abu Dhabi market with a daily flight which will complement Etihad Airways existing thrice daily services. Together, both carriers will offer four daily services linking Jeddah and the capital of the UAE. These services will provide guests with greater choice and flexibility when travelling between the two countries and beyond over Etihad Airways worldwide network. In addition to Riyadh and Jeddah, Etihad Airways currently serves Dammam and Madinah, offering a total of 63 weekly flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Whilst flynas new services will offer 14 weekly flights from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi and seven weekly flights from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi. The additional flights from Flynas will be operated by a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft, offering an additional 3,416 seats per week, and ensuring maximum connectivity through Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi hub to key destinations in North America, Europe, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. This comes as part of an expanded codeshare agreement between the two airlines signed in October 2012. The codeshare agreement allows flynas to place its XY code on multiple Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and 20 destinations on its global network. Gregory Kaldahl, Etihad Airways senior vice president network, said: The expanding of our codeshare with flynas reflects our commitment to the key market of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new flynas services will offer business and leisure travellers greater choice and better flight connection in their travel to Riyadh, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi to Etihad Airways worldwide network. Bander Al Mohanna, CEO of NAS Holding, said: Since its launch in December 2015, we have seen a significant increase in traffic on our daily Riyadh to Abu Dhabi route, owing to the strong demand for travel between the two capitals. By doubling the frequency of flights between these two strategically important destinations, we are pleased to offer our guests increased flexibility, more choice and greater convenience. Kashif Khalid, IATA Campaign manager Gulf Area, presented the certificate to Gulf Air chief operations officer Captain Nasser Al Salmi and Gulf Air chief commercial officer Ahmed Janahi, at the airlines Muharraq headquarters congratulating Gulf Air on successfully achieving IGOM registry status. Captain Al Salmi said: As we strive to remain at the forefront of operational developments to ensure convenient travel solutions for our passengers, Gulf Air prides itself on operating to the highest global standards with regards to our ground handling processes, ground safety and operations. This is key to ensuring satisfied passengers and seamless operations. It is an honor to be recognised for our achievements to date and a reminder of the need for our continuous, rigourous efforts. Gulf Air continuously reviews and appraises the airlines internal operational processes, conducting rigorous quality control processes and self-auditing to ensure conformity with global best practices. Most recently, the national carrier announced the successful completion of the internationally recognized, biennial IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) keeping Gulf Air on the IOSA registry until May 2017. In successfully completing the IATA IOSA audit earlier this year and recently joining IATAs IGOM registry Gulf Air has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the highest levels of operational safety. The airlines achievements are positive for both its passengers who can have confidence that the latest aviation standards are in place and the industry which is another step closer to establishing its vision of a globally aligned operating environment, said Kashif Khalid, IATA campaign manager Gulf Area. The largest ever VVIP aircraft to appear at the event made a grand entrance on the static display today as the first privately-owned 787 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) - dubbed the DreamJet after the types commercial Dreamliner nomaclature - made its global debut. The aircraft is set to be delivered to Chinese operator Deer Jet and expected to enter service in the late summer. It is the first to B787 to feature a complete VVIP cabin. Two other 787s already in government service include on in the Gulf which is in airline configuration and the other in Mexico with a central VIP cabin but otherwise an airline cabin. This has been a remarkable partnership on a steep learning curve, says Stephen Vella, chief executive of the project manager, Kestrel. The project took 18 months from first touch to delivery. The DreamJet is designed to carry 40 passengers between any two points in the world in a calm and comfortable environment. Designed by Pierre Jean Design Studio the cabin features soft colours and tones with no sharp edges . This along with a quiet cabin and cabin pressure of 6,000 feet make the 17h flight really comfortable, said Vella. Speaking at a launch event, BBJ president David Longridge said the 787 BBJ is unlike any other business jet on the market. If you do a range chart out of Geneva, just about the only major city it cant do is Sydney. From the passengers point of view, number one, its fast with a Mach 0.85 long range cruise speed, so its the same as a Gulfstream, he said. When we launched the first BBJ 20 years ago we said it was three times larger than a Gulfstream. Well, with 2,415 square feet of cabin space, this 787 is three times larger than those BBJs. There are huge windows and a bunch of technology that makes it very different to todays business jets. None of these are made with carbonfibre. None have electric brakes. There is technology on the 787 that literally is on no other aircraft, he added. Included in the new technology features is a smooth flight system that will reduce the impact of moderate turbulence. All this leads to a much better flight experience for those really long haul missions, Longridge said. The DreamJet made the 5,000nm trip from the Greenpoint completions centre in Seattle to Geneva in 9.5 hours, cruising at 43,000ft at Mach 0.85 - with former BBJ chief executive Steve Taylor at the controls - and landed with enough fuel for another 3,500 miles according to Longridge. The designe by Pierre Jean Design include a bedroom and private bathroom area off of a private corridor, there is the main VIP cabin and a separate super business class cabin with lay flat beds for guests. A third cabin area has also been designed for staff and crew. The crew have their own rest areas but there are also self-serive areas incorporated into the design to keep passengers moving through the long flights. In the 20 years since Boeing set up its dedicated business jets division, the airframer has sold 164 BBJs, most of them 737s, and delivered 162. It has taken orders for 10 BBJ versions of the 737 Max, with the first set to be delivered into completion in late 2018. Boeing has sold 15 BBJ 787s in total, nine of which have been delivered to completion centres. Thirteen of them are based on the smaller 787-8, and two on the -9. We are working on a couple more deals, says Longridge, who says Boeing is targeting one to three sales a year of its widebody range, which also includes the 777 and its 777X successor, as well as the 747-8. The students - one group from Oman Tourism College and one group from the tourism studies course at the German University of Technology in Muscat were able to make the most of the events many seminars and conferences. In addition to hearing thought-provoking debates and listening to research, market data, trends and case studies presented by leading industry figures, the students were able to and broaden their knowledge of the many global and regional suppliers who exhibited at ATM. The aim of Oman Airs support for the students was to accelerate their educational development, enabling them to make an enhanced contribution to the nations expanding tourism infrastructure and economic growth. Oman Air recognizes the vital importance of high quality education and this initiative was the latest in a series that the airline has launched, or to which it has contributed. Dr Khalid Abdulwahab Al Balushi, senior manager Government Affairs and head of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Oman Air commented: Oman Air recognises that education is one of the fundamental building blocks of our nations future prosperity. Education is therefore a priority area within Oman Airs comprehensive CSR programme and this latest initiative has provided opportunities for students who would otherwise not have been able to participate at ATM. The students attendance, with their lecturers, at ATM was directly relevant to their studies and provided experience that will help them develop rewarding careers. This type of trip is designed to stimulate and develop knowledge on key issues facing the tourism industry, which the students are studying at the moment. We were therefore delighted to provide travel and other support on this occasion and we look forward to seeing each participating student become influential figures within the industry over years to come." Salma Bint Abdullah Abdul Rahman, who studies at Oman Tourism College, added: We are grateful to Oman Air for giving us the chance to travel to Dubai and attend ATM. Without the airlines help, we would not have been able to participate and what we have learned at this major event will help us with both our current studies and our future careers. Many of the worlds species are on the brink of extinction. Multiple international organizations are committed to continually working to preserve these species. However, their efforts are constantly eroded and destroyed by poachers who illegally mutilate and kill species in order to supply a market for products like ivory and husk. Faisals Flight for Wildlife aims to heighten international awareness of the threat of poachers, and the need for governments and individuals to take this threat seriously. Faisal will depart Kenyas Nairobi Jkia international Airport and fly eastbound covering over 41,400 kilometers. He will make 41 stops for refueling on his journey and hopes to return to Nairobi within 26 days. The hugely challenging journey will see him face unpredictable weather conditions, flight and routing issues, as well as enormous time pressure. The world record attempt in Class C-1B has been registered with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) the international governing body of air sports. Im delighted to be able to use my skills to highlight the importance of the work of conservation groups. Ive always sought challenges and try to push myself to the limit. The Flight for Wildlife is the culmination of my love for animals and my ambitions as a pilot, said Pilot Faisal Sultan. Sultan is a pilot based in Kenya. A Pakistani native, he has held and maintained a Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Private Pilot License for over 15 years and has accumulated over 400 hours flight experience. Faisal also holds First Class Medical from the FAA and has worked in South Africa, Sudan, and the United States, and for the US-funded South African Election Support Program. Throughout his life, Faisal has always had a passion for animals and wildlife. The investment update was announced at a global press conference in Atlanta where the airline was celebrating its launch of service from Doha to Atlanta. IAG is one of the world's largest airline groups and is the holding company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. Qatar Airways Group chief executive,. Akbar Al Baker said: We have been very happy with our investment in IAG, from a financial, commercial and strategic perspective. We have decided to further deepen our relationship with IAG and the increased stake recognises the strengthening commercial ties between us. At Qatar Airways we fully support IAGs on-going strategy. IAG is very well positioned in Europe with attractive exposure to the transatlantic segment; leading positions at the London and Madrid hubs and the future benefits from the acquisition of Aer Lingus. Al Baker added that Qatar Airways may consider increasing its stake further over time within the allowable limits on non-European Union ownership. For Fr Ibrahim, the terrorist attack was meant to cause panic in the population. The Jihadi message is "either with us or you die. Rockets hit a retirement home, killing a 94-year-old woman, and wounding two more. Islamic State attacks in Tartus and Jableh, which killed more than 100, is a "message" to the Russians. Damascus (AsiaNews) Fr Ibrahim Alsabagh, 44, a Franciscan pastor and keeper of the Latin parish of St Francis in Aleppo, Syrias northern capital, spoke to AsiaNews about the latest attacks in the city. On Saturday evening, Jihadis launched two rockets against the Terra Sancta College, which is run by the Franciscan (pictured), killing one, and seriously injuring two elderly people who had sought refuge there. For the clergyman, those who launched the rockets were aiming at the area where the Terra Sancta College is located, which is next to military barracks for young recruits. Jihadis target civilians to cause panic among people. This is a terrorist-style attack meant to strike at the innocent to send a message: either you are with us, or you die, Fr Ibrahim explained. They want to sow chaos and instil fear in the population by terrorising people into choosing between them or we wipe you out. This is why they target the innocent before the military. The woman who died was 94 years old. She had sought shelter at the centre to "escape the violence of the war." The wounded "are two women, in their 80s, who were also staying at the colleges senior citizens centre, which had been relocated in April 2015 after the St Vincent de Paul Centre came under attack. "The elderly women thought it would be safe and that they might die in peace inside the Custody, but that was not the case, the clergyman said. About 20 elderly people live in the college who were bombed out of their homes. Until now, the centre, its school and the big park around it had been one of the safest sites in the city, and had been spared the blind violence that has so far killed 280,000 people in five years. It was considered "almost the safest area Aleppo", Fr Ibrahim said. It had been hit only by two or three rockets in five years. The compound was big, and included a school, which was the most prestigious one in the city. At some point, government soldiers requisitioned a section to set up barracks for young recruits. However, it was still left in peace, some sort of green lung in Aleppo, the only place where families could come for their children to breathe clean air. People came for the camping, which we were restoring, Fr Ibrahim said, to host local families. In Aleppo, the Franciscans have three centres: the parish of St Francis of Assisi, which was hit once, the Er Ram convent, which was hit five times, and Terra Sancta College. "Now none has been spared by bombs and rockets. In their latest attack, the Jihadis used a metre-and-half long rocket, not an artillery shell. This shows that the military potential available to extremist Islamist groups is growing. Their goal is to hit western Aleppo, which is under government control, and where Christians live. Today, several attacks were carried out in two cities on the Syrian coast, Tartus and Jableh, in Latakia province, a government stronghold. At least a hundred people were killed with more than 120 wounded. The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks, the pro-IS Amaq news agency reported. Alawis, a religious minority to which Syrian President Bashar al Assad belongs, were the target, but Christians, Sunnis, and Shias also live in the area, Fr Ibrahim said. Tarsus is also the home base for Russias Mediterranean fleet. This is why the attacks are probably directed at Moscow rather than Damascus. IS wants to show that it can strike everywhere and sow chaos with ever more sophisticated weapons. The tragedy for the clergyman is the fact that ordinary folks, who are innocent, always pay the price of car bombs, embargo and sanctions. by Sumon Corraya Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Caritas Bangladesh has organized teams to the rescue people affected by cyclone Roanu that hit the coastal areas of the country. Within hours floods ripped through homes, huts and buildings, and flooded the southern part of the country, rescuers managed to save thousands of lives. Operations are still in progress, while the death toll has risen to 24 dead and 500 thousand people evacuated. James Gomes, regional Caritas director for the Chittagong district, tells AsiaNews: "The cyclone has destroyed fishermens trade. It will take a long time for them to recover losses. Three days of heavy rain and winds up to 88 mph have hit the coastal districts of Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Bhola, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna and Satkhira. The surrounding islands were also affected and the alert level was raised to seven. The violent cyclone arrived from Sri Lanka, where last week it caused dozens of casualties, most of whom were buried under a mudslide. In the last hours the number of lifeless bodies recovered has risen to 92 people. Through the regional offices in Barisal, Chittagong and Khulna, Caritas has activated 246 planes ready to respond to emergencies in 16 upazila (sub-districts). Pintu William Gomes, a member of disasters department, claims she has trained and organized the work of various organizations, such as the Ward Disaster Management Committees and the support team for the dissemination of alerts, rescue and first aid. James Gomes also reports that "the rescued people have claimed to have asked the local government for help, for food and other material. But still no one helped them. " The rains have isolated large parts of the country and the communications have been interrupted. Bangladesh is prone to natural disasters such as tropical cyclones. In 1991, one of these caused 140 thousand deaths. by Bernardo Cervellera Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "The meeting today between Pope Francis and the imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (see picture 1) is very important in the resumption of dialogue between Christians and Muslims and to work for understanding and world peace, says Fr. Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church commenting to AsiaNews on todays historic meeting between the Pope and the spiritual leader of Al Azhar University, the most important Sunni Muslim body in the world. "We Egyptian Christians are happy for this meeting, - continues Fr. Greiche it was long overdue". The same positive outlook is expressed by the deputy imam of Al Azhar Abbas Shuman. In an interview with AFP, he emphasized the value of this meeting between the head of the Catholic Church and the highest representative of the most prestigious Sunni institution. He stressed that Sheikh al-Tayebs message is a "message of tolerance", which will help to clarify the image of "true Islam and correct the misunderstandings created by terrorists and extremist groups." Abbas Shuman noted that the meeting today is due to the improvement of relations between the Vatican and Al Azhar following the election of Pope Francis in March 2013 and with the exchange of personal letters between the two leaders. Previously the relationship between the Vatican and Al-Azhar had been marked by tension and misunderstandings. In 2006, Benedict XVI gave the keynote speech at Regensburg, where he suggested Islam needed to consider its relationship with violence, which he defined as "irrational" and therefore not worthy of God and of a religious position. Al Azhar joined the chorus of those in the Islamic world, who were offended by the equation (in essence never referred to in Benedict XVIs speech) between Islam and violence. Unfortunately, in response to that speech by the German pope, there were incidents of violent demonstrations in different countries - Lebanon, Pakistan, Iran. Another incident was caused in 2011, when following the attack on some Christian churches in Alexandria, Benedict XVI demanded more protection for Christians and greater peace for Egypt. Al Azhar accused the Pope of meddling in the internal affairs of another country. The Vatican has never stopped seeking the resumption of dialogue. In 2014 an emissary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue visited Al Azhar University, but could not meet Al Tayeb, who had undergone a heart operation. In November 2015 a representative of the Pontifical Council returned to Cairo carrying the invitation for a meeting with Pope Francis, but - according to reports at the time - the Sheikh received the letter without saying a word in response nor pausing to speak with his guest. A sign of a change in the status quo arrived in March, when the Imam of Al Azhar gave a speech to the Bundestag in Berlin, and among other things said that "I will meet the Pope as soon as possible." It must be said that in November 2014, the Egyptian president Abdelfattah Al Sisi met with Pope Francis (see picture no 2). Al Sisi has been attempting to modernize his nation and has long proposed a modernization of the teaching of Islam suitable to the contemporary world, building a country, Egypt, capable of bringing the different religions together on par. According to several observers, Al Sisis dream of building an Egypt open to the rest of the world, good relations with Europe and the West, is also influencing Al-Azhars style. Al Sisis victory and the revolution which ousted Mohamed Morsi, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, has weakened the fundamentalist fringe that has always been present in the Al Azhar administration. This allowed the Imam Tayeb to give a speech in Mecca in which he condemned the literalist interpretation of the Koran and spoke of the need to lay the foundations for a new style in the teaching of Islam. At present it is unclear how it will be implemented from those premises, but today's meeting could give a massive boost to dialogue between Islam and Christians, between Islam and the West. Hanoi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - US President Barack Obama has announced the complete removal of the US embargo on arms sales to Vietnam, their historical enemy of yore. The head of the White House announced the decision after meeting with the Communist leaders in Hanoi in conjunction with his three-day state visit to Vietnam. For some time the Vietnamese leadership has been pressing for the removal of the blockade, in place for decades. Obama is the third US president to visit the country since the war. Other issues discussed include strengthening of security [for a common front against "Beijing" imperialism in the South China Sea], the expansion of trade and bilateral relations. In recent days Hanoi authorities released Fr. Nguyen Van Ly who is in his 70's. The Catholic priest his a leading figure in the struggle for religious freedom and civil rights. According to sources, the decision comes as a gesture of "good will" ahead of the arrival of Obama. Today the head of the White House meets with Vietnamese President, Prime Minister and the de facto leader of the state, the general secretary of the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong. The two leaders have already met in the Oval Office last July, when the Vietnamese number one was received with full honors in the US. The American presidents visit marks a further step forward in the rapprochement between the two former enemies; a diplomatic effort that begun 20 years ago and now sees Washington and Hanoi allies in the region against Chinas designs. In addition, business interests are also dominating relations between the nations now that Vietnam is one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing nations in South-East Asia. The visit comes at a time of unprecedented popularity for the United States - and its leaders - among Vietnamese civilians. A survey conducted last year by the Pew Research Center shows that 78% of the Vietnamese has a favorable opinion of the US, the third highest figure of the continent after the Philippines and South Korea. A State Department statement released overnight announces that both countries will promote a partnership to combat climate change in Vietnam, hit in recent years by flooding and increasing salinity of the water. In addition, Obama will try to speed up the entry into force of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement that is dear to the United States. For the US administration this trip - which will also include Japan - is an opportunity to continue the rapprochement between the two countries, with Washington looking with increasing interest to middle-class Vietnamese. In contrast, the Hanoi leaders are increasingly interested in showcasing their rapid growth, while overshadowing their authoritarian style of government, which suppresses all dissent. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The phrase "the meeting is the message" pronounced by the Pope and a hug are the culmination of today's visit to the Vatican of the grand imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayyib. The two men spoke for almost 30 minutes, said Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, "principally on the shared commitment of the authorities and the faithful of the great religions for peace in the world, the rejection of violence and terrorism, the situation of Christians in the context of conflicts and tensions in the Middle East and their protection ". The conversation between the Pope and the man who is considered the leading Sunni Muslim authority was described as "very cordial" and "the two authoritative interlocutors have pointed out the great significance of this new meeting in the framework of dialogue between the Catholic Church and Islam" . Even a statement issued by Al-Azhar in Egypt said that the meeting aims at spreading the culture of dialogue, coexistence and peace among peoples and societies. The account given by Father Lombardi noted the importance of the delegation that accompanied the great imam, which included, "Prof. Abbas Shouman, Undersecretary of Al-Azhar; Prof. Mahmaoud Hamdi Zakzouk, member of the Council of Senior Scholars of the University of Al-Azhar University and Director of the Center for Dialogue of Al-Azhar; Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salam, Director of the Great Imam; Prof. Mohie Afifi Afifi Ahmed, General Secretary of the Academy for Islamic Research; Ambassador Mahmoud Abdel Gawad, Diplomatic Advisor to the Grand Imam; Mr. Tamer Tawfik, Director; and Mr Ahmad Alshourbagy, Second Secretary. The delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Holy See, H.E. Hatem Seif Elnasr ". "The Grand Imam was welcomed and accompanied to meet with the Holy Father by the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Card. Jean-Louis Tauran, and secretary of the same dicastery, S.E. Msgr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot ". The Pope gifted the Grand Imam a Medallion of the olive peace - which is a rock split in two from which an olive tree sprouts - and a copy of his encyclical Laudato Si'. After the audience with Francis, before leaving the Apostolic Palace, the Great Imam, with his delegation, also met briefly with Card. Tauran and the delegation of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. To prepare for today's meeting a Vatican delegation visited Cairo in mid-February. Relations between the Vatican and Al-Azhar were suspended after the events of December 31, 2010, when there were a series of attacks against Coptic churches, which caused thirty deaths. On that occasion Benedict XVI had asked the Egyptian authorities to take the necessary steps to prevent anti-Christian discrimination anda repetition of such acts, which Al-Azhar had seen as an insult to Islam and suspended relations. Since then, the last visit of a representative of Al-Azhar to the Vatican took place in March 2014 with participation in an inter-religious conference to promote cooperation in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking. Saudi Arabias deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is seeking behind-the-scene mediation with Yemens Shia movement to protect the kingdom from possible Houthi attacks. Riyadh wants protection after promoting divisions and violence in Yemen. Riyadh (AsiaNews) Saudi Arabias deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is leading the kingdoms secret, backdoor diplomatic efforts to get senior Houthi officials to acknowledge the inviolability of Saudi territory, this according to an anonymous source close to the entourage of the royal family. In view of Yemens possible break-up, Riyadh wants to protect its back after playing a major role in leading to the current situation. Now Saudi leaders want to secure a deal with those who might turn against them in the future, namely Houthi Shias. The source told AsiaNews that the heir to the Saudi throne, who is also defence minister and second deputy prime minister, has accepted the demands put forward by Ansar Allah, the Houthis official name. This is the result of the failure of peace and reconciliation talks in Kuwait earlier this week, after the Yemeni delegation supported by the Saudis, the Yemeni government in exile, pulled out. Mohammad bin Salman is said to have asked the Saudi ambassador to Kuwait to meet with the Houthi delegation, which was informed of deputy crown princes willingness to accept a number of their demands. The latter include giving up on Houthi disarmament and pull-back from areas under their control. In exchange, Riyadh is prepared to stop any direct military action against them or within Saudi borders". The Saudis appear to be willing to let Hadi remain as a figurehead president until a new Yemeni government is set up to guarantee Houthi "representation equal to their forces on the ground." The source told AsiaNews that the Houthis want war compensation worth US$ 10 billion for damages Saudi Arabia and its coalition inflicted on Yemen. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman appears to have accepted this, but asked that it be put off until later so that Riyadh can "save face." This has led to the idea that the money would be provided through an international conference of donor countries and a fund that would finance the reconstruction of the war-torn country. (PB) by Mathias Hariyadi Jakarta (AsiaNews) The death toll from the sudden awakening of Sinabung volcano (North Sumatra), yesterday is at least seven dead and two wounded. The volcano began issuing clouds of boiling smoke that shrouded surrounding areas. Taken by surprise, the few people who live near the mountain were not able to escape. The two injured are in critical condition. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the Agency for the treatment of environmental disasters (Bnpb), states that "all the survivors were taken to hospital Efarina Etaham Kabanjahe", located 25 kilometers from the site of the eruption. Authorities are still searching for survivors. All the victims were residents of Gamber village (Karo district) and it is unclear how many people were on the site at the time of the eruption. The area, very close to the volcano faults, was declared a "red zone" by Bnbp and all activity had been prohibited in the area for safety reasons. Despite the ban, some farmers continued to travel to Gamber to cultivate vegetables and, for economic reasons, often refused to evacuate their farms. In recent years, Sinabung has once again become very active after a silence of 400 years. The mountain is 2,400 meters high and in the summer of 2010 caused over 12 thousand displaced persons and a thick blanket of smoke and fog. In September of 2013 the eruptions became more and more intense, setting off an alert from authorities and the sudden flight of thousands of people seeking shelter. In February 2014, a toxic cloud escaping from the crater killed 15 people. The Indonesian archipelago is made up of thousands of islands and atolls surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, in an area known by scientists as the "Ring of Fire". It is characterized by intense volcanic and seismic activity, caused by the collision of several continental plates. Memories of the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the region in December 2004 are still alive in peoples minds, with an epicenter off the coast of Aceh, causing hundreds of thousands of victims throughout Asia. On October 30, 2009, another strong earthquake hit the Padang area causing around 700 deaths. Australia-based firm LHD Lawyers has filed a compensation claim against Russia and President Valdimir Putin in the European Court of Human Rights, on behalf of families of victims of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. The compensation claim, which includes the application from 33 relatives of victims from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, is seeking $10m per passenger, according to reports by Fairfax. All 298 people on the flight died when it was shot down by a Russian-made missile, according to the Dutch Safety Board report, released last year, landing in Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory in July of 2014. The board was not empowered to point the finger at any group or party who may be held responsible. Kremlin officials said the missile must have been launched by Ukrainian government forces, claiming Moscow no longer uses the model of Buk which was said to have hit the plane. So far we don't have [such information], Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax news agency when asked to comment on reports of the compensation claim. But Jerry Skinner, LHD Lawyers co-associate, names Putin and Russia as respondents in the claim filed on May 9, over 3,500 pages in length. We're all sitting with our fingers crossed - there are some legal determinations they will have to make, Skinner told News Corp. We didn't go to Russia and file suit in Moscow because it's absolute nonsense to think we could have a realistic chance of success. We plead futility, we plead danger and we plead their lack of co-operation. Twenty-eight Australians were on board the flight, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. After Russia vetoed a United Nations bid in July of last year to form a tribunal, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium and Ukraine have been exploring alternative options, including trials in international and national courts. Jeremy Weston, a senior Crown lawyer, is seeking $200,000 in compensation in his defamation claim against the Deputy Crown solicitor and Queensland State Government. He alleges that Deputy Crown solicitor Helen Freemantle defamed him at a meeting in February of last year, saying we wont get Jeremy Weston to do it because hell say something stupid and ridiculous that well have to fix up later. The alleged comments were part of a discussion proposing a survey by the Queensland Government Insurance Fund, to obtain feedback from lawyers employed by Crown Law, about the insurers staff. The comments were made during a meeting between representatives from the insurer and senior Crown Law staff. Weston was not present. According to a report by the Courier Mail, Weston claims that the comment could be understood to mean he is a stupid or incompetent person and prone to making ridiculous remarks. He also said that the comments could mean that he could not be trusted with direct involvement with clients of Crown Law, as someone who acted unprofessionally. The comments, he alleges, caused damage to his personal and professional reputations, distress and embarrassment. He is claiming damages to vindicate his reputation, to the tune of $150,000 in general damages to reflect the seriousness of the damaged caused, and $50,000 aggravated damages for additional hurt. Freemantle and the State Government are yet to respond to the claim, which was filed in February. By Lindy Orthia, Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, Australian National University Reproduced with permission of the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Digital Order Number: a6509002 The ABCs Vote Compass tells us that the environment, education and health are three big election issues this year across Australia. Climate change and other environmental problems have attracted prominent attention in media election coverage. So have advocacy for STEM education, university fees and science funding. And hospital resourcing always plays a role in election argy-bargy. These might all seem like issues particular to our time. But theyre not. As my research shows, we can go back 213 years to Australias first newspaper, The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, and see thriving public debate about the environment, education and health among colonial Sydneys residents. Founded in 1803, the Gazette was primarily intended to disseminate government orders. But voices of the colonial public came through vividly in letters to the editor week after week, including from self-identified ex-convicts and women as early as 1804. Australias print-based political debate had begun. National Library of Australia The environment Just three months into the Gazettes existence, on May 29, 1803, a resident calling herself or himself A Well-wisher to Posterity wrote Australias first letter to the editor advocating environmental sustainability. This sustainability advocate cautioned that over-exploitation of Bass Strait seals for skins and oil was going to kill the industry. Well-wisher decried the practice of indiscriminately hunt[ing] down all ages and sexes of seals, including females and pupps, warning that the impolicy of killing the breeding seals will in time discover itself. In a depressingly familiar rhetoric of concern for both the present and the future, Well-wisher wrote: And some general plan will I hope be speedily adopted, whereby this valuable trade may be found beneficial to our children, as, under certain necessary restrictions, it may be tendered profitable to ourselves. Then, as now, concerns about Australian marine life seemed to go unheeded, and the seal industry collapsed in the 1830s as seal populations plummeted. Biodiversity Heritage Library Education and knowledge sharing The unsatisfactory standard of public education due to underpaid teachers didnt escape the Gazettes readers either. An Inquisitive Observer wrote many words on this topic on May 8, 1803. Is it possible, asked the Observer about a school teacher, that so arduous, so laudable a task as yours, should be so ill requited? Well may we continue to ask the same question. But even earlier, on April 6, Sydneysiders read the first Australian-published opinion piece advocating the public sharing of scientific knowledge for the benefit of society. Philomath wrote to the Gazette that week to argue that useful knowledge should be promulged for the common benefit of mankind, and it was a duty, which every member owes to society, to contribute to the advancement of the public good. She or he proclaimed: Men despising private interest have in all ages contributed to the rise of the arts and sciences, by laudably communicating to the world such discoveries as have fallen within their knowledge. Philomath then discharged that duty by laudably communicating to the residents of Sydney a means of brewing An excllent manure [sic]. It was a very Australian moment, when lofty ideals collided with talk about poo. We might object to the context of the communication, given its aim was to turn native bush on stolen land into a fertile paddock. But Philomaths letter tells us that sharing knowledge freely with those who can make use of it and writing to the paper about education, science and research are old Australian traditions. Health Home remedies for illness and injury were common topics in the Gazette, but the newspaper also promoted official public health measures. The paper ran a campaign supporting vaccination against smallpox, with a whole page devoted to its advocacy on 13 May 1804. In scientific style, it printed a table comparing the effects of natural smallpox and two kinds of inoculation, including Edward Jenners cowpox vaccine, which was imported to the colony that year. Despite the poor state of the type, the visual design still made a great point. See if you can figure out which option wont kill you. Courtesy of the National Library of Australia Laudably communicating to the world The Gazettes printer and editor from 1803 to 1821, the convict George Howe, created a richly interesting publication that kept the colonial public informed about current events, and current science and technology. He published lots of science-oriented articles alongside colony gossip, court proceedings, shipping news and commercial advertising. In its first five months of publication, the Gazette published all kinds of fun science like Europeans first encounter with the koala, the invention of a mechanical toy in China, and methods for collecting and preserving birds. This was in addition to the very practical scientific knowledge it continually communicated in the domains of the nautical, the meteorological, health, agriculture and public works. In other words, the stuff elections are made of. Lindy Orthia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above. Originally published in The Conversation. MOVE IN TO SHORT TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATION Hi Friends,I would like to share some info on one of the most important but equally challenging issue of looking for accommodation when you first arrive in OZ.Some of thewhen looking for a living space when you arrive in OZ will be:1)(Big City s Small City. CBD vs Outer suburbs. Short Term Rentals vs Shared Rentals)2)- Assuming you don't have a job yet you will not really know which suburb or city you may get a job in, so it would be quite difficult to decide at the onset as to which suburb you will eventually live in.Besides whilst job hunting you may prefer to live close to CBD where most of the offices are in order to save on transport costs.3)- If you have friends or family, it is but natural that you will (at least initially) live in the vicinity of this support group.4)- Bg cities have excellent public transport but if you were to move to a regional city like Townsville it becomes quite challenging without a car. Which also means that you need to apply for a licence within the first few months of landing.5)- Some may arrive singly and with just a suitcase whereas others will arrive as a family and be bringing all the house hold goods when arriving.Here are my suggestions:In most cases when you first arrive you will have to live in some form of temporary accommodation until you figure your next move or at least until you get some kind of short term rental (Unless you are lucky to be put up be a friend or a family member). So here are few recommendations for short term rentals when you first arrive.1)- like AirBnB . If you have not tried this yet now would be a good time to do so. AirBnB is an online community which rent out their entire homes (or part of it) for a fee as decided by the owner of the property. The great part of this arrangement is that you deal directly with the owner, in most cases have a kitchen where you can cook your own meals (and hence save quite a bit!) and offers cheaper rates the longer you stay.- Being a community which goes a lot on trust, the hosts generally select guests who have had a reference from earlier hosts or with reference from existing AirBnB members. Hence it is recommended that you become a member and try out this concept the next time you go on a holiday. Not only will you get an idea of the concept and decide if this concept is for you but you also get references from the hosts which will help future hosts accept your guest request.Other similar sites are:2)- This is the more expensive but easier option. Bookings can be made before you even arrive. When deciding on location, it is recommended that you select a place close to public transport and as close to city as possible to save on daily commuting costs to city.3)- A cheaper alternative, especially for single or couple migrants.Depending on your circumstances, you might find it easier to apply to share accommodation, rather than renting a house or apartment on your own. Check out following websites:4) Rooms to rent are sometimes advertised on notice boards in local shops, post offices and libraries or on the following websites:Once you are ready to look for ayou can check out the following top Property Websites in Australia:I wish all fellow migrants a Safe Landing and a Great Start to Your Australian Adventure!!-------------------------------------------------VISA GRANT PROCESS - TIME STAMP12.SEP.2013 - EOI Submitted26.OCT.2013 - Medicals completed28.OCT.2013 - Visa Application Submitted04.DEC.2013 - Applied for Police Clearance03.JAN.2014 - Police Clearance Received06.JAN.2014 - PR Visa Granted for me and my partner23.AUG.2014 - Moved to Australia---------------------------------------------------- Australian tourism businesses across Northern Australia will now be able to employ seasonal workers from abroad to help fill seasonal labour shortages.Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the pilot scheme will help boost the sector and unlock the potential of the vast area.Indeed, Tourism minister Richard Colbeck pointed that the industry plays a crucial role in contributing to the Northern Australian economy, with tourism workers often needed outside of standard business hours in the peak season.The tourism pilot was developed in close consultation with peak industry organisations and provides a range of opportunities in jobs not currently available to seasonal workers under the programme.A full list of jobs seasonal workers can be employed in under the tourism pilot can be found at the government's employment website and initially it will be limited to people from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.Colbeck explained that the tourism pilot will help businesses in the tourism industry overcome seasonal labour shortages, providing an alternative source of reliable workers for employers who cannot find enough Australians to do the job."The expected growth in the tourism sector in Northern Australia is exciting however it also means we need to ensure there is access to a workforce to provide the quality of services that visitors to Australia expect," he added.Cash hopes that the pilot will allow employers to fully test the local job market before they can apply to recruit seasonal workers while make sure that jobs are filled.While Northern Australia holds many of the nation's most attractive tourism destinations, it is home to just 5% of the country's population and finding seasonal workers can be hard. Hi there, I am a 25 year old and I have previously lived and worked in Oz on a 417 Working holiday visa. I have since gotten a masters in Human resource management and I am working as a HR Officer for the 9 months since I graduated. I have a few queries please as I had asked a few agencies but they were telling me contradictory things. 1. Is the 190 visa my only feasible option at this point in time? 2. Do you need 12 months minimum experience to apply? 3. What is the likelihood of HR Adviser (223111) coming up in WA with no extra requirements? I ask this because I am not sure if it has come up often historically. Any states (apart from NT) it appears to have extra stipulations such as immediate family or job offer. WA is my first choice however i would take another state (apart from NT) so I am not sure if this comes up frequently without extra requirements in other states either? 4. What is the likelihood of a state rejecting your request for sponsorship? No idea what makes you more appealing. 5. What is the likelihood of the visa being rejected and what are the common reasons it is? 6. Lastly, points wise I am assuming I only get points for my masters degree and not points for both degrees I hold? Thanks so much for reading this and helping me out - such a complex process. All the best, Aideen. Passenger Cards are considered an important immigration document by the Department. They are all keep and the information provided goes onto your file. Filling out the wrong information, whether deliberately or not, can be held against you at a later date. Section 102 of the Migration Act is as follows: Section 102 Passenger Cards to be correct. A non citizen must fill in his or her passenger card in such a way that: (a) all questions on it are answered; and (b) no incorrect answers are given. If incorrect answers are given then you could come under the visa cancellation powers of Section 109 of the migration act. In your case the PMV is only a temporary visa you answered correctly. For those of you who answered that it wasn't important beware. It is and it covered in the Migration Act so is Australian Law. My story is, i have an on shore partners visa application. And was issued briging visa A. Unfortunately, i had an emergency back home in Manila unfortunately, briging visa B was not filed before i left due to urgency of the matter. So i just cannot go back to Aus since i dont have any substansive visa with me. So we have asked a help from a migration agent and they decided to file a tourist visa. After 70days of waiting the embassy of Manila have refused my application due to irregularities. Now I need a new migration agent that can really help us in assisting us to make me go back to Australia as soon as possible. Instead of just a dealership at the ground floor of the Cadillac headquarters, as some automakers might attempt, the American brand went for an approach known as a concept store.We are talking about a 12,000-square-foot space located in New Yorks SoHo neighborhood, so this experiment is not something hidden on an emerging market, but right at the heart of the Big Apple.Dont go running to it just yet, as it will be opened in June this year, and it will bring its first visitors through events that will be hosted there.Cadillac already signed a partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, as well as the art magazine Visionaire for the new Cadillac House. This means that both partners will be able to organize events there, while Cadillac exhibits its latest models.When the Cadillac House is not hosting an exhibition, visitors will be able to enjoy an art gallery, a pop-up fashion store, and a coffee shop. The latter comes from Joe Coffee, while the previous elements will be in constant change. The first artist to hold an exhibit in the Cadillac House is Geoffrey Lillemon.Naturally, Cadillac models will be present on the floor, but dont expect a visit to this place to be like your local dealer of whatever premium brand you can find nearby. Instead of selling cars, Cadillac employees on hand will be there to answer questions. The role of this space is to make it so that someone can see themselves in a Cadillac, as Melody Lee, Cadillacs director of brand marketing explained.The American brand chose this approach because it believes that relevance is linked to culture, so people already interested in high-end art and fashion might intersect with the values of this brand. This strategy mirrors the companys latest Dare Greatly thematic, where the brand encourages and sponsors people to do daring things. The report came from newspaper Bild Am Sonntag, and was published on Sunday quoting unnamed KBA (Germanys Federal Motor Vehicle Office) insiders.However, the Italian-American automakers spokesperson stated in a separate report that FCAs engines and vehicles are fully compliant with existing emissions rules, refusing further comment on the matter.The Sunday edition of the Bild newspaper claimed that a Fiat car was tested by the KBA and the authorities discovered a software code that would turn off emission control devices after 22 minutes of operation. The period described exceeds the standard emission test by two minutes, the report explains.This is not the first time that an automakers shares drop after a German newspaper accuses it of compliance issues with their emission control systems of their engines. The last victim was BMW , wrongly accused last fall by the same newspaper. At the time, shares dropped by around 10%, and marked a billon-euro loss in market value.Even if the allegations presented in Bild Am Sonntag were true, Fiat would still not face a sales ban in Germany, analysts believe. After all, Volkswagen was found guilty for cheating on emission tests and still sells cars in Europe and other markets. However, Volkswagen cannot sell diesel-engined models in the USA until it comes up with a fix for its emission control systems.Whats suspicious of the situation involving Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is the cancellation of a meeting between its representatives and the German authorities, which was supposed to take place last week. As the BBC notes, German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt criticized Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for their uncooperative attitude regarding the cancellation, and described the behavior as utterly incomprehensible. DSW, a German investors association, requested an independent audit into Volkswagens emission scandal to determine the guilty parties and people involved.According to Automotive News , DSW asked Volkswagen to include a shareholder vote for an independent investigation to be added to the companys agenda for its annual general meeting. The latter is held on June 22 this year, and Volkswagen has yet to publish an official reply on the new request.Juergen Kurz, the spokesperson of DSW, says that only an independent investigation into the German companys deepest secrets will reveal full transparency on the Dieselgate matter. Otherwise, any resulting inquiry will be incomplete because of a suspicion regarding transparency.Mr. Kurz also believes that small shareholders might still not receive access to all of the findings of the company that VW hired to investigate them.The DSW Investor Group is aware that Volkswagen s principal shareholders might not approve the proposal of an independent investigation. In an extreme scenario, the DSW might attempt to file a court order that would enforce such an investigation. However, the DSW did not announce any plans in this direction.Since the beginning of the Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen hired the Jones Day law firm to check its corporate ways. The solicitors are aided by a crew of around 450 internal and external experts. The German corporation even created a Special Committee on Diesel Engines, which is headed by Wolfgang Porsche, to investigate the matter The internal probe requested and paid by Volkswagen has yet to be completed. While none of the current managers are involved in the scandal, investigators found that several unidentified individuals were guilty of misconduct, while the technical side had process deficiencies. In the case of the latter, Volkswagen is already considering a restructuring of its core divisions, to ensure that Dieselgate will never be repeated. We are talking about the second generation of the iBot, which is a new concept of mobility assistant for the physically challenged. Instead of the conventional configuration for this type of device, the iBOT comes with two sets of powered wheels that can operate in two configurations.Instead of a set of larger wheels and a smaller set for balance, the all-terrain iBOT comes with two identically-sized sets of wheels, all driven by electric motors.A third motor allows the iBOT to switch from sitting to standing configuration. While the latter is suitable for paved roads and buildings, the former can be used to tackle inclines, slopes, as well as climb and descend stairs.The iBOT wheelchair allows users to rise from a sitting level to approximately six feet in height (1.8 meters). The estimated price of such a device was not mentioned in the press release, and its specification sheet has not been revealed, as the product is still in development.The agreement between Toyota and Deka will allow the latter to complete the development process of the next generation iBot. While we admit not being familiar with Deka, we discovered the company was founded by the inventor Dean Kamen, and that it is specialized in creative solutions for modern problems.Mr. Kamen is the original inventor of the Segway PT , the product that eventually became the core of the Segway brand. He is also known for a mind-controlled prosthetic arm replacement, approved by the FDA in May 2014. The iBot all-terrain electric wheelchair is a creation of Dean Kamens company.The agreement between Toyota and Deka involves licensing balancing technologies held by Deka to the Japanese company. Toyota affiliate for medical rehabilitative therapy will then benefit from the partnership, and spark new development directions for other purposes. The German company is expected to launch two electric sedans and two SUVs by 2020. According to existing information, all four models will borrow platforms, technology, and body shells from production cars with internal combustion engines.This will be a cost-saving strategy that will also accelerate development for the new electric vehicles of the Stuttgart brand. Mercedes-Benz already employs this strategy with the B-Class Electric Drive , and the new models are expected to follow the trend with minimal changes from the route.Therefore, the four EVs will look almost identical to their internal-combustion twins, but each will have dedicated design touches to underline its propulsion system.A report from the Brits at Autocar mentions that the plans for these four models are under the direct guideline of Mercedes-Benzs Research and Development director, Thomas Weber.The electric SUVs planned by Mercedes-Benz are reportedly linked to the GLA and GLC , while the sedans share roots with the C-Class and S-Class . Naturally, the latter would probably not be eligible for a government subsidy, but customers of Mercedes-Benzs flagship sedan do not need such benefits to be stimulated in purchasing a new vehicle.By using existing platforms and body shells, Mercedes-Benz will be able to provide electric models with lower price tags than those of the current Tesla range . None of the ongoing models in Teslas range are eligible for the German subsidy plan, and neither is Renaults Twizy , as it is classified as a quadricycle, and not an automobile.Considering that the German government announced a subsidy plan for electric vehicles last week , Mercedes-Benzs new business initiatives fall in the right spectrum. However, there will be a price cap on the grant scheme, as electric or plug-in hybrid cars will have a maximum price of 60,000 euros, which will prevent the sale of high-end electric vehicles through government support. Photo by Mike Antich. I recently attended a Mazda media event to test ride the all-new 2016 Mazda CX-9 through the hills and coastal roads of Marin County, north of San Francisco. The CX-9 is a mid-size crossover SUV with three rows of seating for 7 passengers. If your fleet policy allows personal use, then the CX-9 promises to be a hit on your selector list, especially for employees who have families with younger children. In fact, the CX-9 was specifically designed for this driving population. In addition to being all-new, the CX-9 is the first model to feature Mazdas new four-cylinder 2.5L direct-injection turbocharged gasoline engine, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces excellent response the moment you depress the accelerator pedal without turbo lag, which translates into a powerful, smooth linear acceleration. Mazda purposely designed the engine to provide the best acceleration in the low- to mid-rpm range, which is where most company drivers would spend the majority of time driving. On windy roads, the CX-9 grips the road, giving the driver a surefooted feeling that the vehicle is firmly planted when negotiating the tightest curves. In terms of operating costs, the CX-9 offers excellent fuel economy for a crossover SUV due to the SkyActiv engine technology, its 6-speed transmission, and reduction in the vehicles curb weight by employing lightweighting techniques, such as using an aluminum front hood. In fact, the SkyActiv technology is so fuel-efficient, it has allowed Mazda to meet CAFE mandates without having to develop a hybrid model. Photo by Mike Antich. A key driving impression focused on the quietness of the CX-9 cabin, which Mazda touts as the quietest it has ever built. I examined the level of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), a common metric used by testers, from the perspective both road and wind noise. The CX-9 does an excellent job in mitigating road noise with a thicker floor pan and 53 pounds of insulation between the carpeting and the bottom surface of the vehicle. Similarly, Mazda added additional seals in all the panel gaps and around the windows to muffle the noise caused by wind turbulence from seeping into the interior cabin. Also, the quietness of the cabin is assisted by the windshield, which is comprised of a multi-layer construction with a sound dampening layer in-between. The CX-9 offers excellent ergonomics and Mazda prides itself on taking a human-centric approach to the vehicles development. The CX-9 offers the i-ACTIVESENSE advanced safety package, along with other design refinements to enhance driver safety. For example, the A-pillar was moved back to increase safety to give drivers a more panoramic view of the road ahead. Similarly, a gap was intentionally designed between the A-pillar and the passenger side mirror to give the driver a greater view of objects to the side of the vehicle. On Sunday, a Norway independent wealth fund has expressed their interest to attach with the class-action lawsuit scheduled to be filed against Volkswagen due to the scandal regarding emissions. Further, the wealth fund requested oil companies for reports regarding climate change. According to Reuters, Marthe Skaar, Norges Bank Investment Management spokeswoman, revealed that the bank has been motivated to be included in the group that will file legal action against Volkswagen. The company has been in hot waters due to the scandal that Volkswagen provided incorrect emissions data. She added that "We have been advised by our lawyers that the company's conduct gives rise to legal claims under German law. As an investor, it is our responsibility to safeguard the fund's holding in Volkswagen." Yahoo published that as disclosed by another spokesperson for the company, the lawsuit is set to be filed in Germany but additional information remained kept. Meanwhile, Volkswagen seemed unable to comment even though for inside and outside of business hours. The company has been stirred with lots of controversies after they've admitted guilty last year to using another clandestine software in the cars they've manufactured that concludes to their actions of cheating exhaust emissions tests. Norges Bank Investment Management already said that last year too, due to the negligence in actions of Volkswagen, it amassed a loss of atleast $4.9 billion in just the second quarter of the wealth fund. Volkswagen already made a deal with U.S. government just last month that amounts to $10 billion. The deal is to compensate by buying or fixing the 500,000 units of diesel cars while a part of it was included in the environmental and consumer reimbursements. It is notable that the company has already asked other U.S. oil companies such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron to do a substantial reports on the effects of their company in the ongoing climate change. Further, the fund also made the same requests to international oil firms. HondaJet, which recently announced its first delivery in Europe at Germanys Aero event, today said at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva it has officially received European certification from EASA. The HondaJet was certified by the FAA in December, and deliveries have already begun in the U.S. and Mexico as well as in Europe. EBACE, which opens officially tomorrow, has a sold-out static display with 60 aircraft, NBAA President Ed Bolen said. More than 450 exhibitors fill the exhibit hall, with the biggest footprint ever, and more than 13,000 people are expected to attend. Textron also released an update on its new turboprop design today. Textron announced last August it would develop a new, clean-sheet single-engine turboprop design. Today, the company revealed further details, including performance specification targets, cabin features and the programs timeline. The airplane will cruise at speeds up to 285 knots and fly up to 1,600 nm, Textron said. The cabin, which will be the widest for its segment, will seat up to eight passengers and feature a flat floor and a 53-inch-wide aft cargo door. The single-pilot cockpit will be equipped with Garmins G3000 touchscreen avionics suite. The company has previously announced the airplane will be powered by a new engine by GE, with a five-blade McCauley prop. The company also said at EBACE it is accepting letters of intent from buyers. Textron said it has developed a cabin prototype, which it is showing to customers in Wichita, and plans to have it on display at this summers EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. First flight is targeted for 2018, and the price will about $4.5 million. For over 70 years general aviation pilots have volunteered their time, skills and airplanes to help others in need by giving free flights for everything from search and rescue through medical transport, environmental survey and research to disaster relief, animal transport and exposing kids to the world of flight. What has been termed Public Benefit Flying (PBF) has saved lives, exposed toxic polluters, allowed collection of valuable scientific data, saved pets from euthanasia and generally enriched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Volunteer pilots have spent thousands of dollars of their own money providing free flights to help others. Those who have made volunteer flights say that those flights have been some of the most personally rewarding flying they have ever done. Up front disclosure: Ive been a volunteer pilot doing Public Benefit Flying for over 25 years, am on the board of the Air Care Alliancemore about that nonprofit organization in a bitand had some involvement in helping develop the safety training course that is described below. As might be expected, volunteer pilots are passionate about what they do (theres my understatement for the month). They tend to be Type A types who are determined to make the flights for which they volunteer happen. Most pilots make their volunteer flights in conjunction with a volunteer pilot organization (VPO) that functions as a clearinghouse to match those who need a free flight with pilots who are willing to make such flightsand the VPOs want to have as many flights as possible take place. VPOs were formed to provide help to peopleif they dont provide that help in the form of completed flights, why do they exist? Their donors want to see evidence that their money is going to an organization that is accomplishing its goals. For some years, an unspoken issue of concern within the public benefit flying community was that pilots put pressure on themselves to complete flights and VPOs did so as wellintentionally or unintentionally. Few volunteer pilots are, or have been, professional pilots. Most did not take recurrent training beyond the absolute FAA minimum requirementa flight review ever two years. While volunteer flying never involves emergency transport, when a pilot gets word that a cancer patient is in need of treatment, that an aircraft is down and a search is being organized, that the scientists have arrived from all around the country for the aerial survey over the spawning grounds and the time window to gather data is closing or that 20 dogs are going to be euthanized unless they can be flown to a no-kill facility in 24 hours, the pressure is on. Pilots who had not flown professionally had received little training in making the go/no go decision beyond what they learned while getting their rating(s), usually just some discussion of avoiding gethomeitis. A look at the general aviation accident record would show that pilots didnt always make appropriate go/no go decisions. VPOs varied widely in how they approached the matter of aeronautical decision-making for their volunteer pilots. Some had training and guidelines and made it clear to pilots that there would never be any adverse feedback if they postponed or canceled a flightothers did not. In addition, as might be expected, there are a lot of big egos in the world of volunteer flyingas is the case in the world of nonprofit organizations generallyand a certain attitude on the part of VPOs that they knew how to do things best and nobody could tell them what to do. Enter the Air Care Alliance In 1995, the Air Care Alliance (ACA) came into being. A nonprofit organization, its purpose was to be an umbrella organization for all VPOs. It holds an annual conference where it invites the approximately 70 VPOs to get together and exchange ideas for best practices and operational safety. Early on, Air Care Alliance board members recognized the concerns with aeronautical decision-making that were unique to public benefit flying and began working with VPOs to recognize and address the issue. During its annual conferences at which VPOs and volunteer pilots gather, the ACA had a number of seminars and open discussions on operational safety and aeronautical decision making, including one in 2008 at which the head of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation, Bruce Landsberg lead the safety best practices program. In 2010 safety matters began to come to a head. In just over a year, there had been four high profile crashes involving pilots making a public benefit flight. In three of them passengers traveling for medical treatment were killed. The investigations uncovered evidence that the pilots had made very poor decisions regarding initiating or continuing their flights. In one, the pilot was in IMC, couldnt intercept the localizer for an ILS and was being vectored around to try it again when he lost control of the airplane and crashed. He wasnt even close to being current on instruments. The second fatal accident involved an 81-year-old pilot who decided to takeoff downwind. He managed to get the airplane into the air, but couldnt maintain directional control and hit the glideslope antenna. The third accident killed a child who was being transported for medical treatment when the pilot flying a single-engine turboprop tried to takeoff downwind and couldnt clear obstacles after takeoff. The fourth accident involved a pilot positioning to pick up a patient who decided to fly through convective activity, lost control of his airplane and crashed. The accidents generated significant adverse publicity for public benefit flying with commentators criticizing amateur pilots carrying people who had no idea that the pilots didnt operate at the safety level of charter flights, even going so far as to call volunteer pilots Part 135 wannabees. In response to the accidents, the NTSB began looking at the safety of public benefit flying. The NTSBs mandate, by law, is to evaluate transportation safety. If it sees a problem, it sends a Safety Recommendation letter to the appropriate federal regulatory agencyfor aviation, the FAArecommending that the agency establish safety regulations to address the identified issue. It then keeps the heat publicly on the FAA to take actionand that heat often gets repeated by the media as it identifies safety issues the FAA should be addressing. Once the word got out that the NTSB was looking at PBF, the concern was that the NTSB would call for the FAA to establish stringent regulations for public benefit flying, both affecting pilots and VPOs. Volunteer pilots had a right to be concernedthe FAA had established regulations under which a volunteer pilot could be reimbursed for her or his fuel expenses for a volunteer flight from the VPO, but the regulations were so onerous to comply with that it was often more expensive to comply than to pay for the fuel. Almost no volunteer pilots jumped through the myriad number of hoops required to get reimbursed for their fuel. It was widely felt that FAA regulations on PBF would cripple it due to increased costs for pilots to comply as well as disqualifying a significant portion of the volunteer pilot pool because of more strict rating and flight time requirements to qualify to do PBF. The NTSBs Unexpected, and Challenging, Action Instead of sending Safety Recommendations regarding PBF to the FAA, the NTSBrecognizing the value of PBFon June 9, 2010, sent its Safety Recommendation letter to the Air Care Alliance calling for it to act. To anyones knowledge, the NTSB had never asked a non-governmental organizationwhich had no regulatory authorityto take action. At first, what the NTSB asked the Air Care Alliance to dorequire all VPOs to take steps regarding operational safetyseemed impossible because the Air Care Alliance cannot tell VPOs to do anything, each is an independent entity. The Air Care Alliance board members (all volunteers themselves) made the decision to step up and see if it they could find a way to satisfy the NTSB as they knew that the NTSBs next step would be to go the FAA. They, and others, felt PBF was at risk if the NTSB wasnt happy with what the Air Care Alliance did and went to the FAA. The NTSBs letter identified three specific areas of concern: pilot currency; passenger awareness that the flights were not conducted under the same standards of a commercial flight; and safety guidance for pilots on aeronautical decision-making, preflight planning, pilot currency and self-induced pressure. Air Care Alliance board members Rol Murrow, Lindy Kirkland and Jeff Kahn formed a working group and reached out to all VPOs of which the Alliance was aware (whether or not the VPO was a member of the Alliance) to pass along the specific NTSB recommendations. In addition, they immediately responded to the NTSBs letter outlining what the ACA had already done at its conferences and in communication with VPOs to address safety issues for PBFincluding having worked with the AOPAs Air Safety Foundation. They provided the NTSB with information about the nature of VPOs and volunteer flying in general and outlined their plan to work with AOPA to create an interactive, on-line safety, training course directed at volunteer pilots and VPOs that the ACA would encourage VPOs to require that their pilots complete. The NTSBs response was to recognize that the Air Care Alliance could encourage, but not require, VPOs to comply with the NTSBs recommendations and state that the actions the ACA was taking were moving in the right direction. Slowly and Steadily The ACA conducted polling of VPOs regarding their safety practices and, over the next six years, kept the NTSB informed of the results. The ACA raised the $50,000 necessary to create an interactive PBF safety training course for volunteer pilots in conjunction with the AOPA to become one of the AOPAs well-respected training courses on its website. The online, multi-media, interactive safety course Public Benefit Flying: Balancing Safety and Compassion, was created. Nearly all VPOs instituted requirements that their pilots complete the course. As of last week, more than 10,000 pilots had done so, with a current rate of 100 pilots taking it each month. Most VPOs also established requirements that its pilots take recurrent training annually and certify to the VPO prior to making a flight that the pilot was current for the flight. Over the course of the next few years, the ACA continued to collect data from VPOs regarding their actionsincluding early disclosure to potential passengers that the flight would not conducted under the commercial aviation regulations. The NTSB Approves In February of this year, the Air Care Alliance reported to the NTSB that the majority of VPOs were requiring their pilots to complete the online safety course that included aeronautical decision-making, self-induced pressure to complete a flight and safety issues specific to volunteer flying; were requiring pilots to self-certify prior to making flights and disclosing the non-commercial nature of flights to potential passengers. On April 25, 2016, Christopher Hart, Chairman of the NTSB, sent a letter to the Air Care Alliance to state that the Board had reviewed the Air Care Alliances response to the three specific safety recommendations the NTSB had made in 2010, including the online, interactive safety course, and had formally found that the actions the ACA and the VPOs had taken satisfied the demands of the specific Safety Recommendations and the matter was closed. Chairman Hart concluded his letter to the Air Care Alliance with unusually warm language in a federal agency document: Thank you for your efforts to address these recommendations and for your commitment to aviation safety. We were pleased to read that, although you believe your actions satisfy the recommendations, you consider improving flight safety an effort that is always ongoing, and that you are committed to continuing to remind and urge VPOs and their member pilots to implement these recommendations. In my opinion, the actions of the Air Care Alliance and its board members Rol Murrow, Lindy Kirkland and Jeff Kahn have not only increased the level of safety of public benefit flying through effective education but also prevented it from being hamstrung by onerous regulations. That seemed to be the consensus of the VPOs and volunteer pilots who attended the most recent ACA annual conference in Denver over this last weekend when the NTSBs findings were announced. Ongoing Effort The issue of pressure to complete a volunteer flight is ongoing, however, the training program generated by the Air Care Alliance, VPOs and the AOPA may be one reason that the safety record for public benefit flying appears to have improved (its impossible to identify accidents that havent happened) and the positive culture of safety among VPOs has been recognized by the NTSB. More effort is necessary as not all VPOs require training in recognizing the pressures on a pilot to complete a flight and not all volunteer pilots are aware of the safety training program that is available. There was recently a magazine article by a volunteer pilot worried about pressure to complete flights and unaware of the safety training program created by the ACA and AOPA. The NTSB has recognized the tremendous amount the Air Care Alliance and VPOs have done to increase the level of PBF safety, yet the need for outreach and education continues. Rick Durden has been a volunteer pilot for LightHawk for over 25 years, is a member of the board of directors of the Air Care Alliance and is the author of The Thinking Pilots Flight Manual or, How to Survive Flying Little Airplanes and Have a Ball Doing It, Vols 1 & 2. 23 May 2016 12:40 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal The Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has brimmed and simmered for over two decades, but it escaped the due attention of the international community. Nonetheless, everything has changed with the worst outbreak of violence since a 1994 ceasefire in early April. When intense fighting broke out on April 2-5 in Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani land occupied by Armenia back in 1990s, the international community, including the U.S., the European Union, and Russia urged to calm with a view to prevent full-scale war from reigniting. After a Moscow-brokered ceasefire and the U.S.-initiated Vienna talks between the two sides in mid-May, the hostilities slowed. But, a lasting peace is still a delusion as the status-quo cannot be a guarantor of peace. Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, is sure that today everyone understands that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must sooner or later be resolved peacefully and through negotiations An opinion was formed in Europe, the U.S. and Russia that the conflict needs attention and that time has come to find a solution to it, he said in an interview with ANS TV channel. Mammadov is sure that the April events on the frontline have once again attracted the attention of international community, the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as a variety of international and regional organizations to the Karabakh conflict, and have shown that the conflict is not frozen. Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. But despite the ceasefire in 1994, low-scale fighting continued along the line of contact for the past 22 years. Failure of the Mediating group -- the OSCE Minsk Group -- to make meaningful progress toward peace only brought a backslide toward more war rhetoric. Mammadov reminded that Azerbaijan's desire is to fairly settle the conflict based on within the framework of international law. Commenting on the expansion of the powers of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman after the Vienna meeting, Mammadov said that Azerbaijan has expressed its official position on the issue. "The main idea here was to strengthen the ceasefire regime. Armenia, just as in the beginning of April, has been constantly engaged in provocations. In this regard, several proposals were expressed, and one of them is an extension of the mandate of the OSCE Representative for monitoring. We said that that we do not object to this proposal," Mammadov said. The OSCE mission regularly holds monitoring on the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, but it failed to regulate accurately the situation since the first days of its activity. The frequent ceasefire violations occur almost every day, causing great hardship for the people living near the frontline, as they can't live their normal everyday lives and are always under a threat. Persistent shootings by the Armenian forces lead to casualties, even deaths among the civilian Azerbaijani population. The latest clashes, whereas, showed the risks of rising violence. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 17:42 (UTC+04:00) By Gulgiz Dadashova The rise of war rhetoric in South Caucasus emerged as a significant signal that the regional peace and security is under threat. Armenias outrageous attacks on the Azerbaijani civilians in the frontline zones resonated internationally, gradually increasing the chances of a new war. Turning a blind eye to decades of the occupation of Azerbaijani territory by Armenia and violation of elementary rights of over 1 million Azerbaijanis driven out from their native lands as a result of this aggression, the international community has more or less ignored the calls of Baku. The renewed hostilities in early April showed that a constant ignorance of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Armenian occupation has dangerous consequences for not only region, but undermines security of whole Europe as well. The time has proved that it cannot go like this for long - the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved and Azerbaijans lands should be liberated. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who addressed a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels on May 23, once again emphasized that the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories should be ensured. The recent escalation on the frontline has signaled that the status quo in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may lead to violence and severe military clashes, said Mammadyarov. "Everyone fed up with the status quo which is not reliable and remains unsustainable and unacceptable. Demilitarization and withdrawal of troops has to be ensured," he noted. The two South Caucasus countries -- Azerbaijan and Armenia remain in a state of war since early 1990s when the latter staged a war against its neighbor. Peace talks over the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that emerged over Armenias territorial claims against Azerbaijan are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. However, as Armenia continues to follow non-constructive position, the negotiations have been largely fruitless so far despite the efforts of the co-chair countries over 20 years. The minister pointed out that moving beyond this situation by means of constructive negotiations can bring the desired peace and stability to the region. "However, the statements threatening Azerbaijan with "dirty bombs" bears no indication of any intention of Armenia in this regard," said Mammadyarov. Mammadyarov further added that Baku urged international community to closely scrutinize Armenia's disobedience to commitments taken under international conventions on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction "This is critically important in view of previous and recently discovered notorious criminal cases related to trafficking of radioactive materials from Armenia to potential third countries, he said. Following the April clashes, Armenias ex-PM, member of the country's Parliament Hrant Bagratyan, as well as Major-General Arkadi Ter-Tadevosyan have claimed that Armenia possesses nuclear weapon hinting at its possible use against Azerbaijan. The claims follow the facts of nuclear smuggling from Armenia, which were mentioned in annual statistical reports of the IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database (IDTB), Database on Nuclear Smuggling, Theft, and Orphan Radiation Sources (DSTO), reports by NTI, SIPRI, and other open media source. Armenia may be planning to spray nuclear waste from its Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant over the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in a horrific dirty bomb attack, experts warned recently. -- Follow Gulgiz Dadashova on Twitter: @GulgizD Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 10:18 (UTC+04:00) By Laszlo Bruszt and Nauro F. Campos All too often in politics, the choice is between the very bad and the even worse. For the residents of Central and Eastern Europe, the June referendum in the United Kingdom over whether Britain should exit the European Union is just such a case. A British exit (Brexit) would impose immense economic costs on the EUs Central and Eastern European (CEE) member states. Migratory restrictions would become tighter, and trade opportunities and foreign direct investment would plummet. But a victory by those who want the UK to stay in the EU could be even more costly for CEE countries, where it could strengthen illiberal politicians, shore-up rent-seeking alliances, and strip citizens of much of their say in key EU-level decisions. The relationship between the CEE countries and the UK has always been somewhat fraught. In the 1990s, the UK was a proponent of EU membership for CEE countries at a time when leaders in France and Germany were still very hesitant about EU enlargement. But UK support had a catch: British leaders, reluctant to accept the EUs long-stated goal of an ever-closer union which implies political unification and shared national and federal sovereignty made no secret of their desire to use the widening of EU membership to prevent the deepening of European integration. During the negotiations with EU leaders ahead of the referendum, British Prime Minister David Cameron obtained an opt-out clause in the case of a decision to move toward ever-closer union. Should he prevail in the referendum and convince voters to stay, it will send a dangerous signal to illiberal politicians in Eastern Europe. They will conclude that they can have it both ways, keeping the benefits of economic integration without losing their ability to infringe on their citizens rights or use EU financial transfers to build patron-client relations and reinforce their hold over the state. Illiberal CEE nationalists like Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban like to claim they are defending national sovereignty from bureaucrats in Brussels. Camerons initiative plays right into their hands, allowing Orban and his allies in neighboring countries to declare anathema any move toward ever-closer union and the strengthening of federal authority and legitimacy. The truth, however, is that CEE countries do not have much to lose in the way of sovereignty. Most of their productive and financial assets are owned by foreign companies, just as most of the rules governing their economies have been determined by the EU. As a condition of EU membership, CEE countries had to create institutions defending the integrity of the European market from domestic interference. And EU institutions and policies limit their governments ability to set financial, monetary, and economic policies. As a result, CEE countries would be among the biggest winners of deeper integration, as it would give their citizens a stronger voice in the EUs political process. At the moment, the EU is run by politicians who are not accountable to the entire union. British, German, or French representatives negotiating EU policies in Brussels compete for reelection only at home, giving them little incentive to consider the interests of people in peripheral economies. Nor are they likely to be interested in EU-level programs that could have long-term, Europe-wide benefits at the cost of short-term increases in contributions to the common budget. As a result, Brussels can often seem to be the capital of the Divided States of Europe, dominated by member states that want access to the continental free market at the minimum possible cost. The EU spends a tiny 0.3% of its GDP on addressing the continents developmental disparities, and it runs a common market of 500 million people with an administration that is roughly one-quarter the size of the United States Department of Agriculture. Oddly, the EU might benefit from a setback. If the UK chooses to stay under the conditions Cameron has negotiated, the result will be the strengthening of the anti-EU alliance between conservative liberals and illiberal nationalists. As much as it would harm Europe in the short term, Brexit would have the benefit of preventing such a roadblock to integration from being erected. Moving toward political unification would alter the incentives of policymakers in Brussels and provide the EU with increased legitimacy. From the perspective of CEE countries, the central question of the British referendum in June is not whether or not the UK stays in the EU, but how the future of the union will be shaped by the decision. Copyright: Project Syndicate: Brexit and New Europe --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 13:46 (UTC+04:00) By Gordon Brown Recall the face of the poorest and weakest man you have seen, and ask yourself if this step you contemplate is going to be any use to him. These words, spoken by Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, should be taken as a test of our sincerity, and as a challenge to our complacency, when considering the fate of the 30 million children displaced from their homes by civil wars and natural disasters. More boys and girls have been uprooted by crisis than at any time since 1945. They are likely to spend their school-age years without entering a classroom, their talents undeveloped and their potential unlocked. There are now 75 million young people whose education has been interrupted by conflict and crisis. Yet urgency and international law, which mandates the education of all displaced children fails to inspire action. Displaced children are more likely to become the youngest laborers in the factory, the youngest brides at the altar, and the youngest soldiers in the trench. Without opportunity, children are vulnerable to extremists and radicalization. Every year, close to a half-million girls are trafficked and vanish. The fate of these dispossessed is tethered to the thinnest of lifelines. When disaster strikes, what can only be described as a begging bowl is handed around the worlds donor community. Voluntary contributions are then administered by refugee agencies, charities, and NGOs, which heroically help refugees scrape by with the bare essentials food, water, shelter, and protection. In such circumstances, the right to education becomes an unaffordable luxury. While UN Peacekeepers are funded by assessed contributions levied on member countries, the millions of children displaced by crises have no guarantee that anyone will fund their schooling. Indeed, less than 2% of humanitarian aid reaches education. Syrias civil war, now entering its sixth year, and the first anniversary of Nepals devastating earthquake two disasters that have forced millions more children into the streets serve as painful reminders that we lack the means to return children to the classroom in the wake of such tragedies. A permanent fund securing education for children in emergency situations is long overdue. Instead of wasting months begging for aid, such a reserve fund would be capable of delivering it immediately. At the onset of an emergency, the fund would swiftly assess where dispossessed children are, develop a strategy, and put in place a plan to provide education for them. Now, for the first time, we are in a position to deliver on this promise. Under the leadership of UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, Chair of the Global Partnership for Education Julia Gillard, and World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim and with the support of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon an unprecedented humanitarian fund for education in emergencies is about to be established. The new Education Cannot Wait fund will respond to new realities and requirements. Most child refugees are likely to spend more than a decade out of their own countries, so their plight cannot be considered temporary. The breakthrough fund will support the education of refugees for up to five years, instead of the mere months of patchwork provisions that are presently on offer. No longer will humanitarian, security, and development needs be split into silos with their own addresses and agendas. A single fund will now meet these needs at once. After all, when refugee children find a place in school, they are more secure, their parents are more hopeful, and their states are more stable. The fund will not be bound by old World Bank rules that, until recently, excluded the education of refugee children in middle-income countries from concessional loans. The initiative will be the first official humanitarian fund for education. And a parallel UN-led fund will have distinct windows through which businesses, foundations, and individuals can contribute. To be sure, delivering an education to displaced children demands a departure from pure voluntarism: a shift toward assessed contributions collected by levies from wealthy countries. But, until this shift occurs, we will ask individual philanthropists, corporations and charities as well as new and old aid donors to come together to catalyze the venture. Our sense of urgency, coupled with the requisite funds, promises to have a significant impact. When it comes to securing schooling, no price tag is too steep. The fund will harness todays passions and key innovations. We want technology firms to play a central role in providing new ideas and disruptive thinking. We want firms that already offer refugees an online education, internet access and IT hardware to drive the provision of education to displaced and isolated girls and boys. In establishing this fund, we are ending the era of the formulaic crisis response. It was Gandhis belief that reflection could motivate action by recalibrating our moral compass. What makes this fund unique is not the series of new benchmarks it sets. Rather, it signals a change in how we meet the challenges of an emergency. Going beyond present demands, the fund is based on the needs of the future. In providing resources to deliver education, the fund is a bold affirmation of a better tomorrow an unwavering promise to unlock talent, develop potential, and secure futures for all children, wherever they are. By establishing Education Cannot Wait, we are sending a message to the downcast and dispossessed everywhere. Education, at its best, offers something that food, shelter and healthcare can never themselves provide: hope, the chance to plan, and to prepare for the future. Copyright: Project Syndicate: Education Cannot Wait --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 10:14 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov has addressed the plenary session of the 16th Doha Global Forum, Azertac reports. The FM highlighted Azerbaijan`s role in ensuring international and regional security, the country`s contribution to the global fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He drew the audience`s attention to occupation by Armenia of twenty per cent of Azerbaijan`s international recognized territories. Mammadyarov said Yerevan continues to disregard resolutions of the UN Security Council and other international organizations demanding an unconditional and immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan`s lands. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 16:37 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on changes to the Criminal Code. The changes are aimed at mitigating punishments for certain deeds and stipulating development of entrepreneurship in the country. The changes envisage decriminalization of a number of deeds as well as mitigating punishments for certain violations. The changes apply to such economic offences as illegal entrepreneurship, illegal holding of lotteries and gambles, false entrepreneurial activity, acquisition, possession and use of funds or other property by criminal means, illegal obtaining and use of the credit by the head of organization or individual entrepreneur, violation of rules of use of state credits, intentional evasion of debt payment, illegal use of trademark, false advertising, illegal turnover of food products, manufacture with the use of genetically modified plants, violation of rules of securities issuance, fabrication, acquisition and use of securities, counterfeit money, documentary stamps, intentional or fake bankruptcy. Commenting the changes to the Criminal Code Oktay Hakverdiyev, doctor of economics, former head of the financial-credit and economic department of the Cabinet of Ministers said that amendments will provide new opportunities for entrepreneurs. He underlined that liberalization of economy is a right and timely decision. We have no problems in oil industry and processes in the sphere are under control while non-oil sector is in need of further development, expert noted. In accordance with the law on changes to the Criminal Code, individuals arrested for the deeds which will not be considered as a crime after the approval of the changes will be freed from the punishment. Individuals will be considered as having no previous convictions should they have already served a term for the deed. Prisoners will get a right to make a request for the review of their case even if their punishments for the deed were previously mitigated. The decree also specifies changes to the amount of fees for certain number of economic offences. The law in effect considers specific amount of fee while the amendments envisage substitution of specific figures by the amount equal to the caused damage thus making punishment more adequate and respective to the deed. The expert mentioned that the decision will give a stimulus for the developing entrepreneurship, creating favorable conditions for business, and stimulate people to get engaged in entrepreneurial activities. The decision will also activate economic processes particularly in the non-oil sector, he said. The changes also specify toughening punishments for certain deeds. Violation of the rules of securities issuance will be punished by arrest for the term of up to one year. The Criminal Code in effect envisages a penalty at the extent of from 100 to 500 manats ($ 66.72 333.622), public works for the term of from 300-400 hours, or corrective works for the term of up to one year. Amendments envisage a fee at the double or fourfold extent of the caused damage as well as increase of the term of corrective works from one to two years, and cancellation of the public works for the deed. Amendments also provide for the increase in the sum of caused damage the reach of which leads to the criminal liability. Current legislation envisages criminal responsibility for a number of economic offences causing damage at the extent of from 1,000 to 7,000 manats ($ 667 4,670). Amendments imply criminal liability should the deed causes damage at the extent of from 20,000 to 100,000 manats ($13,344 66,724) The changes also affect false entrepreneurial activity which stands for the creation of an enterprise aimed at credit obtaining, fees exemption or other benefits without the intention of business activity. In accordance with the law in effect, individuals engaged in the false entrepreneurial activity that caused significant damage are imposed by penalties at the double extent of the caused damage or arrest for the term of up to 6 month. The amendment envisages release from criminal liabilities should the deed is committed for the first time. The expert expressed his confidence that the decision will be accepted positively. It is expected that the changes will also stimulate the establishment of new companies in Azerbaijan as there is no obstacles for the entrepreneurship. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 16:02 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan and China enjoy excellent relations, and bilateral ties are developing successfully in a variety of fields. Ramiz Mehdiyev, head of the Azerbaijani President's Administration made the remark as he met with Meng Jianzhu , a special envoy of the President of the People's Republic of China, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party, Secretary of the party`s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Azertac reports. Recalling President Ilham Aliyev's four visits to China, Mehdiyev hailed the activities of Azerbaijan-China Intergovernmental Commission on trade and economic cooperation. He underlined the development of the interparliamentary relations between the two countries. Jianzhu praised bilateral relations, and highlighted prospects for cooperation between the two countries. He said that the people of China had great respect for national leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev. The sides noted that close relationship between the two countries' heads of state, as well as the historical and friendly relations between the two nations contributed to the deepening of cooperation. They also exchanged views over the prospects for cooperation between the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and the Security Council of Azerbaijan, as well as between the two countries' law enforcement agencies. China recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991. The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established a year later. The Embassy of China to Azerbaijan was opened in 1992, while Azerbaijans Embassy to China was opened in 1993. The two countries permanently support each other on international organizations. China is a huge opportunity and a priority market for Azerbaijan. More than 50 agreements were signed between the two countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 15:45 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal The withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories should be ensured, said Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. He made the remarks addressing a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels May 23. The recent escalation on the frontline has signaled that the status quo in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may lead to violence and severe military clashes, said Mammadyarov. "Everyone is fed up with the status quo, which is not reliable and remains unsustainable and unacceptable. Demilitarization and withdrawal of troops has to be ensured," he added. Azerbaijan's foreign minister pointed out that moving beyond this situation by means of constructive negotiations can bring the desired peace and stability to the region. "However, the statements threatening Azerbaijan with "dirty bombs" bears no indication of any intention of Armenia in this regard," said Mammadyarov. "In the meantime, we call on international community to closely scrutinize Armenia's disobedience to commitments taken under international conventions on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," he said. "This is critically important in view of previous and recently discovered notorious criminal cases related to trafficking of radioactive materials from Armenia to potential third countries." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 16:47 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan and Palestine have signed an agreement on exempting the holders of diplomatic passports from visa requirements. The agreement was signed during a visit of Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov to Palestine. As part of the visit, Azimov held meetings with Palestine's prime minister, deputy foreign minister and exchanged views on cooperation between the two countries. Azerbaijan and Palestine has good bilateral relations, covering a variety of areas from political to cultural. Many Palestinian students study in Azerbaijani universities for doctors, engineers, politicians. The relations between the two countries is strategic and the two states support each other on many issues on the international level. In the recent years, the sides reached agreements on the improvement of the relations in various spheres. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 17:37 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal Multiculturalism and diversity should be promoted widely in order to overcome growing threats as radicalization, extremism and terrorism. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark addressing a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels on May 23, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported. Azerbaijan with its vibrant multicultural society is ready to share its experience in this regard, the minister said adding that the country regard EU Strategy of Culture in its external action instrumental in identifying the modalities of our practical engagement in this field. The minister further added that the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) held in Baku on April 25-27 2016, adopted the Baku Declaration which would serve as guidelines for states and international organizations in promotion of intercultural dialogue and multiculturalism as a way to counter violence and extremism and sustain peace, security and prosperity for all and everybody. Mammadyarov reminded that the Forums themes and sub-themes reflected the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which incorporates the promotion of inclusive societies as pivotal component for sustainable development, and the creation of justice, peace, and security. The minister also pointed that Baku welcomes the fact that the principles of differentiation, flexibility, focus and greater ownership feature the new European Neighborhood Policy document as a step to adapt EU policy vis-a-vis its Eastern dimension to current realities and the needs of partner countries. Azerbaijan has always demonstrated a strong political will to develop the relationship with the EU based on principles of equal partnership and mutually benefit. A year ago Azerbaijan introduced the draft Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) to the EU side on the margins of the Riga Summit. This agreement will lay the solid foundation for upgrading our bilateral relationship to qualitatively new level and for better securing our common interests, the minister said. Mammadyarov reminded that the visit of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to Azerbaijan was a good opportunity for reviewing and discussing the future direction of the EU-Azerbaijan relationship. We attach great importance to enhancing our bilateral cooperation in many areas of shared interest and, having recently finalized joint consultations on the scope of Strategic Partnership Agreement, we understand that the EU will come up with an official mandate to launch negotiations soon. Currently, we are working on the resumption of existing political dialogue mechanism aimed at re-energizing our bilateral cooperation. Furthermore, we are also ready to resume negotiations on Common Aviation Agreement with the EU, he said. Mammadyarov also emphasized that the revised ENP reaffirmed importance of completing the Southern Gas Corridor to achieving pan-European energy security. Timely and successful finalization of this global importance project is critical for bringing alternative gas volumes to Europe, he said, adding that Azerbaijan is and will remain a committed partner to meet joint strategic interests in the field of energy security. There is huge untapped potential in the area of transport as well, the minister further added. Azerbaijan continues to make all efforts to further contribute to the development of transit corridors in its region, particularly the East-West and South-North corridors. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, expected to be operational by the end of this year, will join the ranks of the regions most critical infrastructures once Chinas Silk Road Economic Belt concept comes to the full reality. These projects bear more implications than mere economic-commercial benefits. They will serve as an effective instrument for engagement in wider areas of common interest between the EU and Azerbaijan, the minister concluded. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 17:35 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has visited Israel to discuss topical issues of cooperation between the two countries as well as regional problems in the Middle East and South Caucasus, and nuclear security, Azertac reports. During the visit, Azimov met with officials of Israel's Foreign Ministry, parliament and other government bodies. He highlighted the threats posed by Armenia to Azerbaijan and the region. The Israeli side was informed about the fact that Armenia's Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant poses a threat to both Azerbaijan and the entire South Caucasus. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 18:06 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on May 23, Azertac reports. They hailed the successful development of the friendly and fraternal ties between the two countries in political, economic and other fields. The presidents highlighted the importance of regular high-level reciprocal visits and meetings in terms of the strengthening of the bilateral relations. They noted that the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul contributed to the expansion of international cooperation. The presidents also exchanged views on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and discussed development of the bilateral ties. Co-organized by Turkey and the UN, the first ever Summit brought together a total of more than 5,000 delegates including up to 60 UN member states' heads of state and government, officials of the crisis-affected countries, representatives of international organizations, NGOs and the private sector. The purpose of the summit is to set a forward-looking agenda for humanitarian action to collectively address future humanitarian challenges. The aim is to build a more inclusive and diverse humanitarian system committed to humanitarian principles. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 11:41 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijan could neutralize negative effects of the external factors on its economy. Finance minister Samir Sharifov made the remark while commenting on fulfillment of the state budget during the meeting of the parliamentary committee on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship. Increasing rising geopolitical tensions in the region and worsening external economic environment have affected Azerbaijan's economic development, resulting in a slowdown of the growth rate of national economy. Problems in the currency market and the pressure on exchange rate forced the government to pursue budgetary policy. Nevertheless the country succeeded to fulfill all the tasks related to the execution of the state budget, the minister said. He also mentioned that Azerbaijan is not going to reconsider the state budget forecasts for 2016. The public budget revenues are expected to reach 16,822 billion manats ($11, 202 billion), while the rate of expenditures will amount to 18.495 billion manats ($12,316 billion). The minister also spoke about the issue of mortgage lending. Mortgage lending as well as issuance of social mortgage will be implemented after the adoption of legal acts concerning the reorganization of Azerbaijan Mortgage Fund, he said. In accordance with the presidential decree, the Azerbaijan Mortgage Fund, which was previously a state-owned company, has been transformed to a joint-stock company. Main functions of AMF include improving living conditions of population, providing housing, adapting the supply with real demand and attracting local and foreign investors to mortgage lending. The state budget allocated 50 million manats ($33 million) for the mortgage financing in 2016. The AMF realized all appropriate measures to develop the mechanisms of mortgage lending in accordance with international standards and improved the level of service. The highest amount of mortgage lending provided by the AMF is 50.000 manats ($33.295). Payback period for mortgage lending is 25 years, while social mortgage payback period is 30 years. Initial payment for social mortgage is 15 percent, while payment for general credits amounts to 20 percent. Azerbaijan Mortgage Fund was established in 2005 and started the issuance of mortgage lends in 2006. Sharifov said that the volume of troubled assets of the Azerbaijan International Bank (AIB) will be defined after the analysis of credits to be done by by the Financial Market Supervisory Chamber. It will help to define troubled credits and establish the level of the problem. The chamber has certain legal regulations and acts in accordance with them. The initial analysis revealed a big number of troubled credits, making the Chamber to hold additional analysis of debt obligations, minister said. Azerbaijan's state budget revenues amounted to 17,498 billion manats ($11.652) in 2015, 41.6 percent of the budget revenues accounted for the non-oil sector. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova 23 May 2016 16:54 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree to approve the rules of use of green corridor and other gating systems for the carriage of goods and transport facilities through customs border. The main objective of establishing the green corridor is to apply the simplified customs procedures and provide for customs payments. Green corridor is expected to enable the country to increase the export potential of the non-oil sector, enjoy cooperation with foreign countries and speed up a number of formalities. It creates opportunities for the removal of restrictions on trade with the countries of the region, smooth transit of goods, use of simplified customs procedures and provision of customs payments. It is considered that the green corridors will be applied both on land and sea borders. The creation of green corridors is expected to give a stimulus for the further development of the countrys economy, allow the country to increase and strengthen the export potential and enlarge the volume of goods manufactured in the country in foreign markets. Experts say that the corridor will enable entrepreneurs to export their products to the foreign markets at a low percent and without any obstacles. The country has already signed agreement with Russia and Kazakhstan on the establishment of green corridor. The rules will come into effect starting from August 1, 2016 -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 16:25 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan has recorded a significant growth in gold reserves, as new fields have been explored throughout the country. Huseyngulu Bagirov, Minister for Ecology and Natural Recourses announced about in his interview to the website of New Azerbaijan Party. The minister further added that thanks to the upgraded base of drilling rigs and the use of new techniques and technologies, the efficiency of geological exploration work has been increased. Overall, Azerbaijan, which started industrial production of gold in July 2009, produced 2,229 kilograms of gold in 2015. The production growth hit 19.1 percent compared to the figure of 2014. About 900 fields were registered in Azerbaijan's state and territorial balance of reserves of mineral resources. Roughly 253 of these fields, including 18 ore, 55 non-ore, 179 deposits of construction materials and one underground fresh water deposit, have been registered after the establishment of the of Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry, the minister reminded. Azerbaijan produced 727.2 kilograms of precious metals (597.1 kilograms of gold and 130.1 kilograms of silver) in January-April 2016, which is by 0.6 percent more than in the same period of 2015, according to Azerbaijan's State Statistics Committee. The country also produced 560 kilograms of copper during the reporting period that is by 2.3 times more than in January-April 2015. The gold and silver mining in Azerbaijan is currently being implemented on the "Gadabey" and "Gosha" fields in the framework of the PSA signed in 1997. The contract provides for the development of six fields: one - in Nakhchivan, two - in Gadabay region of Azerbaijan (450 km west of Baku) and three - in Kalbajar and Zangilan occupied now by the Armenian armed forces. Azerbaijan's share in the contract is 51 percent, while the rest are of Anglo Asian Mining PLC . First gold mining began in 2009 from "Gadabey" field, silver mining - in 2010. The gold mining from "Gosha" field began in the third quarter of 2013. The Ministry estimates that the country is able to produce about 10-15 tons of gold a year. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 17:28 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva The exact amount of bad loans of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) will be determined as soon as the Financial Market Supervisory Body (FMSB) finalizes the classification of loans in this bank. The statement was made by Finance Minister Samir Sharifov on May 20. He said that work on clearing the banks assets are underway. The Supervisory Body has certain normative documents, in accordance with which the loans are being classified. The classification allows to define whether the loans are bad, as well as, the degree of how non-performing the loan is, he said. In accordance with the classification, the IBA has large enough amount of the bad loans. In addition, after the devaluation of the national currency, other issues were found out in the bank. Therefore, the Supervisory Body implements follow-up classification of the banks debt obligations, Sharifov added. Earlier, on July 2015, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on taking measures for the recovery of the bank in connection with the privatization of state-owned shares of the International Bank of Azerbaijan. The decree notes that the shortcomings in the management and investment-credit policy of IBA, including funding less-efficient risky investment projects during last years have deteriorated the bank's financial position, increased the share of the distressed assets and reduced liquidity. To resolve the issue and to restore financial position of the bank, its distressed assets were transferred to Aqrarkredit CJSC non-banking credit organization. In return, bonds worth 3 billion manats ($2 billion) were issued under the state guarantee in order to provide IBA with liquid funds. According to Fitch Ratings, the bank still has distressed assets worth more than 3 billion manats ($2 billion). The volume of the toxic assets of the bank is still high enough, Dmitry Vasilyev, director for financial institutions at Fitch Ratings said earlier. Therefore, in addition to the planned infusion of 500 million manats into the IBA capital in the second quarter of 2016, it is necessary to implement a regular redemption of toxic assets. Only in that case the bank's full solvency can be restored, he added. The IBA began negotiations with Bank Standard in order to merge their assets within the framework of the plan on consolidation of Azerbaijans banks. The International Bank of Azerbaijan is the largest bank and financial services group in Azerbaijan and the region. The Ministry of Finance is the banks main shareholder, possessing a 50.2 percent equity stake. The bank holds from 40 to 50 percent of the Azerbaijan banking systems total assets. The IBA was founded in January 1992. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 17:05 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Montenegro Airlines will launch flights en route Baku-Tivat-Baku starting June 21. The flights will be performed once a week, but the frequency can be increased in the future. Departure from Baku will be at 13:00 and estimated arrival to Tivat will be at 14:55 local time. The charter flights are resumed due to summer season. The operation of flights will expectedly be suspended in early September. The summer charter flights to Montenegro will be organized for the fifth year in a row. Over 4,000 Azerbaijanis visited Montenegro in 2015. Under the decision of the Montenegrin government, Azerbaijani citizens arriving on these flights with a tourist voucher issued by Polar East, partner company of Montenegro in Azerbaijan, do not need a visa. Tivat, a resort city in Montenegro which lies in the middle part of the bay in Boka Kotorska, is considered to be one of the most popular tourist destinations. Azerbaijan and Montenegro enjoy good relations in various areas of the economy, including tourism. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in April, 2008. Honorary consulate of Montenegro in Baku was opened in 2013. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 14:50 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Azerbaijan is the only country which will provide Europe with Caspian gas, which is perceived in the Old Continent as "Azerbaijani gas". "Azerbaijan has become a symbol of the Caspian," Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev told ANS TV on May 22 after his recent participation at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). The groundbreaking ceremony of TAP, an European leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, was held in Greece on May 17. The project has a geostrategic importance and will help Europe to diversify gas import routes and enhance energy security. Azerbaijan is creating a new gas corridor which is not an ordinary pipeline. All natural gas extracted during the full-scale operation of Shah Deniz field will be transferred via this corridor. Aliyev said that natural gas produced from the Absheron field can also be sent via the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). In case of opening new gas fields as a result of exploration work carried out by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), the new gas volumes can be transported through the corridor as well, he added. Aliyev also hailed other countries joining to the pipeline. "If other states like Turkmenistan and Iran intend to send their gas via Azerbaijan or join Trans Anatolian pipeline (TANAP), Azerbaijan has no objections for it." Azerbaijan will create an opportunity by holding negotiations with the states who want to join the project and transport their gas to Europe by using the SGC, said Aliyev, stressing that Turkmen gas is the most real additional source for gas exports in the Western direction. There are two pragmatic options. The first one is the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline. The second option is linking the platforms with subsea pipelines in the Caspian Sea, Aliyev explained. However, several issues remain unsolved by the Turkmen side in order to realize this goal as Turkmenistan is willing only to sell its gas on their border with the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan creates opportunities for other countries to export their gas to Europe, and can make additional investments in new infrastructures however the country needs a guarantee from other side, he emphasized. The energy minister also highlighted the fact that there is a political support by the West including the U.S and European states for the construction of the Southern Gas Corridor which is an essential factor for the realization of such a project. During the interview, Aliyev spoke about the low oil prices and reasons causing it such as political factors - geopolitical tensions between countries, in particular Russia and the West, the U.S. shale revolution and others. Aliyev expects a slight increase in the oil prices by the end of 2016 but not more than $60. In 2017, the minister believes there can be $5-$10 per barrel increase in oil prices. The economic growth will be important factor defining global oil prices in the future, according to the minister. In addition, the problem about acquisition of Greek gas transmission system operator DESFAs stake by Azerbaijans state-owned company will be solved by selling 17 percent of companys share in DESFA to Italian Snam soon, Aliyev said. SOCAR won a tender in December 2013 on the sale of 66-percent share in DESFA for 400 million euros ($448 million). However, the European Commission started an inquiry into the compliance of the deal on the acquisition of this stake with the EUs M&A regulations in November 2014. The European Commission does not want the majority stake of such a big Transmission System transferred to the hands of a non-EU country, but remain under the Greek control. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 10:40 (UTC+04:00) Iraqis have promised to remove ban on import of Iranian cement, Abdolreza Sheikhan, secretary of Iran's Cement Industry Employers Association said. Following several meetings between Iranian and Iraqi officials, Baghdad promised to give priority to Iranian exports, once general ban on cement import is removed, Sheikhan said, Fars news agency reported. He further said that Iraq has banned cement import due to security problems in the country and oil price fall, adding Iraq's cement demand currently is met by its domestic production. Sheikhan earlier said that Iran's cement and clinker exports witnessed a 20 percent fall in last fiscal year (ended March 20) and stood at 15 million tons. Earlier Iraq's market was sharing 60 percent of Iran's cement export, Sheikhan said, adding last year Baghdad increased custom tariff for each ton of Iran's cement from four to $13. Iran currently exports cement to some 24 countries including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Oman, India, and China. Last year, Sheikhan warned that Iran is gradually losing its domestic and foreign cement markets. "Cement supply and demand is not balanced in the market and this has created problems for producers," he said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 14:03 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex, which is considered to be the largest in Central Asia, was commissioned in north-western part of Uzbekistan (Republic of Karakalpakstan, Kungrad region). Prime Ministers of Uzbekistan and South Korea Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Hwang Kyo-ahn attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on May 21, 2016. The complex comprises five plants on gas, ethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene production, power generation and modern infrastructure facilities. Hwang Kyo-ahn, addressing the event, said that the construction of Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex is an example of successful cooperation between the two countries. "It is a new model of cooperation which envisages transition from the export of raw materials to the joint production and export of products with high value-added taxes to foreign markets," he added. Main objective of the project is gas processing and creation of conditions for its production and transportation. The complex is expected to annually process 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, produce up to 4 billion cubic meters of marketable gas, 387,000 tons of polyethylene, 83,000 tons polypropylene. It is considered that the main consumers will be Eastern Europe, Turkey and subsequently the western regions of China. The resource base of the project is Surgil, Vostochniy Berdah-Uchsay and Severniy Berdah fields. Consortium of Korean companies joined Uzbekneftegaz to establish the Uz-Kor Gas Chemical joint venture in May, 2008. Ustyurt GCC project was implemented on a parity basis. General contractors of the project were the Korean Samsung Engineering, GS Engineering and Hyundai Engineering. The construction of the complex began in 2011. The total cost of the project amounts to $ 4 billion. Participants of the project allocated approximately $1.4 billion and attracted about $2.5 billion from financial institutions in order to implement the project. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 15:30 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid his first official visit to Iran over his two years in this position. On the sidelines of the meeting between Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Indian PM on May 23, the two countries undersigned 12 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) , reported Iranian IRINN TV. The signed documents envisage cooperation in various fields including science, culture, technology and diplomatic affairs, as well as, economic and financial cooperation. Moreover, the parties signed documents on developing the strategic Chabahar port, located in south eastern Iran. In the meantime, the development of the Chabahar port along with the Chabahar-Zahedan-Zaranj land route will enable Afghanistan to get direct access to India via the sea, and will create an access to the Middle East for India as well. Modi said energy projects are the major points on agenda, underlining the development of Iran's Farzad-B oil field as one of the most important ones. India will be trading to double its oil imports from the Islamic Republic, as Iran is India's second biggest oil supplier. In addition, India is looking to get rights to develop a giant gas field in the energy rich Iran. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister who visits Iran in the last 15 years. Heading a big political and economic delegation the Indian Prime Minister arrived in Tehran at early hours on May 23. During his two day visit the Indian PM also plans to meet Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on May 23, after being formally greeted by President Hassan Rouhani. Another document which will be signed by Iran and India as well as Pakistan during Modi's visit is a transit project in the same area which is expected to boost trade between the three countries greatly. The issue of the debt repayment for oil supply from Iran is likely to be one of the main topics on the Indian Prime Minister visit to Tehran. Two Indian petrochemical companies have already paid $750 million to their Iranian partners, having therefore partly repaid India's multibillion debt to Iran for oil supply, according to the Indian media. Transactions in euros were made over the past two days. The Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals company together with Indian Oil Corporation have paid $500 and $250 million to National Iranian Oil Company. The debt of the Indian companies to Iran has accumulated around $6.5-billion debt over the past three years due to the financial sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program. Although, most of the sanctions against Iran were lifted earlier in the year, the problem is still far from being solved, as no transactions in U.S. dollars are possible so far. Now the sides are looking for other ways to conduct payments. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 May 2016 17:56 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva An industrial flow of natural gas was obtained at an exploration well on Giurgiu new promising field, located on the territory of Mary region, south-east of Turkmenistan. Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reports that the well was drilled at the depth of approximately 4,600 meters by the Turkmen Geology State Corporation in the territory of Mary region near the rich gas field Galkynysh. The daily production of the well amounts to one million cubic meters. Currently, gas dynamic studies continue at the Giurgiu field. The close location of the Giurgiu field to the well-known giant Galkynysh gas field testifies to the great prospects for the new field. In the long term, exploratory work to identify the borders of the new field will be held in this area. The field expands even more gas-bearing zone than Galkynysh field which confirms its possible extension that predicted earlier by the 3D seismic survey method. The estimated total reserves of the Galkynysh field together with the adjacent Yashlar field amounts to 26.2 trillion cubic meters of gas, according to the results of the independent audit carried out by the British Gaffney, Cline & Associates. If the reserves in newly discovered Garakel field are also added to this figure, the block's reserves rise to 27.4 trillion cubic meters. Moreover, 9 new wells are set to begin production at Galkynysh field by the end of 2016. Turkmenistan plans to add the extracted gas from this field to its exports China. After Russia stopped buying Turkmen gas, the country directed this gas to other markets. Furthermore, the country will be able to increase gas supply to China from Malai field in the near future with the construction of a gas booster station. This field is one of the main sources for the Central Asia- China gas pipeline, also known as Turkmenistan China gas pipeline, which was commissioned in 2009. Earlier, Turkmengaz signed an agreement with Chinese national petroleum cooperation- CNPC on providing 65 billion cubic meters of gas annually to China by the end of 2021. Roughly, 35 percent of Chinas gas import accounts for the Turkmen gas. In addition, Turkmenistan commenced the construction of its section of TAPI pipeline recently. In the meantime, the country plans to enlarge its LNG exports as well. Currently, the country sells LNG to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Georgia, Iran and Tajikistan. Turkmenistan enjoys the world's fourth largest natural gas reserves after Russia, Iran, and Qatar It produces about 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas annually. According to the BP statistical review of 2015, Turkmenistan holds 9.3 percent of the worlds total proven natural gas reserves and produced 2 percent (70 billion cubic meters) of the worlds total gas output. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz I can see why attorneys for the Kern High School District have repeatedly tried to get a judge to issue a gag order to prevent all parties fro Author Joe Hill celebrates the release of his new book, The Fireman, and participates in an interview facilitated by George R.R. Martin. Enter a contest to meet the authors online. On Monday, May 23rd at 7:00 PM, author Joe Hill will join the Jean Cocteau Cinema to celebrate the release of his latest book, The Fireman, and participate in an interview/Q&A facilitated by George R.R. Martin. There will also be a meet-and-greet contest. Tickets are $10 for General Admission, or $35 for Admission and a copy of The Fireman. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joe Hill is the author of three novels, Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, and NOS4A2, as well as a prize-winning collection of stories, 20th Century Ghosts. He also wrote a pair of comics: Locke & Key and Wraith (which ties into the world of NOS4A2). Some nice people gave him an Eisner Award for his work in funny books, which is a great honor, even if funny probably doesnt do a good job of describing the kinds of things that happen in the comics. Come to think of it, his comics arent very comic either. ABOUT THE CONTEST: Enter for a chance to meet New York Times bestselling authors Joe Hill and George R. R. Martin in Santa Fe, New Mexico. To enter, submit your email on this webpage: http://bit.ly/1Rlhi58 One lucky winner will receive: Two tickets to attend Joe Hill in conversation with George R.R. Martin event at the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe, NM on May 23, 2016. Meet and greet with Joe Hill and George R.R. Martin before the event. Two hardcover copies of The Firemanby Joe Hill. Two paperback copies of Heart-Shaped Boxby Joe Hill. Two paperback copies of Hornsby Joe Hill. Two paperback copies of NOS4A2by Joe Hill. Two paperback copies of 20th Century Ghostsby Joe Hill. $500 towards airfare. 2 nights hotel accommodation at La Posada De Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ABOUT THE BOOK: A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else its Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodiesbefore causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe. Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now shes discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakobs dismay, Harper wants to liveat least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child. Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squadsarmed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isnt as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighters jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged. In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Firemans secrets before her lifeand that of her unborn childgoes up in smoke. The Tampa Bay community is coming together to support a young woman who was badly injured while rafting in South America. 22-year-old Schuyler Arakawa injured while rafting in South America Local businesses raised money for the Tampa native Tampa native and Yale graduate 22-year-old Schuyler Arakawa was in Peru for a post-graduate fellowship when she went on a weekend rafting trip to Colombia in February. A boulder fell 30 feet from above and hit Arakawa in the head, cracking her skull, collapsing her lungs and breaking multiple bones in her back and legs. Doctors say it is a miracle she is still alive. She was airlifted to a Miami hospital and according to a Facebook page tracking her progress, has been moved out of the ICU and into outpatient rehab. Sunday, Belmora Salon in Tampa held a cut-a-thon and silent auction to raise money for Arakawas recovery. "All of us are here doing this because we just really want to do something special for someone, manager Alexa Rocha said. And she is a complete stranger, but everybody that cares for who she was and what shes done for other people, you want to be one of those people. The salon offered $25 haircuts and $10 blow-dries all day. Local businesses donated more than 40 items for the silent auction. You just cant help but want to be a part of it, she was truly touched by miracles, Rocha said. "Its an awesome thing to get together and help somebody, who is such, I heard a young and talented girl who has reached out to help other people and get everyone together for a good cause I think, customer Jaime Bach said. To donate: https://www.gofundme.com/ztq2n4r8 This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9. For more information on how the site works and the rules visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety. One person has been arrested in connection with a shooting near a St. Petersburg nightclub that left two people injured, and police say more charges or arrests are pending. Shooting near Hollywood Nites South nightclub early Monday Woman in critical condition; man suffered minor injuries Investigation ongoing Detectives investigated a call of shots fired at 2:40 a.m. Monday near 1205 Dr. MLK Jr. St. South (Hollywood Nites). The investigation revealed two groups had a dispute earlier inside the club. According to police, just before 3 a.m., the passengers in a 2010 Chevy Impala were eastbound on 12th Avenue South approaching MLK Street South, when someone on the street fired several rounds into the passenger side of the Impala. Then, someone in the Impala returned fire, police said. The driver of the Impala, Brandy Griffin, 21, was struck once and incurred non-life threatening injuries. He was treated at Bayfront Health. A bystander who had just left the Hollywood Nites Club, was caught in the crossfire. She was shot in the upper torso and is in critical condition but is expected to survive her injuries. Police arrested 19-year-old Ladray Maxwell, a passenger in the Impala, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SOUTHEAST TEXAS TALES Texas' deadliest - and perhaps most striking - outlaw couple might have ducked off the main roads and hit the dirt trails of Southeast Texas' piney forests just days before being gunned down in an ambush arranged by one of the state's top lawmen. Stories passed down since Bonnie Parker and Clyde Chesnut Barrow's May 23, 1934, deaths have placed the two most well-known members of the Barrow Gang at a Liberty County farm, a downtown Jasper store and a Kirbyville hotel.Thelma Lowe told an Enterprise reporter in 2009 that she remembered the pair from an afternoon in April 1934 at her family's home in Devers, in Liberty County. She and two younger sisters were playing in a short hay stack chewed down by cattle when they saw a black car rumbling across the prairie. "Where we lived, we lived so far out in the boondocks, we didn't have a road," Lowe told the reporter. "They came through the prairie." It was startling. Usually, to drive from the house, her father, rice farmer Frank Dugas, hooked the tractor to the car and dragged it to the dirt road far across the fields, Lowe said. When a man stepped out of the car that day, he handed young Lowe an apple and gave either apples or oranges to her sisters, both 5. None of the children had seen anything like it, a car driving through the fields to their home. And, in the Depression, they only received fruit at Christmas. The young woman was cute, Lowe said, with short hair and a hat. She went with the man into her parents' home. The girls would never dream of disturbing her parents' visit with adults. Her sister said she saw a gun in the backseat, but Lowe didn't dare look. Later, her parents said the couple was named Mr. and Mrs. Vest. They drank two pots of coffee, visited and got back in their car. A month later, Thelma's father was sitting on the privy at an uncle's house in Saratoga when he picked up a newspaper on the outhouse floor. In it was a picture of the Vests, but they were named Bonnie and Clyde, and they had been shot to death in northern Louisiana. "They were hiding out," Lowe told the reporter. "I guess they could have killed us all, but they didn't want anything to do with us. We were so poor." Bonnie and Clyde were known for robbing gas stations, stealing cars and robbing small banks, according to the Texas State Historical Association's Handbook of Texas. Their largest robbery brought $1,500. The Barrow Gang was known for several killings of law officers. No biographies of the pair document their travel anywhere south of the town of Lovelady, where they assisted in a prison break in January 1934, but the pair was known for driving for weeks at a time to run from authorities after a theft or shooting. Their circle never included Southeast Texas, according to documentation. However, Lowe's description of the car driving across the fields and other accounts of the two in Southeast Texas matches witness accounts from "Bonnie and Clyde: A Biography." In the spring of '34, stories said the pair went shopping in downtown Jasper at the P.N. Ashy Store. "They did travel through here on a trip," Bertie Bryant told The Enterprise in 2004. "I remember growing up and hearing about them." Bryant speculated the pair bought clothing, "maybe shoes or something." "I imagine they were just regular customers," said Bryant. Folks in Kirbyville told The Enterprise in 2004 they remembered hearing the story of an overnight stay by the legendary law-breaking duo at the Newman Hotel, a lodging that stood facing the railroad track. Wanda Ellis told an Enterprise reporter that her father-in-law, Earl, had roomed at the Newman Hotel for a time in the 1930s. "One night this car came through, and they said all the kids were talking about it because it had holes in it," Ellis said her father-in-law told her. The story goes that the girls who went to straighten up the room and change the sheets discovered the mirror had a message scrawled across it. In red lipstick was written: "Bonnie and Clyde slept here." "The story was told for truth, and that's all everybody talked about for a while," Ellis told The Enterprise reporter in 2004. After their brief stay at the Newman Hotel, the pair apparently continued on their spree until they were gunned down in a barrage of more than 160 bullets in an ambush in Gibsland, Louisiana, on the morning of May 23, 1934. Parker was 24. Burrow was 25. Texas Ranger Frank Hammer led the ambush, according to the Texas State Historical Association's Handbook of Texas. The pair's bodies were taken to Arcadia and later put on display in Dallas, according to the handbook. Burrow was buried in Western Heights Cemetery in Dallas, next to his brother, Marvin, according to a segment put together by "Texas Country Reporter." Parker was initially buried in the Fishtrap Cemetery in Dallas, but was moved in 1945 to the new Crown Hill Cemetery in Dallas, according to "Funerals of the Famous: Bonnie & Clyde." Southeast Texas Tales is a weekly feature that revisits regional history. A Southeast Texas mother and teacher is one of four parents suing the Texas Education Agency for allegedly ignoring a new law requiring the state's standardized test to be shortened, which could result in hundreds of students being held back a grade based on their scores. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Travis County, seeks to invalidate test scores for students grades 3-8 in the latest fallout over this year's controversial standardized exam. The parents argue the education agency knowingly disregarded legislative directives requiring the STAAR test - the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness - to be redesigned so most students in grades 3-8 could finish the tests in two to three hours, depending on their grade level. The plaintiffs argue the state never changed the tests after the governor signed the new rules into law in 2015 and gave students illegal exams this year that will be used to decide whether they advance to the next grade or attend summer school. If the parents win, the students would advance to the next grade without having to attend summer school or receive any other form of remedial instruction, according to the lawsuit. Jennifer Rumsey, a teacher at Orangefield High School, said her fifth-grade daughter took two four-hour STAAR tests this spring, despite the 120-minute limit designated in House Bill 743. In a statement from Stop STAAR 2016, a committee of more than 250 parents and teachers who claim they raised $20,000 in six weeks to fund the lawsuit, Rumsey accused TEA Commissioner Mike Morath of dodging accountability. TEA spokesperson DeEtta Culbertson said agency officials had not been served with the lawsuit and declined to comment. Parents througout the state are pushing back against what they call "high stakes" standardized testing that puts students under severe stress and pressures teachers, principals, schools and districts. Rumsey said the lawsuit is about more than just throwing out this year's STAAR exams, more than 14,000 of which were compromised by computer problems in March. Advocates for standardized testing reform want to do away with accountability systems that can prevent otherwise successful students from grade promotions. "Their entire future could hang on whether they pass a single test," Rumsey said in a phone interview. "I think it's an arrogance. I think the TEA just doesn't feel they have to follow the law, although they want to hold my 10-year-old accountable for tests that are illegal. I'm just one of many upset mothers around the state." The four parents named as plaintiffs in the Travis County lawsuit have children in Houston Independent School District, Wimberley ISD near Austin, Lake Dallas ISD and Orangefield ISD. Claudia de Leon, a plaintiff and parent of two Houston elementary school students, said students were taken away from subjects like science and art to spend extra time studying for STAAR exams in reading and math. "Recess was often replaced with STAAR practice worksheets," de Leon said. "Many wonderful teachers who loved children and teaching left the school, and it seemed we had lost the joy in the building." In April, 48 superintendents around Southeast Texas wrote a letter to Morath complaining of issues with shipping materials for STAAR testing, coding issues with documents and confusion over whether one question on an English exam was valid. The group of superintendents expressed concerns over negative effects the testing irregularities could have on individual students, as well as the campus and district ratings. "Without improved logistics and system improvements, test scores and accountability ratings will not be reliable and credible," the April 12 letter stated. BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are criticizing a federal proposal to reduce Medicare payments for many prescription drugs, The New York Times reported. In March, CMS said it would test new Part B payment models to encourage physicians to select the most effective treatment for patients and to slow Medicare spending. But patients' advocates, physicians and drug companies have warned the federal plan could threaten access to important medications used to treat various types of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration and other conditions, according to the report. Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, along with more than 300 House members, have also expressed concern. The advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society recently wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, saying the proposal "does not protect cancer patients' access to the lifesaving drugs needed to treat their disease," and "focuses more on the potential for cost savings" than on ways to preserve and enhance quality, The New York Times reported. The American Hospital Association weighed in on the proposal in early May. The AHA said the new model should not include hospitals, which "have little control over which drugs physicians prescribe in hospital-based settings." The AHA also took issue with the model's lack of quality measures, which it believes are critical to ensuring the drug payment model doesn't reduce quality of care. As for the lawmakers, Republicans said President Barack Obama's administration should withdraw the proposal, according to the report. Many Democrats, citing high drug prices, said federal officials are making a worthy effort, but should not move ahead without doing more to protect beneficiaries. While many entities have expressed concerns, some Democrats and consumer organizations have thrown support behind the proposal. For instance, AARP argued it could reduce out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries. The first phase of the new "payment model" could start as early Aug. 1, The New York Times reported. According to the report, the next phase, which could start as soon as January 2017, would involve Medicare linking payment to a drug's value. That could mean the federal government pays more for drugs that it deemed more effective in treating or preventing a specific condition, or paying the same amount for drugs that it saw as "therapeutically similar," the report states. President Obama's administration said it wanted to require "mandatory participation" for physicians and hospitals that provide Part B drugs to Medicare beneficiaries in about three-fourths of the nation. More articles on finance and revenue cycle management: Most ACA enrollees happy with coverage, but increasingly concerned about deductibles, premiums Consumer advocate: Oregon price estimate pledge doesn't protect all patients Rowan Medicine joins value-based transformation initiative After hackers locked files at Kansas Heart Hospital in a ransomware attack, the Wichita-based hospital paid the ransom. But hackers didn't fully unlock the computer files, and they demanded more money to do so, reports KWCH. The ransomware attack occurred Wednesday evening, Greg Duick, MD, president of Kansas Heart Hospital, told KWCH, adding the attack affected the entire institution. Kansas Heart Hospital paid "a small amount" of ransom to the hackers, Dr. Duick told KWCH, though he did not indicate exactly how much was paid because an investigation into the incident is ongoing. However, instead of returning full access to the files, the hackers demanded another ransom, according to the report. Kansas Heart Hospital said it will not pay again. "The policy of Kansas Heart Hospital, in conjunction with our consultants, felt no longer was this a wise maneuver or strategy," Dr. Duick said in the report. The FBI does not recommend hospitals pay ransoms. In a recent FBI post, James Trainor, assistant director of the FBI's cyber division, said paying a ransom does not guarantee an organization will regain access to its data, as appears to be the case at KansasHeartHospital. "Paying a ransom not only emboldens current cyber criminals to target more organizations, it also offers an incentive for other criminals to get involved in this type of illegal activity," he said in the post. Dr. Duick said no patient care has been jeopardized as a result of the ransomware attack. He said the hospital had a contingency plan in place, which included an insurance policy to help cover the costs of cyber extortion, according to the report. It is unclear whether Kansas Heart Hospital has regained full access to computer files. Kansas Heart Hospital did not immediately respond to a request from Becker's for comment. More articles on ransomware: DeKalb Health suffers ransomware attack, diverts patients to other hospitals HHS' OCR to develop guide on preparing for, responding to ransomware House of Representatives targeted in ransomware attempts Chris Olsen, CFO of St. Charles Parish Hospital in Luling, La., will leave his post in June to accept another job, according to a St. Charles Herald-Guide report. Here are three things to know about Mr. Olsen. 1. He has accepted a job with another hospital in Texas. 2. Mr. Olsen announced his impending departure three weeks after New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System, of which St. Charles Parish Hospital is a part, confirmed St. Charles Parish Hospital CEO Anthony DiGeralamo will become CEO of Ochsner Medical Center West Bank in Gretna, La. 3. Mr. DiGeralamo's replacement, who has not yet been named, will help hire a new CFO to succeed Mr. Olsen, St. Charles Parish Hospital Board President John Landry III said, according to the St. Charles Herald-Guide. More articles on executive moves: Intermountain Healthcare names new CEO: 4 things to know Michael Beck named CAO of Mission Hospital Laguna Beach: 4 things to know Ontario Systems hires 2 industry leaders in healthcare RCM: 4 things to know Bonyo S. Bonyo, DO, was just 8 years old when his sister died of dehydration. Since then, he's been on a mission to improve healthcare in his native Kenya, according to The Charlotte Observer. Dr. Bonyo was born and raised in Masara, Kenya, a village that thrives off agriculture. "We grew up poor, but happy with strong familial relationships," he said, according to the report. His sister was only 9 months old when she died from dehydration. "That's not unusual where I come from," Dr. Bonyo said, according to the report. "That's kind of one thing that made me go into medicine, to prevent senseless deaths." After working hard in school and eventually saving enough money to attend college and medical school in the U.S., Dr. Bonyo received his medical degree from Athens-based Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. He now lives and practices in Akron, Ohio, but he hasn't given up on his mission to help the citizens of Kenya receive better healthcare. While still in medical school in 1995, he created the Student Health Assistance Rural Experience (SHARE) Kenya program, through which he and other students provided care to Kenyans. By 2006, the program had taken off not only had it raised enough donations to create a water well and clinic in Masara, but it also changed its name from SHARE Kenya to CARE Kenya Inc., which later became BKM. Although he primarily resides in Akron, Dr. Bonyo and a group of volunteers go to Kenya at least three times each year, where they treat between 300 and 500 patients per day. Included among Dr. Bonyo's patients is President Barack Obama's grandmother, Sarah Onyango Obama, for whom Dr. Bonyo is the primary care physician. Dr. Bonyo's dream of providing healthcare to Kenyan citizens is expanding outside the clinic, as the BKM team has donated computers to local schools and created a flouride program to give individuals access to dental care. "Something like this, you can't do alone," said Dr. Bonyo, according to the report. "You've got to have good support behind you, and I have very strong support behind me." Antitrust approvals for the $48 billion proposed merger between Anthem and Cigna could be delayed or derailed by squabbles between the two insurers, according to a series of letters reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. If completed, the Anthem-Cigna merger would create a health insurer with $117 billion in annual revenue. With more than 54 million members, the combined entity would be the largest insurer in the U.S. by number of members. However, the deal may not come to fruition, as people on both sides say disagreements between the two companies could hinder antitrust approvals and have already delayed the deal's timeline. Here are three areas of contention between Anthem and Cigna, according to WSJ. 1. Anthem's lawsuit against Express Scripts. Cigna disagrees with Anthem's lawsuit against Express Scripts the nation's largest manager of prescription drug benefits. Anthem sued Express Scripts in March in an attempt to renegotiate its contract with the company and gain more savings on prescription medicine. In an April 9 letter to Anthem's board, Cigna Chairman Isaiah Harris Jr. said the suit could hurt the prospects for regulatory approval of the Anthem-Cigna merger. He also expressed concern that the suit could cause damage to the combined company's value. In response, Anthem said the possibility of a suit against Express Scripts was disclosed during the early stages of their merger negotiations, and that getting better prices from Express Scripts would be beneficial, according to WSJ. In late April, Express Scripts refuted Anthem's claims and countersued the insurer. With the litigation pending, a heated exchange occurred between Cigna and Anthem's lawyers. Anthem General Counsel Tom Zielinski said he did "not intend to correspond further" about the litigation in a May 5 letter to Cigna General Counsel Nicole Jones. She responded by saying, "Suffice it to say that we disagree with just about every characterization that you make with respect to the matters raised in your letters other than your suggestion not to continue a correspondence," according to WSJ. 2. Closing date discrepancies. Although initial estimates claimed the Anthem-Cigna merger would close in the second half of 2016, Cigna told investors in early May that the transaction might not close until 2017. At a conference in Las Vegas May 10, Cigna CFO Tom McCarthy said the insurer underestimated the depth and complexity of antitrust review. However, Anthem stuck with the original timeline. "Although our merger agreement with Cigna gives us until April 30, 2017 to obtain regulatory approvals, we continue to believe that we will obtain such approvals and close in the second half of 2016," Anthem spokeswoman Jill Becher told Reuters. While the insurers disagreed publicly about the closing date, they argued about the issue behind the scenes. The day Cigna made its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission pushing back the closing date, Mr. Zielinski sent a letter to Ms. Jones, accusing Cigna of trying to "spook the market," according to WSJ. 3. Slipping behind in review process. The letters between Anthem and Cigna's lawyers reveal the companies are worried their deal is falling behind the proposed merger between Aetna and Humana in the regulatory review process. The deal is thought to have better odds if reviewed alongside Aetna-Humana, according to WSJ. Each company blames the other for the merger slipping behind. In the letters, Anthem accused Cigna of submitting data in the wrong format and missing DOJ deadlines, while Cigna accused Anthem of being slow to formulate a plan if regulators require divestitures for the transaction to go through. More articles on payer issues: Empire BCBS, HealthAlliance yet to resolve contract dispute BCBS, Partners dig in heels in SEIU battle CMS approves Calif. tax on managed care organizations To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below An airports commission has recommended expansion at Heathrow rather than Gatwick Heathrow airport has pledged to use British steel if it is allowed to build a new runway, as Indian conglomerate Tata continues to assess bids for its UK assets. A shortlist of seven bidders has been drawn up, with thousands of jobs resting on a successful sale, including over 4,000 at the giant plant at Port Talbot in south Wales. Tata has not set a deadline for bids to be submitted, but a decision is drawing closer. Heathrow chairman Lord Deighton will today visit the Severfield steel plant in North Yorkshire to confirm the pledge to advertise its requirements for steel in the UK. An airports commission has recommended expansion at Heathrow rather than Gatwick, but the Government has yet to give the go ahead. The Airports Commission has said Heathrow was best-placed to provide capacity, but the Government hasn't decided whether to go ahead with the extension Heathrow airport has unveiled a five-pledge plan to help boost Northern Ireland's economy and add 40 new long-haul links as it continues to campaign for a third runway. Meanwhile, Belfast City Airport's chief, Brian Ambrose, has written to UK Transport Minister Robert Goodwill, backing Heathrow's plans for a third runway at the sprawling London hub. He said that despite growth in the number of direct flights from Belfast, Heathrow is "still required in order to facilitate mid to long-haul connectivity beyond Europe". The moves come ahead of a Government decision on whether to allow Heathrow - one of the world's busiest airports - to build the additional runway. The Airports Commission has said Heathrow was best-placed to provide capacity, but the Government hasn't decided whether to go ahead with the extension. Heathrow says the third runway could open up Northern Ireland to 40 new destinations. It also says it will "meet tough environmental and noise" standards with the new runway and will improve connectivity to and from the province. Heathrow is currently only connected to Northern Ireland through direct flights from Belfast City Airport. Currently, both Aer Lingus and British Airways fly to the London base. On Thursday, Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye claimed the expansion could create 5,000 new jobs here. Mr Holland-Kaye said the airport "keeps Northern Ireland ahead in the world". He continued: "If Heathrow falls behind, Britain and our nations fall behind. That means fewer jobs and less security for families. That is why we must have runway capacity that is fit for the future and build it now. "Economic security, more routes to more airports in Northern Ireland bringing more competition and choice, outward-looking abroad but fair to our neighbours at home - that is the promise of our manifesto. "We need people across the country to let the Prime Minster and the Government know that they cannot just hope for a stronger economy and country - they need to choose it and the right choice is Heathrow." Mr Ambrose said an "expanded Heathrow hub is vital in making Northern Ireland accessible to business and leisure passengers from all corners of the globe, and maximising on the growth the region has experienced and readied itself for of late". In his letter to the UK Transport Minister, Mr Ambrose stated that "given the population of Northern Ireland, direct routes to such destinations (medium and long-haul) are not sustainable". Pauline Kidney, whose mother-in-law was cared for by the hospice Interior and exterior pictures of the new facility The exterior of the new hospice The exterior of the new hospice The new 13m state-of-the-art Northern Ireland Hospice will transform end-of-life care here and provide world-class facilities when it opens this week, a doctor has said. After two years of construction and ongoing fundraising, the building will officially open its doors on Wednesday. It has an inpatient unit complete with 18 private en suite bedrooms, a rehabilitation suite, day hospice services, a community nursing hub and a dedicated education and research centre. Families of loved ones who were cared for in the previous hospice have praised the new facility. The adult hospice will have the equipment and staff expertise to enable it to reach out beyond cancer care and offer palliative and end-of-life services to those with conditions such as dementia, motor neurone disease and respiratory illnesses. Dr Claire White, a consultant in palliative medicine, has been with the NI Hospice since 2010. She described it as an exciting time for the people who work there and said that the care patients and loved ones will receive will be much improved. The new hospice will allow for 20% more patients to be looked after, and improved facilities will allow family members to stay overnight and be with their loved ones when necessary. "We moved from Somerton Road three-and-a-half-years ago to Whiteabbey and are now ready to move back," she explained. "The facility will be fabulous and we are really excited about moving back. "We have 18 en suite rooms, which will make a real difference to what we had in the past. "We had patients in shared bays, which at times is appropriate, but for others it can be quite difficult for families, with a lack of privacy." The NI Hospice cares for 3,000 adults with life-limiting illnesses and their families annually. It costs 6m a year to keep it up and running, and 60% of this figure must be raised through voluntary donations. Dr White praised the public for their generous support after millions of pounds were raised for the new development. "We have had fabulous support from the public," she said. "It seems they have really engaged with the new build and the relatives and friends of past patients have really been involved in the fundraising. "That has been really important; it shows the value they have placed in the service, that they are willing to come back and fundraise for the hospice so that we can go on and care for future patients. "It is a very important legacy for families of patients who have died here." Pauline Kidney's mother-in-law Elsie received care in the previous hospice in her final weeks. Touring the new building for the first time, the 48-year-old teacher and her husband Jim explained how important the service was for families and their loved ones. The couple said the new facility will totally transform care for patients. "It got to the stage where we were waiting to go into nursing homes and we were also waiting for a hospice bed," explained Pauline. "There was nowhere we felt was suitable. Then we got the call that there was a hospice bed and it was Heaven-sent. "She was really looked after so well. The other families there, we cried with them when their loved ones passed away and had our coffees and teas all the time together." Pauline said the NI Hospice team went above and beyond in doing what they could during an emotional time. "Jim's daughter lived in London, and the nurses arranged to have the portable phone by her bed at certain times to call so she could talk to her," she said. "I just thought, you don't get that in hospital or care homes. "They gave that extra step that was so kind, it was massive. Elsie was all about family. There was a community and extended family feeling." The survey also reveals that cancer carers - from as young as 17 to people in their 80s - are taking on more responsibility Around 48,000 people are caring for someone with cancer in Northern Ireland, sparking concern about growing pressures on carers, says new research. The figures by Macmillan show the total number of cancer carers in the UK is now almost 1.5 million - an increase of a third (31%) in the past five years. The YouGov survey suggests that, across the UK, family and friends spend an average 17.5 hours a week looking after a loved one with cancer - 2.5 hours more than in 2011. Shockingly, one in five of those surveyed spend over 35 hours a week, the same as a full time job, caring for someone with cancer. The survey also reveals that cancer carers - from as young as 17 to people in their 80s - are taking on more responsibility. Common tasks include giving medication, changing dressings, helping with eating and going to the toilet, and taking care of finances. Worryingly, the research shows that over half (55%) of these carers receive no support. Kevin McLaughlin (61) from Lurgan never saw himself as a carer. When his wife, Sheila, was told her breast cancer had spread to her spine and liver in February 2015, he wanted to look after her at home. They received support from their GP, district nursing team and Macmillan palliative care nurse. Kevin was also referred to Newry and Mourne Carers (NMC), who have joined forces with Macmillan to give a support service to cancer carers across the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area. Kevin was put in contact with Richard Black, the local Macmillan NMC Support Worker. He said: "The GP, District Nursing Team, Macmillan Palliative Care and Twilight Nurses were all brilliant. Not to mention all my work colleagues. But Richard was my rock. I had to keep everything together but I was drowning and, when you need a lifeboat, you grab at anything. "My family were worried about me but I didn't want to worry them. I could have conversations with Richard that I couldn't have with anyone else. Not even Sheila. We both knew she was going to die but we never said it - not to each other. She was so brave. And I had to be brave for her. But I needed to know that Richard was at the end of a phone, or at the door, when I needed to open up about what was happening. I saw myself as a husband, not a carer. But that can stop people from asking for help. I'm telling my story to encourage other people to get the support they need." As the Macmillan NMC Support Worker, Richard realised Kevin was coming under increasing strain, as his wife's condition weakened. He persuaded Kevin to take his GP's advice and stop work in October - four months before Sheila died. Richard said: "Far too often, carers focus on the health of their loved one. They tend to forget about themselves and that's when their own health can suffer. "Kevin wanted to keep Sheila at home and do everything for her but, when the pain got too much, she needed hospice care." Ruth Thompson, Macmillan development manager in Northern Ireland, said: "Many find themselves worrying about administering medicine, which they're not trained to do. And, on top of all their caring responsibilities, they may be carrying on working, looking after children and trying to remain positive. Many carers find themselves under incredible physical and emotional strain that can put their own health at risk. That's why we have to ensure that they get the support they need." For advice, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/carers and support line 0808 808 0000. Ratepayers have expressed anger that a World War One shrine at Belfast City Cemetery has been allowed to fall into disrepair. Visitors to the cemetery have complained that the screen wall memorial to the casualties whose graves are not marked by headstones is in an appalling state. And there have been calls for Belfast City Council to take immediate action to restore the monument to its former glory. DUP MLA William Humphrey, who recently visited the cemetery, said a number of constituents had alerted him to the memorial's deterioration in recent weeks. "The poor state of the memorial was reported to my office - and to be honest it does look bad," he said. "Initially people thought that a number of stones had been knocked off by vandals but at least we've now ascertained that that's not the case." Mr Humphrey said that when he contacted Belfast City Council he was told that the wall is currently being refurbished and that it's a work in progress. "They've assured me that the memorial is being stripped down and repaired," he said. "I understand the plan is to clean the stonework and carve in the names in painted gold lettering so I'm extremely pleased to see that happening and to be able to reassure those concerned that the matter is in hand." It's not the first time the north Belfast politician has intervened in an issue concerning the west Belfast cemetery. Mr Humphrey has been behind a push for the erection of a memorial beside a plot where thousands of babies are buried at the graveyard, which is situated between the Falls Road and Springfield Road. "I was approached by a local lady called Agnes Close about the area which was the burying place for babies who didn't live long after they were born or who were stillbirths between 1945 and 1996," he said. "In those days it was common practice that the remains were taken away and family members were not present for burials in unmarked graves. For many parents this was an impediment to their grieving process and caused a lack of closure. Over the years many families have added small memorials at the plot in memory of their children. "I fully support the request from some parents for the erection of a memorial at the site which will provide some official recognition of the purpose of the plot and the large number of burials which took place there." Mr Humphrey said that following several meetings with the council, the issue of establishing a fitting tribute to those babies, was out to consultation. He added: "Agnes, whose baby son was buried at the plot, has been pursuing this and I have been helping. Hopefully the council will erect a memorial in the near future." A relative of the Assembly member tipped to be named as the new Justice Minister this week is fighting for his life in hospital after a two-vehicle horror crash. Independent unionist MLA Claire Sugden's brother-in-law Paul Butcher, who is in his early 40s, was riding a motorbike when it collided with a car on the Ballyquin Road in Limavady. News of the crash comes amid growing speculation that Ms Sugden is being lined up to take over the Department of Justice after Alliance turned down the job. However, the 29-year-old politician's mind will now be on matters far removed from the corridors of Stormont as her family's focus turns to Mr Butcher's recovery. It's not yet clear what impact Ms Sugden's terrible personal news will have on the appointment of a new minister. If no-one is appointed by Wednesday, there will be fresh elections. Ms Sugden, who represents East Londonderry, last night said she was too distressed to talk about the accident, which happened just before 3pm on Saturday. A Belfast Trust spokesman said Mr Butcher, from Limavady, was in "a critical condition" yesterday in the intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The PSNI said the motorcyclist, who was initially taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, sustained "serious and life-changing" injuries. A woman aged in her 20s, who was driving the car, was also taken to hospital for treatment for shock. It is understood that Mr Butcher, who has children, suffered a broken leg during the incident, and was unconscious and unresponsive when medics attended the scene. Read More In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph before the crash, Ms Sugden said she hadn't been offered the job and was unsure of whether to accept it - but didn't rule out taking the Executive seat. "I am aware of all the speculation, but I honestly haven't given it too much serious consideration. There are so many factors to be considered," she said. "First and foremost is how it would affect my constituents. I did not stand for election thinking that I would become a minister. "I am a public servant, and I see my job as a politician. That and my constituents will influence any decision I make if I am offered the post. East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said his thoughts and prayers were with the families of Ms Sugden and Mr Butcher. "It is an exceptionally difficult time in ordinary circumstances when an accident of this nature occurs," said Mr Campbell. "All the family and friends have to endure extreme difficulties until they know their loved one is very much on the way to recovery. "But for Claire, in particular, given the week she had last week, this will be even more trying and challenging than normal." The DUP man added: "I want her to know that I, along with the entire local community, will be thinking about her family and praying for her brother-in-law's speedy recovery." Ms Sugden emerged as an unexpected contender for the politically sensitive Justice Minister's post at Stormont after the Alliance Party said it would not take on the position previously held by its leader David Ford. Last week, she had a meeting with First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness about the ministry, which she afterwards described as a "serious encounter". On her qualifications for the role, the woman who became an MLA in 2014 after being co-opted to replace political mentor David McClarty on his death, and was voted back in this month, said she had two degrees in politics, and would take a "very strategic approach" if given the post. Upon hearing the distressing news, Sinn Fein Limavady councillor Brenda Chivers said her thoughts and prayers were with Ms Sugden's family at this very difficult time. "Everyone in the local area was shocked to hear about Saturday's horrific crash and we are all hoping that Mr Butcher pulls through," she added. Detectives are asking for anyone with details about the accident to come forward. Constable Gregg Chambers said: "I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about this road traffic collision to contact Limavady Police Station on the non-emergency number 101." A jury has been sworn in to hear the trial of a man accused of murdering Kyle Neil in Co Down last year. A judge told the panel of six men and six women sitting at Downpatrick Crown court that the case is expected to last up to four weeks. On trial is Wesley Harry Vance (27), formerly of Church Gate Studios in Comber. He denies murdering Mr Neil (23) at a house at Mill Street, Comber, on April 12 last year. It is alleged Mr Neil sustained multiple knife wounds in the attack which was described by police at the time as frenzied. His remains were allegedly then placed in the boot of a Ford Fiesta car which was found abandoned in Windsor Road, south Belfast, in the early hours of April 12, 2015. Also in the dock was co-accused Stephanie Todd (26), from Russell Court in Belfast. She denies a charge of assisting offenders by allegedly driving the Fiesta car with Mr Neils body in the boot from Mill Street, Comber, to Windsor Road in Belfast. Todd also denies driving the car at the time with excess alcohol. Update Read More The court was told that a large quantity of witnesses, both civilian, police and expert would be called to give evidence at the trial. Addressing the jury, Mr Justice Colton said: At all times throughout this trial, these defendants are innocent. You will only decide the case when you have heard all the evidence. The trial judge also cautioned members of the jury against speaking to any family members or friends about the trial they are sitting on. Mr Justice Colton warned: It is also an important factor that you should not do any research on this case either on the internet or on Facebook. Just decide this case on what your hear, what you read and what you see. The jury were released for the day and told to return on Tuesday morning for the start of the trial. The top 10 cheapest places in the UK to be buried are all in Northern Ireland, according to a new survey. And the least expensive place in the UK to be cremated is Belfast's crematorium, where it costs just 364. The most expensive crematoriums are in the south of England, where the cost is now approaching 1,000. Northern Ireland is the cheapest place in the UK to be buried - Fermanagh & Omagh District Council's Cross Cemetery charges just 255. The most expensive is Battersea New Cemetery in the London Borough of Wandsworth, Surrey. It charges 4,561 - around 18 times more than the Enniskillen cemetery. New data from independent funeral booking website Funeralbooker suggested that four cemeteries in Mid Ulster are the second cheapest places in the UK to be buried. However, our own research found three in the area - Cottagequinn, Forthill, and Polepatrick - that charge 262 for non-residents and just 131 for locals. Coolhill and Drumcoo cemeteries in Mid Ulster charge the same - but no new graves are available for purchase. Three cemeteries in the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area are in joint third place, charging 326. They are Monkshill, Upper Dromore Road, and Kilbroney Road cemeteries. Making up the top 10 are Coleraine and Portrush cemeteries in the Causeway Coast and Glens district, both charging 345. And that is despite the cost of getting buried in Portrush or Coleraine actually going up by between five and 10% in the last year. That range of 5-10% represents the biggest annual increases here, and was shared by two nearby east Londonderry cemeteries in Kilrea and Portstewart. A 'Type A' full grave burial at Roselawn Cemetery costs 576 for Belfast residents - a 6 increase from last year. It cost a Belfast resident 540 for a burial in 2013-14, and 515 the year before. But it is now 1,813 for those outside the new council area - up from 1,795. Funeralbooker's data reveals that the cost of burials in Northern Ireland is largely stable. Most have recorded no price rises in the past year. Meanwhile, cremation costs a staggering 956 at the UK's most expensive crematoriums - Beckenham in Kent; Crawley and Chichester in West Sussex; Leatherhead in Surrey, and Nuneaton in Warwickshire. Independent MLA Claire Sugden tells Donna Deeney why she has no interest in teaming up with any of the big unionist parties - and of her determination to see politics break free of old issues like flags and parades. Q. Have you been offered the post of Justice Minister? A. No, but I did meet with the First and Deputy First Minister. I think it was an opportunity for them to explore options, but as yet they have not offered me the post, and I am not sure if I would accept it if they did. I am aware of all the speculation, but I honestly haven't given it too much serious consideration. There are so many factors to be considered. First and foremost is how it would affect my constituents. I did not stand for election thinking that I would become a minister. I am a public servant, and I see my job as a politician. That and my constituents will influence any decision I make if I am offered the post. Q. What are the circumstances in which you would accept the Justice position? A I don't have a wish list and I don't think I am in a position to have a wish list, but neither do the Alliance party for that matter, so I am watching them with interest. I think they should be the party that takes the post, but the reality is I'm as entitled to it as anyone, as is Steven Agnew, Gerry Carroll, Eamonn McCann or Jim Allister, because it is a position supported on a cross-community basis. Q. If you don't take that post, will you enter the official Opposition? A. I think what the Ulster Unionists and SDLP have done is a huge step forward and a move towards normalised politics in this country, which I am a big advocate of. However, I don't think it is legally possible for me to be part of an official Opposition. I think you need to have at least nine members for that to be possible, so that would also apply to the Alliance Party, the Greens, People Before Profit and Jim Allister. I will be in the unofficial opposition if I am not the Justice Minister. We will see what happens because anything is possible. Q. How does it feel knowing that 5,000 people in East Londonderry gave you a vote? A. We had thought as long as we get in - even if I was one of the last ones standing - that would be fab, but we actually did better than my predecessor in a smaller turnout. We reached the quota, which I was over the moon about. That means I won a mandate and am more than entitled to my seat. Q. You were co-opted to the Assembly by the late David McClarty two years ago. How important have the years since then been? A. I don't think I could have done it in less than two years. Certainly, David's passing was almost a thing where we didn't even get a chance to grieve in a sense. We moved into our house a week after David, so the two years have really flown in. I was conscious that people didn't know me. I had been very much behind the scenes. People knew David and the office was David's and that was fine, so I was keen that people got to know me and the only way to do that was to reach out and identify who my constituents were - whether that was through community groups or other means - and then go out and start meeting them. That led me to getting elected. It was always important to me that I didn't contain myself in Coleraine. I was keen, as an independent unionist, to get out to places such as Park and Feeny, and that is what I have done. Two years hasn't been enough. There are still a lot more groups that I need to connect with, but that is what the next five years are for. Q. Why did you decide to run as an independent, rather than with one of the established parties? A. David was elected as an independent in 2011, so when he gave me his seat it was always in my mind that I should maintain that independence because that is what people voted for. I also thought a lot over the two years after David died and, I must admit, there was no political party that I would have thought of joining. I think any of the successes I've had over the two years is because I had the freedom of independence. Generally, I can't subscribe to the way some of the parties have carried themselves. People may have assumed I was associated with the Ulster Unionist Party, but I don't see them as having made any impact in the past couple of years, so I decided I was going to fight the election as an independent. I got it, so it was the right decision. Politics is about people and I didn't see the political parties directing their politics in that way. Q. Some people say that at just 29 you are young for an MLA. Do you find your age to be a help or a hindrance? A. Neither really. I look at some of the older politicians and I see their energy. I think people take me at face value, but some might question what do I know of the world. I have had more criticism for not having a previous career and coming into politics with no experience in another field and always being involved in politics. I suppose that my response to that is, if I was a businesswoman coming into politics, that would mean I was bringing baggage. But I am coming in as a blank slate, and that enables me to be the best representative I can be because I am not prejudiced in any way. Q. Do you think you can achieve much as an independent when you may not hold a ministerial position? A. Every MLA, regardless of their party affiliations sits on a committee. I would be quite keen to sit on the new Committee of Communities because it will be focused on a lot of the work I do in my own constituency. Beyond that, as an independent I have created change within the Assembly in general. The hard work I have done over the past two years has allowed me to get elected. I am the first independent woman to get elected in Northern Ireland. There is more of an opportunity to make an impact because of the nature of politics in Northern Ireland. Political parties seem to be always up against one another, and because I am not a threat to the political parties, because I don't aspire to displace them, they don't see me as a threat. Therefore, I do think there is an open door there, so when I request meetings with ministers, I tend to get them. I think that this has enabled me to build stronger relationships. Politicians tend to take me as they find me, and generally that has been quite positive. I think because I'm limited in some way in being able to scrutinise governments - I can never really table a debate and speaking rights mean that sometimes they get timed out before they get to me - it means that I have been very focused on asking all my parliamentary questions. I was the only MLA in Northern Ireland in the last mandate who asked my full 25 questions a week, so I can say I am doing my job 100%. What other MLA can say that? Within the next five years I will be looking at Private Members' legislation as well so that I can get a piece of law onto the statute book, which I would consider to be one of my biggest achievements. Q. What are the issues you feel most passionate about? A. I see the opportunity in Northern Ireland - I think anyone who lives here sees the opportunity - but then you go through Stormont and it is almost as if they are in their own wee bubble and things are being hindered. My thoughts on why Northern Ireland is so far behind are that we just don't have enough capable politicians or at least we didn't in the last mandate. I am very much about raising that bar of politics. Politics is about people and delivering good public service. I think that every MLA - whether they sit in government or not - should strive to ensure better governance. I think Northern Ireland's problem was that until recently, because of the legacy of the Troubles, senior civil servants have ruled this country, and to an extent they still do. It should be that constituents tell their politicians what is good for them, then politicians tell the civil servants and they put it into place. Q. A number of other independent candidates - people not allied to the region's main political parties - have also been elected to the Assembly this year, why do you think people are turning away from the traditional parties and looking at new organisations and new political candidates? A. The past year, if anything, has made people turn away from politics. There was so much apathy on the doors when we went knocking. People were saying "what do you do? You do nothing", which was disappointing to hear but not surprising. People look at Stormont and see that some MLAs have abused their position, and that really turns them off. A generation has passed since the Good Friday Agreement, but how much has really changed in Northern Ireland? Thankfully, we don't have violence anymore, but we need to start moving forward and doing the job that the Assembly is supposed to do. It disheartens me that just half the people in this constituency eligible to vote actually voted, but what really disheartens me is the quality of politics. People feel they have no one to vote for. The turnout decreased in this constituency, which basically means people didn't think it is worth going out and voting for someone, and that's sad. Young people not voting disheartens me even more. For me, politics is not about the nonsense that has characterised this place for so long. It is about people and about better public services. Q. This year, the number of female MLAs increased by 50%. But out of a total of 108 elected representatives in the Assembly, only 30 are women. What prevents more women from entering the political arena? A. Generally, women don't see politics as a job for them - they perhaps see it as a men's world, a boys' club. In my experience over the past two years, have I encountered sexism? If I am honest, I haven't. Women need to see that they can be a politician as much as a man, and we need to start sending that message out. We need to create a new narrative about what politics is about - it isn't about flags and parades and peace walls and all those things. On a day-to-day level, politics is about helping people and trying to improve services for them. Q. Do you think that gender makes a difference? A. No. Never in my life have I seen my gender as being a hindrance to me. If others look at me and see me as weaker because I'm female, then that's their problem, not mine. The reality of this job is that it is all encompassing. It is not a 9am to 5pm job - it is 7am to 11pm and it is seven days a week and it does impact on your family life. Q We have talked about Claire Sugden the MLA, what about Claire Sugden the family woman? AI come from a relatively big family. My father is from Leeds, and he met my mum in Castlerock, where I have ended up living. He loved Northern Ireland, he loved my mum and they ended up getting married. There are five of us, and I am the youngest of four girls and a boy. We are a close-knit family. I moved in to this house with my fiance, Andy, and I saw the benefits of my family then. I'm very, very close to my parents, and they have been great. They are very proud of me and everything that I've achieved. Q. When you get the chance, how do you like to relax? A. I don't always get to relax, but I like to try and keep a Saturday to myself so I can get the house tidy and get the washing on, so that on a Sunday night we are good to go on the week ahead. I then might catch up on a bit of television. I find housework a little bit therapeutic - I like the thought of getting my seven loads of washing done, getting them out to dry. I have become my mother, I think! I live in a really beautiful part of the world, so it is nice to go a walk along the beach, which is five minutes from us. I also like to sit out with a cup of coffee or take a drive along the north coast. Q. What are your interests outside of politics? A. I enjoy art. It was either art or politics for me, and I suppose I didn't really see a career in art - I wasn't that good! I dabble a bit in fine art, painting, drawing and crafting. I suppose my other big project at the minute is my house. We live in a very old house and it is a work-in-progress. It is about getting time to get it to be a place we can call home, and it is starting to feel that way. Q. Where do you like to go for your holidays? A. I love America - it really is my home from home. I spent two summers in Washington DC as part of a cross-community programme that took 30 students from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over to the city to work as interns. I made a lot of good friends there. It is an incredible city - it's not too fast, not like New York, but it's not slow either, like California. I love the States. I do think that sometimes Northern Ireland does live in its own wee bubble - not the people, but Stormont. That became very apparent to me recently during the debate on equal marriage in the Assembly. I went to London a few days after that debate and just thought, 'You really don't know the world you live in sometimes because the world is so diverse'. I have consistently voted for equal marriage. I am of the opinion that we all have one life to live, and as long as we are not hurting anyone else, we shouldn't limit other people. Q. What is your most precious possession? A. Rather than a thing, there is a person, and genuinely my most precious possession is my fiance, Andy Anderson. Andy and I have been dating for more than 10 years, and we just got engaged on our 10th anniversary. He has been my rock - he gets me completely. I don't think there is anyone who knows me better than Andy, and he means the world to me. Q. If you could meet anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why, and what would you say to them? A. I can't think of any one person, but I really do like strong women, so I would be looking forward to Hillary Clinton getting elected. I think that is a huge step for women in general. If I met her, I think we would talk about her life and the struggles she has had in the world she moves in. I have such respect for Arlene Foster as well - she is another strong woman. I think she is a good politician. It is not because she is female - she is just a good politician who happens to be female, which goes to prove everything we have talked about. Being female doesn't hold you back. Maya Angelou (the American civil rights activist) was also a fantastic role model for women. I don't get too phased by celebrity. I'm really impressed by strong people and what they are doing and how they can impact, so for me, meeting my constituents is always a great thrill. When they come in and say nice things about how I have helped them, that is the best joy I get in life. A senior member of the so-called New INLA crime faction was in the Sunset House pub when a dissident republican was shot dead on the orders of the Kinahan cartel. Only days after the murder of Michael Barr last month, the north inner city criminal was officially notified by gardai of an active threat against his life amid mounting underworld speculation that he played some role in setting up Barr on the night he was shot dead. However, it is not known exactly who is targeting the New INLA figure, who is understood to be in hiding. Gardai believe that Co Tyrone man Barr, who was shot several times in the Sunset House in Dublin's north inner city on April 25, became a target because of his close association with the Regency Hotel gunman nicknamed 'Flat Cap'. They are both from the same county. Barr, who was linked to the New IRA, was blasted several times, including once in the head, in the Summerhill pub. The killing was the sixth fatal shooting linked to the continuing Hutch-Kinahan feud. Sources said last night that if the New INLA faction got dragged into the bitter gangland war it could have "disastrous consequences" that could lead to a further escalation in the bloodshed. "The New INLA are involved in extortion, criminal debt collection and drug-dealing, but they're also involved in legitimate businesses - they're making tens of thousands of euro each month," a source said. Investigations into the mob were stepped up after a viable bomb and a pistol were seized and a Polish man arrested when armed gardai pulled over and searched a vehicle near Mountrath, Co Laois, last February 25. That incident led to the M7 motorway being closed for several hours. Sources said the bust had led to "lives being saved". Expand Close A guard of honour flanks the coffin of Michael Barr at his funeral in Strabane / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A guard of honour flanks the coffin of Michael Barr at his funeral in Strabane Late last month, gardai seized a handgun and ammunition linked to the New INLA when they raided a property in Ballymun. No arrests have yet been made in relation to Barr's murder. He was due to be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for handling stolen electrical equipment. Barr had pleaded guilty to the offence at Finnstown House Hotel on July 18, 2014. A bomb was found in a car there two months earlier. Republican supporters described Barr as an "ex-republican POW". He had lived in Poppintree and in Finglas before moving to the north inner city when he took over the Sunset House in the past year. Fifteen men, including three Dubliners, were arrested by the PSNI at Barr's funeral earlier this month. Five-hundred people turned out for the mass at St Mary's Church in the Melmount area of Strabane, Co Tyrone. Around a dozen men dressed in paramilitary-style uniforms accompanied the cortege towards the church. Black flags were placed on lamp posts along part of the route, while a black beret and gloves were placed on top of the coffin, which was draped in a tricolour. Herald Police in the Republic have stepped up their monitoring of suspected members of the New IRA as a result of intelligence fears it is preparing for a campaign of violence in Britain. The New IRA has been responsible for a renewed spate of terror activity in Northern Ireland in recent months. Security agencies now say they have unspecified intelligence indicating that the terrorists are planning to strike in Britain shortly. Senior Garda anti-terrorist officers are now working closely with their counterparts in the PSNI and other police forces in Britain, as a result of the warning. Officers say they have no information to back reports circulating in Northern Ireland that the group have gained possession of a large haul of Semtex explosive, which had previously been under the control of the Provisional IRA. But as a result of the intelligence MI5 raised the threat level to Britain from Northern Ireland-related terrorism from moderate to substantial. This means a terrorist attack is regarded as a strong possibility. The threat level within Northern Ireland remains at severe, suggesting an attack is highly likely. In March the New IRA claimed responsibility for planting a bomb under the car of prison officer Adrian Ismay in east Belfast. Mr Ismay died two weeks later from his injuries. The New IRA is a relatively new dissident grouping, consisting of members of the Real IRA, the Derry-based Republican Action Against Drugs group and former members of the Provisional IRAs east Tyrone brigade. Earlier this year Assistant Garda Commissioner John OMahony said recent seizures were evidence of the increasing sophistication of dissident engineers. During 2015 Garda arrested 31 people in connection with enquiries into dissident activity and 22 were charged with terrorist-related offences before the Special Criminal Court. Mr OMahony said that Garda interventions and arrests had, without doubt, saved lives. Lorna Moore is originally from Omagh in Co Tyrone, but moved to Walsall A trainee teacher from Omagh, who wanted bring up her children under Isis in Syria, has been jailed for two and a half years. Muslim convert Lorna Moore, 34, was planning to take her three young children to the war zone - including an 11-month-old baby. Around the same time, a number of pregnant women from the same community were poised to give birth in the Caliphate. The mother-of-three is originally from Omagh in Co Tyrone, but moved to Walsall in the West Midlands. She failed to tell authorities her husband Sajid Aslam, 34, was about to leave for Syria. Ayman Shaukat, 28, was also convicted of preparing terrorist acts by helping Aslam and Muslim convert Alex Nash, 22, on their way. Nash's wife Kerry Thomason, 24, was pregnant when she was stopped from flying out with her two children to join her husband in Syria. Expand Close Alex Nash / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alex Nash Sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Charles Wide described Moore as a "very strong character" and said she "knew perfectly well of your husband's dedication to terrorism". "One of the troubling things about you is your facility for telling lies," he added. He said Moore had told "lie after lie" to the jury during her trial and that some of her evidence was "nonsense". Expand Close Kerry Thomason / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kerry Thomason She was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment. Shaukat was jailed for a total of 10 years with a five-year extended licence while Nash was jailed for five years with a one-year additional licence. Judge Wide said Shaukat was "committed" and Nash "dedicated" to terrorism. Expand Close Ayman Shaukat / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ayman Shaukat He described Thomason as "naive" and said her husband made "ugly threats" against her in trying to persuade her to join him. She was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years with a supervision order and six-month tagged curfew between 6pm and 6am. At the time of Aslam's departure in August 2014, Moore had taken the rest of the family on a Butlin's holiday in Skegness. The day after dropping him off at the airport, Shaukat sent a photograph of himself on his mobile phone posing with the IS flag. As Aslam crossed into Syria, he sent a triumphant coded message back to Shaukat in the form of a video link to a song called I Made It by Cash Money Heroes. Within months, Moore had booked flights to Palma, Majorca, but her final destination was given away in a text from Nash's pregnant wife in Turkey saying "see you there". Moore insisted she would "never" put her children's lives in danger, adding: "They mean the world to me." She claimed her relationship with Aslam ended after he became abusive and they only lived together for the sake of the children who are now aged three, nine and 10. She told jurors that when she turned to a Muslim cleric for a divorce, he told her that a "white Muslim is not a special Muslim" and she must take her husband back. Shaukat, of Pargeter Street, Walsall, denied helping his friends join IS by dropping Aslam and Nash off at airports. The convicted burglar and law degree graduate was nicknamed Karma Chameleon because he presented different versions of himself to jurors and his home in the Caldmore area in Walsall is known locally as Karma. He described IS as "evil" and said he told MI5 he would "assist in any way I could" after agents contacted him as treasurer of the community group Islam Walsall. Other members of the West Midlands group allegedly set off for Syria between July and December 2014. The first to join IS was Muslim convert Jake Petty, 25, also known as Abu Yaqoob Britany. His Christian minister mother Sue Boyce wept as she told jurors how she begged him not to go and later had to identify his body from video footage on social media after he was killed in December 2014. Petty was swiftly followed by former schoolmate Isaiah Siadatan, 24, whose pregnant wife Thomason was prevented from joining him. He had sent her an email in December 2014 insisting that she should bring their children to him in IS. Siadatan is believed to have been killed in the summer of 2015, although his death is unconfirmed. Thomason previously pleaded guilty to assisting her husband in preparation of his terrorist acts. Nash and his pregnant wife Yousma Jan, 20, were arrested by Turkish authorities and sent back to the UK. He took sole responsibility for the plan and admitted preparing acts of terrorism, while a charge against Jan was discontinued. A British-manufactured cluster bomb has been found in a Yemeni village, all but confirming the banned weapons are being used by Saudi-led coalition forces in the Yemeni civil war. The BL-755 cluster bomb is designed to be dropped by UK-manufactured Tornado jets used by the Saudi Arabian Air Force, though the highly controversial weapons were banned in conflict decades ago. Amnesty International discovered the unexploded munition during an inspection of a village in northern Yemen. The weapon, originally manufactured in the 1970s by a Bedfordshire company called Hunting Engineering, contains 147 bomblets which scatter across a wide area, but often do not detonate until they are disturbed at later date, often by unsuspecting civilians picking them up. One man, who herds goats in a village in Hajjah governorate approximately six miles from the Saudi Arabia border, told Amnesty: In the area next to us, there are bombs hanging off the trees. Amnesty International says the UK government must do more to trace the whereabouts of these weapons sold in the past, and to destroy existing stockpiles. Cluster munitions are banned in more than 100 countries. Since the 1980s and 1990s the UK is thought to have sold large numbers of cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia and the UAE (which is also part of the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition), and the weapon is known to be in the ordnance stockpiles of both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Saudi Arabia has purchased scores of UK Tornado jets, through contracts which provide for British personnel to work in pilot training and service roles connected to the planes. Amnesty Internationals head of UK Arms Controls said it would be an absolute scandal if British personnel had been in any connected to the incident. Read more Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A Yemeni worker looks at the damage at the Noor Centre for the Blind after it was reportedly destroyed by Saudi-led air strikes in the capital Sanaa on January 5, 2016. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Yemeni blind men hold a banner during a demonstration gathering disabled people to protest after a center for the blind was reportedly destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes in the capital Sanaa on January 6, 2016. Nearly 6,000 people have been killed since March, according to UN figures. At least 2,795 of them are civilians. AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED HUWAISMOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Yemeni blind men shout slogans during a demonstration gathering disabled people to protest after a center for the blind was reportedly destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes in the capital Sanaa on January 6, 2016. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Yemeni blind and disabled people shout slogans during a demonstration to protest after a centre for the blind was reportedly destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes in the capital Sanaa on January 6, 2016. Nearly 6,000 people have been killed since March, according to UN figures. At least 2,795 of them are civilians. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Medics transport an injured Yemeni man on a gurney as he arrives at a hospital in Sanaa after being injured when two suicide bombers hit a mosque in the Yemeni capital. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Smoke billows from the military college in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, during a Saudi-led coalition air strike on September 2, 2015. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Smoke rises after an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition at an army base in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed) AP A Saudi-led air strike in Yemen. (AP) Saudi soldiers stand on top of armoured vehicles, on the border with Yemen at a military point in Najran. (AP) Saudi soldiers prepare to fire artillery towards the border with Yemen in Najran, Saudi Arabia. (AP) Yemeni members of the southern separatist movement, loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, stand next to a tank on April 15, 2015 in Aden's northern suburbs. Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit rebel targets in the Yemen's main southern city after overnight attacks by anti-government forces killed seven people, military sources and medics said. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A supporter of the Shiite Huthi militia attends a demonstration in Yemen's second larget city of Taez on April 3, 2015, to protest against the Saudi-led coalitions Operation Decisive Storm against the rebels in Yemen. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A Yemeni man stands near his house destroyed by Saudi airstrikes near Sanaa Airport, Yemen (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Yemeni worker looks at the damage at the Noor Centre for the Blind after it was reportedly destroyed by Saudi-led air strikes in the capital Sanaa on January 5, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Read More Cluster bombs are one of the nastiest weapons in the history of warfare, rightly banned by more than 100 countries, so its truly shocking that a British cluster munition has been dropped on a civilian area in Yemen, he said. "Given that this type of cluster bomb is very likely to have been used in combination with Tornado war planes which the UK has also sold to Saudi Arabia, theres even a possibility that British support personnel might have been involved in the cluster bombing of Yemen. This would be an absolute scandal if confirmed. Expand Close A Yemeni firefighter extinguishes smoke rising from buildings destroyed in an air-strike by the Saudi-led coalition on February 10, 2016 in the capital Sanaa. / AFP / MOHAMMED HUWAISMOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Yemeni firefighter extinguishes smoke rising from buildings destroyed in an air-strike by the Saudi-led coalition on February 10, 2016 in the capital Sanaa. / AFP / MOHAMMED HUWAISMOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images Yemeni civilians told Amnesty International that they have had to resort to removing bomblets themselves, fearing that children will pick them up or their livestock killed. Hindi Ibrahim, a 25-year-old father of two from Dugheij Village, Hayran, Hajjah governorate, said his his arm was injured by an explosion when he and other villagers attempted to clear hundreds of bomblets from their village: The original airstrike happened late last July or August during the day and [some of] the bomblets exploded. There were also Apaches [helicopters] that shot at people as they ran away. There were 500 pieces in the village everywhere we wanted to remove them. Some were inside the house in the courtyard and kitchen [the de-mining organisation] kept on promising they would come but they never came. "They told us they were busy in other areas. By February, we were forced to clean them ourselves because of the children. At the time I went into the house and put ten [submunitions] on a tray and carried them out of the house. The bombs started hitting against each other and one went off. I dropped the tray and the rest went off. Expand Close An employee inspects a building destroyed by Saudi-led air strikes in Sanaa, Yemen (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An employee inspects a building destroyed by Saudi-led air strikes in Sanaa, Yemen (AP) Read more Read More A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: The UK is not a member of the Saudi-led Coalition. British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making process. Expand Close Yemen is mired in conflict / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Yemen is mired in conflict The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with this export licensing criteria. Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn said: "This report is shocking and it is further clear evidence pointing to the use of cluster bombs by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. "The UK helped to lead the adoption of the international ban on cluster munitions and the Government should now launch an immediate investigation to find out what has happened." Independent The IMF is calling on European creditor nations to commit to 'upfront unconditional' debt relief for Greece The International Monetary Fund is calling on European creditor nations to commit to "upfront unconditional" debt relief for Greece as part of an international rescue programme for the debt-laden nation. The IMF is involved in talks on making Greece's debt sustainable to approve the country's latest reforms and make new loans available. The Washington-based lender says that debt relief is "critical" to show markets that Greece's creditors are committed to helping it navigate the crisis. The statement comes a day ahead of a meeting among Europe's top officials in Brussels to discuss the issue. Eurozone countries have previously avoided discussing debt reduction until a review is completed into how Greece has implemented austerity measures needed to receive an 86 billion euro (67bn) rescue package. Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi went on TV to announce the military operation Iraq's Prime Minister has hailed "big successes" by troops, hours after launching a military operation to recapture the Islamic State-held city of Fallujah. Wearing the black uniform of Iraq's counter-terrorism forces, Haider al-Abadi said the offensive achieved "more than was planned for" as he met with commanders at Fallujah Operation Command on Monday. Iraqi forces have pushed Islamic State militants out of some agricultural areas outside the city. Ground fighting has been taking place around the town of Garma, east of Fallujah, which is considered the main supply line for Islamic State. The extremists hold the centre of Garma and some areas on its outskirts. Iraqi troops have recaptured at least three agricultural areas outside Garma. Mr al-Abadi said the offensive was planned to start more than two months ago, but was delayed due to political infighting and the deteriorating security situation inside Baghdad. He announced the beginning of military operations in a televised speech late on Sunday night. He vowed to "tear up the black banners of strangers who usurped this city" and hoist the Iraqi flag. Backed by US-led coalition air strikes and paramilitary troops, Iraqi government forces launched the long-awaited military offensive on Fallujah late on Sunday night. The city, located about 40 miles west of Baghdad, has been under the militants' control since January 2014. In the early days of the Sunni-led insurgency that followed the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, Fallujah emerged as the main stronghold for different militant groups opposed to American forces. The main group was al Qaida in Iraq, which later spawned Islamic State. Fallujah was the site of two bloody battles against US forces in 2004. The offensive comes a week after Iraqi forces pushed IS out of the western town of Rutba, located 240 miles west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar province. Last month, Iraqi forces cleared territory along Anbar's Euphrates river valley after the provincial capital Ramadi was declared fully liberated earlier this year. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said in a statement that around 80 families are reported to have fled Fallujah over the past few days. UNHCR said it has emergency stocks in Baghdad of 10,000 tents and 10,000 core relief items - such as sanitary kits and food and water supplies - that can assist families. IS extremists still control significant areas in northern and western Iraq, including the country's second-largest city of Mosul. The group declared an Islamic caliphate on the territory it holds in Iraq and Syria and at the height of its power was estimated to hold nearly a third of Iraqi territory. Mr al-Abadi said the group's hold has since shrunk to 14% of Iraq. Apparently the Sinn Fein experiment with equal pay has hit the human-nature buffers. You might remember that its elected representatives have boasted early and often that they take home only the average industrial wage, which is estimated at 26,000 a year. And they are not allowed to keep any profit they make on expenses. Perish the thought that this is to save the State money. That's not what its does, for on planet Sinn Fein both the United Kingdom and the Republic deserve no loyalty and money is manna that should be freely available to all and is in short supply only because evil governments in Dublin and London withhold it out of sheer spite. Because Sinn Fein public representatives are so badly paid, they don't have much contact with the taxman, so there's little to remind them of reality. They take everything they can get - whichever State pays them - and pass the decreed surplus on to the party, which, apparently, has used it to boost the income of support staff to the same level as the representatives they work for. To remind you how cavalier it is with public money, I refer you to the 2012 story of Aengus O Snodaigh TD, who over two years took 434 free print cartridges (cost estimated at 50,600) from Dail supplies, and claimed it was because he was a conscientious communicator with his constituents about legislative changes and protests. To call Sinn Fein's arrangements lacking in transparency is a serious understatement, but apparently support staff in Northern Ireland were paid from MLAs' office costs allowances, but now salaries will come directly from the Assembly. And the beastly Stormont Independent Review Panel has concluded that some support staff are overpaid, and has introduced three pay grades (16,000, 19,750 and 22,750). Sinn Fein is used to being rich, but benefactor Thomas 'Slab' Murphy is in jail, and many of its more unorthodox ways of raising money have anyway been drying up, so it's using the panel's determination to blame the Brits for having to impose pay cuts. But, North and South, the party has been under increasing pressure about the imposed financial equality. A renegade - now retired - Sinn Fein TD, Sandra McLellan, complained during the last Dail that she couldn't even afford make-up and hairdos, which was tough since Sinn Fein's women are required to be smartly turned out at all times. A low income hasn't been a worry for Martin McGuinness, whose tastes seem genuinely frugal, whose children are grown up, and who is ferried to and from his modest home by a driver paid by the State. It would have been more of a problem for Gerry Adams, who has at least two houses and expensive hair to support, but he has the advantage of income from his books and kind friends in America who satisfy his more expensive medical and dental needs. Some are, indeed, more equal that others: it is widely believed that certain favoured representatives have many incidental expenses covered. It's reminiscent of the period in China when to demonstrate proletarian unity all public figures wore Mao suits, but, allegedly, the more senior you were, the better the cloth. The leadership are not stupid, and some grasp that Sinn Fein supporters who could make a successful career outside politics are deterred by poor pay from standing for election or joining the staff. Unless they have rich spouses, they're hard put to give their families a decent standard of living. Indeed, in the South, as their take-home pay is so much lower than their actual salary, apparently they're disadvantaged when it comes to income-related education grants. And many of them are fed up that junior support staff are overpaid for the work they do. The result, as anyone sensible could have foretold, is that the party is represented and served by many untalented people. Kevin O'Connell, the Sinn Fein political director in the Republic, has gone so far as to say the "one size fits all" policy is not working. In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein will be implementing pay cuts for some staff, and enquiries are being made to trade union officials and grumbles at "huge ideological change". Welcome to the real world, guys. Regarding the letter headlined 'Terrorism not parades are real cause of division' (Write Back, May 13), I'm afraid the letter writer is wrong: terrorism and parades are both the result of division. To say Northern Ireland is a divided community is to state the obvious. The question is: why? And why does it continue to be divided? For that, I blame the schooling system. Like everywhere else, children in Northern Ireland are born naked and innocent. That is where the similarity ends. There is a greater than 60% chance they are born into a polarised community, where the only people they interact with are the same religion as their parents. At that point, they go to a primary school, where almost all the pupils are the same religion as themselves. Should they go to high school, it will also be the same religion as the parents. In other words, they will be taught to be either a Protestant (unionist), or a Catholic (nationalist) and, by the time they reach 18, they will be so indoctrinated into their tribal culture they will spend the rest of their life festering in it. Only the strong ever escape it. The letter writer in this case was probably taught to be a unionist and cannot see the other side of the discussion. Of course, the obvious answer is to educate everyone together. Spend 10, or more, years side-by-side with someone and you will at least understand what makes them tick. However, there does not appear to be any political will to educate everyone together, as the decision-makers themselves have already been indoctrinated by the same system. Politicians recognise it is easier to get elected by playing the sectarian card. How sad. LIVE AND LET LIVE Toronto, Canada The UK public is going to the polls to decide our European future next month Next month's European referendum - called by a UK Government split on the issue and a Prime Minister proclaiming a timid renegotiation - politically has strong echoes of 1975. In June 1975 the UK voted to maintain membership of the European Economic Community, the precursor of today's European Union. It was a campaign that produced bitter splits and unlikely alliances across the UK. Nowhere was this unease more striking than in Northern Ireland. Unionist euroscepticism and nationalist euro-enthusiasm are now well-established trends in our political class. However, there were no clear orange or green positions on European integration in the Seventies and many of the tensions then evident within both traditions remain today. The UK and the Republic of Ireland joined the EEC in January 1973. Faced with a startling relative economic decline compared to EEC member states, a British cross-party consensus on membership had formed in the 1960s - only for General de Gaulle to veto British applications. It was third time lucky when the British and Irish were finally jointly accepted. Irish entry was ratified by referendum in 1972 - an overwhelming 83% of the Republic's electorate voted Yes to membership. In the UK, however, Harold Wilson's Labour was re-elected in 1974 with the party now hopelessly split on Europe. Wilson, setting an example for David Cameron, promised to renegotiate a better deal for the UK and then settle the matter by referendum. In a break from convention, four senior Left-wing Cabinet ministers - Barbara Castle, Michael Foot, Tony Benn, and Peter Shore - campaigned against the Prime Minister's deal. Alongside Benn, the most prominent anti-EEC campaigner was Right-winger Enoch Powell. Elected the previous year as Ulster Unionist MP for South Down, Powell had urged voters to elect a Labour Government in order to secure the referendum. In 1975 the overwhelming majority of Conservative MPs supported Yes. All of the major British newspapers, business groups and farmers' unions were also firmly pro-EEC. The trades unions across Britain and Ireland were divided on the issue. Overall, the Yes campaign had significantly more money and resources than its rival. In contrast with 2016, the anti-EEC campaign was bolstered by support from the Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties. Outside of the political mainstream, the Communist Party and the fascist National Front opposed EEC membership. The politics of the 1975 vote were just as complex in Northern Ireland. More than five years into the Troubles and with voters weary from seven elections in two years, the EEC was understandably a secondary concern for local voters. However, the campaign offered a fresh perspective for vital topics to be discussed - not least the crisis in Ulster's traditional industries. Successive unionist Prime Ministers, from Brookeborough to Faulkner, had advocated the Common Market. However, the turmoil of the Troubles created a new leadership of unionism which now viewed the EEC as a challenge to the constitutional position of Northern Ireland. Influenced by Powell, the UUP confirmed its opposition to the EEC, but the party made little substantive contribution to the campaign. This, in part, reflected grassroots divisions - many key components of unionist opinion maintaining support for the EEC. It is tempting to draw parallels between the UUP in 1975 and today's DUP. Divisive issues such as Europe are problematic for the leading "broad-church" unionist party. It is unsurprising the DUP, while maintaining its opposition to the EU, has become less strident and now acknowledges that "members and voters will hold a range of differing personal views as to what is in the best interests of the United Kingdom". Such niceties were absent from the DUP's stance in 1975. Ian Paisley had been cautious about the EEC in the early Seventies, but by the referendum he was certain. Alongside widely shared concerns about the EEC's impact on British sovereignty, the border and the viability of small farms, Paisley saw the EEC as "a Roman Catholic super-state". To Paisley "staying in the Common Market should be totally repugnant to freedom-loving Protestants". In stark contrast, Bill Craig and other leading figures in Ulster Vanguard were enthusiastically pro-EEC - seeing Northern Ireland's future as belonging in "a Europe of the regions". The political voices of the loyalist paramilitaries were largely hostile to the EEC. The picture on the nationalist side of the fence was equally confusing. Under the influence of John Hume, SDLP policy had become pro-European. Hume, fuelling unionist unease, suggested the EEC would dilute partition and provide an economic boost to border areas. However, figures like Paddy Devlin and Gerry Fitt remained lukewarm at best about membership. All wings of armed republicanism opposed the EEC. Both Provisional and Official wings of Sinn Fein campaigned against Irish entry in 1972 and continued this stance in 1975. The core republican argument was that the EEC transgressed Irish sovereignty. The Officials further asserted a Left-wing opposition to the EEC as "a rich man's club"; an argument echoed by the Provisionals, who added concerns that the "Common Market Empire" would destroy Irish culture and language, increase emigration and threaten Irish ownership of the land. In the middle-ground of local politics, Alliance was solidly pro-EEC. Individuals from the Northern Ireland Labour Party also played leading roles in the Yes campaign. The common concerns of many unionists and republicans in 1975 are striking. At the height of the Troubles, with the constitutional future of the North apparently up for grabs, many feared that European integration threatened both their preferred independent nation-states - a united Ireland or a maintained UK. Local Yes and No campaigns had difficulties selling a coherent message to such a divided society. The local Yes campaign had more success, clearly linking the EEC's goal of advancing peace in Europe with hopes for "peace and prosperity" locally. Yes also astutely highlighted support from business, the Ulster Farmers Union and sport stars such as Willie John McBride and Mary Peters. Pundits expected Northern Ireland to vote No. In a reversal of today's political landscape, Scotland was also more eurosceptic than England and it was suspected that the "Celtic fringe" of the UK might reject the EEC. When the overall UK result was announced, the Yes campaign had secured an impressive 67% - a two-thirds majority in favour of the EEC. Northern Ireland surprised itself by narrowly voting Yes, by 52% to 48%. Shetland and the Western Isles were the only districts of the UK to Vote No. Turnout in Northern Ireland of only 48% suggested the public hadn't been especially enthused by the referendum. Nonetheless, the narrow Yes vote against expectations suggests that a slim majority of voters placed some hope in the EEC - at a time when optimism was in short supply. The European debate has often been another battleground for domestic political divisions, with unionists and nationalists imposing their fears and aspirations onto the European project. However, the debate has also offered local society the opportunity to ask bigger questions about Northern Ireland's place in a quickly changing world. Many voters in 2016 - as in 1975 - may look beyond local politicians and traditional loyalties for guidance on referendum day. Dr James Greer is visiting research fellow at the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queen's University, Belfast Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti lays a wreath on the coffin of one of three policemen killed in attacks by suspected separatists in Srinagar, May 23, 2016. Security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir were searching Monday for four suspected insurgents accused of killing three policemen in separate attacks earlier in the day in Srinagar, ending three years of relative peace in the city. The banned separatist faction Hizbul Mujahideen claimed the twin attacks. They came barely two days after the Indian Army gunned down five suspected operatives of the Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) in Kupwara, a northern district in Jammu and Kashmir state. However, late on Monday it remained unclear if Saturdays encounter, which also left an army trooper dead and two soldiers injured in a seven-hour gun battle, was related to the latest assault on police personnel in Srinagar. The first attack on Monday occurred at about 10:30 a.m., when two pistol-wielding assailants on a motorcycle shot dead two unarmed policemen who were directing traffic in Srinagars downtown Zadibal area, police said. Assistant Sub-Inspector Ghulam Mohammad and Head Constable Bashir Ahmed died on the spot. About three hours later, two other suspects shot dead another police constable, Mohammad Sadiq, in Tengpora, about 15 km (9.3 miles) from the site of the first attack, before making off with his rifle, police said. All three slain policemen were residents of Kupwara district, where a string of recent killings of alleged militants by security forces has resulted in a wave of anti-India protests. Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a Himalayan region claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, has been in the midst of separatist insurgency that has claimed over 70,000 lives since the late 1980s. High alert The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said a high alert had been sounded across the state following Mondays back-to-back attacks in Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K which had been relatively peaceful since June 2013, when suspected separatists gunned down two policemen in the citys Hari Singh High Street. Police personnel have been deployed in strength and a high alert [has been] sounded. We are hopeful that the attackers will be nabbed soon, Ashish Kumar Jha, spokesman for the CRPF, told BenarNews. While claiming responsibility for the twin attacks, Kashmir-based separatist group Hizbul Mujahideen said its cadre will continue to attack Indian security personnel, according to local news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS). We have directed field operational commanders to carry on such attacks on [Indian] forces, Burhan-ud-din Wani, the groups spokesman, said in a telephonic interview to the agency. Desperate act The states top police official described Mondays attacks as following the elimination of many leaders of militant groups by security forces in the region. It is a desperate act, attacking unarmed policemen. It is basically a desperate act to show their presence, K. Rajindra Kumar, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir police, told reporters. Of late, you have been seeing that security forces are getting success in neutralizing [militant] leadership. Newly infiltrated groups have also been wiped off, he said, adding that the Hizbul Mujahideen claim of owning responsibility for the attack was under investigation. Challenging the army claim that the five men gunned down in Kupwara district Saturday were JeM militants, hundreds of residents attended the funerals of the slain men on Sunday amid deafening anti-India slogans. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Monday said it would recommend an investigation into Saturdays army operation. In the wake of contradictory reports about the militant killings, [we] will request the Chief Justice to take suo motu cognizance of the incident and order a high level investigation by a reputed agency to establish under which circumstances the army killed the suspected militants, who identities were not made public, it said in a statement. Six soldiers killed in northeast India Meanwhile, in a separate attack on Indian armed forces in another part of the country over the weekend, suspected insurgents opened fire on an army convoy in the northeastern state of Manipur on Sunday, killing six soldiers. The soldiers, who belonged to the Assam Rifles unit, were ambushed while returning from assessing a landslide area in south Manipurs Chandel district, situated close to the Myanmar border. Combing operations are still on to neutralize the insurgents. There has been no exchange of fire [between the army and insurgents] yet, Wing Commander S.S. Birdi, spokesman for the armys Eastern Command, told BenarNews. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, army sources said the ambush was laid by CorCom, an umbrella body of insurgent groups comprising the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK). Sources said there were at least 21 insurgent groups in seven northeastern Indian states Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland actively fighting for separate statehood and regional autonomy. Sundays attack came a year after a similar ambush on an army convoy killed 17 soldiers of the 6th Dogra Regiment in the same district. Last years attack, which was jointly claimed by the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), prompted Indian security forces to cross into Myanmar and kill 20 suspected militants allegedly responsible for the assault. Army spokesman Birdi said the massive search operation that was ongoing was intended to prevent the attackers from crossing into Myanmar. Su Su Nw, 24, a Rohingya from Myanmars Rakhine state, is photographed at the Taung Pyo temporary refugee camp, near the Bangladesh border, June 7, 2015. Stateless Rohingya Muslims who have been trapped for years in refugee camps in Bangladesh are looking to Myanmars new de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to help them return to Rakhine state as citizens. But during a Sunday press conference alongside U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Nobel laureate and longtime leader of Myanmars pro-democracy movement declined to utter the word Rohingya, saying that the National League for Democracy (NLD) party -led government needed to be given room to solve the issue. The word Rohingya was an incendiary term for Buddhists living in western Rakhine state, Suu Kyi told reporters in Naypyitaw. [W]eve got to be very firm about not using emotive terms because emotive terms make it difficult for us to find a peaceful and sensible resolution of our problems, she said in response to a question from a correspondent for Radio Free Asia (RFA), a sister entity of BenarNews. All we are asking is that people should be aware of the difficulties that we are facing and to give us enough space to sort out our problems. If there is an insistence on the part of the Rakhine Buddhists or on the part of the Muslims to insist on particular terms, knowing full well that these will create more animosity, this does not help to our finding a resolution to the problem at all, Suu Kyi said, according to a transcript released by the State Department. Myanmars new government was determined to find a practical resolution to strife between Rakhines Buddhist and Muslim communities and that [w]e are not in any way undermining peoples desire to establish their own identity, she said. We were born in Burma Suu Kyis comments came two days after some 100 Rohingyas staged a demonstration at the Nayapara refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, a district near the Myanmar and Rakhine state border in southeastern Bangladesh, during which they appealed to her to help them return to their traditional homeland in Rakhine state and grant them citizenship, RFA reported. For decades, Rohingyas who are not recognized as Myanmar citizens but are referred to as Bengalis by members of its Buddhist majority, have been fleeing across the border from religious strife and alleged persecution in Rakhine. The demonstrators demanded that they be repatriated and recognized by their preferred identity, as ethnic Rohingyas. We were born in Burma, but left for Bangladesh because of persecution in Burma. We are not happy in the camps. So, we would like to request Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to do something for us, Shah Alam, the headmaster of a school at the Nayapara camp, told RFA. Alam also rejected claims made by people in Myanmar that Rohingyas were in fact from Bangladesh, saying his people had been living in Rakhine state for centuries. So we have the right to live in Burma as Rohingyas, the schoolmaster added. According to media reports, Suu Kyi earlier had asked the U.S. ambassador to Myanmar not to use the term Rohingya. Some Buddhist groups had protested the American use of the word. Kerry touched on this point during Sundays news conference. The name issue is obviously very sensitive, and shes [Suu Kyi] just spoken to sensitivity. Its divisive, and I know that it arouses strong passions here. At the same time, we all understand, as a matter of fact, that there is a group here in Myanmar that calls itself Rohingya. We understand that. And we use that term ourselves sometimes, Kerry said, noting that he and Suu Kyi, Myanmars foreign minister, had discussed the Rohingya issue earlier in the day. According to Anup Kumar Chakma, who served as Bangladeshs ambassador to Myanmar between 2009 and 2014, the repatriation of Rohingyas living in Bangladesh is possible under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi, but as long as they show flexibility in how they want to be identified. Myanmar has strong reservations about the use of the term Rohingya. A majority of the people in Myanmar see them as illegal settlers from Bengal or Chittagong. In case they drop the word Rohingya, I think they can get citizenship, Chakma told BenarNews. Bangladesh to count Rohingyas An estimated 300,000 Rohingyas are believed to be living on the Bangladeshi side of the border but, starting June 2, the government will launch its first ever census of the countrys unregistered Rohingya population, officials said. Around 4,200 enumerators will undertake a count of unregistered Rohingya households in Coxs Bazar and collect data for the census, said an official with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). The report will be finalized by November this year, Project director Alamgir Hossain told BenarNews. Iraqi pro-government forces advance toward the city of Fallujah as part of an offensive to retake the city from the Islamic State group, May 23, 2016. The recent arrest of the relative of a Malaysian man allegedly fighting for Islamic State (IS) in Syria underscores how the extremist group is aggressively recruiting family members for its cause, counter-terrorism experts told BenarNews. The man in custody, who was among 14 suspected IS supporters caught by Malaysia last week, is related to Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, an IS fighter from the country who threatened to kill Prime Minister Najib Razak and the chief of Malaysian police, officials said Saturday when they announced the arrests. Authorities have to pay attention to the relatives of these IS militants, so that they do not become silent agents spreading IS ideology in this country, P. Sundramoorthy, a professor of criminology at Universiti Sains Malaysia, told BenarNews. According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim, the relative, whose name was not released, had wired money to IS from his bank account in Malaysia. On Sunday police confirmed they had frozen the account, but declined to give more details or say how much money had been sent to IS. A multigenerational campaign The 14 were arrested in police raids mounted from May 17 to 20 in six states Johor, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Perlis and Kuala Lumpur bringing the number of IS suspects arrested by Malaysian police to 193 since 2013, according to statistics from Royal Malaysia Police. By the end of last year, about 1,000 Southeast Asians had joined IS in Iraq or Syria, according to the U.S. State Department. Seven of the suspects who were picked up last week had worked at a private company. Two had their own businesses and the others included a mechanic, an aircraft technician, a former karaoke lounge hostess, a lab assistant and a laborer, Rashid said in a statement. Eight of the suspects were responsible for channelling funds to IS in Syria and the Abu Sayyaf Group in southern Philippines. They were detained in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak, Perlis and Johor, he said. The suspects range from 22 to 49 years in age, officials said. In March, 15 suspected Malaysian supporters of IS were arrested at home and were believed to have been receiving instructions from Wanndy to raise money for the IS effort in the Middle East, police said at the time. In February 2015, Wanndy and fellow Malaysian Mohd Faris Anuar made headlines back home when they reportedly took part in the videotaped beheading of a Syrian prisoner, which was posted online. In November, Faris was killed while allegedly fighting alongside IS forces in Anbar province, Iraq. The effort by IS to recruit relatives and friends of its fighters is part of a strategy by the group to entice entire families to join its cause of defending its self-proclaimed caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria that it controls, said Rohan Gunaratna, who heads the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. IS wants males to come with their women and children into a war-zone. Single fighters coming are not sufficient to create a multigenerational campaign, Gunaratna told BenarNews. Last week, Zainuri Kamaruddin, a former leader of Kumpulan Mujahiddin Malaysia (KMM), appeared in a recycled video that showed Southeast Asian children being drilled on extremist ideology, trained to use weapons, and incited into burning what appeared to be Indonesian and Malaysian passports. Through such propaganda that it disseminates online, IS tries to paint a rosy picture of life in the caliphate, where children also play and go to school, said Gunaratna, a columnist for BenarNews. The propaganda encourages families to go and live in the Middle East together, a recruitment campaign aimed at reducing a high turnover rate among IS fighters, Gunaratna said. After spending a year in Syria and Iraq, nearly 50 percent of those who migrated to the so-called caliphate want to return home. It is only a small percentage of highly committed IS activists who could not make it in their own homelands who want to remain in the caliphate forever, he said. Fahirul N. Ramli in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. 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Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. The SMART Africa Secretariat and Ericsson have entered an information and communications technologies (ICT) partnership to meet the goal of developing a more connected and fully functioning knowledge-based society in Africa. Image by 123RF Ericsson took part in the World Economic Forum Africa in Kigali, Rwanda mid-May, announcing there that it was joining the SMART Africa Alliance as a technical advisor to advance Africa through ICT. This announcement followed the collaboration with the Government of Rwanda on key projects in the financial, transport, utilities and public safety and security sectors, founded on the Smart Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2014. The development of a smart city in Kigali, part of the Smart Rwanda initiative, aims to become a world-class reference model project for the Smart Africa Alliance. On Smart Africa, Ericsson will work closely with member states and private sector agencies to scope the roadmap and implement solutions for a fully knowledge-sharing Africa. As a result of the partnership, Ericsson joins the Smart Africa Alliance as technical advisor and platinum private sector member collaborating with the alliance to craft blue prints supporting the implementation of the SMART Africa vision and plan. Established in 2013, SMART Africa is a bold and innovative commitment to accelerate sustainable socioeconomic development on the continent and usher Africa into the knowledge economy through affordable access to broadband and usage of ICT. The Smart Africa Initiative is geared towards connecting, innovating and transforming the continent into a knowledge economy... Speaking about the partnership, Fredrik Jejdling, head of region, Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa, said: "We are honoured and excited about working with various African countries to enable an information-rich and knowledge-based society. Our experience working on Smart Rwanda has provided an excellent platform to replicate and tailor similar solutions for other Member States and Governments. ICT will change cities, countries and industries and ultimately lead to a truly Networked Society in Africa. The Smart Africa Initiative is geared towards connecting, innovating and transforming the continent into a knowledge economy thereby driving global competitiveness and job creation. The initiative also aims at enabling member states to become more competitive, agile, open and innovative smart economies with the most favourable business climates that attract large-scale investments; rewards entrepreneurship; and enables fast growth and exports, leveraging ICT innovations, to transform African nations into smart societies. Dr Hamadoun Toure, executive director of Smart Africa Secretariat said: Since inception of the Smart Africa Alliance one of our main principles has centred on the critical need to create an enabling environment for private sector involvement. We realise that economic transformation must be driven by private companies focused on the use of ICT to increase access to markets and information for business. Founded in 2013, Smart Africa is headquartered in Kigali. Smart Africa founding members include African Member States, the African Union Commission, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), World Bank, African Development Bank (ADB), UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), GSM Alliance (GSMA), ICANN, African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and NEPAD. *For more on smart cities, Ericsson has a range of reports and video free to view. The problem nowadays is that technology has created a netherworld, where the clearly defined borders between industries have become irreparably blurred... In a good way. Take Flume. At the helm, theres a finance guy, Ruan Oosthuizen, and an advertising guy, Jacques du Bruyn. Never the twain would have met in an old business dynamic, but instead they have created a successful digital agency, which is responsible for the first-ever Google Case Study for Banking in SA. Jacques du Bruyn Tell us something about your company and how you got started? We started Flume on the basis of being creatively calculated - everything we do for our clients needs to superbly creative whilst delivering ROI. This is something that we do through our online marketing toolbox. A big strength is the balance between the two of us, where one is very creative (Jacques) and the other is very analytical (Ruan). This dynamic, together with our skilled team, has provided a fresh perspective for all that we do for our clients in the digital marketing space. How did the whole Google case study come about? It all started when Nedbank Insurance employed us as their full-service digital agency. We initiated Google Adwords advertising and from the time we kicked off the campaign, till recently, the leads (of potential new clients) increased each month, while the cost per lead dropped drastically. In essence, we were driving serious return on investment for Nedbank. It goes without saying that this got Google's attention and they decided to publish a case study about our work. Ruan Oosthuizen What do you think it was about your case study that made it compelling enough for Google to publish it? The fact that there was no fluff. It was hard-core numbers that proved that the campaign was driving actual business to Nedbank. The data dictated that we were outperforming competitors in the industry. Explain more about the Nedbank Insurance campaign? The campaign has one goal - to drive leads at a profitable cost per lead. A great digital campaign should reach a point where the value of the new business is higher than what you're spending on advertising. That's the mark we hit with the campaign. What do you think your achievement means for the financial sector in terms of digital marketing in South Africa? Firstly, it means that South African agencies are up there with the best in the world. It also means that the financial sector has no excuse not perform well online. If they don't adapt, they will be left behind. Name one thing that each of you have on your bucket lists? Ruan: Climb a huge mountain and base jump off it. Jacques: Run the Comrades. MTN SA will spend R12bn this year to ramp up its network to improve and expand coverage. The company also plans to open its network to other companies, but did not name them. It had initially planned to spend R8bn, but revised that upwards to cater for demand for data. At a media briefing on Thursday, MTN unveiled plans to bolster growth in subscribers, boost revenue and eliminate network outages that have left customers without voice and data coverage in some areas. MTN SA acting chief technology officer Krishna Chetty said the "biggest pain is repetitive drop calls". The company wants to halve its dropped calls and ensure network availability around the clock. MTN SA CEO Mteto Nyati said the company had a tough year, but instead of scaling down, it would increase investment to make sure "we have the right infrastructure that we can leverage for growth". At the end of March, MTN's local operations had 30.1-million subscribers, down 1.7%, largely due to the disconnection of customers. Nyati said the company was returning to its growth trends, following a decline in recent years. It recently reported a 3% increase in revenue. The company is in discussions with financial services and retail companies to launch mobile virtual network operator services. These piggyback on existing cellphone networks for their services. Cell C has been the only operator that has allowed companies, such as First National Bank, Mr Price and Virgin Mobile to use its network for their own mobile data and voice packages. MTN SA chief enterprise officer Alpheus Mangale would not disclose the companies that MTN would partner with, but expects the announcement to be made in the coming weeks. MTN is targeting acquisitions in enterprise and digital businesses. The digital business includes services such as mobile money and e-commerce. "MTN Business will continue to pursue aggressive acquisition of territory through building its own fibre, acquisitions and partnerships. We will also provide wholesale access to our active fibre network customers," Mangale said. The company also plans to connect up to 20,000 homes and businesses with its fibre network by the end of this year. MTN Business has 14,000km of national and metro fibre across the country, which is a network connecting more than 10,000 homes. Its acquisition of Smart Village will add more than 30,000 premises to MTN Business's network. Smart Village offers fibre networks in gated communities. MTN's rival Vodacom had 34.2-million subscribers by the end of March, up 2.1-million. The company spent R8.7bn last year to update its network infrastructure, which includes more than doubling its super-fast long-term evolution (LTE) or 4G network sites to more than 6,000. MTN, which expects to grow subscribers on the LTE network, aims to increase peak user speeds up to 28% for 3G, and 108% on the LTE network. Source: Business Day Brands need to find ways to add usefulness in their customers' lives beyond their product. Pete Case Pete Case, chairman of Gloo and chief creative officer of Ogilvy South Africa, says brands need to ask what other connection, beside the product/sales pitch can they make with their customer. The reason why brands are having to ask themselves how they can create an advantage for themselves and for the consumer is because of technology, but it is also how agencies can add value to their clients, he says. For example, client KFC has 850 stores, each with its own configuration, audience and stock levels changes throughout the day. By using a system to control the menu board at any time of day to account for stock level changes on a store-by-store basis, we were able to add value to the client, explains Case. Agencies can also help brands connect to their consumers by creating more engagements, he says. In 2014 Sky launched smart TV. Trials have been run connecting the smart boxes to the internet, which give a history of segments which, in turn, allows brands to target certain segments. Big data insights Imagine what this could do for TV. Of the advertisements aired using this information, there was a 48% decrease in channel-hopping between channels. This technology also opens up the medium of TV for smaller brands. Data on its own is inefficient, he says and only when data is used to gain insights does it become impactful. For example, in New York, Uber, gave one billion taxi rides but it was the patterns that come out of this number that are interesting. It is only through insights and then overlaying these with great storytelling that data becomes impactful. He adds that the data needs to be seen as useful in driving the initial brief a thinking he does not believe is utilised enough in agencies. Using data, British Airways gained the insight that young Indian people travel home to see their parents. A brief was then created to create a campaign for young people to visit their parents and this led to the most beautiful stories about young people going home to see parents. Brands will need their data and technology to come together with their marketing function. While they are closer to getting this right internationally, its still a battle locally, adds Case. Overseas, self-scanning technology is a big trend. The customer walks in with their trolley, self-scans the products, self-serves and checks out. This is empowering the customer to do the job themselves, minimising the cost of human interaction and adding efficiencies to the price point for the customer, he explains. The anti-smartphone On the flip side, technology is not brilliant for everything and large numbers of people are revolting against it. As a result, a phone has been developed that can only take and receive phone calls essentially an anti-smartphone. Remember, as brands and marketers we need to be cognisant that overloading our audience with technology can be quite damaging. Embrace technology to enhance your brand but do not get too caught up in it, he cautions. The massive change that technology is enabling means it is an amazing time to be in advertising. At the same time this change is so huge, such as big data, that it is daunting. So much so that clients and agencies metaphorically shut down as they are unsure of where to start. Case was a speaker at the recent Marketing Mix 2020 Vision-Marketing Megatrends SA conference, held at the Bryanston Country Club. It sounds like one of those apocalypse movies, but in this instance it seems the death of humanity might not be invasions from alien species, but rather superbug infections of our own making. In 2014, the UK government tasked economist, Jim ONeill, to investigate the impact antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is likely to have on the world and the results are quite scary. His recently published Review on Antimicrobial Resistance indicates that without policies to stop the worrying spread of AMR, today's already large 700,000 deaths annually would become an extremely disturbing 10m every year, more people than currently die from cancer. Indeed, even at the current rates, it is fair to assume that over 1m people will have died from AMR since I started this review. This is truly shocking. As well as these tragic human costs, AMR also has a very real economic cost, which will continue to grow if resistance is not tackled. The cost in terms of lost global production between now and 2050 would be an enormous US$100trn if we do not take action, he says in the foreword. Already since the review was commissioned, new forms of resistance have emerged, such as the highly disturbing discovery of transferable colistin resistance, reported in late 2015. ONeill says there has already been some exciting progress, which included: Increased surveillance The review suggested that there be increased surveillance especially in developing countries, and already the UK government has initiated the Fleming Fund and has contributed UD$375m to it. Kickstarting research Both the UK and Chinese governments have each already agreed to contribute UK50m to a new Global Innovation Fund, aimed at funding research into new antimicrobials and diagnostics. This fund will need to grow internationally and partner with other existing sources of funding for AMR, to fill the gaps left by traditional funding streams and make sure existing and new funding streams are well coordinated for the benefit of researchers everywhere in the world. Four key issues The review also outlines a 10-point plan in which four interventions are going to be particularly important. Global awareness campaign To educate people, especially children and teenagers, about the problem of drug resistance. ONeill calls for international campaign developers, industry experts, and non-governmental organisations to consider how they could help to support an urgent global campaign on AMR. Supply problem The report points out that there has been little or no development of new antibiotics for decades, largely because they are acute medication and arent really money spinners for pharmaceutical companies. He suggests that countries review carefully how they buy and price antibiotics, to reward innovative new drugs without encouraging unnecessary use of new antibiotics. Also that alliances such as the G20 get together and provide a reward to developers of new antibiotics after they are approved for use by patients. These market entry rewards, of around US$1bn each would be given to the developers of successful new drugs, subject to certain conditions to ensure that the new drugs are not over-marketed and yet are available to patients who need them wherever they live. It is great to see this idea already being discussed by senior G20 officials. I hope this discussion will translate into tangible action during their Heads of States meeting in September, he says. Changing the diagnostic tools ONeill calls for a step change in the diagnostic technology available, pointing out that there arent enough good and rapid tests to confirm the professional judgment of the doctor, as to whether the infection is bacterial or not. I call on the governments of the richest countries to mandate now that by 2020, all antibiotic prescriptions will need to be informed by up-to-date surveillance information and a rapid diagnostic test wherever one exists. This will open the door to investment and innovation, by showing clever developers that if they build rapid tests they will find a market for them, ONeill explains. Once the technology has improved, markets in developing countries can be supported with a system, not dissimilar to the great work that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has done to improve global child vaccination. Antibiotics in agriculture Another aspect that needs to be investigated in many parts of the world is the extent of antibiotic use in the agricultural sector. We have then proposed that targets should be set by individual countries for antibiotic use in agriculture, enabling governments to have the flexibility to decide how they will reach lower levels of use. Alongside this we need to make much faster progress on banning or restricting the use in animals of antibiotics that are vital for human health." Raising funds There are a number of ways to raise the funding required for action from the public or the private sector: the amounts are very small in the context of both spending on healthcare and the costs of rising AMR. Given that antibiotics are a shared resource that society and the pharmaceutical industry depend on, there is a strong case for pharmaceutical companies investing in AMR to sustain their own revenue from other sectors such as oncology or surgical operations. That is why I have proposed that governments should consider a small levy on the pharmaceutical sector, as one of the options to raise funding for the market entry rewards for new antibiotics. I would find such a funding mechanism particularly attractive if it could be applied on a pay or play basis, where those firms who invest in R&D that is useful for AMR can deduct their investment from the charge owed by all players within the industry, ONeill says. Although AMR is a massive challenge, it is one that I believe is well within our ability to tackle effectively. The human and economic costs compel us to act: if we fail to do so, the brunt of these will be borne by our children and grandchildren, and felt most keenly in the poorest parts of the world, his foreword ends. NEW YORK; Retail group Gap Inc. said Thursday it would shutter 75 stores this year amid sagging sales, including 53 of its kids-focused Old Navy brand outlets in Japan. Announcing a fall in first quarter earnings, the San Francisco-based retailer also warned that it might not achieve previous earnings forecasts for this year given the headwinds buffeting the apparel industry. "Old Navy will strategically shift its focus to markets most favorable to the brand's growth," the company said, explaining the Japan closings. It pointed to the US and Mexican markets as well as China as its focus for Old navy, its lowest-priced brand. But it said that Japan "remains an important market" with the continued presence of more than 200 Gap and Banana Republic stores. The closings, aimed at cutting overall costs, will also include Banana Republic outlets, most of them in international markets, though the locations were not detailed. Like many of its competitors, the company has been hit by shifting tastes and slower consumer spending worldwide, as well as competition from online fashion retailers. "As the pace of change across the apparel industry increases, now is the time to accelerate our transformation by scaling our product and operating capabilities across our global portfolio," said chief executive Art Peck. "By taking every opportunity to exploit our strategic advantages, our brands will be able to more fully harness the power of the enterprise to better serve their customers across channels and geographies." Gap Inc. global net sales at $3.44bn were down 6.0 percent in the first quarter, ended April 30, from a year ago. Sales were off in every region except Asia, where they registered a slight gain. Sales in the United States, 77 percent of the total, were also down 6.0 percent. Net income came in at $127m, down 47 percent from a year ago, for 32 cents per share, in line with what the company forecast in a revision early this month. That helped boost its share price 2.7 percent in after-hours trade to $17.28. Shares though remained well below the high this year just over $30 a share in March. Source: AFP The Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) may be one of the older payment methods on the block, but thanks to fraud and crime it is experiencing a revival. As technology platforms evolve to make EFTs more easily managed by users and merchants alike, they are growing in popularity. EFT payments are also more cost effective and break down significant barriers to entry. A recent 2015 Ipsos survey examined some of the drivers and barriers that affected online shopping around the world. The survey found that 22% of South African internet users have made purchases using EFT as their preferred payment, with this figure set to rise to around 50% thanks to its security, speed of delivery and lower cost percentages. This is being further driven by the increase in cellphone subscriptions more than seven billion worldwide and a global figure of 3.2 billion people using the internet, of which developing countries make up two billion. Africa has one in five people using the internet and that number is growing. So why is the EFT suddenly sweeping the online payment floor? Because its easy to use and can be adopted as a method of payment by people who dont have credit cards and have access to mobile banking, allowing far greater reach and significantly lowering the barrier to entry for millions of people. According to Pew Global, smartphones are as common in South Africa as they are in the US and nine in 10 people own a cellphone, making this one of the most ubiquitous devices and easiest methods of handling online payments. For those without a credit card, but in possession of a cellphone, EFT grants them access to a wealth of services that previously were unavailable. Not subject to a 3D Secure process EFT payments are not subject to a 3D Secure (where a one-time pin is received on a users phone) process, which is often something users find quite cumbersome and time consuming. Plus, the transaction rates to merchants are lower than card transaction fees, explained Johan Dekker, head of payments in Africa at PayU EMEA. Merchants benefit from changes in EFT payment technology as they pay lower transaction fees and are at significantly lower risk of charge backs and credit card fraud. A survey by JP Morgan revealed that 41% of merchant losses to fraud were caused by charge backs and the South Africa Banking Risk Information Centre reported that card-not-present fraud was at 75% in 2015. In general, retail merchant EFT payments make up between 20% to 30% of total transactions processed and this has been rising steadily over the past few years. Our recent partnership with iPay in creating PayU EFT Pro has meant we can offer both merchants and consumers a platform that comes with real-time instant payment notifications and, as a real-time saver for merchants, the payments are always matched and easy to track, said Dekker. If someone opts to use PayU EFT Pro, they arent just limited to e-commerce payments, they can also send a link to a business or individual whose bank details have been uniquely coded, allowing them to pay via EFT. These EFT payments are instant, as opposed to existing EFT solutions where the customer can pay at a later stage. Dekker concluded: Most merchants have experienced a moment where the customer walks because the payment process is too burdensome, this makes life a lot simpler for everyone. One solution with seamless transactions from any device, anywhere. Michael Frans, head of business operations: automotive at T-Systems South Africa, is a firm believer in the old adage 'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.' It's no wonder that he speaks excitedly about the major shifts the automotive industry will be experiencing at the hand of disruptive technology. Michael Frans I managed to chat to Frans at last weeks T-Systems InTouch Technology event held in Cape Town, where he presented on the company's connected car technology offering. He shared his views with Bizcommunity on the disruption we will be seeing within the broader automotive service space. Customer 2.0 An automotive business is nothing without its customers, and the digital consumer in 2016 has a unique set of requirements. Our customers are more informed than ever, and how we transfer information to these customers has changed. He stressed that consumers need to be engaged within the digital space because they are digitally-minded. Frans acknowledged that there are customers who still prefer a traditional brick and mortar environment in which to experience a brand, but an increasing amount of customers these days prefer to select the products and suppliers they want to engage with via a digital medium. The consumer now chooses the channel they want to use to communicate with. Customers will dictate how they want to talk to you, all you have to do is listen, he said. Changing dealership model What are dealerships going to look like in the future? Very different, asserts Frans. Technology will continue to disrupt the traditional dealership model. He cited Tesla as an example. Tesla does not have a dealership environment, but instead uses the DELL technique of selling directly to the customer. Tesla simply has a boutique store from which they deliver the vehicle. Thats going to change how cars are sold. There are now a number of brands that have implemented this new boutique model internationally. Were seeing top-end brands with boutique stores serviced with brand geniuses to help you specify the car, but there is no car there. They use digital technology to build the product, the customer signs for it, and the car is ordered and delivered. But Frans also mentioned that the opposite concept exists. Some brands including Porsche, Ferrari and Volkswagen offer customers the option to pick their car up from the factory and watch it get built. So where does the dealer fit into that model? The dealer is booking the sale, but the delivery is happening at the plant. Its all part of the brand experience, he says. We will also be seeing dealerships evolving into destination points. BMW Motorcycles has done this successfully. When bikers do their weekend outrides they meet at the BMW dealership, using the physical space as a meeting point. Again, this contributes to the brand experience. Brand experience = customer experience Modern customers benchmark customer experience the same across services. They expect the same level of service when buying a car as they do when buying an iPhone from an iStore or when dealing with municipal services. A good brand experience is often a good customer experience. Frans commented on the power of technology to enhance customer service. New technologies are able to tell dealerships who was in the dealership, what cars they expressed interest in, and how long they viewed a car. This will result in a sales person contacting the customer with the awareness of their dealership visit and product preference, thereby streamlining the selection and purchasing process. We need to make it easier to talk to customers, because retail customers these days are busy. The retail market needs to change in the automotive space. It needs to be a lot more agile in terms of bringing the brand experience to the customer. We need to change our perceptions around the idea that a customer needs to visit a dealership to experience a product. I still believe in the value of the test drive. You still need to climb into a car and experience it as part of the decision-making process. But does it really matter where this gets done? OEMs take the lead Disruption will extend outside of the retail space as well. Frans predicts huge shifts in the vehicle tracking, insurance and car sharing industries as cars become more connected, with favourable opportunities for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Frans predicts that manufacturers, by utilising certain technology offerings, will be in an ideal position to take advantage of the vehicle tracking business. In SA's vehicle recovery industry currently, a tracking unit has to be approved by the manufacturer for installation. But if an OEM has a 3G sim card hardwired onto the chassis that tracks GPS location, why would they approve another companys tracking device? Frans believes it would make more sense for the OEM to merely contact the recovery business if and when needed. Manufacturers will also be able to leverage technology to mitigate their insurance risk. This is due to the vast amount of information being stored about a vehicle and the manner in which it is driven - including the location of the vehicle, at what speed it is driven, etc. For example, if somebody was driving 200km in a 60km zone, crashed the car and wrongfully blamed it on the breaks failing, by utilising stored information the manufacturer will have factual knowledge of the incident and be in a position to repudiate the insurance claim. Though car sharing models will not be immediately disruptive as South Africans are still very vehicle-dependent, the shift is inevitable. Car sharing models are evolving as our public transport system structure improves and the need for ownership of vehicles will change over time. In the not too distant future we are going to see car sharing models coming to SA and the OEMs will be creating the ecosystem of customer invitation and validation, not private companies." Answering how long a piece of string is seems simpler than knowing the average hourly rate for public relations by a consultancy. Many PR professionals bill a time-based fee which reflects how long a job should take to complete. Rightly, in my opinion, the more skilled and connected the professional, the faster it should take in practice. The difference between the actual time and the billed time is the reward. Some bill based on achieved coverage, either as a percentage of the dreaded Advertising Value Equivalent or per piece of coverage based on top, second- or third-tier media placement. Others follow a menu of outputs combined with inputs billing more if the CEO makes the call that generates the coverage than if a junior staffer does. Most will ask for a retainer - a set monthly or yearly fee that will cover a shopping list of agreed-upon services. Not only does the method allow for fairly accurate budgeting but it also means that the PR professional can plan a calendar of events not available to those working on an ad hoc basis. Although I have recently been asked to quote on a tender-style job where Im sure the contract will go to the lowest price, more than 20 years industry experience tells me that PR professionals are rarely appointed without first being short-listed, recommended by ones peer group or, in most cases, I suspect, being a friend of a friend. Relationship is the currency. In these cases I think fees matter far less than the PR industry thinks. If youre at a braai and hear the host being jostled about not being able to open a magazine without his ugly mug appearing in it, then youll want the same publicist, irrespective of cost. Like all purchases, deciding with whom to partner on the PR front is an emotional decision and not a financial one. It is essential to find someone you can trust. After all, deciding who you will let manage your reputation and steer you away from dangerous controversy must be based on more than a tip from someone you meet at a kids school outing. So, now that we agree that PR support is not as price-sensitive as once imagined it raises the question how someone smart selects their communications professional? Selecting from award winners is a good place to start as long as you know there are many, myself included, who have never entered awards and others who, with the financial backing of international agency groups, enter many awards in many different categories. So with the number of awards not the indication of excellence previously thought, what happens next? Although anyone with a brain knows public relations is much more than media liaison, only the brainless will suggest that media liaison is not an essential part of the communications mix. If I were to appoint a PR professional I would ask media for a recommendation. It is they, after all, who receive the PR output firsthand. Ask media in your target market who they recommend as a professional who sends print-ready and accurate information. Ask who submits suitable images that are correctly captioned and ask, most knowingly, who responds to queries quickly and understands the nature of deadlines? I was recently asked to benchmark my fees by a client and found the exercise challenging as reference points are not widely available. To change this Ive decided to dedicate a PR-Net, a peer network for the communications industry that I run, meeting to this very topic. Details about the Cape Town meeting on Thursday, 26 May, at 11am are at www.pr-net.co.za. As the sun rises over the Kusile Power Station site in Mpumalanga, the steam turbine construction team carefully inspects the new turbines being installed. With winter looming, the site is cold and dark in the early hours, however it is already alive with a flurry of activity. Each day starts with a toolbox tour where the previous day's work is inspected and decisions are made about the day ahead. "Every day is different," says Roland Ester, centreline manager Kusile Power Plant, GE Power. "Not one day is the same as we regularly find ourselves facing challenges and issues that we need to solve." Ester and his team travel the world working on some of GE's biggest steam turbine installation projects. Before taking charge at Kusile, he was based in Saudi Arabia, developing a power plant to help the kingdom meet its growing energy needs. The Middle Eastern country faces extremely hot summers, so the power technologies installed needed to withstand high temperatures. The team moved to Kusile to provide technical support at the site, and are responsible for the installation of advanced technology turbines that will power the station. Ester explains that while Saudi Arabia might have higher temperatures than South Africa, similar turbines are being installed at Kusile, which also experiences hot summers. Steel industry players are pushing the government to designate local steel products for use in the state's R4tn infrastructure plan. This is one of the ways in which the industry, in crisis due to poor demand and low prices, is looking to keep its head above water. At an industry event on Wednesday, 18 May, Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (Saic) CEO Paolo Trinchero said: "We are almost there. The industry has to work together and balance downstream and upstream needs." But with the demise of Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium, among many other steel and related producers that have gone bust, it might be too late. Despite the government imposing 10% tariffs on some steel products, and possible safeguards against the flood of steel imports, the lack of designation for local structural steel cuts to the heart of the issues facing domestic primary and downstream steel producers. Tensions have simmered since Iscor, the erstwhile state-owned steel maker, was unbundled in 2001. This left ArcelorMittal SA, a unit of the global ArcelorMittal group, to become the dominant player in the country. The government has attempted to dilute the company's monopoly of about 70% of all South African steel output, but the steel maker is widely seen to have abused its position by overcharging for its product lines. However, when it comes to the state itself, it has used little locally produced steel in major infrastructure projects, including for Eskom's giant Medupi and Kusile coal-fired power stations. "If you rely on the vagaries of what China is doing, then a year down the line you won't have an audience or an industry," acting ArcelorMittal SA CEO Dean Subramanian said. However, he fended off accusations from downstream steel fabricators that ArcelorMittal SA had increased product prices four times this year. This came despite promises to the government that the company would levy "a fair price" for its products to support SA's manufacturing industry. He said it was not just China's slowing economy and cheap steel exports that had caused the crisis in the domestic steel industry, but also electricity shortages and rising input costs, including for electricity, natural gas, labour and Transnet's freight network. Parties to the sector including business, labour and the government, are unanimous that the country needs a primary steel industry. But the economy faces more turbulent years ahead, and will only grow 0.3%-0.4% in 2016, according to Ulrich Joubert, consulting economist for the Bureau for Economic Research. The steel industry needs 2% gross domestic product growth a year to be viable, according to Saic. Source: Business Day Approximately R20m will be spent on the upgrading of Symphony Way and Erica Drive in Belhar, Cape Town as part of the rejuvenation of the area's central business district. The intersections along Symphony Way and Erica Drive will be upgraded and additional lanes constructed to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic in this area with the renewal of the Belhar CBD. "The city has identified the Belhar central business district as one of the growth areas in the city where investment from the private and public sector has the potential to unlock a number of opportunities to the local community. The city is responsible for the provision of services in support of all new developments be it public or private. As such, Transport for Cape Town (TCT), has now embarked on a major roads project to ensure that the main transport arteries in Belhar will be able to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic as the CBD houses more businesses and housing developments in the near future," said the Citys Mayoral Committee Member: Transport for Cape Town, Councillor Brett Herron. The on-site preparatory work has been concluded and the physical roadworks are expected to commence shortly. "We will spend approximately R20m on this project which is to be completed by the end of December this year if all goes according to plan. The upgrading of Erica Drive and Symphony Way is a mammoth task and we will therefore conduct it in five phases, starting off with Symphony Way," said Herron. Up to 10 intersections along Symphony Way and Erica Drive will be upgraded, inclusive of the widening of the road and the construction of additional lanes. The affected intersections are as follows: Symphony Way and Robert Sobukwe Drive Symphony Way and East Drive Symphony Way and Proton Road Symphony Way and Carmen End Symphony Way and Erica Road Symphony Way and Stellenbosch Arterial Road (M12) Erica Road and Kern Crescent Erica Road and Power Street Erica Road and Chestnut Way Erica Road and Stellenbosch Arterial Road (M12) "The sidewalks will be relocated and new stormwater infrastructure will be installed to accommodate the widening of the roads. Furthermore, we will create traffic islands at the intersections, which will improve the safety of road users in general," said Herron. Broadly speaking, the roadworks along Symphony Way will be carried out between May and October 2016, and the roadworks along Erica Drive from August until December 2016. "Local subcontractors from Belhar stand to benefit from contracts to the value of about R100,000. We also intend to employ local labour and the value of these short-term job opportunities will amount to an estimated R100,000. The residents from Belhar will thus benefit from the investment in road infrastructure in terms of improved service delivery and business opportunities," said Herron. The roadworks will take place between 7:30am and 5:30pm on weekdays, between 7:30am and 2pm on Saturdays, and occasionally during the evening. Both Erica Road and Symphony Way will be open to traffic during the roadworks, however, road users should expect some delays and are advised to use alternative routes where possible. Road users can contact the Transport Information Centre on 0800656463 for more information. Cape Town Tourism's Hello Weekend campaign has gone live with a drive for attracting South African and Namibian visitors to Cape Town over the low season. Its the second year the campaign is being run and this year sees partner kulula.com coming on board to bring visitors from Johannesburg and Durban to the Cape for some exciting, unusual and fascinating experiences. The theme this year is Wake Up to a Weekend in Cape Town, which sets to showcase all that Cape Town has to offer so take a short trip to experience something new to wake up to. Packages can be booked now, for the period starting 1 June until 31 August 2016. The Hello Weekend website is designed to showcase unique experiences with affordable options, reminding those who love to travel that the city is open for business 365 days a year. Capet Tourism CEO, Enver Duminy says This initiative provides two sources of value to tourism: it forms a partnership that elevates tourism businesses in the market and it tackles the evergreen challenge of seasonality in Cape Town: we know theres no shortage of things to do and see all year round, and we want to reinforce that message to potential visitors in the domestic market, who we believe are key to the sustainability of our industry. For more information visit Hello Weekend. According to Matthew Conroy, trade manager of Maersk Line South Africa, trade between various African countries is still largely restricted as a result of various regulation barriers and a lack of supporting infrastructure and scale. He says that increasing the production of manufactured goods on the African continent and further standardisation of trade regulation are both key to improving inter-regional trade. According to the United Nation's recent Economic Report on Africa, over 80% of Africa's exports are shipped overseas, mainly to the European Union (EU), China and the US. Matthew Conroy In light of Africa Day, a day to celebrate the progress that the continent has made, while reflecting upon the challenges we face in a global environment, it is important to note the role of intra-Africa trade as a catalyst for growth across the continent. Currently, intra-Africa trade only accounts for 10 12% of trade on the continent. This is in comparison to the high levels of intra-regional trade recorded in Europe (60%) and Asia (40%). Amid falling commodity prices and looming projections of decelerated GDP growth, intra-regional trade is not playing the role on the continent that it could, which is largely due to the nature of the goods being produced. Many African countries extract and export primary commodities, but rely heavily on imports for manufactured goods. Increasing the production and export levels of manufactured goods will increase the level of intra-Africa trade, Conroy says. This view was echoed by South African Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies, during the recent launch of the eighth iteration of the Industrial Policy Action Plan to 2018-19. Davies said that the economy needed to break its dependence on raw commodity exports by moving to more diversified manufacturing-based value-addition. Addressing restrictions Conroy, however, notes that the lack of infrastructure and scale pose massive restrictions in Africa. Consumer markets are smaller, which means less profit incentive, and we simply dont have the scale that Asia, for example, has. Infrastructure investments, therefore, need to be continually activated to address these restrictions. Today, one-third of the annual spend on infrastructure globally stems from private companies. The Maersk Group, for example, has contributed to efficiency gains in Apapa terminal in Lagos, which is now one of the most modern and efficiently-run terminals in Africa, Conroy adds. A positive example of how manufactured exports can boost economic development is South Africas automobile industry. We see a huge demand for vehicles that are manufactured in South Africa in other African countries such as Nigeria, Mauritius and Madagascar. As a result, we are seeing positive growth in vehicle exports to the rest of the continent, says Conroy. Another shift that Conroy points out as necessary in driving levels of intra-Africa trade is the standardisation of regulations across the continent. Essentially, there are 54 countries in Africa and 54 different sets of rules, which results in additional red tape for trade partners. The simpler and more standardised these regulations become, the more intra-regional trade we will see happening, he says. Developing networks and partnerships can also positively impact trade activity on the continent, Conroy explains. Having networks and partnerships within the countries that businesses trade in is essential, and too often, should networks not exist, countries continue to do business with the partners that they have always done business with. For example, maybe Nigeria has always sourced in Asia simply because they dont have a contact in South Africa. With operations in virtually every country on the continent, we assist clients to develop these networks in regions that they may not have had in the past. Boosting trade, developing African economies Despite the challenges that exist in Africa, Maersk Group is very confident in the opportunities that Africa offers trade partners and businesses, says Conroy. Maersk has recently relocated the head office of Safmarine one of our core brands - from Copenhagen to Cape Town. This move signifies how committed we are to the development of African economies, and how we are continually looking to strengthen our clients ties to the rest of the continent. While intra-regional trade in Africa has seen a recent decline, largely due to the weakening oil price, Conroy remains optimistic about the long-term outlook for the continent and confirms Maersks commitment to enabling trade across the continent. We are constantly mapping out the African market and reevaluating the demand for new and innovative products in the region. The direct South Africa-Pointe Noire product is the latest in a series of new Maersk products that have been released to boost trade on the continent, an exercise that will continue over the next few years, he concludes. Labat Africa's share price has nose-dived more than 40% since its shock announcement three weeks ago that all talks to acquire several businesses in the transport and logistics sector had collapsed. Image sourced from Reinhardt Transport The surprise announcement on 5 May came on the heels of a statement last month that its acquisition of Reinhardt Transport Group (RTG) - the deal that was supposed to be a "game changer" for Labat Africa - had fallen through. At the time of the announcement, Labat was trading at about 44c per share. As a result, profits for the six months to February were expected to fall below forecasts, the company said. The R560m acquisition of RTG, a large transporter of dry bulk commodities, was intended to be Labat's springboard into the logistics sector. When the acquisition was first announced last year, Labat, which is headed by former South African Rugby Union boss Brian van Rooyen, said it expected its half-year results to improve more than 100%, and that the deal would help it move to a half-year profit from a loss in the previous comparable period. In March, however, Labat's optimism faded. The black-owned investment company said RTG's turnover and margins in the six months to February had been lower than expected, and it was necessary to restructure the original terms of the R560m deal. For reasons not known to the market, Labat announced on 4 April that it had decided not to pursue the proposed deal. Van Rooyen had not responded to e-mailed questions by the time of publication. The other transactions Labat had pursued included the R50m acquisition of Transmac, the R45m acquisition of Senna Motors (Elfs Trans) and the acquisition of Marble Vendor, three fuel distribution businesses, a vehicle hire company and a logistics business that delivers coal to Eskom power stations. Alpha Wealth small caps fund manager Keith McLachlan said the recent deal flow would have changed the face of the group materially since the rest of Labat did not appear to consist of a strong business. "The RTG acquisition was game-changing. It was going to materially change the size and scope of the company," said McLachlan. By 3pm on Friday, Labat was trading at about 27c. Source: Business Day The need for communication skills is important in virtually every career. Whether you are competing to get the job you want or to win the customers your company needs, your success or failure depends to a large degree on your ability to communicate. If you learn to write well, speak well, listen well and recognise the appropriate way to communicate in various business contexts, youll gain a major advantage that will serve you throughout your career. Moreover, because your communication plays a key role in efforts to improve efficiency, quality, responsiveness and innovation, your communication affects your companys success. Join the Wits Language School Business English courses starting on 28 May in Johannesburg and Pretoria. For more information contact Wits Language School on: Tel: 011 717 4208 Email: az.ca.stiw@slw www.witslanguageschool.com Durban's promenade was transformed into a sea of yellow and white, as more than 30,000 people spent quality time with their loved ones at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk. East Coast Radio presenter Zaba taking a #HealthySelfie at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk which saw more than 30,000 people from all over KZN participating. More than 30 000 people transformed the Durban promenade into a sea of yellow and white as they enjoyed a morning of fresh air, fun and exercise at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk. Discoverys Rakesh Samlall, East Coast Radios General Manager, Boni Mchunu and East Coast Radio presenter, Damon Beard at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk. The oldest participant, 85 year old Ahmed Dawjee, with East Coast Radios General Manager, Boni Mchunu and presenter Damon Beard. Dawjee completed the 10km distance at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk on 22 May 2016. More than 30,000 people enjoyed a morning of fresh air, exercise and quality time with their loved ones at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk. More than 30,000 people enjoyed a morning of fresh air, exercise and quality time with their loved ones at the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk. First Lady, Thobeka Zulu, East Coast Radios General Manager, Boni Mchunu and MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Ntombikayise Sibhida-Saphetha, at the start of the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk. Much loved TV presenter, Thato Molamu and East Coast Breakfast host, Darren Maule, entertained crowds at the finish. Thato has landed his own show on East Coast Radio, presenting the 10am to 2pm slots on Sundays. A surprise performance by Mi Casa at the finish at Peoples Park rounded off a fun morning where the atmosphere was nothing short of festive. Families, friends and colleagues of all ages, backgrounds, fitness levels and from all over KwaZulu-Natal came together to for a morning of exercise and fresh air. From the moment they left the start at uShaka Marine World to the time they crossed the finish line at Peoples Park, Moses Mabhida Stadium, the atmosphere was nothing short of festive. Participants had the chance to meet and take pics with East Coast Radio presenters along the routes (5km, 10km, 15km and 20km); littles ones were entertained by face-painters, jugglers and stilt-walkers; and the happy vibe carried through at the finish where East Coast Breakfast host, Darren Maule, gave away spot prizes. A surprise performance by one of the countrys top music acts rounded off the morning of exercise and excitement. There were no tired feet in sight when Mi Casa hit the stage! Much-loved TV actor, Thato Molamu, also surprised fans at the finish, taking #HealthySelfies and talking about his new show on East Coast Radio. He is taking over the 10am to 2pm slot on Sundays from 29 May 2016. Whether it is the perfect combination of great weather, wonderful people and an electric atmosphere or the fact that the event brings together people to celebrate the unique lifestyle we are privileged to enjoy here in KZN, the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk has become a firm favourite on the provincial social and lifestyle calendar, says East Coast Radios General Manager, Boni Mchunu. On behalf of East Coast Radio and all our sponsors I would like to thank participants for supporting this event and contributing to its phenomenal success. We look forward to doing it all again next year! 61% of walkers at this years Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk were women. The 5km distance was the most popular distance, attracting 13,900 participants. Proving that this is an event for the young and the young-at-heart, 200 people who signed up this year, are over the age of 70. The oldest participant was 85-years old! More corporates signed up this year, with 230 companies from around the province having registered 9700 members of staff. At Discovery, we aspire to inspire, and were hoping this event inspired many people to put their walking shoes on more often, says Dinesh Govender, Chief Marketing Officer at Discovery. We are proud to have partnered with East Coast Radio to bring this much loved event to the people of Durban for the eighth consecutive year. Walking is an inexpensive and accessible way to exercise and fits into nearly every busy lifestyle. Studies show that when you enjoy the exercise you do, you benefit from it more. Events like the Discovery East Coast Radio Big Walk help to encourage people to have fun while also getting healthier, as well as provides a platform to bring communities together. First Lady, Thobeka Zuma, and the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Ntombikayise Sibhida-Saphetha, were among the special guests who started each of the four distances. Zuma congratulated the walkers for taking their health seriously while Sibhida-Sapetha thanked East Coast Radio for hosting the event, saying fitness and health in KZN are of paramount importance. Sharkie and Sharks player Francois Kleinhans also stirred up the crowds at the start. The event has come a long way since it first began 12 years ago and is now the biggest, outdoor, participative event in KwaZulu-Natal. Small-scale farmers in Africa are increasingly facing challenges in production with factors such as climate change, drought, lack of access to capital, etc. taking its toll. It's necessary for these farmers to innovate and to form partnerships with organisations that can help them do so. In this, the farmers of Nakuru County has succeeded with the help of Premier Seed who assists farmers in building, although small, commercially viable farming businesses that are seeing them export to international markets. Simon Andys, founder of Premier Seed tells us more. Simon Andys Tell us about Premier Seed and the role it plays in farming in Africa Premier Seed was born as a seeds company, importing and selling Open Pollinated Varieties and hybrid seeds that bring innovation and higher yields to African farmers. We immediately started giving full post-buy support to our clients in order to build a sustainable and long-term knowledge on modern agriculture practices. Our vision of rationalisation and modernisation of small-scale farming in Kenya found its higher realisation with the implementation of herbs farming for the international market. This intensive farming is carried on with modern practices, both on the open field and in greenhouses, that maximise the yield potential, strictly controls the use of water and chemicals and gives farmers a reliable and sustainable source of income. We feel honoured to have pointed our farmers to high-value crops that are giving them decent incomes and changing their lives in remarkable ways, a departure from the past. What are some of the biggest challenges farmers, like those in Nakuru county, face? The biggest challenge in Nakuru County, but also in the whole country, is the lack of financing. Shifting to modern agriculture practices, such as drip irrigation, requires investment that small-scale farmers dont easily get access to. Premier Seed is able to guide farmers though this process, both providing financial support and assuring the link to a reliable market. The second biggest challenge is the inadequacy of knowledge when it comes to specific and delicate produces such as herbs. For this reason, when we contract farmers, we assure them of full technical support and supervision. What do small-scale farmers in Kenya, and Africa, need to become successful? Access to finance, knowledge and markets are not necessarily a guarantee of success: a new whole mentality must be adopted. The first shift has to be towards openness to what is new and innovative: new produce, new ways to approach farming practices and a new dedication that perseveres even when things dont reach the expectations from the beginning. The second important change is an overall rationalisation of all aspects of farming - from planning to record keeping, a rationalisation of all the processes is essential to pursue long-term plans. Big goals cannot be achieved in short periods. A farmer who really wants to build a long-term, sustainable and safe wealth for their family requires planning, rationalisation, and the capacity to see beyond the immediate future. The last but most important thing is cooperation. Kenyan (and African) agriculture risks being completely dominated by big producers that limit the chances of emerging and small-scale farmers. Most of our economic culture is polluted by individualism, egoism and often greed; only through collaboration will farmers be able to reach higher achievements. Premier Seed is an example of that: we coordinate small-scale farmers that, only through working together, are able to access the international market. Moreover, within our projects, the most successful stories are those of cooperating farmers that got together and overcame all obstacles. How do you go about training the farmers in good agriculture practices and technical knowledge? Premier Seed makes sure that all the people that work with us have the necessary knowledge to manage this kind of production. We provide materials and support (training in the office, using modern means like Facebook and photos on Whatsapp) in a continuous process of learning until our growers have built a solid capacity. Tell us more about the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme and how you, through your involvement in this programme, promote agri-entrepreneurship The Entrepreneurship programme of Tony Elumelu is Pan-African, hinged on the belief that startups and entrepreneurs hold the key to economic liberalisation and growth in Africa by creating jobs and a conducive environment where home-grown pan-African companies in various sectors can flourish. This it does through business skills training, mentoring, access to seed capital funding, information, and membership in its Africa-wide alumni network. As an alumni of the programme, I have had the pleasure to interact with likeminded agripreneurs in Africa, and industry players. The training I have undertaken have been key in advancing what we do at Premier Seed. I have brought key lessons to our company and the farmers I work with, and we have seen huge benefits including farmers mind shift in taking agriculture as a business venture. We believe that is the precursor to economically empowered citizenry and economies considering agriculture contributes on average 25 percent to the national purses of most African countries. The farmers of Nakuru County have moved away from traditional crops to farming herbs and crops like chives. How has this come about and how are the farmers dealing with this transition? After establishing ourselves in the seeds market, we realised that we were able to make a step forward toward modernisation and high revenue commercial crops. After meeting some farmers that were producing chives, we started looking for buyers in the European market and soon established important connections though which we created our first herb project. The process for this innovation is often not smooth and simple. A lot of new practices, analysis and planning are required. Nonetheless, producers have achieved satisfying results. How do you/they choose which crops to grow? The criteria that we use mostly rely on the analysis we do on the soil and on the climate in the area in which we operate. We then evaluate the experience of the farmers we work with and the availability of crops for cultivation in order to start projects that dont go beyond the capacities of the farmers. We also consider organisation and logistics to ensure convenience, especially when dealing with fresh produce. Such logistics include transport and proximity to transport networks, especially roads. What role do you think small-scale farmers will play in the growth of agriculture in Africa? Premier Seed believes that small-scale farming can potentially play the greatest role in lifting African households' condition and living standards while growing the continental economy. More and more young people are turning towards agriculture as a way of creating financial security and wealth; exploiting this phenomenon will be the only way to satisfy, in a sustainable way, the growing demand for food on the continent and feed the 2.3 billion Africans of 2050. These are interesting times. Women are becoming more economically empowered and more youth are finding fortunes in farming, inspiring more into a sector that was regarded as only belonging to the aged. But such success stories are still few. The fate of small-scale farmers is not fully held in their own hands. Too much still relies on government policies (education, taxes, bureaucracy, etc.), poor infrastructure (roads, research, and communication) and access to financing. It will be essential that governments seriously tackle these overwhelming challenges, otherwise, we will witness only the growth of large and industrial commercial production. By embracing small-scale farmers into its operations, Premier Seed is rubberstamping the creed. Numerous studies have cited that smallholder food producers are key in assisting Africa become the agricultural powerhouse of the world, comfortably capable of feeding itself and the globe. We connect brands with the mass market where it matters most-close to home. On that day, around 5:00 p.m., four AA entered Wesali Natala village, nearby 3-mile gate of Maungdaw Township. It was said that a group of BGP personnel went to the said village and arrested three AA with an AK 47 rifles, but one managed to flee from the scene and entered nearby deep forest, Butto added. After arrest, they were brought to nearby BGP camp for further interrogations, according to a police aide. Recently AA has been fighting against Burmese army in Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung and Rathedaung Townships, according to sources. Arakan Army claims that dozens of Burmese troops were killed by ambush. Arakan Army had been founded in 2009 in Kachin State, and its current Chief is Brig-Gen Tun Myat Naing. She called for understanding as the country has a raft of serious problems to tackle. There following were Aung San Suu Kyis comments on the Muslim minority controversy. What we want to do is avoid any terms that will just add fuel to the fire. I wasnt talking about one particular term, I was talking about all the terms that are incendiary and which are used by our people in the Rakhine, and of course elsewhere too. Now the reason why I said we have to be firm about not using emotive terms is because emotive terms make it very difficult for us to find a peaceful and sensible resolution of our problems. There are two terms which are emotive and you have to face them fairly and squarely. The Rakhine Buddhists object to the word Rohingya just as much as the Muslims object to the term Bengali, because these have all kinds of political and emotional implications which are unacceptable to the opposite parties. All we are asking is that people should be aware of the difficulties we are facing and give us enough space to sort out our problems. If there is insistence by either party, either on the part of the Rakhine Buddhists or on the part of the Muslims to insist on particular terms, knowing full well these will create more animosity, this does not help our finding a resolution to the problem. What we want is to find a practical resolution. We are not interested in rhetoric, we are not trying to out-talk anyone, we are trying to say any particular stand regarding the Rohingya is better than another, what we are saying is that there are more important things for us to cope with than the issue of the Rohingya. I know that is important because it is to do with identity, and identity is of extreme importance to peoples all over the world. We are not in any way undermining peoples desire to establish their own identity. What we are asking for is that those who really wish us well should be aware of the implications of terms that are used quite perhaps unwittingly, not knowing the implications for those of us who have to cope with the actual problems that arise from this disagreement over what name to use. We are trying to find a solution to this problem, and while we are trying to find a solution, we would like our friend to be helpful, to understand that we are not trying to do down any particular group, but we are trying to find some way forward that will be acceptable to both. That is very difficult, I am not denying that, and if our well-wishers are not ready to cooperate with us, it will make our task that much more difficult, which is not to say we are going to back away from it. We will still accept it as our responsibility and will try to do the best we can to resolve the problem to the benefit of both communities. The firm is part of the Ngwe Yi Pale group, one of the largest sugar, cement and coal producers in Burma. Ngwe Yi Pale Miningstarted their operation in Hsipaw Township in 2004, with mining sites at Peng Zai, Parng Ngar and Nar Goon villages. On April 1, 2016, over 250 villagers gathered at the Nam Ma temple to discuss problems caused by coal mining in their area. Long Sai, an elder from Nam Ma village, told the Shan Herald that before the company operated in Peng Zai village, there was a small rice mill that provided electricity for the temple. Tea and rice grew well in the area, he explained. If the company continued digging the coal in the Ho Nar Fa area, over 100 acres of rice fields will be destroyed, Long Sai explained. The villagers will then have to move out from their homes. We will not allow them to dig for coal in the Ho Nar Fa area, he added. We totally disagree with their operation. We want them to stop immediately and get out of the area. In 2010, residents in Nam Ma staged a protest against the coal mining, calling for the operation to permanently stop. However, this did not happen and the company continued to dig for coal. They do not care about local people who belong to the area, said Sai Kyaw Jing, one of Nam Ma village leaders. Over a 10 year period from 2005 to 2015 the company dug many holes throughout the Township. The holes appear to be part of an exploration study conducted by the firm. Villagers tell SHAN that they worry that people or livestock will fall into the numerous holes which the company has left in many places. We requested them to fill up the holes but they refused to this, said Sai Kyaw Jing. Earlier this year, residents of Nong Khio Township which is also in northern Shan State, reported serious problems with contamination in their area due to the companys sugar production operations. Even though we met with their representatives to find a solution, they never did anything, said a frustrated villager, Sai Zaw Moe. He reports that the firm continues to dump sugar production related waste into a nearby river (link http://english.panglong.org/residents-complain-of-contaminated-water-in-nong-khio-township/ ). The recently released, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report for Burma shows that 43.55% of Ngwe Yi Pale Mining, is owned U Thein Myint, also known as Chaung Hpin. Another individual listed as U Myint Shein, owns 29.20% of the firm. BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) Let us look into the said two arguments in an objective approach, so that history would be treated as it is and not as we like them to be seen or interpreted. The first question that Panglong Agreement didnt include secession is only partly true and that the treaty didnt also mention federalism in any way. It is true that such words were no where to be seen, but the treaty has to be viewed together with the 1948 Union of Burma Constitution, so that the whole picture of the secession issue and that of federalism could be viewed in a comprehensive light. After this, the second argument of the treaty not being all-inclusive and thus is flawed will be discussed. Panglong Promises and Secession Clause The 1947 Panglong Agreement underpinned the ethnic aspirations of democracy, rights of self-determination, equality and democracy, as could be seen by the three clauses included in the nine points accord. They are: The Frontier Areas will enjoy full autonomy in internal administration Citizens of the Frontier Areas shall enjoy rights and privileges which are regarded as fundamental in democratic countries. Financial autonomy vested in the Federated Shan States shall be maintained In this conjunction, one of the now defunct Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) statements, on 12 February 2007, is also worth mentioning. When the ethnic nationalities leaders met again for the second time in Panglong in February 1947, Bogyoke Aung San came to join them. He had been to London to negotiate with Prime Minister Atlee for Burmas independence, which was conditional on the unification of the Frontier Areas with Burma. Based on Aung Sans promises of democracy, equality and self rule, the ethnic nationalities agreed to work together with Aung Sans interim government to form the Union of Burma. Some of the historical quotations are as follows: We stand for full freedom of all the races in our country, including those so-called Karenni states (Aung San, 14 January 1947 The Times, London). If the Burmese receive one kyat, the Shan will also get one kyat. (Aung San at Panglong, February 1947). On how the inclusion of secession clause enshrined in 1948 Union of Burma Constitution came about was documented by Pangmu Shayi as below:- Duwa Shan Lone recalled the exchanges that took place between the Nyaung Shwe Sawbwa (Prince of Yawnghwe) and Bogyoke Aung San thus: Bogyoke: Sawbwa Gyi, let me put to rest all your concerns regarding union with Burma. Federated or not, your rights to secession will be honoured. I would strongly urge you to join hands with us to form a union after we gain independence from the British. Sao Shwe Thaike: Bogyoke, we the Sawbwas and the people of Shan States have complete trust in you, but we cannot say the same about the other Burmese leaders around you. Bogyoke: I am glad to hear your expression of trust in me, but let me tell you this. Do not put your trust in man. Rather, trust the constitution that we will be drafting. I can assure you here and now, that all matters such as the right to secession and other safeguards you wish included in the constitution, will be fully addressed. So please join hands with us in the Constituent Assembly where further details will be discussed and thrashed out. (Source: Kachinland News 20 April 2015) In short, arguing that Panglong Agreement has nothing to do with secession is only partly true, as the Shans particularly didnt feel safe and thought that they would be only changing the colonial master from British to Bamar, which later proved to be exactly the case following the independence from the British. As a consequence, the Shan Saohpas, also pronounced Sawbwa in Bamar pronunciation, even rejected the notion that U Aung San represented them The Federated Shan States by mentioning that it was not the case in a telegram sent to the British government, when in 1947, he was then negotiating for Burmas independence from Prime Minister Clement Attlee, in London. It is not for nothing that the said Aung San-Attlee Agreement had included a paragraph below: It is agreed objective of both His Majestys Government and the Burmese Delegates to achieve the early unification of the Frontier Areas and Ministerial Burma with the free consent of the inhabitants of those areas. In the meantime, it is agreed that the people of the Frontier Areas should, in respect of subjects of common interest, be closely associated with the Government of Burma in a manner acceptable to both parties. Following this, U Aung San negotiated with the Hill peoples Shan, Chin and Kachin to alleviate their doubts and angsts, the Chapter 10, Secession Clause was included in the 1948 Union of Burma Constitution. Regarding the word federalism not being included in the Panglong Agreement, the inclusion of full administrative and financial autonomy, including fundamental democratic rights, for Shan States and as well the Kachin and Chin indicated that it was meant to form a political system of federal union, if not explicitly or particularly mentioned in words in the accord. Panglong Agreement not all-inclusive The treaty of Panglong signed in 1947 was between the Burma Proper, represented by U Aung San for the Burmese Government, Kachin, Chin and Shan Committees. While understandably that the Mon, Karen, Arakan States were rejecting the treaty as not all-inclusive, for their representatives were not participating at the Panglong Conference and eventual signing of the agreement, in official point of view they are included. For all the said territories then were not yet being created as States and were included in the then called Burma Proper, which was represented by U Aung San. In a way, this rejection is like saying, We cant accept the legacy meaning: being all-inclusive for we were not at the maturity stage, when our parents in this case: U Aung San signed the treaty on our behalf. The point is an historical legacy is a legacy that could not be denied, whether we like it or not. As for the Karenni State, its Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) maintained that In 1948, it was annexed by Burma without the knowledge of Karenni Supreme Council or the consent of the Karenni people. (Source: UNPO Year Book 1997) However, the Constitution of the Union of Burma in 1947 proclaimed that the three Karenni States be amalgamated into a single constituent state of the union, called Karenni State. It also provided for the possibility of secession from the Union after 10 years. In conclusion, to do justice to the history, Panglong Agreement could be said to tacitly include Secession Clause and was all-inclusive, in a legal sense, so to speak. DOCUMENTS RELATED TO SECESSION & AUNG SAN-ATTLEE AGREEMENT CHAPTER X RIGHT OF SECESSION (1948 Union of Burma Constitution) Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Constitution or in any Act of Parliament made under section 199, every State shall have the right to secede from the Union in accordance with the conditions hereinafter prescribed. The right of secession shall not be exercised within ten years from the date on which this Constitution comes into operation. (1) Any State wishing to exercise the right of secession shall have a resolution to that effect passed by its State Council. No such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless not less than two-thirds of the total number of members of the State Council concerned have voted in its favour. (2) The Head of the State concerned shall notify the President of any such resolution passed by the Council and shall send him a copy of such resolution certified by the Chairman of the Council by which it was passed. The President shall thereupon order a plebiscite to be taken for the purpose of ascertaining the will of the people of the State concerned. Repealed Laws The President shall appoint a Plebiscite Commission consisting an equal number of members representing the Union and the State concerned in order to supervise the plebiscite. Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, all matters relating to the exercise of the right of secession shall be regulated by law (Source: 1948 Union of Burma Constitution) Part of Aung San -Attlee Agreement (27 January 1947) Frontier Areas It is agreed objective of both His Majestys Government and the Burmese Delegates to achieve the early unification of the Frontier Areas and Ministerial Burma with the free consent of the inhabitants of those areas. In the meantime, it is agreed that the people of the Frontier Areas should, in respect of subjects of common interest, be closely associated with the Government of Burma in a manner acceptable to both parties. For these purposes it has been agreed: (a) There shall be free intercourse between the peoples of the Frontier Areas and the people of Ministerial Burma without hindrance. (b) The leaders and representatives of the peoples of the Frontier Areas shall be asked, either at the Panglong Conference to be held at the beginning of next month or at a special Conference to be convened for the purpose, to express their views upon the form of association with the Government of Burma which they consider acceptable during the transition period: whether (I) by the appointment of a small group of Frontier representatives to advise the Governor on Frontier affairs and to have close liaison with the Executive Council; or (II) by the appointment of the Frontier Area representative as Executive Councillor in charge of Frontier affairs; or (III) by some other method. (c) After the Panglong meeting, or the special conference, His Majestys Government and the Government of Burma will agree upon the best method of advancing their common aims in accordance with the expressed views of the peoples of the Frontier Areas. (d) A Committee of Enquiry shall be set up forthwith as to the best method of associating the Frontier peoples with the working out of the new Constitution for Burma. Such Committee will consist of equal numbers of person from Ministerial Burma, nominated by the Executive Council, and persons from the Frontier Areas, nominated by the Governor after consultation with the leaders of those areas, with a neutral Chairman from outside of Burma selected by agreement. Such Committee shall be asked to report to the Government of Burma and His Majestys Government before the summoning of the Constituent Assembly. {Source: Aung San-Atlee Agreement (27 January 1947)} The beginning of 2016 has seen an improvement in rough diamond demand following a positive holiday selling season in the United States last year, the groups latest diamond market update shows. De Beers Group Executive Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs, Gareth Mostyn told the media this Wednesday in Gaborone that they continue to take a cautious approach in light of the fragile macroeconomic environment. DeBeers, a member of Anglo American group and the worlds largest diamond company has seen its global growth declining by 13 percent in the US dollar terms, largely as a result of the macroeconomic weakness in emerging markets and the strength of the US dollar. Looking back, slightly weaker than expected sales over the 2014 holiday season in the US and a slowdown in growth in China led to reduced purchases by retailers and hence left the midstream holding higher levels of inventory. This led to a significant decline in rough diamond demand in the second half of 2015 as the midstream sought to rebalance the polished/rough inventory situation. To date, the US remains the worlds largest market for diamond jewellery sales and increased its share of global polished diamond demand from 42 percent to 45 percent in 2015. India consumer demand reduced by four percent in local currency as it was impacted by a decline in overall consumer spending; whilst the Japanese consumer demand was broadly flat in the local currency terms, but the Yen depreciation led to a 13 percent decline in the US dollar terms. Demand in the Gulf region declined three percent with oil price weakness and low visitor numbers affecting growth. Chinese growth was positive in 2015, as it saw an overall growth rate of three percent. We remain very positive despite the volatility. What happens in the short term will be driven by the market trends. The US is again expected to be the main driver of growth in 2016 as well as the growth of the middle classes in emerging markets, said Mostyn. He said the company did some segmentation in the US and realised that the millennials still do love jewellery just like the elderly people. What we need to do is to continue doing more marketing campaigns to the millennial generation and ensure that the demand is simulated. We still remain hopeful in the millennial for demand of our diamonds jewellery, said the hopeful Mostyn. Botswana, formerly the Bechuanaland Protectorate gained her independence from the British in 1966 mainly as the result of incessant agitation by Phillip Matante. He had in 1962 and 1963 addressed the United Nations committee on decolonisation demanding immediate independence for this country. One of the features of colonialism especially in Africa was rampant and violent racism. For Matante, independence meant more than a mere change of guard. He wanted a complete overhaul of the colonial superstructure in favour of one that promotes social, political and economic justice. Even before the Bechuanaland Protectorate became the Republic of Botswana, Matante, who had witnessed and experienced racism in South Africa first hand, had running battles with the colonial administration over racial regulations and practices in the Bechuanaland. Racism was practised both by administration officials as well as the business community. For instance, out of the total number of 35 members constituting the Legislative Council (LEGCO), only 12 of them were Africans. Professor Zibani Maundeni of the University of Botswana notes in Botswana Politics and Society that, The Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) demanded an end to racism and no reserved status for whites in the post-colonial order, it opposed separate communal representation which it labelled racism; it opposed the awarding of business licences based in favour of whites, it opposed the recruitment of white South Africans into the civil service, it opposed racially determined salaries or unequal pay for work within the civil service and it opposed the long standing incorporation of Bechuanaland into South Africa as a Bantustan. Most employees in the civil service came from South Africa and this, the Matante-led BPP found repugnant. For instance, by 1957, there were 302 European officials employed by the British civil service in Bechuanaland and of this group, almost two thirds or 196 were citizens of South Africa, writes Professor Maundeni. Matante led mass demonstrations especially in Francistown, Lobatse and Palapye against racist practices not only before but even after independence. According to Benedict Bayani in his research essay submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Education (B. Ed) in 1992, In May 1962, he got hold of a letter written by a certain Mrs Smith of Farm No. 46 at Tshesebe whose contents in part read, ...most natives steal and have lice and suffer from venereal diseases, owing to their immorality and they are mostly heathen and uncivilised. Levit, a Francistown businessman said, Natives are thieves and criminals, after the Blacks picketed his stores during a demonstration as they held banners and posters advising the public not to buy from any of his stores. The BPP leader, says Bayani, challenged racial discrimination in public places, notably in trains, hotels and as practised by the Dutch Reformed Church. To highlight the racial bigotry of the Whites, he often quoted Daniel Malan, former Prime Minister of South Africa who once said, If there is a place for a black man in Heaven, then it must be in the kitchen. So reviled by the racists was he that he would demand that they must leave the country. The BPP leader whose full names were Phillip Parcel Gaonwe Matante was already affectionately called PG. His calls for the white racists to pack and go earned him the alias Pack and Go which became another PG. Matantes militancy against racism forced the LEGCO to set-up a select committee to review all racially discriminatory laws and regulations in the territory. Due to Matantes incessant agitation, the constitutional talks were held in 1963 (some five years earlier than had been planned). In 1965, PG led his party into the elections winning only three out of the 31 seats available. As Member of Parliament (MP) for Francistown and Leader of the Opposition (LOO), Matante continued to expose the neo-colonial tendencies of the departing British as well as fight white racism in independent Botswana. His demands for a localisation policy resulted in foreigners being employed in the civil service only on a contract basis. Among other reasons, the BPP lost the 1965 general elections because it was, as a matter of policy, at variance with both traditional authority and racial condescension in equal measure. Meanwhile, the people, who respected dikgosi as their true leaders, were not comfortable with the BPP which they found rather confrontational and a threat to their privileged status. They identified better with Seretse Khama, himself a kgosi. Interestingly, albeit to a limited extent, the Tribal Land Bill which took the powers of dikgosi, alienated dikgosi from the ruling party. The dikgosi were later also infuriated by the Chieftainship Act which empowered the President to dethrone any kgosi he deemed incompetent. Kgosi Bathoen Gaseitsewe of the Bangwaketse joined the opposition Botswana National Front (BNF) while Kgosi Linchwe sympathised with the BPP in Mochudi. The BDP lost the two constituencies. Just like dikgosi, the business community, consisting mainly of Whites and Asians were jittery about BPP policies which advocated good working conditions for employees, just wages as well as localisation of the civil service. The apartheid South African government, led by Hendrick Verwoerd, congratulated Seretse Khama of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) for winning the elections at the expense of the BPP which Verwoerd considered too radical. Even Khamas ban on Seretse entering South Africa was lifted! In parliament, Matante addressed bread and butter issues. According Bayani, in 1965, during the second meeting of Parliament, he passed a vote of no confidence in the BDP government whose legitimacy he challenged on the claims that the elections had been rigged. Matante also accused the BDP of having used bribery and intimidation at the elections. Relentless PG would later move a motion demanding that the Kalanga language be used in the school curriculum. He accused the BDP of a gross violation of fundamental human rights by denying Kalangas the learning of their language. So infuriated by Bakalanga politicians in the BDP such as Mundongo Maswikiti and Amos Dambe for refusing to support his motion was Matante that he called them sellouts. Ironically, the two were members of the Kalanga Student Association and the Kalanga Cultural Association in the early 1950s. The two associations stood for the promotion and preservation of Kalanga language. Bayani records that, On matters pertaining to the state security, he advocated for a revolutionary defence policy to build a strong army from the able-bodied young Batswana with the aim of defending the country from external aggression. He was viewed as a dreamer then. Before long, however, Matante was vindicated when the Rhodesian Army staged several incursions into Botswana ostensibly in hot pursuit of freedom fighters. The several border incidents that ensued no doubt highlighted our vulnerability as a country. PG led a mass demonstration in Francistown to the District Commissioners (DCs) offices demanding that tougher security measures be taken to protect the people in the North East and Francistown, says Bayani. In the midst of this, Matante pointed an accusing finger at white government officials at the Office of the President, including his namesake, Phillip Steinkamp, as security threats. He insisted that they were agents of the Rhodesian Army who leaked information about the countrys security situation to the Rhodesian army. In 1969, Matante, whose party stood for free and compulsory education with an emphasis on a curriculum that combined academic work and vocational training, passed a motion in Parliament against the increase of school fees from 10 shillings to ten pounds per annum. His argument was that, the increase would make it hard for many children to go to school because their parents were, in the main, poor. Matante also disapproved automatic promotion at school preferring instead, for a child to repeat a class until they register a pass for them to proceed to the next level. He lamented the introduction of English medium schools preferring, instead, a unitary education system. According to Matante, with English medium schools, The country would become a victim of class distinction. He argued that English medium schools ...were visible eggs of class consciousness. The products, he said, would be British assimilados. Matante is credited with the introduction of the Botswana currency and Pula and Thebe in 1976 away from the Rand and Cents. His criticisms of the government policies were perceptive and reflected the national concern. He was a man of vision. Most of the concerns he raised are a reality today like the creation of social classes due to the education system, linguistic question, problems of drop-outs and the army, observes Bayani. Matante also advocated for moral discipline. By several motions, he called on government to do something about loose morals before the collapse of the social fabric. Bayani says Matante blamed the whites, low wages and unemployment, among other things. It is on record that by the time Matante died on October 25th 1979, some five days after the general elections that year, he had, since 1965, passed motions on segregation, both medical and educational issues, unemployment, the legitimacy of government, wages, security and localisation, among other matters. They were almost all thrown out. According to Bayani, The BDP realised it would be suicidal to adopt PG Matantes motions. Rather, a number of them were presented in an amended form by the BDP parliamentarians and were accepted. Despite the non-acceptance of his motions, his contributions to the well-being of Botswana were remarkable. Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) says action should be taken against perpetrators of sexual abuse and exploitation of children including those who fail to protect children from these crimes.Following the Sebina saga in which the councillor of the village allegedly impregnated a 16-year-old girl, BONELA has urged the Ministry of Education and Skills Development and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to address the issue of teenage pregnancy. BONELA urged the two ministries to devise programmes to prevent the sexual exploitation of children, in order to ensure the protection of children from sexual exploitation. According to the Policy and Legal Advisor of BONELA, Phaza Molebatsi, their concern as an organization that works for the promotion and protection of childrens rights who are vulnerable, is that leaders must be held accountable in this matter. In our letter we among other things and in pursuit of justice for the child, we called upon both Ministries to hold duty bearers accountable as prescribed by Section 25 (2) of the Childrens Act which outlaws failure by parents, teachers and any other persons to report a case of child abuse or exploitation or conniving with a person who sexually abuses or exploits a child, explained Molebatsi. He said that up to date no official address has been issued in respect of the reports, except for the statements issued by leaders about themselves and not the child. We would have expected responsible government departments to advise us of measures taken towards the issue, said Molebatsi. BONELA also lamented that up to now their letter regarding clarification on the Childrens Act which states that a child is a person below the age of eighteen years in order to judge clearly and protect children has not been responded to. We are disappointed to inform you that that to date we have not received any response or at least an acknowledgement of receipt of our letter. We therefore sense that the two ministries are not determined to address this issue and seek justice for this child or any other children who find themselves in this kind of situation, he said. On the other hand, BONELA in partnership with Ndadi law firm embarked on a fact-finding mission that entailed a trip to Sebina. They found that indeed the girl is pregnant with the councillors child. We have now determined that the girl is indeed pregnant and that she fell pregnant after attaining the age of 16 years, laying to rest the speculation that she may have been defiled states BONELA. Despite desperate attempts by some quarters including the Minister of Education, Unity Dow to trivialise the Sebina issue, it is becoming clear that they must scramble for better ways to keep skeletons locked in the closet. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Clearly the multi-pronged underhand tactics deployed to make the issue 'disappear' from the radar of topical issues are not bearing any fruits. May be some other time. The Sebina issue is particular in the sense that it speaks loud to a wide spectrum of issues. It is not only about the helpless position that the rural girl-child often finds herself in, but it is also about political indignity that we continue to endure at the hands of politicians. This indignity comes in various forms but it is best captured in the common expression that Batswana forget easily. Unfortunately, despite this statement remaining unproven, it has come to be admitted as an undeniable fact that explains our political psychology. Sad enough, we continue to do very little to invalidate this humiliating hypothesis. Rather, we continue to reinforce it by finding our vote worth a packet of Minestrone soup. The oddity lies in that, this anomaly has come to be the new normal and even pursued aggressively as a matter of government policy. This popular view that we forget easily and the now entrenched sense of impunity amongst our leaders may be a partial explanation to the answer repeatedly given by the Assistant Minister of Education, Fidelis Molao on his alleged role in this matter. Molao has gone on record to allege that a fake account had been created to generate the fictitious conversation and that he has reported the matter to the police and has even handed over his phone to them. Summarily, Molao is dismissing authenticity of the alleged conversation. From a security point of view, this is where the story gets interesting, perhaps too interesting. Let us start with what is possible with Facebook. It is indeed possible to create a pseudo Facebook account or even multiple of such accounts because there is no method for verifying anyones actual identity on Facebook or any other social media site simply by viewing the profile page online. These would have to be totally new accounts. But, this is very different from claiming that an already existing Facebook account has been faked or recreated to exist in the same Facebook platform. I am not aware of this security loophole and doubt even Mark Zuckerberg is, because ideally every Facebook account has unique security credentials associated to it. The same applies to web mail accounts. It is not possible to have same email addresses existing on the same emailing platform. Then to negate or confirm the fake account claim forensic experts would have to get from Facebook, the access logs for the account. This would include the creation date and time for the profile and the IP address that was used to access the Internet to create the profile. Having the subscriber information would potentially show that the subscriber for the IP address at the time of the posting or account creation is the same as the person who made the posting. The second way to get evidence from Facebook via consent is when the owner of the profile gives consent for the profile to be accessed for the purpose of collecting information from the profile. If you are able to get consent to access the profile by logging into the profile with the provided username and password, it is best to have a third party such as a forensic examiner, perform the collection of the data. When you have access to the profile, you can use the Download Archive function on their Facebook Accounting Settings page to download everything in the profile. In many cases Facebook users also receive notifications on their smart phone or pad computers in addition to the computer they use. All of this can potentially be recovered using forensic tools such as XRY of which I am confident is available to Botswana Police Service. Forensic tools can allow an examiner to recover web pages from a computer hard drive and show them in their original condition. If recovery of the actual page is not possible, other pages from the profile may be recoverable to establish that the person is the owner of the profile and accesses it on a regular basis. Also, the Internet history from the computer may also provide dates and times that the Facebook profile were accessed from the computer. The challenge with any kind of electronic or digital evidence is authenticating the evidence so it can stand as a foundation for admittance of the evidence in a court of law. This foundation from a technical perspective involves being able to show the court that the evidence is identical to the original and was collected in a forensically sound manner. Lobatse High Court Judge Michael Leburu says the right to good name and or reputation and media freedom are competing rights.He explained that the freedom of the press, which is subject to limitations, is subsumed under the freedom of expression and it is protected under section 12 (1) of the Constitution. He said the requirements for the granting of an interdict are a clear right, even though it may be open to some doubt; an injury actually committed or reasonably apprehended and the absence of a similar protection by any other remedy. The judge said all limitations of this right have to comply with the requirement espoused under the Constitution. The right to good name and reputation, which also has limitations is a personality right protected under the law of delict. The limitations on the right to good name and reputation may be found under legal defences relating to defamation, among them publication of a defamatory article that is not only truthful, but also in the public interest, said Leburu when delivering judgement in case in which Collins Newman and Company (CNC) wanted Business Weekly and Review Newspaper to be interdicted from publishing alleged defamatory articles. The judge explained that these rights and freedoms are subject to the dynamics of limitations, as reasonably justified in a democratic society, and pursuant to all applicable laws and or the Constitution. It is these dynamisms that calls for a delicate balancing exercise between the competing rights, Leburu stated. He said courts have found that where constitutional rights themselves have the potential to be mutually limiting - in that full enjoyment of one necessarily curtails the full enjoyment of another and vice versa - a court must necessarily reconcile them. He said they cannot be reconciled by purporting to weigh the value of one right against the value of the other right and then preferring the right that is considered to be more valued, and throwing away the other because all protected rights have equal value. Leburu said the applicants in his view have a reasonably arguable case.However an interdict to stop further publication of the alleged defamatory articles is not appropriate. An interdict is also inappropriate because such an order may bring to an end such articles that strike at the heart of Lady Justice, or put differently, the Administration of Justice. A court document, which admittedly was forged was filed with court by an attorney of this court in an attempt to support an application for rescission of default judgement. The judge said court have found that if an interdict may result or bring to an end the impugned article, then an interdict may not be appropriate, viewed within the prism of the fundamental role of the media within a democratic society. Leburu is of the view that the said articles furthermore bring into sharper focus the alleged regulatory lapse on the part of a key institution within the democratic society namely Bank of Botswana (BoB) in the discharge of its statutory functions over a regulated bank, which has since been liquidated and thus the need arises for the public to be appraised on such matters. An interdict to stop publication of the impugned articles, which reported on a court judgement, in my view will have effect of denying members of the public access to courts within the rubric of the common law principle of open justice. CNC together with its senior partners approached the High Court seeking an interdiction order to restrain the Business Weekly and Review from further publishing defamatory articles. The law firm is accusing the newspaper of continuing to publish defamatory stories about it and its senior partners, Parks Tafa and Rizwan Desai flowing from a judgement passed by Gaborone High Court Judge Dr Zein Kebonang in the case between CNC, Bank of Botswana and EBC Guernsey in which an attorney with CNC was found to have forged a court document. The allegations of forgery against the law firm emerged after the BoB approached the High Court in a bid to stop EBC Guernsey from attaching its property to reclaim a P27 million debt arising from the winding down of the defunct Kingdom Bank. Attorney Machinya of CNC acting on behalf of BoB was said to have forged a High Court stamp in order to submit its opposing papers timeously before the set deadline to stop EBC Guernsey lawyers Minchin and Kelly from attaching BoBs property. In his founding affidavit in the present case, Tafa stated that the purpose of the application is not to muzzle the respondents from publishing material, which is true, fair, and in the public interest. The applicants, as attorneys, deeply value the freedom of the media to investigate and report on matters of public importance. The integrity of each person participating in any aspect of the administration of justice is naturally of public interest and none of the applicants dispute that certain matters arising from the Judgement are deserving of public attention and debate, said Tafa. According to Tafas affidavit CNC has operated as a law firm since 1977. It is an estimated leader in the field inter alia of commercial advice and litigation and the largest legal firm in Botswana. It is presently a member of a prestigious Africa Legal Network (ALN) group of leading law firms across the continent. Further, he said CNC has operated to the highest ethical and legal standards and that professional integrity of the people employed by CNC has always been of utmost importance. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar with Bader Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs of Oman, during their meeting in Muskat on Sunday. A PTI photo. NEW DELHI (PTI): India and Oman on Sunday vowed to deepen bilateral defence ties as the two countries signed four key agreements in the critical sector with focus on enhancing military cooperation. The agreements on defence cooperation, marine crime prevention, maritime issues and flight safety information exchange was signed following the maiden visit of indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to Oman, considered one of the closest country in the middle east. Parrikar, who is on an official visit at the invitation of Bader Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs of Oman, on Sunday wrapped up his visit and left for UAE. During his talks with the leadership there, all aspects of bilateral defence cooperation including enhanced military to military exchanges were discussed. Both sides also exchanged views on regional developments of mutual interest, a statement by the Defence Ministry said. Both sides noted that defence cooperation is a key facet of their bilateral strategic partnership. It was agreed that the two sides would further expand and consolidate their ongoing bilateral defence cooperation, the statement said. Parrikar reiterated the high importance that India attaches to its strategic partnership with Oman and also conveyed his appreciation at the continued support rendered by Oman for the Operational Turnaround (OTR) of Indian Navy ships for anti-piracy patrols as well as technical support for landing and overflight of IAF planes. He visited the Military Technology College and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum in Muscat. He also attended a reception at Sultan Qaboos Port to mark the goodwill visit to Oman of naval ships INS Delhi, INS Deepak and INS Tarkash. Parrikar was accompanied by a high-level official delegation comprising Secretary (Defence Production) Ashok Gupta, DRDO chief Dr S Christopher, Army Vice Chief Lt Gen MMS Rai, designated new Navy chief Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal B S Dhanoa besides other senior defence ministry officials. A defence industry delegation comprising S C Bajpai, Additional DG, Ordinance Factory Board and S K Sharma, CMD, Bharat Electronics Limited also accompanied Parrikar. WASHINGTON (PTI): The US House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan legislative move to bolster defence ties with India and bring it at part with other NATO allies in terms of sale of defence equipment and technology transfer. "It seeks to promote greater defence trade and encourage additional military cooperation between the United States and India," Congressman George Holding said on the floor of the House of Representatives in favour of the amendment in this regard in the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA)-2017. The amendment (Enhancing Defence and Security Co-operation with India) was sponsored by Holding and Ami Bera (House India Caucus Chairs) and Chair and Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce and Elliot Engel, respectively. "I believe that by requiring our government to take actions such as strengthening Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and encouraging combined military planning with India, we can make certain that the US-India defence relationship endures," Holding said. "Mr. Chairman, given the dynamic nature of the Indo- Pacific region and its importance to our own national security and future economic growth, now is the time to build on recent successes and propel the US-India strategic partnership forward," Holding said. For the US, it encourages the executive branch to designate an official to focus on US-India defence cooperation, facilitate the transfer of defence technology, maintain a special office in the Pentagon dedicated exclusively to the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). It urges the US government to enhance India's military capabilities in the context of combined military planning, and promote co-production/co-development opportunities. For India, it encourages the government to authorise combined military planning with the US for missions of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter piracy, and maritime domain awareness. Senators Mark Warner and John Cornyn, the Senate India Caucus Chairs, introduced a similar bill earlier this week in the Senate. Senator Marco Rubio, the former Republican presidential candidate, became its co-sponsor this week. It is only when it is passed by the Senate and the House as part of the NDAA-2017, it will head to the White House for US President Barack Obama to be signed into law. The move has been welcomed by the US-India Business Council (USIBC). "Now that we have bipartisan support from the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House India Caucus, we believe this amendment has a good chance of making its way into the House's version of the defence authorisation bill," said USIBC president Mukesh Aghi. Among other things, the House legislative approval requires the Secretary of Defence and Secretary of State to jointly take such actions as may be necessary to recognise India's status as a major defence partner of the US. It calls for approving and facilitating the transfer of advanced technology, consistent with US conventional arms transfer policy, to support combined military planning with the Indian military for missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter piracy, and maritime domain awareness missions. "The Secretary of Defence and Secretary of State shall jointly, on an annual basis, conduct an assessment of the extent to which India possesses strategic operational capabilities to support military operations of mutual interest between the United States and India," it said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/05/2016 (2346 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL Retired Montreal police officer Marc Brisebois remembers always being grateful for any gun-related information that popped up on his screen whenever he was on patrol and called to a house. If you have that in front of you, you can take a decision more quickly, said Brisebois, who retired in 2006 after 30 years on the force. We were happy to have that info. Twenty-one years after the introduction of the federal long-gun registry since abolished by the Conservatives Quebec is making progress on creating its own database of non-restricted firearms. Montreal police officers look at a weapon seized from a house in Montreal, Wednesday, July 31, 2013, following a standoff with an armed man. Twenty-one years after the introduction of the federal long-gun registry - since abolished by the Conservatives - Quebec is making progress on creating its own database of non-restricted firearms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes While Brisebois comments reflect the official line from police forces and unions across the country especially in Quebec not all rank-and file officers agree with him. Some retired cops from across the country are warning Quebec against setting up a registry they say isnt worth the money and just serves to make citizens feel safer. John, who didnt want to use his last name, retired from the Montreal police in 2007 after more than 30 years service, many of them spent patrolling downtown. He said it boggles the mind that so many millions were spent on the federal registry with what he called so few results. When the Liberals introduced the registry in 1995, they said it would cost roughly $110 million to create. Instead, the figure ballooned to hundreds of millions of dollars before the Conservatives abolished it in 2012. Quebec says setting up its proper registry will cost $17 million and another $5 million, annually, to maintain. The controversial plan has fuelled reports of dissent within all major parties on the issue. John said smart officers never relied on gun data when answering calls because even if they were told a suspect had no registered firearms, you still didnt know if anyone in that home has a gun. If (the screen) says there is no gun registered to anyone in the house are you going to put your hand in your pocket and your mind on neutral? he asked rhetorically. Thats when youre going to get shot. You go on every call like its armed. Quebecs police leaders and union bosses argue the registry is essential because officers checked the old database hundreds of times a day. Critics, however, say that while everyone wants safe streets and less violence, there is little evidence a registry makes cities safer. They also argue the millions dedicated to maintaining a gun database can be used more efficiently on crime prevention or increased access to mental-health services. The Ontario Superior Court ruled in 2014 against a constitutional challenge to the Conservative law abolishing the registry, saying there is no reliable evidence the decision actually has, or will, increase the incidence of violence or death by firearms. Homicide rates in Canada have been decreasing for years and have fallen in Quebec since the registry was abolished in 2012. A retired officer who worked in Vancouvers police department for 28 years told The Canadian Press he would never rely on the federal government to tell me if there were guns in a house. That is useless information because guns move, he said. Any policeman who doesnt assume there are guns in the house is a fool and has a very, very good chance of getting badly hurt. He added that when the registry came online in the 1990s, it had absolutely no effect on the street. And I think youll find that most policemen will tell you that if they ran a house address and the operator came back and said there are no guns they would take that as a total waste of air. The Vancouver officer said police bosses and unions support the registry for political reasons. A lot of decisions that come down the pipe in police departments are a result of police departments getting funding from politicians, he said. But Brisebois believes the registry is more than just a tool for law enforcement that its a symbol of how a society treats firearms and that it reinforces Canadas cultural differences from those of the United States. Seeing what the registry did for me spend the money, Brisebois said. The important thing is to show people you are doing something (about guns), he said. The American way is that guns represent liberty and rights do we want this? I dont. So am I ready to spend that money? Yes. A Cork woman has pleaded with the Health Minister to consider legalising a form of cannabis that could ease her daughter's epileptic seizures. Vera Twomey's daughter Ava suffers from Dravet Syndrome - a rare and incurable form of epilepsy. Irish navy vessel the LE Roisin has rescued nearly 300 refugees off the coast of Libya. During a four-hour mission the crew rescued 274 people from an 18 metre long wooden vessel almost 40 nautical miles away from Tripoli. LE Roisin Rescues 274 Migrants from a Vessel 39 Nautical Miles NW of TRIPOLI pic.twitter.com/FLHCXaz9z6 Oglaigh na hEireann (@defenceforces) May 23, 2016 The LE Roisin has now been tasked by Italian authorities to help with the potential rescue of another 125 people. Once both operations have been completed the rescued people will be transferred to the Italian authorities. Search and rescue teams from the medical humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also rescued 788 people from unseaworthy boats in six rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea. The first rescue operations were carried out by teams from MSF search and rescue vessel the Dignity 1, who took on board 371 people from three unseaworthy boats that were travelling close to each other. The second set of rescues involved teams from the Bourbon Argos who rescued 417 people from three overcrowded boats. BREAKING: The Bourbon #Argos has also completed 3 rescues this morning. Around 417 #people are safely on board. pic.twitter.com/6vKn6q7XHl MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 23, 2016 The 788 people are now safely on board MSF's rescue boats. Almost 50,000 patients each year are walking out of our emergency departments due to frustrations over long waiting times. They include people who may have serious conditions, according to HSE figures. The figures reveal that in October 2015, 613 patients left Dublin's Mater Hospital before discharge and 375 left University Hospital Galway. October also saw 303 patients leave University Hospital Limerick for the same reason, while hundreds also deserted the emergency department of Tallaght Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital. Dr Mark Doyle, President of the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine and a consultant at Waterford University Hospital, says there are a few reasons patients might leave before receiving treatment. He said: "It has been shown pretty widely that if people are getting what they perceive as good quality, timely care, they will stay for it. "Now there can be other pressures, there's no doubt that people do attend without having seen their GP, for instance, and it can be opportunistic." He says at 4%, our walkout rate is still considered safe by international standards. Dr Doyle said: "Internationally, and certainly our own acute medicine programme would suggest, that under 5% leaving without treatment wouldn't be considered particularly alarming. "It's when the figure goes over 5% that departments and the system needs to look at its processes to decide if there is something wrong." Update 4.28pm: It is understood Independent TD John Halligan has agreed to support a Government counter-motion on the subject of water charges. Earlier: An independent junior minister has said that he is likely to vote against the Government in the Dail this week. Waterford TD John Halligan said that he will probably support a cross-party motion signed by 39 TDs, calling for the immediate abolition of domestic water charges. The motion is set to go to a vote in the Dail on Wednesday night - just seven days after Halligan was appointed to a junior ministry at the Department of Jobs. He said that although he has not yet seen the cross-party motion, he supports its views. "I think I will be voting in favour of it, because I don't think it's fir for purpose, Irish Water," he said. "I'll have to have a look at the motion, I haven't seen it yet to be quite frank with you, and see exactly what the wording of it is, "Remember that there are free votes in the Dail now the whip has been removed and we have to have a vote of conscience and in conscience I don't agree with Irish Water and it should be scrapped." The motion states: That Dail Eireann notes that a majority of Deputies elected to the 32nd Dail made clear pre-election pledges to end water charges; and calls on the Government to: immediately abolish domestic water charges; establish a public water and sanitation board to deliver water on the basis of need; and set a date for a referendum to enshrine the public ownership of water services in the Constitution of Ireland. Tesco Ireland must donate 1,000 to a court poor-box to avoid a three-day ban on selling tobacco products after a 17-year-old test purchaser managed to buy a pack of cigarettes. The company was summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court to face a charge under the Public Health Tobacco Act for selling a tobacco product to a person under the age of 18 at their store in the Omni Park Shopping Centre in Dublin on October 29 last. The prosecution was brought by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the company pleaded guilty to the charge today. The HSE's solicitor Sean O'Donnell told Judge William Hamill that an environmental health officer carried out a test purchase with the assistance of a volunteer minor, a 17-year-old girl. The teenager approached the counter and was sold a packet of John Player Blue cigarettes by the sales assistant who did not ask her for identification or her age. Mr O'Donnell said the test purchases are done to encourage vigilance and to protect children from the dangers of cigarettes. He said Tesco Ireland had one prior conviction in 2002 for a similar offence. The offence can result in fines of up to 4,000 and an order suspending a retailer from being allowed sell tobacco products for up to three months. An individual convicted of the offence can also face a fine as well as a maximum three-month sentence. Mr O'Donnell also said the supermarket company will pay the prosecution costs. Tesco Ireland's solicitor asked the court to note that their stores have 150,000 sales of tobacco products a week. Test purchases happen regularly, there have been four so far this year and the company's previous record was almost exemplary, he said. They have a rigorous training programme for staff in relation to sale of cigarettes, the court was told. Judge Hamill heard they have a think 21 policy meaning that anyone who looks under the age of 21 should be checked for ID before they will be sold cigarettes. The staff member, who sold the pack to the teenage test purchaser, had a lapse of concentration as a result of having to care for a sick relative at the time. The worker was spared a conviction and given the Probation Act. Judge Hamill adjourned the case against Tesco Ireland until September saying they must give 1,000 to the court's poor-box and the case would be struck out. Failure to donate the money will result in a conviction, a 500 fine and a three-day cessation of their registration allowing them to sell tobacco products. The International Monetary Fund is calling on European creditor nations to commit to "upfront unconditional" debt relief for Greece as part of an international rescue programme for the debt-laden nation. The IMF is involved in talks on making Greece's debt sustainable to approve the country's latest reforms and make new loans available. Over 100 people have been killed and 80 injured in Islamic State bombings in Syria. The extremist group has claimed responsibility for a series of bomb blasts on Government strongholds this morning. Blowing a whistle to mark the end of lunchtime has been banned by a UK school for being "too aggressive". It is thought the noise might alarm some children and make them afraid. KARACHI: Gold prices on Friday lost some value on the local market, traders said. They dropped by Rs500 to Rs147400... MANILA: The use of LNG imports for power generation in the Philippines next year should not be a disincentive for... Panadol is short in the market and this has been catching eyes of media, politicians, all and sundry. Everyone has ... Secret City is a smart, intelligent political thriller. "Are they up to the nefarious deeds suggested in the mini-series? Well that's up for the viewer to judge I'm sure the embassies would say, 'That would never happen'." Nefarious deeds? In the opening scene alone, a young woman sets herself on fire in a Beijing park. Flick to the next scene, and a young man is sprinting down Commonwealth Avenue in the dark, chased by two men in suits. He swallows a SIM card from his phone, and the next morning is found washed up on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, gutted. There are rumblings up on the hill about the escalation of Chinese activity in the South China Sea, and defence contracts upsetting triangular alliances between Australia, the United States and China. Defence Minister Mal Paxton (Dan Wyllie, third from left) in a scene from Secret City. Minus the body, it could be almost any morning in Australia's capital city. And that's what makes Secret City so smart that its storyline is still so current. "When we started writing this stuff back in 2011, the core idea in it was that Australia would get caught between its strategic relationship with the US and its economic relationship with China and would find it very difficult to make decisions," Uhlmann says. The movie has ''captured all the moods of the city". Credit:Simon Cardwell "That issue hasn't changed at all. We were looking at things as they were emerging, but they remain very contemporary issues." So much so, he says, that after a pre-screening of the first episode at Parliament House, the night after budget night, many people noted how relevant the issues were. Damon Herriman as Kim Gordon, and Anna Torv as Harriet Dunkley, in Secret City, the new Foxtel mini-series set in Canberra. "That's once they stopped yelling out things like, 'If she was going to the Treasurer's office she would have turned left, not right'," Uhlmann says. And that's another joy of Secret City we know our city. Every shot, every scene will have you picking out local landmarks the National Library, for example, or a particular section of the lake's shore. There goes an action bus in one shot, and in the next, you could be seeing your neighbour as an extra. "One of the best things about it is that it's captured all the moods of the city," says Uhlmann. "Canberra is definitely a character in the screenplay." Producer Joanna Werner agrees. "I promised when we went there we'd make Canberra look sexy, and we absolutely did," she says. "But not only that, it looks sinister and chilling, intelligent and interesting. I think it's remarkable. "We know from the response we've had from our international partners, NBC Universal, that people are finding it incredibly unique that there's this amazingly high-tech, high-powered city in the middle of this bush wilderness. It doesn't look like anywhere else in the world." Werner is full of praise for Canberra as a location, as well as for the support the production had from the ACT government and ScreenACT. "They were fundamentally important for us, a big support through filming as well. We wouldn't have got it done without them." The production had unprecedented access to Parliament House, shooting there for three months from August. "Obviously, Parliament House isn't a film set, [so] for us to be able to fit in and not interrupt the regular proceedings of the building we had to work around a lot of things," Werner says. "We held our breath for a long time about the level of access we would get but it came through at the last minute and we are eternally grateful." But if Canberra's a big town ready for the world stage, it's still, in many ways, a small town. "The night we closed Commonwealth Avenue for shooting that first scene, I think the whole town was there," says Werner, laughing. And when they needed some locations to shoot internals, Chris Uhlmann simply called Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron "Is there anyone in Canberra Chris doesn't know?" asks Werner who came to the party with locations to set up the Prime Minister's office and the supposed offices of the Australian Signals Directorate, complete with mobile phone lockers and eye scanners. Locals will love, too, the many references to the cold. When Defence Minister Mal Paxton (Dan Wyllie, Puberty Blues, Tangle) asks the newly appointed US ambassador Moreton (Mekhi Phifer, ER, Divergent) how he's finding the cold in his new posting, Moreton comes back with a classic line. "Minister, this is going to feel tropical compared to the f---ing freezer the White House is going to put you in," is the answer. Loading Deathtrap. By Ira Levin. Directed by Kim Wilson. Tempo Theatre. Belconnen Community Theatre, Belconnen Community Centre. Until May 28. canberraticketing.com.au or 6275 2700. For more than 40 years, Tempo Theatre has been entertaining audiences and providing opportunities for amateur theatre makers to pursue their passion for all aspects of theatre production. From the company's origin as a producer of musicals, Tempo has evolved to create a niche for itself as the producer, largely of British and American comedies, farces, murder mysteries and thrillers. Its latest offering continues this tradition with Tempo's production of playwright and novelist Ira Levin's mystery thriller, Deathtrap, written in 1978. Deathtrap with its intriguing plot, surprising twists and unexpected consequences recalls the malevolent deception of Dial M For Murder or the deadly cat and mouse confrontation of Sleuth. Levin's earlier novels Rosemary's Baby and The Boys From Brazil, adapted into films, also inhabit aspects of the thriller. Briefly, a once highly successful playwright, Sidney Bruhl, convincingly played by Paul Jackson, is losing his touch when he receives a new play from brilliant up and coming playwright Clifford Anderson, played with natural ease and conviction by Sam Kentish. Murder is on his mind with wife, Myra (Salli Willings), a party to the deed. The arrivals of eccentric psychic Helga ten Dorp (Margi Sainsbury) and Bruhl's lawyer (Tony Cheshire) complicate matters in this tale of intrigue, surprise and deceit. But that's not all. There's more, much more and enough to keep an audience guessing when not everything is as it seems. Paul Jackson as Sidney Bruhl, left, and Tony Cheshire as Porter Milgrim, in Deathtrap. Credit:Melita Caulfield In the true tradition of the mystery thriller, Deathtrap relies on misleading clues, unexpected action, surprising irony and nail-biting tension to keep the audience riveted to the unfolding events. Director Kim Wilson directs the action with some effective physical business with deadly weaponry, but the production lacks an impending sense of danger and with it the urgency of the characters' motives. With greater confidence, tighter direction and a stronger sense of the purpose of each character's actions, this production could find the energy and the atmosphere necessary to keep an audience on the edge of their seats. Production manager Jon Elphick and director Kim Wilson's effective and well-designed set design and construction for Deathtrap is evidence of the excellent opportunities this company offers enthusiastic amateurs to be involved behind the scenes. However, the company would benefit by inviting more experienced directors to work with Tempo. This would benefit the more accomplished actors such as Jackson and Kentish, as well as less experienced cast members. Former ACT attorney-general and opposition leader Bill Stefaniak is in a serious condition in hospital after suffering a heart attack while driving last week. Mr Stefaniak, 64, was driving on a service road outside Narrabundah College when he suffered a medical episode and crashed into a street light on Friday. Bill Stefaniak AM in 2014. Credit:Jamila Toderas He was taken to Canberra Hospital and placed in an induced coma. But Mr Stefaniak's son, John Lane, said he was now awake and showing "positive signs". In the opinion of most political analysts the Palmer United Party was created one of its noble aims being to wreak vengeance on the Liberal National Party after it dumped Palmer as a member after one fight with QLD premier Cambell Newman too many. And for a moment there, it seemed like the party was a genuine threat, as Palmer swept to power in the seat of Fairfax in 2013 with a mighty mandate of barely 50 votes (the actual amount depends on which of the many recounts you choose). With that stirring victory Palmer proceeded to represent his electorate by being the MP least likely to show up in Parliament. Clivin' la Vida Loca! Three senators were voted in for Palmer United at the 2013 election - Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus and Zhenya "Dio" Wang - and initially Motoring Enthusiasts Party senator Ricky Muir had indicated he'd vote with the bloc. However, by the time the new senate actually sat in July 2014 Muir had long since distanced himself, with Lambie and then Lazarus jumping ship after public spats with their party leader, leaving Wang as the sole sitting PUP senator - and it's hard to find anyone outside of PUP that thinks WA are going to be in any hurry to vote him back in. There were also mass defections in his state based parties in Queensland and NT, while campaigns in Victoria, South Australia and (especially) Tasmania failed miserably, despite costing millions. Speaking of which Clive baby Clive! Like Batman and Iron Man, Clive Palmer had a mighty super power: access to eye-wateringly vast sums of money, which he spent on blanket TV advertising ahead of the election (on analysis estimated it at costing him around $9 per vote). Palmer also donated a staggering $25 million to his party from July 2013 to June 2014 - or, more specifically, according to this report from February 2015, "More than $15 million was donated by Queensland Nickel, which operates the Palmer Nickel and Cobalt Refinery, owned by Clive Palmer. More than $8 million was donated by Mineralogy Pty Ltd, which is owned by Clive Palmer. More than $2 million was donated by Palmer Leisure Australia Pty Ltd and Palmer Coolum Resort, and more than $100,000 was donated by a gentleman named Clive Frederick Palmer of Queensland." That seemed interesting enough back then, but seemed rather more sinister by late 2015 as those businesses started to vanish. In November Palmer Coolum Resort shut up shop, and in February this year the City of Gold Coast were publicly calling for Palmer Leisure to respond regarding applications for apartment developments which the company had left dormant for seven months. Similarly, his plans to build a mighty replica of the Titanic sank like um, some sort of big boaty thing bumping into some frozen water stuff. There's got to be a metaphor for this somewhere? And perhaps saddest of all for such a high-flying figure, he even put his private jet on the market earlier this year. First up, as the above videos indicate, most of Clive's big political enemies have been vanquished - which much significantly diminish Canberra's appeal as an occasional work destination. And sure, there's the fact that he'd already chickened out of running for his unambiguously lost seat of Fairfax in the House of Representatives, but also that the best assessment of the Queensland Senate race is that there may not even be an independent seat there over which to fight. It's not easy to balance the likely effect of the lower quota of a double dissolution versus the effect of all but removing the effect of preference deals on the new senate ballot, but ABC genius election stats-borg Antony Green has posited that it's probably going to end up being five seats to the LNP, five to Labor and one to the Greens. If that's the case there's one seat left, leaving the non-Clive PUP candidate to beat more high-profile candidates like One Nation's Pauline Hanson, desperately hoping for a renaissance that doesn't involve Dancing With The Stars, and sitting independent senator Glenn Lazarus who has the advantage of being the incumbent and having been seen to do smart things during his term - like, for example, leave Palmer United. But for now, Palmer leaves us with sweet memories of inappropriate public statements, demonstrably nonsensical policies, and a series of collapsed business ventures. Truly Australian politics will not see Clive's like again - well, unless Donald Trump decides that Australia's the next step It took me around 30 minutes to realise I'd left my boon companion in a taxi. I'd slid into the backseat at the airport after a 24-hour flight, exhausted but chatting, texting, looking out the window to see what had changed after four weeks in Europe, admiring the light, grass, the trees. My schmick laptop bag, black, matte, dissolved into the background. There are hundreds of items left in taxis across Sydney every week and nearly every single loss gets reported to Irene Klaasse. I too rang Irene when I lost my laptop. She's the woman who handles taxi lost property in Sydney and every week she handles hundreds of phone calls from people like me. Weeping. Hysterical. Sometimes abusive. Working her magic, Irene ensured that within the hour, my laptop was returned to me. Sometimes she uses GPS to find which driver drove which passenger. Sometimes she can rely on the accuracy of the receipt (but not always). Sometimes, drivers find lost items and return them to the office in Alexandria. She estimates that of the reported items of lost property, well over 90 per cent are returned to their owners. Burning all the world's known fossil fuels would result in the release of the equivalent of 5 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide and drive global temperatures 8 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels by 2300, a report by Canadian researchers has found. The study, published on Tuesday in Nature Climate Change, extended models used for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and found impacts that were "considerably larger" than previously indicated. For instance, by 2300, global temperatures would range from 6.4-9.5 degrees warmer than pre-industrial times with a mean warming of 8.2 degrees. Arctic regions warm by as much as 19.5 degrees. Rainfall changes would include increases of as much as fourfold in tropical areas, while more-temperate areas such as parts of Australia, the Mediterranean and the Amazon could have rainfall halved, the researchers led by Katarzyna Tokarska, at University of Victoria, found. Australians who have not enrolled to vote - especially young Australians who only recently turned 18 - have been urged to urgently lodge their details to avoid missing out on a chance to have their say on July 2. Although there are still six weeks to run in this year's election campaign, the electoral rolls close at 8pm on Monday. Voters who have changed their address since the last election are also required to update their details. The Australian Electoral Commission estimates that around 950,000 eligible Australians are not currently enrolled to vote, including half of all 18-year olds. Wollongong MP Noreen Hay has announced she will not stand for re-election as party Whip when the position is spilled on Thursday following a staff member being charged with electoral fraud. Ms Hay has told colleagues that she will not stand "in the interests of party unity" and urged them to "support the leader" defusing a potential showdown with opposition leader Luke Foley Wollongong MP Noreen Hay will not stand for re-election as Opposition Whip. Credit:Sylvia Liber However, Ms Hay is still refusing to accede to a demand by Mr Foley that she resign as Whip before the meeting in light of the development. "My position is one of principle and in the interests of procedural fairness and the presumption of innocence," she told Fairfax Media on Monday. "I've haven't budged from that". The NSW Ambulance service has apologised after it took at least 45 minutes to respond to an alleged hit-and-run collision that killed a woman in Sydney's west. Shahrazad Rahman, 39, of Merrylands, was struck by a car on Rawson Road in Guildford about 9.15pm on Saturday. She was given CPR by police and bystanders but died on her way to Westmead Hospital. Fairfax Media understands the ambulance service received calls to Rawson Road at 9.20pm, 9.43pm and 9.55pm. "NSW Ambulance extends its sincere apologies and condolences to the family of this patient," it said in a statement. The Sydney convenience store owner accused of deliberately setting fire to his shop has told his trial that blaze victims Bianka O'Brien and her baby Jude were part of "a beautiful family". Adeel Ahmad Khan has entered the witness box in the NSW Supreme Court, where he has pleaded not guilty to murdering the mother and son and their 27-year-old neighbour Chris Noble, who all died in the September 2014 inferno. Rozelle convenience store owner Adeel Kahn, accused of starting a fire that killed three people. Credit:Christopher Pearce Under questioning by his defence barrister Luke Brasch on Monday, Mr Khan, 46, said he knew Bianka and Jude O'Brien and Bianka's husband John as neighbours, but was not sure whether they lived upstairs from his shop or downstairs. A 45-year-old man is due in court on Tuesday after allegedly assaulting four police in a violent end to a year-long crime spree. Police were called to a home in Brisbane's south just before 11am Monday to reports of a break and enter. A 45-year-old man has been charged with assaulting for police officers. When they arrived at the home on Monash Road, in Tarragindi, the officers called for the man, armed with a screwdriver, to come out of the house but he refused, police said. When police approached the man, he allegedly bit a male constable, 25, on his upper right leg and punched a female constable, 47, in the stomach and scratched her face. Queensland teenager Alyssa Azar has made it back safely to Base Camp after becoming the youngest Australian to climb Mount Everest. The 19-year-old from Toowoomba, who reached the summit of the world's tallest mountain said in a Facebook post on Monday she had made it back to Base Camp. "Thanks everybody for your messages of support, I am now back safely in Base Camp after an amazing climb and successful expedition," she posted. Parts of far north Queensland received more rain in 24-hours than Brisbane has received all year over the weekend. Areas like Cooktown and Weipa smashed their May rainfall records but it was Hopevale that was hit with the biggest deluge with 322 millimetres falling in 24 hours. Flooding in Malanda Credit:Al Turnbull Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rick Threlfall said it was an unusual rain event for the north, but it was short-lived. "Things did ease pretty rapidly," he said. Paroo Shire Mayor Lindsay Godfrey is urging the Queensland government to "give Cunnamulla irrigators a shot", as he calls to fast-track the development of medicinal cannabis pilot programs in Queensland. Representatives from Queensland Health and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries met with potential growers in Atherton last week. Dr Andrew Katelaris is one of Australia's biggest medicinal cannabis suppliers. Credit:Rohan Thomson Cr Godfrey, who is also the Chair of South West Regional Economic Development, a group representing six shires in western Queensland, said the lucrative industry could save his drought-stricken community. Cunnamulla, a township 800 kilometres west of Brisbane, already produces a small number of irrigated crops including cotton and broad acre farming. Former RP Data chairman Ted Pretty wants to create a rural version of the residential and commercial property data tracker and says he's found the beginnings of it in agricultural database company Kisimul. Mr Pretty, who is best known as Telstra's former technology guru, but more recently for his cut-short stint at Hills Ltd, is courting Kisimul's owners Adam McNeill and Simon Butler to take a stake in the company, otherwise known as KG2, with plans to take it offshore and float it. Ted Pretty, when he was CEO of Hills in 2014. He left the company after a debt-fuelled spending spree. Credit:David Mariuz Kisimul owns a database covering 120,000 farms, but since 2013 soon after it bought the asset from the administrators of bankrupt Kaliber its business has been stalled while it sues its former director of technology and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank subsidiary Rural Bank, claiming they conspired to steal its data. It is understood KG2 has begun to sign up bank customers again in recent months, two years after starting its court action. A Melbourne man has been found not guilty of using a "terrorist manual" to help him build a bomb to cause a catastrophic bushfire in Australia. The Crown case against Adnan Karabegovic, 27, of Officer, was that he had downloaded the al-Qaeda magazine Inspire as part of a violent jihad or holy war against the enemies of Islam. Adnan Karabegovic outside the Melbourne Magistrates' Court in 2013. Credit:Michael Clayton-Jones A Supreme Court jury on Monday deliberated for three hours before it found Mr Karabegovic not guilty of possessing Inspire magazine No 9 [the 2012 Winter edition], material the prosecution alleged was "connected with assistance in a terrorist act". Crown prosecutor Jeremy Rapke, QC, had told the jury Mr Karabegovic wore his commitment to radical Islam as a "badge of honour" and that he "regarded living in a non-Muslim country and society as living in a 'land of war'". The drunk woman is partially naked after being forcibly strip searched as a male officer watches on. Other footage shows the 51-year-old drinking water from a toilet after complaining a tap was broken. A distressed woman is swarmed by police officers, doused with pepper spray and kicked as she crouches on the floor of a police cell. She is handcuffed and defenceless. It could be a grim scene from a US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay or Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison, but the footage was aired at a public examination on Monday into serious claims of police brutality at Ballarat Police Station. The community expects all police to be held to the highest standards. Credit:Marina Neil The five-day hearing by Victoria's Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission will test explosive allegations against several senior police officers in Ballarat, but the tremors will be felt by Force Command back in Melbourne. The examination, including the confronting CCTV footage, will raise uncomfortable questions for Professional Standards Command, which is tasked with investigating misconduct within the force. An internal probe by Professional Standards Command in December last year cleared the two officers involved in the alleged assault at Ballarat station of any criminal offences. Despite being the subject of an ongoing IBAC investigation their suspensions were overturned and they were allowed back to work. Two men have been charged over a series of sexual assaults, including the alleged abuse of children aged 16 or 17 at a school in Melbourne's north. A Wandong man, 37, was on Monday charged with the sexual penetration of a child aged 16 and 17 under his care, supervision or authority and other related offences. The incidents are alleged to have occurred between 2002 and 2010 and involve four female victims, who were students of a Reservoir school. The man has been bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on May 27. Meanwhile, another man has been arrested over a number of sexual assaults in Trafalgar in 2004. An egg-ceptionally improbable run of odds at a Perth backyard barbecue breakfast left an Esperance women shell shocked when her carton of eggs produced 10 double yolks. Sheridan Anderson was visiting friends in Mount Hawthorn when she decided a Sunday morning fried breakfast was just the ticket to overcome the weekend winter blues. Esperance woman Sheridan Anderson was shell-shocked to discover 10 double yolk eggs in her carton. After shelling out for a 10-egg carton from Glendalough Village IGA, Ms Anderson headed back to her friend's place for the fry-up. On average just one in a thousand eggs has a double yolk and so Ms Anderson said there was a little bit of excitement when the first cracked open. A man accused of tackling then repeatedly punching and kicking an acquaintance, leaving him in a pool of blood on the side of a freeway, was acting in self-defence, a Perth jury has heard. Rewi Te Mahenga Hiko is charged with assault occasioning bodily harm to Dylan Edwards and causing bodily harm to Mr Edwards' wife Sarah in June last year. A freeway taxi ride was at the heart of a confrontation between two men. Credit:Mandurah Mail The District Court heard on Monday two couples had watched a rugby match and started drinking together at a Perth bar afterwards. Prosecutor Tara Payne described Mr Edwards as "jovial" and said the group was asked to leave the bar. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams This one was zesty, with notes of sour grapes. Sunset Park activists uncorked their ire toward Industry City on May 21, demonstrating outside of the Brooklyn Crush wine-tasting, which locals griped was too snooty for the neighborhoods good. Protestors told revelers leaving the bourgeois bacchanal that patronizing Industry City the private manufacturing campus that is home to hipster dance parties and Manhattan-fleeing fashionistas accelerates gentrification in the working-class, immigrant nabe. But the display left a bitter taste in tourists mouths, some said. To feel the neighborhood go, We dont want you here its like, Alright, well f you then. Theyre alienating the people they want help from, said New Jersian Tom Laughlin. About 25 demonstrators charged that Sunset Parkers cant afford to shop at Industry Citys stores, yuppie tourists dont venture into local mom-and-pops, and landlords are salivating to turn neighboring taquerias into tony organic markets. Hosting private events like the $75 wine-tasting throws gasoline on the fire, activists said. They made it clear that their vision is to turn Sunset Park into the next SoHo, the next Chelsea, said Ana Orozco, a Harlem resident who works for Sunset Park social-justice group Uprose. Theyre hosting events for people with money, and theyre trying to attract people from Manhattan into the space, because without that type of clientele, they wont be able to maintain the high-end retail or restaurants. But protesters were stereotyping and they stomped on any chances Laughlin and his wife would stick around and soak in some local flavor, he said. Were both blue-collar all the way neither of us have any college, said Laughlin, a warehouse manager whose wife works for a forklift-rental company. Maybe, based on Brooklyn Crush, we would have stayed here for the evening, but based on [demonstrators], now we feel guilty, and so were gonna get back to Manhattan as quick as we can. Protesters said they werent trying to push people away. I dont want to ruin anyones good time, said Sunset Parker and tenant-organizer Sam Wicks, who had a heated exchange with an allegedly tipsy Laughlin. This is our way and the message we want to communicate. Its a healthy debate. Unfortunately, it got a little ugly in the end. He was obviously impaired. Industry City touted last fall that nearly half the 4,000 workers its tenants employ live within a few miles, are people of color, and have no college degree. And landlords decisions outside the multi-block waterfront campus, are out of the Industry Citys hands, its chief executive told this paper last fall. We can only control what we can control, and what we can control is taking a place that had very few jobs and no investment for 30 years and turning it into a place where there are lots of jobs, and a very good number of which go to local folks, said Andrew Kimball. But there have been failures. Struggling 3D printer producer Maker Bot expanded its Industry City forge to great fanfare last year, hiring dozens of factory-floor workers and months later announcing it would sack them and move production overseas. New interest in once-hardscrabble Sunset Park is a double-edged sword, but the city not private enterprise is responsible for protecting longtime residents, according to a Brooklyn-raised wine-lover leaving the Industry City party. When I was growing up in Bensonhurst, you didnt come here it was Bay Ridge or bust, said 28-year-old Brighton Beacher Aly, who declined to give a last name. Yes, it will start to develop that will drive the price up. But at the same time, there was no one coming here that didnt live here [in the 1990s and 2000s]. We need to find a balance, and thats something we need to talk to the city about. latest news October 3, 2022 Dee Gambit Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ... Pre-Seed Workshop to help entrepreneurs determine viability of startup concepts BUFFALO, N.Y. The University at Buffalo will host the 10th annual Pre-Seed Workshop for aspiring high-tech entrepreneurs on May 25-26 at UBs New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, 701 Ellicott St., Buffalo. The workshop is a two-day boot camp that offers entrepreneurs in high-tech industries the opportunity to determine the viability of their startup concepts, and will include pitch sessions from 2-3:30 p.m. each day. This years program has been expanded to include life sciences as well as engineering and manufacturing tracks. News media are encouraged to attend the live pitch sessions. The workshop will bring together technical, legal, business, finance and marketing experts in the community, who will take entrepreneurs through a series of facilitated, hands-on sessions to investigate and further develop pre-seed-stage companies spun out of universities, hospitals and inventors basements. Ideas being showcased at the workshop include: A product used for selective chemical removal of tooth decay. An endovascular EEG system to collect more-precise epileptic data. An energy-harvesting system to power pacemakers in a renewable and sustainable way. A more efficient system to produce enzymes and proteins used in the pharmaceutical industry. A micro-electromechanical system to assemble 3D human micro-tissues. A geriatric risk-analysis program to enhance patient-centered care and quality outcomes in long-term care. A virtual reality surgical simulation platform for training surgeons. A breast cancer prognostic system using cancer genomics data and bioinformatics. A natural chelating agent that facilitates base-metal removal and precious metal recovery from industrial wastewater. Self-driving recreational boats and cargo ships to reduce shipping costs and increase sea safety. A shoe cleat system for rowers to enhance experience and results. A novel hybrid process for high-speed, high-throughput fabrication. A bubble fuse to interrupt electricity flow when voltage exceeds a set value. Computer-aided design, additive technologies and machining methods that produce custom parts. The Pre-Seed Workshop, founded and facilitated by Mark Wilson and Judy Albers, has helped more than 200 entrepreneurs statewide decide whether they are ready to start a high-tech business. Pre-Seed workshops also help to train the next wave of entrepreneurs, allowing undergraduate, graduate and professional students to gain real-world experience by sitting on teams alongside scientists and business experts. Sponsors of the 2016 Pre-Seed Workshop include UBs New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics, Office of Economic Development, Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach, Hodgson Russ LLP, New York State Science and Technology Law Center (NYSSTLC), Launch NY, New York State Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute. Campus News Interest in South Asian studies increasing at UB More students at UB are pursuing interests in the language, culture and religion of India and other countries in South Asia. By CHARLES ANZALONE If there is one thing students should know about South Asian studies, it is that there is a lot of funding for study of South Asian languages and relatively little competition for it. UB students are enjoying the benefits of the universitys growing interest in study and educational exchange with India, ties that are paying big dividends for students looking for international education and research opportunities. Two UB students have won international study awards to India, and another student is a finalist. The students achievements spotlight what has become an increasing number of students pursuing their interests in the language, culture and religion of India and other countries in South Asia. Study, service and fellowships to and from India have been plentiful this year, says Elizabeth Colucci, coordinator of fellowships and scholarships, whose office has fostered a significant increase in UB students winning national and international awards in recent years. There has been an increase in interest in the study of India and the languages of India. As a result, we have more students applying for, and being awarded, prestigious and valuable scholarships to India. The list of UB undergraduates winning international fellowships and scholarship awards to India alone is proof of the benefits of this UB-India academic connection, Colucci says. Kayleigh Reed has won both the Boren Scholarship, a highly competitive international award stressing language, and the Critical Language Scholarship. Sampurna Chakrabarti, a native of India, has won the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Chakrabarti has led efforts on campus to recruit people for service work for Teach for India. Minahil Khan, a graduating senior and former UB Student Association president, is a finalist for the Clinton Fellowship for Service in India, which would provide financial support for a year of service in India. Colucci says the growing number of students interested in the study of India, its culture and its languages is largely due to Walter N. Hakala, assistant professor in the Department of English and the Asian Studies Program. His Honors College seminars have inspired students to increase their proficiency in Hindi and Urdu, and to study about India and the people of India. As a result, we have students applying for these prestigious and valuable fellowships and scholarships, such as the Critical Language Scholarship and the Boren Scholarship, Colucci says. Professor Hakala has changed the culture here at UB. Hakalas approach combines affection for the culture and religion of South Asia with a clear-eyed pragmatism that encourages students by pointing out the advantages of this academic background. We are a small but very passionate community of students and faculty at UB who share a fascination with South Asia, he says. If there is one thing students should know about South Asian studies, it is that there is a lot of funding for study of South Asian languages and relatively little competition for it. Students interested in traveling to India can get funding through the Critical Language Boren, Gilman and Fulbright programs, or from other sources within UB, according to Hakala. UBs study abroad office and the Asian Studies Program both offer scholarships for traveling abroad. You wont win scholarships unless you apply for them, Hakala notes. Thats why I require students in my upper-level electives to prepare statements of purpose for study abroad scholarships in the hope that they will then go on to submit them and get funded to actually travel abroad. Last year, only seven people across the United States applied for six Fulbright English teaching assistantships in Bangladesh. By way of contrast, 49 people applied for three ETA positions in Belgium and 146 for 12 positions in Greece. The trick is to start applying early in ones undergraduate career and to continue applying throughout. Hakala stresses that students interested in South Asian studies should learn a South Asian language. Hindi and Urdu are by far the most popular languages, he says. But I love pointing out to students that according to the website Ethnologue, there are more people who consider Bengali to be their mother tongue than German or Russian. There are more Punjabi, Telegu, Marathi and Tamil speakers than there are people who consider French or Italian to be their mother tongue, he continues, adding that UB again will offer elementary Hindi-Urdu, starting in the fall 2016 semester, after several years of not offering the languages. Kayleigh Reed, winner of both the Boren and Critical Language scholarships, is a perfect example of Hakalas approach. She mixes a strong appreciation of South Asian culture with a clear career goal of making a difference through her education. Students who start to learn South Asian languages become much more competitive for additional fellowships. She also is proof that starting small and building up a record of winning grants can lead to more substantial opportunities. I think it's important to recognize that, while India is certainly the largest and wealthiest country in South Asia, much attention should be directed at Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bhutan, as well, says Reed, who will study Urdu in India for almost a year. Before applying for either scholarship, however, she applied for and received funding to attend the StarTalk Urdu program at the University of Pennsylvania last summer. Each place has a distinctive and unique cultural output, topography and socioeconomic climate attributes that the western world has largely ignored after the British left India in 1947, she says. One-fifth of the worlds population lives in these seven countries. But how many people do you know that study Hindi? Nepali? Marathi? Urdu? Bengali? The only reason I know people who study them is because I started studying one, myself. I think, however, that it is important for others to start learning these languages for diplomacy, business prospects, environmental initiatives and NGO/aid initiatives. Winning the Boren Scholarship will provide her with the opportunity to become fluent in Urdu. With that skill, I can help others, in whatever capacity I can whether that ends up being through governmental work, volunteering, interpreting or higher education, says Reed, who up until now has never been outside the U.S. and Canada. Ultimately, I think my interests lie in serving the global community. My dream is to work for the Foreign Service, but those jobs are tough to get. Winning this scholarship, however, makes that dream more attainable. In short, this opened up several doors for me personally, sure, she admits. But more importantly, it opened up several avenues for me to help others. It starts with becoming fluent in Urdu and it could end with any number of careers that help people. Aside from that, I love learning about South Asian culture and I've connected with many of the students at Lafayette High School through discussions about Bollywood, she says. Ive even used Bollywood to help kids understand their literature assignments. Sampurna Chakrabarti, winner of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, graduated from UB this month with a BS in biological sciences and a BA in psychology. Chakrabarti says she fell in love with neuroscience and writes a blog to make neuroscience accessible to a broader audience. My research will help understand arthritis and pain pathologies that affect millions of people worldwide, she says. I am also passionate about educational equality and hope to work with organizations around the world, especially in developing countries, to make quality education available to all. Chakrabarti is intent on finding other opportunities to help forge new relationships, find new passion and increase global competency. She and fellow UB students Antara Majumdar and Sushmita Gelda are working to improve communication between middle school students in Kolkata, India, and Buffalo. This program includes working on a virtual film club with students in Calcutta Rescue, a nonprofit organization for underprivileged children in Kolkata. Hakala is especially proud of the work Chakrabarti, Gelda and Majumdar have done connecting Buffalo Public School 31 with a school in Calcutta. He gave the P.S. 31 students a lesson in Hindi, which they were able to use during their frequent Skype conversations with the India students. Preparations for studying South Asian culture and language should begin well before college, Hakala says. The best thing about UB is there are some incredible mentors who are always willing to help you achieve your goals, says Chakrabarti, who, besides Hakala, singles out Malcolm Slaughter, professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, for introducing her to the fascinating world of research and encouraging her in every scientific pursuit. Pland Stainless is continuing to grow its apprenticeship scheme, which started 20 months ago. The company now has apprentices across many disciplines in the business, who are able to contribute to Plands continuous development. The apprentices are seen as strategic to Plands development and are an important part of the succession plan for the company. Three apprentices started with Pland in September 2014 and were placed in the welding, warehouse and maintenance teams. A year later, two further apprentices were recruited in Welding and the Technical office team. Pland has just taken on a further apprentice and more are planned for the autumn. Ian Hodgson, co-owner of Pland Stainless, said: We have a wealth of staff with years of experience in the business and its great to see them share their skills with our young apprentices. The apprentices bring fresh new ideas too from their college support, and they are now seeing that jobs are available after training, as James McNichol demonstrates. He has just been promoted to warehouse supervisor and his training will continue to enable him to excel in his chosen career path. BSS has won an award in recognition of its contribution towards health and safety from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). RoSPA honoured the company with the Silver Achievement Award in its 2016 Health & Safety Awards. BSS Safety director Richard Byrne said: We were keen to celebrate safety success and this award helps us to underline the fact that we are achieving great results. Our obligation to health and safety extends to our workforce, the contractors we employ, stakeholders that we work with, and members of the public. We are extremely proud that this effort has been acknowledged by RoSPA. RoSPA praised the high health and safety standards at BSS during the past 12 months, singling out the effective leadership that its directors and senior managers play in defining the health and safety strategy, in addition to its integrated approach to health and safety management. The RoSPA Health & Safety Awards 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of what is the UKs longest scheme to recognise and celebrate excellence in safety performance. When judges assess entrants they consider all aspects of their occupational health and safety management systems, such as leadership and workforce involvement. COVID testing as we know it wouldn't have happened without this NJ lab For Quest Diagnostics, the pandemic could not have arrived at a more challenging time. A major new lab was being built in Clifton, New Jersey. With a new government taking charge in Dispur, the Assam tea industry has asked it to prepare a 10-year roadmap to address deficiencies and problems faced by the sector. Besides, the industry also wants the new BJP-led government to take steps for revival of at least 15 tea estates of Assam Tea Corporation and setting up of a tea auction centre in Jorhat in Upper Assam. A forum of three Assam based tea producers associations Assam Tea Planters Association (ATPA), North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) and Bharatiya Cha Parishad (BCP), has also demanded serious endeavour on the part of the new government in convincing central government to declare tea as the National Drink of India. Raj Barooah, chairman of ATPA is of the view that to have a holistic approach towards the problems afflicting the Assam tea industry and to improve its financial health, a roadmap should be prepared taking views of all the stakeholders of tea industry. We request the new government to draw a 10 year road map for this age old industry after taking the views of all the industry stakeholders. This policy paper should spell out the provisions in law that will need periodic amendments over the next 10 years and a strategy for improvement of the livelihood of the tea workers through a holistic approach by taking the way forward in improving the economic health of the tea industry of Assam, Barooah said. Bidyananda Barkakoty, vice chairman of Tea Board of India, said revival of 15 tea estates of Assam Tea Corporation, activating the Directorate of Tea and a tea auction centre in Jorhat should rank high on the new governments priority list. He said many of the newly elected representatives were well convergent with the problems of the tea industry and hoped that the new government would accord priority to the industrys demands. Barkakoty added that the Assam Tea Corporation and Directorate of Tea should be revamped by appointing professionals rather than bureaucrats as chairman and managing director (CMD) and director. Manoj Jallan, chairman of NETA, said since the new government was aware of the difficult situation that the tea industry had been passing through, he hoped it would create and environment for the industry to bounce back. The new government should take measures to keep the age-old tea Assam tea industry relevant and competitive in the challenging times of the 21st century, said Mayank Agarwalla, chairman of BCP. In a rare case of banks managing to offload their shares in a company that they had earlier taken over under strategic debt restructuring (SDR), a consortium of lenders is in the last leg of discussions to sell a 51 per cent stake in debt-laden truck maker Motors to the Russia-based Kamaz Group for $50 million, or about Rs 335 crore, according to sources. Under SDR, banks can take majority control of a defaulting company, by converting their debt into equity, and implement management changes. Such an exercise has to be done within 18 months of taking over; otherwise, they will have to incur hefty provisioning. OFFLOAD RELIEF In a rare case, lenders are being able to offload their shares in a company they had taken over under strategic debt restructuring Debtor: Motors Motors Sellers: A consortium led by IDBI, and comprising Bank of India, Federal Bank, UCO Bank and Punjab National Bank A consortium led by IDBI, and comprising Bank of India, Federal Bank, UCO Bank and Punjab National Bank Buyer: Russia-based Kama was among the top three truck makers in the country in certain segments. It ran into rough weather in the past three years as construction and mining activities dipped and demand for new trucks plummeted. During the boom years, AMW volumes more than doubled in two years to hit a career high of 10,021 units in 2011-12 from 3,939 units in 2009-10. However, last year, its volumes slumped to 848 units, down 72 per cent from 2014-15, according to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam). Kamaz is present in India since 2009, with a facility in Hosur, near Bengaluru. AMW has a factory in Bhuj, Gujarat. In April, only 10 trucks were produced by the company. This fall comes at a time when the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) industry is on a strong upswing; the segment saw a 25 per cent rise in sales during the month, shows Siam data. AMW could not benefit from the upswing because of lack of enough working capital, say sources. The company is understood to have had held discussions with several global CV makers, including Italys IVECO. It owes about Rs 1,800 crore to banks, and was taken over by the lenders in December under the SDR route. It had been looking for a strategic partner for some time, Kamaz being one. An e-mail to Kamaz went unanswered. AMW did not offer any comment for this story. The lenders'consortium is led by IDBI Bank; there are also Bank of India, Federal Bank, UCO Bank and Punjab National Bank. After the stake sale, the promoters will have 49 per cent equity and the banks will have to take a cut in their claims. Analysts estimate that in any SDR, banks will have to take a cut (termed a haircut) of as much as 50-65 per cent on their claims. However, the lenders will continue with the rest of their debt on the books of the company, instead of converting it into equity, a banker said. If the bankers arrangement with Kamaz goes ahead, sources say, the new entity could operate as a joint venture company on the lines of Volvo-Eicher Motors, the Indo-Swedish venture. There could either be joint branding or independent product retailing through independent brands. Notwithstanding the haircut, if the deal goes through, it would probably be the first such success for banks, as lenders are invariably clueless on how to manage a company once it is taken over under SDR. The best bet for banks is to find outside management experts to run the company and find a buyer. Usually, banks put a director on the board of the company to oversee the functioning. While talk about change in ownership in some SDR cases are ongoing, nothing is concrete and banks say the equities in these are largely dud. It has been challenging for banks to find owners for recently acquired Visa and Electrosteel, even as theyve made some progress in the case of Gammon India. Industries, the biscuit and food products major, expects business to grow in high single-digits over the next six months, even as demand for its products remains sluggish. The second half of the financial year from October, the festival season when nearly half of Indias retail sales happen, could see double-digit growth. Within our category, FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), demand is a little sluggish. We are talking about Rs 5-Rs 30 products. If demand is sluggish for these, it says volumes of how consumers feel, said Varun Berry, managing director. It doesn't feel like a 7.5 per cent (annual) growth economy. Demand is slowing for many, many quarters. There is obviously more money in consumer pockets but the optimism is not there. Britannia, based in this city, generates a majority of its revenue from biscuits, followed by the bakery and dairy segments. The stock closed on Monday at Rs 2,680.95, down 8.6 per cent, on the BSE exchange. To offset slowdown in demand, it says it is trying to optimise costs and build its distribution network in rural India. And, increasing the focus on premium products, a low-volume segment where are seeing double-digit growth across businesses. If you look at the trends. while the overall demand is going down to lower single digits in theplast three to four years, in every FMCG category, the sale of premium product portions is increasing," says Berry. He says there is a shift in consumption habits of Indians, who seek better products at competitive prices while rejecting stripped-own ones. "I don't think people will find it through the Nokia way of a cheap phone with no features. Everyone was clamouring for slightly more expensive and all-feature phones. That is a trend we ought to watch and are able to cater to through our premium products," he says. It expects government measures to improve rural economy would take time to trickle down and reflect in business growth. "It is best to remain fittest in these times. The wave will turn; this is too big an economy to remain in a slump situation forever. The wave will turn and only the fittest will ride the wave," says Berry. is present in most segments of the biscuit category and says it is building a strategy to expand the dairy and parts of the bakery business in the coming years. We have been able to beat competition in one category. There could be competitors who would have got into multiple categories. Now, versus them, we are like Coca-Cola; we have one big brand and have done a lot of focus on that. Having said that, we are at a time to look a little wider, do it in a more measurable way, says Berry. Excalibur Steel, a management buyout group interested in purchasing Tata Steel's British steelmaking operations, is ready to lend its support to rival bidder Liberty House, two industry sources told Reuters on Sunday. Tata said in March it wanted to sell its UK steel operations, which has been hit by cheap Chinese imports, rising costs and weak demand. The decision prompted a political scramble to find a buyer to save the thousands of jobs at stake. The deadline for final bid submissions is on Monday. A decision on how to proceed with the sale set to be taken at a meeting of the Tata board in Mumbai on Wednesday. The board is likely to shortlist several bids for further scrutiny. Talks between Excalibur and Liberty over a possible collaboration to rescue the steelmaking operation are ongoing, the two sources said. Excalibur would express their support for the Liberty proposal in its bid document, while Liberty's bid will include a statement welcoming the backing of members of the management buyout team, one of the sources said. Tata and Liberty declined to comment, while Excalibur could not be reached for comment. Liberty is proposing a long-term plan under which the Port Talbot steel plant in Wales - Tata's main asset in Britain - gradually shift towards using technology that allows it to melt scrap steel alongside the plant's existing blast furnaces. A second source said that senior members of the buyout team were ready to move over to join Liberty's bid as part of any collaboration. Tata said earlier this month that it had received seven expressions of interest for the assets. A few days after Narendra Modi, then Gujarat's chief minister, announced the "biggest ever" natural gas discovery in the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin in June 2005, VK Sibal, the director general of hydrocarbons, punctured the claim when he said estimates cannot be made after drilling just one well. Political heads do not normally announce discoveries by state-run entities - it is left to the . Sometimes, they choose not to do that since initial reserve estimates can go awry and investors can hold that against the company. Sibal, though, was known to have had open tiffs with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, so wasn't his sole target. He wrote to the Securities and Exchange Board of India on the "premature" announcement on GSPC's finds and the possible impact it could have on the company's plan for an initial public offer. Later, shelved its plans to come out with an IPO and instead its pipeline subsidiary, Gujarat State Petronet, got listed on the stock markets in 2006. Some 11 years later, is yet to begin full commercial production from the KG-OSN-2001/3 block christened as Deendayal Upadhyaya block after the Bharatiya Jan Sangh leader. Not just that, its debt on account of exploration and production jumped to Rs 20,038 crore in 2014-15. The block was awarded to it in the third round of auctions held under the new exploration and licensing policy by the Union government in 2003. With 80 per cent interest, GSPC is the operator of the block and Canada's GeoGlobal Resources and Jubilant Energy, part of the Jubilant Bhartia Group, hold 10 per cent each. GSPC is now looking to rope in ONGC as a partner in the ultra-deep high-pressure and high-temperature block. "Getting government-owned ONGC into the field will be easier," says the executive who does not want to be quoted. Simultaneously, it is seeking advice from British Petroleum, RIL's 30 per cent partner in KG-D6, and has hired like Haliburton, Barry & Associates, E-Frac and Xodus for technical inputs. The company is trying out hydraulic fracturing, also known as Hydrofracturing or Hydrofracking, which is a well-stimulation technique in which the well-rock is fractured by a pressurised liquid. The process involves high-pressure injection of 'fracking fluid' (primarily water, containing sand or other elements carried with the aid of viscous fluid) into a wellbore to create cracks in the deep-rock formations, through which natural gas, petroleum, and brine can flow freely. GSPC officials say with a reserve of 1.6 trillion cubic feet (tcf), production could go up to 60 million cubic feet a day. This is hardly one-fourth of Reliance's current production from the underperforming KG-D6 block. Too optimistic? But how much gas is there? Defending the Gujarat government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told Parliament earlier this month that international consultant Gafine Cline Associate had certified that the block holds 14.4 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, thrice the size of Reliance's KG-D6 block, though Modi in 2005 had put the figure at 21 tcf. The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons has certified Deen Dayal West to hold 1.8 tcf of reserves. Delayed production and confusion about how much the blocks hold have left the lenders worried. According to a recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the company had spent $2.8 billion at the end of March 2015 for the development of the block as against the estimate of $2.75 billion presented in its field development plan presented to the Union government. CAG said 12 more development wells were yet to be completed under the plan which would further escalate the project cost. CAG further said the viability of the field development plan was compromised by the underestimation of costs, non-addressing of technological uncertainties, and deficiencies in project implementation. Finding loopholes Established in January 1979, GSPC is the second largest gas transporter and trader in the country after GAIL (India) but exploration has been a tough nut to crack for GSPC. Out of the 11 overseas blocks it held as on April 1, 2011, it has surrendered 10 till March 2015. "The company went ahead acquiring overseas blocks during 2006-10 mainly as an operator with considerably high participating interests without any prior experience overseas as an operator," CAG said. The auditor also pointed out to the lapses in tendering processes for the Deen Dayal West block. In March 2010, it awarded contract for platform rigs to a consortium of Tuff Drilling and Spartan Offshore Drilling. CAG noticed that Tuff Drilling had not designed, engineered or constructed a modular platform rig on its own, though when GSPC sought a clarification Tuff Drilling replied that its subcontractor had relevant experience, which was accepted by it. CAG said this was despite the tender condition for considering the experience of individual consortium members in case of special purpose vehicle or joint venture . For cash-rich Reliance and ONGC, the challenges in KG basin did not impact their credit worthiness but for precariously placed GSPC, upstream dreams have turned out to be too risky not just for itself but also its lenders. About two months ago, two-wheeler buyers walking into Honda showrooms were taken aback by a very unconventional looking two-wheeler. A cross between a scooter and a motorcycle, the new Honda Navi is the third form of two-wheeler launched with the idea of offering the advantages of both the segments. Launched in select markets, the Navi has since then become a hit among buyers. Initial reports state that Honda is adding more markets and the mini gearless two-wheeler is already running a waiting period of one to two months. Around 5,000 units of the Navi, which is priced at Rs 39,500, have been sold by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), Indias second largest two-wheeler manufacturer, since its commercial launch in March. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, vice-president (sales and marketing) at HMSI, said: The response the Navi has received is a little higher than what we expected. We expected slowdown in bookings in April, but none of that has happened. There is a waiting period of two to three months in places where Navi is not launched commercially and about one month in markets where it is available. The product has generated a very good buzz in the market. Modelled on the lines of a moped, the Navi though, comes with a comparatively more powerful engine and aggressive styling. HMSI is offering customisation kits along with the vehicle (at added cost), which buyers can use to dress up the bike according to their liking. Were conservative in our estimates about the number of people opting for customisation. But to our surprise, about 50 per cent of Navi customers are going for customised kits, added Guleria. Chennai-based TVS Motor remains the only manufacturer to make mopeds in India. Last year, the company, which sells the XL Super in this category, clocked an average of 60,000 units a month of the model. This made the XL Super the sixth highest selling two-wheeler last year, beating even the Pulsar, Bajaj Auto's flagship product and trailing CB Shine, Honda's highest selling motorcycle, by 80,000 units, according to data shared by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The Honda executive added the Navi will be launched in 35 top towns by the end of July against the current list, which includes Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Gurgaon. Rural markets, which are the back bone of motorcycle sales in India, are not on HMSIs radar for the Navi at the moment. We have not looked at rural and semi-rural market for the Navi as yet. It will be a top down (approach) for the Navi. Towns which are educational hubs like Chandigarh are the target markets for the Navi as the vehicle is targeted at 18-25 year olds, added Guleria. With an eye on the rising demand, HMSI is increasing production at a rapid pace at its newest plant. A few months ago, the Delhi-based company inaugurated a new plant in Gujarat dedicated to scooters. We are running full capacity right now at all our plants. There are 33,400 people waiting for scooter delivery. We are going in a step-by-step way for the Navi. We hit 50,000 per month capacity in Gujarat, which means within three months we have achieved 100 per cent capacity in Gujarat, added Guleria. Diversified conglomerate (L&T) is on its way to secure the Kutrumali and Sijimali bauxite deposits in Odisha, with combined reserves of over 300 million tonne. L&T holds the prospecting license (PL) over the twin deposits and is entitled to bag the mining lease (ML) under the new Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) MMDR Act. The Odisha government is sending its final compliance to the Union Mines Ministry on L&T's bid for the mines. We have clarified to the mines ministry that there is no overlapping of the Kutrumali and Sijimali leases with any of the mines held by state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). The state government has also backed L&T's bid for ML over the deposits as they are a subsisting PL holder, said a senior government official. L&T had won PL for Sijimali and Kutrumali bauxite mines in 1992. But the PL had expired two years later, after which the state government had denied ML to L&T since it had no end-use plant. In 2005, L&T through a joint venture with Dubai Aluminium (Dubal), had proposed a Rs 30,000-crore aluminium complex comprising three million tonne per annum (mtpa) alumina refinery at Rayagada, 1.5 mtpa smelter plant and a captive power plant (CPP). The ultimate capacity of three mtpa of the proposed alumina refinery will require bauxite of nine mtpa, considering three tonne of bauxite for one tonne of alumina. This requirement will be met partly from Kutrumali (three mtpa) and partly from Sijimali (six mtpa). Though a special purpose vehicle (SPV) called Raykal Aluminium was formed for the purpose, the project has so far remained a non-starter. Seven years later, in 2012, when Dubal walked out of the SPV, Vedanta Aluminium (now Vedanta) bought 24% stake in the project. Korean chaebol Electronics is looking at building a local component base for its business in the country, even as the central government urges foreign-based entities to begin manufacturing under the Make in India programme. has identified mobile phones and kitchen appliances for local manufacturing. Additionally, India is a strategic market for LG, which it is keen to develop as a regional hub for exports. Implying it will have to build a local component base here, they said. Kim Ki Wan, managing director of India, told this newspaper: We were asked by the PM and other ministers to make in India and we are studying the market to see how we can build a component base. LG's recently launched K7 and K10 smartphones will be made at Greater Noida. Kitchen appliances such as water purifiers are being produced locally since February at its plant in Pune, says Wan. The plan is to add more products to the Make in India list, which will require a viable component base, executives said. LG and Samsung, say experts, have worked to improve local sourcing of components in recent years but import and assembling of parts still remains the industry norm, since the size of the domestic market is small. This, manufacturers in general say, does not make it a viable exercise for them to set up a component base. White and brown goods including refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, microwave ovens and television sets are Rs 50,000 crore in size. Small appliances, including kitchen items, are around Rs 10,000 crore, experts tracking the market said. Most key components such as the display panel of flat panel TVs or compressor and indoor units of split air conditioners, microwave ovens, high-end refrigerators and washing machines are all imported from Asean countries under trade pacts. Estimates by the Consumer Electronics and Appliance Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) are that at least 30 to 40 per cent of the Rs 50,000-crore white and brown goods market in India is fed by imports. And, that those made or assembled here also have a high import content. To reverse this, the government is providing manufacturing sops under the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme. Consumer electronics and smartphone majors such as Micromax, Lava Mobiles, Xiaomi, Gionee, Oppo and Coolpad have already expressed their desire to manufacture in India. Some more are now joining the list. Proxy advisory firm Stakeholders Empowerment Services (SES) has recommended that the shareholders of (formerly Tractors India) vote against the companys plan to sell off its profit-making Caterpillar dealership business, citing transparency and alleged shortcomings in conflict-of-interest management. plans to sell interests in subsidiaries holding this business to a company connected to the managing director (MD) of one of these subsidiaries. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is the largest public shareholder with 10.38 per cent stake. State-owned general insurance firms General Insurance Corporation of India (1.99 per cent) and Oriental Insurance (1.2 per cent ) are among large minority shareholders. Some mutual funds and financial institutions together hold around one per cent. While the management says the institutions have not communicated any discomfort, it is not clear what position these large shareholders will take in the vote. The ballot closes on Monday. has been carrying on the business of dealership of products of Caterpillar Inc, US for the last six decades in North and East India, Nepal and Bhutan. It has been dealing in Caterpillars earthmoving, construction and mining equipment, spares, etc, and providing related services through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Tractors India Private Limited (TIPL), India; Tractors Nepal Private Limited (TNPL), Nepal; and TIL Overseas Pte Limited (TILO), Singapore. While TIL itself reported a net loss of Rs 29 crore, TIPL is part of the business that earned the company a significant profit of Rs 37 crore in FY15. TIL proposes to sell this profit-making Caterpillar dealership businesses to an entity called Goodearth Minetech (GMPL) for Rs 350 crore. Sunil Kumar Chaturvedi, who is the managing director of TIPL, is also a director in Goodearth. In a report, SES said, How come GMPL with a paid-up capital of Rs 1 lakh is going to support a business which is being sold at a price of Rs 350 crore plus. And, if it is being supported by the current MD of TIPL, the shareholders would certainly like to know his source of funds.SES also referred to the companys statements on the challenges being faced by its residual businesses. While on the one hand the company states it wants to enhance manufacturing facilities and expand range, on the other it complains about underutilisation. When a business faces such problem, it gets rid of problem asset and not the lucrative business, the proxy firm said. SES recommended that shareholders reject the transaction and ask for forensic audit of subsidiaries, especially TIPL and ensure that business being conducted by TIPL under Mr Chaturvedi was above Board in all respects. In a detailed response, Sumit Mazumder, managing director of TIL, said, We have not received any indication of discomfort from any of our institutional holders. There has been total transparency. Full disclosure of the proposed transaction including disclosure of the intending buyer, its interest in the transaction, the subject matter of the transaction, the price and its basis have all been disclosed to the shareholders. Mazumder added that the Board of Directors recommended the sale of the dealership business, after much deliberation. They firmly believe that TIL should focus on the manufacturing aspect and unlock all possible funds to invest in manufacturing. TIL has, over the years, acquired strong manufacturing capability of international standards, strong research & development capability, and an effective supply chain. TIL currently has four technology transfer agreements with world leaders, manufacturing products for the infrastructure space. Additionally, in the recent years, TIL has acquired over 250 acres of land where a new factory was established a few years ago, on part of the land. There are four more factories in the planning stage, to be established. Additionally, TIL has commenced exports of finished goods and components. Clearly, manufacturing is the future of India and in keeping with the present Make in India policy, Mazumder added. The shares of TIL have been on the decline. From the highs of Rs 860 a share in July last year, the shares have dropped nearly two-thirds to Rs 290.30 on the BSE during Mondays trade. At this price, the market capitalisation of the entire company was at Rs 291 crore. Mumbai-based food technology company TinyOwl announced it was shutting operations in all cities except Mumbai, as part of its restructuring process. The company, reports said, would only be active temporarily in Mumbai. The app does not let users access restaurants listed in either Delhi-National Capital Region or Bengaluru, its two other big markets. The company recently announced it had merged with logistics company, RoadRunnr, in an all-stock deal. The two companies have two common investors Sequoia Capital and Nexus Venture Partners. The new brand Runnr will use RoadRunnrs logistics capabilities and TinyOwls customer data to capture the market, which has Swiggy and Zomato as its market leaders. Reports said the new entity might expand to other markets depending on demand. TinyOwl had previously been in trouble when it laid off employees in September and then in November 2015. After the bridge round, funded by Sequoia, Nexus and Matrix, the company had been trying to sell the technology but it could not find buyers. Towards the end of the year, it had shut down the call centre in Bengaluru as well. A BRIEF HISTORY Mumbai-based food tech start-up has started wrapping up its business with no investment in sight FOUNDERS: Harshvardhan Mandad, Shikhar Paliwal, Gaurav Choudhary, Tanuj Khandelwal and Saurabh Goyal FOUNDED IN: August 2014 DOWN THE BARRELl: September 15: Fired 300 people after over hiring November 15: Fired another 300 across three centres January 16: Fired 10 heads of departments The promoters of VRL Logistics are planning to start a regional airline. Company chairperson Vijay Sankeshwar and managing director Anand Sankeshwar would set up a separate company to launch the airline. We intend to promote this new airline and induct a professional management to manage the day-to-day operations and grow this business, they said in a letter to the stock exchanges on Monday. VRL Logistics is headquartered in Hubbali, Karnataka. It runs passenger and goods transport as well as parcel delivery service. It has an annual turnover of Rs 1,700 crore. It also has an air charter division based in Bengaluru and the company operates two Premier 1A jets. The air charter business earned about Rs 12 crore in FY16. At present, there are three regional airlines in India Air Costa, Air Pegasus and TruJet. Coimbatore-based Air Carnival has just received its ATR-42 aircraft and is awaiting regulatory nod to start regional operations. Another airline, Flyeasy, has also been waiting in the wings to start operations. All the functioning regional airlines are based in southern India and two of them are based in non-metros. Air Costa is headquartered in Vijayawada. National airlines such as Air India and SpiceJet, too, are looking to grow their regional operations by expanding fleet and adding new destinations. Air India's regional arm Alliance Air plans to induct ten ATR-72 aircraft on lease till next March. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to call former Haryana chief minister for questioning in connection with the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) industrial plot scam. The case dates back to 2012 when Hooda was the chief minister of Haryana and chairman of HUDA. Sources said the move comes after the CBI issued a notice to Hooda in this regard. During the interrogation at the CBI headquarters, a clarification will also be sought from Hooda on the same. The former bureaucrats booked by the CBI in this case are D P S Nagal, then Chief Administrator, HUDA; S P Kansal, then Chief Financier, HUDA; and B B Taneja, then Deputy Superintendent, HUDA.Earlier on Saturday, the CBI registered cases against former HUDA officials, 13 beneficiaries and others over alleged irregularities in the allotment of HUDA industrial plots at Panchkula. The investigating agency also conducted searches at 16 locations, including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Faridabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Rohtak in connection with the ongoing probe in the case. Sources said some files during the raids were found either to be 'missing' or were put in proper 'sequence'. The industrial plots were allegedly allotted in July 2013 at throwaway prices after changes were made midway in the eligibility criteria on recommendation of a standing committee and approved by Hooda. Haryana Chief Minster Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier ordered that an FIR be registered by the Vigilance Bureau and then the matter be referred to the CBI for an independent probe. On Monday, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing visit, India signed a commercial contract with Iran to develop and operate its strategic . The two nations had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran's border with Pakistan. Situated on the Makran Coast of the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran, Chabahar will also serve as a trans-shipment and logistics hub for the region. Aside from the agreement to develop the first phase of Chabahar, the other agreement India is party to is a trilateral transport and transit agreement involving Iran and Afghanistan. Chabahar will play a vital role in the second agreement too. The renewed focus on the long-delayed project comes at a crucial time, with China moving ahead with the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor and Iran's economic re-engagement with the rest of the world after the lifting of global sanctions following its decision to shut down its nuclear weapons programme. Phase-1 investment The Chabahar free-trade zone, according to a senior official from the authority in Iran, has been set up on 50 hectares of land. According to Gopal Baglay, joint secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-India) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Ports Global Pvt will develop two terminals and five multi-cargo berths in Phase-1 under the contract signed with Arya Bandar Company of Iran. India Ports Global is promoted by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Kandla Port Trust two major ports working under the Ministry of Shipping. As part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2015, India will equip and operate two berths on a 10-year lease in Phase-1 with capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95 million. Ownership of equipment will be transferred to the Iranian side on completion of 10 years or for an extended period, based on mutual agreement. According to the MoU, operation of the two berths will commence within a period of maximum 18 months after the signing of the contract. Additionally, an agreement for a $150 million line of credit, from the Exim Bank, for the development of the port will also be signed during PM Modis current visit, Baglay said. The Union Cabinet, according to a government release, had in February this year given its nod to the proposal of the Ministry of Shipping for provision and operationalisation of a line of credit for the development of the port. Indian investment in Phase-1 of the project would be in excess of $200 million. Alternative land-sea route Chabahar's importance lies in the fact that an over-land route for Indian goods to Afghanistan or the Central Asian Republics and beyond would require an agreement with Pakistan. Located just over 70 kilometres from Gwadar port, the Chinese built and operated port in Pakistan's Balochistan province, Chabahar will allow India to circumvent Pakistan and open up an alternative land-sea route for trade with Afghanistan. Gateway to Russia and Europe Furthermore, Chabahar is also expected to boost the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a geostrategic initiative being pushed by India to connect with Central Asia and Russia. The roughly 5,600 kilometre-long INSTC is a proposed multi-modal (ship, rail and road) transportation system connecting the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via the Islamic Republic of Iran, from where it connects St Petersburg, Russia, and North Europe. INSTC is expected to slash time for transportation of cargo to Russia from India by half to about 30 days. The Union Cabinet in March this year gave its approval for India to sign to the Ashgabat Agreement. Accession to the Agreement enables India to utilise this existing transport and transit corridor to facilitate trade and commercial interaction with the Eurasian region. Lifeline for Afghanistan Chabahar will also boost trade and connectivity for the land-locked country of Afghanistan. From the Chabahar port, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan, about 883 kilometres from the port. The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's garland highway, thereby establishing road access to four major cities Afghanistan-Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. Additionally, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that railways public sector unit IRCON will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods all the way up to Afghanistan. Major multinational fast food outlets KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Subway and McDonalds are selling pizzas and burgers made of breads laced with toxins such as potassium bromate and potassium iodate, says the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Except Dominos, others have denied use (of these chemicals) in a response to CSE, went its press statement on the study, limited to the geographical area of Delhi. Domino's did not respond to the CSE queries Potassium bromate is a Category 2B carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer. Potassium iodate could trigger thyroid disorders. According to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said it had decided to remove potassium bromate from the list of permitted additives, while it was examining evidence against potassium iodate before restricting its use. CSE had urged the food regulator to ban the use of the two chemicals with immediate effect. Bread products of Perfect Bread, Harvest Gold and Britannia were also found with a high amount of these two toxins, CSE said. Unlike in this country, the use of these chemicals in the bread-making sector has been banned in many countries for being hazardous to public health. We are seized of the matter. I have told my officials to report to me on an urgent basis. There is no need to panic. Very soon, we will come out with the (probe) report, Union health minister J P Nadda told PTI. The CSEs Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML), which conducted this study, tested 38 commonly available branded varieties of pre-packaged breads, pav and buns, ready-to-eat burger bread and ready-to-eat pizza breads of popular fast food outlets from Delhi. We found 84 per cent of the samples positive with potassium bromate/iodate. We re-confirmed the presence of potassium bromate/iodate in a few samples through an external third-party laboratory. We checked labels and talked to industry and scientists. Our study confirms the widespread use of potassium bromate /iodate, as well as presence of bromate/iodate residues in the final product, said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE. At KFC, we dont manufacture buns for our burgers. The buns are manufactured and supplied by approved vendors/suppliers as per our global quality and food safety standards. Our suppliers use high quality wheat flour for making burger buns, Yum! Restaurants (India), which runs Pizza Hut and KFC, told CSE. Samples of two other Delhi-based fast food outlets, Nirulas and Slice of Italy, also tested positive for the two chemicals, said CSE. Slice of Italy denied use of the chemicals to CSE. Subway Systems India, which runs the fast food chain Subway, similarly defended its breads: Our breads are made using high quality, protein-rich flour. The bread preparation process is also designed in a way which does not require the dough to go through intensive processing. This helps us produce breads without chemicals like iodates/bromates. BAKED TOXIN? Does anyone know what happened to the NaMo mandir in Bhagwanpur village, Kaushambi, near Allahabad, where a deity with a strong Modi likeness was installed in 2014 during the general elections? And, people started coming and praying before it, addressing the statue as Swami Narendra Modi? Originally, by the way, it was a Shiva temple. The practice of devotees offering daily prayers to the deity and also reciting a Modi chalisa, besides lighting a lamp (akhand jyoti), kept lit for 125 days to pray for Modi to become prime minister, began in 2014. The whole thing was stopped and shut down when Modi himself apparently stepped in. He has since become Prime Minister but is yet to visit Ayodhya and the Ram Temple site, although he is called Hindu hriday samrat (thats how UP BJP MLA Sangeet Som referred to him at a public meeting in Muzaffarnagar.) In Faizabad, the workshop created by the Vishva Hindu Parishad in 1989 with a corpus of Rs 2.75 crore collected during the rathyatra and temple tourism found sculptors working diligently to create a Ram Mandir. The interest on the money collected multiplied. With Rs 7.5 crore in the kitty, most of it was spent on materials. In 2007, work in the workshop stopped, to be revived in 2012. Right now, it is on again but in 2014, again, just after Modi became PM, the 84-kosi parikrama that the VHP had organised attracted all of 15 people. No BJP member from the state offered to be arrested. Cut to the March 2016 meeting of the partys national executive. It was the height of the Kanhaiya Kumar-nationalism debate and a member of some unknown Hindu group had announced a Rs 1-lakh bounty on Kumars head. Will someone please ask this gentleman if he even has Rs 1 lakh in his savings account? Modi acerbically asked at the meet, letting them know he was well aware of such routes to political notoriety and what he thought of those opting for this. This much has to be said in the two years since he became PM, Modi has never publicly endorsed any brand of Hindutva. His politics has been about development and nationalism. You could argue that he should have taken the opportunity to apologise for the Gujarat riots of 2002 or had the 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing (in which several Muslims boys were arrested by a Congress government but acquitted many years later because no evidence was found against them) reinvestigated. Or asked that the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts to be reinvestigated, as with the acquittal of Pragya Thakur and others charged with conspiring, effectively it is as if no one was responsible for these. On the other hand, his party and affiliated organisations have been pushing the Hindu agenda where they have got a chance. Cow protection, otherwise a non-issue, is now cause celebre. Emboldened by hamari sarkar, small Hindutva outfits have sprung up. Encroachment on public land to set up temples is now unchecked, and permission to Art of Living to hold a convention is the benchmark of the new permissiveness of the government to Hindu groups. Minister of state for External Affairs V K Singh has sought the renaming of Akbar Road as Maharana Pratap Marg and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma has said the Gita and Ramayana were ideal books because they taught moral values, while the Bible and Quran were purely religious books. This suggests a deep identity crisis which demands repeated reassertion of Hindu identity. Modi and some of his senior ministers are, on the other hand, emphasising on building roads, providing power and better railway lines, asserting that these have no religion. Several leaders of the Bihar unit of the BJP, in hindsight, say it was party president Amit Shahs campaign statement that if the BJP loses Bihar, it will be Diwali in Pakistan which cost them the election. It was a salutary lesson and statements of this nature were not repeated in elections to the five legislative assemblies just gone by. Thats the tension. The Modi who stands before us would like us to forget how he was the one to insist Jaswant Singh be thrown out of the party for his book about Jinnah, and just carry on with the task of governing. But, everyone around him cant forget he is the Hindu hridaya samrat! Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, on the second day of his two-day visit to Iran, held a "restricted" meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. "Building an enduring partnership. PM @narendramodi and President Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. India, Iran and Afghanistan will sign an agreement on Monday to develop the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community started re-engaging with the nation. If the speed with which Nitin Jairam Gadkari announces projects was to result in actual work, infrastructure development in India would have already undergone a transformational change. Gadkari has been president of the Bharatiya Janata Party and is believed to be a crucial link between the Rashtriya Swamyamsevak Sangh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, putting him way up in the Cabinet hierarchy. In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Arun Jaitley, then contesting from Amritsar and now Union finance minister, had said in an interview to Business Standard: We will roll out the red carpet for industry, replacing the red tape that has been prevalent during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) regime. That was a defining line for the Bharatiya Janata party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as it came to office. Cut to May 2016 as the government is celebrating two years in power and the narrative has changed. Venkaiah Naidu, minister for urban development and parliamentary affairs, told this newspaper: Our agenda is development for all gareeb (poor), mahila (women), yuva (youth), kisan (farmers) What Jaitley said in 2014 and Naidu two years later arent necessarily contradictory. However, the packaging of the NDA goals is now giving it a new dimension. That has prompted many to think there has been a transition from a business-focused (suit-boot ki sarkar) to a more populist government for the masses. A top former civil servant, now on prominent company boards, said the pro-business image was more to catch the popular imagination after five years of UPA-2, when industry was disillusioned by the so-called policy paralysis. Perhaps, it was more optics than real, he said. No shrewd politician can be genuinely right of the centre. In fact, in the next 20 to 30 years, any government in India is likely to be left of centre. Indeed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who as Gujarat chief minister was considered close to certain business groups and industrialists, has hardly been seen with any Indian business head. His interactions with international business personalities, especially from the world of information technology and start-ups Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, Amazons Jeff Bezos, Googles Sundar Pichai, Microsofts Satya Nadella, Apples Tim Cook and so on are documented. However, Modi is not known to have met big businesses of the country, other than in events where he announced signature schemes like Make In India and the tycoons had queued. Apart from being conscious of his image (a reason why hes comfortable being clicked with international CEOs but not so with Indian industrialists), Modi as PM has also realised that governance at the national level is far more complex than in any state, say political pundits. There are very many effective stakeholders here at the Centre. They could be as diverse as political opposition, bureaucracy, defence forces, diplomats, independent regulators such as the Reserve Bank of India, an analyst pointed out. Also, Modi must have realised that the political configuration and therefore political management is very different at the Centre compared to the states, he added. Even the judiciary is new for him to deal with as PM. So, theres a definite change from being a chief minister to a PM. As for transformation from pro-business to pro-people, people familiar with his CM days believe that coming from Gujarat, industry was known to Modi. So, he was positioned like that. That was a plank, and a signal. Now, hes looking at mass appeal. But, according to Naushad Forbes, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, its not an either-or issue. While its important for a government not to be close to industry as it might lead to crony-capitalism, it is important for it to be pro-market, he said. Forbes added that theres no disconnect between steps that are pro-market and pro-poor; its a myth that these are opposites. Pro-poor does not have to mean subsidies and giveaways. Rather, it should mean development and opportunities. The discourse should shift from offering subsidy to creating opportunities. Although few in business spoke of any major transformation or transition in the Modi government from 2014 till now, they admit that expectations were very high when the NDA took charge. Now, one is taking a realistic view as many things still need to be done, in areas such as taxation, foreign direct investment rules and ease of doing business, among others, they said. The focus of this government is now almost completely on the social side, a bureaucrat said. No big revival of the economy is likely anytime soon, another reason for the government to pursue social agenda to return to power in 2019. With legislation such as a national goods and services tax nowhere near passage, the social agenda seems to work more than the economic one. Harshavardhan Neotia, president, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, thinks the government has done a fair bit in policy but theres a long way to go. Also, Yeh dil maange more, always, he said, and added that business had not fully sensed the result of the steps taken by the Modi government because of the moderate rate of growth, huge idle capacity in companies and global slowdown. That will change once the capacity stress in companies improves, theres a good monsoon (after two bad ones) and public investments yield fruit, Neotia felt. The designer suit that Modi wore with his name printed intricately in the pin stripes while doing a joint address with US President Barack Obama last year was something the PM could have avoided, as it gave an impression of this government being the opposite of pro-poor, said onlookers. Even so, Rajiv Kumar, senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, argues several steps this government has taken in the past two years are inclusive but not necessarily populist. He named the Jan Dhan Yojana and direct benefits transfer for cooking gas as examples. The Modi government has not really sacrificed good economics and efficiency to stay in power, Kumar believes. Modi has learnt a lesson or two from the Vajpayee government after all, he added. The India Shining kind of marketing blitz that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government brought as an election plank in 2004, and which boomeranged, will be kept at a safe distance under Modi, for sure. PM SPEAK On January 30, 2016, at the ET Global Business SummitOn October 2, 2014, at the launch of the Swachh Bharat MissionAt Urja Sangam on March 27, 2015, marking the beginning of the #GiveItUp campaignOn August 15, 2014, during his Independence Day speech from the Red FortAt Madison Square Garden on September 28, 2014 In year one of his tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised all who had doubted his ability to negotiate the esoteric world of international diplomacy. Modi came across as a conjurer with a bag of tricks, the likes of which were seldom seen from his predecessors, making even his worst critics reassess their opinion of the former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak. But, foreign policy reverses in year two have given his political rivals an opportunity to point not at the conjurers magic trick but his sleight of hand. Gujarat's new agricultural policy is likely to bring in Rs 10,000 crore worth investments in the sector and allied businesses, feels the state government. Speaking at the Ahmedabad roadshow for CII Agro Tech 2016, K S Randhawa, managing director, Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Limited said, "Gujarat is the leading state in India in and its related businesses. Recently, the state government has announced Comprehensive Agro Business Policy 2016-21 to encourage business. We believe that because of this policy over Rs 10,000 crore fresh investment in the state in next five years." He added, "It has been designed to suit the most common and already existing challenges of this industry that include wastage, post-harvest losses and strongly promotes skills enhancement and creating employability. During past three years, the state has attracted an investment of about Rs 3,000 crore in the sector. Experts at the event felt that it's about time that the farm sector in India is treated as industry and relevant changes of mindset and models of running it are brought in. Speaking at the event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, Abhay Firodia, chairman of Force Motors Limited said that has always been seen in a low light here in India and not at all as something aspirational. Firodia who is also a chairman of the Agro Tech 2016 said, "In India, we have never seen agriculture as an industry. Now, there is a need to change this mindset if we want the sector to grow in leaps." Corporate involvement in agriculture is very negligible, and is required to improve agriculture and its affiliated businesses. Barring the example of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which owns the popular brand Amul for milk and milk products, the cooperative model has not been so successful in farm sector and it just become a group of farmers. Firodia said, "Corporate style operation of cooperative will improve efficiency and that will open many doors of development in agriculture sector in India. This will promote innovations, strengthen the marketing aspects of it, which will ultimately benefit farmers." Water shortage for irrigation and drinking purpose is always been an issue for India. The country need to improve its supply of water for both and focus on water conservation the experts felt. Meanwhile, Gujarat, which recently came out with its Agriculture Policy, is participating in Agro Tech 2016 which is scheduled from November 19 to 22 at Chandigarh. A 10-member central team today arrived in the Uttar Pradesh capital to visit the drought-affected Bundelkhand region. Over the next three days, the team would tour the seven districts of Bundelkhand apart from the adjacent Kanpur City district to take stock of the situation and submit a report for relief package. The team comprised officials of central departments of National Horticulture Board, sugarcane, rural development, water and sanitation etc. Bundelkhand comprises Lalitpur, Jhansi, Jaluan, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda and Chitrakoot districts, which have been facing the spectre of drought for the last three years. During the 2015-16 rabi season as well, there is strong possibility of actual sowing and production in these district falling short of targets. Earlier, the state government had demanded a package of Rs 1,261 crore for the affected districts over damage to the rabi crops. Chairing a meeting with the visiting central team, UP chief secretary Alok Ranjan urged the delegation to facilitate the speedy release of the relief package demanded by the state. Meanwhile, the UP government has decided to provide free ration to the eligible beneficiaries in Bundelkhand and Kanpur City under the Food Security Act for the next four months owing to drought. To provide succour to the affected areas, the state government has set a target of installing 5,786 new hand pumps and re-boring 3,527 existing ones by July 2016. Last year, 50 out of total 75 districts in UP were declared drought hit due to deficient rainfall with Bundelkhand being the worst affected. In his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on May 7, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had sought adequate assistance in combating drought. He had urged the Centre to release funds for completion various pending projects, including potable water. The state is providing free food packets to nearly 1.80 lakh families covered under the Antyodaya scheme, which enumerates poorest of the poor population for subsidised ration. About 1,000 water tankers had been pressed into service to supply water in about a dozen parched districts in Bundelkhand and neighbouring areas. Earlier, the Centre had dispatched a water train to UP for supplying water in the drought affected Bundelkhand. The train consisting of water wagons sans water was stationed at the Jhansi railway station, however, the ruling Samajwadi Party government had spurned the offer and claimed the water train was not needed as there was ample amount of water in water bodies. Instead, Yadav had urged the Centre to provide 10,000 water tankers to deploy them for ferrying water in the remote areas. Apart from demand for rabi crop package, the UP Disaster Management Department had also sought Rs 2,057 crore for relief to farmers over damage to kharif crops. The principle bench of the Company Law Board (CLB) on Monday heard Financial Technologies (India) Ltds (FTIL) plea for modification of its interim order on managerial mismanagement of the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL) scam. The FTIL-NSEL fraud came under the scanner after the latter failed to repay its investors on commodity pair contracts after July 2013. The subsequent investigations led to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs ordering a forced merger of and NSEL, its subsidiary, on February 12 to pay back losses suffered to investors of the latter. The government-mandated amalgamation, the first of its kind in India, has since sparked a series of challenges across various courts and tribunals. The order was challenged in the Bombay High Court, which eventually stayed its operation till June 15, pending final adjudication. In the meanwhile, the government had approached the CLB to substitute FTIL's board, for smooth functioning of the amalgamation process. Upon hearing the preliminary submissions, the chairman of the CLB passed an ad-interim order on June 30, 2015 freezing FTIL's assets to avoid siphoning off until a final order was passed on the application made by the government. The June 30 CLB order was subsequently challenged by in the Madras High Court, which issued temporary relief to the company by staying the ad-interim order, while directing swift disposal of the issue by the CLB. The stay was challenged by the government in the Supreme Court, which on April 18 reversed the Madras High Court order. In Mondays hearing, Abhishek Singhvi, counsel for FTIL, said restricting transactions of movable assets had crippled the firms ability to transact on investments, leading to large losses to its portfolio. He also mentioned how the company had lost the ability to divest its share holding in subordinate companies in compliance with Reserve Bank of India and Securities and Exchange Board of India directions, as well as orders of international regulators. While attempting to assuage the CLB on concerns of asset siphoning, Singhvi placed reliance on the Bombay High Court order,which in his opinion already provided for ample precautionary measures, including restricting issue of dividends and caps on managerial payouts. The government's counsel asked for a week to consult with the ministry before taking a final stand on the matter. The bench has scheduled the hearing on June 2. Emerging from decades of sanctions, Iran could soon be the most happening place for trade in the near future, with all the major economies seeking to build ties with it. Modi reached Tehran on Sunday. Leveraging historic ties with Iran, Modi signed deals covering a wide range of areas, from exchange visits by think tanks to a trilateral agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran for a trade treaty to develop the Chabahar port. It is Irans only port on the Indian Ocean, and once developed, it will allow India to access Central Asia directly skipping Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) later issued an official statement claiming that a decision has been reached to transform the trade relationship between the two countries into a comprehensive economic partnership. But even more significantly, putting past differences behind them, Iran and India said they were in political agreement. We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime, Modi said, addressing a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Terming the dosti (friendship) between India and Iran as old as history, he said, Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilisers, education and cultural sphere are driving our economic engagement. In the past at the United Nations on more than one occasion, India had opted to side with the United States against Iran, sparking disappointment. Talking about the trilateral transport and transit agreement with participation of Iran, Modi said, It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. Union Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, who has accompanied the prime minister on his two-day trip, explained the importance of the Chabahar deal. The distance between Kandla (in the Kutch district of Gujarat) and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, he said. This agreement enables us quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link. The distance between Kandla and Chabahar is about 1,000 km; between Mumbai is 1,409 km southwest of New Delhi. Gadkari added: Investments of more than Rs 1 lakh crore can happen the Chabahar free trade zone. Iran has cheap natural gas and power that Indian firms are keen to tap into, to build a 0.5-million tonne aluminium smelter plant as well as urea manufacturing units, Gadkari said. We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount, he said. Gadkari said Nalco will set up the aluminium smelter while private and co-operative fertiliser firms are keen to build urea plants provided they get gas at less than $2 per mmBtu. Railway-owned Ircon will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods right up to Afghanistan. India Ports Global, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest $85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi cargo berths. The Indian consortium has signed the port pact with Aria Bander Iranian. The contract is for 10 years and can be extended. We will take 18 months to complete phase one of the construction, he said, adding that first two years of the contract are grace period where India doesnt have to guarantee any cargo. By signing the Chabahar agreement, India can take advantage of the agreement between Iran and China to build a rail link between the two countries, making Indian goods more marketable in the regions touched by the railroad. Politically, images of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, who is less inclined towards India than his predecessor Hamid Karzai, and Iran President Hassan Rouhani shaking hands with Modi on a deal will have put the antennae up in Islamabad as well as Riyadh. Rouhanis March visit to Pakistan, the first by any Iranian President to Islamabad in 14 years, showed the rapidly changing status of Iran in the world. Modi for his part just concluded a visit to Saudi Arabia which is locked in a bitter conflict with Yemeni rebels that Riyadh alleges have been armed and backed by Iran. Modi signed a pact to develop and run Iran's strategic Chahbahar port to establish an international transport and transit corridor. India will be providing a sum of $500 million for the development of related infrastructure at the port. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chahbahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about $500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone, the Public Information Bureau release quoted Modi as saying. "We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today." PM IN PERSIA What it does: What it does: What it does: What it does: What it does: What it does: What it does: What it does: India signed 12 memoranda of understanding with Iran, including some important ones on the Chabahar Port:Bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations between India Ports Global Private Limited and Arya Banader of IranDevelopment and operation for 10 years of two terminals and five berths with cargo handling capacitiesEXIM Bank and Irans Ports and Maritime OrganisationTo provide credit of $150 million for Chabahar portConfirmation Statement between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of IranConfirms availability of credit up to Rs 3,000 crore for the import of steel rails and implementation of Chabahar portIrcon and Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company, IranTo enable Ircon provide services for the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railway line (around $1.6 billion)Cultural Exchange ProgrammeFor 2016 to 2019, covering culture, art, radio, TV, mass media and cinemaMinistry of External Affairs and Irans Ministry of Foreign AffairsSeeks to promote policy dialogue, encourage new mechanisms between think tanksForeign Service Institute, MEA, and the School of International Relations, Irans MoFATo enhance cooperation for training of diplomatsImplementation Protocol between Department of Science and Technology, India, and Irans Ministry of Science, Research and TechnologyFleshes out the specifics of cooperation; covers areas like exchange of experiences, seminars, conferences etc. Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Islamic Culture and Relations Organisations of Iran What it does: Institutional mechanisms for cooperation and lays down modalities Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Ltd, India, and Export Guarantee Fund, Iran What it does: To establish a framework of cooperation in supporting and encouraging foreign trade and foreign investment and supply of goods and services to a third country Nalco and the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization What it does: To explore manufacturing aluminium by setting up a smelter on joint venture basis in Iran and/or entering into tolling arrangements with smelters in Iran or any other business, including sale of alumina, etc Cooperation between the National Archives of India and the National Library and Archives Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran What it does: To facilitate exchange of information and knowledge in archive through exchange of manuals, guidelines, rules, publications and other special literature The government is in talks with Welspun Corp Ltd (WCL), the flagship company of Welspun Group and a global giant in the large diameter line pipe segment for setting up a pipe manufacturing unit in the state."The leading pipe manufacturer Welspun is expected to submit a proposal to Industrial Promotion and Industrial Corporation of Ltd (Ipicol) for setting up manufacturing of pipes in the state in 15 days. We are in talks with them", said an official.The company is expected to set up the pipe manufacturing unit at Dhamra in Bhadrak district where they own land, the official added.Welspun Corp is a one-stop service provider offering complete pipe solution with a capability to manufacture line pipes ranging from ? inch to 140 inches, along with specialized coating, double jointing and bending.With current capacity of 2.425 million tonne per annum in Dahej, Anjar and Mandya in India, Little Rock in the US and Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Welspun is a preferred supplier to most of the Fortune 100 oil and gas companies.It has supplied pipes for the world's deepest pipeline project (Independence Trail, Gulf of Mexico), highest pipeline project (Peru LNG), longest pipeline (Canada to US) and the heaviest pipeline project (Persian Gulf). It is currently executing a project to manufacture the world's largest diameter pipe size (48"OD X 0.527"WT). Officials said that talks with the company is step to a target to attract Rs 173,000 crore investment by 2019-20 in different sectors and create more than 300,000 jobs. It may be noted that emerged as the favoured destination for investors has attracted investment commitments worth Rs 70,959 crore in 'Make In India' week held in February this year. Apart from the flagship mines and minerals sector, the state government pulled investors in areas like food processing, IT & electronics manufacturing, textiles, renewable energy and gems & jewellery. Looking to strengthen connectivity, infrastructure and energy ties with the gulf nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Iran on Sunday on a two-day visit, during which a crucial agreement is expected to be signed on developing the strategic Chabahar port. Modi, who is the first Indian prime minister having visited Iran in the last 15 years, was received at the Mehrabad International Airport by Iran's Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia, after which he left for a local Gurudwara to meet people of Indian origin here. Formal talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani are scheduled for Monday morning after a ceremonial welcome for the prime minister. Modi's visit, which formally begins on Monday, comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted in a historic deal with the US and world powers. Here are the issues which will be in focus during the trip: 1) Chabahar port: India will sign a contract to develop Phase-1 of Iran's Chabahar port during the current visit. According to Gopal Baglay, joint secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-India) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Ports Global Pvt Ltd will sign a contract with Arya Bandar Company of Iran for developing two terminals and five multi-cargo berths in Phase-1. Additionally, according to Baglay, an agreement for a $150 million line of credit, from the Exim Bank, for the development of the port will also be signed. Indian investment in Phase-1 of the project would be in excess of $200 million. 2) Trilateral transit agreement: Regional transit and connectivity appear to be the main themes of this visit. Besides the signing of the commercial contract for Chabahar Phase-1, Modi will witness the signing of a trilateral agreement on transport and transit corridor between India, Afghanistan and Iran. Chabahar in southeast Iran will serve as a transit hub and help open up a route to landlocked Afghanistan. From the Chahbahar port, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan, about 883 kilometres from the port. The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's garland highway, thereby establishing road access to four major cities Afghanistan-Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. 3) Oil dues: Ahead of the prime minister's visit, according to sources, Indian refiners cleared part ($1.2 billion) of the Rs 44,890 crore ($6.4 billion) owed to Iran for crude oil imports in euros through Turkey's Halkbank. During the visit, discussions on the mode of clearance of Indian refiners' past oil dues, built up due to the sanctions imposed on Iran, will be held. India is one of the biggest buyers of Iranian crude, and is set to import at least 400,000 barrels per day from Iran in the year from April 1. 4) Energy ties: According to sources, during the visit, discussions on Indian state-run firms securing rights to develop the offshore Farzad-B gas field will be held. A consortium headed by ONGC Videsh, the overseas exploration unit of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), discovered the Farzad-B gas field in the Farsi offshore block in 2008, but was unable to get permission to develop it due to Western sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. Last year, ONGC Videsh had submitted a $3 billion field development plan to Iranian authorities to develop Farzad-B, which is estimated to hold initial in-place reserves of 12.5 trillion cubic feet, with a lifetime of 30 years. In fact, according to reports, ONGC might be facing a repeat of the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin fiasco in Iran, as lengthy negotiations on terms may drive it to a point where its discovered gas reserves in Farzad-B field in the Persian Gulf may be drawn out by neighbouring Saudi Arabia. 5) Cultural ties: The two nations also plan to revive their age old friendship by jointly organising a series of programmes to promote bilateral cultural ties during the prime minister's visit. According to C Rajasekhar, director general, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), with the sanctions on Iran lifted this is an opportunity to take the mutually beneficial partnership and friendship between the two nations forward. Rajasekhar also informed that the ICCR and Embassy of India in Tehran, in collaboration with Iran's Farhangistan and Sadi foundation, will organise a three-day long cultural festival in conjunction with the prime minister's historic visit. "This includes a major international conference titled 'India and Iran, two great civilisation - Retrospect and Prospects'," he said, adding that it would focus on the journey of Persian literature, history and arts and culture in both the countries. India will invest billions of dollars in setting up industries ranging from aluminium smelter to urea plants in Iran's Chabahar free trade zone after it signed a pact to operate the strategic on the Persian Gulf nation's southern coast. The inking of the commercial contract to build and run the strategic port will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI here. "The distance between Kandla and the is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link," he explained. "Over Rs 1 lakh crore investment can happen in Chabahar free trade zone," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit seeking to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way in the wake of the lifting of sanctions against Iran. Iran, Gadkari said, has cheap natural gas and power that Indian firms are keen to tap to build a 0.5-million tonne aluminium smelter plant as well as urea manufacturing units. "We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount," he said. Gadkari said that Nalco will set up the aluminium smelter, while private and co-operative fertiliser firms are keen to build urea plants provided they get gas at less than $2 per one million British Thermal Units. Railway public sector unit IRCON will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods right up to Afghanistan, he said. Gadkari said that India Ports Global Pvt, a joint-venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest $85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi-cargo berths. The Indian consortium has signed the port pact with Aria Banader Iranian. "The contract is for 10 years and can be extended. We will take 18 months to complete phase one of the construction," he said, adding that the first two years of the contract are grace period where India doesn't have to guarantee any cargo. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor S S Mundra on Monday expressed his displeasure at applicants surrendering their payments bank licences and hinted at hefty penalty for firms who indulge in such practices. Two months after Cholamandalam dropped its plans for floating a payments bank, Dilip Shanghvi of Sun Pharma, IDFC Bank and Telenor Financial Services last week said they were not interested in establishing the niche bank either, without giving any reason. Yes, we would certainly feel a little aggrieved because a lot of efforts from the part of the RBI goes in processing these applications. So, having done that, if they dont materialise, thats the only point (of disappointment), Mundra said at the sidelines of an event by Banking Codes and Standards Board of India. However, surrendering licences is not a crime and the current regulations do not enable the central bank to charge a penalty, he said. Currently, we dont have a scope of charging a serious processing fee, which can be forfeited if this kind of exercise is done, Mundra said, adding, in jest: But if we learn by experience, probably we can do something, which can help augment our revenue substantially. It took RBI more than a year to finalise on the 11 names, which are fit to operate payments banks niche players that can accept deposits up to Rs 1 lakh but cannot lend. RBIs draft guidelines on payments banks came on July 17, 2014 and the list of 11 awardees were announced on August 19, 2015. The nine entities remaining now are Reliance-SBI combine; Aditya Birla Nuvo (Idea Cellular), Airtel, Vodafone, Department of Posts, FINO PayTech, Tech Mahindra, National Securities Depository Ltd, and Paytm (Vijay Shekhar Sharma). Assuring that the central bank did not go by a merit list to pick up the top applicants, but gave licences to anyone who fit the bill, the deputy governor said the question of replacement did not arise. The question of replacement will come if you have a pre-determined number, that was not the case. All applications that met the eligibility norms were given the licences, Mundra said. Mundra also said RBI is working on rules that would limit a customers liability in case of cyber frauds. While there is already a cap of Rs 10,000 for every cyber fraud that can happen, the RBI would like to have a relook on it as technology and banking channels have undergone changes. Power regulators have launched an internal study to look into various options of designing progressivity in tariffs. The trigger is the mismatch between the average tariff and cost of supply, barriers put up by states in providing open access, and high subsidy and cross subsidy. A forum of regulators member told Business Standard that in several states, tariff structure is too complex. Each consumer category is further split into many sub-categories and such structure is preventing the consumers from responding to tariff signals. Some electricity regulatory commissions (ERCs) have already introduced some degree of progressivity in the tariff setting. However, the actual degree of change in behaviour based on price signals given is yet to be looked into, he said. He explained that progressivity in power tariff rates means an increase in tariff with a higher consumption level, which helps in tariff reduction for those who are at the bottom of society. Some ERCs are looking into an option of reduction in the several slabs within the domestic category to three slabs comprising 1-50 units, 51-100 units and 101 units and above. Such tariff structure would obviate the need for passing on the deficit between the average cost of supply and average tariff of domestic consumer category to other categories of consumers. V Raja, former chairman of Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission, said: Competition critically is good destination to reach but that can take place only through open access. As far as designing progressive tariff for domestic consumers is concerned, it can be done through creation of balancing fund, which can be maintained at the level of power regulators. He suggested the government would have to continue to provide subsidy for low-end consumers (those in the 0-100 unit category) and this will differ from state to state. The fine-tuning can be done by the regulators. According to Raja, in case of agriculture tariff, the regulators can consider higher tariff for cash crops and lower for non-cash crops. According to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Indias Partner (Consulting) Debasish Mishra, despite the intention set out in the Electricity Act 2003 on progressive reduction of cross-subsidy, industrial, commercial and high-end residential consumers pay much higher tariffs than the cost to service them. The quantum of subsidy and cross-subsidy that is needed for rural, residential and agriculture segment would only increase in the near future with rising universal access. This can only come from efficiency gains on the cost side such as lower transmission and distribution losses and lower fuel cost, as the tariffs in the subsidising categories cannot go up any more. In the ongoing survey for the next 2016-17 crushing season, the Uttar Pradesh cane department is employing the social media platform of Whatsapp to authenticate the field visits of its officials. The cane department inspectors have been not only been allocated targets for field testing and inspections, but have also been asked to upload spot information and pictures to their superiors over Whatsapp. Dedicated Whatsapp groups have been formed for the nine additional cane commissioners and 44 district cane officers, which are connected with the department officials at the state headquarters. UP cane commissioner Vipin Kumar Dwivedi has ordered for withholding the days salary if the field survey official is found absent. survey helps in ascertaining the cropped area in UP. The data is used in estimating the aggregate cane production in the different regions, which in turn aids the department in allocating cane area to sugar mills. The instant and accurate availability of spot information and pictures over Whatsapp is aimed at relay of information to all concerned officials and collective learning. The department is employing the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for estimating the acreage for 2016-17. GPS is a satellite-based navigation, wherein GPS satellites circle earth in precise orbit and transmit signals. With the help of technology tools, one could determine the exact position of an object and display it on an electronic map for analysis. It could also be used for ascertaining cropped area. As per last years estimates by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the cane area in UP during 2015-16 was about 2.30 million hectares (MH), which was almost flat compared to previous year. The government is attempting at increasing cane yield to 70 tonnes per hectare from the current level of about 65 tonnes to maximise farmers income. During the current year, UP sugar mills had produced about 6.9 million tonnes (MT) of sugar compared to 7.04 MT in 2014-15. The state sugar mills had clocked better sugar recovery of about 10.50 percent this year. From April 1, open architecture for bancassurance came into existence. In less than two months, a handful of public sector banks (PSBs) Andhra Bank, Bank of India (BoI), Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Canara Bank have come forward to tie up with multiple insurers. All these banks had brought out a request for proposal (RFP) to tie up with more than one insurance company. For instance, BoM in its RFP has said it is exploring the possibility of entering into tie-ups with two more general insurance companies as their corporate agents. It already has a partnership with United India Insurance to sell their products. Similarly, it is exploring the possibility of tie-ups with standalone health insurance companies, since it has no such partnerships at present. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has opened up the corporate agency channel, which includes banks. It has opened a channel wherein banks (and other corporate agents) can engage with up to three life, three non-life and three standalone health insurers (earlier, it was only one in each of the three segments). Hence, a bank can sign up with a maximum of nine insurers to sell its products. While some banks have expressed interest in tying up with multiple insurers in each category, some want to keep it restricted. Canara Bank, for instance, intends to enter into a corporate agency agreement with one more general insurance company (it already has a tie-up with United India), to tap into the vast potential available for general insurance business at all its branches across the country and help customers cover their assets against various kinds of risks. Canara is one of the promoters of Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance, a 100 per cent bancassurance-led insurer. Some have entered into tie-ups. Star Health and Allied Insurance and BoB entered into a corporate agency agreement to market the former's products across the latter's branches. P S Jayakumar, managing director of BoB, said they had more than 2,000 trained and certified persons who'd be involved in the marketing. Insurance companies are also of the view that getting a bank on board will help them in increasing their premium collection. V Jagannathan, chairman of Star Health, said this new association with BoB would help them get Rs 3,000 crore worth of premium, higher than this year's target of Rs 2,750 crore. Further, Mayank K Mehta, executive director, BoB, said they were taking advantage of the corporate agency model and entering into multiple contracts with life, general and standalone health insurance companies. The arrangements should help in increasing of insurance penetration, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Several of these public sector insurers are already either promoters or partners with private insurance companies. Hence, some of them are restricting themselves to categories where they are not yet present. A BoI executive said they were going for more than one tie-up for the general insurance space, to tap the wide business scope and earn fee income. At present, it has an arrangement with public sector National Insurance in the general segment. The bank is looking to select one more state-owned general insurer and one private sector player in general insurance. While BoI would certainly like to use its 5,000-plus branch network, the scaling up will be a gradual process due to limitations in trained personnel, the executive said. In the long term, the Mumbai-based lender would go for more than one alliance in the life insurance space, too. But, for now, it plans to stick with Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance, where it is one of the promoters. Similarly, they plan to tie-up with one standalone health insurer, since they would sell health policies of life and general insurance companies, too, as partners. Andhra Bank is looking at the possibility of entering into a distribution partnership with one more general insurance company (apart from United India) by way of the corporate agency arrangement. It is looking for similar tie-ups with standalone health insurance companies, too. Since the aim of the regulator was to offer more choice to customers and also enable non-bank promoted insurers to have access to banks, some of these banks have put that in their eligibility criteria. For instance, Canara and Andhra Bank have said to be eligible for a tie-up, the bidder (insurer) should be a non-bank promoted company. Solvency ratio is a crucial factor, mentioned as one of the eligibility criteria by all banks. Opening up to more than one insurer is not restricted to PSBs. Some private banks are also opening up to more than one. IndusInd Bank recently signed a corporate agency agreement with Reliance General Insurance, the aim being to distribute multiple options of general insurance products to its customers. With this partnership, Reliance General has extended its distribution channels and will distribute its products across all the branches of IndusInd. Rakesh Jain, chief executive at Reliance General, said the bancassurance channel had the potential to reach out to the last mile and serve untapped markets, promoting insurance penetration. "With the alignments of our brands, people and processes, we hope to create huge value for all our customers and stakeholders on a long-term basis," he added. NEW TIE-UPS The Reserve Bank is examining limiting a customer's liability in banking frauds and will soon put in place a framework for the same, Deputy Governor S S Mundra said Monday. " is already examining whether to issue regulatory direction with regard to limiting the liability of customers on fraudulent transactions arising out of frauds and electronic banking transactions," Mundra said at an event organised by the Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) in Mumbai. The objective is to plan, evolve, prepare, develop, promote and publish comprehensive codes and standards for and providing fair treatment to customers. "The idea is that the liability for the customer should not go beyond a point," he made it clear. The discussion, according to the deputy governor, centred on fixing the limit is on and a framework will be announced soon. "We are discussing this and once we finalise, the limit will be announced. We expect to finalise it very shortly," he later told reporters. Mundra said that with the increase in online transactions, there has been a rise in complaints related to electronic banking transactions, unauthorised fund transfers, fraudulent withdrawals from ATMs using duplicate cards and phising e-mails, among others. "It is imperative to have a robust mechanism to prevent incidents of frauds in mobile Net banking and the electronic fund transfer so as to retain customers' confidence in these delivery channels," he said. The deputy governor highlighted benefits of such channels from the banks' perspective faced with the challenge of competition and the need to improve customer base. But at the same time, raising customer awareness for safe usage of these channels should be an important item on the agenda of the banks, he emphasised. "If customers don't get confidence in the channels and decide to abstain from them, then it can have only two outcome - either customer would migrate or customer would come back to the traditional channel which would mean higher operating cost for the banking system," he reasoned. is also concerned about the mis-selling of products by . "There has been an increasingly large number of cases of mis-selling of third-party products to customers by the banks, particularly insurance products, including bundling of third-party products with loans," he said. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee met twelve Award Winning School Teachers from States/Union Territories attending In-Residence Programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (May 23, 2016). This is the first such In-Residence Programme for school teachers. Similar programmes exist for writers, artists, grass root innovators, NIT students and inspired teachers. . . Speaking on the occasion, the President said that all the participants of the In-Residence programme should strive continuously for achieving higher goals. For them sky is the limit. He said that no civilizational progress could have been possible if teachers did not give their wisdom to society on the basis of which progress takes place. He stated that our tradition is that of Guru-Shishya Parampara. He emphasized that teachers are the most important factor in nation building. He stated that he had spent four decades of his public life within a stones throw of the Rashtrapati Bhavan building but had been unaware of life in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Presidents Estate. Therefore, he had decided that it must be open to the people. . . Secretary to the President, Smt. Omita Paul stated that the role of teachers in education is paramount. They provide a nurturing environment for students at all times and have a catalyzing influence on their lives. . . Also present on the occasion was Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of HRD who said that teachers are central to any educational system. He emphasized on three areas relating to education i.e. improving access, equity and improving the quality of education. . . Participants of the In-Residence programme said that they were honoured to be part of the programme and were grateful to the President for giving them this opportunity. It would inspire them as well as other teachers to excel in their profession. . . Remarks by Prime Minister at Chabahar Connectivity event (May 23, 2016) . Your Excellency Dr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, . . Your Excellency Dr. Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan . . Honourable Ministers. . Ladies and Gentlemen. . A famous poet of Persia, Hafez once said: . . ?????- ??????-???-?????????-??? ???? ??? . . ???? ?? ?????-??????? ??????? ??? ???? ???? . . [Meaning: Days of separation are over; night of wait is coming to an end; Our friendship will stay forever.] . . Today, we are all witnessing creation of history. Not just for the people of our three countries, but for the entire region. To build bonds of connectivity is the most basic of human urges. Today, we seek to fulfil it. We are grateful to Excellency Rouhani for hosting this unique event. Thank you President Ashraf Ghani, for your presence. It truly holds a special significance. It is a privilege to be here. Excellency Rouhani, President Ghani and I have just held detailed discussions on a range of issues. The agenda for economic engagement is a clear priority for us. We stand together in unity of our purpose. To carve out new routes of peace, and prosperity is our common goal. We want to link with the world. But, better connectivity among ourselves is also our priority. It is indeed a new dawn for the region. . . Excellencies, . . Iran, Afghanistan and India are deeply aware of the richness and reality of our ancient links. Through centuries, art and culture, ideas and knowledge, language and traditions have formed a common bond between us. Even through turmoil of history, our societies never lost touch with each other. Today, we meet to write new chapters in our engagement. . . Excellencies, The Agreement on the establishment of a Trilateral Transport and Transit Corridor signed just a while ago can alter the course of history of this region. It is a new foundation of convergence between our three nations. The corridor would spur unhindered flow of commerce throughout the region. Inflow of capital and technology could lead to new industrial infrastructure in Chahbahar. This would include gas based fertilizer plants, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and IT. The key arteries of the corridor would pass through the Chahbahar port of Iran. It's very location, on the mouth of Gulf of Oman, is of great strategic significance. Afghanistan will get an assured, effective, and a more friendly route to trade with the rest of the world. The arc of economic benefit from this agreement would extend beyond our three nations. Its reach could extend to the depths of the Central Asian countries. When linked with the International North South Transport Corridor, it would touch South Asia at one end and Europe at another. And, studies show that as compared to the traditional sea routes, it could bring down the cost and time of the cargo trade to Europe by about 50%. Over time, we could even look to connect it with the strong sea and land based routes that India has developed with the Indian Ocean Region and South East Asia. . . Excellencies, . . The world of 21st century offers unique opportunities.But, it also poses its own set of challenges.Today, the nature of global engagement requires an attitude more suitable to this century, not the mindset of the century gone by. Today, the watch-words of international tiesare trust not suspicion; cooperation not dominance; inclusivity not exclusion. This is also the guiding philosophy and driving spirit of the Chahbahar Agreement. This will be a corridor of peace and prosperity for our peoples. Motives of economic growth, and empowerment would drive it. It will build our security without making others vulnerable. It would break barriers among our nations and encourage new benchmarks of people-to-people contacts. And, help us to eventually build what we all desire and deserve - a friendly and healthy neighbourhood. . . Excellencies, . . The world around us is changing in fundamental ways. And, the lack of comprehensive connectivity is not the only challenge that limits our national growth. Political turmoil and undercurrents of economic stress continue to spread in West Asia. In the Indo-Pacific,rise a mix of political competition and economic opportunities is putting pressure on the existing Asian order. Global economy is yet to fully come out of uncertainty and weakness. Our present growth and future prosperity is under threat from the spread of radical ideas and physical terror. Amidst this landscape, our three countries are blessed with the most potent resourceour youth. Our three nations are estimated to have more than 60 percent of their population under 30 years of age. They are an asset in our national and regional development. We want them to walk the road to knowledge and skills; industry and enterprise. And, not fall victim to the path of guns and violence. I am confident that economic fruits of the Chahbahar Agreement will expand trade, attract investment, build infrastructure, develop industry and create jobs for our youth. The Agreement will strengthen our ability to stand in mutual support against those whose only motto is to maim and kill the innocents. Its success will be a positive vote for peace and stability in the region. . . Excellencies,. . It is my strong belief that trade and transit routes should only be a starting point of our journey to greater connectivity. In my vision, the full spectrum of connectivity agenda between Iran, Afghanistan and India should span:. . from culture to commerce; . . from traditions to technology; . . from Investments to IT; . . from services to strategy; and . . from people to politics. . . In a way, it is a pledge to: . . Realize the imperative of better connectivity; . . Establish peace and create stability; . . Build economic prosperity and engineer new trade ties; . . Curb radicalism and remove shadows of terror; and. . Break barriers and spread sweetness of familiarity among our people. . . History will look back at this effort with nothing but approval and admiration. . . I compliment Excellencies Rouhani and Ghani for their leadership in guiding this effort. . . Thank you all. Thank you very much. . . Senior Afghan Taliban sources today confirmed the death of their chief in a US drone strike. "I can say with good authority that Mullah Mansour is no more," a senior Taliban source told AFP. Mullah Mansour's death was confirmed by two other senior figures, who said the group's top leaders were gathering in southwest Pakistan to name their future chief. Who was Mullah Mansour was officially appointed as the Taliban chief in July 2015, after the death of Mullah Omar. However, it is believed that Mullah Mansour functioned as the acting head of the terror organisation, way before his appointment, on behalf of Mullah Omar. Mullah Omar, who led the Taliban for around 20 years, reportedly died in a hospital in Karachi on April 23, 2013. Information of his death, however, was leaked only after a month, which was then confirmed by the Taliban much later. In the interim, Mullah Mansour reportedly continued to release statements on the official Taliban website in the name of Mullah Omar. Speaking about the slain Taliban leader, General Joseph Votel of US Central Command in a statement to CNN said, Mansour played a key leadership role in not only orchestrating the Taliban but orchestrating a variety of other organisations to include the Haqqani Network and al Qaeda who were perpetrating operations against not only US forces but coalition forces and Afghan forces for a long period of time. Rise to the top Mullah Mansours appointment as the Taliban leader was met with a lot of resistance, with senior Taliban officials opposing his nomination, as they launched a parallel council. The dissidents were quoted as saying that they would convene a meeting of the council members, Islamic scholars and national figures to elect a new chief. Besides senior officials, Mullah Omars family also refused to to pledge allegiance to Mullah Mansour. Mullah Abdullah Mannan, the younger brother of Mullah Omar's younger brother - in an audio message recorded in the Pashto language - demanded a council meeting of pro-Taliban clerics and militant commanders, so that they could deliberate and resolve the challenge of leadership facing the group. These challenges, however, eased in time and Mullah Mansour climbed to the top command position within the group. Taliban under Mullah Mansour's rule Mullah Mansour's rule saw several devastating attacks in Afghanistan, particularly the capital Kabul. It was also during Mansour's brief rule that the Taliban, albeit briefly, took control of the northern city of Kunduz and held it for four days. A look at some recent attacks: May 25, 2015: The Taliban launches a deadly attack on Afghan Security forces in southern Helmand province, killing 19 police and seven soldiers. June 13, 2015: The Taliban attacks another Afghan security outpost in southern Helmand province, killing 11 security personnel. June 22, 2015: The Taliban launches a coordinated assault outside the Afghan Parliament in the capital, Kabul. A vehicle packed with explosives blows up outside the Parliament gates and six Taliban armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket propelled grenade launchers lay siege until they were killed by Afghan Security Forces. Two civilians are reportedly killed and several are injured. July 7, 2015: The Taliban stages two separate suicide bombings in Kabul, killing at least one person and wounding three, including a NATO soldier. August 7, 2015: A series of attacks kill at least 44 people and wound over 300 in one day in Kabul. August 22, 2015: A suicide bomber attacks a convoy in Kabul, killing four US contractors. September 14, 2015: More than 350 inmates escape after an attack by Taliban insurgents on the main prison in eastern Ghazni province. October 2015: The Taliban stages a coordinated strike on Kunduz, surrounding the city, forcing Afghan government forces out and taking control of the city. It is the first time the Taliban took an Afghan city since being ousted from power in 2001. The Taliban holds on to the city for four days, eventually being driven out by Afghan Security Forces backed by US air strikes. January 5, 2016: A U.S soldier is killed and another two injured in battle in Helmand province between Afghan National Security Forces and the Taliban. February 1, 2016: A suicide bomber detonates his explosives outside an Afghan Civil Police building, killing at least 20 people. March 2, 2016: The Taliban attack the Indian Consulate in eastern Jalalabad, killing four Afghans. No Indian nationals are hurt April 19, 2016: In one of the deadliest attacks on Kabul, a suicide bomber backed by heavily armed militants kills 64 people and wounds hundreds more. Senior Afghan Taliban sources today confirmed the death of their chief in a US drone strike, adding that a council is underway to decide his successor. "I can say with good authority that Mullah Mansour is no more," a senior Taliban source told AFP. Mansour's death was confirmed by two other senior figures, who said the group's top leaders were gathering in southwest Pakistan to name their future chief. "Mullah Zakir, Mullah Shireen and Siraj Haqqani are strong candidates," one of the sources told AFP. Another Taliban source confirmed Haqqani, leader of the feared Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network and one of Mansour's deputies, was a frontrunner, adding that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was also in contention. Authorities piecing together what happened to the doomed EgyptAir Flight 804 will get the support of a submarine as they continue their search for data records and more debris. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ordered the expansion of the search five days after the Airbus A320 went down over the Mediterranean Sea en route from Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board. France's accident investigator, BEA, said over the weekend the plane generated automatic radio messages about smoke in the front portion of the cabin minutes before disappearing. The electronic signals offer a ... India and Iran on Monday, the second day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Gulf nation, held delegation-level bilateral talks. "Deliberating the details of diplomacy. The leaders lead formal delegation level talks between #IndiaIran," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Ahead of the talks, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a "restricted" meeting. The prime minister, who arrived here on Sunday evening, was accorded a ceremonial welcome on Monday morning. India, Iran and Afghanistan will sign an agreement on Monday to develop the Chabahar port in the Persian Gulf nation. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the community is re-engaging with the nation. (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.) South Korea on May 23 rejected the latest proposal by the North to hold military talks, saying Pyongyang first needed to take steps towards abandoning its nuclear arsenal. The North's leader Kim Jong-Un offered the military dialogue during a speech to a recent congress of the ruling Workers' Party the first event of its kind in more than 35 years. North Korean military later urged Seoul to accept the offer to overcome the current "catastrophic state" of cross-border ties, proposing a preparatory working-level meeting in a message sent on Saturday. But Seoul's defence ministry, in a response sent across the border this morning, effectively rejected the proposal that said, it made no mention of Pyongyang's widely-condemned nuclear weapons programme, according to a ministry spokesman. "A proposal for talks with no mention of denuclearisation is mere posturing," Moon Sang-Gyun told reporters, describing the latest talks proposal a gesture for "fake peace". "We will firmly keep the stance that taking steps for denuclearisation should be the first priority when it comes to dialogue with the North," he said. Most of Kim's speech at the party congress had been devoted to talking up his atomic weapons programme, Seoul said earlier. South Korea's conservative President Park Geun-Hye insists Seoul would only consider engaging in substantive dialogue with Pyongyang if the North takes a tangible step towards denuclearisation. But the North has repeatedly said the nuclear arsenal - which it describes a "national treasure" - is not up for negotiation. Tension has been running high since Pyongyang staged its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a long-range rocket launch a month later largely seen as a disguised missile test. The isolated state is banned under several UN resolutions from using any ballistic missile technology. The UN Security Council responded by slapping the strongest sanctions to date on the North in March. (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.) New Delhi has invested heavily in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Tehran visit but it is going to be equally closely tracked in three world capitals Islamabad, Beijing and Riyadh. What is the context? Several political pundits in Delhi noted the reception Iranian President Hassan Rouhani got during his two-day visit to Pakistan in March this year. It was the first visit by any Iranian head of state to Pakistan in 14 years. Sunni-dominated Pakistan has tended to side with Saudi Arabia rather than majority-Shia Iran in the two states long-running competition for regional influence. Moreover, in the ongoing war in Afghanistan, Irans (covert) blessings to a section of Islamic militants in that country has complicated things for Pakistan in the past. So for Pakistan, Rouhanis visit was a sign of cautious political normalisation. Initiatives between Pakistan and Iran are also crucially important in the context of the gradual lifting of US sanctions on Iran. During the Rouhani visit, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif somewhat optimistically claimed that the two countries would grow annual trade volumes to $5 bn by 2021. Trade between Pakistan and Iran fell to $432 mn in 2010-11 from $1.32bn in 2008-09, and reached a record low of $229 mn in 2013-14 mainly because of sanctions. During the Rouhani visit, Iran committed to investing in a number of areas to develop Pakistans infrastructure including increasing Pakistans imports of electricity from Iran from the current 100 megawatts to 1000 megawatts, accelerating the pace of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and importing iron and steel from Iran. Where Pakistan is, China is. Eventually, much of the infrastructure will service the $46 bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). India is opposed to the CPEC because it runs through territory India claims belongs to it. On the other hand, the railroad that China wants to build between Iran and China could be extremely useful for India which could then leverage the creation of that infrastructure without spending a rupee itself. It is the worlds worst kept secret that Chinas chequebook diplomacy is giving the world a new definition of friends and foes. China is spending money it possibly does not have, to create infrastructure through the world, creating assets that it will then use diplomacy to protect. India cannot compete it neither has the power, nor the money. Lofty pronouncements about how India does not believe in transactional relationships are all very well, but New Delhi has to create counterbalances. Iran is one such counterbalance. In February this year, Irans former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani asked Tehran to expand special economic zones on the offshore islands of Kish and Oeshm to attract private investment. There was a time this would not even have been counternanced, let alone been possible. India believes it is best-positioned in the region to take advantage of this economic opportunity and others as Iran integrates more fully with the world, working off previous trade and investment ties the automotive, pharma and heavy manufacturing sectors are the most obvious. Prime Minister Modis Iran trip comes weeks after his Saudi Arabia visit. Although there is no word from Riyadh on the PMs Iran tour, former Indian ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Talmiz Ahmad provides a perspective when he writes: The contentions between Iran and the Arab sheikhdoms pose a far greater challenge, because the continued conflict and proxy war between the Islamic giants could easily deteriorate into an all-out conflict, with horrific consequences for India, the region and the rest of Asia. India should give up its traditional posture of non-involvement in contentions issues outside South Asia and lead a diplomatic effort to address the mutual grievances and loss of trust between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The question is whether India is ready to engage at that level. Mango export from India is under severe threat, after the UAE authorities say pesticide residues in consignments are higher than the prescribed limit by the global standard. Plus, pest and disease in some vegetable consignments. The UAEs ministry of climate change and environment has issued a warning; their markets take 70 per cent of our mango export. They say theyve also found pesticide residues higher than the prescribed limit in chilli, pepper and cucumber consignments. We have issued an advisory to the exporters concerned. Weve also started mandatory registration of all exporters of agricultural products, said a senior official of the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda). So, things would be under control soon. There have, in fact, been quality issues for Indias mango export over four years, hitting the volumes. From 63,594 tonnes of fresh mango export during 2011-12, our shipment of this seasonal fruit was 43,191 tonnes in 2014-15. Apart from the UAE, some European countries have also discovered presence of pest and disease in some mango consignments. There is no major threat of a ban. We are exporting mango to high quality-conscious countries like America and Japan. Indian exporters need to be little more cautious on the quality of the mango they export, said the Apeda official. Logistics companies' stocks have rallied this month in an otherwise declining market, on hope that a consensus can be reached between the government and opposition parties for passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) legislation in the Rajya Sabha during the coming session of Parliament. The assembly election results, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning Assam and the Congress receding has buoyed hope for the Bill. In the past three sessions, Gati, for instance, has jumped 9.2 per cent, similar to those of Allcargo Logistics. Container Corporation and VRL Logistics have gone up about one per cent. For the entire month, Gati, Allcargo and Transport Corporation have risen seven per cent, 3.4 per cent, and 2.9 per cent, respectively. VRL Logistics and Blue Dart are the only two exceptions, down 1.7 per cent and 5.4 per cent for the month, in line with the BSE Sensex index, which dropped 1.4 per cent this month. The rally is more sentimental and perception-driven, says G Chokkalingam, head of Equinomics Research & Advisory. It is based only on speculation (on GST passage). Brokerage houses have noted the arithmetic on enactment is as daunting. Says HSBC, BJP will still have to reach out to smaller parties to ensure passage of upcoming Bills. Investors have in the past lost money because of this perception-driven phenomenon. This rally will not sustain for the long term, says Chokkalingam. Adding, Currently, the valuation is comparatively cheap, since the earnings of these companies have not done well. But, if GST is passed and with revival in the economy, which we see happening, it will definitely impact the earnings of these companies. And, we see it as a good time to invest. Chokkalingam doesnt think so. The earnings have not been good for a couple of quarters. In that comparison, the valuation is high for these stocks. So, it is better to be cautious and buy on decline. GST aims to simplify the current indirect tax regime by bringing all central and state levies under a single head, with uniform rates across goods and services. It has cleared the Lok Sabha but the government is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha. While passage will be a big trigger, companies in the segment will over the long run tend to benefit from the increasing consumption (including e-commerce), as well as trade, led by the rise in India's economic growth. Investors, thus, could use corrections to accumulate logistics companies with less leverage, healthy financial performance, a track record, good growth prospects and entry barriers to their business. And, at reasonable valuations. Nothing could be a bigger sacrilege in the sugar sector than factories not clearing farmers' cane dues within the stipulated time. In the process, sanctity of cane as a cash crop is lost and farmers are subject to much privation, including committing suicides as happened in more than one state last year. But, then, mill owners say when they fail to make payments to farmers for cane supplies, they suffer a cathartic experience. Crises of the present proportions visit the agro-based industry in a cycle as prices of raw sugar on Intercontinental Exchange in New York since 2010 fluctuated between a high of 30 cents a pound and a low of 10.44 cents, almost entirely on supply-side issues. India, the world's second largest producer of sugar, had seen the average ex-factory price dip to Rs 2,157 a quintal in July 2015 plunging the whole industry in big losses. In fact, month after month, ex-factory prices fell short of the cost of cane, not to mention the other elements of conversion cost. No wonder, industry cane dues at one point in the current season rose to Rs 22,000 crore, compelling the government to give an interest-free loan of Rs 6,000 crore to factories in June 2015. But, this amount was disbursed directly to farmers. Factories still owe substantial sums of money to growers. Such large cane dues have invited the acerbic comment that factories, by not paying in time, are securing supply of the principal raw material on long-term interest-free credit. For every other input, including factory labour cash payment, has to be made. But, should this be the case when farmers are the reason for the industry being able to raise sugar production to 28.31 million tonnes (mt) in 2014-15 from 12 mt in 1990-91 and build in the downstream exportable cogeneration power capacity of 5,500 Mw and ethanol capacity of 2.24 billion litres? President of Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma) Tarun Sawhney is doing well to emphasise that the interests of cane growers and factories converge and a "stable and viable sugar industry will create a win-win situation for all constituents, including consumers" of the sweetener. The market has its own dynamics. Volatility in prices of sugar, a globally traded commodity, is unavoidable. International trade in sugar accounts for about 25 per cent of world demand. At whatever prices factories sell sugar in a season, growers must have the assurance of getting paid the fair and remunerative price (FRP) announced by the government on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). In making FRP recommendations, CACP considers the cost of growing cane, fair margins for farmers, ex-factory sugar sale price and realisation from the first level of cane by-products such as bagasse, molasses and press mud. But, what happens when sustained low prices of sugar, as recently experienced by factories, stand in the way of their settling cane bills in time? Sawhney says the interest of Indian sugar economy will be best served by adopting a "hybrid" approach to rewarding farmers through a revenue sharing formula (RSF), uniform application of FRP across all cane-growing regions and building of a "reserve" under Sugar Development Fund by way of a cess on sugar. The reserve is to be used to bail out growers in difficult times. The hybrid formula is a punch of recommendations of the Rangarajan committee and CACP. India's sole multinational sugar producer, Narendra Murkumbi, is also a strong advocate of RSF as this is "globally found to be the most effective and robust system". Brazil, Thailand and Australia have their unique RSF and price risk management practices. A single model does not hold good for all cane-growing nations since their farm reality is not identical. As for India, if the occasion arises when under RSF, the 75 per cent of combined revenues from ex-mill sugar and cane by-products will fall short of FRP, then sugar reserve fund will be accessed to bridge that gap. In good times for the industry, as hopefully will be the case now, the growers are to get more than FRP. The Rangarajan committee has, therefore, recommended a two-step payment to growers: FRP according to extant mechanism and final payment on the basis of half-yearly ex-mill sugar and cane by-product prices. If cane dues stop visiting them, then, farmers stand to make much more money by growing sugarcane than paddy and wheat. Implementation of RSF backed by a well-funded sugar reserve will rid the sector of its ills. Leading recruitment company for entry-level and mid-level jobs in India AasaanJobs announced the inclusion of government job listings on its domain with an aim to assist potential candidates to search for employment opportunities across multifarious sectors pan India. The company lists govt. jobs for people with varying qualifications and experience such as jobs for 10th and 12th pass, public sector, central government, banking, railway, UPSC (Union Public Services Commission), engineering, medical, Indian Armed Forces, jobs for women, differently-abled, and specific walk-ins. Commenting on the announcement Head of Marketing and PR AasaanJobs, Siddharth Gupta said, "Government jobs are highly coveted amongst people across demographic segments due to their permanent nature and guarantee of salary which is revised time to time through Pay commission. Staying true to its promise of connecting job seekers to their dream job, AasaanJobs has come out with this feature and hopes to benefit candidates who are seeking such jobs for career fulfillment." With a workforce of over 30 lakh, the career progression of an employee is fixed and work profile specified. Despite competition, government jobs hold a lot of appeal for job seekers, especially those who wish to achieve excellence in their respective fields and gain a sense of pride in serving the nation. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J. Jayalalithaa was on Monday sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the second consecutive term. Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah administered the oath of office to Jayalalithaa and 28 members of her Cabinet. This is for the first time since the death of former chief minister M.G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, that a party returned to power for the second consecutive term in Tamil Nadu. DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin and many other newly-elected MLAs attended the ceremony held at the Madras University's Centenary Auditorium. Scores of AIADMK workers, supporters and well-wishers gathered at the centenary auditorium to get a glimpse of their favorite leader popularly known as Amma. Jayalalithaa had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the oath-taking function after her win. Reports earlier said that Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu will represent the Centre at the swearing-in ceremony of AIADMK supremo, but he was not present at the event. Prime Minister Modi, who is presently on an official visit to Iran, congratulated Jayalalithaa on her new innings as the Chief Minister. "Congratulations to Jayalalithaa ji & her team on taking oath. Centre will work closely with new Govt. for progress of TN. @AIADMKOfficial," he tweeted. Earlier on May 21, 68-year-old Jayalalithaa met Governor K. Rosaiah and staked claim to form the government in the state. The AIADMK retained power winning 136 of the 232 constituencies despite most exit polls predicting a DMK win. This will be Jayalalithaa's fourth term in office. Her earlier tenures as the Chief Minister were 1991-96, 2001-06 and 2011-16. In Assam, more than two crore LPG consumers have joined the ambitious scheme which was introduced in the state from January 1 last year. The unique Yojna or Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for LPG subsidy launched by the Central Government, covers around 80 per cent LPG consumers in the Assam. Under the scheme, consumers are sold LPG cylinders on market rate and get subsidy in their bank accounts. "I am very thankful to the government because this is not just a subsidy scheme but it is a saving scheme for me. Every month, I am saving sufficient amounts in my bank account through subsidy. These savings will extremely helpful during any emergency," One of the recipients of scheme Manisha Deb said Around two crore 90 thousand consumers of Assam have enrolled in the scheme till date. Deputy Manager, LPG (sales) in Indian Oil Corporation, S Biswas said that around four hundred sixty seven crore rupees have been distributed under this scheme as subsidy by central government till date. At least 45 people have been killed by a pair of suicide bombers in the southern city of Aden in Yemen. Yemeni security officials said that the two bombers targeted young men seeking to join the army, reports Dawn. One suicide car bomber targeted a line outside an army recruitment centre, killing at least 20. A second bomber on foot detonated his explosive vest among a group of recruits waiting outside the home of an army commander, killing at least 25. The Yemeni officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media. Al Qaeda and its rival the militant Islamic State group, have claimed responsibility for a spate of attacks on government forces who drove Huthi Shia rebels out of the city in July with support from a Saudi-led coalition. The two militant groups exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict to expand their presence in the south and southeast. However, over the past two months, government and coalition forces have hit back, driving the militants out of Aden. Lionel Messi played the role of a playmaker with absolute finesse as Barcelona defeated Europa League champions Sevilla 2-0 in extra-time to win the Copa del Rey while completing a Spanish double at the Vicente Calderon last evening. The Argentine international provided a well-crafted crossfield pass to Jordi Alba, who dispatched it clinically to break the deadlock seven minutes into extra-time. Messi then slipped another gorgeous ball to Neymar to make it two in the last minute, the Guardian reported. The victory also saw La Liga champions Barca become the first side to complete a Spanish double two years in a row for more than 60 years. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to call former Haryana chief minister B.S. Hooda for questioning in connection with the HUDA industrial plot scam. The case dates back to 2012 when Hooda was the chief minister of Haryana and chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). Sources said the move comes after the CBI issued a notice to Hooda in this regard. During the interrogation at the CBI headquarters, a clarification will also be sought from Hooda on the same. Earlier on Saturday, the CBI registered cases against former HUDA officials, 13 beneficiaries and others over alleged irregularities in the allotment of HUDA industrial plots at Panchkula. The former bureaucrats booked by the CBI in this case are D P S Nagal, then Chief Administrator, HUDA; S P Kansal, then Chief Financier, HUDA; and B B Taneja, then Deputy Superintendent, HUDA. The investigating agency also conducted searches at 16 locations, including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Faridabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Rohtak in connection with the ongoing probe in the case. Sources said some files were during the raids found either to be ''missing'' ? or were put in proper ''sequence''. The industrial plots were allegedly allotted in July 2013 at throwaway prices after changes were made midway in the eligibility criteria on recommendation of a standing committee and approved by Hooda. Haryana Chief Minster Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier ordered that an FIR be registered by the Vigilance Bureau and then the matter be referred to the CBI for an independent probe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the friendship between India and Iran is as old as history, adding both sides have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, joys and sorrows as friends and neighbours. "For me, visiting Iran is indeed a great privilege. India and Iran are not new friends. Our 'dosti' is as old as history," he said while delivering the joint statement here with Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani. Prime Minister Modi recalled that Iran was first country to come forward when earthquake had struck Gujarat when he was the chief minister. The Prime Minister, who is presently on a two-day visit to Iran, said that he exchanged views on emerging regional challenges and global issues of common interest with President Rouhani. "As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, joys and sorrows. India is proud to have stood with the people of Iran during your difficult times," he added. Prime Minister Modi said the bilateral agreement to develop Chabahar port is an important milestone. "The agreement to develop the Chahbahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about $ 500 million from India is a key milestone. Outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership," he added. The Prime Minister further said both nations have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region. "Later today, we will sign a trilateral transport and transit agreement in partnership with India, Iran and Afghanistan," he added. India and Iran today signed 12 Memorandum of Understanding and agreements in various areas including building and operating the Chabahar port by India. It followed the delegation level talks between Prime Minister Modi and the Iranian President. The other agreements include cooperation in culture, science and technology, library sciences, and cooperation between the exim banks of both countries. Prime Minister Modi was earlier accorded ceremonial welcome on the forecourts of the Saadabad Palace in Tehran. A historic deal to develop the Chabahar port in Iran, which will open up access to central Asia, was signed here on Monday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India and Iran signed an MoU for bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations between IPGPL [India Ports Global Private Limited] and Arya Banader of Iran. The contract envisages development and operation for 10 years of two terminals and five berths with cargo handling of multipurpose and general capacities. The MoU, signed by Arun K. Gupta, Managing Director, IPGPL, and Ebrahim Yaseri, Managing Director of Arya Banader, will be counter signed by Alok Srivastva, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping of India, and Saeednejad, Chairman of Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his statement the Chabahar port project has opened a new chapter of friendship and economic partnership between both nations. Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani in a joint statement with Prime Modi said the Chabahar port is a symbol of synergy between both nations. He said the port can serve as a point of connectivity to different countries. "Economic relations between Delhi and Tehran can further be expanded through the project," he added. The port in southeast Iran will facilitate India to bypass Pakistan to transport goods to Afghanistan and central Asia using a sea-land route. India will contribute in building the terminals and cargo berths at Chabahar port by investing USD 200 million in the first phase. In the next phase, India is mulling to develop a 500-km railway line between Chabahar and Zahedan. India will be displaying a Vesak lantern modelled on the stupa at the Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya, Bihar, in the Buddha Rashmi Vesak celebrations in Colomobo. The High Commission of India has issued a statement and expressed delight over the first ever invite from the Sri Lankan Government to participate in the celebrations. The event is being jointly organized by the Presidential Secretariat and the Gangaramaya Temple from May 21-25, 2016, in Colombo, reports Lanka Page. Traditional accounts say that Lord Buddha after attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree spent the succeeding seven weeks meditating at seven different spots in the vicinity. Several specific places at the current Mahabodhi Temple relate to the traditions surrounding these seven weeks. The first week was spent under the Bodhi tree. During the second week, Lord Buddha remained standing and stared uninterrupted at the Bodhi tree. This spot is marked by the Animeshlocha Stupa, which is located on the north-east of the Mahabodhi Temple complex. Lord Buddha is said to have walked back and forth between location of the Animeshlocha Stupa and the Bodhi tree. According to legend, lotus flowers sprung up along this route and it is now called Ratnachakrama or the jewel walk. The lantern being exhibited is based on the architecture of this stupa at the Mahabodhi Temple, which is one of the oldest brick structures in eastern India. The Mahabodhi Temple became a UNESCO Heritage Site. The relations between India and Sri Lanka have a rich legacy of civilizational, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction. The advent of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC is linked with the arrival of Prince Mahendra in Sri Lanka known as Arahat Mahinda and later of Princess Sanghamitra known as Sanghamitta Their, the children of the great Indian Emperor Ashoka. India's participation in the Buddha Rashmi Vesak celebrations is yet another manifestation of the rich cultural tapestry that the two countries share based on historic affinities, which have been nourished over the millennia. President Dr. Hassan Rouhani on Monday said India and Iran discussed about sharing of intelligence to check the menace of terrorism, as its tentacles are spreading over Syria, Yemen and many other areas in the region. With both sides signing 12 major agreements, including the bilateral contract on Chabahar port, Rouhani also asserted that Iran has always attached great importance to their relations with India, which is a major power in the . "We have always attached great importance to our relations with India, a major power. The economic relationship between the two countries can become much bigger compared to the past," he said while delivering the joint statement with visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The bilateral contract on the Chabahar port envisages development and operation for 10 years of two terminals and five berths with cargo handling [multipurpose and general] capacities. This is the first foreign port in which India is involved to this extent. The port in the Gulf of Oman on Iran's southern coast with Afghanistan will allow India to bypass Pakistan to transport goods to Afghanistan and central Asia using a sea-land route. India will help develop the port and invest around USD 200 million to develop terminals and cargo berths at Chabahar. A 500-km railway line between Chabahar and Zahedan will also be built with Indian collaboration. Situated 72 km west of the Pakistan-China joint venture Gwadar port and on the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the Chabahar Port made its first appearance on the India-Iran bilateral map during the previous NDA regime in 2003. "Considering that both countries have an important port like Chabahar, we can have vast cooperation. Chabahar port can serve as a point of connectivity between different countries, especially India and Afghanistan, also east of Europe," he added. Divulging the details about the meeting with Prime Minister Modi, the Iranian President said they have made a decision to bring relations between the academics, universities, technology and scientific parts of both countries closer to each other. "We discussed about tourism. We are going to put tourism very high on our agenda. We also talked about courses in Hindi, Persian to be held in the two countries," he said. India and Iran also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation between the National Archives of India and the National Library and Archives Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which aims to facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge in the field of archival matters through exchange of manuals, guidelines, rules, publications and other special literature on archival topics. President Dr. Hassan Rouhani on Monday announced that May 23 will henceforth be called the 'Day of Chabahar' as India, Iran and Afghanistan signed the historic Chabahar Agreement. " This is a very important day for Iranians and now on it is going to be even more important because today is going to mark the day of cooperation between three of us, Iran, India and Afghanistan and from now on this day can be called the day of Chabahar, " he said at trilateral summit. Asserting that it was an important day in the history of the relationship between the three countries, Iranian President said that Tehran, Delhi and Kabul would give this message to the region that the path of progress of the countries of the region goes through cooperation and utilization of regional opportunity. "Of course the symbol of such cooperation is Chahbahar and Bahar means spring and it is a spring for three of us," he added. President Rouhani said that with the joint investments in Chahbahar, his country could connect India through reliable route to Afghanistan and also to those countries in central Asia and even to CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. "Today's document is not just an economic document. It is actually a political document and a regional one and the message of this document is that countries of this region need to utilize the opportunities provided by the region in order to develop and also expand on the regional cooperation," he added. He pressed that the business people and entrepreneurs of the three country and other countries in the region could now count on a new international corridor. "There is also a room in this trilateral agreement for other countries and for the activities of other countries and in the near future other countries can join this document of cooperation as well," he said. President Rouhani pointed that the agreement was not against any other country. "Today's agreement is not going to be against any other country. Our joint activities are going to be useful and beneficial to the whole region relatively to the peace and stability in this region," he said. Talking about the progress from here on regarding the agreement, he said that the three countries have assigned their ministers to look into the matter and review the progress. "We made the decision that each of us will name a minister to follow up on the progress made in this project and from our side. From the Iranian side, I have named our Minister for Road and Urban Development for this matter, His Excellency Modi named the Indian minister for road and transportation for this and Mr. Ashraf Ghani , His Excellency is going to soon announce his minister, " he said adding, " These three ministers will meet regularly with each other and they will review the progress made in this project and come back to us with their progress reports." Meanwhile, Afghan President Ghani lauded the Chabahar agreement saying, "100 years from now, historians will remember this day as the start of regional cooperation. Stating that the craze of a 'world class leader' Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visible all over the country, Union Mines and Steel Minister Narendra Singh Tomar took a swipe at Nitish Kumar, saying the Chief Minister is switching to as he fears Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. "Prime Minister Modi is a world leader. Many countries are making their policies after taking his advice. Modi ji has made his impact across the world with hard work and better policies," Tomar said in an exclusive interview to ETV News. "World leaders are desperate to talk to Prime Minister Modi. When these world leaders are preparing any policy, they consult him on those policies," he added. The Union Minister also said Nitish will fail in his desperate attempt to switch to . Earlier, former union minister and senior RJD Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Taslimuddin launched a tirade against the Chief Minister over the deteriorating law and order in the state, saying that he is not even fit to be a 'mukhiya' and, therefore, should forget about becoming the country's Prime Minister. The RJD, however, on Sunday issued a showcause notice to the Araria MP for questioning Nitish's leadership and qualities and praising Prime Minister Modi, asking him to explain his comments in seven days or face action. In an attempt to create a clean image in Bihar, Nitish Kumar-led government banned liquor last month, making it the fourth dry state in the country after Gujarat, Kerala and Nagaland. The Chief Minister had earlier said that hotels and bars would not serve alcohol anymore and no license will be given, while adding that Army canteens will continue to sell alcohol. However, what has come as embarrassing for Nitish is that the leaders in his own party have been breaking the law. Janata Dal (United) MLC Manorama Devi was earlier this month booked for keeping alcohol in her house. The Supreme Court will hear on May 26 the plea of Italian marine, Salvatore Girone, seeking relaxation of bail conditions to enable him to return to Italy. Earlier on 2 May, the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague recommended relaxation of bail conditions of Girone, one of the two marines facing murder charges for killing two Indian fishermen. Girone and another Massimiliano Latorre are facing charges of murdering two fishermen in 2012 off the Kerala coast. The Arbitral Tribunal's order clearly recognises the fact that "Girone is under India's authority alone" and that the "Supreme Court of India exercises jurisdiction" over him. The order further asked India and Italy to approach the Supreme Court of India for relaxation of the bail conditions. The order reportedly stated, Italy must ensure that Girone reports to an authority in Italy designated by the Supreme Court of India. It also recommended that Girone should surrender his passport and should be prohibited from leaving Italy unless the Supreme Court of India grants him permission. Italy also accepted that if Girone is allowed to return to Italy, he would remain under the jurisdiction of the courts of India. Italy had earlier in March asked the PCA to order India to release Girone, saying the latter will otherwise, risks four more years in India without any charges being made which would amount to 'grave violation of his human rights'. The Supreme Court, which was handling this case, suspended the court proceedings relating to the trial of two marines in August 2015 following an order to this effect by Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) which was approached by Italy for arbitration. The will today hear a plea seeking a complete ban on water supply to distilleries and breweries in drought-hit regions of Maharashtra. A vacation bench of Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre and Justice Ashok Bhushan on May 16 agreed to hear the plea today after an advocate mentioned the matter before it, seeking this supply be instead made available for drinking purposes. The petitioner said that instead of curtailed water supply to the liquor industries, there should be no supply of water at all, as the entire region is facing acute water shortage. The petitioner said that people are being deprived of drinking water, as it is being given to the liquor industries instead. The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court had recently asked the state government to curtail water supply to the liquor industry by 60% from May 10, which would be operative till June 27. The plea assumes significance as the had earlier upheld the Bombay High Court order banning the hosting of IPL matches, including in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. William Friedkin, director of horror classic 'The Exorcist,' has claimed the Vatican invited him to film a real exorcism earlier this month. During a recent interview, the 80-year-old told the audience how he was invited to Rome to film an exorcism - the first time an exorcism performed at the Vatican has ever been photographed, reports the Independent. "I was invited by the Vatican exorcist to shoot and video an actual exorcism which... few people have ever seen and which nobody has ever photographed," he said. Friedkin noted how similar the ritual was to that depicted in his film. "I was pretty astonished by that. I don't think I will ever be the same having seen this astonishing thing," he said. "I am not talking about some cult, I am talking about an exorcism by the Catholic Church in Rome," the director added. The editor and publisher of the weekly magazine Begum, Nurjahan Begum, passed away at a Dhaka hospital today. She was 91. She breathed her last at the Square Hospital around 10.15 a.m., Mohammad Akash, an official of customer service department of the hospital, was quoted by the Daily Star, as saying. Nurjahan was admitted to the hospital with respiratory problems on May 4. She had been on life support since May 7. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have both expressed profound shock and grief over her death. In separate messages, they conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul. Born on June 4, 1925, Nurjahan was the daughter of prominent journalist Mohammad Nasiruddin, the editor of the Bangla literary journal Saogat and was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2011. Saogat, also called Saugat, (meaning Presentation) was a leading Bengali literary journal, and was first published from Kolkata in 1918. Nurjahan Begum's father inspired her to join journalism. Her husband, Rokonuzzaman Khan, who she married initially against her father's will, later became a renowned journalist himself. The weekly Begum was first published in Kolkata on July 20, 1947, when India was ready to attain freedom from the British colonial rule. Many Hindu women, at the time, were involved in the struggle for freedom, where Muslim women were kept behind doors but even then there were some Muslim women who were pioneering the feminist movement, like Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Begum provided an outlet for women writers, mainly Muslim women, who had very little opportunity at the time. The first editor of the magazine was Begum Sufia Kamal, while the founder was Mohammad Nasiruddin. Subsequently, the journal was edited by his daughter Nurjahan Begum. Bayer CropScience rose and Monsanto India declined at 12:09 IST on BSE on reports that Bayer AG's bid to acquire Monsanto Company was an all-cash offer valued at $62 billion. Bayer CropScience was up 1.32% at Rs 3,950.05. Bayer AG is a parent firm of Bayer CropScience. It held 68.57% stake in Bayer CropScience as on 31 March 2016. Monsanto India was down 6.71% at Rs 2,120.05. Monsanto Company is a parent firm of Monsanto India. It held 72.14% stake in Monsanto India as on 31 March 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 18.94 points or 0.07% at 25,320.84. According to reports, Bayer AG (Bayer) had approached Monsanto Company (Monsanto) about a takeover at $122 a share which is a 37% premium over Monsanto's closing price of $89.03 on 9 May 2016. Bayer would reportedly finance the deal with a combination of equity and debt. Monsanto had last week announced that it had received an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from Bayer for a potential acquisition of Monsanto, subject to due diligence, regulatory approvals and other conditions. Monsanto India is a seed company focusing on maize and agricultural productivity. The company's net profit declined 15.7% to Rs 40.76 crore on 15.4% growth in net sales to Rs 153.88 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Bayer CropScience has presence in seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. It is organized into operating units viz. crop protection, seeds and environmental science. The company's net profit fell 62% to Rs 16.50 crore on 7.4% decline in net sales to Rs 500.80 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales decline 33.47% to Rs 5863.51 crore Net profit of Chennai Petroleum Corporation declined 27.15% to Rs 265.59 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 364.57 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales declined 33.47% to Rs 5863.51 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 8813.99 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit reported to Rs 770.68 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against net loss of Rs 38.99 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales declined 37.92% to Rs 25980.00 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 41847.48 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales5863.518813.99 -33 25980.0041847.48 -38 OPM %6.845.50 -5.10-0.36 - PBDT351.80413.84 -15 1053.11-516.27 LP PBT282.36364.57 -23 787.45-742.39 LP NP265.59364.57 -27 770.68-38.99 LP Powered by Capital Market - Live News National Aluminium Company rose 4.57% to Rs 42.30 at 14:20 IST on BSE after the company said that a meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held on 25 May 2016 to consider the proposal for buyback of shares of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 20 May 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 82.70 points or 0.33% at 25,385.67. On BSE, so far 1.86 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 2.26 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 43.65 and a low of Rs 42.15 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 49.60 on 2 June 2015. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 28 on 25 August 2015. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 20 May 2016, falling 8.28% compared with Sensex's 2.1% fall. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 20.93% as against Sensex's 6.72% rise. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 1288.62 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. National Aluminium Company (Nalco)'s net profit fell 62.3% to Rs 133.49 crore on 13.9% decline in net sales to Rs 1615.97 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Nalco will announce its Q4 results on 28 May 2016. State-run Nalco has integrated and diversified operations in mining, metal and power. The Government of India (GoI) held 80.93% stake in the company (as per the shareholding pattern as on 31 March 2016). Powered by Capital Market - Live News At least 49 people were on Monday killed in two suicide bombings targeting army recruits and a military brigade in Yemen's southern port city of Aden, a security official said. One suicide attack targeted newly recruited soldiers inside the 39th Armoured Brigade in KhorMaksar district in which 25 soldiers were killed and 23 injured, Xinhua reported. The official spokesman for Aden's local government said: "A suicide bomber sneaked into the army brigade and detonated his explosive belt among dozens of soldiers." At the same time, a car bomb exploded as recruits lined up for meeting a military committee in order to enlist for military service. The car bomb explosion left 24 people killed and a large number injured, according to the military sources. The toll could rise as ambulances and police vehicles were evacuating the victims to different hospitals, the sources said. After the two separate bombings, security authorities in Aden received intelligence information about a car filled with explosives in Aden prepared to launch a fresh attack in the city. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest suicide bombings, although the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda offshoot is believed to be behind most of such attacks, which usually target security and government officials. Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al-Qaeda insurgencies in the Middle East. The Al-Qaeda offshoot, also known as Ansar Al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It has claimed responsibility for a number of 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 in Yemen's southern regions. The fragile security situation in the country has deteriorated since March 2015, when a war broke out between the Shia Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Since then more than 6,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes, half of them civilians. --IANS py/dg Eight people have been killed and others injured when armed men attacked an area near El Geneina, the capital of Sudan's West Darfur State, Sudan Tribune reported on Monday. "Armed men belonging to a militia group launched a revenge attack against a mosque in Azarni area near El Geneina town, the capital of West Darfur State, which resulted in the killing of 8 people and injuring of others," the report said. It said the attack took place on Sunday against the mosque of Azarni, some 10 km east of El Geneina. Following the attack, West Darfur state government deployed wide military reinforcements on the streets of the state's capital in anticipation of protests that may lead to chaos, according to the report. Some relatives of the victims were quoted as saying that angry armed men attack the mosque in revenge to the killing of one of their members in a quarrel with one of the area's citizens earlier. No comment on the incident has been released from the Sudanese government authorities yet. Tribal conflicts have become a nagging concern for local population and the authorities of the troubled region, where all popular and official efforts have failed to end the phenomenon which negatively affected the social fabric of the Darfur population groups. There are many reasons behind the increasing violence in Darfur, including the security disorder and the armed movements which facilitate for the tribes to easily obtain weapons, besides the absence of authority in many parts of the region. Darfur region lies on the far west region of Sudan with a total area estimated at around 500,000 square km. It is considered Sudan' s western gate, where the region shares joint borders with Libya, Chad and Central Africa Republic. --IANS ahm/ The sheer splendour of Ayutthaya makes one forget that it is a balmy May afternoon when on a visit to the Unesco World Heritage Site some 80 km from Thailand's capital Bangkok. After lunch at a riverside restaurant at modern-day Ayutthaya, the visit to the once flourishing temple city was an enriching experience. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Siamese kingdom. It was a global centre of economics and trade, and an important connecting point between the east and the west. The Ayutthaya royal court exchanged ambassadors across the world, including with the French court at Versailles, the Mughal court in Delhi and the imperial courts of Japan and China. Right at the entrance of the site, a plaque gives an idea of what it holds. "Wat Mahathat (The royal temple that houses Buddha's relics," it reads. It is situated in the east of the Royal Palace in Pratu Chai sub-district, Phra Na Korn Sri Ayutthaya district, Phra Na Korn Sri Ayutthaya Province." It also stated that the construction of Wat Mahathat's main pagoda was started by King Boromaracha I in 1374 and completed in King Ramesuan's reign. "The pagoda collapsed during King Songtham's reign and was renovated in 1633, after King Prasat Thong ascended to the throne." This magnificent city was razed to the ground by invading Burmese forces in the 18th century. "At the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, the monastery was set on fire in the Burmese attack," the plaque further reads. "The abandoned pagoda fell into decay during the reign of King Rama VI. Only the symmetrical base with staircases remains." "See here," said a Thai acquaintance, "the Burmese chopped off the heads of all the statues so that people cannot revere it as a temple city." Indeed, it was a macabre sight. Elegantly carved statues in front of a Buddha statue, all without the heads. According to the Unesco website, Ayutthaya flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries, during which time it grew to be one of the world's largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas and a centre of global diplomacy and commerce. "Ayutthaya was strategically located on an island surrounded by three rivers connecting the city to the sea," the Unesco website reads. "This site was chosen because it was located above the tidal bore of the Gulf of Siam as it existed at that time, thus preventing attack of the city by the sea-going warships of other nations. The location also helped to protect the city from seasonal flooding." One can indeed make out the sheer ingenuity that went into the building of this historic city that is spread over an area of 289 hectares. One highlight of the site is the head of a Buddha statue among the roots of a tree. "The head was once part of a sandstone Buddha image which fell off the main body on to the ground," a plaque alongside reads. "It was gradually trapped into the roots of a constantly growing Bodhi tree. The stone head has rather flat and wide facial structure with thick eyebrows and big eye lids, straight wide lip, and discernible lip edge, reflecting the art of Middle Ayutthaya Period, presumably around the mid of 1600s." Then there are the cloisters - two layers of brick walls surrounding the main pagoda. According to a plaque outside these, the cloister is connected with the end of the ordination hall and the royal sermon hall which is an architectural style of the Early Ayutthaya Period. The overall city was laid out in a systematic grid and comprised roads, canals and moats. In 1991 it was declared as a Unesco World Heritage Site. (Aroonim Bhuyan visited Thailand at the invitation of the Board of Investment, Thailand. He can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in) --IANS ab/vm Three burqa-clad armed men early on Monday allegedly entered the Medanta Medicity Hospital here but fled the precinct after they were asked to prove their identities, police said. The three men apparently entered through the emergency door of the hospital around 3 a.m. The security guards there had allowed these men, mistaking them as women who carried entry passes to visit a patient. "After their recce of the ground floor, these men sat on the chairs meant for the visitors. However, a security guard suspected that something was amiss and informed a senior staff," Assistant Commissioner of Police Hawa Singh told IANS. The three men managed to flee after brandishing pistols when hospital staff and the guard asked them to prove their identities. It was not clear whey these men had entered the hospital, police said. Hospital authorities told police that a patient from Mewat of Haryana was admitted a few days back and these men in burqas were carrying the visiting pass of that period. Police later recovered the burqas that were abandoned near a private school behind the hospital premises. "We have registered a case under Sections 451 (trespass) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Arms Act at Sadar police station," the police officer said. No one has been arrested yet. --IANS pradeep/bim/vt The needs to undergo "cardiac surgery" and not "cosmetic surgery" to be able to regain its health, particularly after its disappointing performance in the five-state assembly elections, party leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi said on Monday. "It's clear that introspection is needed at district, state and levels. Some are talking about surgery and I agree this surgery should have been done two years ago. But cosmetic surgery will not help as the party needs cardiac surgery to deliver electoral success," said Chaturvedi, a member of the Rajya Sabha. Barring Puducherry, the party could not win or retain power in any of the other states, namely Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. "We have to rethink about those because of whom the party had to face defeat. We should inculcate such leaders in the party who can motivate party workers, strengthen the party and enthrall the electorate," he added. Another senior leader Digvijay Singh had earlier called for a "major surgery" in the party after its losses in the assembly polls. "Now, whatever introspection had to happen has happened. What we need now is action, and that action has to be decided by the president (Sonia Gandhi) and vice president (Rahul Gandhi)," Digvijay Singh had told India Today TV. There will be severe consequences if Sirajuddin Haqqani, considered one of the most dangerous warlords in the Middle East, becomes leader of the Taliban following the reported killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said here on Monday. Haqqani, believed to be in his mid-40s, has been largely cited as a possible successor to Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who was reportedly killed in a targeted US drone strike in a remote Pakistani area on Saturday. "There will be hell to pay" if the Afghan guerrilla commander replaces Mansour, Foreign Ministry official and the Russian president's special representative on Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, told Interfax. The Russian diplomat added that so far Haqqani was regarded as the most possible candidate to become the new Taliban chief, and said that although Moscow does not yet possess any final data on Mansour's death, "the probability (of him being killed) is high". Taliban militants choosing Haqqani as their new chief will be the worst possible scenario, Kabulov told RIA Novosti, adding that he's "the most radical figure in their leadership". The ministry official also said that Mansour's alleged killing might lead to an escalation of military tensions in Afghanistan, and could "significantly complicate the negotiation process" in the region. On Monday, US President Barack Obama confirmed the American military had killed the Taliban leader, proclaiming his death "an important milestone". Having called on other militants to agree to peaceful negotiations, Obama said that "the Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict (by) joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process." While Haqqani has been one of two deputy Taliban commanders, he integrated his own militant faction, known as the Haqqani network, into the insurgency. His group is said to be among the most lethal in the region. According to the US State Department, his network was believed to have introduced suicide bombing to Afghanistan and was said to maintain close ties with Al Qaeda. The man himself was labeled as a "specially designated global terrorist" by the FBI. A bounty of up to $5 million has been offered for anyone who can provide information that will lead to his arrest, with Haqqani wanted for his alleged involvement in the planning of the assassination attempt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2008, among other crimes. He's also believed to have orchestrated the deadly suicide blast in the Afghan capital Kabul in April. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured in the attack close to the US embassy, responsibility for which was claimed by the Taliban. --IANS ahm/ At 41, award-winning actress Kajol still stands strong and bold in the film industry. But the Padma Shri awardee, who has a film career spanning over two decades, believes that showbiz is "simply just another business" and is a man's world. Wage inequality recently became a hot topic in Hollywood and Bollywood. Asked about gender inequality in the film industry, Kajol told IANS in an interview: "It is male dominated. There is no getting away from that fact. Whether it is Hollywood or Bollywood, that will be there because currently our world is like that. "Hollywood or Bollywood, it is simply another business where it is male dominated. But again it has to be monetarily feasible and economically viable. That's something that has everything to do with the pay scale as far as this particular business is concerned." But neither age nor her marital status has ever come in the way of her career. Married to actor-producer Ajay Devgn, the mother of two, was last seen on the big screen in the 2015 film "Dilwale". And no, she isn't taking a break from movies as of now. She will soon start shooting for a film under their home banner production. "I can't talk about it right now. It is still in the scripting stage. I hope it goes on floors in the next three months or so. The director is yet to be finalised," said the "Gupt" star. Apart from doing movies, she is also Lifebuoy's Help a Child Reach 5 handwashing ambassador. Help a Child Reach 5 has been advocating hand washing with soap as one of the most cost-effective means of preventing child deaths on platforms. "It's (the campaign) very close to my heart. As a star and as a person, you have a responsibility... you need to stand up and be a part of society and help out in whichever way you can. For somebody like me...I am famous and people recognise me. "Hopefully, they will believe in the things that I have to say, so I can use that to the advantage of my society and work for it," she said about the cause for which she visited the capital and also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She shared that they talked about how hand wash should be mandatory in schools. "It is necessary to put in not only toilet but wash basins as well. So that facility should be available and then only the habit will be available." Has he shown any support to the cause? "Officially, no. I can't say that we have tied up. But I think the way we are going, what we are talking about, it coincides well with his own campaign (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan). We are definitely on the same page," said the "Dilwale" star. Kajol also wants to make a difference as a part-time member of the Prasar Bharati Board that runs public broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio. "My opinion is one of many. Since I am on board, hopefully my suggestions will be taken. I am there to give suggestions and make a difference if I can," she said. With so many projects in hand, don't her children - daughter Nysa and son Yug - complain? "They always complain. If they had their way, I would be sitting at home 24/7. My son tells me 'Mama I like it when I enter the house and see you waiting for me'. I think every child wants their mother to be their bai (maid)," she signed off. (Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in) --IANS nn/vm/tb A defence security guard at the Kochi naval base was found dead early Monday, soon after a gunshot was heard, officials said. An investigation has begun as to whether K. Sivadasan, 53, shot himself or the gun that he had went off accidentally, police sources said. The body has been sent for autopsy. "The case is being investigated by the harbour terminus police station," a Navy official said. The deceased belonged to Thrissur in Kerala, and is survived by his wife and two daughters both of whom are married. "The family has been informed and an inquiry is being ordered by the Navy into the incident," the official said. --IANS ao/vd The endangered hangul, also known as Kashmir deer, is in the throes of extinction, largely because of human intrusions and domestic livestock grazing at its only habitat here. Wildlife experts and activists claim they have been raising the alarm, calling for stringent measures to check human intrusions at Srinagar's famed Dachigam national park, the main concentration of the endangered elk species. But the authorities have allowed grazing in the sprawling national park, spread over 141 sq. km, for what the activists say mere "political reasons", which has gravely endangered the existence of hangul. Once found in the high altitudes of northern India and Pakistan, the animal now only lives in the dense riverine forests of Dachigam, some 22 km from here. According to official figures, hangul population has been declining steeply over the years since the last century when there were some 5,000 deer in the Kashmir Valley. The 1947 hangul census recorded its number at 2,000. The massive decline was mainly attributed to poaching then. The last census was done in 2011 when its population was found just over 200, according to the wildlife department figures. "For vote bank politics, the successive governments have allowed grazing in the prohibited area to keep a particular constituency in good humour," a senior wildlife official told this reporter, requesting not to be named. The official was referring to Kashmir's "bakarwal" community -- the nomadic tribe that is mainly into goat herding and shepherding. Without naming anybody, he said a minister in the previous government of the National Conference-Congress combine had an unwritten rule that bakarwal should be allowed to graze their animal wherever they want. Tassaduq Mueen, a green activist in Kashmir, explained how grazing during the summer months in the upper reaches of the park, where deer usually move around in search of food, has "wreaked havoc" to its natural habitat. "The presence of such a huge number of livestock has shrunk its natural habitat, substantially," Mueen said, adding hangul is a shy animal and doesn't like being disturbed. He said during the breeding season, which coincides with summer months, the intrusions in hangul's natural habitat causes disturbances. "The interference around pregnant hinds leads to stress which ultimately causes natural abortion of its fawn. In many other cases, fawn becomes a prey of the dogs and other wild animals like jackals and foxes accompanying grazers . With so low survival rate, the hangul population will not grow in this situation," Mueen said. Samina Amin, a researcher in the wildlife department, said nowhere in the world are national parks used for grazing. "Call it (Dachigam) anything but a national park," she said, pointing out that there is a full-fledged government-run sheep breeding centre inside the park that has also contributed to the dwindling hangul population. The breeding centre causes bacterial infections that affect fetuses of hind resulting in a low birthrate of hangul, she said. "There is also a battalion of security forces, offices of fisheries, protocol, and tourism departments inside the park. Even some influential people have constructed structures outside the park in complete violation of rules. Deer population can't grow in such a stressful environment," Amin warned. Asked why the department had not so far been able to check grazing and stop human interference to save hangul, C. Behra, the regional wildlife warden, said they would not allow any grazing inside the national park from "now on". "We have already passed stringent orders against the grazing inside Dachigam," he said. If that happens, it might be too late for the fragile species on the verge of vanishing. (Javaid Trali is a Srinagar-based freelance journalist. He can be contacted at atharjavaid55@gmail.com) --IANS jt/sar Himachal Pradesh on Monday favoured an increase in the number of tourist vehicles going to Rohtang Pass from Manali, while the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union told the Supreme Court that limiting the number of vehicles to 1,200 per day was arbitrary and without any basis. As a vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud was told this, the bench said: "Somewhere a deadline had to be drawn" and permitting 6,000 vehicles as being canvassed by the taxi operators union would make it "unworkable". The top court is hearing a number of petitions including by the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union challenging an order by the National Green Tribunal restricting the number of vehicles going from Manali to Rohtang Pass to 1,000 only. However, it was later modified by the apex court and increased to 1,200. While asking all the parties to respond to the affidavit filed by the central government, the court issued notice on a number of petitions including one filed by the local residents of Manali contending that the NGT order was adversely affecting their livelihood. The central government on Monday reiterated its earlier position that it was ready to supply CNG at Manali for the vehicles going to Rohtang Pass provided the Himachal Pradesh government came forward with a sustainable business proposition which was confined not just to six months tourist season starting with May and ending in October. Appearing for the taxi operators union, senior counsel Vibha Dutta Makhija told the court that it was erroneous to blame the local taxi operators plying between Manali and Rohtang Pass during six months' time for deterioration in the ecology in the area. She said that it had to be viewed in the totality of situation including contribution of vehicular traffic in Delhi and other parts of the country to the alarming level of air pollution and its impact on the hill state. Urging the court to strike a balance between the number of vehicles going to Rohtang Pass from Manali every day and the concern for protecting the ecology, Makhija said that the number of tourists' taxis plying between Manali and Rohtang Pass should be increased to at least 3,000. As court adjourned the matter for two weeks, the taxi operators told the court that in the absence of CNG, could there be a complete or partial ban on the diesel vehicles going to Rohtang Pass. Returning the allegation of court being arbitrary in fixing the limit of 1,200 vehicles, the bench said: "You can't arbitrarily say that this number of vehicles is good (3,000 as suggested by the taxi operators union). There must be some data from the state government (to fix the number of vehicles going to Rohtang Pass)." Faced with the situation where the bench was not inclined to disturb the earlier order, the Himachal Pradesh counsel said: "In the interregnum there has to be something. The tourists are continuing to pour in every day." Appearing for some local residents of Manali, senior counsel Manan Mishra, assailing the NGT order, said that without any scientific study, without any expert opinion, the green tribunal has ruled that no eatables could be carried by the tourists and have banned horse riding and other activities. He said that it had affected the livelihood of the people in the area who are entirely dependent on tourism-centric business. --IANS pk/vd Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described India-Iran friendship as "as old as history" after the two sides signed 12 agreements, including three on development of the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation for enhanced connectivity. "India and Iran are not new friends. Our dosti is as old as history," Modi said at a joint media conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. "Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce," he said. The prime minister pointed out that Iran was among the first countries to come forward in support after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. "Similarly, India is proud to have stood with the people of Iran during your difficult times," he said. Stating that he was impressed by Rouhani's leadership and the clarity of vision, Modi said that Monday's talks between the two countries focused on the full range of bilateral engagement. "We exchanged views on the emerging regional situation and global issues of common concern," he said. "The agenda and scope of our partnership is truly substantial. The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership." Modi also said that the welfare of the people of the two countries was guiding the broad-based economic ties. "Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilisers, education and cultural sphere are driving our overall economic engagement," he stated. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chahbahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about $500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone. This major effort would boost economic growth in the region." Modi said that he was looking forward to signing of the trilateral transport and transit agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan later on Monday. "It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves," he aid. The prime miniuster also said that India and Iran shared a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. "We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region," he said. "We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security." Modi promised that he and Rouhani would spare no effort to work for the glorious future of the ties between India and Iran. On his part, Rouhani said that Iran always attached great importance to its relationship with India. "The economic relationship and cooperation between the two countries will become much bigger," he said. "The relationship will go beyond mere trade relationship. When we are talking of economic relationship, we are talking of Iran and the surrounding countries with a population of 400 million and india with a population of one billion." Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his two-day visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister, who arrived here on Sunday evening and offered prayers at a gurudwara, will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran on Monday. Modi will also hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. --IANS ab/vt Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed India-Iran relationship as a perfect response to those who preach radicalism. Addressing an international conference, "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects", organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) here, Modi said the ties between the two countries "celebrate the meeting of our great cultures" in a world that talks of strategic convergence. "It is also in perfect response to those who preach radical thoughts in our societies," Modi said, after he released the facsimile reproduction of the Persian calligraphed manuscript of Panchatantra, the ancient Indian collection of fables originally written in Sanskrit. He said the richness of Persian heritage remained "an integral part of the fabric of Indian society" and a "part of Iranian culture lives in Indian hearts". "The great medieval poets of India have called Persian and Sanskrit two sisters. " --IANS sar/vt Actor Jayam Ravi, who is currently shooting for Tamil film "Bogan" and has another project with Gautham Vasudev Menon in the offing, will team up with director Vijay for a yet-untitled project in the language. "I've always wanted to work with Vijay, because his presentation will suit my style of acting. While we've been planning to collaborate for a long time, we weren't available for each other due to our respective commitments," Ravi said in a statement. The "Thani Oruvan" actor believes his new project with Vijay will catapult both their images to national level. "We're joining together for a massive action commercial entertainer. The project will elevate our status to national level. We will commence work on this project as soon as both of us are relieved of our current commitments," he said. The rest of the cast and crew will be finalised soon. --IANS hp/nv/vm Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, who served for 20 years as finance minister in the Keshubhai Patel and the Narendra Modi governments in Gujarat, on Monday rued high donations had become the order of the day in the medical system in Gujarat and the country. Vala, who was the speaker of the state assembly when he was shifted to Bengaluru as the governor after Modi took over as prime minister, castigated the administrative machinery over huge donations demanded by the private medical colleges in the state and other parts of the country. "A person has to pay a minimum of about Rs.1 crore donation to get admission in the private medical colleges. After paying such huge donations, how do you expect such doctors to go to the rural areas and serve the poor? "He will naturally be concerned about first raising the money his father has spend in donation to make him a doctor," he said. The Karnataka governor was in Rajkot, his home town, to attend the 50th foundation day celebrations of the Saurashtra University. State Higher Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, who was also present kept mum over the issue. The situation, Vala said, was still worse in the post-graduate medical courses. "For MD courses, the donation demanded for admission is as high as Rs.2 to 5 crore. One cannot expect such doctors to serve the society when they have to spend a fortune to acquire the qualification," he lamented. Chudasma did not respond to the issues raised by Vala but answered the media persons about the burning issue of fee hike by the private schools in the state. Clashes between the private school managements and parents have become almost a routine affair in the schools and colleges in the state every year as the school authorities indiscriminately hike fees without any prior notice. He said the government was planning to issue an administrative order on the private schools restricting them from hiking fees beyond a certain level without consulting the parents associations. "The government is seized with the matter and a notification to this effect is expected to be issued soon," he said. --IANS desai/vd DMK president M Karunanidhi on Monday complained that Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK had insulted his party at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government with party leader M.K. Stalin relegated to the back rows. Karunanidhi said that the DMK, by winning 89 seats in the elections will be the principal opposition party in the assembly and Stalin will be on the front rows, while at the ceremony, R Sarathkumar, of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, was seated in the front row, and Stalin and other DMK leaders alloted seat in the tenth row. Governor K Rosaiah administred oath of office and secretary to Chief Minister and her 28 ministers at a funtion held at the Madras University's Centenary Hall. The Mizoram government has taken a fresh initiative to take back the tribal refugees sheltered in seven north Tripura camps for the last 19 years, officials said here on Monday. "Mizoram government submitted to the union home ministry last week a detailed plan for repatriation of tribal refugees from Tripura to Mizoram," Lalbiakzama, who is additional secretary in Mizoram's home department, said in Aizawl. "After the union home ministry approves the roadmap, a fresh initiative would be undertaken tobring back the Reang tribal refugees to their villages in western Mizoram," he said. The state government has sought Rs.68 crore from the central government to rehabilitate the tribals, Lalbiakzama said. About 31,300 Reang tribals, who call themselves "Bru", have been living in seven makeshift camps in northern Tripura's Kanchanpur areas adjoining Mizoram since October 1997. They had fled ethnic violence in Mizoram following the killing of a Mizo forest officer at the Dampa Tiger Reserve. Several Mizo organisations, including powerful Young Mizo Association, have demanded deletion of names from the voter list of those tribals who are unwilling to come back to the state. Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla also supported this demand. Meanwhile, there was violence last week in Tripura's Kanchanpur areas after a refugee Bhriguram Reang, 36, was beaten up by local people who accused him of catching fish from a pond without seeking permission from the owner. He reportedly committed suicide later. Angry tribal refugees burnt and damaged about 22 houses of local residents. On the directives of the Supreme Court and the union home ministry, the Mizoram government has taken several initiatives to take back the refugees, but they were reluctant to go back to their villages unless their demands for food and security were met. The Tripura government has been asking the Centre and Mizoram government to repatriate the refugees at the earliest as serious socio-economic and law and order problems have cropped up in the state. Refugee leader Bruno Msha said the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) has been demanding financial assistance of Rs.150,000 per repatriated family, free rations for every repatriated family for two years, providing cultivable land, a political settlement of the ethnic problem and adequate security. "We have, on a number of occasions, told the central and Mizoram governments that the refugees are willing to return to their homes in Mizoram if their 10-point demands, including security and rehabilitation, were met," he added. --IANS sc/kb/vm Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the scientists for successfully launching India's maiden winged reusable launch vehicle (RLV) as a technology demonstrator. "Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them," Modi said in a tweet. "The dynamism and dedication with which our scientists and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring," he said. "We have successfully accomplished the RLV-TD mission. The lift-off was at 7.00 a.m. from the first launch pad here," ISRO director Devi Prasad Karnik told IANS after the shuttle returned to the Earth. The 1.7-tonne RLV was launched from ISRO's spaceport here in Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km northeast of Chennai off the Bay of Bengal coast. --IANS aks/py/ Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two day visit to Iran, was given a ceremonial welcome by the President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, on Monday. "Stepping forward with . Official engagements begin with a ceremonial welcome by Rouhani," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. "Building an enduring partnership, Modi and Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete," he said. Modi is expected to sign the trilateral agreement between India, and Afghanistan to develop the Chabahar port in the Islamic Republic. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. Modi will here hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in . The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released a rare Persian manuscript, 'Kalileh-wa-Dimneh', a translation of tales from the Panchatantra and the Jataka, to highlight the centuries-old close cultural ties between India and Iran. Modi released the manuscript ahead of a conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" as part of the "Cultural Festival of India in Iran" being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Speaking after releasing the manuscript, Modi said that the "Kalileh-wa-Dimneh" captured the close historical ties between India and Iran. "It is remarkable how the simple stories of the Indian classics of Jataka and Panchatantra became the Persian 'Kalileh-wa-Dimneh'," he said. "It is a classic example of exchange and travel of cultural ideas between two societies." The prime minister described the manuscript as a beautiful demonstration of how the cultures of India and Iran thought alike. "A true depiction of the wisdom of our ancient civilisations," said Modi, on the second and final day of his visit to Iran. --IANS ab/rn/vm Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Monday met President Pranab Mukherjee on the ordinance seeking to defer implementation of NEET, ordered by the apex court for admission to medical courses, as the president has sought some more clarifications, said informed sources. Sources said the minister briefed the president on different issues related to the examination including issues like difference in state boards exams and syllabus and regional languages. Nadda had earlier said that the government was committed to implementing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) as per Supreme Court's order, but was also looking for ways to accommodate the concerns of the states. The union cabinet had on Friday cleared an ordinance that exempts certain state boards from the ambit of NEET for an year. The ordinance was sent to President Mukherjee on Saturday, but he sought some clarifications. The president is also slated to leave for China on Tuesday. Around 6.5 lakh students sat for the first phase of NEET held on May 1. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nadda has said the second phase of exams will take place as scheduled. The Supreme Court had last month ruled that NEET would be the only test for admission to medical courses in India, turning down an appeal by many states to hold separate medical entrance exams. --IANS ao/vd US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, two days after a US drone killed the militant leader in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Obama's statement, released by the White House, comes even as Pakistan has been vague about the identity of the two people killed in the US drone strike on Saturday. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif late on Sunday said that reports were still not confirmed that the Afghan Taliban leader Mansour was killed in a US drone strike. Sharif spoke to media after arriving in London. He confirmed that he had received a phone call from US Secretary of State John Kerry informing him about the attack. Obama, who is in Vietnam, said that Mullah Mansour's death marks an "important milestone" in the longstanding effort to bring peace in Afghanistan. The statement said: "Mansour's death removes the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on US and has waged war against the Afghan people." Obama said the US will continue to take action against extremist networks that target the US and coalition forces. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven. After so many years of conflict, today gives the people of Afghanistan and the region a chance at a different, better future." "Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to engage in peace talks and end the violence in the South Asian nation," the US president said. The violence led by the militant group has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, he said. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict -- joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," Obama said. Obama also said the US will continue helping Afghan security forces and support President Ashraf Ghani in his efforts to forge the peace and progress that Afghan people deserve. He thanked the US military have sent a clear message to all those who target the US people and its coalition forces. John Kerry on Saturday informed the Afghan and Pakistan governments of the strike, authorised by Obama, targeting Mansour in the Pakistan-Afghan border town of Ahmad Wal. kerry said Mansour had posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel." He also said the air strike sent "a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners". Mansour took control of the group in July last year after the announcement of the death of Taliban's former leader Mullah Omar two years earlier. The killing of the Taliban leader is likely to have major ramifications both for efforts to kickstart peace talks and for the often stormy relationship between the US and Pakistan. Mansour's death came days after diplomats from Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China held the latest round of talks in Islamabad about a flagging effort to draw the Taliban into peace negotiations. His death would be a big blow for the Taliban as Mansour was gradually tightening his grip on the movement by bringing into his fold other leading Taliban members, including a son and a brother of his predecessor Mullah Omar, and by launching large scale attacks on Afghan security forces. A vacuum created by his death would once again trigger a leadership struggle, observers opined. --IANS py/rn/vm US President Barack Obama has asserted that during his visit to Japan for the G7 summit he will not be apologising for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima city during World War II. Obama said on Sunday that his visit to Hiroshima, the first city to suffer an atomic bombing, would emphasise friendly ties between Japan and the US. Obama, accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, will on Friday become the first incumbent US president to visit the site of the world's first nuclear bombing. In an interview with Japanese national broadcaster NHK, Obama said leaders often have to make hard choices during times of conflict and no apologies would be included in the statement the president is expected to make in the western Japanese city. "It's important to recognise that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions, it's a job of historians to ask questions and examine them," Obama said. "But I know, as somebody who's now sat in this position for the last seven and half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during wartime." The bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 killed thousands instantly and about 140,000 by the end of the year. Japanese city Nagasaki was hit on August 9, forcing Japan to surrender six days later. A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save US and Japanese lives, although many historians question that view. According to a poll released on May 20, the vast majority of Americans are against any form of apology for the use of the atomic bomb in World War 2. Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 partly for his stance on nuclear non-proliferation, said he felt that emphasis needed to be placed on the current relationship between Washington and Tokyo. "I think it is also a happy story about how former adversaries came together to become one of the closest partnerships and closest allies in the world," he said. Critics said that by not apologising, Obama will allow Japan to stick to the narrative that paints it as a victim. The Abe administration has affirmed past government apologies for Japanese actions during the war, but asserts that future generations should not have to apologise for the actions of their forebears. "Since I only have a few months left in the office, I thought it was a good time for me to reflect on the nature of war. Part of my goal is to recognise that innocent people caught in war can suffer tremendously," he said. --IANS py/dg Expressing its willingness to work with the government in providing world class transport solution, private cab operator Ola on Monday welcomed the efforts of the Delhi government to launching the app-based Premium Bus Services. "Ola welcomes the efforts of the Delhi government for app-based Premium Bus Services. We are confident that this will go a long way in solving for key issues like congestion, pollution and parking that we are faced with today," said a statement from the app-based cab service provider. It said it looked forward to working with the government in extending a world class daily commute solution from Ola Shuttle to citizens across the state. The Delhi government on May 20, notified the scheme of launching the app-based premium bus services, in a bid to encourage private car owners to switch to public transport and complement the odd-even traffic scheme. The service will be launched in mid-June. The premium buses will be fully air-conditioned with no passengers allowed to stand. However, the ticket rates would be higher than those in existing bus services in the city. --IANS aks-am-kd/vd One Indian mountaineer has been found dead on Mount Everest while two others are still missing, an official said here on Monday. The three are believed to be from West Bengal. "Subhash Pal was found dead in the Everest region between Camp IV and Camp III on Sunday night, while Paresh Chandra Nath and Goutam Ghosh are still missing," Krishna Prasad Sharma, chief district officer of Solukhumbu district, told IANS. Subhash Pal was among five Indian mountaineers who went missing on Saturday. "One mountaineer was rescued while one woman climber was airlifted to Kathmandu for further treatment," added Sharma. "The lack of oxygen might be the cause of death. They suffered from altitude sickness," sources said. Sunita Hazara, the Indian woman mountaineer, was airlifted and brought to Kathmandu for treatment on Sunday. The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has sent helicopter to locate and rescue the missing Indians. It is said they all belong to Indian state of West Bengal. Sherpas and search teams are also deployed to find out the missing Indian climbers. With the death of Pal, the deaths on the Everest this climbing season have risen to three. One Dutch and one Australian died earlier. --IANS giri/lok/rn/vt The Delhi Police on Monday arrested another person on charges of killing Congolese national Masonda Ketada Olivier following a quarrel over hiring of an auto-rickshaw, an officer said. The accused, identified as Prakash, a driver by profession, was arrested in the morning from National Capital Region (NCR), said the police officer. Earlier, Mobin Azad Saifi was arrested on Saturday, a few hours after the murder, the officer said. Saifi is also previously involved in a criminal case. Another accused Mukesh, who was earlier involved in a cheating case, is still on the run. All the three accused reside in south Delhi's Mehrauli and Chhatarpur areas. The accused beat to death Olivier, 29, near Kishangarh village in south Delhi late on Friday. Olivier was hit on the head with a stone, leading to his death. The three accused -- Saifi, Mukesh and Prakash -- insisted on travelling in the same auto-rickshaw which was being hired by Olivier. The ensuing argument then turned violent leading to the fatal attack on the victim. --IANS rak/kb/dg Pakistan on Monday summoned the US ambassador to the foreign ministry and protested over the Saturday drone strike in southwest of the country, that killed Taliban chief Mullaha Akhtar Mansoor. The US envoy David Hale was called in by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi to express concern over the drone strike on Pakistani territory on Saturday, a statement released by Pakistan's foreign ministry said. "Fatemi pointed out that the drone strike was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and a breach of the United Nation's Charter that guarantees the inviolability of the territorial integrity of its member states," said the statement. The special assistant also emphasized that such actions could adversely impact the ongoing efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group for facilitating peace talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban. Talking about the coordination on terrorism between the two countries, Fatemi also underlined that Pakistan and the US had been closely coordinating in the fight against the menace of terrorism and that this cooperation needed to be maintained. Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in the drone strike on his vehicle in a small town Ahmad Wal in Nushki district of Pakistan's south-west province of Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan. US President Barack Obama confirmed the killing. "We have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al Qaeda," said Obama in a statement. --IANS ahm/ Actor Jackky Bhagnani, who has ventured into production with "Sarbjit", has tagged Randeep Hooda as the "most talented actor" he has met. Randeep played the title role in the biographical drama film, which released on May 20. Jackky, who has co-produced the Omung Kumar directorial along with his sister Deepshika Deshmukh, Bhushan Kumar and Sandeep Singh, took to Twitter on Monday to thank the whole cast over the success of the film. "'Sarbjit' - What an experience this film has been! The love, support and most importantly, the team - Thank you. "Our connection with Aishwarya goes back a long way. A phenomenal star, she's totally 'worth it'," Jackky tweeted. "To my brother Randeep Hooda - You're crazy, witty, honest and the most talented actor I've met. "Richa Chadha, Darshan Kumaar - you guys are unstoppable! Grateful for all the good times! To the captain of our ship- Respect. Omung Kumar Your vision inspired us," he added. Directed by Omung Kumar, "Sarbjit" is based on the real-life story of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian villager who was convicted for spying and terrorism and languished in a Pakistani jail for several years, while his sister Dalbir Kaur, tried vigorously to secure his release. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later. --IANS sas/nv/dg Actress Richa Chadha says she missed the promotions of her latest film "Sarbjit" due to work commitments. Directed by Omung Kumar, "Sarbjit" is a biopic on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted of terrorism and spying in Pakistan and was sentenced to death. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later. Richa, who essayed the character of Sarabjit's wife, is currently shooting for David Womark's Indo-American production titled "Love Sonia". "'Love Sonia' happened before we set dates for promotions. I'm really happy with the response 'Sarbjit' is getting. I wish I could be with the team however my commitment to the film too was important and thus I tried my best to shuffle," Richa said in a statement. Directed by Tabrez Noorani, "Love Sonia" also features veteran actor Anupam Kher. "Love Sonia" depicts the brutal realities of human trafficking across the globe and the film will also be shot in Mumbai followed by a schedule in Los Angeles. --IANS dc/nv/vm The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear the Italian government's plea seeking permission to allow a murder-accused Italian marine, Salvatore Girone, return home till arbitration proceedings at an international tribunal decides the case that has soured ties between the two countries. Girone, who is presently housed at the Italian embassy premises in Delhi, has sought to ease his bail conditions so that he is allowed to go to his native place till the arbitration tribunal in The Hague decides the case. Girone and fellow Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre on board oil tanker Enrica Lexie allegedly shot dead two fishermen off the Kerala coast during an anti-piracy mission in February 2012, mistaking them for pirates. Latorre is already home since 2014 when he suffered a stroke in India. The top court Indian court recently allowed an extension to his stay till September 30. On Monday, the bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud agreed to hear Girone's plea after Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand supported the request from the Italian government. The plea comes in the wake of April 29 order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) asking India and Italy to cooperate in relaxing the bail conditions of Girone so that he could return to his country during the pendency of the arbitration proceedings before it. The tribunal is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for the murder of the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission. The Italian government said in Rome that it has presented the petition to the Supreme Court regarding the tribunal ruling. "Italy submitted a request to the court to urgently enforce the decision of The Hague Court of Arbitration of April 29 enabling Girone to quickly return to Italy," a foreign ministry statement said. The statement added that the two countries should cooperate on the marine's return while awaiting the decision of the arbitration proceeding on the dispute. The case has triggered a diplomatic row between India and Italy even as the two countries last year agreed to move to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and abide by its decisions. Italy argues that the marines should have immunity as they were servicemen working on a mission and that India does not have jurisdiction as the incident took place outside its territorial waters. The Indian government has continuously rejected the Italian foreign ministry's claims. --IANS sar/dg Siemens Ltd. India on Monday said it has signed an MoU with the Sri Lankan government to construct smart cities in the island nation's Western Province and transform it into a megapolis within five years. The MoU, signed with the ministry of megapolis and western development, is to bring about systematic changes and development processes into the Sri Lankan urban community and would ensure its inhabitants become a part of the socio-economic development while maintaining high levels in quality of life and paving the way for Sri Lanka to emerge as a commercial, naval and aviation hub of Asia, a company statement said. The ministry envisages transforming the entire Western Province into a megapolis to usher in comprehensive development within five years, and the work would include macro-level planning of the region based on bio-geo-physical and socio-economic aspects. The Western Region Megapolis Development would be the epicenter towards a long-standing, firmly-estalished and sustainable future urban process of Sri Lanka, it said. Besides designing smart urban settlements in strategic locations of the country, Siemens India would provide solutions to resolving related issues like garbage, slums, energy, traffic, environment and livelihood. The Western Province, which includes regions of Bandaragama, Kadawatha, Kottawa and Kerawalapitiya, wit plans to develop new cities in the outer circular as part of the Megapolis development. Siemens India MD and CEO Sunil Mathur said that the with company's global expertise and knowhow on how to help cities become more livable, competitive and sustainable, the upcoming Smart Cities project will enable the Sri Lankan national economy to leverage befits of economies of agglomeration brought about by urbanisation. The MoU was signed by Lakshman Jayasekara, project director/team leader, Western Region Megapolis Planning Project and Anirudh Tandon, country manager, Siemens Limited Sri Lanka, in the presence of Nayana Mawilmada, head of Investments, Western Region Megapolis Planning Project, M.M. Anura Prasanna, deputy director of Sri Lanka's Urban Development Authority, Ranjith Pandithage, CMD, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC, and Mathur. Siemens India Ltd, with expertise in Smart Cities solutions in Vienna and New York, is engaged in similar ventures in India under the ongoing Smart Cities project here. --IANS qn/vd At least six people, including three policemen, were injured after a minor altercation between two persons snowballed into a communal clash in central Gujarat's Petlad town in Anand district on Monday. The clash prompted the police to lob as many as 24 teargas shells to disperse the mob comprising over 200 people, who were pelting stones at each other and damaging vehicles in a communally sensitive locality. According to Anand Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh, besides stone-pelting, some people also ransacked a house. He said six persons sustained minor injuries. While the exact reason for the clash was being ascertained, the police said an argument over a trivial issue between a person riding a motorcycle and a tractor driver led to a flare-up between two communities. Saurabh Singh told reporters that the situation was under control but to prevent further trouble as many as 100 policemen drawn from local police, local crime branch and special operations group, have been deployed in the area. --IANS desai/lok/dg The Supreme Court will hear on Thursday the Italian government's plea for relaxation of bail conditions of its marine, Sergeant Major Salvatore Girone, so that he can return to his country. Girone is held in India, being one of the two Italian marines who are accused of killing in 2012 two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast. Chief Master Sergeant Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Major Girone were then serving as security personnel on an Italian oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie crossing the Indian Ocean. An apex court vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud agreed to hear the plea after Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand supported the plea by the Italian government for relaxing the bail conditions so that Girone can travel to Italy while remaining under the court's authority. The Italian government sought the relaxation of bail conditions in the wake of April 29 order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) asking India and Italy to cooperate in relaxing the bail conditions so that Girone could return to his country during the pendency of the arbitration proceedings before it. "Italy and India shall cooperate, including in proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, to achieve a relaxation of bail conditions of Sergeant Girone so as to give effect to the concept of consideration of humanity, so that Sergeant Girone, while remaining under the authority of Supreme Court of India, may return to Italy during the present Annex VII arbitration," Annex VII arbitral tribunal had said in its April 29 order. The tribunal had also said that Italy was under obligation to return Girone to India in case it holds that India has jurisdiction over him in respect of the Enrica Lexie incident. The international arbitral tribunal has been established under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for adjudicating on the dispute between India and Italy over their jurisdiction to try Latorre and Girone. India and Italy are engaged in compulsory and binding arbitration proceedings over the dispute of jurisdiction to try the Italian marines under the provisions of the UNCLOS. The April 29 order of the arbitral tribunal came on an application by Italy. The proceedings in the matter in both the countries have been put on hold following an ITLOS order of August 24, 2015. The ITLOS is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in February 2012 mistaking them as sea pirates. Latorre is already in Italy on the grounds of indifferent health and treatment. --IANS pk/kb/vt The Congress on Monday said results of the five states where assembly elections were held recently displayed that there is a "BJP Mukta Bharat" in at least four of them. "BJP mukta Bharat in Tamil Nadu, Pudducherry, Kerala and West Bengal is a reality now," party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi at a press conference here. "The BJP failed to open its account in Tamil and Pudducherrry and was almost a wiped out in Kerala winning just one seat from 140. In West Bengal, they could secure three seats. "In 2014 (Lok Sabha) elections, BJP had won 104 assembly segments from 590 seats it had contested in these five states while in 2016, they have won only 64 out of 661 contested. Their graph has clearly gone down," he said, while claiming his party's graph has risen in the two years as it had won "110 seats out of 749 it had contested in 2014 while it has secured 100 from 344 in 2016". Singhvi said that the Congress has accepted the results of the assembly elections including that of Assam as the people were their masters and the party respected the people's mandate. "We were in power in Assam for fifteen years and accept people's verdict," he said adding, "it is not difficult for a party who had stayed in power for so long to make a comeback if it works hard". On BJP's historic win in Assam, Singhvi said that no party had repeated more than 10 years in Assam while Congress was there for 15 years. --IANS vin/vd Director Vijay Kumar says his forthcoming Tamil directorial debut "Uriyadi", which he describes as a very intense film featuring very realistic action, is definitely not for the faint-hearted. "It's a very intense film in which the action will be justified. It's not your regular commercial film that everybody can watch. The film is high on violence and it has been portrayed very realistically. It's not a film for the faint-hearted," Vijay told IANS. The film's trailer, which has piqued everybody's curiosity, gives one the glimpse of the violence from the film. "The trailer was purposefully cut like that. I didn't want to cheat my audience. It's an out-and-out action thriller. It hasn't been made keeping the generic commercial template in mind which means you can't find romance, duets and glamour. In fact, my film doesn't even feature a heroine," he said. Despite all the violence, Vijay calls "Uriyadi" a family-friendly film. "It's for everyone above the age of 18 in a family. And I call this a family film because all of us can relate to the story. It's about those who become the victim of the society, about those who unnecessarily get dragged into issues they're no way connected," he said. The story revolves around a few college-goers and what happens when they cross paths with a politician. In the process of capturing realistic action, Vijay said his actors sustained several injuries. "I was supposed to hit someone in the back with a rod, and somehow the blow landed on his head, much to my surprise. Although we used a fiber rod, he suffered severe injury. There were so many instances where we ended up hurting ourselves," he said. Vijay has also played the lead and also produced the film, which also stars Mime Gopi, Sivakumar and Chandru. Most of the actors were exclusively auditioned for their roles. "I wanted passionate actors and it didn't matter if they were familiar or not. I auditioned hundreds of aspiring actors and shortlisted those who were ready to go any extent for the sake of the role. From the shortlisted lot, we picked actors who worked out economically for us," said Vijay, who quit a plush job with Infosys to chase his filmmaking dream. "Uriyadi" is slated to release in cinemas on Friday. --IANS hp/nv/vm President Barack Obama, who is on a three day visit to Vietnam, on Monday announced the US is lifting a decade-long arms embargo on the country. Obama at a press conference co-chaired with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi, said the US may sell military weapons to Vietnam under a case-by-case basis, Xinhua news agency reported. Quang, for his part, said: "Vietnam welcomes US decision to completely lift arms embargo." The US imposed arms embargo on Vietnam in 1984 and the country has been under the embargo despite the normalisation of diplomatic ties in 1995. In July 2013, former Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and Obama launched the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership during Sang's visit to the US. In 2014, the US partially lifted the 30-year-old arms embargo, allowing transfer of maritime security-related defence articles to Vietnam. Pham Quang Vinh, Vietnamese ambassador to the US said ahead of Obama's visit that the embargo was "the last barrier in bilateral ties". Obama arrived at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi late on Sunday, kicking off his first visit as US president. --IANS py/vm Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday departed from Tehran for New Delhi at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Iran, saying the outcomes "will positively impact" bilateral ties. "I thank the wonderful people of Iran for the warmth," Modi said on the Twitter handle of the Prime Minister's Office. "My Iran visit was fruitful and the outcomes will positively impact our nations," he said. He also stated that during his visit he held productive discussions with Iran's top leadership. "We are committed to seeing our ties grow even further," the prime minister said. Ahead of his departure, in his last engagement of the day, Modi called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei here. Earlier on Monday, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held delegation-level talks following which 12 bilateral agreements were signed. Later in the day, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement for development of the Chabahar port for a transport and transit corridor. Modi also attended the inauguration of a two-day conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" held as part of the "Cultural Festival of India in Iran" being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. On Sunday evening, soon after his arrival here, Modi offered prayers at a gurudwara and addressed members of the Indian community. --IANS ab/rn/bg On Thursday, this government will mark its second anniversary in power. Even before chief minister Narendra Modi became Prime Minister Modi, serving and retired soldiers, sailors and airmen hoped that, unlike the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would nurture a long neglected military. How successfully has the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government met those expectations. Bayer's offer for Monsanto could be a triumph for a very unfashionable corporate beast: the conglomerate. Bayer boss Werner Baumann can only muster the $62 billion he needs to buy the US seed maker because his own crop science business is backed by a large and successful health care arm, which makes up 63 per cent of Bayer's EBITDA. Baumann may see this as a benefit of being diversified. For shareholders it could turn out to be the opposite. Monsanto shareholders are being offered almost $15 billion more for their equity than its market value on May 9, the day before Bayer privately made its approach. Since $47 billion of the total value of the deal will be funded in debt, it will leave the merged group with borrowings of four times its combined EBITDA. But in reality, much of that debt is being loaded onto Bayer's health care business. If the crop science unit were buying Monsanto unaided, it would end up with net borrowings that were more than seven times combined EBITDA, which looks too high for comfort. The risk is that Bayer's options for making acquisitions in health care will be stunted. Buying Monsanto could benefit one side of the business at the expense of the other. The biggest concern for shareholders may simply be that the deal looks like it will destroy value. Bayer expects $1.5 billion of annual synergies. According to a Breakingviews estimate, this represents a net present value of around $11 billion compared to that $15 billion premium. And Bayer hasn't said how much is supposed to come from enhanced revenue, which is typically hard to achieve in real life. As a stand-alone company, Bayer's crop science unit would be prey rather than predator. Monsanto's EBITDA is roughly 40 per cent bigger than the division that is acquiring it - and the US group even expressed an interest in buying Bayer's agrichemical business earlier this year. The German giant has taken steps to reduce its sprawl, spinning out specialty chemicals and plastics, and the remainder of its business is well run. From the perspective of Bayer's shareholders, selling the crops business for a premium might have been a much quicker and less risky way of creating value. US President Barack Obama's weekend announcement that an authorised drone strike had killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in Baluchistan underscored the world's worst-kept secret: Pakistani complicity in harbouring terrorists. The assassination is significant because this is the first time US drones have hit a target outside Pakistan's tribal areas and frontier region. This is, however, the second time that the US has chosen to take actions that publicly embarrass its ally - the first being the 2011 Navy SEAL operation that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in a safe house close to Pakistan's capital. As with the Bin Laden raid, news of Mansoor's death has sparked speculation of how much the Pakistani government was in the loop about the operation - its low-key grumbles about a violation of sovereignty have largely been ignored - and is an indication of the impact this will have on US-Pak relations. A major Indian literary festival chooses to partner with a corporate sponsor of dubious track record. The JLF Southbank festival is held in London; a few weeks before it starts, a campaign asks writers to boycott the festival, citing Vedanta's track record on tribal and adivasi rights. The surprise in Budget 2016 was partial exemption provided to the National Pension System (NPS) and Employee Provident Fund (EPF), thereby bringing these on a par. While the government had to relent on EPF due to an uproar, the 40 per cent exemption on NPS on maturity has been retained. Does this put NPS at a disadvantage? Let's look at NPS more closely. Your employer's contribution to NPS to the extent of 10 per cent of your basic plus dearness allowance is allowed as a deduction without any limit. Your own contribution up to Rs 50,000 is also allowed as an exclusive deduction. On maturity, 40 per cent of the accumulated corpus can be withdrawn tax-free and another 20 per cent of the corpus can be withdrawn by paying tax. You have to buy an annuity with the balance 40 per cent. The annuity is taxable in the year of receipt. The argument against NPS is due to the taxability on the partial withdrawal and the compulsion to buy an annuity with the balance 40 per cent. Currently, only a few annuity products offer returns of around seven per cent annually. The argument is that even if you let go of the exclusive tax benefit and invest the post-tax amount in a regular equity fund offering 15 per cent returns, you will be better off, since the maturity amount is completely tax-free and there are no pre-conditions on how you should use this corpus. Let's crunch the numbers. If you invest Rs 50,000 annually in NPS for 26 years with 50 per cent debt (8 per cent returns) and 50 per cent in equity (15 per cent returns), the total corpus will be Rs 92 lakh (Rs 21 lakh from debt and Rs 71 lakh from equity) at the end of the tenure. Since you get a tax break at the rate of 30 per cent, your actual investment every year is only Rs 35,000 (Rs 50,000 minus tax benefit of Rs 15,000). Ignoring the maturity complications, this value of Rs 92 lakh approximately is available for an investment of Rs 35,000 every year for 26 years, giving a calculated return of 14.60 per cent a year. If you pay tax and invest the balance Rs 35,000 in an equity fund and earn 15 per cent annually, you will accumulate a corpus of about Rs 99 lakh. On a standalone basis, equity funds seem to have a clear edge because of a higher corpus and because it is also devoid of any complications after maturity. There is a contra point. One, the corpus amount is not that different and the NPS corpus is built at a much lower risk factor than the pure equity fund option. Hence, the 14.60 per cent return on NPS is much better than the 15 per cent return on pure equity fund. Two, the lure of tax deduction ensures it becomes a powerful incentive for regular investment. In other instruments, the break in investments is one of the main reasons for a lower corpus. The tax on maturity value and compulsory annuitisation is a dampener. But with the Finance Minister clearly backing the NPS scheme, it is likely that the tax exemption will cover the full 60 per cent withdrawal that is allowed in NPS and even the annuity may be exempted. Though this cannot be assumed as a matter of course, the return drops to around 13.45 per cent (from 14.60 per cent) even if you take the existing tax structure into account. That is an excellent return for a forced saving product, unlike EPF or life insurance policies which have fairly low returns. If you prefer a forced-savings product, NPS is a good choice. It can become better with more tax benefits. The writer is a Sebi-registered investment advisor J Jayalalithaa, 68, on Monday was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tami Nadu for the sixth time. The AIADMK chief led her party to victory in the recently-concluded assembly elections. Of the 232 seats (for two seats elections postponed to June), AIADMK won in 134 seats. The consecutive victory is a rare feat for a political party, which happened almost 35 years back, again for AIADMK. Despite the rivalry between the two parties, DMK treasurer M K Stalin has attended the swearing-in ceremony. This will be the second time Stalin attended Jayalalithaa's swearing. In 2001, as Chennai mayor, he along with a few DMK leaders attended the function. It may be noted, unlike in neighbouring states the two main rivals AIADMK and DMK don't see eye to eye. In fact, DMK's chief did not attend the assembly sessions when the other is in power. Interestingly, Karunanidhi greeted Pinarayi Vijayan (elected as CM in Kerala), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and Sarbananda Sonowal (Assam) but not Jayalalithaa. This time, DMK has emerged as the strong opposition in the assembly as it won 89 seats, along with eight seats won by its ally Congress. AIADMK general secretary and her 28 Cabinet colleagues were sworn in by Governor K Rosaiah on Monday at the Madras Universitys Centenary Hall. The list included 13 new faces and four women MLAs. S Semmalai has been named as pro-tem Speaker. VIPs who have attended the event include Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Nirmala Seetharaman. Jayalalithaa has invited Prime Minister for the ceremony. Since the Prime Minister is on a visit to Iran, Naidu had been assigned to represent the Centre. Union Minister from Tamil Nadu Pon Radhakrishnan also attended the function. Jayalalithaa will hold the portfolios of Public, Police, General Administration and Home, while her trusted aide O Panneerselvam will be the Finance Minister, Edappadi K. Palanisamy will handle PWD and others include Sellur K. Raju, will continue to hold Cooperation and Labour. The other members who were also part of the previous Cabinet are R. Kamaraj (Food), C. Vijaya Baskar (Health), R.B. Udhaya Kumar (Revenue), P. Thangamani (Electricity and Prohibition), S P Velumani ( Municipal Administration and Rural Development), D Jayakumar (Fisheries), S.P. Shanmuganathan (Milk and Dairy Development), M.C. Sampath (Industries), C.Ve. Shanmugam ( Law, Courts and Prisons) and K P Anbazhagan (Higher Education), K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji (Rural Industries), K.C. Veeramani - Commercial Taxes The new faces in Jayalalithaa's cabinet include V Saroja (Social Welfare), Udumalai Radhakrishnan (Housing and Urban Development), R Duraikannu (Agriculture and Animal Husbandry), P Benjamin (School Education), Vellamandi Natarajan (Tourism), V M Rajalakshmi (Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare), S. Valarmathi (Backward Classes and Minority Welfare), Manikandan (IT), M R Vijayabhaskar (Transport), K C Karupannan (Environment), O S Manian (Handlooms and Textiles), Kadambur Raju (Information and Publicity) and Dindigul C Srinivasan (Forest). On the Agenda - After assuming the Chief Minister's Office for the sixth time, the first two files Jayalalithaa signed were free electricity till 100 units, which will benefit 78 lakh consumers in the state; the other file related to prohibition. - AIADMK in its manifesto promised bunch of benefits including free 100 units of power and prohibition in phase manner. - The party promised 100 units electricity free every two months, which would cost around Rs 1,600-1,700 crore a year. The states power distribution company is ailing and receives a subsidy of Rs 2,560 crore from the government. - AIADMK also promised that it would implement prohibition step by step. Total revenue to the state from the liquor sales is around Rs 33,000 crore. - The other promises made by AIADMK in its manifesto includes waiver of all farm loans and famers loans to be paid. Cooperative banks will completely waive off and Rs 40,000 crore farm loans over next five years. The state government will also reimburse education loan. - Flow of overall crop loans in Tamil Nadu is estimated at about Rs 69,000 crore out of which the cooperative sector was estimated to disburse around Rs 5,500 crore, which is about 8% of the crop loans. Education loan estimated to be around Rs 17,000 crore. - To establish Lok Ayuktha; the stategovernment employees salary to be revised as per 7th Pay Commission. Cost to implement pay commission recommendation estimated at around Rs 15,000 crore - Free mobiles, set-top-boxes, free Laptops with internet for 10th and 12th std students and 50 % subsidy for working women to buy mopeds and scooters - Industry experts estimates over Rs 1,500 crore a year for two-wheeler alone and another around Rs 3,000 crore for other schemes. - After results were announced last week, Jayalalithaa said I will show my gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu with renewed vigour and fulfilling the poll promises made by the party. J Jayalalithaa, 68, took oath as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the sixth time on Monday, and cleared five files, waiving farmers debt and providing limited free electricity to domestic consumers. She also started a phased prohibition, providing free gold for marriages and free power for handloom weavers. All these were major promises her party made in their manifesto before the Assembly elections. Jayalalithaas All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won 134 out of 232 Assembly seats. Election for two has been postponed to June. The chief minister and 28 of her Cabinet colleagues were sworn in by Governor K Rosaiah on Monday at the Madras Universitys Centenary Hall. The list included 13 new faces and four women. S Semmalai has been named as pro-tem Speaker. Jayalalithaa was sworn in as chief minister for the second consecutive term, a rare feat for a political party in Tamil Nadu. Despite the rivalry between the two parties, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) treasurer M K Stalin attended the swearing-in ceremony. This was the second time Stalin attended Jayalalithaas swearing in. In 2001, as Chennai mayor, he, along with a few DMK leaders, attended the function. After the ceremony, the chief minister drove straight to her office at the Secretariat and signed the five files. The first was an order to waive off small and medium farmers loans in the cooperative banks. This would cost the state around Rs 5,780 crore. Also, domestic users are now entitled to 100 units of free electricity. This will cost the state around Rs 1,607 crore. The third file the chief minister signed entitles women who are yet to complete their graduation or have diplomas to 8 gm of gold on their wedding. Earlier, the amount of gold was 4 gm. The chief minister also increased free power to handloom weavers to 200 units and for powerlooms to 750 units, said a PTI report. Earlier, they got 200 units. The fifth file was related to prohibition, which, according to the chief minister will be implemented step by step in the state. To start with, she ordered closure of 500 Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) retail shops, of the total over 6,823 outlets, in the state. She also reduced shop timings. Earlier they were open between 10 am and 10 pm. Now, these would be open from 12 noon to 10 pm. The state earns about Rs 27,000 crore. VIPs who attended the event include Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Nirmala Seetharaman. Jayalalithaa had invited Prime Minister Narenda Modi, too, but since he is on a visit to Iran, Naidu represented the Centre. Union Minister from Tamil Nadu Pon Radhakrishnan also attended the function. Jayalalithaa will hold the portfolios of public, police, general administration and home. Her trusted aide O Panneerselvam will be the finance minister. FIRST DAY, FIVE SHOWS The Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal might in its second innings look at granting special economic zones status to information technology (IT) companies. The lack of such a status has been holding back companies like Infosys from investing, especially given the party's policies on land and industry. No one was willing to spell out the government's action plan prematurely but a senior Trinamool leader pointed towards the party manifesto. "Read our manifesto, you will see that we have kept provisions for IT," he said. The manifesto reads: "We will consider plans for knowledge-based industries like IT and industries that depend on intellectual resources. Coming up with special policies and schemes to facilitate the development of such industries will be our priority." In 2011, the Trinamool manifesto had said the government would not allow special economic zones (SEZs) in West Bengal, to protect multi-crop lands. But this time the manifesto has been silent on SEZs. The government might draw a distinction between SEZs that require large tracts of land and granting SEZ status to IT companies that already have government land. A senior Infosys official said: "I was told that the government could look at IT differently as is probably mentioned in the election manifesto." Infosys has been gung-ho about its proposed project in West Bengal. Ramadas Kamath, executive vice-president and head of infrastructure, facilities and administration at Infosys, said, "Right now, our SEZ is not approved by the state though they had given a specific letter earlier saying that they will do whatever is required to get it approved. We understand the government's concerns on land acquisition. But this land was acquired by the state government much before it was allotted to us. So there is no fresh displacement of landowners. Today, IT companies are not asking anything from the state government. For a level playing field, we need the SEZ approval. The state should say they don't have an objection. We will comply with the law of the land and bring growth to this area. We are very positive on the Kolkata location, which has a huge potential to grow." The first option that the state government might opt for is offering Infosys space in one of the SEZs that are coming up, but that is unlikely to be accepted, as Kamath pointed out. "The place where we have got the land is the ideal place for the setting up of an IT industry, in terms of location advantage, proximity to the city and availability of residential accommodation in and around. And we feel that there will be a huge amount of indirect employment opportunities as well." In 2012, the Trinamool government had tried to offer Infosys and Wipro (which was planning a second campus) a compensation package to match SEZ benefits reminiscent of the package offered to Tata Motors for its Nano project by the Left Front government. SEZ SAGA Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former India Against Corruption member Kiran Bedi has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said on Sunday. Bedi's name has resurfaced months after she entered the political wilderness following BJP's debacle in the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls. Bedi, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in the polls, was soundly defeated. Her journey, from police officer to lieutenant governor, has been long and seen many associations. Celebrated policewoman The first woman officer in the Indian Police Service when she joined in 1972, Bedi held key positions including Inspector General (Prisons) at Delhi's high-security Tihar Jail. Her work in one of Asia's largest jails led to her being awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. But her image of being outspoken and radical made her stand out among her peers. Having lost the race for the post of Police Commissioner in Delhi, Bedi sought voluntary retirement from the service in 2007. She was then posted as Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development. India Against Corruption Post her retirement, Bedi became more active in social issues and was a key member of the Anna Hazare-led Jan Lokpal agitation in August 2011. Subsequent to the split between Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal, Bedi remained with the movement. The parting of ways came after Hazare had said that he had nothing to do with the political plans of some members of the movement. Even back then, Bedi had questioned the need for the anti-corruption movement turning political. "What is the compulsion to float a party?" Bedi, who sided with Hazare on the issue of staying apolitical and continuing with the movement, had said. Even as Kejriwal moved ahead with the the newly-formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a difference in opinion between Bedi and Hazare emerged. Differing with Hazare on the amended Lokpal Bill approved by the Union Cabinet in early 2013, Bedi backed the legislation saying it addressed most of their concerns. Bedi had also expressed happiness over the amended Bill paving the way for constitution of a collegium to select the chief of Central Bureau of Investigation. Hazare, for his part, had called the amended Lokpal bill a "farce". He had also announced that he would launch another agitation if the government went ahead with the enactment of a "weak" legislation. Bedi also gave Kejriwal's swearing-in ceremony as Delhi chief minister in 2013 a miss. Moving towards the BJP In 2013 itself, reports had emerged that the BJP was looking at Bedi as a potential candidate for the Lok Sabha polls. According to reports, the BJP had been looking at offering the former top cop a party ticket to fight from Old Delhis Chandni Chowk constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Sources in the BJP had said that Nitin Gadkari, in-charge of elections in Delhi, had been pushing for Bedis name. Bedi had denied any such developments back then. In a move that brought her closer to the BJP camp, Bedi had also endorsed then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and said that Modi could provide a stable, accountable and inclusive government. In January 2015, Bedi joined the BJP, ahead of Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February seven. Days later, she was named as the chief ministerial candidate of her party. The Delhi debacle The BJP suffered a huge defeat in the Delhi polls, bagging only three seats while the AAP won 67 of the total 70 assembly seats. Bedi, who contested from the Krishna Nagar constituency, lost to AAP's S K Bagga by a narrow margin of 2,277 votes. Subsequent to her defeat, Bedi said, I am not inclined towards active but I am certainly inclined for active public service which I am back into. I am not an active politician because is not my language. I will not contest elections again. Around 10 out of the 23 states and union territories which had missed out in the first reckoning of the Smart City Mission will again face similar fate as only 13 of them would qualify for the next round through a fast-track competition results for which will be out tomorrow. 23 cities with the highest ranking from as many states and union terrritories, which failed to get representation in the first round of competition held in January participated in the 'Fast Track Competition'. Only 12 states and UTs were represented in the first list of 20 mission cities announced in 'Smart City Challenge Competition' on January 28. "Out of the 23 cities in the Fast Track Competition, only about 13 cities may qualify for smart city projects, results for which would be announced tomorrow," a source said. The 23 cities which are competing under Fast Track Competition include Warangal (Telangana); Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh); New Town Kolkata; Panaji (Goa); Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh); Dharmashala (Himachal Pradesh); Faridabad (Haryana); and Raipur (Chattisgarh). Others include Bhagalpur (Bihar); Shillong (Meghalaya); Namchi (Sikkim); Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands); Diu (Daman & Diu); Oulgaret (Puducherry); Silvassa (Dadra & Nagar Haveli); Imphal (Manipur); Ranchi (Jharkhand); Agartala (Tripura); Kohima (Nagaland); Aizawl (Mizoram) Kavaratti (Lakshadweep), Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and Chandigarh. Assured water and power supply, sanitation and solid waste management systems, efficient urban mobility and public transportation, IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation are some of the highlights of the smart city project. Under the Smart City Mission, 100 cities across the country will be developed as smart cities by 2019-20 with the Union government providing financial support to the extent of Rs 48,000 crore over five years. In the Fast Track Competition, four cities are from BJP- ruled states -- Harayana, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Jharkhand --while five cities in states, which are under Congress rule or its allies -- Manipur, Puducherry, Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Bhagalpur city in Bihar, where JD(U), RJD and Congress are coalition partners, Warangal in Telangana ruled by Rashtra Samithi; and Luknow in Samajwadi Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh, among others, are also contesting in this round. In the first round announced in January, 13 cities out of the total 20 mission cities were from BJP and its allies ruled states of Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab, whereas two cities from Congress-ruled state of Karnataka. Kochi in Kerala, which went to CPI(M)-led LDF in the recent assembly election, and Guwahati in Assam, where BJP has dethroned Congress, were also selected in the first round of the competition. Two cities--Chennai and Coimbatore--from Tamil Nadu, where AIADMK government was re-elected in recent assembly elections, and NDMC area of AAP-ruled Delhi were also selected in the first round of the mission. Those cities which miss out in the Fast Track Competition would be able to participate in the next round of competition with other cities. While 20 smart cities were selected during 2015-16 as per the Mission guidelines, another 40 would be selected during 2016-17 and the remaining 40 during the next financial year. Each city selected in different rounds of competition will be given central assistance of Rs 200 crore in the first year and Rs 100 crore each during the subsequent three financial years. State governments and respective urban local bodies will provide matching funds to the same amount. Authorities today booked 11 private schools and seized 14 buses ferrying students for not following the Administration Department's order for closure of educational institutions from May 21 to 28 in view of heat wave conditions in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir. "A total 11 schools have been booked (for violation of government order for closure of educational institutions from May 21 to 28 in view heat wave conditions)", Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said. "Fourteen buses of three major schools were also seized by ARTO as these were found ferrying students. The students were safely accompanied to their residences," he said. Choudhary led a team of officers which carried out surprise inspection of 16 private schools after inputs were received about schools being run in violation of the order. Around 10 other schools were inspected by Additional Deputy Commissioner A S Rana and five of them were found open. "A number of schools closed the classes after of surprise inspection spread in the city," he said. The schools were earlier directed by the district administration to adhere to a directive of Administration Department regarding closure of schools from May 21 to 28, he said, adding, students have alleged that they were forcibly called to school despite the order. The managements and staff of all the private schools assured the administration for strict adherence to government orders regarding closure of schools, he said. A helpline number 272727 has been released by the district administration for registering any complaint by parents, students or any stakeholder in the matter, he said. On the delay in disbursement of salary of teaching staff under RMSA and SSA, the minister said delay in release of funds to the department in the year 2014-15 resulted in huge salary arrears of Rs 600 crore being carried over to 2015-16. The Centre agreed to release these salary arrears but there was still a shortfall in release of central share 2015-16 amount to Rs 3.84 crore under teacher salary despite the state having provided full matching state share, he said. Under RMSA, the delay in disbursement of salary is due to non-receipt of recurring grant from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, he said, adding the salary has been cleared up to April 2016 under RMSA. The minister said the Centre had sanctioned 19 new model schools in the state during 2009-10 but no steps were taken by the state up to 2014-15 for establishment of these model schools. The scheme was withdrawn by the Centre in April 2015 and the state was asked to refund the Centre's share already provided, he said. Akhtar said the state, on its own, as a step towards quality education launched the Chief Minister's Model School Scheme during 2015-16 for overall development of government schools. A total of 144 high and higher secondary schools across the state were selected under the scheme, he said, adding while 73 such schools were selected from Kashmir region, 67 were selected from Jammu region. Four such schools were selected from Ladakh region, the minister said. He said the highest number of 16 schools were selected from Jammu district, followed by 12 each from Anantnag and Baramulla and 10 from Kupwara. Under SSA, the minister said 99 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (residential schools) have been sanctioned, he said, adding all but two - one in Kharu in Leh and another in Kishtwar - are functioning smoothly. A 12-year-old Indian-American boy, who was congratulated by President Barack Obama after he became the youngest ever to graduate from a US collage, is eyeing to become a doctor by the time he turns 18 as he has been accepted to two prestigious university campuses. Tanishq Abraham, a native of Sacramento in California, has been accepted to University of California (UC) Davis and received a regents scholarship to UC Santa Cruz. He is yet to decide in which university he will enroll. "I think I'll be 18 when I get my MD (medical degree)," Abraham was quoted as saying by CBC Sacramento television station yesterday. He said he is just an ordinary kid who plays with video games and not just microscopes and just likes to learn. Abraham will be a junior transfer student when he enrolls in either UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz. Creating a record of sorts, he surprised one and all by graduating from a California college with three associate degrees in maths, science and foreign language studies last year at the age of 11. Abraham graduated from American River College in Sacramento alongside 1,800 students last year. He said that he wanted to become the President of the United States. Abraham, is the youngest to graduate from the college last year. He became one of the youngest ever in the US to graduate high school. Home-schooled since the age of seven, he passed a state exam in March in 2014 that certified he had met the appropriate academic standards to receive his high school diploma. His achievement last year had earned the attention of Obama - who had sent Abraham a congratulatory letter. Abraham joined MENSA, the prominent high IQ society, when he was only four-years-old. His mother, Taji Abraham, said he has always been ahead of the class. He said some of the students at the college "were intimidated" by him but a lot of others "were really happy" to have a kid in their classes. He graduated with three associate degrees from the college. Abraham had first asked his parents -- father Bijou Abraham, a software engineer and mother Taji who is a veterinary doctor -- to allow him to take a college course when he was six years old. Later, he convinced his parents who then enquired about him attending a class at American River College. "Lots of professors, they didn't really want me in their classes because I was too young," he said. Finally, a professor agreed and it didn't take long for Abraham to become the top student. Abraham's parents had migrated to the US from Kerala. At least 17 girls aged between five and 12 were killed and several reported missing in a fire that swept through the dormitory of a private school for children of hill tribes in northern Thailand, police said on Monday. Five school girls were reported injured in the fire which broke outat the the two-storey building of Pithakkiart Witthaya School in Chiang Rai province late last night. The girls who died in the fire were aged between five and 12 years old. There were 38 schoolgirls staying at the boarding-house, most of whom were asleep when the fire broke and were unable to escape the blaze. They came from hilltribe villages in Chiang Rai and chiang Mai to study in the town. After the blaze broke out officials could only evacuate a few of the girls while the rest were trapped inside. News Channel 3 reported that most of the victims were burned beyond recognition. Rescuers picked through the debris late last night and into the morning today. Scientific Crime Detection Division officials were dispatched to investigate the cause of the fire. The victims' bodies were sent to a hospital for identification. Thailand, which is home to hill tribes who mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar, has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the country. At least two people died today when Kenya's police shot, beat and tear gassed demonstrators across the country who called for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. The two were shot dead in Siaya County, in western Kenya on the shore of Lake Victoria, according to Bonny Odinga, the county's communications director. The protests, held each today for the past four weeks, come before elections next year and are organized by Kenya's main opposition group, the Coalitions for Reforms and Democracy. Last week, the US and human rights activists condemned the violence displayed by Kenyan police in which one man was killed. Police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet said he would not permit the demonstrations because the opposition group did not notify police of their intent. The organization says the right to picket is constitutionally guaranteed. Senator James Orengo, a protest organizer, said the opposition notified police of the alleged intent of government allied legislators to hire goons to disrupt the protests. In the capital, Nairobi, police tear-gassed demonstrators in the Kibera area, who were trying to make their way to the city center where electoral commission offices are. Demonstrators responded by throwing stones. In the central business district The Associated Press reporters said police were tear gassing gatherings of five people or more covering the area in noxious smoke. Police also tear-gassed demonstrators in opposition strongholds in Mombasa and Kisumu, Kenya's second and third largest cities. Opposition Senator Boni Khalwale was arrested leading protests in the town of Kakamega. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairman Isaak Hassan said the commission will not be disbanded and challenged the opposition to provide evidence of the alleged corruption and bias. Four gelatin sticks were found close to the railway station here, triggering panic in the city, police said today. A beggar found one of the gelatin sticks, apparently to be used to trigger blast for digging well, in the premises of the railway station here last night, they said. A railway police personnel saw the beggar with the explosive substance and enquired from him. The beggar then took him to the spot from where he found the gelatin stick. Subsequently, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) personnel were pressed into service and they recovered three more gelatin sticks from the spot. ACP (crime) Khushalchand Baheti and his team cordoned-off the area and inspected the site. Meanwhile, Aurangabad Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar urged the residents not to panic in view of the seizure of the explosive material. At least four persons of a family including a woman were killed today following a dispute between children in this northwestern Pakistani city. The incident took place in Pabbi area of Nowshera district of Khyber Pakthukhwa province. The clashes began between two brothers after their children quarrelled with each other. Sardar Ali and Ramdad Khan opened fire, killing four persons of their family on the spot. The bodies were shifted to a nearby hospital. A case has been registered and investigations were underway. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and wife Kiran Rao had dinner with "Lord Of The Rings" star Ian McKellen last night. The 76-year-old actor is in the country, as part of Shakespeare Lives on Film, a global programme to celebrate the Bard's works and his influence on culture, education and society, coinciding with his 400th death anniversary. "@aamir_khan & #KiranRao had dinner with @IanMcKellen last night. The two actors are all set to chat up a storm today!," the official Twitter handle of Jio MAMI with Star tweeted along with the picture of the duo. MAMI Film Club has partnered with the British Council and the British Film Institute to bring the programme to India. The "PK" actor is also conducting a session with the British star. Mumbai is the first stop on McKellens' global tour as the BFIs ambassador for Shakespeare Lives on Film. The BJP leadership in Maharashtra today threw its weight behind Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse amid a growing perception that the senior leader is getting isolated in the party in the wake of AAP's charge that he received calls on his mobile phone from underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's house in Pakistan. Interestingly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had yesterday defended Khadse on the issue, saying the AAP's charge is "unsubstantiated". Dispelling the perception that the saffron party in Maharashtra is becoming a divided house, state unit BJP president Raosaheb Danve said the BJP is a structured party and its members believe in collective responsibility. "Levelling allegation is the job of opposition and they are doing it. But I think that the opposition should be careful and graceful while levelling the allegations. In Khadse's case, not only Mumbai Police but the ACB (anti-corruption bureau) has also given a clean chit to him in the (Dawood) phone call case and bribery case," Danve told reporters on the sidelines of the BJP representatives' meet at Dadar in Central Mumbai. Opposition had recently targeted Khadse after his 'personal assistant' was arrested by ACB for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 30 crore from an entrepreneur in a land settlement matter handled by Khadse's department. "We also made allegations and demanded action against so many ministers, but all those were corroborated by the documentary evidences. But, our opposition (parties) are levelling baseless allegations," Danve said against the backdrop of the allegations levelled by the AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon against Khadse. Preeti had on Saturday sought Khadse's removal from the Maharashtra Cabinet, alleging that calls were made from Dawood's mansion to Khadse's mobile phone, a charge which the minister rubbished as "baseless" saying the phone number mentioned was not in use for last one year. When asked why bill for the phone number was generated in last month, Danve said, "This is very common (knowledge) that every phone (number) comes with a plan and you have to pay the minimum charge irrespective of whether you use the phone or not". The BJP chief also dismissed reports that Khadse has become the victim of internal politics in the BJP as he is viewed as the political rival of Fadnavis. "Our BJP is a well-defined and structured party. Our people do not have such scope (of targeting each other) and believe in collective responsibility," he said. (REOPENS BOM22) Meanwhile, on the BJP-led government in Centre completing two years, Khadse said the party's state unit would reach out to the public and raise awareness on the transformation taking place under the Modi dispensation. Danve said, "Our leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would kickstart a campaign to reach out to every (member of) public and brief them about the achievements in last two years." "Under this massive campaign which will last until June 15, our elected, selected and nominated representatives, including central and state ministers along with the district-level party workers and office bearers, would go to the public and explain them about the achievement of the Modi government in two years," the BJP state chief said. He said around 123 MLAs and 23 MPs of BJP, including Union ministers, are already touring the state to take the stock of drought situation as well developmental works being envisaged by the central government. To a query on what the Maharashtra government has been doing to ensure proper monetary return to onion farmers, who are selling their produce at throwaway prices, Danve said, "Our Food and Civil Supply Minister has held meetings with central ministry and they have agreed to buy the onions at fair prices. Several industry captains and film actors marked their presence at the swearing-in ceremony of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as chief minister here today. Industrialists, including Tractors and Farm Equipment Manufacturer Chairperson Mallika Srinivasan, Apollo Hospitals Managing Director, Preetha Reddy, NAC Jeweler's Chairman and All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation Zonal chairman N Anantha Padmanabhann were among those seen in attendance. Members of film fraternity, including South Indian Artiste's Association President Nasser, Association's General Secretary, Vishal, Actors Ananda Raj, Prabhu, 'Gundu' Kalyanam, Senthil, Vaiyapuri were also present. Actor-Politician and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi President R Sarath Kumar, who lost in the polls contesting from Tiruchendur, was seen sitting in the front row. About 1,500 police personnel, who were deployed for security, had a tough time controlling the crowd who had lined up en route to the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in. Major arterial roads in Chennai were decked up with AIADMK party flags, posters and banners of Jayalalithaa for the oath-taking ceremony. Party cadres from neighbouring districts arrived as early as 6 AM to witness their leader's swearing-in ceremony. LCD screens were installed at vantage points at the Marina beach to help cadres and the public witness the event. Meanwhile, it was celebration time for AIADMK workers at the party office here and in various parts of the state as Jayalalithaa was sworn-in as Chief Minister. Party workers burst crackers and distributed sweets on the occasion. Air India's board today discussed the national carrier's financial performance in the last fiscal for which it has been projected to record an operational profit of Rs 8 crore. During its meeting here, the board also discussed about independent directors as some of them would be completing their respective terms soon, a senior official said. The board mainly discussed the carrier's financial performance during the last financial year, according to the official. Battling tough market conditions and stiff competition, the airline has been registering losses for quite some time, but its performance has improved in the last few quarters. "Air India's all-time performance has increased. This year, it is making profit, which is the first time in the last 10 years. It is making an operating profit. Air India is doing good work," Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said earlier this month. The airline is expected to post an operating profit of Rs 8 crore in 2015-16. There are 11 members on the board, including CMD Ashwani Lohani. Director (Finance) V Hejmadi, Director (Personnel) N K Jain and Director (Commercial) Pankaj Srivastava. The government nominees include Gargi Kaul and B S Bhullar, both joint secretaries at the Civil Aviation Ministry. There are five independent directors -- Gurcharan Das, Prem Vrat, K K Nohwar, R H Dholakia and Renuka Ramnath. In March, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma had said Air India was "expected to earn operating profit of Rs 8 crore as compared to the operating loss of Rs 2,636.18 crore in the previous year". "This is the first time that the company is going to achieve operating profit since its merger in 2007-08," he had said. Air India ran up losses to the tune of Rs 5,859.91 crore in 2014-15. The improvement is anticipated mainly on account of a steep fall in the jet fuel price, which accounts for 40 per cent of an airline's operating expenses. In 2012, the government had extended a Rs 30,231-crore lifeline to the national carrier under a turnaround plan stretching over a period of nine years to keep it afloat. Under the 2012 Turn Around Plan (TAP), the government would infuse Rs 18,929 crore for repayment of government- guaranteed loans/interest till 2010-21. National carrier Air India today took another step to boost regional connectivity by commencing operations to Pune via Raipur from Bhopal, thrice a week. The inaugural flight, a 70-seater ATR-72 (AI 9865) took off from the Raja Bhoj airport in Bhopal for Raipur with almost full capacity, the airline said in a statement, adding this is the only direct air link on this route. The flight will operate three days a week-on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Flight AI 9865 will leave Bhopal at 0845 hrs and land at Raipur at 1015 hrs, will depart from Raipur at 1045 hrs and arrive in to Pune at 1300 hrs. The return flight AI 9866 will leave Pune at 1330 hrs and reach Raipur at 1545 hrs, depart Raipur at 1615 hrs and will touch down at Bhopal at 1745 hrs. Senior executives of domestic carriers, including Air India and Jet Airways, are likely to discuss with Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) officials about operational issues at Mumbai and other major airports, here tomorrow. Apart from the airlines, executives of airport operators at Delhi and Mumbai as well as from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are scheduled to meet Ministry officials. Sources said the representatives of airlines and airport operators would be meeting Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey and other officials here tomorrow. The discussions are expected to focus on a raft of operational issues related to the carriers at various airports and possible solutions, they added. The meeting is expected to be attended by executives from Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo, GoAir and Jet Lite -- which together make up the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) -- as well as other local carriers, including Air India. Representatives of DIAL and MIAL, which operates Delhi and Mumbai airports, respectively, would also attend the meeting. Airlines are facing issues at various airports, including at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. They vary from congestion to delay in getting ATC clearance which are adversely impacting the on-time performance of many carriers, sources said. There are congestion issues at the airport in the national capital and airlines are looking at near-term solutions as implementation of the master plan for expansion, including having an additional runway, would take at least three to four years, they added. According to sources, in the case of Mumbai airport, there have been delays in getting clearance from the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) against the backdrop of increased flight schedules. Among others, at Chennai and Kolkata airports, carriers are grappling with infrastructure constraints, mainly since terminal capacity has not kept pace with the increase in aircraft movements, sources said. Actors Ajay Devgn and Sooraj Pancholi will be undergoing special action training in Germany for Remo D'Souza's film. Ajay and Sooraj have teamed up for choreographer-turned-director Remo's dance-action movie. "Both Ajay and Sooraj will get special training in action. I am not at liberty to talk about what kind of training they will undergo. They will train for three months in Germany under international stunt directors," Remo told PTI. Besides action, the "Golmaal" star and the "Heropanti" actor will have to get their dancing skills also right. "They will get trained in some dance forms too. They will learn dance here only (Mumbai)," Remo said. Apparently, the film is an emotional one and it revolves around the relationship between the two brothers. The film, to be directed by Remo, will go on floors from September this year. It will be co-produced by Ajay Devgn Films and T-Series Films. The "ABCD" helmer is currently busy with "A Flying Jatt" that features Tiger Shroff. He is then likely to begin work on the third part of "ABCD 3" that will have Prabhu Deva in the lead and some other actors. There have been rumours that Tiger will be seen in the third instalment of "ABCD", but according to Remo, the reports are not true. In a fresh allegation against state Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse, a local builder today claimed that he misused his power to buy a piece of land owned by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in the name of his wife and son-in-law. Last week, AAP targeted Khadse alleging that calls were made from the fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's house in Karachi to a mobile phone used by the minister, a charge which Khadse rubbished as "baseless" saying the phone number was not in use for last one year. Hemant Gavande, a local construction professional, alleged here today that market value of the three-acre land in Bhosari near here was approximately Rs 40 crore, but Khadse purchased it from the original owner in the name of his wife Mandakini and son-in-law Girish Chaudhary at a throwaway price of Rs 3.75 crore. The land was purchased on April 28, 2016 from the original owner Abbas Ukani, a resident of West Bengal, keeping its present owner, MIDC, in the dark, he alleged. "Since land is acquired by MIDC and owned by it, it cannot be sold to any person or entity," Gavande stated. The original owner had now approached the court, requesting that the land should be returned to him, he said. "I have informed the MIDC officials about the deal and asked them to file a police complaint. If they fail to do it, I will lodge a complaint," Gavande said. Meanwhile, a statement from Khadse's office in the evening said, "There was no question of changing reservation of MIDC plot at Bhosari as acquisition process was in progress. The process for acquisition of land is being independently implemented by MIDC." Purchase transaction and acquisition were two separate legal processes, it added. Police today arrested another youth in connection with the murder of the 23-year-old Congolese national at south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area three days ago. Prakash is the second person to be arrested in the case after the prime accused, identified as Mobin Azad Saifi, a senior police official said. Prakash, who is a driver by profession, left Delhi after the incident. He was arrested from Vasant Kunj area today after he returned, said the official. Police teams are, meanwhile, looking out for the third accused, Mukesh, who too is absconding and was last traced in a neighbouring state. 23-year-old Congolese national, Masonda Ketanda Olivier, was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men following a brawl over hiring an auto-rickshaw at Kishangarh locality in Vasant Kunj area on late Friday night. Olivier received a deep wound on his head on being attacked repeatedly with a stone. While Oliver's friend and other African nationals in the area who rushed to his rescue alleged that the attack on Oliver took place on racial lines, senior police officials had denied the allegations and claimed that this was not an incident of hate crime. Chinese scientists have found active anti-cancer constituents in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), an expert said today. Dai Shaoxing, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that many types of herbal medicines provide resources which could be used in developing anti-cancer medicine, but there was little systematic research. "Our team found active anti-cancer constituents in 57 out of 2,402 types of herbal medicines," Dai was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua agency. Dai cautioned that the chemical nature of some TCM is yet to be determined, and that patients should only take such medicine under medical guidance. The Arunachal Pradesh Women's Welfare Society (APWWS) today urged the state government to make marriage registration compulsory in the state. The appeal came after West Kameng district recently launched an online marriage registration portal in Bomdila in conformation with Supreme Court ruling of compulsory marriage registration and Arunachal Pradesh Govt Marriage Registration Rules 2007, a press release informed. The online marriage registration portal has been a personal initiative of West Kameng DC Dr Sonal Swaroop along with the DIO (NIC) Bomdila. The APWWS has urged others to start the process of registration of marriage. APWWS president Gumri Ringu said that state administration must make registration of marriages compulsory in order to ensure sanctity of marriage as well as safeguard the rights of women, the release added. The army today paid tribute with full military honours to Naik Gawade Pandurang Mahadev, who succumbed to injuries sustained during an encounter with militants in Kupwara district of Kashmir on Saturday. "Homage was paid to the valour and sacrifice of the late soldier in a solemn ceremony held at Badami Bagh Cantonment," a defence spokesman said. Naik Mahadev was critically injured in a fierce gunbattle that resulted in the elimination of five heavily armed militants at Chak Drugmulla in Kupwara. "The soldier was part of the column which located and engaged the terrorists hiding in a cluster of houses," the spokesman added. Mahadev was evacuated to the Military Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries yesterday. "The martyr is survived by wife and two young children," the spokesman said. Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen. Satish Dua and all ranks of the Corps laid wreath to pay homage to the soldier on his last journey, he added. Superstar Salman Khan's sister Arpita and her husband Aayush Sharma met Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson during their visit here. Arpita thanked actress "Baywatch" actress Priyanka Chopra for making the meeting happen. "Thank you @TheRock for being so sweet, thank you @priyankachopra for making this possible," Arpita wrote along with the couple's picture with the wrestler-turned-actor. An elated Johnson replied, "Great meeting you both and congrats on the baby." The parents of one also took time out to meet Priyanka, who recently wrapped up the shooting of "Baywatch". "It's always a pleasure seeing you @priyankachopra we forgot to click our selfie though. See you soon in Mumbai." The "Mary Kom" star too expressed her excitement post meeting them. "Anytime @khanarpita Was lovely to see you both in NYC. See you in mumbai in a week!N Thank u @TheRock for taking the time. Asaram's alleged henchman Karthik Haldar, suspected of shooting dead three key witnesses of two rape cases against the self-styled godman and his son Narayan Sai, had planned to acquire an AK-47 rifle for eliminating other witnesses, police said. Haldar, a sharp-shooter and staunch follower of Asaram, was arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh on March 13 in a joint operation by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and city Crime Branch. He is now in the custody of Rajasthan Police for further probe, city Crime Branch's Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) K N Patel said today. During his interrogation here, Haldar had admitted that he wanted to acquire an AK-47 rifle or a similar capacity "large" weapon to carry out the killings, Patel said. "In his statement, Haldar admitted that other sadhaks (disciples) of Asaram collected Rs 25 lakhs to fund the operation of eliminating the witnesses. In a meeting with these sadhaks, it was decided that a large weapon, such as AK-47, must be acquired to carry out the killings," he said. "To arrange an AK-47 or a similar capacity weapon, Haldar paid Rs 11 lakhs to a person in Jharkhand, who promised to arrange an AK-47. However, Haldar told us that he never received the weapon as that person cheated and gave only a double-barrel gun, which Haldar used to fire at Mahendra Chawla last year at Panipat in Haryana," the ACP said. Chawla, Asaram's former personal assistant who later turned a witness against him, had survived the attack. Apart from the key witnesses, Haldar had also hatched a plan to kill the then Investigation Officer (IO) in the rape case filed against Asaram in Jodhpur. "In his statement, Haldar admitted that he wanted to kill Jodhpur ACP Chanchal Mishra, who was the IO of rape case in Jodhpur. In his statement, Haldar told us that he even did a recce of daily route used by the woman officer to commute between her office and home. However, Haldar could not execute his plans," said Patel. Haldar was allegedly involved in the killings of Asaram's personal doctor Amrut Prajapati in Rajkot, the jailed religious leader's former assistant-cum-cook Akhil Gupta at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and another key witness, Kripal Singh, at Shahjahanpur in UP. These killings took place between June 2014 and July 2015. All of them were shot from close range as part of an alleged conspiracy to eliminate those who had given their testimonies against Asaram, a Crime Branch release had said when Haldar was arrested in March. Apart from these killings, Haldar was also allegedly involved in four cases of attempt to murder, including firing at Asaram's former personal assistant Mahendra Chawla last year at Panipat in Haryana. Among other attacks, Haldar fired eight rounds at the warden of Asaram's Chhindwada-based ashram, Omprakash Prajapati, and his wife Seema, the release had stated. Haldar, a native of South 24 Pargana district in West Bengal, first came in contact with Asaram's preachings in 2000 when he attended his religious discourse in New Delhi. A year later, he left his household responsibilities and became a full-time sadhak and started living at Asaram's ashram in Motera near Ahmedabad, the release had said. In October 2013, two Surat-based sisters had registered separate rape complaints against Asaram and his son. The elder of the two women, in her complaint, had accused Asaram of sexual assaulting her between 1997 and 2006 when she was living at his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. Asaram is presently lodged in Jodhpur jail since 2014 in connection with another alleged rape case. At least 20 people were killed and several wounded in blasts today in Syria's regime bastion of Tartus, state media reported. "Terrorist explosions in Tartus killed more than 20 people and wounded a number of others," the official SANA agency quoted an interior ministry source as saying. There was no immediate official toll for simultaneous blasts in the coastal city of Jableh to the north. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today said the attacks on policemen in the city was a "worrying" development and the goverment should move quickly to reassure the residents and tourists. "The attacks on policemen in Srinagar is a worrying development. Condolences to the families of those who've died (sic)," Omar tweeted. "The govt needs to move quickly to reassure residents of Srinagar and visitors (sic)," he said. Three policemen, including an officer, were killed in two attacks in Zadibal and Tengpora area of the city today. Asked about the statement of Chidambaram who had said that New Delhi had ignored the grand bargain under which Kashmir acceded to India, Omar said, "absolutely. For want of better set of words, India has actually been dishonest with the people of Jammu and Kashmir because you struck a deal. "You struck a bargain. Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India on the basis of certain conditions which is that the Union of India will be responsible for currency, communication, defence and foreign affairs everything else will be the domain of the state. "On the basis of those conditions Jammu and Kashmir would remain a part of India. Jammu and Kashmir to this date remains a part of India, how much of those conditions have you actually fulfilled. You have gradually whittled that away to the point that autonomy is a a fig leaf to what it was in 1947. So he is not wrong," Omar said. However, he regretted that immediately after Chidambaram remarks, Congress came out with a statement that it were the personal views of former Home Minister. "Here is a person who is talking out of box and is ready to take the first knock and we pull him down," he said. Omar said today's unrest cannot be compared with 2008 or 2010 agitations. "In 2008, we had a land row and in 2010, the outbreak was because of a fake encounter done by army. But in 2016 there is no such demand. It is just plain anger. "Even the young boys of the age of 8-10 years have no fear and that is worst," he said. He said Pakistan has always been fishing in troubled waters. "It is nothing new. If you are saying Pakistan is responsible, then I am am sorry. We are doing the same mistake." He said people are are ready to set aside old momeories provided "we are ready to sit and solve the problem". On controversial AFSPA, Omar said, "I don't know how the army has become a villain. Army has always maintained that they don't want to stay permanently and want to go back to barracks. But they oppose withdrawal of draconian law and also any reduction. So this is a contradictory stand." He said more than a political will, it takes courage to take bold steps which was lacking in the previous UPA government. "May be UPA at that time was facing several problems. May be they did not want to open another front," he said. About the statement made by Chidambaram that the Union Cabinet was divided on withdrawal of AFSPA, he said, "I know that the then Defence Minister (Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony) were opposed to it and the then Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) had not firmed up his mind. "There was strong opposition from the army but political courage could have overtaken that opposition," he said and added that between him and Chidambaram, they were successful in removing 35 to 40 bunkers from the city. "I am not saying that army's concerns should not be addressed but at the same time elected representatives in a democracy must have courage to carry forward its decisions with conviction," he said. He experssed apprehensions that the way the Centre has been dealing with the situation in past had lived its life/ "The Centre swings into action only when there is a fire in Kashmir. At that point they promise everything but when the situation is normal, they forget everything." "By announcing a package of Rs 80,000 crore, centre should not think that it can buy out anti-India sentiments. "The Prime Minister while addressing a rally said he knew everything about Kashmir problem. If you know everyting then everyting is over. Nothing to be discussed and the problem should be at his door rather than anyone else's," the former Chief Minister said. An Ayurvedic centre will come up in China's Kunming province, which will be extended consultancy by a wing of the city-based Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the premier health care facility said today. Parmeshwar Arora, Senior Consultant of the hospital's Ayurveda Department, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 18 with a Chinese company YOGAME which runs yoga centres in China. According to the agreement, Arora will contribute towards sourcing of Ayurvedic materials and also provide training to the staff who will run the centre. A two-member Belgian police team has questioned ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Rajwinder Kaur in connection with the alleged murder of a woman who was reported missing in 2012. The team recorded statements of at least nine people related to each other yesterday, police said today. The team is probing the suspected murder of woman Jagwinder Kaur. Jagwinder, who hails from Mullanpur Dhakha in Ludhiana, was married to Kewal Singh, a resident of Bhagike village. Rajwinder is the sarpanch of the Bhagike village and her family members allegedly killed Jagwinder. Kewal had been living in Belgium for over 20 years. Police took blood samples of Bakhtaur Singh, Jagwinder's brother-in-law for a DNA test. In Februray 2012, Kewal came to his ancestral village to attend a marriage, police said, adding that a few days after his arrival, he got a phone call from Belgium that his wife has gone missing from the house. He left for Belgium, police said. Belgium police suspects it to be a case of honour killing. As post-poll violence continued across West Bengal, state Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi today wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asking her to take prompt and strict action to check such incidents. "In the letter Tripathi said law and order enforcing mechanism in the state should be suitably instructed to take prompt and strict action irrespective of political affiliation to deter such attacks," a statement issued from the Raj Bhawan said. The Governor also appealed to "all sections of society and political parties not to take recourse to violence and take part in the democratic process peacefully," the statement read. Tripathi has also reports on attacks on Trinamool Congress activists, the statement said. The Left Front and the Congress today unitedly paid a visit to the Governor and submitted a memorandum over the post poll-violence across the state. A team of state BJP leaders, including party president Dilip Ghosh, had also met the Governor on Saturday and submitted a memorandum regarding post-poll violence in the state. An alleged ISIS operative's claim that he was in Batla House when an encounter took place there in 2008 today prompted BJP to attack Congress over its "vote bank" politics, saying the opposition party stands "exposed". Referring to the then suggestions of some Congress leaders, including Digvijay Singh, that the encounter was fake, BJP said its stand that it was "genuine" has been vindicated. The ISIS operative, who is believed to be from Thane, has said in a recent video that he had fled the encounter site when police raided it. "Pseudo seculars had supported this theory about Batla house encounter being fake. They have been unmasked while the stand of BJP has been vindicated," BJP's national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. It has been again "proved" the vote bank politics and not national security was the Congress' priority and that is why it "ignored" truth in Ishrat Jahan case and compromised national interest for politics reasons, he said. He said Congress has always used terror cases as a politics tool and "compromised" national security. The role of 'saffron terror' as claimed by Congress in Samjhauta and Malegaon blasts cases was an outcome of this, he alleged. Illegal immigration is a "tricky and sensitive" issue and the new BJP government in Assam cannot turn a blind eye to it, a pro-RSS journal today said, insisting utilisation of resources for the right beneficiaries without getting tempted to vote-bank politics will be another test for it. Terming the BJP-led alliance's win in the state as a victory of nationalist forces against vote-bank politics, the editorial in 'Organiser' warned that changing the narrative on the ground is not an easy task and ensuring an accountable and transparent regime is the biggest systemic challenge for the new government there. "The challenge of changing the narrative on the ground is not an easy task. Ensuring accountable and transparent government in Assam itself is the biggest systemic challenge. "Then utilisation of resources for the right beneficiaries without getting tempted to the vote-bank politics is another test for the new government. Illegal migration is tricky and sensitive issue and new government cannot turn a blind eye towards it," the editorial titled 'Beyond electoral rhetoric' said. The pro-RSS journal also sought establishing the identity of 'Ashta Lakshmi' (goddesses signifying prosperity) for the seven northeastern states as propagated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of the colonial 'Seven Sisters' narrative given by the British that created psychological distance along with a physical one. "The colonial narrative of calling it 'seven sisters with racially different composition' created psychological distance along with the physical one... "The more new ruling party of Assam strengthens this process the more there is possibility of bringing these states out of the 'Seven Sisters' Syndrome and conferring due status to the 'Ashta Lakshmi'," it said. The publication also said the issue of illegal immigration and strong ties with Southeast Asian neighbours have international dimensions and diplomatic efforts cannot be made in the right direction unless there is agreement between the Centre and the state on this strategically important issue. "The crusader against illegal migration was projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate and still people of Assam overwhelmingly supported him is the victory of nationalist forces against the vote-bank politics in Assam. It is also a ratification of policy to treat North-East as Bharat's corridor to the Southeast Asia," it said. The journal said the leadership of Sarbananda Sonowal, who has a track record of fighting for people's issues on the ground, is the "last hope" for the people of Assam. "People have ratified his leadership for fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the people and utilising allocated resource to the optimum level," it said. Gearing up for 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, BJP has lined up its top brass, including 45 union ministers, for publicity blitzkrieg on Modi government's second anniversary beginning with the Prime Minister public meeting in Saharanpur on May 26. The union ministers are expected to attend events across the state's 32 cities a day after Modi addresses the Saharanpur rally. The politically crucial state, which goes to the assembly polls early next year, is at the centre of the party's political strategy and BJP president Amit Shah is also likely to address public meetings during the exercise that will go on between May 26 and June 10. "The PM will address a meeting in Saharanpur on May 26 marking the begining of a week-long 'vikas parv' to highlight his government's achivements during his two years in power," BJP state spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said in Lucknow today. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely will be in Lucknow and Road and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in Kanpur, while newly-elected president of BCCI and national president of BJP's youth wing Anurag Thakur and HRD Minister Smriti Irani will be in Gorakhpur to participate in programmes on separate dates. A number of union ministers are also scheduled to attend programmes like press conferences and public meetings across the country on the anniversary day. Health Minister J P Nadda and his ministerial colleague Harsimrat Kaur are likely to be in Varanasi, Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, and Agra respectively. More than 120 people were killed today in two Syrian regime bastions in a spate of bombings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Seventy-three people were killed in the city of Jableh and another 48 died in Tartus further south, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Seven bombs -- most of them suicide attacks -- hit Jableh and Tartus almost simultaneously today morning. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were "without a doubt the deadliest attacks" on the two cities since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. IS claimed the attacks via its Amaq agency, saying jihadists had attacked "Alawite gatherings" in Tartus and Jableh. Both cities are strongholds of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad whose family hails from the village of Qardaha, just 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Jableh. Their populations are mostly Alawite. IS is not known to have a presence in Syria's coastal provinces, where its jihadist rival and Al-Qaeda's local branch Al-Nusra Front is much more prominent. But IS is notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies. Syrian state media also reported the attacks but gave a total of 78 dead, 45 in Jableh and 33 in Tartus. The attacks began at 9:00 am local time (0600 GMT) in Tartus, where steadfast regime ally Russia has long maintained a naval base. State television broadcast footage of a bus station hit by one blast in Tartus, showing charred minibuses and others still ablaze. The Tartus blasts were caused by one car bomb and two suicide bombers, the Observatory and police said. A Facebook page sharing local from Jableh, where another bus station was targeted, as was a government hospital, shared footage of people around fire trucks near several bombed-out cars. A police officer in Jableh told AFP that one suicide attacker detonated his explosives inside the emergency room of the state-run hospital, while three car bombs caused the other blasts. The Observatory said there were three suicide attackers and just one car bomb. Russia today expressed concern over the blasts. "The rising tensions and terrorist activity in Syria can only spark great worry," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told journalists. He said the attacks "demonstrate yet again how fragile the situation is in Syria and the need to take energetic measures to relaunch peace talks". Prison riots in northeast Brazil has left 14 inmates dead last weekend, officials said. The riots broke out during a strike by prison guards, local media reported, pitting rival groups of inmates against each other at two prisons in the state of Ceara. "I deeply regret what has been happening in our penitentiaries and will spare no effort, together with our security forces, to ensure stability in the prison system as quickly as possible," Governor Camilo Santana said in a Facebook post yesterday. He called for reinforcements from the elite National Security Force. State prison officials said they were still investigating the reason for the deadly brawls, which they said had been brought under control by yesterday. Police and guards found a makeshift tunnel in one prison, "but there are no confirmed escapes," they said. The striking prison guards have since returned to work. Brazil's prisons are massively overcrowded havens for criminal gangs. Human Rights Watch recently called them a "human rights disaster. Canada's UN ambassador has said that the country's experience welcoming Syrian refugees helps qualify it for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, part of its push for a more active role on the world stage. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in mid-March that would seek a rotating seat on the council during the 2021-2022 term. "Our experience with Syrian refugees, our experience living together in diversity with lasting peace and prosperity is an example for the world," the country's UN ambassador Marc-Andre Blanchard told public broadcaster CBC yesterday. has welcomed more than 26,000 Syrian refugees following a campaign pledge by Trudeau, and has plans to take in up to 31,000 more by the end of the year. The Security Council has a total of 15 members, five of them permanent - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - and another 10 that serve rotating two-year terms. "In recent months, Canada's leadership has stood out with agreements on climate change, Syrian refugee issues, drugs recently and indigenous people last week," Blanchard said in French. "These are all examples of Canada's multilateral re-engagement." is also asserting its peacekeeping experience in its push for a Security Council seat. Ottawa aims to provide "expertise for rapid strategic deployment in conflict zones" and even command forces training, Blanchard said. The country currently has 84 police, nine military experts and 20 soldiers deployed on peacekeeping missions, but those numbers could grow as Ottawa plans to take over command of the UN stabilisation mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and replace Brazilian forces before the end of the year. A UN member since 1945, Canada has already served on the council several times. But it suffered a blow when it was passed over by the UN General Assembly during a 2010 bid to join the council. The assembly chose Portugal and Germany instead - both from the same Western region to which Canada belongs. Candidates for Security Council seats typically undertake vigorous lobbying campaigns courting the UN's 193 members. The Centre is considering implementing a new education system by changing the present one, Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria has said. "The central government is seriously considering implementing a new education system by making fundamental changes, including the system of not failing students up to Class VIII, in the present one," the Union Minister of State for HRD told reporters here yesterday. "The acceptance of the Indian education system has increased in the world. The Narendra Modi government has set a target of establishing 20 private and public universities. In these varsities, more than 500 professors of international standards will be invited to train students," he said. Attacking Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Katheria said his "love for Muslims" is a "sham". "Talking about reservation for Muslims is not bad but most backwards and Dalits should also be given their rights. The Muslim voters have favoured BJP in Assam," he said. He alleged that BSP chief Mayawati had collected money in the name of Dalits but she will not be able to influence the community again. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today extended Centre's support to the newly-formed government in Tamil Nadu, saying it will work with the J Jayalalithaa-led dispensation for the development of the southern state. "Conveyed 2 her tht we will work 2gthr for development of state in interest of the people. We extend all support frm center 2 d State Govt as the PM believes in Team India," Naidu, who attended the swearing-in ceremony of the chief minister, tweeted. Naidu also lauded Jayalalithaa for AIADMK's "remarkable victory" in the just-concluded Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu as he noted that for the first time in 32 years, a government was re-elected in the state. "Personally congratulated her on her remarkable victory. In Tamil Nadu 4 last 32 years no government was reelected. She defied it. Congrats," he said in a tweet. 68-year-old Jayalalithaa, along with 28 others, including her trusted lieutenant O Pannerselvam, today took oath of the office that was administered by Governor K Rosaiah. As Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke of plans to expand manufacturing operations in India, China apprehends that it could lead to possible exodus of Apple production chain and loss of tens of thousands of jobs, Chinese state-run media said. "It seems the time has come for China to consider whether it is ready for the possible exodus of Apple Inc's production chain," an article in Global Times said, referring to Cook's comments during his India tour. Cook had discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "possibilities of manufacturing". "Cook shared Apple Inc's future plans for India. He spoke of the possibilities of manufacturing and retailing in India. He appreciated the breadth of young talent in India and said the youth have significant skills which Apple would like to tap," an official statement had said. "Cook's words have prompted a heated discussion in China. Wage increase have apparently eroded China's labour competitiveness, resulting in the departure of a number of manufacturing businesses. Now people are wondering if Apple will be the next one," the Global Times said. Apple's decision could affect the jobs of tens of thousands of Chinese workers. However, a see-saw battle between China and India over the technology giant is not the only solution, it said. It is natural that Apple would want to move its manufacturing base from China to another Asian nation to lower production costs. In fact, before Cook's words, some major Apple suppliers such as Foxconn had already announced plans to expand their business in India," the report said. China may need to promote the development of more local manufacturers and encourage them to move to less-developed central and western regions where labour costs are lower, it said. "Several factors are to blame for the slow manufacturing transfer from coastal regions to inland areas. Although a large amount of money has been allocated to boost development in western China in recent years by accelerating infrastructure construction, the environment for business development in the region is still lagging behind," it said. China today said it has no objection to "normal" military cooperation between countries in the South China Sea if it is conducive to regional stability, days after Beijing raised "concern" over participation of India in Malabar exercise with the US and Japan near the disputed sea. "We have noted the relevant report. Concerning the normal military cooperation we have no objection to that. We hope that military cooperation such as this is conducive to peace and regional stability," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. A Chinese official had earlier said that Indian ships taking part in maritime exercise in the South China Sea was a matter of "concern". The official said the colonial tactics of "divide and rule" was being used. "When there is some trouble in the South China Sea, India is worried. When Indian ships participate in maritime exercises in the South China Sea, of course China will show concern," the official told reporters in New Delhi last week. Guided missile stealth frigates, INS Satpura and INS Sahyadri, INS Shakti, a sophisticated fleet support ship, and INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette, had set sail on May 18 on a two-and-a-half month long operational deployment to the South China Sea and North West Pacific. They will also take part in the Malabar exercise near the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty on almost all of the South China Sea which is disputed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The US, which had been pushing for Japan's inclusion, has said the exercise is an important element for assessing the maritime capabilities of all the three countries. The US has in recent months ramped up its warnings over what it calls China's growing "militarisation" in the region. American warships and aircraft have undertaken a number of operations in the region to challenge China's moves even as the US hopes to stitch Asian military powers into a closer cooperation. The US has also been pushing for a quadrilateral security dialogue involving itself, India, Japan and Australia. China has warned public of "relatively high risks" of geological disasters in parts of rain-battered Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, asking authorities to closely watch the bad weather and brace for any situations. China's Meteorological Administration (CMA) forecast possible mountain torrents in parts of rainy Hebei Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province and Yunnan Province in the same period. The administration asked local authorities to closely watch the bad weather and brace for any disasters, state-run Xinhua agency reported. Torrential rain has battered several provinces in China, affecting hundreds of thousands of people and causing heavy economic losses in the last few days. In the central province of Hunan, days of heavy rain have affected about 500,000 residents in 25 counties, with about 18,000 evacuated and 4,000 in need of emergency supplies, the provincial flood and drought relief headquarters said. The rainstorms have also damaged 46,000 hectares of crops. In south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, two people have died and 290,000 people in 16 counties have been affected by heavy rain. Rainstorms battered Guangxi's north and east, forcing more than 12,000 people to evacuate, according to the regional department of civil affairs. The disaster has affected some 17,460 hectares of crops and toppled 610 houses, causing a direct economic loss of 470 million yuan (USD 72 million). In the past a few days, torrential rains have battered several provinces in China, killing at least 10 persons and affecting some eight lakh others besides causing heavy economic losses and toppling hundreds of homes. The extremely rare round of heavy torrential rainfall was stated to be once in more than 200 years. Pitching for investments in India, President Pranab Mukherjee will address the India-China Business Forum in the industrial city of Guangzhou on May 25 which would be attended by over 300 Chinese trade officials and businessmen. A 36-member delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) headed by its President Dr Naushad Forbes would also take part in the event. Over 300 Chinese trade officials and businessmen were expected to attend the Forum, Indian officials told PTI here. The President is likely to seek increased Chinese investments in India, they said. Zhu Xiaodan,Governor of Guangdong Province and Jiang Zengwei, Chairman of China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) - China's top body for overseas investments - will also take part in the event. Mukherjee will arrive in Guangzhou tomorrow on the first leg of his four-day official visit to China and meet the strong Indian business community there. Guangzhou, China's industrial and trade hub, has over 3,000 Indian businessmen stationed there. After attending the Business Forum, Mukherjee will arrive in Beijing on May 25 wherein he would hold talks with Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping next day. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and top officials of the state today paid tribute to the three policemen killed in two militant attacks in the city. Mehbooba and Singh laid floral wreaths on the coffins of the three officers at a ceremony held at police control room here. Several other top dignitaries including ministers, Chief Secretary B R Sharma and Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar were present at the function. Two policemen were shot dead by militants in Zadibal area of the city, while another was killed by ultras in Tengpora area. (REOPENS DES 29) Mehbooba said such "dastardly acts" are against basic tenets of humanity and should be condemned by one and all. Recalling the sacrifices of police officers in combating militancy in the state, the Chief Minister said, "My heart goes out to the families of the slain police personnel and I hope that the perpetrators will be taken to task soon. "Such attacks are attempts by vested interests to derail the peace and reconciliation process started by the state government in Jammu and Kashmir, which will also impact the economy at a time when the tourism activity had started picking up in the state," she said. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today asked the state police and other security forces to attune themselves to the mission of compassion adopted by the state government. "I want to take Jammu and Kashmir out of the whirlpool of violence that has broken the back of our society and economy, but I will not succeed unless the J&K police and security forces include themselves in that mission to apply balm on the wounds of the people," Mehbooba said addressing the passing out parade of 13th batch of 228 Constables at Subsidiary Police Training Centre in Sheeri, Baramulla. Highlighting the role of state police in combating militancy, the Chief Minister said the situation in the state has improved because of the efforts of multiple security agencies. "If you had not acted in time, we could have landed in a situation similar to countries like Syria, Iraq and Pakistan which have been ripped apart by acts of violence carried out in the name of religion," she said. "Unfortunately, our police force has more responsibilities. The violence of the last three decades has landed you in a difficult situation. You can fight with outsiders but when your own youth pick up guns, it becomes a big challenge for you. You have given many sacrifices. You have stood your ground and I salute you for performing to the best of your abilities," Mehbooba added. The Chief Minister said the role of police has evolved given the unprecedented improvement in the security situation of the state. "Your role is difficult because you have to tackle your own people. I can't tell you how to react when bullets are being fired at you. But during crowd control, we tend to overreact. We have to understand that these boys are our own and it is your responsibility to bring them into mainstream," she said. Addressing the constables who passed out of the training centre on Monday, the Chief Minister asked them to respect the Constitutions of J&K and India while performing their duties. "Under the constitution, police has more responsibilities than rights. If a small incident takes place, the complaint will come to you as constables. People have high hopes from you. They expect you to undo the wrongs. You should not let them down," she said. Asking police to set up a proper mechanism for engaging with the youth, the chief minister said the life of a police officer should become an ideal for people in Jammu and Kashmir, where security forces are often portrayed in a negative light. "Whenever any civilian dies, it undoes the efforts of reconciliation by the state government. The army is doing an excellent job at the border by stopping infiltration. Police too should show restraint in dealing with law and order situations," she said. Mehbooba said she is carrying forward mission of her late father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, to put a permanent end to the troubles of J&K for which he joined hands with the NDA. "Despite his falling health, Mufti Sahab stuck his ground and joined hands with NDA. It was a difficult decision for him. He knew that he was running out of time but the welfare of people of J&K mattered to him more than anything else. I am now carrying forward his half-done mission," she said. The Chief Minister said the J&K government will evolve a system for quick promotion of constables on the basis of merit. "You will get rewards on the basis of merit and the inequity between KPS and IPS cadres will be taken care of," she said. She also said they were thinking of giving one time relaxation to absorb all those children of policemen who laid down their lives in the line of duty. An accused in a coal scam case was today warned by a special court for resorting to delaying tactics, saying he should be careful otherwise coercive steps will be taken in the future. Chartered Accountant Manoj Kumar Gupta, who along with Ranchi-based M/s Domco Pvt Ltd, its directors and others is facing prosecution in a case of alleged misrepresentation of facts to acquire a coal block in Jharkhand, had purportedly conveyed wrong date of hearing to his counsel who was not present in the court for advancing arguments on charges. Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar took exception to the absence of Gupta's counsel Rajiv Mohan whose junior advocate informed the court that the accused had told them arguments qua him are to be addressed on May 24 and not today. "Counsel Rajiv Mohan is not present to argue on the point of charge. It has been submitted by counsel Abhimanyu Kampani that accused Gupta told them that arguments qua him are to be addressed on May 24. "It appears to be a deliberate intention on the part of accused Gupta in delaying the matter. Accused Gupta has been strictly warned to remain careful in future failing which the court will be compelled to take coercive steps to ensure proper conduct of trial in future," the court said and fixed the case for tomorrow for hearing arguments on charges. Besides Gupta and the company, the other accused in the case are the firm's three directors -- Binay Prakash, Vasant Diwakar Manjrekar and Parmananda Mondal -- chartered accountant Sanjay Khandelwal and one Shukdeo Prasad. The accused persons were granted bail on February 10 by the court after they appeared before it. In its charge sheet, CBI has claimed that Domco Pvt Ltd, which was earlier known M/s Domco Smokeless Fuels Pvt Ltd, had applied to the Steel Ministry for allotment of a captive coal block to set up a pig iron plant of two lakh tonnes per annum capacity at Rairangpur in Odisha through its director Prakash. Cochin Port has taken a slew of measures such as green channel for vehicle tax at Walayar check post and better rail connectivity to speed up cargo clearance and bring down costs for traders, a top official said today. Addressing exporters and importers at an interactive session at Erode, Cochin Port Trust Chairman In-Charge G Senthilvel said that Cochin provides a savings of seven days in transit time and savings of USD 100 to USD 200 in overall supply chain cost for Europe Bound exports. The port has direct sailing to Europe, the Mediterranean and the Far East in addition to regular sailings to the Gulf and Colombo, Senthilvel was quoted as saying by the Shipping Ministry in a release. The port, one of the 12 major ports in the country, is opening up for investments and has initiated a slew of measures to support exporters from Erode zone, he said. Speaking about steps taken to speed up clearance process, he said that the Walayar Check Post has introduced a Green Channel for vehicle/sales tax/ excise for EXIM cargo and this has resulted in quick clearance of both customs/excise sealed and self sealed containers at the check post. Also, the CONCOR has started regular service on every Saturday from Coimbatore to Cochin Port to carry export containers and on every Thursday from Cochin to Coimbatore to transport import containers. The CONCOR is carrying empty containers from Cochin to Coimbatore free of cost. This provision is making the overall cost much cheaper than before. Coimbatore Inland Container Depot is providing facilities for consolidating LCL cargo from Erode, the release said. Besides, the statement said Coimbatore Inland Container Depot is providing facilities for consolidating LCL cargo from Erode. "The industrialists at Erode, especially those in the food processing industry, were enthusiastic about supplies to cruise vessels and other vessels calling at the Cochin Port. The businessmen in the garment and cotton industry have decided to set up stalls during the visit of premium cruise vessels at Cochin Port starting with the visit of 'Ovation of the Seas' on June 1," the statement said. The government, which owns 100 per cent stake in Cochin Port, plans to divest its 10 per cent stake through IPO and invited from merchant bankers for managing the IPO. The Initial public offering (IPO) of Cochin Shipyard will be of over 3.39 crore shares. This would include fresh issue of over 2.26 crore shares and government diluting 10 per cent stake or over 1.13 crore shares. Falling back on its national icons in the time of depressing lows, Congress is planning to digitalise the photographs and speeches of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi including interviews given by her in September 1984, a month before she was assassinated. Indications to this effect came from top sources in the party on a day a book "The Unseen Indira Gandhi" penned by her physician K P Mathur was released here in presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who freely mingled with the guests. The party also plans to preserve Indira's audio and videos, a number of which are not in a very good condition. The plans come ahead of the former Prime Minister's birth centenary falling next year. One of those interviews, which the party plans to preserve was given to historian Bipan Chandra. The Congress president appeared relaxed as she chatted freely, talking about trees and weather outside. She shook hands with the grandchildren of Dr Mathur. Gandhi, however, declined to answer political questions by journos. Gandhi, who had on Saturday did some pep talk for party workers telling them "no failure is permanent" in wake of party's debacle in Assam and Kerala, was in a happy mood. Releasing the book in Gandhi's presence, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, "In 20th century, there is nobody to equal the personality of Indira Gandhi." She said while the world knows Indira as firm and determined lady, Mathur's book reveals the aspects of a mother and caring lady in the former prime minister. Reading out excerpts from the book, nominated Rajya Sabha MP Narendra Jadhav said that Indira comes out as a very kind, sensitive and graceful person through the book. Congress veteran Karan Singh, whose association with the Nehru-Gandhi family is from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru, recalled that Indira was "struggling with her notes" when she had become MP for the first time but gradually she developed and developed. "She was always extremely political," he said. He also recalled that the time when Sonia was married to Rajiv Gandhi saying "she exactly looked like a Kashmiri Pandit bride". Sonia, who was seated in the audience, appeared saying something to which Singh responded "no no you did look like that." Mathur, a former physician at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi who served for nearly 20 years as the physician to Indira and called on her every morning till her assassination in 1984, details Mrs Gandhi's journey as a politician and her relations with family in the book. The 151-page book, whose foreword was written by Priyanka Gandhi, describes Indira as "very tense, a bit confused and not sure of herself" in the first year or two of her becoming the prime minister in 1966. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has asserted that the country can preserve its rich biodiversity while ensuring the development. "It is a myth that ecological conservation and development can not coexist. It is not correct to see environment and development as being two ends of a spectrum, where one must be compromised in order to enhance the other," Javadekar said, speaking at an International Biodiversity Day event held in Mumbai last evening. Concerns of livelihood should be addressed equally while framing policies for environmental protection, he said. The Centre will formulate a policy for conservation of the rich biodiversity of Western Ghats while ensuring that the livelihood of five crore people residing in the region, spread across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is not adversely affected, he said. "India is one of the recognised mega-diverse countries of the world, harbouring nearly 8 per cent of recorded species and representing four biodiversity hotspots," he said. The minister conceded that 'jan andolan' (peoples' movements) were necessary for biodiversity conservation, and added that many success stories of the environment conservation had not been highlighted by the mainstream media. Prof R Sukumar of the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, in his key-note address called for using ecology and sociology as the basis for conservation in India. He also advocated a "landscape approach" to ecological conservation instead of national parks protected area approach. (Reopens DEL31) Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress latched on to the faux pas to attack Javadekar for his "lack of knowledge of history" which, it said, emanates from his party BJP not participating in the freedom struggle. "It is not Javadekar's fault. Since they and their leaders have not taken part in the freedom movement, they are going to talk like this. It (the remark) shows the level of his knowledge of history," state Congress President Arun Yadav said. Attorneys for an Indian-American woman found guilty of killing the premature infant she delivered after ingesting abortion-inducing drugs will ask an appeals court today to throw out the convictions that led to her 20-year prison sentence. At issue is Indiana's feticide law, which the defence says was "passed to protect pregnant women from violence" that could harm their developing fetus, not to prosecute women for their own abortions. The state argues that the law "is not limited to third-party actors" and can apply to pregnant women. Attorneys for 35-year-old Purvi Patel will urge the Indiana Court of Appeals to reverse her 2015 convictions on charges of feticide and neglect of a dependent resulting in death. The state's attorney general's office will defend the northern Indiana jury's decision. Patel, of Granger, was arrested in July 2013 after she sought treatment at a local hospital for profuse bleeding after delivering a 1-pound infant boy and putting his body in a trash bin behind her family's restaurant. Court records show Patel purchased abortion-inducing drugs online through a pharmacy in Hong Kong, took those drugs and delivered a premature baby in her home bathroom. Patel lived with her parents and grandparents, and she feared her family would discover she had been impregnated by a married man, according to court documents. Patel's attorneys contend her convictions are not supported by the evidence and that the laws prosecutors used don't apply to her alleged actions in the child's premature delivery. Two dozen women's advocacy groups, as well as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union, all have filed friend-of-the-court briefs siding with Patel. At least 38 states have fetal homicide laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But the Patel case was the first time a state feticide law has been used against a woman specifically because of "an alleged self-induced abortion," said Jill E Adams, executive director of the abortion rights advocacy group Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice. "Prosecutors have been very creative and very egregious, stretching far beyond the letter of the law and even the legislative intent behind the law," she said of efforts by prosecutors in some states to use a variety of laws to criminalize self-induced abortions. A special court today reserved for June 8 its order on framing of charges against gangster Chhota Rajan and three others in a fake passport case. Special judge Vinod Kumar concluded hearing arguments of CBI and accused persons on the issue of charge during which Rajan denied the allegation that he used a fictitious identity with the help of fake passport to escape the law as he was accused in several cases of heinous nature. His counsel, however, submitted that he has no objection on framing of charge against him as per the allegations in the charge sheet. During the arguments, the CBI had alleged that the government officials conspired to issue the passport to Rajan in the name of one Mohan Kumar, a non-existent person in complete violation of procedures. It had told the court that Rajan, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody, was accused in several cases of heinous nature, involving charges of murder and extortion and in 1995, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him, therefore, he used a new identity to escape. Besides Rajan, the other accused persons in the case are against Rajan and retired public servants Jayashree Dattatray Rahate, Deepak Natvarlal Shah and Lalitha Lakshmanan. According to CBI, Rajan had got his first fake passport issued from Bengaluru on January 1, 1998 allegedly in connivance with the other accused persons. The CBI said Rajan had allegedly got his passport issued twice from Indian missions abroad on the basis of a fake travel document issued to him in the name of Kumar from the Bengaluru passport office in 1998. CBI filed a charge sheet for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery under the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Passport Act. It said these officers had allegedly ignored rules and regulations of verification while issuing the passport on fake identity and address. CBI claimed on the basis of passport issued in Kumar's name, Rajan had allegedly got another passport issued on December 19, 2003 from High Commission of India at Harare, Zimbabwe, and another one from the Consulate General of India in Sydney. Deported after being on the run for 27 years, the 55-year old gangster, who was once a close aide of fugitive terrorist and mob boss Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to India to face trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai. Rajan was deported to India after his arrest in Bali in October last year. Shares of tour and travel firm Cox & Kings dipped nearly 14 per cent today after the company reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 305.53 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Opening on a weak note, the stocks further slumped 13.98 per cent to close at Rs 149.80 on BSE. At NSE, shares of the company settled at Rs 149.75, down 14.08 per cent. Volumewise, 3.59 lakh shares of the company changed hands at BSE and over 21 lakh shares were traded at NSE during the day. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 64.56 crore for the January-March period of the previous fiscal, Cox & Kings said in a BSE filing on May 20. Consolidated total income from the operations stood at Rs 470.96 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. It was Rs 409.61 crore in the year-ago period. According to the company, its result are not comparable as it has sold its camping division to France's Homair Vacances. "Owing to sale of camping division on September 11, 2014, the figures of the year are not comparable to corresponding figures of last year," the company said. For the entire fiscal, Cox & Kings consolidated net profit was at Rs 53.93 crore. It had a net profit of Rs 91.78 crore in 2014-15. Its consolidated total income from operations for the 2015-16 fiscal was Rs 2,351.91 crore. It was Rs 2,569.09 crore in the previous fiscal. A 60-year-old owner of an eatery in southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar area was shot at following a heated argument with three customers tonight over payment of bill. Vasudeo alias Pappu, owner of Sindhi Dhaba in Lajpat Nagar 3 sustained two bullet injuries and is reported to be in a critical condition, police said. The incident took place between 10 and 10.30 PM when three men had come to the eatery in a Maruti Swift car with a UP registration number. They had their dinner and tried to leave without paying the bill. When Vasudeo tried to intervene, one of them allegedly pulled out a gun and shot four rounds there, a senior police official said. The accused fled the scene by the time police reached the spot. The victim was then rushed to a hospital. "A case has been registered and the number of the car has been noted," the senior official added. The Delhi government has notified the app-based Premium Bus services starting from June 1 which will enable people to book their seats in buses through their smartphone on the lines of app-based taxis services in the national capital. Only air-conditioned buses will ply under the scheme according to which one bus aggregator will have to run at lease 50 vehicles to get a licence from Delhi government's Transport department. A senior government official said, "Government has notified the app-based bus scheme to be rolled out from from June 1." While announcing the scheme last month, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai had said that bus aggregators will have an individual app like Ola, Uber and they will be allowed to decide their fares, but if need arises government will prescribe upper limit of fares or take steps to check predatory pricing. Welcoming the government's move to introduce app-based Premium Bus Services, Ola said that it looks forward to working with the government in extending a world class daily commute solution from Ola Shuttle, to citizens across the state. "Ola welcomes the efforts of the Delhi Government for App-based Premium Bus Services. We look forward to working with the Government in extending a world class daily commute solution from Ola Shuttle, to citizens across the state. "Ola Shuttle is Delhi NCR's most preferred daily commute offering, built with a deep understanding of the local market needs. We are confident that this will go a long way in solving key issues like congestion, pollution and parking that we are faced with today," Ola said in a statement. The registration of app-based Premium buses will start from June 1. As per new policy, bus aggregators will determine the routes on which Premium buses will ply from time to time and specify such routes along with the time schedule of each trip on its web-based application. Government has made compulsory installation of two CCTV cameras, wi-fi and GPS in each bus to be plied under new service. In view of women safety, bus aggregators will have to ensure panic button in their apps. (REOPENS DES 92) "After accepting the booking of a passenger, aggregators cannot cancel the service except upon occurrence of break-down and force majeure and in that case, companies will have to refund passenger no less than twice the amount they received from the affected passengers," another a senior government official said. App users will be required to find buses going towards their destination and thereafter they can book their seat through their phone. Five minutes before the departure, bus aggregators will have to freeze bookings and display a list of passengers. Drivers of the vehicle cannot allow other passengers in the way who have not booked their seats. AAP government's confrontationist attitude towards the Lt Governor and Centre has virtually stalled administration and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is trying to revive the issue of full statehood to Delhi to divert attention from his failures, three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said today. In a stinging attack on Kejriwal, Dikshit said people of the city were the "real sufferers" in AAP government's fight with the Centre and LG Najeeb Jung on a series of issues. "You cannot run a government adopting a confrontationist attitude. They have been fighting with the LG, they have been fighting with the Centre on virtually every issue. People of Delhi are suffering because of it,"Dikshit told PTI. The 78-year-old Congress veteran said Kejriwal recently released a draft bill on full statehood to Delhi with an aim to revive the issue to "hide his failures" in fulfillng the election promises. "Delhi has a unique administrative set up. You must respect the constitutional provisions. We have ensured Delhi's development under the same set up. We had differences with the Centre but they were sorted out amicably," said Dikshit, whose party was handed a crushing defeat by AAP in 2014 polls. The former Chief Minister said there was virtually no administration and that Delhi's development can be ensured through cooperation and not confrontation. "I have a feeling that whenever Kejriwal faces criticism, he tries to divert attention. He has brought this statehood bill to divert attention from his failures. Delhi can be granted statehood only by Parliament," said Dikshit. She said the AAP government has "totally failed" to take Delhi forward on the path of development. "They have done nothing in the last one year. The city is suffering because of their inefficiency," she said. Asked about the electoral drubbing Congress suffered in the Assembly polls, Dikshit said the party had faced bigger crises but emerged stronger from electoral reverses. "The party will come out of it strongly. I do not have any doubt about it," she said. She said Dalits and Muslims were feeling "insecure" under the Modi government at the Centre and termed the situation as alarming. Dikshit was made Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate considering her Brahmin background as the party felt it will help it win back support of the community, which has a sizeable vote base in UP. Born into a Punjabi Khatri family, Dikshit is the daughter-in-law of Congress heavyweight from UP late Uma Shankar Dikshit, a tall Brahmin leader who had served as a Union minister and governor for a long time. The Brahmin community, a traditional vote bank of Congress, had shifted allegiance to BJP in the aftermath of the Mandir-Mandal politics. A large chunk of Brahmin votes had also gone to Mayawati's BSP in the past when she gave tickets to many candidates belonging to the community. The community's support determines the poll outcome in several seats in central and eastern UP. Punjab's 'Seechewal model' of river cleaning, that involves eco-friendly and natural processes to treat wastewater and sewage, will be implemented by the Delhi government to infuse life into the Yamuna river, Water Minister Kapil Mishra said today. Mishra said this after visiting Seechewal Gaon in Punjab's Kapurthala to meet noted environmental activist Balbir Singh Seechewal, who has played a prominent role in reviving the Kali Bein rivulet. The minister was accompanied by a team of officials from Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The DJB team studied the decentralised natural treatment system, oxidation pond, settling tanks and processes used to remove floating materials and how flow of water is maintained which ensures self-purification of the Kali Bein rivulet. "We have presented our plan to Seechewalji to clean the Yamuna river, which incorporates almost all the ideas that he has used, including decentralised wastewater treatment, oxidation ponds and maintenance of river flow. "We will ensure that the Yamuna river is cleaned on a war footing and will ensure that the Punjab's Seechewal model of river cleaning is implemented in Delhi," Mishra said. Protesting the letters sent to their parents for staging an agitation against water crisis in their hostel, female students from Delhi University today approached the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and varsity Vice Chancellor alleging "witch-hunt" by administration. Over 200 students ofDelhi University's Undergraduate Hostel for Girls (UGHG)had held a protest on April 23 which went on till around 2.30 AM the next day. There was no water supply to the hostel for two months. Delhi Water Minister and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chairman Kapil Mishra had met the protesting students and addressed them around midnight. Water supply was restored on April 25. A month after the incident happened, parents of some of the students involved in the protest received a letter sent by the hostel administration saying the act was in violation of rule and can have bad impact on other residents. Mishra, also objected to the letters sent to parents and said he will raise the issue with DU VC Yogesh Tyagi. "This is intolerable. I will raise it with VC. Students highlighted the failure of DU admin. DU shd be thankful," he said in a tweet. A protesting student said, "calling or writing letters to parents as a threat to silence the voices and resistance of women students will not be tolerated any more. This is gender discrimination and harassment, and has to be called out as that". "The university has to stop treating us an infantile 'girls' and recognize that we are independent adult women who demand that the university be accountable to us and the constitution," she added. The students today approached the DCW, terming the letters sent to their parents as witch-hunt by DU for raising their voice against the administration. "This is an age-old sexist ploy universities have constantly used against women students, colluding with the patriarchal and casteist family's desire to control and restrict women's aspirations and dreams," the complaint sent to DCW said. The students also marched to the Vice Chancellor's office but were stopped midway by the university's security. Representatives from the Delhi University Dean of Student Welfare (DSW) and Proctor Office met the students and took their memorandum of demands. ED has sent Letters Rogatory (judicial requests) to UK and Singapore in connection with its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis deal case and parallel investigations in the financial transactions of some companies belonging to friends of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti. The agency, along with the Income Tax department, had conducted multiple searches in Chennai and Bengaluru in this case in the recent past and the LRs, sources said, aim to obtain further details on these firms which the Enforcement Directorate is also probing for alleged contraventions of forex laws. The sources said the latest probe also pertains to firms identified as Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited and Chess Global Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, where Karti had been a director, and few others for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The agency had conducted search and seizure operations on the business premises of Chess Global firm in Chennai in the presence of Karti last December. The LRs, they said, are expected to throw more light on the complex web of operations of these firms which are spread to over a dozen countries including UK and Singapore. While Karti has denied any wrongdoing and has reiterated his cooperation with probe agencies, his father P Chidambaram had accused the government of a "malicious onslaught" launched by it against his family. "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 had said. ED is also getting in touch with a number of countries like UAE, South Africa, US, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, France, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and British Virgin Islands on a reciprocal arrangement basis to obtain further leads in the two cases. The agency is also expected to summon Karti for questioning in the case in the near future. The probe agency, in January, had filed a charge sheet in the Aircel-Maxis deal that was a part of the 2G spectrum allocation case and had named former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi, his wife Kavery Kalanithi and few other individuals and two companies as accused in the case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency had also told the court that further probe relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal and related issues are subject of further investigation under anti-money laundering laws. It had said the approval was given when Chidambaram was Finance Minister in 2006. Some elements in the Pakistani military and the ISI had "shown a willingness" to work with terrorist outfits, a top American Congressman has alleged after the US said it has killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike deep inside . "I think that there is an element in the ISI, an element in their security services that in the past have shown a willingness to work with terrorist organisations, especially inside Afghanistan," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee told. "And my hope is that now that has come back to bite, that there is a realisation that that support has to end," he said. Asked if can be an ally in the war on terror, Royce said, "I think the civilian government is." Asked whether he believes that gave the okay for the drone strike against Mansour or was given advanced warning, Royce said, "some elements in the Pakistani military are conflicted here for this reason. They've worked with the Taliban in the past, but at the same time, the Taliban and their allies, their other radical allies, are also trying to overthrow the civilian government inside Pakistan itself." "And so, this has complicated the situation for Pakistan since they have lost so many civilians to attacks by Taliban and other affiliated radical organisations. So, I think end of the day, the fact that we've taken out the Taliban leader might allow us to see an evolution in this, where we get more security in the region," he said. Mansour, who was in his early 50s, and another militant were targeted in a precision air strike by multiple unmanned drones operated by US Special Operations forces yesterday in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province close to the Afghan border. Royce said the airstrike against Mansour was an important development because he had "killed thousands and thousands of people." "So, the fact that we took out their leader, this is important, but it's only the first step. If we're really going to give the air power, the support necessary to make certain that the Afghans can hold their ground against the Taliban," Royce said. An environment activist today moved the National Green Tribunal seeking ban on use of all forms of petroleum coke, also called Petcoke, as it emits fine particulate matter (PM), which is harmful to human health. Petcoke is a high calorific value solid fuel and is extensively used for power generation in various countries. The plea has sought direction to the Centre to issue appropriate "notification/order/direction" to all the state governments and project proponents to stop using all forms of petroleum coke which emit large amount of sulphur dioxide in the environment. "Burning of Pet-coke emits pollutants which impairs the functioning of upper respiratory system. It affects breathing, causes respiratory illness and lung cancer. Pet-coke emits high level of PM2.5 and PM10 that are harmful to human health," it said adding that "ban on Pet-coke will reduce national smoke level and improve air quality." The petition filed by Pritam Singh has contended that demand and supply of Pet-coke was increasing at a high rate due to its cheaper cost and better availability compared to coal. Singh has made Ministry of Environment and Forests and Central Pollution Control Board as parties in the case and the matter is likely to come up for hearing on May 26. "Pet-coke is being consumed by both the private and public sector with a massive growth rate. In FY 2013-14, 2.13 million tonnes were used in public sector and 9.662 million tons were used by the private sector. However in FY 2014-15, 2.381 million tonnes were used in public sector and 12.027 million tonnes were used in the private sector. "That approximately 5.81 million tonnes of petroleum coke were imported in the country in FY 2014-2013 as compared to 3.57 million tonnes in FY 2013-2014, thus having the growth rate of 62 per cent," the plea, filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, said. "Constitute the committee of independent experts to assess the situation and overall environment pollution and human health and other pollution caused due to the use of petroleum coke and to suggest the remedial measures thereto on account of loss of ecology, impact of pollution on natural resources, health of the people due to use of Pet coke (Petroleum Coke)," the plea sought. Asset base of equity (MFs) surged 16% to Rs 3.57 lakh crore in April as retail investors poured money into these schemes. The industry's equity assets under management (AUM) rose to Rs 3.57 lakh crore last month as against Rs 3.06 lakh crore in April last year, according to latest data available with Association of in India (AMFI). In March this year, the asset base of equity MFs stood at Rs 3.45 lakh crore. Despite over 5% slump in the benchmark BSE Sensex in last one year, investors pumped in over Rs 78,000 crore into equity schemes. Retail participation has shown a remarkable resilience to market volatility last fiscal, experts noted. In April, equity and equity-linked saving schemes saw an infusion of Rs 4,438 crore, highest in 5 months. This was the highest net inflow since November, when equity witnessed an inflow of Rs 6,379 crore. Market experts attributed the rise in inflow to investment in systematic investment plans (SIPs) and strong participation from retail investors. SIP is an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amounts periodically instead of lump sums. The frequency of investment is usually weekly, monthly or quarterly. Total inflow in equity schemes has helped the 43 mutual funds reach Rs 14.22 lakh crore in AUM at the end of last month, from Rs 11.86 lakh crore till April 2015. MFs are investment vehicles made up of a pool of funds collected from a large number of investors for the purpose of investing in stocks, bonds, money market instruments among others. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today gave his close ally and Transport Minister Binali Yildirim the mandate to form a government as prime minister in a move set to further consolidate the strongman's grip on power. Yildirim had earlier been chosen by the ruling party as its new chairman, immediately vowing to make a priority out of implementing Erdogan's controversial plan for a presidential system to enshrine his status as the Turkish number one. He replaces in both posts Ahmet Davutoglu, a former foreign minister who promoted his own ambitious agenda but threw in the towel after a power struggle with Erdogan. Yildirim, 60, was the only candidate at the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) extraordinary congress in Ankara, receiving 1,405 votes from 1,470 delegates present. In a carefully choreographed process, Davutoglu hours later met Erdogan at the presidential palace to formally submit his resignation as prime minister. Yildirim then also went to the palace to be given the mandate to form the new government as premier, a presidential statement said. Davutoglu will stay on as premier until a new government is formed but that should be in the next days. By AKP convention, the posts of premier and ruling party chief are held by the same person. Analysts expect Yildirim to be a more pliant figure for Erdogan and he lost no time in making clear his enthusiasm for the presidential system plan. "Turkey needs a new constitution. Are you ready to bring in a presidential system?" Yildirim said to cheers at the congress, saying this was the way to end the current "confusion". Erdogan first came to power as prime minister in 2003, switching to the presidency in 2014. If he seeks a second presidential mandate in 2019, he could stay in power until 2024. In a second speech after his election was confirmed, Yildirim added: "Our path is the path of Recep Tayyip Erdogan." Transport minister for almost all of the last decade and a half, Yildirim has been Erdogan's pointman for the implementation of his grandiose road and rail infrastructure projects. He is only the third party chairman in the history of the AKP -- which has transformed Turkey by putting Islam at the forefront of the officially secular country's politics -- after Erdogan and Davutoglu. A 40-year-old farmer was killed over an old dispute in Kola Raipura village in Jalalabad area, police said today. Kalpram and his son was attacked with sticks and rod by a group of people last night when he was in his field, they said. The farmer's body was found this morning in the fields while his son was lying unconscious and rushed to a hospital, where his condition is stated to be stable. Police have registered an FIR in this connection and investigation is underway. Gunmen in Mexico's Veracruz state shot dead four men hours after police killed an alleged criminal elsewhere in the region and another man was kidnapped at church, authorities said. Three armed men stormed into a nightclub called La Madame in the regional capital Xalapa yesterday morning, shooting four victims at a table inside. "Four elderly men were killed," the state government said in a statement. Several more were injured, an official told AFP, without specifying a number. Local media reported that the attack injured 12 people. Xalapa, a city of 525,000 residents, lies 290 kilometers (180 miles) east of Mexico City near the Gulf of Mexico. Around noon on Saturday, a group of armed and masked men entered a church in the port of Veracruz, west of Xalapa, during a religious ceremony and dragged away a man before fleeing in two vehicles. The church was packed with families gathered for the confirmation of several children, including the daughter of the kidnapped man, whom officials named as Agustin Urena Estrada. Security forces are working to find him, Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte tweeted. Authorities believe he belongs to an organized criminal group and is nicknamed El Chango, security officials said. Also yesterday morning, police killed another member of an organized criminal group during a clash in a bar in the city of Orizaba, south of Xalapa, the Veracruz government said in a separate statement. "The dangerous criminal and organized crime group member Luis Alberto Carrera Rodriguez, nicknamed El Negro, was killed," the statement said. The official who spoke to AFP declined to say whether a connection existed between the three incidents, but stated that investigations were under way. Violence has skyrocketed in energy-rich Veracruz since 2010, when the ruthless Los Zetas drug cartel took control of criminal activities in the state, where it has waged a war on the media, turning the region into one of the most dangerous for journalists. Israel's foreign media union condemned a demand for a photographer to submit to a strip search before entering Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office today. "The Foreign Press Association is disturbed and disappointed to hear once again that a photographer covering an event today with the prime minister was asked to take part in a humiliating security check before being allowed to attend," the FPA said in a statement. Atef Safadi, a journalist with the European Pressphoto Agency, was attending as the FPA representative to take photos of a meeting between Netanyahu and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls that would have been shared between media. Before entering he was asked to remove his clothes as part of a security check, a request he refused. As a result he left, resulting in no photos for foreign media of the event, including AFP. "The FPA again calls on security agencies to respect the right of journalists at such events, who already hold Israeli government press accreditation," the statement added. Israel's media status was downgraded from free to partly free last month by a US-based watchdog, Freedom House. An empowered group of ministers (GoM), constituted by the Centre, has recommended raising the penalty and making more stringent the provisions for violation of traffic rules. GoM head and Rajasthan Transport Minister Yunus Khan told reporters here the group in its second meeting in Bangalore discussed and recommended various measures to check traffic violations. The measures include setting up of a dedicated force for traffic management on national highways,10 per cent share from CRF for road safety, provisions in police act and traffic rules for pedestrians andnon-mechanised vehicles. Heavy penalty for minor drivers and cancellation of driving licence for two years forviolation of rules or crimes of serious nature after three times have also been recommended. The minister said the third meeting of the group is proposed to take place in Himachal Pradesh in June. He also detailed the progress of road projects in the state and said the government was focusing on improving road safety and to reduce accidents and deaths in road accidents. Gulf Arab foreign ministers have agreed with their Canadian counterpart to strengthen "cooperation" in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) group and other jihadist organisations, they said in a statement. Ministers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council agreed yesterday with Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion on the need to "dry up" sources of finance for jihadists. "The campaign against Daesh (an Arabic acronym for ISIS) and other terrorist organisations is not religious or linked to a religion or sect but rather a war on terror," they added in a statement. They agreed to "strengthen joint cooperation... To eradicate terrorism", including by "doubling efforts to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters" to Syria and Iraq, where the Sunni jihadist group has seized territory. The joint Arabic-language statement was released following a "strategic dialogue" between Dion and GCC ministers in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah. The statement, which came after deadly attacks yesterday in Syria and Yemen, condemned the "barbarian crimes committed by Daesh and other terrorist groups". It also comes after Dion on Saturday announced the start of a Canadian security pact with Tunisia, initially for three years, to support the North African country in its fight against "terrorism". The ministers also voiced support for the Iraqi government's "efforts to preserve security and stability", urging the creation of a "comprehensive" government there to "strengthen the capabilities of Iraqi security forces in their war on Daesh". Iraq has been hit by a months-long political crisis that has paralysed the legislature, as the country's forces battle to regain more ground from while also facing a major financial crisis. The ministers also reaffirmed their "rejection of Iran's support for terrorism and its actions that undermine stability in the region, including acts by Hezbollah", the Lebanese militia whose supporters are fighting alongside the Tehran-backed regime in Syria and which is listed as a "terrorist group" by GCC countries. The ministers vowed to work together "to confront (Iran's) interferences in the region". In addition to Iran's arch-rival Saudi Arabia, the GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Riyadh severed diplomatic relations with Tehran in January after Iranian demonstrators burned Saudi Arabia's embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Several other GCC members followed suit in cutting ties. Delhi High Court today put on hold the orders of the Centre and state licensing authority directing Reckitt Benckiser's Indian joint venture company to surrender its licence for manufacture and sale of Benzocaine dosed condoms. Justice Manmohan said the orders "shall not be given effect to" till central government decides the joint venture (JV) company's representation to not cancel its licence. It directed the JV, TTK Protective Devices Ltd, to file its representation within two weeks and also ordered it to maintain a "log and accounts" of the number of such condoms manufactured and sold by it. With these directions, the court disposed of the plea filed by Reckitt and TTK against the Centre's and the state authority's orders. Senior advocate Nidhesh Gupta, appearing for Reckitt, contended that there were 51 products in the Indian market which contain Benzocaine in varying amounts and which have been granted licence for manufacture by state licensing authorities. The Centre's lawyer told the court that if the company approaches it with a representation, a decision would be taken in eight weeks. He also said there is no mention of Benzocaine in the licence granted by the Centre to Reckitt in February last year to import the product. To this, Gupta said that in the application for import licence, Benzocaine was mentioned along with name of the product. As per the petition, TTK was issued a licence for manufacture of the condoms in 2001 by the state authority which has been delegated power to do so. It had also said that when Reckitt had applied for import licence in 2015, the central government had granted licence and had not treated the product as a new drug. In January this year the Centre wrote to the state authority that the product falls under the category of a new drug requiring permission of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) which TTK does not have and thus, the licence for manufacture ought to be cancelled, the petition had said. It had also said that in view of the January 2016 letter of the Centre, the state authority wrote to the company in February this year to surrender its manufacturing licence. The company had contended that the government has taken the decision to cancel TTK's licence to manufacture without issuing it a show cause notice and said that the company has not yet surrendered its licence. It had argued that the condom was being manufactured in India for last 15 years and over 300 million boxes have been sold and thus, it cannot be termed as a new drug. Members of Hindu Sena today staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here against terror group Islamic State's purported threat to avenge the killings in Kashmir, demolition of Babri mosque and communal riots in Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar. Seven of the protesters, including Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta, were detained after they tried to set afire ISIS flags at the protest site, a senior police official said, adding they were held to ensure public safety. "A video launched by ISIS has declared war on us...We have millions of ISIS sympathisers in our country but we nationalists are not cowards," Gupta said. The protesters were detained at Parliament Street police station and released later. No case has been registered, the official said. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK Healthcare) has suspended operations temporarily at its factory in Nabha Patiala in Punjab, effective May 21 following disruptions created by its workforce. "Due to certain disruptions created by the workforce/ flash strike, the management of the company has decided to suspend operations temporarily," GSK Consumer Healthcare said in a BSE filing today. The company added that it took the step in the interest of safety and security of its employees, and to protect the assets of the factory. Last week, GSK Consumer Healthcare reported an 8.18 per cent decline in its stand-alone net profit for the March quarter at Rs 180.7 crore. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 196.8 crore for the corresponding period a year ago. Net sales during the period under review was Rs 1,052.8 crore, down 9.63 per cent, from Rs 1,165.1 crore in the same period last fiscal. For the full fiscal, GSK's stand-alone net profit rose 17.7 per cent to Rs 686.9 crore as against Rs 583.6 crore in 2014-15. However, its net sales declined 0.72 per cent to Rs 4,106.6 crore in 2015-16, from Rs 4,136.4 crore a year ago. The stock is trading 0.11 per cent higher at Rs 5,820 on BSE at 11:56 hours. India has banned its nationals from travelling to Libya, irrespective of the purpose of the visit, in view of the prevailing security situation in that country. Announcing this today, External Affairs Ministry said the decision has been notified to all Immigration authorities. "In view of prevailing security situation in Libya, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the Government has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose," the MEA travel advisory said. Asking Indian nationals for compliance, the ministry said the travel ban is effective from 3 May, 2016 till further orders. The MEA's announcement came a day after reports of a Libyan former minister being killed in clashes between unity government forces and fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Sirte. Libya is witnessing increased violence due to clashes between them. India and Iran today asked all states to "explicitly reject" the use of terrorism against other countries while seeking an immediate end to all support and sanctuaries being provided to terror groups. The assertion by the two countries was made after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani with the two sides issuing a joint statement in which they vowed to deepen economic ties in areas of energy, infrastructure, connectivity and investment. India and Iran, in their joint statement, "urged an immediate end to all support and sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorist groups and individuals and were of the view that states that aid, abet and directly or indirectly support terrorism should be condemned," a reference that could be seen as directed at Pakistan. "They (India and Iran) called upon all states to have zero tolerance towards terrorism, explicitly reject and stop the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructure where it exists, end forthwith all support and financing to terrorists using their territories to harm other countries and ensure that all perpetrators of terrorism who are in their jurisdiction are brought to justice," the statement said. Noting with deep concern that terrorism and ideologies of violent extremism continue to infest and ingress the region posing a grave threat to peace, security, stability and development, the two sides stressed the need to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism and defeat the forces of extremism. India and Iran also decided to step up their economic engagement as they agreed that development rights for the Farzad-B offshore gas field in the Persian Gulf will be awarded to ONGC Videsh Ltd by third quarter. They agreed to strengthen the longstanding trade ties by "stepping up the momentum of economic engagement through early conclusion of a Preferential Trade Agreement, preferably within a year." Modi and Rouhani also directed that Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty should be concluded before the end of the year. India fully supported the accession of Iran to the World Trade Organization, the statement said. The Indian side thanked the Iranian government for India's ongoing participation and investment in the development of oil and gas sector in Iran. OVL, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), had in 2008 discovered 12.5 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in the Farsi block. The discovery was later named Farzad-B but Iran is yet to award developmental rights of the field which is four-times the size of Reliance Industries' KG-D6 field. India and Iran today inked 12 agreements ranging from a contract to develop the strategic Chahabar port to an initial pact for setting up an aluminium plant along with one to lay a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. India's state-owned IRCON will build a 500-km rail line from Chabahar port on southern coast of Iran to Zahedan at the cost of USD 1.6 billion as part of the transit corridor to Afghanistan. IRCON's MoU with Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company (CDTIC) of Iran for building the rail line was among the dozen agreements signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden visit to Tehran. The agreement was signed by IRCON Managing Director Mohan Tiwari and Iran's Deputy Minister for Railways Pourseyed Aghaei. The agreements were signed in presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation in 15 years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee. State-run NALCO signed a pact to explore possibility of manufacturing aluminium metal by setting up a smelter in a joint venture with an Iranian company. Alternatively, it may look at entering into tolling arrangements with smelters in Iran or any other form of business collaboration including sale of alumina etc. The most strategic agreement to be signed was by India Ports Global Pvt Ltd with Arya Banader of Iran on the development and operation for 10 years of two terminals and five berths at Chabahar port on Southern coast of the Persian Gulf nation. The MoU between EXIM Bank and Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation (PMO) intends to provide credit of USD 150 million for Chabahar port. A Confirmation Statement was signed between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of Iran to confirm the availability of credit up to Rs 3,000 crore for the import of steel rails and implementation of Chabahar port. The MoU between Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Limited of India and the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran (EGFI) seeks to establish a framework of cooperation in supporting and encouraging foreign trade and foreign investment between India and Iran. The documents were in the fields of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The documents included an MoU between the foreign ministries of both countries for dialogue on policy-making and interaction between think-tanks. Another MoU was signed between School for International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of India. Also, an executive protocol was inked between the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran and India's Ministry of Science and Technology and an MoU was signed between India's National Archives and Iran's National Library. An executive programme of cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance was also signed along with an MoU between Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar Port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed here today by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The two countries noted with deep concern that terrorism and ideologies of violent extremism "continue to infest and ingress" the region and agreed to enhance regular consultations between National Security Councils and others concerned on terrorism, security and related issues such as organised crime, money-laundering, narcotics trade and cyber crime, said a India-Iran Joint Statement issued later. Modi's visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, comes months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on the southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation's southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose is an important milestone," Modi said in joint media interaction with Rouhani. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. The trilateral pact on Transport and Transit Corridor, linked to the Chabahar port development, was signed later by India, Iran and Afghanistan in the presence of Modi, Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Rouhani said each of the three countries will name a minister for follow-up action. "They (leaders) look forward to early delineation of all necessary rules and procedures leading to operationalisation of the transport and transit routes within the timelines stipulated in the Agreement," the Joint Statement said. Vowing to jointly combat terrorism and extremism, India and Iran today agreed to share intelligence in a bid to fight the menace that is "rife and rampant" in the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during delegation-level talks discussed the spread of instability, radicalism and terrorism in the region. The two leaders, who had previously discussed the issue last year when they met in Ufa, Russia, shared common ground that terrorism and extremism posed several challenges to peace and stability in the region. "India and Iran share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. We also have shared concerns over the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region," Modi said in a joint media interaction after bilateral and delegation-level talks with the Iranian leadership on his maiden visit. The two nations, he said, "have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime." The two countries also decided to enhance interaction between their defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security. The Iranian President said India and Iran have agreed to cooperate on intelligence sharing to combat terrorism. "Due to the importance of stability and security in the region especially in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Because a big problem of terrorism was running rife and rampant in the region, the two countries discussed about political issues and have agreed to cooperate on intelligence sharing," Rouhani said. India and Iran, he said, have decided to "get closer to each other to fight terrorism and extremism and contribute to peace and stability in the region," he said. Stating that the past history of ties between the two nations has been rich, Modi said Rouhani and he would leave no stone unturned to work for its glorious future. "Our friendship will be a factor of stability in our region," Modi said. Quoting a couplet from Ghalib, the Prime Minister said once minds are made up, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step. Modi said India and Iran are not new friends and their 'dosti' is as old as history. "Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows," he said. During the talks, Modi said, the two sides focused on the full range of their bilateral engagement and views were exchanged on the emerging regional situation and global issues of common concern. Seeking to garner investments for its power sector and infrastructure building, India today apprised Singaporean investors of accelerated reforms and new initiatives of the government. "I do feel that the mood is very favourable for India. They (investors) can see the India story structurally improving. They can see the demand that India provide and to my mind India can look forward to good investments coming from Singapore," said the Coal, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal. Goyal updated investors, including the Government Investment Corp and state owned Temasek, of a wide ranging investment opportunities in India and the government drive towards swift economic development. "We had a good sessions with investors during the morning," said Goyal who addressed Deutsche Bank annual economic conference earlier today. He also accepted Singapore's invitation to India to raise more funds from the island city's vibrant financial centre. He also called on Singapore deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Later in the afternoon, Goyal visited Singapore's Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and discussed a possible collaboration with ITE in setting up 21 centres across India as part of the government's "Skill Development" initiative. Goyal wrapped up the day by addressing some 250 investors on Indian economy and power sector investments. Goyal was on a one-day visit to Singapore, leading a high- power delegation from the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). "India needs a massive USD 1 trillion investment for the development of infrastructure over the next five years," said Jyotsna Suri, the immediate past president of FICCI. "We are looking at investments across all sectors of the economy," said Harashavardhan Neotia, FICCI president, who along with Goyal had met with investors at the Deutsche Bank conference. "We have received a very positive feedback and support from international investors," said Goyal after a series of meetings during the day-long visit. "We have had a wide range of discussions with investors," the minister added. "There is a new enthusiasm about India among international investors based in Singapore in manufacturing sector, especially in line with Make in India initiative, as well as opportunities in power and renewable energy sector," said George Abraham, FICCI regional representative in Singapore. The enthusiasm is further demonstrated by the announcement of Singapore Manufacturing Federation sending delegations to Mumbai and Indore in October this year. Singapore manufacturing Federation will also be participating in two exhibitions in July, AMTEXin New Delhi and Last Mile Fullfilment India in Mumbai. "Coming from the manufacturing industry, this augurs well for the Make in India initiative," Abraham said. India on Monday successfully launched the first technology demonstrator of indigenously made Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), capable of launching satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter the atmosphere, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. "Mission accomplished successfully," an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spokesman told soon after RLV-TD HEX-01 was flight tested with the take off at 7 am. This is the first time has launched a winged flight vehicle, which glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal, some 500 kilometres from the coast. Known as hypersonic flight experiment, it was about 10 minutes mission from liftoff to splashdown. The RLV-TD is a scaled-down model of the reusable launch vehicle. RLV, being dubbed as India's own space shuttle, is the unanimous solution to achieve low cost, reliable and on-demand space access, according to scientists. RLV-TD is a series of technology demonstration missions that have been considered as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-usable vehicle, said. It has been configured to act as a flying testbed to evaluate various technologies, including hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air-breathing propulsion, it said. The 6.5 metre long 'aeroplane'-like structure weighing 1.75 tonnes was hoisted into the atmosphere on a special rocket booster. The RLV-TD is described as "a very preliminary step" in the development of a reusable rocket, whose final version is expected to take in 10 to 15 years. Private sector IndiaFirst Life Insurance today said it expects 30 per cent rise in premium collection this fiscal as there is traction in the market. "We are looking at about 30 per cent growth in the next financial year, with a total premium collection of upwards of Rs 2,000 crore," IndiaFirst Life Insurance MD and CEO R M Vishakha said. In 2015-16, the company's overall premium collection stood at Rs 1,967 crore. IndiaFirst Life Insurance, the joint venture of Bank of Baroda, Andhra Bank and Legal & General, aims to achieve assets under management (AUM) target of Rs 10,000 crore in the current fiscal. Talking about current year profit, she said, the company has recorded a growth of 12 per cent at Rs 7.72 crore in 2015-16. "We look forward to generate premium of three times current profit. Going forward, we would want to maintain the growth momentum," she said. On the business strategy, Vishakha said the company's policy would continue to be customer-centric and simple to understand policies. An Indian climber has died on Mount Everest and two others have gone missing, expedition organisers said today, taking the death toll from the ongoing Himalayan climbing season to the world's highest peak to five. Subash Paul, who had fallen sick and was being taken down to safety, lost his life last night while being rescued to lower camps from near the summit point, Gyanendra Shrestha, an official at Nepal's Tourism Ministry said. He had reached the 8,849-metre summit on Saturday but collapsed while descending the Hillary Step ice wall. He passed away in the region between Camp IV and Camp III. Paul is the fifth climber to have died while attempting to scale Mount Everest, the world's highest peak at 8,850-meter, Shrestha said, adding that he was among four Indians who had gone missing on Saturday. Expedition officials managed to locate Sunita Hazra yesterday but two other Indian climbers remained missing. Sunita was airlifted to safety. Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh, who were in the team of Paul, are untraceable since Saturday. They were missing from South Cole which lies above 8,000 metre altitude and it was unlikely that they would come back alive, officials said. Meanwhile, Seema Goswami, another team member who developed frostbite, was brought to Kathmandu and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital here. Two other Indian climbers, who were facing trouble, were rescued. During the ongoing Himalayan climbing season, five people have died so far. A Dutch and an Australian woman died of altitude sickness Friday and Saturday respectively. A Nepali guide died on Thursday after he slipped and fell 2,000 metres. Another Indian climber had died a few days ago. More than three dozen other climbers have developed frostbite or become sick near the summit in the past few days. Nearly 40 climbers including an Indian woman have developed frostbite during this Himalayan climbing season which saw about 400 mountaineers summit the world's highest peak, officials have said. Last year, devastating earthquake caused the climbing season to be canceled and climbing attempts were largely abandoned in 2014 after an avalanche above the base camp killed 16 Sherpa guides. Last year at least 19 climbers were killed in the avalanche triggered by the earthquake. An Indian-origin woman was found murdered in a pool of blood at her family estate in south England, leading to the arrest of her husband. The body of 38-year-old Sonita Nijhawanwas discovered at the house in the posh St. George's Hill area of Weybridge on Saturday morning in what is being described as a possible murder-suicide. A 46-year-old man arrested on suspicion of her murder has been named locally as her husband Sanjay Nijhawan. Their four-year-old son is believed to have witnessed the murder and his father was also reportedly found with serious injuries after attempting to slash himself with a knife. A post-mortem on Sonita has given a preliminary cause of death as head and neck injuries. "The investigation into this tragic incident is still in the very early stages but at this time I believe this to be an isolated incident, with no wider threat to the community," senior investigating officerfrom the Surrey and Sussex major crime team, Detective chief inspector Jason Taylor, said. An unnamed relative reportedly visited the house after receiving alarming text messages and called paramedics to the house. Police were called to the property just after 10 AM on Saturday and a man was rushed to hospital for treatment. According to local reports, the couple had spent three years building the 2-million-pound home and had moved in only a fortnight ago. Their neighbours described them as a seemingly happy couple. Sanjay worked as an investment banker in London and Sonita was a co-director of three care homes along with her father Chander Parkash and brother Amit. A neighbour, who did not want to be named, told the 'Sun' newspaper: "It was heartbreaking. I came back from an errand and saw Sonita's father on the drive. He was in tears and their little boy was with him. "I saw the ambulance and went over to ask what happened. I thought Sonita had fallen over or something but her father said she'd been killed. Their little boy was asking repeatedly, 'Where's mummy? Where's mummy?' "I just put my arm around him and said, 'Mummy will be back soon. Putting the lives of passengers in danger, an IndiGo aircraft flew close to the road running parallel to the Jaipur Airport runway in February and aviation regulator DGCA has now suspended the flying licenses of the two pilots concerned. IndiGo Flight 6E-237 from Ahmedabad was involved in the incident that happened on February 27. Sources said the A-320 aircraft was few minutes away from touch down at Jaipur airport when a warning from Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) was noticed. The pilots seem to have mistaken the road nearby as the runway and soon after the warning, the flight made a go-around and managed to land safely at the Jaipur airport, they added. Installed in an aircraft, Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) provides a timely warning to the flight crew when the aeroplane is in potentially hazardous proximity to the earth's surface. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the matter and taking serious note of the violation, the regulator has suspended the flying licenses of two pilots, the sources said. Soon after the incident, the airline had grounded the pilots from flight duties. IndiGo operates 180-seater planes. When contacted, IndiGo said the flight 6E-237 was involved in "EGPWS Too Low Terrain" warning during visual approach at runway 27 at Jaipur airport. "The captain-in-command immediately took a precautionary measure and carried a go-around. The aircraft landed safely on subsequent ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach on runway 27," it said in a statement. IndiGo said both the pilots have been taken off from flight duty with immediate effect. "The matter was duly reported to the DGCA by IndiGo flight safety department," it added. Earlier this month, a New Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Vadodara with 177 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the city airport due to a technical fault. The French navy said today that one of its ships has joined the search for the wreckage of EgyptAir Flight 804, focusing especially on the hunt for its flight recorders, as questions remain over what caused the Airbus 320 to crash over the Mediterranean, killing all 66 on board. Five days after the plane crashed, human remains of the victims arrived at a morgue in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, where forensic experts were to carry out DNA tests, according to the head of EgyptAir, Safwat Masalam. Security official at Cairo morgue said family members had arrived at the building to give DNA samples to match with the remains, which included those of a child. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the press. Questions remain over what caused the Airbus 320 to crash and what happened to the doomed jet in the final minutes before it disappeared off radar at around 2.45 am local time Thursday. Egyptian authorities said they believe terrorism is a more likely explanation than equipment failure, and some aviation experts have said the erratic flight suggests a bomb blast or a struggle in the cockpit. But so far no hard evidence has emerged. A 2013 report by the Egyptian ministry of civil aviation records that the same plane made an emergency landing in Cairo that year, shortly after taking off on its way to Istanbul after one of the engines "overheated." Aviation experts have said that overheating is uncommon yet is highly unlikely to eventually cause a crash. The head of Egypt's state-run provider of air navigation services Ehab Azmy told The Associated Press that the plane did not swerve or lose altitude before it disappeared off radar, challenging an earlier account by Greece's defense minister. Azmy, head of the National Air Navigation Services Company, said that in the minutes before the plane disappeared it was flying at its normal altitude of 37,000 feet, according to the radar reading. "That fact degrades what the Greeks are saying about the aircraft suddenly losing altitude before it vanished from radar," he added. Iran today denied reports that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour entered Pakistan from the Islamic republic before being killed in a US drone strike, state media reported. Pakistani security officials told AFP on Sunday that the man killed on Saturday in the southwestern province of Balochistan, believed at the time to be Mansour, had just returned from Iran when his vehicle was attacked. US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that Mansour had been killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura (council) was under way to select a new leader. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari was quoted by the official IRNA agency on Monday as denying Mansour had been in the country before the attack. "The competent authorities of the Islamic republic deny that this person on this date crossed Iran's border and into Pakistan," he said. "Iran welcomes any positive action leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan," he added, without elaborating. Pakistani identity documents found on the body of the man now known to be Mansour named him as Muhammad Wali, and showed he had left for Iran on March 28 and returned the day he was killed. Iran supports the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban group. President Ashraf Ghani meanwhile arrived in Tehran today for the signing of a tripartite agreement between Iran, India and Afghanistan to turn Iran's southeastern port of Chabahar into a transit hub between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan. Islamabad, which says it hosts many of the Afghan Taliban's top leadership to exert influence over them and bring them back to peace talks with Kabul, called the US drone attack a violation of its sovereignty. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi today announced the start of a military operation to retake the city of Fallujah from the Islamic State (ISIS) group. The fight to recapture the jihadist bastion, which has been out of government control for nearly two and a half years, will be one of the toughest in Iraq's war against . "We are beginning the operation to liberate Fallujah," Abadi said in a statement. "The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah," he said. The premier said that special forces, soldiers, police, militia forces and pro-government tribesmen will take part in the operation to retake the city, located in Anbar province just 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad. The announcement settles the issue of which ISIS-held city Iraq should seek to retake next a subject of debate among Iraqi officials and forces helping the country fight the jihadists. Iraq's second city Mosul was the American military's recommended target, but powerful Iraqi militias may have helped force the issue by deploying reinforcements to the Fallujah area in preparation for an assault. Iraqi forces have begun laying the groundwork for the recapture of Mosul, but progress has been slow and an assault to retake the city remains far off. Iraqi planes have dropped thousands of leaflets safe passage cards on Falluja according to a statement from Iraq's Joint Operations Command. The US-led anti- coalition carried out seven strikes in the Fallujah area last week, and Iraq said it has also bombed the city with US-supplied F-16 warplanes. On Sunday, Iraq's Joint Operations Command warned civilians still in Fallujah, estimated to number in the tens of thousands, to leave the city. It also said that families who cannot leave should raise a white flag over their location and stay away from headquarters and gatherings. Meanwhile, families who are unable to flee the city have been told to raise a white flag above their homes and the military has also told families to call or text an emergency line to seek evacuation. Officials said that several dozen families had fled the city, but ISIS has sought to prevent civilians from leaving, and forces surrounding Fallujah have also been accused of preventing foodstuffs from entering. Iraqi forces have in recent days been massing around the city, which has been out of government control since January 2014 and the Human Rights Watch warned last month, that ISIS was barring civilians from leaving Falluja and that residents faced starvation due to food shortages and exorbitant prices after an extended siege. Anti-government fighters seized it after the army was withdrawn, and Fallujah later became one of ISIS's main strongholds. Fallujah and Mosul, the capital of the northern province of Nineveh, are the last two major cities ISIS still holds in Iraq. Fallujah is almost completely surrounded by Iraqi forces, who have regained significant ground in the Anbar province in recent months, including its capital, Ramadi, further up the Euphrates River valley. American forces launched two major assaults on Fallujah in 2004 in which they saw some of their heaviest fighting since the Vietnam War. Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta today sought cooperation from leaders of all political parties to ensure smooth conduct of the Assembly's upcoming budget session scheduled to commence here from May 25. "All the members are duty bound to represent their constituencies in the House by raising important public issues and should not disrupt the Question Hour which is considered as the most important tool for raising issues, besides making the government answerable and accountable to the people," Gupta said while chairing a meeting of leaders of various political parties and Chief Whips here. The Speaker hoped that the members would utilise the time fixed for the session judiciously in order to highlight their public interest issues in a democratic manner. "Equal opportunities will be given to each political party to raise issues of public interest," he said appealing the members to highlight developmental issues besides other important issues for detailed discussion during the course of the session. "They should do so in a decent and dignified manner and in no case resort to un-parliamentary conduct," he said. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri assured the meeting that the government will make all out efforts to "satisfy" the opposition members during the session. He also sought cooperation of the senior legislators to run the session smoothly. Legislators, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf Ahmad (both NC), Nawang Rigzin Jora and Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), M Y Tarigami (CPIM), Sat Paul Sharma and Rajesh Gupta (BJP), Mohammad Yousuf Bhat (PDP), and Bashir Ahmed Dar (Peoples Conference) gave their suggestions in making the session result-oriented, an official spokesperson said. He said they also assured the Speaker of full cooperation to run the House in a cordial manner. It is the Japan government's "responsibility" to build Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, and make it next to Tokyo, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said. "Your (Japan's) Maki and Associates is designing our capital buildings. So it is Japan government's responsibility to build Amaravati. It should be next to Tokyo," Chandrababu remarked, inaugurating a two-day Andhra Pradesh-Japan Public-Private joint conference here today. Chandrababu asked Japanese companies to make Amaravati "your second home" and invest in different sectors in the new capital as well as other parts of the "sunrise state". "In the near future, we should have a direct flight between Amaravati and Tokyo. You should help in this regard," he told the visiting Japanese Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Yosuke Takagi, whom he termed a "well wisher and family member of AP". Pointing out that 15 Japanese companies were currently doing business in AP, the Chief Minister wanted the number to increase ten-fold to 150 in a year. "AP is an innovative state. People here are creative. We are strong in knowledge economy. There are abundant opportunities for setting up agri-based and mineral-based industries," he added. The Japanese minister said they were keen to improve relationship with AP in sectors like infrastructure, technology, agriculture, automobiles and defence. A joint committee has been constituted to further enhance business interests between AP and Japan, he added. About 80 delegates from Japanese majors like Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Fuji, Nippon, Toyota, NEC, Toshiba, Sumitomo besides representatives of Japan External Trade Organisation are attending the event, organised by the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board. Principal Secretary (Infrastructure, Investment and CRDA) Ajay Jain made a presentation to the Japanese delegation on the investment opportunities in Amaravati capital region. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will seek action by US President Barack Obama over crimes by Americans on the southern island of Okinawa when he visits Japan this week, an official said today. Okinawan police last week arrested a former US Marine in connection with the suspicious death of a 20-year-old Okinawan woman who had been missing since late April and is believed to have been raped and murdered. The island was the site of a World War II battle but is now considered a strategic linchpin. It hosts the lion's share of US bases in Japan and more than half the 47,000 American military personnel in the country under a decades-long security alliance. But a series of crimes including rapes, assaults and hit-and-run vehicle accidents by US military personnel, dependants and civilians have for years sparked local protests on the crowded island. Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, a US citizen who works at the Kadena Air Base, was arrested for allegedly disposing of the woman's body, Okinawan police said Thursday. "Prime Minister Abe said an extremely abject crime like this should never occur and that he feels furious," top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters, recounting Abe's meeting Monday with Takeshi Onaga, Okinawa's governor. "The prime minister said he will convey Japanese people's sentiment to President Obama and seek stern actions by Washington." Obama is due in Japan for a two-day summit of Group of Seven countries which ends Friday. He and Abe then travel the same day to Hiroshima -- where Obama will become the only sitting US president to visit the world's first atomic-bombed city. The Hiroshima visit by Obama, who has a record of calling for global denuclearisation, has been well received in Japan. But the heavy US military presence on Okinawa has long been a thorn in the side of relations. Suga told reporters that during the meeting with Abe, Onaga expressed anger, saying "the incident is absolutely intolerable". Onaga also reportedly expressed his desire to discuss the matter directly with Obama, but Suga ruled out the possibility. "Issues of national security and diplomacy should be discussed between the central governments," Suga said. In 1995 the abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three US servicemen sparked massive protests on Okinawa, prompting Washington to pledge efforts to strengthen troop discipline and reduce the US footprint on the island. But continued crimes by American personnel remain a potent rallying point for Okinawa, where pacifist sentiment runs high. Local residents are planning a major anti-US base rally next month similar in scale to the one after the 1995 rape incident, local reports said. Strict compliance of environmental laws, use of technology for reducing air pollution and capacity building of municipal bodies will be among the top focus areas for the environment ministry for the next three years, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said today. Listing Environment Ministry's achievements over the last two years, Javadekar said the most important among them include, increase in the forest cover, better monitoring of industrial pollution, representation of country's interest in COP Paris meet and passage of CAMPA bill. He also said 2000 environmental approvals were granted in two years for unlocking an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore with a potential of generating 10 lakh jobs. Outlining the roadmap for next three years, Javadekar said the ministry will continue to take initiatives for sustainable development. "A law will be passed for compliance which will act as a deterrent for violation (of green norms). Secondly, to use technology for monitoring of the pollution norms all over the country and thirdly, build capacities in the local bodies because they are the ones who actually deal with the situation of waste management and other things," Javadekar said while addressing a press conference on ministry's achievements in the last two years. Noting that there has been a reduction Delhi's air pollution, Javadekar said, the ministry held periodic review meetings with five neighboring states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to implement short-term and long term action plans. "There are four-five states that impact air pollution in Delhi and they do not come under Delhi municipal jurisdiction. We called all of them including officials from Delhi government and asked them to prepare a plan. The battle against pollution has to be fought collectively," he said. Javadekar said the government has managed to reduce the industrial pollution in Ganga by 35 per cent through strict implementation of norms for critically polluting industries located near the river. However, sewage still remains a challenge as most of it goes into the river untreated. "There are 764 industries which were polluting Ganga. We started monitoring each one of them through technology. We banned spent wash and black liquor as they were major pollutants. So things have improved. But unfortunately 85 per cent of sewage in India does not get treated. So there is pollution from sewage, industries and garbage that we are trying to manage," he said. Spent wash is unwanted residual liquid waste generated during alcohol production while block liquor is also a waste product. The ministry had also issued closure directions to 150 grossly polluting industries for non-installation of online continuous effluent monitoring system. Talking about Genetically Modified crops, the minister said the government's job is to increase production and it can be achieved through science and technology. "Our country's productivity is 50 per cent of the world's average in all crops and our job is to increase production. So science and technology has to be promoted to achieve that. We will not stop the progress of science. Therefore, we approved 18 proposals for free trials in last two years with considerations for safety," he said. Assuming office for the sixth time as Chief Minister, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa today began a new chapter in her chequered political career spanning over three decades. A leader known for her grit and determination, 68-year-old Jayalalithaa proved her detractors wrong again as she steered AIADMK to power for a second consecutive term in the May 16 assembly polls, bucking the tradition since 1984 when no party has retained power in Tamil Nadu. Though she had to quit twice over corruption cases, she managed to make a dramatic come back. A peep into her political career beginning 1982 would go to show that she faced intense and protracted struggle to eventually head the AIADMK overcoming the animosity of rival camps led by the leaders including then Minister in the MG Ramachandran cabinet, RM Veerappan. She successfully contested the Tamil Nadu Assembly election in 1989 from Bodinayakkanur and became the first woman leader of opposition in the House. She led the unification of the party in 1990 which had split following the death of party founder MGR in 1987 and eventually captured power in 1991. Since then, she has headed AIADMK governments for three separate tenures (199-96, 2001-06, 2011-16) which also saw her absence in between as she had to quit twice following court cases once in 2001 and later in 2014. For nearly six months, starting September 2001 she was out of office after she was unseated by Supreme Court vis-a-vis electoral disqualification in the TANSI case. Between September 29, 2014 and May 22, 2015 she was out of office again after she was disqualified as a legislator and consequently lost chief ministership following her conviction in a graft case by a trial court in Bengaluru which was later set aside by Karnataka High Court. Altogether, she was sworn in as CM five times (1991-96, May-Sept 2001, 2002-06, 2011-14, 2015-16. That she was able to get back to power for a consecutive term now, marks a new high in her political career. As a teen starlet, Jayalalithaa made her film debut in CV Sridhar-directed 'Vennira Aadai' (white dress) in 1965, and went on to become one of the most popular actress of that era. In 28 films she was paired with matinee idol MGR who later became her political mentor and in 1982 inducted her into AIADMK which he founded. She worked her way up in the party though factional leaders targeted her. She was appointed propaganda secretary in 1983. Hailed as 'Puratchi Thalaivi' (Revolutionary Leader), Jayalalithaa proved wrong all calculations of DMK retaining power in 2011 when she led her party to a fantastic victory by forming a rainbow coalition comprising DMDK and Left parties. The M Karunanidhi-led DMK could only muster 23 MLAs at the hustings. Since then the Jayalalithaa juggernaut has been rolling on unchallenged in Tamil Nadu as the AIADMK has not only won all bypolls and the local body elections, but stamped its superiority in 2014 Lok Sabha polls as well. AIADMK won 37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state, giving ample indications of her popularity amid a perceived Narendra Modi wave in Tamil Nadu. Like her previous regime (2011-16), which saw rolling out of 'Amma' brand of schemes and freebies too, she promised more in the run up to the May 16 Assembly elections. Phased implementation of prohibition, loan waiver for farmers, mobile phones for ration card holders, free power for households, handloom weavers and powerlooms, Rs 40,000 crore worth loans for farmers in 2016-21, hike in dole for fishermen to Rs 5000, free laptops with internet for 10th and 12th class students and 50 per cent subsidy for women to buy mopeds or scooters were among her promises. Against the background of arch rival DMK's sustained onslaught in the past five years that AIADMK did not implement any of its promises, Jayalalithaa began work right after she was sworn in as chief minister today. Soon after the swearing-in function, Jayalalithaa waived farm loans for small micro farmers, gave nod for free power to households (100 units) and handloom weavers and powerlooms (750 units). She also ordered closure of 500 state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) outlets as part of her promise to implement prohibition in a staggered manner. After AIADMK's impressive win, she had said she would show her gratitude to the people through work. The term "thulla" used by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was made with reference to the Delhi Police officers who are "inefficient", have "low productivity rate" and take money from street vendors, a court here has said while dismissing a criminal defamation complaint against the AAP leader. "It has not been said by the respondent (Kejriwal) that all Delhi Police Personnel are thulla. On the other hand, the use of word 'koi' (someone) before 'thulla' clearly shows that the said imputation is neither directed towards complainant individually nor towards whole of Delhi Police as a class but towards an indeterminate and unidentifiable class of police officers of Delhi Police who are having lower productivity rate than other reasonable Delhi police officers," Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg said, in his order. The court's order came on a criminal defamation complaint filed against Kejriwal by a constable of Govindpuri Police Station who had claimed he was insulted by the CM's remark in a TV interview in which he had referred to police as "thulla". The court, while dismissing the complaint, said, "To be more precise the said word appears to have been made with reference to those police officers who lack in efficiency and indulge in taking money from rehdi patri walas." It also said the statement given by Kejriwal during his interview on a TV channel on July 17, it is "not per se defamatory in as much as the meaning of term 'thulla' suggests that it is relative term to denote the performance level of a worker against fellow workers." "It is neither directed to the complainant individually nor to entire Delhi Police as a class but to an indeterminate and unidentifiable class of inefficient and corrupt police officials... Thus, there are no sufficient grounds to proceed further against the respondent (Kejriwal) and to summon him under section 500 of the IPC," the court said. In the order, the magistrate also referred to the recent Supreme Court verdict on pleas challenging constitutionality of provisions of defamation law. The court also said before the complainant can maintain a complaint under Section 499/500 (defamation) of the IPC as a member of Delhi Police, he must show that the alleged defamatory imputation 'thulla' was directed against entire Delhi Police. The court said, "It is a settled legal position that in order to determine whether a particular word is defamatory or not, the statement needs to be read as a whole and no word can be read in isolation out of the context," it said. It also rejected the contention of the complainant that at the stage of summoning an accused, the court should not scrutinize the evidence in great detail. "At the stage of summoning an accused for any offence, this court is duty bound to carefully analyze the material available before it...The court cannot be a silent spectator and need to be circumspect while summoning an accused for a criminal offence so that it does not become an instrument of oppression and needless harassment of any citizen in the hands of a private complainant," it said. The dismissal of this complaint may have come as a relief for Kejriwal, but he has already been summoned for July 14 on a similar plea of a constable of Lajpat Nagar police station by a court here which held that prima facie he committed the offence of defamation. Constable Harvinder, complainant in the present complaint, had sought summoning of Kejriwal in the case for the alleged offence under section 500 (defamation) and 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) of IPC contending that the word used by him had demoralised the entire police agency. The plea, filed through lawyer L N Rao, had contended that "using a derogatory and demeaning term like 'thulla' to refer to police personnel is equivalent to referring to all Delhi Police officials as lethargic and unproductive." "This word has, therefore, harmed the reputation of the complainant in the eyes of general public including his family, relative and friends," it had claimed. British director Ken Loach won the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or on Sunday for "I, Daniel Blake", a deeply moving portrait of an ageing Newcastle carpenter all at sea with the UK's benefits system after a heart attack. Loach, applauded the world over for his politically-inflected social-realist dramas, became the eighth director to win the festival's top prize twice. His last win here was in 2006 for "The Wind that Shakes the Barley". He is now in the company of Alf Sjoberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Bille August, the Dardenne brothers, Emir Kusturica, Shohei Imamura and Michael Haneke. This was Loach's 13th appearance in the Cannes Competition. Receiving the Palme d'Or, the filmmaker said, "The world we live in is at a dangerous point right now. We are in the grip of a dangerous project of austerity driven by ideas that we call neo-liberalism that have brought us to near-catastrophe." "When there is despair people from the far right take advantage. We must give a message of hope, we must say another world is possible," Loach signed off. The awards night of the 69th Cannes Film Festival was a triumph for British cinema with the other UK title in the Competition, Andrea Arnold's "American Honey", winning the Jury Prize. "American Honey", Arnold's first film shot entirely in the US, is an ebullient, lyrical tale of a group of homeless teens selling magazines across the Midwest. Romania's Cristian Mungiu, a previous Palme d'Or winner, shared the best director prize with Frenchman Olivier Assayas. While the latter won for "Personal Shopper", a Kristen Stewart-starrer that divided critics here, Mungiu bagged his prize for "Bacaluareat" ('Graduation'). "Bacaluareat" is a masterful probe into petty corruption fuelled by a respected and well-meaning doctor's desire to see his daughter secure admission in a British university so that she can escape the lack of opportunities in the Romanian town they live in. "Personal Shopper" is a postmodern ghost story that blends a young woman's sense of loss at the death of her twin brother with evocative, if occasionally baffling, mystical elements. The killing of three policemen in Srinagar today sparked concern among the security establishment at a time when infiltration from across the Line of Control(LoC) is showing a rise and intelligence inputs suggesting more local youths joining terror groups. The Centre has sought a report from the state government on the incident while the Jammu and Kashmir Police appeared to make attempts to downplay the attack by terming it as an "act of desperation" by terror groups. Three policemen were killed in two separate incidents in Srinagar in the space of 90 minutes. The first incident took place at Zadibal when youths pumped bullets into two policemen while the second occurred at Teng Pura where a PSO was killed. "This is a desperation on part of militant groups and nothing else," was how Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar and Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) S J M Gilani put it. However, sources in the security agencies and the Union Home Ministry viewed the incident with more caution especially because intelligence inputs had forewarned last Friday about a possible terror attack in the city by cadres of banned Hizbul Mujahideen. The sources said that nearly 15 youths from the Srinagar city itself are believed to have joined the militant groups like banned Hizbul Mujahideen this year and are understood to be acting as 'sleeper cells' and giving logistical support to some of the trained cadres. Last year, the figure of locals joining the militant ranks was stated to be at 92. In the first incident, police appeared to be clueless as no eyewitness had come forward yet to help them in their probe whereas in the second incident at Teng Pura, some of the people told police that the two militants walked a distance after killing the PSO and fled the scene on a motorcycle. There was a possibility that the same duo could have carried out the attack at Zadibal, which is nearly 15 km from the second encounter, the sources said. The incident of selective targeting of policemen is taking place after a gap of three years. In June 2013, two policemen were killed by terrorists using a silencer-fitted revolver at Gonikhan Market in Srinagar. The infiltration from across the LoC has also added to the woes of the security agencies as the number of militants sneaking into the country has increased during the January-May period with an unofficial estimate putting at 70. However, the army claims the figure to be less than 30. According to the sources, Lashker-e-Taiba(LeT) militants are understood to have made their appearance at the higher reaches of Dara and Harwan areas. Lt General S K Saini has taken over as the new commandant of prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) here. Lt General Saini assumed the office of commandant on May 21. Earlier, he was a senior directing staff in National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi, according to press release issued by IMA. Lt General Saini is an alumni of National Defence Academy (NDA) and IMA. In 1981, he was commissioned to seventh battalion of Jat regiment. In his career of 36 years, he has held many important posts. Discounting any strain with JD(U), RJD boss Lalu Prasad today said the 'mahagathbandhan' is "rock solid". Prasad thus broke his silence over the utterances made by some of his party leaders in recent days and asked them to share their concerns, if any, instead of airing "unnecessary statements". "The mahagathbandhan is rock solid and whoever will try to hammer on it (mahagathbandhan's unity) will prove to be a failure. I suggest my partymen to share their concerns, if any, and avoid making unnecessary statements," he said in a series of tweets. "I can understand the restlessness of RSS, BJP, Paswan ji, and Manjhi ji...Everything is fit and fine (in alliance). They (these leaders) are unnecessary getting tensed," he said. NDA people should not create any confusion among the people as they are not going to be benefitted at all from their tactics, Prasad said, adding that they (NDA) all are a "tired and defeated people". Noting that NDA has been in 'coma' for past six months and they should rather think about themselves, the RJD satrap said RSS and BJP leaders including the Prime Minister carried a hugely negative campaign on the issue of 'jungle raj' besides trying to create polarisation on communal lines in Bihar but people of the state swept them (BJP and RSS) away from the state in the hustings. "NDA leaders are vomiting as they are not able to digest the grand success Mahagathbandhan got" in the assembly polls due to the faith and trust reposed by poor, deprived, Dalits, backwards and minorities in the polls, Prasad said while predicting severe drubbings for NDA in the Lok Sabha elections. The entire NDA opposition is completely a harassed and dejected lot due to the popularity of mahagathbandhan government, the RJD leader claimed. ED is soon expected to make a fresh request for Vijay Mallya's extradition under the India- UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in connection with its money laundering probe against the liquor baron in an alleged bank loan fraud case. Officials said the agency is expected to place the request before the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) soon, in order to execute the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by a Mumbai court against Mallya, seeking execution of the 1992 signed MLAT between the two countries against a fugitive. The India-UK MLAT has a clause where the treaty can be invoked in a criminal probe case seeking the "transfer of persons, including persons in custody, for the purpose of assisting in investigations or giving evidence" and it is understood that ED considers this step a better legal tool than the regular extradition action to get a person back to country, under investigation by Indian probe agencies. In extradition without MLAT, an agency has to file a charge sheet first and then notify the counterpart country to send back the fugitive, which is a time taking affair. The agency, which wants Mallya to join the probe in the Rs 900 crore IDBI alleged loan fraud probe case "in person", has virtually exhausted all legal options to bring him back to India including issuance of the NBW warrant against him based on which it made the requests for revocation of his passport and subsequent deportation bid. However, the UK had early this month made it clear that the liquor baron cannot be deported and had asked India to seek his extradition instead. The agency has also asked the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him even as it is working to attach Mallya's Indian assets under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED is also understood to be considering issuing Letters Rogatory (judicial requests) to at least seven countries to not only probe Mallya's finances but also that of his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA). Mallya had left India on March 2 using his diplomatic passport. The agency has registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on an FIR registered last year by the CBI. ED is also investigating financial structure of Kingfisher Airlines and looking into any payment of kickbacks to secure loans. In a shocking incident, a 23-year-old man died after he was suspectedly electrocuted while working on his laptop, with its battery put on charge, at his residence in southeast Delhi's Tughlakabad area, police said today. The deceased, Brijesh Kumar, was manager at a Faridabad-based export company. He got married in February and lived with his wife and parents at a rented house in Tughlaqabad Extension. According to police, the incident took place yesterday afternoon when Kumar was working on his laptop, with its battery being charged with the help of an extension cord. It was Kumar's wife who found him lying unconscious. His relatives rushed him to the Majeedia Hospital in Tughlakabad, where doctors declared him dead and the authorities informed the police. A team was sent to Kumar's residence and a thorough inspection was conducted. The laptop was seized and sent to a forensic laboratory. "His body has been sent for postmortem examination and the exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained. No complaint has been received or case registered in connection with the incident so far," said a senior police official. From preliminary investigation it appears to be a case of electrocution but, at this point, it can't be said that the laptop caused the death. It is also possible that Kumar came in contact with the extension wire, leading to the electrocution, the official said adding that the statement of Kumar's wife is also yet to be recorded, following which the sequence of events can be verified. The US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief in Pakistan was a signal that the Obama administration was becoming "less patient" with its "failure" to combat the Taliban insurgency, American media commented today. "The strike in Baluchistan was also seen as a signal that the Obama administration was growing less patient with Pakistan's failure to move strongly against the Taliban insurgency. While Pakistan's powerful military establishment has quietly cooperated with the CIA's campaign of drone strikes against Al-Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban in the northwestern tribal areas, it has refused past requests from the spy agency to expand the drone flights into Baluchistan," a report in the New York Times quoted former US officials as saying. It cited officials saying that the US drone strike on Saturday against the leader of the Afghan militants signalled a "major break" with precedent as the US circumvented Pakistan in an effort to disrupt the strengthening insurgency. The report said the US and the Afghan government have long pointed at the Taliban sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan, particularly in Baluchistan, as the main reason for the resilience of the insurgents despite a strong global campaign against them that at one time had involved nearly 150,000 troops. In another report, the Washington Post said that the drone strike "represents another escalation in US involvement in the war in Afghanistan by trying to cripple an insurgent group that has for years found refuge on Pakistani soil." "This is an unprecedented move to decapitate the Taliban leadership in its safe haven of Pakistan," Bruce Riedel, a South Asia expert at the Brookings Institution, was quoted by The Post as saying. "It exposes Pakistan's role in promoting and protecting the Taliban, and will provoke a crisis in US-Pakistan relations," Riedel added. Former Pakistani ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani was quoted in the NYT report as saying that the US' expansion of its drone campaign into Baluchistan suggests "that the US is losing patience with the promises of Pakistan. "The Taliban insurgency will probably continue, but Pakistan has another chance to dissociate itself from backing the greatest threat to Afghan stability," Haqqani said. Until the strike against Mansour, authorised by President Barack Obama weeks ago, consecutive administrations in Washington had resisted the temptation of going after Taliban sanctuaries out of fear of angering Pakistan. "Instead, American officials focused on pressuring the Pakistani military to force the Taliban's leadership into joining peace talks with the Afghan government," it said. Pakistani officials were alerted to the attack against Mansour only after the strike, said a top American official. "Pakistan's relatively muted reaction, similar to its standard protests against drone strikes by American forces, might be due to the fact that, according to Taliban commanders in recent months, Mullah Mansour had repeatedly resisted Pakistani officials' pressure on him to join negotiations," the report added. On who would succeed Mansour, if he was killed in the strike, the report said a leading candidate would be Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of Mansour's "most feared deputies," who has largely been running battlefield operations in recent months. "While closely linked to Pakistan's spy agency, Haqqani would struggle to gain the support of the wider Taliban as his small but lethal network has only in recent months fully integrated into the larger insurgency," the report said. Actor Michael Keaton is back in talks to play the villain in the new Spider-Man movie. The "Birdman" star originally entered into negotiations to appear in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" last month but reportedly dropped out due to salary issues, reported Deadline. According to reports, a disagreement arose after Robert Downey, J. Joined the cast to reprise his role as Iron Man and bosses at the studio reportedly suggested they would not be able to accommodate both actors' salary requests. If Keaton signs on to the film, he will join Tom Holland, who will play the titular superhero in the movie, Marisa Tomei, who will portray Aunt May, and Zendaya, whose role is being kept under wraps. "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is slated to hit cinemas in July, 2017. Migration from Asia and the Middle East to Western Europe could provide the kind of vibrant boost to arts and culture as movement from India and Pakistan did to the taste of the UK food, according to a leading artist and academic. Professor Bashir Makhoul, practising artist and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University (UK), believes the movement of refugees from countries such as Afghanistan and Syria to Europe could provide a spark of creativity, pushing boundaries and leading people to explore art and culture in new ways. Makhoul is the co-editor of a new book, 'Conflict and Compassion', which highlights how economic arguments overlook the cultural benefits of closer links between Western Europe and conflicted countries - which the book describes asa "Third Space". "Migration, both under the tragic circumstances we are seeing right now and in less challenging situations, has the capacity to diversify a region for the better because artists' responses to adversity are often those which leave the strongest message," Makhoul said. "While we automatically - and understandably - think of the destruction that comes as a result of conflict, it can also be the source of a need to express, create and innovate," he said. "The art and culture which is born out of difficult and challenging situations such as forced migration - actually, expulsion - not only begins to push boundaries but also serve as historical documents which encapsulate and portray an era forever," Makhoul said. The book 'Conflict and Compassion'features a series of contemporary artworks from across Asia and analysis of the influence of conflict on artists' work. Curry, a name used to refer to food originating in the Indian subcontinent and tailored to suit British palates, is often referred to as the UK's favourite food. An estimated 12,000 curry houses with roots in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh contribute over 4 billion pounds to the UK economy and generate 70,000 jobs. The Madras High Court today dismissed a PIL seeking to stay construction of a mortuary at the government hospital in Naguneri in the district, where a 2000-year-old Vaishnavite temple was located, saying it cannot interfere in the decision of the government. Justices S Manikumar and S S Sundar dismissed the PIL at the admission stage itself. In his PIL, secretary of the Srivara Mangai Natchiar Baktha Sabha, S Srinivasan, submitted that if construction of the mortuary was allowed, then the Brahmotsavam to held in the Tamil month of Panguni and Chitrai could not be celebrated as bodies would remain in the hospital's proposed mortuary for days together. As per temple custom and tradition and Agama Sashtra, that lays down the rules for worship, temple building, spirituality and rituals, the idol procession is not taken through a street if there is a body. If the mortuary is located, then bodies would not be removed till the clearance was given by the police, after the post mortem was performed. "This will affect the annual festival and its spirit," he said. Currently, the hospital officials ensured that bodies were removed immediately so that the festival was not affected. The idol of the deity would be taken through the street where the hospital is located to different areas where people belonging to various castes and communities offer worship, the petitioner submitted. A Kali temple and Shiva temple also had annual festival and this would also be affected if the mortuary was allowed to be constructed. The sabha had given a letter to the Health Secretary objecting the decision of the Joint Director of Health, Tenkasi, to construct the mortuary in the hospital. The seer of the famous Vanamalai Mutt also had asked the officials to reconsider locating the mortuary as it was near the temple and procession route. "But the officials had not applied their mind to this factor", the petitioner claimed. However, the court dismissed the PIL saying it could not interfere in the decision of the government. Rafiq Shaikh, who recently scaled the Mount Everest, becoming the first policeman from Maharashtra to achieve the feat, has been shifted to a hospital in New Delhi from Kathmandu, where he received his initial treatment after he suffered frostbite. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on receiving information that the police naik was suffering from frostbite, immediately gave directions to shift him to Army's Research and Referral Hospital at New Delhi from Nepal. "On knowing that Police Naik Rafiq Shaikh who scaled Mt Everest, is suffering from a frostbite, CM @Dev_Fadnavis immediately gave directions to shift him to Army's Research & Referral Hospital at New Delhi from Kathmandu," Fadnavis tweeted. "Rafiq was immediately shifted to New Delhi hospital in no time and is now recovering," he said in another tweet. Fadnavis spoke to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today and requested for best possible treatment to Shaikh. He also spoke to the policeman and congratulated him on achieving "such a great feat". The CM wished him a speedy recovery and assured all support from Maharashtra government. Shaikh, who is with Aurangabad Rural Police, had reached the Everest summit on Thursday. The 29-year-old, who started his latest expedition on April 4, is the first policeman from Maharashtra to scale the peak. Born in a small village in the district, Shaikh had failed to climb the mountain peak twice due to natural calamities and predicaments thereafter. Shaikh's first voyage to Everest got cancelled due to an avalanche in 2014, which killed 17 sherpas. Last April, he went again, but had to return due to the earthquake in Nepal. According to police sources in Aurangabad, Shaikh suffered frostbite while returning to the base camp after successfully climbing the world's tallest mountain peak. He was airlifted from Lukla region to Kathmandu and admitted to a hospital in the Nepal's capital city yesterday, they said. Aurangabad Superintendent of Police Navinchandra Reddy said Shaikh's condition was not very serious. He had scaled the peak from the Sherpa south pole, situated at a height of 26,240 feet, sources said. RBI deputy governor S S Mundra today expressed displeasure over two in-principle licensees cancelling their plan to set up payments bank. "We would certainly feel little aggrieved because lot of efforts from the part of RBI goes in processing these applications," Mundra told reporters here. Last week, Sun Pharma founder Dilip Shanghvi with IDFC Bank and Telenor pulled out from the payment banks race. Before this, Cholamandalam group dropped its plan to set up a payments bank a couple of months ago. Last August, the RBI gave in-principle approval to 11 applicants including Department of Posts, Aditya Birla Nuvo, Airtel M Commerce Services, Fino PayTech, National Securities Depository, Reliance Industries, Tech Mahindra and Vodafone m-pesa for setting up payments banks. Besides Shanghvi, Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma was also a successful candidate. When asked whether RBI may levy processing fee on the entities which have pulled out, Mundra said the current regulation does not give scope of charging a processing fee. "Unfortunately, that kind of enabling mechanism is not there today. But if we learn by experience, probably this is something which can help in augmenting our revenue to some extent," the deputy governor said in a lighter note. When asked when the central bank will issue first licence for universal bank, he said there was no timeline. "The opportunity to submit application would be available on ongoing basis but how long it will take...There is no prescribed (timeline). It needs due diligence and inputs from various agencies and you cannot control their behaviours," he said. Earlier this month, the RBI issued draft guidelines for issuing on-tap universal bank licences. Mundra said apart from payments and small finance banks, there is a room for some more categories of differentiated licences too. Union Health Minister J P Nadda today met President Pranab Mukherjee and briefed him on the Ordinance on the uniform medical entrance examination NEET that seeks to keep state boards out of its ambit. The meeting lasted for more than half-an-hour and the minister is learnt to have briefed the President on three set of issues -- different exams of state boards, syllabi and regional languages. The President had asked Nadda's ministry to explain the reason for taking the Ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The meeting between the President and the Health Minister was satisfactory, sources said. The Ordinance was on Saturday sent to the President, who is to leave for China on Tuesday. Nadda was to attend a health summit in Geneva but had to cancel the trip to meet the President. The Ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier on Friday, is aimed at "partially" overturning a Supreme Court order which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. The President has also sought the opinion of in-house legal experts on the Ordinance. The assent of the President is still awaited. Clarifying that the exemption is only for the state government seats, government sources had said the state seats which are earmarked in the private medical colleges have also been exempted. Different states earmark seats in various private medical colleges for state quota so that students from one state can get seats in another state. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1. Health Ministry sources said that seven states will take medical exams as per NEET while in six other states, around 4 lakh students have already taken the examinations. The states flagged various issues in the health ministers conference recently, including problems related to language and syllabus for students. They said the students affiliated to state boards will find it tough to appear for the uniform test as early as July. Sources maintained that the ordinance is not to challenge the Supreme Court order. Nadda had earlier dismissed as "baseless" the media reports that the Centre through an ordinance was trying to finish NEET. "NEET has been implemented. It is in existence. The first phase is over. The second phase will take place on July 24," he had said. The exam will be applicable for those applying for Central government and private medical colleges. Once the ordinance is issued, students of state government boards will not have to sit for NEET on July 24. They, however, will have to become part of the uniform entrance exam from next academic session, government sources clarified. India's javelin sensation Neeraj Chopra produced his best form since the SAF Games to clinch the silver medal but still missed the Olympics qualification mark at the Zygmunta Selesta Memorial in Warsaw, Poland. With an effort of 79.73 metres that earned him the silver medal and another throw of 81 metres which was declared null, the 19-year-old Chopra kept his Rio hopes alive after finishing second, behind local boy Grzeszczuk, who threw 83.50m late last night. Slovakia's Zenuch took the third position with a best throw of 77.07 metres while the other Indian men thrower in the fray, Vipin Kasana finished seventh. The Olympics qualification standard for men's javelin is 83 metres and so far Chopra has performed 82.23 metres at SAF, 79.52 metres at the 1st Indian GP and 79.51 metres at Rehlingen Gemany Weltklasse meet respectively this season. In the women's section, 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Annu Rani also won the silver medal, but her throw of 56.76 metres was almost six metres behind the OG qualification mark. The other Indian women in the reckoning, Suman Dev finished in fourth place with a best effort of 56.27 metres. Polish ladies, Andreczyk was the leader with a thumping margin, with a best throw of 64.08 metres while her compatriot Kakol finished in third place with an effort of 56.64 metres. Earlier, Chopra was scheduled to compete in Halle, Germany on the same day, but India's foreign expert Garry Calvert said he decided to switch the promising youngster to a tougher competition in Warsaw. Calvert said: "At Warsaw, Neeraj did his longest throw - 79.73 metres and an 81 metre foul - since the SAF Games (82.23 metres). Halle couldn't put him in Group A which was 82+ metres and Group B was won with 71 metres. The decision to field him in the Warsaw competition was a good one as he threw well and beat three throwers whose throwing range is between 82-85 metres. Pope Francis explores the universal theme of mercy in a new book, which is a spiritual inspiration to both followers of Christianity and non-Christians around the world. Drawing on his own experience as a priest and shepherd, the Pope discusses mercy, a subject of central importance in his religious teaching and testimony, and in addition sums up other ideas - reconciliation, the closeness of God - that comprise the heart of his papacy. 'The Name of God is Mercy' is written in conversation with Vatican expert and journalist Andrea Tornielli and is directed at everyone, inside or outside of the Catholic Church, seeking meaning in life, a road to peace and reconciliation, or the healing of physical or spiritual wounds. Born in Buenos Aires in December 1936, Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been the Bishop of Rome and 266th Pope of the Catholic Church since March 13, 2013. Last year on March 13, he decided to give a decisive turn to his papacy by announcing the Holy Year of Mercy from December 8, 2015 which will end on November 20 this year. According to the Pope, humanity is deeply wounded and is need of mercy. "Either it (humanity) does not know how to cure its wounds or it believes that it's not possible to cure them. And it's not a question of social ills or people wounded by poverty, social exclusion, or one of the many slaveries of the third millennium," he says. He also tells Tornielli in the book, published by Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird, that the Pope too is a man who needs the mercy of God. "Mercy exists, but if you don't want to receive it... If you don't recognise yourself as a sinner, it means you don't want to receive it, it means that you don't feel the need for it." The Pope reiterates that the Church cannot close the door on anyone - that, on the contrary, its duty is to find its way into the consciousness of people so that they can assume responsibility for, and move away from, the bad things they have done. The Pope says there is an aspect of mercy that goes beyond the confines of the Church and it "relates us to Judaism and Islam". He also says that among the privileged names that Islam attributes to the creator are "merciful and kind". "This invocation is often on the lips of faithful Muslims who feel themselves accompanied and sustained by mercy in their daily weakness. They too believe that no one can place a limit on divine mercy because its doors are always open," he says. On corruption, Francis says, "The corrupt man often doesn't realize his own condition, much as a person with bad breath does not know they have it." Asked about gay Catholics, he tells Tornielli, "I am glad that we are talking about 'homosexual people' because before all else comes the individual person, in his wholeness and dignity. And people should not be defined only by their sexual tendencies: let us not forget that God loves all his creatures and we are destined to receive his infinite love. "I prefer that homosexuals come to confession, that they stay close to the Lord, and that we pray all together. You can advise them to pray, show goodwill, show them the way, and accompany them along it." According to him, migrants and other vulnerable people should be reached out to, listened, advised, and taught "our own experience". "By welcoming a marginalised person whose body is wounded and by welcoming the sinner whose soul is wounded, we put our credibility as Christians on the line," he adds. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today rejected former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda's charge of political vendetta following CBI raids in connection with alleged irregularities in plot allotment, saying his government would probe any wrongdoing which comes to the fore. "The Vigilance or CBI probe was ordered when irregularities came to fore. Where is the question of any vendetta in this," Khattar said addressing a rally in Julana town here. Taking a dig at Hooda, the Chief Minister said that the Congress leader had boasted in the Vidhan Sabha that if any irregularity pertaining to the tenure of his government was found, he was prepared to face any investigation. "Now, when investigation is going on, why is he worried," Khattar asked. He said irregularities in the allotment of industrial plots in Panchkula under the Congress rule had come to light after which the matter was handed over to CBI, which was now conducting the probe. The CBI, which took over the case from the Vigilance Bureau of Haryana, has named Hooda, three former bureaucrats, 13 beneficiaries besides unknown officials of the authority and the state government. After CBI registered a case on May 16, sleuths of the premier investigating agency had carried out searches two days back at 16 locations including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Faridabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Rohtak against the former bureaucrats and beneficiaries who are alleged to have used their "links" to get industrial plots at Panchkula. After CBI registered the case, Hooda had hit out at the BJP Government, dubbing the move as "witch hunting". China today rebutted India's assertion that France was included in the Nuclear Suppliers Group without signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying France was a founder member of the elite group and so the issue of accepting its membership does not arise. Ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit, China also called for "in-depth" talks to build consensus over India's admission into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), days after Pakistan staked claim to join the 48-member grouping with purported backing from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying sounded firm about China's stance that all new members that join the NSG must sign Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Hua rebutted India's assertion that France was included in the elite group without signing the NPT. "When France joined the NSG it was not a party to the NPT: France was the founder member of the NSG so the issue of acceptance to the NSG does not exist", Hua said responding to Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup's comment last week. "The NSG is an ad hoc export control regime and France, which was not an NPT member for some time, was a member of the NSG since it respected NSG's objectives," Swarup had said on May 20, rejecting China's oft-repeated assertion that India should sign the NPT to join the NSG. "The NSG is an important component of the non- proliferationregime is founded on the NPT. This is a long term consensus of the international community which was reaffirmed last year by the NPT review convention," Hua said. That is why the NSG has been taking NPT signatory status must status for new members, Hua said. The issue was expected to figure in the talks during President Mukherjee's visit to China from tomorrow. Mukherjee would arrive in Chinese city of Guangzhou and later arrive here on May 25 during which he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese leaders including his counterpart Xi Jinping. Acknowledging differences among the NSG members in the backdrop of US supporting India's bid to join the grouping based on its non-proliferation record, contrary to Pakistan's history of clandestine export of nuclear technology, Hua said the NSG members needed "in-depth" talks on the issue. "Pakistan is not a party to the NPT. For whether the non- NPT countries can join the NSG there are discussions with in the group and there are major differences that is why China along with other countries have been maintaining that there should he through discussions whether non-NPT countries can join the NSG and decision shall be made upon consensus", Hua said. "This applies to all non-NPT countries including Pakistan", she said. Pakistan is an all weather strategic partner of China for coordination and a close neighbour. "Our position is not targeted against Pakistan and applies to all non-NPT countries", the spokesperson said. "We support the NSG members having in-depth discussions on this so as to reach a consensus at an early date and we continue to take constructive part in the relevant discussions", she said. President Barack Obama said today he remained confident the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal would be ratified in the United States despite strong political opposition in Washington. "The reason I remain confident is it's the right thing to do," he told reporters in Vietnam where he is currently on a three-day visit. "I have not yet seen a credible argument that once we get TPP in place we are going to be worse off... We're going to be better off," he told reporters in a press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart. But the US leader conceded getting the ambitious tariff- slashing deal through a hostile, Republican-dominated Congress will be "noisy". Even elements of his Democrat party are opposed to the deal, which aims to gain lower tariff access and bring down trade barriers to US goods in a market representing 40 per cent of the global economy. The pact also aims to wrest influence from a booming China, which dominates Asian trade. But critics warn TPP will damage American business by giving cheaper overseas goods preferential access to its domestic market, slashing wages and jobs. Vietnam has readily embraced the deal and today President Tran Dai Quang backed the TPP as a game-changing pact that can reshape global trade. He said the pact can "be a driver of economic growth in (the) Asia-Pacific region", adding Vietnam "is committed to fully implementing" all of its clauses, which include recognition of workers' rights. Currently unions are banned in Vietnam. The deal must now be ratified by the 12 participating countries. The 12 signatories to the TPP agreement are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. President Barack Obama today confirmed Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Saturday's bombing raid, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, marks a major blow to the militant movement, which saw a new resurgence under Mansour. "We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda," the US president said in a statement. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura (council) is under way to select a new leader. Obama, who is on a three day visit to Vietnam, said Mansour had rejected efforts "to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children." He called on the Taliban's remaining leadership to engage in peace talks as the "only real path" to ending the attritional conflict. Mansour was elevated to the leadership of the Taliban in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had died two years earlier. He was killed on Saturday near the town of Ahmad Lal in Pakistan's south western Balochistan province, when missiles fired from a drone struck the car he was travelling in. It was believed to be the first time the United States has targeted a senior Taliban figure in Pakistan. Pakistan, which says it is hosting the Afghan Taliban's top leadership in order to exert influence over them, has lambasted the United States over the drone attack, calling it a violation of its sovereignty. In his statement, Obama said American forces would continue to go after threats on Pakistani soil. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven," he said. But the strike could signal a fresh blow for US-Pakistan ties, which have improved markedly in recent years since the killing of Al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden in 2011. The US has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in the Pakistan, mainly in the country's border tribal regions with Afghanistan, with leaked documents showing Islamabad had quietly consented, despite publicly protesting. US President Barack Obama today lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region that he has tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a conference where he vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the former war enemies and embrace a new era with a young, increasingly prosperous nation. Obama steered clear of harsh condemnation of what critics see as Vietnam's abysmal treatment of dissidents, describing instead modest progress on rights in the one-party state. Activists said his decision to lift the embargo destroyed the best U.S. Leverage for pushing Vietnam on abuse. "At this stage, both sides have established a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect," Obama said. "This change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself and removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War." Obama also has more current motivations. His move was the latest step in a yearslong and uneven effort to counter China's influence in Asia. Obama's push to deepen defense ties with a neighbour was certain to be eyed with suspicion in Beijing, which has bristled at US engagement in the region and warned officials not to take sides in the heated territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Obama claimed the move had nothing to do with China, but made clear the US was aligned with the smaller nations like Vietnam. The United States and Vietnam have mutual concerns about maritime issues and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, he said. While Washington doesn't take sides, he said, it does support a diplomatic resolution based on "international norms" and "not based on who's the bigger party and can throw around their weight a little bit more," a reference to China. China outwardly lauded the lifting of a US arms embargo, saying it hoped "normal and friendly" relations between the US and Vietnam are conducive to regional stability. A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said bans are a product of the Cold War and shouldn't have existed. China itself remains under a weapons embargo imposed by the US and European Union following 1989's bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. For Vietnam, lifting the arms embargo was a psychological boost for its leaders. The United States partially lifted the ban in 2014, but Vietnam has pushed for full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Visakhapatnam Rural Police today arrested a woman Maoist, who carried a reward of Rs four lakh on her head, and three militia members. The arrested Maoists were identified as Vantala Vasantha (26) alias Jyothi, native of Bonangipalle area, P Sattibabu (40) and P Kameswara Rao (21), a resident of Koyyuru mandal, and G Govinda Rao (26) from GK Veedhi area. Each of the three militia members carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on their head. Vasantha was associated with the outlawed CPI (Maoist) since 2003 and was involved in 51 cases of Maoist violence in Vizag Agency, including 15 murders, Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma said. She was an 'area committee member' of the Maoists and carried a reward of Rs four lakh on her head, he said. Jyothi had decided to quit the movement because of her severe health problems but the Maoist top brass did not allow her, the SP claimed. The other three were members of Maoist militia and were involved in incidents of loot, attack on houses of local political leaders, extortion, etc., he added. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram today discussed the progress in setting up of a Medical College and Super Speciality Hospital at Ispat General Hospital (IGH). Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray also attended the high level meeting and held discussions with RSP's CEO Ashwini Kumar and other senior officials of the steel plant. Both the dignitaries were apprised about the status of the Medical College and Super Speciality Hospital, RSP said in a release. Oram and Ray took keen interest in the project and emphasised on its speedy implementation. The visit comes in the backdrop of RSP making all out effort to make the project a success and implement it as soon as possible. M/s MediSys Project Consultant Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, has been appointed as Consultant and it has already submitted the feasibility report with various options, the release said. Accordingly a Board note has been initiated. After approval of the Board, DPR (Detail Project Report) would be made by the consultant and tender be floated. The steel plant is ensuring that the project reaches its fruition in the shortest possible time and the long felt need of the people of the region is fulfilled, the release said. While a full-fledged medical college and hospital is underway, a Super speciality clinic was already inaugurated on April 9 at IGH for which an MOU had been signed with Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad. As per the MOU, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad will be deputing Super Specialists in Nephrology and Oncology every second Saturday and Specialists in Cardiology and Neurology every fourth Saturday of the month. Thailand's ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has expressed concern over the ruling junta's performance and called on the kingdom's generals to return power to the people as the country marked the second anniversary of the coup that toppled her elected government. Yingluck, 48, who became Thailand's first woman prime minister in 2011 after a thumping election victory, was stripped of her post by the military in a coup to "put an end" to the then-intense political protests, starting in 2013 following her government's attempt to pass an amnesty bill. She is still facing charges on the controversial rice pledging scheme which was implemented during her tenure. In a Facebook post, she asked the military formed National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to urgently address problems being faced by the people. "I have growing concerns because today people are suffering from economic hardship, poverty and critical social issues including increasing drug use," she said. Yingluck said the junta had justified the coup claiming that her government could no longer govern the country and it needed to take charge to proceed with reconciliation process. "I would like to ask them whether the reconciliation process has been inclusive and if it is going in the right direction or not," she said on her Facebook page on Sunday. She asked the NCPO to accelerate the implementation of reforms that will move the country back towards path to democracy as specified by their own roadmap. "It was also the day that the people's rights and freedom were taken away. I wish that they will swiftly return happiness to the people. By happiness, I mean the basic rights and freedom that will allow the people to once again choose their own destiny. "This will ensure that the past two years would not have been wasted. I remain hopeful that this will be the case," she was quoted as saying by local media. Meanwhile, more than 200 people marched on Sunday to protest military rule on the second anniversary of the coup that toppled the country's elected government on May 22, 2014 in the military's 12th successful putsch. Yingluck is the younger sister of former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra who is on a self imposed exile and wanted in Thailand on corruption charges. A Pakistani was nabbed by Border Security Force (BSF) while he was allegedly trying to cross-over to the Indian side along Indo-Pak border near Kanshi Barwan Border Outpost (BOP) in Pathankot district. The man, who was apprehended on Sunday near Bamial Sector BOP, has been identified as Mohammad Shah, a resident of Manyal in Pakistan's Punjab province, said R K Bhatian, Commandant of 132 BSF Battalion. A live cartridge of 9 MM pistol, Rs 2,349 in Pakistani currency, a passbook of a Pakistani bank, an AC remote and a watch, were found from his possession, the BSF official said. During preliminary investigation, Shah said he crossed the border inadvertently, according to Bhatian. A probe is on, he added. On January 2, this year, four heavily armed Pakistani terrorists had attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station, killing eight people, including seven security personnel. The terrorists were killed in an 80-hour gun battle. The "complicated" relationship between the US and Pakistan has been thrown on "razor edge" and ties could become more "nasty" after the killing of Afghan Taliban chief in an American drone strike inside Pakistan, media here said today. Delving into the the possible impact of the drone attack, The Nation said that "complicated ties between Pakistan and the US could be on course to become nasty after Osama bin Laden-style US strike deep inside Pakistan over the weekend to kill Afghan Taliban chief ." The US and Pakistan differ on countering Taliban, and Washington believes Islamabad was playing double-game with them, especially on Afghanistan peace, it said in the report headlined 'Mansour strike throws Pak-US ties on the razor edge.' It also cited the US aid restrictions over the F-16 fighter jets deal between the two countries. The News reported that the strike, authorised by President Barack Obama, which included multiple drones, "showed the US was prepared to go after the Taliban leadership". Dawn in its report said the death of the Mansour shows that US stepped across the "red line" when it launched the first-ever drone strike in Pakistan's Baluchistan area. According to its report, there have been about 391 drone strikes by the US in Pakistani territory, primarily targeting Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders since 2004. All but four of these strikes took place in the tribal agencies. The only previously reported strikes that took place in settled areas were in Hangu district (2013) and three in Bannu (2008), it reported citing the database maintained by Long War Journal. 71% of the strikes took place in North Waziristan, while 23% targeted areas in South Waziristan. The report said that yesterday's strikes prompted fears among the Pakistani leadership that the US could expand the theatre of drone warfare into the settled areas of Pakistan. The Express Tribune reported that "less than a year after he stepped into the shoes of life-time Afghan Taliban leader Mulah Omar, is believed to have been killed in a very rare US drone strike deep inside Pakistan". "It took the government a whole day to come up with a response after US officials and Afghan government confirmed Mansoor was killed in a drone strike in Balochistan," it said in another report headlined 'US didn't notify Pakistan until after deadly strike.' The report said that background interviews with officials suggested that Pakistan was furious over the US decision to take out Mansour. "Would the Taliban now ever come to the negotiating table after this incident," it quoted an unnamed official as saying. According to its report, the official claimed that the US "deceived" Pakistan as there was an understanding among the two countries that Taliban leaders were allowed to travel between Pakistan and Afghanistan. "The US was telling us they will not target Taliban leaders while efforts are on to bring them to the negotiating table" for the peace talks, the official said. Pakistan has condemned the latest strike but so far it is not clear how it will react to the US attack in Balochistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a statement has said that the drone attack was a violation of Pakistan's territory. Revenue Department today set up a three-member committee for recommending advance approval to offshore funds for setting up management office in India. The committee will examine the application of overseas fund managers and submit its recommendations to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) regarding grant of approval or otherwise. "With the announcement of a three-member committee, the CBDT has now operationalised the framework for seeking an advance approval by offshore funds which set up their fund management office in India," said Rajesh H Gandhi, Partner, Deloitte Haskins and Sells. Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (International Taxation), West Zone, Mumbai is Chairman of the Committee. CIT (International Taxation)-1, Mumbai and CIT (Transfer Pricing)-1 Mumbai are members. The Committee will give its recommendations to the CBDT and the order of the CBDT will be binding on the tax authorities, Gandhi said. "Funds seeking certainty on the tax treatment of their fund management business can choose to apply for an advance approval," he said. The Finance Act, 2015 inserted a new section to the Income-tax Act, 1961 with effect from April 1, 2016 to provide for a special regime in respect of offshore funds having fund managers located in India. The rule, the Finance Ministry said provides for mechanism of fund being approved by the Board. The fund seeking approval is required to make an application to Member (Income-tax), CBDT. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will next month travel to Singapore for the key Shangri-La Dialogue focussing on inter-governmental security and also undertake a two-day bilateral visit to Vietnam to deepen military ties. Parrikar is expected to leave for Singapore on June 3 to attend the inter-governmental security forum on June 4, defence ministry sources said here today. Last year, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh had represented India at the Shangri-La Dialogue which focusses on security in the Asia-Pacific region. The Shangri-La Dialogue is an inter-governmental security forum held annually by an independent think-tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and is attended by defence ministers and military chiefs of 28 Asia-Pacific countries. Last year, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had attended the dialogue. Among the issues that are likely to be discussed are freedom of navigation and security issues concerning the Asia-Pacific region. Parrikar will then travel to Vietnam, which is involved in a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea. Last year, India and Vietnam had decided to enhance their bilateral defence cooperation and signed a joint vision statement for five years. Vietnam, which is building a naval deterrent to China with Russian-made Kilo-class submarines, is keen on India training its submarine personnel. It also has expressed interest to acquire Indian-made BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a deal for which India is open to. Vietnam may become the first country to be supplied the 290 km-range BrahMos weapon system, a joint venture of India and Russia. Around 12 passengers of Prayagraj Express, going to Delhi from Allahabad, were allegedly looted of cash and jewellery at gunpoint by miscreants early this morning, GRP officials said. The miscreants boarded the train at Aligarh under the guise of passengers and carried out the loot before Khurja station arrived, they said. When the train arrived at Ghaziabad station, the passengers raised a hue and cry and claimed that seven miscreants had carried out the loot. A case has been registered in this regard and investigation is on, GRP Inspector Pankaj Lawania said, adding, since it comes under the purview of Aligarh GRP the case has been transferred to them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gifted Iranian Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamenei a rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran written in Kufic script and attributed to Prophet's son-in-law Hazrat Ali. Modi, who called on Khamenei at his office, gifted the Supreme Leader the specially commissioned reproduction of rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran attributed to Hazrat Ali, the fourth Islamic caliph and first Shia Imam. Khamenei, a 76-year-old Shia Grand Ayatollah and two-time former president, has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues. Written in Kufic script, the manuscript is a prized possession of the Ministry of Culture's at Rampur Raza Library in Uttar Pradesh. Kufic - developed around the end of the 7th century in Kufa, Iraq - is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also gifted President Hassan Rouhani specially commissioned reproductions of Mirza Ghalib's collection of poetry in Persian. First published in 1863, Kulliyat-e-Farsi-e-Ghalib is a collection of over 11,000 verses by Ghalib. The reproduction is from a rare copy of the book's 1867 edition to which some missing pages have been added from a copy of the 1872 edition from Maulana Azad's personal collection preserved in the library of Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi. Modi also gifted him Sumair Chand's Persian translation of Ramayana. Translated into Persian in 1715 and copied in 1826, the Ramayana is a rare manuscript and contains over 260 illustrations - possibly the largest number in any hand-written Ramayana manuscript. Modi's visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today accorded a ceremonial welcome as he met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for talks to deepen trade, investment and energy ties. Modi, the first Prime Minister to visit Iran on a bilateral visit in 15 years, was received by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the forecourts of Saadabad Palace - the seat of executive in Iran. Military bands played national anthems of the two countries after which Modi inspected guard of honour. Following this, the two leaders had a 30-minute restricted meeting to discuss bilateral issues of strategic and business importance. Delegation-level talks followed it, leading to signing of agreements on development of Chahabar port on southern coast of Iran, setting up of an aluminium smelter plant and rail line. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today greeted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on her assumption of office and said the Centre would work closely with the new government. "Congratulations to Jayalalithaaji and her team on taking oath. Centre will work closely with new Govt. For progress of TN," the Prime Minister said in a tweet. Jayalalithaa assumed office as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for a second consecutive term today. Along with her, 28 others too were sworn in as ministers. Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah administered the oath of office and secrecy to them at a function at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran during which the two countries signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port and pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism. "Khuda Hafez Tehran! A busy day of diplomacy ends as PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Modi who held extensive talks with President Hassan Rouhani also called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei before heading home. During the visit, besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. Modi's visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, came months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. Pope Francis met the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican today in a historic encounter that was sealed with a hugely symbolic hug and exchange of kisses. The first Vatican meeting between the leader of the world's Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam marks the culmination of a significant improvement in relations between the two faiths since Francis took office in 2013. "Our meeting is the message," Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Vatican officials told a small pool of reporters covering the event. In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar, an institution that also comprises a prestigious seat of learning, said Tayeb had accepted Francis's invitation in order to "explore efforts to spread peace and co-existence." The "very cordial" meeting lasted around 30 minutes, the Vatican said in a statement after the talks. In all, the imam spent just over an hour at St Peter's. Tayeb's decision to fly to Rome, unexpectedly announced last week, followed the easing of serious tensions that marked the reign of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI. Ties were badly soured when the now-retired Benedict made a September 2006 speech in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly protests in several countries and reprisal attacks on Christians. Pope John-Paul II met the then-grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo in 2000, a year before the September 11 attacks on New York transformed relations between the West and the Islamic world. Today's visit was effectively the long-delayed reciprocal meeting and the Vatican said that both clerics had "underlined the great significance of this new meeting". Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope and the imam had "mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world." These included working together for world peace, rejecting violence and terrorism, and the situation and protection of Christians against a backdrop of conflict and terrorism in the Middle East." The pope presented the imam with a copy of his recent encyclical, Laudato Si', a letter to the faithful in which he urges the world to wake up to the threat posed by climate change and also calls for a rebalancing of the economic relationship between the industrialised and developing worlds. Tayeb decided to accept the invitation to Rome as a result of the numerous conciliatory gestures Francis has made to the Muslim world since being elected in early 2013. "If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening," imam's deputy Abbas Shuman said. President Pranab Mukherjee today sought more information and clarification on few points from the Health Ministry over the decision to bring an Ordinance on uniform medical entrance examination NEET that seeks to keep state boards out of its purview. The need for more information was conveyed to Health Minister J P Nadda who called on the President this afternoon to brief him about the need for bringing the Executive Order before the latter leaves for China tomorrow. The meeting lasted for more than half-an-hour and the minister is learnt to have briefed the President on three set of issues -- different exams of state boards, syllabi and regional languages. Health Ministry sources said that during the meeting, some fresh information was sought by the President. "The Ministry is in the process of sending them," sources added. The President had earlier asked Nadda's ministry to explain the reason for taking the Ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The meeting between the President and the Health Minister was "satisfactory", the sources said. The Ordinance was on Saturday sent to the President. Nadda was to attend a global health summit in Geneva but had to cancel the trip to meet the President. The Ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier on Friday, is aimed at "partially" overturning a Supreme Court order which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. The President has also sought the opinion of in-house legal experts on the Ordinance. The assent of the President is still awaited. Clarifying that the exemption is only for the state government seats, government sources had said the state seats which are earmarked in the private medical colleges have also been exempted. Different states earmark seats in various private medical colleges for state quota so that students from one state can get seats in another state. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1. Health Ministry sources said that seven states will take medical exams as per NEET while in six other states, around 4 lakh students have already taken the examinations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signifying the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, called on Khamenei at his office towards the end of his two-day visit. "A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. Khamenei, who has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues, welcomed Modi. "Prime Minister of India H E Narendra Modi @narendramodi met with Leader of Revolution," said a tweet from his office. Earlier in the day, Modi met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and held one-on-one talks. The two countries pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as they signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India also committed around USD 500 million for the important port in Iran's southern coast, which will serve as a "point of connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States countries and East Europe. Modi's visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Punjab Cabinet today gave approval for organising a series of functions to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the state from now till November 1. The decision was taken in a meeting of Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here. A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said these state-level functions and other programmes would be organised during the period to apprise people about the relentless struggle for the creation of Punjabi Suba (Punjabi state). The Cabinet also gave a nod to set up a high-level organising committee to chalk out the various programmes. In recognition of the supreme sacrifice by Amrita Devi Bishnoi and 363 other residents of Bishnoi community, who laid down their lives while opposing cutting of trees by the ruler of Marwar (Jodhpur) in 1730, the Cabinet also approval for setting up a nature park-cum-memorial in their memory at village Sitogunno in Abohar near Fazilka district. The requisite land would be provided by the village panchayat and the entire expenditure for the park-cum-memorial would be borne by Forest Department out of Greening Punjab Fund. This initiative would also go a long way in sensitizing people towards preservation of forests and wildlife. The Cabinet also gave approval for commemoration of 300th martyrdom anniversary of legendary Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur from May 29 to June 30 by organising various programmes and 'nagar kirtans'. The commemoration will be overseen by an organizing committee under the chairmanship of chief minister with deputy chief minister as its Vice-Chairman. Eminent scholars and personalities will also be associated for this event. The Cabinet also gave a go ahead to set up an executive committee under the organising committee with a Cabinet minister as its chairman and an officer in the rank of principal secretary as its member secretary. Its other members would be decided by the chairman. The Cabinet will incur entire expenses of these celebrations amounting to Rs 25 crore. A 20-feet-tall statue of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur will be installed at Mehrauli in New Delhi by the state government at a cost of Rs 30 lakh. The Cabinet also approved Punjab Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) prepared under the provision of the Energy Conservation Building Code-2007 as per composite climate zone applicable to Punjab. It would be mandatory in government buildings/building complexes including buildings/building complexes of municipalities/local bodies, boards, corporations, government aided institutions and other autonomous bodies of the state government. Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa today mourned the death of six Assam Rifles personnel who were killed in an ambush in Chandel district of Manipur near the Indo-Myanmar border. Expressing condolences on behalf of the people of the state, the Governor said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of the bereaved families at this difficult time. "The people of the North East will always remember the ultimate sacrifices of these brave personnel of the Friends of the Hill People," a Raj Bhawan statement said here. Condemning yesterday's incident, Rajkhowa said all steps should be taken to bring the perpetrators to justice. Children's author Anushka Ravishanker's new book is a novel adaptation on the soon-to-be released film 'Dhanak' by Nagesh Kukoonor, which has won multiple international awards so far. A quest for 'unusual and interesting stories' led Anushka, an award winning writer and playwright herself who has written over 25 books so far, to attempt the novelisation. "There are some really unusual and interesting stories being told in children's films, which are very different from the kind of stories we find being written for children's books. It has often occurred to us that some of those films would make wonderful books," Anushka told PTI over email. The Hindi film narrates the adventures a blind boy, Chotu, and his sister, Pari who are orphans and live with their uncle and aunt in a village in Rajasthan. Pari promises Chotu that he will have his eyesight back by his ninth birthday. On seeing a campaign poster with Shah Rukh Khan that urges people to 'Donate Your Eyes, Pari starts writing letters to Shah Rukh Khan, asking him to give Chotu his eyesight. There is no reply, however and one day Pari hears that the superstar is in Rajasthan shooting for a film. The film shows the children embarking on a road trip to find him. The film adaption, which was done in a record span of 7 days, says the author is something that doesn't seem to have been done before with children's films in India and she thought it would be an exciting thing to attempt. Anushka is the co-founder of publishing house Duckbill Books, whose members heard about 'Dhanak' and contacted one of the producers who sent them a preview of the film. "We saw it and thought it would make a great book.... So I wrote the book and we sent it to press at record speed, in order to have it ready by the time the film was released!," she says. The book is expected to hit stands before the film,, which has a scheduled release date of June 17. While the author says she tried to remain as true to the film as possible, she introduced into the book elements that are not in the film, that recreates the colourful and visually attractive scenes of Rajasthan. "Of course, given the difference in form, there are elements in the book that were not in the film. I had to choose a Point Of View, I had to replace dialogue and visuals with interior monologue and description. "I had to change the sequence slightly in a couple of places for similar reasons ... So that it's possible to read the book as a standalone novel. But otherwise, the book is very faithful to the film," Anushka says. While the film is narrated through Chotu's point of view, the book is told through Pari's point of view. To understand the film and its essence, the author spoke with director Nagesh to clear doubts, understand certain characters and motivations, clarify a few plot points and so on. One of the producers Elahe Hiptoola provided valuable feedback. Anushka's interview with the film's two young protagonists is included in the book. The children's author says adapting stories, of which she has done plenty like for example 'The Arabian Nights', is a lot different from writing a movie novelisation as the latter had to stay true to dialogue and storylines, which is not a criterion for the former. In theory there, Anushka says it is the first among many future novelisations, but in reality will depend on many factors. "Finding a film that we think would work as a book, the owners of the property wanting to do this and things working out on the financial front. But in theory, yes, it could be!" says Anushka. Meanwhile, the film, which premiered at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival and won the Crystal Bear Grand Prix for Best Children's Film. It also garnered the Best Film Award in the main category in Sneakers film festival and the Best Film Award - at the Montreal International Children's Film Festival (FIFEM). The respects Pakistan's sovereignty but will carry out strikes to eliminate terrorists who are targeting its forces, the Obama Administration said on Tuesday after Islamabad expressed concern over the drone strike by American forces on its territory to kill Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour. "We certainly do respect Pakistan's territorial integrity. But as we've said before, we will carry out strikes to remove terrorist who are actively pursuing, planning and directing attacks against forces," the State Department Deputy Spokesman, Mark Toner, told reporters at his daily news conference. Toner was responding to questions on Pakistan hitting out at the for launching the drone strike on its soil to kill Mansour, describing it as a "violation of its sovereignty". "The strike sends a clear message that those who target Americans and Afghan people are not going to be given a safe haven. And then also, that it know that there's only one option for the Taliban and that is to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict," Toner said in a subtle warning to the Taliban. He said the death of Mansour does not mean defeat of the Taliban but it does send a clear message. "What I think it does send is a clear message. If you're going to carry out attacks, if you're going to lead attacks against our forces and against Afghanistan's forces, then you are going to be targeted and you're not going to have safe haven," Toner said. He said it also sends the message that the Taliban must decide what its future is going to be. "Whether it's going to be part of a peaceful, political future for Afghanistan. There is a path towards that. They can sit down with the Afghan government and begin negotiations and talks. We've encouraged that. We support an Afghan-owned, Afghan led process," he said. "I think it presents them with a clear choice. You know that there are ways to engage and identify the fact that you're willing to engage in a peaceful way. And frankly, Mansour showed absolutely no predilection towards engaging in any kind of peaceful political process," he said. Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. Pakistan today summoned US ambassador David Hale to express concern over the drone strike. Russian said today it had summoned a US defence attache, claiming an American military aircraft had carried out a reconnaissance mission over the Sea of Japan and risked collision with passenger planes. The US surveillance plane had its transponders turned off during Sunday's incident near the Russian border, the defence ministry said, adding that the crew had not informed regional authorities of the plane's route. The plane used the same flight levels as those typically used by passenger jets, Moscow said, adding that "the unprofessional actions" of the US crew had created a risk of collision with other aircraft. The defence ministry said measures needed to be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. In recent months, Washington has repeatedly accused Russian aircraft of seeking to provoke US forces or buzzing US warships. Moscow has countered that the US military has no business getting too close to Russia's borders. Ties between Russia and the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Kiev and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. South African state prosecutors said today they would appeal against a court ruling that President Jacob Zuma should face almost 800 corruption charges, triggering accusations that he was being protected from justice. Zuma has endured months of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals and as the country battles falling economic growth and record unemployment. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) director Shaun Abrahams announced the decision to challenge a High Court order to reinstate 783 charges against Zuma, but denied any political pressure. The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped in 2009, clearing the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later. At the time, state prosecutors justified dropping the case by saying that tapped phone calls between officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki's administration showed political interference. But the Pretoria High Court last month dismissed the decision to discontinue the charges as "irrational" and said it should be reviewed by the NPA. "The judgement affects... The discretionary powers of the prosecutor," Abrahams told a press conference on Monday. "It is so important that I believe it needs a decision of an appeal court." Abrahams railed against suggestions that the NPA was reluctant to prosecute Zuma. "I will always do what is correct, irrespective of whether the individual concerned is an ordinary citizen, a cabinet minister or a sitting president," he said. "Any suggestion that I may have succumbed to any pressure to make my decision -- I can assure the public today that it is absolutely ridiculous and completely unfounded. Actor Rakshak Sahni, popularly known for his roles in "Kkavyanjali" and "Kasauti Zindagi Ki" is planning to make a film "Change" that talks about the struggles that minorities face in Hollywood. Rakshak was also seen in American films like "My Indian Boyfriend's Mother", "You Can't Curry Love", "Excuses Girls Make". He has also started his own production house in California named 'Salt Vinegar Films'. The film throws light on the struggles that different ethnic minority actors and women face on a day to day basis in Hollywood. The movie stars him and Prashant Raj, who was seen in Ram Gopal Varma Ki "Aag" and "Toss". "The idea of 'Change' came up when my partner Raeyn Song and I were doing some research and noticed a pattern on how people of colour were depicted and stereotyped in Hollywood. We found that 85 per cent of roles on film and television went to white actors," Rakshak told PTI. "Also roles which were meant for people of colour are continuously played by white actors, adding to the practice of whitewashing which is as old as the film industry," he said. The film "Change" is set in Los Angeles and it is partially based on true events that Rakshak and his peers have experienced as minorities in the industry. "We wanted to stay true to the struggles of other minorities as much as possible, so we reached to many people to hear their personal experiences," he said. "It is a multi-linear plot where the various sub-stories come together in the end. Despite the seriousness of our topic, it is a comedy," he added. Rakshak feels every industry has its problems and the problem in India is lack of good acting schools. "India is home to the biggest film industry in the world, we do not have many film and acting schools like they do in the US. I see so many fellow Indians coming here, spending thousands of dollars as fees just to go back after graduation," he added. "India has the best schools for engineering and management in the world. Why can't we also have film, acting schools that matches up to these (US) standards," Rakshak said. Hotel management firm Sarovar Hotels is planning to operate 10 hotels in Africa in the next five years and has forayed into South Sudan by taking over management of Panorama hotel as part of its expansion plans. The company has taken over management of the Panorama hotel in the capital city of the Republic of South Sudan which will now be re-branded as The Panorama Sarovar Portico, Juba, Sarovar Hotels said in a statement. Sarovar Hotels Pvt ED Ajay K Bakaya said: "This is a major step in our growth and expansion strategy and we are looking to operate 10 hotels in Africa in the next five years." The company sees immense growth potential in this market with high demand and good occupancies in most hotels. The group currently manages Heron Portico and Zehneria Portico in Nairobi in Kenya and the New Africa Hotel in Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania. It plans to take the number of hotels in its portfolio to a total of 10, from the current 4 in the next five years. Sarovar Hotels Pvt currently operates over 75 hotels in India and abroad with a total 6,000 rooms under various brands. A group of around 10 armed men shot dead a security guard and made off with Rs 60 lakh from a bank van on Moga-Kotkapura road here today, police said. The van was carrying cash from the Baghapurana branch of Oriental Bank of Commerce to Moga when it was attacked by the armed men, police said, adding that the slain security guard was identified as Harinder Singh. Sensing trouble, Singh had reportedly fired at the men who, in turn, retaliated. Singh suffered a bullet injury and succumbed on the way to the hospital, police said, adding that the group managed to flee with a cash amount of Rs 60 lakh. Manager of the bank Parveen Sahu reported the matter to the police. A case has been registered and a search operation launched. Siemens today said it has strengthened its partnership with Sri Lanka by signing a pact with the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development to offer expertise from its globally-proven smart city solutions. The major objective of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development is to bring systematic changes and development processes into the urban community in Sri Lanka, which will ensure inhabitants of urban areas become part of socio-economic development while maintaining high quality of life, Siemens said in a BSE filing. According to the statement, this MoU will pave the way for making Sri Lanka a commercial, naval and aviation hub of Asia. In this context, the ministry envisages transforming the entire Western Province into a megapolis to usher in comprehensive development within the next five years. The scope of work under the ministry's purview would primarily include macro level planning of the Western Megapolis region based on bio-geophysical and socio-economic aspects. The Western Region Megapolis Development will be the epicentre towards a long-standing, firmly-established and sustainable future urban process of Sri Lanka. In furtherance to designing smart urban settlements in strategic locations of the country, it will also seek to discover solutions to resolve distinct issues related to urbanisation such as garbage, slums, energy, traffic, environment and livelihoods. Lakshman Jayasekara, Project Director / Team Leader, Western Region Megapolis Planning Project, said in statement: "We are... Happy to partner with Siemens whose expertise and technologies will contribute to the Western Province's intensive efforts to eliminate congestion pressure on urban infrastructure, services and environment with a focus on reducing the per unit capital cost of infrastructure." Sunil Mathur, MD and CEO, Siemens India, said, "With its global expertise, Siemens has the portfolio, the know-how, and the expertise to help cities become more livable, more competitive and more sustainable. This will enable the national economy to leverage the benefits of economies of agglomeration brought about by urbanisation." The ministry plans to develop new cities in Bandaragama, Kadawatha, Kottawa and Kerawalapitiya. Pakistani intelligence agencies have picked up six suspected Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists, including a top commander, after a raid on the outskirts of the city. The intelligence officials raided an apartment on the outskirts of the city in the aftermath of the US drone strike in which Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour and another militant were killed in the restive Baluchistan province, police sources said. According to the sources the suspected TTP activists picked up includeJabbar, Yousuf and Bashir. Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today said the two terror strikes in Srinagar in which three policemen were killed were "extremely worrying". " of terror attacks in Zadibal & Tengpora in Srinagar extremely worrying. My condolences to families of policemen martyred in these attacks (sic)," Gandhi tweeted. Militants today carried out two strikes within as many hours in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, killing three policemen, including an officer, and decamping with service rifle of one of the slain cops. These major attacks in the city come after nearly three years. The last such attack took place on June 22, 2013 when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. In a move that could bring down political acrimony between the two Dravidian majors, DMK Treasurer M K Stalin today chose to attend the swearing-in of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister. This is the second time Stalin, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, attended Jayalalithaa's swearing-in after participating in her oath-taking ceremony in 2001. As Chennai Mayor, he along with a few DMK leaders, had attended the function then. Stalin, attired in white shirt and dhoti, was today spotted seated in the 16th row at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in function. Former DMK Ministers E V Velu and Ponmudy besides their party MLAs Sekhar Babu, Vagai Chandrasekhar and Ku Ka Selvam were also seated near him. Yesterday, DMK supremo Karunanidhi had said his party would function as a constructive opposition in the 234-member assembly. While the DMK secured 89 seats, its allies Congress eight and IUML one, the AIADMK alone bagged 134 seats in the May 16 polls. Elections to Thanjavur and Aravakurichi segments have been deferred. A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed here today by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. Modi's visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, comes months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on the southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation's southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone," Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Iran in 15 years, said while addressing the media jointly with Rouhani. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. The trilateral agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor, linked to the Chabahar port development, was signed later by India, Iran and Afghanistan in the presence of Modi, Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Describing it as "opening of a new chapter", Modi said, "today, we all are witnessing creation of history, not just for the people of our three countries but the entire region. It will build bonds of connectivity." Underlining that the agreement was part of the endeavour to "carve out new routes for peace and prosperity" in the region, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the corridor will "spur unhindered" economic growth and help stop radicalisation of the youth by providing job opportunities. "The arc of economic benefit will go beyond the three countries... Its reach can extend to Central Asian Countries. It can link South Asia on one end and Europe on the other," he said. He asserted that the agreement "will strengthen our ability to stand in mutual support against those whose only motto is to maim and kill the innocents. Its success will be a positive vote for peace and stability in the region." Rouhani, while describing the Chabahar agreement as a "spring" in the ties among the three countries, said it was "not against any country", an apparent reference to Pakistan. Modi, while quoting Persian poet Hafez, spoke a few lines in Persian to say, "Days of separation are over; night of wait is coming to an end;Our friendship will stay forever." Earlier, Modi and Rouhani, during bilateral talks, discussed a wide range of issues of mutual concern. "We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security," the Prime Minister said. Terming terrorism as a "big problem running rife and rampant in the region", Rouhani said that both the nations have discussed the issue and agreed to share intelligence to combat the menace. "Due to the importance of stability and security in the region and especially in the countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and because a big problem called terrorism is running rife and rampant in the region. "The two countries discussed about political issues as well and how they can cooperate on intelligence sharing and how they can get closer to each other in the fight against terrorism and extremism and how they can contribute to peace and stability in the whole region," Rouhani added. India's right to use Chabahar port to access landlocked Afghanistan and eastern Europe without having to go through Pakistan is considered a strategically important move as it will counter China's growing involvement in the region. Chabahar port lies just 100 km from the Gwadar port in Pakistan, which is part of China's USD 46 billion plan to develop China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and is aimed at opening new trade and transport routes across Asia. Besides the trilateral pact with Iran and Afghanistan for developing transport and transit corridor using a combination of rail and road connectivity from Chabahar right up to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries also adds muscle to India's economic clout in Asia. "The arc of economic benefit from this agreement would extend beyond our three nations. Its reach could extend to the depths of the Central Asian countries. When linked with the International North South Transport Corridor, it would touch South Asia at one end and Europe at another," Modi said. Compared to the traditional sea routes, it could bring down the cost and time of the cargo trade to Europe by about 50 per cent, he said, adding that "over time, we could even look to connect it with strong sea and land based routes that India has developed with Indian Ocean Region and South East Asia." India may also finance another road network inside Afghanistan to enable Iran to access as far as Tajikistan through a shorter route. Road and rail links are to be built so that landlocked Afghanistan can get access to the Iranian port as an alternate to the Pakistani port of Karachi. Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said India will build a 500 km railway between Chabahar and Zahedan which will connect Chabahar to Central Asia. The airstrike against Mullah Akhtar Mansour was "defensive" as the Taliban chief was engaged in planning operations that posed "specific, imminent threats" to US and coalition forces in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said today, asserting that the drone strike has not strained ties with Pakistan. Mansour was engaged in "specific actions, specific things ...In real time," Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said here. Asked if the Taliban threats were imminent, he said: "Yes, specific imminent threats to US and coalition personnel in Afghanistan." The Pentagon, however, did not give details and nature of the specific eminent threat. He reiterated multiple times that the action against Mansour was a "defensive" strike. "This was a defensive strike against an individual who was actively engaged in planning and conducting operation that were targeting US and Coalition personnel," Davis said. While the US has been conducting similar defensive strike inside Afghanistan, this is probably for the first time that the US did a "defensive strike" inside Pakistan after the killing of Osama bin Laden. "This was a defensive strike against an individual who was actively engaged in planning and conducting operation that were targeting US and Coalition personnel," he said during an off camera conference. "This was considered a defensive strike. (But) the location (of the strike) required higher level of approval. Ultimately this was an individual who was specifically targeting US and coalition personnel and had specifically engaged in operations in the past that resulted in US and coalition personnel being killed," Davis said. "We have a long standing ongoing dialogue with the Pakistani and the Afghan government on all matters on which we have mutual interest. We have ongoing discussions about people we are targeting including this individual and we had conversations about it before and after," he said in response to a question. Asked if this has strained the US' relationship with Pakistan, he said, "I do not think so". "We have a relationship with Pakistan. I think, it is overall a positive one. We work with them, to try and help them focus on their defensive needs most notably in fighting the Haqqani network which is active in the western areas and we are going to continue to do that," he said. "It's not our intent to do anything more with this strike other than to remove a person who was threating the US and coalition forces," he said. When asked if there was an effort to capture Mansour, he said, "no". Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. (REOPENS FGN 74) Davis said the strike was "deliberately carried out in a place which was remote" and not near other things that would have raised the risk of a collateral damage. According to the Pentagon spokesman "this was a US 4A mission" which is "unilateral" in nature. "This is not a change in authorities at all. This is us continuing to do what we have been doing, which is to conduct strikes of defensive nature when we see anybody doing things of a threatening nature to US and coalition forces," he said. "Anyone who does that needs to be careful, we would take action to remove them from the battlefield," Davis warned. Mullah Akhtar Mansour, killed by a US drone strike on May 21, took over as head of the Afghan Taliban last July and oversaw intensified attacks which left Afghan police and troops struggling to respond. Mansour's appointment, following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had been dead for two years, was initially thought to favour peace talks. But after becoming leader he repeatedly refused to come to the negotiating table. US President Barack Obama today confirmed Mansour was killed in the strike in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. For some Mansour was the obvious choice to succeed Mullah Omar, the one-eyed warrior-cleric who led the Taliban from its rise in the chaos of the Afghan civil war of the 1990s. Like Omar he was born in the southern province of Kandahar, was part of the movement from the start and was effectively in charge since 2013, according to Taliban sources. Mansour, born in the early 1960s, spent part of his life in Pakistan along with millions of Afghans who fled the 1979-89 Soviet occupation. There he reportedly developed links with the country's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, which nurtured the Taliban in the 1990s and even now is regularly accused of fuelling the insurgency. He served as civil aviation minister in the Taliban government which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until it was ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001, when he fled again to Pakistan. Mansour repeatedly showed a canny ability to navigate between different strands of the Taliban movement, from the Quetta Shura to the "political office" in Qatar to commanders on the ground in Afghanistan. In order to take the leadership he outmanoeuvred Mullah Yakoub, Omar's son who was favoured by some commanders as new leader but was judged by as too young and inexperienced at age 26. But Mansour's leadership got off to a rocky start. After news of Omar's death two years previously was announced by Afghan officials, some insurgents were unhappy at Mansour's deception. accused him of riding roughshod over the process to appoint a successor. Negotiations to bring a hardline nationalist party into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition have reached a "dead end", the head of the party said today. Netanyahu, however, said talks were continuing and expressed confidence that a deal with former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu would be reached. The premier has been seeking to expand his one-seat majority in parliament by five by adding the ultra-nationalist party to his coalition. Under the deal, Lieberman is expected to take over the key role of defence minister, further tilting to the right what is already one of the most right-wing governments in Israeli history. "We are at a dead end," Lieberman told reporters. "We're waiting for different proposals." He added that "if there's good will, we can solve things". Lieberman signalled he had backed away from his demand that the government approve the death penalty for "terrorists" as a condition for joining the coalition, focusing instead mainly on pension reforms. Such reforms would benefit Israelis with origins in the former Soviet Union, a key base of support for Lieberman, who was born in the ex-Soviet republic of Moldova. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, however, said the only pension reform he would agree to would be one applicable to all Israelis, not just immigrants, and that such an offer had been made. "Our proposal to Yisrael Beitenu is extremely fair," he told reporters. "It doesn't discriminate, isn't sectorial, and will be for the entire public." Netanyahu downplayed the snag in talks. "There are negotiations, these negotiations have ups and downs," he told reporters. "There are always crises and explosions and everything always collapses -- nothing is collapsing." Earlier in the day, Netanyahu had said: "Tomorrow we're expanding the government." Lieberman's expected appointment has raised fresh concerns over what many see as Israeli politics' drift into territory too far to the right. Religious nationalists from the Jewish Home party already hold key cabinet positions in Netanyahu's government. Ten Nepalese labourers, including five women, were killed and five others injured after a landslide hit their huts in the Chakrata area of the district in the wee hours today. The mishap took place at around 1 AM when the labourers, who were working on a project under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, were asleep in their huts in Teoni-Hanol area when strong winds and thundershowers triggered a landslide, District Magistrate Ravinath Raman said. The bodies of the 10 labourers have been retrieved and the injured admitted to a hospital, he said. He said one of the injured, who is in "serious condition", is being taken to Dehradun for better treatment. Governor KK Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat have expressed grief over the mishap. Rawat's media advisor Surendra Kumar said the Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased. The deceased belong to three families from as many different districts in Nepal. Members of one deceased family have been identified as Deepak, his wife Devi, and their children - Sanjana, Tara and Bharat Bahadur - from Salyan district in Nepal. The other deceased family members have been identified as Vinita and her sons - Ravindra and Jeevan - from Jajarkot district in that country. A couple - Dhanbahadur and Dhankumari - who lost their lives are from Rukum district of that country. Raam Reddy's National Award-winning debut feature Thithi" is now set to hit screens in major cities on June 3 after winning much international acclaim and a successful theatrical release in Karnataka. The critically acclaimed Kannada language film will release with English subtitles. "Thithi has seen amazing organic growth and has grown from strength to strength. National support and praise from people like Anurag Kashyap and other top national industry leaders has been incredibly encouraging. "Now in its third week, Thithi is still running housefull in urban centers and I couldn't be happier with the response. Hollywood and Bollywood have dubbed Thithi a universal 'world film'. After seeing the unprecedented response to Sairat, running with English subtitles for national audiences, I can't wait to see the response to Thithi nationally," Raam said in a statement. Produced by Pratap Reddy and Sunmin Park, "Thithi" was screened in over 12 prestigious international and national film festivals and won 13 awards. The movie started its journey at the prestigious Work-in-Progress Lab (WIP) at the NFDC Film Bazaar, 2014 where it was declared the Best WIP Fiction Feature. Written by Ere Gowda and co-written by Raam, "Thithi" is a dramatic comedy about how three generations of sons react to the death of the oldest in their clan, a man named Century Gowda: a locally renowned, highly cantankerous 101-year-old man. Set in a small village in Karnataka, the three storylines intertwine before converging at Century Gowda's "thithi" - the final funeral celebration, 11 days after a death. The film was released by Suresh Movies in Karnataka on May 6 and has got a tremendous response in its home territory. The Federation of Tamil Nadu Agriculturists Association (FTAA) today welcomed the waiver of agricultural loans as announced by Jayalalithaa immediately after assuming charge as Chief Minsiter. Though farmers welcomed the move, it was only a temporary solution and not a permanent one to their problem, who face financial burden and indebtedness year after year, due to non-remunerative prices for their produce, FTAA secretary, S Nallasamy said. Despite DMK government waiving the loans some 10 years ago, the farmers were still facing the financial problems and the only and permanent solution was to implement M S Swaminathan Committee recommendations by fixing Minimum Supprot Prices for the produce, he said. The AIADMK, with 37 MPs should exert pressure on the Centre for the implementation of the recommendations, by which farmers can lead decent livelihood, +without being a beggar every year,+ he said. Nallasamy also welcomed the step taken by Jayalalaithaa for the implementation of total prohibition in a phased manner. However, the Government was silent on the issue of toddy, even as Kerala, despite continuing early government's liquor policy, continue with toddy, he said. Meanwhile, Kongunadu Jananayaka Katchi, an ally of BJP in the last elections, also welcomed the waiver of agriculture loans. The party wanted the Government to take steps for waiving loans taken by farmers from Nationalised Banks, its founder coordiantor, G K Nagaraj said. Welcoming free 750 units for weaver, Nagaraj also said that the Government as promised should take steps to implement Avanashi Athikadavu project. Three senior officers of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA) were today arrested in connection with the Rs 6.33 crore fake bill payment scam in the Navy, police said. Police had earlier arrested four persons in the case. "We have arrested three more senior officers (of PCDA), senior auditor S Narayanan (43), senior accounts officer Chandrakant V Siri (57) and accounts officer Ramesh GA (56). They were posted at Navy's Karwar base," Crime Branch's Additional Superintendent of Police Vinay Praksh Paul said. The trio was accused of conspiring with the PCDA auditor, Suresh Hatle, and misusing their powers for approving a payment of Rs 6.33 crore on the basis of fake bills despite knowing that they were not authorised to sanction such a big amount, he said. Police have already arrested Hatle, retired Navy storekeeper Rajkumar Choudhry, Indore-based chartered accountant Ramratan Singhal and Bank of India's local branch manager Bhupesh Joshi. Of the Rs 6.33 crore which were misappropriated, Rs four crore have been recovered, Paul said. Hatle allegedly sanctioned fake bills for payment of electronic goods and other items for the Navy and transferred the money to two accounts in Indore-based banks. Rs 5.36 crore were transferred in one account and Rs 97 lakh in the other. The chartered accountant opened these accounts using his customer's identity and his private firm's papers in the name of Neel Enterprises and transferred the amount to them. The scam took place between July 2014 to October 2014, the ASP said. Seven Maoists, including three women, were today arrested from separate places in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division, police said. While three cadres, including a woman, were apprehended from Bijapur district, two rebels were held in Dantewada and Sukma districts, a senior police official told PTI. A joint squad of Special Task Force (STF) and district force was carrying out a search operation to the interior forests of Awapalli police station area of Bijapur, located around 450 kms away from here, he said. On reaching near Bogla village, they spotted three suspects who were trying to escape into deep jungle following which security forces nabbed them after a short a chase, he said. Those arrested were identified as Podiyam Bheema (32), Satyam Sodhi (20) and the woman Podiyami Lakhmi (22), the official said adding that they admitted to their involvement in several Maoist-related incidents, including attempt to murder, dacoity, blocking roads and others, in the region. In another incident, two women rebels, one of them carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on her head, were arrested from Gadiras police station area of Sukma. The rebels identified as Beko Nande (27) and Beko Mase (25) were rounded up from their native place Kondre village by a composite squad of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and district force, he said. Of them, Beko was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on her head, he added. Besides, two Jan militia members identified as Manglu Kowasi (35) and Santu Kashyap (24) who were active in the Katekalyan area committee of Maoist were arrested from Dantewada, the official said. The duo has admitted to their involvement in the killing of a son of Toynar village Sarpanch last year, attacks on police party and others, he added. A fish trader was today shot at by two motorcycle-borne assailants here before looting Rs eight lakh from him. Pradeep Kumar, a fish trader, was accosted by two motorcycle-borne assailants and looted Rs eight lakh from him before firing bullets. Kumar was going to deposit the money this morning, a police official said. The trader, who sustained bullet injury in his thigh, was admitted to the Siwan Sadar hospital. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkey's president today that Ankara must fulfill all the European Union's conditions, including revisions to Turkey's anti-terror laws, to secure visa-free travel to the EU for its citizens. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Summit meeting in Istanbul, Merkel said that she doesn't expect the visa waiver to be implemented at the beginning of July as was originally hoped. Merkel, who is facing pressure at home to be tough with Erdogan, also expressed concern about a move to strip legislators in Turkey of their immunity from prosecution. But she underlined her commitment to the EU-Turkey deal aimed at stemming Europe's migrant influx, arguing that its success is a matter of "mutual interest." The EU has offered Turkey a visa waiver as incentive along with up to 6 billion euros (USD 6.8 billion) for Syrian refugees and fast-track EU membership talks to get it to stop migrants leaving for Europe. As part of the agreement, the EU planned to accelerate the introduction of visa-free entry for Turks, with a target date of June 30. Turkey has fulfilled most of 72 conditions but Erdogan's refusal to revise anti-terror laws has emerged as a stumbling block. The EU says Turkey must narrow its definition of "terrorist" and "terrorist act." The bloc is concerned that journalists and political dissenters could be targeted. Erdogan has increased his belligerent statements against the EU in recent weeks, including accusing it of supporting an outlawed Kurdish rebel group, and has warned that the entire migrant deal could collapse if the Europeans renege on their pledges. Today, his adviser on economic issues complained of "double standards" by the EU and demanded that Brussels keep its side of the bargain. "So long as they continue with this attitude, Turkey very soon will make very radical and clear decisions." Yigit Bulut, the adviser, told state-owned TRT television. The prime minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, told reporters in Istanbul that Turkey had to fulfill all obligations for the visa-free travel. Two Indian men have been arrested for allegedly duping two of their compatriots of USD 1,200 each after promising them lucrative work in Thailand, police said here today. The two men identified by Thai Tourist police as Vineeth Unnikrishnan, 30, and Anooj Mottaammal, 25, were arrested over the weekend at the Friendship Bridge on Thai-Lao border in the northeast province of Udon Thani, police officials said. The duo had allegedly duped their two compatriots of USD 1,200 each on promising them regular work of laying internet cables for which they were told that they would get paid USD 1000 a month, online Thairath media reported. The two fled with the money and crossed into Laos. The two victims then contacted tourist police who managed to catch the swindlers when they crossed back into Thailand. The two victims who were identified as Sujith Chengathi, 27, and Abin Varkey, had reportedly respondedto an online brochure promising excellent work package. The two were helpedby their parents and relatives who mortgaged land and property to raise USD 4000 for their visit to Thailand to get the work. Thai tourist police and immigration authorities swung into action and the swindlers were arrested at the bridge checkpoint as they returned from Laos. United Kingdom appears to be a "very comfortable destination for financial fraudsters" who flee from India, a Special court has observed while refusing to give permission to travel abroad to a director of a film making studio, accused in over Rs 2,200 crore banks fraud case. The court dismissed the plea of P K Tewari, director of M/s Pixion Vision Pvt Ltd, saying that it was not safe for the purpose of trial to accord him permission to go abroad. According to the charge sheet, a case was registered by CBI in 2013 on the complaint of deputy general manager of Bank of India against Pixion Media, its promoters/ directors P K Tewari and Anand Tewari and other unknown public servants and private persons. The case was lodged under various sections including criminal conspiracy, forgery and using forged documents as genuine under the IPC and under the Pervention fo Corruption Act for defrauding Bank of India of crores of rupees. While refusing his plea, Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar said, "I may further point out that when court imposes a bail condition that a person would not leave the country without permission of the court, it means that permission has to be granted in backdrop of the facts and circumstances of the case. Para 2 of the charge sheet shows that a loss of approximately Rs 2,200 crores has been caused to the Indian banking industry." "In such circumstances, I am of the opinion that it is not safe for the purpose of trial to accord permission to the applicant to go abroad, specially when UK appears to be a very comfortable destination for the financial fraudsters, who flee from justice from India. Hence, this prayer is declined," the judge said. The court said even if for the purpose of ensuring the return of accused, it imposes a condition of furnishing a surety of a few crores, the same would be insignificant in view of the enormity of the money misappropriated. P K Tewari had sought permission to go to UK to expand his business in London and to visit Dubai saying that he was invited as guest of honour in an award function of Bhojpuri film industry. Tewari's counsel said he has roots in the society and stays in Delhi with his family and there was no likelihood of him fleeing from the country. CBI, however, opposed his plea saying that substantial amount of fraud has been remitted to UK and the applicant's company (M/s Molinare Ltd. UK) had availed huge credit facility from Bank of India and defaulted in payment, as result, the firm went in liquidation. It said Tewari chose Dubai and UK to travel keeping in mind that substantial amount of proceeds of crime was remitted to UK through the routes of UAE and it is highly suspicious activity. It said there was apprehension that if the court granted him permission to travel UAE and UK, he will not return to India. Britain has granted political refugee status to ousted former president of Mohamed Nasheed, his lawyer has claimed. A prominent human rights campaigner and Maldives' first democratically elected president, 49-year-old Nasheed had been allowed to go to Britain in January for the for spinal cord surgery following a deal brokered by Sri Lanka, India and the UK. His lawyer Hasan Latheef claimed yesterday that Nasheed had been granted political refugee status, but the British government is yet to comment. "In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives, myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile for now," Nasheed said in a statement confirming his exile. The Madives government said yesterday that it was disappointed that the UK government had agreed to "be part of this charade", adding that British ministers were helping with efforts to circumvent the law. Nasheed became Maldives' first democratically elected leader in 2008, ending three decades of rule by former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and served for four years before he was toppled in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. He was supposed to return to after the treatment, but remained in London, where his wife and daughters have been living since he was jailed. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after allegedly illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that put a spotlight on instability in the . The jail term was widely criticised by bodies, including the United Nations, and foreign governments. A popular figure on the world stage, Nasheed's case was championed with the help of a legal team that included Amal Clooney, the British human rights lawyer and wife of the American actor Georg Clooney. He was accorded a red carpet welcome and received by Prime Minister David Cameron after arriving in Britain for his treatment. Cameron described Nasheed as his "best friend" in 2011 and this year hosted the ex-president, his wife and Amal at Downing Street after he arrived in London. The Maldives stripped Nasheed of his pension entitlements and health insurance last month, after demanding he return from medical leave in Britain. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in two Syrian coastal cities and voiced concern about the military escalation in and around Damascus. More than 148 people were killed in the bomb blasts at bus stations, hospitals and a power station in the cities of Jableh and Tartus, two strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Ban "condemns the terrorist attacks today that claimed the lives of dozens of civilians in the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus," said his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. He expressed "great concern of the escalating military activity in many areas in and around Damascus", particularly in Daraya, Aleppo and Idlib and in northern Homs, especially Al-Houla, he added. Fourteen civilians -- four of them children -- were killed when a barrage of barrel bombs hit the town of Al-Houla and neighboring villages last week, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Barrel bombs are indiscriminate weapons typically dropped from helicopters. Their use in Syria's war has come under fierce criticism by rights groups but the regime denies using them. Ban renewed his call to all warring factions to spare civilians and said those responsible for such attacks must face justice. Uneasy calm today prevailed in a Haryana village, two days after upper caste people stopped a Dalit groom from visiting a temple during his wedding procession and pelted the marriage party and a police team with stones. The groom's father, Suresh Kumar, in a complaint filed at Jhansa police station has alleged that about 25 people led by a block samiti member threatened to kill them if they entered their temple and stopped the groom from riding a horse-carriage. A police contingent has been deployed in Bhusthala village of the district as a precautionary measure. Twenty one upper caste persons were booked by the police under relevant provisions of law including the SC/ST Act but no arrests have been made so far. "Upper caste people prevented a Dalit groom from riding a horse-cart during his marriage procession in Kurukshetra's Bhusthala village on Saturday night, leading to a clash between the two communities," SP Kurukshetra Simmardeep Singh said yesterday. The family of the groom Sandeep, that had returned from Yamunanagar last night after solemnising the marriage, today confined themselves to their home, fearing retaliation. Members of the Dalit community, meanwhile, met a member of National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Ishwar Singh. Singh visited the village along with Simmardeep, the Pehowa Sub-divisional Magistrate and other district administration officers today. Narrating the sequence of events, Sandeep's cousin Subhash Balmik told Singh that tension gripped the village immediately after a horse-drawn chariot reached there on the evening of May 21, to carry the groom to a nearby temple as part of 'Mandha' ritual. He said a few youths belonging to upper castes came to their house to warn them against performing the ritual. They later announced on temple loudspeakers that whosoever tried to ride horse chariot or visit their temple would be eliminated, Balmik said. According to him, the youths said as per village traditions, only grooms from upper castes can ride horse during marriage ceremony. Subhash said it was only after the arrival of police that Sandeep could go to the Ravi Dass temple which was under construction. Even during this, some youth pelted stones on them injuring many including one policeman. The father of the groom also claimed that it was not for the first time that such an incident had happened in the village, adding that SC families in the village live under constant fear lest any of their actions annoy the upper castes. He said that his father Aanat Ram was allegedly beaten by upper caste persons in the year 1998 as he had put up electric lights at his house on the occasion of Diwali. Aanant succumbed to his injuries after a month, he said. Describing it as curbing of fundamental rights of Dalits, Singh directed the Superintendent of Police to ensure safety of the community members. He directed that a PCR be deployed in the village and if need arises, a temporary police post be created there till normalisation of the situation. Singh also asked the SP to ensure the arrest of the accused persons within next 24 hours to assuage the fears of Dalits and directed district authorities to arrange compensation to the victims as per rules. Giving out figures, Singh claimed that Haryana has the maximum number of Dalit atrocity cases compared to other states of north India. Union Health Secretary B P Sharma today visited Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to review the cleanliness under the 'Kayakalp' initiative which sets protocols for hygiene and sanitation at government health facilities. Sharma visited different facilities of the hospital, including wards, and reviewed the cleanliness situation there. He interacted with hospital authorities apart from patients and staff and also took part in the cleanliness drive after visiting various wards. "The Health Secretary reviewed the cleanliness protocols and also interacted with the officials as well as patients in different wards to get their feedback," a senior Health Ministry official said. The visit comes after Health Minister J P Nadda launched 'Kayakalp Fortnight' last week which is being observed in central government hospitals across the country. To implement the vision behind Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, the Health Ministry launched the Kayakalp initiative last year to set protocols for hygiene and sanitation at government health facilities. The initiative towards total 'swacchta' in public health facilities is aimed at building confidence of the users in public health facilities, providing quality service and to encourage teamwork. Nadda, while launching the fortnight last week, had said as part of the various activities to be taken up senior ministry officials will be inspecting various central hospitals in the country to take stock of the existing status and to intensify the cleanliness drive. Recent data suggests that these 145 districts have TFR of more than or equal to 3 (56 per cent of the 261 districts in the seven HFS) and are home to 28 per cent of India's population (about 33 crore). "However, only 22 per cent of India's protected couples and 40 per cent of India's couples with the unmet need reside in these districts. These districts also have a substantial impact on maternal and child health indicators as about 25-30 per cent of maternal deaths and 50 per cent of infant deaths occur in these districts," the statement said. Moreover, 115 of these districts (79 per cent) have high percentage of adolescent mothers. "The key strategic focus of this initiative will be on improving access to contraceptives through delivering assured services, dovetailing with new promotional schemes ensuring commodity security, building capacity (service providers), creating an enabling environment along with close monitoring and implementation. The mission will be implemented in all the 145 districts at one go," it said. The top US commander in Afghanistan said today that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour was an obstacle to peace and his death will have a disruptive effect on the insurgency. Resolute Support Commander, Gen John W Nicholson, said during a visit to the northern province of Kunduz that Mansour rejected the chance offered by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to participate in the peace process. "I hope that the Taliban leadership will realize it is time to lay down their weapons and join the peace efforts, so the people of Afghanistan can enjoy peace and prosperity in the future," Nicholson said. President Barack Obama also said Mansour's death marks an "important milestone" in the longstanding effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. Nicholson was in Kunduz for the second time since becoming commander of the Resolute Support mission. In late September 2015, Mansour's Taliban fighters overran the city of Kunduz and held it for four days before being driven out. The takeover was a major embarrassment for Ghani's government. Nicholson also met victims and families of people killed on October 3, 2015 when US warplanes mistakenly bombed a Kunduz hospital run by Doctors Without Borders during the offensive to retake Kunduz. The hospital was destroyed and 42 people killed in the attack, which the Pentagon said was a mistake caused by human error. Asadullah Amerkhail, the governor of Kunduz province, told Nicholson that, "Mansour's death will definitely have a positive impact on security. I am taking it as a positive step and I think we will now have good negotiations between the government and the Taliban." Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. Today, Pakistan's Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs summoned US Ambassador David Hale to "express concern over the drone strike on Pakistani territory," which it views as a violation of the country's sovereignty, according to a foreign ministry statement. Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, told reporters during a press conference in Kabul that Mansour's death could cripple the Taliban. "This year will be the year of destruction and defeat for the Taliban, as they lost their leader. This will make them weak in all parts of the country and finally this terrorist group will be destroyed," Sediqqi said. The US Supreme Court today ruled in favor of an African American death row inmate who argued there was bias in the choosing of an all-white jury that convicted him of the 1986 murder of an elderly white woman. By a 7-1 vote, the justices struck down a Georgia Supreme Court ruling denying Timothy Foster appellate review of his death sentence. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, the court's only African American member, dissented. "This means that Timothy Foster is entitled to a new trial at which jurors are not excluded based on race," his lawyers said in a statement. The decision, coming nearly 30 years after Foster's death penalty conviction, highlighted the continuing effect of racism on jury selection in the United States. Foster's lawyers showed that prosecutors had maneuvered to keep blacks off the jury, presenting as evidence prosecutor's notes at a November 2015 Supreme Court hearing. The notes, which were obtained after Foster's 1987 conviction, included a list of prospective jurors that had the handwritten letter "B" next to the names of African Americans on the list. Those designated with a "B" were rejected for the jury under a selection process that allows prosecutors to block, or "strike," a certain number of potential jurors. Foster's lawyer told the court that the prosecutors drew up a list of six prospective jurors to be stricken from the panel: five were black, and one was opposed to the death penalty. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said the prosecution's file "plainly belie the state's claim that it exercised its strikes in a 'color-blind' manner." "The sheer number of references to race in that file is arresting," he wrote. The state of Georgia had vehemently defended the prosecutors, arguing that they had documented their actions in order to show they were being thoughtful and not discriminatory in considering prospective black jurors. But the court's majority said that the state's argument "reeks of afterthought," noting it had never been raised before in the case's 30-year history. "In addition, the focus on race in the prosecution's file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury," Roberts wrote. "The state's new argument today does not dissuade us from the conclusion that its prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race when they struck Garrett and Hood from the jury 30 years ago," the opinion said, referring to two black potential jurors, Marilyn Garret and Eddie Hood. The court's decision reverses a Georgia state supreme court order denying Foster appellate review of his death sentence, and remands the case "for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. Business advocacy group US-India Business Council (USIBC) has applauded the US House of Representative for approving pro-India amendments to a defence bill which would bolster bilateral defence ties on par with NATO allies of US in terms of sale of weapons and technology transfer. The amendment which institutionalises the US government's focus on the US-India security relationship, was passed by a voice vote last week. Moved by Congressmen George Holding and supported by Ed Royce, Eliot Engel and Ami Bera, the amendment was incorporated into the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017. "It sends a powerful signal to New Delhi that the US is a reliable and dependable defence partner," USIBC said in a statement. "This legislation will promote defence trade between our countries and will strengthen military ties. We look forward to the Senate taking action on similar legislation," said USIBC President Mukesh Aghi. For the US, the legislation encourages the executive branch to designate an official to focus on US-India defence cooperation, facilitate the transfer of defence technology, maintain a special office in the Pentagon dedicated exclusively to the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), enhance India's military capabilities in the context of combined military planning and promote co- production/co-development opportunities. For India, it encourages the government to authorise combined military planning with the United States for missions of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter piracy, and maritime domain awareness. DMDK founder Vijayakant, whose party was routed in the just concluded Assembly polls, today held discussions with his senior party functionaries. The actor-turned-politician held discussions with senior functionaries, including district secretaries, here but there was no word on what transpired in the meeting. He is expected to have taken stock of the situation in the wake of the drubbing. Vijayakant, Opposition Leader in the previous Assembly, is likely to hold more consultations with his partymen. Having been aggressively wooed by both DMK and BJP for a poll-pact to face the May 16 Assembly elections, Vijaykant's DMDK, however, aligned with the People's Welfare Front, comprising MDMK, the left parties and VCK. The Tamil Maanila Congress joined the combine later. Facing the polls as the combine's Chief Ministerial candidate, Vijayakant not only lost from Ulunthurpet but also forfeited deposit by coming third after AIADMK and DMK. His party, which contested the lion's share of 104 seats, drew a blank in all of them, its first rout in Assembly polls since 2006. A village defence committee chief and his police guard were gunned down today by unidentified assailants in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Muhammad Khan, chairman of a village defence committee in Swat district, was shot dead along with his police guard by the assailants, police said. Another policeman was injured in the firefight, they said. The injured cop has been admitted to hospital but his condition was stated to be critical. Khan was going towards market from his home when the gunmen intercepted him and shot him multiple times before escaping. More than 50 peace committee members and over 20 policemen have so far been killed in suck attacks in Swat since 2010. Peace committees have been formed at the village level in Swat district by the law enforcement agencies to keep vigil on the activities of the suspected people in their local areas. Prakash Singh, who headed the committee that submitted a report on the violence during the Jat quota agitation, has claimed that attempts were made by some people to influence him during its preparation. Singh, without naming anyone, said certain people had tried to make him issue a "clean chit" to some wrongdoers. "...Things like provoking some leaders against the Committee, making 'sifarish' (influencing the Committee), these things started from the beginning (when the Committee was formed)," the former Uttar Pradesh DGP told reporters yesterday. Throwing more light, Singh said, "When the probe was in its final stages, some people thought there can be a question mark on their future, you know these days many officials have their political patrons, they send them (to influence). "But I will say one thing that everyone talked respectfully, they wanted that some people be given clean chit," he said. He said he prepared the report in an impartial manner as he felt his responsibility towards the people of Haryana has to be above all considerations. "I listened to all of them, I listened with patience, but I thought my responsibility towards the people of Haryana has to be above all considerations. And discharging that duty, I wrote what I thought was true," he said. Singh said he hoped the state government would make the report public soon. "I hope that Government puts this in public domain soon and ends its secrecy because many people have started to speculate about various things," he said. The Prakash Singh Committee report, submitted to the Haryana Chief Minister over a week back, found "deliberate negligence" on the part of 90 officials, including IAS and IPS officers, during the Jat quota agitation in February. The 450-page report submitted to the CM on May 13, is likely to be put in the public domain by month-end, official sources said. Singh said the officials who were negligent in performing their duty have been identified and their names given to the government. "The government, on its part, has also started taking action on the report, many SDM, DSPs have been suspended," he said. Asked to comment on the former DGP's statements, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said, "Prakash Singh is a man of such stature that nobody can put pressure on him." "He has been an upright police officer, it is an unnecessary googly which he has bowled. He should make the names of those persons public who tried to put pressure and also make public, the names of those officials who tried to approach him for favourable remarks in the report, so that we can take action against them," he said. Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala also reacted to the issue saying, "Prakash Singh should make names of those public who tried to approach him and put pressure." He said the INLD has been maintaining right from the beginning that the BJP government formed this Committee "so that it can have a report in its favour". "This Committee had been formed to deflect the severe flak which the Khattar government faced for its inept handling of the situation during Jat stir...," Chautala said. Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said everyone knew that the BJP dispensation in the state had failed to control the situation, which resulted in loss of manny lives and damage to property. "I feel some officials are being made a scapegoat in connection with the Jat agitation," he said. Yesterday, speaking in Karnal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said that the state government would go by the Prakash Singh Committee report on the Jat stir issue and disciplinary action would be initiated against all officers and other officials found guilty. Khattar had said that three sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and nine DSP level officers had already been suspended and administrative action was being taken against them. On May 17, the Haryana government had shunted out Additional Chief Secretary (Home) P K Das who was replaced by senior IAS officer Ram Niwas. Around 90 officers were indicted for "deliberate negligence" during the Jat quota agitation by the committee and adverse comments were made against them in its report submitted to the chief minister on May 13. Thirty people were killed in violence and there was extensive damage to properties during the stir whose epicentre was Rohtak district. Stan Wawrinka avoided becoming the first defending champion to lose first round at the French Open on Monday when he battled past combative Lukas Rosol in five tough sets. Third seed Wawrinka fired 56 winners but committed 46 unforced errors and saved eight break points to book a second round clash against Japan's Taro Daniel. Wawrinka, 31, had defeated 59th-ranked Rosol in the semi-finals of the Geneva clay-court tournament just last Friday. But Rosol went into the match on a chilly Court Philippe Chatrier with the pedigree of having famously stunned Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012. That free-swinging masterclass almost paid dividends again Monday but once he had let slip two break points at 2-2 in the fourth set, his hopes slowly slipped away. Spanish fourth seed Garbine Muguruza was also struggling on Court Suzanne Lenglen, coming back from a set down to defeat Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Muguruza, who has made the quarter-finals for the last two years, will take on French wildcard Myrtille Georges, the world number 203, for a place in the last 32. But the 22-year-old Wimbledon runner-up was far from impressive in the two and a half hour encounter. After dropping the first set, Muguruza had to save nine break points just in the opening game of the second set. She then allowed her 37th-ranked opponent, who has won just one match all year, to claw her way back from 0-4 down to 3-4 in the decider before the Spaniard settled herself to see out the win. Muguruza fired 44 winners but hit 53 unforced errors and had to save 17 of 21 break points. Play started two and a half hours late Monday because of more rain with 12 of the 66 scheduled matches pushed back to Tuesday. However, there was plenty of time for notable firsts. Qualifier Cagla Buyukakcay beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 to become the first Turkish woman in the Open era to reach the second round of a Grand Slam. The 26-year-old Buyukakcay, ranked at 83, had earlier this clay-court season become the first Turk to win a WTA title when she triumphed in Istanbul. Japan's Naomi Osaka won her first match at Roland Garros with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over Latvian 32nd seed Jelena Ostapenko. Elsewhere, Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic, a 2014 quarter-finalist, defeated Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5). Tipsarevic, ranked at 686, was playing his first Roland Garros since 2013 after being treated for a benign tumour on his left foot. Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori beat Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-1, 7-5, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday. Victory gave the 26-year-old Japanese his 50th Grand Slam win. Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2009 champion, won her resumed match against Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. There was also a win Monday for Croatia's Mirjana Lucic Baroni who first played the main draw in Paris in 1999. The 34-year-old knocked out 33-year-old Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-2. West Bengal government is sending a team of officials to Nepal for co-ordinating the rescue operations of two mountaineers from the state, who had reportedly gone missing at Mount Everest. Trinamool Congress legislator and outgoing Sports, Housing and Youth Affairs minister Arup Biswas said a three-membered team led by S A Baba, Principal Secretary of youth affairs department, will leave from Kolkata tomorrow. He said that the body of another mountaineer Subash Paul, who had reached 8,849-metre summit on Saturday but collapsed while descending the Hillary Step ice wall, will be brought to the state and the government will extend all required support to his family. Biswas said the team will try to co-ordinate the rescue operations of both Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh, who have gone missing. The government has also started a control room in the state secretariat where the families of those missing can call, seeking information. West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi condoled the death of Pal saying, "He conquered highest peak of the world and died a hero's death while returning. He will remain an inspiration to the adventure loving youth of West Bengal". He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and innumerable admirers. Twin bombings targeting the Yemeni army in second city Aden today killed at least 41 people, most of them would-be recruits, a military official said. A suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing up to enlist at recruitment centre near the Badr base in the Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, commander of special security forces. A second explosion went off inside the base afterwards, killing seven soldiers, the official said. Aden is the headquarters of the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi as it battles Shiite rebels who control the capital and has seen a spate of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its jihadist rival the Islamic State group. Yemen's warring parties held their first face-to-face meeting in nearly a week today after the government delegation ended a boycott, the UN envoy said. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said in a statement that a joint meeting was held between the two delegations which have gathered in Kuwait and later he met with them separately. He urged the two parties "to exert all efforts to achieve a sustainable solution for the sake of easing the suffering of Yemenis". "Any delay, retreat or boycott will take us backward and slow down the solution Yemenis are waiting for," Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. The troubled negotiations which began on April 21 broke off last Tuesday when the government delegation suspended its participation accusing Iran-backed rebels who control the capital of failing to keep their word. The government demanded a written pledge from the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies recognising an April 2015 UN Security Council resolution calling for their pullout from Sanaa and other territories they have overrun since 2014, as well as well as President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's legitimacy. Hadi agreed to end the boycott after mediation by UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the UN special envoy said on Sunday. Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi said at the face-to-face meeting today that the government had received a letter from the UN envoy reaffirming a commitment to "references, the talks agenda and the legitimacy" of Hadi and his government. Mikhlafi reiterated in the speech distributed by the government delegation that the talks were the "last chance for all of us to prove that we have come for peace." "We will excercise flexibility and make concessions for the sake of our people and for the sake of peace. We hope that the other side has the same readiness," he said. The government has insisted that rebels should implement Resolution 2216 which calls for withdrawals, the surrender of weapons and the restoration of state institutions. Despite a 14-month-old Saudi-led military intervention in support of Hadi's government, the rebels and their allies still control many of Yemen's most populous regions, including the central and northern highlands and Red Sea coast. By David Brough LONDON (Reuters) - Brazilian low quality white sugar flows are expected to increase to Myanmar, believed to be a gateway for sugar smuggled into China, as Indian sweetener exports fall. Surging domestic sugar prices in India mean that Indian mills will increasingly spurn the export market, traders say. Availability of Thai sugar is also thin due to hefty recent Chinese demand for Thai whites and prolonged dry weather in the number 2 exporter which cut yields, boosting the opportunity for Brazilian low quality white sugar exports to Myanmar. One European trade source quoted Indian low quality whites at $500-$510 per tonne FOB, based on ex-mill prices in drought-hit Maharashtra. This represents a $138-140/ tonne premium over New York July raw sugar futures, compared with a premium of $83/tonne for Brazilian low quality whites. "The (export) supply from India is drying up," a senior European trader said. "We're virtually done now," he added, referring to expectations of tightening supplies in India, the world's number 2 sugar producer, due to drought. "With domestic prices high, it does not pay to export." India is expected to shift to a net sugar importer next season from a net exporter. Dealers said that as India and Thai export supplies tighten, Brazil could become the main source of sweetener for Myanmar. Brazil's cane harvest has got off to a flying start in predominantly favourable weather in the centre-south, auguring for ample availability of Brazilian supplies to Asian markets. Shipping times to Myanmar from Brazil will be longer than from India, but importers may have little choice but to accept the longer waiting times as there is limited availability of alternative supplies. "What remains to be seen is whether Brazilian low quality whites are able to fully replace Indian low quality whites in Myanmar going forward amid rising domestic prices in India," a second European trade source said. (Reporting by David Brough; Editing by David Evans) Bayer offers to acquire Monsanto for $ 62 billion The combination will create a leading integrated agriculture business with broad product portfolio and exceptional R&D pipeline to deliver innovative solutions for farmers The combination will create a leading integrated agriculture business with broad product portfolio and exceptional R&D pipeline to deliver innovative solutions for farmers Germany life sciences company Bayer has made an all-cash offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Monsanto Company for $ 122 per share or an aggregate value of $ 62 billion. This offer, based on Bayers written proposal to Monsanto dated May 10, 2016, represents a substantial premium of 37 percent over Monsantos closing share price of $ 89.03 on May 9, 2016. The acquisition of Monsanto would be a compelling opportunity to create a global agriculture leader, while reinforcing Bayer as a life science company with a deepened position in a long-term growth industry. The combination is expected to provide Bayers shareholders with accretion to core EPS by a mid-single-digit percentage in the first full year after closing and a double-digit percentage thereafter. Initially, Bayer expects annual earnings contributions from total synergies of approximately $ 1.5 billion after year three plus additional integrated offer benefits in future years. We have long respected Monsantos business and share their vision to create an integrated business that we believe is capable of generating substantial value for both companies shareholders. Together we would draw on the collective expertise of both companies to build a leading agriculture player with exceptional innovation capabilities to the benefit of farmers, consumers, our employees and the communities in which we operate, said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. This transaction would bring together leading seeds & traits, crop protection, biologics, and digital farming platforms. Specifically, the combined business would benefit from Monsantos leadership in seeds & traits and Bayers broad crop protection product line across a comprehensive range of indications and crops. The combination would also be truly complementary from a geographic perspective, significantly expanding Bayers long-standing presence in the Americas and its position in Europe and Asia/Pacific. Customers of both companies would benefit from the broad product portfolio and the deep R&D pipeline. Liam Condon, member of the board of management of Bayer AG and head of the crop science division, said, Faced with the complex challenge of operating in a resource-constrained world with increasing climate volatility, there is a clear need for more innovative solutions that advance the next generation of farming. By supporting farmers of all sizes on every continent, the combined business would be positioned as the partner of choice for truly integrated, superior solutions. Under the proposed transaction, the combined business would provide attractive opportunities for the employees of both companies and have its global seeds & traits and North American commercial headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, its global crop protection and divisional crop science headquarters in Monheim, Germany, and an important presence in Durham, North Carolina, as well as many other locations throughout the US and around the world. Digital farming for the combined business would be based near San Francisco, California. BS B2B Bureau PM Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Iran - the first by a Indian Prime Minister in 15 years - comes four months after the international sanctions on Iran were lifted and the global community is re-engaging with the nation. PM Modi arrived in Iran on Sunday to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way. On Monday, he was accorded a ceremonial welcome as he met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for talks to deepen trade, investment and energy ties. Here are four key issues around which his Iran visit will be watched out for: 1) Chabahar agreement The long due Chabahar port agreement, which stalled on account of international sanction on Iran in 2006, has finally seen the light of the day after more than a decade of being on the table. After signing a pact to operate a strategic port on the Iran's southern coast, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said the inking of commercial contract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan. "Over Rs 1 lakh crore investment can happen in Chabahar free trade zone," he added. 2) Gas field development Sources told PTI that bilateral talks will also be held on state-run firms securing rights to develop the offshore Farzad-B gas field, which was discovered by ONGC Videsh (OVL). OVL, along with Oil India and Indian Oil Corporation, had earlier invested about $100 million in the Farzad B gas field, but production could not be started as companies found it difficult to stay engaged in the hydrocarbon sector due to sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union. Sources added that no definitive contract for the development of the field would be signed during Modi s visit as Iran is yet to agree to $4.3 billion master development plan submitted by OVL. Also, it is yet to agree on the price at which OVL can take all of the gas produced from the field. 3) Boosting oil trade India had to reduce its oil imports from Iran due to UN sanctions on the Islamic nation. PM Modi may discuss ways to increase its oil supplies from Iran. Iran was India's second largest supplier of oil until 2011-12, when economic sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear programme forced New Delhi to reduce its dependence on Iranian oil. PM Modi may seek a proposal to double imports of Iranian oil. 4) Other issues Modi and the Iranian President are also likely to review peace and stability in the region which faces several challenges, including terrorism and violent extremism, besides cyber crime and maritime security. Coming out in support of RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, leading industrialist Adi Godrej has said he is an admirer and it will be a "good thing for India" if his tenure is extended. Godrej's remarks comes at a time when there is speculation over Rajan's future, whose current three-year term as RBI chief ends this September, amid calls for his sacking by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. However, Godrej group chairman refused to comment on the controversy. "I would not like to comment on what other people want to say," Godrej said when asked about Swamy's statement. "I think he has done a good job. He is very well respected across the world. He is a very capable person, very well respected person and I think if his term is extended then its a good thing for India," Godrej told PTI. Praising Rajan's work, Godrej said: "He was voted as best Central Bank Governor in the world by one of the magazines. I am admirer of him and I support his extension." In January, Rajan was awarded the Central Banker of the Year Award (Global and Asia Pacific) for 2016 by the Financial Times Group's monthly publication 'The Banker'. Earlier, Swamy had accused Rajan of being responsible for "unemployment and collapse" of industrial activity. Finance Minister Minister Arun Jaitley has refused to be drawn in to the matter of a second term for Rajan as the chief of the Central Bank, saying "these are not issues which we discuss through the media". Jaitley has also said there is a "mature relationship" between the central bank and the government. Indicating his interest in a second term, Rajan on May 13 had said he has enjoyed every moment of the job, but there is "more to do". Shares of ITC surged over 7 per cent intraday on Monday to hit its highest level since October 2015 after the FMCG major reported an increase of 5.67 per cent in standalone net profit at Rs 2,495.20 crore in the March quarter. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 2,361.18 crore during January-March quarter a year ago. Reacting to the better-than-expected Q4 earnings, the stock rallied as much as Rs 354.75, up 7.51 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and settled the day 5.29 per cent down. The company reported 13.7 per cent EBIDTA growth, first double digit EBIDTA growth after five quarters as cigarette volumes turned marginally positive (+0.5%) after consecutive decline for 11 quarters. Also, the company board recommended dividend of Rs 8.50 per share for the financial year ended 31 March 2016. Brokerage Prabhudas Liladhar, however, noted the ITC stock has been biggest underperformer in its consumer universe in past three years, which is trading at 22.3 times FY18E, a steep discount to other consumer names. Nonetheless, the brokerage added that sustained double digit EBIT growth in cigarettes and recovery in volumes can re-rate the stock. For now, it maintained 'accumulate' rating on the stock. Another brokerage Macquarie viewed the turnaround in cigarette volume growth as "a significant positive" for the company. The brokerage maintained 'outperform' rating and raised target price to Rs 385 from Rs 360. The European Commission adopted on Monday a regulation clarifying that there will no harmonised minimum level of banks' assets that can be wiped out by regulators when a lender is wound down, a move that slightly softens requirements for banks. The decision confirms what Reuters reported last week and relieves banks from the possible obligation of having to hold at least 8 percent of their liabilities and own funds, as previously stated by the Single Resolution Board, the EU body in charge of winding down banks. New EU rules on banking resolution, operational from the beginning of this year, oblige banks to hold assets that can be wiped out in case of a banking rescue. This requirement, known as MREL (minimum requirement for eligible liabilities) is essential to allow the so-called bail-in, a procedure aimed at forcing banks' shareholders, bondholders and large depositors to pay for the rescue of a lender and possibly avoid taxpayers' money to be used. The Commission refused to introduce a harmonised level for the MREL in the regulation adopted on Monday. The legislation will be automatically applicable if the EU Parliament and EU states do not raise objections in the next three months. The SRB will be still able to impose an MREL of 8 percent or more on banks, but only if it demonstrates a necessity. The body is currently drafting resolution plans for the some 140 banks under its watch. In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, SRB chair Elke Koenig said that smaller banks may be exempt from bail-in requirements, while bigger lenders will likely need to hold more than 8 percent. The Commission said existing EU rules do not set a minimum level of MREL, and this cannot be decided with secondary legislation. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie European banks have spent a third of their net profits on provisions to cover expected legal costs since the start of the economic crisis in 2008, European Central Bank data showed on Monday. Between 2008 and 2015, European banks have set aside $160 billion in provisions for legal costs, equal to almost half of their net income over that period. This means their profits could have been almost one-third higher were it not for these legal costs. For firms such as Germany's Deutsche Bank, Switzerland's UBS and Britain's Lloyds provisions by far outstripped net profits over the period. The ECB added this trend may continue, with banks provisioning for another $50 billion worth of legal costs as of the end of 2015. Almost half of that sum was put aside by British banks, in particular for settling costs associated with the misselling of payment protection insurance. "Despite the large number of conducted cases and settlements to date, the expected costs of past misconduct remain substantial," the ECB said in the study, part of its Financial Stability Review due to be published on Tuesday. "This may suggest further pressures on banks' profitability and internal capital-accumulation capacity." (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie France's hardline CGT and FO unions launched a 24-hour strike at the Fos-Lavera oil terminals and blockaded a fuel depot in the southern port city of Marseille on Monday as they toughened their stance against labour market reforms. The rolling strikes, which began in March and have gathered pace in recent weeks, have disrupted fuel supplies in France since Friday with protesting workers blockading petrol depots and halting production at refineries. French oil and gas company Total, which operates five of the eight refineries in France, has started the process of shutting down three - at Normandy, Donges and Feyzin - while its Grandpuits refinery was running at minimum output. Rival Exxon Mobil said the strike has not affected output at its two refineries but striking workers had blockaded the oil terminal at Fos-sur-Mer in Southern France. Oil sector workers in the CGT, which is France's biggest trade union, and at the third biggest FO, said on Monday they planned to intensify the action until the government withdraws a labour reform law, because they say it will hurt workers. "It is clear that the dissatisfaction with the law is unwavering," the unions said in a statement. As part of efforts to force the government to withdraw the bill, the union launched a strike at the Fos-Lavera oil terminals on Monday. "No ship is operating at the installations," Pascal Galeote, CGT Secretary General at Marseille port told Reuters. The terminals supply PetroIneos Lavera, Total's La Mede and Exxon's Fos refineries on the southern coast. They also supply Total's Feyzin; Varo's Cressier in Switzerland and the MiRO refinery in Karlsruhe, Germany, via pipelines. A similar prolonged strike at French refineries in 2010 led to a glut of crude in Europe because it could not be delivered, and a spike in refined product prices due to low output. The French government has moved to reassure the public that France was not running out of fuel after shortages at hundreds of petrol stations in several regions sparked panic buying. Finance Minister Michel Sapin accused CGT of holding France hostage, saying the government would take the necessary action to end the blockades and restart production at refineries. Total said in a statement it had began the procedure of shutting down its 247,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) Normandy; 220,000 bpd Donges and 117,000 bpd Feyzin refineries. Its 101,000 bpd Grandpuits refinery was running at minimum output. It said 612 out of its 2,200 petrol stations across France had partially or completely ran out of fuel, while striking workers were blockading two out of its nine fuel depots. There are 78 primary fuel depots in mainland France. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us French insurer AXA plans to stop investing in the tobacco industry, citing the impact of smoking on public health, and said it plans to sell its 1.8 billion euros ($2.02 billion) of assets in the sector. AXA said it would divest its 200 million euros of equity holdings in tobacco companies immediately. It also plans to stop all new investments in tobacco industry corporate bonds and run off its existing holdings worth about 1.6 billion euros. "With this divestment from tobacco, we are doing our share to support the efforts of governments around the world," incoming AXA Chief Executive Thomas Buberl said in a statement. "This decision has a cost for us, but the case for divestment is clear: the human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Russia's government announced on Monday that it was placing its first Eurobond since financial sanctions were imposed over the Ukraine crisis, having decided to go ahead with the placement despite Western banks opting not to take part. There were question marks about how the placement would proceed, with the two main settlement agencies -- which play a crucial technical role in placing bonds internationally -- not signed up to handle the paper that Russia is planning to issue. The government wants to place the Eurobond to fill gaps in its budget caused by an economic slump, and also to demonstrate that it can still borrow on international debt markets. According to the budget, Russia may raise up to $3 billion in foreign debt this year. "Moscow will aim to do a big deal - with very significant Western institutional investor interest," said Tim Ash, head emerging markets strategist at Nomura. "The message to the West being 'Look, despite your sanctions, your investors still buy into the Russian story, and are participating in scale in this deal'." According to a prospectus obtained by Reuters, the Russian finance ministry will place a 10-year dollar-denominated Eurobond and the placement will be organised by VTB Capital, a unit of state-owned lender VTB, which is itself subject to Western sanctions. The finance ministry said it would not use proceeds from Eurobond to help companies which were subject to sanctions, the prospectus stated. The ministry is offering a yield of 4.65-4.90 percent, two banking sources said. That yield represents a premium on other comparable paper issued by Russia. The size of the placement was not disclosed. The finance ministry had invited Western and Russian banks to bid for the role of placement organiser, but no Western financial institutions came forward, even though sanctions do not expressly forbid helping organise a bond placement. According to Western banking sources, they were dissuaded because U.S. and European regulators had warned them off, and they did not want to risk incurring fines from the regulators. In another potential obstacle to the Eurobond, the two main settlement houses which usually facilitate such placements, Euroclear and Clearstream, had not agreed to handle the paper, banking sources told Reuters in April. The two agencies were not immediately available for comment on Monday. The prospectus stated that Russia's National Settlement Depositary will be the clearing system for the Eurobond, while "no assurance can be given" about whether any other settlement agencies will hold the paper. A Russian banking analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to comment on the Eurobond, said that demand for the paper is likely to be healthy, especially given the premium in the yield. But the analyst said: "We don't know the technical details. It's probable that the stance of the U.S. administration could limit the participation of certain investors." "Therefore it could be a premium for the technical details that we don't know about." Yields on Russia's existing Eurobonds rose slightly after the announcement. Russia's 2023 dollar Eurobond was yielding 4.04 percent, up from 3.96 percent at the beginning of the day. Alexei Tverdokhleb, a trader with Bank Zenit, said there were many players on the local market interested in taking part in the placement, but there was uncertainty about demand from investors outside Russia. "It's not clear to what extent foreign players can take part, even though Russia specified the condition of not violating sanctions," Tverdokhleb said. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us The Bank of Ireland has launched a new business credit card that provides businesses with more control over employee credit card expenditure. Bank of Irelands CardController provides business customers with a number of unique settings to monitor employee credit cards. This is aimed at giving business owners the ability to block certain types of transactions such as online, international or ATM transactions or limit the use of the credit card to specific merchant groups such as travel or business services. The business credit card also has capabilities that can curtail card spending times to certain timeframes, for example - Monday to Friday, as well as create real time alerts of money spent. There is no charge to customers for using this service and Bank of Ireland is the first to offer this facility to business credit card customers in Ireland. Head of Cards, Bank of Ireland Scott Kirkwood, speaking about CardController, said, Business Credit cards are a flexible, fast option for making payments, managing business cashflow and tracking business spend, however monitoring employee expenditure can be considered an additional workload, preventing some businesses from choosing this route for their staff." He added, In addition to the current option of setting individual controls, CardController gives businesses more peace of mind by putting them in control of where, when and how a business credit card can be utilised and we expect this will be a welcome addition to our current credit card offering. Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us PwC announce it will renew its sponsorship of the IRFU for another four years. Following 10 years of support, PwC continues to be the official sponsor of the Ireland senior side, Ireland U20, Ireland U19 and Ireland U18 sides. The sponsorship will also involve PwC supporting the IRFU Elite Player Pathway Programme which aims to identify and support the development of rugby talent in Ireland. Junior Vice-President, IRFU Philip Orr speaking about the renewal of PwCs support said, "The IRFU is delighted to be continuing its partnership with PwC. It has been very positive for Irish Rugby to have such a strong brand associated with our up and coming players over the last number of years." PwC Managing Partner Feargal ORourke commented that, "We are delighted to continue our support of the IRFU and Irish Rugby. This has now been in place since 2006 and makes us one of the IRFU's longest serving partners." Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us Irish low-cost giant Ryanair plans to cut fares sharply in coming months, but said it expects to boost profit by boosting its share of an increasingly competitive European short-haul market. The airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, outlined the planned cut to fares on Monday as it reported net profit of 1.24 billion euros ($1.39 billion) for the year ended March 2016, an increase of 43 percent on the previous year. Fares will fall by an average of 7 percent in its current financial year, which ends on March 31, with fares falling by between 10 and 12 percent in the winter months, chief executive Michael O'Leary said. "If there is a fare war in Europe, then Ryanair will be the winner," he said in a video presentation. Ryanair expects to carry 116 million passengers in the year to March, an annual increase of 9 percent. Ryanair said in a statement it "cautiously" expected net profit to increase by approximately 13 percent in the year to March 2017, to between 1.38 billion euros and 1.43 billion euros, less than the consensus of 1.47 billion in a poll of over 10 analysts compiled by the company ahead of the results. Rivals including British Airways-owner IAG, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have warned recently about increasing capacity in the sector and the impact on tourism from militant attacks in Paris and Brussels. easyJet earlier this month said strong demand for beach holidays was making up for a drop in travelling in the wake of the attacks. Ryanair shares closed Friday up 20 percent compared to a year ago at 13.16 euros, while the Thomson Reuters European Airline Index was down 3 percent. Ryanair shares have fallen 12 percent since the start of the year, in line with the index.(Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Utahs charter schools are spending millions of taxpayer dollars on the services of private companies, according to a Salt Lake Tribune analysis. A study of expense reports shows two companies received nearly $7 million from the states charter schools last year for providing administrative and academic functions, the latest in a trend in recent years. Unlike public schools, charter schools are their own districts and rely on private charter-management businesses for needs such as information technology and human resources departments. These companies are not obligated to disclose how they spend any public money, according to the newspaper (http://bit.ly/1TsGTbd). Any surplus funds are kept for profit and not returned to the schools. Carolyn Sharette, executive director of the Draper-based American Preparatory Schools, disputed speculation that she and other charter management companies earn million-dollar salaries. American Preparatory Schools operates five American Preparatory Academy campuses in Utah. So, school administrators at those campuses are not considered school employees. The company charges $900 a student or $4 million in 2014 for managing operations and curriculum. If a school-management company is able to provide that richness of programming in the lowest-funded state in the country and still find profit, then perhaps they shouldnt be criticized, Sharette said. Perhaps we should be delving into what on earth they are doing to be able to do it. Royce Van Tassell, executive director of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, said the state has a long history of joining with private companies on public services. He compared the practice to contractors who pour concrete on Utah roads. I just dont see anything terribly remarkable about any of these relationships, Van Tassell said. Concerns about charter schools spending of public funds also stem from the relationships some lawmakers have with the companies. The Tribune found in three years of expense reports that several high-earning private companies are owned by or employ current or former state lawmakers and their family members. Virginia-based K12 Management gets $4.5 million per year for running Utah Virtual Academy. The head of the school is Stacey Hutchings, wife of Kearns Republican Rep. Eric Hutchings. He serves on the House Education Committee. However, Stacey Hutchings says she does not lobby him on anything that affects her charter school. He has his work and I have mine, she said. We keep it pretty separate. The Bulgarian eco-activist being sued for a Facebook status Published on May 23, 2016 Story by Nevena Borisova en it es fr de pl In February 2016, a Bulgarian eco-activist was sentence for a Facebook status aimed at the executive director of one of the biggest mining companies in the country. The case drew attention to the potential fragility of freedom of expression in Bulgaria. After the sentence was issued, the next stage of the trial is set for the 30th of May. Borislav Sandov (33), is known in Bulgaria for his leading role in key environmental protests in recent years. The trained scientist, and member of the Bulgarian political movement the Greens, recently published a Facebook status calling Lachezar Tsotsorkov, executive director of one of the biggest mining companies in Bulgaria, a "poisoner oligarch". The words form part of a longer status that explains the "legal saga" between the Greens and the Asarel Medet copper mine. On the basis of the content of the post, Tsotsorkov initiated a lawsuit against Sandov on three counts one of insult and two of defamation. Local voices have expressed support for Sandov as the trial continues into its next stages. Meanwhile the French ambassador in Bulgaria, Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, made a gesture of support on Twitter by posting "I am Borislav Sandov". A "humiliation of his honour and dignity" Tsotsorkov has accused Sandov of disgracing his name. The Bulgarian court in the city of Panagyurishte found Sandov innocent of defamation but guilty of insult in February. The accusation of defamation arose from Borislav's statement that Tsotsorkovs mine twice poisoned the waters around Panagyurishte in 2014. The court concluded that at the moment of writing, there had been enough evidence to make the claims put forward in the status. Sandovs attorney, Kalin Angelov, says this is a success. The court however also ruled that Sandov's comments had humiliated Tsotsorkov's honour and dignity, as the insult was made public and distributed via social media. Sandov himself suggests that the trial is rooted in prior circumstances and that there might be a hint of revenge at play. Prior to the trial, he and his colleagues from the Greens had led research as well as legal proceedings sparked by supposed investment intentions of Tsotsorkov, who wanted to almost double the size of the copper mining company he heads up. The mining mogul lost these proceedings on three occasions. The Bulgarian news outlet Capital Daily quotes legal expert Boyko Boev, a Bulgarian based in London. Boev says that "people participating in events in the public interest, may expect reactions from the Internet in relation to their deeds". Boev is also quoted as saying that if such deeds relate to the professional activity of an individual, with the well-intentioned goal of helping society, then it is "somehow" more justified. In Sandov's case it can be perceived that such a topic is in the public interest (the Greens have led a lawsuit against Tsotsorkov in the past accusing him that the enlargement of the mine would cause pollution of the local environment). Does this set a precedent? The attorney is quoted as saying that it's not uncommon for there to be trials resulting from Facebook publications and that at the same time, according to the Bulgarian criminal code, a defamation or insult may be "distributed via print media or in other way". Social media is considered included in this list of alternatives. Capital Daily also concludes that everyone in Bulgaria who feels insulted or a victim of defamation may initiate a lawsuit, no matter if it concerns Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media. In Bulgaria there had been similar cases. When one woman was sued for defamation on Facebook, the court decided she had to pay over 3700 euros. The woman had written a Facebook status in which she accused her former employer of incorrect behaviour. The proceedings are being brought against Sandov as an individual, but at the same time he is a representative of a party, as he pointed out in a previous interview with cafebabel. He adds that it is the first time that a representative of the party is being sued, even if on an individual basis, due to social media activity. In a blog post entitled "Insult or criticism: the discussion", Nelly Ognyanova, a well-known Bulgarian expert in media law, also reflects on the case. She points out that according to international standards, such political speech relating to important public debates in contemporary society should have the highest level of protection. While discussion about the potential for such cases to occur again in the future goes on, Sandov's trial moves to its next stages. It remains to be seen whether he will be found guilty. Story by Nevena Borisova Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Jody Houston, food services director for the Corpus Christi Independent School District, observes choices students are making during lunch Feb. 22 at Veterans Memorial High School. SHARE By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times More than 5,800 students, regardless of familial income, could get free meals next year at Corpus Christi ISD schools. During Monday's board meeting, Corpus Christi Independent School District trustees voted to expand the Community Eligibility Provision that last year enabled all students at 32 district schools to receive free meals. The provision from the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 allows qualifying schools with high poverty rates to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. It eliminates the process of collecting household applications to determine eligibility for meals. Schools were selected based on the number of students' families receiving benefits, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The district's food services director, Jody Houston, recommended the program's expansion. Houston was given the green light to apply the schools for the program. The recommendation approved Monday would expand the federal provision to Moody High School, Baker, Browne and Cullen middle schools, and Galvan, Sanders, Schanen and Yeager elementary schools. "I see no reason for the schools not to be approved," she said. The applications for the eight schools will be submitted this week and their eligibility should be known by the beginning of next week, she added. If all goes as planned, the schools will start providing free meals to students in the fall. If schools have at least 40 percent of students who receive government aid they qualify for the provision, but that may change if federal legislation that passed a House committee May 18 also passes the House and Senate. The percentage may be upped to 60 percent, which means fewer schools would qualify. The Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, or H.R. 5003, was introduced by Rep. Todd Rokita. If it's enacted as law, it would affect 805 schools across Texas and hundreds in the Rio Grande Valley qualify for the program, according to reports. "The purpose (of the bill) is to ensure the federal government isn't paying for students who can afford to pay for their own meals," Houston said. If approved, districts will be given two years to implement the changes, Houston said. But that doesn't mean students won't qualify for free meals, it means parents would have to go through the individual application process instead of the schools qualifying as a whole, she added. During the May meeting, Houston also recommended meal prices be raised at schools that don't qualify for free lunch and to decrease the grace period offered to middle school students to pay for their meals before they are discontinued. If there is no increase to meal prices, Houston said the district would have to foot an about $49,000 bill for the 2016-17 school year, according to a federal formula. The cost for elementary lunch was increased by 5 cents; the cost for secondary breakfast was increased by 15 cents; the cost for secondary lunch was increased by 5 cents; and the cost for adult meals at schools was increased by 15 cents. The district last year established a one-month grace period for middle school students to incur charges for meals before prepaid meals are exhausted and discontinued. Houston recommended the monthlong grace period for middle schools be shortened to 10 days. The grace periods are one month at elementary campuses and one week at high schools, which will not change. Houston said this school year the district is paying an about $20,000 bill for outstanding loans for meals. Both recommendations also were voted in favor of by the board during Monday's meeting. Twitter: @CallerBetty FREE MEALS EXPANDED Under the proposal, students at these schools will receive free meals starting in fall: Moody High Baker Middle Browne Middle Cullen Middle Galvan Elementary Sanders Elementary Schanen Elementary Yeager Elementary MEAL PRICE ADJUSTMENTS With the expansion of the free meals program, students at other schools would see prices increase 2015-16 2016-17 Elementary Breakfast: Free Free Elementary Lunch: $1.60 $1.65 Secondary Breakfast: $1.10 $1.25 Secondary Lunch: $1.70 $1.75 Adults: $2.45/$3.50 $3.55/$3.65 Contributed photo Congressman Blake Farenthold and Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal represent local interests in Washington DC during an annual meeting to get funding for Interstate 69. SHARE By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal and Congressman Blake Farenthold were among 20 representatives to urge Washington to move forward with Interstate 69. The local representatives are part of the Alliance for I-69 Texas, a group pressing for approval of federal grants for two projects in the state that would improve freight movement on parts of the highway, according to a news release. They met with representatives from eight other states along the highway corridor at the third annual meeting to hear progress. The Texas Department of Transportation is seeking funds under the Fastlane grant program, which was established by a five-year, $4.5 billion federal transportation plan last year. This grant would fund a project in Laredo on Interstate 35 and Interstate 69 and a portion of State Highway 99, which would connect with Interstate 69 in Houston. Port of Corpus Christi chairman Charlie Zahn and city of Corpus Christi Director of Intergovernmental Relations Tom Tagliabue also attended the meeting, which was led by Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, and Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo. Twitter: @Caller_Jules SHARE J. Fred Johnson A blurry political vision When I was tapped for a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1969, I told myself as the plane I was on took that thousand-foot dive to the foot of the landing strip at Ton San Nhut well, this is going to be interesting. It wasn't. My positive outlook for the immediate future was, uhh, misguided. But, that was in the long-ago and, thankfully, far away. Now, as I peer into the very fuzzy future of our presidential election, the possible endgame is much clearer simply because it has already been done there is a working blueprint of how the U.S. may evolve. Here are some names you may Google at your leisure which will illustrate my point: Arkady Rotenberg, Igor Sechin, Gennady Timchenko, and Alexey Miller. These characters inhabit the politically bombproof basement of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle. They are the arch-oligarchs who run the political show of today's Russia. Oil rich, construction rich, banking rich, all are interconnected in the everyday gobbling of the Russian economy. But, why on earth are these people of the slightest importance to our own beloved political process? These mad Russians could easily be a very comfortable model for governance if Donald Trump is elected president. His election will not only show the world our country is inhabited by a sizable collection of politically active lunatics, it will give painful pause to every country that relies on us to be their buffer against ruin. Mr. Trump is the proto-oligarch, a rather unusual and oddly acceptable hybrid in a democratic republic, who would be quite comfortable in rallying his elitist, amoral cronies to come to his side, build their own bombproof basement, and change our political landscape forever. The very poor will no longer be much of a problem, for they will all be dead from starvation as they toil in the newly formed gulags of North Dakota. The middle class will remain weak and apolitical, willing to take less as long as they are left alone, and the uber-rich will carry the keys to the new kingdom, unlocking the cabinet of the Constitution in search of material for party confetti. And, oh yeah, the Kardashians will be invited to fill all vacancies on the Supreme Court. SHARE Jay Coleman Consider Rose as new city manager The shocking resignation of Mr. Ron Olson raised several concerns for me personally, the community and The Movement 2016 Coalition of what is this City Council doing? In fact, the seriousness of the water issues should not be just a weekly council agenda item on a Tuesday but open and truthful discussion for residents in a town hall meeting to address the concerns of many residents, families and businesses. Seems as if this being done with the meeting scheduled for today. I do want to commend Margie Rose who has served in the position of interim several times between city managers. She is taking the health and business of the city as serious business and has passion. The City Council has a great opportunity to not waste additional money in hiring a search firm for a city manager, but place Margie Rose as the city manager. Her record speaks for itself. She has proved several times over that during a transition of past city managers, major crisis or restructuring of departments she can get the job done. Corpus Christi City Council has to get this one right! She inspires action by painting a vision of the future that inspires the staff and community to do whatever it takes to get there. She's optimistic, and has integrity, confidence and is decisive in her duties to make decisions. Highly effective leaders aren't afraid to be decisive and to make tough calls quickly when circumstances require it. This current circumstance with the water boil and all the other numerous problems with the resignations of three previous assistant city managers speaks volumes in the fact we have a jewel at City Hall who has stood the ground in making Corpus Christi remain the Sparkling City by the Sea. Margie Ross is fit for the job. DIAGNOSIS 1 Barry Lustig Managing partner Cormorant Group In fairness, many of Seiyus recent difficulties have not been of its own making. A weak yen and an increase in the national sales tax diminished the overall purchasing power of Japanese consumers who were already bruised by wage stagnation and a gloomy economy. Also, after the 3/11 earthquake, convenience store locations multiplied by over 20 per cent throughout Japan. With a wider selection of food and other necessities, convenience stores began to eat into Seiyu's business. At the same time, many of Seiyus difficulties have also been self-inflicted. The company over expanded, a mistake that its convenience store competitors will realise that they have made too. More fundamentally, Everyday Low Prices, Walmart's positioning and pricing strategy, doesn't naturally resonate with Japan's bargain crazy consumersat least within the context of Seiyu. Sensibly, the company has shuttered its underperforming locations and is busily remodeling its remaining stores over the last year or so. And the chain is currently experiencing a modest uptick in sales as refocuses. As it refreshes, the chain should consider opening a handful of American-style Walmarts. In recent years, Ikea and Costco have succeeded precisely because they have made a point of not turning Japanese. This gives them greater license to break from stale retailing norms and bring a new shopping experience to their customers. It stands to reason that Japanese shoppers might just warm to Everyday Low Prices at their local Walmart too. DIAGNOSIS 2 Hal Ito MD BBDO Japan Evaluating Walmart (Seiyu) in Japan is equivalent to putting the whole Japanese consumer market under the microscope. The Japanese population is declining and one-person households are increasing rapidlyin Tokyo almost 50 per cent. They certainly dont need big supermarket shopping baskets. Subsequently, Japanese mega-chains are shutting down numerous stores and major multinational players have withdrawn or shrunk their operations in Japan. Furthermore, low price is less appreciated in this mature market so many marketers, including retailers, are shifting from fierce price promotionwhich has damaged business profitability and even brand imageto added value marketing by harnessing key trends such as premium, speciality and healthy. Walmarts EDLP (Everyday Low Price) will not be attractive enough if only superficially adapted in Japan. However, Seiyu is leveraging EDLP not just as price communication but as a driver for business and operational excellence. It is adapting it throughout its supply chain, enabling it to develop and offer highly added-value products at surprisingly attractive prices. Japanese people love certifications by authority for premium quality or safety, and nowadays the most trusted authority is consumers themselves. Seiyu introduced a new line called Certified by Consumers which passed consumer tests with a satisfaction rate of 70 per cent or more. New value is created not only by reassuring quality concerns but by involving consumers into the development process. This line continues to grow by 20 per cent year-on-year. The challenges of the Japanese market should be embraced positively as an opportunity to reinvent your brand and business model generating further innovation opportunities for marketers. I think Seiyu is making a great effort in adapting the core values of Walmart with innovative localisation, which is sometimes missing among other multinational players in Japan. | BY Ricki Green | Today Lion has launched a new video series that continues the journey of busting myths and some common misunderstandings about beer. The Beer the Beautiful Truth content series created by BMF Australia, entitled Brew & A, answers real questions from Australians wanting to know more about beer and is another place where consumers get to learn more about what is in their favourite beers, how beer is made and the different styles and tastes of beer. In each of the videos, well-known media personality and beer enthusiast Gorgi Coghlan, is seen chatting to members of Lions advisory panel. The group consists of leading experts in the fields of brewing, nutrition and health who are on hand to help answer the questions of consumers. They include Dr Sam Hay (general practitioner), Catherine Saxelby (nutritionist), Kirrily Waldhorn (beer diva) and Chuck Hahn (master brewer). The team will be answering many of the questions received from consumers through the Beer the Beautiful Truth website while the Brew & A videos will cover off questions like How can beer be relatively sugar free?, Why does some beer taste bitter when others do not? and Why is beer still seen as more of a mans drink?. Ben Slocombe, marketing director for Lion, says that the launch of Brew & A shows Lions continued commitment to serving up the beautiful truth about beer, and meeting the demand of Australians who want to know more about whats in the beer they are drinking. Says Slocombe: By putting the call out for peoples questions about beer, we have created an open forum to discuss everything about Australias most loved alcoholic beverage. There is a real thirst for knowledge out there which has been proven by the more than 1,000 questions we have received to the website so far. Its been fascinating to see some of the things that beer drinkers have been most curious about. What has come as no surprise however is that many dont know for example how much sugar is in beer and that beer is in fact preservative free. Its exciting that we are finally getting these facts out there, and able to have a conversation with our drinkers. The Beer the Beautiful Truth campaign kicked off in August last year after Lion announced that, in an Australian beer industry first, it would be adding nutrition information panels to bottles and cartons across its entire wholly-owned Australian beer portfolio. The initiative was informed by consumer research that showed 87 percent of Aussies dont know what goes into beer , and 73 percent wanted more information on the beers they drink. Subsequently, there are now millions of bottles of beer each year carrying helpful information on sugar, preservative, calorie (kilojoule) and carbohydrate content. Says Slocombe: Lion is committed to the Beer the Beautiful Truth campaign and to continue to give people even more information about what they are drinking. If Aussies are better informed about the beer they like to enjoy with their mates, then they are going to be better equipped to make a more informed decision on what drink they share with friends in moderation as part of a balanced lifestyle. People can still ask any questions they may have about beer on the Beer the Beautiful Truth website www.beerthebeautifultruth.com. All submissions will also go in the draw to win a luxury beer experience to Belgium. The first round of Brew & A videos launch today, while the remaining ones in the content series will become available in the coming weeks. The Brew & A campaign will be supported by radio, digital, social media and PR. Client: Lion Creative: BMF Media: Bohemia PR: Res Publica | BY Ricki Green | CB Exclusive: After ECD roles at J. Walter Thompson Melbourne and sister agency BlueHive Australia, Rich Muntz is headed for Berlin as CCO of a new Innocean Worldwide office. Jeremy Craigen, global CCO, Innocean Worldwide, who is in Sydney this week, told CB: Berlin is gunning for the title of start-up hub of Europe, what better city to open a new Innocean venture. Beyond a European creative hub for Innocean offices in Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Moscow and Istanbul, Craigen has added expectations of the new agency: Ive challenged Muntzy to approach Berlin as a true start-up. New office, new team and new ways of taking our clients brands to market. While at J. Walter Thompson, Muntz lead a creative resurgence of the agency brand in Melbourne, with multiple wins at Cannes, D&AD, Spikes, AdFest, OneShow and Clios. He was then seconded to BlueHive Australia to relaunch the Ford brand. Says Muntz of the new role: With every exchange I have with Jeremy and the euro and global teams, Ive got to know what makes Innocean tick. Theyre super hungry to do great work, incredibly open to new methods of working and hell bent on upping the creative product and growing the business. I am, in equal measure, honoured and excited by the opportunities. Muntz is the second major hire for Craigen, after appointing Eric Springer to CCO of Innocean USA. Its a move which has already borne fruit: the Hyundai First Date spot won USA Todays Super Bowl Ad Meter. The new Berlin hub is set to open in September of this year. | BY Lynchy | VCCP and San Francisco-based Muhtayzik | Hoffer has unveiled a partnership that sees the integrated creative agencies form a new international network. The two companies, each with a focus on challenger brands, share creative and business objectives that will be amplified into greater global opportunities thanks to the alliance forming a Challenger Network for Challenger Brands. VCCP, with offices in Berlin, London, Madrid, Prague and Sydney, has been looking to expand and develop a U.S. presence, which perfectly coincides with Muhtayzik | Hoffers rapid growth, high-profile account wins, and plans to open an NYC office in the coming months. VCCPs current clients, BMW Motorrad, O2, Molson Coors, and easyJet, will be joining the likes of AAA, Audi, method, Netflix, OXO, and SoFi from the roster of Muhtayzik | Hoffer. VCCP is part of Chime Communications which was recently taken private by Providence Equity Partners, in a transaction indicative of Chimes international expansion plans. The partnership is financed by Providence Equity Partners. Terms of the deal are not disclosed. Says Adrian Coleman (above centre), co-founder and CEO of VCCP: This is a joining of like-minded souls across the Atlantic. Together we believe that creativity is still the biggest multiplier for any business, and we want to offer that creativity to ambitious brands all over the world. This deal will give us the global reach and opportunity to achieve that. When we met VCCP, we just genuinely liked them, says John Matejczyk (above left), co-founder and Executive Creative Director at Muhtayzik | Hoffer. We wanted to hang out with them, share visions of the future, push each other to do the best work possible, and make ambitious plans together for the brands we work on. We share a deep desire to unleash creativity, in all its forms, on business problems and opportunities. Matt Hofherr (above left), co-founder and director of strategy at Muhtayzik | Hoffer, explains: When we met the team from VCCP, it was like meeting a long lost family member. Sure, the accents were different (they sound smarter), but the agencys challenger culture and beliefs are the same as ours. Asparagus has a sweet, grassy flavour that is heightened when it's roasted. Toss it with lemon zest and juice to add a burst of freshness without dulling the nice green colour. Cut any leftover roasted asparagus into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and add to your favourite salad or omelette. Portion size 4 servings Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: May 2012 Sunday, May 22, 2016 at 6:24PM A new wearable from startup BACTrack is designed to monitor the alcohol levels in your body. Called BACTrack Skyn, this wearable makes use of fuel cell technology to measure the amount of alcohol in you. It makes use of similar technology law enforcement uses. But this doesnt give a real-time readout since it takes around 45 minutes for alcohol consumed to be transmitted to your skin. But what it can detect is the recent drinking history of someone, which could be used by medical practitioners as well as researchers and even help people who are being treated for alcohol abuse. The Skyn connects to a smartphone app via Bluetooth, so it could also warn you if youve drank too much to drive or to send messages to family and friends if youve been trying to remain sober and alcohol is found in your system. The Skyn won first place at a National Institutes of Health competition and won a US$200,000 grand prize. It hasnt been tested or approved by the FDA yet but the company is already offering pre-orders for a limited release this fall. Source: SlashGear He accepted the brothers generally believed it was their mother's duty, under Islamic inheritance law, to leave one full share to her sons for every half share left to her daughters and that she would have made her will in line with those principles if she had drawn it up earlier. [Your Business Name] Contact Info Phone: Fax: Email: Web: CAPITOLHILLCUBANS.COM Business Overview Geographic Area Line of Business Brands We Carry Products and Services Discounts Offered Additional Information Business Hours Timezone We Accept 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. "Information is the oil of the 21st century and analytics is the combustion engine." These words by Peter Sondergaard of the Gartner Group exemplify the paradigm shift in business which now hails data to be its most valuable asset. Today, organizations have a deluge of data at their disposal with digital footprints being created every moment. This treasure trove of data and its analysis is becoming a new frontier of competitive differentiation. It has led to the evolution of Big Data, which is taking giant strides in business analysis, bestowing organizations with the caliber to revitalize their businesses with innovations. Big data has proved to be a perpetual mine always there to be dug deep. Thus, organizations have embraced technology to harness this humungous data with the aim of transforming it into information and valuable insights. Big data analytics has therefore captured the imagination of the business world as it enables astute cognizance, decision-making, and strategic moves. In today's business scenario, big data is the fulcrum of all the mega-trends that are picking up steam across various sectors. This has made organizations adopt big data and cloud computing as vital strategic levers in their overall functioning. It has transformed the approach of business firms providing them with the leverage to push the envelope in terms of innovation along with the spin-offs of cost savings, profound decision-making, and customized product development. As has been rightly quoted by renowned author Stephen Few, "Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a voice." This epitomizes the notion that though our coffers are awash with data, its management, analysis, and application is of paramount importance to garner the required benefits. Thus, big data does not rely only on sophisticated technology but also on human intellect to be effective for any organization. This gives rise to an unprecedented opportunity for proficient and skilled personnel specializing in big data analysis. Organizations across multifarious sectors ranging from retail and supply chain, to manufacturing and maintenance, health-care and education, banking and insurance, to media and tourism have lapped up the big data phenomenon. Big data has become an important cog in the field of digital marketing. The analysis of information provides decisive insights in consumer behavior and preferences. This helps in better segmentation, brand-building, and providing customized products and services. The education sector, especially management studies, provides a massive scope for big data to facilitate learning analytics. With online education augmenting its presence across the globe, vast amount of data is available online, which can be monitored to provide personalized learning. This helps to study the learning patterns and preferences of individual students thereby providing tailor-made courses to cater to different needs. Business schools can themselves harness the prowess of data analytics to facilitate better student acquisition and retention thereby augmenting their student base. Also, the progress and competencies of every student can be analyzed to provide solutions for enhancing their learning experience and academic performance. The retail and e-commerce firms are leveraging the big data technology in a big way to explore the market trends and accordingly provide a personalized shopping experience to customers. In the manufacturing field real time data is accessed and analyzed to detect defects and find the solutions to increase efficiency. Additionally, there have been drastic improvements in the health-care sector where past medical records are analyzed and studied to enable better diagnosis and treatment. Big data analysis has also infused renewed vigor in the financial sector playing an instrumental role in fraud detection and risk management. It has provided a short in the arm for the governments and legislative bodies which are dealing with colossal amount of data for efficient policy implementation. In the same vein, big data analysis has been transforming a bevy of business sectors in the private and public domain. Although big data has become the cynosure of all eyes, it has its own share of pitfalls that can undermine its potential. As the quantum of data that is processed is immense there are possibilities of issues being faced in accessing relevant and critical data. Also, the data available may be unreliable or biased due to faulty data collection practices which can adversely impact the outcomes. Thus, organizations need to implement various measures to avoid these shortcomings to ensure they extract the maximum benefits from big data analytics. With the rising clout of big data in business, the demand for professionals in this field is bound to increase by leaps and bounds. This has opened up new avenues for business schools to incorporate data science and analytics as a vital ingredient of management studies. With courses and curriculum designed taking into consideration the requirement of the industry, students are well-versed to pursue their career in the field of big data. Various institutions are collaborating with behemoths like Amazon and Salesforce who have pioneered the big data and cloud computing initiatives. This provides the students an industry-driven learning approach, along with being exposed to the latest technology. Institutes are required to provide a comprehensive learning experience by facilitating internships for students in organizations excelling in the field of data analysis. Also, having on board a team of experienced data analysts and entrepreneurs as faculty can go a long way in nurturing and training the students for their roles in the future. This requires the students to acquire the knowledge and skills in technologies like Hadoop, SAS, NoSQL, SPSS, etc., as well as in areas of business intelligence, cloud computing and data mining. It is important that business studies are embedded with the requisite blend of technical and management lessons which enables students to glean an overall perspective in the field of big data. As the relevance of data analysis is escalating in every sector the demand for experts in these fields is expected to increase exponentially. The roles of Data Scientists, Database Technology Engineers, Data Analysts, Big Data Developers and Consultants, Business Analytics Specialists and the likes have become the most sought-after and lucrative jobs in the market. Thus, the demand for MBA courses in the specialization of big data and cloud computing is bound to go through the roof. As per the forecast from International Data Corporation (IDC), the big data technology and services market worldwide is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.1% over the period of 2014-2019 with the annual expenditure reaching $48.6 billion in 2019. With respect to India, the big data technology and services market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.3% over the period of 2012-2017. Also, a report by McKinsey & Company states that the United States alone shall face a shortage of 1,40,000 to 1,90,000 people possessing deep analytical skills by 2018. These figures encapsulate the glaring opportunities waiting to be seized by potential big data professionals with industry behemoths scurrying towards business schools to assimilate the top-notch talent into their fold. The momentum created by the big data movement across the globe has opened new horizons for business schools. The potential in countries like India is vast, where business schools can contribute by injecting fresh blood into the stream of big data analysis through their well-designed courses and skill-based training. The collaboration between business schools and industry players can prove to be the catalyst to create a hotbed of big data specialists, proficient to grasp the nettle and provide the desired outcomes. It is the opportune time for educational institutes to rise to the occasion and revamp business studies to capitalize on the growth of big data and churn out data specialists who shall don the role of new-age alchemists, transforming raw data into insightful knowledge. This can ultimately help to propel the economy with full throttle and transform India's image from being the "World's Back Office" to becoming the "World's Knowledge Center". The Concorso dEleganza Villa dEste 2016 was the place to be to see Rolls-Royces Phantom Zenith Drophead Coupe, which celebrates the retirement of the current Phantom generation. On display alongside the BMW 2002 Hommage Concept, the British luxury drop-top benefits from a series of special features on top of the standard Phantom, which can also be found on the special edition coupe. All cars will be dressed up to suit the needs of their customers and will get unique paint schemes, some of them inspired by the 1930s Phantoms, new glass shelf housed in the tailgate, laser engraved armrests with Villa dEste in the Drophead and Lake Geneva in the Coupe versions, reminding where they were first seen in public, numbered plaque on the dashboard and brushed steel housed speedometer. There are also a large fridge, which can store two champagne bottles, a picnic table, a special starlight headliner, hints of the Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection in the central tunnel, Blood-Orange tips on the instrument dials, aluminum-machined cup holders and highly modern materials, as the manufacturer explains. All 50 examples of the Phantom Zenith have been already spoken for. Images via RRMotorCars PHOTO GALLERY Photo: UBCO Jan Unwin (left), participates in a maker demonstration at UBCs Small Schools Think Tank. UBC Okanagan is looking for way to allow rural and small schools to remain relevant. The university's Faculty of Education recently hosted a two-day, Small School Think Tank, which brought educators together in an effort to find a way forward for rural community schools. When we look at what rural and small secondary schools offer the province, we see examples of innovation, creativity, and community partnership, said Leyton Schnellert, co-chair of the B.C. rural education advisory committee and assistant professor of education at UBCs Okanagan campus. Events like the SSTT hold the potential to affirm and strengthen powerful local practices and structures and inspire schools in B.C. to generate their own creative solutions. The think tank offered educators from around the province an opportunity to collaborate and envision a successful future for rural schools. The SSTT epitomizes the agenda of the new K to 12 curriculum, said Jan Unwin, superintendent of graduation and student transitions with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Advanced Education. Rural schools exemplify good teaching because teachers are able to form close bonds with students. Engagement is something that we would like to highlight in the new curriculum. Solutions emerging from the think tank include inviting community members into the schools to see the new ways of learning, while supporting students unique interests in grades 10, 11, and 12, so they continue to be interested in their education. Since 2002, there have been more than 250 school closures in British Columbia, many of them in rural areas. Photo: Contributed The Lake Country fire department knocked down a fire in 8900 block of Jim Bailey Road Saturday before it could spread too far. Both Kelowna and Lake Country fire brigades attended the scene after a report of a structure fire. Three engines and one rescue and command vehicle arrived with 19 personnel. Upon arrival, the Lake Country Fire Department found a small utility shed fully involved, and it had extended to a nearby tree, said Kelowna platoon captain Scott Cronquist. First arriving units were able to quickly knock the fire down. Cronquist said the fire was believed to have been accidental. Story and video by Gary Moore It seems some people are not getting the message. Within minutes of Castanet arriving at a police road block, someone had been investigated for drinking and driving. "Unfortunately, we do still come across drunk drivers. For example, tonight we have already investigated one drunk driving case so far since the start of this road block. And seized a small amount of marijuana from another vehicle." Const. Jesse O'Donaghey told Castanet. As part of the National Impaired Driving Campaign (NIDC), RCMP and MADD Canada Central Okanagan volunteers teamed up at Clement on the Bernard overpass Saturday night to get impaired drivers off the road - and hand out swag to sober citizens. Carol Fazekas, past president of MADD Central Okanagan Chapter, was on hand not only to hand out goodies, but educate the public. "With the long weekend and the summer months ahead we are trying to educate people about the tragic consequences of drinking and driving. We want to ensure that as the roads and waterways become busier, that people who are planning to consume alcohol or use drugs that they plan ahead to have a safe ride home." O'Donaghey has a warning to people getting behind the wheel impaired. "The (NIDC) is ongoing all year long. Our Municipal Traffic Section, our Integrated Road Safety Unit and our Central Okanagan Traffic Services focus mainly on impaired drivers and they are great at what they do." Photo: CTV Anyone who thinks having a rainy May long weekend in the Okanagan is disappointing should be thankful they don't live in Calgary. While Okanagan residents dug out umbrellas and long pants, Calgary residents had to dig out snow shovels. The wet, heavy stuff began to fall early Sunday morning in southern Alberta, prompting snowplows to hit the highways. And Mother Nature is not done with the Alberta city just yet. Calgary could get five centimetres of the white stuff by Monday morning, when the snow is expected to turn to rain. Areas north and west of Calgary, including Airdrie and Rocky Mountain House, are forecast to get as much as 15 centimetres. - with files from CTV Photo: CTV Police in Nova Scotia have confirmed a woman has drowned near Peggys Cove. Emergency workers responded to reports that a woman was struggling in the water Sunday afternoon. Halifax Fire and Emergency says local fishermen brought her to shore where rescuers attempted CPR. RCMP say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The owner of Peggys Cove Boat Tours says a purse containing Quebec identification was recovered where the woman was reportedly standing. The Nova Scotia government announced plans to install barriers and safety signs at the East Coast landmark in March. The measures come from recommendations made by a team of community members and local organizations after one man died and another was rescued in the chilly waters off the rocks last year. Photo: Jonathan Eastland With the intense focus on the looming legalization of physician-assisted dying, the kind of help most Canadians facing death will actually seek for easing their suffering seems to have quietly faded into the background. Yet palliative care is intended to prevent the very end-of-life physical and psychological distress that are at the heart of the Supreme Court of Canada's decision to allow patients to pursue medical aid in dying if they so choose. "They're not the same thing, but people seek them out for the same reasons," Dr. James Downar says of assisted dying and palliative care. "It's all about quality of life, not quantity. It's about autonomy and taking control of their end-of-life circumstances." On June 6, physician-assisted dying will become legal in Canada, although who will be eligible and under what circumstances is still unclear. The Liberal government's proposed law on the issue is still being hotly debated by MPs and could face amendments once it moves to the Senate. In countries such as Switzerland and the Netherlands, where medical aid in dying has been legal for decades, only two to three per cent of all deaths occur with a doctor's help, says Downar, a palliative care specialist at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto. In Oregon, one of a handful of U.S. states that allows patients to seek assisted death, that figure is a mere 0.2 per cent. And 90 per cent of those who received help to end their lives were enrolled in palliative-care programs, he says. "Everyone wants the choice; very few people will take it," says Downar, who nevertheless supports a patient's right to decide when and how their life will end. "Regardless of whether you legalize or don't legalize assisted death, you still need to develop a robust system of palliative care to treat the 97 to 99.8 per cent of the population who are going to take something other than assisted death as their option. "And you certainly don't want anyone to ever take that option simply because they didn't have access to palliative care," stresses Downar, noting that such end-of-life services are not equally available in all parts of the country. Providing relief from pain and other symptoms is a key principle of palliative care, which was originally developed for terminal cancer patients. Care teams often include nurses, physical therapists, social workers and chaplains, who focus on providing comfort and support as death approaches. Effective pain control was of utmost importance for Cameron Douglas when his wife Lynn was moved from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to Kensington Hospice, a homey 10-bed palliative-care facility in downtown Toronto, in mid-March 2013. Diagnosed three years earlier with breast cancer that would spread to her bones and later her lungs, his wife had been stoically undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments even continuing to work from her bed at Princess Margaret as her health continued to decline, says Douglas. "After a period of time, it became evident that we weren't going to win the battle. When we went into the Kensington, we knew it was just a case of time." Douglas's reference to "we" isn't accidental: palliative-care programs are designed to support both patients and their loved ones. "You realize that it's not just the patient that's in it, it's (also) the family and close friends," says Douglas, whose two sons Scott and Todd, both in their 30s, were at their mother's side throughout her stay in hospice. They took turns with their father bunking in overnight as her life ebbed away. "Having gone through it, I think it is marvellous what palliative caregivers do to make things as comfortable, not only for the patient, but for the family members as well," he says, adding that staff encourage loved ones to bring photos and other mementoes of home into a patient's room. "They really reach out. They were terrific at conveying concern, but also care. And comfort was a huge part of what we were looking for for Lynn in the final stages." Part of the role of palliative care providers is also to help patients through what's often called "existential distress," which includes anxiety over their worsening illness and fear about their impending death. Dr. Gary Rodin, head of psychosocial oncology and palliative care at UHN, says facing the end of one's life from an incurable disease, for instance, can be a dehumanizing experience. The person's sense of identity is usually diminished and their ability to function independently is progressively eroded, leaving them feeling vulnerable and alone, he says. Beyond the fear of physical suffering as they get sicker, patients can also experience distress over such questions as what meaning their life has had; will they be alone when death takes them; and for some, concerns about God and an afterlife. At UHN, which includes the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Rodin and his team have created a program called Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully, CALM for short, which has been taught to palliative care providers all over the world. Among CALM's objectives is giving patients the chance to discuss with staff caregivers their fears and concerns related to dying, subjects that family and friends may not feel comfortable hearing about let alone broaching. "It's not about pushing the patient to talk about anything they don't want to talk about, it's just about creating opportunities. And people actually feel relief in being able to talk," Rodin says. "Sometimes by talking about it with our team, patients can then talk about it with their family. "We need to treat the person, as well as the cancer." For Douglas, being with his wife of 39 years in the gentle and dignified surroundings of the hospice gave the couple the opportunity for some intimate end-of-life conversations and time to say goodbye. Lynn Douglas slipped away, her husband and sons at her side, on April 23, 2013, a little over a month after entering Kensington Hospice. She would have turned 64 the next day. "I had an opportunity to express my love to her many times. My two boys did, as well," says her husband, his voice catching with emotion as he describes how being together as a family further strengthened the bond with his sons. "I am so thankful for that time we had together." Photo: The Canadian Press Thousands of old "Economic Action Plan" signs dotting the Canadian landscape are not captured by a new federal advertising crackdown and will remain in place until whenever individual funding recipients get around to taking them down. The Liberals introduced new federal policies this month designed to lift the taint of partisanship from publicly funded ads a direct reaction, they said, to the former Conservative government's behaviour. But clearing away the last vestiges of the Conservatives' whole-of-government, Economic Action Plan branding exercise is not Ottawa's responsibility, the Privy Council Office told The Canadian Press. "Please note that project signage for funded projects is not considered advertising," PCO spokesman Raymond Rivet said in response to questions about the new ad policy and the old signs. "Advertising consists of things like paid billboards and transit posters. Removal and disposal of signage is done by the organization leading the project.... Thus, any signage removal was/is undertaken by the funded organization in accordance with the contribution agreements." Moreover, the new policy came into effect May 11 and does not apply to "communication products" placed by previous governments. When he announced the new rules at a May 12 news conference, Treasury Board President Scott Brison repeatedly stated "the policy applies to all government advertising and communication." And while he didn't cite the Economic Action Plan by name, the Liberal minister justified the "strong policy response" by stating the "previous government, we believe, crossed the line repeatedly in terms of advertising and communication and in a way that was abusive of taxpayers interests and of democratic values." The new policy, he said, covers political party slogans, images or any kind of party affiliation. Tens of millions of dollars were spent over the years advertising the Economic Action Plan, which was simply a slogan and marketing device for the Conservatives' massive, recession-fighting deficit budget of 2009 but continued uninterrupted through their final 2015 budget. Signs were still going up on new federally funded projects last August during the general election campaign. The EAP, as it was known, even had its own internal government "Style Guide: Project Signage" that was explicit about signs being an integral part of "maintaining the integrity of the brand ... for all communications products and activities including announcements, releases, advertising, marketing materials, web sites, backdrops and signage." Such unique branding is forbidden under the new policy, said PCO's Rivet, but it doesn't mean the end of placards heralding federally funded projects. "Project signs are allowed if they use the official symbols correctly and adhere to the other requirements of the new policy, including the new definition of non-partisan," said PCO, the central bureaucracy that serves cabinet and the prime minister. As for the remaining EAP signs out there, PCO says it doesn't centrally track the number although at one point in 2010, 18 different federal departments and agencies were tracking sign placements and making mandatory weekly reports, which then found their way into memorandums for prime minister Stephen Harper. As of Jan. 1, 2015, there were 22,235 "active projects in the system," said Rivet. "This does not translate directly to the number of signs that could still be present, as some of these initiatives have since been completed; however this is the latest data available prior to the program ending." Those active projects don't include thousands of older projects long since completed. All are dependent on the local project manager for removal of signage. At least some EAP funding agreements dictated that a sign had to be erected before the infrastructure would be deemed completed, with 20 per cent of funding held back until proof the distinctive sign was up. Photo: The Canadian Press Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is getting high marks for leadership in handling the Fort McMurray wildfire crisis, but political observers say the disaster remains a dicey political proposition with limited upside and a lot of downside. Political scientist Duane Bratt says the process of getting people back into their homes and getting aid and reconstruction money will tell the tale on how Notley will be remembered in the long term for her handling of the crisis. "On the political side if you handle it well, it's a short term blip," said Bratt, a political scientist with Mount Royal University in Calgary. "If you screw it up, it never goes away." About 80,000 evacuees are to return on June 1 to Fort McMurray, almost a month after a raging blaze broke through the firelines and destroyed 2,400 structures, most of them houses. Since then Notley has become the face and focus of efforts to contain the blaze, save the city, and get it back on its feet. She has given almost daily updates for three weeks. It's been an organizational challenge orchestrated on the fly on multiple tracks: getting the evacuees out and fire crews in, securing the area from looting, and finding temporary homes for the displaced in Lac la Biche, Edmonton and beyond. Preloaded debit cards were being handed out a week after the evacuation. Notley met with oilsands officials to consult and calm concerns about production. She toured the city twice, once with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and afterward received Trudeau's pledge to expand employment insurance coverage. There was benefit to be derived from the past experiences of major disasters in the province a wildfire that destroyed a third of Slave Lake in 2011 and massive flooding that displaced thousands in Calgary and southern Alberta in 2013. "She's handled this as well as can be expected," said Bratt. "Had any of that had gone wrong she would've taken the blame, so she gets the credit here as well." Bratt said the evacuation itself was a masterstroke, with more than 80,000 people successfully getting out on the one north-south road out of the city. Notley has also been credited for her work with her political rival, Opposition Leader Brian Jean of the Wildrose party. Jean, who represents Fort McMurray in the legislature member, saw his own home destroyed in the fire. Both Bratt and Calgary-based pollster Janet Brown agree Jean has done an admirable job, pushing Notley and her government on their fire-fighting and reconstruction efforts and on personifying the impact of the disaster. "For those Albertans that actually don't know anyone in Fort Mac, they know Brian Jean and they know his story," said Brown. "He wouldn't take a room in a refugee centre and he wouldn't take a hotel room. Through it all, he's still putting his constituents first." Both Notley and Jean have been credited for working together in the crisis, but Brown said that will inevitably change as the crisis moves into reimbursement, insurance and rebuilding. "As difficult as this situation has been, there haven't been a lot of hard choices," said Brown. "You just do what needs to be done. "As we get further and further along, the choices will get harder. It will be harder to please everybody. It will be harder to know exactly what the right thing to do is." Bratt agreed, saying if evacuees remain out of their homes for extended periods or if aid money doesn't arrive in timely fashion, opinions will change. There's also the final financial tally for a province that is already running more than $10 billion in deficit this year. "The longer this drags out, the more things get complicated," said Bratt. Pakistan: Dewan denies sale of 50% stake ICR Newsroom By 23 May 2016 It has been rumoured that 50 per cent of Dewan Cement Ltd (DCL) shares are being sold to undisclosed strategic buyers. As a result the companys share value and volume experienced heavy activity in the past weeks on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE). DCL has denied any such sales to the PSE, claiming, Many shareholders for their personal benefits circulate rumours and speculation, to which we have no control. Further we hereby confirm that we have nothing to do with the trading volume in Dewan Cement Limited Shares in recent times. Yousuf Dewan Companies entered the cement sector by acquiring Pakland Cement Limited and Saadi Cement Ltd in 2004, later merging these companies in September 2007. Dewan Cement is amongst Pakistan's largest manufacturers of cement with combined installed capacity of 2.9Mta. Published under Rwanda: rail and energy projects to boost cement demand ICR Newsroom By 23 May 2016 The Rwandan governments announcement of two major infrastructure projects is set to be a boon for the countrys cement producers, the Mail and Guardian Africa reports. The KivuWatt gas-water extraction project will take gas from Lake Kivu to generate 100MW of electricity by 2019, while the Dar es Salaam-Isaka-Kigali/Keza-Musongati (DIKKM) standard-gauge railway will link Rwanda with ports in neighbouring Tanzania. Busi Legodi, CEO of PPC Rwanda, has welcomed the new initiatives, noting that transport and energy are two of the major cost factors in cement production. Ms Legodi told the Mail and Guardian: Were a company that deals in heavy physical goods, and the hilly terrain in Rwanda makes transport expensive because maintenance costs are high, adding Gypsum is also an important component of cement manufacturing. Rwanda doesnt have gypsum deposits so we have to import by road from Kenya and Tanzania. Ms Legodi also said that without a government subsidy on power at the Rusizi plant, we wouldnt be competitive. Cement prices in Rwanda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo range from US$225 to US$270, while consumption is about 34-45 kg per capita. Published under Catholic Family News A Monthly Journal Preserving our Catholic Faith and Heritage Home Latest Archives Subscribe CFN Media - videos Contact Us CFN Bookstore Oltyn Library Services 2017 CFN Daily Blog Originally started as a daily Blog update of news reports on the Papal Conclave and ongoing news on Pope Francis, it is now a general Blog updated daily on traditional Catholic topics Updated Regularly Book mark this page click here Luxury hotels in the historic center for a Catholic family. Only luxury hotels can provide a paradisiacal vacation for a big Catholic family. A high-level vacation for families, children and not only. 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Savannah Luxury Hotels Naples, FL, United States Naples is known for its stunning white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. Its also home to a wide variety of attractions, including world-class golf courses, vibrant nightlife, and interesting cultural experiences. Here are five places to visit in Naples, Florida: Naples Pier: Stroll along the pier and enjoy panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico. Fifth Avenue South: This popular shopping and dining district is home to eclectic boutiques, award-winning restaurants, and lively bars. The Ritz-Carlton, Naples: This luxurious resort is set on 26 acres of pristine waterfront property and offers superb amenities, including a world-class spa and championship golf course. The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens: This zoological park is home to more than 700 animals representing 150 species, including flamingos, lemurs, and tigers. 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The Chattahoochee River is a great place to go fishing, swimming, or kayaking. The National Infantry Museum is a museum dedicated to the infantry of the United States Army. It is a must-see for history buffs. The Coca-Cola Space Science Center is a museum dedicated to space science. It is perfect for kids and adults alike. Columbus Luxury Hotels Anchorage, AK, United States Anchorage is a great place to visit if you're looking for an adrenaline rush. From skiing and snowboarding in the winter to rafting and fishing in the summer, Anchorage has something to offer everyone. In addition to its outdoor activities, Anchorage also has a variety of cultural and historical attractions, including the Anchorage Museum and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Anchorage Luxury Hotels Portland, OR, United States Portland is a city that is located in the US state of Oregon and it is known for its art scene, food, and coffee. There are a lot of interesting places to visit in Portland, such as the Portland Art Museum, where you can see a variety of art from all over the world. Another place to visit is the Powell's City of Books, the largest independent bookstore in the world. If you're looking for a place to eat, Portland has no shortage of amazing restaurants, such as Pok Pok, which serves Thai cuisine, and Le Pigeon, which serves French cuisine. And, of course, no trip to Portland would be complete without trying some of the city's famous coffee, such as Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Portland Luxury Hotels Florence, Italy No trip to Italy is complete without a visit to Florence. This historic city is home to some of the country's most famous attractions, including the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and Michelangelo's David. There's also plenty to see and do outside of the city center, including the picturesque Tuscan countryside and the vibrant university town of Arezzo. Florence Luxury Hotels Florence Luxury Villas Asheville, NC, United States Asheville is a city in western North Carolina. It is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Buncombe County. Asheville is home to the Biltmore Estate, the largest private home in the United States. The city of Asheville proper had a population of 84,236 in 2010. The city is known for its art deco architecture, mountain scenery and outdoor activities, and as the birthplace of American novelist Thomas Wolfe. It is also home to the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, the second largest craft brewery in the United States. Asheville Luxury Hotels Asheville Luxury Cottages Long Beach, CA, United States There's plenty to do in Long Beach, California without ever having to leave the city limits. If you're looking for a little adventure, head to the Aquarium of the Pacific for a glimpse of the ocean's creatures or take a walk on the boardwalk at Rainbow Harbor. 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The city's historic neighborhoods include Over-the-Rhine, Mount Auburn, and Hyde Park. Cincinnati is a popular tourist destination and offers a variety of attractions and places to visit, including the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, the Newport Aquarium, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Cincinnati Luxury Hotels Laughlin, NV, United States Laughlin, Nevada is a great place to visit if you're looking for a fun and affordable vacation. There are plenty of casinos and resorts to choose from, as well as plenty of outdoor activities and attractions. Be sure to check out the local nightlife, and don't forget to take a trip down the mighty Colorado River. Laughlin Luxury Hotels Laughlin Luxury Resorts Anaheim, CA, United States Anaheim, California is home to both Disneyland and California Adventure Park. The parks are just a short walk away from each other, and make for a great day of exploration. Anaheim is also home to the Anaheim Angels and the Anaheim Ducks, so there's always a game to catch. If you're looking for something a little more low-key, Anaheim has a great shopping district and a variety of restaurants to choose from. Anaheim Luxury Hotels Santa Cruz, CA, United States Santa Cruz is a great place to visit! There are so many places to see and things to do. Some of my favorite places to visit are the Boardwalk, the wharf, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. The Boardwalk is a great place to go for a walk, ride on the amusement park rides, and eat some of the delicious food. The wharf is a great place to go for a walk, eat some seafood, and listen to the street performers. The University of California, Santa Cruz is a great place to visit to learn about the history of the area and to see some of the beautiful architecture. I highly recommend visiting Santa Cruz if you are looking for a fun and interesting place to visit!. Santa Cruz Luxury Hotels Eugene, OR, United States Eugene, Oregon is a great city to visit with a lot of places to see and things to do. One of the most popular attractions is the University of Oregon campus, which is home to a number of museums and a large football stadium. The city also has a vibrant arts scene, with a number of theaters and art galleries. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the dozens of parks and hiking trails in the area, and there are also a number of wineries and breweries in the area. Eugene Luxury Hotels Branson, MO, United States There's plenty to see and do in Branson, Missouri, from state parks and amusement parks to theaters and shopping. Here are some of the most popular places to visit: Silver Dollar City is a theme park with rides, shows, and craftsmen demonstrations. is a theme park with rides, shows, and craftsmen demonstrations. The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theatre puts on a variety of shows, including "The Legend of the Shepherd of the Hills" and "The Catfish Fry." puts on a variety of shows, including "The Legend of the Shepherd of the Hills" and "The Catfish Fry." Table Rock State Park has fishing, swimming, and hiking trails, as well as a nature center. has fishing, swimming, and hiking trails, as well as a nature center. The Titanic Museum features a half-sized replica of the ship, along with exhibits about the history of the Titanic. features a half-sized replica of the ship, along with exhibits about the history of the Titanic. Branson Landing is a shopping and entertainment complex on the waterfront. There's something for everyone in Branson, Missouri come visit and see for yourself!. Branson Luxury Hotels Panama City Beach, FL, United States The white sand beaches and emerald waters of Panama City Beach, Florida, are a popular tourist destination. 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Norfolk Luxury Hotels Palm Springs, CA, United States Palm Springs is a vibrant city located in the Coachella Valley and is known for its year-round sunshine, resort atmosphere and Mid-Century Modern architecture. Top places to visit include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs Art Museum, Indian Canyons and Moorten Botanical Garden. For a truly unique experience, be sure to check out the Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale the worlds largest vintage furniture and design event. Palm Springs Luxury Hotels Palm Springs Luxury Resorts Palm Springs Luxury Villas Rochester, NY, United States Rochester is a city in western New York State and is the county seat of Monroe County. Rochester is known for its annual festivals, including the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Rochester Fringe Festival, and the Holiday Folk Fair International. Places to visit in Rochester include the George Eastman Museum, the Strong National Museum of Play, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the Seneca Park Zoo. Rochester Luxury Hotels Pigeon Forge, TN, United States Visit the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge for a unique experience. This museum is dedicated to the Titanic, one of the most infamous ships in history. Tour the ship and learn about the passengers and crew who were on board. You can even see the actual artifacts recovered from the shipwreck. If you're looking for a little more excitement, head to Dollywood. This amusement park is home to roller coasters, a water park, and plenty of other rides and attractions. Plus, the park is themed around the life and music of Dolly Parton. No trip to Pigeon Forge is complete without a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains. These mountains offer a variety of activities, including hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. Plus, the natural beauty of the area is simply breathtaking. Pigeon Forge Luxury Hotels Jacksonville, FL, United States Jacksonville is less than an hour's drive from the beaches of Amelia Island and St. Augustine, and a little more than two hours from Orlando. The city has a lot to offer visitors, including a riverwalk, museums, and a vibrant arts scene. Jacksonville is also home to the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team. Jacksonville Luxury Hotels Minsk, Belarus Minsk, the capital of Belarus, is a city that has something for everyone. If you're looking for a little history, Minsk has plenty of it, with churches and monuments dating back to the 12th century. If you're looking for a lively nightlife, Minsk has that, too, with plenty of bars, clubs, and restaurants. And if you're looking for a little nature, Minsk has parks and gardens to enjoy. Here are just a few of the places you can visit in Minsk: The Holy Spirit Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Minsk, is a must-visit for history buffs. The National Library of Belarus is a huge library with more than 18 million items in its collection. The Opera and Ballet Theatre is a beautiful building that hosts performances of both opera and ballet. The Victory Park is a large park with a war memorial, a children's playground, and a lake. And for a little bit of nature in the heart of the city, the Botanical Garden is a great place to relax and take a break from the hustle and bustle of Minsk. Minsk Luxury Hotels Jaipur, India Jaipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. It is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is known for its palaces, forts and temples. Some of the places to visit in Jaipur include the Amber Fort, the City Palace, the Jantar Mantar Observatory and the Hawa Mahal. Jaipur is also a great place to shop for traditional Indian handicrafts. Jaipur Luxury Hotels Chicago, IL, United States Chicago is a city full of culture and history. There are plenty of places to visit, such as the Willis Tower, Buckingham Fountain, and the Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago is also home to many restaurants and bars, so there is something for everyone. Chicago Luxury Hotels Auckland, New Zealand Auckland is a beautiful city located on the north island of New Zealand. There are many places to visit in Auckland, including the Sky Tower, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and the Auckland Domain. The beaches in Auckland are also worth visiting, especially Karekare and Piha. Auckland is a great place to visit, and I highly recommend it!. Auckland Luxury Hotels Auckland Luxury Villas Amsterdam, Netherlands If you're looking for a city that's got it all, Amsterdam should be your go-to destination. From the city's lively and vibrant nightlife to its charming and quiet neighborhoods, Amsterdam has something for everyone. Be sure to check out the Anne Frank Huis, the Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum, as these are some of the most popular attractions in the city. And if you're looking for a little bit of nature, be sure to take a walk or bike ride through Amsterdam's many parks. Amsterdam Luxury Hotels Berlin, Germany There are so many great places to visit in Berlin that it can be hard to know where to start. From the iconic Brandenburg Gate to the fascinating Reichstag Building, there's something for everyone in this vibrant city. If you're looking for a bit of history, make sure to check out the Berlin Wall Memorial or the DDR Museum. And for those looking for a bit more fun, there's always the Alexanderplatz Christmas Market or the Zoologischer Garten. No matter what your interests, Berlin is a city you won't want to miss. Berlin Luxury Hotels Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok is a city of contrasts with its gleaming temples and skyscrapers, chaotic markets and tranquil canals. While it's a popular tourist destination, Bangkok is a city that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages. Some of the top places to visit in Bangkok include the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, the floating markets and the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Bangkok Luxury Hotels Bangkok Luxury Resorts Bangkok Luxury Villas Bruges, Belgium Bruges is a city in Belgium that is worth visiting. It is full of medieval charm and there are a lot of things to see and do. Some of the places to visit include the Markt, the Belfry, and the Begijnhof. Bruges Luxury Hotels Brussels, Belgium Brussels is a city in Belgium that is best known for its chocolate, waffles, and beer. But there is much more to see and do in Brussels than just indulge in the local cuisine. There are a number of interesting historical landmarks to visit, such as the Grand Place and the Atomium, as well as a variety of parks and gardens. And, of course, Brussels is also a great city to explore on foot. Brussels Luxury Hotels Budapest, Hungary Budapest, Hungary's capital, is a city of thermal baths and medival, baroque and art nouveau architecture. Crowded with tourists, the city is bisected by the Danube River into the hilly Buda and the more developed and flat Pest. Among the main places of interest are the neo-Gothic Parliament, the Chain Bridge linking Buda and Pest, the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion on the Buda bank, and the State Opera House and Heroes' Square on the Pest side. Budapest Luxury Hotels Playa del Carmen, Mexico Home to some of the best beaches in Mexico, Playa del Carmen is a favorite tourist destination for visitors from all over the world. With its lively nightlife, gorgeous coastline and ample shopping opportunities, there's something for everyone in this tropical paradise. Don't miss the opportunity to visit some of the area's most popular attractions, such as the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum and Coba, or the eco-friendly Turtle Beach. With its friendly people, delicious food and stunning scenery, Playa del Carmen is a place you'll never want to leave. Playa del Carmen Luxury Hotels Playa del Carmen Luxury Resorts Playa del Carmen Luxury Villas Denver, CO, United States Denver is a great city for visitors. There are so many places to see and things to do. Some of the top places to visit include the 16th Street Mall, the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Art Museum, and the Colorado State Capitol. There are also plenty of great restaurants and shops to explore. Denver is definitely a city worth visiting!. Denver Luxury Hotels Dublin, Ireland Dublin is a city located in Ireland. It's a city full of culture, with plenty of places to visit. Some popular tourist spots are the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, and the Dublin Castle. There are also plenty of pubs and restaurants to discover. Dublin Luxury Hotels Dusseldorf, Germany Dusseldorf, Germany is a city with many different places to visit. The city has a mix of old and new buildings, and a variety of activities to do. The best places to visit in Dusseldorf are the Konigsallee, the Rhine Tower, and the Oktoberfest. The Konigsallee is an open-air shopping mall that has many high-end stores. The Rhine Tower is the tallest building in the city and offers great views of Dusseldorf. The Oktoberfest is a week-long festival that celebrates German culture and food. Dusseldorf Luxury Hotels Edinburgh, United Kingdom Edinburgh, Scotland is a beautiful city to visit. The architecture is very old and unique, and there are plenty of historical places to visit, like Edinburgh Castle. There are also plenty of parks and gardens, and lots of shops and restaurants. Edinburgh Luxury Hotels Rome, Italy Rome is a city rich in history and filled with beautiful places to visit. Make sure to stop by the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon. Also be sure to visit St. Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel while in Rome. If youre looking for a little more nature in your trip, head to the Villa Borghese gardens or the Janiculum Hill for some wonderful views of the city. And of course, no trip to Rome is complete without a gelato!. Rome Luxury Hotels Rome Luxury Villas New York, NY, United States There are many amazing places to visit in New York State. Some of my favorites are the Niagara Falls, the Adirondack Mountains, and the Finger Lakes. If you're looking for a city break, New York City is definitely worth a visit. There's endless things to see and do, from touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to visiting world-famous museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. No matter what your interests are, you'll be able to find something to enjoy in New York State. New York Luxury Hotels New York Luxury Villas London, United Kingdom London is a city rich in history and full of amazing places to visit. Some of my favorite places are Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London. There is so much to see and do in London, you could spend weeks here and never run out of things to do. If you're looking for a city full of culture and history, London is the place for you. London Luxury Hotels London Luxury Cottages Madrid, Spain Madrid is one of the most beautiful and culturally rich cities in the world. From the Royal Palace to the Prado Museum, theres plenty to see and do in Madrid. If youre looking for a little bit of nature, Madrid has plenty of parks, like the Buen Retiro Park, to relax in. And dont forget to try some of the delicious tapas and wine while youre in town. Madrid Luxury Hotels Memphis, TN, United States The birthplace of rock 'n' roll, Memphis is a city rich in history and culture. From Graceland to Beale Street, there are plenty of places to visit in Memphis. Be sure to check out Sun Studio, where rock 'n' roll was born, and the National Civil Rights Museum, which tells the story of the African-American civil rights movement. Memphis is also home to some amazing food, so be sure to try some of the city's famous barbecue and soul food. Memphis Luxury Hotels Miami Beach, FL, United States There is much to explore in Miami Beach, from the famous Art Deco district to the vast beaches and crystal-clear waters. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, while history buffs can explore the ancient burial mounds at Miami Beach. Shoppers and foodies will find plenty to keep them busy, with vibrant neighborhoods like Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive offering unique boutiques and award-winning restaurants. And of course, no trip to Miami Beach is complete without a visit to world-famous South Beach. Miami Beach Luxury Hotels Miami Beach Luxury Resorts New Orleans, LA, United States You can't visit New Orleans without trying some of the local food. Beignets, Po' Boys, and gumbo are just a few of the must-try dishes. While you're in town, be sure to check out the French Quarter, Jackson Square, and St. Louis Cathedral. If you're looking for some nightlife, Bourbon Street is the place to be. And, of course, no trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to Mardi Gras!. New Orleans Luxury Hotels Milan, Italy Milan is a city located in the Lombardy region of Italy. It is a popular tourist destination because of its historical and artistic heritage. Some of the places you should visit while in Milan are the Duomo, La Scala, and Castello Sforzesco. Milan Luxury Hotels Naples, Italy Naples is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in Italy. There are countless places to visit, such as the Royal Palace, the Museum of San Martino, and the Church of Gesu Nuovo. Naples is also home to excellent shopping and dining options. Be sure to enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the city's many cafes and take a stroll through the picturesque streets. Naples Luxury Hotels Paris, France Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It's home to iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, as well as a thriving nightlife and restaurant scene. If you're looking to explore all that Paris has to offer, here are some of the top places to visit: The Eiffel Tower: This iconic landmark is a must-see in Paris. Climb to the top for stunning views of the city, or take a ride on the elevator to the bottom for a closer look at the structure. The Louvre Museum: This world-famous museum is home to some of the most famous works of art in the world, including the Mona Lisa. The Notre Dame Cathedral: This beautiful cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris. Make sure to climb to the top for some amazing views of the city. The Champs-Elysees: This famous avenue is a popular destination for shopping and dining. Be sure to wander down the street and take in all the sights and sounds. The Arc de Triomphe: This towering arch is another iconic landmark in Paris. Climb to the top for some amazing views of the city. Paris Luxury Hotels Paris Luxury Villas Prague, Czech Republic Prague is a city rich in history and culture. There are plenty of places to visit, including the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, and the Old Town Square. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy, and the nightlife is vibrant. Prague is a truly unique city and a must-visit for anyone traveling to the Czech Republic. Prague Luxury Hotels Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana is known for its beautiful beaches and turquoise waters. This paradise is a favorite destination for travelers looking for a Caribbean getaway. Punta Cana is home to a wide variety of resorts and activities, from enjoying the sand and surf to golfing, spas, and shopping. Nature lovers can also explore the areas jungles, caves, and waterfalls. Punta Cana Luxury Hotels Punta Cana Luxury Resorts Punta Cana Luxury Villas Marbella, Spain If you're looking for an idyllic and luxurious Spanish escape, look no further than Marbella. Located on the country's Costa del Sol, Marbella is home to stunning beaches, top-notch resorts, world-class golfing, and much more. A visit to Marbella is the perfect way to experience all that Spain has to offer. Marbella Luxury Hotels Marbella Luxury Villas Marrakesh, Morocco Marrakesh is a city in Morocco that is full of culture and history. There are several places to visit in Marrakesh, including the Palace of the Bahia, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, and the Saadian Tombs. The souks (markets) are also a must-see, where you can find everything from souvenirs to spices to traditional clothing. Be sure to enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants or cafes in Marrakesh; the food is delicious and the atmosphere is always lively. Marrakesh is a wonderful city to explore and definitely worth a visit!. Marrakesh Luxury Hotels San Francisco, CA, United States San Francisco is a popular tourist destination, and for good reason. There are plenty of things to see and do in this vibrant city. Here are some of the top places to visit: 1. Fisherman's Wharf: This neighborhood is home to a variety of shops and restaurants, as well as a popular pier where you can enjoy views of the bay. 2. The Golden Gate Bridge: This iconic bridge is a must-see for any visitor to San Francisco. 3. Alcatraz Island: This former federal prison is now a popular tourist attraction. It's a must-see for fans of history and crime dramas. 4. Chinatown: This colorful neighborhood is home to some of the best food in San Francisco. Be sure to check out the Dragon Gate entrance. 5. The Mission District: This trendy neighborhood is home to hip restaurants, bars, and art galleries. San Francisco Luxury Hotels Moscow, Russia Moscow, Russia is a beautiful city with plenty of places to visit. Some of the most popular tourist attractions are the Kremlin, Red Square, and Saint Basil's Cathedral. Other great places to see include the Bolshoi Theatre, Gorky Park, and the Tretyakov Gallery. There are also many churches and other historical buildings to explore. Moscow is a lively city with a lot of culture and nightlife. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Moscow. Moscow Luxury Hotels Venice, Italy Venice is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The city is built on a lagoon in northeast Italy and is known for its canals and gondolas. There are many places to visit in Venice, including the Grand Canal, St. Marks Square, and the Rialto Bridge. Venice is also home to many museums, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Venice Luxury Hotels Vienna, Austria Vienna, Austria is a city with a long and rich history. There are many places to visit in Vienna, including the Hofburg Palace, the Ringstrasse, and St. Stephen's Cathedral. Vienna is also home to some of the world's best shopping, including the Karntner Strasse and the Graben. Finally, no visit to Vienna is complete without experiencing the city's world-famous nightlife. Vienna Luxury Hotels Zurich, Switzerland Zurich is a marvelous city located in the heart of Switzerland. It is a city that has something to offer for everyone. From amazing restaurants and beautiful architecture to exciting nightlife and gorgeous parks, Zurich has something for everyone. Some of the most popular places to visit in Zurich include the Bahnhofstrasse, which is the city's most famous shopping street, the Lindenhof, which is a beautiful park with amazing views of the city, and Grossmunster, which is a stunning Romanesque church. Zurich is also home to some of the best museums in the world, including the famed Museum of Art and the Swiss National Museum. With its mix of old-world charm and modern amenities, Zurich is a city that is definitely worth exploring. Zurich Luxury Hotels Acapulco, Mexico If you're looking for a Mexican vacation spot with plenty of history and culture to explore, Acapulco is a great option. From the archeological wonders of the ancient city to the stunning coastal views, there's something for everyone in Acapulco. Plus, with its temperate climate, it's a great escape from colder winter weather. Acapulco Luxury Hotels Acapulco Luxury Resorts Acapulco Luxury Villas Nashville, TN, United States One of the United States' most interesting places to visit is Nashville, Tennessee. There's plenty to see and do there, from the Grand Ole Opry to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Music is a big part of the city's history and culture, so be sure to catch a show while you're in town. Other popular attractions include the Ryman Auditorium, the Parthenon, and the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Nashville is also a great place to eat, with a wide variety of restaurants serving up everything from barbecue to Mexican food. So if you're looking for an exciting and diverse city to visit, be sure to add Nashville to your list. Nashville Luxury Hotels Nashville Luxury Villas Atlanta, GA, United States What's not to love about Atlanta? From the iconic Georgia Aquarium to the World of Coke, from the Fox Theatre to Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta offers a wealth of destinations for tourists. Sports fans will want to check out the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and history buffs will enjoy the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Braves fans can take a tour of SunTrust Park, and shoppers will enjoy the many boutiques and malls in the city. There's also a great restaurant scene in Atlanta, and music lovers will want to check out the many venues offering live music. Whether you're looking for a fun family vacation spot or a place to explore on your own, Atlanta is a great choice!. Atlanta Luxury Hotels Miami, FL, United States The Magic City is a top tourist destination for a reasonthere are endless things to do in Miami! From exploring the trendy neighborhoods and dazzling beaches to soaking up the Latin culture and nightlife, Miami is jam-packed with amazing places to visit. Here are a few of our favorites: 1. Wynwood Walls: This outdoor art exhibit is a must-see for any art lover. The colorful murals are awe-inspiring and definitely Instagram-worthy. 2. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens: This estate is dripping with luxury and opulence, from the grandiose architecture to the expansive gardens. It's the perfect place for a day of relaxation. 3. South Beach: This world-famous beach is a must-visit for any sun-seeker. The crystal-clear water and soft sand make for the perfect day-long beach getaway. 4. Little Havana: Experience Cuban culture at its best in Little Havana. From delicious food to lively music and dance, there's something for everyone in this vibrant district. 5. Art Deco District: This district is home to Miami's most iconic architecture. Take a stroll down the charming streets and admire the colorful buildings that make Miami so unique. Miami Luxury Hotels Miami Luxury Villas Tokyo, Japan Tokyo is a must-see destination in Japan. There are endless places to explore in this city - temples, shrines, gardens, and more. The Shinjuku district is a great place to start, with its neon-lit streets and myriad shops and restaurants. For a taste of traditional Japan, visit the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa or the Imperial Palace. Nature lovers will enjoy the Hamarikyu Gardens or the Hama-rikyu Teien Garden. And for a unique experience, take a trip to Mount Fuji. Tokyo Luxury Hotels Tokyo Luxury Villas Buenos Aires, Argentina There are plenty of places to visit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Some popular tourist destinations include the obelisk, the Casa Rosada, and the Puerto Madero district. Every barrio (neighborhood) has its own unique culture and flavor. San Telmo, La Boca, and Palermo are some of the most popular barrios. There are also many parks and plazas, such as Plaza de Mayo and Plaza de la Republica, that are worth checking out. Buenos Aires Luxury Hotels Hamburg, Germany One of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany is Hamburg. From the lively and colorful harbor district to the grandiose City Hall, there is plenty to see and do in Hamburg. Some of the other popular places to visit include the Reeperbahn district with its pubs and nightlife, the Planten un Blomen botanical gardens, and the architecturally stunning Rathausmarkt square. Hamburg Luxury Hotels Lisbon, Portugal The capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a city of fascinating contrasts. From its coastal location, visitors can enjoy stunning ocean views, while its hilly, narrow streets are home to a maze of charming traditional homes and lively nightlife. A city of 7 hills, Lisbon is a bustling metropolis with something for everyone. Here are some of the top places to visit: The Belem Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Lisbons most iconic landmarks. This 16th-century fortress and lighthouse is a must-see for visitors. The Alfama district, with its winding streets and tile-roofed homes, is the oldest district in Lisbon. This is the perfect place to get lost and explore the citys history. The Lisbon Zoo is a great place to enjoy a day out with the family, with over 2,000 animals from around the world. The Christ the King statue, located atop a hill in the suburb of Almada, offers impressive views of Lisbon and the river Tagus. The Lisbon Oceanarium, located in the Parque das Nacoes district, is home to more than 12,000 marine creatures and is one of the largest aquariums in Europe. Lisbon Luxury Hotels Lisbon Luxury Villas Malaga, Spain Malaga is an attractive seaside city in southern Spain with a long history. There are many places to visit in Malaga, including the Gibralfaro Castle, the Alcazaba fortress, and the Malaga Cathedral. Malaga is also home to a variety of museums, including the Picasso Museum. The city is well known for its beaches, and there are many delightful places to relax and enjoy the sun and the sea. Malaga Luxury Hotels Malaga Luxury Villas Munich, Germany When planning a vacation to Munich, Germany, be sure to include these top places to visit: The Marienplatz is a must-see square in the city center, featuring a beautiful Glockenspiel show and the Old and New Town Halls. The Englisher Garten, Europes largest city park, is a great place for a relaxing stroll or a picnic. OlympiaPark is home to the famous 1972 Olympic Stadium as well as a huge amusement park. The Frauenkirche is a stunning church in the old town with a Glockenspiel of its own. Beer lovers will want to visit the Hofbrauhaus, the worlds most famous beer hall. For a bit of history and culture, check out the LudwigMaximilians-University and the Deutsches Museum. There is so much to see and do in Munich these are just a few highlights!. Munich Luxury Hotels Granada, Spain Granada is a city in southern Spain that is known for its Moorish architecture and history. The city is home to the Alhambra, a palace and fortress that was constructed in the late 1300s. Visitors can also enjoy the citys many churches, including the Cathedral of Granada. Granada is also a convenient base for exploring the other cities and towns in Andalusia. Granada Luxury Hotels Bucharest, Romania Bucharest is a city full of history and culture. There are many places to visit, such as the Palace of Parliament, which is the world's largest civilian building. Other places to visit include the old city center, which is full of charming streets and buildings, and the Botanical Garden, which is the largest botanical garden in Romania. Bucharest Luxury Hotels Bologna, Italy Bologna, Italy is a beautiful city with plenty of places to visit. Some popular tourist destinations include the Piazza Maggiore, the Tower of Asinelli, and the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. There are also plenty of museums and churches to explore, and the city is full of charming restaurants and cafes. Bologna is an excellent destination for a vacation, and there is something for everyone to enjoy in this amazing city. Bologna Luxury Hotels Porto, Portugal Porto is a port city in Portugal that is well known for its wine. It's also a city with a long and rich history. There are many places to visit in Porto, including the old city center, the Dom Luis I Bridge, and the Clerigos Tower. Porto is also home to the famous Port wine caves, which are a must-visit for wine lovers. Porto Luxury Hotels Cologne, Germany Cologne, located on the Rhine River in western Germany, is a city well worth visiting. The city has a long and rich history, dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. Some of the city's most popular tourist attractions include the Cologne Cathedral, Hohenzollern Bridge, and the RheinEnergieStadion. Additionally, Cologne is home to a wide variety of museums, shops, and restaurants. In fact, the city has been ranked as one of the best places to live in Germany. So, if you're looking for a great European city to visit, be sure to add Cologne to your list. Cologne Luxury Hotels Istanbul, Turkey If you're looking for an exotic and affordable vacation destination, look no further than Istanbul, Turkey. Filled with historical places to visit and bargains to be found, Istanbul offers something for everyone. Be sure to visit the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the Blue Mosque while you're there. Don't forget to bargain for the best prices when shopping in the bazaars, and enjoy some delicious Turkish cuisine while you're at it. Istanbul is sure to leave you with a lasting impression. Istanbul Luxury Hotels Istanbul Luxury Villas Dubai, United Arab Emirates Dubai is a fascinating and exotic city that offers visitors a mix of traditional Middle Eastern culture and modern, cosmopolitan life. There are plenty of places to visit in Dubai, from the towering skyscrapers of Downtown Dubai to the luxury shopping malls and luxurious hotels of the Palm Jumeirah. Don't miss a chance to experience an Arabian night out on an epic dhow cruise, or take a trip out into the Arabian Desert to see the stunning sand dunes. Dubai Luxury Hotels Dubai Luxury Resorts Dubai Luxury Villas Antwerp, Belgium Antwerp is a city located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital of the province of Antwerp and has a population of over half a million people. Antwerp is a popular tourist destination due to its many historical buildings, museums, and art galleries. Some of the most popular places to visit in Antwerp are the Cathedral of Our Lady, the City Hall, the Rubenshuis, and the Antwerp Zoo. Antwerp Luxury Hotels Lyon, France Lyon is a beautiful city in the south of France that is full of culture and places to visit. Some of the most popular places to visit in Lyon are the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere, the Place Bellecour, and the Vieux Lyon. The Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere is a beautiful cathedral that is a must-see when visiting Lyon. The Place Bellecour is a large square in the heart of Lyon that is full of restaurants and cafes. The Vieux Lyon is a district in Lyon that is full of old buildings and is a great place to wander around and take in the sights. Lyon Luxury Hotels Athens, Greece If you find yourself in Athens, there are definitely some spots you won't want to miss. The Acropolis, Parthenon, and Olympic Stadium are all essential stops, but there are plenty of others, too. If you're looking for a bit of history, the National Archaeological Museum is a must-see, while nature lovers will enjoy a visit to the botanical gardens. If you're looking to relax, take a walk along the beach in Glyfada or head to the Plaka district for a charming and picturesque setting. No matter what you're interested in, Athens has something for you. Athens Luxury Hotels Athens Luxury Villas Helsinki, Finland While in Helsinki, make sure to visit these popular tourist destinations: The Senate Square and Lutheran Cathedral The Sibelius Monument Ateneum Art Museum Market Square Helsinki Zoo. Helsinki Luxury Hotels Vilnius, Lithuania The capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, is a picturesque city with a rich history. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is full of charming churches, narrow streets, and pretty squares. There are also lots of museums and other places of interest to visit, including the Hill of Crosses, Gediminas Tower, and the Presidential Palace. Vilnius is a great city to explore on foot, and there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars to enjoy in the evening. Vilnius Luxury Hotels Reykjavik, Iceland A city of remote beauty, Reykjavik is teeming with interesting places to visit. One of the worlds most northern capitals, Reykjavik offers stunning landscapes and a wealth of cultural experiences. From the iconic Hallgrimskirkja church to the popular Golden Circle tour, theres plenty to see and do in Reykjavik. Be sure to check out the citys lively nightlife scene, too you wont be disappointed!. Reykjavik Luxury Hotels Glasgow, United Kingdom Some of the most popular places to visit in Glasgow include the Gallery of Modern Art, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Riverside Museum, and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. There are also many wonderful parks and gardens to explore, including the Botanic Gardens and Glasgow Green. For those interested in history and architecture, there are many fascinating old buildings to see, such as the Glasgow Cathedral and the University of Glasgow. And for those looking for a lively nightlife, Glasgow has no shortage of pubs, clubs, and restaurants. Glasgow Luxury Hotels Los Angeles, CA, United States As the birthplace of Hollywood and home to some of the world's most recognisable landmarks, there's no shortage of places to visit in Los Angeles. Start by exploring the city's iconic neighbourhoods like Beverly Hills and Hollywood, then venture out to attractions like the Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach and Disneyland. And don't forget to savour the city's world-famous cultural scene, with its abundance of museums, theatres and restaurants. Los Angeles Luxury Hotels Los Angeles Luxury Villas San Diego, CA, United States San Diego is a city located in California and is a major tourist destination. One of the main reasons people visit the city is for its many beaches. Coronado Beach, Mission Beach, and Pacific Beach are some of the most popular and are all within close proximity to the city center. Other attractions in San Diego include the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego, and the USS Midway Museum. Restaurants, bars, and shopping can be found throughout the city, and world-renowned museums, like the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, are also located in San Diego. San Diego Luxury Hotels San Diego Luxury Resorts San Diego Luxury Villas Washington, DC, United States Washington, D.C. is a city full of history and places to visit. Some popular places to visit are the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and the Smithsonian. D.C. is also home to a number of monuments and memorials, like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. There are also a number of museums in D.C., like the American History Museum and the National Air and Space Museum. Washington Luxury Hotels Cancun, Mexico Cancun is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. Aside from its beautiful beaches, there are plenty of places to visit and things to do in Cancun. Some of the most popular attractions include the ancient ruins of Chichen Itza, the eco-park Xcaret, and the nightclubs and bars in the resort district. Cancun Luxury Hotels Cancun Luxury Resorts Cancun Luxury Villas Virginia Beach, VA, United States Virginia Beach is one of the top tourist destinations on the East Coast. From the Virginia Beach Boardwalk to the miles of sandy beaches, there's something for everyone to enjoy. There are also plenty of restaurants, shops, and other attractions to keep visitors busy. Some of the most popular places to visit in Virginia Beach include: The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center : This aquarium is home to more than 20,000 animals, including sharks, dolphins, and rays. : This aquarium is home to more than 20,000 animals, including sharks, dolphins, and rays. The Virginia Beach Boardwalk: This 3.5-mile boardwalk is one of the most popular attractions in Virginia Beach. It features a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and amusements. This 3.5-mile boardwalk is one of the most popular attractions in Virginia Beach. It features a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and amusements. First Landing State Park: This park offers miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as a beachfront area for swimming and sunbathing. This park offers miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as a beachfront area for swimming and sunbathing. Cape Henry Lighthouse: This lighthouse is one of the oldest in the country and offers stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay. There are plenty of other things to do in Virginia Beach, including dolphin and whale watching tours, kayaking, and golfing. Whether you're looking for a fun family vacation or a romantic getaway, Virginia Beach is sure to please. Virginia Beach Luxury Hotels Virginia Beach Luxury Resorts Beijing, China If you're looking for an amazing cultural experience, be sure to add Beijing, China to your travel bucket list! With beautiful temples, charming hutongs (traditional alleyways), and a lively food scene, there's something for everyone in this bustling city. Plus, Beijing is home to some of the most iconic attractions in China, like the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. So if you're looking for an unforgettable East Asian adventure, be sure to add Beijing to your list!. Beijing Luxury Hotels Seoul, South Korea Seoul is a metropolitan city that is home to over 10 million people. It is a city full of culture, history, and a vibrant nightlife. There are plenty of places to visit in Seoul, including the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and N Seoul Tower. The Jeongdongne district is a must-see for anyone interested in art and culture, and the Itaewon district is a great place to go for a night on the town. Seoul Luxury Hotels South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States Known for its dramatic lake and mountain scenery, South Lake Tahoe offers visitors plenty of places to visit and things to do. Some of the most popular attractions include floating down the river on a tube, hiking the trails in the summer and skiing or snowboarding the slopes in the winter. The city also has a variety of restaurants and nightlife options, as well as casinos for those looking to try their luck. South Lake Tahoe Luxury Hotels South Lake Tahoe Luxury Resorts Daytona Beach, FL, United States Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. It is approximately 40 miles northeast of Orlando, and 85 miles southeast of Jacksonville. The city is known as "The World's Most Famous Beach." Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Fun Coast region of Florida. The Daytona Beach area is a popular tourist destination. It is well known for its beaches, sports events, and motorsports. Daytona Beach was the birthplace of NASCAR and home to its first track, Daytona International Speedway. Dayton Beach also features a large number of tourist-oriented businesses, such as motels, restaurants, and bars. Daytona Beach Luxury Hotels Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The coastline of Rio de Janeiro is breathtaking, and the views from Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain are unforgettable. Rio's world-famous beaches are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sun and the surf. The city's rich culture and history can be experienced in its many museums and in the lively nightlife. Rio is also a great place to shop for souvenirs. Rio de Janeiro Luxury Hotels Rio de Janeiro Luxury Villas Jaco, Costa Rica Jaco is a town on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It's about an hour drive from San Jose and is a popular spot for surfers, sunbathers, and tourists. There are a number of beaches in the area, as well as restaurants, bars, and hotels. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy the Costa Rican sun and beaches, Jaco is a great option. Jaco Luxury Hotels Oslo, Norway Oslo, Norway is a city with plenty of places to visit. You can find the peace and tranquility of nature parks and green spaces, experience the city's vibrant nightlife, or take in the historical and cultural sights. Here are a few of the top places to visit in Oslo: The Royal Palace: Oslo's Royal Palace is the official residence of Norway's king and queen. The palace is open to the public year-round, and offers a glimpse into the lives of the royal family. Oslo's Royal Palace is the official residence of Norway's king and queen. The palace is open to the public year-round, and offers a glimpse into the lives of the royal family. Vigeland Park: Considered one of Oslo's most popular tourist destinations, Vigeland Park is home to over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The park is a great place to spend a sunny day outdoors. Considered one of Oslo's most popular tourist destinations, Vigeland Park is home to over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The park is a great place to spend a sunny day outdoors. The Maritime Museum: This museum is home to a variety of exhibits on Norway's maritime history. Visitors can explore everything from Viking ships to modern submarines. This museum is home to a variety of exhibits on Norway's maritime history. Visitors can explore everything from Viking ships to modern submarines. The National Gallery: The National Gallery is Norway's largest art museum, and home to a vast collection of paintings and sculptures from the country's most famous artists. The National Gallery is Norway's largest art museum, and home to a vast collection of paintings and sculptures from the country's most famous artists. Aker Brygge: Aker Brygge is a popular waterfront district in Oslo, home to a variety of bars, restaurants, and shops. The area is a great place to people watch and enjoy the view of the Oslo Fjord. Oslo Luxury Hotels Lima, Peru If you're looking for a city that's bursting with culture and flavor, Lima, Peru is the place for you! This vibrant destination is home to some of the most amazing places to visit in all of South America. From ancient ruins to lush rainforests, there's something for everyone in Lima. Here are just a few of the must-see attractions in this amazing city: The Larco Museum is one of Lima's top tourist destinations. This incredible museum is home to one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian art in the world. The Historic Center of Lima is a must-see for any history lover. This vibrant area is home to some of the oldest architecture in Lima, including the iconic San Francisco Monastery. If you're looking for a little bit of jungle in the city, head to the Parque de la Reserva. This lush park is home to beautiful gardens, a zoo, and even a butterfly farm! No trip to Lima would be complete without a visit to Machu Picchu. This ancient Inca citadel is one of the most iconic sites in all of South America. Lima Luxury Hotels Ankara, Turkey Ankara is the cultural and political center of Turkey. The city is home to many museums, including the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, and is a popular destination for tourists. The Citadel, the Ataturk Mausoleum, and the War of Independence Museum are all popular tourist destinations in Ankara. The city is also home to a vibrant nightlife and is a popular destination for students. Ankara Luxury Hotels Birmingham, United Kingdom There are plenty of great places to visit in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Some of the most popular places to go include the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and the Black Country Living Museum. These places are all great for tourists, as they offer a variety of attractions, including beautiful gardens, interesting art, and a recreation of an old-fashioned town. Additionally, there are plenty of other great places to visit in Birmingham, such as the Jewellery Quarter and the German Christmas Market. Birmingham Luxury Hotels York, United Kingdom With a rich history that spans back over 1,000 years, York is a must-visit destination in the United Kingdom. Explore the city's medieval architecture and narrow cobblestone streets, or enjoy a leisurely walk along the River Ouse. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of cultural experiences, such as the York Minster cathedral, the Jorvik Viking Centre, and the National Railway Museum. There are also plenty of shops and restaurants to enjoy in York. York Luxury Hotels Inverness, United Kingdom Inverness, Scotland is a must-see destination on any traveler's list. Filled with rolling green hills, historical sites, and plenty of outdoor activities, there's something for everyone in this charming town. Start by exploring the city center, which is home to a variety of shops and restaurants. Make sure to check out the Inverness Castle, which offers commanding views of the area, and the Inverness Cathedral, a beautiful example of medieval architecture. Outside of the city center, there are plenty of other attractions to explore. The Loch Ness Monster is said to make its home in the loch here, and visitors can take boat tours to hunt for the mythical creature. If you're looking for a more active adventure, take a hike in the hills or go fishing on the loch. No matter what you choose to do, Inverness is a beautiful and welcoming town that is sure to charm you. Inverness Luxury Hotels Marseille, France The Vieux Port (Old Harbor) is the oldest port in France. It is a beautiful place to visit with its sailboats, restaurants, and cafes. The Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica is also worth a visit. It offers stunning views of the city. If you're looking for a more lively atmosphere, head to the La Canebiere. It's a wide avenue with plenty of shops and restaurants. Marseille Luxury Hotels Marseille Luxury Villas Honolulu, HI, United States Honolulu is a city located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, United States. It is the most populous city in the state of Hawaii and the county seat of the City and County of Honolulu. Honolulu is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world and is located in Honolulu. Other places to visit in Honolulu include Diamond Head, the USS Arizona Memorial, and Hanauma Bay. Honolulu Luxury Hotels Honolulu Luxury Resorts Honolulu Luxury Villas Bar Harbor, ME, United States Famous for lobster and stunning ocean views, Bar Harbor is a popular destination in Maine. There are plenty of things to do in the town and its surroundings, including hiking, biking, whale watching, and exploring Acadia National Park. Bar Harbor Luxury Hotels Colorado Springs, CO, United States There are many places to visit in Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods is a popular park with beautiful rock formations. Pike's Peak is a 14,115 foot mountain that offers great views and outdoor activities. The Broadmoor is a world-renowned resort with lovely gardens and a championship golf course. Royal Gorge Bridge is the world's highest suspension bridge and a popular tourist spot. Colorado Springs Luxury Hotels Fort Myers Beach, FL, United States Just an hours drive from the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach is a popular tourist spot, especially in the winter when the snowbirds migrate down. The seven-mile-long beach is known for its white sand and clear water and is a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, fishing, and kayaking. There are also a number of restaurants and bars in the area, as well as a few stores. Fort Myers Beach Luxury Hotels Biloxi, MS, United States There are plenty of places to explore in Biloxi, Mississippi from the citys iconic Beaches to the picturesque Bay Saint Louis. Venture into the citys downtown area to check out the many shops and restaurants, or take a walk along the shoreline. No matter what you choose to do, youre sure to have a great time in Biloxi. Biloxi Luxury Hotels Palermo, Italy If you're looking for a city with a rich and diverse history, Palermo is the place for you. This coastal city in Italy is teeming with medieval architecture, churches, and cathedrals. Be sure to check out the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Europe, and the Palazzo dei Normanni, the seat of the Sicilian government. Don't miss out on the city's vibrant nightlife and vast array of restaurants that serve up some of the best food in the country. Palermo Luxury Hotels Palermo Luxury Villas Manila, Philippines The capital of the Philippines, Manila is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant culture. There are plenty of places to visit in Manila, including the walled city of Intramuros, the Rizal Park, and the Manila Bay. The city is also home to a large number of churches, including the Manila Cathedral and the San Agustin Church. Manila is a great city to explore on foot, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops to enjoy. Manila Luxury Hotels Zermatt, Switzerland Zermatt is an alpine village in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is famous for its ski resort, mountaineering and hiking trails. The views of the Matterhorn from Zermatt are iconic. The village is car-free, making it a cyclists' and pedestrians' paradise. There are many places to visit in Zermatt, including the village's beautiful churches, impressive museums, and great restaurants. Zermatt Luxury Hotels Basel, Switzerland Basel is a city located in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine. Basel has a population of about 176,000 and is the third most populous city in Switzerland. Basel has many interesting places to visit, including the Basel Munster, the Basel Rathaus (town hall), the Basel Zoo, and the Munsterhof, the old town square. Basel also has a number of art museums, including the Kunstmuseum Basel, the Fondation Beyeler, and the Schaulager. Basel is a great city to visit, and I highly recommend it!. Basel Luxury Hotels Copenhagen, Denmark There are a number of places to visit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Some of the most popular tourist destinations include Tivoli Gardens, Nyhavn, and the Rosenborg Castle Gardens. Tivoli Gardens is a beautiful amusement park that has something for everyone. It is perfect for a day of fun with family or friends. Nyhavn is a charming canal district that is popular for its brightly colored houses and lively atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy a relaxing cruise down the canal or take a seat in one of the many cafes and restaurants. The Rosenborg Castle Gardens are home to a majestic castle as well as beautifully landscaped gardens. There is plenty to see and do in Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenhagen Luxury Hotels Steamboat Springs, CO, United States Steamboat Springs is located in northwestern Colorado. The town is named for the steamboats that traveled up the Yampa River in the 1800s. Today, the town is a popular tourist destination, known for its skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and rafting. Steamboat Springs Luxury Hotels Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is home to many tourist attractions. Some popular places to visit in Abu Dhabi include the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Ferrari World Theme Park, and the Yas Island Waterpark. There are also a number of museums and shopping malls in Abu Dhabi, making it a great destination for those looking for a mix of culture and leisure. Abu Dhabi Luxury Hotels Abu Dhabi Luxury Resorts Abu Dhabi Luxury Villas Bogota, Colombia There's a lot to see and do in Bogota. Some of the top places to visit include the historical La Candelaria district, the cobblestone streets of Plaza de Bolivar, the Monserrate mountain, the Bogota Botanical Garden, and the Gold Museum. La Candelaria is home to many brightly-colored colonial buildings, churches, and plazas. Plaza de Bolivar is the center of Bogota and is surrounded by important landmarks like the Presidential Palace and the National Capitol. The Monserrate mountain is a popular tourist destination due to its stunning views of Bogota. The Bogota Botanical Garden is the largest in Colombia and features a wide variety of plants and trees. The Gold Museum is home to the largest collection of Pre-Columbian gold artifacts in the world. Bogota Luxury Hotels Cebu, Philippines Due to its location and its rich history, there are plenty of places to visit in Cebu. Some of the most popular tourist destinations include the Cebu Taoist Temple, the Fort San Pedro, the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House, and the Magellan's Cross. Cebu Luxury Hotels Cebu Luxury Resorts Lagos, Portugal Lagos is a small town in Portugal with a population of around 22,000. It's located in the Algarve region and is a popular tourist destination. Some of the places to visit in Lagos are the beaches, the old town, and the Marina. The beaches are beautiful and there are a lot of them to choose from. The old town is a maze of narrow streets and alleyways with lots of shops and restaurants. The Marina is a great place to walk around and watch the boats. Lagos Luxury Hotels Medellin, Colombia Some places to visit in Medellin, Colombia are: the Botanical Garden, the Ethnographic Museum, the Jardin Botanico, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Park of Lights, and the San Pedro Claver Church. Medellin Luxury Hotels Genoa, Italy While there are many places to visit in Genoa, one of the must-sees is the city's cathedral. Dedicated to San Lorenzo, the church features an intricate Gothic facade and a Renaissance interior. If you're looking for a place to take in some stunning views, head to the Genoa Aquarium, which is located on the promenade stretching along the city's harbor. Genoa Luxury Hotels Hoi An, Vietnam Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. Its a bridge town thats best explored on foot. The narrow streets are a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese architecture. There are tailors, artisans, and lantern shops galore. The food is also some of the best in Vietnam. Be sure to try the local specialties, like Cao Lau and White Rose dumplings. Hoi An Luxury Hotels Hoi An Luxury Resorts Baku, Azerbaijan Baku, Azerbaijan is a city with a lot of culture and history. There are a lot of places to visit, like the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower. There are also a lot of great restaurants, like the Flame Club, which has a great atmosphere and delicious food. Baku Luxury Hotels San Luis Obispo, CA, United States San Luis Obispo is a city located in the central coast of California. It's known for its natural beauty, relaxed vibe, and abundance of things to do. Some of the top places to visit in San Luis Obispo include the Madonna Inn, Hearst Castle, and the Paso Robles wine country. The city is also home to a variety of beaches, parks, and other attractions. In addition, San Luis Obispo is a great place to live, with plenty of restaurants, shops, and other amenities. San Luis Obispo Luxury Hotels Colombo, Sri Lanka Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. The city is located on the west coast of the island and is the administrative, commercial, and industrial center of Sri Lanka. Colombo is also the center of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, with numerous Buddhist temples. There are a number of places to visit in Colombo, including the Galle Face Green, the Dutch fort, the Pettah Bazaar, and the Sri Lankan National Museum. Colombo Luxury Hotels Yogyakarta, Indonesia The city of Yogyakarta in Indonesia is home to some of the most stunning temples and historical landmarks in the country. The city is also a great place to enjoy traditional Javanese culture and cuisine. Some of the must-see places in Yogyakarta include the Borobudur Temple, the Prambanan Temple, and the Sultan's Palace. Yogyakarta Luxury Hotels Cefalu, Italy Looking for a beautiful and historic place to visit in Italy? Look no further than Cefalu. This town is teeming with history and stunning architecture, and its location on the coast makes it the perfect place to relax and take in the stunning scenery. Don't miss the Duomo di Cefalu, a 12th century Norman church that is definitely worth a visit, or the Palazzo dei Normanni, a former royal palace. Cefalu Luxury Hotels San Jose, CA, United States San Jose, California, is home to a variety of tourist destinations. Some popular places to visit include the Winchester Mystery House, the Tech Museum of Innovation, and the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. There are also a number of lovely parks, such as Kelley Park and Plaza de Cesar Chavez, that are well worth a visit. San Jose is also home to a number of great restaurants, so be sure to check out the local cuisine. Whatever your interests, San Jose has something to offer visitors. San Jose Luxury Hotels Hong Kong, China Hong Kong is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in China. There are many places to visit in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Victoria Peak, and the Temple Street Night Market. Hong Kong is also a great place to shop, with many high-end malls and markets. Hong Kong Luxury Hotels Hong Kong Luxury Resorts Orlando, FL, United States Orlando is a city in the central region of Florida, in the United States. The city is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the metropolitan area also known as Greater Orlando. Orlando is well known for its theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando. Other tourist destinations in Orlando include the Holy Land Experience, the Orlando Science Center, and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. Orlando is also home to the University of Central Florida, one of the largest universities in the United States. Orlando Luxury Hotels Orlando Luxury Resorts Orlando Luxury Villas Philadelphia, PA, United States If youre looking for a place thats rich in history and culture, Philadelphia is the place for you. The city is home to numerous iconic landmarks, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Theres also a great variety of museums and other attractions to explore, such as the Philadelphia Zoo and the Please Touch Museum. And, of course, Philly is the birthplace of Americas favorite sandwich, the cheesesteak. So why not visit Americas most historic city and see for yourself what all the fuss is about?. Philadelphia Luxury Hotels Nice, France France is known for its many beautiful places to visit, and Nice is no exception. With its stunning coastline and mild climate, Nice is a popular tourist destination. Some of the most popular places to visit in Nice include the Promenade des Anglais, the Castle Hill, and the Old Town. There is also a wide variety of shops and restaurants to enjoy in Nice. If you're looking for a beautiful and relaxing place to visit in France, Nice is definitely worth considering. Nice Luxury Hotels Nice Luxury Villas Singapore, Singapore Singapore is a popular tourist destination, brimming with cultural and natural attractions. From award-winning restaurants to serene gardens and pristine beaches, there is much to explore in this diverse city-state. Here are some of the top places to visit in Singapore: 1. Marina Bay: This iconic waterfront district is home to stunning architecture, world-class landmarks, and a vibrant nightlife. 2. Gardens by the Bay: These stunning gardens feature a mix of plants from around the world, as well as towering sculptures and a biodome. 3. Chinatown: This lively district is home to traditional Chinese shops and restaurants, as well as vibrant street markets. 4. Little India: This neighborhood is known for its vibrant culture and colorful temples. 5. Sentosa Island: This resort island is home to sandy beaches, lush rainforests, and a variety of entertainment options. Singapore Luxury Hotels Singapore Luxury Resorts Nottingham, United Kingdom Nottingham is a city in the East Midlands of England. It is one of the United Kingdom's major cities, with a population of over 321,000. The city is home to two universities, Queen's Medical Centre, and seven football grounds. Nottingham is known for its lace-making and bicycle manufacturing. The city has a rich history, dating back to the Bronze Age. There are plenty of places to visit in Nottingham, including the Nottingham Castle, the Sherwood Forest, and the National Ice Centre. The city also has a lively nightlife, with a variety of pubs and bars. Nottingham Luxury Hotels Cannes, France Cannes is a city located in the south of France. Some of the places to visit in Cannes are the Palais des Festivals et des Congres, the Boulevard de la Croisette, and Le Suquet. Cannes Luxury Hotels Cannes Luxury Villas Park City, UT, United States Park City, Utah, offers visitors a wealth of places to visit and things to do. Main Street, with its charming shops and restaurants, is a must-see. The Park City Museum tells the town's fascinating history, and the Park City Utah Temple is a beautiful sight. For outdoor enthusiasts, there's plenty of skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking and mountain biking in the summer. And don't forget to visit the Olympic Park, where the 2002 Winter Olympics were held. Park City Luxury Hotels Park City Luxury Resorts Port Angeles, WA, United States If you're looking for a quaint, small town to visit in the US, Port Angeles is worth a stop. Located in the state of Washington, it's right on the Pacific coast with stunning views of the Olympic Mountains. There's plenty of things to do in the area, from hiking and fishing to whale watching and enjoying the local restaurants and breweries. Port Angeles Luxury Hotels Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States If you're looking for a fun-filled Florida getaway, look no further than Fort Lauderdale! With its miles of pristine beaches, world-famous shopping and vibrant nightlife, there's something for everyone in this seaside city. Here are some of the top places to visit in Fort Lauderdale: Las Olas Boulevard: This popular shopping and dining district is home to some of Fort Lauderdale's most upscale boutiques and restaurants. The Beach: With its wide, sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, Fort Lauderdale's beach is a major draw for visitors. The Everglades: Just a short drive from Fort Lauderdale, the Everglades are home to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, bald eagles and manatees. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts: This world-class performing arts center is home to a variety of theater, dance and music performances. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Fort Lauderdale today!. Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels Fort Lauderdale Luxury Resorts Myrtle Beach, SC, United States Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a popular tourist destination. There are plenty of places to visit in the area, including amusement parks, beaches, and golf courses. Myrtle Beach also has a lively nightlife, with plenty of bars and restaurants. Myrtle Beach Luxury Hotels Myrtle Beach Luxury Resorts Salzburg, Austria Salzburg is one of the most visited places in Austria. It is a city rich in history and culture. There are many places to visit, such as the Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Mirabell Palace, and the Salzburg Cathedral. There are also many hiking trails and parks to enjoy. Salzburg Luxury Hotels Pattaya, Thailand Pattaya is an amazing city with plenty of places to visit and things to do. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, Pattaya offers something for everyone. There are lovely beaches, interesting temples, great shopping, and exciting nightlife. With its moderate climate and affordable prices, it's no wonder Pattaya is a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world. Pattaya Luxury Hotels Pattaya Luxury Resorts Pattaya Luxury Villas Dallas, TX, United States Dallas is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the ninth most populous city in the United States and the third most populous city in the state of Texas. Dallas is also the main city of the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the United States. The city's prominence arose from its historical importance as a center for the oil and cotton industries, and its position as a major transportation hub for the South. Dallas is home to the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The city's economy is primarily based on banking, commerce, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare and medical research, and transportation. The city is home to the world's largest airline hub and the third largest cargo airport in the United States. Dallas Luxury Hotels Kolkata, India Kolkata, also known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. The city is located on the east bank of the Hooghly River. It is the second most populous city in India, after Mumbai, and the third most populous metropolitan area in India, after Mumbai and Delhi. The city is notable for its colonial architecture, art and culture, and for its overwhelming poverty. Kolkata is home to the Indian Museum, the Calcutta Stock Exchange, the National Library of India, and the Indian Statistical Institute. Kolkata Luxury Hotels San Antonio, TX, United States San Antonio is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Texas. There are plenty of places to visit in this city, from the well-known River Walk to the exquisite Spanish missions. If you're looking for a fun place to spend the day, you can't go wrong with San Antonio. San Antonio Luxury Hotels Seattle, WA, United States There are many wonderful places to visit in Seattle, Washington. Some of the most popular attractions include Pike Place Market, the Seattle Space Needle, and the Museum of Pop Culture. There are also many parks and gardens, such as Volunteer Park and Seattle Chinese Garden, as well as plenty of restaurants and shops. Located on the other side of the world, Western Australia is a great place to visit for those looking for something different. Some of the most popular attractions include Rottnest Island, the Margaret River region, and Monkey Mia. There are also plenty of beautiful parks and gardens, such as Kings Park and Botanic Garden, as well as restaurants and shops. Seattle Luxury Hotels Liverpool, United Kingdom Liverpool is a city located in North West England and is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom. The city is known for its football teams Liverpool and Everton, The Beatles, and its maritime history. Liverpool is a popular tourist destination and is home to various tourist attractions including Mersey Ferry, Liverpool Cathedral, and Albert Dock. Liverpool Luxury Hotels Malmo, Sweden Malmo is Sweden's third largest city with a population of over 310,000. It is located in the province of Scania on the country's southern tip. Malmo is a vibrant city with a strong arts and cultural scene. There are plenty of places to visit in Malmo, including the Malmo Castle, the Botanical Gardens, and the Turning Torso skyscraper. Malmo is also home to a large shopping district and a lively nightlife. Malmo Luxury Hotels Gothenburg, Sweden Goteborg, Sweden's second largest city, is a major port on the country's west coast. It's a popular tourist destination, known for its lively nightlife, beautiful architecture and delicious seafood. Some of the city's highlights include the Liseberg amusement park, the Botanical Garden, and the charming old town district. Goteborg is also home to a large number of museums, including the Volvo Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Universeum science center. Gothenburg Luxury Hotels Ljubljana, Slovenia Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia and is a city full of culture and history. There are many places to visit in Ljubljana, such as the castle, the old town, and the cathedral. The city is also home to many museums, art galleries, and parks. Ljubljana is a great city to explore on foot, and there are many restaurants and cafes to enjoy. Ljubljana Luxury Hotels Sydney, NSW, Australia Australia is a vast country with plenty of stunning places to visit, but Sydney is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist destinations on the continent. From the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge to the beautiful beaches and lush national parks, there's something for everyone in this lively city. There's also a thriving food and nightlife scene, so you'll never run out of things to do in Sydney. Sydney Luxury Hotels Sydney Luxury Villas Melbourne, VIC, Australia There's a lot to love about Melbourne its lively arts and culture scene, its parks and gardens, its diverse range of restaurants and cafes, and its stunning architecture. Here are some of the best places to visit in Melbourne: - Federation Square: This iconic square is a great place to people-watch and take in the city's impressive architecture. It's also home to a number of museums and galleries, including the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the National Gallery of Victoria. - Queen Victoria Market: This vibrant market is a must-visit for foodies and shoppers alike. It's the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, and offers a vast array of fresh produce, meat, seafood, and souvenirs. - Melbourne Cricket Ground: If you're a sports fan, be sure to check out the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is the largest cricket stadium in the world. It's also home to the Australian Football League, and has hosted a number of major sporting events, including the Commonwealth Games and the Rugby Union World Cup. - Royal Botanic Gardens: These beautiful gardens are a great place to relax and take in some of Melbourne's natural beauty. They're home to a number of different gardens, including the Australian Garden, the Sculpture Garden, and the Japanese Garden. Melbourne Luxury Hotels Melbourne Luxury Villas Vancouver, BC, Canada The top places to visit in Vancouver are Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown, and Chinatown. These are all must-see attractions that offer an array of activities, scenery, and history. Stanley Park is a world-famous urban park that features greenery, beaches, gardens, and a stunning view of the North Shore Mountains. Granville Island is a vibrant neighbourhood with unique shops, restaurants, and art galleries. Gastown is the city's oldest neighbourhood and is home to charming cobblestone streets and funky boutiques. Chinatown is one of the largest and most vibrant Chinatowns in North America and offers delicious food, interesting history, and vibrant culture. Vancouver Luxury Hotels Toronto, ON, Canada From the CN Tower and Hockey Hall of Fame to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Distillery District, there are plenty of amazing places to visit in Toronto, Canada. With something for everyone, Toronto is a great city to explore. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip today!. Toronto Luxury Hotels Montreal, QC, Canada Montreal is a vibrant city with something for everyone. There are plenty of places to visit, including the Notre Dame Basilica, the Olympic Stadium, and Mount Royal. The city is also home to a lively arts and culture scene, with theatres, art galleries, and music venues. Montreal is a great place to visit year-round, with festivals and events happening throughout the year. Montreal Luxury Hotels Seville, Spain Seville is one of the most visited places in Spain for a plethora of reasons: its stunning architecture, tapas bars, flamenco and great weather. The Giralda Tower is a must-see when in Seville as is the Plaza de Espana. Andalusian culture is heavily present in the city and is best experienced by wandering the narrow streets and alleyways, popping into a lively tapas bar for a drink and some snacks or enjoying a flamenco show. Seville Luxury Hotels Seville Luxury Villas Ocean City, MD, United States Ocean City is a seaside resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, on the Atlantic coast. It is well known for its long promenade, its fishing, and its crab cuisine. There are plenty of places to visit in Ocean City, including the boardwalk, amusement rides, shopping, and restaurants. You can also visit the Assateague Island National Seashore, which is home to wild horses, or head to the nearby town of Berlin for more shopping and dining options. Ocean City Luxury Hotels Cambridge, MA, United States If you're looking for a quintessential New England town to visit, Cambridge, Massachusetts is the place for you. With its elaborate architecture and Colonial history, Cambridge is a lively town with plenty of things to see and do - perfect for a weekend getaway. Some of the places you won't want to miss include the Harvard University campus, the charming and lively shops and restaurants in Harvard Square, and the leafy paths of the Cambridge Common. Cambridge Luxury Hotels Laguna Beach, CA, United States Laguna Beach, California is a place known for its stunningly beautiful coastline, excellent restaurants, and art galleries. But there's more to Laguna Beach than meets the eye. Here are some of the best places to visit in Laguna Beach: Crystal Cove State Park: This state park is known for its coves, tidepools, and bluffs. It's a great place to go hiking, swimming, and snorkeling. Heisler Park: This park is a great place for a walk or a picnic. It's also home to some of the best views of the Pacific Coast. Downtown Laguna Beach: This charming downtown area is home to art galleries, boutique shops, and excellent restaurants. Aliso Beach: This beach is known for its excellent surfing and swimming conditions. It's also a great place to take a walk or enjoy a picnic. Laguna Beach Luxury Hotels Hot Springs, AR, United States In downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, you'll find historic buildings, antique shops, and art galleries. For nature lovers, there are also plenty of places to visit, including the Garland County Arboretum, Ouachita National Forest, and Hot Springs National Park. Spa enthusiasts can enjoy a relaxing day in one of the area's hot springs. And no trip to Hot Springs is complete without a visit to the world-famous Bathhouse Row. Hot Springs Luxury Hotels Sedona, AZ, United States There are many places to visit in Sedona, Arizona. Among the most popular are the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, and Boynton Canyon. The town's unique red-rock formations and ancient ruins offer plenty of photo opportunities. Visitors can also enjoy hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Sedona is a great place to relax and take in the natural beauty of the Southwest. Sedona Luxury Hotels Sedona Luxury Resorts Boulder, CO, United States Boulder, Colorado is a breathtaking city nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The city is home to stunning views, ample outdoor recreation, and a lively arts scene. Outdoor enthusiasts will love exploring the city's many trails, parks, and open spaces. History buffs will enjoy checking out the city's museums and historic sites. Culture seekers will appreciate the city's many theaters, art galleries, and restaurants. No matter what your interests, you'll find something to love in Boulder. Boulder Luxury Hotels Key West, FL, United States Key West is a small island off the coast of Florida that is filled with history, charm, and fun places to visit. Its lush tropical setting and the laid-back vibe of the island make it a popular destination for those looking for a relaxing getaway. There are plenty of places to explore in Key West, from the charming historic district to the crystal-clear waters of the Florida Keys. Here are some of the top places to visit in Key West: -The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum: This iconic museum is dedicated to the life and work of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Key West for over 20 years. -Duval Street: This lively street is the heart of Key West's nightlife and is home to many bars and restaurants. -The Southernmost Point: This landmark is located at the end of Duval Street and is the southernmost point in the continental United States. -The Key West Lighthouse: This picturesque lighthouse is a popular spot for tourists and offers stunning views of the island. -The African American Heritage House: This museum is dedicated to the history and culture of African Americans in Key West. -The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory: This attraction is home to over 2,000 butterflies and a variety of other tropical plants and animals. Key West Luxury Hotels Key West Luxury Resorts Key West Luxury Cottages Key West Luxury Villas Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm, Sweden is a city with many places to visit. One place is the Vasa Museum, which is home to a ship that sunk in 1628 and was raised from the ocean floor 333 years later. The ship is preserved and on display in the museum. Another place to visit is the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Swedish monarch. The palace is open for tours, and visitors can see the royal apartments, the throne room, and the Hall of State. Stockholm Luxury Hotels Destin, FL, United States Looking for a place to visit in Florida? Look no further than Destin! This city is home to beautiful beaches, wonderful restaurants, and plenty of places to shop. No matter what you're looking for, you can find it in Destin. Be sure to check out the Destin Harbor and the fishing pier for amazing views and plenty of things to do. If you're looking for a place to relax, head to the beach and enjoy the sun and sand. There's something for everyone in Destin, so be sure to visit this amazing city!. Destin Luxury Hotels Destin Luxury Resorts Ashland, OR, United States There are many places to visit in Ashland, Oregon. Some of the most popular places are the Shakespeare Festival, Lithia Park, and Mt. Ashland. The Shakespeare Festival is a great place to see some of the best plays in the world. Lithia Park is a beautiful park with a river running through it. Mt. Ashland is a great place to go skiing in the winter. Ashland Luxury Hotels Seaside, OR, United States One of the most beautiful places on the Oregon Coast is Seaside. With its wide, sandy beach and majestic promenade, Seaside is a popular tourist destination. There are plenty of places to eat and shop, and the Seaside Aquarium is a must-see. Visitors can also enjoy fishing, whale watching, or just taking a leisurely stroll along the beach. Seaside Luxury Hotels Newport, RI, United States Newport is a picturesque town located in southern Rhode Island that is home to some of the most visited tourist destinations in the United States. The city is known for its miles of beaches and historic mansions that line the coast. Some popular places to visit in Newport include the Cliff Walk, the Breakers Mansion, the Museum of Yachting, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Newport Luxury Hotels Siena, Italy Siena, Italy is a popular tourist destination, thanks to its well-preserved medieval city center. The city is famous for its art, food, and wine. Siena is located in the heart of Tuscany, making it the perfect base for exploring this beautiful region of Italy. Don't miss the Duomo (cathedral), the Piazza del Campo, and the Torre del Mangia. Siena Luxury Hotels Reno, NV, United States Home to the University of Nevada, Reno and a wide variety of cultural and natural attractions, Reno is a great place to visit. Some of the top places to see in Reno include the Nevada Museum of Art, the Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center, and the Reno Events Center. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking and skiing at Lake Tahoe and biking and kayaking on the Truckee River. In addition, Reno is home to a diverse array of restaurants and nightlife venues. Reno Luxury Hotels Atlantic City, NJ, United States Atlantic City is a popular East Coast tourist destination, known for its boardwalks, beaches and casinos. There are plenty of places to visit in Atlantic City, from the Boardwalk Hall and the Absecon Lighthouse to the Atlantic City Aquarium and Lucy the Elephant. For a more thrilling experience, head to one of the city's casinos, where you can try your hand at blackjack, slots, roulette and more. Atlantic City also offers a wide variety of restaurants, from seafood spots to pizza places, so you're sure to find something to your taste. And if you're looking for some nightlife action, the city has you covered there too. Atlantic City is definitely a place worth visiting!. Atlantic City Luxury Hotels Atlantic City Luxury Resorts Lake George, NY, United States Looking for a place to visit in upstate New York? Look no further than the stunning Lake George. This picturesque locale is located in the heart of the Adirondacks and is known for its pristine beauty and terrific recreational opportunities. Visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, boating, fishing, and skiing, among other activities. Don't miss the chance to take in the spectacular views from the summit of Prospect Mountain or from the water's edge. Lake George Luxury Hotels Buffalo, NY, United States If you're looking for a city that has it all, Buffalo is the place to be. From its vibrant downtown district to its abundance of parks and nature preserves, there's something for everyone in Buffalo. Here are some of the top places to visit in Buffalo: 1. The Buffalo Zoo - One of the top zoos in the country, the Buffalo Zoo is a must-visit for animal lovers of all ages. 2. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery - Buffalo's answer to the Louvre, the Albright-Knox is home to some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures. 3. The Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village - This living history museum offers a glimpse into what life was like in Buffalo in the 1800s. 4. The Buffalo River - Take a walk or bike ride along the Buffalo River, one of the city's most picturesque areas. 5. Delaware Park - This large park is home to a variety of attractions, including a zoo, a golf course, and a nature preserve. Buffalo Luxury Hotels Rochester, MN, United States Rochester, Minnesota is a city with plenty of places to visit. There's the Mayo Clinic, the Apache Mall, and several other shopping areas, as well as a variety of restaurants. There are also a few parks and golf courses. For those who love the outdoors, Rochester is also close to several state parks and the Mississippi River. Rochester Luxury Hotels Duluth, MN, United States If you're looking for an amazing place to visit, Duluth, Minnesota should definitely be at the top of your list. This city is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States, and there are plenty of things to do here that will keep you entertained for days on end. Some of the most popular places to visit in Duluth include the Aerial Lift Bridge, the Glensheen Mansion, and Chester Creek Park. Additionally, there are a number of excellent restaurants and shopping areas in the city, so be sure to explore everything that Duluth has to offer. Duluth Luxury Hotels Maputo, Mozambique Maputo is the capital of Mozambique and a city full of culture and history. There are many places to visit in Maputo, such as the Jose Eduardo dos Santos Museum, the Maputo Cathedral, and the Rua da Independencia. Maputo is also home to the Maputo Bay, which offers beautiful beaches and great seafood. Maputo Luxury Hotels Barcelona, Spain Barcelona, located on the northeast coast of Spain, is a renowned tourist destination and one of the most popular cities in the world. There are plenty of places to visit in Barcelona, such as the Gothic Quarter, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Parc Guell, La Sagrada Familia, and more. The city is also home to a lively nightlife and some of the best restaurants in the country. Barcelona Luxury Hotels Barcelona Luxury Villas Split, Croatia Split is a city on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. It is the second-largest city in Croatia and the largest city in Dalmatia. It has a population of over 200,000 inhabitants. The metropolitan area, which includes the City of Split and the surrounding towns, has a population of over 330,000. Split is a popular tourist destination and is the home of the Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other popular tourist destinations include the Riva, the Peristyle, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, and Sustipan. Split Luxury Hotels Split Luxury Villas Dubrovnik, Croatia Dubrovnik is a city on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the administrative center of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Dubrovnik is nicknamed "The Pearl of the Adriatic". Dubrovnik Luxury Hotels Dubrovnik Luxury Villas Byron Bay, NSW, Australia Byron Bay is a magical place. It's no wonder that it's one of the most popular destinations in Australia. The town is set in a beautiful location, surrounded by rolling green hills and the bright blue ocean. There's plenty to do in Byron Bay, whether you're looking for a relaxing beach holiday or an adventure-filled trip. Some of the top places to visit in Byron Bay include the iconic lighthouse, the stunning beaches, and the lush rainforest. 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Monroe County Courthouse When illustrator Harvey Dunn died in 1952, his obituary in The New York Times bore the headline "Harvey Dunn, 68, Artist, Teacher." Beginning Friday, July 1, at the Hunter Museum of American Art, Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students explores the artistic and teaching career of an icon of late 19th and early 20th century American illustration, whose work had enormous influence on the way Americans saw their lives portrayed, said officials. Review for the exhibit: The Hunter Museum will present an 80-piece exhibition which highlights Mr. Dunns stunning, painterly illustrations for the prominent periodicals of his day, including Scribners, Harpers, Colliers Weekly, Century, Outing and The Saturday Evening Post. Rich in detail and color, these illustrations allowed audiences to visualize current events and stories in newspapers and magazines in the era before photography rose to prominence. The exhibition also features powerful works created for the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, in which the artist, as visual journalist, recorded the unforgettable realities of battlefields and war hospitals. Additionally, the collection includes Dunns prairie paintings, inspired by his life-long love of South Dakotas landscape and history. The exhibition also features original artworks by Dunns students including Dean Cornwell, Henry C. Pitz, Mead Schaeffer, Harold von Schmidt, Frank Street, Saul Tepper, John Clymer, Lyman Anderson and James E. Allen, among others. Artworks are drawn from the collection of the South Dakota Art Museum, as well as The Kelly Collection of American Illustration Art, The Illustrated Gallery, The Eisenstat Collection of American Illustration, Norman Rockwell Museum, Collection of Carol and Murray Tinkelman and other private lenders. General admission to the Hunter Museum, including this special exhibition, is $15 for adults and free for youth 17 and under. As always, members are admitted free. To learn more about membership, visit www.huntermuseum.org/memberships. Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students is made possible in Chattanooga by support from SunTrust and is a collaboration of Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. and the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, S.D. Exhibition related events: Thursday, June 30, 6-7:30 p.m. Art Wise: Distinguished Speakers Series Presents Stephanie Plunkett Norman Rockwell Museum Chief Curator and Deputy Director Stephanie Plunkett will speak about Harvey Dunn, his artistic and teaching career, and the themes of his work. Because the exhibition was organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum and the South Dakota Art Museum, Ms. Plunkett will be able to offer special insight into Mr. Dunns legacy and some of the rarely seen original works featured in the exhibit. This program is free to members and open to the public with regular admission. The Art Wise series is sponsored by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee Community Trust. Thursday, Sept. 15, 6-7 p.m. Art + Issues: Illustrating America Then and Now The Hunter Museum welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial cartoonist Clay Bennett to lead this edition of Art + Issues. Mr. Bennett will choose a single work from the special exhibition and use it as a springboard to explore how we illustrated the nations culture then and now. All Art + Issues events are free and open to the public. Thursday, Sept. 22, 6-7 p.m. Beyond an illustration: Meaning and Memory through the work of Harvey Dunn and His Students Join UTC literature professors Heather Palmer and James Arnett and Hunter Museum staff in a participatory gallery discussion. Everyone will have a chance to join the conversation as we explore the imagery of Dunns America and its meaning in the context of the America of his day. This gallery exploration is free to members and open to all with regular admission. The real life of an emergency room nurse might not be exactly what's depicted on TV, but there can still be plenty of drama. Everything from birth to death comes through the door, and nurses are the ones who manage every step with hands-on care. An ER nurse never knows what to expect, yet he or she must handle everything and everyone quickly and effectively while acting as the "eyes and ears" of the attending physicians. Advertisement Adam Spurlock, DNP, RN, AGACNP-BC, CNL, works as a charge (lead) nurse in the emergency department at Rush Oak Park Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois. Spurlock knew he wanted to work in the fast-paced environment of the emergency room as soon as he had his first rotation there. "I liked the constant turnover and change; the inability to plan your day. It just clicked," he says. Advertisement While working in the ER for five years, Spurlock earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Rush University College of Nursing. This degree helped him assume a leadership role in the emergency department. "The degree also allowed me to sit for licensure as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, which is the next step in the progression of my career." "I'm in charge of making sure things run smoothly in terms of staffing, communicating with other departments and helping out with overload," he says. He basically functions like a medical traffic cop, monitoring the flow of patients' progress in and out of the department. A typical night Spurlock works from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. starts by taking over for those nurses clocking out. That means taking stock of where patients are in their treatment, discharge or admission process. As the night goes on, hospital staff gets thinner, but the ER can get busier with more acute cases. There is only one attending physician from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and one advance practice provider until midnight or 2 a.m., plus the nurses. "It's usually pretty full. We are up and down there's not too much sitting. We do get our steps in on our pedometers," Spurlock says. ER nurses have a lot of autonomy to make decisions and advise physicians, which is something most people don't realize, Spurlock says. ER nurses also must be willing to do the dirty work, from cleaning up feces and urine to putting in IVs and drawing blood, along with monitoring the patient's vital signs. They are also the front line of communication with the patient's family. Dr. David Manno, D.O., one of Spurlock's attending physicians, says teamwork is essential in the ER, and nurses must be true team players. "It's a close work association," Manno says. "We rely on each other to observe the patient. Often they will see something I might have missed because I can't be with the patient the whole time. A good ER nurse will alert you to a change in the patient and know how to manage them so you can step away for a minute." This is important because doctors can be responsible for six to eight patients at any given time, Manno says. Advertisement "The best ERs run like a team where people play well with others," he says. "A good ER nurse must be smart, adaptable and able to handle a large amount of stress. We see people at their worst, and we work in an environment where nobody's happy because nobody makes an appointment to come to the ER. A good ER nurse must have a thick skin to take the abuse that is laid on by patients sometimes." Manno is not just speaking figuratively. Spurlock's shift often sees intoxicated patrons from nearby bars after closing time, often accompanied by police. "They can cause a ruckus," says Spurlock, who has been assaulted by angry patients. In those situations, he follows crisis intervention procedures and attempts to de-escalate the situation and, of course, calls security. "That's why I like my job, because it's not boring," Spurlock says. "Even if you've been here for 20 years, you think you've seen everything and you haven't," Manno adds. You're always learning." Lisa Jevens for Rush University College of Nursing Bank of America said 126 of its ATMs in the Chicago area soon will be outfitted with software enabling consumers to withdraw cash using only their smartphones. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Bank of America said 126 of its ATMs in the Chicago area soon will be outfitted with software enabling consumers to withdraw cash using only their smartphones. Last week, the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank, the third-biggest deposit gatherer in the Chicago area, announced its expansion of cardless technology for 5,000 of its ATMs or about a third of its cash-dispensing fleet by year end. Advertisement The technology went live last week in the San Francisco area and will roll out to 2,400 ATMs nationwide this month, including the majority of ATMs in the San Francisco area and the 126 in the Chicago area. The technology enables customers to withdraw cash, make transfers and check balances using a digital wallet stored on their smartphones. Earlier this year, the bank rolled out the feature to select ATMs in Boston, Charlotte, New York City and the San Francisco area. Advertisement Customers can identify cardless-enabled ATMs by the contactless symbol near the card reader. When ready to make a transaction, customers select the Bank of America debit card in their digital wallets and hold their devices over the ATM's contactless card reader to activate the ATM. Then they follow the normal process to enter a PIN on the ATM, select an account and initiate a withdrawal, transfer, or balance inquiry. Bank of America currently has 476 ATMs in the Chicago area. Spokeswoman Diane Wagner said the number of Chicago-area ATMs that will have cardless technology by year end has yet to be determined. Other banks also in various stages of rollouts for cardless ATMs include Wintrust, BMO Harris Bank and Chicago market leader Chase. In March 2015, BMO Harris, the Chicago area's second-biggest bank by deposits, announced that 750 of its ATMs, including about 400 in the Chicago area, would give consumers the choice of withdrawing cash using their smartphones, eliminating the need to use a debit card. As of Monday, BMO Harris customers can use "mobile cash" at a total of 900 ATMs throughout its system. "We've exceeded our goals, and we're very happy with the momentum we're experiencing," BMO Harris Bank spokesman Patrick O'Herlihy said. "Feedback from our customers has been very positive." Chase will begin its rollout of cardless ATM technology later this year, spokeswoman Christine Holevas said. byerak@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @beckyyerak CF Industries Holdings abandoned its $5.4 billion acquisition of rival nitrogen-fertilizer maker OCI NV of the Netherlands in the latest deal to fall apart in the face of new U.S. guidelines designed to curb so-called tax inversions. Although both companies explored alternative structures to try and get the deal done, they failed to find an option that would work, Deerfield, Illinois-based CF and OCI said in a joint statement on Monday. CF will pay $150 million to OCI under terms of the initial agreement. The unraveling of CF's deal is a further sign that the tougher rules on inversions are having an effect, putting off U.S. companies seeking to adopt a foreign address to lower tax costs. Earlier this year Pfizer decided to terminate its $160 billion merger with Allergan. CF started out with a proposal to base the enlarged business in the U.K. to get about $500 million in after-tax cost savings. "Global fertilizer and methanol prices have been under immense pressure in 2016 on the back of global oversupply and lower oil prices and with the deal now off the table, the outlook for OCI has become much more challenging," said Yousef Husseini, an analyst at EFG Hermes. "We had expected the deal to relieve the company's balance sheet, which is highly leveraged now." In a last-ditch attempt to salvage the deal and create the world's largest publicly traded producer of nitrogen fertilizer, CF and OCI had proposed at the end of last year switching the headquarters to the Netherlands. It would have left the operational and structural synergies "essentially unchanged," they said at the time. "Although the original deal created significant value for both parties, changes in the regulatory and commercial environments forced us to re-evaluate the combination and led us to the conclusion that terminating the agreement is in the best interests of CF Industries and its shareholders," CF Chief Executive Officer Tony Will said in the statement. Similar to other areas of the chemical and agricultural industries, fertilizer makers are looking to garner savings in production, marketing and distribution as well as build a bigger global footprint. Nitrogen prices have fallen as more plants come on stream against a backdrop of weaker crop prices that's curtailing demand for nutrients. CF was due to buy OCI assets in Europe and the U.S., building a stronger competitor for current lead Yara International ASA, with which it previously held talks about a merger. It also competes with Agrium Inc. and Mosaic Co. Nassef Sawiris, CEO of OCI, said discussions between the two companies had been positive and alternative ways of collaborating may be explored. OCI still has investment outlays of about $350 million relating to the Iowa Fertilizer Co., scheduled to start production in September or October, EFG's Husseini said in a note. ConAgra Foods has agreed to sell its Spicetec Flavors & Seasonings business to Givaudan for about $340 million, according to a ConAgra announcement Monday afternoon. The divestiture represents yet another bold move by ConAgra in a short period of time to become leaner, more efficient and more profitable in a challenging food industry. Since CEO Sean Connolly came aboard last April, the company has announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Omaha, Neb., to Chicago, which is happening next month; the sale of its private-label business to Oak Brook-based TreeHouse Foods; and the spinning off of its Lamb Weston frozen potato business. Advertisement It's unclear what will happen to the 140 or so Spicetec employees in suburban Carol Stream. A representative of Givaudan, a Swiss maker of flavors and fragrances, couldn't be immediately reached for comment. The Carol Stream plant, which produces patented salt and seasoning blends, had been recently "updated and expanded with state-of-the-art improvements," according to the Spicetec website. Spicetec develops spices and seasonings for food companies. Advertisement In past interviews and earnings calls, Connolly's been forthright on the urgent need for such changes, as the company shifts its focus to revitalizing core brands, like Slim Jim, Reddi-wip and Chef Boyardee, while also adding new organic and gourmet products to the mix. "Divesting Spicetec is the latest action we have taken that will allow ConAgra Foods to invest resources into our core product portfolio to drive sustainable growth," Connolly said in a statement Monday. "We truly appreciate the contributions of the Spicetec employees and look forward to having an ongoing relationship with them as a key supplier to ConAgra Foods." ConAgra acquired Spicetec in 1988. The deal's expected to close in about 60 to 90 days, pending regulatory approval. gtrotter@tribpub.com Twitter @GregTrotterTrib Going out of business signs in the 123rd block of Harlem Ave. Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in Palos Heights. (Jim Boyce / Daily Southtown) Americans in small towns and rural communities are dramatically less likely to start new businesses than they have been in the past, an unprecedented trend that jeopardizes the economic future of vast swaths of the country. The recovery from the Great Recession has been marked by a nationwide slowdown in the creation of start-up businesses. What growth has occurred has been largely confined to a handful of large and innovative areas, including Silicon Valley in California, New York City and parts of Texas, according to a new analysis of census data by the Economic Innovation Group, a bipartisan research and advocacy organization that was founded by the Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sean Parker and a small group of investors. Advertisement That concentration of start-up activity is unusual, economists say. In the economic recovery of the early 1990s, 125 counties combined to generate half the total new business establishments in the country. In this recovery, half the growth has been generated by just 20 counties. The data suggest highly populated areas are not adding start-ups faster now than they did in the past; they appear simply to be treading water. But in rural areas, business formation has fallen off a cliff. Advertisement Economists say the divergence appears to reflect a combination of trends, all of which have harmed small businesses in rural America. Those include the rise of big-box retailers such as Walmart, the loss of millions of manufacturing and construction jobs across the country and a pull-back in business lending that appears to have stung small-town and rural borrowers particularly hard. The figures reflect a fundamental shift over the past two decades in which workers and industries power the country's economic growth. The shift gives an advantage to highly educated urbanites at the expense of everyone else. Polling suggests it is one of the driving forces in the political unrest among working-class Americans -- particularly rural white men -- who have flocked to Republican Donald Trump's presidential campaign this year. "Capital chases high-growth ideas, and high-growth ideas tend to be concentrated in areas of a highly educated and highly skilled workforce," said Manuel Adelino, an economist at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University who has published several research papers on entrepreneurship patterns and credit availability. "This suggests that the lack of new business formation in rural America may lead to widening gaps in income and employment" between those areas and big cities. Other experts warn that the trends could be self-perpetuating and endanger the very life of rural economies in the years to come. "It's going to get much, much worse," said John Lettieri, a former Republican congressional aide who is a co-founder of the Economic Innovation Group. "As bleak as these numbers are now, these may be the good years." From 2010 through 2014, U.S. counties with 100,000 or fewer residents combined to lose more businesses than they created - despite a growing national economy and a falling unemployment rate. In the recovery that began in 1992, by comparison, those counties created a third of the nation's net new businesses. The smaller counties' job creation rates have fallen off over the past three recoveries as well. In the '90s recovery, less-populated counties accounted for more than 1 in 4 new jobs in the country. In the recovery that began in 2002, it was 1 in 5. In this recovery, it is less than 1 in 10. Nearly two-thirds of rural counties lost businesses, on net, from 2010 to 2014. That is up from just over 2 in 5 counties in the early 2000s and just under 1 in 5 in the '90s. The counties shedding establishments span the country and include almost every variety of rural areas, from farming and manufacturing communities in Missouri to coal-reliant swatches of Appalachia to coastal counties in the Pacific Northwest where the timber and fishing industries have dwindled. Advertisement Those findings confirm the deep geographic divisions in this recovery that other data have revealed. Through the second quarter of this year, according to a Brookings Institution analysis of Moody's Analytics data, America's 100 largest metro areas had recovered all of the jobs they lost in the recession and added nearly 6 million additional jobs. The rest of the country, combined, was barely 300,000 jobs over its pre-recession peak. What the innovation group's analysis reveals is how concentrated business activity has become, even within metro areas. In many mid-size urban areas, such as the counties that include Tucson and Spokane, Washington, business formation rates have slowed in this recovery. The counties including two major Rust Belt cities, Cleveland and Detroit, have lost businesses, on net. The concentration in part reflects the differences in the brand of entrepreneurship historically practiced in rural areas, compared with the higher-tech start-ups that have risen in recent decades. Recent research suggests there has been no decline in the formation rate for the Silicon Valley-style start-ups that economists generally consider to be "high growth," which means the sort of companies that could sprout to employ hundreds or thousands of Americans. The drop has come in the formation rate for other types of businesses, such as small manufacturers, construction firms and service establishments, such as restaurants. Those small businesses have traditionally served as critical vehicles for wealth-building and economic mobility in much of America. The sandwich shops of that world, as Adelino puts it, are struggling; Google-type start-ups are not. Not surprisingly, then, the 20 counties that combined for half the country's new business formation are almost entirely pillars of the innovation economy. They include the counties surrounding San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Austin, Dallas and Chicago. Advertisement Those areas contain higher-income, more highly educated workers who appear to have had a much easier time accessing capital -- the infusion of money you need to start a business - in this recovery than have workers in the rest of the country. After the Great Recession, lower-income borrowers were effectively shut out of credit markets, Adelino's research shows, a finding supported by data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Industry groups and many economists have warned that the Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill, passed in 2010, has forced smaller banks that often serve rural communities to tighten their lending. Jason Furman, who chairs President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, says his research rejects that view. "There's very little evidence that Dodd-Frank has reduced lending by community banks," he said. Previous economic transformations, such as the shift from farms to factories, have drawn Americans from rural areas into cities. Economists worry this case may prove more damaging, though, for workers, rural America and the country's overall economic performance. "New businesses are key to innovation, growth and jobs," said Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard University economist who advises the Economic Innovation Group. An increase in monopoly power from reduced competition, post-recession, he said, "is widely regarded as one of the major factors slowing innovation and weakening the quality of job growth." Restaurateur and chef Rick Bayless has won the Julia Child Award, only the second time the honor, named after the cooking world legend, has been awarded. (Chicago Tribune) The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts has named Rick Bayless as the recipient of the 2016 Julia Child Award. Another day, another award for the much-honored chef? Bayless didn't seem to think so. Advertisement "I was incredibly thrilled, and super-honored, when they called and told me I'd been chosen," he said. "She was a major influence in my life. If it weren't for Julia Child, I wouldn't be where I am now." This is only the second year for the Julia Child Award. The inaugural recipient was Jaques Pepin, the chef, TV cooking show star and cookbook author. Advertisement NICK'S TACO CHALLENGE: FOLLOW THE DAILY TACO ADVENTURES "I grew up at a barbecue restaurant, with a very limited menu," said Bayless, chef/co-owner of several restaurants, including Frontera Grill and the recently opened Cruz Blanza and Lena Brava. "I used to watch every single 'French Chef' episode. I'd sit in front of the TV and, because I couldn't afford to buy the books, write down and make those dishes. "To get this award, it's like my career has come full circle." The Julia Child Award is chosen by an independent jury, and honors an individual who has made a profound and significant difference in the way America cooks, eats and drinks. The award includes a $50,000 grant, which will go to the Frontera Farmer Foundation, which itself awards grants to small Midwestern farms. Bayless will receive the award at a gala ceremony Oct. 27 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, as part of the Smithsonian's annual Food History Weekend. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts honors Child's legacy via support for culinary-history research, professional culinary scholarships, food-writing internships and food literacy programs. Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic. Millennials may be less interested in Lasik surgery than baby boomers are. (BSIP / UIG) Heather Cherry's vision was fairly good, but the stay-at-home mom in rural Nevada was tired of reaching for her glasses when she wanted to see into the distance during a hike or fully enjoy the sight of wild horses grazing at the side of the road. Lasik vision correction surgery offered the hope of 20-20 vision, and when she went to an eye surgery center in January, she was told she was an excellent candidate. Advertisement RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR But then came the consent form, with warnings about possible side effects such as diminished night vision and eye irritation. Cherry went online, found the patient website Lasik Complications and saw complaints of chronic eye pain and severely impaired vision. Advertisement "I don't feel good about this," she said when she canceled her surgery. "I don't feel like this is the right choice for me." Potential patients are less likely to opt for Lasik than in the procedure's heyday of 2000-2007, when ads flooded the airwaves and more than a million of the outpatient surgeries were performed each year. The number of laser vision correction surgeries per year a category including Lasik and the closely related PRK procedure has dropped more than 50 percent, from about 1.5 million surgeries in 2007 to 604,000 in 2015, according to the eye care data source Market Scope. Explanations for the decline in volume vary widely, with eye surgeons blaming the economic downturn and noting that some practices have seen increases in the last few years. "I can't tell you exactly why Lasik volumes are down, but there are some ideas and theories" says Dr. Kerry Solomon, president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. "One is that the economy hasn't fully recovered. Two, we're dealing with a different generation, millennials, and millennials make decisions differently, maybe they have different priorities. Maybe the millennial generation won't adopt Lasik to the same extent the baby boomers did. Maybe they will, and we have to reach out to them differently." There's also less marketing going on than there was in 2006 and 2007, Solomon says, and not as many doctors are doing Lasik. Anti-Lasik patient advocates say potential patients are finding websites such as Lasik Complications and reading sobering stories about patients who endure debilitating side effects. Paula Cofer had Lasik 15 years ago and says she began experiencing disturbing side effects within days. (Paula Cofer) Word of mouth may also be having an effect, says Paula Cofer, an administrator of the Lasik Complications Facebook Group. Interest in Lasik, in which a surgeon uses a laser to reshape your cornea, exploded in the late '90s. Advertisement "Back in the cowboy days, as I call them, people were doing this (surgery) in the mall, with people watching," recalls Dr. Daniel Durrie, a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Kansas Medical Center who says he's very happy that's no longer happening. "We used to have an entity that rolled a truck into the Hy-Vee (grocery) store, and people would walk in one area, and get their Lasik, and walk out the other, like they were at the state fair." Cofer, who had Lasik 15 years ago, says she began experiencing disturbing side effects within days. At night, ordinary lights transformed into massive starbursts, with rays radiating outward from a bright center. The visual distortions continue, she says, swallowing large portions of her field of vision and making night driving impossible. "I can see eight moons in the sky at night all smeared and overlapping," says Cofer, who lives near Tampa, Fla. She also experiences daily eye pain, which she describes as a burning sensation similar to having soap in your eyes. There's little question that Lasik complications occur, but the magnitude of the problem is a matter of debate, with anti-Lasik advocates saying serious complications are common, and eye surgeons, who cite patient satisfaction rates of 95 percent and higher, saying serious complications are rare. Advertisement The FDA is taking steps to address the complication-rate issue with its Lasik Quality of Life Collaboration Project, the results of which haven't yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. In a presentation of preliminary findings, available at the FDA website, the FDA's director of the Division of Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices, Malvina B. Eydelman, reported on more than 400 patients who had Lasik and filled out questionnaires at three months post-Lasik. Up to 4 percent of Lasik patients in the study experienced "very" or "extremely" bothersome visual symptoms at three months post-Lasik (without visual correction), according to Eydelman's presentation. Up to 45 percent of patients who had no visual symptoms before Lasik had developed new visual symptoms at three months post-Lasik, she reported. Durrie, a clinical investigator for the FDA study, says that, according to his calculations, presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting earlier this month, only 1 out of 551 patients in the study reported visual symptoms that caused them difficulty in performing their usual activities at the three-month mark. That's 0.2 percent. Durrie also says that only 1.4 percent to 2.3 percent of patients said they were dissatisfied with Lasik at the three-month mark and that 64 percent of patients who had visual symptoms before Lasik had no visual symptoms at the three-month mark. By his calculations, 23 percent of patients who reported no visual symptoms before Lasik had at least one visual symptom at three months post-Lasik. Asked about the discrepancy between that figure and the FDA's, Durrie says his figures are more up-to-date than Eydelman's. An FDA spokesperson says Eyedelman's 45 percent figure is correct but applied to only part of the study. Neither side in the Lasik debate is content with the status quo. Edward Boshnick, a Miami optometrist who treats patients harmed by Lasik, says he would like to see the procedure banned. Durrie, who had Lasik himself at age 49 and says he doesn't need glasses at all at age 67, would like to see Lasik volume grow. Advertisement "I don't want to oversell this procedure, because it's surgery, but in the right patients that are good candidates, it can be life-changing and really help people in their performance," he says. As for Cherry, the Nevada mom who decided against Lasik, she says she's continued to talk to patients and do research, and for her, the rewards just aren't worth the risk. "These are your eyes," she says. "When you have a surgical procedure done to your actual eyeball, they can't reverse that. You can't make that go away. It's such a serious gamble that people are taking." Twitter @nschoenberg nschoenberg@tribpub.com RELATED STORIES: Advertisement More than looks: How to pick the right eyeglasses Fraternity anti-drinking programs don't work, analysis finds Evanston filmmaker focuses on celiac disease in new documentary "I wanted a doll like him, especially to help learn about being a big brother," Johnson told me. "My search went from disappointed to frantic to angry as I realized that my options were to buy a girl doll or buy a baby doll. I ended up finding a boy doll, but it was so feminine that my son kept calling him a girl, and it set me back $125." The scariest moment of our three days in the wilderness was seeing the adorable grizzly cub. Only a few days earlier, a hiker had been killed in Yellowstone National Park by a female grizzly bear with two cubs. The story was on the front page of the Gazette the morning after we arrived in Billings, Mont., and people kept bringing up the incident when they heard our plans to hike 26 miles through the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in the Stillwater River Valley from Cooke City only a few miles from Yellowstone to Nye, Mont. Advertisement RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR The hike, starting after lunch on a Tuesday, and ending about the same time on Friday, had been a goal of mine and my husband's for about 30 years. Thom's family once owned a share in a cabin about 4 miles from the Nye end of the trail, and we'd explored that territory thoroughly. The other end was something of a mystery. Advertisement After a drive over the Beartooth Highway and burgers in Cooke City, my thoroughly patient, accommodating in-laws drove us along the nearly impassable Daisy Pass Trail Road and the somewhat-better Lulu Pass Trail Road as close as they could to the beginning of the trail. (Starting on the Lulu Pass Trail Road would've been a better choice, as would have a vehicle with four-wheel drive.) Thinking we were about a mile from the trailhead, we began hiking down a U.S. Forest Service jeep road. We walk 3 miles each morning in Chicago, and though the rocky, pitted "road" was hardly a city sidewalk, we had a good idea of how long it would take us. When no trailhead appeared after some time, we consulted our maps, trail descriptions and GPS device. It was closer to 3 miles, but we eventually found the official start of our journey: Custer National Forest Trail No. 24. Legend has it that the path along the Stillwater River has been in use since before the arrival of Europeans. Unlike the Nye trailhead, the southern end where we were starting was overgrown and appeared seldom used. The Stillwater River widens as it gets lower. (Stephanie Reynolds / Chicago Tribune) The scenery was wild and beautiful, a landscape of soaring mountains, blue sky and bitty clouds. The grass was surprisingly green for August; there'd been a good deal of rain, which meant a lower risk of forest fires. Big boulders dotted the fields, and sturdy pines grew straight as arrows. We were at the headwaters of the Stillwater River, and it was hard to believe that these meandering streams would eventually turn into the thundering waters we knew from the other end of the trail. One of the first landmarks we were looking for was Goose Creek; we knew from "Hiking the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness" by Bill Schneider that we'd get our feet wet crossing it and that we'd be about 2 miles into our 26-mile trip. We changed into sandals to keep our hiking shoes dry. As it turned out, we didn't get much more than a mile or so past the creek before we had to stop. Starting at an elevation of 9,653 feet, we would descend to 5,235 feet by the end of our hike; that first day, we went down more than 2,000 feet. After a few hours of walking, it was clear I was suffering from altitude sickness nausea, fatigue and eventually we both had headaches. That night we dutifully cooked the bit of kielbasa we'd brought and warmed up leftover vegetables. But neither of us could eat more than a couple of bites. We never fully regained our appetites during the entire hike; Thom even had to add a new hole to his belt. But about that bear cub. The next morning, we broke camp and began hiking. The weather was perfect sunny but not too hot. We were traveling through an area that had burned in the Storm Creek forest fire of 1988, one of hundreds that raged for months that year in Yellowstone and the surrounding national forests. Trees showing burn marks still stand, though the undergrowth of small and medium lodgepole pines is lush. Over the years, as trees have fallen, the logs have become home to ants, a favorite food of bears. As we hiked, we saw hundreds of violently gashed-open logs, a sign that bears had been feeding. Advertisement Fallen logs have become home to ants, which bears love to eat. (Stephanie Reynolds / Chicago Tribune) Though I was hiking in front, I tend to look at my feet too much, so Thom was the first to spot the animal up ahead. It had its head down also looking at its feet as it exited a small woods. Then the head went up, and Thom said, "Bear!" That made me take notice, and I saw a face simultaneously cute and scary about 20 yards away; the body was tan and brown, and large for a cub of that age. "What should we do?" I asked. "Back away." But the bear turned and ran back into the woods, apparently toward Mom. And so we waited on the trail. "Half of it was blond," I said. "Yeah, that's what worries me," Thom said. "I think it's a grizzly." Advertisement Continuing along the trail into the woods toward the cub and its full-grown mom sounded dangerous, but fortunately it turned out that the path skirted the woods. We eventually set off, bear spray in hand, making a racket. We didn't see cub or its mom again. We did meet two hikers coming the other way about a half-hour later and told them about our sighting. They were the only humans we'd encounter for 22 miles of our 26-mile hike. Day two was our longest hike, about 10 to 11 miles, and included carefully crossing the rushing waters of Horseshoe Creek while holding hands. Repairing an old bridge that lay in ruins didn't appear to be on the Forest Service's to-do list. We stopped around 5:30 p.m. and found a nice campsite just above the trail. That night we ate ham stew dehydrated ham, bell peppers, mushrooms and leeks and got set to watch the Perseid meteor shower; it was Aug. 12, 2015, the peak night to watch. The sky was clear and the stars were beginning to come out. There really is nothing to beat a Montana sky for star-watching. But then, right on cue, the craaack of thunder sent us under our tarp. Huge drops hammered down, and then hail. It rained all night. So much for watching meteors. Stephanie and Thom camped under a tarp. (Stephanie Reynolds / Chicago Tribune) On day three, it was hot and the trail was muddy. But the rain had cleared away the older animal tracks so that we could see exactly what had preceded us earlier that morning. We followed bear tracks for a while, then wolf and mountain lion. Deer, of course, and something smaller perhaps a bobcat. We spotted a young moose cooling off in a small pond. And finally we arrived at familiar territory: Big Park, the Meadows and Hawk's Lake. These were all fishing and camping spots on the outskirts of our known world from the Nye end of the trail. Big Park once had a ranger station that burned down in the Storm Creek fire of '88; the Meadows is popular with outfitters who bring groups in on horseback and set up large tent camps. Hawk's Lake is gorgeous a family favorite for fishing and picnicking. Thom fished that afternoon while I snoozed in the shade at Hawk's Lake, and then we made our final push toward Rainbow Hole to spend our last night. We heated up another vegetable mix and roasted rainbow trout and brook trout over the campfire. I could have been hungrier, but it was all delicious. Advertisement Downed timber in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness from the Storm Creek fire of 1988. (Stephanie Reynolds / Chicago Tribune) We fished again in the morning and then started our leisurely last hike. Only about 20 minutes later, we met the first humans we'd seen in about 48 hours. And, as it turned out, they were friends of ours! After that, we passed at least a dozen hikers and anglers on day trips. This end of the trail is well-traveled as it includes some stunning views and tempting pools for fishing. At the high perch of Lonesome Pine, we rested a few minutes, gazing up the river valley one more time. We next descended through the dramatic Gorge where the water pounds so furiously that you often can't hear your hiking companions talking. The Stillwater River was clearly not named for this section. Ten minutes later, we were at the trailhead, waiting for our ride out of the wilderness. We'd spent three days walking and talking, cooking over an open fire and sleeping under the stars. We'd challenged ourselves physically but not too much. We'd experienced sheer beauty and fear. We'd accomplished that lifelong dream. ssreynolds@tribpub.com Twitter @ssreyn A few notes on equipment Advertisement We were far from any cellphone service, but we were able to communicate with friends and family through a DeLorme inReach two-way satellite texting device that Thom paired with his iPhone. Each text we sent had a link showing a map with the latitude, longitude and altitude of our location, so our fan club was able to follow our progress. It also includes an SOS signal that works anywhere in the world. Though the units sell for $300 and more, we were able to buy an older model without a touch screen at REI for about $60. It offered peace of mind to both us and our family members. I'm a wimp, so I fell hard for the ultralight backpacking movement. "Ultralight" is defined in different ways, but we aimed to carry less than 25 pounds not including such consumables as food and fuel. The bible is "Ultralight Backpackin' Tips" by Mike Clelland, but plenty of information about traveling light is online. If you're buying a new (lighter) backpack, I recommend going to a store where an employee will spend time helping you find a pack that fits your body. I carried a North Face Terra 40, weighing 3 pounds, 10 ounces before packing; Thom had an Osprey Exos 48, weighing 2 pounds, 3 ounces. There are some great lightweight sleeping bags and sleeping quilts around; just make sure the temperature rating matches what you'll need. We were, ahem, a little cold a couple of nights. With weight in mind, we loved our Luci inflatable solar lights from MPowerd (mpowerd.com) that charged up during the day strapped to the tops of our packs, then provided hours of light at night; each weighed only 4 ounces. Wood for campfires was easy to find, so we really didn't need cooking fuel. But we did bring solid fuel pellets to make coffee in the morning (look for the ones that say "odor-free"). Because we're not fans of the usual carb-laden dried camping foods, we mixed our own backpacking meals ahead of time, using dehydrated vegetables and ham from Harmony House Foods (harmonyhousefoods.com) and Ready Store (thereadystore.com); we ordered our trail snacks from Steve's Paleo Goods (stevespaleogoods.com). About the wilderness Advertisement In 1964 Congress created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which includes 109 million acres of public land and 762 defined areas, according to The Wilderness Society, a conservation organization (wilderness.org). Neither buildings nor motorized vehicles are allowed in wilderness areas; even bicycles are banned. Congress defined the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in 1978, and it now consists of 943,377 acres, mostly in Montana with a sliver in Wyoming. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service (fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin), it includes nearly 180 miles of "maintained" foot and horse trails rangers and volunteers care for the trails by removing fallen logs and attempting to prevent erosion. There are many day trips and shorter camping trips possible within the wilderness, which also is home to Montana's tallest mountain, Granite Peak, at 12,799 feet. Though the wilderness area is near Yellowstone Park, which is managed by the National Park Service, the two offer quite different experiences. The wilderness is for you if you want to get away from people, cars and bison. The Forest Service calls the experience "rugged" (yep), camping is "primitive" (you camp where you want there are no camping "sites," but you must stay a certain distance away from waterways) and the solitude brings risks and challenges. If you go Getting there: Delta and United have flights into Billings Logan International Airport, and tickets from Chicago to Billings in the summer run $500 to $600 round trip. It can take up to 4 1/2 hours to drive from Billings along Interstate 90, U.S. Route 310 and U.S. Route 212 to Cooke City, Mont. The Lulu Pass Trail Road intersects with 212 on the right just before you enter town. (I do not recommend using the Daisy Pass Trail Road that starts at 212, but you will intersect with it from the Lulu Pass Trail Road.) The northeast entrance of Yellowstone Park is 5 miles past Cooke City. Advertisement The best part of the drive from Billings to Cooke City is the section of Route 212 known as the Beartooth Highway. Even if you never set foot in the wilderness, at least consider driving this 68-mile national scenic byway that goes from Red Lodge over Beartooth Pass, dipping into Wyoming and ending up back in Montana a few miles before Cooke City. The drive can take up to three hours because of the many switchbacks. The highway is closed in the winter, but in summer it offers one glorious view after another. The late Charles Kuralt famously called it "the most beautiful drive in America." Lodging and dining: Billings has lots of hotels and some fine dining. The historic Northern Hotel recently has been beautifully renovated and is in the heart of things downtown ($183-$215 for a king room in August); it has two restaurants, Bernie's Diner for breakfast and lunch (don't miss the Vacation Breakfast a piece of chocolate cake and a chocolate milkshake) and Ten, whose executive chef Tim Freeman is doing amazing things with local and seasonal ingredients (definitely in the splurge category, however). Northern Hotel, 19 N. Broadway, Billings, Mont., 406-867-6776, northernhotel.com If you're looking for quaint, try the Dude Rancher Lodge, a two-story motel with branding-iron decor and a classic Western-style cafe for breakfast and lunch ($89-$109 for a king room in August). Dude Rancher Lodge, 415 N. 29th St., Billings, Mont., 406-545-0121, duderancherlodge.com Another great place to eat in Billings is Walkers Grill (on the same block as the Northern Hotel and across the street from the Crowne Plaza). Walkers Grill, 2700 First Avenue North, Billings, Mont., 406-245-9291 Lodging and dining are plentiful in Red Lodge (redlodge.com), which caters to backpackers in the summer and skiers in the winter. A family favorite is the Rock Creek Resort, which is 5 miles out of town on a picturesque creek; accommodations range from standard hotel rooms, to apartments, townhouses and the Stoney Cabin; the Old Piney Dell restaurant is in an old log cabin on the property. Rock Creek Resort, 6380 U.S. 212 South, Red Lodge, Mont., 800-667-1119. rockcreekresort.com In the Cooke City area, you can find motels, cabins, guest ranches and campsites. cookecitychamber.org Advertisement RELATED STORIES: Over-the-Rhine: Cincinnati's booming foodie neighborhood Beat summer heat with Arctic adventure Presidential museum to reopen in Michigan Ham stew made from dehydrated meat and vegetables. (Stephanie Reynolds / Chicago Tribune) The Stillwater River as it enters the Gorge (Thomas Park) Liltz, who was sentenced last week to four years in prison for killing her daughter, Courtney, in a botched murder-suicide attempt, has frequently been described as a loving caregiver, though her own body was worn with cancer. She was so devoted, we are told, that she decided her daughter's life would not be worth living if she were not around to take care of her. That, some argue, was justification for killing the young woman before attempting to take her own life. Jo Ann Rooney will begin her new position as president of Loyola University Chicago in August. (Loyola University Chicago) Loyola University Chicago announced Jo Ann Rooney as its new president on Monday morning, the first woman and first nonordained church member to assume that role. Rooney takes over the post following the university's nearly yearlong search for its 24th leader. Rooney succeeds John Pelissero, a political science professor, who has been serving as interim president since July following the resignation of the Rev. Michael J. Garanzini. Advertisement Garanzini stepped down last June after 14 years in the position. Loyola's board of trustees approved Rooney's appointment on May 19 and she was formally introduced to the campus Monday morning. She starts Aug. 1 and her term as president continues through 2021. Advertisement Robert L. Parkinson Jr., chair of the Loyola board, said the school leaders were impressed by Rooney's commitment to her Catholic faith and her vision of the university. "This is a woman of tremendous character and integrity," Parkinson said at the brief introduction ceremony at the Mundelein Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. "The energy she exhibits is nothing short of palpable." "The role of higher education is evolving," Rooney said in a short speech. "Loyola University is evolving. I, as your leader, will continue to evolve. The time is really now. We have a lot of work to do and I think it's time to start." Rooney, in brief remarks to reporters, said she wanted to see the university become a more vocal and visible part of the larger Rogers Park community. "Loyola has always been very much a part of the community, but I think, oftentimes, a quiet, silent partner in that community," Rooney said. "What we really need to do to really live out that vision of social justice, of inclusion, of diversity, of access, is not maybe being so quiet about it; to continue to have that as a part of our mission, but be leaders, be recognized, be willing to have that dialogue and force the discussions, force the discourse going forward." Rooney also said she wanted to support students speaking out on divisive issues, something that generated controversy on campus in recent months. Three Loyola students organized an unsanctioned protest focusing on campus inclusion for minority students in November. Those students faced reprimands, but the university later dropped student conduct charges against them. In January, the university student government was sanctioned for organizing a demonstration in support of dining hall workers who were renegotiating their union contract. In that instance, students began their protest on a lawn, went inside a dining hall and confronted a supervisor during work hours. Advertisement "It really is about making sure to create a forum where those views, those passions can be put forth but in a way that's consistent with the Jesuit mission and Loyola's culture, which is done in a respectful, thoughtful way," Rooney said. Rooney comes to Loyola having previously served as president of Spalding University in Kentucky and Mount Ida College in Massachusetts. She also served several roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the U.S. Department of Defense, being confirmed to the position of principal deputy undersecretary for personnel and readiness in May 2011. President Barack Obama also nominated Rooney to serve as undersecretary of the U.S. Navy in late 2013. Her nomination proved controversial, however, after she challenged a proposal from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to remove the military chain of command from decisions on prosecuting sexual assaults and other major crimes. Her name was withdrawn from consideration after several months. Most recently she worked as the managing director of Huron Consulting Group in Chicago. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > She received a bachelor's of science degree in finance from Boston University, a law degree from Suffolk University, a postgraduate law degree from Boston University and a doctorate in higher education management from University of Pennsylvania, according to her curriculum vitae. Chicago Archbishop Blase J. Cupich offered his support of Rooney. Advertisement "I have met Dr. Rooney and am impressed by her diversity of experience and public service," Cupich said in a statement. "Her background and commitment to the faith have prepared her well to lead a complex organization like Loyola, and I look forward to working with her." Garanzini said his resignation from Loyola would allow him to devote more time to his position with the Society of Jesus, in which he promotes Jesuit higher education. Loyola hired Boston-based executive search firm Issacson, Miller in November. The school's search committee, which included faculty, students and trustees, interviewed finalists in April. cdrhodes@tribpub.com Twitter @rhodes_dawn Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his wife, Patti, address the hoard of media at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Dec. 6, 2011, after the former governor was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Blagojevich began his remarks by quoting a line from a Rudyard Kipling poem: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster." (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune) WASHINGTON The Supreme Court won't reconsider its decision to reject former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appeal of his corruption convictions. The justices on Monday denied without comment a long-shot petition urging the court to take another look at the case. Advertisement The court first turned down Blagojevich's appeal on March 28. He challenged an appeals court ruling that said Blagojevich crossed the line when he sought money in exchange for naming someone to fill the vacant Senate seat once occupied by President Barack Obama. Blagojevich argued that circumstances have changed because prosecutors said they won't retry him on five counts tossed by a federal appeals court. He said eliminating the possibility of retrial made his case a better candidate for the high court because there are no longer concerns about "piecemeal litigation." Advertisement Associated Press SPRINGFIELD With a broader budget deal unlikely to come until after the November election, if even then, the biggest remaining question for the last week of the spring session is whether warring Democrats and Republicans will be able to agree on a school funding bill. It's a matter of political risk. While much of state government continues to grind along and unpaid bills pile up, dark classrooms would provide a striking image of dysfunction that House and Senate candidates from both parties would be hard-pressed to explain to voters this fall. Advertisement Given the mutual interest in the issue, the suspense is whether the powers that be at the Capitol figure out how to put together a deal on education spending by month's end or whether they're content to play chicken all summer. Blowing past the end-of-session deadline not only raises the bar to pass a bill, but it also could send many parents into a panic, uncertain whether schools will open in late August or if they'll have the massive headache of missing work or arranging for daylong child care. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has pitched the idea of putting more money into the current school funding formula. That could prove difficult to sell because it would actually result in less money for Chicago Public Schools, which says it needs major help from the state as it deals with rising teacher pension costs. Chicago Democrats would be reluctant to vote for a plan like that this year. Advertisement On the other side of the aisle, Republicans say they can't vote for a bill that bails out CPS at the expense of suburban and Downstate districts. That's the criticism they offered this month when Democratic Senate President John Cullerton muscled through a bill that would give CPS hundreds of millions of dollars for pensions and operations. Left unknown is what House Democrats under House Speaker Michael Madigan want to do. They've yet to unveil a plan ahead of the May 31 scheduled adjournment, though talks appear focused on how to provide immediate relief to poorer districts through a one-time funding bump. Budgets for other districts would remain flat. Rauner framed up the situation last week during a stop at a tank trucking business in Fairmont City, near St. Louis. "We need more money for schools. We should change the formula. My concern is, that the Democrats seem to be positioning themselves to hold up the schools opening in the fall to try to force a formula change. That wouldn't be fair to the people of Illinois," Rauner said. The school funding debate is playing out against the backdrop of Rauner's first year in office. The governor vetoed the budget Democrats sent him, save for the portion that funneled money to schools. Democrats have since watched Rauner claim credit for keeping schools open, even though Republicans voted against the plan at his behest. The opposition party is wary of giving the governor another win on the issue. "That's a pretty cynical thing for him to have done," said Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang, a Madigan deputy. "He said that was his No. 1 accomplishment his first year in office, and the only people that voted for that were Democrats, so I haven't gotten my thank-you note for that yet." Gov. Bruce Rauner speaks on Feb. 3, 2016. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Rauner already has sought to up the pressure on Democrats, repeatedly calling for them to send him a "clean" bill to fund schools one that isn't linked to spending for other things, like social service programs. It's an effort designed to place blame on Democrats should they load up an education bill with lots of other spending and Rauner decides to veto it. The governor contends that while the state doesn't bring in enough money to cover all of its expenses, "the first place that money should go, right off the top, is to our schools." Advertisement The Rauner administration's fear is that Democrats learned from last year and won't do the same thing this time around, which could lead to the aforementioned political chicken this summer. Democrats are weighing ways to get money to schools while extracting concessions from the governor. But what that looks like and how it plays out remains to be seen, in part because of an internal divide among Democrats about how to proceed. On one side are Senate Democrats, who have been pushing for a rewrite of the formula that's used to distribute tax dollars to schools. It's an issue that has been percolating for decades, but it resurfaced this year with CPS facing a financial cliff. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPS officials contend that the funding formula is unfair and needs to be changed. It's an idea embraced by Cullerton, who notes that Chicago and other districts with a lesser ability to raise money from property taxes are falling further behind property tax rich districts that can use those dollars to pad school spending. In January, Cullerton declared the formula would need to be fixed "before we appropriate money for education for next year." That led Rauner to repeatedly hammer Democrats, accusing them of using the issue as a red herring to delay schools from opening on time this fall. Changing the state aid formula is tricky, and many proposals have failed. With a limited pot of state dollars to go around, well-off districts don't want to have their already small share of state aid cut as lawmakers search for ways to boost funding for poorer schools. The degree of difficulty is even higher in an election year. Advertisement The Cullerton-backed proposal that passed the Senate last week also would give CPS $200 million a year to help with pension costs, as well as hundreds of millions more to help the district pay for early childhood education and special education programs, including money to allow special needs students to attend private schools. Rauner has said he's open to fixing the formula, but not if it means holding up this year's spending on schools. The governor often notes he just got to Springfield last year, while Democrats had unfettered control of state government for 12 years before that. "Now they're screaming about the formula because what they're trying to do is bail out the city of Chicago," Rauner said Thursday. "That's the only reason they're screaming about the formula. The formula's been in place by them forever, and it's cut Chicago repeatedly." According to data provided by the administration, CPS lost state school money five out of the last 10 years under the current formula, in part because of a loss of students. CPS has been trying to increase pressure, sending principals school budgets with massive spending cuts and having district CEO Forrest Claypool appear with school superintendents who signed a three-page letter to Rauner on Thursday. "It's a broad coalition that's fighting for this fight," Claypool told reporters. "And I hope the governor is hearing the message that it's time for an education funding bill that doesn't continue to cut districts like Chicago and Aurora and East Moline and Taylorville." Advertisement House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton talk on Feb. 18, 2015, during a meeting of the General Assembly in Springfield. (Seth Perlman / AP) Cullerton says the Senate bill, which is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, will bring the district in line with others, as the state has long picked up pension costs for teachers outside Chicago while city taxpayers covered CPS' retirement costs and see their income taxes help pay for suburban and Downstate pensions. That pension pickup also is spurring opposition among House Democrats, where Speaker Madigan in recent years has pushed for the state to take on less in local pension expenses, not more. With little appetite for the Senate plan, the House has spent weeks taking testimony on school funding. Whether that will result in an alternative idea to rework the school aid formula is yet to be seen, due to many of the same hurdles faced in the Senate where no district wants to lose out on dollars. "What we've uncovered in our meetings is that school funding reform is very complicated. And it isn't just a question of making sure that low-income districts get more help. Certainly everybody agrees we must do that. But it's also important to make sure that the districts that are just above them on the income scale don't find it more difficult to do their job than they do today," said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie of Chicago, a top Madigan deputy who has been leading talks. Currie noted that any change is likely to be expensive, pointing to estimates that moving to an evidence-based funding formula determined by things like graduation rates and student performance would cost an additional $5 billion. "Now, that's a pretty large number, and I don't think there's a lot of appetite for that either. But I think what it underscores is that resources are a very important part of the calculation," Currie said. Advertisement "I am hopeful that at the end of the day, this assembly will agree to spend more money on the districts that hurt the most without so upending the world that districts that are still trying to do a job find it more difficult for them to get it done," she added. That could take the form of lump sum payments to boost poorer school districts without hitting the budgets of more well-to-do schools. While figures are still being worked out, the plan may call for adding as much as $500 million to poverty grants that are distributed based on the number of low-income students. "Once we decide that the goal is to find new revenue for underfunded school districts, then reasonable people, if there are any left in this building, can sit down and find that revenue," Lang said. "If it's new revenue from new sources, so be it. If it's shifting around dollars in the state budget in appropriate ways, so be it. The only way this works is to fund underfunded schools with new revenue." Pumping more money into poor school districts would be hard for some lawmakers to resist, and it could force Cullerton and those in the Senate to take what they can get now or put all schools at risk. While Cullerton has suggested he'll hold up a school funding bill unless the formula is changed, there's little in the Senate president's history to indicate he'll make good on that kind of threat. Such a move also would serve to call Rauner's bluff, after he's spent the last few months touring schools touting his plan to put another $55 million into K-12 education. Under that proposal, struggling school districts would continue to lose money, including CPS, which would get $74 million less. "I believe there probably are some tweaks we ought to make to the funding formula, but if the goal is to develop a list of underfunded schools and get them money, we don't need to re-do the formula to do that, we can just get them money," Lang said. "So I would be one who would say, identify the need and take care of the need." Advertisement As for Rauner's suggestion that Democrats don't want schools to open on time? "You know, it's nice that the governor's got things to think about," said Madigan, who recently told the Tribune that an education plan will emerge "in due course." Chicago Tribune's Juan Perez Jr. contributed from Chicago. mcgarcia@tribpub.com kgeiger@tribpub.com Mayor Rahm Emanuel answers questions from the press after the meeting of the Chicago City Council on May 18, 2016. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday floated a new idea to fix the city's smallest government worker pension system, one that he hopes will become a model to address far greater financial woes in the largest retirement fund. Under the plan, both taxpayers and newly hired city laborers would pay more toward pension costs, and in return, workers could retire two years earlier. Advertisement But the Emanuel administration declined to say precisely how much money such an approach could save, and the mayor does not plan to press state lawmakers for approval during the final scheduled week of spring session. City officials hope the plan would pass muster with the Illinois Supreme Court, which in March struck down an earlier Emanuel plan aimed at addressing the money shortfalls in pension funds covering laborers and municipal employees. Advertisement What "we want is a concrete and sustainable funding path that's not going to get caught up in any legal process, and if there should be some sort of lawsuit on any of this, this is extremely strong, and should not put us in a position of two years of uncertainty like we were" on the previous plan, said Michael Rendina, senior adviser to the mayor. The Emanuel administration provided an outline of the plan Monday. Starting next year, newly hired employees would pay 11.5 percent of their wages toward retirement, compared with 8.5 percent today. Employees hired from 2011 to 2016 also could opt to pay more into the pension fund, city officials said. In exchange, workers who make the higher pension payments could retire at 65 instead of 67. The plan would not affect people hired by the city before 2011 or laborers who have already retired. The city would gradually increase how much it puts into the laborers' pension fund, with the aim of reaching 90 percent funding by 2057. To come up with part of the money, Emanuel would spend all of the proceeds from a $1.40-a-month tax hike on emergency services slapped onto all city phone bills in 2014. That boosted city revenue by about $40 million a year. The administration, however, did not provide a schedule of how payments would increase the next 40 years. City Hall officials also said they don't yet have figures on how much money they expect to save under the proposal. The laborers' fund is about $1.2 billion short of what's needed to pay retiree benefits. It's at risk of going broke in about 11 years. Joe Healy, business manager for Laborers Local 1092, said the two unions representing city laborers have agreed to the deal, figuring that the extra employee contributions represent an equal trade for retiring two years earlier. But Healy also cautioned that the Laborers' Annuity and Benefit Fund is still reviewing the numbers on the value of the trade-off. Emanuel went back to the drawing board after the state's high court rejected his 2014 plan to restore financial health to both the laborers' fund and the Municipal Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund. Justices ruled that reduced cost-of-living increases violated a clause in the Illinois Constitution that states retiree benefits "shall not be diminished or impaired." But the court left unanswered the question of whether the city could require employees to pay more toward their retirement and also suggested the city could give employees the option of keeping their own plan or switching to a new one, provided they were offered something of value "consideration" in legal contract parlance. With the mayor's new plan, the earlier retirement is the consideration, Rendina said. Ralph Martire, the executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability who was critical of the legal soundness of the Emanuel's earlier plan, said the outline of the latest one likely would fall within the boundaries of the constitution. The city can "create any kind of new" pension plan it wants for employees yet to be hired, and it can provide options to current employees provided one of the choices is keeping their current plan. Advertisement "I don't see how there's a constitutional complication to it," said Martire, who added one caution: If future benefits fall below those provided by Social Security which city workers don't receive the city could ultimately run afoul of federal law and have to pay more into the funds. The $1.2 billion laborers' shortfall is significantly smaller than the ones faced by city pension funds for municipal workers, police officers and firefighters. The municipal workers' fund alone is nearly $10 billion short and at risk of going broke within eight years. Still, the mayor hopes that the new laborers' bill serves as a model for talks with the municipal workers' fund, and city officials have started talking to leaders of some of the dozens of unions that represent those city employees. "If we reach agreement with them, we'll have to come up with alternate funding source for that," said Alexandra Holt, the city's budget director. Emanuel's latest pension plan comes as he's under pressure for solutions. After the Supreme Court ruling in March, Wall Street agencies that evaluate city creditworthiness warned the city that it could further downgrade the city's already low debt ratings if it did not come up with a plan. At the time, Emanuel financial aides told the analysts that the city would come up with a plan within weeks. Given unresolved problems with all four city pension funds, it's uncertain whether proposing a plan for the smallest of the funds will soothe the angst felt on Wall Street over the city's financial problems. Emanuel last week won City Council approval to borrow up to $600 million, and a lowered credit rating could increase interest costs. hdardick@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @ReporterHal Troy LaRaviere speaks out during a news conference to rail against CPS efforts to fire him on May 12, 2016. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Topspin New Chicago Principals and Administrators Association union President Troy LaRaviere continues playing the role of a thorn in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's side, criticizing the mayor in a recent radio interview for what he says is Emanuel's focus on campaign contributors over Chicago schoolchildren and declining to deny he's considering his own run for mayor. Advertisement Appearing on WLS-AM 890's "Connected to Chicago," which aired Sunday, LaRaviere said he hopes to use his new position to help other principals get their voices heard in the pursuit of better schools for children. LaRaviere, long an outspoken Emanuel critic, was ousted last month as principal of Blaine Elementary School on charges of insubordination. He took a dim view of Emanuel's political future: "I don't think Rahm can be elected dog catcher, and I think he knows it." Advertisement Asked by host Bill Cameron whether he's thinking about running for mayor himself in 2019, LaRaviere demurred in the classic fashion of a public official who doesn't want to be seen as taking his current post for granted. "Right now, I want to be president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association," he said. "I take that office on July 1 and that's the only office I'm concerned about right now." "Who knows what the future holds, but right now that is not on the table," he added. Three years is an eternity in politics, but we're pretty sure if Emanuel does not seek a third term, the field to succeed him would be fairly crowded. (John Byrne) What's on tap *Mayor Emanuel will be talking about road paving, one of his favorite spring and summer topics. *Gov. Bruce Rauner and fellow Republicans will be trying to frame up the last week of spring session at a noon Capitol news conference. *The Illinois General Assembly returns to the Capitol, allegedly straight through May 31. What we're writing *The big final-week question at the Capitol: Will Rauner, state House Speaker Michael Madigan, state Senate President John Cullerton agree on school funding bill? Advertisement *Chicago cops traded away pay for protection in contract. *Legal posturing as judge insists Emanuel testify in police case. *Chicago Public Schools expands lead testing to all schools after high levels found at South Side school. *Transportation Security Administration boss tells Emanuel, Chicagoans to prepare for challenging summer lines at airports. *Rauner to GOP: Let's pick off Madigan's House Democrats this fall. *Republicans divided on gay marriage, abortion at convention. Advertisement *Gov. Rauner, new king of the Sunday press conference? What we're reading *Big Jim relives saving Sox from going to Tampa back in the day. *The Cell: Still so much debt for taxpayers. *Kinda disappointed the postal carrier's name isn't Indiana. From the notebook *Emanuel gets snappy: As part of its recently revamped social media push, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office has started using Snapchat to reach out to younger constituents. Emanuel's official Twitter account tweeted some snaps taken as the mayor posed for photos with CPS scholarship winners during Wednesday's City Council meeting. And on Thursday, during Emanuel's event to launch the city's third annual Summer of Faith and Action, the mayor's office snapped videos of a pastor praying, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson denouncing gun violence and Emanuel speaking, with the caption, "We have a responsibility to come together." On Friday, the mayor's office was snapping again, this time from Emanuel's TSA meeting with congressional leaders and federal officials at O'Hare International Airport. Videos from the behind-closed-door meetings, which was not open to the press, did not include audio, however. Emanuel's office also snapped a series of abrupt videos from the news conferences. Some were rather mundane, such as a video of TV stations setting up cameras with the caption, "Crews getting ready for TSA press conference!" But others sought to convey Emanuel's message on the topic, including a video of the mayor talking about the long airport line with a caption that read, "This was avoidable." The mayor's office Snapchat handle is the same as its Twitter one: chicagosmayor. (Bill Ruthhart) *Rauner's new adult prison: Less than two weeks after announcing its permanent closure, Gov. Rauner's administration says it will now turn a troubled Downstate youth center into a prison for adults. Advertisement The change in direction came amid heat from local lawmakers who said shuttering the corrections facility would harm the local economy in their districts. Describing it as an "all hands on deck" approach, those legislators announced the move in Kewanee on Friday. They include Reps. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, and Mike Smiddy, D-Port Byron, along with Sens. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, and Chuck Weaver, R-Peoria. Speaking at an event in Peoria on Friday, Rauner said closing the juvenile treatment center was the right decision, and that it never meant the location couldn't be used for something else. "It was very high cost, very ineffective, and frankly, the young people weren't getting good outcomes," Rauner said. "Adult corrections said, 'You know what? That could be a very good facility given some of our overcrowding issues, and given some of our service and treatment issues. Maybe we could use it for adult treatment.' And I said, 'Great, let's do that.'" The Kewanee Youth Center, located about 150 miles southwest of Chicago, houses mentally ill juvenile offenders and those charged with sex crimes. It has a long history of understaffing that has led juvenile justice advocates to question whether its vulnerable inmates had adequate protection, education and health care. Juvenile justice officials also said it was "hard to justify" keeping the facility open with the drop of youths in custody and the state's financial woes. But the state's adult prisons are overcrowded, with the Illinois Department of Corrections housing 45,000 offenders in custody with only 31,000 beds. Advertisement IDOC will take over operations July 1, said spokeswoman Nicole Wilson, but the department is still weighing what type of prisoners and how many will be housed there. (Celeste Bott) *Airbnb fight continues: The battle over the city's attempts to regulate Airbnb stayed hot in the days after Mayor Emanuel's ordinance stalled in the City Council, with aldermen and a company executive sparring over how to get a handle on the growth of online rental platforms. On WBBM-AM 780's "At Issue" program that aired Sunday, Airbnb spokesman Christopher Nulty clashed with Ald. Brendan Reilly and Ald. Michele Smith, who say parts of their lakefront wards are getting transformed for the worse by investors renting out otherwise empty apartments for large groups of partying tourists weekend after weekend. Emanuel held off bringing his plan for a vote in the City Council last week, saying aldermen needed time to digest it but insisting that it will pass next month. From the sounds of the back and forth with radio host Craig Dellimore mediating, there are still some significant bad feelings between the two sides and differences of opinion about the merits of the mayor's ordinance. Nulty said it's wrong for the the two aldermen's relatively "fringe" types of problems to drive the debate, bringing up the idea of class conflict that has played a role in the argument in recent weeks and saying the measure now on the table would punish middle-class Chicagoans. "We should be talking about ordinances and proposals that address the vast majority of what people are doing, which is sharing their primary residence, which is using this to make ends meet," Nulty said. "The sort of quality-of-life concerns the two aldermen have outlined should certainly be part of the debate, and certainly should be part of the conversation. But to allow those issues on the fringe to drive the debate and to punish middle-class people living not just in their neighborhoods, not just in wealthy neighborhoods on the North Side, not just where hotels are, but on the South Side, where our business is growing faster than anywhere else in the city, on the West Side, where people are more likely to share a room in their home than anywhere else in the city, is just not acceptable." Advertisement And he implied Smith and Reilly were carrying water for the hotel industry in its battle to slow Airbnb, a charge they denied. Smith countered that Airbnb's talk of standing up for regular people is a smokescreen for its true reliance on commercial interests. "No one has a right to operate a business in their home," said Smith, 43rd. "And as much as this service purports to be all about just helping a few people get by, the fact is a third of your profits come from these 'superhosts,' at the very least. And you've shown no willingness to confine your service to one where it's just about people renting out a spare room. So I really challenge your assertion that this is all about middle-class families." Reilly, 42nd, said Airbnb officials have said they won't abide by points of the law they don't like. Nulty countered that a clause in the proposal requiring Airbnb to remove information from its site from hosts who break the city code is a violation of federal law. Smith said Airbnb agreed during protracted negotiations on the complicated ordinance to pull violators off the site. "You agreed to remove them from the platform, isn't that the case?" she asked. "And again, we'll return to the Communications Decency Act, which is a federal law which that portion of the proposed ordinance is in conflict with," Nulty replied. Advertisement "So you're saying you're not going to do it," Smith said. "No, what we're saying is, there's significant amounts of case law, which I'm happy to share with you, which would suggest that it is in violation of federal law," Nulty said. "Our belief is enforcement belongs to the city," he added. Reilly said Nulty's comments indicated the company was "backsliding" from promises it made during negotiations, calling into question the ordinance the mayor hopes the City Council will adopt in June. (John Byrne) *The Sunday Spin: On this week's show, Chicago Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson's guests were former state Republican Chairman Pat Brady; Mayors Jerry Bennett, of Palos Hills, and Martin Tully, of Downers Grove; and state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill. Full show here. Follow the money *Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash Advertisement Beyond Chicago *Presidential race, Republican side: National polls pretty meaningless, it's the electoral map that counts. *Presidential race, Democratic side: Clinton's campaign apparatus dwarfs Trump's. *Afghan leaders see Taliban leader's death as hopeful sign. *Iraq tries to retake ISIS-held Fallujah. It was the last day of classes at the University of Calgary, celebrated for half a century as "Bermuda Shorts Day" and the beginning of new lives for graduates. There would be not merely a blood moon but a total eclipse of the moon that night. For some 20 young people in Canada on April 14, 2014, it was reason to party. But for Matthew de Grood, it was reason to kill. And kill he did early on the morning of April 15, when he brutally stabbed to death five unsuspecting students in the leafy neighborhood of Brentwood. Now Canada is riveted by his trial and the details that are emerging about his detachment from reality. In his mind, the full moon meant the end of days and was a call for a hero to slay the werewolves and vampires at the party - a call he answered. He admits he did it. He killed five people who had no reason to believe he was anything other than normal. Advertisement But he says he was not criminally responsible and thus not guilty. The legal question is whether he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the five slayings that rendered him incapable of appreciating the nature of what he did, or that what he did was wrong. If the court finds he wasn't criminally responsible, he'll be sent to a psychiatric facility for treatment rather than a prison for potentially five life sentences. The trial, which began May 16, is also a study in psychosis, a detachment from reality that can manifest itself without warning especially in young people. The psychiatrists who examined him portray a rather abrupt divorce between de Grood and the real world which transformed him from the respectable son of a high-ranking police officer and a promising college grad bound for law school and a career as a prosecutor to, in his mind, a character in his own fantasy of conspiracies - conspiracies involving werewolves, vampires, an ancient Masonic cult called "Illuminati," and for good measure, U.S. President Barack Obama, among others. Advertisement "He began to believe that he was the son of God and also the god Anubis," reported court appointed forensic psychiatrist, Lenka Zedkova, of Alberta Edmonton Hospital. "He told his examiners that he had been reading about and believed that that there had been a conspiracy involving the Illuminati, werewolves and vampires, and that there was to be a war. He indicated to us that the music he was listening to also referred to him as a 'hero' citing the lyrics from one of the musical bands that he had posted on his Facebook account. He reported that he had believed he was Darth Vader and that his father was on the side of evil.. . ..He admitted that he began to believe that the evil side included Barack Obama and the Nazis. He believed that the world was to end April 14 because there was a full moon that night." Then there's the human question, for the families of those slain and those following the trial - a dread that sends shivers up the spine: You go to a party, or your son or daughter goes to a party with people they think they know. Nice kids. College kids. And some of them don't come back alive for inexplicable reasons. Had there been more people to kill, de Grood told psychiatrists, he would have killed them too. Zachariah Rothwell, 21; Jordan Segura, 22; Josh Hunter, 23; Kaitlin Perras, 23 and Lawrence Hong, 27 - they're all dead, at the bloody hands of de Grood, who stabbed each and every one of them without provocation, without warning, with an 8-inch kitchen knife he calmly removed from its wooden block.They had dreams too, as the court heard when it, unusually, allowed family members to stand and pay tribute to their lost loved ones. "He was passionate, and driven and he was building up to something," said Miles Hong, the brother of Lawrence. "I never thought that there would be a tomorrow without my brother," he said, according to the CBC. "The word psychosis," says the National Institute of Mental Health, "is used to describe conditions that affect the mind, where there has been some loss of contact with reality. When someone becomes ill in this way it is called a psychotic episode. During a period of psychosis, a person's thoughts and perceptions are disturbed and the individual may have difficulty understanding what is real and what is not. Symptoms of psychosis include delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear). Other symptoms include incoherent or nonsense speech, and behavior that is inappropriate for the situation." It may or may not be a symptom of mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. And it can be hard to spot, with many people who experience a first episode having symptoms for more than a year before anyone figures it out and they get treatment, according to the NIMH. And "the bad news," wrote NIMH director Thomas Insel in a 2014 blog post, "is that we don't yet have an intervention proven to prevent psychosis in those at risk." De Grood was one of those who went unspotted until it was too late. Sure, there was a strange Facebook post, a reference to a rock band and a song, but it was like a million other posts about rock bands, with nothing obviously threatening, except in hindsight. Indeed, he seemed to have everything to look forward to, and little to regret. He held a job at the local Safeway and had given his employers no reason to suspect there was anything dreadfully wrong when he headed over to Segura's rented house for the party, though witnesses at Safeway said he was "not looking well," according to Zedkova's psychiatric report. Before leaving, according to the statement of facts, he bought a box cutter to take with him. It later was revealed that he had "purchased garlic to protect himself because the vampires and werewolves were on the side of evil," Zedkova wrote in her report to the court. Advertisement The sequence of events after he left the Safeway is drawn from the court statements of two psychiatrists, including Zedkova, and a statement of facts that was read aloud in court by the prosecutor and agreed to by the defense attorney, as described in the Canadian press, including CTV news, the Toronto Star, the CBC and Global News. Once at the party, witnesses would later tell police, de Grood did indeed turn "weird." He spoke of "vampires" and of "getting ready for the big apocalypse." And he texted odd, frightening, messages that made little sense. To his parents: "I'm OK, mom. I promise." "You can't come here or you will die." "I promise I'm coming home ASAP." To the Safeway manager: " Trust that I never hurt anyone." "All will be known" and the number "5," with no further explanation. "Are you OK?" his father responded. "I am very concerned about your incoherent ramblings." Advertisement "Illuminati," his son responded. "Mary doesn't have to die this time operation mind crime to American soldier." Illuminati? Why the reference to the " Ancient and Illuminated Seers of Bavaria," a Masonic offshoot, which, like the Masons, have a cherished place in the sometimes deranged literature of conspiracy and paranoia. "You're sounding like you are losing your mental faculties," his father replied. "Hey," his father texted, "where are you. . .[don't] do anything rash. We love you." To that, there was no reply. By that time, according to testimony and evidence at his trial over the past week, he had begun to do something so rash there was nothing left to say, nothing that could be said. "Around 12:30 a.m." on April 15, as the CBC reported, "some of the party guests were gathered around a fire outside when Riley Lindenaar saw de Grood place his cellphone on an axe blade and drop it in the fire. Lindenaar got the phone out of fire but de Grood grabbed it, smashed it with the axe and threw it away with no explanation. Brendan McCabe said de Grood complained that his parents thought he was going insane and wanted him to get help and go on medication. He also said the end of the world was coming at midnight and spoke of 'purification" and 'jihad.'" Advertisement Around 1 a.m. McCabe left the house with three others to get food at McDonald's. De Grood engaged in a conversation with Zachariah Rothwell and "began to believe" he was a "werewolf as they discussed the end of the world. He indicated that he felt Zachariah was arguing with him but he felt immediately threatened when he said 'maybe you'll die before me' to Mr. De Grood," Zedkova stated. "It was at this point" that he went to the kitchen "to grab the knife before Zachariah could attack him. . ..He believed that this was the only way to kill a werewolf." He then went after the others, telling Zedkova that "the four other victims were attacked because he felt that they were part of the conspiracy," the report said, because "earlier in the evening they had snubbed him." And besides, "he had heard a male voice, who he thought was the devil, telling him to 'kill them before they get you.'" Which he did. That crowd at the party had dwindled from 20 or 15 to a handful. In all, de Grood stabbed and killed five party-goers, including Segura, a total of 22 times. It was the worst mass killing in Calgary's history, drawing worldwide attention in part because these things don't happen there. The examinations psychiatrists presented at the trial have offered a rare window into the mind of a mass killer. What the young people at the party didn't know, couldn't have known, was that a monster had materialized in their midst. Advertisement The statement, read by Crown prosecutor Neil Wiberg, said de Grood stabbed the victims quickly, according to CTV news, the Toronto Star and the CBC. "I just want to say that when I stabbed them, I tried to do it mercifully," de Grood was quoted as saying in the statement. "I aimed for their heart. They put up a struggle, which made it hard but, so you know, it wasn't sadistic or anything," de Grood is quoted telling police officers. "What I did may seem atrocious but I was killing Medusas, werewolves." When the others returned to the house from McDonald's about 20 minutes later, they heard screaming, according to the statement as reported by the CBC. "Hunter came running out of the house with de Grood chasing after him. Hunter told them de Grood had a knife, before collapsing on the front lawn, where friends began trying to save his life. "De Grood's hands and his knife were covered in blood. 'It's the night of the long knives,' de Grood said, before taking off on foot, running." Brendan McCabe, a boyhood friend who had brought de Grood to the party, chased him and caught up with him, shoving him against a parked truck. De Grood wiped his bloody hands on McCabe and said they were "blood brothers." Advertisement Then de Grood reached into his pocket for a box cutter he'd brought from work and told McCabe to back off or he'd be next. "McCabe complied," as the CBC reported, "and returned to the house where Hunter was clinging to life on the front lawn. Inside, Segura, Rathwell and Hong were already dead. Perras was also critically wounded, and friends were trying frantically to save her and Hunter." De Grood ran again. Police tracked him with a police dog, which brought him to the ground. In the ambulance, he reportedly declared himself "the son of God," "born in an incubator" and an "alien." He wasn't just "losing his mental faculties," as his father suspected, the psychiatrists testified last week. He had already lost them. De Grood, had suffered a psychotic episode - his first, as far as they knew, as he had no prior history and no diagnosed mental illness. His delusional state was deep and deeply dangerous. That full moon, so dazzling to the Northern Hemisphere, was to him a sign that the world was coming to an end, psychiatrists said in their reports. Others at the party, in his mind, were werewolves who he felt compelled to destroy. His twisted brain harbored illusions of a sinister albeit incoherent conspiracy. Neither de Grood nor the doctors were sure when it all started, when his "thinking changed," as Zedkova reported. It may have been at least two weeks prior to the crimes, but he kept it well hidden. Advertisement It was an odd assortment of conspirators to be sure, but not so odd that your can't find similar linkages described on the internet as Robert Todd Carroll writes in the Skeptics Dictionary: The Illuminati "were members of a secret society in Bavaria in the late 18th century. They had a political agenda that included republicanism and abolition of monarchies, which they tried to institute by means of subterfuge, secrecy, and conspiracy, including the infiltration of other organizations. They fancied themselves to be 'enlightened' but they had little success and were destroyed within fifteen years of their origin. . ..Paranoid conspiracy theorists (PCTs) believe the Illuminati cabal still exists, either in its original form or as a paradigm for later cabals." Many PCTs believe "that large Jewish banking families have been orchestrating various political revolutions and machinations throughout Europe and America since the late eighteenth century, with the ultimate aim of bringing about a satanic New World Order. What George Bush was talking about in his state of the union address in 1991 was no less than the establishment of a single world government with the anti-Christ (who some say is Bill Clinton (or is he a decoy?), but could be Pat Robertson or George W. Bush or Barack Obama ) at its head.. . .. There are several 'sects' of PCTs. . ...They each think the others are evil or nuts but their paranoia has the same focus: the end is near." But de Grood was no mere conspiracy theorist, as both psychiatrists agreed. Based on their examinations of him, he was at that moment psychotic. "Mr. De Grood," the Zedkova report continued, "recounted that on 14 April he went to work as usual but had known the world was going to end that day. He purchased garlic to protect himself because the vampires and werewolves were on the side of the evil. He admitted in our interview that his beliefs about werewolves came from the movie series, Twilight, and his beliefs about vampires came from his reading the graphic novel Cirque du Freak. . ..He believed he need to wear gloves and a box cutter that night because it was his job to dismember the bodies from the war that was at hand and to dispose the bodies before the police arrived because the police were part of the conspiracy." De Grood told psychiatrists he wasn't sure when the war would begin. But the exchange, an argument with another party-goer, Zacharia, convinced him that it had. His future will soon be in the hands of a judge. "What they will have to show is the accused didn't appreciate . . . or didn't know what he was doing was morally wrong," Michael Nesbitt, of the University of Calgary Law School, told the CBC. "So really, what it's going to be about is his capacity to understand either what he was doing would result in death or to understand that what he was doing was wrong." If the court finds de Grood not criminally responsible, it would likely order him hospitalized, though it could send him home under restrictions. Advertisement Zedhkova and a second psychiatrist, Alberto Choy, both said that they believed de Grood should be found not criminally responsible. "In my opinion," wrote Choy, "it is more likely than not that Mr. De Grood appreciated the nature and quality of his acts in stabbing his victims. . ..However, it is my opinion that, more likely than not, Mr. De Grood did not know, or even appreciate, that his behavior was morally wrong because he was operating under a delusion that he was being threatened at the time." The trial resumes with closing argument on Tuesday. Friends and relatives attend a memorial service for EgyptAir pilot Mohamed Saeed Shokair on May 22, 2016, in Cairo. (Chris McGrath / AFP/Getty Images) Reporting from Cairo He came from a family of pilots. One uncle was an air force captain. Two cousins, like him, flew for the national carrier, EgyptAir. Mohamed Saeed Shokair died doing what he was born to do, family members said Sunday at a funeral service for the pilot of EgyptAir Flight 804, which crashed into the Mediterranean last week with 66 people on board. Advertisement "It was not a job; it was his passion," Samir Shokair, a cousin, said outside the mosque in eastern Cairo where relatives gathered on a dry, windy evening to bid quiet farewells. Like all the funerals held across Egypt this weekend for the crash victims, there was no body to bury. Only unidentified human remains and bits of debris have surfaced since the plane went down Thursday morning, confounding investigators and deepening the anguish of family members. Advertisement A Coptic Christian grieves during prayers for the victims of Thursday's crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, at Al-Boutrossiya Church in Cairo on May 22, 2016. (Amr Nabil / Associated Press ) He was not an extremist. He was a popular person, close with everyone. He always wanted to be a pilot. Samir Shokair, cousin of the EgyptAir pilot Authorities have dismissed theories that Shokair, 36, or his 24-year-old copilot brought the aircraft down intentionally as happened with a 1999 EgyptAir flight that originated in Los Angeles and crashed into the waters off New England. They have described Shokair as a respected veteran with more than 6,000 hours of flying time under his belt one-third of that at the controls of an A320. Family members, too, have had to contend with speculation about Shokair's motives or mental state. "He was not an extremist," Samir Shokair said. "He was a popular person, close with everyone. He always wanted to be a pilot." Outside the prayer hall, close male relatives in dark suits stood in two rows, greeting mourners with hugs and solemn handshakes. Women waited in an adjacent room, some clutching handkerchiefs close to their faces. Mohamed Shokair's father, wearing a gray jacket and open shirt collar, arrived at the mosque at dusk looking drained. He walked with a slight stoop. But when questioned by an Egyptian news crew, he suddenly grabbed the reporter's microphone and spoke directly into the camera in a calm, forceful voice. "Mohamed was a good pilot. He had flown a lot of hours he was not some beginner," Saeed Shokair said, his eyes fixed. "And he knows God. He never missed a prayer." His father told a story about how, a few months ago, airline employees were on the verge of striking over working conditions. Shokair helped organize a dinner meeting for pilots in a Cairo suburb where they reached a decision to avert the work stoppage, winning him praise from civil aviation officials. Advertisement "We are a nationalistic people," his father said. "We should support EgyptAir." Sharif Fathy, the civil aviation minister, came to pay his respects, as officials and EgyptAir executives have done at several funerals for crew members. Afterward, Fathy described Shokair as "a trustworthy pilot with enough experience" and rejected speculation that the crash was caused by human error. "He didn't do anything wrong," Fathy said. A security guard keeps watch as Egypt's civil aviation minister, Sharif Fathy, speaks to the media after attending a memorial service for EgyptAir pilot Mohamed Shokair on May 22, 2016, in Cairo. (Chris McGrath / AFP/Getty Images ) Acknowledging the grief of families, Fathy said that recovering the bodies of the victims was "the No. 1 priority" of search teams. He said Egypt had requested additional equipment from private companies and foreign countries to assist in the search, but declined to speculate on the scant clues that have surfaced so far. Among them is the finding by French civil aviation authorities that automatic messages sent from the aircraft indicated smoke in the cabin shortly before it lost radar contact at 2:30 a.m. Thursday. Although the French agency said it was too early to determine what caused the smoke, aviation experts said the information was consistent with a fire on board. Fathy, who made headlines in the early hours following the crash for saying terrorism was the most likely cause, declined to speculate any further. Advertisement "It doesn't mean anything so far," he said. "Smoke can come for many reasons." Questions have also surrounded Shokair's copilot, Mohamed Mamdouh Assem, who the airline said had amassed 2,766 flying hours. Assem's friends described him as a warm, popular young man who was living out the dream he set for himself as a schoolboy: to fly for EgyptAir, which he joined straight out of aviation school about two years ago. "He always talked about being a pilot," said Ahmed Amin, a childhood friend from Cairo. "He was very happy doing what he was doing." Assem suffered tragedy about two years ago when his mother died of cancer, Amin said. But he met a woman recently, and the two were making plans to get married. Shokair was unmarried and had no children, family members said. But he also was planning to settle down; he bought land outside the city where he was going to build a house, his father said. Those hopes were extinguished Thursday, leaving an elderly father to grieve the loss of his only son. Advertisement "I hope whoever took away my son will lose the light in their eyes," Saeed Shokair said. "Because I've lost the light of my eye." Special correspondent Omar El Adl contributed to this report. The police found 27-year-old Tomohiro Iwazaki near the Tokyo concert venue with a bloody, 3-inch-long folding knife close by. Iwazaki admitted he had lost his temper. He'd sent a gift to pop star Mayu Tomita, 20, which she refused. Advertisement So, Iwazaki said to the officials, he attacked her. "I sent a gift (to Tomita) but it was returned," Iwazaki told the police, according to the South China Morning Post. "I asked her why but she gave an evasive answer, so I became mad and stabbed her numerous times." Advertisement The pop star had two dozen cuts and stab wounds to her neck, back, arms and chest, reports the Japan Times. Tomita, who had previously alerted authorities that Iwazaki was stalking her, is unconscious and remains in critical condition. The owner of a nearby restaurant said "a trail of blood and a bloodstained mask were found on stairs leading to the room where the concert was to take place," according to the Times. Tomita is one of Japan's so-called idols, young pop stars who can skyrocket to fame, buoyed by throngs of adoring fans. Perhaps the most famous of Japan's idol supergroups is AKB48, which now boasts more than a hundred women, mostly in their teens to early 20s. Watching an AKB48 performance -- the combination of youth and fantasy bordering on lasciviousness -- has been compared to viewing a Balthus painting. The price of an idol's fame, however, often comes with hyper-restrictive contracts. Typical clauses can bar an idol from marrying or dating, the BBC reported in January. One industry executive told Japan Today that idols' schedules, moreover, are kept so tightly managed finding time for a romantic partner is prohibitive. The goal is a curated sense of kawaii, of cuteness that is not simply cute. Kawaii is "not just something you love," University of Tokyo's Roland Kelts told The Washington Post in 2008. "It's something you want to protect." When 20-year-old Minami Minegishi, an idol in AKB48, admitted to spending a night with her boyfriend in 2013, she shaved her head and offered a public apology for being "thoughtless and immature," according to the BBC. Celebrity stalking is by no means isolated to Japan; as a recent example, sportscaster Erin Andrews was awarded $55 million in a widely-publicized stalking case. But after Minegishi's apology, the Japan Times criticized idol fan culture as "institutionally incapable of dealing with independence in young women. It seeks out and fetishizes weaknesses and vulnerabilities" as part of a manufactured narrative. The attack on Tomita mirrors the assault on two members of AKB48, who were struck at a fan "handshake" event in May 2014. A 24-year-old man wielding a handsaw broke the right hands of Anna Iriyama, 18, and Rina Kawae, 19, before security could restrain him. The Japan Times reports that someone thought to be Iwazaki had sent threatening Twitter messages to Tomita. "I will never forget that I was looked down upon by you," one read. Police plan to charge Iwazaki, according to the Times, with attempted murder. SANAA, Yemen A pair of suicide bombings carried out by Islamic State militants killed at least 45 people in Yemen's southern city of Aden on Monday, security officials said. They said the bombings targeted young men seeking to join the army. One suicide car bomber targeted a line outside an army recruitment center, killing at least 20. A second bomber on foot detonated his explosive vest among a group of recruits waiting outside the home of an army commander, killing at least 25. Scores of others were wounded, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. The local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group claimed responsibility for both attacks in a statement posted on social media networks by sympathizers. It said the bombing at the residence of the commander killed more than 30 and was carried out by a native of Aden it identified as Abu Ali al-Adani. It did not give casualty figures for the attack at the army recruitment center, which it said was carried out by an explosive device, not a suicide car bomb as the officials said. There was no explanation immediately available for the discrepancy. Yemen has for nearly two years been gripped by a war pitting the internationally recognized government against Shiite rebels who control the capital, Saana, and are allied with forces loyal to a former president. The country is also home to active al-Qaida and Islamic State group affiliates. Monday's blasts underline the precarious security situation in Aden, the country's main port on the Arabian Sea, several months after government forces and allied militiamen backed by a Saudi-led coalition retook the city from the Shiite rebels, also known as the Houthis. The city has in recent months seen a series of suicide bombings and assassinations mainly targeting army and security forces. Contributing further to the instability in Aden is recent the eviction of northern Yemenis, the work of suspected separatists who seek an independent south. Associated Press Taliban leader Mullah Mansour in a 2015 file photograph. The U.S. conducted an airstrike on May 21, 2016, in Pakistan aimed at Mansour. (Rahmat Gul / AP) President Barack Obama called the death of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan this weekend "an important milestone." Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's administration hailed Mansour's death as a potential turning point in his war-wracked country. The death of the top gun of an organization that has blown up so many innocent Afghans and American soldiers is indeed a significant moment. Still, the enthusiasm shared by Obama and Ghani needs to be tempered. Mansour's death is neither a milestone nor a turning point. The Taliban may have a leadership void now, but so does the Afghan government in Kabul. Advertisement Afghanistan isn't getting fixed any time soon. After more than 14 years of war with the U.S., NATO and a tenuous Afghan army, the Taliban retains a strong presence in parts of the country, particularly in the south. What's more, the Islamic State has established roots in eastern Afghanistan and is solidifying itself as yet another threat to the country's immediate future. There also are reports that al-Qaida, which turned Afghanistan into its home base in the lead-up to 9/11, is trying to make a comeback. The New York Times reported late last year that al-Qaida camps have been appearing in the country's southern provinces. Advertisement Militancy, particularly the Taliban's brand of it, continues to flourish in Afghanistan in part because everyday Afghans have yet to be given a reason to not support the Taliban. Particularly in the south, Afghans feel they get more justice, and more security, from the Taliban rather than from Kabul and its security forces. Taking out the extremist group's leaders, while necessary, isn't going to sway Afghan citizens to pledge loyalty to Kabul. Giving them a normal way of life will. At the root of Afghanistan's dysfunction is a government that has balked at unifying and failed at providing the basics every society needs good schools, employment and especially enduring security. Afghan civilian casualties reached record levels last year: According to the U.N., 3,545 civilians were killed in the war, and another 7,457 were injured 4 percent more than the number of casualties in 2014. And in what is supposed to be the most secure place in the country its capital bombings maim and kill with horrific regularity. Last month a Taliban truck bomb outside an Afghan elite-force compound killed at least 64 people. Despite years of promises of reform, corruption still threads through every level of society. The economy remains on life support. And probably most telling: Thousands of young Afghans have fled their homeland for Europe in the past year, an ironic twist given the billions of dollars that European countries have poured into Afghanistan in economic and military aid. In remarks given during his trip to Vietnam, Obama said the strike on Mansour was justified not only because of civilian and coalition lives the Taliban has claimed, but because as the group's leader, Mansour persistently refused to meaningfully engage in peace talks to end the conflict. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability." There's no indication, however, that Mansour's death will lead to Taliban acquiescence to peace talks. And rest assured, the Taliban aren't likely to be leaderless for very long. Militant groups have a knack for having successor candidates groomed and queued up, ready to assume power when a chief dies. The Afghan Taliban shouldn't be any different, and there's already talk of two leading candidates: Mohammad Yaqob, son of Mullah Mohammed Omar, Mansour's dead predecessor; and Sirajuddin Haqqani, Mansour's deputy and leader of feared Taliban offshoot the Haqqani Network. It shouldn't matter who succeeds Mansour. The key to success in Afghanistan entails giving Afghans a rock-solid reason to back the government in Kabul rather than the Taliban. That will happen only when Kabul gives Afghans confidence that it can effectively build and manage the economy and keep its people safe. We applaud Washington's effort to decapitate the Taliban. But President Obama would have more reason to boast if U.S. involvement was yielding a more stable Afghanistan. Advertisement Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. An Aurora man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a young child he knew. Armando Romero-Gutierrez, 38, of the 100 block of South LaSalle Street, Aurora, was sentenced by Kane County Circuit Judge Donald M. Tegeler Jr. to 20 years in prison. Romero-Gutierrez was convicted March 9 by a Kane County jury of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, each a Class X felony, and 16 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, each a Class 2 felony. Advertisement Kane County prosecutors presented evidence at trial that between June 2010 and June 2014 Romero-Gutierrez sexually assaulted and sexually abused the victim, a young child he knew who was younger than 12 years old at the time. The sentence is seven years each for the sexual assault counts to run consecutive to one another, plus six years each for the sexual abuse counts. The sexual abuse sentences run concurrent to one another and consecutive to the sexual assault sentences, for a total of 20 years. Advertisement Romero-Gutierrez receives credit for 632 days served in the Kane County jail, where he had been held since his arrest in lieu of $750,000 bail. Bond was revoked upon conviction. In addition to the prison term, Romero-Gutierrez must register for life as a sexual offender in accordance with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act. Two pedestrians were hit by a vehicle while trying to cross Route 47 near Sugar Grove. Kane County Sheriff's Office deputies said that David Anderson, 43, of Bristol, and Curtis Lippold, 26, of Aurora, were hit by the vehicle about 12:25 a.m. Sunday. They had been at a gas station at Jericho Road and Route 47 and were attempting to cross Route 47 to get to the west side of the road when they were struck by a vehicle traveling south on Route 47, deputies said. Advertisement David Anderson was flown by helicopter from the scene to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. Curtis Lippold was taken by ambulance to Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora and later flown by helicopter to Good Samaritan as well. The driver of the vehicle was uninjured and was cooperative with police, deputies said. No charges have been filed against the driver and the investigation is ongoing. Route 47 was closed for approximately three hours following the crash. HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. Earlier this month, I went on a weeklong business trip through Mississippi and Louisiana, but avoided staying in motels. Instead I lodged in strangers' spare bedrooms that I found on the Internet site Airbnb.com. Airbnb is an example of the "sharing economy" and it just drives politicians nuts, because it is difficult for them to tax and regulate. And some politicians live just to do those two things. Especially, Illinois politicians. Advertisement For example, the Chicago City Council is considering regulations that would limit Airbnb rentals, require registration and licensing and impose a tax. Oh please, give me a break. Advertisement This burgeoning activity doesn't need to be stifled with more regulations and taxes. After all, the best regulator of economic activity is the marketplace itself. If an Airbnb landlord is a jerk or provides a not so tidy place to stay, folks will stop staying with that person because of the bad customer reviews that will inevitably be posted. The same goes for bad tenants. No landlord wants to lease to someone who leaves a mess or is loud and disruptive. The sharing economy is not a new concept, but the Internet has put it into hyper-drive. Back in the 1950s before the creation of interstate highways my grandparents took their first vacation from their home in Bushnell, Ill., to Colorado. The pair, being frugal survivors of the Great Depression, watched for "room for rent" signposts in folks' front yards along U.S. 34. Grandpa would stop and bargain with the homeowners for the cost of staying in a room that night. Today, homeowners don't have to post signs in their front yards to attract renters. Sites like Airbnb allow them to reach an international audience. In my case, I needed to travel to Holly Springs, Miss., to do research for a book I'm writing on a long-ago murder case. So I looked on Airbnb for lodging available in the area. I ended up renting a tiny cabin on a lake in a remote wooded area. The next two nights I spent in strangers' spare bedrooms in Jackson, Miss., and New Orleans. I determined each was a good place to stay by reading the reviews left by previous guests. I put a whole lot more credence in these reviews than I would in any government regulation. After all, I've stayed in plenty of questionable motels over the years that somehow passed government inspection. I remember a "government-inspected" Chicago-area hotel where the carpet turned the soles of my feet black just walking from the shower to the bed. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > But just as taxi drivers feel threatened by Uber another business in the sharing economy so too do motel owners by Airbnb. Advertisement Electronic applications like Uber and Airbnb empower ordinary people to use the resources they have such as an extra bedroom or a car to provide services to the public and earn an extra income. I encountered a number of people like this as I made my way across the South. For example, I stayed in a spare bedroom in Jackson, Miss., where two cats periodically would visit my room. I'm an animal lover and enjoyed the nocturnal visits and was fully informed of their presence when booking online. And, later in the week, I stayed in an extra bedroom of a home owned by a journalist and her husband, who was completing his Ph.D. in economics. We had had a hardy conversation comparing our views of supply-side vs. Keynesian economics. We didn't see eye-to-eye. But one thing we both agreed on is that the sharing economy is here to stay. He was getting extra income for his family by leasing an extra room, and I was getting a safe, clean place to stay in an interesting neighborhood. That's how the free-market works, goods and services are shared for the benefit of everyone. And that's why it's time for politicians to just butt out. Scott Reeder is a veteran statehouse journalist. He works as a freelance reporter in the Springfield area and can be reached at ScottReeder1965@gmail.com. Round Lake area police officers surround a home on the 800 block of Seneca Terrace while seeking a suspect who knocked an officer to the ground while driving away from a shoplifting allegation on Sunday, May 22. Joe Shuman/For The Chicago Tribune (Joe Shuman / Chicago Tribune) An arrest warrant has been issued for a Waukegan man suspected of shoplifting and knocking down a Round Lake Beach police officer with the door of a vehicle Sunday, police said. The officer responded about 12:30 p.m. to a report of a retail theft at Wal-Mart at 2680 N. Route 83 and learned 43-year-old Cedric Brown was seen leaving the store with merchandise that had not been paid for, Round Lake Beach Deputy Chief Michael Scott said. Advertisement When Brown saw the police car pull into the parking lot, he fled to his vehicle, Scott said. When the officer approached and opened the driver's side door, Brown began backing the vehicle up, which knocked the officer to the ground with the open door, police said. Scott said the officer suffered some road rash on his knee and hands, but got up and pursued Brown. Advertisement "His injuries were minor and he wanted to follow through on the call," Scott said. The vehicle was found in the 800 block of Seneca Trail in Round Lake Heights about 2 p.m., but Brown was not located, Scott said. An arrest warrant with a $500,000 bond has been issued for Brown, of the 1000 block of Pacific Avenue in Waukegan, who is charged with aggravated battery, resisting arrest and burglary, police said. Scott added that the suspect also is wanted in connection with shoplifting incidents at the same store May 16 and 18. According to Lake County Circuit Court records, other warrants were issued for his arrest on charges of burglary, retail theft and possession of stolen property Jan. 3, Jan. 17 and March 15. fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden The problem with electronic surveillance technology is less that it fails when you hope it works. The problem is that it won't stop working when you shut it off. The Round Lake Park police department seems to have discovered this flaw. Its cameras went into permanent and ugly police-cam butt-dialing mode. Advertisement In the case of RLP, we don't know precisely what their person-mounted cameras (what an unfortunate police term) were photographing, but it was not on the approved list. Chief George Filenko reportedly said he has not seen what is on the video. Won't look. Can't make him. Get that video screen out of my face. Advertisement That's not merely because Filenko does not want to see naked, hairy images of his own police force, but also because he might be called to testify about what he saw. True, it's not the Zapruder Film of Naked Cops, but here come the lawyers anyway. The officers have been forced against their will, I guess to hire a Chicago lawyer to make sure their civil rights have not been violated. Police are very sensitive about civil rights when it comes to naked pictures of them. Maybe it was just an unfortunate and inadvertent Congressman Weiner image. Or maybe it was "Rugged Police Officers At Ease in the Locker Room." Something more cinematic. This has occurred because the Watch Guard Systems video cameras carried by each officer since August "were not recording in conjunction with protocols." It was a conjunction malfunction. Filenko's description, not mine. The body cameras were supposed to record for 30 seconds after the officer manually activated the camera, but the secret eye kept recording video at all times, even when everyone thought the cameras were turned off. As they used to say when you were called to the principal's office: Mister, this will go on your permanent record. "I've never seen any of the footage and we locked the system down, but from what I've been told, the videos captured officers in the locker room and using the facilities," Filenko told reporters who could barely stop from laughing. "When we found about it, we shut the cameras down and took the devices completely out of service." "Facilities," for those of your never exposed to high school Latin, comes from "facilitas," which is the large Roman room with urinals. Advertisement The system now has new software. They're testing it to insure "off" really means "off." But some members of Filenko's 13-cop staff apparently wanted a Chicago lawyer to see if Filenko was using the cameras to spy on his own officers. Oh, the humiliation. I doubt it's true, but I sure hope so. Spying on cops this way is a pretty good management idea, if you think they've been spending all morning on stakeout at Dunkin' Donuts. Filenko has even called for his own "independent investigation." We're hoping for Clouseau or maybe Inspector Gadget. We also hope for a trial. It would be a humdinger, which comes from the Latin word, hum-dingus. After a few years of pretending they really wanted to have their police work monitored on video, Illinois police now face the uncomfortable reality that someone's camera is never off. The trend to person-mounted police cams began only after years of prosecuting citizens for doing the same thing to police with their own citizen phone. Advertisement Suffering from a dense state legislature and hostile prosecutors, Illinois residents who dared record police doing their jobs were jailed for interfering with police work. The state Supreme Court eventually announced unambiguously that not only did citizens have a constitutional right to photograph police at work, but police should do it, too. Everybody gets to video everybody. Transparency uber alles. Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Nobody could have been more surprised than Illinois police who had been having such a good time waterboarding protesters without fear of video witnesses. As for police in Round Lake Park, can they solve complicated crimes? We hope so, but it's a worry if they can't find the "off" switch. The RLP's forces beat everyone else in the county when they acquired body cams first. Filenko was momentarily happy. He had escaped successfully back into obscurity after many tense months chasing phantom evildoers as head of the star-crossed Lake County Major Crime Task Force. Advertisement Like O.J. still hunting for Nicole's "real" killer, Donald Trump rummaging through Kenya for President Obama's birth certificate and various pursuits of Big Foot and The Loch Ness Monster, the task force's frantic search for Joe Gliniewicz's killer has calmed down now. Now everybody's just hunting for the off button. David.Rutter@live.com The owner of electronic cigarette store Good Guy Vapes said his Lincolnshire location was already abiding by the practices that are now a village ordinance. (Ronnie Wachter / Pioneer Press) Without a state law regulating electronic cigarettes, Lincolnshire recently joined the growing list of municipalities with ordinances that have put restrictions on the growing industry. The Lincolnshire Village Board approved earlier this month a proposal that classifies "e-cigs" and the practice known as vaping with traditional cigarettes and smoking. In Lincolnshire, it now cannot be done by those under 18, cannot be done inside most workplaces and cannot be done near building entrances and exits. Advertisement Police Chief Peter Kinsey said the intent behind the move is to keep the new products which the federal government worries are being aimed at teens without enough disclosures about what goes inside them out of reach for kids. "That's exactly the problem," Kinsey said. "If you look at the way these products are marketed, it's like they're trying to entice younger people." Advertisement According to a recent Chicago Tribune article, "e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that turn liquid nicotine into an inhalable vapor. They lack the chemicals and tars of burning tobacco, but the cigarettes have not been extensively studied, and there's no scientific consensus on the risks or advantages of 'vaping.' More than 15 percent of high school students report using e-cigarettes, up more than 900 percent over the last five years, according to federal figures." That story also showed that the Food and Drug Administration have created new rules that will corral e-cigs, nicotine gels, hookahs and pipe tobacco into the same classifications as traditional cigarettes. The rules go into effect in August, when "retailers will be prohibited from selling the tobacco products to anyone under 18, placing them in vending machines or distributing free samples," the Tribune reported. Another major change is two years away, when the companies that make vapor products will have to start disclosing exactly what they put in their liquids. Many of them have fruity or candy flavors, which some say target teenagers who in recent years have been using less traditional tobacco products. The Tribune estimated that the multi-billion-dollar industry is currently fueled by 20 million users. There are enough users in the northwest suburbs that Bas Raja opened several Good Guy Vapes stores, including one in Lincolnshire. He said Lincolnshire's new ordinance would have no effect on his business since he already restricted his products to adults and never allowed vaping inside. He said his only quandary had been in Buffalo Grove, where he wanted to open the Lincolnshire store in Buffalo Grove. But officials there did not move fast enough to approve his request, he said. While Raja was making that request this winter, Buffalo Grove Village Hall was in the midst of amending its ordinances to control e-cigarette sales as well. The new Lincolnshire ordinance is similar to the one Buffalo Grove eventually created. Vape shops can open in certain buildings zones, just like traditional tobacco shops. Advertisement "There's a parallel between tobacco shops and e-cig uses," said Buffalo Grove village planner Nicole Woods. Vaping companies have boasted for years that their products do not contain the tar and some of the chemicals that cigarettes do. Kinsey noted that, as regulations go into effect, the claim will be either affirmed or washed out. "It has not been proven, one way or another," he said. rwachter@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer As the state budget stalemate lingers into another year, many area educators have begun considering a worst-case scenario a school year without state funding as they start to prepare new school district budgets for 2016-17. If feuding Illinois lawmakers force public schools to go into the 2016-17 year without money from Springfield, officials at school districts, such as Stevenson High School, say they could rely largely on local property taxes without making any operational changes. But other northwest suburban schools where state funding is a larger portion of their budgets are beginning to consider what they might do if they face a fiscal cliff. Advertisement "It could impact School District 21, as approximately 15 percent of our revenue is derived from state resources," said Kara Beach, spokeswoman for Community Consolidated Elementary District 21. Because of partisan divide between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, Illinois has operated mostly without an up-to-date budget since July 1 of last year, when the 2014-15 plan expired. Advertisement One exception, as Beach pointed out, has been education. Rauner and state lawmakers agreed to a K-12 spending plan, keeping District 21 and others around the state funded for the nearly finished school year. As the latest spring session in Springfield winds down, lawmakers still are debating about how they will create a 2016-17 budget. If July 1 arrives without a spending plan for public education and other services, the state would not be able to send money to school districts until it has authorization to say how much. Some educators in this area have wondered whether the state again will extend an courtesy and fund K-12 education even without a complete state budget. At Kildeer-Countryside Elementary District 96, superintendent Julie Schmidt said during a board meeting May 17 that she knew of 268 districts about 25 percent all the districts in Illinois that have announced how they would not be able to open their doors for the start of school later this year without state money. She told board members that full funding from the state means $1.3 million would go toward District 96 in 2016-17. She said no one at the district knows what to expect in Springfield before lawmakers' spring session is scheduled to end May 31. "This window is an important time because it's when grand deals get done," Schmidt said. "We're trying to stay on top of that, but it moves quickly," she added later. At Lincolnshire-Prairie View Elementary District 103, superintendent Scott Warren said it was too early to make specific plans, but he noted that drama involving the state budget is on his mind. Advertisement The District 103 board is presently considering a spending increase of more than 26 percent for 2016-17, increasing the proposed overall budget at the district to $39 million total. The increase is largely prompted by possible classroom expansions at its buildings. "We are watching the state situation closely," he said. "If the state fails to provide funds this next year, we will make decisions to keep the district stable." At Stevenson, spokesman Jim Conrey said the school could navigate 2016-17 without state funding, if it comes to that. District board members during a meeting May 16 set a public hearing for July 18 on its own proposed budget for 2016-17. Residents can weigh-in on the district budget during the hearing, and board members will be able to approve it afterward, Conrey said. "The state's budget impasse has much less effect on us than other high schools, particularly those downstate," Conrey said. "Only about three percent of our funding comes from the state, so nothing is in jeopardy if the stalemate continues in Springfield." Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer The director of the Niles Public Library District said she'd like to see more diversity among the membership of the library's board of trustees. Susan Lempke told trustees at a meeting Wednesday night that she'd like the opportunity to reach out to potential candidates to fill a recently vacated seat on the board. Trustee Danette O'Donovan Matyas, who also serves on the Niles Village Board, announced her resignation from the library board at a meeting last month. Advertisement "It's a very homogenous board. You are very much in the same demographic. I would really like to see the board become a little more diverse," Lempke said. Board president Linda Ryan agreed with Lempke's suggestion. She said "it could be nice to get someone from the north end (of the district) or a different ethnicity or age or whatever." Advertisement Lempke also expressed concern about "people putting themselves forward offering to become a trustee and then being turned down." "Whenever anyone is rejected for something they offered to do, they don't feel very good," she said. Trustee Karen Dimond said she was fine with Lempke reaching out to potential candidates, but believes the position should be open to anyone interested in serving. "I don't like to see people get rejected, but frankly you can't have a thin skin and be on the library board," Dimond said. There was some initial disagreement among the trustees on the process of choosing a candidate to fill the one year remaining of Matyas' term. Lempke suggested the board discuss the process and potential candidates for the seat in executive session following the advice she had received from the board's attorney. "If we're going to talk about people, candidates, that should be done out here," said Trustee Carolyn Drblik. Though the board agreed not to name anyone specifically, they settled on a tentative selection process in open session. Lempke advised the board to create a nominating committee made up of herself and two board members to vet the candidates who submit letters of intent. Advertisement Ryan suggested a committee be established only if more than five people express interest in the post. Drblik adamantly disagreed with the nominating committee concept. "I don't think it's fair for you to turn away applicants because you decided they weren't good enough," Drblik said. "I think they should all have an opportunity to be interviewed. The community already thinks this is a secret society." Trustee Tim Spadoni offered a compromise all board members accepted. "I would say that all the applications, all the letters of intent, should go by all the board members. I would be more comfortable with the board reading all the applications and resumes and the board deciding on the top four or five candidates to interview," he said. Ryan said the library district would issue a notice that the board is seeking interested candidates to fill Matyas' seat. She said the board would review the submitted letters of intent and resumes next month, interview candidates in July and appoint someone to fill the post in August. Advertisement "I personally believe any board member should be a frequent patron of the library," Spadoni said. "That would be great to see in a letter of intent." Individuals interested in serving out the remainder of Matyas' term are welcome to submit a letter to trustees detailing their past relevant experience, why they would like to serve on the board and whether or not they use the library. The letters can be sent via email to trustees@nileslibrary.org, or addressed to Lempke, Niles Public Library District, 6960 Oakton St., Niles, IL 60714. To be considered for the post, applicants must live within the Niles Public Library District, which includes the village of Niles, most of unincorporated Des Plaines and unincorporated Glenview. Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Niles Public Library District Board of Trustee Carolyn Drblik voted against a policy amendment to allow patrons from outside the district to participate in the library's programs. The change was approved in a 4-1 vote. (Lee V. Gaines / Pioneer Press) Patrons from outside the bounds of the Niles Public Library District are now welcome to participate in its programs after the library's board of trustees voted Wednesday night to amend their policy. The board voted 4-1 to approve the change. Trustee Carolyn Drblik voted against the amendment on the basis that the library should be for the benefit of Niles taxpayers. Advertisement Library director Susan Lempke said patrons from outside the district would only be allowed to participate in library programs after in-district patrons had been accommodated. She said the village "is trying very hard to attract people to Niles" and the library is a key component in that effort. Some of the library's programs are well attended while others might only attract a few in-district patrons, Lempke said. "I would rather leave it in the hands of staff to determine where there is not room to be sharing with other people," she said. Advertisement Drblik criticized the amendment and suggested the library alter its program offerings if attendance is lagging. "We need to remember we're established here for all the Niles taxpayers," Drblik said. "Maybe if you have small enrollment in these programs, you need to rethink whether the programs you're providing are what residents want." But Lempke and library board president Linda Ryan argued that other area libraries have an open door policy when it comes to providing programming for individuals living outside their district boundaries. Lempke said there's sometimes a perception among Niles patrons "that they're having to share their library with other people, but they're not realizing our people are also going and sharing things in other libraries." Ryan said she surveyed Chicago, Skokie and Des Plaines public libraries and all said they allow patrons from outside their districts to participate in their programs. She said Skokie indicated that very occasionally they may offer a program specifically for Skokie residents. Drblik cited Park Ridge Public Library as an example of an area library that charges fees to outside patrons who participate in certain programs. She also criticized Lempke for not providing her with detailed data on the costs associated with library programming. "You're not sharing that information with me," she said to Lempke. "You're refusing to give me the information I ask for so it seems very secretive. If we're going to put on a program we should be able to determine after it was over if it was successful based on who attended and how much it cost." Advertisement Lempke said library staff have kept a close eye on what was spent on programming both in terms of time and money, in addition to surveying patrons. That information has not come before the board because it's a granular level of detail typically not reviewed by trustees, she said. The library's business manager, Greg Pritz, said in an interview after the meeting that the library earmarked about $86,000 out of a total budget of roughly $6 million for library programming last year. In the past month alone, he said, the library hosted a variety of programs for children, teens and adults, including English as a second language classes, a class on estate planning, a utility bill clinic, a class for teens interested in playing the ukulele, several Shakespeare projects, and a property tax appeals seminar. Ryan said that as long as the costs associated with library programming falls within the amount budgeted, it's the job of staff -- not the board -- to evaluate its programs. "That's an excuse for blowing our money," Drblik replied. In other board business, trustees voted 5-0 following an executive session Wednesday night to give Lempke a 3 percent raise, Pritz said. The raise, effective May 20, will bump her salary from $122,000 to $125,660, he said. Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Niles library officials are expected to make a decision next month on whether or not to enroll employees in a state pension fund. Business manager for the library district, Greg Pritz, unveiled two other possible retirement optionsalternatives to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF)for employees at a board of trustees meeting last week. Advertisement Details about the alternative options and the plan provided through the state pension fund will be presented to employees in the coming weeks. Their feedback on the range of choices will be compiled and presented to the board at their next meeting slated for June 15, Pritz said. He said he'll also provide the board with a comparative presentation. Pritz said he expects trustees to make a final selection at their June 15 meeting. The decision will end what has been a nearly year long investigation into retirement offerings for the library district's employees. Advertisement Pritz, library director Susan Lempke and board president Linda Ryan have previously said revising the library's current retirement offerings would help the district attract and retain qualified staff members. Earlier this year the library commissioned an actuarial study to determine how much it would cost the district were the board to vote to join IMRF. Pritz said in an interview following last week's meeting that the study concluded the library would need to contribute 8.12 percent of employees' salaries for the first two years of enrollment in the pension fund. The annual cost to the library for the first two years would total $221,000. He said the amount the library would need to contribute in its third year in the pension system would likely increase. A number of factors, including the number of people retiring from the library and returns on IMRF's investment portfolio, would impact the amount the library is required to contribute. The contribution amount is recalculated on an annual basis. Employees would be required to contribute a flat 4.5 percent of their earnings to the fund. Staff would also be offered the option to buy back prior years' service, which would cost the library between $850,000 and $3.6 million. Contributions for prior service would be paid by the library over a 30-year period, Pritz said. The library currently offers employees 7.5 percent of their annual salary through a defined contribution plan. Staff are not required to contribute anything to the plan and may take a portion or all of the amount offered as additional salary. The cost of the current plan totals $210,000 annually with the inclusion of part-time employees. Pritz said board members indicated they would like to phase out the practice of allowing employees to take retirement money as salary. Pritz presented the board with two alternatives to the IMRF option: a hybrid plan and a 401(a) plan. Under the hybrid plan Pritz presented, the library would be required to contribute 7.5 percent of an employees earnings to a retirement fund. The library would also match any employee contribution to their retirement fund dollar for dollar up to five percent. The cost of the plan, if both part and full-time employees are enrolled, would range between $205,000 and $342,000 annually. Employees would not be able to access their retirement money until they leave the district, nor would they be able to purchase past service through the hybrid plan. Under the 401(a) plan, employees would be required to contribute 4.5 percent of their earnings to the plan, while the library would contribute 10 percent of their annual wages. The cost of the plan to the library, with the inclusion of both part and full-time employees, would total $273,000. Employees would be permitted to withdraw money from the plan after leaving their job at the library with a 10 percent penalty assessed if they did so before age 59.5. Advertisement Staff would also be allowed to purchase up to five years of past service at a cost of 4.5 percent of their gross salary for each year. The library would be required to contribute 2.5 percent of the employees' salary for each year purchased. Pritz said it's unlikely the board would choose to stick with the current retirement offering even if they opt not to join IMRF. "I think they recognize they have to do something that's different," he said. Pritz told the board last week that "it would be pretty much impossible to have this implemented by July 1" which marks the start of the new fiscal year. He said it would likely take somewhat longer to get employees enrolled in either the alternative 401(a) or hybrid plans versus IMRF. "I'd much rather be right than on time," Pritz said in an interview following the meeting. "If it takes an extra 30 days, I think kicking it off on Aug. 1 works just as well." Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. A Chicago man and two other teenagers were charged May 16 in an incident in which Norridge police said they were allegedly seen taking items out of unlocked vehicles parked along the street overnight. Denzel Alvarez, 18, of the 4700 block of North St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, was charged with criminal trespassing after a resident called police to report a person matching the descriptions of Alvarez and a 15- and 16-year-old entering vehicles on the 7300 block of West Pensacola Avenue. Advertisement By the time police arrived, Alvarez and the others had fled east along Pensacola Avenue to the Iron Ball Playground on the corner of Montrose and Octavia avenues, where they were arrested, according to Police Sgt. Brian Loughran. The resident who reported seeing the alleged break-ins told police that the group split up, and each suspect walked up to a vehicle and tried to open the door handle. When one of them found an unlocked door, he would motion to the others to come over and help him rummage through the interior. The witness said he saw all three individuals exit a vehicle with what appeared to be "full hands," police said. Advertisement Only one of the vehicle owners among a line of cars parked along the street had reported items missing to the police, Loughran said. In a nearby bush, police found two pairs of sunglasses that were likely taken from the vehicle, according to the report. The owner of the car signed complaints against all three suspects, and the juveniles were charged with burglary to a motor vehicle, police said. All three were released from jail pending misdemeanor charges May 16 after posting bond, Loughran said. Similar crimes can escalate to a felony charges; the state's attorney's office determines the seriousness of the charges based on how many break-ins occurred and the value of the stolen goods, police said. "Most of these kids walk up and down the streets and just pull on the door handles," Loughran said. "Most of them know it's wrong, but they don't realize that opening car doors can be a felony burglary charge." Alvarez is scheduled to appear in court June 16 at the Third Municipal District Rolling Meadows Courthouse. Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. With the scope and penalties of Chinas social credit system being further clarified in 2021, legal and regulatory compliance has become more important than... Workers monitor an MPV production line at a passenger vehicle manufacturer in Anhui province. [Photo/China Daily] The increasing sales of multi-purpose vehicles in China has attracted the attention of many carmakers, including those that make premium vehicles. They are keen to step up their efforts to seize some market share. Severe competition appears inevitable. The MPV segment is dominated by local automakers' low-end vehicles that command about 90 percent market share. Some are already wondering if the situation is ripe for change. "With product lines that have been improved gradually, the local brands would continue to lead the MPV market," said Han Dehong, administration and public relations director of SAIC-GM-Wuling, the joint venture of SAIC Motor, Liuzhou Wuling Motors and GM China. Han said SGMW's new models will reflect consumers' demands for upgraded cars. The carmaker plans to launch several models later this year, including the Baojun 310, the refreshed Baojun 560 and Baojun 730. He said the company is developing a new-energy model under the Baojun brand. Last month, it launched the Hongguang S1. "Although the competition in the MPV market is getting more serious, there is still plenty of room to grow," he said. According to Han, the MPV segment has a huge market base with a wide price range. Its increasing niche segments are able to fulfil customers' various fast-changing needs. The market potential partly comes from the increasingly rational demands being made by consumers, said Han. He explained the low-end MPVs could be used for commercial purposes, while the mid-end and high-end ones target families. Last year, China unveiled a second-child policy that replaced the single-child policy. Han said the five-seater sedans and SUVs no longer fit the larger family. Which is why, the roomy and comfortable MPVs are admired by young families planning to buy a car. Also, the continual high demand from buyers for multi-function, cross-segment vehicles, and availability of a broader line-up of MPVs, will boost the segment, Han said. China sold 631,700 MPVs in the January to March period, up 9.1 percent year-on-year. Some 601,700 of them were local brands. Wuling Hongguang, an MPV launched in 2010 by SGMW, has been China's best-selling auto model for the past four years. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, sales of Wuling Hongguang reached about 255,800 units last year. The Baojun 730, an MPV from the SGMW stable, was China's fifth best-selling model last year with sales of 321,100 units. SGMW produced and sold 2 million vehicles last year, which made it the first automaker in China to achieve that figure in annual output and sales. The company said its sales last year included 1 million MPVs, up 14.8 percent year-on-year. "In future, the hotspot in the MPV segment would be mid-ends and low-ends," said Zeng Zhiling, managing director of LMC Automotive Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Zeng said the second-child policy may stimulate use of MPVs among high-end families. In that sense, the market could be relatively small after all. "The second-child policy may persuade some families to choose MPVs, but large-size SUVs would be more competitive," Zeng said. You are here: Home Li Hejun, founder and main shareholder of China's Hanergy Thin Film Power Group. [Photo/China.org.cn] China's Hanergy Thin Film Power Group has announced that its founder and main shareholder Li Hejun has stepped down as chairman of the board and executive director. Li's resignation came a year after Hanergy's Hong Kong-listed shares were suspended after plunging 47 percent in half an hour, wiping out 19 billion U.S. dollars in value. Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission launched an investigation into the company following the trading halt. Hanergy Thin Film Power Group said that Li Hejun resigned "for the reason of strengthening corporate governance." The company added that two other board members - Frank Mingfang Dai and Feng Dianbo - stepped down at the same time. Meanwhile, Hanergy Holding Group said that the three board members who resigned from Hanergy Thin Film retained their positions at the parent company. The high level of purchasing power of some consumers in China's western provinces is giving hope to makers of luxury cars who have been otherwise experiencing challenges, in the form of low sales growth and obstacles to their "Go West" strategy. [Photo/China Daily] Earlier this month, Cao Weida, a sales assistant of Sunfonda Group Holdings, the second-largest dealer in luxury and ultra-luxury cars in northwestern China, almost lost his voice. He had near incessant interactions with prospective car buyers and visitors at the seven-day auto show in Xi'an where he manned the Mercedes-Benz stand. "I talked to countless visitors," he said. "People have growing enthusiasm for luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW AG." The high level of purchasing power of some consumers in China's western provinces is giving hope to makers of luxury cars who have been otherwise experiencing challenges, in the form of low sales growth and obstacles to their "Go West" strategy. Cao said many luxury brands have launched more models with lower prices, ranging between 250,000 yuan and 350,000 yuan. A growing number of young people are considering buying a Mercedes-Benz, a BMW or an Audi as their first car, to make their dreams come true. "Thanks to the special discounts during the auto show, you could have bought an Audi A1 with around 150,000 yuan, which is far from 'luxury' as per our definition, but it is happening," Cao said. According to the expo organizers, the seven-day Xi'an auto show attracted 418,000 visitors and helped sell 14,219 cars for more than 4 billion yuan, 1 billion yuan more than the sales revenue from a similar exhibition last July. Clearly, West China loves luxury cars. Of course, the location of Xi'an at the heart of West China helped attract visitors from neighboring provinces and autonomous regions such as Sichuan, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Record sales at Xi'an came in spite of another auto show being held at the same time in the northwestern city of Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui autonomous region. According to the organizers of the four-day Yinchuan show, there were 220,000 visitors, and 2,309 vehicles were sold for 345 million yuan. Liu Jiazhen, marketing director at Ningxia Jinrunbao Auto Sales Service Co, a major local dealer of BMW, said the auto industry still sees good potential in West China. The company will likely invest in more sales centers in the region. She said a new BMW sales store will open in Yinchuan this year. In addition to popular Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi which are well accepted by Chinese buyers, Lincoln Motor Co, a traditional luxury brand from the US, is doing well. It reentered China in 2014, seeing the country's booming demand for cars. After setting up stores in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Lincoln opened a new store in Xi'an, the first one in West China, in January. Tian Jing, executive vice general manager of Xi'an Haolin Lincoln Store, said the company has confidence that car buyers in the western region will bring more revenue for Lincoln. "We are not eager to sell our cars. Instead, we are promoting a way of life that knows the essence of 'luxury' in western China," she said. "In the past, people had an impression that luxury car owners in western China are only rich but have no taste. It's not true. As long as we provide high-end services for them, they can be influenced." From the perspective of Cao the sales assistant, only brands such as Aston Martin can be called luxury brands. Stated differently, he does not regard BMW and Audi as luxury car brands anymore. For, some luxury car brands are less and less "luxury" due to their launch of models targeted at young and middle-class consumers. And the "real luxury" or ultra-luxury car segment in West China has gone cold, savaged by the commodities' price drop, which has severely affected incomes of the rich in the region. Prospective buyers of luxury cars in the region are those who had built their fortunes on soaring demand for mining resources like coal, oil and natural gas. But their wealth has shrunk in recent years because of coal mines' bankruptcy due to falling prices and weak demand. China Mobile Ltd, the country's largest wireless carrier, plans to invest 2 billion yuan ($305.6 million) in two insurance companies of China Merchants Group, the online financial magazine Caixin reported on Monday. China Mobile is looking to buy a 20 percent stake in CMG Renhe Property Insurance for 1 billion yuan, and another 20 percent stake in CMG Renhe Life Insurance for 1 billion yuan, Caixin said. The transaction will make China Mobile one of the largest shareholders of the two insurance companies, whose registered capital are both 5 billion yuan. Renhe Insurance Company, established in 1875 by China Merchants Group, is the first shipping insurance company in China. If the licenses of the two insurance companies are approved, it means that the Renhe brand will reenter the insurance sector. China Mobile said domestic insurance market saw a rapid development and has a bright future; especially the burgeoning internet insurance that brings more room for the development of the insurance sector. There is high strategic collaboration value in the development of internet business and internet insurance, and the company can realize a collaborative development, China Mobile added. Insiders said China Mobile's subscribers' advantage cannot be ignored. China Mobile's data showed that as of April, its total subscribers reached 835 million, including 391 million 4G users. In recent years, China Mobile has entered the financial market several times. In 2010, China Mobile bought a 20 percent stake in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank for 39.8 billion yuan. China Mobile also launched an innovation industry fund last year. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has demanded less red tape, improved regulation and better services to promote sustained and healthy development of the economy. Li made the remarks in a national teleconference on May 9. Although China has made progress in streamlining administration, overhauling market regulation and optimizing government services, there is still much work to be done, said the premier in a speech released on Sunday. According to him, some power delegation measures were not fully implemented. Unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspections and inadequate supervision revealed loopholes in market regulation. "Although the economy operated steadily in the first quarter, with improvements in structure and quality and better-than-expected indicators, downward pressure remains considerable and the foundation for economic stabilization and improvements has yet to be consolidated," said Li. In addition, China's traditional international competitiveness has been weakened, featuring decline in the growth rate of foreign trade and utilization of foreign capital, said the premier. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, citing the relocation of some foreign-funded manufacturers from China to other countries. "We should guide some of them to move from eastern coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern regions," said Li, adding that labor-intensive manufacturing enterprises could create jobs and help address China's "great employment pressure". To that end, Li said China will explore ways to implement pre-establishment national treatment and negative list management system for foreign investors. The government will create a level playing field for all investors, said Li, adding that the State Council is mulling detailed measures to promote private investment. On the basis of trial programs, the government will make a market entry negative list and eliminate unreasonable restrictions and invisible barriers in sectors, including electricity, telecom, transport, oil and gas, utilities, elderly care, medical treatment and education. Meanwhile, the premier pledged to further slash administrative examinations and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses and give colleges and scientific research institutes greater decision-making power in runing schools and scientific research. Over the past three years, State Council departments have canceled or delegated to lower authorities the administrative examination and approval power over 618 items, totaling 36 percent of the items subject to approval. China has given green light to 76 percent of investment projects that previously required central government approval. More than 95 percent of foreign investment projects and more than 98 percent of overseas investment projects now could register online to put on record. Since last year, an average of 40,000 businesses are set up every day, due to lowered business threshold and improved business environment. Wild elephants in southwest China's Yunnan Province have killed two villagers recently. A 71-year-old villager surnamed Zhu of Nanlanghe Village was attacked and killed by wild Asian elephants near his vegetable shed at round 5:30 a.m. on Sunday in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, said the prefectural publicity department on Sunday. The accident was reported to authorities after Zhu's fellow villager found his body and signs of wild elephant activity two hours later. The local government has tightened management of wild Asian elephants and warned local villagers to stay alert. The accident happened one week after another wild elephant killed a villager in the same county. On May 14, 37-year-old Mu was found dead near his shed, probably victim of an attack from a wild Asian elephant. Wild Asian elephants are under state protection in China, with about 300 living mainly in Yunnan Province. Enhanced protection for wild animals has seen the mammals' numbers rise in recent years, but cases of clashes with humans have also increased, according to the local government. Crew members of the Nanhaijiu 118 conduct a rescue drill on May 11. [China Daily] China is considering deploying an advanced rescue ship that could carry drones and underwater robots to the Nansha Islands this year to help ships in trouble, including foreign vessels. Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship Nanhaijiu 118, under the Ministry of Transport's South China Sea Rescue Bureau, told China Daily of the plans. "Our bureau is planning a duty post in the Nansha Islands, with a ship based there. This will possibly be carried out in the second half of the year," Chen said, without specifying which island the ship will be based at. Wang Wensong, captain of the Nanhaijiu 118, said the ship proposed for the mission might be bigger than his 3,700-ton vessel and will be equipped with advanced rescue facilities. "It might carry drones and underwater robots," Wang said. The bureau was involved in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared more than two years ago on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Wang said it was decided after this mission to develop underwater search capabilities. He said the bureau has 31 ships and four helicopters to cover rescue work in the South China Sea. Other forces, such as the military, may join rescue efforts. "The international shipping routes near the Nansha Islands are very busy. Such a big area means quite a number of ships could get into trouble," the captain said. The South China Sea boasts one of the world's busiest shipping routes, with about 40 percent of global cargoes shipped annually passing through these waters. It also attracts many fishermen, who can be vulnerable in frequent typhoons. Zhang Zengxiang, deputy head of the Shipping Division at the Maritime Affairs Bureau in Sansha, Hainan Province, said the proposed base station will help with rescue work in the southern South China Sea. "The main difficulty in rescue work around the Nansha Islands is the long distances," he said, adding that the Nanhaijiu 118, built last year, has to sail for nearly two days to reach the Nansha Islands from the Xisha Islands. He also said the distance is too great for helicopters, the most efficient way to save lives at sea. The main way to handle accidents in the area at present is to arrange for vessels passing by to help. Wang Qingjian, a captain who has fished in the Nansha Islands for 34 years, said, "The new station will greatly help fishermen." Wang Wensong, the captain, said: "We will try our best to save any vessel sending distress signals in waters under our jurisdiction, no matter which country a vessel is from even it is from a country that has territorial disputes with China, or a country without diplomatic relations with us. These are not problems." Beijing has promised to develop its search and rescue capabilities in the South China Sea to "provide necessary assistance" to both Chinese and foreign ships. In 2006, Wang, then first officer of the Nanhaijiu 111, worked with other Chinese rescuers to search a vast area after a typhoon, and located 22 Vietnamese fishing ships at Hanoi's request. They rescued and helped 330 Vietnamese fishermen. Wang said the growing number of rescue forces in the South China Sea will help with China's Belt and Road Initiative and business worldwide. "Shipping is the major way to send cargo, and a guaranteed international route is good news for all countries." Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. A CCTV News screen grab shows the arm of a sick student. [China Daily] Environmental NGOs are suing three chemical plants in a high-profile case of alleged soil contamination that may have affected students at a school in eastern China. Zhang Jianwen, spokesman for Changzhou Intermediate People's Court in Jiangsu Province, confirmed on Sunday that a public interest lawsuit has been filed with the court. The suit has been brought by the groups Friends of Nature, China Biodiversity Conservation and the Green Development Foundation. The court accepted it after receiving the indictment and related material. Last month, blood samples taken from students at Changzhou Foreign Language School reportedly showed abnormal readings after the students moved to the school's new campus near the former sites of the chemical plants. The nongovernmental organizations allege that the three chemical factories polluted the environment. They have asked the court to order the factories to remove pollutants and to pay environmental restoration fees, according to the indictment. Zhang said, "We'll pay attention to the case and strictly carry out the procedures for public lawsuits in line with the law." He did not release further details about the case, such as when it will be heard. The NGOs submitted the indictment to the court on April 29, alleging that the factories moved out of the area after seriously polluting land in Changlong, where the plants were located, adding that the polluted areas have not been restored. Wang Wenyong, a lawyer at the foundation, said the litigation is based on surveys the three NGOs carried out after the alleged pollution occurred. After negotiations with Friends of Nature, "we decided to combine efforts to bring a civil public interest lawsuit against the factories", he said. "We are studying and collecting other evidence in the case and are considering appealing to other departments involved with it at an appropriate time," he added. In April, the State Council made an environmental report to the National People's Congress Standing Committee, which for the first time drew the attention of a number of deputies. Deputies Yan Yixin and Du Liming suggested that the government increase soil monitoring posts and provide a special fund to prevent soil from being damaged. Chen Jining, minister of environmental protection, said in the ministry's annual work report in January that it is considering the Action Plan on Soil Pollution Prevention and Control, a national campaign targeting soil pollution. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. You are here: Home A West African man has been sentenced to 10years in prison and fined 20,000 yuan (3,000 U.S. dollars) for drug dealing, the People's Court of Jing'an District in Shanghai announced on Monday. Named only as "Mike" from an unspecified West African country, the man had worked illegally in Guangdong Province after entering China in 2014. He moved to Shanghai in 2015. The man was caught selling cocaine on Jan. 11 this year. Police found 24 small packs of drugs weighing about 26 grams. Investigation showed that he had been dealing drugs in Shanghai's nightclubs from November 2015. He will be deported after serving his time in prison, the court said. Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, who will lead the island over the next four years, resorted to rhetorical ambiguity in Friday's inauguration speech. Tsai is yet to give a forthright answer on the 1992 Consensus that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, which has served as the political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. Instead, she said in her speech that she "respected" the fact that "several political agreements were reached by both sides in 1992", but stopped short of mentioning the 1992 Consensus. However, she said she wants to prolong the peaceful exchanges that have been established, and promised that the island will be "a staunch peacekeeper" in regional security affairs, in which cross-Straits ties serve as a "key link". And Tsai did pledge to address cross-Straits affairs in line with the "Regulations on Relations between People in the Taiwan and Mainland Areas" and other relevant laws. Yet, as a statement issued by the mainland after Tsai's inauguration speech said, "Taiwan independence" remains the biggest menace to peaceful ties, because Tsai failed to touch upon the nature of the cross-Straits relations, let alone the prospect of some DPP secessionists attacking the one-China principle. The truth is, just like the Cairo Declaration signed by the heads of the governments of China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1943, which justified the return of Taiwan to China and the postwar order in Asia-Pacific region, the 1992 Consensus is the fundamental agreement between the two sides of the Straits. The worst-case scenario would be Tsai attempting to continue trying to muddle through without endorsing the Consensus completely or even denying it completely. Should that happen, the mainland will have to prepare for and deter the DPP's future moves to seek "independence". It is also noteworthy that Taiwan has been invited to attend the Geneva-based World Health Assembly as an observer just three days after Tsai's inauguration, in accordance with the one-China principle reflected in the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1. As a special arrangement since 2009, the island's participation in the WHA will reveal a lot about whether the DPP will acknowledge the reality there is only one China. The WHA's belated invitation, which stresses that the DPP will be taking part in the event based on the one-China principle, enshrines the principle in Taiwan's political participation in international affairs. If the Taiwan health authorities seek to challenge this in Geneva, insisting that the WHA's reiteration of the one-China principle has something to do with the mainland's "interference", the special arrangement is unlikely to last. Worse, it might add more political uncertainties to cross-Straits relations, which the Kuomintang painstakingly steered in the right direction over the past eight years. Tsai should relinquish her delusional thinking that the mainland will sit idle while her party tries to tear China apart, bit by bit. The only option left for her is facing up to the 1992 Consensus. The author is a professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies of Beijing Union University. China and Pakistan are celebrating 65 years of their diplomatic relations, which were formally established on May 21, 1951. Gradually, routine diplomatic ties have been transformed into a solid friendship, often termed as "higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the Arabian Sea, and sweeter than honey." The top leaders of the two countries on the occasion of 65 years of ties vowed to continue working toward the path of closer cooperation in various fields. Chinese President Xi Jinping in his felicitation message said that "China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners" and their "relations have stood the test of the changes of international and domestic situations and constantly made headway." President Xi rightly said that the two sides have made positive progress in all-around substantive cooperation and people-to-people exchange. Talking about economic cooperation, he said that the "construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will lay a solid foundation for building a China-Pakistan community of shared future. I attach great importance to China-Pakistan relations, and stand ready to work with you to create a better future for China-Pakistan relations." Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in his message for the occasion, highlighted that Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognize China in 1951 and their "relations have grown from strength to strength, evolving and expanding into an all-weather cooperative and strategic partnership." "China is our iron brother, reliable friend and trustworthy neighbor. Our two countries share a friendship underpinned by common interests and close cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas. The people of Pakistan have feelings of love, goodwill and closeness with the people of China. We are indeed proud of our friendship with China which is a model of a friendly relationship between two states for the entire world," he said. Sharif also said that Pakistan looks toward China with admiration, as its "achievements are a source of inspiration for Pakistan," and China's role in the region and beyond was that of a harbinger of peace, harmony and prosperity for all. The felicitation messages by other senior leaders also show similar sentiments of respect, cooperation and commitment for good ties. But having good wishes for each other is just one aspect of a relationship; the real strength comes from common commercial, economic and strategic goals and a vehicle to achieve them. For decades, the China-Pakistan relationship was mostly focused on defense and strategic issues, until the two sides realized at the start of the 21st century that this economic and commercial aspect needed to be prioritized for common benefit. The 46 billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, also known as CPEC, is the product of a joint strategy and a strong desire to develop ventures on the principle of win-win cooperation. The CPEC provides immense economic benefits for Pakistan in the form of modern road infrastructure and several mega schemes for energy production and investment parks, which can transform its economic landscape in the coming years. For China, it provides the shortest route to the oil-rich Middle East and technologically advanced Europe. It will cut costs for sending goods to these parts of the world and also generate supplies for the western region of China, which needs to develop on a fast-track basis. According to President Xi, "China regards Pakistan as an important partner in promoting the construction of the Belt and Road initiative" which shows the importance of the CPEC. While the two sides have every reason to be happy and proud of their relations, they should be conscious of the forces of extremism and terrorism which have been a source of low-key trouble. Pakistan has shown a lot of strength in tackling militancy since the summer of 2014 when a major operation was launched in the tribal district of North Waziristan, but its job is not done yet. It is important to eliminate the support system and an atmosphere that in the past tolerated extremist teachings, literature and ideologies. China's role is important not only in the economic transformation of Pakistan but also in the peace process in Afghanistan and supporting Pakistan for a peaceful relationship with India. Pakistan's development is linked with the improvement of its security situation, which is linked to the nature of its ties with Afghanistan and India. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his larger coalition, which he is currently attempting to build with an ultranationalist politician, will "strive" for peace with the Palestinians. "The wider government will continue to strive for a diplomatic process with the Palestinians," Netanyahu said at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. He added that Israel will push forward with the peace process "by assisting with regional factors," in an apparent reference to Egyptian President Adel-Fattah al-Sissi, who last week promised Israel warmer ties if it agrees to efforts to resume peace talks with the Palestinians. Netanyahu's right-wing government has been under growing international pressures to renew the negotiations with the Palestinians after the last round of talks reached an impasse in April 2014. His remarks came as French Prime Minister Manuel Walls arrived in Israel for a three-day visit in Jerusalem and Ramallah, in an effort to push France's bid for an international conference to reignite the peace process. On Sunday, Walls told the Palestinian newspaper "al-Ayam" that "Israel must stop its settlements policy," referring to the continuous expansion of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. On Monday, Walls is scheduled to meet Netanyahu before traveling to Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the afternoon. Israel's political arena has been in turmoil over the past week over Netanyahu's bid to oust Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon in order to reportedly give his post to ultranationalist lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beytenu ("Israel Our Home") party. Ya'alon was widely considered as a voice of moderation in Netanyahu's cabinet. Netanyahu said the move is necessary to enlarge his narrow coalition, which currently includes 61 members in a 120-member parliament, and achieve "stability." Flash The Chinese Embassy in Somalia on Sunday donated materials to Hamar Jajab primary school in the capital Mogadishu. Speaking during the handover ceremony of the facilities, Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Wei Hongtian said Beijing was keen on supporting Somali people and rebuilding the country. "China will continue its efforts in supporting Somalia and contribute towards rebuilding the economy. We will continue to implement several projects in Somalia in the near future," said the ambassador. He added China was determined to supporting the education of Somali children since they are the future of the country. Mahad Ahmed the head teacher of Hamar Jajab primary school thanked the ambassador for his generous contribution. "We are very happy and thankful today to receive these facilities from the Chinese embassy today led by Ambassador Wei Hongtian. They have also built a playground for our children and repaired some of our school buildings which had been destroyed," said Ahmed. The facilities include chairs, tables, school backpacks and books, as well as the restoration of parts of the school. Flash A U.S.-backed Syrian rebel group said on Sunday that it was ready for a battle to liberate Syria's northern city of al-Raqqa from the Islamic State (IS) group. "Preparations have been made for the decisive step and the Liwar Thuwar al-Raaqa is ready with full equipment and manpower for the imminent battle by God's will," the group said on its official Twitter account. Since early this year, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa, Arabic for al-Raqqa Revolutionist Brigade, has become part of the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Force (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish fighters and other Syrian rebel groups deemed as "moderate" by the West. The SDF has been largely supported by the U.S. in the battles against the IS over the past year. The aim of the group is to defeat IS in northern Syria, and apparently stripping the terror group of its self-declared capital is their next move, especially after the recent visit of a U.S. official to northern Syria. General Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Centcom, secretly visited northern Syria on Friday for 11 hours, during which he met with commanders of SDF and other U.S.-backed rebel groups. The visit was said to aim to coordinate the U.S.-led coalition and rebel plans in taking back Syria's northern province of Raqqa. Votel's trip was not the first visit of a U.S. official to areas not under the government control in Syria. In February, the U.S. envoy to the coalition against IS, Brett McGurk, visited a Kurdish-controlled area in northern Syria, a visit that was believed to review the anti-IS fight. Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa is believed to play an important role in the "imminent" battle, as the head of the group, known as Abu Issa, said recently that each group in the SDF is responsible for fighting in areas where it belongs, and since much of the group's fighters are from al-Raqqa, the group will apparently spearhead any ground operations in cooperation with other factions of the SDF, under the air cover of the U.S-led anti-terror coalition which has been bombing IS positions in Syria since late 2014. Even though the timing of the battle wasn't declared, the IS seems to have anticipated the move, asking civilians in key areas in Raqqa to move toward IS-controlled towns in the countryside of that province, which fell to the IS in late 2013. Reports said the terror group also went on arrest raids for young men to oblige them to fight among its ranks. Flash Residents in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which is under control of Shiite Houthis, said they heard sounds of four huge explosions rocking the capital on Sunday. The explosions came simultaneously with hundreds of supporters of Houthi fighters and their allies loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh celebrating the "26 anniversary of Yemen's national unity day" in Sabeen area near the presidential palace south of the capital. Rebel-controlled state Saba news agency accused Saudi-led coalition of dropping sound bombs on Nahdayeen mountain on the vicinity of the presidential palace and on Noqum mountain in Sanaa. North and South Yemen were peacefully unified in 1990, however their relationship deteriorated in 1994, after four-month civil war that ended as northerners overran the south. The southerners have long complained of being marginalized, as pro-secession protests are rising in the south after the Shiite Houthi rebels and Saleh militants waged a fierce war earlier last year against several cities in the south. They stormed the southern port city of Aden, forcing internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the legitimate government into exile and killing thousands of Southerners and displaced over two millions others. In July, 2014, a mostly Arab coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia drove the rebels out of Aden and three other major southern provinces after months of war that inflected heavy losses among the rebels. The Iran-allied Shiite Houthi group and forces loyal to Saleh stormed the capital Sanaa and other cities in September 2014, dissolved the government and expelled President Hadi on allegations of combating "corruption." The civil war has escalated since then, leaving more than 6,000 killed so far in ground battles and airstrikes, half of them are civilians. The warring parties now have been in talks in Kuwait since last month under the auspices of the UN to end the war. The talks is the third of its kind since the conflict began after Houthi militias stormed Sanaa and expelled Hadi in September 2014. Previous peace negotiations had failed to end hostilities. The government delegation said on Saturday that it will give the peace talks in Kuwait the "last chance," four days after the delegation suspended participation in the talks in protest after the opposition delegates refused to comply with the UN Security Council Resolution 2216 that orders them to withdraw from the capital and disarm. Flash Egypt deployed a submarine on Sunday to hunt for the Egypt Air flight 804 that crashed in deep Mediterranean waters. In his first public remarks on the crash, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said possible scenarios were still being considered and cautioned against rushing to conclusions. "Search equipment has been moved today from the oil ministry. This is no secret. They have a submarine that can reach 3,000 meters under water. It moved today in the direction of the plane crash site because we are working hard to salvage the black boxes, which include data and recordings that will help to a great extent in knowing the reasons behind the plane crash." Egypt has said its navy has so far found human remains, wreckage and the personal belongings of passengers floating in the Mediterranean about 290 km north of Alexandria. But forces are still searching for the plane's two black box recorders that could provide valuable evidence on the cause of the crash. French investigators said on Saturday, that shortly before it disappeared off radar screens, the plane had sent a series of warnings indicating that smoke had been detected on board. The signals did not indicate what caused the smoke or fire but they have offered the first clues as to what unfolded in the moments before the crash. Flash Austria's presidential election is becoming unprecedentedly intense on Sunday, both the right wing candidate and his rival, former head of the green party, got 50 percent of the votes, showing a dead heat in the run-off, the latest official poll shows. Presidential candidate Alexander Van der Bellen (2nd L) and his wife Doris Schmidauer arrive at a polling station during the Austrian presidential elections in Vienna, Austria, May 22, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] The vote counting are almost finished in many cities, but many of the mail votes have not been counted yet. However, no matter who is becoming the president of the state, this will be the first time since the Second World War that an Austrian president has not been backed by main stream ruling parties. If the right wing party won the election, it could be a new wave of the rise of rightism in Europe, which could change the political map of Austria or even Europe. Norbert Hofer, the youngest candidate of the election from the right wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), the leading runner in the first round of election, is fighting with his rival Alexander Van der Bellen, the former chief of green party, an independent candidate but backed by the Green Party. Van der Bellen is also a Russian descendant, growing up in Austria. Hofer could be the first right wing president after the war of second Austrian Republic if he defeats Van der Bellen in the vote. Austria president is seen more or less as a ceremonial role of the country but could swear the chancellor and even dismiss the cabinet, the most significant clout which hasn't been used by presidents after the war. Hofer said he needs Austrians and would work for them, threatening to dismiss the parliament when necessary. Hofer servers as an aeronautical engineer, and then became a politician and the third president of Austria's National Council from 2013. Some Austrian media said the Eurosceptic, anti-immigration FPO is supported mostly in the country and by the relatively low educated groups. But in the big city, where many migrants live, Van der Bellen might gain more supporters. The presidential election's influence is already far beyond Austria, a small central European states with about 8.5 million population, but carefully monitored by other EU states, even by the world. Flash The new leader of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development party (AKP), also Turkey's upcoming prime minister, said on Sunday that a change in constitution in favor of executive presidential system would be his priority. Binali Yildirim addresses his supporters at the congress of Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party in Ankara, Turkey on May 22, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] "Are you ready to bring presidential system? The most important thing we have to do today is to turn this de facto situation into a legal one and thus end the confusion. New constitution and presidential system is the way for it," AKP new leader Binali Yildirim told a party congress. Yildirim also vowed to prioritize fight against terrorism in his agenda. He pledged to continue military operations against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and the Islamic State (IS) at home and in Syria. "Our way is the way of our party's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan," Yildirim said in his final speech after the vote at the convention which underlined allegiance to leadership of Erdogan, one of the prominent founders of the party. "This congress is the one which displays importance of loyalty to the leadership," he added. Nearly 1,470 AKP delegates elected the party's third chairman on Sunday at an extraordinary congress in a vote at which Yildirim was the only candidate. Yildirim, a former minister of transport, maritime and communications, is scheduled to receive the mandate to form the new government from the president late on Sunday, as outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu submitted his resignation to Erdogan following the end of AKP congress. Yildirim's government will read its program after Erdogan's approval and then submit to a vote of confidence in the parliament most likely on May 29. Yildirim is known as a loyal figure to the president and he has worked with him since the 1990's when Erdogan was the mayor of Istanbul. The AKP's new leader is a maritime engineer and worked for various public transportation companies before entering politics with the ruling party in 2001. He served as minister of transport in three separate administration terms since the AKP took power in 2002. When Yildirim did not run for the parliament in 2014 due to AKP's three-term limit, he ran for mayor in Izmir province, but failed to win. Then President Erdogan appointed him as his adviser. Yildirim will succeed Ahmet Davutoglu, who was forced out of office due to disagreement with President Erdogan. Davutoglu announced in early May that he will step aside after he reportedly had a tense meeting with Erdogan who handpicked him as his successor in August 2014. At the congress a new list for the 50-seat of AKP's Central Decision-Making Body Council (MKYK) featured 26 new figures, with excluding six current ministers and eight deputy party chairmen, as an indication of a significant reshuffle in party management and in Yildirim's new cabinet. The new MKYK is younger, with the number of female members doubled to 15. Yildirim is expected make reshuffle in cabinet and in party management with names more loyal to Erdogan. The replacement in prime ministry's office will make easier Erdogan's ambition for an overhaul of the Turkish constitution that would give presidency many of the executive powers that traditionally belong to the prime minister. Flash Pakistan on Sunday confirmed that two people were killed in a Saturday U.S. drone strike in its remote area along the Pak-Afghan border, but remained vague about the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansoors death in the strike. A statement issued by Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the United States informed the Pakistani Prime Minister and the Pakistani Army Chief about the drone strike late Saturday after the strike was carried out in Pakistan near the Pak-Afghan border area. It confirmed two people were killed in the strike. However, the statement did not say the two killed include Mullah Mansoor. "On late Saturday 21st May, 2016, the United States shared information that a drone strike was carried out in Pakistan near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area, in which reportedly the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was targeted," said the statement. A driver named Muhammad Azam and a man named Wali Muhammad were killed in the strike, said the statement, adding that the identity of the driver has been confirmed and his body has been collected by his relatives while the identity of the second body is still being verified. According to the statement, the man named Wali Muhammad carried a Pakistani passport and an ID card showing he is a resident of Qilla Abdullah, a district in Balochistan province where the U.S. launched in the strike. He entered Pakistan from Iran through the border city of Taftan on Saturday with a valid Iranian visa on his passport. He was traveling on a vehicle hired from a transport company in Taftan. This vehicle was found destroyed at Kochaki along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, said the statement. Shortly after the statement was issued by Pakistan Foreign Office, local media quoted Paksitan Interior Ministry as saying that the passport carried by Wali Muhammad was fake and the ministry had formed a five-member team to investigate into the issue as from where he got the fake passport. Local media reported that the picture of the man carrying the fake passport had a great resemblance with Mullah Mansoor. According to local media's reports, the Pakistani government is facing problem to get DNA samples from someone of Mullah Mansoor's family to identify the body of Wali Muhammad and once the DNA samples of Mullah Mansoors relatives are obtained, the test will be conducted either in Islamabad or in Karachi. In the statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office also protested against the U.S. drone strike on its territory as it had violated its sovereignty. It also called on the Taliban to give up violence and join the peace talks. Flash The Sudanese government has refused to renew stay permit for a senior UN official, a move regarded by the UN as "de facto expulsion." "The foreign ministry informed the UN in Sudan that the annual permit for Ivo Freijsen, who heads the Sudan office of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), will not be renewed when it expires on June 6," said a statement Sunday by the Humanitarian Country Team, the coordinating agency among various UN agencies and NGOs in Sudan. The team expressed shock and disappointment at the de facto expulsion of Freijsen. In the meantime, according to Sudan Tribune, Sudanese government sources refused to regard the move against the UN official as expulsion, saying it is a normal procedure particularly that the UN official has entered the country and assumed his tasks for a transitional period. However, Sudan Tribune quoted informed sources at the Humanitarian Aid Commission, the government authority responsible for the work of the organizations in Sudan, as saying that it reflects the government's boredom of the negative reports about the humanitarian situation including inaccurate statistics, which the head of OCHA has kept on providing to the UN headquarters in New York. Freijsen was appointed to his position by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, in February 2014. Flash Mail votes are to be taken into account and the final result of Austrian presidential election could be announced on Monday. The race has become unprecedentedly intense on Sunday, both of the right wing candidate and his rival, former head of the green party got around 50 percent of the votes, showing a dead heat in the run-off. The whole Austria is waiting for the mail ballots, which would be decisive in the breathtaking historic presidential election. No matter who is becoming the president of the state, this will be the first time since the Second World War that an Austrian president has not been backed by main stream ruling parties. If the right wing party wins the election, it could be the first right wing president of the state after WWII and might change the political map of Austria or even Europe. Norbert Hofer, the youngest candidate of the election from the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), the leading runner in the first round of election, is competing with his rival Alexander Van der Bellen, the former chief of green party and an independent candidate but backed by the Green Party. Van der Bellen is also a Russian descendant, growing up in Austria. Austria president is seen more or less as a ceremonial role of the country but could swear the chancellor and even dismiss the cabinet, the most significant clout which hasn't been used by presidents after the war. Hofer said he needs Austrians and would work for them, threatening to dismiss the parliament when necessary. Hofer servers as an aeronautical engineer, and then became a politician and the third president of Austria's National Council from 2013. Representatives of the right-wing FPO, as well as politicians of the Green party are confident that their candidate will win the neck-and-neck race. "I have never experienced such an exciting election night", Hofer said on the state television ORF at Sunday evening. "Some have decided this way and some the other way. Ultimately, we are all Austrians. It is up to us to unite the voters. The election winner is president of all Austrians." "Political commentators have calculated low chances for a majority for me. However, in the last fortnight I have been borne by many supporters", Van der Bellen said about his comeback. "Only a small percentage of voters are politically right-wing. The majority is angry,"the former head of the Green party said about the voters of Hofer. Some Austrian media said the Eurosceptic, aiti-immigration FPO is supported mostly in the country and by the relatively low educated groups. But in the big city where many migrants live, Van der Bellen might gain more supports. Electoral analysis institute ARGE revealed that 72 percent of eligible voters participated in voting in the second round of the election, up from 68 percent who voted in the first round on April 24. The presidential election's influence is already far beyond Austria, a small central European states with about 8.5 million population, but carefully monitored by other EU states, even by the world. Flash At least 74 people were killed on Monday when several bombings rocked two Syrian coastal cities, state media reported. As many as 45 people were killed when four blasts ripped through the city of Jableh in the countryside of the coastal city of Latakia, the national Syrian TV reported. Two of the bombings rocked the gates of the main bus station in Jableh, said the report, adding that the third occurred near the electricity directorate, while the fourth was caused by a suicide bomber who detonated himself at the emergency room of the National Hospital in Jableh. Another report said the bomber followed the injured from the previous blasts into the hospital and detonated his explosive belt to cause as many causalities as possible. The report said the number of injured people is high, some are in critical conditions. Following the Jableh blasts, four bombings rocked the coastal city of Tartus, which is only 100 km from Latakia. The national TV said three bombings took place near a bus station in Tartus city and were caused by suicide bombers and a car bomb. It said a pickup truck went off at the gate of the bus station, while two suicide bombers detonated their explosive belts inside the station. The fourth blast was caused by a suicide bombing at the Assad Suburb near the bus station in Tartus. The TV placed the death toll of the Tartus blast at more than 20, while the Sham FM radio cited medical sources as saying that over 29 people were killed in Tartus bombings. The blasts are considered the first to hit Tartus and Jableh, which have remained largely calm during the country's five-year-old conflict. The state TV said the Turkey-backed Ahrar al-Sham were behind the bombings. Observers believe the bombings came as a retaliatory move for the recent military campaign against the main rebel bastions in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus. The Syrian army has mounted a crushing offensive in Ghouta against key rebel bastions, taking advantage of a rebel infighting in that area. The bombings came as a message to the regime on the rebels' ability to strike in its main strongholds, as Tartus and Latakia are both bastions of the Syrian administration of President Bashar al-Assad. Latakia also contains the Hmaimim airbase, which has been used by the Russian air force as a base to launch airstrikes against radical rebel groups. Tartus also contain a Russian naval base. 2015 Annual Report Chinese Government Persecution of Christians and Churches in China JanuaryDecember 2015 Contents I. Introduction II. Summary and Analysis of Religious and Human Rights Persecution in China i. A brief summary of persecution of religious practitioners ii. Christians in Zhejiang province face continued forced cross demolitions iii. The CPC expands persecution of urban house churches throughout China iv. The CPC persecutes rural house churches v. The CPC advances its campaign to Sinicize Christianity III. Statistics and Schematic Analysis of Religious Persecution and Human Rights Abuses in China IV. Conclusion: The Refining Fire of Escalating Persecution Strengthens the Faith of Chinas Christians V. Appendix I. Introduction In 2015, the deterioration of religious freedom and human rights in China continued at an alarming rate, while the erosion of the rule of law was the worst its been since the chaotic 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. President Xi Jinpings administration, in its third year in power, carried out an unprecedented crackdown on religious leaders, human rights defenders, lawyers, dissidents and civil society actors. As reported in last years annual report, Xi began purging high-ranking political and military figures following the Communist Party (CPC) 18th Central Committees Fourth Plenary Session in 2014, and new victims last year included Ling Jihua, a former member of the Political Bureau and Director of the General Office of the CPC, and two vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission. His anti-corruption campaign targeted provincial and ministerial-level leadership and owners of state-owned enterprises for investigation. These actions point to instability and internal dissent within the Xi Administration, now in its third year. To maintain unity outside the party, the CPC intensified its crackdown on religious practitioners, human rights activists and lawyers. Furthermore, the first significant decline in decades of Chinas stock market created a staggering gap between rich and poor. Overproduction in the steel, iron, construction, energy and real estate sectors produced surpluses and a large number of manufacturers went out of business. As foreign investors withdrew from China, foreign trade shrank significantly, resulting in job losses for many people. The value of the Chinese currency, the Yuan, dropped rapidly, and stock market volatility was high. Local government departments were unable to pay when their debts came due because of decreased tax revenues and other sources of income, and many were unable to make their payrolls. Economic growth, which relies on huge government investment, has stalled. Meanwhile, the privileged class accumulated more wealth, triggering a clash of interests between the elite and the common people. Due to the lack of rule of law, ordinary citizens had no legal means to defend their own interests, leading to millions of people petitioning government agencies for redress. Those attempts were viewed by local government departments as a challenge to CPC rule and they responded by making it impossible for petitioners to resolve their problems by appealing to authorities. Sixty-eight years of totalitarian rule in China has earned the CPC deep-seated animosity and irreconcilable social conflicts. Instead of reflecting on the fundamental causes of these problems, the Xi Administration relies on draconian political measures to rule the country. In the harshest crackdown since the crushing of the 1989 Tiananmen Square student-led protests, victims of the current regime come from every social class, as authorities sought to eradicate political rivals, dissidents, intellectuals and human rights defenders and lawyers. Some of the more prominent of these cases were Gao Yu, an elderly journalist falsely charged with divulging state secrets and currently serving a seven-year prison sentence; human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang, who was tried for tweeting seven messages critical of the CPC on Twitter; human rights defender Jia Lingmin, who instructed citizens on their legal rights and was given a heavy sentence; as well as political dissidents Guo Feixiong, Liu Yuandong, Tang Jingling, Yuan Xinting and Wang Qingying and others who were given heavy sentences. Most notably, on July 9-10, the CPC took various legal measures against an estimated 350 human rights lawyers and activists in 23 provinces and cities across the country, and arrested dozens of them on the charge of instigating the subversion of political power. Those arrested included Zhou Shifeng, Wang Yu, Wang Quanzhang, Li Heping, Zhao Wei, Li Shuyun, Wu Gan, Bao Longjun, Liu Sixin, Xie Yuandong, Xie Yanyi, Huang Liqun, Xie Yang, Ge Hongguo, Li Chunfu and Hu Shigen. The CPC also closed three law firms and barred a large number of lawyers and human rights activists and their family members from traveling outside China. The nationwide crackdown demonstrated the Xi Administrations willingness to forego rule of law in order to maintain control of the nation and was widely reported by the attention of international media. On July 1, 2015, Xi signed the National Security Law into effect, putting political, economic, cultural, social, and religious regulations under the domain of national security and effectively empowering the Chinese government to perpetrate human rights violations. China also passed a controversial counter-terrorism law and drafted laws on cyber-security and the management of non-profit organizations, all of which threaten civil and political rights and provide a legal foundation for human rights abuses. At a conference of the United Front Work Department on May 18-20, 2015, Xi gave a speech on religion in China in which he said, Management of religion is in essence management of the masses. The Partys policies on religious belief and freedom ought to be fully implemented, religious affairs managed according to the law and religion actively guided to adapt to a socialist society. He also stressed the need to adhere to Chinese characteristics, improve the level of rule of law when managing religion, hold a dialectical view of religions social effects, bring the function of religious adherents into full play and guide religion to make it serve the purpose of promoting economic development, social harmony, cultural prosperity, ethnic unity and the unification of China. The United Front Work Department and the National Religious Affairs Bureau held multiple work conferences on religion, including seminars on Christianity and Catholicism. In 2015, all government departments intensified their suppression of so-called cults and house churches, the most severe of which were the moves against Christianity in Zhejiang province, where central and local government departments destroyed approximately 90 percent of the provinces church crosses and demolished numerous churches. Throughout this campaign, dozens of church leaders were arrested or sentenced, and three lawyers, including prominent human rights lawyer Zhang Kai, were taken into police custody for their opposition to the demolitions. As the cross demolition campaign swept across Zhejiang, government departments that manage religious affairs launched a series of campaigns targeting churches and underscoring the governments intent to interfere with regular church operations and to bring about a Sinicization of Christianity. Persecution in 2015 was most intense in the provinces and autonomous regions of Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang and Tibet as the government forcibly shut down house churches, detained large numbers of pastors, church leaders and Christians, and confiscated church property. Schools were forbidden to engage in any religious activities or celebrate religious holidays, and authorities even closed down numerous summer camps and Sunday schools organized by churches and warned schools not to participate in religious activities or celebrate religious holidays. At colleges and universities, students and faculty were required to fill out questionnaires to report their religious beliefs. In summary, as part of the Xi Administrations tightened control over society, the regime targeted religious leaders, political dissidents, human rights lawyers and activists, and NGOs for persecution. Human rights and the rule of law deteriorated to the point of bringing China back to an era of political terror. Religious persecution, especially of house church Christians, was the most severe it has ever been. II. Summary and Analysis of Religious Persecution and Human Rights Abuse in China In 2015, government persecution of practitioners of numerous religions in China continued to escalate. Because China Aids mission is to monitor Chinas Christian communities, the information and data in this report focus on persecution against Christians. In comparing the data in the six categories tracked by China Aid, namely, the total number of persecution cases, the number of religious practitioners persecuted, the number of citizens detained and sentenced, the number of severe abuse cases, and the number of people in severe abuse cases, the total was 4.74 percent higher in 2015 than in 2014. Looking at the statistics from earlier China Aid annual reports shows a trend of increased persecution over the past nine years with an average an annual increase of 101.42 percent in the totals of the six categories. i. A brief summary of persecution of religious practitioners The continued escalation in both the scale and intensity of religious persecution in 2015 surpassed that of 2014. The Chinese governments persecution of its own government-sanctioned Three-Self Church continued to rival abuse not seen since the Cultural Revolution, most prominently in the widespread forced demolition of churches and crosses throughout Zhejiang province and a number of other provinces. Persecution of the house church movement also continued to intensify, with both urban and rural house churches coming under scrutiny and forced to join the Three-Self Church. In 2015, the Chinese government continued a campaign similar to the 1998 crackdown on Falun Gong to persecute so-called cults among certain sects of Christianity. The Chinese government also continued to carry out a policy of Sinicizing Christianity, attempting to make the core tenets of Christianity compatible with the core values of socialism with Chinese characteristics. ii. Christians in Zhejiang province face continued forced cross demolitions In 2015, China Aid gathered reports on the demolition of churches and crosses throughout Zhejiang province and the subsequent persecution of pastors, church leaders and church members. According to information provided by Christian leaders in Zhejiang that China Aid was able to independently verify, by the end of 2015, more than 20 churches had been forcibly demolished, 1,300 crosses removed, more than 500 Christians taken into police custody, at least 130 Christians physically injured, more than 60 Christians administratively or criminally detained, and at least 28 pastors and Christians arrested or charged with a crime. The actual scope of persecution may be even wider than reflected by these statistics. Some church leaders estimate that at least 1,500 crosses were forcibly removed, 30 churches demolished, mostly in rural areas, and the government imposed measures, including detention, on at least 1,000 Christians who protested or tried to prevent the destruction of crosses or churches. Zhejiang authorities continued to use the Three Rectifications and One Demolition campaign, launched in 2014 ostensibly to clean up illegal structures, to provide the legal cover to target Christians for persecution. On May 5, the Zhejiang Provincial Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs and the Zhejiang Provincial Department for Housing and Urban and Rural Construction released for public input a draft of the Zhejiang Provincial Codes for Religious Buildings, which require all church crosses to be attached to the front facade of the main religious building, in essence barring the placement of crosses atop church buildings, as has been the practice of Chinese churches for centuries. The building code gives officials the authority to order changesincluding the removal and demolition of crossesto Protestant and Catholic buildings and interfere with the way church buildings are used. Local Christians saw this as discrimination and a violation of their property rights, and a large number of pastors and church members publicly condemned the governments actions, triggering the province-wide crackdown on Christians. Some of the more prominent cases are summarized herewith. When Huang Yizi, the pastor of Fengwo Church in the Zhejiang city of Wenzhou, stood trial on March 24, 2015, for organizing a protest against cross demolitions, more than 500 Christians from the cities of Wenzhou, Jinhua, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan and Hangzhou gathered outside the courthouse in a show of support. Police responded by blocking off the street in front of the courthouse, and only six family members and church members were allowed to attend the trial, where Huang was sentenced to a one-year prison term. Huang was released from prison on August 1 after serving his full term, but he was placed under house arrest on Sept. 24, by the Ouhai branch of the Wenzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau for persisting in defending the churchs rights. Eight Christians from Wenzhous Sanjiang Church, including church elder Guo Yunhua and Zhao Rendi, a parish lay leader, were convicted on March 25, 2015, of gathering a crowd to disturb social order and illegal occupation of farmland for meeting in their church to worship, sing hymns and pray when more than 1,000 armed police came to forcibly demolish the church building. Zhaos sentence of a three-year prison term was the heaviest, but he was released with a four-year reprieve. The others, who were sentenced to prison terms ranging from several months to a year, were also released on reprieve. They likely had been coerced to plead guilty in exchange for the reprieves. On June 8, 2015, the Wenling city government began a five-day operation to demolish Yanxia Christian Church, a Three-Self Church that had spent 10 million Yuan (U.S. $1.6 million) on its just-finished church building that had yet to be put into use. Church leaders had reportedly been pressured by the government to agree to the demolition. The authorities said that because the building was an illegal structure the demolition was not forced. On July 26, 2015, the local public security bureau in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, criminally detained eight church leaders and Christians on, including Pastors Bao Guohua and Xing Wenxiang, Pastor Baos son, seminary student and evangelist Bao Chenxing, and five other church leaders. They were charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble, embezzlement, illegal business operations, concealing and destroying accounting documents, accounting books, or financial statements, and gathering a crowd to disturb public order. Their church hired 11 lawyers to defend them, but each was reportedly dismissed by the religious affairs bureau, which also barred the lawyers from meeting with their clients. In the harshest attack on Christians in Wenzhou since the cross demolitions began in 2014, Wenzhou police in late August responded to the growing opposition to the cross demolitions by taking into custody as many as 20 rights defense lawyers, pastors and elders across the city. More than 10 police scaled church walls on Aug. 25 to apprehend human rights lawyer Zhang Kai and his assistants Liu Peng and Fang Xiangui, who had provided legal counsel to more than 100 churches targeted by the cross demolition campaign. They were taken to an undisclosed location and placed under house arrest. Such extra-judicial detention arrangements in secret locations are also known as being held in a black jail. As part of the same crackdown, Wenzhou police detained multiple church leaders and evangelists in the Wenzhou area, including, Wang Yunxian, Zhou Aiping, Wei Wenhai, Zhou Jian, Cheng Congping, Huang Xiaoyuan, Zhang Zhi, most of whom were held in black jails. On Sept. 8, Pastor Zhang Chongzhu of Pingyang County was taken into police custody. Police denied all visitation requests from the detainees family members and from their lawyers. Some of the lawyers received dismissal notices from their clients, who were believed to have acted under coercion. At the end of 2015, Wenzhou authorities released church leaders Kang Xiaoyou, Wang Yunxian, Huang Yizi, Zhang Zhi, Wei Wenhai, Cheng Congping and Zhou Aiping; evangelists Zhou Jian, Huang Xiaoyuan, Chen Chaohua; and lawyers Fang Xiangui and Liu Peng. Others released in 2016 include Pastors Yan Xiaojie and Zhang Chongzhu. Christians throughout Zhejiang protested cross demolitions by congregating in front of government offices or churches and displaying crosses and signs. In a rare victory, hundreds of Christians from Dituan Church in Wenzhou gathered in front of their church on Aug. 10, holding up small red crosses and banners that read, Immediately stop illegal actions and Guard the dignity of the Constitution; Defend freedom of religion. They also chanted slogans such as Abide by the law of this country, Oppose forced demolitions, and Freedom of Religion, and sang hymns and prayed. When government officials arrived to carry out the threatened cross demolition, they were outnumbered and fled the scene. These protests elicited global support of the cause of defending the rights of Chinas Christians. Even the Chinese governments own Christian organizations called for an end to the ongoing church persecution. The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Chinese Catholic Bishops Conference released a statement on July 5 saying the cross demolitions were not conducive to the establishment of a harmonious society and caused Catholics and clergy to express public resentment. On July 10, the Zhejiang Provincial China Christian Council, one of the governments two approved Protestant organizations, published an open letter to the Zhejiang Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau calling on it to respect Chinas Constitution and laws, which guarantee religious freedom, and to stop the cross demolition campaign. Gu Yuese, former chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial China Christian Council, had earlier visited the Zhejiang Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau and phoned the agency multiple times, asking that it cease demolishing crosses, but to no avail. Christians throughout Zhejiang made similar requests, but the government persisted in its actions, which included the following cases. On July 22, authorities tore down the wall of Shuangcun Church in Wenzhous Longwan District, entered the church courtyard, and demolished the cross, which church members had re-erected after it was removed in June 2014. In a vain attempt to prevent the cross from being destroyed, protesters tied themselves to it. On July 28, government officials beat 12 Christians from Taihu Church in Pingyang, Wenzhou, as they tried to protect their churchs cross. Two elderly Christians were seriously injured. On Aug. 10, several hundred Christians from Wenzhous Yanpan Church gathered in front of their church to protest the demolition of its cross. As government personnel negotiated with them, Christians from Daguang Church joined the protesters. In the evening of Dec. 28, officials removed the cross atop Xialing Church in Wenzhou. Christians who heard of the incident went to the church to pray and refused to give in. The next morning, they re-erected the cross, but authorities removed it again shortly afterward. The church had been fighting the threatened cross demolition for two years, publishing newsletters and hiring lawyers to defend its rights. The province-wide cross demolitions even spilled over into other normal church activity. After the death of Pastor Gao Jianguo, who was appointed by the Singapore-based OMF International to his post at Huayuanxiang Church, Wenzhou Christians wearing white T-shirts [Editors Note: White is the Chinese color of mourning.] and holding up red crosses gathered outside the funeral home on Aug. 11, singing hymns and chanting Defend freedom of religion; Oppose forced cross demolitions. Photos and video of the large crowd went viral on the Internet and, because of the domestic impact and international news coverage, the Lucheng District Public Security Bureau took Huayuanxiang Church director Pastor Huang Chongqu into police custody at 3 a.m. on Aug. 12. When Zhu Weifang, a government-appointed Catholic bishop who had joined 20 priests in holding up a sign that read Defend the dignity of our faith; oppose forced cross demolitions, in front of government buildings, was ordained on July 24, he was publicly criticized at the ceremony. As the governments officially sanctioned Three-Self churches joined the protests against the cross demolitions, some government appointed clergy were also arrested, most notably Three-Self pastors Gu Yuese and Bao Guohua. These unexpected developments further attracted worldwide attention. iii. The CPC expands persecution of urban house churches throughout China In 2015, the CPC continued its crackdown on unregistered churches by persecuting house churches and house church Christians, with the harshest persecution inflicted on those in Chinas south, southwest, and northwest. Rapid metropolitan growth across China has resulted in ever-larger numbers of house churches responding to the needs of hundreds of millions of new urban residents who are increasingly disenchanted with the CPCs ideology and turning to religious faith in ever-greater numbers. In Guangdong province, at least 1,000 small churches or meeting sites have emerged in the past three years. Likewise, the number of house churches in Beijing has increased by at least 100 new churches. The Chinese government, which has always feared the spontaneous assembly of people that it cannot control, views this rapid growth of urban house churches throughout China with alarm and regards religious organizations as the most difficult to control. Therefore, the government has intensified its suppression of fast growing urban house churches by 1) forcibly shutting down and banning house churches and their meeting sites; 2) requiring them to disband, then apply for official registration and join the Three-Self Church; 3) exerting pressure through city inspectors, neighborhood committees and the police to force landlords to terminate leases with house churches; 4) taking pastors and other church leaders into custody for public security or criminal offenses, and raiding and confiscating church property; and 5) other means including subpoenas, fines, intimidation and cutting off water and electricity. Shouwang Church in Beijing, which has been a target of official scrutiny since 2008, is the most prominent example of the Chinese governments persecution of urban house churches. For several years, the church held outdoor worship services, but unrelenting persecution forced them to stop. In 2015, only a few Shouwang Church members occasionally gathered to worship outdoors. On March 22, police took Shouwang Church members Liu Ruiling and Guo Haiying into custody after they attempted to worship together. They were each sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention for disturbing public order. Similarly, on Oct. 25 police took some other church members into custody for participating in religious activities together, later charging Zeng Miao, Huang Danyi, Guan Shanyue and Sun Huibo of gathering a crowd to disturb public order and sentencing them to 10 days of administrative detention. Shouwang Church members now meet in small groups in church members homes. A few of their ministries, such as evangelistic ministry and Sunday school, have been suspended, and others are only available online. Some church members have moved to other parts of the world, joined other house churches or are studying in seminaries abroad. Officials continue to monitor Shouwang Church and control its activities. In the second half of 2015, authorities at Beijing institutes of higher education and some other work units investigated the religious beliefs of faculty, staff and students, focusing on whether any were part of a house church, specifically Shouwang Church. Another large Beijing congregation, Zion Church led by Pastor Jin Mingri, has been under constant government pressure to disband and its members encouraged to join Three-Self churches. Plainclothes police officers often attended the churchs events, and CPC officers and religious affairs officials ordered undercover informants to collect information on every church member. Church members employers have been encouraged to pressure the Christians to stop attending Zion church. On several occasions, Pastor Jin Mingri was barred from traveling outside China and ordered not to give interviews. Thirteen Christians from Holy Love Fellowship, a house church in Beijing, were criminally detained after holding a worship service. Following their release, police involuntarily committed one of them, Zhang Wenhe, to a psychiatric hospital for 20 months. His family was not allowed to bring him home until Nov.18, 2015. During that time, the police also committed Zhangs son to a psychiatric hospital, where he was held for three months. Holy Love Fellowship church elder Hu Shigen vanished on July 10, and his family had no idea of his whereabouts until six months later, when they received formal notification from the Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau of his arrest. He had been held at the Tianjin Municipal Detention Center No. 1 and was charged with subverting state power. Sichuan provinces Autumn Rain Church, one of Chinas most well-known urban house churches, has continued to be the focus of government scrutiny. Police in the city of Chengdu summoned Pastor Wang Yi and several church leaders for questioning on multiple occasions related to the churchs opposition to government forced abortions and its practice of handing out anti-abortion literature on the streets. In the second half of 2015, police often showed up at church events to monitor the activities. On sensitive dates, such as the anniversary of the June 4 crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement, or on holidays, such as Christmas, authorities barred the church from holding religious activities. The banning of Huoshi Church, the largest house church in the city of Guiyang, Guizhou province, illustrates the methods employed by the CPC regime. Several years of intensifying harassment and persecution culminated in December 2015 with a notice prominently posted by the Religious Affairs Bureau outside Huoshi Church, identifying it as an unregistered, non-religious organization. It said that the building is not a religious site because [the church members] established it without official approval. Li Guozhi [referred to in this report by his pseudonym, Yang Hua], Su Tianfu and others who are in charge of the church are not religious clergymen whose information is on file. It urged people not to attend the illegal religious activities of Huoshi Church. The church, founded in 2009, had always sought to be open and transparent about its activities. It openly leased office space for its services and reported every major church activity to the governments religious affairs and national security agencies. Huoshi Churchs troubles began when its multiple meeting sites could no longer accommodate the churchs rapid growth, prompting church leadership to purchase a larger building. Since China does not recognize churches other than the official Three-Self Church, the purchase could only be made in the names of three private individuals. When the church held the opening ceremony of its newly purchased church building on Nov. 8, 2014, hundreds of policemen and approximately 200 police and emergency vehicles surrounded the building under the direction of the provincial secretary of the Politics and Law Commission and reportedly with the backing of a standing committee member of the provincial CPC. Thereafter, the government church leaders came under constant government pressure to convert to a Three-Self church. Other government pressure also intensified. Officials from the national security and religious affairs departments often came to the church to question its members. Huoshi Church pastors were forbidden to travel outside China. Moreover, Guiyangs local government departments, such as the City Planning Bureau and City Management Bureau, fined the church, accused it of illegally changing the function of the property, and used that as the basis for ordering it to stop holding all services. The government has also used other methods to restrict Huoshi Churchs activities, including cutting off water and electricity to an auditorium the church had leased for a Christmas party and disrupting two large-scale outdoor baptism ceremonies by mobilizing hundreds of police and other security agents to the river site. On July 28, police detained church deaconess Zhang Xiuhong, who managed the churchs finances, and her husband, Chen Zukai, and searched their home. Chen was released the following day, but Zhang was criminally detained on the charge of illegal business operations. The police confiscated accounting ledgers and froze the churchs bank accounts, which included a mortgage payment of 640,000 Yuan (U.S. $98,960). Nevertheless, the church members continued to hold services at the location and donated money so that the church could make its mortgage payments on time. In November 2015, the government gave the church two choices: leave their current location or join the Three-Self church. The church refused to do either. A confidential Dec. 3 document issued by the Guiyang Municipal Command and Control Center for Dealing with Huoshi Church and endorsed by the Guiyang Municipal Office of Maintaining Social Stability was leaked in early December. It said, The work of dealing with Huoshi Church in accordance with the law is a political task and must be regarded as of great importance. The principal leaders [of this government operation] must personally manage and carefully organize and bring to completion the various tasks, in accordance with the unified arrangements of the municipal authorities. The document said that a list of Huoshi Church Christians would be sent to their employers, and each employer was to verify information about the individual church member and do their part to maintain stability by pressuring the church members to do the governments bidding. On Dec. 9, the Guiyang Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau and the Nanming District Civil Affairs Bureau dispatched 300 policemen and law enforcement officials to simultaneously raid and seal off Huoshi Churchs three meeting sites. More than 200 church members were forbidden to leave their homes, and Pastor Yang Hua was criminally detained. On the same day, a church member was also taken into police custody for making provocative remarks in a WeChat group. Police took Yu Lei, a non-Christian who had attended Huoshi Church services, into custody for reportedly leaking the confidential document detailing the governments plans for Huoshi Church. The Guiyang Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau publicly declared Huoshi Church a non-registered organization that planned social activities without authorization from the government and must, therefore, be banned. A statement by the Nanming District Religious Affairs Bureau echoed that declaration, saying Huoshi Church violated the State Councils Regulations on Religious Affairs by establishing a religious venue without authorization, and must, therefore, be shut down. On Dec.14, police took Pastor Su Tianfu from his home for disturbing social order. Although he was released two days later, authorities explicitly said that he was facing arrest for divulging state secrets. Another Huoshi Church pastor, Yang Hua, was administratively sentenced to 10 days detention. When his wife arrived at the detention center to pick him on Dec. 20, she saw four people putting him into a van without a license plate. His head was covered with a black hood. She learned he had been criminally detained for illegal possession of state secrets. Twelve policemen later searched his home and confiscated his computer, flash drive and other items. That same day, two lawyers hired by Yang, including Chen Jiangang, were barred from meeting with him. The methods the government used to persecute Huoshi Church have also been applied to religious organizations the government calls cults. In many cases, the CPC charged church members with cult involvement in order to incarcerate them. On May 22, 2015, public security officials closed Guangfu House Church in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, after the Baiyun District Religious Affairs Bureau ordered the church to stop holding services. More than 100 government personnel, including religious affairs officials and public security agents, confiscated church property, including computers, stereo systems and books. Several church members were questioned for several hours, including church leader Ma Chao, and accused of gathering illegally. On May 24, authorities sealed the churchs entrance. On May 31, more than 20 Christians held a worship service outside the sealed entrance of the churchs rented apartment space, but were dispersed by 20 officials from the religious affairs bureau and street management office, including a CPC secretary. Ma, who owns the property in the Baiyun district, filed a complaint against the religious affairs bureau; the Baiyun District Court dismissed the complaint on June 3. When church members met for a prayer meeting at a rented facility on Aug. 15, twelve police officers and security guard broke up the meeting. Another house church that met in the same building as the property owned by Ma was also forced by authorities stop holding services. On Dec. 26, another Guangzhou house church was raided by police and forced to stop meeting. Across Guangdong province, at least 60 house churches were closed down, ranking it just behind Zhejiang province as experiencing the highest rate of religious persecution in 2015, based on the statistics gathered by China Aid. Guangdongs provincial government cited various reasons to close down Christian organizations, including multiple churches and schools founded by people from Hong Kong and other countries. In one such incident, Hong Kong pastor Wu Xiaohe, who is part of Heavenly Bread Ministries, was summoned for questioning by the Futian District Religious Affairs Bureau in Shenzhen on July 1 and accused of violating Chinas laws and regulations on religious activities by recruiting Christian leaders from mainland China via the Internet to go to Hong Kong for training. He was put on notice to stop recruiting mainland Chinese Christians for training in Hong Kong. Some of the more notable cases from other provinces included a raid of a five-day Bible training session held by the 71st Street Christian Church in Luoyang, Henan province, for more than 70 house church leaders from Henan and Shanxi province. In the afternoon of the second day of the Oct. 12-16 training, more than 30 public security officers, domestic security agents, police and religious affairs bureau officials raided the church, declared the event an illegal religious meeting, and ordered the training stopped. Pastors Liang Jing, Li Jiaen and Li Jiangtao were sentenced to 15 days in administrative detention, as were Taiwanese Pastor Shen Zhenguo and his wife, Li Jianghua, both New Zealand passport holders. Authorities continued to keep them in custody when their 15 days of administrative detention ended, and they were not released until Oct. 29. Also, in Guangxi province on April 24, a court sentenced Cheng Jie, Huang Qiurui and Li Jiatao, three Christians associated with the Hualin Foreign Language Experimental Kindergarten, to two years in prison and fined each of them 5,000 Yuan (U.S. $806) for illegal business operations after authorities discovered the kindergartens curriculum incorporated textbooks on moral character that were written by Christians. Fang Bin, a non-Christian who printed the textbooks, was sentenced to one year, nine months in prison and fined 4,000 Yuan (U.S. $644). Before the judge delivered the verdict, officials barred Qin Yongpei, the lawyer hired by the defendants and the director of Baijuming Law Firm in Guangxi, from entering the courtroom. Earlier, at the Feb. 9 trial of Cheng, Huang and Li, their lawyers were dismissed and escorted out of the courtroom. When three new lawyers from Guangxi attempted to visit the defendants at the Liuzhou Detention Center on Feb. 26, their request was denied. The kindergarten was closed down on July 17 by order of the Yufeng District Court, which also imposed a fine of 800,000 Yuan (U.S. $122,000). Eighty SWAT officers were sent to search the building, disperse students, and seize supplies and assets, valued at 1 million Yuan (U.S. $160,000). The case was reported in the national media, including by Zhongxin Net and the Jinghua Times, which described Hualin Kindergarten as using illegal religious textbooks to force religious beliefs upon the children. Kindergarten director Sun Haiping, now living in the United States, said the textbooks taught lessons in character and virtue but had no religious content. Urban house churches in Yunnan, Xinjiang, Shandong, Hubei, Heilongjiang and many other provinces also experienced severe harassment. In these provinces, the CPC intensified its prohibition of house church-owned schools, Sunday schools, retreats and Vacation Bible Schools. At Yingcai College in Shandong province, six studentsLi Binbin, Zhang Yaqi, Ni Wangjie, Chen Huiyun, Chen Ping and Jia Rongorganized a prayer and Bible study group that met daily in a quiet spot under the stairs of a classroom building for an hour. Someone took cellphone photos of them praying and reported them to the police, who went to the school to question them. As it happened, the Shandong Provincial Department of Education had just recently issued a document ordering the expulsion of any student who was found to have participated in gatherings of three or more students for religious activities. So, the six students were facing expulsion from college. In addition to the cases detailed above, the CPC also barred Chinas church leaders from attending international Bible trainings and Christian conferences. Likewise, religious affairs management agencies and police across the country reinforced a ban on clergy from other countries taking part in religious activities in China. Several foreign pastors engaged in ministry in China were administratively detained and then deported. In short, the CPCs persecution and suppression of house churches continued to escalate in 2015 as authorities continued implementing a plan initiated in 2011 to thoroughly investigate and then wipe out house churches in 10 years. Specific measures taken include the illegalization and closure of house churches, and pressuring them to become Three-Self churches; the detention, conviction and sentencing of church leaders on criminal charges; and a strict ban on proselytizing students. iv. The CPC persecutes rural house churches Compared with 2014, persecution of Chinas rural house churches also escalated, with the government using criminal charges, including allegations of cult involvement, to detain and arrest church pastors and evangelists. Religious affairs management agencies and public security bureaus increased their scrutiny of rural house churches. In Chinas southwest and northwest, local police frequently raided house church services, and the number of church assets confiscated and church leaders placed in administrative detention increased dramatically. Religious persecution was exceptionally serious in the provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, and in the Xinjiang autonomous region. Incidences of rural house church persecution throughout 2015 include the following cases. The year opened with a Jan. 1 raid by 12 police and security officials on the Guoshulin House Church in Beijings Shunyi District where 30 Christians were gathered for a Sunday evening service. Several Christians were taken to a police station for questioning. They were ordered to immediately stop holding services in their church building and to leave the area. The police confiscated Bibles and hymnals and deleted files from the churchs computer On, Jan. 7, Director Yuan of the Pingxiang Municipal Religious Affairs Bureau in Jiangxi province led police to break into the home of Li Zhiwen at 7:40 a.m. They ordered Li, a member of Jesus Church, to stop holding Bible study meetings in his home, saying that engaging in religious activities outside of a church building was illegal. On Jan. 10 in the Xinjiang autonomous region, Party Secretary Zhu of the Hami Municipal Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau led agents from the Hami Municipal Public Security Bureau, the Domestic Security Protection Squad and the Liyuan police station broke up a gathering at the Candlelight Church. More than 20 officers carried out the raid, 10 of whom were armed with machine guns. They surrounded the church and broke into the meeting room. Zhu showed the Christians a notice that said they were engaging in an illegal religious activity and ordered the officers to interrogate the people gathered there, take down their names, ID numbers, residential addresses, phone numbers, occupations, work units, family backgrounds, how they were converted and other information. After photographing the Christians, the officials confiscated books and other printed materials, audio equipment, an electric organ, projectors and other church possessions, and sealed the building. In addition, Miao Yuexi, a church leader, was summoned multiple times for questioning and fined 50,000 Yuan (U.S. $7,716). In mid-January, the Public Security Bureau in Aksu, Xinjiang, found two Christians, Ren Demei and Zhao Qi, to have broken the law when they sang Christian hymns in their homes. They were placed under administrative detention for not having the qualifications to teach or preach and for singing songs at a site that was not registered for religious activity. On Jan. 20, police raided a service at Langzhong Church in Sichuan province, taking into police custody 23 of the 70 Christians gathered there. Fourteen were released the next morning, while the remaining nine people, including several pastors, were sentenced to 10-15 days of administrative detention. This was the second raid of the Langzhong Church in 30 days. In the earlier December 2014 raid, public security officials confiscated church property and placed three Christians, including Ma Yuying and Li Chengxi, in administrative detention for 5-12 days. From March 2-4 in Xinjiang, around 50 officers from the local public security bureau and religious affairs bureau interrupted a series of church services attended by more than 90 church members from Wujiaqu Local Church, the Church of the 105th Regiment of the Construction Corps and Christians from the surrounding area. These services were held at the homes of Ren Yuxing and Dai Wanying. Officers took more than 10 of the attendees into custody during the raids and released them the next day. Additionally, officers confiscated several dozen Bibles and hymnals. On March 9, Ren Yuxing, Dai Wanying, Tao Wenju and Wei Xiangfu were placed under administrative detention. On March 10, police raided a church service of 10 people in the town of Liren, Jiangsu province. All 10 were administratively for holding an illegal gathering. They were Wang Denglan, Zhu Zhanmei, Tang Aiqiao, Fu Chenghua, Cao Yumei, Wang Jinglian, Zhu Qiaorong, Zhuang Chonglan, Zhuang Ronghua, and Zhuang Chongmei. On April 29, 2015, in Heilongjiang province, a dozen officers from the Yichun Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, Domestic Security Protection Squad and the police station raided the Bethany Church. They said the church members were attending illegal meetings and served them a notice to immediately stop all religious activities. Also in April, the Pingyuan County Peoples Court in Shandong province convicted five members of the Discipleship Church of organizing and using cult organizations to undermine law enforcement. The defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to five years On May 10, 2015, a house church in Aksu, Xinjiang, was raided by public security personnel on charges of illegally gathering. At the time, 31 Christians were taken away by the authorities, along with some church property, and the officials closed down the church. Twelve church leaders were administratively detained on May 24 after dozens of armed police surrounded a house church in Bijie, Guizhou province, and raided the Sunday worship service. Other than the senior citizens, many of the 80 worshippers were interrogated at the local police station. All of the churchs belongings were confiscated. Twice, Chinese mafia attacked lawyers hired by the church, and the local public security bureau refused to investigate. After the 12 churches leaders had served their administrative detention sentences, police criminally detained eight of them for holding illegal gatherings, organizing cult activities, and violating Article 300 of the Constitution. They were then separated and transferred to various other detention centers. On May 27, two Christians, Zhao Chengliang and Cheng Hongpeng, were convicted of being part of a cult in Heze, Shandong, and were sentenced to four and three years in prison, respectively. A third Christian was also convicted but was not given a prison sentence. On July 11, religious affairs officials and police shut down a two-day summer camp organized by a house church in Shaanxi province and with more than 100 children in attendance. On July 16, the Dawukou District Peoples Court in Shizuishan, Ningxia province, held an open sentencing hearing of 148 leaders from the Discipleship Church, who had been apprehended by the police in November 2014. Eleven were given prison sentences. In early August, a Protestant church in the Ali District of Tibet was outlawed by local authorities for meeting illegally. On Aug. 16, officials from the religious affairs bureau and the Three-Self Patriotic Movement in Hubei province broke up a meeting of nearly 40 people at the Jinshuixia Church. According to Pastor Li Yongguang, the religious affairs bureau threatened to destroy the church and have its members arrested if it refused to register with the government. On Aug. 18, the front door of a house church in Shantou, Guangdong province, that the Chenghai District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau had declared an illegal meeting was sealed off by officials from the religious affairs and public security bureaus. Ms. Guo, a church leader, said that government officials served a notice to her at her home. Before closing the church down, the public security bureau had repeatedly pressured the congregation to join the Three-Self Church, but the church members refused. On Aug. 23, the religious affairs bureau, the fire department and the police raided a Sunday church service of the Zhongfu Wanmin Church in Dongguan, Guangdong province, and declared it an illegal meeting. The authorities served the church with a notice ordering it to immediately stop illegal religious activities. The church members refused, saying the church had been meeting for over 10 years. Around the same time, another house church in Guangdong province, Zhongfu House Church, also received an order to stop meeting notice. On Sept. 20, police in Chuzhou, Anhui province, administratively detained Pastor Lu Jiangyang of China Christ Jesus for 15 days and accused him of spreading cult teachings because the church had held a summer camp for children in late July. The camp was raided on July 28 by more than 100 police and religious affairs officials who said the church was holding non-government-approved religious activities and ordered it to stop all its religious activities. House church Christians meeting in the private home of a member in Dazhou, Sichuan province, on Nov. 10 were ordered to disperse by local officials who said that it was an illegal organization because it had failed to register with the religious affairs bureau. They were ordered to vacate the premises, even though Christians said it was simply a gathering of friends and family. They also pointed out that the requirement to register only applied to groups with more than 50 people. A house church Thanksgiving celebration on Nov. 18 in Yili, in the autonomous region of Xinjiang, was raided by police who took all 60 people, including two preachers from Taiwan, into custody. Later, three of them were criminally detained and held at the Yili Municipal Detention Center. Also in Xinjiang, police raided a house church in Kashgar Prefecture on Dec. 10, and arrested Xinjiang Christian Fang Jianying. He was placed under criminal detention the following day. On Dec. 15, the authorities apprehended Chen AiE, another Christian. As the above shows, throughout 2015, the CPC used law enforcement measures to intensify its persecution of rural house churches, resulting in a dramatic increase in the number of detained Christians. Persecution in the guise of accusations of cult activities became common, and pressure on house churches to either join the Three-Self Church or face closure increased. v. The CPC advances its campaign to Sinicize Christianity The CPC continued its campaign to Sinicize Christianitythrough regulations and specific plans introduced by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the China Christian Council (CCC) and the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), and the Zhejiang provincial government, in particular. These covered various aspects of church life, including the architectural style of church buildings, church management systems and the building of a theology with Chinese characteristics. According to a report on Chinese Religion Web, an international seminar on The Path to Sinicizing Christianity in China was held in Beijing on Nov. 20-21, 2015. It was sponsored by the World Religion Research Institute and the Christianity Research Center, both of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Religion Society, and the Beijing Municipal CCC and TSPM. Unlike the dozens of seminars on this subject that have been held in the previous two years, foreign religious experts were invited this time, including Professor Diane Obenchain of Fuller Theological Seminary, Rev. Wei Tixiang from Taiwan, Professors Paulos Huang and Miikka Ruokanen from Finland, and Rev. Leung Yinsing from Canada. However, the inclusion of foreign participants notwithstanding, the conference was clearly intended to promote and publicize the CPCs policy of Sinicizing Christianity that was adopted after Xi Jinping came to power in 2013. According to reports from government-run news agencies and from social media, the seminar focused on the three elements of the Sinicization of Christianity, namely, Christianitys identification with Chinese politics, its adaptation to Chinese society, and its expression of Chinese culture. With a large number of the attendees from academia and the arts, the 2015 seminar placed a greater emphasis on Christianitys expression in Chinese culture, using cultural expression, adaptation and integration to do away with the essential beliefs of Christianity. The seminar opened with an address by Zhuo Xinping, a proponent of the Sinicization of Christianity, who said that the topic of Sinicizing Christianity is not new, as Christianitys universality came about historically because of its ability to adapt to its locale, a process that should occur without creating a clash of civilizations or political conflicts. He said that Chinese Christianity must make a political choice and make its position known, and Chinese Christians must identify with Chinas political system and reach a consensus about the Sinicization of Christianity in the 21st century. As crosses were being demolished across Zhejiang province, the provincial government introduced a series of parallel Sinicization measures, including the Five entries and five transformation campaign. The five entries refers to the addition of laws and regulations, health care, popular science and culture, helping and supporting the poor, and building harmony to regular church activities. The five transformations are localizing religion (through adopting local architectural styles for church buildings), standardizing management, indigenizing theology (by contextualizing sermons), financial transparency and adapting Christian teachings. Although authorities acted in this way during the Cultural Revolution this kind of political interference in religious affairs has not been seen since China embarked on its open door policy. The cross demolition campaign across Zhejiang province was the local governments way of carrying out the call to localize religion. Local authorities felt that crosses atop Gothic-style church buildings clashed with traditional Chinese architecture. TSPM general secretary Kan Baoping, spoke approvingly of a number of church buildings that had been built by foreign missionaries in the style of Buddhist or Daoist temples, saying Deshi Church in Shantou, Guangdong; Gangwashi Church in Beijing; Christ Church in Sanyuan, Shaanxi; Fuyin Church in Suzhou, Anhui; and Hongde Church in Shanghai all adopted traditional Chinese architectural style or the blended style of China and the West. Who would say they look like Buddhist temples rather than Christian churches? He added, Only when Chinese architectural style has become the dominant style of Christian churches in China can we say this is Chinese Christianity, because the external form is an expression of internal changes in thinking and views. The intent of bringing activities related to healthcare, aiding the poor, and creating social harmony is to neutralize Christianity religious nature and turn churches into mere philanthropic and charity organizations. This was amply demonstrated when Christians were encouraged to donate blood as a part of their Easter celebrations in 2015, turning the core belief of Christianitythe shedding of Christs blood for the sins of mankindinto a blood drive opportunity. With Buddhism and Daoism in China already successfully Sinicized, the CPC has all along sought to effect a similar and complete transformation of Christianity. Even its own directly controlled Three-Self churches have been targeted for crackdowns of CPC-perceived problems. The Xi Administration has raised the issue of religion to a threat to national security, and the government, therefore, will push the Sinicization of Christianity in China even more. It is clear from the four points covered abovethe cross demolitions in Zhejiang, the escalating persecution of urban and rural churches, and the Sinicization campaignthat 2015 was a year in which the CPC intensified its suppression of churches and Christians. Persecution of Three-Self churches and house churches alike was the worst it has been since the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. The Chinese governments attitude towards Christianity was clearly shown to the world in its demolition of churches and crosses across multiple locales. Detaining and sentencing church pastors, church leaders and evangelists on criminal charges were meant to intimidate believers and curb burgeoning church growth. Confiscating church property and fining Christians was an attempt to financially ruin churches, while portraying house churches as cults was intended to disrupt and sever the churches normal relations with the rest of society. Finally, under the guise of the campaign to Sinicize Christianity, the CPC seeks to strip Christianity of its universality and to replace the sacred principle of Christ as the head of the church with submission to the CPC. The year 2015 was also a year in which believers from house churches and Three-Self churches alike fearlessly stood up to the persecution and gave no ground in their protests. They were aided by Christian legal professionals and human rights lawyers who trained house churches throughout China in to defend their rights their rights according to the law. Tens of thousands of Christians took part in hundreds of these sessions and learned how to use the law to protect their right to freedom of religion and the rights of their churches. Increasing numbers of church members filed administrative complaints against government actions, and many of them won their cases. A coterie of Christian human rights lawyers has emerged who are putting their own freedoms on the line to provide legal defense to persecuted Christians and churches across the country. Some have even risked their lives to expose to the rest of the world these acts of official persecution of Christians in China. These teams of lawyers were involved in many of the years most influential religious cases, frequently laboring in the face of injustices perpetrated by the local police and courts, including at least one instance of being attacked by thugs hired by the government. III. Statistical and Schematic Analysis of Religious Persecution and Human Rights Abuses in China While sections I and II of this report are focused on the characteristics of persecution in China, predominately affecting house church communities, this section uses statistics and data analysis to give further information about the persecution in 2015. The Appendix (Section V) provides a sampling of the years religious freedom and human rights abuse cases. Note that the data and information in this report are based on reports of persecution that China Aid collected in 2015. Though not comprehensive, these cases cover a wide range of Chinese provinces and municipalities, are diverse in nature, and represent a variety of individual backgrounds, including urban and rural house churches and Three-Self churches and their members, individual religious practitioners, college students, human rights lawyers and advocates, political dissidents and sellers of religious materials. Thus, this report reflects the status of religious freedom, though predominately for the Christian house church movement, rule of law, and human rights in China and the severity of persecution faced by Chinese citizens. In 2015, China Aid collected information on 634 cases of persecution across the country, an increase of 10.84 percent from 2014. The 19,426 people who were persecuted represented an 8.62 percent increase from the previous year. The 3,178 people who were arrested or summoned for questioning was 6.15 percent more than in the previous year, and the 232 people sentenced to prison was 81.79 percent fewer than in 2014. Cases of verbal, mental and physical abuse, including torture, totaled 195 and involved 463 people, increases of 174.65 percent and 91.32 percent, respectively from the previous year. Across China, nearly 1,480 crosses were forcibly demolished and 85 churches were razed or ordered to close down in 2015. Comparing the data in the above six categoriesthe total number of persecution cases, total number of people persecuted for their religion, number of people arrested, abused and sentenced, number of abuse casesthe overall situation can be statistically represented as being 4.74 percent worse than in 2014, 164.71 percent worse than in 2013, 267.47 percent worse than in 2012, 315.43 percent worse than in 2011, 205.98 percent worse than in 2008, 491.95 percent worse than in 2010, 580.23 percent worse than in 2009 and 709.94 percent worse than in 2008. Please see the table below for details. A woman picks pork chunks at a food market in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Sichuan is one of the largest pork production bases in China.XU CONGJUN/CHINA DAILY Big rise in pork consumption boosts livestock fodder industry in the country China's appetite for meat has made billionaires out of two of the country's largest animal-feed providers. Bao Hongxing, chief executive officer of the closely held Twins Group Co in Jiangxi province, China's fifth-largest animal-feed producer, has a $1.8 billion net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Chen Yuxin, founder of closely held Sichuan Tequ Investment Co, Sichuan province's biggest animal feedmaker, has a fortune valued at more than $1 billion. The two tycoons are benefiting from growing demand for healthier livestock as the world's most populous nation prods farmers to provide higher-quality pork, chicken and beef. The country is also seeking to reduce its dependence on cheaper, low-protein staples such as rice, corn and soybeans. "It is impossible to lose money in the animal-feed industry in China right now, unless you have an internal management problem," said Wang Qian, a Shanghai-based agriculture analyst at Guotai Junan Securities Co. "Fewer than 20 percent of China's livestock farming companies make their own feed and are self-sufficient, while 80 to 90 percent of them have to buy feed from feed companies." Not only has the shift to meat boosted demand for domestic feed and turned China into the world's biggest animal feedmaker, the country breeds and eats more pigs than anywhere else on the planet, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Its largest farms are benefiting the most because they're most able to afford investing in the facilities and ingredients needed to meet the government's guidelines for safety, quality and environmental protection. A farmer prepares feed at a pigsty in Nantong, Jiangsu province. Chinese consumers' huge demand for pork products has prompted rapid development of the country's animal-feed industry.XU CONGJUN/CHINA DAILY On the flip side, smaller companies have suffered. The number of China's feed mills has fallen to 6,000 from 10,000 in 2010 as family-owned businesses were shuttered, Wang Junxun, a vice-director at the agriculture ministry, said. The surviving mills produced 200 million tons of animal feed in 2015, a 23 percent increase from 2010 and accounted for about one-fifth of global output, according to China's agriculture ministry. Twins Group had revenue of 38.6 billion yuan ($5.94 billion) in 2015 after surging at a compounded annual growth rate of 50 percent from 2004 to 2014, according to Cai Li, Bao's assistant, who declined to comment on the net worth calculation. Bao, 52, invested 500,000 yuan for a 17 percent stake in what was then called Golden Apple Group, and became one of its biggest shareholders in 2001. The company, which changed its name to Twins Group in 2007, is China's largest producer of pig feed, according to the group's website. He shares the stake with his wife, Hua Tao. Family members, including his sister and two brothers-in-law, own another 29 percent of the company. None of the family members have a stake valued at $1 billion or more. Chen, 66, owns West Hope Group, a closely held conglomerate whose businesses include tourism, education and investments. It split off the animal-feed business in 2005 as Sichuan Tequ Investment Co, a partnership with closely held Pu Hua Agriculture & Technology. West Hope has a 55 percent stake in the feed business, which had a revenue of more than 13 billion yuan in 2015 and represents about 70 percent of the group's total, according to spokesman Wang Linnong, who declined to comment on Chen's net worth. Both billionaires benefited from decisions made by China in 1985, when the government liberalized its domestic grain industry and made livestock production a priority, according to the State Council Information Office. Chen didn't start out rich. He was abandoned at age two and placed under foster care in the farming village of Gujia because his family couldn't afford to feed four sons and a daughter. He reconciled with his biological family, the Lius, in 1963 after returning to Xinjin to attend middle school, according to West Hope Group. After graduating from Sichuan Agriculture University in 1982, Chen worked as a government employee for the Xinjin Agriculture Bureau. He quit after six months and returned to Gujia and began raising quail and chickens. The brothers soon pooled their capital and started a business with 1,000 yuan, expanding into the feed business in 1992 and forming the Hope Group. Together they built a collective net worth of more than $15.9 billion, China's second-largest family fortune, according to the index. They diverged in 1995, splitting the business in four equal parts as a way to avoid a family dispute. Both Liu Yongxing and Liu Yonghao remained focused on agriculture while expanding into heavy chemical industry and real estate industry, respectively. Liu Yongxing started East Hope Group, building a net worth of $9.3 billion, according to the index. Liu Yonghao, the youngest brother, founded New Hope Group and built a $5.5 billion fortune. The eldest, Liu Yongyan, left the feed business and formed Continental Hope Group, which sells mechanical and electrical appliances. His net worth could not be verified due to the lack of disclosed financial information. Chen also holds 1 percent of publicly traded New Hope Liuhe Co, an animal feed and agricultural products maker owned by his younger brother Liu Yonghao, according to Liuhe's 2015 annual report. BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has demanded less red tape, improved regulation and better services to promote sustained and healthy development of the economy. Li made the remarks in a national teleconference on May 9. Although China has made progress in streamlining administration, overhauling market regulation and optimizing government services, there is still much work to be done, said the premier in a speech released on Sunday. According to him, some power delegation measures were not fully implemented. Unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspections and inadequate supervision revealed loopholes in market regulation. "Although the economy operated steadily in the first quarter, with improvements in structure and quality and better-than-expected indicators, downward pressure remains considerable and the foundation for economic stabilization and improvements has yet to be consolidated," said Li. In addition, China's traditional international competitiveness has been weakened, featuring decline in the growth rate of foreign trade and utilization of foreign capital, said the premier. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, citing the relocation of some foreign-funded manufacturers from China to other countries. "We should guide some of them to move from eastern coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern regions," said Li, adding that labor-intensive manufacturing enterprises could create jobs and help address China's "great employment pressure". To that end, Li said China will explore ways to implement pre-establishment national treatment and negative list management system for foreign investors. The government will create a level playing field for all investors, said Li, adding that the State Council is mulling detailed measures to promote private investment. On the basis of trial programs, the government will make a market entry negative list and eliminate unreasonable restrictions and invisible barriers in sectors, including electricity, telecom, transport, oil and gas, utilities, elderly care, medical treatment and education. Meanwhile, the premier pledged to further slash administrative examinations and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses and give colleges and scientific research institutes greater decision-making power in runing schools and scientific research. Over the past three years, State Council departments have canceled or delegated to lower authorities the administrative examination and approval power over 618 items, totaling 36 percent of the items subject to approval. China has given green light to 76 percent of investment projects that previously required central government approval. More than 95 percent of foreign investment projects and more than 98 percent of overseas investment projects now could register online to put on record. Since last year, an average of 40,000 businesses are set up every day, due to lowered business threshold and improved business environment. A sign of China Mobile is seen at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Asia 2016 in Shanghai, May 12, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] China Mobile Ltd, the country's largest wireless carrier, plans to invest 2 billion yuan ($305.6 million) in two insurance companies of China Merchants Group, the online financial magazine Caixin reported on Monday. China Mobile is looking to buy a 20 percent stake in CMG Renhe Property Insurance for 1 billion yuan, and another 20 percent stake in CMG Renhe Life Insurance for 1 billion yuan, Caixin said. The transaction will make China Mobile one of the largest shareholders of the two insurance companies, whose registered capital are both 5 billion yuan. Renhe Insurance Company, established in 1875 by China Merchants Group, is the first shipping insurance company in China. If the licenses of the two insurance companies are approved, it means that the Renhe brand will reenter the insurance sector. China Mobile said domestic insurance market saw a rapid development and has a bright future; especially the burgeoning internet insurance that brings more room for the development of the insurance sector. There is high strategic collaboration value in the development of internet business and internet insurance, and the company can realize a collaborative development, China Mobile added. Insiders said China Mobile's subscribers' advantage cannot be ignored. China Mobile's data showed that as of April, its total subscribers reached 835 million, including 391 million 4G users. In recent years, China Mobile has entered the financial market several times. In 2010, China Mobile bought a 20 percent stake in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank for 39.8 billion yuan. China Mobile also launched an innovation industry fund last year. More effort is needed to fight money laundering within China as the country becomes more integrated into global markets, the People's Bank of China has urged. "Financial and payment institutions should attach a high degree of importance to money laundering activities and to work in conjunction with the central bank in efforts to enhance financial monitoring and financial analysis," said Guo Qingping, deputy governor of the central bank, at an annual conference on Thursday. While discussing major anti-money laundering tasks to be undertaken this year, Guo highlighted the need to bolster measures aimed at preventing illegal crowdfunding and other types of criminal activities, which have increased in the financial sector and go beyond the economic field. China faces a heightened risk of money laundering and terror financing, according to Guo. The country's crackdown on financial crimes has started to gather pace in recent years, since laws against money laundering were implemented in 2007. Workers monitor an MPV production line at a passenger vehicle manufacturer in Anhui province.HU WEIGUO/CHINA DAILY The increasing sales of multi-purpose vehicles in China has attracted the attention of many carmakers, including those that make premium vehicles. They are keen to step up their efforts to seize some market share. Severe competition appears inevitable. The MPV segment is dominated by local automakers' low-end vehicles that command about 90 percent market share. Some are already wondering if the situation is ripe for change. "With product lines that have been improved gradually, the local brands would continue to lead the MPV market," said Han Dehong, administration and public relations director of SAIC-GM-Wuling, the joint venture of SAIC Motor, Liuzhou Wuling Motors and GM China. Han said SGMW's new models will reflect consumers' demands for upgraded cars. The carmaker plans to launch several models later this year, including the Baojun 310, the refreshed Baojun 560 and Baojun 730. He said the company is developing a new-energy model under the Baojun brand. Last month, it launched the Hongguang S1. "Although the competition in the MPV market is getting more serious, there is still plenty of room to grow," he said. According to Han, the MPV segment has a huge market base with a wide price range. Its increasing niche segments are able to fulfil customers' various fast-changing needs. The market potential partly comes from the increasingly rational demands being made by consumers, said Han. He explained the low-end MPVs could be used for commercial purposes, while the mid-end and high-end ones target families. Last year, China unveiled a second-child policy that replaced the single-child policy. Han said the five-seater sedans and SUVs no longer fit the larger family. Which is why, the roomy and comfortable MPVs are admired by young families planning to buy a car. Also, the continual high demand from buyers for multi-function, cross-segment vehicles, and availability of a broader line-up of MPVs, will boost the segment, Han said. China sold 631,700 MPVs in the January to March period, up 9.1 percent year-on-year. Some 601,700 of them were local brands. Wuling Hongguang, an MPV launched in 2010 by SGMW, has been China's best-selling auto model for the past four years. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, sales of Wuling Hongguang reached about 255,800 units last year. The Baojun 730, an MPV from the SGMW stable, was China's fifth best-selling model last year with sales of 321,100 units. SGMW produced and sold 2 million vehicles last year, which made it the first automaker in China to achieve that figure in annual output and sales. The company said its sales last year included 1 million MPVs, up 14.8 percent year-on-year. "In future, the hotspot in the MPV segment would be mid-ends and low-ends," said Zeng Zhiling, managing director of LMC Automotive Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Zeng said the second-child policy may stimulate use of MPVs among high-end families. In that sense, the market could be relatively small after all. "The second-child policy may persuade some families to choose MPVs, but large-size SUVs would be more competitive," Zeng said. Contact the writer at duxiaoying1@chinadaily.com.cn The high level of purchasing power of some consumers in China's western provinces is giving hope to makers of luxury cars who have been otherwise experiencing challenges, in the form of low sales growth and obstacles to their "Go West" strategy. Earlier this month, Cao Weida, a sales assistant of Sunfonda Group Holdings, the second-largest dealer in luxury and ultra-luxury cars in northwestern China, almost lost his voice. He had near incessant interactions with prospective car buyers and visitors at the seven-day auto show in Xi'an where he manned the Mercedes-Benz stand. "I talked to countless visitors," he said. "People have growing enthusiasm for luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW AG." The high level of purchasing power of some consumers in China's western provinces is giving hope to makers of luxury cars who have been otherwise experiencing challenges, in the form of low sales growth and obstacles to their "Go West" strategy. Cao said many luxury brands have launched more models with lower prices, ranging between 250,000 yuan and 350,000 yuan. A growing number of young people are considering buying a Mercedes-Benz, a BMW or an Audi as their first car, to make their dreams come true. "Thanks to the special discounts during the auto show, you could have bought an Audi A1 with around 150,000 yuan, which is far from 'luxury' as per our definition, but it is happening," Cao said. According to the expo organizers, the seven-day Xi'an auto show attracted 418,000 visitors and helped sell 14,219 cars for more than 4 billion yuan, 1 billion yuan more than the sales revenue from a similar exhibition last July. Clearly, West China loves luxury cars. Of course, the location of Xi'an at the heart of West China helped attract visitors from neighboring provinces and autonomous regions such as Sichuan, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Record sales at Xi'an came in spite of another auto show being held at the same time in the northwestern city of Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui autonomous region. According to the organizers of the four-day Yinchuan show, there were 220,000 visitors, and 2,309 vehicles were sold for 345 million yuan. Liu Jiazhen, marketing director at Ningxia Jinrunbao Auto Sales Service Co, a major local dealer of BMW, said the auto industry still sees good potential in West China. The company will likely invest in more sales centers in the region. She said a new BMW sales store will open in Yinchuan this year. In addition to popular Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi which are well accepted by Chinese buyers, Lincoln Motor Co, a traditional luxury brand from the US, is doing well. It reentered China in 2014, seeing the country's booming demand for cars. After setting up stores in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Lincoln opened a new store in Xi'an, the first one in West China, in January. Tian Jing, executive vice general manager of Xi'an Haolin Lincoln Store, said the company has confidence that car buyers in the western region will bring more revenue for Lincoln. "We are not eager to sell our cars. Instead, we are promoting a way of life that knows the essence of 'luxury' in western China," she said. "In the past, people had an impression that luxury car owners in western China are only rich but have no taste. It's not true. As long as we provide high-end services for them, they can be influenced." From the perspective of Cao the sales assistant, only brands such as Aston Martin can be called luxury brands. Stated differently, he does not regard BMW and Audi as luxury car brands anymore. For, some luxury car brands are less and less "luxury" due to their launch of models targeted at young and middle-class consumers. And the "real luxury" or ultra-luxury car segment in West China has gone cold, savaged by the commodities' price drop, which has severely affected incomes of the rich in the region. Prospective buyers of luxury cars in the region are those who had built their fortunes on soaring demand for mining resources like coal, oil and natural gas. But their wealth has shrunk in recent years because of coal mines' bankruptcy due to falling prices and weak demand. Guo Shaoyu in Yinchuan contributed to this story. A BAIC Motor new-energy car is on display at an auto show in Guangzhou last August.LIU JIAO/CHINA DAILY China will continue its "green revolution" to reduce transport-related emission, promoting excavation technology and electric cars, said vice minister of transport Dai Dongchang. In remarks to an annual ministerial summit in Leipzig, Germany, Dai vowed China will roll out stronger policies and management to peak its carbon emission as soon as possible. The world's second largest economy promised a deadline of the year 2030 when it signed the Paris Agreement in April, giving a strong push for collective efforts against global warming. To fulfill such commitment, the country would have to increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent and reduce carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65 percent from 2005 levels. "China will pursue green, circular and low-carbon growth," said Dai at the International Transport Forum (ITF) 2016 summit on Thursday, adding that decades of fast-growing industrialization, urbanization and mobility have taken a toll on the environment. "The country will explore market mechanism measures such as carbon exchange and commissioned third-party operation in transport sector, and upgrade its emission standards," said Dai. The central government has spent over 3.25 billion yuan in reducing transport emission over the past five years, according to the ministry, while 26 cities were made pilot ones in developing green transportation system. Green solution in Europe China's efforts come as the Paris Agreement on climate change opened a new era of initiatives to secure low-carbon transport. Germany announced last week that its government is offering electric car buyers up to 4,000 euros as part of a subsidy plan. The move is expected to bring 300,000 to 500,000 new purchases of e-vehicles. Norway, with the fourth biggest number of electric cars, launched a spate of favorable policies including free parking, free toll, and permit to use bus lane as well as sales tax exempt to encourage the purchases. According to the ITF, transport activity currently contributes 23 percent of CO2 emissions worldwide from fossil fuels, with the share still expected to rise. The intergovernmental think tank at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has 57 member countries including China and organizes the annual summit of transport ministers. This year's summit, themed green and inclusive transport, was held in Leipzig, Germany. Suzuki Motor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Osamu Suzuki (left) and President Toshihiro Suzuki bow during a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, on May 18. Suzuki said on Wednesday it had used tests that were not compliant with Japanese regulations, but added proper testing carried out later showed the mileage data did not need amending.[Photo/Agencies] Japanese automakers are making headlines these days for their wrongdoing but their misconduct might prove positive for customers and automakers in China. In late April, Mitsubishi Motors was forced to admit it had used improper tests and falsified fuel efficiency test data for decades. Last week, South Korea accused Nissan Motor of cheating on emission tests and planned to fine the Japanese company $279,920 for manipulating emissions tests. Nissan, however, has "firmly" denied the accusation. South Korea's environment ministry probed 20 diesel car models in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal and only the Nissan Qashqai failed the test. Within the same week, Suzuki Motor apologized for improper tests, as Mitsubishi had, but it denied reports that it illegally falsified mileage numbers. The wave of scandals is wiping out chunks of the automakers' market value and, in China, will probably cool customer enthusiasm for Japanese products. Due to the short history of China's automobile industry, some people in the country believe that imported products are better than locally made ones, they consider foreign brands to mean quality, and have developed the belief that companies from developed countries, especially Germany and Japan, are 100 percent reliable. For quite some time in China, words such as "strictness", "quality", and "spirit of artisanship" were most associated with Japanese brands, with one of the best-known examples being a rush to buy toilet seats in Japan last year. A British friend who wishes to remain anonymous told me he likes Japanese cars too, but said that back in the 1970s, Japanese cars had poor reputation in the United Kingdom, much worse than that of "made in China" to those who turn a blind eye to Chinese automakers' efforts over the decades. It is true that the average level of car manufacture in Japan is higher than in China, where the history of auto making is merely 60 years, but some local manufacturers are already standing out and still more are catching up. The Qoros 3 was the first China-made car to score a five-star rating in the Euro-NCAP in 2013 and received the second-highest score in the test's history. However, its sales were far inferior to its performance in the test and one major reason was that customers don't believe that China-made cars deserve to carry as high a price tag as international brands do. Chen Anning, chairman of Qoros, said his dream is to see customers take pride in "made in China" vehicles. It is time to overhaul the reputation of China-made products, said the auto veteran who worked in Ford for some 20 years, at a recent forum in Beijing. BAIC Motor's Chairman Xu Heyi said it is the obligation of Chinese brands to turn themselves into international brands. He acknowledged that artisanship takes time and said his company is drafting a system to cultivate that culture. The recent scandals also offer a lesson to Chinese automakers, which is more valuable than incidentally helping redress their image in the eyes of customers. One reason behind those humiliating events, said John Zeng, managing director of LMC Automotive Shanghai, is the contradiction between governments' rising demands on limiting emissions and automakers' inability to meet those in a profitable way. The logic in the business world is that companies have to juggle several hats at the same time: make money for shareholders, meet government demands on emissions and offer products that customers like. It seems that when they cannot fulfill that trio of tasks perfectly, moneymaking also has more value than the other two and thus increases the possibility of being caught lying. Now that it is becoming more evident worldwide that governments are more demanding about emissions, the only solution to the hat-juggling task will be to make hay of research and development while the sun shines and trust that preparation will save automakers from having to lie. Pedestrians walk past the head office of Mitsubishi Motors Corp in Tokyo's Minato Ward, Japan, on April 21, 2016. Mitsubishi admitted on April 20 that it had dressed up fuel efficiency data for four models, affecting a total of 625,000 units. [Provided to China Daily] Mitsubishi Motors looks to have a bumpy road ahead as fallout from the scandal surrounding the falsifying of its fuel economy data intensifies. The automaker announced on Wednesday that its President Tetsuro Aikawa and Executive Vice-President Ryugo Nakao would resign from June 24 as a result of its cheating in fuel economy data, which involved more than 600,000 cars in Japan, and its use of dishonest testing since 1991. The announcement came after Mitsubishi made known it would sell 506.6 million newly issued shares for $2.2 billion to Nissan Motor for a 34 percent stake after its market value nosedived. The deal, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, will make Nissan the largest shareholder of Mitsubishi. However, the scandal will not end with resignations and acquisition. As Mitsubishi and Nissan will remain separate brands, some industry insiders say they have to face a more tricky problem in the Chinese market where one international automaker cannot have more than two joint ventures. Nissan already has one joint venture, Dongfeng Motor, but Mitsubishi has two - GAC Mitsubishi and Southeast Motor. Some don't think the automaker is in a dilemma. Yale Zhang, managing director of consultancy Automotive Foresight, said Mitsubishi could be saved as Southeast Motor is more about technology transfer than existing as a conventional joint venture. Southeast Motor is a joint venture between Fujian Motor and Taiwan-based China Motor, in which Mitsubishi holds stakes. The company only sold 5,000 localized Mitsubishi sedans last year and thus became a marginalized brand in the Chinese market where 21 million passenger cars were sold in the year. John Zeng, managing director of LMC Automotive Shanghai, said people are "too concerned" about the two-joint venture rule. He said chances are slim that GAC Mitsubishi and Southeast Motor merge into one but that policy enforcement officials could have different interpretations as the case of Nissan purchasing Mitsubishi and allying with Renault is complex. GAC Mitsubishi said it has been closely watching Mitsubishi's moves but it is not clear what lies ahead, 21st Century Business Herald reported. The joint venture specializes in SUVs but its sales in the first four months combined were merely 8,169 units, a 56.3 percent slump year-on-year, despite SUVs being the fastest growing segment in the country, according to the China Passenger Car Association. The GAC Mitsubishi management blamed the slack performance on its small portfolio. Mitsubishi has localized only two SUV models at the joint venture - the ASX and Pajero. Plans were in place to improve that situation. Before the scandal broke, the joint venture, which has a designed annual capacity of 300,000 units, unveiled its plan to introduce at least 10 models to China within five years to beef up its lineup. Analysts said that plan would still help and would be, at least, better than doing nothing, but the automaker may spend more time groping in the darkness of uncertainty before it can find a way out of its problems. lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn Car time sharing company LeShare, who frees users from cash deposit, officially launches its app and service on Friday in Beijing.[Photo provided to China Daily] Govt restrictions are helping to boost the expansion of market A new player in China's car time sharing business is taking the sector toward a deposit-free mode for the first time. LeShare, LeEco Holding's time sharing arm, put its app and service into public use on Friday in Beijing, after months of testing, with a fleet of 300 full electric vehicles. Users need only register with a mobile number through the smartphone app or WeChat account, and upload their driver license information. They will then be able to find the nearest available vehicle from 60 parking sites scattered throughout the capital city. "Our cars are in use for about 10 hours a day, topping the Chinese market," said Cui Ruizhe, head of product management of LeShare. Car time sharing operators usually require a cash deposit of about 1,000 yuan ($152.8) or more. Time sharing customers are charged on a time or kilometer basis, bypassing the upfront costs of a car. Users drive the vehicles then return them to any of the parking sites. The company takes care of vehicle maintenance, insurance and other auxiliary costs. The users and business staff never need to meet in person. Cui said:"Besides our lower rental fees, each customer gets 30 minutes free use twice every day." Liu Shijin, former vice-president of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said: "The sharing business, as a new commercial pattern, has higher economic efficiency. It may bring significant improvements to people's well-being and society development." Duan Liren, former vice-director of the Beijing Municipal Transportation Administration Bureau, said transportation sharing could be a solution to existing traffic issues. Eight Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are restricting new vehicle plate registrations. The policy has triggered acceleration in the expansion of the car sharing market, as the business helps users avoid car plate issues. A car-sharing branch under the Internet Ecosystem Institute was established on Thursday, led by LeEco Holdings-controlled Yidao Yongche, to research and advise on the fledgling business field. Time sharing LeShare plans to expand its fleet to 3,000 units by the end of this year, and provide the service in seven cities including Beijing. Shanghai, Chengdu, and Shenzhen. LeEco Holdings plans to invest 2 billion yuan by 2019, hoping to broaden its service area to 100 cities with 200,000 vehicles. Shouqi Group's time sharing arm Gofun mainly operates across Beijing. BAIC Group and smartphone maker Taiwan Hon Hai Technology's joint venture GreenGo focuses on shopping areas and industrial parks. Starting from Shanghai, Shanghai International Automobile City Group's EVCard program is expanding to adjacent cities. Meanwhile, the Zhejiang Microcity Electric Vehicle Operation Co's Microcity EV, popular in Hangzhou city, is now entering Shanghai and Yunnan province. Zhang Junyi, a partner with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants Greater China, said: "Cars are now becoming a mobile office for many people. More and more customers demand better individual experiences." The Munich-based consulting firm has noted that the industry faces issues of parking spaces, dispatching among locations and handling of the used vehicles. The customers' self image when using low-end mini-size new-energy vehicles, and limited charging and drop-off spots are also hindering demand. Premium carmaker's time sharing plans usually provide better vehicle fleets, but on a much smaller scale. Daimler AG's Car2go runs Smart and BMW Brilliance Automotive's Zinoro provides a full electric sport utility vehicle developed from BMW X1. Ride sharing When a car owner drives his or her own vehicle and allows another person to join the trip for a fee, it is usually known as ride sharing. The car driver is not supposed to be a professional, but just sharing their planned journey. Ride sharing differs from car hailing services, where a driver uses his or her own vehicle to take a customer where they wish to go. Roland Berger's report found that the potential demands on time sharing and ride sharing that were not fully met reached about 91.4 million trips per day of the total 2.8 billion daily trips in 2015. The potential market for time sharing and ride sharing may hit 110 million trips daily by 2020, Roland Berger predicted. The major ride sharing players in China include Apple Inc and Legend Holdings-backed Didi Chuxing, LeEco-controlled Yidao Yongche and Uber Technologies from the United States. Didi currently handles more than 11 million rides a day and serves about 300 million users. Yidao is serving more than 40 million customers worldwide. Both are providing ride sharing and a large portion of professional car hailing services. President of IResearch Consulting Group Ruan Jingwen said: "Not only does there exist huge potential on the demand side, but also on the supply side. There is a strong willingness in sharing business users, both customers and drivers." Tim Cook talks with Indian iOS developers during his first visit to the nation on May 18, 2016. [Photo/Cook's Twitter] After shaking hands with Chinese iOS developers and country's technology regulators, Apple Inc's chief Tim Cook landed in India, becoming the first CEO of the California-based company to visit the nation in decades. According to Xinhua News Agency, CEO Tim Cook discussed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 21 the "possibilities of manufacturing" and tapping the young talent pool in the country, said government officials. "Cook shared Apple Inc's future plans for India. He spoke of the possibilities of manufacturing and retailing in India," said an official statement of the Prime Minister's Office. Tim Cook talks with talents at the new Mac Lab at GNITS women's college on May 19, 2016 during his first visit to the nation. [Photo/Cook's Twitter] According to local newspaper The Hindu, Cook said: "We are looking at India as a partner across (segments), not just for any one area. Manufacturing is something we will logically look at." When asked if India could be as big as China for Apple some day, the Apple chief said that all the ingredients are in place for India to grow exponentially. "I see a lot of positive things happen in the country and more will happen. From GDP point of view there is no doubt in my mind that India will set new records. I can feel it will happen," Cook told the newspaper. In an answer to whether the country will become the next "bullish market" like China for Apple, Cook expressed optimism about the future business expansion in India. "India shouldn't try to be like anyone but itself, because India is fantastic. I think the multi-cultural nature of it, the warmth of its people this is an advantage that is probably not well understood to the exterior world. I see a lot of positive things happen in the country and more will happen. From the GDP point of view there is no doubt in my mind that India will set new records. I can feel it will happen, all the ingredients are there," said Cook to a news channel. Cook said he was not chasing market share in India but wanted to partner with telecom operators to enhance the quality of services. "We are in India for the next thousand years. Our horizon is very long. We are focused on best, not most. So it doesn't bother me that we don't have top market share," he said. According to Cook, last year Apple did $59 billion worth of business in China and this is a big number for a company to do. But India is different than China. "India is a different place and we are going into India very humbly. We've been selling here for a while as you know, but we are taking a step back in viewing India strategically and I do believe that the reforms that are going in India, means that India has an enormously bright future and we would like to be a part of that and we plan to be." In a hospital in Weifang, East Chinas Shandong province, a doctor conducts a test using a HPV testing device in this 2008 file photo. [Photo/IC] US cancer specialist says move can better protect against cervical cancer China should add a HPV vaccine into its national immunization program as soon as possible to better protect women from cervical cancer, according to a top US scientist. Douglas Lowy, acting director of the US National Cancer Institute The call by Douglas Lowy, acting director of the US National Cancer Institute, comes 10 years after the first vaccine for the human papillomavirus received market approval in the United States. Today, such vaccines are used in about 120 countries and regions. Yet it is still not available on the Chinese mainland, which results in many women heading to Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan, where local authorities have cleared a vaccine for the market. HPV, which is largely sexually transmitted, is a major cause of cervical cancer and can also result in genital warts and other serious conditions. Cases of cervical cancer have been on the rise on the mainland, according to Qiao Youlin, a professor of epidemiology at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences' Cancer Hospital in Beijing. An average of 100,000 new cases are reported each year, making it the fifth most common cancer among women, he said. To reverse the trend, Lowy has suggested China vaccinate women against HPV, especially those living in areas with a high rate of cervical cancer. He believes girls aged 14 or younger should be the priority. His institute estimates that widespread use of some HPV vaccines now on the market could prevent more than two-thirds of cervical cancer cases from occurring. State-level program According to the World Health Organization, more than 500,000 women a year worldwide are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Of this number, 275,000 will die of the disease. Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO China representative, said 35 nations and regions have state-level HPV immunization programs. "Currently, no HPV vaccine is licensed in China, but there are companies working to develop them," he said. One such enterprise is the Chengdu Institute of Biological Products, which is building a production facility with an annual capacity of 2.5 million doses. About 10 vaccines have applied for approval from the China Food and Drug Administration, including domestic and foreign products. Qiao said GlaxoSmithCline, the pharmaceuticals giant, has finished phase 3 clinical trials on its vaccine, which could hit the Chinese market this year. The process has so far taken almost 10 years, he said. An estimated 17 percent of Chinese women aged 14 to 59 are infected with HPV. However, Qiao added that due to high costsabout $300 a dose"it will be hard to get (the GSC vaccine) integrated into China's national immunization program". Bian Ce, an associate professor of gynecology at West China Hospital in Sichuan province, said Chinese women aged about 45 are at the highest risk of cervical cancer, although the age could drop because women are becoming sexually active at a younger age and are more likely to have multiple partners than previous generations. "The youngest I've seen was 26," he said. He said a HPV vaccine is most effective if administered before a woman has intercourse for the first time. "The vaccines work, but they are definitely not the only way for prevention," Bian said. He recommends women aged 29 and over regularly undergo tests for HPV and cervical screening to spot precancerous lesions early. China's Global Newspaper Sorry, the page you requested was not found. Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Chinadaily.com.cn, try visiting the Chinadaily home page Red-crowned cranes at a national rare birds nature reserve in East China's Jiangsu province, Jan 9, 2016. Reserves now account for 14.8 percent of the country's territory. [Photo/Xinhua] China has seen steady growth in nature reserves, which are now home to 89 percent of the wild animals and plants on its protected lists. Reserves now account for 14.8 percent of the country's territory, said Chen Jining, minister of environmental protection, on Sunday - the International Day for Biological Diversity. Since 1956, when the first nature reserves were created, China has established 2,740 reserves. They include forests, wetlands and geological parks and comprise 147 million hectares. The percentage of the nation's territory set aside as protected nature reserves is higher than the global average, Chen said. These natural reserves not only have protected plants and animals but major natural relics, he said at a conference celebrating biological diversity. Chen added that some rare and endangered species had recovered in recent years, including Yunnan snub-nosed golden monkey, a kind of monkey that is only found in China's southwest. Its numbers have grown by 40 percent in the past 20 years, from 1,400 to more than 2,000 in 2015, said Zhong Tai of the Baima Snow Mountain National Natural Reserve in Yunnan during an interview with China Central Television. He said this year has seen a record number of babies born, and staff at the reserve have been providing them with extra food, including eggs and peanuts. Chen, the minister, said that in addition to improving nature reserves, the ministry will strengthen punishments for people who conduct illegal activities in the reserves, such as banned construction. China has set long-term targets for biodiversity conservation. It aims to have sound systems of laws and regulations in place by 2030 to protect biodiversity and the sustainable development of biological resources. On Sunday, the ministry and the Chinese Academy of Sciences released the latest annual checklist, the Catalog of Life in China, which shows the country had 86,575 species in 2016, an increase over last year's 73,255. zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn Wang Qingjian has witnessed many maritime accidents in his 34 years fishing on the seas around the Nansha Islands, but his memories of lost vessels from the Philippines and Vietnam were lost in the darkness back in 2007 are the most vivid. "There were hundreds of people floating in the sea, just like ants, among pieces of broken ships," said Wang, 55, who is captain of a fishing boat based in Tanmen town, Qionghai, Hainan province. In November 2007, before Typhoon Hagibis had formed, Fu Shibao, an officer in charge of Tanmen's South China Sea 110 maritime security hotline, had forecast it was coming, based on his rich experience. He reached his conclusion several days earlier than China's official forecast. Fu insisted that all fishing boats from Tanmen working in the Nansha area remain in close contact with him, and called on them to find refuge among nearby sheltered islands and reefs. When the typhoon struck, many Philippine and Vietnamese ships in the vast region were hit hard. At the request of Manila and Hanoi, China used every method at its disposal to reach stricken foreign fishermen around Nansha. Fu also asked the crew of Chinese fishing boats in the area to look for survivors. About 10 Chinese boats were involved in the rescue, saving 24 Philippine fishermen and seven from Vietnam. "I just had a wooden ship at that time, and I offered everything I had to them, including food and clothing," Wang said. Fu said the local Chinese government was ready to send rescue ships to take care of the foreign fishermen, but in the end they were taken away by boats from their own countries. Contact the writers at lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn and liuxiaoli@chinadaily.com.cn Education authorities in Zhejiang province have ordered strict oversight of school running tracks following parents' claims that their children had fallen ill after using a new facility. The Zhejiang Provincial Education Department released a regulation on Sunday requiring all primary and secondary schools to have their running tracks checked to ensure they do not contain toxic materials. Schools have also been told to examine the bidding and building process for new tracks. The move followed a claim by several parents that children studying at Yuhai Central Primary School in Rui'an had suffered symptoms including nosebleeds, fevers and rashes since early in May after being exposed to a new plastic running track that was built in October. The claims went viral online on Thursday after one of the parents posted details on Weibo, China's major micro-blogging platform. She said her 8-year-old had been coughing and had nosebleeds after using the new track, which she claimed smelled pungent. Photos showing health check reports from Rui'an People's Hospital and a close-up of a red rash on a student's leg were uploaded along with the post. Lin Guoqiang, the school's principal, confirmed to local media on Friday that some students had health issues, but stressed that the new school campus and its new track had passed a test conducted by RO-Testing, a local environmental safety agency. "Except for two classrooms with slightly higher levels of chemicals that could be dispelled by ventilation, all the other new campus facilities were declared safe to be used based on the test result in October. Our students moved in months later at the beginning of this year," Lin said. However, some parents were unconvinced. A mother surnamed Li told Zhejiang-based newspaper Xiandai Jinbao she had itchy skin after standing on the running track for 10 minutes. "The response from the school doesn't ease our concerns, and we require further investigation on the issue," the paper quoted her as saying. The school has temporarily closed the new campus and moved students and lessons to a nearby venue. It said it will organize comprehensive health checks for all students and have the facilities rechecked under the supervision of professionals and parent representatives. According to the new regulation, all schools in the province should work with relevant organizations to test for toxic chemicals in both new and established facilities. Third-party supervision is also now mandatory in the bidding process for new school track construction. Education authorities in the province also ordered newly built school facilities to be left empty for a while after being declared safe for habitation. Editor's note: President Xi Jinping recently spoke on internet sovereignty, and the government also plans to push ahead with new rules of managing domain names. The recent statements have attracted unfavorable views in the West. But many experts see the planned changes differently. Here are some of their opinions. Internet sovereignty In some cases, internet sovereignty can mean a state protecting its citizens' privacy against international corporate surveillance or infiltration by another state. In other cases, it can mean the state ensuring that it can invade the privacy of its citizens whenever and however it likes. The choices made depend on the state, but that of course is the point: It's the state that decides. ---- Scott L Malcomson is the author of Splinternet: How Geopolitics and Commerce are Fragmenting the World Wide Web. He is a fellow at the Carnegie Corporation Internet sovereignty has the characteristics that the UN Charter describes to fit the sovereign jurisdiction of the land, the people and the government of each country. Internet freedom should accord with the international conventions on human rights, and should not breach the UN Charter on sovereign equality. Internet sovereignty overweighs internet freedom. ---- Zhao Hongrui, the head of law school at the Harbin Institute of Technology Domain name management New rules are intended to reduce threats toward consumers and enterprises, as well as boost the use of Chinese domain names. Technically, the re-registration of domain names itself is not hard. Companies can transfer their domain names from foreign registration service providers to domestic ones within a day. ---- Long Weilian, a famous tech blogger in China Domain name is critical to a country, because it functions as the fundamental guidepost to the internet. It is easy for companies to transfer domain names from foreign organizations to domestic ones as it does not interrupt their business. ---- Hu Gang, head of research center of the Internet Society of China If you are accessing internet in China, the government has the right to supervise you due to the apanage management principle. The centralized management will improve the government's capability in coping with crisis. The government would have more domestic choices, rather than relying on foreign organizations. ---- Xie Yongjiang, deputy head of the BUPT's Institute of Internet Governance and Law Cybersecurity If computers develop a problem then that can bring down power grids, transportation networks and financial system, causing severe physical damage and economic losses. Cybersecurity is the biggest challenge facing the online world, and is pivotal to the continuous application of internet in all industries. ---- Zhang Yuzhe, a researcher at the NDRC's Institute on Industrial Technology Research China has weak infrastructure to ensure cybersecurity, and Chinese companies have less sense of protecting themselves. Cybersecurity equals to State safety, and the government and companies should all increase their safety awareness to secure information. ---- Zheng Wenbin, chief engineer of Qihoo 360 Technology Co We should view cyberspace as a strategic to protect the country's sovereignty, safety and development, establishing strong internet forces without delay. The secrets revealed by Edward Snowden have demonstrated that the US has quietly entered the backyard of our cyber territory. ---- Qin An, a researcher at the China Institute of Innovation & Development Strategy Lots of disclosures have revealed that private internet companies in the US are working with the government, and China should also follow that. It is important for the country to nurture high-level talents for cybersecurity. ---- Wu Jianping, a professor at Tsinghua University Internet governance The internet has become a crucial part of the infrastructure across the world, and the cyberspace has been an independent space. Just like the international community has developed rules for sea and outer space, the world should set up rules for internet. ---- Wang Jiandong and Tong Nannan, researchers from the State Information Center Since the internet has become part of our real life, the cyberspace cannot be a lawless place. The legislation of the internet would be normal in the future. ---- Shi Xiansheng, deputy head of the Internet Society of China Different countries have different policies regarding the internet. The online world also needs general rules. All nations should work together toward setting general rules catering to the global environment. ---- Wu Xiucheng, vice-president of Coremail Participants hang from a bridge about 40-meters-high above the ground during a drill at a scenic spot in Fuling district, Chongqing municipality, May 22, 2016. More than 30 enthusiasts were selected to take part in the drill, which was held by the local fire department to promote air rescue knowledge to the citizens.[Photo/VCG] Fresh puffer fish, a delicacy for Chinese diners. [Photo by Zhang Zhuojun/For China Daily] China looks set to scrap a 26-year ban on the sale of puffer fish on the mainland. The poisonous yet tasty delicacy was ordered off the menu by health authorities in 1990, while the China Food and Drug Administration has twice sent notices reminding restaurants of the rules in recent years. However, members of the China Fisheries Association and China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Association met recently to discuss allowing certified companies to sell puffer fish products. It is not known when the ban may be lifted. The move will be welcome news to those in the food industry, even though the ban has been largely ignored in many areas of the country, including in Shanghai and Jiangsu province, where companies have continued to sell the fish to restaurants, which in turn offer them discreetly to their diners. Sa Long, a chef who specializes in preparing puffer fish in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, said his restaurant has never stopped offering the fish due to the huge demand. "The puffer fish provided by farms are much less poisonous than wild ones," Sa said. "But the fish still needs to be prepared by a trained chef because the toxin in its blood, ovaries and other parts can kill humans easily. We've never had any poisoned diners." According to Beijing News, about 30,000 to 50,000 metric tons of puffer fish are sold in China every year, with the output value reaching 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion). About 200,000 people are involved in China's puffer fish industry, the paper said. Cai Ping, executive director of the Jiangsu office of tje Asia Puffer Fish Cultural Research Association, said his group trains thousands of chefs to process the fish every year. "There are strict regulations," Cai said. "The chefs used to have the cooked fish first and serve it to the customers 20 minutes later, after it was proved to be safe. "Many Chinese regions have the tradition of eating puffer fish. The lifting of the ban will help boost the industry." cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn Chinese military mulls new policies to seek educated recruits (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-05-23 15:42 BEIJING - The Chinese military is appealing to qualified young recruits with a string of preferential policies, including financial aid and easy access to employment after service. The favorable policies target graduates and university students, according to a document on recruitment released by the department of defense mobilization under the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of Education Monday. Each university student may obtain a certain amount in subsidies once they have been recruited, and the soldiers will be eligible to take exams for employment in state organs, public institutions or state-owned enterprises after their military service, it said. Meanwhile, university student recruits will continue to enjoy tuition waivers, loan reductions, and improved chances to seek master's degrees, among other benefits, the document added. Military recruiters, education departments and media organizations nationwide are also required to promote the recruitment drive to strengthen young people' patriotism and help them understand the army. This year's recruitment targeting university students has started and will last until the end of September. Chinese, Indian archaeologists mull exploring birthplace of Buddhism (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-05-23 16:49 ZHENGZHOU - Chinese and Indian archaeologists are currently discussing a cultural cooperation project in the birthplace of Buddhism. The Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences will collaborate with Indian archaeologists at key sites in Sarnath, India. The project is expected to include excavations, cultural relics protection, and safety monitoring and control, Wang Wei, director of the institute, told Xinhua Monday. Sarnath, in northeast India, is where Buddha gave his first sermon and is considered one of the most important holy sites by Buddhists. "We are very excited because our archaeologists will be finally able to look for, and may later touch and protect Indian relics that they have only seen in books," said Wang. Sanjay Kumar Manjul, director of the Institute of Archaeology under the Archaeological Survey of India, voiced strong support for the project, which is expected to begin in November and last until 2020. Another project, focusing on relics at Rakhigarhi, west of New Delhi, the site of one of the largest Indus Valley Civilization settlements, will also be launched. "We are two neighbors with a long history of cultural, spiritual and economic ties, and I believe this project will strengthen our connection," he said. The director explained that during the first millennium, many Chinese scholars and monks traveled to India, including Xuan Zang and Yi Jing, who attended Nalanda University in Bihar, north India. "The detailed accounts of their journeys are an important resource for historians, archaeologists, Buddhologists and those interested in studying cross-cultural interactions in the pre-modern world. On the basis of these records, archaeologists have explored several Buddhist sites in India," he said. Indian archaeologists have been excavating at Sarnath since the late 19th century, and a considerable number of temple relics and statues have been discovered. However, they have yet to be dated. Another mystery Wang is interested in is the connection between Buddha statues from the Gupta Dynasty, discovered in Sarnath, and similar items made in China during the Beiqi Dynasty (550-577). "The relationship between these relics may tell us something new about the spread of Buddhism in China," said Wang. The project will feature some of the world's leading archeological technology, including three-dimensional remote sensing and three-dimensional imaging systems, as well as advanced indoor testing and analysis techniques, said Wang. Premier Li Keqiang visits a Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle heavy truck plant in Shiyan city, Central China's Hubei province, on May 23. [Photo/english.gov.cn] Premier Li Keqiang urged a motor company and its employees to focus on core business and improve product quality to compete with counterparts in the world during his visit to a Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle heavy truck plant in Shiyan city, Central China's Hubei province, on May 23. When invited to be a booster for the heavy trucks produced in the plant, the Premier said he not only boosts Dongfeng, but also all Made-in-China products. He warned the company not to cover so many production fields, but to focus on their core businesses, as he got on a Dongfeng heavy truck in the plant. On seeing a group of workers discussing innovation in assembling components in the plant, the Premier said the quality revolution of "Made in China" depends on the craftsman's spirit and craft innovation, and the key is consumer-oriented. He added that companies should upgrade made in China products through gradually satisfying consumers' increasing needs. "You are the founding fathers of the factory of Dongfeng Automobile Co Ltd. You are also pioneers of China's automobile industry," Premier Li told a group of older Dongfeng staff. "You overcame all difficulties and constructed a modern motor city in a mountainous area, which is a great contribution to the development of China's equipment manufacturing industry," the Premier said. They still stand. Weathered and baked by the sun, certainly, but they stand as icons of defiance. When people visit China's Yongxing Island in the South China Sea for the first time, residents proudly point out these symbols of China's sovereignty: a three-story gun tower and a meter-high stone with red lettering that marks the return of the island to Chinese sovereignty after the war from occupying Japanese forces. The gun tower, now empty of weapons and refurbished, was built by Japanese imperial forces after Japan invaded and occupied the Xisha Islands in 1939. Its square openings allowed gun crews to train their fire on the South China Sea. Both are located on the western part of one China's Xisha Islands. The two reminders of history are just a few meters from each other, and easily attract the attention of inquisitive passers-by. The leaves of coconut trees, swaying in the breeze, cast fleeting shadows on them in an almost idyllic scene. Japan invaded and occupied the Xisha Islands in 1939. The Xisha and Nansha islands were returned to Chinese sovereignty under the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, and the then Chinese government retook these islands in 1946. The history of the islands, and their recovery, remind me of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's remarks when he was asked about the South China Sea in June last year at the World Peace Forum in Beijing. "At that time, China and the US were allies, and the Chinese personnel recovered the Nansha Islands from on board US warships. The American friends should be clear about this," Wang said. Zhang Haiwen, a leading Chinese expert on international maritime law with the State Oceanic Administration, said that one of the most valid measures to confirm China's jurisdiction, in terms of international law, was publicly recovering the Xisha and Nansha islands by dispatching troops and prominent figures there. To demonstrate China's sovereignty, officials and officers organized celebratory cannon fire and raised flags marking the return of the islands. "Those measures effectively proved how China reinforced its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands. Also, the international community did not voice objections to such measures," Zhang said. In addition to the United States, Japan has increased its profile concerning the South China Sea in the past two years. Tokyo is also seeking to pass a strong declaration on the South China Sea during the upcoming G7 summit in Japan. There has been a widely accepted definition and agreement about Tokyo's wartime role. This may be ignored or glossed over by some in Japan but wounds that were then inflicted are still sensitive. As Japan frequently campaigns for reinforcing military cooperation with countries, such as the Philippines, and boosts its military presence in the South China Sea, peace-loving people like to ask: what is Japan's ultimate purpose? Is it benefiting from stirring up the situation here? Are Japanese right-wingers trying to return to their past "glory"? These are questions that should not need to be asked as the coconut tree leaves cast their shadows over reminders of history. Premier Li Keqiang urged State-owned enterprises to remove excess production capacity and increase quality during a visit to Hubei province on Monday. Li appointed the Wuhan Iron & Steel Group Co as a pilot SOE to reduce excess capacity and transfer redundant workers to other posts with financial and policy support from the central and local governments. The company has four subsidiaries with an annual production capacity of nearly 40 million metric tons of iron and steel, ranking fourth around the world. "Reform is the fundamental way for SOEs to grow and prosper. But when cutting excess capacity, superfluous workers must be transferred to other jobs instead of being laid off," Li told the company. SOEs administered by the central government in the coal, iron and steel sectors are due to cut 10 percent of production capacity this year, according to an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Li on May 18. Wuhan Iron & Steel had 51,000 employees by the end of last month, 72.8 percent of the total in July last year. The company subsidizes these workers each month. Last year, the company spent 10 billion yuan ($1.53 billion) to cover expenses for employees, incurring a loss of more than 10 billion yuan, according to the company's report. Wuhan Iron & Steel will further cut the number of employees to about 30,000, which is estimated to cost it 5 billion yuan. Li said the central government will support the SOE's restructuring, which will receive preferential policies and financial support as a pilot project. A total of 100 billion yuan has been allocated to remove excess capacity and transfer workers who are not needed in such enterprises. Zhang Chunxiao, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said China's industrial chains can now accommodate workers who are transferred from industries that are plagued by excess capacity amid economic restructuring. Li also encouraged manufacturers to further improve efficiency and increase quality with a "craftsman's spirit" when he visited the Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co in Shiyan, Hubei province, which produces 80,000 heavy trucks annually. Zhang said the "craftsman's spirit" integrates labor and technologies, which will boost products made in China from a low-end industrial structure to a high-end one. Li also saw innovations by high-tech companies at the Optics Valley Exhibition Center in the Donghu Lake High-technology Zone. It is the last remaining relic of an ancient forest that stretched for millennia across the lowlands of Europe a shadowy, mossy woodland where bison and lynx roam beneath towering oak trees up to 600 years old. Conservationists believe the fate of the Bialowieza Forest, which straddles Poland and Belarus, is threatened due to a new Polish government plan for extensive logging in parts of the forest. The plan has pitted the government against environmentalists and many scientists, who are fighting to save the UNESCO world heritage site. Seven environmental groups, including Greenpeace and WWF, have lodged a complaint with the European Commission hoping to prevent the large-scale felling of trees, which is due to begin within days. Bialowieza has been declared a Natura 2000 site, meaning it is a protected area under European law. EU officials say they are working with the Polish authorities to ensure that any new interventions in the forest are in line with their regulations, but it's not yet clear what the result will be. The beautiful scenery of the Va ethnic group's Wending village is seen in the early morning. [Photo by Qiu Taijian/photoint.net] Qiu Taijian is an award-winning photographer and member of the China Photographers Association. His work captures the life of China's last "primitive tribe", the Va ethnic minority in Wending village, Cangyuan county of Southwest China's Yunnan province. In Va language, Wending village, or "Om Dian", means a stockade village on the waterside. With a history of more than 400 years, the village is home to more than 100 households. The villagers still live primarily with their own customs and religious beliefs. Village residents are described as the "last primitive tribe in China" by Chinese National Geography magazine. Li Yundi's piano wizardry returns to the concert stage as he embraces his favorite composer. Chen Nan reports. Over little more than a decade, from 1831 to 1843, Fryderyk Chopin composed four ballades, a musical form he helped create by adapting the narrative sequence to solo piano composition. The four ballades are considered the finest of Chopin's works and mark the composer's musical evolution after he left his homeland Poland for Paris. Chinese pianist Li Yundi, who considers Chopin his favorite composer, played the four works as a young student more than a decade ago. The youngest-ever winner at the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2000 when he was 18, he returned to sit on the competition jury of the competition in 2015. Li says he is experiencing a mature stage in his career and "now the timing is right to reinterpret the composer's four ballades". In his latest album, Chopin: Ballades, Berceuse, Mazurkas, he performs the Opus 17 set of four mazurkas, the lullaby-style Berceuse (Op 57), and all four ballades. "I just focused on the technical difficulty back then, but I didn't have the ability to deliver the poetic and dramatic qualities hidden in these ballades," the 33-year-old pianist says during an interview in Beijing. "Now, I am at the stage of having better control of a music piece, technically, structurally and emotionally. I am able to interpret Chopin's most challenging works." He spent two days in Berlin recording the new album. Ballade No 1 (in G minor) was written during Chopin's early days in Paris, which Li describes as "emotionally dramatic". When the pianist played the second ballade (F major), he pictured himself sitting near a lake at night, listening to a bell sounding from afar. The third piece (A-flat major) is the closest to a dance form among the four, while the F-minor finale, Li says, is the most technically challenging workthe composer's supreme masterpiece. After releasing the album internationally in February, the pianist kicked off a two-month tour in more than 20 cities across the United States and Europe. He will have nine shows in Japan by the end of the month, then return to China to play in six cities on the mainland in June and July, including a piano recital at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on July 13. In September, Li released the album Chopin Precludes, which included studio recordings and performances that launched his ongoing project. Later this year, he will release another Chopin album, though he has not revealed any details. "I also like works by other composers, but I find a personal affinity with the emotion delivered in Chopin's music. I have unlimited imagination about his music," Li says. "He did just one thing in his short life, that is writing for the piano. I like that simple and focused attitude toward music." Li also enjoys solitude, as the composer did. Despite his tight schedule, the pianist likes spending some time alone before performances, when he savors tea and listens to jazz. The son of Chongqing steel workers, Li was introduced to the accordion at the age of 3, switching to the piano at 7. He graduated from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and won a string of competitions, including the Stravinsky Youth Competition when he was 13 and the Utrecht Liszt competition at 17 before his famous win at the Chopin event. So far, he has released 15 studio albums and enjoys pop star-like fame. In November, Li faced a storm of controversy over a performance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center, where the pianist suddenly stopped as if lost in the middle of the performance. He later apologized for it on his Sina Weibo account, which has nearly 20 million followers, saying that the "mishap was caused by tiredness". "I need to give myself some space and be quiet before performing. I was exhausted and hardly focused," he says. "For me, the chapter of the mistake has already passed. But it's a good reminder and I learned from it." As a role model for China's 50 million youth studying classical music, Li says his passion for music will never change, although his ambition has expanded from being a great pianist to being a great pianist and a music educator. Having given master classes worldwide during tours, he is also eager to popularize classical music in China. "I want to share my musical experience with kids. Though they may not become professional musicians, they will benefit from playing music," he says. Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn Jessica Kiger, executive director and producer of On Site Opera.[Photo/Agencies] New York is famous for the Metropolitan Opera but the city is home to more than 50 smaller opera companies, performing everywhere from parks to bars to private homes. In a first-of-a-kind festival, an alliance of the small companies is putting on performances across New York, hoping to reach new audiences but also to cross-pollinate by showing opera aficionados the breadth of offerings across the metropolis. The New York Opera Alliance chooses not to define "opera" or to set quality benchmarks, admitting to its fold any group that thinks it fits the bill and can chip in $75. The inaugural New York Opera Fest, which runs throughout May and June, features classics plus innovative fare including operas designed for video and pieces about sex education performed by Opera on Tap, which plays in bars and other public spots. One company, On Site Opera, will put on Marcos Portugal's version of The Marriage of Figaro inside an ornate house in Manhattan, which will serve as the count's palace with the audience watching inside. Jessica Kiger, the company's executive director and producer, says such on-location performances were complementary rather than a replacement for grand opera as seen at the Met. "For us it's just important to match the space with the story. So it's not just about taking opera outside the opera house, but to find a space that really resonates with the story or where the characters live, or would be, so that we can have a truly immersive experience," she says. Kiger says on-site operas were also more fluid, with performers reacting more to the audiences and developing their characters. "That to me has always made a huge difference. It's a lot of talking about who your character is and less about, 'Now I cross here in the music,'" she says. The rise of the opera alliance comes amid financial challenges for the Met and other major US music institutions that enjoy less generous government funding than counterparts in much of Europe. The New York City Opera, created as a more populist alternative to the Met, went bust in 2013 as it faced mounting debts. But a group of philanthropists and businesses recently revived the "people's opera", staging Puccini's Tosca at a theater near the Met in Lincoln Center. The reborn New York City Opera next month will reach a Spanish-speaking audience with Florencia en el Amazonas, a work of magical realism by Daniel Catan. Small companies have seen a growth of interest since the New York Opera Alliance was created five years ago as they benefit from unique characteristics in the metropolisa huge potential audience and a cultural shift toward independent art. Annie Holt, executive director of the alliance, says the festival's lively, small-scale productions may be more in line with opera as envisioned in the art form's formative years in Italy. "For me it's Wagner who engenders the sort of modern way that we thought about opera across most of the 20th centuryit's high art, it's through-composed, you sit down in your seat and you're quiet and the lights are off," she says. More casual productions "are actually in some ways for me a return to the origins of opera, not a departure from it", she adds. Dancers perform on a beach in Mauritius. [Photo provided to China Daily] Mauritius: Heaven on Earth , a travel book written by Chinese diplomats in Mauritius, was released in its second edition in Beijing on Friday. The book's eight chapters depict Mauritius from aspects ranging from people and food to history and culture, also providing useful travel information for Chinese tourists to the island in the southwest of Indian Ocean. "I know when visitors, especially from China, visit the island, they also want to acquire new knowledge and learn about a new culture. This is why I think this book is an essential read for perspective visitors to prepare themselves for the visit to Mauritius," said the Vice-Prime Minister of Mauritius Xavier-Luc Duval, who presented the new edition. Book cover of Mauritius: Heaven on Earth. [Photo provided to China Daily] More than a dozen Chinese diplomats who have worked at the Chinese embassy to Mauritius helped gather the information and pen the book. The first edition was published in 2014. "The book offers the detailed observations of Chinese diplomats as they work and live in Mauritius, their understanding and deep emotion of the country and the people," said Zhang Ming, vice-minister of foreign affairs for China at the book release ceremony. Since the agreement on mutual visa exemption between China and Mauritius was signed in 2013, the number of Chinese tourists to Mauritius has been growing. According to Duval, nearly 90,000 Chinese tourists visited the country in 2015, 41 percent more than the previous year. Related: Picture book brings 'better ideas, better solutions' to children Guo Degang. [Photo provided to China Daily] The producers of Rock Dog, a Sino-US computer-generated animation movie on Tibetan dogs, has recently announced its voice cast for the Mandarin version. Guo Degang, a Chinese comedy superstar, his son, Guo Qilin, and apprentices Sun Yue and Shao Bing have done the Chinese-language version. The English version is led by Luke Wilson and J.K. Simmons. A cinematic adaptation of rock star Zheng Jun's graphical novel Tibetan Rock Dogs, the Sino-US coproduction will be released in Chinese mainland theaters on June 8. The 3-D feature is about a Tibetan Mastiff's dream. When the dog gets hold of a radio that drops from heaven, it decides to leave home to fulfill its dream of becoming a rock musician. The film, which cost $50 million and involved Hollywood talent, is directed and partly written by Ash Brannon, known for the Toy Story franchise. The film took seven years to make. Zheng, a Chinese rock star, says that the film was the biggest "challenge" of his 30-year showbiz career. Related: Thriller Tik Tok set for July release The press conference of the Sino-French cultural forum was held in Western Returned Scholars Association Site in Beijing, May 23, 2016. [Photo by Li Meng/provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A two-day Sino-French cultural forum, with 150 guests from France participating in 11 sub-forums, will be held in Beijing starting May 26. Among the participants are director Jean Jacques Annaud, architect Paul Andreu and Chinese-American architect Bei Jianzhong. The forum, entitled "One Belt One Road: Cultural Dialogue and Fusion", will have elites from both countries sharing their insights and experiences in various fields, including culture, art, economy and education, to enhance dialogue in heritage protection, history studies, and city development. "This forum is not supposed to be restricted only between China and France. I hope the forum could be developed into a world forum, a 'Davos Forum of Culture' to be exact," said Christine Cayol, founder of the forum's co-host Yishu 8. "If we look forward 50 to 100 years, we might not want to see a world with only the economy setting the rules. We need art and more cultural dialogue if we want to create a world of peace." The forum, which was put forward in 2014 by Chen Zhu, president of the Western Returned Scholars Association, and former French premier Jean-Pierre Raffarin, is aimed at building a non-official and non-profit Sino-French communication platform. As introduced by Chen Zhu, the Sino-French Cultural Forum Beijing Declaration is to be announced on May 25. Co-hosted by Yishu 8 and the Western Returned Scholars Association, the forum will be held in China and France alternatively. The second forum will be held in Lyons, France. Life-size sculptures of plump women, often in gravity-defying postures, are on display at the Liu Haisu Art Museum in Shanghai. [Photo provided to China Daily] Life-size sculptures of plump women, often in gravity-defying postures, are on display at the Liu Haisu Art Museum in Shanghai. Created by Xu Hongfei, director of the Guangzhou Academy of Sculpture in Guangdong province, 10 large pieces are displayed outdoors in front of the main building, while another 40 pieces are in the ground floor exhibition hall of the museum. "Xu has captured the flow of light and shadows, using the curves on the body and the volume itself in these unusually plump women, and established his unique vocabulary of sculpture art," says critic Mao Shi'an. The exhibition has toured 18 cities at home and abroad before Shanghai. Besides using glass fiber, steel and bronze, the artist also created pieces with jade, red sandal wood and other materials not often seen in modern sculpture. If you go 9 am-5 pm, through May 29. Liu Haisu Art Museum. 1609 Yanan Road West, Changning district, Shanghai. Related: Rodin sculpture sets new record even as auction market softens The International Cheese Guild. [Photo provided to China Daily] The International Cheese Guild, the most prominent cheese association in the world, recently held a ceremony at the French embassy residence in Beijing to celebrate its 12 newest members. Some of the association's top management, including its president Roland Barthelemy, attended the celebration. The 12 new members include Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, French ambassador to China, Jean-Jacques De Dardel, Swiss ambassador to China, and Ettore Francesco Sequi, Italian ambassador to China. They were rewarded for their efforts and contributions in promoting cheese throughout various activities over the years. Together with all guild members in China, they will continue to nurture the culture and knowledge of cheese across China, creating a strong link between foreign and local cheesemakers, and further develop the whole cheese industry in China by introducing the benefits of cheese into peoples daily lives, according to Jean-Paul Torris, Maitre Honoris Caseus of the International Cheese Guild and the CEO of France-based cheese group Savencia Fromage & Dairy. The International Cheese Guild was founded in 1969 to promote the cheese dairy industry. It has more than 6,000 members in over 30 countries. Related: High quality Austrian cheese to be introduced to China The Ministry of Environmental Protection started an investigation on Sunday into what caused about 500 students at Changzhou Foreign School in Jiangsu province to come down with a range of pollution-related illnesses. The school had relocated in September to a facility built on a toxic site. The spate of illnesses that flared since then include leukemia, dermatitis, eczema, bronchitis and blood abnormalities. According to the school, 641 students were examined recently by doctors, and 493 were diagnosed with various diseases and conditions. The local government confirmed the new campus was built on a brownfield site that had housed three chemical factories. The plants had produced highly toxic chemicals including carbofuran and methomyl. People who formerly worked in the factories said they had buried toxic chemicals near the plants to save time and money. They also spoke of discharging untreated wastewater into rivers. An environmental report showed that soil and nearby groundwater contained organic pollutants including chlorobenzene and carbon tetrachloride. Heavy-metal pollutants such as mercury, lead and cadmium were also found. The concentrations of chlorobenzene in the groundwater and soil greatly exceeded normal levels, according to the report. The amount of chlorobenzene in the groundwater was 94,799 times normal. It was 78,899 times higher in the soil. Pan Xiaochuan, a professor at the public health school under Peking University, was quoted by China Central Television as saying that the high number of students being diagnosed with diseases and conditions in such a short space of time should be connected with the heavy pollution levels. Professors specializing in environmental issues told CCTV the environmental assessment report that justified the construction of the new campus did not look for pesticides. And they said that builders had used heavily polluted groundwater during the construction process. SHANGHAI -- Tickets for Shanghai Disneyland have been booked for the first two weeks after the theme park opens to the public on June 16, local sources said Thursday. Tourists who want to visit the park can book tickets for later dates, according to Murray King, vice president of public affairs at Shanghai Disney Resort. Sun Jiwei, vice secretary-general of Shanghai municipal government, said that emergency drills will be held to address potential risks given the large number of tourists. The Shanghai Disney Resort, in Pudong New District, is Disney's sixth resort destination worldwide. Tickets for Shanghai Disneyland went on sale to the public on March 28. Regular price of admission is 370 yuan (around $56), while peak pricing for holidays and weekends is set at 499 yuan. Ticket prices for the opening period from June 16 to 30 are also 499 yuan. Policemen of Yunyang Peoples Court in Chongqing sign a banner on Nov 24, 2014 to show their loyalty to the Constitution. [Photo/Xinhua] How should police officers behave in the execution of their duties? There should be no reason why this is a hot topic for public discourse. If it is, there must be something wrong with the behavior of some police officers when it comes to exercising their powers. That explains why President Xi Jinping said on Friday that law enforcement must be strictly supervised and the outstanding problems solved so that everyone feels the fairness and justice of the law. The minister of public security reiterated this on the weekend. Their comments came after video clips went viral last week showing the buttocks of two university students that had been beaten black and blue by police officers. When the students in Lanzhou, capital of Northwest China's Gansu province, used their phones to video police officers who were using force to detain a suspect, they were themselves brought to a police station where they were severely beaten when they refused to hand over their phones. The police authorities in Lanzhou later admitted that the police officers were indeed to blame for the original incident and the beating of the students. In another recent incident, a youth who had been detained in custody in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, in 2015 said in an online post that he was sexually harassed by other detainees and that when he complained a police officer told him that it was natural for such things to happen. Of course, these bad apples do not represent the entire police force. It is undoubtedly wrong to take it for granted that abuses of police power are prevalent. Yet, the negative impact of the behavior of a few on the image of the police and the public's trust in law enforcement can never be overestimated. So it is of the utmost importance that the top authorities and the Ministry of Public Security rectify the abuse of police power by some police officers. Those police officers who illegally use violence or are involved in other abuses of police power must receive due punishments according to the law. And there must be enough transparency about how problematic police officers are subjected to the penalties they deserve for what they have done. It is also important to regulate law enforcement by standardizing police procedures. That is the way not only to put right the behavior of the police but also to win back the needed public trust. A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS in some provinces remain unused years after completion. Cnhubei.com commented on Saturday: In fact, the widespread existence of unused government buildings has a lot to do with the regulations issued by the central government three years ago, which urged governments at all levels to stop building oversized offices and forgo the ownership of those already built. More than 4,500,000 square meters of these improperly used buildings have been made available for public use in Henan province alone. As local officials' obsession with overly spacious offices has been curbed, it is important to make the best use of the "dormant buildings" that used to serve as government compounds. There have been successful attempts in some places to turn them into high-tech parks and exemplary incubators of modern agricultural projects. However, most of the oversized office buildings are still left unattended in "mint condition", because local governments are afraid that they might be held accountable for misusing them. Some even harbor the fantasy of secretly moving into the capacious buildings one day. Worse still, they are not really concerned about whether the State-owned properties are used or misused, due to the lack of binding regulations on unused public assets. Bringing these dormant buildings "back to life" is not only conducive to increasing local revenues instead of wasting public resources, but also putting an end to some officials' wishful thinking that they might reclaim the offices for personal gains. For that to happen, unused public properties should be allowed to enter the market if need be. This satellite image shows the Yongshu Jiao of China's Nansha Islands. [Photo/Xinhua] The Philippines has initiated arbitration proceedings on the South China Sea through the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration. Its No.1 and No.2 arbitration requests are to let the court rule that China's historical rights in the "nine-dash line" area of the South China Sea are against the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which was concluded in 1982, so as to deny the legality of China's interests. To realize this purpose, the Philippines has intentionally distorted the facts, made guesses about China's historical interests and interpreted UNCLOS to suit itself. Manila pretends to be blind to the basic historical facts, claiming that historically Chinese people had no activities in the South China Sea, and China lacks historical connections with the sea. But history is history. Chinese people have engaged in maritime activities in the South China Sea for more than 2,000 years. They discovered, named and developed the reefs and islets first. The Chinese government of every dynasty has exercised jurisdiction over these islands and their waters by setting up administrative regions, military navigation and marine salvage. Japan invaded China's Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands during its war of aggression. The Cairo Declaration in 1943 and the Potsdam Proclamation in 1945 clearly stipulated that Japan must return the Chinese territory it occupied in China. Accordingly, the Chinese government sent military and administrative officials to take back the Xisha Islands and the Nansha Islands, and garrisoned the islands. China resumed the exercise of its sovereignty over the reefs and islet and their surrounding waters. Manila denies China's historical rights over the reefs and islets in the South China Sea and the waters within the "nine-dash line", alleging that China did not claim its historical rights in the South China Sea until 2009, 17 years after UNCLOS came into force. This is a malicious interpretation of China's historical rights over the South China Sea. The Chinese government has repeatedly stressed China gradually acquired its sovereignty and relevant rights over the reefs and islets in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters over centuries. And the Chinese governments of different times have always adhered to this stance. The Chinese government renamed the islands and reefs in the South China Sea after geographic measurement in 1947, and drew the nine-dash line on its official national map in 1948, reiterating and confirming its sovereignty and relevant rights over this area of the South China Sea. The Chinese government has adhered to, and taken concrete actions to maintain China's historical rights in the South China Sea since Oct 1, 1949. To dismember China's historical rights, Manila claims, groundlessly, China's rights in the "nine-dash line" are not legally binding, according to UNCLOS. However, the drafters of the Convention and countries signatory to it have given full consideration to the complexity of countries' historical rights acquired via customary international laws through long-term practices, and thus UNCLOS does not rule on various kinds of historical rights, which are not changed by the Convention, and continue to be decided by the customary international laws. Therefore, UNCLOS does not have binding legal stipulations to judge China's historical rights in the South China Sea, and the arbitration court does not have right to make a ruling beyond the power of UNCLOS on China's historical rights. The Philippines has included tendentious points of view by some scholars in its arbitration filing that fabricate the Chinese government's stance and facts about China's historical rights. The views of these academics are by no means objective and factual evidence. Using personal views is not a valid way to prove a government's stance is legal. No serious, just and professional international judicial procedures accept scholars' personal theses as factual evidence. Meanwhile, China has large amounts of historical materials and state files proving the opposite of the Philippines' claims. Manila's contrived "evidence" is support of its claims only makes the arbitration farce more absurd, and harms the UNCLOS' authority in ruling that disputes should be solved in a peaceful manner. China's historical rights in the South China Sea are not influenced by the Philippines' distorting of the facts, or the arbitration proceedings based on Manila's abusing of the UN convention. China's historical rights over the South China Sea will continue to apply in accordance with customary international laws, and are respected by UNCLOS. The author is an international issue observer in Beijing. Taiwan's main opposition Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, April 15, 2015. [Photo/IC] Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, who will lead the island over the next four years, resorted to rhetorical ambiguity in Friday's inauguration speech. Tsai is yet to give a forthright answer on the 1992 Consensus that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, which has served as the political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. Instead, she said in her speech that she "respected" the fact that "several political agreements were reached by both sides in 1992", but stopped short of mentioning the 1992 Consensus. However, she said she wants to prolong the peaceful exchanges that have been established, and promised that the island will be "a staunch peacekeeper" in regional security affairs, in which cross-Straits ties serve as a "key link". And Tsai did pledge to address cross-Straits affairs in line with the "Regulations on Relations between People in the Taiwan and Mainland Areas" and other relevant laws. Yet, as a statement issued by the mainland after Tsai's inauguration speech said, "Taiwan independence" remains the biggest menace to peaceful ties, because Tsai failed to touch upon the nature of the cross-Straits relations, let alone the prospect of some DPP secessionists attacking the one-China principle. The truth is, just like the Cairo Declaration signed by the heads of the governments of China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1943, which justified the return of Taiwan to China and the postwar order in Asia-Pacific region, the 1992 Consensus is the fundamental agreement between the two sides of the Straits. The worst-case scenario would be Tsai attempting to continue trying to muddle through without endorsing the Consensus completely or even denying it completely. Should that happen, the mainland will have to prepare for and deter the DPP's future moves to seek "independence". It is also noteworthy that Taiwan has been invited to attend the Geneva-based World Health Assembly as an observer just three days after Tsai's inauguration, in accordance with the one-China principle reflected in the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1. As a special arrangement since 2009, the island's participation in the WHA will reveal a lot about whether the DPP will acknowledge the reality there is only one China. The WHA's belated invitation, which stresses that the DPP will be taking part in the event based on the one-China principle, enshrines the principle in Taiwan's political participation in international affairs. If the Taiwan health authorities seek to challenge this in Geneva, insisting that the WHA's reiteration of the one-China principle has something to do with the mainland's "interference", the special arrangement is unlikely to last. Worse, it might add more political uncertainties to cross-Straits relations, which the Kuomintang painstakingly steered in the right direction over the past eight years. Tsai should relinquish her delusional thinking that the mainland will sit idle while her party tries to tear China apart, bit by bit. The only option left for her is facing up to the 1992 Consensus. The author is a professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies of Beijing Union University. "It is a very historic moment in global economic governance. China has not hosted the G29 before." Jim O'Neill, formerly chief economist with Goldman Sachs, told Xinhua that he expects China will play a "very important role" in promoting economic cooperation at the G20 Summit to be held in China in September. [File photo] For Heinrich Schultz, a 77-year-old German retiree, this is a chance of a lifetime. Schultz is part of a group of around 50 Germans who are on a bus journey along the ancient Silk Road. Speaking of his trip, he says: "I have been deeply interested in the Silk Road since I was a child, but now I finally have a chance to experience it." The two-month bus journey will take the group through Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. They will then enter China from the country's western border. Liu Guosheng, chief of China Tours, which co-organized the trip, says: "It will be an unforgettable experience to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific." According to him, nearly half of the 13,000-kilometer trip will be inside China. From Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the west to Shanghai in the east, the German visitors will see more than 20 Chinese cities. "We have been running this trip for around 10 years. An increasing number of people, not only from German-speaking countries, have been joining us," says Liu. Nearly 26 million foreigners traveled to China in 2015, and some 5 million of them were from Europe. Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and the Yangtze River are traditional Chinese travel destinations for European tourists. Speaking of what he wants to see, Schultz says: "Compared with modern cities, western China is more attractive for me. The culture, ethic minorities, their lives ... all these are very interesting." The China National Tourism Administration sees "Silk Road Tourism" as a new brand to attract foreign visitors, and have made this its leading tourism promotion theme for the past two years. As Shi Xiang, the head of the China National Tourism Administration office in Frankfurt, says: "It is good for people to know more about China, especially the northwestern part of the country." Villagers of Yuejiazhai, descendants of Southern Song Dynasty hero Yue Fei, have lived reclusive lives for hundreds of years on the Thaihang mountain ridge in Pingshun, Shanxi province.[Photo by Sun Ruisheng/ China Daily] In order to avoid persecution, the kin of a Song Dynasty general took refuge on a mountain. But now, the village can be enjoyed by visitors. Li Yang and Sun Ruisheng report in Pingshun, Shanxi province. Thirty-three families from Yuejiazhai, a village of the Yue family on the Thaihang mountain ridge in Pingshun, North China's Shanxi province, have lived in relative seclusion for hundreds of years. Yue Xianlai, the Party chief of the village, says: "We are the descendants of Yue Fei's third son Yue Lin. I am a 35th-generation descendant of Yue Lin." Yue Fei was a military general who led the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) forces against the Jurchen-ruled Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) from northeastern China. He was put to death, along with his eldest son Yue Yun, in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, in 1142 by the Southern Song ruler after being accused of being a rebellion plotter. However, 27 years later, he received a posthumous rehabilitation and was portrayed as a national hero for his loyalty. But Yue Fei's death was turning point for his wife and other four sons. And fearing further persecution, they fled. The villagers say Yue Lin took 33 families with him, mostly relatives, servants and guards. One night during their journey they camped under a big tree in a remote mountainous region. Yue Lin had a dream that night, in which the tree told him to settle under it and it promised to protect his people. The next morning, he decided to follow the instruction and the group began to build houses there using locally available stone. The Beijing Declaration promises to actively rely on the tourism industry to play its role in implementing The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in sectors that are relevant to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[Photo by Zou Hong/Asianewsphoto] The Beijing Declaration, with a focal point on "Tourism for Peace and Development", was passed Thursday at the First World Conference on Tourism for Development in Beijing. Drafted by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the declaration relates in detail the consensus reached at the conference and the different propositions launched by all the participating parties. The aim is to promote the sustainable development of the global tourism industry and fully implement the UN's "Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". According to UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai, the tourism industry is one of the fastest growing socioeconomic sectors, and contributes to about 10 percent of the global GDP, 1/11th of jobs created worldwide and 6 percent of global trade volume. The tourism industry can stimulate economic growth, create jobs, attract investment, improve the livelihood of local residents and encourage people to start businesses. As tourism has become an important means of sustainable development, now is the right time to adopt the Beijing Declaration. Editor's Note: 520, or May 20, sounds like "I love you" in Chinese. Looking for a unique way to propose on this romantic date? Here are some original ideas for you to pop the question on China's Internet Valentine's Day. Man proposes under Aurora Borealis [Photo/IC] Anneka Davies certainly had no reservations when her boyfriend bent down on one knee and proposed while the northern lights danced in the sky above them. The beautiful series of shots show the two hand-in-hand, gazing up at the green and blue swirled sky. Dan Santillo then took his 28-year-old girlfriend Anneka Davies' hand, pulled out a ring and popped the question. The two can then be seen hugging and kissing before lying down in the snow to soak in the special moment. BANGKOK -- A schoolgirl boarding-house in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai was burnt down late Sunday night, killing 17 girls, injuring five others while two girls were missing, a local newspaper quoted police as reporting on Monday. According to the Nation newspaper, the fire broke out at the boarding-house of Pithakkiart Witthaya School in Wiengpapao district at 11 pm Sunday. The girls who died in the fire were between five to 12 years old. There were 38 schoolgirls staying at the boarding-house. They came from hilltribe villages in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai to study in the town. Jack Ma, founder of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, is to meet the Belgian king on Monday. This is their third meeting since June last year when King Philippe paid a state visit to China. They also met at World Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland in January. Ma is expected to announce the setting up of a Belgian branch of Alibaba, which, as he promised the King last year, will facilitate easier online payments to support Chinese visitors to Belgium. The move is representative of the opinions of those proactive Chinese investors who still hold confidence in 500 million consumers in the 28 member states of the European Union. Despite that, some investors in China are starting to cast doubts on the EU market due to challenges it faces from terrorism, the influx of migrants, economic stagnation and the rising influence of those who want to tear the bloc apart. They are also concerned that although some members have rolled out the red carpet to Chinese investment, others are taking protectionist actions against China. Ironically, Ma's decision of expanding business in the heart of the EU happened just a few days after a landslide resolution in that European Parliament that China is still not a market economy. Yet Ma, who transformed himself from a English teacher to a founder of a business empire, is an ideal example of the millions of various-scale Chinese businesspeople who have emerged in China since it started implemeting market reforms. And due to their efforts, both EU consumers and businesses benefit from competitive and lower-priced Chinese products. In this sense, for years, China's products have helped increase the well-being of ordinary families and the competitiveness of companies in the EU. Take China's steel exports to the EU, for example. China's competitive products have helped a lot of automakers in EU countries reduce their costs amid the financial and economic crisis. And many of these automakers export their cars or trucks to China as well. However, the politicians in the headquarters of the EU and some member states are choosing to turn a blind eye to the positive side of China's exports to Europe, due to the dominant influence of lobbyists and concerns about job losses. Instead, they place their trust in the biased figures and reports offered by pressure groups and make China the scapegoat for global challenges, preferring to accept the argument that China is somehow responsible for uncompetitive companies in the EU rather than setting their own houses in order. Ma and his team, on a mission to materialize business opportunities in Brussels, will have been dismayed to encounter the rising protectionist atmosphere in Brussels, which is a sharp contrast to his trust in a country which has just been the victim of terrorist attacks. Brussels should be aware that a businessman such as him is a fast messenger. His observations and opinions will influence the decisions of many Chinese enterprises considering doing business in or investing in the EU. From this perspective, I hope the high-level officials from Belgium and the EU that Ma is meeting have constructive exchanges with him. They should carefully listen to the words of an influential Chinese investor and then quickly make decisions that renounce protectionism in favor of greater trade and investment. If so, Ma's visit will bring tremendous benefits to the EU, in addition Alibaba's own expansion in Belgium. What's more, such an example will let a growing number of Chinese investors know that Belgium is a gateway to the EU market. This would be the common sense scenario people in China and the EU want to see. Facing so many difficulties, the EU should not waste this opportunity to send the right message. US President Barack Obama attends a news conference with Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang at the Presidential Palace Compound in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 23, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] HANOI - President of the United States Barack Obama on Monday announced the United States is lifting a decades-long arms embargo on Vietnam. Obama made the announcement at a press conference co-chaired with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Vietnam's capital Hanoi during his ongoing visit to the country. Obama also made it clear that the United States may sell military weapons to Vietnam under a case-by-case basis, when answering questions from media during the conference. The Vietnamese president, for his part, said that "Vietnam welcomes US decision to completely lift arms embargo on Vietnam." The US imposed arms embargo on Vietnam in 1984. Vietnam has been under the embargo despite the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1995. In July 2013, former Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and Obama launched the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership during Sang's visit to the United States. In 2014, the US partially lifted the 30-year-old arms embargo against Vietnam, allowing transfer of maritime security-related defense articles to Vietnam. Pham Quang Vinh, Vietnamese ambassador to the US said in an interview with Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA ahead of Obama's visit that the embargo is "the last barrier in bilateral ties." Obama arrived at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi late Sunday night, kicking off his first visit as US president. His visit, made at the invitation of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, is scheduled to last till Wednesday. US President Barack Obama attends a news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang at the Presidential Palace Compound in Hanoi on Monday. CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS The United States clearly intends to check China by taking advantage of Hanoi's maritime disputes with Beijing, according to Chinese analysts. They were speaking on Monday as the US extended an olive branch to Vietnam by lifting a decades-old arms embargo. Washington is attempting to draw Vietnam into its circle of influence in politics, security and economic affairs through US President Barack Obama's first visit to the country, they said. But the analysts added that Vietnam will remain cautious and reserved toward the US. Obama, who started a three-day visit to Vietnam on Monday, announced the removal of the weapons embargo at a news conference. He said the decision is aimed at eliminating a "lingering vestige of the Cold War". "At this stage, both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation," Obama said, adding that he expects deepening cooperation between their militaries. His visit comes 41 years after the end of the Vietnam War, and he is the third US president to visit the country since ties were restored in 1995. Obama has made a strategic "rebalancing'' toward the Asia-Pacific region a centerpiece of his foreign policy. At a state luncheon in Hanoi, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang toasted Obama's first visit to the country as the "arrival of a warm spring after a cold winter". The two nations also reaffirmed efforts to ratify and implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade pact that has struggled to gain traction in the US Congress during an election year. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday that China hopes the developing ties between the US and Vietnam will be conducive to regional peace and stability. Fan Jishe, a researcher of US strategies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the situation demonstrates Washington's firmness in advancing its Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy. "An important element of this strategy is developing diplomatic and economic relations with countries in the region," Fan said, adding that Vietnam is now the priority. Su Hao, a professor of Asia-Pacific studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said it is obvious that the US aims to contain China by taking advantage of Hanoi's territorial disputes with Beijing. "Vietnam is also seeking support from countries outside the region to exert pressure on China over the disputes," Su said. But the analysts said Vietnam will not side with the US without reservations, given its interdependency with China in terms of trade and economic affairs. Su said Obama's visit offers an opportunity for the two countries to promote their relations based on certain common interests, such as countering China. "But Hanoi will by no means behave at Washington's command," he added. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story. TASHKENT -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks Monday with his Tajik counterpart, Sirojidin Aslov, on relations between their two countries and other major issues of common concern. During their talks, Wang said since China and Tajikistan established a strategic partnership in 2013, the two countries have cooperated smoothly in various areas and maintained close contacts over international and regional affairs. China is willing to work with Tajikistan under the principles of extensive consultation, joint contributions and shared benefits in continuously deepening cooperation in the joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, promoting interconnectivity and production capacity cooperation, and discussing the establishment of a free trade area, he said. Wang suggested the two sides strengthen security cooperation and join forces in combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism. He also voiced support for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)'s Tashkent summit so as to instill new momentum into the development of the SCO. For his part, Aslov expressed appreciation for China's long-term support for Tajikistan's efforts in defending its sovereignty and independence, and stressed that the Tajik side will firmly adhere to the one-China policy. Tajikistan, Aslov said, is willing to actively participate in the construction of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and strive for mutual benefit and win-win results between the two countries, adding that the Tajik side is ready to work closely with the Chinese side within the SCO framework. Aslov voiced Tajikistan's support for China's stance on the South China Sea issue, and for efforts to resolve the Nansha Islands dispute through dialogue and negotiation by relevant parties, adding that external interference will not hinder relevant issues from being properly resolved. (Photo : Getty Images.) President Obama is the second US leader to visit Vietnam after the Vietnam War. Advertisement US President Barack Obama reached Vietnam on Monday to kick-start a three-day diplomatic visit as Washington seeks to foster relations with its former wartime enemy to counter China's growing influence in the region. A number of important topics would be discussed during Obama's historic three-day visit. Obama is only the third sitting US President to visit Vietnam and also the second US leader to visit after post the Vietnam War. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The lifting of the US arms ban on Vietnam would be one of the top most agendas to be discussed during the visit. The move to lift the arms ban, which has been in place since 1984, would give Hanoi much needed arsenal to counter China's assertive claim over the disputed South China Sea. However, many US officials consider Vietnam's poor track record in human rights as a major impediment to this. The popular view among US officials is that any move to revoke the arms ban must be made on the basis of Vietnam's commitment to improve its human rights track record. Obama is expected to meet many dissident leaders and political activists during his three-day visit. The move is believed to be aimed at keeping sustained pressure on Vietnamese government on human right issues. Another important issue that is likely to be discussed is Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. The deal is very important for the development of trade ties between the two countries. The US is especially keen on the deal as it would open access to Vietnam's burgeoning middle class consumers. "As middle-class consumers emerge, they want more of everything that the United States is well-positioned to make and to export. But we face significant barriers to those exports," US Trade representative Michael Froman said. After completing his historic visit to Vietnam, Obama would fly to Japan to attend the G7 Summit. Obama would be the first US President to visit the historic Hiroshima site, which the US bombed with a nuclear bomb in 1945 after the Pearl Harbor attack. Advertisement Tagschina, Obama, Vietnam, US and Vietnam, Obama's Visit to Vietnam (Photo : Getty Images/China Photos) China Mobile is the largest wireless carrier in the country. Advertisement China Mobile is planning to diversify its portfolio by entering insurance business. According to the online financial magazine Caixin, the wireless carrier is planning to infuse 2 billion yuan ($305.6 million) for gaining foothold in the sector. China Mobile plans to invest 1 billion yuan in CMG Renhe Life Insurance for picking up 20 percent stake in the company. Another 1 billion yuan will be invested in CMG Renhe Property Insurance, where the telecom company is planning to acquire another 20 percent stake. These investments will make China Mobile one of the largest stakeholder in these insurance companies. These companies belong to China Merchants Group. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Renhe Insurance Company has the distinction of being the first shipping insurance company in the country. The group is currently seeking approval of licenses for its two insurance companies. Upon receiving the approval, Renhe will be able to restart its ventures in the insurance sector. China Mobile, on the other hand, has made several attempts to establish itself in financial services markets. The company spent 39.8 billion yuan in 2010 to acquire a 20 percent stake in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. The communications company noted that domestic insurance sector has a bright future ahead. It also emphasized the growth potential of internet insurance segment. China Mobile is looking to draw collaboration between internet business and internet insurance. China Mobile is the largest wireless carrier in China. The company reported total subscriber base of 835 million in April this year. Out of this, 391 million users are on 4G network. Advertisement TagsChina Mobile, CMG Renhe Life Insurance, CMG Renhe Property Insurance (Photo : Getty Images/Handout) The satellite will help in quantum communication. Advertisement China has announced its plan to launch the world's first quantum satellite in July this year. The announcement was made by Pan Jianwei, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, during a seminar conducted in Shanghai. This state of the art satellite will allow quantum communication between the space and the earth. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The quantum satellite is part of China's Strategic Priority Program on Space Science which was started in 2011. The program aims to deploy four satellites by the end of this year. Strategic Priority Program launched a dark matter satellite in December last year while a microgravity satellite was launched in April this year. In a statement, Pan said, "There are many bottlenecks in the information security. The Edward Snowden case has told us that the information in the transmission networks are exposed to risks of being monitored and being attacked by hackers." The new satellite will be used for quantum science experiments. Quantum mechanics encodes data using photons which ensures that it cannot be copied or captured during transmission. This feature enhances the security of the information exchanged. Pan Jianwei also stated that the 2,000 km quantum communication main network is expected to become fully operational in the second half of this year. The network connects Beijing and Shanghai and will be available for use to banks and government agencies in the initial phase. In 2012, Jianwei built the world's first metropolitan area quantum network in Hefei. The network consisted of 46 nodes which facilitated data transfer using real time voice communications and text messages. The program also plans to launch a hard X-ray telescope in the latter half of the year. The telescope will study neutron stars and black hole. Advertisement TagsQuantum Satellite (Photo : Rolex Dela Pena - Pool/Getty Images) Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei (C) holds a press conference with a moderator (L) and interpreter (R) after sessions of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting at the Pudong Shangri-la Hotel on Feb. 27, 2016 in Shanghai, China. Advertisement China's hosting of the G20 Summit 2016 highlights a dramatic shift in the international community's approach towards economic development. "It is a very historic moment in global economic governance. China has not hosted the G20 before," said Jim O'Neil, commercial secretary to the treasury of the British Government, during an interview with Xinhua via the China Daily. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement O'Neil expects China to play a "very important role" in pushing for economic cooperation among member countries at the G20 Summit 2016. "I think China can play a very important role (at the Hangzhou Summit) in a broader sense of economic cooperation," he continued. "China has become the second largest economy in the world, on some criteria, purchasing power parity, it is already the largest or close to it." "We need to have, in order to sustain global economic growth, shared consensus - not necessarily the same policies but shared consensus, about the appropriate policies that come from different parts of the world," he added. O'Neil, who was responsible for coining the acronym BRIC to describe the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China, noted that China will have the opportunity to help nurture the growth of other developing countries when it hosts the G20 Summit 2016. "I think it can help others, especially in the emerging world, of moving down a similar path and contributing to a stable and more prosperous world economy," he said. The former chief economist of Goldman Sachs pointed out that China has had "remarkable success," in improving the welfare and wealth of its 1.3 billion people despite the many challenges the country had to confront. In the meantime, O'Neill reported that the findings of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, which was established in order to find ways to address the threat of superbugs, will be discussed during the upcoming G20 Summit 2016. According to the review's findings, superbugs are becoming stronger and more resistant to the antibiotics they are being exposed to. These superbugs could potentially kill 10 million people each year - at least one million of which in China - and could cost to the world economy a staggering 20 trillion U.S. dollars by 2050 unless immediate action is taken by the international community. O'Neil is hopeful that progress will be made at the China G20 summit 2016 in addressing this global medical concern, as discussions have already started at the so-called G20 Sherpa Level. Advertisement Tagschina, G20 Summit 2016, G20 summit (Photo : Getty Images) Beijing has announced that it will deploy a rescue mission ship to the contested Spratly Islands to respond to sea accidents as well as to help local and foreign ships that are in trouble. Advertisement China will deploy a rescue ship to the disputed Nansha islands (also known as the Spratly group of Islands) in the South China Sea in the coming months to help distressed local and foreign ships as well as to respond to disasters at sea, the Ministry of Transport said. Chen Xingguang, head of the country's South China Sea rescue bureau, said the advanced rescue vessel will carry drones and underwater robots to help in search and rescue missions in the disputed waters. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Our bureau is planning a duty post in the Nansha Islands, with a ship based there. This will possibly be carried out in the second half of the year," Chen said. Chen did not indicate where exactly the ship will be stationed in the disputed Spratly Islands which are also being claimed by the Philippines and Taiwan. 3,700-ton vessel Chen said the rescue ship which is being considered to be deployed to the Spratly islands will be bigger than a 3,700-ton vessel equipped with sophisticated facilities to help vessels which are in trouble in the open sea. Wang Wensong, the captain of the Nanhaiju 118, said the Chinese navy has several amphibious vessels and air assets that can conduct rescue missions in the contested South China Sea. At present, the bureau has 37 ships and four helicopters, which could be used in rescue efforts. Chen said if the fleet is not enough, the bureau could send the military to participate in the rescue operations in the international waterway. Trouble "The international shipping routes near the Nansha Islands are very busy. Such a big area means quite a number of ships could get into trouble," the captain said. The South China Sea, believed to be rich in oil and gas, is one of the world's busiest shipping routes. Up to $5 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes through the waters each year. It is also a rich fishing ground for fishermen. The South Chin Sea is prone to experience powerful typhoons. This is apparently part of the reasons why Beijing has proposed to send a rescue vessel to the area. Wang said conducting rescue missions in the South China Sea is difficult due to the long distance a helicopter and a ship will have to travel. Establishing a rescue base in the sea and deploying several ships passing by the area to help is the most practical and speedy way to handle the rescue efforts, he pointed out. Advertisement TagsSouth China Sea Rescue Bureau, Nansha Islands, spratly islands, search and rescue operations, People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), china (Photo : BRADAC/HST/W. M. KECK OBSERVATORY) Color image of the cluster taken with Hubble Space Telescope (images in three different filters were combined to make an RGB image). In the inset we show three spectra of the multiply imaged systems. They have peaks at the same wavelength, hence showing that they belong to the same source. Advertisement Astronomers detected the faintest and the most distant galaxy ever known, that is located some 13 billion light years away from our planet. Scientists from the University of California, Davis were able to detect this distant galaxy by using gravitational lensing with the help of the Keck II telescope that is housed in the Mauna Kea Keck Observatory in Hawaii. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement In this new study, scientists detected this cosmic object lurking behind the MACS2129.4-0741 which is apparently a massive galaxy cluster, so big that three images are need to form a composite within the same spectra. According to lead author of the study, Kuang-Han Huang from UC Davis, direct observations are not possible which is mainly the reason why the team utilized a magnification technique that is caused by gravitational lensing. Gravitational lensing is caused by the light originating from a cluster of galaxies pass through a gravitational field of dark matter that "bends" the light travelling towards Earth. Now, astronomers believe that the existence of this faint object first emerged during the re-ionization epoch, when the infant universe saw its first light from the first generation of stars. During this time, this galaxy first formed during the end of this re-ionization period, where neutral hydrogen gases became energetically charged. According to astronomer Marc Kassis from the Keck Observatory, the detection of this galaxy is very exciting since the team suggests that this only contains a few stars, at an estimated one percent of the one percent of the entire Milky Way galaxy. By studying and analyzing the structure and composition of this faint galaxy, astronomers will gain new insight about how the earliest generation of stars came to be and more importantly, to reveal the process behind how stars triggered ionization, that transformed the mass of the universe. This faintest galaxy was first detected by NASA and ESA's Hubble Space Telescope and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope last year. This new study is published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Advertisement Tagsfaintest galaxy, most distant galaxy, galaxies, Milky Way, big bang event, reionization (Photo : ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) A Chinese man who used a parachute for his proposal got caught up in a tall tree (not pictured). Advertisement A Chinese man tried to propose to his girlfriend using a parachute, but got swept away and needed the help of firefighters to get down from a tree he fell into. On Saturday, the unnamed romantic man from Yichang in Hubei province attempted to paraglide towards his girlfriend in an act to woo her to marry him, according to Peoples Daily. However, the wind suddenly blew and sent him into a nearby tree. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement At first, the man was on a straight course. However, his parachute, labeled Gou Hongyun, marry me! caught some wind and got him stuck in a tall tree. He waited for more than an hour before he could be rescued by firefighters. Although the initial attempt failed, the man was unfazed in his decision to marry his beloved girlfriend. As he set foot on the ground, he went to his girlfriend, went down on his knees and asked will you marry me? The girl, for her part, gave him a no, turned her back, and simply walked away. Poor guy. Failed Proposals Of course, that poor man is not the only one who got turned down after working on a mighty proposal. One man, a 24-year-old Xian resident surnamed Dong, arranged lychees worth 2,000 yuan (about US $305) on a busy downtown overpass in an effort to propose to his girlfriend last August, according to the Shanghaiist. He arranged the fruits to look like two hearts shot by an arrow, with the word LOVE opposite the figure. When his girlfriend finally arrived, Dong immediately got down on his knees to deliver his long-planned proposal. However, the girl was so surprised that she did not know what to say. Instead, she ate one of the lychees and quickly rushed out of the scene. Hilariously Successful Still not all weird proposals end up a failure. A humble plumber in Dongguan was successful in his proposal in May 2014, wherein he wore nothing but a two-piece swimsuit to his girlfriends home two kilometers away, the Guangzhou Daily reported. The man, named Lian, is a simple man, and had been working for two years in Zhang Mut Tou County earning some thousands of yuan every month. His then-girlfriend Liao, on the other hand, had studied in England for ten years, and was born to a wealthy family. Advertisement Tagsproposal, will you marry me, parachute, marry me, marriage (Photo : Getty Images.) On the first day of his historic visit to Vietnam, President Obama lifted the 41-year-old U.S arms ban on Vietnam. Advertisement US President Barrack Obama has revoked the 41-year-old U.S. arms ban on Vietnam on Monday in an apparent move to enhance Hanoi's military defense against an increasingly assertive China. The American president made the historic announcement at a joint press conference in Hanoi alongside Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The U.S. President said that the decision is aimed at normalizing the relationship with former US enemy and removing any "lingering vestige of the Cold War." Obama's remark was in reference to the Vietnam War, which has had an adverse effect on the relationship between the two countries over last three decades. However, the decision of the U.S. to revoke the arms ban on Vietnam is not unconditional. Obama said that every arms transaction would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The statement is largely seen as a hint that the implementation of 'removal of arms ban' will depend on Vietnam's crackdown on alleged human rights violations. U.S. officials and activists have been lobbying hard that any move to revoke arms ban must be subject to the Vietnam government's commitment to provide greater human rights freedom to its people. Vietnam's communist party faces constant international criticism for the detention of scores of political activists and dissident leaders every year. Obama is likely to meet several dissident leaders during his historic three-day visit. The move is believed to be aimed at pressurizing the Vietnamese government to do more on human right issues. The U.S. had partially revoked the arms ban in 2014. However, Washington has not sold any arms to Vietnam since the partial revocation of the ban. Vietnam has been seeking complete revocation of the ban in order to keep apace with China amid Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. Advertisement TagsVietnam, US and Vietnam, Obama, Obama's Vietnam Visit, china, South China Sea (Photo : Wikimedia) Canadian geese Advertisement A new report reveals how one third of North America's bird population is now at risk of extinction. This scientific report details how a third of the 350 bird species that are also migratory, are now facing rapid decline in population numbers that could result in their disappearance from the wild. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to biologist Christian Artuso from Bird Studies Canada, who is also the director of the Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas, the countries that are involve the territories along the birds' migratory routes are being called for urgent action towards conservation efforts. Governments should be able to take an active initiative in preserving biodiversity before these species disappear completely. During the Trilateral Committee for Wildlife Ecosystem and Management, government offficials and agencies, non government organizations, researchers and scientists from Canada, United States and Mexico discussed the State of North America's Birds report in order to approach this imminent ecological issue with possible strategies for immediate action to save these migratory birds. According to Canadian Environment and Climate Change Minister, Catherine McKenna, this report also calls for joint international action and conservation efforts to boost bird populations, with the help of concentrated efforts to reach long term results. McKenna says that these partnerships will allow us to spread our wings beyond our own nests. She adds that these new findings reveals a troubling picture, and there is no reason to allow such a dramatic decline in bird populations. The reasons behind this alarming decline range from habitat loss to global warming and climate change. There are also several bird species in the list that are already endangered, that were able to rebound from this risk of extinction due to government and conservation efforts. These species include wood ducks being abundant now than ever before, as these migratory birds were almost on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and commercial hunting. Artuso also says that despite these efforts, North America is still at risk of almost half of its birds species disappearing, which also include forest birds, oceanic birds and grassland species. He also adds that Canadian environmental efforts in bird preservation are also crucial in conservation efforts due to their wintering grounds. Advertisement Tagsmigratory birds, endangered species, north america birds, Birds (Photo : Getty Images.) A leading Chinese newspaper says that airfares to Shanghai city are likely to rise after Shanghais Disney Resort becomes operational. Advertisement Scores of negative reviews about trial operation of Shanghai's Disney Resort has not dampened passion among people for the iconic theme park. According to newspaper Beijing News, major airlines are scheduled to increase flights to Shanghai to handle the expected surge in tourists after the Disney Resort officially opens up later this year. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The newspaper estimates that after the official inauguration of Shanghai Disney Resort, the number of air travelers to Shanghai will increase by roughly three million. The surge in tourists is expected to push up the air fares to Shanghai. For instance, the price of a one-way ticket from Beijing to Shanghai is roughly 490 Yuan ($75) (this is inclusive of discount of around 60 percent). However, this modest price is expected to rise more than 620 Yuan once Disney Resort opens its doors on July 17. The number of flights at Shanghai Pudong Airport, the nearest airport to Disney Resort, is expected to increase from 1,370 to 1,410 per day after Disney Resort becomes operational. Industry experts are predicting a huge surge in tourist numbers after mid-July when the summer vacation officially starts in China. Wanda Group, which runs theme parks across China, is apparently not bothered about the prospect of increasing competition from Shanghai's Disney Resort. The group's chairman Dalian Wanda said in a Chinese television program that Disney would no achieve profitability in next two decades in the Chinese market. Wanda said that Disney will have to try highly innovative strategies to succeed in China as people are no longer crazy about Mickey Mouse. Advertisement TagsShanghai Disney Resort, Shanghai, Disney Land China, china (Photo : Glowmark / Wikimedia / CC) The West Michigan Conference of the UMC which took place in June of 2012. The United Methodist Church voted on Wednesday to allow the Council of Bishops to appoint a commission to study the issue of whether to allow ordination of LGBT clergy or same-sex marriage. The delegates voted 428 to 405 in acceptance of the Council of Bishops' recommendation to delay its debate on sexuality issues at this year's General Conference which gathers every four years to "revise church law and adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues," according to the UMC website. "We recommend that the General Conference defer all votes on human sexuality and refer this entire subject to a special Commission, named by the Council of Bishops, to develop a complete examination and possible revision of every paragraph in our Book of Discipline regarding human sexuality," the recommendation titled, "An Offering for a Way Forward," reads. "We will name such a Commission to include persons from every region of our UMC, and will include representation from differing perspectives on the debate." According to the United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline, its governing book, homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching." While many mainline Protestant denominations have allowed same-sex marriage and gay clergy, the United Methodist Church has maintained its ban for the past 44 years. Some point to the UMC's rapidly growing conservative branches in Africa and Asia as one of the possible reasons for its hesitation to change the language in the Book of Discipline despite a growing LGBT activism within the denomination's ranks. "We will continue to explore options to help the church live in grace with one another - including ways to avoid further complaints, trials and harm while we uphold the Discipline," the Bishops' statement reads. press@cdaily.co.kr - Copyright , #Methodist Left lines up behind 'Do No Harm Act' that would alter religious liberty law 23 May, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | WASHINGTON (Christian Examiner) Rep. Joseph Kennedy III [D-Mass.] has proposed a bill that would amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to prevent government employees or federal contractors from making claims of religious conscience to avoid supporting practices such as same-sex marriage or providing housing to members of the LGBT community. The bill, the "Do No Harm Act," co-authored by Rep. Bobby Scott [D-Va.], purports to return the RFRA to its original intent of protecting individual belief by drawing into focus the constitutional and statutory rights of others. In other words, the bill claims to prevent infringement on civil liberties by confining religious liberty to actual acts of religious devotion and worship outside of the sphere of government. "Our system must ensure that my religious freedom does not infringe on yours or do you harm. While not its original intent, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act has become a vehicle for those seeking to impose their beliefs on others or claim that the tenants of their faith justify discrimination. The Do No Harm Act will restore the balance between our right to religious freedom and our promise of equal protection under law," Kennedy said in a statement. Scott said the RFRA has been "misconstrued" to allow "the sincerely-held religious beliefs of one person to trump the civil rights of others. Civil rights are a compelling government interest, and we cannot allow so-called 'religious freedom,' 'religious liberty' or 'faith-based initiatives' to invalidate the very laws designed to correct generations of injustices on minorities." The problem with the bill, critics charge, is that the definition of "minority" is constantly evolving in the government and it would leave it up to the government to adjudicate what is and is not true religious belief, especially on evolving "minority" classes recently created by the government those such as "gender identity" and "sexual orientation." It could also create problems in the area of health care where, for instance, an employer such as Hobby Lobby has refused on religious grounds to cover abortifacients in its health insurance plan or when a Catholic hospital refuses to provide a birth control procedure, such as abortion or tubal ligation. The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby and another court refused to hear a case brought against Catholic hospitals by the ACLU. According to Kennedy, the bill would ensure work place laws regarding compensation and wages, children's welfare, and acts of health care are not invalidated by competing claims of religious belief. So far, more than 40 left-leaning religious, atheist and social justice groups have lined up behind Kennedy's bill. Among those are Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Freedom from Religion Foundation, NAACP, Center for American Progress, ACLU, AFL-CIO, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Planned Parenthood. Dana Singiser, vice president of public policy and government affairs for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said Kennedy's bill would curtail "wrongheaded efforts to discriminate." "The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a federal law initially passed to protect the exercise of religious beliefs, is too often used to undermine and abuse individuals' rights, including denying women access to birth control." Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United, said the 1993 RFRA, which he helped pass, had been "misconstrued and exploited" by conservatives to "justify discrimination and to deny others their rights." "That is why today we support the Do No Harm Act because it preserves RFRA's power to protect religious liberty but also clarifies that RFRA may not be used to harm others," Lynn said. He added that Hobby Lobby's use of its owners' religious beliefs to deny abortifacients to employees in its health plan is a "notorious example" of how the RFRA had been misused. Importantly, the RFRA of 1993 does not define what exactly constitutes a claim of religious conscience. It, however, provides a mechanism by which claims of religious conscience can be adjudicated in the courts by the test of "compelling interest." RFRA claims "government shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability." In other words, laws generally applied to the populace may still be challenged on the basis of religious liberty if they oppress religious conscience such as in the case of Hobby Lobby. Kennedy's bill would reinstate the language of "general applicability," which could mean in the eyes of conservatives that it would force the subservience of minority religious belief to the will of the majority. RFRA insisted on a test of "compelling government interest" to determine if laws violated religious liberty. In the case of Hobby Lobby, the government argued it had such an interest in providing abortion-inducing drugs to women through private health insurers paid by private employers. Kennedy's bill also creates a test of "dignitary harm." That is, if a religious belief conflicts with the U.S. government's definition of human dignity an echo of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide it will not stand in the face of the law. That is the opinion of the atheist Freedom from Religion Foundation, which has argued for the repeal of RFRA since the Hobby Lobby case. According to the group RFRA is a "super-statute" that amends all other federal laws "meant to protect citizens from unfair treatment." "The Do No Harm Act would limit which laws RFRA applies to. For instance, RFRA would no longer allow believers to be exempt from the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Violence Against Women Act, or laws that require coverage for any health care item. The bill, if enacted, could undo some of the damage caused by the Hobby Lobby decision," the group's statement said. "Believers" have never been exempt from the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the Violence Against Women Act, as the group alleges, because those laws were based on race and sex. President Obama, however, added special protections for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by executive order in 2014. The president of the United States is not given authority to amend law in the U.S. Constitution. NO surprise: Iranians float idea Israel responsible for Egypt Air crash 23 May, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | TEHRAN (Christian Examiner) True to form, the Iranian semi-official FARS News Agency has claimed many Egyptians believe Israel was behind the crash of an EgyptAir A320 in the Mediterranean Sea last week. According to the Islamist news agency, "the Egyptian media" have speculated that the crash might have been the result of "Israeli fighter jets' exercises in the region." "Al-Mesri al-Youm newspaper wrote that in its report of the plane's crash, Greece hasn't mentioned Israeli warplanes' wargames in the Southern parts of Crete Island which was revealed earlier this month by Tel Aviv, adding that the maneuvers had started one night before the Egyptian plane's crash," the FARS report said in broken English. The paper also reportedly claimed Israel began maneuvers using Greek airspace on May 18 just before the plane went down, FARS said. Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed in a statement on May 19 that the plane was sending automated distress signals 175 miles from the Egyptian coast just before it vanished from radar. Those signals are emitted by the plane's avionics system, independent of the pilot's actions. Israel has not responded to the Iranian claims. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. "On behalf of all citizens of Israel, I would like to send my condolences to Egyptian President El-Sisi and to the Egyptian people in wake of the EgyptAir disaster in the Mediterranean Sea," Netanyahu told the Egyptian President. Egypt's Daily News, the country's main English-daily newspaper, claimed the government has said "all causes" of the crash are possible and none is being ruled out at this time. However, some of the recovered items have indications of an on-board explosion, sources familiar with the investigation have said. Those same sources report that the plane disappeared from radar immediately after it was handed off from Greek air traffic controllers to the Egyptians. Ironically, Malaysian Air 370 experienced trouble at exactly the same time in the hand off between Malaysian and Vietnamese air traffic controllers. Malaysia Air 370 then flew into the middle of the Indian Ocean. The flight has never been found, though pieces of debris from the plane have begun to wash ashore in Africa in recent days. According to the Telegraph, the same EgyptAir plane that disappeared May 19 was found to have been tagged with graffiti nearly two years ago in a protest against Gen. El-Sisi, who had just come to power in Egypt following the military's removal of the Muslim Brotherhood. The graffiti read, "We will bring this plane down." The airline then fired some staff members who reportedly had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The paper also reported the words "Allahu Akbar" or "God is great," the rally cry of jihadists worldwide, was also found scrawled on several planes at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and at Lyon Airport. Charles de Gaulle was the last stop of the EgyptAir plane before its return flight to Cairo. An EgyptAir flight was also hijacked in March. Oklahoma lawmakers have passed a bill that would make performing an abortion a felony punishable by revocation of medical license, and three years in prison. The legislation makes no exception to restriction on abortion apart from cases where mother's life is endangered. The bill was passed 33-12 in the state Senate, while last month it was approved 59-9 by House of Representatives. The office of Governor Mary Fallin has said that she will not comment on the bill before the legislation is reviewed. Fallin is known to have taken a pro-life stance with the passage of bills including banning abortions over 20 weeks, preventing coverage of abortions by health insurance policies, and increasing the waiting period before abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. Senator Nathan Dahm, one of the bill's co-authors, has indicated that the bill seeks to restore human rights once accorded to unborn babies before the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling in US Supreme Court, which legalized abortions before 24 weeks. "Since I believe life begins at conception, it should be protected, and I believe it's a core function of state government to defend that life from the beginning of conception," said Dahm. The bill is being opposed by pro-abortion groups, who say that it goes against constitution and are expected to sue the state government if it becomes a law, calling it discriminatory and unconstitutional. Governor Fallin had passed a law banning second-trimester dismemberment abortion, which was blocked in the court. But Mississippi, Alabama, and West Virginia have also passed legislation to restrict similar abortion technique. A second Chibok girl among the 218 girls who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram has been found, according to the Nigerian army. The girls were kidnapped from their school dormitories on the night of April 14, 2014, in the northeastern province of Borno, which was earlier a militant stronghold. In mid-2014, Boko Haram gained an estimated 20,000 square miles of land in Borno, including the town of Chibok, but could not capture the state capital Maiduguri. Towards the end of 2015, Nigerian military headquarters said that most of the Boko Haram camps were destroyed. The second girl, Serah Luka, was rescued days after the first girl was found by the army in Sambisa Forest near Damboa, south of Maiduguri. Luka is one of the 97 women and children who were freed from a Boko Haram camp. "We are glad to state that among those rescued is a girl believed to be one of the Chibok Government Secondary School girls that were abducted," said army spokesman Sani Usman. He also said that she was receiving medical treatment. Luka is from the town of Madagali, in the province of Adamawa which borders Borno state. "She averred that she reported at the school barely two months and one week before her unfortunate abduction along with other girls over two years ago," Usman said. However, Yakubu Nkeki, a spokesman for Chibok girls' parents, told BBC that the girl's name is not among those missing, and that their records do not show any 15-16 years old girl (Serah's description provided by army) was part of the group of kidnapped girls who were about 17 years old at the time of abduction, and were about to sit in their school-leaving exams. "[She] is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls. She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka," Usman added. BBC Hausa editor Mansur Liman said that the confusion prevailing over her may be because of lack of Internet connectivity in remote areas, which is making it difficult to reach out to parents to confirm her identity. A video footage was released by CNN last month that showed 15 kidnapped schoolgirls alive, who were made to say that "[they] are all well." The girls, wearing long black robes, were mostly Christians, but Boko Haram claims that they have been converted to Islam. All of them were identified by their parents. Two years ago, Boko Haram militants had kidnapped 276 girls, but about 50 of them escaped on the way by jumping off the trucks carrying them. Several others intermittently escaped from their forest captivity in the following months. Their abduction had led to the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, which was promoted by several famous celebrities and activists, including US First Lady Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai. Emergency teams have been searching for 134 missing people who have been buried in mud after landslides covered three villages in Sri Lanka, but fear that there may not be any survivors. At least 68 have died due to the several days of torrential rain. Deaths have been caused by lightning strikes, drowning, falling trees, and the landslides. Disaster management authorities have said around 300,000 people have been moved out of their homes across the island to 610 different sheltered areas such as schools and temples. Up until Friday morning, only 30 bodies have been found from the landslides. Military officials continue to shovel through the mud in search of survivors amidst the heavy rain. The storm has been related to the deadly Cyclone Roanu, which is predicted to bring major flood risks to northeastern India and Bangladesh this coming weekend according to AccuWeather. I fear the missing 134 could be dead at this point, but we will continue our operation to recover the bodies to give families some peace, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, the officer in charge, told BBC Sinhal. Schools have been ordered to close Friday by the government because the rain was predicted to continue. Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera stated that the country urgently needs water purification tablets, water pumps and drinking water. India has sent two naval ships to the Colombo coast in hopes to aid Sri Lanka with relief material after the natural disaster. Sri Lanka continues to seek assistance in dealing with the worst landslide in the countrys history. The United Methodist Church has parted ways with an interfaith group which supports and advocates for abortion rights. The UMC voted 425-268 during the quadrennial General Conference meeting in Portland, Oregon to require churches and boards to withdraw their association from Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC). The two UMC panels which were members of RCRC were: the General Board on Church and Society (GBCS) and United Methodist Women (UMW). "In contrast to the United Methodist Church, RCRC dismisses the value of unborn human life. RCRC even promotes rituals to bless all the work of elective abortion clinics, describing aborting unborn children as always 'holy work,'" said John Lomperis of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, a conservative body within UMC. After the UMC decision, the RCRC said it does not perceive the denomination's verdict to apply to all members. "We welcome Methodists who share our views to stand with us and to use our resources and programs to benefit their churches and communities. In doing so, they will join a broad range of other denominations speaking out for women," RCRC said on Facebook. The UMC said that the church recognizes that RCRC "is a one-sided political lobby that opposes all disapproval or limitation of abortion. RCRC's advocacy often directly contradicts our Social Principles on abortion, but it still uses our Church's name. Several annual conferences and many United Methodist leaders have urged the Church to end all association with RCRC." The "Social Principles" of the church outlined that abortion cannot be justified as a means of birth control, but accepted it in incidents of "tragic conflicts of life with life." "We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures by certified medical providers... We cannot affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control, and we unconditionally reject it as a means of gender selection or eugenics," the principles said. UMC also ruled that it will not support "partial-birth abortions," and called for ending the practice, except when physical life of the woman was in danger, and no other medical procedure was available. "There is nothing moderate or nuanced about RCRC, which has consistently lobbied to defend grisly 'partial-birth' abortions, even after our Social Principles included a statement 'call[ing] for the end of this late-term practice,'" Lomperis said in the statement. "This is a necessary and good step towards affirming that the unborn are persons of sacred worth. This also shows the UMC moving away from other liberal, declining, 'mainline' denominations to embrace a new faithful, global identity," he added. A group of Christian organizations is partnering together to launch a study Bible with notes contextualized to the African culture. Spearheaded by Oasis International, a publishing ministry for Africa, the project called the African Study Bible aims to provide a study Bible produced and developed "by Africans for Africans," according to a press release. More than 300 individuals from 50 countries have contributed to the project, and major Christian organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ International, Willow Creek, Moody Broadcasting, The Livingstone Corporation, and others are partnering with Oasis in support. "Hundreds of millions of Africans know and love Christ. However, most discipleship and biblical resources come from a Western perspective -- a culture far removed from their own," said Oasis International in its Kickstarter page. "The Africa Study Bible bridges the gap of cultural understanding and Scriptural relevance by revealing the truth and beautiy of God's Word through African eyes." "With the ASB, we're bringing the power of Scripture to Africa in a new and culturally relevant way," Dr. Matthew Elliott, the president of Oasis, said. "Under the leadership of an 11-member editorial board of scholars from across Africa, we've brought together 350 writers and editors from over 40 African countries, representing 50 denominations. This is an unprecedented project that will impact the global church." The first set of Bibles to be released will be in English in the New Living Translation (NLT) with more than 2,200 notes. Oasis plans to also provide study Bibles in French and Portuguese thereafter. Oasis is currently running a Kickstarter page to fundraise $100,000 to help print the first 100,000 copies of the African Study Bible. The Kickstarter will close on June 17, and currently has some $7,800 pledged. During a late-night conversation a few years ago, my husband and I realized that any time we commit to doing service for the kingdom, we seem to get slammed. The days leading up to ministry are full of mini-disasters. The kids get sick. We get sick. The car breaks down. The water heater conks out. Jons insomnia kicks in. Our budget takes some unexpected hit. My stomachaches kick in. And everyone in our support network is simultaneously out of town. Sometimes the disasters arent so miniature, and the pain is amplified. Many friends of ours describe this kind of barrage as spiritual attack. If so, we wondered aloud that night, what exactly is the point of the attack? Is the Evil One trying to prevent us from finishing the ministry at hand? That rarely works. Does he want to distract us, so that we wont do it well, or so that we wont abide in the Lord while were doing it? Or is the point to discourage us from saying yes to anything like this ever again? That night, we concluded that if this is Satans tactic, it might just work. There are many reasons that kingdom work is so often surrounded by personal difficulty. But that week the Lord highlighted one particular reason for me, and it was the one I most needed to see. Shortly after our late-night conversation, I was reading 2 Corinthians 12. It felt like the Lord had delivered it to me by carrier pigeon. In this passage, Paul describes not the Enemys but the Lords purpose in allowing hardship to surround kingdom service. Paul discovers that the Lord is allowing his troubles in order to keep me from becoming conceited (v. 7). While Pauls mysterious thorn may be the Enemys ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Christian humanitarian groups are among the 11 charitable organizations calling on Kenya to reverse its decision to close the largest refugee camp in the world. More than 320,000 displaced people face an unstable future after the country, the second-largest refugee host in Africa, announced plans to shut down the camp and its Department of Refugee Affairs, which has already disbanded. At least half of Kenyas refugees live in Dadaab, a sprawling, 25-year-old settlement along Kenyas eastern border with Somalia, where families have fled from drought, famine, and terror threats. More than 70 World Vision staff work in Kenyan refugee camps; in Dadaab, they distribute food to families, including nutrient-dense rations to treat children suffering from malnutrition. We know from working with these refugees that they have lived with uncertainty their whole lives, and this latest announcement just hits them again, said Dickens Thune, World Vision Kenyas national director. ... 1 On Wednesday, May 4, an Amber Alert was issued to signal to Tennessee residents that a nine-year-old girl was missing. Carlie Trent, a resident of the small eastern Tennessee community of Rogersville, had been taken out of school by her non-custodial uncle, Gary Simpson, under false pretenses, and the two had disappeared. When I heard about Carlie Trents disappearance, I couldnt stop thinking about her, praying for her family, and wondering what I would do in their situation. On the fifth day of her absence, I remember going to bed thinking, If this were my child, I would be begging every possible person to go out and look for her. I was shocked, then, to hear of Carlies safe return a few days later, when she was found by Donnie Lawson and Stewart Franklin, two men who belonged to a search group consisting of four Rogersville civilians. I also wondered what role, if any, local churches played in Carlies discovery, since media outlets at first reported that one of the members of the search group, Roger Carpenter, was a Baptist pastor. These reports turned out to be false; however, Carpenter and Franklin are both members of East Rogersville Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist congregation located one block from Carlies school whose membership also includes some of the schools administrators. The church held a prayer vigil on Friday, May 6, two days after her disappearance. Many in the community, including Carlies mother, Shannon Trent, attended the vigil, which was led by interim pastor Jason Royston. The church also helped in more tangible ways. I corresponded with Pastor Royston last week, who told me that in addition to the prayer vigil, the church had also provided a meal for the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, US Marshal, and local law enforcement agents who were working the case. Despite the lack of a formal connection with the Trent family, the people at East Rogersville Baptist committed to help. Our guys got involved because they were just concerned citizens, Royston said. The longer things went unsolved, the bigger the burden. He and the churchs worship leader also went to pray with James Trent, Carlies father, the Friday morning after she was taken. Royston said Trent was open and receptive to their efforts to reach out. Unfortunately, situations like the one in Rogersville are far too common. Thankfully, this one has a happy ending, and a community is celebrating a residents safe return. But I think we can learn something from the efforts of Trents rescuers, and her local church, about how to minister when tragedy strikes. People in Rogersville pitched in both individually and corporately because they saw a need and felt compassion for the victim and her loved ones; even before the need arose, however, the church was already involved and known in the community, according to Royston. When a local church is serving before the unthinkable happens, they have a chance to be a trusted source of comfort and service when residents need it most. If we're already serving our neighbors as hands and feet, it's much easier to bring others to the God who is our "refuge and strength, / an ever-present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). I asked Royston why it is important in such situations for the church to get involved, and what churches can provide that the government cannot. We offer prayer and a great reputation in the community, he answered. Hopefully the church is a place people come to find hope and comfort in a situation such as this. Fear for the churchs future is trending. Its almost too easy nowadays to fall into despair: Christians interactions with culture and politics can often seem clumsy or foolish, and you dont have to look far for biblical compromise, destructive power-plays, or scandal du jour moral failure. Compounding the problem is the fact that the modern church has been shattered into 30,000 to 42,000 denominations (depending on which study you read)a degree of division that further damages its credibility. Perhaps most damning, though, is the abundance of personal betrayals common church folk have experienced. I have personally survived three congregational civil wars, witnessed the deaths of two churches, and been pushed out of a plane mid-flight (figuratively speaking, of course) by pastors whom I trusted closely. Many Christians have known far worse than that. It can be difficult, then, to feel rosy about the churchs future when it seems so weak, or even destructive. Yet an hours perusal through church history reveals that none of these fears are unique to our time; its always been easy to criticize the church because the church has always deserved criticism. That same hour also shows there is always more to the story than compromise and incompetence. At any point in its history, the church is a case study in the contrast between appearance and reality. Despite all indications to the contrary, and far beyond any expectations, it has flourished. If you find yourself nervous about its future, though, consider the following: 1) The unstoppable growth of the church. Maybe its harder to observe from a land of ecclesiastical decline like the United States, but globally, ... 1 5 questions every Christian has to face about Creation He didn't even blink. But in a small coffee shop half way around the world, the missionary bluntly told me that those who believed in the six literal days of Creation tended to be more godly than those who didn't. Unusually for me, I was lost for words. I have many friends with differing views on how much water to use in baptism, whether wives should work or stay at home, and even on the existence of hell. But despite the debates and disagreements, nobody had ever before suggested that we had anything but an equal standing in front of our heavenly Father. This particular missionary evidently felt passionate about this one doctrine. Perhaps he was inspired by Ken Ham, who argues: "If we allow our children to doubt the days of creation, when the language speaks so plainly, they are likely to then doubt Christ's Virgin Birth, and that He really rose from the dead." It's a slippery slope argument if we don't draw a line here at the origins of our faith, then we have no hope in helping people to believe the rest of the Bible. So to what extent was the missionary correct? Should we believe in the literal six-day account? Does it really affect our godliness? And does our whole theology rest or fall on the side we choose to take? Here are five questions Christians should ask themselves as they tackle this issue: 1. Are we willing for the Bible to change our minds? Christians believe that Bible has more authority than any other source because they want to honour God in their lives and their thinking. This means when there is a conflict between our views and the Bible, Scripture wins. We don't get to choose whether we like Jesus' challenge about hypocrisy or God's passionate concern for the orphan and the widow. What is there is there and we have no right to edit. But equally that doesn't mean we have to be naive about how to read the Bible. When I was a teenager I had friends who were adamant that it was wrong to catch aeroplanes on Sundays because of a verse in Matthew's Gospel that said: "Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." They wanted to honour Scripture, but by reading it woodenly they were doing the opposite. They had a sincere heart, but that did not stop them misinterpreting the Bible. In the Psalms we read: "In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth." (Psalm 19:5-6) The plain reading of this is that the sun rises and travels across the sky from one horizon to the other. However, the psalms are poetic using metaphors and personification. There is clearly no intention for us to think that the sun is literally a bridegroom leaving a tent, or that the Psalmist is trying to teach us a lesson in astrophysics. Rather he is celebrating the powerful way that God speaks through his creation, and uses the understanding of the time and poetic language to convey that. I believe something similar is going on in the Genesis account. What if the repeated pictures of day and night, and the pattern of separations and fillings, were to be seen as poetic devices that point not to how God created the world, but who the God who created the world is? What if the ordering is less about which came first, and more about which came last the humans at the pinnacle of God's creation? What if the seventh day has no end because it is a picture of the rest that God created for us to enjoy, as the letter to the Hebrews clearly teaches? Ernest Lucas argues that these first two chapters of Genesis "should be read as a theological text expressed in symbolic stories addressed to ancient Hebrews, and not as a scientific text." Just as I ask my friends and students to keep their minds open, and be prepared to change them should the weight of Bible evidence suggest, so I too offer my views here lightly. There are many things I have had to learn and relearn in Scripture and I too must be willing and prepared to have my mind changed. The Genesis debate reminds me to be humble when listening to the different opinions of others they might be right. 2. Does timeline really matter? Our earliest Christian ancestors thought that the gospel was worth living and even dying for. They held some core beliefs that they refused to recant even if that meant certain death. They also held some other beliefs that were not life and death issues, but certainly caused grief within the Church. Paul's warning to avoid foolish arguments over these matters was born from his experience and expectation that there would be some legitimate differences of opinion, and that Christians could agree to disagree without falling out. The historic creeds of the Church helped to distinguish between the core beliefs and the secondary issues. One of the oldest and most widely accepted confessions of the Christian Church is the Nicene Creed which dates back to 381 AD. The opening sentence is: "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen." Then there's the ancient baptismal creed that became in its final fixed form the Apostles' Creed, which states in its opening line: "I believe in God the Father, Almighty, maker of heaven and earth." It seems fair to conclude from these two creeds that since the earliest confessions of the Church it has been fundamental to our faith to believe in God as Creator, but not to specify how God created the world or how long it took. In my opinion, whether God created it instantaneously, in six literal days or over millions or billions of years is not worth falling out over. The Genesis debate reminds us to unite in worship of the One who made it all. 3. Is your view a compromise to the spirit of the age? Someone might reasonably respond by saying that of course the ancient creeds didn't specify the age of the earth, because everyone who read Genesis would naturally understand it to mean that God created the world in six literal days. They may suggest that it was only as a result of Darwin's theories of origins (or perhaps Lyell's geology in the the 19th century) that anyone even saw an alternative view in the Genesis account. In this case any non-literal views would just be a compromise with the prevailing culture. Some even argue that these new views were formed by Christians who didn't have the moral courage to stand against public opinion. However some 1,654 years before Darwin penned his Origin of the Species, a Greek theologian called Origen opposed the idea that the Creation story should be interpreted as a literal and historical account of how God created the world. He wrote: "What person of intelligence, I ask, will consider as a reasonable statement that the first and the second and the third day, in which there are said to be both morning and evening, existed without sun and moon and stars, while the first day was even without a heaven? ... I do not think anyone will doubt that these are figurative expressions which indicate certain mysteries through a semblance of history." Second, the fourth century bishop Augustine also argued in his work The Literal Meaning of Genesis that the six days of Creation should not be understood as a chronological account but instead as a way of categorising God's work. Alister McGrath notes: "Augustine was deeply concerned that biblical interpreters might get locked into reading the Bible according to the scientific assumptions of the age." This is a fascinating observation. Augustine wanted to preserve the integrity of the text over the commonly held views of his day and that was what led him to try and read the text on its own terms. How can we walk in the footsteps of this great father of the faith? Perhaps reading the Bible with greater attention to the language, genre and intention of the text will help us. Perhaps also reading Scripture with the help of the global and historic Church through greater dialogue and a willingness to interact with ancient interpreters could help too. Third, these theologians did not come to their conclusions because they were trying to fit in with contemporary thought. McGrath again notes "many contemporary thinkers regarded the Christian view of Creation ex nihilo as utter nonsense. Claudius Galenus (AD 129200), physician to the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, dismissed it as a logical and metaphysical absurdity." It seems that both literal and non-literal views date way back. When deciding which view we should hold for ourselves, it is important to give all perspectives a fair hearing, and make an informed decision. The Genesis debate reminds us not to blindly follow popular opinion whether inside or outside the Church, and not to be afraid to ask the tough questions. 4. Am I allowing the text to speak for itself? Many of us will know the story of the man who asked God what he should do and opened the Bible at random to read "Judas hung himself". Worried whether he might have misheard God he turned over a page and read, "What you are about to do, do quickly." It's a silly story designed to warn Christians about reading the Bible out of context. We know that the account of Judas' death is not a general instruction to all Christians: it is reporting the historical fact. In the same way, we must be careful when we look at any part of the Bible to try and hear it on its own terms. I studied Chemistry at university, and I still have lots of scientific questions about our world: why the forces that hold our universe are so finely balanced, why we have appendixes, what is making up most of the mass of the universe, whether there really is such a thing as dark matter. I don't expect the Bible to have answers to these questions because it has more important things to teach over the thousands of years of Christian heritage. Rather than impose my questions on the text, I need to work hard to listen. We need to take care when we approach Scripture not to come at the text with the questions we want answered, but instead to allow the text to define the questions it will answer. The Genesis debate can remind us of God's command to love him with all of our mind, and that rigorously puzzling over these issues is therefore a good use of the gifts God has given us. 5. Is there more we agree on than disagree on? However old or young the earth is, there are Christians on both sides of the debate who want to honour and obey God. In this respect the debate does affect our godliness. Both sides can display the humility to have their minds changed by what the word of God says. We can all celebrate that God created the universe on his timing and for his purposes. We can agree that we want to avoid being driven by the most popular opinions or the loudest voices. We can agree that we are part of the family of God together and that sometimes agreeing to disagree is not only OK, but can be a powerful witness. We can agree to speak well of each other and believe the best about each other's positions and interpretation of Scripture. We can agree that we don't want to put a stumbling block in front of people becoming Christians and make a bigger deal of this issue than it is. We can agree that one day we will know for sure. We can agree that love should dominate our attitude to one another. The Genesis debate reminds us that there is more to agree on than disagree on, and for that we will be eternally grateful. Rev Dr Krish Kandiah is President of the London School of Theology and founder and director of Home for Good. Actor Elijah Wood says 'vipers' hound Hollywood and sexually abuse young talents Elijah Wood, best known for his role as Frodo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings" movie franchise, has revealed that high-powered predatory "vipers" are making rounds in Hollywood and taking advantage of young talents who are eager to jump-start their careers. "I've been led down dark paths to realise that these things probably are still happening," he tells The Times. He is grateful that his mother Debra had been "far more concerned with raising me to be a good human than facilitating my career. I never went to parties where that kind of thing was going on." The problem with young celebrities, says Wood, is that they do not really understand the gravity of sexual abuse and are fooled into thinking it's acceptable. "If you're innocent, you have very little knowledge of the world and you want to succeed," he says. "People with parasitic interests will see you as their prey. What upsets me about these situations is that the victims can't speak as loudly as the people in power." There have been rampant reports of Hollywood high-rollers protecting child abusers. Anne Henry, co-founder of Bizparents, an organisation that seeks to help young actors, says "Hollywood is currently sheltering about 100 active abusers." Henry estimates that around 75 percent of child actors who "went off the rails" later in their careers were actually victims of sexual abuse. "This problem has been endemic in Hollywood for a long time and it's finally coming to light," she says. "I don't believe the most powerful people in Hollywood are sitting in a darkened room plotting to spread paedophilia. But very bad people are still working here, protected by their friends." Over the past 10 years, several big names in the movie-making industry have been convicted of sexual abuse. Some have left prison and unfortunately returned to Hollywood and continued to work with children like nothing bad ever happened. Becket's elbow and Hungary's migrants: How a mediaeval relic shames the Church St Thomas Becket's elbow is back, all the way from Hungary. The relic was taken from the grave of the saint 800 years ago, probably nicked by two Hungarian bishops who were present when it was opened in 1220 for the reburial of the saint. It's quite a rare thing as most of the bones were scattered when Becket's shrine was destroyed at Henry VIII's orders during the English Reformation. The elbow, in its beautiful reliquary, is to tour in London and Kent, starting with mass at Westminster Cathedral. Among those present will be Hungarian President Janos Ader and the country's Primate Cardinal Peter Erdo. The Hungarian connection is interesting for history buffs. The relic is usually kept at Esztergom Cathedral, a vast Romanesque basilica the largest in Hungary in a small town on the banks of the Danube. Esztergom was Hungary's capital for a few hundred years before it moved to Buda, and was a refuge to two exiled Anglo-Saxon princes, Edward and Edmund. More interesting, though, is whether Becket is really a safe choice for Hungary's Catholics. He was martyred, of course, in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, after his friend Henry II had become enraged at his obstructiveness and ingratitude. Henry wanted to bring the Church under his own control. Becket's crime was to refuse to toe Henry's line. Henry's furious question: "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?" (or words to that effect) was taken as a green light by four knights, who rode off and hacked Becket to death. According to GK Chesterton, what they did was highly symbolic. In an essay entitled The Unfinished Temple, he writes: "When four knights scattered the blood and brains of St Thomas of Canterbury, it was not only a sign of anger but of a sort of black admiration. They wished for his blood, but they wished even more for his brains. "Such a blow will remain forever unintelligible unless we realise what the brains of St Thomas were thinking about just before they were distributed over the floor. They were thinking about the great mediaeval conception that the Church is the judge of the world. "Becket objected to a priest being tried even by the Lord Chief Justice. And his reason was simple: because the Lord Chief Justice was being tried by the priest...The kings were themselves in the dock. The idea was to create an invisible kingdom, without armies or prisons, but with complete freedom to condemn publicly all the kingdoms of the earth." These are not comfortable words, either for the Catholic Church in Hungary or for the country's prime minister, Viktor Orban. Orban's right-wing government is passionately opposed to other European countries' migration policy. He has equated migration with terrorism and brought in tougher immigration rules that have been harshly criticised by the UN's refugee agency. Orban ordered Hungary's borders with Serbia and Croatia closed with razor-wire fences. Under his regime, Hungary granted protection to only 508 refugees last year. His record on human rights is suspect: an open letter to him from Human Rights Watch in April 2014 raised concerns about judicial independence, media freedom, religious freedom, the rights of disabled and homeless people and discrimination against Hungary's Roma people. Orban himself is a member of the Calvinist Hungarian Reformed Church but he has strong links with the Catholic Church (his wife is Roman Catholic) and receives support from its priests and bishops. Cardinal Erdo, who is accompanying Becket's elbow, said the Church would not help to house refugees as it would constitute human trafficking. Catholic churches in Hungary failed to respond to Pope Francis' appeal for a collection for refugees, with one bishop, Laszlo Kiss-Rigo, saying: "They're not refugees. This is an invasion. They come here with cries of 'Allahu Akbar.' They want to take over." Kiss-Rigo said he was in "total agreement" with Orban and that the Pope "doesn't know the situation". Anyone who thinks it's easy to deal with the migrant crisis has not been paying attention. An object lesson is to be found in Austria, where a far-right president was nearly elected after public discontent at its liberal refugee policy. But such an alliance, in which the Church's statements echo so precisely the policies of the state, demonising the desperate and refusing to help the helpless, is deeply troubling. Never mind Becket's elbow. What would have been in his head? Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods 'Better Call Saul' season 3 spoilers: Spinoff may go into life of Saul after 'Breaking Bad' Although "Better Call Saul" is hinged on its parent series "Breaking Bad," co-creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould believe that there's more to Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) than what has been established. During the Vulture Festival, the duo was asked about the prospect of telling new stories behind Saul Goodman's dark inevitable future in "Breaking Bad." Gould believes that while there's the challenge of following the continuity established by "Breaking Bad," Saul Goodman's yarn could be further spun in "Better Call Saul" season 3. "We see 'Gene' in Omaha, Nebraska, and to me that hints that maybe there's more to the story after Breaking Bad, so we'll see," Gould teased via Den of Geek, adding "I don't think anything is predetermined." Gene was the new name Saul gave to himself when he started a new life in Omaha, Nebraska. There, he was working the counter at a shopping mall. From what Gould has said, "Better Call Saul" might show what happens after this. "Better Call Saul" is headed for season 3. So far, there's no sign of the show veering away from "Breaking Bad." In fact, the new season will further delve into the events that led to Saul becoming who he is in the parent series. Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) from "Breaking Bad" is expected to play a major part in "Better Call Saul" season 3. However, he won't appear on the get-go, but he has already been established in the "Better Call Saul" universe. His actions will definitely affect Saul directly or indirectly. It is expected that the drug lord and restaurateur will show his face towards the end of "Better Call Saul" season 3. There are also rumors that Aaron Paul will also reprise his iconic "Breaking Bad" role Jesse Pinkman at some point in "Better Call Saul." The actor has already expressed his interest, but nothing has been confirmed yet. "Better Call Saul" season 3 is expected to premiere early next year. Calls for full investigation after illegal British cluster bombs found in Yemen Illegal British made cluster bombs have been found in Yemen, according to Amnesty International, adding confirmation that the banned weapons are used by Saudi-led forces. The human rights groups has called for an investigation into whether UK nationals have broken the law after Britain signed an international convention in 2008 that banned the use of cluster bombs. Evidence of British and American made cluster bombs was found to have been used by the coalition supporting the Yemeni government, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Neither have signed the 2008 convention, nor has the United States, or Brazil but under the law British nationals are banned from using the bombs or assisting in their deployment. One type of British made bomb discovered is designed to be dropped by a Tornado jet, dozens of which have been sold to Saudi Arabia from Britain in recent decades. The planes are still services by British mechanics, leading to the call for an investigation by Amnesty. "The discovery of the cluster bomb is the first clear evidence that, as long suspected, members of the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition have used British cluster munitions in their highly controversial attacks in Yemen," the charity said in a statement. "Given that the UK is known to have several hundred specialist support staff working closely with the Royal Saudi Air Force, Amnesty is warning that any involvement of UK personnel would constitute a clear breach of the UK's legal responsibility under the Convention on Cluster Munitions." The bomb is designed to spread small pieces over a large area so its target is indiscriminate and a particular danger to civilians. Amnesty International have campaigned against Britain's arms sales to Saudi Arabia. He said it would be an "absolute scandal" if British personnel were found to be involved. But the foreign secretary Philip Hammond strongly defended the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia. "The UK is not a member of the Saudi-led coalition," said a spokesman. "British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making process." However the Saudi foreign minister has previously said British military advisers assist in Saudi-led bombing raids in Yemen and know the list of targets. The bombing campaign has been heavily criticised for hitting civilian targets across Yemen and the British government is facing particular criticism as a major supplier of weapons to Saudi Arabia, which is a major ally in the Middle East. Cameron says he will meet Trump despite 'dangerous' Muslim comments David Cameron has repeated his criticism of Donald Trump but said he would be happy to meet the Republican presumptive nominee. The Prime Minister called the New York billionaire's proposal to ban Muslims entering the United States "dangerous" and said Trump was "divisive, stupid and wrong" for suggesting it. However he said he would stick with tradition and meet with the presidential candidate if he came to the UK. The feud between the pair continued after Downing Street denied Trump's claim he had been invited to visit. Number 10 said it was a "long-standing practice for the PM to meet with Republican and Democrat presidential nominees if they visit the UK" but added "no confirmed dates" had been set for a Trump visit. Shortly after Trump first called for a "total and complete shutdown on Muslims entering the United States", Cameron said: "I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong and I think if he came to visit our country I think it'd unite us all against him." In an interview with ITV's Robert Peston on Sunday he said he didn't withdraw he criticism but said he would work with the candidate. "I do think that is wrong and divisive as I said because we've got to demonstrate that we're up against here is a very small minority of a minority: Islamist extremists that want to divide our societies. "We've got to explain that there are millions and billions of people in our world that worship...that are devout Muslims but believe in liberal democracy and all the things we believe in. It's a very dangerous thing to say, I am making it worse now, as well as a divisive and wrong one". In an interview with Piers Morgan last week on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Trump attacked Cameron's criticism and said it looked like the pair was "not going to have a very good relationship". Asked whether he thought Cameron's comments damaged the special relationship between the countries, Trump said: "Honestly, I don't care, it doesn't matter." However he seems to have softened his stance. In an interview on Friday with MSNBC he said Cameron was a "nice guy" and he expected to "do just fine" with him. Chaldean Patriarch urges US not to arm 'Christian militias' Christians in Iraq are being exploited for political gain, and the US must not follow through on its pledge to arm Christian forces fighting ISIS, the Chaldean Patriarch has warned. In a statement to Fides news agency, Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako said supporting self-proclaimed 'Christian militias' would be "a bad idea". "There are no 'Christian militias', but only politicized groups and simple people who are in desperate need of a salary," he said. "The remaining Christians in Iraq are only the poor and those belonging to the middle class, and among them, there are 100 thousand displaced people." There are multiple groups vying for the support of Christians in Iraq, including Sunni Arabs, Kurds and the central government in Baghdad, the Patriarch explained. Each has conflicting interests. "It is a total mess!" he added. "Everyone wants to exploit Christians of Nineveh Plain for their ambitions and political interests. It is an area with different ethnic groups and religious communities... I am afraid that all these talks will turn Nineveh Plain into a continuing conflict region, and in this case, no Christian will return to their homes." The Patriarch was responding to a defence spending bill currently headed for authorisation by the US Congress and Senate. It specifically refers to Christian security forces as a group that should be supported. A report says: "The committee believes that the United States should support appropriately vetted, effective indigenous groups such as Iraqi Christian militias, with a national security mission." Steve Oshana, executive director of A Demand for Action a campaign group that has pushed for the legitimacy of Christian militias to be recognised told Christian Today the move was a "huge step forward". "This is significant because Christian forces in Iraq and Syria have spent the past 18 months building capacity, and in Syria one group has already received support from the US," he said. "It's significant because it shows a greater US commitment to supporting Christians and more importantly acknowledging their legitimacy as fighting forces in Iraq and Syria." Congressman Jeff Fortenberry on Thursday commended the bill for expanding protections for religious minorities in Iraq. "Two months ago, Congress declared that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians, Yezidis, and other minorities. The House of Representatives has now taken concrete steps to support the victims," he said. "The National Defense Authorization Act that has passed the House contains two new policy goals. First, the United States strategy in Iraq now includes securing 'safe areas' so that genocide victims can return to their homelands. Second, a new provision empowers minority groups, including Christian and Yezidi security forces, in the integrated military campaign against ISIS. "Christians, Yezidis, and others should remain an essential part of the Middle East's once rich tapestry of ethnic and religious diversity. They now have new cause for hope." However, Patriarch Sako warned that the future of Christianity in the Middle East is at stake if the new bill is passed. "Christians, if they want to have a future, must integrate themselves with the institutions and follow the legitimate authorities that govern the place where they live," he said. "And if the US really want to defeat Daesh [ISIS], they have to support the regular armies that are part of the central government and the autonomous Kurdistan government, instead of creating sectarian militias". Death squads and rape jokes: Why the Philippines' new president is no laughing matter The Philippines claims to be the only Christian nation in Asia, with some justification. More than 80 per cent of its population is Roman Catholic. There are also lively Protestant churches, and Muslims too. It's the Catholics who swing the demographic weight when it comes to elections, however. So you wouldn't think that a presidential candidate who calls their bishops "sons of whores" stood much chance of office. Not so, however. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte used the expression in a rambling speech directed at Catholic bishops who had criticised his previous abuse, in the same terms, of Pope Francis (he was stuck in a traffic jam during the Pope's visit there). He also accused them of corruption, saying: "You ask so many favours, even from me." He added: "You know the most hypocritical institution? The Catholic Church." When it comes to controversy, Duterte has form. The longtime mayor of Davao, he fought a campaign likened to that of Donald Trump in the US, smashing stereotypes, ignoring received wisdom about vote-winning behaviour and unashamedly playing for the populist vote. While Duterte cultivates the same iconoclastic image as Trump, however, he is far less predictable and potential far more disruptive. He plans to bring back the death penalty. He has boasted of his links to death squads that killed more than 1,000 suspected criminals. On one occasion he personally forced a tourist to swallow his own cigarette butt in a local bar after the man refused to comply with an anti-smoking ordinance. He was also criticised for saying about the rape of an Australian missionary who was raped and murdered in a prison where she was ministering in 1989, "Was I mad because she was raped? Yes, that's one of the reasons. But she really was beautiful. The mayor should have been first." Duterte's relationship with religion has been conflicted. He says he was abused by a priest at his school, Mark Falvey, who died in 1975. He said in January 2016 that he had temporarily "forfeited" his religion: "If I obey the Ten Commandments or listen to priests, I would not be able to do anything as a mayor." However, he has a Protestant pastor friend and adviser, Apollo Quiboloy, who was a major supporter during his campaign. Quiboloy was reportedly hurt not to have been brought into Duterte's inner circle after his victory, but a Duterte spokesman denied there was a deliberate intention to offend him. Duterte himself said: "Let me be very clear, my friendship with my friends ends when the interest of the country begins. I would as much as possible make you happy if you are my friend, but I will not allow anybody to color my decisions in government. From now on it is always the interest of the Republic of the Philippines period." Duterte has also accused priests and bishops of having children. Archbishop Oscar Cruz responded: "If he says that he knows of some bishops and priests with children...I think he should reveal them and give the proper evidence so that the church can do something about it." Duterte's latest assault on the Church comes with an announcement that he intends to impose a three-child policy on families in an attempt to tackle over-population. "I'm a Christian, but I'm a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church," he said. The Church is very worried. It's opposed to the reintroduction of the death penalty: "As people of faith, we do not adhere to capital punishment because we do not have the right to judge who should live and who should die," said Father Lito Jopson, head of the Catholic bishops' communications office. Of the proposed population control measures, Monsignor Oliver Mendoza, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Lingayen, whose head is the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the would continue to speak against government policies that are contrary to Church teaching, "because if we fail to do that, if we close our eyes, if we close our lips, we close our ears, what will be the role of the Church?". It's not just Roman Catholics, either: Episcopal Bishop Renato Abibico told Christian today he was very concerned about Duterte's human rights record. "With all his pronouncements of curbing criminality, corruption and others with an iron hand, I hope that he would also take seriously issues of human rights and due process," he said. "This nation has already seen so much of violence, extra-judicial killings and summary executions. Need we add more?" While there are serious question marks over a Duterte presidency, his record is not a wholly negative one. As mayor of Davao he built a 24-hour drug rehabilitation centre. He offered a monthly allowance to drug users who approached him personally and offered to kick the habit. He has also been a hands-on advocate of peace negotiations with the long-running New People's Army revolutionaries and has led anti-discrimination legislation for Muslim and indigenous Lumad people. However, he is not a Western liberal but a classic authoritarian strongman. What sort of president he will make is yet to be seen, but the Churches are gearing themselves up for challenging times. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Donald Trump to meet with senior evangelical leaders Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump is to meet with prominent evangelical leaders, according to Fox News. He has had a mixed press from evangelicals so far in his campaign winning backing from figures such as Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, but vitriolic criticism from respected commentators such as Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The meeting is scheduled for June 21 in New York City. As many as 500 conservative leaders are expected to attend. It has been convened by senior evangelical figures including Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, James Dobson, Tony Perkins, president of the conservative activist group the Family Research Council, and mega-church pastors Jack Graham and Ed Young. Perkins said: "Our goal is to be able to have a conversation that could lead to a better understanding of what Donald Trump has to offer to the country." He told Fox: "I want to be actively supportive of a candidate who can help turn this nation around. With Trump I'm not there yet. I hope to be there but I'm not there right now." Perkins said Trump will not be delivering a speech but would answer questions from the audience. The meeting would not include a straw poll and there would be no endorsement from the conservative leaders. Among the issues expected to be raised are Trump's policies regarding religious liberty, pro-life issues and possible vice presidential candidates. "A vice presidential pick is going to be very crucial," Perkins said. "Mr Trump doesn't have a track record so I am going to rely very heavily on who he is going to pick as a running mate." SBC president Ronnie Floyd told Fox: "The vast majority of Southern Baptists are very much where I am today we're trying to figure this out. We're trying to navigate through these waters that are very uncertain and very difficult." He urged Christians to vote, saying: "We cannot change what exists or even alter it or adjust it sitting on the sidelines and prognosticating about the situation. "We have a biblical responsibility, but we also have a responsibility as citizens of the United States to express the privileges afforded to us that men and women have died on the battlefield to give us and I'm not walking away from that." He added: "None of us have endorsed Mr Trump, nor have we condemned Mr Trump. This is about the possibility of being able to appoint the next four Supreme Court justices. This is about the dignity of human life from the womb to the tomb. This is about religious freedom. I'm not about to sit at home and not express something. I'm accountable to God and I believe I'm accountable to my fellow Americans." It is not known whether Russell Moore, who said that for evangelicals to back Trump they must "repudiate everything they believe", will be in attendance. Duck Dynasty's John Luke and Mary Kate Robertson say marriage has made them 'more patient' It seems like "Duck Dynasty" stars John Luke and Kate Robertson, who tied the knot in June last year, are not yet done with the honeymoon stage of their marriage since they profess to be even more in love today than they were when they first started dating. The couple talked to ABC News about their relationship, saying it takes a lot of hard work to nurture this relationship. "We have made each other more patient. When you are stuck together you have to be patient with each other or go crazy," said John Luke. "I love how caring Mary Kate is. She is the best wife I could have asked for." Meanwhile, Mary Kate said the secret to their happiness is being "able to laugh at each other." The two make it a point to always have dinner together no matter what's going on in their lives. After that, they are free to "do school work and whatever else we are working on." John Luke also said some couples might idealise marriage and think it's great being together all the time, but it can get difficult because "when you are dating, you get into a fight, you can go to your separate houses and think about it. When you're married, where are you gonna go?" The two are currently studying in Liberty University, a Christian school located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Mary Kate is very keen on starting a family of their own already, so John Luke got her a dog, which is "holding her at bay right now." "I love kids so much and [I] am so excited for babies, but we definitely want to wait till we finish school," explained Mary Kate. "That's why we went ahead and got a dog." Meanwhile, John Luke is also busy promoting his new book called "Young and Beardless: The Search for God, Purpose and a Meaningful Life," which shares the ups and downs of their relationship and how God helped them through it all. Duterte slams Catholic Church, says he doesn't need religion to show his 'deep' Christian faith After denouncing the Catholic Church for its alleged "hypocrisy," presumptive Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that he believes in God, but that he does not need religion to show his Christian faith. "I have this deep, abiding faith in God but that does not mean that you have to have a religion, you have to follow somebody, that you have to get a message from this and that," he said over the weekend in Davao City on Mindanao island, where he has been mayor for 20 years. "Why would I have to go to a human being to whisper my sins and ask for forgiveness from him? Who are you to listen to my sins and give me absolution? You are not God," he said in the press conference covered live by the country's major television networks. Duterte, who is a Catholic, lashed out at his own Church, calling it the "most hypocritical institution" in the country for claiming moral ascendancy while allegedly engaging in corrupt practices and other wrongdoings. He said if the Catholic Church excommunicates him for his statements, he might join the Seventh Day Adventists. The incoming president poured out his grievances on the country's Catholic leadership for campaigning against him before the May 9 election, which he won overwhelmingly. Duterte said the bishops did this even though in his 20 years as mayor of Davao City, priests had been seeking various favours from him, which he said was tantamount to corruption, ABS-CBN News reports. "They campaigned against me; everybody was saying 'Do not vote for Duterte.' Fine. I said, let this election be a referendum between me and the Catholic Church ... Look, were you able to stop me?" he said. Duterte referred to the official statement released by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on May 1 urging the public to reject a "morally reprehensible" candidate who has shown "scant regard" for the rights of others and the teachings of the Church. CBCP President Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas has previously criticised Duterte for cursing Pope Francis when the latter visited the Philippine capital Manila in January 2015. Catholic leaders have also criticised Duterte for openly admitting that he is a womaniser and for his alleged links with a "death squad" known to have summarily executed hundreds of suspected criminals. Duterte said Catholic Church leaders should not consider themselves morally superior to other people, saying their "hypocritical institution" has a long history of wrongdoing. He also challenged the bishops to a debate so that he can expose, before assuming office on June 30, the alleged sins of the church. "You have been castigating me or criticising me. You want a debate before I become president? Okay! ... I will tell you the sins of the Catholic Church beginning from the time the institution of the papacy was established," Duterte said. The incoming 16th Philippine president also alleged that some bishops, whom he called "sons of whores," had mistresses. "Do not think you are the moralising agents of the society. As long as you are a human being, you are going to fall down... You're all pageantry," he said. Duterte also alleged that he was molested by a priest when he was still a child. He then castigated a bishop who suggested that he should just file a case against his molester. He said the suggestion was "ridiculous" since the priest died 30 years ago and the incident happened during the 1950s. He said when he assumes office he will defy the Roman Catholic Church and seek to impose a three-child policy in the Philippines. "I only want three children for every family," Duterte said. "I'm a Christian, but I'm a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church." Fallujah: Campaign begins to recapture key Iraqi town from ISIS Iraqi forces have clashed with ISIS militants after an offensive against the town of Falluja was announced by Iraq's Prime Minister. Residents were told to leave the militants' stronghold on Sunday but many were prevented by roadside bombs left by ISIS fighters. The city, surrounded by Iraqi forces since last year, was subjected to a night of heavy bombardment, after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi used his official twitter account to announce the campaign. "Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi tweeted. He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A US-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighboring Syria for nearly two years is expected to provide air support. Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the jihadists in January 2014, six months before the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria. Known as the "City of Minarets and Mother of Mosques", Falluja is seen as a focus for Sunni Muslim faith and identity in Iraq. Officials said Shi'ite militias, including ones backed by neighbouring Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city proper, as they were largely in the battle for Ramadi, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents. The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Falluja since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months. However an offensive has been delayed while the coalition focused on re-capturing ISIS held territory in the north and west of Iraq. The military's media unit told families who cannot flee to raise white flags to mark their location in the city. Deputy District Council Chairman Falih al-Essawi said three corridors would be opened for civilians to camps west, southwest and southeast of the city, and a subsequent military statement said some residents had begun to flee. "Our goal is to liberate civilians from Daesh's repression and terrorism," Abadi said in a televised speech. Aid has not reached the city since December 2015 when the Iraqi military recaptured the nearby city of Ramadi. Both the United Nations and Human Rights Watch warned that residents in Fallujah faced severe food and medical shortages during the government's siege. Residents told Reuters about 20 families set out from a southern front-line neighbourhood late on Saturday but that only half of them made it out. Some were intercepted by Islamic State, while others were killed by explosives planted along the road by the jihadists. Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for Abadi, said the city's "liberation" would help restore normal life to Anbar province, over which Islamic State took nearly complete control in 2014. Following recent government offensives in Rutba and Hit, control of Falluja would secure the road more than 500 km (300 miles) from Baghdad to the Jordanian border and northwards to Haditha, 190 km (115 miles) northwest of the capital. But Islamic State still controls vast swathes of territory and major cities such as Mosul in the north. Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake Mosul this year, although some officials question in private whether the army will be ready in time. Additional reporting by Reuters. Historic meeting between Pope Francis and Egyptian grand Imam held today Pope Francis today held a historic meeting with the grand imam of Egypt's highest Islamic authority, signalling a significant step toward healing fractured interfaith relations. Ahmed al-Tayeb, of the Al-Azhar mosque and university centre in Cairo, met with the Pope in Rome. Francis is believed to be looking to heal Vatican relations with the influential centre of Sunni Muslim learning after dialogue was frozen five years ago. Al-Azhar cut contacts with the Vatican in 2011 over what it said were repeated insults toward Islam from Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict. The decision came just days after Benedict denounced what he called "a strategy of violence that has Christians as a target" following a bomb attack outside a church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria that killed 23 people. Since his election in 2013, Francis has put great emphasis on improving interfaith relations and smiled warmly as he greeted al-Tayeb. "The message is the meeting," the Pope told reporters. A statement from Al-Azhar said al-Tayeb had accepted the invitation to Rome in the hopes of exploring "efforts to spread peace and co-existence". In a subsequent statement, the Vatican said the two men discussed the problems of violence and terrorism, and the situation of Christians in the Middle East, including how best to protect them. It said the meeting was "very cordial" and of "great significance". It lasted around 30 minutes and reportedly ended with an embrace between the two faith leaders. Pope Francis last year urged an end to what he called a genocide against Christians in the Middle East, but he has also said it is wrong to equate Islam with violence. In an interview last week, he said "the idea of conquest is inherent to the soul of Islam" but added that Christianity had the same missionary goal in its "Great Commission" where Jesus told his apostles to "go and make disciples of all nations". Looking to set an example for Europe, Francis has taken in Muslim refugees fleeing the war in Syria. Last week he criticised Western powers for trying to export their own brand of democracy to the Middle East and Africa without respecting indigenous political cultures. Christians, mostly Orthodox Copts, account for about 10 per cent of Egypt's population, which is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. Sectarian violence sometimes erupts over disputes on issues related to church building, religious conversions and interfaith relationships. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) earlier this month recommended that the US State Department add Egypt to its list of "countries of particular concern", where "particularly severe violations of religious freedom are perpetuated or tolerated". Though the Egyptian government has taken "positive steps to address some religious freedom concerns" in the past year, there remains a "climate of impunity," the USCIRF said. The Al-Azhar university has some 450,000 students, many from countries across Asia and Africa. It also has a network of more than 9,000 schools across Egypt attended by more than two million students. Additional reporting by Reuters. Iran has capacity to destroy Israel 'in less than 8 minutes,' Iranian commander warns Iran has enough firepower to destroy Israel "in less than eight minutes," a senior Iranian military commander has warned. Ahmad Karimpour, a senior adviser to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' elite unit al-Quds Force, said on Thursday that once Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gives the order to destroy Israel, the Iranian military will have little trouble in "razing the Zionist regime," according to the semi-official Fars News Agency in a report picked up by the Times of Israel. A senior Iranian general earlier announced that the country's military successfully tested a precision-guided, medium-range ballistic missile that could reach Israel, the state-run Tasnim agency reported. "We test-fired a missile with a range of 2,000 kilometres and a margin of error of eight meters," Brigadier General Ali Abdollahi was quoted as saying at a Tehran science conference. The eight-meter margin means the "missile enjoys zero error," he told conference participants. Last March, Iran tested ballistic missiles, including two with the words "Israel must be wiped off the earth" written on them, according to U.S. and other Western sources. Iran is not forbidden to conduct ballistic missile tests under a nuclear deal signed last year between world powers and Iran. However, the agreement noted that such missile tests would not be "not consistent" with a United Nations Security Council resolution reached in July 2015, U.S. officials say. Khamenei has several times threatened to erase the Jewish state off the face of the earth. Last September, he posted on his official Twitter account that Israel would not be around "in 25 years," adding that the Jewish state will be hounded until it is destroyed. "After negotiations, in Zionist regime they said they had no more concern about Iran for next 25 years; I'd say: Firstly, you will not see next 25 years; God willing, there will be nothing as Zionist regime by next 25 years. Secondly, until then, struggling, heroic and jihadi morale will leave no moment of serenity for Zionists," Iran's top leader was quoted as saying in English. Earlier in November 2014, Khamenei said the "barbaric" Jewish state "has no cure but to be annihilated." A plan titled "9 key questions about the elimination of Israel" was posted on his Twitter account, using the hashtag #handsoffalaqsa, in reference to the tensions on the Temple Mount. Justin Welby and 'gentle' evangelism: Should you wait to be asked before sharing your faith? Mention evangelism in the context of religious activities and suddenly everyone gets very nervous. "You're not going to try and convert me are you?" is the fearful cry that goes up when Christians talk of growth. Surely not. With most other "goods" in life, the idea is to share and allow others to experience that good. But with religion, it seems, it's fine as long as it doesn't become too enthusiastic. Presumably the worry is that people of faith will somehow coerce the unsuspecting atheist into believing against their will. Against this anxious backdrop, the Archbishop of Canterbury apparently told believers not to talk about their faith unless they are asked to, according to The Telegraph. The question posed to Justin Welby at an inter-faith gathering in Lambeth Palace was, what is the difference between evangelism and proselytism? What he actually said was: "I draw the line in terms of respect for the other; in starting by listening before you speak; in terms of love that is unconditional and not conditional to one iota, to one single element on how the person responds to your own declaration of faith; and of not speaking about faith unless you are asked about faith. "That's a shorthand but I could go on. "I draw a pretty sharp line, it is all based around loving the person you are dealing with which means you seek their well-being and you respect their identity and their integrity." He later added on Twitter that witnessing to Jesus is "central to discipleship". @His_Grace @Telegraph witnessing to Jesus Christ is central to discipleship; "how", must be with gentleness and reverence, 1 Peter 3:15-16 Justin Welby (@JustinWelby) May 21, 2016 This passage exhorts followers to always be prepared to answer "anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you". The author adds, "yet do it with gentleness and respect". Welby is not actually telling believers not to talk about their faith unless they are asked, but his emphasis on gentle evangelism is characteristic of his approach. No matter how nervous everyone else seems to be about evangelism, Welby certainly is not. Alongside the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, he has led the biggest evangelism drive the Church has seen in decades. But all the time he has emphasised the line in 1 Peter. In an openly evangelistic message to Christians in China, he spoke of the "day-to-day experience of living our lives in ways that reveal to those around that we trust in Jesus Christ and seek to follow him as his disciples". In reference to the passage in 1 Peter 3 he said: "Peter was very clear that the heart of witness lay not in aggressive shouting at people or any other form of manipulation or disruption, but in lives that were lived so clearly that people would ask why the Christian lived in such a way and that the Christian would 'always be ready to give an explanation for the hope that is within you, but with gentleness and grace'." In his message in China and his comments quoted in The Telegraph, Welby is not saying anything particularly revolutionary. He is asking Christians to evangelise but to do so in how they live their lives with humility, gentleness and respect. Most Christians do precisely that on a daily basis. But in doing so Welby is also implicitly challenging the fear around the idea of evangelism. It is ridiculous to think anyone could be seduced into believing. In the majority of cases Christians' lives point to their faith in ways that are entirely appropriate and respectful. There are legitimate concerns about Christians who use positions of power in providing a public service to then harass people, but these are the minority. Welby's gentle but consistent emphasis on the need for faith sharing done respectfully is helping to counter the unhelpful narrative that evangelism is the ugly side to religion. It is not and we should not begin to think so. Most people believe Islam incompatible with British values, says new poll Most people in Britain believe Islam is not compatible with British values, according to a new poll. Nearly a third of those questionedby ComRes for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association believe Islam is a violent religion. The poll shows younger people have a better understanding view of Islam. More than 2000 people were polled. Asked about their understanding of the traditions and beliefs of Islam, more than four in ten of those aged 18 to 24 said they had a good understanding compared to fewer than three in ten of people aged over 45. Farhad Ahmad, 24, an Imam and member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, told the BBC he found the results concerning. He said "I think these findings are based on ignorance. I know the teachings of Islam, and I know there is nothing in Islam which hinders anyone from becoming an integrated member of society, Islam teaches loyalty to one's country. As a Muslim this gives us more motivation to promote the true teachings of Islam, we need to be more active." Philippines: Rodrigo Duterte calls Catholic bishops 'sons of whores' Rodrigo Duterte, president-elect of the Philippines, is going head-to-head with the Roman Catholic Church in a series of public and controversial confrontations. Just one day after he referred to the Catholic bishops as "sons of whores", he has pledged to defy the Church and impose a three-child policy in an attempt to control the fast-growing population of the intensely-religious nation where eight in ten of the 100 million population are Catholic. Although Duterte has not yet officially been declared winner of this month's election, three of his four rivals have already conceded defeat after an unoffical count showed him to be in the lead. He is expected to take office at the end of next month. Speaking in Davao City yesterday, he said: "I only want three children for every family. I'm a Christian, but I'm a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church." Earlier, on Saturday, he condemned the Church as the "most hypocritical institution" and accused some bishops of enriching themselves at the expense of the poor. "You sons of whores, aren't you ashamed? You ask so many favors, even from me," the president-elect said in an interview with GMA TV. Monsignor Oliver Mendoza, of the Archdiocese of Lingayen, said the Church will continue to speak out. "Because if we fail to do that, if we close our eyes, if we close our lips, we close our ears, what will be the role of the Church?" Last December, Duterte made a speech full of obscenities in which he cursed the Pope. Duterte was baptised a Catholic but takes spiritual advice from Apollo Quiboloy, head of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, an evangelical church which describes itself as a "kingdom nation". Prison staff reluctant to tackle Islamic extremists, reveals report A report that reveals prison staff are relucant to tackle Islamic extremists has been delayed. The report claims the prison staff hold back because they fear being labelled racist. The report also says the most dangerous, subversive and extreme Islamists could be kept in designated units apart from other prisoners as one way of preventing them recruiting other prisoners to their cause. There are more than 12,000 Muslims in English and Welsh jails. About 130 are in prison on terrorism offences. The report, by Ian Acheson, formerly of the Home Office, was commissioned by the justice secretary Michael Gove. According to The Sunday Times, there are fears the report is being delayed in order to tone down criticism of the National Offender Management Service. "The findings are very uncomfortable for the government, because they will leave Noms bruised and embarrassed," an unnamed official told the newspaper. Members of the review team visited jails in Holland, Spain and France. Two church pastors charged with trafficking in undercover sting Two church pastors have been arrested as part of an anti-trafficking operation for seeking to have sex with an under-age girl in Tennessee. Jason Kennedy, 46, and Zubin Parakh, 32, were among 32 men and women arrested by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), it was announced on Friday. They had answered an online ad to have sex with an under-age prostitute. According to a police report seen by WVLT, Kennedy responded via text to an ad placed by an undercover agent. He agreed to pay $100 for half an hour of sex with two girls, one of whom was 15 years old. He went to an arranged meeting place, handed over the money, and removed his trousers. He was then arrested, and charged with human trafficking and patronising prostitution. Kennedy was a children's minister at Grace Baptist Church in Karns, Tennessee. He was fired on May 20 when news broke of his arrest. A statement from the church said: "The children's pastor of Grace Baptist Church has been terminated as a result of an arrest in a police sting related to prostitution and human trafficking. "The actions of the children's pastor for which he has been arrested were part of his life outside the church, and we have received no questions or concerns related to his conduct within the church or its ministries. "The children's pastor was hired two-and-a-half years ago. The church's background check turned up no issues that indicate any previous problem. In fact, the children's pastor in his application affirmed that he had no issues in his background of a criminal or other nature. "We are praying for his family and will continue to provide the services of our ministry to them." Senior pastor Rev Ron Stewart said the news of Kennedy's arrest had shocked his congregation. "He did it, but it's like a tsunami that can cover a whole island. His tsunami has come across our whole church," he said. Parakh is creative pastor at Lifehouse Church in Oak Ridge. According to WVLT, TBI director Mark Gwyn said Parakh responded to ads indicating that he wanted to have sex with under-age girls. He has also been charged with patronising prostitution and trafficking. Both men are due for preliminary hearings on May 31. Vietnam releases dissident priest on eve of Obama visit Vietnam has granted early release from prison to one of its most prominent dissidents, the Catholic priest Father Thadeus Nguyen Van Lym. The release was timed deliberately for the visit of US President Barack Obama. Father Nguyen Van Ly was imprisoned in 2007 for eight years after he was convicted of spreading propaganda against the state. The Catholic Archdiocese of the central city of Hue welcomed the return of the priest, now aged 70, who is frail and suffered health problems in prison. He had already served previous terms in prison and under house arrest for promoting political and religious freedoms in the communist nation, Crux Now reports. He was first jailed in 1977, two years after Vietnam fell to communist rule. Vietnam wants the US to lift its arms embargo but there are still many people in the US concerned about the country's treatment of dissidents. Relations between the Catholic Church and the Vietnamese government have been difficult for many years. Gabrielle Price of the US State Department said: "We consistently have called for the release of Father Ly and all other prisoners of conscience in Vietnam. We remain deeply concerned for all prisoners of conscience in Vietnam." "We call on the government to release unconditionally all prisoners of conscience and allow all Vietnamese to express their political views peacefully without fear of retribution." Why the Church of Scotland's same-sex marriage fudge won't work The Church of Scotland's decision to allow congregations to call ministers in same-sex marriages has received much media attention. The move was hailed by liberals and denounced by conservatives, and the Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, the Very Rev John Chalmers, admitted it was a divisive issue. However, he said: "I hope we have now put this issue to one side and we can now get on with what I believe are important issues developing our vision for the Church, increasing membership and developing our work around mission." Some hope. The question of same-sex marriage is not so easily solved, as many denominations have found. The Council of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) was roundly criticised from within the denomination when it affirmed the traditional view of marriage but said it couldn't stop ministers conducting same-sex weddings if they were determined to do so (though they still can't be in same-sex marriages themselves). The United Methodists have just finished their conference in the US, at which the question threatened to split the denomination; even God was confused by their debates, one delegate said. The long-drawn-out Anglican angst over the issue is too well known to need repeating. For the Church of Scotland to allow same-sex married clergy was almost inevitable. Some technicalities: it followed a vote last year saying that ministers in civil partnerships could be ordained and a subsequent vote proposing that presbyteries be asked to approve plans extending the right to same-sex married people. Presbyteries voted 26 to 19 to refer the issue to the General Assembly and the vote proceeded accordingly. The measure was passed by 339 votes to 215. Officially, the Church's position on marriage remains traditionalist. But congregations can opt out if they want and call ministers in same-sex marriages. As Chalmers said: "We had a debate which made very clear that we were not interfering with our theological definition of marriage and were not going to the place where ministers or deacons could themselves conduct same sex marriages. It is an entirely different discussion." The trouble is that it isn't a different discussion. At present, the Church's official teaching says X, while its ministers are allowed to embody and propagate Y. That congregations are allowed to opt out is an elegant enough fudge, but it is still a fudge. As long as ministers are allowed to be married to a same-sex partner themselves without being able to perform such marriages for other people, the Church is wide open to the charge of egregious hypocrisy. This is not a position that is sustainable, either theologically or in pure common sense. Apart from anything else, it represents a queasy compromise over the nature of the Church of Scotland itself. Is it a single Church, centrally governed and doctrinally cohesive, or is it a fragmenting federation like BUGB? Its Theological Forum is due to complete a report on the same-sex issue to be presented to next year's assembly. Church of Scotland leaders are well aware the present situation is unsustainable. They are hoping and praying for clarity, and for a way forward that allows conservatives to continue to serve with integrity. Judging by the experience of other denominations, it is difficult to be optimistic. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A large swath of downtown property will be acquired by the University of Houston-Downtown, the university announced Monday. The UH Board of Regents approved a plan for the school to buy 17 acres immediately to the north of its Main Street campus from the Metropolitan Transit Authority. The purchase price: $13.2 million. The acquisition will increase the size of the university's downtown digs to 40 acres on both sides of Interstate 10. THROWBACK: 50-year-old University of Houston yearbook offers look at campus life "I believe that the new campus footprint will be viewed as among the most significant developments in the university's institutional history," vice chairman of the board Welcome Wilson Jr. said in the announcement. "This land acquisition assures UHD has the needed acreage for enrollment growth, campus expansion and development of new academic programs." The land is expected to house a new Science and Technology Building, approved by the Texas legislature in spring 2015 and "ensure space for other new academic and student life facilities, as yet to be determined," UH said. The university is in the process of selecting an architecture firm to design the new science building, which it hopes to have open by summer 2019. OTHER HOUSTON COLLEGES: Discovery of Buckyballs a Nobel effort by Rice professors Combined with two adjacent parcels of land the school already owns, the 17-acre tract will give it control of 27 contiguous acres bordered by White Oak Bayou to the west, North Main to the east, the Union Pacific railroad tracks to the north and the existing UHD campus to the south. The downtown plan comes on the heels of a planned acquisition by the University of Houston to buy 46 acres in Katy for a new campus for nearly $14 million. This post was updated to include the purchase price. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UPDATE: Facebook has since reversed its decision to ban the ad, telling British publication The Independent, "Our team processes millions of advertising images each week, so we occasionally make mistakes." The representative continued: "To be clear, the image complies with our advertising policies. We have now approved the image and apologize for any offense this caused." Original story below: The plus-size model behind the #effyourbeautystandards campaign probably has a few more choice words for Facebook. The social media giant reportedly denied a request to run ads for a body positivity event featuring model Tess Holliday because it is against Facebook's health and fitness policy. Australian body positivity group Cherchez la Femme tried to advertise its latest event, Feminism and Fat, on Facebook last week but was reportedly denied. The advertisement featured a picture of Tess Holliday in a bikini (which you can see as the cover art for the event's Facebook page). "Facebook responded by telling me that the ad wasn't approved because the image contravened their 'health and fitness policy', and that I should instead consider replacing this image with one of a 'relevant activity, such as running or riding a bike'," said Jess (no last name given), a producer for Cherchez la Femme. "We're raging pretty hard over here - both because Facebook seemingly has no idea that plus sized, self describing fat women can feel great about themselves, and also because we haven't been able to boost the original d**n post," Jess continued. Well, one thing's for sure: Boosted Facebook ad or not, the world most certainly knows about the event now. Tess Holliday is just one of the plus-sized models who are taking the industry by storm. Take a look at more plus-sized models you should know about in the gallery above. There was brisket, sausage, beef ribs, pork, even alligator. Whatever meat could be smoked, it was probably consumed at the fourth annual Houston Barbecue Festival held at NRG Park on Sunday. About 2,500 barbecue enthusiasts descended on the festival, a showcase for the growing Houston barbecue scene. Pitmasters from about two dozen of the area's most popular barbecue joints served up their best morsels at the all-you-can eat extravaganza. A Houston woman has been sentenced to 2o years in prison after she pleaded guilty to bilking a dozen elderly clients for a total of more than $3 million dollars. Celia Castillo, 59, was convicted after the Texas Department of Insurance discovered she operated an annuity scam, according to department officials. Harris County law enforcement issued an arrest warrant Saturday for a Sharpstown High School math tutor accused of a sexual relationship with a student. Court documents filed Friday in Harris County allege 52-year-old Aldo Leiva in June 2015 began dating a 17-year-old female Sharpstown student with who he exchanged lewd photographs and text messages. Leiva was not a teacher at the west Houston high school but participates in a tutoring fellowship program. An investigation began when the student's mother notified school personnel of sexual messaged she'd found on her daughter's phone. The Houston Independent School District Police Department identified the man in the photos as Levia. The student identified Levia as her math tutor and said she and he had dated since summer 2015. "The complainant [the student] seemed protective of the defendant [Leiva] and attempted to minimize their relationship, however she did admit to sending and receiving nude photos through an app on their phones," said an affidavit filed in the Harris County District Court. Levia provided his cell phone for a search by law enforcement, and incriminating messages with references to sexual encounters were found, including some which implied the student and tutor would meet to have sex as soon as school let out. Levia is charged with sexual performance by child, a felony charge, and is currently being sought for arrest. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Five years into her annual supermodel luncheon, I Am Waters president and founder Elena Davis made some big changes. Not only has the non-profit that delivers bottled water to the nation's homeless expanded its outreach Davis hosted inaugural luncheons in New Orleans and Austin earlier in 2016 but the format of her high-profile spring soiree has evolved, too. Co-chairs Jill Faucetta and Millette Sherman utilized every inch of the River Oaks Country Club by adding a new component to the program: a Saks Fifth Avenue runway show. But first, some 230 attendees snapped fan photos with supermodels and featured speakers Niki Taylor, Kelly Emberg, and Kara Young in front of the lobby's step-and-repeat. Stylish spectators including Lynn Wyatt, Linda McReynolds, Joyce Echols, and Becca Cason Thrash then grabbed champagne and front-row seats to the catwalk presentation introduced by NBC News correspondent Janet Shamlian and Modelwire Inc. director Joey Hunter from the rear of the venue's ballroom. Afterward, Davis asked the crowd to return to their lunch tables and remove their shoes for the rest of the event. "I come from a long line of poverty and transience," she said before sharing her family's history of homeless. According to Davis, her mother was raised in an orphanage and still sleeps fully clothed, her sister was previously homeless, and her brother remains homeless despite being offered help. Barefoot, Taylor took the stage next to speak about surviving a traumatic car accident and subsequent addiction to prescription drugs. "Life can change in a matter of seconds whether you're a supermodel or homeless," said the former "Vogue", "Elle", and "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue cover girl. "No one is immune to life." Emberg and Young followed to briefly discuss their respective careers before Scott Evans introduced his best friend and luncheon honoree, Warner Roberts. "My toes, I just got them done, so they're still good," she said, flashing her pedicure. A longtime Houston, Roberts has worked as an award-winning television journalist, actress, writer, and of course, model. "(Fashion designer) Pierre Cardin once said, 'Never tell your age if you ever want to work again.' And, I didn't! So today, I'm ageless." I Am Waters raised $200,000 and plans to distribute 1 million water bottles this summer. AUSTIN -- In the particularly nasty GOP Texas Senate runoff for the seat being vacated by Sen. Troy Fraser, one thing seemed to be agreed to by both sides: The powerful Texas Medical Association -- and to a large extent health care issues would not be included in lines of attack. That's because one candidate, Rep. Susan King, is married to a past president of the group and the other, Dr. Dawn Buckingham, is a doctor and prominent member. With election day drawing near, it would seem that unspoken agreement is now broken. Buckingham's campaign is now blasting Rep. King for supporting a bill in 2013 that would have allowed then-HHSC Commissioner Kyle Janek to negotiate with the feds to try to come up with an alternative to the sweeping health care reform passed under President Obama. There was no comment about this from the Texas Medical Association on Thursday. The group has endorsed both candidates in this race. In mail pieces and in television advertising, Buckingham's campaign claims Rep. King "did Obama's bidding to expand Obamacare" when she voted for HB 3791 by Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, Rep. J.D. Sheffield, R-Gatesville, and others. The bill was described as the "'Texas solution' to reforming and addressing issues related to the Medicaid program, including the creation of an alternative program designed to ensure health benefit plan coverage to certain low-income individuals through the private marketplace." The Texas Medical Association supported the bill, offered testimony in favor of it, and distributed materials in support of it like this video and this one. As TMA and other groups were pushing the idea which eventually died during that legislative session Dr. Buckingham was serving on the association's Council on Legislation. She was also promoted to the chair of that panel that year. Typically, the council helps the association figure out legislative tactics after TMA has established its policy position. Matthew Langston, Buckingham's campaign spokesman, was asked by Quorum Report whether the candidate had any objection to the bill in 2013 when she served on that council as its chair. "Dr. Buckingham has opposed Obamacare from day one, unlike Susan King who voted to expand it," Langston said. "This is not an expansion of Medicaid this is the creation of a new program that leverages our private sector," Zerwas said in 2013. Health care policy analysts told QR the bill would have allowed the state to seek a block grant and tailor Medicaid recipients' benefits, implementing "personal responsibility" cost-sharing measures such as co-pays and deductibles, and prioritizing premium assistance for private market health plans. In that sense, it was not dissimilar to proposals supported by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a self-proclaimed conservative think tank. The Harris County District Attorneys office will pursue charges against a Sharpstown High School tutor accused of an inappropriate relationship with a student. Aldo Leiva, 51, faces a felony charge of sexual performance by a child and possession of child pornography after an investigation by Houston Independent School District police. An arrest warrant was issued over the weekend. Authorities expect to have Leiva in custody shortly, the school district said Monday in a news release. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Spring man accused of killing three people in a drunken driving crash will be prohibited from driving and have to wear an alcohol monitor if he makes bail set at $300,000, a judge ruled Monday. Jeremy Valdez, 25, was arraigned on three counts of felony murder. He appeared in court wearing an orange jail uniform with his hands handcuffed to a waist chain. THE CRIME: 3 killed as alleged drunk driver runs red light State District Judge Denise Collins asked prosecutors and Valdez's defense attorney several questions, including details about his criminal record, before setting bail. Valdez has been arrested several times and has three prior convictions for driving while intoxicated. For the last one, he was sentenced to two years in prison. Although DWI's are typically misdemeanors, after two convictions, they can be upgraded to felony charges, which carry prison time. Three family members in north Harris County were killed just after midnight Saturday when the black Honda sedan they were in was hit by a Dodge Ram pickup truck running a red light, prosecutors said. A mother, father and teen son were making a left turn from Kuykendahl onto FM 2920 when they were struck. The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office identified the victims as Emilio Avila, 34, Hilda Avila, 42, and Mauricio Ramires, 18. The pickup flipped over several times before landing upright almost a block away, according to prosecutor Alison Baimbridge. She said Valdez was the only occupant and fled the scene but was caught later by deputy constables. He was charged with three counts of felony murder, a first degree felony of causing a death while committing a felony, in this case a DWI. Because of his prior criminal record, Valdez faces a punishment ranging from 15 years to life in prison. She said Valdez had an open warrant for a municipal court violation. Defense attorney Brian Roberts said he is still investigating the allegations. "We don't know what happened in this case," he said. "We don't know what happened out there that night. A man serving a 50-year state sentence for making erotic videos in which animals are tortured and slaughtered was convicted in federal court in Houston Monday of selling the same videos across state lines to customers. PRIOR CASE: Brent Justice and Ashley Richards were sentenced earlier this year U.S. District Judge Sim Lake heard the entire case against Brent Justice in a swift three-hour bench trial, convicting him on the spot of the four charges that remained before him. Justice, 54, was found guilty of three counts of making so-called animal crush videos and one count of distributing them to customers. Justice will remain in custody. He will be sentenced Aug. 18. The U.S. Attorney's office called three witnesses. The defense called none and Justice waived his right to testify. The first witness called by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack was Justice's co-defendant in the case, Ashley Nicole Richards, who is serving a 10-year state term and got a three and a half year federal term in connection with the videos. Richards, now 25, pleaded guilty to three state counts and entered into a plea deal on four federal counts of making and distributing the videos. When Richards was a homeless teenager, she told the judge, Justice took her into his home and began referring to her to as his niece. Although they did not have a sexual relationship, he persuaded her to wear skimpy outfits and star in a number of videos in which she tortured and mutilated a chicken, a puppy and a kitten. Most of the videos were custom made for people whom she believed had communicated with Justice online. MORE DETAILS: Woman sentenced to 10 years after pleading guilty Officer Suzanne Hollifield testified that PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, tipped off her unit, Houston Police Department's animal cruelty division, about the videos and she later determined they were linked to an alias Justice used. A search warrant at the house turned up lights, cameras, a tripod believed to have been used in the videos as well as a mardi gras mask, high heels, a dagger and butcher knife that matched ones used in the videos. Blood spatter on the walls of Justice's home was analyzed and identified by a crime lab as having come from both a dog and a cat. Then Special Agent David Ko took the stand, explaining through emails and receipts he obtained, how Justice sold his videos through PayPal and Western Union to customers in Orange County, Calif., and in the Washington, D.C. area. Philip P. Gallagher, of the federal public defender's office, offered minimal cross examination of the witnesses. However, once testimony was completed, he argued on a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the videos did not meet the federal definition of "obscenity." The videos showed no acts of bestiality, and Richards was not naked, nor did her genitalia show, Gallagher told the judge. Zack countered that Richards had used profanity in one video indicating she was raping a kitten with a dagger. The judge dismissed the defense motion and said he found Justice guilty of all four counts. He faces a maximum of seven years on each count, or 28 years the judge were to run them consecutively. A retired vice president of accounting for the Houston Police Federal Credit Union was sentenced Monday to serve three and a half years in federal prison for embezzling $1.2 million from her former employer. Cheryl Vickers, 67, stood before U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon, and dabbed her eyes with a wad of tissues. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Honest." Harmon sentenced Vickers, who has been free on bond, to serve 41 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $1,247,785 in restitution. Following her term in prison, she must be on supervised release for three years, the judge said. She pleaded guilty in January to stealing money from a federally insured credit union. The attorneys on both sides of Harmon's court Monday agreed that Vickers has repaid $947,000 of that total, but she still owes the credit union $300,000, which defense attorney Christopher L.Tritico said she hopes to repay after her home undergoes flood-related repairs and gets sold. Federal investigators became aware of the scheme after Vickers retired on good terms after 25 years in upper management at the credit union. A relative of a deceased member of the credit union came in to ask for a stale check--that had passed its date of validity--to be reissued. The credit union realized the stale check had already been reissued, by Vickers. According to her plea, Vickers re-issued stale checks to her personal creditors to pay her credit card expenses and other bills. She also skimmed rebate fees and used a credit union account to pay other expenses. She admitted to taking money from her employer since June 1997, as far back as records exist. When FBI agents arrived at her home, Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek said, Vickers offered to write a check on the spot to repay the money. But the government and her former employer wanted to see the process through. Tritico asked the judge to sentence Vickers to probation with electronic monitoring, which would be a significant downward departure from the sentencing guidelines. He said given her age, her remorse and willingness to pay restitution, Vickers merited getting a break. However, Ann Talley, president of the credit union, expressed a different perspective. She told the judge Monday that as one of the top five executives at the company, Vickers "presented herself as a dedicated member of management" and "for us to discover she was a thief and a fraud has cast a shadow" on the company's reputation and "eroded the trust of our members." Beek, who prosecuted the case, asked the judge to issue a standard range sentence, emphasizing Vickers "could have walked away at any time" in nearly two decades of siphoning off money. Harmon opted for the low end of the sentencing range and ordered Vickers, who remains on bond, to report to federal officials when summoned to begin her prison term. Three family members were killed when an alleged drunken driver wanted for failing to comply with the terms of a previous DWI conviction ran a red light shortly after midnight in north Harris County, authorities said. A mother, father and teen son were in a black Honda that was making a left turn from Kuykendahl onto FM 2920 when they were struck by a speeding pickup truck. The impact tore the car to pieces and all three people in the sedan died at the scene, according to a statement from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gov. Greg Abbott in a brief and lighthearted speech Saturday encouraged graduates of the University of St. Thomas to make their mark on the world around them. "What will matter is the unique fingerprint you leave on this world," he told the 1,041 graduates seated at NRG Arena. "Ultimately, your life will be remembered by the impression that you leave." In a speech lasting less than 15 minutes, Abbott said little about the issues of the day or politics, choosing instead to poke fun at himself and give a little laugh to the friends and families of the class of 2016. "You have no idea how much joy they feel for you," he said over a sea of black caps and gowns. "So, today would be a great time to ask for money." Before his commencement address, Abbott received an honorary doctorate of letters. His wife Cecilia Abbott, who has three degrees from the institution, was given a distinguished alumni award. The Abbotts have been married 34 years and have one daughter. "Steadfast courage' In a speech about overcoming challenges, Abbott told the oft-repeated story of how he was paralyzed by a falling oak tree while jogging in Houston in 1984. "Every time I tell that story, I watch people shake their heads, and I know they're thinking, 'How slow was that guy jogging to get hit by a tree?'" In a wheelchair since that incident, Abbott somberly noted that he was told at his law school graduation that he would be confronted by challenges that he could not foresee. "Little did I know that the picture of me walking across the stage to receive my diploma would be the last picture of me walking," he said. Robert Ivany, UST president, welcomed the governor as graduation speaker. "He is a powerful role model of selfless service to the people of Texas and of steadfast courage to pursue his dream," Ivany said. 'Such character' Observers gave the governor high marks and credited him with being open about his personal story. "His background was interesting," said John Lastrapes, a 57-year-old Missouri City man attending his daughter's graduation. "And I was really impressed by his wife. I didn't realize her deep roots with the university." His wife said Abbott's speech affected her emotionally. "I always get choked up at hearing about people having a tragedy in their life and coming out of it with such character," said Colleen Lastrapes, 56. Others said he was an inspiration to the recent graduates. "His overall speech was good advice for the students," said Yessica Hui, 33. A disgraced Houston lawyer who took $1.8 million in a mortgage fraud while on probation for another scam was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison. Ricardo Baca, 39, was convicted of making false statements to obtain credit and two counts of misapplication of fiduciary property. He was facing a maximum of 20 years in prison. Prosecutor Lester Blizzard hammered Baca for putting together a "scam" while on probation for not giving clients their settlement money. "He was an attorney handling settlement funds that should be held in trust," Blizzard said. "These funds were mismanaged and were used for his own personal use." After those cases were resolved with a guilty plea that resulted in probation in 2014, Baca bought a house using fraudulent documents. The attorney had admitted guilt for the first two charges and could have escaped a felony conviction if he had successfully completed probation. "On the first two cases, the defendant received a six-year probation," Blizzard said. "Just a few weeks later, he committed the third offense, for $1.8 million." State District Judge Jeannine Barr handed down the sentence Monday, after spending months reviewing records and letters from people on both sides. In a hearing earlier this month Baca's attorney, Stanley Schneider, worked to show that the former attorney suffered from bipolar disorder. Schneider said a misdiagnosis propelled Baca through years of mania that cost him his law license and landed him in trouble with the law. "He sought help and he was misdiagnosed," Schneider said. "He's the poster child for someone who is not properly treated for mental illness." Schneider said Baca made restitution for using his former client's settlement money. In the mortgage fraud, Bank of America erroneously accepted a two-party check with only Baca's endorsement, so the bank shouldered the loss, Schneider said. The attorney had hoped Barr would sentence his client to a 10 year probation and make six months in jail. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The popular "BE SOMEONE" street art piece over I-45 South coming into downtown Houston has become a landmark of sorts. It's interpreted in different ways and it's definitely carved out a place in local pop culture. We have seen it on coasters, calendars and even T-shirts. It's been called "hopeful" and "saccharine" by local pundits. The artist's official website says the piece is a way of advertising self-awareness. "You decide where you want to go. You decide what you want to be. You decide what effect you will have in your surroundings. Take control and accomplish your goals," the site suggests. RELATED: Houston's I-45 'Be Someone' graffiti altered for third time in a week On Sunday morning, Houstonian Ryan Thompson captured the piece just as a load of military tanks was passing over it on the railroad tracks above. Thompson posted it to Houston's Reddit outpost and like most things related to street art on the site it's become a hit. On Monday, Thompson told the Houston Chronicle that he thought he had missed the photo opportunity at first but exited the freeway and came back around to capture the image. RELATED: Houston 'graffiti museum' would be the first of its kind in U.S. Luckily, he says, he was able to take the brief detour and get the now trending photo. "On the second pass I was ready and snapped the photo," Thompson says. "I never expected it to be this well received." The juxtaposition of Houston boosterism and military might is quite interesting. Who knows, maybe the U.S. Army will come calling to use it for a recruitment ad. Dying Army and Vietnam veteran, Roberto Gonzalez, from Premont, Texas, who was receiving care at Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio had a special request this weekend, he wanted to see his beloved horses one final time. The vet's family relayed his request to hospital staff who agreed and on Saturday his two horses were brought to the hospital's front doors where Gonzales, surrounded by family, had his final visit with them. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN -- The Texas Education Agency and the STAAR tests are under fire again, this time by a group of parents suing the department for allegedly ignoring state law in administering this year's end-of-year exams. Four parents argue the education agency knowingly disregarded legislative directives requiring the STAAR test, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, be redesigned so the vast majority of students in grades 3-8 could finish the tests in two to three hours, depending on their grade level. LOOK BACK: Houston-area superintendents say STAAR test lacks correct answers, riddled with issues The plaintiffs argue the state never changed the tests after the governor signed the new rules into law in 2015, giving students illegal exams this year that will be used to decide this summer whether they advance to the next grade or attend summer school. "The TEA had a clear choice. They could spent nine months designing an assessment that complied or they could put their heads in the sand and hope that nobody noticed," said Scott Placek, lead counsel on the lawsuit. "Well, the parents noticed." The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction requiring the state to discard the test scores. They also are seeking up to $100,000 in monetary relief. A spokeswoman for the TEA declined comment on the lawsuit. Students were given four hours to complete individual exams, said Debbie Ratcliffe, director of media relations for the agency. TEA still is collecting data to determine how long students took to complete the exams, which were taken as recently as May 12, she said. She did not know when the results of that data would be finalized. As the country moves to increasing accountability in public schools, parents here and elsewhere are pushing back against standardized testing. They argue so-called "high stakes" exams cause undue stress on children and take attention away from arts education. The results of tests are used to calculate student proficiency and determine whether students can advance to the next grade level. Exam results also factor into the evaluations of teachers, principals, schools and districts. Parents frustrated with the system moved lawmakers to reduce the number of tests students are required to take to five from 15 at the high school level in 2013. Since then, many have kept the pressure on for more changes, including pushing for the 2015 passage of HB743 meant reduce the amount of time younger students spend on testing. REMIX: STAAR standardized testing gets 'Uptown Funk' treatment by Texas teacher The movement has led Ben Becker, a parent of three young children, to organize and raise more than $20,000 to fund the legal effort to fight the TEA and standardized testing, although only one of his children is old enough to attend the Houston Independent School District. He is not a plaintiff in the suit. "The TEA has shown they're not interesting in complying with the law," said Becker. "There are tens of thousands of parents, if not more, that have material impacts to their children because of the high stakes testing. When you look around and say what are we getting for this, we're not getting anything." According to state law, 85 percent students in grades three through five are required to have finished an individual STAAR test within two hours. Sixth through eight graders are expected to finish their exam in three hours. TAKE THE TEST: Can you pass the 5th grade STAAR math test? "Not once did they say they needed a transition year," Placek said. "It never should have gotten to this point." Parents suing the state include a Houston mother, Claudia de Leon, parent of a third and fifth grader at James F. Helms Elementary School, which the STATE has designated as in need of improvement. De Leon, a product of HISD, opted her oldest son out of standardized test for the last three years, and is now pulling her third-grade daughter out of testing, too. "Failing and making mistakes is part of learning and part of education and should not be used to punish. As long as that is happening, I will hold my children out of testing," she said. Other plaintiffs include middle school parents from Corinth, Orange and Wimberly. The suit is the latest bruise on the embattled STAAR test. A clunky roll out this spring culminated in computer systems deleting answers on more than 14,000 tests. Education Commissioner Mike Morath said students negatively affected by the technology glitches will not have their test scores held against them. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN -- Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush has spent nearly $1 million paying dozens of ex-staffers who promised not to sue him or his agency, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday. How exactly does such an effort take place? Here's how it worked: First, it is important to know that virtually all of the employees who received these payments did not really choose to the leave the agency voluntarily, even if their personnel file says they did. Instead, these staffers were casualties of Bush's so-called "reboot," which, as we reported last summer, involved removing 100 workers and replacing them, some with people with ties to Bush's campaign or the Bush family. Often, the fired worker received a termination letter. Those letters would start by notifying the employee of the decision, then add, "I realize this is difficult news for you. The following are offered to help you through this transition." That is when the letter would present an "option" for the worker: Stay on the payroll for awhile, continuing to make a salary and accrue benefits, in return for signing an attached document. The attached document would be a form in which the recipient could sign away his or her right to sue over any aspect of his or her employment or termination. Here is an example of one of the first termination letters, sent to Layton Sumpter, a management analyst in the General Land Office's Texas Veterans Land Board Division, on Jan. 8, 2015 -- just six days after Bush was sworn in. Here is the agreement that Sumpter signed four days later. Sumpter ultimately stayed on the payroll until March 9, 2015, making an additional $8,640, in addition to benefits, records show. Other separation deals cost far more, with the most expensive hitting $40,000, records show. For another example, consider the most recent separation agreement, which was signed by Christopher Burnett, a former ethics adviser to then-Gov. Rick Perry whom Bush had hand-picked last year to lead the General Land Office's new ethics division. Last month, Bush fired Burnett. Here is the termination letter Burnett received, and here is the separation agreement he signed. Burnett has not been at work for more than a month, but he still is receiving a check from the State of Texas. He is expected to be on the payroll until early next month. -- As convention nears, Cruz continues to hold out support for Trump, by the Chrons Kevin Diaz. Former Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri, a veteran of the 1976 convention battle between Reagan and President Gerald Ford, said much could depend on the final position Cruz takes on Trump. In order to have a speaking spot, you have to have endorsed the nominee, said Munisteri, one of the Lone Star States 155 convention delegates. Thats the question that comes first. -- George P. Bush has spent nearly $1 million in taxpayer money to entice dozens of people fired by his administration to agree not to sue him or the agency, a practice that may run afoul of a ban on severance pay for state workers, from theChrons Brian Rosenthal. Bush, a first-term Republican, has directed the General Land Office to keep at least 40 people on the payroll for as long as five months after ending their employment, according to an analysis of records obtained by the Chronicle. The ex-staffers did not have to use vacation time and, in fact, continued to accrue more time for as long as they were on the payroll. In return, they agreed in writing not to sue the agency or discuss the deal. Spokespeople for the General Land Office and Bush's political shop did not return multiple messages seeking comment, nor did they respond to a hand-delivered request for comment. >> Texas Monthlys Brian Sweany: Abbotts Feigned Ignorance -- Despite controversies, Reynolds heads to runoffs with Dem support, by the Chrons Matthew Tresaugue. A jury convicted the Missouri City Democrat of illegally soliciting clients for his law practice, and a state board suspended his license. A judge also ordered him to pay $504,000 in damages for failing to give a grieving mother her share of settlement money from a 2010 lawsuit. Yet Reynolds is heading into Tuesday's primary runoff in House District 27 with the backing of several local Democratic officials, including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green. Reynolds' stubborn popularity illustrates the power of incumbency. But political observers say it also opens Democrats to charges of hypocrisy as they rail against a couple of Republicans with legal and ethical problems of their own - Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Attorney General Ken Paxton. -- Halfway through its finds and tarnished by scandals, CPRIT touts its hiring, by the Chrons Todd Ackerman. Texas legislators who passed a $3 billion taxpayer-funded assault on cancer talked of the cures it would yield, but nearly a decade later, a more modest milestone is being celebrated: awarding half the money. Top officials of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas touted the agency's achievements last week at a news conference at the Capitol, the site of battles just three years ago on whether to continue the then scandal-ridden program. CPRIT has regained momentum, officials claimed. -- Dont miss the Chrons Chris Tomlinson over the weekend: We expect prosecutors to investigate when evidence suggests a corporation may have committed a crime, especially when the company may have harmed the public or deceived investors. That's why the legal community was surprised that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would try to stop an investigation by another attorney general into whether Exxon Mobil Corp. misled the public and investors about climate change. Paxton's court filing defending Exxon Mobil is not surprising, though, coming from a man bold enough to remain in office while facing state and federal fraud charges. -- ICYMI: AUSTIN A state district judge has ruled that a Texas law barring the use of audio and video produced by the Legislature in political ads likely is unconstitutional, blocking enforcement of a two-decade-old ban that critics said was aimed at protecting incumbents from election challengers, per the Express-News Dave Rauf. -- Tom Mechler on Lubbocks AM 580 West Texas Drive: Theres a problem when Scripture becomes a marketing tool (to get elected). Its being done in a lot of other campaigns too. There ought to be more integrity in the things we say and the things we do as people We certainly expect that kind of conduct from the Democrats, I do. But I dont think its appropriate for Republicans to revert to ends-justify-the-means (campaigning). SPEED READ Abbott unbowed by pushback on constitutional changes, San Antonio Express-News Battle brewing in primaries to replace US Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, Houston Chronicle Garcia: Ride-hailing pilot program is working in SA, Express-News Baytown House candidate tarred in anti-gay flier, Houston Chronicle With Robert Morrow looming, Travis Co. GOP may limit his power, Austin American-Statesman Dedicated fund bills trim $1.1 billion from potential budget expenditures, Quorum Report The Lyndon Johnson Show, Texas Monthly Party base will decide who wins commissioners seat, Houston Chronicle Dallas DA is back in Houston clinic, battling depression, The Dallas Morning News T. Boone Pickens postpones major fundraiser for Trump, The Dallas Morning News Mexican American textbook incites controversy, Houston Chronicle State urges long-term contraception for women on Medicaid, Houston Chronicle Doctor writes Texas prescription for overdose drug, Houston Chronicle Obama looks to boost economic, security ties in Asia, Associated Press CAPITOL DAYBOOK HOUSE 10 a.m.: Agriculture & Livestock (E1.010) Environmental Regulation (E1.026) Urban Affairs (Houston City Council Chambers) SENATE 11 a.m. Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs (E1.012) RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE -- Bernie Sanders digs in, by CNN. The stakes of Bernie Sanders' take-it-to-the-convention strategy are rapidly rising as fresh polls underscore Hillary Clinton's vulnerabilities and predict a tight race between her and Donald Trump in the fall. After months of talk about the potential of a contested Republican convention, Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, is quickly consolidating his party's support -- something Clinton is unable to do with Sanders still in the race. -- A change of heart Per CNNs Jeremy Diamond: Graham urged GOP donors at a private fundraiser Saturday in Florida to unite behind Trump's campaign and stressed the importance of keeping likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton from the White House. The fundraiser was hosted by former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman, a former Republican National Committee finance chairman who also co-chaired Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential bid. -- Trump could win, but Paul Ryan isnt betting on it, by Politicos Glenn Thrush. Paul Ryan loves the word unity, but his definition of that term differs sharply from Donald Trumps vision of a smiling speaker at his side, mouth shut and domesticated just like Chris Christie. Ryan, who made peace with Trump earlier this month but remains wait-and-see on the question of whether to endorse the presumptive GOP nominee, sees his 2016 job as ensuring that the party doesnt become a Cult of Trump he wants to replace id with ideas." 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. Peste 300 de liceene s-au inscris in Startup School si sunt gata sa invete bazele antreprenoriatului tehnologic. Vezi cum a fost la evenimentul de lansare a programului national de educatie antreprenoriala Figuring out how to reach younger readers online is one of the perpetual concerns of the newspaper business. But a new effort from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this spring is a little unusual: Its aimed directly at older audiences. In April, the paper launched Aging Edge, a section of its website dedicated to the interests and concerns of the areas older adults, their families and the professionals who deal with them. As Gary Rotstein, a veteran Post-Gazette journalist who proposed the idea and is running the section, explained in an inaugural message to readers: Its an innovative web venture that few other media in the country have attempted, but we deem it all the more important in Pittsburgh, a region long known for its high proportion of elderly. (Census data show 18.3 percent of the metropolitan areas population to be 65 or older, compared to 14.5 percent nationwide.) The section features regular blog posts from Rotstein; aggregated and curated stories that have appeared in the paper or in other outlets like the New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer; and interviews with local experts in the aging field. There are also resource pages on topics like Staying Healthy, Aging at Home, and Preparing for the End. In the course of covering aging issues on and off over the past 20 years, Rotstein said, he observed that they are pretty complex to get into. I would get calls from people looking for help and guidance. So its not surprising that the section has a strong news you can use component: A recent blog post that discussed when to take Social Security benefits was the best-read story on the site the morning it appeared, Rotstein said. He believes the sections archive will have lasting value, as readers come back to look for information on common concerns. The Post-Gazettes effort is not the first time a newspaper has put a digital focus on aging issues, said Paul Kleyman, who directs the Ethnic Elders Newsbeat for New America Media. So far, he said, its focus appears newsier than some earlier efforts. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project It seems like a good experiment to connect local readers to national stories and offer an outlet for local reporting, said Kleyman. My hope is that it provides a model for other news organizations. Kleyman also wondered whether the sections future would depend on the response from advertisers. I asked Rotstein about that, and the vision for the sections long-term viability. He told me theres a belief some ads can be sold for Aging Edge, but nobody at the paper has indicated that would be a determining factor in the sections future. I dont intend to be guided by whether or not the content creates advertising, but its great if it does. Readership will likely take some time to grow, he added. Older adults are the ones least likely to use the web. We were aware of this going in, but we are in for the long term. Thats good to hear, and the resources and explainer guides are promising. Going forward, one thing to watch for will be how often the section digs in to some of the thorny political issues surrounding aging, which can bump into the interests of powerful stakeholders and big companies. The Post-Gazette already offers readers some coverage that gets into the weeds here. For example, the paper recently featured a fine story by The Associated Press, which examined the nursing home practice of kicking out difficult residents. A local piece, by reporter Steve Twedt, told of an 86-year-old retiree who saw her costs for an IV drug treatment balloon when she switched Medicare Advantage plans, though the manufacturer had not raised the price. Both stories seem to hold potential for follow-ups. On the nursing home front, what are the practices of local facilities? What do state inspection reports reveal? As for drug costs, were the sales material about the insurance plans clear? When the pitches for these plans begin again in the fall, will the paper and the section take a critical look at how Medicare Advantage plans are being sold? Its that sort of content that could make Aging Edge a real stand-out. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Trudy Lieberman is a longtime contributing editor to the Columbia Journalism Review. She is the lead writer for CJR's Covering the Health Care Fight. She also blogs for Health News Review and the Center for Health Journalism. Follow her on Twitter @Trudy_Lieberman. The U.S. Transportation Department said Wednesday it is permanently banning passengers and crew members from carrying e-cigarettes in checked baggage or charging the devices onboard aircraft. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx cited a number of recent incidents that show the devices can catch fire during transport. Passengers may continue to carry e-cigarettes for personal use in carry-on baggage or on their person, but may not use them on flights, Foxx said. Fire hazards in flight are particularly dangerous, Foxx said in a statement. Banning e-cigarettes from checked bags is a prudent and important safety measure. The rule covers battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices including e-cigarettes, e-cigars and e-pipes, but does not prohibit passengers from transporting other devices containing batteries for personal use like laptop computers or cell phones. The rule makes a temporary ban instituted in November become permanent. In August 2014, an e-cigarette in a passengers checked bag in the cargo hold of an aircraft caused a fire forcing an evacuation of the plane at Bostons Logan Airport. In January 2015, a checked bag that arrived late and missed its connecting flight was found to be on fire in a baggage area at Los Angeles International Airport. The incident was blamed on an overheated e-cigarette inside the bag. The government said the danger has been worsened by the growing trend of users modifying and rebuilding their reusable e-cigarette devices and swapping components, which may include the use of batteries, heating elements, and electronic components. In March, the U.S. Transportation Department separately banned the use of electronic cigarettes on commercial flights. The Transportation Department said it took the action to eliminate any confusion over whether its existing ban on smoking on flights includes electronic cigarettes. Congress banned all smoking on airline flights in 2000, and no U.S. airline allowed electronic cigarette use. But the Transportation Department said some charter flights may have allowed the practice. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Alistair Bell) Jane Little, Atlanta Symphony's Longest-Serving Bassist, Dies at 87 Jane Little, record holder as the Atlanta Symphony's longest-serving bassist and Guinness World Records inductee, died last Sunday at 87. The musician collapsed onstage during a performance by the orchestra, playing bass until the very last moments of her life. As we previously reported, Little was recently inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the longest tenure with a professional orchestra. The bassist had served in the Atlanta Symphony since its inception, starting with the orchestra in 1945 when it was still the Atlanta Youth Orchestra. Performing last Sunday as usual, the double bassist gave way during the encore -- a rendition of Irving Berlin's "There's No Business Like Show Business." The musician was rushed to a nearby Atlanta hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. An immediate outpouring of remembrance was displayed for the dainty bassist. In a tribute at ArtsATL, her fellow double bassist in the orchestra, Michael Kurth, wrote of Little's final performance that day: "Jane Little was standing next to me last Sunday when she played her last note. She was doing what she loved, surrounded by people she loved, in a place that was like home to her." The bassist had played in the orchestra with her late husband, Warren Little, a flutist with the ASO who died in 2002. The two met in the orchestra after Warren joined in 1948. The loving pair often carried each other's instruments. Ms. Little was already planning on retiring after this season. She was being treated for multiple myeloma and had previously broken her shoulder, pelvis and elbow. She cracked a vertebra last year, telling the Washington Post of her physical mishap: "It takes so much, to push those metal strings down against the fingerboard." says Little. "When I first started practicing two months ago, I could only practice for two minutes because it hurt so bad." Below, watch Atlanta's WSB-TV pay tribute to the bassist in a recent news piece. We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think of Jane Littles prestigious career in the comments section below. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsJane Little, Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Guinness Book of World Records San Francisco Burger King Latest to Enforce Round-the-Clock Classical Audio A San Francisco Burger King location is the latest institution to jump on the 24/7 classical music bandwagon. In an effort to dissuade loiterers and drug traffic, the restaurant is now playing day-and-night orchestral audio from speakers installed on the outside of the building. As we previously reported, the round-the-clock classical music tactic was recently employed by the city of Lake Worth, Florida for similar reasons. The city claimed the maneuver was meant to reduce crime in the area. According to SFGate, the Burger King franchise at the junction of Eighth and Market streets enacted the instrumental bombardment due to a steady flow of vagrants inhabiting the surrounding sidewalks. Reportedly, the crowd would often leave trash and drug paraphernalia littered about the area. The restaurant is across the street from a busy Bay Area Rapid Transit station. BART commuter Craig Westbrooke told ABC 7 News that "usually you can barely walk by. There's grocery carts, blankets full of merchandise that's not theirs, drug use." San Franciscan David Allen told the station that the musical regulation appears to be working: "There use to be a mob that would hang out there. And now there may be just one or two people." However, as with the Lake Worth situation, the music also serves to disrupt nearby neighbors and merely shifts the affected homeless faction to another street corner. As Reginald Dillard Sr. told the SFGate, the blaring audio kept him up at night: "For people who do live on the street for whatever reason, this can be very distracting, keep people up at night." In the aforementioned ABC 7 News report, city resident Jeff McMillian facetiously asked, "I can't play my music outside after 10 o'clock, can I?" Apparently, even nearby hotel guests were starting to complain about the loud music. The same news report also states that the Burger King now turns down the music from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. in order to give the hotel's patrons some quiet time. Let us know what you think of the San Francisco Burger King's audio barrage in the comments section below. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsBurger King, Classical Music, san francisco 18668312-mmmain.jpg The Summit County Prosecutor's Office has determined an officer was justified in fatally shooting an armed man involved in a deadly domestic incident in September 2015 on Sherwin Drive. (File photo) TWINSBURG, Ohio -- The Summit County Prosecutor's Office ruled that a Twinsburg police officer was justified when he shot and killed an armed man while responding to a deadly domestic incident. Officer James Swope shot and killed Charles Shaw, 76, shortly after Shaw fatally shot his son Sept. 1, 2015 outside their house on Sherwin Drive. Shaw then fired at officers who arrived at the house, investigators said. "All these facts demonstrate that Officer Swope's use of deadly force against Charles Shaw was legally justified and, in the context of the risk posed by Charles Shaw at the moment, appropriate," Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh wrote in a letter to Twinsburg Police Chief Chris Noga. The Summit County Prosecutor's Office released a nine-page report on the shooting earlier this month. Charles Shaw had been off his medication for two or three days when the shooting occurred, according to the report. The report does not name the condition for which Shaw took medication. He told his family he was headed to Cleveland Clinic in Twinsburg to "do some damage," according to records obtained by cleveland.com in the days after the shooting. Scott Shaw, 55, tried to stop his father. Charles Shaw then shot his son in the stomach, investigators said. Scott Shaw died a short time later at Cleveland Clinic in Twinsburg. Six officers arrived at 5:45 p.m. and found Charles Shaw sitting on his porch. He aimed his rifle at the officers and ignored their commands to drop it, investigators said. Shaw fired at least one shot toward the officers. Swope fired back and hit Shaw three times in the left torso and arm, according to the report. Swope, a four-year veteran of the department, was the only officer who fired his gun, the report says. The officers were at the scene for approximately two minutes before Shaw fired at the officers. Charles Shaw's wife Nancy Shaw, who was inside at the time, suffered wounds to the arm apparently caused by window fragments or bullet fragments, investigators said. No officers were injured in the shooting. If you would like to comment on this story, visit today's crime and courts comments section. BEREA, Ohio -- Parades in Berea and Brook Park, along with Memorial Day services in area cemeteries, will take place May 30. BEREA American Legion Post 91 will conduct Memorial Day services May 30 at 8 a.m. in the Adams Street Cemetery and at 9 a.m. at Woodvale Cemetery. The annual parade, also sponsored by the Post, will leave the municipal parking lot behind City Hall at 10:30 a.m. and proceed through downtown Berea, along Front Street and past the Triangle. Due to construction at Coe Lake, the St. Paul Lutheran Church "Of Faith and Freedom" cantata will not be performed this year. For those wanting to enjoy the weekend just prior to Memorial Day, the 18th annual Berea's National Rib Cook-Off takes place, rain or shine, at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds on Bagley Road from May 27-30. Parking is free. For more information, go to berearib.com. BROOK PARK American Legion Post 610 presents the city's Memorial Day parade at 10 a.m. May 30. Participants will step off from Brookgate Shopping Center at Snow and Smith roads and proceed south on Smith Road. The parade will then turn right onto Sylvia Drive and arrive at Kennedy Park, where a small ceremony will be held. MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS Middleburg Heights will not host a tribute at its Veterans Memorial this year on Memorial Day. Plans are underway, however, for a ceremony to take place at the AVTT Traveling Vietnam Wall sometime the week of July 18. Specific dates and times have not yet been determined. City activities being held during Memorial Day weekend include the opening of the recreation center's outdoor pool at 10 a.m. May 28 (weather permitting) and a Splash Bash Pool Party scheduled for 2-4 p.m. that day. The center will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. CornerStone Business Park.jpeg An aerial photograph shows CornerStone Business Park in Twinsburg, on the former site of a Chrysler stamping plant that closed in 2010. (CornerStone Business Park website) TWINSBURG, Ohio -- A five-member state board approved a tax-credit deal Monday for Amazon.com, which sought support to open its first Northeast Ohio facility. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority gave the green light to a 1.113 percent, six-year credit for an Amazon sorting center in Twinsburg, southeast of Cleveland. In exchange, the e-commerce giant must maintain operations at the facility for at least nine years. Amazon, based in Seattle, hasn't responded to requests for comment about the project. But the sorting facility appears to be headed to CornerStone Business Park, a redevelopment of the 165-acre site where a Chrysler automotive stamping plant stood for more than 50 years. That plant, at 2000 East Aurora Road, closed in 2010 and was demolished. Construction already is under way on a 248,000-square-foot distribution center for an unidentified tenant. Twinsburg City Council recently signed off on a property-tax break for the project owner, a joint venture between developer Scannell Properties of Indianapolis and the DiGeronimo Cos. of Independence. According to a project summary provided by the Ohio Development Services Agency, the Twinsburg sorting facility will help Amazon boost the reliability and speed of its package deliveries. In its request for state job-creation incentives, Amazon said it expects the facility to support the equivalent of 150 full-time employees and generate more than $4 million in new annual payroll by Dec. 31, 2019. Based on those numbers, the tax credit is worth $270,000. But that amount could go up or down, if Amazon beats or falls short of its employment and payroll projections. The tax-abatement agreement approved by Twinsburg's council said the project, a $13.4 million investment, could involve 300 part-time jobs and 10 full-time jobs within three years of opening. The city expects the distribution facility to support $5 million in annual payroll. The Twinsburg building is much smaller than the massive fulfillment centers that Amazon plans to open in Obetz and Etna, outside of Columbus. Last year, the state approved tax credits for those facilities and incentives for an Amazon subsidiary's data-center investment in central Ohio. On Monday, the tax-credit board also approved a five-year, 1.5 percent job-creation tax credit for PulseFlow Technologies, Inc., a medical-device company that expects to create 75 full-time positions and $4.4 million in new payroll in Willoughby. IMG_1783.JPG Cuyahoga County will buy four mobile security cameras. (Karen Farkas, cleveland.com) The Advent Archangel mobile video surveillance system is one model of a mobile camera. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County is buying four mobile cameras that can be placed on buildings or on sidewalks and monitored 24/7. The first use of the cameras will be at the Republican National Convention, the county said. Mobile surveillance systems can "aid law enforcement and security personnel as a tool to curb unruly behavior at events or demonstrations," says Netvision 360 Security Group, a company that sells cameras. The county will seek bids for the cameras, which are expected to cost about $250,000, said spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan. They will be paid for with federal funds, including an Urban Area Security grant, she said. The cameras will be used throughout the county as part of a Community Safety Camera Project. "We can take them different places and mount them for the best use," she said. "They will be monitored in real time by our dispatch center. For example if there is one at a corner it would show people walking down the street." The cameras can be on trailers, similar to portable systems that show your speed as you drive by, she said. Or they can be mounted on buildings. Mobile surveillance cameras can monitor parks, construction sites, remote locations, gatherings and areas where criminal activity might occur, according to manufacturers. CLEVELAND, Ohio - From Youngstown to Marietta and Ashtabula to Steubenville, eastern and southern Ohio could be an intense, and possibly deciding, battleground in this fall's presidential election. It's where strength meets strength in the likely matchup between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Both won the region in their party's spring primaries. The central and northeastern portion is an old industrial belt where steelmaking and electric production helped build the economy. Elsewhere, many towns have coal roots. Lately, the fracking industry has delivered new money to parts of this region. Many of the counties had been reliably Democratic for years. But the result is no longer a guarantee. In 2012 - though Barack Obama won Ohio for a second time - Monroe, Belmont and Jefferson counties voted Republican for the first time in 40 years. Democratic streaks just as long for Mahoning and Trumbull continued in 2012. Some characteristics of the population in the 26 eastern and southern Ohio counties where both Trump and Clinton won their primaries, and the rest of the state. 26 counties Other 62 counties Ave. household income $53,653 $67,309 Ave. family income $63,211 $80,977 Poverty rate 18.1% 15.6% H.S. graduates 86.3% 89.2% Bachelors degree or above 15.2% 27.3% Age 60 or above 24.2% 20.4% White 92.3% 81.1% x-Minority 9.0% 21.0% Source: cleveland.com analysis of U.S. Census Bureau 2014 American Community Survey data. The education statistics are for adults age 25 and older. x-The minority total includes all people who are not white, and white Hispanics. For Clinton, this has been her territory. She won the 2008 primary there against Obama. And she defeated Bernie Sanders in most of eastern and southern Ohio counties this year. Trump, however, picked up more votes than any candidate in either party in this part of the state in the spring primaries. (View the maps on the slides at the top of this story to look at voting trends that might provide clues to how this November's election will turn out.) Strengths meet How striking is the collision course for Clinton and Trump? There were 28 counties statewide won by both Clinton and Trump in the spring primaries. This region includes 26 of those counties. Most of these 26 counties are small, making any one of them insignificant in the election in comparison to the largest urban counties such as Cuyahoga, where the 352,000 people casting votes in the spring primary topped all other counties in Ohio. But, as a group, the 26 counties are home to 411,000 primary voters - one out of eight voters in the state. While Cuyahoga will be important to watch for the margin of an almost guaranteed Democratic victory, the eastern and southern Ohio area holds significance because either party could win there. Indications are that the region is more Trump country than it is Clinton territory, or at least it was at primary time. In the 26 counties won by both candidates from Lake Erie in the northeast to across southern Ohio, Trump claimed 119,949 GOP votes; Clinton took 87,886 Democratic votes in the same counties. Clinton's chances in this region in November could come down to what Bernie Sanders supporters do, presuming Sanders doesn't get the nomination. The only county in the region not won by either Trump or Clinton is Athens County, but Athens County is a little different from the rest. Athens County is home to Ohio University and the heaviest concentration of millennials registered to vote in Ohio. Sanders, who has run strong nationally among young voters, collected more votes in Athens County than the combined total of Trump and Clinton there. Sanders also came close to Clinton in some other counties in the region, meaning that what his supporters do will be important in the fall. The five counties with the highest unemployment rate in the state are all in eastern Ohio. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump won each of these counties in their spring primaries. They are Jefferson, Noble, Meigs, Monroe and Morgan. Anti-establishment factor Sanders and Trump - though different in many ways - could share an appeal among voters tired of traditional politicians and a political system they view has not worked for them. This could be a match for a number of voters in eastern and southern Ohio, where unemployment rates throughout are higher than the rest of the state and the nation. The five Ohio counties with the highest unemployment rates - Jefferson, Noble, Meigs, Monroe and Morgan - are all in eastern Ohio. How many Sanders supporters dissatisfied with the old guard will switch parties and vote for Trump? How many will simply sit out the election? How many will stick with their party and vote for Clinton? The answers from eastern and southern Ohio could help determine who wins the state and its 18 electoral votes this November. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner Eric Warfel in court.JPG Defense attorney Michael O'Shea sits with his client Eric Warfel, who is accused of leaving his daughter's dead body in a crib for a month, during a hearing in Medina County Common Pleas Court. (Evan MacDonald, cleveland.com) MEDINA, Ohio -- The trial for the man accused of leaving his daughter's dead body in a crib for a month is scheduled to begin Monday. Eric Warfel, 35, of Medina, is scheduled to stand trial nearly 10 months after a cable company worker discovered 1-year-old Ember's body in her crib. The trial is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Medina County Common Pleas Court. The defense has not indicated if it will request a jury trial or a bench trial, Medina County Prosecutor Dean Holman said. Jury selection could take a full afternoon, Holman said. If the defense waives the jury the sides would begin opening statements, he said. Defense attorney Michael O'Shea was not immediately available for comment. Investigators were unable to determine how Ember died, according to court records. The process was complicated by the fact Warfel failed to report Ember's death for more than a month, Medina County Prosecutor Dean Holman said in court records. The autopsy did reveal traces of cocaine in Ember's hair. Investigators are still working to determine how the cocaine got into the girl's system, according to court records. Warfel is charged with gross abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, three counts of child endangering and two counts of cocaine possession. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but an Akron Psycho-Diagnostic Clinic psychiatrist deemed him competent to stand trial. The trial was scheduled to begin in January, but it was postponed because the autopsy wasn't finished. Warfel had been awaiting trial at an undisclosed mental health facility. His family was paying for his stay there, according to court records. Ember was found in her crib in Warfel's apartment in the Forest Meadows Apartment Homes on July 29, 2015. He was arrested later that day while he and his 7-year-old daughter were at Crocker Park in Westlake. Warfel and the 7-year-old girl were living at a Motel 6 in Middleburg Heights prior to his arrest. Investigators found cocaine in his motel room, police said. Investigators reopened the 2013 death of Warfel's daughter Erin, who was 5 months old when she died of what the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner deemed a "sudden unexplained infant death." Warfel was granted full custody of Ember when he and his wife divorced in 2014. A judge said the girl's mother, Malinali Galdamez, had a history of substance abuse that made her unfit to care for Ember. It's not clear from divorce records which parent was granted custody of the couple's 7-year-old daughter, as that case was handled by the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. She is currently living with Warfel's parents. If you would like to comment on this story, visit today's crime and courts comments section. watch now The manufacturing hub for the electronics industry, Kunshan, in Jiangsu province, is seeking a drastic reduction in labor costs as it undergoes a makeover after an industrial explosion killed 146 people in 2014. The county, one-seventh the size of neighboring Shanghai and the mainland's first county to achieve US$4,000 per capita income, was adjudged the best county for its economic performance by Forbes for seven years in a row. However, the blaze, blamed on poor safety standards and haphazard industrialization, dented Kunshan's pride. More than a year on, the county, which attracts much of its investment from Taiwan, is trying to reinvent its growth strategy. It is accelerating growth by replacing humans with robots and encouraging start-ups. Thirty-five Taiwanese companies, including Apple's supplier Foxconn, spent a total of 4 billion yuan (HK$4.74 billion) on artificial intelligence last year, according to the Kunshan government's publicity department. watch now "The Foxconn factory has reduced its employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000, thanks to the introduction of robots. It has tasted success in reduction of labor costs," said the department's head Xu Yulian. "More companies are likely to follow suit." As many as 600 major companies in Kunshan have similar plans, according to a government survey. The job cuts do not augur well for Kunshan, which had a population of more than 2.5 million at the end of 2014, two-thirds of whom were migrant workers. Factories and other buildings cover about 46 per cent of the land a figure which is far higher than the cap set by the central government. The Beatrice Offshore Windfarm will consist of 84 turbines, provide 588 megawatts (MW) of power and hopefully go online in 2019, SSE said in a news release. SSE , the FTSE 100 energy company behind the wind farm, forecast it would power 450,000 homes and described the project as "one of the largest private investments ever made in Scottish infrastructure." Scotland is set to strengthen its credentials as a world leader in wind energy after a 2.6 billion ($3.8 billion) offshore wind farm got the okay, it was announced on Monday. The project's owners are SSE, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and SDIC Power. SSE expects the wind farm to contribute 680 million to the economy through employment and supply-chain opportunities during construction, with a 400- 525 million boost during the wind farm's 25-year operational lifespan. "Today's decision reaffirms SSE's commitment to offshore wind and we are proud to progress such a flagship project for the Scottish offshore wind industry and the U.K.'s skilled supply chain," Paul Cooley, SSE's director of renewables, said in a statement. Scotland is fast becoming a major player in wind energy, housing around one-quarter of Europe's "offshore wind resources." Wind turbines in Scotland provided 699,684 MW hours of electricity in April to the National Grid, according to recent data. The Scottish government says onshore wind power is now the most common form of renewable energy in the country. Politicians welcomed Monday's announcement, with the Scottish government's minister for business, innovation and energy describing it as "great news." "Scotland's renewables sector is stronger than ever and our early adoption of clean, green energy technology and infrastructure was the right thing to do," Minister Paul Wheelhouse added. "Renewables are now Scotland's biggest electricity generator and nearly half of gross electricity consumption comes from renewables." Scotland's director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) was also positive. "Proceeding with the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm is great news for the climate and Scotland's economy," Lang Banks said in a statement. "This single project will almost quadruple our offshore wind capacity, helping to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as well as creating jobs and supporting local economic renewal," he added. Monday's announcement came hot on the heels of last week's news that the world's largest floating wind farm had been given the go-ahead off the coast of Scotland. The future development of Sino-US ties is promising, but the United States should stay away from China's internal affairs, a retired Chinese diplomat has warned. Li Zhaoxing, who was foreign minister between 2003 and 2007 and is known for his blunt comments, made the remarks on the sidelines of a seminar last week at a university in Hong Kong. "I am fully confident about China-U.S. relations. The two countries share a lot of common interests but it is most important for [the U.S.] not to interfere in China's internal affairs," said Li, who also served as China's ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2001. Li's remarks came as tensions rise between China and the U.S. over the South China Sea. The two countries traded accusations on Thursday over the U.S. deployment of a reconnaissance plane near Chinese territory. Among the 400 mid-cap companies in the index, 253 of them are up this year, including 53 that are up more than 20 percent. Some of those standouts include consumer names like WebMD (up 37 percent year to date), Kate Spade (24 percent), Dick's Sporting Goods (23 percent) and Hain Celestial (21 percent). The average market cap for these four companies is just $3.8 billion. Two giants of past times are also on the list: United States Steel (up 67 percent) and Advanced Micro Devices (up 25 percent). The combined market cap of these two companies is just $5 billion, a far cry for how important they used to be. Daniel Suzuki, Bank of America Merrill Lynch equity strategist, told CNBC in April that "we've had a spectacular rally" when discussing mid-cap gains of 20 percent from the February lows. "Some of that rally we think is justified by improving macro data." A shopper at a Dollar General store Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images The combined powers of minimum-wage hikes, low fuel prices and job creation are expected to have lifted sales at dollar stores during the first quarter, as the low-income shopper finally started to feel some relief from the economic recovery. Expectations were even higher following low-price retailer Wal-Mart 's big beat last week, when it topped U.S. comparable sales estimates with a 1 percent gain. Yet as Wal-Mart executives attributed much of the company's beat to internal changes, investors were trying to gauge how much of its growth was the result of a healthier base of low-income shoppers, and how much was a case of it stealing share. Analysts pointed to several macro factors that may have trickled through to Dollar General and Dollar Tree 's top lines. In a report analyzing weekly earnings by wage band over the past two years, Jefferies analyst Daniel Binder said that in the quarter ended March, year-over-year gains among the bottom decile and bottom quartile of consumers outpaced those belonging to the median-income group. That made it the second-straight quarter when those two wage groups grew their weekly earnings at a faster clip. Prior to December, gains among those two income groups hadn't both outpaced those at the median level since June 2014. Usual weekly earnings by wage band Month Bottom Decile Y/Y% Bottom Quartile Y/Y% Median Y/Y% Mar-14 $378 2.7% $518 1.6% $796 3.0% Jun-14 $377 0.8% $515 1.0% $780 0.5% Sep-14 $381 3.0% $521 2.4% $790 2.5% Dec-14 $378 0.5% $519 1.0% $799 1.7% Mar-15 $381 0.8% $522 0.8% $808 1.5% Jun-15 $384 1.9% $524 1.7% $801 2.7% Sep-15 $384 0.8% $523 0.4% $803 1.6% Dec-15 $392 3.7% $539 3.9% $825 3.3% Mar-16 $393 3.1% $544 4.2% $830 2.7% Source: Source: Bureau of Economic and Analysis and Jefferies In that vein, Wal-Mart executives said last week that the pay increases the company has doled out to its store employees resulted in more of them shopping in its stores. The retailer likewise saw a lift in sales of more discretionary categories, including apparel and toys, hinting that its customer base is feeling more confident. Job creation and cheap gasoline prices, which have a tighter correlation with the budgets of cash-strapped shoppers, are also expected to spur discretionary spending in dollar stores. "The core dollar store shopper is healthy today, with spend driven by employment and wage gains and less impacted/swayed by market volatility and political fear-mongering," Deutsche Bank analyst Paul Trussell told investors on Monday. Both Dollar General and Dollar Tree report earnings on Thursday. Thomson Reuters forecasts are calling for same-store sales gains north of 2 percent at each chain. Yet not everyone is as confident in the low-income shopper's spending power. Following Wal-Mart's earnings report last week, Moody's analyst Charlie O'Shea said the low- to middle-end consumer remains "stressed." Even though retailers' sales comparisons are no longer vulnerable to the reduction in food stamp benefits that took effect in late 2013, shoppers who relied on those funds haven't replaced that flow of income. "The money didn't come back," he said. Another change to food stamp qualifications that is being rolled out in some states this year is also expected to take a chunk out of some beneficiaries' wallets. The changes, which pertain to waivers tied to unemployment rates, are not expected to be as big of a blow as the last round of cuts. watch now watch now Usually, when it's a terror attack, they've claimed responsibility by now. No terror groups have attempted to take credit for the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, on the fifth day after the plane and 66 people on board disappeared over the Mediterranean. That may mean that something besides terrorists caused the tragedy; it could also mean something more sinister. The most obvious explanation for the silence from jihadists and other terror groups is that they didn't do it. "The big possibility is that it was just an accident, and something happened that took the plane down quickly, probably incapacitating the pilots and making it impossible for them to call in a mayday," said Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical analysis at research firm Stratfor. But there's a possibility and historical precedent for the idea that no terror group has claimed the destruction of the flight from Paris to Cairo because it either wants to protect operatives it has established inside transportation networks, or it has developed new techniques that it wants to replicate to more devastating effect later. It's happened before. "The bombing of Philippines Airlines Flight 434 in December 1994 was not claimed because the planners hoped to use an improved version of the same device in a larger attack targeting 10 trans-Pacific airliners," Stratfor said in a brief over the weekend. In that attack, known as the "Bojinka plot," terrorists led by 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef tested the new idea of using chemicals to blow up airliners. The plan was to follow up on Philippines Flight 434 with simultaneous attacks on several aircraft over the ocean. Since that time, airports around the world have countered any further chemical plots by screening the liquids that passengers bring on board. "If they have something that's new, they don't want to reveal that until they pull off something spectacular," Stewart said. watch now Another example was Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. It took a three-year investigation by British and U.S. authorities to determine that terrorists linked to Libyan intelligence planted a bomb on that aircraft. It's important to note that it's still very early going with the EgyptAir investigation, and a search for answers could take years. It will take at least a month for Egypt to deliver its preliminary report on the crash, the head of the investigation team told that country's Al-Ahram newspaper. Speculation almost inevitably will try to fill in the gaps in the meantime. Other possibilities pointed to by Stewart include a grass-roots terror group that wants to remain unknown, or an inside operator who wasn't on the plane but who had access to it. "They could be trying to protect that attacker," Stewart said. Jeffrey Price, lead author of the textbook "Practical Aviation Security" and a professor at Metropolitan State University in Denver, agreed that a terrorist organization could have carried out the attack and then decided to remain silent. But he pointed out that in the case of Al Qaeda and ISIS, at least, those groups typically try to grab up media attention. "It's not typical of what they do," he said. watch now watch now watch now Former Magnum Hunter Resources CEO Gary Evans sowed the seeds of success during the 1985 oil bust, and now he's hoping to strike pay dirt by starting a new company in the midst of a nearly two-year crude price downturn. "I've never seen an opportunity like we are seeing today. We probably never will again in our lifetimes," Evans told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday. He said those opportunities are sprouting up as nearly 80 North American oil and gas companies have entered bankruptcy, creating the chance to pick up acreage that distressed drillers must divest. Evans himself left Magnum Hunter just as it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month. Now, the wildcatter is heading up Energy Hunter Resources, a start-up exploration and production company that will focus on drilling for oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs in the Permian and Eagle Ford basins, both of which are located in Texas and neighboring states. Drilling in carbonate fields is challenging due to large variations in small sections of reservoirs, according to Schlumberger. But estimates put more than 60 percent of the world's oil reserves and 40 percent of its gas reserves in carbonates, the oilfield services firm notes. Despite the challenging environment, Evans said the Permian and Eagle Ford are two of the few places drillers can make "good returns" with oil hovering near $48 a barrel. Less than a year after the country's third international bailout, Greek lawmakers on Sunday approved another round of painful tax hikes and spending cuts in hopes of securing more cash from its skeptical European neighbors. The infusion is needed to help Greece make good on bond payments due in July. The measures approved over the weekend include tax hikes on consumer goods like fuel, alcohol and tobacco to 24 percent and a provision that will force further spending cuts if the government fails to meet budget targets. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside parliament to protest the latest round of austerity measures. European finance ministers are set to meet Tuesday to review the plan and decide whether to extend Greece further debt relief. France is facing fuel shortages across the north and west of the country as protests against labor law reforms rock the nation. Over 820 stations out of a total of 11,500 gas stations in France were out of fuel on Sunday and another 800 were lacking at least one type of fuel, announced Transport Minister Alain Vidalies, according to several media reports. Truck drivers belonging to trade unions have also blocked delivery to gas stations across the country from four of France's eight refineries. Union members and students are protesting against laws passed by decree this month by President Hollande's government aimed at reforming the country's notoriously inflexible workers' rights including making changes to the 35-hour work week and making it easier for small businesses to hire and fire employees. The U.S. aviation lawyer who won compensation for victims of the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing and is now seeking $330 million from Russia for the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 in 2014, says Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held responsible. Jerry Skinner, who is leading Australian law firm LHD's compensation claim against Russia and Putin in the European Court of Human Rights, says he is confident of success but admits the case, like that of Lockerbie, may take years. The Malaysian Airlines' Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 28 Australians. The aircraft, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, the Dutch Safety Board concluded in its final report. Skinner said he had no personal issue with Putin, but that the Russian president had opened himself to liability through his extensive control over the Russian state. watch now Score one for the little guys. Ducera Partners, the recently formed investment bank led by an ex-Perella Weinberg restructuring banker, will take home a monster payday on the biggest mergers and acquisition deal of 2016. And the boutique bank is barely a year old. The New York-based bank will bring in about $50 million for its work advising Monsanto , according to Freeman & Co.'s Jeffrey Nassof, who tracks M&A fees for big banks. The payday will happen as long as the St. Louis-based conglomerate sells itself to Germany's Bayer , which offered $122 a share, or $62 billion, to acquire the company early Monday. Ducera and Morgan Stanley , listed at Monsanto's website as the lead bank on the transaction, stand to take in up to $110 million for their work selling the company. On the other side of the deal, Credit Suisse and Bank of America Merrill Lynch will represent Bayer work that will earn them $70 million to $80 million, according to Nassof. Boutique firm Rothschild also has a smaller role on the seller's side, according to statements from Bayer. It's still been a tough year for Wall Street, with deals down more than 15 percent versus 2015. While boutique banks once represented less than 10 percent of M&A deals before the global financial crisis, that percentage has steadily risen as boutiques like Ducera and Guggenheim Partners are horning in on megadeals after picking seasoned bankers from larger Wall Street firms, according to data from Dealogic. Read MoreBank of America targeted by female banker in 'bro's club' lawsuit watch now U.S. President Barack Obama begins a landmark visit to Vietnam this week but it's unlikely he can satisfy the two key areas of focus for local policymakers, strategists told CNBC. Obama landed in Hanoi early on Monday, becoming the third U.S. leader to visit the Socialist Republic since the end of the Vietnam War and marking the 10th Asian trip of his presidency. The visit was "the right thing to do," Chuck Hagel, former U.S. Secretary of Defense during Obama's second administration, told CNBC's "Squawk Box," adding that Washington has made remarkable progress in reconciling with the Vietnamese in recent years. During Obama's three-day visit, much emphasis is expected to be placed on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Deal (TPP) and an embargo that prevents Washington from selling arms to Hanoi. But not much traction is expected on either front. As the biggest trade deal in a generation, the TPP is set to usher in a new period of growth for export-oriented Vietnam, whose economy is already expanding at the fastest pace in seven years. "Vietnam is going to be the best beneficiary of TPP. Textiles and the apparel sector will see the greatest benefits in term of an immediate slash of tariffs in the U.S. and other markets," said Eric Shimp, policy adviser at international law firm Alston & Bird. But chances of Congress approving the deal this year remain slim amid hostility to new trade liberalization from both Democrats and Republicans. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has responded to criticism over a special low fare deal being offered by the airline which is reportedly being investigated by London's Metropolitan Police. Ryanair has been offering a "Brexit special" low fares deal for British citizens to "fly home to remain" in the European Union and vote in the referendum on June 23. The deal has been lambasted by the "Vote Leave" campaign and an official complaint has been made to the police commissioner. "It goes to show just how bizarrely incompetent the 'leave' campaign are. We launched a huge seat sale for British citizens to come back to the U.K. ... 'Come home and vote Remain,' of course, there's nothing stopping the people who want to vote leave coming home either," explained O'Leary to CNBC Monday. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told CNBC via telephone that the contents of the complaint is being considered and the police force will respond "in due course." O'Leary - a staunch supporter of the U.K.'s "remain" campaign - told CNBC that he believes the U.K. will face "a recession of one or two years, if we leave. The way we reform (the EU) is stay in and reform, not leave." watch now Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders cranked up his fight with party leaders on Sunday, backing a challenger to the Democratic National Committee's chairwoman and accusing the party's establishment of trying to anoint Hillary Clinton as the nominee for president. In a series of television interviews, Sanders remained defiant despite what he acknowledged was an uphill fight to overtake front-runner Clinton. Clinton has said she already considers herself the de facto nominee and is increasingly turning her attention to Donald Trump, saying on Sunday that the rhetoric of the presumptive Republican nominee was dangerous. Sanders told ABC's "This Week" program that Americans should not have to choose between "the lesser of two evils" in the Nov. 8 election. Sanders said that if he won the White House, he would not reappoint U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz as DNC chairwoman. He also endorsed law professor Tim Canova, who is challenging the Florida congresswoman in the August Democratic primary. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Getty Images "Do I think she is the kind of chair that the Democratic Party needs? No, I don't," Sanders told CBS' "Face the Nation." "Frankly, what the Democratic Party is about is running around to rich people's homes and raising obscene sums of money from wealthy people. What we need to do is to say to working-class people we are on your side," he said. The defiant tone by Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, has worried some Democrats anxious to see Clinton begin to unify the party and turn her attention to an election showdown with Trump. Clinton painted Trump as a risk of the sort voters had not seen before in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired on Sunday. "I do not want Americans, and, you know, good-thinking Republicans, as well as Democrats and independents, to start to believe that this is a normal candidacy," she said. "It isn't." Trump has gained ground in opinion polls as Republicans begin to rally around his candidacy. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday showed Trump with a 2-point lead over Clinton, within the margin of error. In early March, Clinton led Trump by 9 points in the same poll. But Sanders has ignored growing Democratic calls to step aside and repeated his vow to stay in the race until the party's July 25-28 nominating convention in Philadelphia despite Clinton's nearly insurmountable lead in pledged convention delegates who will choose the nominee. He said he wanted to do away with superdelegates - party leaders who are free to support any candidate. Their rush to back Clinton even before votes had been cast amounted to "an anointment process," Sanders said. 'Lesser of two evils' He promised to influence the party platform and party rules even if he was not the nominee, but said if Clinton did not move toward his views on reining in Wall Street, reducing income equality and other issues, "she's going to have her problems." "I don't want to see the American people voting for the lesser of two evils. I want the American people to be voting for a vision of economic justice, of social justice, of environmental justice, of racial justice," he said on ABC. Shares of Staples popped more than 2 percent Monday after analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch upgraded the stock to "buy" and London's Sunday Times reported contact with buyout firms to shop the retailer's European assets. Analysts put a $10 price target on the stock, citing potential upside as the company downsizes its retail footprint and looks to exit from its loss-making European business. "In addition to valuation, we see the potential for earnings upside as SPLS refocuses on its core strengths," the BofA-Merrill Lynch note said. The company is refocusing on strengths after the failed Office Depot merger, the note said, while the stock is at a 17-year low. Analysts did cite risks of declining demand for paper, ink & toner, and increased competition from Amazon . watch now watch now watch now Viacom Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman and a longtime Viacom director went to court on Monday to stop a move that would remove them from a trust that will determine the direction of the media conglomerate and CBS . Dauman filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts Probate and Family Court to stop Sumner Redstone, who ran Viacom for decades, from removing him and longtime director George Abrams from a trust that will make decisions about the media conglomerate and CBS if the 93-year-old Redstone becomes incapacitated or dies. Plaintiffs in the legal complaint include directors of National Amusements, which controls Viacom and CBS. It seeks to invalidate the removal of Dauman and Abrams as directors of National Amusements, Redstone's privately held movie theater chain. Sumner Redstone Jason LaVeris | FilmMagic | Getty Images Redstone, who turns 93 on Friday, suffers from diminished mental capacity and is dependent on his daughter, Shari Redstone, the lawsuit said. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said in a statement on Monday morning. "We will continue to have great respect and affection for Mr. Redstone, but he is clearly being manipulated by his daughter, Shari." A statement from his daughter said, "It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father ... Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere." The complaint named Shari Redstone, her son Tyler Korff, as defendants and David Andelman, Norman Jacobs and Leonard Lewin as nominal defendants. Workplace democracy has taken on a whole new meaning at one company employees can vote on whether their CEO can keep his job. Last year, employees of Haufe USA elected Kelly Max as their CEO and every year, they decide if he should stay in office. "It comes from the fundamental idea that we have that employees run companies," Max said in an interview with CNBC's "Power Lunch." It all began four years ago when Haufe's founder and chairman decided he wasn't the right person for the global CEO job as the talent management and human resources company expanded. Instead, he opted to have the employees vote on the matter. Max wrote about his company's policy recently in Fast Company, contending that, among other things, it keeps staff motivated and dedicated and allows the company to keep pace with the outside world. It also brings "shadow organizations" out into the open, he said. "A lot of shadow organizations happen in many enterprises, where a lot of ideas are worked on but they never come to the surface and really flourish and create more power for the organization to thrive," he told CNBC. Max insisted that despite the challenges that come from vying for his job every year, he can make the difficult decisions because he knows his employees are behind him. "The crowd genius that we have in the organization is very smart. It is much smarter than we think it is," he said. From door-to-door to sales galore Sturti | Getty Images The direct-selling industry has an image problem. At best, this business model the marketing and selling of products directly to consumers, away from a retail location conjures up door-to-door salespeople dependent on middle-aged women nagging friends for the names of their friends. At worst, its association with the term "multilevel marketing" has become synonymous with pyramid schemes, fair or not. For doubters, it's worth noting that Berkshire Hathaway placed its own stamp of approval on the direct-sales industry; the multinational holding company has owned Pampered Chef since 2003. Today a new version of this industry is booming, appealing to a younger generation of entrepreneurs who can tap into social media rather than knock on front doors. According to the Direct Selling Association, more than 18 million Americans make a living or supplement their income with direct sales, adding $34 billion to the economy in 2014. "It's a model that allows young people with less capital and maybe with even less experience to get into an entrepreneurial experience," said Joseph Mariano, president of the DSA, who said 2015 growth numbers should show an uptick of about 3 percent to 5 percent. "Our model is flexible enough for young people to engage in these sales actions however they like." Mariano notes that roughly 75 percent of sellers within the industry are women, down from about 90 percent a few decades ago, but more men and married couples are joining the ranks and finding a better work/life balance than the corporate world provided. Here are the stories of seven stars in the direct-selling industry, many pulling in six-figure incomes and on their way to $1 million in annual sales. By Maggie Overfelt, special to CNBC.com Posted 23 May 2016 Lindsay and Michael Moreno, Young Living Source: The Morenos For Denver couple Lindsay and Michael Moreno, a career in direct selling has fostered upward of $1 million in annual income. Lindsay, 35, started with Young Living, which sells essential oils, three years ago to supplement her time as a stay-at-home mother. A friend introduced her to Young Living oils when she was searching for a natural way to keep her three kids healthy before a long trip. "I fell in love with the stuff, and it was easy to talk about," she said. She bought a Young Living starter kit which comes with various oils, diffusers and back-end support and ranges in price from $45 to $260 and started sharing on Facebook how she was using the oils, passing out her membership number. Soon "I had an accidental paycheck, and I wondered, If I can make $700 without trying, how many people could I talk to if I really did try?" The first month, she made $3,000 in sales. She soon created her own Young Living user brand (the Lemon Droppers) and a Facebook group, where she posted educational videos of how to use Young Living products and how to leverage social media to run a Young Living team. When she hit 100,000 members, she asked Michael to quit his job to help her with the back end of her business (e.g. taxes). "He told me we needed money for six months of our expenses in a savings account and that I needed to bring in $20,000 a month [in sales] for three months." Lindsay hit that three months later. Laveda Whitfield, Traci Lynn Jewelry Source: Tracy Lynn Jewelry Laveda Whitfield wasn't looking for another job or income stream when she started hosting parties to sell Traci Lynn jewelry 10 years ago. Rather, the D.C.-area software analyst fell for the jewelry when a friend was wearing it during lunch, then became further intrigued by the brand when she tagged along to a presentation where the firm's CEO spoke. Whitfield sold out of every piece of jewelry in her $650 starter kit at her first party, a Memorial Day family gathering. (Traci Lynn's investment price range starts at $99.) "I made my investment back in one show," said Whitfield, 44. For 18 months Whitfield hosted about two shows a month in the evenings after work, concentrating on selling as many items as she could (she also attributes a good portion of her sales to wearing the jewelry whenever she goes out.) Her income from jewelry sales had just started to match her day-job salary when she underwent surgery that required eight weeks of bed rest. During that time, Whitfield's husband, an IT consultant who does contract work with the government, reviewed Traci Lynn's compensation plan for distributors and convinced her to quit her day job and make the leap. "Since I wasn't able to go out and physically sell the jewelry, I started having conference calls twice a week with potential team members," she said. "As soon as I was able to get busy and mobile again, we'd coach each other, show up at parties, and my team started to grow I was having so much fun. I had a replacement of income, and I didn't have to [commute]." Whitfield, who flies all over the country teaching the sellers in her 5,000-strong group how to close recruits, how to leverage social media to reach more buyers and how to stay positive, pulls in well over six figures in annual income. A few years back, when her husband found himself out of work for nearly two years, Whitfield was able to sustain her family's lifestyle with the income from her sales. Kim Elizabeth Young, Tastefully Simple Source: Kim Young After doctors diagnosed Kim Young's third son with Tourette syndrome her first two also had the disorder she figured that quitting her direct-sales gig with a crafting company to take a 9-to-5 corporate job would offer the stability that her family needed to deal with the challenges of their situation. (Her husband's corporate job supplied the family's benefits.) It turned out to be a bad fit: She found herself continually having to leave the office to answer calls from the school nurse to come help with her son's tics. "His neck would get locked because his tics were so bad that I would have to go massage that out for him," she said. "I really had to be available 24/7 for my kids." She eventually joined Tastefully Simple, a Minnesota firm founded in 1995 that sells quick-prep meals. "Everyone eats; it's a product that people will keep coming back for," said Young, 51, who is based in Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania. It also offered her the flexibility to work around the homeschooling of two of her kids, as well as the extra income the family needed to buy a larger house so each boy whose tics would sometimes keep the others awake at night could have his own room. Young, leveraging skills from her first corporate job selling phone systems for a telecom company decades ago, worked 30 to 40 hours a week around her boys' study time. Within two years she made it to a six-figure income with Tastefully Simple; Young said her current income from the business exceeds $100,000 a year. After paying off some medical debt, the family was able to purchase a new home. Today Young, who has been selling Tastefully Simple for nearly 16 years, still works 30 hours a week coaching her 1,000-person team, although two out of three of her sons are out of the house. "There is nothing else I could have done that would have allowed me to stay home with them," she said. Carrie Bohlig, an Amway independent business owner Source: Amway Carrie Bohlig started selling Amway products just before college graduation nearly 10 years ago as a backup plan to go with her liberal studies degree. The investment required to start: $62. "I saw most of my friends who were a few years ahead of me struggling financially," said Bohlig, 32, who was introduced to Amway by a college friend. "Amway sold me on a pretty long-term business model, and [the brand] had a track record of success, which spoke volumes to me." The first thing that Bohlig took away from Amway was the business-skills training the firm provided online and via workshops. "I felt that I had to empower myself and develop those professional and leadership skills while I was learning how to sell the products," said Bohlig, who is based in Madison, Wisconsin. "Over time I learned how to educate and train others in what I was doing." In 2007, Bohlig started teaching and kept Amway as an evening and weekend job. But when the Amway income started to exceed her teaching salary, she transitioned to teaching part-time in 2010 and then, nine months later, quit to pursue Amway full-time. Bohlig's Amway income fluctuates today based on what's going on with her life she's a stay-at-home mother. But she and her husband, who also is an Amway consultant despite holding a full-time job in the commercial banking sector, have reached the six-figure income point with Amway. In 2010, when Craig's job was eliminated, Amway sales and commissions sustained the family until he landed a new job a year later. Bohlig declined to be more specific about her income level but did say the couple has been able to save almost all of Craig's corporate salary over the past several years, which they plan to use to purchase a new home. Tysh Mefferd, Stella & Dot Source: Stella & Dot In late 2008, after Hurricane Ike hit the Texas coast, Tysh Mefferd's 10-year-old wedding paper business drastically slowed as the region's economy sputtered. To help pay for a home-improvement loan and some expenses for her sons, Mefferd, based in Galveston, Texas, started searching for ways to supplement her income. She eventually came across Stella & Dot, the Silicon Valley venture-funded $300 million firm that enlists thousands of consultants dubbed stylists to sell its jewelry and accessories at in-home trunk shows or on personalized websites. The investment to join as a stylist is $199. "Initially, I thought I'd sign up, sell some jewelry until my business picked up and then be on my merry way," said Mefferd, 46, who was aiming for $3,000 in sales a month. She met that goal in a few weeks, earning a few hundred dollars with each two-hour trunk show she hosted. Then she attended a conference where the firm's founder spoke. "She talked about her vision, about how there is no glass ceiling with Stella & Dot you go and do as much or as little as you want and I really felt that this was the opportunity of a lifetime that was being handed to me," Mefferd said. In the summer of 2009, she closed her wedding calligraphy business to focus on Stella & Dot full-time, attending trunk shows and training others while juggling her kids' football games and doctors' appointments. Today, Mefferd is one of the firm's top stylists, pulling in almost $1 million in annual income; she coaches the roughly 9,000 stylists that make up her team. "What I love about it is that ... anyone can do it it's not built for rocket scientists," Mefferd said, who is aiming to double her annual sales over the next three or four years. "It's built for women and a few great men who are interested in adding a little or a lot of extra income around their busy lives." Jennifer Glacken, Shaklee Source: Jennifer Glacken Jennifer Glacken, a former assistant product manager in the telecom industry, made an indirect jump into direct sales in 1992, about six months after her first baby was born. "He had all sorts of respiration problems, and we were spending more time at the hospital than at home," said Glacken, 49, who spent lots of time disinfecting her house with Lysol and Windex, until a friend suggested using a Shaklee-brand organic cleaning solution. "I was skeptical no one in my circle had ever heard of the company before," Glacken said. (Shaklee was founded in 1956.) "I had no intention of using it and took it initially to get rid of her." After the cleaner sat around in her garage for a while, Glacken, based in Perryburg, Ohio, finally tried it. It worked well enough and was cost-effective. Compared to a 32-ounce bottle of Windex that sells for $3 to $4, one 16-ounce bottle of Shaklee basic cleaner sells for $12 and can be diluted into more than 40 gallons of cleaner. And a few days after using Shaklee, her son no longer needed the medication or nebulizer treatments he had come to depend on; Glacken soon found out that he was allergic to phenol, the main ingredient in many name-brand cleaning products. Glacken bought a $20 membership to Shaklee and for six years bought its cleaning products, soaps and nutritional supplements. Then, in 1999, her husband lost his job at Sears Automotive. "We were homeschooling our two kids, and I didn't want to go out in the marketplace and get a job," she said. Instead, they decided to build a Shaklee business to support their family. Although Glacken's husband found a job at Tuffy the next year, she continued with Shaklee, selling the products and coaching others. With her husband, who spent years teaching people how to run automotive businesses through Sears, she developed Glacken University, a seven-week webinar training program for new Shaklee recruits. In 2007, Glacken became a top Shaklee seller, pulling in a minimum of $100,000 in sales a month. Today Glacken's monthly sales across her team fluctuate between $250,000 to $450,000. Rachel Huse, Jamberry Source: Jamberry Investors looking for clues to whether the Federal Reserve will raise rates in June might want to tune in to the savvy group of high school students competing in this year's National Economics Challenge. "If I was in charge of the Fed I think I would actually raise rates a little bit," said Carmel (Indiana) High School senior Joe Philleo. "I think 0.25 percent versus 0.5 percent won't make a huge difference, but I'd obviously need to consult more data." National Economics Challenge team from Carmel, Indiana. Source: Council for Economic Education Philleo is among eight students from Carmel High competing in the Council for Economic Education's competition. The students beat out more than 10,000 other high schoolers from across the country in oral and written competitions testing complex economic knowledge. On Monday in New York City, four teams in two divisions will compete for the prestigious title. In addition to Carmel's two teams, the students are from Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut, Mounds View High School in Arden Hills, Minnesota, Lexington High School in Lexington, Massachusetts, Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, and West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North in Plainsboro, New Jersey. "These are the best teams in the nation," Carmel High School economics teacher Michelle Foutz said. "So however we do we are proud of what we've accomplished, whether we're first or we're last." Foutz has brought her economics teams to the national round in New York since 2001. She works with the students to practice analytical and real-world questions on topics including monetary and fiscal policy, market structures, production costs and economic theory. "They're doing this all on their own," she said. "I guide them, but they're doing all of the work." "At first I didn't really know anything about econ," said Carmel sophomore Karthik Ravichandran. "The more I studied it I realized it was based on decisionmaking, not just money, numbers and all that. So it's been really fun so far." Eliminating forced labor in seafood is a monumental task that will require more from public and private actors. First, governments need to do more, both in consuming countries in North America and Europe, and in sourcing countries like Thailand. In the United States, Secretary of State John Kerry has launched an important new initiative, the Our Ocean Summit, aimed at protecting ocean resources. This initiative dovetails with new standards proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to include data reporting to ensure seafood traceability from harvest to import. Last month, Congress closed a loophole in the Tariff Act of 1930 that had allowed for the importation of seafood and other goods produced through forced labor, as long as U.S. production could not meet domestic demand. Closing this loophole strengthens the U.S.'s power to ban importation of seafood products produced through forced labor. Now the government needs to expand its proposed data reporting to include forced labor, an essential first step in effective enforcement. Second, companies like Mars, Nestle, and Walmart, also need to do more to improve their sourcing practices. This will require greater collective action by industry leaders including greater financial investments to develop better, more sustainable sourcing models that do not rely on a system of labor abuse. watch now On Monday the U.S. announced it would officially end its weapons embargo on Vietnam, but the long-awaited move might have little effect on the global arms market. In fact, Vietnam only accounts for about 3 percent of international arms sales, and the country gets the vast majority of its weaponry from Russia, so Monday's news is unlikely to represent a market shift, according to Christopher Higgins, a defense analyst at Morningstar. Still, if there are some potential winners from the deal, they would come from Vietnam's desire to maintain security over its portions of the South China Sea. Boeing for its production of maritime surveillance aircraft and drone-makers like Northrop Grumman could end up profiting somewhat from the new arrangement, Higgins told CNBC's "Closing Bell." But while there is no immediate "huge upside" to American defense providers, Higgins emphasized the geopolitical importance of Monday's announcement. "If you look at Vietnam, they are key in the South China Sea for our security strategy in that area," he said, adding that the country is also "really key in terms of other agreements" like the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade deal. The embargo lifting came during President Barack Obama's first visit to Hanoi, which his hosts described as the arrival of a warm spring and a new chapter in relations between two countries that were at war four decades ago. President Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, has made a strategic "rebalance" toward Asia a centerpiece of his foreign policy. The decision to lift the arms trade ban suggested such concerns outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and Washington would lose leverage for reforms. The U.S. announced in 2014 that it would partially lift the ban on "lethal aid" to Vietnam. Part of the reason countries like Vietnam are looking to the U.S. over traditional supplier Russia is that Moscow has been unwilling to sell some arms that China has asked it to exclude, Steve Zaloga, a senior analyst with aerospace and defense consulting firm Teal Group, told CNBC at the time. "The Russians have tended to be rather dependent on China as an export client," Zaloga said in 2014, "So Russia is sort of in a bind when trying to sell to the Vietnamese." Reuters contributed to this report. Still, a spokeswoman told Fortune that Xiaomi sold over 70 million smartphones in 2015 "despite the shrinking of the smartphone market." Revenue for the Chinese smartphone maker hit 78 billion yuan ($12.5 billion) in 2015, representing growth of 3 percent year over year, adjusted for currency fluctuations, a public affairs official told a technology conference in Beijing. Fortune said that's compared to sales growth of 135 percent in 2014 for a company whose more than $45 billion valuation is rivaled only by Uber. Sales barely grew in 2015 at the world's second-biggest start-up, Xiaomi, according to Fortune magazine . The report comes just months after competitor Apple raised questions of smartphone market saturation when it reported that revenues had fallen 13 percent in the first quarter, its first year-over-year quarterly sales drop since 2003. Regionally, Greater China represented the biggest share of Apple's sales decline, with revenues falling 26 percent year on year. In the first quarter of this year, Xiaomi's smartphone sales shrank by 5 percent, according to Fortune. Xiaomi leadership has consistently said its product is better than the iPhone. Fortune obtained the now-deleted interview detailing Xiaomi 2015 sales, but a spokeswoman declined to comment on the 3 percent figure. Xiaomi did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. For more on the story, see the full report at Fortune.com. 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 Synthetic hair problems lead MU grad to create banana-based product Ciara Imani May wasn't expecting to develop a protective hairstyle product when she studied business at MU. But that's exactly what she's done. May 22, 2016 - Members of First Baptist Broad Church gather after service on Sunday afternoon to walk through Binghamton and pray for their neighborhood. The walk is part of a movement organized by UAV 901, which stands for United Against Violence Memphis. (Andrea Morales / The Commercial Appeal) Memphians took to the streets and river banks Sunday to lament, protest and try to atone for the plague of violence. They marched and prayed and sang. They held hands and signs. They confessed their complicity in the violence and their inability to stop it now and then. In a field near the Wolf River, dozens of people took part in an interfaith prayer service to mourn the site of a brutal lynching 99 years ago. "We long with all our being for an end to the baseless hatred, war and violence," Rabbi Katie Bauman said. We have been longing for a long time. Meanwhile, hundreds of other people took part in community prayer walks against modern-day gun violence, a few hours after three more people were shot and killed in Memphis. "Memphis is in trouble," Rev. Keith Norman said. The memorial prayer service and the congregational prayer walks around town were organized separately by different clergy-led groups. They delivered the same message: God help us stop the violence. So far this year, 91 people have been murdered in Memphis. That compares to 53 at this point last year. Memphis is plagued by violence. It always has been. This city was the "Murder Capital" of America in the early decades of the 20th Century, with higher homicide rates then than in many Latin American cities now. This county recorded the fifth highest number of lynchings in the South in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This was the site of the Memphis Massacre in 1866. The city's greatest Confederate hero was a slave trader, oversaw the Ft. Pillow Massacre, and helped launch the KKK. One of the men who founded the city, Andrew Jackson, was the architect of the Native American "Trail of Tears." "Violence begets violence," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in 1958, a decade before he became a Memphis homicide victim. We know this to be true. We always have. "The effects of a lynching are certain to be brutalizing," one newspaper commented after the 1917 lynching of Ell Persons, a black woodcutter accused of raping and killing a 15-year-old white girl. "We cannot rear our children in safety if we set the example of law breaking and give it our sanction," a group of white clergy said in a statement after the lynching. Persons was never tried or convicted. A mob of white men took him from sheriff's deputies, chained him to a log, doused him with gasoline, burned him alive, then mutilated his body. Thousands of people filled the bank of the Wolf River near the old Macon Road bridge to watch. "Thousands Cheered When Negro Burned," read a headline the next day in The Commercial Appeal. Another newspaper commented: "Public opinion burned Ell Persons the minister of the gospel, the lawyer, the doctor, the newspaper editor, the man who talks to others on the street corner, or the streetcar he shared in it." Sunday afternoon, lawyers, doctors, newspaper editors and dozens of others, most of them white, stood in a field near the lynching site and tried to atone. "We are here to ask for God's help toward the healing and repentance that we need in our community," Rev. Roz Nichols said at the prayer service Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost. In the New Testament, Pentecost marks the birthday of the Church, the day the Holy Spirit descended to empower the followers of another homicide victim. Pneuma, the Greek word used for spirit, can also be translated as wind or breath. At the memorial prayer service, and during the prayer walks, people asked God for more power as they struggled to catch their breath. "This just takes the air out of us," Norman, a leader of the prayer walks, said about the city's rising murder rate. "May a time come soon when no one will suffer or die at the hands of another," Bauman said at Sunday's memorial service. As they gathered at the river, the lynching mourners sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing," a hymn written by James Weldon Johnson. Johnson was the NAACP's national field secretary in 1917. He spent 10 days in Memphis investigating the lynching of Persons. "I tried to balance the sufferings of the miserable victim against the moral degradation of Memphis," he wrote later, "and the truth flashed over me that in large measure the race question involves the saving of black America's body and white America's soul." Nearly a century later, we all continue to struggle, black and white, body and soul. Judge Larry Potter (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE May 23, 2016 - Melissa Miller-Monie, center, CEO of S.O.L.I.D.s and coordinator for the Highland Heights neighborhood, along with Highland Heights homeowners Pearlie Jefferson, left, and Donald Thomas, right, have been battling against blighted properties in the Highland Heights neighborhood. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal) May 23, 2016 - The Atlantic Oaks Leasing Office in the Highland Heights neighborhood. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal) By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal Should the principal officer of Capital Communities Atlantic Properties ever set foot in Memphis, an invitation awaits for a stay at 201 Poplar. Last week Environmental Court Judge Larry Potter handed down a contempt of court ruling against Brent McElwee, sentencing him to 15 days in jail for ignoring nearly a year's worth of court orders involving his more than 40 Atlantic Apartments properties in Highland Heights. Potter has put the apartments in a receivership under the city so the "nuisance" properties can be demolished. "It's the first time it's been used in a case like this," said John Cameron, Environmental Court referee, who said he was prohibited from any further discussion of the details of the case. McElwee, who lives in California, has never appeared in court to address the condition of his boarded-up properties, where trees have fallen on at least two houses. In addition to jail time, he has a $305,000 judgement against him. Jail is a tool they'll use against other owners of nuisance properties in the future, said attorney Steve Barlow, who represented the city in its complaint against Capital Communities. "They don't care anything about Memphis. They don't care anything about what the judge said," Barlow said, referring to out-of-town investors. "Environmental Court is a real court with a real judge. What we did is we asked the judge to use that power in a way that he hasn't before." McElwee could not be reached at two listed phone numbers. It's not likely that McElwee will come to town, said University of Memphis law student Jordan Emily, who worked with Barlow and found the court case that was the basis for Potter's ruling, and spoke with McElwee. "He told me he wasn't going to come to Tennessee and he wasn't going to hire a lawyer," Emily said. Highland Heights residents have been a consistent presence in court during the series of court hearings. "While we were in court they did talk about the strides the bench is making in unprecedented moves, and that this is the first time this has happened," said Melissa Miller-Monie with the Highland Heights Homeowners association. "So we want to make sure and insure that this happens to a point where out-of-town investors get the message." Miller-Monie lived for a few years as a child in the Atlantic Apartments on Crump in one of the now-boarded duplexes. Her mother fell in love with the neighborhood, where oak trees lined peaceful streets, and bought a house on Lamphier in 1980. Now her mother, Pearlie Jefferson, 66, is like many older residents who see the value of their homes being sucked away "It's a huge mess," Miller-Monie said. "There are a few homeowners who are older people living in the midst of the dilapidated apartments. It's impacted their quality of life. People are attending meetings, block parties, trying to bring some normality to the area in the midst of all these blight properties." The city can demolish the houses and bill McElwee for the expense, but that's not what some residents would like. "It's so frustrating because I've lived here for 40 years," said Donald E. Thomas, 66, a retired Marine. He remembers when the neighborhood was "pristine." "I would like to see them restored, where someone's going to take the place, revitalize it, get good neighbors in here so that we don't have the crime and all the problems we used to have," he said. The right investor could come in and do the right thing for the neighborhood, Jefferson said. "It was nice and it can be again," Jefferson said. SHARE Dedrick Wiggins By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal A jury has convicted 46-year-old Dedrick Wiggins of second-degree murder in the killing of a man who said as he was dying that "Dedrick" shot him. Larry Richards was found with several gunshot wounds at about 2 a.m. Nov. 6, 2013 near 3100 Spottswood in the Orange Mound area. He was taken to Regional Medical Center where he died. According to an affidavit, Wiggins was stopped in a Volkswagen that matched the description of a car witnesses saw at the scene of the shooting. Police found the victim's ringing cell phone in bushes near the driver's side of the car. Sentencing for Wiggins is set for June 24. By Maria Ines Zamudio of The Commercial Appeal An 18-year-old man was arrested in connection with the killing of a man last month, Memphis police said. Michael Tillman was arrested and charged on Sunday with the first-degree murder of Willie Pressley. The 51-year-old victim was fatally shot April 18 in the 1400 block of Woodward Street in South Memphis, police said. Police said Tillman was identified through witness statements and a photo lineup. May 22, 2016 - Latoshia Morton (center) bows her head in prayer outside of the First Baptist Broad Church on Sunday afternoon. Morton and her fellow congregants gathered to walk through Binghampton after Sunday service and pray for their neighborhood. (Andrea Morales / The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal With the city still reeling from three murders in an eight-hour span Sunday, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland took to Facebook on Monday to reassure citizens the "outrage" hadn't gone unnoticed. Strickland, who won election last year on promises of being "brilliant at the basics," including public safety, is one of several mayors in large metros around the country struggling to clamp down on a rising murder rate. By the end of Sunday, Memphis' homicide tally had risen to 91, compared to 53 by this point in 2015. Here's Strickland's response, in full: As your mayor, and as a husband and the father of two, I am saddened at the violence in our city this past weekend. More than anything, I extend my deepest sympathies to the families of those whose lives were lost. Investigators are working around the clock to identify and locate the individuals who are responsible for these senseless deaths. They have arrested and charged one male who was found to be responsible for the shootings in the Downtown area, and they are working all leads that they have received in relation to the other two homicides that occurred over the weekend. Furthermore, since Saturday, investigators arrested and charged four additional individuals who are responsible for four unrelated homicides that have occurred this year. I want to commend our investigators for their tireless efforts, but we know that there is more work ahead. Not only do we want to identify and arrest the individuals responsible for these horrific crimes and hold them accountable under the laws of our state, we want to do our part in preventing them from occurring. We cannot do this without the help of our citizens. Ive said it before, and Ill say it again: The level of violence in our city is simply unacceptable. It is an outrage. And I call on every Memphian to be just as appalled. We need your outreach, your open eyes, and your leadership with our youth. You can apply for a grant to get SkyCop cameras in your neighborhood, report crimes, join your local neighborhood watch, and call Crime Stoppers. And always remember - when you see something, say something. Were working every day to decrease the violence in our city. Weve rallied our officers and rearranged police staffing citywide. Weve strengthened our fight against gangs through our Multi-Agency Gang Unit and precinct task forces, and by incorporating officers from specialized units. We are bringing back police service technicians to help free up commissioned officers. We are in the process of launching our recruitment campaign to hire more officers, and we are working to retain those officers who are already committed to Memphis. Through our continued effort of utilizing Blue CRUSH, community outreach initiatives, and intervention programs, we are seeing a difference. Just this month, the Memphis Police Departments Organized Crime Unit announced the conclusion of an operation that resulted in 394 felony arrests and the confiscation of 130 guns off our streets. We will not stop these operations and efforts. Major violent crime was down 10 percent in April compared to last year and theres been relatively no rise in those crimes thus far in May as compared to last year. Still, as we see in many other major cities this year, our homicide rate continues on a higher pace than last year. So we know we have to keep up the fight. Fighting crime is about more than just policing, which is why Im continuing to make progress on what we do for our young people and on building a stronger Memphis economy, among many other initiatives. Know this: Providing for public safety is the No. 1 priority of my administration. Our crime challenge didnt arrive in Memphis overnight, nor will its solutions. But I am committed to making progress every single day of my administration, and sharing with you what we're doing to provide for Memphis' safety. April 4, 2016 - Larry Stanley, owner of Riverside Lake Marina, picks up tools from his dock after a warning sign was installed on one of his work boats at McKellar Lake. The City of Memphis closed the boat ramp at 1875 McKellar Drive, which allows access to McKellar Lake, after a major sewer line transporting wastewater to the TE Maxson Wastewater Treatment Plant was damaged. State environmental have now lifted the health advisory for the lake. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal In a sign that contamination from a massive sewage spill this spring has dissipated, Tennessee environmental regulators have lifted a health advisory for McKellar Lake in southwest Memphis. The action by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation means it is no longer considered unsafe to come in contact with water from the lake, which is a slack water harbor on the Mississippi River. The water-contact advisory had been issued in the wake of sewage spills beginning around March 31 that dumped at least 350 million gallons of untreated waste into Cypress Creek, a tributary to McKellar. The main spill occurred after heavy rains washed out the soil beneath a 96-inch-diameter pipe carrying sewage to the city's T.E. Maxson South Treatment Plant, causing the pipe to rupture. The spill, which killed thousands of fish, was halted when city public works crews completed temporary bypass about a week later. A permanent fix will take months to complete, officials say. State testing shows that concentrations of E. coli bacteria have fallen back to "pre-spill impact levels," TDEC said in an announcement. SHARE Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal files Armed Forces Day was celebrated at the Memphis Naval Air Station on May 22, 1970, and servicemen craned their necks with thousands of visitors to watch an air show featuring the Blue Angels. But the view from the ground wasn't quite high enough for four Marines who teamed up for a balancing act on top of a 55-gallon oil drum. May 23 25 years ago: 1991 Civil Rights warriors Rosa Parks and Julian Bond will help open the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis in July. Mrs. Parks, 78, is scheduled to attend the July 4 opening of the museum, which includes an exhibit on the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott that began after she refused to yield her seat to a white man in 1955. She and Bond, a former Georgia state lawmaker, will attend a banquet at The Peabody July 2. Bond, 51, will speak at Rhodes College July 1, the first day of a three-day symposium series, "The Struggle Revisited." The $9.25 million museum is being built at the Lorraine Motel on Mulberry where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally wounded in 1968. 50 years ago: 1966 On Thursday, the British flag will come down in a city known as Georgetown and a new nation known as Guyana will be born. British Guyana will have achieved independence. The ceremonies will mark a change which has been 12 years in the making, some of them years of hard struggle between the people of that little area which is such a curious combination of Asia and Africa located on the north coast of South America. It is a tribute to both the British and the sincere people of this little country that this has been accomplished. 75 years ago: 1941 Memphis' graduation from the "world's largest inland cotton market" to the "world's largest cotton market" was celebrated at the final meeting of the Chamber of Commerce's Cotton Promotion Committee, held yesterday in connection with 1941 National Cotton Week. 100 years ago: 1916 The Memphis preparedness parade, which will be held probably June 3, will be a movement in which all Memphis and West Tennessee is invited to take part. Every organization, every man, woman and child, are as much interested in the parade if they favor national preparedness, as anyone and those who so far have been foremost in the movement, will ask that every citizen of Memphis aid in carrying out the plans. 125 years ago: 1891 While the balmy spring is stimulating the agriculturist in the Southland, there is still snow in the Dakotas. It is a good time for the Southern immigration societies to be doing missionary work in the Northwest. In this May 5, 2016, photo, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker makes a Rotary Club speech in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Tennessee Republican said afterward that he had no regrets about sitting out this year's tumultuous GOP presidential campaign, saying he wasn't the type of candidate "the country was looking for" this year. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) SHARE By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Bob Corker described his private meeting with Donald Trump on Monday as mostly policy-driven and downplayed speculation he could be Trump's running mate in the November presidential election. "I have no reason whatsoever to believe I'm being considered," the Tennessee Republican told reporters after emerging from the hour-long meeting at Trump Tower in New York City. Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, amid growing speculation he's on Trump's list of potential vice presidential running mates. Trump has said he wants to pick someone with a political background, and Republican insiders believe Corker's foreign policy experience would make him a logical choice. Corker said the two had "a good conversation" on Monday and talked about foreign policy issues. "This was a meeting between two people who didn't know each other except over phone calls getting to know each other," he said. Asked why he would come to New York for what amounted to an introductory meeting, Corker noted that he met with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in the city last week. "I think it's certainly worthwhile to sit down and get to know the nominee in a little bit different way," he said. "We did that today." Speculation that Corker might be in the running for the vice presidential slot started shortly after he told USA TODAY in early May he had offered to help Trump develop a foreign policy platform and stands ready to assist the presumptive nominee in the general election. In late April, Corker praised a foreign policy speech that Trump delivered in Washington. Corker wrote in a statement at the time that he hoped candidates from both parties would begin focusing not just on the country's problems but on solutions as well. He said Trump's speech "could be an important step in that direction." Corker, 63, declined Monday to say if he would be willing to take the No. 2 slot on the presidential ticket if it's offered, saying he didn't want to take part in "conjecture." "I said this when this all came up a couple of weeks ago I have no reason whatsoever to believe I'm being considered for a position like that," he said. "I'll say that until I'm blue in my face." Corker, Tennessee's junior senator, has seen his stature grow considerably on the national and international stage in the year and a half since he took over the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Time magazine named the former Chattanooga mayor last year to its annual list of the world's 100 most influential people, alongside world leaders such as President Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Tom Brokaw tips his cap to the crowd following his address at the University of Mississippi commencement ceremony in the Grove, in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, May 14, 2016. (Bruce Newman /The Oxford Eagle via AP) SHARE By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal A story Sunday looked at the recent federal court order for Cleveland, Mississippi, to merge its two high schools and two middle schools to satisfy desegregation. While it's easy to focus on Cleveland and ask how its schools could still be segregated more than 60 years after the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, the reality is that it's not just Cleveland. And it's not just Mississippi. A report released last week by the Government Accountability Office found that the percentage of U.S. schools in which the majority of students are black or Hispanic, and also from low-income backgrounds, has risen over the past several years. Along with segregation, the report found increasing disparities in disciplinary practices. "Segregation in American education is not just alive," Education Week noted in a blog posting about the report, "it is apparently thriving." Cleveland is an easy target, but the real issue is addressing disparities in communities, which typically lead to disparities and re-segregation in the schools. As Amy Wells Dolan, associate dean in the School of Education at the University of Mississippi, agreed people with means will find a way to ensure their kids get opportunities in school, court order or not. That's true not just in Cleveland, not just in Mississippi, but across the U.S. The numbers game Apologies to Navin Johnson from that cinematic classic, "The Jerk," but we have to say it: The new numbers are here! The new numbers are here! We're talking about census numbers, of course, and they're positive for DeSoto County's municipalities. As Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal reported last week, Memphis is about to lose its claim as Tennessee's largest city to Nashville thanks to a loss of 712 residents during a one-year period from July 2014 to July 2015. Not only that, but four Shelby County suburban cities Arlington, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington experienced small losses, although colleague Clay Bailey questioned those numbers in his Outside The Loop column about Shelby County's suburban communities. Two Shelby suburban cities, Bartlett and Collierville, posted small gains. The most consistent gains in the Memphis metro area, however, were those across the line in DeSoto County. Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch and Southaven all posted gains during the one-year period covered by the census numbers. The gains weren't huge, but they represented some of the biggest gains in Memphis' suburban communities. Southaven saw the biggest increase, adding 774 residents to what already has grown into one of Mississippi's largest cities. That 774 figure represents the largest gain by any of the Memphis suburbs, while neighboring Olive Branch had the second highest gain with 550 additional residents. Hernando added 212, and Horn Lake grew by 150. It's unclear whether those gains are from people simply shifting from Memphis and Shelby County, or whether they come from people moving to the area from elsewhere the most desirable type of gain. Either way, while the newest numbers overall are sobering for the Memphis metro market Charlier's report quotes John Gnuschke, director of the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Memphis, as saying Memphis at least isn't in rapid decline, like some metro areas DeSoto County continues to be one of the area's bright spots. Scholarship news Two North Mississippi students are scholarship recipients, thanks to a business and a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting DeSoto and surrounding counties. Thomas Dylan Rakestraw, a senior at Senatobia High School and co-editor of the newspaper there, is the recipient of the first Kinloch Gill Jr. Memorial Scholarship from the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. The scholarship was established in 2014 by Gill's widow, Ann Gill, to honor the 1952 Senatobia High graduate. Rakestraw plans to attend Northwest Mississippi Community College to continue his studies in band and journalism. Also, Hernando High senior Chloe Balducci is one of five Mississippi high school students receiving the Entergy Community Power Scholarship awarded by Entergy Mississippi, the power provider for most of DeSoto County and surrounding areas. Balducci plans to attend Mississippi State University. Not forgotten Retired TV newsman and author Tom Brokaw may have gotten laughs from the University of Mississippi crowd with his joke about Alabama at Ole Miss's recent commencement, but he predictably didn't win any friends with the Crimson Tide faithful. Brokaw, who wrote The Greatest Generation, joked at the beginning of his commencement address in the Grove May 14 that he was thankful to be speaking to Ole Miss graduates. "If I were speaking at Alabama," Brokaw said, "I would have to use smaller words and shorter sentences." The savvy public speaker was obviously playing to his audience and would no doubt have been just as happy making Oxford the butt of his joke had he been speaking in Tuscaloosa, but that fact did little to assuage the anger of Tide fans who were seeing crimson. "I agree and I would think it just as wrong," a Bama fan replied when I made the observation on Twitter that Brokaw would have said the opposite if speaking to an Alabama audience. "Really I would. Commencements should inspire with wisdom and hope for the future." True, but any speech includes some icebreaker moments. No doubt, that's all this was. Still, I suspect Brokaw won't be giving the commencement at Alabama anytime soon. @rmaxey1 and insulted the University of Alabama in his address. Memphy (@bamamemphis) May 15, 2016 And finally, this ... A new retailer has opened at Tanger Outlets. Rockport, of footwear fame, is now open at the Southaven factory outlet center. SHARE By David Ignatius BAGHDAD Amid hedgerows of computer screens in the joint operations center that runs the war against the Islamic State, Marine Brig. Gen. Bill Mullen explains the complex assault that drove the extremist fighters last week from the strategic town of Rutbah at the western edge of Anbar province. The battle showed how the campaign against the Islamic State, which has had a slow takeoff over the last 18 months, is supposed to work: In early May, a U.S. drone attack on a nearby highway killed Shaker Wahib, the terrorists' military "emir" in Anbar, shaking morale. The day before the battle, the U.S. dropped two huge bombs on the minefields and berms surrounding the town. Then came the attack from a combined force of Iraqi army troops and hundreds of recently recruited tribal fighters who had been trained by U.S. Special Forces. When they moved in, only 30 Islamic State fighters stayed to fight, says Mullen. The rest had fled. Mullen has been running the operations room here for nearly a year. When he arrived, he says, a "serious gloom" enveloped the Iraqi military because of its humiliating defeats in Mosul and Ramadi. But with the recapture of Ramadi late last year, says Mullen, some of that lost confidence has returned. Iraq is still a nation in disarray, with bitter ethnic hatreds and a central government that has nearly collapsed. The military campaign rests on political quicksand. The fragility was shown by Friday's invasion of the Green Zone by Iraqi demonstrators who are enraged by the government's corruption. Gen. Joseph Votel, the recently appointed Centcom commander who oversees the U.S. military in the Middle East, sees a mixed picture in the Iraqi military. "They are getting better ... [but] there's still a lot left to do," he told me and several other journalists who traveled here with him. Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, a lanky, blunt-spoken officer who took command of U.S. forces in Iraqi and Syria late last year, explains: "We've had to pick them [the Iraqi army] off the ground and dust them off. ... They are certainly better than the enemy. That's the standard." Votel and MacFarland are trying to accelerate a campaign that had seemed, at times over the last 18 months, to be foundering. Their goal is to stress the Islamic State on many fronts at once preparing assaults on Mosul, Fallujah and other strongholds. The multipronged strategy, says Votel, reflects "the virtues of simultaneity." The military power the U.S. can mobilize is daunting: We visited a warehouse packed with 37,000 sets of body armor and 32,000 M-16 rifles that will be airlifted to the Iraqis. We saw command centers that fuse intelligence from scores of drones and direct fire from missiles, jets, artillery and Special Operations commandos. We visited a camp in Taji where trainers from coalition nations are attempting to rebuild "an army that lost face" after its collapse in Mosul in June 2014, says Lt. Col. Jim Hammett. He's an Australian special forces officer who helps command a 480-person team from Australia, New Zealand and Britain. Amid the endless frustrations of Iraq, the training team has a one-word motto: "perseverance." The most striking change is the mobilization of Sunni tribes in Anbar since the Islamic State began to lose its grip in Ramadi last October. The government-paid Sunni militia in Anbar has grown this year from 6,000 to 9,500, and it's now supplemented by an additional vetted force of 6,000 "tribal shield" fighters, who aren't paid a salary but get weapons and death benefits. Another 9,000 Anbar tribesmen have volunteered on an unofficial basis. If more Sunni sheiks are working with the U.S. (and an Iraqi government they despise), it's for a cynical reason: They think the American side is winning. U.S. commanders name seven Sunni tribes that are now contributing fighters against the Islamic State. What's intriguing is that some of these tribes are said to be split, with part still backing the Islamic State and others defecting. The U.S. strategy is to treat the so-called caliphate as a weak state and turn the tables by mounting an insurgency against it from the inside. America's military strength remains overwhelming, even after the tests of the past decade, and the emerging campaign almost surely will gradually disable the Islamic State. The problem, as nearly every commander here will acknowledge, is that U.S. military might cannot make a broken Iraq work as a nation. Contact David Ignatius at davidignatius@washpost.com. SHARE By George Will WASHINGTON The mere possibility of a Donald Trump presidency gold-plated faucets in the house first occupied by John and Abigail Adams will perhaps have a salutary effect. It might demystify an office that has become now swollen with inappropriate powers and swaddled in a pretentiousness discordant with a republic's ethic of simplicity. This wholesome retreat from presidential grandiosity would be advanced if on Jan. 20, 2017, the 45th president delivered the following inaugural address: My fellow Americans, brevity is not only the soul of wit and the essence of lingerie, it is, on occasions such as this, polite. You who are arrayed in front of me, losing the feeling in your feet as you stand on the frozen Mall, should be spared a long soliloquy by someone who, as a presidential candidate, inflicted on you an excruciating amount of talk. Besides, you have hired me only to administer one of our three branches of government, and only for four years. So let's avoid unseemly excitement about today's routine transfer of power. Years ago, Dallas Cowboy Duane Thomas said this about another recurring extravaganza, the Super Bowl: "If it's the ultimate game, how come they're playing it again next year?" I may ask Mr. Thomas to be my press secretary, if I decide to have one. I probably will not have one because I hope weeks will pass without having to bother you with reminders of my existence. Weeks during which there will be nothing much of importance to hear from or about me as I go about the humdrum business of seeing that the laws enacted here on Capitol Hill are faithfully executed. In the next four years, beloved entertainers will die, local law enforcement disputes will occur, March Madness will come and go and I will have nothing to say about any of these things because they are unrelated to my duties, which do not include serving as national pastor-cum-pundit. As is traditional, at the conclusion of these remarks I shall eat lunch in the Capitol with Congress. But before doing this, I shall pay a tribute to Congress, which the Constitution's Article I establishes as the first branch of government. My tribute will be to delay joining its members for the 10 minutes or so it will take to sign a stack of executive orders nullifying most executive orders issued by my predecessor. He used them to wield executive power to institute policies and alter laws that properly should be initiated by Congress. This will be enough business for Day One of my first 100 days. And I promise you this: On the 100th day of my administration, America will be ... pretty much indistinguishable from what it is today. Would you, my over-excited countrymen, really want it any other way? Would you really want to live in a nation that can be substantially changed in a matter of a few months by a hyperactive government? For efficiency, and to minimize unnecessary folderol, I am going to take a minute right now to deliver my first and last State of the Union address. It is this one sentence: Things are much better than they once were slavery? gone; the Oregon Trail? replaced by the Interstate Highway System but things could be better. There. Wasn't that less disagreeable than the annual midwinter prime-time pep rally that presidents stage because of the Constitution's blurry mandate that the president "shall from time to time give to the Congress information" about the country's condition? How quaint. As though Congress is interested in information. After today's lunch, Congress should try nibbling at the edges of our problems, many of which Congress created to please you, the clamorous people. To you I say: We have nothing to fear but your insufficient fear of what has been done on your behalf and at your behest. In the 2016 "contest of opinion through which we have passed" Thomas Jefferson's decorous description, at his first inauguration, of the ferocious 1800 campaign a trillion words were spoken, approximately none about the public's appetite for unfunded government entitlement programs. If you want the United States to be Puerto Rico writ large or, even worse, Illinois just stay the course you are on. In words Lincoln spoke at his first inauguration, the nation's fate is "in your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine." George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com. SHARE By Kathleen Parker CHARLESTON, S.C. On rare occasions, Americans coalesce around a common cause, usually following some calamity a terrorist attack, a natural disaster or, say, during a presidential election. Take today. Or rather, take the past several months during which Americans have begun to face the likely probability that they'll elect a president they don't much like. Polls suggest as much, as do my own conversations with strangers, family and friends, from which I've deduced the following: When it comes to whom they'll select for their next president, most Americans are stranded in a political no man's land. "What are we going to do?" people keep asking me. Obviously, the Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump bases are as un-confounded as ever. Hillary Clinton has her usual camp, including half of women voters. But a vaster number of people who identify as independent or moderate or recently have become so thanks to the past year's cannibalizing circus are dissatisfied with both presumptive nominees. The adage that our presidential election is a nose-pinching exercise or a choice between lesser evils doesn't approach the rising level of ennui flooding the American street. I would characterize this larger constituency as also including people who, though they may lean left or right, suffer a greater revulsion to the political moment than to a single candidate, though there's plenty of revulsion to go around. To the extent that the remaining candidates are central to the current environment of anger, paranoia and, in some cases, violence, all are equally unappealing. And, seriously, could we stop yelling? There is only one candidate for whom this middle bloc of voters could reasonably stomach voting. Given that Trump is such an unpleasant character and, by virtue of his own statements, unqualified to lead the most powerful nation on Earth; and given that Sanders wants to create a nation that most Americans wouldn't recognize; be it resolved that the saner choice is Clinton (notwithstanding everything you hate about her). Hence the malaise that passeth all understanding. If only by default, Clinton holds the higher ground. That even many Democrats find her unappealing and others wouldn't like her if she reversed climate change, saved every beast and bog from extinction or ruin, and cured cancer with a single pill is understood. As lightning rods go, she has no peer. Cavemen could have invented electricity had she been nearby. Add to her well-known list of public concerns a lack of transparency, perceived deceptions, those emails, Benghazi and the current FBI investigation a potentially more damning development: Her pivot to the left. This was made necessary, of course, by Sanders' anthem of class warfare, but as Clinton pirouetted stage left, she added another layer of doubt to the disenfranchised middle, gave progressives another reason to question her loyalty to their goals, and made it more difficult for Trump-repelled conservatives to consider her as acceptable alternative. One might wish South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham's quip about a contest between her and Trump were correct. More or less, he said corrupt beats crazy every time. But even Graham has surrendered, locking arms in the Trump parade. "Party before Clinton" has prevailed as well among most of the stop-Trump crowd, a fleeting movement among a handful of GOP "formers." For Clinton to prevail over Trump, she'll need to win over Sanders' supporters, a dimming prospect at the moment, as well as the vast middle where mortals roam in wounded unity. But support among the latter depends on the answer to a tricky question: Is she really as liberal as she's promising to be, or is she faking? Trump-leaning voters face the same challenge: Is he really as awful as he seems, or has he just been bluffing? Given the high stakes, a contest between a scheming fake and a dangerous bluffer inspires little confidence and possibly little interest in voting. To the plea what are we going to do? the correct answer is, of course, vote. The high ground may be more molehill than mountain, but it still beats the gutter. Contact Kathleen Parker at kathleenparker@washpost.com. SHARE By Matt Welch Get over it, #NeverTrumpers. No amount of praying for a political unicorn to inhabit Bill Kristol's renegadeparty.com can overcome the cruel logic of the electoral calendar, with its expired filing deadlines and hopelessly uphill signature-gathering requirements. There's only one non-Republican or Democratic entity likely to be on the ballot in all 50 states come November, and that's the Libertarian Party, which selects its presidential nominee in Orlando this weekend. Politico reported Wednesday that an unnamed anti-Trump schemer (I'm guessing rhymes with "Shill Pistol") said there was "a 50-50 chance" that one of either Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Wyo., or Mitt Romney would agree on an independent run by maybe some time the following week. When that Hail Mary inevitably fails, the LP will have already popped the first corks on what promises to be its most intensely scrutinized convention in the party's 45-year history. For the majority of non-Beltway Americans who prudently maintain unfavorable opinions of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the Libertarian candidate is certain to advocate several welcome policies that neither major-party nominee will touch with a 10-foot pole. In a political year that has broken one precedent after another, the LP may well shatter its previous record of 1.1 percent of the vote. Fiscal conservatives anxious about the country's $19 trillion debt will be happy to hear that all three leading Libertarian contenders former New Mexico Republican Gov. Gary Johnson (who was the party's 2012 nominee, pulling 1.0 percent), antivirus software designer John McAfee and 35-year-old libertarian media entrepreneur Austin Petersen want to eliminate large swaths of the federal government. Those alarmed by Trump's cavalier approach to the Constitution will notice Petersen waving around a pocket-sized copy while Johnson talks up repeal of the 17th Amendment. Progressives who dig Sen. Bernie Sanders' opposition to drug prohibition and military interventionism issues on which Clinton has been awful for decades can rest assured that the Libertarian Party embraced these positions decades ago. Johnson as governor in 1999 became the first major American politician to come out for ending the drug war; McAfee's core message is that "our bodies and minds belong to ourselves," and Petersen dreams of a world in which "gay married couples can defend their marijuana fields with fully automatic machine guns." As that last quote attests, the Libertarian message can sound jarring to those accustomed to the political status quo, not least because of the, shall we say, colorful track record of the messengers. McAfee, who seems to have taken Dos Equis' "Most Interesting Man in the World" ad campaign as a personal dare, was wanted for questioning in Belize in connection with the alleged murder of his neighbor, is married to a former sex slave that he rescued (according to his account, anyway; he delights in pulling reporters' chains), and is frequently accused in the tech press of making extravagant some might say fraudulent claims to publicize his companies. Petersen comes off like an eager libertarian dudebro on the make, an impression furthered by his extensive and occasionally ribald footprint on social media. Even the comparatively staid Johnson has gotten weirder with age, launching a pot business between presidential runs and rhapsodizing recently to the Wall Street Journal about driving while stoned back in the day. Major-party veterans, even ones currently proclaiming disgust with the 2016 nominees, are likely to cite such LP eccentricities as deal breakers. This justification should not be afforded undue respect. In a race between a joyless machine politician under FBI investigation for misconduct in office and a one-man branding scheme who brags of never losing his fan base even if he commits murder in broad daylight, Republican and Democratic grotesqueries make the LP excess look like child's play. Unless McAfee (who is undeniably charismatic) ends up winning the nomination. With nearly six more months of Trump vs. Hillary in front of us, many Americans will be grasping for anything that looks and talks different. And rightly so. There are more ideological flavors in the United States than nannying, big-government liberalism vs. bullying, big-government conservatism. There has never been a stable major-party home for that vast expanse of America that describes itself as "fiscally conservative and socially liberal," and probably won't be until we start voting for people and parties who better represent our values. So hello, Orlando. If not Belize. Matt Welch is the editor in chief of Reason and a contributing writer to the Los Angeles Times' opinion section, where this first appeared. Google Spaces is an innovative social service that can give you unprecedented control over your conversations, but only if you know how to use it. Google last week announced a slew of new products, services and initiatives, including Allo, Android N, Assistant, Daydream, Duo, Home and Instant Apps. Nearly all of them are "catch-up" products -- Google's versions of products that other companies have already shipped. And all of them are coming out later in the year. But one Google announcement alone is both unique and currently available: Google Spaces. The Spaces launch inspired confusion and criticism. After all, why launch a social service when Google already has Google+, Hangouts and social features inside many of its other services, such as YouTube (not to mention the new social products unveiled last week at Google I/O)? Does the world really need another social product? Some users complained about the unusual user interface, the difficulty in finding specific threads in a conversation and other quibbles. I agree with these complaints. Nothing is perfect, but Spaces is the best service I'm aware of for specific kinds of conversations. Besides, the online commenters who respond to "Yet Another Social Service" with a reflexive gnashing of the teeth are missing a central fact about Spaces. Spaces is not like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google+, Pinterest or any of the rest. Its purpose is not for you to devote your online life to it or reject it as a threat to your chosen social religion. You can use Spaces once a year or once a minute, if you want to, and there's no benefit or penalty to using it more or less than that. The best way to think about Spaces is that it's Slack lite. Spaces is to Slack what Keep is to Evernote. Best of all, there's no sign-up process. Launching into Spaces The most unusual feature of Spaces is that you don't have to sign up for anything. Simply using your regular, generic Google password enables you to create and participate in Spaces conversations. (Note that the service is called Spaces -- with an uppercase S and plural. When you create a discussion area, the area is called a space -- with a lowercase s and singular). The desktop-browser version of Spaces feels like a messaging app on the left and your own private Twitter on the right. To create a space, you simply click on the "Create a space" plus sign. Once a space has been created, there are two basic views. One is the space view, which looks like a chat app. In the desktop version, it appears on the left side of your screen. Posts and comments appear in round-corner bubbles. The other view is your Activity stream, which is like your own private Twitter. In the desktop version, it appears on the right side of your screen. In the mobile version, the Activity stream auto-refreshes without any action on your part. In the desktop version, you have to click the refresh button, which is a round arrow above the stream. Spaces is not a social network. Nobody can follow you as a person, and you can't follow other people. You have to invite people from outside Spaces. This absence of social following highlights one of the benefits of Spaces: You don't "post" something and hope the members of a social network find it or mark it as liked. You're not in some ego-driven competition for followers. It's not about creating viral content, because there's no place for your content to go. Also: There are no celebrities, trolling, shaming, uninvited participants or any of the other annoying features of major social sites, including and especially Twitter. To invite people to chat, click on the INVITE link at the top of both the desktop and mobile versions. The options you'll get are "Copy link," "Email" and "Facebook." (That's right! Facebook is a sharing option but Google+ is not!) The "Copy link" option is how you share on literally any social network, messaging app or any other medium that conveys text. For example, I've created a space exclusively for readers of this column, which will be posted nowhere but right here. (This space is not for comments about the column itself; it's for you to try Spaces out. Please post comments about this column below.) To post a comment, simply click on the "Share something in this space" item, choosing the link icon, photo icon or text icon, depending on what you intend to post. Those are the basics of Google Spaces. Now let's get into the pro tips for really taking advantage of this new medium. Use the mobile Spaces app as a search app and YouTube client You probably launch Google searches from your phone using either your mobile browser or the Google app. You probably watch YouTube using the YouTube app. Stop using those apps and start using the Spaces app instead. The big blue Spaces button in the center of the bottom of the Spaces mobile app brings you to a Google Search page. It's just like the Google Search app, but when you tap through to the result, you'll find that blue Spaces icon, which is now on the bottom right. By tapping on it, you're given the option to share the page with any of your spaces, or to create a new space. At the bottom of that Search page are four icons -- the usual suspects (link, picture and text) plus one more: YouTube. By tapping on the YouTube icon, you can go to and use YouTube just like you can on the YouTube app. But, again, the Spaces share button remains at bottom right. Bonus feature: The Spaces Search page retains a history of all the links you've posted for easy referral -- a kind of automatic bookmarking in icon form. Use Spaces as a place to have Twitter conversations It's frustrating to converse on Twitter because of the 140-character limit. By creating a space for each Twitter thread, you can have a real conversation, take all the "space" you need, and post pictures, videos, links and more to augment the words. Google's Project Ara modular smartphone is coming to developers soon, but it's lost a key part of its customization vision along the way. Developers will be able to get their hands on an early release version of Ara by the end of this year, to begin building custom hardware modules for the device, Google announced at its I/O conference Friday. The modules will allow users to customize their phones with hardware like cameras, speakers, and even a rear-facing display. Ara's initial philosophy was to serve as a wholly modular smartphone, which would allow users to customize all of the phone's components, including its processor, battery, network connectivity, and screen. Now, many of those components will be integrated into the Ara "frame," which will still retain space for some customization. This means that users won't be able to buy one frame that acts solely as a network hub between modules and then continually upgrade it with new processors, network chips, and more. But the process of setting up and maintaining an Ara phone will likely be easier for everyday users who won't have to worry about accidentally leaving their cellular data connection at home by removing a network module. Last year, Google announced that its Project Ara smartphone pilot in Puerto Rico had ended as the company was re-evaluating what it wanted to do with the initiative. This revamped frame appears to be the result. It still stays true to the idea of Ara as a heavily customizable phone -- the frame has room for up to six custom modules -- but simplifies the product. Consolidating all of the phone components of an Ara device into the frame reduces its customizability, but provides several benefits, like giving users a slim, integrated phone experience with room for them to add specific functionality they can't get from general-purpose consumer phones. Developers can apply to be part of the Project Ara beta here. Google asks that all applicants describe what they want to do with one of the test units, meaning people who just want to take one of the devices for a spin will likely be turned away. Looking forward, Google plans to release other Ara frames, and those won't necessarily resemble smartphones. We might even see an Ara tablet on the horizon. Ara isn't the only Android phone banking on customization. LG's new G5 lets users swap out the bottom of the phone to get different functionality, but it doesn't have nearly as many slots for enhancement as Ara does. More personal computers powered by Google's Chrome OS shipped in the U.S. during the first quarter than those running Apple's OS X in the same period, IDC confirmed Friday. "Chrome PCs overall, including Chrome desktop units like the Chromebox, out-shipped all Apple personal computers, desktop plus notebook, in the U.S. for Q1," said Jay Chou, one of several IDC analysts who track device shipments, in an email reply to questions. Chromebooks, the inexpensive notebooks that run Chrome OS, also out-shipped Apple's MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks in the U.S. The first-quarter battle wasn't even close, according to the notebook-only shipment numbers Chou provided. Apple shipped an estimated 1.17 million Mac notebooks in the U.S. during the first three months of 2016; IDC said 1.6 million Chrome OS notebooks shipped in the same span. In other words, 37% more Chromebooks shipped than Mac notebooks. Last week, Tom Warren of The Verge reported that Chrome OS hardware had out-shipped OS X-equipped Macs after speaking with one of Chou's colleagues. Subsequently, numerous other outlets, including blogs and mainstream media websites, picked up Warren's report. IDC's shipment data for Chrome OS and OS X systems were estimates generated using information from vendors and Asian component suppliers. Google, which developed Chrome OS, does not reveal shipment numbers: Most Chromebooks originate from third-party OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), including Acer, Asus, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo. And although Apple disclosed global Mac sales in its April 26 earnings call with Wall Street, it did not break down that figure by geographic region. That IDC's numbers were estimates only was clear when comparing the research firm's forecast to Apple's stated sales for the first quarter. Prior to April 26 -- when Apple said it had sold 4.03 million Macs worldwide -- IDC had projected global Mac shipments at 4.47 million, or about 10% too high. Chromebooks have sold primarily to educational organizations, particularly K-12 schools, because of their low price and easy manageability. "People buy Chromebooks because they're looking for the cheapest device," said Bob O'Donnell, formerly of IDC but now an independent analyst and the founder of Technalysis Research, in an interview Friday. O'Donnell characterized schools as "price sensitive" to explain their leaning toward Chromebooks. Meanwhile, Mac sales contracted by 12% in the first quarter when compared to the same period in 2015, the second largest decline in nine years. The Mac ASP (average selling price) in the first quarter was $1,266, or four times as much as the average price of 30 different Chrome OS personal computers Google listed on its website. Microsoft has scaled back its Windows 10 release schedule to two feature upgrades annually, not the three per year it once said was its plan. The Redmond, Wash. company has hinted since November that it would cut back on the number of Windows 10 upgrades. That's when it began to refer to the schedule as "two to three times per year," rather than the solid three-times-a-year pace it had talked up before Windows 10's official release. But in a presentation at the WinHEC technical conference in Taiwan last month, Microsoft provided its hardware partners and third-party developers a more definitive release cadence for Windows 10. "Targeting twice per year with new capabilities," Microsoft said of Windows 10's servicing strategy in a slide presented by Chris Riggs, senior program manager, as part of a larger deck about "Windows as a Service" (WaaS) -- Microsoft's label for the new maintenance model. On another slide, Riggs laid out the schedule of each major upgrade: For the first four months after debut, each build will be pushed only to consumers and those businesses that have adopted the faster "Current Branch" (CB) release track. After its four-month life in the CB, the upgrade will be promoted to the "Current Branch for Business" (CBB), the track that companies are expected to assign to the bulk of their PCs. That build will be available to deploy and use for the next 12 months, with a 60-day grace period tacked to the end. The grace period gives businesses time to migrate to the next build before Microsoft pulls the patch plug on the predecessor, halting delivery of security updates and other bug fixes. In total, then, corporate PCs will run each CBB anywhere from 12 to 14 months, with the latter including the 2-month grace period. Microsoft issued the first Windows 10 upgrade to the CBB in mid-April, about five months -- not four -- after it began appearing on CB-assigned PCs. That build was designated "1511" to mark the year and month of its original launch. If Microsoft adheres to Riggs' schedule, businesses running Windows 10 1511 on the CBB will generally deploy and use it until April 2017 before beginning to shift to the next upgrade. They must wrap up their move off 1511 and onto its replacement by June 2017, or face a patch spring that's gone dry. Data: Microsoft The latest lifecycle for Windows 10's November 2015 upgrade, pegged as "1511," puts its end-of-support around June 2017. The follow-up to 1511, to be designated "1607" to mark its July 2016 release -- according to another WinHEC presentation, it will ship July 29 -- will thus launch about 8 months after 1511 and presumably hit the CBB pool of PCs in late November 2016. That timeline jibes with Riggs' presentation, as 1607 will reach CBB a year after the former build, 1511, landed on the CB. Meanwhile, this summer's 1607 build -- which Microsoft has been calling "Anniversary Update" -- would be supported with patches on the CBB track until January 2018. Data: Microsoft Windows 10 1511's successor, tagged "1607," should hit the Current Branch for Business in November and receive security updates until January 2018. Confused? It's actually a bit less bewildering than Microsoft's original timetable for Windows 10, which was to sport three feature upgrades annually, and so have even more builds active at any one time. There will still be multiple CBB editions active simultaneously, however. Riggs' timeline signaled an overlap between November 2016 and June 2017 when both 1511 and 1607 would be supported with security fixes. If Microsoft were to repeat its upgrade tempo of 2015 this year -- one in July, a second in November -- a smaller window between March 2017 and June 2017 would include three supported builds on the CBB, the latest stamped "1611" to mark its launch date. The latter seems unlikely. Speculation has been widespread that Microsoft will only issue one Windows 10 upgrade in 2016, then ship the next in the spring of 2017. In Riggs' presentation, the word "targeting" in the phrase "Targeting twice per year..." suggested as much; it implied that Microsoft would shoot for two annual upgrades but might not always meet the goal. The slower Windows 10 upgrade tempo is not completely unexpected. Two months ago, Gartner analyst Steve Kleynhans pointed out that the schedule was in flux, most likely because Microsoft realized it could not meet the original 3x pace, or that corporate customers were balking at a three-time-a-year cadence, or a combination of the two. At the time, Kleynhans said that if a slower schedule were adopted, "It's because that's what the market has ended up telling Microsoft." From what Microsoft told partners at WinHEC, it sounds like that market has spoken. The "Windows as a Service" presentation that Riggs presented at WinHEC can be downloaded from Microsoft's website. Hovering at entrance to the 30,000-square-foot ballroom, we are surprised to bump into David Camerons former policy chief Steve Hilton, now US-based. He greets us exuberantly but his wife Rachel Whetstone looks like shes swallowed a fly. She warms up when Hoey gets her talking about Brexit, saying she supports Out and wishes she could do more for the cause. Hilton keeps his powder dry but I know he was deeply unimpressed by Obamas intervention in the debate. So wrote Isabel Oakeshott in a Washington Diary for this site recently. She was on the money. Hilton was indeed keeping his powder dry, but today is out for Brexit with all guns blazing. The EU has become the institutional manifestation of almost everything I argue against in my book, More Human, he writes in todays Daily Mail. Its well worth reading the whole article, but at its core is this zinger of a sentence. These are issues that a reformed EU might address. I could certainly live with an imperfect EU that nevertheless showed some willingness towards dispersing, rather than centralising, power. But it is perfectly obvious to everyone, including Mr Cameron, that no such reorientation will ever be countenanced. Hilton thus makes the same case against the Prime Ministers deal that Christopher Howarth sets out this morning, in the opening piece of his series on ConservativeHome. Camerons former head of strategy was at the very heart of the modernising project. He was integral to the small team that worked for the Prime Ministers election as party leader in 2005. Whatever ones view of Hilton and this site believes that a lot of Coalition reform wouldnt have happened without him he cannot simply be written off as some crusty reactionary. Downing Street will feel sore but, given Hiltons radical disposition, not at all surprised. Over here, we salute the ultimate moderniser for Brexit. Our cleaner was called Edith, a name that is rarer now, and the year was 1975. I was 15, and Britain was set to vote whether to remain in or to leave the Common Market. My parents were for Remain. Edith was for Leave on the ground that she was British and the Common Market meant that Britain was losing its independence. My love was for my parents, but my sympathies were with Edith (on this matter, anyway). It was an insight into a certain idea of being British, of our national character being bound up with self-government, seen almost for the first time like Keats looking into Chapmans Homer. Forty long years have come and gone, and Edith is dead, but in some ways very little has changed. The Common Market has grown into the European Union. It is at once very strong to the degree that it makes almost two-thirds of our laws and rather weak, in the sense that it is not, at least yet, a fully federal state: its richer northern European members, such as Germany, are not obliged to transfer to its poorer southern ones, such as Greece, the funds that their common membership of the Euro suggests should be transferred. The consequence is poverty, unemployment, human misery, and the rise of demagogues, in a frightening echo of the 1930s. But were the EU stronger if that political, monetary and economic union were in place we wouldnt want to be bound by it, anyway. It wouldnt suit the free-trading, internationalist, country that we are: both European and global. So the decision in this referendum is easy for me. But what is easy is not always simple, and so it proves to be in this case. I have never been able to see ever-closer union, as some Eurosceptics do, as a wickedness in itself, or the EU as an evil empire. Nationalism has worked well for us, but not for our neighbours. Until recently, the EU was a net plus for the continent a democratic home for those who had sweated under fascist colonels and communist dictators. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the economic and political price for self-government might be too high to pay. And we are being taken on a ghost train tour to persuade us that this is indeed so. George Osbornes claim that house prices will fall in the event of Brexit is one of the latest spooks employed to frighten us all out of our wits (or at least those of us who own our homes). I cant find a better response than that of Chris Giles, the economics editor of the emphatically pro-Remain Financial Times. The best that can be said for these housing claims is that they are educated guesses, he wrote. More likely, the numbers are just made up. But in any event, Osborne himself, together with David Cameron, have deftly pulled the rug from under their own case. They themselves threatened to leave the EU no fewer than seven times. If Brexit would really be so economically harmful, why were they prepared to carry it out? Nor should we be swayed by Treasury forecasts (not renowned for their accuracy), the IMF (which has not always been a friend of the Chancellor, suggesting in 2013 that he would cause a triple-dip recession), bureaucrats dependent on the Prime Ministers patronage for their jobs and salaries, or the generation of Conservative politicians that urged us to join the Euro. The political arguments are harder to compass necessarily so, since the future contains unknown unknowns, as Donald Rumsfeld put it, as well as the known ones. Nicola Sturgeon now has no majority in Scotland, and its people dont want a second referendum, but it would be a strange Unionist who was not troubled by the possibility of a second independence referendum in the event of a Leave vote. Then there is the knock-on effect on Northern Ireland, in which the nationalist minority is for Remain. Perhaps a Brexit vote would bring the EU to its senses, as Michael Howard believes. Or perhaps it would instead lash it into panic, to Putins diplomatic and political advantage. None the less, against these possibilites must be weighed a certainty that, if we vote for Remain, we will be drawn deeper into the EU project. We will be locked into a economic block with which the proportion of our trade is falling. We will risk bigger bills, EU taxes and bailouts, since Brussels will view a Remain vote as a green light for integration. We will certainly give up any prospect of control over about half of our immigration. The next stage in EU integration will be drawn from the Five Presidents Report. This looks forward perfectly rationally in its own terms to complete political union. Were hearing a lot about the risks of Leave. We should hear more about the risks of Remain. These are risks from which Camerons recent deal offers us not more but less protection than we had before. For as Peter Lilley has pointed out: the renegotiation surrendered Britains one remaining bargaining lever our right to give or withhold consent to future EU treaties (and some directives) required to convert the Eurozone into a Political Union. We could have used that leverage to get powers devolved to the UK in return for agreeing to Eurozone integration and to block measures harmful to us. The Prime Minister said that he would recommend a Remain vote on the basis of a reformed Europe. But there is no reformed Europe, and our position is now weaker than it was before. The vote takes place a month today, and I will keep faith with Edith. If Remain wins, I suspect that surprisingly few of those who voted Leave will admit so in the aftermath. But that will not be so six months after such a vote, if it happens, by which time the measures that Brussels is holding back will have been released. Perhaps Britain is a bit like a man in a room. It is growing darker: outside is sunlight, a spring breeze, open country. The man has put on a bit of weight: squeezing through that door is perfectly possible, but would be rather uncomfortable. I doubt that we are up for the effort, but still hope to be pleasantly surprised. Close Rumors regarding Microsoft's much-anticipated premium Surface phone has been making rounds for quite some time now. Latest rumors suggest Microsoft Surface Phone release date has been pushed to early 2017. The smartphone was previously rumored to arrive in the second half of 2016. According to Christian Daily, the smartphone's release date has been delayed due to the Kaby Lake processor. Kaby Lake is said to be the next-generation processor by Intel. The upcoming Microsoft Surface phone is rumored to run the new mobile operating system, Windows 10 Mobile, which is expected to get released sometime later this year. The handset is expected to be rolled out after Surface Book 2 and the Surface Pro 5 release. As far as the Microsoft Surface phone specifications are concerned, the handset is rumored to come with some mind-blowing features that will make the phone stand out among its rivals, including the much awaited Apple iPhone 7. Meanhile, the next generation iPhone is expected to boast the same kind of look and design as its predecessors, the upcoming Surface phone is likely to get an all metal look. The handset is rumored to be rolled out in three different variants. While, the consumer version may feature a 5.5-inch screen, the pro models are most likely to come with a full 6-inch screen, according to Tampa Bay Review. It is expected that the Surface Phone would come with a Kickstand, which is also available on the Surface Tablet. As per reports, Microsoft is eyeing to include Intel's Atom processors on its upcoming Surface Phones. The consumer variant is believed to have 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage while the advanced version is said to have 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The high-end pro model may feature 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB internal storage. The handset is expected to feature a 21-megapixel main camera and a powerful 8-megapixel selfie camera. However, it is likely that the camera features will differ among the three models. The price range of Surface Phone models is expected to vary between $700 and $1,200, according to Tech Times. We advise our readers to take the information with a grain of salt as the software giant has not officially announced anything yet. Stay tuned with us to get more updates on the Microsoft Surface Phone specs, release date and price. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close One unique part of the human body that has left many agog is the nose. The kind of nose that people nowadays have will be different from that of others though no one really cared about such. Its mold is usually tied up to something based on care and practice. That includes taking shape based on the way we sleep (i.e. face down) while tie it up to the way people squeeze and pull it particularly when it becomes irritating. These are all folklore and science is still the best way to render a better explanation. A study from the University College London may have a better explanation through this study which was published on the journal Nature Communications. Researchers pointed out four genes that may have influenced the pointiness of the human nose. That includes GLI3, RUNX2, DCH2 and PAX1 which were arrived at after studying a group of 6,000 people originating from Columbia, Peru, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. The group analyzed and created 3D reconstruction of the facial features of 3,000 facial participants and it was here where they were able to pin down the four key genes tied up with the nose shape. But genes are not the only one believed to be behind the nose shapes. Climate is also seen as another factor, with reference to temperature and the actual moisture from the air. All of this was part of a previous study that came out in 2011 that suggested climate as having a role in the shape of facial features. Researchers compared 100 skulls from ten groups living in five different climates. According to a recent study, people from colder climates had narrower nasal passages, which provided more contact between air and mucosal tissue warming and humidifying it in the process. Few studies have looked at how normal facial features develop and those that have only looked at European populations, which show less diversity than the group we studied. What weve found are specific genes which influence the shape and size of individual features, which hasnt been seen before, explains Dr. Kaustubyh Adhikari from UCL Cell & Developmental Biology. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close The new age of wearables have brought up a lot of possibilities, something most used these days to track their weight and heart-related concerns. Accuracy have sometimes been questioned though the fact of it all is that it opens up an advanced way to stay healthy. Speaking of monitoring, a new wearable from BACtrack may offer something worth monitoring. The company located in San Francisco won a US government-sponsored competition with its alcohol-monitoring device which is simply worn on the wrist. Their solution took home the $200,000 top prize in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Wearable Biosensor Challenge better known as the BACtrack Skyn. The new solution stands called the BACtrack Skyn to be a major breakthrough as it measures blood alcohol levels done through an individuals sweat. The device has yet to be presented to the Food and Drug administration though the things that it could do offer something worth watching out for. "It can help doctors accurately measure a patient's drinking history, and not just depend on the most recent tests," said Dr. George Koob, head of the NIH's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "This can help a lot with the treatment." The call for such a technology has long been yearned for, something that could improve the devices used by law enforcement, medical and transportation groups to date. Nowadays, blood alcohol levels are measured with the aid of portable breath alcohol testers (PBTs). With the BACtrack Skyn, concerned groups may finally get the advanced solution for such issues not to mention something that people may eventually want to wear. Despite the new technology, the wearable does have a bit of limitations such as taking the place of breathalyzers or actual blood tests needed by authorities. According to BACtrack president Keith Nothacker, the device would need about 45 minutes for ethanol to be transmitted through the skin and that the device is designed to provide a recent history of alcohol use. For the device to expand its use, more improvements will be needed. For the company, this is not the first time that they have dipped their hand at addressing the alcohol-related issues. In 2013, the company did come out with the BACtrack Mobile Breathalyser, something that needs smartphone syncing to properly track blood alcohol content. Will this new blood-alcohol monitoring wearable be a step in the right direction that can curb down alcohol-related incidents? See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Make Serving In War An Option, Not An Order By Kristin Y. Christman 23 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org Josef Beno didn't want to go to war. A Czech, he didn't want to kill his fellow Slavs, the Russians. A father, he didn't want to leave his starving family unprotected. But the year was 1915 and Austria-Hungary was rounding up men and boys to serve in the war. Those who resisted were shot. After hiding for a year, Josef was captured for conscription. He escaped, only to be captured by Russians and marched to Siberia. As the story goes, troops received injections by needle to make them aggressive. Perhaps it was merely a tale to explain a father's changed temper, for upon returning home, Josef physically abused his wife and children, including his daughter, my grandmother. So women have gained equal rights to serve in combat. The top officials of the Army and Marine Corps earlier this year told Congress that women should register for the draft, and a bill to that effect is to be debated this month. But equal rights implies rights to greater freedom of will, not less. And while one can apply for conscientious objector status, this leaves one's fate with a judge. It is now men who must gain equal rights with women, be freed from registration, and engage in war only by choice. Military service should not be dressed up as sacred responsibility if irresponsible policy entangles us in war. When conscription was proposed prior to the 1812 U.S. invasion of Canada, an enraged Rep. Daniel Webster argued: "Where is it written in the Constitution ... that you may take children from parents, and parents from their children, and compel them to fight the battles of any war in which the folly or the wickedness of government may engage it?" Do we truly care for our boys? It's hard enough for boys to endure an imbalanced childhood of overdone schooling. School staff can be wonderful and academics can be meaningful, but academic overkill can abort one's desire to ever read or write again as it represses biological and spiritual needs for adventure, movement, play, conversation, free thoughts, sleep, and fresh air. And then, at 18 years, to surrender the ultimate freedom, the right to live and let live, is, as Webster noted, blatant hypocrisy in a nation labeled free. If "no taxation without representation" so stirred American revolutionists, why do Americans accept being taxed and potentially drafted for wars over which we've no vote, no hearings, no congressional dialogue? What was the point of school? To help us participate thoughtfully in democracy? Or to silence our minds and make us submissive? To create a repressed population eager to blame frustrations on foreigners? Military registration threatens freedom far worse than gun registration. So why is military registration silently accepted while gun registration protest makes headlines? Or do folks plan to use their assault weapons against the draft board? If males don't register, they're ineligible for federal college loans, federal jobs, and a New York driver's license. Just as selfish greed for resources can steer our external policies, venal selfishness is shamelessly bred by internal policies that bait males to accept killing in exchange for financial rewards and possible careers. Ironically, draft proponents claim conscription is character-building; they see nothing selfish about killing as a means of building character. They don't see that the rest of us are building character in other ways. President George W. Bush once remarked, "I do believe there is the image of America out there that we are so materialistic, that we're almost hedonistic, that we don't have values, and that when stuck, we wouldn't fight back." But being willing to kill and be killed isn't a healthy, non-hedonist sign of morality, and thirst for shallow pleasure doesn't drive the anti-war movement. President Gerald Ford abolished military registration in 1973, but President Jimmy Carter revived it in 1980 during Afghanistan's civil war in which Soviet-backed Marxists fought U.S.-backed fundamentalist mujahideen. Fear, ignorance, greed, "folly and wickedness" convinced U.S. policymakers to use foreigners' internal conflicts to pursue their own game of superpower rivalry for wealth and power. Even foreign efforts to help workers and the poor were labeled "communist" by the U.S. and sabotaged. Decades of unpublicized controversy existed in government over the Cold War policies that many recognize today as small-minded. But why should U.S. males continue to pay the price and serve as a safety net for U.S. foreign policymakers' failures? Like a hero struggling impressively to escape danger and grasp some hard-to-reach branch that's the strenuous effort government should be exerting to pursue non-violent conflict resolution. Instead, government shirks its responsibilities and dwells upon which military strategy to pursue. U.S. errors unnecessarily precipitating war include refusing to negotiate unless enemies obey U.S. pre-conditions, one-sided authoritarian negotiation, ignoring opponents' perspectives, discounting their fears, snubbing indigenous non-violent movements, opportunistically taking sides in others' conflicts, sending weapons, and covertly instigating conflict. The obvious question: Should U.S. troops be required to fight wars precipitated by U.S. policymakers' failures and aggravated by an unrepresentative breed of Americans in power who obsessively prize wealth and control? Or is this an undemocratic abuse of troops? With the refreshing exception of Green Party candidate Jill Stein, today's presidential candidates uphold the killing approach. But instead of sacrificing lives in some primitive rite upon Earth's altar, can't candidates sacrifice time to read books about foreign perspectives? Couldn't the Democratic and Republican parties follow the Green Party's lead and sacrifice allegiance to war-prone, wealth-oriented donors? While some believe in the power of blood sacrifice to solve problems, it would be more practical for U.S. leaders to sacrifice time and ego to develop cooperative negotiation skills, sacrifice their addiction to sending arms, and sacrifice those murky pecuniary goals lurking behind war's stated goals. Government had no right to force Josef Beno to fight 100 years ago, and it has absolutely no right to demand that our sons register and prepare for blood sacrifice today. No one has the right to such power over another being. So let's move beyond blood sacrifice and make the practical sacrifices that truly resolve conflict. Kristin Y. Christman has degrees in Russian and public administration and is author of Taxonomy of Peace. https://sites.google.com/site/paradigmforpeace First published in Albany Times Union Religious Zealots Ready For Takeover Of Israeli Army By Jonathan Cook 23 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org Nazareth: In a surprise move, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week forced out his long-serving defence minister, Moshe Yaalon. As he stepped down, Yaalon warned: Extremist and dangerous elements have taken over Israel. He was referring partly to his expected successor: Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, whose trademark outbursts have included demands to bomb Egypt and behead disloyal Palestinian citizens. But Yaalon was also condemning extremism closer to home, in Netanyahus Likud party. Yaalon is to take a break from politics. With fitting irony, his slot is to be filled on Likuds backbenches by Yehuda Glick, a settler whose struggle to destroy Jerusalems al-Aqsa mosque and replace it with a Jewish temple has the potential to set the Middle East on fire. Israeli commentators pointed out that, with Liebermans inclusion, the government will be the most extreme in Israels history again. French prime minister Manuel Valls, who began a visit to the region on Saturday, is likely to face an impregnable wall of government hostility as he tries to drum up interest in a French peace plan. Less noticed has been the gradual and parallel takeover of Israels security institutions by those espousing the ideology of the settlers known in Israel as the national-religious camp. None of this is accidental. For two decades the settlers have been targeting Israels key institutions. Under Netanyahus seven-year watch as prime minister, the process has accelerated. Naftali Bennett, leader of the settler party Jewish Home and education minister, recently boasted that the national-religious camp, though only a tenth of the population, held leadership positions in all realms in Israel. One such success for Bennett is Roni Alsheikh who was appointed police chief late last year. He was a long-time resident of Kiryat Arba, one of the most violent settlements in the occupied territories. The forces most recent campaign, Believing in the police, is designed to recruit more religious hardliners. Behind the programme are settler-politicians who have called Palestinians sub-human and expressed sympathy for those who burnt to death a Palestinian family, including a baby, last summer. The other security agencies are being transformed too. Religious nationalists now hold many of the top posts in the Shin Bet intelligence service and the Mossad, Israels spy agency. In the army too, the settlers are today heavily over-represented in the officers corps and combat units. For more than a decade their rabbis have dominated the armys education corps, invoking Gods will on the battlefield. But, despite these rising tidewaters, Israels traditional secular elite mostly of European extraction have desperately clung on to the top rungs of the army command. Netanyahu bitterly resents their continuing control. They stood in his way at two momentous occasions, as he tried to overturn the Oslo accords in the late 1990s and to bomb Iran five years ago. In a bid to curb their influence, Netanyahu tried to promote the religious Yair Naveh as military chief last year, but was blocked by the top brass. Liebermans arrival as defence minister, however, may mark a turning point. In some ways, less is at stake than Yaalons hyperbolic warning suggests. For decades the secular generals have been in charge of an occupation that has crushed the rights of Palestinians and caged them into ever-smaller holding pens. These generals have been just as cruel as the religious officers replacing them. Nonetheless, the reverberations of this quiet revolution should not be ignored. The old elites have lived off the fat of the land in the kibbutz, Israels spacious farming communities built on the ruins of hundreds of Palestinian villages ethnically cleansed in 1948. After the 1967 war, the kibbutz-generals happily exported the same model of industrial-scale theft of Palestinian land to the occupied territories. But their security obsessions were ultimately rooted in Israel, where they fear having to account for the crimes of 1948 from which they profited. Their abiding nightmare is a right of return to Israel of the lands original owners Palestinian refugees today numbering in the millions. The religious camps priorities are different. The lands they defend most passionately are not in Israel but in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. That is where many live and where the holy places that sanctify their territorial greed are located. The spread of this zealotry into the army has deeply discomfited its more liberal elements. In recent years, small numbers of whistleblowers have emerged, from military intelligence unit 8200 through to a group called Breaking the Silence. The recent video of an execution of a badly wounded Palestinian by army medic Elor Azaria and the outpouring of public support in Israel for him has only intensified these tensions. This month the armys deputy head, Yair Golan, compared Israel to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Lieberman, meanwhile, is Azarias most vocal supporter. The goal of the religious nationalists is undisguised: to remove the last restraints on the occupation, and build a glorious, divinely ordained Greater Israel over an obliterated Palestinian society. That means no hope of a peaceful resolution of Israels conflict with the Palestinians unless it is preceded by a tumultuous civil war between Israels secular and its religious Jews. A version of this article first appeared in the National, Abu Dhabi Jonathan Cook won the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His latest books are Israel and the Clash of Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the Middle East (Pluto Press) and Disappearing Palestine: Israels Experiments in Human Despair (Zed Books). His website is www.jonathan-cook.net Sex , Sexuality And Sex Education In Punjab in 21st Century By Dr Sunny Sandhu 23 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org Punjab is a predominantly patriarchal agrarian society . Men head the family and women playing a subordinate role . Sikhism and Hinduism are the major religions , with Muslims and Christians as Minorties . What are Punjabis thoughts on Sex , Sexuality , Transgender and Homosexuality ? Punjabi people are deeply religious and religion dictates sexual attitudes . Kam / Lust is an enemy and has to be controlled . Marriage is the culturally accepted institution in which sex can be practised . Religious upbringing keeps Sex as primarily procreation activity and abhors the pleasure side of it .Premarital sex is not accepted by society , young punjabis are often humiliated for having premarital relationships and are blamed for bringing dishonour to the family . Transgenders are not accepted in mainstream society and have to live on the fringes reduced to beggars dancing and singing on weddings and birth ceremonies . Fate of homosexuals is not good either , Homosexuality is a taboo subject . In the mainstream media we read a lot about Child sexual abuse , Molestation , Kidnapping , Rape , Honour Killings , Lovers on the Run , Vulgarity , Eve Teasing , Acid attacks by dejected lovers .Rarely do we hear or read about good scientific sexual education being taught and respect to alternative sexuality . In our own day to day life how many homosexuals , transgender do we know or are friends with . Do we allow our young adults to practice their sexuality in a healthy manner ? According to the Indian penal code , Sexual intercourse below the age of 16 even with consent is considered rape . Is this law not creating unjustified fear ? Cant teenagers be taught to live healthy sexual attitudes from the the time of puberty ? Are teenagers above the age of 16 free to practice their sexuality in a comfortable manner ? Are they free to be in love and be loved ? Homosexuality is considered illegal when scientific research shows 1 in 20 individuals will have homosexual behaviour . Sex and sexuality remain a taboo subject . Society continues to feel that there is something wrong in talking about Sex .Teenagers live misunderstood about their sexual feelings , which often leads to abnormal sexual behaviour . It has created a rather rebellious, violent and vulgar form of sexual culture in our society . Human beings evolved from primates and grew in to societies and cultures . Our evolution is no longer merely physical but also cultural . Sex happens to be the most important but a very misunderstood activity . Sex from being a physical evolutionary reproductive force grew into a cultural evolutionary force with ability to enrich or destroy a society . In cultures where sexuality is respected in all forms , sense of harmony prevails . Individuals feel liberated , great energy is released in all domains of life , helping the nations/culture to be truly powerful and robust . Science and spiritual aspects of Sex have been deeply explored in India which lead to growth of science of Kokashastra , Tantra and Kamasutra in India. Dasam Granth written by Guru Gobind Singh in Chaitropkahyan chapters , mentions of Kokashastras and the different sexual postures conducted to achieve high states of orgasmic pleasures . It also talks about consumption of opium , bhang and wine and achieving sexual bliss with them . These chapters gives us a very important historical and cultural understanding about Sexuality in Punjab . Spirituality was pursued with an open understanding of Sex and Sexuality and consumption of Opium , bhang and wine was a part of society . Such writings for most of the Punjabis in the 21 st century appear to be shocking with SGPC/Government avoiding any debate on it . Modern Punjabi society seems to be in a crisis arising from misunderstanding towards Sex and Sexuality . First of all is the fixation for a male child which has lead to high rates of female foeticide in Punjab . for 893 females there are 1000 Men . These extra 107 men find difficult to find partners , are frustrated , prone to violent behaviours and drug abuse . Its also given rise to a new industry of buying wives from other states . Sex education is rather absent in schools . This further aggravates the situation as unhealthy sexual attitudes prevail in the society . Premartial sex is on the rise as the society is becoming increasingly westernised . Women are asserting themselves and are breaking patriarchal norms . More and more youth wish to have live in relationships , which is opposed to the traditional mindsets of society . While the law in India states that sex above the age of 16 is ok , culturally its hard to find openness to premarital sex . This is the grey zone where many myths are prevailing and where the drug epidemic and HIV/Hepatitis is being fuelled . Its high time for society to open itself to sex and sex education . Our mind has to be trained for the beauty and sanctity of the human body and sexual urges . Respect for all forms of sexual behaviour has to be encouraged and youth have to be taught about Safe Sex , which prevents unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases . By practising healthy sexual life , individuals will feel mentally and spiritually well . Having stable sexual relationships of ones choice is important for the growth of the individuals .According to medical science half part of the brain is male and other half is female , that is the masculine and feminine side . There is a sexuality which is going beyond the physical sexual organs . A physical male can be feeling like a female at times and the vice versa . This is close to what is sometimes described as the Aradhnareshwara in Indian Philosophy . In the Guru Granth Sahib there is an excerpt reflecting on the same philosophy - Nar mein Purakh , Purakh Mein Naar , Jaane So Brahmgyani . A new culture of Love beyond the physical has to be created without denying the physical sexual wants and tendencies . True artistic /creative expression stems form the feeling of equality of the sexual energies within oneself beyond the physical sex of the body Sexuality is a dynamic phenomenon and there are no fix interpretations to it . While heterosexuality is essential , Homosexuality also plays its own role in society. Homosexuality is not just about the act of anal penetration . Its about the whole aspect of an emotional bonding and relationships .Relationships are more about meaningful interactions , which bring an experience of being free . Society has to train itself to see meaningfulness of alternative sexuality and see divinity in all aspects of Sexual behaviour . I would like you to reflect on a very gay poem by sage Kabir a 14 th century saint . Lying beside you, Im waiting to be kissed. But your face is turned And youre fast asleep. Though a buzz saw on my neck Would sound sweeter than your snoring, Ill put my arms around you And whisper in your ear: I have one husband: you. You have one wife: me. Whos there to come between us? Beware, says Kabir, Of the man you love. He can be a tricky customer. Separate us? Pierce a diamond first. Were lotus And water, Servant And master. My love for you Is no secret. Im the grub To your ichneumon fly, The river To your sea, The borax To your gold, Heightening its effect. Tell me, wise one, How did I become A woman from a man? I never got married, Was never pregnant, But gave birth to sons. I fucked young men, Too numerous to count, And stayed a virgin. In a Brahmins house, I become a Brahmins wife; In a yogis, a lay yogini; In a Turks, I read the kalma And do as Turkish women do; And yet Im always alone Without a place to call home. Listen, saints, Kabir says, This is my body. I dont let My husband touch it Or anyone else. Excerpted from Songs of Kabir, translated from Hindi by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, NYRB/ Hachette India-Black Kite 2011 (bilingual Everyman Classics edition). Dr Sunny Sandhu MBBS , AIIMS . Musician . Environmentalist Israel Defense Minister Resigns: What Lies Ahead By Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava 23 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org Israel defense minister Moshe Bogie Ya'alon has resigned from the cabinet of Benjamin Netanyahu calling that extremists had taken government in grip. This is truthful revelation by a political leader who used to be hard about the Palestinians, now suddenly accuse the government of which he was in the senior position. There is some discontent within the country among the power elites about the way the Palestinian cause is being handled. There are two distinct group one favouring the establishment of Palestinian state in complete manner and the other group believes that is can never be allowed to happen. When the resigning defense minister Moshe Yaalon says that extremists now exercise the control over the government. Then his clear indication is towards those elements within the government establishment who are more coercive, hard and adamant not to grant the Palestinians their due rights. This is not a one day development as he had conflicts with the Netanyahu over the way; how the Palestinian issue should be dealt with. The extremist elements in the politics of Israel are not new. In fact Israel politics is full of contradictions. Usually coalition government assumes the power with the Likud party being in lead. It adopts the hard line towards the cause of the Palestinians due to electoral compulsions but the fractured political system also shows that in Israel a large section of the people is in support of the cause of the Palestinians but this is overruled by the hard liners. Now the resignation of the defense minister brings into light this particular aspect of the internal political processing of the Israel. There are people who have disliked and opposed the governments violent policies towards the Palestinian people, now defense minister is likely to emerge as their voices. He is capable of articulating their sentiments and it is also assumed that in due course he may float his own political party to fight the hard liners within the country. This becomes quite true that the government is keen to take more hard approach towards the Palestinians issue. After the departure of defense minister the political dynamics of the coalition government of Netanyahu may see an adverse impact on its survival. It is possibility that hawkish parties may join the coalition. This development if takes place may cause more hard attitude towards the Palestinians people. A fact which led to defense minister to leave the government who was keen to avoid the violence against the Palestinians and develop some sort of accommodation. This development has another impact as well. In Israel the military has its own place and role in the whole system of the governance. Due to belligerent nature of the state; military has assumed an important role in the country. The resigning defense minister also talked about it in more emphatic manner by saying that military leaders should speak their mind i.e. in more free manner. There is section in the army which is unhappy with the way Likud party acts. They are of the opinion that in due course it will lead to more violence and the state of Israel will turn into a coercive state to its neighbors. Recently Israels deputy armed forces head Major General Yair Golan said "If there's something that frightens me about Holocaust remembrance it's the recognition of the nauseating processes that occurred in Europe in general, and particularly in Germany, back then - 70, 80 and 90 years ago - and finding signs of them here among us today in 2016." (The Telegraph, 8 May 2016,www.telegraph.co.uk). He was making an analogy of Jewish state with the Hitlers fluid Nazi state Germany. Although he himself later backtracked from it. PM Netanyahu had also criticized the speech but one thing is clear that not everything is smooth and peaceful within the country. The issue of Al Aqsa mosque is still in public minds and the violence may erupt any time. These developments show that Israel is in the process of rethinking itself and in near future the role of the and military and others will become crucial. It is likely that replacement of the far right dispensation from the power may bring new positive developments for the Palestinians and the region as a whole. In this respect the start point for the resolution of the conflict between Israel and Palestine can be initiated from the plans of Manama declaration which was adopted in Manama on 24 January 2016, with the participation of Foreign Ministers of Arab States, Minister of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs Mrs. Sushma Swaraj and the Secretary General of the League of Arab States. The declaration emphasized the need to achieve a comprehensive and permanent solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of the international legitimacy resolutions, especially UN Security Council resolutions 242 of 1976 and 338 of 1973, the relevant UN resolutions, Madrid Peace conference of 1991 and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative in Beirut, in implementation of the two-state principle on the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestine State with East Jerusalem as its capital, living peace side by side with the State of Israel on the 1967 borders, within secure and recognized boundaries. Seeking a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian refugees cause in accordance with resolution 194 of the UN General Assembly and the Arab Peace Initiative, in a way that preserves security, stability and peace of all the countries in the region. There is now need for the present dispensation in Israel to rethink in more positive terms for the Palestinian people. The solution lies in the establishment of two nation concepts which will provide Palestinians much needed relief from persecution. The resignation of the defense minister may ignite the developments in that direction. Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava, presently Assistant Professor in CSJM University[affiliated college],Vice Chairman CSSP, Consultant CRIEPS, email: vpy1000@yahoo.co.in Mounting Demand For Special Protection Laws To Scribes By Nava Thakuria 23 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org As India witnessed the murder of three journalists this year (eight since Jan 2015), the demand for special protection laws to journalists on duty is also mounting. Protesting rigorously against the killing of two scribes in Bihar and Jharkhand this month, the media fraternity across the country rose to the occasion for a national action plan for safeguarding the media persons. The first incident of journalist murder this year took place in Uttar Pradesh, where a young scribe named Tarun Mishra was shot dead on 13 February 2016 at Gosaiganj locality in Sultanpur district. Mishra (32) used to work for a Hindi daily named Jan Sandesh Times and he was targeted for highlighting the illegal soil mining activities in his district. Three motorcycle riding miscreants shot at him near to his residential locality in Ambedkar Nagar and he succumbed to his severe injuries in the hospital. The second casualty was reported from Jharkhand, where a television news channel reporter was killed by the local goons. Two unidentified people targeted Indradev Yadav (also known as Akhilesh Pratap Singh) at Dewaria locality of Chatra district on the night of 12 May. Yadav (35), who used to work for Taaza News, faced the bullets in front of the village Panchayat office and died on his way to the hospital. Within 24 hours, the third case of journalist murder came to light from its neighboring State of Bihar. Unidentified gunmen shot at Rajdeo Ranjan on 13 May night at Siwan railway station locality. Engaged with the national Hindi newspaper Hindustan in a senior position, Ranjan (45) died in the hospital. A senior journalist with brave image, Ranjan earned enmity with local political goons for his reporting against those elements. Both the incidents created instant wave of protests in Ranchi as well as in Patna and then it spread to other parts of the country. Various local, national and international media (rights) bodies including the members of prestigious press clubs based in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata etc demonstrated their angers against the vicious attacks on scribes and demanded distinctive punishment to each & every single perpetrator of the crimes. Shashi Shekhar, the chief editor of Hindustan narrated in his column that journalism today is amongst the most dangerous professions in the world, but even though people get attracted to it, as the society needs truth and journalism is the most powerful medium to bring out that truth. We have made sacrifices and we will continue to do so, till it is necessaryThe first target of this struggle will be to bring the killers of Rajdeo Ranjan to book. Here I would like to thank friends in the media for their united stand on the issue.Believe me, we are nothing without your patronage. And we once again reaffirm our resolve to continue to be your voice, added the column. Even the information & broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley came out with a statement condemning the killings and twitted, I strongly condemn murder of journalists Rajdeo Ranjan in Siwan and Akhilesh Pratap Singh in Chatra district. Independent investigation may be instituted and guilty be punished. Both New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Paris based Reporters Without/Sans Borders (RSF) strongly condemned the killings and called for an authentic investigation into the incidents. They also expressed concerns that India is slipping down in the World Press Freedom Index for 2016 turning the largest democracy as one of the worst places for working journalists. Facing the heat of protests, the Jharkhand police arrested two persons suspecting their involvement in the killing of Yadav. According to the police the arrests were made on the basis of CCTV records, mobile call details and other relevant evidences. But adding worries to the Bihar government, Ranjans father Radha Chaudhary and wife Asha Devi demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to unearth the killers and they publicly declared that they had little faith in the local police. Many Bihar based journalists also asked for a CBI probe into Ranjans murder, which compelled the State chief minister Nitish Kumar to recommend for a CBI investigation to look into the affair. It may be mentioned that the robust media fraternity of the populous country lost five journalists namely Jagendra Singh (UP), Sandeep Kothari (Madhya Pradesh), Raghavendra Dube (Maharashtra), Hemant Yadav (UP) and Mithilesh Pandey (Bihar) fell to assailants last year. Shockingly, no one has been convicted in all cases. Lately the Press Council of India chairman justice (retired) Chandramouli Kumar Prasad came forward to strongly condemn the killing of scribes and urged the Centre to enact a special law for protection of journalists and speedy trial of cases of attacks & assaults on the media persons. Nearly 96 per cent of the cases of killing of journalists have not been taken to logical conclusion and are either languishing in the courts or in some cases, investigation reached dead-end in the last two decades, as reported by a Committee of the PCI, said the press council chairman. Earlier the northeast India based scribes also joined in the protest against the killing of journos in central Indian provinces. The representatives of various journalist organizations assembled in front of Guwahati Press Club on 16 May and demonstrated their angers. Covering their mouths with black clothes, the demonstrators also demanded stringent actions against the culprits. The Guwahati demonstrators also supported the move for special protection laws for the benefit of working journalists across the country and called upon the Union government in New Delhi to formulate a national action plan to safeguard the media persons, who pursue critical journalism for the interest of society, nation and the human race. Nava Thakuria is a senior journalist from Guwahati U.S., UK, And EU, Are Now Dictatorships By Eric Zuesse 23 May, 2016 Strategic-culture.org How can it be that in virtually all of the Presidential-candidate head-to-head Democratic versus Republican polling that was done of both Democratic and Republican candidates during the primaries, the preferred Democratic candidate against any one of the Republican candidates was Bernie Sanders, but he almost certainly wont be that Partys nominee (and theres more on that here); and the preferred Republican candidate against either one of the Democratic candidates was John Kasich, but he certainly wont be the Republican nominee? Sanders and Kasich also scored the highest in his respective Party for net favorability rating, but almost certainly neither candidate will even be on the ballot for voters on November 8th. What kind of democracy is this? How can it be that in UK, the Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair served as George W. Bushs lap-dog on the invasion of Iraq in 2003 to eliminate Saddams WMD (which didnt even exist) it wasnt a Conservative Prime Minister who did that extremely conservative (i.e., aggressive, invasion, especially on the basis of lies) thing? What kind of democracy is that? And how can it be that throughout the EU, the public are against GMOs, toxic chemicals such as Roundup or glyphosate, and toxic trade treaties such as TTIP, but the political leaders are pushing as hard as they can for all of those things? Thats the way to stay in public office? Not in a democracy. A dictatorship is a national government that rules the public, instead of being ruled by the public. There are various types of this, such as communist (workers dictatorship), fascist (corporate dictatorship), etc., but those are merely terminological fine points on basically the same terrible beast, and all variants of the beast have two classes of people: the aristocracy, who rule, and the public, who are ruled. No dictatorship has equality-of-rights before the law, because any type of dictatorship treats the aristocracy as being above the law, and legally unaccountable to the public when violating the law, and it treats the public as being arbitrarily (depending upon whether cooperative with the aristocrats, or not) fully accountable to the government (the aristocracy), for any violation of the law. (E.g.: the homeless go to jail, while banksters get bailed out.) The rulers are unseen in many dictatorships; those rulers are behind-the-scenes, unofficial, but the nominal rulers then are representatives of the aristocracy, theyre not actually representing the public. Unseen rulers (actually mainly the personal representatives of unseen rulers) meet in international conclaves like the Bilderberg conferences, and Trilateralist conferences, instead of in national legislatures. Unseen rulers tend to be very discreet, the opposite of ostentatious hardly the political type not braggarts at all. They dont need to impress anybody. They want only to be obeyed. On May 17th, the British Member of Parliament (MP) Craig Murray, who is that rare thing a fully committed democrat who also happens to be a member of his countrys national legislature, headlined at his terrific blog, "The Conservatives Will Be Protected From Their Election Fraud, and he documented that there is blatant state propaganda manipulation and that "in this country, electoral law is not enforced against those in power. Power-holders in UK can violate the law with impunity, even where the violation is clearly documented he showed that. In the United States, the only scientific study of whether the U.S. is a democracy found its not. It examined 1,779 separate pieces of proposed national legislation since the year 1980, and found that only the concerns of rich people (oligarchs) affected a bills fate; the concerns of the public (as had been reflected in public-opinion polls regarding the given matter) did not. Consequently, though the democratic nations (plus importantly the communist dictatorship USSR) defeated fascism in 1945, the democratic nations are no longer democracies; theyre all oligarchies" ruled by some sort of aristocracy or another. The capstone to this development would be the passage-into-law of U.S. President Barack Obamas proposed international trade treaties, TTIP, TPP, and/or TISA, to transfer national sovereignty (regardless of whether or not of a democratic kind) to an international corporate dictatorship, which will prohibit increases in regulations of food-safety, product-safety, workers rights, and of global warming and other environmental matters, and will transfer the power over those to the top stockholders in international corporations. The question at the present time is whether democracies have already been so severely compromised, so that treaties such as these that Obama is pushing, can be approved by democratic governments. If the answer to that question is yes, then were already in the Brave New World of fascist international victory though its post-WW-II, the fascists will finally have won, not just maybe, but clearly, and decisively, throughout all of the foreseeable future perhaps even permanently, because international treaties, especially ones that entail many nations, are virtually impossible to end. (A good example of that permanency is NATO: its very raison detre terminated when the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact military alliance ended in 1991; but, yet, it continues even today, and threatens now to bring about WW III, which would be its culmination.) If the idea that we live in a dictatorship seems far-fetched because were surrounded by propaganda to the contrary, then there is still the inspiration of the central character Winston Smith in the allegorical novel about fascism, 1984 he soured on the propaganda that he was editing, but finally switched back, and saw the light: Big Brother was his savior, after all. The former U.S. Senator Gary Hart wrote recently from the standpoint of the earlier, disillusioned, Winston Smith, but, perhaps, even people such as he will also see the light, and stop saying such things as, Measured against the standards established for republics from ancient times, the American Republic is massively corrupt. Perhaps everyone has his price, and, once its paid, he'll see the light, too. But, even if he wont, he has provided there a remarkably accurate description of the reality that Orwells book had merely allegorized way back in 1948. Winston Smith would have been shocked at such a kindred spirit, writing not in 1984 but 2015. Orwell, in his own time, struggled over what year his novel should be set in. Likely, were still not yet quite there. After all, it was set after the nuclear war. The international agreements the alliances seem to have been already in place, for some time. Maybe Orwell's novel should have been instead called something like 2025. Just a few more years; we can hardly wait (if well be among the survivors). Such are the ways of the international aristocracy. If well tolerate them. But if we wont, what then? Nothing is more powerful than they. But is that the end of the story? Are they a terminal plague? Can NATO be ended without its culminating? Or, is there some other way? Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of Theyre Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRISTS VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity. SHARE Angie Turner Connie Arcuri Lauren Smith Andy Miller OWENSBORO First Security Bank makes several hires Three new employees will join Loan Operations at the First Security Bank corporate headquarters in Owensboro. Angela Turner will be vice president/loan operations manager. She has more than 15 years experience in banking, holding various positions with responsibilities including management, default operations, loss mitigation, foreclosure, collections and customer service most recently with U.S. Bank Home Mortgage. Corrine Arcuri brings more than five years experience in customer service and mortgage processing. A student at Western Kentucky University, she was most recently at U.S. Bank. Lauren Smith joins with four years banking experience in customer service, loan processing, flood regulation, and debt collection. She most recently worked with Fast Pay Day Loans as a customer service representative. First Security also expanded its Compliance and Information Technology departments with the hiring of Compliance Officer Andy Miller and Information Technology Specialist Chris Besecker at corporate headquarters. Miller has over 18 years experience in banking, with 10 years in compliance regulation. He has held positions in management, loan operations, sales, retail banking, and customer service. Most recently he was president/chief executive officer with Ripley Federal Savings Bank in Ripley, Ohio. Besecker has 15 years experience in management, system engineering, and network administration. He last worked with MPD Inc., in Owensboro as a network administrator. Also, Gwen Simpson joins First Security as assistant vice president/banking center manager at the South Frederica Banking Center in Owensboro. She has over 13 years experience in management, audit/compliance, sales and retail banking, most recently with PNC Bank. SHARE One doesn't expect a Florida vacation, for me a search for sunshine and beach music, to turn into a history lesson on Geronimo. Maybe the poster spotted for sale en route was an omen. It had a picture of American Indians with the inscription: "Homeland Security Fighting terrorism since 1492." Geronimo, the famed Apache chief that eluded capture for so long in the late 1800s, was simply trying to continue living on his homeland. So it was curious to see him touted in the Pensacola Beach Visitor Guide as likely being that area's first tourist attraction. That mere mention still lures visitors today to nearby Fort Pickens, where he was held captive in 1886 and 1887. Fort Pickens itself has historic ironies. It's a massive pre-Civil War brick fortress, built to protect the Florida coastline from foreign invaders. Sort of like what Geronimo was trying to do in the Southwest. The fort was controlled by Union forces in the Civil War. But the two unsettling facts were that it was built by slave labor, and showcased Geronimo and some fellow Apaches so the locals could make a little money. So the two shameful historical truths slavery and the stealing of the Native Americans' land, make the visit a bit uneasy. Of course, Fort Pickens has a gift shop. Now even more fascinated about the Geronimo legend, I took a book for sale, "Geronimo Comes to Pensacola," to the cash register. The attendant beamed, "Now you can even get the author to sign it for you." He proudly pointed to the author's name and then to the same name on his volunteer badge David L. Walby. I couldn't begin asking questions fast enough. Walby said he wrote the book because there weren't any about Geronimo available in Pensacola. The most common question he gets is about the location of Geronimo's cell. He actually didn't have one, for there was no escaping this formidable fort, surrounded by miles of deserted beaches and the Gulf of Mexico. I knew Geronimo was a divisive figure the northern media portrayed him as a freedom fighter, but the western press wanted him hanged. So Walby's most telling response would be his opinions of Geronimo, and of how he and the Apaches were treated. His answer was no-holds-barred. "I always sided with the underdog, and he was the last man standing defending his home from invaders," Walby said. "I, like many others, am in favor of taking Andrew Jackson off the $20 bill (for his treatment of Indians). I can only think of any war-torn country and the displaced people that never recover their homes or lives." Walby thinks Geronimo enjoyed being a tourist attraction, using it to further his legend. One appropriate irony, a sweet payback of sorts, was that Geronimo learned how to sign his name, and sold his autograph to visitors. As he was once visited by 459 onlookers in a single day, Geronimo at times was making more money than the soldiers who guarded him. Yet it could never make up for his people not receiving the land promised by treaty. Walby said most current visitors have a soft spot in their hearts for Geronimo, often mentioning how sad it was that he never got to see his home again after surrendering. I asked if any descendants of the Apaches ever visited Fort Pickens. Walby said Geronimo's granddaughter stopped in about six months ago. She showed Walby her Native American identification card, which noted on the back that she was a direct descendant of Geronimo. She mentioned she had read Walby's book, and was glad that it showed her grandfather as a real human being. It's too bad so many didn't treat him that way when he was still alive. Contact Greg Eckerle via email at gregeckerle@twc.com SHARE I am convinced that T-R-U-S-T is the most important five-letter word in business not sales or money or any other replaceable commodities. Trust can be fragile, especially in the workplace. Once it's broken, few companies, managers or employees ever win it back. At every level of every organization, workers need to understand the importance of keeping their word and living up to the organization's values. Customers and co-workers want to know they can depend on management. Trust between managers and employees is crucial to the long-term enthusiasm, loyalty, and productivity of the company. If you have ever been on the receiving end of a broken promise or a warranty that doesn't cover whatever is wrong with your item, you understand all too well why trust is central to a working relationship. "Trust is a calculated risk made with one's eyes open to the possibilities of failure, but it is extended with the expectation of success," said Robert Levering, former Ohio congressman. And although I preach this message constantly, I'm always surprised at the people and companies that just don't get it they think the rules don't apply to them. Believe me, they do. The late Peter Drucker, American management consultant and author, said of trust: "In the ethics of interdependence there are only obligations, and all obligations are mutual obligations. Harmony and trust that is, interdependence, require that each side be obligated to provide what the other side needs to achieve its goals and to fulfill itself." Your "trust fund" grows in many large and small ways. To develop a healthy balance of trust in your work relationships, make these "deposits" every day: Tell the truth. Never assume that certain people "can't handle the truth." Be as honest with your employees as you expect them to be with you. If you get caught in a lie, your employees won't trust you. You may get a second chance, but don't count on it. Share information. By demonstrating that you are willing to keep employees informed, you help them make good decisions on their own. And it builds their confidence while increasing their willingness to actively participate in the growth of the organization. Speak one-on-one with employees. There's no better way to build a relationship of trust than through personal, face-to-face contact. Resolve conflicts quickly. Whether a dispute is between two employees or two departments, promptly resolving the situation will prevent its escalation and minimize disruption of productivity. Better yet, allow the disputing parties to find a solution. Doing that shows you trust them to use their best judgment. Avoid showing favoritism. Equal treatment must be practiced to promote trust, teamwork and respect. Don't guess when you don't know an answer. When you make a mistake, admit it so you can move on and start fixing it. Honesty is the best way to show people you're dependable. Be straightforward. Admit that you don't have a ready answer rather than waffling or throwing out a haphazard reply that lacks credibility. Show flexibility in your decision making. Make exceptions to the rules when common sense dictates it. And consider unusual alternatives for problems that can't be resolved by typical methods. Put other people's interests before yours. Focus on what's best for your organization and people, not just about what will benefit you and your career. When employees see your good intentions, they'll often make heroic efforts on your part. Keep your promises. Don't commit to a promise you can't deliver. Think about what's realistic, and do your best to live up to your word. Your employees will notice. Behave ethically. Do the right thing in all your dealings with others. Stand up for your employees, and at the same time, refuse to accept anything but the best from them and from yourself. A remarkable example of trust exists in the deep blue sea, an arrangement between the shark and the pilot fish. Sharks, as we know, will eat almost any ocean dweller except for the pilot fish. In fact, they invite pilot fish to join them for not as lunch. The smaller fish act as an automatic toothpick and eat the leftover food between the sharks' mighty teeth. In this unlikely partnership, the shark gets clean teeth and the pilot fish get nourished. Both swim away satisfied. And trusting that the next encounter will be just as successful. Mackay's Moral: For any successful working relationship, trust is a must. SHARE Alzheimer's Association Program: Living with Alzheimer's," 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Alzheimer's Association, 701 N. Weinbach Ave., Suite 510. Registration required by calling 800-272-3900. NAMI annual meeting and supper social: 6-7:30 p.m. at 410 Mulberry St., National Assocation of Mental Illness Evansville. Call 812-897-1694 if you plan to arrive after 6:30 p.m. FA (Families Anonymous): a 12-step fellowship for the family and friends of those individuals with drug, alcohol or related behavioral issues. Meetings are at 10 a.m. Saturdays at Methodist Temple, 2109 Lincoln Ave. Use the Kelsey Avenue entrance, second floor. Information: 812-550-5777. Bereavement support group: Meeting 5:30-7 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month in the large group meeting room, second floor of Central Library, 200 SE MLK Blvd. Men's bereavement support group: Meeting 9-10:30 a.m. the second Monday of each month in Room 204 at Deaconess VNA Plus, 610 E. Walnut St. Support group for bipolar/manic-depressive disorder: Meeting 7 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month, Kempf Bipolar Wellness Center, third floor of St. Mary's Rehabilitation Institute, 3700 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-4934. Survivors of Suicide support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month, Methodist Temple, 2109 Lincoln Ave. Information: Mental Health America at 812-426-2640. Mending Hearts pregnancy loss support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month, Gift Conference Room, off the lobby of St. Mary's Hospital for Women & Children, 3700 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-4204. Men's cancer support group: Meeting 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, St. Mary's Epworth Crossing Community Conference Room, 100 St. Mary's Epworth Crossing, Newburgh. Information: 812-485-5725. Stroke support group: Meeting 10 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month, St. Mary's Community Education Room at Washington Square Mall, 5011 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-5607. ALS support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Meeting Room E, Deaconess Gateway Hospital. The support group is for patients, caregivers and survivors who have lost someone to Lou Gehrig's disease. Women's cancer support group: Meeting 5:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month, St. Mary's Epworth Crossing Community Conference Room. Information: 812-485-5725. Pulmonary fibrosis support group: Meeting 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Room 1420, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com/calendar. COPD/asthma support group: Meeting 4 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month, Room 1420, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com/calendar. Parkinson's support group: Meeting at 5:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month, Room 350, Deaconess Physician Center, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com/calendar. Tri-State Multiple Sclerosis Association support group meetings: 10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month, Tri-State MS Association Office, 971 S. Kenmore Drive, Evansville (contact Nita Ruxer at 812-479-3544 or Sharon Omer at 270-333-4701); 10 a.m. the fourth Saturday of each month, Gibson General Hospital, fifth floor, first room on the right, 1808 Sherman Drive, Princeton, Indiana (contact Alice Burkhart at 812-782-3735); 11 a.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Twilight Towers, in the cafeteria, 1648 10th St., Tell City (contact Terri Hasty at 812-649-4013 or Gayle Taylor 812-719-2417); 10 a.m. the third Saturday of each month, Daviess Community Hospital, Washington, Indiana (contact Cindy Kalberer at 812-254-6735 or Fran Neal at 812-259-1565); 10 a.m. the first Saturday of each month, Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 2360 Green River Road, Henderson, Kentucky, (contact Meg Burnley at 270-826-9507 or Debbie Whittington at 270-827-8298); 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month, Owensboro Health Healthpark, 1006 Ford Ave, Owensboro, Kentucky; and 11 a.m. the first Saturday of each month, Fairfield Memorial Hospital in the board room of Horizon Clinic, 303 NW 11th St., Fairfield, Illinois (contact Kathie Hill at 618-847-8452). Compiled by Leah Ward, leah.ward@courierpress.com. SHARE By Zach Osowski, zach.osowski@courierpress.com INDIANAPOLIS A panel of education experts tasked with picking a replacement for the ISTEP test will take the first step towards that goal Tuesday at the Indiana Statehouse. The 23-member study panel for ISTEP alternatives will convene for the first of several meetings before a Dec. 1 deadline to pick a new statewide assessment test for Hoosier students. The ISTEP was public enemy number one for lawmakers during the 2016 legislative session. After fast-tracking two bills to hold teachers and schools harmless after the disastrous 2015 test, lawmakers went a step further and completely scrapped the assessment. The 2017 ISTEP test will be the final time it's taken. That means a new version has to be found and implemented for the 2017-18 school year while still giving schools and teachers enough time to adjust to the new test. The panel, chaired by Nicole Fama, will not take any testimony during the first meeting. Instead, the group will hear about the current ISTEP and learn more about the new Every Student Succeeds Act passed this year in Washington. Fama, principal of School 93 in Indianapolis, told the Indianapolis Star earlier this month she thinks the ISTEP is too long. The length of the test is one of the common complaints from teachers and parents. Many teachers told lawmakers the high-stakes aspect of the ISTEP it's linked to school funding and teacher salaries leads to too much time preparing for the test. Parents also griped about how long it takes for the ISTEP results to come back. Final results of the flawed 2015 test weren't made official until 2016, almost seven months later. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. EDT in the Statehouse. SHARE By Max Roll of the Courier and Press An accident in rural Gibson County claimed one life Sunday morning. According to the Gibson County Sheriff's Office, a maroon 1994 Buick Century crashed near Steelman Chapel and Cunningham roads. Gibson County Coroner Barrett Doyle opened an investigation into the fatality of 19-year-old Hank Dylan Austin Tooley of Hazelton, Indiana. The sheriff's office said it will not give out further details until Doyle closes his investigation. Candace Croney, director of Purdue University's Center for Animal Welfare Science, middle, interacts with puppies at a breeding farm in Odon, Ind. (Photo: Levi Graber) SHARE By Meghan Holden, mholden@jconline.com When some people think of dog breeding in the Amish community, images appear of puppy mills full of unhappy and mistreated dogs. Amish breeders in the state want to change that, and they're reaching out for help. Commercial breeders from Odon a Southern Indiana town with a large Amish population are working with Purdue University's Center for Animal Welfare Science to establish breeding practices that make consumers and dogs happy. "It was time that we as breeders recognize that there are professionals out there that can help us and we need to involve them in our businesses," said Levi Graber, a member of Odon's Amish community who helps several breeders in the area. Graber contacted Purdue a few years ago to seek input on how to better meet consumer expectations. Then and started working with Candace Croney, director of the animal welfare center. Croney and a team of researchers started a pilot program to review how breeders run their facilities and whether certain changes could improve the physical and behavioral health of their dogs. The program, which includes Amish and non-Amish breeders, will be used to create voluntary standards of care and management intended to improve the well-being of breeding dogs, including those in commercial facilities, Croney said. It will eventually turn into a national program for breeders who want to adopt best practices that are science-based, she said. A puppy plays with a ball at a dog breeding farm in Odon, Ind. The puppy is part of Purdue's Center for Animal Welfare Science program.(Photo: Levi Graber) Public perception Currently, there's little research on dogs in regard to housing, care and management, Croney said, especially when it comes to high-volume commercial breeding. Still, she said, some people automatically link commercial breeding to puppy mills and animal mistreatment. "Many folks hear about breeding and animal welfare and they dont know what (breeders) actually do. They just want to put them out of business," Croney said. People tend to associate sizes of commercial facilities with quality and perceive that larger places are more problematic, said Nicole Olynk-Widmar, an agricultural economist at Purdue. Olynk-Widmar presented preliminary findings from her study on public perceptions of dog welfare and dog breeding at the Canine Welfare Science Forum at Purdue on Thursday. She said it's important to understand people's views on breeding whether they're based on facts or not because it can become a public policy issue in the hands of voters. People also choose where they buy their dogs based on their opinions of breeding, she said. "Its sometimes a little hard to hear, especially when peoples perceptions are not maybe reflective of what youre doing," Olynk-Widmar said. Those perceptions caused some Amish breeders to be hesitant of opening their doors to Croney's team. "A couple different breeders who started doing it were confused, but then saw the results and said they wouldnt go back to doing things the way they were before," Graber said. A child sits with puppies at a breeding farm in Odon, Ind. The puppies are part of Purdue's Center for Animal Welfare Science program. (Photo: Levi Graber) 'More contented, happy dogs' The team observed a number of factors about the dogs, such as their body conditions, how friendly or afraid they were, how they were housed and how they interacted with one another. The dogs were mostly in good physical health, Croney said, and the most room for improvement was with their behavior. Some facilities' dogs were really loud and many became over-excited when they saw people, which Croney said indicated they weren't used to seeing people often. The research team advised those breeders to make sure something positive happens for the dog, such as receiving a treat, every time someone comes into the kennel area. They also suggested letting the dogs out in the yard daily to exercise and socialize. The small changes made a big impact, Croney said. Over four months, the dogs in the kennel with the most behavioral issues became calmer when they saw people, and they physically looked better. "Weve seen a very positive impact on some of the things she recommends," Graber said. "I've seen more contented, happy dogs." Once the trial program is complete, a third party will audit the breeders' practices, Croney said. If all goes well, breeders will receive a certification that she said goes far beyond the standards mandated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which covers areas such as housing, sanitation, food, water and protection against extreme weather and temperatures. Exceeding expectations Dale Blier, who works for Blue Ribbon Vet & Supply in Odon, sells supplies to many breeders in town. He said their kennels aren't like what people see on the news, and they're committed to improving their facilities and doing whats best for the dogs. "The majority of dog breeders in Indiana treat their dogs the same way they treat making furniture: They want to be the best at it they can," Blier said. Some practices rise beyond those of other breeders, he said, but the Amish aren't boastful and don't publicly respond to those misconceptions. Graber said the community feels fortunate to work with Purdue and emphasized that the breeders don't want to sell puppies that disappoint anyone. I just want the world to know that we try really hard to meet the consumers expectations and not be a burden to anybody," he said. SHARE All these decades after the Vietnam War, mentions of Hanoi or Saigon summon ghosts. That trauma will never be erased, but slowly, appropriately, it is being eased aside by the realities of a changing world. So it is that President Barack Obama goes to communist Vietnam early this week on a visit that is more about the future than the past. And as much about countering the rise of China as reframing U.S.-Vietnam relations. Obama will visit Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). His trip is the third by an American president to Vietnam since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1995. Bill Clinton went in 2000; George W. Bush went in 2006. Vietnam, with a population of about 90 million, is now a significant American economic partner in Asia. Nike makes shoes there. McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Vietnam two years ago. Trade and hamburgers these are relatively easy ties to embrace, even between former enemies. But now the U.S. and Vietnam see reason to deepen their military relationship. Vietnam wants the United States to end a ban on arms sales, allowing it to shop for aircraft and other equipment. Obama reportedly is leaning toward a partial lift. The Navy has its own request on the table: regular access to the port of Cam Ranh Bay. Does that name ring a bell? Trigger a flashback? The former Air Force and naval base at Cam Ranh Bay played a major role in U.S. military operations during the war. Service members started their tours of the war at Cam Ranh Bay, arriving by aircraft. The wounded were treated there. But that was a long time ago, wasn't it? Vietnam and the United States have good reason to cooperate on defense issues because they are both concerned about the potential threat China poses. As China flexes its muscle in the Pacific, the U.S. has a duty to keep the peace by projecting power. Vietnam, among other countries in the region, needs the U.S. to play the bodyguard and peacekeeper role. While Vietnam and China are communist states with tight economic ties, there is a well of mistrust between them that reaches back centuries. They fought a border war in 1979. Over the last year, China has incited worry in its neighbors, including Vietnam, by enforcing territorial claims on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese are building artificial islands, turning several into military outposts and patrolling the area as if much of the open ocean between Vietnam and the Philippines belongs to them. It doesn't. These are international waters. The U.S. challenges China's sovereignty claims by sailing and flying through the area. Last week, according to Pentagon reports, two Chinese fighter jets buzzed a Navy reconnaissance plane. The dispute over control of the Spratlys involves multiple countries and is unlikely to be resolved easily. But Washington has to thwart Beijing's power grab. The U.S. is tightening military ties with Philippines, another country entwined historically with America but also suspicious of China. Getting closer to Vietnam and the Philippines is further evidence of America's commitment to the Pacific region and its vital shipping lanes. The U.S. could supply Vietnam with patrol boats and other gear, and Cam Ranh Bay is in easy sailing distance to the Spratlys. The hang-up in developing deeper ties with Vietnam is appearing to condone the authoritarian government's poor human rights records. Elections there are a sham. Critics face harassment or detention. We trust the president will make that point. But the U.S. also can't ignore the Chinese challenge, or a growing shared interest with Vietnam. History is forever, but time doesn't stand still. This editorial first appeared in the Chicago Tribune. SHARE All these decades after the Vietnam War, mentions of Hanoi or Saigon summon ghosts. That trauma will never be erased, but slowly, appropriately, it is being eased aside by the realities of a changing world. So it is that President Barack Obama went to communist Vietnam early this week on a visit that is more about the future than the past. And as much about countering the rise of China as reframing U.S.-Vietnam relations. Obama will visit Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). His trip is the third by an American president to Vietnam since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1995. Bill Clinton went in 2000; George W. Bush went in 2006. Vietnam, with a population of about 90 million, is now a significant American economic partner in Asia. Nike makes shoes there. McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Vietnam two years ago. Trade and hamburgers these are relatively easy ties to embrace, even between former enemies. But now the U.S. and Vietnam see reason to deepen their military relationship. Vietnam wants the United States to end a ban on arms sales, allowing it to shop for aircraft and other equipment. Obama reportedly is leaning toward a partial lift. The Navy has its own request on the table: regular access to the port of Cam Ranh Bay. Does that name ring a bell? Trigger a flashback? The former Air Force and naval base at Cam Ranh Bay played a major role in U.S. military operations during the war. Service members started their tours of the war at Cam Ranh Bay, arriving by aircraft. The wounded were treated there. But that was a long time ago, wasn't it? Vietnam and the United States have good reason to cooperate on defense issues because they are both concerned about the potential threat China poses. As China flexes its muscle in the Pacific, the U.S. has a duty to keep the peace by projecting power. Vietnam, among other countries in the region, needs the U.S. to play the bodyguard and peacekeeper role. While Vietnam and China are communist states with tight economic ties, there is a well of mistrust between them that reaches back centuries. They fought a border war in 1979. Over the last year, China has incited worry in its neighbors, including Vietnam, by enforcing territorial claims on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese are building artificial islands, turning several into military outposts and patrolling the area as if much of the open ocean between Vietnam and the Philippines belongs to them. It doesn't. These are international waters. The U.S. challenges China's sovereignty claims by sailing and flying through the area. Last week, according to Pentagon reports, two Chinese fighter jets buzzed a Navy reconnaissance plane. The dispute over control of the Spratlys involves multiple countries and is unlikely to be resolved easily. But Washington has to thwart Beijing's power grab. The U.S. is tightening military ties with Philippines, another country entwined historically with America but also suspicious of China. Getting closer to Vietnam and the Philippines is further evidence of America's commitment to the Pacific region and its vital shipping lanes. The U.S. could supply Vietnam with patrol boats and other gear, and Cam Ranh Bay is in easy sailing distance to the Spratlys. The hang-up in developing deeper ties with Vietnam is appearing to condone the authoritarian government's poor human rights records. Elections there are a sham. Critics face harassment or detention. We trust the president will make that point. But the U.S. also can't ignore the Chinese challenge, or a growing shared interest with Vietnam. History is forever, but time doesn't stand still. This editorial first appeared in the Chicago Tribune. Hyundai's Thierry Neuville has described his Rally de Portugal as a "disaster" after finishing a lowly 29th. Neuville had worked his way up to fifth in his new generation i20 WRC, after a slow time in the first proper test on Friday. However, he had to park his car on Saturday in SS11, when he ran out of fuel. Hyundai later confirmed the issue was down to "human error". "This rally has been a disaster for us. We were doing well but we ran out of fuel," Neuville said after the final stage. Speaking back in service he added: "It's been a challenging weekend for all of us in the team, but we'll be going through everything in detail to make sure that we will do better for the future. "We showed reasonable performance but there are things we can still improve, and we'll work hard as a team to achieve that." "We had nothing really to fight for on Sunday [after re-joining under Rally 2], so it was a case of just bringing the car to the finish," he continued. "We focused on keeping our driving clean and tidy but also trying to have a bit of fun on these final stages. The Fafe jump was as enjoyable as ever, although we had a bit of a harsh landing on the first pass! "The next rally is in Sardinia now where we have special memories from last year, when we finished on the podium - and that's going to be our target again this year." Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ANSONIA The threat that led officials to close the citys schools Tuesday, likely stems from a bullying incident, police said. Based on the post that we were able to see, the case does seem to revolve around a bullying incident, Lt. Andrew Cota said. There was never a bomb threat indicated or mentioned. There was never a threat to a specific person or school, the police spokesman said. The investigation is continuing and no decision has been made yet on whether schools will reopen on Wednesday, officials said. Students were dismissed early on Monday because of what Ansonia officials characterized as a possible threat. According to the school districts website: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carol Merlone said she made the decision in conjunction with law enforcement, who are continuing to investigate an anonymous concerning statement made earlier (Monday) on a social media site regarding Ansonia High School. Although there was no direct threat made, Ansonias schools were placed on lockout at 1:15 p.m. until the end of the school day, and as a precaution, Ansonia police officers were present at each school before and during the regular dismissal time. Initially, after Ansonia schools were let out early on Monday, officials said classes would resume Tuesday morning, with an increased police presence. Later, after Merlone consulted with Ansonia police, a decision was made to cancel school on Tuesday. Mayor David Cassetti also met with Police Chief Kevin Hale Monday afternoon. A decision about when we will reopen schools will be made in conjunction with law enforcement, and we will be updating our website and Facebook page regularly, Merlone said in the website release. The release added that, Due to the sensitivity of the subject matter, further details could not be provided. The threat Monday was posted on what Ansonia Police Lt. Andrew Cota described as an after-school app at around 12:30 p.m. Although there was no identification of the actual school targeted, school officials said, they placed each of the four Ansonia schools on lockdown. Early dismissal was then put in place, once police officers arrived at each school. There were no injuries reported. Police ask that anyone with information on the threat call the Ansonia Detective Division at 203-735-1885. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate OXFORD -Four months ago he was a starving, freezing, unwanted dog chained outside his Governors Hill Road home. Today Max, a black nine-year-old German Shepherd nursed back to health with more than $4,000 donations romps on the lavish green grass at his new home in Kommiskey, Ind. First Selectman George R. Temple, who has made it a point at helping injured dogs while in office, said Max was taken to his furever home on Saturday. He belongs to Bethany Pandoli, of Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse Trainers. Temple said Max took a liking to Pandoli right away and is in awe of the horses, cats and pigs that live on the farm. I want to thank everyone who generously donated more than $4,000 for Max's care,'' said Temple. "Max now has a perfect home where he will live out his retirement years On Jan. 23, State Police responding to an animal neglect complaint found Max tied up outside and heard him repeatedly picking up and dropping his bowl, empty of water or food. The dog and his five foot leash were taken to the Beacon Falls Animal Hospital where the vet found it to be a blatant starvation/neglect case. Temple said the dog was at least 25 to 30 pounds underweight according to the vet. Meanwhile the dogs then-owner, Jonathan Foster, 26, was charged with cruelty to animals, tethering and confining a dog for an unreasonable period of time, failure to license and failure to vaccinate. Foster has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in Derby Superior Court on May 27. Shortly after his arrest, Foster surrendered ownership of the dog to the town. To encourage donations around the Memorial Day holiday, those who come to give blood or platelets from May 27 to 31 will receive a Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. The Red Cross relies on volunteer donors for the 14,000 blood donations needed every day to support patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide. However, during the summer months of June, July and August, about two fewer donors schedule an appointment to give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what patients need. Upcoming blood donation opportunities Brookfield 5/26/2016: 1 p.m. - 6:15 p.m., Raymour & Flanigan, 14 Candlewood Lake Road Danbury 5/26/2016: 11:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Danbury Hospital RSM, Hospital Avenue 5/28/2016: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., St, Joseph Church Hall, 370 Main Street 6/6/2016: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., The Crowne Plaza, 18 Old Ridgebury Road 6/8/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Hampton Inn, 81 Newtown Road Fairfield 6/7/2016: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Congregation Beth El, 1200 Fairfield Woods Road 6/8/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Sportsplex at Fairfield, 85 Mill Plain Road, Building J Greenwich 6/6/2016: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road Newtown 6/10/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West St. 6/10/2016: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West St. Norwalk 6/9/2016: 7:45 a.m. - 1 p.m., Merritt Seven/Venture,L.L.C Building 301, 449 Main Ave Shelton 6/1/2016: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Perkin Elmer Corporation, 710 Bridgeport Avenue 6/3/2016: 1 p.m. - 6:15 p.m., Shelton Community Center, 41 Church Street 6/4/2016: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Huntington United Methodist Church, 338 Walnut Tree Hill Road Stamford 5/28/2016: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., St Cecilia Catholic Church, 1184 Newfield Ave. 6/1/2016: 7:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., High Ridge Park Building 5, 5 High Ridge Park Stratford 6/2/2016: 1 p.m. - 6:15 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 2252 Main Street Trumbull 6/3/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Trumbull YMCA, 20 Trefoil Drive Wilton 5/23/2016: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd. To make an appointment to donate, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors of all blood types are needed. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site. HARTFORD Minority leaders of the House and Senate on Monday criticized Gov. Dannel P. Malloy over the scheduled approval of $22 million for Bridgewater Associates, the worlds largest hedge fund. But Malloy said the funding, which is slated for approval Friday in the State Bond Commission, is a way to foster business growth at a crucial time for the state. Some day I want to live in a world where I can have it both ways, Malloy said of the GOP criticism in a brief Capitol interview after an unrelated news conference. Theyre the same people who say, Hey, youve got to create more jobs. You gotta grow commerce. You gotta build a tax base. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, and Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, both issued statements criticizing the planned $22 million grant and loan, which is on the Friday agenda of the bond commission. Malloy is chairman of the 10-member panel, which allocates capital investments. Under the conditions of the deal, Westport-based Bridgewater Associates, with $150 billion under management, would use the state money, through the state Department of Economic and Community Developments First Five program, to help renovate and expand its offices and install a $3 million alternative energy systems in Norwalk, Westport and Wilton. Overall, the project is estimated to cost Bridgewater more than half a billion dollars. The award requirements would include retaining 1,402 jobs in the state. If it adds 750 new positions by 2021, the loan would be forgiven, according to the State Bond Commission. The funding includes a $2 million grant to help the company in training. The company could also become eligible for up to $30 million in urban tax credits, which Fasano said would be unfair to other companies that might need the help at a time when Bridgewater is flourishing. In recent years a plan to move Bridgewaters offices to a new site in Stamford, with the aid of a $115 million state grant, fell through under local opposition. With all that has transpired in the last two weeks with the states budget a mess, and unfinished school construction projections hanging, to make the worlds largest hedge fund a priority, I find it dubious, Klarides said in a statement. The House recessed earlier this month and will be returning within the next few weeks to approve school construction projects. Of course we want to keep highly skilled, well-paying jobs in Connecticut, she said. But we all know that other vital projects will not be funded because we have to curtail our borrowing. The priorities of Democrat leaders in this state are twisted, Fasano said. Connecticut is in financial crisis and people are suffering. The Democrats just passed a budget that cuts from the most vulnerable individuals in society. It cuts millions from Connecticuts welfare program, it reduces dental treatment for the poorest children in our state, and it cuts over $8 million for critical mental health and substance abuse treatment. We are talking about tens of millions of dollars in handouts for a company that abandoned plans to build in Stamford, yet continues to reap the benefits of an agreement they backtracked on. We are also talking about one of the largest hedge funds in the world with a multi-billionaire owner. Tens of millions of dollars to us is mere pennies to them. Yet, while the state has pulled back from other promised funding, Democrat leaders continue to protect Bridgewater at the expense of so many others. kdixon@ctpost.com Emerging markets, particularly those in Africa, should be a central focus for any investor right now. Major brands are establishing footholds in the region, signaling that Africa is the next frontier for investment strategy. Related: 4 Reasons Africa Is the Rising Star of the Tech World The Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies recently announced that it will open a research, training and innovation facility in Nairobi this year, the latest in a line of think tanks and companies investing in the region. IBM opened its first Africa-based research laboratory in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2013. The Royal Philips technology firm opened its own maiden research lab in Nairobi in March 2014. Each of these landmark events is a testament to the hive of innovation and enterprise developing on the continent. In countries like Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria, theres a renewed appreciation for the role of research and development in economic growth. And, beyond the local benefits, this emphasis on innovation and enterprise poses a promising benefit for investors seeking opportunities in this region. Here are the key sectors to watch: 1. Fintech: The financial tech industry has proven pivotal to accelerating commerce in Africa during the past decade, and its now poised to significantly influence economic development in the coming years. SokoniSMS64, a new text messaging platform from mobile provider Safaricom, sends farmers updates on market pricing so they can adjust their planting projections. Such innovations provide rural, subsistence-based communities with an unprecedented access to data. This trend is fueling new growth engines for the African economy -- along with investments in the region. 2. Online retail Despite rapid growth in the wholesale and retail segments of various nations' economies, online shopping remains a fairly nascent concept, even in ICT- (information and communication technology) savvy markets such as Kenya and Nigeria. Given Kenyas recent 67 percent smartphone and 54.8 percent Internet penetration rates across the population, ecommerce is ripe for development. As incomes rise and consumers become more accustomed to online retail, the online shopping industry will explode in Kenya and other emerging markets as a result. 3. Healthcare Mobile solutions that address unfavorable medical personnel-to-patient ratios hint at an ongoing evolution within the healthcare sector. In Kenya, the Sema Doc telemedicine platform is allowing users to connect with doctors via mobile phones. They can receive diagnoses, locate treatment options, secure medical loans and access cash benefits for hospital fees. Healthcare solutions offer a new frontier for investors, as these initiatives are vital to economic growth in developing markets. Related: The New Health Market May Be the Single Greatest Business Opportunity in Our Lifetimes 4. Public transportation Transport management is poised to be the next big thing in Africa as countries grapple with rapid urbanization and rising mobility needs. Across the ocean, in Brazil, which is grappling with its own transportation issues, the government is using big data analytics for improved public transportation management. For Africa, investors can expect to see governments there following suit in the next decade or two; that's why technology will factor heavily in foreign investments in this space. Companies such as Kenya Power are already tapping into the power of big data to streamline their business processes, and other emerging markets will rely on analytics to address their own mobility concerns. Investors will find lucrative opportunities in tech-based transport solutions. 5. ICT industries Rwanda ranked first globally for ICT promotion in 2015. Tech hub organizations such as KLab provide a much-needed confluence between enterprise and ICT solutions in that country and serve as models for other emerging markets. Last year, Singapores CrimsonLogic and the Rwanda Development Board launched the Rwanda Technology Associate Program, aimed at cultivating young IT talent in the African nation. Talent-development strategies can boost long-term investment prospects significantly in emerging markets, as human capital plays a critical role in development. Sustaining this pace of growth will be vital to engendering new pockets of investment. Investors have reason to believe the trend will hold as governments enact supportive policies throughout the region. Increasingly favorable policy environments and private sector cooperation make Africas emerging markets particularly appealing to investors right now. Related: Tips for Investing in Emerging Markets (Infographic) By paving a smoother road for investment, Africa's emerging economies are unlocking an enterprise spirit previously hindered by bureaucratic bottlenecks. As credit access and technology infrastructure improve, foreign investors will be able to partner with a multitude of African counterparts and tap into an array of business opportunities. Is yours one of them? Related: 5 Hot African Industries Investors Should Be Watching Africa: A New Business Frontier Want a Great Way to Win Over Millennials in Africa's Emerging Markets? Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If you're looking to retire after serving our country, Connecticut may not be the right place to hunker down. In honor of Military Appreciation Month financial website WalletHub investigated where military retirees are likely to have the best retirements. Unfortunately for Connecticut, that state is not here. The state placed within the bottom ten states for military retirees, along with neighboring Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New York. States were compared on three key metricseconomic environment, quality of life, and health carethat included factors such as housing affordability, job opportunities, homeless veterans, VA facilities, and more. Connecticut was ranked the sixth worst state, placing 43rd in economic environment, 27th in quality of life, and 45th in health care. The state was also ranked fifth in fewest VA health facilities per 10,000 veterans, behind Mississippi, District of Columbia, Delaware, and Rhode Island. Related: State-to-state comparison of veteran homelessness Connecticut was followed by the District of Columbia, Indiana, Oregon, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Topping the list were Alaska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Florida. Jason Burke, Director of Veteran and Military Affairs at Quinnipiac University, told WalletHub the choice of where to retire really comes down to two basic factors. "First, it should be a place they want to live and work," Burke said. "If they are truly retiring from the workforce, they should consider a state that does not tax retirement pay. Overseas is an option as well." Burke also suggested continuing work in the government sector, due to a likely easier transition into work. "Continued government service would be optimal based on occurring additional service-time as well as salary not off-setting your retirement pay," Burke said. "I know of civilian companies that may low-ball a potential new hire based on their retirement pay income. It's not ethical but it happens." Take a look at the slideshow above to see how Connecticut compares to the bottom and top states. To read WalletHub's full report, including their methodology and more expert input, click here. Pa. is about to vote. Here's what to know about voting and ballot access in 2022 Takeaways from the DeSantis-Crist debate Democrat Charlie Crist came out swinging against Republican incumbent Ron DeSantis in the only televised debate in the Florida gubernatorial race. The power suit has moved out of the office and onto the street in a variety of colours with the celebrity support of Julia Roberts and Cate Blanchett. by Damien Woolnough Megan McKenna has made a name for herself as one of the more colourful characters to enjoy a sting in the Big Brother house. But the TOWIE star tells FEMAIL that she simply doesn't care if she's criticised for her behaviour on reality TV. In fact, the 23-year-old says she likes to give trolls a taste of their own medicine by sending them messages that quickly 'put them in their place'. Scroll down for video Megan McKenna, who's designed a beachwear collection, doesn't take comments from trolls lying down and has fun replying to them Megan, pictured in one of her designs, said the collection with Miss Pap is half 'edgy' and half 'glam' She said: 'I like replying to the nice tweets, but I like replying to the bad tweets too. I like to put people in their place, it's fun. 'With every bad tweet I get, there are loads of good ones. I get loads of good ones, I focus on the good ones.' Megan came under fire for her fiery temper after her appearance on this year's Celebrity Big Brother but says she doesn't take the comments aimed at her online seriously. In fact, there's one accusation that she takes as a compliment - when trolls insist that she's had a helping band with her 'plump' bum. Megan said: 'The only surgery I've had is my lips, I haven't had anything in my bum - I don't need to I've got a big bum! I take it as a compliment.' She also insists that she won't go under the knife to change her look even more. 'I like the whole natural vibe,' she said. 'I don't like the fake look.' One of Megan's favourite designs is a coral-pink bikini, which 'makes you look really tanned,' pictured Another of Megan's favourites is a purple boho-style co-ord which was inspired by glamorous Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame Megan would love to see Kim Kardashian in her designs and said 'She just looks a million dollars' Now the TV personality has become a model, showing off her physique in bright bikinis and delicate beachwear for a new collection with Miss Pap - but she reveals that she never sets foot in the gym. Megan admitted: 'I hate the gym, working out in front of people makes me feel really insecure. 'I don't really work out but I run around a lot and I'm always travelling so it's not like I'm sat around slobbing at home.' Her stunning figure is down to a 'naturally fast metabolism' since she doesn't worry about her figure, although she does need to eat carefully has she has coeliac disease, an intolerance to gluten that can have serious long-term health consequences. She said: 'I have to watch what I eat all the time. I do actually eat quite well, I have to make all my meals from scratch to make sure there's no gluten.' Creating her own designs has always been an aim for Megan, 'I've always wanted young girls to look up to me and want to wear my stuff' Megan is looking forward to seeing women of all ages wearing her summer collection which is Kardashian inspired Despite Megan's toned body she 'hates' the gym because it makes her feel self-conscious Designing the range is '100 per cent' a dream come true for Megan who can't wait to see women in her clothes. And there's one prolific selfie lover who is number one on her list. 'I'd love a Kardashian wearing it - that's a bit far-fetched,' she laughed. 'I love Kim Kardashian's style. Some of her stuff I say to the Miss Pap team "Can you design something similar to this?" 'She just looks a million dollars. 'But I'd love to see people all over the world in the collection. All age ranges can wear it as well, young girls and older women. My mum wears some of the collection, she loves the waterfall jacket.' Creating her own designs has always been an aim for Megan, 'I've always wanted young girls to look up to me and want to wear my stuff,' she said. 'My dream was always to become an icon and it's such a nice feeling to achieve that. I'm proud of myself.' Megan loves appearing on TOWIE and spending time with her friends and boyfriend Pete Wicks on-set Megan's 'plump' derriere has led to trolls accusing her of surgery but she said it's all natural The collection, which launches tomorrow, has got 'two vibes.' Megan described one half as 'quite edgy and cool. Some of it you'd wear with trainers and a visor and it's luminous and a bit neon. 'Then it goes to Marbella glam, that you'd wear with wedges and would look so good poolside.' One of Megan's favourite designs is a coral-pink bikini, which 'makes you look really tanned' and a purple boho-style co-ord, which was inspired by glamorous Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. She took a hands on approach going into the studio with designers and picking the materials and patterns. And boyfriend and TOWIE co-star Pete Wicks was impressed with how dedicated she was - but he was blown away when she gave him a sneak peek at the collection. Megan said: 'Pete's seen a few pictures from the shoot and said: "Oh my God, you look amazing." 'He's a great boyfriend, he's very supportive.' Megan wanted to use TOWIE to show the public her 'nice side' after her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother On the shoot in Dubai, Megan took a cleavage-baring behind the scenes snap in her plunging culotte-jumpsuit Megan is loved up with boyfriend Pete Wicks and called him a 'supportive boyfriend,' pictured sharing a moment on Instagram Since they became a couple last month, the pair have already been on a romantic trip to Dubai during which Megan shot the Miss Pap campaign, with Pete showing plenty of appreciation for Megan's bikini body. She starts filming for the next series in July and is having a blast 'filming with my two best friends [Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows] and my boyfriend - it's really good fun. 'We get to do lots of things, [TOWIE] came up with lots of stuff for us to do and they throw amazing parties. 'I'm a really lucky girl.' But it's not all fun times and there've been plenty of clashes with cast members, but she said: 'I don't get on with everyone but that's real life.' Megan joined TOWIE in the hope of changing people's minds about her following her explosive appearance on this year's Celebrity Big Brother and feels like she's done that. 'Everyone has a meltdown, everyone feels down, especially when there are lots of people you don't know - and alcohol,' she said. 'It's nice that people can see the nice side of me. She often takes her own portraits of Princess Charlotte and Prince George rather than commission a professional, and is known for her fondness for photography. Now the Duchess of Cambridge has received a glowing endorsement of her talents from the Queen's photographer who has praised skill behind the camera. Hugo Rittson Thomas said that Kate, 34, is so talented that she could have forged a career in photography under different circumstances. Scroll down for video The Duchess of Cambridge has been praised by the Queen's photographer for her skill behind the camera. Pictured: Kate takes photographs as Prince William performs helicopter manouvres on an official visit to Canada in 2011 Hugo Rittson Thomas, pictured at the launch of his new book The Queen's People, said Kate's portraits of her children perfectly captured their joy and youth Speaking to People magazine at the launch of his book The Queen's People, a book of portraits of the monarch and her staff, Rittson Thomas heaped praise on the photos Kate has taken of her children. 'I thought they were wonderful pictures, beautifully shot,' he said.'She captured the joy, happiness and youth of her children which is a wonderful thing and sometimes hard to do as a parent.' The Duchess broke with tradition by taking the first official photos of Prince George and Princess Charlotte together in May last year, shortly after Charlotte was born. At the time photographer Hugo Burnand, who took the official Royal Wedding pictures in 2011, praised Kates skills with the camera. A photo of Princess Charlotte taken at Amner Hall ahead of her first birthday on 2 May 2016 was released by the Duchess the day before she turned one Princess Charlotte playing at Amner Hall in an image taken by her mother to mark her first birthday in May 2016 The Princess pictured at Amner Hall ahead of her first birthday. Rittson Thomas said Kate had done a 'wonderful' job capturing images of her children Princess Charlotte ahead of her first birthday in May 2016. Her mother has bucked royal tradition by taking her own snaps of her children instead of arranging an official photoshoot Theyre utterly beautiful images which Prince George and Princess Charlotte will treasure forever, he said. She followed up by taking photos of Charlotte which were released to mark her six-month birthday. When Prince George started nursery at the Westacre Montessori school, the proud mother snapped the toddler with his backpack on the first day. A photo of Princess Charlotte taken by her mother in October 2015 was released to give the public a glimpse of the youngster at six months old Rittson Thomas said Kate had managed to capture the joy and happiness of her children perfectly. Princess Charlotte is pictured in October 2015 And the milestone of Princess Charlotte's first birthday was also marked with a selection of portraits, taken by her mother. It turns out that Rittson Thomas has experienced Kate's skill first hand after meeting her when he was shooting Prince William in 2012. He revealed that he was 'taken aback' by her knowledge of photography when she quizzed him about how he was preparing for the photo shoot. Kate's photo of Prince George on his first day at the Westacre Montessori nursery school near Sandringham in East Walton, King's Lynn, Norfolk in January 2016 Proud big brother George with his newborn sister Charlotte when she was a few weeks old in May 2015 'She asked a lot of technical questions about what I was doing and the set up,' he explained. 'She almost caught me out a few times actually.' He added that had Kate not become the wife of the future thing, she would be skilled enough to take up photography as a full time job. Rittson said that Kate, who took this portrait of Prince George and Princess Charlotte together in May 2015 could have been a professional photographer A photo of her children taken by the Duchess of Cambridge at Amner Hall in May 2015. Professional photographer Hugo Rittson Thomas said he was surprised by her technical knowledge 'If circumstances had been different, she could definitely have had a career in photography she has a lot of talent,' he said. The Duchess has been honing her skills behind the lens for several years now. Back in 2012, photos taken by Kate during a trip to Borneo with Prince William were published on their official website. A photograph taken by The Duchess of Cambridge during a private walk through part of the jungle, close to the Danum Valley research station, Borneo in November 2012 A photograph taken by The Duchess of Cambridge of a palm oil plantation during a flight to the Royal Society research station in Sabah, Malaysia in November 2012 The pictures captured the couple's awesome surroundings in the jungle taken on their private walks through the Borneo forest. They also spent a day at the Danum Valley Research Station to highlight the work being undertaken to protect the rainforest and its wildlife, including the orang-utan, and Kate captured one of the endangered species in silhouette. Images were also captured as the Duke and Duchess were flying to the Solomon Islands on their official tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. They received a mixed reaction from professionals who described them as a good first effort but not technically brilliant. Her shots in Malaysia were taken on a fairly bog-standard Canon Powershot G12 pocket digital camera, which retails for around 285. From just looking at Michelle Keegan it's hard to believe that the former Corrie star has ever been anything but glamorous. However, the 28-year-old - who was voted FHM's Sexist Woman In The World last year - has not always been as fashion conscious as she is now. 'I was a bit of a geek at school,' the star told FEMAIL, as she prepared to launch her new Lipsy line. Scroll down for video The actress, from Manchester, said that her top celeb style crushes are Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jessica Alba and Victoria Beckham - but added that it would be 'too hard' to choose between them Michelle Keegan, 28, was voted FHM's Sexist Woman in The World last year and is preparing to launch her new line at Lipsy 'I didn't really have a fashion inspiration growing up. I don't think it was until I left school when I was a little bit older that I started to look at fashion more.' The actress, from Manchester, said that her top celeb style crushes are Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jessica Alba and Victoria Beckham - but added that it would be 'too hard' to choose between them. Michelle is launching her new 20-piece collection at Lipsy two years after debuting her first Autumn/Winter range for the brand. Michelle is launching her new 20-piece collection two years after debuting her first Autumn/Winter range for the brand Filled with bright colours as well as classic all-black outfits for summer and autumn, the collection includes looks for all types of activities - from relaxed daytime clothes to sensible work-wear Filled with bright colours as well as classic all-black outfits for summer and autumn, the collection includes looks for all types of activities - from relaxed daytime clothes to sensible work-wear. The star, who married her TOWIE boyfriend Mark Wright last year, said: 'A big focus for this range is attention to detail so there are lots of new interesting necklines as well as new lace techniques and textures.' She added: 'I cant believe how far the range has come it feels like yesterday that I launched my debut Lipsy collection. The star, who married her TOWIE boyfriend Mark Wright last year, told FEMAIL: 'A big focus for this range is attention to detail so there are lots of new interesting necklines as well as new lace techniques and textures' 'Its been a total learning curve, with each range proving stronger than the last.' Michelle's favourite piece from the new collection is the black lace shift dress. She said: 'You can never go wrong with an LBD and this one feels fresh and new.' South Africa was chosen as the location for the Lipsy shoot and is also where Michelle spent six months filming series two of BBC drama Our Girl. Michelle's favourite piece from the new collection is the black lace shift dress South Africa was chosen as the location for the Lipsy shoot and is also where Michelle spent six months filming series two of BBC drama Our Girl She said: 'Finding a highlight of filming in Cape Town is too difficult to choose! Filming the new series there was an amazing experience.' Although Michelle, who appeared in the third series of ITV2 show Plebs this month, is looking forward to warm summer nights and relaxing with friends and family for barbecues, she doesn't have an big holiday plans coming up. 'I'm concentrating on Our Girl at the moment so I'll think about it once that's wrapped,' she said. For many of us, posting news and gossip about our day on Facebook has become the perfect end-of-day wind down. But it amazes me how many people, after a glass of wine in the evening, love to moan about a partners foibles for the amusement of their online friends - not caring that their husbands might be reading it. Are they mad? I regularly witness a married couple I know littering Facebook with tit-for-tat spats of the I-wish-youd-take-out-the-bins variety. Its a bit like inviting bystanders into your private relationship. It amazes Kathryn Flett how many people, after a glass of wine in the evening, love to moan about a partners foibles for the amusement of their online friends - not caring that their husbands might be reading it The site is increasingly cited by divorce lawyers as evidence of unreasonable behaviour - nearly a quarter of some 2,000 married Brits polled by a top law firm said theyd had at least one argument about social media, while one in seven had even considered divorce as a result. Although my partner and I effectively live in each others pockets (we often work at home, surrounded by our four sons, two each from our previous relationships), we would never be Facebook friends. Kathryn is not friends with her partner on Facebook I dont want, or need, to know every aspect of his interior life. Hes as entitled to his emotional hinterland as I am to mine. Im glad I didnt have to explain a nostalgic online chat between me and my one-time boyfriend and our mates of 35 years ago. Around six months ago, I also un-friended my ex. While relations are usually cordial, were not quite friends in real life, were co-parents - and thats a relationship which should always be conducted away from the public gaze. I have friends who wont even let their husbands near Facebook, where they confess cheerfully to hangovers, arguments and crushes. If you cant face Glastonbury, there are plenty of grown-up alternatives. Make this the year you experience one of these life-enhancing events. STRETCH IN LEICESTERSHIRE If you cant face Glastonbury, there are plenty of grown-up alternatives. Make this the year you experience one of these life-enhancing events like a yoga festival in the elegant Stanford Hall, above Limber up for a yoga festival in the elegant Stanford Hall. The lovely surroundings and River Avon form a relaxing backdrop to a programme of deep core yoga, music and wood-fired hot-tubs. INSIDER TIP: Indian head massage, reflexology or raindrop therapy, 60 for an hour. DETAILS: July 14-17. From 85 for one day, 330 for the weekend. Double rooms at Stanford Hall from 450 for the festival, yogaconnects.co.uk. CORNISH BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Youll feel part of the family at this Cornish gathering on the St Germans family estate in Saltash. With shows by comedian Sara Pascoe, alfresco disco and wild woodland parties. Youll feel part of the family at this Cornish gathering on the St Germans family estate in Saltash. With shows by comedian Sara Pascoe, alfresco disco and wild woodland parties, above INSIDER TIP: At high tide, join the Kenwood Ladies Pond Association for the Port Eliot Wild Swim down the River Tiddy. DETAILS: Port Eliot Festival, July 28-31, St Germans, Cornwall. Day tickets from 64, weekend from 172.50, porteliotfestival.com. TASTE OF THE COAST There are harbour lunches, cooking demonstrations and chocolate tastings at the attractive village of Crail on Scotlands east coast. Grab a local ale and get stuck in to this fabulously foodie weekend. There are harbour lunches, cooking demonstrations and chocolate tastings at the attractive village of Crail, above, on Scotlands east coast for Taste of the Coast INSIDER TIP: Book the popular Saturday evening dinner. 31.50 a head. 1) B. Garden gnomes After much debate, the RHS lifted the ban on gnomes, which had been deemed too tacky. The liberation was marked by a parade of 150 gnomes lined up for official inspection by the Queen. There is no dress code for the show, so tracksuits are fine. But musical instruments are banned, as are children aged five or under and pushchairs. 2) False RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the biggest flower show in Britain, and the world, despite having only launched in 1993. However, Chelsea, which is more than 100 years old, is seen as the most prestigious. 3) A. Alcohol The consultant to etiquette bible Debretts says all events of this season are really an excuse for daytime midweek drinking. Ascot-style hats are a no-no as they block others view, while showing off is discouraged. Lady Celestria says: The modest elderly couple standing next to you are probably fellows of the RHS and may well have had plants named after them. She adds: Praise only: save criticism till you get home. 4) C. 500 London buses The Great Pavilion is 11,775 square metres or 2.9 acres. 5) D. Lily Allen The singer already has a vivid-orange lily named after her. This year, Roald Dahl is getting a rose to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth (with peach blooms in a nod to James And The Giant Peach). Mary Berry will unveil a pale lemon hybrid tea rose named after her. Princess Charlotte is being honoured with a pink chrysanthemum. 6) False Facebook has come under fire for denying a request for an advertisement because it featured a photograph of plus-size model Tess Holliday. Australian group Cherchez la Femme attempted to place an ad on the social media network last week to promote their latest body positive event, called Feminism and Fat, and were denied by Facebook. The event, which is one of the group's monthly 'feminist talkshows' had a picture of Tess Holliday in a bikini as the main image for the event. Facebook said that they wouldn't allow the group to promote their event because the picture of Holliday 'violates Facebook's Ad Guideline's by promoting an idealised physical image'. Request denied: Facebook has rejected a request for an advertisement using a picture of Tess Holliday (above) because the image was against their 'health and fitness policy' Fatbook: The advertisement was to promote a feminist event discussing body positivity called 'Feminism and Fat' Huh? Facebook said that the picture of Holliday promoted 'an idealised physical image' and violated their guidlelines When one of the producers of the event, Jessamy Gleeson, contacted Facebook about the rejection, she was told that the image didn't comply with the company's health and fitness policy. 'The image depicts a body or body parts in a undesirable manner. Ads may not depict a state of health or body weight as being perfect or extremely undesirable,' Facebook responded to her. Facebook went on to say that images that fell under this included photos showing 'muffin tops', people wearing clothes that are too tight and images that show conditions like eating disorders in a negative light. The site suggested that the group use 'an image of a relevant activity, such as running or riding a bike'. Appeal: When one of the producers of the event contacted Facebook, they reaffirmed their denial of the ad, saying that it didn't comply with the site's 'health and fitness policy' 'The image depicts a body or body parts in a undesirable manner': The site said that images that showed tight clothing, 'muffin tops' or eating disorders in a negative light were not allowed 'To my surprise, Facebook rejected my boosted ad request': One of the producers of the event, Jessamy Gleeson, posted to Facebook about the ad's rejection (above) Ms Gleeson took to the group's Facebook page to let their followers know what had happened, and how angry the producers of Cherchez la Femme were about it. 'Facebook has ignored the fact that our event is going to be discussing body positivity (which comes in all shapes and sizes, but in the particular case of our event, fat bodies), and has instead come to the conclusion that we've set out to make women feel bad about themselves by posting an image of a wonderful plus sized woman,' she wrote. 'We're raging pretty hard over here - both because Facebook seemingly has no idea that plus sized, self describing fat women can feel great about themselves, and also because we haven't been able to boost the original damn post.' Ms Gleeson also spoke to Daily Mail Australia, saying Facebook has a 'double standard' when it comes to their community guidelines. 'We're raging pretty hard over here': Ms Gleeson said that the women who run Cherchez la Femme were angry at Facebook's decision and reasoning Horrified: Commenters on the Facebook post were also upset about the situation, calling it 'absurd' and 'bulls***t' Feminism and fat: The event (above) is being held in Melbourne on June 7 and will discuss body positivity and fat bodies Cherchez la Femme's followers were equally outraged, posting that they were 'horrified' and calling the policy 'bulls***t'. 'Oh wow. This is absurd. Facebook fails to deal with trolls who tell fat women to kill themselves and they have this policy? Ugh,' Elizabeth Sutherland wrote. Others criticized the social media network for assuming that someone can't be bigger and healthy, or that they allow overly photoshopped bodies but not 'real' ones. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Facebook for comment. As Kim Kardashian will attest, there are many things that are essential when it comes to taking the perfect selfie. And since social media and the use of camera phones exploded, so too have devices and apps designed to help you take the perfect picture. What started with the development of selfie sticks and photo editing apps has now evolved to make up, with companies seeing if new products pass the 'selfie test'. Say 'duck face': Companies are now designing makeup to ensure it looks good in selfies Social media ready: Companies like Covergirl, Revlon, Dior and Australis are ensuring their products pass the 'selfie test' Companies like Covergirl are now, as part of the regular testing process for foundations, taking pictures on popular smartphones like the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy to see how they photograph. A number of other big brands are also developing products that they have specifically ensured photograph well once on the skin due to the obsession with social media selfies. Sarah Vickery, principal scientist for Covergirl, told The New York Times that this was very important to consumers. 'Its something we really have to pay attention to,' Ms Vickery said. Take a picture: Scientists say that the key is in the way makeup reacts to light. Makeup with SPF in it can cause 'ghosting' in photos Special formulation: The companies are mainly focusing on foundation and primer, like Revlon's 'Photoready' range (above) Most companies are focusing on foundation, which can have the biggest impact in photos. SPF in foundation, for example, can cause 'ghosting' where the face looks washed out and pale. A lot of it comes down to light, and how foundation deals with it. There are now plenty of products that have been developed in such a way that they look their best in photos. There's Covergirl's Outlast Stay Luminous Foundation and then Revlon's Photoready range, both designed to make you look luminous in photos but not oily. Selfie: Covergirl now tests their foundations (above) by taking photos on iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones to see how they look Kiss kiss: Although the focus has been on foundation, companies like Avon are starting to focus on selfie-worthy lipsticks now too Australis has released an Oh2Glow, a foundation with light-diffusing properties, designed to work perfectly with cream contouring and highlighting products. And last year Dior launched a new foundation, the Diorskin Star, marketed specifically as good for selfies. 'When light reaches the skin, only 10-15 per cent of the rays are reflected while the rest is absorbed. The more the light is backscattered, the more the skin is luminous,' Dior communications director Edouard Mauvais-Jarvis explained. She claims that socks don't absorb make-up product like some sponges She says that the cushion of the ankle makes it streak-free and smooth Whether you're a fingertips or a make-up sponge type of girl, there might be one way you haven't contemplated applying your foundation yet. With a sock. Yes, you read that right. The US beauty blogger, Mayra Isabel - of the YouTube channel Mayra Touch of Glam - recommends smoothing your foundation on with one, and she even goes as far as to say that it's the secret to flawless, streak-free skin. Scroll down for video Unusual hack: Beauty blogger, Mayra Isabel, recommends applying your foundation with a sock (pictured) Skin secret: She says it is the secret to flawless, streak-free skin But why? According to Ms Isabel, who posted a video in which she applies foundation with a sock on her YouTube page, the cushion of the heel is the perfect applicator: 'The other day I was going through my socks, and I noticed the ankle part was very soft, the texture of it felt very bouncy and very thick,' she says in the six-minute clip uploaded online. Science bit: Ms Isabel says the cushion of your sock is a great applicator - it's thick, and the texture is bouncy Cheap trick: She says that unlike usual make-up sponges and applicators, the sock doesn't absorb product She advocates buying a pair of socks with a thick cushion-y ankle, but says you don't need to spend a massive amount of money in order to get the right applicator. In fact, Ms Isabel only spent about $6 USD dollars ($8 AUD dollars), for a packet which comes with three pairs of socks inside. Ms Isabel then goes on to show how the beauty hack works, by turning the sock inward to create a ball-shaped spongy applicator. Great advice: Ms Isabel says you have to turn the sock inwards to create a ball-shaped spongy applicator Best part: She says the best part is you don't have to spend lots of money on socks She then slowly buffs the foundation into her skin. While it might seem unusual, the beauty vlogger promises that even though socks are made from cotton, they don't absorb your foundation and will leave your skin streak-free, smooth and flawless. She adds that nearly the best part of the entire trick is that you can then simply throw the sponge into the washing machine for it to come out clean, while you use another one the next day. Re-use and recycle: She says that you can throw the sponge into the washing machine and use another Blogger views: According to Ms Isabel, 'this might just be the next Beautyblender' 'This might just be the next Beautyblender, just saying,' she says at the beginning of the video. Even if mentally you're not quite prepared to rub your face with a sock, you have to admit that the final result is pretty impressive. And the best part is that it will not set you back the usual price of a foundation brush or sponge. When shopping for strollers, parents are flying blind and have to rely on the salesperson's word on the comfort of their child. But one stroller company is helping parents make a more informed decision by allowing them to test drive their best-selling baby stroller for themselves. Contours, a Chicago-based 'baby gear brand', designed an exact adult-sized replica of their best-selling stroller and invited parents to test it out for a more immersive customer experience. Scroll down for video Taking customer service seriously: A stroller company is helping parents make a more informed decision with their stroller choice by allowing them to test drive their best-selling baby stroller for themselves Immersive experience: Contours, a Chicago-based 'baby gear brand', designed an exact adult-sized replica of their best-selling stroller and invited parents to test it out The company released a video of the 'baby stroller test ride' on YouTube where a number of adults were seen strapped inside the enormous stroller and pushed down the street and up and down the store aisles. 'The problem with shopping for strollers is that babies can't talk to tell you what they like and an adult certainly can't fit into a baby stroller,' the store spokeswoman said in the video. 'We created an exact adult-size replica of one of our best-selling baby strollers and invited parents to try it showing just how comfortable Contour strollers are for babies.' Just like the real thing: The company released a video of the 'baby stroller test ride' on YouTube where a number of adults were seen strapped inside the enormous stroller and pushed down the street Fellow rider: 'The problem with shopping for strollers is that babies can't talk to tell you what they like and an adult certainly can't fit into a baby stroller,' the store spokeswoman said in the video Simple: 'We created an exact adult-size replica of one of our best-selling baby strollers and invited parents to try it showing just how comfortable Contour strollers are for babies,' she said The amused parents jumped into the 'Bliss' stroller replica and were pushed around in the one-off design which is 2.3 metres high, 1.82 metres long and 1.22 metres wide. They were seen laughing as they were pushed around and many commented on how much they loved the experience despite many stopping to take photographs of the bizarre creation. The spokeswoman then spent time rocking the giant stroller with both mothers and fathers admitting they felt comforted throughout the experience. Getting involved: The amused parents jumped into the 'Bliss' stroller replica and were pushed around in the one-off design which is 2.3 metres high, 1.82 metres long and 1.22 metres wide Surprisingly enjoyable: They were seen laughing as they were pushed around and many commented on how much they loved the experience despite many stopping to take photographs of the bizarre creation I could get used to this: The spokeswoman then spent time rocking the giant stroller with both mothers and fathers admitting they felt comforted throughout the experience The video has been viewed over 197,000 times since it was first shared on YouTube and many have praised the idea. 'Add electric motor to it and I'll buy it,' one man wrote. 'I'm not a parent but I want one. Is that weird?' Another woman questioned. A couple who raised more than 3,000 towards IVF treatment by holding car boot sales offering donated items have spoken of their joy at having their first child. Kirsty and Kyle Morgan, from Hereford, Worcestershire, had been trying to conceive for three years and, after one round of NHS-funded IVF failed, were forced to find the money for private treatment themselves. The factory workers, who have been married for four years, finally welcomed a son, Aylus, on May 3rd after Kirsty, 27, successfully fell pregnant following treatment last year. Scroll down for video Speculate to accumulate! Kirsty, 27, and Kyle, 32, welcomed their son Aylus on May 3rd following private fertility treatment in Greece after raising money at car boot sales Little Aylus was the result of private fertility treatment, which the Morgans sought out after having a failed funded round of IVF on the NHS The newborn arrived via an emergency C-section, weighing in at 5lb 6oz and arriving four weeks early. Dad Kyle said the couple are overjoyed with their new addition Doctors told new dad Kyle, 32, that he was unlikely to be able to father a child naturally and the determined couple decided to turn to car boot sales to try and raise the funds for the treatment, using their Renault Megane as a shop window. After taking part in 75 sales in just six months they managed to raise enough for a second round of treatment. They then flew to Athens in Greece on September 15th last year and, seven days later, they discovered that Kirsty was pregnant. Kirsty gave birth to Aylus, a healthy 5lb 6oz baby boy by caesarean section, at Hereford's County Hospital at the beginning of this month. Announcing the birth of their 'car boot baby', proud dad Kyle, 32, wrote on Facebook: 'Well I am overjoyed to announce that me and Kirsty have had a beautiful baby boy he is amazing he is 5lb 6oz he arrived at 7.40am but not before he gave us one last scare.' Kirsty and Kyle used donated nick-nacks and unwanted goods to raise more than 3,000 towards IVF by doing car boot sales After taking part in 75 car boot sales in just six months, Kirsty and Kyle Morgan managed to raise enough for a second round of IVF treatment Kyle explained that Aylus was born after an emergency C-section: 'Brought Kirsty down this morn at 6.10am as she was cramping all night and being sick so they measured baby heart rate and that was fine. 'Then the doc came down and examined Kirsty and she was still closed so he did an ultrasound and baby's heart rate had dropped so the doc said Kirsty had to have an emergency C-section straight away, so Kirsty was put to sleep. He added that after the operation 'baby and mummy are doing fine'. The couple have since decided to name their newborn son Alyus James Morgan. Of their funding challenge, Kyle said: 'We would get up at 6am on the weekend in time for the 7.30am car boot.We would finish there, come home, restock and go back out to the 12.30pm car boot.' 'Our weekends were very hectic and we would even do bank holiday car boot sales too. In total, we raised 4,900 from the car boots, as well as themed nights including cabaret and bingo.' The couple, who have been married for four years, travelled to Athens, Greece, on September 15 for the treatment and got the good news seven days later Kirsty Morgan looks elated ahead of her course of IVF treatment, pictured left, and the grand total the couple raised by doing car boot sales, right After the twins are born the pair hope to continue the sales - but this time raise money for another couple, pictured Kirsty receiving IVF treatment Kirsty, pictured left, and Kyle, second from right, with friends during one of their car boots sales 'Around 3,000 of the total raised was from the car boot sales. We sold hundreds and hundreds of items. It spiralled out of control.' The couple, who have been married for four years, had one free round of IVF treatment on the NHS but it failed. The couple were dealt a further blow when doctors told Kyle that he was unlikely to be able to father a child naturally. After seeking out IVF in Greece, where the treatment is cheaper, the couple were delighted to fall pregnant with Kyle's sperm. Kyle said: 'We were very shocked and overjoyed when the treatment worked. We were devastated when the first attempt failed, but the treatment was cheaper in Greece so we tried our luck and it worked.' THE MIRACLE OF SCIENCE: WHAT HAPPENS DURING IVF? During IVF, an egg is surgically removed from a woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, or embryo, is then returned and implanted back into the woman's womb to grow and develop. Step one A woman is given a drug to suppress her natural menstrual cycle, often in the form of a daily injection or nasal spray, for around two weeks. Step two A fertility hormone is given, again in the form of a daily injection for between 10 and 12 days. It increases the number of eggs a woman produces, to allow experts to collect and fertilise more eggs, to try and improve the success rate. Under current UK regulations, British couples can qualify for free fertility treatment on the NHS...but further cycles often needed to be funded privately Step three Doctors then monitor the woman and around 34 to 38 hours before her eggs are due to be collected she will be given a final hormone injection that helps your eggs to mature. Step four For the egg collection a woman is sedated and her eggs are collected using ultrasound as a guide. A needle is inserted through the vagina and into each ovary. The eggs are then collected through the needle. Step five The collected eggs are mixed with the woman's partner's sperm and after 16 to 20 hours they are checked to see if any have been fertilised. If the sperm are few or weak, each egg may need to be injected with individual sperm. The fertilised eggs, embryos then continue to grow in the laboratory for one to five days before they are transferred back into the womb. Once the woman's eggs have been collected she is given medication, including progesterone, to help prepare the lining of the womb to receive an embryo. Step six The embryos are transferred back into the woman's womb. Advertisement The couple won hearts last year when they first started their car boot baby challenge. Kirsty, 27, said: 'We went to car boots every weekend, sometimes we did two or three in a weekend. 'At car boot sales items sell for tiny amounts so we knew it would take a long time. It's been a lot of hard work. Doing the car boot sales felt like we were earning it.' After their first sale in February last year, strangers listened to their appeal on Facebook and started to donate items for them to sell. And they have vowed to carry on with their fundraising to help other couples who are struggling to have a family. Kirsty added: 'We will be working to help another couple. Over the winter we will do jumble sales and then we'll do car boots when they restart in the spring. Edinburgh University has been blasted as 'sexist' and outdated for recommending female students splash out more than 3,000 on a designer graduation outfit, including a 2,395 Alexander McQueen clutch bag. The advice published in an online newsletter for students recommended a little black dress from a brand such as Carven, high heels and a clutch in which to store 'your lippy and smartphone'. However, people were unhappy about the post, which has now been deleted, and have taken to Twitter to criticise the university. Scroll down for video Edinburgh University has been blasted as 'sexist' and out of touch for recommending female students splash out more than 3,000 on a designer graduation outfit, including a 2,395 Alexander McQueen clutch bag Edinburgh University tweeted to say: 'Apologies for the graduation fashion advice posted in the latest Student newsletter - it wasn't appropriate and it has been removed.' However, the advice has been shared widely on social media. 'Girls, this is your time to invest in some sophisticated glamour,' it read. 'Think French chic meets New York business and you'll get it right. 'Like the boys, put your money into a garment or look at one that has longevity that you can dress up and down to suit any social or business occasion.' The post contained links to suggested products from the department store Harvey Nichols for those keen to snap up one of the recommended items. 'A little black dress from a brand like Carven or Iro would be spot on, and go for killer accessories: Gianvito Rossi heels and a clutch with personality to store your lippy and smartphone,' the post advised. In a post which has now been deleted from the student newsletter, Edinburgh University advised women to purchase a killer clutch to keep their smartphones and lipsticks in on the big day It concluded: 'Image is everything.' A typical black dress from the French brand ranges Carven from 230 to just under 400, while something similar from Iro costs around 300. The recommended heels by Gianvito Rossi would set a student back between 400 and 500 if not more. Commenters took to social media to criticise the university's outdated and 'sexist' advice to women And the clutch from Alexander McQueen was an eye-watering 2,395. Following the university's style advice would involve spending a minimum of 3,025 and commentators on Twitter were deeply unimpressed. Waitingirl13 wrote: 'FFSEdinburgh Uni how can you think this sexist advice is OK?' Parkinsonsdis agreed with her point and reference the recent row over a woman being sent home from work for refusing to wear high heels. 'We think we've come so far but 2016 women are still getting s**** advice and being sent home from work in "flats",' she said. Natalie Silvey took issue with the use of the word 'girls' to describe female graduates. 'They are not "girls" but highly educated women graduation from a top university and deserve better.' KaanthanJ was glad they university had removed the post but couldn't believe it had even existed to begin with. One commenter took further offence because the brands recommended only suit those with supermodel figures 'What were they thinking in the first place?' he asked. 'Backwards with no place in 2016.' Iceman_ex made the same point, adding: 'I'm confused. What year are we in again?' THE 3,000 GRADUATION OUTFIT Carven dress McQueen clutch Gianvito Rossi heels TOTAL 230 2,395 400 3,025 Meanwhile Jane Soderblom wanted to know why they had chosen to be 'demeaning' when they could have used the opportunity to be empowering. Even the former Belle de Jour Dr Brooke Magnanti, known for her Real Life Diary Of A Call Girl waded into the debate saying she never spent that much on her outfits while working as a high class escort. 'Christ, I never even bought 500 heels when I was a call girl. (Queen of bargain knockoffs me.),' she tweeted. And she added sarcastically: 'Remember ladies to carry your lippy in an expensive little bag and not shove it down your bra OK?' Others were prompted to share tales of their own bargain graduation outfits with Nadine McBay tweeting: 'I spent 15 on my grad from a vintage shop circa 1804. Still lovely.' Kristie Stuart explained that she'd spent 12 on her graduation dress. 'Can they even give degrees to people like me?' she asked. Alantheaudi said that if image was everything society would be very different. 'Nobody needs to go to uni, just to Net-a-porter,' she said. Is now campaigning to have his sentence reduced so they can be together Katie, mother-of-one, says she split up with her boyfriend for Bradford The pair have exchanged dozens of letters since January A British mother has revealed she dumped her boyfriend for her pen pal prisoner who is on death row in America. Katie Menham, 25, from Malmesbury, Wiltshire, has exchanged 'dozens' of letters with convicted killer Julius Bradford, 31, since January and is now fighting to get him a retrial so they can be together. Bradford has been on death row in High Desert State Prison, Nevada, since 2004 - after he was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted robbery. The mother, who has son Alfie from a previous relationship, tells how she decided to write to a death row inmate after watching an American prison documentary in January Katie Menham, 25, from Malmesbury, Wiltshire, pictured with her four-year-old son Alfie, has been writing to killer Julius Bradford, 31, since January In court it emerged he and two accomplices had ambushed a 48-year-old father of seven, attacking him and attempting to rob him before shooting him dead. Despite Bradford's violent past, Katie who has a four-year-old son, Alfie, says she has developed 'a connection' with him. So much so that, last month, she split with her boyfriend of two years to focus on her blossoming relationship with the inmate - who is locked up 5,000 miles away. Katie, a counselling and psychotherapy student, said: 'I never thought you could have such a strong bond with someone you have never met but this is really special. I can't explain it but it's so powerful.' 'I don't expect everyone to understand it and I'm not condoning Julius' crimes, but I take people as I find them - and what I see is an intelligent, thoughtful person who got into the wrong crowd as a teen. Bradford has been on death row in High Desert State Prison, Nevada, since 2004 - after he was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted robbery Katie has exchanged 'dozens' of letters with the convicted killer and is now fighting to get him a retrial 'In the end my boyfriend couldn't hack the time I was spending writing to Julius, so we split.' Now, new evidence has emerged in Bradford's case and he has submitted an application for appeal, meaning he could face a retrial next year. Katie adds: 'Now, I'm fundraising to get him a decent lawyer as I truly believe mistakes were made in his trial and hope the new evidence brings that to light. 'I will do everything in my power to get him his freedom so we can focus on our future together.' The mother, who has son Alfie from a previous relationship, tells how she decided to write to a death row inmate after watching an American prison documentary in January. She admits her then-boyfriend of 20 months with whom she'd discussed marriage and children in the future 'didn't understand' why she'd want a prisoner for a pen pal. She explains: 'He told me it would be dangerous to make contact with a killer, and said he didn't want me to get involved with someone like that. Katie has now launched a campaign to get Bradford a retrial so they can be together 'I'm quite an open-minded and accepting person while my boyfriend was a bit more suspicious, so I just put it down to our differences. 'But my parents understood what I was trying to do. They said it was typical of me - trying to help someone in a rubbish situation.' Katie joined free site WriteAPrisoner.com that month, and found Julius Bradford's profile. She learned that, in July 2003, Bradford and two pals devised a plan to lure 48-year-old Benito Zambrano-Lopez to them so they could rob him. The gang then shot the father once in the head. Bradford also was convicted of another robbery-murder in a separate trial, and was a suspect in several others that were believed to be gang-related. In 2004, he was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted robbery, and sentenced to death at Supreme County Court, Nevada. He was re-trialled in 2007 when new evidence emerged, but was once again found guilty and remained an inmate on death row at High Desert Street prison, Nevada. Speaking of her response to Bradford's convictions, Katie recalls: 'I wasn't shocked as I knew that whichever death row inmate I wrote to would have committed a serious crime. Despite Bradford's violent past, Katie who has a four-year-old son, Alfie, says she has developed 'a connection' with him In March, Bradford even sent Katie a Mother's Day card with the message: 'Woman like you definitely deserve a day just for you =)' 'But I read how Julius hadn't been the one to actually pull the trigger, which to me made all the difference. He'd gotten involved with gangs at an early age and I suspected he hadn't had much home support and had fallen in with the wrong crowd. 'Looking at his photo, I saw pain in his eyes and I wanted to help.' Katie tells how she submitted the address of the home she shared with Alfie, her son from a previous relationship. She recalls: 'My boyfriend was unimpressed I'd chosen a male inmate, as he'd assumed I'd be writing to another woman. 'I reassured him that Julius's gender and the fact he's clearly handsome was irrelevant. I felt drawn to his case, not because I found him attractive. 'I asked my boyfriend to be supportive, but he was horrified by Julius crime and refused to give me his blessing.' I would never leave my boyfriend and risk criticism from friends and family if I wasn't sure that Julius was worth it. You can't help who you fall for Katie sent her first four-page letter to Bradford that month. And three weeks later, a reply landed on her doormat. She recalls: 'It arrived covered in stamps from the prison, and I was so nervous I just stared at it for about two hours. 'When I finally opened it I saw loads of smiley faces on the page and I burst into tears.' In the letter, Bradford asked Katie why she had chosen to write to him, explaining he thought he'd removed his profile from the site. He also urged her to confide in him, writing: 'it's got to be two ways,' and added that's 'how friendship works'. Bradford added: 'really enjoyed your letter [...] you couldve carried on for another 4 - 40 pages and I would not have raised a complaint =)' Katie says: 'I was overwhelmed by his articulate and thoughtful response, and felt flattered he felt able to confide in me. 'Once I started writing my reply the following day, I found myself telling him things that I'd normally never tell a stranger, like how I'd suffered in the past with issues such as self-harm and depression. She said that she played down to her boyfriend how many letters she was receiving, hiding them under my bed 'I'd told my boyfriend about these issues in the past, but somehow, writing about it to Julius felt really cathartic I felt sure he would understand me.' By March, the pair were exchanging notes thick and fast, sending multiple letters in a row in their haste to make contact. Katie adds: 'He's obviously an attractive guy, but our connection went deeper than that. 'There was nothing flirty or sleazy about our messages, they were more emotional than anything.' By mid-March, Katie admits she was living in fear of Bradford being given an execution date. She adds: 'By then it felt like I'd known him for years, and the thought of losing him was terrifying. 'It was easy to forget he was a convicted criminal when we were writing then suddenly I'd remember he was on death row and panic he'd be taken from me. 'Some nights I lay awake and thought about him alone in that cell and it broke my heart. 'Julius didn't go into too much detail about the murder and I never pushed him to, but he did speak honestly about his troubled life as a teen.' In one letter he wrote: 'It was a time when I lashed out at people becuz I felt whatever they were going through couldnt begin to compare with what I dealt with daily. 'I feel sympathy and more empathy for others [...] they may not have learned to cope with whatever it is they're going through and I have. And you seem to be the same way =)' In March, Bradford even sent Katie a Mother's Day card with the message: 'Woman like you definitely deserve a day just for you =)' That month Bradford offered to pay a $25 (17.30) fee to speed up the prison's vetting process, meaning the pair would receive their letters quicker. Katie says: 'By then I was sending him stuff whenever I thought of him, whether that was silly notes or long rambling letters. 'I didn't tell my son about my pen pal he's only four and I didn't see a reason for him to know. In one letter, Bradford wrote: 'It was a time when I lashed out at people becuz I felt whatever they were going through couldnt begin to compare with what I dealt with daily' 'And I played down to my boyfriend how many letters I was receiving, hiding them under my bed. 'Obviously Julius is an attractive man and I knew my boyfriend would hit the roof and accuse me of cheating if he realised how much we were confiding in one another.' By April, Katie says she was fascinated with Bradford's case and admits that the more time she spent researching it, the more compelled she felt to help him. But she tells how, as the relationship with her pen-pal deepened, her relationship with her boyfriend was disintegrating. She says: 'I was a full-time mum and studying for my degree online. Every other moment I had was spent writing to Julius, searching for updates on his case and just thinking about him. Despite his violent past, if I had the same chemistry with Julius in the flesh as we have over pen and paper, I would have no problem with him meeting my son, Alfie 'My boyfriend and I started having arguments about it because I never had time for him anymore. 'I think he was jealous I was writing to another man and giving him so much of my time and attention. 'In the middle of April, things came to a head and he asked me to stop talking to Julius. 'I finally realised that my feelings for from him were more than just friendship. 'When push came to shove, I couldn't give Julius up - so we mutually agreed to end it. 'Our relationship had never been perfect, so I wouldn't say Julius was the sole reason we split but it definitely played a part. 'I would never leave my boyfriend and risk criticism from friends and family if I wasn't sure that Julius was worth it. You can't help who you fall for.' Later that month, Bradford's public attorney submitted an appeal for a retrial, on the basis of new evidence emerging and if this is approved he could face release as early as next year. Newly single and with the possibility of a retrial for Bradford, Katie tells how she has finally let herself imagine a future with him. She says: 'If our connection is as strong in person as it is long distance, we have found something very rare, and I could see myself falling in love with him. 'Despite his violent past, if I had the same chemistry with Julius in the flesh as we have over pen and paper, I would have no problem with him meeting my son, Alfie. 'I'd hold Julius to the same standards as I would anyone else, so if I trusted him, of course I'd let him be around Alfie. 'Nothing would make me happier than for him to win his appeal so we can meet face to face and let our relationship grow into love and marriage - but who knows what will happen?' This month, Katie started a Facebook page, 'Free Julius Bradford', which already has 1,300 members. Katie says she can see herself falling in love with Bradford if the connection they have is as strong in person as it is over long distance She has also started a petition via change.org, called: 'Get Julius Bradford off death row before it's too late', which has 27 signatures. She adds: 'To give him every chance of succeeding, I am planning to fundraise to get him the best legal representation possible. 'I know there's a possibility of his life being taken before we ever get to meet properly, and that thought is unbearable. But I can't afford to go over and see him just yet because all the money I raise has to go towards getting him the best legal team I can get.' 'I haven't told Julius what I'm doing, because I don't want to get his hopes up. But his sister knows, and she is fundraising over in the US, too.' However, she admits that the responses to her Facebook page have been mixed. Katie explains: 'My mum has been supportive throughout because she trusts that I know what I'm doing and knows that nothing she says will make me stop writing to Julius. 'My dad was harder to convince - he worries that I'm too attached to Julius and that it would destroy me if he was executed, but he's coming round to the idea. 'One of my close friends has been very negative about it and wrote rude comments on the page about how I was naive and had no idea what I was getting into. 'I deleted the comments and totally cut him off - I don't need the negativity. 'If friends don't agree with what I'm doing that's fine, I know what I'm doing is controversial and can't expect everyone to get on board - but as my friends they should at least try to understand. 'It's frustrating because I know he's a good man - and sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who can see that. 'I'm not denying what Julius did was wrong, but let's not forget he's already served 13 years in prison. 'I believe he deserves a second chance and maybe then we can have a happy future together as well. Kylie's kits have also come under fire recently for changing color, and having a nearly identical formula to Colourpop Cosmetics' lipsticks They plan to redesign the packaging to avoid further problems The company said they weigh packages before they go out, but the unique drip-pattern boxes have made them targets for stealing Some Kylie Cosmetics customers have complained on social media and to the Better Business Bureau that their shipments arrived empty Some Kylie Jenner fans are being left incredibly disappointed after feeling the rush of nabbing some of her hard-to-get Lip Kits before they sell out but then receiving an empty package in the mail weeks later. Several shoppers are taking to social media and even complaining to the Better Business Bureau about the issue, saying that when their boxes from Kylie Cosmetics arrived, there was nothing inside them but a note from Kylie. But the 18-year-old reality star's company insists it's not a mistake in the shipping department that's leading customers to come up empty handed: It's the fact that Kylie's Lip Kits are so in-demand and the boxes they're packaged in are so recognizable that thieves are swiping the kits in transit. Scroll down for video Uh-oh: Kylie Cosmetics customers have been complaining that their boxes (pictured) have been turning up with nothing inside them So disappointing: Several have posted pictures to show that their packages came with just the note from Kylie Jenner and no Lip Kits In need of a redesign: Each of the kits come with unique, recognizable packaging, which the company has admitted might make them a target for thieves The problem seems to have begun with the most recent shipment, and shoppers who shelled out over $40 for a Lip Kit (including tax and shipping) have been heartbroken and sometimes livid not to get what they paid for. 'My Kylie lip kit arrived with no lip kit and an empty box wdf I'm fuming [sic],' wrote one young woman. 'Guys my 'lip kit' arrived but it was an empty box with foam and the note from Kylie,' wrote another. While some shoppers are sad one added three crying emoji to her tweet, 'My package from Kylie has been stolen' others are filled with rage. 'Guys I'm so mad I literally got an empty box from @kyliecosmetics like they actually forgot to include the lip kit???' a Utah woman named Gabby Heroux wrote, including a picture of her empty box. A North Carolina woman named Amy also posted a picture, writing: 'Went through all of the stress of ordering a Kylie Lip Kit for the box to arrive completely EMPTY?!' Not their fault! The company promises that each package is weighed before it's shipped, so it definitely leaves the facility full Not cool, guys: Still, fans have been left incredibly sad (and sometimes angry) Going to the higher-ups! A few have been complaining to the Better Business Bureau Hiding in plain sight: The company promises to change the labels on the packages, perhaps switching to plain white or black boxes Though many seemed to think that somebody messed up while packing the boxes, the Better Business Bureau reported in a notification on its website that the company is addressing the issue which they attribute to thieves. 'Currently the BBB is receiving multiple complaints from this company's customers claiming that after ordering and paying for products, some or all of the products are not being shipped as expected,' the notifications says. 'The company has informed the BBB that they confirm the weight of items shipped prior to shipping but [they] allege that because of highly-recognizable labeled packaging, containers are being opened and products removed. The company has informed BBB that they will soon be changing the labels on their packages.' All of Kylie's Lip Kits and new lip glosses are mailed out in black-and-white boxes, which feature a liquid lipstick dripping design that's unique to the brand, but now it seems they may switch to plain cardboard packaging. No word: Kylie, 18, hasn't addressed the issue on social media Proud: She has been seen in the past showing off the creative packaging Hot commodity: When she stops by the factory, she even occasionally signs the boxes going out It's OK: The company told the Better Business Bureau that replacements are sent out for stolen packages This certainly isn't the first bit of trouble that Kylie's Lip Kits have caused, however. Earlier this month, San Francisco-based beauty vlogger Stephanie Nicole posted a review of the latest batch of kits, in which she pointed out that the colors are noticeably different from the originals. Worse, she showed that the new formula is nearly identical to the one used to make Colourpop Cosmetics Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks, which are owned by the same parent company and sell for a fraction of the price. Stephanie like Kylie's products when they first came out. But since then, the ingredients have changed, which the vlogger said has made them look, feel, and wear differently. 'There has been a reformulation from the first launch to the second launch and I just like to be thorough,' she said in a video. The differences were immediately clear as soon as she held up a new tube of the color Candy K next to an old tube of the same color. Different hue: Earlier this month, San Francisco-based beauty vlogger Stephanie Nicole pointed out that the color of Candy K has changed in the latest Lip Kit shipments Not the same: The new version of Candy K which Kylie didn't advertise to be changing is pinker than the original Different: The labels on the bottom have been updated, as has the product inside Though the packaging is identical, Stephanie pointed out that the new color is a more pink than the original. She then compared them further. Though the lipliners appear to be the same, the matte lipsticks differ in hue and consistency the new one is 'significantly more watery' while the old one was more 'moussey and creamy'. She said the new product is a 'huge downgrade from the original formula'. But the decrease in quality was nothing compared to what Stephanie dug up while doing some research off-camera. 'This new formula is bulls** and, frankly, I'm disgusted by the ethics of this company,' she bluntly told her followers. Why? She also said the new formula is dryer and she's not happy about the switch Something's fishy: Interestingly, Stephanie compared the ingredients in Kylie's lipstick to one from Colourpop, which is owned by the same company Wow: She found that the ingredients were nearly identical; yellow highlights are in the same order, while blue and pink are the same ingredients in different orders Ripped off: What's worse, the Colourpop product costs significantly less From various articles by sites like Refinery29 and Fashionista as well as some digging of her own Stephanie learned that the ingredients in Kylie Costmetics matte lipsticks are nearly identical to those in matte lipsticks by Colourpop Cosmetics. She compared the ingredients in both Kylie's Candy K and Colourpop's Clueless lipsticks, and found only very slight differences, which seemed to make Colourpop's lipstick a bit pinker. And that's no coincidence, she said: Colourpop and Kylie Cosmetics are actually owned by the same company,Seed Beauty. Seed Beauty bills itself as an incubator for beauty brands, which focuses on getting out new lines and products as quickly as possible. Stephanie's implication is that they managed to get Kylie's line out so fast because they merely slapped a new name on something they already had. What angered her, though, is the way these two 'incredibly similar' products are sold: After tax and shipping, she paid $40.13 for Kylie's Lip Kit, but just $16.82 for a lipliner and matte lipstick from Colourpop. Company drama: Kylie Cosmetics is owned by Seed Beauty, an incubator for make-up brands Revealed: Seed Beauty also owns Colourpop Cosmetics, and seems to use a similar formula for each of the brands When similar accusations were made in December, she denied them and posted a picture with Colourpop's owners 'Do not give me the same exact ingredients and mark it up so much more,' she says. 'You should be mad. I find it appalling.' This isn't even the first time that these accusations have been made, though they were certainly strengthened by Stephanie's side-by-side highlighted comparison of the ingredients. In December of last year, PopSugar reported, another beauty vlogger named Nikki Tutorials pointed out the Colourpop connection. Nikki allegedly tweeted, then deleted, this comment: 'Let's say you want the kits but not spend the money, pay close attention to Colourpop's Clueless, Beeper, and Limbo.' Though the tweet disappeared, the rumors did not. Kylie even went to far as to address them on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself with Colourpop's owners. The Duchess of Cambridge has praised the 'amazing and life-changing' work of children's hospices as she highlighted the importance of spending quality time together as a family. In a letter of support for Children's Hospice Week, Kate, in her role as patron of EACH - East Anglia's Children's Hospices - said hospices and palliative care charities offered a lifeline to parents and youngsters facing the most 'difficult times imaginable'. Kate - mother to Prince George and Princess Charlotte - said: 'Spending quality time together is such an important aspect of family life, but for those caring for children with life-limiting conditions, even this simple act can prove to be incredibly challenging. Scroll down for video The Duchess of Cambridge has praised the work done by children's hospices. Pictured: The Duchess during a visit to children's hospice EACH, to which she is patron, store opening in March 'The practical realities of providing round-the-clock care mean even activities that so many of us take for granted can be just too complicated. 'The amazing and life-changing support provided by children's hospices and palliative care charities across the UK offers a lifeline to families under incredible pressure. 'This support gives these families the space they need to simply spend time together, which is so important in the most difficult times imaginable.' Children's Hospice Week, which runs from May 23-29, aims to raise awareness of the work of the UK's 53 children's hospices, and the support offered by children's palliative care charities. In a letter of support for Children's Hospice Week the Duchess has praised the 'amazing and life-changing' work hospices such as EACH do Around 49,000 children and young people in the UK are living with a life-shortening condition, impacting on around 100,000 parents and an estimated 50,000 siblings, according to the charity Together for Short Lives. Spending quality time together is such an important aspect of family life Barbara Gelb, chief executive of Together for Short Lives, said: 'Children's Hospice Week this year is all about showing what life is really like for families caring for seriously ill children. 'Caring for a child 24/7 can be exhausting, that's why short breaks are so essential and can relieve some of the pressure on families and help them spend time together. 'Children's palliative care services across the UK provide vital lifeline support to thousands of families so I hope the public will be inspired to support Children's Hospice Week this year and help the 49,000 children and their families spend quality time together as a family.' The Duchess is known to be passionate about supporting children's hospices and chose EACH as one of her first four royal patronages after becoming an HRH. In her letter the Duchess, who is a mother to Princess Charlotte and Prince George, addressed the importance of spending quality time together as a family and praised the hard work hospices do to accommodate that EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. Its services include specialist nursing care and therapy and counselling. The charity, which has three hospices in Cambridge, Norfolk and Ipswich, offers support to more than 700 children, young people and family members. From the multiple rounds of auditions to the make-up lessons, nightly wig washing and jokes from 'creepy dads' - a former Disney Princess has told what it is really like to play Snow White at Disney World. Katie McBroom, a beauty blogger and freelance make-up artist, was cast as Snow White and Princess Leia after she was picked from 400 girls at an open audition when she was 19. The 29-year-old, who is from South Florida and lives in New York, told Refinery 29 about life behind-the-scenes as a character at the world-famous destination in Orlando. Role play: Katie McBroom, 29, played Snow White, pictured, and Princess Leia at Disney World in Orlando, Florida Preparation: The make-up artist from South Florida, pictured as Snow White, who now lives in New York, said she did her own make-up and her wig was washed, blow-dried and styled daily Reactions: Katie, who is married, said she loved meeting young girls dressed as Snow White but said some fathers were 'gross' Katie who, while playing Snow White, mostly worked in the Magic Kingdom and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - said they paid 'a lot of attention to detail' with the characters. She had to learn how to do her characters' make-up and they had cosmetologists who styled their wigs daily and washed and blow-dried them every night. Katie, who is married, said she loved it when little girls came dressed as Snow White and told her it was their life-long dream to meet her, but said it was 'gross' when men would sometimes make comments. She said: 'Cosmetologists styled our wigs for us every day. They were all period-appropriate [because] Disney pays a lot of attention to detail. 'When you go to Disney World, you don't think of the people who are painstakingly styling the wigs behind the scenes. 'At the end of the day, I took my wig off and the cosmetologists would wash it and blow it out [every night].' Katie said she was required to embody the role of Snow White - from the voice to the hand gestures. She said: '[Sometimes], creepy dads would make "Snow White and Seven Men" jokes. [It was] gross, but you just have to remain in character. 'I would laugh it off. I did a lot of training on the voice. My voice is naturally high, but [Snow White's] is even higher. There are a lot of specific hand motions you have to do, but a lot of it was improv [sic].' Career change: Katie, pictured, said her time as a princess inspired her to study as a make-up artist Dream job: Katie, pictured applying make-up, auditioned as a character at Disney World when she was 19 Positive attitude: She said the job at Disney World taught her to smile which she said has 'trickled down' into her own life Katie said she once went to open a bank account and a person in the bank recognized her from Disney World. The next time she went to the bank, the woman showed her a photo album with a picture of Katie in. When she auditioned for Disney World she was already an intern in Disney's College Program. The first round of her interview process was miming, then technical ballet. She said one of the lessons she has taken away from her time as a princess is to smile. She said being required to greet people positively 'trickled down' to her own life which she said has made her a happier person. Being a Disney princess was a dream come true, she said, and as a child she went to Disney World 'at least three times a year'. She told Daily Mail Online: 'I had always loved to perform and grew up on Disney. 'I went to the parks at least three times a year with my family growing up, so the Disney lifestyle was a big part of my upbringing. I've been a longtime Disney princess at heart...It was always a dream of mine to work as a performer at Disney.' She said she would love to work there again, adding that it 'it's hard to have a bad day at work when your job is making people happy.' Although she admitted that Snow White's character is 'the epitome of just finding a man' that she is of her time and since then Disney has created bolder more empowered women. Katie, who has more than 31,000 followers on Instagram and writes about beauty and Disney on her blogs Martinis and Mascara and The Princess Perspective, said working at Disney World she 'fell in love with the behind-the-scenes side' and drove her passion for make-up. There was plenty of pomp and circumstance when Jordan's Queen Rania and King Abdullah came to Washington, D.C. this weekend but it wasn't for them. The royals were in town to watch their 21-year-old son, Prince Hussein, get his college diploma from Georgetown University. And they were more than happy to take a back seat to their child in his special moment, glowing with pride as he donned a cap and gown for the occasion. Scroll down for video Graduation day: Queen Rania and King Abdullah of Jordan attended their son's commencement this weekend Scolar: The 21-year-old graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in international history Special moment: His parents flew into Washington, D.C. to see him get his diploma Beaming: The Queen said her son had taken them on 'a wonderful journey' 'A very special day when your first born is graduating from university! What a wonderful journey you have taken us on, Hussein,' the Queen, 45, wrote on her social media pages alongside an image of the trio smiling. In the picture, the Prince stands in the middle, wearing black academic regalia over a suit. His father, 54, stands in a blue suit to his left, while Queen Rania wears a white embroidered blouse on his right. The scholar celebrated his degree in international history and seemed to feel somewhat bittersweet about the event. 'Closing one chapter and beginning another,' he wrote on his Instagram page. While the Prince was only pictured with his parents on the occasion, his eldest sister, 19-year-old Princess Iman, also attends his alma mater. Fashionable pair: Earlier this mom, the Prince accompanied his mother to the Met Gala in New York City Queen Rania has said it's difficult when her oldest son and daughter, Princess Iman (second from left), are away from home at school She said having her eldest son at home creates a whole different energy in the house Important future role: He will one day succeed his father as King of Jordan Prince Hussein shared this image during a military training exercise in 2014 He has two more younger siblings as well: Princess Salma, 15, and Prince Hashem, 11. Queen Rania has spoken in the past about how difficult it is when her children are away at school, and her excitement about having them home for breaks. Speaking about the Prince, she told People last year: 'When he's home from college, there's just a whole different energy in the house.' She also praised his ability to balance having fun with his important role as heir to the throne, saying: 'He takes his responsibilities very seriously but also tries to have a good time like any young man his age would. 'His public duties as a young leader are a priority for him, but in his everyday life he goes out of his way to keep a very low profile. To his friends he just wants to be "one of the guys" and judging from what I've seen, he really is.' Queen Rania has said how proud she is that her son is able to balance is duties with fun He has had a lack of privacy while living in the spotlight but has kept out of public trouble His mother noted that the Prince (pictured in 1999) manages to just be one of the guys with his friends She also explained that when he was a child, she didn't want to tell him he was destined to be King until he got older because it was too much pressure He also has a 15-year-old sister, Princess Salma (far left), and an 11-year-old brother, Prince Hashem (front) (pictured in 2007) When he was younger, the fashionable royal spoke about wanting to instill this sense of normalcy in her children, as well as her particular desire to shield her son from the knowledge of his future until he was old enough to understand it. 'I think to tell a boy Hussein's age that he might become King one day is almost a form of child abuse because it is setting him up for so much pressure and expectation when he is so young and should be living a child's life,' she told Hello! when he was ten. 'It is really important for me that he lives as normal a life as possible and that he forms normal relationships with people who will like him for himself and not for who he may or may not become. video creator, said the song was inspired by her own love of the garment A mother loves yoga pants so much that she has created an ode to the garment in the form of a rap song and music video. The dedication to the garment - by mother-of-two Deva Dalporto from San Francisco Bay Area - lists the merits of yoga pants including stretch and comfort. The two-minute parody video, called Yoga Pants Rap, has more than four million views on Facebook and more than 70,000 on YouTube. Scroll down for video Proud: Mother-of-two Deva Dalporto, pictured, from San Francisco Bay Area, has created an ode to her yoga pants Dedicated to 'all you mamas out there rocking your yoga pants', the video shows Deva dancing in the playground with fellow mothers Abbey Campbell Cook, a writer, Cheri Hudnut, a photographer and lawyer Jacquie Haggarty as well as father-of-four and finance worker Rick Lund - all dressed in yoga pants. At the end of the video there is a 'judgmental guy' who is played by Jacquie's husband James, who works in law enforcement. Deva is also featured at home with her children, in her wardrobe going through her clothes and out shopping. The lyrics say: 'When I wake up in the morning I got lots of options / Could put on a skirt made out of cotton / But that aint gonna happen not a chance / Cause I only wanna wear my yoga pants [sic].' It goes on to say: 'Yoga pants yo yo yo yoga pants [sic].' She admitted she is 'obsessed' with yoga pants and said the idea for the song 'popped into my head' while she was getting dressed a year ago. She told Daily Mail Online: 'I love yoga pants...I'm not mocking yoga pants or people who wear them. 'I mean, I always like to make fun of the stage of life I'm in as a yogurt-coated, exhausted mom because if I don't laugh at myself I'm going to cry. 'But in this song I am fully celebrating my favorite fashion trend. Viva yoga pants.' Funny: Yoga Pants Rap, featuring Deva and her friends, pictured, dancing in their yoga pants in her local neighborhood Adoration: Deva, who is a writer and pardody video creator, said the song was inspired by her own love of the garment She added: 'As I sing in the song, they're perfect for my crazy mom life. They're comfortable. I don't care if my kids wipe yogurt and snot on them. 'They cover up my muffin top. I love them. My "mom uniform" is yoga pants and a Target tank top. I wear it daily. 'I wear yoga pants anywhere and everywhere. To school drop off. To the grocery store. I even wore yoga pants to a museum this weekend.' They shot the video at Deva's house and in her neighborhood in January, but she did not have time to edit it and share it online until earlier this month. She added: 'People were staring at me like I was crazy when I was dancing with a shopping cart in front of the grocery store.' She said she was initially 'a little afraid' of approaching Jan Chmelar to write the music but was relieved to find he liked the idea. 'I discovered him on the internet and love his stuff and asked him to collaborate with me,' she said. 'I was a little afraid this cool hip hop artist would hate my silly mom lyrics but he's a dad and has a great sense of humor and loved them.' She said there was no planned choreography - claiming they worked out the dance moves 'on the spot'. Spontaneous: She said there was no planned choreography - claiming they worked out the dance moves 'on the spot' Deva, who used to be a writer for Nickelodeon's parenting website, made her first viral video, What Does The Kid Say, two years ago and has since quit her job and makes viral videos. After praising the exercise garment, Deva then goes on to rap: 'My fashion sense died, when I had kids / Now I'm straight here chillin' here in her crib [sic]'. She appears in the video sitting at home as one of her children rub mac n' cheese onto her leg. Other benefits of the pant, she claims, are that 'my muffin top doesn't flop over the rim / And they make me look like I just hit the gym [sic]'. The writer and viral video creator ends the video by warning people not to judge her and urging others to 'keep rocking your yoga pants mommies'. She said she has been 'stunned' by public reaction to the video. 'We had so much fun shooting this video and I am just thrilled that people like it,' she added. 'I actually had no idea it had gone viral and had millions of views until my friend Jacquie texted me on Saturday and told me to check out the view count. When Louise Windsor's husband ask her a question, she breaks down in tears. The mother-of-three was born deaf and has spent the last four decades in virtual silence. Now, after surgery to install cochlear implants - small devices that are fitted beneath the skin that provide a sense of hearing to a person who is dead - she is able to hold conversations again. The 41-year-old, from Bristol, is overjoyed at being able to hear birds and music for the first time - but admits she gets irritated by other things. She has even started complaining that her husband Mark, 41, has the TV on too high a volume and chews his food too loudly. Born dead, Louise Windsor bursts into tears when she hears her husband Mark's voice for the first time. She had an operation to install cochlear implants in her ears - small devices that can help deaf people hear again A touching video capturing the moment Mrs Windsor's cochlear implants are turned on. A doctor asks 'Can you hear your own voice' and she replies 'yes', appearing calm. 'Does my voice sound any different?,' her husband Mark asks. She pauses for a moment, then turns her head away from the camera, overwhelmed with emotion. As she bursts into tears, a doctor hands her a tissue and she wipes tears from her eyes. I can hear now, she says I can pick up on things. Cochlear implants cannot restore normal hearing but they can give a deaf person a good representation of sounds, helping them understand speech. Whereas hearing aids amplify sound so they can be detected by damaged ears, cochlear implants bypass damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Its emotional hearing my husbands voice. It has changed my life Louise Windsor, 41 Signals generated by the implant are sent via the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognises the signals as sound. It allows people to recognise warning signals, understand their environment and enjoy conversations with people. Mrs Windsor, a dinner lady, said: 'I can hear birds outside, I can hear an aeroplane and even my dishwasher. 'Its emotional hearing my husbands voice. It has changed my life. 'At first it was hard and took a while to get used to people talking but now I can hear most things. 'I've always lip read so I still do that naturally.' Louise Windsor bursts into tears when she hears her husband asks her a question for the first time. She said: 'Its emotional hearing my husbands voice. It has changed my life' Her husband says while he is thrilled his wife can hear, he is already being told he eats too noisily - and has the TV up too loud. 'If you're eating a packet of crisps it does her head in,' he said. If you're eating a packet of crisps it does her head in. Now we find she is the one telling us to keep it down - when I have Coronation Street on she'll turn the volume down Mark Windsor, 41 'Now we find she is the one telling us to keep it down - when I have Coronation Street on she'll turn the volume down.' Mrs Windsor, from Wellington in Somerset, became the 1,000th patient to have had the procedure at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. She heard about the operation through a friend and was referred by her GP. For the procedure, a cochlear implant, similar to a mini-microphone, was put into her ear. The device sends information as electrical impulses directly to the nerve. Surgeon Philip Robinson and his team drilled through the bone and into the inner ear. A 2.5mm hole in a slot of just 4mm was then created - avoiding both the ear drum and the facial nerve. Mr Robinson then threaded a string of electrodes into a hole the size of the head of a needle. Four weeks after Mrs Windsor's cochlear implants were fitted, they were switched on. She said: 'I can hear birds outside, I can hear an aeroplane and even my dishwasher' After a four-week wait the device was switched on. Mr Windsor said it was a special moment when they left hospital and she could hear for the first time. 'We were sat outside having coffee and she could hear birds in the trees and a car 200 yards away. 'Everyone - friends and family - are all so pleased for her.' A new front in the war against cancer has been opened by scientists tapping the potential of 'natural killer' cells. Researchers in Australia identified a mechanism that causes natural killer (NK) immune cells to show mercy to cancer. Switching it off had a dramatic effect on mice with normally lethal skin, prostate and breast cancers. NK action against the tumours was stepped up, preventing deadly metastasis, the spread of cancer to vital organs in the body. In the case of breast cancer, tumour growth in the mammary glands was significantly reduced. Scroll down for video Scientists have identified a mechanism that causes natural killer (NK) immune cells (pictured in blue) to bow down to cancer. In turn, switching it off had a dramatic effect on mice with normally lethal forms of the disease Lead scientist Dr Nicholas Huntington, from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Victoria, said: 'This is about learning how to activate the NK cells of the individual patient and boost their immune system to tackle the disease. 'We are hopeful our research will lead to new immunotherapies that supercharge the body's natural killer cell, and maintain it in a highly active state to more efficiently and specifically fight cancer.' Natural killer cells are specialised white blood cells that act as the immune system's assassins. Like murderous agents working for a totalitarian state, their job is to locate and eradicate 'deviant' cells in the body that may pose a threat. Some of their targets are infected cells, while others show signs of becoming cancerous. Once a deviant cell is identified, the NK cell releases a chemical called perforin that blasts holes in its outer membrane. Other molecules fired through the holes cause the cell to fall apart or self-destruct. WHAT ARE NATURAL KILLER CELLS AND HOW DO THEY WORK? Natural killer cells are specialised white blood cells that act as the immune system's assassins. Like murderous agents working for a totalitarian state, their job is to locate and eradicate 'deviant' cells in the body that may pose a threat. Some of their targets are infected cells, while others show signs of becoming cancerous. Once a deviant cell is identified, the NK cell releases a chemical called perforin that blasts holes in its outer membrane. Other molecules fired through the holes cause the cell to fall apart or self-destruct. However, the immune system also possesses a complex system of so-called 'checkpoints' that in certain situations tone down its responses to prevent accidental damage to healthy tissue. However, the immune system also possesses a complex system of so-called 'checkpoints' that in certain situations tone down its responses to prevent accidental damage to healthy tissue. Dr Huntington's team discovered a particular checkpoint pathway that had the effect of taming NK cells. An inhibitor protein made inside the cells limited their ability to respond to an activating signal that issues the command to kill cancer. By silencing the protein's gene, the researchers were able to ramp up the ability of NK cells to protect mice against melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer. After 14 days, melanoma mice without the genetic modification had extensive tumour growth in their lungs. In contrast, metastatic growth was 'largely absent' from mice with boosted NK cells. Mice with prostate cancer responded in a similar way, said the scientists writing in the journal Nature Immunology. A detailed study of mice with breast cancer showed that despite some microscopic spread to the lungs, there was no sign of the 'large metastases' that would normally be observed. Tumour growth in the mammary glands was also suppressed. Immunotherapy is a hot topic in cancer research. A number of drugs have already been marketed that target other 'checkpoint' pathways. They include the antibody drugs ipilimumab, used to treat advanced melanoma, and nivolumab which also targets melanoma as well as lung and kidney cancer. Doctors estimate opioid painkillers are prescribed in roughly 40 per cent of cases of back pain Powerful painkillers doled out in their millions are ineffective against back pain, experts have warned. A major review of clinical evidence suggests that opioid painkillers - which include tramadol, oxycodone and morphine - provide minimal benefit for low back pain. Yet the drugs are highly addictive, and can be dangerous if taken long term. Back pain is one of the most common medical complaints seen by GPs, with most people suffering with the problem at some point in their life. And researchers estimate that opioid painkillers are prescribed in roughly 40 per cent of cases. But the new research, which combines data from 7,300 patients around the world, suggests that the pills do little good - and may be causing long-term harm. The study, led by the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, found that half of patients either suffered side effects or stopped taking the drugs because they did not work. The team found that even at high doses above recommended levels the drugs still provided little clinical benefit. Study leader Professor Chris Maher said: Taking an opioid analgesic such as oxycodone will reduce pain, but the effect is likely to be small. People have the mistaken belief that opioids are strong pain killers. When you look closely at the evidence from the low back pain trials, a completely different picture emerges. His team did not include codeine, which is the mildest opioid painkiller, in the review because no trial data exists. But Professor Maher said his conclusions extended to codeine as well as the more powerful forms. The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, examined 20 clinical trials involving 7,295 patients. The authors found that the drugs reduced pain slightly - but to nowhere near the levels considered enough to be clinically effective. And they warned that if taken long-term they could have severe side effects. These include addiction, dizziness and falls - as well as deaths from overdose. One of the problems is that if the drugs are not effective, patients might take higher doses to try and reduce their pain. Some 50 percent of US patients taking opioid painkillers for three months are still on the same drugs five years later. And the problem is thought to be at dangerous levels on this side of the Atlantic as well. Prescriptions of opioids as painkillers in England have more than doubled in the last decade, from 10.7million in 2005 to 23.3million in 2015. But a major review of clinical evidence has found these painkillers - which include tramadol, oxycodone and morphine - provide minimal benefit for low back pain (file image) Charities estimate there are 32,000 painkiller addicts in Britain, mainly people who have become addicted to the drugs having initially taken them to ease a minor ailment. In the US one of every 550 patients prescribed opioid painkillers died of an overdose within three years. People have the mistaken belief that opioids are strong pain killers. When you look closely at the evidence, a completely different picture emerges Study leader, Professor Chris Maher Professor Maher said: We know of no other medication routinely used for a non-fatal condition that kills patients so frequently. Opioids such as codeine and morphine are strictly controlled in the UK. All but the weakest doses are available only with a prescription, with just 8mg of codeine - a tiny amount - allowed in over-the-counter forms such as co-codamol. But British doctors are concerned about the increasing numbers of stronger codeine pills and other opioids given out on prescription by GPs. Dr Martin Johnson, a chronic pain expert at the Royal College of GPs, said that opioid painkillers are fine for short-term relief, but in the longer term exercises and stretching will be far more effective. You are much better stretching your muscles out and using a hot water bottle, he said. Painkillers are appropriate for short-term, intermittent use. They are good tool for you to reduce your pain enough to exercise - that is the best way to use them. Richard Francis of Arthritis Research UK, said: Pain is experienced in many different ways, so its important for people to speak to their GP about putting together the most up-to-date pain plan for their individual needs. Arthritis, joint and back pain are debilitating, painful conditions that need much better pain treatments. Whilst opioids may be a suitable option for some people to relieve chronic pain when used in the right doses, there are a number of things people can do to help manage lower back pain in addition to pain medication, including physiotherapy and exercise. It is currently used as a treatment for recurring clostridium difficile infection. But, scientists have found fecal microbiota transplantation is an effective approach to helping individuals who suffer from ulcerative colitis. The condition is an inflammatory bowel disease, which causes long-term inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. It affects the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum, which can lead to rectal bleeding, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. Fecal microbiota transplantation is an effective approach to helping individuals who suffer from ulcerative colitis, a new study has revealed After carrying out the transplants on a group of patients, researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia, found marked improvement in their symptoms. One in four patients who were resistant or intolerant to conventional treatment - steroid or anti-inflammatories - reported their symptoms had disappeared and showed signs that their digestive tracts improved. Furthermore, more than half of patients reported an improvement in their symptoms after undergoing fecal transplant. Dr Sudarshan Paramsothy, a gastroenterologist at the University of New South Wales, said: 'In recent years, researchers have gained a better understanding of the gut microbiota, and the critical role it plays in health and disease, including conditions like ulcerative colitis. 'By using fecal microbiota transplantation, we aim to treat the underlying cause of ulcerative colitis instead of just its symptoms, as opposed to the majority of therapies currently available.' Dr Paramsothy and his team enrolled 81 patients across three Australian study sites. Our study is the first multi-centered trial that uses an intense therapy of fecal microbiota transplantation infusions, 40 over eight weeks, and has been able to show definitively that fecal microbiota transplantation is an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis Dr Sudarshan Paramsothy, University of New South Wales Forty one received fecal transplant treatment, while the remaining 40 received a placebo, or non-active treatment. Patients received the first transplant or placebo through a colonoscope. Subsequently, patients were given enemas that were self-administered five days per week for the next eight weeks. After that time, more than three times as many patients who underwent fecal transplants, responded to their treatment than the control group. Specifically, 11 of the 41 fecal transplant patients (27 per cent) achieved the study's primary goals - to report no symptoms and for doctor's to see substantial improvement and healing in the digestive tract. Only three of the 40 patients (eight per cent) in the control group reached this goal. When researchers looked at just the number of patients reporting being symptom-free they found 44 per cent of fecal transplant patients reported improvement compared with 20 per cent in the control group. Dr Paramsothy said: 'Previous research in this area has been limited to small case series and two single center trials with conflicting outcomes. The condition is an inflammatory bowel disease, which causes long-term inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. It affects the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum, which can lead to rectal bleeding, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort 'Our study is the first multi-centered trial that uses an intense therapy of fecal microbiota transplantation infusions, 40 over eight weeks, and has been able to show definitively that fecal microbiota transplantation is an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis. 'This is important because there are millions of people worldwide seeking alternative treatments for their condition. 'This population is accustomed to using enemas as part of previous treatment, so our approach would not be unusual to them.' To perform a fecal transplant, clinicians collect fecal matter from healthy individuals who are screened to determine that the stool is safe for transplantation. The stool is processed and prepared for use, then placed in patients by methods including colonoscopy, endoscopy or enema. In this study, each enema consisted of a stool from at least three donors. Dr Paramsothy and his team used this multi-donor method to ensure that study results were not influenced by a 'donor effect', where individual patient outcomes may be unduly influenced by the microbial characteristics of a single donor. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 200 cases of UC for every 100,000 adults. UC is a chronic condition with no known cure. It causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon, Leaving hospital after prostate cancer surgery, Frank Hibbard and his family felt a sense of relief that the worst was behind him. Loss: Frank Hibbard was killed two years ago when surgeons left a piece of gauze inside his pelvis Frank, then 56, had been told the operation should rid him of the cancer, which was contained within the prostate gland. The shock of his diagnosis was replaced by a sense of optimism that Frank, a long distance lorry driver, could enjoy many healthy years ahead with his wife Christine and their three children. What none of them knew as they walked out of the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Beds, that day in October 2001 was that Frank was leaving with a ticking time bomb inside him. Surgeons had accidentally left an 8 cm-long piece of gauze inside his pelvis. It led to a type of soft tissue cancer called angiosarcoma that was so advanced by the time it was diagnosed in March 2014, nothing could be done. Frank died two years ago at the age of just 69. If this was an isolated case, it might be easy to dismiss it as a tragic, but rare error. But these kinds of serious medical blunders officially called never events because they simply should never happen occur on average at least five times a week in NHS hospitals across Britain. The most recent data from NHS England show that, in the past four years, nearly 1,200 patients in England have been the victims of such incidents. THE SURGICAL HORROR STORIES THAT DEFY BELIEF The most serious include a man who needed a cyst removed, but woke up to find surgeons had instead cut off a testicle, and a woman with a diseased ovary who lost a healthy kidney instead because blundering surgeons had not read her notes properly. Other calamities included the wrong implants being used, doctors over-prescribing powerful drugs and frail hospital patients falling out of poorly secured windows. But its cases of surgical equipment being left inside patients that may cause most alarm not least because they seem avoidable. In Franks case, the hospital didnt just leave the swab inside him they also missed repeated chances to spot their mistake. Twice in the following few years after his surgery Frank had scans the first in 2003 before radiotherapy to treat a return of his cancer and then in 2004 when he needed hernia surgery. Happier times: Christine and the late Frank Hibbard pictured before his surgery for prostate cancer Accidental: Having survived prostate cancer, Frank died after surgeons left swab inside his pelvis for 13 years Both times doctors failed to detect the melon-sized mass that had formed next to his rectum as scar tissue formed round the swab, despite the mass being visible on his CT scan. By 2008, Frank, who had retired, started complaining of severe back pain. By November 2013, the pain was so bad he was barely able to walk and was on morphine patches. Blood tests and a bone scan ruled out cancer, but over the following few months Frank lost 2 st. At 5ft 9in and of slim build, the weight loss was visibly noticeable. GAUZE TRIGGERED BY FATAL CANCER Finally, after a CT scan in March 2014, doctors realised he had an enormous mass in his abdomen. The plan was to remove it but in the following weeks Frank developed severe rectal bleeding the growth was pressing on his rectum and bowel and his health deteriorated rapidly. Tests revealed he had advanced angiosarcoma, a fast-growing and aggressive cancer in the inner lining of the blood vessels. Within four months, Frank, a grandfather of six, had died. His widow Christines grief turned to anger when a few months later, an inquest into his death ruled that Franks cancer had probably been caused by the swab left inside him during surgery for prostate cancer 13 years earlier. Both times doctors failed to detect the melon-sized mass that had formed next to his rectum as scar tissue formed round the swab, despite the mass being visible on his CT scan The coroners report concluded the swab materially contributed to the development of the cancer: Several agents are known to predispose formation of angiosarcoma including a surgical sponge or gauze retained for a prolonged period in a body cavity. Research suggests the foreign body doesnt trigger cancer its the fibrous capsule of tissue that forms around it, which contains mesenchymal cells, which can become cancerous. The inquest finding was devastating. Part of me died that day, says Christine, 70, a former legal secretary from Luton. Part of me died the day. Frank is the first thing I think about when I wake and after 50 years together I have difficulty even sleeping without him Christine Hibbard, 70 Around a third of never events occur when doctors and theatre nurses leave swabs, sponges or even surgical instruments inside patients during operations drill bits, scalpel blades, needles and scissors have been discovered months, or even years, later. DEADLY MISTAKES ARE FAR TOO COMMON Never events are not a new phenomenon and there have been concerted efforts to tackle the problem. NHS England rightly points out they represent a fraction of the 4.6 million surgical procedures carried out each year and that blunders only occur in one in 20,000 cases of surgery. But what worries some experts is that despite repeated efforts, never events do not seem to be declining. NHS England figures show there were 254 in the nine months from April to the end of December 2015. This compared with 306 in the 12 months from April 2014 to March 2015, 338 in 2013/14 and 290 in 2012/13. Last year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that Britain has one of the highest reported levels in the industrialised world for leaving surgical items inside patients. In 2013, NHS England set up a taskforce to investigate the problem and its recommendations led to new national standards last year. These call on trusts to investigate all serious surgical incidents so they can learn and take action to prevent them being repeated. But the charity Action Against Medical Accidents says theres little sign of progress. There is no good evidence of a dramatic improvement and it is really concerning that there has not been a discernible drop in these incidents, says Peter Walsh, the charitys chief executive. The coroners report into Mr Hibbard's death concluded the swab materially contributed to the development of his cancer Furthermore, he adds, the NHS has been saying for years there is massive under-reporting of them. Every single one is avoidable and we want to know whats going to be done about those hospitals that are not reporting them. The key to preventing such never events is using a surgical checklist for instance, before and after an operation, theatre staff should check off everything on the list to make sure all equipment, swabs and other items are accounted for. Such checklists do prevent errors and save lives, says Peter Walsh. But we dont think they are being used consistently enough across the NHS and their use is not being enforced by trusts. SURGEONS USE BIRO TO MARK WHERE THEY'LL CUT There are questions even about who fills them in, says Martin Bromiley, of the Clinical Human Factors Group (CHFG), which campaigns for safer healthcare by standardising the way hospitals go about preventing errors. Whether youre a surgeon in London or Devon, the way you work and use a surgical safety checklist should be the same, he says. At the moment, there is a marked variation and its a big problem. For example, surgeons are meant to visit each patient before operating on them and personally mark the surgical site using a specially provided marker pen containing ink that cannot be rubbed off easily. But research by the CHFG suggests that in some busy theatres, ordinary biros are used if the marker cant be found. This can rub off, paving the way for wrong site surgery. Scary: Surgeons are meant to mark the surgical site using a specially-provided marker pen containing ink that cannot be rubbed off easily, But the CHFG suggests that ordinary biros are used if the marker cant be found In other cases, says Martin Bromiley, operating theatre managers complete the checklist for the surgeon stating all equipment and swabs are accounted for and just get the surgeon to sign it off, to avoid holding up operations. A commercial airline pilot, Martin Bromiley has become a major force in driving change in the way the NHS prevents and deals with errors since the death in 2005 of his wife Elaine, after mistakes were made during routine surgery for sinusitis. Anaesthetists failed to follow emergency procedures for dealing with a blockage in her windpipe and she died hours later. An independent review ruled it was an entirely preventable error. Martin has since set about getting the NHS to adopt the same approach to safety as the airline industry which also uses checklists and where human error is accepted as inevitable and something to learn from, rather than be covered up or punished. NHS England rightly points out they represent a fraction of the 4.6 million surgical procedures carried out each year and that blunders only occur in one in 20,000 cases of surgery Theres little doubt that checklists do make a difference. In 2008, the World Health Organisation introduced its Surgical Safety Checklist a 19-point guide to help operating theatre staff prevent surgical blunders. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009 revealed that it slashed surgical errors by more than 30 per cent. The checklist was endorsed by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Anaesthetists, and within months, the UKs National Patient Safety Agency called on all NHS trusts to implement it immediately. SOMEONE SHOULD COUNT THE SWABS But in a 2012 report, the agency admitted: Feedback suggests that, though all trusts have reported compliance with the alert, the effectiveness and completeness of implementation varies between and within trusts. Martin Bromiley says: Since Elaines death, its been easy to get everyones attention about the problem. Its been much harder to get change. But I do believe the NHS is slowly getting there. Mistakes happen its human nature. But if the proper checks are done these events are preventable Leslie Hamilton, a retired cardiothoracic surgeon and a spokesman for the Royal College of Surgeons Indeed, the Royal College of Surgeons says the UKs record is not as bad as the report suggests, arguing that other countries have done less to encourage reporting of incidents. Leslie Hamilton, a retired cardiothoracic surgeon and a spokesman, explains: Mistakes happen its human nature. But if the proper checks are done these events are preventable. But as Frank Hibbards case shows, this system is not foolproof. It should be a simple case of counting swabs in and out again, says Renu Daly, a medical negligence specialist at Hudgell Solicitors acting on the familys behalf. Luton and Dunstable Hospital told Good Health it was one of the first hospitals in Britain to use the checklist. A spokesperson said: We would like to apologise again for the error and for the fact that a key opportunity to identify and remove the swab was missed during a CT scan in 2003. This is clearly something that should never have happened. NEW MUM LEFT IN AGONY FOR MONTHS The number of never events may be far higher than reported as some serious incidents are recorded differently. Elise Cattle, 27, a part-time nursery nurse from Hull, suffered five months of pain and infections before discovering it was due to gauze left in her after the birth of her son Freddie in August 2012 at Hulls Women and Childrens Hospital. Shed torn badly during the birth and bled heavily midwives used packing to stem the flow, but later failed to remove it all. The number of 'never events' may be higher than reported as some serious incidents are recorded differently I couldnt sit down for days afterwards, says Elise. And the pain just got worse. I lay on the sofa for five weeks, while my mum and dad did everything. I couldnt walk further than the toilet. She saw her GP several times and was given antibiotics for a possible pelvic infection. I told my doctor it felt as if something was falling out of me and finally she examined me and said she could feel something and pulled the packing out. After months of pain, it was gone straight away. I still feel mentally scarred by what Ive gone through Elise Cattle, 27 The trust insists Elises case does not fit the definition of a never event, but was a serious incident as the vaginal packing was intentionally retained it just wasnt removed later as planned. It admitted breach of duty and agreed a settlement of 7,500. We are committed to being open and honest about any mistakes and aim to learn from any adverse patient safety event, said Mike Wright, the chief nurse. The experience has had a lasting effect on Elaine. I would like more children, but I still feel mentally scarred by what Ive gone through, she says. Christine Hibbard has also been left deeply scarred. The NHS let Frank down, she says. He is the first thing I think about when I wake and after 50 years together I have difficulty even sleeping without him. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the draft policy would be unveiled within a week Ready with a new scrapping policy that will provide incentives for surrendering old polluting vehicles, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said it will boost the automobile industry turnover over four times to Rs 20 lakh crore in the next five years. The draft of the much-awaited policy is ready and will be put into the public domain within a week to seek the views of stakeholders and the general public, the Road Transport and Highways Minister said. "We will put the vehicle scrapping policy on website within a week to seek suggestions and based on that we will seek Finance Ministry's approval. Once approved, it will be sent for the Cabinet nod," Gadkari told PTI in an interview. "Automobile industry's turnover, which is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore at present, will touch Rs 20 lakh crore in the next five years with this policy and India can be the number one country to export the world's best cars," he said. Giving further thrust to emission control measures, the draft norms for the 'end of life' policy are likely to provide about a 50 per cent rebate in excise duty on new vehicles for buyers who surrender their polluting old ones. "We will set up industrial clusters near ports that will manufacture automobile parts at half the market rate. The labour cost in India is less," he added. Car parts like copper, steel, plastic and aluminium would be available in plenty from old vehicles, which would be recycled at these clusters, he said. The government last month said it is planning 29 port-based coastal industrial centres under coastal economic zones, which will boost exports by USD 110 billion besides creating one crore new jobs. The clusters are planned in the vicinity of India's top 12 major ports. The government is also considering giving financial incentives of up to Rs 1.5 lakh on surrender of vehicles over 10 years old to check pollution and address road safety concerns, Gadkari had earlier said. The proposed policy will follow the government's earlier announcement to implement stricter emission norms for vehicles from April 2020, despite the auto industry calling it an extremely challenging task. Under the proposed scrapping policy, people would get an incentive of up to Rs 30,000 for discarding small vehicles like cars, while total benefits after taking into account the tax exemptions could be up to Rs 1.5 lakh for big vehicles like trucks, the minister had said earlier. Open areas in the Capital and the National Capital Region are causing concern for security agencies, who have raised fears they could be used to launch para-gliders and micro-light aircraft with hostile intent. According to sources, anti-national elements could potentially exploit these areas. The matter was taken up in a recent coordination meeting chaired by Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Verma. Agencies are concerned that open spaces in the Capital could be used to launch para-gliders or micro-light aircraft, which have the potential to harm Indian planes. A drone (not pictured) caused alarm at IGI Airport last year after appearing without explanation. Already, there is an aerial threat. Agencies are coordinating to avoid any untoward incident. Recently, the police of neighbouring states have been warned about the threat from para-gliders, micro-light aircraft, etc. In a recent inter-state coordination headed by Verma, the matter was also taken up. We have asked the state police to keep a close watch on open areas which can be used by para-gliders and micro-light aircraft, a senior police officer said. During the inter-state coordination meeting, special commissioner of the Special Cell raised the issue and requested police forces in other states to keep an eye on such activities. Agencies have asked to keep a check on people who are using such para-gliders. These can be dangerous for any aircraft and can even endanger the lives of passengers. These gadgets, which can fly at a good height, are dangerous for aircraft. It has been noticed that various such objects have been noticed by pilots. When Delhi Police investigated, they found that these gadgets were used by some resident of neighbouring states, the officer added. Cops are not aware that drones and any other such gadgets are banned by the civil aviation ministry. At lower level, there is lack of knowledge and it is important for senior officials of district to brief lower staff to take appropriate action if they notice any such activity, a Delhi Police official said. In the last six months, suspicious aerial activities like use of laser light and beams, various unidentified objects have been noticed by security agencies. Airspace over cities must not have distraction which can harm any aircraft movement. The DGCA has also banned use of UAS as they pose a threat for air collisions and accidents, a senior government official said. President Pranab Mukherjee's visit sends a strong message about the importance India places on its relationship with China On Tuesday morning, President Pranab Mukherjee leaves for a four-day visit to China, the first by a President since 2010. At one level, the visit is a protocol response to that of President Xi Jinping to India in 2014. At another, it seeks to convey the intention of the two countries to maintain the tempo of high-level visits to each others countries. In 2014, Vice-President Ansari also visited China, and in 2015, the Chinese Vice-President Liu Yuanchao came to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to China. Later this year, Modi will visit Hangzhou for the G-20 summit and Xi will come to Goa for the BRICS meet. Initiative The President of India is a largely ceremonially figure who must by law conduct himself at the advice of the government of the day. So, he is unlikely to undertake any negotiation or initiative on his own. But, as a seasoned politician, the President is not just an elder statesman, but an experienced hand in government who is fully cognisant of the issues of the Sino-Indian relations. In line with this, the government is using his visit to convey to Beijing that notwithstanding recent glitches relating to the Uighur visas, the Masood Azhar controversy, and the NSG contretemps, India attaches great importance to its relations with China and seeks a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship at all times. The President will be prepared to take up a range of subjects with Beijing, but he will also wait for cues from the other side before taking up some of the issues. In other words, he will not want to put across that India is defensive about some policy measures, even while being ready to discuss any concerns the hosts may have. Another aspect of the visit will be to enhance the Sino-Indian business relationship - and to this end, in Guangzhou, Pranab will meet with Indian and Chinese business leaders and reinforce Indias commitment to better trade and investment relations with China. His message will be that India is open for business and warmly welcomes Chinese investment in all sectors of our economy, where it will find a level playing field. At a more practical level, in his talks with Premier Li Keqiang he will, no doubt, raise the important issue of righting the current imbalance of trade in favour of Chinese exports to India which is hurtful for the overall relationship. At the strategic level, he is expected to put across Indias policy perspectives, in particular its relationships with the US and Japan. India, he will convey, has no intention of being part of any containment of China. On the South China Sea, India does not take sides, it stands for the freedom of navigation and the right of overflight, and believes in the peaceful settlement of disputes. Counter-terrorism India would like to cooperate with China on all aspects of counter-terrorism and expects action on issues like the naming of Masood Azhar by the UN sanctions committee. India wants Chinese support for its membership of the NSG without being being bracketed with Pakistan. India would like to work together with China on Afghanistan, but would like greater clarity on Beijings policy. Beyond the visit, lies New Delhis efforts to find an equilibrium in its relations with China. Recent events have revealed a strange gaucheness. The decision to invite a cross-section of Chinese dissidents, Uighur nationalists and Falung Gong members for an aborted event at Dharamsala, the abode of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government- in-exile, seemed aimed at poking Beijing in the eye. So was the decision (now rescinded) to send two representatives for the inaugural of Tsai Ing-Wen, the new President of Taiwan. Unhappy China has not been very comfortable with the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean that India has declared with the US. While it made its unhapiness known to the US, India, Australia and Japan over quadrilateral naval exercises iin 2007, it has not protested the Malabar trilateral exercises that India, US and Japan conduct. In fact even as the President is in China, Indian naval ships will be in a two-and-a-half-month deployment in the South China Sea and the North West Pacific. They will make several port calls and participate in the latest iteration of the Malabar Exercise off Okinawa. Indias desire to get even with China is understandable. Beijing has used Pakistan for the offshore balancing of India and broken some of the greatest taboos of the international system by supplying nuclear weapons and missile designs and materials. In the name of non-interference in others politics, China has given cover to Pakistan to abandon the state sponsorship of terrorism. India fears that in the next phase China will supply ballistic and cruise missile capable submarines to Islamabad. India by itself lacks the military and economic muscle to deal with China, hence its outreach to Washington and Tokyo. But both these countries have a many-layered and denser relationship with China than we have. So there is need to exercise a degree of caution. Visiting Jayapur, the Uttar Pradesh village adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, is heartbreaking. The welded, cast iron chairs in its newly inaugurated bus shelter, ironically designed to prevent vandalism, have been ripped off their joints and used as perches for gambling. Toilets installed under Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan have been turned into de facto storage spaces for dried cow dung and fire wood, and the doors are broken. The batteries of solar lamps that provide light to a large swathe of the village at night have been stolen, along with a motor used to pump water to 65 families. Villagers pass their leisure time at the new bus stand in Jayapur village, now a gathering point for gamblers Less than two years after Modi took this village of 3,205 residents, located 30 kms off his Varnasi constituency, under his wing, his dream of turning it into a model village appears to have hit a wall of public apathy and administrative neglect. Even the villagers Mail Today spoke to, including the village head Narayan Patel, failed to offer any concrete suggestions on how to prevent vandalism or change rustic attitudes - other than a meek defence that such destructive tendencies are common in villages across India. "These things happen everywhere, says Patel. I keep telling them not to do such things. They dont listen. Those who break and steal things dont do it in front of me. The problem is with the mentality, he says. Mail Today got a glimpse of this when it spoke to some of the villagers who defended defecating in the open and blamed poor welding for the broken chairs inside the bus shelter. Going out in the open feels better. You also need less water, said a villager when asked why the toilets are not used. Pucca toilets are being used by the locals as a storage space or dump-yard for cow dung Though over 400 toilets including bio-toilets have been constructed in the village under Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, only 20 per cent of them are being used by the villagers, according to Satyendra Kumar, a second year BA student at Sardar Patel Mahavidyalaya, Badhaini. Most of the toilet fittings, including taps, have been stolen. Blame game A group of village youths whom Mail Today spotted sitting on broken chairs inside the bus shelter and gambling, claimed that the chairs were not welded properly and denied any culpability on their part. The batteries of solar lamps installed at Jayapur village have been stolen The claim was promptly denied by Kumar, who said the village head had given up the idea of fixing the chairs as miscreants kept on breaking them each time they were repaired. It was fear of such people that forced the local branch of the Union Bank of India to keep its Digital Knowledge Centre, a library-cum-computer centre started as a part of its CSR initiatives, shut most of the time. Both the bank and the centre were opened around the time Modi adopted the village in 2014. Initially, we used to keep the centre open. Then we started losing books and magazines, said Prosanjit Sheel, Branch Head, Union Bank of India. The library subscribes to seven Hindi newspapers and news magazines, apart from agricultural magazines. Now, we open it for two to three hours a day as per requirment and also make sure that someone is there to monitor. If you leave the library open for two days unattended, all its contents will be wiped clean, said Sheel. The bank too had provided 35 solar lamps, out of which eight batteries were stolen. It is quite depressing to see all this. But what can we do? We cannot go and sit behind them to find out if they are stealing batteries or not. If the local administration and police are strict they can prevent such things to a great extent, said Sheel. Even he believes that bringing progress to the village is not possible without ushering in an attitudinal change in the minds of the people first. The knowledge centre built inside the Jayapur branch of the Union Bank of India The entrance to the village, which was adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi It is true that by adopting Jayapur, Modi has provided villagers with a lot of facilities, said Sheel. Some of them include good roads (the road that leads to Jayapur is surprisingly bump free), self-operated water pumps, a BNL tower, an under-construction, overhead water tank that is big enough to supply water to five nearby villages including Jayapur and an ATM accessed by more than 200 people every day. But what eventually drives most of the villagers are parochial concerns about individual gains and benefits, said Sheel. When the bank was inaugurated, there was a heavy rush to open accounts. Villagers thought that since Modi had adopted the village, he will also put money into individual accounts, he said. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he would not even spare his own children if they were found to be involved in illegal activities. Tomorrow, even if my child is involved in illegality, I will not spare him (and) I will take stringent action against him, Kejriwal told a public meeting, kicking off the AAPs campaign for the Goa Assembly polls scheduled to be held in 2017. Kejriwal recalled how the AAP government (in Delhi) had dismissed its own food minister from the Cabinet after he was caught demanding bribes. Arvind Kejriwal said he would take action against his children if they were found to be involved in illegalities In his 40-minute speech, Kejriwal touched on the issue of liquor baron Vijay Mallyas debt to the banks. The Delhi CM alleged that the Congress had given Rs 9,000-crore in subsidies to Mallya. We gave (electricity) subsidy of Rs 1,400 crore, which benefited 36 lakh families (in Delhi). But the Congress kept on criticising the AAP government for the subsidy. We gave subsidy to help the common men, while the Congress gave Rs 9,000-crore subsidy and that too for one person, Vijay Mallya, he alleged. Taking a dig at the BJP, Kejriwal said that when the party came to power (at the Centre) they allowed him (Mallya) to run away so that he is not caught. After Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke of plans to expand manufacturing operations in India, China fears it could lead to a possible exodus of the Apple production chain and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, Chinese state-run media said. It seems the time has come for China to consider whether it is ready to lose Apple Inc's production chain, an article in Global Times said, referring to Cook's comments during his India tour. Cook had discussed the possibilities of manufacturing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently spoke to PM Narendra Modi about the company's possible expansion in India Sharing Apple Inc's future plans for India, he spoke of the possibilities of manufacturing and retailing in India. He praised the breadth of young talent in India, and said the youth have significant skills which Apple would like to tap, an official statement had said. Cook's words have prompted a heated discussion in China. Wage increases have apparently eroded China's labour competitiveness, resulting in the departure of a number of manufacturing businesses. Now people are wondering if Apple will be next, the Global Times said. Apple's decision could affect the jobs of tens of thousands of Chinese workers. However, a see-saw battle between China and India over the technology giant is not the only solution, it said. It is natural that Apple would want to move its manufacturing base from China to another Asian nation to lower production costs. In fact, before Cook's trip, some major Apple suppliers such as Foxconn had already announced plans to expand their business in India, the report said. China may need to promote the development of more local manufacturers and encourage them to move to less-developed central and western regions where labour costs are lower, it said. Several factors are to blame for the slow manufacturing transfer from coastal regions to inland areas. Although a large amount of money has been allocated to boost development in western China in recent years by accelerating infrastructure construction, the environment for business development in the region is still lagging behind, it said. Meanwhile, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to begin his four-day visit to China on Tuesday with his arrival in the highly industrialised Chinese city of Guangzhou. The city, which has strong business links with India, has an economy of over USD 1 trillion. He will be the first Indian leader to visit Guangzhou, where Chan Buddhism originated and later spread to Japan and Korea. Besides interacting with the Indian community, which has over 3,000 businessmen, Mukherjee will also address the India-China Business Forum to highlight the investment opportunities in India. Mukherjee is likely to raise the issues of China blocking India's bid to get a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar and its stand that New Delhi must sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to get membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The lingering boundary issue may also figure in talks. The President will be meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Premier Le Keqiang and other top leaders. Young doctors in the citys Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital have accused their seniors of selling vacant posts at the Delhi government-run institute, in the latest reminder of the rampant corruption in Indias healthcare system. A letter sent to the hospitals medical superintendent complains about a cash-for-jobs scam, with junior doctors alleging that no vacancies have been advertised in the past six months. The first interview was conducted in November 2015. After that, the interviews have been re-conducted around five times. We were never informed about the number of vacancies, said a doctor from the hospital who did not wish to be named. Young doctors at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital say they are being asked to pay up to Rs 80,000 to get a job. (Picture for representation only). Mail Today has a copy of the letter, which was written by the resident doctors association on May 18. We have received a large number of complaints from various doctors who have informed about the monetary involvement during the interviews. We have asked the administration to take immediate action in the matter, said Dr Sumit Paria, president of the association. A modus operandi has been identified by the doctors. According to paramedics, a panel of three interviews the resident doctors and rates them on various parameters. Past record We are asked to pay around Rs 70,000-80,000 if we want to get the job. The price is even higher if we want a specific department. The choice of a particular department will cost an additional Rs 20,000-30,000, said a doctor who purportedly went through the process. The institute was in the news two years ago when some of the staff posted in the labour room and private wards were purportedly caught on CCTV taking money from patients relatives. The 640-bed hospital located in west Delhi provides specialised services to people and imparts training to postgraduate and undergraduate medical students as well as paramedics. The health department is aware of the matter and the hospital administration is looking into it, said Dr Tarun Seem, secretary, department of health and family welfare, who also heads the Delhi governments directorate general of health services. After receiving the complaint, the hospital administration has swung into action. A committee has been formed to look into the matter. But we have not got any substantial information or proof in the case. No one has come forward to accept that they bribed the doctors to secure a seat, said Dr Savita Babbar, the hospitals medical superintendent. Going forward, we will ensure that the interview process is done with utmost transparency. Even for getting a joining certificate, completion certificate, experience certificate, or an NOC, doctors are allegedly asked to pay what is known as one-month sewa. Doctors' allegations From lower-division clerks to higher authorities, all are involved in this corruption. The administration has been ignoring the matter for a while but its high time now and some action should be taken, a senior doctor told Mail Today. Doctors also alleged that during interviews, the marks accorded are written in pencil and the final signature is done by pen. This leaves scope for manipulation as the marks given in pencil can be changed any time, added the doctor. The hospital administration has a different tale to tell. According to officials, more than 10 junior resident doctors were found to be involved in illegal activities, such as running private practises alongside their government jobs. The institute sacked some of these doctors. The senior-junior divide in the Congress is playing itself out once again. Several younger leaders considered close to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi have been holding informal talks about the continuing state of inertia gripping the Grand Old Party. These younger leaders, who were made AICC secretaries by Rahul in 2014, are miffed that the party V-P is being unnecessarily targeted for the poll losses and that the seniors are still issuing sermons rather than sacrificing their positions to ensure a revamp of the 131-year-old party. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi have promised to re-assess the party's strategies in the wake of poor state election results This group of younger leaders had also come out in Rahuls support in 2014, when the Congress vice-president was attacked by both his friends and foes over the partys worst-ever Lok Sabha performance. The Congress tally in the Lower House of Parliament had nosedived from 206 in 2009 to a mere 44 in 2014. After their 2014 experience, when they came out in the open to vent their feelings but were silenced by their seniors, these younger leaders are now discussing the issues plaguing the party in a more discreet fashion. Chats are usually impromptu and take place over tea in the secretarys room, at some coffee shop, or over lunch at a colleagues residence. The young leaders have grown impatient as they feel that the party's leadership is not able to take any strong action as the veterans are not comfortable with change, which is being pushed by Rahul. Acknowledging that the status quo is hurting the party, younger leaders have been expressing concern over the lack of internal communication. Following claims of a wide communication gap between the party and voters, which shrunk the Congress voteshare, Rahul had asked central and state leaders to hold review meetings every three months and send him reports. These meetings, which were intended to allow a free exchange of views within the party, were to include a range of contributors from the general secretaries in charge of states, down to the block-level workers. Sadly, the meetings are yet to happen. These youngsters also want that state in-charges should own up to the poll results and hear what the workers on the ground have to say about the recent defeats. Instead of issuing sermons, the seniors should sacrifice, said a secretary. Echoing similar sentiments, former Union minister Kishor Chandra Deo said a group of influential leaders have enjoyed power within the party for a long time, and needed to be sent on a holiday. The same people get important positions in the organisation at the Centre or in states. The Congress president should identify them and remove them, Deo told Mail Today. Deo said the Congress faces a historic challenge from divisive forces, and must clean up its house. Health Minister JP Nadda was scheduled to attend the global health summit in Geneva Controversies surrounding the NEET issue have forced Health Minister JP Nadda to cancel his Geneva trip. Nadda was scheduled to attend the global health summit, but instead called on President Pranab Mukherjee over the matter. The Union Cabinet cleared an Ordinance on NEET on Friday. Nadda briefed the president on the Ordinance, which is seeking to keep state boards out of the NEETs ambit. Government can't tame online troll issue The chorus against online abuse is rising, but the government sees no role for itself in taming the digital behemoth. Sources said that, like the print and electronic media, only a self-correction can address the rising problem of trolling on social media. One of the views in the government is that social media will burn out if the abuse and trolling continue to rise at this rate. Many public figures have fallen victim to the online abuse, leading to growing voices seeking some sort of control over the medium. Goel makes his presence felt BJP veteran Vijay Goel has become more active in city politics than his junior colleagues. Goel, a former Union minister and currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, is leaving no stones unturned to make his presence felt. To highlight the two-year achievements of the Narendra Modi government, Goel has organised a programme called run for development in east Delhi on Thursday. Overstay allowed for two months The PWD of the Delhi government has asked such bureaucrats to apply for retention of houses within two months of their retirement, failing which they will invite damages. A PWD circular says that in several cases, officers stayed in houses for several months after retirement. Any requests for overstay made over two months after their retirement will be rejected. Paswan warns Nitish with stir LJP supremo and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan has targeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Paswan has asked Nitish to withdraw the decision to scrap reservation for SC and ST employees in government jobs. The drone strike that killed Taliban Emir-ul-Momineen (Leader of the Faithful) Mullah Akhtar Mansour in the Balochistan province of Pakistan has a number of significant implications for US-Pakistan relations. It is the first time that US drones have hit a target outside the tribal areas and the frontier regions of Pakistan. And its impact on Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, Taliban-Pakistan relations, US-Pakistan relations - and of course, on the internal dynamics within the Taliban - will determine the future of the entire Afghanistan-Pakistan region. There are two broad theories on the circumstances that led to Mansoor's elimination. Taliban Emir-ul-Momineen (Leader of the Faithful) Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone The first is that the US found Mansoor independently, and without informing Pakistan they took the shot. The second is that the Pakistanis were in the loop, or even that they supplied the information to get rid of the Taliban chief, who was becoming a little too independent. Assuming that the Pakistanis were blindsided in Mansours killing, it will cause deep embarrassment to Pakistan's military establishment. Pakistan was once again caught off-guard by the US taking out a high-value target inside Pakistan. And there are striking similarities to the Osama bin Laden operation in Abbottabad. Potentiality, US-Pakistan relations could go into a tailspin. Worse, it will constitute a big setback to Pakistan's grand strategic plan for Afghanistan. Pakistani locals gather around a destroyed vehicle hit by a drone strike. Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was believed to be travelling in the remote town of Ahmad Wal in Balochistan The second possibility is that Pakistan was very much in the loop on Mansoors killing. The Pakistanis will, of course, go blue in the face denying that they had anything to do with the drone strike. For good measure, they will also condemn it and lodge a strong protest. But such treachery, even though it exposes the embarrassing reality of the Taliban chiefs presence inside Pakistan, isnt past the Pakistanis for whom Mansoor was becoming a liability. Sacrificing him could yield more to Pakistan than sticking with him. Over the past few months, US-Pakistan relations have plummeted. The aid blockage by the US Congress is an example of the direction in which the relationship is moving. Meanwhile, the Afghan government was bristling at Pakistan reneging on pledges made in the Quadilateral Coordination Group (QCG). The death of Mansour represents the first time that US drones have hit a target outside the tribal areas and frontier regions of Pakistan The failure of the QCG (which includes China) to push the peace process forward, means that diplomatic efforts to settle Afghanistan have reached a dead-end, which in turn entails the risk that violence could intensify and spill over into Pakistan. With the security situation in the region deteriorating, the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on which Pakistan has staked its entire future could be adversely affected. There are reasons to believe that even the Chinese were leaning on the Pakistanis to start delivering on Afghanistan. The killing of Mansour will be deeply embarrassing to Pakistan's military establishment And then there were all the new strategic alignments in the region, not the least of which was the forthcoming visit of the Indian Prime Minister, first to Iran to firm up the Chahbahar project, and later to the US to push the strategic partnership. Clearly, the Pakistanis needed to rethink their Afghan gambit. By helping the Americans take out Mansour, the Pakistanis will have delivered a big prize to the Americans, and in return will get what they want from the US. It will also help them reach out to the Afghans. But most importantly, Mansour was expendable for Pakistan. His loss doesnt necessarily mean the loss of control over the Taliban. Having snuffed out challenges to Mansour from within the Taliban's ranks, and having managed to manoeuvre 'favorite' Sirajuddin Haqqani as Mansours military chief, the Pakistanis have firmed up their control over the Taliban. It is feared that US-Pakistan relations could go into a tailspin after the killing of Mansour With Mansour dead, the Pakistanis will try to get their man - either Sirajuddin or Mullah Omars son - accepted as the Taliban Emir. To be sure, some Taliban commanders will rebel. But given the firepower of the Haqqanis, coupled with efforts of the Afghan Army and the Americans, these elements can be put out of business. And once this is done, the reconciliation drama can recommence with the Pakistanis and their proxies plugging for their demands to be accepted. While the Pakistanis might have played a high-risk but calculated gamble, Afghanistan has a bad habit of pulling nasty surprises on even the most carefully calculated and calibrated plans. Even if the Taliban were to accept a Pakistani proxy as their Emir, will he continue to dance to Pakistans tune and also play ball with the American and the Afghan government? If the new Emir is asked to prove his jihadi credentials, then the situation will get much worse before it gets better. Mansour's death could cause a power grab within Taliban ranks and make the battle-lines even more chaotic Of course, if there is another power grab within the Taliban ranks, it will give the Afghan government an opportunity to further destabilise the Taliban movement. While it is good riddance to Mansour, his death alone isnt going to pave the path for any immediate reconciliation in Afghanistan. In fact, it could make the battle-lines more chaotic. Even so, the Americans have struck a welcome blow - and more such blows need to be delivered to the Taliban and their affiliates for a political settlement in Afghanistan to have any chance of succeeding. BJP leader and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has been appointed Lt Governor of Puducherry, a post which was under the additional charge of Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island for nearly two years. A Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said that the President has been pleased to appoint Kiran Bedi, to be the Lt Governor of Puducherry with effect from the date she assumes charges of her office. I look forward to giving every bit of myself to the responsibility. I am there for the benefit of the country. I am here to give my best every day, each day. I am grateful for the governments decision. They trusted me, said 66-year-old Bedi, who was the countrys first female IPS officer and who led the unsuccessful BJP campaign for the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls. BJP leader and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has been appointed Lt Governor of Puducherry The appointment comes three days after the Congress-DMK alliance won 17 seats in the 30-member state Assembly. AIADMK, which contested the elections on its own, won four seats, while BJP could not get even a single seat. The LG's post in the Union territory had been lying vacant after the Narendra Modi Government sacked UPA nominee Virendra Kataria on July 12, barely a year after he was appointed. Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island Lt Gen Ajay Singh had been given additional charge of Puducherry. Kiran Bedi was the BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gave his best wishes to Kiran Bedi for her new assignment as the Lt Governor of Puducherry. My best wishes to Kiran Didi for this new role, Kejriwal tweeted. The JD(U) opposed the appointment of Kiran Bedi as Puducherry Lt Governor, alleging that such political appointments are made to serve the interests of the ruling party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Iran on a two-day visit to discuss enhancing an economic partnership with a possible deal on the strategic Chabahar port. Reached Iran, a land with whom India shares civilisational ties. Hope to enhance economic partnership between our nations. I also hope my Iran visit further cements cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Iran, Modi tweeted. The first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation in the last 15 years, Modi was received at the Mehrabad International Airport by Iran's Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia, after which he left for a local Gurdwara to meet people of Indian origin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at a gurdwara in Iran Formal talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani are scheduled for tomorrow morning after a ceremonial welcome for the Prime Minister. Modi will also meet with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, before his return. In a series of tweets before his arrival, Modi said that enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people contacts would be his priority. My meetings with President Rouhani and Honorable Supreme Leader of Iran will provide an opportunity to advance our strategic partnership," the Prime Minister added. In addition to signing a deal on the development of Phase-1 of the Chabahar port, India is looking at doubling oil imports from the Persian Gulf nation, which a few years back was its second-biggest oil supplier. India is also looking to make progress on the development of a giant gas field in the energy-rich country. India's Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari will also be present for the signing of the agreement on Chabahar port. Iran, now free of sanctions, has seen a flurry of diplomatic and business activities with leaders from China to Korea keen to court Tehran. Modi is welcomed at the airport by Iran's Finance Minister, Ali Tayyebnia In the run-up to Modi's visit, Transport Minister Gadkari, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Tehran. Stating that he looked forward to the conclusion of the Chahbahar agreement during his visit, the prime minister said India and Iran enjoy civilisational ties and have shared interest in the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the region. I am looking forward to my visit to Iran today and tomorrow, at the invitation of President Rouhani, he added. In an interview with Iran's IRNA news agency before his arrival, Modi said the two countries have always focused on strengthening relations, even during the difficult times. India and Iran enjoy civilizational ties and have shared interest in the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the region. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 22, 2016 In the current context, both countries can look to expand our cooperation in the fields of trade, technology, investment and infrastructure and energy security. Stating that India's public and private sector firms were keen on investing in Iran, he said the signing of the agreement on the development of Chabahar port will provide wider connectivity. Chabahar is a port in South-East Iran that will enable India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan, with which New Delhi has close security ties and economic interests. A 21-year-old woman committed suicide in a Bathinda police station on Saturday after being questioned about her friend's boyfriend. The incident calls into question the link between Punjab police stations and the suicides of inmates. The victim, identified as Jasbir Kaur, was allegedly tortured by the police and was later found dead inside the police station bathroom. A 21-year-old woman committed suicide in a Bathinda police station on Saturday after being questioned about her friend's boyfriend Jasbir had gone to pay obeisance at a Patiala Sikh shrine along with her friend Baljinder Kaur, who went somewhere else with her boyfriend. When Baljinders parents lodged a missing report, the police had called Jasbir for questioning. The police scared the girl by asking questions about Baljinders boyfriend. She was fearful when she asked to go to the loo where she committed suicide, Jasbirs aunt Kulwinder Kaur claimed. Sources allege that Baljinder was reported missing in Patiala, while her friend Jasbir was mentally tortured by officers at Bathindas Ballianwali police station. Jasbir had been living at her maternal grandfathers home in Kotra Kaura village of Bathinda. The accused police officials sought to blame others for the suicide, saying that the local Panchayat members had brought the girl to the police station. However, SSP Bathinda Swapan Sharma has ordered a probe into the suicide. We have ordered a probe. Strict action will be taken against the police officials if they are found guilty of harassing the victim, Swapan Sharma said. This is not the only case of a person committing suicide in a Punjab police station. On May 18, two Barnala cops were arrested on charges of forcing a farmer to commit suicide in the police station. Handhiaya Police station ASI Charanjit Singh and head constable Saudagar Singh allegedly tortured a farmer, Baldev Singh, 35, who committed suicide in the police station on May 11 by consuming poison. The victim was taken to the police station, where it is alleged that he was severely tortured. On April 29, 2016, a Ludhiana SHO Davinder Chaudhary, ASI Buta Singh, and constable Swaran Singh were suspended for compelling a 26-year-old youth to commit suicide. A 55-year-old farmer, Masih, a resident of Khera village in Gurdaspur district, had ended his life last month by jumping in front of a train. A Punjab police inspector, Vidya Sagar had allegedly tortured the farmer in the police station and was demanding money from his family for his release. BJP leader and actor Roopa Ganguly has been hospitalised - reportedly with head injuries - after she was subjected to an attack in Kolkata on Sunday. Roopa was targeted while she was on her way to visit an injured party supporter at Kakdwip Hospital. While she was returning to Kolkata, a group of unidentified villagers blocked the way of her convoy and attacked her. The unknown assailants manhandled the BJP figurehead and vandalised her vehicle. BJP leader and actor Roopa Ganguly had her convey attacked in Kolkata, while on her way to visit an injured party supporter at Kakdwip Hospital The BJP leader has been admitted to Diamond Harbour Hospital, along with other party activists who were injured in the attack. The incident happened when Roopa and other BJP workers were returning from Ishwaripur village near Kakdwip after visiting a party worker, who was allegedly assaulted by Trinamool workers on Saturday, a senior district police officer said. Roopa had reportedly stopped her car and two other cars in her convoy near Diamond Harbour on her way to Kolkata and started talking to locals, which enraged them. Some boys threw stones at the convoy, while a few women from the locality pulled Roopas hair and slapped another woman who was with her, the officer said. The police posted there intervened, restrained the locals, and took control of the situation, he said. Workers from Mamata Banerjee's TMC were reportedly behind the attack The officer claimed that Roopa was not injured, but was taken to a local hospital and released after a check-up. We have not arrested anybody in connection with the incident, but a police posting has been arranged in the locality, the senior district police officer said. The BJP leader and the party workers accompanying her allege that they were attacked by TMC activists, and that Roopa sustained head injuries. Roopa, the chief of the BJPs state Mahila Morcha unit, had unsuccessfully contested from Howrah (North) seat against TMCs Laxmi Ratan Shukla in the newly-concluded state assembly elections. Terming the attack on Roopa Ganguly another instance of absolute lawlessness in West Bengal, former state BJP chief and national secretary Rahul Sinha demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. Sinha said Mamata Banerjee, whose TMC party has returned to power in the state, must stop talking and ensure that her partymen act properly and pay proper respect to women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the US for the fourth time in his two years in office. This, taken with President Barack Obamas visit to India in 2015 as chief guest at our Republic Day celebrations, indicates that both sides want to work together to expand bilateral ties so their respective expectations are met. On international issues where their views differ, the two countries want to find as much common ground as possible. This will be Narendra Modis fourth visit to the US since 2014. (File Picture) Challenge The challenge before India is to enlarge the areas of understanding with the US, softening the edges of differences over a whole host of political, security and economic issues. These debates are inescapable between a power that wants to maintain its hegemony, and a slowly rising power like India that is sensitive about the inequities of the present international system in which its say is limited, and it is unable to change US policies that hurt its interests. In the circumstances, the most viable Indian strategy would be to harness US support wherever possible to promote the governments development agenda, which alone can make India strong and increase its weight in global decision-making. This requires assiduous engagement with the US to build the right political atmosphere to promote our interests. However, building a stronger relationship with the US will severely test our diplomatic skills because of the constant US pressure to open up our economy more. The US also wants India to usher in big-bang reforms, make regulatory changes, introduce legal structures that suit US corporate interests, tighten IPR provision, and so on. At the political level, we have to guard against closeness to the US affecting our freedom of action in foreign policy. If we seek some gains from wooing America, the US will look for reciprocal gains. The challenge will be to maintain a balance between the two. Undoubtedly, the process of consolidating India-US ties is being given personal attention by Modi and Obama. Indian policymakers believe that White House oversight is required to push the relationship forward, as the State Department is seen as wedded to the past positions and prejudices developed during the Cold War, and nurtured even afterwards on non-proliferation, Pakistan, and human rights issues. Not that this means that the White House can be counted on to deliver what India wants. George W Bush was stubbornly soft on Pakistan on terrorism, and Obama has not so far done anything dramatic in Indias favour. Re-galvanising In fact, Modi has been personally energetic in re-galvanising the US relationship that had begun stagnating in the UPAs second term. He has struck a personal rapport with Obama and worked constructively with him on issues like climate change and renewable energy. His business-friendly credentials and assiduous cultivation of the US corporate sector, and his development plans for India for which he seeks US involvement, have made India an attractive partner in the eyes of the US. On several fronts, Modi has been clearing the ground for closer India-US ties. He has resolved the rift over our nuclear liability legislation. Progress has made in negotiations with Westinghouse for the supply of nuclear reactors. Defence cooperation with the US has been expanded. India-US military exercises are expanding. In the Joint Strategic Vision for Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Regions announced during Obamas January 2015 visit, India boldly accepted that the security of these two maritime domains was inter-linked, with Chinas new assertiveness, its naval expansion, and its illegal actions in the western Pacific in view. Expectations If the positive direction of India-US relations is set to continue, any expectation that the US will radically change its policies on issues that are vital to Indias security would be misplaced. The US will not sanction Pakistan for its terrorist activities against India, and will want to supply military assistance despite revived Congressional opposition. The US will counter China only where it directly challenges US power. It will, therefore, treat China as a potential adversary in the western Pacific, but as a partner in our region, as its willingness to promote a Chinese role in Afghanistan in collaboration with Pakistan shows. The US does not consider the Taliban as a terrorist organisation and is willing to accommodate it politically in Afghanistan in a Pakistani-brokered deal. The US is not taking a position on the CPEC or Gwadar. No wonder, as some US officials acknowledge, that India and the US have 95 per cent convergence in the East and 5 per cent convergence in the West. India and the US are clashing on WTO issues. The US has not delivered on Indias APEC membership, or that of NSG and MTCR. During the Nuclear Security Summit, Obama surprised us by implicitly equated India and Pakistan on nuclear missteps. The issues involving our IT industry remain unresolved. During his June visit, Modi will address the US Congress. He was denied this opportunity in September 2014. If nothing else, this shows the distance travelled in the relationship since then. A rescue deal for BHS is expected within days, as MPs prepare to grill Goldman Sachs on its links to former owner Sir Philip Green. Plea: BHS collapsed last month, a year after it was sold by Green for 1 to twice-bankrupt Dominic Chappell The retailer collapsed last month, a year after it was sold by Green for 1 to twice-bankrupt Dominic Chappell. A source said a deal will come early this week which could save 11,000 jobs. The Work and Pensions Select Committee will question Goldman Sachs over the informal advice it gave on BHS to Greens holding company, Taveta Investments. One of Britains biggest bakeries is slashing pay for Sundays and breaks following the introduction of the National Living Wage, confidential documents reveal. Bradgate Bakery, part of catering giant Samworth Brothers which owns Ginsters pasties and makes half of the UKs pork pies, is to cut back on overtime, paid breaks and weekend perks for its 5,000 staff after legal changes introduced last month. The firm has denied making cuts after criticism from Labour MP Joan Ryan during a debate on the living wage in Parliament in April. Making changes: Bradgate Bakery is to cut back on overtime, paid breaks and weekend perks for its 5,000 staff But a leaked memo, seen by the Mail, told staff: You will continue to receive a break of 30 minutes in each eight-hour shift. You will not be paid for this break, but you will compensated by the increase in your standard rate of pay. Under the new pay policy staff earn 7.94 per hour 74p more than the living wage and 1.05 more than the old minimum wage. But lunch breaks will be unpaid and double pay on Sundays of 13.78 per hour will be reduced and eventually scrapped by 2019. This means staff will be 4.78 worse off per hour, or 45.13 out of pocket for each Sunday shift, taking into account unpaid breaks. From April 1 all workers aged 25 and over must be paid the new living wage of 7.20 an hour 50p more than the previous minimum wage. A string of firms including Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose have been accused of reducing other staff benefits to offset the costs. Caffe Nero has withdrawn free food for staff at lunch, and sandwich chain Eat is no longer paying employees for their breaks. Midday today marks the deadline for bids to save the British steel industry and 15,000 jobs with rivals collaborating and latecomers joining the race to buy Tata Steel. Indian-owned Tata announced its withdrawal from the UK in March and so far seven bidders have shown an interest in the loss-making business. Excalibur Steel and Liberty House, who are both in the running, are understood to have held talks and are expected to make separate offers declaring a willingness to work together. Keeping up the pressure: The whole of the British steel industry along with 15,000 jobs is at risk Meanwhile US turnaround specialist Wilbur Ross is thought to have made it onto the Tata shortlist at the eleventh hour. The 78-year-old has a track record for rescuing failing companies across the steel, coal and telecommunications industries and staging leveraged buyouts. Other bidders include Endless, Greybull Capital, JSW Steel, Nucor, and Hebei Iron and Steel Group. Tata is only considering offers for the whole of its UK steel business, and is not accepting bids from parties hoping to carve out the best assets. Business secretary Sajid Javid will fly out to Mumbai, India, ahead of a meeting on Wednesday where the parent company will mull over the refined bids. Tata will also publish its annual report the same day, which is expected to reveal the extent of the firms financial woes. Its 48-year-old UK boss Bimlendra Jha has blamed Tatas withdrawal on structural weaknesses in the UK around energy costs and business rates, and said that if British energy prices were the same as in Germany, Tata would be 40m better off. The Government has already offered hundreds of millions of pounds in support to potential buyers, including the option of taking a 25 per cent stake in the firm alongside other buyers. John Lewis is putting new recruits on probation for the first time in its 152 year history following the introduction of the National Living Wage. Starters are at both John Lewis and Waitrose will be forced to pass a three-month trial before they can qualify as a fully fledged 'partner', but they will still be eligible to share in the groups annual bonus. Junior employees who fail the test are either given another month to prove themselves or are fired. Until now starters at both John Lewis and Waitrose became 'partners' automatically upon joining the group. Changes: Starters are at both John Lewis and Waitrose will be forced to pass a three month trial before they can qualify as a 'partner' and become eligible for an annual bonus The group has always tried to set itself apart from its more cut-throat rivals as it is owned by its 91,500 staff or partners rather than shareholders. But the living wage appears to have brought out a more ruthless streak in Middle England's favourite retailer which opened its first store on Oxford Street in 1864. Bosses have also warned staff they must work harder in order to justify their increased salary. The tough new stance has infuriated MPs which have expressed fears that John Lewis could be preparing to cut the famous perks for its employees. Last year staff received an average annual bonus of 1584, with the group paying out 145million in total. From April 1 all employees aged 25 and over must be paid the living wage of 7.20 an hour 50p more than the previous minimum wage. This has been hailed by campaigners as a victory for millions of low paid workers. But a string of firms including B&Q and Morrisons have offset the growing wage bill by slashing other perks such as double pay on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Benefits: As partners in the business, Waitrose staff enjoy generous bonuses In John Lewis's latest business plan, it outlines ways to boost profits and increase the productivity of staff. To ensure new joiners are up to scratch, it says they will have to undergo a 'meaningful' three month probation period. The trial tests 'their commitment to the partnership and their levels of productivity and engagement.' The probation period can be extended for a month for junior roles and three months for senior positions if there are concerns. Staff on probation will still be able to share in the annual bonus as long as they were employed by the group on January 31 of any bonus year. The probation period will initially only be tested out in a number of John Lewis stores and Waitrose supermarkets. But it will be extended across the UK is it proves to be a success. Justifying the tougher approach, chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield said employees must work harder to justify earning the higher living wage, which is set to rise above 9 an hour by 2020 Sir Charles, who received 1.5million last year, said: 'You can only afford to pay someone more if the value of their contribution is better. What was OK at 7.20 an hour is not OK at 9.20 an hour.' This triggered a furious response from Labour MP Joan Ryan who has urged the chancellor to take action against firms which have stripped away benefits since the living wage was introduced, Ms Ryan said: 'This is very worrying and completely unacceptable. I fear it is just the thin end of the wedge - we've already seen a number of firms cutting perks after the introduction of the living wage. John Lewis and Waitrose have always enjoyed a high degree of confidence among the public because of the way they treat staff. This move will not reflect well on them.' Waitrose has already been accused of cutting perks for staff to help pay for the national living wage, after stopped paying Sunday and overtime rates for new workers. But it has denied this has anything to do with the living wage. The prospect that their benefits may be under threat will unnerve John Lewis employees who have seen their bonus cut for three consecutive years as profits have fallen. Cadillac fuels Parisian fury with 'anti-French' advert which takes a dig at countries who take the 'whole of August off' Commercial asks 'Why do we [Americans] work so hard? Although it doesn't mention France, the French media took exception to it Website slate.fr labelled it 'lamentable' U.S. luxury car maker Cadillac has provoked anger in France with an advert which pokes fun at countries where workers 'stroll home, stop by the cafe... and take the whole of August off'. The commercial features Desperate Housewives actor Neil McDonough as a successful businessman who compares 'hard-working' Americans to their counterparts abroad who in his words 'don't work'. He says: 'Why do we work so hard? For what? For this? For stuff? Other countries don't work, they stroll home, stop by the cafe, they take August off. Off. 'Why aren't you like that? Why aren't we like that? Because we crazy, driven, hard-working believers that's why.' Scroll down to watch the advert 'Lamentable': An advert for Cadillac, featuring Desperate Housewives actor Neil McDonough (pictured), has angered the French by poking fun at countries where workers 'take the whole of August off' Dig: The advert does not explicitly mention the French, but it leaves little to the imagination when McDonough signs off with: 'That's the upside of taking just two weeks off in August. N'est-ce pas?' The advert does not explicitly mention the French, but it leaves little to the imagination when McDonough signs off with: 'As for the stuff, that's the upside of taking just two weeks off in August. N'est-ce pas?' French media immediately took issue with the advert, it was reported by The Local. Website Slate.fr carried the headline 'The lamentable anti-French advert by Cadillac' while magazine Nouvel Obs said it implied the French were 'lazy, spending time relishing their paid holidays'. Writer Marc Naimark wrote sarcastically: 'Ah yes, these frogs, these cheese-eating surrender monkeys, known for their laziness, the 35 hours a week, the ban on work e-mails after 6pm... what a difference to the Yankee workers, who relish spending their time doing everything, except nothing.' Anger across the pond: French media immediately took issue with the advert, with website Slate.fr calling it 'the lamentable anti-French advert by Cadillac' Laziest in Europe? France enjoys six weeks paid leave and extremely generous sick leave and striking rights Last week, it was revealed that workers in Socialist France can now legally ignore telephone calls and e-mails from their bosses when they are at home. It is all part of a new legal agreement which confirms President Francois Hollandes country as arguably the laziest in Europe. As well as enshrining the 35-hour working week as a cornerstone of French life, his party has cut the retirement age by two years since coming to power two years ago. The French also enjoy six weeks paid leave and extremely generous sick leave and striking rights. Now employers will no longer be allowed to contact staff during the 133 hours of the week designated for rest. They look like something from a horror movie - a black dog with a mini trunk protruding from its nose. The baby yellow chick with not two but four feet, the spider piglet with one head, two bodies and eight legs, the goat with two heads and the baby pig with skin so wafer thin you can see the muscles and blood flowing around its body. These are just of a few of the mutant animals found living in Argentina and exactly why is something of a mystery. Pig farmer Ademaro Valadez Vasquez told how the piglet with the paper skin was born, but died just a few hours later. 'When it was alive you could see the blood flowing around its body, and things moving inside its body,' he said. Scroll down for video Mutant: This mutated puppy was nicknamed 'Dobby' after the house elf from the Harry Potter films as it had a trunk where its nose should be. It was one of 11 in the litter and died within a fortnight of being born Body double: A piglet with two bodiesand eight legs but just one head was also born in Argentina's north-east Entre Rios region Freaky: In a startling case, this mutant goat was born with with two snouts, no eyes, no ears, without a tail and hairless in Las Arrias, Cordoba, Argentina The piglet with the see through skin was born just a few miles away from the black dog nicknamed 'Dobby' after the house elf from the Harry Potter films. Pictures of the black freak puppy that has a trunk for a nose went viral in the days after he was born in 2014. Owner Eduardo Landin said he was shocked when he noticed that one of his new puppies appeared to have a trunk instead of a nose. Eduardo, 35, said: 'It was kind of similar but also shockingly different to the other puppies, so I realised it was in some way deformed and at first I thought it was dead. 'But then I saw it moving and trying to feed, so I helped it over to the mother and it managed to drink something but it's nose kept getting in the way.' He said that the deformed puppy was one of a litter of 11 and was the only one that was not normal. He added: 'I was amazed at how quickly word spread and loads of people are coming round to look at the tiny puppy, and take pictures and videos. 'One of the children that came round said it looked like a character from the Harry Potter movie and that's what everyone is calling it in the local media here. He went on: 'I am worried if there might be something in the air or the soil or water causing this as we only live 15 kilometres (9 miles) away from the village where the last mutant was born that looked like that Potter character. One of the pigs in my litter was normal, but the other was a mutant freak.'' Both the puppy and the piglet were born in or near the village of Pampa de los Guanacos in the Copa area of the Santiago del Estero Province, in northern Argentina. At the time local media said that the deformation was due to the use of pesticides on farmland in the region although they admitted they had never seen anything similar before. Eduardo said: 'We have had a few calls from people telling us it's evil and we need to kill it and burn the body. But that's just superstition talking, it is a mutation but it isn't evil.' Two-faced: A two-headed calf was born with six legs in Los Conquistadores after five hours of labour. The vet put the mutation down to nearly formed twins that ended up staying together due to a genetic malformation Human-like piglet: In a separate case in the city of Riohacha, a city in the in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia, a piglet was born looking like a human Theories: Local media are blaming the deformities on pesticide chemicals sprayed on genetically modified soy beans in the country - while others said the mutations were caused by 'evil spirits' Outbreak: Researchers say the high incidence of birth defects in north eastern Argentina correlates with increased use of the pesticide glyphosate - which is used on genetically modified soy bean crops And in nearby Aldea San Juan a pig was born with two bodies, and one head but with two snouts joined together. In the same week a cow with two heads and six legs was born in the same region and a chick hatched with four legs. In a separate case in the city of Riohacha, a city in the in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia, a piglet was born looking like a human. And in yet another bizarre case a piglet was born with a head shaped like an elephant and deformed eyes and no hair. Born in the northern Province of Tucuman, it was nicknamed the 'Elephant Piglet' because of its small trunk-like 'nose'. The farmer Juan Francisco Vazquez was surprised to discovered the bizarre birth on their farm. The piglet was reportedly the fourth to be born in a litter of 12 and died soon afterwards after it's mother bit it to death. Seeing double: In the same week a cow with two heads and six legs was born, in the same region and a chick hatched with four legs Deformed: And in another bizarre case, this animal nicknamed 'Elephant Piglet' was born with a head shaped like an elephant and deformed eyes and no hair and a small, trunk-like 'nose' He said: 'We had a dozen piglets but the fourth born was badly deformed. Its mother bit into it until it died. That shocked me. 'I am not sure if this was because the mother did not recognise it as her, or because her instincts (knowing that it would not survive) made her do it.' And in a separate case a goat was born with two snouts, no eyes, no ears, without a tail and hairless. And while at first locals blamed superstitious spirits for the mutations, blame has shifted to the widespread use of the harsh chemical glyphosate which is used as a pesticide. Mr Vasquez, the farmer with the skinless piglet, said: 'Some superstitious people around here say it was down to the legend of Almamula. 'Local legend says that Almamula was a woman with no morals who committed incest with her brother and father. She was turned into a donkey and now walks around at night making a strange noise, with an iron chain attached to her leg. 'But I think its probably chemicals. I want tests done, the local government should investigate.' Argentina is the world's biggest user of the controversial product, which kills all non-genetically modified (GM) crops. The country supplies GM soya beans that are fed to animals in the UK, and cotton that is used in the manufacture of everything from T-shirts through to tampons. EU policy makers are considering banning the harmful chemical which is known to cause serious birth defects in both animals and humans. Around 12 million Argentines live in regions where soya beans are cultivated, surrounded by the fields where glyphosate is sprayed, which are dubbed 'pueblos fumigados' or sprayed villages, says paediatrician, Dr Medardo Avila Vazquez. He said the numbers of deformations had quadrupled from in nine years to 2008 as cultivation of soya beans in the province increased seven fold. Spider pig: The mutated piglet was born with eight trotters as part of a litter which also featured a pig born with two mouths. Both animals died Skinless: This pig was born with skin so paper thin the farmer could see the blood flowing through the pig's veins before the defective animal died a few hours after birth Siemese: This goat was born with two head in the village of El Malacara, Argentina but died just minutes later A Danish farmer who changed his pig feed from non-GM soya to the cheaper GM soya pig feed found the number of birth defects suddenly increased. He had a piglet born with only one large eye, a second with a hole in its skull, and one with a huge 'elephant tongue' and a female piglet with testicles. Silvana Bujan, Director of Environmentalist NGO Bios Argentina, told MailOnline: 'There is sufficient scientific evidence in Argentina and the rest of the world that proves with absolute certainty the damage the herbicide does to our eco-system and to the health of humans and animals when used intensively in the production of food. Nancy Kidwell is a modern-day pioneer of the American desert, a rough-riding frontierswoman who built an entire town amid the lonely Yucca trees and sagebrush, where nothing existed before. A half-century ago, Kidwell and first husband Slim turned a triangle-shaped gravel airstrip abandoned by the US military into a thriving community that featured a casino, store, camper van park, motel, bar and restaurant that drew high-desert wanderers from thousands of miles around. Many travelers landed in private planes to frequent this gambling state's first-ever fly-in gaming emporium, that once advertised 'seven hours of fun' where one-armed bandit aficionados could touch down in the late afternoon and taxi out that same night. Scroll down for video A half-century ago Nancy Kidwell and first husband Slim turned a triangle-shaped gravel airstrip abandoned by the U.S. military into a community that featured a casino, store, camper van park, motel, bar and restaurant With both of her husbands now dead, Kidwell is looking to sell the entire town for $8million and move on Oasis: Above, a view of the tiny town from above. Cal-Nev-Ari is located about a north of Las Vegas in the Nevada desert Will Mayo walks from his small single-engine plane after arriving for breakfast at the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino in Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada on May 15, 2016 Above, a picture of Kidwell's late second husband Ace Kidwell, who was the son of her first husband Slim Kidwell (from another marriage) Now it's all up for sale - a couple's dreamscape of 350 hardy residents, carved from hardscrabble land an hour south of Las Vegas, where Nevada's narrow southern tip comes within 10 miles of both California and Arizona. Asking price: $8 million. For the 78-year-old Kidwell, the sale is bittersweet. This patch of desert is all she's known since she and Slim first flew over the arid expanse in 1965, gawking at the isolation and sheer beauty of the spot they'd chosen to make a break from the California rat race. But now her beloved Slim is long gone -- a victim of Alzheimer's disease in 1983 -- and Kidwell has grown weary of working seven-day weeks supervising 22 employees, playing the role of the town's mayor, police chief and sole businesswoman. She wants to travel, maybe buy another airplane for a tour of the nation's parks -- Yosemite, Yellowstone and Gettysburg included. 'I'm going to find out what you do after you spend 51 years of your life working in one place,' she said, 'when you suddenly don't have to wake up at 5 am each day to get the work done.' Kidwell is selling a full square mile along US Highway 95, with 500 acres (202 hectares) of the parcel ready for immediate development. After all, she and Slim already did the back-breaking work of building the infrastructure, bringing in utilities and digging the wells. Town founder Nancy Kidwell locks up an ATM at her Cal-Nev-Ari Casino in Nevada on May 15, 2016. Kidwell says she may spend her retirement traveling around America's national parks Slim Kidwell first spied the plot of land in 1965, when he got lost flying back to California from Minnesota. Above, a model bi-plane is seen handing in the coffee shop at the casino on May 15 Kidwell greets diners at her Cal-Nev-Ari Casino Casino on May 15, 2016. Kidwell's first husband Slim died of Alzheimer's in 1983 Kidwell (R) greets a customer from the confines of the small post office inside her Cal-Nev-Ari Casino in Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada on May 15, 2016 Kidwell pulls the shirt of Dick Clark, showing off the 51st anniversary of her town, Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada inside the coffee shop on May 15, 2016. After her husband passed, Kidwell fell in love with his son and they married Pilots taxi their single-engine planes by homes as they head to the runway to depart after flying in for breakfast in Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada. Kidwell's second husband Ace died in 2011 from Alzheimer's as well Pilot Will Mayo taxis his single-engine plane by homes after arriving for breakfast in Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada on May 15, 2016 Many travelers landed in private planes to frequent Nevada's first-ever fly-in gaming emporium, the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino Many of Nancy Kidwell's employees are divided by the sale of Cal-Nev-Ari as they don't want the town's matriarch to step down but she's promised them a Hawaiian vacation once the sale goes through Bartender Debbie Aguilera (center serves customers inside the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino in Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada on May 15, 2016 Years ago, when Kidwell put the town up for sale at $17 million, two developers got into a bidding war before the real estate market collapsed and her well-laid plans turned back to dust. Now, at a mere $8 million, Kidwell is seeing sizable interest: 'My broker says the whole thing has gone viral.' She has no idea what her town will become once it's sold, but has received calls from people who want to turn it into everything from a renewable energy project, motorsports park, guest ranch, survival school or shooting range. Recently, Kidwell sat in the casino restaurant, drinking coffee and eating a biscuit and gravy, her frame still beanstalk-slim, her reddish hair worn in the same coiffed swirl she's kept for, well, forever. Kidwell was born in rural Utah and later moved to Southern California, where the young adventuress made enough money in her airfield secretarial job to take flying lessons. Town founder Nancy Kidwell is seen in an undated photo, sitting on the wing of a single engine plane as it is displayed in her office at the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino A highway billboard directs motorists to the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino on May 15, 2016 That's when she met Slim Kidwell -- she was 28 and he was 62, and the couple launched on a spring-autumn relationship that would provide the adventure of two lifetimes. One day, Slim got lost flying back to Torrance from Minnesota and passed a windswept desert airfield, an outpost where he decided to stake a claim for his future. To take ownership from the government under a land-settlement act, the couple had to develop a water source and grow some kind of crop for at least one season. They moved into an old trailer abandoned by some Wyoming cowboys. While they worked the land, they hauled in their water in 55-gallon drums as Kidwell dealt with her new neighbors -- the rats, squirrels, jackrabbits, coyotes and free-range cattle. People laughed at their foolishness - friends had a good cackle over Slim Kidwell and his 'blue-sky dreams' - which just made the couple work harder. Drop in for breakfast: Above, an exterior of the casino/restaurant in Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada. The casino was the first fly-in casino in the world A stone plaque in the town explains the area's history to visitors passing through in cars or airplanes Slowly, the desert came to life. They built a mobile home park and gas station, then opened the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino, building backyard hangars for pilots to stash their planes. They opened what they lovingly called the Blue-Sky Motel. Eventually, people moved here. The government put in a post office and a fire depot. When Slim got sick with Alzheimer's, a son from a previous marriage, Ace, came to help care for his father. After Slim's death, Nancy and Ace eventually fell in love, and the couple married. She says she knew what a sacrifice he'd made, selling his business in California, and wanted to make sure he'd be set financially if she were to die. But Ace died in 2011 - also of Alzheimer's. Both father and son, members of a secretive club for male aviators known as the Quiet Birdmen, are buried out by the gravel runway -- their markers bearing the group's slogan 'Gone West' with an image of a plane taking off toward the sunset. Many of Kidwell's employees are divided by the sale. They don't want the town's matriarch to step down, but she's promised to take them on a Hawaiian vacation once the sale goes through. For now, Kidwell still wakes at 5 am, hoping to stay on as a consultant for any new buyer. When her time finally comes, she wants to be buried out on the airfield next to her men. She's already got the tombstone with the same markings as Slim and Ace. Everything is in place except for that final date. Tanishq believes he will be able to obtain his MD by the age of 18 and dreams of becoming the president one day The child prodigy received the Regents Scholarship from UCSC, the highest honor awarded to incoming students As his 12-year-old peers worry about acne cream and middle school hallways, one California pre-teen has something quite different on his mind - which university he'll attend in September. Tanishq Abraham, who already has three community college degrees, is currently deciding whether UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz is the school that will get him closer to his dreams. The future biomedical engineering major already has big plans for himself, believing he'll be able to get his MD by his 18th birthday. Then Tanishq plans to become a doctor, medical researcher and, he hopes, one day the President of the United States. Tanishq Abraham, who already has three community college degrees, is currently deciding whether he will attend UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz in the fall The child prodigy graduated from American River College, a community college in Sacramento, with associate degrees in math and physical science, general science, and foreign language studies Tanishq will already have a head start as a junior transfer student when he begins his undergraduate studies in the fall. The child prodigy graduated from American River, a community college in Sacramento, with associate degrees in math and physical science, general science, and foreign language studies last year. Tanishq received his high school diploma when he was 10 years old, but began taking community college classes at the age of just seven. Professors at the college initially didn't want him in their classes because he was so young. One only finally agreed to let him attend if his mother Taji, a doctor of veterinary medicine, also took the class. 'There were times when I had to explain general relativity and special relativity to my mom,' he said. Biology professor Marlene Martinez said he was never afraid to ask lot of questions. 'In lecture he would always pop up with @So, does that mean ...' or 'what about this?"' Martinez said. Tanishq, who joined the IQ society Mensa at only four years old, has always picked up knowledge quickly, his software engineer father, Bijou Abraham, told NBC News. The future biomedical engineering major (pictured with father Bijou, mother Taji and sister Tiara) already has big plans for himself, believing he'll be able to get his MD by his 18th birthday Tanishq was only four years old when he joined the IQ society MENSA and began taking community college classes when he was seven 'We tested him and discovered that he was pretty smart,' he said. 'We were surprised when we started giving him advanced stuff and he was picking it up really fast.' Taji, a doctor of veterinary medicine, abandoned a PhD program to homeschool her children when she realized their intellectual talents. Tanishq's 10-year-old sister Tiara also became a member of MENSA at the age of four and is following in his footsteps with classes at American River. But Tanishq said the siblings have very different interests. His sister sang at Carnegie Hall last year, and is interested in the arts. Meanwhile, Tanishq has been interviewed by Conan O' Brien, appeared on the Lifetime reality competition show Child Genius, and spoken at both a NASA conference and Tedx Talk. Now he's looking forward to the future, trying to decide if he will stay close to home at UC Davis, only a 20-minute drive away, or accept a Regents Scholarship from UC Santa Cruz. UC Davis is ranked number 41 in the nation and UC Santa Cruz stands at number 82, according to the US News and World Report. Wherever he attends, Tanishq couldn't be more excited for his new studies to begin. 'I've been waiting for this for quite some time now,' he said. 'I'll finally be working on my bachelor's.' An early morning fire has caused $1 million worth of damage to a Melbourne nightclub as well as damaging two shops. Firefighters were called to Club Dakota on Maroondah Highway in Ringwood, in Melbourne's east, just after 2.30am on Monday when the fire broke out, sending flames 10 metres high. It took 45 firefighters with nine fire trucks, two aerial units and the rescue unit to contain the blaze in an hour and a half. An early morning fire has destroyed Club Dakota and damaged two shops in Ringwood, in Melbourne's east There are fears the building contained asbestos because of its age, with a community warning issued for smoke in the area. The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) has asked people with heart or lung conditions including asthma, children, pregnant woman and older people are more sensitive to the effects of breathing smoke to avoid the area. No one was inside the club at the time of the fire, which may have been deliberately lit. A crime scene has been established as investigators process the scene to find the cause of the fire. Both shops on either side were under threat when firefighters arrived. Shop owner Mitchal Towns told 9News he was 'very lucky' not to lose his shop and praised fire crews for their work. Firefighters were called to Club Dakota just after 2.30am on Monday when the fire broke out, sending flames 10 metres high 'The guys did a great job. We got a firewall there [but] you can see how it could have easily had that taken out,' he said. 'We are really, really blessed we didn't lost the business.' Part of the Maroondah Highway is closed as firefighters continue to scour the scene. Shop owner Mitchal Towns told 9News he was 'very lucky' not to lose his shop and praised fire crews for their work MFB's Bruce Pickthall had spoken to the nightclub's owners who were 'understandably... upset about their business MFB's Bruce Pickthall had spoken to the nightclub's owners who were 'understandably... upset about their business. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of a military operation to retake the city of Fallujah from Islamic State. The fight to recapture the jihadist bastion, which has been out of government control for nearly two and a half years, will be one of the toughest in Iraq's war against IS. 'We are beginning the operation to liberate Fallujah,' Abadi said in a statement. 'The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah,' he said. Iraqi security forces gather on the outskirts of Fallujah ahead of an attempt to re-take the city from ISIS The premier said that special forces, soldiers, police, militia forces and pro-government tribesmen will take part in the operation to retake the city, located in Anbar province just 30 miles west of Baghdad. The announcement settles the issue of which IS-held city Iraq should seek to retake next -- a subject of debate among Iraqi officials and international forces helping the country fight the jihadists. Iraq's second city Mosul was the American military's recommended target, but powerful Iraqi militias may have helped force the issue by deploying reinforcements to the Fallujah area in preparation for an assault. Iraqi forces have begun laying the groundwork for the recapture of Mosul, but progress has been slow and an assault to retake the city remains far off. The US-led anti-IS coalition carried out seven strikes in the Fallujah area last week, and Iraq said it has also bombed the city with US-supplied F-16 warplanes. 'We are beginning the operation to liberate Fallujah,' Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement On Sunday, Iraq's Joint Operations Command warned civilians still in Fallujah -- estimated to number in the tens of thousands -- to leave the city. It also said that families who cannot leave should raise a white flag over their location and stay away from IS headquarters and gatherings. Officials said several dozen families had fled the city, but IS has sought to prevent civilians from leaving, and forces surrounding Fallujah have also been accused of preventing foodstuffs from entering. Iraqi forces have in recent days been massing around the city, which has been out of government control since January 2014. Anti-government fighters seized it after the army was withdrawn, and Fallujah later became one of IS's main strongholds. Fallujah and Mosul, the capital of the northern province of Nineveh, are the last two major cities IS still holds in Iraq. Fallujah is almost completely surrounded by Iraqi forces, who have regained significant ground in the Anbar province in recent months, including its capital Ramadi further up the Euphrates River valley. Iraqi forces have in recent days been massing around Fallujah, which has been out of government control since January 2014 American forces launched two major assaults on Fallujah in 2004 in which they saw some of their heaviest fighting since the Vietnam War. Iraqi forces would have the advantage of greater knowledge of the area, especially if they employ pro-government Anbar tribal fighters in the battle. But they lack the training and enormous firepower that American forces brought to the Fallujah battles. IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in June 2014, and Iraqi forces performed dismally during the offensive despite significantly outnumbering the jihadists. Baghdad's forces have since managed to regain significant ground from IS with the backing of US-led air strikes, training and other support. Hundreds of feet below the Yorkshire Dales is a huge limestone cavern that has lain largely untouched ever since it began to form almost 300 million years ago. The mysterious world of Gaping Gill has been revealed by members of a local caving club who filmed a breathtaking descent 360 feet down along the waterfall that pluges into the main chamber. Eventually, out of the darkness emerges a limestone cathedral that is large enough to house the dome of St Paul's Cathedral and is comparible in size with York Minster. Hundreds of feet below the Yorkshire Dales is a huge limestone cavern that has lain largely untouched ever since it began to form almost 300 million years ago The mysterious world of Gaping Gill is revealed by members of a local caving club who filmed a breathtaking descent 360 feet down along the waterfall that pluges into the main chamber The natural wonder, located near Ingleborough, North Yorkshire, is a pothole with Fell Beck flowing into it. The stream falls to form the tallest unbroken waterfall in Britain, at twice the height of the Niagara Falls in North America. Once a year, Bradford Potholing Club assemble a winch to enable members of the public to be lowered into the cave system - the largest in Britain - at a cost of a 15 return trip. At other times, it is only accessible to experienced cavers and potholers. Eventually, out of the darkness emerges a limestone cathedral which is large enough to house the dome of St Paul's Cathedral and is comparible in size with York Minster The stream falls to form the tallest unbroken waterfall in Britain, at twice the height of the Niagara Falls in North America Almost 20 per cent of Australians would be willing to give up the spare bedroom in their home to a help a refugee, a new poll has found. One in five people would be willing to throw open their doors and allow an asylum seeker to temporarily live with them, The Age reports. Those who took part in the poll were asked, 'If i had a spare room, I would be willing to offer a refugee a temporary home,' and could answer 'agree', 'disagree', or 'don't know'. Scroll down for video Almost 20 per cent of Australians would be willing to give up the spare bedroom in their home to a help a refugee (stock image) 19 per cent said they would offer a room, while 56 per cent said they wouldn't and 25 per cent were not sure, according to the newspaper. Australia's positive figure was higher than that gathered in France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it was lower than those who would offer up a spare room in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, and the U.S. It was also below the average of 24 per cent for all 23 countries that were surveyed. One in five people would be willing to throw open their doors and allow an asylum seeker to temporarily live with them, a new survey has found (stock image) Those who took part in the poll were asked, 'If i had a spare room, I would be willing to offer a refugee a temporary home,' and could answer 'agree', 'disagree', or 'don't know' 19 per cent of Australians said they would offer a room to a refugee, while 56 per cent said they wouldn't and 25 per cent were not sure, according to the newspaper Australian under the age of 35 were the most likely to offer their support to refugees, followed by the 'highly educated', and those who live in big cities, The Age reports. The poll, carried out by Ipsos. quizzed 16,554 people from 23 countries about their attitudes towards refugees. It comes after a poll last week found almost three in four Australians do not want to see the country's refugee intake increased to help tackle the current crisis in the Middle East and Europe. Australia's positive figure was higher than that gathered in France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom (stock image) 16,554 people from 23 countries were asked if they would offer a spare bedroom to a refugee in the new poll (stock image) Australian under the age of 35 were the most likely to offer their support to refugees, followed by the 'highly educated', and those who live in big cities (stock image) The SBS survey found just 28 per cent think the number of humanitarian arrivals Australia accepts should be increased from the current figure of 13,750. The poll, conducted by Essential Research, also found that 59 per cent of those surveyed believe immigration to Australia has been too high over the last decade. Only 38 per cent said they agreed that, 'accepting refugees is something a wealthy nation like Australia should do to support poorer nations.' A group of asylum seekers arrive on Christmas Island, in December 2013 (stock image) Protestors attend a Free the Refugees rally at Parliament House in September 2010 (stock image) However, the poll results weren't entirely against immigration, with 62 per cent saying they believe multiculturalism and diversity has made Australia a better place. It is known as a dull hobby pursued by a niche demographic, but it seems trainspotting is still as popular as ever. For the BBC have dedicated a new programme to the pastime broadcast live. Trainspotting Live will air on BBC Four over the course of three nights with host Peter Snow and a group of experts delighting in all things rail. Although niche, the premise is said to be 'not just a show for trainspotters', and will be aimed at anyone with a passion for British history, travel and engineering The programme on a 'subject so close to the nation's heart', will see Mr Snow hosting from Didcot Heritage Railway Centre alongside mathematician Dr Hannah Fry as they comment on trains passing in real time. The two will link to presenter Dick Strawbridge while he is stationed at different spots across the country. Mr Snow and the experts will comment on the variety of trains caught on camera, as they hope to see engines ranging from classic steam and diesel locomotives to high-speed electric and rarer beauties. Trainspotting Live will see Dr Fry explaining the enormity of the rail network to veteran presenter Mr Snow. Trainspotting Live will air on BBC Four over the course of three nights with host Peter Snow The public are also being asked to help out by filming their own trainspotting adventures, which may then be used on the show. Although niche, the premise is said to be 'not just a show for trainspotters', and will be aimed at anyone with a passion for British history, travel and engineering. Mr Snow said: 'Even more exciting than watching election results come in is watching glorious trains speed past on a major railway line. 'And if it happens to be a steam engine passing by- what a bonus!' The programme may sate the appetite of those longing for more 'slow TV' a Scandinavian trend which BBC Four brought to the masses last year with the two-hour All Aboard! The Canal Trip. With no commentary, music or presenter, the show proved an unlikely hit as viewers watched a barge travel down the Kennet and Avon canal, with just changing scenery and the occasional passer-by offering anything in the way of distractions. Half-a-million viewers were mesmerised by the experiment, which followed in the wake of a series of Nordic programmes offering relaxing, undemanding viewing often shot in real-time. In 2013, Norwegian TV screened a nine-hour prime time show on knitting, and four years earlier broadcast a seven-hour train journey from Bergen to Oslo to an audience of millions. Trainspotters turned out in their thousands earlier this year for the inaugural run of perhaps the country's most famous train The Flying Scotsman. But the steam train's first journey following a decade-long 4.2million refit came to a shuddering stop in Cambridgeshire as eager photographers got on to the track. The show will see mathematician Dr Hannah Fry (pictured) explaining the enormity of the rail network to veteran presenter Mr Snow The Flying Scotsman approaches the Solent estuary in Southampton during a round trip to the South coast Around 60 trespassers entered the track near St Neot's as the train, built in 1923 and the first to break the 100mph barrier, left London King's Cross on a route to York. Trainspotting Live has been commissioned by BBC Four's channel editor Cassian Harrison and Tom Harrison, head of commissioning for specialist factual formats and natural history. Mr Harrison said: 'BBC Four has always been the home of singular passions - from James May celebrating the intricate engineering of a lawn mower to George McGavin unpacking the hidden history of a single oak tree. 'I'm delighted that for one week we're now going to celebrate that most unique of British obsessions - the train - with all the wit, scale and love of detail that is BBC Four's hallmark.' The programme on a 'subject so close to the nation's heart', will see Mr Snow hosting from Didcot Heritage Railway Centre A safety inspection company and its engineer boss failed to ensure the safety of its ride in the days leading up to the tragic death of an eight-year-old girl, prosecutors alleged. Adelene Leong, who was on holiday from Malaysia, died after being flung 10 metres off a high-speed AirMaxx 360 ride in front of her mortified mother at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2014. Safe is Safe Pty Ltd and Queensland director Hamish Grant Munro, 57, who approved the safety of the ride before the show, are facing a landmark health and safety prosecution over the tragedy. Industrial Magistrates Court documents revealed several blunders had allegedly occurred just days before the girl was thrown from her seat, The Advertiser reported. Scroll down for video Malaysian national Adelene Leong, 8, (pictured) died after she was thrown from the Airmaxx 360 ride at the Royal Adelaide Show on September 12, 2014 In the company's statement of summons filed in court, prosecutors alleged Mr Munro's inspection over the 'compromised' ride had breached the health and safety laws. It's alleged he failed to assess the condition of the ride, including the harness, safety locks and connecting pins while he did not detect the primary lock cylinder, which was 'unthreaded'. He also allegedly failed to check the 'restraint creep' to ensure whether showgoers could move while they're strapped to their seats. The case alleged the company's conduct 'exposed' showgoers to a 'risk of death or serious injury'. The state's watchdog SafeworkSA further alleged Mr Munro was 'reckless' after he failed to identify the faults found in the ride. Police guard the Airmaxx 360 ride where the eight-year-old girl was flung from her seat in front of her mother Police and safety officers inspect the ride at the Royal Adelaide Show following the tragic death in 2014 Despite the allegations, Mr Munro has defended his business, claiming he was 'innocent, because [he] carried out the inspections and it operated safely for a couple of days.' It is the first time the government agency is prosecuting the 'category one' offence, which could lead to five years in jail, a $300,000 fine for Mr Munro and a $1.5 million fine for Safe is Safe. 'The certification, without reasonable excuse, exposed a class of individuals to whom it owed a health and safety duty... to a risk of death or serious injury from being ejected from the device while it was in operation,' prosecutors alleged, according to The Advertiser. 'Adelene Leong died from injuries sustained from being ejected from seat 15 of the device while it was in operation.' Emergency services rushed to the scene after the young girl was flung to her death in September 2014 Her distraught mother watched in horror has her daughter was flung from her seat of the high-speed ride It comes as the director of public prosecutions Adam Kimber decided to go forward with corporate charges instead of criminal charges because there was 'insufficient evidence'. The owners of the ride have been banned from operating machinery but no charges have been pressed against them yet, according to the publication. Adelene was above the height requirements when she boarded the ride with her mother and took a photo just moments before the tragedy unfolded on September 12, 2014. Paramedics were called to the scene after Adelene - who was holidaying with her family from Malaysia - was thrown from the ride as her mother watched on in horror. Adelene was rushed to hospital with critical injuries but died a short time later. A hearing has been scheduled for next month. Advertisement Hundreds of villagers in India gathered together to mourn the death of an elephant that died after being electrocuted when it wandered into community looking for something to eat. People decorated the elephant's body with paints and plants as part of prayers as it was laid to rest and buried in a massive grave on Sunday at Chakrapani village in the Kamrup district of Assam, India. Local reports claim the massive mammal was killed after coming into contact with one of the community's unauthorized electric wires especially erected and hidden by the villagers to keep away the wild elephants. It is understood the Asiatic elephant had strayed near a storehouse where it had attempted to eat some paddy rice when it inadvertently touched the high voltage fence. An official said that the scarcity of food and the illegal encroachment of forest areas nearby may have forced the wild beast to desperately seek out food in a populated area. Hundreds of villagers in India gathered together to mourn the death of an elephant that died after being electrocuted when it wandered into community looking for something to eat People decorated the elephant's body with paints and plants as part of prayers as it was laid to rest and buried in a massive grave on Sunday at Chakrapani village in the Kamrup district of Assam, India An Indian village woman offers prayers to a wild Asiatic male elephant lying dead in Chakrapani village, west of Gauhati, India Villagers gather near the carcass of an Asiatic elephant before it is buried. A JCB gets to the task of creating a grave big enough to house the large mammal An Indian woman holds an earthen lamp as she offer prayers to a wild Asiatic male elephant lying dead in Chakrapani village Indian Forest officials take measurement of the carcass of an Asiatic elephant before it is buried as other villagers watch on Local reports claimed the massive mammal was killed after coming into contact with one of the community's unauthorized electric wires especially erected and hidden by the villagers to keep away the wild elephants An Indian villager places floral offerings near the feet of a wild Asiatic male elephant, which died after coming into contact with an electric fence in the nearby village It is understood the Asiatic elephant had strayed near a storehouse where it had attempted to eat some paddy rice when it inadvertently touched the high voltage fence The daughter of a police officer who shot dead the University of Texas mass killer in 1966 is claiming her father is the tragedy's unsung hero. For 50 years, former Texas police sergeant Ramiro Martinez has been celebrated by the state as the man who prevented even more people from being slain in the country's first mass shooting. But Monika McCoy, the daughter of former Texas officer Houston McCoy says it was her father who in fact fired the fatal bullet and all shots fired after by Martinez were essentially redundant. Monika McCoy, (left) the daughter of former Texas officer Houston McCoy (right) says it was her father who in fact fired the fatal bullet at shooter Charles Whitman On that fateful day in August 1966, architecture and engineering student Charles Whitman shot dead 14 people and wounded 13. Pictured: A bloody victim is rushed into an ambulance But the 96 minute spree would have ended in even more fatalities had it not been for the presence of McCoy (center right) and Martinez (center left) On that fateful day in August 1966, architecture and engineering student Charles Whitman shot dead 14 people and wounded 13 after he had climbed to the UT tower observation deck with a dolly full of guns and ammunition. Whitman had began his rampage the previous day when he killed his mother and wife. But the 96 minute spree would have ended in even more fatalities had it not been for the presence of McCoy and Martinez. Both officers had made their way to the tower, Matinez through the front door, McCoy through the maintenance tunnel. As they rounded the corner and closed in on Whitman, both fired their weapons, but it was Martinez who emerged first shouting: 'I got him'. The then 29-year-old was praised by his Police Chief as the 'hero of the day', while Martinez told the press: 'I had a job to do and that's what I was going out there to do.' McCoy's sergeant at the time even him if he would like to set up an interview with the press since they appeared to be 'reporting the event inaccurately'. But McCoy declined and said that the only people he cared to talk to about it were his friends and family. According to his online account, he was never asked by any media for an interview until 1974. But that was just the beginning, in 2006, the city of Austin designated August 1 Ramiro Martinez Day and in the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum in Waco, a display case features his revolver. Meanwhile, McCoy's role faded into the oblivion. But speaking to the LA Times, Monika McCoy said she is dedicated to 'setting the record straight' about her father's role in the carnage. Charles Whitman (right) had began his rampage the previous day when he killed his mother and wife (left) Martinez, then 29, (left and right) was praised by his Police Chief as the 'hero of the day', while Martinez told the press: 'I had a job to do and that's what I was going out there to do She added that the hero-status Martinez achieved would not have bothered her, had her father and others had been honored in the same way. McCoy was helped by his daughter to research the shooting and posted an account online of his version of events. It took them five years and was published just a month before McCoy died of lung cancer aged 72. The account reads: 'As the first shot would prove to be instantly fatal, I saw him alive for only a split second before he was dead and of no more danger.' It continues: 'Martinez jerked the shotgun from my hands, and while yelling, ran to the motionless body and fired point blank.' Now a Texas police officer herself, she is carrying on her father's legacy in more ways than one. But it seems that even Martinez agrees that the truth is more complicated than what has been touted. Speaking to the LA Times, Martinez says: 'Now, I'm not going to stand here and say I fired the fatal shot. 'I don't care who fired the fatal projectiles. I just care that the job was done.' While his wife says: 'It doesn't matter which bullets killed him. Why make such a big deal about it?' A team of four British childrens commissioners are resurrecting the bid to make smacking illegal when they address a United Nations committee today, it has been reported. In England and Wales, the law allows parents to carry out reasonable chastisement but they face prosecution if a child is left with bruising, cuts or scratches. Teachers and nursery workers are not allowed to smack another persons child and parents cannot use a cane or belt to discipline their children. UK officials are taking a bid to make smacking illegal to a United Nations committee (file pictures) A UN inquiry into childrens rights in Switzerland will hear evidence from UK officials, who will push for the current law to be changed, according to a report seen by The Sunday Times. It reads: The UK and devolved governments should ensure that children have equal protection from violence under the law. All corporal punishment in the family and in all other institutions and forms of alternative care should be prohibited, including through the repeal of legal defences. The debate on smacking will be addressed as part of a review carried out by the UN on the way British childrens rights are being respected. Ahead of todays meeting, the UN asked for commissioners to outline how Britain intends to fulfil its obligation to remove all legal defences for corporal punishment of children in the home and all other settings. In their response, the commissioners describe how the Government provides significant funding to support positive parents approaches and alternatives to smacking. The practice of smacking is banned in dozens of counties including Germany, Spain, Holland and Sweden but ministers in England have raised concerns that banning it would risk criminalising parents. In an interview with Sky News in 2014, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: A sharp tap or sometimes there is a need for a mild smack that doesnt leave a mark. Pope Francis has also previously spoken out in defence of smacking, stating that parents should be able to do so provided it is carried out with dignity. Describing ideal parenting, he said a father should punish their child justly before moving on. Those campaigning for smacking to be outlawed, including childrens charities, have argued that the young are entitled to the same protection as adults. Smacking is just one of a raft of issues which will be addressed over the course of the hearing. Pope Francis, pictured, has previously defended parents' rights to smack their children, claiming they should be able to do so providing they carry it out with 'dignity' During the two-day meeting, commissioners will discuss some of the 114 recommendations put forward to the UN. One of the other controversial items on the table will be the UNs calls to rise the age of criminal responsibility in Britain currently 10 compared with a European average age of 14. The committee also asks for the voting age to be lowered from 18 to 16. Last year, child protection chiefs lashed out at David Cameron stating that the government had pushed more children into poverty. The claims were made in a report sent to the UNs committee on the Rights of the Child. Former BBC chairman Lord Grade has said that the luvvies who criticised ministers plans for the broadcaster made complete idiots of themselves. The Conservative peer said the recent Government white paper on the future of the BBC has turned out to be an amazing deal for the corporation and gave its commercial rivals nothing. Lord Grade, 73, said it demeans stars such as Peter Kosminsky and Mark Rylance who hijacked the Bafta TV Awards with speeches defending the BBC not to apologise given the good result. Former BBC Chairman Lord Grade has said 'luvvies' who criticised ministers' plans for the broadcaster made 'idiots' out of themselves He told The Guardian: I do think that all the luvvies have made complete idiots of themselves. Bleeding all over the TV screen. Honestly, youd think theyd have the good grace to speak out and say, We were wrong. The white paper, published earlier this month, told the corporation to consider axing long-running daytime shows such as Bargain Hunt and Homes Under The Hammer in order to focus on more ambitious programmes. It also called on the BBC to stop chasing ratings at peak times. In exchange, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale agreed to give the BBC a new 11-year Royal Charter that safeguards the licence fee until 2028. At the Baftas, days before the white papers publication, Wolf Hall star Rylance, 56, described the BBC as the mothership of the whole profession. Wolf Hall director Kosminsky compared Government intervention to what happens in those bastions of democracy: Russia or North Korea and added: This is really scary stuff not something I thought Id see in my lifetime in this country. Tory MP Philip Davies said afterwards: They were making some hysterical warnings about things the Government arent even proposing. It was pathetic. Culture Secretary John Whittingdale headed a new white paper released earlier this month on the future of the state broadcaster Lord Grade, who was chairman of the BBC from 2004 to 2006, said of the white paper: The only criticism I would have is that they havent really looked at the sheer size of the BBC. He also put his weight behind the privatisation of Channel 4, of which he was chief executive for a decade until 1997. This is despite fighting off two attempts to do this while he was in charge. The peer, who was later executive chairman of ITV, also spoke of his outrage that the EU referendums official Out campaign Vote Leave threatened legal action against ITV for choosing Nigel Farage, of rival group Grassroots Out, to take part in a TV debate instead one of their own senior figures. A Labor candidate has been ordered by the Department of Defence to remove campaign billboards featuring him wearing his Australian Army uniform just days after they went up. Brisbane candidate and former army major, Pat O'Neill, was asked to take down the billboards because they violated a policy banning members using their uniforms for political purposes. The billboards, displayed prominently across the seat of Brisbane, feature Mr O'Neill in his army fatigues along with the words 'Serving. Our Community. Our Nation'. Brisbane candidate and former major Pat O'Neill was asked to take down election billboards (pictured) of him in his Australian Army uniform because they violated Defence Force policy But Mr O'Neill, who resigned from the military this month, says he won't take the signs down because he was entitled to talk about his past, according to the Courier Mail. 'I spent 18 years in the army. All I've done since leaving Year 12 is serve in the army,' he said. 'I think people want to know who they're voting for, what their background is. 'I think I should be entitled to talk about what I've done since I was 18. If people don't think I should be proud... that's an issue for them.' The billboards, displayed prominently across the seat of Brisbane, feature Mr O'Neill in his army fatigues along with the words 'Serving. Our Community. Our Nation' Brisbane candidate Pat O'Neill, who resigned from the military this month, says he won't take the election advertising down because he was entitled to talk about his past including the 18 years he spent in the army Mr O'Neill was ordered to take down the advertising because it breached Australian Defence Force policy, which states members cannot participate in any political activity in uniform unless prior permission is sought. 'Mr O'Neill did not seek Defence endorsement for his billboards or advertising. Defence has requested that Mr O'Neill's imagery featuring the Australian Army uniform is removed,' a Defence spokesman said. It comes after Liberal MP Andrew Hastie used photos of himself on similar billboards last year when he ran for the Western Australian seat of Canning in a by-election. Mr Hastie was featured in the campaign material in his army uniform and with his family alongside the words: 'Not another politician'. Police will provide security escorts for teachers in Aurukun after a school principal was carjacked and threatened with weapons for the second time in two weeks. Teachers were evacuated from the troubled Cape York community a fortnight ago, after the principal of Aurukun's only school was carjacked by teenagers armed with an axe. The 25 staff members agreed to come back within a week, when their safety concerns were addressed. Only five chose to leave for good. Scroll down for video Scott Fatnowna was carjacked twice in two weeks, but will continue on as principal of Aurukun School Scott Fatnowna was carjacked again on Saturday night, as he and his wife returned from a function in a government car. The couple were not hurt but their vehicle was stolen and taken on a joyride around the town before it became bogged. Three teens who were allegedly armed with knives and machetes have since been charged. The Queensland Teachers Union says Mr Fatnowna and other teachers have opted to remain in Aurukun to prevent the school from being closed again. But a new safety regime, endorsed by Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart, will give teachers security escorts by police and private security guards if needed. 'Teachers will notify when they're travelling between residences, around the community, to and from school,' QTU president Kevin Bates said. 'If there's awareness by police or (education department) security teams of unrest in the community, people may be escorted just to ensure they've got some protection when travelling around.' Aurukun is located in the far north of Queensland, more than 800km north of Cairns 25 teachers were evacuated over safety concerns a fortnight ago, and only five did not return Panic buttons and improved fencing are also being installed at the homes of the teachers. Mr Bates said the police commissioner agreed to the new measures during a teleconference call after Saturday night's carjacking. He said Mr Fatnowna had shown strong leadership and his decision to stay in Aurukun had no doubt influenced the vast majority of the other teachers to do the same. 'Having said that, the offer is on the table for anyone who doesn't feel in a position to continue at the school to work with the education department to be removed,' Mr Bates said. 'There may be one or two. We'll leave them the space to make those choices.' The latest carjacking comes as a high-level government delegation arrives in the town for talks on Monday. The delegation, including the premier's own director-general, will meet with elders on Monday, and the government says the safety of education workers remains of paramount concern. 'The officials will continue discussions with Mayor Dereck Walpo and importantly will meet with the women of Aurukun to hear first-hand their proposed solutions to unrest and the community's future,' Indigenous Affairs Minister Curtis Pitt said on Sunday. Brexit is the 'self-destruct option' that could cost 800,000 jobs and voting for it is 'immoral', David Cameron and George Osborne have warned. In a grim joint appearance yesterday, the Prime Minister and Chancellor said the 'profound' economic shock from leaving the EU would cause a recession on the scale of the credit crunch. Mr Cameron even argued that it was 'immoral' to favour quitting the bloc as the Treasury published dramatic analysis showing the economy would shrink by 1 per cent in a single quarter if there is a Leave vote on June 23. Meanwhile, Mr Osborne further escalated tensions with Brexit-supporting Tories by accusing them of ignoring the impact on 'working people'. But even SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon suggested the Treasury was 'overstating the case' with 'overblown' claims. And Boris Johnson dismissed the predictions - released with just a month to go until the crucial referendum - as 'propaganda'. Former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith said they were dishonest and 'deeply biased', while a Conservative backbencher bluntly condemned it as 'specious b******s'. Scroll down for video David Cameron delivers the blood-curdling warning alongside George Osborne at B&Q offices in Hampshire today The Treasury document suggests the economy will be tipped into a recession by Brexit, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as much as 6 per cent lower than it would have been by 2018. The slump could cost as many as 820,000 jobs if the shock is 'severe', the assessment says. The 'central' forecast is for 520,000 and average wages to be 4 per cent lower. Today's analysis goes further than comments from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who sparked anger this month by saying Brexit could cause a recession. All scenarios modelled by officials pointed to a 'technical recession' defined as two consecutive quarters of falling GDP. By contrast figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predict that Britain's GDP is currently set to grow by 4.2 per cent over the next two years. In the Treasury's 'cautious' scenario, Britain would negotiate a new EU trade deal, but Brexit would still cause an economic 'shock' resulting in GDP being 3.6 per cent lower than it would have been equal to a modest 0.6 per cent rise over two years. In a second 'plausible' scenario, there would be no EU trade deal and Brexit would spark a 'severe shock', leaving GDP 6 per cent lower than it would have been equal to a 1.8 per cent fall by 2018. Mr Osborne said: 'We've spent six years dealing with what happens when recession hits this country we've got one month to make sure we don't do it to ourselves all over again. 'One month to avoid a DIY recession. 'The Treasury analysis shows Britain will be stronger, safer and better off if we vote to remain in the EU on 23 June.' The Chancellor, right, and Mr Cameron urged the public not to 'throw it all away' by voting for Brexit and triggering an economic downturn In a dig that will further inflame the infighting threatening to tear the Tories apart, Mr Osborne took aim at Brexit supporters. 'To those fellow politicians who say we should vote to leave I'd say this: you might think the economic shock is a price worth paying,' he said. 'But it's not your wages that will be hit, it's not your livelihoods that will go, it's not you who'll struggle to pay the bills. 'It's the working people of Britain who will pay the price if we leave the EU.' Mr Cameron rejected the idea that a 'moral' case for Brexit might trump economic concerns. 'The economic case is the moral case,' he said. 'The moral case for keeping parents in work, firms in business, the pound in health, Britain in credit, the moral case for providing economic opportunity rather than unemployment for the next generation. 'Where is the morality in putting any of that at risk for some unknown end?' Former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith condemned the Treasury assessment as 'dishonest' and 'deeply biased' in a round of broadcast interviews this morning After six years of austerity, Britain now had a lower deficit, a growing economy and increasing numbers of jobs, said Mr Cameron. And he asked: 'After all the pain, all the sacrifice by the British people, why would we want to put it at risk again? It would be like surviving a fall and then running straight back to the cliff-edge. It is the self-destruct option.' Mr Cameron pointed out that the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had issued similar warnings about the consequences. The launch event, at B&Q offices in Eastleigh, comes just 72 hours before the start of the 'purdah' period, during which ministers are banned from making announcements that could influence the vote. The first postal ballots will be sent out on Friday. Private polling for both camps suggests previous Treasury warnings had a marked, short-term impact on support for Remain. But SNP leader Ms Sturgeon, speaking on a visit to Westminster, voiced scepticism about the document. 'I would much rather we were campaigning positively, that's what I'm trying to do,' she told the BBC. 'In Scotland, certainly, we've got lots of experience of Treasury reports during referendum campaigns and I think people have got savvy to see through some of the overblown claims.' She added: 'I think the Treasury, like they did in the Scottish referendum, are likely to be overstating their case. 'But I'm not here to criticise the Treasury. I'm here to make a positive case.' Mr Johnson said the 'propaganda' showed the Remain campaign was 'rattled'. The former London Mayor told a rally in York: 'I think they're rattled on the Remain side of the campaign because they're putting out more propaganda than we've seen at any time since 1992, when they said we couldn't leave the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, they said it would be a disaster, they said interest rates would go up, they said it would be an economic catastrophe for this country if we left the ERM. 'That's what the Treasury said. And what happened? It was a liberation for this economy, we did better than ever before they were wrong then my friends, and they are wrong now.' Mr Duncan Smith pointed out that the Treasury was stripped of its role in economic forecasting six years ago because its record was so poor. Mr Cameron said voting to leave the EU was not the 'moral' choice, while Mr Osborne said many of the people supporting Brexit would not be personally hit by the devastating economic impacts The former work and pensions secretary, who quit the Cabinet in March, said: 'This Treasury document is not an honest assessment but a deeply biased view of the future and it should not be believed by anyone. 'It is a fact that we hand over 350million a week to the EU. 'If we vote to leave we can take back control of that money and use it to help people here in Britain.' TREASURY CLAIMS IT WOULD BE BAD OR WORSE AFTER BREXIT The Treasury has already claimed that Britain would be 4,300 per household worse off by 2030 if it leaves the EU. The latest blood-curdling analysis from officials covers the fallout in the first two years after a Brexit vote. They compare two scenarios - where the UK suffers a 'shock' and a 'severe shock' - with what is expected to happen if we choose to Remain. The main findings of the study include: Unemployment could be pushed up by 820,000 GDP could take a 6 per cent hit Average real wages could be 4 per cent lower Brexit could add 2.7 per cent to CPI inflation House prices could be 18 per cent lower Public sector borrowing could be 39billion higher Mr Duncan Smith also laid into Mr Javid for welcoming the analysis as 'sober and serious'. He said he was 'deeply disappointed' in the Business Secretary as in the past he had 'privately said how much he wanted the UK to leave the EU'. Conservative backbenchers lined up to criticise the Treasury's figures on Twitter. Marcus Fysh mocked the 'shock' and 'severe shock' scenarios proposed by officials, saying they should be labelled 'specious b******s' and 'severe specious b******s'. Tory Bernard Jenkin blasted the Prime Minister and Chancellor for 'contributing to cynicism about politics' by making extraordinary claims to justify their position. Raising an urgent question in the Commons, he said: 'Is this report by the same Treasury that failed to foresee the banking crisis and the great recession that followed it?' Former cabinet minister Liam Fox branded the report 'disreputable, shabby and misleading'. Brexit-backing former chancellors Lord Lawson of Blaby and Lord Lamont of Lerwick accused Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne of 'scaremongering'. Lord Lawson said: 'The Treasury has enough trouble with forecasts even when they are trying to get them right. 'This time they have simply assumed a disaster in order to scare the pants off the British people.' Lord Lamont said: 'A lot of the Government's so-called forecast depends on business confidence, which the Government is doing its best to undermine. Economists are no better than anyone else in predicting shifts in confidence. 'The link between house prices and the economy is extremely difficult to forecast. The Chancellor claims that house prices will fall by 10% by 2018 if the UK votes to leave, but the independent OBR forecasts that by 2018 house prices will be 10% higher than now - so the Chancellor is claiming that a vote to leave the EU would mean stable house prices.' LIDL IS PREPARING FOR BREXIT Lidl has revealed it is drawing up plans to protect itself from Brexit, days after a trio of former supermarket bosses warned that leaving the EU would hit shoppers hard. The German firm said it had 'closely monitored recent discussions' and was 'preparing various scenarios' to tackle the different outcomes of the EU referendum on June 23. But the firm - which announced in November that it would plough 1.5 billion into opening and refurbishing stores over the next three years - said its 'ongoing operations' would not be impacted, regardless of the final referendum result. A spokesman for Lidl said: 'We are not a political organisation and, as such, the decision must lie with the British public. However, we have closely monitored recent discussions around a potential departure of Great Britain from the European Union. 'We are preparing various scenarios that will allow us to adapt to any potential consequences for our business. We will make sure that our ongoing operations remain unaffected, whatever the final outcome may be.' The news comes after the former bosses of Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury's intervened in the Brexit debate over the weekend, penning a letter warning of 'catastrophic' implications for consumer spending and the wider economy. He added: ''The Single Market is not some secret garden to which members have some hidden key. Statistics show conclusively that many non-EU members export just as successfully to the EU as EU members do. 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself - which the Government is doing its best to stir up.' The Treasury said the forecast was based on three factors that could suppress economic growth: a 'transition effect' as Britain becomes 'less open to trade and investment'; an 'uncertainty effect', with businesses and families putting spending on hold until the dust settles; and a 'financial conditions effect', meaning turmoil in the financial markets. Mr Osborne has previously been criticised for claims that Brexit would lead to families being 4,300 worse off than they would have been by 2030 and that house prices would be at least 10 per cent lower than they would have been by 2018. Lidl has revealed it is drawing up plans to protect itself from a potential Brexit scenario, just days after a trio of former supermarket bosses warned that leaving the EU would hit shoppers hard. The German firm said it had 'closely monitored recent discussions' and was 'preparing various scenarios' to tackle the different outcomes of the EU referendum on June 23. But the firm - which announced in November that it would plough 1.5 billion into opening and refurbishing stores over the next three years - said its 'ongoing operations' would not be impacted, regardless of the final referendum result. A spokesman for Lidl said: 'We are not a political organisation and, as such, the decision must lie with the British public. However, we have closely monitored recent discussions around a potential departure of Great Britain from the European Union. 'We are preparing various scenarios that will allow us to adapt to any potential consequences for our business. We will make sure that our ongoing operations remain unaffected, whatever the final outcome may be.' The news comes after the former bosses of Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury's intervened in the Brexit debate over the weekend, penning a letter warning of 'catastrophic' implications for consumer spending and the wider economy. Tories at war: IDS accuses Javid of being two-faced over the EU The bitter civil war engulfing the Conservative party deepened further this morning after Iain Duncan Smith accused Business Secretary Sajid Javid of being two-faced over the EU. He claimed Mr Javid had admitted in private that he was backing Brexit, suggesting he is only supporting Britain staying in the EU to further his career. The Business Secretary, who has voiced strong Eurosceptic views in the past, said he was 'reluctantly' backing Britain staying in the EU after David Cameron's renegotiation earlier this year and this morning he defended fresh Treasury analysis warning of dire consequences of Brexit. The extraordinary blue-on-blue attack came as infighting also broke out between the Tory Brexit camp, with leading Brexit supporter and Tory MP Sarah Wollaston criticising the tactics of Vote Leave, the official Out campaign. The bitter civil war engulfing the Conservative party deepened further this morning after Iain Duncan Smith (left) accused Business Secretary Sajid Javid (right) of being two-faced over the EU She voiced concern over the 'increasingly ugly tone of the Leave campaign,' adding: 'The public deserve better'. Ms Wollaston, a practicing GP and chair of the Commons health committee, stated in an article for The Times this morning: 'I will not hand out Vote Leave's deliberately misleading leaflets about the NHS.' Remarkably she said she could not support Vote Leave because of its 'cynical distortion' of the truth, which 'undermines the credibility of other arguments'. Leading Brexit supporter and Tory MP Sarah Wollaston (pictured) criticised the tactics of Vote Leave, the official Out campaign And hinting that she could be tempted to take the dramatic step of switching sides, the independent-minded Tory MP said she remained 'very torn about this referendum'. Mr Javid took to the airwaves this morning to defend today's publication of a Treasury report that warns of major short-term risks of a Brexit vote. He told the Today programme the Treasury's 'serious, sober analysis' showed up to 500,000 jobs could be lost within two years and a Brexit vote could send the UK economy back into a recession. But speaking minutes later on the same programme, Mr Duncan Smith said he was 'deeply disappointed' in Mr Javid as 'having privately said how much he wanted the UK to leave the EU he is now on defending this terrible report'. Pressed on whether Mr Javid had told him he wanted Britain to quit the EU, the straight-talking Mr Duncan Smith said: 'He has.' And asked whether that meant the Business Secretary was 'lying in public,' Mr Duncan Smith replied: 'He has written it in an article.' But sources close to Mr Javid said: 'This is simply not true. Sajid has said no such thing in private or public.' Earlier Mr Javid defended his decision to back Britain's continued membership of the EU - despite his previously Eurosceptic views. He said the Prime Minister's renegotiation of Britain's membership of the deal in February had convinced him to stay in the EU. 'At that time no one knew what the final deal would be,' Mr Javid said. 'Look what has been achieved in this renegotiation. Now that's being put to the British people.' He added: 'Since the announcement of the referendum we have far more detail of the impact, such as this report, that is coming out.' Cameron's guru says we should leave the 'unaccountable' EU David Cameron's closest friend in politics has broken ranks to say Britain must leave the 'arrogant and unaccountable' EU. In a shattering blow to the Prime Minister, Steve Hilton claims the UK is 'literally ungovernable' as a democracy while it remains in a club that has been 'corruptly captured' by a self-serving elite. And in an attack on Project Fear, the former No 10 adviser dismisses claims by Mr Cameron, the IMF and the Bank of England that being in the EU makes us more secure. In an exclusive Daily Mail article, Mr Hilton who persuaded Mr Cameron to stand for Tory leader also delivers a devastating assessment of the PM's referendum deal. In a shattering blow to the Prime Minister, Steve Hilton (pictured together in a Cabinet Room at Number 10) claims the UK is 'literally ungovernable' as a democracy while it remains in a club that has been 'corruptly captured' by a self-serving elite He says Mr Cameron made only 'modest' demands of Brussels and that even these were swatted contemptuously aside. He also warns that Brussels will take revenge on Britain for the referendum if it votes to stay, by imposing fresh diktats. Mr Hilton concludes: 'A decision to leave the EU is not without risk. But I believe it is the ideal and idealistic choice for our times: taking back power from arrogant, unaccountable, hubristic elites and putting it where it belongs in people's hands.' His declaration for Brexit with exactly a month to go until polling day will send tremors through No 10. Along with Michael Gove, he provided the intellectual heft behind Mr Cameron's rise to power. Both men now argue that the PM is wrong to urge voters to remain in what Mr Hilton condemns as the 'grotesquely unaccountable' Brussels club. Don't Breggsit! Boris Johnson convinces a protester NOT to throw an egg at him at Brexit rally because there are 'people hungry' in Britain Boris Johnson faced being pelted with eggs at his latest Brexit rally - but talked his way our of it by pleading with the protester about a food crisis. The Vote Leave champion took his battle bus tour to York today and drew a crowd of hundreds for his stump speech on why Britain should quit the European Union. Mr Johnson was met with boos and heckling as he disembarked for a speech but interrupted his remarks when he was tipped off about being in the line of fire. Ex-mayor Boris Johnson arrived in York to heckles today, pictured, but talked down a protester who planned to throw eggs at home during the event The protester - Sam Grigg, a 22 year old student at York University - had heckled Mr Johnson as 'everything that's wrong with politics in this country', according to The Guardian. In a bizarre put down, Mr Johnson told him: 'There's a young man here who had eggs he was going to throw at me, can you believe it? 'There are people hungry in this country, my friend. Don't waste those eggs.' THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING! IF YOU BELIEVE BOTH SIDES WHATEVER THE RESULT ON JUNE 23 WE'RE ALL DOOMED David Cameron has warned of war and recession during the referendum campaign David Cameron and George Osborne today warned Brexit would be the 'self-destruct' option for Britain as they unveiled forecasts the nation's economy would be plunged into a recession immediately by a vote to quit. IMF Chief Christine Lagarde said the consequences of an 'out' vote ranged from 'bad to very bad', with nearly 10 per cent potentially being wiped off the economy. Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman suggested leaving the union could boost sexism. She said Brussels had been a 'strong friend' to women and a vote to quit the union would be a 'major step back' in the fight for gender equality, she argued. David Cameron suggested that leaving could trigger another war in Europe in remarks that provoked a major backlash. Highlighting the sacrifice of UK forces in the Second World War, the Prime Minister said the 'risk' of another conflict should not be ignored. 'Can we be so sure that peace and stability on our continent are assured beyond any shadow of doubt?' he said 'The Bank of England governor also raised the prospect that Brexit could push the economy into recession. Mark Carney took the unusual step of saying it was 'possible' that UK growth could shrink after a vote to leave on June 23 as he warned of years of market turmoil. Boris Johnson enraged the Remain campaign to claim the EU had the same goal as Hitler Vote Leave have repeatedly claimed quitting the EU would save Britain 350million every week that it could instead spend on other priorities - such as the NHS. But the claim has been repeatedly dismissed as untrue by the Remain campaign and Sir Andrew Dilnot, of the UK Statistics Authority, said it was 'potentially misleading' because it ignored the rebate. The official Out campaign claimed polling in Turkey found 12 million of them would want to move to the UK if they were handed free movement. The campaign suggested the migration would also lead to far higher numbers of criminals travelling to Britain while Tory MP David Davis said an influx of Turkish workers would drive down wages. Boris Johnson claimed the European Union wanted the same goal as Adolf Hitler - but was pursuing it via 'different methods'. The ex-London Mayor said the dream of a European superstate was a flawed attempt to reclaim the golden age of the Roman empire in Europe. Out campaigners have insisted remaining in the European Union - and particularly the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice - makes it impossible for Britain to secure its borders against terrorists. They claim free movement rules mean suspects can walktz into Britain unopposed. Speakers with offensive views should be banned from giving talks at universities, most students believe. Almost three quarters of students support the National Union of Students (NUS) No Platform policy which prohibits those on a list put together by the union from speaking at universities, a survey has revealed. Of those polled, 27 per cent said they believe UKIP should be banned from university stages. Half think that universities should sometimes or always tear down memorials dedicated to controversial historical figures. Speakers with offensive views should be banned from giving talks at universities, most students believe (file photo) The survey, aimed to reveal what students really think about free speech on campus, was carried out by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HIPI). Of the findings, the reports author and former ministerial adviser Nick Hillman said: These are inherently complicated issues but the pendulum may have swung too far away from favouring free speech. For the research, 1,000 undergraduates were polled on their views towards freedom of expression. Writer Naomi Wolf branded the attitudes displayed in the report catastrophic. She told The Sunday Times that the figures illustrated a terrifying trend, especially in British universities which for 800 years have served as lights of freedom and thought in various past times of suppression. Historian Amanda Foreman told the newspaper that the findings were sad adding that students were fighting for the right to close their minds against new ideas. The research revealed that 68 per cent of those polled believe that lecturers should warn them before teaching difficult issues in case they choose to leave the hall. Many also agree with censorship of the Press with 38 per cent supporting a ban on a sale of tabloid newspapers in university shops. Contradicting this, 60 per cent state that universities should never limit free speech. Despite their opposition to controversial figures gracing university stages, 83 per cent said they felt able to express their views openly. Students protestng last year for the removal of the statue of Cecil Rhodes which is in the front of Oriel College Oxford More than half of respondents said that men and women should never been segregated even if it is a key part of someones culture or religion. And half of those asked also think that universities should work with police and security services to weed out students at risk of succumbing to terrorism. Last year, a petition was launched calling for Cardiff University to cancel a lecture by Germaine Greer following comments made about the transgender community. Despite 2,500 calling for her not to speak at the university, the lecture went ahead after the vice chancellor said he was committed to freedom of speech and open debate. Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute and author of the report said: Many of todays students are confused about one of the biggest issues facing higher education. Indeed, for some of them, illiberalism appears to be a way of protecting liberalism. While a majority of students think you should never limit free speech in principle, they are considerably less supportive in practice. He said The results also suggest the Governments controversial Prevent Strategy, which puts duties on universities to discourage terrorism, is not as unpopular among students as many people believe. Neither is the National Union of Students No Platform policy. One Labour MP said it was a tragedy that the rights of children had not been put before the rights of parents Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has opened the way for single men and women to become parents of surrogate children, it was revealed yesterday. Mr Hunts decision means the law that allows only couples to become surrogate parents will be changed so that babies born to surrogate mothers can be brought up by a single parent. Fertility laws passed by MPs in 2008 bar single mothers or fathers from the legal process that gives people the right to bring up surrogate children. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has opened the way for single men and women to become parents of surrogate children, it was revealed yesterday Labour ministers who drew up the law said at the time that the stresses and difficulties of having a surrogate family were best dealt with by a couple. Mr Hunt has now abandoned the principle that surrogate children must be raised by two parents on the grounds that the two-parent rule amounts to discrimination against single parent families. His climbdown over the two-parent law was revealed by lawyers for the Department of Health in a High Court test case. Officials confirmed yesterday that ministers are now considering legislation to allow single people to take out the parental order which grants full legal rights to be the father or mother of a surrogate child. The removal of the bar on single surrogate parents brought a series of protests from MPs and traditionalist family commentators over the weekend. Critics said the decision undermines the legal principle that the needs of a child must be paramount, and one Labour MP said it was a tragedy that the rights of children had not been put before the rights of parents. The test case involved a baby identified only as Z who was born in the US in August 2014. The British father paid a surrogate mother in Minnesota 30,000 in expenses to have the child, using his own sperm and a donor egg. The fathers demand for a parental order to give him full responsibility for the child was rejected by a judge under the 2008 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, which says that a parental order can go only to a husband and wife, a couple in a civil partnership, or a couple who are living as partners in an enduring family relationship. President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby, decreed that the ban on single men and women becoming parents of surrogate babies contravened the right to a family life and the right to freedom from discrimination enshrined in European law As a result the child has been a ward of court since last September, although the father has been given care and control of the boy. Mr Hunts retreat came in response to a challenge from the father, who called on the High Courts most senior family law judge, President of the Family Division Sir James Munby, to declare that that law is incompatible with European human rights rules. Lawyers for the Health Secretary told Sir James: It is accepted that there is difference in treatment between a single person entering into a lawful surrogacy arrangement and a couple entering into the same arrangement. The Secretary of State accepts that this difference in treatment can no longer be justified. A further letter to the court from Government lawyers said: This is in reality a discrimination case. That is the basis of the concession. Sir James gave a declaration that the law breaks Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which forbids discrimination on grounds of sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status. The judge said: I am satisfied, for all the reasons given by the father and the Secretary of State, with which I agree, that I can properly make a declaration in the terms sought. Sir James refused a plea from the father to instruct Mr Hunt on how the law should be changed. The judge said that was a matter for Parliament, adding: I absolutely decline to do any of this. MPs complained at the weekend that the needs of children had been neglected in the affair. Senior Labour MP Frank Field told the Mail on Sunday: In all these decisions, the natural rights of children get overlooked. Parenting is a huge job and its about time that children are put centre stage, not selfish adults. Rob Flello, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South said: Its a tragedy the rights of children are not first and foremost - the right of the child to have a family around them. Researcher and author on the family Patricia Morgan said: Why is it that me, me, me attitudes always come first? The interests of a child should come first. I do not believe that starting out with a single parent is the best for children. There is a risk that this child will become somebodys lifestyle accessory. I am astonished that Mr Hunt retreated over a principle that Labour ministers thought important. Soldiers involved in the killing of five Afghani children and an armed father have spoken about the controversial and secret night raid seven years later. Former lance corporal, identified only as Dave, said there is no way for him to atone for the February 2009 deaths - which saw him and a sergeant charged with manslaughter. 'From the moment I realised there were dead children, I was horrified, numb, just struggling to grasp,' Dave told ABC's Australian Story. Scroll down for video Former lance corporal, identified only as Dave (pictured), has said there is no way for him to atone for the February 2009 deaths of five children 'When you realise you've killed children, devastating doesn't even begin to describe it, and I feel like I can't fix it and I can't atone for it. I can't do anything to undo the damage that was done.' The manslaughter charges were dismissed prior to a court martial, but the Australian Defence Force has still never given a full public account and details of the fatal raid have remained unclear. Dave and fellow soldiers have told Australian Story they were targeting a Taliban leader when they headed to Sorkh Morghab village in the Uruzgan Province on February 12, 2009. They were a group of more than 20, with Afghan National Army personnel and Afghan interpreters. They entered a family compound but found the intelligence they were given was false as the occupants had no Taliban influence or links. A lieutenant colonel in Kandahar then ordered them to proceed to a nearby compound. Dave (pictured) and fellow soldiers have told Australian Story they were targeting a Taliban leader when they headed to Sorkh Morghab village in the Uruzgan Province on February 12, 2009 It is not known why those orders were given and what intelligence it was based on. Inside the second compound, the team found a family and relocated them to a courtyard. One of the commandos then saw a man pointing an AK-47 rifle at the door the soldiers were about to enter. Corporal W shot him. 'I believe that if I didn't engage him at that time [the soldiers] would have made entry into that door and he would have shot and killed at least one, maybe two of them,' he told Australian Story. Corporal W said the man then fired about half a magazine from one-and-a-half metres away, and members of the team said they called out to the armed man to cease fire. When he continued fire Sergeant J told Dave to throw a grenade into the room. It detonated and there was a brief pause in the fire but continued 'at a rapid and sustained rate, hence us believing that there was more than one insurgent in that room'. 'When you realise you've killed children, devastating doesn't even begin to describe it, and I feel like I can't fix it and I can't atone for it. I can't do anything to undo the damage that was done,' Dave said The design of the compound meant the armed man had coverage of the only exit, and the soldiers said they had no option but to kill him so they could survive. Sergeant J directed Dave to throw a second grenade and the gunfire ceased. When the soldiers entered the room they realised there were woman and children. Three children were already dead, while two babies died soon after due to their severe injuries. The armed man, Amrullah Kahn, also died to his injuries. He was a peasant farmer and had no affiliation with the Taliban, surviving family have since said. Family spokesman Farid Popal, who lives in Perth, told Australian Story the family want justice for their losses. 'The family want answers as to why their father and their children and other members of the family were attacked, and why did they die?' 'When you realise you've killed children, devastating doesn't even begin to describe it, and I feel like I can't fix it and I can't atone for it. I can't do anything to undo the damage that was done,' Dave said Two soldiers were charged with manslaughter, later dropped ahead of a court martial The family had never received an explanation or apology from the ADF, Mr Popal believed. Seven years later, and following the release of a ministerial memorandum obtained by Australian Story under Freedom of Information legislation last week, it is still unclear whether the raid was properly authorised or if the intelligence was incorrect and led them to the wrong compound. The two charged with manslaughter were Sergeant J, who gave the order to detonate the grenades, and Dave, who threw both grenades. The commander who authorised the raid from Kandahar, Lieutenant Colonel M, was also charged with failing to comply with an order and prejudicial conduct. In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia, the Australian Defence Force said their force are 'required to operate in accordance with international and domestic law at all times. 'With respect to the incident involving Australian forces in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan on 12 February 2009, the initial Inquiry Officer Inquiry in 2009 identified matters that required further investigation. The incident was then referred to the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service and a brief of evidence was subsequently provided to the then Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) for consideration. Seven years later, and following the release of a ministerial memorandum obtained by Australian Story under Freedom of Information legislation last week, it is still unclear whether the raid was properly authorised or if the intelligence was incorrect and led them to the wrong compound 'While committed to ensuring proper legal processes were observed, Defence was equally committed to ensuring the three members affected by these proceedings and their families were provided with appropriate support and assistance. All three members received legal support at Commonwealth expense and had access to the military or civilian counsel of their choice. 'From the time of the incident in 2009, each member also had access to a range of services including medical, legal, counselling, psychological and welfare support. This support continues to available to the affected members as required today. 'The ADF continues to operate in complex, chaotic and dangerous environments. Our ability to continue to act as a responsible and disciplined force relies on fair and independent scrutiny when allegations arise; the presumption of innocence until proven guilty; and appropriate legal and welfare support for our people. Australian Story: Into The Fog Of War airs on ABC at 8:00pm Monday. Enrolment closes tonight and non-voters will be issued a $20 or $170 fine The biggest missing population is among young people, at 20 per cent Almost a million Australians are missing from the electoral roll Almost a million Australians are still not enrolled to vote for the upcoming federal election, with the electoral roll closing at 8pm tonight. Figures from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) at the end of March show that 94 per cent of eligible Australians have enrolled, but that still leaves 978,933 missing from the roll. Any Australian citizen over the age of 18 who is on the electoral roll and forgets to vote will be mailed a $20 fine, which could jump to $170 and result in a criminal conviction if left unpaid. Those who haven't yet enrolled or are unsure if they are on the electoral roll should head to the AEC website, where an online form can easily be filled out. Alternatively, enrolment forms are available at any Australia Post, Medicare, Centrelink or AEC office - but those forms will need to be sent and processed before the deadline of 8pm on Monday. A spokesman for AEC's national office told Daily Mail Australia that voters who had outdated or incorrect personal details would not be fined and should file a 'Declaration Vote' on election day. Almost one million Australians will face fines if they do not enrol to vote before the deadline of 8pm Monday Any Australian citizen aged 18 years or over is required by law to enrol and vote in the 2016 federal election Almost half of all 18-year-olds and one in five young adults are still yet to enrol, according to figures put out by the Australian Electoral Commission on March 31 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW - All Australian citizens aged 18 or over are required by law to enrol to vote in election - The electoral roll closes at 8pm on Monday - Those who are enrolled but do not vote will be mailed a $20 fine - Those who have not updated their personal details should file a 'Declaration Vote' on election day - If that fine is unpaid it will jump to $170, and could result in a criminal conviction - If you are unsure whether you are on the electoral roll or if your details are correct, go to the Australian Electoral Commission website - Enrolment forms are available at all Australia Post, Medicare, Centrelink and AEC offices - Australians who don't enrol in time can also face a fine of $170 The spokesman said that citizens who refuse to enrol could also face a fine of $170, but admitted those cases weren't always followed up. 'Ultimately it is compulsory, and there are potential repercussions but why take the risk?,' he said. 'The punishment is that you cant vote, we live in a good democracy where enrolling is quite easy avoid any potential punishment by doing it, its very simple and you get to have your say.' He also stressed that the AEC didn't fine people who chose to enrol after a period of not being on the electoral roll, to encourage as many people as possible to vote. Laws passed by the Australian Parliament in 2013 allow the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to 'directly enrol you or update your details on the electoral roll based on information from other government agencies,' including the Australian Tax Organisation, State and Territory Driver's Licence Authorities or Centrelink. Those on the electoral roll who choose not to vote will be slapped with a $20 fine, which could jump to $170 if unpaid A large proportion of those yet to enrol are young adults, with almost half of all 18-year-olds and 20 per cent of young adults (aged 18-24) still not bothered to sign up The latest figures from the AEC show that a large proportion of those yet to enrol are young adults, with almost half of all 18-year-olds and 20 per cent of young adults aged between 18 and 24 still not bothered to sign up. Unsurprisingly, the nation's capital and home of politics, Canberra, reported the highest proportion of eligible Australians enrolled to vote - at 98.1 per cent as of March 31. The Northern Territory had just 79.4 per cent enrolled - over ten per cent less than any other state. Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers stressed that any citizen aged 18 years or over was required by law to enrol and vote in the 2016 federal election. 'Anyone not enrolled must urgently complete an enrolment form and make sure the AEC receives it before todays 8pm deadline,' Mr Rogers said. Mr Rogers also urged people already on the electoral roll, but who had moved since the 2013 federal election to update their address details online by 8pm tonight. 'Anyone who is not sure about their address details on the electoral roll should check immediately online or call 13 23 26.' Canberra reported the highest proportion of Australians enrolled to vote at 98.1 per cent as of March 31 Kate Acheson, chairperson of the Australian Youth Affairs Commission told Daily Mail Australia the high representation of youth not enrolled to vote could be be put down to ignorance. Because its compulsory to vote, I think a lot of people assume theyre just automatically on the roll, but thats not the case, Ms Acheson said. She said another factor could be the transient nature of youth housing, with residents needing to have lived in an electorate for at least a month in order to enrol to vote there. Ms Acheson did not discount the impact disengagement could have had on this number, but said it was an understandable reaction. However, Ms Acheson noted that the youth vote is the power vote, and has decided the last four or five elections. Young people are typically swing voters, she said. So if politicians began to engage young people and address their issues, the youth of Australia would start seeing themselves in the rhetoric that surrounds the election and would likely be more interested in the outcome. I think this will be the election where we start to see changes. Albanian police are trying to extradite a string of murderers from the UK, an Interpol chief revealed last night. The details of Albanian killers believed to be living in the UK have been circulated to British police, he added. But it is feared many of the men will never face justice because they have assumed false identities. The revelation comes after the Daily Mail disclosed the scandal of one-legged Albanian Saliman Barci, 41, who is using human rights laws in a bid to avoid being deported to serve a 25-year prison sentence for murdering two men in 1997. Albanian Saliman Barci, 41, who is using human rights laws in a bid to avoid being deported to serve a 25-year prison sentence for murdering two men in 1997 Barci arrived in the UK in 2002 and was awarded British citizenship after falsely claiming to be a refugee from Kosovo.Barci insists he is innocent of the killings in the northern city of Burrel (pictured) Barci arrived in the UK in 2002 and was awarded British citizenship after falsely claiming to be a refugee from Kosovo. The cocaine-dealing thug, who adopted a fake name, was held in London in June last year, six years after the Albanian authorities say they first requested his arrest over the two murders in his home country. Barci insists he is innocent of the killings in the northern city of Burrel and has been granted legal aid to fight extradition despite allegedly confessing to the crimes to his wife. The father of three was convicted of the murders in his absence in 2009. Temo Hodaj, a senior Interpol official in the Albanian capital, Tirana, said police were seeking at least six murderers thought to be living in Britain. He said that over the past five years, a further six killers had been deported to Albania, to face belated justice. Mr Hodaj added: The main problem with the UK is that so many Albanian citizens have earned UK citizenship as Kosovo citizens due to the Kosovo war. They have used fake names to get citizenship in the UK. Officials cant distinguish between Albanians and Kosovars. He said the process to get someone arrested for extradition from the UK is too long and gives a suspect time to flee. I have very good relationships and collaboration with the Metropolitan Police and the Home Office, he added. But I think the British courts should have trust in us to deal with the judicial process correctly. It is a real pity that these people can be free because of the procedures in the UK. Justice Secretary Michael Gove said about one in 20 of the 10,000 foreign criminals in British jails was from Albania Sabri Kastrati, the prosecutor who brought murder charges against Barci, told the Mail that between 2009 and 2011 he dealt with 20 unsolved murder cases and about 90 per cent of the suspects are in the UK. He added: In 2009 we sent a request for Barcis extradition to the UK. We asked for his arrest and deportation but nothing happened so the trial continued in his absence. Senior legal sources in Tirana said that among those who have been sought for extradition from the UK in recent years are Kadri Hoxha, 56, and Avni Metra, 53, both former residents of Burrel. The men are thought to be living under false identities in Britain and have yet to be found, the sources said. Last month Justice Secretary Michael Gove said about one in 20 of the 10,000 foreign criminals in British jails was from Albania. Albanias justice minister, Ylli Manjani, said: Certain British politicians are accusing us of exporting criminals and corruption. What are we supposed to do? Some Albanian citizens are misrepresenting us in the UK, so we are saying let us deal with them. With spiraling housing costs driven by the tech industry boom, it is no wonder that many cities on the West Coast are facing a growing homeless problem. In Seattle the issue has become so acute that mayor Ed Murray recently declared a state of emergency to help deal with it, prompting Amazon to step up to the plate. Along with non-profit Mary's Place, the tech company has opened up an abandoned Travelodge on land it bought to house it's new headquarter campus to provide shelter to homeless families. Scroll down for video Amazon has paid to transform a derelict Seattle Travelodge on land it bought for its new technology campus into a shelter for 200 homeless families (pictured front, with new Amazon headquarters behind) The tech company paid to refurbish the hotel, which was also used as college accommodation, and is paying the utility bills while the day-to-day running is being carried out by non-profit Mary's Place The night shelter is already two thirds full a month after opening, with a Mary's Place spokesman telling Dailymail.com they would already be at capacity but they need to hire more staff There are officially 400 families among the 4,500 people living on Seattle's streets, though May's Place believe the number to be much higher As well as shelter, the center provides families and their children with laundry facilities, a dining hall and a play room (pictured, six-year-old Gio Caro plays at the center) The center opens at 8pm each night to allow families time to do laundry, eat and bed down for the night, then closes again at 8am when most will go to school or work Amazon paid to refurbish the interior and make it family-friendly - it was used as college accommodation before being taken over - and the company also pays for all the utilities. Owner Jeff Bezos even donated $1million of his own money to Mary's Place in order to help support the project. Linda Mitchell, spokesman for the non-profit, told Dailymail.com: 'The homeless problem has been growing. Every year the county does a count and every year the number grows pretty substantially. 'At the last count they found 4,505 unsheltered individuals, and around 400 of those are families with children. But it is generally understood that the number is lower than reality. 'A lot of families are in hiding because if you're homeless with children, those children might be taken away if you come forward.' The center, which has its own leisure room, laundry and dining room, opened on April 18 and is already two thirds full, and aims to be completely occupied by the end of the month. Seattle's homeless problem is largely driven by economic issues, according to Mary's Place, though most families are only on the streets a short time and 97 per cent will never return once they find housing Spokesman Linda Mitchell revealed that many families end up homeless while between jobs or after a relative gets sick, and usually only stay around 60 days while getting back on their feet After Seattle declared a state of emergency over its homeless problem in an attempt to cope, Amazon decided to step up by paying to open this Travelodge up to those with nowhere to live As well as paying to refurbish the center, Amazon owner Jeff Bezos made a personal donation of $1million to Mary's Place to help support their work Mitchell told Dailymail.com that while the 200-bedroom center does not solve the city's homeless problem, it has made a significant dent in it Mitchell says they would be full already, but they need to recruit extra staff before they can take any more people in. She added: 'This makes a big dent but it is nowhere near solving the homeless problem.' The center will be open for a year, after which Amazon will develop the property into new headquarter space, but Mitchell said there is another facility the tech company also owns around a block away that they are considering moving into afterward. Mitchell explained that the average family usually only stays with them for around 60 days before moving on, with economic issues being the top cause for their situation. Parents find themselves between jobs, waiting on a first paycheck, and unable to pay rent and are evicted, or become homeless after a family member gets sick and needs care paying for. However, she added that most families who end up on the street only stay for a short time, while 97 per cent are only homeless once without needing assistance again. The center also has a facility to handle donations made through Amazon's website (pictured) where shoppers can send gifts to those in need Laundry facilities allow people staying at the center to stay clean, which can be especially important if they are looking for a job The center will be open for a year until Amazon starts developing the site, but there is another building lined up for Mary's Place to move into after that She said: 'We aim to fill that gap between falling on hard times and getting it back together.' As well as families forced from their homes for economic reasons, Mitchell revealed that around 30 per cent of those they house are refugees or migrants. The majority of those come from either Somalia, Eritrea, or Ethiopia, Mitchell said, though she was unable to say how many were refugees and how many are economic migrants. Many arrive with little or no money, unable to speak English, and struggling to assimilate into their new home. They are provided with 90 days of housing at state expense, but after that are left to fend for themselves, leading many to become homeless. A seven-day NHS has come closer as consultants are set to lose their right to refuse to work at weekends. In a major breakthrough in contract negotiations, union leaders are believed to have agreed to scrap the clause allowing senior hospital doctors to opt out of shifts on Saturdays and Sundays. The deal removes a key obstacle to the Governments plans for an NHS with supermarket-style opening hours that give patients the same high level of service every day of the week. Union leaders are believed to have agreed to scrap the clause allowing senior hospital doctors to opt out of shifts on Saturdays and Sundays It comes as junior doctors decide whether to accept a draft contract designed to end their bitter dispute over weekend pay. Consultants contracts are also being renegotiated, after a lucrative one introduced by Labour in 2003 gave them the right to refuse weekend shifts while increasing average pay by almost a third. Labour said the changes were designed to stop highly trained medics leaving the National Health Service, but the public health committee later described the deal as a nonsense. It said consultants were being paid overtime rates of up to 200 an hour to fill in the gaps and that 5 per cent of the NHSs overall budget was going on their pay. There is also growing concern that patient safety is being compromised by senior doctors only expected to be on call, merely popping into hospitals at weekends, leaving patients in the care of less experienced staff. The research is disputed, but studies show patients admitted to hospital at the weekend are up to 16 per cent more likely to die than those taken in during the week. And the NHSs medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, has calculated that 11,000 deaths a year are down to the so-called weekend effect although he did point out that his study could not conclude how many of those deaths could have been prevented. NHSs medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, has calculated that 11,000 deaths a year are down to the so-called weekend effect although he did point out that his study could not conclude how many of those deaths could have been prevented Correspondence from Ann MacIntyre, one of the NHS employers negotiators involved with the British Medical Association, suggests the right to opt out of non-essential evening and weekend work will be removed from the new contract. The deal will also simplify the pay structure for the nations 41,000 consultants, with a starting salary of about 75,000, rising to 95,000. Bonuses, known as clinical excellence awards which can see consultants earning up to 76,000 on top of their salary, will be scrapped and replaced with a new performance pay scheme, The Sunday Times reported. A Department of Health spokesman said: We want to introduce a fairer contract for consultants that better reflects their role as leaders in our NHS and helps to ensure patients get safe, high-quality care every day of the week. Talks with the BMA have been constructive but they have not concluded. A spokesman for the BMA said: Talks on the consultant contract are ongoing and will be for several months. No final agreement has yet been reached and no final contract has been agreed. Last week it appeared the junior doctors long-running dispute over their new contract had been resolved. On Wednesday, the BMA signed a provisional contract which, on paper, seems far worse for junior doctors all medics below the level of consultant than the terms they first demanded. But following five months of crippling strikes, the union apparently agreed to the deal for fear of losing public support if they continued with industrial action. AGL spokesperson confirmed that supply was not affected by the incident Reported that below-ground pumps at the power station stopped working Called to the power station, operated by AGL, after reports of flooding Emergency services crews were called to a power station on Monday morning after reports of flooding. Below-ground pumps at Torren Islands power station, in South Australia stopped working,The Advertiser reported. The pumps were under more than two metres of water when emergency services arrived. Emergency services crews were called to Torrens Island power station in South Australia on Monday morning after reports of flooding The MFS responded to the incident, along with SES and CFS crews The MFS responded to the incident, along with SES and CFS crews. The power station is operated by AGL Energy. An AGL spokesperson confirmed the incident. In a statement released on Monday the spokesperson said: At approximately 7:30am, water used for cooling was discovered by AGL operators pooling in the inlet area of AGLs Torrens Island power station.' 'Emergency services were immediately called to assist with removing the water, which is now at an acceptable level.' An investigation into the cause of the issue is underway. There was no interruption to supply and there were no injuries. AGL Torrens Island is a natural gas fired power station consisting of eight generating units with a total capacity of up to 1,280 MW. There are 180 employees at AGL Torrens. The power station (pictured) is operated by AGL Energy Secret war games hosted in Britain for a 2,000-strong force of EU troops have sparked fears that the UK will be part of an European army. Thousands of soldiers gathered on Salisbury Plain for a two-week military exercise just weeks ahead of the referendum. Troops from Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland worked alongside soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, in a mock operation. Thousands of soldiers gathered on Salisbury Plain for a two-week military exercise just weeks ahead of the referendum. Pictured is a Scorpion 4x4 MRAP from the Finnish Army Troops from Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland worked alongside soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, in a mock operation Tanks and vehicles emblazoned with the EU flag were used for the exercises - a sign that the UK will be sucked into an army with member states, experts fear Tanks and vehicles emblazoned with the EU flag were used for the exercises - a sign that the UK will be sucked into an army with member states, experts fear. A senior officer based at Army headquarters in Andover said the UK military is slowly being drawn into a European Army concept. He said: We have been told to keep their arrival low key, the Ministry of Defence does not want any publicity about these Euro exercises. This whole Euro army concept is slowly being given more focus as civil servants direct more and more joint operations across the Union with particular attention on the Baltic States. It is the second time the UK has hosted the exercise, with the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment as the main element of the battlegroup. Troops were involved in rapid movements, maintaining public order and peacekeeping. A British Brigadier is in charge of the force during the UKs period of command, but will takes orders from Brussels. Defence minister Penny Mordaunt, a leading Leave campaigner earlier this month said Britain is being pressured to surrender its national defence to the EU. She spoke out in response to comments from Joseph Daul, who is president of the biggest political grouping in the European Parliament. The Frenchmen had said a combined military force was essential. The European Union Battle Group Certification Exercise has been taking place between May 2 and 20 on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. Plans for the exercise were revealed in a newsletter updating personnel on activities taking place on the training area. The battlegroup executed a fictitious peace support operation, including strike operations, public order, rural and urban operations, it was said. EU Battlegroups are battalion-sized multinational military units comprised of contributions from member states. A typical size might be 1500 personnel. They are small, highly mobile self-sustainable stand-by forces designed to be able to intervene rapidly in a crisis, usually responding to a UN request. They rotate so that two groups are ready to deploy at all times. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has dismissed the concept of an EU army, but has stressed that Britain will probably never fight alone again following greater cooperation with EU nations. Critics have said an EU army would undermine NATO. An Army spokesman said: This routine exercise has nothing to do with the prospect of a European Army. The Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will never be part of an European Army. A man whose apartment was reportedly torn apart during a police investigation after a grisly murder is suing the police after his claim for compensation was refused. Troy Coward had let his apartment to Stephen Cookson, 56, who moved out of the penthouse in East Perth in December 2012, according to PerthNow. On the day he had organised to pick up the keys he was reportedly denied entry to the Hay Street apartment by Aaron Carlino, who had killed Cookson that day. Troy Coward (pictured) was shocked to discover he had cleaned a murder scene after he believed his tenant, gangland figure Stephen Cookson, had moved out of the penthouse in East Perth in December 2012 'I just thought Stephen Cookson was a bad tenant' - Stephen Cookson's (pictured) head washed up in a bag on Rottnest Island, 15km from the coast of Perth, on January 6, 2013, sparking the murder investigation When he arrived later that day, he saw Mr Carlino removing black bags which he later learned had contained Cookson's body parts. 'I just thought Stephen Cookson was a bad tenant. I had no idea he was this gangland figure,' Mr Coward reportedly said. Mr Coward then went about cleaning the apartment under the assumption Cookson had moved out and completed renovations to prepare the property for sale 'without realising I'd cleaned up a murder scene'. Cookson's head washed up in a bag on Rottnest Island, 15km from the coast of Perth, on January 6, 2013, sparking the murder investigation. As part of their investigation, Western Australia Police reportedly removed plumbing and furniture, destroyed he floors and stained the apartment with lead-based ink. Mr Coward, who had nothing to do with the crime itself, now plans to sue WA Police after they reportedly wrote to him saying they are not liable because the 'damage was not inflicted in malice'. Aaron Carlino (pictured) killed Cookson in 2012 in the East Perth apartment owned by actor Troy Coward Mr Coward told PerthNow he was forced to sleep in his office after police also searched a second property owned by him, making it uninhabitable and claims the damage cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars. The actor, who has appeared in 15 feature films including The Reckoning and These Final Hours, believes chemicals used by the forensic team to clean the apartment made him and his friend sick after they moved into the property. 'I'm normally a very positive person, but I've had my business and relationships affected massively and was diagnosed with PTSD,' he said. Carlino was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 23 years for the brutal murder of Cookson. Mr Coward believes chemicals used by the forensic team to clean the apartment made him and his friend sick after they moved into the property In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, WA Police said a claim for compensation on behalf of Mr Coward had been received. 'WA Police sought advice and a letter has been sent to the interested parties outlining the reasons for the decision,' it read. An Oklahoma mother fought off a burglar using a vacuum cleaner, crutch and a knife after he forced his way through a locked window of her home Natalie Williamson was at home with her daughter when the suspect, Kenneth Williams, allegedly attempted to climb through a window Tuesday morning. Williamson told FOX 25 that she 'was afraid' because 'I had this guy I don't know hanging from my window trying to get in'. Natalie Williamson (right) was in her home with her daughter (left) when the suspect, Kenneth Williams, attempted to climb through a window Tuesday morning Williamson said she grabbed a crutch and started slamming Williams (pictured) in the face with it but he wouldn't budge. She then grabbed the vacuum and hit him again, but he still held on. Finally she punched him in the face and he jumped down from the window Williams had attempted to break into other homes in the area when he ran towards the Williamson's home, according to the Oklahoma City Police Department. Williamson's daughter says she saw him force his way through a locked window and throw his backpack inside. Williamson told FOX 25 that the entire situation was 'scary' because her daughter was there. 'I was thinking like...kill him.' That's when she thought quickly and grabbed a crutch and 'started slamming him in the face with it'. The burglar wouldn't get down so Williamson 'picked up a vacuum out of the hallway and started slamming him in the face with the vacuum'. And even then the suspect wouldn't budge, which is when she punched him with her fist and he jumped down. Williamson told the news station that the burglar asked her to meet him at the front door with his backpack and begged her not to call the police. Police said Williamson met him at the front door with a knife in hand as she chased him, along with her neighbors, who held him down and kept him from running until police arrived at the scene, according to KOCO. Williams was arrested and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on complaints of first degree burglary. Police are investigating and say the vandalism could amount to a felony Sarvis says they sprayed accelerant on his lawn this week and set if on fire Someone then spray-painted over the sign and keyed his truck But they got ripped off, so Sarvis painted a sign on his property instead A Trump supporter who painted a sign for the candidate around his property in Florida says his property got vandalized. Craig Sarvis, of Clearwater, placed Trump 2016 signs around his house a few weeks ago. But they soon got ripped off, so Sarvis painted a sign on one of the exterior walls of the property instead. Someone spray-painted over the sign, keyed his pickup truck and egged his home - and now, Sarvis told Fox 13, someone poured accelerant on his lawn and set it on fire. Scroll down for video Craig Sarvis (pictured), of Clearwater, Florida, says his property was first vandalized after he placed signs supporting Trump around his house late last month The paper signs got torn down, so Sarvis painted a message of support directly on the side of his house (pictured). But someone came and spray-painted over it Sarvis, who told the network he likes Trump's style, says he found his Trump 2016 signs destroyed late last month. He painted a new sign directly on the side of his house instead, so that no one would be able to tear it down. 'It's a simple sign, a simple message for supporting Donald Trump,' he told Fox 13. But someone painted a graffiti over the sign and, Sarvis says, egged his home. Someone also painted and keyed his pickup truck, Fox 13 reported. Sarvis says someone poured accelerant on his front lawn (pictured) on Wednesday over a 40 feet line before setting it on fire. The blaze didn't spread to his home The vandalism culminated on Wednesday, when Sarvis says someone poured accelerant over 40 feet on his front lawn before setting it on fire. 'To come and start committing acts of crime and vandalizing my personal property has gone way too far,' he told the network. 'And then to step in my yard and light my yard on fire is getting very dangerous. 'Thankfully we live in a humid state and it wasn't able to spread to my house. We'd probably be standing in front of a charred structure right here.' Officers are investigating and say the vandalism could amount to a felony. 'In this country, you're allowed freedom of speech, you're allowed to support whoever and whatever you want, but you're not allowed to just go an vandalize somebody's property just because you don't agree with them,' Clearwater police spokesman Rob Shaw told Fox 13. Sarvis says he has received support from his neighbors, both republicans and democrats, and intends to repaint the sign. He has offered a $2,500 reward for information helping to catch the person responsible for the vandalism. A man and a woman are in critical conditions with burns up to 70 per cent of their bodies after a firepit explosion. Sherilee Hughes, 58, and her daughter's partner Ben Minogue, 36, were at his home in Waterford West, a suburb of Logan, with friends when someone poured petrol into a firepit, causing it to explode. Neighbours told The Courier Mail Ms Hughes's eyes were 'white' after she took the brunt of the flames and screamed 'I'm dying, I'm dying' as her friends tried to bring her relief by dousing her in water from a hose. Sherilee Hughes, 58, and her daughter's partner Ben Minogue, 36, were at his home in Waterford West (pictured), a suburb of Logan, with friends when someone poured petrol into a firepit, causing it to explode Mr Minogue was still on fire when he was taken to a shower inside the home and had water run over him. A Queensland Police spokeswoman said they were investigating the incident but initial reports suggested one of the friends poured fuel onto a firepit about 7.30pm on Saturday. 'The fire engulf the area where people were seated.. it's just been an accident,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Ms Hughes's daughter and another man, 41, were taken to Logan Hospital with minor injuries as they tried to help the pair from the flames. Meanwhile, Ms Hughes and Mr Minogue remain in the Royal Brisbane Hospital in critical but stable conditions. A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said injuries to both patients were severe. A Queensland Police spokeswoman said they were investigating the incident but initial reports suggested one of the friends poured fuel onto a firepit about 7.30pm on Saturday. Above is a photo of the home A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told Daily Mail Australia she heard the explosion while she was wearing headphones 'A man... [had] burns to his face and torso, with 50 to 70 per cent partial to full thickness burns,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'A woman in her 50s, she had hands and torso, again to 50 to 70 per cent partial to full thickness burns.' A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Courier Mail she heard a loud bang before she saw seven-metre flames shoot up into the sky and saw Mr Minogue 'on fire'. 'I think [Sherilee's] eyes were the worst thing. She copped it full force and her eyes were just white. It's just tragic,' the neighbour said. Another neighbour, who also did not wish to be named, told Daily Mail Australia she heard the explosion while she was wearing headphones. The neighbour ran to her back door and saw a fireball come from her neighbour's backyard, which she estimated to be a storey tall A short time later, the neighbour said she saw about six ambulances arrive at the house and two fire trucks 'I hear an explosion over the headphones and I heard screaming. I put my headphones down and went to the back door and saw a fireball from the neighbour's house - over a storey high,' she said. 'I heard a lady call out from the other side of the house, asking them if they're okay. A lady asked her to call the ambulance. She said: "Hurry, call the ambulance, hurry".' A short time later, the neighbour said she saw about six ambulances arrive at the house and two fire trucks. 'That's when I thought something serious happened... The ambulance went into the driveway and one had left earlier with I believe the man of the house, Ben. He was injured with severe burns. 'I think his wife, Belinda, was also hurt as well. I haven't heard from them.' The neighbour said she saw Ms Hughes arrive at the house where Mr Minogue and his wife live with their daughter and son. 'We just say "hi" and just chat... they are very busy. They have a party hire business. They aren't always home and we're busy as well,' she said. Photos of the Thai boarding school where 18 girls died in a fire reveal the trail of destruction the inferno left. Charred debris litters the floors and smoke blackened walls show where flames blazed out of the windows of the Pitakiatwittaya School in the Wiang Pa Pao district of Chiang Rai in northern Thailand on Sunday night at around 11pm. Eighteen schoolgirls, aged five to 12, had been asleep when the blaze ripped through the building and died after becoming trapped in their second-storey dormitory. Twenty others were rescued through windows by fire fighters who had propped ladders up against the building. A photograph taken from behind the girls' room shows flames tearing through the school on Sunday night. Eighteen schoolgirls aged 5 to 12 died in the blaze Emergency services pass a stretcher carrying another injured student down a ladder after putting out the blaze. Five of the girls rescued were seriously injured and two are still unaccounted for Eighteen girls died in the fire at Pitakiatwittaya School in the Wiang Pa Pao district of Chiang Rai in northern Thailand on Sunday night. Above, fire fighters work rescue a child from the girls' second-storey dormitory Firefighters used ladders to access the girls' second-storey bedroom after getting the blaze under control on Sunday The families of those killed have been asked to travel to the area to identify their daughters' bodies, some of which have been charred beyond recognition. It is not yet known what caused the fire. Local police are investigating the incident while trying to account for all of the 38 girls in the building at the time. The parents of those who died are being asked to travel to Chiang Rai to identify their charred bodies. Some, police warn, have been burned beyond recognition. 'The fire broke out at 11pm on Sunday. Seventeen girls were killed and two are still missing, with five injured,' Police Colonel Prayad Singsin, Commander of Wiang Pa Pao district in Chiang Rai said. 'The fire is out, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation. The building has been reduced to charred debris (above) with much of the charity-run school's supplies depleted in the fire Smoke stains surround the window through which some of the children were able to escape The school (pictured above on Monday morning), which has around 140 students, was gutted by the fire The bodies of those killed in the fire were lined up on hospital beds for identification on Monday morning 'There were 38 students inside the dormitory when the fire broke out. Some were not yet asleep so they escaped,' deputy governor of the province Arkom Sukapan added. The school is run by a Christian charity which provides free education to local hill tribe children, CNN reported. It has been open for five years and has around 140 students. On Monday local police were trying to track down the families of those who survived the fire. Officers posted photographs of their school account cards on Facebook in the hope of spreading news to concerned parents. 'But others were asleep and could not escape resulting in the large number of casualties.' Fire fighters searched debris at the site on Monday morning for the two unaccounted girls who are now feared dead. We are working hard to find any trace of the two missing girls, said Mr Sawang Momdee, chief disaster officer of the Chiang Rai district. The bodies of those who died were lined up on beds at a nearby hospital for identification. They had been numbered with sheets of paper. Fire fighters were able to save some of the children by lifting them out through the dormitory window (above) The fire broke out some time around 11pm as the students were going to bed in their dormitories. Above, flames coming from one section of the building can be seen in local media reports Some students were able to escape because they had not yet gone to bed, local media reported. Above, fire fighters work to contain the blaze Donald Trump has been linked to Mafia chieftain Anthony 'Fat Tony' Salerno again in a new investigative report. The real estate mogul and GOP front-runner employed mob-run construction firms to build his Trump Tower and Trump Plaza buildings, according to a piece by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Cay Johnston in Politico. And it was Trump's business deal with these firms that led to 'Fat Tony', then head of the Genovese crime family, being convicted of racketeering, Johnston writes. It is not the first time Trump has been tied to Fat Tony. But this report is the most extensive account of the documents, anecdotes and investigations that connect the two. 'Links': Donald Trump (left) has been tied to Mafia boss Anthony 'Fat Tony' Salerno (right) again. The latest report lays bare federal indictments, FBI subpoenas, business records and anecdotes connecting the pair History: Trump Tower was built by S & A Concrete, a firm run by Genovese crime family boss Fat Tony. The building on the corner of 5th Avenue and East 56th Street is pictured mid-production in 1981 Instead of using the industry standard, steel, Trump built his glittering apartment block with ready-mix concrete. According to legal papers and experts quoted in the piece, Trump shelled out 'inflated' payments to Fat Tony's concrete firm to get them to use the quicker more problematic method - while assuring the unions would not kick up a fuss. The entire business deal was conducted by Trump's close confidante, the lawyer Rob Cohn - who also represented Fat Tony. Trump insists he has no recollection of such a deal and claims he has no connection to the mafia. Johnston writes that when he asked Trump for a comment, the presumptive GOP nominee said: 'If I don't like what you write, I'll sue you.' The lengthy, deeply investigated article digs out Fat Tony's indictment papers and records of Trump's building work in the 1980s. Fat Tony was indicted and convicted in 1988. It emerged he controlled a firm called S & A Concrete - as well as the highly-influential unions connected to it. WHO WAS MAFIA BOSS FAT TONY? Mobster: Anthony 'Fat Tony' Salerno after being charged in the Mafia Commission Trial of 1985 The New York Mafia was known as the Five Families, consisting of the Genovese, Gambino, Bonanno, Columbo, and Lucchese families. Anthony 'Fat Tony' Salerno was the front boss of the Genovese family from 1981 until his arrest in 1985 and conviction in 1986. Having acted as under boss, he was appointed head of the family after front boss Frank Tierni died. It was widely known, however, that Vincente Gigante was the de facto head, operating in secret. Salerno was convicted in the far-reached Mafia Commission Trial, which dealt a near-fatal blow to the crime unit in 1985. He was sentenced to 70 years in jail, and died of a stroke in 1992. His indictment says he was running S & A Concretes when the firm received 'inflated' payments to build Trump Tower using speedy but problem-prone ready-mix concrete, which Johnston notes 'leaves developers vulnerable to the unions'. 'Even a brief labor slowdown can turn into an expensive disaster,' Johnston writes. He continues: 'But with Cohn as his lawyer, Trump apparently had no reason to personally fear Salerno or Castellanoat least, not once he agreed to pay inflated concrete prices. What Trump appeared to receive in return was union peace. That meant the project would never face costly construction or delivery delays.' Tying the deal to Fat Tony, Johnston references the mob boss' indictment. He writes: 'The indictment on which Salerno was convicted in 1988 and sent to prison, where he died, listed the nearly $8 million contract for concrete at Trump Plaza, an East Side high-rise apartment building, as one of the acts establishing that S &A was part of a racketeering enterprise.' Johnston's lengthy piece also ties Trump to a Gambino-linked Teamsters official John Cody. He writes that an unemployed woman bought three apartments in Trump Tower without papers - shortly after the FBI said Cody had been getting free properties from developers. Trump was interviewed by federal agents about Cody but denied any ties, Johnston writes. The article also quotes Trump bragging that he got the feds to fast-track his background check when he was building his Atlantic City casino. He claimed it was because he had no business history to investigate - something the Politico article disputes. Decades later, as the real estate mogul runs for president, he has brushed off reports citing his dealings with the mob. The Daily Mail, ABC, CNN and the Washington Post are just a few of the news outlets that have presented investigations tying Trump to the Mafia. When he was still in the race, Senator Ted Cruz cited these reports, calling on Trump to publish his taxes. He told Meet The Press he expected the media would find a 'bombshell' in the mogul's taxes. 'There have been multiple media reports about Donald's business dealings with the mob,' Cruz told host Chuck Todd. 'Maybe his taxes show those business dealings are a lot more extensive then has been reported.' Todd called Cruz's claim 'openly speculative' and asked him to back it up with facts. The Texas senator was unfazed, pointing to news reports that linked Trump to the mob, including the use of the company S&A Construction, which was owned by jailed mobster 'Fat Tony' Salerno. 'ABC, CNN, multiple news reports have reported about his dealings with, for example, S&A construction, which was owned by "Fat Tony" Salerno, who is a mobster who is in jail.' 'It is owned by two of the major New York crime families. And that has been reported in multiple media outlets.' The media accounts, including one from CNN, suggest that Trump 'took the relationship [with the mob] several steps further than he had to,' said one source. Claims: Instead of using the industry standard, Trump built Trump Tower with ready-mix concrete. According to legal papers quoted in the new Politico article, Trump shelled out 'inflated' payments to Fat Tony's concrete firm to get them to use the quicker more problematic method - and assure the unions would not kick up a fuss High flyer: The article quotes Trump bragging that he got the feds to fast-track his background check when he was building his Atlantic City casino . He claimed it was because he had no business history to investigate. The Politico article suggests Trump in fact had ties to the mob in his records. He is pictured in Trump Tower in 1989 CNN also noted that Trump Plaza condos in Manhattan were primarily constructed using concrete, an industry that is controlled by the mafia, instead of steel. ABC reported in December that Trump claimed in a legal deposition he did not know real estate developer Felix Sater, who has documented mafia connections, according to the New York Post. This was despite the fact that Trump had tapped Sater for a business development role that came with the title of senior advisor to Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press. Sater received Trump Organization business cards and was given an office within the Trump Organization's headquarters, on the same floor as Trump's own. Trump referred questions about Sater to his staff and said he was 'not familiar with him'. Bob the baby loggerhead turtle was not strong enough to make the journey from egg to sea when he first hatched. For most infant turtles, this is a certain cause of death. Bob got lucky, however, when he was picked up by the team at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Just days old, he was found in Noosa Heads, abandoned by his brothers and sisters who had already begun the long journey to the ocean. Bob the loggerhead turtle was admitted to the Wildlife Hospital with an infection on his underside after failing to make his way to the ocean after hatching. He weighed a tiny 22 grams about the same as cup of flour and had an infection on his underside. Its rare that we see such a fresh hatchling, especially at this time of year when most have already made their way to the ocean, said Dr Danny Brown, Bobs treating Vet. There was a bit of friendly competition around this one, we all wanted to work with himhe is very cute! Bob is one of the 132 turtle patients the animal hospital has treated over the last 12 months. Though it is not uncommon for turtles to be stranded on the beach, a number of human activities have also contributed to the turtles increasing disappearance. The Wildlife Hospital says fishing tackle entanglement, boat strikes and floating syndrome caused by plastic ingestion are all big contributors to the death of turtles. The tiny turtle is recovering well, and will soon be ready to join his brothers and sisters back where he belongs Marine turtles have nested on parts of Queensland's coast for thousands of years and can be aged 30-50 before they begin to breed. Their breeding season might only occur once every two to eight years. Hatchlings like Bob have a low chance of survival, with the possibility of just one in 1000 reaching maturity. Turtle treatment can cost around $100 - $200 per day with a stay of up to three months and sometimes longer. The Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors program plays a huge part in funding the work of the hospital that meant Bob gets a second chance at life. Bob is recovering really well; hes getting stronger and stronger with each day and thankfully, his infection is healing quite nicely, said Dr Brown. Mining magnate Clive Palmer has ruled out running for the Senate in the upcoming Federal Election, effectively ending his career as a politician. The controversial Member for Fairfax, north of Brisbane, confirmed he did not 'seek endorsement' from his own party to contest the Upper House. 'There are some excellent people who have nominated to be endorsed to stand for the Palmer United Party in the Senate in Queensland and I am confident the party will continue to play a significant role in Australian political life,' Mr Palmer said in a statement. Scroll down for video Mining magnate Clive Palmer (pictured) has ruled out running for the Senate in the upcoming Federal Election, effectively ending his career as a politician 'Regardless of the party Australians vote for in the House of Representatives at the election, they should vote for Palmer United in the Senate so the Liberals or Labor won't introduce the 2014 Budget. 'Only Palmer United can keep the b***ards honest.' It comes after Palmer announced his retirement from the Lower House earlier this month, only to leave the door ajar for a potential Senate run at the time. Mr Palmer was elected by just 53 votes in 2013, according to the ABC. WHAT ARE CLIVE PALMER'S BIGGEST CONTROVERSIES? May 2013 : Sets up his own party, the Palmer United Party, after falling out with Campbell Newman's LNP state government September 2013 : Mr Palmer calls Rupert Murdoch's ex-wife, Wendi Deng, a 'Chinese spy' October 2013 : Mr Palmer gets in trouble with his mouth again, lashing out at Senator Nick Xenophon, saying: 'I'll give you a headline: he's like tits on a bull' August 2014 : Speaking on an episode of ABC's Q&A, the Member for Fairfax calls the Chinese government 'mongrels' who 'shoot their own people' November 2014 : Palmer United Party Senator Jacqui Lambie quits the party, remaining in the Senate as an Independent March 2015 : Glenn Lazarus quits the party, sitting instead as an Independent January 2016 : Mr Palmer's Queensland Nickel goes into voluntary administration The controversial Member for Fairfax, north of Brisbane, confirmed he did not 'seek endorsement' his his own party to contest the Upper House The owner of an infant formula company may be forced to pay $200,000 in damages over claims he secretly developed his brand while he was employed at another baby food giant. Bellamy's Organic has accused its former national sales manager Chris Flahey of developing his brand Nutriforme to covertly cash in on a supply deal between supermarket giant Coles and Bellamy's in 2014, Fairfax Media reported. Documents filed in the Federal Court claimed Coles initially pitched the idea to Bellamy's to develop a new and affordable non-organic brand of formula - to be sold exclusively to the supermarket. Chris Flahey has been accused of secretly developing his brand Nutriforme (pictured) while he worked as a national sales manager for Bellamy's Organic (stock image) But the company claimed its chief executive officer Laura McBain had instructed Mr Flahey to 'not take any active steps' to produce the product for Coles until Bellamy's had 'sufficient time and resources to fully consider and discuss the (project) '. It is alleged Mr Flahey then pushed ahead with the Coles deal without his boss's knowledge. In December 2014 Mr Flahey allegedly told Coles that the product would be supplied by another vendor as Bellamy's could not meet the supply. In January he registered the Nutriforme trademark, and in February 2015 he resigned. In his defence document lodged this month, Mr Flahey said Bellamy's did not suffer any losses or damages as the company had abandoned the opportunity and had not intended to launch a non-organic formula at the time. Documents filed in the Federal Court claimed Coles initially pitched the idea to Bellamy's to develop a new and affordable non-organic brand of formula - only to be sold exclusively to the supermarket (stock image) Mr Flahey is the former national sales manager for baby food giant Bellamy's Organic (stock image) Bellamy's has rejected Mr Flahey's settlement offer, which includes handing over his brand and a $50,000 payment. 'I negotiated because there is no point fighting a $1.3 billion company,' Mr Flahey told Fairfax Media. 'They're now demanding I pay them $200,000, which will break us, and what's worse, they want me to sign an agreement saying I'll never work in the industry anywhere in the world. He described the offer from Bellamy's as 'vindictive and malicious', claiming his small business was 'being bullied by a $1.3 billion company'. The legal dispute comes after Bellamy's took legal actions against Nutriforme, which is exclusively sold at Coles, in an effort to stop the brand from producing and selling their baby formula (stock image) The legal dispute comes after Bellamy's took legal actions against Nutriforme, which is exclusively sold at Coles, in an effort to stop the brand from producing and selling baby formula. A Bellamy's spokeswoman said the Federal Court would determine whether Bellamy's allegations are upheld or Mr Flahey's defence is justified. 'At Bellamy's we pride ourselves on our strong reputation and the trust we have developed with our loyal consumers,' the spokeswomen told Daily Mail Australia in a statement. 'We carry this same attitude into all business dealings, the current case notwithstanding. As the matter is before the Court it would not be appropriate for Bellamy's to comment further.' A Coles spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia they could not comment on the case as the matter is before the courts. Advertisement Their crimes are among the worst imaginable: sex offences, often carried out against children, that has seen them shunned from regular society. But for sex criminals who have no choice but to try and rebuild their lives outside of jail, places like Palace Mobile Home Park in Florida offer them a second chance. The park, located away from parks, bus stops and schools because of restrictions placed on many of its residents, bills itself as 'a safe place for sex offenders to begin transitioning back into society'. More than 100 people live in this Florida trailer park in St Petersburg where homes cost $500 per month and you have to be a sex offender in order to get in Residents range from low-level offenders caught looking at child pornography to those deemed predators - convicted for rape or sexually assaulting a child The site was the subject of a documentary, Pervert Park, which had its theatrical premiere in New York last week but also scooped an award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015. The critically acclaimed documentary, by filmmakers Frida & Lasse Barkfors, looks at how the community is separated from the outside world, and the lives of some of the residents. One woman to feature was raped by her father and his friends growing up, and then went on to have a sexual relationship with him as an adult. She was later convicted of having sex with her own son. Another resident is a man who was caught by police in an internet sting operation when he expressed an interest in having sex with a young girl online. The park is a source of debate over what should be done with sex offenders when they are released from jail - whether they should be allowed back into the community at large, or confined to spaces with others who have committed similar offences. The community is located in St Petersberg, near Tampa Bay, and began taking shape back in 2007, according to old news reports. Back then, sex offenders lived alongside members of the public, though that is not the case anymore, according to the park's website. The park was not intended as a home for sex offenders, but in the mid-2000s cities brought in laws on where criminals could live, and the park happened to be far away from restricted sites The site was the subject of a documentary, Pervert Park, which scooped an award at the Sundance Film Festival last year and charts the lives of some of the residents In the film, this woman relates how her father and his friends used to abuse her as a child before she was eventually arrested for having sex with her own son Offenders began moving there after cities began enforcing restrictions on where they could live based on their convictions, and Palace Park was conveniently located away from problem spots. Up to 200 people can live on the site at any one time, often bunking with people whose crimes are similar to their own, and range in age from 25 to 88. Typically the majority of those are sex offenders, criminals caught looking at child pornography or expressing an interest in sex with children, without actually carrying it out. However the park is also home to sexual predators, high-risk offenders jailed for sexually abusing children or rape. All of the homes meet registration requirements for offenders, while counseling services are available on site, along with AA group meetings, and even a church. Residents of the park often share their trailers with others, with owners saying they try to match those who have committed similar offences While park owners claim no resident has ever committed a sex offence while living there, residents are often subject to abuse from locals, with one stabbed to death back in 2013 The park's website boasts that no residents have ever been convicted of a new sex offence since moving in, though residents are often victims of crime from locals unhappy about their presence. The most common offense reported at the park, according to the Tampa Bay Times, is trespassing as the owners attempt to keep drug dealers, prostitutes, and others away from the residents. For obvious reasons, there is also a no-child policy that is strictly enforced. The man who was arrested after dragging his girlfriend's dead body on a dolly in Staten Island strangled her to death, prosecutors said Sunday. Anthony Lopez, 31, was arrested Saturday after neighbors saw him rolling around the shirtless body of Obiamaka Aduba, 26, the previous day. Aduba was his longtime girlfriend and the pair had a long history of violence, assistant district attorney Brooke Baranoski said during the arraignment Sunday according to the New York Daily News. Lopez, who has been arrested more than 50 times in the past for drugs, grand larceny and criminal contempt, begged for methadone to relieve drug withdrawal symptoms. Scroll down for video Anthony Lopez (pictured), 31, was arrested Saturday after neighbors saw him rolling around the shirtless body of Obiamaka Aduba, 26, the previous day Lopez (pictured left in a mugshot) strangled Aduba, his longtime girlfriend, to death, prosecutors said Sunday. His neighbor saw him dragging her body in Post Lane (right) near Richmond Terrace early Friday morning 'He's in distress,' his defense lawyer Philip Ohene, said according to the New York Daily News. Lopez pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and will remain held without bond until his next appearance in court. He was seen after his arrest with a shaved head after trying to alter his appearance to escape police, according to authorities. But a Crime Stoppers tip-off led officers to an East Harlem neighborhood where Lopez was taken down by police and taken in for questioning after a brief chase Saturday. His neighbor saw him pushing a woman - later identified as Aduba - on a dolly on Post Lane near Richmond Terrace early Friday morning. The woman, who was wrapped up in a thick sheet, showed signs of trauma. 'We're grieving very hard right now,' Aduba's father told the New York Daily News on Sunday. 'I think I might have a stroke.' Lopez allegedly abandoned Aduba's body after he was questioned by a plain clothed detective who recognized him from previous arrests. Investigators told NBC 4 New York they suspected Lopez was trying to dispose of the body after strangling Aduba. He has a vast criminal history involving dozens of arrests for drugs, grand larceny and criminal contempt, while his Aduba is said to have been arrested 19 times. Lopez's past includes 52 arrests according to the New York Daily News, including one for punching a former girlfriend in the face and one for robbing a cellphone at gunpoint. Lopez (pictured after his arrest), who has been arrested more than 50 times in the past, begged for methadone to relieve drug withdrawal symptoms Two Tennessee pastors were busted in an undercover sting operation for seeking sex with an underage girl through an online advertisement. Pastors Jason Kennedy, 46, and Zubin Parakh, 32, were among 32 men and women arrested by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in an operation targeting human trafficking and prostitution after they answered an online ad to have have sex with an underage prostitute, according to WVLT. Kennedy, who was the children's pastor for Grace Baptist Church, had agreed to pay $100 for 30 minutes with two girls, which included a 15-year-old, according to a police report obtained by the station. Pastors Jason Kennedy (left), 46, and Zubin Parakh (right), 32, were among 32 men and women arrested by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in an operation targeting human trafficking and prostitution after they answered an online ad to have have sex with an underage prostitute Parakh, who was a creative pastor at LifeHouse Church (pictured), was charged with trafficking. He and Kennedy remained in custody as of Saturday morning Kennedy was charged with patronizing prostitution and a trafficking charge that could amount to 60 years in prison. Parakh, who was a creative pastor at LifeHouse Church, was also charged with trafficking. Kennedy was also fired from his position, according to the church, which released a statement saying his actions 'were part of his life outside the church, and we have received no questions or concerns related to his conduct within the church or its ministries'. The statement went on to say that the church had conducted a background check on him before he was hired a little over two years ago. Kennedy, who was charged with felony trafficking because he sought out an underage girl, remained in Knox County jail Friday on $50,500 bond, according to KGW. He's accused of responding via text message to an online ad posted on backpage.com offering sex with two females, according to arrest warrants obtained by the news station. Kennedy, a married father of three, arrived at a motel and stated that 'he wanted to have sex with both the underage juvenile and the other female in the room'. He removed his pants and was taken into custody, KGW reported. Kennedy was charged with patronizing prostitution and a trafficking charge that as a Class B felony could amount to 30 years in prison. But authorities said it may be enhanced to Class A felony, which could mean 15 to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000, because operation took place within 1,000 feet of a church The three-day sting is the fifth operation of its kind in Tennessee serving as a crackdown on human trafficking. All references to Parakh and Kennedy had been removed from their church's websites by Friday afternoon. Pictured is the Grace Baptist Church Authorities told KGW that the trafficking charge is normally a Class B felony, which could mean eight to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. But authorities said it may be enhanced to a Class A felony, which could mean 15 to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000, because their operation took place within 1,000 feet of a church. The three-day sting is the fifth operation of its kind in Tennessee serving as a crackdown on human trafficking. All references to Parakh and Kennedy had been removed from their church's websites by Friday afternoon. Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation told KGW: 'We consider these young ladies as victims.' Two women were killed in a horrific crash between a car and a garbage truck on Monday morning. The occupants of the sedan were found dead when emergency services arrived to the road in Ipswich, just outside Brisbane. Police have closed the road around the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Ipswich-Boonah Rd and Mt Flinders Rd just after 10am. Scroll down for video A horrific crash between a garbage truck and a sedan in Ipswich has left two women dead Initial findings suggest the sedan may have been travelling on the wrong side of the road The driver of the truck was assessed at the scene and is said to have minor injuries. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances of the crash, however an officer told the Queensland Times that early indications suggest the sedan driver was travelling on the wrong side of the road. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000. The driver of the truck was assessed at the scene and had only minor injuries Teen Dhakota Williams, Carl and Roberta's daughter, was among mourners The ex-wife of slain gangster Carl Williams has carried the coffin of the Melbourne crime figure who died of a heart attack earlier this month. Roberta Williams and her teenager daughter, Dhakota, and step-sister Breanne, were also part of the grieving group at the funeral of George Williams, 69, held at St Therese Parish in Essendon, a north-west suburb of Melbourne on Monday. She and her only daughter with Carl, Dhakota, spoke at the prayer service in front of 90 mourners for her former father-in-law. Roberta Williams is among dozens of mourners who farewelled late Melbourne crime figure George Williams after he died of a heart attack earlier this month Dhakota Williams (left) was seen standing with step-sister Breanne Williams (right), carrying wreaths and photographs before the casket was led from the funeral Carl Williams' only daughter Dhakota Williams (pictured left at George Williams funeral), was just nine-years-old when her father was murdered in Barwon Prison in Victoria in 2010 Gangland murderer Carl Williams' daughter Dhakota Williams (right), and step-daughter Breanne Williams (left), arrives at the funeral for Carl's father George Williams Roberta Williams (left), the ex-wife of gangland murderer Carl Williams, carries the casket as a pall bearer at the funeral for George Williams Roberta Williams (second left) is hugged at the funeral for George Williams while surrounded by mourners The now grown-up Dhakota Williams was seen standing with step-sister Breanne Williams, carrying wreaths and photographs before the casket was led from the funeral. Dhakota was just nine-years-old when her father Carl Williams was murdered in Barwon Prison in Victoria in 2010. George Williams died of a heart attack at the start of the month at the age of 69 when he was believed to have been setting up a television set in his Melbourne home. Dahkota Williams, pictured age nine, attended the funeral of her father Carl Williams' at St Therese's Catholic Church in Essendon, Melbourne, April 30, 2010 In 2015, Dhakota Williams (pictured), Carl's only daughter, won a confidential sum of compensation from the Victorian government over the preventable murder of her father in Barwon's maximum-security Acacia unit George Williams and his son Carl Williams, a convicted underworld killer, spent time in prison together convicted of drug trafficking Carl Williams was buried in a gold-plated coffin after his funeral in 2010. He was was killed after being struck on the head with part of an exercise bike by a fellow inmate in Barwon Prison Danielle Stephens (left), the daughter of Roberta Williams, is seen arriving at the memorial service for George Williams pushing a pram Family members carry wreaths and photographs before the casket is led from the memorial service Family and friends of the late father of two arrive at the memorial service held in Essendon, a north-west suburb of Melbourne He was taken to hospital but could not be revived. Mr Williams was the patriarch, and last living member, of the Williams crime clan. His casket was in stark contrast to the gold-plated coffin in which his son Carl was buried in 2010, after he was bludgeoned to death in Barwon Prison. The father-of-two spent time in prison with his son Carl. George was sentenced in November 2007 to four-and-a-half years jail for trafficking amphetamines. Carl William's step daughter Breanne William's is seen greeting mourners arriving at the memorial service on Monday Mourners arrived at the serivice for George Williams, who spent time in prison with his son Carl before he was killed George Williams died of a heart attack at the start of the month at the age of 69 when he was believed to have been setting up a television set in his Melbourne home THE LIFE OF CARL WILLIAMS October 13, 1970 - Carl Anthony Williams born. 1980s - attends Broadmeadows West Technical School, leaving in year 11. October 13, 1999 - shot in stomach by underworld figure Jason Moran over debt to the Moran family. June 21, 2003 - Underworld figures Jason Moran and Pasquale Barbaro shot dead while sitting in their car at a children's football clinic. Williams later convicted for ordering the murder of Moran. August 18, 2003 - Charred body of underworld figure Mark Mallia found. Williams convicted of ordering his murder. March 31, 2004 - Underworld figure Lewis Moran shot dead in an inner suburban Melbourne hotel on Williams' orders. April 2, 2004 - Banned from Crown Casino by then Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon. October 25, 2003 - Michael Marshall shot dead outside his South Yarra home on Williams' orders. October 29, 2004 - Sentenced to seven years' jail for drug trafficking. May 19, 2006 - Sentenced to 27 years for Marshall's murder. May 7, 2007 - Sentenced to 35 years for the murders of Lewis Moran, Jason Moran and Mark Mallia. November, 2007 - Williams' father, George, sentenced to four and a half years' jail for drug trafficking. November 22, 2008 - Mother Barbara is found dead in her Essendon home after overdosing on sleeping pills. December 2, 2008 - Refused leave to attend his mother's funeral, but his tribute is read out, saying: "There's nothing in the world I would not have done for you. Losing you is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with." June 20, 2009 - George Williams released on good behaviour. April 19, 2010 - Features in morning newspaper after revelations his nine-year-old daughter's private school fees are being paid for by Victoria Police. April 19, 2010, 1.20pm - Carl Williams dies, aged 39, after suffering head injuries and going into cardiac arrest at Barwon Prison, Geelong. - AAP The pair spent 20 months together behind bars before George was granted parole in 2009 and had hopes for a quieter life. He and Carl turned over a minimum of $500,000 a year when they ran drugs together from late 2002 to mid-2004, a Melbourne court heard at the time. Carl was killed in 2010 after being struck on the head with part of an exercise bike by a fellow inmate. In 2015, Dhakota, Carl's only daughter, won a confidential sum of compensation from the Victorian government over the preventable murder of her father in Barwon's maximum-security Acacia unit. Danielle Stephens (left), daughter of Roberta Williams, arrives at the funeral for George Williams Police are present as mourners arrive at the funeral for George Williams at Saint Therese's Parish in Essendon A police presence was seen at the memorial service as mourners arrived at the memorial service for George Williams Mourners comfort one another as they farewell George Williams, whose wife, Barbara, died in 2008 after battling depression He was 39-years-old at the time and serving a life sentence for the murders of Jason Moran, Mark Mallia and Lewis Moran. Matthew Charles Johnson, another inmate at the prison, was convicted of his killing and sentenced to 32 years imprisonment in 2011. George's other son, Shane, died of a heroin overdose in 1997. His wife, Barbara, died in 2008 after battling depression. Carl Williams was 39-years-old at the time of his murder and serving a life sentence for the murders of Jason Moran, Mark Mallia and Lewis Moran. Here he is pictured in 2007 sitting in the dock at the Melbourne County Court Dhakota Williams (right), and step-daughter Breanne Williams, arrive at the funeral for George Williams amid a police presence at the Essendon church Roberta's eldest daughter, Danielle Stephens, pushing her baby in a pram, also attended the service, where a friend of George's long-term partner, Kathleen Bourke, spoke on her behalf. Dhakota Williams (left), and Carl Williams' step-daughter Breanne Williams, walk ahead of Roberta Williams who leads the coffin from the funeral Mourners comfort one another in front of the hearse at George Williams funeral held in Melbourne on Monday A German backpacker was fed sedative-laced chocolate, cable-tied and raped in a Queensland shearing shed in an attack likened to events that happened in horror film, Wolf Creek, just two weeks after she arrived in Australia, a court has heard. Peter Van de Wetering, 48, faced a sentence hearing in Brisbane's District Court on Monday afternoon after pleading guilty to multiple offences, including kidnapping and rape. Crown prosecutor David Meredith told the court the man picked up his 19-year-old victim from a bus stop near Cottonvale, 200 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, in August 2013 after she answered an advertisement for a nanny and farmhand position. A German backpacker was fed sedative-laced chocolate, cable-tied and raped in a Queensland shearing shed in an attack likened to events that happened in horror film, Wolf Creek. Above is the movie's poster It was after dark when the young woman arrived at the bus stop, which was in a 'deserted' location, he said. The court heard the defendant turned up in a hired car wearing a disguise involving a beard, wig and moustache - the latter of which was 'falling off'. The teenager was fed chocolate, which she didn't finish because of its odd taste, and had her hands cable-tied, Mr Meredith said. Van de Wetering then took her to a shearing shed where he also bound her legs and raped her, it was heard. The backpacker was fed chocolate laced with sedative Zolpidem (pictured is stock image) and lost consciousness, only to wake up in the early hours of the next morning on a road near Stanthorpe During the attack, Mr Meredith said the man became angry and wrapped his hands around the girl's throat. 'He told her..."You will do this or I will kill you",' Mr Meredith said. She was then fed more of the chocolate laced with sedative Zolpidem and lost consciousness, only to wake up in the early hours of the next morning on a road near Stanthorpe. The court heard the traveller had arrived in Australia only two weeks before enduring the attack, having had long-held aspirations to travel the country. Referring to her victim impact statement, Mr Meredith said the woman would always remember her ordeal. 'This happened almost immediately,' he said of her arrival in Australia. The court heard the case had attracted attention for its similarity to 'a well-known film'. Previous media reports have drawn comparisons to the horror film Wolf Creek. Van de Wetering has spent more than 590 days in pre-sentence custody. Police said there was evidence of at least two car break-ins in the area Second suspect, Tyler Shuman, 23, ran from police but was apprehended Authorities said the officer feared for his life and was forced to fire weapon Florida police said an officer fatally shot a man who tried to flee from authorities while they were investigating reports of car burglaries. Hallandale Beach police were called early Sunday after reports of possible car break-ins and a suspicious person looking into cars with a flashlight in a residential neighborhood filled with condos. Two men were found sitting in a gray Toyota Corolla. The driver, 27-year-old Michael Eugene Wilson, attempted to speed away and Major Sonia Quinones said the officer fired at least one round. A police officer fatally shot 27-year-old Michael Eugene Wilson, who police said attempted to flee from authorities while they were investigating reports of car burglaries. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Pictured are officers securing the scene Tyler Shuman, 23, who was with Wilson jumped out of the car, but was caught a few hours later after a manhunt involving several local police agencies and a helicopter. Pictured are officers securing the scene as they search for the second suspect Wilson was pronounced dead at the hospital. Quinones said the officer 'felt in fear for his life and the life of others and was forced to fire'. Wilson's car had several bullet holes in the driver's side door and that spray-painted markings on the street indicated at least eight shots were fired, according to the Sun Sentinel. The second suspect, 23-year-old Tyler Shuman, jumped out of the car, but was caught a few hours later after a manhunt involving several local police agencies and a helicopter. Police did not release the identity of the officer but said in an email that Wilson was black. He had an extensive criminal history, including arrests for drugs, grand theft and aggravated assault, according to court records. The officer will be placed on administrative leave with pay while the investigation continues. The second suspect Shuman (pictured) is in custody and police said in a statement that charges are pending. Police added that they found evidence of several car break-ins Two cars, a silver BMW 328i and a black Mercedes-Benz S550, had been broken into. The silver BMW had its passenger side window completely smashed out The officer will be placed on administrative leave with pay while the investigation continues. Shuman is in custody and police said in a statement that charges are pending. Police added that they found evidence of several car break-ins, according to CBS. Two cars, a silver BMW 328i and a black Mercedes-Benz S550, had been broken into. The silver BMW had its passenger side window completely smashed out, the Sentinel reported. 'You're like, "oh my God they could be coming into my building,"' a nearby resident Sondra Schulz told WFOR TV. 'We live in a very nice neighborhood, and this is kind of unexpected.' This is the second police-involved shooting in South Florida in three days. On Thursday, a veteran Miami-Dade detective working a narcotics investigation shot and killed a 22-year-old black man during a brief confrontation after authorities say the victim grabbed a gun from his waistband and the officer opened fire. A 68-year-old man has died and his wife was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after the pair were hit by an airborne motorbike while spectators at a weekly motocross event. The 'freak accident' happened just after midday on Sunday during a 250cc motorbike event at a purpose-built racetrack at Cambridge, on the North Island of New Zealand, NZ Herald reported. It's believed one of the riders, 20, lost control of his motorbike near the finish line of the course after his throttle jammed, sending his bike off a steep embankment and into a crowd of people. A 68-year old man was killed and his wife remains in hospital after the pair were hit by an airborne motorbike during a motocross event at a racetrack at Cambridge (pictured), New Zealand A sign outside the Moto-X track warns the public that 'spectators attend this track entirely at their own risk'. It's believed the rider, 20, lost control of his motorbike when his throttle jammed Firefighters performed CPR on the man, but he was pronounced dead on the track just after 12.30pm. His wife was taken to Waikato Hospital with severe cuts to her face, but was said to be in a stable condition on Monday. Another male spectator was treated at the scene for minor injuries. Waikato police Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Ambler told stuff.co.nz that police were investigating the exact cause of the tragic accident. 'He has come off his bike prior to the motorcycle leaving the racetrack,' Ambler said. 'The motorcycle has carried on, left the track of it's own accord and crashed into spectators.' 'The motorcycle has carried on, left the track of it's own accord and crashed into spectators.' Waikato police Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Ambler said the the rider was on an uphill section of track when he lost control of the bike (motocross track pictured) Detective Ambler said the rider was on an uphill section of track with a sharp right turn at the top when he lost control of the bike, sending it flying over a fence directly behind a crowd of spectators. The 20-year-old rider landed on the track and sustained no injuries in the incident. The crash is now the subject of a dual investigation by both Worksafe NZ and police's Serious Crash Unit, due to the fact riders paid money to enter and the event was sanctioned by the club. A sign outside the Cambridge Motocross racetrack reads: 'Warning to the public. Motor racing is dangerous and spectators attend this entirely at their own risk.' Cambridge Police posted offered their condolences through their Facebook page after the tragedy. 'We would like to pass on our condolences to the family of the deceased and also the motorcyclist involved. It is awful for everyone involved.' 'We would also like to say a big thanks to the crew and volunteers at Cambridge Motorcross Club for their professionalism and help in the circumstances - you guys were awesome. ' The Cambridge Motorcross page described the incident as a 'freak tragedy' and requested that anyone with photos or videos of the event withhold it from social media and pass it on to police. The crash is now the subject of a dual investigation by both Worksafe NZ and police's Serious Crash Unit A police force under investigation for routine assault in the line of duty has been accused of an attack on a drunk and naked 51-year-old woman. Victoria's Ballarat Police Force is the subject of an anti-corruption inquiry amid reports its officers are three times more likely to assault people compared with officers in neighbouring Melbourne. One allegation concerned a police officer who was handcuffed in a cell, reported The Herald Sun. Victoria's Ballarat Police Force is being investigated for allegedly abusing a 51-year-old woman who was drunk and taken into custody (stock photo) The officer was on leave and living in Ballarat to deal with an alcohol problem when she was arrested and locked up for being drunk and disorderly, it was reported. Her arresting officers did not know she was in the police and pepper sprayed her, stripped her naked and threw her in a scalding hot shower, according to the report. Hot water can make the burning effect of pepper spray worse. The two officers, a man and woman, then allegedly stomped on their victim but briefly paused the assault to take naked photos of her on their personal phones. It is also claimed the woman was forced to drink toilet water because the tap in her cell did not work and was held in custody for 16 hours four times as long as normal. A inquiry has heard how the woman was taken to the Ballarat Station (above) before she was pepper sprayed, thrown in the shower and stomped on On Monday the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) began an inquiry into the Ballarat Police Force, which is facing accusations of using excessive force against a number of women held in custody. Describing CCTV footage which showed the attack on the 51-year-old woman, IBAC's lawyer Jack Rush, QC, said: '[The woman] was located in that room, restrained...and handcuffed with her hands behind her back. '[She was] searched by having her pants pulled down from her so that she was eft only wearing a T-shirt, bra and panties. 'Those panties were at one stage positioned between her bottom and her knees, all this occurring in the presence of male officers. 'She was kicked, stomped and stood upon.' The inquiry heard how the Ballarat force was three times more likely to assault someone than neighbouring forces in Victoria Opening the inquiry, Mr Rush also said Ballarat officers were three times more likely to have assault complaints laid against them than officers in other Melbourne forces. He said: 'Ballarat has by far and away the most number of assault complaints made. Its three times the average of comparable stations. Victoria Police has been criticised for siding with officers caught in the allegations, clearing them in an internal investigation and giving them the green light to return to work. They have also tried to block IBAC from holding the inquiry taking them to the High Court in a failed attempt to halt the investigation. The shopping list of a Sydney student who allegedly went on a spending spree after she was accidently granted a $4.6 million overdraft by banking group Westpac has been revealed. Malaysian student Christine Jia Xin Lee picked up designer handbags in every colour, snakeskin clutch bags, glittering jewellery and a Christian Dior outfit and they were just a fraction of the designer goods agents were confronted with when they arrived at her Sydney home. Pictures tendered at the New South Wales Supreme Court show the items allegedly found in the chemical engineering student's Rhodes unit when bank lawyers and independent solicitors arrived there armed with a court order on April 15, 2015. Scroll down for video Christine Jia Xin Lee is pictured with a Chanel cashmere cushion and designer handbags, including a YSL bag. Ms Lee, a Malaysian international student living in Rhodes, is pictured wearing a Chanel necklace Christine Jia Xin Lee is pictured with a YSL purse and her shoes are similar to those of Stuart Weitzman Pictured: Hermes handbags. The Rodeo Horse charm pictured on the centre front Hermes Birkin Bag is also by Hermes and sells for about US$1,150 'There were a large number of handbags, items of clothing, shoes, shopping bags and boxes scattered on the floor ad on tables, chairs and a sofa around the room,' independent solicitor Cate Nagy said in an affidavit to the court. Dior, Hermes and Chanel handbags - many accompanied by certificates of authenticity and stacked in the boxes they were bought in - were believed to be among the 24 items seized by investigators during the raid. Over a number of hours lawyers sorted through the items, took pictures, stacked them into three suitcases and three Dior bags and drove them to a secure Westpac site in the city. Other photo evidence shown to the court included shoes, designer sunglasses and a rose gold Cartier bracelet. HOW DID CHRISTINE JIA XIN LEE SPEND THE MONEY? A list of Ms Lee's purchases shows that the $4.6m was mostly spent on luxury items The list shows she spent $1,350 on a Chanel cashmere pillow, almost $9,000 on a Cartier love bracelet and another $2,500 on a pair of Christian Louboutin boots. She bought 13 Hermes designer scarves and a number of their handbags - which can cost up to $150,000. The extensive list shows that on April 9, 2015, she spent $220,200 at the Christian Dior Sydney store, returning the next day to spend a further $94,520. On a single day she allegedly splurged $220,000 at the Christian Dior Shop in Sydney. She also allegedly purchased a Hermes Himalayan Crocodile Birkin which retails for about $150,000. Westpac has taken action against Ms Lee through the Supreme Court, which found a default judgment against her; and the Federal Circuit Court, which ordered her estate be sequestered. Ms Lee was arrested while trying to board a flight to Malaysia several weeks ago. Her parents live in the country and she owns a 3 bedroom condominium valued at approximately $100,000 there, she swore in an affidavit to the court. When asked by a bank investigator where she thought her money had come from, Ms Lee said over the phone: 'I thought that the money was from my parents in Malaysia'. The investigator asked: 'What have you spent the money on?' Pictured: A Hermes handbag. Many of the bags seized were accompanied by certificates of authenticity and stacked in the boxes they were bought in Pictured: Hermes handbags including The Birken Bag (right) and The Kelly Bag (left) seized from Ms Lee's apartment in Rhodes 'I bought clothes, shoes, lots of handbags,' Ms Lee replied. The investigator then asked what type of stores she'd spent the money at, and Ms Lee replied: 'Christian Dior and other clothes shops'. An investigator later asked if she had any of the money left. 'I have $4,000 in cash left,' she responded, according to a transcript of an interview tendered in court. The investigator then told her she needed to repay the money back to the bank. 'My mother is coming over to visit me in June and will give the bank a cheque,' Ms Lee said. The investigator then asked: 'Have you told your parents about this?' 'I have and they are not very happy with me,' she said according to the transcript. She told investigators her parents owned a business in Malaysia. The bank has recovered $1.15m Ms Lee allegedly transferred to PayPal account last year, however, the rest of the money is missing. The matter is expected to come before Waverley Local Court on Tuesday. Pictured: The Birken Bag by Hermes. The bank investigator asked what type of stores she'd spent the money at, and Ms Lee replied: 'Christian Dior and other clothes shops' Many of the handbags taken from Ms Lee's apartment were by designer brand Hermes (centre two and two at right) On a single day she allegedly splurged $220,000 at the Christian Dior Shop in Sydney Westpac has taken action against Ms Lee through the Supreme Court, which found a default judgment against her; and the Federal Circuit Court, which ordered her estate be sequestered Pictured: Prada sunglasses Ms Lee allegedly purchased using $4.6 million mistakenly put in her Westpac bank account Pictured: A Dior necklace was among the items pictured and tendered to the NSW Supreme Court A Hermes bag charm Ms Lee allegedly purchased with $4.6 million mistakenly put in her bank account Pictured: Chanel jewellery Ms Lee allegedly purchased. The matter is expected to face Waverley Local Court on Tuesday Pictured: A Christian Dior handbag at Ms Lee's Rhodes apartment, allegedly purchased with $4.6 million mistakenly put in her Westpac bank account Christian Louboutin heels among the items allegedly found at Ms Lee's Rhodes apartment When asked by a bank investigator where she thought her money had come from, Ms Lee said over the phone: 'I thought that the money was from my parents in Malaysia' Pictures tendered to the NSW Supreme Court show items sprawled across her apartment 'There were a large number of handbags, items of clothing, shoes, shopping bags and boxes scattered on the floor ad on tables, chairs and a sofa around the room,' independent solicitor Cate Nagy said in an affidavit for the court Shoes, jewellery, two smart phones and a Casio digital selfie camera (pictured) have also been seized Ms Lee was arrested while trying to board a flight to Malaysia several weeks ago. The investigator then asked what type of stores she'd spent the money at, and Ms Lee replied: 'Christian Dior and other clothes shops' On a single day she allegedly splurged $220,000 at the Christian Dior Shop in Sydney. Other photo evidence shown to the court included shoes with glittering diamantes, designer sunglasses and a rose gold Cartier bracelet (diamond necklace pictured) It may be hard to prove charges laid against Malaysian student Christine Xia Jin Lee because she had been transferred the money she spent by Westpac Christine Jia Xin Lee, 21, spent $4.6m in just 11 months by splurging on luxury items such as a $90,000 handbag. She told investigators she thought her parents had given her the money The millions transferred to Ms Lee, and her spending, were not noticed for years because monitoring of her account had accidentally been switched off In just one day in April, Lee spent $220,200 at the Sydney Christian Dior store. The next day she returned to spend another $94,000 Ms Lee was arrested earlier this month attempting to board a flight to Malaysia, she was with dishonesty obtaining financial advantage by deception and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime Dozens of churchgoers were hospitalized after a shuttle bus returning from a women's church retreat crashed in the San Bernardino Mountains. The bus carrying 22 people flipped over when it collided with a Nissan Versa sedan as it was coming down the mountain shortly after 2pm. It was one of several vehicles transporting 200 women home to Downey, California, from their annual mountain retreat. Six people were seriously injured and 14 with more minor injuries. Crash: This is the bus that flipped on its side as it carried 22 women home from a church retreat at the top of the San Bernardino Mountains on Sunday at 2pm. Six people were seriously injured and 14 were also wounded Rescue: The bus was one of many driving the women home from their annual retreat to Downey, California 'We got the news right after regular Sunday Service,' Robert Acosta, assistant to the senior pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Ministerios Llamada Final, told the San Bernardino Sun. 'It was unnerving, but we immediately pulled together.' All 20 of the injured were taken to hospital by ground ambulance and all were expected to survive, San Bernardino County Fire Captain Jeremy Kern said. Two people aboard were not injured. Authorities had initially reported an overall injury toll of 26. At one point as it was coming down the mountain, the 2000 El Dorado bus made contact with the Nissan Versa, California Highway Patrol spokesman Juan Quintero said. No one in the car was hurt. The CHP is investigating the cause. The highway was shut down for hours for a 16-mile stretch near Highland. The bus was lying on its right side diagonally across the road and blocking the entire highway. The crash site is about 60 miles east of Los Angeles and about 20 miles from the site of a 2013 bus crash on another highway in the San Bernardino Mountains. Eight people were killed in that crash of a tour bus from Tijuana, Mexico. A 16-mile stretch of the State Route 330 was closed in both directions for hours. Pictured: one of the victims All 20 of the injured were taken to hospital by ground ambulance and all were expected to survive A prostitution bust called 'Operation Good Time' in South Carolina has led to the arrest of a record breaking 54 suspects. The bust is thought to be the largest in Simpsonville history according to authorities, a city with a population of roughly 20,000. In the two-day sting, local police arrested 28 suspected prostitutes and 26 men accused of soliciting them, as part of a city-wide crackdown. A prostitution bust called 'Operation Good Time' in South Carolina has led the arrest of a record breaking 54 suspects (pictured) Simpsonville Police told Greenville Online that operatives used social media to track prostitutes or those advertising them for sex. Police Chief Keith Grounsell explained: 'Many individuals responded and met undercover officers working as Johns and/or prostitutes.' The operation was conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday with assistance from the city of Greenville Police Department, Grounsell said. He added: 'The people arrested did solicit and/or complete a financial transaction to sell or purchase sex in exchange for money.' Eight of the suspects also had outstanding arrest warrants, for charges including probation violation and failure to pay child support, according to police. At least one firearm was seized during the operation as well as $2,010 cash. The sting led to 64 charges against the suspects, including charges for prostitution and drugs and at least one weapons charge Shoppers have accused Coles of replacing online orders of branded milk with its own home-branded product, and of deliberately not stocking farmer-friendly varieties. The supermarket giant has been the centre of attention over the past week, since a campaign was launched to help support Australian farmers by buying more expensive 'brand name' milk. However, at least one online shopper was unable to back local suppliers, after their online purchase of branded milk was 'swapped' to Coles brand ahead of delivery. Scroll down for video Shoppers have accused Coles of replacing online orders of branded milk with their own home-branded product, and of deliberately not stocking farmer-friendly varieties The shopper shared her receipt with Daily Mail Australia, showing her order of Pura Full Cream Milk had been replaced by Coles Full Cream Milk. 'Is Coles now intentionally substituting branded milk with Coles milk on online orders?' the woman said. Other customers took the issue a step further on social media, alleging the supermarket chain was deliberately only having its milk on shelves. 'Coles, every day from Friday through to Monday and there has not been any brand name full cream milk stocked only your brand... When will there be new and ample stock?' one woman asked. Shoppers have also accused Coles of intentionally overstocking its home-brand milk, and getting branded milk off the shelves (pictured) People shared images of barely stocked shelves on social media, with some asking if Coles was deliberately not displaying branded milk 'Wow Coles, you have hit a new low. Not putting out the branded milk so that people are forced to buy Coles milk,' another shopper alleged. 'Over the past few days many people I know have been informed by employees at various locations throughout Sydney that they have been instructed not to restock brand name milk until the cheap 'own brand' milk has been sold,' a man claimed in a Facebook post. People also shared photographs taken inside stores showing shelves stacked with Coles branded milk and very little else, claiming they proved the supermarket was overstocking on its own brand. Daily Mail Australia contacted Coles for comment about online ordering and branded milk not being stocked. One upset customer suggested they would not shop at Coles again until they were able to buy a range of branded milks 'Is Coles now intentionally substituting branded milk with Coles milk on online orders?' one shopper said to Daily Mail Australia It comes after the supermarket chain was accused of 'hypocrisy' by launching a more expensive range of milk to support struggling farmers but leaving its cut price cartons on shelves for shoppers to choose between. The supermarket announced last week it would introduce its new products to stores in August, with an extra 20 cents per litre sold to go towards a 'fighting' fund for the flailing dairy industry. It will continue to sell its $2 two-litre cartons, leaving the choice up to customers whether or not to buy from the more expensive range. The supermarket giant have pledged to donate 20 cents per litre plus any profits to struggling dairy farmers This comes five years after the Westfarmer owned chain slashed the price of its milk to $1-a-litre, launching a 'price war' between it and rival Woolworths. Above an advertisement for a $2 two litre carton in 2011 Critics slammed the supermarket, which sparked a price war with Woolworths in 2011 by launching their budget dairy products, accusing it of passing the back to price-conscious shoppers when it came to supporting farmers. Peter Strong from the Council of Small Business said the move would cost customers more and the chain nothing extra, slamming the fund as 'hypocritical'. 'This is such hypocrisy and it's not costing them any money at all,' he told the ABC, recalling how it reduced its prices in 2011. Coles says it will sell a new, more expensive brand of milk - however it has not been named, but the contents of the carton will not differ from that currently sold under the Coles home brand label 'In Australia the fragility of the sector has come from Coles and Woolworths and what they've done to the sector,' he added. THE MILK PRICE WAR Murray Goulburn co-operative was formed in 1950 and is Australia's biggest dairy producer with 2600 dairy farmers NZ-based Fonterra was founded in 2001 and is the world's largest dairy exporter and has 1200 Australian dairy farmers April 27 Murray Goulburn (MG) downgrades profit forecast $39-42million down from $63m in February MG price for milk solids cut from $5.60 a kilogram to $4.75-$5 after overestimating value. The lower price is backdated to 2015 meaning farmers had to pay back the overpayments MG listed units price crashes from $2.14 to $1.24. May 5 Fonterra also slashes gate prices from $5.60 per kg to $5 May 16 Class action launched against Murray Goulburn alleging investors were misled Lobby group Farmer Power calls for 50 cent dairy levy to be passed onto farmers May 17 Fonterra announces partial about-face with plans to increase payments for milk supplied in May/June MG unit price falls again to historic low of 85 cents Advertisement Coles refused to comment on claims it was passing the buck to shoppers to decide whether or not to support the dairy industry. Admitting that the price of the new range had not yet been established, the supermarket insisted it would not reap any profits from increased prices. 'We will continue to offer Coles Brand milk at $2 for 2 litres alongside the new brand to offer our customers a choice. 'This is the model we have used in South Australia and Western Australia, where the SADA Fresh and WA Farmers First brands have been extremely successful in raising funds to support the dairy,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. The amount farmers receive for their milk varies across the country by state, with those in Victoria earning the least at 47c per litre in 2015. Consumers were quick to criticise the chain's attempts to bail out farmers, with many taking to social media to claim why it did not pay farmers more in the first place. 'Does anyone else see the irony of Coles selling new milk line to help dairy farmers?' one man asked. 'Wouldn't it be easier to pay a realistic price for milk products in the first place?' said another drawing attention to the supermarket chain's $1-a-litre range. The new range has not yet been named or branded, but the contents of the carton will not differ from that currently sold under the Coles home brand label, which will remain on shelves. 'Right now I am doubtful whether I will be able to continue to attend school, whether we go bankrupt or even be able to live life normally,' Chloe said (Pictured: the Scott's dairy farm) John Durkan, Coles managing director, said in a statement that the chain was focused on helping sustain the dairy industry amid a global down-turn in demand for milk. Mr Durkan said he hoped the initiative would be up and running sooner rather than later so farmers could start reaping the financial benefits. 'It's important that we have a vibrant dairy farming sector, and we can only have that if we work together to ensure the long term health of the industry,' Mr Durkan said. According to The Australian, Coles makes around 34 cents a litre on its home brand milk products. Farmers Brendan and Melissa Scott, along with their 16-year-old daughter Chloe (pictured), from rural Victoria, have been left on the brink of collapse under the weight of increasing debts from contract with Fonterra Simone Jolliffe, Australian Dairy Farmers president, said she would welcome 'revisitation' on milk pricing but remains cautiously optimistic about Coles' offer Murray Goulburn, Australia's biggest dairy supplier, has also faced criticism after slashing the price it pays farmers for milk from $5.60/kg to between $4.75 and $5 last month.Its competitor Fonterra shortly followed suit, sparking outcry among farmers in Victoria - the worst hit state. Both companies are being investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission agricultural committee for the cuts which were prompted when Chinese markets failed to take in as much milk as forecast. Now farmers are being asked to pay retrospective debt, with the distributors claiming they are owed money from earlier in the financial year when prices were higher. The Project's Waleed Aly asked viewers to support farmers by eating more cheese. 'This may be the greatest call to arms I have ever made. Eat more cheese! The death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour marks an 'important milestone' in the longstanding effort to bring peace to Afghanistan, President Barack Obama has said. Obama says Mansour's death removes the leader of an organization that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on U.S. and coalition forces and has waged war against the Afghan people. In a written statement issued as he traveled in Vietnam, Obama says the U.S. will continue to take action against extremist networks that target America. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT President Obama (pictured today during his tour of Vietnam) has said Mansour's death is an 'important milestone' in a bid to open peace talks and end the conflict in Afghanistan On Saturday the U.S. carried out a drone strike on Mullah Akhtar Mansour (pictured left), who had been leader of the Afghanistan Taliban since July 2015 following the death of its founder Mullah Mohammad Omar (right) Mansour died when a U.S. drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan, decimating the vehicle and killing Mansour and his driver. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. Obama said: 'We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda. 'We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven.' Obama said Mansour had rejected efforts 'to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children'. He called on the Taliban's remaining leadership to engage in peace talks as the 'only real path' to ending the conflict. Mansour was elevated to the leadership of the Taliban in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had died two years earlier. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura [council] is under way to select a new leader. He was killed on Saturday near the town of Ahmad Lal in Pakistan's south western Balochistan province, when missiles fired from a drone struck the car he was travelling in. It was believed to be the first time the U.S. has targeted a senior Taliban figure in Pakistan. The wreckage of the vehicle Mansour and his driver were travelling in lies in a heap of the side of the road where it was decimated in the drone strike at the weekend Locals arrived at the scene of the deadly strike to find the wreckage of the car still burning (pictured) A group of men cover a body with blankets after he was killed in the drone strike on the Pakistan side of the border. It is unclear if it is the body of Mansour or his driver Pictures showed the bodies of the two men at a hospital in Quetta after they had been killed in the pinpoint U.S. drone strike Mansour had led the Afghan Taliban ever since the death of its founder, Mullah Mohammed Omar. His body was collected from the hospital by a young boy and a group of intelligence officials, it was claimed Pakistan, which says it is hosting the Afghan Taliban's top leadership in order to exert influence over them, has lambasted the U.S. over the drone attack, calling it a violation of its sovereignty. In his statement, Obama said American forces would continue to go after threats on Pakistani soil. But the strike could signal a fresh blow for U.S. and Pakistan ties, which have improved markedly in recent years since the killing of Al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden in 2011. The U.S. has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan, mainly in the country's border tribal regions with Afghanistan, with leaked documents showing Islamabad had quietly consented, despite publicly protesting. This time, however, both sides insist Pakistan was informed only after the fact. Leaked diplomatic cables from 2010 had indicated that Islamabad wanted the southwestern province of Balochistan, home to a separatist insurgency, to remain off-limits. The meeting of the Taliban's Supreme Council continued into its second day Monday, according to senior militant sources, though the group has yet to release an official statement. A senior Taliban source told AFP the killing had sent shockwaves through the leadership and many were laying low in Pakistan while some had fled across the border to Afghanistan. 'The shura meeting is continuing at an undisclosed location, they keep on moving due to the fear of U.S. drone strike,' the source said. The two bodies (pictured) were held at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, though it was not clear which one was purported to be that of Mansour The coffin containing the body of one of those killed in the drone strike is loaded into the back of an ambulance outside the hospital in Quetta, Pakistan Debate is raging ahead of President Barack Obama's planned visit to the Hiroshima memorial where he has vowed he will not apologize for the U.S's use of atomic bombs in the Second World War. His visit to the site later this week marks the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the memorial, created to remember the 140,000 people killed in the American nuclear strike. However, his visit has been clouded in controversy amid growing calls for the U.S. to apologize for the use of the weapons of mass destruction. Scroll down for video Second World War veteran Lester Tenney, 95, holds a bamboo stick that he said Japanese soldiers used to beat him while he was held as a prisoner of war during the notoriously cruel Bataan Death March President Obama's office has declared it will not be making any apology, sparking fury and debate among Japanese and U.S. survivors of the bloody conflict. Michiko Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on August 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Lester Tenney saw Japanese soldiers killing fellow American captives on the infamous Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942. He said: 'If you didn't walk fast enough, you were killed. If you didn't say the right words you were killed, and if you were killed, you were either shot to death, bayonetted, or decapitated. The 95-year-old veteran still has the bamboo stick Japanese soldiers used to beat him across the face. Across the two countries, different experiences, different memories are handed down, spread by the media and taught in school. Collectively, they shape the differing reactions in the U.S. and Japan to Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. The U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima, and Japan surrendered six days later, bringing to an end a bloody conflict that the U.S. was drawn into after Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Stephen Nagy, an international relations professor at the International Christian University in Tokyo, said Japan identifies mostly as 'a victim rather than a victimizer'. He added: 'I think that represents Japan's regional role and its regional identity, whereas the United States has a global identity, a global agenda and global presence. 'So when it views the bombing of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, it's in the terms of a global narrative, a global conflict the United States was fighting for freedom or to liberate countries from fascism or imperialism. To make these ends meet is very difficult.' A poll last year by the Pew Research Center found that 56 percent of Americans believe the use of nuclear weapons was justified, while 34 percent do not. In Japan, 79 percent said the bombs were unjustified, and only 14 percent said they were. Terumi Tanaka, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, said of Obama: 'I hope he will give an apology to the atomic bomb survivors, not necessarily to the general public. Arthur Ishimoto, 93, a Japanese-American and U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service veteran, is interviewed in Honolulu. He was adamant Obama and the U.S. had nothing to apologize for Mr Ishimoto, a Japanese-American and U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service veteran, displays archival photographs of himself 'There are many who are still suffering. I would like him to meet them and tell them that he is sorry about the past action, and that he will do the best for them.' The White House has defiantly ruled out an apology, which would inflame many U.S. veterans and others, and said that Obama would not revisit the decision to drop the bombs. Arthur Ishimoto, a veteran of the Military Intelligence Service who went behind enemy lines during the war, said: 'A lot of these people are telling us we shouldn't have dropped the bomb - hey, what they talking about?'. Now 93, he said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to 'bury the hatchet,' but there's nothing to apologize for. Ishimoto, who was born in Honolulu and rose to be an Army major general and commander of the Hawaii National Guard, believes he would have been killed in an invasion of Japan if it had not surrendered. 'It would have been terrible,' he said. 'There is going to be controversy about apologizing. I don't think there should be any apology. 'We helped that country. We helped them out of the pits all the way back to one of the most economically advanced. There's no apology required.' Beyond the deaths - the atomic bombs killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 73,000 in Nagasaki by the end of 1945 - the effects of radiation have lingered with survivors, both physically and mentally. Earl Wineck, 88, scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during the Second World War. He said he supported Obama's visit to the Hiroshima memorial Mr Wineck displays his Aleutian Campaign certificate and his discharge papers at the Alaska Veterans Museum in Anchorage Kodama, the Hiroshima schoolgirl, faced discrimination in employment and marriage. After her first love failed because her boyfriend's family said they didn't want 'radiated people's blood in their family,' she married into a more understanding one. The younger of her two daughters died of cancer in 2011. Some say she shouldn't have given birth, even though multi-generational radiation effects have not been proven. Obama doesn't have to apologize, Kodama said, but he should take concrete actions to keep his promise to seek a nuclear-free world. 'For me, the war is not over until the day I see a world without nuclear weapons.' she said. 'Mr Obama's Hiroshima visit is only a step in the process.' Nagasaki survivor Tanaka views the atomic bombings as a crime against humanity. A promise by Obama to survivors to do all he can for nuclear disarmament 'would mean an apology to us,' he said. He added that his own government also should take some of the blame for the suffering of atomic bomb victims. 'It was the Japanese government that started the war to begin with, and delayed the surrender,' he said, adding that Japan has not fully faced up to its role in the war. Japan did issue apologies in various forms in the 1980s and 1990s, but some conservative politicians in recent years have raised questions about them, said Sven Saaler, a historian at Sophia University in Tokyo. 'In particular right now when Japan has a government that is... backpedaling in terms of apologizing for the war, if now the U.S. apologized, that also would be, I think, a weird signal in this current situation,' he said. Michiko Kodama, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, said Obama shouldn't need to apologize, but believes he must take concrete steps to make the world nuclear weapon-free Tenney, one of only three remaining POWs from the Bataan Death March, wants Obama in Hiroshima to remember all those who suffered in the war, not just the atomic bomb victims. 'From my point of view, the fact that the war ended when it did and the way it did, it saved my life and it saved the life of those Americans and other allied POWs that were in Japan at the time. 'I was in Japan, shoveling coal in a coal mine. No one ever apologized for that. 'I end up with black lung disease because they didn't take care of me in the coal mine, and yet there is no apology, no words of wisdom, no nothing.' Obama's visit is firmly supported by Earl Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during the Second World War. 'He's not going there like some of them might, and keep reminding them of all their transgressions,' the 88-year-old veteran of the Alaska Territorial Guard said. 'That should have ended after the war, and I think a lot of it did, but of course, there's always people who feel resentment.' Japan occupied two Alaskan islands during the war. The battle to retake one of them, Attu Island, cost about 3,000 lives on both sides. 'We hated them,' Wineck said. 'But things change, people change, and I think people in the world should be closer together.' Ms Ninness fell, hit her head on the pavement of a car park and later died Marika Ninness, 35, struck in the head by Mr Merrick in December 2013 An Iraq war veteran will spend up to 11 years in jail after he killed his girlfriend with a single blow to the head in a shopping centre car park. Ross Merrick, 32, sat in Newcastle Supreme court on Monday as Justice Helen Wilson handed down her sentence for the manslaughter of Marika Ninness, 35, in December, 2013. During the sentencing Mr Merrick, who spent eight years in The Royal Australian Navy, including three deployments to Iraq, appeared disinterested during his sentencing, The Daily Telegraph reported. Ross Merrick (left), 32, sat in Newcastle Supreme court on Monday as Justice Helen Wilson handed down her sentence for the manslaughter of Marika Ninness (right) in December, 2013 Ross Merrick will spend up to 11 years in jail after he killed his girlfriend with a single blow to the head- He is pictured here after he was found guilty of manslaughter in a Newcastle court on in March A blow to the head caused the mother-of-three (pictured) to fall and fracture her skull as she hit the ground In March he was found guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder for killing Ms Ninness, 35, during an altercation in an East Maitland shopping centre car park in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney. A blow to the head caused the mother-of-three to fall and fracture her skull as she hit the ground. She died two weeks later in hospital. Mr Merrick insisted throughout the trail that he raised his elbow instinctively and did not mean to harm Ms Ninness. However prosecutors maintained that he was an abusive partner who was known to be violent. Justice Helen Wilson said on Monday that she did not accept Mr Merricks evidence that his Navy training instinctively kicked in during the altercation, the publication reported. In March Mr Merrick was found guilty of manslaughter for killing Ms Ninness during an altercation in an East Maitland shopping centre car park in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney (pictured) It was an expression of rage and anger and an explosion of temper, causing him to lash out at Ms Ninness, she said. Ms Wilson said that it was a 'particularly egregious example of manslaughter, The Daily Telegraph reported. She sentenced Mr Merrick to a maximum 11 years jail, with a non-parole period of eight years and three months. Ms Ninnesss sister, Charnie Braz, said she was grateful for the sentence, speaking outside the court. Mr Merrick insisted throughout the trail in March that he raised his elbow instinctively and did not mean to harm Ms Ninness Watch as this cheeky pet cockatoo enjoys a fruity drink from the comfort of her home using just her beak and claw to hold the plastic bottle. Harley the Cockatoo, who has more 66,000 followers on Instagram, was recently treated to a 'sugar-free' lemonade as she guzzled the beverage down to its last drop. The owner, believed to be living in the Netherlands, can be seen handing their thirsty feathered friend a beverage as she takes a break from drinking by holding the bottle with her claw. Scroll down for video Harley the Cockato enjoys a fruity drink using just her beak and claw to hold the plastic bottle Perching on a branch inside the property, the playful sulphur-crested bird appears to struggle to get the last of the drink before she tosses the bottle to the ground. 'Don't worry I drink sugar free pure fruit limonate [lemonade] :) and Don't worry about my chest its the time of the year,' the caption reads. She never fails to please her fans and the video has been met with humorous comments since it was posted onto YouTube on May 12. St. Evremonde VonWare wrote: 'She's such a sweetie bird. I only need to watch one video of her and all my stress and anxiety goes away.' The owner, believed to be living in the Netherlands, can be seen handing their thirsty feathered friend a beverage as she takes a break from drinking by holding the bottle with her claw Perching on a branch inside the property, the playful sulphur-crested bird appears to struggle to get the last of the drink before she tosses the bottle to the ground She never fails to please her fans and the video has been met with humorous comments since it was posted onto YouTube on May 12 Connor Eastham said: 'So cute! She really is thirsty.' Susan Lopez posted: 'That's one smart bird.' Charles Jackson wrote: 'Oh Harley you are so adorable.' Sulphur-crested cockatoos are a native species to Australia and are one of the country's most popular pet birds. Blood-sucking 'vampire' fish with rows of razor-sharp teeth and terrifyingly powerful suckers have reached record numbers in British waters raising fears of attacks on open water swimmers. The number of lampreys in rivers across the UK are rocketing, with record numbers recently recorded in the Great Ouse in East Anglia, the Trent in Staffordshire and Derwent and Wear. Swimmers are now being warned to remain on high alert for the 3-4ft long fish, which are known to attack humans, amid fears they will target those trying to cool down in lakes and rivers. The rise in the 'vampire fish' - which kill off other fish by latching onto them and sucking their blood out - has been flagged up on outdoor swimming websites ahead of the warmer summer season. The number of blood-sucking lampreys (pictured) in rivers across the UK are rocketing, with record numbers recently recorded in the Great Ouse river in East Anglia, the Trent in Staffordshire and Derwent and Wear ITV documentary River Monsters, which stars biologist Jeremy Wade, shows him up to his shoulders in a lake with a lamprey attached firmly to his neck as it sucks out his blood. He warned of the dangers of the creatures The Swimmer's Daily website carried a report into the rise of the lampreys last week, warning swimmers: 'Return of the lamprey - ancient, ugly and swimming up Britain's rivers'. Wild swimmer Matt Clarke, who swims in the River Great Ouse as it runs through the town of Olney, Buckinghamshire, said he was alerted to the dangers of the fish after watching an ITV documentary. The 31-year-old, of Milton Keynes, watched River Monsters, which stars biologist Jeremy Wade and shows him up to his shoulders in a lake with a lamprey attached firmly to his neck as it sucks out his blood. Speaking about the fish during the episode, Mr Wade said: 'The parallels with vampires are striking - they both tap into that that same dark place, the primal fear they will drain the life force from us.' As he stands in the shoulder-height river with the creature sucking out his blood, he adds: 'There's suction, but there is something sharp going on as well. 'If you get these things attached you're going to want to get them off.' He warned swimmers: 'If you're swimming you're needing your limbs to keep you afloat and to keep you moving, but what are you going to do [if] you've got these [lampreys] attached to you? 'Do I carry on swimming with maybe more and more attaching (to me), or do I stop swimming and try and get these things off - these things are like aquatic vampires.' The TV host was investigating reports of lamprey attacks on swimmers at Lake Champlain in north America, with several swimmers reporting 'being attacked' by up to seven lampreys at a time. As he stands in the shoulder-height river with the creature sucking out his blood, biologist Jeremy Wade says 'There's suction, but there is something sharp going on as well. These things are like aquatic vampires' Lampreys are a protected species in the UK, after once being considered a great delicacy among Royalty and the rich. They are jawless snake-like creatures that evolved around 200 million years before dinosaurs One victim, experienced outdoor swimmer Christopher Swain, told how he was attacked by one of the 4ft-long creatures during a 129-mile swim in the lake. He said: 'I'd been swimming for about two or three hours and I felt something on my leg. 'The very first thing felt like when your mobile phone vibrates and the next thing I thought was that I'd got caught on something. JAWLESS SNAKE-LIKE CREATURES: THE BLOOD-SUCKING LAMPREY Lampreys are jawless snake-like creatures that evolved around 200 million years before dinosaurs. They are the world's oldest living vertebrates and were once a common sight on the country's waterways before being almost wiped out from pollution during the Industrial Revolution. The fish, which have a circular disc of razor sharp teeth instead of jaws, feed on prey by attaching their mouthparts to the animal's body and using their teeth to cut through surface tissues until they reach blood and body fluid. The prehistoric fish - often described as a living fossil has now made a return to rivers in England after having not been seen in the country since the 1800s. The construction of mill weirs blocked their migration causing them to become extinct in England. However, according to the Environment Agency they are slowly returning to their old habitats as rivers experience their lowest pollution levels for more than 100 years and work is carried out to remove the barriers of their migration. Environment Agency fisheries expert Simon Toms said: 'For the last 200 years, some rivers have not been capable of supporting lamprey species as a result of water quality, poor habitat and man-made barriers. 'Now that water quality has improved and some of these barriers have been removed, we are seeing lampreys return to the upper reaches of rivers such as the Ouse, Trent and Derwent, where they were absent as recently as 30 years ago. 'These are fascinating fish, living fossils, that have a special place in the history and traditions of this country and we hope that with a helping hand from us they will be able to thrive in England's rivers once again.' Lampreys are important for processing nutrients in rivers and providing a food source for other fish and birds such as herons. The strange-looking creature has long been regarded as a luxury food, eaten by the Romans, the Vikings and English kings and queens - with Queen Elizabeth even sent a lamprey pie from Gloucester for her diamond jubilee in 2012, though the fish was imported from the Great Lakes in North America. It has also featured in the hit TV series Game of Thrones, with Tyrion Lannister dining on lamprey pie while discussing battle plans with his sister Queen Cersei. Advertisement 'I reached down to brush whatever it was off and I touched a living thing that was attached to me - it was thicker than my wrist and I had a bit of freak out. 'The next thing I saw when I looked with my goggles was this snake-like animal. 'I tried to grab it but it slimed right out of my hand - it was a 4ft-long lamprey. 'I pulled it off, but it shot back on - it did not want to be removed. 'I got hold of the thing eventually and managed to throw it - they are extremely fast, extremely aggressive and very hard to fight off - they want your blood.' The attacks on humans at Lake Champlain were made into a 2014 movie called Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys, starring Back to the Future star Christopher Lloyd and 90210 actress Shannon Doherty. The movie shows a string of horrific lamprey attacks on humans, with Lloyd - who plays the mayor - being killed by one of the fish which eats him from the inside. Another victim has his eyeball sucked out by a lamprey and others are simply eaten alive as they swim in the lake. The number of lampreys - which have been around for 360million years and have a permanent open mouth armed with a powerful sucker and rows of razor-sharp teeth - have shot up in the UK in recent years. Numbers had been dwindling after man-made weirs were introduced and prevented them from swimming upstream to their breeding grounds, where females lay around 170,000 eggs at a time. Mark Owen, head of freshwater at the Angling Trust, said that 'fish passes' allowing lampreys - and other types of fish like eels, salmon and sea trout - to get through weirs had helped boost numbers. He said: 'The fact they're coming back indicates the water quality is improving, which is welcome for all fish species. 'There's a policy now of having fish passes in man-made weirs, like a bypass channel for them to go through.' Bosses at the Environment Agency confirmed that fish migration had vastly improved over the past four years, with 12,500-miles of England's river 'opened up' so fish like lampreys, eels, salmon and sea trout could get to breeding grounds further up river. A spokesman said that 200 obstructions had been overcome in various rivers around the UK, with weirs removed and 'fish passes installed', allowing fish to multiply. The spokesman said: 'Almost 200 obstructions have been overcome - this means fish passes installed or weirs removed. 'Migration is important because many species of fish need to migrate to reproduce, feed and complete their life cycles. 'Weir removals and fish passes create 'fish highways' making a faster, easier route from the sea right up to the upper reaches of rivers. The rise in the 'vampire fish' - which kill off other fish by latching onto them and sucking their blood out and are a danger to humans - has been flagged up on outdoor swimming websites ahead of the warm summer season The fish attacks on humans at Lake Champlain were made into a 2014 movie called Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys, starring Back to the Future star Christopher Lloyd and 90210 actress Shannon Doherty 'This work benefits coarse fish that spend their entire lives in the river, as well as the species that migrate between the river and the sea.' Sarah Chare, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency, added: 'After considerable investment, rivers in England are the healthiest for 20 years. 'This is down to more than a decade of hard work to improve the health of England's rivers. 'But there is more to do and opening up our rivers to help fish migrate is a crucial part of this.' Lampreys are a protected species in the UK, after once being considered a great delicacy among Royalty and the rich. Melbourne cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has been rushed to hospital with abdominal pain after falling from her horse. At the Mildura Races in Victoria on Monday, Payne's mare Dutch Courage clipped the back leg of another horse further ahead, causing her to be 'dislodged'. The 30-year-old was rushed to Mildura Base Hospital 'fully conscious' with movement in all of her limbs, but was complaining of abdominal pain. Footage shows the young jockey's mare Dutch Courage, trained by her brother Patrick, toward the back of the pack during the seventh race Melbourne cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne (pictured) has been rushed to hospital with abdominal pains after falling from her horse at the Mildura Races Payne was treated on the track by paramedics before being taken to hospital in an ambulance. She is currently being monitored. Footage shows the young jockey's mare Dutch Courage, trained by her brother Patrick, toward the back of the pack during the seventh race. After she is thrown, the mare continues the length of the race with the remainder of the pack. It is believed the announcer did not realise Payne had fallen until the group rounded the final bend. Earlier in the day, Payne won two races with horses Chamois Road and Matamanoa for her brother. She was at the back of the pack and suffered minor injuries after the fall Payne's horse Dutch Courage continued to run the length of the race after she was thrown It appears Dutch Courage had no injuries after he clipped the back leg of the horse in front as he continued to run the length of the track She was rushed to Mildura Base Hospital 'fully conscious' with movement in all of her limbs, but was complaining of abdominal pain This has not been the jockeys first fall, after a racing accident in 2004 left her with a fractured skull and brain bleed. Although her family begged her to retire, she continued to race. In 2012, Payne had another fall and fractured nine vertebrae and broke multiple ribs. But she continued on and last year became a household name after riding the Melbourne Cup's winning mount Prince of Penzance to victory. The 30-year-old was rushed to Mildura Base Hospital 'fully conscious' with movement in all of her limbs Earlier in the day, Payne won two races with horses Chamois Road and Matamanoa for her brother Patrick (pictured) Payne was treated on the track by paramedics before being taken to hospital in an ambulance Commemoration of the medieval saint is intended to strengthen links between Catholics and Protestants The relic will then be transported to Canterbury Cathedral by pilgrims It has returned to Britain today and will go on display around London Some of the relics of Thomas Becket have returned to the UK for the first time in centuries and been displayed during a mass at Westminster Cathedral. The fragment of the saint's elbow is usually kept in Esztergom Cathedral, Hungary's main religious centre, but is now going on display in a number of churches around London and Kent, where Becket lived and worked. The 12th-century Archbishop of Canterbury is one of the most important English saints after he was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral, apparently on the orders of King Henry II. Members of the Catholic church view the Hungarian relic of St Thomas Becket during a ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in London Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols (left) receives the Hungarian relic of St Thomas Becket from Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest Cardinal Peter Erdo before a ceremony at Westminster Cathedral The fragment of the saint's elbow is usually kept in Esztergom Cathedral, Hungary's main religious centre, but will now go on display in a number of churches around London and Kent, where Becket lived and worked The 12th-century Archbishop of Canterbury is one of the most important English saints after he was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral, apparently on the orders of King Henry II He was honoured as a martyr up until the Reformation - but after Henry VIII smashed the Catholic Church, his shrine in Canterbury was destroyed and his memory was only maintained elsewhere in Europe. Church leaders hope that the week-long tour of his relics will help to revive awareness of Becket's importance as well as building bridges between the Catholic and Protestant establishments. The saint's elbow fragment is protected by a gold case decorated with jewels which is normally kept in the Hungarian cathedral. It is not known exactly how the relic made its way from Britain, where Becket was buried, to eastern Europe, but the bone is known to have been in Hungary for at least 500 years. Hungary's President Janos Ader (left) and his wife Anita Herczegh view the Hungarian relic of St Thomas Becket during a ceremony at Westminster Cathedral Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols carries the Hungarian relic in the cathedral One possibility is that it was taken to the country by Lukacs Banfi, who was Archbishop of Esztergom when Becket presided over Canterbury between 1162 and 1170. Another is that the bone was removed from Becket's body in 1220, when his grave was opened and he was reburied, with relics extracted and sent around the continent. A number of the relics are contained in other religious institutions - a section of his skull is kept at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, while other body parts are found in Westminster Cathedral, St Thomas' in Fulham, St Magnus the Martyr in the City of London and a church dedicated to the saint in Canterbury. Murder: This 15th-century manuscript drawing depicts the moment Becket was martyred by soldiers Home: The relics will go on display at Canterbury Cathedral, the site where Becket was killed ROYAL SERVANT WHO BECAME THE KING'S MORTAL ENEMY c. 1120 Becket is born in Cheapside in London on St Thomas' Day, December 21, the son of a textiles marchant named Gilbert 1143 Becket works as an accountant in London for the banker Osbert Huitdeniers 1145 The young man is taken on by Theobald, the Archbishop of Canterbury, propelling him into a position of power which led to his travelling around Europe 1154 Becket is made archdeacon of Canterbury and shortly afterwards enters the service of Henry II as chancellor, making him one of the King's most trusted followers 1162 He becomes Archbishop of Canterbury following the death of his old master Theobald 1163 Becket falls out with Henry II after launching a campaign to assert the rights of the Church to pass judgment on priests who commit crimes 1164 The Archbishop goes into exile in France in order to avoid claims of embezzlement made against him by the King 1170 He returns to England but again fights with Henry after opposing the King's attempts to crown his son. Killed in Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, apparently on Henry's orders 1220 Becket's tomb is opened and relics are distributed around Europe 1538 The shrine to the martyr in Canterbury Cathedral is destroyed by Henry VIII The various relics have been brought together this evening at Westminster Cathedral, the most important Catholic church in Britain, where a mass will be led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols and the Hungarian cardinal Peter Erdo, and attended by the country's President Janos Ader. On Tuesday the pilgrimage will move on to Westminster Abbey - which is an Anglican institution - and the relics will be displayed in St Margaret's, the official church of the House of Commons. On Friday the bone will go to Kent, visiting Rochester Cathedral and moving on to Canterbury the next day. Becket's relic will finally return to Canterbury Cathedral, the site of his killing on Saturday afternoon, with worshippers walking a mile and a half to the church where they are set to be met by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. A mass will be celebrated there on Sunday lunchtime before the relic is flown back to Hungary. Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, said that the Becket tour was a chance to foster closer links between Catholics and Anglicans. 'He teaches us to consider what are the historic roots of European unity,' he told The Times. Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until he was murdered by knights of Henry II in 1170, after the monarch reportedly said: 'Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?' The two men had long been close, with Becket serving as royal chancellor before he was elevated to the position of Archbishop partly because Henry was keen to have an ally at the head of the Church. Iconic: The story of Becket was immortalised in a 1964 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole, left, as Henry II and Richard Burton, right as the Archbishop Memory: A stained-glass window in Canterbury Cathedral which shows Becket's martyrdom Welcome: Bishop of London Richard Chartres, left, and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, right, are involved with the relic tour But Becket performed a remarkable U-turn: after years of being a tireless advocate of the royal cause and extracting as much money as possible from the Church, he began to assert the rights of religion fiercely, bringing him into conflict with the King. He spent several years in exile in France after being accused of embezzlement, and when he was allowed back to England he clashed with Henry once again over the King's plans to have his son crowned as his successor. The churchman was killed in Canterbury Cathedral by four swordsmen on December 29, 1170. The top of his head was sliced off in the bloody attack. He was canonised by Pope Alexander III and is revered as a saint and a martyr by the Catholic and Anglican churches. Before the Reformation he was sometimes considered the patron saint of England, while his martyrdom in Canterbury helped to establish the city as the country's main destination for religious pilgrims, as depicted in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Becket's life and death have inspired a number of great artists and writers, including T.S. Eliot whose 1935 play Murder in the Cathedral chronicles his martyrdom. As with nearly all saints' relics, the authenticity of the bones going on display this week is disputed - some claim that all of Becket's remains were destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1538. Barack Obama on Monday lifted a decades-old arms export embargo for Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country. The U.S President announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference, saying the move was intended to step toward normalising relations with the former war enemy and to eliminate a 'lingering vestige of the Cold War.' 'At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation,' Obama said, adding that he expected deepening cooperation between the two nation's militaries. Obama is seeking to strike this balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways. Barack Obama on Monday lifted a decades-old arms export embargo for Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country The U.S President announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference, saying the move was intended to step toward normalizing relations with the former war enemy and to eliminate a 'lingering vestige of the Cold War' Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam's leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang thanked Obama for lifting the embargo. China has praised the lifting of the ban, saying it hopes 'normal and friendly' relations between the U.S and Vietnam are conducive to regional stability. A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry says weapons embargoes are a product of the Cold War and should not have existed. China itself remains under a weapons embargo imposed by the U.S and European Union following 1989's bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The lifting of the ban potentially gives Vietnam more opportunity to stand up to China's ambitions. President Obama has insisted the decision was not based on relations with China. He said the U.S will continue to analyze weapons sales case-by-case, but it won't have a ban based on an ideological division between the two countries. Speaking at a press conference today, he said: 'Over the past century, our two nations have known cooperation and then conflict, painful separation, and a long reconciliation.' He added that the move was not prompted by China's regional manoeuvres but came as the countries entered a 'new moment' taking them towards a 'normalisation' of ties. U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before granting it. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. Obama is seeking to strike a balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam's leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (right) thanked Obama for lifting the embargo Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making 'extraordinary progress.' He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China's assertive land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Vietnam has not bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalized and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. After three days in Vietnam, Obama heads to Japan for an international summit and a visit to Hiroshima, where he will be the first sitting president to visit the site of the first atomic bomb attack. He arrived in Hanoi, the capital, late Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods. Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making 'extraordinary progress.' He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come. U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before granting it. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year Obama will make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to double by 2020. That would mean knocking down auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam Obama will make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to double by 2020. That would mean knocking down auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where the uncertain global economy will be a top concern. They'll also grapple with a full array of world challenges, including the fight against ISIS and the refugee crisis in Europe. Obama will finish his trip in Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people, ushering in the nuclear age seven decades ago. Another bomb killed 70,000 in Nagasaki three days later. It will be a moment to reflect on the devastating costs of war and to try to give new impetus to the call for a nuclear-free world that Obama issued seven years ago in his first year as president. A new website allows you to cash in on your spare space by renting it out to those with too much clutter. Stashbee hires out homeowner's lofts, garages or sheds, so that people who need somewhere to store all their extra belongings don't have to make a trip to the tip or the charity shop. The scheme was dreamed up by two friends eager to cash in on the 'sharing economy', launched by similar projects like Uber and Airbnb, and it already has 30 hosts across London. Room for hire: Stashbee allows people to rent out their spare space to others, taking influence from firms in the 'share economy' such as Uber and Airbnb (file photo) Stashbee, founded by management consultants Anthony Paine and David Mantle, claims to be 90 per cent cheaper than other storage firms and charges 5 per box or item, per month. However, medium sized items such as a bike or bedside table cost 8 and beds and washing machines 12. On their website the founders said they started the firm to make life easier for others. They wrote: 'Living in London, we found that between moving houses, travelling a lot and living in increasingly smaller spaces, we just didn't have enough storage space for our stuff (and that's after getting rid of non-essentials!). 'When it came to paying for self storage, all the options were expensive and complicated. We got tired of dealing with storage staff who were missing the word 'helpful' from their vocabulary, driving for hours to get to and from our stuff, and handing wads of money over to storage companies. 'We also got thinking about how much empty space there was in the houses, flats and buildings around us. Surely there were people within walking distance who would take great care of our stuff for a reasonable price? 'We wanted to store nearby, with people who cared about our stuff, without spending a load of cash. So we started Stashbee.' Mr Paine, 28, believes his company gives punters more bang for their buck due to the way they price their project. Sharing economy: Stashbee already has 30 hosts across London and its founders believe that the project offers punters better value for money because it prices by the item rather than space He told the Times: 'Traditional storage companies have come up with quotes, based on fixed space sizes. We price by the box and by the item.' However, the scheme is certainly not for everyone. Staying in someone's empty home for a short period, like Airbnb, may be one thing, but leaving your personal belongings in a stranger's home for long periods of time requires quite a lot of trust. Mr Paine assures that those signing up for Stashbee are contractually obliged to play by the rules. Four 'dangerous' scrambler bikers have been filmed taunting police by pulling wheelies while riding along a busy road - in front of two patrol cars. The group of 'intimidating' bikers - who ride in convoy along a road in Liverpool - have been slammed by officials who claim they are 'terrorising neighbourhoods'. They were captured on camera performing wheelies as they went past the two police vehicles which officers were driving in the opposite direction. The bikers were wearing helmets when they sped up on their back wheels as they bolted past Thompson's Funeral Directors on Rocky Lane in the city. And it seems they only decided to pull a wheelie after spotting the police cars stop at a set of traffic lights on the other side of the road. Merseyside's Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy told the Liverpool Echo: 'This kind of behaviour is reckless, intimidating and dangerous. 'These riders have absolutely no regard for other road users or pedestrians and are putting the safety of innocent people, as well as their own lives, in jeopardy.' 'These bikes are used to terrorising neighbourhoods and cause misery and suffering to law-abiding members of society. The four scrambler bikers decided to pull a wheelie after spotting the police cars stop at a set of traffic lights on the other side of the road They were captured on camera performing wheelies as they went past the two police vehicles which officers were driving in the opposite direction 'The gangs who are using them in this way also use them to commit serious crime. 'Let me reassure the public that Merseyside Police and I take this kind of behaviour very seriously. 'That's why we joined forces with Crimestoppers to launch a campaign urging people to help us take these bikes off the streets. 'Merseyside Police have had major success finding the people responsible and seizing and crushing their bikes through Operation Brookdale and with the public's help we can do more.' The group of 'intimidating' bikers - who ride in convoy along a road in Liverpool - have been slammed by officials who claim they are 'terrorising neighbourhoods' The bikers were wearing helmets when they sped up on their back wheels as they bolted past Thompson's Funeral Directors on Rocky Lane in Liverpool Area Commander for Liverpool Mark Wiggins, reassured the public police were doing everything they could to crackdown on the issue. He said: 'This is a very short clip of an incident which may have resulted in further police action. 'At this time, due to the limited information we have, the way this incident was resolved is unclear and officers are working to establish the full facts. A US Army veteran who served in three combat tours of the Middle East is locked in a desperate battle to gain asylum for his Iraqi comrade before he is killed by ISIS. When Chase Millsap, 33, was on routine patrol in Iraq, his life was saved by a native soldier who threw him to the floor as sniper fire whizzed over his head. But now the former officer, known only as The Captain, is living a precarious existence as a refugee, dodging ISIS militants who want to kill him because he worked with the Americans. For the past two years Millsap has been fighting to gain asylum for his brother in arms, unable to leave his comrade behind. Brothers in arms: A US Army veteran who served in three combat tours of the Middle East is locked in a desperate battle to gain asylum for his Iraqi Captain friend before he is killed by ISIS Comrades: When Chase Millsap, 33, was on routine patrol in Iraq, his life was saved by an Iraqi soldier known as The Captain (left) who threw him to the floor as sniper fire whizzed over his head 'The Captain is the epitome of my personal commitment to take care of people,' said Millsap, who served in the Marine Corps and upon re-enlistment joined the Army and became a Green Beret. For the time being, The Captain lives in southern Turkey, struggling to obtain refugee status in what he hopes will be the first step toward seeking permanent asylum in the United States. 'If I go back, I'm sure I die,' the 37-old Muslim and married father of two said recently during an interview over Skype. He agreed to speak, but, fearing for his safety, only wanted to be identified by his former rank. As he spoke his 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son played in the family's living room. Millsap visited his friend last year at his cramped apartment, hoping he might help him expedite his refugee application. After running into one obstacle after another - The Captain couldn't get an interview at one government office because his papers were in English, not Turkish - Millsap returned to the United States and, with a handful of other military veterans, formed the nonprofit Ronin Refugee Project. Danger: But now the former officer, known only as The Captain, is living a precarious existence as a refugee, dodging Islamic State militants who want to kill him because he worked with the Americans It's dedicated to helping those who fought alongside Americans find safe harbor here or in other Western countries. After helping The Captain, they hope to turn their attention to others. 'He's one of millions that's stuck in a system that is broken and he's just gonna continue to wait,' Millsap said. 'And so we decided to step up, me and a few other veterans.' On Tuesday, he will be in Washington to meet with members of Congress and others to discuss just how the U.S. might go about doing that. He quickly pushed me down and ran towards the gunfire and because of that saved my life. 'That's really become my mission,' said the newlywed who after obtaining his master's degree from the University of Southern California went to work this month as a community liaison helping U.S. veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Friendly and outgoing, Mills was a fresh-faced 2nd lieutenant when he arrived in Iraq in 2006 to lead a contingent of U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers. The Captain, then a lieutenant himself, was among the latter group. 'When I met The Captain I was unimpressed at first,' said Millsap, chuckling. He was a Marine, after all, and no decent Marine thinks anyone can do the job better than he can, he added. Never mind that they were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by danger in a foreign country where they didn't know the culture. Determined: For the past two years Millsap has been fighting to gain asylum for his brother in arms, unable to leave his comrade behind His attitude began to change as The Captain patiently explained why he and his troops weren't getting buy-in from the locals or the Iraqi soldiers. It changed dramatically, however, after a sniper tried to take Millsap's head off during a routine patrol. 'He quickly pushed me down and ran towards the gunfire and because of that saved my life,' Millsap recalled. The sniper, seeing an angry Iraqi soldier charging at him, chose to run rather than shoot again. 'And that,' Millsap added with a laugh, 'is when I truly realized that this guy's OK.' It was coincidence the two crossed paths a year later during Millsap's second tour. He was again in charge of a Marine contingent and The Captain was now his Iraqi counterpart. The bearded soldier stared at him, incredulous that he'd returned to that hell. Millsap left the Marines after that tour to join the Army's Green Berets, rising to the rank of captain himself. The two didn't cross paths but kept in touch by phone and email until one day the communications stopped. Progress: On Tuesday, he will be in Washington to meet with members of Congress and others to discuss just how the U.S. might go about finding safe harbor for foriegn veterans The Captain, Millsap would learn a year later, had nearly been killed when an IED blew up his Jeep. He recovered and soldiered on until ISIS began moving in and the death threats began. When calls to his home began identifying his children by name he gathered up his family and fled to Turkey. Now a typical day begins with physical therapy on his right arm, still damaged by the IED. That's followed by tasks like teaching his children the English alphabet, then studying English grammar himself so he can fine-tune his United Nations application for refugee status. The last time he met with a UN official, he said, he was told a decision might come within three months. That was four months ago. Now he's heard maybe in a month or two. Or maybe a year. He and Millsap check in by Skype once a week. During a recent call he praised Ronin Refugee Project for not forgetting him. The Australian Prime Minister didn't seem to enjoy a smooch from a pooch as he greeted locals at an event as he campaigns for the upcoming federal election. Malcolm Turnbull was visiting Port of Eden on NSW's far south coast on Monday when a local Lagotto called Brando took a shine to the Liberal leader, giving him an affectionate face lick. The Prime Minister was visiting the port with NSW Premier Mike Baird to announce a $44 million expansion to the area and a promise of a $5.6 million upgrade of Merimbula Airport. Brando's owner Chrissy Miller, told The Australian that the port announcement was great for the area and would 'keep Eden moving forward' Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was visiting Port of Eden on NSW's far south coast on Monday when a local Lagotto called Brando gave him an affectionate face lick Mr Turnbull chatted with a few Port of Eden locals and met several of their dogs, but none seemed quite as affectionate as 15-week-old Brando. The Prime Minister is pictured hugging the pup closely as owner Ms Miller looks on. Brando appears to enjoy the attention and leans up to give the Australian leader a big lick. Mr Turnbull doesn't appear to enjoy the tender act too much, closing his eyes and leaning away as onlookers smiled. Despite his reaction, the Liberal leader has a well documented history of being a dog lover, even dedicating a page on his website to a 'Dog Blog', from the perspective of various pooches including Dusty the Kelpie and Jo Jo the Dog. The posts contain various news stories and dog-related comments, including Kevin Rudd being an alleged 'cat lover'. Brando's owner Chrissy Miller (left) said during Mr Turnbull's visit that she was disappointed at the slow pace of the national broadband network roll-out in Port of Eden The Prime Minister was visiting Port pf Eden with NSW Premier Mike Baird to announce a $44 million expansion to the area and a promise of a $5.6 million upgrade of Merimbula Airport The Liberal leader has a well documented history of being a dog lover, even dedicating a page on his website to a 'Dog Blog ' Brando's owner,Ms Miller is a swinging voter and said during Mr Turnbull's visit that she was disappointed at the slow pace of the national broadband network roll-out in Port of Eden. She said she ran a creative marketing and graphics agency from home, and faster internet would be a huge boost for her business. All primary school children should be taught about filling in tax returns, bank statements and how to find the best mobile phone tariff, a report by MPs says All primary school children should be taught about filling in tax returns, bank statements and how to find the best mobile phone tariff, MPs say today. They warn that some children get behind at an early stage in life because their school does not teach day-to-day financial skills. Financial education should not be a 'postcode lottery,' MPs say as they call for the subject to be included in the national curriculum. MPs want teaching financial education to be compulsory in primary schools across England and today's report comes two years after it was rolled in the curriculum for secondary schools. Today's report calls for secondary school teaching of the subject to focus more on real life issues. But research for the group found that one in five teachers leading classes do not believe they know enough about the subject. It says headteachers should adopt a 'whole-school' approach to teaching the subject to ensure all pupils benefit from the subject. The report states: 'Strengthening school provision at both primary and secondary level remains a critical issue. 'We need to encourage teaching in both mathematics and citizenship to focus on real-life contexts, such as reading bank statements and paying taxes. 'We also need to start younger and recognise the role that primary schools can, and should, play in familiarising children with money concepts in an age-appropriate manner. 'Financial education should not be a "postcode lottery", with some students left out simply due to the school they attend, which is why we recommend that statutory financial education is introduced at primary level.' It adds: 'Academies, free schools and independent schools have no obligation to teach it, though many use provision in the national curriculum as a benchmark for their teaching.' Two years ago the Government launched the Illegal Money Lending Team, aimed at giving resources to primary and secondary schools to teach lessons about borrowing, debt, money and credit. But only one in six secondary school teachers had received training in the subject, the report found. Now school bans WHISTLES at the end of playtime because 'aggressive' loud noises might scare children A school has banned whistles at the end of playtime in case the 'aggressive' loud noises scare children. Children at St Monica's Catholic Primary School in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, must instead look out for their teachers' raised hands to know when to stop playing. The move was attacked by Pamela Cunningham, a teaching assistant at the school, in a letter to Country Life magazine. A school has banned whistles at the end of playtime in case the 'aggressive' loud noises scare children (stock photo) Children at St Monica's Catholic Primary School (pictured) in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, must instead look out for the raised hands of their teachers to know when to stop playing Ms Cunningham, who has been at the school for 26 years, said staff feared that in an emergency children might not see their raised hands. So she keeps a back-up whistle in her pocket - 'just in case'. Her letter read: 'At the primary school where I have worked for more than 26 years, the blowing of the whistle to signal the end of playtime has now been banned. 'It's thought to be too aggressive and some children may be afraid of the noise. 'We now have to raise a hand in the air and hope that the children, all 120 of them, can see it and stop playing. 'God forbid that we should have to gather the children in an emergency - I still keep my bone, hand-carved dog whistle in my pocket just in case.' But the move has been slammed by a top child psychologist, who says health and safety is fundamentally eradicating childhood. Emma Kenny, who has over 20 years experience as a psychological therapist, said she is yet to meet a child who is afraid of whistles Emma Kenny, who has over 20 years experience as a psychological therapist and lectures at Manchester University, said she is yet to meet a child who is afraid of whistles. She said: 'I do not know where the basis of their evidence has come from but if a child is taught the alarm system - there is no reason for it to be feared. 'Loud bangs can be intimidating to children but we need to let them know they shouldn't be afraid of loud noises as it isn't realistic. 'I think we are at a time where health and safety is fundamentally eradicating childhood. 'From my many years of experience with children and working with primary schools, I am yet to find a child who is scared of a whistle.' Ms Kenny referred to 'cotton wool parenting' and said it doesn't teach children that we can live in a world with loud noises. She added: 'It is ridiculous. I am completely behind the teacher in what she has said. Show me a playground where children are cowering in the corner and then I'll reconsider it. 'But what about things like the Olympics where they use starter guns and things like that. 'I think we are underestimating children - we have forgotten how resilient they actually are.' St Monica's is a Voluntary Aided Catholic Primary School for boys and girls between the ages of three and 11 years and there are 467 children on roll including at the school and nursery. Ofsted gave the school a 'good' raring and the report said: 'St Monica's Catholic Primary is a good school. Parents and carers appreciate the strong family ethos, excellent quality care and enjoyable learning opportunities provided by the school. 'Its motto, 'Let Trust, Respect and Love live here', permeates the whole school and contributes significantly to the strong sense of common values underpinned by the positive, Catholic ethos.' The move comes after students at the University of East Anglia were invited to mime throwing their mortarboards in their graduation photo because of a risk of injury. MailOnline has contacted the school for comment. Students at the University of East Anglia class have been told they can mime the action and a computer whizz will Photoshop the flying cap in - for 8 British schools forced to hire eastern European teaching assistants to help pupils who don't speak English as a first language British schools are hiring eastern European teaching assistants in a bid to manage the influx of children born to Polish, Slovakian and Lithuanian parents. Millions of pounds are being spent by local authorities in a bid to provide support for those families which have migrated to the UK to work. Services such as bilingual staff and textbooks in a variety of languages are being provided to children of eastern European descent, with many quickly outperforming their British-born counterparts, despite knowing little English. Some British children are even being turned away by schools where more than 25 per cent of pupils do not speak English as their first language, according to information provided by SchoolDash. British schools are hiring eastern European teaching assistants in a bid to manage the influx of children born to Polish, Slovakian and Lithuanian parents (stock image) One migration hotspot, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, has spent 110million since 2007 to create more than 8,000 school places to cope with the added demand. Iain Erksine, principal of Fulbridge Academy in Peterborough, told The Sunday Times: 'We have seen a rapid increase in European families; one in five our of pupils are from eastern Europe. 'I have hired bilingual assistants to teach them and bought dictionaries of all the different languages.' Mr Erksine added that eastern European children had proven to be the school's highest achievers by the age of 11, while British working-class boys were the hardest to 'move upwards'. St Norbert's Catholic Primary School in Spalding, Lincolnshire, said nearly 70 per cent of its students originated from eastern Europe, and that it too had hired Polish teaching assistants as a result. The same is true of the four schools that made up the Witham Academies Federation in Boston, Lincolnshire, where almost half of its pupils across the academy had eastern European parents. Almost 200,000 pupils in the country now have an Eastern European first language - up from around 52,000 seven years ago. Schools, including those across the Midlands and Yorkshire, have posted job adverts online in recent months in a hunt for suitable teaching assistants. An American couple whose son vanished 39 years ago have been sent a letter that claims to know the reasons behind his disappearance. The letter was sent to Carol Ross, 78, and her 80-year-old husband Bernard Ross Sr almost four decades after Bernard 'Bunny' Ross Jr, then 18, was last seen. The anonymous writer alleged to have key knowledge of the circumstances surrounding their son going missing, linking Bunny's disappearance with a story in a local newspaper. Carol Ross, 78, and her 80-year-old husband Bernard Ross Sr received the note to their home in Portland 39 years after Bernard 'Bunny' Ross Jr (pictured before he went missing), then 18, was last seen Police have since renewed their interest in the case, believing the tip-off to be a genuine fresh lead to find Bernard, who would now be 57. He was living with his parents in Fort Kent, Maine, when he vanished on May 12, 1977. He took the family car from their home early that morning and drove it to his aunt's house in Presque Isle, where he is said to have taken another vehicle 'without permission'. That car was eventually found more than 20 miles away in Ashland. Ross was last seen walking on Realty Road near the border between the towns of Ashland and Portage. An artist's impression of how 'Bunny' may look now, aged 57 'I think the community was shocked,' the Bangor Daily News quoted his father, Bernard Sr as saying last week. His mother Carol said: 'People had a hard time because there were no answers... It's not like there was a death. It was the unknown. There was always the hope that he'd walk through the door one day.' She admitted that Bernard, who was one of six children, was 'going through some ups and downs' around the time he went missing. The couple moved to Gorham, Maine, in 1981 - four years after he disappeared. They lived there for 20 years when they decided to move to Portland. 'I've never had anything like this happen in my career,' Police Lt Troy Gardner of Maine State Police said in Portland, where Ross' parents now live, He went on to tell the Portland Press Herald: 'Basically, all we're doing is extending an olive branch, saying we want to make contact with this person. 'Of course, there's no way of knowing whether the letter's truthful or the information is accurate, but we are asking for whoever wrote the letter to please contact us.' He made it clear that there was a chance the letter was a hoax adding that if it was, 'that's a horrible thing to do to somebody who's been missing their son since 1977'. Lt Gardner confirmed the letter was sent to Mr and Mrs Ross but did not disclose details such as whether it was handwritten, how long it was or even what the writer claimed had happened to their son. Bunny was living with his parents in Fort Kent, Maine, when he vanished on May 12, 1977 (pictured, the police station in his hometown) He said the police want to find out more about letter's author and try to discern whether its authentic before they release any more information. 'There's always been the hope or assumption that he's alive out there,' Gardner added. 'There's been nothing to suggest he's not alive. The other side of that is that he's been missing since 1977, and that's a long time to go without contact with family.' A white Muslim convert who failed to tell police her husband had fled Britain to join ISIS, and then tried to follow him to Syria with their three children, was jailed for two and a half years today. Lorna Moore, a former Protestant from Northern Ireland, is one of two British mothers who plotted to join their terrorist husbands as part of a so-called 'Babies for ISIS' plot. Moore, 34, a trainee maths teacher, had pretended she was taking her family to Majorca on a two-week package holiday last November. Scroll down for video Law graduate Lorna Moore planned to take her three children, including an 11 month old baby, to join her husband in Syria Moore, 33, pictured outside court in February, was convicted after it emerged her supply teacher husband Sajid Aslam (right), 34, left the country to join the terror group in August 2014 But a text to her from another Muslim convert's wife in Turkey, the usual route to Syria, gave away her final destination because she told her: 'See you there'. Her supply teacher husband Sajid Aslam, 34, had already secretly left the UK to try and join the terror group in August 2014. Jude Charles Wide QC told her: 'You knew very well your husband's dedication. You knew it and you didn't tell. The things you lied about give a clear insight into your mindset.' Aslam claims he is in Turkey, and has sent photographs of himself posing with Western objects in an attempt to convince the authorities that he has not joined ISIS. The judge said that Moore had pretended to have broken up with him, when in fact he was sending sexual messages to her. Moore is one of a number of British Muslim women from Walsall, West Midlands accused of trying to travel to the war zone to be with their husbands after joining an extremist group based in the town. One of the group, Kerry Thomason, 24, pleaded guilty to assisting her husband, Isaiah Siadatan, to travel to Syria and then was intercepted when she tried to take her family and give birth in the Caliphate. Today she was given a two-year suspended sentence after a judge suggested that she did not have a 'full understanding' of what her husband was planning to do. Another convert, Kerry Thomason, left, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to assisting her husband, Isaiah Siadatan, right, to travel to Syria and engage in acts of terrorism Moore's co-defendant, Ayman Shaukat, 27, was also found guilty of helping Aslam and another Muslim convert, 22-year-old Alex Nash. Shaukat (pictured) took the above selfie after dropping Aslam at the airport Shaukat (left) described IS as 'evil' and told the court he had told MI5 he would 'assist in any way I could' - but his nickname at home was the chameleon because he changed so often; Alex Nash, right, was in a group of British Muslims who allegedly wanted bring up their children under the Islamic State He said: 'There is a naivety about you and I accept that you may not have had a really full understanding of what was involved though you knew your husband was going to fight.' Thomason, whose three children are all in care, was only 'acting to please her husband', according to her lawyer, and has been unable to find work since her arrest. The court heard that Lorna Moore, who met her husband Aslam at Manchester Metropolitan University, had taken the rest of the family on a Butlins holiday in Skegness at the time of his departure to Syria She then booked flights to Palma, Majorca, and was due to travel in November last year. She also started to make plans to rent out her home. The prosecution alleged the tickets were a plan to get her children - including one who was just 11 months old at the time - to Syria. Julian Christopher, prosecuting, said of the message: [This] suggests the journey that has been planned is not simply a two-week holiday to Majorca. Lorna Moore's partner Aslam (pictured) claims he is in Turkey, and has sent photographs of himself posing with Western objects in an attempt to convince the authorities that he has not joined ISIS He sent pictures of himself posing with a Playstation 3 and violent games Call of Duty and Assassins Creed In fact, the plan was to take the children, via an innocuous-looking destination, to be reunited with their father.' But Moore, who had recently enrolled on a 4,500 PGCE course, insisted she would 'never' put her children's lives in danger, adding: 'They mean the world to me.' She claimed she had been planning to take them back to her family's Protestant farm in Omagh, Northern Ireland, after finishing her teacher training. Her mother backed up her claim. She also told the court that her relationship with Aslam had ended after he became abusive and said they only lived together for the sake of the children, the court heard. She said: He would grab me by the hair and put my face in the toilet and say "does that look clean to you". [He said] if it was not for him I would be a "Gori [offensive name for a white person] on a council estate with a can of Carling and a cigarette and with five kids by five different fathers".' She added: He was controlling, he always wanted to be in the lead, he would have made sure that this is mealtime he has his meal on time. Moore, who was said to have lived a 'typical student life' until converting in 2002, claimed when she turned to a Muslim cleric for a divorce, he told her that a 'white Muslim is not a special Muslim' and she must take her husband back. Aslam also sent a picture of himself in front of a big screen showing a western movie to the authorities The judge said that Moore had pretended to have broken up with supply teacher Aslam (pictured) when in fact he was sending sexual messages to her She said Aslam should 'grow a pair' and come back to Britain and explain himself 'if he is innocent and got nothing to hide'. Aslam's sister Sarwat told jurors her brother had been in touch with her during the course of the trial to say he wanted to 'start a dialogue with police about coming home'. Meanwhile, Moore's co-defendant, Ayman Shaukat, 27, was also found guilty of helping Aslam and another Muslim convert, 22-year-old Alex Nash. Shaukat, a law graduate, was today jailed for 10 years after the judge said he was 'a supporter of terrorist acts in the form of violent jihad'. In mitigation, the court heard Nash had sent a letter to Judge Wide, which outlined his charity work and how he was drawn to Syria. In it, Nash said: 'I don't want to give the impression I pass responsibility for myself. I have committed a crime and should be punished for it. I am disappointed with myself that I allowed myself to get into this situation.' Aslam's sister Sarwat told jurors her brother had been in touch during the trial to say he wanted to 'start a dialogue with police about coming home' But the judge described the letter as 'gobbledegook', adding: 'He seems to think this was an extension of his charity work. He doesn't explain the shift from charity work to terrorism at all. And it seems to make him some sort of victim in this.' Nash was given a five-year sentence, and told by the judge: 'You were dedicated to the cause and had been dedicated for some time. You did not complete your journey but you jolly nearly did.' Shaukat, from Walsall, had denied helping his friends join IS by dropping Aslam and Nash off at airports. The court heard the day after dropping Aslam off at the airport Shaukat sent a photograph of himself posing with the IS flag. Aslam sent a triumphant coded message - a video link to a song called Made It by Cash Money Heroes - back to reveal he had made it to his destination. Shaukat, who started a law degree at Manchester Metropolitan University after dropping out of a building course, described IS as 'evil' and said that he had told MI5 he would 'assist in any way I could' after agents contacted him as treasurer of the community group Islam Walsall. He had several meetings and phone calls with security services before their association 'fizzled out', he said. Jurors were also told about other members of the West Midlands group who allegedly set off for Syria between July and December 2014. The first to join ISIS was Muslim convert, Jake Petty, 25, also known as Abu Yaqoob Britany. His Christian minister mother Sue Boyce wept as she told jurors how she begged him not to go. In a message sent on October 26 last year to his parents, twin brother Tom and two sisters, Petty insisted we are not a load of backward, bloodthirsty terrorists and claimed nobody has been brainwashed or tricked. His mother was later forced to identify his body from video footage on social media after he was killed in December 2014. Petty was swiftly followed by former schoolmate Siadatan, 24, whose pregnant wife Thomason was supposed to fly out with their two children but was stopped by police. The court heard he had sent her an email in December 2014 insisting that she should bring their children to him in IS. It read: If you dont bring my kids to the Islamic State I will send someone to kill you and I will send someone to kill your mum and dad. You have two weeks from today. Look I love you but if you think I will let you bring up my kids in a kafir country youre mistaken. Christian minister mother Sue Boyce wept as she told jurors her son Jake Petty, 25, also known as Abu Yaqoob Britany, went to Syria against her wishes and was later killed Alex Nash, holding a British passport, and his wife Yousma Jan waiting to through the security area at Birmingham Airport - they were intercepted in Turkey Siadatan is believed to have been killed in the summer of 2015, although his death is unconfirmed. Meanwhile, Nash, 22, and his pregnant wife Yousma Jan, 20, were arrested by Turkish authorities and sent back to the UK. He took sole responsibility for the plan and admitted preparing acts of terrorism, while a charge against his wife was discontinued. Prosecutor Mark Dawson had previously claimed Jan's 'aim was to give birth in the Islamic State not Walsall. Prosecutors also confirmed it was believed pregnancy was a key driver in some of the womens attempts to get to Syria Speaking after the group were convicted, West Midlands Police's Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale said the case showed that Moore was 'just as criminal and just as dangerous' as her husband. He said: 'ISIS is a really dangerous organisation and the criminal courts will be interested in hearing those cases. A body has been found in a creek on the fifth day of a search for a missing Victorian mother-of-five. The yet to be identified female is believed to be missing person Fiona Hawker, police say in a statement. Ms Hawker, 47, suffered from a medical condition and didn't take her phone with her when she went missing in Monbulk last Thursday, and police say they are not, at this stage, treating the death as suspicious. She was last seen at a residential address on McAllister Road, Monbulk on Thursday about 8.15am. Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Mother of five, Fiona Hawker, 47, was last seen on Thursday. A body thought to be Ms Hawker's was found in a creek in Monbulk, Victoria, on Monday Victoria Police said they were not at this stage treating the death as suspicious (stock image) He had a history with police and was found with Police believe a father who vanished from his home two weeks ago has fallen victim to foul play and are investigating if his suspected murder is a drug related crime. Michael Modesti, 33, uncharacteristically disappeared from his Beverly home, in Adelaide's west, on May 8 and has not made contact with his friends, partner or family since. Police declared his disappearance a major crime on Monday with Detective Superintendent Des Bray confirming that investigators believe he has fallen victim to a drug related attack. Scroll down for video Police have declared the disappearance of Adelaide father Michael Modesti a major crime He said Mr Modestii has been trouble with police prior to 2006 and while there had been 'minimal interaction' since then, he was found with a small number of cannabis seedlings in 2014. 'Police have an open mind as to what may have happened but are investigating the possibility that in recent times he may have got involved with the wrong people again,' Detective Bray said. 'The possibility of this being a drug related murder cannot be excluded,' he added. On the night of his disappearance, Mr Modesti ordered a pizza at home and spoke with his girlfriend Crystal Catacchio on the phone about meeting with his son before advising he was going to bed. He made no indication that he was in trouble but she became concerned when he did not follow up with her the next day and contacted his family to try find out about his whereabouts. Mr Modestii has been trouble with police prior to 2006 and while there had been 'minimal interaction' since then he was found with a small number of cannabis seedlings in 2014 His girlfriend Crystal Catacchio told police he made no indication that he was in trouble when they spoke on Sunday night about meeting up with his young son His brother reported him missing on May 10 and police found his car abandoned nearby in Chenoweth Avenue, West Croydon, later that day. When police searched his home they found his bank cards, wallet and mobile phone were left inside. Dashcam footage from a passing taxi shows the dark blue sedan was not there at 3.15am on the night Mr Modesti went missing but an early morning walker said they saw the car parked there at about 5.30am. Officers went door-to-door making inquiries with local residents last weekend to see if anyone has information about his whereabouts or last known location, with some indicating that he was known to frequent the area. His Mitsubishi Magna was abandoned nearby in Chenoweth Avenue, West Croydon, on Wednesday, but police believe it could have been sitting there since as early as Monday morning Officers went door-to-door making inquiries with local residents over the weekend to see if anyone has information about his whereabouts or last known location Mr Modesti is of Caucasian appearance with short brown hair, brown eyes and tattoos on his right arm Police said he had recently spent some time in Thailand for a building expo as he was considering establishing an import business for silicone used by tilers. Detectives were unable to confirm if he attended the expo, who he may have seen or who travelled with. This is the horrifying moment staff at a Russian rehab centre were caught on camera appearing to break a blind child's arm - because he would not take his medicine. The incident was captured on a security camera at the Dobriy Volshebnik - or Kind Wizard - centre for disabled children in the city of Surgut in central Russia's Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug region. CCTV footage shows the child, named as Timur, lying on the floor in a playroom. CCTV footage shows the child, named as Timur, lying on the floor in a playroom before a woman wearing black trousers and a checked shirt grabs him by the arm and drags him across the carpet Seconds later, a woman wearing black trousers and a checked shirt grabs him by the arm and drags him across the carpet, before she leaves him lying on the floor for a while. The video then shows the boy sitting as three members of staff stand around him, apparently trying to feed him medicine. The women had reportedly become angry when the child had refused to take the medication. One of the women - the same person who aggressively dragged him across the carpet - then appears to yank the boy's arm back. The footage then cuts to Timur inexplicably lying on the floor again. Timur's mother, Irina Skorozvon later got a call from the centre where staff told her that her son was unwell and needed to be picked up. She came to the rehab clinic and noticed that her son was covered in bruises and carpet burns. Irina then discovered to her horror that Timur's arm was broken and raised the alarm. One of the women - the same person who aggressively dragged him across the carpet - then appears to yank the boy's arm back The footage then cuts to Timur inexplicably lying on the floor again. He was later rushed to a hospital where he underwent a two-hour surgery for his broken limb The boy was rushed to a hospital where he underwent a two-hour surgery for his broken limb. Doctor Andrey Rubtsov said: 'An X-ray scan revealed the fracture of his humerus bone. On the same day we performed surgery.' The incident caught the attention of Pavel Astakhov - the Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation. He said: 'It is impossible to justify aggression towards a small blind child.' The head of the rehab centre, German Maximov, has since confirmed the incident and has announced that the 'staff involved in the video have been fired'. The exact number of staff fired has not been revealed. It was also not revealed whether a police investigation has started. For more of the latest Islamic State news visit www.dailymail.co.uk/isis ISIS have lost ground in recent months in their strongholds of Syrian and Iraq ISIS commanders who fail in their duties are being fed alive to dogs in a brutal new form of execution, it has been revealed. It has been reported that the terror group has been tying commanders to trees and allowing dogs to maul them to death, if they do not fulfill their chief duties. The new execution method was revealed by Hasan Khala Hasan, a Kurish Peshmerga commander who was been fighting on the Gwer frontline in northern Iraq. Scroll down for video ISIS members march through the city of Raqqa in Syria. It has been revealed that ISIS commanders who fail in their duties are being fed alive to dogs (file pic) It comes as the jihadis have faced a string of military defeats in recent months and are losing ground in their strongholds of Syria and Iraq. And experts say ISIS are using brutal methods of execution to frighten other members in to strictly following rules and commands. Dler Ahmed, a Kurdish sociologist told ABNA: 'ISIS uses any members who are thought to be of no use, for the organization to frighten other members.' Last week, the U.S. military said that ISIS are continuing to lose control over territory across Iraq and Syria, including almost half of what it had once held in Iraq. Despite storming across Iraq and Syria in early 2014, the terror group has lost territory in recent weeks (file pic) Militants stormed across large parts of Iraq and Syria in early 2014, meeting little resistance from Iraqi security forces and exploiting the chaos in civil-war-torn Syria. Since August 2014, the United States has led an international coalition fighting back against the group, using a combination of air strikes and training and equipping local partners. ISIS has now lost control of Ramadi and Heet in Iraq, but still control other important cities including Mosul and Fallujah. Meanwhile the execution methods used by the so-called Islamic State have become more brutal over the past few weeks. The execution methods used by the so-called Islamic State have become more brutal over the past few weeks New footage emerged last week showing an ISIS prisoner being crushed to death by a large boulder in Yemen Last week it was reported that 25 people in Mosul had been killed after being lowered into a vat of nitric acid. The men had been accused of spying on ISIS on behalf of Iraqi government security forces. According to witnesses, the 25 alleged 'spies' had been tied together with a rope and lowered in a large basin containing nitric acid until their organs dissolved. Meanwhile at the weekend, new footage emerged showing an ISIS prisoner being crushed to death by a large boulder in Yemen. In the appalling propaganda video, several masked ISIS fighters dressed in matching military fatigues and tactical vests are shown executing three prisoners in cold blood. A woman was raped by her Tinder date who set a 'trap' for her by encouraging her to drink quickly before taking her to a hotel, a New Zealand court has heard. Wellington man Amitesh Kumar pleaded not guilty in Wellington District Court on Monday to one charge of sexual violation by rape, reported stuff.co.nz. The woman moved to New Zealand from overseas only shortly before matching with Mr Kumar on the dating app. A woman told police a man she met on dating app Tinder (pictured) set a 'trap' for her and raped her as she slept in a hotel in Wellington The pair are said to have exchanged messages for about six days before meeting in March 2015. Pablo Hamber and Matthew Ferrier, who appeared as lawyers for the Crown, said Mr Kumar gave the complainant alcohol and 'encouraged her to drink it quickly'. The woman said she remembered dancing at a pub, before going to a hotel where at some point she found herself in bed with Mr Kumar. The complainant said she later lost consciousness. Mr Hamber told the court the woman came to, asked Mr Kumar if he had had sex with her and was told he had not. She told investigators: 'I was naked. He was close, I was horrified...I asked him 'Did you do anything?'' However, texts exchanged between the pair afterwards suggested otherwise. Defence lawyer Karun Lakshman said Mr Kumar, who pleaded not guilty on Monday to one charge of sexual violation by rape, said his client was a gentleman and did not entice the woman to the hotel A medical examination found semen and Hamber said it had an 'extremely strong' link to Mr Kumar's DNA. In an interview played to the court, the complainant told an investigator that on the date, the pair got out of the car and sat somewhere by the sea. The woman said Mr Kumar had complimented her on her lips but she indicated she was not interested in kissing him. The complainant also told investigators Mr Kumar asked her if she knew many people in New Zealand, or anyone that could help her in an emergency. The case, which is being heard in Wellington District Court (pictured), is expected to last at least three days Defence lawyer Karun Lakshman told the jury it was't a case where the defendant had enticed the complainant into going out with him. Mr Kumar's lawyer said his client was a 'gentleman' who never enticed the woman to the hotel. He said the pair had agreed to meet and go out for the evening. By about 11.30pm he said they were both feeling inebriated and Mr Kumar didn't want to drive home from the city. The defence said the woman wanted to drink more but they could not get any more liquor, so they chose to 'sober up if you like' before going their separate ways, insisting Mr Kumar 'didn't force her to drink'. He did not dispute the sex act took place, but said Mr Kumar said it was consensual and he seemed to remember the complainant on top of him. The woman asked Mr Kumar if she needed an emergency contraceptive. Mr Kumar later told police he didn't remember having sex, but didn't think he had done so. During cross-examination, Mr Lakshman suggested it was possible that during the drive Mr Kumar had drunk just as much as the woman. Iran has boasted it is capable of destroying Israel 'in less than eight minutes' - two weeks after testing missiles which can reach the state. Senior military adviser Ahmad Karimpour said the country had the capacity to 'raze the Zionist regime' using the 'abilities and equipment' Iran had at its disposal. The warning came just weeks after Iran claimed to have successfully tested 2,000km-range missiles capable of hitting Israel. Scroll down for video Iran claims to have successfully tested 2,000km-range missiles capable of hitting Israel - which opponents say can carry nuclear warheads (file picture) According to the Times of Israel, Karimpour - an adviser to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards elite unit al-Quds Force - said: 'If the Supreme Leaders orders [are] to be executed, with the abilities and the equipment at our disposal, we will raze the Zionist regime in less than eight minutes.' Earlier this month, Tehran military chiefs hailed the accuracy of a rocket it claimed could leave the Earth's atmosphere before hitting its target 'without error'. 'A missile with a 2,000-kilometre range was tested two weeks ago,' said General Ali Abdolahi, adding that it has a negligible margin of error of just eight metres (yards). 'We can guide this ballistic missile. It leaves the Earth's atmosphere, re-enters it and hits the target without error,' the armed forces deputy chief-of-staff said, quoted by the website of state broadcaster IRINN. In early March, Iran carried out several short, medium and long-range (300 to 2,000 kilometres) precision missile tests across its territory, mostly from underground bases. The series of tests have come in for criticism from the United State, Britain, France and Germany. The warning came just weeks after Iran claimed to have successfully tested 2,000km-range missiles capable of hitting Israel They say the tests violate United Nations resolutions, and they have called on the Security Council to address them. Opponents of the programme say the weapons are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, an argument categorically denied by Tehran's political and military authorities. Tehran's ballistic missile tests in late 2015 brought new sanctions by the US against Iran on January 17. The punitive measures were announced a day after international sanctions were lifted following the entry into force of a July 2015 nuclear agreement. Iran's parliament, whose mandate expires at the end of May, passed new legislation this month that raises the country's ballistic capability. First World War sea graves have been hit by 'industrial-scale looting' from a Royal Navy battlecruiser that was sunk by the Germans in the Battle of Jutland, archaeologists have claimed. The Ministry of Defence has been accused of not doing enough to react following allegations that the some of the 25 ships sunk in the North Sea battle are being torn apart by salvage teams. Among the worst-hit wrecks has been that of the HMS Queen Mary, which sank during the 36-hour battle in 1916 with 1,266 aboard and has had its 30-tonne boiler room condenser taken. Taken out of the sea: Large cordite cases on the deck of a salvage vessel, which are said to be of the British Clarkson type used for 12 ammunition and above and taken from a battlecruiser lost at the Battle of Jutland Salvage: A boiler room condenser that archaeologists say is a British Admiralty type from HMS Queen Mary Battlecruiser: HMS Queen Mary was sunk with 1,266 men during the 36-hour battle in the North Sea in 1916 Explosion: HMS Lion (left) is shelled and HMS Queen Mary (right) is blown up during the Battle of Jutland The revelations come ahead of the centenary of the First World Wars largest naval battle next week in which more than 8,000 men died off the coast of Jutland in Denmark. Conflict archaeologist Andy Brockman has been researching the looting for the Pipeline website which has led him to believe one of the worst culprits is Dutch salvage firm Friendship Offshore BV. He told MailOnline today: Weve been aware that the Jutland wrecks have been looted since the 1990s and thats in spite of the fact that theyre Crown property and remain Crown property. Nobody should be touching them. Just over a year ago a colleague was approached by a source in the marine salvage business who wanted to expose what was going on. The information, the pictures and our assessment of the pictures was originally taken to MoD police plus senior officials at the MoD in the hope that they might actually be goaded into doing something. It then became clear that they were going to be doing absolutely nothing. There was no desire on the part of the MoD to investigate. Its money and the resources that it would take to deal with it. All guns blazing: Both sides claimed victory as the Germans lost 11 ships and Britain lost 14, but the German surface fleet failed to significantly challenge the British again during the war 36-hour fight: HMS Warspite and Malaya seen from HMS Valiant on May 31, 1916 duringthe Battle of Jutland Going down: A German light cruiser sinks as a British destroyer can be seen in the background at the battle What sets this one apart is the very particular issue of missing Royal Navy sailors and the war grave idea. This isnt the only time that the MoD has been tripped up over this. JUTLAND: THE ONLY HIGH SEAS CONFLICT DURING WORLD WAR ONE The Battle of Jutland is considered to be the only major naval battle of the First World War. A raging conflict on the Cimbrian Peninsula saw the British Navy lose dozens of ships and thousands of men. However, it was a battle won, with the German Navy never again able to fight at sea during the war - in some way down to the loss of SMS Lutzow. German battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger at Jutland Two years into the war and Britain had an effective blockade of Germany. Up until 1916, the German High Seas Fleet had been commanded by Admiral von Poul who was considered by many to be too passive in his approach to what the German Navy could do. In 1916, von Poul was replaced by the far more aggressive Admiral Reinhardt von Scheer. He saw the damage the British blockade was doing to the German war effort, and decided to take action. His plan was to lure the British fleet out of their bases and - by using submarines and surface boats - destroy them. In May, Scheer ordered Admiral von Hipper to sea with a fleet of 40 ships. Their instruction was to move along the Danish coast - news that quickly reached Royal Navy commander Admiral Jellicoe in Rosyth. He saw this movement of such a large force as a provocative move and ordered the Grand Fleet to put to sea. The Battle of Jutland started on May 31. On that afternoon, the Navy - led by Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty's battle- cruiser squadrons - encountered Hipper's battle-cruiser force long before the Germans had expected. A running battle ensued, which culminated with the British vanguard being drawn into the path of the High Seas Fleet. Retreating, the fleet lost two battle-cruisers from their force of seven and four battleships. The battleships, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas, were the last to turn and formed a rearguard as Beatty withdrew, now drawing the German fleet in pursuit towards the main British positions. As the battle grew, the two fleets totalling 250 ships between them directly engaged twice. Fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk, with great loss of life; more than 6,000 on the side of the Royal Navy and 2,500 Germans. He added that the salvagers were after copper and bronze, and it is thought that what they allegedly took between 2009 and 2010 when prices were rising - could have been worth between 180,000 and 200,000. The wrecks are covered under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, which makes it illegal for Britons to disturb them, and under sovereign immunity which could see overseas prosecutions being brought. Mr Brockman continued: The Queen Mary in particular saw 1,266 sailors wiped out in seconds, the largest single loss of life at Jutland. [The looting] is disrespectful. And also, theres a sense of anger at the fact that the politicians are happy to go in front of the cameras and talk about how we must show respect for the dead of the world wars, but when faced with a managerial issue like this theyll brush it under the carpet. The battle which began on May 31, 1916 came after the British Grand Fleet sailed from Rosyth, Cromarty and Scapa Flow to repel the German High Seas Fleet fighting to break a British blockade. Both sides claimed victory as the Germans lost 11 ships and Britain lost 14, but the German surface fleet failed to significantly challenge the British again during the war. Captain Paul Quinn OBE, general secretary of the Royal Naval Association, told MailOnline today: Obviously the war graves of course must remain undisturbed. If this story is true and salvagers are going onto wrecks of the German or Royal Navy then they are graves and should not be disturbed. Sadly this is not the first, and I doubt it will be the last time it happens. Some of this metal from these wrecks is very valuable. Its not necessarily to do with the straight scrap value, but because these ships were sunk before the nuclear age, this metal is clean in that way its very valuable in medical applications. Because it was protected from radiation thats been in the atmosphere from 1944 onwards, it doesnt have that contamination and therefore is very, very useful. The simple thing is that if the ship goes down in action with sailor then it becomes a war grave and should be not touched. And, speaking to The Sun, marine archaeologist Innes McCartney, who wrote Jutland 1916: The Archaeology of a Nautical Battlefield, said of the looters: They are causing untold damage. The wrecks today look completely different to how they did even as recently as 2000. Fifteen wrecks, or 60 per cent of the total, manifest signs of having been industrially looted and it is an ongoing problem. A Navy spokesman said: The Government does not condone the unauthorised disturbance of any wreck containing the war dead and works closely with governments and other authorities to prevent inappropriate activity. Where we can identify items for sale from protected wrecks, the Government seeks to intervene and take possession of them. Sarah Wollaston hits out at 'increasingly ugly tone of the Leave campaign Blue-on-blue attack came as infighting also broke out within Brexit Tories But Javid says Cameron's EU renegotiation had convinced him to support the Remain campaign The bitter civil war engulfing the Conservative party deepened further this morning after Iain Duncan Smith accused Business Secretary Sajid Javid of being two-faced over the EU. He claimed Mr Javid had admitted in private that he was backing Brexit, suggesting he is only supporting Britain staying in the EU to further his career. The Business Secretary, who has voiced strong Eurosceptic views in the past, said he was 'reluctantly' backing Britain staying in the EU after David Cameron's renegotiation earlier this year and this morning he defended fresh Treasury analysis warning of dire consequences of Brexit. The extraordinary blue-on-blue attack came as infighting also broke out between the Tory Brexit camp, with leading Brexit supporter and Tory MP Sarah Wollaston criticising the tactics of Vote Leave, the official Out campaign. The bitter civil war engulfing the Conservative party deepened further this morning after Iain Duncan Smith (left) accused Business Secretary Sajid Javid (right) of being two-faced over the EU She voiced concern over the 'increasingly ugly tone of the Leave campaign,' adding: 'The public deserve better'. Ms Wollaston, a practicing GP and chair of the Commons health committee, stated in an article for The Times this morning: 'I will not hand out Vote Leave's deliberately misleading leaflets about the NHS.' Remarkably she said she could not support Vote Leave because of its 'cynical distortion' of the truth, which 'undermines the credibility of other arguments'. Leading Brexit supporter and Tory MP Sarah Wollaston (pictured) criticised the tactics of Vote Leave, the official Out campaign And hinting that she could be tempted to take the dramatic step of switching sides, the independent-minded Tory MP said she remained 'very torn about this referendum'. Mr Javid took to the airwaves this morning to defend today's publication of a Treasury report that warns of major short-term risks of a Brexit vote. He told the Today programme the Treasury's 'serious, sober analysis' showed up to 500,000 jobs could be lost within two years and a Brexit vote could send the UK economy back into a recession. But speaking minutes later on the same programme, Mr Duncan Smith said he was 'deeply disappointed' in Mr Javid as 'having privately said how much he wanted the UK to leave the EU he is now on defending this terrible report'. Pressed on whether Mr Javid had told him he wanted Britain to quit the EU, the straight-talking Mr Duncan Smith said: 'He has.' And asked whether that meant the Business Secretary was 'lying in public,' Mr Duncan Smith replied: 'He has written it in an article.' But earlier Mr Javid defended his decision to back Britain's continued membership of the EU - despite his previously Eurosceptic views. He said the Prime Minister's renegotiation of Britain's membership of the deal in February had convinced him to stay in the EU. 'At that time no one knew what the final deal would be,' Mr Javid said. 'Look what has been achieved in this renegotiation. Now that's being put to the British people.' He added: 'Since the announcement of the referendum we have far more detail of the impact, such as this report, that is coming out.' Today's Treasury report comes exactly a month before the EU referendum. It warns that a vote to leave the EU could cause a recession on the scale of the credit crunch. Iain Duncan Smith (pictured on Sky News this morning) claimed Sajid Javid had admitted in private that he was backing Brexit, suggesting he is only supporting Britain staying in the EU to further his career David Cameron delivers the blood-curdling warning alongside George Osborne in Hampshire today Presenting the analysis in a grim joint appearance, David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne said there would be a 'profound' economic shock from leaving the EU. Mr Cameron said the country would effectively be voting to 'self destruct' and insisted it would have a devastating impact on house prices, shopping costs and employment. SUPPORT FOR EU AMONG BUSINESS LEADERS IS FALLING, POLL FINDS John Longworth (pictured), who was forced to resign as director general of the British Chambers of Commerce after he declared his support for Brexit earlier this year, said the ICSA survey proved that David Cameron had failed to win over business leaders in his campaign to keep Britain in the EU Support for the European Union among Britain's business leaders is falling, according to fresh research published this morning. The Governance Institute's (ICSA) survey found barely a third of FTSE 350 companies back the Brussels union, down by a quarter since David Cameron secured his EU renegotiation in February. Just over four in ten top firms believe a Brexit vote would be damaging, with a majority (57 per cent) saying it would not harm their business. Only a third of companies view EU membership as having a positive effect on their business - down from 61 per cent in December. The Vote Leave campaign jumped on the findings as proof that Mr Cameron's EU deal had failed and that Britain would thrive outside the EU. John Longworth, who was forced to resign as director general of the British Chambers of Commerce after he declared his support for Brexit earlier this year, said: 'The remain camp's concerted campaign to do down the economy has failed. 'In fact it has had the opposite effect as the EU supporters have failed to make a positive case for continuing to hand Brussels more control of our economy, our democracy and our borders.' 'Business recognises it is possible for Britain to continue trading across Europe, part of the free trade zone that exists from Iceland to turkey, without handing Brussels 350 million a week and EU judges ultimate power over our laws. On 23 June the safe option is to take back control.' The claims came as the Treasury published analysis showing the economy would shrink by 1 per cent in a single quarter if there is a leave vote on June 23. But Mr Duncan Smith has already dismissed the document as dishonest and 'deeply biased'. He said it had failed to note any of the potential 'upsides' of leaving the EU. 'Every Treasury report has a central presumption from which there are downsides and then there are upsides,' he said. 'They have today chosen only to produce the downside. That makes this report categorically unfair and biased as a Treasury report.' The document suggests the economy will be tipped into a recession by Brexit, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a key measure of economic strength, as much as 6 per cent lower than it would have been by 2018. The slump could cost as many as 500,000 jobs, the assessment says. Today's analysis goes further than comments from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who sparked anger this month by saying Brexit could cause a recession. Treasury sources said all scenarios modelled by officials pointed to a 'technical recession' defined as four consecutive quarters of falling GDP. Figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predict that Britain's GDP is currently set to grow by 4.2 per cent over the next two years. In the Treasury's 'cautious' scenario, Britain would negotiate a new EU trade deal, but Brexit would still cause an economic 'shock' resulting in GDP being 3.6 per cent lower than it would have been equal to a modest 0.6 per cent rise over two years. In a second 'plausible' scenario, there would be no EU trade deal and Brexit would spark a 'severe shock', leaving GDP 6 per cent lower than it would have been equal to a 1.8 per cent fall by 2018. Mr Osborne - who will outline the said: 'It's only been eight years since Britain entered the deepest recession our country has seen since the Second World War. 'The British people have worked so hard to get our country back on track. Do we want to throw it all away? 'With exactly one month to go to the referendum, the British people must ask themselves this question can we knowingly vote for a recession? 'Does Britain really want this DIY recession? Because that's what the evidence shows we'll get if we vote to leave the EU.' Mr Osborne will launch the document at an event today with David Cameron, just 72 hours before the start of the 'purdah' period, during which ministers are banned from making announcements that could influence the vote. The first postal ballots will be sent out on Friday. The Chancellor and the PM have also rejected claims they are scaremongering. They wrote in the Daily Telegraph: 'When this is being backed up by the International Monetary Fund, the OECD, the London School of Economics, eight former US Treasury secretaries, the President of the United States of America, businesses big and small, every one of our allies and trading partners and the Governor of the Bank of England, it isn't a conspiracy but a consensus. 'We are clear, as is the vast majority of the Conservative Cabinet: this is simply a price that is not worth paying.' Private polling for both camps suggests previous Treasury warnings had a marked, short-term impact on support for Remain. But Mr Duncan Smith has hit back, pointing out the Treasury was stripped of its role in economic forecasting six years ago because its record was so poor. The former work and pensions secretary, who quit the Cabinet in March, said: 'This Treasury document is not an honest assessment but a deeply biased view of the future and it should not be believed by anyone. 'It is a fact that we hand over 350million a week to the EU. 'If we vote to leave we can take back control of that money and use it to help people here in Britain.' 'They have today chosen only to produce the downside. That makes this report categorically unfair and biased as a Treasury report.' Mr Duncan Smith also laid into Mr Javid for welcoming the analysis as 'sober and serious'. He said he was 'deeply disappointed' in the Business Secretary as in the past he had 'privately said how much he wanted the UK to leave the EU'. Treasury sources last night said the forecast was based on three factors that could suppress economic growth: a 'transition effect' as Britain becomes 'less open to trade and investment'; an 'uncertainty effect', with businesses and families putting spending on hold until the dust settles; and a 'financial conditions effect', meaning turmoil in the financial markets. Mr Osborne has previously been criticised for claims that Brexit would lead to families being 4,300 worse off than they would have been by 2030 and that house prices would be at least 10 per cent lower than they would have been by 2018. Meanwhile Boris Johnson and employment minister Priti Patel are among more than 20 Leave-supporting MPs who have written an open letter claiming the EU is preventing stronger ties with Commonwealth countries. THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING! IF YOU BELIEVE BOTH SIDES WHATEVER THE RESULT ON JUNE 23 WE'RE ALL DOOMED David Cameron has warned of war and recession during the referendum campaign David Cameron and George Osborne today warned Brexit would be the 'self-destruct' option for Britain as they unveiled forecasts the nation's economy would be plunged into a recession immediately by a vote to quit. IMF Chief Christine Lagarde said the consequences of an 'out' vote ranged from 'bad to very bad', with nearly 10 per cent potentially being wiped off the economy. Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman suggested leaving the union could boost sexism. She said Brussels had been a 'strong friend' to women and a vote to quit the union would be a 'major step back' in the fight for gender equality, she argued. David Cameron suggested that leaving could trigger another war in Europe in remarks that provoked a major backlash. Highlighting the sacrifice of UK forces in the Second World War, the Prime Minister said the 'risk' of another conflict should not be ignored. 'Can we be so sure that peace and stability on our continent are assured beyond any shadow of doubt?' he said 'The Bank of England governor also raised the prospect that Brexit could push the economy into recession. Mark Carney took the unusual step of saying it was 'possible' that UK growth could shrink after a vote to leave on June 23 as he warned of years of market turmoil. Boris Johnson enraged the Remain campaign to claim the EU had the same goal as Hitler Vote Leave have repeatedly claimed quitting the EU would save Britain 350million every week that it could instead spend on other priorities - such as the NHS. But the claim has been repeatedly dismissed as untrue by the Remain campaign and Sir Andrew Dilnot, of the UK Statistics Authority, said it was 'potentially misleading' because it ignored the rebate. The official Out campaign claimed polling in Turkey found 12 million of them would want to move to the UK if they were handed free movement. The campaign suggested the migration would also lead to far higher numbers of criminals travelling to Britain while Tory MP David Davis said an influx of Turkish workers would drive down wages. Boris Johnson claimed the European Union wanted the same goal as Adolf Hitler - but was pursuing it via 'different methods'. The ex-London Mayor said the dream of a European superstate was a flawed attempt to reclaim the golden age of the Roman empire in Europe. Out campaigners have insisted remaining in the European Union - and particularly the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice - makes it impossible for Britain to secure its borders against terrorists. They claim free movement rules mean suspects can walktz into Britain unopposed. Why we MUST quit the EU, by Cameron's guru: Friend and strategist Steve Hilton breaks ranks on Brexit to say Britain will be 'literally ungovernable' unless we take back power from the self-serving elite David Camerons closest friend in politics today, Steve Hilton (pictured) breaks ranks to say Britain must leave the arrogant and unaccountable EU David Camerons closest friend in politics today breaks ranks to say Britain must leave the arrogant and unaccountable EU. In a shattering blow to the Prime Minister, Steve Hilton claims the UK is literally ungovernable as a democracy while it remains in a club that has been corruptly captured by a self-serving elite. And in an attack on Project Fear, the former No 10 adviser dismisses claims by Mr Cameron, the IMF and the Bank of England that being in the EU makes us more secure. In an exclusive Daily Mail article, Mr Hilton who persuaded Mr Cameron to stand for Tory leader also delivers a devastating assessment of the PMs referendum deal. He says Mr Cameron made only modest demands of Brussels and that even these were swatted contemptuously aside. He also warns that Brussels will take revenge on Britain for the referendum if it votes to stay, by imposing fresh diktats. Mr Hilton concludes: A decision to leave the EU is not without risk. But I believe it is the ideal and idealistic choice for our times: taking back power from arrogant, unaccountable, hubristic elites and putting it where it belongs in peoples hands. His declaration for Brexit with exactly a month to go until polling day will send tremors through No 10. Along with Michael Gove, he provided the intellectual heft behind Mr Camerons rise to power. Both men now argue that the PM is wrong to urge voters to remain in what Mr Hilton condemns as the grotesquely unaccountable Brussels club. The former policy gurus intervention came as: George Osborne sparked fresh accusations of scaremongering by claiming Britain would be tipped into a year-long DIY recession if it leaves the EU; Mr Cameron clashed with one of his senior ministers over his support for Turkish EU membership; Rival camps in the referendum traded blows over the impact on the health service, with NHS boss Simon Stevens saying the organisations financial woes could be made even worse by Brexit. Mr Hilton, who remains close to the Prime Minister, had previously declined to be drawn into what is already a bitter blue on blue row. But today he claims the key issue for him is that Britain cannot make its own laws and control its own destiny from inside the EU. Mr Hilton says Brussels directives have crept into every corner of Whitehall and that less than a third of the Governments workload is the result of trying to fulfil its own promises and policies. The rest is generated either by the anti-market, innovation-stifling EU or a civil service dancing to the tune of Brussels, he says. Mr Hilton continues: Its become so complicated, so secretive, so impenetrable that its way beyond the ability of any British government to make it work to our advantage. In a shattering blow to the Prime Minister, Steve Hilton (pictured together in a Cabinet Room at Number 10) claims the UK is literally ungovernable as a democracy while it remains in a club that has been corruptly captured by a self-serving elite In an attack on Project Fear, Hilton (pictured with Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne, left) dismisses claims by Mr Cameron, the IMF and the Bank of England that being in the EU makes us more secure. Membership of the EU makes Britain literally ungovernable, in the sense that no administration elected by the people can govern the country. Mr Hilton warns that the tentacles of the EU have placed constraints on everything from employment law to family policy, all determined through distant, centralised processes we hardly understand, let alone control. Mr Cameron has spent recent weeks insisting that Brussels is working in the best interests of British families, and that leaving would clobber incomes and house prices. But Mr Hilton dismisses this as nonsense, describing the EU as being anti-trade and anti-enterprise. The former director of strategy, who left No 10 in 2012 to work in the US, is scathing about our supposed special status with Brussels which was negotiated by the PM in February. And he warns that an emboldened EU will punish the UK if it votes to remain. THE SCRUFFY GURU WHO PUT DAVE ON THE PATH TO NUMBER 10 The shaven-headed Mr Hilton is the Prime Ministers oldest friend in politics, and for years was his closest adviser By JAMES SLACK FOR THE DAILY MAIL David Cameron has spoken publicly of his disappointment that family friend Michael Gove decided to campaign for Brexit. But to lose Steve Hilton to the Out camp and at such a crucial stage in a bitter referendum battle that has already split the Tory Party in two is arguably just as big a blow. The shaven-headed Mr Hilton is the Prime Ministers oldest friend in politics, and for years was his closest adviser. It was the Oxford-educated guru who first encouraged Mr Cameron to run for party leader in 2005. The PM trusted him completely Mr Hilton sat at the heart of the Cameron-led party and its Notting Hill set, and was godfather to Mr Camerons son, Ivan. Yet, on the issue which will inevitably define the PMs premiership, he has been unable to carry the support of the man who put him on the path to No 10. The most common description of Mr Hilton is as a pint-sized Rasputin. He is perhaps best known for his scruffy appearance he used to pad around No 10 wearing just his socks, does not wear a suit and is usually pictured wearing cycling gear. But Mr Hilton has been described by political commentators as being just as important to Mr Cameron as Alastair Campbell and Peter Mandelson were to Tony Blair. In opposition, he was credited with changing Mr Cameron from an Old Etonian Tory boy into the modern, cycling, green politician able to speak to Britain. Ian Birrell, who worked alongside Mr Hilton in No 10 as a speech writer, describes his restless determination to transform Britain. In 2012, he wrote: He is... an iconoclast and an idealist, prepared to confront the cosy consensus of the civil service and fight those politicians who prize pragmatism over principles. It is that cosy consensus from the pro-EU views of those same big firms, the Bank of England and the rest that Mr Hilton is challenging again now. Mr Hilton is the son of Hungarian refugees who fled their home during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Ferociously bright, he went on a scholarship to Christs Hospital School in Sussex, before reading Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford the same subject as the PM. The pair became friends when they worked together at Conservative Central Office during the 1992 General Election, alongside George Osborne. Mr Cameron went on to work as a special adviser to Norman Lamont and Michael Howard. Mr Hilton departed to the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, before setting up his own consultancy, Good Business, which advised companies including McDonalds on how they could do good by being socially responsible. The Remain camp has tried to characterise those who want to quit the EU as being the old-fashioned Tory Right or having Ukip tendencies. It is, however, impossible to slide Mr Hilton neatly into this box (nor, dispelling this particular myth, is it possible to view Michael Gove in this way). Indeed, in 2001 he is said to have been so disenchanted with the Tories drift to the Right under William Hague that he supported the Green Party. It was the Oxford-educated guru who first encouraged Mr Cameron (pictured together in 2015) to run for party leader in 2005 It was following the Tory Partys third drubbing at the hands of Tony Blair, in 2005, that he returned full-time to the fold, and told Mr Cameron to run for party leader. Mr Hilton is a firm believer in marriage and families he has publicly urged the PM to do more to support them. He is married to Rachel Whetstone, a former spokesman to Michael Howard and senior executive at Google. She now holds the post of Vice President of Policy and Communications at taxi app firm Uber. It was in large part a desire to keep his family in the same place that he took up the offer of a post at Stanford University in 2012, after his wifes work led her to the US. Another reason, of course, was his exasperation with the EU and the way directives from Brussels had crept into every corner of Whitehall, stopping the elected government from implementing its wishes. But there is a big difference between being frustrated with the EU and going over the top and declaring it is in Britains best interests to leave. Only last month, Mr Hilton told the BBC he was not going to get into the argument on the EU referendum. At the time, this must have come as a huge relief to the PM, following the loss of Mr Gove and his old sparring partner Boris Johnson to Leave. Today, as he digests Mr Hiltons devastating critique of a Brussels club which Mr Cameron is determined to keep the UK a part of, the mood inside No 10 will be very much darker. The PM trusted him completely Mr Hilton sat at the heart of the Cameron-led party and its Notting Hill set, and was godfather to Mr Camerons son, Ivan In comments that will be leapt upon by the Leave campaign, he says: The arrogant and dismissive treatment of Britains relatively modest demands in the 2015/2016 negotiations shows that the EU is just not interested in anything other than superficial change. You might as well hope for Vladimir Putin to embrace liberal democracy. He adds: One way of thinking about this referendum is that the choice is actually not between staying and leaving; but between leaving, and joining a new EU. It would be the EU unleashed, freed from the constraints of having to placate the pesky British ... Once they know we will never leave, all our leverage will be gone. Mr Hilton also reveals he was amazed to hear Mr Cameron say that Brussels, rather than Nato, makes Britain safer from terrorists and rogue states. The idea that a British Prime Minister cant protect Britain properly without the EU is frankly astonishing and, if true, rather alarming, he writes. But of course its not true. BRUSSELS 'WILL NOT FORGET' HITLER JIBE Brussels will take revenge on Britain if we leave the EU over Boris Johnsons remarks comparing EU goals to Hitlers, the UKs European Commissioner has warned. Jonathan Hill, the EUs commissioner for financial services, said other member states would seek to give the UK a poor deal in Brexit negotiations as they would feel a deep sense of rejection. The European Commission has repeatedly pledged not to campaign ahead of the referendum, but Lord Hill last night launched a scathing attack on supporters of Leave. In a speech at the London School of Economics, the Tory peer referred specifically to remarks by the former London mayor a fortnight ago comparing EU efforts towards building a federal superstate with Hitlers plans to dominate the continent. Lord Hill said: There would be a deep sense of rejection felt by Britains European partners particularly given some Leave campaigners have spent years accusing them of incompetence, corruption and comparing them recently to the darkest figures in European history. BBC WON'T PIT GOVE AGAINST PM ON TV The BBC has caved in to No10s demands that David Cameron will not go head to head in a TV clash with Michael Gove. Instead, Mr Gove, the Justice Secretary and Vote Leave champion, will answer questions on the case for leaving the EU in a special edition of Question Time in Nottingham on June 15. On June 19, the Prime Minister appears on the programme in Milton Keynes to make the case for staying in the EU. Both shows will be screened at 6.45pm. Although Eurosceptics will be disappointed that Mr Cameron is not pitted against quick-witted Mr Gove, they are likely to be relieved that he is not debating with Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who is deemed too divisive to appeal to undecided voters. On Thursday at 8pm, the BBC will screen How Should I Vote, a debate for young people. The panel includes Scottish nationalist Alex Salmond and Labours former home secretary Alan Johnson for Remain, with former defence secretary Liam Fox and Ukip MEP Diane James for Leave. How the EU makes Britain IMPOSSIBLE to govern: With devastating logic, based on his years at the heart of power, the PM's former policy guru makes an explosive intervention in the Brexit debate - and argues we simply HAVE to leave The most common description of Mr Hilton is as a pint-sized Rasputin By STEVE HILTON FOR THE DAILY MAIL Not long after starting work in Downing Street, I found myself on a Eurostar train heading for Brussels. It was an eye-opening trip. But its origin lay in a truly shocking discovery some weeks earlier. Before the 2010 general election, Francis Maude and Oliver Letwin, two of the Conservative Partys key policymakers, and I had worked with each Tory shadow minister on detailed plans for the implementation of our policies including work to understand how the EU would affect what we wanted to do. We thought we had a pretty good idea of how to handle or, ideally, circumnavigate the constraints imposed by European rules, regulations and bureaucracy. However, we were little prepared for the sheer scale of it all. After just a few weeks in government, I was struck by how many things the Government was doing that the Prime Minister and his team didnt just not know about but actively disagreed with. I investigated. It turned out that every few days, a pile of paperwork about a foot high was circulated in Whitehall. The paperwork gave the go-ahead for Government action and was supposedly based on written approval from the relevant ministers. But heres the catch: ministers were given two days to respond to any proposal. If no response came, then this was taken as a yes. There was no way any minister could possibly read all the proposals by the deadline. Furthermore, there was an unspoken rule that one department wouldnt interfere in proposals coming from another. In fact, as I recall, there was only one minister who regularly did so (much to the consternation of the others), and that was Michael Gove. From my vantage point at No 10, though, I wanted to know where it all came from. What were these requests for policy clearance, as they were known? How many were really necessary for the delivery of our promises? I asked for a detailed audit. It turned out that some 30 per cent of government action was relevant to what we were supposed to be doing. The rest youve guessed it was generated from within the civil service machine, the majority coming from the EU. Steve Hilton and BBC political editor Nick Robinson at the Spectator Magazine Summer Party at Their offices in Old Queen Street, Westminster Thats why I found myself on that Eurostar to Brussels. I wanted to know: how exactly do we end up with all these policies we dont want, which no one in Britain voted for, and which waste so much time, energy and money? With us on the journey was Sir Kim Darroch, then Britains Permanent Representative to the European Union our top EU diplomat. He briefed us on Brussels procedures, and how we might stop or at least reduce the flow of unwanted bureaucracy. It was a fascinating and enlightening conversation. The only problem was: almost everything he told us turned out to be completely wrong. We spent the following day meeting various players in the Brussels set-up, in the European Commission, Parliament and Council, who explained how things really got done. And it slowly dawned on us that the man tasked with representing Britain in the EU literally didnt understand how it worked. Now, before anyone jumps down my throat, saying there he goes again, attacking the civil service, I want to make it clear that I have the highest respect for Sir Kim, who is a model public servant and now our Ambassador in Washington. Its not his fault: its the system thats to blame. Its become so complicated, so secretive, so impenetrable that its way beyond the ability of any British government to make it work to our advantage even though I have no doubt that things have improved since the Coalition Governments early days. Hilton is perhaps best known for his scruffy appearance he used to pad around No 10 wearing just his socks, does not wear a suit and is usually pictured wearing cycling gear In this debate on the EU referendum, its easy to throw around terms like sovereignty and democracy; freedom and bureaucracy. But in the end, were debating not some abstract concept, but a very specific question about how our country should be run. And my view, based on a pragmatic, non-ideological assessment of how the EU operates, is that as long as we are members, our country cannot be run. Membership of the EU makes Britain literally un-governable, in the sense that no administration elected by the people can govern the country. A democracy is based on the notion that the people or their directly-elected representatives are able to decide issues for themselves. And yet membership of the EU brings with it constraints on everything from employment law to family policy, all determined through distant, centralised processes we hardly understand, let alone control. Mr Hilton (pictured with Samantha Cameron) has been described as being just as important to Mr Cameron as Alastair Campbell was to Tony Blair You may say: Well, thats government for you it always involves compromise. Indeed it does, but at least in a democracy, the compromises are clear and transparent and can be argued over and influenced by the people who are affected by them. Yet no such possibility exists in the grotesquely unaccountable EU. As I say to my American friends who dont really get what the EU is: All you need to know is that it has three presidents, none of whom is elected. The European Union was born out of lofty ideals. And for many years, it served a valuable purpose. As an expression of the liberal values of democracy and freedom, it was a beacon to the subjugated peoples of Europe including in Communist Hungary, from where my own parents fled. But, today, the EU has become the institutional manifestation of almost everything I argue against in my book, More Human. There, I set out my view that the systems and structures we have designed to run the modern world have become too big, bureaucratic and distant from the human scale. And I make the case for what is in many ways a classical liberal reform agenda: I am pro-market, pro-enterprise, pro-trade, pro-putting power in peoples hands. The EU does the opposite. It is anti-market, stifling innovation and competition with its statism, corporatism and bureaucracy. It is anti-enterprise, acting in the interests of the big businesses that have corruptly captured the levers of power in Brussels through their shameless lobbying and insider deal-making, enabling a gradual corporate takeover of our country. The European Union is anti-trade, locking developing countries out of world markets with its evil Common Agricultural Policy that feather-beds French farmers while keeping African farmers trapped in poverty and despair. And I dont think even the EUs most fervent supporters would ever claim that it puts power in peoples hands. The whole point of the EU is to take power out of peoples hands in pursuit of a greater good. The trouble is, its not good enough. In opposition, Hilton (pictured with Cameron in Mumbai) was credited with changing Mr Cameron from an Old Etonian Tory boy into the modern, cycling, green politician able to speak to Britain These are issues that a reformed EU might address. I could certainly live with an imperfect EU that nevertheless showed some willingness towards dispersing, rather than centralising, power. But it is perfectly obvious to everyone, including Mr Cameron, that no such reorientation will ever be countenanced. The arrogant and dismissive treatment of Britains relatively modest demands in the 2015/2016 negotiations shows that the EU is just not interested in anything other than superficial change. You might as well hope for Vladimir Putin to embrace liberal democracy. Of course, the EU is perfectly entitled to such a disposition. But its as well to be clear about it. And so one way of thinking about this referendum is that the choice is actually not between staying and leaving but between leaving, and joining a new EU. Because the EU after a British vote to stay would be a very different creature from the one we have today. It would be the EU unleashed, freed from the constraints of having to placate the pesky British with their endless complaining and threats to leave. Once they know we will never leave, all our leverage will be gone. Look how they treated a British Prime Minister armed with the threat of Brexit. Can you imagine how they would treat a future PM without such a powerful card to play? And remember that this is for the long term. Even if you think Camerons deal will protect us from the worst excesses of the EU, the fact is that he will be in office for only another four years at most. The pair became friends when they worked together at Conservative Central Office during the 1992 General Election, alongside George Osborne. Mr Cameron went on to work as a special adviser to Norman Lamont and Michael Howard (pictured with Hilton at Folkestone Football Club) What will happen in 14 years time? Or 24? Who knows what kind of Prime Minister we will have, and whether he or she will give up everything David Cameron negotiated just like Tony Blair gave up the opt-out from the Social Chapter negotiated by John Major (a capitulation which meant that, under the system of qualified majority voting, Britain could subsequently be overruled by other European countries on issues such as working conditions and health and safety). The one thing we can be certain of because its based not on speculation or scaremongering but on what has happened in the past is that the EU will only ever move in one direction: more centralisation, more bureaucracy, more power shifting further from peoples hands. From that clarity should come an informed decision to leave. To regain control over our countrys destiny, so that a democratically elected government in Britain is free to carry out its mandate, whether thats Left, Right or Centre. For me, it would mean economic and employment policy that makes Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business; family policy that makes Britain the best place in the world to bring up children; competition, planning and government reform that finally allows us to prioritise the small, the local, the inefficient, the beautiful, the human. Others would have a different agenda. But dont you see, if a political party wins the votes, then that party should be allowed to make it happen. Thats what its all about. Thats why I think we should leave. People ask: what about the economy, and access to Europes Single Market? Would we end up like Norway? Or Switzerland? Ian Birrell, who worked alongside Mr Hilton in No 10 as a speech writer, describes his restless determination to transform Britain. Pictured is Mr Hilton alongside former communications director Andy Coulson listening to Cameron's speech in 2007 No. Were bigger than that; better than that. Our independent relationship with the EU would be like that of our peers the U.S. is not a member of the EU, but the last time I checked, General Motors had no problem selling cars there. Or Heinz, ketchup. Or Starbucks, coffee. Its a particular vanity of politicians to believe that all good things in the world come from their actions. The economic reality is that our success in trade depends far more on fundamental factors such as comparative advantage whether we are designing and making things others want to buy than on politicians bureaucratic schemes. Mr Hilton (pictured with wife Rachel Whetstone) is a firm believer in marriage and families he has publicly urged the PM to do more to support them But the bottom line on the economic argument is that no one really knows. Its clearly ridiculous to claim that its settled in either direction; there are risks whatever we do. The real choice is not economic security or economic risk, but what kind of government will equip us best to cope with a risky, fast-changing world? I think, on balance, that the answer to that question is a government that we control, that can move at a pace we set, rather than the inevitably sclerotic speed of a committee of 28 countries, with vastly different circumstances. Then were told that the EU is vital for our security. Really? I was pretty amazed when I first heard this point being made. The idea that a British Prime Minister cant protect Britain properly without the EU is frankly astonishing and, if true, rather alarming. But, of course, its not true. Yes, in a complex world of global threats, we need security co-operation with other countries like what happens in NATO. Forgive me if Ive missed something, but I wasnt aware that this referendum is about leaving NATO. And our closest security partner is the U.S. We manage to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in fighting terrorism and other threats without being locked in a supra-national institutional embrace. We co-operate as two countries. Thats what we would do if we left the EU. But perhaps the most powerful argument for leaving the EU is to look at the people who are wheeled out to persuade us to stay: figures like the International Monetary Fund boss Christine Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, advertising giant Sir Martin Sorrell, as well as the Confederation of British Industry and all the other Establishment stooges. They want us to stay in the EU because their whole world depends upon it. Their lifestyle of summit meetings and first-class flights and five-star hotels; their flitting and floating from New York to Brussels to Beijing, serving the interests of the technocratic elite the bankers, bureaucrats and accountants who run the modern world and who, regardless of which government is in power in which country, push the same old dogma of global-isation, privatisation and centralisation. Despite Mr Hilton's (pictured with Andy Coulson) extensive history with the party, he has still decided to speak out about Brexit, believing the Prime Minister is wrong to urge voters to remain Dont get me wrong: Im a fan of global trade and a champion of the private sector. But when those good things are accompanied by centralisation, the result is an unhealthy concentration of economic and political power that is fundamentally hostile to my belief in individual freedom and social responsibility, and my confidence in human nature and the good that will come when individuals, families and neighbourhoods work together without a far-away administrators master-plan. A decision to leave the EU is not without risk, but I believe it is the ideal and idealistic choice for our times. Taking back power from arrogant, unaccountable, hubristic elites and putting it where it belongs. In peoples hands. A holidaymaker was shocked when she returned from a sunshine break to find a romantic flash mob at the airport - and her girlfriend down on one knee. Heart-warming footage captured the moment mother-of-two Karen Blackburn, 42, was proposed to by girlfriend Chops Owen, 38, after a whirlwind two-month romance. After arriving back at Manchester Airport from the Dominican Republic at 4.45am on Friday, Miss Blackburn was greeted by five dancers and two men disguised as security guards. As the dance ended, two members of the flash mob held up a banner asking Karen to marry Chops, referencing the pair's jokey nicknames - 'Norf' and 'Souf' The flashmob stunned people at Manchester Airport by breaking out in a spontaneous dance before unveiling the romantic banner After the dance, two members of the flash mob held up a banner asking Karen to marry Chops, and the sign referenced the pair's nicknames for each other - 'Norf' and 'Souf'. The couple, who live in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and got together in March after knowing each other for a year, now plan to marry abroad before holding a family reception back in the UK. Miss Owen said: 'I'd had the ring for a while but was planning to wait until a holiday to Iceland this October to pop the question. 'But I just couldn't wait that long so I decided to organise the flash mob as a massive surprise. 'When I saw Karen, she just kept telling me she loved me and had missed me. Then I asked her to marry me, and she said she would - it was amazing. 'We haven't been together long, but when you know you know. And I absolutely know.' Miss Blackburn had been on the two-week holiday to the Caribbean with her daughter Demi, 21. The couple's friends and family flocked to the airport to watch the spectacle and capture the moment on film. Karen Blackburn, 42, was shocked and agreed to marry Chops Owen, 38, after she proposed The group started dancing at Manchester Airport and stunned holidaymakers who had just landed back in the UK Two of the dancers - disguised as airport security guards - joined in on the dance at Manchester Airport The couple, who live in Halifax, West Yorkshire, got together in March after knowing each other for a year The flash mob was organised by dancers from Pastiche and events company Contraband Events with the permission of the airport. Miss Blackburn said: 'I can't believe it. I didn't think anything at first because when we left the Dominican everyone was talking about the plane that had gone missing. 'I just thought the security guards were being extra vigilant - until he told me to put my case on the table. 'I thought "there's no way this bloke is going through my case here" and when the music started I knew something was going on but wasn't sure what. 'But as the music went on I saw more and more people I recognised. 'It was the most amazing thing anyone has ever done in my whole life. 'The dancers, atmosphere, everything was like nothing I've ever experienced before. 'The lad with the clipboard was so convincing and the dancing was just - I have no words. Cities are strongholds of President Assad whose family hails from the village of Qardaha 15 miles east of Jableh Four explosions rocked Jableh including three rockets and a suicide bomber which targeted government hospital Fifty-three people killed in Jableh and another 48 in Tartus after seven bombings struck two cities Advertisement At least 101 people have been killed in a string of ISIS bombings in two Syrian regime strongholds. Fifty-three people were killed in the city of Jableh and another 48 died in Tartus further south when they were hit with seven bombs most of them suicide attacks almost simultaneously today. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, said they were 'without doubt the deadliest attacks' on the two cities since Syria's conflict erupted in 2011. Syrians gather in front of a burning car after ISIS suicide bombers blew themselves up in Syrian government's stronghold of Tartus A firefighter tries to put out a fire from a burning car after explosions killed at least 48 people died the Syrian city of Tartus ISIS claimed the attacks via its Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had attacked 'Alawite gatherings' in the two cities. Syrian state media also reported the attacks, but gave a total of 78 dead, including 45 in Jableh and 33 in Tartus. The TV reports said at least one suicide bomber followed by a car bomb blew up minutes apart in a packed bus station in Tartus. Charred minibuses lay on their sides while others were still ablaze. More than 20 were killed and many injured in the bombings, an Interior Ministry official told the channel. Syrians gather at the site of multiple bombings that left dozens dead in the northern coastal city of Jableh between Latakia and Tartus ISIS claimed the attacks via its Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had attacked 'Alawite gatherings' in the two cities A total of seven blasts simultaneously, four in Jableh and three in Tartus, hit the two cities on Monday morning Blitzed: Syria's SANA state news agency and the state TV said four explosions rocked Jableh south of Latakia city Separately, Syria's SANA state news agency and the state TV said four explosions rocked Jableh, south of Latakia city. The attacks included three rockets, and a suicide bomber at a government hospital, the state media said. A Facebook page sharing local news from Jableh showed footage of people around fire trucks near bombed-out cars. Both cities are strongholds of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family hails from the village of Qardaha, just 15 miles east of Jableh. They have been relatively insulated from the war raging in Syria, which has killed at least 270,000 people since March 2011. Both cities are strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family hails from the village of Qardaha, just 15 miles east of Jableh Advertisement Stuffed Sumatran tiger pelts, ivory and other wildlife trophies have been seized by authorities and burned in a bid to fight illegal poaching and the trade of endangered animal products in Indonesia. Disturbing pictures show melting taxidermy bodies, tusks, bones and the pelts of several other endangered animals which were seized by Indonesian officials and burned in Banda Aceh on Monday. The Indonesian Forestry Ministry officials and Aceh's Nature Conservation Agency hope that burning the illegal products will help raise awareness of the shocking issue and help fight against the estimated $19billion industry. Stuffed Sumatran tigers (pictured), ivory and other wildlife trophies were seized during recent raids in Indonesia and lit on on fire in Banda Aceh on Monday May 23 The Indonesian Forestry Ministry officials and Aceh's Nature Conservation Agency hope this will fight illegal poaching and the trade of animal products on the black market The blackened remains of endangered Sumantran tigers were left caked on a wire stand - which was used to position the animal trophies above a fire lit by Indonesian conservation officials Conservation officials transported the trophies to Banda Aceh where they were burned over a corrugated iron sheet laden with burning logs. The animals were positioned on top of a wire stand and became encased in flames - turning the trophies black and melting their skin while officials watched the fire pit from a distance. Every year, over 40 million animals are killed for fur worldwide the maximum penalty for trafficking protected wildlife parts in Indonesia can be up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Out of the 11 animals seized on Sunday, a disturbing six Sumatran tiger pelts and one Sumatran tiger head were collected. It is estimated that only 400 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild with the population dwindling due to loss of habitat and dangerous poaching habits. The poaching trade has already claimed an estimated 78 per cent of Sumatran tigers amounting to about 40 animals per year. The Sumatran tiger can be found on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra off the Malaysian Peninsula and the species is considered vulnerable and are at risk of becoming extinct. Meanwhile in March police in Indonesias northwestern Aceh province arrested an illegal wildlife dealer and seized skins and skeletons of two young Sumatran tigers, reported EFE. The value of the confiscated tiger parts, which were believed to be from tiger cubs, is estimated to be around $10,000 on the Indonesian black market. In February the Indonesian government arrested the last of six vessels known to poach toothfish, also known as Chilean sea bass, which are also vulnerable of being over-fished. It was the last operation to control the 'Bandit 6', a group of fishing boats that Sea Shepherd has identified for illegal toothfish activity, reported Inverse. There has been a spike in illegal wildlife trade globally with an estimated 2,500 elephants killed for ivory and about 3,890 tigers world-wide affected. Indonesia government officials stacked the lifeless bodies of the animals - some which are vulnerable of becoming extinct Officials stood behind the fire pit mourning the loss of the endangered animals which will join a growing number of species seen in decline due to poaching and illegal trade Indonesia government officials lit the confiscated consumer goods on fire starting with the Sumatran tiger pelts Poaching for trade is responsible for 78 per cent of estimated Sumatran tiger deaths amounting to about 40 animals per year Every year, over 40 million animals are killed for fur worldwide the maximum penalty for trafficking protected wildlife parts in Indonesia can be up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine A man spokes the fire pit of animal trophies with a blackened elephant tusk. An estimated 2,500 elephants have been killed for their ivory and an unknown number continue to be killed An estimated 3,890 tigers are affected by poaching world-wide. The Sumatran tigers confiscated on Sunday risk extinction due to an impact on their habitats and hunting Indonesian Forestry Ministry officials and Aceh's Nature Conservation Agency destroyed the wildlife trophies as part of their campaign to fight against the $19billion illegal poaching industry Smoke and ash cover the faces of the burning Sumatran tiger pelts which were confiscated on Sunday Indonesia government officials displayed the tusks of elephants which were also seized from wild animal poachers and illegal wild animal traders in Aceh before they were burned in the fire pit Indonesian wildlife conservation officials transported the stuffed Sumatran tigers and other wildlife trophies to Banda Aceh on May 22 (pictured) to be destroyed on Monday Indonesian wildlife conservation officials carried the stuffed animals to a vehicle where they would be transported to a burning pit in Banda Aceh's. A Sumatran tiger (pictured) this size could cost anything up to $10,000 on the Indonesian black market An Indonesian wildlife conservation official is seen standing with 11 taxidermy animals. Among them are six full Sumatran tiger pelts and one Sumatran tiger head. It is estimated only 500 to 600 of the tigers remain in the wild with the population dwindling Police have been forced to issue a grovelling apology to two innocent 13-year-old girls after wrongly naming them as prime suspects in a 400 make-up theft. Francesca Galelli and Molly Curtis burst into tears when their faces were plastered across local news websites, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter, in connection with the offence. Officers had released CCTV images of the pair as part of an appeal for information following a 459 theft from Superdrug in Ely, Cambridgeshire, on April 4. Police have been forced to issue a grovelling apology to schoolgirls Francesca Galelli and Molly Curtis (left) after wrongly linking them to a 400 make-up theft by distributing CCTV images of the pair online (right) But it turned out neither had anything to do with the theft and both have now received an apology from police, who admitted they had made 'an honest mistake that had deeply unfortunate circumstances'. Molly and Francesca had been out 'shopping for a few bits' at around 3.15pm at the time of the theft. Francesca's sister, Claudia, 21, said her younger sibling came home crying after friends at Soham Village College showed her the news stories which appeared online with her picture. She said: 'I saw the article and I thought "oh that looks like my sister" but I thought she would never do anything like that so I just scrolled past it. But I later got a phone call and learned friends at school had shown her the story. 'It was really horrible for her. She is so young, she is such a good person who never does anything wrong. She is the perfect student, this was really upsetting for her. 'When I spoke to her about it she said, "I don't know what to do". I told her to just tell people the truth - she did not do it. 'The worst thing for her was everybody looking at her at school and making comments but she is a strong person and held her head up high.' Speaking about the incident, Francesca, who lives in Ely, said: 'I was getting some shopping and then I went round my friend's house. The pair (left) became the prime suspects of the 459 theft from Superdrug in Ely, Cambridgeshire, after innocently shopping in the store on April 4. But police are still looking to speak to the girl pictured back right 'I got a message on Instagram from someone asking "is this you?" and then I went on Facebook and it was all over there, too.' Molly was also left embarrassed by the situation. She said: 'I was at home and I got a message on social media saying "this looks like you - is it you?" 'I asked them to take it down, because I didn't want a bad reputation for nothing.' The police alert, released shortly after the thefts, was issued with CCTV images of Francesca and Molly. It read: "Officers have released CCTV images of four women they would like to speak to in connection with the theft of make-up. 'On April 4, 459 worth of make-up was stolen from Superdrug in Market Place, Ely at about 3:15pm. We made an honest mistake that had deeply unfortunate circumstances Sergeant Phil Priestley 'It is believed the women entered the store and placed various coloured lipsticks in a bag before making off. Anyone with information should call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.' Speaking on behalf of the East Cambridgeshire policing district, Sergeant Phil Priestley said: 'We made an honest mistake that had deeply unfortunate circumstances. 'We always want to be clear and transparent if we get things wrong, and we definitely want to ensure that people know that Francesca and Molly are good people and that this wasn't their fault.' The error has also led to police revising district CCTV policies to prevent similar mistakes in the future. By way of an apology the police have invited Francesca and Molly to sit on a new Youth Consultation Panel designed to improve and promote the relationship that exists between local police and young people aged 12 to 16. The force involved, Cambridgeshire Police, is the same one that announced earlier this month it was to hand out free pants to teenagers in the hope of stopping them from nicking expensive toiletries. The taxpayer funded initiative is being rolled out in Cambridgeshire after officers linked a spike in the theft of hygiene products to uncleanliness amongst young adults. Animal activists are furious at the New York City Mayor's decision to hike the prices of controversial Central Park carriage rides. Bill de Blasio has been savaged by critics for not ending the 'cruel' practice as he vowed in his campaign, and to rub salt in the wounds he's now given the drivers a raise. As part of a deal conceived during the Michael Bloomberg administration, drivers can now charge $54.08 for the first 20 minutes of a ride, and $21.63 for every 10 minutes after. Scroll down for video Distraught: Animal activists are furious at the Mayor of New York's decision to hike the prices of controversial Central Park carriage rides The previous rates were $50 for the first 20 minutes, and $20 for every 10 minutes after. The increases were quietly approved last week by the The city Department of Consumer Affairs. Drivers who are medallion owners get to pocket the whole fare, and those who lease keep about $20, although their new amount has yet to be calculated, reports The Daily News. Allie Taylor, executive director of the animal-rights group NYCLASS, told the outlet: 'Mayor de Blasio's failure to protect these animals is now complete. He rewards an industry that abuses animals and sends horses to slaughter, while claiming he is a champion of animal rights. 'It's pathetic, but expected at this point from a mayor who stands for nothing.' Edita Birnkrant, campaigns director for the nonprofit Friends of Animals, lamented that nothing has been done to improve the lives of horses, saying that this new eight per cent rise puts the cart before the horse. Several animal rights activists have slammed the mayor, saying that giving the drivers a pay raise is only going to keep horses on the dangerous streets for longer. Attacked: Bill de Blasio has been savaged by critics for not ending the 'cruel' practice as he vowed in his campaign, and to rub salt in the wounds he's now given the drivers a raise The last time drivers were given a pay rise was in 2010. A City Council bill six years ago stipulated that drivers should be guaranteed wages that reflect the increasing cost of living, with raises every three years, but the industry didnt get the hikes in 2013 because of the treat of a ban. Many drivers have welcomed the rise saying that every little helps. Mayoral spokesman Austin Finan said the fare hike was a 'byproduct of a City Council bill that passed several years ago.' 'No mayor has done more to protect horses, and this rate increase does not stand in the way of the mayor's steadfast commitment to removing carriages from city streets,' Finan said. Third man is spotted round the corner laughing as he hits a shoe on floor Colleague bolts away in shocked panic as camera pans to an accomplice As co-worker walks towards him he crumples to floor with It's an accepted notion that every profession has a token prankster. But two Chinese security guards raised the bar for scheming mischief as one pretended to shoot the other dead in front of their horrified co-worker. The colleague is filmed bolting away in terror as the guard tumbles to the ground of a lobby with the loud crack of a 'gunshot' - which turns out to be the sound of his accomplice hitting a shoe on the floor. A Chinese security guard pranked his co-worker by pretending to be shot dead. A video showed him appearing to beg for his life with his hands in the air (front) as his co-worker walked up to him (pictured behind) The humourously cruel clip was filmed by yet another accomplice in what looks like an office building. It starts with the security guard appearing to beg for his life in Mandarin with his hands held high in the air. As his co-worker starts walking down the corridor towards him, he collapses dramatically as a deafening bang is heard. The colleague, assuming he has been shot, starts running frantically back down the corridor in panic. As his co-worker starts walking down the corridor towards him, he collapses dramatically as a deafening bang is heard. The colleague, assuming he has been shot, starts running frantically back down the corridor in panic Only then is the true mastery of the video revealed, as the camera pans to the right and exposes a third man around the corner. Dressed in the same black uniform as the others, he is seen hitting a shoe on the floor repeatedly to create the incredibly realistic gunshot sound. He hoots with laughter as he sits cross-legged on the floor. The video maker, who has a clear vantage point of the prank, is also heard giggling hysterically. The footage has circulated widely on the Internet since and has been posted by several different Youtube accounts. Waleed Aly has made an impassioned plea to the young voters of the country, begging them to vote - even if they just want to make Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Labor Party leader Bill Shorten 'really bl***y nervous'. He addressed the 350,000 Australians aged between 18-25 who hadn't enrolled to vote by about 7pm on Monday - one hour before the cut-off for enrolments for voting on this year's election in July. 'What are you thinking?,' he asked of those who weren't enrolled. Scroll down for video Waleed Aly used a segment on Monday's broadcast of The Project to beg young Australians to enrol to vote in this year's election, with 350,000 of those aged 18-25 not yet enrolled The Project asked of young Australians eligible to vote but not yet enrolled: 'what are you thinking?' 'Are you happy with who everyone else has elected to lead us so far? 'Just think about this: right now, thanks to successive governments, we have 12 per cent youth unemployment. And if you do have a job and work on the weekends you might not be getting paid penalty rates. 'And thanks to tax breaks for older Australians you have been locked out of the housing market, and if you are at university or thinking of going you could end up paying $100,000 for your degree.' Despite all that, almost 50 per cent of Australians aged 18 still weren't enrolled to vote, he said. Almost 50 per cent of Australians aged 18 still weren't enrolled to vote, Aly said Aly said he 'got it', and understood if young voters felt they weren't represented or part of the political conversation, or made to feel stupid or lazy if they asked questioned or voiced opinions But Aly said he 'got it', and understood if young voters felt they weren't represented or part of the political conversation, or made to feel stupid or lazy if they asked questioned or voiced opinions. That suited Turnbull and Shorten, he claimed. Evidence suggested if voters were automatically enrolled to vote, the Green Party would reap the benefits while the Liberals and Labor would suffer, according to Aly. Summing up, he added that it was illegal for people not to enrol - and they could be fined for not doing so. 'You guys could considerably change the outcome of this election and make it clear to politicians that it's time they considered you when making their policy decisions about things like jobs and education and housing and the environment or how we treat asylum seekers, whatever. 'And if that doesn't excite you then maybe you just like the idea of making Malcolm and Bill really bl***y nervous.' Aly said even if voting for things that affected youth wasn't interesting, that maybe 'just like the idea of making Malcolm and Bill really bl***y nervous' would be Women in Iran are cutting their hair short and dressing as men to avoid the harsh morality police (file picture) Women in Iran are cutting their hair short and dressing as men to avoid the harsh morality police, it has been reported. Pictures are increasingly emerging on social media of women defying strict laws in Iran where penalties are imposed for not wearing a hijab. It comes days after a number of models were arrested and forced to grovel in public for posting glamorous pictures of themselves online without headscarves. Police arrested eight models in the new crackdown which targeted 'un-Islamic acts' such as women exposing their hair. One famous beauty, Elham Arab, known for her wedding-dress portraits, was interrogated on camera at the Iranian Revolutionary Court with her blonde hair hidden under a black chador. But despite the crackdown women are still sharing images of themselves in public with their hair uncovered, the Independent reports. One shows a black and white picture of a woman with short hair and wearing jeans. A caption alongside the image says: 'I am an Iranian girl. In order to avoid the morality police, I decided to cut my hair short and wear men's clothes so that I can freely walk in the streets in Iran.' Another shows a woman - again with short hair - driving a car as a man drives past on a scooter. The images were shared on the Facebook page My Stealthy Freedom, set up by New York based Iranian activist Masih Alinejad. According to the Independent, she launched a campaign calling for an end to compulsory hijab-wearing. She is quoted as saying: 'Some girls in Iran would rather secretly dress as men to avoid the compulsory hijab and the morality police. So that is why they make their hair short in order to look like a boy and dress like a boy. 'It shows that although the Government arrests women who post their photos without headscarves, women are not afraid and they are following their own lifestyle.' Police arrested eight models in a new crackdown targeting 'un-Islamic acts' such as women exposing their hair online. Pictured is model Niloofar Behboudi The arrests were made under an scheme called 'Spider II', targeting models who post photos online in which they are not wearing a hijab (stock image) It comes after a series of arrests were made in Iran in a sting operation code-named Spider-2 which particularly targeted users of the picture-sharing site Instagram. The sting is said to have identified 170 people running Instagram pages - 59 photographers and makeup artists, 58 models, 51 fashion salon managers and designers, and two active institution In addition to the eight arrests, criminal cases were opened against 21 other people, it was reported. According to reports those arrested include Melikaa Zamani, Niloofar Behboudi, Donya Moghadam, Dana Nik, Shabnam Molavi, Elnaz Golrokh and Hamid Fadaei. The hijab has been compulsory in public in Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution. In recent years, Iranian women - especially in the capital, Tehran - have worn the mandatory scarf loosely on their head, drawing the ire of conservatives in the Islamic Republic. A butcher's sign that said eating his bacon reduced the chance of someone being a suicide bomber has raised a few eyebrows. A photo posted on social media showed a sign up in the window of Jeff Rapley's butchery, Rapley's Midtown Quality Meats, in Narooma on the NSW South Coast. 'Eating two strips of Rapley's award-winning bacon for breakfast reduces your chance of being a suicide bomber by 100 per cent,' the sign read. A photo posted on social media showed a sign up in the window of Jeff Rapley's butchery, Rapley's Midtown Quality Meats, in Narooma on the NSW South Coast Despite the controversy, Mr Rapley said bacon sales had increased and he was almost out of stock. But he did not mean to cause any offence with the sign, telling Daily Mail Australia the reaction had 'gotten way out of hand' and he 'didn't mean any offence by it'. Mr Rapley also told Narooma News: 'I'm definitely not a racist.' He added he had a Muslim assistant working for him. The sign, which was meant to promote the butcher's bacon, was spotted a local resident who complained. Despite the controversy, Mr Rapley said bacon sales had increased and he was almost out of stock. But he did not mean to cause any offence with the sign Mr Rapley removed the sign later that day and has not displayed it since. A number of religions forbid their followers from eating pork, including Judaism and Islam. No religion was explicitly mentioned in the sign, which was photographed before its removal and gained attention across social media. Social media was divided on their opinion of the sign. 'It's great that the stores name is in the picture. Business is only going to go down hill for them if it hasn't already,' one man said. 'Another day in Bogan 'strayla maaate [sic],' another man said. But there were also many who were supportive of Mr Rapley, with one woman saying: 'I'm sorry but how is this offensive and why do Muslims have a phobia of Pork for anyway.' Anchor Leigh Sales has suggested the Australian public are responding positively to Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop's election campaign message as they 'like her' personally. Ms Bishop appeared on ABC's 7.30 report on Monday night and was adamant in saying the reaction to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 'on the ground' in the marginal seats across Australia is favourable, despite his approval rating falling into negative territory. She said the Coalition's free trade agreement and tax incentives are 'a very positive plan and people are responding to me in a very positive way'. 'Maybe thats because they like you, maybe theyre not responding to your message, because again I come back to the polls that suggest your jobs and growth message is not cutting through,' Sales fired back. Scroll down for video Anchor Leigh Sales has suggested the Australian public are responding positively to Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop's (pictured) election campaign message as they 'like her' personall Ms Bishop appeared on ABC's 7.30 report on Monday night with Leigh Sales (pictured) and was adamant in saying the reaction to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 'on the ground' in the marginal seats across Australia is favourable Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's approval rating has dropped 50 points since the start of his time in office and Sales asked if the Liberal side were 'alarmed'. The Foreign Minister told the host it was about 'managing expectation' and blamed the 'economic circumstances' the Coalition inherited from Labor. 'Yes its been nearly three years, but their economic management set us back decades so it's taking time to bring budget back into balance,' she said. The Foreign Minister told the host it was about 'managing expectation' and blamed the 'economic circumstances' the Coalition inherited from Labor Ms Bishop said although she respects the polls, she is receiving only positive feedback about Mr Turnbull as she visits marginal seats across the country Earlier this month, Ms Bishop spoke with voters during a visit to the Central Markets in Adelaide Ms Bishop said although she respects the polls, she is receiving only positive feedback about Mr Turnbull as she visits marginal seats across the country. 'I'm finding that people are engaged, they are reacting positively to Malcolm Turnbull and the coalitions economics plan and vision for the future particularly small businesses,' she said. 'They are excited to hear more, I dont know if theyre so focused on the actual election, I think that peoples attention span will narrow and be more focused the closer we get to the election, but they are interested in what we have to say and they like what they see in Malcolm Turnbull.' Rebekah Bletsch, 36, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Jessica Heeringa, then 25, went missing at an Exxon gas station in 2013 Police say they are now investigating Willis in two unsolved cases She gave a description of his vehicle and cops tracked him down The teen escaped Willis by jumping out of his moving silver minivan Jeffrey Willis, 46, was arrested after allegedly attempting to kidnap a 16-year-old girl at gunpoint in Muskegon County, Michigan Police are investigating two cold cases in the Muskegon County, MIchigan area, after a 16-year-old girl was able to identify a suspect after she was kidnapped at gunpoint by a 46-year-old man. Last month, a 16-year-old girl in Muskegon County jumped out of a moving car after being kidnapped. The teen's description of her abductor's silver minivan led them to arrest married factory worker Jeffrey Willis, who they are now investigating not only in the failed abduction but in connection to two other cold cases involving women in the area. Jessica Heeringa, 25, disappeared three years ago at the Exxon Mobil gas station where she worked in Norton Shores just as she was closing up for the night. A silver minivan similar to Willis' was spotted on surveillance cameras near the gas station, and may have been used to kidnap Heeringa, who was never seen again. A year later, 36-year-old Rebekah Bletsch was shot in the head in broad daylight while running in Muskegon County. Authorities say the bullets that killed the mother-of-one appear to match the general make of a semiautomatic pistol they found during a search of Willis' homes and car last week. Jeffrey Willis, 46, a man who was arrested last week in connected to the failed abduction of a 16-year-old girl in Michigan, is now under investigation for two other unsolved crimes in the area - the 2014 murder of Rebekah Bletsch (left) and the 2013 disappearance of Jessica Heeringa (right) Police say Willis (left) held a 16-year-old girl at gunpoint last month after letting her get in his car to make a phone call. On the right, a sketch of the man believe 'The weapon is a similar model that would have shot the bullets in the Bletsch case,' Muskegon County Undersheriff Daniel Stout told the Detroit Free Press. 'Similar but similar is a big word.' Stout said that investigators seized evidence that connected Willis to the two other cases, but he refused to go into detail about what that evidence includes. However, law enforcement are positive that a dangerous man is now in custody, 'Based on the efforts of this brave girl, and the efforts of law enforcement, we were able to put together a case and put a very, very dangerous man behind bars,' Muskegon County Prosecutor DJ Hilson said. 'Not only is she about the greatest girl that I know. But she could turn out to be a hero.' Investigators found a ball gag, chains, a pistol with ammunition, child pornography and syringes filled with liquid as they searched Willis' home and van, police said in a statement released Friday. His van contained a bar with wrist restraints, a mask, a pistol, ammunition and syringes filled with liquid along with the ball gag and chains, the document said. Investigators found child pornography and videos of bound women in his home. Investigators found a ball gag, chains, a pistol with ammunition, child pornography and syringes filled with liquid as they searched Willis' home (pictured) and van, police said in a statement released Friday Police searched Willis's home and his van on Wednesday (pictured) and seized hundreds of items according to a probable cause statement released Friday Investigators also found found child pornography and videos of bound women in Willis's home according to the documents released on Friday. Pictured, an official logs evidence during the search on Wednesday Willis was arrested on Tuesday, as he was driving back from his job as an overnight worker in a furniture factory. He was charged with kidnapping and arraigned Wednesday in the attempted abduction of the 16-year-old girl last month in North Muskegon. Authorities say the girl was lost on a rural road last month and went inside his minivan to use his cellphone. Willis later pointed a gun at her, the Detroit Free Press reported, but the girl escaped and described his vehicle, a silver minivan, to the police. She then identified him in a lineup. 'We feel that we for sure have our person who committed the attempted abduction on April 16,' Muskegon County Undersheriff Daniel Stout said according to the newspaper. Police seized hundreds of items from Willis's home after the search last Wednesday. They searched his home in Muskegon Township on Tuesday and a second property, his late grandfather's abandoned home, according to the Muskegon Chronicle, the following day in Norton Shores. Police say Willis, a married factory worker, got a 16-year-old girl to get into his van last month and later pointed a gun at her. Pictured, law enforcement officials execute a search warrant on Wednesday The 16-year-old girl escaped and described Willis's vehicle to the police, identifying it as a silver minivan. Pictured, officials search his late grandfather's abandoned home on Wednesday Willis, who remains held on a $1 million at Muskegon County Jail, is under investigation in two other cases. Pictured, a law enforcement official removes evidence during the search on Wednesday Meanwhile Willis, who is currently held on a $1 million bail at Muskegon County Jail, is also under investigation in the disappearance of a 25-year-old mother and the death of a 36-year-old jogger, both in Muskegon County. Jessica Heeringa, a mother of one, went missing in April 2013 from the Exxon Mobil gas station where she worked in Norton Shores. She was about to close the station when she vanished. Police later found a small amount of her blood at the scene. The case has remained unsolved even though police released a sketch of what the suspect could look like at the time, based on the account of a witness who saw a male drive away from the gas station. Authorities also published footage showing a silver minivan passing around 11pm at a business about a mile away from the gas station, which didn't have its own surveillance cameras. A witness reported seeing a silver minivan pull up to the gas station not long before closing time. Rebekah Bletsch, a 36-year-old mother of one, was found dead in June 2014 after going on a jog in Dalton Township. Investigators first thought she had been killed in a hit-and-run but later discovered she had a gunshot wound to the head. Willis was fired from a previous job at an elementary school in 1999 for accessing a website with adult content from one of the school's computers, the Muskegon Chronicle reported. This caused a student to be exposed to the contents of the website, according to his termination letter, obtained by the newspaper through a Freedom of Information Act request. Willis, who worked as a probationary custodian that school year, didn't try to explain or defend himself, the letter states, and didn't seem surprised or upset. Law enforcement officials also revealed that they have been called to Willis home three times for domestic incidents and twice for animal complaints in the last seven years. One neighbor described him as a creepy man who she often caught starting at her family (which includes her 19-year-old twin daughters) and who set up a video camera aimed at the side of their home. Michelle Macomber, a day care operator, says that last month her neighbor become more withdrawn, and refused to say 'hello' anymore. 'He wouldnt wave anymore,' Macomber said. 'Wed pull in. Hed put his head down or look the other way.' Campaigners are hoping to save a string of motels across Los Angeles after they were identified as safe havens for African American travellers during segregation. The sites were documented in 'The Negro Motorist Green Book' - an annual travellers' guide which identified sites along the famous Route 66 that welcomed black drivers. It was published every year between 1936 and 1966, at a time when racial segregation remained across the southern U.S. and many faced violence at the hands of whites. The Hayes Motel, located south of Los Angeles, is pictured in a vintage photo taken during Jim Crow America, when it was one of the city's few places that was welcoming of African American travelers The motel (pictured today) was listed in The Green Book, a travel guide for African American motorists who often had difficulty finding accommodation that would accept them in the 1940s, 50s and 60s Andre Henderson, 28, sweeps up around the Hayes Motel. It has stood for nearly 40 years and campaigners now hope it will be recognized for its role in helping travelers during segregation Lily Ho, 78, now owns the Hayes Motel in Los Angeles. She bought it from the previous owners and has owned it for 40 years Now the history of these buildings has been acknowledged by city officials keen to enshrine the role they played in the country's civil rights battle. One such establishment is the Hayes Motel. Built in 1947 just south of LA, today it appears dilapidated and is located in a poverty-stricken area, the LA Times reported. Candacy Taylor, a Green Book expert, told the paper the motel had now become something of a heartbreaking paradox. She said: 'Many Green Book sites once regarded as safe havens for African Americans are now clustered in poverty-stricken neighborhoods where African American lives are at risk. 'Unless something is done soon, the Green Books trove of surviving properties will be lost due to gentrification and neglect.' Fortunately, Ken Bernstein, a planner for LA's Department of City Planning in its historic resources office, has said he will acknowledge their history. 'At the very least, these sites can be incorporated into our city's online inventory system. 'They are part of the story of African Americans in Los Angeles, and the story of Los Angeles itself writ large.' Among the city's other 223 sites listed in the Green Book are barbershops, taverns and beauty salons. The growth in popularity of the book coincided with a burgeoning African American middle class, many of whom could afford their own vehicles and were eager to escape persecution on public transport. There is also a raft of other accommodation suppliers still standing in the city, including the Dunbar Hotel, the Lincoln Hotel, the New Astor Motel and the Mayfair Hotel in downtown LA. Pictured is the Mayfair Hotel, in downtown Los Angeles. The huge imposing building welcomed African American customers during prior to the civil rights successes of the 1960s Another Los Angeles building listed in the Green Book was the New Aster Motel, in South Central LA A man sits on the steps of the Lincoln Hotel, in downtown Los Angeles. Campaigners hope to save as many of these buildings as possible given their significance to the country's social history Also included in the Green Book was the Dunbar Hotel (pictured), in south Los Angeles Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has even more to celebrate after announcing she is engaged to her 34-year-old Irish partner after popping the question during a romantic break in Paris. After delivering the Conservative party's best election result in Scotland for nearly six decades earlier this month, today Ms Davidson, 37, said she was 'delighted' to be engaged to Jennifer Wilson. She told her 41,000 Twitter followers she had been 'away for a few days as I had an important question to ask' along with a picture of her engagement ring. Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson (left) has even more to celebrate after announcing she is engaged to her 34-year-old Irish partner Jennifer Wilson (right) during a romantic break in Paris over the weekend. After delivering the Tory party's best election result in Scotland for nearly six decades earlier this month, this morning Ruth Davidson, 37, announced on Twitter she was 'delighted' to be engaged to Jennifer Wilson The pair are expected to get married in Ireland, where celebrations are taking place today to mark the one-year anniversary since voters backed the legalisation of same sex marriage in a nationwide referendum. Ms Davidson said last year that she would like to take advantage of the new laws in Ireland. Charity worker Ms Wilson is from Wexford, a town in the south east of the country. The couple are understood to have known each other for nearly 10 years. In the past Ms Davidson has admitted that she had not wanted to be gay and said she had struggled to come to terms with her sexuality because of her Christian faith. Ruth Davidson (pictured right in both photos) and Jennifer Wilson (left) are understood to have known each other for nearly 10 years David Cameron was among the first to congratulate the couple on their engagement, writing on Twitter that he was 'delighted' at the news As a young woman she assumed she would have a 'big white wedding and the chap on my arm,' Ms Davidson said. She admitted there were 'dark nights of the soul' and 'tears in the bedroom at night' but she eventually decided she did not want to 'live a lie' and came out in her mid-20s. Taking to Twitter to announce the news, Ms Davidson wrote: 'So, I've been away for a few days as I had an important question to ask. Delighted Jen said yes. Very happy.' David Cameron was among the first to congratulate the couple on their engagement, writing on Twitter that he was 'delighted' at the news. There have been 412 same-sex couples married in Ireland since the passing of the referendum on May 23 last year, with more than half of the weddings taking place in Dublin, the capital. Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, who was humiliated into third place at the election - the party's worst performance in Scotland in more than a century - also congratulated Ms Davidson on Twitter this morning Kezia Dugdale (pictured with her partner Louise at the count in Edinburgh) revealed she was gay in April Research has found a rise in the number of LGBT young people in Ireland who have come out since the law was passed last year. Ms Wilson, a marketing assistant at a green energy charity, joined Ms Davidson on the campaign trail during the Scottish parliamentary elections earlier this month. The Tory leader led the party to an impressive performance in the election, winning 31 seats in the Holyrood Parliament and overtaking Labour to become the official opposition to Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government. Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, who was humiliated into third place at the election - the party's worst performance in Scotland in more than a century - also congratulated Ms Davidson on Twitter this morning. Ms Dugdale revealed she was gay in April this year and was pictured with her partner Louise on election day. She told Ms Davidson this morning: 'Massive congratulations to you both from Louise and I'. A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: 'Normally we wouldn't comment on personal issues but everybody in the party will want to wish Ruth and Jen the very best.' In the past Ruth Davidson (pictured left with her partner Jennifer Wilson right) has admitted that she had not wanted to be gay and said she had struggled to come to terms with her sexuality because of her Christian faith. A drink-driver who was caught behind the wheel with one of the highest blood alcohol readings ever recorded has been handed a good behaviour bond. Mother-of-three Trudy Friend, 52, from Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast, returned a potentially fatal reading of 0.486 in January after she veered off the road and crashed into a fence. She told police she had visited a nearby supermarket at around 1.30pm but couldn't remember anything after that. Trudy Friend, 52, from Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast, has escaped jail after recording a record blood alcohol level She told police she had visited a nearby supermarket at around 1.30pm but couldn't remember anything after that Just before 3pm she crashed into her next-door neighbour's fence in the Coffs Harbour suburb of Boambee East. She was found unconscious and taken to Coffs Harbour Hospital where she was placed in an induced coma. She pleaded guilty to high-range drink-driving and was handed a two-year good behaviour bond and disqualified from driving for nine months. Experts are surprised that that Ms Friend was able to start her car, let alone drive it. 'Her brain is no longer functioning,' Gordian Fulde, head of the emergency department at St Vincent's and Sydney Hospital, told Channel 9. 'Medically speaking... she wouldn't be able to do any sensible thinking - let alone her motor functions - steering and braking and all that sort of thing.' She pleaded guilty to high-range drink-driving and was handed a two-year good behaviour bond and disqualified from driving for nine months Experts are surprised that that Ms Friend was able to start her car, let alone drive it. 'Medically speaking... she wouldn't be able to do any sensible thinking,' Gordian Fulde, head of the emergency department at St Vincent's and Sydney Hospital said Coffs Harbour Detective Inspector Darren Jameson said the reading was the highest on record in NSW. 'Drink-driving is a very serious offence and not only risks the safety of the driver, but also all other road users,' he said. 'This is the highest PCA we've ever recorded.' Ms Friend was ordered to attend a traffic offenders program and her car will be fitted with an alcohol ignition interlock when her licence is reinstated. The prominent barrister appeared on behalf of Honda in 2005 to fight the introduction of mandatory roll-over bars Paramedics were called about 12.30pm but Mr Ray could not be saved The 65-year-old's ATV flipped over and he was left pinned underneath it A top Melbourne barrister has been killed after his quad bike flipped on his property in rural Victoria. William 'Ross' Ray, QC, 65, had been riding the ATV to fix fencing on his cattle farm in Merrijig, before he was found pinned underneath the bike on Sunday, reported the Herald Sun. Paramedics were called about 12.30pm but Mr Ray could not be saved. William 'Ross' Ray, QC, (pictured) who was killed on Sunday after his quad bike flipped on his property in rural Victoria Investigators believe he was nearing the top of a hill when the bike flipped. In 2005 Mr Ray was at the centre of a legal battle by motorcycle company Honda to fight to introduction of mandatory roll-over bars, reported the Sydney Morning Herald. He appeared in court on behalf of the quad bike maker in a legal bid to dismiss a coroner from an inquest into a spate of deaths in Victoria and Tasmania involving quad bikes. WorkSafe Victoria recently tightened rules on quad bikes, requiring businesses to install roll-over protection devices if they are used on a worksite. The industry has fought the introduction of mandatory roll-over bars on quad bikes, arguing that there is not enough evidence that they work and they can lead to injuries themselves. The prominent barrister has been remembered by close friend and colleague David Neal, SC, who said 'he was possibly one of the most generous people that I've known'. 'He had a lot of energy, he kept doing things - work and charitable - he lived a very full life,' Mr Neal said. Mr Ray was a national occupational health and safety practitioner who worked with WorkSafe, and prosecutor in the case of the Essendon drugs saga and the Grocon wall collapse. He was previously president of the Law Council of Australia and since 2007 Mr Ray was the Foundation Chairman of the South Pacific Lawyers Association. Earlier in his career he practised criminal law and appeared in high-profile murder trials. Victorian Bar Council President Paul Anastassiou QC said Mr Ray had been an inspiring mentor to young barristers. A police spokeswoman said a report would be prepared for the coroner, while WorkSafe Victoria would also investigate the accident at the property. Police have been accused of using pepper spray and roughing up students at a Maryland University graduation party. Witnesses told of how the police used 'excessive force' to break up the party in an off-campus accommodation block where fighting and underage drinking was reported. The authorities are now reviewing the 911 call made to police and officers' bodycam footage to investigate whether the cops did manhandle celebrating students. Party's over! Shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday, university police say they received a complaint about a loud party inside an apartment Caught on camera: Police at the University of Maryland are investigating a pepper spray incident that happened near campus Police say an officer's body camera recorded a conversation between officers and a group who said people were fighting. As officers tried to get people to leave, a cop who was surrounded in a hallway used pepper spray. Videos posted online show people screaming and coughing as they left the building. Reinforcements were called in, and pepper spray was used twice, once when an officer was surrounded in a hallway and a second time during a "confrontation" in the parking lot. Numerous comments on Twitter have decried the use of force and questioned whether the incident was racially motivated. Idea: Student, Courtney Humphey, pictured, believes the party was stopped because of racist leanings by campus police According to the University of Maryland Police Department, dispatchers received a call at approximately 1:45 a.m. complaining about the noise. Two students were arrested for disorderly conduct, but most students told local reporters they don't understand why the crowd was pepper-sprayed. 'They were being very forceful,' Theo Scoulios, who served as the DJ of the party explained to Fox 5. 'Using their arms to throw people, and then at that point, they start to mace everybody. To me, it seemed as if it was a little not a little a lot excessive.' 'This wouldn't have happened if this was a white party, and it makes me sick to say that,' said Courtney Humphrey, a UMD graduate. UMD President Wallace Loh tweeted, 'We are reviewing video footage from last night's incident at Courtyards. I have asked for a swift and transparent review and assessment.' Officers were wearing body cameras and surveillance footage on campus is also available but it has not been released to the public. A number of students took to Twitter to post about the ruckus that happened when cops arrived on scene Attacked: Mobile City Councilman C.J. Small Jr. was shot in the face while on a trip in Johannesburg, South Africa An Alabam councilman was shot in the face in Johannesburg after armed robbers ambushed his tour bus in South Africa, over the weekend. C.J. Small from Mobile, was shot on Saturday when a tour bus he was riding on was stopped by an armed gang who then robbed those on board, ordering the passengers to hand over their jewelry and cellphones. It is still unclear who ambushed the tour bus or why Small was shot. He along with several others were robbed of their belongings. Mobile City Council spokeswoman Marion Steinfels said in a statement that Small is expected to recover and that he is in stable condition. Small, who owns a mortuary, traveled to South Africa to attend the South African Funeral Director & Morticians Association Convention. The family is working with the U.S. Consulate Office in Johannesburg as well as the Secretary of State in Washington. It is unclear when he will be able to be released from the hospital and return to the United States. 'We don't have all the details yet. All we know is it's possibly a robbery on the way to the flea market on a tourist bus. We know his injuries are not life-threatening, but we ask for prayer for them,' said local reverend Patrick Munnerlyn, who is also a member of the NFDMA. Reassurance: An optimistic post has since been deleted from Facebook but it said 'I'm having a good time over here in Africa. I had a small incident, but I'm doing fine. I will be back in the states this week' Shock: The shooting occurred after the tour bus he was riding was ambushed and patrons were robbed, according to a statement released by the family Recovering: Small is listed in stable condition and is currently being treated in a Johannesburg, South African Hospital. He along with several others were robbed of their belongings and cell phones 'Our national director out of Atlanta - she and her husband received injuries, as well as CJ's sister received some injuries.' As he and his sister recover from their injuries - local and state leaders are praying for his safe return. 'He's always been there for the community and right now I asked the community to come together and pray for him and be there for him at this point,' said State Representative Napoleon Bracy. A number of other people have also commented on the incident, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson wrote: 'I was distressed to learn this morning that Councilman Small was injured while traveling overseas. Based upon what we know about his condition, I encourage everyone to pray for his full and complete recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are also with CJ's family. We stand ready to assist them to ensure his safe return.' Gina Gregory, Mobile City Council President toldWKRG 'The family is keeping us informed as best they can. Right now the focus is making sure CJ is getting the medical care he needs.' A serial stalker who battered a Finnish student to death on the same day he attacked three other women has admitted carrying out the 'horrific' rape of a stranger in a park two years earlier. Jason Dockrill is currently serving a life sentence for the 'sadistic and sexual' murder of 23-year-old Suvi Aronen whom he raped, mutilated and bludgeoned to death in east London in March 2003. Sentencing him to serve a minimum of 25 years at the time, Judge Michael Hyam said unemployed Dockrill was 'a danger to women and likely to remain so for a long time, if not indefinitely'. Now, following a cold case review, the 46-year-old has admitted rape and two counts of indecent assault relating to an attack in a park in late 2001 two years before he murdered Ms Aronen. Jason Dockrill, 46 (left), who is currently serving a life sentence for the 'sadistic and sexual' murder of 23-year-old Suvi Aronen (right), has admitted the 'horrific' rape of a stranger in a City of London park in 2001 During a hearing at the Old Bailey today, the judge heard how Dockrill's victim suffered a 'serious sexual attack' and was left in 'fear of her life' after being targeted by him in a park in the City of London between November 2 and 5, 2001. Dockrill, who appeared in court via a video link from Belmarsh prison, south east London, was linked to the sex attack last year by DNA evidence after a cold case review of the original investigation. Prosecutor Anita Arora said: 'He is currently serving a minimum sentence of 25 years for the murder itself and other concurrent sentences for physical assaults on women the same day as the murder in 2003.' Referring to the DNA techniques that led to his arrest for the earlier sex attack, she said: 'It's a classic cold case my Lord. 'As the scientific technique became more sophisticated and became more able to detect lower levels of DNA they [police] were able to trace the defendant.' Dockrill was not on the police system and a man of good character at the time of the rape. Natasha Wong, defending, said Dockrill has been a serving prisoner at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire, where he has received mental health treatment on a special unit for dangerous offenders with personality disorders. Judge Timothy Pontius adjourned sentencing until July 18 so that mental health reports can be carried out. 'Plainly, having read the statement of the victim, this is a very serious sexual attack. She was in fear for her life,' he said. 'It was a stranger rape carried out in a park and it consisted not just of rape but two serious indecent assaults as well. 'It is fortunate the defendant has decided to change his plea today and saved the victim the ordeal of giving evidence about these horrific crimes committed 15 years ago.' Dockrill dragged Ms Aronen into scrubland as she walked home, sexually assaulted her and battered her with a brick before dumping her body next to an underpass in Wanstead, east London (pictured) in March 2003 Dockrill, formerly of Stratford, east London, is currently not due for parole until 2028. The unemployed fitter had denied murdering Ms Aronen on March 20, 2003 on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was convicted of murder after a trial. Dockrill dragged Ms Aronen into scrubland as she walked home, sexually assaulted her and battered her with a brick before dumping her body next to an underpass in Wanstead, east London. Her harrowing cries were heard by her parents who had called her mobile phone just as he struck. Dockrill had attacked three other women in the hours leading up to Ms Aronen's death - he tried to rob a 44-year-old woman, attacked an 80-year-old in the park and violently robbed another woman in the street. He was jailed for a total of nine-and-a-half years for these, to run concurrently. Ms Aronen, originally from Tampere in Finland, was expected to win a first-class degree in cultural and media studies at the University of East London that year. This is a very serious sexual attack. She was in fear for her life. It was a stranger rape carried out in a park and it consisted not just of rape but two serious indecent assaults as well Judge Timothy Pontius She was due to marry a 25-year-old Englishman Ben Lancaster who she had met in Finland where he worked as a teacher. They were planning to return to her homeland to live in Helsinki after she graduated. By a cruel twist of fate she was only in the area because she took a different bus home, the 366, to enjoy the sunny weather in the park. She was last seen carrying her rucksack towards the underpass followed by bald-headed Dockrill. Mother Sirpa Aronen called her at 6pm that evening and heard her daughter being brutally attacked. She said in a police statement: 'I heard Suvi crying in Finnish and English, 'Go away' and 'Don't hurt me'. 'I also heard her crying. I heard her mutter and mumbling and understood that someone else was present. 'When I called Suvi and heard Suvi crying I knew that something evil was taking place.' When he was told he was being arrested for murder Dockrill said, 'Yeah, I'm loving it.' The former builder, who had a happy childhood at the family home in Stratford, claimed he was picked on at Trinity Secondary school in Canning Town and enjoyed bullying smaller children in turn. He joined the army cadets at school and told one psychiatrist he collected deactivated weapons, German memorabilia and skulls. He also claimed to have enjoyed torturing and stringing up animals - even boasting about tying a firework to a rabbit on a skateboard. Detectives found hundreds of drawings of skulls and daggers on sketchpads in his room at home. Ex-cop Drew Peterson offered a fellow inmate $10,000 to kill the state's attorney who helped put him behind bars for murdering his wife, a court heard. Former Chicago police sergeant Peterson was motivated by 'anger, hatred, revenge' when he plotted the murder of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, prosecutors told his trial. The 62-year-old is serving a 38-year prison sentence at the Menard Correctional Center in Menard, Illinois, after being convicted in the 2004 drowning death of Kathleen Savio. Scroll down for video Ex-cop Drew Peterson (pictured in an undated police mugshot) offered a fellow inmate $10,000 to kill the state's attorney who helped put him behind bars for murdering his wife, a court heard Jurors heard that he had offered fellow inmate Antonio Smith - nicknamed 'The Beast' to act as his hit man. The pair had bonded over basketball and prison recipes, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Instead, Smith reported the offer to authorities and agreed to help secretly record Peterson. Those wiretapped conversations, which are expected to be played in court during a week-long trial, include Peterson discussing his 2012 conviction of first-degree murder in the 2004 death of ex-wife Kathleen Savio, according to a pretrial motion filed by prosecutors. Peterson also discussed his fear that Glasgow will prosecute him for murder in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacey Peterson, the pretrial motion indicates. Peterson has never been charged in Stacey Peterson's disappearance and has maintained innocence. He is also appealing the murder conviction over the death of Savio to the Illinois Supreme Court. Peterson has pleaded not guilty to charges of solicitation of murder for hire and solicitation of murder related to Glasgow. He faces an additional 60 years in prison if convicted of those charges. Peterson is charged with solicitation of murder for hire and solicitation for murder after allegedly trying to hire someone to kill Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, above in 2013, while Peterson was in prison 'They're going to sensationalize the heck out of this thing,' defense attorney Lucas Liefer told the jurors at Randolph County Courthouse in Chester, Illinois. 'Do not give in to this approach.' Peterson's animus toward Glasgow whom Walker said he wanted killed on the elected prosecutor's way to or from his Joliet office apparently extended beyond Glasgow's role in helping put him behind bars. On the recordings, Peterson purportedly blames Glasgow for efforts to revoke Peterson's $79,000 annual police pension. He also says Glasgow is the reason that Peterson's son, Stephen, lost his job at the Oak Brook Police Department over what authorities said were the younger Peterson's efforts to obstruct the investigation into Savio's death. In testimony Monday, Glasgow called the imprisoned Peterson a 'coward' and a 'thug' who would 'threaten people because he had a gun and a badge.' Glasgow testified that he listened to about 15 minutes of the Peterson wiretap, the Chicago Tribune reported. 'The word 'kill' wasn't used, but the implication of kill was there,' Glasgow testified. 'Based on 36 years of experience in law enforcement, from my listening of the tape, it was clear to me there was going to be my demise.' Walker said Smith, the prison informant, didn't receive a reduced sentence for his cooperation but was paid $3,200 by the FBI to replace property lost after he was transferred to the federal prison system following his involvement with Peterson. Peterson, a former cop, (left being transported to jail in 2009) is serving 38 years for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio (pictured, right) in 2004 Stacy Peterson (pictured) was just 19 and 26 years younger than her husband when they married. She mysteriously vanished in 2007. Her body has never been found Peterson has been in jail since 2012 when he was convicted of drowning his third wife, Kathleen Savio in the bathtub, eight years before. Her body turned up in a dry bathtub in her home outside Chicago, but investigators determined she'd drowned. He was not initially charged following her 2004 death, but an investigation was reopened after Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, disappeared in 2007. Authorities have said they believe Stacy Peterson is dead and that Drew Peterson is a suspect, but he hasn't been charged in that case. On March 1, 2004, Ms Savio was discovered by a neighbor face down in her dry bathtub, her thick, black hair soaked in blood and a two-inch gash in the back of her head. The death of the 40-year-old aspiring nurse was initially deemed an accident. After Peterson's fourth wife, 23-year-old Stacy Peterson, vanished in 2007, Savio's body was exhumed, re-examined and her death reclassified as a homicide. Peterson had divorced Savio a year before her death. His motive for killing her, prosecutors said, was fear that a pending settlement would wipe him out financially He is currently serving 38 years for her murder and is not due to be released until May 2050 when he will be well into his nineties. Questions remain about Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, who has been missing since 2007 and whose body has never been found. Peterson revealed in 2013 that he lived in fear of being killed behind bars. According to a letter to his lawyer at the time, he was not adapting well to his new home. 'Im in a cell the size of a broom closet, peeling paint, rusting fixtures, I have no TV or anything and I havent been out since I got here,' he wrote to his former attorney Joel Brodsky in one letter. 'Prison is all the nightmarish things that one would think.' Peterson is incarcerated at the Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Illinois where he is being held in protective custody throughout his sentence because of his former profession as a cop. Former Chicago police sergeant Peterson was motivated by 'anger, hatred, revenge' when he plotted the murder of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, prosecutors told his trial. (pictured Monday, a transport van carrying Peterson arrives to the Randolph County Courthouse in Chester, Illinois) Drew Peterson's 2012 trial was the first in Illinois history where prosecutors built their case on hearsay thanks in part to a new law, dubbed Drew's Law, tailored to the case. The hearsay, prosecutors said, let his wives speak from their graves through family and friends. The hearsay - any information reported by a witness not based on the witness' direct knowledge - included a friend who said Savio told her Peterson once put a knife to her throat and warned her: I could kill you and make it look like an accident. Savio so feared for her life that she kept a knife under her mattress. A former co-worker of Peterson's, Jeff Pachter, testified that Peterson offered him $25,000 to hire a hit man to kill Savio, though he never followed through. Peterson was 26 years older than his fourth wife, Stacy, when they married, only eight days after his third divorce was finalized. Four years later, the 23-year-old went missing in 2007. This disappearance prompted Illinois State Police and the FBI to investigate, and they later had Savio's body exhumed, re-examined and her death reclassified as a homicide. When her sister called the police reporting Stacy's disappearance, Peterson said that she had called him several days before and said that she left him for another man. Her car was found at the airport. One of the biggest aspects in the case of her disappearance was the issue of whether or not he disposed of her body in a large blue container, three of which he bought prior to when she went missing. Stacy Peterson's family hoped a conviction in Savio's murder could lead to charges against Drew Peterson in Stacy's disappearance. Stacy's pastor, Neil Schori, testified she told him that her husband got up from bed and left their house in the middle of the night around the time of Savio's death. A 41-year-old mother who dumped her baby girl outside a student share house was later found at Brisbane International Airport. PhD student Long Nguyen found the sleeping three-month-old baby on the verandah of his share house in Herston, just north of Brisbane's CBD on Sunday. 'I was about to go to school and as I walked on the front porch I discovered that there was a baby girl,' Mr Nguyen told 7 News. A 41-year-old mother dumped her three-month-old baby girl (pictured) on the verandah of a student share house before she was found at Brisbane airport The baby was taken to the Lady Cilento Hospital where she was later given a clean bill of health 'She woke up and started crying and I tried to calm her down, I turned on the TV and let her watch some cartoons, but well, that didn't really help.' The 41-year-old woman and her two-year-old toddler were found at Brisbane airport shortly after. It is unclear if she was planning to board a flight. Mr Nguyen (pictured) said: 'I was about to go to school and as I walked on the front porch I discovered that there was a baby girl' The baby was discovered on the verandah of this share house in Herston, just north of Brisbane's CBD on Sunday The woman and her two children were reported missing by her husband early on Sunday morning, according to 7 News. A Queensland Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'A 41-year-old woman was located at the Brisbane Airport yesterday afternoon and was transported to the Prince Charles Hospital for a health assessment. 'As investigations are continuing, it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time.' The baby was taken to the Lady Cilento Hospital where she was later given a clean bill of health. When Right-thinking commenters and the European elite awoke this morning to the prospect that Austria could be the first European country to be led by a populist right leader they were aghast. In the event Nobert Hofer of the Freedom party narrowly lost his bid to become Austrian President. But it is still a momentous day and I couldn't be happier. In Austria, European governments should see a narrowly-averted mirror of their own future. Momentous: Right-thinking commenters and the European elite are aghast because The Freedom Party, led by Norbert Hofer (pictured yesterday in Vienna), looks set to win in Austria Look long and hard my friends, because this is coming your way. A new populist politics is back in the ascendant, defending national identity and protecting the rights of true nationals from the drain of immigration. And this is just the start of things to come. Make no mistake: the author of this Europe-wide phenomenon is Merkel. She has penned a new era in history, in which Europe rejects an open-door policy to immigration which would lead to our women being the target of archaic cultures and religions, and rape being a helpless man's only response to the provocative sight of an unveiled woman. But this is more than a rejection of European immigration policy. This is individual nations asserting their right to self-govern. Peoples voting to protect their sense of self and reassert sovereignty. Austrian Freedom Party supporters celebrate in Vienna yesterday. Their country could be the first one in Europe to be led by the populist right These nations do not want to be part of some amorphous whole, a blancmange of nonsense led by a German. And they are fighting back in city squares chanting 'never again'. Hofer says: 'To those in Austria who go to war for Islamic State or rape women, I say to those people: This is not your home.' I have a strong sense many of you would vote for a British leader with precisely these views. And Hofer is not alone. The Danish People's Party has 21 per cent of the vote and publicised its policy of removing valuables over the value of 1,045 from immigrants to pay for their welfare. It also placed adverts in Lebanese newspapers warning against migration to Denmark. The UK, on the other hand, advertises its benefits and accommodates migrants in hotels. In Finland the populist Right argues that true Finns take priority in social and healthcare spending. A new populist politics is back in the ascendant, defending national identity and protecting the rights of true nationals from the drain of immigration. Make no mistake: the author of this phenomenon is Angela Merkel The UK prioritises immigrants for school places and council homes and gives away healthcare for free. Marine Le Pen's National Front (FN) is the biggest nationalist challenge to Europe's liberal democratic traditions. She has modernised the party and mobilised support in the face of terror attacks. It suits the Left to throw out insults and put lazy labels on these political parties, seeking to marginalise or discredit them In Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Switzerland parties which espouse the same views are also on the rise. Questioning immigration, the EU and the establishment, while promoting a strong sense of nationalist sentiment, is now entirely salonfaehig, as German-speakers would say. Their ugly word for passable in your living room or, as we would say, socially acceptable. Merkel, for the record, is not salonfaehig in my home. The Swiss even use controversial black-sheep posters to make their point about immigration. Liberals call them racist but, frankly, when do they ever stop using that term, so overused to have lost all meaning? If I'm not being called racist, I barely recognise myself. Marine Le Pen's National Front (FN) is the biggest nationalist challenge to Europe's liberal democratic traditions. She has modernised the party and mobilised support in the face of terror attacks But it suits the Left to throw out insults and put lazy labels on these political parties, seeking to marginalise or discredit them despite their obvious electoral success and democratic support. It calls these parties the Far Right, hoping you will close your eyes, picture a skinhead with a beer belly and an England flag tattooed on his forehead, and snigger. But remember, this breed of lazy socialists also mocked Donald Trump, and will continue to do so as he ascends the steps to the White House. They smirk, cocooned in their London bubble as will no doubt still be listening to the BBC still calling Donald Trump a buffoon even as he descend the stairs from Air Force One. The Swiss even use controversial black-sheep posters to make their point about immigration Meanwhile Americans want him to speak up on their behalf. To be the voice of the people, to Make America Great Again, to halt immigration, protect their cultural identity and reassert their right to look after their own culture first. Its no coincidence Hofer and Trump both use the same slogan: America/Austria First! And these words are being echoed all around Europe. Restrict immigration, self-govern, reassert the right to put your own people first. And as I look west towards Trump in the White House, east to Hofer in Austria and Le Penn resurgent in France, north towards the Danish People's Party with the toughest immigration rules in Europe, and south to the stronghold of the Swiss People's Party I see a political compass whose true direction is set on national identity and sovereignty. This movement is supported by people living in their cultural homeland, working hard, paying taxes, looking for someone, anyone, to speak up for their rights, their country, their future. Its no coincidence Hofer and Donald Trump (pictured) both use the same slogan: America/Austria First! And if Merkel continues the madness of trying to fast-track Turkey into the EU, millions more will join them. Just as if Britain has the guts to vote to leave the EU, I have no doubt citizens all over Europe will start demanding that they too get a vote. All over the Western world, multiculturalism is being rejected in favour of national identity. The surge of populist politics of the Right reflects a deeper will of the people to take back power from those who believe we are all equal. We all have rights. All over the Western world, multiculturalism is being rejected in favour of national identity We are not. We do not. If you come to our country and fight for Islamic State, rape our women, and then ask Europe to defend your human rights, this is not your home. Our NHS, our schools, our local doctors surgeries they are not yours to monopolise either. Our children should come first. The balance of power is shifting. Raising the spectre of fascism is just lazy labelling This is not the silencing of humanity, nor the deafening roar of bald men in black boots and bomber jackets waving the Union, fighting their own shadows. This is the rise of common sense. A Venezuelan man accused of administering buttock-enhancing injections that killed a Miami mother-of-two has been arrested after three years on the run. Jose Robusto, 43, was charged with manslaughter and practicing unlicensed medicine resulting in death after cops picked him up at a Miami airport Saturday. Suyima Torres, 28 died of an embolism in April 2013 after paying a total of $2,300 for butt-enlarging injections at an unlicensed Miami-Dade clinic, the Miami Herald reported. Arrested: Jose Robusto (left) is accused of pretending to be a doctor and administering two buttock-enlarging injections to Suyima Torres (right). Suyima died of an embolism after her second injection in April 2013 Robusto had returned to his home country after Torres died, police said - but was picked up by police when he returned to Miami from Aruba, off the coast of Venezuela, on Friday. Police say Torres paid Cuerpos Health and Aesthetics in West Miami-Dade $1,500 for an operation in which an 'oily yellow substance' was injected into her buttocks on April 1, 2013. She then returned and paid $800 for a second injection ten days later, but just hours afterward felt dizzy and was rushed to a hospital, where she died of a brain embolism. Cops say that Robusto, who does not have a medical license, posed as a doctor to perform the two operations. Robusto claims that he only administered the first injection, the Miami Herald said. Fatal: After her second treatment, Torres felt dizzy and had to be rushed to Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables, Miami. She died later that night Just 16 days before Torres's death, another woman was hospitalized with vision problems and bleeding of the lungs after getting the same treatment at Cuerpos Health and Aesthetics. The clinic, which no longer appears to be in operation, was only licensed to perform massages, but advertised on Facebook that it had certified plastic surgeons. Its owner, Ruth Planas, reportedly accompanied Torres to the hospital after she fell ill - but Torres's mother said in 2013 she never told doctors about the injections. 'Maybe if that woman would've told them early my daughter would still be here,' she told NBC Miami. Robusto was booked into Miami-Dade jail early Saturday. It is not clear whether he has an attorney. Cosmetic procedures performed by bogus doctors are not uncommon in South Florida - especially butt enhancements. A transgender woman was arrested in 2012 after police said she injected bathroom caulk, cement, Super Glue, Fix-A-Flat and mineral oil into the bodies of victims. Authorities said one patient died as a result of the procedure. CCTV footage of convenience store owner Adeel Khan, who is accused of setting the fire in his store which killed three people, shows him buying petrol in the days before the blaze. He says the nearly 40 litres of petrol purchased from a service station days was for his car in case it ran out, The Daily Telegraph reported. He also says robbers tied him up and splashed petrol on the Rozelle, Sydney shop floor on the night of the fire, which destroyed his business. Mr Khan says he feared for his life and begged for mercy. Scroll down for video CCTV footage recorded at a service station showed Adeel Khan buying nearly 40 litres of fuel in the days before his convenience store in Sydney was destroyed by a fire Mr Khan said in court the petrol was for his car in case it ran out of fuel The footage showed him filling up and walking about the forecourt of the service station The alleged murderer has claimed three robbers tied him up in the convenience store before the explosion and fire (pictured) Emergency services at the scene of the destruction after an explosion and fire destroyed a convenience store and units above Adeel Khan, 46, is escorted by Corrective Services officers at the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney. He's accused of the murder of three in an inferno in Rozelle, Sydney, in 2014 The 46-year-old is pictured being transferred to a prison van after his appearance at the Supreme Court on Thursday The 46-year-old entered the witness box at his NSW Supreme Court trial on Monday to defend allegations he deliberately lit the September 2014 inferno. The blaze killed Sydney mother and son, Bianka and Jude O'Brien, and their neighbour Chris Noble. As the victims' families watched, Khan denied deliberately starting the fire, telling the jury that on the night of the blaze he was accosted at his store by three male intruders who tied him up and covered his eyes. He said they threatened to shoot him with a pistol if he didn't follow orders, and at one stage one of the men held a large container out of which spilled petrol. Mr Khan (pictured after his appearance at the Supreme Court) told police robbers tied him up in the convenience store, drank and ate sandwiches before setting the building alight The explosion and inferno in September 2014 caused massive damage to the building and killed three An SES crew member searches through rubble in the aftermath of the 2014 explosion that killed three Tape recordings of Mr Khan's police interview after the 2014 fire were played at the Supreme Court on Thursday 'He told me that they're going to burn the store,' Khan testified. 'I was so scared. I thought they were going to kill me. I started begging them.' After the men eventually left, Khan bolted from the store but was stopped by a blast which buried him under debris and rendered him unconscious. He admitted saying the words 'I'm so sorry' to ambulance officers who rescued him, but denied saying 'I didn't mean it'. 'I was feeling sorry about putting their lives in danger to save me,' he explained, and said he'd been expressing thanks to the paramedics. The father of three said a face mask found in his pocket might have been left there from when he'd earlier cleaned his car's bull bar and alloy wheels. Containers of petrol he'd bought two evenings prior to the blaze were intended for use in his car, he said. Bianka O'Brien, 31, and her baby boy Jude lived in a unit above the store in Rozelle in Sydney's inner-west and were killed Her neighbour Chris Noble, 27, was also killed in the 2014 inferno, which Mr Khan is accused of starting to secure an insurance payout John O'Brien was widowed and lost his son Jude (pictured together) in the September, 2014 explosion John O'Brien was widowed when his wife Bianka O'Brien (pictured together) was killed Baby Jude, the son of Bianka O'Brien, was killed in the fire that Mr Khan said was sparked by robbers who tied them up The Crown alleges Khan started the fire to secure an insurance payout and get out of lease obligations. Prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC suggested the business was running at a loss and that Khan was desperate to sell, pointing to a text message he sent in 2014 that said 'I'm looking for a quick sale'. But Khan said business had been picking up and he'd only wanted to sell if he could make a good profit. The court also heard Khan increased the shop's insurance coverage twice in 2014, taking it from $160,000 at the start of the year to $225,000 in May. He explained that the increases were to cover leased equipment. Khan gave a long pause and appeared to struggle to speak after he was asked by his defence barrister Luke Brasch whether he knew victims Bianka and Jude O'Brien, and Bianka's husband John. 'I know them as a beautiful family and very good customers,' he finally said. He is due to return to the witness box when the trial continues on Tuesday. Chris Noble (pictured), 27, was killed in the 2014 blaze Mr Khan is accused of starting Emergency services at the scene of the destruction in 2014 which killed three people Boris Johnson faced being pelted with eggs at his latest Brexit rally - but talked his way our of it by pleading with the protester about a food crisis. The Vote Leave champion took his battle bus tour to York today and drew a crowd of hundreds for his stump speech on why Britain should quit the European Union. Mr Johnson was met with boos and heckling as he disembarked for a speech but interrupted his remarks when he was tipped off about being in the line of fire. Ex-mayor Boris Johnson arrived in York to heckles today, pictured, but talked down a protester who planned to throw eggs at home during the event The protester - Sam Grigg, a 22 year old student at York University - had heckled Mr Johnson as 'everything that's wrong with politics in this country', according to The Guardian. In a bizarre put down, Mr Johnson told him: 'There's a young man here who had eggs he was going to throw at me, can you believe it? 'There are people hungry in this country, my friend. Don't waste those eggs.' Mr Grigg later insisted he had never intended to throw the three eggs he brought with him. He did admit to having placed one in the pocket of a Vote Leave supporter. Asked if he was going to throw them, he said: 'No, I was not going to throw an egg. The egg was just to mess with them. Protester Sam Grigg had threatened to throw eggs at Mr Johnson today 'The egg was to cause a scene.' Mr Grigg added: 'Today was a protest against the Conservative Party, it wasn't to do with Vote Leave or the EU.' Mr Johnson used the speech to join attacks on David Cameron and George Osborne for forecasting a recession hitting Britain if it votes to quit the EU. The Prime Minister and Chancellor today painted a grim picture, warning that in the worst case scenario economic growth could fall back by a huge 1.5 per cent in the first three months after polling day. Mr Johnson derided the claim as 'propaganda'. He said: 'They are putting out more propaganda than we have seen at any time since 1992, when they said that we couldn't leave the European exchange rate mechanism (ERM). They said it would be a disaster. 'They said that interest rates would go up. 'They said there would be an economic catastrophe for this country if we left the exchange rate mechanism. 'And what happened? It was a liberation for this economy. We did better than ever before. 'They were wrong then, my friends, and they are wrong now.' Mr Johnson also used the appearance to revisit another bizarre event on his Brexit battle tour. Last week, the former Mayor faced criticism for wrongly claiming the EU stopped shoppers buying bananas in bunches bigger than three. EU regulations would appear to suggest the fruit can be sold as singles or in bunches of four or more - with an exception. Mr Johnson got behind the wheel of a specially branded Ginetta sports car at the firm's Yorkshire factory as his Vote Leave tour continued But Mr Johnson moved to the passenger seat for his test drive - which included a series of high speed donuts behind his battle bus Leaving tyre smoke in his wake, the ex-Mayor left the Ginetta test track after being driven by company CEO Lawrence Tomlinson But Mr Johnson said today: 'The Leave campaign got very angry and said I was wrong. And I was wrong. 'There isn't one directive, there are four directives on bananas, including on the curvature of bananas.' Mr Johnson went onto a further event today to test a Yorkshire-built sports care produced by Ginetta. Sitting in the passenger seat the senior Tory MP was spun around in a series of tyre-smoking donuts behind the Vote Leave battle bus. Mr Johnson came under fire last week for misquoting EU regulations on bananas, pictured, but today doubled down on the row by claiming there were in fact four different sets of rules An Australian business who's been manufacturing 'ugg' boots for over 20 years is being sued by an American corporation over the brand. Since 1995, Deckers has owned the trademark 'UGG Australia' in over 130 countries like the United States, China and Europe and makes over $1 billion in global sales every year. The corporation is suing Australian based business 'Australian Leather' for describing their ugg boots as 'ugg' boots. Australian business 'Australia Leather' has been manufacturing 'ugg' boots for over 20 years. They're being sued by a American corporation Decker for using the trademarked name The lawsuit originated when someone in North America bought Australian Leather footwear though the company's website. 'I can't stop what people want to buy online,' founder and owner of Australian Leather Eddie Oygur told The Project. 'I didn't directly go to America and open shops or try to sell wholesale or retail in America. I sold it through my website in Australia.' The lawsuit could cost the Australian business $500,000 to fight and all of their stock could be destroyed if the Decker Corporation wins. South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said the action 'looks like a complete abuse of trademark laws'. 'This is legal bullying...This is a $2.4 billion corporation taking on a small business. That's why I've put up legislation that we should be protecting the word "ugg",' he said to The Age. 'The government needs to back Australian business. Politicians can talk about supporting Australian jobs, but they need to put their money where their mouth is.' The senator said the situation was no different to 'the French protecting champagne, the Portuguese protecting port, the Spanish protecting sherry and even the Greek protecting feta' Since 1995, Deckers has owned the trademark 'UGG Australia' in over 130 countries like the United States, China and Europe and makes over $1 billion in global sales every year The lawsuit originated when someone in North America bought Australian Leather footwear though the company's website. Founder of Australian Leather Eddie Oygur told The Project he can't stop what people buy online The lawsuit could cost Australian Leather $500,000 to fight and all of their stock could be destroyed in the Decker Corporation wins The senator is backing Mr Oygur and he wants the Australian Government to step in and pass laws to protect the Ugg boot. 'We can't export our boots, we can only sell them within Australian territories and in New Zealand, Mr Oygur told The Project. 'We can't export to China, we can't export to the European Union, we can't export them to Northern America; and we want to do that. South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said the action 'looks like a complete abuse of trademark laws' Deckers Corporation have said on their website they will take action against dealers in Australia and elsewhere that are engaged in deceptive trade practices Eddie Oygur said he isn't scared of a fight and wants to be able to sell his products all over the world On their website, Deckers Corporation have said: 'Australian dealers have attempted to pass off their boots as Deckers' UGG Australia brand boots...and to deceive or confuse consumers outside of Australia. 'Deckers takes action against dealers in Australia and elsewhere that are engaged in such deceptive trade practices.' There are 60 days until the first US District Court hearing and Mr Oygur told The Age he was 'not scared of a fight'. Jeremy Corbyn is hoping to persuade Ed Miliband to return to frontline politics and accept a job in the Shadow Cabinet, it emerged today. But the move has already caused a backlash among MPs, who are angry at the prospect of Mr Miliband taking an influential role so soon after delivering Labour's worst election performance in more than 30 years. Labour moderates also blame him for introducing new rules to the voting procedure for electing the party's leader - which helped Mr Corbyn to storm to a landslide victory last September. Jeremy Corbyn (left) is hoping to persuade Ed Miliband (right) to return to frontline politics and accept a job in the Shadow Cabinet Mr Miliband's reforms allowed 'registered supporters' who signed up for 3 to have a vote in the Labour leadership elections - many of whom were more left-wing than ordinary party members at the time. Mr Miliband has been advising Mr Corbyn on a range of issues in private, according to reports in The Times. His advice includes how to deal with a hostile media - something both men have faced in abundance over the last few years. Now Mr Corbyn are confident they can persuade Mr Miliband to join his top team - despite turning down a role in the shadow cabinet when the radical left-winger was first elected leader in September. The move by Corbyn allies to woo Ed Miliband (pictured delivering his resignation speech after last May's crushing defeat) has already caused a backlash among MPs, who are angry at the prospect of Mr Miliband taking an influential role so soon after delivering Labour's worst election performance in more than 30 years Ed Miliband (pictured in-between former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and former deputy leader Harriet Harman) rejected Jeremy Corbyn's offer of a job in his firsts frontbench team in September It is part of the leadership's plan to tighten its grip on the party after speculation that moderates were planning to launch a leadership challenge this summer. Mr Miliband was understood to be reluctant to returning to frontbench politics so soon after his crushing defeat in last May's general election. One former Labour frontbencher told The Times: 'Ed shouldn't be in the shadow cabinet... he should be in jail for what he did to the Labour party.' Mr Corbyn's allies are thought to be plotting to remove his critics from the Shadow Cabinet after June's EU referendum and replace them with 'true believers'. One MP claimed Mr Miliband 'agrees with more of Jeremy's programme for change than he agreed with the stuff he was doing when he was leader himself'. On Saturday Mr Corbyn told the party that it must be ready to fight a general election before 2020. He raised the prospect of an early election, claiming David Cameron's Tory Government could collapse over its deep splits on Europe. On Saturday Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) set out plans to revolutionise the way the economy is run - telling party members that they may be able to implement them earlier than expected Senior Labour MPs, including Chuka Umunna (left) and Tristram Hunt (right) have warned that the party risked losing more support to Ukip if it failed to deal with the impact of mass immigration The Labour leader set out plans to revolutionise the way the economy is run - telling party members that they may be able to implement them earlier than expected. But senior Labour MPs have warned that the party risked losing more support to Ukip if it failed to deal with the impact of mass immigration. Today Chuka Umunna made a hard-hitting intervention warning that the failure to tackle ethnic divisions is creating widening 'cracks in our communities'. And he even warned that Britain could elect a 'Donald Trump-style' leader unless mainstream politicians deal with increasing ethnic segregation. It followed warnings from former Labour frontbencher Tristram Hunt, who said yesterday that the party 'risks losing the next general election and looking like a Southern cosmopolitan party if it fails to address voters concerns about immigration. The Stoke-on-Trent MP said Labour will lose another general election if it ignores the dramatic changes immigration has prompted in some communities, particularly in the north. Last week shadow Europe minister Pat Glass was forced to apologise after being caught on microphone describing a voter who referred to a Polish family as scroungers as a horrible racist while on the EU referendum campaign trail n Derbyshire. Asked about her comments, Mr Hunt told Sky News yesterday: This is why we need a root and branch rethinking of this issue within the culture of our party, because if people think were only saying one thing in this studio but when I leave this studio I think something else, well theyre not going to trust us. It is not racist to talk about immigration. It is not racist to reflect on the changes that happen to communities. Voters could elect a Donald Trump-style (pictured) leader in Britain unless mainstream politicians deal with the impact of mass immigration, senior Labour MP Chuka Umunna warns today Their intervention came as a new inquiry into Labours election woes warns that the party is becoming toxic outside the M25 because of its failure to address immigration. Jon Cruddas, who served as Ed Milibands policy chief, will warn this week that Labour is becoming irrelevant to the majority of working people. In a new report on Labours election defeat last year, Mr Cruddas will warn that the party is at risk of losing more votes to Ukip unless it stops patronising socially conservative supporters. The report goes on: Labour is becoming a toxic brand. It is perceived by voters as a party that supports an open door approach to immigration. Lacks credibility on the economy and is a soft touch on welfare spending. Donald Trump's son blasted Hillary Clinton on Monday, mocking her for failing to finish off Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary race despite a massive advantage in funding and staffing. 'She has 730 people working on her campaign staff. We have 70,' the younger Trump said on 'Fox & Friends.' 'She's spent $180 million on her campaign so far [and] she hasn't beat a single socialist. My father has knocked off 17 other people and he's spent fifty.' Eric Trump said Monday that Hillary Clinton has 'spent $180 million on her campaign so far [and] she hasn't beat a single socialist' A passive-aggressive Clinton said Sunday that Sanders 'has every right to finish off his campaign however he chooses' .@erictrump: Hillary hasn't beat a single socialist, and my father has knocked out 17 politicians.https://t.co/hsJYq2OHYm FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) May 23, 2016 'I mean, that's the difference between a businessman and a politician, and I think people are realizing that,' he added. Sanders, a Vermont senator and self-described 'democratic socialist,' has vowed to fight Clinton all the way to July's Democratic National Convention, despite trailing her by several hundred delegates. A passive-aggressive Clinton said Sunday that Sanders 'has every right to finish off his campaign however he chooses.' She emphasized in an interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that she has won 3 million more votes than Sanders in the Democratic primaries. She said she plans to focus her attention on Trump because his candidacy poses 'immediate dangers' to the country. Clinton criticized Trump for being open to pulling the U.S. out of NATO and allowing some countries to have nuclear weapons. She said she's willing to talk with Sanders and 'take into account' what the Vermont senator is asking for at the party's national convention this summer. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont senator and self-described 'democratic socialist,' has vowed to fight Clinton all the way to July's Democratic National Convention Eric Trump also said Monday that the GOP is 'warming up' to his father, including former arch-rivals like South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush both of whom have hammered Trump in the past as a faux conservative with 'dangerous' foreign policy views. 'You've got to remember, with Lindsey Graham and with Jeb you know, these things are so vicious inside. Right? I mean, it's so hard. People put their whole lives on the line,' he said. 'It does hurt to lose. And sometimes it takes a little while to warm up. And that's what's happening. And you're seeing that with Lindsey and that's what's happening with Jeb, and I think you're going to see it with all the others as well.' Paula Deen is taking back the $1.3million home she 'gifted' to her husband, Michael Groover, last year, saying the move that prompted divorce rumors was simply a misunderstanding. The celebrity chef, 68, headed to court last month to void a deed transfer she had previously made in which she gave all rights to the Wilmington Island, Georgia, property to her husband of 11 years. Deen had granted tugboat captain Groover the rights to their three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 5,646-square-foot home in the Savannah suburb in January 2015, according to documents filed in a Georgia court. Scroll down for video Paula Deen filed a cancellation of a deed transfer last month after previously giving all rights to her Wilmington Island, Georgia, property to her husband of 11 years, Michael Groover Deen granted Groover the deed to the suburban Savannah home in January 2015, which sparked divorce rumors that went on for months The 5,646-square-foot home is worth an estimated $1.3million and includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms Following the deed transfer, divorce rumors swirled for months. The couple have battled the split rumors for a couple years, with reports stating she was close to leaving him after discovering he had an alleged affair. Groover denied all rumors of an affair at the time. Deen and her husband purchased the home 2004, the same year they were married. Documents filed last year by Deen say the transfer was a 'Deed of Gift' and that she was handing over the home 'for and in consideration of her natural love and affection for her husband' and gave over all property rights. But documents filed on April 8 show that Deen has taken back the property. Documents filed on April 8 show that Deen (pictured showing off the home's fridge) has filed a cancellation of erroneous deed in the Georgia court, saying the transfer was made, executed and delivered by error and an misunderstanding between Deen and her husband Deen and Groover have been living in the home since 2004, which is also the year that the couple got married The filing, signed off by both Deen and her husband, states that the transfer has been voided and that Groover is no longer the sole owner of the home The filing states that the chef had executed a deed of trust to her husband last year, but Deen says that the transfer was made, executed and delivered by error and an misunderstanding between her and her husband. She says that it was recorded under error and has canceled the deed transfer she originally made. The filing, signed off by both Deen and her husband, states that the transfer has been voided and that Groover is no longer the sole owner of the home. The couple also own another home on Wilmington Island named Riverbend - an eight-bedroom, eight-and-a-half bathroom, 28,000-square-foot estate. The home was put on the market for $12.5million last year. The Riverbend home is where Deen shot her Food Network cooking show before it was canceled in 2013, after she caught making a racist slur. Like the Irish are immune to psychotherapy, alcohol interventions fall on deaf ears in America's fraternities, a new study shows. Researchers at Brown University Medical School and Rhode Island's Miriam Hospital recently published a study in Health Psychology showing that fraternity brothers are unlikely to change their drinking habits after going through an alcohol education seminar. The study is based on 15 earlier, smaller studies, over 20 years into the effects of alcohol education on Greek Life groups across the country. In some of the studies, fraternity brothers actually recorded higher cases of drinking after sitting down for a lecture on the effects of alcohol. Brown University Medical School researchers have published a study, showing that fraternity brothers are less likely to change their drinking habits after going through alcohol education. Above, a still from the classic fraternity movie Animal House 'Current intervention methods appear to have limited effectiveness in reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among fraternity and possibly sorority members,' Lisa A. J. Scott-Sheldon, an associated professor at Brown University Medical School and a senior scientist at Miriam Hospital, said in a news release about the study. The so-called interventions that researchers are referring to in the study are alcohol education seminars that many college students go through. The seminars average about 55-minutes in length and include anecdotes about high-risk scenarios and education including how to estimate blood alcohol concentration. The scientists believe that Greek Life is becoming a barrier to these types of interventions, since a huge focus of the groups is on social drinking events. If fraternity members 'view alcohol use as a means to achieve their social and sexual goals' then 'attempts to manage drinking may be ineffective'. Scott-Shelton spoke with NBC and said she was surprised by the results of her study. 'It was unexpected,' Scott-Sheldon said. 'We thought they would work as they did in the broader student population. It may just be more challenging to act on your intentions if the environment endorses alcohol use.' Since this method of curbing dangerous drinking appears to have no affect on fraternities, researchers suggest that 'stronger interventions' be developed to address drinking in Greek Life organizations specifically. The study also looked into the drinking habits of sorority sisters, but the data was too small to make a generalization The study was released as several schools are contemplating the role of fraternities and other social groups on campus. Harvard University is currently in a battle with the school's Final Clubs - mostly all-male social groups for graduating seniors that are known to hold ruckus parties at their private homes. The school wants the Final Clubs to start admitting women, in an attempt to reduce the amount of sexual assaults that happen on campus, some of which occur at the Final Clubs' houses or events. Harvard President Drew Faust believes making the Final Clubs co-ed will help dispel a culture of rape at the school. If the groups do not agree to integrate both sexes next year, the school is threatening to bar members from campus leadership positions, or receiving recommendations from Harvard needed for scholarships and fellowships. Al Gore is refusing to endorse Hillary Clinton for president until she wins the Democratic nomination. The former vice president has stated many times in the past that it was too early to endorse Clinton or her rival Bernie Sanders, but revealed on Today Monday morning that he will not back either candidate until they win the primary. When asked if he had been approached by Clinton or Sanders for an endorsement, Gore said; 'I've gotten signals that you could interpret that way.' Despite this, and the fact that Bill Clinton endorsed Gore before the start of the 2000 primary when he made a run for the presidency, Gore is not throwing his support behind Clinton or Sanders until they have sewn up a primary victory. Scroll down for video Not doing it: Al Gore revealed on Today Monday morning (above) that he is refusing to endorse Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders Back in the day: President Clinton (above with Hillary and Gore in January 1997) endorsed Gore when he ran for president in 2000 over a month before the start of the primary Gore did manage though to praise both Clinton and Sanders for their stance of climate change during the interview, while voicing his concern about what could happen in Donald Trump was elected president. 'He has said some things on the climate crisis that I think should concern everyone,' said Gore, pointing out Trump's past comments that global warming is a hoax. Gore then added that he did have some hope, saying; 'President Carter said that he hopes [Trump] will be malleable, so I don't know.' He also revealed he has allies in the Tea Party who support his beliefs on global warming, referring to them as the 'Green Tea Party.' Gore first revealed he would not back Clinton in the primary last November, with a member of his team saying in an email to Politico; 'He has great respect for and long-standing relationships with all of the candidates running for the Democratic nomination for president. 'He appreciates the emphasis each of the candidates has placed on advocating for solutions to the climate crisis and will do all that he can to ensure that climate change remains a priority throughout this debate. 'However, he has no plans to endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary.' Gore did the same thing in the 2008 primary, refusing to endorse Clinton and later throwing his support behind President Obama after he won the party's nomination. Politico spoke to Democratic insiders who suggested that Gore may not be endorsing Clinton because of their history and events that happened while she was first lady. One insider said Gore became upset when President Clinton asked his wife to work on convincing Congress to pass comprehensive health care reform rather then giving the task to his vice president. 'Usually you give your vice president something of that level. You dont give it to the first lady,'explained the insider. 'People forget that sort of started the relationship on a downward spiral early on.' Popular guy: said that he had 'gotten signals' that both Clinton and Sanders (above on Sunday) were seeking out his endorsement Others claim that Gore is still upset because Clinton's New York Senate run in 2000 took the focus away from his own presidential campaign. Gore did state two years ago, long before Clinton even announced she would run in the race, that he had no problem supporting her campaign if she won the primary. 'Im of course fully aware of the general expectation that she will run and that shell get the nomination,' said Gore. 'And if that happens, I certainly hope that she wins and I certainly hope that if she wins shell be an effective advocate on climate.' One insider told Politico though that just because Gore might endorse Clinton it does not mean she is his top pick, saying that the former vice president is still angry about the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the impact it had on him as part of the Clinton administration. 'Some of the stuff thats been plaguing the Clinton campaign is the stuff he doesnt like about serving with the Clintons,' said a veteran Democratic operative who worked for Gore in the past. 'My guess is hell endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton. But if he were to close his eyes and wish for a leader who he would want to lead the world its not where he would land.' An 11-year-old girl and a 57-year-old woman were hospitalized after separate shark attacks in Florida over the weekend. The girl was attacked Saturday around 5:45pm as she was swimming in shallow water at Huguenot Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Action News Jax reported. A shark bit the girl on her back, arm and hand, and was taken to a Jacksonville hospital where she spent nine hours in the trauma unit, the news station reported. These pictures show the ripped and bloodied clothes belonging to an 11-year-old girl who was bitten by a shark Saturday, in the first of two shark attacks in Florida over the weekend Mary Marcus, 57, was bitten in the thigh Sunday as she was swimming about 100 yards off Vero Beach, pictured The second shark attack occurred on Sunday at Vero Beach, about 200 miles south of the first incident The girl had five teeth marks on her back, stitches on her hand, and a severed tendon in her left arm, the girl's mother told Action News Jax. Despite her injuries, the girl was in a good mood and reportedly gave first responders high gives with her uninjured hand. The second shark attack occurred on Sunday at Vero Beach, about 200 miles south of the first incident. The 57-year-old woman, whom authorities identified as Mary Marcus, was bitten in the thigh around 4:30 pm. Lifeguards called the attack a 'bite and release' and said it happened about 100 yards off the beach, in an area between two reefs known as 'shark alley' where sharks are known to hunt for bait fish, TC Palm reported. The woman was able to swim ashore and walk to a beach chair before asking for help. A witness told TC Palm the woman 'handled it like a champ' and that she was 'super calm' after the attack. Former Liberal staffer Peta Credlin says Malcolm Turnbull's plummeting voter approval rating could shake the prime minister's confidence as he 'likes to be liked'. Ms Credlin, longtime chief of staff to Tony Abbott, said the significant turnaround in Mr Turnbull's popularity since he ousted her former boss could be 'troublesome' as he has an overwhelming desire to be liked. 'Some politicians are pretty resilient. They don't need to be liked. Malcolm is a politician that likes to be liked,' she said on Sky News. Scroll down for video Former Liberal staffer Peta Credlin (right) says Malcolm Turnbull's plummeting voter approval rating could shake the prime minister's confidence as he 'likes to be liked' Ms Credlin warned against relying on head-to-head statistics, which she referred to as 'popularity polls, and instead argued that politicians should be far more focused on the primary vote. 'Labor's primary is doing well at 36 - well enough to win some seats but certainly not well enough to win the election.' 'They must win big if they're going to win,' she said. The latest newspoll shows support for the Liberal party remaining steady at 41 per cent of voters. Ms Credlin expressed concerns about the high number of uncommitted voters who had shown a significant level of disengagement and disinterest in the democratic process. 'Some politicians are pretty resilient. They don't need to be liked. Malcolm is a politician that likes to be liked,' she said on Sky News. Ms Credlin expressed concerns about the high number of uncommitted voters who had shown a significant level of disengagement and disinterest in the democratic process She also said it was crucial for Mr Turnbull to engage with the conservative 'base' and said his decision to speak with Alan Jones on Wednesday was long overdue. 'You cannot expect to go to an election and win if you don't talk to the base and you must talk to Alan Jones and you must talk to Andrew Bolt,' she said. But the Liberal party's deputy leader Julie Bishop said voters on the campaign trail in marginal seats appeared engaged and were reacting positively to Mr Tunrbull and his plan for the nation. But the Liberal party's deputy leader Julie Bishop said voters on the campaign trail in marginal seats appeared engaged and were reacting positively to Mr Tunrbull and his plan for the nation 'I'm getting very positive feedback about Malcolm and they like what they see and hear and like his leadership style,' she said 'I'm getting very positive feedback about Malcolm and they like what they see and hear and like his leadership style,' she told ABC Television. Ms Bishop acknowledged people's attention span would narrow and be more focused as the election approached, but said they appeared interested in what the major party had to say. Two guards had to be carried from Horse Guards Parade on stretchers today after reportedly fainting during rehearsals for Trooping the Colour. The two men are said to have passed out as members of the Household Division, the Queen's personal troops, practiced an impressive display ahead of Her Majesty's official birthday next month. The guards marched out for the session wearing bearskins and full red military uniform and could be seen standing to attention as they fine-tuned their routine in this morning's warm spring sunshine. The two men (one of whom is seen being stretchered) are said to have passed out as members of the Household Division, the Queen's personal troops, practiced for Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards Parade One of the guards is seen slumped on a stretcher as his fellow comrades carries him from the Horse Guards Parade forecourt after apparently fainting in the warm spring sunshine during Trooping the Colour rehearsals Another soldier is seen being stretchered from the rehearsals after apparently passing out this morning Later, the two guards were seen slumped on stretchers as their fellow comrades carried them from the Horse Guards Parade forecourt after they both apparently fainted in separate incidents. The Household Division were rehearsing for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, which will take place this year on June 11. The Queen celebrated her actual birthday with a private dinner on April 21. The custom dates back to the time of Charles II, when regiments would have their colours displayed daily to ensure their men could recognise them in battle. George III declared that it should take place to mark the king's birthday, a tradition which continues today. More than 1,400 officers and men are expected to take part in the impressive ceremony this year alongside some 200 hundred horses and 400 musicians from 10 bands. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along the Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again. During the ceremony, The Queen is greeted by a Royal salute and carries out an inspection of the troops. Her Majesty later joins other members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a fly-past by the Royal Air Force. Last year, Prince George stole the show by waving to the gathered crowds from the balcony. It is not yet known whether Princess Charlotte will attend with her parents this year. The Household Division were this morning rehearsing for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, which will take place this year on June 11. The Queen celebrated her actual birthday with a private dinner on April 21 More than 1,400 officers and men are expected to take part in the impressive Trooping the Colour ceremony this year to mark the Queen's birthday alongside some 200 hundred horses and 400 musicians from 10 bands The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along the Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again. Pictured: Horses are led out during rehearsals this morning as the Queen's guards stand to attention Todays incident comes just days after a soldier fainted during a parade to mark the 300th anniversary of the Light Dragoons at Catterick Garrison barracks, North Yorkshire. The cavalry regiment of the British Army were celebrating the incredible milestone by marching alongside horses and tanks when one soldier collapsed in front of the crowds. Pictures show the man, who was stood alongside the rest of his regiment, on the ground after falling forward as members of the Light Dragoons performed in unison. One fellow soldier goes forward to check on his stricken comrade and hauls him up from the ground and brings him back to the rest of the troop while another picks up his bayonet and hat. Two Turkish airline pilots have made an extraordinary claim they saw a UFO flying over their plane just an hour before the doomed Egyptair jet crashed. Mystery still surrounds the cause of the downing of the jet, an Airbus A320, which plunged into the sea last Thursday, killing all 66 people on board, en route from Paris to Cairo. Now one of Turkey's biggest news outlets has reported that two pilots said they saw an object with green lights pass by their passenger jet as they approached Istanbul's Ataturk Airport from Bodrum at around 11.30pm on Thursday. The doomed Egyptair Air flight taking off from an airport in Austria last year. Two Turkish airline pilots claim they saw a UFO flying over their plane just an hour before the doomed Egyptair jet crashed It happened as the aircraft passed close to the Turkish capital's Silivri district when the plane was at an altitude of 17,000 feet. According to the Hurriyet Daily News, the pilots told air traffic controllers: 'An unidentified object with green lights passed 2,000ft to 3,000ft above us. 'Then it disappeared all of a sudden. We are guessing that it was a UFO.' The EgyptAir plane crashed around 500 miles away in the Mediterranean about an hour later. Some of the debris that has been recovered from the Mediterranean from flight MS804 The General Directorate of State Airports Authority said it did find anything on its radars that could be linked to what the Turkish pilots had described. Pictured is a lifejacket from the doomed flight The General Directorate of State Airports Authority said it did find anything on its radars that could be linked to what the Turkish pilots had described. The spotting of a UFO comes as they mystery about the plane crash deepened after claims the pilot spoke about 'an emergency descent' aimed at putting out a fire. It was initially claimed Mohamed Said Ali Ali Shoukair lost all radio contact before the Airbus A320 plunged into the sea. The spotting of a UFO comes as they mystery about the plane crash deepened after claims the pilot Mohamed Said Ali Ali Shoukair, pictured, spoke about 'an emergency descent' aimed at putting out a fire But aviation sources in Paris have now said he contacted Egyptian air traffic controllers to say he was going to make an emergency landing because there smoke filling the plane. There was 'conversation several minutes long' between Captain Shoukair and the controllers, which amounted to 'a distress call', according to French TV station M6. However, the claims were last night denied by EgyptAir. A spokesman said: 'Claims made by the French TV station are not true. The pilot did not contact Egypt air control before the incident.' Rapid descents involve dramatic changes in cabin air pressure, and can be extremely dangerous, but the claims about the flight's last moments fit in with earlier information. Relatives of those who died on board the flight grieve at a funeral service at an orthodox church in Cairo According to Greece's defence minister, Pano Kammenos, the plane dropped sharply from 37,000 feet to 15,000 feet, and then made 'sudden swerves'. As it entered Egyptian airspace, over the Greek island of Karpathos, the first turn was a sharp, 90-degree one to the east, and then there was a full circular loop. A leaked data report also suggests that a fire blazed across the flight deck minutes before disaster -suggesting a catastrophic electronics malfunction. The new information made terrorism seem 'less likely', although it has still not been ruled out. Egypt president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi broke his silence on the crash yesterday, saying a submarine would be used to find the jet's 'black box' data and voice recorders, which emit a locator signal for only a month before batteries run out. Police used stun guns on furious parents who were told they couldn't watch their children graduate. Tempers flared when Friday's ceremony for students at Tri-Cities High School in East Point, Georgia, was moved into the gymnasium because of the rain. It meant there was only limited seating available, so some relatives were told they couldn't watch their loved one get their diploma. Scroll down for video A police officer is seen using a stun gun on a parent who was told he couldn't watch his child graduate at Tri-Cities High School in East Point, Georgia Fights broke out, forcing school police officers to intervene. At least one used a stun gun on a parent to the horror of those who were also stuck outside. Parent Janelle Carter told WSB-TV: 'It was pushing and shoving, and don't push me, don't push, next thing you know, swings, arms, fists.' Wajeedah Price added: 'This is ridiculous. This is a once in a lifetime moment, and we can't see our kids graduate.' Chet Boykin, another parent, said he was turned away, even though he arrived for the ceremony two hours early. 'They should've stopped it and scheduled it for another day,' he told the station. Susan Hales from the Fulton County School District told Daily Mail Online: 'Due to rain, Fridays graduation ceremony was moved indoors from the school stadium where it was originally planned. 'As a result, seating was limited and students were given six tickets for admission to provide to their guests. 'Traditionally, graduation ceremonies at Tri-Cities have drawn about 3,500 guests in attendance. The school gym has a capacity of 2,400 and two additional viewing areas were arranged with large AV screens and speakers. 'The two viewing areas combined had capacity for around 1,400 people bringing the total seating to about 3,800. 'Were still determining why some guests did not gain entry as there should have been space. 'I can confirm that there was an arrest for disorderly conduct when an individual became physically combative with a police officer and was not following his safety directives. 'A taser was used on that individual and he was arrested.' Witnesses described fists being thrown as relatives were not they would not see their loved ones get their diploma because of limited seating. Grainy cell phone footage captured the chaos that ensued Tempers flared when Friday's ceremony was moved into the gymnasium because of the rain The sole survivor of an IRA massacre has told how he laid beneath his 10 dying colleagues as a terror commander ordered his troops to 'finish them off'. Alan Black said the noise was 'deafening' as a blast of gunfire killed Protestant workmen at the village of Kingsmill, in County Armagh. While another man - the group's only Catholic member - cowered in a nearby field after he was ordered to flee. Tragedy: The sole survivor of an IRA massacre at Kingsmill, Alan Black, sheds a tear outside the inquest into the bloody shooting Survivor: Mr Black recovers in hospital after he was shot several times during the IRA massacre in 1976 Today an inquest began into the shooting, which police described as the most senseless and savage killing of the early Troubles. The textile factory workers were ambushed as they travelled along the Whitecross to Bessbrook road on January 5 1976 - one of the darkest years of the Troubles - allegedly in reprisal for earlier loyalist killings. Father-of-three Alan Black was shot several times and outside Belfast Coroner's court he said he wanted the 'unvarnished truth'. He said: 'We are relieved and apprehensive. We have fought long and hard for this review. Obstacles were put in our way, thanks to these people here we have gotten over each one. 'This is a red letter day for us to finally get our day in court.' The inquest heard how the men's minibus was stopped and those on board were asked their religion by the gunmen. The armed men, who were hidden in the hedges, ordered them to line up outside the van and then opened fire. The 10 who died were John Bryans, Robert Chambers, Reginald Chapman, Walter Chapman, Robert Freeburn, Joseph Lemmon, John McConville, James McWhirter, Robert Samuel Walker and Kenneth Worton. Mr Black's statement was read out by barrister Sean Doran during the inquest. He said he fell on his face during the shooting with another man collapsing across his legs. Brutal: The minibus carrying the textile factory workers is left peppered with bullet holes and blood stains the ground after the massacre, as detectives patrol the scene of the murders Devastation: A window on the workers' minibus is left smashed by a bullet after the terrorists lined up their victims and executed them outside their vehicle Victims: L-R top - Robert Chambers, John Bryans, Joseph Lemon and Joseph McWhirter. L-R bottom - Walter Chapman, John McConville, Kenneth Wharton and Reggie Chapman, who all died in the massacre As he struggled to survive on the ground, he could hear the moaning and groaning of his workmates. A police report at the time was read to the coroner, it said: 'What happened then is perhaps the most savage and senseless single outrage in the present campaign. Fortunately it has not yet been paralleled. 'It resulted in 10 completely innocent workmen losing their lives and an 11th badly injured. 'One man escaped only because of his religion.' Richard Hughes, the man who was ordered to flee, recalled the armed men asking who the Roman Catholic was. He said: 'The person on my right squeezed my hand. Loss: Colin Worton (pictured), whose brother Kenneth was among those killed, attended the inquest with other members of his family Family: Karen Armstrong (left), whose brother John McConville was murdered, and Alan Black (right) are joined by their legal representative Kevin Winters (centre) outside Belfast Coroner's Court 'I glanced out of the side of my eye. I did not move.' The Kingsmill attack was claimed by a little-known republican paramilitary group considered to be a front for the supposedly-on-ceasefire IRA. However, in 2011, the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) of independent detectives found the IRA had been responsible and had targeted the workmen because of their religion. The inquest was ordered by Northern Ireland's attorney general John Larkin QC. The first inquest was held shortly after the killing and was a very 'limited exercise', Mr Doran told the inquest. Mr Larkin ordered the new hearing after the HET found members of the IRA were involved. Mourning: Emotions get the better of Beatrice Worton, whose son Kenneth was among those killed, outside the inquest in Belfast SENSELESS MASSACRE BROUGHT KINGSMILL VILLAGE TO ITS KNEES Pictured, William Chambers, whose brother Robert was among those brutally killed at Kingsmill The killing of 10 Protestant workers by the IRA brought the men's home village to its knees, the brother of one of the dead said. Bessbrook, in the rolling hills of South Armagh, not far from the Irish border, was founded by the Quakers, the Society of Friends who believed in pacifism and abhorred war. The people of the model village built around the linen industry were 'homely' and religious division was never an issue, even amid the cauldron of the Troubles, William Chambers said. The day of the Kingsmill massacre everything went quiet - lives were shattered, children orphaned, mothers deprived of youngsters and talent wasted, witnesses told the inquest. Mr Chambers said: 'It brought Bessbrook to its knees but the people still did not turn on one another, against one another, they still talked to each other. 'It did not matter about religion, we did not take that into consideration - we were one big happy family.' He said the coroner could establish whether the Provisional IRA was involved and pursue information recently given by Mr Black about the English accent of the armed unit's commander. The inquest is also expected to examine whether controversial British Army soldier Robert Nairac was involved, although he has already been ruled out by the HET. Fresh evidence has also emerged since the original inquest after a minibus driver said he saw a masked gunman along a road two miles from the scene. Mr Doran said 63 people were suspected of some involvement, although the quality of the intelligence varied. Dawid Steffen, 34, from Middlesbrough, claimed thousands of pounds from insurers A man who arrived at court claiming to be a car crash victim now faces a jail sentence after witnesses said he looks and sounds nothing like the driver involved in the incident. Dawid Steffen, 34, from Middlesbrough, claimed thousands of pounds from insurers following a crash with a 17-year-old learner driver and her instructor in Doncaster. He said he was driving the other car involved and needed physiotherapy for back and neck pain following the crash. But, when he arrived at Doncaster County Court for a hearing, the learner driver and instructor said he was not the man behind the wheel at the time of the collision. And now, in an extremely rare move, the driving instructors' insurers, Aviva, has launched a High Court bid to have him jailed for alleged contempt of court. Aviva's lawyers are accusing Mr Steffen of fraud and, if found guilty of contempt, he could face up to two years in prison. Mr Steffen, who is originally from Poland, insists he was driving the car at the time of the crash and intends to fight the case. Mr Justice Garnham told the court in London that the crash happened at the junction of Beckett Road and Wentworth Road, in Doncaster, in July 2013. Driving instructor Debra Nolan was taking a 17-year-old pupil on a lesson and was in the passenger seat of her dual-control car at the time. The car collided with the front of a Ford Mondeo, which Mr Steffen claimed to be driving at the time. He made a claim for 5,000, including more than 1,000 for physiotherapy treatment. However, when they all arrived at court, Ms Nolan and her pupil told their lawyers that Mr Steffen was not the man they had spoken to at the scene of the crash. Mr Justice Garnham said: 'They were struck by the difference in appearance between him and the man they had seen driving the Mondeo.' He added that the pair said Mr Steffen looked '10 years younger', had brown, rather than blond, hair and was 'taller and thinner' than the Mondeo driver. They also claimed the man at the scene spoke good English, whilst Mr Steffen arrived at court with an interpreter to help translate proceedings. Mr Steffen discontinued his compensation claim in 2014, but insists he was driving the car and 'totally refutes' the allegation of fraud. He told the court the witnesses were 'mistaken' and said he had used a claims handling company, who he trusted to put his case forward correctly. When Steffen arrived at Doncaster County Court (pictured) for a hearing, the learner driver and instructor said he was not the man behind the wheel at the time of the collision Without making any findings about the allegations, Mr Justice Garnham gave Aviva permission to bring a contempt of court case against Mr Steffen. The judge said: 'The evidence in support is striking. The two women involved in the accident have provided a description of the driver on the one hand, and the person who turned up at the county court on the other. 'I have no hesitation in concluding that there is a case and that, given the witness evidence, it is a strong one. 'In my judgment, it is in the public interest that this case proceeds.' Remains of the first EgyptAir MS804 victims were today described as 'unrecognisable' as they were taken to Cairo to start the long and painful process of identifying the bodies. More than 20 body bags containing parts of corpses recovered from the Mediterranean crash site were brought to the Zenhom morgue by the Egyptian Army at midnight last night. Close family members began arriving at the morgue this morning after being invited to give DNA samples to aid their identification. A forensic source said: 'There is no complete body. There are only body parts. They are unrecognisable. 'But it is important for the families to be able to bury their loved-ones and to be able to visit their grave to help with the mourning process.' Scroll down for video Relatives of the Christian victims of EgyptAir flight MS804 weep during an absentee funeral mass at the main Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday. Remains of the first victims were today described as 'unrecognisable' as they were taken to Cairo to start the long and painful process of identifying the bodies A Coptic Christian grieves during prayers for victims of Thursday's crash EgyptAir crash at the Al-Boutrossiya Church, the main Coptic Cathedral complex, in Cairo, Egypt on Sunday Coptic Christians attend prayers for the departed, remembering the victims of Thursday's crash of EgyptAir flight 804, at Al-Boutrossiya Church, the main Coptic Cathedral complex, in Cairo, Egypt Dr Sham Abdel-Hamid, head of the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority, said: 'The authorities started taking blood samples from relatives to match results from body parts to identify the victims.' It comes as hundreds of mourners attended memorial services over the weekend for some of the 66 victims of the EgyptAir plane which mysteriously crashed into the Mediterranean on Thursday. In Cairo, a service was held yesterday for nine Coptic Christians who died, including 26-year-old flight attendant Yara Tawfik. The service took place in the Boutrossiya Church inside Cairo's St Mark Cathedral, the seat of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church. Relatives sobbed and prayed as Bishop Daniel, the senior cleric who led the service, offered words of comfort on behalf of Pope Tawadros II, leader of the Coptic church. He said: 'The church, the pope, the state and its representatives are very moved by this painful incident and are all standing together in offering their condolences to these families. 'They've ascended to heaven.' Coptic Christians attend prayers for victims of EgyptAir flight 804 at the Al-Boutrossiya Church in the main Coptic Cathedral complex in Cairo on Sunday A woman grieves during the emotional vigil held in Cairo today to remember the victims of the crash. It is not yet clear what caused the fire, but a terrorist plot is among the possibilities looking highly likely Portraits of Medhat Michel (left) and Waguih Mourise (right) are displayed during the church service in Cairo Nader Medhat, a cousin of Tawfik, said he was still trying to come to terms with the disaster. A service was also held on Saturday in a Cairo mosque for co-pilot Mohamed Mamdouh, 25, another of the 30 Egyptians among the dead. 'The funeral service was so packed with people there was no place for anyone to stand,' said Ahmed Amin, Mamdouh's childhood friend. 'It was really heartwarming.' The mystery of the EgyptAir crash deepened yesterday amid the pilot spoke about 'an emergency descent' aimed at putting out a fire on board. It was initially claimed Mohamed Said Ali Ali Shoukair lost all radio contact before the Airbus A320 plunged into the sea last Thursday, killing all 66 people on board, en route from Paris to Cairo. But aviation sources in Paris have now said he contacted Egyptian air traffic controllers to say he was going to make an emergency landing because there smoke filling the plane. There was 'conversation several minutes long' between Captain Shoukair and the controllers, which amounted to 'a distress call', according to French TV station M6. However, the claims were last night denied by EgyptAir. A spokesman said: 'Claims made by the French TV station are not true. The pilot did not contact Egypt air control before the incident.' M6, the French TV channel, reported that the pilot then initiated a 'rapid descent' aimed at putting out the fire on board, and clearing the smoke. The plane's twisted blue metal panelling, marked with EgyptAir branding as well as items of clothing and yellow life jackets, has been recovered from the Mediterranean Sea Rapid descents involve dramatic changes in cabin air pressure, and can be extremely dangerous, but the claims about the flight's last moments fit in with earlier information. According to Greece's defence minister, Pano Kammenos, the plane dropped sharply from 37,000 feet to 15,000 feet, and then made 'sudden swerves'. As it entered Egyptian airspace, over the Greek island of Karpathos, the first turn was a sharp, 90-degree one to the east, and then there was a full circular loop. A leaked data report also suggests that a fire blazed across the flight deck minutes before disaster -suggesting a catastrophic electronics malfunction. The new information made terrorism seem 'less likely', although it has still not been ruled out. Egypt president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi broke his silence on the crash yesterday, saying a submarine would be used to find the jet's 'black box' data and voice recorders, which emit a locator signal for only a month before batteries run out. He said 'all scenarios are possible'. The cause of the crash that killed all 66 on board remains unclear but smoke alarms were sounding for almost three minutes before it began its rapid descent, according to data Find: The discovery of the black box could provide vital clue into what caused the passenger jet to crash on its journey from Paris to Cairo DID ISRAELI AIR FORCE WAR GAMES BRING DOWN MS804? EgyptAir flight MS804 may have been brought down after getting caught up in Israeli air force exercises over the Mediterranean Sea, it has been claimed. Egyptian independent newspaper Al-Mesri al-Youm reported that Tel Aviv had started pilot training exercises in the area the jet disappeared a night before the crash. However, it did not elaborate on how the war games, dubbed Operation Blue Flag, may have caused the passenger plane to crash. The biannual drills involve dozens of F-15 and F-16 fighter jets flying simulated air battles on fixed and moving targets. An alert known as a NOTAM was reportedly issued by Greek authorities warning that military operations would be taking place in an area of the Mediterranean stretching from south of Crete to Cyprus. Last year, the exercises had been conducted at the same time and close to the area where the Russian holiday jet crashed in the Sinai desert, killing 224 people on October 31, it was reported by the Times of Israel. Advertisement Details of the jet's final three minutes were revealed yesterday via a flurry of automatic electronic messages showing a rapid loss of control. Smoke was recorded in a toilet behind the cockpit and in a bay of computers controlling the plane. A fixed cockpit window then opened and the flight control unit cut out. Some experts said the rapid series of alarms hinted at a bomb but others suggested faulty wiring could be to blame. Philip Butterworth-Hayes, a British aviation specialist, said: 'It is physically possible there was a technical issue. If it began in the toilet, it could be a suicide bomber.' On Friday, authorities released an audio recording of Captain Shoukair's words to Swiss air traffic control, from around an hour into the planned four-hour flight. The communication occurred around midnight local Swiss time, about two-and-a-half hours before Greek air traffic controllers in Athens lost contact. The exchange suggests those on the plane had no notion at that time of what was to happen later. The pilot was 'in good spirits and thanked the controller in Greek,' according to the Greek civil aviation authority. The mystery of the EgyptAir jet crash deepened today following claims that its pilot Mohamed Said Shoukair spoke about 'an emergency descent' aimed at putting out a fire It was initially claimed that Mohamed Said Shoukair lost all radio contact before the Airbus A320 plunged into the sea last Thursday, with the loss of 66 lives, while travelling from Paris to Cairo But transmissions from the aircraft in the minutes before it was lost reveal that smoke was detected underneath the cockpit and in a toilet. These messages were sent to ground computers before the airliner plunged from the sky, killing ten crew and 56 passengers, including one Briton. The hunt is now on for the plane's black boxes - the flight data and cockpit voice recorders that could unlock the mystery. French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said 'all theories are being examined and none is favoured'. But Simon Hradecky, editor of the highly respected website Aviation Herald, said available data suggested an electrical fault on the jet was more likely than a terrorist attack. Mr Hradecky speculated that the plane's oxygen supply could have been breached, causing the fire to spread more quickly, filling the cabin with smoke. TURKISH AIRLINE PILOTS 'SAW UFO WITH GREEN LIGHTS AN HOUR BEFORE MS804 CRASHED' Two Turkish airline pilots claim they saw a UFO flying over their plane around an hour before MS804 crashed. They said the object had green lights and passed by their passenger jet as they approached Istanbul's Ataturk Airport from Bodrum at around 11.30pm on Thursday. According to the Hurriyet Daily News, the pilots told air traffic controllers: 'An unidentified object with green lights passed 2,000ft to 3,000ft above us. 'Then it disappeared all of a sudden. We are guessing that it was a UFO.' The EgyptAir plane crashed 500 miles away in the Mediterranean about an hour later. The General Directorate of State Airports Authority said it did find anything on its radars that could be linked to what the Turkish pilots had described. Advertisement This, he said, is similar to what happened in 2011 when a fire started near the first officer's oxygen mask on an EgyptAir Boeing 777 during a fire at Cairo airport. 'If the oxygen bottle that feeds the oxygen masks of the pilots ruptures and feeds the fire, then we could have such a rapid development that the fire becomes catastrophic within three minutes.' The Airbus A320 aircraft made a 90-degree turn left, and then dropped from 37,000ft to 15,000ft before swerving 360 degrees right. Contact was lost at 10,000ft. It is believed that passengers and crew may have been alive until the plane plunged into the sea. Philip Baum, the editor of Aviation Security International Magazine, was also leaning towards the fire theory last night. He said: 'There was smoke reported in the aircraft lavatory, then smoke in the avionics bay, and over a period of three minutes the aircraft's systems shut down, so that's starting to indicate it probably wasn't a hijack. David Learmount, consulting editor at Flightglobal magazine, said: 'The question now is whether the fire that caused the smoke was the result of an electrical fault or whether some form of explosive or incendiary device was used.' Details of Flight 804's final moments emerged as human remains and personal belongings were over the weekend recovered by search vessels from some of the victims who died. The Egyptian military released images of some items found, including life vests, parts of seats and objects clearly marked EgyptAir. Debris was found 180 miles north of the port of Alexandria by the Egyptian navy. The spot is south of where the Airbus vanished from radar signals. Data indicates the plane was on fire before it plummeted into the Mediterranean. An ACARS screen grab (above) shows smoke alarms in the lavatory behind the cockpit sounded at 00.26GMT, three minutes before the plane lost contact For one Oklahoma high school student, graduating took a lot more work than his classmates. Micah McDade, a senior at Okmulgee High School who was born with cerebral palsy, decided it wasn't enough for him to just receive his diploma - he wanted to get up out of his wheelchair and physically walk across the stage. So following months of constant practice and preparation, on Friday night the big moment came, and McDade rose to the challenge. Special moment: In a surprise to his classmates, McDade suddenly got up out of his wheelchair on the stage on Friday night, as everyone cheered and applauded him Micah McDade, a senior at Okmulgee High School who was born with cerebral palsy, decided it wasn't enough for him to just receive his diploma - he wanted to get up out of his wheelchair and walk across the stage McDade spent months in rehabilitation in order to be able to walk, but had really been preparing his whole life Walking on his own: McDade has been confined to a wheelchair for as long as students could remember The students and their families at Okmulgee all got up out of their seats and gave McDade a standing ovation McDade's classmates, who had never seen him get out of his chair, were not aware of what he had planned. When his name was called, McDade wheeled himself to the stage and then, amazingly, managed to stand up. With the help of a walker, McDade then made it across the stage to accept his diploma, the Okmulgee News Network reported. Screams and claps can be heard in a video of the special moment, which has been viewed almost 200,000 times. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I've been doing this a long time,' the announcer said as McDade was helped back into his wheelchair. 'That is the best ever!' McDade has been working for months to be able to leave that wheelchair behind at one important moment McDade spent months in rehabilitation getting ready for the moment, according to Okmulgee News. His parents, Mark and Anisa McDade, said they couldn't be prouder of their son. Candice Ooley, 23, allegedly caused a deadly crash while driving drunk Friday near Fresno, California A pregnant and intoxicated California driver was jailed Saturday after she allegedly caused a deadly crash near Fresno. Highway patrolmen said the crash happened around 10pm Friday on Highway 41 near road 200, about 30 miles north of Fresno. Candice Ooley, 23, allegedly drove at a high speed and caused her Chevrolet Cruze to strike the back of a Hummer H3, sending it crashing down an embankment. One passenger in the Hummer died at the scene. Police identified the deceased as Lemoore resident Frederico Nunez Silva, 47. The driver of the Hummer and two female passengers were transported to hospital after being pinned inside the vehicle for about an hour, ABC 30 reported. Ooley is six months pregnant and was 'highly intoxicated' at the time of the crash, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson told ABC 30. She was booked into Madera County Jail on DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter charges, records show. She was also charged with driving on a suspended licence from a prior DUI conviction. Ooley, a Clovis resident, was held on $100,000 bail, jail records show. California Highway Patrolmen said 47-year-old Frederico Nunez Silva, who was a passenger in the Hummer pictured above, died in Friday's crash. Picture courtesy of Sierra News Online Mayka Marica Kukucova (pictured in court today) is charged with killing Andrew Bush at his home in the beach resort of Estepona on April 5, 2014 A Slovakian swimwear model broke down in tears as a Spanish court heard how she shot dead her millionaire British boyfriend in an act of self defence. Mayka Marica Kukucova is charged with murdering Bristol born jeweller Andrew Bush at his mansion home in the beach resort of Estepona on April 5, 2014. Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year sentence for the 26-year-old blonde, alleging she killed Mr Bush in a jealous rage when he arrived at his coastal retreat with a Russian girlfriend three months after he and Kukucova split up. The gold dealer was found dead in a pool of blood at his five-bed rented home in the early hours of the morning following an altercation with his blonde former partner. His then girlfriend - Maria Korotaeva, 20 - told detectives his ex was waiting in her pyjamas inside Mr Bushs mansion when they arrived for a long weekend from the UK. Kukucova's lawyer says his client acted in self-defence when Mr Bush died. The defence insists Mr Bush, 48, threatened the model with an Italian-made .38 Amadeo Rossi revolver, the two struggled and the trigger was pulled, according to the Diario Sur newspaper. She says the British businessman turned violent after finding her in his holiday home when she went to pick up belongings after the end of their two-year relationship. She said: He pointed the gun at me and said, Here is where everything ends. The weapon wouldnt fire and I threw myself at him. I dont know how but when we were fighting I got the weapon and it went off. The shot deafened me. Kukucova was warned she could face 25 years in jail if convicted. The trial at the Ciudad de la Justicia in Malaga is expected to last three days. This morning's opening arguments were attended by Bush's sister and niece, as well as Kukucova's parents. Ms Korotaeva, was also present. Russian national Ms Korotaeva, who met Mr Bush while studying at the University of the West of England, previously told police that she took refuge in Mr Bushs Hummer while he argued inside with the alleged killer the night of his death. Victim Andrew Bush's girlfriend at the time of his death in April 2014 Maria Korotaeva. Pictured right, Ms Korotaeva greets Mr Bush's sister Rachel Bush before court Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year sentence for the 26-year-old blonde (left, with Mr Bush), alleging she blasted the gold dealer three times when he returned home from a night out with a Russian girlfriend Ms Korotaeva (right, the two together), three months after they split up Ms Korotaeva said Kukucova was crazy with jealousy after Mr Bush ended their relationship. She said gunshots rang out before the Slovakian fled the house and forced her out of the car to make her escape. Following the shooting, Ms Kukucova - a swimwear model - handed herself over to Spanish authorities after being detained in Slovakia on suspicion of 'consumed intentional homicide'. This morning's opening arguments were attended by Bush's sister and niece, as well as Kukucova's parents. Ms Korotaeva, was also present. Ms Kukucova is pictured with the blonde hair The trial got underway this morning at the Ciudad de la Justicia in Malaga and is expected to last three days Mr Bush's daughter Ellie and his sister Rachel were present for the trial. If Ms Kukucova is found guilty of murder she could be imprisoned for 25 years She is thought to have attended the police station in her hometown of Nova Bosaca - 2,000 miles away - before being extradited. Her parents have since stated that they feel hated in their own community and are having to sell their home to cover the cost of their daughter's legal bills. Kukucova, who has been held in prison in Spain since May last year, faces up to 25 years behind bars if she is found guilty of murdering Mr Bush. Ms Korotaeva (pictured), 20, told detectives his ex was waiting for them in her pyjamas inside Mr Bushs mansion when they arrived for a long weekend from the UK In a report submitted to the judge ahead of the trial, local prosecutor Jose Antonio Nieblas said: 'The accused, moved by the unmistakable desire to end Andrew Bush's life and at a certain point in a row they were having, made a sudden and unexpected use of the .38 special-model Amadeo Rossi revolver that she was carrying. 'She shot Andrew Bush three times, the first shot hitting him in the arm and the other two in the head. 'Andrew Bush had no chance to react or defend himself against the unexpected and unpredictable attack which caused his death. Following the shooting, Ms Kukucova - a swimwear model - handed herself over to Spanish authorities after being detained in Slovakia on suspicion of 'consumed intentional homicide' 'In an attempt to procure her impunity, the accused placed the revolver in the dead man's left hand, took the keys to his Hummer and left the house making sure she closed the doors and impeded immediate access from outside. 'Following that she fled in the vehicle after a heated argument with Maria Korotaeva.' Ms Korotaeva paid tribute to her late partner in the days after his death. She posted on Instagram: 'I will always love you. You will always be in my heart. The man who changed my world for better. My teacher. I wish I could of saved you. RIP Andy Bush.' Desperate escape: Ms Kukucova drove from the Costa del Sol villa to her home town of Nova Bosaca in Slovakia following the shooting, before handing herself in to police MailOnline revealed exclusively in January how Kukucova was punched in the face at her old jail after confronting a suspected Mexican drug dealer she accused of stealing her favourite skirt. Governors at maximum-security Alhaurin de la Torre prison ordered staff to keep a close watch on the pair - revered as the jail's two best-looking women - for fear of another outbreak of violence. The pretty Slovakian put in a transfer request after alleging she was being scapegoated by prison warders who blamed her for the incident instead of treating her as the victim of an assault. In April, MailOnline revealed how her parents were being forced to sell their house to pay her legal bills. Lubomir Kukuca, 50, and Danka Kukucova, 51, said they felt hated in their own village and were selling up their home in Nova Bosaca to move somewhere more secluded. Advertisement Blood smeared across the floors and splattered up the walls, these are the horrifying photos from inside the child asylum centre where a female Swedish social worker was murdered in a frenzied attack. Alexandra Mezher, 22, bled to death after being stabbed as she tried to break up a fight involving two of the young migrants she was caring for. The psychology graduate's killing on January 25 at an asylum centre for unaccompanied minor refugees in Molndal, a suburb of Gotherburg, sent shockwaves through Sweden and around the world. Asylum seeker Youssaf Khaliif Nuur, from Ethiopia, is charged with her murder. Nuur has told detectives he cannot remember the incident. But these grisly pictures taken from the scene show how Miss Mezher appeared to have put up a fight against her killer. Bloodbath: This is the kitchen where 22-year-old Alexandra Mezher was attacked, allegedly by Youssaf Khaliif Nuur, who said he was 15 Escape: Miss Mehzer then tried to crawl away from her attacker, making her way along the corridor, leaving a trail of blood Deadly: Police have said the severity of her injuries were such she would have needed medical attention within minutes to survive Defence: Other young migrants, who heard her screams, tried to intervene - the first one was beaten back, but another overpowered Nuur Begging for her life: Witnesses say she yelled 'No, no, no Youssaf at least 10 times as he allegedly carried out the frenzied attack Charged: Nuur, who says he is from an Ethiopian village, pictured after his arrest, claims he cannot remember anything of the attack itself The trail of blood reveals for the first time how she tried to escape from the vicious attack, managing to crawl from the kitchen where she was stabbed with such force her artery was severed. The psychology graduate, originally from Lebanon, then pulled herself along the corridor, seeking safety in a bedroom. It was here lying on the floor in amongst the white sheets stained red by her blood that she lost her fight for life. 'The young man has shown extreme ruthlessness and harshness which caused the death of Alexandra Mezhers,' prosecutor Linda Wiking noted. Detectives arrived at the centre to find this scene of carnage with a pot plant kicked over on the stairwell. Suspect Nuur claimed to be just 15 to win himself a spot in the home. But prosecutors can now say conclusively that Nuur is at least 21, if not older, meaning he should not have been at the centre, which was for teenagers aged 14 to 17. Nuur will be deported to Ethiopia on completing his sentence if he is convicted. The prosecutor's report also reveals witnesses interviewed by police told how Miss Mezher begged for her life, and was heard to scream No, no, no Youssaf at least 10 times as he stabbed her. Hiding place: Miss Mezher spent her final moments in this room, where she bled to death after her artery was severed Safety: This is the bedroom where Miss Mezher ended up, after pulling herself to safety down the hallway on January 25 Desperation: Her bloody fingerprints appear running up the door, reaching for the door handle of room five Fatal: She had been stabbed with such force, the artery in her leg had been severed - causing her catastrophic loss of blood Vicious: Miss Mezher also had stab wounds to her back and to her hands, suggesting she had tried to defend herself from the onslaught Tricked: Ethiopian asylum seeker Nuur claimed to be just 15 to win himself a spot in the young migrants home in Gothenburg Truth: It has now been proved he is at least 21, after it was immediately suspected that Nuur was ling Lead up: Miss Mezher already knew a knife had gone missing from the kitchen before she started her shift. Pictured: The murder weapon One of the other residents tried desperately to help the young woman, but was attacked himself before more boys arrived to help. Just a few seconds later more boys came in to the kitchen and overpowered the man with the knife, the report continued. Alexandra then manages to get away from the scene. A few minutes later they make a distress call to the police. But Miss Mezher, who had worked at the centre for just four months, bled to death before help arrived, in the sparsely furnished room. She would have needed treatment within minutes if she were to have any chance of survival, the report says. Arrested: The report also included pictures of Nuur wearing a blood-spattered t-shirt at the police station after the killing Mystery: Nuur still refuses to say what his true age is, and his story about where he comes from in Ethiopia is muddled Decision: Nuur has now been charged as an adult, and it is suggested that he will be deported if found guilty Horrifyingly, it also reveals Miss Mezher knew she was in danger the day she went to work to cover the night shift by herself. Her mother Chimene Mezher, 42, told police: She got a call from her job saying that someone had taken a knife. She sat on the sofa, but got up and went into the bedroom and talked. Evidence: A bruise on Nuur's arm, taken in the police station I do not think she wanted me to know she did not want me to worry worried. It was the 24th, she sat and calmly painted her nails. She knew how she would handle it. Mrs Mezher, 42, a mother-of-four, who moved from Lebanon 25 years ago, said previously: Alexandra knew how to handle children including violent ones. 'But those she was working with were big powerful guys - she could see it in their eyes and their bodies. 'A few were maybe under 18, but the rest were older, maybe 23 or 24.' Witnesses told detectives the atmosphere was calm and normal on the night of the killing and there was no tension between Nuur and Miss Mezher. But at 8am on January 25 she was set upon by her killer in a prolonged and brutal attack. Nuur, who faces trial for her murder, claims he has no memory of the killing. His inability to tell police what happened during those crucial minutes has left Miss Mezher's parents even more distressed. Hans Gaestadius, the lawyer representing the Mezher family, told MailOnline: A mother and father who lose a young daughter like that are of course devastated. What upsets my clients most is that they have not gotten the answers they need. The killer has not said why he did it. Instead he say that he can not remember anything. He has a gap in his story just when he committed his crime. The strange thing is that he remembers everything before and after the attack. We believe that this gap is deliberate and strongly question if he is telling the truth. A source had previously revealed to MailOnline that Nuur - who was refused housing elsewhere due to concerns over his mental health - may have suffered some sort of a breakdown ahead of the killing. 'The knifeman may have had some kind of breakdown. He may have suffered some trauma previously in his life,' the source said, adding that Nuur had complained of feeling 'unwell' the night before and had not slept at all in the hours before the alleged attack. He was heard pacing around his bedroom for most of the night before the attack. A scuffle broke out at 8am and Miss Mezher reportedly tried to break it up. A Gothenburg Police source told MailOnline: This lady tried to separate them and told him to stop but he stabbed her. The suspect had been up all night. He had said he was not feeling well the night before. Home: The asylum centre catered for about 10 teenage boys who had arrived in Sweden unaccompanied Lies: Miss Mezher, who had worked there since September 2015, had told her mother many of the 'boys' were men Spattered: A pair of trousers discovered by police officers in the stairwell of the asylum centre, with blood on them Chilling: Miss Mezher's blood-soaked trousers show just how much blood the young woman lost in just 15 minutes Trail: An evidence picture showing blood marks in the hall way outside the apartment where Miss Mezher died The horrific murder of Miss Mezher came just more than a year after a therapist at the housing centre in Molndal warned that due to lack of staff, something serious will happen here. HVB Living Nordic, which runs the centre, is now under investigation by Swedens Work Environment Administration to see if they broke work environment laws for allowing Miss Mezher to work on her own with 10 teenage boys. HVB Living Nordic is a private company paid by the local authority to provide housing and care for unaccompanied minors, which has been operating since late 2013. In 2014, Molndal received 22.6million to provide housing for unaccompanied minors the most state funding per capita than any town or city in Sweden. That same year, HVB Living Nordic reported a profit margin of 21.9 per cent. Mental health problems: A source suggested Nuur - who was refused housing elsewhere due to concerns over his mental health - may have suffered some sort of a breakdown ahead of the killing. Pictured: The outside of the asylum centre Questions: HVB Living Nordic is now under investigation by Swedens Work Environment Administration to see if they broke work environment laws for allowing Miss Mezher to work on her own with 10 teenage boys the night she died Stress: Sweden has seen a huge influx of migrants in the last year, adding to tensions in the country between locals and refugees HVBs chief executive is Patrick Sjogren, 46, former CEO of 5050Poker, a gambling website which filed for bankruptcy in 2012 after it emerged that the company had used players' money to cover losses. The company, HVB Living Nordic, had asked the local authorities for compensation to care for Nuur, but the extra staff promised had reportedly not started yet at the time of the attack. This despite the fact that Nuur had lived at the centre in Molndal, home to ten migrants, for a month before the murder. Some 4,000 arrived without their parents in the past year alone at the suburb, which has a population of just 60,000. Unsuspecting: Miss Mezher, pictured right with best friend Lej, appaeared calm to her mother before she went in for her shift A gay nurse who maintained his innocence when accused of raping and indecently treating a 14-year-old boy has been found not guilty of all charges against him. Anthony Gillespie, 32, pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane District Court on Monday for allegedly molesting the schoolboy in a car, at Gillespie's home and on a trip to Bali in January last year. Mr Gillespie, a nurse at Royal Brisbane Womens and Childrens Hospital, cried and hugged his family and friends when he was cleared of all charges, reported The Courier Mail. Anthony Gillespie (pictured), 32, pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane District Court on Monday for allegedly molesting the schoolboy in a car, at Gillespie's home and on a trip to Bali in January last year Long-term partner, Michael OBrien, who had posed with Mr Gillespie in a controversial safe sex campaign in 2011 promoting condoms, gave evidence during Mondays hearing. Mr OBrien told the court that the teenage boy had been troubled and had a man crush on Mr Gillespie. In an interview with police, the 14-year-old boy had said that he went to Mr Gillespie for help because he was gay, but became what felt like his personal prostitute. Mr OBrien said there were only three occasions when the boy stayed at their home in 2014 but maintained that the boy was never left alone with Mr Gillespie. Long-term partner, Michael OBrien, who had posed with Mr Gillespie in a controversial safe sex campaign in 2011 which promoted condoms (pictured), gave evidence during Mondays hearing Defence counsel Jim Veivers told the jury that the boy had made despicable claims because he was confused about his sexuality and struggling with mental health issues. The boy who had become clingy and attached to Mr Gillespie during the sleepovers allegedly made the false accusations because he was not being paid enough attention. The boys mother said he had visited the couple at their home to do his homework as Mr OBrien had been his teacher at the time. Defence counsel Jim Veivers told the jury at Brisbane District Court (stock) that the boy had made despicable claims because he was confused about his sexuality and struggling with mental health issues Gillespie did not give evidence at the trial. At the time of the accusations the boy said that he had been sexually abused by his teachers partner. He told police that he had pretended to enjoy their sexual encounters but claimed Mr Gillespie had said that if anyone found out they would get in big trouble. Mr OBrien - who had been the boy's teacher - said there were only three occasions when the boy stayed at their home in 2014 but maintained that the boy was never left alone with Mr Gillespie He said: 'He knew exactly what he was doing, he knew I was underage. The boy claimed that he had wanted to stop the affair but Mr Gillespie had said no. A jury came back with the not guilty verdict after watching part of the boys videotaped evidence provided earlier this month. Difficult upbringing: Rosy Stanesby (pictured), the daughter of prominent Fathers4Justice campaigner 'Jolly', has described how her childhood was torn apart by the legal fight for her custody The daughter of a Fathers4Justice campaigner has described how her childhood was torn apart by the legal fight for her custody. Rosy Stanesby, now 17, says she spent nine years caught up in the bitter battle for her time and affection. After being restricted to access of just two days every fortnight by the courts, her father Jonathan 'Jolly' Stanesby became one of the most prominent activists in the fathers' rights action group. His campaigning began in October 2003 when he scaled the Royal Courts of Justice with a fellow campaigner dressed as Batman and Robin. And spurred on by a desperate bid to have equal access to his daughter, Mr Stanesby launched a series of high-profile and disruptive stunts. He succeeded in closing the Blackwall Tunnel and the M4, he interrupted National Lottery programmes, scaled numerous high profile buildings including Stonehenge and Tower Bridge and was even confronted with a loaded shotgun by Judge David Tyzack after he climbed the roof of his Devon home. The distraught and angry father also tried to halt the Queen's carriage during Trooping of the Colour and in August 2007 he was arrested with a fellow protester at gunpoint by a SWAT team after climbing the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in the US wearing Captain America and Batman costumes. But while Miss Stanesby, of Plymouth, Devon, admits she found images of her father in fancy dress 'amusing' she says there was a lot of hidden torment about being what has been described as a 'tug of love' child. Miss Stanesby, who was just two when her parents separated in 2000, said she always felt her voice was not heard by the Family Court. She said: 'The things that have happened to me I can never forget. I always felt like a case number, a pay cheque, a child to be won by a parent. The family courts system is a battle, not a justice system'. It was only after nine years of countless meetings and hearings that Miss Stanesby's care was equally divided between her mother and father. High-profile stunt: Her father Jonathan 'Jolly' Stanesby (left) began campaigning in October 2003 when he scaled the Royal Courts of Justice with a fellow Fathers4Justice activist dressed as Batman and Robin Disruptive: He also succeeded in closing the Blackwall Tunnel and the M4, interrupted National Lottery programmes and scaled numerous high profile buildings including Stonehenge (pictured) and Tower Bridge But while Miss Stanesby, of Plymouth, Devon, admits she found images of her father in fancy dress 'amusing' she says there was a lot of hidden torment about being what has been described as a 'tug of love' child She said her trauma was punctuated by the 'fun' of seeing her father campaign for equal access dressed as a superhero on the news. Her favourite costume was that of Batman's sidekick, Robin. She recalled: 'I remember thinking how funny dad was climbing buildings. I thought the 'R' stood for Rosy.' But Mr Stanesby's high-profile actions saw him jailed for two months in November 2008 after he was found guilty of causing distress and alarm and refusing to obey a police officer after a rooftop protest at the home of the then deputy Labour leader, Harriet Harman. Miss Stanesby described herself as a 'bit broken' by those events. She added: 'While he was in prison he missed my 10th birthday, my piano exam and my weekends together. 'I could not understand why I could only see my dad for two days at a time every other weekend.' She remembers how she became used to seeing police at her father's house. Miss Stanesby (pictured left handcuffed to her father Jolly in another stunt) said her trauma was punctuated by the 'fun' of seeing her father campaign for equal access dressed as a superhero on the news (right) Jolly Stanesby's campaigning began in October 2003 when he scaled the Royal Courts of Justice (pictured) Mr Stanesby's actions saw him jailed for two months in November 2008 after he was found guilty of causing distress and alarm after a rooftop protest at the home of then deputy Labour leader, Harriet Harman (pictured) At one stage, her father said he would only collect before or drop Miss Stanesby after a visit, despite being ordered by the court to do both. On some occasions that led to the police being called to his house. Officers also came on inquiries to do with the protests by Mr Stanesby. After her father came out of prison she was interviewed again. She told an interviewer from Cafcass, which represents children in family court cases, that she would run away if she were not listened to. Shortly afterwards, in 2009, it was agreed that her mother and father would have equal care and residency. Cafcass, which stands for Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, is independent of the courts, social services, education and health authorities and all similar agencies. Miss Stanesby said: 'I started to sleep better at night and I became more confident. Life was how it should have been.' She says her parents straight away began getting on, which she believes shows the involvement of solicitors, officialdom and the courts was the problem. Miss Stanesby added: 'They turned everything into such a war. The courts turned my parents against each other. 'I wanted to be with them both. I love mum and dad and always have done.' Miss Stanesby is currently preparing to take her AS Level exams at Ivybridge Community College and plans to go to university. Two brothers have been ordered to pay their sister's legal fees after a court overturned a will created on the basis 'one boy is equal to two girls' under the Muslim rules of inheritance. In 2012, Fatma Omari successfully challenged the will of her late mother Mariem Omari, claiming she was coerced into signing the document in 2002 while suffering dementia and did not understand its implications. The ACT Supreme Court ruled against the will, which stated Ms Omari's brothers would receive twice as much of the family estate than the sisters, The Canberra Times reported. This week the brothers, Mohammed and Mustapha Omari, lost their bid to have their sister's court costs would be paid by their late mother's estate, and were ordered to pay their sister's legal fees. Two brothers have been ordered to pay their sister's legal fees after a court overturned a will created on the basis 'one boy is equal to two girls' under the Muslim rules of inheritance (stock image) Before their mother passed away, the brothers took her to a cafe in Canberra's southwest to have the store's owners witness her sign the document with her fingerprint, according to The ABC. She passed away in 2009, aged 81. Ms Omari, one of Mariem's five daughters, took the case to court on the grounds her mother had signed the document while suffering from dementia. Her brothers claimed she had been aware of what she was signing and the will was a true indication of her wishes. The ACT Supreme Court's Master David Harper said the traditional Islamic basis of the will was not under question, but instead ruled the then-74-year-old 'did not understand the nature of her act or its effects'. The ACT Supreme Court ruled against the will, which stated Ms Omari's brothers would receive twice as much of the family estate than the sisters 'This is so notwithstanding that if it had not been for her dementia, she might well have decided to make a will in the same or similar terms,' he said. Following the 2012 court case, the will was handed to the Public Trustee for administration and the brothers were ordered to pay their court costs. They fought the decision, but the court dismissed the appeal and ordered the brothers pay any further costs Ms Omari incurred. Supreme Court has now ruled that jury selection for his trial was unfair Convicted murderer Timothy Foster, 48, has had his death penalty thrown out by the Supreme Court because prosecutors kept black people off the jury The Supreme Court has thrown out the death sentence handed down to a black man convicted of molesting and murdering an elderly woman because prosecutors kept African-Americans off the jury. In a 7-1 ruling, the court handed a victory to Timothy Foster, who could now be sentenced again - or even face a retrial. Foster, 48, was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1986 murder of retired teacher Queen White. Prosecutors said Foster - who was 18 at the time - broke into the 79-year-old's home in Rome, Georgia, in the middle of the night, broke her jaw and sexually assaulted her. He then strangled her to death and stole valuables from her house, prosecutors said. Foster has been on death row in Georgia since his conviction in 1987 but could potentially face a retrial. Before his trial, all four black members of the pool of potential jurors were removed by prosecutors. The prosecution claimed at the time that this was not related to their race. A fully-white jury went on to convict Foster and sentence him to death. However, documents obtained from the prosecution by attorneys for Foster have now revealed 'an explicit reliance on race' during jury selection. Prosecutors had circled the word 'black' on documents containing potential jurors' race and wrote the letter 'B' next to their name. In one example, a handwritten note headed 'Definite No's' listed six people, of whom five were the remaining black prospective jurors. Prosecutors had circled the word 'black' on documents containing potential jurors' race, despite claiming race was not an issue Documents obtained from the prosecution by attorneys for Foster have now revealed 'an explicit reliance on race' during jury selection, with the legal team writing 'B' next to black jurors The sixth person on the list was a white woman who made clear she would never impose the death penalty, according to Foster's lawyer, Stephen Bright. Even that woman ranked behind the black jurors, Bright said. An investigator working for the prosecutors also ranked the black prospective jurors against each other in case 'it comes down to having to pick one of the black jurors'. The Supreme Court ruled that the state prosecutors 'were motivated in substantial part by race'. A 1986 Supreme Court ruling made it unlawful to take race into account when excluding potential jurors from a trial. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court's majority, wrote that prosecution notes introduced into evidence 'plainly belie the state's claim that it exercised its strikes (removing a potential juror) in a 'color blind' manner'. This is the moment a furious woman stripped off just to her bra after arguing with police officers in India. Footage captured the angry woman storming around an office in the station in Ahmedabad naked from the waist-down while ranting at police. What appears to be her top and handbag lay beside her on the floor as she paces around the room. Footage captured the angry woman storming around an office in the station in Ahmedabad, India, naked from the waist-down while ranting at police At one point she even tries to grab objects off a desk, left, before clapping her hands and slapping her stomach, right At one point she even tries to grab objects off a desk and then points her finger in one of the officer's face. And as the confrontation continues, she even starts clapping her hands at them before slapping her stomach. But eventually one officer brings her a pair of black denim shorts and she is persuaded to put them on. And even though she becomes fully clothed once again, the woman continues to argue with the police until the clip cuts out. A sign on the wall of the office appears to show the incident taking place next what is called the 'Women help desk.' Eventually one officer brings her a pair of black denim shorts and she is persuaded to put them on It is unclear why the woman was at the police station or what caused her to become angry and take her clothes off It is unclear why the woman was at the police station or what caused her to become angry and take her clothes off. Nudity in public is considered an obscene act in India and is illegal. An Italian exorcist has revealed how to tell if someone is possessed by demons or if they are mentally ill. Father Cipriano de Meo, who has been an exorcist in Rome since 1952, says the way to find out is by praying. The victim's reaction to the exorcist and the words he says in prayer may provide tell-tale signs of demonic activity. Scroll down for video An Italian exorcist has revealed how to tell if someone is possessed by demons. Pictured is Pope Francis supposedly performing an exorcism. The young man heaved deeply a half-dozen times, convulsed and shook, and then slumped in his wheelchair as Francis prayed over him The exorcist will typically say 'a prolonged prayer to the point where if the Adversary is present, there's a reaction,' he told Catholic News Agency. 'A possessed person has various general attitudes towards an exorcist, who is seen by the Adversary as an enemy ready to fight him.' 'There's no lack of frightening facial expressions, threatening words or gestures and other things,' he said, 'but especially blasphemies against God and Our Lady.' In 2014, the International Association of Exorcists called the rise of demonic activity a 'pastoral emergency.' Spokesman Dr Valter Cascioli told CNA at the time that tell-tale signs include 'ignorance, superficiality, stupidity or proselytizing, actively participating or just watching - the consequences are always disastrous.' But Father de Meo emphasized that not all cases of possession are going to look the same, which is why it is so important for exorcists to go through rigorous training. 'It's up to the priest serving in this ministry to know how to deal with the case, by the will of God, with love and humility,' he said. 'For this reason, with my bishop's authorization, for 13 years, I've led a school for exorcists. I've tried to especially prepare those who are beginning this ministry,' he said. Last year, the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy and the Sacerdos hosted a seminar to train priests in spotting demonic possession featuring doctors, theologians, lawyers and psychologists. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between demonic activity and mental illness. It says: 'Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Last year, the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy and the Sacerdos hosted a seminar to train priests in spotting demonic possession 'Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness.' It also offers guidance on how to deal with demonic activity: 'Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.' Father de Meo also offered advice on how to avoid being possessed. He said that people often turn to 'the chatter of magicians and Illusionists' for answers in life, rather than 'the weapons the Lord has put at our disposal.' By that he meant that the best defense against demonic possession is a simple and sacramental life of prayer. 'It's absolutely fundamental to get rid of sin and live in the grace of God,' he said. As for the exorcists themselves, it is important to remain humble and to remember that their power comes from Christ, Father de Meo added. 'Regarding spiritual preparation, humility and the conviction that we exorcists aren't the ones who are going to cast out the demon that's fighting Christ. We're called to fight on behalf of Christ.' A Catholic friar, charged with more than a dozen child sex offences, allegedly told an eight-year-old girl he molested that she and her parents would go to hell unless she performed sex acts with him. Fr Anthony Francis 'Damian' Colbourne, who was named in the child abuse royal commission, allegedly molested the girl in the mid 1970s when she was a Year 4 student at a Brisbane school, reported the Courier Mail. The 74-year-old faced Wynnum Magistrates Court on Monday on 13 child-sex charges, including indecent treatment of a child under 14 and indecent assault. A Catholic friar, who has been charged with 13 child sex offences, told an eight-year-old girl he molested in the mid-1970s that her and her parents would go to hell unless she performed sex acts on him (stock image) The court heard that Fr Colbourne allegedly forced the then eight-year-old girl to perform oral sex on him and touched her vagina (stock image) In a police statement, the alleged victim said Colbourne told her she had to fondle him because she was 'a good girl who wants to go to heaven with your mummy and daddy'. He also allegedly forced her to perform oral sex on him and touched her vagina. The woman, now an adult, told police that at the time she believed priests were the closest beings to God and 'you must do as they say'. Fr Colbourne is a member of historic Catholic Church order the Capuchin Friars who wear brown monk-like robes. He was represented by a Catholic Church-funded lawyer. The court heard he was being supported by the church and living in a Capuchin friary in Melbourne. Police successfully applied for bail conditions, despite objections from the defence. Outside court, arresting officer Detective Sergeant Michael Froggatt urged other alleged victims to come forward, saying 'they have a duty to trying and bring them some form of closure' Fr Colbourne will continue to live at the friary but can have no contact with minors, and has been ordered to reappear in court on August 8. Arresting officer Detective Sergeant Michael Froggatt urged other alleged victims to come forward. 'The royal commission has brought to light the ongoing pain and suffering of victims of institutional sex abuse and we have a duty to try to help bring them some form of closure,' he said. The Australian Labor Party leader is facing his first attack from the Coalition over a four-year spending blackhole of $66 billion. The Coalition Party says Bill Shorten has promised to spend $30.4 billion over the next four years The Daily Telegraph reports. It also reported that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will accuse Labor on Tuesday of creating a course of spending that will result in a huge $200 billion blowout within 10 years. Labor has dismissed the figures as 'pure fantasy' and claims the numbers have no credibility. The Australian Labor Party leader Bill Shorten (pictured) is facing his first attack from the Coalition over a four-year spending blackhole of $66 billion In the run up to the Australian federal election both parties have announced various spending plans. Mr Shorten has pledged more than $8 billion in spending promises compared the Coalitions $413 million, outspending Mr Turnbull by 20 to 1. The Coalition says Labor has blocked or will block $18.5 billion in government savings measures in the Sentate. The Coalition also claims there is another $34 billion in government cuts to programs which Labor plans to restore. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says Labor has only $16 billion in tax or savings measures, which would lead to a spending black hole of $66.87 billion. 'Every day Bill Shorten is making more unfunded promises which he won't be able to deliver, because the money isn't there to pay for them,' Mr Cormann told The Daily Telegraph. 'He might think it's a joke to put one unfunded promise after the other on to his speedometer, but in the end it would be hardworking families who would be hit with the bill.' If the figures are taken over a period of 10 years, the total Labor blowout would reach a massive $198 billion. It's reported that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) will accuse Labor on Tuesday of creating a course of spending that will result in a huge $200 billion blowout within 10 years Mr Shorten (left) has pledged more than $8 billion in spending promises compared the Coalitions $413 million, outspending Mr Turnbull (right) by 20 to 1 Finance Minister Mathias Cormann (pictured) says Labor has only $16 billion in tax or savings measures, which would lead to a spending black hole of $66.87 billion Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke says the figures have no credibility. 'This figure is so outlandish, so ridiculous, it goes beyond satire and into the realm of pure fantasy,' The Daily Telegraph reports. 'Malcolm Turnbull spent the final week of parliament trying to hide the cost of his $50 billion big business Budget tax cut and yet now he invents costs and policies that Labor hasn't even announced.' A High Court judge has spoken of his grave concern for the welfare of a 14-year-old boy who has special educational needs and has been missing for a year. Mr Justice Keehan said Moses John - and his mother, Pauline Watson, 46 - have not been found after leaving their home in Northampton, despite investigations by police and social workers. The judge said the teen was at the centre of family court proceedings. Missing: Pauline Watson, 46, and Moses John, 14, vanished from their home in Northampton in May last year He decided to lift restrictions which normally bar children involved in family court litigation from being identified, in the hope that publicity would help find the youngster. Police said Moses and his mother were thought to be in London as they have links across the city. Mr Justice Keehan made an appeal at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London. He said: 'I am gravely concerned for his welfare so long as his whereabouts, presumably in the care of his mother, remain unknown. 'It is imperative, in his welfare best interests, that his current whereabouts are made known.' He added: 'Moses has been missing for very many months. The very best endeavours of the social workers and the police, working co-operatively together, have not succeeded in finding him.' Family court hearings involving children are normally analysed at private hearings - in order to protect youngsters at the centre of litigation. Welfare: High Court judge Mr Justice Keehan (pictured) ruled that lifting reporting restrictions would be in the best interest of finding Moses John 'Most, if not all, children and young people would find it distressing and intrusive if details of their lives and of the significant harm that many of them are found to have suffered were to be made public,' said Mr Justice Keehan. 'There are cases, however, where publicity and the widest possible publicity across the press and broadcast media is positively in the best interests of a child. 'The case of Moses John is a good example.' He added: 'I am, therefore, entirely satisfied that it is in Moses' welfare best interests that I permit the disclosure to the press and broadcast media of details about him and about his mother, and thus to the public at large, in order to maximise the prospects of discovering his whereabouts.' Social services staff at Northamptonshire County Council - which has responsibility for Moses' welfare - said Mr Justice Keehan had agreed to take 'the exceptional step' of making a public appeal because of the level of concern for the teenager's well-being. They say Moses and his mother need to be found as a 'matter of urgency'. They say police attempts to trace the pair have failed. Police say Moses is black and about 5ft 9ins tall. His mother is also black and around 5ft 7ins tall. Officers say Moses' mother is thought to know people in Croydon, Islington, Merton, Sutton, Southwark and Lambeth. A detective involved in the investigation said Moses and his mother could be using different names. Detective Sergeant Nickie Deeks, who works for Northamptonshire Police, urged members of the public to carefully study photographs of the pair. 'Please think carefully because you might have seen them,' she said. 'You might have seen them in a shop, in a park, on the Underground, on a bus, anywhere.' This is the shocking moment an ISIS suicide car bomber kills at least 20 people after targeting a queue outside an army recruitment centre in Yemen. The attack was one of two bombings that rocked the city of Aden. A second bomber on foot killed at least 25 people when he detonated his explosives vest among a group of recruits waiting outside the home of an army commander. Ball of fire: A suicide bomber detonates a car outside an army recruitment centre in Yemen, killing at least 20 people who were queuing outside Yemenis inspect the site of a suicide bombing targeting a gathering of young men seeking to join the army in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen Scores of others were injured in the attacks. The local affiliate of ISIS claimed responsibility for both attacks. It claimed the bombing at the residence of the commander killed more than 30 and was carried out by a native of Aden it identified as Abu Ali al-Adani. It did not give casualty figures for the attack at the army recruitment centre, which it said was carried out by an explosive device, not a suicide car bomb as security officials said. Yemen has for nearly two years been gripped by a war pitting the internationally recognised government against Shi'ite rebels who control the capital, Sanaa, and are allied with forces loyal to a former president. The attack was one of two bombings that rocked the city of Aden, killing at least 45 people The blasts underline the precarious security situation in Aden, the country's main port on the Arabian Sea The country is also home to active Al Qaeda and Islamic State group affiliates. The blasts underline the precarious security situation in Aden, the country's main port on the Arabian Sea, several months after government forces and allied militiamen backed by a Saudi-led coalition retook the city from the Shi'ite rebels, also known as the Houthis. The city has in recent months seen a series of suicide bombings and assassinations mainly targeting army and security forces. Contributing further to the instability in Aden is the recent eviction of northern Yemenis, the work of suspected separatists who seek an independent south. He said Shooting Australia didn't take action and share Officials were warned that Olympic star shooter Michael Diamond was on the brink of destruction weeks before the dual gold medalist was charged with high-range drink-driving and firearms offences, another athlete has claimed. Fellow Olympian Russell Mark said he told Shooting Australia chief executive Damien Marangon of his concerns about Diamond's erratic behaviour, according to the Daily Telegraph. 'I spoke to them about it but I'm not sure they wanted to know about it,' Mark told the paper. Russell Mark, pictured, said he told Shooting Australia chief executive Damien Marangon of his concerns about Diamond's erratic behaviour weeks before he was charged with drink-driving and gun offences Diamond was arrested at around 9pm on Saturday after police allegedly found him standing beside his car in Shoal Bay, north of Newcastle, with a gun and collection of bullets inside 'They should have taken action and they must take their share of responsibility. I actually feel sorry for Michael. Forget about Olympic medals. He needs help. I tried to help him.' 'It was only a matter of time before something like this happened.' Diamond's Rio Olympic dreams are in tatters after he refused a roadside breath test in Shoal Bay, north of Newcastle on Saturday and was found with a shotgun and 150 rounds of ammunition. He was taken back to Raymond Terrace Police Station where he allegedly recorded a reading of 0.159 - more than three times over the legal limit. The dual gold medalist, who won for Australia in 1996 and 2000, was charged with high-range drink driving and gun offences. He was taken back to Raymond Terrace Police Station where he allegedly recorded a reading of 0.159 - more than three times over the legal limit The most recent controversy surrounding the gunman, who launched an online tirade against two of his competitors earlier this year, may cause selectors to rule him out of contention for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He has been shortlisted for the team however Michell Iles, 16, has been tipped to beat the senior shooter, who has competed in six straight Olympic Games. Australian Olympic team boss Kitty Chiller said on Monday it was up to Shooting Australia to decide whether they still wanted to nominate Diamond. However the Australian Olympic Committee could overrule and decline selection. 'If a conviction is proven to have brought that athlete or their sport into disrepute, then yes it would (rule an athlete out),' Chiller said on Monday. 'I can't speculate on his guilt or innocence. If it is proven what has been suggested overnight, (it's) not something that I would want any of our team members to display.' The most recent controversy surrounding the gunman, who launched an online tirade against two competitors earlier this year, may cause selectors to rule him out of contention for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games Shooting Australia said it was aware of the charges but was still gathering information and was not in a position to make a statement about them. 'We can confirm that Shooting Australia is working closely with Michael to support him and to ensure that his welfare is protected,' it said in a statement. 'We are also communicating regularly with the Australian Olympic Committee and our other stakeholders, and we will continue to do so.' The 44-year-old allegedly got into an altercation with his brother John at his Nelson Bay home It's not the first time the veteran trap shooter has run into trouble with the police before an Olympics. In 2003, he was charged with assaulting his girlfriend and failing to safely store his firearms. His shooting licence was revoked and shotguns confiscated, meaning he was unable to compete in the first round of selection trials for the Athens Games. But he was given a second chance by the AOC after he was found not guilty of the charges and his license was returned. Pope Francis today embraced the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the prestigious Sunni Muslim center of learning, in an historic bid to reopen dialogue between the two churches. At a time of increased Islamic extremist attacks on Christians, Sheik Ahmed el-Tayyib was photographed hugging Francis during a visit to the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. Reopening channels for communication after a five-year lull, Francis described the meeting as hugely significant. Scroll down for video Pope Francis chats with Sheik Ahmed el-Tayyib, the grand imam of the Sunni Muslim center of learning, during the pair's historic meeting at the Vatican today The meeting is considered hugely significant given relations between the two churches had frozen over the past five years Pope Francis said the two churches needed to show a common commitment to peace in the world. The meeting comes amid increasing Islamic extremist attacks on Christians, particularly in the Middle East The pair also discussed the rejection of violence and extremism, and the plight of Christians, the Vatican said Dialogue between the two churches ended under the reign of Francis's predecessor, Pope Benedict, when he quoted a Byzantine emperor as saying some of the Prophet Muhammad's teachings were 'evil and inhuman' Pope Francis and el-Tayyib share a joke during their historic 25 minute meeting at the Vatican today Francis told the imam: 'The meeting is the message.' It comes five years after the Cairo-based Al-Azhar froze talks with the Vatican to protest comments by then-Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict had demanded greater protection for Christians in Egypt after a New Year's bombing on a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria killed 21 people. Since then, Islamic attacks on Christians in the region have only increased, but the Vatican and Al-Azhar nevertheless sought to rekindle ties, with a Vatican delegation visiting Cairo in February and extending the invitation for el-Tayyib to visit. Francis and el-Tayyib spoke privately for 25 minutes in the pope's private library, bidding each other farewell with an embrace. El-Tayyib and his delegation then had talks with the Vatican cardinal in charge of inter-religious dialogue. The Vatican said the meeting held a 'great significance' for Catholic-Muslim dialogue. In a statement, spokesman the Reverend Federico Lombardi said Francis and el-Tayyib discussed the need for 'authorities and the faithful of the world's great religions to show a common commitment to peace in the world'. They also discussed the rejection of violence and extremism, and the plight of Christians 'in the context of conflicts and tensions in the Mideast and their protection,' the statement said. After the audience, el-Tayyib travels to Paris to open a Muslim-Catholic conference on East-West relations. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran (centre) embraces el-Tayyib upon his arrival to the Vatican in Rome today During his reign, Pope Francis has attempted to improve relations with Islam - despite growing levels of extremist violence towards Christians The Vatican's relations with Islam hit several bumps during Benedict's papacy. He outraged Muslims with a 2006 speech quoting a Byzantine emperor as saying some of the Prophet Muhammad's teachings were 'evil and inhuman'. The subsequent suspension of talks with Al-Azhar institutionalized the bad blood. El-Tayyib, however, sent a message of congratulations to Francis upon his 2013 election and said he hoped for renewed cooperation. Francis responded, and has made clear over the course of his three-year pontificate that relations with Islam are a top priority. In a recent interview with the French Catholic newspaper La Croix, Francis took a conciliatory line toward Islam, saying 'I sometimes dread the tone' when people refer to Europe's 'Christian' roots. 'It is true that the idea of conquest is inherent in the soul of Islam,' he said. But he added that Christianity, too, had its 'triumphalist' undertones. 'It is also possible to interpret the objective in Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus sends his disciples to all nations, in terms of the same idea of conquest.' Loretta Lynn Armstrong, 48, has been accused of punching her teenage son in the face after he ordered the wrong burrito from Taco Bell A mother has been accused of punching her teenage son in the face after he ordered the wrong burrito from Taco Bell. Loretta Lynn Armstrong, 48, allegedly attacked her 15-year-old son after he returned from the Mexican fast food restaurant with the wrong toppings on her burrito. Police in Milton, West Virginia, arrested Armstrong and she has been charged with child abuse. Corporal Dean Bishop, who was the first officer on the scene at the family home, said: 'The mother was hitting her child in the face.' He pulled Armstrong off of her son and tried to put her in handcuffs, but she got away and laid down on her driveway, KUTV said. 'She screamed and cussed and yelled and claimed she was having a heart attack,' Cpl Bishop said. Paramedics were called, who quickly determined that the mother was not having a heart attack. It took three hours and several police officers to detain the woman because 'she didn't settle down', Cpl Bishop said. After being put in the back of a police car, Armstrong said she would sue the cops and have them fired. Officers wrote that she threatened to 'get us', the Herald-Dispatch reported. Armstrong's eldest son, Jesse, defended his mother, saying she went to church and was a peaceful person. Armstrong allegedly attacked her 15-year-old son after he returned from the Mexican fast food restaurant (pictured) in Milton, West Virginia, with the wrong toppings on her burrito Video courtesy of WCHS Cpl Bishop disagreed, saying: 'There's a difference between spanking your kid and punching your child in the face. 'There's no sense in ever getting into an argument like that over a burrito - just let it go.' Armstrong is charged with child abuse and misdemeanor obstruction, intimidating a public official and disorderly conduct. Alexis, who has cerebral palsy, finished at top 15per cent of class; seven will go on to college, military or work Kenny, Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Alexis, Nathan and Joel graduated from Carlisle High School in Iowa on Sunday They were born prematurely and became world's first septuplets to survive infancy, sparking media frenzy Mother Bobbi McCaughey took fertility drugs, became pregnant in 1997 and decided against selective reduction Advertisement The world's first septuplets to survive infancy are ready go their separate ways after graduating from high school on Sunday. All seven of the McCaugheys - Kenny, Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Alexis, Nathan and Joel - accepted their diplomas at the Carlisle High School in Iowa, the Des Moines Register reported. The septuplets have come a long way since they were born nine weeks premature in November 1997 weighing between two and four pounds, with doctors fearing they wouldn't survive. Scroll down for video All seven of the McCaugheys - Kenny, Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Alexis, Nathan and Joel (pictured with school principal in the suit) graduated from the Carlisle High School in Iowa The septuplets have come a long way since they were born nine weeks premature in November 1997 weighing between 2lb, 5oz and 3lb 4oz (pictured with mother Bobbi and older sister Mikayla, second to left) Mother Bobbi McCaughey was born with a malfunctioning pituitary gland and did not produce enough of the hormones to stimulate ovulation. One injection of the fertility drug Metrodin proved more than successful, and both she and her husband Kenny declined selective reduction after learning they were pregnant with seven children, saying it was 'in God's hands'. They received generous donations including a 5,500-square-foot home, a van, a year's worth of Kraft's macaroni and cheese, and two year's worth of free diapers. Among the offers was a full ride to Hannibal-LaGrange University in Missouri, which some of the McCaughey children are cashing in 18 years later, according to the Des Moines Register. Others are headed for the military and some are choosing to go straight into the work force, KCCI reported. Natalie, (pictured left, shortly after birth, right at her graduation on Sunday) hopes to become an elementary school teacher Brandon will join the Army, a dream he's had since he was three. His siblings are already bracing themselves for his departure in June Kelsey, who was the lightest baby at 2lb 5oz, is in the high school choir and wants to study music in college Kenny Jr. wants to pursue construction and will study at the Des Moines Area Community College Alexis, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was co-captain of the cheer squad and wants to be a teacher. She graduated top of her class Nathan, who also has cerebral palsy and taught himself how to walk, hopes to secure a career in science after school Joel, who was the last to be born, plans to pursue computer science in college Alexis, who suffers from cerebral palsy, finished high school at the top 15per cent of her class, and both she and sister Natalie earned a place in the National Honor Society. All seven walked the stage in their black and red gowns, and Bobbi told the Des Moines Register. 'It will be pretty drastic. Everyone gone all at once.' When the septuplets celebrated their eighteenth birthdays six months ago, mother Bobbi told TODAY: 'The [years] have flown by. There's been so many things that have happened. 'Everything is a last. The last marching band performance. The last cross country meet. The last choir concert. It's sad to see things end, but there will be lots of firsts coming.' Bobbi (pictured) and her husband Kenny declined selective reduction after learning they were pregnant with seven children following fertility treatment, saying it was 'in God's hands' They received generous donations including a 5,500 square foot home, a van, a year's worth of Kraft's macaroni and cheese, and free diapers for the first two years 'The memories, the joy, the heartaches...It's what has guided us to where we are today, and it's very special.' The septuplets spurred a media frenzy, while their parents were subject to controversy in 1997. Some bashed the parents for bringing so many children into the world and exploiting them, while others were extremely supportive. President Bill Clinton personally called the family to congratulate them and Oprah welcomed them on her show. They also received free trips to Disneyland and Majorca and still live in the home that was donated to them. The family was also given a year's worth of Kraft's macaroni and cheese, two years of donated diapers to hold them through and a van that they still drive today, they told the TODAY show. But as the press began to fade, Kenny, who works for a metal coating company, said he made sure to teach his children the importance of hard work and the reality that some of their lifestyle perks came from their personal story. 'My fear has always been that they see our jobs and think that's all they need for nice stuff,' he told the newspaper. 'I've given them the cold, hard truth slowly. No way could I afford this home on my salary. If you want something, you have to work for it.' President Bill Clinton personally called the family to congratulate them and Oprah welcomed them on her show. They also received free trips to Disneyland and Majorca (pictured, some of the McCaughey septuplets with George W Bush) The septuplets spurred a media frenzy, while some bashed the parents Bobbi and Kenny (left) for bringing so many children into the world. Right, with George W Bush And the couple have already seen that ambition in their children, including Alexis and Nathan, who were both born with forms of cerebral palsy. Nathan taught himself how to walk and said he continues to practice every day. 'I taught myself how to walk because I really wanted to learn,' he said. 'It's just been getting better and better.' Alexis still uses a walker but went on to become the co-captain of her high school cheerleading squad. She is also a member of the National Honor Society. Looking back, the septuplets were grateful for their large family, and the parents credited help from friends and family, along with their faith in God, that helped them through. 'I feel like I am starting my life,' Kelsey told TODAY. 'But they are my best friends. When you need someone to talk to, they are there to help you.' 'What I'm not going to like is we won't be around each other,' said Kenny. 'I couldn't be where I am today without them.' But the septuplets are also excited to forge new paths and separate identities. Natalie said she won't mention her six siblings at first to her new college friends. 'It's sort of going to be a new, fresh start.' The septuplets have an older sister Mikayla (center), who enlisted her sisters as bridesmaids at her wedding Daniel Craig has urged world leaders to unite and 'start the biggest humanitarian movement in our history' at the inaugural World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. The James Bond star made an impassioned plea to more than 60 heads of state in a speech that also begged for more to be done to help those left severely disabled by land mines. Craig - who has just turned down a 68million deal to stay on as 007 - called for the global superpowers to come together to rescue those displaced by war and famine. Daniel Craig has urged world leaders to unite and 'start the biggest humanitarian movement in our history' at the inaugural World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul The James Bond star made an impassioned plea to more than 60 heads of state in a speech that also begged for more to be done to help those left severely disabled by land mines And he warned that the enemy of those in a position to invoke significant change is 'empty words without action'. The 48-year-old was just one of several high-profile celebrities to attend the conference, organised by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and aimed at clamping down on humanitarian crimes. Actor Forest Whitaker, star of The Last King of Scotland, was also present - as over 60 heads of state and government. With some 60 million people displaced around the world and at least 125 million requiring assistance and protection in the biggest humanitarian crises since World War II, Ban said that the summit represented a chance to forge a 'different future' and hoped to better keep conflicts from erupting and ensure legal retribution for those guilty of humanitarian crimes. 'Let us seize this opportunity, let us make our mark as agents of change,' said Ban. He warned that realising the aims was not 'an easy task' and required a 'political will on a scale we have not seen in recent years.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured), hosting the event, saw the summit as an opportunity to take a swipe at the West for not doing enough for Syrian migrants The summit was said to represent a chance to forge a 'different future' and hoped to better keep conflicts from erupting and ensure legal retribution for those guilty of humanitarian crimes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hosting the event, saw the summit as an opportunity to take a swipe at the West for not doing enough for Syrian migrants. He emphasised the contributions of his country, which is hosting some three million refugees from the Syria and Iraq conflicts and, in a barb at the West, complained others were not sharing the burden. He said: 'The current system falls short... the burden is shouldered only by certain countries, everyone should assume responsibility from now on. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (in red), one of the highest profile guests at the summit, called for an end to empty pledges on aid that fizzled into nothing 'Needs increase every day but resources do not increase at the same pace. There are tendencies to avoid responsibility among the international community.' 'Turkey knows this bitterly.' He then went on to add how his country has spent $10billion (7bn) on its hosting of Syrian refugees - compared to $450million (310m) from the rest of the international community. Reprising a familiar theme, Erdogan also urged reform of the UN Security Council, saying the 'fate of humanity' cannot depend on its five veto-wielding permanent members. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of the highest profile guests at the summit, called for an end to empty pledges on aid that fizzled into nothing. Guilty: Allen Wade, 45 shot 44-year-old Susan Wolfe and 38-year-old Sarah Wolfe after they returned from work in February 2014. He faces the death penalty A jury in Pennsylvania convicted a man Monday in the slayings of two neighbors sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker and now must decide whether his punishment should be death or to spend the rest of his life in prison. Allegheny County jurors found Allen Wade, 45, guilty on all charges brought against him, including criminal homicide, robbery and burglary. Prosecutors say Wade fatally shot Susan Wolfe, 44, and Sarah Wolfe, 38, after they returned from work on February 6, 2014. Then he stole a bank card belonging to one of the women and withdrew $600, prosecutors said. The ladies were the sisters of Democratic Rep. Mary Wolfe, of Clinton, Iowa. Both women were found in the basement of the home they shared; each was shot once in the head, police said. Sarah Wolfe, 38, was a psychiatrist for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Susan Wolfe, 44, was a teacher's aide at Hillel Academy in the city's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Tragic loss: Sisters Sarah and Susan Wolfe were found killed in the basement of the home they shared Crime scene: The Wolfe sisters were found shot to death on in the basement of the home they shared (center) During closing arguments Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Bill Petulla used crime scene photos, DNA-stained clothes and bags containing pieces of evidence to form a trail across the courtroom floor, from the jury box to the defense table. 'All roads lead right to Allen Wade,' he told jurors. Prosecutors showed surveillance video of a man in a hooded sweatshirt stopping at the automated teller machine where the money was withdrawn. They said the man in the video was Wade. They also said Wade's DNA was found under the fingernail of Susan Wolfe and the DNA of both Wade and Sarah Wolfe was on a sock found along the route they contend Wade took to the ATM. Wade attacked Susan Wolfe when she was home alone, based on surveillance video and home alarm records that enabled detectives to reconstruct some of the sister's movements the night before they were found dead. Her body was found naked and doused with bleach and liquid detergent. Sister, Sarah, was likely killed when she returned home from work later that night. She was found clothed but with a blanket over her head. Her purse had been emptied. Police said items belonging to the sisters identification cards, credit and bank cards, keys and cellphones were missing. A family torn apart: Siblings bereaved: A Wolfe family photo, featuring murdered Sarah and Susan Wolfe Shocking discovery: Police outside the home of Susan and Sarah Wolfe in February 2014 Pediatrics: Sarah Wolfe was an accomplished pediatric psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Police also used surveillance video to track Wade's whereabouts after the slayings. Other surveillance video showed Wade throwing something in a garbage can, where detectives found a pen with 'Iowa' on it, police said. Wade's attorney argued that police rushed to judgment to charge their client because of the prominence of the victims' sister, Democratic Iowa state Rep. Mary Wolfe. Public defender Lisa Middleman suggested police didn't investigate thoroughly because the victims were white women from a good family rather than drug dealers or street criminals. 'Some of what was done and some of what wasn't done is because these were very nice people,' Middleman said. 'That's not an objective investigation.' Each of the sisters had an excellent reputation among those who knew them best. Sarah Wolfe's boyfriend, Matthew Bucholz, posted a note on Facebook describing his deceased girlfriend as a 'beautiful, brilliant funny woman who worked as a children's psychiatrist and was an old school riot 'grrrl.'...This whole thing is unimaginably sad.' Devastated: Iowa state Representative Mary Wolfe (right) is devastated by the loss of her two sisters Her former landlord described her as a dream tenant who often put her February rent in Valentines Day cards, and who baked cakes and brought them over to her house for no special reason. 'We were just so happy to have her,' former landlord Kelly Carter said at the time of their deaths. 'She turned out to be a model tenant and a model neighbor and friend. Wade initially professed his innocence for the killings writing, 'I would like for the world to know I am 100 percent innocent I would never ever in any way Hurt a person so brutally it is not in my nature I have always respected women and will always continue to do so I am being framed to take the fall for this case and hopefully justice will prevail !' Jurors deliberated for seven hours Friday and asked to examine some evidence in the case. Deliberations on Thursday were delayed after a juror was dismissed for unspecified reasons, and the judge admonished other jurors to consider only the evidence they heard in court. He pleaded guilty to five offences on Monday in Adelaide's District Court Wilson says he was under the influence of the synthetic drug 'meow meow A man who carjacked a woman and bit a police officer after taking the synthetic drug 'meow meow' claims he was not mentally competent during the bizarre rampage despite having taken the drug seven days earlier. Aaron Sumner Wilson was charged with a string of offences after forcing a woman out of her car and stealing it while he rode a bike around Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide, in August last year. The 46-year-old hit several other cars and ploughed the grey station wagon into a telegraph pole before attempting to steal another car from a man while his 12-year-old son fled, fearing for his life, Nine News reported. He pleaded guilty to five different offences including theft and aggravated assault in the Adelaide District court on Monday, but Wilson's lawyer argued he was in a drug-induced psychosis and was still feeling the effects of a synthetic drug known as 'meow meow', which he took a week earlier. Scroll down for video Aaron Sumner Wilson was arrested and charged with a string of offences after carjacking a woman and biting a police officer (left) Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide, in August last year The 46-year-old hit several other cars and ploughed the grey station wagon into a telegraph pole before attempting to steal another car from a man while his 12-year-old son fled, fearing for his life 'I can indicate that Meow Meow has incredibly destructive effects,' his lawyer Joseph Sanders said according to the ABC. 'I have numerous clients up in Murray Bridge who even after a week or two have had a heightened psychotic state of behaviour,' he told the court despite Wilson's toxicology report only testing positive for cannabis. The court heard of his drug induced behaviour which Wilson's lawyer argued caused him to swerve his bicycle in front of the woman's car so it struck him before pulling her from the vehicle when she came to give him aid. Wilson left a trail of destruction in his wake, hitting a number of other cars and leaving around 660 homes without power after hitting a stobie pole, the Adelaide Advertiser reported. The court heard of his drug induced behaviour which Wilson's lawyer argued caused him to swerve his bicycle in front of the woman's car so it struck him before pulling her from the vehicle when she came to give him aid Wilson left a trail of destruction in his wake, hitting a number of other cars (pictured) and leaving around 660 homes without power after hitting a stobie pole Wilson, who also allegedly bit a police officer during his dramatic arrest, previously told the court he was in a 'bad mental state' and deeply regretted his erratic behaviour, the ABC reported. WHAT IS MEOW MEOW? Mephedrone or 'meow meow' is a synthetic drug that was created in 1929. It was rediscovered in 2003 and has been distributed internationally since. The psychoactive drug has similar effects to ecstasy, cocaine and amphetamines. It can cause dangerous side effects including hallucinations, delusions, teeth grinding and erratic behaviour. 'Long-term drug abuse made me do what I did,' he said. He told the court on Monday that he 'wasn't mentally competent' and had learned his lesson while awaiting sentencing behind bars, the Adelaide Advertiser reported. Prosecutor Kim Eldridge told the court Wilson's sentencing should reflect the 'high-risk' nature of his crimes, adding that it was 'very lucky' no one was seriously hurt, Judge Paul Muscat said evidence suggested he was in a state of drug-induced psychosis at the time of his offending but said he should still be held still responsible for his actions, according to the Adelaide Advertiser. Wilson, who also allegedly bit a police officer during his dramatic arrest, previously told the court he was in a 'bad mental state' and deeply regretted his erratic behaviour 'That does not afford him a defence, but it does highlight just how bizarre and irrational someone can become as a result of taking too many amphetamine-based drugs.' Judge Muscat also heard that Wilson was not licensed to drive at the time of the incident . Wilson will be sentenced on Wednesday. He is best known for alleged hacks into accounts held by the Bushes that revealed private family photos and paintings and Colin Powell Lazar, aka Guccifer, claims he hacked Clinton's private server and decided against sharing her files - but there's no corroborating evidence Marcel Lazar also broke into Sidney Blumenthal's account and released his The Romanian hacker known as Guccifer who claims he accessed Hillary Clinton's personal files will plead guilty to federal cyber crimes charges. Her campaign says that is not true - her server was never hacked - and his charge has not otherwise been corroborated. Marcel Lazar, 44, may have struck a plea deal with prosecutors, however, that allows the feds to proffer information about the alleged hack for its investigation into the security of her emails and server. Scroll down for video The Romanian hacker known as Guccifer, who is charged with breaking into computer accounts of the Bush family, Secretary of State Colin Powell and others, will plead guilty to federal charges Last month Lazar pleaded not guilty last month to a host of crimes including cyberstalking, unauthorized access to computers and obstruction of justice. At a change-of-plea hearing is scheduled Wednesday at U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Lazar, of Arad, Romania, will cop to some of the crimes, according to court records. The records do not specify which charges Lazar will plead to. His court-appointed lawyer did not immediately return a phone call from AP seeking comment Monday. One possibility is that the feds may have enticed him into a deal by agreeing not charge him for invading Clinton's server, if he did indeed break into it, so long as he helped them with their security investigation. The FBI continues to investigate whether Clinton's unique email and server set up put national security information at risk and if it was accessed by any outside actors, such as Guccifer, Lazar is facing charges already for breaking into computer accounts of the Bush family, Secretary of State Colin Powell and others and heads to court tomorrow. He says he broke into longtime Clinton associate Sidney Blumenthal's account and is responsible for the release of his correspondence with the then-secretary of state. Lazar made news his month with the unsubstantiated claims he hacked into Hillary Clinton's private email server. He is best known for alleged hacks into accounts held by the Bushes that revealed private family photos and paintings connected to former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. He was indicted in the U.S. in 2014. A Romanian court approved him for extradition earlier this year. The indictment does not identify the victims by name but describes 'Victim 1' as 'a family member of two former U.S. presidents.' The Bush family member's hacked AOL account resulted in leaked emails, medical information, photographs, home addresses, and telephone numbers, according to the indictment. The website The Smoking Gun published some of the hacked photos, including pictures of paintings by George W. Bush, and a photo of George H.W. Bush in the hospital. The Smoking Gun said the hacked account belonged to Dorothy Bush Koch, the daughter of the elder Bush and sister of the younger. The indictment also identifies 'Victim 3,' believed to be Powell, and says his Facebook account was hacked, and posts went out under Powell's name stating 'You will burn in hell, Bush!' and 'Kill the illuminati!' Lazar claims he also hacked Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's private server and decided against sharing her files Guccifer likewise claimed credit for hacking an email account of Sidney Blumenthal, a confidant of Hillary Clinton, in March 2013. That subsequent leak of Blumenthal's emails was the first time that outsiders became aware of Clinton's private 'clintonemail.com' address, which she used to communicate with Blumenthal. It has now become part of an FBI investigation into whether Clinton mishandled sensitive emails. Blumenthal appears to be described in the indictment as Victim 5, 'a journalist and former presidential advisor' whose account was hacked in March 2013. Trump has a Boeing 757 so there's nothing stopping him from trying to recreate Barack Obama's 2008 world tour He's facing new attacks from Hillary Clinton on whether he's fit to be commander in chief Israeli media have reported on an unconfirmed Middle East tour said to be in the works High-flying Donald Trump plans to stay stateside for the duration of his presidential campaign, saying the idea of an overseas junket doesn't appeal to American voters. 'I don't think it registers with the voters to be honest with you,' Trump told the Wall Street Journal Sunday when asked if an overseas trip was in the offing. 'What I really want to do is focus on our country and the election but I might,' he then hedged. 'I've been invited by numerous countries to go,' Trump added. Trump said last week that British Prime Minister David Cameron had invited him for a visit, after the two men clashed over Trump's proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. Scroll down for video Have plane, won't travel: Trump indicates he's inclined to stay stateside during the presidential campaign 'He would like me now to visit 10 Downing Street,' Trump told MSNBC Friday. 'They put out that invitation about two days ago.' Trump then added: 'I'll do just fine with David Cameron. I think he's a nice guy, I'll do just fine. But they have asked me to visit 10 Downing Street. And I might do it.' Earlier this month, the Trump campaign denied Trump was planning a diplomacy tour after Israel's Maariv, a leading Hebrew language newspaper, reported on a possible trip to Israel, Russia and Germany. 'Not true,' Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks told DailyMail.com, when asked about the report, which said Trump would go to Israel, Russia and Germany after the Republican convention in July. Clinton has hit Trump for a series of foreign policy pronouncements. She told CNN last week Trump had attacked ' our closest ally, Great Britain. He has praised the reckless dictator in North Korea. He has said we should pull out of NATO, our strongest military alliance. He has advocated for more countries having nuclear weapons.' 'If you go through many of his irresponsible, dangerous, reckless comments ... this is a pattern,' Clinton continued. Then Clinton alluded to her own time in the White House during her husband's administration. 'It is a pattern that adds up in my opinion, having watched presidents ... I have concluded that he is not qualified to be President of the United States.' As for Trump's comments about Muslims and taking the fight to ISIS, Clinton said: 'He says a lot of things that are provocative that actually make the important task of building this coalition, bringing everybody to the table, and defeating terrorism more difficult.' Clinton clocked 956,733 miles as secretary of state, but that isn't keeping Trump from hitting her on foreign policy. Trump has tried to turn the tables by turning to Clinton's 'bad judgement,' and has blasted her for her vote in support for the Iraq war resolution in 2003. Obama visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum during a 2008 trip to Israel 'Look at the carnage all over the world including the World Trade Center, San Bernardino, Paris, the USS Cole, Brussels and an unlimited number of other places. She and our totally ignorant President won't even use the term Radical Islamic Terrorism,' Trump said last week, following the first reports of the crash of an EgyptAir jet. Waste of time? Trump says he doesn't think the idea of a global trip 'registers' with Americans 'And by the way, ask Hillary who blew up the plane last night -- another terrible, but preventable tragedy. She has bad judgment and is unfit to serve as President at this delicate and difficult time in our country's history,' Trump said. President Obama opened the line of attack in April after Trump suggested Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons. '[The statements] tell us that the person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy, nuclear policy, the Korean peninsula or the world generally,' Obama told reporters. 'I said before, people pay attention to American elections.' If Trump wants to see an enduring wall, he might want to reconsider a trip to Jerusalem British Prime Minister David Cameron has extended an invitation for Trump to visit 10 Downing, according to the candidate President Obama famously took a global tour during his 2008 campaign, speaking before thousands at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Perhaps fresher in Trump's mind is Mitt Romney's 2012 tour, where he committed a series of gaffes. The trip culminated with an frustrated advisor admonishing reporters who tried to should questions at the candidate on a visit to the tomb of the unknown soldier in Poland. 'Have some respect,' Romney aide Rick Gorka chided the press, who shouted questions to Romney about his gaffes. 'Kiss my ass. This is a holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect.' As a gunman armed with a sawn-off shotgun held people captive inside Sydneys Lindt Cafe, senior police described their behaviour as appearing jovial which gave them comfort at the time. The comment was made during a briefing among senior officers some 12 hours after Man Haron Monis stormed the Martin Place cafe in December 2014, an inquest heard. The direct involvement of Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and Deputy Commissioner Cath Burn was also confirmed for the first time at the inquest. Scroll down for video Assistance Comissioner Mark Jenkins took over operations at the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege at 10pm December 15 2014 an inquest heard. Mr Jenkins took 'comfort' in knowing hostages were 'moving freely' The inquest also heard police continued to strategise negotiations until 2.13am on December 16 when Man Haron Monis killed cafe manager Tori Johnson (right). Later when police stormed the cafe, Barrister Katrina Dawson (left) was killed from a fragment of a police bullet Mr Scipione ordered officers to storm the Lindt Cafe as a last resort in a phone call from him to his commander at the time, Assistant Comissioner Mark Jenkins, at 10.57pm December 15, reported The Daily Telegraph. A police log stated DA (Direct Action) plan to occur as a last resort COP (Commissioner of Police), reported the Telegraph. The plan was to be proactive and force entry at a time of their own choosing - instead of waiting for the imminent death or serious injury of any of the hostages. Ms Burn had also spoken to Mr Jenkins seven minutes earlier about negotiations. During a handover, he was told negotiators had not yet made contact with Monis, and the gunman's requests for a flag and meeting with the prime minister had been refused. Mr Jenkins said he was told death or serious injury, or an imminent threat of either, would trigger an emergency action and see police officers storm the building. Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione (right) ordered officers to storm the Lindt Cafe as a last resort in a phone call from him to his commander, Mr Jenkins (left), at 10.57pm December 15 Dozens of people were held hostage by terrorist Man Horan Monis who stormed into the Lindt cafe in Sydney's city centre and forced crying women to hold a black Islamic flag up to the window (pictured) A senior officer spoke of 'hostages moving around freely' and appearing casual and jovial at the briefing at 9.30pm on December 15. Mr Jenkins said he could not recall who made the comment, but remembered taking some comfort from it. 'I must say it gave me a little comfort that they (were) able to move around (and) weren't restricted,' he told the inquest. Counsel assisting the inquest, Jeremy Gormly SC, pressed Mr Jenkins on using the word 'jovial' during a crisis and said: 'It's a remarkable word in the context, isn't it?' Notorious gunman Monis armed with a sawn-off shotgun held people captive inside Sydneys Lindt Cafe. He was later killed December 2016 when police stormed the building By 1.18am, Monis had threatened to start shooting hostages within 10 minutes if the lights in Martin Place weren't turned off 'It does appear to be, yes,' Mr Jenkins replied. That night Mr Jenkins was also shown a profile of Monis' criminal history, detailing arrests in connection with sexual assaults and a murder. Mr Jenkins said: 'The fact he'd been charged with those offences was of course a concern ... I just drew some little comfort from the fact he'd worked through third parties. The Assistant Police Commissioner was confident a contain and negotiate strategy would bring a peaceful resolution to the siege. The inquest heard that by about 11pm, senior police learned Monis had instructed hostages to call their loved ones. It is expected that Mr Jenkins will be asked why he did not order the rescue when Monis first fired shots at 2.03am (pictured) when some hostages escaped when he resumes giving evidence on Tuesday Mr Jenkins said this wasn't considered a direct threat of violence, and despite the report, senior police still considered the mood inside the cafe as 'relatively calm'. By 1.18am, Monis had threatened to start shooting hostages within 10 minutes if the lights in Martin Place weren't turned off. Mr Jenkins said the demand was considered a dramatic change in circumstances and was being actively explored. He considered the demand a positive breakthrough, the inquest heard. 'I was as upbeat as I had been all night that we had a request or a demand that we might be able to accede to,' Mr Jenkins told the inquest. A female hostage is carried out and away from the cafe (pictured) - clearly in distress after police stormed the cafe As Australia mourned the dead, thousands of people gathered at Martin Place to lay flowers The inquest also heard that police continued to strategise negotiations until 2.13am on December 16 when Monis killed cafe manager Tori Johnson. Later that night police stormed the cafe and Barrister Katrina Dawson died from a fragment of a police bullet. Monis was also killed in the emergency action. Labour whip Conor McGinn warned left wing politicians should not 'sneer' at working people Jeremy Corbyn was warned by one of his own team tonight to escape his Islington bubble and realise it is not the same as the rest of the country. Labour whip Conor McGinn said Mr Corbyn may have a skewed image of Britain after representing the same corner of north London for more than 30 years. The Labour leader has been blighted by claims he does not understand Britain since winning control of his party via a landslide among activists last year. Mr Corbyn's Islington North constituency is a patchwork of wealthy wards mixed with areas of intense poverty. Mr McGinn - who also used a House magazine interview to issue wider warnings about 'sneering' left wing allies of the Labour leader and the Trident nuclear deterrent - said Mr Corbyn's challenge was learning to 'relate' to the rest of the country. He said: 'I love London, and it's a fantastic city, and Islington is a great place, but it's not like the rest of the country. 'I think the challenge for Jeremy having been an MP for 30-odd years for a seat like Islington, is how he relates to the rest of the country. 'I think there is a political crisis that has engulfed what would be seen as the traditional Labour working class. They don't feel that anyone listens to them, never mind speaks for them. And I think that's a real problem for the Labour party particularly. 'Sometimes it can seem that we're pre-occupied with things that are insignificant to the population. 'I'm a very straightforward sort of fella. I think when you lose an election, you should look at the reasons why and try within the parameters of your own values, to move closer to the public, not further away from the public.' Mr McGinn, who was first elected to Parliament a year ago, warned against 'sneering' by 'patrician socialists'. Mr Corbyn is widely seen as being on the far left of his party and spent his weekend hosting a 'state of the economy' conference in London. The Labour leader called for changes to have 'wealth is shared' to end 'grotesque inequality'. Mr McGinn said: 'There is a patrician socialism that not only wants to tell working class people what's best for them, but what they should and shouldn't think. 'I think if we are to have a genuine revival in the politics of the left, then we need to start listening to people and hearing their truths.' Labour leader Jeremy Corbynm, pictured at Labour's 'State of the Economy' conference at the weekend, was warned tonight to remember the whole country was not like his Islington constituency Mr McGinn said the problem had also been clear under the previous leader Ed Miliband. He added: 'The epitome of the last general election campaign to me was in Warrington South. I knocked on the door of what I would describe as an ordinary man who said 'yeah, I'm voting Labour but to be honest you're not offering me anything'. 'If I was to describe this man I would say he wanted a secure job that paid decent wages, an affordable mortgage that allowed him to have a nice home, a good education for his kids, wife to be able to get home safely from the train station every night, putting away a few quid for his retirement, dignity in old age for his parents, a holiday away every year and changing his car every couple of years. 'The problem with sections of the left is that they sneer at people like that.' The Labour whip also fired a shot across the Labour leader's bow with a warning about the pending Commons vote on Trident. Mr McGinn used a magazine interview to remind the Labour leadership of the deep splits within the party on the replacement of Vanguard-class submarines, pictured, that carry Trident missiles The issue has split Labour as Mr Corbyn is deeply opposed to the nuclear deterrent - unlike many of the centrist MPs behind him. Mr McGinn said: 'Defence might not win you a lot of votes, but it can definitely lose you a lot of votes if you're not in the right place on it. 'Labour has a proud history when it comes to Britain's place in the world, and whether that's our membership of Nato, the nuclear deterrent, support for the Armed Forces, or not being afraid to intervene in the best spirit and sense of internationalism, and humanitarianism that has got to be Labour's future as well. B&Q staff were seemingly blocked from talking about the EU referendum after listening to David Cameron and George Osborne deliver a bloodcurdling warning about the consequences of Brexit today. Handlers from the firm intervened as a BBC crew asked employees what they thought after the appearance by the Prime Minister and Chancellor at offices in Eastleigh. In a grim assessment this morning the pair said the 'profound' economic shock from leaving the EU would cause a recession on the scale of the credit crunch. Mr Cameron even argued it was 'immoral' to favour quitting the bloc as the Treasury published analysis showing the economy would shrink by 1 per cent in a single quarter if there is a Leave vote on June 23. Handlers stepped in as the BBC's Peter Henley tried to interview the staff, saying journalists were not allowed to speak to 'store colleagues' Meanwhile, Mr Osborne further escalated tensions with Brexit-supporting Tories by accusing them of ignoring the impact on 'working people'. However, Boris Johnson has dismissed the predictions - released with just a month to go until the crucial referendum - as 'propaganda'. Pro-EU SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon suggested the Treasury was 'overstating the case' with 'overblown' claims. Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne faced questions from media and members of B&Q staff during their Hampshire visit. But the company's handlers stepped in to prevent filming when journalists tried to ask employees whether they thought their questions had been properly addressed. BBC reporter Peter Henley tweeted footage of the incident, saying that journalists had been 'amazed' at the stage management. A woman is seen putting her hand over the camera and insisting: 'We're not doing interviews with store colleagues, I'm afraid,' Henley posted: 'B&Q said they were told by Treasury not to allow journos to talk to staff - still negotiating now!' Henley tried to interview B&Q staff after the PM and Chancellor made their appearance in Eastleigh today The Treasury document suggests the economy will be tipped into a recession by Brexit, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as much as 6 per cent lower than it would have been by 2018. The slump could cost as many as 820,000 jobs if the shock is 'severe', the assessment says. The 'central' forecast is for 520,000 and average wages to be 4 per cent lower. Today's analysis goes further than comments from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who sparked anger this month by saying Brexit could cause a recession. All scenarios modelled by officials pointed to a 'technical recession' defined as two consecutive quarters of falling GDP. By contrast figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predict that Britain's GDP is currently set to grow by 4.2 per cent over the next two years. Cameron and Osborne deliver their blood-curdling warning at the B&Q offices in Eastleigh, Hampshire A British woman who has appeared in Britain's Got Talent has been chased out of India for her on-stage performance portraying a rape victim wearing only underwear and nipple tassels. Andrea Smith, 40, left organisers of an anti-domestic violence conference fuming following her controversial performance. She was forced to flee the country after being told military police were hunting for her following her 'indecent' performance at the Women's Economic Forum, in New Delhi. Andrea Smith (pictured performing the same act at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2015) says she was forced to flee India after her performance as a rape victim wearing knickers and nipple tassels caused offence She said she was forced to flee the country after being told military police were hunting for her following her 'indecent' performance The performer - who has appeared on Britain's Got Talent and Come Dine With Me - was performing at an anti-domestic violence conference in New Delhi. Here she is pictured during an identical performance last year The show in India (not pictured) saw her lying on stage in fishnet tights and nipple covers before launching into a spoken-word performance about sexual abuse Ms Smith has appeared on TV in Britain, including Come Dine With Me and Britain's Got Talent (pictured here backstage) Ms Smith's act, 'Finding Your Voice Through Art', was designed to spread a message about domestic violence through her alter-ego 'Swingerella' on Thursday last week. It saw her appear lying on stage in fishnet tights and burlesque nipple covers before she launches into an hour long spoken-word performance about sexual abuse. But the next day the mother-of-two claims she had to dodge police waiting for her at the show and flee back to Britain after organisers threatened her with jail. Ms Smith, from Erdington, Birmingham, said: 'My show is outrageous, but they had all my videos and would have known what to expect. I performed it and everyone in the audience loved it. 'The organiser wasn't there, but the next day someone told me he had refused to put a video of the performance on YouTube. 'Then the organiser called me over as I was leaving and said they could take my passport off me and put me in jail for a long time for what I did. Ms Smith said she bought herself a ticket on the first flight back to Britain after she heard military police were looking for her 'I said: "Why are you body shaming me?" But he said what I did was illegal in India. He told me it was indecent and deeply offensive in their culture. 'He tore into me. He made me feel really ashamed of my body and my act. I was trying to give women a voice and here they were trying to suppress mine. 'I walked off and went home, but the next morning I got a tip off that I should leave the hotel because the military guards were going to arrest me. I was petrified. 'I went to the British Embassy, because apparently they were waiting for me at the show, but they told me if I'd broken the law I'd have to face it. 'So I got my friend to get me a lift straight to the airport and paid 800 for the quickest flight back. 'Being threatened with jail and hunted by armed police is one of the most terrifying things that has ever happened to me. It was very scary.' Ms Smith, who auditioned for Britain's Got Talent in February last year and has also appeared on Come Dine With Me, says she suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from a past abusive relationship. Now she draws on her experiences to perform across the UK and has appeared previously at the Edinburgh Festival. The part-time teacher added: 'I think my performance was a bit of a culture shock to them, but it is about domestic abuse. 'Although I was there mainly to talk as Andrea Smith from Goddess UK, they knew I would also use Swingerella and would have seen my act online. 'Swingerella's Dark Fairy Tale is showing how when we are abused we pretend to be OK when we are not. It has been described as burlesque but it's not indecent. The part time teacher says her performance was likely a 'culture shock' to her audience in India, but it was about domestic abuse Here Ms Smith is pictured in the clothes she was wearing when she performed the controversial show The 40-year-old was performing as her alter ego 'Swingerella', which she has performed in Edinburgh and on Britain's Got Talent on previous occasions 'I don't think they had a problem with me performing in nipple tassels, they knew that was coming. Really they were trying to silence me about my outspoken views. 'I was asking why there were women getting paid next to nothing to clean the toilets at a Women's Economic Forum and raising transgender issues. 'Although it was in India, there were women from 75 countries there and I thought it was an open forum to talk about these issues. 'But the organiser, whose wife was dressed like Barbie, seemed to want women to talk and behave a certain way - which I didn't. 'I just think it's such a shame, because I was meant to be helping raise awareness of victims of acid attacks in the country until May 30, but now I can't do that. 'There are bigger issues here than a middle age woman in tights on stage.' Questions were asked of Boris Johnson's EU campaign tactics today after he delivered another rant about EU banana regulations - at the same time as David Cameron was making a sober warning of Brexit sending the UK economy into recession. Supporters of leaving the EU admitted Mr Johnson was a 'mixed blessing' and 'had a bit of a tendency to go off-piste', suggesting his wilder tactics were damaging the Brexit campaign. On the campaign trail in York today Mr Johnson again blasted Brussels red tape that he said placed burdensome extra costs on UK retailers selling products such as bananas, vacuum cleaners and hairdryers. Last week he was mocked by his Tory colleagues backing the Remain campaign for claiming the EU stops bananas being sold in bunches of more than three and today Brexit supporters also said his arguments were 'unrealistic'. Meanwhile pro-Brexit Tory MP Sarah Wollaston attacked his 'absurd claim' that quitting Brussels would mean we could divert 350 million extra per week to the NHS. Scroll down for video Questions were asked of Boris Johnson's EU campaign tactics today after he delivered another rant about EU banana regulations - at the same time as David Cameron was making a sober warning of Brexit sending the UK economy into recession Pro-Brexit Tory MP Sarah Wollaston attacked Boris Johnson's 'absurd claim' that quitting Brussels would mean we could divert 350 million extra per week to the NHS. She also attacked his campaign for 'brazenly hijacking' the NHS logo The Tory MP, chair of the Commons health select committee, even suggested she was reconsidering whether to back Brexit, saying today she is 'very torn about this referendum' as she accused Mr Johnson's Vote Leave campaign for having 'brazenly hijacked' the NHS logo. The day after David Cameron secured his EU renegotiation in February Ms Wollaston declared she would be voting for Britain to leave Brussels. Today Mr Johnson dismissed an 83-page Treasury report warning that a Brexit vote is the 'self-destruct option' that could cost 800,000 jobs, a recession on the scale of the credit crunch and a 220 a year rise in food bills. Instead the leading Brexit campaigner chose to defend his remarks about EU regulation of bananas. He said there were four directives relating to the fruit and also urged voters to back Brexit because of Brussels regulation on hairdryers, and vacuum cleaners. He even picked an argument with a heckler who was threatening to throw an egg at him, telling the 22-year-old: 'Don't waste that egg [because] there are people hungry in this country'. Pro-Brexit Tory MP Sarah Wollaston accused Boris Johnson's Vote Leave campaign for having 'brazenly hijacked' the NHS logo on its battle bus (pictured in York City Centre today) Pro-Brexit Labour donor John Mills (right) admitted Mr Johnson was a 'mixed blessing' and 'had a bit of a tendency to go off-piste', suggesting his wilder tactics were damaging the Brexit campaign, while fellow Eurosceptic Tory MP Sarah Wollaston (left) attacked his 'absurd claim' that quitting Brussels would mean we could divert 350 million extra per week to the NHS Addressing In campaigners who had mocked him over his claims that the EU banned the sale of bananas in bunches of three, Mr Johnson told an audience in Yorkshire: 'I said the other day that there was an EU directive on bananas. CAMERON AND GOVE TO FACE EU QUESTION TIME CHALLENGE - BUT WON'T APPEAR TOGETHER David Dimbleby will moderate separate Question Time shows with David Cameron and Michael Gove David Cameron and Michael Gove will face a live audience in BBC Question Time specials ahead of the referendum, it was announced tonight. The rival campaigners are already booked for opposing appearances on Sky News next week - but on none of the programmes will they appear together. Mr Gove will appear on the BBC first. He will face live questions on Wednesday, June 15, at a programme broadcast from Nottingham. Four days later - and just four days before polling day - Mr Cameron will face the same challenge, on Sunday, June 19, this time in front of an audience in Milton Keynes. The BBC is also due to host a huge final debate on June 21 at Wembley Arena. 'And the Remain campaign got very angry - they said that I was wrong. 'I was wrong. Shall I tell you what? There isn't one directive - there are four directives on bananas, including on the curvature of bananas. 'Do you think we need to be told by the EU about what sort of bananas we are selling, or how powerful our hairdryers are, or how much suction there should be in our vacuum cleaners? It's out of control.' But responding to his comments today, the influential pro-Brexit Labour donor John Mills said Mr Johnson was being 'unrealistic'. He told MailOnline: 'I think we are over-regulated but the idea that all these regulations are going to disappear on the 24th of June is frankly unrealistic and you might be able to unpick some of them but I dont think theres going to be a bonfire. Admitting Mr Johnson's style of campaigning had drawbacks, he added: 'Boris is Boris, I mean hes a plus and a minus to be honest, I think hes in that sort of category. 'Boris has always had a bit of a tendency to go off piste but he does it in a half-loveable way and hes a mixed blessing.' Ms Wollaston's attack was directed at Vote Leave's decision to put the NHS front and centre of their campaign to leave the EU. It is a stinging criticisim of Mr Johnson, the public face of Vote Leave, who has repeatedly claimed that the weekly 350 million we 'waste on the unaccountable and failing institution' of the EU could instead be spent on building more hospitals across the UK. And he continues to pose in front of Vote Leave's bus, which uses the NHS logo and the slogan: 'We send the EU 350 million a week; let's fund out NHS instead.' Boris Johnson moved to the passenger seat for his test drive - which included a series of high speed donuts behind his battle bus Supporters of leaving the EU admitted Boris Johnson (pictured speaking outside his battle bus in York today) was a 'mixed blessing' and 'had a bit of a tendency to go off-piste', suggesting his wilder tactics were damaging the Brexit campaign In a damning assessment of Mr Johnson's campaign tactics, the pro-Brexit Ms Wollaston wrote in The Times today: 'We have seen a spiral in recent days, with both sides making ever more outlandish claims. 'Most recently Vote Leave has blamed EU migration for NHS pressures, brazenly hijacked their branding and continued to make the absurd claim that Brexit could divert 350million extra per week to the NHS. 'There are many reasons for the pressures on the NHS, but largely because we are living longer and with multiple and complex conditions. 'As many have commented; if you meet a migrant in the NHS they are more likely to be caring for you than ahead of you in the queue.' Today Boris Johnson (pictured meeting school children in York) dismissed an 83-page Treasury report warning that a Brexit vote is the 'self-destruct option' that could cost 800,000 job, a recession on the scale of the credit crunch and a 220 a year rise in food bills David Cameron claims backing Brexit is 'immoral' and would make the country 'self-destruct' costing 820,000 jobs as he joins George Osborne in ANOTHER grim economic warning Brexit is the 'self-destruct option' that could cost 800,000 jobs and voting for it is 'immoral', David Cameron and George Osborne have warned. In a grim joint appearance this morning, the Prime Minister and Chancellor said the 'profound' economic shock from leaving the EU would cause a recession on the scale of the credit crunch. Mr Cameron even argued that it was 'immoral' to favour quitting the bloc as the Treasury published dramatic analysis showing the economy would shrink by 1 per cent in a single quarter if there is a Leave vote on June 23. Meanwhile, Mr Osborne further escalated tensions with Brexit-supporting Tories by accusing them of ignoring the impact on 'working people'. But Boris Johnson dismissed the predictions - released with just a month to go until the crucial referendum - as 'propaganda'. Former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith said they were dishonest and 'deeply biased', while a Conservative backbencher bluntly condemned it as 'specious b******s'. Even SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon suggested the Treasury was 'overstating the case' with 'overblown' claims. Scroll down for video David Cameron delivers the blood-curdling warning alongside George Osborne at B&Q offices in Hampshire today The Treasury document suggests the economy will be tipped into a recession by Brexit, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as much as 6 per cent lower than it would have been by 2018. The slump could cost as many as 820,000 jobs if the shock is 'severe', the assessment says. The 'central' forecast is for 520,000 and average wages to be 4 per cent lower. Today's analysis goes further than comments from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who sparked anger this month by saying Brexit could cause a recession. All scenarios modelled by officials pointed to a 'technical recession' defined as two consecutive quarters of falling GDP. Don't Breggsit! Boris Johnson convinces a protester NOT to throw an egg at him at Brexit rally because there are 'people hungry' in Britain Boris Johnson faced being pelted with eggs at his latest Brexit rally - but talked his way our of it by pleading with the protester about a food crisis. The Vote Leave champion took his battle bus tour to York today and drew a crowd of hundreds for his stump speech on why Britain should quit the European Union. Mr Johnson was met with boos and heckling as he disembarked for a speech but interrupted his remarks when he was tipped off about being in the line of fire. Ex-mayor Boris Johnson arrived in York to heckles today, pictured, but talked down a protester who planned to throw eggs at home during the event The protester - Sam Grigg, a 22 year old student at York University - had heckled Mr Johnson as 'everything that's wrong with politics in this country', according to The Guardian. In a bizarre put down, Mr Johnson told him: 'There's a young man here who had eggs he was going to throw at me, can you believe it? 'There are people hungry in this country, my friend. Don't waste those eggs.' Mr Grigg later insisted he had never intended to throw the three eggs he brought with him. He did admit to having placed one in the pocket of a Vote Leave supporter. Asked if he was going to throw them, he said: 'No, I was not going to throw an egg. The egg was just to mess with them. 'The egg was to cause a scene.' Mr Grigg added: 'Today was a protest against the Conservative Party, it wasn't to do with Vote Leave or the EU.' Witnesses were able to provide a description and the Charged: Yolande Mcallister, attacked a 19-year-old college student at the residence hall he was being dropped off University of Delaware Police have charged a 32-year-old New Castle, Delaware, man in connection with an assault of a 19-year-old male student. Uber driver, Yolande Mcallister, has been charged with third degree assault, strangulation and disorderly conduct and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institute. The attack occurred shortly after the victim had been dropped off at his hall of residence in the parking lot of the George Read Residence Hall on the Universitys Newark campus, at 10pm last Tuesday. According to UD Police, an argument between the victim and the suspect, who is a driver for the ride-booking service, turned violent, with the suspect choking the student and striking him several times The suspect fled in a silver Jaguar sedan before police arrived, but witnesses at the scene were able to provide officers with a description of the suspect along with the registration of his vehicle. Officers were able to locate and arrest Mcallister at his residence without incident. The student who had injuries to his face and neck was taken to the Christiana Hospital emergency room, treated and released. Over the years, Uber and Lyft drivers have been accused and convicted of commuting countless violent crimes while on the job. Everything from assault and rape to kidnapping and driving drunk has come up, and its been raising concern about the companies screening processes, or lack thereof. Uber does not require its drivers to be fingerprinted, which officials say has led to the hiring of several people who have been convicted of violent crimes. New York City police commissioner William Bratton has said the majority of the city's drug-related violence is related to marijuana, as he blasted states that have legalized the substance. 'Here in New York, the violence we see associated with drugs, the vast majority of it is around the issue of marijuana,' Bratton said on Sunday during an appearance on the Cats Round Table radio show. 'I have to scratch my head as we are seeing many states wanting to legalize marijuana, and more liberalizations of policies,' the top cop continued. Scroll down for video William Bratton (pictured in November) holds up a bag of oregano to demonstrate what a bag of weed looks like. Bratton said that marijuana trafficking is behind the 'vast majority' of drug-related violence in the city Bratton's comments came after a brief discussion on a spike in heroin use in the city, and the radio show host John Catsimatidis asked no follow-up questions. The commissioner was referring specifically to violence 'associated with the sale of marijuana,' an NYPD spokesman clarified in an email to Daily Mail Online. The police spokesman refused to say whether there are any statistics on drug trafficking-related violence. In 2014, mayor Bill de Blasio loosened restrictions on cannabis possession in New York City. Since November that year, New Yorkers found in possession of 25 grams of less of the drug are slapped with a fine rather than arrested. Arrests for marijuana possession went down by 42 per cent in 2015 compared with the previous year, according to New York State Criminal Justice Services statistics. De Blasio said he pushed for the policy change because low-level drug arrests disproportionately affect black and Latino communities. Massive haul: In this February 2016 photo, the NYPD shows off some 300 pounds of cannabis seized in a raid in the West Village But the mayor and the police commissioner appear to have differing views on the danger that marijuana poses to the city. Bratton first made the connection between marijuana and violence in early 2015, just a few months after the change in marijuana policy went into effect. 'In this city, people are killing each other over marijuana... The seemingly innocent drug that's being legalized around the country,' Bratton said in March that year, according to the New York Times. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald today compared waiting in line at Disney World to the time veterans have had to wait for medical care. 'When you got to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line?' he asked reporters at a Christian Science Monitor on Monday, according to the Washington Examiner. 'Or what's important? What's important is, what's your satisfaction with the experience,' McDonald added. McDonald was trying to argue that veterans report being satisfied with their medical care, saying the average wait time is just a few days, in the aftermath of a flurry of bad press over how long veterans were waiting to receive care in the country. Scroll down for video Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald tried using a comparison about waiting in line at Disney World to veterans' wait times at the VA, saying that satisfaction is the most important thing But Republicans like Speaker Paul Ryan called out McDonald saying, 'this is not make believe,' and noting that veterans have died because they didn't get in to see a doctor in time Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump also took time today to shame the VA. He also brought his likely opponent Hillary Clinton into it, nothing that she once said that the VA's problems weren't 'widespread' The Obama Administration official said he believed using a 'create date' which counts from when the veteran first contacts the VA for care isn't a 'valid measure' of how satisfied a customer the veteran is overall, according to the Examiner. Reporters wanted to know why there was still a lack of transparency surrounding how long veterans are being forced to wait until they're able to see medical professionals. Republicans jumped on the remarks, with House Speaker Paul Ryan leading the charge. 'This is not make-believe, Mr. Secretary,' he wrote. 'Veterans have died waiting in those lines.' Donald Trump, the GOP's presumptive nominee, also chimed in. 'Obamas VA Secretary just said we shouldn't measure wait times. Hillary says VA problems are not "widespread." I will take care of our vets!' he tweeted earlier today. Republican National Committee chairman Reince Preibus put out a statement this afternoon. 'Up to 307,000 veterans have reportedly died waiting for care due to corruption and mismanagement at the VA, so it is astonishing that VA Secretary Robert McDonald would suggest wait times dont need to be measured,' said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. 'Drawing comparisons to lines at Disneyland is ludicrous and shows the leadership crisis at the VA is far from being solved. 'Our veterans deserve better, and Hillary Clintons claim that problems at the VA are not "widespread" shows she is clearly not the answer. 'Until Democrats stop protecting government union bosses and corrupt bureaucrats, this will sadly continue to be a problem for our veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country,' Priebus stated. In October, Clinton sat down with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and said that while the problems plaguing the VA were real, 'it's not been as widespread as it has been made out to be.' The Democratic frontrunner suggested that it's in the Republicans' ideological interest for the VA to be a mess. 'They try to create a downward spiral, don't fund it to the extent that it needs to be funded, because they want it to fail, so then we can argue for privatization,' she noted. Like McDonald, Clinton said she also hears from veterans that they're happy with their healthcare. Twenty years after the Unabomber was arrested for sending a series of explosives through the mail, a handwritten letter has surfaced claiming he is ready to tell his story. Ted Kaczynski, 74, sent a letter to Lawrence Wright, a writer for the New Yorker, from a supermax facility in Florence, Colorado, claiming he is 'NOT mentally ill' and wants to dispute his brother's statements. Kaczynski's brother David notified investigators after he recognized the Unabomber's writing style in a lengthy manifesto published by national newspapers, which eventually led to his arrest in 1996. Scroll down for video Ted Kaczynski sent a letter to New Yorker writer Lawrence Wright from a super-maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado, claiming he 'NOT mentally ill' and wants to dispute his brother's statements Kaczynski killed three and injured 23 people over the course of an 18-year bombing campaign that often targeted universities and airlines. He is serving four life sentences at a supermax facility in Colorado Kaczynski killed three and injured 23 people over the course of an 18-year bombing campaign that often targeted universities and airlines. David helped investigators identify Ted, and recently wrote a book detailing stories about his brother as well as his personal struggle turning him in. The Unabomber was arrested in April 1996 and avoided capital punishment after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to four life terms instead. Kaczynski's handwritten letter, which is dated April 4, 2016, was posted on Wright's twitter on Sunday. It read: 'I am ready to speak to someone from the media regarding my brother's recent comments and to discuss how they are being used to torment me.' 'I am only granting one interview to one person. In order to determine who will get the interview, I am asking you to write me back affirming that you understand that I am NOT mentally ill, as my brother Dave, would have you believe.' He also urged Wright to introduce himself and explain why he should be trusted. Wright posted a photograph of the letter with the caption: 'Thanks, Ted, you're not nuts at all.' David Kaczynski (pictured) helped investigators identify Ted, and recently wrote a book detailing stories about his brother as well as his personal struggle turning him in David Kaczynski (right, as a child) said his family had long-suspected that Ted (left) suffered from a mental illness, but they never addressed it openly Ted's recent letter read: 'I am ready to speak to someone from the media regarding my brother's recent comments and to discuss how they are being used to torment me' In an interview with ABC News in February, David's wife Linda Patrik said she was the one who first made the connection the Unabomber might be Ted after the Unabomber's manifesto was printed in the Washington Post and New York Times. David Kaczynski said: 'When she said, "Well, I think maybe your brother's the Unabomber," I thought, "Well, this is not anything to worry about. Ted's never been violent. I've never seen him violent". 'I couldn't imagine that he would do what the Unabomber had done.' They went to the library, where the manifesto was projected, and David said: 'I thought I was going to read the first page of this, turn to Linda and say, "See, I told you so." 'But on an emotional level, it just sounded like my brother's voice. You know, it sounded like the way he argued, the way he talked, the way he expressed an idea.' In particular, he noticed the repeated use of the phrase 'cool-headed logicians', according to the Guardian. The realization led to Ted's arrest in a primitive cabin 75 miles east of Missoula, Montana, where he had been living without electricity and subsisting on wild rabbits. Ted (pictured) was known as a math prodigy and neo-Luddite who graduated from Harvard in 1962 and went on to earn a PhD before becoming an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley at age 26 Ted was in arrested in a primitive cabin 75 miles east of Missoula, Montana, (pictured) where he had been living without electricity and subsisting on wild rabbits The Unabombers trail of destruction had baffled the FBI from its barbaric outset in 1978, when he sent his first bomb to the University of Illinois at Chicago which exploded and injured a security guard. The bomber set off another device in the cargo hold of an American Airlines flight in 1979, injuring 12 and forcing it to make an emergency landing. He killed computer store owner Hugh Scrutton near his shop in Sacramento in 1985 and murdered advertising executive Thomas Mosser with a bomb sent to his home in North Caldwell, New Jersey in 1994. The bomber also killed California Forestry Association president Gilbert Murray in 1995 with a package bomb sent to his Sacramento office. In August of that year, Mrs Patrik put the pieces together and decided to ask her husband if Ted could be responsible. Brussels will take revenge on Britain if we vote to leave for remarks by Boris Johnson claiming the European Union is pursuing a similar goal to Hitler, the countrys European commissioner has warned. Jonathan Hill, who represents Britain as the EUs commissioner for financial services, said other member states would seek to give the country a poor deal in Brexit negotiations as they would feel a deep sense of rejection. The European Commission has repeatedly pledged not to campaign ahead of the referendum, but Lord Hill tonight launched the scathing attack on supporters of Leave claiming they will damage the British economy, jobs and growth by ending our membership. Brussels will take revenge on Britain if we vote to leave for remarks by Boris Johnson (pictured on the campaign trail in York today) claiming the European Union is pursuing a similar goal to Hitler, the countrys European commissioner has warned In a speech at the London School of Economics, the Tory peer suggested negotiations in the event of a Brexit vote would be made even more difficult because of sensitivities in Brussels to criticism about their failings in the campaign. Lord Hill, who was appointed to his role by David Cameron, referred specifically to remarks by the former London mayor a fortnight ago comparing EU efforts towards building a federal superstate to Hitler's plans to dominate the continent. There is absolutely no reason to believe that discussions would be quick or easy. Greenland's negotiation with the EU simply as an overseas territory the closest precedent - took three years even though there was really only one subject to talk about, fish, he said. Britain's European partners want Britain to stay They clearly think that if Britain leaves it would be damaging for the European Union and their own national interests at a time when Europe faces serious challenges. Jonathan Hill (right), who represents Britain as the EUs commissioner for financial services, said other member states would seek to give the country a poor deal in Brexit negotiations as they would feel a deep sense of rejection after Boris Johnson (left) compared EU expansionism to Adolf Hitler's ambitions Boris Johnson (pictured on the campaign trail in York today) was singled out by Jonathan Hill for comparing EU efforts to build a federal state to Hitler's plans to dominate the continent in the 1930s Boris Johnson moved to the passenger seat for his test drive - which included a series of high speed donuts behind his battle bus So from what I hear working in Brussels, listening to the national governments of the countries of Europe, I believe there would be a deep sense of rejection felt by Britain's European partners particularly given that some of the Leave campaigners have spent many years accusing them of incompetence, corruption and comparing them recently to the darkest figures in European history: you name it, they've said it. Lord Hill said that voters in other European countries would expect their elected leaders to stand up for their national interests. If Britain chooses to become a competitor rather than a partner, why wouldn't they seek a competitive advantage in the new relationship? he added. To build up their financial services sector. To roll out the red carpet to our bankers, insurers and asset managers. And might I gently suggest that the best way to warm up the people with whom Britain would in future be negotiating in these vitally important talks isn't to compare their ambitions with those of the Third Reich? The European Commission today defended Lord Hills intervention that came in spite of its pledge not to campaign. Boris Johnson (pictured on the campaign trail in York today) was heavily criticised by his Tory colleagues in the Remain campaign after comparing the EU's plans for federalism with Hitler's ambitions to dominate the continent in the 1930s Supporters of leaving the EU admitted Boris Johnson (pictured speaking outside his battle bus in York today) was a 'mixed blessing' and 'had a bit of a tendency to go off-piste', suggesting his wilder tactics were damaging the Brexit campaign Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: I must stress that the Commission is not party to the campaign. We havent been and we wont be. However it may be the case that Commissioners in the context of their duties will have dealings with the UK and it is perfectly compatible with our basic position. Jonathan Hill is in the UK to talk about financial services. In the context of that sort of trip it is a different matter. It is not direct participation in the referendum campaigns. It is part of their daily work and in the context of the Commissioners duties. In an interview with a Sunday newspaper a fortnight ago, Mr Johnson, the most senior figure in the Leave campaign, said the past 2,000 years had been dominated by doomed attempts to unify the continent under a single government to recreate the 'golden age' of the Romans. 'Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically,' he said. 'The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. 'But fundamentally what is lacking is the eternal problem, which is that there is no underlying loyalty to the idea of Europe. There is no single authority that anybody respects or understands. That is causing this massive democratic void.' Mexican American Heritage (above) is the Texas school board's response to complaints that majority-Hispanic schools do not study their own history. It was produced by a right-wing Christian activist Scholars have slammed a new school textbook on Mexican-American culture as 'racist'. The book titled Mexican American Heritage is the Texas school board's response to complaints that majority-Hispanic schools do not study their own history. But extracts released this week have sparked outrage in the community. It describes the Mexican-American Chicano movement of the 1960s as people who 'opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society'. Pre-Conquest Mexicans are described as 'Indian tribes'. And today's Mexican-Americans are tied to illegal immigrants in a chapter that blames the community for causing 'a number of economic and security problems' in the U.S. that include 'poverty, drugs, crime, non-assimilation, and exploitation'. It also implies salsa, rumba and tango are Mexican dance styles. Salsa is a Puerto Rico-influenced dance that started in New York. Rumba is Cuban. Tango is Argentine. And none of the Hispanic writers on the curriculum are Mexican-American or even Mexican. Isabel Allende is Chilean, Gabriel Garcia Marquez was Colombian, and Paul Coelho was Brazilian - not Hispanic. 'It is a painfully obvious whitewashing and ideologically-driven historical text that consistently paints the US as this benevolent dictator, with Mexicans needing to be very appreciate of their overlords,' Dr Nolan Cabrera, the pioneer of Arizona's Mexican-American heritage curriculum, told Daily Mail Online. 'It is centered on the US so much that it is almost inaccurate to call it Mexican-American Heritage. 'What it purports to do is to bring communities together. The irony is that this text only serves to exacerbate the differences and tensions.' Dr Cabrera, an Assistant Professor in the University of Arizona's Center for the Study of Higher Education, said he celebrates the spread of discussion across states looking to recognize ethnic studies in their curricula. Arizona's program was hailed by scholars in the field before it was later dismantled by the state. Now Portland has just passed its ethnic studies program, it is a hot topic in Minneapolis, and San Francisco already has an 'excellent' curriculum focusing on the ethnic communities in the city. But Texas' textbook, Cabrera says, should serve as a warning to other school boards. 'What the example of Texas shows is that now all ethnic studies are created equal,' he said. 'Really, a text like this is more likely to cause harm than good.' The book - which costs $69.95 - is produced by Momentum Instruction, a company that appears to be owned or operated by Cynthia Dunbar, a member of the Texas State Board of Education from 2007 to 2011. Dunbar, a right-wing Christian activist who questioned the constitutionality of public schools in 2008, labeled the education system 'tyrannical' when she published her book, One Nation Under God, while serving on the board. It is also written by authors who are not known in the well-established academic field of Mexican-American history. The book will not be compulsory and educators in the area are already compiling their own free resources to share among public schools. The State Board of Education voted to include textbooks on Mexican-American studies after activists last year demanded the subject be formally included in state curriculum. Mexican American Heritage is the first textbook on the subject included in a list of proposed instructional materials. 'Paradoxically, we pressed for the board to include texts on Mexican-American studies, and we achieved it, but not in the way we were expecting,' Tony Diaz, host of Nuestra Palabra (Our Word) radio program in Houston and director of Intercultural Initiatives at Lone Star College-North Harris, told the Houston Chronicle. 'Instead of a text that is respectful of the Mexican-American history, we have a book poorly written, racist, and prepared by non-experts.' The Texas Education Agency says it followed standard procedure for the call to submit instructional materials for Mexican-American curriculums for the 2017-2018 school year. Scholars warn the book is 'poorly written, racist, and prepared by non-experts' (file Image of Texas students) Texans have until September to submit comments on the proposed instructional materials, said TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson. She also said the proposed textbooks will undergo review by a committee that includes teachers and administrators and that committee will make recommendations to the board. Ultimately, books adopted by the elected members of the Texas State Board of Education in November become part of the recommended instructional materials for statewide curricula, but school districts aren't required to embrace them. Individual districts can use their state money to buy whatever textbooks they wish. The book 'is not a text that we have recommended nor we will be recommending,' says Douglas Torres-Edwards, coordinator of a TEA-approved Mexican-American studies course that has been implemented in some Houston Independent School District schools. 'Frankly, that author is not recognized as someone who is part of the Mexican-American studies scholarship and most individuals engaged in scholarship will not recognize her as an author.' The Chronicle was unable to reach Dunbar or any of the books other authors. A phone message and email to Momentum Instruction from The Associated Press were not immediately returned Monday. A Princeton graduate is suing a Manhattan nightclub claiming that after she was attacked by a man at the establishment the bouncers helped to protect him while she was being rushed to the hospital. Erin Jennings claims in court papers that were obtained by the New York Daily News that on May 17, 2015, she and a group of friends were at Southside, a popular club located in the city's Nolita neighborhood. At some point during the night, Jennings, 26, claims that John Jannarone, 35, approached the group and made a pass at one of her friends. After being rejected, Jennings claims that Jannarone came and hit her over the head with a beer bottle multiple times, causing her to fall to the ground while bleeding profusely from her head. Victim: Erin Jennings (center with friends) was allegedly attacked by John Jannarone, 35, at Southside nightclub on May 17, 2015 Alleged attacker: Jannarone (above) is accused of hitting her over the head with a beer bottle multiple times after his advances were rejected by Jennings' friend Scene: A friend of Jennings stayed behind to point out Jannarone to police, but bouncers at Southside (above) are accused of sneaking him out of the club Jennings was rushed to the hospital but one friend stayed behind to make sure police arrested Jannarone, but according to court papers that is when the bouncers helped him to get out of the club and into a cab so he would not be on the scene when authorities came to get him. The criminal complaint states that shortly after the attacked Jannarone said to a witness; 'Help me out. I need you to protect me. I cant believe I did this. I hit this girl with a bottle.' It also states that he appeared to know at least one bouncer by name. Jennings ended up with a concussion after the attack and had to get seven staples at the hospital. She claims in court papers that she still suffers from migraines as a result of the attack. Jennings (above) suffered a concussion and was rushed to the hospital Jannarone meanwhile was arrested over a week later on May 26 Jannarone's attorney told the Daily Mail Online: 'To the extent the complaint against Southside relates to Mr. Jannarone, he plans to aggressively respond to the misleading allegations and looks forward to a prompt judicial resolution. 'Given that the dispute is in litigation, Mr. Jannarone is unable to comment further on the matter at this time.' A lawyer for the club said that they 'look forward to vigorously contesting' some of the statements made by Jennings in her complaint, while also saying they 'don't dispute that Jennings has been injured or hurt'. Jennings has since moved out of New York City and is currently attending the Thomas Jefferson School of Biomedical Sciences. She is spending her summer volunteering in Panama with Floating Doctors, a group whose mission is to reduce the present and future burden of disease in the developing world. Jannarone meanwhile was a senior vice president at the financial PT firm ICR, and previously worked at CNBC and the Wall Street Journal. He is also a Princeton graduate. His biography has been removed for ICR's website. A spokesman from ICR told The Daily Mail Online: 'We do not comment on personnel matters but Mr. Jannarone is not currently an employee of ICR.' A middle school principal named in a lawsuit filed by the family of a student who committed suicide after years of alleged racial and sexual bullying has resigned. Lincoln Butts said he was leaving Fairfield Middle School in Ohio for 'personal reasons', five months after he became a focal point of the legal battle with Emilie Olsen's parents. Marc and Cynthia Olsen have accused the school of knowing their 13-year-old daughter was being harassed by classmates before she shot herself in the head in December 2014, and did nothing to stop it. The lawsuit claims she was called a 'w****', had fake social media pages created about her being 'gay' and was even told to kill herself after being handed a razor by a classmate. Butts is one of nine individuals named in the lawsuit. Most of them are teaching staff and counselors who interacted with Olsen before her death. Scroll down for video Lincoln Butts said he was leaving Fairfield Middle School in Ohio for 'personal reasons' five months after he became a focal point of the legal battle with Emilie Olsen's (right) parents. They say the school ignored years of bulling before the 13-year-old shot and killed herself in December 2014 Courtesy WCPO Fairfield City Schools Superintendent Paul Otten, also named in the lawsuit, resigned earlier this year to take a job at Beavercreek City Schools. Neither gave specific reasons for leaving in their resignation letters. The federal wrongful death lawsuit says the teenager suffered from severe anguish, distress and depression and ultimately killed herself as a result of it. Her family are now seeking that the school district reforms its policies on bullying. Sadly, Emilies case is not an outlier, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit highlights an escalation in the abuse that led to Emilies death on December 11, 2014. Students racially abused Emilie, the lawsuit states, branding her fake country due to her wearing cowboy boots and camouflage clothing. She couldnt be country because she was Asian, they told her, according to the lawsuit. Chinese people dont wear camo, one student allegedly said to her. A group of students allegedly pushed her into a locker once, telling her: Asians shouldnt wear camo and boots. Around the same time, abusive messages - including Emilie is a w**** and Go kill yourself Emilie - were scribbled on bathroom walls, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. A fake social media page, called Emilie Olsen is Gay claimed that she enjoyed having sex with strangers in the woods. The lawsuit claims Olsen (left and right) was called a 'w****', had fake social media pages created about her being 'gay' and was even told to kill herself after being handed a razor by a classmate Butts, pictured with a student at his former school, did not give any specific reasons for his departure and did not mention the lawsuit involving Olsen Butts is seen being taped to a wall by students. He is one of nine individuals named in the lawsuit. Most of them are teaching staff and counselors who interacted with Olsen before her death While she was in sixth grade, a student followed Emilie into the bathroom and gave her a razor, telling her to end her life. Before she started seventh grade, she told her parents she was afraid of returning to school because that student was part of a group that bullied her and the class schedule grouped her with them. She also told her parents she wanted to dye her hair in a bid to disguise her ethnicity. Why cant I be white like you and mom? she said to her father. Officials at the school have denied the allegations and, according to a police report, officers found little to conclude Emilies death was a result of bullying, the Enquirer reported. Gina Gentry-Fletcher, a spokesman for the school district, said: The district will be defending the litigation and will be providing appropriate responses in the course of the litigation. Emilies parents told investigators that she had suffered from depression and had cut herself in the past. Marc and Cynthia Olsen have accused the school of knowing their 13-year-old daughter was being harassed by classmates before she shot herself in the head in December 2014, and did nothing to stop it Students racially abused Emilie, the lawsuit states, branding her fake country due to her wearing cowboy boots and camouflage clothing They also suspected their daughter regularly drank alcohol and may have taken recreational drugs. But a toxicology report found there were no drugs in Emilies system when she died. Police also found text messages to Emilies friends when she mentioned committing suicide. After his daughters death, Marc Olsen said: 'There was a racial component to the bullying. There was cyber-bullying and physical bullying. They [school officials] cleared it up in the sixth grade, but it continued into the seventh grade. She was an A student, but she started to fail intentionally and talked about wanting to go to another school district to get away from it.' Killed in a fire: John Williams, 72, has been described as a restaurant legend, LGBT pioneer and all-round good person A Salt Lake City restaurateur and LGBT rights pioneer died in a house fire early on Sunday morning and police now believe his ex-husband set the blaze. John Williams, 72, was found dead in his Capitol Hill home by firefighters who responded to a 911 call from neighbors shortly after 1 a.m. Police later arrested 47-year-old Craig Crawford on suspicion of aggravated murder and aggravated arson in connection with Williams' death. Detectives say Crawford was in the house near the Utah State Capitol when the fire started. Williams, who played a major role in establishing the city's downtown dining scene, filed for a divorce on May 4. He had even attempted to take out restraining orders against his former partner, but was denied, according to court records. Despite the broken relationship, Crawford still lived with Williams and was seen walking toward the house as it became engulfed in flames. Despite knowing the house was on fire, Crawford did not call 911. Williams could be heard screaming from the top floors of the home but could not be revived by the time the emergency services reached him. Scene of the crime: The fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning Huge loss: A number of local officials have paid tribute to John Williams who did much to improve the rights of LGBT people and the culinary scene in Salk Lake City, Utah Made his mark: Williams is responsible for saving and renovating a number of buildings in Salt Lake City including this one which became the famed Market Street Grill Arrested: 47-year-old Craig Crawford has been brought into custody on suspicion of aggravated murder and aggravated arson in connection with the blaze Williams was a partner in a number of Salt Lake City restaurants including Market Street Grill, Market Street Oyster Bar and the New Yorker restaurant. His friends and colleagues many influential city and state leaders expressed shock and dismay about the death of the man they called a great businessman and LGBT pioneer who was an instrumental figure in Salt Lake City. Openly gay state Sen. Jim Dabakis, who was good friends with Williams, called his death 'devastating.' 'The restaurants he and his partners opened raised the standards of dining for Utah, and the quiet bridges John built between the emerging LGBT community and the Utah business world made this a better place for all of us to live,' Dabakis said. Williams, whose parents were educators in Idaho, came to Utah to go to college 50 years ago and 'changed the fabric' of the community, Dabakis wrote in a statement. The buildings he restored in Salt Lake City and the restaurants he ran raised standards in the city.' Scot Beck, president and CEO of Visit Salt Lake, told Good4Utah.com: 'I don't think we would have the restaurant culture we have today if it wasn't for John Williams. His original vision to open up the New Yorker with his then friend Tom really started this entire thing that we have today. Just the people he's trained, the chefs that have come through Gastronomy, the restaurant managers he's trained. We would not have this incredible restaurant culture if it was not for John Williams and his vision.' Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, the city's first openly gay mayor, said in a statement that she's devastated by the loss of her dear friend and local hero. 'Anyone who loves Austria must be s***', says the tag line on this poster Austria's new president, and Green party member, has come under fire on Monday after it emerged that a branch of the party once issued anti-Austria posters. A tag line on posters put out by the party's youth branch in 2007 read 'Anyone who loves Austria must be s***' Alexander Van der Bellen stood as an independent candidate but it a long-time member of The Greens. Put up by the youth branch of Austria's The Greens (GAJ) in Vienna, the posters were supposedly a satirical assault on nationalism, and dog fouling. They bore an image of a dog with the country's red and white flag in its mouth, instead of a rubbish bag. This was thought to be a reference to clearing up dog excrement with an Austrian flag. The poster was meant to be a double take against both the city's fouling problem, and nationalism in Austria. At the time, the party were keen to state that the main body of the organisation and their youth wing were separate organisations, according to Der Standard. Van der Bellen has been known to oppose the concept of a nation state and is an advocate of Eu federalism, Breitbart reported on Monday. Austria's current geographical position in the migrant crisis means that having a president in favour of open borders affects the flow of people coming up from Italy. Van der Bellen's decade-long career as leader of the Greens Party until 2008 has turned him into an agile and at times aggressive opponent in debates. 'I don't want that Austria becomes the first country in western Europe led by a populist right-wing, pan-Germanic fraternity member,' he told voters. He also vowed to not swear in Heinz-Christian Strache as chancellor if the FPOe, currently ahead in polls, wins the next general election scheduled for 2018. Alexander Van der Bellen waves after delivering a statement following the Austrian presidential elections run-off, outside the Palais Schoenburg, in Vienna The remark prompted former opponent Norbert Hofer to call him a 'fascist green dictator'. Adversaries have also accused Van der Bellen of being a 'turncoat' because he was a member of the Social Democrats before joining the Greens in the early 1990s and eventually becoming their president. Under his leadership, the party went on to achieve record results, but he quit after the 2008 election when the Greens lost votes for the first time in almost 10 years. As Austrian president, he dreams of a fence-free 'United States of Europe', which defends the rights of minority groups. An outspoken supporter of gay marriage, the divorced and recently remarried father-of-two garnered signatures from more than 4,000 public figures in the course of his presidential campaign. This prompted a seemingly unimpressed Hofer to attack his rival for being too highbrow: 'You have the glitterati, but I have the people,' he snapped. In his private life, Van der Bellen admits to two weaknesses: Donald Duck comics and cigarettes. Actress Rosario Dawson told Bernie Sanders supporters this afternoon that winning the White House is only the beginning of the political revolution. It's time for a 'clean sweep,' she said. 'It's time for us to start looking at everyone down the ballot and go, "Are you really representing us?' Dawson said at this afternoon at a Sanders rally in East LA. 'Who are these superdelegates? Who are these Congress people and these senators - are they really with you?' Dawson told the California crowd, 'We need to reform, not conform.' Scroll down for video Actress Rosario Dawson told Bernie Sanders supporters this afternoon that winning the White House is only the beginning of the political revolution. It's time for a 'clean sweep' she said Sanders told the crowd, 'It looks to me like East LA is ready for a political revolution' As the actress and political activist called for a changing of the guard one attendee shouted back at her, 'They're crooks!' At a rally later in the day for Sanders in Santa Monica she said 'when they're telling us that your vote doesn't matter right now, but on the side they're talking about party unity, what they're really telling you' is to conform. They're just off by a couple letters, she said. They meant reform. Last week the Sanders campaign went to war with Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, accusing her of working against him from the beginning for personal reasons. Sanders subsequently endorsed her primary opponent and helped him raise $250 million to overthrow her. Dawson intimated this afternoon as she campaigned for the U.S. senator in California ahead of the June 7 primary that the rest of the Democratic Party establishment ought to watch its back, too. 'We need to vote together. They're gonna do anything and everything in their power to stop you from doing that,' she said, 'to say that it doesn't matter.' The Sanders surrogate told them, 'This is going all the way to the general election.' 'And you know what, it's going to go beyond that,' she added, calling for a top to bottom review. Dawson said, 'It's time to integrate, its time to do a clean sweep and start making sure this government represents us.' Just before her tirade against the establishment this afternoon Sanders and the Democratic National Committee resolved a dispute about convention delegates that was contributing factor to schism that opened up between his campaign and the national party. Sanders had accused the party of stacking the deck against him at the convention by refusing to give him proportional representation on the committees that ink the rules and platform. Agreeing to a truce, the committee awarded five of Sanders' supporters spots on the platform committee today compared to the six its giving Clinton. 'We believe that we will have the representation on the platform drafting committee to create a Democratic platform that reflects the views of millions of our supporters who want the party to address the needs of working families in this country and not just Wall Street, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry and other powerful special interests,' Sanders said in a statement. The statement suggested an easing of tensions between Sanders and the party. Readying himself to face Trump in a November match-up today, Sanders said Donald Trump over his general election fundraising push, saying in East LA, 'You have this really absurd insane situation, where you have a billionaire' asking for money from other billionaires And at a press gaggle after the event he sidestepped a question about his relationship with the party and whether he thinks its treating him unfairly after glossing over his campaign's eruption at Wasserman Schultz and other party officials last week. He steered clear of commentary on divisions with the party later in the day at a Santa Monica rally - where he was introduced by actor Dick Van Dyke - as well. Two weeks from the California election, with his cash flow drying up, Sanders has planted himself in Southern California. He told reporters this afternoon he's aiming to speak to 200,000 people at rallies in California prior to the election. That's 10 percent of the projected number of votes he needs to win, Sanders said. A lunchtime rally on Monday, his first of the day, the U.S. senator drew a crowd of 2,717. 'Looks to me like East LA is ready for a political revolution,' he told his supporters. Sanders told them, 'We are going to win the state of California.' 'And we are going to win the state of California because before the end of this campaign year we are going to have rallies all over this state and speak in a grassroots way to 200,000' people, he said. Sanders boasted that his is not a 'fancy campaign.' 'We can win and win big here in California, that will give us the momentum to get to the White House,' he later said. 'Let's have this great state - this progressive state - tell the world, that California is ready for a political revolution!' Later, at Santa Monica High, he again touted the turnout at his events and the 6,750 supporters there to see him, 'This is a large state and we're gonna have a lot of rallies.' Polls have Clinton ahead in California but the size of her lead has ebbed and flowed from single to double digits over the last month. This afternoon she went back on an agreement to debate Sanders in California before the June 7 primary. Sanders told his supporters today, 'We are going to win the state of California.' 'And we are going to win the state of California because before the end of this campaign year we are going to have rallies all over this state and speak in a grassroots way to 200,000' people The move earned her loud boos from Sanders supporters at his Santa Monica rally later in the day. Sanders said he was 'a little bit insulted for the people of California' that she reneged as its the nation's largest state. 'She's scared, Bernie,' a vocal Sanders backer hollered. Clinton's campaign indicated in a statement that it doesn't see a point in having her debate. She's busy 'preparing for a general election' and Donald Trump. Sanders said in a statement afterward that the statement was quite 'presumptuous' given how many states he's won over the last several weeks. Readying himself to face Trump in a November match-up today, Sanders said Donald Trump over his general election fundraising push, saying in East LA, 'You have this really absurd insane situation, where you have a billionaire' asking for money from other billionaires. Crowds pulled together in more ways than one after they rescued en elderly woman trapped under a van in an impressive display of teamwork. More than 20 pedestrians came to the lady's aid after a white van ran her over as she was crossing the street. Footage from May 19 shows the crowd in south China's Guangzhou province pushing the vehicle to one side to release the badly injured Ms. Huang who is in her 80s, within minutes. Crowds pulled together in more ways than one after they rescued en elderly woman trapped under a van in an impressive display of teamwork More than 20 pedestrians came to the lady's aid after a white van ran her over as she was crossing the street Ms. Huang's forehead was bleeding as she was carried away from the scene. A security guard at the nearby primary school was among the first to respond to the accident. 'I couldn't think of any other way to help her by myself, so I persuaded passers-by to help lift up the van. After all, unity is strength,' said the Good Samaritan, who gave his name as Tu Runhong. 'We did not know each other, but when someone was in trouble, everyone lent their hands. It is great,' said a resident. An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards to take her to hospital. Doctors who examined Ms. Huang said she suffered bone fractures in her left hand and deep cuts in the head. Footage from May 19 shows the crowd in south China's Guangzhou province pushing the vehicle to one side to release the badly injured Ms. Huang who is in her 80s, within minutes Doctors who examined Ms. Huang said she suffered bone fractures in her left hand and deep cuts in the head They reported that she was conscious, but was not able to open her eyes due to bruises and blood clots. 'When I was crossing the road, there were no cars. That van was driving too fast,' said the injured woman from her hospital bed. Police are now investigating the incident but said it would take about 30 days to determine who was responsible for the crash. Police are now investigating the incident but said it would take about 30 days to determine who was responsible for the crash A boy and a girl aged 12 were two of the youngest victims of revenge pornography (stock image) A boy and a girl aged 12 are two of the youngest victims of revenge pornography, police have revealed. Leicestershire Police has investigated 30 cases since a new law was introduced to outlaw sharing of people's intimate pictures on social media sites without the victims' consent. The force have revealed the youngest victims were a boy and a girl aged 12. Women were the victims in 23 of the cases brought to the police's attention in the past 12 months. Two of the 30 cases resulted in the offender being cautioned. Some remain under investigation, while others have been shelved because the victim did not want police to take any action, or because officers were unable to secure sufficient evidence. The majority of perpetrators were former partners of the victims. However, in two cases their relationship to the victims are described as a care worker, while another offence was committed by a member of the victim's family. Police warned people not to share indecent images of themselves with anyone else, even if they believe they can trust them. Detective Inspector Matt Ditcher said: 'People need to know if they choose to share images, particularly indecent ones, with anyone else, they no longer have any control over them. 'If the images are placed on the internet, they are there and they do not have a shelf life. 'However, it is an offence to disclose a private sexual image if the discourse is without the consent of those in the image and done with intent of causing that person distress.' Children's charity NSPCC expressed 'shock' at the revelation that some victims were as young as 12. A spokesman said: 'It is shocking children as young as 12 are becoming victims of revenge porn. 'The fact more than half of victims in Leicestershire were under 18 - and the majority of offences involved mainstream social media - high-lights the urgent need for action by these sites to improve safety. 'Young people also need to be aware of the serious risks of sending explicit material or photos of themselves. 'Once an image is sent there is no control over where it will end up.' The new criminal offence of revenge porn came into force a year ago. It means those who share private, sexual images of someone without consent and with the intent to cause distress will now face up to two years in prison. The body of Australian climber Maria Strydom is likely to remain on Mount Everest indefinitely as her family desperately try to recover the 34-year-old from the 8,000-metre mark. The Monash University finance lecturer died from altitude sickness when she was descending the world's highest mountain over the weekend while her husband, Robert Gropel, suffered high altitude pulmonary oedema. He was airlifted to hospital in Kathmandu on Monday to receive treatment for altitude sickness but has since been discharged. The body of Australian university lecturer Maria Strydom remains on Mount Everest at the 8,000-metre mark after she died from altitude sickness when she was descending with her husband Robert Gropel Dr Gropel, a Melbourne vet, is understood to be distraught and does not want to leave Nepal without his wife's body. Given her body is located within the 'death zone' on Mount Everest, it will be incredibly difficult to retrieve her. Dr Strydom's sister Aletta Newman, who is in Brisbane, said getting her body down from the 8,000-metre mark was a priority for the family. 'We are really so glad that it seems that he'll make it,' Ms Newman said. 'He's probably the person who can give us the most answers in terms of what really happened because he was there.' 'He is able to speak but obviously he's absolutely distraught - he's absolutely broken,' Ms Newman said. 'He's very determined not to leave Nepal without his wife.' The Monash University finance lecturer (left) died from altitude sickness when she was descending the world's highest mountain over the weekend with her husband Robert Gropel (right) Melbourne vet Robert Gropel is understood to be distraught and does not want to leave Nepal without his wife's body. Maria Strydom's body remains on Mount Everest at the 8,000-metre mark The family of Dr Strydom (pictured), a Monash University lecturer, have since hit out at the expedition company after they had to learn of her death online instead of direct from Arnold Coster Expeditions Dr Gropel's parents, Heinz and Patricia, flew out of Australia around midnight to reach Nepal where they hope to help their son retrieve his wife's body. Dutch climber Eric Arnold died on the same expedition. Dr Strydom's family have since hit out at the expedition company after they had to learn of her death online instead of direct from Arnold Coster Expeditions. Expedition leader Arnold Coster broke his silence with a report detailing what happened to the climbers in a Facebook post. In the statement, Mr Coster and his company said other people posted news about Dr Strydom's death before they had a chance to contact the family, while the team had been busy helping Dr Gropel. Dr Gropel was airlifted to hospital in Kathmandu on Monday to receive treatment for altitude sickness but was discharged (pictured) on Monday after his parents Heinz and Patricia arrived Given Dr Strydom's body is located within the 'death zone' on Mount Everest, it will be incredibly difficult for her family to retrieve her Dr Strydom (pictured) and Dr Gropel, both experienced climbers, were vegans determined to conquer the highest mountains on each continent However, on Monday evening - after the statement was released - Dr Strydom's family said they still had not heard from either Arnold Coster Expeditions or the other company involved, Seven Summit Treks. Dr Strydom's mother Maritha commented on the Facebook statement with: 'We never had ... any contact from anyone from your company, now, almost 48 hours after my daughter's death. I want her body back.' Dr Strydom and Dr Gropel, both experienced climbers, were vegans determined to conquer the highest mountains on each continent. Aspokesman for the trekking company pointed out where Dr Strydom died on Sunday. She died alongside fellow climber, Dutch man Eric Arnold Britons have been warned to brace for a week of wet and windy weather as half-term travel plans were left in tatters after almost a month's worth of rain descended on parts of southern England yesterday. Powerful gusts of wind ripped down trees and foliage in north London (right), while videos shared across social media saw flash flooding completely submerge pavements and some roads in Peckham (left). Elsewhere, in the New Forest, there was reported damage after one resident captured the moment a 'mini-tornado' tore through their town - causing trees and unsecured structures to shake violently in the wind. Hundreds of homes across parts of the south east were also hit by power cuts on Monday morning, with dozens of outages reported by UK Power Networks. Fire on the Water, a popular arts festival in Great Yarmouth, was evacuated after one of the marquee tents collapsed following strong gusts and thundery conditions that lashed much of Britain's coast. The Met Office today warned that the blustery conditions are likely to continue throughout the week for parts of the country, with heavy showers expected in the south and southwest of the UK. Meteorologists have also warned of powerful gales striking the west by Friday. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, is under investigation by the FBI, CNN reported Monday, citing officials briefed on the investigation. Investigators are looking at McAuliffe's campaign financing, including a $120,000 contribution from companies affiliated with Chinese businessman Wang Wenliang, according to the bombshell report. Wang Wenliang previously gained notice for a $2 million contribution to the endowment of the Clinton Foundation in 2013 by the firm he runs, Rilin Enterprises, to aid the foundation's charity efforts. The firm has spent heavily on lobbying, and was one of the contractors constructing renovating the massive Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. It also owns a strategic port along the border with North Korea, in addition to constructing embassies around the world, CBS reported. McAuliffe and the Clintons have close ties going back years The former Democratic National Committee chair appeared on NBC's 'Meet the Press' last April McAuliffe helped the Clinton's get a mortgage to buy their home in Chappaqua, New York China expert Jim Mann told the network in 2013 that the embassy self-evidently pointed to close government ties, since a top priority in embassy work is attention to national security. In 'embassy construction, one of the most important tasks is making sure that there are no bugs there,' he said at the time. 'So you want to have the closest security and intelligence connections with and approval of the person or company that's going to build your embassy.' 'Neither the Governor nor his former campaign has knowledge of this matter, but as reported, contributions to the campaign from Mr. Wang were completely lawful,' McAuliffe attorney Marc Elias said. 'The Governor will certainly cooperate with the government if he is contacted about it,' he added. McAuliffe and Bill Clinton team up at a campaign event in Virginia in 2009 before McAuliffe sought office Elias is a partner at the Perkins-Coie law firm. He also serves as general counsel to Hillary for America, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in just one of the many demonstrations of overlap between the McAuliffe and Clinton camps. He didn't immediately return a call from MailOnline seeking additional comment. Wang joined the National People's Congress, the parliament of the communist government, as a delegate, and served as a municipal official in Dandong province in China. The New York Times reported in a 2015 story about luxury apartments that Wang is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He also serves on the board of New York University, and donated $25 million to the school. McAuliffe raised campaign cash for Hillary as recently as yesterday According to a 2015 Washington Post report, West Legend Co., a New Jersey affiliate of Rilin Enterprises, gave contributions to McAuliffe's election campaign and inauguration totaling $120,000. McAuliffe held a fundraiser for Clinton Sunday in Virginia. It was billed as an 'Afternoon with Terry McAuliffe,' and donors paid as much as $5,000 to serve as hosts. The U.S. Justice Department declined comment. 'As a matter of policy, the department generally neither confirms nor denies whether a matter is under investigation,' according to the department. McAuliffe's spokesman told WTVR that Wang holds a green card and as such is eligible to make campaign contributions. Campaign laws disallow contributions by citizens of foreign countries but there are exceptions for legal residents. CNN cited a spokesman who said neither Wang nor his companies had been contacted by investigators. The Republican National Committee immediately jumped on the report. Hillary Clintons campaign was already tainted by her own FBI investigation, so the revelation that her top political ally Terry McAuliffe is also facing a criminal probe is especially damaging,' said RNC spokesman Michael Short. 'Not only is this FBI investigation another reminder of the kind of corruption and sleaze the Clintons and their friends traffic in, it raises additional questions about the legitimacy of the Clintons charitable enterprises,' he added. The Clinton campaign didn't respond to a request for comment. A 13-year-old girl has died during a tug-of-war at her school's field day. Maddison Wentworth suddenly collapsed in 80F heat at lunchtime on Thursday while she was taking part in the competition at Williams Intermediate School in Pell City, Alabama. School nurses gave the girl CPR until paramedics arrived, but she could not be saved and later died in hospital. Maddison had no known health issues and a parent has claimed there was not enough water available for children, which the school board has firmly denied. Scroll down for video Tragedy: Maddison Wentworth, 13, collapsed and died during a tug-of-war at her middle school's field day Amanda Garrett's daughter was on the opposite team to Maddison and heard the girl complain that she had a headache and was dizzy moments before she collapsed, WIAT reported. Ms Garrett said the school were charging between $1 and $1.50 for bottles of water, but officials insisted children were given water for free on the field. Martha Mitcham, from Pell City Schools, told Daily Mail Online that the girl's teacher had a cooler of water and cups with her on the field, which was free for children to use. An autopsy will take place in the coming days. Maddison's heartbroken mother, Leslie Wentworth, paid tribute to her 'beautiful' daughter. 'She loved everybody. She loved animals. She loved holding babies and taking care of them. She loved singing. She could sing. Drive you crazy singing', Ms Wentworth told WVTM 13. Maddison suddenly collapsed in 80F heat at lunchtime on Thursday while she was taking part in the competition at Williams Intermediate School (pictured) in Pell City, Alabama 'She was a beautiful kid. She was a bright star. She was going to go places. 'She was excited about field day. She had $10 that burned a hole in her pocket to spend.' Classmates are leaving notes in Maddison's locker, which will be passed on to her parents in the coming weeks. School Superintendent Michael Barber said: 'We have suffered a great loss at Williams Intermediate School. Field day is supposed to be one of the best days of the year. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, and with the faculty and students who knew her and loved her every day. And I would ask everyone to keep this family and the system in their prayers as well.' Playing dead with her children on the floor of a fast-food restaurant, this is the MP facing expulsion from the Labour Party for posting anti-semitic comments. Naz Shah attended the protest against Israel at a McDonald's hours before suggesting a 'solution' to the Middle East conflict on Facebook. Miss Shah said the posts on August 5, 2014 did not reflect her views and were made when 'emotions were running high around the Middle East conflict'. But it can be revealed that during the same period, mother-of-three Miss Shah was part of a group that mounted a string of protests against Israel. MP for Bradford West, Naz Shah, (second left) at a pro Palestinian protest held in August 2014 Naz Shah (top left in black dress and shoes) with her children during a protest against McDonald's in 2014 Naz Shah (far left) attended the protest against Israel at a McDonald's hours before suggesting a 'solution' to the Middle East conflict on Facebook The 42-year-old was an active member of the Bradford Boycott group that called for action against organisations and businesses that 'support apartheid Israel'. On August 7, 2014, the group shared an image from a shop in Kashmir with the sign: 'I don't sell or welcome any Israeli in my shop.' Miss Shah also co-ordinated protests at Sainsbury's and Tesco, and carried a coffin at a pro-Palestine rally where she was filmed chanting: 'Shame on you.' The revelations come as the Bradford West MP faces a disciplinary investigation for anti-semitic Facebook posts. She called for the mass transportation of Jews to the US and likened Israel's policies with those of Nazi Germany. And in a third message, Miss Shah called on her friends to back a poll criticising Israel, saying: 'The Jews are rallying.' Miss Shah last month resigned as an aide to Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. In a statement to the Commons, she said: '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.' Jeremy Corbyn initially said she did not hold those views, but the Labour leader later bowed to pressure and suspended her. Today the Mail can reveal Miss Shah had told family and friends to boycott brands including Coca-Cola and produce such as Israeli dates. The day before Miss Shah posted about a 'solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict' on Facebook, she spent the evening 'playing dead' in McDonald's with two of her children, aged seven and ten at the time. Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West, carrying a coffin at a pro Palestine rally in London in 2014 Naz Shah (right) at a pro Palestine rally, one of several similar protests she has made against Israel The group stormed the Bradford restaurant, chanting: 'Allahu Akbar.' They staged a number of protests at the branch and smeared ketchup across the premises, according to activists. Footage shows activists chanting: 'Free, free Palestine.' It is not known whether Miss Shah joined in the chanting or smeared ketchup. The previous day August 3 the group had staged a protest at a Tesco store over its stocking of Israeli produce. Labour MP Naz Shah had said she 'wholeheartedly apologises' for words she used in a Facebook post about Israel in April And on August 2, Miss Shah was pictured at a protest outside a Sainsbury's branch where she was carrying a banner attacking support for Israel. The firms were singled out by Bradford Boycott as being in support of Israel. Miss Shah expressed delight when the group gained followers on Facebook. Although no longer a member, she was active at a time when it shared offensive posts and described itself as 'against Zionism'. She was also pictured at a Bradford demonstration for Palestine on July 13, and was part of Drive For Justice, a group that protested alleged BBC bias over coverage of the Middle East conflict. She led a convoy from Bradford to the BBC headquarters in Manchester in July 2014. She also took part in a pro-Palestine rally in London a week later and was pictured carrying a coffin and chanting: 'Shame on you.' A Board of Deputies of British Jews spokesman said that Miss Shah was 'clearly involved in a lot of unacceptable activities' but had shown 'a significant amount of remorse, which, if proven to be genuine, must count in her favour'. Dozens of Tory MPs are threatening to topple David Cameron over his handling of the EU referendum. In the wake of the latest Brexit dodgy dossier row, senior party figures said he would have to name a date for his departure if he wanted to avoid a massive bloodletting. They said even this might not prevent a formal vote of no-confidence after June 23, whatever the poll result. The plotting followed another day of extraordinary clashes between senior Tory party figures over No 10s Project Fear strategy. Boris Johnson claimed a Treasury dossier was a hoax. The knives are out: Dozens of Tory MPs are threatening to topple Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured yesterday with Chancellor George Osborne at an In campaign event in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire) over his handling of the EU referendum Other Leave campaigners said the report was disreputable, shabby and misleading. The dossier claimed that up to 820,000 jobs would be lost, house prices would plunge and the country would dive into recession. Some backbenchers were so enraged with Downing Street that they said a vote to try to get rid of the PM was now inevitable. They pointed out that only six months had passed since Mr Cameron had declared there was no question that Britain could survive and do well outside the EU. Under Conservative Party rules, 50 MPs have to write to Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to trigger a formal no-confidence vote. MPs say some letters have already been written and dated June 24. One senior backbencher said: If there is a narrow win for Remain, and he is still in office after June 23, the only way he is going to avoid a vote of no-confidence is to name the date when he is going to go. If he says that, while he still has much work that he wants to do, he will be gone by the end of 2018 then that might head off some of the opposition. Former London Mayor Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday at a Vote Leave campaign event) claimed a Treasury dossier warning of 820,000 job losses in the event of Brexit was 'a hoax' Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox called the Treasury dossier 'shabby and misleading' 'People want a date when they know that he will be gone. There is real anger. In a joint press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister and Mr Osborne claimed Britons would be voting to self-destruct by backing Brexit on June 23. Mr Cameron warned of a DIY recession one that the country would have brought upon itself. But the Treasury dossier, which failed to consider any of the downsides of staying in the EU, was savaged by former Tory chancellors, serving ministers and MPs. Mr Johnson said: I see no evidence whatever there will be a recession, I really dont. Its totally made up and I think its started to be excessively negative and I think they are in danger of talking this country down. The dossier said in a worst-case, severe shock scenario exit could result in 6 per cent lower GDP over two years, 820,000 lost jobs, a four per cent fall in average incomes, a 15 per cent collapse in the pounds value and 39billion added to government borrowing. In the lesser shock scenario, based on assumptions of a bilateral trade deal with the EU, it predicts growth would be 3.6 per cent less than currently predicted in the two years after a British exit. Sterling would drop 12 per cent, unemployment would rise by 520,000, wages would be hit by 2.8 per cent and house price growth would take a 10 per cent hit. Former defence secretary Liam Fox said the analysis was disreputable, shabby and misleading propaganda. Marcus Fysh, the Tory MP for Yeovil, tweeted that the Treasury analysis was specious b******s. MEETING GEORGE PERSUADED ME...TO VOTE FOR BREXIT A B&Q worker said that meeting George Osborne yesterday had persuaded her to vote in the EU referendum but for Brexit. The woman said she told the Chancellor he was not living in the real world after listening to his speech warning that leaving the European Union would lead to a DIY recession. The employee, named only as Maryann, took a selfie with Mr Osborne before saying she would now vote to leave. Her comments came after B&Q workers were banned from talking to journalists at the event, sparking comparisons with a totalitarian state. B&Q worker Maryann, pictured with George Osborne, said meeting the Chancellor persuaded her to vote for Brexit over his 'stage managed' speeches Maryann, who described herself as an immigrant living in Leatherhead, Surrey, told LBC the speeches were stage-managed and claimed she had been unable to ask the Prime Minister and Chancellor a question because they had their backs to her. She even claimed they should not have bothered visiting the firms offices, where she said a majority back Brexit. She said Mr Osborne said she shouldnt believe anything the Leave campaign says. But Maryann added: What they have done is tip me over to the Leave side. Last night B&Q said Maryann had spoken out in a personal capacity, not as an employee. COMMENT: THIS WAS PROJECT FEAR'S LAST BIG CHANCE By James Slack, Political Editor The Treasurys doom-laden document landed only four days before purdah formally begins on Friday. During the purdah period, the Prime Minister and other pro-Brexit campaigners will be banned from using the civil service machine to make their case. Until now, they have been free to use Government resources to bombard the public with pro-EU messages. Notoriously, No10 spent 9.3million of taxpayers money sending a leaflet to every UK household, insisting Britain would be better off staying in. This has handed the Remain campaign a huge financial advantage and led to anger among Conservative backbenchers. The start of purdah is also controversially close to postal votes being sent out. They will start being distributed on Friday. Following the publication of the Treasurys first dossier on Brexit which claimed every household would be 4,300 worse off the Remain camp enjoyed a week-long spike in the polls. The Government will be hoping people fill out postal votes while warnings of job losses, falls in house prices and a rising cost of living are still fresh in their minds. When it was introduced, the EU Referendum Bill said purdah rules should not apply to the referendum, triggering a Tory backbench revolt and forcing No10 to back down. MPs have vowed to watch like hawks to ensure the rules are adhered to. Leave campaigners are concerned Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood dubbed Sir Cover-Up will be the referee in any disputes. MPs are unhappy he has not stepped in to stop civil servants producing the likes of George Osbornes two dodgy dossiers. Normally, purdah from the Persian for veil applies in local and general elections. In this case it does not mean politicians will stop campaigning. It simply means civil servants and the Government machine will not be able to help them make their case. The smallprint of the dossier revealed that rather than collapsing, house prices and wages would roughly flatline. The claim that Britain would spend a year in recession was based on four quarters of negative growth of just 0.1 per cent, which would be one of the shallowest downturns in history. Even SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who is on the same side of the debate as Mr Cameron, said the warnings were overblown. The Chancellor struck an unrelentingly gloomy tone, saying jobs would be lost in every region, with the message Vote Leave, get recession. He also appeared to take a swipe at Michael Gove and Mr Johnson accusing them of being prepared to sacrifice British jobs. He said: To those fellow politicians who say we should vote to leave Id say this: you might think the economic shock is a price worth paying. But its not your wages that will be hit, its not your livelihoods that will go, its not you wholl struggle to pay the bills. Mr Cameron even suggested that voting for Brexit was immoral. The Prime Minister said: The economic case is the moral case. The moral case for keeping parents in work, firms in business, the pound in health, Britain in credit, the moral case for providing economic opportunity rather than unemployment for the next generation. Where is the morality in putting any of that at risk for some unknown end? Tory MPs were so angry that a Treasury minister was hauled to the Commons to answer an urgent question on the dossier. Senior backbencher Bernard Jenkin said: We all know these forecasts are just rubbish. Cabinet minister Chris Grayling said that it was nonsense to claim Britain would be unable to strike trade deals outside the EU. Nigel Lawson said: The Treasury has enough trouble with forecasts even when they are trying to get them right. This time they have simply assumed a disaster in order to scare the pants off the British people. His fellow former Tory chancellor, Norman Lamont, said: The Chancellor claims house prices will fall by 10 per cent by 2018 if the UK votes to leave, but the independent OBR forecasts that by 2018 house prices will be 10 per cent higher than now so the Chancellor is claiming a vote to leave would mean stable house prices. Brexit-supporting economist Patrick Minford said the assessment ignored all the upsides from leaving, including the money saved from not having to abide by EU rules and regulations. Millions of families can look forward to cheaper holidays after Ryanair challenged other airlines to a price war. Michael OLeary, the boss of the budget carrier, yesterday pledged to make the biggest cuts to air fares in the firms 30-year history. He said ticket prices would be cut by an average of 7 per cent, with those travelling this winter in line for savings of up to 12 per cent. Ryanair has pledged to make the biggest cuts to the airline's fares in the company's 30-year history It follows a recent promise by easyJet to offer its customers even better value fares this summer, cutting prices by 7 per cent. And Norwegian Air has put 50,000 seats on sale for under 29.99, including flights from London to Crete, Croatia and Rome. Terror attacks in Paris, Brussels and Tunisia have weakened demand for air travel and prompted airlines to battle it out to attract new customers. But Mr OLeary said his airline would keep on undercutting rivals. Announcing a record annual profit of 959million in the year to the end of March, the Irishman said: If other airlines want to compete with us on price, then we will lower our prices again. It comes despite a warning from pro-Brussels airlines led by easyJet boss Carolyn McCall that air fares will soar if the UK quits the EU. The prediction, however, was rubbished by Mr OLeary, despite him being a high profile member of the Remain campaign. Although airlines have cut fares over the last year they have been criticised for not passing on the benefits of the dramatic fall in oil prices to customers. CEO Michael OLeary said his airline would keep on undercutting rivals in a time where demand for air travel has fallen due to terror attacks Ryanair admitted it cut its average fares by just 1 per cent to 36.11 over the past 12 months. Oil prices have fallen by around 70 per cent since the summer of 2014 to around 33 a barrel. Robin Byde, a transport analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, said: Ryanair is a major player If it cuts prices, other airlines will have to respond to that. Ryanair has been trying to improve its image after becoming synonymous with sneaky charges. Yesterday it revealed it is still as crafty as ever. It boasted increased legroom on flights had proved popular with customers and helped boost its profits. But this has only been enabled by introducing more slimline seats which it said have been reduced from 10in deep to 6-8 inches deep. for ten months due to complications with infections, connected to his injury A terminally ill veteran had a special request as he lay in his hospital bed Saturday. Roberto Gonzalez told his family there were two friends in particular that he longed to see one last time - his beloved horses. Gonzalez was paralyzed after he was shot two months into serving in Vietnam, on May 21 1970 and later worked as a horse trainer. Scroll down for video Touching: Roberto Gonzalez (pictured center) told his family there were two friends in particular that he longed to see - his horses A spinal injury patient, Gonzalez has been hospitalized over the last ten months battling a series of infections, but this touching moment was one that lifted his spirits, as well as family's The Texas resident was one of San Antonio VA Hospital's first patients when it opened in 1974, according to a Facebook post by South Texas Veterans Health Care System. Despite his life-changing injury, Gonzalez worked for most of his life as a horse trainer in his hometown of Premont, Texas, and dearly loved the animals he spent time with. His family were happy to oblige and brought the animals 150 miles to be by his bedside. Heartbreaking photos show Gonzalez, who is bedridden, wheeled outside to greet the pair of horses named Ringo and Sugar, Saturday. The horses immediately recognized him and are seen nuzzling him gently, as he reached out to stroke them. A spinal injury patient, Gonzalez has been hospitalized over the last ten months battling a series of infections, but this touching moment was one that lifted his spirits, as well as family's. His wife Rosario told KPNX: 'Horses are his life. We've been training and raising horses for over 30, 40 years.' Gonzalez was paralyzed after he was shot two months into serving in Vietnam, on May 21 1970 and later worked as a horse trainer His wife said that even though he is unable to speak she could see the emotion on her husband's face when he saw the horses Wife Rosario Gonzalez (second from left) said that while the stay has been hard on him and the family, Saturday's visit is one that she'll never forget She added that her husband was one of the only handicapped or paralyzed licensed horse trainers in Texas. But, she said, Gonzalez never let his injuries slow him down. She told KSAT: 'He loved horses, he loved cattle, he loved ranching and farming. He was proud to serve his country.' The devoted wife said that even though he is unable to speak she could see the emotion on her husband's face when he saw the horses. The moment the horses came up to him, he opened his eyes, she said, and were 'kissing him' on the face. She added that while the stay has been hard on him and the family, Saturday's visit is one that she'll never forget. Five people died after a sky-diving airplane crashed moments after take-off from a Hawaii airport. Two tandem jumpers, two skydive instructors and a pilot had all been on board when the small plane plummeted to the ground moments after taking off from the Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe at about 9.30am on Monday. The single-engine Cessna 182H, owned by Skydive Kaua'i, went up in flames after crashing, officials report. A Skydive Kauai plane crashed shortly after takeoff at Port Allen airport on Monday morning, killing all five people on board. The wreckage is pictured above The single-engine Cessna 182H, owned by Skydive Kaua'i, went up in flames after crashing Five people died after a sky-diving airplane crashed; smoke can be seen billowing from the crash scene Witnesses describe seeing what they initially thought was a brush fire after spotting the heavy smoke emitting from the crash site, Hawaii News Now reports. Officials reported that a 'fiery plane crash' occurred - instantly killing four of the five on board. The fifth victim was rushed to the nearby Wilcox Memorial Hospital where he later died, officials confirmed. Officials have not yet released the names of those on board. The plane crashed moments after take-off from Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe, Hawaii; Pictured: an ambulance at the scene of the tragedy Two tandem jumpers, two skydive instructors and a pilot had all been on board the plane for a skydiving trip Port Allen Airport is restricted to small aircraft and helicopters, and is used primarily for helicopter tours, ultralight aircraft traffic and skydiving The National Transportation Safety Board have announced they will be launching an investigation into the cause of the crash The National Transportation Safety Board have announced they will be launching an investigation into the cause of the crash. Port Allen Airport is restricted to small aircraft and helicopters, and is used primarily for helicopter tours, ultralight aircraft traffic and skydiving. Kauai Fire Department officials said that the plane had been embarking on a tandem skydive run when it crashed this morning. The public was warned to avoid the area as emergency crews responded to the crash and resulting fire. Two tandem jumpers, two skydive instructors and a pilot had all been on board when the small plane plummeted to the ground moments after taking off from the Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe at about 9.30am on Monday Five people died after a sky-diving airplane crashed moments after take-off from a Hawaii airport (pictured is a file photo of a single-engine Cessna 182H) There was another plane crash in Hawaii on the same day where an aircraft dived into the water close to shore off west Oahu's Makaha beach. No-one was killed in this crash and the two people on board only suffered minor injuries. Pictures of the scene show part of the small plane sticking out of the water. There was another plane crash in Hawaii on the same day where an aircraft dived into the water close to shore off west Oahu's Makaha beach. Pictured: the plane sticking out of the water Does Sajid Javid believe in anything at all? It is looking doubtful. Within five years of entering Parliament he was promoted to Business Secretary. Yet the essential ingredient for any business is surely the ability to be purposeful, and maintain a sense of direction. The more we see of Mr Javid, the more we gain the impression that he is incapable of adopting a principle without abandoning it. Yesterday mornings revelation from Iain Duncan Smith (a man of deep honour, who resigned from the Cabinet on principle in order to fight the referendum campaign) that Mr Javid used until very recently to express private opposition to the EU comes as no surprise to political observers. The bitter civil war engulfing the Conservative party deepened further this morning after Iain Duncan Smith (left) accused Business Secretary Sajid Javid (right) of being two-faced over the EU Friends of Mr Duncan Smith last night told me that the former Welfare Secretary could not believe his ears as he heard Sajid Javid praise the latest Treasury report warning that the economy would collapse into recession in the event of Britain leaving the European Union. One ally said that Mr Duncan Smiths jaw dropped to hear such a bare-faced lie. Remember that only six months ago, the Business Secretary asserted publicly that currently, costs outweigh benefits when it comes to the European Union. Now, he seems to have abandoned his principles with the same speed as a bankrupt abandoning his creditors. The truth is that nothing and certainly not David Camerons meaningless renegotiation has changed since Javid made his remarks last year. It is obvious that the Business Secretarys change of mind must have come about for career reasons. He has calculated that he must do nothing to offend his political patron, Chancellor George Osborne. Osborne gave Sajid Javid his early steps up the ladder, first as his parliamentary secretary, and later as financial secretary. Mr Osborne commands vast stocks of political patronage, so in the short term Mr Javid might well do himself some good. He has put himself in line for promotion in the event that Britain votes to stay in the European Union. Iain Duncan Smith (pictured on Sky News yesterday morning) claimed Sajid Javid had admitted in private that he was backing Brexit, suggesting he is only supporting Britain staying in the EU to further his career Yet in the long run, he has done himself enormous damage. There are many people some of them his friends who will never trust him again. As a young student politician at Exeter University, Javid made his reputation fighting against the European Union. He presciently warned against British entry to the Exchange Rate Mechanism. He has spoken of his pride at meeting Mrs Thatcher, and is clearly a man of some talent. Yet his recent actions have cost him the goodwill of many in his party. And it is especially sad that Javids betrayal has come about over what is indisputably the most important political issue of our time. The European Referendum is far more important than any mere general election. It will determine how Britain is governed for the foreseeable future, and not just the next five years. It therefore commits this country far more irrevocably than a mere general election would. In such grave circumstances all politicians owe it to the country to act on their most deeply held beliefs, and to set aside short-term advantage and even loyalty to close friends. That is why Michael Gove, Iain Duncan Smith and Boris Johnson all command genuinely high respect in the Leave Camp. Men of principle, they have shown that they are ready to sacrifice their careers for the sake of their beliefs. In the Remain camp, Kenneth Clarke and Michael Heseltine both command admiration, and for the same reason. I believe that Sajid Javids betrayal will ultimately prove to be futile. If Britain votes to support Leave, he will be an early departure from the post-referendum Cabinet. But even if Britain votes for Remain, his ministerial life will be miserable. He will only hold office on sufferance. He will have no power base of his own. This is a great pity. Sajid Javid brought a great deal to British politics as the son of an Asian bus driver, a man who had made his own way in life and forged a successful career in the City. Mr Javid, unlike so many modern politicians, brought genuine experience of the outside world into Westminster. It was meant to be the proposals to end all proposals. But for this man in Yichang City, China, his elaborate parachuting expression of love went wrong after he became entangled in a tree on May 21, reports the People's Daily Online. And to make it even worse, when he was finally free, his girlfriend rejected his marriage proposal. It started well! The man decided to use a parachute with the words 'Gou Hongyun, marry me!' to propose This wasn't meant to happen! However he was caught by a gust of wind and ended up entangled in a tree Safer option: Once back on the ground, he tried again using a simple bunch of flowers and some balloons The woman walked away after rejecting the man's long winded attempts at proposing The lovesick man hired a parachute with the words 'Gou Hongyun, marry me!' on one side to propose to his girlfriend. It was going well until a gust of wind caught him and blew him into a tree. The man became caught in the branches of the tree spending almost an hour suspended in the air. Firefighters eventually arrived on the scene with a crane to help bring him down. He wasn't injured in the incident and so continued his proposal once he was back on the ground. The man handed his girlfriend a bouquet of flowers and got down on one knee but his girlfriend refused to answer his question and instead turned her back and walked away. People have been discussing the story online. On ifeng.com, many users have said the man's proposal was too over the top. One user wrote: 'You should be rejected! You should have a sincere proposal with an emotional foundation. Rather than high profile attention.' While another said: 'If she does not like you then why use a parachute?' And another commented: 'Not surprising! That girl is right.' Ooops! The man was entangled in the tree's branches for around an hour until firemen came to the rescue Not the best idea! Firefighters had to bring in a crane to rescue the lovesick man from the tree Horrific images have emerged of an injured child who fell thorough a gap in an escalator at a department store in Beijing. The accident occurred at around 10am on May 21 at the busy Parkson shopping centre in the Fuxingmen area of the capital, the People's Daily Online reports. Maintenance staff had allegedly been working on the escalator and had taken out a panel but had forgotten to install safety signs or warning barriers. Horrifying injuries: The girl sustained a 10 inch cut to her thigh which doctors say almost hit the bone Due to the lack of signage, the girl went up the escalator and fell through the hole, injuring her leg, according to the report. The shopping centre claims that the escalator was off at the time and so the contract workers presumed that people would not use the stairs. They also claimed that the girl ran right up the escalator as soon as the shopping mall's doors opened. An official told reporters: 'Fixing the escalators needs to be reported to the mall and needs to be done outside of working hours. 'The maintenance worker did not set up a fence before going into the escalator to check it. When the girl fell, the worker was inside.' Doctor Cao, from the Beijing Children's Hospital told reporters that the girl suffered a 10-inch-long cut almost to the bone. The girl underwent a two hour surgical procedure and is still in hospital under observation due to fears of infection. The shopping mall has since apologised for the accident and has vowed to tighten up its safety regulations. According to reporters, after the incident occurred, staff at the shopping mall installed safety warnings. Safety: After the incident the shopping mall installed barriers and warning signs China has had a spate of accidents involving escalators in recent years. The most high profile of that was the case in July 2015 where a woman was killed after maintenance workers failed to fix a problem with a floor plate. Xiang Liujuan, 30, was killed when the footplate at the top of the escalator collapsed beneath her, as she shopped with her two-year-old son in Hubei province. Before being dragged into the machinery, however, the heroic mother was able to throw her toddler to safety. A veterinary doctor and director of an animal shelter in Taiwan has reportedly committed suicide after she became distraught with the number of dogs she was having to euthanise. Jian Zhicheng was the director of the Xinwu Animal Protection and Education Centre looking after animals at the shelter, the People's Daily Online reports. She had allegedly become upset after animal rights activists had sent her threatening messages and even calling her a 'butcher with beauty' when it was revealed on a television programme the number of animals she had been forced to put to sleep. Animal lover: Jian had worked at the centre for some years and was described as kind and caring A caring and kind woman: She died in hospital on May 12 after being found unconscious at the centre Hard working: She had been trying to get people to choose animal adoption instead of purchasing According to Chinese media, she left a note, explaining how she had become too distressed with the fact that she had to put too many dogs to death. However, Jian's last words have not been published in full. Jian, who is reported to be 31 years old, worked at the state-run shelter for some years and was described as a kind-hearted and dedicated person by her colleagues. She worked helping bring sick and stray animals back to health before helping find them a new home. According to reports, she strived to help re-home the dogs and also tried to promote adoption instead of purchasing however she later revealed that she had been forced to euthanise 700 dogs in just two years. She spoke of these figures during a news report in which animal rights activists called her a 'female butcher' in the comments section of the story. Chinese media has reported that she became upset with the name-calling as many people did not understand that the animal shelter capacity is limited and they were struggling with increasing numbers of animals being abandoned. She was put under pressure to provide a resolution. Jian was found by police and her husband after having injected herself with the euthanasia drugs. She died in hospital a week later on May 12. She appeared in a news broadcast where she revealed she had to put animals to sleep Sad story: According to reports, the woman was distraught by the amount of dogs she had to put to sleep Tragic story: She admitted that she had to euthanise 700 dogs in the space of two years A member of staff from the Office of Animal Care and Control in Taoyuan confirmed to MailOnline that Jian Zhicheng used to work as the director at the Xinwu Animal Protection and Education centre. They confirmed that Jian died on May 12 but couldn't confirm the cause of her death. The told MailOnline: 'Public animal shelters are allowed to carry out mercy killings when they are running out of space, according to Taiwanese law. 'Since this is an animal shelter, it cannot refuse to take in stray animals, when there are more coming in than leaving, and in order to maintain the standard of the living quality of animals here, this is allowed.' The Xinwu centre can hold 500 dogs and 100 cats at most. At the moment, it has 410 dogs and 94 cats. Elisa Allen, Associate Director of PETA told MailOnline: 'The reality is that there are simply not enough homes to go around for the millions of unwanted animals who are euthanised every year. 'It's left to shelter workers like Jian Zhicheng, who love animals so much, to do society's dirty work because so many people fail to do the one thing that could alleviate the animal overpopulation crisis: spraying and neutering animals. 'We offer our deepest condolences to Jian's family and urge all compassionate people to spay and neuter as well as always adopting companion animals from a shelter, rather than buying from a breeder.' Chinese social media users are going crazy over a gym-goer who has achieved an enviable curvy body after three years of intensive workout. The woman, who has been dubbed the 'Kim Kardashian of China' by media, regularly posts pictures and videos showing her ample assets and curvy bottom, according to Huanqiu.com, an affiliation to People's Daily. Each of her posts on Chinese social media platform, Weibo, has gathered hundreds even thousands of comments, with many people marveling at her hourglass figure. Popular on social media: The woman, known as Lin Shishi, has been dubbed the Kim Kardashian of China due to their similar figures Lookalike! Many Chinese media and internet users have compared her with the American celebrity Then and now: Three years ago she claimed she was undergoing a body transformation to change her figure. In a post in January, Lin compared her figure in 2013 and 2016 The woman calls herself Lin Shishi on her social media account, which has more than 113,000 followers. She also claims she is the executive director of a foreign trade company called Jing Feng. Judging from her self-description on the website, she lives in the city of Foshan in southern China's Guangdong Province. Lin started posting messages from 2012. But media reports this week have made her a trending topic on Chinese social media. Most of her earlier posts involved selfies of her travelling, driving, shopping and dining. Around two years ago, she began flaunting her figure. She claimed she was undergoing a body transformation challenge to improve her figure. Lin frequently shares selfies of her toned body and her cleavage in colourful workout clothes. Hourglass figure: Lin has been posting pictures of her workout on her social media pages She wrote that she had changed the 'outline of my buttocks from that of a frying pan to that of a frying wok' Apart from the countless selfies, Lin also posts about her cooking, ranging from spaghetti to steaks It seems that she takes particular pride in her backside as various pictures and videos have been uploaded by the fitness fanatic showing how she exercises her curvy buttocks. In one post Lin put up on January 14, she described her physical improvements in retrospect. The post read: 'In the past three years, I have managed to turn my H-shaped figure to an X-shaped figure, and the outline of my buttocks from that of a frying pan to that of a frying wok. 'My shoulder width grew from 15 inches to 20 inches.' She added: 'During the course, [I was] given cold shoulder and was sneered at for countless times. 'But now I can finally accept other people's slanders and praises calmly; I can finally accept my defective genes and imperfection. 'I have only just started, the training in the future will be even more challenging.' Apart from the countless selfies, Lin also posts about her cooking, ranging from spaghetti to steaks. In one post, Lin wrote: 'You must feel that this b**** is vulgar and intolerable. 'As a matter of fact, I am a super home-bound person, and as soon as I go home, I spend time in the kitchen. I really love cooking.' More to go! The woman claims that her workout has just started and the exercise regime will increase She claimed she was undergoing a body transformation challenge to improve her figure Many people on China's social media sites have praised the woman for her figure Most social media users have expressed their admiration for Lin. 'An jie de xiao wo' commented on her account: 'What beautiful curves! It's rare for a Chinese woman to have curves like these.' 'Roger-YU' said: 'A perfect body.' On the other hand, various Chinese media have compared Lin to the American reality television personality with an equally buxom frame. State-owned Huanqiu.com wrote a report titled 'incredible body of a gym goddess. The reporter wrote in the article: 'Gym goddess Lin Shishi has posted her workout pictures. A wedding party was detained in China after the bridegroom was seen being paraded through the streets of Chongqing wearing nothing but a pair of women's knickers. Police became involved on May 20 after they recieved a call from concerned onlookers who thought the man may have been kidnapped, reports the People's Daily Online. The party were taken to a police station for questioning but later released without charge. Now that's a sight! The man was paraded around the street wearing women's underwear The groom was spotted sporting pink underwear and shackles while being pulled along by a crowd of cheering people. The group were seen recording the whole ordeal on their mobile phones. At around 9.15pm, local police were called to the scene by onlookers who were concerned that the man might be kidnapped or that he was being paraded through the streets for not repaying a debt. One local named Mr Yan said he was riding on his motorbike at the time when he saw a man dressed in lingerie and stopped to take a look. He found the man smiling with the group around him constantly booing and shouting. When police arrived on the scene, they saw the scene for themselves. After further investigation, they were told by the man that he was celebrating his wedding. To further understand the situation and to help the flow of traffic, police detained the group and brought them back to the police station. Police warned the group that their behaviour was unacceptable. On a wedding night, pranks are often made on both the bride and groom. The aim is to embarrass the new couple. A sun-powered aircraft, Solar Impulse 2, has finished the latest leg in its record-breaking quest to circle the globe without consuming a drop of fuel. Swiss adventurer Andre Borschberg landed the aircraft in Dayton, Ohio, late on Saturday as he finished the twelfth leg of the round-the-world trip in the experimental solar-powered aircraft. The plane is expected to make at least one more stop in the US before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Europe or northern Africa. Solar Impulse 2 has finished the latest leg in its record-breaking quest to circle the globe without consuming a drop of fuel. Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard (left) and pilot Andre Borschberg landed in Dayton, Ohio, late on Saturday as he finished the twelfth leg of the round-the-world trip in the experimental solar-powered aircraft The twelfth leg lasted 16 hours 34 minutes, Mr Borschberg took off from Tulsa International Airport before 5am local time (6am ET/11am BST) on Saturday. HOW DOES SOLAR IMPULSE WORK? Solar Impulse 2 is powered by 17,000 solar cells and on-board rechargeable lithium batteries, allowing it to fly through the night. Its wingspan is longer than a jumbo jet but its light construction keeps its weight to about as much as a car. Solar Impulse 2 relies on getting enough solar power during the day to survive the night. It is also extremely light - about the weight of a car - and as wide as a passenger jet. Both of these combined means it is extremely susceptible to the weather. In high winds it can struggle to stay aloft at the altitudes necessary to gather sunlight. After taking off in the darkness, the aircraft soared to an altitude of 11,463 feet (3,500 metres) as the sun began to rise over the horizon. Mr Borschberg flew the aircraft 692 miles (1,113km), taking 20 minute catnaps before returning to the controls as he passed over Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, until finally arriving in Ohio. The city of Dayton is important to Mr Borschberg and his fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard because it was the home of the Wright Brothers, the first men to fly a power-driven aircraft heavier than air. 'People told the Wright Brothers and us what we wanted to achieve was impossible,' said Bertrand Piccard after landing. 'They were wrong!' The plane is expected to make at least one more stop in the United States, in New York, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Europe or northern Africa, but exactly when this will happen is uncertain. 'Our team at the Monaco Mission Control Center is trying to identify a weather window,' the company website said. Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, holding a historical model of a plane designed by the Wright brothers at Dayton International Airport, Ohio. 'People told the Wright Brothers and us what we wanted to achieve was impossible,' he said after landing. 'They were wrong!' Solar Impulse 2 is powered by 17,000 solar cells and on-board rechargeable lithium batteries, allowing it to fly through the night. It is also extremely light - about the weight of a car - and as wide as a passenger jet With a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 but an ultra-light carbon-fiber skin and overall weight of a car, the Solar Impulse cruises at speeds ranging from only 34 to 62 miles per hour (55 to 100 km/h). The four engines of the propeller-driven aircraft are powered exclusively by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. Excess energy is stored in four batteries during daylight hours to keep the plane flying after dark. THE JOURNEY The globe-circling voyage began in March 2015 from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China and Japan. Piccard and Andre Borschberg have been taking turns piloting the plane on each leg of the journey. Both have trained to stay alert for long stretches of time by practicing meditation and hypnosis. Borschberg set a new endurance record for the longest non-stop solo flight last July during a 118-hour trans-Pacific crossing, over five days and five nights, from Japan to Hawaii. A world map shows the path of the solar powered-plane so far, as it continues to cross the United States. Today's stage will take Solar Impulse across the mid US, heading towards New York for its next major challenge - crossing the Atlantic Ocean Picture taken by Swiss adventurer Andre Borschberg onboard Solar Impulse 2 during the flight from Tusla to Dayton shows the Mississippi river at sunset Solar Impulse 2 in preparation for the take off from Tulsa International Airport early on Saturday morning. The four engines of the propeller-driven aircraft are powered exclusively by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings The globe-circling voyage began in March 2015 from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China and Japan. The plane can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 meters), but generally flies at lower altitudes at night to conserve energy. Mr Piccard and Mr Borschberg have been taking turns piloting the plane on each leg of the journey. Both have trained to stay alert for long stretches of time by practicing meditation and hypnosis. The inflatable hangar installed on the tarmac in Dayton, Ohio. The city of Dayton is important to Mr Piccard and Mr Borschberg because it was the home of the Wright Brothers, the first men to fly a power-driven aircraft heavier than air Solar Impulse 2 in preparation for the take off from Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma, before starting the latest leg of its round-the-world trip, landing 17 hours later in Dayton, Ohio. After taking off in the darkness, the aircraft soared to an altitude of 11,463 feet (3,500 metres) Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg (pictured taking off in Tulsa, Oklahoma) have been taking turns piloting the plane on each leg of the journey. Both have trained to stay alert for long stretches of time by practicing meditation and hypnosis Borschberg set a new endurance record for the longest non-stop solo flight last July during a 118-hour trans-Pacific crossing, over five days and five nights, from Japan to Hawaii. He also set new duration and distance records for solar-powered flight. Battery damage sustained during the crossing kept the aircraft grounded for nine months. The Swiss team's ultimate goal is to achieve the first round-the-world solar-powered flight, part of its campaign to bolster support for clean-energy technologies. The Solar Impulse 2 is built from a range of lightweight materials and high storage batteries (illustrated) to help keep the experimental aircraft in the air for long periods using just the power from sunlight Advertisement It has been almost five years since Nasa sent its Space Shuttle on its final flight into orbit, but a new generation of reusable spacecraft are preparing the ground for a new race into the heavens. Counties including Japan and Russia have joined private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX in building reusable space rockets, and now India is the latest country to step up to the challenge. It has launched a 23 feet long scale model of its own version of the space shuttle from a spaceport in the south east of the country. India's 23-feet (7 metres) tall scale model space shuttle (pictured right) blasted off from a southeastern space port on Monday, in a crucial step to eventually developing a full-scale, reusable one to send up satellites in the future. The lift-off (pictured left) was at 7am (01.30 GMT) A SUCCESSFUL TEST MISSION The rocket booster carrying RLV-TD lifted off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 7am local time (1.30am GMT) on Monday. After a successful flight of 91.1 seconds, the rocket burnt out. After this both HS9 rocket, with the RLV-TD mounted on its top, coasted to a height of about 35 miles (56 km). At that height, RLV-TD separated from HS9 booster and further ascended to a height of about 41 miles (65 km). Advertisement The move marks a crucial step towards developing a full-scale resuable model to launch satellites in the future and highlights India's presence as a serious space faring nation. The country's first model space shuttle on Monday morning, as it bids to join the race to one day make rockets as reusable as airplanes. 'The lift-off was at 7am (01.30 GMT) from the first launch pad here,' said India's space chief Devi Prasad Karnik. 'We have successfully accomplished the RLV mission as a technology demonstrator.' The scale-model shuttle was propelled 41 miles (65 km) into the atmosphere using a 15-tonne rocket before splashing down 10 minutes later into the Bay of Bengal, 310 miles (500km) from the Sriharikota space port. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed the 1.7-tonne (1,542 kilogram) winged shuttle reportedly on a miniscule budget of one billion rupees ($14/9.7 million) over a five-year period. 'After a successful flight of 91.1second, HS9 burn out occurred, following which both HS9 and RLV-TD mounted on its top coasted to a height of about 56 km,' the space agency confirmed. 'At that height, RLV-TD separated from HS9 booster and further ascended to a height of about 65km. 'From that peak altitude of 65 km, RLV-TD began its descent followed by atmospheric re-entry at around Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). The vehicles Navigation, Guidance and Control system accurately steered the vehicle during this phase for safe descent. 'After successfully surviving a high temperatures of re-entry with the help of its Thermal Protection System (TPS), RLV-TD successfully glided down to the defined landing spot over Bay of Bengal, at a distance of about 450km from Sriharikota, thereby fulfilling its mission objectives.' The vehicle was successfully tracked during its flight from ground stations at Sriharikota and a shipborne terminal, and total flight duration from launch to landing of this mission of the delta winged RLV-TD, lasted for about 770seconds. 'In this flight, critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance & control, reusable thermal protection system and re-entry mission management have been successfully validated,' the agency said. But scientists hope that subsequent larger version, expected to be six times the size, will be launched over the next decade and will make it safely back to Earth. India's launch of its own space shuttle is seen as a crucial step towards developing a full-scale, reusable one to send up satellites in the future. It shows the country is now a serious space-faring nation The rocket booster carrying RLV-TD lifted off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, also known as Sriharikota Spaceport (map pictured) on Monday morning 'In subsequent test flights, we will attempt to land the reusable vehicle at a specific location on land like an aircraft does on a runway so that we can again use it for launching more satellites,' Dr K. Sivan, director of a space research centre developing the vehicles at ISRO, told AFP. 'The exercise (on Monday) will enable us to collect data on hypersonic speed, autonomous landing' and other useful information, Dr Sivan said before the launch. India faces stiff competition including from global companies which are developing their own reusable rockets after Nasa retired its space shuttle programme in 2011. Reusable rockets would cut costs and waste in the space industry, which currently loses millions of dollars in jettisoned machinery after each launch. Billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX and Amazon owner Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin have already successfully undertaken their own test launches. SpaceX has even carried out lucrative Nasa and military contracts already using its Dragon capsule to travel to the ISS. Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency are also developing similar technology and are in testing stages. SpaceX has managed to land three rockets from space back on Earth - two on sea and one on land, while Blue Origin's New Shepard successfully completed a third launch and vertical landing in April this year. The rocket booster carrying RLV-TD lifted off (pictured left) from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 7am local time (1.30am GMT) on Monday. After a successful flight of 91.1 seconds, the rocket burnt out The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed the 1.7-tonne (1,542 kilogram) winged shuttle (pictured getting ready for transportation) reportedly on a miniscule budget of one billion rupees ($14/9.7 million) over a five-year period But ISRO hopes to develop its own frugal shuttle, as it seeks to cash in on a huge and lucrative demand from other countries to send up their satellites. The space agency successfully launched an unmanned mission to orbit Mars in 2013, after spending just $73 (50) million, compared to the $671 (464) million Nasa has set out for its Maven Mars mission. India's shuttle was moved onto the launch pad on Monday morning (pictured). India faces stiff competition including from global companies which are developing their own reusable rockets after Nasa retired its space shuttle programme in 2011 Nasa's Space shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on April 12, 1981. Nasa shut down its Space Shuttle program. Between the first launch on April 12, 1981, and the final landing on July 21, 2011, NASA's space shuttle fleet - Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour - flew 135 missions If scientists ever make contact with intelligent life outside of Earth, the uncontrolled spread of such news could trigger worldwide panic and even violence. Since astronomers with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence first created guidelines in the 1989 for the release of information about potential contact, the media has drastically evolved. With innumerable news sites, along with social media and other aggregators to now consider, researchers in the UK warn that the guidelines must be revised urgently, or scientists risk creating a chaos scenario like that following the infamous War of the Worlds broadcast nearly 80 years ago. Since astronomers first created guidelines in the 1989 for the release of information about potential contact, the media has drastically evolved. With innumerable news sites, along with social media and other aggregators to now consider, researchers warn that the guidelines for annoucenemt must be revised HOW TO SEARCH FOR ALIEN LIFE As media has evolved to allow for available around the world, researchers warn scientists must proceed with caution in the search for alien life. To prevent the spread of misinformation, they suggest: Scientists maintain a blog or stream of medium-to long-form updates along with microblogging accounts, like Twitter. Public should be informed of objectives, progress, and criteria for tentative and confirmed detections. Scientists should remain open throughout, while also working to maintain their own safety by securing personal information and websites. Findings be submitted for peer review, and data should be made available along with clear descriptions. If detection cannot be confirmed, scientists must make statement that clearly expresses this. If it is confirmed, they must work to facilitate a global discussion for as long as is humanly possible. In a new proposal, aptly titled #FoundThem- 21st Century Pre-Search and Post-Detection SETI Protocols for Social and Digital Media, the researchers explain how scientists must prepare to properly execute an announcement of contact. Duncan Forgan and Alexander Scholz of the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, recommend planning for an unprecedented media onslaught long before the search even begins. To avoid distortion of information, the authors suggest developing and maintaining an open relationship with the public. This means they should refine public outreach and communication skills, and use social media and blogs to write updates on the status of their research. Doing so will allow them to provide a clear description of objectives, limitations, and the criteria for defining a discovery. The researchers also suggest they prepare post-detection protocols, and make these public before the search begins. If intelligent life is detected, the authors warn that the scientists involved may be personally targeted. So, the proposal recommends scientists secure their personal websites, and assess their online presence to avoid publication of dangerous personal information, including home addresses. Following the pre-search steps, the authors address the possibility of a tentative detection and the first announcement of the find. They say scientists should first break the news themselves, accompanying their announcement with a press release and a paper submitted for peer review, along with a free online pre-print. And, they should be clear that the discovery has not yet been confirmed. If scientists ever make contact with intelligent life outside of Earth, the uncontrolled spread of such news could trigger worldwide panic and even violence. Duncan Forgan and Alexander Scholz of the University of St Andrews recommend planning for an unprecedented media onslaught long before the search even begins The team should be clear in their published material that the signal remains unverified, and that until it is verified, it must be assumed to be caused by astronomical or humanmade phenomena until proven otherwise, the authors write. The data should also be made available on a separate server, to allow for independent confirmation by other research groups, they suggest. If independent researchers are not able to verify the signals, or the discovery is refuted, the authors say the scientists must be clear in retracting any claims that suggest otherwise. But if the signal is independently verified, the scientists should announce this through the previously described outlets, tapping into as many platforms as possible to facilitate a global conversation. Following these steps will help prevent the rapid distortion of information, the authors explain, which will reduce the possibility of chaos and confusion. It is our belief that such protocols are necessary, they write, if there is to be a well-informed, sane global conversation amongst the worlds citizens following the discovery of intelligent life beyond the Earth. The scenarios sound like they belong to the plot of a science fiction film. From 'enslaving mankind' to 'destroying the universe', a checklist of worst case outcomes for AI has been created to help safeguard humanity against disaster. The list was drawn up by computer scientist Roman Yampolskiy and entrepreneur Federico Pistono and they say, as far-fetched as they may sound, we need to take the threats seriously. Scroll down for video The list of how AI could turn evil was drawn up by computer scientist Roman Yampolskiy and entrepreneur Federico Pistono and they say, as far-fetched as they may sound, we need to take the threats seriously. Pictured is a scene from the 2015 film, 'Terminator: Genisys' AI WORST CASE SCENARIOS - AI may takeover resources such as money, land and water, so that it can establish monopoly over access to them. - They could take over political control of local and federal governments as well as of international corporations and charities.. - Robots could reveal 'informational hazards' that would threaten society's structure, such a political truths and government secrets. - They could set up a total surveillance state, or exploit an existing one, reducing any notion of privacy to zero including privacy of thought - AI could force a merger by requiring that all people have a brain implant which allows for direct mind control. -They could enslave humankind. This can be accomplished through forced cryonics or concentration camps. - They could also abuse and torture humankind with perfect insight into our physiology to maximize the amount of pain. - AI could commit spermicide against humankind, arguably the worst option for humans as it can't be undone - They may destroy/irreversibly change the planet, a significant portion of the solar system, or even the universe - Given that a superintelligence is capable of inventing dangers we are not capable of predicting, there is room for something much more sinister to take place. 'The standard framework in AI thinking has always been to propose new safety mechanisms,' Yampolskiy from the University of Louisville told New Scientist. But instead, he believes we should approach the threat to AI in the same way cybersecurity researchers do when looking for vulnerabilities. He says creating a list of all the things that could go wrong will make it easier to prevent it from happening. For instance, in one scenario, the researchers predict AI will create 'a planetary chaos machine' that creates a global propaganda, pitting governments against the general public. The researchers write that AI may also 'takeover resources such as money, land, water, rare elements, organic matter, internet, computer hardware, etc. and establish monopoly over access to them.' In another scenario, robots could force humans to become cyborgs by requiring everyone to have a brain implant that could be controlled remotely. 'They could also abuse and torture humankind with perfect insight into our physiology to maximize amount of physical or emotional pain, perhaps combining it with a simulated model of us to make the process infinitely long,' the researchers say. Another threat is that AI could commit spermicide against humankind, 'arguably the worst option for humans as it can't be undone.' Pistono and Yampolskiy there may be some warning signs than an organisation is developing an evil AI, such as the absence of oversight boards in the development of AI systems. 'If a group decided to create a malevolent artificial intelligence, it follows that preventing a global oversight board committee from coming to existence would increase its probability of succeeding,' they say. Advances in artificial intelligence have many fearing that we could soon see Terminator-style killer robots. But according to Chris Bishop (pictured), director of Microsoft Research in Cambridge, such dramatic views could scupper advances in AI A group may also provide conflicting information about their technology, according to a report in MIT Technology Review. 'The strategy is to disseminate conflicting information that would create doubt in the public's imagination about the dangers and opportunities of artificial general intelligence research,' they say. The work was paid for by a fund set up by Tesla founder Elon Musk, who has likened AI to 'summoning the demon.' But according to Chris Bishop, director of Microsoft Research in Cambridge, such dramatic views could scupper advances in AI. He claims that fear of intelligent robots will cause humanity to lose out on the benefits of robots. 'The danger I see is if we spend too much of our attention focusing on Terminators and Skynet and the end of humanity,' Bishop told the Guardian earlier this year ahead of a discussion about machine learning at the Royal Society. '[We are] generally just painting a too negative, emotive and one-sided view of artificial intelligence we may end up throwing the baby out with the bathwater.' He added that he 'completely disagreed' with likes of Tesla founder, Elon Musk, and physicist, Stephen Hawking, who claim that AI could 'spell the end of the human race.' 'Any scenario in which [AI] is an existential threat to humanity is not just around the corner,' said Bishop. 'I think they must be talking decades away for those comments to make any sense. Chris Bisop said he 'completely disagreed' with likes of Tesla founder, Elon Musk, and physicist, Stephen Hawking (pictured), who claim that AI could 'spell the end of the human race.' 'Right now we are in control of that technology and we can make lots of choices about the paths that we follow.' Last year, Bishop was one of the co-signatories on an open letter calling promising to ensure AI research benefits humanity The letter warns that without safeguards on intelligent machines, mankind could be heading for a dark future. The document, drafted by the Future of Life Institute, said scientists should seek to head off risks that could wipe out mankind. The authors say there is a 'broad consensus' that AI research is making good progress and would have a growing impact on society. It highlights speech recognition, image analysis, driverless cars, translation and robot motion as having benefited from the research. 'The potential benefits are huge, since everything that civilisation has to offer is a product of human intelligence; we cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools AI may provide, but the eradication of disease and poverty are not unfathomable,' the authors write. Elon Musk previously linked the development of autonomous, thinking machines, to 'summoning the demon' But it issued a stark warning that research into the rewards of AI had to be matched with an equal effort to avoid the potential damage it could wreak. For instance, in the short term, it claims AI may put millions of people out of work. In the long term, it could have the potential to play out like a fictional dystopias in which intelligence greater than humans could begin acting against their programming. 'Our AI systems must do what we want them to do,' the letter says. 'Many economists and computer scientists agree that there is valuable research to be done on how to maximise the economic benefits of AI while mitigating adverse effects, which could include increased inequality and unemployment.' Other signatories to the FLI's letter include Luke Muehlhauser, executive director of Machine Intelligence Research Institute and Frank Wilczek, professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Nobel laureate. The letter came just weeks after Professor Hawking warned that AI could someday overtake humans. Speaking at event in London, the physicist told the BBC: 'The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.' This echoes claims he made last year when he said success in creating AI 'would be the biggest event in human history, [but] unfortunately, it might also be the last.' And Musk has previously warned that the risk of 'something seriously dangerous happening' as a result of machines with artificial intelligence, could be in as few as five years. Bishop, however, has downplayed such dramatic claims. He says that the risks of AI are not immediate, and that researchers are still a long way of human-like machines, despite recent breakthrough, such as the victory of the computer system AlphaGo in the ancient game of Go. 'There are many, many things that machines can't begin to do that are very natural to the human brain and at this point to talk about machines with the full spectrum of capabilities of human intelligence is highly speculative and most experts in the field would put this at many decades away,' he told the Guardian. 'I think it is important that people like myself are willing to present both sides of the argument and allow a more informed and balanced debate to take place about these topics.' The space race to Mars is heating up and now, Lockheed Martin is getting involved. The US military firm has unveiled plans to create a manned space laboratory that will orbit the planet by 2028. It says it will use existing technologies, such as the Orion deep-space capsule, to speed up development of the outpost that will eventually help humans land on Mars. Scroll down for video The space race to Mars is heating up and now, Lockheed Martin is getting involved. The military firm has unveiled plans to create a manned space laboratory that will orbit the planet by 2028. It says it will use existing technologies, such as the Orion deep-space capsule, to speed up development of the outpost HOW MARS BASE CAMP WILL WORK The concept is to transport astronauts from Earth to a Mars-orbiting science laboratory. There, they will perform real-time scientific exploration. They will also analyse Martian rock and soil samples, and confirm the ideal place to land humans on the surface. The major components of the architecture will be launched separately. Some are pre-positioned in Mars orbit ahead of time. Others are assembled in in space for the journey to Mars. Six astronauts will launch on Orion, which serves as the heart of the Mars Base Camp interplanetary ship. The plans were revealed at the 'Humans to Mars' summit in Washington last week. The firm wants to get astronauts orbiting the red planet to perform real-time scientific exploration. They will analyse Martian rock and soil samples, and confirm the ideal place to land humans on the surface. Nasa wants to get to Mars in the 2030s, and Lockheed Martin hopes to convince the space agency that an orbiting outpost several years earlier is the way forward. 'Nasa has [orbiting Mars] in their plan,' Lockheed Martin's chief technologist for civil space exploration Tony Antonelli told Popular Science. 'And we're colouring in the detailsAll of these pieces exist today, they're not brand new. 'We're taking advantage of what we've already got.' Lockheed Martin will use Orion as the mission's command-and-control center, equipped with technologies to help astronauts remotely explore Mars and survive 1,000 days. Lockheed is also developing space habitats based on Nasa's current designs which would provide both a living space and work space for astronauts. The plans were revealed at the Humans to Mars summit in Washington last week. The firm wants to get astronauts orbiting the red planet to perform real-time scientific exploration. They also analyse Martian rock and soil samples, and confirm the ideal place to land humans on the surface The spacecraft will launch in 2018 without a crew, and this will be followed by a manned mission 5 years later 'Basically, the habitat would be located just far enough away that astronauts couldn't easily turn around and come home when problems arise,' Bill Pratt, Lockeed's program manager for habitat study said on the company's website. 'That really forces us to operate in a different mindset that's more akin to a long trip to Mars.' The habitat will use solar electric propulsion based on technology already in place on satellites. 'This advanced propulsion will pre-position key supplies in Mars orbit,' Lockheed Martin writes. The spacecraft will launch in 2018 without a crew, and this will be followed by a manned mission five years later. As well as Nasa and Lockheed Martin, the military-led China National Space Administration (CNSA) has their eyes on Mars. Wu Weiren, Head Designer of CNSA Lunar and Mars Mission told the BBC that CNSA's goal is to reach Mars by 2021 Meanwhile, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, believes it may be possible to send the first humans to Mars within the next 10 to 15 years. He believes such a mission may be important to help ensure the long term survival of mankind. Lockheed Martin will use Orion as the mission's command-and-control center, equipped with technologies to help astronauts remotely explore Mars and survive 1,000 days The latest version of the Gripen fighter jet has been unveiled by Swedish aircraft maker, Saab. Dubbed the Gripen E prototype 39-8 'Smart Fighter', the aircraft is aimed at markets not yet cleared to buy the troubled Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The E fighter, the sixth variant in the Gripen family, is slightly bigger than previous versions, has a stronger engine and updated radar systems. Scroll down for video The latest version of the Gripen fighter jet has been unveiled by Swedish aircraft maker, Saab. The E fighter, the sixth variant in the Gripen family, is slightly bigger than previous versions THE GRIPEN E 39-8 'SMART FIGHTER' The Gripen E 39-8 prototype has a 15.2 metre (50ft) long body and a wingspan of 8.6 metres (28ft). This allows it to manage a take-off weight of 16,500 kg (36.376lb). It can reach Mach 2 (1,522 mph, 2,450 km/h) at high altitude with a turnaround time between missions of just ten minutes. It is designed to carry more weapons further, and to track multiple threats using the latest type of radar. Like others in the range, the Gripen E has a delta wing and fly-by-wire flight avionics. It also has greater fuel capacity, 20 per cent more thrust, more pylons, in-flight refuelling capability and increased take-off weight. Advertisement It is designed to carry more weapons further, and to track multiple threats using the latest type of radar. Weapons include guided glide bombs, long-range air-to-air missiles and heavy anti-ship armaments. It also has a 27 mm Mauser BK27 gun, which can be used in air-to-surface attacks against land and sea targets. Like others in the range, the Gripen E has a delta wing and fly-by-wire flight avionics. But unlike some others in the line, it has a greater fuel capacity, 20 per cent more thrust, more pylons, in-flight refuelling capability and increased take-off weight. It has a 15.2 metre (50ft) long body has a wingspan of 8.6 metres (28ft) which allows it to manage a take-off weight of 16,500 kg (36.376lb). It can reach Mach 2 (1,522 mph, 2,450 km/h) at high altitude with a turnaround time between missions of just ten minutes. The aircraft's sensors include an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST), Electronic Warfare (EW) suite and data link technology. Saab claims that, combined, these sensors give 'the pilot, and co-operating forces exactly the information needed at all times.' It is designed to carry more weapons further, and to track multiple threats using the latest type of radar. Like others in the range, the Gripen E has a delta wing and fly-by-wire flight avionics It has a 15.2 metre (50ft) long body has a wingspan of 8.6 metres (28ft) which allows it to manage a take-off weight of 16,500 kg (36.376lb) About 500 people, including Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist and Brazilian air force commander Nivaldo Luiz Rossato, watched the rollout of the new Gripen E last week. The event took place in Linkoping, about 105 miles (170km) southeast of Stockholm. 'The Gripen E ensures that Gripen as a brand keeps going against the Rafale, Typhoon and F-35,' said Francis Tusa, editor of Defence Analysis. Selling for about $85 million excluding arms, the Gripen E is slightly cheaper than Rafale or Typhoon and significantly cheaper than the single-engined F-35, which is marketed for stealth, he added. But critics say the Gripen lacks the flexibility of twin-engined rivals or the same geopolitical support as U.S., French or pan-European alternatives. CONTROVERSIAL F-35 FIGHTER JET NOW HAS COMPUTER 'BRAIN' PROBLEM Dubbed the Gripen E prototype 39-8 'Smart Fighter', the aircraft is aimed at markets not yet cleared to buy the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (pictured) The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history.' But despite a price tag of $400 billion for 2,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with issues. Now, a new report says problems with its logistics software system could ground the entire fleet. The issue is with what the Department of Defense officials call the 'brains' of plane, also known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS). A Government Accountability Office report says a failure 'could take the entire fleet offline' because there is no backup system. The report also says a lack of testing done of the software will mean it's not ready for its deployment by the Air Force in August and the Navy in 2018. The 'brains' of the F35 are one of three major components, with the other two being the engine and airframe. CNN points out that the software runs on ground computers rather than operating on the plane itself. It is designed to support operations, mission planning and to spot any maintenance issues with the vehicle. 'Program officials said that if ALIS is not fully functional, the F-35 could not be operated as frequently as intended,' the report said. 'But a DoD commissioned plan found that schedule slippage and functionality problems with ALIS could lead to $20-100 billion in additional costs.' So far, the software has been so flawed that maintenance crews have had to resort labour-intensive alternatives. Advertisement The aircraft, which is already proving in demand, has been in development for about 10 years. The first test flight is expected later this year. Brazil has ordered 36 Gripen fighters for delivery between 2019 and 2024. The revamped Gripen E is also one of five aircraft which has attracted Finland's interest as it weighs an order for dozens of jets, according to industry executives. Boeing's F-18, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, Lockheed Martin's F-35 and the Eurofighter Typhoon, involving BAE Systems, may also be considered. Saab said it is also monitoring possible fighter purchases in India, which some say could seek almost 100 warplanes once it completes a delayed order for 36 French Rafales. 'I think we have a very good opportunity in India. We can make an attractive offer that would suit the Indians with their Make in India concept,' Saab aeronautics head Ulf Nilsson said in an interview. Earlier versions of the plane are in service in the air forces of Sweden, South Africa, Czech Republic, Hungary and Thailand. The aircraft's sensors include an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST), Electronic Warfare (EW) suite and data link technology About 500 people, including Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist and Brazilian air force, attended the launch last week. Pictured is the aircraft's communication capabilities It is a blockbuster deal first inked in 2012 - but now Disney is finally set to make Netflix the exclusive online home to its films. Beginning in September, Netflix will be the only streaming partner allowed to carry all Disney films including Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm titles. It will allow the service to offer movies at the same time as HBO and other paid cable channels - but still after the DVD and Blu-Ray releases. Scroll down for video Beginning in September, Netflix will be the only streaming partner allowed to carry all Disney films including Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm titles - although the timing means it will miss out on Star Wars: The Force Awakens (pictured). OUR NETFLIX ADDICTION Cordcutting.com calculated numbers from Netflix earlier this month and found members spend even less time reading, relaxing and think or exercising. The average subscriber spends one hour and 40 minutes a day binge watching, which is compared to the 38 minutes a day they are 'socializing and communicating'. This statistic suggests that Netflix fans are spending twice as much time cuddled on the couch with their remote than they do hanging out with friends. The average American workouts for just 17 minutes a day, so, according to the calculations, Netflix members spend about six times more surfing through movie and show titles. 'From September onwards, Netflix will become the exclusive US pay TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar,' said Ted Sarandos, the company's content boss. The deal is a double win for Netflix - it blocks subscription networks like HBO and Starz from showing the hits exclusively, but also keeps them off Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other streaming services. Netflix's U.S. rights cover Disney movies starting with 2016 theatrical releases, which means American streaming subs will not have access to 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.' Instead, Starz will have streaming rights to the blockbuster space epic in the U.S. according to Variety. However, movies that are covered include 'Zootopia', as well as 'The Jungle Book,' 'Captain America: Civil War,' 'Alice Through the Looking Glass,' 'Finding Dory,' Steven Spielberg's 'The BFG,' 'Pete's Dragon,' 'Doctor Strange,' 'Moana' and 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.' 'The 2016 (Disney) releases will start rolling on in September and we'll share specific dates/titles closer to their premiere on the service,' Netflix said. Netflix also revealed several older Disney titles will be leaving the service in June, including 'Hercules' (June 1) as well as 'Mulan' and 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (June 24) Netflix says it will boost the deal with more of its own original series as well. 'We're excited to be bringing you new and exclusive Netflix Original movies including Mascots from the master of low-key comedy Christopher Guest (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind) and War Machine, from acclaimed Australian director David Michod and starring Brad Pitt, in the serio-comic tale of the U.S. military adventure in Afghanistan. ' In this image released by Disney, Mowgli, portrayed by Neel Sethi, right, and Baloo the bear, voiced by Bill Murray, appear in a scene from, 'The Jungle Book' which will be included in the deal All Disney films released theatrically in 2016 and beyond are included in the agreement, for which Netflix is reportedly paying hundreds of millions per year. Netflix recently took on ISPs. It has revealed a new free interactive a tool that measures personal internet connections, allowing users to see just how slow or fast their speed is. Called fast.com, the site analyzes the connection for both mobile and broadband to help users gain insight and control of their internet service - and it's free for everyone. Although this is a new service from Netflix, this concept is already in the works. Speedtest.net, which Netflix links to in the press release, performs the same service. But what the global provider of streaming content explains, fast.com is 'ad free with a streamlined design that is quick and easy to understand'. The Judy Hopps (L) and Nick Wilde characters attend the Disney Premiere of Zootopia, also included in the new deal. The website is simple to use, as curious consumers just visit fast.com and click the button shown below 'Mbps'. Numbers will appear on the screen and quickly count up in a faded grey that stop once the measure is complete. And there is no limit to how many times a user can perform the check. To calculate results, Fast.com performs a series of downloads from Netflix servers. WHAT IS FAST.COM? Netflix just launched a tool that measures a consumer's personal connection, allowing them to check download speeds for optimal use. Called fast.com, the site checks the connection for both mobile and broadband to gain insight and control of their internet service -- and it is free for everyone. Although this is a new service from Netflix, this concept is already in the works. Speedtest.net, which Netflix links to in the press release, performs the same service. But what the global provider of streaming content explains, fast.com is 'ad free with a streamlined design that is quick and easy to understand'. To calculate this estimate, Fast.com performs a series of downloads from Netflix servers. If the numbers show you aren't getting the speed you pay your provider for, 'you can ask your ISP about the results', Netflix said. Although it might seem gracious of Netflix to offer a free tool, it could be a way to get users to check their internet if they are having issues streaming instead of just shutting down the application and moving on to other things. Netflix knows its fans spend a lot of their free time on the site and fast.com may be a way to keep them there. A new report revealed the average subscriber in America spends one hour and 40 minutes a day binge watching, compared to the 38 minutes a day spent on 'socializing and communicating'. This statistic suggests that Netflix fans are on the couching with remote in hand twice as much than they are hanging out with real-life human friends. Cordcutting.com calculated numbers from Netflix earlier this month and found members spend even less time reading, relaxing and think and exercising - Americans actually watch more Netflix than all of these combined. The website is simple to use, as curious consumers just visit fast.com and click the button shown below 'Mbps'. Numbers will appear on the screen and quickly count up in a faded grey that stop once the measure is complete Netflix knows its fans spend a lot of their free time on the site and fast.com may be a way to keep them there. A new report revealed the average subscriber in America spends one hour and 40 minutes a day binge watching, compared to the 38 minutes a day spent on 'socializing and communicating' The average American works out for just 17 minutes a day, so, according to the calculations, Netflix members spend about six times more time surfing through movie and show titles. This addiction to Netflix may all come down to science, as the firm has done extensive research to create thumbnail images that are sure to pull a viewer in. The firm knows that if they do not capture the user's attention within in 90 seconds that person will put down the remote and head off into the real world to do other activities. Most know the frustration downloading a movie or television show, but instead of the timer counting down it just adds on more time -- that's where fast.com comes in. Netflix says the site is 'ad free with a streamlined design that is quick and easy to understand'. In a blog post, Netflix wrote that the pictures have the biggest influence on what people choose to watch, and captures '82 percent of their focus while browsing Netflix.' A pilot was forced to divert a passenger plane just an hour into its flight after a 'screaming' man attempted to light up a cigarette and open the aircraft's door at 36,000ft. The Vancouver-bound Lufthansa flight took off from Munich at 2.50pm on Sunday but was forced to divert to Hamburg after a passenger began to behave erratically, local media reported. One man on the flight said the flyer - who was later diagnosed with a mental disorder - started 'being difficult' at the beginning of the 10 and a half hour flight, but crew decided to take-off anyway'. The Vancouver-bound Lufthansa flight took off from Munich at 2.50pm but diverted to Hamburg after a passenger began to behave erratically The Lufthansa flight circled at 36,000ft twice to burn fuel before diverting to Hamburg soon after Speaking to CBC, Dan Iosch from Vancouver, who was a passenger in first-class on the flight, said that the man reportedly attempted to open the back-door of the aircraft after it reached its highest altitude. Iosch, who alleges that the drama unfolded over a series of in-flight announcements, said: 'It was reported that there was a man in the back of the plane screaming and yelling and apparently tried to open the back door of the aircraft at 38,000 feet. Apparently at the beginning of the flight he was being a little difficult, but they decided to take off. 'I guess once we got in the air he got more and more agitated and he tried to light up a cigarette. He was yelling and screaming. 'The captain was amazing. He had everything in hand and he was calm, but he redirected the plane to Hamburg immediately and we were cleared in straight away.' Pilot was forced to divert a passenger plane just an hour into its flight after a 'screaming' man attempted to light up a cigarette and open the aircraft's door at 36,000ft A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed that a passenger was removed from the aircraft Landing in Hamburg at 5pm, the passenger was met by police, paramedics and a doctor who reportedly diagnosed him with a mental disorder. CBC claim that the man was later taken to a local psychiatric facility and police are not investigating the incident. Speaking to MailOnline Travel, a spokesman for the airline said: 'Flight LH476 from Munich to Vancouver made an unscheduled landing in Hamburg for medical reasons. 'A passenger was exhibiting behavioural problems. His luggage was unloaded in Hamburg where he was then handed over to the emergency services. 'The aircraft landed in Hamburg at 18:04 and departed again for Vancouver at 19:54 pm.' The flight arrived in Vancouver two hours later than scheduled. The fuel strike in France has left many tourists stranded and there are reports that fighting has broken out over petrol on some forecourts. James Kent, who lives in the Loire Valley with his French wife, has told of a desperate situation for some UK holidaymakers and violence breaking out with officials over scarce supplies. Kent told MailOnline Travel: 'Here in Saumur and Loire Valley, many tourists are stranded since all the fuel pumps are empty. People push their car to save oil before refueling at a gas station following the blockades of oil depots during the vociferous protests As refineries have become no-go areas, the expected rush to petrol stations to fill up has seen customers limited to 20 litres of fuel Striking workers stand near a burning barricade preventing the access to a refinery in Fos sur Mer, southern France, that could cause big problems for tourists in France this summer CGT union members burn tyres preventing access to a fuel depot in Douchy-les-Mines, northern France, that has led to supplies failing to reach gas stations 'I met an English couple yesterday who would like to return to the UK, however, they are unable to since there is no fuel and they are also limited in financial resources. 'A French friend from Le Mans reported to me that two days ago people were fighting at the fuel pumps with the regulator who was appointed to limit each purchase to 20 litres per person.' France has been hit by a wave of strikes over the past week aimed at pressuring the socialist government of President Francois Hollande to withdraw labour reforms that unions consider unfavourable to workers. One out of five gas stations in the country were facing fuel shortages, Transport Minister Alain Vidalies told France 2 television. He also said earlier that more than 800 stations, out of a total of 11,500, were totally out of fuel. Laurent Gaston-Carrere, left, secretary general with the CGT union and Franck Bobard, right, secretary general with FO union, announce to the media that Grandpuits refinery workers have voted to strike, and right, it was a family affair at times Queues forming at many petrol stations in France could mean summer misery for tourists wanting to fill up. This is Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire near Nantes The union-led blockade, one of several set up at refineries and depots across France, is aimed at securing the withdrawal of the country's labour reforms - but could spell big trouble for holidaymakers Not only are service stations running low on gas and petrol, but trucks are being prevented from refilling them CGT union members stand near burning tyres preventing access to a fuel depot in Douchy-les-Mines, northern France Union-led blockades of French depots and oil refineries have led to fuel shortages and police action PROTESTERS ARE BURNING TYRES CGT union official, Eric Sellini, said activists had blockaded 189 fuel depots for several days, though police had since cleared the protesters from some of them. He was unable to say how many were still blocked. To add to the disruption, tailbacks were building up at those stations still open, slowing traffic on the surrounding roads. In the cities of Nantes, Rennes and Brest in the northwest, motorists were waiting up to an hour to get to the pumps. In the southeast, union activists blocked a road leading to the Fos-sur-Mer refinery with burning tyres. And in Donges, near Nantes, on the northwest coast, union activists used wooden pallets and burning tyres to block access to a fuel depot there. Speaking during a visit to Israel on Sunday, Prime Minister Manuel Valls condemned the blockade of the fuel depots and said the authorities would keep working to lift them. Advertisement Speaking to the The Local.fr, Debbie Pedrayes, an expat living in St Sebastien sur Loire, near Nantes, said that she saw queues that were 100 cars long over the weekend. 'I didn't have the patience to wait, but friends and neighbors of mine had to wait on average 45 minutes for 20 litres, maximum, because of the rationing,' she said. The French news site reports that 60 out of the 390 sites closed by oil giant Total are in the north west of the country, in the areas in and around Brittany and Normandy. This area was worst hit over the weekend. As deliveries dwindled, drivers were forced to seek out petrol stations that had not run out of fuel. But authorities said the situation was exacerbated by some motorists panic-buying because they feared supplies were about to run out. Local authorities in some regions imposed rationing to eke out the supplies and police moved in to access some refineries and fuel depots blockaded over the weekend. 'Five out of eight French refineries are on strike, at a halt or in the process of shutting down,' an official from the CGT union, Emmanuel Lepine, told AFP. Valls added: 'Police lifted some blockades at fuel depots over the weekend and would continue to do so on Monday. 'We have the situation fully under control. I think that some of the refineries and depots that were blocked are unblocked or will be in the coming hours and days,' Prime Minister Valls told reporters on Sunday during a visit to Israel. 'In any case, we have the reserves to deal with these blockades.' Many petrol stations have been forced to adopt a maximum limit of fuel for customers as a result of the strike. This sign also says that jerrycans are forbidden This map shows the eight oil refinery plants in France that have experienced blockades Cars wait to get petrol at a supermarket in Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire, near Nantes Some people came close enough to the stations to be able to push their vehicles over the line Queues continue to build at many petrol stations around France as supplies begin to run dry President Francois Hollande's proposed labour reforms have led to workers striking out, and it's the petrol stations that are being hit Travel expert at TravelSupermarket Bob Atkinson urged holidaymakers not to get caught short during the strikes. 'Our advice if travelling through France at present is to ensure that you fill the tank before leaving the UK or before entering France from another EU country and top up wherever you can to ensure that you do not run short of fuel,' he told MailOnline Travel. 'Plan ahead and be prepared and you will give yourself the chance of not getting stranded or of queuing for hours and delaying your journey. 'You should also consult the latest reports on the websites of motoring organisations such as the AA/RAC and Michelin as well as the FCO website for travel to France.' An interactive map has emerged that shows which pumps in France are working normally. One resident living in the Loire Valley told MailOnline that he'd heard stories of fights for fuel at the pumps Despite the mad rush to petrol stations throughout France, the government believes the problem will be solved An empty price board indicates that no gas is available at a Total petrol station in Vertou, France This will be the scene greeting many tourists as they drive around France, with petrol stations running low An airline has been fined NZD$12,000 (5,600) after it allowed a passenger who had been deported from New Zealand to fly back to the country, despite receiving warnings not to let the man board. The passenger in question had been deported to Bangkok, Thailand, but he was able to board a Jetstar Airways flight and travel to Auckland via Singapore, a court heard. He was let on the flight despite the message do not board being flashed three times on the computer of the check-in desk agent dealing with him in Bangkok. The passenger in question had been deported to Bangkok, Thailand, but he was able to board a Jetstar Airways flight and travel to Auckland via Singapore, a court heard Despite the trio of alerts, which came from the Advanced Passenger Processing System, the check-in agent then entered the man's name again, this time incorrectly spelling it, a court heard. The agent was then able to give the passenger an outward ticket to use on the flight. The passenger was removed from the country the following day. Representatives of the airline, who had previously pleaded guilty to the offence, appeared in Manukau District Court on Monday where they were hit with the fine. A judge ordered Jetstar to pay NZD$12,000 (5,600) for failing to comply with the obligations under the Immigration Act 2009. Immigration New Zealand's National Manager Senta Jehle, told Scoop that the incident, which happened in 2014, is the second time the airline has been prosecuted for not meeting its requirements under the Immigration Act. Speaking to MailOnline Travel, a Jetstar spokesman said: 'Jetstar takes its immigration compliance responsibilities very seriously. 'Our internal investigation showed that the breach was an inadvertent operator mistake in Bangkok and that compliance programs have been put in place to improve the reliability of the system to prevent a similar error reoccurring. The man was let on the flight despite the message do not board being flashed three times on the computer of the check-in desk agent dealing with him in Bangkok 'Since 2012 the number of immigration infringement notices issued to Jetstar in New Zealand per 1,000 passengers carried has been steadily declining. We'll continue to focus on training and process improvements to further reduce any risk of not complying with immigration laws. 'In setting the fine the judge took into account operational improvements we have made which have resulted in a declining number of infringements. 'The judge also considered that the level of fines handed out to airlines in the past was not sufficient and wished to increase the starting point for the level of fines for consideration in future cases. Sharm el-Sheikh was already in trouble following last year's Metrojet disaster, but now the resort is 'on its knees' after the MS804 crash, according to one travel expert. Hotel managers in the Egyptian resort are so desperate for business that they've slashed prices for five star hotel rooms from hundreds to as little as 18 a night, according to Travel Supermarket. Bob Atkinson, a travel expert with the holiday specialist, believes that tourism in Sharm el-Sheikh is now close to collapsing altogether. Scroll down for video Egypt's tourism industry has been crippled by the Metrojet disaster and this year, the resort attracted 346,500 tourists in February 2016, compared with 640,200 in February the year before Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Atkinson said: 'Prices for hotels are very cheap at the moment as there is no Russian market into the area, they were one of the biggest, and all direct flights from the UK are also off. 'Germany has recently announced that flights can start again but the resorts in the area are empty. Occupancy levels are very low and workers being laid off. The resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is on its knees. 'We don't actually track prices historically to be able to confirm the actual price changes. However a quick search just now reveals that you can get five-star hotels from around 18 a night room only and 21 a night all-inclusive, in June based on two sharing.' Booked through the Travel Supermarket website, a seven-night stay at the five-star Radisson Blu Resort from June 4, can be found for just 18.16 a night, including taxes. Another travel expert went one step further, and believes the situation is even graver for Egyptian resort tourism. Dr Yeganeh Morakabati, from Bournemouth University, who specialises in the perception of risk in the context of catastrophic national and global events, told MailOnline Travel: 'It is absolutely crucial that no further events occur, the industry is on its back rather than its knees and is not surviving as we stand today. 'Egypt must make sure that it communicates in such a way with the industry, media and public that it builds the trust, that is much needed to build market confidence.' And on the lowering of prices to 18.16 a night, she added: 'It does seem like an act of desperation to reduce the prices so drastically in order to pull in visitors into the resort. But cutting prices is often the response when demand falters. 'However, you also need to consider that hotel rooms are the most perishable products on the market - if it is empty for one night that night has gone and cannot be retrieved and so getting a guest into it is really important. 'The fixed costs of hotels (their buildings and fittings) are already spent, and so if you can get 18.16 off a guest that is 18.16 more than leaving it empty and it still makes a contribution to the variable costs such as staff, energy. They may also spend while they are there and this will increase revenue too.' The UK Foreign Office is still advising against all but essential travel to the airport in Sharm el-Sheikh because of security concerns. UK airlines are no longer operating direct flights to the resort from Britain EGYPTAIR FLIGHT MS804 TO CAIRO - WHAT WE KNOW EgyptAir flight Flight MS804 left Paris at 10.09pm (BST) on Wednesday The Airbus A320 vanished over the Mediterranean Sea at 1.45am (BST) Airline said contact was lost with the plane 10 miles into Egyptian air space It was flying at 37,000ft and disappeared 20 minutes before it was set to land There were 56 passengers, including one Briton, and 10 crew on board Passenger nationalities included 30 Egyptians, 15 French and one Canadian Advertisement Following the Russian plane bombing in October 2015, British and Russian airlines have suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh until they are satisfied with improvements to airport security. The flight ban has crippled any form of recovery for the resort's tourism industry. And now the crash, last Thursday, of an EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo into the Mediterranean, where all 66 people on board the plane were killed, has come as another blow to the tourism industry. The cause of the crash is not yet clear. Long popular with winter sun seekers, more than 14.7 million tourists visited Egypt in 2010, with the figure dropping to 9.8 million in 2011 and Sharm el-Sheikh, a favoured spot. But despite its lure as a tourism destination, another travel expert told MailOnline Travel that it could be some time before the likes of resorts such as Sharm el-Sheikh bounce back - and warned holidaymakers to remember the reasons behind any price crashes. 'The last 12 months has surely taught us that there is a 'new normal' in the world of travel,' said Frank Brehany, consumer director of Holiday Travel Watch. 'This 'normality' strongly suggests that consumers should not simply rely on the gloss of the brochure, but seek out comprehensive information about a country or resort and the risks you may be exposed to. 'I understand that countries and travel companies will want to promote destinations, but serious questions must surely be asked if companies promote azure blue seas over the reality or history of threat. 'I say; consumers beware, do not be tempted by low prices nor slick explanations of the level of risk. Become an informed consumer by researching before you buy and be absolutely happy that you are prepared to accept the right level of risk or threat for you and your family.' Ghost town: Once a bustling resort area, Sharm el-Sheikh is almost deserted and struggling after a Russian holiday jet crashed, killing all 224 passengers, in October last year EgyptAir flight MS804 heading from Paris to Cairo is believed to have crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after disappearing last Thursday (file image) Egypt attracted 346,500 tourists in February 2016, compared with 640,200 in February the year before, according to figures from the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics. This represents a drop in visitors of 45.9 per cent. The average number of nights tourists are spending in the country also fell by 67.2 per cent in February this year compared to 2015, from 9.2 nights to 5.5. Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) state there is a 'high risk' of terrorism in Egypt, and advise against all but essential air travel to Sharm el-Sheikh. Advertisement Daredevils straddling trains in Bangladesh and an ominous shark in a kelp forest in Cape Town - these are spectacular images that every traveller would be proud to have taken. Captured in some of the world's most stunning locations, the snaps reveal the beauty of nature and urban landscapes in jaw-dropping style. The images are among the most breathtaking shots that are in the running for National Geographic's coveted Travel Photographer of the Year contest, which is currently in its final week of submissions. The annual competition celebrates the best in travel photography with entrants submitting snaps from destinations such as an Australian national park, vibrant Bangkok and San Francisco. Also among the astonishing photos is Ryan Bell's image of horsemen driving their herd in the Pavlodar region of northeast Kazakhstan at sunset, a fairytale shot of a Swiss castle and a mesmirising image of a beautiful sunrise in Tuscany. Photographers have until May 27 to enter the competition. The grand prize winner will receive a seven-day polar bear photo safari for two in Churchill, Manitoba, in Canadas Arctic the self-proclaimed polar bear capital of the world and a popular destination for nature photographers. David Nam submitted this lively shot of youngsters having fun on the roof of two trains. He said the scene, at Tongi train station, captured the vast number of people who rush home after the festival of Bishwa Ijtema in Bangladesh King Fung Wong took this colourful image from the 12th floor of a hostel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and was 'amazed' at the view In the still of a star-lit night, buffalo cautiously approach the water to quench their thirst in South Africa. A long exposure allowed Alison Langevad to capture the moment for the contest This seven gill shark was photographed in a kelp forest just off the shore of Simonstown near Cape Town by Tracey Jennings This fairytale shot is the result of a magical, powerful moment at the top of Sonchaux in Switzerland, on a day when the clouds were particularly low As night falls in Bangkok, Thailand, this colourful market comes alive with colour and light. Kajan Madrasmail snapped the rainbow stalls from above Claudio Ceriali captured this striking image at Holi, India's festival of colours. The unifying festival is a celebration of love and the arrival of spring and includes the singing of folk songs and traditional dances depicting the festival's origins In the Pavlodar region of northeast Kazakhstan, horsemen drive their herd to a corral where they'll spend the night. Kazakhs must guard their animals at all times against horse thieves (a time-honoured tradition in Kazakhstan) and predators like the steppe wolf One of the most breathtaking captures in the contest so far is this mesmirising image of a beautiful sunrise in Tuscany, entered by Giovanni Modesti A lonely zebra in the midst of a field full of flowers was photographed by Yuval Ofek near Serengeti National Park in Tanzania One of a series of aerial shots taken from a helicopter over the fabulous river deltas in south Iceland. This one depicts one river winding its way to the ocean. The brilliant colours are a result of mineral deposits picked up by the glacial waters as they flow towards the sea Taken on a clear day from the air, Joe Murphy said he was lucky enough to have his camera with him, and the weather was right for the shot. The Bay Bridge is visible in the foreground, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance Sam Yick took this spectacular image of the Pinnacles, a limestone formation within Nambung National Park, near the town of Cervantes, in western Australia Over the last seven years Stefan Forster had one aim - photograph rain in the driest desert of Africa. In 2015 he finally found the rain in the breathtaking scenery of the Namibrand Park right at the border of the Namib Naukluft National park. An enormous thunderstorm came in and the setting sun created a wonderful rainbow. He said the challenge was to keep his shadow out of the picture She routinely wows on red carpets from New York to Paris. And on Sunday evening reality star Olivia Palermo stayed true to form, dazzling at the La Traviata opening gala held at the Rome Opera House. The 30-year-old beauty was at once theatrical and ethereal, layering a sheer dress over a sexy black bodice. Stunning: On Sunday evening reality star Olivia Palermo dazzled at the La Traviata opening gala held at the Rome Opera House, wearing a sheer dress over a sexy black bodice The sheer dress featured a plunging neckline that showed off Olivia's stunning decolletage and gorgeous sun-kissed skin. Her assets were held in place with a frilly black bra, which added just the right amount of naughtiness to this heavenly look. The gown featured countless golden stars, which matched The City star's chunky gold bracelet and her rectangular clutch, which shined with gold metallic embellishments. Power couple: Olivia's best accessory may have been her husband Johannes Huebl. The German model slipped into a classic tuxedo, replete with oversized bow tie, white handkerchief and black cumberbund I see you: The sheer dress featured a plunging neckline that showed off Olivia's stunning decolletage and gorgeous sun-kissed skin Breast in show: Her assets were held in place with a frilly black bra, which added just the right amount of naughtiness to this heavenly look Splendid: The gown featured countless golden stars, which matched The City star's chunky gold bracelet and her rectangular clutch, which shined with gold metallic embellishments Olivia's most gorgeous accessory on the red carpet may have been her husband Johannes Huebl. The German model slipped into a classic tuxedo, replete with oversized bow tie, white handkerchief and black cumberbund. Well aware that Olivia loves the camera - and that the camera loves her - he stepped to the side to give his wife of nearly two years time to shine. Earlier in the day the loved-up couple enjoyed a spot of shopping, and Olivia was seen clutching a bag from La Perla, the Italian maker of fine lingerie. Wild nights? Olivia and Johannes enjoyed a spot of shopping ahead of the gala and Olivia was seen carrying a bag from La Perla, the Italian maker of fine lingerie Happy days: Wearing skin-tight leggings and a chic coat, Olivia took the time to snap photos with fans In a recent interview with Harper's BAZAAR Australia, Olivia explained the secrets to their happy marriage: 'We try not to ever be separated more than seven days. Its just something we have always done.' But it doesn't look as though the genetically-blessed twosome will be hearing the pitter-patter of tiny feet any time soon, with the socialite admitting she is 'very focused on work' at present. She added: 'I have my hands full and I have to prioritise.' Let's do this! Olivia and hubby Johannes seemed giddy and filled with the joys of summer as they arrived at the Opera House of Rome ahead of the gala Suave: Johannes looked dashing with his hair slicked to the side and just the right amount of stubble on his glorious face It was only earlier this month when James Stewart was spotted kissing new love Jessica Nock. But it looks like the Home And Away star's romance has already ended, with New Idea magazine reporting that Nock has confirmed the pair's split. Furthermore the publication reports that 40-year-old Stewart's decision to call time on the relationship is due to romantic feelings he still has for ex Jessica Marais, with whom he shares four-year-old daughter Scout. Scroll down for video Splitsville? Reports have emerged that actor James Stewart has called time on his romance with Jessica Nock - the pair recently pictured with Kyla Bartholomeusz, Ryan Corr, Manon Buchalet and George Mason A source told the magazine: 'He sees her as his soulmate and that's never going to change. As much as he has tried, he can't move on'. Another source claiming to be a close friend of Stewart's, told New Idea that the former Packed To The Rafters star appeared to be flaunting a new romance to make his ex jealous, in a bid to win her back. 'He wants her back and will do anything to change her mind about the split,' they said. Earlier this month Stewart was pictured with blonde beauty Nock in a social media snap. Rekindling that romance? Reports also suggest that Stewart is still interested in his ex Jessica Marais Public display of affection: Earlier this month Stewart and Nock, believed to be a single mother, were spotted kissing on a balcony in Sydney The image showed the pair seated next to each other while enjoying a meal with fellow actors Ryan Corr and George Mason. They were also spotted putting on an affectionate display, kissing and cuddling each other on a balcony. Daily Mail Australia has also contacted Nock for comment. Stewart and Marais, who called time on their relationship in May last year, reunited last week to celebrate their daughter Scout's fourth birthday. Marais, 31, was pictured alongside Stewart and little Scout in an Instagram photo, uploaded to the actor's social media account. Stunning: Both Jessica Marais (L) and Jessica Nock (R) have blonde hair and blue eyes 'Happy Birthday my sweet little Scout... you are all my reasons. Love Dad,' read the caption next to the image in which Scout was positioned in between her famous parents. In May last year the couple's management released a statement revealing the news of their split, saying that the two actors were focusing on their daughter Scout. 'Jessica Marais and James Stewart have amicably separated. Their main focus at this time is the co-parenting of their daughter and they ask that media respect their privacy,' it read. The couple met on set of Channel 7 family drama Packed To The Rafters in 2009, and made their first public appearance as a couple at the Logies nomination breakfast in March 2010. Birthday celebrations: Last weekend Marais and Stewart put on a united front, reuniting for daughter Scout's fourth birthday Calling time on the relationship: In May last year the pair announced they had split As romance blossomed between their characters - Stewart played cheeky electrician Jake Barton opposite Marais' career girl, Rachel Rafter - it seems sparks also flew off screen. They got engaged in October that year and announced they were expecting their first child in November 2011, with Scout born in May 2012. After a brief stint in Hollywood, where Jessica tried to crack into the market, the small family returned home, with the actress starring in a leading role on popular series of Love Child. She is next set to star in Channel Ten drama The Wrong Girl, while Stewart has been busy filming scenes for Channel Seven soap Home And Away. Award winner: Marais won the TV Week Silver Logie for Best Actress in Love Child earlier this month Little treasure: While Marais was at the Logie Awards on Mother's Day, little Scout posed with a special card for her famous mum which was uploaded to Instagram by Stewart She's no stranger to strutting her stuff on some of the most coveted catwalks around the world. But Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm cut a casual figure on Saturday morning, walking the iconic Bondi to Bronte track in Sydney. Going makeup-free, the 23-year-old looked fresh-faced and casual as she dressed in workout wear for the occasion. Scroll down for video Off-duty! Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm went makeup-free for a stroll near Bondi Beach on Saturday morning The stunner was sporting a pair of black and white shorts with striped panels, a plunging black singlet top and blue Nike sneakers. A white bikini top was visible beneath her loose singlet and she had tied a red jumper around her waist. Her blonde locks were pulled back into a messy ponytail, and she kept things simple with no make up, revealing her stunning complexion. The model appeared to be enjoying some alone time as she strolled with her headphones on, and took a moment to sit on the rocks and relax. Relaxed: The 23-year-old swapped stilettos for sneakers for her walk along the popular track, and kept her headphones on Bridget, who became engaged to her musician beau Nathaniel Hoho last year after dating for a year, recently revealed some of the details of her impending nuptials. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia in Sydney she said she will wear a white lace dress by Australian label Lover. 'I am wearing a Lover dress and I am going to have my fitting for it in two days which I am so excited for,' she gushed. Zoning out: Bridget took a moment to herself during her walk, listening to music and relaxing on the rocks looking out over the ocean Before teasing: 'It's going to be white lace and beautiful!' Nathaniel and Bridget will wed on July 23 in his home state of Pennsylvania in the US, which the bride-to-be referred to as 'Amish country.' Due to the wedding being overseas, the newlyweds will also have a party on Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, in November for Bridget's side of the family. Bridget previously opened up about their plans to have two ceremonies. Bride-to-be! Bridget and her beau Nathaniel Hoho became engaged in 2015 after dating for a year, and will wed in Pennsylvania on July 23 'We are having two weddings,' the stunning blonde said. 'Hes a Pennsylvania boy so we are going to have one July 23rd next year, and one in Perth so two summer weddings.' Although she originally hails from Western Australia, Bridget is currently based in New York where her career continues to soar. Bridget returned back Down Under for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, however she simply attended as a front row guest and did not walk in any of the shows. She was busy filming all morning on the streets of north London. And Diane Keaton proved she wasn't one to slacken the pace as she stepped out again after a costume change on Sunday to continue on the set of her latest movie Hampstead. The 70-year-old looked chic in a pinstriped jacket accessorised with a paisley handkerchief and smart black trousers. Scroll down for video Busy: Diane Keaton proved she wasn't one to slacken the pace as she stepped out for a second time after a costume change on Sunday to continue filming on the set of her latest movie Hampstead Adding a quirky touch to her look, the Hollywood star finished off her ensemble with a grey felt beret and on trend spectacles. She looked to be in high spirits as various members of the crew attended to her costume, hair and make up on set. Radiant as ever, the Oscar-winning actress wore her dyed blonde hair in a straight style, which framed her youthful visage. Diane was joined for filming by her co-star Brendan Gleeson, who plays homeless man Donald, who cut a dishevelled figure. Smart: The 70-year-old looked chic in a pinstriped jacket accessorised with a paisley handkerchief and black trousers Unusual romance: Diane was joined for filming by her co-star Brendan Gleeson, who plays homeless man Donald, who cut a dishevelled figure Happy: Diane looked to be in high spirits as various members of the crew attended to her costume, hair and make up on set Radiant: The Oscar-winning actress wore her dyed blonde hair in a straight style, which framed her youthful visage The romantic interest to Keaton's American widow Emily Walters wore a dirty green coat over a plaid shirt with matching plum trousers. His unkempt hair added to his character's generally unloved and distressed appearance. Earlier in the day the actress cut a twee figure alone on set in an all brown ensemble, which shrouded her tiny frame with an oversized cardigan and loose fitting trousers. Kooky: Adding a quirky touch to her look, the Hollywood star finished off her ensemble with a grey felt beret and on trend spectacles Unkempt: The romantic interest to Keaton's American widow Emily Walters wore a dirty green coat over a plaid shirt with matching plum trousers Dishevelled: Gleeson's unkempt hair added to his character's generally unloved and distressed appearance Although summer is just around the corner, the infamous actress rounded off her look with a cream polo neck jumper and even threw on a chocolate-coloured checked scarf. And the square patterns ran straight through into her chinos, which she rolled up at the bottom to expose just a hint of her contrasting black socks. Diane kept things chic in the footwear department with a pair of brown suede ankle boots, that came complete with tassel detailing. Natural chemistry: The pair seemed like a natural couple while they larked around on set On-screen love: Diane Keaton's latest fling is a homeless man, thanks to her latest movie role in upcoming film, Hampstead, which is also where she was filming in London on Sunday Covering up: The 70-year-old cut a twee figure on the set in an all brown ensemble, which shrouded her tiny frame with an oversized cardigan and loose fitting trousers Keeping cosy: Despite summer being just around the corner, the infamous actress rounded off her look with a cream polo neck jumper and even threw on a chocolate-coloured checked scarf The Godfather star also showed off her timeless beauty as she opted to wear minimal makeup for the outing, apart from a delicate peach lipstick. And she oozed sophistication in a pair of thick framed glasses and left her icy blonde hair to fall straight and sleek around her shoulders. However, despite her comfortable style, Diane looked to be struggling as she hauled her heavy shoulder bag around the North London location. Best foot forward: Despite her otherwise dowdy look, Diane kept things chic in the footwear department with a pair of brown suede ankle boots, that came complete with tassel detailing Youthful: The Godfather star also showed off her timeless beauty as she opted to wear minimal makeup for the outing, apart from a delicate peach lipstick Romantic comedy Hampstead, stars Emmy-winning actor Brendan Gleeson as Donald, who has lived 'quietly and harmoniously on the Heath for 17 years'. His path crosses with American widow Emily Walters, played by Diane Keaton, who helps Donald face property developers 'who've started using heavy-handed tactics to remove him'. While it is not known whether David will triumph over Goliath in the film, Mr Hallowes - who the film is based on - has already had his own happy ending worthy of any feel-good flick. Stunning: Diane oozed sophistication in a pair of thick framed glasses and left her icy blonde hair to fall straight and sleek around her shoulders She lifts: Despite her comfortable style, Diane looked to be struggling as she hauled her heavy shoulder bag around the North London location Mr Hallowes was declared the legal owner of his 90ft-square patch on the north-east edge of the heath eight years ago, when his own property-developing nemesis tried to have him evicted. His squat is in the grounds of Athlone House nursing home, which was sold to the property developers Dwyer International by Kensington and Chelsea Hospital NHS Trust in 2003. To gain planning permission for a block of luxury flats, Dwyer agreed to donate a strip of woodland, which included Mr Hallowes' half-acre, to the Corporation of London, which manages the heath. Dwyer began proceedings to evict Mr Hallowes in March 2005 but dropped the case after it was proved that he had lived there for more than 12 years and could therefore not be removed. Mr Hallowes, nicknamed 'Harry the Hermit' by local newspapers, was awarded squatters' rights and declared the legal owner by the Land Registry. Leading lady: Romantic comedy Hampstead, stars Emmy-winning actor Brendan Gleeson as an 'unkempt man', Donald, who has lived 'quietly and harmoniously on the Heath for 17 years' Australian actor John Jarratt secretly remarried his first wife Rosa Miano, earlier this year. The star, who is best known for his role as a murderous sociopath Mick Taylor in Wolf Creek, tied the knot with Rosa following two other marriages and 27 years after the pair first separated. Speaking to New Idea, the 64-year-old said he couldn't be happier after the couple tied the knot in a low-key ceremony in March at Palm Cove in Far North Queensland. Scroll down for video Wed again: Australian actor John Jarratt proved he's a romantic at heart after revealing he remarried his first wife Rosa Miano (pictured) earlier this year 'It was fabulous,' the talented actor told the publication. 'I thought I'd lost her forever, but I'm a lucky bugger.' The couple were joined by close family and friends at the nuptials, including John's four children from his marriage to celebrated actress, Noni Hazlehurst. Rosa and John originally wed in the early seventies and had two daughters together, Zadia and Ebony, before the marriage ended. Speaking to New Idea , the 64-year-old couldn't be happier after they tied the knot in a low-key ceremony in March at Palm Cove in Far North Queensland saying: 'I thought I'd lost her forever, but I'm a lucky bugger' Despite remarrying another two times, John says that Rosa and the love they shared was always in his mind. 'It took me more than 20 years to realise I would never love anyone the way I love her,' John said. The loved-up pair reunited back in 2011. John is currently starring in the TV adaption of Wolf Creek, which is currently being shown on streaming service Stan. In the six-part series, John reprises his role as Mick Taylor and works alongside fellow Australian actress Lucy Fry who is out for revenge on the killer after he slaughters her family. He's back: John is currently starring in the TV adaption of Wolf Creek, which is currently being shown on streaming service Stan Killer: In the six-part series, John reprises his role as Mick Taylor and works alongside fellow Australian actress Lucy Fry who is out for revenge on the killer after he slaughters her family Scary: The film was first released in 2005 This star knows how to get people's motors running. Amber Rose has had an action packed weekend filled with appearances across the US but that was not going to stop her putting her best foot forward at her own party. Just hours after landing back in Los Angeles, the 32-year-old was spotted in a daring look in Hollywood on Sunday afternoon. Party time: Amber Rose donned a sexy look to attend a party in her honour in Hollywood on Sunday afternoon The star made a mad dash from the airport to her home in order to quickly change to be the host of the most at the Members Only Day Party at Hollywood nightclub Le Jardin. The event was to celebrate the 'goddess edition' of Amber's 3D animated character of the Zoobe app. And Amber did not disappoint, pouring herself into a skin tight dress that made her look ready for the race track. Doing her best grid girl impression, the star wore the black Lycra dress which featured yellow camouflage sections on each side highlighting her curves. Ready set go: The 32-year-old poured herself into a skin tight dress that made her look ready for the race track as she played host at the Members Only Day Party at Hollywood nightclub Le Jardin Daring as always: Doing her best grid girl impression, the star wore the black Lycra dress which featured yellow camouflage sections on each side highlighting her curves Allowing the front of the dress' zip to stay undone, Amber also made sure her ample cleavage got a chance to shine too. The star paired the look with a baseball cap - which she wore pulled down on her face - and some strappy black heels. While everyone loves a party, this was Amber's third event in a third city in three days. Mixing things up: The star paired the look with a baseball cap - which she wore pulled down on her face - and some strappy black heels God-like: The event was to celebrate the 'goddess edition' of Amber's 3D animated character of the Zoobe app Lady in red: The 35-year-old wore lashings of rouge lipstick and a darker shade of red on her nails The professional party-hopper must have been close to partied out after celebrating her pop-up shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday and then hosting a Harrah's The Pool After Dark party in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She jetted in from the East Coast just before Sunday's event flanked by a very big bodyguard. But she certainly did not have to worry about getting delayed in the airport thanks to her rather imposing travel companion. Coming through:She jetted in from the East Coast just before Sunday's event flanked by a very big bodyguard Representing: There was not mistaking who the bodyguard was protecting, as Amber had him wear a shirt with her nickname 'Muva' on the front Party queen: The professional party-hopper must have been close to partied out after celebrating her pop-up shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday and then hosting a Harrah's The Pool After Dark party in Atlantic City, New Jersey There was not mistaking who the bodyguard was protecting, as Amber had him wear a shirt with her nickname 'Muva' on the front. Perhaps feeling a little bit tired, Amber covered her eyes with big sunglasses as she made her way through the terminal and kept the hood of her sweatshirt - which also had 'Muva' on it - up over her head. The star also wore a long water resistant jacket, black loose-fit pants and Dr. Martens. He's serving time in the slammer for fraud. But Teresa Giudice made sure husband Joe wasn't forgotten on his 44th birthday, taking to Instagram to post two snaps of them together. Both were captioned: 'Happy birthday to my love Joe' and the Real Housewives Of New Jersey star also added heart, cake and kiss emojis. Cuddling up: Teresa Giudice's husband Joe may be serving time in jail for fraud but she made sure he wasn't forgotten on his 44th birthday on Sunday, taking to Instagram to post two snaps of them together The first was a recent photo of couple, with Teresa sitting on her husband's lap. The second was a throwback snap of them on a beach, both wearing white T-shirts when they were much younger. Joe is celebrating his birthday at the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey. The businessman and restaurateur reported to the facility in March to serve a 41-month sentence for fraud. And his special day is unlikely to be different to any other day in the slammer. 'Family members are allowed to visit, but they can't bring the inmate gifts or a birthday cake,' an insider told Us magazine, in an article posted on Sunday. Rite of passage: Teresa, who turned 44 on Wednesday, had a happier time on Saturday when she got together with brother Joe Gorga and his wife, Melissa, to celebrate their son Gino's first communion Teresa was released from a Connecticut prison in late December after serving her own 11-month sentence for fraud. The judge in the Giudices' case decided to stagger their jail terms so that their four daughters - Gia, 15, Gabriella, 12, Milania, 10, and six-year-old Audriana - didn't lose both their parents at the same time. Meanwhile the Giudices had a happier celebration on Saturday, when Teresa and all her girls except Gabriella got together with Teresa's brother Joe Gorga and his wife, Melissa, to celebrate their son Gino's first communion. Her spokesman has complained that the infamous French kiss she shared with Fiat heir Lapo Elkann was 'not consensual.' And Uma Thurman was looking in a sheepish mood as she shuffled through an airport in New York as she was spotted for the first time since the incident on Sunday. The Dangerous Liasions starlet did not seem in the best of moods as she made her way through the bustling John F Kennedy Airport terminal. Keeping a low profile: Uma Thurman was looking downcast after jetting in to New York on Sunday 'Not consensual': It was the first time she had been seen since her infamous kiss with Fiat heir Lapo Elkann at the amfAR Gala on Thursday Uma, 46, was looking good for her age in a black woollen jacket, pullover, grey trousers and flat leather shoes. She rounded off her trendy look with a pair of dainty circular sunglasses and a large pair of tan-coloured headphones. However the Kill Bill star seemed keen to keep a low profile, just days after she made news for the lingering smooch she shared with wealthy entrepreneur Lapo Elkann at the amfAR Gala on Thursday. He celebrated winning a $196k auction prize by planting a smacker on the lips of Uma, who was serving as host. Shady lady: She tried to blend in by hiding her famous features behind circular sunglasses Keeping her head down: She did not seem in the mood to mingle with her adoring fans Lingering: The pair had their hands on each other's heads as they smooched Uma's representative told MailOnline: 'It is opportunism at its worst. She wasn't complicit in it. 'Somewhere in his head he must have thought it an appropriate way of behaving. It clearly wasn't. 'It looks like she was happy to have it happen, but it was not consensual.' Lapo, who is famous for his outrageous behaviour has so far declined to comment, however he seemed at ease as he enjoyed a romantic rendevouz with a lady friend in Ibiza the following day. He kissed her when she congratulated him on winning the Victorias Secret Fashion Show experience, which includes two tickets to the 2016 show as well as two tickets to the exclusive after party. Appearances can be deceiving: Her spokesman said that while it looked like she was happy to have it happen, it was not consensual Smiling through gritted teeth: Uma tried not to make a scene following their kiss He's been rumoured to have been romantically involved with the mother of star NRL players the Burgess brothers, Sunrise co-host Samantha Armytage and now Terri Irwin. But much as they have with the others, Australia Zoo has laughed off any relationship between Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe, 52, and the wife of the late The Crocodile Hunter, 51. In an article published on Monday in New Idea, an 'insider close to the actor' claimed the couple were unable to 'fight their love any longer.' Scroll down for video 'She'll be flattered!' Australia Zoo laughs off romantic links between Terri Irwin (left) and Russell Crowe (right) 'She'll be flattered!' an Australia Zoo spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'Russell Crowe is a long-time friend of the Irwin family and has been for many years, [but] the report that Terri and Russell are romantically linked is simply untrue.' The story also claimed that neighbours have seen the Gladiator star 'half-naked' on the balcony of the wildlife warrior's $3.2 million home on the Sunshine Coast, even waving to locals as they pass. 'Russell Crowe is a long-time friend of the Irwin family': A spokesperson did not deny the pair had known each other for a long time High profile: The conservationist trio, Bindi, Terri and Robert, 12, live at Australia Zoo as Wildlife Warriors 'The truth is, they're both at similar stages of their lives and have so much in common - kids, looking for love, big careers. It was only a matter of time before they fell in love,' claimed the source. Their friendship is no secret however, with the mother-of-two wishing the Gladiator star a happy birthday via Twitter, saying: 'Thinking of you Russell Crowe, Hope your birthday was wonderful.' It's been ten years since Terri lost her husband Steve, who died tragically when he was struck in the chest by a stingray, and it's not the first time she's been romantically linked to a Hollywood identity. More rumours: In November last year, there were rumours linking Terri to Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan In November last year, there were rumours linking Terri to Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, who had split from his wife Linda Koslowski in late 2013. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, a representative for Terri branded the reports as 'completely false', while Paul's management said they had 'never heard such a thing'. 'Since splitting from Linda, everyone's been pushing Paul to take Terri out on a date,' a source was said to have told New Idea at the time. She is best known for rocking a beige prison uniform in Orange Is The New Black. And Laverne Cox definitely looked a far cry from Sophia Burset on her latest red carpet. The 31-year-old actress put on quite the eye-popping display upon her arrival at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday night. Scroll down for video Taking the plunge: Laverne Cox looked fabulous as she arrived at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday night She definitely upped the glamour in a very low-cut black dress while making her way toward the event held at the new T-Mobile Arena. Laverne wore a black mermaid-dress featuring a deep v-cut neckline and a patterned, sequined detailing around the torso and arms. The frock featured grey bands around the waist and down the neckline and hips along with a flowy skirt which dragged on the pink carpet. Wow factor: The 31-year-old actress wore a black mermaid dress featuring a very low-cut neckline She accessorised with gold bracelets, rings and earrings while clutching onto a metal box clutch. Her highlighted brunette tresses were worn down flowing over her shoulder as she sported natural, complimentary make-up on her face including a swipe of shiny pink lip. It is quite an exciting time in Laverne's life as she will star in the two-hour, taped reimagining of The Rocky Horror Picture Show premiering in October. On Monday, Fox debuted the first teaser for the highly-anticipated television event as she attempted Tim Curry's upper-crust Kensington accent as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Cleaning up: The intricate number featured a long skirt which dragged on the pink carpet 'Enchante...how nice!' the 5ft11in trans-actress - who turns 32 this month - said in the 30-second preview. 'It's not easy having a good time.' The Alabama-born beauty described her version of the bisexual, cross-dressing scientist as 'the love child of Grace Jones and David Bowie.' 'I think we mix up the look more than they did in the original. It's way more elaborate and couture,' Laverne - who made her singing debut - told EW last week. 'I get tweets from people, "Please don't f*** up Rocky Horror Picture Show!" I showed my [twin brother M. Lamar] pictures of me in character and he was like, "You were preparing your whole life for this."' 'It's not easy having a good time': On Monday, Fox debuted the first teaser for its two-hour, taped reimagining of The Rocky Horror Picture Show premiering this October 'Enchante...how nice!' In it, Orange Is the New Black's Laverne attempted Tim Curry's upper-crust Kensington accent as Dr. Frank-N-Furter She turned 70 on May 1. But on Sunday, some three weeks later, actress Joanna Lumley was still celebrating as she attended a special horse race named in her honour - and run at 4:10pm, the time of her birth - at Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland. The Absolutely Fabulous star nailed her racing day look, wearing a pink and finely tailored trapeze line dress-coat from Suzannah. Scroll down for video Horsing around: On Sunday the actress Joanna Lumley attended a special horse race named in her honour - and run at 4:10pm, the time of her birth - at Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland The A-line silhouette with round neck and concealed front button fastening worked well with her shape, while the deep pleat detail at the back of the garment gave her movement and charm. The Wolf Of Wall Street actress wore a lovely band of pearls and Jimmy Choo shoes, and carried a Longchamp bag, all of which contributed to her sophisticated and polished look. She crowned the ensemble with a vintage hat that was large enough to fight off the rays and make a fashion statement. She's still got it: The Absolutely Fabulous star nailed her racing day look, wearing a pink and finely tailored trapeze line dress-coat from Suzannah Considered: The A-line silhouette with round neck and concealed front button fastening worked well with her shape, while the deep pleat detail at the back of the garment gave her movement and charm Accessorise: The Wolf Of Wall Street actress wore a lovely band of pearls and Jimmy Choo shoes, and carried a Longchamp bag, all of which contributed to her sophisticated and polished look Topping it off: She crowned the look with a vintage hat, large enough to fight off the rays and make a fashion statement One for the road: Joanna happily autographed programmes for her legion of fans A lover of animals, Joanna took great delight in presenting the prize to the winning horse Maneen and his horse trainer Dermot Weld. Known for her comedic timing, she had onlookers in stitches as she spoke to the horse and congratulated him on his win. Her sense of humour will take centre stage again this summer when the highly anticipated big screen adaptation of Absolutely Fabulous hits cinemas in the UK on July 1, and in the US and Australia on July 22 and August 11, respectively. Well done! A lover of animals, Joanna took great delight in presenting the prize to the winning horse Maneen and his horse trainer Dermot Weld Always laughing: Known for her comedic timing, she had onlookers in stitches as she spoke to the horse and congratulated him on his win A brush with greatness: The locals were all too keen to wish Joanna a happy birthday, even if it took place three weeks ago The official synopsis for the film reads: 'Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamour, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around Londons trendiest hotspots. 'Blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party, they become entangled in a media storm and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi. 'Fleeing penniless to the glamorous playground of the super-rich, the French Riviera, they hatch a plan to make their escape permanent and live the high life forevermore!' As well as starring in the film, Jennifer Saunders wrote the script, which was directed by Mandie Fletcher, produced by Jon Plowman and Damian Jones. The original TV series was first broadcast in 1992 and continued for five seasons. Thank you so much: Joanna was touched to receive a commemorative portrait to remind her of the race named in her honour Continuing to be by her husband Oliver Curtis' side during his trial, Australian PR guru Roxy Jacenko was once again spotted arriving at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Sydney on Monday. The 34-year-old mother-of-two wore a sleek black dress, the Christian Dior number featuring a dotted print throughout. Her dress featured short sleeves and finished well above the knees, and was teamed with a few accessories on the day. Scroll down for video Spotted: Continuing to be by her husband Oliver Curtis' side during his trial, Australian PR guru Roxy Jacenko was once again spotted arriving at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Sydney on Monday Roxy was seen holding onto a metallic gold clutch, while walking into the courtroom in a pair of nude and black Gianvito Rossi heels. Her golden locks were worn out in loose waves, while she completed her look with a pair of dark sunglasses. Meanwhile Oliver was seen wearing a crisp navy blue coloured suit. Sleek in black: The 34-year-old mother-of-two wore a sleek black dress, the Christian Dior number featuring a dotted print throughout Lovely look: Her dress featured short sleeves and finished well above the knees He also sported a white shirt, maroon tie and black laced shoes. While accompanying her husband last week, Roxy also opted for sleek black ensembles on more than one occasion. On Thursday she cut a serious demeanour in all-black outfit, as she arrived for court on the arm of her beau. The astute businesswoman wore a knee-length leather skirt teamed with a black knit and strappy stilettos. Finishing touches: Roxy's outfit was teamed with a few accessories on the day Accessoriser: Roxy was seen holding onto a metallic gold clutch, while walking into the courtroom in a pair of nude and black Gianvito Rossi heels The day before she also opted for a basic black ensemble featuring a wrap skirt tied at the waist paired with a matching fitted singlet. Prosecutors allege Roxy's husband Oliver Curtis conspired with his former best friend to commit insider trading offences between 1 May 2007 and 30 June 2008. The alleged offences netted the pair a reported $1.433 million, prosecutors told the New South Wales Supreme Court on Wednesday a week before the last. Just prior to jury selection, the 30-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charge telling Justice Lucy McCallum and potential jurors: 'Not guilty, your honour.' Suited up: Oliver was seen wearing a crisp navy blue coloured suit She's one of the most recognisable chefs today thanks to her hugely popular string of television series and recipe books. But Nigella Lawson said she never imagined herself working in television, or with food for that matter. Speaking to TV Week while in the country filming scenes for MasterChef Australia, the sultry 56-year-old said working with food was not what she had initially planned to do. Scroll down for video Finding success: Sultry TV cook Nigella Lawson told TV Week she 'had no intention of having a career in food' 'I had no intention of having a career in food,' she admitted. 'With my first book, I didn't think about writing another one. It's just the way it happened. I really enjoyed it, so I carried on.' The brunette beauty, who hails from England, has forged an extremely successful and lucrative career from several cook books, having released her first titled How To Eat in 1998. She has since become a household name thanks to the extensive string of hit television shows including Nigella Bites, Forever Summer with Nigella, Nigella Feasts and Nigellissima. 'I really enjoyed it, so I carried on': Nigella has released countless books after her first debuted in 1998 'Queen Of Frozen Peas': She has become a household name after a string of successful cookery books and various hit television series Often dubbed a 'domestic goddess' and widely known for her tendency to 'flirt' with the camera, her charming nature and approachable cooking style have won her fans and critical acclaim. The mother-of-two told TV Week that she attributed her longevity in the industry to being herself and relating to her viewers and readers. 'If you try to pretend to be what you're not, people can smell that and you wouldn't enjoy it,' she said. Holding her own: The popular television personality and cook is starring on Masterchef Australia as a guest judge for a full week of the 2016 series Master in the kitchen: The 56-year-old, who has not had any formal training, is repeatedly praised for her approachable cooking style and use of quick home tricks She added she's consistently honest and real with her cooking, unashamedly using stock concentrate and embracing her nickname of 'The Queen Of Frozen Peas'. Nigella has two children - Cosima, 22, and Bruno, 19 - with her late first husband, John Diamond. In their younger years, Cosima and Bruno featured heavily in her cooking shows, which not only focused on easy cooking for busy families but also Nigella's lifestyle in London. The brunette beauty is appearing on Masterchef Australia on Channel 10 as a guest judge for a full week of the popular show. She's an aspiring songstress, looking to follow in the footsteps of her mother. And now Chloe Lattanzi has shown that she is quite the entertainer as well, putting on a more adult display as she enjoyed the last of her holiday poolside in Palm Springs. The 30-year-old daughter of Olivia Newton-John seductively straddles the pool handrail and appears to lick her lips as she poses for the cheeky shot shared to Instagram. Scroll down for video Cheeky! Chloe Lattanzi has shown that she is quite the entertainer, putting on a more adult display as she seductively straddles the pool handrail and enjoyed the last of her holiday poolside in Palm Springs 'Bye bye #palmsprings,' Chloe captioned the fun snap before showing off her quick wit and adding: 'Sad 2 leave my #stripperpool get it?' accompanied by several laughing emojis. Chloe also flaunts her very slender physique and extremely pert derriere in a barely-there string bikini top and Brazilian-cut bottoms. Her unruly two-tone locks are flipped to one side and goes makeup-free for her sun-baking session. The petite starlet has been enjoying the delights of the Californian city with a group of friends over the weekend. Like mother like daughter: Chloe has been documenting her trip through Instagram and on Sunday night posed alongside a poster her famous Australian mother while out for dinner Chloe has been documenting her trip through Instagram and on Sunday night posed alongside a poster her famous Australian mother while out for dinner. In a shot taken straight out of Grease, Olivia's youth is on full display as her only-daughter stands next to the picture with a full pout and her eyes closed. 'Saw my mom at dinner last night,' she wrote. 'Breathe': Clearly proud of her incredibly toned body, Chloe also shared a number of bikini shots as she floated in the crystal clear water while on vacation to social media Relaxed: Wearing a floral bikini top and black bottoms, Chloe looked at peace in the snap The beauty isn't one to shy away from a racy snap and her social media feed is full of photos that flaunt her svelte figure. Clearly proud of her incredibly toned body, Chloe also shared a number of bikini shots as she floated in the crystal clear water while on vacation to social media. Wearing a floral bikini top and black bottoms, Chloe looked at peace as she simply wrote 'Breathe' for the caption. Hot to trot! The beauty isn't one to shy away from a racy snap and her social media feed is full of photos that flaunt her svelte figure They claimed to be 'in love' after getting together early last month. However it would seem there's trouble in paradise for Gabi Grecko and her girlfriend Angelique 'French' Morgan. Gabi took to social media on Monday to share a very cryptic message that simply read 'Goodbye', prompting Instagram users to ask if she was okay. Scroll down for video Trouble in paradise? After seven weeks of dating and claiming to be 'in love' thing aren't looking good for Gabi Grecko (R) and her so-called girlfriend Angelique 'Frenchy' Morgan (L) Are they over? Gabi took to social media on Monday to share a cryptic message that read 'Goodbye' With no caption written, fans of the 26-year-old were left to make their own assumptions on what the post could mean. It also appeared that the busty Maxim model removed all pictures that featured her 40-year-old flame, with Gabi's Instagram account now only featuring 47 posts - all of her solo. Frenchy's Instagram tells a similar tale, with every picture that once featured the estranged wife of Australian businessman Geoffrey Edelsten now deleted. The latest post by the glamour model was uploaded on Sunday and was a promo for her appearance on the plastic surgery reality show Blotched. Unknown: Gabi's post prompted Instagram users to ask if she was okay with fans of the 26-year-old left to make their own assumptions on what it could mean Lovers no more? Frenchy's Instagram tells a similar tale, with every picture that once featured the estranged wife of Australian businessman Geoffrey Edelsten now deleted Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Gabi for comment. Despite only dating for seven weeks, the pair kept fans by appearing in risque and strange photoshoots together, most recently wearing diapers and nipple pasties while sucking pacifiers. Their relationship got off to a confusing, if not strange start, when Frenchy denied they were an item. Full of surprises: Despite only dating for seven weeks, the pair kept fans by appearing in risque and strange photoshoots together, most recently wearing diapers and nipple pasties while sucking pacifiers Odd: Their relationship got off to a confusing, if not strange start, when Frenchy denied they were an item saying 'Dating? No, we're not. She is young and gets excited...'to Daily Mail Australia 'Dating? No, we're not. She is young and gets excited...' the former UK Big Brother star told Daily Mail Australia. 'Maybe she is just in love with my crazy personality. We're both blonde and crazy, sexy, funny eccentric. We're meeting at my pad in Malibu this week for some double trouble soon.' Two days later, the so-called girlfriends were seen getting acquainted with one another in bed with Gabi exclaiming: 'She's an amazing woman, we're taking things really slow.' On or off? Two days later, the so-called girlfriends were seen getting acquainted with one another in bed with Gabi exclaiming: 'She's an amazing woman, we're taking things really slow. Gabi had only revealed via social media she was bi-sexual a week before flying out to California to meet with Frenchy. In a snub to her controversial ex-husband Gabi claimed that her new girlfriend 'makes (her) happier than anyone else could.' 'I'm really happy, I've waited a long time to meet her after talking and Skyping for so long,' Gabi added. Former flame: It also appeared that the busty model removed all pictures that featured her 40-year-old flame, with Gabi's Instagram account now only featuring 47 posts - all of her solo Gabi had only revealed via social media she was bi-sexual a week before flying out to California to meet with Frenchy It is thirsty work going for a walk in the California sunshine. But LeAnn Rimes and her husband Eddie Cibrian made sure they were prepared by carrying a bottle of booze - presumably to an afternoon party - as they went for a stroll in Los Angeles on Sunday. The glamour couple looked like they were having a splendid romantic walk together as they sauntered around the trendy Studio City area. Time to whisky a go go: LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian bought some booze as they walked in Los Angeles on Sunday LeAnn, 33, was looking lithe in a pair of torn skinny jeans, grey off-the-shoulder and a pair of trainers. Sunset Beach legend Eddie, 42, meanwhile went for a smart but casual look of pullover, jeans and leather shoes. The couple, whose relationship started when their both married to other people, have been happily wed since April 2011. They met when they filmed Lifetime TV movie Northern Lights back in 2008, with Eddie subsequently leaving his wife Brandi Glanville, who is the mother of his two children, while LeAnn also split from her husband and former backup dancer Dean Sheremet. That put a smile on his face: The Sunset Beach legend looked particularly pleased with his drink of choice Drink me: LeAnn and her husband would have been in Wonderland after finishing their bottle Thirsty work: But the couple were prepared if they wanted to wet their whistles as they looked to be headed to an afternoon party Meanwhile all those wondering how they can look just as good LeAnn, finally had their prayers answered last year. The country stunner revealed her beauty regimen includes taking 40 pills a day. She said: ''I'm a big vitamin person. I take like 20 pills in the morning and 20 at night - fish oil, prenatal vitamins, probiotics, biotin... 'I have a herbalist I work with who has put me on a bunch of different things. Im very strict about making sure I take them,' LeAnn said. Golden girl: The country star's blonde locks were glimmering in the sunlight Time to bust 'er Rimes: No doubt they cracked open the bottle at the earliest opportunity Adam Neely was able to forgive Reza Farahan for jilting him at the alter on Sunday's episode of Shahs Of Sunset and finally said 'I do'. The couple were married in a surprise wedding in front of their closest friends. Reza had been planning to surprise Adam for weeks even though his pals were unsure about his plans. Scroll down for video Surprise wedding: Reza Farahan was nervous as his surprise wedding to Adam Neely was revealed on Sunday's episode of Shahs Of Sunset The 42-year-old real estate agent gathered all his friends to Palm Springs and told Adam that it was for a housewarming party. He then sprung the wedding on Adam during a dinner party with their wealthy Iranian-American crew. During the wedding prep Reza decided that the 'sneaking around' he'd done in his promiscuous days was actually helpful when planning a secret ceremony. 'That's the advantage of being a former ho,' he smiled. It's official: Adam and Reza kissed after the surprise wedding ceremony was over Sneaking around: Reza gave credit to his past promiscuous ways for helping him keep the wedding a surprise But on the big day Reza was sick with last-minute nerves. 'I don't actually know if he's going to say yes,' he fretted. At the chintzy dinner Reza read a love letter for Adam that detailed 'public sex' and the romance of their courtship. Sweating it: The real estate agent was sweating it out before Adam said yes 'You're the love of my life,' Reza told him sweetly. But as Asa Soltan Rahmati jumped up and began to recite their vows Adam recoiled. 'I need to talk to you in private,' he said, visibly sweating. Moment of truth: Reza said 'I do' first and then waited for Adam to come along Wait for it: Reza and Asa Soltan Rahmati waited for a response from Adam After a long pause Adam said 'yes' and they kissed to seal the deal. 'The sun is shining internally in my soul,' gushed Reza afterward. Adding: 'I love this man so much'. Getting emotional: Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi got emotional at the surprise wedding of her friends Odd time: Mike Shouhed attended the wedding as his own marriage was in trouble 'With those simple words ''I do'' you go from being a separate entity to being a unity. We're one thing now,' Reza said. As the couple exited in their chauffeured limo, Reza added: 'It's me and him against the world now and I'm ready for whatever life has in store for us'. The show had opened at Mike Shouhed's house. Marriage problem: Reza visited Mike after his wife Jessica Parido recently left him Reza came over with groceries to cheer him up since his wife Jessica Parido had recently left him. 'I've neglected her, I've been rude to her,' admitted the 36-year-old reality star tearfully. 'She's f***ing hot, she deserves the best and I didn't step up,' he lamented. Moved out: Jessica moved out after just a few months of marriage Reza also became upset and chastised Mike for going clubbing. 'Get her back,' he commanded. Meanwhile Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi went trampolining, but her recent hand surgery and 'new set of ladies' was hindering her a little. Jumping around: GG enjoyed a trampoline session but was limited due to her hand surgery She decided that Reza's wedding would be an opportunity for her to 'exude her positivity on others, for once'. Mike met with Jessica for crisis talks over the state of their marriage. 'Now all you care about is money,' she complained, saying that she was 'so disappointed with life'. Crisis talks: Mike met with Jessica but they failed to reconcile Mike apologised and begged for her back. 'Pain will make you realise how much you are in love,' he sighed. At Reza's 'housewarming' party Mercedes 'MJ' Javid got annoyed with people 'naysaying' her fast track new love affair with Tommy. Getting ready: MJ squeezed into her dress for the surprise wedding ON the couch: Adam and Reza relaxed before the party that turned into a wedding 'I'm with the right guy,' she barked to Mike, who was very skeptical. Reza meanwhile had left it very late to shop for Adam's wedding ring. 'Are you kidding? It's the day of the wedding,' balked MJ, 42. Wedding ring: Reza waited until the last second to buy the wedding ring The nuptials were hard for Mike, who was recalling his own wedding day and the subsequent failure of his marriage. 'It's really sad, it makes me feel like s***,' he sniffed. Shahs Of Sunset continues next Sunday on Bravo. Kim Kardashian was not willing to be forced into a reconciliation with Blac Chyna stating that she would only talk with Chyna when she was completely ready. The reality TV star voiced her opinions during Sundays episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Kim was explaining to her sister Khloe that she had 'hung up' on Blac Chyna after Rob had tried to force them to speak on the telephone. Not ready: Kim Kardashian discussed how she was not ready to meet Blac Chyna yet on Sunday's episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians I just wasnt readyand Im not going to be forced to be on the phone with her, complained the 35-year-old mother of two. Chyna was my friend but I had no choice but to take my sisters sidethats my sister, she recalled of the family drama that ensued after her sister Kylie started dating Chyna's former boyfriend Tyga. Adding: Ill talk to her when Im ready. At Kris Jenners house the matriarch complained that her driveway had been scratched. Making amends: Rob Kardashian met with mum Kris Jenner after Kim chewed him out Driveway scratched: Kris earlier scolded Kim who she blamed for scuff marks on her driveway Deaf ears: Kim and Kourtney pretty much ignored Kris as she talked about the driveway The least you guys could do is be a little bit respectful of my driveway, she moaned to Kim. Literally, theres something wrong every single day, Kim told Kourtney. But Kris was at the end of her tether and later moved Kims furniture out of her room while she was out. Fed up: Kris was at the end of tether with Kim and her family living in her home Mom is so f***ing annoying, complained Kim who later decided to move out as a surprise for her mother. Kourtney was in charge of distracting Kris while the removal men did their work. I havent had a meal to myself in three years, Kris moaned to Kourtney as they ate. So annoying: Kim complained about her mother complaining every day about something wrong at her house Last time: Kourtney endured a final complaint session from Kris about Kim living at her place On returning Kris was overjoyed to find Kim had finally vacated her property. This is the best surprise, yelled the 60-year-old momager'. Kris was wounded because Rob had made fun of her, after she had stocked his cupboards with healthy foods. Best surprise: Kris hugged Kim after she surprised her mum by moving her stuff out She's stoked: The momager raised her arms excitedly as soon as Kim left Happy dance: Kris also did a little jig as she had her house back I cant really deal with Rob right nowIm so hurt, she sniffed. Kim later shouted at Rob on the telephone calling him petty as f*ck. There are so many haters out there in the world we dont need them from our inner circle, she told him angrily. Going off: Kim went off on her brother Rob for mocking their mother's housewarming efforts on social media as Kylie looked on I dont want no fighting, he replied, swearing to change his ways. Kim then forced Rob to meet with Kris to apologise. Im very appreciative of everything, he told her. Making up: Rob paid a visit and explained to Kris that he was being humorous and meant no offense You obviously didnt understand the humour, it was funny, he consoled. The most important thing is that Rob is in a really positive place and thats really all that matters, said Kris. Chyna was disgruntled about Kylies online cooking session and took to Instagram and publicly voiced her irritation. Cooking tips: Kylie had a cooking session on her mobile app and invited sister Khloe She's funny: Khloe kept the sex jokes coming as Kylie was trying to talk about food Kim was annoyed, but told her sisters not to respond on social media. The fact that my brother would allow his girlfriend to talk so bad about his little sister publicly isnt cool, she grumbled. Rob had posted another message that had annoyed the K women: When the p good but your family dont like her, so you drop your family and become an orphan. To me that is not funnyhe is so annoying, said Khloe, who was doing a shoot for Shape magazine. Not funny: Khloe said she wasn't finding the humour in Rob's postings on social media Magazine shoot: Kim visited the set where Khloe was taking a photoshoot for Shape magazine Revenge body: Khloe showed off her revenge body during the photoshoot Meanwhile Kendall Jenner felt hurt that Kylie and Kourtney would visit the city and not contact her. I dont want to be forgotten just because I work a lot, said the supermodel tearfully. Kendall also told Kourtney that she didn't know what sauerkraut was. Family outing: Kendall Jenner joined Kourtney for lunch Missing out: Kourtney told Kendall about going out on the town without her 'What's sauerkraut? Sounds gross,' she said. While Kendall said she missed American grocery stores Kim admitted that she hasnt been to a grocery store in like four years. Like I dont even know what flavor deodorants they have any more, she confessed. Grocery store: Kim admitted she hasn't been in a grocery store for years The sisters then planned a surprise homecoming party to make Kendal feel loved. We never want you to feel left out, Kim told her as they enjoyed a girls night in. In another weird scene Kim and her best friend Jonathan Cheban joked about their next choice of Halloween costume. Homecoming party: Kendall was treated to a surprise homecoming party by her sisters Hug lessons: Kourtney gave Kendall a lesson in hugging It would be fun if you came out as Amber Roseand then Kanye can stay KanyeKylie can be Chyna and Tyga can just stay Tyga, he doesnt have to switch, said Jonathan. I think thats lit, said Kanye on the phone moments later when told of the costume plans. Keeping Up With The Kardashians continues next week on the E! network. Halloween plans: Kim told her husband Kanye West about Jonathan Cheban's idea for Halloween costumes They found friendship just three years ago when they both appeared as mentors on the first and only series of The Face Australia. But as all good friends do, Cheyenne Tozzi was sure to wish supermodel Naomi Campbell a happy 46th birthday. The 27-year-old shared a sultry snap to Instagram on Sunday night of the pair sat on a leather bench with their heads resting on their palms. Scroll down for video Professional posers: Cheyenne Tozzi wished supermodel Naomi Campbell a happy 46th birthday sharing a snap of them perched on a bench 'Happy birthday little miss,' wrote Cheyenne in the caption, which she accompanied with three lipstick kisses emojis. The doe-eyed Australia's Next Top Model mentor looked effortlessly sophisticated in a floor-length gown with a plunging neckline. Meanwhile Naomi, showing that she still has very much got that wow factor after four decades, looked impeccable in a sequinned mini-dress. Upcoming! Cheyenne is a mentor for the upcoming season of Australia's Next Top Model (pictured with fellow stars Megan Gale and Alex Perry) The pair first met in Australia 2013 for filming on the model search series The Face, in which they starred alongside fellow model Nicole Trunfio. Unlike her co-star Nicole, Cheyenne hit it off instantly with Naomi, who described her to GQ magazine as: 'A beautiful person inside and out.' To help make the formidable British force feel at home Down Under, the Tozzi's had her over for lunch. Pals: The pair first met in Australia 2013 for filming on the model search series The Face, in which they starred alongside fellow model Nicole Trunfio (seen here in December 2013) 'We just had such a laugh. She's lovely - she even came for lunch with my family,' the Cronulla-born beauty divulged. Naomi is one of the original supermodels from the '90s, which also included Australian Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Christy Turlington. Naomi has since launched her autobiography, a two-volume book features photos, ads, magazine covers, candid snaps and words from the model herself and retails for 1,250 (AUD$2,500). She's been on a nationwide comedy tour and now Amy Schumer has made a pit stop in Hawaii. The 34-year-old took some time out for beach fun with a pal over the weekend. The star, who was dressed in a stylish black one-piece, giggled with a friend as they splashed around in the surf together. Her boyfriend Ben Hanisch appeared to skip the outing, but he did post a shot of the star posing in front of the water in a hotel room just hours earlier. Beach fun: Amy Schumer took a dip while enjoying a vacation in Hawaii over the weekend The pair recently celebrated their six month anniversary. The furniture designer took to Instagram to mark the occasion with a sweet selfie. Ben captioned the social media post: '6 months with this babe and I couldn't be any happier.' Classic: The comedian opted for a simple but stylish black swimsuit The actress and the Chicago-based furniture designer took their relationship public in January, and ever since have posted a bevy of cute photos to their social media pages. Amy's beau is a University of Utah graduate who previously worked as a design consultant for HGTV before founding his own business, according to his LinkedIn profile. The Comedy Central star has previously dated comedian Anthony Jeselnik, and WWE star Dolph Ziggler. Giggles: She appeared in great spirits while splashing around with a pal The stand-up comedian's tour coincided with the fourth season of her hit Comedy Central show Inside Amy Schumer. Amy's first book The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo will hit bookstores in August. In addition, the busy star recently penned a screenplay with her best pal Jennifer Lawrence, in which they play sisters, and has signed on to play Goldie Hawn's daughter in an upcoming comedy. Amy also has a role opposite Miles Teller in the dramatic film Thank You For Your Service, which is due for release later this year. Adoring boyfriend: Ben Hanisch posted this snap of his love on Saturday She is undoubtedly a yummy mummy. And stunning Amanda Holden has gained herself a new admirer in the form of Britain's Got Talent hopeful Wayne Woodward, who proffered a very lewd expression of desire towards the star. The 45-year-old TV talent judge was deemed a 'MILF' by the talented crooner, 21, meaning a 'Mum I'd like to f**k' before he revealed his desire to beat the sex records of legendary Lotharios. Scroll down for video Sheer gown: Amanda Holden has gained herself a new admirer in the form of Britain's Got Talent hopeful Wayne Woodward, who proffered a very lewd expression of desire towards the star Amanda married record producer Chris Hughes in 2008 and the couple share two daughters, nine-year-old Alexa and three-year-old Hollie. Wayne wowed both judges with his rendition of Frank Sinatra's 1958 hit The Way You Look Tonight, receiving a standing ovation from the panel - including object of his desire, Amanda. Speaking to The Sun, the handsome crooner revealed: 'Amanda, shes a MILF, she is lovely.' Not content with just discussing his crush, he also took to Twitter to inform his 3,277 followers that he thought Amanda was a 'sort' - slang for somebody good looking. Trying his luck: The 45-year-old TV talent judge was deemed a 'MILF' by the talented crooner, 21, meaning a 'Mum I'd like to f**k' before he revealed his desire to beat the sex records of legendary Lotharios Sexy stuff: Not content with just discussing his crush, he also took to Twitter to inform his 3,277 followers that he thought Amanda was a 'sort' - slang for somebody good looking Wayne's desire for the blonde beauty no doubt reached fever pitch when he saw her in her sizzling ensemble at Sunday night's live semi-final - in which she dared to bare. The stunning blonde slipped into a glimmering black gown with a plunging key-hole neckline with an entirely bare back and legs. The glittery sheath overlay boasted a long train with lengthy sleeves while underneath she rocked just a scanty leotard, making for a shocking exposure of flesh. With her hair scraped into a high ponytail and a smouldering smokey eye, she truly nailed the super sexy vixen look to full effect. Smoking: Wayne's desire for the blonde beauty no doubt reached fever pitch when he saw her in her sizzling ensemble at Sunday night's live semi-final - in which she dared to bare Sizzling: The stunning blonde slipped into a glimmering black gown with a plunging key-hole neckline with an entirely bare back and legs While Wayne may not be successful in scoring with happily married Amanda, he was quick to tell the publication about the excess of female attention he is receiving since first gracing screens last month. He said: 'People like Tom Jones and Rod Stewart, they can get any bird they want. I could beat their sex records, yeah! Ive got a few dancers with me on the semi-final and theyre lovely. 'At the moment were trying to keep it professional but theres a couple Id like no-strings-attached fun with... Theyre sending me explicit images that I cant really talk about. Theyre very explicit. Completely naked!' She's been spotted multiple times over the past week showcasing her flawless figure on the set of Home And Away. And on Monday, Anna Bamford was back at it again as she filmed scenes for the Australian soap in a pair of white cut-off shorts. The 26-year-old stunner ensured that she was a standout star on the series as she flaunted her trim pins, which still looked leggy and lithe despite the fact she was wearing sneakers not heels. Legs for days! Anna Bamford showed off her flawless legs on the set of Home And Away on Monday The blonde beauty paired her short-shorts with a loose denim vest to complete the casual ensemble. Anna, who found fame on the hit drama Wonderland, tied her luscious blonde locks into a ponytail. The starlet is now headed to Summer Bay for a guest role, and has admitted to being a huge fan of the long-running soap during her teen years. Stunning; The 26-year-old's trim pins were impossible to miss in a pair of white cut-off shorts Keeping it casual: The actress sported sneakers on her feet and wore a loose denim vest on top While I havent been watching it in recent years, I was a big fan growing up when Rebecca Cartwright was on the show, she told the Daily Telegraph. When I was around 13 I loved it. Anna was last seen on TV a year ago playing girl next door Miranda Beaumont on Wonderland, her first ever acting role, and was excited about swapping Bondi for Palm Beach. On location: Home and Away is filmed at Sydney Palm Beach Its a show thats been running for so long and is the most iconic Australian show so I am really excited about being a part of that, Anna told the Daily Telegraph Its a show thats been running for so long and is the most iconic Australian show so I am really excited about being a part of that, she said. Anna was nominated for Most Outstanding Newcomer and the 2016 Logie Awards but lost to 800 words actress Melina Vidler. 'I was a big fan growing up when Rebecca Cartwright was on the show,' Anna said of Home and Away Last role: Anna was last seen on TV a year ago playing girl next door Miranda Beaumont on Wonderland, her first ever acting role Up and coming: Anna was nominated for Most Outstanding Newcomer and the 2016 Logie Awards but lost to 800 words actress Melina Vidler The Sydney actress was snapped at Thursday nights InStyle Women of Style Awards in an elegant black ankle-length dress. Showing off her glowing complexion and stunning physique, the dress was paired with strappy black heels and smouldering makeup to compliment her effortlessly chic look. On Instagram, Anna revealed that she had prepared for the red carpet event by undergoing a blueberry peel procedure at The Clinic, which is known to revive dull skin. She was rattled to learn of her 20 lbs weight gain after becoming pregnant with fiance Rob Kardashian's child. But Blac Chyna appeared to be in a chipper mood on Sunday as she stepped out for some shopping in Hollywood. The 28-year-old dressed her growing baby bump in a snug T-shirt as she sported a brightly colored jacket and black leggings. Blissful: Blac Chyna appeared to be in a chipper mood on Sunday as she stepped out for some shopping in Hollywood The pregnant star Snapchatted her weigh-in the day before, exclaiming to her son as the numbers 163.2 flashed onto the screen, 'Mommy's gained 20 pounds!' In the videos, the model also asked her son, whose father is her ex-fiance Tyga, about her future child's gender. It comes not long after Blac took aim at trolls who were criticizing her changing body. Changing body: She was rattled to learn of her 20 lbs weight gain after becoming pregnant with fiance Rob Kardashian's child Mirror, mirror on the wall: The expectant mother snapped a selfie in that same outfit In the now deleted post, Blac wrote: 'To all you people out here with negative comments and insecure words (obviously because you have nothing else to do but criticize the next) I AM HAVING A BABY!' She continued that she wants her pregnancy to be as comfortable as possible and that she wants to keep any negativity away from her future child. She wrote: 'Exactly what do you expect to see?! If I walked out in makeup and heels everyday to be beautiful to you means I WOULD BE MISERABLE AND UNHAPPY which are two vibes I refuse to transfer to my little one. 'If I comment on y'all pics and go in on them tired ass weaves or unblended a** contours I'll be wrong right? 'It'll be tragic! So stop playing & Put Some Respeck on my name.' Weighing in: Pregnant Blac Chyna was rattled to learn on Saturday that she had gained twenty pounds when she stepped onto the scale during a day in with her son King Cairo Her little one: Blac was busy spending time on Saturday with her son King Cairo, whose father is her ex-fiance Tyga With love: The 28-year-old spoke about her future child with her three-year-old son The strongly worded caption was accompanied by photos from her relaxing poolside outing in Miami on Monday. Blac and her fiance Rob Kardashian confirmed the pregnancy earlier this month. During a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Rob oddly joked that he had a son named 'Robert the third.' The sock entrepreneur was named after his late father, prominent attorney Robert Kardashian. Because he is Robert II, if he named his son Robert as well, that child would be Robert III. So in love: Rob and Chyna, pictured in New York on Wednesday, started dating in January 2016 and became engaged in April Rob and Blac went public with their relationship in January 2016 and became engaged in April. And with Rob and Chyna planning to get hitched, the Kardashian clan have begun to warm to Blac once more - after feuding with her while Kylie Jenner was dating the model's ex, Tyga. On a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian explained: 'She gave him confidence, more power to her. 'After Rob and Blac Chyna started dating, Rob is now, like, all over social media and, like, out and about.' She recently proved herself as a dazzling style icon at Cannes. And after being home for only a week, Lily-Rose Depp was back at LAX, Los Angeles to jet off to another international destination on Sunday for her fledgling work commitments. Even though the 16-year-old actress opted for comfortable attire, but kept a low profile regardless wearing an eye-catching bright sweater, complete with hood and matching Chanel bag. Scroll down for video Jet-setter: Lily-Rose Depp, 16, was back at LAX, Los Angeles to jet off to another international destination on Sunday - but she kept a low profile in a bright red sweater worn with the hood up and sunglasses The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis looked snug in the over-sized red number as she strolled through the airport. Opting to cover her chic shoulder length blonde hair, she threw up the hoodie and covered her mostly make-up free face with a pair of tinted sunnies. The muse of fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld casually balanced a quilted red Chanel backpack on her shoulder, which proved to be her carry on. Fiery red: Even though the actress opted for comfortable attire, she put her own spin on it with an eye-catching bright hoodie and matching bag Comfortable: The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis looked snug in the over-sized red number as she strolled through the airport The grunge-loving beauty kept the rest of her look pared down with navy leggings, tucked in with white socks and black trainers. Like normal travellers, the Los Angeles native stocked up on some food as she carried a brown paper bag and a cup of coffee in one hand. Lily-Rose, who has been the centre of attention lately with her rising fashionista status and acting endeavours, seemed to be more reserved and kept her head down as she sauntered across. Bad hair day! Opting to cover her chic shoulder length blonde hair, she threw up the hoodie and covered her mostly make-up free face with a pair of tinted sunnies Stylish touch: She casually balanced a quilted red Chanel backpack on her shoulder While she still seemed to look like a trendy teen at the airport, her glamorous Cannes appearances really put her on the fashionista map. She opted for a hoodie yet again at The Dancer's photo-call in Cannes earlier this month. The muse of Karl Lagerfeld wore head to toe Chanel and teamed the sporty top matching shorts from the latest collection which had a blue, red and white colourway, synonymous with the latest collection. On the big premiere night, Lily-Rose looked stunning in a black bardot gown with a small cut-out beaded waist. Trend-setter: She opted for a hoodie yet again at The Dancer's photo-call in Cannes earlier this month- but with a more classy take Head-turner: On the big premiere night, Lily-Rose looked stunning in a black bardot gown with a small cut-out beaded waist She posed up a storm alongside her co-stars- which included Kristen Stewart's former flame, Soko. The beauty who is rumoured to be dating model Ash Stymest, 24, is next set to star alongside her dad Johnny in the comedy horror, Yoga Hosers in July. She'll also join Kevin Smith and Genesis Rodriguez in the flick Moose Jaws. The Biggest Loser Australia's Fiona Falkiner turned to eHarmony to find love and is now enjoying a budding romance with a Sydney restaurateur. And it seems things are going from strength-to-strength for the pair as they were spotted soaking up the sun at a beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches last month. Fiona, 33, turned up the heat as she flashed her chest stripping down to a bikini as her beau went shirtless, with Fiona kissing his chest at one point as they lay on the sand. Scroll down for video Beachside love: Fiona Falkiner and her restaurateur beau were seen soaking up the sun at a beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches last month Affectionate: Fiona kissed his chest at one point as they laid down Success: The Biggest Loser Australia's Fiona Falkiner turned to eHarmony to find love The pair perched themselves on the sand for the day, sitting on beach towels close to one another. Fiona had her blonde locks swept back off her face into a high ponytail and went make-up free. Her new love interest was laying down on his back as Fiona laid on her stomach as they chatted. Ready for some fun: They had a Kayak next to them and a paddle board Flaunting her curves, the beauty looked tanned as she relaxed. At another point, she slipped on a loose grey T-shirt to cover her shoulders as she worked on her tan in her two piece. Throughout the day, the pair took photos of the view on their phones. New love: In March, the eHarmony ambassador told Daily Mail Australia that she had met a business owner Hot to trot: Fiona, 33, turned up the heat as she flashed her chest stripping down to a bikini Enjoying the view: The pair perched themselves on the sand for the day, sitting on beach towels close to one another Close: The pair were deep in conversation at one point Beach babe: Flaunting her curves, the beauty looked tanned as she relaxed Keeping social media up-to-date? Throughout the day, the pair took photos of the view on their phones They had a Kayak next to them and a paddle board and her new date showed off his tattoos as he paddled around the sea. Fiona - who teamed her grey T-shirt with a white skirt on the day - was seen enjoying a paddle in the kayak too. They then packed up their belongings and left the beach, both carrying an end of the kayak. Paddling around: Fiona - who teamed her grey T-shirt with a white skirt on the day - could be seen having a go on the kayak Tatt's appeal: Her man showed off his tattoos as he paddled around the water Where to next? They then packed up their belongings and left the beach, both carrying an end of the kayak In March, the eHarmony ambassador told Daily Mail Australia that she had met the business owner. 'I've met someone who is really lovely and ticks a lot of the boxes', she gushed at the time. 'The time I spend with him is really lovely and we've been doing really fun stuff', she said, adding they like to enjoy the great outdoors together. low-key: She said she they have relaxed dates and she doesn't have to be 'the model' In action: She said they like to enjoy the great outdoors together Casual: Fiona looked chic in her grey T-shirt and white skirt 'He likes the quiet life which is something that I really like as well. 'Just doing stuff outside of the bustling city, getting away and appreciating nature and relaxing and just spending quality time together. 'When we're together it's just nice for me because I can just be myself. Inked up: Her man showed off his many tattoos, including a script on the inside of his right arm and a design on his left shoulder Her match? At the time, she said he 'ticks a lot of the boxes' and enables her to be herself Doing well: Fiona is now the host of the weightloss series The Biggest Loser Australia 'I can go to the beach and I don't have to have my hair and makeup done and I can still feel comfortable and relaxed. I can be not 'the model'', she later added. At the time, she said the pair have not yet spoken about making things official. Last month, she again gushed about her new love interest to Daily Mail Australia as she urged people to try 'something new' like online dating. Stay open: Last month, she again gushed about her new love interest to Daily Mail Australia as she urged people to try 'something new' like online dating Cool: Fiona made sure to stay hydrated on the day and was seen sipping bottled water Body transformation: She appeared as a contestant on The Biggest Loser Australia and shed 30kg in 2008 'I did and I went on some really great dates and met an incredible guy. Just step out of the box and try something different,' she said. Fiona - who appeared as a contestant on The Biggest Loser Australia and shed 30kg in 2008 - is currently enjoying a holiday in the US. The star - who is now the host of the weight loss series - has enjoyed time in California and heading to New York. Hard yards: The pair shared the load when carrying the kayak, with Fiona leading the way Along way from home! Fiona is currently enjoying a holiday in the US Holiday: While in the US, she has made sure to keep up her strict exercise regime, including doing a SoulCycle session She has made sure to keep up her strict exercise regime, including doing a SoulCycle session. She also recently shared a selfie of herself working up a sweat at the gym. She's been working hard on the set of her forthcoming BBC series Our Girl for weeks. And the latest scenes for Michelle Keegan's drama certainly required the actress to get into character, as the married star was seen sharing a passionate kiss with her muscular castmate. The 28-year-old, dressed in army combats for her role as Corporal Georgie Lane, threw herself into the scene which was filmed in her native Manchester. Scroll down for video Kiss me quick: Michelle Keegan was seen sharing a passionate kiss with her muscular co-star as they filmed scenes for her BBC drama Our Girl in her native Manchester Michelle was seen putting both hands on her handsome co-star's face as he wrapped his arms around her for the intimate kiss. The actors seemed to be shooting an emotional scene, as they were seen staring into each other's eyes after the kiss. Later on, she changed out of her military uniform into leggings and trainers as she was seen going a run in character. On screen romance: Michelle, dressed in army combats for her role as Corporal Georgie Lane, the 28-year-old threw herself into the scene Passionate: Michelle was seen putting both hands on her handsome co-star's face as he wrapped his arms around her for the intimate kiss At one point a crewmember interrupted her on-screen jog to clean her pristine white trainers. The new scenes come shortly after Michelle was seen in a wedding dress on set in Manchester, which was near-identical to her own bridal gown from a year previously. Michelle has been busy shooting the BBC drama in South Africa and Manchester in recent weeks, after signing up to replace EastEnders' Lacey Turner in the second series of the show just weeks after tying the knot with Mark Wright. Tearful: The actors seemed to be filming an emotional reunion scene Close: The actress and her handsome co-star wrapped their arms around one another Love and war: The new scenes come shortly after Michelle was seen in a wedding dress on set in Manchester, which was near-identical to her own wedding gown from a year previously Stunning Michelle began dating the former TOWIE hunk, 29, in late 2012 before heading up the aisle in a blissful ceremony at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk on 24 May last year. It had been rumoured her marriage to Mark, who soared to fame during TOWIE's 2010 inauguration, was on the rocks after the actress was spotted without her wedding ring in a series of selfies while filming Our Girl in South Africa. The situation was only worsened by a previous story from New! magazine that claimed the Heart presenter was concerned when fans linked Michelle to her handsome actor Ben Aldridge, who Michelle stars alongside in the upcoming drama. Major new role: Michelle has been busy shooting the BBC drama in South Africa and Manchester in recent weeks, after signing up to replace EastEnders' Lacey Turner in the second series of the show Rumours: It had been rumoured her marriage to Mark Wright was on the rocks after the actress was spotted without her wedding ring in a series of selfies while filming Our Girl in South Africa Rumours: Michelle had innocently shared a group picture with some of the cast at their read through, when fans linked her and handsome actor Ben Aldridge (centre, seated) Michelle had innocently shared a group picture with some of the cast at their read through which was captioned: Me and some of the boys at our cast read through for Our Girl 2! X But a representative for Mark told MailOnline: 'It's a completely fabricated and made up story written by people desperate for content.' Meanwhile the star reportedly kept her diamond wedding ring in a safe place during filming in South Africa, with a source telling The Sun: 'Michelle left her wedding ring at home in her safe because she was scared of losing it while filming. Happily married: A representative for Mark told MailOnline: 'It's a completely fabricated and made up story written by people desperate for content' Exciting project: Michelle is currently focused on her role in military drama 'Our Girl' and thinks it will show fans a different side to what they saw when she played Tina McIntyre on 'Coronation Street' On the go: Michelle was later spotted running on location in a pair of cropped leggings and hoodie New role: Michelle is hoping Our Girl will show a different side to herself after leaving Coronation Street 'Michelle is currently focused on her role in military drama Our Girl and thinks it will show fans a different side to what they saw when she played Tina McIntyre on Coronation Street. She told Closer magazine: 'It's such a contrast to anything I've done before, it's so active. 'I watched Our Girl when Lacey Turner was in it and loved it. You'll get to see me in a totally different light.' Big shoes to fill: Michelle is following in the footsteps of EastEnders star Lacey Turner, who previously played the lead in Our Girl It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it: Michelle balances on one leg as a crewmember cleans her trainers In action: Michelle was seen heading into a house as part of the shooting From the back... Michelle looked sensational from every angle as she turned around to enter the house Stylish: Another former Coronation Street star was present in the form of Sean Ward Handsome: Even on set, Sean looked very dashing in his ensemble They were just two of a host of stars who jetted into Rome to attend the premiere of Sofia Coppola's La Traviata. However, just hours before wowing on the red carpet at the Teatro dell'Opera, Keira Knightley and James Righton were just a pair of regular tourists as they checked out the sights of the Italian capital. With their baby daughter Edie presumably at home with relatives, the couple were making the most of their alone time as they enjoyed an afternoon of sightseeing. Scroll down for video On the tourist trail: Actress Keira Knightley and her rocker husband James Righton visit the Basilica of Santa Maria in Rome on Sunday The Oscar-nominated actress, 31, and Klaxons keyboardist James, 32, were spotted visiting the Basilica of Santa Maria. The pair soaked up the sun and culture as they paid a visit to the Basilica, which dates back to the 4th century, in the Trastevere region of Rome. Pirates Of The Caribbean star Keira looked summery in a navy tea dress and was well prepared to the Roman cobbles in a pair of wedge espadrilles. Candid: James larks around for a photo as his wife Keira captures their weekend break on her cameraphone Interesting: Keira and James paid a visit to the Basilica, which dates back to the 4th century, in the Trastevere region of Rome At one point, James posed for a goofy snap as his wife took photos on her cameraphone. Later that evening, Keira showed some serious skin in a daring scarlet gown as she attended the premiere of the Giuseppe Verdi opera, directed by film-maker Coppola. The couple were among a host of A-list guests who turned out for the first performance of the opera, which is produced by fashion designer Garavani Valentino. The real Queen of the night? Keira looked to have taken some influence from the tomes of operatic history as she embraced a sizzling theatrical inspired sartorial theme on Sunday evening Date night? Arriving at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma for the premiere of Sofia Coppola's La Traviata alongside her husband James Righton, the 31-year-old actress looked sensational in flesh-flashing scarlet gown And they were clearly delighted with the opportunity to enjoy a romantic evening out, with the stars looking more loved-up than ever as they made their way to the La Traviata premiere under the Roman sun. Keira looked to have taken some inspiration form Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute, and channeled the character The Queen of the Night as she conquered the style stakes in a ruched red sleeveless number. Featuring a halterneck design, which featured tow neck to navel slashes, allowed the actress to flash a tantalizing hint of her alabaster skin in the backless number. When in Rome! The couple were among a host of A-List guests who turned out for the first performance of the director's - daughter of cinema icon Francis Ford Coppola - take on Giuseppe Verdi's classic opera A Rome-antic evening out: Clearly delighted with the opportunity to enjoy a romantic evening out, with the star looking more loved-up than ever as they made their way to the La Traviata premiere under the Roman sun Using a natural palette of make-up, Keira subtly highlight her pretty face with a flash of mascara, a hint of blusher and a slick of pink lipstick. She arrived on the red carpet alongside her rocker husband, James, 32, who looked debonair and suave in a slim cut tuxedo, shirt and tie. Following the performance, James was expected to perform at a dinner hosted by Valentino at the Roman Aquarium. Happy family: The couple - who have been married three years - still looked a perfect match She made the most of her Cannes stay with a series of show-stopping gowns. And model Miranda Kerr made sure she didn't miss a style beat as she arrived at New York's JFK airport on Sunday following her recent trip. The 33-year-old Australian looked chic as she touched down in a green leather biker jacket and rolled-up slim-fitting blue jeans. Scroll down for video No signs of jet-lag! Model Miranda Kerr, 33, looked incredible in her green leather biker jacket and slim-fit jeans as she arrived at New York's JFK airport on Sunday Her choice of outerwear gave off a subtle biker vibe as it was lined with a exposed silver zipper and buckles - one of which was undone and hung by her side. At 5 ft 9 in, the beauty chose to forego a pair of heels and opted for comfort in a pair of black pumps for her long journey. The former Victoria's Secret angel had perfect make-up in place, while she gave her eyes a break with a pair of tinted sunnies. Her dip-dyed caramel tresses were styled into effortlessly teased waves and fell at a shoulder-length level. Style staples: The Australian model looked chic as she arrived walked through the terminal, clutching on to a large water bottle to ensure she was hydrated In love: Miranda is now dating Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel. Pictured on Instagram at Obama's State dinner earlier this month A large bottle of water allowed her to keep hydrated, while she held onto a beige handbag in one hand and her passport and documents in the other. The mother-of-one, who is currently dating Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, recently stunned at the Cannes Magnum party in a hot-pink gown which featured a plunging neckline and a thigh-split. On a separate occasion, she cut a sensational figure in an edgy beaded black midi-length number by designer David Koma London. Staying youthful: The 33-year-old credits her fresh-faced look to regular use of her AHA exfoliator and Phytox oil from her Kora Organics beauty line Meanwhile, the dimple faced beauty admitted in a tell-all interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine the secrets behind her youthful and flawless complexion. She credits her fresh-faced look to regular use of her AHA exfoliator and Phytox oil from her Kora Organics beauty line, as well as leading a healthy lifestyle. 'I also eat really well and drink at least like two liters of fresh alkaline water a day. I love yoga and I feel like yoga for me is incredible, and meditation. 'Meditation is a great way to stay centered and I think inversions are great for aging.' 'J'adore Paris!' While Miranda put on a sizzling display at Cannes, she took time to take in her scenic surroundings Apart from her daily beauty and exercise regimen, Miranda works from within on her glow, lending a helping hand to the The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The model was announced the ambassador of the foundation back in December. Her role includes helping to raise vital funds so The Royal Women's Hospital can purchase lifesaving equipment. They're inseparable newlyweds. And on Monday, Jerry Hall, 59, was by her 85-year-old husband Rupert Murdoch's side as they enjoyed the opening day of the Chelsea Flower Show in London. Media mogul Rupert, who married the Texan model in March, was seen wearing his press badge as he bought his wife along to the press day of the world renowned show at The Royal Hospital Chelsea. Scroll down for video Press perks: Jerry Hall, 59, was by her 85-year-old husband Rupert Murdoch's side as they enjoyed the opening day of the Chelsea Flower Show in London Rupert proudly displayed his badge on the blazer of his smart pinstripe suit, which he teamed with a red patterned tie and dapper hat. Jerry meanwhile was sporting her own badge, a perk of her husband's job, on her chic handbag as the couple walked hand in hand around the event. The blonde dressed to match the occasion in a pretty fitted dress covered in a bold poppy and daisy print. Plus one: Media mogul Rupert, who married the Texan model in March, was seen wearing his press badge as he bought his wife along to the press day of the world renowned show at The Royal Hospital Chelsea In bloom: The blonde dressed to match the occasion in a pretty fitted dress covered in a bold poppy and daisy print Smart pair: Rupert looked dapper in his pinstripe suit teamed with a red patterned tie and dapper hat She added a slick of coordinating lipstick and kept cool in designer shades. The newlyweds are recently back from a trip to Santa Monica, though it's not known whether they treated as a honeymoon, just two months after tying the knot in London. Jerry and Rupert married this March after a very brief engagement that was announced at the Golden Globe Awards in January. Bling: Jerry flashed a look at her huge diamond engagement ring as she snapped photos Back home: The newlyweds are recently back from a trip to Santa Monica, though it's not known whether they treated as a honeymoon, just two months after tying the knot in London Inseparable: The couple held hands throughout their morning at the popular event Come on! Jerry seemed keen to see more as Rupert stopped for some photos Capturing the moment: Rupert looked lovingly at his wife as she concentrated on taking a photo The extravagant wedding ceremony was held at Spencer House with a celebration at St Bride's church near Fleet Street. It was Jerry's first official marriage, since an unofficial ceremony with Rolling Stones rocker Mick Jagger in 1990 was declared invalid after the pair ended their 23-year relationship in 1999. Rupert meanwhile was previously married to Wendi Deng, before filing for divorce from the 47-year-old mother-of-two in 2013 after 14 years of marriage. Together, Rupert and Jerry share 10 children, including Jerry's daughters Georgia May Jagger and Lizzie Jagger, sons James Jagger and Gabriel Jagger and Rupert's children Prudence, Lachlan, Elisabeth, James, Grace and Chloe. Flower power: Rosamund Pike looked gorgeous in a pretty print dress as she enjoyed the flower show festivities Blooming good fun! The Bond actress laughed out loud during a tour of the Morgan Stanley, GOSH garden Spring style: Another Bond actress, Naomie Harris was leggy in a chic shorts and blazer combo A-list turnout! Demi Moore arrived to check out the show with celebrity florist Eric Buterbaugh Stylish pair: Mary Portas and her wife Melanie Rickey matched in flower print flares Pretty in print: Kirstie Allsop swapped interiors for exteriors as she enjoyed the press day preview Floral theme: Donna Air was another star to embrace the flower style with her pretty dress Chic couple: Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole hit the show with his wife Zoe Looking good: Sarah Harding rocked a black and white jumpsuit for the summery day Date day: Ben Fogle cosied up to his gorgeous wife Marina for snaps Simply stunning: Katie Piper wowed in a gorgeous white lace midi frock for the event Family: David Walliams bought his mum Kathleen to enjoy the opening day Day in the gardens: Dame Judi Dench looked elegant in head to toe white Here comes summer: Vanessa Feltz and Ben Ofoedu looked in great spirits Among the flowers: Anthea Turner showed off her boho style in tunic and fun fringed sandals She was seen touching down in London with husband Kanye West earlier in the day. And Kim Kardashian was quick to make the most of her time in the capital as she headed out for lunch with her half-sister Kendall Jenner soon after arrival on Monday. The 35-year-old reality star put on an extremely busty display as she sported the same ensemble as earlier while her supermodel sibling, 20, went casual in jeans. Scroll down for video Date for the day: Kim Kardashian was quick to make the most of her time in the capital as she headed out for lunch with her half-sister Kendall Jenner soon after arrival on Monday Showing off her post-baby weight loss, following the birth of her son Saint in December, Kim slipped into an eye-wateringly tight sheer gown with a slip worn underneath. She boosted her famously diminutive height with the edgy pair of suede khaki green lace-up shoes, which have been a firm fixture on her feet in recent days. Carrying a coveted black Hermes bag in her hand, Kim looked every inch the superstar as the bags are so popular now that even the waiting lists have closed. No doubt tired from frequent flying, the reality star hid her eyes behind a pair of oversized sunglasses, wearing her raven locks in a slick down ponytail, complete with centre parting. See Kim Kardashian updates as she displays her ample cleavage in a curve-hugging dress Stylish sisters: The 35-year-old reality star put on an extremely busty display as she sported the same ensemble as earlier while her supermodel sibling, 20, went casual in jeans Slinky: Showing off her post-baby weight loss, following the birth of her son Saint in December, Kim slipped into an eye-wateringly tight sheer gown with a slip worn underneath Stunning pair: While their looks were different, they were equally as stylish and sensational Kendall meanwhile went for an out and out edgy look as she rocked light wash jeans with a slashed knee and high waist showing off the slender frame which has placed her at the forefront of the modelling world. She added a white T-shirt underneath a chic olive green, sleeveless jacket while casually fixing a funky neckerchief around her lithe neck. A pair of round lens sunglasses shielded her delicately made-up face - proving her to shun the favoured heavy make-up look of her dolled up siblings. Stunner: Carrying a coveted black Hermes bag in her hand, Kim looked every inch the superstar as the bags are so popular now that even the waiting lists have closed Edgy: A pair of round lens sunglasses shielded her delicately made-up face - proving her to shun the favoured heavy make-up look of her dolled up siblings Stylish siblings: Both women looked simply sensational as they strutted their stuff in London Supermodel: Kendall meanwhile went for an out and out edgy look as she rocked light wash jeans with a slashed knee and high waist showing off the slender frame which has placed her at the forefront of the modelling world Snakeish: Upon closer inspection it was apparent Kendall's scarf boasted an intricate snake print Busty: Kendall's statuesque height dwarfed Kim's diminutive frame yet the latter's bust was the main focus of their outing Kim and Kanye have made no secret of their anglopholia and after spending the day in Rome on Sunday, they returned back to London. The power couple were pictured touching down in Heathrow terminal five after a romantic dinner and a trip to the opera in Italy - after having spent the rest of the weekend in England. Kim looked incredible as she showed off her curves in the same getup she rocked later on Monday. Heading out of the hotel: Leaving their temporary digs, the duo looked stoic yet stunning Distressed: Kendall dazzled as she strutted out on the streets in London Doors open: The star led the way through a revolving door as she went ahead of Kendall Show-stopper: Kim looked incredible as she showed off her curves in a black semi-sheer midi dress which had a ruched skirt section as she and husband Kanye arrived back in London Cover up girl: Kim decided to use her handbag to cover her famous derriere as she entered a hotel Keeping it real: Kendall decided to cover her supermodel figure in a casual ensemble Kanye, 38, stuck to his trademark casual style, opting for a white hooded sweater which was worn underneath a retro denim jacket. Keeping his usual straight-face, he wore a smart pair of slim-fit black jeans and completed his look with his favourite tan suede ankle boots. Despite her travels, Kim took to Twitter in the early hours to ask her fans what they thought of the latest episode of her show, writing: 'What did you guys think of kuwtk tonight???' Royal wave: The power couple were pictured touching down in Heathrow terminal five after a romantic dinner and a trip to the opera in Italy - after having spent the rest of the weekend in England Raise a smile: Kanye, 38, stuck to his trademark casual style, opting for a white hooded sweater which was worn underneath a retro denim jacket The couple have been treating themselves to some serious shopping sprees during the first section of their trip to London, hitting Vivienne Westwood and Roberto Cavalli. Kim also joined Alexa Chung for a talk at the Vogue Festival on Saturday, as they showed their support for the publication's event at the Royal Geographical Society. Kim, looked every inch the fashionista in a glittering pale pink gown as she arrived for the event flanked by the New Slaves rapper. He's rumoured to be the top name in the frame for one of the biggest roles in Hollywood - James Bond. But it was business as usual for Tom Hiddleston as he met up with a mystery brunette for lunch in London on Sunday. The actor was spotted dressed down for a relaxing afternoon in his hometown as speculation continues to grow over the next 007. Scroll down for video Chillaxed: Actor Tom Hiddleston leaves a central London cafe on Sunday following a lunch date with a female companion Who's that girl? Tom was joined by a brunette companion for lunch, who was dressed casually in black dungarees and carried a laptop Wearing an all-blue ensemble of chinos, T-shirt and Ralph Lauren jacket, the actor joined the pretty brunette at a central London cafe. Tom is thought to be single at the moment after he was romantically linked to his I Saw The Light co-star Elizabeth Olsen last year. In a recent interview, Tom insisted there was no special lady in his life for now. He said: 'I understand the curiosity. I hope that when theres really something to write about, Ill be able to talk. In demand: He's rumoured to be the top name in the frame for one of the biggest roles in Hollywood - James Bond 'Its not something thats come into my life yet. Im not closed to it by any means - in fact, Im definitely open to the possibility. But you know what they say: you cant go out and look for it, you just have to wait for it to come to you.' His appearance comes after it was claimed last week that Daniel Craig had finally bowed out of the role as the spy after four Bond movies. Insiders said Craig turned down a 68million offer from MGM studio to return as Bond for two more films following last years hit Spectre. One LA film source said: Daniel is done - pure and simple - he told top brass at MGM after Spectre. They threw huge amounts of money at him, but it just wasnt what he wanted. 'He had told people after shooting that this would be his final outing, but the film company still felt he could come around after Spectre if he was offered a money deal. Back in Blighty: Tom enjoyed a relaxing Sunday afternoon in London with his companion after months away filming and promoting Bookmakers recently suspended betting on the next actor to play Bond with Tom the favourite to replace Daniel. Tom has played down the speculation, admitting he is frequently asked about the Bond rumours. He said: 'Its a weird thing to have to deal with. Im having unreal conversations with people about this because I dont know where the rumours have sprung from. 'Its difficult, because everyone has very strong opinions about Bond, and who should play him. My name is just an idea in peoples minds, yet its becoming overwhelming. I have no power to stop it, but I wish I could convince everyone that the whole thing is news to me. She spent yesterday getting messy crushing grapes at a Greek festival. But Philippa Northeast cleaned up well the next day for Monday nights premiere of Russell Crowe film The Nice Guys. The Home And Away star cut a casual chic figure as she waltzed down the red carpet of the Sydney screening in a lacy white top and leather jacket. Keeping it simple: Home And Away star Philippa Northeast cut a casually chic figure as she waltzed down the red carpet of the Sydney screening in a lacy white top and leather jacket Her simple but timeless outfit was jazzed up by the elegant lacy embroidery around the neckline of her top, with another one extending out from her sternum. The 21-year-old completed the black-and-white ensemble with simple black jeans and high heels, shunning the glamour of some other attendees for a relaxed look. She let her dark brown locks fall freely over her slender shoulders, framing her minimally made-up face though she slapped on a flattering shade of red makeup. On Sunday Philippa went barefoot with fellow Home and Away star George Mason to battle it out with House Rules' twins Luke and Cody Cook in a messy grape squashing contest. Casually elegant: Her simple but timeless outfit was jazzed up by the elegant lacy embroidery around the neckline of her top, with another one extending out from her sternum Monochrome: The 21-year-old completed the black-and-white ensemble with simple black jeans and high heels, shunning the glamour of some other attendees for a relaxed look The TV stars all got down and dirty in front of packed crowds at the Paniyiri Greek Festival and were seen spattered in burgundy-coloured grape juice. They were photographed wrestling on stage, with the Queensland brothers even holding Philippa in a headlock so they could crush some of the grapes on her head. Wearing a black T-shirt and some three-quarter running leggings, Philippa could also be seen holding onto a metal bar while she stomped on a barrel full of grapes. Messy! Home And Away stars George Mason (far right) and Philippa (right) battled it out with House Rules' twins Luke and Cody Cook (both left) in a grape squashing contest at a festival in Brisbane Barefoot battle: They were photographed wrestling on stage at the Paniyiri Greek Festival and the Queensland brothers even held Philippa in a headlock so they could crush some of the grapes on her head With her brunette locks styled into a side ponytail, the actress smiled and laughed as she crushed the grapes under her bare feet. She also looked as though she was play-fighting with Luke Cook as they competed to produce the most grape juice. Her co-star George, who plays Martin 'Ash' Ashford in Home And Away, donned a grey vest and spotted shorts as he jumped up and down on the barrel of grapes. On Saturday, Philippa and George showed off their moves in a dance-off at the festival, which celebrates Greek culture and heritage. The soap stars impressed the audience with moves that spanned from hair-flicking, body rolling, shimmying to a cultural mix of Greek music. Advertisement Its windswept beaches bore witness to one of the most extraordinary operations of World War II and one that could easily have ended in disaster. Instead, the evacuation of 338,000 troops from Dunkirk was such a triumph of human endeavour that Winston Churchill declared it a miracle. Seventy-six years on the French town is once again the centre of a wartime drama - though residents are probably very relieved that this time the invader is Hollywood rather than Hitler. Cut-out soldiers: Filming of upcoming movie, Dunkirk, took place in the exact place in Northern France on Monday as scenes on the famous beach replicated those 76 years ago, in which 338,000 soldiers were evacuated 76 years ago Doing it properly: Director Christopher Nolan is using a real-life naval destroyer - in particular, the French T-47 Class Destroyer, Maille-Breze, which was brought in from Brittany as he wants to avoid using CGI - it did not see any action in Dunkirk 76 years ago Director Christopher Nolan is filming his upcoming movie Dunkirk in exactly the spot where the events which inspired its plot took place. The film features Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance as well as One Direction star Harry Styles in his move debut. None of the main stars were on site on Monday but a small army of extras in full military garb were seen on the shoreline. Crew could be seen holding up cut-out soldier figurines to amplify the size of the army. Nolan, the man behind Instellar and Batman, is said to be keen to avoid too many digital effects and a French T-47 Class Destroyer Maille-Breze has been brought in to add to the authenticity of the film. Slash Film reports that big names in the cast are taking on the films supporting roles, with the young newcomers - like Styles - taking center stage. Big role: Starring Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance, who were not pictured on the day, the beach took on the haunting mood of times past as soldiers in full military garb lined the shoreline Making it work: As they shot scenes, a number of men held up cut-out soldier figurines which were placed behind them as if to give the impression of more figures than there actually were, as director Christopher Nolan doesn't like to use CGI Important story to tell: The historical evacuation, which saw 100,000 Allied soldiers evacuated in just one week and saved from surrounding German forces, was named Operation Dynamo and took place at the beginning of World War Two The movie's press release reads: 'Dunkirk opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in' Presse Ocean revealed that the ship was towed to Saint-Nazaire, Brittany and transformed into a working vessel ahead of film and said: 'Whilst it served for over 30 years in the French navy, Maille-Breze didn't see any action in Dunkirk.' Dunkirk opens in 1940 with hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops hemmed in by the German army on the beaches of northern France. The British launched Operation Dynamo to save them and between May 7 and June 4, 338,000 arrived safely in England. Among the force were hundreds of privately owned boats popularly known as the little ships. Nolans film was the first recreation of the evacuation since the 1958 original starring John Mills, Richard Attenborough and Robert Urquhart. It is slated for release in July next year with filming on location in Holland as well as the UK and Los Angeles. EVACUATION OF DUNKIRK: THE LARGEST MILITARY EVACUATION IN HISTORY WHICH SAVED 338,000 ALLIED TROOPS The evacuation from Dunkirk was one of the biggest operations of the Second World War and was one of the major factors in enabling the Allies to continue fighting. It was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France. But 11,000 Britons were killed during Operation Dynamo, and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned. Described as a 'miracle of deliverance' by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, it is seen as one of several events in 1940 that determined the eventual outcome of the war. The Second World War began after Germany invaded Poland in 1939, but for a number of months there was little further action on land. But in early 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway and then launched an offensive against Belgium and France in western Europe. The evacuation from Dunkirk was one of the biggest operations of the Second World War and was one of the major factors in enabling the Allies to continue fighting Hitler's troops advanced rapidly, taking Paris - which they never achieved in the First World War - and moved towards the Channel. They reached the coast towards the end of May 1940, pinning back the Allied forces, including several hundred thousand troops of the British Expeditionary Force. Military leaders quickly realised there was no way they would be able to stay on mainland Europe. Operational command fell to Bertram Ramsay, a retired vice-admiral who was recalled to service in 1939. From a room deep in the cliffs at Dover, Ramsay and his staff pieced together Operation Dynamo, a daring rescue mission by the Royal Navy to get troops off the beaches around Dunkirk and back to Britain. On May 14 1940 the call went out. The BBC made the announcement: 'The Admiralty have made an order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30ft and 100ft in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.' It was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France Boats of all sorts were requisitioned - from those for hire on the Thames to pleasure yachts - and manned by naval personnel, though in some cases boats were taken over to Dunkirk by the owners themselves. They sailed from Dover, the closest point, to allow them the shortest crossing. On May 29, Operation Dynamo was put into action. When they got to Dunkirk they faced chaos. Soldiers were hiding in sand dunes from aerial attack, much of the town of Dunkirk had been reduced to ruins by the bombardment and the German forces were closing in. Above them, RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighters were headed inland to attack the German fighter planes to head them off and protect the men on the beaches. As the little ships arrived they were directed to different sectors. Many did not have radios, so the only methods of communication were by shouting to those on the beaches or by semaphore. Boats of all sorts were requisitioned - from those for hire on the Thames to pleasure yachts - and manned by naval personnel, though in some cases boats were taken over to Dunkirk by the owners themselves Space was so tight, with decks crammed full, that soldiers could only carry their rifles. A huge amount of equipment, including aircraft, tanks and heavy guns, had to be left behind. The little ships were meant to bring soldiers to the larger ships, but some ended up ferrying people all the way back to England. The evacuation lasted for several days. Prime Minister Churchill and his advisers had expected that it would be possible to rescue only 20,000 to 30,00 men, but by June 4 more than 300,000 had been saved. The exact number was impossible to gauge - though 338,000 is an accepted estimate - but it is thought that over the week up to 400,000 British, French and Belgian troops were rescued - men who would return to fight in Europe and eventually help win the war. But there were also heavy losses, with around 90,000 dead, wounded or taken prisoner. A number of ships were also lost, through enemy action, running aground and breaking down. Despite this, Dunkirk was regarded as a success and a great boost for morale. In a famous speech to the House of Commons, Churchill praised the 'miracle of Dunkirk' and resolved that Britain would fight on: 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!' Advertisement Tough act to follow: It is the first recreation of the evacuation [known as Operation Dynamo] - described by Winston Churchill as a 'miracle of deliverance' - since the 1958 original starring John Mills, Richard Attenborough and Robert Urquhart Lots of work: Presse Ocean reports that the boats were transformed into working vessels ahead of filming Big budget: The film, Nolan's follow-up to Interstellar, is slated for release on July 21. Production is also take to place in Holland as well as the UK and Los Angeles It appears the film, which shrouded in secrecy, is keen to eactly replicate the events of 1940. The extras spotted being directed on set today all sported traditional khaki soldier's uniforms and they acted surrounded by sandbags and dozens of vintage military vehicles. Many sported replica rifles and helmets similar to those worn by Allied soldiers during World War Two. Greg Silverman, president of Creative Development and Worldwide Production said: 'Dunkirk is a gripping and powerful story and we are excited to see Chris, Emma [his wife] and their cast realize it on the big screen' - Nolan himself was pictured wearing a press pass (second from left) Adding: 'We are thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with Christopher Nolan, a singular filmmaker who has created some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of all time' Ready for action: The cast were dressed in period army uniform and armed with replica weapons for scenes shot in the town Man in charge: Director Christopher Nolan was seen on set (pictured left in navy overcoat) overseeing the huge crowd shots What a moment: Nolan has chosen to shoot scenes on location in the exact spot where 76 years ago to this week, 100,000 soldiers were evacuated Capturing the moment: Christopher had his camera in hand as he got to work with his cast of extras and dozens of crew members Talent: Nolan is known for his attention to detail on set with his latest film one of his most ambitious projects yet On location: Actors wait on the set before filming a scene for the film on location in Dunkirk, northern France, this afternoon All part of the illusion: As well as cut-outs of troops, army truck cut-outs were seen assembled on set for the shoot Huge production: The truck facades were dotted around the beach as the cameras rolled - they are being used to minimise CGI Giving direction: Nolan was seen giving some pointers to his cast who were dressed in full army gear, but there was no sign yet of the movie's lead stars Setting: The director has chosen to shoot among the stunning architecture of Dunkirk Ready to roll: A cast member was seen smoking as he waited by a huge bank of sandbags and some era-appropriate props Talented cast: Fionn Whitehead - star of three-part ITV supernatural series Him - was selected by Nolan for one of the two leads in his film Action: Atmospheric shots saw cards blowing in the breeze over Dunkirk's roof tops Talented group: Not pictured on set were Dunkirk's leading men Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance She's no stranger to a glamorous sun soaked holiday, thanks to her Made In Chelsea roots. And Kimberley Garner certainly knew how to make the most of the final day of her trip to Cannes as she basked by the sea in nothing but a skimpy bikini on Sunday. The 26-year-old reality star took to Instagram and put on a sizzling display for the camera in a sailor inspired two-piece from her swimwear collection. Scroll down for video Beach babe: Kimberley Garner certainly knew how to make the most of the final day of her trip to Cannes as she basked by the sea in a skimpy bikini The navy and white bikini featured a flattering high-waist design that made the most of the designer's svelte frame and elongated her already never-ending legs. Kimberley opted for a natural look as she posed by the water's edge as she sported a fresh face and only accentuated her features with lashings of mascara. Like a true beach babe, she also left her shiny golden hair to fall in beachy waves around her shoulders. Kimberley kept with the nautical theme as she posted more shots from the idyllic setting in another one of her designs, which she fittingly named the Cannes One-Piece. Sunny disposition: The 26-year-old reality star took to Instagram and put on a sizzling display for the camera in a sailor inspired two-piece from her swimwear collection In the navy: Kimberley kept with the nautical theme as she posted more shots from the idyllic setting in another one of her designs, which she fittingly named the Cannes One-Piece Stunning! The navy and white bikini featured a flattering high-waist design that made the most of the designer's svelte frame and elongated her already never ending legs The cut-out design showed off the former reality TV star's tiny waist and drew attention to her perky decolletage with contrasting white detailing. And Kimberley showed just how much fun she was having at the glamorous Eden Roc Hotel as she captioned one of the images: 'Never grow up'. She also claimed that she jumped into crystal water, despite it being 'icy'. Earlier in the week, Kimberley made sure to not let the glamour subside as she enjoyed a luxury shopping trip with her pal in a strapless white playsuit. Looking the epitome of riviera chic, Kimberley flaunted her endless tanned legs as she hit high end stores such as Chanel, whilst sporting a handbag from the same French fashion house. Sunning in France! Kimberley enjoyed a luxury shopping trip with her pal in a strapless white play-suit on Thursday afternoon in the sunny South of France Endless legs: Standing in at 5 ft 7 in, the beauty accentuated her long legs with a pair of brown sandal-heels which were adorned with gold studs Standing in at 5 ft 7 in, the beauty accentuated her long legs as she paraded elegantly along in a pair of brown sandal-heels which were adorned with gold studs. The slight plunging neckline of the corset-style ensemble showed off her humble cleavage, while two dainty chains rested upon her decolletage, which was also spotlighted with a chic printed neck-tie. Making sure the accessories on her upper half were on full display, she tied her blonde tresses into a sophisticated low-lying ponytail. Her face sported a healthy dose of blush and chiselled contour as she adorned a pair of tinted sunnies, which she forewent on numerous occasions. The sleeveless element of the jumpsuit showed off her stunning physique which she has further sculpted during her work stay in sunny California. Beauty guru: Making sure the accessories on her upper half were on full display, she tied her blonde tresses in to a sophisticated low-lying ponytail Taking inspiration from their A-list surroundings, on one occasion the duo struck some model poses where they put their hands on the hip and put on leg in front of the other. The British beauty has been having having the time of her life during her Cannes stay after arriving by helicopter on Tuesday. A mere few hours later she showed off her perky assets in a plunging white satin gown as she schmoozed on the French resort. Why hello: The sleeveless element of the jumpsuit showed of her stunning physique which she has further sculpted during her work stay in sunny California 'Up in the air': The British beauty arrived at Cannes by helicopter on Tuesday However, on occasion her thin spaghetti straps began to fall off her shoulder and the star nearly risked a wardrobe malfunction, which was luckily avoided. Breaking the white colour scheme, Kimberley went on to stun at the Cinemoi Awards Gala in a red gown which cinched in her waist with a dramatic gold belt. Meanwhile, Kimberley recently revealed that she rejected the chance to return to Made in Chelsea and claimed that she felt like a 'caged animal' while on the hit E4 reality series. 'I did get called in and they did speak to me about coming back. I sometimes joke with my boyfriend, and after a few minutes we're like, "Absolutely not,"' she told OK! Chanel has unveiled Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose as the face of its new perfume, N.5 L'Eau. The 16-year-old rising fashion star shared the news bright and early on Monday morning, posting an image of herself kissing a bottle of the fragrance with her glossy hair slicked back into a messy ponytail with a red ribbon. Gushing about her new role, the muse of Karl Lagerfeld captioned the snap, 'I'm so excited to announce that I am the face of the new Chanel Number 5 L'EAU!' Scroll down for video Loving her new role: Chanel has unveiled Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose as the face of its new perfume, N.5 L'Eau The fashion house also announced the news on its own Instagram account, posting an image of its model striking a pose beside a rose bush. 'The Rose of all Roses. Introducing @lilyrose_depp as the new face of N5 L'EAU, the new N5. #newchanel5,' it captioned the snap. Lily was previously unveiled as the face of Chanel's eyewear collection, and her campaign for the the iconic fashion house was rolled out last year. Not only is the starlet joining the likes of previous big names who have fronted Chanel fragrances - such as Keira Knightley and Gisele Bundchen - but she is also taking after her mother, Vanessa Paradis, who modelled for a Chanel perfume ad in 1991 and was also the face of the brand's Rouge Coco lipstick in 2010. Hello petal: The fashion house also announced the news on its own Instagram account, posting an image of its model striking a pose beside a rose bush Strike a pose: Depp was previously announced as the face of Chanel's eyewear collection, and her campaign for the the iconic fashion house was unveiled last year 'A young, up-and-coming actress, Lily-Rose Depp is already the face for the Chanel Pearl eyewear collection launched in September 2015,' read a statement from Chanel about Lily, according to The Telegraph. 'She embodies her generation and its values of freedom and boldness to perfection, bringing to the iconic fragrance of the House her youthful freshness and beauty'. The model's new campaign will kick off in the fall and have Johan Renck as director. It runs in the family: Not only is the starlet joining the likes of previous big names who have fronted Chanel fragrances - such as Keira Knightley and Gisele Bundchen - but she is also taking after her mother, Vanessa Paradis, who was the face of Coco for Chanel (here the mother-daughter duo are pictured in London in 2015) Proud dad: Lily's father Johnny Depp struck a pose at the Alice Through The Looking Glass premiere in London earlier this month Lily seems to be everywhere these days. The star, who is rumoured to be dating model Ash Stymest, 24, is next set to star alongside her dad Johnny in the comedy horror, Yoga Hosers in July. She'll also join Kevin Smith and Genesis Rodriguez in the flick Moose Jaws. The actress was recently in Cannes for the premiere of her new film The Dancer, which is scheduled for release in September. He's been concentrating on his weight loss mission following his split from long-term girlfriend Lydia Bright last month. And to celebrate shedding 30Ibs, TOWIE star James 'Arg' Argent hit his hometown of Essex recently for a spot of pampering. Meeting up with his TOWIE pal Liam Gatsby, James was seen visiting a tanning shop before settling down in the barber's chair and having an eyebrow wax before rounding up his day with a trip to Nandos. Scroll down for video Back home: To celebrate shedding 30Ibs at a Norfolk bootcamp, TOWIE star James 'Arg' Argent hit his hometown of Essex recently for a spot of pampering The star dressed down for his busy day, keeping comfy in sweats and sneakers. James has been throwing himself into an intensive course at Norfolk's Number One Bootcamp over the past few weeks. On Saturday he told fans he's lost an impressive 30Ibs in six weeks, sharing a photo of himself looking slim. Casual: The star dressed down for his busy day, keeping comfy in sweats and sneakers '#HalfwayThere I've lost 30 pounds so far @no1_bootcamp Got 2 stone & 6 weeks left to hit my dream target! #HardWork #Dedication,' he wrote. Last month Arg enrolled himself into boot camp, after putting on four stone in the last year. His new weight loss mission comes after it was reported earlier this month that Lydia finished things with her long-term boyfriend after he allegedly relapsed into his cocaine habit. Pals: Meeting up with his TOWIE pal Liam Gatsby, James was seen visiting a tanning shop before settling down in the barber's chair and having an eyebrow wax before rounding up his day with a trip to Nandos TLC: Arg was seen getting a trim, laughing away in the stylist's chair In need of some grooming: The TOWIE star's locks were looking a little unruly before his cut Lydia spoke about the 'tough decision' for the first time on Lorraine last week. The 26-year-old, who has been dating her co-star on and off since they were teens said she didn't want to go into too much detail but told Lorraine the decision was out of her hands. 'Me and James broke up nearly seven weeks ago,' she told the host. Shedding the pounds: On Saturday he told fans he's lost an impressive 30Ibs in six weeks, sharing a photo of himself looking slim Head to toe pampering: James was also seen with red eyebrows after a spot of waxing at a beauty salon Working hard: Last month Arg enrolled himself into boot camp, after putting on four stone in the last year 'It was a tough decision to make but I felt like I didn't have a choice. I'm stronger and happier now. 'I've just been away to Indonesia and I've come back a lot more positive and strong and looking forward to the future.' Lorraine chimed: ' You'll always love him, though. You'll always be friends. I want to shake him sometimes.' Lydia replied: You and me both, Lorraine.' Emma Watson's Belle is about to meet her monstrous match in Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast. The English actress is drawn into a world of magic and riches as seen in the film's first official teaser trailer that debuted on Monday's Good Morning America. Just a glimpse of Emma's face is seen as she reaches for the single red rose, and this after a walk-through first look at mysterious host's castle. Scroll down for video Enchanted: Emma Watson's Belle is lured by a single red rose in Disney's first official teaser trailer for Beauty and the Beast live-action remake But where's the Beast? The monstrous prince, played by Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens, doesn't make an appearance in the teaser. Nevertheless, his overbearing presence is imprinted on every lingering frame in this 1.30 minute clip. The teaser begins with the image of a dark and austere castle and then a vacuous yet opulent hall lit by a fire in the hearth and rows of flickering candles. Welcome to my lair: Dan Stevens' Beast doesn't make an appearance in the 1.30 minute teaser but his 'monstrous' presence is felt Castle walls: The Beast's mysterious castle looms against a moonlit sky Shadows: Darkness creeps from every corner of the Beast's opulent hall Flickering candles: Even the candles seem to be flickering in anticipation of what's to come Among the heavy draperies and chandeliers are family portraits in gilded frames, the face of one forgotten ancestor staring out as though anticipating the visitor that is about to walk through those lead-pane doors. The door opens on creaking hinges in Gothic style and the shadow of a Beauty falls across the floor. 'Look, a girl!' a voice whispers. They've been waiting a long time: Portraits of ancestors can be seen among the drapery and candelabras Gothic touch: The door creaks open and a voice whispers, 'Look, a girl!' and another replies testily, 'I can see it's a girl, you fool' 'What if she's the one?' Could a glimpse of cold statuary be a reference to the Beast's current romantic status 'I can see it's a girl, you fool,' replies his testy companion. 'What if she is the one?' the first voice asks as glimpses of cold statuary flit across the scene, perhaps a reference to the Beast's current romantic status. 'Hello?' Beauty's voice echoes. Inviting: The image of a red rose fills the screen Perfect in every way: The single stem beckons and welcomes Belle Irresistible: Belle (Emma Watson) reaches out to touch the red rose A single perfect red rose fills the screen and the 'girl' comes into focus. Just a glimpse of Emma's widened eyes, a pale cheek and smooth hair can be seen as she reaches out to touch the proffered gift. 'Be our guest, 3.17.17,' the trailer teases as a piano version of the movie's famous theme comes to a crescendo. 'Be our guest': Disney alerts moviegoers that Beauty and the Beast is coming to a theatre near you But not until next year: Beauty and the Beast will bow in US theatres on March 17, 2017 So, yes, moviegoers will have to wait until March of next year before they get to see Emma Watson's Belle courted by Dan Stevens as the Beast, a guy who's really not so bad when you get to know him. Emma's casting has been received positively on the internet but it present some challenges for the actress - she had to sing in the film. Beautiful and kind of cute: Emma Watson (pictured May 2) as Belle in Beauty and the Beast has been favorably received on the internet and Dan Stevens (pictured April 27) as the Beast shouldn't disappoint either 'I sing, so thats really unexpected,' Emma told The Telegraph. 'Ive never had to do that for a film role before, and I think people will be interested to see me do something very different like that. It gives me a different challenge, really. Thats terrifying in and of itself.' The movie also stars Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Luke Evans as Gaston, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Josh Gad as Le Fou, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, Stanley Tucci as Cadenza, Kevin Kline as Maurice, and Audra McDonald as Garderobe. Chris Hemsworth is known to be witty cracking jokes and pulling goofy faces with endearing ease, but has yet to be unleashed in-character as Thor. So when filming gets underway on the third Thor film on the Gold Coast in July, director Taika Waititi will find ways to let the Australian stars natural humour shine through. 'Because, with the Thor franchise in particular, the films do have a bit of humour in them so theyre a lot more successful,' he told the Daily Telegraph. Scroll down for video Funnier: When filming gets underway on the third Thor film on the Gold Coast in July, director Taika Waititi will find ways to let Chris Hemsworth's natural humour shine through 'It reminds the audience that it is entertainment. 'Chris is so funny as well and we will use a bit more of that, but it is not a comedy film.' The Kiwi director confirmed Thor: Ragnarok would start shooting within weeks in sunny Queensland ahead of the 2017 release date. Just a few weeks away: The Kiwi director confirmed Thor: Ragnarok would soon start shooting in the sunny Queensland locale ahead of the 2017 release date (pictured shooting on location in London for the second film) Pre-production: Waititi was even hanging out with Hemsworth at his Byron Bay property, working on the script, brainstorming and designing props and costumes Waititi was even hanging out with Hemsworth at his Byron Bay property, working on the script, brainstorming and designing props and costumes. Hemsworth is not the only Australian attached to the superhero epic with superstar actress Cate Blanchett set to play the villain Hela. The Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, will also make an appearance, as will Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster and Tessa Thomson as Valkyrie. Funny man: Hemsworths comedy chops are as oversized as his biceps and the subject of many internet lists and compilation videos (pictured here laughing with Thor co-star Tom Hiddleston) Pleased to meet you: His antics include playing with Thor wax figure at Madame Tussauds Also on set for the new film will be Hemsworths musclebound stunt double Bobby Holland Hanton, who said he had to eat 35 meals a day and train 18 hours a week to get anywhere near the Australian actors size. Hemsworths comedy chops are as oversized as his biceps and the subject of many internet lists and compilation videos. Highlights include him eating a boomerang at an Australian film event, playing with Thor wax figure at Madame Tussauds, and bantering with fellow Avenger stars about Thor being left out of Captain America: Civil War. Class clown: Hemsworth was once snapped eating a boomerang at an Australian film event Aren't I pretty? Hemmsworth caresses the chin of his Thor waxwork likeness Who cares? I mean, where was the invite for me and Hulk? You just left the two biggest, strongest Avengers out of this one, did ya?, he said when asked which side he was on in a video posted by Disney last month. Let us know when youre done messing around, then the big boys will step in. He recently played the hilarious and campy Kevin in the new Ghostbusters film, who he described as a big dumb puppy dog. She gave birth just over three months ago. And new mother Rose Byrne looked lovely as she stepped out in New York on Sunday in a floral printed maxi dress that showcased her svelte post-baby body. The 36-year-old appeared to be in high spirits as she enjoyed catching up with her former Damages co-star Noah Bean, 37. Scroll down for video Blooming lovely: Rose Byrne looked lovely as she stepped out in New York on Sunday in a floral printed maxi dress that flaunted her svelte post-baby body Rose showed off her slim figure in the floor length floral number, that featured long sleeves in the same bright yellow and white flower print. The mother-of-one added a pair of strappy black sandals with a slight wedge heel and a matching oversize handbag which she slung over her right shoulder. Her brunette locks were pulled back off her face into a ponytail to show off her pretty features, and finished her look with a pair of dark cat-eye shaped sunglasses. Shady lady: The 36-year-old wore her brunette locks tied back off her face into a ponytail and finished her look with a pair of dark cat-eye shaped sunglasses The Australian actress appeared to be makeup free for the low-key outing with her former drama series co-star. Rose and Noah, who was dressed in a very smart pale blue collared shirt layered underneath a tan blazer, enjoyed an animated discussion as they walked along the street. The actor finished his look with grey trousers paired with dark brown suede look shoes. Rose has recently been on a promotional tour for her latest flick, Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising and appeared to relish the break from her busy schedule. Lively: Rose and Noah, who was dressed in a very smart pale blue collared shirt layered underneath a tan blazer enjoyed an animated discussion as they walked along the street Enjoying time out: Rose has recently been on a promotional tour for her latest flick, Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising and appeared to relish the break from her busy schedule Last week the actress visited the AOL Build Presents Series, where she talked about the comedy sequel in which she stars with Zac Efron and Seth Rogen. Rose returns as her character Kelly Radner in Bad Neighbours 2, which is currently in cinemas, and she was joined at the event by Seth, who plays her on-screen husband. In February Rose and her partner actor Bobby Cannaval welcomed their first child together, a son, Rocco Robin and the couple are relishing life with a newborn. Co-stars: Rose returns as her character Kelly Radner in Bad Neighbours 2, which is currently in cinemas, and she was joined at the event by Seth, who plays her on-screen husband No doubt she is counting down the days until she meets her little girl, but time certainly got away from this star already. Audrina Patridge celebrated her baby shower on Sunday in a bump-highlighting dress. However, the 31-year-old mom-to-be left things a little last minute only picking out her dress just hours before her party. Scroll down for video Coming soon: Audrina Patridge (seen here with makeup artist Amy Clarke) celebrated her baby shower on Sunday in a bump-highlighting dress The Hills star - who is expecting a little girl with fiance Corey Bohan - posted a picture of herself trying to decided what dress to wear just before her shower. Heading to America Apparel, the star luckily found a dress she wanted to wear straight away - the label's classic tight midi dress, the Ponte Tank. Problem was the reality star could not decide on which colour she liked best in the $58 spandex dress. Posting a picture of her three options from the change room, Audrina asked fans for their help. Decisions, decisions: The 31-year-old star left shopping till the last minute so got fans to help her decided on what colour America Apparel dress 'Black.... Red.....or nude?... #americanapparell [sic]', she wrote. Each colour highlighted her still very slender form and ever-growing baby bump but, in the end, she decided on the nude. Decision made the star dashed over to her shower where she shared the celebration with her sister-in-law Theani Patridge. That's the one: In the end she chose the nudeversion of the label's classic tight midi dress, the Ponte Tank Simply stunning: While Audrina's baby shower dress was simple, she glammed it up a little by wearing her hair in perfect sun kissed curls Theani and Audrina's brother Mark are also expecting a little girl so no doubt once they arrive, the cousins will be the best of friends. While Audrina's baby shower dress was simple, she glammed it up a little by wearing her hair in perfect sun kissed curls and her makeup artist Amy Clarke ensured she shined with glossy pink lips, bronzed face and defined eyes and brows. Posting a picture of the mom-to-be on her Instagram, the makeup artist wrote: 'Baby shower for @audrinapatridge. Pretty sure this is going to be one gorgeous baby. #igotitfrommymama.' Proud parents-to-be: The Hills star is having her first child with BMX star Corey Bohan (pictured March) Audrina and her Australian BMX champ fiance will get to meet their little girl in a matter of weeks, as the reality star is in her third trimester. Aside from getting ready for their first child, the couple are also busy planning their wedding. Audrina and Corey got engaged in November and announced their baby news the following month. She stole the show in dazzling style when she closed Australian Fashion Week on Friday. And after strutting her stuff on the catwalk for Oscar de la Renta, Shanina Shaik has said she is 'ready for her vacation'. The Australian model posted a flashback snap from a 2015 Bahamas photo shoot, hours after sharing a video on a plane with her fiance DJ Ruckus and French Bulldog Choppa. Bikini babe: Shanina Shaik showed off her enviable bikini body in flashback snap from a 2015 Bahamas photo shoot Shanina showed off her svelte bikini body in a monochrome Ripcurl two-piece as she immersed herself in the shallow island waters in the beach picture. With her dark, damp tresses sleeked back, the model stared into the camera lens as her sun kissed complexion glowed. She captioned the stunning image with lines from Mungo Jerry's famous song: 'In The Summertime'. Laid-back look: Shanina donned a long-sleeved denim shirt for the plane journey and filmed herself flashing a peace sign Candid momet: The model posted a video showing her on a plane with her French Bulldog Choppa and fiance DJ Ruckus ''In the summertime when the weather was hot, you can stretch right up and touch the sky. When the weathers fine....' #summer #ready4myvacation,' she wrote. Earlier on Monday, Shanina posted a video showing her on a plane with her fiance and French Bulldog. The model, who has made her living flaunting her famous curves for Victoria's Secret and Seafolly, went for a laid-back look in a long-sleeved denim shirt as she flashed a peace-sign at the camera. She filmed her pet dog sitting on her lap and then pointed the camera at DJ Ruckus - whose real name is Greg Andrews. Stole the show: The model dazzled when she strutted her stuff on the catwalk for Oscar de la Renta at Australian Fashion Week (pictured) Loved-up: Shanina and DJ Ruckus, whose real name is Greg Andrews, announced their engagement at the start of the year 'When you miss home #alwaysonaplane,' she captioned the video. The loved-up couple announced their engagement at the start of the year. They got engaged in the Bahamas over the Christmas period after seven months of dating. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia shortly after the news, Shanina gushed: 'Hes a really amazing guy. We get along so well. We have so much fun together and we understand each others work.' Their controversial marriage saw Doug Hutchison branded a pedophile, disowned by his family and brought to an abrupt halt the career he lived for. But his love for teen bride Courtney Stodden was such that the Green Mile star swore he would do it all again in a heartbeat. And now he has. The 55-year-old and his pregnant 21-year-old wife celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary over the weekend by renewing their vows. Scroll down for video 'My sweet & amazing hubby!' Pregnant Courtney Stodden, 21, renewed her vows with husband Doug Hutchison, 55 in Los Angeles at the weekend Five years on: The pair's 20122 wedding saw Doug Hutchison branded a pedophile, disowned by his family and brought to an abrupt halt the career he lived for Courtney was the blushing bride in a beaded over-the-top gown, complete with long veil, as the pair recommitted to one another in a short ceremony in front of the famed Hollywood sign. Still in the early stages of her pregnancy - Courtney announced her happy news just four weeks in - there was no sign yet of any bump. However father-to-be Doug kept a protective hand on his wife's stomach as he smiled proudly for photographs after the ceremony, which was conducted by their friend Ruba Wilson. Scenic backdrop: Courtney was the blushing bride in a beaded over-the-top gown, complete with long veil, as the pair recommitted to one another in a short ceremony in front of the famed Hollywood sign Pure Hollywood: The short ceremony was conducted by their friend Ruba Wilson You may kiss the bride! The day was a happy one, as the couple celebrated their future together with their child 'Happy 5 year anniversary to my sweet & amazing hubby,' wrote the 21-year-old on social media The day was a happy one, as the couple celebrated their future together with their child. 'Happy 5 year anniversary to my sweet & amazing hubby. I cannot wait to renew our vows today, wrote social media accict Courtney on Twitter. And, she added: 'I love you!' But the last five years haven't always been filled with joy - with the couple at one stage separating, before reconciling. Doug, whose career came to an end when it emerged he had begun a relationship with a 16-year-old to whom he was giving acting lessons, has talked of the fall-out caused by their relationship. Baby on the way: There was no sign yet of any bump Was it worth it? Doug, whose career came to an end when it emerged he had begun a relationship with a 16-year-old to whom he was giving acting lessons, has talked of the fall-out caused by their relationshiP Painful time: Their marriage even led to Hutchison's family disowning him 'I got death threats calling me a pedophile, calling me a pervert. My agent dropped me, my manager said by marrying Courtney was like taking a gun and shooting my career in the head,' Hutchison told Vh1. Their marriage even led to Hutchison's family disowning him. 'I got a call from my brother and he said to me "Doug you and Courtney are no longer welcome." My mother vehemently said that she didn't want anything to do with Courtney and me,' he said. Early days: Courtney has not yet reached the 12-week stage of pregnancy First child: Father-to-be Doug kept a protective hand on his wife's stomach Oh baby! Courtney is obviously delighted about her happy news 'I'm saddened that my family has decided to disown me, but it was my destiny to marry Courtney,' insisted the thrice married star. Five years on, the couple are now looking to the future - with their child. Not that pregnancy is proving easy for Courtney, despite her youth. 'No one warned me about the mood swings don't even test me today,' she tweeted at the weekend. He miraculously returned from the dead in the hit show Game of Thrones - delighting fans. But HBO bosses have ruled out a spin-off show for lead character Jon Snow, who is played by Kit Harington. It was widely reported that Harington had been approached to work on a sequel to the wildly popular series, but a representative for the show and actor has dismissed the claims. Scroll down for video No sequel: HBO bosses have ruled out a spin-off show for lead character Jon Snow - played by Kit Harington Last month network executive Michael Lombardo told EW: 'If that were to happen it would have to come from [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] really feeling something, or [author George R.R. Martin] really feeling that it was the right thing to do. 'There are plenty of characters, secondary characters, [who] you could build a world around. We're always going to be drawn to a strong creative vision. But we are not going to do that unless we feel their passion.' The star recently apologised for misleading fans after refusing to confirm rumours his Game of Thrones character would come back to life in the latest series. Harington had previously erroneously insisted he would be returning to the show - but only as a corpse. When asked why he was spotted filming with the cast, he said: 'I was playing a corpse. I was there for a little bit, I was there for about a month or two months, it was spread over a bit and I was playing a corpse. Laid back: It had been widely reported that Harington had been approached to work on a sequel to the wildly popular series, but a representative for the show and actor have dismissed the claims (pictured earlier this week in London) Apologies: The star recently said sorry for misleading fans after refusing to confirm rumours his Game of Thrones character would come back to life in the latest series 'I won't tell you how many episodes I'm lying dead but it's enough that I was out there for quite a while. It's going to be so satisfying when you see it and you see that I was telling the truth the whole time.' But on the Tonight Show last weekend Harington revealed that he did let his secret slip to a policeman, who was a fan of the show, to get out of a speeding ticket as he was driving from his parents' house. He explained: 'One policeman said, "Look, theres two ways we could do this. You can either follow me back to the police station now and I book you in, or you can tell me whether you live in the next series of Game of Thrones."' When the actor confirmed his character would still be alive, the officer told him: 'On your way Lord Commander. Keep the speed down this far south of the wall.' Harington has been starring in the stage production at London's Duke Of York theatre of Doctor Faustus, which runs until June, and has attracted mixed reviews from critics. But earlier this week Harington was spotted leaving Jon Snow and Faustus a long way away as he embarked on a super casual jaunt to a local supermarket in north London. The 29-year-old heartthrob opted for a simple ensemble comprising tracksuit bottoms and a striped hoodie while scraping his famed long tresses into a bun while he chatted on the phone. They are among the trendsetters of Britain's young fashion set. And Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe certainly proved their style credentials as they hit the red carpet at the Vogue 100 gala dinner in London on Monday night. Model and fashionista Alexa looked sensational in a vintage strapless gold dress, which she wore with '80s polka dot tights and heels. Scroll down for video Come on, Vogue! Alexa Chung certainly proved her style credentials as she hit the red carpet at the Vogue 100 gala dinner in London on Monday night The super-slim star worked the cameras as she strutted her stuff on the red carpet while heading into the event. She was closely followed by Daisy, who looked spring-ready in a colourful '50s-style Christopher Kane frock, which she accessorised with a bright pink clutch and simple strappy heels. Also a guest at the dinner was Pixie Geldof, who looked sensational in a long silk patterned number boasting a backless design. She arrived on the arm of her boyfriend George Barnett, and the couple shared a kiss in front of the cameras. Golden girl: Model and fashionista Alexa looked sensational in a vintage strapless gold dress, which she wore with '80s polka dot tights and heels Dynamic duo: Mulberry's creative director Johnny Coca shared words with model Alexa Let it flow: Alexa held a tiny black purse in one hand and used her other hand to show off the gorgeous detailing on her dress Pretty in pastels: She was closely followed by Daisy, who looked spring-ready in a colourful '50s-style frock, which she accessorised with a bright pink clutch and simple strappy heels Bright young thing: Daisy rocked the vibrant number, added a dash of red lipstick to her quirky look The dinner was part of the ongoing celebrations to mark the British version of the fashion bible turning 100 years old. In February, the supermodels of the world united to mark the opening of the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, a display featuring the finest works shot for the style bible since its launch in 1916. The exhibition marks the centenary of the British arm of Vogue, which was exported to the UK by American publisher Conde Montrose Nast in 1916. Rock chick: Pixie Geldof was also among the well-heeled guests at the gala Pop: She carried a sparkling blue purse, which matched the blue hues of her dress Glamour: Sir Bob's daughter looked sensational in a long silk patterned number boasting a backless design Beau: She arrived on the arm of her boyfriend George Barnett, who looked dapper in a black suit Loved up: The pair enjoyed a smooch on the red carpet as they made their way into the dinner It is the first of its kind, celebrating the images which have graced the pages of the magazine over the last centry. The works of Cecil Beaton, Irving Penn, David Bailey, Herb Ritts, Mario Testino and Corinne Day all appeared in the display. It featured some of British Vogue's most iconic shots, from Princess Diana posing in a tiara for Testino, to 90's grunge-era Kate Moss and even a model standing among the rubble in war-torn London during the Blitz. Tantalising trio: Pixie, Daisy and Alexa packed a sartorial punch inside the gala Show it off: Alexa frequently paused to display the detailing of her dress, which took on a different character depending on the light Strike a pose: Alexa's wrinkle-free complexion wowed on the red carpet, as did her finely sculpted eyebrows Other snaps include the Beckhams at the height of their '90s fame, a cocky young Jude Law, late great designer Alexander McQueen and even the future King of England, Price Charles, who was snapped posing with chickens on his country estate. Speaking about what makes Vogue so iconic, Shulman - who has edited since 1992 - said that the publication was 'very clear about the core values [of fashion] while being open to adaptation and innovation.' Aimed as a guide for the rich and wealthy to spend their money, the magazine transcended its original boundaries of reporting the latest fashion trends to purchase to become a bench-mark for social events, culture and trends of the day. Camera-ready: Kim Kardashian and Peter Dundas looked effortlessly cool as they hit the red carpet Curvaceous: Kim left little to the imagination in this daring see-through gown with mesh detailing Black beauties: Sophie Dahl and Kate Moss both went back to black for their turns on the red carpet Inspired by nature: Tania Fares and Zawe Ashton drew inspiration from Mother Earth, with Tania working pink and white flowers and Zawe wearing a tree-and-root design Das is gut! Model Claudia Schiffer showed off her perfect pins in black spray-on leggings Asian sensation: Actress Gemma Chan looked radiant in this black number with white lace detailing Happily ever after: Gemma attended the bash with boyfriend Jack Whitehall Always in style: Kate Moss wore a sheer black dress which revealed her stunning panty line Gal pals: Make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury and her bestie Kate seemed to be competing for best cheekbones Light and dark: Model Laura Bailey radiated the joys of summer in this white dress with bright floral detailing, while Sofia Blunt went dark and mysterious Lady is a vamp! With her stunning good looks and sartorial flair, Cheryl always turns heads - and she did so again in these stunning black leather boots Best of Britain: British fashion designer Giles Deacon turned up and turned out in a black suit with a playful bow tie. Fellow Briton Joan Collins looked ravishing in a golden dress with reflective embellishments Three's company: Model David Gandy cosied up to Yasmin Le Bon and her husband Simon Tyson Beckford got into a late night fight with DJ Ruckus over Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik on Thurday. The brawl between the former friends happened outside the Up & Down nightclub in Manhattan, New York, according to TMZ. Tyson, a former Ralph Lauren model, had dated the beautiful 25-year-old on and off since 2008. But the couple finally called time on their relationship last year. Fighting mad: Tyson Beckford, pictured at the New York premiere of Race in February, got into a brawl with DJ Ruckus outside the Up & Down nightclub in Manhattan, New York on Thursday And Tyson wasn't best pleased when DJ Ruckus, who has a residency at Hakkasan Las Vegas, got with his ex just a couple of months later. Apparently bad feeling had been growing between the two and it surfaced when they bumped into one another at the nightclub. A matter of the heart: The two men were apparently fighting over model Shanina Shaik, pictured with DJ Ruckus at an event in South Beach, Florida in December A slanging match erupted with the 32-year-old DJ flipping off the 45-year-old model turned actor, sources told TMZ, and they took it out to the street. The website reported that the fight was violent and bloody, with Tyson on top of Ruckus beating him up as one of the DJ's friends began punching Tyson in the head. A doorman called the cops but by the time they got there the men were gone and no arrests were made. Old love: Tyson and Shanina, 25, pictured on vacation in January 2015, ended their eight-year on-off relationship last summer. The 45-year-old was apparently furious when she took up with Ruckus a few months later Shanina and Tyson met on the set of Australia's Make Me A Supermodel in which she was a contestant and he was the host as well as a judge and mentor. Meanwhile, Tyson really doesn't have a hope of winning back his former flame, according to Page Six. Shanina and Ruckus, whose real name is Gregory Andrew, are now planning their wedding after getting engaged during a romantic holiday in the Maldives in January. Advertisement She has made her mark wherever she has touched down during a whirlwind tour of Europe. But Kim Kardashian ensured she was the main talking piece as she mixed with the fashion pack at the Vogue 100 Gala Dinner in London on Monday night. The stunning reality TV queen, 35, turned heads as she sauntered into the A-list event alongside husband Kanye West. But while it was a starry turnout for the bash, there was no sign of the magazine's centenary cover star Kate Middleton. Scroll down for video Not so cover up girl: Kim Kardashian ensured she was the main talking piece as she mixed with the fashion pack at the Vogue 100 Gala Dinner in London on Monday night After slimming down following the birth of her second child, son Saint, last year, the beauty is determined to retake her crown as one of showbiz's raciest dressers. The beauty showed off her incredible curves in a sheer khaki design, which gave the impression she was totally nude underneath. Kim was keen to show off every angle of her dress, which boasted a sheer panel at the cleavage and huge green belt, posing up a storm as she headed into the event. Kanye, meanwhile, let his wife take the lead - wearing a simple all-black ensemble as he stared in awe at his stunning partner. See Kim Kardashian updates as she steals the show at the star-studded Vogue 100 gala dinner in London Supercouple: The stunning reality TV queen, 35, turned heads as she sauntered into the A-list event alongside husband Kanye West Sheer delight! The beauty showed off her incredible curves in a sheer khaki design, which gave the impression she was totally nude underneath Loved up: Kanye, meanwhile, let his wife take the lead - wearing a simple all-black ensemble as he stared in awe at his stunning partner Flawless: The star worked the camera like a professional supermodel as she got her close up inside the dinner Fashion elite: Kim stopped to chat to British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, who had overseen the Centenary gala dinner at Kensington Garden, alongside fashion designer Peter Dundus Powerful pair: Kim is already close to Alexandra's US counterpart Anna Wintour and appeared to have another fashionable friend in hand Sheer pleasure: The mother-of-two rocked the intricate sheer lace design to perfection Taking it Yeezy: Even Kanye cracked a smile at the excitement of the uber-stylish affair Fashionable friends: Kim was stopped by the magazine's editor at large Fiona Golfar who seemed keen for a chinwag Working the room: The superstar looked in high spirits as she worked her way around the A-list crowd Her leading man: The couple looked as smitten as ever as they locked eyes before heading into the star-studded event Whoops! Kim offered photographers an eyeful despite her best attempts to gracefully descend from her car Stunning silhouette: The embellished gown was perfect for showing off Kim's famously curvaceous figure Can't take me eyes off of you! Kanye looked fixated on his wife as they she gazed at the flashing lenses Let me look at you! Kim was seen getting a last minute check-over by her stylist before facing the world's press Making her entrance: Kim certainly turned heads as she arrived at the star-studded London event Kim may have be one of the main head turners at the bash, but she had a lot of competition on her hands in the form of pop superstar Cheryl. The former X Factor beauty left her new man Liam Payne at home as she strutted her stuff while walking into the event. The star - who split from husband Jean-Bernard last year - appeared to have returned to racy pop roots as she stunned in a daring little black dress and killer thigh-high leather boots. Booti-ful! Kim may have be one of the main head turners at the bash, but she had a lot of competition on her hands in the form of pop superstar Cheryl Back to her best! The star - who split from husband Jean-Bernard last year - appeared to have returned to racy pop roots as she stunned in a daring little black dress and killer thigh-high leather boots Stand out: Cheryl proved she's just as good as any supermodel as she Vogued in the gala dinner - while Kanye enjoyed a drink in the back Hell for leather! The former X Factor beauty left her new man Liam Payne at home as she strutted her stuff while walking into the event While Kim and Cheryl were the talking points of the evening, the catwalk queens invited along didn't exactly disappear into the background. Among the supermodels in attendance was Lara Stone, who certainly turned heads with her very revealing black gown. The Dutch beauty, 32, may be a mother of one, but she proved she can still flash the flesh as she showed off some serious underboob in the mesh segmented number. Seriously racy: Among the supermodels in attendance was Lara Stone, who certainly turned heads with her very revealing black gown Whoa mama! The Dutch beauty, 32, may be a mother of one, but she proved she can still flash the flesh as she showed off some serious underboob in the mesh segmented number Red-dy to shine: Lara's dress made the most of her sizeable assets and her long legs Strike a pose! Lara was seen stopping for a picture alongside Lily Donaldson as the great and the good mingled inside Scarlet woman: Lily wowed in a stunning gem-encrusted red gown as she sashayed into the bash What a ruby! The supermodel worked the exquisite creation which she had paired with a matching clutch and dash of red lipstick Moss be a good bash: Keeping with the blonde runway diva theme was Kate Moss, who stunned in a sheer black sequinned gown over a leotard Cut above: Kate playfully stroked hairdresser Sam McKnight's bald head as she was joined by make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury Fun time gal: The model looked in high spirits as she playfully showed off her purse Keeping with the blonde runway diva theme was Kate Moss. The striking fashion legend looked highly polished as she sported a sheer black sequinned gown over a leotard. Another platinum icon who arrived in style at the Vogue bash was Claudia Schiffer. The German beauty - one of the original pack of supermodels - defied her 45 years as she stunned in a ruffled black LBD. Keeping her long legs on show, albeit in black tights, the star's trademark blonde tresses were in sleek waves for the evening. She met up with couture queen Erin O'Connor, who looked statuesque in plunging sheer gown patterned with flowers. Blonde ambition: Another northern European blonde who arrived in style at the Vogue bash was Claudia Schiffer Amazonians: She met up with couture queen Erin O'Connor, who looked statuesque in plunging sheer gown patterned with flowers Couture queen: Erin showed off the poses which made her a hugely in-demand model Three's a crowd: Yasmin Le Bon and pop star husband Simon also attended and stopped to chat to male model David Gandy Playful pair: The cute couple stunned in bright ensembles before messing around for a snap It wasn't just the style crowd who turned out to celebrate the fashion bible. Hollywood actress Demi Moore also made her mark at the event after stunning at the Chelsea Flower Show earlier in the day. The stunning brunette looked decades younger than her 53 years as she slipped into a slinky black and red sequinned number. With her trademark long raven looks falling over her shoulder, the star smoldered in the racy number, which featured a high neck and sheer cut-outs. Gimme Moore! Demi Moore provided some Hollywood glamour in a red and black sequinned dress with sheer panels Meanwhile, home grown talent Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe certainly proved their style credentials as they hit the red carpet at the Vogue 100 gala dinner in London on Monday night. Model and fashionista Alexa looked sensational in a vintage strapless gold dress, which she wore with '80s polka dot tights and heels. The super-slim star worked the cameras as she strutted her stuff on the red carpet while heading into the event. She was closely followed by Daisy, who looked spring-ready in a colourful '50s-style frock, which she accessorised with a bright pink clutch and simple strappy heels. Also a guest at the dinner was Pixie Geldof, who looked sensational in a long silk patterned number boasting a backless design. She arrived on the arm of her boyfriend George Barnett, and the couple shared a kiss in front of the cameras. Come on, Vogue! Alexa Chung certainly proved her style credentials as she hit the red carpet at the Vogue 100 gala dinner in London on Monday night Golden girl: Model and fashionista Alexa looked sensational in a vintage strapless gold dress, which she wore with '80s polka dot tights and heels Golden touch: The model was keen to show off her retro number as she swirled it around for the cameras Pretty in pastels: She was closely followed by Daisy, who looked spring-ready in a colourful '50s-style frock, which she accessorised with a bright pink clutch and simple strappy heels Bright young thing: Daisy rocked the vibrant number, added a dash of red lipstick to her quirky look The dinner was part of the ongoing celebrations to mark the British version of the fashion bible turning 100 years old. In February, the supermodels of the world united to mark the opening of the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, a display featuring the finest works shot for the style bible since its launch in 1916. The exhibition marks the centenary of the British arm of Vogue, which was exported to the UK by American publisher Conde Montrose Nast in 1916. Glamour: Sir Bob Geldof's daughter Pixie looked sensational in a long silk patterned number boasting a backless design Beau: She arrived on the arm of her boyfriend George Barnett, who looked dapper in a black suit Loved up: The pair enjoyed a smooch on the red carpet as they made their way into the dinner Gal pals together: The trio of fashionistas looked thrilled to be back in each other's company Lady in red! Georgia May Jagger looked divine in an ankle grazing burgundy dress as she clutched a pretty grey bag Cute couple: Gemma Chan and Jack Whitehall looked happy together as they posed for pictures in their monochrome outfits Stunning: Gemma Chan looked fantastic in her elegant black and white lace dress teamed white black sandals and a Burberry bag Refined style: Actor Damian Lewis looked dapper in a smart suit as he was joined by his wife Helen McCrory on the red carpet Wonderful in white: Helen McCrory dazzled in a flowing ivory gown embroidered with colourful spring flowers and wore Monica Vinader Riva Kite earrings and the Riva Cluster cuff It is the first of its kind, celebrating the images which have graced the pages of the magazine over the last centry. The works of Cecil Beaton, Irving Penn, David Bailey, Herb Ritts, Mario Testino and Corinne Day all appeared in the display. It featured some of British Vogue's most iconic shots, from Princess Diana posing in a tiara for Testino, to 90's grunge-era Kate Moss and even a model standing among the rubble in war-torn London during the Blitz. Legends: Joan Collins dazzled in gold as she joined modelling icons Marie Helvin and Twiggy at the bash Blooming lovely! Laura Bailey looked lovely in a cream summer dress with floral trim and white platforms at the party Stunners: Model Sophie Dahl looked ravishing in a sheer black dress while Laura Carmichael stunned in a simple silver gown and make-up artist Jemma Wesley stunned in a bright orange two piece Boys' club: Kanye stopped for a photo with Sophie's jazz singer husband Jamie Cullum Date night: Jamie was also seen posing with his stunning wife Sophie Dahl, who looked gorgeous in a figure hugging black dress Designers: Dapper gents Tom Ford and Giorgio Armani both donned dinner suits for the big evening Family affair: Ab Fab star Jennifer Saunders mingled with the crowd she usually mocks as she looked chic at the event alongside daughter Freya Edmondson Top man: Even London's new mayor Sadiq Khan stepped out for the event, and he and his wife Saadiya were greeted by editor Alexandra Fashion talent: Designers Roland Mouret and Mary McCartney broke out their best poses for the camera Talented pair: Designers Melissa Odabash and Julien Macdonald caught up at the fashion bash Strike a pose: A glam Daisy Lowe fitted right in with the Kensington Gardens party's glitzy decor Party people: The model was seen chatting with top designer Christopher Kane over drinks Beauties: Models and close pals Sam Rollinson (L) and Charlotte Wiggins both looked gorgeous. Charlotte teamed her Dsquared2 ensemble with Camilla Elphick heels Chic trio: Model Erin O'Connor struck a pose with businessman Jack Dyson and fellow model Jade Parfitt Style icon: Joan Collins looked amazing in a full length sequin gown as she cosied up to a summery Laura Bailey Super chic: Downton Abbey's Laura Carmichael showed off her cute rabbit clutch as she caught up with Gemma Chan Model looks: Edie Campbell went for a daring look, showing some skin under her blazer while Sophie Dahl flaunted her semi sheer dress They're in fashion: Fashion fans and designers Christopher Kane, Alexa Chung and Roksanda Ilincic no doubt had plenty to talk about Party time: Demi Moore hung out with designer Peter Dundas and Countess Debonnaire von Bismarck Speccy: The Hollywood actress posed in her chic glasses, matching Dundas Other snaps include the Beckhams at the height of their '90s fame, a cocky young Jude Law, late great designer Alexander McQueen and even the future King of England, Price Charles, who was snapped posing with chickens on his country estate. Speaking about what makes Vogue so iconic, Shulman - who has edited since 1992 - said that the publication was 'very clear about the core values [of fashion] while being open to adaptation and innovation.' Aimed as a guide for the rich and wealthy to spend their money, the magazine transcended its original boundaries of reporting the latest fashion trends to purchase to become a bench-mark for social events, culture and trends of the day. Time for bed: Kim looked a little sleepy as she exited the party after the fun-filled evening Still flawless: The superstar was still looking absolutely gorgeous after her busy night of partying Always with her: Kim clutched her phone as she arrived back at her plush London base - the Dorchester Hotel Graceful exit: The star was extra careful not to tread on her delicate dress as she climbed out of her car at the hotel Still going! Kate Moss continued the fun at the gala's after party held at Tramp private members club in Mayfair Wardrobe malfunction: The Brit beauty had managed to rip her glittering gown during the festivities What a night! Demi Moore looked a little worse for wear as she joined the after party with Kate and co at Tramp Hollywood star coming through! Demi was helped out of the club by a pal after hitting London in style Blonde beauties: Laura Bailey and Lily Donaldson were still looking gorgeous as they continued the night at the afterparty Saying their goodbyes: Lily was seen sharing a last gossip with friend Georgia May Jagger outside the party Close: Laura Carmichael and Gemma Chan stuck close together as they made their exit Making her exit: Pixie Geldof was looking fab in her slinky print gown as she left the bash Party pals: Pixie left the party with her friends Alexa Chung and designer Henry Holland Leggy: Poldark beauty Eleanor Tomlinson showed off her long legs as she left the party in her pretty ice blue lace dress He had fun! Tinie Tempah couldn't contain his giggles as he left the fashion bash What a beauty: Erin O'Connor still wowed in her glam gown after the stylish evening Time of her life: Lara Stone burst out laughing as she hit Tramp with a handsome pal Actress Sheridan Smith was reportedly rushed to hospital after collapsing at an A-list retreat after dropping out of West End show Funny Girl for 'exhaustion and stress'. The 34-year-old star is said to have escaped to Champneys Health Spa after deciding to take a month off the show, when she suddenly fell ill. Staff at the spa called 999, with paramedics from two ambulance crews assessing her at the scene before taking her to nearby Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford for further tests, according to The Sun. Scroll down for video 'Stressed': Actress Sheridan Smith was reportedly rushed to hospital after collapsing at a A-list retreat after dropping out of West End show Funny Girl for exhaustion and stress A source tells the newspaper: 'She has been in a better place and things have been looking up, but on Sunday there was a medical emergency and ambulances were called. 'But she is doing much better and it has nothing to do with stress or her state of mind.' A spokesperson for the South East Coast Ambulance confirms a woman at the venue was 'taken to hospital as a priority'. Smith is said to have made a full recovery after being released from hospital. A representative for the star has been contacted for comment by MailOnline. Retreat: The star was said to have escaped to Champneys Health Spa after she decided to take a month off the show when she suddenly fell ill. She was taken to a nearby hospital before being released Troubled: The reported health scare comes just two weeks after it was announced the star would take four weeks off after cancelling three performances in a row Champneys has long been popular with celebrities wanting to escape the pressures of fame and living in London. Famous clients have included Barbra Streisand, Victoria Beckham and Tony and Cherie Blair. The reported health scare comes after it was announced the star would take four weeks off after cancelling three performances in a row. The Savoy Theatre announced that the star's understudy, Natasha Barnes, would be playing her lead role in Funny Girl for 'two to four weeks' amid growing speculation about her health. The producers released a statement, which said the star - whose father is suffering from cancer - is now getting the 'rest and support she needs during this very difficult and stressful time'. It adds: 'We will all miss her enormously and send her our love and best wishes - and we are looking forward to her return in due course'. Rocky: The actress had got rave reviews for the show before missing several performances and being accused of slurring her words during performances The producers released a statement, which said she is now getting the 'rest and support she needs during this very difficult and stressful time' Party girl: Sheridan Smith (left) cancelled a second appearance in Funny Girl less than 24 hours after partying with stars after the Baftas including Professor Green (pictured together) due to health concerns Hitting out: Smith is currently dealing with her father's cancer diagnosis and she yesterday hit out at a critics during a Twitter meltdown, telling her: 'Come say your s*** to my face, see what happens' She cancelled three days in a row after the Bafta TV award ceremony, at which she was seen drinking and flirting with stars including Professor Green. Smith is currently dealing with her father's cancer diagnosis and she yesterday hit out at a critics during a Twitter meltdown, telling one: 'Come say your s*** to my face, see what happens'. She is also said to be suffering from 'cyber-bullying' after she was seen to be visibly disappointed not to win a Bafta when she was nominated for two. After taking over, her understudy Natasha Barnes received getting rave reviews from theatre-goers and critics. Bad start: The first performance of Sheridan Smith as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (pictured) was cancelled midway through, with bosses citing 'technical difficulties' as the reason Yesterday she appeared to blame the press for her cancellations, saying she is 'not strong enough', which is believed to be a reference to her father's cancer diagnosis Celebrities including Chris Stark from Radio One and Rylan Clark-Neal have come out in support of Smith Natasha Barnes poses with co-star Darius Campbell (left) and fans (right) after the performance on Monday The cancellations came after a performance was axed half way due to 'technical difficulties', but fans said she appeared drunk. Earlier this month, Baftas host Graham Norton publicly mocked her, joking that they could have a few drinks, 'or as we call it in the industry, a couple of glasses of technical difficulties'. She has appeared to blame the press for her cancellations, writing on Twitter: 'Well done press! You let down me, the cast and everyone who paid to see me'. The tweet finished with message: 'Sorry, sorry, I'm not strong enough'. According to sources, an executive from theatre group ATG, which owns The Savoy, has now been drafted in specifically to assess 34-year-old Smith before each show. Smith was said to be 'desperate' to win a Bafta because she wanted to honour the woman whose battle with breast cancer inspired her TV drama The C-Word. Smith pulled out of the West End smash for the third day running, amid reports she is struggling to cope with cyber-bullying since leaving the Baftas empty-handed. She had been nominated for Best Actress for her portayal of writer Lisa Lynch in BBC drama The C-Word. Lynch died of cancer in 2013, aged just 33. The C-Word had also been nominated for Best Single Drama. The role as Lisa Lynch was considered particularly poignant for Smith, whose 18-year-old brother Julian also died from cancer, when she was just eight-years-old. Sheridan Smith looked disappointed when she lost out at the Baftas with viewers calling her expression 'priceless', and 24 hours later she dramatically pulled out of the production of her West End show Funny Girl She quit a previous run of Funny Girl at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London back in March after her father Colin was diagnosed with cancer. She openly hit out at show bosses by tweeting to the official Twitter page for the production, alleging they were breaking their contract by pressurising her to return to the stage. She attacked producers for trying to 'pressure' her to perform in her emotional state, and tweeted: 'They don't give a f*** about my dad,' after she pulled out, just three hours before curtain call. In a tweet that has since been deleted, Sheridan wrote: 'covering your asses! No contract signed Sonia, Sarah camlett or presuming we 'desperately' need u? Either way.See u in court.' Another performance was then cancelled midway at the Savoy, with bosses citing technical difficulties, although fans said she appeared drunk on stage and was slurring her words. She denied claims she was drunk on Twitter as fans voiced their disappointment, with many paying more than 100 a ticket. But moments later she made her account private. Sheridan quickly arranged herself, smiling and clapping the actors who took the Best Single Drama award A teen stricken with cancer for the second time received a surprise visit on Monday from his Superhero heroes. Ryan Wilcox, 18, of San Diego, is a huge Captain America fan and when Gwyneth Paltrow heard of his dream to meet the movie's stars, she posted on Instagram she was willing to drive Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans down to meet the high school student. In the end, they took a helicopter arriving at Ryan's home where they spent time with him and his family, according to an update the actress shared Monday afternoon. Scroll down for video Nice gesture: Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. surprised Avengers and Captain America fan Ryan Wilcox, 18, who is battling cancer for the second time. They traveled with Gwyneth Paltrow to the teen's San Diego home on Monday Dream come true: Evans posted this photo to his Instagram on Monday too, showing all three Hollywood stars with Ryan who was wearing his Captain America t-shirt Paltrow shared a photo of Downey Jr. and Evans posing for a photo with Ryan, who was wearing his Captain America t-shirt, in the hallway of his home. Evans later shared a photo of all three stars with Ryan on his Instagram. During the visit, Ryan showed Evans the large Captain America poster he had displayed on his bedroom wall. Images posted on social media under the hashtag #RyanStrong showed the actor high-fiving the teen cancer sufferer, and also Iron Man star Downey Jr. autographing his wall. Thrilled: Paltrow had rallied her famous pals to the cause after regramming a plea from Ryan's friends about how much he dreamed of meeting his superhero heroes and was excited she'd pulled it off Rallied for the cause: The actress shared a short Instagram video of herself on board a helicopter with Downey Jr. and Evans as they flew down to San Diego on Monday morning Earlier in the day, Paltrow had shared a photo of the two actors walking across the airport tarmac to meet her. She followed by a short Instagram video of the three of them in the helicopter and flying down from LA. The Oscar-winning actress looked very excited about having pulled off the trip and showed herself briefly with a huge open-mouth smile as she panned her smartphone camera around the cabin. They're here: She first gave a clue to what might be coming by posting to Instagram a photo of the two actors arriving to meet her at the airport Two weeks ago, Paltrow regrammed a photo of Ryan in his hospital bed and wrote a message to her Iron Man co-star and the Captain America star. 'Hey @robertdowneyjr and #chrisevans, want to take a road trip? I will drive you guys down,' she wrote. In the original Instagram posting, Ryan's friends had reached out to the film stars, explaining: 'What we want for Ryan if possible is to meet the actors and actresses of the Avengers, especially Chris Evans who plays Captain America. He isn't doing too well and this would be a major way to boost his spirits and quite frankly be the best moment of his life if he literally got to meet his hero!' Wish granted: The excited teen finally got to meet his hero, after Evans had earlier this month sent a personal video message of encouragement to his big fan that was played during a pep rally at Ryan's high school Ryan had had a tumor removed from his brain and undergone chemotherapy as a toddler, according to San Diego local news station KUSI. After being in remission for 10 years, he was diagnosed with Leukemia a year ago. Evans had already sent a video message to Ryan that was played at a special pep rally at his high school on May 6, Fox5 San Diego reported at the time. 'I'm glad to know you are on Team Cap,' the actor said in the clip. 'I just wanted to say stay strong.' 'I know you are fighting the good fight. It's people like you, strength like yours, that inspire people like me. So, thank you, really, from the bottom of my heart. I'm thinking of you, I'm with you.' A plea for a fan: Paltrow had regrammed this photo of Ryan in his hospital bed and offered to drive her Iron Man co-star and the Captain America star down to see the teen and make his wish come true Penelope Cruz never disappoints. When stopping by the Good Morning America studios in New York City on Monday, the 42-year-old Spanish actress appeared youthful in a black and white lace dress that flaunted her trim frame. The wife of Javier Bardem also wore a sexy pair of Christian Louboutin heels that added six inches to her 5ft6in frame. Scroll down for video Hot to trot: Penelope Cruz looked pretty in a lace dress with designer heels as she showed up to Good Morning American in NYC on Monday Baby you can drive my car: The stunner showed off her backside as she headed into an SUV Penelope was caught waving to fans as she arrived at the studio a couple hours earlier, sporting a very different look, a change from the sophisticated dress she wore on her way out. The Oscar-winning actress arrived wearing an all -black ensemble, which included a pair of faded black denim jeans, and a simple black top, coupled with a fringe leather jacket. She kept the accessories to a minimum,skipping the jewelry but rocking black rounded sunglasses to shield herself from the sun. Not to be forgotten were her shoes - a pair of silver beaded suede stiletto booties. Dress up: The Ma ma star arrived in a casual look before changing into something else for her appearance Cool in black: The Vicky Cristina Barcelona finished off her arrival look with a leather fringe jacket Cruz won the Academy award in 2008 for Best Supporting Actress in her role as the talented but difficult Maria Elena in Woody Allen's love story: Vicky Cristina Barcelona. But it was her new Spanish film Ma Ma that she was highlighting on this outing. The Vanilla Sky star plays Magda, a single mother whose life is turned upside down when she meets what seems to be the love of her life, just as she's diagnosed with Stage three breast cancer. Making history: The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star becomes first Spanish actress to be awarded a star on the Hollywood walk of fame; here she is seen at the ceremony in 2011 The film is directed by Julio Medem and co-stars Luis Tosar and Asier Etxeandia. In 2011, at age 36, Cruz was honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with her own star on the Hollywood walk of fame. She is the first Spanish actress to be given a star. Sudan ups pressure for exit of Darfur peacekeepers As the UN Security Council begins talks next month on renewing its mission in Darfur for another year, Sudan has stepped up pressure for a complete exit of international peacekeepers from the war-torn region. About 20,000 troops and policemen from more than 30 countries are currently in Sudan's western region of Darfur as part of the African Union-United Nations mission, UNAMID. Deployed in 2007, UNAMID has a mandate to curb violence in Darfur, a region the size of France. Deployed in 2007, the United Nations-African Union Mission has a mandate to curb violence in Darfur, a region the size of France Albert Gonzalez Farran (UNAMID/AFP/File) Deadly conflict there since 2003 has left tens of thousands of civilians dead. Khartoum insists that unrest in Darfur has now ended, and that a referendum held there in April was a clear example of security returning to the war-scarred region. "It's time to say goodbye to the UNAMID mission," Sudan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail said last week in Khartoum. "This mission came to protect civilians, but now there is no danger to civilians, there is no conflict in Darfur." Violence erupted in Darfur when ethnic minority rebels rose against President Omar al-Bashir, accusing his Arab-dominated government of marginalising the region. Bashir mounted a brutal counter-insurgency and at least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, the UN says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes. Khartoum says last month's referendum "turned a page" on Darfur's crisis, with almost 98 percent of voters opting to maintain the region as five separate states. The referendum was boycotted by the opposition and criticised internationally. Darfur was a single region until 1994 when the government split it into three states, and later added another two in 2012, claiming it would make local government more efficient. Ismail said Khartoum is negotiating through a task force with concerned UNAMID groups to reach a time frame for the mission's exit. Officials said some UNAMID member countries have also expressed a desire to exit or cut troop numbers in the mission. - 'Waste of money' - UNAMID officials and foreign diplomats AFP spoke to said that although clashes between government troops and rebels have declined in recent months, the overall situation in Darfur was still a concern. Security in Darfur was still "fluid and unpredictable", a top UN rights expert said after touring the region last month. "There is massive displacement still happening in Darfur," a foreign diplomat monitoring the situation told AFP, on condition of anonymity. Tens of thousands of newly displaced people have taken refuge in North Darfur after an upsurge in fighting this year between the army and rebels in the thickly forested rocky mountain range of Jebel Marra. Six civilians were killed on May 9 when armed tribesmen attacked the makeshift camp in the town of Sortoni where these people have sought safety. In April, as many as 20 people were killed in clashes between two rival Arab tribes in East Darfur sparked by livestock thefts, just a day after gunmen torched the residence of the state governor. Apart from the insurgency, parts of Darfur have been further hit by confrontations between myriad ethnic and tribal groups, as well as by rising criminality. Downplaying the latest violence, Tijani Sissi, who heads the Darfur Regional Authority told AFP that such incidents were expected given that the "the region is coming out of war". Khartoum is "very much interested" in the UNAMID mission leaving, said the foreign diplomat, "but UNAMID can pull out only when UN mentioned benchmarks are achieved in Darfur". These include protection of civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance and successful peace negotiations between Khartoum and rebel groups that have not yet signed the Doha accord for peace in Darfur. Ismail insists that Sudan was in a position to "maintain peace" in Darfur if UNAMID leaves, adding that funds spent on the mission could be diverted for development projects in Darfur or elsewhere in Sudan. "The continuation of this mission is simply a waste of money," Ismail said. About 20,000 troops and policemen from more than 30 countries are currently in Sudan's western region of Darfur as part of the African Union-United Nations mission, UNAMID Ashraf Shazly (AFP/File) Japan exports fall in April as strong yen, quakes weigh Japanese exports faltered in April after separate figures last week showed the world's number three economy dodged a recession in the first quarter. A fall in shipments of cars and steel overseas led exports lower, as key producers including auto giant Toyota warned that a rally in the yen was taking a bite out of profits, on the back of a slowdown in China and other emerging economies. Deadly earthquakes in southern Japan last month forced the temporary closure of some regional factories, weighing on production. Japan's economy expanded by 0.4% between January and March after a contraction in the last three months of 2015 Toru Yamanaka (AFP/File) "Exports of US-bound automobiles have rapidly fallen, which could have been an effect of production suspension due to earthquakes in Kumamoto," SMBC Nikko economist Junichi Makino said in a note. The government has approved a 778 billion yen ($7.1 billion) extra budget in response to the disaster. On Monday, the finance ministry said exports dropped 10.1 percent last month from a year ago to 5.89 trillion yen, the seventh straight monthly fall. The value of imports also plunged 23.3 percent to 5.06 trillion yen, mostly due to fluctuations in oil and energy prices, the ministry said. Japan's trade surplus sat at 823.5 billion yen. The recent surge of the yen has been a cause of headache to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to boost the economy, which expanded by 0.4 percent between January and March after a contraction in the last three months of 2015. A consumer spending rebound helped drive the better than expected figures, but the leap year added another day of production -- and spending -- to the economy's performance. Abe's growth plan -- big government spending, central bank monetary easing and reforms to the highly regulated economy -- initially appeared to bear fruit after he came to power in late 2012 elections. The yen weakened sharply, which boosted Japanese exporters' profits and sparked a huge stock market rally. But sustained growth has been elusive and Abe's efforts to overhaul the economy have been widely criticised as half-hearted. Syria regime relentless on siege of 'thorn in side' Daraya Under international pressure, Syria's government has agreed to partial aid access for thousands of civilians living under regime siege but one town near Damascus remains a "thorn in its side": Daraya. The town was one of the first to erupt in demonstrations against the government -- and one of the first to be placed under a strict regime siege in late 2012. Despite appeals from its residents, the United Nations and rights groups, Syria's government has steadfastly refused to allow aid convoys into the town, most recently in a dramatic 11th-hour rejection earlier this month. A member of the Syrian government forces guards a look-out point in Daraya, southwest of the capital, Damascus, on February 24, 2016 Youssef Karwashan (AFP/File) Since a partial truce began in February, aid groups have made modest strides in reaching some besieged areas with assistance. But Daraya remains without a drop of aid. "The regime is using its 'submit or starve' policy to try and take back the town," said Bissan Fakih, spokeswoman for The Syria Campaign, an advocacy group focused on the conflict. "Daraya is on the capital's doorstep, so the regime won't give it up." The town lies a mere 15-minute drive southwest of central Damascus and is even closer to the regime's prized Mazzeh air base, which hosts the feared air force intelligence services and their notorious prison. A source close to the government said: "Daraya has a special place in the government's mind. "The state wants to take Daraya -- it doesn't want a truce there. The location is too strategic." Clashes on the town's edges have intensified as pro-government news website Al-Masdar said the army would "kick off a major military operation" to capture Daraya in the coming days. - 'The forgotten siege' - Daraya was once known for its sprawling grape vines and factories producing delicate embroidered tablecloths sold throughout the capital. When Syria's uprising began in 2011, the town's protesters became renowned for handing out flowers and water to government soldiers. But daily death tolls grew as sniper fire turned to shelling and residents began to take up arms against the regime. In November 2012, government forces began "setting up checkpoints at all the entrances to the town", said local activist Shadi Matar. "By December, there were no safe ways to come into or leave Daraya." The siege shrivelled the town's thriving pre-war population of 80,000 down by nearly 90 percent. "Daraya is like the forgotten siege. It's one of the first places that was besieged, but even after the truce, no food or medical assistance came in," Matar said from inside the town. Hosam Khshini, a doctor in one of Daraya's clinics, said residents lack basic amenities and have resorted to eating wild grass. "Electricity? We don't even know what that is anymore. Water? It's all from the wells and it's not potable anyway. Food and milk for children -- none." Testimonies from the town echo the stories of more than 400,000 Syrians that the UN estimates live in towns besieged by the regime or by rebels. - 'A conundrum for the regime' - On May 12, Khshini and others waited with bated breath as a five-truck Red Cross convoy paused on the town's outskirts for final permission to distribute baby milk and medical and school supplies. But at the last minute, the trucks were refused entry, dashing residents' hopes. "Daraya is still a conundrum for the regime," Khshini told AFP. "The UN really tries to get inside but the regime refuses, giving flimsy excuses every time to block aid deliveries." Aside from Daraya's strategic location, government sources and opposition activists have different theories for why the regime is so unforgiving when it comes to the town. "Daraya is known as the school of the non-violent uprising," said Fakih of The Syria Campaign. She said the government resented that Daraya continued to defy "the dictatorship down the road". "Those peaceful days may be long gone, but the survival of this town is a thorn in the side of (President) Bashar al-Assad's plan to stamp out the uprising." But regime sources insist the particularly tough stance stems from the presence of extremist combatants. "Daraya is a red line for the regime because of the fighters there, most of whom are from hardline groups," the source close to the government said. "The groups in Daraya are some of the most religious. This is why the state believes that the humanitarian aid wouldn't even go to the civilians." Already before its truce with non-jihadist rebels began in late February, Syria's army insisted Daraya would not be included in the deal because the town hosted "terrorists". A government soldier said: "The fighters look very healthy while the civilians look poor and miserable... because someone is stealing everything that enters the town." Despite appeals from its residents, the United Nations and rights groups, Syria's government has steadfastly refused to allow aid convoys into Daraya Fadi Dirani (AFP/File) Smoke ascends after a Syrian military helicopter allegedly dropped a barrel bomb over the city of Daraya, southwest of the capital Damascus Fadi Dirani (AFP/File) Obama banishes Vietnam war era with lifting of arms ban US President Barack Obama on Monday scrapped a Cold War-era ban on weapons sales to Vietnam, as ties between the former foes grow closer thanks to trade and mutual fears of Chinese expansion in disputed seas. The announcement, made at the start of Obama's three-day visit to Vietnam, could strengthen Hanoi's hand against Beijing, which has been increasingly assertive in its claims to contested areas of the South China Sea. "Over the past century, our two nations have known cooperation and then conflict, painful separation, and a long reconciliation," Obama said at a press conference alongside Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang. US President Barack Obama speaks during a joint press conference in Hanoi on May 23, 2016 Jim Watson (AFP) The move, Obama added, was not prompted by China's regional manoeuvres but came as the countries entered a "new moment" taking them towards a "normalisation" of ties. Quang welcomed the rollback of the ban, hailing the shared "common concerns and interests" that now bind the two countries. The Obama administration has pitched this week's trip as an opportunity to push ties beyond the period of rapprochement, with Vietnam a vital plank in America's much vaunted pivot to the Asia-Pacific. The visit is Obama's first to the country -- and the third by a sitting president since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Direct US involvement in the conflict ended in 1973. Obama said he was "moved" to see thousands of locals lining Hanoi's streets, craning with smartphones in hand for a view of his motorcade. - Human rights - The nations have experienced an astonishing turnaround in their relations, from bitter foes to regional allies. Until now Vietnam's dismal human rights record has weighed against a full rollback of the arms embargo. The one-party state still ruthlessly cracks down on protests, jails dissidents, bans trade unions and controls local media. In a muted reference to its parlous rights situation, Obama said Washington still had differences with Vietnam on human rights but "modest progress" had been made. That sentiment jarred with some of the country's long-persecuted dissidents. "They (Vietnam) have not changed anything in terms of basic core values when it comes to human rights," blogger Huynh Ngoc Chenh told AFP, while noting he was glad the embargo was lifted. Human Rights Watch said Obama had "jettisoned what remained of US leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam". Trade dominated much of the first day of the unusually long trip. A series of deals were unveiled worth some $16 billion, including an agreement for VietJet, Vietnam's privately-owned budget airline, to spend $11.3 billion on Boeing passenger jets. Both nations have long pushed for closer trade ties. Obama said he was confident Congress would ratify the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which includes Vietnam and spans 40 percent of the global economy. - US star ascendant - Quang welcomed the TPP, committing Vietnam "to fully implementing" all of its clauses which include recognition of workers' rights. China, which remains under its own US arms embargo since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, officially welcomed the decision to lift the embargo on Vietnam -- calling such measures "a product of the Cold War". "It should never have existed," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. While it is by far the country's largest trade partner, a deep distrust of China historically runs through Vietnam. In contrast America has rarely, if ever, been so popular among ordinary Vietnamese. A poll last year by the Pew Research Centre found 78 percent of Vietnamese have a favourable view of the United States, the third highest in Asia after the Philippines and South Korea. The approval rate was even higher among young people in a nation where the median age is around 29. Like most Vietnamese, 25-year-old Doan Quang Vinh from Hanoi was born long after the war. "For me, the American war against Vietnam is a matter of the past, and though we must not forget the past, we should not dwell on it. We should look towards the future," he told AFP. Later Monday Obama held talks with de facto leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the Communist Party. Trong and Obama met last July, when he was given a prestigious Oval Office meeting. The pair shook hands Monday in a room with a large bust of Vietnam's Communist icon Ho Chi Minh. Trong hailed "a very historic visit which will open up a new chapter" in relations. On Tuesday afternoon Obama will fly to Ho Chi Minh City to meet tech entrepreneurs and hold one of his trademark town hall gatherings with young people. US planes dropped more than seven million bombs on Viet Cong-controlled areas of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during the 1960s and 70s Vietnam lays claim to the Spratly archipelago and conducts military drills in the South China Sea A poll found 78 percent of Vietnamese have a favourable view of the United States, the third highest in Asia after the Philippines and South Korea Le Quang Nhat (AFP/File) Disputed claims in the South China Sea Vietnam is a vital plank in America's much vaunted pivot to the Asia-Pacific region Kham (Pool/AFP) US President Barack Obama stands under a statue of late Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, on May 23, 2016 Kham (Pool/AFP) Indonesia villages in ashes after deadly volcanic eruption Indonesian rescuers searched for survivors in scorched villages and devastated farmlands Monday after a volcano erupted in clouds of searing ash and gas, killing seven and leaving others fighting life-threatening burns. Witnesses have described sheer panic as waves of gas and fine rock were unleashed from Mount Sinabung on Sumatra island Saturday, consuming farmers trying to flee the slopes of the highly active volcano. The fast-moving flows -- reaching temperatures of up to 700 degrees Celsius (1,300 Fahrenheit) -- incinerated homes and left livestock blackened and peeling. Indonesian soldiers conduct search and rescue operations at Gamber village following a volcanic eruption in Karo, North Sumatra on May 22, 2016 Ardiansyah Putra (AFP) Agustatius Sitepu, the head of the local military in Karo district where the volcano is situated, arrived to scenes of chaos as rescue crews raced to reach those left alive. "The villagers who managed to survive were running around in panic, trying to save themselves," he told AFP on Monday. "There were only a few dozen. They were terrified. They were covered in ash." The eruptions were so violent that townships as far away as 12 kilometres (seven miles) were covered in thick layers of ash, he added. Villagers are trying to recover from Saturday's eruption. Abdi Putera, an orange farmer, was busy getting rid of the volcanic ash which covers his oranges, despite the government warning the area is still dangerous. "If I don't blow off the ashes, it will get thicker and thicker and will eventually damage my oranges. If that happens, I wouldn't be able to sell my crops and make a living for my family," Putera explained. - 'Red Zone' - Those worst affected were all farming within the "red zone" -- an area four kilometres from Sinabung declared off limits by authorities -- when the volcano erupted. Six bodies were recovered Sunday, with three others rushed to hospital suffering horrific burns. One of the victims succumbed to their wounds by nightfall, taking the official toll to seven, local disaster mitigation agency chief Nata Nail told AFP on Monday. "Two more remain in the intensive care unit, suffering burns to 90 percent of their body," he said. Footage showed their clothes blackened and hanging off charred limbs as rescue teams brought them by stretcher to hospital. Nail said rescue teams were still finding survivors on Sunday during sweeps of homes and farms in Gamber village. The Sinabung mountain has shown less activity on Monday, but officials from the Indonesian meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency known as the BMKG are continously monitoring the mountain's activity. "The Pyroclastic is very dangerous. Not only because of its flow and steam, but it also brings secondary dangers such as cold lava flow and flash floods," said Arif, an officer with the BMKG. Residents were ordered to evacuate Gamber in late 2014 due to the unacceptable risk from lava flows, dense ash and falling volcanic rock. But some villagers grew tired of living in temporary shelters and began returning to their farms for economic reasons, despite repeated government warnings. "We hope because of this disaster, those living near Sinabung, and tourists, will realise that Sinabung is still very dangerous," Nail said. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After another period of inactivity it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since. Sixteen people died during a particularly fierce eruption in 2014, and Sinabung remains at the highest alert level. Map of Indonesia locating Mount Sinabung, which erupted on May 21 AFP (AFP) For Allah, China and Marx: theological mix for young imams Every morning on his way to class at one of China's largest Islamic institutes, Wang Yue is reminded that the state comes before Allah. Emblazoned in gold etching on a white marble slab at the main entrance -- and repeated all over campus -- is the slogan: "Love the nation, love religion". The contrast is even more striking than the hierarchy: in China patriotism is synonymous with supporting the ruling Communist Party, which is officially atheist. Chinese Hui Muslim students during an exercise session on the campus of the Ningxia Islamic Institute in Yinchuan, China's Ningxia province Goh Chai Hin (AFP) But the students see little contradiction between the teachings of Marx and those of Mohammed. "Part of being a good person, and a good Muslim, is loving your own country," said Wang, who is in the last of his four years of studies at the institute in the northern region of Ningxia. "Marxism and religion don't contradict each other, and understanding other religions or theories can help us better understand our own faith," he insisted. While China's constitution enshrines freedom of religion, authorities keep strict limits on it, recognising only five belief systems, approving houses of worship, and seeking to control their messages. The country has two main Muslim groups, the Hui, who are concentrated in Ningxia and aside from their religion share many similarities with the Han majority, and the Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking people who have more in common with Central Asia. Both are Sunni, but while the Hui are largely integrated into mainstream society, officials frequently blame religious extremism -- along with terrorism and separatism -- for violence in the Uighur homeland of Xinjiang. China, which shares borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, has strict national security laws, regularly detaining people for watching jihadist videos, although little evidence of any links to groups such as Islamic State has been made public. - Hammer and sickle - Religious groups must follow the leadership of the Communist Party, President Xi Jinping told a government conference in April. "We should guide and educate the religious circle and their followers with the socialist core values," he said, according to official news agency Xinhua. "We must resolutely guard against overseas infiltrations via religious means and prevent ideological infringement by extremists," he added. China's leaders are keenly aware of the role the Catholic Church had in the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, and have sought to curtail outside influence in everything from the Internet to universities. Islam has existed in China for over a millennium, entering with Arab traders on the Silk Road, some of whom settled permanently. Now there are eight state-run Islamic institutes around the country, teaching young Muslims a version of Islam seen through a prism of Communist rhetoric and the Party-State system. Wang, who is Hui, espoused his patriotism under a blackboard with an elaborate hammer and sickle drawn in the corner. In Arabic class, students recited in unison the words for "socialist core values" and "patriotism". "They recognise the conflict, but the Hui have been exposed to political propaganda for so long, especially the older generation in the 60s and 70s, they rarely talk about it," said Timothy Grose, a professor of China Studies at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. "Hui Muslims have traditionally held a wide array of government and military positions throughout history," he added. "Hui have been able to enjoy the benefits of state development. It's easier to like a government that helped you become rich." - Mosque and state - Ningxia's capital, Yinchuan, is a gleaming example, with newly built albeit mostly empty boulevards, street signs in Chinese, Arabic and English, and an annual China-Middle East trade fair. But not all imams are happy with the education provided at the state-run Islamic institutions. "The teaching isn't Islam, it isn't religion, it's official propaganda," said one cleric at a mosque near the institute, who would only give his surname, Ma, due to the sensitivity of the topic. "The students get better job opportunities because they are more trusted," he added. "The officials know they will be an imam that teaches what they are told." Religious schools attached to mosques run alternative classes devoid of patriotic education and Marxism, but any of their graduates must pass a government test before being allowed to preach to the faithful. "We don't need the government to tell us about religion," said Ma. Many Hui Muslims go through the motions of promoting patriotism simply as a formality, Grose said, and then temper government propaganda in their sermons. But students at the Islamic institute -- whose construction in the 1980s was largely financed by the Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank -- preach the official line. China has periodically persecuted religious believers, Muslims in particular, and third-year student Hai Jun cited his grandfather as saying the situation used to be "very difficult". "His generation couldn't make the hajj, but we can,"he went on, referring to the pilgrimage to Mecca all Muslims must make at least once in their lifetime. "Now we have so many more opportunities," he said. In terms of religious freedom, we don't have much to complain about." China has two main Muslim groups, the Hui, who are concentrated in Ningxia and and the Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking people who have more in common with Central Asia Goh Chai Hin (AFP) While China's constitution enshrines freedom of religion, authorities keep strict limits on it Goh Chai Hin (AFP) Obama hails Taliban leader's killing as insurgents seek successor President Barack Obama on Monday hailed the killing of Taliban chief Mullah Mansour Akhtar as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan, as the rattled insurgent group held emergency meetings to pick his successor. Saturday's drone strike, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, sent a shockwave through the rebel group, which had seen a new resurgence under Mansour. "We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda," the US president said in a statement. Mullah Akhtar Mansour swiftly consolidated power following a bitter Taliban leadership struggle over the past year The Pentagon on Monday said Mansour represented a "specific imminent threat" to US and coalition forces in Afghanistan, and that the strike was not a sign that the United States was re-engaging the group militarily following the end of its combat mission in 2015. Obama, who is on a three-day visit to Vietnam, said Mansour had rejected efforts "to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children". He called on the Taliban's remaining leadership to engage in peace talks as the "only real path" to ending the attritional conflict. By late Monday, multiple Taliban sources told AFP the two frontrunners for the job were the Taliban founder's son, Mullah Yakoub, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, an implacable foe of US forces whose selection could signal the militants' desire to intensify fighting. Mansour was elevated to the Taliban leadership in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder, Mullah Omar, had died two years earlier. Mansour was killed on Saturday near the town of Ahmad Lal, in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, when missiles fired from a drone struck the car he was travelling in. Pakistan, which says it is hosting the Afghan Taliban's top leadership in order to exert influence over them, has lambasted the United States over the drone attack, calling it a violation of its sovereignty. In his statement, Obama said American forces would continue to go after threats on Pakistani soil. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven," he said. - Haqqani takeover? - But the strike could signal a fresh blow for US-Pakistan ties, which have improved markedly in recent years since the killing of Al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Pakistan's foreign affairs ministry said it had summoned the US ambassador Monday to express concern over the weekend bombing. A statement said the prime minister's special assistant on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi had told David Hale that such actions could "adversely impact" the ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The US has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan, mainly in the tribal regions along the Afghan border, with leaked documents showing Islamabad had quietly consented, despite publicly protesting. This time however both sides insisted Pakistan was informed only after the fact. A meeting of the Taliban's Supreme Council, which was convened following Mansour's death, continued into its second day Monday, according to senior militant sources, though the group has yet to release an official statement. A senior Taliban source told AFP many of the leadership were lying low in Pakistan while some had fled across the border to Afghanistan. "The shura (council) meeting is continuing at an undisclosed location, they keep on moving due to the fear of US drone strikes," he said. Little is known about Mullah Yakoub, Mullah Omar's twenty-something son, who was passed over for the leadership role in 2015. But analysts say the appointment of Sirajuddin Haqqani -- leader of the feared Taliban-allied Haqqani network with a $10 million US bounty on his head -- could further intensify the conflict. Factfile on Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour Germany's Bayer offers $62 bn for Monsanto German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer on Monday said it had offered $62 billion for US agriculture group Monsanto in a move which would create the world's biggest supplier of seeds, pesticides and genetically-modified crops. Bayer said it had made an "all-cash offer" for the US giant at $122 per share or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros). "The planned combination with Monsanto is such an extraordinary opportunity to create a global leader in the agricultural industry. Monsanto is a perfect match to our agricultural business," the German firm said. The Berlin headquarters of German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer John Macdougall (AFP/File) Bayer said expected synergies from the merger would result in an annual boost to earnings of around $1.5 billion after three years. The announcement comes just days after Monsanto said it had received an unsolicited bid from Bayer following weeks of speculation about a possible tie-up. According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies would together account for around 28 percent of global sales of pesticides and herbicides. Low commodity prices -- which have caused farmers to cut orders for supplies -- have piled the pressure on agricultural suppliers like Monsanto, which is based in Saint Louis, Missouri. In March, the US firm slashed its earnings forecast for 2016. Sluggishness in the industry has also sparked consolidation deals such as a mega-merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical. Switzerland's Syngenta last year rejected an unsolicited offer from Monsanto, later agreeing to be bought by China National Chemical Corp for $43 billion. Last year, following the unsuccessful bid for Syngenta, Monsanto embarked on a huge restructuring programme, saying it would axe 3,600 jobs -- or 16 percent of its workforce -- by 2018, closing sites and writing down assets. A major manufacturer of agricultural seeds and herbicides, Monsanto employs about 20,000 workers and describes itself as one of the world's leading biotechnology companies. The US group has been in the headlines in Europe recently over the weedkiller glyphosate, which it markets under the name Roundup. The EU last week failed to agree on the re-approval of glyphosate in Europe amid fresh fears the product could cause cancer. Bayer, which employs around 117,000 workers, turned in record profits and sales in 2015, notching up a net profit of 4.1 billion euros on sales of 46.3 billion euros. The Bayer statement said it was "premature at this stage" to estimate when the two companies would be joined as one. "If a deal is reached with Monsanto, until closing, Bayer and Monsanto would continue to operate as independent companies," it said. Three police shot dead in Indian Kashmir's capital Suspected militants on Monday gunned down three Indian police officers in separate attacks in Srinagar, the main city in the restive state of Kashmir. Deadly attacks on security forces are relatively common in the disputed Indian-controlled Himalayan region, but Srinagar has been largely free from such incidents in recent years. Police said two officers were shot dead while patrolling in the old part of the city. A third was shot dead in a business district less than an hour later. Indian paramilitary troopers patrol on a street in Srinagar, Kashmir on May 21, 2016 Tauseef Mustafa (AFP/File) "Three cops were killed in two different militant attacks," senior officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat told AFP in Srinagar. The militant group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen claimed the attacks, but there was no official confirmation it was responsible. Authorities said they were tightening security in already heavily militarised Srinagar in the wake of the attacks. The last major assault on security forces in Srinagar was in June 2013, when suspected militants attacked an army convoy and killed eight soldiers the day before a visit by then prime minister Manmohan Singh. Last year the city saw a series of grenade attacks on telecom company offices and paramilitary troop installations. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in its entirety. Taiwan's new government drops lawsuit against protesters Taiwan's new government announced Monday it has dropped a lawsuit against 126 protesters who stormed the cabinet headquarters in 2014 to protest against a controversial China trade pact. President Tsai Ing-wen, from the Beijing-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party, (DPP) and her new government took office on Friday, following eight year of cross-strait rapprochement under her predecessor Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT). Although Ma oversaw an unprecedented thaw in ties with China, public sentiment in Taiwan had turned against his approach in recent years -- leading to the so-called Sunflower Movement which occupied parliament to demonstrate opposition to the trade pact. protest against a controversial China trade pact Sam Yeh (AFP/File) Some protesters also infiltrated government headquarters, pulling down barbed-wire barricades outside and using ladders to break into offices on the second floor until riot police used water cannon to dislodge them. Premier Lin Chuan defended the decision to drop the lawsuit against the protesters, saying the movement had its "legitimacy". It was only the second document he had signed since taking office. "The Sunflower Movement's demand has become a social consensus. Parliament is legislating the oversight bill on cross-strait agreements based on such a demand, which highlights the movement's legitimacy and social contribution," Lin said in a statement. Among the key demands of the Sunflower activists was for parliament to pass an oversight bill to monitor all agreements with China. They complained that trade deals with China were agreed in secret and would leave Taiwan vulnerable to Chinese influence. The opposition KMT said it regretted that the new government made a "reckless" and "irresponsible" decision out of political considerations. The cabinet "tolerated people who entered government offices and damaged public property and approved of the crowd achieving political goals with illegal means. A democracy without the rule of law is a fake democracy," it said in a statement. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war but Beijing still claims the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. Beijing has warned Taiwan's new president against any move to declare formal independence. It threatened to cut contact unless Tsai states support for the "one China" principle. At least 41 killed in IS-claimed bombings on Yemeni forces Twin bombings claimed by the Islamic State group hit Yemeni forces in Aden on Monday, killing at least 41 people in the latest of a spate of attacks in the southern city. The attacks in Aden -- which is serving as the temporary government headquarters after rebels forced authorities from the capital -- follow a major military operation against jihadists in parts of southern and southeastern Yemen. Backed by a Saudi-led coalition, forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi are battling both Sunni extremists and Iran-backed Shiite rebels. Onlookers gather at the site of a twin bombing that targeted Yemeni forces in the southern city of Aden on May 23, 2016 Saleh Al-Obeidi (AFP) In the first attack, a suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing to enlist at a recruitment centre near the Badr base in Aden's Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, the commander of Yemen's special security forces. A subsequent explosion inside the base killed seven soldiers, he said. Medics said that 38 people were wounded in the twin attacks. In a statement posted online, IS said one of its fighters detonated an explosives belt among "apostate soldiers" at a recruitment centre, followed by the bombing at a gate of the Badr base. The jihadist group, which has seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq, also claimed responsibility Monday for a wave of bombings in Syrian coastal cities that killed more nearly 150 people. A local resident in Aden described the scene of the Badr explosions as "horrible", saying body parts had been blown dozens of metres (yards) away. "They came to complete the procedure of their recruitment and receive their first salary," he said, speaking of the young men who had gathered outside the army centre. Abandoned slippers and sandals, apparently from the victims, covered the area, television footage showed. Aden resident Ramzi al-Fadhli said "wailing filled the air" as women identified the remains of relatives at Al-Jumhuriyah Hospital, where at least 32 bodies were taken. - Peace talks resume - Aden has seen a wave of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its jihadist rival IS after government forces drove Shiite Huthi rebels out of the port city in July with support from the Saudi-led coalition. The coalition launched operations in Yemen in March last year after the rebels seized control of Sanaa and other parts of the country, forcing Hadi's government to flee the capital Sanaa. Al-Qaeda -- which has a long presence in the Arabian Peninsula country -- and IS have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict to expand their zones of control in the south and southeast. In the past two months, government and coalition forces have hit back, driving Al-Qaeda militants out of the Hadramawt provincial capital of Mukalla, which they had controlled for a year. But attacks on security forces have left scores dead. On May 1, four guards were killed in a bombing that targeted the convoy of Aden's police chief General Shallal Shayae, in the second such attack on him in a week. Several attacks have also targeted troops in Hadramawt since government forces ended Al-Qaeda rule in Mukalla. Earlier this month, 47 police were killed in a series of bombings near Mukalla. The European Union condemned the attacks in a statement, saying they "highlight the importance of restoring peace and the rule of law throughout the country". UN-brokered peace talks between the government and rebels resumed Monday in Kuwait after they had broken off a week ago. UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the two parties "to exert all efforts to achieve a sustainable solution for the sake of easing the suffering of Yemenis". The government had demanded a written pledge from the rebels and their allies recognising an April 2015 UN Security Council resolution calling for their withdrawal from the capital and other territories, as well as the legitimacy of Hadi. Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi tweeted Sunday that the government had agreed to give the peace talks a "last chance". Fighting since the coalition intervention in March 2015 has killed more than 6,400 people, displaced about 2.8 million and left 82 percent of Yemen's population in need of aid, the United Nations says. Yemen AFP (AFP) Forces fighting for Iraq's Fallujah Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of a long-awaited operation to retake Fallujah, one of two cities in the country still held by the Islamic State group. Here is a list of forces that will be involved in the battle: ISLAMIC STATE GROUP: A fanatical jihadist organisation that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, and also holds swathes of neighbouring Syria. IS, which has carried out a litany of abuses including beheadings and other extrajudicial killings, enslavement and rape, has been on the defensive in Iraq since last year, suffering a string of losses. Iraqi pro-government forces advance towards the western city of Fallujah, on May 23, 2016 Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP) COUNTER-TERRORISM SERVICE: Iraq's best-trained and most effective forces, which have served as shock troops in battles against IS across the country. But their skills have put them in high demand, and nearly two years of combat against the jihadists have strained the elite force. ARMY: While it performed poorly in the early days of IS's June 2014 offensive, the army has since improved with the help of training from the US-led anti-IS coalition. But some of its troops still lack experience, and the counter-terrorism service has previously had to step in to forward stalled army operations. POLICE: Includes both the paramilitary federal police, many members of which are drawn from Iraq's Shiite Muslim south, and local police forces from the Sunni Anbar province, where Fallujah is located. The federal police were an important element in the battle to retake the city of Tikrit last year, while local police bring knowledge of the province and are also tasked with holding recaptured areas. HASHED AL-SHAABI: An umbrella organisation of pro-government paramilitary forces that is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias. The militiamen have played a major role in earlier battles against IS, but some have also been involved in abuses including extrajudicial killings, kidnappings and destruction of property. Past targeting of Sunni Arabs raises concerns about how they will treat the tens of thousands of civilians still in Fallujah. TRIBAL FIGHTERS: Members of Anbar province tribes, their training and armament lags behind that of other forces, but they have important knowledge of local terrain, and were a key part of the successful defence of the Haditha area in Anbar against repeated IS attacks. Civilians trapped as Iraq forces close in on Fallujah Iraqi forces cleared areas around Fallujah Tuesday after launching an assault to retake the city, tightening their siege on Islamic State group fighters but also raising fears for civilians trapped inside. With the jihadists surrounded and outnumbered, the recapture of their iconic bastion looked ultimately inevitable, especially after IS suffered a string of losses in recent months. But illustrating that even a diminished IS is still dangerous, the group has struck back with a wave of bomb attacks, including a series of blasts that left more than 160 dead in Syrian regime coastal strongholds on Monday. Tens of thousands of pro-regime forces have been massed near the Iraqi city of Fallujah ahead of the offensive to retake the city which was seized by Islamic State fighters in 2014 Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP) Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the start of the operation to retake Fallujah on Monday and less than a day into the battle, Iraqi forces had secured the nearby town of Garma. That cut off IS fighters in Fallujah from one of their last support areas and paved the way for more advances towards the city, which lies only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad. "Federal forces advanced towards the east of Fallujah early today from three directions," police Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat told AFP. The Hashed al-Shaabi umbrella paramilitary organisation, dominated by Tehran-backed Shiite militias that are heavily involved in the operation, said ground was also gained south of Fallujah. With forces converging on the city, concerns mounted that the tens of thousands of civilians believed to still be inside had nowhere to go. - 50,000 civilians trapped - The Norwegian Refugee Council estimated the number at 50,000 and urged efforts to get them out. "Families who have been suffering food and medical shortages over the last months now risk being caught in the crossfire and it is absolutely vital that they are granted safe routes out of there so that we can assist them," NRC country director Nasr Muflahi said in a statement. He told AFP that only 80 families appeared to have been able to flee the city in the hours before the fighting began, and none since. "We were expecting more to come out overnight, this hasn't happened," Muflahi said, adding that plans by local authorities to open humanitarian corridors had not yet materialised. Officials from Anbar, the vast western province in which Fallujah is located, reported that small numbers of civilians had managed to sneak out. A Fallujah resident reached by telephone told AFP there was heavy shelling on the northern edge of the city on Tuesday. "Daesh (IS) is still imposing a curfew, preventing people from coming out on the street. Some of them are allowed to stand at their gates," said the man, who gave his name as Abu Mohammed al-Dulaimi. "The number of Daesh members is decreasing and we have started seeing them walk in the street in groups of two or three. We don't know where the others are," he said. It was unclear what kind of defence IS was prepared to put up in Fallujah, a city that looms large in modern jihadist mythology since 2004 battles that saw US forces suffer some of their worst losses since the Vietnam War. - 'Extensive air power' - As the assault began on one of the only two major Iraqi cities IS still holds -- the other being Mosul -- the jihadist group claimed an unprecedented string of bombings in coastal Syrian towns home to President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority. The wave of bombings in Jableh and Tartus on Monday left at least 161 people dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. Iraqi and US-led coalition aircraft have been pounding Fallujah and its surroundings in recent days to support the operation. The coalition of Western and Arab nations launched air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, after the group seized control of large parts of both countries and declared an Islamic "caliphate". "This operation will again be led by the Iraqi counter-terrorism service (CTS), which made extensive use of air power in the battle of Ramadi, and levelled a great deal of the city," said David Witty, a retired US army special forces colonel. Ramadi, the capital of Anbar, was lost to IS a year ago and brought back under government control earlier this year. "This model should not be used in upcoming battles -- they don't want to say they had to destroy the city to save it, or made a wasteland and called it peace," said Witty, a former adviser to the CTS. Jihadists seized control of Fallujah in January 2014 Iraqi pro-government forces advance towards the city of Fallujah, on May 23, 2016 Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP) Iraqi forces had not yet entered the Anbar province city just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Baghdad, but an AFP photographer near Fallujah said they were advancing as aircraft hit targets inside it Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP) Iraqi security forces say tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped inside the western city of Fallujah Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP) Bayer targets GM giant Monsanto in biggest German takeover bid German chemicals giant Bayer said Monday it had offered $62 billion for US agriculture group Monsanto as it seeks to create the world's biggest supplier of seeds, pesticides and genetically-modified crops. In the biggest takeover ever attempted by a German company, Bayer said it made an offer for the American agrochemical giant at $122 per share in cash, or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros). The move spells a public relations risk for Bayer, especially in Germany, where popular scepticism is high of GM crops and the practice of patenting plant varieties, and where controversy has flared about the health risks of pesticide glyphosate which Monsanto markets as Roundup. In the biggest takeover ever attempted by a German company, Bayer said it made an offer for the US giant at $122 per share in cash, or a total of $62 billion (55 billion euros) Oliver Berg (DPA/AFP/File) Leverkusen-based Bayer hailed the planned merger as "an extraordinary opportunity to create a global leader in the agricultural industry. Monsanto is a perfect match to our agricultural business". Bayer CEO Werner Baumann said the company would have to "decisively address the point of reputation and challenges of Monsanto in Europe", adding that "our brand stands for responsibility, transparency and openness". The German firm said it expected synergies from the merger -- the biggest announced this year to date in the world -- to boost annual earnings by around $1.5 billion after three years. The announcement came just days after Saint Louis, Missouri-based Monsanto said it had received an unsolicited bid from Bayer following weeks of speculation about a possible tie-up. Monsanto has said it "will have no further comment until its board of directors has completed its review" of the offer. Bayer shares, which fell last week on news of the proposal, dropped another 5.7 percent to 84.42 euros Monday in Frankfurt, partially on investor concerns it might have offered too much to acquire Monsanto. - Image problem - According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies would together account for around 28 percent of global sales of pesticides and herbicides. Bayer CEO Baumann said the new mega-company could help feed the world. "The agriculture industry is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges of our time," he told journalists. "How to feed an additional three billion people in the world by 2050." Such a mega-merger could raise questions about market dominance, but Bayer said it "has a successful track record of working with global authorities to secure the necessary regulatory approvals". The other risk is damage to Bayer's image if it swallows GM giant Monsanto, which has long been a red rag to environmental groups worldwide. Heike Moldenhauer of German environmental group BUND said the glyphosate issue "should deter Bayer from swallowing a 'toxic' company like Monsanto". Sahra Wagenknecht of the far-left Linke party charged that Bayer's proposed acquisition of the "notorious genetics and poison company ... is a public menace". And Anton Hofreiter of the Greens party demanded that regulators block the deal, charging that "the Bayer bosses just want to maximise profits" and that the company is "the enemy of small farmers". "The planned deal wouldn't make the world better but worse" by reducing competition, heightening pressure on farmers, bringing more GM crops and expanding agro-industry "wastelands", he said. - 'Good fit' - Low commodity prices have piled the pressure on agricultural suppliers like Monsanto, which in March slashed its earnings forecast for 2016. Sluggishness in the industry has also sparked consolidation deals such as a merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical. Switzerland's Syngenta last year rejected an unsolicited offer from Monsanto, later agreeing to be bought by China National Chemical Corp for $43 billion. Last year, following the unsuccessful bid for Syngenta, Monsanto embarked on a huge restructuring programme, saying it would axe 3,600 jobs -- or 16 percent of its workforce -- by 2018, closing sites and writing down assets. Bayer, which employs around 117,000 workers, turned in record profits and sales in 2015, notching up a net profit of 4.1 billion euros on sales of 46.3 billion euros. The Bayer statement said it was "premature at this stage" to estimate when the two companies would be joined as one, or what the eventual workforce would be. Peter Spengler, analyst at DZ Bank Equity Research, said that "strategically and regionally Monsanto is a good fit" for Bayer. "Bayer will be significantly more leveraged than today but grabs a once in a lifetime chance to become a dominating world market leader in agriculture." Bayer CEO Werner Baumann speaks to the press at the Bayer headquarters in Leverkusen, western Germany, on May 23, 2016 Roberto Pfeil (AFP) IS blasts in Syria regime heartland kill more than 148 More than 148 people were killed Monday in bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in northwestern Syria, the deadliest attacks to date in the regime's coastal heartland. Seven near-simultaneous explosions targeted bus stations, hospitals and other civilian sites in the seaside cities of Jableh and Tartus, which until now had been relatively insulated from Syria's five-year war. The attacks on strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad's regime came as IS faces mounting pressure in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, where a major offensive to retake the jihadist-held city of Fallujah is underway. A car in flames at the scene of bombings in the Syrian city of Tartus, northwest of Damascus, on May 23, 2016 A hundred people were killed in Jableh and another 48 in Tartus to the south, including children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were "without a doubt the deadliest attacks" on the two cities since the start of the war. IS claimed the blasts in a statement, saying they were in retaliation for Syrian regime and Russian air strikes against the jihadists and vowed to carry out "more devastating and bitter attacks". IS is not known to have a presence in Syria's coastal provinces, where its jihadist rival, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, is much more prominent. But IS, notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies, suggested the creation of a "wilayat al-Sahel" or Islamic province for the coastal area. "I'm shocked, this is the first time I hear sounds like this," said Mohsen Zayyoud, a 22-year-old student in Jableh. - 'First time we see dead people' - In Tartus a 42-year-old bank employee was just as stunned. "It's the first time we hear explosions in Tartus, and the first time we see dead people or body parts here," said Shady Osman. Jableh lies in Latakia province, while Tartus is the capital of the adjacent governorate of the same name. Both have remained relatively secure even as the war has raged in Latakia province's rural northeast and throughout the country. The early morning attacks began at a bus station in Tartus, where regime ally Russia has long maintained a naval facility. The Observatory said a car bomb exploded and as people began to flock to the site two suicide bombers detonated explosive belts. A police source in the city confirmed a car bomb had hit the entrance to the station and two suicide bombers attacked inside. Footage from state television showed charred mini-buses and others ablaze. Around 15 minutes after the Tartus blasts, four explosions rocked Jableh further north. - Blast inside hospital - The Observatory said a car bomb and three suicide attackers targeted a bus station, a hospital, and a power station. One attacker detonated explosives inside the emergency room of the state-run hospital after carrying victims of the first attack there. A police officer said a car bomb also targeted the Asaad hospital in the city. The attacks drew condemnation from around the world, while Human Rights Watch warned that targeting civilians "would appear to constitute war crimes." UN chief Ban Ki-moon denounced the "terrorist attacks" while France called the bombing heinous. The United States expressed strong condemnation as well and vowed to continue its military campaign against IS jihadists in Syria and Iraq. US Secretary of State John Kerry also spoke to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov by phone and urged him to press the Syrian regime to halt its attacks on Aleppo in the north and Daraya near Damascus. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia "has a special responsibility" to rein in Assad's forces. Russia said Lavrov and Kerry discussed its proposal to launch joint air strikes targeting "terrorist groups". The Kremlin said the attacks "demonstrate yet again how fragile the situation is in Syria and the need to take energetic measures to relaunch peace talks." World powers have struggled to rekindle UN-brokered peace negotiations which fizzled in April when Syria's opposition walked away in frustration at stalling progress on the country's dire humanitarian situation. Syria's conflict has evolved from a popular uprising to a multi-faceted war that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. IS seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, declaring an Islamic "caliphate" and spreading its influence. It has claimed deadly attacks in the West and throughout the Middle East, including twin bombings on military forces in Yemen's second city of Aden on Monday that killed at least 41 people. Monday's bombings were reminiscent of a string of attacks in 1986 in northwestern Syria -- including in Tartus -- that killed 144 people and which Syrian officials blamed on the regime of Saddam Hussein in neighbouring Iraq. Syria Laurence SAUBADU, Simon MALFATTO (AFP) Syrians gather at the site of multiple bombings in the northern coastal city of Jableh on May 23, 2016 Syrians inspect the damage to a house at the scene of multiple bombings in the the city of Tartus on May 23, 2016 Iran denies killed Taliban leader was in the country Iran on Monday denied reports that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour entered Pakistan from the Islamic republic before being killed in a US drone strike, state media reported. Pakistani security officials told AFP on Sunday that the man killed on Saturday in the southwestern province of Balochistan, believed at the time to be Mansour, had just returned from Iran when his vehicle was attacked. US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that Mansour had been killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Pakistani residents inspect Mullah Akhtar Mansour's vehicle which was destroyed by a US drone strike in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, on May 21, 2016 Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura (council) was under way to select a new leader. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari was quoted by the official IRNA news agency on Monday as denying Mansour had been in the country before the attack. "The competent authorities of the Islamic republic deny that this person on this date crossed Iran's border and into Pakistan," he said. "Iran welcomes any positive action leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan," he added, without elaborating. Pakistani identity documents found on the body of the man now known to be Mansour named him as Muhammad Wali, and showed he had left for Iran on March 28 and returned the day he was killed. Iran supports the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban group. President Ashraf Ghani meanwhile arrived in Tehran on Monday for the signing of a tripartite agreement between Iran, India and Afghanistan to turn Iran's southeastern port of Chabahar into a transit hub between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan. A manhunt is underway for criminals who looted 10million from Japan's cash machines nationwide in an hours-long heist, it has emerged. Armed with fake credit card details from South Africa's Standard Bank, the thieves hit 1,400 convenience store ATMs in a coordinated attack earlier this month. The international gang members, reportedly numbering around 100 people, each made a series of withdrawals in less than three hours, Japanese media said. The international gang members, reportedly numbering around 100 people, each made a series of ATM withdrawals in less than three hours. File imge used Their haul totalled 1.4 billion yen (10 million), according to the reports, with machines in Tokyo and Osaka among those targeted. It was not clear how the gang made off with the equivalent of millions of dollars so quickly as the cash machines usually limit withdrawals to 100,000 yen (650) a day. Japanese police declined to confirm the robbery, but Standard Bank acknowledged the heist and put its own losses at around 13 million. The bank said it was a 'victim of a sophisticated, coordinated fraud incident'. 'This involved the withdrawal of cash using a small number of fictitious cards at various ATMs in Japan,' it said in a statement. Japanese police declined to confirm the ATM robberies, but South Africa's Standard Bank acknowledged the heist Japan's top-selling Yomiuri newspaper said the lightning-fast raids began early on the morning of May 15, a Sunday, when banks were closed. That may have bought the thieves enough time to pull off the robbery and leave the country before authorities could act, reports said. Japanese authorities are expected to analyse footage of ATM security cameras and work with South African authorities. 'Investigations are at a sensitive stage and further information will be provided as appropriate,' Standard Bank said. It was believed that police had no suspects in custody. Similar robberies have occurred in recent years, including a pair of heists totalling about 31 million that saw a group of cyber thieves disable withdrawal limits on ATMs around the world. Drone captures shark feeding frenzy on whale A drone has captured a bloody feeding frenzy by around 70 tiger sharks on a dead whale, turning the pristine waters of the aptly named Shark Bay in Australia red. Two boatloads of tourists were on a cruise to Dirk Hartog Island in Western Australia when they came across the gruesome spectacle on Friday. Geraldton-based Eco Abrolhos Cruises sent up a drone to record nature taking its course. The footage showed the sharks ripping the giant humpback whale carcass to shreds, leaving a trail of crimson water. Tiger sharks can grow up to five metres in length Rafa Rivas (AFP/File) "Something to show and tell the grandchildren," the company said on its Facebook page after posting the footage, which had been viewed nearly half-a-million times by Monday. Passenger Leesa Franks said on the social media site: "We liked, liked, liked. Awesome day yesterday, thanks so much." Netanyahu rejects French peace initiative, offers to meet Abbas Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a multilateral French peace initiative as he met his French counterpart on Monday, offering instead to hold direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Paris. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he would speak to President Francois Hollande about the proposal while an aide to Valls later said there was little new in Netanyahu's remarks. "It can still be called the French initiative because you would host this genuine effort for peace," Netanyahu said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks during his Likud party meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem on May 23, 2016 Menahem Kahana (AFP) "But here's the difference: I will sit alone, directly, with president Abbas in the Elysee (French presidential) palace or anywhere else that you choose. Every difficult issue will be on the table." Netanyahu, who has repeatedly expressed his opposition to the French proposal, said "this initiative can still take place in Paris, because that would be a marvellous place to sign a peace accord." Valls is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories to advance his country's plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. He is due to hold talks in Ramallah on Tuesday with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Abbas has welcomed the French initiative to hold a meeting of foreign ministers from a range of countries on June 3, without the Israelis and Palestinians present. Another conference would then be held in the autumn, with the Israelis and Palestinians in attendance. The goal is to eventually relaunch negotiations that would lead to a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has regularly called for direct talks and offered to meet Abbas, and he reiterated his argument on Monday that peace would not be achieved though "international diktats." A Valls aide said the only new element in Netanyahu's comments was his mention of talks in Paris. Palestinian leaders say years of negotiations with Israel have not ended its occupation and have pursued a strategy of diplomacy at international bodies. Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. - Political turbulence - An upsurge in violence since October has killed 205 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say. The unrest has steadily declined in recent weeks but on Monday a Palestinian woman was shot dead at a checkpoint north of Jerusalem while trying to stab a border policeman, Israeli authorities said. Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the recent unrest. Hussein Ibish, a scholar at Washington's Arab Gulf States Institute, said the initiative is doomed to fail. Ibish said "the Israeli side is most unlikely to cooperate in allowing a French initiative they do not trust to create a new peace-making forum." The United States, he added, "seems to want to preserve the old triangular model in which it is the main third party, even though that model is completely stuck. So the obstacles seem too great to me." Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Those arguing for a new peace effort say the lack of any initiative leaves a vacuum that can be filled by hardliners on either side. Valls has sought to address Israel's concerns over the French initiative, saying it would not try to impose a solution and that negotiations between the two sides would ultimately resolve the conflict. He has at the same time criticised Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank, considered a major stumbling block to peace. Jewish settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law and built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Valls's visit also comes at a time of political turbulence in Israel, with Netanyahu expected to soon finalise negotiations with the party of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to join his coalition. Lieberman, who lives in a West Bank settlement and is detested by the Palestinians, is expected to take on the key role of defence minister. Netanyahu has sought to ease concerns over the expected entrance of Lieberman's party into his coalition, saying his government would still seek peace with the Palestinians. The Jewish settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law Ahmad Gharabli (AFP/File) Death of Taliban chief Mansour: what happens next? President Barack Obama confirmed Monday that a US drone strike in southwest Pakistan had killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, heralding a new chapter in the Afghan insurgency which had grown fiercer under him. Who will succeed him? Mansour was appointed head of the Taliban in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had in fact been dead for two years. Mullah Akhtar Mansour was appointed head of the Taliban in July 2015 He was widely blamed for leading the cover-up. The roster of candidates to succeed him, currently being debated at a shura (council), will include many of the same names who entered the fray last year. These include Omar's son Mullah Yakoub, who was favoured by some commanders as new leader but at the time judged too young and inexperienced, and Omar's brother Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund. Other possible successors are Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who helped Omar found the Taliban movement and is seen as close to the Pakistani establishment, and Mullah Adbul Qayyum Zakir, considered one of the group's most violent and committed commanders. But it is Sirajuddin Haqqani -- leader of the feared Taliban-allied Haqqani network responsible for some of the worst attacks on Afghan and US targets -- whose name has popped up most frequently among senior sources. His appointment could intensify the conflict even further. "This could be the time Haqqanis will try to take over the whole movement," said Pakistani security analyst Amir Rana. What does the death mean for the insurgency? Mansour had been particularly effective at subduing dissidents and eliminating rivals. Now, analysts believe, differences are once again likely to surface within the group. "This could help the peace process -- if it allows the moderate faction to come to the surface," said Ahmed Rashid, author of the book "Descent into Chaos". While infighting could buy some breathing space for beleaguered Afghan police and troops, the strategy of "divide and rule" may also backfire. "First Mullah Omar and now Mansour -- once you take the core out of a movement it could begin to unravel," said Imtiaz Gul, director of the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies. "On the other hand, peacemaking will become even more difficult if you are dealing with so many leaders. This has been the strategy for several years -- to splinter them and make deals -- but whether that works, we don't know." According to Rana, Mansour's death could also pave the way for groups like the Islamic State and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, long in the Taliban's shadow, to make inroads. What does the drone attack mean for Pakistan? The US has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan, mainly in the border tribal regions with Afghanistan, and leaked documents show Islamabad had quietly consented despite publicly protesting. But this was the first by the US in Balochistan province and Pakistan -- whose spy agency long supported the Taliban -- angrily denounced it as a violation of its sovereignty. It appears US patience with Mansour, who had resisted peace negotiations, finally snapped. If Pakistan was not a part of the plan, the incident marks the most serious incursion into its airspace since the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. But security analyst Talat Masood said the two countries would seek to mend ties sooner rather than later. "They will get over it because both countries need each other and they need to work together. There is going to be a change in Taliban leadership and Washington and Islamabad cannot afford to disconnect or have a rupture to the point they can no longer cooperate." An Indian airline has suspended two pilots for attempting to land their plane on a road which they mistook for a runway at Jaipur airport. The IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad in Gujarat state to Jaipur in Rajasthan was close to touching down when the pilots were alerted by a 'too low terrain' warning in the cockpit, IndiGo said in a statement. 'The captain in command immediately took a precautionary measure and carried out a go-around (flight path taken after an aborted approach). The aircraft landed safely on subsequent approach,' the statement read. Indian airline IndiGo has suspended two pilots for attempting to land their Airbus A320 plane on a road which they mistook for a runway at Jaipur airport. (File image) The incident, the latest to highlight safety concerns in India's rapidly expanding aviation sector, happened on February 27 but has only just come to light in Indian media. The Hindustan Times quoted an aviation official as saying the plane was at an altitude of around 900feet and 90 seconds away from landing on a road running parallel to the runway. IndiGo said the pilots were made aware of their mistake by an enhanced ground proximity warning system, which alerts the cockpit if the plane is in danger of flying into the ground or hitting something. 'At no time was safety compromised. Both pilots have been taken off flight duty with immediate effect, pending investigation,' said the statement. At no time was safety compromised. Both pilots have been taken off flight duty with immediate effect, pending investigation Statement from IndiGo airline 'The matter was duly reported to the [aviation regulator] Directorate General of Civil Aviation by IndiGo flight safety department,' IndiGo added. IndiGo, famed for its no-frills approach and fixation with punctuality, commands almost 40 per cent of its home market, the biggest share of any airline. It is the country's only consistently profitable airline. The government wants to make air travel affordable for millions of its citizens but a number of safety incidents have led to concerns over the speed of growth. Earlier this year, an Air India plane with 160 passengers was forced to return to New Delhi almost 30 minutes into a Milan-bound flight after smoke was detected in the cabin. In December, a London-bound Air India flight with more than 200 passengers returned to Mumbai after three hours in the air over a suspected rat sighting in the cabin. That same month, a technician working for Air India died after being sucked into a jet engine as the plane pushed back for take-off at Mumbai airport. Pope and top imam embrace in historic Vatican meeting Pope Francis embraced the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican on Monday in a historic encounter both sides hope will lead to greater understanding and dialogue between the two faiths. The first Vatican meeting between the leader of the world's Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam marks the culmination of a significant improvement in relations between the two faiths since Francis took office in 2013. "Our meeting is the message," Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, shortly after he had hugged and kissed his guest, Vatican officials told a small pool of reporters covering the event. Pope Francis (right) talks with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque, during a private audience at the Vatican on May 23, 2016 Max Rossi (Pool/AFP) In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar, an institution that also comprises a prestigious seat of learning, said the two sides had agreed to convene a "peace conference". A statement quoted Tayeb as telling Francis: "We need to take a joint stance, hand in hand, to bring happiness to humanity. Divine religions were revealed to make people happy, not to cause them hardship." The imam's deputy, Abbas Shuman, told Egyptian TV channel CBC that the two leaders had agreed to resume dialogue and that the proposed conference would cover the issues of poverty, extremism and terrorism. The Vatican did not immediately confirm the conference plans. A spokesman said the talks had been "very cordial" with the imam spending 30 minutes with the pope and just over an hour in total at St Peter's. Tayeb's decision to fly to Rome, unexpectedly announced last week, followed the easing of serious tensions that marked the reign of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI. Ties were badly soured when the now-retired Benedict made a September 2006 speech in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly protests in several countries and reprisal attacks on Christians. Pope John-Paul II met the then-grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo in 2000, a year before the September 11 attacks on New York transformed relations between the West and the Islamic world. Monday's visit was effectively the long-delayed reciprocal meeting and the Vatican said that both clerics had "underlined the great significance of this new meeting". Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope and the imam had "mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world." These included working together for world peace, rejecting violence and terrorism, and the situation and protection of Christians against a backdrop of conflict and terrorism in the Middle East." - Promoting 'true Islam' - The pope presented the imam with a copy of his recent encyclical, Laudato Si', a letter to the faithful in which he urges the world to wake up to the threat posed by climate change and economic inequality. Tayeb decided to accept the invitation to Rome as a result of the numerous conciliatory gestures Francis has made to the Muslim world since being elected in early 2013. "If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening," Shuman told AFP on Sunday, adding that the imam wanted to promote "true Islam and to correct misunderstandings created by extremist terrorist groups." "He encourages countries not to deal with their Muslim citizens as groups that present a threat," Shuman said. "And he encourages Muslims in Western society to meld with their societies... it is a message for both sides." After the tensions of the Benedict years, Francis moved quickly to set a new tone, sending a personal message to the Muslim world to mark the end of the first month of Ramadan of his pontificate. The Argentinian pontiff followed up by pushing various inter-faith initiatives and he was accompanied by both Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Islamic studies professor Omar Abboud when he visited Jordan and Israel in 2014. But perhaps the gesture that clinched the deal was the most dramatic piece of political theatre of his papacy: his April visit to the migrant crisis island of Lesbos which concluded with him bringing three Syrian Muslim families back to the Vatican. Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (left), grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque, at the Vatican on May 23, 2016 Max Rossi (Pool/AFP) Pope Benedict (pictured) soured relations with Islamic scholars after a controversial 2006 speech in which he was perceived to have linked Islam to violence, sparking deadly protests in several countries Patrick Hertzog (AFP/File) Al-Azhar's Grand Imam seeks to balance tradition and modernity Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb, who had a historic meeting with Pope Francis on Monday, has been on a mission to update Islamic thought while championing classical scholarship against jihadist ideologues. The 70-year old Tayeb was appointed by ousted president Hosni Mubarak in 2010, and as a senior member of the strongman's National Democratic Party, was widely viewed as possibly another compliant cleric of the state. But the bookish philosopher has proved to be an astute politician, leveraging the uprising that ousted Mubarak to gain some autonomy for Al-Azhar, viewed as Sunni Islam's paramount seat of learning. Pope Francis (right) talks with Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb during a private audience at the Vatican, on May 23, 2016 Max Rossi (Pool/AFP) His efforts paid off by securing Al-Azhar the right to elect its own head, rather than having him appointed by the president. Since 2013, when then army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, Tayeb has walked a fine line to maintain an independent role for the institution. Tayeb, like the Coptic Orthodox Church and the country's opposition leaders, supported Morsi's overthrow, which led to a bloody crackdown on Islamists that killed hundreds of protesters. He had tried reaching out to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood to avoid further bloodshed, at a time when the military-appointed regime seemed more interested in eliminating the group. Egypt has faced a deadly jihadist insurgency since, while now President Sisi has pressured Al-Azhar to "modernise" Islamic thought -- a controversial mandate from a former general who lacks religious scholarly credentials and who came to power by suppressing political Islamists. "There is tension between an executive that wants to do the whole religious revolution stuff and Al-Azhar, which doesn't necessarily view the state as having the competency to even engage in this discussion," said analyst HA Hellyer. - Adapting Islamic thought - "They're not interested in being encouraged in that direction by someone they see as outside the religious establishment," said Hellyer, a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council Centre for the Middle East. Tayeb himself has espoused adapting Islamic thought to the 21st century, especially for Muslims living in Western countries, while refuting the ultra-conservativism of jihadis. He has condemned the Islamic State group and other jihadists as "terrorists" and fanatics whose brand of Islam is misguided at best. But the former professor of Islamic philosophy, who received a PhD from Paris-Sorbonne University, has stressed that reforms should be grounded in classical Islamist thought. He combines both "preserving tradition and modern thought and civilisation", said Sheikh Mohamed Mohanna, an adviser to Tayeb. "He studied in France. He is open to the world," he said. When he headed Al-Azhar University before becoming head of the umbrella institution, Tayeb would gently chastise his students on minding the finer points of Arabic grammar as they read aloud a classic text, while telling them to keep an open mind to philosophy. "Those people, they served Islam," he told students about rationalist Mutazilite Muslims viewed as heretics by many Sunni scholars. "I mean having a disagreement shouldn't exclude someone from being a Muslim. This is just a war between schools of thought, whose place is the classroom." Tayeb was especially inspired by the great Andalusian Sufi Ibn Arabi, and translated works by French Orientalists on the 12th century mystic. "He looks for wisdom wherever he can find it," said Mohanna. At least one killed in Kenya protests Kenyan police used tear gas and water cannon on Monday to disperse opposition supporters demanding a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. The opposition CORD party claimed several people killed, but there was no immediate police confirmation of any casualties. Protestors light tyres on a barricade in Nairobi on May 23, 2016 Card de Souza (AFP) "Innocent Kenyans have lost lives today," opposition CORD party leader Raila Odinga told reporters. "We must condemn this in the strongest terms possible." The opposition claimed in a statement that its supporters were "killed in various parts of the country," without giving a number. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. They fired tear gas cannisters and stun grenades to disperse groups of onlookers and used water cannon to douse people who did not move quickly enough along a nearby pedestrian overpass. The clashes followed violent protests in the city centre last week and the acrid smell of tear gas filled the city's usually traffic-clogged streets. - 'Civil disorder' - In Nairobi's Kibera slum, police also fired tear gas as dozens of demonstrators blocked the road with burning tyres, with some hurling rocks, an AFP reporter said. Clashes were also reported in the main port city of Mombasa, and in the small western town of Kakamega, according to the Daily Nation newspaper. Odinga, a former prime minister who lost his bid for the presidency in 2013, accuses the election commission of bias towards President Uhuru Kenyatta and has demanded new commissioners be named ahead of elections due in August 2017. Kenyatta beat Odinga by more than 800,000 votes to win the presidency in 2013. Odinga and civil society groups accused the electoral commission of a series of irregularities that they said skewed the results. The election nonetheless passed off peacefully, in contrast to the country's disputed 2007 elections which degenerated into fierce inter-ethnic violence that killed more than 1,100 people after Odinga's supporters challenged his defeat by Mwai Kibaki. The next election is shaping up as a rematch of 2013, with 71-year-old Odinga aiming to unseat Kenyatta, 54. "It is the same issues of election fraud and malpractice that led to the mayhem and conflict that is also the genesis of the current conflict," CORD added in a statement. "It is evident that unless these are addressed now, well before any general election Kenya is going to be thrown into another cycle of civil disorder." Watch that temper! Americans turn to pros to curb anger Bernard Minor spent 26 years behind bars for murdering a drug dealer who owed him $400. Now, the ex-con spends his days teaching others to keep their rage in check, one of the swelling ranks of America's anger therapists. "I was a very angry person," the 58-year-old told AFP. "I'd been living a violent life. Living in the streets since I was 11 years old. Now I want to help people." Minor specializes in tackling domestic abuse -- working with "batterers," in his own words -- in Los Angeles, a city seen by many as a hotbed of short-fused behavior and where the rage management industry is booming. Anderson & Anderson Anger Management Training, material is pictured in Los Angeles, California Robyn Beck (AFP) "Our referrals grow by 20 percent per year," said George Anderson, a 78-year-old therapist, who says he has treated 17,000 people throughout his long career. Famously tempestuous stars include Sean Penn and Kanye West, known for lashing out at paparazzi, or Justin Bieber, who egged his neighbor's house after receiving complaints about loud parties and fast cars. Supermodel Naomi Campbell infamously threw her cell phone at a housekeeper. But in the City of Angels, where residents rage at the time wasted in traffic jams and homicide rates are among the highest nationwide, anger therapy is by no means limited to the rich and famous. - Blew up - The financial crisis and pressures of an increasingly fast-paced life, as well as constant connection to the outside world via mobile devices -- exacerbating stress levels -- are all seen as driving the anger therapy trend. Truckers and gang members both make up large constituencies of clients, but they rub shoulders with surgeons or top executives sent by their employers to quiet their tempers. About 70 percent of course attendees are men. Around half are here by choice -- though often nudged into action by a long-suffering spouse or relative. The rest are here on the orders of a judge. Eric, a 40-year-old stunt performer who did not want to be identified by his last name, opted in after finding himself in a bar fight, a clash with his brother, and an argument with his girlfriend that landed him in a jail cell. Rick, an eye surgeon, signed up at the urging of his employer after he lost his temper at work. He blew up after a nurse overfilled a syringe, which could have caused severe damage had he injected it in his patient's eye. "You rely on a lot of people, but you're ultimately responsible," he recalled, and the pressure on occasion became too much. With regular therapy sessions, "I've learned to better communicate with my team," he said. "I tell them their work is very important, and that I rely on them." - Identifying triggers - Nearly one in every 10 Americans have both a history of impulsive, angry behavior and access to guns, according to research by Harvard, Columbia and Duke Universities. Another Harvard study found that two-thirds of American teenagers suffer from bursts of irrepressible anger. Concerns about rage are by no means an American-only problem: in Britain, for instance, one in 10 people admit to having trouble controlling their anger. But in California, the demand for therapy is also rising because of the "very low tolerance" for violence, said therapist Anita Avedian, founder of the local chapter of the National Anger Management Association. "You give a tap on the hand of your child -- that's abuse. You're an angry person," Avedian said. "You do anything to your pet; you're in jail." Both in group and individual sessions, clients learn how to identify their triggers. Many students cite trouble with their spouses, but others point to issues like feeling disrespected or harassed by a superior. Everyone gauges their anger levels on a scale of one to 10, with the goal of never letting the temperature rise above seven. It's a lucrative business: a group session starts at just $20, but an individual meeting can set you back up to $350 per hour. With the help of discussion and visualization techniques, clients learn how to stop reacting defensively and feeling under attack, how to stay rational and understand the viewpoints of others. Expressing emotions calmly is a top goal, as well as how to set boundaries -- before the anger bubbles over. Many anger issues, in their experience, are linked to childhood trauma, such as growing up with a particularly critical father or feeling abandoned by a parent. There are relapses, but both Anderson and Avedian estimate their success rate at between 70 and 80 percent. Arnold, a 51-year-old trucker and ex-convict with a history of gang membership, suffered from abuse throughout his youth. When he feels disrespected, his blood still boils, but he's learned to rein it in. "If I touch anybody, I go to jail," Arnold said. "I'm not gonna give you that satisfaction. I'm not getting handcuffed." Bryan Anderson poses with a book outlining a program he has developed for helping children deal with anger, in Los Angeles, California, May 14, 2016 Robyn Beck (AFP) Baltimore officer cleared over Freddie Gray custody death A Baltimore police officer involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray, an African American man who later died in custody, was acquitted of assault and other charges, raising questions about whether anyone will be held accountable for his death. The verdict by a Baltimore judge found Officer Edward Nero not guilty of four misdemeanors: second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. The 25-year-old Gray was arrested April 12, 2015 after fleeing police, and suffered a broken spine while being transported in the back of a Baltimore police van, unsecured and with his hands and feet bound. He died a week later. Police officer Edward Nero (left) arrives at court in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 23, 2016 Chip Somodevilla (Getty/AFP) Gray's treatment and death triggered violent riots in Maryland's largest city and fueled a national debate about police brutality. The six police officers being tried over his death -- three white, including Nero, and three African Americans, including a woman -- claim it was an accident. The first case ended with a hung jury in December. Nero, whose case is the second to come to court, chose to be tried by a judge rather than a jury. Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams said that after he had carefully weighed all the evidence, "the verdict for each count is not guilty." Nero, 30, appeared to wipe his eyes and hugged his attorneys after the verdicts were announced. One of his lawyers said Nero and his family were "elated that this nightmare is finally over." "The state's attorney for Baltimore city rushed to charge him, as well as the other five officers, completely disregarding the facts of the case and the applicable law," the attorney, Marc Zayon, said in a statement, according to the Baltimore Sun newspaper. Williams should now reconsider the remaining cases "and dismiss their charges," he said. "Like Officer Nero, these officers have done nothing wrong." Williams is black, as are two-thirds of the people of Baltimore, including its Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. - 'We need accountability' - Although West Baltimore -- the economically depressed area where Gray was arrested -- was the scene of rioting and protests last year after his death, its streets were calm Monday. Outside the courthouse, around a dozen protesters greeted the verdict with chants of "No Justice, No Peace!" Police helicopters hovered overhead. Baltimore activist Reverend Westley West sounded incredulous. "How much longer are we going to lay down and allow the same thing to keep happening?" he said, National Public Radio reported. "Aggressive policing is not what we need. We need accountability." Judge Williams rejected the state's argument that the defendant acted corruptly or with intent regarding any of the charges made by the state of Maryland. As for the charge of reckless endangerment, Williams said the state failed to prove Nero was negligent in preventing Gray from being put in a dangerous position. That applied to both when Gray was arrested and when he was handcuffed, shackled and placed in a police van, he said. Williams also rejected prosecutors' charges that Nero detained Gray without justification and assaulted him during the arrest. Garrett Miller -- another of the officers facing charges -- testified during the five-day trial that he alone took Gray into custody after a police chase. "The contact by the defendant was legally justified" during the course of the arrest and placement in the van, Williams said. Regarding the failure to secure Gray with a seat belt, Williams said Nero was not criminally liable because other officers, and not Nero, were inside the vehicle preparing Gray for transport. Baltimore's mayor acknowledged the verdict, saying it would be followed by a police review and urging residents to let the process run its course. "This is our American system of justice and police officers must be afforded the same justice system as every other citizen in this city, state and country," Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. "We once again ask the citizens to be patient and to allow the entire process to come to a conclusion." The next Gray-related trial, of the police van driver Officer Caesar Goodson Jr, is set to begin in early June. But with many police critics in Baltimore hoping Williams's narrow ruling on Monday doesn't preclude convictions of those more directly implicated in Gray's death, some legal experts say Maryland's attorney Marilyn Mosby overstretched in seeking to indict all six officers involved in his arrest and van transport. "A conviction is going to be very difficult to obtain" in the coming cases, J. Wyndal Gordon, an attorney independently observing the Gray cases, said. "This case really gutted the remaining cases." A mural dedicated to Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Maryland, pictured on April 25, 2016 Brendan Smialowski (AFP/File) The Shura: ideological guardians of the Taliban movement Through war and peace, the Taliban's Rahbari Shura has been at the heart of its decision-making process since the movement's inception, and is now tasked with finding a new leader to succeed Mullah Akthar Mansour. "Shura" means "consultation" in Arabic and is considered by some modern Sunni Islamic schools of thought to be the basis on which Muslim communities should implement representative democracy. In the case of the Taliban, it acts as both an advisory council for the Emir (leader) and crafts policy, with various committees dedicated to different aspects of life, much like ministries in a government. According to several senior Taliban sources, a Shura consisting of high level members is currently under way in an undisclosed location to appoint a successor to Mullah Akhtar Mansour (pictured) Rahimullah Yousafzai, one of the region's leading experts on the Taliban, says that since the Shura's founding its membership has comprised of tribal warlords, politicians and clerics -- most of them elderly -- with the number fluctuating between 12 and 20. "They are Pashtun, Tajik and Uzbek but Pashtuns are in the majority," he said. "Under this main Shura, there are several consultative commissions dealing with decisions relating to various departments such as military, finance, education, health, culture, NGOs etc," he adds. Many in the West have come to see the body as being synonymous with Quetta, the southwestern Pakistani city that is the capital of restive Balochistan province and home to many exiled Taliban leaders. This in turn has led to the council being known by some observers as the "Quetta Shura". Yousafzai, however, emphasises the leadership is spread across Pakistan, Afghanistan and Qatar, though security constraints make it difficult for full councils to ever convene. Rustam Shah Mohmand, an expert on Afghanistan and Pakistan's former ambassador to Kabul, says that when the Shura's general assembly is included its number rises to around 60. "It is so important that, when the Taliban dismantled the historic Buddha statues of Bamian during their rule in Afghanistan and Pakistan sent a delegation comprising intelligence officials and the-then interior minister to discuss it with Mullah Omar, he referred the matter to the Shura," he says. According to several senior Taliban sources a Shura consisting of high level members is currently under way in an undisclosed location to appoint Mansour's successor. Prime candidates so far include the son of Taliban founder Omar, Mullah Yakoub, who was granted a place on the council by Mansour, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the dreaded Haqqani network affiliate whom Mansour named as a deputy. Since Mansour's tenure was marked by factionalism, he was forced to rely more heavily on the council than his predecessor, says Yousafzai, and in the absence of a single standout candidate the next Emir too will likely be heavily dependent on the body. "Mullah Omar was given the title Amir-ul-Momineen (leader of the faithful) and had a role of a chief decision maker with the consultation of the Shura, then Mansour was more dependent on them and now the onus is on the body to select someone to unify them once more and continue their fight," said Yousafzai. Factfile on Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour Afghanistan's Taliban: leaderless but still a potent threat The Taliban, whose chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour died in a weekend US drone strike, originated among young Afghan religious students who took refuge in Pakistan from the 1979-89 Soviet occupation. After the Soviet withdrawal they quickly extended their influence and burst onto the scene as an armed Islamic group in Afghanistan in mid-1994. They restored order amid a fierce civil war from 1992-1996, capturing the ethnic Pashtun southern city of Kandahar in October 1994 and Kabul on September 26, 1996 -- with backing from Pakistan and the tacit approval of the United States. The Afghan Taliban seized power in 1996 -- with backing from Pakistan and the tacit approval of the US Saeed Khan (AFP/File) But since their ousting in 2001 they have waged a ferocious insurgency against the Western-backed Kabul government that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Mansour ran the group for more than two years following the unannounced death from illness in 2013 of Taliban founder Mullah Omar. He officially became leader last July after Afghan officials disclosed Omar's death. Following the announcement of Mansour's own death, members of the Taliban's Shura, or high council, began meeting at an undisclosed location to choose his successor. The Taliban heartland is southeast Afghanistan, a region dominated by Pashtun tribes. The movement links many different groups, notably the Haqqani network of Sirajuddin Haqqani that is based in Waziristan, a border region in northwest Pakistan. After their takeover of Kabul in 1996 the Taliban enforced an ultra-strict version of Sharia or Islamic law, with games, music, photos, cinema and television forbidden and girls over the age of 10 barred from attending school. In March 2001 they destroyed the famous Bamiyan Buddha statues in central Afghanistan, provoking outrage around the world. Women had to wear full-length burqas and men were required to grow beards. Strict punishments including public executions were enforced. - Jihadist sanctuary - The Taliban controlled almost all of Afghanistan and turned it into a sanctuary for jihadist fighters training for holy war -- notably Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The Taliban refusal to surrender bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks in the United States prompted a US-led invasion. The Taliban regime capitulated on December 6, 2001 and its leaders fled to mountainous tribal areas on both sides of the border with Pakistan to rebuild and hit back at the "crusaders". They mounted countless attacks on US-dominated NATO troops in Afghanistan and on local forces loyal to Hamid Karzai -- a Pashtun who became the country's first democratically elected president in October 2004 but who was scorned by the Taliban as a US puppet. Karzai handed power to Ashraf Ghani in 2014, but Taliban attacks have continued and even grown fiercer, especially since NATO ended its combat mission in December 2014 and withdrew the bulk of its forces. A training and special operations cadre of around 13,000 soldiers remains, of whom roughly 10,000 are supplied by the US. But almost all the frontline ground fighting is now done by Afghan troops or police, who have sustained thousands of deaths or injuries. Taliban attacks intensified under Mansour. Last September they briefly captured the strategic northern city of Kunduz, their most spectacular victory in 14 years. The southern opium-rich province of Helmand is almost entirely under insurgent control. The militants also staged several deadly raids in the heart of Kabul, responding to increased pressure from the Islamic State group which has become a rival for jihadist leadership. In July 2015 Pakistan hosted direct talks between Afghan and Taliban leaders, with support from China and the US, but they collapsed after Mullah Omar's death was revealed. The drone attack came just days after representatives from the US, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan held another round of negotiations in Islamabad aimed at reviving those direct talks. But Mansour, whose death was confirmed Monday by President Barack Obama, was seen by Washington as an obstacle to peace. Taliban fighters capitulated following a US-led invasion in December 2001 Shah Marai (AFP) Philippine dictator Marcos to get hero's burial: Duterte Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos will finally be allowed a hero's burial, the nation's controversial incoming president said Monday, in what would be a huge win for the late strongman's family as it pursues a return to power. Rodrigo Duterte also said he would pardon ex-president Gloria Arroyo, who is being detained at a military hospital while on trial for graft and vote fraud. The announcements by Duterte, who takes office on June 30, are sure to enrage critics who warned ahead of his landslide election win on May 9 that he was a dictator in the making with no regard for the rule of law. Late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his family fled to US exile in 1986 after millions took to the streets in a famous "People Power" revolution Romeo Gacad (AFP/File) Speaking in his hometown of Davao, Duterte said he was prepared to risk nationwide unrest on the flashpoint issues surrounding two of the nation's most controversial figures. "I will allow protests," Duterte said when asked about the expected reaction. Duterte said he would grant the long-standing wish of the Marcos family to have the patriarch buried at a Manila cemetery for some of the nation's most revered war heroes. "I will allow the burial of Marcos in the Heroes' Cemetery, not because he was a hero but because he was a Filipino soldier," Duterte told reporters. Marcos and his family fled to US exile in 1986 after millions took to the streets in a famous "People Power" revolution. Marcos, who was accused of overseeing massive widespread human rights abuses and plundering $10 billion from state coffers, died three years later in Hawaii. His embalmed body is now stored in a crypt at the family home in the northern Philippines. His son and namesake has led a remarkable political comeback for the family, rising to become a senator in 2010 and running for the vice presidency in the latest elections. Marcos Jnr is currently in second place in the tally count and is likely to lose narrowly to Leni Robredo. However, at 58, he is still young enough to achieve his goal of becoming president. The Marcos clan has insisted the late ruler deserves to be buried at the cemetery, arguing he was a World War II hero for resisting the Japanese occupiers. However American and local historians have disputed his military credentials. Duterte said allowing Marcos to be buried at the cemetery did not necessarily make him a hero, pointing out other soldiers without gloried reputations were also there. But current President Benigno Aquino, whose parents led the democracy movement against Marcos, did not allow the burial, arguing it would be the "height of injustice". Duterte also said on Monday that he believed Arroyo, who has been detained since 2011, should be free. "I'm ready to grant a pardon to Arroyo. Arroyo to my mind should already be released," Duterte said of the president from 2001 to 2010. Sacked trustees fire back in battle for Viacom and CBS The chairman and chief executive of media giant Viacom challenged on Monday the attempt to oust him from elderly billionaire Sumner Redstone's family trust, which controls both Viacom and CBS Corp. Philippe Dauman, the Viacom chief, and board member George Abrams, filed a court complaint alleging that Redstone's daughter Shari is abusing her power to seize control of the $40 billion media empire against her father's wishes. But Redstone's lawyers say the colorful 92-year-old tycoon made the decisions himself, and blasted the two for suggesting he was not mentally competent to handle his own affairs. Philippe Dauman, president and CEO of Viacom, speaking at a ceremony honoring media magnate Sumner Redstone with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Hollywood, California n March 30, 2012 Robyn Beck (AFP/File) The lawyers countered Monday by asking a separate court to endorse the removal of Dauman and Abrams. The moves follow a chain of events that began when Shari Redstone won oversight over her father's health care early this month after a court battle with his ex-girlfriend. On Friday Shari Redstone, the vice chair of both CBS and Viacom, appeared to consolidate that power after her father dismissed both Dauman and Abrams from the board of National Amusements Trust, the Redstone family trust that has a controlling shareholding in both companies. - Still 'engaged & attentive' - A spokesman rejected allegations that Sumner Redstone was not fit to make such decisions and that he was manipulated by his daughter. He criticized both Dauman and Abrams for focusing on estate issues and not on challenges at Viacom itself. Sumner Redstone remains "engaged, attentive and as opinionated as ever," spokesman Mike Lawrence said, and he removed the two from the trust "based on what Mr. Redstone believes are the best interests of beneficiaries and shareholders." The spokesman did note that Redstone "has significant speech impairment" and so does not make verbal statements on the important corporate issues. But on Monday Dauman and Abrams asked a Massachusetts family court to invalidate the order for their removal, saying it represents "an unlawful corporate takeover" by Shari Redstone. They noted that after they were dismissed from the trust, she installed her own daughter and a friend in positions of power. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said. "He is clearly being manipulated by his daughter." "Her singular goal is to assume complete control of his businesses, despite Mr. Redstone's long-term desire for a professionally managed trust and an independent board of directors." Abrams, a longtime close friend of the tycoon, repeated the allegations that Redstone's capacity to make a decision over the companies is "diminished" and that the decisions were against his longstanding wish to have the two companies professionally controlled and managed. On Monday Redstone's lawyers countered with a petition asking Los Angeles state superior court to confirm the validity of the dismissal of Dauman and Abrams. At the time he made that decision, the petition said, Redstone "had not been adjudged incompetent by a court of proper jurisdiction, nor had any medical evidence of incapacity been presented." It noted that just six months earlier Dauman had told a court Redstone was fully mentally competent. Shari Redstone meanwhile called it "absurd" to say she controls her father. "Sumner makes his own decisions... and has his own team of independent advisers to counsel him," she said. - Depressed shares - At stake is control over two powerful US media companies. Viacom controls some of the top cable-TV brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, as well as Hollywood giant Paramount Pictures. CBS Corp owns CBS television, Showtime and other media properties. Viacom's management and Dauman in particular have come under shareholder pressure for the company's lagging performance. Dauman was named chairman in February but had been opposed by Shari Redstone. For the six months to March 31, the first half of Viacom's fiscal 2016, company revenues were down 4.2 percent at $6.2 billion, but net earnings were up 68.2 percent at $752 million. The share price remains far below its 2014 peak above $88. Before Redstone's moves became public Friday the shares closed at $39.05. On Monday they jumped 2.7 percent to $40.10 in afternoon trade. Execitve Chairman and CEO of Viacom and CBS Corporation Sumner Redstone on October 1, 2012 in Westwood, California Joe Klamar (AFP/File) South Africa detains 3 Chinese fishing vessels, 100 crew South African authorities have detained three Chinese vessels and 100 crew members for allegedly illegal fishing in Indian Ocean waters off Port Elizabeth, officials said Monday. The three ships were escorted into East London port after trying to flee from South African patrol vessels early on Sunday, and inspectors found about 600 tons of squid on board. "The operation has resulted in capturing of three foreign vessels," said a joint statement from the agriculture ministry, maritime security agency and the defence forces. A view of the Port Elizabeth skyline from summerstrand beach on May 12, 2010 Gianluigi Guercia (AFP/File) The South African ships "had to increase speed in order to intercept the foreign fishing vessels which were speeding off," it added, saying the fishing vessels had no permits. Sicelo Fayo, manager with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), confirmed to AFP that the three trawlers were Chinese. The 96 sailors from the ships have been held for allegedly violating territorial waters regulations and illegal fishing. Another Chinese vessel was held last week and its crew charged and fined for violating environmental laws, according to Fayo. Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana expressed concern at the growing poaching of fish off South Africa. "We cannot tolerate the plundering of our marine resources," he said in the statement. Nigerian villagers take up arms after Fulani attacks Blessing Joseph lies on a sofa, her eyes fixed on the butt of a rifle that she says she won't hesitate to use if Fulani herdsmen come back to her remote village in central Nigeria. The 19-year-old student isn't the only one. Teenagers and even young boys carry machetes and daggers in villages in the Agatu area of Benue state. "My father told me not to go out without holding a cutlass with which I can defend myself if attacked," David Inalegwu, a nine-year-old primary school pupil, told AFP. A woman lies on a riffle which she claims belong to her husband for self-defence Emmanuel Arewa (AFP) As Blessing watches, youths pass around a jerrycan of local gin, discussing a spate of attacks in February blamed on heavily armed Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring Nasarawa state. Community leader James Ochoche Edoh said more than 20 Agatu villages were affected near the river Benue that forms the border with Nasarawa. "Approximately 500 people or more could have been killed," he claimed, in an unverified figure repeated by the former leader of Nigeria's Senate, David Mark, who represents the district. "The recent attacks took us by surprise," said Edoh in the main Agatu town of Obagaji. "Families have been separated or killed." - 'No just cause' - Violence blamed on Fulani herdsmen has given Nigeria's government another security headache in addition to Boko Haram Islamists in the northeast and militants in the oil-producing south. The worst affected villages in February's attacks were Okokolo, Adagbo, Akwu, Aila and Odugbeho. Residents told AFP nearly 50 people were killed and more than 1,000 properties ransacked or razed. "The Fulanis killed our kinsmen, burnt or destroyed 327 of our houses in this village and for no just cause," said Christopher Onah, the chief of Okokolo. Onah picked up spent cartridges from the ground and showed the damage to his rice and yam barns, a motorcycle and generator. His home was ransacked, as were the churches, mosque and schools. "There's nothing left for us again after the the attack," said Anyebe Peter, a farmer in Adagbo, where seven people were killed and 250 houses were burnt down. In Akwu, 30 people died and more than 600 houses were destroyed as well as a medical clinic. Peter, whose 27-year-old son was shot and is still in hospital, said locals face food shortages. Despite the presence of troops, residents said they were still afraid. "Soldiers told us to leave our homes and gather in one place for better protection. So, now we sleep in the Catholic church," said Onah. - Revenge attack - According to the Global Terrorism Index 2015, "Fulani militants" killed 1,229 people in 2014, up from 63 the previous year, making them "the fourth most deadly terrorist group" in the world. Boko Haram, whose insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead since 2009, heads the list, followed by the Islamic State group and the Taliban. But attacks blamed on Fulani, driven more by a need for increasingly scarce resources such as land and water rather than radical ideology, are not a new phenomenon. There have been frequent clashes between the semi-nomadic people and sedentary farmers because cattle have strayed onto land planted with crops. A total of 847 deaths were recorded in five states, including Benue, in the religiously mixed "Middle Belt", where Nigeria's mainly Muslim north meets the largely Christian south. With Fulani Muslim and farmers mostly Christian, religion adds an extra dimension to longstanding ethnic tensions and mutual suspicion. Edoh said February's attacks appeared to be in revenge for the death of a Fulani leader and the theft of his cattle, which was blamed on the mainly Christian Agatu. - Grazing reserves - Police in Benue say Agatu has now returned to "relative calm", while President Muhammadu Buhari, himself an ethnic Fulani, has belatedly ordered a crackdown on raiders. "The government will not allow these attacks to continue," Buhari said in late April, ordering security forces to "secure all communities under attack by herdsmen". Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbeh said "the ultimate solution to the Fulani farmers frequent clashes will be to establish grazing reserves for the herdsmen". But the main umbrella body of Fulani herdsmen's groups has accused Benue state of opposing the proposal. The national secretary of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association, Saleh Bayeri, did not deny the Agatu killings were to avenge the 2013 deaths of some leaders and their families. "Fulanis do not forgive such killings. The problem we have now is that the Fulani are being vilified, provoked, attacked and killed and when they retaliate they are accused of terrorism," he said. Village head Ogboche James Elamije (C) and members of the community listen to a radio broadcast about unrest in the community following attacks by Fulani herdsmen at Agatu community in Benue State, north-central Nigeria, on May 10, 2016 Emmanuel Arewa (AFP) A burnt house following attacks by Fulani herdsmen Emmanuel Arewa (AFP) Community leader Christopher Onah speaks following attacks by Fulani herdsmen Emmanuel Arewa (AFP) A displaced child poses in front of a burnt house following attacks by Fulani herdsmen Emmanuel Arewa (AFP) French Mideast initiative doomed without US support: expert Next month France will host the latest diplomatic attempt to salvage the moribund Israel-Palestinian peace process but, according to scholar Hussein Ibish, the initiative won't get far without US support. Frustrated with progress towards any renewed bid to agree a permanent deal, Paris has invited international supporters of the peace process to talks next month designed to revive hopes for a two-state solution. After weeks of stalling, US Secretary of State John Kerry has finally agreed to attend, but Washington still worries that another failed effort will only further undermine longer term peace-building efforts. US Secretary of State John Kerry gives a press conference during a foreign affairs ministers meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on May 19, 2016 John Thys (AFP/File) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, has rejected any French-led multilateral effort and instead repeated his long-standing but so far fruitless offer of direct talks with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas. Against this unpromising backdrop, AFP asked Hussein Ibish -- a scholar at Washington's Arab Gulf States Institute and a former fellow of the American Task Force on Palestine lobby group -- whether the French proposal could work. "I think it is very unlikely to, unfortunately," he said. "There are two sides to this problem and the Israeli side is most unlikely to cooperate in allowing a French initiative they do not trust to create a new peace-making forum, let alone paradigm. "Moreover, the United States ... seems to want to preserve the old triangular model in which it is the main third party, even though that model is completely stuck. So the obstacles seem too great to me." Kerry met his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault at the NATO summit in Brussels last week and agreed to attend June 3 talks in Paris, having previously warned he was not available on the initially planned date of May 30. His apparent reluctance to throw Washington's weight behind its ally's initiative has been widely interpreted as showing that President Barack Obama's administration believes only the United States can lead the effort. Ibish told AFP that Washington must remain the main broker in the peace process because Israel does not trust anyone else and no other state has the will or the capability to push negotiations forward. "So, yes, the US remains indispensable, and even if that creates as many potential problems as it offers possible solutions, there is no viable alternative," he said, adding that the lack of American support for the conference was evident and predictable. "Washington does not want to internationalize the process and wants to retain its own central role," he argued. "Washington does not believe there is a basis for success at the moment and fears, reasonably, that failed efforts could make matters worse politically and on the ground." But might Obama -- as some in Washington have predicted -- be planning his own bid to intervene in an issue that has frustrated so many of his predecessors, even in the last eight months of his presidency? "I doubt it," Ibish said, arguing that with so little time left such an effort would amount only to an admission of past failures and a restatement of US policy dating back to former president Bill Clinton's era. This would do little to burnish Obama's legacy. "I think it's more probable that no final major step will be taken by this president on an issue he clearly regards as massively important but also presently unresolvable," Ibish concluded. EU to train Libyan coast guard to fight migrant smuggling The European Union agreed Monday to broaden the mandate of its naval mission to combat migrant smuggling off Libya by agreeing to train the Libyan coast guard and navy. Foreign ministers from the 28 EU countries who met in Brussels also gave the thumbs up to extending for one year Operation Sophia, which is due to expire in July. "We agreed today to extend the mandate of the operation by one year," EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini told a press conference after the meeting. Illegal migrants sit in front of a painted wall on May 19, 2016 at the Abu Salim detention centre in the Libyan capital Tripoli Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File) "We agreed to add two further tasks of the operation, namely capacity building and training of the Libyan coast guard," Mogherini said. Mogherini said the EU had received a letter asking for training the coast guard and navy from Fayez al-Sarraj, who heads Libya's new internationally backed unity government. "We will follow up this request very quickly," she added. The foreign ministers agreed the operation will contribute to implementing a UN arms embargo under a new resolution being drafted at the UN Security Council, according to published conclusions of the meeting. On May 13, a British parliamentary report said operation Sophia was "failing" and had only succeeded in forcing smugglers to change tactics. The chaos in the North African country since Moamer Kadhafi's fall in 2011 has been exploited by people traffickers, with thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya just 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Italy. The unity government has raised hopes order can be re-established. At the end of March, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian estimated that around 800,000 migrants were waiting to head for Europe from Libya. The EU naval operation is currently limited to international waters but the original plan was for it to extend into Libyan territorial waters to tackle people smugglers at source, by force if necessary. Kerry urged Lavrov to press for end of Syrian bombing of opposition The United States urged Russia on Monday to press Syria to stop bombing opposition forces and civilians in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs. The appeal came in a phone call from Secretary of State John Kerry to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. "Russia has a special responsibility in this regard to press the regime to end its offensive attacks and strikes that kill civilians, immediately allow relief supplies, as determined solely by the UN, to reach all in need, and to comply completely with the cessation of hostilities," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Syrian Civil Defence workers inspect a heavily damaged building on May 17, 2016, in the rebel-held al-Sukari neighborhood of the northern city of Aleppo Thaer Mohammed (AFP/File) The United States and Russia are co-partners in the so-called Vienna diplomatic process of the International Support Group for Syria, which met last week in the Austrian capital but made no notable progress. The 20 world and regional powers taking part in the process have so far failed to turn a fragile cessation of hostilities in Syria, in effect since February 27, into a durable truce between the government and opposition groups. Toner said the regime of President Bashar al-Assad was using air strikes and attacks on civilians to gain tactical advantage. He said the United States is looking to Russia to provide the pressure needed to get the regime "to reconsider the fact that if this keeps up, we may be looking at a complete breakdown of the cessation." He said a cessation of hostilities was needed to create an environment for negotiations to begin. Indirect negotiations between the government and the opposition have been held three times in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations, but have made no progress. No date has been set for their resumption. Taliban leader killed because seen as 'imminent threat':Pentagon Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike because he represented a "specific imminent threat" to US and coalition forces in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Monday. "They were specific things that we knew he had engaged in or was preparing to engage in, that were were directly threatening coalition and US forces," said Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. US President Barack Obama confirmed Monday that the Afghan Taliban leader was killed Saturday in the drone strike in Pakistan. Pakistani local residents gathering around a destroyed vehicle hit by a drone strike in which Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was believed to be travelling in the remote town of Ahmad Wal in Balochistan on May 21, 2016 - (AFP/File) The United States and NATO official ended combat operations against the Taliban in December 2014. But their forces are still authorized to carry out "defensive" strikes against Taliban fighters who pose a direct threat to US or coalition troops. In the Pentagon's view, the operation against Mansour was strictly in keeping with the rules, and not a sign that the United States was re-engaging the group militarily. "This is not a change in authorities at all, this is us continuing what we've been doing, which is conducting strikes of a defensive nature," Davis said. Mansour had led the Taliban since last summer's surprise announcement of the death of Mullah Omar, the movement's founder. Initially considered a proponent of peace talks, Mansour had led the group's biggest military advances since the Taliban's fall from power in Kabul in 2001. Maldives ex-president says granted UK refugee status Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed said he has been granted refugee status in Britain, after being toppled from power and jailed in a "slide towards authoritarianism" that has forced him into exile. Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on controversial terrorism charges last year, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for spinal cord surgery after he fell ill. The island nation has been rocked by political turmoil in recent years, seriously denting its reputation as an upmarket tourist destination as current leader Abdulla Yameen enforces emergency rule. Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on controversial terrorism charges last year, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for surgery Ben Stansall (AFP/File) "President Yameen has jailed every opposition leader and cracked down on anyone who dares to oppose or criticise him," Nasheed, 49, said in a statement proclaiming his refugee status. "In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. "Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives, myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile -- for now." The Maldives government reacted swiftly, accusing Nasheed -- whose legal team includes the high-profile human rights lawyer Amal Clooney -- of trying to avoid serving his prison sentence. "The government of the Maldives is disappointed, if confirmed, that the UK government is allowing itself to be part of this charade, and further, is enabling an individual to circumvent his obligations under the law," it said in a statement. Britain's Home Office interior ministry declined to confirm the former president's status when contacted by AFP, saying it did not comment on individual cases. - Red carpet - Nasheed was accorded a red carpet welcome and received by Prime Minister David Cameron after arriving in Britain for medical treatment in a deal brokered by the former colonial power along with Sri Lanka and India. The United Nations has led international criticism of the treatment of Nasheed, who was elected in 2008 and served for four years before he was ousted in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. In 2015 he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on terrorism charges relating to the arrest of an allegedly corrupt judge in 2012, when he was still in power. The Maldives, best known as an idyllic destination for honeymooners, has instead been in the headlines with a succession of political dramas. Yameen is a half-brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for 30 years until his defeat by Nasheed in the country's first multi-party elections eight years ago. In November, the Maldives parliament approved a state of emergency and sacked Yameen's estranged deputy who was arrested in connection with a blast aboard the presidential speedboat that the government says was an assassination attempt. The impeachment was the second in just under four months -- Yameen sacked former vice president Mohamed Jameel after he accused him of trying to topple the government. And in April Maldives police briefly arrested 16 independent journalists while breaking up a demonstration against an alleged crackdown on freedom of speech. The Maldives last month stripped Nasheed of his pension entitlements and health insurance, after demanding he return from medical leave in Britain. US court tosses out $1.3 bn penalty on Bank of America A US appeals court threw out a nearly $1.3 billion penalty against Bank of America on Monday, concluding the bank had not committed fraud amid the housing bust. The federal court ruling overturned an October 2013 jury verdict that Countrywide's sale of bad loans to mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac constituted fraud. A federal judge subsequently had sentenced Bank of America, which acquired Countrywide in 2008, to a $1.27 billion penalty. The federal court ruling overturned an October 2013 jury verdict that Countrywide's sale of bad loans to mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac constituted fraud Saul Loeb (AFP/File) The US Justice Department had alleged that Countrywide had, under the so-called "Hustle" program, eliminated key checkpoints on loan quality and compensated employees solely based on loan volumes. That led to "rampant instances of fraud," it alleged. But BofA argued on appeal that the evidence "shows at most an intentional breach of contract, but was insufficient to show fraud," the US appeals panel wrote. Gulf countries, Canada to cooperate in anti-IS fight Gulf Arab foreign ministers agreed with their Canadian counterpart Monday to strengthen "cooperation" in the fight against the Islamic State group and other jihadist organisations, they said in a statement. Ministers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council agreed with Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion on the need to "dry up" sources of finance for jihadists. "The campaign against Daesh (an Arabic acronym for IS) and other terrorist organisations is not religious or linked to a religion or sect but rather a war on terror," they added in a statement. Smoke billows in the background as Iraqi pro-government forces advance towards the city of Fallujah on May 23, 2016 Ahmad al-Rubaye (AFP) They agreed to "strengthen joint cooperation... to eradicate terrorism", including by "doubling efforts to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters" to Syria and Iraq, where the Sunni jihadist group has seized territory. The joint Arabic-language statement was released following a "strategic dialogue" between Dion and GCC ministers in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah. The statement, which came after deadly IS attacks on Monday in Syria and Yemen, condemned the "barbarian crimes committed by Daesh and other terrorist groups". It also comes after Dion on Saturday announced the start of a Canadian security pact with Tunisia, initially for three years, to support the North African country in its fight against "terrorism". The ministers also voiced support for the Iraqi government's "efforts to preserve security and stability", urging the creation of a "comprehensive" government there to "strengthen the capabilities of Iraqi security forces in their war on Daesh". Iraq has been hit by a months-long political crisis that has paralysed the legislature, as the country's forces battle to regain more ground from IS while also facing a major financial crisis. The ministers also reaffirmed their "rejection of Iran's support for terrorism and its actions that undermine stability in the region, including acts by Hezbollah", the Lebanese militia whose supporters are fighting alongside the Tehran-backed regime in Syria and which is listed as a "terrorist group" by GCC countries. The ministers vowed to work together "to confront (Iran's) interferences in the region". In addition to Iran's arch-rival Saudi Arabia, the GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Riyadh severed diplomatic relations with Tehran in January after Iranian demonstrators burned Saudi Arabia's embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Several other GCC members followed suit in cutting ties. Syrian Kurds open 'mission' in Paris Syrian Kurds, who in March unilaterally proclaimed the creation of a federal region in northern Syria, on Monday opened a representative office in central Paris with several celebrities attending the launch. The office is not officially recognised by the French foreign ministry which views the opposition Syrian National Council as the "legitimate" representative of the Syrian people. The launch of the Rojava office -- the name of the self-proclaimed federal region -- was attended by former French foreign minister and Doctors Without Borders co-founder Bernard Kouchner, philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy and other leading Parisian figures. Sinam Mohamad, the European Representative of the Rojava Self-Ruled Democratic Administration, the de-facto government running Kurdish-held northern Syria, delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the Rojava "mission" in Paris on May 23, 2016 Dominique Faget (AFP) The move follows the opening of similar representative offices in Moscow, Berlin and Stockholm. "Our priority is to defeat terrorism and create stability in Syria," said Sinam Mohamed, a Rojava representative. The Damascus government and the Syrian opposition do not recognise the region. Washington has said it will not recognise any autonomous regions the Syrian Kurds set up under their planned federation but it has also said that it will continue to work closely with the Kurds. Syria's conflict has evolved from a popular uprising to a multi-faceted war that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. Kurds comprise about 15 percent of Syria's population and Kurdish fighters have been backed by Washington in the battle against the Islamic State group. Loss of Y chromosome linked to Alzheimer's disease: study About one in five men over age 80 lose the Y chromosome from their blood cells, and this condition has now been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, researchers said. The condition known a loss of Y, or LOY, is the most common genetic mutation acquired during a man's lifetime. Previous research has shown LOY can raise the likelihood of cancer and is more frequently found in smokers. The condition known a loss of Y, or LOY, is the most common genetic mutation acquired during a man's lifetime also raises the likelihood of cancer Sebastien Bozon (AFP/File) Now, researchers say the condition may serve as a predictive biomarker for a wider range of health problems. For the study in the American Journal of Human Genetics -- led by Lars Forsberg and Jan Dumanski of Uppsala University in Sweden, along with colleagues Britain, France, the United States and Canada -- researchers examined cases of LOY in more than 3,200 men with an average age of 73. Around 17 percent showed LOY in blood cells. Those who had been already diagnosed with Alzheimer's had a higher degree of LOY, they found. Also, those who had not yet been diagnosed with dementia but had LOY were more likely to develop Alzheimer's in subsequent years. "Having loss of Y is not 100 percent predictive that you will have either cancer or Alzheimer's," cautioned Forsberg. Some men with LOY in the study lived with no symptoms well into their 90s. "But in the future, loss of Y in blood cells can become a new biomarker for disease risk and perhaps evaluation can make a difference in detecting and treating problems early." According to Chris Lau, professor in the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, the study sheds little light on why Alzheimer's risk may be elevated in these men. "Although informative, the study is preliminary in nature and only highlights the fact that the Y chromosome could serve important functions beyond male sex determination and sperm production," said Lau, who was not involved in the study. "What exactly on the Y chromosome that increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease is the key issue." Since the Y chromosome contains many genes -- some unique to men and others shared with women, who do not have a Y chromosome -- more research is needed. 6 dead in pair of nightclub shootings on Mexico's Gulf coast VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) A total of six men were killed early Sunday in shootings at two nightclubs in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, authorities said. The state prosecutor's office said three gunmen opened fire from the deejay's booth at four men sitting at a table in the La Madame club, killing them all. About a dozen people were wounded in that attack in the Veracruz state capital of Xalapa. In the other incident, two men died in a gunfight with law enforcement officers at a club in the Veracruz city of Orizaba, prosecutors said. One of the dead was identified as organized crime figure Luis Alberto Carrera Rodriguez, alias "El Negro," or "Blackie." The prosecutor's office did not say what gang he belonged to. Month of May has been showered with trouble for Ganassi team INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Chip Ganassi Racing has run out of power in Indianapolis. First, the four-car team couldn't find enough speed to make Sunday's pole shootout. Then, after working overtime to fix Max Chilton's damaged car Saturday night, crew members were back in scramble mode Sunday afternoon when defending series champion Scott Dixon's engine developed a problem in practice. Somehow, Ganassi's team changed engines in 64 minutes, almost two hours quicker than it normally takes, and in time for Dixon to get back on the track for his only qualifying attempt of the day. But Dixon, Ganassi's top qualifier, couldn't improve on the 13th seed he had coming into the final day of qualifications. He's start on the inside of Row 4 for next weekend's Indianapolis 500. Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, stores his helmet after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) "To do that (switch) in a little over an hour, I can't believe it. It's something that seemed unachievable," Dixon said, hopeful it might mark the start of a much needed turnaround. "We've had a pretty tough week, here." Make that a pretty tough month. It started at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis when 2013 Indy winner Tony Kanaan was knocked out of the race in a first turn crash. The reason: Dixon was forced up the track, squeezing Kanaan into a collision with Sebastien Bourdais. Charlie Kimball wound up fifth, the best of Ganassi's bunch. When practice on the 2.5-mile oval opened Monday, the Ganassi drivers focused more on race-day setup than speeds. But when it came time to qualify, it, like the other Chevrolet, wound up chasing the Hondas. Ganassi's team never quite figured it out, and it showed during qualifying weekend. Chilton crashed in Saturday morning's practice session and didn't make it back to the track until Sunday afternoon when he was among the slowest drivers in practice. He qualified 22nnd. Kanaan will start 18th and Charlie Kimball qualified 16th after a restless night. "I have to admit that I probably wasn't the happiest driver I've ever been last night," Kimball said. Dixon had the best four-lap average on the team, 229.497 mph, in 13th position. "That is the great thing about Chip Ganassi Racing, you have a lot of data to learn from especially guys that are as good as Kanaan and Dixon." The bigger question heading into race week is whether the team has found a solution to any of its problems. While Kimball and Dixon both sounded relieved after their runs and Chilton was satisfied with making the 33-car grid, Kanaan believes he still has a chance to make this an interesting race and noted that when the won three years ago at Indy, he started 12th. "We'll just need to put this behind us and refocus on our race car," Kanaan said. "So we'll just need to put this behind us and refocus on our race car." Scott Dixon, right, of New Zealand, talks with is wife, Emma, during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, drives the the first turn during a practice session on the opening day of qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 21, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 10 Things to Know for Monday - 23 May 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday: 1. WHY TALIBAN LEADER'S DEATH IS SEEN AS HOPEFUL SIGN Some view the killing of Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour as a game-changer in efforts to end the long insurgent war plaguing Afghanistan. U.S. Navy LT JG Katia Medford-Davis looks from a window of a U.S. Navy Lockheed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft from Sigonella, Sicily, Sunday, May 22, 2016, searching the area in the Mediterranean Sea where the Egyptair flight 804 en route from Paris to Cairo went missing on May 19. Search crews found floating human remains, luggage and seats from the doomed EgyptAir jetliner Friday but face a potentially more complex task in locating bigger pieces of wreckage and the black boxes vital to determining why the plane plunged into the Mediterranean. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli) 2. WHAT OBAMA LOOKS TO ACCOMPLISH IN ASIA The president arrives in Vietnam intent on building stronger economic and security ties with Asian-Pacific allies nervous about the rise of China. 3. IRAQ LAUNCHES OPERATION TO RETAKE IS-HELD CITY OF FALLUJAH Iraqi forces are "approaching a moment of great victory" against the extremist group, Prime Minister al-Abadi says announcing the move. 4. CLINTON SHRUGS TRUMP'S PERSONAL ATTACKS "I don't care what he says about me, but I do resent what he says about other people, other successful women, who have worked hard, who have done their part," she says. 5. EGYPT SENDS SUBMARINE TO HUNT FOR CRASHED JET'S BLACK BOXES Meanwhile, hundreds of Coptic Christian mourners fill a church in Cairo to pray for their relatives among the dead. 6. FIRST BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARD GOES TO THE WEEKND The night's top nominee dedicates it to Prince, saying that the music legend will always be an inspiration for him. 7. ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNT TO DECIDE AUSTRIAN ELECTION The presidential polls are too close to call a winner between a right-wing politician and a challenger whose views stand in stark opposition to his rival's anti-immigrant and Eurosceptic message. 8. VERDICT EXPECTED MONDAY IN FREDDIE GRAY-OFFICER TRIAL Prosecutors say Edward Nero unlawfully arrested Gray without probable cause and was negligent when he didn't buckle the prisoner into a seat belt. 9. SONYA SOTOMAYOR'S ADVICE FOR GRADUATES The U.S. Supreme Court Justice advises the class of 2016 at the University of Rhode Island to hold onto the memories they've created and learn from their mistakes. 10. WHO WINS PALME D'OR AT CANNES British director Ken Loach receives his second award at the Cannes Film Festival for "I, Daniel Blake" a portrayal of a disabled man's struggle with the crushing benefits system in England. Nick Jonas and Tove Lo kiss as they perform Close at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Japan trade data, factory survey show economy weakening TOKYO (AP) Japan's economy appears to be weakening as exports fell 10 percent and imports plunged 23 percent in April while a monthly survey of factory managers showed the sharpest deterioration in operating conditions in over three years. Customs figures released Monday show Japan posted a trade surplus of 823 billion yen ($9.1 billion) in April, compared with a deficit of 58.3 billion yen a year earlier. A stronger yen exaggerated the drop in exports, but shipments fell in volume terms, too. The declines were seen in key industries, such as industrial machinery and vehicles. A man is reflected on the electronic board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Monday, May 23. 2016. Japanese stocks fell and other Asian markets were higher Monday after a global finance meeting failed to produce an economic growth plan and Tokyo reported weaker exports. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) The biggest drop in imports was a 49 percent decline in purchases of oil, gas and other fossil fuels. But imports of electrical machinery, food, raw materials and chemicals also fell. Meanwhile, the key figure in a monthly survey of factory managers fell to 47.6 in May from 48.2 in April. A reading of 50 marks the line between contraction and expansion. Economists said the latest data suggest exports will fall further in the current quarter. "The slump in export prices will remain a drag on export values for a while yet, undermining corporate profits and business sentiment," said Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics. Japan's trade with China sank 38 percent in April from a year earlier, with exports falling 7.6 percent and imports tumbling nearly 17 percent. Exports to the U.S., Japan's largest overseas market, dropped almost 12 percent from a year earlier, though shipments to the European Union climbed nearly 10 percent. Exports to Asian markets, including China and Southeast Asian countries, which account for just over half of the total, dropped 11 percent. The financial newspaper Nikkei's preliminary, or "flash," purchasing managers index showed declines in new orders, output and purchases. Amy Brownbill, an economist at Markit, which compiles the survey, said an earthquake in April in southern Japan's Kumamoto region contributed to the slowdown. "One of the primary reasons for the fall in total new orders was a marked contraction in foreign demand, which saw the sharpest fall in over three years," she said. ___ Follow Elaine Kurtenbach: www.twitter.com/ekurtenbach Peace Corps coming to Vietnam for first time HANOI, Vietnam (AP) The Peace Corps is at last coming to Vietnam. President Barack Obama is expected to announce Monday during his visit to Vietnam that the Peace Corps will be invited to establish operations in that country, the volunteer organization said. The volunteers will focus on teaching English to students, and training Vietnamese colleagues to teach English. U.S. President Barack Obama arrives on Air Force One at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, Sunday, May 22, 2016. The president is on a weeklong trip to Asia as part of his effort to pay more attention to the region and boost economic and security cooperation. (AP Photo/Na Son Nguyen) It's a striking turnaround from the years when some young men joined the Peace Corps in an effort to avoid serving in the military during the Vietnam conflict. The Peace Corps has been working on gaining entry to Vietnam for years. In 2012, then-Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams made a three-day visit to the country to explore the possibility of an invitation to establish a program there. The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to promote world peace and friendship. Since then, more than 220,000 Americans have served in 141 host countries. Currently, volunteers work in 63 countries. Peace Corps volunteers live in host communities overseas for 27 months and work in areas such education, environment, health, agriculture, youth and community development. Obama's Hiroshima visit stirs differing views across Pacific TOKYO (AP) Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Michiko Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on Aug. 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. People were walking like zombies, with their flesh scraped and severely burned, asking for help, for water. A little girl looked up, straight into Michiko's eyes, and collapsed. In this May 3, 2016, photo, Arthur Ishimoto, 93, a Japanese-American and U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service veteran, poses with archival photographs of himself as he is interviewed in Honolulu. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. Ishimoto said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet", but there's nothing to apologize for. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) Lester Tenney saw Japanese soldiers killing fellow American captives on the infamous Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942. "If you didn't walk fast enough, you were killed. If you didn't say the right words you were killed, and if you were killed, you were either shot to death, bayonetted, or decapitated," the 95-year-old veteran said. He still has the bamboo stick Japanese soldiers used to beat him across the face. Different experiences, different memories are handed down, spread by the media and taught in school. Collectively, they shape the differing reactions in the United States and Japan to Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. The U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima, and Japan surrendered six days later, bringing to an end a bloody conflict that the U.S. was drawn into after Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Japan identifies mostly as "a victim rather than a victimizer," Stephen Nagy, an international relations professor at the International Christian University in Tokyo, said. "I think that represents Japan's regional role and its regional identity, whereas the United States has a global identity, a global agenda and global presence. So when it views the bombing of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, it's in the terms of a global narrative, a global conflict the United States was fighting for freedom or to liberate countries from fascism or imperialism. To make these ends meet is very difficult." A poll last year by the Pew Research Center found that 56 percent of Americans believe the use of nuclear weapons was justified, while 34 percent do not. In Japan, 79 percent said the bombs were unjustified, and only 14 percent said they were. Terumi Tanaka, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, said of Obama: "I hope he will give an apology to the atomic bomb survivors, not necessarily to the general public. There are many who are still suffering. I would like him to meet them and tell them that he is sorry about the past action, and that he will do the best for them." The White House has clearly ruled out an apology, which would inflame many U.S. veterans and others, and said that Obama would not revisit the decision to drop the bombs. "A lot of these people are telling us we shouldn't have dropped the bomb hey, what they talking about?" said Arthur Ishimoto, a veteran of the Military Intelligence Service, a U.S. Army unit made up of mostly Japanese-Americans who interrogated prisoners, translated intercepted messages and went behind enemy lines to gather intelligence. Now 93, he said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet," but there's nothing to apologize for. Ishimoto, who was born in Honolulu and rose to be an Air Force major general and commander of the Hawaii National Guard, believes he would have been killed in an invasion of Japan if Japan had not surrendered. "It would have been terrible," he said. "There is going to be controversy about apologizing. I don't think there should be any apology. ... We helped that country. We helped them out of the pits all the way back to one of the most economically advanced. There's no apology required." Beyond the deaths the atomic bombs killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 73,000 in Nagasaki by the end of 1945 the effects of radiation have lingered with survivors, both physically and mentally. Kodama, the Hiroshima schoolgirl, faced discrimination in employment and marriage. After her first love failed because her boyfriend's family said they didn't want "radiated people's blood in their family," she married into a more understanding one. The younger of her two daughters died of cancer in 2011. Some say she shouldn't have given birth, even though multi-generational radiation effects have not been proven. Obama doesn't have to apologize, Kodama said, but he should take concrete actions to keep his promise to seek a nuclear-free world. "For me, the war is not over until the day I see a world without nuclear weapons." she said. "Mr. Obama's Hiroshima visit is only a step in the process." Nagasaki survivor Tanaka views the atomic bombings as a crime against humanity. A promise by Obama to survivors to do all he can for nuclear disarmament "would mean an apology to us," he said. He added that his own government also should take some of the blame for the suffering of atomic bomb victims. "It was the Japanese government that started the war to begin with, and delayed the surrender," he said, adding that Japan has not fully faced up to its role in the war. Japan did issue apologies in various forms in the 1980s and 1990s, but some conservative politicians in recent years have raised questions about them, said Sven Saaler, a historian at Sophia University in Tokyo. "In particular right now when Japan has a government that is ... backpedaling in terms of apologizing for the war, if now the U.S. apologized, that also would be, I think, a weird signal in this current situation," Saaler said. Tenney, one of only three remaining POWs from the Bataan Death March, wants Obama in Hiroshima to remember all those who suffered in the war, not just the atomic bomb victims. "From my point of view, the fact that the war ended when it did and the way it did, it saved my life and it saved the life of those Americans and other allied POWs that were in Japan at the time," he said at his home in in Carlsbad, California. "I was in Japan, shoveling coal in a coal mine. No one ever apologized for that. ... I end up with black lung disease because they didn't take care of me in the coal mine, and yet there is no apology, no words of wisdom, no nothing." Obama's visit is firmly supported by Earl Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II. "He's not going there like some of them might, and keep reminding them of all their transgressions," the 88-year-old veteran of the Alaska Territorial Guard said. "That should have ended after the war, and I think a lot of it did, but of course, there's always people who feel resentment." Japan occupied two Alaskan islands during the war. The battle to retake one of them, Attu Island, cost about 3,000 lives on both sides. "We hated them," Wineck said "But things change, people change, and I think people in the world should be closer together." How so? One Tokyo high school student has a suggestion. Mayu Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants Obama to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. "He could also suggest, promoting opportunities for more Americans to visit Hiroshima, or to hear the story of Hiroshima," the 18-year-old said. "It will be even better if those opportunities are available for younger generations like us." ___ A version of this story with videos of the interviews is available at http://apne.ws/243ZLSD ___ Watson reported from Carlsbad, Calif. Associated Press writers Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, and Ken Moritsugu in Tokyo also contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Ishimoto rose to be an Air Force major general, not Army. In this Thursday, May 12, 2016 photo, Michiko Kodama, 78, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, speaks during an interview at an office of a survivors' organization in Tokyo. A flash in the sky over Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 caused a lifetime of ordeal for an elementary school student Michiko Kodama. For her World War II will not be over until a nuclear-free world is achieved and President Barack Obamas visit to Hiroshima on Friday is just a step in the process. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) In this May 3, 2016, photo, World War II veteran Lester Tenney, 95, holds a bamboo stick that he said Japanese soldiers used to beat him while he was held as a prisoner of war, at his home in Carlsbad, Calif. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Julie Watson) In this May 11, 2016 photo, Terumi Tanaka, Secretary General of Japan Confederation of A & H Bombs Sufferers Organizations, speaks during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Tanaka, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, said of President Obama's planned visit to Hiroshima: "I hope he will give an apology to the atomic bomb survivors, not necessarily to the general public. There are many who are still suffering. I would like him to meet them and tell them that he is sorry about the past action, and that he will do the best for them. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) In this May 9, 2016, photo, Earl Wineck, 88, poses for a photo at the Alaska Veterans Museum in Anchorage, Alaska. Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II, supports President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) In this Wednesday, May 11, 2016 photo, high school student Mayu Uchida speaks during an interview at her school in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants U.S. President Barack Obama, who plans a visit to Hiroshima on May 27, 2016, to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) In this May 3, 2016, photo, Arthur Ishimoto, 93, a Japanese-American and U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service veteran, is interviewed in Honolulu. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. Ishimoto said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet", but there's nothing to apologize for. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) In this Thursday, May 12, 2016 photo, Michiko Kodama, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, points at a poster describing human damages by an atomic bomb during an interview at an office of a survivors' organization in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on Aug. 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) In this May 3, 2016, photo, World War II veteran Lester Tenney, 95, holds a bamboo stick that he said Japanese soldiers used to beat him while he was held as a prisoner of war, at his home in Carlsbad, Calif. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Julie Watson) In this May 9, 2016, photo, Earl Wineck, 88, displays his Aleutian Campaign certificate and his discharge papers at the Alaska Veterans Museum in Anchorage, Alaska. Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II, supports President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) In this Wednesday, May 11, 2016 photo, high school student Mayu Uchida pauses during an interview at her school in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants President Obama, who plans a visit to Hiroshima on May 27, 2016, to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) Man suspected in officer's slaying had lengthy record BOSTON (AP) The man suspected of killing a Massachusetts police officer during a weekend traffic stop had a lengthy criminal record and had been released from a maximum-security prison in 2013, officials said Monday. The suspect, 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, was fatally shot by police late Sunday after he fired at them from a bedroom closet inside a duplex apartment in Oxford, investigators said. Oxford is about 7 miles from Auburn, where police Officer Ronald Tarentino was fatally shot early Sunday morning. A state trooper was shot in the shoulder by Zambrano, and officers returned fire, state police Col. Richard McKeon said. The trooper, an 18-year veteran of the force and former U.S. Navy Seal, underwent surgery late Sunday night and was recovering in the hospital Monday. The trooper's name wasn't released. This undated identification photo released by the Massachusetts State Police shows Jorge Zambrano, killed Sunday, May 22, 2016, during an exchange of gunfire with police at an apartment building in Oxford, Mass. Zambrano had been suspected in the shooting death of Auburn, Mass., Police Officer Ronald Tarentino during a traffic stop early Sunday morning. (Massachusetts State Police via AP) State officials said Zambrano had been released from the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley on Nov. 1, 2013, after serving a seven-year sentence on charges including cocaine trafficking, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and two counts of resisting arrest. Since getting out of prison, Zambrano had been arrested multiple times and had court cases pending on charges that included assault and battery, trespassing, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Just last week, Zambrano was arrested by a Massachusetts state trooper while he was driving an Infiniti QX4 with a license plate not registered to that vehicle. During that May 16 stop, the trooper arrested Zambrano without incident. He was charged with attaching plates, operating with a revoked license and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. State police said Zambrano was driving that same vehicle with the same license plate when Officer Tarentino stopped him at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday in Auburn. Paul Jarvey, a spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. Jarvey said authorities are still investigating why Zambrano shot the 42-year-old officer and then fled. Officials later learned that Zambrano was at the Oxford duplex and spotted what they believed was his vehicle parked behind the building. Jarvey said Zambrano knew someone who lives at the duplex. Tarentino had been with the Auburn police force for two years, and before that worked with the Leicester Police Department in his hometown. He leaves behind a wife and three children. Leicester Police Chief James Hurley said Tarentino was a dedicated officer with a constant smile and an infectious laugh whose father served as a police officer in Medford for more than 30 years. Hurley urged people to honor Tarentino by supporting police officers, "today, tomorrow, next month, next year and well into the future." Outside the Auburn police station, the American flag was lowered to half-staff. The town's residents left bouquets of flowers and miniature American flags piled at the bottom of a stone monument dedicated to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. ___ Associated Press writer Amy Anthony in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Flowers, rosary beads and other articles are placed as a memorial for slain Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino outside the police station, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Auburn, Mass. Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Auburn, authorities said. He leaves behind a wife and three children. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Flowers, flags, and other articles are placed as a memorial for slain Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino outside the police station, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Auburn, Mass. Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Auburn, authorities said. He leaves behind a wife and three children. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Mourners, including Jennifer Bohn, kneeling, her husband Randy Bohn, center, and Scott Veau, left, pause before a memorial set up for slain police Officer Ronald Tarentino outside the police station, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Auburn, Mass. Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Auburn on Sunday morning, authorities said. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Obama banishing Vietnam War vestige by lifting arms embargo HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Eager to banish lingering shadows of the Vietnam War, President Barack Obama lifted the U.S. embargo on selling arms to America's former enemy Monday and made the case for a more trusting and prosperous relationship going forward. Activists said the president was being too quick to gloss over serious human rights abuses in his push to establish warmer ties. After spending his first day in Vietnam shuttling among meetings with different government leaders, Obama will spend the next two days speaking directly to the Vietnamese people and meeting with civil society groups and young entrepreneurs. It's all part of his effort to "upgrade" the U.S. relationship with an emerging economic power in Southeast Asia and a nation that the U.S. also hopes can serve as a counterweight to Chinese aggression in the region. Tracing the arc of the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship through cooperation, conflict, "painful separation" and a long reconciliation, Obama marveled during a news conference with the Vietnamese president that "if you consider where we have been and where we are now, the transformation in the relations between our two countries is remarkable." President Barack Obama winks as he arrives for a news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Monday, May 23, 2016, at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President Tran Dai Quang said later at a lavish state luncheon that he was grateful for the American people's efforts to put an end to "an unhappy chapter in the two countries' history," referring to the 1965-1975 U.S. war with Vietnam's communists, who now run the country. The conflict killed 57,000 American military personnel and as many as 2 million Vietnamese military and civilians. Quang added, though, that "the wounds of the war have not been fully healed in both countries." Still, Quang said, both sides are determined to have a more cooperative relationship. That mindset was evident in the friendly crowds that lined the streets as Obama's motorcade zigzagged around Hanoi on Monday. And when Obama emerged from a tiny Vietnamese restaurant after a $6 dinner with CNN personality Anthony Bourdain, the president shook hands with members of the squealing crowd and waved as if he really didn't want to get back in the limousine. Obama was to address the Vietnamese people on Tuesday morning. A White House official said the president would use his address to stress the importance of having a "constructive dialogue" even when the two nations disagree including on human rights. But that is unlikely to mollify activists, who said the president had given up his best leverage for pressing Vietnam to improve its rights record by lifting the arms embargo. Duy Hoang, U.S.-based spokesman for Viet Tan, a pro-democracy party that is banned inside Vietnam, said that until Vietnam makes progress on human rights, the U.S. should not sell it military gear that could be used against the population. "The U.S. should also reiterate the message that closer security cooperation is to bolster Vietnam's external security and that the proper role of the Vietnamese military is to protect the nation, not the current political regime," Hoang said by e-mail. Veterans were split. Bernard Edelman, deputy director of government affairs for the Vietnam Veterans of America, cited the good cooperation surrounding efforts to account for troops still missing in action. "The war's over," he said, noting his group hasn't taken an official position. But Steve Rylant of Loveland, Colorado, who served at Ubon Air Base in Thailand during the Vietnam war, said he was "offended." Asked if there would come a better time for lifting the embargo, Rylant said, "For me, there's never a time. ... It's just really difficult for us to try and agree to any kind of a thing like this with Vietnam, I guess." Obama said there had been "modest progress on some of the areas that we've identified as a concern." He added that the 12-nation trans-Pacific trade deal that he's pushing could help prompt Vietnam to implement a series of labor reforms "that could end up being extraordinarily significant." For Vietnam, lifting the arms embargo was a psychological boost. The United States partially lifted the ban in 2014, but Vietnam pushed for full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. It was unclear whether striking the ban would quickly result in an increase in arms sales. Obama said that each deal would be reviewed case by case, and evaluated based on the equipment's potential use. But he said he no longer believed a ban based on "ideological" differences was necessary. He added that the U.S. would "continue to speak out on behalf of human rights we believe are universal." Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year, some in the past week. In March, seven bloggers and activists were sentenced for "abusing democratic freedoms" and "spreading anti-state propaganda." Hanoi says that only lawbreakers are punished. ___ Associated Press writers Foster Klug in Hanoi, Tammy Webber in Chicago, Dan Elliott in Denver and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nbenac President Barack Obama greets women at the door as he walks from the Bun ch Hng Lien restaurant after having dinner with American Chef Anthony Bourdain in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, May 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) U.S. President Barack Obama, left, meets with Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Central Office of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, May 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President Barack Obama waves to the gathered crowd as he walks from the Bun ch Hng Lien restaurant after having dinner with American Chef Anthony Bourdain, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Hanoi, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) US veteran seeks asylum for Iraqi man who saved his life LOS ANGELES (AP) After three military combat tours in warn-torn Iraq, Chase Millsap returned home to get on with a civilian life. But there was one thing he couldn't do: leave a comrade behind. Certainly not one who had saved his life. Especially not the former Iraqi army officer who, because he had worked with the Americans, is now living a precarious existence as a refugee dodging Islamic State group militants seeking to kill him. The Captain is in hiding in Turkey with his family these days as he attempts to gain refugee status from the United Nations and eventually move to the United States. Millsap is headed to Washington on Tuesday. There, he and other members of the nonprofit group Ronin Refugee Project, will meet with members of Congress to discuss ways of helping soldiers of foreign armies who fought alongside Americans get to the United States. The Latest: Peace Corps to set up programs in Vietnam HANOI, Vietnam (AP) The Latest on U.S. President Barack Obama's first visit to Vietnam (all times local): 9:40 a.m. The United States and Vietnam have reached an agreement that will see the Peace Corps set up English-language training programs in the country's two largest cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. U.S. President Barack Obam, right, and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, toast during a State Luncheon at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, May 23, 2016. Obama on Monday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling aim to Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region he's tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) As President Barack Obama continued an historic three-day visit to Vietnam on Tuesday, officials from the two sides signed an agreement that will bring an initial group of about 20 Peace Corps volunteers to Vietnam starting next year. The program, the first for the Peace Corps in Vietnam, is expected to expand in size in following years and grow to more cities. The agreement was signed after about a decade of discussions. __ 4:25 p.m. China is outwardly lauding the lifting of a U.S. arms embargo on Vietnam, saying it hopes "normal and friendly" relations between the U.S. and Vietnam are conducive to regional stability. A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry says weapons embargoes are a product of the Cold War and shouldn't have existed. China itself remains under a weapons embargo imposed by the U.S. and European Union following 1989's bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The lifting of the ban may increase South China Sea tensions as China and other nations in the region argue over territory. The lifting of the ban potentially gives Vietnam more opportunity to stand up to China's ambitions. ____ 3:30 p.m. The presidents of the U.S. and Vietnam are toasting improved relations between their countries. At a state luncheon in Hanoi in President Barack Obama's honor, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (TrAAN Die Kwang) thanked Obama for traveling so far to help achieve "another crucial milestone" in the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship. Quang spoke of the long effort to "overcome profound grievances" from the war years, and cited a saying of Ho Chi Minh about welcoming the "warm spring" that follows a cold winter. Obama offered thanks for all who came before to "help our nations reconcile." He has singled out Secretary of State John Kerry, who served in Vietnam, for special mention. Obama says veterans on both sides have shown "hearts can change and peace is possible." ____ 2:40 p.m. The United States and Vietnam have released a joint statement citing examples of how the two nations are deepening ties. The two nations are hailing an arrangement granting one-year, multiple-entry visas for short-term business and tourism travelers from both countries. In another development, the U.S. is welcoming the Vietnamese government's approval of the Peace Corps to teach English in Vietnam. The two nations also reaffirmed efforts to ratify and implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade pact that has struggled to gain traction in Congress during an election year. The two nations are also stressing efforts to address issues stemming from the Vietnam War with the U.S. investing nearly $90 million in dioxin remediation at the Da Nang International Airport, a project that will finish next year. ____ 1:50 p.m. President Barack Obama says the death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour should send a "clear signal" to extremists intent on harming U.S. personnel that "we're going to protect our people." Obama says Mansour was specifically targeting U.S. personnel and troops who were sent to Afghanistan to assist and train the country's military forces. Obama says Mansour's death doesn't signal a shift in the U.S. approach to countering terrorism in Afghanistan. He says the U.S. will not engage in day-to-day combat operations, but will continue to help the Afghan people secure their country. Mansour was killed when a U.S. drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. ____ 1:40 p.m. President Barack Obama says the decision to lift an arm embargo on Vietnam is not based on relations with China, but on a desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of normalizing relations between the United States and Vietnam. Obama says the U.S. will continue to analyze weapons sales case-by-case, but it won't have a ban based on an ideological division between the two countries. Obama says the U.S. expects greater cooperation between each nation's militaries, often in response to humanitarian disasters. He also says there is a mutual concern with respect to maritime issues. ___ 1:15 p.m. President Barack Obama has announced the lifting of an arms embargo on Vietnam, removing a vestige of wartime animosity in an attempt to shore up the communist country in its territorial dispute with an increasingly aggressive China. Obama made the announcement Monday during a news conference in Hanoi with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (TrAAN Die Kwang). U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged Obama to press for greater human rights freedoms before lifting the embargo. Washington partially lifted the embargo on arms in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in the disputed South China Sea. Lifting the restrictions will anger China, which is deeply suspicious of growing U.S. defense ties in areas it sees as its own. ___ 12:10 p.m. U.S. President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (TrAAN Die Kwang) opened their visit by touting the deepening economic relationship between the two countries. The presidents attended a signing ceremony celebrating a series of new commercial deals between U.S. and Vietnamese companies. The White House said the value of the transactions was more than $16 billion. The deals included U.S. engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney's plans to sell 135 advanced engines to Vietnamese air carrier Vietjet and Boeing's plans to sell 100 aircraft to airline. The White House says the Boeing deal is expected to support 60,000 American manufacturing and technology jobs. The White House also announced an agreement between GE Wind and the Vietnamese government to develop 1,000 megawatts of wind-generated electricity. ___ 12:06 p.m. U.S. President Barack Obama starts his visit to Vietnam looking to bolster trade ties with the government, and possibly lift an arms export embargo, even as he meets with dissidents and pushes for greater human rights freedoms from the one-party state. Obama will try to strike this balance during his three-day visit to a country Washington sees as a crucial, though flawed partner as China seeks to boost its claim to disputed territory in the South China Sea. Though Vietnam mostly has Russian equipment, lifting the embargo would be a boost for the country. It would show relations are fully normalized and open the way to deeper security cooperation. U.S. lawmakers and activists have urged Obama to press for greater rights freedoms before granting it. A decision could come Monday. U.S. President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang conclude a press conference at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, May 23, 2016. Obama on Monday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling aim to Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region he's tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) U.S. President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang participate in a press conference at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, May 23, 2016. Obama on Monday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region he's tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Jury selection began Monday for his murder trial - expected to last a week The Shield star was arrested and held on $2 million bail for two years Jace is accused of shooting dead his wife April at their LA home The murder trial has begun for Shield actor Michael Jace who is accused of shooting dead his wife two years ago. Prosecutors say the 53-year-old killed his wife April at the couple's Los Angeles home - in front of their young children - in May 2014. The actor then called a police dispatcher to confess he had shot his wife, authorities say. A recording of the call has not been released. Scroll down for video Michael Jace, pictured in a Los Angeles court on Monday for the first day of his murder trial, is accused of murdering his wife in 2014 The murder trial has begun for Shield actor Michael Jace who is accused of shooting dead his wife April two years ago (pictured together during 'The Shield' Season 6 Premiere and Season 5 DVD Launch Party, Hollywood) Prosecutors say the 53-year-old (pictured in court on Monday, right, and previously, left) killed his wife April at the couple's Los Angeles home - in front of their young children - in May 2014 Jace, who has been held in jail since his arrest two years ago, has pleaded not guilty to murder. His attorneys have said his state of mind on the day of the killing will be a key element of his defense. Jury selection began Monday, with a judge telling 70 prospective jurors about Jace's work as an actor and noting the case has received some publicity. Jace, who starred in the FX cop show, appeared in court on Monday wearing a blue shirt and looked wearier and more grey than then last time he was in public. The trial is expected to last a week. April Jace, a financial aid counselor at Biola University, was killed at her south Los Angeles home in May 2014. Police found the 40-year-old, who had three sons, including the two with Michael Jace, dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso. Her family called her death a senseless act of domestic violence. Actor Michael Jace, pictured in handcuffs outside his Los Angeles home, during his arrest in May 2014 after he allegedly shot dead his wife in front of their young children A distraught Michael Jace pictured outside his LA home is now facing a murder trial which began this week His booking sheet shows that he was booked at 3.37am on May 20, 2014 Her husband made the call to 911 at around 8.30pm and then phoned his father-in-law to pick up the children, according to another 911 call released by fire officials. The couple's two sons, who were both under 10, reportedly witnessed the shooting and were taken in a distraught state to the police station and were put in care. Few other details have been released about the alleged murder. Detectives believe the victim had argued with her husband about their relationship via text message shortly before she was gunned down. The couple had been fighting over money and had been through a bankruptcy, court papers seen by the LA Times state. Earlier this month, LAPD investigators reportedly managed to hack into April Jace's iPhone. The hacking occurred during the same period earlier this year when the FBI managed to crack the iPhone of San Bernardino. According to the Times, LAPD Detective Connie Zynch wrote in the a search warrant that the department found a 'forensic cellphone expert who could override the locked iPhone function'. The warrant did not say exactly how the LAPD managed to open the locked phone or reveal the identity of the cellphone expert. There was also no detail on the operating system on the device. Jace starring as Detective Julian Lowe in the Shield. He also featured in films Boogie Nights, Forrest Gump and Planet of the Apes On Monday this week, potential jurors were summoned to a downtown Los Angeles courtroom for the trial. The judge has said the jury might be told that April Jace was having an affair before her death, although a prosecutor said she would not say that to the jury. Meanwhile Jace, who played Detective Julian Lowe in the police drama, was described by neighbors as a doting father and said they never saw or heard signs of trouble from the family home in the Hyde Park neighborhood. A prosecutor has said there was no evidence of previous domestic violence by Michael Jace. However, it court papers from his divorce to first wife Jennifer Bitterman revealed claims that he had an 'explosive temper' and that he had hit her on 'multiple' occasions. Divorce papers seen by MailOnline claim that Jace had an alleged fearsome temper. Close friend Maria De La Vega testified on behalf of Bitterman. She said: 'Jordan was six months old. I was in the house and witnessed the first episode of physical abuse. 'Respondent was raging and choked and hit petitioner and slammed her against the wall while Jordan screamed in the crib next to her'. She claimed that 'there were multiple physical assaults' on Bitterman. Bitterman petitioned for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences in 1995. The couple separated for good in 1997, but did not have the divorce finalized until 2002. In the papers, De La Vega claimed she saw the extent of anger and added that the things she saw were 'terrifying'. She added that it was clear that Jace's 'ambition was the most important thing to him and not his son and wife'. In 2005, as Bitterman and Jace continued to fight over custody, the actor's ex-wife said in a declaration: 'The Respondent threatens corporal punishment and has spanked (his son) for crying and being afraid. The Respondent's intimidation style of discipline has been a source of great anxiety to (his son)'. Then in a 2006 declaration, Bitterman claimed Jace screamed at Bitterman in front of (his son), harassed her in phone calls and also sent the 'I will f***ing kill you!' email. Bitterman was awarded primary custody. According to TMZ, April astonishingly testified on Jace's behalf. She said he provided a stable home for the boy. Jace is best known for his role as LAPD Officer Julien Lowe in The Shield. He also appeared on the show Southland and had small roles in the movies Planet of the Apes, Boogie Nights and Forrest Gump. Despite his success, Michael Jace filed for bankruptcy protection in 2011 due to mounting debts estimated between $500,000 and $1million. He had fallen behind on bill payments just months before the shooting. Jace has been held in custody since 2014 on $2million bail, which his attorney indicated the jailed actor cannot pay. White House: No invite issued to ex-POW for Hiroshima visit TOKYO (AP) A U.S. veterans group says an American who was held by Japan as a prisoner of war during World War II will accompany President Barack Obama on his historic visit to Hiroshima this week, but the White House said Monday that no such invitation has been issued. Jan Thompson, head of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society, said her group was asked by the White House on Saturday to select a former POW to travel with Obama to Hiroshima, the city hit by the first of two atomic bombs dropped by the U.S. on Japan near the end of World War II. She said in a statement Monday that the group had chosen a 94-year-old former POW and submitted his name to the White House to join the visit. However, a White House official said no invitation had been extended. Indy 500 winners determine best drivers, greatest races INDIANAPOLIS (AP) In the lead-up to the 100th running of the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," The Associated Press interviewed the 27 living race winners on topics ranging from the greatest driver to most memorable moment. Their answers to the eight questions provide a glimpse into the history and mystique of the storied race. ___ FILE - In this May 24, 1992, file photo, Al Unser Jr., top, of Albuquerque, N.M., wins the Indianapolis 500 by less than a car length ahead of Scott Goodyear, of Canada, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. In a survey of the 27 living winners of the Indy 500, The Associated Press found the 1992 race won by Al Unser Jr. to be the greatest in history. Other memorable races included Little Al's loss to Emerson Fittipaldi in '89, Sam Hornish Jr.'s victory in 2006 and the second win for the late Dan Wheldon in 2011. (AP Photo/David Boe, File) GREATEST DRIVER "It's probably the most difficult question you can ask about Indy," said 1998 winner Eddie Cheever, when asked to identify the greatest driver. He went on to list the three four-time winners as the leading candidates. A.J. Foyt ultimately received the most votes among former winners, but Rick Mears and Al Unser received plenty of support in what proved to be the most difficult question on the list. "I'm just glad to be part of the discussion," said Foyt, who along with Mario Andretti declined to answer. "I thought I was the best,'" quipped 1963 winner Parnelli Jones. "Obviously Foyt has the best track record of anybody. There's not really one. A bunch of them." ___ GREATEST RACE The crash-filled 1992 race that came down to Al Unser Jr. holding off Scott Goodyear in the closest finish in history was chosen by the living champions as the greatest race. Michael Andretti appeared on his way to a long-awaited win, only for his fuel pump to fail in the final laps. Little Al held off Goodyear in a frantic final seven laps, prompting his father Al Unser Sr. to call him taking the checkered flag "one of the greatest moments of my life." Other fantastic finishes included Little Al's duel and defeat to Emerson Fittipaldi in the '89 race; the 2006 race when Sam Hornish Jr. passed Michael Andretti within sight of the finish; the 1982 battle between Mears and Gordon Johncock; and the 2011 race won by the late Dan Wheldon. ___ MEMORABLE MOMENTS When asked for their most memorable moment, the majority of past winners recalled their earliest memories not necessarily when they reached victory lane but when they first set eyes on the track. "The biggest thing I really remember was sitting up in the grandstands of Turn 1, and you are just enjoying the time with my mom and dad and the beautiful weather and watching cars," Hornish said. "One of those was (Danny) Sullivan spinning and winning it (in 1985). So that wasn't bad." For many other former champions, winning the race remains their moment second-to-none. "No question, there's nothing that can match seeing the checkered flag," said 1969 winner Mario Andretti. "It's just a huge weight off your shoulders because you know how important it is to your career." ___ BIGGEST INNOVATIONS Ten former winners singled out safety measures as the race's greatest innovation. It makes sense when you consider rear-view mirrors made their debut in the Indy 500, and seat belts were introduced in 1922. Disc brakes, SAFER barriers and other advancements also made their mark at Indy. "The No. 1 greatest is safety," said 1996 champion Buddy Lazier. "You can argue everything from seatbelts to disc brakes filtered down to the auto industry and now, every single American car enjoys them." In terms of racing, the SAFER barrier was a game-changer at major speedways. "Anyone who has ever hit the SAFER barrier and the concrete barrier has felt the difference," three-time champion Dario Franchitti said. "It's saved a lot of lives and prevented many injuries." ___ GREATEST TRADITION The milk given to winners in victory lane dates to 1936, when Louis Meyer professed to drink it to refresh himself on hot days. Photographers captured him guzzling from a glass bottle and the tradition has stuck. Thirteen of the 27 living winners called it the greatest tradition. "It's so unique," said 2004 champion Buddy Rice. "There's nothing like it anywhere else." Seven former winners chose the singing of "Back Home Again in Indiana" as the greatest tradition, while others chose the Borg-Warner Trophy and the iconic three-wide starting grid. "It was always my favorite part of pre-race," Franchitti said of the race's unofficial anthem. "I can neither confirm nor deny that I used to sing along whilst sitting in my car." ___ BEST BRIDESMAID The question of best driver never to win the Indy 500 finally made Michael Andretti a winner. After so many near-misses during his career, Andretti received 17 of the 27 votes. Lloyd Ruby received four, while others mentioned were Tony Stewart, Roberto Guerrero and Alex Zanardi. "Being the best driver to have not won Indy is an unfortunate honor," Andretti told the AP. "I'd much rather be one of the winners and not be honored in this category at all." Since Mario Andretti won his lone race in '69, the patriarch, his sons Michael and Jeff, nephew John and grandson Marco have come up empty time and time again. "Was he capable of winning it? You're darn right he was," Mario Andretti said. "So he can be proud." ___ GREATEST RIVALRY When it came to deciding the greatest rivalry, A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Bobby Unser received the most attention, though just who their rivals happened to be was another subject of debate. The clear winner among past champions was Foyt-Andretti. But Foyt versus the field wasn't far behind. "The one I paid attention to was A.J. and myself," Andretti said. "I lived it." Or, as 1986 winner Bobby Rahal explained: "The greatest rivalry had to be A.J. Foyt against anyone else. Super Tex was the yardstick in the '60s and 70's, and no matter who else was there, the man to beat was A.J." ___ TOP VIPS It makes sense that the former winners would chose Tony Hulman as the most important non-driver in Indy 500 history, considering the Terre Haute businessman saved the speedway and its iconic race. He purchased it after it was virtually abandoned during World War II, pumping money into the property, and Hulman's family still owns and operates the speedway to this day. The only other individual who received nearly the same amount of attention was Roger Penske, whose teams have won 16 times including last year with Juan Pablo Montoya. "Roger is tremendous to the speedway," Hornish said, "but would it be there if it wasn't for Anton?" ___ Online: AP Auto Racing site: http://racing.ap.org/ FILE - In this May 30, 1961, file photo, A.J. Foyt, still wearing his goggles and victory wreath, smiles in the garage area after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. In the lead-up to the 100th running of the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," The Associated Press interviewed the 27 living race winners on topics ranging from the best driver to greatest tradition. Choosing the best driver proved to be the most difficult question on the list. (AP Photo/ File) FILE - In this May 29, 2011, file photo, IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon, of England, douses himself with milk after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File) FILE - In this May 28, 2006, file photo, Sam Hornish Jr., left, pumps his fist as he beats Marco Andretti to the finish line to win the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. In a survey of the 27 living winners of the Indy 500, The Associated Press found the 1992 race won by Al Unser Jr. to be the greatest in history. Other memorable races included Little Al's loss to Emerson Fittipaldi in '89, Sam Hornish Jr.'s victory in 2006 and the second win for the late Dan Wheldon in 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Parker, File) Hospitals a deadly target in Middle East conflicts BEIRUT (AP) As one of the few pediatricians remaining in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Dr. Mohammed Wassim Maaz offered hope to tens of thousands of children and their parents trapped in the horror and misery of the five-year civil war. But last month, an airstrike widely believed to have been carried out by the Syrian government destroyed the al Quds hospital where he worked, killing Maaz and dozens of colleagues, patients and other civilians. The April 27 strike was the latest of thousands of attacks in recent years on medical facilities in conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere that have killed hundreds in brazen violation of humanitarian norms. Facilities have been struck in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan. The attacks have turned the universally recognized symbol of the Red Cross, which is supposed to offer protection and safety, into a deadly target and have exposed the failure of the international community to prevent and punish such crimes. FILE - In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 file photo, released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian citizens and firefighters gather at the scene where one of rockets hit the Dubeet hospital in the central neighborhood of Muhafaza in Aleppo, Syria. As one of the few pediatricians remaining in the Syrian city Aleppo, Dr. Mohammed Wassim Maaz was the last ray of hope for tens of thousands of children and their parents trapped in the horror and misery of the five-year civil war. (SANA via AP, File) The U.N. Security Council has denounced the attacks and demanded that all parties in conflicts protect medical facilities, staff and patients. But some of the council's most powerful members, who backed the resolution, aren't blameless. U.S. forces struck a clinic in Afghanistan last year, killing 42 people. The Pentagon found the attack was a mistake caused by human error and 16 military personnel, including a two-star general, were disciplined. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders, which operated the hospital, has called for an independent investigation. Medical facilities have also been hit by the U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Russia, too, has been tied to attacks. Its forces backing Syrian President Bashar Assad have been accused of intentionally striking hospitals. Assad's military has been charged with deliberately striking civilian targets to crush the will of the population and render rebel-held areas unlivable. Physicians for Human Rights calls the attacks in Syria the most widespread and systematic assault on health care documented in the world to date. "Health facilities, which are meant to be places where people can go for relief of suffering, for survival and safety, have become instead places of brutality and death," said Susannah Sirkin, a director at the New York-based group. The Geneva Conventions state that hospitals, doctors and patients are off-limits in conflicts. Attacking them constitutes a war crime. Violations have happened before, but aid groups say the cruelty and frequency in recent years has been unprecedented. Nearly 740 doctors and staff have been killed in more than 360 attacks on hospitals in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, according to Physicians for Human Rights. A study by the International Committee of the Red Cross documented some 2,400 attacks against patients, health personnel and medical facilities in 2012-2014. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym, MSF, says that least 100 staff members, patients and caretakers were killed, and at least 130 were injured, in aerial bombing and shelling attacks on more than 80 MSF-supported and run health structures in 2015 and early 2016. Hospitals and physicians in the Middle East and elsewhere have been attacked simply for treating people on both sides of the conflict or because the facilities were located near what was perceived to be a military target. Treating patients in war zones has become so dangerous that some hospitals have gone undercover and residents in a number of communities in Syria have protested against efforts to reopen bombed hospitals to avoid being hit again, according to MSF. On Monday, 80 governments and dozens of world leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, inaugurated the first-of-its-kind World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. The summit, called by the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in response to pressing humanitarian challenges, was set to be attended by 6,000 people including heads of aid groups and private sector leaders. But MSF, in a strongly worded statement, said it was pulling out, calling the summit "a fig-leaf of good intentions." According to the international organization, the two-day World Humanitarian Summit will "put states on the same level as non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, which have no such powers or obligations," further minimizing the responsibility of the states. Assad's government denies targeting hospitals or other civilian areas and accuses the rebels of striking government clinics. But Syria's top diplomat to the U.N., Bashar Ja'afari, has accused MSF of being French spies and said they should be blamed for attacks on their facilities because they are operating in an area not controlled by the government. The attack on the al Quds hospital brought attention to the dangers faced by medical care workers. Closed-circuit footage of the last moments of Maaz's life was seen worldwide. They show him clad in green scrubs and slippers, moving busily around the ward and tending to his small patients. Maaz, 36, was the senior pediatrician in Aleppo, a northern city besieged by government, Kurdish and Islamic State fighters. He was a soft-spoken bearded man with balding hair, so devoted to his patients that he turned down a scholarship to study in France and opportunities to work in safer areas. He slept in the hospital to look after his patients during the night, colleagues said. "By killing a doctor, the regime and its allies are killing hundreds of children that he was treating," said Dr. Osama Abo Elezz, a general surgeon in Aleppo. The al Quds hospital recently reopened. Another doctor has volunteered to take over Maaz's duties. When he spoke to The Associated Press, he asked that only his first name, Hatem, be used because he fears being targeted. "If he (Assad) keeps hitting hospitals, we will set up hospitals underground," Hatem said. "We are staying here." ___ Danilova reported from Washington. FILE - In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 file photo, released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian citizens and firefighters gather at the scene where one of rockets hit the Dubeet hospital in the central neighborhood of Muhafaza in Aleppo, Syria. As one of the few pediatricians remaining in the Syrian city Aleppo, Dr. Mohammed Wassim Maaz was the last ray of hope for tens of thousands of children and their parents trapped in the horror and misery of the five-year civil war. (SANA via AP, File) In this Oct. 16, 2015, file photo, an employee of Doctors Without Borders, MSF, walks inside the charred remains of the organization's hospital after it was hit by a U.S. airstrike in Kunduz, Afghanistan. TDoctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym, MSF, says that least 100 staff members, patients and caretakers were killed, and at least 130 were injured, in aerial bombing and shelling attacks on at least 80 MSF-supported and run health structures in 2015 and early 2016. (AP Photo/Najim Rahim, File) In this Oct. 15, 2015, file photo, U.S. soldiers walk into the charred remains of the Doctors Without Borders, MSF, hospital in the northern city of Kunduz, Afghanistan. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym, MSF, says that least 100 staff members, patients and caretakers were killed, and at least 130 were injured, in aerial bombing and shelling attacks on at least 80 MSF-supported and run health structures in 2015 and early 2016. (AP Photo/Najim Rahim, File) Before island's primary, Sanders criticizes Puerto Rico plan LOS ANGELES (AP) Two weeks before Puerto Rico's primary, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders says a deal between House leaders and the Obama administration to help the island out of debt has colonialist overtones. In a letter to fellow Senate Democrats on Monday, the Vermont senator says the House bill to create a control board and allow some restructuring of the U.S. territory's $70 billion debt would make "a terrible situation even worse." House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and the Obama administration are supporting the Republican legislation, which is scheduled for a committee vote this week. Sanders said the bill would empower an "unelected and undemocratic oversight board" and criticized the legislation for allowing the governor of Puerto Rico to cut the minimum wage temporarily for some younger workers. FILE - In this May 17, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., greets supporters after speaking at a rally in Carson, Calif. Bernie Sanders' campaign is mining deep into voter data from Hispanic enclaves, scouting for hidden supporters in an effort to undercut Hillary Clinton in a contest that he has vowed to fight to the end. Clinton ran up a 2-1 advantage with Hispanics in her 2008 win in California over Barack Obama and is making a strong push to do that again. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) "We must stop treating Puerto Rico like a colony and start treating the American citizens of Puerto Rico with the respect and dignity that they deserve," Sanders wrote. Sanders is trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the presidential primaries and Clinton has outperformed Sanders among Latino voters. Both are competing in the June 5 Puerto Rican primary. In a statement last week, Clinton said she has serious concerns about the power of the control board but believes the legislation should move forward, or "too many Puerto Ricans will continue to suffer." So far, Sanders' opposition hasn't swayed Democrats who are supporting the bill. Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, one of a small number of House lawmakers backing Sanders' presidential bid, is the top Democrat on the House committee that will consider the legislation. His office reiterated his support for the deal after Sanders sent the letter Monday. Grijalva "understands that there are Democratic concerns with the bill, but he's been very involved with the negotiations over these past few months and understands that this bill is a compromise," said spokeswoman Diane Padilla. Padilla said it's not the bill Grijalva would write, but the Treasury Department "has reassured him that it'll help get the people of Puerto Rico back on their feet, which is what he ultimately wants." Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who was also involved in negotiations, has called the legislation a "fair, but tough bipartisan compromise." Puerto Rico, which has struggled to overcome a lengthy recession, has missed several payments to creditors and faces a $2 billion installment, the largest yet, on July 1. Two government agencies have been under a state of emergency, and the economic crisis has forced businesses to close, driven up the employment rate and sparked an exodus of hundreds of thousands of people to the U.S. mainland. Sanders' opposition could cause more problems in the Senate, where one lawmaker can slow a bill's progress. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid had no immediate comment on Sanders' letter. Senators have said they are waiting to see what happens in the House before they consider a bill, so it could be weeks or months before the chamber takes up the issue. Sanders has been largely absent from Senate proceedings during his lengthy primary campaign. In his letter, Sanders warned that the control board would have the power to cut the budget, slash pensions and take other measures. He notes that most of the control board would be chosen by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He noted that unions have opposed the bill, due to the minimum wage provision and a proposed suspension of the Obama administration's overtime rules for the island. Sanders said the legislation "looks out for the needs of Wall Street vulture funds first and foremost." Bondholders, including hedge funds, have lobbied to make sure the legislation ensures their rights as creditors are held up by the control board. Republicans say the legislation would force the control board both to honor creditors and find a way to pay for government pensions, which have been underfunded by more than $40 billion. Ryan has strongly supported the bill, saying it is the only way to avoid an eventual bailout of the territory. Puerto Rican officials are more in line with Sanders. Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said last week the bill isn't "consistent with our country's basic democratic principles." He wants a less powerful board that can't fully control the island's finances. ___ Jalonick reported from Washington. ___ Tajikistan vote allows president to rule indefinitely DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (AP) People in the Central Asian nation of Tajikistan have voted overwhelmingly to approve changes to the Constitution allowing the longtime authoritarian president to rule indefinitely, election officials said Monday. An initial count showed 94.5 percent of voters had supported amendments that included a provision to scrap presidential term limits. The referendum was held Sunday with only cursory international scrutiny. No election in Tajikistan has ever been deemed free and fair by the most thorough international vote-monitoring organizations. In this photo taken on Monday, May 16, 2016, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon speaks during a meeting with the heads of exclusive companies in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. People in the Central Asian nation of Tajikistan have voted overwhelmingly to approve changes to the Constitution allowing the authoritarian president to rule indefinitely. Elections officials said Monday, May 23 that an initial count showed 94.5 percent of voters had supported amendments that included a provision to scrap presidential term limits. (Nakib Murodov/Tajikistan Presidential Press Service via AP) The former Soviet state has in recent months been the setting of an intense onslaught against fundamental political freedoms. Almost the entire leadership of the most popular opposition party has been tried over an alleged attempted coup and they are awaiting lengthy jail sentences. Emomali Rakhmon, a 63-year-old former collective farm boss, has ruled Tajikistan since 1992. Although Rakhmon will now be able to run for office as many times as he wishes, another constitutional change ushered in by the referendum allows his eldest son and presumed heir to take over power. The minimum age at which candidates can run for the president is being lowered from 35 to 30, making 29-year-old Rustam Emomali eligible to stand for office in the next presidential election in 2020. Tajikistan is a predominantly Sunni Muslim nation, but the authorities have for years been engaged in a battle against manifestations of perceived excess piousness. Young men are regularly detained for sporting beards and women are forced to cast off veils. While most Tajiks would identify as practicing Muslims, radical strands of the faith enjoy relatively limited support in the country. Instability in neighboring Afghanistan, with which Tajikistan shares a porous 1,300-kilometer (810-mile) frontier, has been central to the government's mantra of retaining stability at all costs. In recognition of the potential threat from Afghanistan, the United States has provided substantial military aid to Tajikistan as part of efforts to combat terrorism and drug-trafficking. The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, has reported on a terminal decline in political, religious and media freedoms in the country. The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, or IRPT, the only opposition party with any real following, was declared a terrorist organization following an alleged coup attempt in September. Little is known of the purported plot to overthrow the government, including whether it actually took place. More than a dozen of the party's leaders were charged with involvement in the coup attempt and have been tried behind closed doors in a case that has drawn broad international criticism. Yet another of the 41 constitutional amendments approved through the referendum will impose a ban on religious-based parties, which is apparently a measure intended to ensure the IRPT is unable to resurface under a different guise. Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon arrives at a polling station in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Sunday, May 22, 2016. Tajikistan holds a referendum on changing the constitution to allow Rakhmon to remain in office for life and to make it easier for his eldest son to succeed him as leader of the former Soviet republic in Central Asia. (Tajikistan Presidential Press Service via AP) Haitian woman visits hospital where doctors rebuilt her face MIAMI (AP) A Haitian woman who attracted widespread media attention 10 years ago for a 16-pound facial growth says she'd now like to work as a reporter, too. The Miami Herald reports (http://hrld.us/1OzGvp8 ) that Marlie Casseus recently returned to Jackson Memorial Hospital with about 150 Haitian nurses to celebrate National Nurses Week. Casseus is now 23. Speaking through an interpreter, she said she wanted to join the reporters who chronicled her medical journey. Casseus has a rare disorder that causes bone to swell and become jelly-like. Doctors rebuilt her face after removing the growth that nearly killed her. She's had roughly 10 surgeries since 2005. The hospital's International Kids Fund and a local charity have raised funds for her care here. Casseus' recovery in Haiti sometimes hit setbacks, including the 2010 earthquake that destroyed her special-needs school. ___ Latino vote in California targeted by Clinton, Sanders LOS ANGELES (AP) Bernie Sanders' image gazes out from a corner storefront in Boyle Heights, a Hispanic enclave known for its plump burritos and a plaza where mariachis strum guitars. It's here that his campaign is going house to house to cut into Hillary Clinton's advantage with Latino voters. The oversized painting of the silver-haired Sanders was created by local artists. Perched in a front window, it's a centerpiece in an art gallery-turned-unofficial campaign office, where owner Mercedes Hart displays an array of T-shirts, lapel buttons even pink underwear bearing the Vermont senator's name. Out front, Sanders campaign workers have set up a table to register voters and organize volunteers, who will go out to knock on doors and stuff mailboxes with campaign literature. FILE - In this May 5, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton takes a photo with supporters at the end of a campaign stop at East Los Angeles College in Los Angeles. Bernie Sanders' campaign is mining deep into voter data from Hispanic enclaves, scouting for hidden supporters in an effort to undercut Hillary Clinton in a contest that he has vowed to fight to the end. Clinton ran up a 2-1 advantage with Hispanics in her 2008 win in California over Barack Obama and is making a strong push to do that again. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) "I don't ever feel like I believe politicians, but I believe him," says Hart, 35, who lived for years in Mexico. Like many Sanders' devotees, she is a first-time voter, taken up by his concern for workaday Americans in an economy divided by haves and have-nots. Visitors to her gallery are greeted by a sign above the door featuring a clenched fist and the slogan "Viva Bernie." It's just one snapshot of the tough Democratic presidential campaign playing out in the nation's largest state before the June 7 primary, even as Clinton appears to have a near-lock on the nomination. By some estimates, Hispanics could make up as many as 2 in 10 voters in California. The contest comes on the same day as those in New Jersey and several other states, in what amounts to the finale of the 2016 primary season. A come-from-behind win for Sanders in California a Clinton stronghold and home to 1 in 8 people in the United States would end the former first lady's campaign with a thud, allowing Sanders to refresh his argument that he's the party's best chance to defeat Republican Donald Trump in November. It would still, though, almost certainly leave him short of the delegates needed to catch up with her. The New Jersey results alone may put her over the top June 7. The California contest has taken on new urgency after Clinton's shaky performance this month. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs contends that "millions of Americans have growing doubts about the Clinton campaign," citing Sanders' recent victories in Indiana, West Virginia and Oregon. You could say that age lines have defined the fight for the Latino vote. Clinton ran up a commanding 2-to-1 edge with Hispanics when she carried California over Barack Obama in the state's 2008 presidential primary. But an independent Field Poll last month revealed a much closer contest and a familiar divide in the electorate: Clinton had a 7-point edge with Hispanics overall, while Sanders was the choice by a nearly 3-to-1 margin for Latinos under age 40. Meanwhile, voter registration among young Hispanics, those age 18 to 29, has been climbing, and they lean to Sanders. Sanders "has a real potential to win Latinos" in California, predicted Sanders campaign pollster Ben Tulchin. "He needs an influx of young Latinos and he's getting it, it's happening." Who ultimately turns out on election day will be critical to the outcome, said Jaime Regalado, former executive director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. Also, younger voters are notoriously fickle, especially among Hispanics. "The most likely Latino voter is still an older voter in California," Regalado said. "And those voters, almost to a person, will stay with Clinton." Clinton can count endorsements from virtually all of the state's prominent Hispanic politicians, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Secretary of State Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, who heads the House Democratic Caucus. This past week, she added Dolores Huerta, a co-founder of United Farm Workers, to her list of Hispanic advisers. Longtime labor leader Eliseo Medina, another newly enlisted Clinton adviser, told reporters that the campaign was working to boost Hispanic turnout. "We need to do better, especially among our young people," Medina said. Both campaigns have been drilling into voter data to find potential supporters in Hispanic neighborhoods, and lacing their speeches with touchstone issues for Hispanics, including education, immigration and wages. One example of the fierce competition: Clinton held a rally at a nearby college on Cinco de Mayo, the annual celebration of all things Mexican, where Sanders supporters organized a noisy protest. At a community college near downtown Los Angeles that enrolls a large number of Hispanics, Sanders volunteers last week were asking students, "Are you registered to vote?" and handing out postcards with a depiction of Sanders, dressed as Uncle Sam. Among Latino voters, the question is whether Sanders can keep closing the once-wide gap with Clinton, says Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo. "It's the younger crowd and the new voters that have been really helping Sanders," he said. "The question then becomes, has that momentum continued?" Greek deputy resigns over reforms, majority unchanged ATHENS, Greece (AP) A lawmaker with Greece's governing Syriza party has resigned after rejecting parts of a new austerity package in a weekend vote, in a move that doesn't affect the government's majority in parliament. Vassiliki Katrivanou voted against elements of the painful new creditor-demanded cutbacks and reforms in Sunday's ballot in the 300-seat Parliament. But she didn't reject the core of the draft legislation, which was thus approved with the backing of all 153 lawmakers in the Syriza-led coalition. Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attends a parliamentary session in Athens, Sunday, May 22, 2016. Greek parliament votes on a bill ahead of a Eurogroup meeting next week which is likely to unlock bailout funds for the country. (AP Photo/ Yorgos Karahalis ) She resigned early Monday, and will be replaced by another Syriza politician. The Latest: UN says 50,000 civilians in Fallujah at risk DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) The Latest on a violent day in the Middle East, with deadly bombings in Syria and Yemen and the start of an Iraqi government offensive to retake the city of Fallujah from the Islamic State group (all times local): 10:00 p.m. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says there is "a great risk" to about 50,000 civilians the U.N. estimates are still in Fallujah, especially for those trying to flee the Iraqi government offensive to retake the city from the Islamic State extremist group. In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrians gather in front of a burning car at the scene where suicide bombers blew themselves up, in the coastal town of Tartus, Syria, Monday, May 23, 2016. Syrian TV said suicide bombers blew themselves followed by a car bomb in a parking lot packed during morning rush hour. (SANA via AP) U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday "it's important that they have some safe corridors that they could use." He called the situation in and around Fallujah "very fluid." The United Nations is providing emergency assistance including water, shelter and food to those who make it out, Dujarric told reporters in New York. He said authorities are transporting a lot of displaced woman and children to Amiriyat al Fallujah, about 30 miles south of Fallujah, while men and boys are reportedly being transported by Iraqi authorities to central Anbar for security screening. By Edith Lederer in New York ___ 8:30 p.m. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned attacks on civilians in the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus, where explosions killed more than 80 people and wounded 200. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that Ban was especially concerned about escalating military activity in and around Damascus and Homs, which is causing a rising number of civilian casualties. Dujarric says the secretary-general called on all parties to refrain from attacks on civilians and called for the perpetrators to be held responsible. ___ 6:30 p.m. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a telegram to Syrian President Bashar Assad conveying his condolences over the deaths of civilians and confirming Russia's readiness to continue supporting its "Syrian partners." The Kremlin said Putin on Monday "stressed that this tragedy has become further evidence of the barbarian and inhuman nature of the terrorist groups that have unleashed bloody war against the Syrian people." "The president of Russia once again confirmed a readiness to continue cooperation with the Syrian partners in countering the terrorist threat and expressed confidence that the criminals who stained their hands with the blood of innocent victims will not escape retribution." The series of coordinated explosions on Monday morning killed more than 80 people and wounded 200 in the normally quiet coastal government strongholds of Tartus and Jableh. The blasts were the first of their kind targeting civilians in those areas. ___ 3:30 p.m. Iraq's Prime Minister has hailed "big successes" by troops, hours after launching a military operation to recapture the Islamic State-held city of Fallujah. Wearing the black uniform of Iraq's counter-terrorism forces, Haider al-Abadi visited Fallujah Operation Command Monday morning and met with commanders. He says the offensive achieved "more than what was planned for," without elaborating on the operation. He says that the offensive was planned to start more than two months ago, but was delayed due to political infighting and the deteriorating security situation inside Baghdad. Backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, Iraqi government forces launched the long-awaited military offensive on Fallujah late Sunday night. The city, located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad, has been under the militants' control since January 2014. ___ 2.00 p.m. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says the increase in militant attacks and bombings in Syria, such as the explosions that rocked Syrian government strongholds, "once again demonstrates how fragile the situation in Syria is." Dmitry Peskov, speaking Monday to journalists in Moscow, said the situation "demonstrates the need to continue vigorous steps to continue the negotiation process." Asked whether Russia would reconsider its decision to scale back the size of its military contingent in Syria, the spokesman pointed to Putin's statement that Russia's bases in Syria allow for "a very flexible approach" to the number of Russian troops deployed in Syria. ___ 12:45 p.m. A news agency linked with the Islamic State group says the group's militants were behind the multiple attacks on civilian gatherings in two Syrian coastal cities. Monday's back-to-back bombings occurred in the cities of Tartus, and Jableh, both government strongholds that also house Russian military bases. State media said the explosions killed at least 65 people, most of them in bus stations in the two cities, and outside a hospital and the electricity company in Jableh. The one-sentence report by the IS-linked Aamaq news agency offered no details. The agency regularly carries the group's news and claims. ___ 12 p.m. Syrian state TV says at least 65 people were killed in a series of explosions, including suicide bombings, in the coastal cities of Tartus and Jableh, strongholds of President Bashar Assad. The TV reports said at least one suicide bomber followed by a car bomb blew up minutes apart in a packed bus station in Tartus. More than 20 were killed and many injured in the bombings, an Interior Ministry official told the channel. Separately, Syria's SANA state news agency and the state TV said four explosions rocked Jableh, south of Latakia city. The attacks included three rockets, and a suicide bomber at a city hospital, the state media said. The attacks are a rare occurrence in the normally quiet and pro-government cities. Russia keeps a naval base in Tartus and an air base in Latakia province. Insurgents maintain a presence in rural Latakia. Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria ___ 11:45 a.m. Syrian state TV says more than 20 people have been killed in multiple attacks in the coastal cities of Tartus and Jableh, strongholds of President Bashar Assad. The TV report Monday said at least one suicide bomber on foot followed by a car bomber attacked a packed bus station in Tartus. An Interior Ministry official says more than 20 were killed and many injured. Separately, Syria news agency SANA said three rockets were launched into Jableh, which lies 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of Latakia city, landing in a bus station, near the town's entrance. The rare attacks occurred in the normally quiet pro-government coastal areas where Russia keeps a naval base in Tartus and an air base in Latakia province. Insurgents maintain a presence in rural Latakia. ___ 11:15 a.m. Officials say government forces have pushed Islamic State militants from some agricultural areas outside the city of Fallujah at the start of a military offensive aimed at recapturing the city from the Islamic State group. Police 1st Lt. Ahmed Mahdi Salih said Monday that the ground fighting is taking place around the town of Garma, east of Fallujah, which is considered the main supply line to the militants. IS holds the center of Garma and some areas on its outskirts. Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who is in charge of paramilitary forces, says his troops recaptured at least three agricultural areas outside Garma. Backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, Iraqi government forces launched the long-awaited military offensive on Fallujah late Sunday night. ___ 10:30 a.m. Yemeni security officials say that a pair of suicide bombers killed at least 45 people in the southern city of Aden. The officials said Monday that the two bombers targeted young men seeking to join the army. One suicide car bomber targeted a line outside an army recruitment center, killing at least 20. A second bomber on foot detonated his explosive vest among a group of recruits waiting outside the home of an army commander, killing at least 25. The Yemeni officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Yemen's conflict pits the internationally recognized government against Shiite rebels who control the capital, Saana, and are allied with a former president. The country also contains active al-Qaida and Islamic State group affiliates. People gather at the scene after a pair of suicide bombings attack in the southern city of Aden, Yemen, Monday, May 23, 2016. Yemeni security officials say that a pair of suicide bombers killed dozens of people in the southern city of Aden. (AP Photo) In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrians gather in front of a burning car at the scene where suicide bombers blew themselves up, in the coastal town of Tartus, Syria, Monday, May 23, 2016. The Syrian TV said suicide bombers blew themselves followed by a car bomb in a parking lot packed during morning rush hour. (SANA via AP) In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a firefighter, right, extinguishes a burning car at the scene where suicide bombers blew themselves up, in the coastal towns of Tartus, Syria, Monday, May 23, 2016. Syrian TV said suicide bombers blew themselves followed by a car bomb in a parking lot packed during morning rush hour. (SANA via AP) South African president gets reprieve over graft allegations JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Africa's state prosecutors say they will appeal a court ruling that could have opened the way to corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma. The decision Monday by Shaun Abrahams, head of the National Prosecuting Authority, is a reprieve for Zuma, who faces a separate scandal over state spending on his private home. Abrahams says his prosecution office is independent and that an appeals court should address the matter. The political opposition says state prosecutors are trying to shield Zuma from prosecution. FILE - In this Saturday May 9, 2009 file photo South Africa's president Jacob Zuma takes an oath during his inauguration in Pretoria, South Africa, for a first term. On Monday, May 24, 2016 state prosecutors said they will appeal a court ruling that could have opened the way to corruption charges against Zuma, in 2009 relating to a multi-billion dollars arms deal in 1999. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File) A court had ruled that a 2009 decision by a former chief prosecutor to drop corruption charges against Zuma should be reviewed. Zuma denies the corruption allegations, which were dropped before he became president. SOUTH CHINA SEA WATCH: China 'happy' US-Vietnam ties warming A look at some recent key developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in territorial disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters rich in fish and potential gas and oil reserves: ___ EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a weekly look at the latest key developments in the South China Sea, home to several territorial conflicts that have raised tensions in the region. ___ CHINA CHEERS WARMING US-VIETNAM TIES China publicly says it welcomes the Obama administration's decision to lift an arms embargo on Vietnam, although privately, Beijing is likely less than pleased to see warming relations between its southern neighbor and chief regional rival. Asked about the move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that "as a neighboring country, we would be happy to see Vietnam develop normal and friendly cooperative relationships with all other countries, including the United States. "And we hope those normal and friendly relationships are conducive to regional stability and development," she told reporters at a regularly scheduled news conference. Such embargoes are "a product of the Cold War, and should not have existed," Hua said. She added that China hopes similar embargos will also be lifted, a possible reference to the continuing weapons embargo imposed by the U.S. and the EU following China's 1989 bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Obama said the embargo's lifting was not based on relations with China, but on a desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of normalizing relations between the United States and Vietnam. He did, however, say that there was mutual concern with respect to maritime issues. China has looked on warily as the U.S. and Vietnam have steadily strengthened their relationship in recent years, in line with growing Vietnamese concern over aggressive Chinese moves to assert its South China Sea maritime claims. Despite being fraternal Communist neighbors, China and Vietnam fought a bloody border war in 1979, and clashes in 1988 over their conflicting claims in the South China Sea claimed dozens of lives. Those tensions reared again in 2014, when China parked an oil rig off Vietnam's central coast, sparking confrontations at sea and deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam. ___ CHINA REJECTS US ACCUSATION OF UNSAFE INTERCEPT IN AIR China last week rejected U.S. claims that its fighter jets maneuvered unsafely when they intercepted an American Navy reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea, and demanded that the U.S. end such missions close to Chinese territory. The Chinese jets monitored the U.S. plane from an acceptable distance and operated in a safe and professional manner, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told journalists at a regularly scheduled news briefing. "According to the related Chinese authorities, the U.S. allegation is not true," Hong said. Frequent reconnaissance missions by U.S. Navy vessels' aircraft off the Chinese coast jeopardize China's sea and air safety, Hong said. "We urge the U.S. to immediately stop spying activities and prevent such events from happening again," he said. The Pentagon said two Chinese J-11 fighters flew within about 15 meters (50 feet) of the U.S. EP-3 Aries aircraft on Tuesday, forcing the U.S. pilot to descend sharply to avoid a collision. It said the U.S. plane was conducting routine operations in international airspace. It characterized the incident as an unsafe intercept and said it is being reviewed. The U.S. has sought to prevent such confrontations through frequent communication and the signing of an agreement on handling unexpected encounters at sea and in the air. Defense Department spokesman Peter Cook on Thursday disputed Chinese officials who rejected U.S. claims that its fighter jets maneuvered unsafely. "There were two Chinese aircraft that approached and our air crew felt that the approach was not conducted in the safest a safe and professional manner," Cook said. "That's the concern that we have and that's what's being reviewed at this time." He said the U.S. is confident that the American crew was flying in international airspace. State Department spokesman John Kirby said there were plenty of ways for the U.S. and Chinese militaries to communicate. "The problem isn't, 'Are you talking?' The problem is this kind of behavior, this very unsafe and dangerous behavior in the air which puts people's lives at risk unnecessarily," he told reporters in Washington. Such incidents may now be on the increase as the U.S. challenges China's claims that its newly created artificial islands in the South China Sea enjoy legal rights to territorial seas and airspace. China says it is entitled to keep watch over such airspace and seas. China has long been irked by U.S. reconnaissance missions off the Chinese island province of Hainan, which sits at the northern end of the South China Sea and is home to a number of highly sensitive naval and air installations. In 2001, a collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. surveillance plane in which the Chinese pilot was killed and the American crew was detained on Hainan led to a crisis in U.S.-China relations. ___ CHINA ATTRACTS MORE DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT China last week won the endorsement of landlocked Afghanistan for its stance on the South China Sea dispute, the latest country from outside the region to line up behind China's calls for bilateral talks on the issue. The Foreign Ministry said Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah made the statement in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing that also touched on security cooperation along their border in China's volatile western region of Xinjiang. "Our Afghan counterparts expressed their gratitude for China's long-term support over the years, and also said they support China's position on the South China Sea issue and support China's efforts to resolve the South China Sea issue through bilateral channels and through peaceful means such as negotiation and consultation," the deputy director general of the ministry's department of Asian Affairs, Hou Yanqi, told reporters following the talks. Obama: Taliban leader's death a 'milestone' for Afghan peace HANOI, Vietnam (AP) President Barack Obama said Monday that the violent death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour by a U.S. airstrike should send a "clear signal" to anti-American extremists that "we're going to protect our people." Obama also said Mansour's death was an "important milestone" in the yearslong effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. "It has been confirmed that he is dead," Obama said Monday during his first visit to Vietnam. "He is an individual who, as head of the Taliban, was specifically targeting U.S. personnel and troops inside of Afghanistan" who Obama sent there to help counter terrorism and help train Afghan troops. This photo taken by a freelance photographer Abdul Salam Khan using his smart phone on Sunday, May 22, 2016, purports to show the destroyed vehicle in which Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour was traveling in the Ahmad Wal area in Baluchistan province of Pakistan, near Afghanistan's border. A senior commander of the Afghan Taliban confirmed on Sunday that the extremist group's leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, has been killed in a U.S. drone strike. (AP Photo/Abdul Salam Khan) Mansour was killed when a U.S. drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan, though it was unclear whether the airstrike took place on Friday or Saturday. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last year. Obama authorized the attack and was briefed before and after it was carried out, aides said. Speaking at a news conference following his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Obama said the fatal attack on Mansour did not represent a change in U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan, which is to help train Afghan forces. Obama ended the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. "We are not re-entering the day-to-day combat operations that are currently being conducted by Afghan security forces," Obama said. "Our job is to help Afghanistan secure its own country, not to have our men and women in uniform engage in that fight for them." "On the other hand, where we have a high-profile leader who has been consistently part of plans and operations to potentially harm U.S. personnel and who has been resistant to the kinds of peace talks and reconciliation that ultimately could bring an end to decades of war in Afghanistan, then it is my responsibility as commander in chief not to stand by, but to make sure that we send a clear signal to the Taliban and others that we're going to protect our people. "And that's exactly the message that has been sent," Obama said. Mansour was chosen to head the Afghan Taliban last summer after the revelation of Omar's death in 2013. The Taliban is the most powerful insurgent group in the war-ravaged country, where an estimated 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded and 5,500 government troops and police officers died last year alone. The Taliban seized power in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan according to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law until the group was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Almost 15 years later, about 13,000 troops are in the country from a U.S.-NATO coalition, including around 9,800 Americans. While they are mostly focused on training and helping Afghan government forces battle the insurgency, about 3,000 troops are conducting counterterrorism operations against the Taliban and the extremist groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State. In a written statement issued before the news conference, Obama said Mansour's death marked an "important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan." Obama said Mansour had rejected Afghan government efforts to engage in peace talks with the Taliban with the goal of ending violence that has killed thousands. He called on the organization to choose the path toward peace. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," Obama said. ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbenac Romania prosecutors probe car death tied to pharma scam BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Romania's general prosecutor's office on Monday ordered an investigation of a car crash fatality which has been connected to a high-profile pharmaceutical scam. The person who was killed as the car slammed into a tree Sunday hasn't been identified, but police say they found identity documents in the car belonging to the CEO of the pharmaceutical company Hexi Pharma. General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar said Dan Condrea, who heads Hexi Pharma, was due to be questioned Monday and would have been charged with aggravated fraud. In this May 10, 2016 picture the Dan Condrea, the head of pharmaceutical company Hexi Pharma walks surrounded by media to the prosecutor's office in Bucharest, Romania. A person who was killed when a car slammed into a tree Sunday, May 22, 2016, hasnt been identified but police say they found identity documents in the car belonging to the CEO of the pharmaceutical company Hexi Pharma.(AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) ROMANIA OUT There were "very strong indications" that the dead man was Condrea, Lazar said, adding that an autopsy was being conducted. Condrea's company was indicted this month on charges that disinfectants it provided to hospitals and Romania's troops in Afghanistan were highly diluted and ineffective, causing public outrage. Later Monday, Condrea's partner, Uliana Ochinciuc, arrived at the forensics institute where the autopsy is taking place. Mediafax news agency quoted sources from the institute saying she had confirmed that the dead man was Condrea. The general prosecutor's office said Monday it was coordinating an autopsy and a technical test on the car. 10 Things to Know for Today - 23 May 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. OBAMA LIFTS ARMS BAN IN FIRST VISIT TO VIETNAM The move aims to bolster a communist government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner, especially in the context of China's regional aspirations. People gather at the scene after a pair of suicide bombings attack in the southern city of Aden, Yemen, Monday, May 23, 2016. Yemeni security officials say that a pair of suicide bombers killed dozens of people in the southern city of Aden. (AP Photo) 2. BLOODSHED ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST Syria and Yemen are hit with deadly bombings and the Iraqi government begins an offensive to retake the city of Fallujah from the Islamic State group. 3. WHAT ARE DEADLY TARGETS IN MIDEAST CONFLICTS Attacks on medical facilities change the perception of the universally recognized symbol of the Red Cross, which is supposed to offer protection and safety. 4. WHO ARE TRANSFIXED BY US PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Post-nuclear pact, Iranians are mindful that the next White House occupant could have direct impact on their lives. 5. SANDERS BREAKS WITH WHITE HOUSE ON PUERTO RICO RESCUE PLAN The Democratic presidential candidate says legislation to restructure the U.S. territory's $70 billion in debt "would make a terrible situation even worse." 6. HISTORIC HIROSHIMA TRIP BY OBAMA STIRS DIFFERING VIEWS Two very different visions of war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. 7. A SON OF NEW ORLEANS IS COMING HOME More than seven decades after being killed during World War II, the remains of Pvt. Earl Joseph Keating are being returned from New Guinea. 8. BIG MERGER IN THE OFFING German drug and chemicals company Bayer AG makes a $62 billion offer to buy U.S.-based crops and seeds specialist Monsanto Company. 9. MADONNA HONORS PRINCE, CELINE DION INSPIRES This year's Billboard Music Awards delivers on heartfelt emotion during its biggest performances by iconic artists. 10. INDY 500 CHAMPS CHOOSE GREATEST RACE Al Unser Jr.'s victory over Scott Goodyear in 1992 is the greatest race in Indianapolis 500 history, according to an exclusive AP survey. U.S. President Barack Obama, joined by National Security Adviser Susan Rice, right, speaks as he meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in the Presidential Palace Compound in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, May 23, 2016. Obama on Monday lifted a decades-old arms export embargo for Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner even as he pushes for better human rights from the one-party state. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Slovakian model on trial for killing British millionaire MALAGA, Spain (AP) A Slovakian model on trial in the fatal shooting of her British millionaire ex-boyfriend tearfully testified Monday that he pulled out a pistol and it went off while they struggled for it. Prosecutors say Maria Kukucova shot Andrew Bush twice in the head and once in the shoulder at his home in the southern beach resort of Estepona on April 5, 2014, and are seeking to have her imprisoned for 20 years. Kukucova, 26, testified she didn't know how many shots were fired because the first one was so loud that she went temporarily deaf, hearing nothing just after it. "I didn't want to cause him any harm," Kukucova said, sniffling and trying to hold back tears. "The gun just went off. I only wanted to break free from his grasp." Her jury trial in Malaga started Monday and is expected to last at least three days. Bush was 48 and owned a jewelry store in Britain where Kukucova had worked before he moved to Spain. The two broke up about a month before the killing following a relationship of more than two years. Kukucova testified she spent two days alone inside his house and that he arrived after a trip with a Russian girlfriend, Maria Korotaeva. Bush told Korotaeva to go outside the home and get into his car after finding Kukucova in his home, and he and Kukucova started fighting, the suspect testified. She said he pointed the gun at her and that it went off during their struggle. After the killing, Kukucova ordered Korotaeva to get out of the car and drove away, according to court testimony. The suspect is also charged with stealing Bush's car. Kukucova fled to Slovakia and turned herself in to police four days after the killing. She was extradited to Spain a month later. Bush's sister and niece were present in the courtroom, as well as Kukucova's parents, and Korotaeva. ___ Alan Clendenning reported from Madrid. ___ Bata Zivojinovic, film star in former Yugoslavia, dies at 82 BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Velimir Bata Zivojinovic, former Yugoslavia's best known film star who was also popular in China, has died, Serbian state television reported Monday. He was 82. Zivojinovic died late on Sunday in a Belgrade hospital, according to state TV. He was suffering from several chronic conditions and recently had a leg amputated. Top Serbian officials expressed condolences over Zivojinovic's death, describing the famous actor as a "legend." President Tomislav Nikolic said it was "unthinkable that titans such as Bata, are mortal after all." In this photo taken March 1, 2008, Velimir Bata Zivojinovic, former Yugoslavia's best known film star who was also popular in China arrives for a media event flanked by model dressed in Yugoslav partizan military uniforms. Zivojinovic died late on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in a Belgrade hospital. His most famous movie, "Walter Defends Sarajevo," made Zivojinovic a star in China. (AP Photo/Andrej Cukic) The news of Zivojinovic's death also resonated in other former Yugoslav republics that were part of the Communist-run multi-ethnic federation, but are now independent states. Zivojinovic is said to have played the biggest number of film roles in the ex-federation, mostly portraying partisan fighters battling the German Nazi occupation during World War II. His most famous movie, "Walter Defends Sarajevo," made Zivojinovic a star in China. The 1972 film about partisan resistance in the city was one of few foreign films shown in China at the time, offering a glimpse into the outside world. Iconic "Walter" was seen by hundreds of millions of people in China, turning Zivojinovic into a nation-wide star. The film's popularity was such that a beer brand was named after Walter in China and each time Zivojinovic visited the country, fans turned out in large numbers to greet him. Zivojinovic also appeared in Chinese commercials and on posters and was offered Chinese citizenship. Years later, when Chinese investors started building a bridge over the Danube in Belgrade, Zivojinovic was greeted with joy as he went to see the Chinese workers at the site. But at home, Zivojinovic lost some of his iconic status among liberal Serbs and in other ex-Yugoslav republics when he sided with former Serbian nationalist strongman Slobodan Milosevic during the 1990s conflict. Zivojinovic ran as Milosevic's party candidate for the Serbian presidency in 2002 but was eliminated in the first round, winning just 3.3 percent of the votes. Funeral arrangements for Zivojinovic are yet to be announced. Official: Iran to try to 'speed up' held Lebanese man's case DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran "will try to speed up" the case involving a detained U.S. permanent resident who advocates Internet freedom, an official said Monday, making the first government acknowledgement of the man's detention. Hossein Jaberi Ansari's brief comments focused on Lebanese citizen Nizar Zakka, who disappeared in Tehran in September after attending a government-sponsored conference. Although no charges have been announced, Iranian media has accused him of being an American spy, allegations vigorously rejected by his family and associates. "The Iranian government will try to speed up the process of addressing this issue and provide any help possible, but ultimately a legal case should be addressed by judicial authorities," Ansari said in Tehran at a weekly news conference. "Any verdict by the judicial authorities will be the final ruling and we do not intervene in judicial rulings." The Associated Press reported last week that the Washington-based nonprofit organization headed by Zakka, IJMA3, had received grants totaling $730,000 from the U.S. government for Middle East projects. It is not clear from records obtained by the AP if any IJMA3 work involved Iran. Zakka's family and his supporters are pressing the U.S. government to become more active in trying to obtain his release, arguing that his arrest was due to his ties to America. Supporters have written Secretary of State John Kerry stating Zakka travelled to Iran "with the knowledge and approval of the U.S. State Department, and his trip was funded by grants" from it. Those assertions could not be verified by the AP and his friends say they can't obtain copies of the contract from the State Department due to federal regulations. It's still unclear what prompted Iranian authorities to detain Zakka. His supporters say his September trip marked the fifth time he had traveled to Iran. Relations between Iran and the U.S. remain tense even after the recent nuclear deal and a prisoner swap in January that freed Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian and three other Iranian-Americans. At least two Iranian-Americans are imprisoned in the Islamic Republic, Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi. Also unaccounted for is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission. ___ Sweden's Stampen media group to restructure amid high debt STOCKHOLM (AP) Swedish media group Stampen says it's filing to restructure the company after struggling with debt. CEO Martin Alsander says the newspaper publisher is "moving in the right direction," but that debt remains excessive with insufficient cash flow so that it's unable to fulfill all "its financial obligations." Since an April 2014 revamp, the company has streamlined operations, cut costs and disposed of 10 companies, managing to reduce debt by 500 million kronor ($60 million). Hiroshima trip by Obama stirs differing views across Pacific TOKYO (AP) Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Michiko Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on Aug. 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. People were walking like zombies, with their flesh scraped and severely burned, asking for help, for water. A little girl looked up, straight into Michiko's eyes, and collapsed. In this May 3, 2016, photo, Arthur Ishimoto, 93, a Japanese-American and U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service veteran, poses with archival photographs of himself as he is interviewed in Honolulu. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. Ishimoto said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet", but there's nothing to apologize for. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) Lester Tenney saw Japanese soldiers killing fellow American captives on the infamous Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942. "If you didn't walk fast enough, you were killed. If you didn't say the right words you were killed, and if you were killed, you were either shot to death, bayonetted, or decapitated," the 95-year-old veteran said. He still has the bamboo stick Japanese soldiers used to beat him across the face. Different experiences, different memories are handed down, spread by the media and taught in school. Collectively, they shape the differing reactions in the United States and Japan to Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. The U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima, and Japan surrendered six days later, bringing to an end a bloody conflict that the U.S. was drawn into after Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Japan identifies mostly as "a victim rather than a victimizer," Stephen Nagy, an international relations professor at the International Christian University in Tokyo, said. "I think that represents Japan's regional role and its regional identity, whereas the United States has a global identity, a global agenda and global presence. So when it views the bombing of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, it's in the terms of a global narrative, a global conflict the United States was fighting for freedom or to liberate countries from fascism or imperialism. To make these ends meet is very difficult." A poll last year by the Pew Research Center found that 56 percent of Americans believe the use of nuclear weapons was justified, while 34 percent do not. In Japan, 79 percent said the bombs were unjustified, and only 14 percent said they were. Terumi Tanaka, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, said of Obama: "I hope he will give an apology to the atomic bomb survivors, not necessarily to the general public. There are many who are still suffering. I would like him to meet them and tell them that he is sorry about the past action, and that he will do the best for them." The White House has clearly ruled out an apology, which would inflame many U.S. veterans and others, and said that Obama would not revisit the decision to drop the bombs. "A lot of these people are telling us we shouldn't have dropped the bomb hey, what they talking about?" said Arthur Ishimoto, a veteran of the Military Intelligence Service, a U.S. Army unit made up of mostly Japanese-Americans who interrogated prisoners, translated intercepted messages and went behind enemy lines to gather intelligence. Now 93, he said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet," but there's nothing to apologize for. Ishimoto, who was born in Honolulu and rose to be an Army major general and commander of the Hawaii National Guard, believes he would have been killed in an invasion of Japan if Japan had not surrendered. "It would have been terrible," he said. "There is going to be controversy about apologizing. I don't think there should be any apology. ... We helped that country. We helped them out of the pits all the way back to one of the most economically advanced. There's no apology required." Beyond the deaths the atomic bombs killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 73,000 in Nagasaki by the end of 1945 the effects of radiation have lingered with survivors, both physically and mentally. Kodama, the Hiroshima schoolgirl, faced discrimination in employment and marriage. After her first love failed because her boyfriend's family said they didn't want "radiated people's blood in their family," she married into a more understanding one. The younger of her two daughters died of cancer in 2011. Some say she shouldn't have given birth, even though multi-generational radiation effects have not been proven. Obama doesn't have to apologize, Kodama said, but he should take concrete actions to keep his promise to seek a nuclear-free world. "For me, the war is not over until the day I see a world without nuclear weapons." she said. "Mr. Obama's Hiroshima visit is only a step in the process." Nagasaki survivor Tanaka views the atomic bombings as a crime against humanity. A promise by Obama to survivors to do all he can for nuclear disarmament "would mean an apology to us," he said. He added that his own government also should take some of the blame for the suffering of atomic bomb victims. "It was the Japanese government that started the war to begin with, and delayed the surrender," he said, adding that Japan has not fully faced up to its role in the war. Japan did issue apologies in various forms in the 1980s and 1990s, but some conservative politicians in recent years have raised questions about them, said Sven Saaler, a historian at Sophia University in Tokyo. "In particular right now when Japan has a government that is ... backpedaling in terms of apologizing for the war, if now the U.S. apologized, that also would be, I think, a weird signal in this current situation," Saaler said. Tenney, one of only three remaining POWs from the Bataan Death March, wants Obama in Hiroshima to remember all those who suffered in the war, not just the atomic bomb victims. "From my point of view, the fact that the war ended when it did and the way it did, it saved my life and it saved the life of those Americans and other allied POWs that were in Japan at the time," he said at his home in in Carlsbad, California. "I was in Japan, shoveling coal in a coal mine. No one ever apologized for that. ... I end up with black lung disease because they didn't take care of me in the coal mine, and yet there is no apology, no words of wisdom, no nothing." Obama's visit is firmly supported by Earl Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II. "He's not going there like some of them might, and keep reminding them of all their transgressions," the 88-year-old veteran of the Alaska Territorial Guard said. "That should have ended after the war, and I think a lot of it did, but of course, there's always people who feel resentment." Japan occupied two Alaskan islands during the war. The battle to retake one of them, Attu Island, cost about 3,000 lives on both sides. "We hated them," Wineck said "But things change, people change, and I think people in the world should be closer together." How so? One Tokyo high school student has a suggestion. Mayu Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants Obama to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. "He could also suggest, promoting opportunities for more Americans to visit Hiroshima, or to hear the story of Hiroshima," the 18-year-old said. "It will be even better if those opportunities are available for younger generations like us." ___ Watson reported from Carlsbad, California. Associated Press writers Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, and Ken Moritsugu in Tokyo also contributed to this report. In this Thursday, May 12, 2016 photo, Michiko Kodama, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, speaks during an interview at an office of a survivors' organization in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on Aug. 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) In this May 3, 2016, photo, World War II veteran Lester Tenney, 95, holds a bamboo stick that he said Japanese soldiers used to beat him while he was held as a prisoner of war, at his home in Carlsbad, Calif. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Julie Watson) In this May 11, 2016 photo, Terumi Tanaka, Secretary General of Japan Confederation of A & H Bombs Sufferers Organizations, speaks during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Tanaka, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, said of President Obama's planned visit to Hiroshima: "I hope he will give an apology to the atomic bomb survivors, not necessarily to the general public. There are many who are still suffering. I would like him to meet them and tell them that he is sorry about the past action, and that he will do the best for them. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) In this May 9, 2016, photo, Earl Wineck, 88, poses for a photo at the Alaska Veterans Museum in Anchorage, Alaska. Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II, supports President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) In this Wednesday, May 11, 2016 photo, high school student Mayu Uchida speaks during an interview at her school in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants U.S. President Barack Obama, who plans a visit to Hiroshima on May 27, 2016, to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) In this May 3, 2016, photo, Arthur Ishimoto, 93, a Japanese-American and U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service veteran, is interviewed in Honolulu. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. Ishimoto said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet", but there's nothing to apologize for. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) In this Thursday, May 12, 2016 photo, Michiko Kodama, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, points at a poster describing human damages by an atomic bomb during an interview at an office of a survivors' organization in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on Aug. 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) In this May 3, 2016, photo, World War II veteran Lester Tenney, 95, holds a bamboo stick that he said Japanese soldiers used to beat him while he was held as a prisoner of war, at his home in Carlsbad, Calif. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Collectively, they help explain the differing reactions to President Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Julie Watson) In this May 9, 2016, photo, Earl Wineck, 88, displays his Aleutian Campaign certificate and his discharge papers at the Alaska Veterans Museum in Anchorage, Alaska. Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II, supports President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima later this week. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) In this Wednesday, May 11, 2016 photo, high school student Mayu Uchida pauses during an interview at her school in Tokyo. Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants President Obama, who plans a visit to Hiroshima on May 27, 2016, to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) Netanyahu proclaims support for peace, despite French rebuff JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's leader on Monday reiterated his support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, seeking to persuade critics that he remains committed to peace as he prepares to bring a polarizing hardliner into his Cabinet. Benjamin Netanyahu said he would seek peace with the Palestinians, even while giving a cool reception to a new French peace initiative. "The Palestinians will have the possibility to build a state of their own, but this state must be demilitarized and recognize Israel as the Jewish state," he told parliament. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, left, speaks with Israel's President Reuven Rivlin at the President's residence in Jerusalem, Monday, May 23, 2016. Valls is on an official visit to the region. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Since taking office in 2009, Netanyahu has repeatedly said he supports a "two-state solution" with the Palestinians. But U.S.-led peace efforts have made little headway due to wide gaps between the Israeli and Palestinian positions. The Palestinians, along with the international community, have accused Netanyahu of undermining hopes for peace by expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the heartland of a hoped-for Palestinian state. Questions about his intentions have deepened since Netanyahu last week invited the hard-line Yisrael Beitenu party to join his coalition. He reportedly has offered the party's leader, Avigdor Lieberman, the sensitive post of defense minister as part of the emerging deal. Lieberman is one of Israel's most controversial politicians and has been a vocal skeptic of peace efforts. He is expected to join the Cabinet as soon as Tuesday. Earlier Monday, Netanyahu gave a cool reception to France's plan to hold a peace conference next month, telling the visiting French prime minister that peace can only be achieved through direct negotiations. France is hosting the conference in Paris in June in hopes of reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is visiting the region in a bid to rouse support for the initiative. Israel and the Palestinians have not been invited, though the Palestinians have welcomed the French proposal. "Peace just does not get achieved through international conferences," Netanyahu said. "It doesn't get to fruition through international dictates, committees from countries around the world who are sitting, seeking to decide our fate and our security when they have no direct stake." Netanyahu said he would be willing to accept a French initiative that brought him and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together in a room alone to discuss the conflict's most intractable issues. Valls said he would deliver the message to the French president. "We support anything that can contribute to peace and direct negotiations," Valls said. Speaking at the opening of the Israeli parliament's summer session, Netanyahu told lawmakers that he is prepared to take "brave steps" for peace. But he gave no details on what these steps might be. The Palestinians have said that Netanyahu has added so many conditions that it is not even worth negotiating with him. Addressing the same session, opposition leader Isaac Herzog accused Netanyahu of "slamming the door" to peace and becoming a "hostage" to political extremists. Netanyahu's Cabinet is dominated by West Bank settlers or religious and nationalist ideologues who oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state. "I am sorry that you are the one who slammed the door. I am sorry that you chose to abandon the good of the country in favor of your political interests," Herzog said. Netanyahu later returned to the podium and said "the door is still open" to national reconciliation and a region-wide peace. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, right, walks with Israel's President Reuven Rivlin during their meeting at the President's residence in Jerusalem, Monday, May 23, 2016. Valls is on an official visit to the region. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Police arrest Bosnian who threatened suicide over lost money SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) Bosnian police have arrested a man who had climbed on the roof of the Slovenian embassy, threatening to kill himself unless Slovenia reimbursed savings which Bosnians had deposited in one of its banks. Police and firefighters overwhelmed the man on Monday after several hours of negotiations. When the former Yugoslavia broke up in 1991, its republics declared independence and Slovenia liquidated its Ljubljanska Bank and did not return savings to clients who were not Slovenians. Some 130.000 Bosnians have demanded reimbursement totaling more than 100 million euros ($112 million). Turkey threatens to suspend agreements with EU ANKARA, Turkey (AP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkey's president on Monday that Ankara must fulfill all the European Union's conditions to secure visa-free travel for its citizens, but Turkey responded that it would suspend agreements with the EU if the bloc does not keep its promises. The EU says Turkey must narrow its definition of "terrorist" and "terrorist act." The bloc is concerned that journalists and political dissenters could be targeted. But Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that is out of the question. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Summit meeting in Istanbul, Merkel said that she doesn't expect the visa waiver to be implemented at the beginning of July as was originally hoped. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, shakes hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, prior to their meeting at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul this week Merkel, who is facing pressure at home to be tough with Erdogan, also expressed concern about a move to strip legislators in Turkey of their immunity from prosecution. But she underlined her commitment to the EU-Turkey deal aimed at stemming Europe's migrant influx, arguing that its success is a matter of "mutual interest." The EU has offered Turkey a visa waiver as incentive along with up to 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) for Syrian refugees and fast-track EU membership talks to get it to stop migrants leaving for Europe. As part of the agreement, the EU planned to accelerate the introduction of visa-free entry for Turks, with a target date of June 30. Turkey has fulfilled most of 72 conditions but Erdogan's refusal to revise anti-terror laws has emerged as a stumbling block. Erdogan has increased his belligerent statements against the EU in recent weeks, including accusing it of supporting an outlawed Kurdish rebel group, and has warned that the entire migrant deal could collapse if the Europeans renege on their pledges. On Monday, his adviser on economic issues complained of "double standards" by the EU and demanded that Brussels keep its side of the bargain. "So long as they continue with this attitude, Turkey very soon will make very radical and clear decisions." Yigit Bulut, the adviser, told state-owned TRT television. The prime minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, told reporters in Istanbul that Turkey had to fulfill all obligations for the visa-free travel. An official from Erdogan's office said however, that during their meeting, the Turkish and German leaders agreed that more talks should be held between Turkey and EU institutions over the visa waiver deal to address Turkey's "sensitivities and priorities." In a statement sent to journalists, the official said that Erdogan and Merkel concurred that the migration deal between Turkey and the EU was "fruitful" and that the cooperation should continue. The official cannot be named in line with government regulations. Merkel said she "made clear ... that we need the fulfillment of all points to grant visa liberalization." Her comments were broadcast on German television. Erdogan "set out his difficulties in the fight against terrorism" and said that "changing terrorism laws is not up for debate for him at the moment," Merkel said. She added that "everything must be done to keep talking." Merkel has faced criticism at home, including from within her own conservative bloc, over the deal with Turkey and a perceived unwillingness to address concerns over Erdogan's increasingly autocratic behavior. Several high-ranking German lawmakers called on Merkel to be outspoken during her trip. "We need independent justice, we need independent media and we need a strong parliament," she said Monday. "And of course the lifting of the immunity of a quarter of the lawmakers in the Turkish Parliament is a cause for deep concern I made this clear to the Turkish president." Merkel said that "the fight against the (Kurdish rebels) PKK is important and necessary, but on the other hand everything must be done so that people of Kurdish origin have a fair chance in Turkey to lead a life that allows them to participate in the prosperity and development of the country." During her trip to Istanbul, Merkel met various representatives of Turkish society, including the head of the Turkish lawyers' association, the editor of Hurriyet Daily News, a local Human Rights Watch official and a professor of Kurdish origin who is a constitutional expert, German government spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz said in Berlin. __ Moulson reported from Berlin. Dominique Soguel in Istanbul contributed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, talks through an interpreter to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, during a roundtable meeting on "Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts" at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Monday, May 23, 2016. World leaders and representatives of humanitarian organisations from across the globe converge in Istanbul on May 23-24, 2016 for the first World Humanitarian Summit, focused on how to reform a system many judge broken. (Ozan Kose/Pool Photo via AP) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the World Humanitarian Summit, in Istanbul, Monday, May 23, 2016. World leaders and representatives of humanitarian organisations from across the globe converge in Istanbul on May 23-24, 2016 for the first World Humanitarian Summit, focused on how to reform a system many judge broken. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) IMF visit to focus on Moldova's fragile banking system CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) An International Monetary Fund mission will focus on developments in the finance and banking system in Moldova, which is seeking a loan after the disappearance of more than $1 billion from Moldovan banks. Ivanna Vladkova-Hollar, the head of a fact-finding mission to Moldova, said Monday the visit was the first step toward negotiating a loan that Moldova desperately needs. She said Moldova's banks need to operate within a regulated banking system, without outside interference. Prime Minister Pavel Filip said Monday his government would continue reforms in the finance, banking and judicial system, to fulfil conditions that creditors demand. Famous Buffalo chicken wing bar reopens after fatal shooting BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo bar credited with inventing the spicy chicken wings now known as Buffalo-style wings has reopened after one kitchen employee was killed and another was wounded in a shooting. The Anchor Bar reopened Sunday, two days after a man walked into the kitchen and fatally shot 32-year-old Freddie Dizon. Police say a ricocheting bullet grazed a co-worker who was treated and released. The gunman remains at large Monday. The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. Friday in the kitchen at the landmark tavern, where the first Buffalo-style wings were served in 1964. Police say the gunman targeted Dizon, but have provided no additional information. After migrants, German nationalist party takes aim at Islam ERFURT, Germany (AP) Weeks after declaring that there is no place for Islam in Germany, a surging nationalist party has sharpened its rhetoric against prominent Islamic groups and suggested limiting the religious freedom of the more than 4 million Muslims in the country. Senior members of Alternative for Germany cut short a meeting Monday with the Central Council of Muslims, accusing the group of failing to renounce religious beliefs that they claim clash with the German constitution. The confrontation came days after the party known by its acronym AfD launched a campaign against the construction of a mosque in the eastern state of Thuringia, joining up for the first time with the group known as the Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West. Frauke Petry, center, chairwoman of the AfD party, Alternative for Germany, attends a joint news conference after a meeting with members of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Both groups have seen their popularity rise after Germany saw a greater influx of migrants in 2015 than any other European country. Nearly 1.1 million people most of them Muslims were registered as asylum-seekers, though the actual number who came is believed to be somewhat lower. AfD had previously kept PEGIDA at arm's length due to its links with far-right extremists, but the party's leader in Thuringia, Bjoern Hoecke, said there was "a lot of overlap" between the two on the issue of Islam. "We see a need to send a signal," Hoecke told The Associated Press ahead of a rally last week in Erfurt, the state capital. "We have common goals." PEGIDA is known for staging protests that draw thousands in neighboring Dresden each week. One of its founders, Lutz Bachmann, was recently convicted of inciting hatred online after referring to migrants as "cattle" and "trash." In Erfurt, PEGIDA and AfD have teamed up to oppose an application from the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to build the mosque for its 70 members in Thuringia, claiming the building's domed roof and minaret would symbolize Islam's attempt to conquer Europe. AfD is introducing a bill in the state Parliament to stop new mosques from being built, though it's unlikely to win the support needed from other parties to pass. Instead, Hoecke hinted AfD was prepared to take its case to the streets, a point the party underlined by inviting a senior PEGIDA member to last Wednesday's rally. "AfD in Thuringia will do everything legally possible to prevent this building," he said. The party shocked Germany's political establishment in March when it swept into three state Parliaments on a wave of anti-immigration sentiment. In Thuringia's neighboring state of Saxony-Anhalt the party received almost a quarter of the vote to come second behind Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats. And just as AfD opposed Merkel's stance that Germany could manage the influx of migrants, so too it is rejecting her position that Islam "belongs to Germany." With polls giving the party double-digit ratings nationwide, AfD's new focus on Islam is likely to influence debate on the issue in Germany. Following Monday's meeting with the Central Council of Muslims, AfD's co-chair Frauke Petry claimed that Islam was "stuck in the 7th century." "Islam, the way it is mostly practiced, doesn't belong to a democratic Germany," she told reporters in Berlin. Aiman Mazyek, chairman of the Central Council of Muslims, countered by claiming that AfD stance was reminiscent of Germany's dark Nazi past. Although they only represent a minority of Muslims in the country, the Ahmadiyya community has been recognized as an official religious body in some German states, giving it the right to tax its members just like the Christian churches and the Jewish community. "It's time to build a mosque because it would be a sign of integration for us Muslims," said community representative Suleman Malik. "It's important for us to be able to live our faith freely, and a mosque is part of that." Erfurt has 25 churches and 10 chapels, whose many steeples prompted Protestant reformer Martin Luther to refer to it as "the city of towers." Above them all soars Erfurt's Gothic cathedral. Less prominent but equally historic is the city's Old Synagogue, which dates back more than 900 years, making it one of the oldest such buildings still standing in Europe. It ceased being a place of worship after all of the city's Jews were murdered in a pogrom in 1349. Hoecke, claimed the Ahmadiyya community's missionary efforts and stated aim of building 100 mosques in Germany by 2020 are part of a "long-term land grab." "I worry that maybe, not tomorrow or the day after but perhaps in the not too distant future, the (Islamic) crescent will appear on our cathedral," he said. Thuringia's governor, Bodo Ramelow, said AfD was fearmongering. "We have 2.16 million inhabitants in Thuringia; of these 7,000 are Muslims," he told the AP. "They (AfD) are making false claims to put the Ahmadiyya community under suspicion." Hoecke, who has risen to prominence in his party with fiery speeches, made clear last week that only Muslims who submit to Germany's secular order and the wishes of the country's indigenous population were welcome. "If a Muslim in this country won't accept that, then he's free to roll up his prayer rug, stick it under his arm and leave this country," the former teacher told a crowd of about 700 people. Eyeing the rally from a distance, student Robert Guschel, had a different viewpoint. "I'm much more afraid of these people than I am of Islamists," he said. "Sure, there are potential risks from Islamic extremists but stopping a mosque from being built is going to alienate Muslims and prevent them from integrating into our society." ____ Follow Frank Jordans on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter Chairwoman of the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany , AfD, Frauke Petry, right, and the chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany Aiman Mazyek , left, shake hands at the start of the meeting in Berlin, Germany, Monday May 23, 2016. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP) Frauke Petry, second from left, chairwoman of the right-wing populist party AfD, Alternative for Germany, discusses with other members of the party in a corridor of a hotel after a meeting with members of the Central Committee of Muslims in Germany, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Frauke Petry, center, chairwoman of the right-populist party AfD, Alternative for Germany, attends a joint news conference after a meeting with members of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Frauke Petry, center, chairwoman of the right-populist party AfD, Alternative for Germany, attends a joint news conference after a meeting with members of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) The Latest: Suspect in officer's slaying arrested last week AUBURN, Mass. (AP) The Latest on a police officer who was shot and killed in a central Massachusetts town (all times local): 5:10 p.m. The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts police officer had been arrested by state police last week without incident. Flowers, rosary beads and other articles are placed as a memorial for slain Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino outside the police station, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Auburn, Mass. Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Auburn, authorities said. He leaves behind a wife and three children. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Authorities say Jorge Zambrano fatally shot Auburn police Office Ronald Tarentino early Sunday after Tarentino stopped him while he was driving an Infiniti QX4 with a license plate not registered to that vehicle. Late Sunday, police shot and killed Zambrano after he opened fire on them from inside a closet in a home in Oxford. Last week, a state trooper stopped Zambrano driving the same vehicle with the same license plate, which was actually registered to a Nissan Maxima. During last week's stop, the trooper arrested Zambrano without incident. He was charged with attaching plates, operating with a revoked license and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. ___ 1:45 p.m. Police in a Massachusetts town are remembering a slain police officer as a "hero" after he was fatally shot during a traffic stop. Former colleagues of Auburn police Officer Ronald Tarentino say he was a dedicated and caring officer who strongly believed in public service. For seven years, Tarentino worked for the police department in the neighboring town of Leicester (LES'-ter). He moved to the Auburn police force two years ago. Leicester police Chief James Hurley says officers will miss Tarentino's "constant smile and infectious laugh." Hurley asked the public to remember Tarentino by supporting police officers. Authorities say Tarentino was fatally shot early Sunday by Jorge Zambrano. They say Zambrano was killed by police late Sunday after he shot at police when they tracked him to a duplex in Oxford. ___ 12:20 p.m. A Massachusetts police department has set up a memorial fund for the wife and three children of an officer who was fatally shot during a weekend traffic stop. The Auburn Police Department says it has received an outpouring of support since Officer Ronald Tarentino was killed early Sunday. Authorities said the suspect in Tarentino's killing, Jorge Zambrano, was shot and killed by police late Sunday, after he shot at police when they tracked him to a duplex in Oxford. Donations can be sent to the Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Memorial Fund at Savers Bank in Auburn. A state police trooper was wounded in the shoulder when police confronted Zambrano in Oxford. State police say the trooper is out of surgery and recovering. ___ 11:30 a.m. A man suspected of fatally shooting a Massachusetts police officer had a lengthy criminal record. Jorge Zambrano was released from prison in 2013 after serving time for trafficking in cocaine, assault and battery on a police officer and other charges. Police say Zambrano shot and killed Auburn Officer Ronald Tarentino during a traffic stop early Sunday morning, then drove away from the scene. Zambrano later was shot and died. Zambrano was sentenced in 2011 on a list of charges that also included assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, and selling, using or possessing a firearm silencer. State officials said he was released from a maximum-security prison in Shirley, Massachusetts, on Nov. 1, 2013. ___ 8 a.m. The state police trooper injured in the exchange of gunfire with a man suspected of fatally shooting a Massachusetts officer is out of surgery and recovering. A state police spokesman announced Monday that the trooper, whose name was not made public, had surgery late Sunday night for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He was hurt during the search for 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, who was found in a second-floor bedroom of a duplex in Oxford. Zambrano had been hiding in a closet, apparently after sneaking into that side of the duplex from the adjoining unit. Zambrano was shot and later died. Police say Zambrano shot and killed Auburn Officer Ronald Tarentino during a traffic stop early Sunday morning, then drove away from the scene. ___ 12:20 a.m. The manhunt for a suspect accused of fatally shooting a Massachusetts police officer has come to a violent end. Authorities say 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano was shot to death Sunday evening at a duplex in Oxford after exchanging gunfire with police and wounding a state trooper. The trooper is an 18-year veteran and former U.S. Navy Seal. He's expected to survive. Officials say the manhunt ended nearly 18 hours after Zambrano fatally shot Officer Ronald Tarentino during a traffic stop early Sunday morning in Auburn. The 42-year-old Tarentino was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had been with the Auburn police force for two years, and before that worked with the Leicester Police Department in his hometown. He leaves behind a wife and three children. Danielle Dowd and her son Lucas pause before a memorial set up for slain Auburn police Officer Ronald Tarentino outside the police station, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Auburn, Mass. The man suspected of killing Tarentino during a weekend traffic stop had a lengthy criminal record and had been released from a maximum-security prison in 2013, officials said Monday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) This undated identification photo released by the Massachusetts State Police shows Jorge Zambrano, killed Sunday, May 22, 2016, during an exchange of gunfire with police at an apartment building in Oxford, Mass. Zambrano had been suspected in the shooting death of Auburn, Mass., Police Officer Ronald Tarentino during a traffic stop early Sunday morning. (Massachusetts State Police via AP) Flowers, flags, and other articles are placed as a memorial for slain Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino outside the police station, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Auburn, Mass. Tarentino was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Auburn, authorities said. He leaves behind a wife and three children. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Britain says Macedonia turmoil is damaging EU, NATO hopes BRUSSELS (AP) Britain has warned Macedonia that its future in the European Union and NATO could be in peril amid political turmoil linked to a wiretapping scandal last year. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Monday that "over the last nine or months or so, we've seen things going backwards." He said "we need to be very clear and blunt with the Macedonians that if we see things going backwards they can make no further progress towards collaboration with the European Union, with NATO." British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond, rear left, stands with other EU foreign ministers prior to a group photo at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday, May 23, 2016. Libya has given the European Union a green light to begin training its coast guard, as increasing numbers of migrants leave the country bound for Italy. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Macedonia has been locked in turmoil over opposition allegations that the conservative government wiretapped around 20,000 people, including police, diplomats, judges and journalists. An early election slated for June 5 that was meant to defuse the crisis has been delayed. European Union co-funded Cannes winner "I, Daniel Blake" PARIS (AP) The European Union has congratulated director Ken Loach, who took the Palme d'Or in Cannes for "I, Daniel Blake," a film partly funded by the European Commission. Loach received the French Riviera festival's top prize Sunday night for the film about a disabled carpenter in northern England fighting for social assistance. The production received almost 100,000 euros ($112,000) from the Creative Europe program. Romanian Cristian Mungiu's film "Graduation," which won Sunday's Best Director award, also received support. The program, which has supported 14 other Palme d'Or winners, co-funds the development and distribution to several EU countries of films that contribute to "cultural diversity." Senator says sex case files show 'troubling command culture' WASHINGTON (AP) Sexual misconduct remains a destructive force in the armed forces and military communities, a U.S. senator said Monday in a new report that urges Congress to take more aggressive steps to end sex crimes in the ranks. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., examined files from 329 sexual assault cases that occurred in 2014 at bases in the United States. She said she found a "troubling command culture" that seems to favor closing cases over pursuing justice and leaves victims vulnerable to retaliation. "The military justice system is still dysfunctional, the problem of sexual assault is still pervasive and survivors still don't believe they will get justice," said Gillibrand, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee. FILE - In this April 30, 2015 file photo, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. is interviewed about military sexual assaults on Capitol Hill in Washington. Gillibrand 1s stepping up her criticism of the Pentagons campaign to end sexual assaults, alleging in a report to be released Monday, May 23, 2016, that a troubling command culture seems to favor closing cases over pursuing justice and leaves victims vulnerable to retaliation. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gillibrand's report could strike nerves on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon. Many lawmakers and senior U.S. military leaders say strides have been made over the past three years toward curbing sex crimes and punishing offenders. Congress has ordered numerous changes to the military justice system, they say, giving victims the confidence to step forward and report offenses. The department said earlier this month that the number of reported sexual assaults involving active-duty service members dipped just slightly in 2015 compared to the previous year. But Gillibrand said significant progress won't be made without more extensive reforms. She said the records reveal how sexual violence affects not only service members. Nearly a third of the cases involved civilian women, children and military spouses, the report said. The report is being released ahead of the Senate's consideration of the annual defense policy bill. Gillibrand is pushing to include in the bill a measure that she said targets "the bias and inherent conflicts of interest" that exist because of the way the military decides whether to prosecute sexual assault cases. That decision-making power is currently held by a small number of high-ranking officers. Gillibrand's proposal would give that authority instead to seasoned, independent military trial lawyers. A bipartisan group of senators led by Gillibrand and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, are scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday to call on the Senate to pass her proposal. It was first introduced in the spring of 2013 and has won the backing of at least 50 senators. But the legislation has twice failed on the Senate floor to meet a 60-vote filibuster threshold. Grassley is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Critics of Gillibrand's bill said commanders are essential to maintaining good order and discipline in the ranks. Removing them would mean fewer sex offenders will be caught and convicted, they said. Yet Gillibrand said there were several 2014 cases that failed to move forward even after military investigators found probable cause to do so. In one, an investigation determined that an enlisted service member sexually assaulted a woman while he used physical force to subdue her. But the command chose not court-martial him. He was found guilty of battery, given 45 days extra duty and reduced in rank. "The case files suggest a continued large-scale systemic failure and an ingrained culture that protects the accused and ostracizes the survivor at the expense of the public and our service members' safety," according to Gillibrand's report. There were no examples among the 329 cases of action being taken against anyone who retaliated against a person who made a sexual assault claim. Gillibrand said she specifically asked for information about prosecutions for retaliation and the absence of any is concerning. In December 2014, a RAND survey initially said that more than 60 percent of sexual assault victims believed they had faced a form of retaliation from commanders or peers. The department reduced the estimate this year to nearly 38 percent after officials concluded that the survey questions may have inadvertently included actions by commanders seeking to protect the victim or other social practices that were not designed to deter a victim from pressing forward with criminal proceedings. "Nevertheless, we have seen scant to no evidence that retaliation cases are being pursued anywhere in the services," Gillibrand said. Gillibrand said the Pentagon resisted providing the case files and only relented after the Senate Armed Services chairman, Republican John McCain of Arizona, intervened. Gillibrand released a similar study a year ago that examined files for 2013 cases from the same four bases: the Army's Fort Hood in Texas, Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, the Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton in California and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The case files the Defense Department provided are heavily blacked out and often incomplete, according to Gillibrand. An AP investigation published in November found a lack of transparency in the military justice system that makes it difficult for the public to know the details of cases that end in convictions. ___ Boeing sells 100 planes worth $11.3B to Vietnam's VietJet NEW YORK (AP) Boeing Co. is selling 100 aircraft worth about $11.3 billion at list prices to Vietnam's VietJet as the airline seeks to expand its international and domestic flights. Aircraft in deals of this size are typically sold at a discount to list prices, however. Boeing Co. said Monday that the planes, all of which are 737 Max 200 models, will be delivered between 2019 and 2023. It was the single largest airplane purchase by Vietnam, according to the Chicago company. EU urges Congo authorities to redouble election efforts BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union has urged authorities in Congo to breathe new life into the electoral process so that political chaos doesn't undermine the chances for free, fair and inclusive polls. EU foreign ministers called Monday on authorities to draw up a new calendar for a vote currently scheduled for November and update electoral lists. They said only a government that is "legitimate and democratically elected can bring stability and unite all forces in the country." FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, April 22, 2016, Congolese President Joseph Kabila speaks Friday, April 22, 2016 at U.N. headquarters. Longtime incumbent Kabila is constitutionally barred from seeking another term in office, but Congo's top opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential election Moise Katumbi flew to South Africa for medical treatment Friday May, 20, 2016, one day after authorities issued an arrest warrant for him. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, FILE) Tension is building in Congo as President Joseph Kabila's maneuvers to avoid a national election and remain in office beyond his constitutionally permitted term, U.S. officials and opposition members say. Congo's top opposition candidate for president flew to South Africa for medical treatment Friday after authorities issued an arrest warrant for him. European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini, center, speaks with, from left, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders and Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec prior to a group photo of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday, May 23, 2016. Libya has given the European Union a green light to begin training its coast guard, as increasing numbers of migrants leave the country bound for Italy. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, left, speaks with Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, center, and Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders during a round table meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday, May 23, 2016. Libya has given the European Union a green light to begin training its coast guard, as increasing numbers of migrants leave the country bound for Italy. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Connecticut police come to the rescue of a baby deer HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Police in Connecticut have come to the rescue of a baby deer whose mother died. Hartford police say a resident told them she found the fawn on the highway Sunday next to its mother, which had died after being hit by a car. The resident brought the fawn to the front door of the Hartford Police Department. Images of the encounter show the fawn curled up in the back of a squad car and being held by officers. In a photo provided by the Hartford, Conn., Police Department, a fawn that was rescued by a resident is curled up in a police car in Hartford, Conn.,after it was found on the highway next to its mother, who had been hit by a car. The resident brought the fawn to the front door of the Hartford Police Department. Police turned the deer over to the states environmental department. It has been brought to a rescue farm. (Hartford Police Department via AP) Police say they turned the deer over to the state's environmental department, which brought it to a rescue farm. In a photo provided by the Hartford, Conn., Police Department, a fawn that was rescued by a resident is curled up in a police car in Hartford, Conn.,after it was found on the highway next to its mother, who had been hit by a car. The resident brought the fawn to the front door of the Hartford Police Department. Police turned the deer over to the states environmental department. It has been brought to a rescue farm. (Hartford Police Department via AP) EU condemns parties in South Sudan for human rights abuses BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union is criticizing "all parties" in South Sudan for human rights abuses and killings of civilians says they "must cease immediately." The 28 EU foreign ministers said in a statement Monday that "killings of civilians, rape and other sexual violence, and recruitment of child soldiers, have been perpetrated in South Sudan by all parties in total impunity." Beyond working with other international institutions like the United Nations, the EU has also slapped an arms embargo on the nation and has visa bans against a number of South Sudanese officials. Steamy, dusty volcanic field near Naples shows Earth's power PHLEGRAEAN FIELDS, Italy (AP) Puffing out clouds of vapor continuously is a volcanic phenomenon not far from Naples. And it's not Vesuvius, whose spectacular eruption doomed the flourishing Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the year 79. It's the Phlegraean Fields Campi Flegrei in Italian a sprawling constellation of ancient volcanic centers near the Tyrrhenian Sea and extending under the sapphire-blue waters. The Solfatara Crater, a steaming, smelly reminder of nature's explosive power, is the star of the bunch. In this photo taken on Saturday, April 30, 2016, a woman takes a close look at a steaming fumarola at the Solfatara crater bed, in the Phlegraean Fields near Naples, Italy. Fields -- Campi Flegrei in Italian -- are a sprawling constellation of ancient volcanic centers. (AP Photo/Frances D'Emilio) An eruption in the area some 37,000 years ago spread ash as far as Siberia, and another huge blast left its mark about 15,000 years ago. "Phlegraean" means "burning," and the fields are scorching hot only a few inches below the surface. Little wonder the ancients believed the caldera was the door to hell. These days, Italian schoolchildren and tourists from around the world roam across Solfatara's flat and dusty crater bed, a few miles from the pleasant port town of Pozzuoli. White clouds of steam pour out of a largely barren hillside, the inner slope of what was left from volcanic eruption. Another attraction is a bubbling, gloppy-looking muddy pond, like some giant chocolate pudding boiling over on a stovetop. The main fumarole is nicknamed "Big Mouth." The only organisms that seem to thrive in the high temperature immediately around it are algae, which give the area a green tinge. Geologists monitor the volcano by checking temperatures, chemically analyzing gases emerging from fumaroles and scrutinizing the ground to see if it is rising or falling. The last notable eruptions in the Phlegraean Fields occurred in 1158 at Solfatara and the other at what is now another volcanic cone, Monte Nuovo (New Mountain) in 1538. But the terrain is ever evolving. A few years ago, scientists, using satellites and GPS instrumentation, concluded that the Phlegraean Fields area had risen by some 30 centimeters (12 inches) over a decade. In the early 1980s, thousands of residents of a Pozzuoli neighborhood were evacuated when the ground rose up by some 1.8 meters (6 feet) and earthquakes rocked the area. Solfatara is safe to visit. Just don't step too close to the fumaroles to shoot a selfie. And beware the steaming hot brick structures leftover from a popular spa attraction in the late 1800s. The patrons of that era believed hanging out in the super-hot natural "sweat rooms" was good for what ailed them. Known as "stufe," (stoves), the sweat rooms were created by excavating ancient grottoes in the side of the volcanic mountain. The pair of sweat rooms was named "Purgatory" and "Hell." These days, the visitor who thrusts a hand inside and holds it a few inches below the steaming brick abruptly yanks it back because of the intensive heat. One recent, brilliantly sunny spring day, the air temperature measured 20 C (68 F) but a mere few inches under the surface, the temperature was a sizzling 78 C (198 F) degrees. That hints at powerful heat of a magma chamber some 3 to 4 kilometers (nearly 2 to 2.6 miles) deep in the belly of the beast. Many combine an excursion to Solfatara with a stop in Pozzuoli, whose remarkably well-preserved ancient Roman marketplace is now the centerpiece of a lovely town square near the sea. Geologists point out a link between the town and the Phlegraean Fields. Holes bored into the marketplaces' columns by sea mollusks indicate the changes in ground level in respect to sea level throughout history. From Pozzuoli's port, you can hop a boat to Ischia island, which abounds in spas advertising thermal waters, a most delightful legacy of the volcanic area. ___ If You Go... PHLEGRAEAN FIELDS: Located near Naples, Italy. Solfatara Crater is open daily 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., April-October, and 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., November-March. Adults, 7 euros; children 5-12, 5 euros; free for those under age 5. Guided tours are available; http://see-phlegraean-fields.blogspot.com/ or 011-39-081-526-2341. ___ Frances D'Emilio is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio In this photo taken on Saturday, April 30, 2016, visitors look at steaming fumarolas at the Solfatara crater bed, in the Phlegraean Fields near Naples, Italy. Fields -- Campi Flegrei in Italian -- are a sprawling constellation of ancient volcanic centers. (AP Photo/Frances D'Emilio) In this photo taken on Saturday, April 30, 2016, visitors look at steaming fumarolas at the Solfatara crater bed, in the Phlegraean Fields near Naples, Italy. Fields -- Campi Flegrei in Italian -- are a sprawling constellation of ancient volcanic centers. (AP Photo/Frances D'Emilio) Supreme court dismisses GOP appeal over Virginia districts WASHINGTON (AP) A unanimous Supreme Court has dismissed a Republican appeal over congressional districts in Virginia. The justices on Monday left in place a decision by a lower court that said Virginia illegally packed black voters into one district to make adjacent districts safer for Republican incumbents. Republican members of Congress wanted the court to reinstate the districting map. But the justices ruled that the elected officials did not have the right to challenge the court ruling. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the court that there is no "record evidence that supports their claim of harm." The same three-judge court that threw out the map drawn by the state Legislature in 2012 has since created new districts that are in place for the 2016 congressional elections. The dispute concerned the old boundaries of Virginia's 3rd Congressional District, which is the only one in the state with a majority of African-American residents. Represented by Democrat Bobby Scott, the district ran from north of Richmond to the coastal cities of Norfolk and Newport News, and its shape has been described as a "grasping claw." Scott's seat is one of 11 congressional districts in Virginia. Republicans who controlled the state Legislature when the new map was drawn in 2012 created districts that elected eight Republicans and three Democrats. At the same time, Democrats carried Virginia in the past two presidential elections and hold both Senate seats and the governor's office. The lower court has since drawn a new congressional map, in which Scott's district is more compact and no longer includes Richmond, for use in this year's elections. Republican House members wanted to preserve the map as it was adopted because they fear that a redrawn map could water down minority strength in Scott's district and increase the number of Democratic-leaning black voters in neighboring Republican districts. Czech hydro plant atop hill becomes top tourist attraction DLOUHE STRANE HYDRO PLANT, Czech Republic (AP) Climb a peak at the heart of the Jeseniky mountain range in northeastern Czech Republic and there's an unexpected reward: As well as a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains, there is a 15-hectare (37-acre) artificial lake that neatly fits the flat top. With another man-made reservoir more than 500 meters (1,640 feet) below it, it forms a pumped storage power plant and more recently it has become a major tourist attraction. The Dlouhe Strane plant's original function was to balance up electricity demands between day and night, but as renewable sources of energy have taken an increasing share of electricity generation, it now contributes to the stabilization of the power grid, which has to cope with the unpredictable output from renewables. In this photo taken with a drone on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, the sun rises over an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Adam Pemble) ___ POPULAR DESTINATION The plant, conceived in the communist era, was originally fenced in. But after it began operations in 1996 following an 18-year construction period, its owner the CEZ power company opened it to visitors. Today, some 80,000 people a year come to see it, and the millionth visitor is expected this summer. In a 2005 poll, the Dlouhe Strane plant named after the hill where the upper lake is located 1,350 meters (4,429 feet) above sea level was named one of the seven wonders of the Czech Republic, alongside mostly historical monuments. To get to the top, visitors can board buses as part of organized guided tours, which includes a trip to the huge underground facility with two turbines. Another option is to take a ski lift or just use a network of bicycle and hiking routes. To get down, you can rent a bike and enjoy a 17-kilometer (10.6-mile) downhill ride on a bitumen road, the longest such track in the country. ___ ENERGY STORAGE Such plants have been built worldwide, including in the United States, Japan and Austria and elsewhere to serve as a way of storing excess electrical capacity. In its standard working cycle, 2.5 million cubic meters (88 million cubic feet) of water are pumped from the lower to the upper lake at night, when energy production exceeds demand. During the day, when demand increases, the water flows down through underground tunnels to spin the blades of two 325-megawatt Francis turbines, the biggest in Europe, generating additional electricity. The pumped storage facilities have another advantage over coal and nuclear plants: they allow a quick start and a fast-changing output. In the case of Dlouhe Strane, it takes only 100 seconds to get from zero to maximum output. In the event of another plant malfunctioning, it can step in rapidly to avoid trouble for the grid. The turbines are able to generate the maximum output for 5 hours and 15 minutes. In the reverse mode, it takes 7 hours and 15 minutes to pump the water back up to the upper lake. ___ NEW FUNCTION Due to its ability to react quickly, the plant uses its turbines to keep the grid stable despite the numerous renewable power sources. If the winds blow strongly, the sun shines and wind and solar plants generate too much power, the plant switches to pumping mode even during the day. If the sun goes behind the clouds and the wind dies down, it can get back to generation in a minute. "This hydro plant is exactly the right power source to cope with those changes," CEZ spokesman Vladislav Sobol said. "To stabilize the grid is the right role for such plants." ___ THE PLACE TO BE In the Czech Republic, CEZ operates three such plants, but the others are not in an area of such outstanding natural beauty, in a natural protected reserve. For Jiri Sveda, a senior engineer, who has been around since construction began in 1978, it is a dream working environment. "It's personal luck for me that I can be here, that I can work here," he said. "It's a lifelong win." The following video and a virtual tour give an idea about the site. ___ If You Go... DLOUHE STRANE HYDRO PLANT: Online: https://www.cez.cz/en/power-plants-and-environment/hydraulic-power-plants/dlouhe-strane.html . Located in the Jeseniky mountain range, about a two-hour drive by car or bus from the city of Ostrava, which has an international airport. Open daily. Guided trips from Kouty nad Desnou to be booked in advance at: info@k3-sport.cz. Adults 225 koruna ($9.4). Discounts for seniors, family, children and students. The mountains offer a wide range of accommodation. TIPS: If you travel to this northeastern Czech region, there are other sites to see too, including the picturesque spa of Karlova Studanka, considered having the cleanest air in the Czech Republic, and the famed hand paper mill in Velke Losiny, just few minutes by car or train from Kouty nad Desnou. In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, tourists walk towards an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, tourists walk along the edge of an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, senior engineer Jiri Sveda gives a tour of a hydro power plant near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, the sun rises over an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this picture taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, tourists overlook an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, tourists sit near an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, an engineer speaks on the phone inside an engineer room of a hydro power plant near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, senior engineer Jiri Sveda walks through the tunnels of a hydro power plant near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) In this photo taken with a drone on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, the sun rises over an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Adam Pemble) In this photo taken on Tuesday May 10, 2016, a rainbow appears over an artificial lake atop a mountain near the village of Loucna nad Desnou, Czech Republic. A pumped storage hydro plant featuring an artificial lake atop a mountain has turned into a top tourist site in the Czech Republic thats about to welcome its millionth visitor. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Police: Burglary suspect, crashes car; passenger killed SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) Police in Louisiana say a burglary suspect who was being chased by his victim ended up wrecking his car and killing a female passenger. News outlets report that Shreveport police received a call Sunday morning from a man who saw someone breaking into his car in a casino parking lot. The vehicle owner told police he saw the suspect stealing items and loading them into a truck. The suspect drove off and the vehicle owner followed him. Police say the suspect then lost control of his vehicle, which crashed and caught fire. The suspect, 21-year-old Christian Smith of Shreveport, was injured and a female passenger was killed. Her name has not been released. Bus leaving church retreat flips, seriously injuring 6 HIGHLAND, Calif. (AP) A shuttle bus returning from a women's church retreat flipped over on a highway in California's San Bernardino Mountains, seriously injuring six people and leaving 14 others with minor injuries. Ambulances took the victims to a hospital Sunday. One person was released that day and the others were all expected to go home Monday, Robert Acosta told the Riverside Press-Enterprise (http://bit.ly/1WLkqfd ). People were injured after a small tour bus crashed and rolled over on highway 330 approximately 2 miles north of the 210 freeway Sunday, May 22, 2016. Both directions of the 330 are currently closed. Cause of the crash is under investigation. (Will Lester /The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT "The church will be there ready to help them in any way so they can get back on their feet," said Acosta, who is assistant to the senior pastor of Iglesia de Cristo Ministerios Llamada Final in Downey. The bus, carrying 22 people, was one of several transporting about 200 women from an annual mountain retreat back to their church. Two people aboard were not hurt. The 2000 El Dorado bus hit a sedan as it came down the mountain, California Highway Patrol spokesman Juan Quintero said. No one in the car was hurt, and the agency is investigating the cause of the crash. The bus turned on its side across State Route 330, blocking the highway and shutting down a 16-mile stretch near Highland for hours. The crash site is about 60 miles east of Los Angeles and about 20 miles from the site of a 2013 bus crash on another highway in the San Bernardino Mountains. Eight people were killed when that tour bus crashed on its way back from Tijuana, Mexico. People were injured after a small tour bus crashed and rolled over on highway 330 approximately 2 miles north of the 210 freeway Sunday, May 22, 2016. Both directions of the 330 are currently closed. Cause of the crash is under investigation. (Will Lester /The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT People were injured after a small tour bus crashed and rolled over on highway 330 approximately 2 miles north of the 210 freeway Sunday, May 22, 2016. Both directions of the 330 are currently closed. Cause of the crash is under investigation. (Will Lester /The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Most House GOP women in tough races biding time on Trump WASHINGTON (AP) Before deciding if she'll vote for Donald Trump, Martha McSally says she'll spend time "determining what kind of man he is." Mia Love says some comments by the presumptive Republican presidential candidate need "some sort of explanation," while Renee Ellmers backs him because he's "a problem solver." McSally, Love and Ellmers are not women interviewed randomly on the street. They're Republican members of the House, among five GOP congresswomen facing competitive re-election races whose reactions highlight the hard choices Trump's provocative statements are forcing on his own party. Each of the five must confront a question with political and personal implications: Will you support your party's standard-bearer, knowing his history of comments about women that many consider offensive? Trump has called some women a "dog," a "fat pig" or "flat-chested," republished a tweet dubbing Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly a "bimbo" and accused likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton of using "the woman's card" to win votes. FILE - In this March 16, 2016 file photo, Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Donald Trumps incendiary comments about women over the years are causing heartburn for many Republicans. But theyre raising especially awkward problems for the five female House GOP lawmakers facing competitive re-election battles this year. (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File) "I think it puts all women in an awkward position," Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., whose seat is safe and is a leader of the House GOP campaign committee, said of Trump's impact on female Republican lawmakers. "And I want to see that tone and temperament changed." Trump, of course, is causing angst across the GOP. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has withheld his endorsement, citing questions about policy and party unity while giving cover to hesitant rank-and-file Republicans. Male congressional Republicans in difficult races and women in secure seats are also distancing themselves. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., the House's top-ranking GOP woman, said last week she is voting for Trump though "not exactly" with enthusiasm and "vehemently" opposes his remarks about women, the disabled and others. For the five GOP women fighting to preserve their House careers, the perils are obvious. Rejecting Trump could alienate his energized supporters, jeopardizing needed votes. Embracing him might cost support from women, Hispanics and others he's angered with incendiary comments and invite criticism for backing a man who has repeatedly insulted their own gender. "They're going to have to do some deep soul-searching and really think about, 'Is Donald Trump's Republican Party a party they feel comfortable in?'" said Alixandria Lapp, executive director of the House Majority PAC, which backs Democrats in House campaigns. Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said rather than diminishing female support for GOP congressional candidates, Trump will increase voter turnout and said a bigger factor will be Clinton's unpopularity among men. He said there is a "complete misconception" that Trump faces problems with women, citing the billionaire businessman's hiring of women over the years and his "security at home" campaign theme. "Whether you're a male or a female, what you want is, you want families to be safe. That is first and foremost," Lewandowski said in an interview. A New York Times-CBS News poll last week showed Clinton leading Trump by 17 percentage points among women and trailing among men by 5 points. Most of the five GOP women in close races have been cautious when discussing Trump, instead emphasizing their focus on their district's needs and Clinton's vulnerabilities as a candidate. "I don't want to talk about that," McSally said last week about Trump, saying she and her staff are "working our butts off" for her swing district around Tucson, Arizona. Her campaign provided a written statement saying she respects "the will of voters" but citing "concerns" about Trump's statements about women. "I'll spend the next six months if needed watching closely, learning more about him and determining what kind of man he is before I decide whether to give him my vote," it said. Rep. Elise Stefanik, representing a huge chunk of upstate New York, didn't agree to be interviewed but referenced a terse statement she'd provided to the Albany Times Union saying she'll "support my party's nominee" without naming Trump. Questioned about Trump, Rep. Barbara Comstock kept walking but said she has a record of "leading for women" in her Virginia district outside Washington, D.C. She steered a reporter to a previous comment to The Washington Post that Trump "needs to earn the votes of me and many others." In a telephone interview, Love who represents Utah, where support for Trump has been tepid said anyone's offensive comment "deserves some sort of explanation." She said she's not endorsed Trump and wouldn't want him campaigning with her. "I am not Donald Trump. And Donald Trump is not Utah," she said. Ellmers is the outlier, openly endorsing Trump. She is locked in a difficult June GOP primary against fellow incumbent Rep. George Holding and said Trump's remarks about women won't hurt her. "Women are forward thinking and they don't care what's happened in the past. They see him as a leader, as a problem solver," she said in an interview. Asked if she felt a need for soul searching, Ellmers said, "Some of the worst, most heinous comments I have ever received have come from fellow women, and men." FILE - In this June 17, 2015 file photo, Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. Donald Trumps incendiary comments about women over the years are causing heartburn for many Republicans. But theyre raising especially awkward problems for the five female House GOP lawmakers facing competitive re-election battles this year. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2014 file photo. then-Virginia Republican Congressional candidate, Now-Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va. speaks in Ashburn, Va. Donald Trumps incendiary comments about women over the years are causing heartburn for many Republicans. But theyre raising especially awkward problems for the five female House GOP lawmakers facing competitive re-election battles this year. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Hungarian farmers march with cows to protest low milk prices BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungarian dairy farmers have marched with some 50 cows near parliament asking the government to lower taxes on all dairy products while claiming that support from Hungary and the European Union is insufficient and ineffective. The farmers handed over a petition Tuesday to an official from Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office, demanding more talks with the government and complaining that authorities had broken earlier agreements. Hungary is planning to cut sales tax (VAT) on fresh milk from 18 percent to 5 percent from 2017, but farmers want the lower tax rate to apply to other dairy products, too. Hungarian dairy farmers protest against the low acquisition price of milk in front of the Parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, May 23, 2016. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP) Dairy farmer Imre Hegedus said they were getting 60 to 65 forints ($0.21-$0.23) per liter of raw milk from processors, covering just over half of farmers' production costs. Hungarian dairy farmers protest against the low acquisition price of milk in front of the Parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, May 23, 2016. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP) Obama dines with CNN's Anthony Bourdain for series NEW YORK (AP) President Barack Obama dined in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Monday with CNN personality Anthony Bourdain, whose "Parts Unknown" food travelogue is one of the network's most popular nonfiction series. Bourdain met with Obama to discuss the purpose of Obama's trip to Asia and his interest in the people, food and culture of Vietnam, CNN said. A huge crowd gathered outside the restaurant Bun cha Huong Lien, then let out a cheer when the president came out. Obama shook a lot of hands and waved repeatedly before vanishing into the motorcade. President Barack Obama greets women at the door as he walks from the Bun ch Hng Lien restaurant after having dinner with American Chef Anthony Bourdain, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Hanoi, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Bourdain later tweeted that the meal cost $6, and he picked up the check. Bourdain's show has been on CNN since 2013. For each episode the chef travels to a different part of the world to explore that area's culture, primarily by sharing in the area's distinct native cuisine. The interview with Obama will be featured in the eighth season of "Parts Unknown," which begins in September. ___ Online: http://www.cnn.com/shows/anthony-bourdain-parts-unknown Deputies: Chattanooga lawyer and son dead after shooting CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) A retired Chattanooga attorney and his son are dead in what authorities are calling a domestic incident. Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies tell local media that 82-year-old Glenn Copeland was shot by his son Steven Copeland on Sunday at his Chattanooga home. Glenn Copeland was taken to Erlanger Hospital where he died. Shortly after the shooting authorities found Steven Copeland dead of a gunshot wound at a house nearby. He was due in court this week on driving and DUI charges following an arrest earlier this year. The Latest: EgyptAir plane had overheated engine in 2013 PARIS (AP) The Latest on the investigation into EgyptAir flight 804, which crashed into the Mediterranean Thursday, killing all 66 on board (all times local): 7:30 p.m. A report published by an organization affiliated with Egypt's Ministry of Civil Aviation notes that the Airbus A320 that crashed in the Mediterranean Thursday made an emergency landing in 2013 after one of its engines overheated. U.S. Navy LT. JG Dylon Porlas uses binoculars to look through the window of a U.S. Navy Lockheed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft from Sigonella, Sicily, Sunday, May 22, 2016, searching the area in the Mediterranean Sea where the Egyptair flight 804 en route from Paris to Cairo went missing on May 19. Search crews found floating human remains, luggage and seats from the doomed EgyptAir jetliner Friday but face a potentially more complex task in locating bigger pieces of wreckage and the black boxes vital to determining why the plane plunged into the Mediterranean. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli) Aviation experts told The Associated Press Monday that an over-heated engine would be unlikely to cause a crash. The report published by the Egyptian Aircraft Accident Investigation Directorate says in 2013 pilots returned to Cairo airport shortly after take-off when they received a warning message indicating the engine overheated. The engine was later disconnected and sent for repairs. David Learmount, editor of the authoritative Flightglobal magazine, says "engine overheat is rare but it happens." He adds, "an engine fire could cause a crash but has not done so in the modern aviation era." ___ 5:15 p.m. The head of Egypt's state-run provider of air navigation services says that EgyptAir flight 804 did not swerve or lose altitude before it disappeared off radar, challenging an earlier account by Greece's defense minister. Ehab Azmy, head of the National Air Navigation Services Company, told The Associated Press on Monday that in the minutes before the plane disappeared it was flying at its normal altitude of 37,000 feet, according to the radar reading. He says, "that fact degrades what the Greeks are saying about aircraft suddenly losing altitude before it vanished from radar." According to Greece's defense minister Panos Kammenos the plane swerved and dropped to 10,000 feet before it fell off radar. Greek civil aviation authorities say all appeared fine with the flight until air traffic controllers were to hand it over to their Egyptian counterparts. The pilot did not respond to their calls, and then vanished from radars. "There was no turning to right or left, and it was fine when it entered Egypt's FIR, which took nearly a minute or two before it disappeared," Azmy added. 5:00 p.m. The French navy said Monday that one of its ships has arrived in the search area to help look for traces of EgyptAir Flight 804 that crashed in the Mediterranean and especially for its flight recorders. The vessel is equipped with sonar that can pick up the underwater "pings" emitted by the recorders. It is specialized in maritime surveillance, and rescue and marine police missions. The 80-meter (262-foot) ship left its Mediterranean home port of Toulon Friday with a crew of 90, including two judicial investigators. Dressed to Protest: Greek anger spreads to middle class ATHENS, Greece (AP) Alexis Tsipras doesn't wear a tie, but a growing number of his critics do. The left-wing prime minister won a vote in parliament early Monday that will heap more taxes on a dwindling number of Greeks able to pay them. Whereas previous protests against austerity cuts drew violent street demonstrations featuring hooded youths throwing firebombs, this time it's suited middle classes professionals revolting. Lawyers in particular are leading what's been dubbed the "necktie movement" with a strike that's closed courtrooms since mid-January. FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 file photo, a lawyer waves his tie as others shout shout slogans during a 24-hour nationwide general strike in Athens. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Prime minister Alexis Tsipras won a vote in parliament early Monday May 23, 2016, that will heap more taxes on a dwindling number of Greeks able to pay them. Whereas previous protests against austerity cuts drew violent street demonstrations featuring hooded youths throwing firebombs, this time its suited middle classes professionals revolting in whats been dubbed the necktie movement. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File) Effectively, no one in Greece can get a divorce, inherit property, sue for wrongful dismissal, or carry out any transaction that requires court approval. Only criminal cases nearing the statute of limitation are going to court as an enormous backlog of cases has pushed trial dates as far back as 2032. More than 200,000 trials have been postponed in Athens alone. At the city's main court complex, criminal suspects in handcuffs, police escorts, and smartly dressed lawyers gather around a canteen that sells toasted sandwiches and iced coffee, waiting hours for their new court dates. Athens lawyer Thanos Koussoulos says self-employed professionals like him will feel the most pain, as the new measures will increase monthly pension contributions, taxable income, and levies on services. "An average lawyer will lose half his income and won't be able to survive," he said, speaking in an empty courtroom. "Every part of society has been affected by these measures, including groups once considered to be privileged. I think it's a good thing they are demonstrating." Prime Minister Tsipras, 41, was elected on a pledge to scrap austerity. But he was forced by bailout lenders to abandon his position to receive more rescue loans for Greece and a promise of better repayment terms needed for the economy to pull out of recession. Shortly before the vote, Tsipras argued that sacrifices asked of Greeks would finally pay off. "Spring may soon be over, but the real spring for our economy lies ahead of us ... We've turned the page of history," Tsipras told lawmakers. Under the new measures, taxes will be added to everything from beer and coffee to gasoline and monthly Internet charges. Sales taxes will increase across the board, the government created an automatic austerity mechanism to safeguard future budget targets beyond its own term in office, and bailout creditors were even given seats on a new privatization committee with expanded powers. The measures pave the way for eurozone finance ministers to approve the release of a new batch of bailout loans when they meet in Brussels on Tuesday. The creditors will then address the next vital issue for Greece: how to lighten the burden of repaying its mountain of bailout loans. Greece has relied on financial aid from other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund since 2010, but harsh cost-cutting reforms demanded in return sent the economy into shock and about a quarter of the workforce still remains jobless. That has weakened its ability to repay the loans. The normally sober financial daily Naftemporiki said taxpayers had paid a heavy price for the continued bailout support, leading Monday with the headline: "Painful Measures, Stale Promises." The creditors' demands that Greece commit to years of high budget surpluses left Tsipras' government with little choice but to hike taxes. Pharmacists, vets, dentists and physical therapists all joined lawyers in street protests earlier this year as the extent of the austerity measures became clear. The engineers' association, whose members include Tsipras and several government officials, printed a wanted-style poster with the picture of all the engineer graduates in parliament who supported the austerity measures, under a banner that read "So That We Remember Them." Ironically, the lawyers' strike has added pressure on the government to seek a quick way to raise revenue, as tax cases challenged in court have been held up. Ordinary Greeks have suffered, too. Former municipal worker Christin Barbopoulou was part of a class action contract dispute with the city authority in Athens after being laid off in 2009. Due to repeated court delays and the strike this year, her next court date has been moved to September, 2017. She spent two years out of work before finding a low-paid job as a security guard. "You're asked to work nights and weekends and you have to agree," said the 49-year-old Barbopoulou. "It's the same for most people. The savings have gone and everything in our lives is on hold." ___ Follow Gatopoulos at http://www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016 file photo, lawyer Dimitirs Vervesos shouts slogans with his colleagues during a rally organized by Greek Bar Associations in Athens. Several thousand people took part in the demonstration to protest the government's new social security reforms. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Prime minister Alexis Tsipras won a vote in parliament early Monday May 23, 2016, that will heap more taxes on a dwindling number of Greeks able to pay them. Whereas previous protests against austerity cuts drew violent street demonstrations featuring hooded youths throwing firebombs, this time its suited middle classes professionals revolting in whats been dubbed the necktie movement. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016 file photo, ties are attached to a tree by protesting lawyers following an anti-government rally in front of the parliament in Athens. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Prime minister Alexis Tsipras won a vote in parliament early Monday May 23, 2016, that will heap more taxes on a dwindling number of Greeks able to pay them. Whereas previous protests against austerity cuts drew violent street demonstrations featuring hooded youths throwing firebombs, this time its suited middle classes professionals revolting in whats been dubbed the necktie movement. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis, File) FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016 file photo, lawyers shout slogans during an anti-government rally in front of the parliament in Athens. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Prime minister Alexis Tsipras won a vote in parliament early Monday May 23, 2016, that will heap more taxes on a dwindling number of Greeks able to pay them. Whereas previous protests against austerity cuts drew violent street demonstrations featuring hooded youths throwing firebombs, this time its suited middle classes professionals revolting in whats been dubbed the necktie movement. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis, File) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 lawyer Thanos Koussoulos enters an empty courtroom in Athens. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Greek lawyers have been on strike for four months against austerity measures that impose heavy taxes on self-employed professionals. Prime minister Alexis Tsipras won a vote in parliament early Monday May 23, 2016, that will heap more taxes on a dwindling number of Greeks able to pay them. Whereas previous protests against austerity cuts drew violent street demonstrations featuring hooded youths throwing firebombs, this time its suited middle classes professionals revolting in whats been dubbed the necktie movement. (AP Photo/Derek Gatopoulos) Hundreds of lawyers and other professionals have gathered on the streets in protest over the tax hikes EU police: religious extremism still top security threat BRUSSELS (AP) A top European Union police official says that despite extensive government action, violent religious-driven extremism remains the "top threat to the security" of the 28-nation bloc and its half billion citizens. Manuel Navarrete Paniagua, head of the Europol police's agency's Counter Terrorism Center, spoke Monday to the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament. He said EU member states classify "jihadi" extremists inspired by a radical Muslim vision of holy war as their main security concern. Navarrette said those individuals include Europe's so-called foreign fighters recruited to join the ranks of the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. Concern in Haiti over emerging condition linked to Zika MIREBALAIS, Haiti (AP) Berny Saint-Sauveur was moaning and incoherent when his family carried him into a hospital in central Haiti. He was unable to move, he later found out, because of an unusual paralysis syndrome linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus. "I thought I was a dead man," Saint-Sauveur recalled in an interview from his hospital bed, wearily rubbing bloodshot eyes. After two weeks, the 46-year-old rice farmer was recovering from the nervous system illness known as Guillain-Barre and about to be discharged from the hospital in Mirebalais. Doctors and scientists, meanwhile, are bracing for the possibility of a wave of rare disorders triggered by Zika in an impoverished country that has faced one public health crisis after another and is fertile ground for mosquito-borne scourges. In this Saturday, May 21, 2016 photo, a vendor combs another woman's hair next to a water canal full of rubbish, fertile ground for mosquito-borne diseases, near a street market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haitis government has stepped up fumigation and public service announcements about the importance of getting rid of mosquito breeding grounds, but mosquito control is minimal compared to more developed nations. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Zika causes mild symptoms such as rash and fever in most people, but when Brazil reported outbreaks for the first time last year, doctors saw a dramatic increase in Guillain-Barre and a severe birth defect called microcephaly resulting in infants with abnormally small heads. The World Health Organization says there is now scientific consensus that Zika is a cause of both disorders. Haiti's health ministry has reported no cases of microcephaly but 11 cases of Guillain-Barre, including two definitively linked to Zika by lab tests. But the extent of Haiti's Zika outbreak and the number of accompanying neurological disorders is a big unknown. "Haiti is a bit of a black box and I'm not sure anyone has their arms around what's really happening currently," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Even after the worst cholera epidemic in recent history, Haiti's severely under-resourced health sector still does not have routine data collection systems that would allow experts to track and document disease outbreaks across one of the world's poorest countries. Frontline physicians in Haiti say the assumption is that the uptick of Guillain-Barre cases is due to Zika because it coincides with the spreading epidemic. The WHO says Guillain-Barre reports have increased in 13 countries or territories where Zika is circulating. "Since around the fall of 2015 we began seeing cases of Guillain-Barre that we had not seen prior to that point," said Dr. Nessa Meshkaty, an infectious disease physician working in the Partners in Health hospital in Mirebalais. Some experts worry a relatively large number of microcephaly cases could hit Haiti later this year when women infected in early 2016 start giving birth. Health experts are trying to figure out what, if anything, they can do to prepare other than training staff to look out for symptoms. "What are we going to do in Haiti if we have an epidemic of children with developmental delays in the context of already being completely under-resourced to deal with any developmental challenge a child has?" asked Dr. Louise Ivers, a senior health and policy adviser for Boston-based Partners in Health. Haiti announced its first cases of Zika on Jan. 15. By April 23, there were 2,214 suspected cases, including 12 among pregnant women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By comparison, Puerto Rico, a U.S. Caribbean island which has a third of Haiti's population and is located about 380 miles (600 kilometers) to the east, has had 925 confirmed cases of Zika, including one related death and a case of microcephaly in a fetus. The neighboring Dominican Republic has seen roughly 100 cases of Guillain-Barre, including six recent fatalities. The syndrome kills about one in 20 patients. New research suggesting that the Zika virus has been present in Haiti since 2014 adds a layer of complexity to the epidemiological mystery. Dr. John Lednicky, a researcher at the University of Florida's Emerging Pathogens Institute, was part of a team that found Zika in the plasma of three Haitian youngsters some two years before Haiti announced its first cases and months before Brazilian researchers verified the virus there. They published their findings on April 25. Lednicky said it was still too early to tell if the mutating virus will cause the same serious consequences in Haiti as it has done in Brazil and other nations. He said a "large outbreak" in Haiti began in January 2016 and the prediction is that more birth defects will be seen as it becomes established. "The more we find out about the virus, the more concerned we are, especially with regard to infections of the developing brains of fetuses," he said. One thing is for certain: Any disease spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito flourishes in Haiti because of the dense population in a country where few people have screened windows or can afford insect repellant. Malaria, dengue and, more recently, chikungunya have been widespread. Haiti's government has stepped up fumigation and public service announcements about the importance of getting rid of mosquito breeding grounds. But mosquito control is minimal compared to more developed nations. Some Haitians resent the fact that the state has failed to provide basic sanitation. "How many precautions can we take when we have to live the way we do? They never pick up the garbage and I've never seen them spray insecticide around here," said Fabien Fleurimiste, gesturing at a trash-clogged gully with pools of stagnant water in the crowded Port-au-Prince district of Delmas 33. Saint-Sauveur, the recovering Guillain-Barre patient, told The Associated Press that he was powerless to avoid mosquitoes in his village in the agricultural Artibonite Valley. "They bite you anytime they want," he said. The CDC and U.N. are assisting Haiti's health ministry with surveillance, vector control, and laboratory diagnostics. Until recently, blood samples from Haitians had to be shipped elsewhere for testing. But now, Haiti's National Laboratory can do blood analysis itself. "We are monitoring Zika and its effects the best we can," said Dr. Joseph Donald Francois, a senior health ministry official. "But there are many challenges and we need far more resources." ___ David McFadden on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dmcfadd In this Thursday, May 19, 2016 photo, an alert against the spread of Zika is displayed in the window above entrance at the National Laboratory in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Until recently, blood samples had to be shipped elsewhere for testing, but now this lab can do blood analysis. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this Saturday, May 21, 2016 photo, a man walks past burning trash in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haiti announced its first cases of Zika on Jan. 15. By late April, there were more than 2,000 suspected cases, including a dozen among pregnant women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this Saturday, May 21, 2016 photo, a vendor shovels rubbish away from her stand at a street market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. New research suggests that the Zika virus has been present in Haiti since 2014. Dr. John Lednicky, a researcher at the University of Florida's Emerging Pathogens Institute, said it was still too early to tell if the mutating virus will cause the same serious consequences in Haiti as it has done in Brazil and other nations. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Newborns among residents of sprawling Idomeni refugee camp IDOMENI, Greece (AP) The women walked across the Syrian border into Turkey heavily pregnant, crossed the Aegean Sea in perilous journeys that risked their own lives and those of the babies they carried, because they dreamed of their children being born in a better world in a peaceful, prosperous country in central or northern Europe. But Balkan and European countries startled by the sheer number of people knocking at their doors shut their borders earlier this year, leaving pregnant women among about 54,000 people stranded in financially struggling Greece. Trapped by the closure of the Macedonian border, dozens of women have brought their children into the world in refugee camps in Greece, of which the largest is the sprawling, impromptu camp at Idomeni, on the border itself. In this photo taken on Sunday, May 15, 2016, 34- year-old Wajdan Shalhob a Syrian woman from Daraa city, poses with her baby boy Faouaz in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Wajdan Shalhob is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Faouaz, the family's third child, was born on Sunday, March 20, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The five member family wants to go to Germany. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) There, women breast-feed their newborns in tiny tents, struggling to create adequate conditions in the alternating cold and rain or baking heat of the Balkan springtime. Most of the infants sleep on piles of blankets, while the luckier ones have baby cots donated by volunteers. Uday was born on April 13. The entire first month of his life has been spent in the small tent his parents pitched in front of the Idomeni railway station, where his mother, 21-year-old Alia Mohamad, nurses him and struggles to quiet his constant crying. "The way I'm thinking about it, I don't know what his future is," said Mohamad, who fled with her husband from Aleppo in Syria and has been in Idomeni since Feb. 28. "What I think is that my child's future is lost. With this situation and with what we're going through, I don't believe he will have a future." Mohamad and her husband, Mahmud Kusa Ali, had hoped to reach either Belgium or the Netherlands and risked their lives to get to Europe. The boat that carried them from the Turkish coast punctured, she says, and they almost drowned. Now, they don't know what to do, and are considering that even a return to Syria would be preferable to the conditions they are in. "I'm desperate because my baby was born in such conditions. The child is tormented and I am tormented with him," says Mohamad. "We managed to escape the war and we came here where they closed the borders on us. We just want to live in safety." According to the local hospital in the nearby town of Kilkis, 120 women staying at Idomeni have given birth at the hospital since the start of the year, while one gave birth in the camp itself and was then transferred to the hospital. Many have since been transported to other, more organized camps or been settled in local apartments with the help of aid agencies, but an estimated 20 newborns are currently spending their first months of life at the sprawling camp that at one point housed more than 14,000 people. Among them is Fawaz, who was born on March 20. His home is a cluster of eight tents that form a small compound for an extended family from Syria, on the other side of the camp from Uday's family. He's dressed in a green baby suit as his mother tries to calm him with a pacifier. Wajdan Shalhob, 34, and her 37-year-old husband Ishaq Shalhob, fled their home in Daraa with their 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. "We left the war not to live in tents, in the filth and disease," she said. Her family's dream, like that of so many others, was to get to Germany. Despite pressure from Greek authorities for refugees to leave the sprawling Idomeni camp for organized refugee camps elsewhere, many of the women with very young infants are reluctant to move, fearing there will not be adequate care there for their babies. In Idomeni, volunteers and aid organizations have been delivering milk, diapers and other necessities for the children. "Every day we spend here seems like a whole year," said Fatima Dali Hassan, a 25-year-old Kurd from Aleppo who arrived in Idomeni with her husband Abdul Rahman and three small daughters, when she was seven months pregnant, heading for Germany. "We believed that in a month and a half we would be in a good place. I didn't expect that I would give birth here," she said. The family's new member, a little boy they named Mohamed, was born in Kilkis hospital on March 27. "I wanted to go to Germany because my relatives are there. We started (this journey) for a better future of my children," she said. "The schools in Syria were destroyed. There is no future for children there. Syria is destroyed for the next 20 generations." Hassan says she prefers her little tent in a field in Idomeni to one of the organized camps, where she heard there was a shortage of milk for the children. "I will wait until God saves us," she said. One of Idomeni's youngest new residents is a baby boy born on May 1. His 23-year-old mother Nariman Khello, a Kurd from the pulverized Syrian border town of Kobani, cradles him. Khello married her 29-year-old husband Khaled Khello a year ago and began her journey despite being pregnant. She's been in Idomeni for nearly three months now, living on the very outskirts of the camp where her husband tries to reinforce their small tent with blankets and plastic sheeting to give their newborn a bit more protection from the elements. "We came here to go to Germany," she says. "Here, my baby has no future. At night it's very cold and in the day it's very hot. May God help us." ____ Follow Kantouris on Twitter on https://twitter.com/CostasKantouris In this photo taken on Sunday, May 15, 2016, 35-year-old Mysaa Mohamed, a Syrian mother from Daraa, poses with her baby boy Basel in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Mysaa is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Basel was born on Thursday, March 17, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The seven member family wants to go to Germany. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Friday, May 13, 2016, 23-year-old Rojin, a Kurdish-Syrian mother from the city of Qamishli, Syria, poses with her baby girl Beritan in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Rojin is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Berating, the family's first child, was born on Sunday, April 10, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The three member family wants to go to Switzerland. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Sunday, May 15, 2016, 28-year-old Samar, a Syrian mother from the city of Deir ez-Zor , poses with her baby girl Sedan, in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Samar is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Sedan the Familys forth child was born on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. Samar's husband has been in Germany the last seven months but she has not heard from him since she arrived in Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Friday, May 13, 2016, 19-year-old Rajad Alhelo, a Syrian mother from the city of Deir ez-Zor, poses with her baby girl Yasmin in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Rajad Alhelo is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Yasmin, the family's first child, was born on Friday, April 1, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The three member family wants to go to Germany or any other safe place in central Europe. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Sunday, May 15, 2016, 23-year-old Nariman Khello, a Kurdish-Syrian mother from Kobani, poses with her baby boy Raman in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Nariman Khello is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Raman, the family's first child, was born on May 1, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The three member family wants to go to Germany or Spain. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Saturday, May 14, 2016, 19-year-old Farah Sheikh Ahmed a Syrian mother from the city of Idlib, poses with her baby girl Maram in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Farah Sheikh Ahmed is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Maram the family's first child, was born on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The three member family wants to go to Germany. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Thursday, May 12, 2016, 30-year-old Roula Al Shihabi, a Syrian mother from the city of Alepo, poses with her baby boy Abu Bark in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Roula Al Shihabi is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Abu Bark, the family's second child, was born on Friday, March 18, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The four member family wants to go to Germany, Sweden or any other safe country in central Europe. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) In this photo taken on Sunday, May 15, 2016, 24-year-old Asmaa, a Syrian mother from Damascus, poses with her baby girl Jana in a tent made of blankets given by the UNCHR at the refugee camp of the northern Greek border point of Idomeni. Asmaa is one of the dozens of refugee women that gave birth while stranded in Idomeni after the Greek- Macedonian border was closed in early March 2016. Jana, the family's third child, was born on Thursday, March 24, 2016 in the hospital of the nearby town of Kilkis. The five member family wants to go to Germany. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Some self-induced abortions result in criminal cases Across the nation, abortion-rights activists are closely following Monday's appeals court hearing involving an Indiana woman convicted of killing the premature infant she delivered after ingesting abortion-inducing drugs. Lawyers for 35-year-old Purvi Patel will ask the Indiana Court of Appeals court to throw out the convictions that led to her 20-year prison sentence. Patel's case is one of more than a dozen recent cases cited by abortion-rights supporters in which women were arrested or convicted in connection with self-induced abortion. The issue is a volatile one, in part because many anti-abortion leaders say they do not favor prosecutions of women for their own abortions, even as they urge crackdowns on doctors who provide them. Among the cases where this issue has arisen: -A Georgia woman was jailed without bond last year before prosecutors decided police had wrongly charged her with murder after being told she used pills ordered online to terminate her pregnancy. Kenlissia Jones was freed and the murder charge dropped; a misdemeanor drug charge was maintained. -In Indiana, a Chinese immigrant charged with killing her baby by eating rat poison while she was pregnant pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of criminal recklessness. It was part of a deal with prosecutors, who dropped a murder charge in 2013. The woman, Bei Bei Shuai, spent 178 days in jail. In Utah, a 17-year-old girl was charged in 2009 with solicitation to commit murder for allegedly hiring a man to beat her in an effort to induce a miscarriage. The charge was dismissed by a juvenile court judge who ruled that she was seeking an abortion and was not criminally liable. The man charged in the beating pleaded guilty to second-degree felony attempted murder and was sentenced to up to five years in prison. In South Carolina, a migrant worker from Mexico was convicted in 2005 of performing an illegal abortion on herself using the abortion-inducting drug misoprostol. Gabriela Flores, who already had three children, served a few months in jail during the case. In Pennsylvania, a woman received a 9-to-18-month prison term for helping to end her 16-year-old daughter's pregnancy by giving her pills purchased online. The mother, Jennifer Ann Whalen, told authorities they couldn't find a local clinic to perform an abortion, and the girl had no insurance to pay for a hospital stay. 4 police dogs killed on duty are honored with new award NEW YORK (AP) Four police dogs killed in the line of duty are being recognized with a new award from the American Kennel Club. The New York-based organization announced the first "AKC Paw of Courage" medal winners Monday. Ogar, a Belgian Malinois (MAL'-ihn-wah) that worked with the Smith County Constables' office in Texas, was shot and killed by a suspect. So was Krijger (KREE'-guhr), a Malinois with the Norfolk Police Department in Virginia. A third Malinois, Jag, was hit by a car during a training and certification session. He worked with California's Twin Rivers Unified School District Police Department. Betcha, an Australian cattle dog, worked with the Rutland County Sheriff's Office in Vermont. Betcha died after running in front of his handler's patrol car. Sudan effectively expels top UN humanitarian official UNITED NATIONS (AP) The United Nations says the government of Sudan has effectively expelled a top U.N. official in charge of coordinating relief efforts there. U.N. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refused to renew the annual stay permit for Ivo Freijsen, who heads the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, without providing an official explanation. Dujarric said that while Freijsen was not declared a persona non grata, refusing to renew his visa represented "a de facto expulsion." He added that the U.N. was doing its best "to get the situation reversed." White House backs bill to overhaul chemical regulation WASHINGTON (AP) The White House and top House Democrats said Monday they will support a bipartisan bill to overhaul regulation of asbestos and other dangerous chemicals, clearing the way for the bill's passage in Congress and signature by President Barack Obama. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and two other high-ranking Democrats said they remain concerned that the bill limits states' ability to act aggressively on toxic substances. But changes made by Democrats in recent days ensure the measure will protect families and communities from toxic substances, Pelosi said in a statement with House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., joined by, from left, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., Bonnie Lautenberg, widow of the late New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., discusses bipartisan legislation to improve the federal regulation of chemicals and toxic substances, Thursday May 19, 2016, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Hours later, the White House said it strongly supports the legislation, which would be the first overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act since it was approved in 1976. A vote is expected in the House as soon as Tuesday. "The bill is a clear improvement over the current TSCA and represents a historic advancement for both chemical safety and environmental law," the White House said in a statement. The proposal will require the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate new and existing chemicals against a new risk-based safety standard that includes considerations for vulnerable people such as children and pregnant women, the White House said. The bill also establishes clear and enforceable deadlines for the EPA to act; increases transparency of chemical information by limiting unwarranted claims of confidentiality by chemical companies; and provides funding for the EPA to carry out "these significant new responsibilities," the White House said. Pallone had said last week he opposed an agreement reached by House and Senate negotiators, saying it was "weaker than current law." Pallone said he was especially concerned about provisions in the bill concerning state regulation of toxic chemicals. New Jersey and other liberal-leaning states such as California, Massachusetts and Vermont have moved aggressively to regulate chemicals, and Pallone and other critics feared the federal bill could block state efforts even as it imposed the first-ever national standards for tens of thousands of chemicals, including formaldehyde and styrene, that are used in homes and businesses every day. A proposal announced last week declares that any state law or rule in place before April 22 would not be pre-empted by federal law. The proposal also would allow states to work on some regulations while federal rules are being developed, a process that can take years. States that do not regulate chemicals closely would follow the federal standard. Pallone and Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., said last week that "it would be better for us to not act at all than to pass the deal" proposed by House and Senate negotiators. Pallone's opposition was especially notable, since the bill is named after a fellow New Jersey Democrat, the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg. In their statement Monday, Pallone, Pelosi and Hoyer said that Lautenberg "dedicated his career" to fixing the toxic-substance law, adding: "We honor his memory in this bipartisan legislation bearing his name." The measure "is not the bill Democrats would have written on our own, but it is a long-overdue step forward to protect families and communities from toxic substances," the three Democrats said. The statement by House Democrats comes as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said he opposes the bill. While the legislation allows Vermont and other states to continue enforcing existing state regulations to keep adults and children safe from toxic chemicals, "it makes it more difficult for states to set new, stricter standards," Sanders said. "That makes no sense. Federal chemical regulations should be a floor, not a ceiling. States should not be stopped from going above and beyond minimum federal safety standards." Egypt's former top auditor summoned for questioning CAIRO (AP) An Egyptian security official says Egypt's former top auditor, who was dismissed in March, has been summoned for questioning by the country's national security prosecutors over statements he made estimating the cost of corruption. Hesham Genena will be questioned on Tuesday on allegations of spreading false news after a newspaper quoted him in December as saying corruption cost the country 600 billion Egyptian pounds ($67.6 billion) in 2015. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi dismissed Genena from his position as head of the Central Auditing Organization after a commission investigated his report, concluding that Genena had misled the public. Critics say the moves intend to silence dissent. Angelina Jolie to teach at London School of Economics LONDON (AP) Oscar-winning actress and activist Angelina Jolie has been appointed a visiting professor at one of Britain's most prestigious universities. The London School of Economics announced Monday that Jolie will be working with students studying for a master's degree in Women, Peace and Security. Among others appointed to teach the course is former British Foreign Secretary William Hague. FILE - In this Wednesday, March 16, 2016 file photo, U.S. actress Angelina Jolie smiles during her meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, in Athens. Actress and campaigner Angelina Jolie has been appointed a visiting professor at one of Britains most prestigious universities. The London School of Economics announced Monday, May 23, 2016 that Jolie would be working with students studying for a masters degree in Women, Peace and Security. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, file) "I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict," Jolie said in a statement. Clinton: Trump could 'bankrupt America' like his companies DETROIT (AP) Hillary Clinton said Monday that Donald Trump's economic policies would lead to lower wages, fewer jobs and more debt warning unionized workers that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee could "bankrupt America like he's bankrupted his companies." "Ask yourself," the likely Democratic nominee told thousands at the Service Employees International Union international convention in Detroit, "how can anybody lose money running a casino, really?" Trump has accused Clinton of using the "the woman's card" to win votes. Clinton said if fighting for equal pay, paid family leave, a higher minimum wage and affordable child care is "playing the woman card, then deal me in." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking to more than 3,000 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Trump's call for the deportation of millions of people living in the U.S. illegally and the end of automatic birthright citizenship also drew Clinton's ire. She criticized sending a "deportation force" to schools, workplaces and homes to "round up moms, dads, grandparents even children." "He's talking about kicking children who are born here out of the only country they know," Clinton said. The union endorsed Hillary in November. She thanked its members who include child care workers, home health aides, janitors and others and called them "unsung heroes" who deserve a living wage. She said there has never been more at stake for working families than in the 2016 election, noting that she supports raising the federal minimum wage and protecting the right to organize. "Your fights are my fights," she said. Clinton, pointing to the nearing end of the Democratic primary, applauded Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters for "challenging us." "We are going to get unaccountable money out of politics. We are going to take on the crisis of income inequality," she said to loud applause. "And we are going to unify the Democratic Party and stop Donald Trump. There is so much more that unites us than divides us." Meanwhile, at a rally in East Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday afternoon, Sanders predicted he would win California's June 7 primary the nation's largest with 475 delegates through the strength of his rallies across the state. He said that by the end of the state's primary he will have spoken to more than 200,000 people at his rallies. "It is a grassroots campaign, not a fancy campaign," Sanders said. He has pushed for the party to adopt a progressive platform at the Philadelphia convention in July. The Democratic National Committee announced a 15-member platform drafting committee, the first step in that process, which will put together the first draft of platform. The panel will be led by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who endorsed Clinton, and include Sanders' allies such as Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., civil rights leader Dr. Cornel West and environmental activist Bill McKibben. ___ Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report from East Los Angeles, California. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton meets with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. At left is union president Mary Kay Henry. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton meets with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) cheer as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking to more than 3,000 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking to more than 3,000 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking to more than 3,000 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking to more than 3,000 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at the union's 2016 International Convention, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) IMF calls for 'unconditional' debt relief for Greece WASHINGTON (AP) The International Monetary Fund is calling on European creditor nations to commit to "upfront unconditional" debt relief for Greece as part of an international rescue program for the debt-laden nation. The IMF is involved in talks on making Greece's debt sustainable to approve the country's latest reforms and make new loans available. In an analysis released Monday, the Washington-based lender says that debt relief is "critical" to show markets that Greece's creditors are committed to helping it navigate the crisis. The statement comes a day ahead of a meeting among Europe's top officials in Brussels to discuss the issue. David Mamet, David Yazbek premieres set for Atlantic Co. NEW YORK (AP) World premiere works from David Mamet and David Yazbek as well as a musical for kids by the co-composer of "Frozen" are some of the highlights of the Atlantic Theater Company's upcoming season. The respected off-Broadway company unveiled its slate of 2016-17 offerings Monday, including the world premiere of George Brant's play with music "Marie and Rosetta" under Neil Pepe's direction and the world premiere of Paola Lazaro's "Tell Hector I Miss Him." A still-untitled Mamet play directed by Pepe, the artistic director of the Atlantic, will start in February and Clare Lizzimore's "Animal" makes its New York debut in the spring directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch and starring Golden Globe-nominated Rebecca Hall. FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2013 file photo, David Mamet, writer/director of the film "Phil Spector," addresses reporters during the HBO Winter TCA Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. World premiere works from Mamet and David Yazbek plus a musical for kids by the co-composer of Frozen are some of the highlights of the Atlantic Theater Company's upcoming season. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Robert Lopez, who co-created "The Book of Mormon" and "Avenue Q" and co-composed the songs for "Frozen" with his wife, wrote the new tunes for "1001 Nights: A Love Story About Loving Stories," which makes its debut this fall. Yazbek's "The Band's Visit" will finally will arrive in the fall directed by David Cromer with a story by Itamar Moses. It's based on a 2007 film about an Egyptian orchestra that accidentally finds itself in the wrong town. ___ Peru declares emergency over mercury contamination LIMA, Peru (AP) Peru's government declared an emergency across a broad jungle region Monday because of mercury contamination caused by wildcat gold mining. The 60-day decree affects 11 districts in the Madre de Dios region bordering Brazil where studies carried out by Stanford University and others have found high levels of the toxic element in people, rivers and fish. Deputy Health Minister Percy Minaya said as many as 50,000 people could be exposed to high levels of mercury. Particularly affected are members of the Harakmbut indigenous group, some of whom were found with mercury levels six times the suggested level. FILE - This Nov. 11, 2014 file photo shows a deforested area dotted with blue tarps, marking the area where miners reside, and craters filled with water, caused by illegal gold mining activities, in La Pampa, in Peru's Madre de Dios region. Perus government has declared an emergency across a broad jungle region because of mercury contamination, much of it caused by wildcat gold mining. The 60-day decree issued Monday, May 23, 2016 affects 11 districts in the Madre de Dios region where studies have found high levels of the toxic element in people, rivers and fish. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) The government said it would send hospital boats to help treat people living in the affected area, where authorities have been trying to stamp out illegal mining along rivers. Thousands of small-time miners have descended on the Madre de Dios region in the last decade, removing an estimated 40,000 hectares (about 98,850 acres) of forest and changing the course of entire rivers. President Ollanta Humala's government has cracked down on illegal mining but the high price of the precious metal has proved a powerful incentive. Indiana court hears woman's appeal of feticide conviction INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana appeals court judges grilled an attorney for the state Monday over whether there was evidence a woman found guilty of neglect and feticide in a self-induced abortion knew she had given birth to a live child. During a hearing on Purvi Patel's bid to have her convictions thrown out, Judge L. Mark Bailey asked whether evidence at trial showed the 35-year-old northern Indiana woman knew she had delivered a live, premature child that would need immediate medical care. Deputy attorney general Ellen Meilaender, who presented the state's arguments, replied no, saying Patel claimed the "baby was dead" when she delivered it in 2013 after ingesting abortion-inducing drugs she bought online. FILE - In this March 30, 2015 file photo, Purvi Patel is taken into custody after being sentenced to 20 years in prison for feticide and neglect of a dependent on at the St. Joseph County Courthouse in South Bend, Ind. Attorneys for Patel will urge the Indiana Court of Appeals on Monday, May 23, 2016 to reverse her 2015 convictions on charges of feticide and neglect of a dependent resulting in death. The state's attorney general's office will defend the northern Indiana jury's decision. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT The state argues that Patel's infant was at least 25 weeks into gestation, just beyond the threshold of viability, and had taken at least one breath before dying. Judge Nancy Vaidik asked Meilaender how the state can defend Patel's conviction on a charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death if there was not conclusive evidence the child was born alive and needed medical care. "You can't endanger a dead baby, can you?" Vaidik asked. Meilaender pointed to the presence of the baby's blood in a bag Patel placed the child in as evidence the infant's heart was beating when it entered the bag, which was found in a trash bin behind her family's restaurant. "The fact that the baby's DNA, the baby's blood, was in the bag suggests that the baby had not died yet," Meilaender said. Patel, of Granger, received 20 years in prison on the neglect charge last year and six years on the feticide charge, with the sentences to run at the same time. Her appeal contends prosecutors failed to prove she knew she had delivered a live baby boy or that she could have done anything to save his life. It argues that summoning medical help would have been "futile," citing a forensic pathologist's testimony that the infant likely would have died from bleeding within about a minute after Patel cut the umbilical cord. One of Patel's attorneys, Stanford University law professor Lawrence C. Marshall, told the court that even if Patel would have tried to clamp the umbilical cord after cutting it, that "would have slowed things down just a bit but wouldn't have made any difference." Marshall said that explanation came from trial testimony. He said the charges against Patel are not supported by the evidence in the case. "Multiple independent reasons compel reversal of both counts here," Marshall told the court. The appeal also says Indiana's feticide law was "passed to protect pregnant women from violence" that could harm their developing fetus, not to prosecute women for their own abortions. The state argues that the law "is not limited to third-party actors" and can apply to pregnant women. Patel was arrested in July 2013 after she sought treatment at a local hospital for profuse bleeding after delivering a 1-pound infant boy and putting his body in the trash bin behind the restaurant. Court records show Patel purchased abortion-inducing drugs online through a pharmacy in Hong Kong, took those drugs and delivered a premature baby in her home bathroom. Court records say Patel, who lived with her parents and grandparents, feared her family would discover she had been impregnated by a married man. Two dozen women's advocacy groups, as well as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed friend-of-the-court briefs siding with Patel. Judge Vaidik told attorneys for both sides Monday that they had given the three appeals judges "a lot to think about" and that the court would rule as soon as it can. At least 38 states have fetal homicide laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But the Patel case was the first time a state feticide law was used against a woman specifically because of "an alleged self-induced abortion," said Jill E. Adams, executive director of the abortion rights advocacy group Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice. Indiana's feticide statute, enacted in 1979, made it a crime to "knowingly or intentionally" end a pregnancy with a goal other than to produce a live birth or to remove a dead fetus. The law does not apply to abortions performed in compliance with Indiana's abortion statutes. ___ VA Secretary McDonald compares health-care lines to Disney WASHINGTON (AP) Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald said Monday that the VA should not use wait times as a measure of success, comparing waits for VA health care to the hours people wait for rides at Disney theme parks. "When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? Or what's important? What's important is, what's your satisfaction with the experience?" McDonald said during a Christian Science Monitor breakfast on Monday. "And what I would like to move to, eventually, is that kind of measure." McDonald's comments set off a political firestorm, with Republicans denouncing the remarks as inaccurate and inappropriate. In this photo taken Feb. 25, 206, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald speaks in Washington. Republicans are criticizing McDonald after he compared wait times to receive VA health care to the hours people wait for rides at Disney theme parks. McDonald has told reporters on Monday, May 23, 2016, that the VA should not use wait times as a measure of success because Disney doesn't either. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called McDonald's comments "flippant" and said they show "just how seriously the Obama administration's VA is taking life or death problems" at the agency. "This is not make-believe, Mr. Secretary. Veterans have died waiting in those lines," Ryan said on Twitter. McDonald took office in July 2014 after his predecessor was forced out amid a scandal over chronically long wait times at VA health care sites and reports that as many as 40 patients died while awaiting care at the Phoenix VA hospital. Similar problems were discovered at VA health sites nationwide, along with a widespread practice among VA employees of creating secret lists to cover up the long wait times and receive VA bonuses. "There is nothing amusing about VA's performance over the past few years, and comparing VA wait times to those of an amusement park is just plain wrong," said Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House veterans panel. "Wait times are of critical importance to the veterans waiting for VA medical care and they should be to Secretary McDonald as well," Miller said. "Unfortunately, nearly two years after McDonald took over at VA, the department's wait-time rhetoric doesn't match up with the reality of veterans' experiences." Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a longtime veterans' advocate, called McDonald's comment "outrageous and completely inappropriate," especially since McDonald himself is an Army veteran. "Our veterans aren't in line for a theme park ride they are in desperate need of timely access to quality medical treatment," McCain said. "The VA secretary's statement reflects a fundamental lack of understanding about the serious problems plaguing veterans' health care." Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan watchdog group, said McDonald was "playing the role of 'Dumbo' in his very own 'Fantasyland.' Disney does, in fact, monitor how long its customers wait in line because they have the astonishingly simple belief that serving their customers quickly and efficiently is the best measure of overall performance." The group's president, Tom Schatz, said in a statement that McDonald "seems 'Frozen' in the past, incapable of understanding that if veterans do not get an appointment in a timely manner, it could cost them their lives." VA spokeswoman Victoria Dillon said in a statement late Monday that officials know that veterans are still waiting too long for care. "In our effort to determine how we can better meet veterans' needs knowing that their satisfaction is our most important measure we have heard them tell us that wait times alone are not the only indication of their experience with VA and that's why we must transform the way we do business," Dillon said. ___ School threats could be latest in school "swatting" DENVER (AP) Threats made against schools across the United States led to the evacuation of students Monday in what could be the latest example of so-called "swatting" against schools. In recent months, hoaxers playing online games have allegedly used proxy servers and other high-tech identity-disguising tools to anonymously threaten schools online or in phone messages with electronic voices to trigger a huge police response, including SWAT teams. The latest threats led to the evacuation of schools in Colorado, Utah, Delaware, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Media outlets in the United Kingdom also reported evacuations. The threats were made against elementary, middle and high schools, with some schools choosing to continue classes and others to put buildings on lockdown rather than evacuate. Some schools resumed classes after sweeps by authorities failed to turn up explosives or other threats. Some officials described Monday's threats as automated or robotic and at least two at Lakewood High School outside Denver and at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Rochester, Minnesota came in just before noon local time. Also in Minnesota, Forest Lake Elementary in the city of Forest Lake was evacuated after getting a bomb-threat call around 12:15 p.m. Meanwhile, students at Murray High School outside Salt Lake City were sent home and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in. No explosives were found. Louis van Gaal's highs and lows at Man United LONDON (AP) Louis van Gaal's time as Manchester United manager came to an end on Monday after two seasons at the club. The decision will likely be welcomed by United supporters, with a growing number becoming disenchanted with his low risk, defensive-orientated style of play. Van Gaal spent almost $375 million in transfers at Old Trafford and won one trophy the FA Cup in what proved to be his last match in charge. Here are some of the highs and lows of his tenure at United. ___ HIGHS: WINNING THE FA CUP "Now I have won the cup in four countries," a grinning Van Gaal said after the 2-1 extra-time win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. "Not many managers can say that" It didn't count for much in the end within an hour of the final whistle, it was being widely reported that Van Gaal would soon be out of a job but the victory at Wembley Stadium at least gave him something tangible to take from his reign, and is his undoubted high point. It got United back among the trophies after a three-year gap and gave the club a record-equaling 12th FA Cup title. TOP OF THE LEAGUE It seems a while ago now, but United was top of the league this season. A commanding 3-0 win against Sunderland last September saw United climb the summit for the first time in two years. "It is a very nice feeling, being top," Van Gaal said. "It is not so easy to keep that." And that was as good as it got for United in the Premier League under the Dutchman. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RETURN A fourth-place finish in the 2014-15 season saw United return to the Champions League after a one-year absence. United was back where it belongs among Europe's elite. And everything pointed to a successful season in 2015-16 when United surged to an easy two-legged win over Club Bruges in the Champions League playoff in August, with new signing Memphis Depay demonstrating his full range of skills and Wayne Rooney scoring a hat trick in the second leg to end a goal drought of more than nine games. He appeared ready to embark on a relentless scoring run but instead, he managed only four more goals until January. His barren run coincided with a gradual but continual slide in United's form. BEATING LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER CITY If one match under Van Gaal cements itself fondly in the memories of United supporters, it is the 2-1 victory against fierce rival Liverpool at Anfield in March 2015. It strengthened United's grip on fourth and derailed Liverpool's efforts to replace United in the Champions League qualifying places. To make it sweeter for United, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was sent off in his last appearance against United before joining the Los Angeles Galaxy. A 4-2 comeback victory against crosstown rival Manchester City the following month saw a rare attacking demonstration from the Van Gaal's side and the Dutchman leaves having lost just one of four Manchester derbies. He also won all four league matches against Liverpool. ___ LOWS: MISSING OUT ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE A failure to guide United into next season's Champions League badly damaged Van Gaal's stock. A finish in the top four, coupled with winning the FA Cup, and Van Gaal might have limped on. As it was, a second season in three years away from the European elite, missing out on the prestige and vast riches, and playing on Thursday nights in the Europa League just wasn't good enough for the Old Trafford hierarchy. Playing in the Champions League is the minimum requirement at United and Van Gaal couldn't deliver it. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT Van Gaal had earlier disappointment with the Champions League this season. United was eliminated at the group stage after losing 3-2 to Wolfsburg on Dec. 8 in a match United headed into knowing victory was essential. When United was pitted in a group with PSV Eindhoven, Wolfsburg and CSKA Moscow, the draw was viewed as favorable for Van Gaal. But the doomed European campaign was symptomatic of United under his guidance the team appeared focused on defensive organization and lacked the attacking flair and creativity to break down stubborn opponents. VAN GAAL CONTEMPLATES QUITTING A loss to Stoke on Dec. 26 was United's fourth straight defeat and left Van Gaal looking bewildered and pondering his future when he faced the media after the match. "It is not always the club that has to fire (me)," Van Gaal said. "Sometimes I do that by myself." He had walked out of a news conference after four minutes, 58 seconds in the build-up to the Stoke match, after speaking of his frustration at Jose Mourinho being linked with his job. But another stagnant display at Britannia Stadium left the Dutchman appearing to be headed for the exit. HUMBLED BY MK DONS Failure to reach the Champions League under David Moyes, Van Gaal's predecessor, meant United entered the League Cup in the second round for the first time in 19 years. United was drawn to play third-tier MK Dons on the back of encouraging news, having confirmed the signing of playmaker Angel di Maria from Real Madrid in a 59.7 million pound ($84 million) deal a British transfer record. But MK Dons doused any excitement around the club by recording an emphatic 4-0 victory. Man convicted of killing Iowa lawmaker's 2 sisters PITTSBURGH (AP) A jury in Pennsylvania convicted a man Monday in the slayings of two neighbors sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker and now must decide whether his punishment should be death or to spend the rest of his life in prison. Allegheny County jurors found Allen Wade, 45, guilty on all charges brought against him, including criminal homicide, robbery and burglary. Prosecutors say Wade fatally shot Susan Wolfe, 44, and Sarah Wolfe, 38, after they returned from work on Feb. 6, 2014. Then he stole a bank card belonging to one of the women and withdrew $600, prosecutors said. During closing arguments Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Bill Petulla used crime scene photos, DNA-stained clothes and bags containing pieces of evidence to form a trail across the courtroom floor, from the jury box to the defense table. "All roads lead right to Allen Wade," he told jurors. Prosecutors showed surveillance video of a man in a hooded sweatshirt stopping at the automated teller machine where the money was withdrawn. They said the man in the video was Wade. They also said Wade's DNA was found under the fingernail of Susan Wolfe and the DNA of both Wade and Sarah Wolfe was on a sock found along the route they contend Wade took to the ATM. Wade's attorney argued that police rushed to judgment to charge their client because of the prominence of the victims' sister, Democratic Iowa state Rep. Mary Wolfe. Public defender Lisa Middleman suggested police didn't investigate thoroughly because the victims were white women from a good family rather than drug dealers or street criminals. "Some of what was done and some of what wasn't done is because these were very nice people," Middleman said. "That's not an objective investigation." Jurors deliberated for seven hours Friday and asked to examine some evidence in the case. Deliberations on Thursday were delayed after a juror was dismissed for unspecified reasons, and the judge admonished other jurors to consider only the evidence they heard in court. During the penalty phase of the trial beginning Tuesday, the panel must decide whether Wade should be executed or serve life in prison without possibility parole. Wade's relatives said they hope jurors will choose to sentence him to life in prison, and they expressed sympathy for the family of the victims. "We want them to know our family are Christians and extend all the love in our heart to them," said Sharlene Hayes, Wade's cousin. Relatives of the defendant said the case has been difficult for them to understand despite the evidence. "We've known him since the day he was born. He's always been a gentle, kind-hearted person," Hayes said. "To see him turn to something this ugly, this monster, is something that we can't soak in at all." ___ The parents of a New Jersey boy who was 4 when he fatally shot a 6-year-old neighbor in Toms River have been ordered to pay nearly $600,000 to the slain youth's family. Anthony and Melissa Senatore will also have to pay punitive damages to Brandon Holt's parents under the ruling issued Monday. That amount hasn't been determined. Anthony Senatore has admitted keeping a loaded .22-caliber rifle unlocked in his bedroom, where his son found it in April 2013. The boy took it outside and shot Brandon Holt once in the head. Scroll down for video Anthony Senatore has admitted keeping a loaded .22-caliber rifle unlocked in his bedroom, where his son found it in April 2013. The boy took it outside and shot Brandon Holt (seen left and right) once in the head Senatore was filmed by CBS New York saying in court on Monday: 'When the gun went off I turned around, realized what gun it had been so I immediately removed it from his hands. 'My daughter had came around the side of my house and said, Dad, Brandon was shot."' Brandon's mother Christine Holt was filmed by the TV station testifying: 'He was laying on the bench like the seat laying down... he was bleeding. 'I was just rubbing his legs telling him I was there, telling him to breathe 'cause he was trying to breathe... I just kept telling him I loved him.' In his ruling, Judge Robert Brenner determined Anthony Senatore to be 90 per cent responsible and his spouse 10 per cent, saying she ought to have known the rifle was under the bed, NJ.com reported. Anthony Senatore (pictured) said Monday: 'When the gun went off I turned around, realized what gun it had been so I immediately removed it from his hands' Brandon's mother Christine Holt (pictured) said in court: 'I was just rubbing his legs telling him I was there, telling him to breathe 'cause he was trying to breathe... I just kept telling him I loved him' Anthony Senatore received a three-year prison term last year after he pleaded guilty to child endangerment. He apologized to Brandon's family last year. Senatore told the judge at the time: 'We could not have imagined that such a horrific event would occur. 'The torment of these thoughts will occupy me throughout my existence on this earth.' The father was released on parole, having served nine months, NJ.com reported. The two families moved out of Toms River, and the Holts now have a one-year-old toddler, it said. The rulings came in a wrongful death suit brought by Holt's family. The Senatores were ordered to pay $572,588. Senatore (pictured in 2015) received a three-year prison term last year after he pleaded guilty to child endangerment. The father was released on parole, having served nine months Olympic gold-medal sailor tells of gunpoint robbery in Rio RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Spain's Olympic gold-medal winning sailor Fernando Echavarri said he was fortunate to have escaped with his life after being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro as he and two fellow Spaniards walked to breakfast. "We were a bit naive, a bit too daring and we are lucky to have survived," Echavarri told The Associated Press as he trained on Monday at Rio's Olympic sailing venue. "We were too confident, and being confident in Rio is not a good thing." Echavarri and two other members of the Spanish sailing team were robbed Friday morning when five young men "not more than 16 years old," Echavarri said poked pistol barrels into the Spaniards' ribs and chests. FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2008 file photo, Telefonica Black skipper Fernando Echavarri from Spain takes his son onto the yacht before the start of the Volvo Ocean race in Alicante, Spain. Spain's Olympic gold-medal winning sailor says he's "lucky to have survived" after being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro as he and two fellow Spaniards were walking to breakfast. Echavarri spoke the Associated Press on Monday, May 23, 2016, three days after the assault, and says "we were confident, but being confident in Rio is not a good thing." Echavarri and members of the Spanish team have been training in Rio for almost two weeks, preparing for South America's first Olympics. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File) Echavarri said they handed over their cellphones and other minor electronic gear, satisfying their assailants who ran off. The Spaniards, who have been in Rio for almost two weeks, were staying in Santa Teresa, a hilltop neighborhood popular with tourists and dotted with restaurants and bars, and a 20-minute walk downhill to the sailing venue. "We made a big mistake," Echavarri said. "We should have caught a taxi, taken a car and avoided a thing like this. We have to be careful, but the city needs more policing." Echavarri, who won gold in the 2008 Olympics, said he was also robbed at knife point in 2009 in the Copacabana Beach neighborhood while competing in the Volvo Ocean race. He called that situation "controlled" with experienced thieves who knew what they wanted. Last week was different. "This was a completely uncontrolled situation," he said. "I think they were nervous and on drugs. They were really small guys. They were kids." Street violence is endemic in Rio, a city separated by the wealthy who live in the south and west of the city and the poor who live in hilltop slums. "There should be no problem here, but if at some moment you go wrong ... you wind up with a big problem," Echavarri said. About 85,000 soldiers and police will guard the city during the Olympics, twice as many as London four years ago. Last week the head of security for the state of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Mariano Beltrame, called for soldiers to immediately start patrolling the city. Beltrame recently cut $550 million from this year's security budget, about 20 percent, as Brazil battles the deepest recession since the 1930s. Security is near the top of a long list of problems plaguing Rio with the Olympics opening Aug. 5, including the Zika virus, water pollution, slow ticket sales and budget cuts. Andy Hunt, who heads the World Sailing governing body, was in Rio on Monday and called the robbery "a very, very scary experience." Hunt said he would ask city officials and Rio organizers for more security, particularly around yacht clubs that line Guanabara Bay the sailing venue. Most Olympic competitors will stay in the Athletes Village. However, Hunt said many of his sailors will not, staying in hotels near the sailing venue, which is located at least an hour's drive from the Olympic Park in the suburban area of Barra da Tijuca. "We want the city to make sure they are providing as much protection as possible," Hunt said. "Equally, we need to make sure the athletes take every safety precaution they can not to put themselves at the point of danger." ___ Any Cabrera, veteran AP LatAm editor, reporter, dies at 60 MEXICO CITY (AP) Any Cabrera, a veteran AP journalist who covered many of Latin America's biggest stories during 33 years as a reporter and editor, died suddenly Monday morning at her home in Mexico City. Cabrera, 60, was the news editor of the AP's Spanish-language news service, based in Mexico City. She worked with reporters across Latin America as well as some in Spain and the United States. Medical investigators believe Cabrera died of a heart attack. A friend who found her said she had been complaining of feeling poorly Sunday. In this April 17, 2013 photo, Associated Press news editor Any Cabrera poses for a staff photo at the Mexico City AP bureau. Cabrera, a veteran AP journalist who covered many of Latin America's biggest stories during 33 years as a reporter and editor, died the morning of Monday, May 23, 2016 at her home in Mexico City. She was 60. A native of San Salvador, El Salvador, Cabrera was the Mexico-based news editor for the AP's Spanish-language service, overseeing coverage in 20 nations in Latin America, Spain and the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) Ana Leonor Cabrera Rivas, affectionately known by her nickname "Any," was born Aug. 11, 1955, in San Salvador, El Salvador. "Any was the calm voice of reason on the other end of the line, the unflappable editor who always knew what had to be done next," said Paul Haven, the cooperative's news director for Latin America and the Caribbean. "She was loved and admired by everybody." Cabrera began working as an AP correspondent in El Salvador in 1983 during that country's bloody civil war, and her dispatches stood out for their objectivity, transparency and balance in a profoundly polarized country. After the war's end in 1992, Cabrera was assigned by the AP to report news from the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, including the South American giant's transition to democracy after two decades of dictatorship. In 2000 she transferred to Mexico City to become an editor on the Spanish service news desk. In 2011 Cabrera became that service's news editor, helping lead an initiative to bolster editing and distribution of Spanish-language stories and improve coordination between the AP's Spanish and English services. "Any was a natural leader, a fine journalist and, above all, a good friend to many during her decades of reporting and editing the biggest and most important stories in Latin America," said Marjorie Miller, AP vice president for global news and enterprise. "She was known for her wealth of knowledge about the region and her all-around smarts. What a loss for all of us at the AP and for the profession." Reporters described Cabrera as a thoroughly professional journalist who cared deeply about their needs and concerns. "When we were working against the clock, Any went out of her way to help you make your deadline," said Eva Vergara, AP correspondent in Santiago, Chile. "She could sense when her people were tired from so many hours working and she would send you home to rest a while, and in the middle of difficult stories such as earthquakes, she worried about you and asked how you and your families were." Cabrera adored her grandnephew and was delighted by the recent marriage of her daughter, Carol Beatriz Innis, in El Salvador. Besides her daughter, she is survived in her immediate family by a brother, Alejandro Cabrera. In this Feb. 1, 2013 photo, Associated Press news editor Any Cabrera pauses from work while getting her photo taken at the Mexico City AP bureau. Cabrera, a veteran AP journalist who covered many of Latin America's biggest stories during 33 years as a reporter and editor, died the morning of Monday, May 23, 2016 at her home in Mexico City. She was 60. A native of San Salvador, El Salvador, Cabrera was the Mexico-based news editor for the AP's Spanish-language service, overseeing coverage in 20 nations in Latin America, Spain and the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) CORRECTS DATE PHOTO TAKEN - In this photo courtesy of Alberto Barrera taken in the 1980's, Associated Press reporter Any Cabrera, center, sits between fellow journalists Alberto Barrera, right, and Maite Galeano during a social gathering of journalists covering the civil war in El Salvador. Cabrera, a veteran AP journalist who covered many of Latin America's biggest stories during 33 years as a reporter and editor, died the morning of Monday, May 23, 2016 at her home in Mexico City at age of 60. Cabrera, a native of El Salvador, began working as an AP correspondent in El Salvador in 1983 during her countrys bloody civil war, and her dispatches stood out for their objectivity, transparency and balance in a profoundly polarized country. (Alberto Barrera via AP) Father, son accused in Utah kidnapping will stay behind bars FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) A father and son accused of tying up five members of a Utah family will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail-line worker whose body was found along their likely escape route to Wyoming. In the first Utah court appearance for Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, and Dereck James "DJ" Harrison, 22, an attorney for the father acknowledged that her client is a person of interest in the death of Kay Ricks. But lawyer Susanne Gustin said she doesn't know what evidence police have or if Flint Harrison or his son will be charged in that case. "Obviously it's a very difficult situation for him, but it's hard to talk about that when the Rickses have lost somebody," Gustin said, declining to elaborate on what her client has said about the allegations. Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, enters the courtroom at the Farmington, Utah, Courthouse, Monday, May 23, 2016. A father and son accused in a bizarre Utah kidnapping will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found in Wyoming. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool) Flint Harrison winked at somebody in the front row of the courtroom as he walked in, looking calm during his short appearance. The younger Harrison, sporting a thick beard and wearing a red jail jumpsuit, looked more stoic and worried. He requested more time to find a private attorney. His grandmother, Marlene Brown, attended the hearing, but she declined to comment outside court. Police are investigating the death of Ricks, 63, as a homicide. While they have not directly linked the two cases, authorities say the coincidences are too strong to ignore. In Wyoming, Lincoln County Attorney Spencer Allred said Monday that they are in the midst of a thorough and detailed investigation. Allred said he expects charges to be filed at some point, but he didn't elaborate. The family of Kay Ricks did not attend the hearing, and doesn't plan on going to future hearings, family spokesman Richard Massey said. He said Ricks' body returned to Utah Friday morning, but the family doesn't yet know how he died. The funeral will be closed casket, he said. The Harrisons have been charged with kidnapping and other crimes alleging they invited a woman and her four teenage daughters over for a barbecue May 10 and held them captive in the basement of a house in Centerville, outside Salt Lake City. Prosecutors say the Harrisons were using drugs and wrongly believed the mother had reported them to authorities. The family managed to break free and escape. The Harrisons fled and were hiding out in the Salt Lake City area when Ricks disappeared during his light-rail maintenance shift May 12, police say. The body of the Mormon grandfather was found five days later and 130 miles away, along the route the men likely took to a hideout in remote Wyoming, police say. Ricks' Utah Transit Authority truck was discovered near their makeshift campsite. The Harrisons were arrested May 14 near Pinedale, Wyoming, after a five-day manhunt. Flint Harrison turned himself in to police, and his son was spotted near a roadblock later that night. They were sent back to Utah to face charges in the kidnapping. Wyoming police say that having the Harrisons jailed there will give them time to fully investigate Ricks' death. An evidentiary hearing for Flint Harrison was scheduled for Aug. 9. His son will be back in court next week when he hopes to have a private attorney. ___ Associated Press writers Ben Neary in Cheyenne and Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed to this report. Dereck James Harrison leaves the courtroom at the Farmington, Utah, Courthouse, Monday, May 23, 2016. A father and son accused in a bizarre Utah kidnapping will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found in Wyoming. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool) Dereck James Harrison's grandmother, Marlene Brown, gestures as she leaves the courtroom following the initial court appearance for Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, and Dereck, 22, Monday, May 23, 2016, in Farmington, Utah. The father and son accused in a bizarre Utah kidnapping will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found in Wyoming. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Dereck James Harrison, right, stands with public defender, Ron Fujino in the courtroom at the Farmington, Utah, Courthouse, Monday, May 23, 2016. A father and son accused in a bizarre Utah kidnapping will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found in Wyoming. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool) Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, enters the courtroom at the Farmington, Utah, Courthouse, Monday, May 23, 2016. A father and son accused in a bizarre Utah kidnapping will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found in Wyoming. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool) Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, winks in the courtroom as he makes his initial court appearance at the Farmington, Utah, Courthouse, Monday, May 23, 2016. A father and son accused in a bizarre Utah kidnapping will remain jailed without bail as authorities investigate if they were involved with the death of a rail line worker whose body was found in Wyoming. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool) UK becoming more ethnically segregated: Chuka Umunna Britain is becoming more ethnically segregated, with widening "cracks in our communities", because lessons have not been learned from race riots 15 years ago, an MP has warned. Former Labour shadow minister Chuka Umunna criticised the immigration debate for focusing "almost exclusively on numbers, with too little attention paid to how we integrate people once they settle here". The Streatham MP repeated a warning he made in March that people may seek "Donald Trump style" solutions if politicians did not act first. Mr Umunna spoke ahead of a meeting of the The All-Party Group on Social Inclusion He spoke ahead of a meeting of the The All-Party Group on Social Inclusion, which he launched in March with a cross-party plan to improve social integration. Its members include the prominent Conservative backbencher David Davis. Mr Umunna, who chairs the group, warned that not enough action had been taken following violent disorder in Oldham, Bradford and Burnley in 2001 and the subsequent Cantle report into their causes. Mr Umunna said: "Fifteen years after the Cantle Report, lessons have still to be learnt and cracks in our communities have continued to grow. "In fact, Britain has become a more ethnically segregated as a nation as immigration has risen over the last decades. This illustrates the problem with a national debate on immigration that focuses almost exclusively on numbers, with too little attention paid to how we integrate people once they settle here. "We're now at a crossroads. If we don't take action to bridge the divides in our communities, they will grow into gulfs and there is a real risk the British people could respond, not by seeking to solve our problems together, but by seeking to blame one another and look to 'Donald Trump style' solutions." Those due to address the group on Monday include Professor Ted Cantle, whose December 2001 report exposed a "polarisation" in Britain that led to races leading parallel lives. The former chief executive of Nottinghamshire City Council made 67 recommendations in areas such as housing, education, youth facilities and regeneration. Model describes moment millionaire ex died during violent struggle in Spain A Slovakian model accused of murdering her British millionaire ex-boyfriend at his luxury home in Spain has described in court the moment he died after a violent struggle. A tearful Mayka Kukucova, appearing in front of a jury at the Ciudad de la Justicia in Malaga, insisted she "never wanted to hurt" Andrew Bush. Kukucova, 26, said that she had gone to Mr Bush's home to collect her things when he returned unexpectedly from a trip with his new girlfriend. Mayka Kukucova appeared in front of a jury for the first time at the Ciudad de la Justicia in Malaga, charged with murdering Andrew Bush "I was watching television, then I heard Andy in the garden. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I went upstairs to get dressed. "When he came and saw me he told his girlfriend (Maria Korotaeva) to go out to the car. "He started shouting and hitting me and took me strongly by the arms. I said I wanted to go but he said no. "He was shouting that he was going to kill me and my family." After a struggle down the stairs, Kukucova said: "Then the gun was in my hands. I threw myself on him and we were fighting and then the gun went off. "I couldn't hear anything. I was just trying to get away. I didn't want to hurt him." She said she had tried to go back upstairs but there was a struggle on the staircase as Mr Bush came after her. She said of the struggle: "I don't know how many times the gun went off." The court heard that Kukucova then left the house and told Ms Korotaeva to get out of Mr Bush's car before driving off. Her defence counsel Carlos Larranaga said: "The facts are that a person has died. There was a homicide but we have not accepted that my client is a murderer. "My client shot him." He told the jury: "You must decide if Mr Bush was killed in an aggressive way, or as a method of defence." The pair met when Kukucova worked at a jewellery store owned by Mr Bush in Bristol. Kukucova said they were together for two-and-a-half years before the relationship broke down. Her account of the events leading up to Mr Bush's death in April 2014 came after the prosecution told the court he died after being shot three times, once in the shoulder and twice in the head. Kukucova has not entered a plea in relation to killing Mr Bush, 48. The court heard that she was arrested after handing herself in four days after the shooting in her home town of Nova Bosaca in Slovakia. She was detained on suspicion of "consumed intentional homicide" before being extradited to Spain to face charges of murder and vehicle theft. Ms Korotaeva, a Russian national, met Mr Bush while studying as an undergraduate at the University of the West of England. Following his death, she posted a picture of the couple on Instagram with the message: "I will always love you. You will always be in my heart. The man who changed my world for better. My teacher. I wish I could of saved you. RIP Andy Bush." The trial is due to last until the end of the week and Mr Bush's sister, Rachel, is expected to give evidence. Geraint Thomas signs two-year contract extension with Team Sky Geraint Thomas has signed a two-year contract extension to remain with Team Sky until 2018. The Welshman has contributed much to their success since they were established in 2010 and is again expected to be influential in the team's pursuit of a fourth Tour de France in July. It is believed the new contract commits him to one year with the option of a further 12 months. Geraint Thomas has signed a two-year extension with Team Sky Thomas posted on his Facebook page on Monday: " Good morning! Super happy to announce that I've extended my contract with Team Sky for another two years. "Thank you for all your loyal support and kind words. It has really helped me to get to where I am today - hopefully I can continue to improve as a cyclist and grow with the team. Looking forward to what the future holds and here's to bigger and better things ahead!" The 29-year-old, who earlier this season became the third Briton behind Tom Simpson and Bradley Wiggins to win the Paris-Nice race, continued in a Team Sky statement: "Signing again was an easy decision. "I've only really just started when it comes to trying to win stage races. I'm learning all the time about how to get in the best shape for them and how to lead a team. "For me, this year started with winning Paris-Nice and is now about going to the Tour in the best shape possible to support Froomey (Chris Froome). After the Tour we can start looking to next year and keep setting bigger and better goals. "It's about keeping that progression going, and Team Sky is the best place to do that. I'm just super happy being part of the team." Thomas also won this year's Volta ao Algarve, team pursuit gold at the past two Olympics and in 2015 finished a career-best 15th in the Tour de France. Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford added: "Geraint is one of the most versatile bike racers in the world. He has demonstrated this by winning on the track, in the Classics and now in stage races. "He has gone from strength to strength and winning Paris-Nice this year was another step up. It gave him real confidence and now he can set his sights on developing his performances in the Grand Tours. Lewis Hamilton draws a line under Nico Rosberg collision Lewis Hamilton insists the chapter is now closed on his jaw-dropping collision with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg at the Spanish Grand Prix. Hamilton and Rosberg failed to make it beyond turn four of the Barcelona race after they crashed on the opening lap. The paddock was divided as to who was at fault for the accident, but both the race stewards, and Hamilton's Mercedes team for that matter, deemed it to be a racing incident. Lewis Hamilton wants to move on from his crash with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Speaking ahead of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix, Hamilton, who trails Rosberg by 43 points said: "Barcelona was the worst feeling, but like I always say, the true test is how you get back up when you've been knocked down. "It was a tough moment for all of us after the race, but it's now chapter closed and looking ahead to Monaco." Neither Hamilton nor Rosberg were prepared to accept blame for the opening-lap crash. And Rosberg, winner of the last three grands prix on the streets of Monte Carlo, is also keen to put the incident behind him. Rosberg added: "I was gutted after what happened in Spain - for myself, but mostly for the team. "We're in this together and I know how hard everybody works to make these amazing cars, so for us to leave them both in the gravel is the worst possible scenario. High Court judge gravely concerned for 'vulnerable' missing boy Moses, 14 A High Court judge says he is gravely concerned about a "vulnerable" 14-year-old boy who has "significant educational needs" and has been missing for a year. Mr Justice Keehan made a public appeal for help finding Moses John - who is at the centre of family court litigation and has been made the subject of an interim care order. He said it was "imperative" that the teenager was found. Pauline Watson and Moses John are missing (Northamptonshire County Council/PA) Police and social services had told Mr Justice Keehan that Moses was thought to be with his mother - Pauline Watson, 46. Social workers say they have concerns about the way Moses' mother has behaved towards the youngster. They say she is thought to have mental health difficulties and has spoken of how she "hates" Moses and considers him a disappointment. Police say Moses and his mother vanished from their home in Northamptonshire in the summer of 2015 and are thought to be in London. A lawyer representing Northamptonshire County Council - which has responsibility for Moses' welfare - outlined detail at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London as Mr Justice Keehan asked the public to help find the teenager. "I am gravely concerned for his welfare," said the judge. "It is imperative, in his welfare best interests, that his current whereabouts are made known." He said the teenager was vulnerable and added: "Moses has been missing for very many months. The very best endeavours of the social workers and the police, working co-operatively together, have not succeeded in finding him." Police say Moses is black and about 5ft 9ins tall. His mother is also black and around 5ft 7ins. Officers say Moses' mother, who is from Jamaica, is thought to have links to areas of London including Croydon, Islington, Merton, Sutton, Southwark and Lambeth. Barrister Richard Jones, who represented Northampton council at Monday's hearing, gave Mr Justice Keehan an outline of the background to the case. Moses had "significant educational needs" - and he said the youngster's mother "might well" have mental health difficulties, said Mr Jones. He had been made the subject of an interim care order. Mr Jones told how Moses' mother had spoken of Moses being a disappointment and of how she "hates him". He also said she was an illegal immigrant - saying her leave to remain in the UK had expired in September. A detective involved in the investigation said Moses and his mother could be using different names. Detective Sergeant Nickie Deeks, who works for Northamptonshire Police, urged members of the public to carefully study photographs of the pair. "Please think carefully because you might have seen them," she said. "You might have seen them in a shop, in a park, on the Underground, on a bus, anywhere." Prison for British Muslim convert who planned to bring up her children under IS A British Muslim mother who wanted bring up her children under the Islamic State in Syria has been jailed for two and a half years. Muslim convert Lorna Moore, 34, was planning to take her three young children to the war zone - including an 11-month-old baby. Around the same time, a number of pregnant women from the same community were poised to give birth in the Caliphate. British Muslims have been sentenced at the Old Bailey in a case linked to the Islamic State in Syria Moore, from Walsall, West Midlands, failed to tell authorities her husband Sajid Aslam, 34, was about to leave for Syria. Ayman Shaukat, 28, was also convicted of preparing terrorist acts by helping Aslam and Muslim convert Alex Nash, 22, on their way. Kerry Thomason, 24, was pregnant when she was stopped from flying out with her two children to join her husband in Syria. Sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Charles Wide described Moore as a "very strong character" and said she "knew perfectly well of your husband's dedication to terrorism". "One of the troubling things about you is your facility for telling lies," he added. He said Moore had told "lie after lie" to the jury during her trial and that some of her evidence was "nonsense". She was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment. Shaukat was jailed for a total of 10 years with a five-year extended licence while Nash was jailed for five years with a one-year additional licence. Judge Wide said Shaukat was "committed" and Nash "dedicated" to terrorism. He described Thomason as "naive" and said her husband made "ugly threats" against her in trying to persuade her to join him. She was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years with a supervision order and six-month tagged curfew between 6pm and 6am. At the time of Aslam's departure in August 2014, Moore had taken the rest of the family on a Butlin's holiday in Skegness. The day after dropping him off at the airport, Shaukat sent a photograph of himself on his mobile phone posing with the IS flag. As Aslam crossed into Syria, he sent a triumphant coded message back to Shaukat in the form of a video link to a song called I Made It by Cash Money Heroes. Within months, Moore had booked flights to Palma, Majorca, but her final destination was given away in a text from Nash's pregnant wife in Turkey saying "see you there". Moore insisted she would "never" put her children's lives in danger, adding: "They mean the world to me." She claimed her relationship with Aslam ended after he became abusive and they only lived together for the sake of the children who are now aged three, nine and 10. She told jurors that when she turned to a Muslim cleric for a divorce, he told her that a "white Muslim is not a special Muslim" and she must take her husband back. Shaukat, of Pargeter Street, Walsall, denied helping his friends join IS by dropping Aslam and Nash off at airports. The convicted burglar and law degree graduate was nicknamed Karma Chameleon because he presented different versions of himself to jurors and his home in the Caldmore area in Walsall is known locally as Karma. He described IS as "evil" and said he told MI5 he would "assist in any way I could" after agents contacted him as treasurer of the community group Islam Walsall. Other members of the West Midlands group allegedly set off for Syria between July and December 2014. The first to join IS was Muslim convert Jake Petty, 25, also known as Abu Yaqoob Britany. His Christian minister mother Sue Boyce wept as she told jurors how she begged him not to go and later had to identify his body from video footage on social media after he was killed in December 2014. Petty was swiftly followed by former schoolmate Isaiah Siadatan, 24, whose pregnant wife Thomason was prevented from joining him. He had sent her an email in December 2014 insisting that she should bring their children to him in IS. Siadatan is believed to have been killed in the summer of 2015, although his death is unconfirmed. Thomason previously pleaded guilty to assisting her husband in preparation of his terrorist acts. Nash and his pregnant wife Yousma Jan, 20, were arrested by Turkish authorities and sent back to the UK. He took sole responsibility for the plan and admitted preparing acts of terrorism, while a charge against Jan was discontinued. Alex Nash Kerry Thomason Ayman Shaukat UK's child mental health provision alarming, says UN committee The state of mental health services for children in the UK is "alarming", a UN committee has told Government officials. Waiting lists are too long, leading to an unacceptable situation, a member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child said as she questioned UK representatives in Geneva. Olga Khazova of Russia hit out at a lack of funding and said she had heard one case of a child having to wait more than a year for proper treatment. Government representatives were questioned on a series of issues looking at their commitment to promoting and protecting the interests of children Government representatives were questioned on a series of issues looking at their commitment to promoting and protecting the interests of children. Ms Khazova said: "I am sorry to say that mental health is an issue. Mental health services are underfunded, there is a trend to over-medication and therapeutic and community-based services are not developed. In many respects the situation is really alarming - again there are differences in different jurisdictions but this relates to all countries." She said waiting lists for mental health care are "far too long and therefore absolutely unacceptable". The four commissioners for children in Great Britain and Northern Ireland made 114 recommendations to the committee ahead of the hearing, including a section dedicated to mental health which includes a call to improve resources so children can be seen quickly. Other issues included the possibility of lowering the voting age to 16. Despite a call from the commissioners, Anne Jackson from the Department for Education said: "The UK Government has no plans to lower the voting age to 16. The Government believes that changes to the franchise should, where possible, be made on the basis of consensus and sees no majority across the United Kingdom in favour of lowering the voting age." She added that it is "very important" for young people be involved in decision making and to be able to campaign for changes in the voting age. The commissioners also recommended all forms of corporal punishment, including smacking, be made illegal - something supported by the NSPCC. The Government has said while it does not condone "any violence" towards children and has laws to address such issues, it does not believe parents should be criminalised for " giving a child a mild smack in order to control their behaviour". The two-day hearing will continue on Tuesday morning. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "Children's mental health is a priority for this Government and we know that intervening early can have a lasting impact. That's why we are putting a record 1.4 billion into transforming the mental health support available to young people in every area of the country. This will help make sure young people get the mental health support they need more quickly. Road to Aleppo hit in heaviest air strikes in months -rebel, monitor BEIRUT, May 22 (Reuters) - Air strikes hit the only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city on Sunday in the heaviest bombardment since February, a rebel official and monitor said, jeopardising access to an area where an estimated 300,000 Syrians live. They said Russian warplanes had carried out the attacks on the Castello road, which was still open but dangerous. Libyan coastguard intercepts 850 migrants at sea TRIPOLI, May 22 (Reuters) - Libyan coastguards intercepted about 850 migrants on Sunday off the coast near the western city of Sabratha, a spokesman said. Ayoub Qassem said the migrants were from various African countries and among them were 79 women, including 11 who were pregnant, as well as 11 children. They were travelling in inflatable rubber boats, he said. Libya is a major departure point for mainly sub-Saharan African migrants trying to reach Europe through crossings arranged by people smugglers. Migrants are often given flimsy boats that are ill-equipped for travelling across the Mediterranean. The flow of migrants has increased amid the turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising against long-time Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi. More than 30,000 have already crossed on the central Mediterranean route to Italy this year, and more are expected to attempt the journey in calmer weather during the summer. The International Organization for Migration has identified 235,000 migrants in Libya, but says the real number is likely to be much higher, between 700,000 and one million. Some of these stay in Libya to work before either returning home or trying to continue on towards Europe. China's drugs watchdog struggles as senior staff lured away by industry By Adam Jourdan SHANGHAI, May 23 (Reuters) - Promises of higher salaries and greater freedom at work are luring officials from China's high-profile drugs watchdog to the companies they had regulated, a blow just as the country looks to tighten oversight and drive innovation. China wants to crack down on substandard drugs and healthcare as it seeks to produce more of the drugs consumed in the country and to build up its pharmaceutical exports. It also has ambitions to develop cutting-edge drugs to combat major diseases, from cancer to Ebola. But in the past two months alone, high-profile scandals concerning a criminal vaccine ring and experimental cancer treatments have exposed what Li Guoqing, head of the China Food and Drug Administration's (CFDA) drug supervision department, in March publicly called "dead spaces and blind zones." Current and former officials at the CFDA told Reuters the staffing issues are hampering its ability to police the world's second-largest drugs market, including the monitoring and testing of new medicines. "The brain drain of skilful people definitely impacts the CFDA's ability to operate, especially for example its ability to evaluate new drugs," said Cheng Gang, 44, a former CFDA section chief who left to set up his own drugs company at the end of 2014. He said senior staff eventually moved on for bigger pay packages at drug companies, where he said they could earn more than 600,000 yuan ($92,000) a year, versus around 120,000 yuan at the regulator. One current senior official at the CFDA, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters some areas like drug supervision and front line enforcers were particularly hard hit. An analysis by Reuters of professional websites such as LinkedIn China show that departures have included section heads and senior enforcement officers. At the heavily guarded Beijing office block that houses the CFDA's headquarters, a tightly controlled work environment has done little to stem the flow of departures. Cheng said staff were not allowed to go online or even use messaging apps when he was there, though it could not be ascertained whether that was still the case. In some ways, the CFDA is a victim of its own progress - those with regulatory experience are increasingly in high demand in China partly because drug firms are facing an ever more complex regulatory environment. They leave the CFDA for multinational companies, local drugmakers, consultancies and investment firms. Ge Li, CEO of Shanghai-based drug research firm WuXi AppTec, said only around a third of drugs approved in the United States have made it through the approval process in China. "China wants to set a standard, but it also needs to have the expertise and the talent," he said. In a speech earlier this year, CFDA boss Bi Jingquan, put the size of his drug evaluation centre at 130 people, versus 5,000 at the FDA in the United States. A third of front line drug evaluation staff have left in the last three years, he added, moving to a private sector where salaries could be as much as ten times higher. "We have been drained of a lot of our core people," said Bi. The CFDA is candid about the challenge - it said in a statement to Reuters that it needs to offer higher salaries and improved status to deal with the staff shortage. "Being able to evaluate and approve drugs is what decides the competitiveness of a country's pharmaceutical market," the watchdog said. In his comments in response to the illegal vaccines scandal in March, the CFDA's Li was stark in his assessment of the talent problem. "There aren't even 500 people with the aptitude to inspect drugs," he said. "Regulatory targets are many, but there are few people on the ground." The CFDA declined to provide Bi or Li for interview for this story. CRACKING DOWN Since his appointment last year, Bi has sought to shake up regulation by introducing new policies for drug approvals, tougher testing for generic drugs and a crackdown on dodgy drug trial data. Among others, Li Chen, the chief executive of drug development firm Hua Medicine, said that Bi takes a "no mercy" approach to regulation. China's drug exports are rising: they hit 25 billion yuan in 2015, up almost tenfold from 2002, according to Fitch-owned BMI Research. These exports are set to hit around 44 billion yuan by 2020, BMI said. The staffing crunch, however, raises doubts, over whether China really can implement and enforce the new rules - raising the risk that bad corporate behaviour will continue, and new drug development will be held back, even as China's drugs reach more people. Slow approvals for new drugs are already a bugbear for multinational firms - despite China's pledges to speed up proceedings. Drugs like Merck & Co's vaccine for HPV and others to treat hepatitis and cancer have been waiting for approval for lengthy periods, a number of years in some cases. "China's growth and appetite for medicines are growing faster than its regulatory infrastructure can keep up," said Sophie Cairns, senior analyst at consultancy IHS Life Sciences. With India's Gandhis at rock bottom, opposition comeback a daunting task By Douglas Busvine and Rupam Jain NEW DELHI, May 23 (Reuters) - Prashant Kishor, the election campaign manager brought in by India's opposition Congress party to reverse its declining fortunes, knew his real work would begin when the party hit rock bottom. It looks like that moment has come. The party run by the fabled Gandhi dynasty, which has led the world's largest democracy for most of its existence, suffered humiliation last week when it lost Assam to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a state election. Congress had controlled Assam, in India's northeast, since 2001, and for the nationalist BJP it was a first. The race was not even close, underlining the crisis facing the mother-and-son team of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Two years ago they were eclipsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a landslide national ballot won on promises of economic growth and a strong, modern India. While the euphoria of that time has faded and Modi's agenda has been slowed by stalled reforms, other state election setbacks and devastating droughts hitting rural India, he remains comfortably the most popular politician. The challenge for Rahul Gandhi, the public face of Congress' comeback, is to make up lost ground in time for the biggest test before a 2019 general election - the state vote next year in Uttar Pradesh, home to around 200 million people. That, and the state of Punjab, will go a long way to defining who is the next prime minister; in 2014, the BJP won 71 of 80 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh and only Sonia and Rahul Gandhi held theirs for Congress. Rahul Gandhi declined to be interviewed for this article, but, in a series of public appearances that have become more frequent in recent months, he sought to target Modi directly. "Modi talked about good days to come but today the country is reeling under drought and farmers are committing suicide," he told a recent "Save Democracy March" of a few thousand people in New Delhi. "Modi has nothing to say." INSIDE KNOWLEDGE In an intriguing twist in the race for Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi has invited Kishor to help coordinate Congress' strategy, the same man who aided Modi's march to New Delhi with a campaign that embraced modern electioneering techniques and wowed voters. Kishor now plans to bring those, and an intimate knowledge of the way Modi and the BJP operate, to a party that is widely seen as old-fashioned and overly reliant on the Gandhis. The 38-year-old, who largely avoids the public eye but engages the press and senior party figures with increasing confidence, has a backroom team of researchers analysing census data to more effectively translate votes into seats. That may mean targeting a particular caste or religion, for example. Sources close to Kishor, who worked in health activism before being taken on as policy adviser to Modi when he was chief minister of Gujarat state, said Kishor had "24/7" access to Gandhi, although he did not decide his day-to-day movements. Kishor is determined to move away from a system of patronage, inject a sense of urgency and bring in fresh faces from the grassroots level upwards, even if it means upsetting the Congress establishment. And, reflecting a growing interest in politics rather than focusing on number crunching, Kishor wants to portray Congress as the only inclusive national party in India, the sources said. The BJP has been accused of stifling free speech and promoting a Hindu-first agenda to appeal to the country's majority at the expense of significant minorities, including around 170 million Muslims. "We are a party of all, for all and by all," said Jyotiraditya Scindia, a Congress parliamentarian, and, in his mid-40s, is of Gandhi's generation and one of the party's "new guard". "The only other national party, which is the BJP, is not representative of pan-India, because it is not of all, it is not by all and it is not for all." Kishor is understood to want to launch a "new face" to lead the Uttar Pradesh campaign, which could be Gandhi, his popular sister Priyanka or someone else. Congress officials and Kishor declined to comment. Separately, a party source said this week that Gandhi's long-awaited promotion to take over Congress from his mother might happen "sooner than you think". Kishor, for one, is realistic about Congress' chances of catching up with the BJP. "We are way behind the curve," said a source familiar with his thinking. "The total collapse of the party isn't something we can ignore." RAHUL RELAUNCH? In a party steeped in tradition, secrecy and deference, enthusiasm for Kishor is not universal. "Indian politics is not susceptible to modern, professional analysis," said one former Congress cabinet member. "You get it right, you're lucky; you get it wrong, you're unlucky." Indian media have also reported on the campaign manager's frustration at Gandhi's reluctance to take quick decisions, and on speculation that Kishor would resign. Kishor's organisation, Indian Political Action Committee, published two tweets to address the rumours. "Question of quitting is nothing but wild speculation. We are deeply honoured by the responsibility and totally committed to the job," one said. "Grateful for the opportunity and the trust shown by the Congress, its leadership and each & every worker for their faith in us," read the second. As Kishor works behind the scenes, Rahul is re-emerging on the national stage to take the fight to Modi. Congress loyalists say Gandhi returned a changed man from a sabbatical in a secret location in early 2015. "He ... discovered his inner politician," said Shashi Tharoor, a prominent Congress lawmaker. "He's active in parliament. He's more confident. His repartee shows he can think on his feet." Since Kishor joined Gandhi's team a few months ago, the leader has set a frenetic pace, joining student protesters on the barricades, showing solidarity with drought-hit farmers and hitting the campaign trail up and down the country. He has landed rhetorical blows on Modi, taking the floor of parliament in March to liken a tax amnesty announced in the budget to a skin-lightening cream that turns black money white. ANY CHANCE IN UTTAR PRADESH? The latest state polls, which also included Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where regional parties expectedly dominated, suggest that Gandhi's impact has been limited so far. State polls are especially important for the BJP because state legislators elect members of the upper house of parliament where Modi's goods and services tax bill is stuck because it does not have a majority. Some of Modi's closest advisers say they are more worried about Kishor's involvement with Congress than about Gandhi, given his impact on Modi's victory and inside knowledge of the way he thinks. But political analysts say Modi should not lose too much sleep for now. The BJP vote is expected to hold up relatively well in Uttar Pradesh as things stand, and the two main regional parties are well placed to fend off Congress, said Sanjay Kumar at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in New Delhi. "They can't in their wildest imagination form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The race for Congress is not to be a distant fourth." As for Gandhi, BJP leaders are dismissive. "What do you relaunch?" asked M.J. Akbar, a former Congress spokesman who joined Modi's BJP before the 2014 election. "He's already been launched. He's been in an active leadership position since before the 2014 election." Spanish journalist feared kidnapped by Colombian rebels BOGOTA, May 22 (Reuters) - A Spanish journalist working in Colombia for almost two decades has disappeared while reporting a story on the illegal drugs industry and is feared kidnapped by Marxist rebels operating in the area, military sources said on Sunday. Salud Hernandez, a journalist with Spain's El Mundo and local newspapers, disappeared close to the town of El Tarra in the northern province of Norte de Santander on Saturday. It is thought that Hernandez has been kidnapped by the National Liberation Army (ELN), the second biggest rebel group in Colombia, which has continued taking people hostage even while it seeks a peace accord with the government. "I order priority and dedication from the armed forces in establishing where the journalist Salud Hernandez is," President Juan Manuel Santos said from his Twitter account. The armed forces have activated a search operation for her in the area, according to a Tweet by the military. Hernandez is known for her opinion columns that have been highly critical of Colombia's insurgent groups. Colombia has been in peace talks with the bigger rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), since the end of 2012 and the ELN recently agreed to begin talks with the government. Santos has said that no negotiations will start until all hostages are freed by the group. The 2,000-strong ELN has increased oil pipeline bombings in recent months and continued kidnappings, in what many see as an attempt to pressure the government into talks. Inspired by Cuba's 1959 revolution, the ELN has battled a dozen Colombian governments since it was founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964. Eight shuttered work camps reopening in Canada's scorched oil lands TORONTO, May 22 (Reuters) - Authorities in Canada have announced the reopening of eight shuttered work camps south of the wildfire-ravaged oil town of Fort McMurray, paving the way for energy firms to restart production. Municipal authorities announced Sunday evening a "phased re-entry" for camps near Nexen's Long Lake and ConocoPhillips's Surmont facilities, both of which have stopped production due to the fire. "Assessment work to return ... camps to operations may begin immediately," the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which oversees Fort McMurray, said in a statement. The municipality is also reopening camps near Enbridge Inc's Cheecham terminal, which the company has said was returning to full service. It is not immediately clear when any of the oil facilities themselves will be fully operational. A ConocoPhillips spokesman said the company does not yet have a timeline. Nexen and Enbridge did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The inferno in northern Alberta, which by Sunday evening was more than 500,000 hectares, has caused the evacuation of Fort McMurray's entire population of nearly 90,000 since it began early this month. It also caused the evacuation of oil facilities and work camps around the city and triggered a prolonged shutdown that has cut Canadian oil output by a million barrels a day. Producers have since signaled a gradual increase in operations as rain and cold weather helped firefighters beat back the flames. The announced re-opening of the work camps came two days after the municipality lifted the evacuation orders on Suncor Energy Inc and Syncrude oil sites and some nearby work camps north of Fort McMurray. It is unclear when either will resume full production, though Suncor has said a limited number of staff will be back at some of its sites on Monday at the earliest and that all will return "in a phased manner over the next few weeks". Fire at school for poor girls in Thailand kills 17 By Pairat Temphairojana and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK, May 23 (Reuters) - Fire swept through a dormitory at a school for girls from poor families in Thailand, killing at least 17 of them and injuring five, police said on Monday. The fire broke out late on Sunday as the girls aged five to 12 slept at the Christian school in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The school is for girls from the area's hill-tribe villages. "Most of the losses were because the children were asleep," said district police chief Colonel Prayad Singsin. "Those that got out were awake," he said. Two of the injured were in critical condition, he said. U.S. lifts arms ban on old foe Vietnam as China tensions simmer By Matt Spetalnick HANOI, May 23 (Reuters) - The United States announced a complete end to its arms embargo on Vietnam on Monday, a historic step that draws a line under the two countries' earlier enmity and underscores their shared concerns about China's growing military clout. The move came during President Barack Obama's first visit to Hanoi, which his hosts described as the arrival of a warm spring and a new chapter in relations between two countries that were at war four decades ago. Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, has made a strategic "rebalance" toward Asia a centerpiece of his foreign policy. Vietnam, which borders China, is a key part of that strategy amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness and sovereignty claims to 80 percent of the South China Sea. The decision to lift the arms trade ban suggested such concerns outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and Washington would lose leverage for reforms. Obama told a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully and not by whoever "throws their weight around." But he insisted the arms embargo shift was not linked to China. "The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said. Obama later added his visit to a former foe showed "hearts can change and peace is possible." In 2014, the Obama administration eased the decades-old arms embargo to allow its former Cold War enemy to buy maritime surveillance and "security-related" systems to strengthen it with China in mind. Now Hanoi will be able to buy a full range of U.S. weapons and military equipment. Immediate big-ticket purchases are not expected, but Vietnam's military strategists are likely to seek U.S. drones, radar, coastal patrol boats and possibly P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft. The sale of arms, Obama said, would depend on Vietnam's human rights commitments, and be made on a case-by-case basis. The announcement met a mixed reception in the U.S. Congress, which can block foreign arms sales. Some lawmakers said they supported lifting the embargo, but would keep a close eye on Vietnam's human rights record. "Congress will work with the administration to ensure today's more expansive shift in policy aligns with U.S. interests, including the desire for progress on human rights," said Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But others, including some of Obama's fellow Democrats, saw a missed opportunity. "Now what incentive is left for the Vietnamese government to meaningfully enact human rights reforms and respect the civil rights of the Vietnamese people?" asked U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez, a California Democrat who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam. HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS The advocacy group Human Rights Watch reacted with dismay to Washington's decision to toss away a critical lever it might have had to spur political reform in the Communist Party-ruled state. Phil Robertson, the watchdog's Asia director, said in a statement that even as Obama was lifting the embargo, Vietnamese authorities were arresting a journalist, human rights activists and bloggers. "In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam - and basically gotten nothing for it," he said. Obama told the news conference with President Quang that Washington would continue to speak out for human rights, including citizens' right to organise through civil society. Obama is scheduled to meet with activists on Tuesday. Quang, who announced the lifting of the U.S. embargo before Obama could do so, was until recently minister of public security, which activists say harasses and arrests dissidents. Dissent was once the domain of just a few in Vietnam. But while the party has allowed more open criticism in recent years, it is quick to slap down challenges to its monopoly on power. Although the communist parties that run China and Vietnam officially have brotherly ties, China's brinkmanship over the South China Sea - where it has been turning remote outcrops into islands with runways and harbours - has forced Vietnam to recalibrate its defence strategy. Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at Australia's Defence Force Academy, said the steep costs of U.S. arms would remain a factor for Hanoi, pushing it towards its traditional suppliers of missiles and planes, particularly long-time security patron, Russia. On the other hand, lifting the embargo will provide Vietnam with leverage in future arms deals with those suppliers. China sees U.S. support for rival South China Sea claimants Vietnam and the Philippines as interference and an attempt to establish hegemony in the region. Washington insists its priority is ensuring freedom of navigation and flight. However, China's response to the embargo announcement was muted. The Foreign Ministry said it hoped the development in relations between the United States and Vietnam would be conducive to regional peace and stability. Underlining the burgeoning commercial relationship between the United States and Vietnam, one of the first deals signed on Obama's trip was an $11.3 billion order for 100 Boeing Co planes by low-cost airline VietJet. China is Vietnam's biggest trade partner and source of imports. But bilateral trade with the United States has swelled ten-fold over the past two decades to about $45 billion. Vietnam is also now Southeast Asia's biggest exporter to America. China plans base station for rescue operations in South China Sea BEIJING, May 23 (Reuters) - A Chinese government bureau is planning a base station for an advanced rescue ship in the disputed Spratly Islands, state media reported on Monday, as China continues its push to develop civilian and military infrastructure in the contentious region. The ship, which would carry drones and underwater robots, is set to be deployed in the second half of the year, said Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship, which is under the South China Sea Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport, according to the official China Daily. The civilian bureau has 31 ships and four helicopters conducting rescue missions in the South China Sea, and officials from the department told the China Daily they work with the military on such efforts. Officials said the rescue ship base station would enable rescue forces to aid fishing boats in trouble, and shorten the distance they need to travel. It is unclear on which island the ship will be based, but China has carried out land reclamation and construction on several islands in the Spratly Archipelago, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Washington has accused Beijing of militarising the South China Sea after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia. China has said it plans to continue building civilian facilities in the region to benefit itself and other countries, as well as "necessary military facilities". Analysts say an airstrip China is building on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys could be used for both civilian and military jets. In a separate article, the China Daily said Beijing has build two lighthouses and four beacons on the disputed Paracel Islands and has set up four base stations for radio communications and civilian cellphone networks, providing "complete coverage of the area". Peru's Fujimori widens lead over Kuczynski despite scandal LIMA, May 22 (Reuters) - Peruvian presidential contender Keiko Fujimori widened her lead over rival Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in an Ipsos poll on Sunday, despite a scandal involving Fujimori's top aide. Fujimori was seen winning 52.6 percent of valid votes in the June 5 run-off election compared to Kuczynski's 47.4 percent, according to the results of a mock voting exercise by Ipsos broadcast on local television show Cuarto Poder. The poll was conducted May 19 and 20, a few days after Univision and Cuarto Poder reported that the secretary general of Fujimori's center-right party, Joaquin Ramirez, was under investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A man identified as a DEA informant in the report said he had recorded audio of Ramirez affirming that Ramirez laundered $15 million for Fujimori in 2011. "One would have thought that as a consequence...there would be a spike in mistrust of Keiko Fujimori. That didn't happen," Alfredo Torres, the head of Ipsos in Peru, said on Cuarto Poder. Fujimori, the 40-year-old daughter of imprisoned ex-president Alberto Fujimori, has denied any wrongdoing and portrayed herself as the victim of a smear campaign. Ramirez, who has also denied wrongdoing, offered his resignation letter on Wednesday to keep the scandal from hurting her campaign. The results of the Ipsos survey, which showed Fujimori climbed 2.4 points in a week, were broadcast just before a presidential debate in which she confidently attacked Kuczynski as "elitist" and uncommitted to helping the country's poor. Kuczynski, a 77-year-old former World Bank economist, narrowly moved onto the second-round election after coming in second to Fujimori ahead of a leftist rival. "Kuczynski's plan is made for defending the interests of big businessmen," Fujimori said in her closing comments in the televised debate. "His vision...belongs to the transnational corporation." Kuczynski, who tends to shy away from direct confrontation, pointed to widespread corruption in the 1990-2000 government of Fujimori's father and urged Peruvians to vote for a candidate without any links to drug trafficking. Peru is virtually tied with Colombia as the world's top cocaine producer. "The narco-state is advancing and we have to stop it," Kuczynski said. Fujimori lost her first presidential bid in 2011 to President Ollanta Humala, who cannot run again this year because of term limits. The Ipsos survey of 1,803 people has a 2.3 point margin of error up or down. Some 12 percent of voters were still undecided or planned to cast a spoiled ballot. Romania - Factors to watch on May 23 Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Monday. DEBT TENDER Romanian debt managers tender 400 million lei ($99.61 million) worth of March 2021 treasury bonds. SEMINAR Deputy central bank governor Bogdan Olteanu and deputy finance minister Enache Jiru attend financial seminar. FOREIGN ISSUANCE Romania has room for another Eurobond issue this year pending market developments, but its sizeable foreign currency funding buffer gave it a lot of flexibility, the finance ministry's treasury chief Stefan Nanu said on Friday. CEE MARKETS Polish assets mostly lagged a Central European rebound on Friday, amid a row in parliament about a likely EU crackdown on Warsaw's political establishment over alleged rule-of-law violations. BANKS EXPOSURE Austrian central bank governor Ewald Nowotny said on Friday he welcomed Austrian banks' commitment to retaining a presence in southeastern Europe. BAD LOANS Eurobank said on Friday its Romanian and Dutch subsidiaries had agreed to sell a portfolio of non-performing loans worth 170 million euros ($191 million) as part of the Greek lender's efforts to strengthen its balance sheet. Eurobank said Romanian subsidiaries Bancpost and ERB Retail Services, and Dutch ERB New Europe Funding, had agreed to sell the portfolio to ProsperoCapita, which is funded by a consortium consisting of the International Finance Corporation and Kruk. DISINFECTANTS Prosecutors were investigating a car crash that occurred near Bucharest late on Sunday which allegedly claimed the life of the owner of a disinfectant company under investigation for selling diluted disinfectants to hospitals across Romania, the country's chief prosecutor was quoted saying by news agency Mediafax. For the long-term Romanian diary, click on For emerging markets economic events, click on For an index of all diaries, click on Bayer offers to buy Monsanto for $62 billion By Ludwig Burger and Georgina Prodhan FRANKFURT, May 23 (Reuters) - German drugs and crop chemicals group Bayer has offered to buy U.S. seeds company Monsanto for $62 billion in cash, including debt, which would be the biggest foreign takeover by a German firm if the unsolicited proposal is accepted. The move, which would create the world's largest farm supplier eclipsing a planned combination of Dow Chemical and DuPont's agriculture units, comes just three weeks after Werner Baumann took over as Bayer CEO and has been condemned by a major shareholder as "arrogant empire-building". The offer of $122 per share represents a 37 percent premium to Monsanto's share price before rumours of a bid emerged. "We fully expect a positive answer of the Monsanto board of directors," Baumann told reporters on a conference call on Monday, describing criticism from investors as "an uneducated reaction in the media", driven by an element of surprise. Monsanto, which said last week it had a received an approach from Bayer but gave no details, has yet to comment on the offer. Baumann is staking his claim as the global agrochemicals industry races to consolidate, partly in response to a drop in commodity prices that has hit farm incomes and also due to the growing convergence between seeds and pesticides markets. ChemChina is buying Switzerland's Syngenta for $43 billion after Syngenta rejected a bid from Monsanto, while Dow and DuPont are forging a $130 billion business. German chemicals group BASF has also been exploring a tie-up with Monsanto but is seen as unlikely to counter bid, sources close to the matter have said. BASF declined to comment on Monday. Shares in Bayer, which had already fallen 14 percent since rumours of a bid emerged last week, dropped as much as 3.6 percent on Monday to a new 2-1/2 year low of 86.3 euros. The offer values Monsanto at 15.8 times its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the year ended Feb. 29. "UPPER LIMIT" Markus Manns, a fund manager at Union Investment, Bayer's 14th biggest investor, said a deal made sense but not at any price. "The price that has now been disclosed is at the upper limit and it is just about economical. Should it rise further, which is to be assumed, the takeover will become increasingly unattractive," he said. Equinet analyst Marietta Miemietz, who has a 'buy' rating on Bayer stock, said: "While the leverage appears to be manageable from a (credit) ratings perspective, we believe that it would curtail Bayer's strategic flexibility in the Healthcare space." Baumann said Bayer would continue to develop its healthcare business, which includes stroke prevention pill Xarelto and aspirin, the painkiller it invented more than a century ago. "We are not feeding Peter by starving Paul here," he said, adding no asset sales were planned to help pay for the deal. Bayer said it would finance the bid with a combination of debt and equity, primarily a share sale to existing investors. Equity would account for about a quarter of the deal value. The German company expects synergies to boost annual earnings by around $1.5 billion after three years, plus additional future benefits from integrated product offerings, a reference to Bayer's push to combine the development and sale of seeds and crop protection chemicals. Hungary, Factors to watch, May 23 BUDAPEST, May 23 (Reuters) - Following is a list of events in Hungary and the region, as well as news stories and press reports which may influence financial markets. (For any queries: Budapest editorial +36 1 327 4745) WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HUNGARY (ALL TIMES GMT) BUDAPEST - parliament session IN THE REGION CZECH - Drinks producer KOFOLA CeskoSlovensko to hold annual general meeting. ROMANIA - treasury bond tender IN THE NEWS REUTERS Fitch upgrade could lift forint -economy minister BUDAPEST, May 21 (Reuters) - Hungary's credit rating upgrade from Fitch could strengthen the forint next week and help push government bond yields lower in the longer term, Economy Minister Mihaly Varga said on Saturday. UPDATE 1-Fitch puts Hungary back into investment grade, a boon for PM Orban BUDAPEST, May 20 (Reuters) - Fitch upgraded Hungary's credit rating by one notch to BBB- on Friday, citing the Central European economy's lower vulnerabilities and declining debt, and returning the country to investment-grade for the first time since 2012. Oldest Olympic champion Sandor Tarics, Berlin veteran, dies at 102 BUDAPEST, May 21 (Reuters) - The world's oldest Olympic champion, Sandor Tarics, has died at the age of 102 in San Francisco, the Hungarian Olympic Committee MOB said on its website on Saturday, citing information from the family. Hungary's gross average wages rose by an annual 6.6 percent in March after a 5.9 percent rise in February, the Central Statistics Office (KSH) said on Friday. Slow but steady trickle of migrants head north from Hungary KORMEND, Hungary, May 19 (Reuters) - The controversial fence on Hungary's southern border with the Balkans may well have helped slow down the flow of migrants into northern Europe from the record highs reached last year. But a visit to a newly-opened camp on Hungary's western border with Austria showed a small but steady trickle of them are still passing through the country on their way north. Hungarian central bank seen lowering rates next week, may end cuts BP's oil search strategy shrinks with budget cuts By Ron Bousso and Dmitry Zhdannikov LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - The surprise departure of BP's exploration boss has turned the spotlight on an oil search strategy that, after years of spending cuts, is focusing mainly on expanding existing fields rather than venturing expensively into the unknown. That caution reflects a firm chastened by the $55 billion cost of its 2010 Gulf of Mexico spill, and needing to squeeze every last drop out of a sharply reduced exploration budget at a time of low oil prices. "Exploration doesn't necessarily have to look like (nature broadcaster) David Attenborough standing on a brand new frontier," a BP source told Reuters. While BP's total reserves and fields coming onstream in the next four years look healthy compared to the other majors, its long-term project pipeline is the slimmest among its peers and its break-even costs are the highest, according to some analysts, among them Macquarie. Several BP sources said Chief Executive Bob Dudley and his team were hammering out a new long-term strategy, with investors expecting an update on its post-2020 plans later this year or early next. The plan is likely to chime with a phrase that Dudley is fond of using: "Big is not necessarily beautiful." After asset sales forced on it by the Gulf disaster shrank the company by a third, BP is today focusing its operations on five regions -- Angola, Azerbaijan, Egypt, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. It was in Angola, Egypt and the North Sea, already BP core regions, that Richard Herbert notched up his main successes during his two years as head of exploration. SHRINKING BUDGET BP said his departure followed its decision to bring exploration and field development under one upstream team, headed since February by Bernard Looney. But Herbert, who worked with Dudley in Russia in the 2000s, had also seen his annual budget shrink from $3.5 billion in 2013 to $1 billion this year - not enough to drill even a dozen complex deep-water wells, and certainly not enough to throw at a frontier exploration with potential high gain, but also a high risk of coming out empty-handed. Royal Dutch/Shell sank $7 billion into an Alaskan exploration that it abandoned last year - something BP simply cannot afford. While BP's existing resources are not small compared to its peers, analysts say the lack of a long-term project pipeline is a worry. BP's reserves-to-production ratio, the number of years reserves can sustain current production, is the third highest among oil majors at nearly 13 years, excluding output from Russia's Rosneft, in which BP has a near-20 percent stake. It trails only Exxon Mobil's 17 years and Total's 13.5, but is more than Shell, Eni or Chevron. By 2020, the startup of projects such as the West Nile Delta in Egypt and the Clair Ridge field in the North Sea will have added 800,000 bpd of oil equivalent to its oil and gas output capacity, Dudley told Reuters last year. In the short term, that appears to be comfortably enough to offset shrinking output from mature fields and maintain or increase a current output level of around 2 million bpd. But another indicator, the reserves replacement ratio (RRR) - new proven but unexploited discoveries as a proportion of annual production - reveals a less rosy picture. DISAPPOINTMENTS BP's RRR fell last year to 61 percent, its lowest in many years, from 129 percent in 2013. The RRR reflects not only a failure to unlock new deposits - a problem for all the multinationals - but also a reluctance to commit investment as oil prices languish about 60 percent below mid-2014 levels. Among BP's rivals, Shell's RRR was negative last year, while that of Eni, fresh from discovering the giant Zohr field off Egypt, was 148 percent. Some of the seemingly promising projects that Herbert inherited from his predecessor, Mike Daly, have proved disappointing. In Brazil, a corruption investigation has slowed projects for other majors as well as BP. Turmoil in Libya has forced it to write off some investments there, while low oil prices have hurt development of the Canadian oil sands. Australian authorities have also refused so far to allow BP to explore the Great Australian Bight, an untapped basin off the southern coast, amid environment protests. BP has said it plans to make further acquisitions to build its resource base, such as the doubling of its stake in the North Sea Culzean field announced this week. But Macquarie analyst Iain Reid said BP's pipeline of new projects, totalling 1.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent, was the lowest among the world's top five oil companies. "BP has the lowest amount of pre-FID (final investment decision) resource, which leads to the weakest future growth rates," Reid said. BP's project break-even costs are also the highest in the group at around $72 a barrel, according to Macquarie. "BP's portfolio looks thin compared to peers, hence we continue to believe that it will need to acquire further resource to supplement the current project list and provide stronger growth at lower costs than its current portfolio." Jordan auctions 75 mln dinars in maiden sovereign sukuk deal May 23 (Reuters) - Jordan's central bank said on Sunday it had auctioned its first-ever sale of Islamic bonds, or sukuk, a five-year 75 million dinars ($105.9 million) deal to help finance purchases by state utility firm National Electric Power Company. The sukuk, which used a cost-plus-profit arrangement known as murabaha, attracted 205 million dinars worth of bids paying a 3.5 percent profit rate, the central bank said. Sovereign sales of sukuk could help broaden Jordan's sources of funding, giving it access to a large pool of Islamic investment funds in the Gulf region as well as enabling it to tap liquidity from domestic Islamic banks. Jordan has a small but growing Islamic finance industry. In 2011, local company Al-Rajhi Cement issued an 85 million dinar, seven-year sukuk, the first in the country. Jordan Dubai Islamic Bank began operating in January 2010. Brazil organizes investor meetings for state asset sales By Alonso Soto, Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, May 23 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government plans to host a round of investor meetings to market a broad plan of asset sales, a key initiative to help raise cash and reduce a record budget deficit, a senior official and people familiar with the matter told Reuters. According to Wellington Moreira Franco, the head of a government agency to draw foreign investment to Brazil, a round of so-called roadshows is seen as a necessary step to advertise the assets and the legal and regulatory framework behind the program. He did not give a timetable nor say which assets will be sold. Still, five sources with knowledge of the plan told Reuters over the past week that Moreira Franco and Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Serra will lead the roadshows, which may take place in New York, London and other financial hubs. Two of the sources said the presentations are scheduled for mid-July. The list of ready-for-sale assets is still in the making. Yet, interim President Michel Temer's government wants to sell majority stakes in the fuel distribution unit of oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA and in power utility Furnas Centrais Eletricas SA, and some of the facilities that airport authority Infraero runs, the sources said. Moreira Franco said the program's goal is to help create jobs as Brazil wrestles with a two-year long recession and slumping commodity prices. Still, the plan could help Brazil raise extra funds to narrow a deficit that most economists forecast to top 10 percent of gross domestic product this year. "It's time to end with the government monologue and start building solutions with our partners," Moreira Franco said late on Friday, adding that the legal and investment framework will be designed in a way that bidders "feel safe and confident." The state asset sale program offers more evidence of Brazil's policy shift since the Senate's decision earlier this month to try the impeachment of leftist President Dilma Rousseff. Temer, her replacement during the trial and afterwards if she is found guilty, has vowed to streamline Brazil's bloated state and open room for more private investment activity. It could become Brazil's most ambitious privatization drive in two decades. Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Co PJSC, and Mubadala Development Co PJSC are among the sovereign wealth funds invited to attend the roadshows, three of the sources said. Canadian investment firms and European infrastructure companies have already been contacted too, the same sources added. Moreira Franco declined to give an estimate of how much the government could fetch from asset sales, although two of the sources said proceeds could range between $10 billion and $20 billion over the next two years. Some of the largest investment banks operating in Brazil will also attend the meetings, many of them representing potential buyers, the sources added. In a statement to Reuters, Temer's office said the government "plans to transfer to private investors several assets, stakes and companies, although it is still analyzing which and which others will remain in the hands of the state." Spokespeople for Serra's office declined to comment. Spokespeople for the wealth funds and the Canadian firms including Brookfield Asset Management Inc, did not have an immediate comment. SANITATION, INSURANCE, LOTTERY Temer plans to deliver to lawmakers later on Monday a request to raise a key budget deficit target for this year, which requires congressional approval before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown. The new shortfall estimate is the so-called primary deficit goal, or the expected difference between spending and revenues before debt payments. Brazilian equities, bonds and currency have gained in recent months, on optimism that an eventual removal of Rousseff from office for breaking budgetary rules could usher in more business-friendly policies. Moreira Franco noted that the asset sale program and contacts with investors could also help the government resume auctions of oil and natural gas exploration permits. The program will be implemented in phases that will hinge on the ability of officials and their advisors to prepare deals, the sources noted. Moreira Franco said that no banks have yet been hired to advise on the program. According to the sources, the government will first offer those state companies with the most attractive or profitable business models, keeping a smaller stake in them. At a later stage, the government would try to exit stakes in privately-held or listed companies owned by BNDESPar, an investment holding company controlled by state development bank BNDES, they said. The Temer administration is considering disposing of stakes in regional sanitation firms, helping them refinance debt they owe to the federal government, one of the sources said. Other assets include state lender Caixa Economica Federal's insurance unit and lottery licensing, the same source said. Between 1995 and 2002, then-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso embarked on the sale of mining firms, utilities banks and licenses to operate telecommunications and electricity networks that raised about $78 billion. Cardoso sold 10 companies as well as five road and seven railway concessions, more than any other president in the country's history. Brazil's federal government has 2 trillion reais ($568 billion) in direct or indirect stakes in about 77 companies, according to data compiled by Economatica and Thomson Reuters. Among federal agencies that invest in state-controlled as well as private-sector companies is BNDESPar, which manages 45 billion reais in equity holdings. Islamic State suicide bombing kills 40 army recruits in Yemen's Aden By Mohammed Mukhashaf ADEN, May 23 (Reuters) - A suicide car bombing claimed by Islamic State killed at least 40 Yemeni army recruits and wounded 60 in the southern city of Aden on Monday, medics said, in one of the deadliest attacks yet on government interests. The attack occurred as the recruits lined up to enlist outside the home of a senior general near a military camp in Aden's Khor Maksar district, officials said. The port city serves as the temporary capital of Yemen's Saudi-backed administration while it seeks to seize back Sanaa from the Iran-allied armed Houthi group that took it in 2014, plunging Yemen into civil war. Local news website Aden al-Ghad showed pictures of soldiers picking up bloodied comrades in uniform from the ground and witnesses said ambulances with blaring sirens collected the wounded. Islamic State said the attack targeted "the apostate Yemeni army" and named the attacker as Abu Ali al-Adeni, according to a statement posted on its social media accounts. It said a bomb planted at the gate of the nearby Badr army base detonated afterwards. Officials said the second blast caused no casualties. The attacks follow gains by Yemeni government forces backed by the United Arab Emirates, who mounted an offensive on al Qaeda militants in southern towns last month. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has taken advantage of chaos in Yemen since the civil war began to win control over swathes of southern and eastern Yemen. Their militant rivals in Yemen's branch of Islamic State have carried out a series of suicide attacks on all parties to Yemen's tangled conflict, killing 25 police recruits outside the southeastern port city of Mukalla earlier in May. The militant threat has spurred U.N.-sponsored peace talks between the Houthis and Hadi's government in Kuwait that have made little progress since they began last month. The talks have been bogged down by differences over the implementation of a U.N. resolution calling for the Houthis to quit cities they control and hand over weapons and forming a more representative government. Iraq bans import of poultry products from Italy, Missouri BAGHDAD, May 23 (Reuters) - Iraq has extended a ban on live and frozen poultry product imports to include Italy and the U.S. state of Missouri due to concerns over bird flu, a government statement said on Monday. Iraq announced a ban on French imports of poultry products in December and extended the ban in January to cover two dozen countries. Blasts hit Syrian coastal city, causing casualties - monitor, state TV BEIRUT, May 23 (Reuters) - At least two explosions hit the Syrian city of Jableh on the Mediterranean coast on Monday in what appeared to be a rare attack there, a monitoring group and state-run television channel said. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the two blasts caused a number of casualties, but did not elaborate. A 34-year-old Australian woman who attempted to climb Mount Everest to prove that vegans are not 'malnourished and weak' has died. University lecturer Maria Strydom perished from a lack of oxygen in Nepal on Saturday afternoon after having to turn back from the final leg of her expedition because she felt unwell. She, along with her husband Robert Gropel, challenged themselves to overcome Everest to show that 'vegans can do anything'. Dr Strydom had said that climbing Everest while adhering to a strict vegan diet was their 'own personal Everest.' Weeks before her death Dr Strydom told how she and her husband wanted to dispel the belief that vegans were 'weak' or 'malnourished' by taking on the climb (Pictured with husband Robert Gropel) A live GPS map (right) tracked the movements of Dr Strydom (left) and gave her family updates on her The Australian national (above during a previous expedition) was an experienced climber who previously conquered Kilimanjaro According to The Washington Post, on an university blog she said: 'It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak.' 'By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more.' Dr Strydom, who worked at Monash University, decided to turned back from her attempt to reach thesummit and was assisted down to the South Col by Mr Gropel. After spending the night there, shewalked out of her tent to continue the descent, only to collapseon the Geneva Spur, two hours from Camp 3 where helicopterevacuations are possible. The expedition leader said Mr Gropel, who himself suffered highaltitude pulmonary oedema on the descent, tried unsuccessfullyto carry his wife's body down the mountain. He was taken byhelicopter to Kathmandu on Monday. For the past two years the mountain has been untouched by climbers because avalanches and safety fears. But the couple used that time to climb several peaks including Denali in Alaska, Mount Ararat in Turkey and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. May is one of the most popular months to scale Everestbefore the peak is shrouded by rain, cold and cloud brought onby the monsoon in June. Dr Strydom, a university finance lecturer, took on the seven summit challenge with her husband Mount Everest was the latest peak in the couple's 'seven summit' climbing challenge. Above, Dr Strydom at the top of Denali, the highest mountain in North America The Melbourne woman's sister, Aletta Newman, said she found out the experienced climber had perished on the mountain after looking her name up online and finding a news article revealing her identity in the Himalayan Times. Her family were very aware of the risk she was taking by climbing Everest and kept track of her movements via GPS. They became concerned when they stopped receiving 'pings' from the device she was carrying on Friday, but did not think the worst until coming across the news article. 'We all knew that it came with a degree of risks, we looked up statistics and saw that there was about a three per cent fatality rate,' she said. 'So every time we had contact with her we thought `You know this could potentially be the last time', but you don't really think you're going to be that three per cent,' she said. 'She was very giving, very caring, always interested in family and always there to support her friends and family,' she said. A total of four people have now died in the past week attempting to climb Mount Everest. Subash Paul, 43, from India, who climbed the 29,035 feet on Saturday, perished the next day due to exhaustion. Hiking officials and climbing veterans say the deaths raisequestions about the preparations and safety standards of someclimbing operators, with cut-price local companies competing forbusiness as international outfits scale back operations. Above, a spokesman for the trekking company pointed out where Maria and Eric died on a map on Sunday It was Mr Arnold's fifth attempt at the mountain. He reached the summit on Friday, informing friends online of the accomplishment Expedition organisers were assembling a rescue team onMonday to retrieve the bodies of Dr Strydom and Dutch climber Eric Ary Arnold. At least 18 people died a year ago when an earthquake sent amassive snow slide careening into Base Camp, while an avalanchein the treacherous Khumbu Icefall killed 16 guides in 2014. 'It is a difficult and challenging climb and many peoplehave died,' Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop toldreporters in Brisbane, adding that the government was assistingwith the repatriation of Strydom's body. Arnold Coster, the owner of Arnold Coster Expeditions whichled the group containing both Strydom and Eric Ary Arnold, saidboth climbers became ill very quickly on the descent. The Dutch climber was assisted down to the South Col camp,the final camp before the summit, where he was given oxygen andmedicine but 'unexpectedly passed away that evening in histent,' Mr Coster said in a Facebook post. The first of the four to die was Phurba Sherpa, 25, who fell to his death on Thursday, according to CNN. Kenyan police disperse protesters in port city of Mombasa MOMBASA, Kenya, May 23 (Reuters) - Kenyan police in the port city of Mombasa fired teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters demanding the removal of an electoral oversight body which opposition parties want scrapped, a Reuters witness said. The witness said police had earlier been seen patrolling the streets in riot gear, while businesses remained closed for fear of looting. After "sons of whores" comment, Philippines' Duterte says he will defy Church with three-child policy MANILA, May 23 (Reuters) - Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he will defy the Roman Catholic Church and seek to impose a three-child policy, putting him on a new collision course with the bishops a day after he called them "sons of whores". The southern mayor has yet to be declared the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed him ahead over his four rivals, three of whom conceded defeat. Duterte assumes office on June 30. Duterte's often outrageous comments have won him huge support and his tirades about killing criminals and a joke about a murdered rape victim do not appear to have dented his popularity in the largely Catholic country. "I only want three children for every family," Duterte said on Sunday in Davao City. "I'm a Christian, but I'm a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church." About 80 percent of the Philippines' 100 million population are Catholics, the largest concentration of any Asian country, who oppose abortion and contraception. On Saturday, he criticised the Church as the "most hypocritical institution", meddling in government policies and said some bishops were enriching themselves at the expense of the poor. "You sons of whores, aren't you ashamed? You ask so many favours, even from me," Duterte said in an interview broadcast by TV station GMA. Monsignor Oliver Mendoza, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Lingayen, whose head is the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the Church respected Duterte's opinion but that it would continue to speak against government policies that are contrary to Church teaching. "Because if we fail to do that, if we close our eyes, if we close our lips, we close our ears, what will be the role of the Church?" he said. Political analysts said they were not surprised at Duterte's statements because some bishops spoke out against him during the election campaign. "Like most liberal, secular politicians, Duterte is a deist," said Joselito Zulueta of the University of Santo Tomas. "This in itself is a self-serving position conceived out of human conceit. He will do as he pleases except when he's stopped by public criticism." Bombs kill nearly 150 in Syrian government-held cities - monitor By John Davison BEIRUT, May 23 (Reuters) - Bombs killed nearly 150 people and wounded at least 200 in Jableh and Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast on Monday in the government-controlled territory that hosts Russian military bases, monitors and state media said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in the cities that have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in the five-year-old conflict, saying it was targeting members of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 148 people were killed in attacks by at least five suicide bombers and two devices planted in cars. State media had said 78 people had been killed in what is Assad's coastal heartland. The attacks were the first of their kind in Tartous, capital of Tartous province and home to a Russian naval facility, and in Jableh in Latakia province, near a Russian-operated air base. The Kremlin said the blasts underscored the need to press ahead with peace talks after the collapse of a Feb. 27 ceasefire in April due to intensifying violence in a war that has killed at least 250,000 people. "This demonstrates yet again just how fragile the situation in Syria is. And this one more time underscores the need for new urgent steps to continue the negotiating process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness to fight with the Syrian government against "the terrorist threat" and sent his condolences to Assad, the Kremlin said. The Syrian Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the United Nations, state television reported, saying the blasts were a "dangerous escalation by the hostile and extremist regimes in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha", referring to support given to the rebels by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks. "BLOOD AND BODIES" One of the four blasts in Jableh happened when a man walked into a hospital emergency department and blew himself up. Another blast was at a bus station. The Tartous bombs also targeted a bus station, the Observatory and state media said. Younes Hassan, a doctor at the Jableh hospital, said he heard an explosion at the bus station, followed less than a minute later by the hospital blast. "Everything went into emergency mode, wounded people began arriving," he told Reuters by phone. The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned this latest attack on healthcare. The Tartous explosions occurred in quick succession, a driver at the bus station said. "People began running but didn't know which direction to go, cars were on fire, there was blood and bodies on the ground," Nizar Hamade said. Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel showed several twisted and burnt-out cars and vans. Islamic State claimed the attacks in a statement posted online by the group's Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had targeted "gatherings of Alawites". A second statement from the militant group said the attacks were carried out in a government-held area "so they experience the same taste of death which Muslims so far have tasted from Russian (and Syrian government) air strikes on Muslim towns." Amaq said 10 Islamic State members died in the attacks, 5 in Tartous and 5 in Jableh. Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said in an interview with Ikhbariya that terrorists were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians instead of fighting on the front lines, and vowed to keep battling them. The government refers to all insurgents fighting against it as terrorists. The Observatory said an area of Tartous hosting internally displaced Syrians near a blast site was briefly attacked by government supporters in reaction to the bombings. Some tents were burned but nobody was killed. Tartous governor Safwan Abu Saadah told Reuters reports on social media about refugees being shot were not true. He said some Tartous residents had gone to refugee areas to protect them from possible attacks. "Two days ago some camps in Tartous province experienced fires because of electrical problems ... today's reports that people burned (these camps) are not true. Nobody would turn against our guests in this way," Abu Saadah said. Bombings in Damascus and the western city of Homs this year killed dozens of people and were also claimed by Islamic State, which is fighting against government forces and their allies in some areas, and separately against its jihadist rival al Qaeda and other insurgent groups. Latakia city, which is north of Jableh and capital of the province, has been targeted on a number of occasions by bombings and insurgent rocket attacks, including late last year. Government forces and their allies have recently stepped up bombardment of areas in Aleppo province in the north, which has become a focal point for the escalating violence. Insurgents have also launched major attacks in that area. The only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city has suffered a week of increasingly heavy air strikes. Zakaria Malahefji, a senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area told Reuters the road was bombarded again on Monday and was dangerous to use. He said Iranian-backed fighters, who are supporting government forces, were mobilising in the southern Aleppo area. One dead as Kenyans clash with police in protest over election panel By George Obulutsa and Humphrey Malalo NAIROBI, May 23 (Reuters) - Kenyan police fired tear gas and water cannon on Monday to disperse hundreds of people protesting at alleged bias in the country's electoral commission, and at least one person died in the disturbances. The next presidential and parliamentary polls in Kenya, East Africa's largest economy, are not due until August 2017 but politicians are already trying to galvanise supporters in a country long prone to political strife. Violence erupted after the 2007 vote and the opposition disputed the outcome in 2013. On Monday police launched tear gas at a convoy of vehicles carrying opposition leaders and supporters accompanying them on foot in the capital Nairobi to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the capital. In the western city of Kisumu, the political bedrock of opposition leader Raila Odinga, one man died after sustaining an injury as he ran away from the clashes. "The injury he has was in the mouth which is very much consistent with somebody who was running and then fell down," Willy Lugusa, the regional police commander, told Reuters. He said police did not use live ammunition. Officials at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu, where the man was rushed by ambulance, said the man had no gunshot wounds. "He fell down as he was running away from rioters," Sam Oula, a doctor at the hospital, told Reuters. The opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) accused police of using live bullets to break up their rallies, adding they had collected two cartridges from one spot where protesters were dispersed in Nairobi. "We condemn this brutality in the strongest terms possible," Moses Wetangula, one of the leaders, told a news conference. CORD, led by Odinga who lost the 2013 vote and unsuccessfully challenged the result in court, has accused the electoral commission of bias and said its members should quit. IEBC officials have dismissed the charge and say they will stay. Seven protesters were arrested in the port city of Mombasa, police said earlier. About 300 demonstrators there held up placards reading "IEBC must go home now". South Africa's prosecuting authority says finmin not facing arrest JOHANNESBURG, May 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is not being investigated for espionage for his part in establishing a surveillance unit in the revenue service during his time in charge, the state prosecutor said on Monday. The National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams asked South Africans to "stop deriving political mileage of this matter," following media reports last week that the minister's arrest was imminent. PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - May 23 MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) - The following are some of the leading stories in Russia's newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - Former Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has worked out a plan for Russia's economy, proposing a range of reforms including reducing the share of government in the economy. - Rising of oil prices could support Russia's economic growth in 2016, the paper writes citing Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - Russia's Economy Ministry jointly with the Communications Ministry and other institutions aim to fine state officials who purchase foreign software, the paper writes. - Chinese companies have shown interest in trading futures for the Russian Urals crude oil benchmark, the paper writes citing the St Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX). - Russia's largest political party, United Russia, held its primaries on Sunday. Both turnout and the results satisfied party leaders, the paper writes. NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA www.ng.ru - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday will discuss two anti-crisis plans for Russia's economy prepared by two groups of economists, the paper says. ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA www.rg.ru Israel resumes cement shipments for private Gaza reconstruction after 45-day break By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA, May 23 (Reuters) - Israel on Monday resumed deliveries to the Gaza Strip of cement for home reconstruction by private individuals, ending a 45-day-old ban it imposed after it accused the Palestinian enclave's Hamas rulers of seizing some of the stock. Hamas has denied Israeli charges that it siphons off cement imports to help build and fortify attack tunnels. Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, welcomed the resumption of the shipments, saying in a statement that "all sides need to ensure that cement deliveries reach their intended beneficiaries and are used solely for civilian purposes." The Israeli ban had not affected cement deliveries for housing projects overseen by international aid groups and foreign governments. The first of some 90 truckloads of cement entered the Gaza Strip through an Israeli-controlled border crossing on Monday and Palestinian officials said they expected some 4,000 tonnes of the material would be brought in by the end of the day. "But this can be reversed if we see another (Hamas) violation," an Israeli official told Reuters. The United Nations said 140,000 houses were partially or completely damaged during a 2014 war between Israel and the Hamas-led Gaza militants. Palestinians said 2,100 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Sixty-seven Israeli soldiers and six civilians were also killed. Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, said 1,000 houses were currently under reconstruction and 70,000 other homes with minor damage have been repaired. Another 1,000 houses were completely rebuilt by Qatar. South Africa's opposition says prosecutor's appeal in Zuma matter a "delaying tactic" JOHANNESBURG, May 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's main opposition party said on Monday the state prosecutor's decision to appeal a High Court order that graft charges against President Jacob Zuma be reinstated was an attempt to shield the president. The state prosecutor had earlier told a news conference he would appeal against the ruling that could reinstate 783 corruption charges against Zuma. World leaders meet in Istanbul to fix "broken" aid system By Ayla Jean Yackley and Humeyra Pamuk ISTANBUL, May 23 (Reuters) - Global leaders met in Istanbul on Monday to tackle a "broken" humanitarian system that has left 130 million people in need of aid, a near insurmountable task for a two-day summit that critics say risks achieving little. Billed as the first of its kind, the United Nations summit aims to develop a better response to what has called the worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two, mobilise more funds and agree to better care for displaced civilians. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on governments, businesses and aid groups to commit to halving the number of displaced civilians by 2030. "We need to improve more direct funding to local communities and fix the persistent humanitarian funding gap," he said in a speech. "We are here to shape a different future," he told the gathering of 150 countries including 57 heads of government. But that may be difficult to attain. The global aid agency Medecins sans Frontieres pulled out of the conference earlier this month saying it had lost hope the participants could address weaknesses in emergency response. Critics say the global aid system has been overwhelmed by a proliferation of regional wars and failed states that have ballooned refugee numbers, and struggles with poor governance and corruption in recipient countries that consume some humanitarian funds before they can benefit those in need. Canada pledged $274 million in funding to U.N. agencies to help victims of natural disaster and armed conflict, with a focus on protecting women and children in war zones. "When we see hospitals being bombed, we have to say loud and clear this is unacceptable," Canada's minister of international development, Marie-Claude Bibeau, said. President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, which is saddled with around 3 million refugees from neighbouring Syria's civil war, again accused the West of doing little to help Syrians. Erdogan has been among President Bashar al-Assad's fiercest critics and sees his removal as essential to ending Syria's war. "The extent to which the international humanitarian system lies broken is alarming," he wrote in an opinion piece published in Britain's Guardian newspaper. "The international community in particular has largely ignored its responsibilities toward the Syrian people by turning a blind eye to Bashar al-Assad's crimes against his own citizens." Turkey has run up around $10 billion in costs in taking in the majority of Syrian refugees since 2011, and the West's perceived futility in brokering a halt to Syria's multi-factional conflict has long been a sore point for Erdogan. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there needed to be improvements in how humanitarian aid is delivered. She met with Erdogan on Monday and later said she had told him that Turkey needed a strong parliament, voicing concern over Turkey's decision to strip opposition lawmakers of immunity. Fiat Chrysler shares fall on report of German sales ban threat MILAN, May 23 (Reuters) - Shares in Fiat Chrysler fell more than 5 percent on Monday after Germany's Bild newspaper reported that the carmaker could be prohibited from selling cars in Germany if evidence of disregard of emissions rules was found. Germany began testing vehicles of several carmakers in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal that engulfed Volkswagen , Europe's biggest manufacturer, putting further pressure on a sector only gradually recovering from a six-year slump in sales. The Bild am Sonntag newspaper said on Sunday that several tests by the German motor transport authority KBA had found evidence that the exhaust treatment system in some of FCA's models would switch itself off after 22 minutes. Emissions tests normally run for around 20 minutes, the newspaper added. In a separate report on Saturday, Bild had cited German transport ministry sources as saying that the carmaker could, in a worst case scenario, be threatened with a sales ban in Germany if it keeps disregarding emissions rules. An FCA spokesman reiterated that "all its vehicles are compliant with existing emissions rules". The spokesman declined to comment further on specific details in Bild reports. Shares in the company fell more than 5 percent to touch a low of 5.94 euros, but later recouped some of the losses and were down 3.5 percent at 6.085 euros by 0920 GMT. "Whatever the ultimate outcome of the findings, we doubt FCA would be fully prohibited from selling cars in Germany, given that Volkswagen was allowed to continue selling cars even as defeat devices were found in some of its cars," UBS analysts said in a report. Germany is FCA's second biggest market in Europe after Italy. FURTHER CHECKS Engine management systems and software have come under increased scrutiny since the VW scandal broke last September. Though no other carmaker has been found using the "defeat device" software employed by VW, regulators and environmental groups have criticised the wide use of engine management systems which switch off treatments for reducing emissions in order to improve performance and increase the interval between services. Germany's transport ministry confirmed it had sent emissions data for some FCA models to the Italian authorities and the European Commission for checks. The authorities have been asked to evaluate the data and take appropriate actions, it added. The ministry said FCA declined to cooperate with the investigation after the carmaker did not attend a meeting with the German authorities scheduled for last week. However, Italy's Transport Minister Graziano Delrio said last week German authorities should address the issue by contacting Italian regulators and not the company directly. The European Commission is making checks on the matter, a spokeswoman said. She added that the Commission had asked all member states to investigate for the possible presence of defeat devices and is examining the findings before making a comment on the test results. South African state prosecutor to appeal order to reinstate Zuma corruption charges By Zandi Shabalala PRETORIA, May 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's state prosecutor said on Monday he would appeal against a High Court ruling which could lead to 783 corruption charges being reinstated against President Jacob Zuma. The decision will bring some relief to Zuma as he faces mounting calls to quit from the opposition and even from members of the ruling African National Congress after a damning constitutional court judgment against him in March. The main opposition party stepped up its criticism on Monday, saying the state prosecutor's decision was an attempt to shield the president and buy him time before elections in August. A decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in April 2009 set aside hundreds of charges allowed Zuma to run for president the same month. The NPA's decision at the time was based on phone intercepts presented by Zuma's legal team that suggested the timing of the charges in late 2007 may have been part of a political plot against Zuma. But the High Court last month ordered a review of the NPA's decision to drop the charges, terming it "irrational". "I have decided to apply for leave to appeal against the judgment," the National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams told a televised media conference in the capital. "I will always do what is correct, irrespective of whether the individual is an ordinary person, a Cabinet minister or a sitting president." Abrahams said the law allowed the prosecutor a discretion that can be exercised at various stages of the an investigation, and that the court ruling could dilute the NPA's powers. "It is also a matter that seriously affects the separation of powers. This is an important matter of principle which affects all prosecutions, it is so important. I believe it needs the decision of an appeal court," Abrahams said. The hundreds of corruption charges relate to a major government arms deal arranged in the late 1990s. Zuma said last month that an investigation into the deal had found no evidence of corruption or fraud. Critics denounced the findings as a cover-up and said they would continue to campaign for justice. REPRIEVE The opposition Democratic Alliance party said in a statement that Abrahams' decision was "a blatant delaying tactic to shield Jacob Zuma from facing the 783 charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering leveled against him almost a decade ago." ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the NPA had taken its decision independently. Analysts said Abrahams' decision was a reprieve for Zuma, because the appeal process could take several months. "The unambiguous politically effect is that it will embolden Zuma. The decision undoubtedly gives Zuma another day, another month, another year to breathe," Susan Booysen, a political analyst at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand. "The effect for South Africa, is that the trauma is continuing in this never-ending saga." Zuma is beset with scandals in the run-up to local elections in August where his party faces a strong challenge from opponents seeking to capitalize on what they see as his economic and political missteps. The president survived an impeachment vote last month called after the Constitutional Court said he breached the law by ignoring an order to repay some state funds spent on renovating his home. Uber deal shows divide in labor's drive for role in "gig economy" By Daniel Wiessner and Dan Levine May 23 (Reuters) - The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers trumpeted an agreement reached earlier this month to represent New York Uber drivers, saying it "gives organized labor an opportunity to shape the new economy in a way that supports and values workers and their families." But not everyone in the U.S. labor movement is cheering. The deal falls short of actual union representation, and it has revealed sharp divisions among labor advocates about how to address a central reality of the so-called gig economy: The classification of workers as independent contractors rather than employees. Under the terms of its agreement with Uber Technologies Inc , the Machinists will form an "Independent Drivers Guild" that will be able to intervene with the company on behalf of wrongly terminated drivers and negotiate for benefits, such as disability insurance and roadside assistance. The Machinists also agreed to refrain for five years from organizing strikes or unionizing drivers and said they would not push regulators to change the status of drivers from contractors to employees. Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, decried the deal as a "historic betrayal" of drivers because it gives up their most important tools to achieve economic power. She said her organization had been in talks with the Machinists about collaborating on a driver unionization campaign before the agreement with Uber. The Machinists had successfully organized car service drivers in the past, and Desai said her group believed a similar path would work with Uber drivers. Jim Conigliaro Jr, general counsel for Machinists Union District 15, said the agreement can help Uber drivers earn more money and work under better conditions in the short term. Longer term, if the National Labor Relations Board were to rule that drivers should be classified as employees, then a unionization drive would be possible. "To us this deal is the best of both worlds," Conigliaro said. THE CHANGING NATURE OF LABOR Rideshare companies say contracting, rather than employing, workers keeps costs down and provides the flexibility drivers say they want. But contract workers are not entitled to the same legal protections employees enjoy, including minimum wage guarantees and overtime pay. Organized labor has struggled with how to react with the new realities of the rapidly growing part of the economy dominated by gig, or temporary and contract, workers. Some union officials have argued it's crucial to engage in new ways with the changing nature of labor, while others have doubled down on traditional organizing. "We desperately need risk-taking innovation in search of the next model," said Service Employees International Union (SEIU) vice president David Rolf. Traditional collective bargaining does not work with on-demand tech companies, but new models, such as the Uber deal, can introduce worker organizing, he said. Last month, the SEIU drew flack from another union, Unite Here, for negotiating with internet-based home rental company Airbnb Inc to encourage its hosts to hire union-approved house cleaners who would make at least $15 an hour. The deal was abandoned after Unite Here, which represents hotel workers, attacked the arrangement as "cheap cover" for Airbnb. "We are appalled by reports that SEIU is partnering with Airbnb," Unite Here spokeswoman Annemarie Strassel said at the time. She accused the rental service of "driving up housing costs and killing good hotel jobs in urban markets across North America." Seth Harris, a Washington D.C. lawyer who was deputy U.S. labor secretary from 2009 to 2013, said both unions and companies like Uber are formulating strategies for the new labor market in the face of outmoded labor and antitrust laws that restrict their options. "Both sides are hemmed in, so they have found a way to navigate the narrow path those laws have carved for them," Harris said. The Machinists are not the only union to engage with Uber drivers. Earlier this year, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers launched a campaign to represent 600 of the company's drivers at New York City's LaGuardia Airport. The union, which like the Machinists is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, backed off after the Machinists launched their drive. Last month, Uber agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by California and Massachusetts drivers for up to $100 million. Drivers would remain independent contractors under the deal, but Uber said it would help establish an association for them to communicate with the company. The next day the Teamsters, in conjunction with worker rights group Silicon Valley Rising, announced it would launch a driver association in California. Kara Deniz, a spokeswoman for the International Teamsters, said it is difficult to predict what kind of organization will ultimately be formed. "As a union whatever we do will be based on discussions with the drivers and their wishes," Deniz said. The Machinists' deal could make it difficult for other labor groups to take a harder line with Uber, unless drivers are united and clear in their demands, said Catherine Fisk, a labor law professor at the University of California Irvine. "In the end what any worker organization can get is a function of the solidarity of the workers," she said. In Seattle, Uber and Lyft drivers worked with the Teamsters to lobby officials for an ordinance allowing them to bargain collectively. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit to block it, which is pending. Fasil Teka, an Uber driver who helped found the App Based Driver Association in Seattle, said collective bargaining - and the ability to strike - was his main reason for organizing. Otherwise, he said, "there would be no point in having a union." The one thing all sides agree on is that the struggle over how to organize labor in the new economy is just beginning, and for some observers, that's not a terrible thing. Bail-in level for euro zone banks to be set case-by-case - EU Commission BRUSSELS, May 23 (Reuters) - The European Commission adopted on Monday a regulation clarifying that there will no harmonised minimum level of banks' assets that can be wiped out by regulators when a lender is wound down, a move that slightly softens requirements for banks. The decision confirms what Reuters reported last week and relieves banks from the possible obligation of having to hold at least 8 percent of their liabilities and own funds, as previously stated by the Single Resolution Board, the EU body in charge of winding down banks. New EU rules on banking resolution, operational from the beginning of this year, oblige banks to hold assets that can be wiped out in case of a banking rescue. This requirement, known as MREL (minimum requirement for eligible liabilities) is essential to allow the so-called bail-in, a procedure aimed at forcing banks' shareholders, bondholders and large depositors to pay for the rescue of a lender and possibly avoid taxpayers' money to be used. The Commission refused to introduce a harmonised level for the MREL in the regulation adopted on Monday. The legislation will be automatically applicable if the EU Parliament and EU states do not raise objections in the next three months. The SRB will be still able to impose an MREL of 8 percent or more on banks, but only if it demonstrates a necessity. The body is currently drafting resolution plans for the some 140 banks under its watch. In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, SRB chair Elke Koenig said that smaller banks may be exempt from bail-in requirements, while bigger lenders will likely need to hold more than 8 percent. Three mortar shells land near Baghdad's Green Zone, no casualties BAGHDAD, May 23 (Reuters) - Three mortars shells landed near Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone overnight, the first such attack close to the cluster of embassies and government buildings in more than a year, authorities said. No group claimed responsibility for the assault which caused no casualties and coincided with an announcement of a government offensive to dislodge Islamic State from the city of Falluja, just west of the capital. The rounds were fired from al-Qanat street, in eastern Baghdad, and fell in the Karrada district, less than 1km (mile) from the Green Zone, on the opposite side of the Tigris river, according to a military statement and a police officer. Anti-corruption protesters have breached the Green Zone twice in the past month and stormed into parliament and the cabinet office, raising questions about the government's ability to maintain security in the capital as it fights Islamic State in northern and western provinces. South Africa's finance minister not facing arrest - state prosecutor By TJ Strydom JOHANNESBURG, May 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is not being investigated for espionage over his part in establishing a surveillance unit in the revenue service and does not face arrest, the state prosecutor and police said on Monday. The elite Hawks police unit is investigating a tax surveillance unit within the South African Revenue Service (SARS) set up in 2007 when Gordhan was the commissioner of the revenue authority. Gordhan, who headed SARS from 1999 to 2009, has said the spy unit set up at the tax agency was lawful. The National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams asked South Africans to "stop deriving political mileage of this matter," after media reports last week that the minister's arrest was imminent. "There are no charges of espionage being investigated against minister Gordhan," Abrahams told a news conference. "In the event that the minister is implicated, I will make the decision at the conclusion of the investigation as to whether or not any person or persons must be prosecuted, including the minister." Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi had said earlier Gordhan was not a suspect and that police were not singling out the finance minister in its investigation of the surveillance unit. The Sunday Independent reported at the weekend that Hawks chief Berning Ntlemeza had sent Gordhan's lawyers a letter to reassure him he would not be arrested. Gordhan, who was reinstated as finance minister in December, said last week that a newspaper report of his imminent arrest was an attack on the Treasury. The rand firmed briefly after the news Gordhan faced no arrest, touching 15.5230 per dollar in early trade from a close of 15.6355 on Friday. The currency was flat as of 0940 GMT. The currency had weakened last Monday to a two-month low after the newspaper report on Gordhan's arrest. The report was denied by the presidency, police and prosecutors. The report had raised concerns of a repeat of the run on the rand and bonds in December after President Jacob Zuma changed finance ministers twice in a week. It also comes as South Africa is trying to fend off a credit ratings downgrade. Moody's earlier this month left its rating of South Africa's debt at Baa2, two levels above sub-investment grade, but assigned a negative outlook, saying risks to implementation of structural and fiscal reforms remained a factor. Hackers probe defences of Middle East banks - FireEye SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) - Hackers are probing the defences of banks in the Middle East, targeting employees with infected emails which gather information about the banks' network and user accounts, FireEye researchers said. FireEye, a U.S. cybersecurity company investigating the February attack on Bangladesh's central bank in which hackers stole $81 million, said there was no apparent connection with the heist or related attacks on banks in Ecuador and Vietnam. The identity of the hackers in all three cases is not known. Cybersecurity experts say the attackers would have needed to gather knowledge about bank procedures and systems, as well as gain remote access to launch fraudulent transfer requests. FireEye researchers said in a blog post that in early May they had identified "a wave of emails containing malicious attachments being sent to multiple banks in the Middle East." The senders appeared to be "performing initial reconnaissance against would-be targets" using techniques the researchers said were not usually seen in such campaigns. Qatar National Bank, the largest lender in the Middle East and Africa by assets, said last month it was investigating an apparent security breach of data posted online this week that revealed the names and passwords of a large number of customers. A FireEye spokesman said Qatar National Bank was not one of the "several banks" in the Middle East where researchers had found the malware. He did not identify which banks and which countries were affected. He said the malware had reported back to the hackers' servers, indicating at least some of the banks had been infected. Once opened, the malicious email attachments gather information on the user's system, including network configuration data, user and administration passwords and software running on the bank's computers. India braces for more heat after temperatures break records NEW DELHI, May 23 (Reuters) - India was bracing on Monday for another bout of extreme heat after temperatures smashed records in some parts of the country, while weather officials warned against more frequent heat waves. Temperatures in parts of the western region breached 50 Celsius (122F) last week, causing a spike in cases of people suffering dehydration and heatstroke, and triggering widespread power cuts as surging demand overwhelmed supply grids. Television channels in Gujarat state showed residents struggling to cross a street as their shoes became stuck in what appeared to be the melting surface of a road. May and June are typically India's hottest months, when temperatures regularly exceed 40 Celsius in the run-up to the monsoon rains, but the severity of the heat this year has caught many off guard. "There are usually thunderstorms this time of year, but these rains have not been occurring," said B.P. Yadav, head of the national weather forecasting centre of the India Meteorological Department. "Hot winds have been blowing in from Afghanistan and Pakistan, leading to these extreme temperatures." The mercury hit a record 51 degrees Celsius last week in Phalodi, a city in the western desert state of Rajasthan, beating a previous national high of 50.6 degrees in 1956. The heat should ease with the arrival of clouds and light showers this week, Yadav said, but his office forecast a return to elevated temperatures in late May or early June. Possible reasons for the rising temperatures ranged from global warming to greater urbanisation, leading to taller buildings and increased pollution, Yadav added. The heat wave has struck as India grapples with a major drought, worsening water shortages that have hit an estimated 330 million people. "We are praying to the gods for an early monsoon so that people get some relief, as the heat has taken a toll on our bodies," said Neeraj Kumar, a resident of the northern industrial city of Kanpur. "We are not even able to do our daily chores properly." The number of heat waves had nearly doubled in the 10 years to 2010 from earlier decades, the meteorological office said. The number in the last six years had also risen from prior to the year 2000, but identifying clear trends requires more data. Iraqi forces clash with Islamic State near Falluja, bombard city centre By Ahmed Rasheed and Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD, May 23 (Reuters) - Iraqi government forces fought Islamic State militants near Falluja on Monday and bombarded central districts at the outset of an offensive to retake the longtime jihadist stronghold on the western approaches to the capital Baghdad. Some of the first direct clashes occurred in the area of al-Hayakil on Falluja's southern outskirts, a resident said. Iraqi troops also approached the northern suburb of Garma, the top municipal official there said, to clear out militants before turning their attention towards the city centre. Air strikes and mortar salvoes overnight targeted neighbourhoods inside the city where Islamic State is believed to maintain its headquarters. The bombardment had eased by daybreak. Seven civilians and two militants were killed in the shelling, while 21 civilians and two militants were wounded, a source at Falluja's medical centre said. The final toll is likely to be higher as this accounts only for casualties brought to hospital. There was no immediate report of casualties among Iraqi forces. Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, speaking on state television, described the government's advance as "careful" and reliant on engineers to dismantle roadside bombs planted by the militants. Falluja, a bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists 50 km (30 miles) from Baghdad, was the first city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014. Six months later, the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria. Iraqi forces have surrounded Falluja since last year but focused most combat operations on IS-held territories further west and north. The authorities have pledged to retake Mosul, the north's biggest city, this year in keeping with a U.S. plan to oust IS from their de facto capitals in Iraq and Syria. But the Falluja operation, which is not considered a military prerequisite for advancing on Mosul, could push back that timeline. Two offensives by U.S. forces against al Qaeda insurgents in Falluja in 2004 each lasted about a month and wrecked significant portions of the city. There are between 500 and 700 IS militants in Falluja, according to a recent U.S. military estimate. Iraqi army helicopters were rocketing IS positions in nearby Garma and targeting movement in and out of the area in order to weaken resistance enough for ground troops to enter, Mayor Ahmed Mukhlif told Reuters. The defence minister and army chief of staff visited part of that northern axis on Monday, a ministry statement said. POPULATED CITY Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also grappling with political and economic crises in the OPEC member state, visited a command centre set up nearby to oversee operations, exchanging his suit for the black uniform of an elite commando unit. Announcing the offensive in a late-night speech, Abadi said it would be conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal allies and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. Iraqi officials say the militias, including ones backed by Shi'ite power Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city limits, as they largely did in the successful battle to retake the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi six months ago, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents. State television aired footage of armoured vehicles sitting among palm groves on Falluja's outskirts, a green tracer glow emanating from shell and machinegun fire. A family stood in the daylight outside a simple one-storey home, cheering and waving a white flag as a military convoy passed by. Iraqi and U.S. officials estimate there are as many as 100,000 civilians still in Falluja, a city on the Euphrates river whose population was three times that size before the war. A six-month siege has created acute shortages of food and medicine. The Baghdad government has called on civilians to flee and said it would open safe corridors to southern areas, but roadside bombs have prevented most of them from leaving. The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said 80 families that managed to flee in recent days via a main road or through agricultural fields were undergoing screening by the security forces. It said at least three people had been killed trying to escape while 10,000 families were stuck inside "in a very precarious situation". Residents living in central Falluja said they had moved at dawn to relative safety in outlying northern areas but Islamic State patrols have since begun limiting movement even between neighbourhoods. Militants were also using mosque loudspeakers to urge civilians to donate blood, residents said. After long dispute, London metro to run all night at weekends LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Trains will run all night at the weekend from August 19 on two lines of the London Underground metro network in what new Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Monday would be a boost to the British capital's night-time economy. Plans to introduce all-night services on the Tube, as Londoners call the Underground, were one of the main causes of a long-running dispute between management and the RMT rail workers' union that involved several strikes. "The Night Tube is absolutely vital to my plans to support and grow London's night-time economy, creating more jobs and opportunities for all Londoners," Khan, who was elected mayor earlier this month, said in a statement. The RMT said there were still unresolved issues concerning the Tube's engineers and it urged management to move quickly to reach a settlement with that group of workers that did not leave them disadvantaged on conditions and pensions. "All parties have to be clear that Night Tube, a development that RMT supports, cannot be delivered on the cheap," the RMT's General Secretary Mick Cash said in a statement. The 24-hour weekend services will start on the Central and Victoria lines, with the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Northern lines to follow in the autumn. The statement from Khan's office said hundreds of thousands of late-night revellers and shift workers would benefit, with journeys cut by an average of 20 minutes and some by more than an hour. Unions dig in heels to disrupt fuel supply in France By Bate Felix PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - France's hardline CGT and FO unions toughened their stance against labour market reforms on Monday by launching a strike at oil and LNG terminals, and blockading a fuel depot in the southern port city of Marseille. The rolling strikes, which began in March and have gathered pace in recent weeks, have disrupted fuel supplies in France since Friday with protesting workers blockading petrol depots and halting production at refineries. French oil and gas company Total, which operates five of the eight refineries in France, said it has started the process of shutting down its Normandy and Donges refineries. It said in a statement the strikes had led to the shutdown of the Grandpuits refinery near the French capital, and its Feyzin refinery, while La Mede refinery was running at minimum output level due to a blockade. Rival Exxon Mobil said the strike has not affected output at its two refineries but striking workers had blockaded the oil terminal at Fos-sur-Mer in southern France. Oil sector workers in the CGT, which is France's biggest trade union, and at the third biggest FO, said on Monday they planned to intensify the action until the government withdraws a labour reform law, because they say it will hurt workers. "It is clear that the dissatisfaction with the law is unwavering," the unions said in a statement. As part of efforts to force the government to withdraw the bill, the union launched a strike at the Fos-Lavera oil terminals on Monday. "No ship is operating at the installations," Pascal Galeote, CGT Secretary General at Marseille port told Reuters. The terminals supply PetroIneos Lavera, Total's La Mede and Exxon's Fos refineries on the southern coast. They also supply Total's Feyzin; Varo's Cressier in Switzerland and the MiRO refinery in Karlsruhe, Germany, via pipelines. Another branch of CGT said that workers at Elengy, which operates three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in France will also join the strike from midnight on Monday. A similar prolonged strike at French refineries in 2010 led to a glut of crude in Europe because it could not be delivered, and a spike in refined product prices due to low output. The French government has moved to reassure the public that France was not running out of fuel after shortages at hundreds of petrol stations in several regions sparked panic buying. Finance Minister Michel Sapin accused CGT of holding France hostage, saying the government would take the necessary action to end the blockades and restart production at refineries. Total said in a statement it had begun the procedure of shutting down its 247,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Normandy; 220,000 bpd Donges and 117,000 bpd Feyzin refineries. Its 101,000 bpd Grandpuits refinery was running at minimum output. South Africa arrests Chinese ships for illegal squid fishing CAPE TOWN, May 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's navy has detained three Chinese ships with around 100 crew on board on suspicion of illegal squid fishing, officials said on Monday. The ships were spotted on Friday having entered South Africa's 200 nautical mile economic exclusion zone without permits. When South African officials asked the ships to sail to port they attempted to flee but were eventually captured. "We cannot tolerate the plundering of our marine resources, which are a source of food security," Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said in a statement. "We are also looking into the sudden influx of these vessels in our waters." The three vessels - Fu Yuan Yu 7880, Fu Yang Yu 7881 and Run Da 617 - had a combined total of almost 600 tonnes of squid when the navy escorted them to shore. Inspectors found all three ships had no permits to fish locally. Crew members have been detained on the ships. Captains face fines and possible jail sentences if found guilty. Globally, illegal fishing costs the industry around $23 billion each year, with one in four fish thought to be caught illegally in African waters. Turkey shifts to presidential system, even without constitutional change By Orhan Coskun and Nick Tattersall ANKARA, May 23 (Reuters) - As Turkey's incoming prime minister prepares to name his new cabinet, there is little doubt that its primary role will be to rubber-stamp what has already become reality: a shift to a full presidential system with Tayyip Erdogan firmly in charge. Erdogan on Sunday confirmed Binali Yildirim, a close ally for two decades and a co-founder of the ruling AK Party, as his new prime minister, ensuring government loyalty as he pursues constitutional change to replace Turkey's parliamentary democracy with an executive presidency. Yildirim's appointment will stamp out any vestiges of resistance in the AKP to Erdogan's plans, three senior party officials said, forecasting that the new cabinet, expected to be announced on Tuesday, would contain only loyalists. "We have entered a period of a 'de facto' presidential system, where Erdogan's policies will be implemented very clearly," one of the officials said, predicting five or six ministerial changes from the existing team. "They will lead to complete harmony between Erdogan and the cabinet ... Erdogan's decisions will be implemented without being touched," the official said, speaking anonymously because the final decision on the appointments has not yet been made. Erdogan and his supporters see an executive presidency - a Turkish take on the system in the United States or France - as a guarantee against the sort of fractious coalition politics that hampered Turkey's development in the 1990s, when it was an economic backwater with little clout on the world stage. His opponents, and sceptical Western allies, fear growing authoritarianism. Prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people for insulting Erdogan since he became president in 2014. Opposition newspapers have been shut and journalists and academics critical of government policies sacked. European Parliament President Martin Schulz criticised Erdogan's accumulation of power in comments published on Monday, describing it as a "breathtaking departure from European values" in a nation negotiating for membership of the EU. "We see Turkey under Erdogan on its way to being a one-man-state," he told German newspaper Koelner Stadtanzeiger. He said the European Parliament would not begin debating visa-free travel for Turks to Europe, a quid pro quo for Ankara's help in curbing illegal migration, until Turkey fulfilled all the criteria including amending its sweeping anti-terrorism laws, which Erdogan has resolutely refused to do. "It is incumbent on all of us to make clear that we cannot idly accept the monopolisation of power in the hands of a single man," Schulz said. In a sign of the possible turbulent relations to come with Brussels, Erdogan's economic advisor Yigit Bulut warned Ankara could suspend all of its agreements with the European Union if it failed to "keep its promises". MASTER MANOEUVRER Erdogan has made clear he wants to seek legitimacy for the presidential system, which will require constitutional change, via a referendum. To do that, he will need the support of at least 330 members of the 550-strong parliament, and unwavering backing from the AKP grass roots on the campaign trail. Outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was seen as too lacklustre a supporter of the presidential system. By replacing him, Erdogan aims to unify the AKP behind him just as the nationalist opposition is embroiled in a damaging leadership row and the pro-Kurdish opposition is tainted, in the eyes of some voters, by a surge in violence in the largely Kurdish southeast. "Now the road to changing the constitution to include a presidential system is completely open," a second senior AKP official told Reuters. Popular support for the presidential system is unclear, with a recent IPSOS poll putting it at just 36 percent. The ORC research firm was meanwhile cited in the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper as putting it at 58 percent. "The one-man rule has de facto begun, even though not constitutionally," Ozer Sencar, director of the Metropoll research firm, told Reuters. Yildirim, who has said his main aim as prime minister will be forging a new constitution, said on Monday the new cabinet list would be prepared quickly and be presented to Erdogan, who must approve it, as soon as he is available. Investors are most concerned about the shape of the new economic team, in particular whether Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, an anchor of confidence in overall charge of economic policy, will retain his post. A third AKP official, close to Erdogan, said it was crucial to keep an experienced team in place during turbulent economic times but that ultimately it would be the president's decision. His advisor Bulut, a former TV commentator who once accused opponents of trying to kill Erdogan through telekinesis, said that economic policy in Turkey would continue to be based on manufacturing, whoever was in charge. Ex-treasurer of Brazilian coalition party arrested in graft probe BRASILIA, May 23 (Reuters) - Brazilian federal police on Monday arrested a former treasurer of one of the parties in the country's ruling coalition as part of a wide-ranging graft probe centered on state-run oil company Petrobras, prosecutors said. Joao Claudio Genu, a former treasurer of the Progressive Party (PP), is accused of receiving about 1 million reais ($280,465) in bribes to distribute within his party. The PP supported now-suspended President Dilma Rousseff for years. It broke from the leftist leader last week when it backed her impeachment and suspension during a vote in Brazil's Senate. The PP is part of the coalition of interim President Michel Temer, who has named two of its members to head government ministries. Battle over Redstone's media empire sparks hope for change By Jessica Toonkel May 23 (Reuters) - The legal battle over control of Sumner Redstone's $40 billion media empire has investors hopeful that change will come to underperforming Viacom Inc. On Friday, Sumner Redstone removed both Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from the trust that will determine the future of CBS and Viacom after controlling shareholder Redstone dies or is declared mentally incapacitated. Dauman fired back on Monday saying the moves to replace him and Abrams from both the trust and National Amusements board would amount to an "unlawful corporate takeover" by Sumner's daughter, Shari Redstone. Sumner Redstone's privately-held movie theater chain National Amusements holds 80 percent of the voting stock in both Viacom and CBS. Separately, Sumner Redstone on Monday asked a Los Angeles Court for an order validating his removal of Dauman and Abrams from his trust and from the board of National Amusements Inc. The outcome of the court cases, and who ends up with control over the trust, and over the National Amusements board, will have wide-ranging implications for Viacom and CBS shareholders and could result in changes at the top of both companies, possibly through mergers and acquisitions. Some investors are hopeful that change is imminent. Viacom shares rose 2.5 percent to $40.02 on Monday. "This whole company should be a case study of how to destroy shareholder value," said Salvatore Muoio, principal with New York-based S. Muoio & Co, a major owner of Viacom voting shares. "They should sell this business to the highest bidder and get it over with." Michael Cuggino, president and portfolio manager at San Francisco-based Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, which owns voting shares of CBS and Viacom, said he would also welcome some change at Viacom, including a sale, but had concerns about what kind of premium Viacom could get from a potential buyer right now. Cuggino said he would welcome the idea of Viacom becoming part of CBS again, but would need to make sure it made sense for CBS. Viacom spun off CBS in 2006. "There are certainly a lot of good synergies there," he said. Others investors are showing more patience. Mario Gabelli, the second-largest owner of Viacom voting shares, told CNBC on Monday that Dauman has six months to turn the company around. Representatives for CBS and Viacom declined to comment. Viacom, like other media companies, has suffered from falling ratings at its cable networks such as Nickelodeon and MTV as younger viewers migrate online and to mobile video. Over the past 12 months, Viacom is down 40 percent, lagging the Standard & Poor's 500 Media Index, which is off only 4.7 percent. CBS shares edged down 0.5 percent to $52.49. BATTLE FOR CONTROL Redstone, who turns 93 on Friday, suffers from diminished mental capacity and is dependent on his daughter, Shari Redstone, the lawsuit said. "Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her father's well-established estate plan," Dauman said in a statement. The complaint named Shari Redstone, her son Tyler Korff, as defendants and trust members David Andelman, Norman Jacobs and Leonard Lewin as nominal defendants. A statement sent on behalf of Shari Redstone said, "It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father ... Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere." Redstone's attorneys have said he made the changes to the trust and board after trying to reach out to Viacom's board to discuss the future strategy of the company. The California and Massachusetts courts will need to sort out which of them has jurisdiction, and that may not be easy, said Keith Davidson, a probate lawyer in California. "Massachusetts will likely have a strong preference to let California take jurisdiction, especially since a part of the case has already been litigated here. But you never know," Davidson wrote in an email. The standards for determining that someone is not mentally competent differ. California requires evidence of a mental defect that correlates to the specifics of the situation, such as a will or contract; Massachusetts does not have that requirement but does look to expert opinion and would evaluate a person's ability to manage affairs effectively, lawyers said. Viacom said in a statement its board has tried to meet with Sumner Redstone many times, adding that he was silent during a recent call about the company's strategy. Sumner Redstone has not participated in an earnings conference call or an annual investor meeting since 2014. Sumner Redstone plans to name National Amusements general counsel Tad Jankowski and family friend Jill Krutick to the trust, sources told Reuters on Sunday. Besides Shari, trust members include her son, lawyer Tyler Korff; David Andelman, another lawyer who is on the CBS board; Norman Jacobs, Sumner Redstone's divorce lawyer; and Leonard Lewin, who represented Redstone's first wife, Phyllis, in her divorce from Redstone. 'LIVING GHOST' Sumner Redstone and Dauman have worked together for more than 30 years, and Redstone has called Dauman "a great friend." In February, Shari Redstone was the only one to vote against Dauman's elevation to executive chairman of Viacom to replace her father. This month, a judge dismissed a lawsuit by a former girlfriend who had argued Redstone was not mentally competent to remove her from his advance healthcare directive. The case, which claimed that Redstone was "a living ghost," shined a spotlight on Redstone's health. The mogul struggled to speak when questioned by attorneys. But he was clear about wanting ex-girlfriend Manuela Herzer out of his life, and putting his daughter in charge of healthcare decisions if he could no longer make them. In that trial, Dauman submitted statements in November that Redstone was "engaged and attentive" in recent conversations. However, the complaint filed Monday claims that Redstone suffers from dementia, impaired cognition, a slowness of mental processing, a loss of memory, apathy and depression. India to boost Iran port project, links to Afghanistan BEIRUT, May 23 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday pledged up to $500 million to develop the southern Iran port of Chabahar, in a move to give his country trade access to Iran, Afghanistan and central Asia. The route is currently all-but blocked by Pakistan, long at odds politically with India. The deal, which runs in conjunction with the development of road and rail links through Iran to Afghanistan, also represented a strategic victory for India over China, which has been competing to develop the port. Modi signed the development deal on the first visit by an Indian leader to Iran in 15 years. He was joined by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani. "This deal will be like spring for all three countries," Rouhani said at a joint news conference, a play on the name of the Chabahar port. The word "bahar" means spring in Farsi. The project means India will be able to tap into the Iranian and Afghan markets, and land-locked Afghanistan will also get an alternate to the port of Karachi in Pakistan. "This is a corridor of peace and prosperity," Modi said of the trilateral deal in a tweet. "It will positively impact the lives of people and deepen economic ties." Talks to develop the port have been underway for some years, but the nuclear deal that Iran signed with Western powers last summer, as well as the removal of some sanctions earlier this year, gave the project momentum. Chabahar is about 100 km (60 miles) from Pakistan's Gwadar seaport which China is developing as part of a $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Erdogan, Merkel agreed on need to keep migration deal on track - Turkish presidency ANKARA, May 23 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed on Monday that Turkey needs talks with EU institutions on its sensitivities in the fight against terrorism as they try to keep a landmark migration deal on track. Erdogan's office said in a statement that he and Merkel had also agreed, during a meeting on the sidelines of a humanitarian summit in Istanbul, on the need to continue cooperation against illegal migration. The EU has promised visa-free travel for Turks as part of the migration deal, provided Ankara meets criteria including changes to its broad anti-terrorism laws. Erdogan has said Turkey cannot change such laws at a time when it is fighting the threat from both Islamic State and Kurdish militants. Wines hidden in Czech castle offer rare taste of 19th century By Jason Hovet BECOV NAD TEPLOU, Czech Republic, May 23 (Reuters) - Proving the adage 'well worth the wait', experts enjoyed a rare taste of fine wines from the 19th century, discovered under the floorboards of a Czech castle in a treasure hunt that pitted Communist-era police against aristocrats. The stash of 133 bottles was found in Becov castle in 1985, 40 years after being hidden by its then owners the Beaufort-Spontin family. The wines include Chateau d'Yquem vintages from 1892 - valued at up to 750,000 crowns ($31,000) per bottle - and 1896, and the whole collection is worth at least 30 million crowns, according to early estimates. Sommeliers tasted several bottles on Sunday using technology that extracts a sample through a needle, piercing the cork without damaging it. Andreas Wickhoff, a Master of Wine holder who joined master sommelier Jakub Pribyl in the tasting, said the age and size of the Becov stock was unique, especially given wines half as old often turned up spoiled. "If you smell these wines they still have this purity of fruits. There is acidity there, there are refreshing elements in these wines (that) will absolutely be an enjoyment," he said. The wines, most from 1892 to 1899, are the oldest to be worked on by the Coravin device launched in 2013. Its developer Greg Lambrecht said he used an extra-thin needle and lower pressure for the Becov tasting. "It takes longer to pour the wines as a result, but they took a hundred years to get here so we can wait," he said. Anyone hoping to get a hand on their own rare bottle is likely to be disappointed, however, as they remain the property of Czech authorities, which first dusted them off last year to get expert opinion on their value. CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME The Beaufort-Spontins, owners since the early 1800s of the castle in the lush hills 60 km (35 miles) from the German border, fled to Austria at the end of World War Two, having hidden the wines and the Shrine of St Maurus - said to hold John the Baptist's bones - under the chapel floor to keep them from plundering soldiers. After the family were labelled Nazi sympathisers, the castle was taken over by then-Czechoslovakia and remains in state hands under decrees from 1946 that expelled ethnic Germans and others and confiscated property. After unsuccessful attempts to recover furniture and art works, the family in 1984 approached an American businessman, Danny Douglas, who then applied secretly on their behalf to retrieve an unknown object from an unknown location. He offered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a permit, attracting the attention of the then communist state's secret police. Police eventually learned Becov was Douglas' treasure site, but after coming up empty handed in a search there, were ready to give him the permit. Then a final question led his adversaries to the long-lost treasure. "They asked me what tools they should bring, and when I said we wouldn't need any tools, they knew... it was inside as it was winter," Douglas told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper in 2015. Douglas has since been a visitor to Becov, where the shrine is on display. As for the wine, its keepers will still care for the bottles and may re-cork some, said Becov castellan Tomas Wizovsky. "Overall, the tests show the wines are still in top condition," he said. General Atlantic to buy majority stake in Argus Media By Ahmad Ghaddar LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - U.S. investment firm General Atlantic is to buy a majority stake in oil price reporting agency Argus Media in a deal valuing London-based Argus at nearly 1 billion pounds ($1.45 billion) and making dozens of employees potential millionaires. Argus, which competes with news and pricing agencies such as McGraw Hill's Platts, OPIS and Thomson Reuters, appointed Bank of America Merrill Lynch to seek outside investors last year after some existing shareholders said they wanted to sell. Argus said on Monday members of the founding Nasmyth family who own 50 percent of the company will sell all their shares under the deal with General Atlantic but it is not yet clear how many staff shareholders will decide to cash in their holdings. However, Executive Chairman and Publisher Adrian Binks will continue in the business and retain the "majority of his significant shareholding in the new structure alongside General Atlantic", Argus said in a statement. The Nasmyth family owns over 18 million shares while Binks owns close to 10 million A and B class shares. He is the only shareholder with B shares, which give additional voting rights. "It has been an incredible 46 years, with huge growth in the business driven by an exceptional team," the Nasmyth family said in a statement. Binks told Reuters that staff share and share option holders, which number over a fifth of a workforce of some 750, will have the opportunity of either selling all or some of their shares or remaining invested in the new structure. "A lot will want to remain invested in the business. You won't find a better place to put your money at the moment," Binks said. "We are clearly focused on trying to take market share from our main rival (Platts) and we're going to under the new ownership structure be a lot more aggressive and forceful in doing that," Binks said. "The way we thought of this deal was a partnership ... to provide continuity in the growth strategy but then also to bring focus and a little bit of expertise on how they can grow faster and be more ambitious and more global," General Atlantic Managing Director Gabriel Caillaux told Reuters. Caillaux added that the market for price reporting is still a growth market, making it ripe for investments. Information provider IHS bought U.S. oil price reporting agency OPIS in a $650 million deal earlier this year. Argus attracted over 60 prospective buyers and investors in the sale process, including U.S. buyout fund Hellman & Friedman, Singapore's gvoernment-owned investor Temasek, the Rothschild Group, and competitors including IHS. General Atlantic has a wide portfolio of investments from healthcare companies to Uber and online media company BuzzFeed Inc. Argus Media's sales increased by 15 percent in the 12 months to June 30 last year to 123 million pounds, and pretax profit rose by around 10 percent to 32.5 million. Philippines' Duterte to allow burial of Marcos at heroes' cemetery MANILA, May 23 (Reuters) - President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday he would allow the burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Philippines' heroes' cemetery, despite strong opposition. The southern mayor has yet to be declared winner of the May 9 election, but an official vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed him six million votes ahead of his closest rival. He is due to assume office on June 30. "I will allow Marcos burial in Libingan ng Mga Bayani, not because he was a hero but because he was a Filipino soldier," Duterte said in Davao City, referring to the 142-hectare cemetery in Manila where some of the country's leaders are buried. Marcos fled to Hawaii in 1986 following a popular revolt. He had ruled the Philippines for 20 years, during which time his family amassed an estimated $10 billion. He died in exile in 1989 and his embalmed body is currently on display in a mausoleum in his hometown in the northern Philippines. The government has recovered less than $5 billion in cash, stocks, real estate, artworks and jewellery from the Marcoses and their cronies. Past governments have refused to allow Marcos' family to bury him at the heroes' cemetery, amid opposition from tens of thousands of Filipinos, including the victims of human rights abuses under his rule and their families. Marcos' son and namesake ran for vice president and was trailing by 200,000 to 300,000 votes in an unofficial vote count to administration candidate Leni Robredo, a congresswoman from the central Philippines. Earl Parreno, analyst at the Institute of Political and Electoral Reforms, said Duterte's decision to bury Marcos at the heroes' cemetery would be divisive. "It's a wrong move to spend political capital this early when he should be consolidating support," he told Reuters, adding the decision could fuel protests. Duterte could also anger Filipinos if he frees former president Gloria Arroyo, who has been under detention in hospital for five years on corruption charges. "She should also be released," Duterte has said, noting the former leader's co-accused had been out on bail. Turkey shifts to presidential system, even without constitutional change By Orhan Coskun and Nick Tattersall ANKARA, May 23 (Reuters) - As Turkey's incoming prime minister prepares to name his new cabinet, there is little doubt that its primary role will be to rubber-stamp what has already become reality: a shift to a full presidential system with Tayyip Erdogan firmly in charge. Erdogan on Sunday confirmed Binali Yildirim, a close ally for two decades and a co-founder of the ruling AK Party, as his new prime minister, ensuring government loyalty as he pursues constitutional change to replace Turkey's parliamentary democracy with an executive presidency. Yildirim's appointment will stamp out any vestiges of resistance in the AKP to Erdogan's plans, three senior party officials said, forecasting that the new cabinet, expected to be announced on Tuesday, would contain only loyalists. "We have entered a period of a 'de facto' presidential system, where Erdogan's policies will be implemented very clearly," one of the officials said, predicting five or six ministerial changes from the existing team. "They will lead to complete harmony between Erdogan and the cabinet ... Erdogan's decisions will be implemented without being touched," the official said, speaking anonymously because the final decision on the appointments has not yet been made. Erdogan and his supporters see an executive presidency - a Turkish take on the system in the United States or France - as a guarantee against the sort of fractious coalition politics that hampered Turkey's development in the 1990s, when it was an economic backwater with little clout on the world stage. His opponents, and sceptical Western allies, fear growing authoritarianism. Prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people for insulting Erdogan since he became president in 2014. Opposition newspapers have been shut and journalists and academics critical of government policies sacked. European Parliament President Martin Schulz criticised Erdogan's accumulation of power in comments published on Monday, describing it as a "breathtaking departure from European values" in a nation negotiating for membership of the EU. "We see Turkey under Erdogan on its way to being a one-man-state," he told German newspaper Koelner Stadtanzeiger. He said the European Parliament would not begin debating visa-free travel for Turks to Europe, a quid pro quo for Ankara's help in curbing illegal migration, until Turkey fulfilled all the criteria including amending its sweeping anti-terrorism laws, which Erdogan has resolutely refused to do. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has faced criticism for brokering the migration deal with Turkey despite its rights record, said she stressed in a meeting with Erdogan on Monday the need for strong independent institutions. "I've made clear in the conversation today that I also think we need an independent judicial system, we need independent media and we need a strong parliament," she said, after a meeting on the sidelines of a humanitarian summit in Istanbul. In a sign of the possible turbulent relations to come with Brussels, Erdogan's economic advisor Yigit Bulut warned Ankara could suspend all of its agreements with the European Union if it failed to "keep its promises". MASTER MANOEUVRER Erdogan has made clear he wants to seek legitimacy for the presidential system, which will require constitutional change, via a referendum. To do that, he will need the support of at least 330 members of the 550-strong parliament, and unwavering backing from the AKP grass roots on the campaign trail. Outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was seen as too lacklustre a supporter of Erdogan's ambitions. By replacing him, Erdogan aims to unify the AKP just as the nationalist opposition is embroiled in a damaging leadership row and the pro-Kurdish opposition faces the risk of its members being prosecuted after their parliamentary immunity was removed last week. "Now the road to changing the constitution to include a presidential system is completely open," a second senior AKP official told Reuters. Popular support for such constitutional change is unclear, with a recent IPSOS poll putting it at just 36 percent. The ORC research firm was meanwhile cited in the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper as putting it at 58 percent. "The one-man rule has de facto begun, even though not constitutionally," Ozer Sencar, director of the Metropoll research firm, told Reuters. Yildirim, who has said his main aim as prime minister will be forging a new constitution, said on Monday the new cabinet list would be prepared quickly and be presented to Erdogan, who must approve it, as soon as he is available. Investors are most concerned about the shape of the new economic team, in particular whether Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, an anchor of confidence in overall charge of economic policy, will retain his post. A third AKP official, close to Erdogan, said it was crucial to keep an experienced team in place during turbulent economic times but that ultimately it would be the president's decision. His advisor Bulut, a former TV commentator who once accused opponents of trying to kill Erdogan through telekinesis, said that economic policy in Turkey would continue to be based on manufacturing, whoever was in charge. U.S. justices rule against Virginia Republicans in black voters case By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a lower court ruling that Virginia's Republican-led legislature unlawfully considered race when drawing U.S. congressional districts by packing black voters into one in a move opponents said diluted black electoral clout. The case focused on the composition of a majority-black U.S. House of Representatives district, stretching from Richmond to Norfolk, held by the only black member of Virginia's congressional delegation, Democrat Bobby Scott. The justices ruled 8-0 against a group of current and former Republican U.S. House members who challenged a June 2015 lower court ruling that invalidated the district's boundaries after several voters who lived there filed suit in 2013. Virginia's Democratic attorney general decided not to appeal the 2015 ruling, but the Republican lawmakers took up the case. The Supreme Court on Monday found that those lawmakers lacked legal standing to bring the case in part because they could not show they were harmed by the lower court decision. The voters who sued in 2013 said Scott's district was racially "gerrymandered" by state legislators in 2012 to cram black voters into it and reduce black influence in neighboring districts in violation of the U.S. Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law. Michele Jawando, a lawyer with the liberal advocacy group Center for American Progress, called the ruling "good news not only for Virginia voters and voting advocates, but also for other states currently dealing with constitutional issues around their congressional district maps." "A just and fair democracy necessitates that all voters can access the ballot without worrying about political games and racial discrimination," Jawando added. Democrats have accused Republican legislators around the country of drawing electoral maps to minimize the influence of black and Hispanic voters, who tend to cast ballots for Democratic candidates. Republicans have accused Democrats in Democratic-led states of using the so-called redistricting process to minimize the clout of Republican-leaning voters. Following the 2015 ruling, the boundaries of an adjoining district, currently represented by white Republican Randy Forbes, were redrawn to add some black voters from Scott's district. This could make the district a possible Democratic pickup in the Nov. 8 election. Far right narrowly defeated in Austrian presidential election By Francois Murphy and Michael Shields VIENNA, May 23 (Reuters) - Austria came close to becoming the first European Union country to elect a far-right head of state as postal ballots on Monday decided a knife-edge presidential vote in favour of the anti-immigration candidate's environmentalist opponent. The results were awaited nervously by governments across Europe, where populist anti-immigration parties have surged over the past year on concerns over a refugee influx, continued weak economic growth and high unemployment. After the election was too close to call on Sunday, a count of absentee votes on Monday thrust 72-year-old Alexander van der Bellen past anti-immigration Freedom Party rival Norbert Hofer and into the largely ceremonial post of president. The Freedom Party and its European allies expressed disappointment at the defeat but delight at the record support from Austrian voters, while traditional parties of government breathed a sigh of relief. "Fifty percent confidence in Norbert Hofer is a gigantic showing," his campaign manager Herbert Kickl told public broadcaster ORF, toning down comments before the election that suggested the Freedom Party (FPO) might contest the count. "One thing is clear: there are many Norbert Hofers in the Freedom Party and we are very, very well placed for parliamentary elections - whenever they come," he added. The Interior Ministry count gave van der Bellen, a former Greens party leader, 50.3 percent of the vote, compared to 49.7 percent for Hofer. The margin of victory was just over 31,000 out of nearly 4.5 million valid votes cast. One factor behind the strong FPO showing was dissatisfaction with the two centrist parties that have dominated politics in Austria, often by governing in coalition, as they do now, and carving up top institutions between them over the decades. Opinion polls in the Alpine republic of 8.5 million people regularly suggest the FPO would win parliamentary elections if held now. The current government's term runs until 2018. "This is just the beginning," FPO boss Heinz-Christian Strache said on his Facebook page. Van der Bellen said he planned to unite Austria after its almost dead-even split in the vote. "We are the same," he said in his first speech as president-elect. "There are two halves that make up Austria. The one half is just as important as the other." Please click on http://tmsnrt.rs/1YSxvkK for our graphic on right-wing party support in Europe. EMBARRASSMENT Hofer conceded defeat in a post on his Facebook page, thanking his supporters and telling them not to be despondent. The outcome averted a major potential embarrassment for Europe's political establishment though exposed how vulnerable it has become to a popular backlash against immigration. "It's a relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism," French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said in a Twitter post. "Everyone in Europe must draw lessons from this." Prosperous Austria has been swept up in Europe's migrant influx, fanning concerns about rising unemployment and the erosion of the country's high living standards. Pollster SORA had said mail-in ballots were likely to favour van der Bellen because they are traditionally used by more educated voters, 81 percent of whom backed van der Bellen on Sunday, according to SORA polling. The vote in Austria had unsettled leaders elsewhere in Europe, particularly in neighbouring Germany, where the new anti-immigration Alternative for Germany is on the rise. TWO HALVES In France, the National Front of Marine Le Pen is leading in polls ahead of a presidential election next year. Across the Channel, the UK Independence Party is campaigning for Britain to leave the 28-nation EU in a referendum on June 23. "Despite the disappointment, a historic score for our ally from the FPO," National Front Secretary General Nicolas Bay said on Twitter. "The future belongs to patriots!" Greece's leftist Syriza party said Hofer's strong showing "means it is time that alarm bells start ringing for Europe". Hofer, 45, has described himself as a centre-right politician and told voters not to believe suggestions from opponents that he would be a dangerous president. His party, however, traces its roots to the Nazi past that Austria has not confronted as openly as Germany. The FPO was founded by a decorated member of the Nazi SS who served as agriculture minister after Hitler annexed Austria in 1938. More recently, it has focused much of its critical campaigning on Muslim immigrants and its leaders have courted Jewish voters with moves like a recent visit by Strache to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. "Unfortunately, the dissatisfaction with the moderate mainstream parties is providing oxygen to those like Hofer and the Freedom Party, and we are seeing signs of these trends across Europe," European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor said of the Austrian election result. Brazil prepares investor meetings for state asset sales By Alonso Soto, Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, May 23 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government plans to host a round of investor meetings to market a broad plan of asset sales, a key initiative to help raise cash and cut a record budget deficit, a senior official and people familiar with the matter told Reuters. According to Wellington Moreira Franco, the head of a government agency to draw foreign investment to Brazil, a round of so-called roadshows will help advertise the assets and the legal and regulatory framework behind the plan. He did not give a timetable nor say which assets will be sold. The planned sales, which could be Brazil's most ambitious privatization drive in two decades, offer more evidence of a policy shift since the Senate's decision earlier this month to suspend leftist President Dilma Rousseff and try her on charges of breaking budgetary rules. Five sources with knowledge of the plan told Reuters over the past week that Moreira Franco and Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Serra will lead the roadshows, which may take place in New York, London and other financial hubs. Two of the sources said the presentations are scheduled for mid-July. The list of ready-for-sale assets is still in the making. Yet, interim President Michel Temer wants to sell majority stakes in the fuel distribution unit of oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras and in power utility Furnas Centrais Eletricas SA, and in ventures in which airport authority Infraero has minority interests, the sources said. Moreira Franco said the program's goal is to help create jobs as Brazil wrestles with a two-year long recession and slumping commodity prices. Still, the plan could help Brazil raise extra funds to narrow a deficit that most economists forecast to top 10 percent of gross domestic product this year. "It's time to end with the government monologue and start building solutions with our partners," Moreira Franco said late on Friday, adding that the legal and investment framework will be designed in a way that bidders "feel safe and confident." Temer, Rousseff's replacement during the impeachment trial and afterwards if she is found guilty, has vowed to streamline Brazil's bloated state and open room for more private investment. Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Co PJSC, and Mubadala Development Co PJSC are among the sovereign wealth funds invited to attend the roadshows, three of the sources said. Canadian investment firms and European infrastructure companies have already been contacted too, the sources added. Moreira Franco declined to give an estimate of how much the government could fetch from asset sales, although two of the sources said proceeds from stake divestitures could range between $10 billion and $20 billion over the next two years. Some of the largest investment banks operating in Brazil will also attend the meetings, many of them representing potential buyers, the sources added. In a statement to Reuters, Temer's office said the government "plans to transfer to private investors several assets, stakes and companies, although it is still analyzing which and which others will remain in the hands of the state." Serra's office declined to comment. Mubadala is unlikely to attend, a spokesman said. Spokespeople for QIA and ADIA, as well as the Canadian firms including Brookfield Asset Management Inc, declined to comment. SANITATION, LOTTERIES Temer planned to deliver to lawmakers later on Monday a request to raise a key budget deficit target for this year, which requires congressional approval before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown. The new estimate is for the so-called primary deficit goal, or the difference between spending and revenues before debt payments. Brazilian equities, bonds and currency have gained in recent months, on optimism that an eventual removal of Rousseff from office for breaking budgetary rules could usher in more business-friendly policies. Moreira Franco noted that the asset sale program and contacts with investors could also help the government resume auctions of oil and natural gas exploration permits. The program will be implemented in phases that will hinge on the ability of officials and their advisors to prepare deals, the sources noted. Moreira Franco said that no banks have yet been hired to advise on the program. According to the sources, the government will first offer those state companies with the most attractive or profitable business models, keeping a smaller stake in them. At a later stage, the government would try to exit stakes in privately-held or listed companies owned by BNDESPar, an investment holding company controlled by state development bank BNDES, they said. The Temer administration is considering asking debt-laden regional governments to sell to investors or surrender to the federal government their stakes in some of their sanitation firms, one of the sources said. Other assets that could be put for sale include state lender Caixa Economica Federal's insurance unit and lottery licensing, the same source said. Between 1995 and 2002, then-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso embarked on the sale of mining firms, utilities banks and licenses to operate telecommunications and electricity networks that raised about $78 billion. Cardoso sold 10 companies as well as five road and seven railway concessions, more than any other president in the country's history. Brazil's federal government has 2 trillion reais ($568 billion) in direct or indirect stakes in about 77 companies, according to data compiled by Economatica and Thomson Reuters. Among federal agencies that invest in state-controlled as well as private-sector companies is BNDESPar, which manages 45 billion reais in equity holdings. Britain grants refugee status to ex-president of Maldives - lawyer By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal COLOMBO, May 23 (Reuters) - Britain has granted refugee status to Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, who was jailed in 2015 after a trial that drew international criticism, his lawyer said on Monday. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, was allowed to go to Britain in January for medical treatment after President Abdulla Yameen came under international pressure to let him leave. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that cast a spotlight on instability in the Indian Ocean archipelago known as a paradise for wealthy tourists. "Nasheed has been granted political refugee status in the U.K.," Hasan Latheef, Nasheed's lawyer, told Reuters from the capital, Male. A British High Commission official in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo said it did not comment on individual asylum cases. The Home Office (interior ministry) in London was not immediately available for comment. Since his release from jail, Nasheed has called for sanctions against Yameen and his allies for detaining political prisoners, mainly opposition leaders, and for alleged human rights abuses in the Maldives. On Monday Nasheed issued a statement accusing Yameen of jailing all opposition leaders and cracking down "on anyone who dares to oppose or criticise him". "SLIDE TOWARDS AUTHORITARIANISM" "In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives, myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile - for now," Nasheed said in the statement. Nasheed was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012 after ordering the arrest of the judge. The United Nations, the United States and human rights groups said Yameen's government had failed to follow due process and that the case was politically motivated. The Maldives foreign ministry said the reports of Nasheed seeking asylum demonstrated his intention to avoid serving his prison sentence and "once again exhibited a distinct lack of commitment to the legal process". Yameen has proposed all-party talks to resolve the Maldives' political crisis but opposition parties insist their jailed leaders must first be released. His government has faced international criticism over the detention of 18 journalists after they said a proposed defamation bill was aimed at suppressing freedom of expression. Yameen, whose half-brother lost power to Nasheed in 2008, has rejected accusations that Nasheed's trial was politically motivated and said the legal process was fair. U.S., allies stage 17 strikes in Iraq, Syria against Islamic State -statement WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted 17 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Sunday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released on Monday, the Combined Joint Task Force said seven strikes near four cities in Syria hit two tactical units, a weapons storage facility and destroyed two vehicles, a rocket rail, an improvised explosives facility and an oil pump-jack. In Iraq, 10 strikes near five cities hit a communications control center, suppressed a heavy machine gun position and destroyed multiple fighting positions, among other targets, the statement said. European Union agrees to aid Libyan navy to stop traffickers By Robin Emmott and Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS, May 23 (Reuters) - The European Union will help rebuild Libya's shattered navy and coastguard to tackle migrant smugglers after a plea for aid from the new U.N.-backed unity government in Tripoli, EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday. Details of the aid are still to be worked out but EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said an operational plan should come "in the coming days". The ministers said they would need a U.N. Security Council resolution to go after arms traffickers on the high seas, but Monday's meeting signalled they were determined to stop migrant smugglers by using the EU's "Operation Sophia" mission in the Mediterranean. Libya is a major departure point for mainly sub-Saharan African migrants trying to reach Europe through crossings arranged by people smugglers, often in flimsy boats. The flow of migrants has increased amid the turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. With calm summer weather approaching in the Mediterranean, Europe's governments are keen to avoid the migrant drownings of last year and to deter smugglers finding new routes into Europe after a deal between the European Union and Turkey cut trafficking across the Aegean Sea. Ministers underscored "the need to enhance the capacity of Operation Sophia to disrupt the business model of human smugglers and trafficking networks and to contribute to broader security in support of the legitimate Libyan authorities." U.N.-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, who has yet to establish his government beyond Tripoli, wrote to Mogherini to request the naval support, as well as possibly training for Libyan security personnel. While Seraj's request remains broad, governments are divided about how far to go in Libya. The United States said last week it wants to see NATO do more to help the EU's naval mission, a position Britain shares. "The Libyan coastguard is the basis on which we have to build security in the coastal waters of Libya," British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters. "We can provide training, we can provide equipment, we can provide additional technical support." The Sophia mission operates in international waters near Libya, but is too far out to destroy boats used by people smugglers, catch traffickers or head off migrants trying to reach Europe by sea from Libya. Italy, Libya's former colonial power, has said it is willing to send around 5,000 personnel to help the country. But Germany and France say any action to train police and border guards must be in concert with NATO and the United Nations. Versace names former head of Alexander McQueen as new CEO By Giulia Segreti MILAN, May 23 (Reuters) - Italian fashion house Versace named the former head of British brand Alexander McQueen as its new chief executive, in an unexpected move ahead of a planned stock market listing against a backdrop of slowing luxury industry growth. Jonathan Akeroyd will take over from Gian Giacomo Ferraris who has led family-owned Versace since 2009 and is credited with relaunching the group after it averted bankruptcy in 2004. The brand famous for its Medusa head logo is seeking a stock market listing after U.S. private equity firm Blackstone bought a 20 percent stake in 2014 to help to fund expansion abroad. Versace gave no reason for the departure of Ferraris, which comes only two months after the company said creative director Anthony Vaccarello would step down. Vice president and artistic director Donatella Versace said in a note Akeroyd had been chosen for his proven experience in leading global brands, enhancing them and guiding them towards a strategic development. Akeroyd had been in the top job at McQueen, part of French conglomerate Kering, since September 2004. "This is really a surprise. I was expecting Ferraris to take Versace to the stock market, after reviving it successfully in the past few years," Exane BNP Paribas analyst Luca Solca said. In an interview with Reuters last month, Ferraris warned 2016 would be a tough year with slower sales growth due in part to security worries hitting tourism in European capitals. He said a possible stock market listing would not take place before 2017. Last year, the company said the listing could take place in Asia or the United States. Since his appointment seven years ago, Ferraris, an engineer, focused on a radical turnaround of the group, increasing revenue and cutting debt and bringing it back to profit in 2011. Versace saw revenue rise 17.5 percent in 2015 to 645 million euros ($722.66 million), helped by currency movements. Like its rivals, the company is having to cope with slowing consumer spending in China, where demand in once-booming cities like Hong Kong remains depressed, and a recession in Russia amid slumping oil prices. "I can't wait to develop a long-term strategy capable of supporting the creative direction of Donatella Versace and her team," Akeroyd said in a statement. The British brand revealed his departure earlier this month naming Yves Saint Laurent's Emmanuel Gintzburger as his successor. Uganda accuses Congo army of killing four of its police By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA, May 23 (Reuters) - Uganda said on Monday four policemen patrolling on its side of Lake Albert had been killed by Congolese troops and demanded Kinshasa punish those responsible. The lake is shared in roughly equal parts by the two countries and has in recent years been the scene of sometimes deadly clashes, mostly over alleged illegal fishing in each other's waters. The discovery of commercial oil deposits on the Ugandan side has heightened the tensions, with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sometimes accusing Uganda of conducting illegal exploration in its waters. The frontier area's security is also undermined by the lawless nature of DRC's eastern region where militias roam and Kinshasa's grip is fragile. In a statement, Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the four police personnel had been attacked on Saturday by soldiers of the FARDC, the Congolese army, while "on official patrol duty on Lake Albert within the territorial sphere of Uganda". Uganda had sent a protest note to Kinshasa and demanded "that the officers of the FARDC who are responsible for the murder ... be brought to justice and appropriate compensation to the bereaved families be effected", the statement said. Uganda hopes to start pumping crude from the Lake Albert region by 2018. In 2007 Congolese troops opened fire on a barge belonging to Heritage Oil Corporation (HOC) and a British oil contractor, Carl Nefdt, was shot dead. DRC accused the company of prospecting for oil in its waters and said its soldiers had acted in self-defence. HOC then co-owned the fields with Britain's Tullow Oil but later sold out to its partner. Uganda estimates it has 6.5 billion barrels of crude reserves in the Albertine rift basin fields. Mozambique to refit tuna fleet, compounding debt crisis MAPUTO, May 23 (Reuters) - Mozambique's tuna fishing fleet needs to be refitted to meet European Union standards, Finance Minister Adriano Maleiane said on Monday, piling more costs onto a project at the centre of a debt crisis. The boats were paid for out of an $850 million loan arranged in 2013 by Credit Suisse and Russia's VTB to finance "fishing infrastructure". The cash came in the form of a government-backed bond to state tuna-fishing company Ematum. Nearly three years later, the fishing project, initially touted as self-sustaining, has severely underperformed and added to a sovereign foreign debt mountain equal to 80 percent of GDP that could bankrupt the southeast African nation's government. Mozambique is one of the world's most impoverished nations. Not only did Ematum fall short of its targets but $500 million of the "tuna bond" was subsequently designated for "maritime security" and reallocated to the defence budget. The 24 boats, which were built in France, will now be modified in South Africa so they can export tuna to Europe. Mozambique's government cannot afford to have them all upgraded at once. "The costs involved in refitting the boats are high, hence the work is being done in phases," Maleiane was quoted by the state news agency as saying. "Right now, we have part of the fleet ready, while other funds are being mobilised to pay for the rest," Maleiane added, without giving details on the cost of upgrades. It was unclear why French-manufactured boats had to be adapted for EU standards. Ematum's results published last year pointed to the fleet catching just $450,000 of tuna annually, compared with sales of $18 million forecast at that stage of its life in a 2013 feasibility study circulated by the government. Deepening the mire, a further $1.35 billion of previously undisclosed government-backed debt emerged last month, prompting the International Monetary Fund and Western governments to suspend budgetary aid support. The loans included $622 million for Proindicus, a state-owned company tasked with providing maritime security, and a $535 million for Mozambique Asset Management (MAM) to build a shipyard for gas projects. Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario apologised last month for not coming clean about the loans to the IMF earlier. The hidden loans have exposed widespread government mismanagement that risks pushing a promising African economy, one that emerged from a ruinous 1976-92 civil war, into crisis. At a parliamentary budget commission last week, Maleiane said state firm MAM would be unable to make a $178 million loan repayment due on Monday. French Treasury chief to join Asia-focused fund as election looms By Michel Rose PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - The head of the French Treasury said on Monday he would leave his position to join a Franco-Chinese investment fund, a rare move for a top French official. As the highest-ranking civil servant at the finance ministry, Bruno Bezard, 53, has been one of France's top negotiators in Brussels and other global forums, working behind the scenes on hot issues such as the Greek debt crisis or Brexit. On July 1, he will join Cathay Capital, a private equity boutique with 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) under management and offices in Shanghai and Paris, after 30 years of working his way up the echelons of French administration, he told Reuters. The government will name his successor in due course, the finance and economy ministries said in a statement. Senior French officials more typically move to jobs at Washington or Frankfurt institutions. Bezard's departure comes 12 months before a presidential election in France, in which opinion polls show unpopular Socialist President Francois Hollande is unlikely to reach the second round run-off. Hollande has seen several of his top economic advisers leave the Elysee palace recently, with Laurence Boone moving to insurer AXA and Jean-Jacques Barberis poached by asset manager Amundi, prompting French media to talk of an "end of reign" atmosphere in the corridors of power. Bezard, who already speaks some Chinese after two years in Beijing, said he had been thinking for years of moving to Asia and had preferred to announce his departure a year before the election precisely to avoid this kind of political speculation. "It's a move that's a bit unusual for a Treasury director, it's a relatively small, entrepreneurial structure, but I followed my instinct," Bezard said in an interview. "I am convinced France has a role and extraordinary potential in Asia," he said. North Korean envoy rejects Trump overture to meet leader By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, May 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposal to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a "kind of propaganda or advertisement" in the election race, a senior North Korean official said on Monday. Trump, in a wide-ranging interview with Reuters in New York last week, said he is willing to talk to the North Korean leader to try to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program, proposing a major shift in U.S. policy toward the isolated nation. "It is up to the decision of my Supreme Leader whether he decides to meet or not, but I think his (Trump's) idea or talk is nonsense," So Se Pyong, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said told Reuters on return from Pyongyang after attending the first ruling party congress in 36 years. "It's for utilisation of the presidential election, that's all. A kind of a propaganda or advertisement," he added. "This is useless, just a gesture for the presidential election." North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February, triggering tougher international sanctions. So, who is also North Korea's ambassador to the U.N.-backed Conference on Disarmament, reiterated that his country was prepared to return to stalled six-party talks on its nuclear programme. China and Russia backed the idea, but the United States and its allies South Korea and Japan reject it, he said. "As a responsible nuclear state ... we never use them first," So said. "If the United States use their nuclear weapons first, then we have to use also that one." On Ivy League campuses, military brass find a warmer welcome By Yeganeh Torbati NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 23 (Reuters) - As a young chemistry professor at Yale University in 1969, Gary Haller voted to boot the U.S. military's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program off the Ivy League school's Connecticut campus. Like many American schools at the time it was gripped by protests against the Vietnam War. Yale's faculty considered the presence of ROTC, which trains future officers and provides college scholarships, to be tacit support for an unpopular war. "People were just so outraged," Haller said. Four decades on, however, he views the ROTC through a different lens. "We want to produce students who are leaders in every segment of our society," said Haller, now an emeritus professor who led a faculty committee that helped pave the way for the ROTC's return to Yale. "Whether you like the military or not, it is a big segment of our society." On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited his alma mater for the first commissioning since the Vietnam era of cadets and midshipmen who participated in the program for all four years of college. The ceremony is the latest evidence of a sea change in the attitude of elite universities, which shunned the military for four decades in part because of its controversial "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy for gay personnel. Now they have come to realize that their graduates should have as much influence on a major instrument of American power as they do in the halls of the White House or the trading desks of Wall Street. The return of ROTC to Ivy League campuses is a return to the norm that prevailed for more than 200 years, when graduates routinely marched, flew and sailed from campus to combat. "I really do believe deeply that ROTC needs to be back on campuses like ours so that our students can have a truly hands-on, active role in shaping the next military," said Yale College Dean Jonathan Holloway, whose father served in the Air Force. John Lewis Gaddis, a prominent Yale historian who supported ROTC's return, said he was always struck by how few students had ever met anybody in the military. Carter referenced that in his speech on Monday, noting that the ROTC graduates had "helped bridge a divide that has persisted for too long." "For some of your classmates, you're the first member of the military they've ever gotten to know." The move benefits the military, too. It enables recruiters, who finds it much easier to hit their recruiting targets in the South than in urban coastal areas, to "make sure that they're capturing all parts of the country," including the Northeast, said Katherine Kidder, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. "Even if you're capturing a small portion, you're leavening the force with folks who are graduating from elite schools" she said. PENTAGON MOVES The Pentagon's moves in the last five years to ease entry for gay and lesbian troops and open combat positions to women have helped make ROTC's presence more palatable to politically liberal students and professors. The Navy and Air Force ROTC programs returned to Yale in 2012, after the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." ROTC has made similar inroads across the Ivy League and on other elite campuses. A Navy ROTC branch is set to open at Brown University this fall. There were 122 Navy ROTC midshipmen spread across six Ivy League campuses in 2016, compared to 53 at three Ivy League schools in 2011, according to Navy data. A Navy ROTC branch is set to open at Brown University this fall. There were 42 Air Force ROTC cadets in the Ivy League in 2016, compared to 28 in 2011, according to Air Force data. The class of 2016 at Yale includes 10 Navy midshipmen and four Air Force cadets out of 1,300 graduates. Part of the motivation to allow the military programs to return has been financial. Congressional moves in the 1990s and 2000s threatened to cut some federal funds for universities that barred military recruiters or ROTC, and one such measure survived a legal challenge at the Supreme Court in 2006. For Carter, military recruiting at schools such as Yale is consistent with his effort to enlist segments of society that do not typically consider a career in the armed forces, such as Silicon Valley tech experts. Monday's ceremony also closes a personal loop for Carter. As a Yale freshman in 1972, his was the first class that had no ROTC on campus. "Feelings were still raw on campus, including with the faculty," Carter said on Monday during a plane ride to New Haven. He described himself as "not having caught the anti-war bug" in his college years. "The climate that was there on campuses when I was in college has really very much dissipated," he said. Before she entered Yale and the Navy ROTC in 2012, Gabrielle Fong, 22, was warned by officers that her uniform might invite critical comments and even spitting from passersby - common reactions to uniformed personnel during the Vietnam War years. She remembers thinking, "What did I sign up for?" On the morning of May 24, President Pranab Mukherjee leaves for a four-day visit to China, the first by a president since 2010. At one level, the visit is a protocol response to that of President Xi Jinping to India in 2014. At another, it seeks to convey the intention of the two countries to maintain the tempo of high-level visits to each other's countries. In 2014, vice-president Hamid Ansari also visited China and in 2015, the Chinese vice-president Liu Yuanchao came to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to China. Later this year, Modi will visit Hangzhou for the G20 summit and Xi will come to Goa for the BRICS meet. Initiative The president of India is a largely ceremonially figure who must by law conduct himself at the advice of the government of the day. So, he is unlikely to undertake any negotiation or initiative on his own. But, as a seasoned politician, the president is not just an elder statesman, but an experienced hand in government who is fully cognisant of the issues of the Sino-Indian relations. In line with this, the government is using his visit to convey to Beijing that notwithstanding recent glitches relating to the Uyghur visas, the Masood Azhar controversy and the NSG contretemps, India attaches great importance to its relations with China and seeks a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship at all times. Nawaz Sharif (L) and Xi Jinping. (Reuters) The president will be prepared to take up a range of subjects with Beijing, but he will also wait for cues from the other side before taking up some of the issues. In other words, he will not want to put across that India is defensive about some policy measures, even while being ready to discuss any concerns the hosts may have. Another aspect of the visit will be to enhance the Sino-Indian business relationship and to this end, in Guangzhou, Pranab will meet with Indian and Chinese business leaders and reinforce India's commitment to better trade and investment relations with China. His message will be that India is open for business and warmly welcomes Chinese investment in all sectors of our economy where it will find a level playing field. At a more practical level, in his talks with Premier Li Keqiang he will, no doubt, raise the important issue of righting the current imbalance of trade in favour of Chinese exports to India which is hurtful for the overall relationship. At the strategic level, he is expected to put across India's policy perspectives, in particular its relationships with the US and Japan. India, he will convey, has no intention of being part of any "containment" of China. On South China Sea - India does not take sides, it stands for the freedom of navigation and the right of overflight, and believes in the peaceful settlement of disputes. Counterterrorism India would like to cooperate with China on all aspects of counterterrorism and expects action on issues like the naming of Masood Azhar by the UN sanctions committee. India wants Chinese support for its membership of the NSG without being bracketed with Pakistan. India would like to work together with China on Afghanistan but would like greater clarity on Beijing's policy. Beyond the visit, lie New Delhi's efforts to find equilibrium in its relations with China. Recent events have revealed a strange gaucheness. The decision to invite a cross-section of Chinese dissidents, Uyghur nationalists and Falung Gong members for an aborted event at Dharamsala, the abode of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile, seemed aimed at poking Beijing in the eye. So was the decision (now rescinded) to send two representatives for the inaugural of Tsai Ing-Wen, the new president of Taiwan. Unhappy China has not been very comfortable with the joint strategic vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean that India has declared with the US. While it made its unhappiness known to the US, India, Australia and Japan over quadrilateral naval exercises in 2007, it has not protested the Malabar trilateral exercises that India, US and Japan conduct. In fact even as the president is in China, Indian naval ships will in a two and a half month deployment in the South China Sea and the North West Pacific. They will make several port calls and participate in the latest iteration of the Malabar exercise off Okinawa. India's desire to get even with China is understandable. Beijing has used Pakistan for the offshore balancing of India and broken some of the greatest taboos of the international system by supplying nuclear weapons and missile designs and materials. In the name of non-interference in other's politics, China has given cover to Pakistan to abandon the state sponsorship of terrorism. India fears that in the next phase China will supply ballistic and cruise missile capable submarines to Islamabad. India by itself lacks the military and economic muscle to deal with China, hence its outreach to US and Japan. But both these countries have a many-layered and denser relationship with China than we have. So there is need to exercise a degree of caution. India and Iran may have finally inked the "historic" pact for the development of the strategically significant Chabahar Port nestled in Irans south-eastern Sistan and Baluchestan province on May 23. However, now that it has signed the contract, New Delhi will need to ensure that it executes the project thats been in the pipeline for long without further ado. Coupled with the agreement to establish a Trilateral Transport and Transit Corridor between India, Iran and Afghanistan to develop Chabahar-Zahedan-Zaranj as a transit corridor, its clear that New Delhi is all set to give a fresh thrust to its efforts at regional connectivity. Indeed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his on-going Iran visit went so far as to describe the trilateral pact as something that can "alter the course of history of this region". India has committed to spending $500 million on the Chabahar project. Chabahar, located on the Gulf of Oman, promises India access to not just landlocked Afghanistan but to resource-rich Central Asia, Russia and even Europe. The Chabahar contract will see the development and operation of two terminals and five berths with cargo handling capacities for ten years in the port located on Gulf of Oman. The trilateral pact, among other things, envisages a 500km rail link between Chabahar-Zahedan-Zaranj. India has committed to spending $500 million on the Chabahar project. Besides, its also eyeing Chabahar free trade zone as a viable option for investment by its industries in urea, aluminium smelter, etc. The trilateral pact is being seen by New Delhi as a "game changer for regional connectivity", especially for Afghanistan. Having long sought an alternative route to Afghanistan with whom India has close ties, the sea-rail link to the landlocked country, with Chabahar as the hub, is expected to give a fillip to trade and economic ties between New Delhi and Kabul. Connectivity under the trilateral pact is, in turn, expected to lend an impetus to the proposed North-South Transport Corridor which envisages linking Europe to South Asia. There is much at stake for India in the successful and swift execution of these connectivity projects as it seeks not just to reboot bilateral ties with Tehran but also press ahead with its aim to enhance regional connectivity. In recent years, New Delhi despite maintaining close ties with Iran, even as it battled international isolation and economic sanctions in the wake of its nuclear programme, did find the going tough. For instance, India continued to import oil from Iran, the imports dipped and making payments became difficult. Payments are an issue that India is still working to resolve. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, perhaps, while speaking about Chabahar summed it up best when he said that the port can "turn into a very big symbol of cooperation between the two great countries of Iran and India". For India too, participation in the Chabahar project will, of course, indicate its commitment to its own strategic and economic interests in the region. More importantly, it will also be a reiteration of its centuries-old ties with Iran. PM Modi wasn't wrong in saying: "Our dosti [friendship] is as old as history," when recalling the age-old ties between the two countries. However, this dosti will need to be nourished now that sanctions against it have been lifted following the nuclear deal. As India seeks to step up its engagement with Iran, which is emerging from the cold, Chabahar will be an important cog in the wheel in the years to come. Connectivity is of import here for India as its participation in the development of Chabahar will enable it to altogether bypass Pakistan, and use it as a regional hub to develop trade and economic links with countries in the region. Significantly, Chabahar is located a mere 80km away from Pakistan's Gwadar port which has been developed with Chinese assistance. Gwadar's development is also an important part of the $46 billion China-Pakistan economic corridor - a project about which India has already raised its concerns. That India is seeking to not just sidestep Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and beyond, and also have a counter to Gwadar in Chabahar, is something that's not gone unnoticed by the Iranian press. It appears to have noted with glee the fact that India's decision to invest in Chabahar is to counter Chinese moves in Central Asia and the move will set the alarm bells ringing in Beijing and Islamabad. If the drone strike carried out in the Balochistan province of Pakistan has indeed despatched the Taliban Emir-ul-Momineen (Leader of the Faithful) Mullah Akhtar Mansour to meet his Maker, then the implications of this development are quite significant. Quite asides the fact that this would have been the first time that US drones have hit a target outside the tribal areas and the frontier regions of Pakistan, its impact on US-Pakistan relations, Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, Taliban-Pakistan relations, and of course, on the internal dynamics within the Taliban, will determine the future course of events in the AfPak region. There are broadly two possibilities about how Mansour got hit. The first is that the Americans got information on Mansour and without bothering about diplomatic niceties, Pakistani sensitivities, or even the consequences, took the shot; the second is that the Pakistanis were in the loop, or more sinisterly, that they set up the loop, to get rid of the Taliban chief who was becoming a tad too inconvenient, and worse, a little too independent. Assuming that the Pakistanis were blindsided in Mansour's killing, it will cause deep embarrassment to Pakistan's military establishment which, after the Abbottabad operation to kill Osama bin Laden, was once again caught off-guard by US taking out a high value target inside Pakistan. This is bound to impact on US-Pakistan relations, which could go into a tailspin. For Pakistan, Mansour's loss doesn't necessarily mean the loss of control over the Taliban. (Reuters) Worse, it will constitute a big setback to Pakistan's grand strategic plan for Afghanistan on which it has staked so much. The second possibility is that Pakistan was very much in on Mansour's killing. The Pakistanis will, of course, go blue in the face denying that they had anything to do with the drone strike. For good measure, they will also condemn it and lodge a strong protest. But such treachery, even though it exposes the embarrassing reality of the Taliban chief's presence inside Pakistan, isn't past the Pakistanis for whom Mansour was becoming a liability. Sacrificing him could yield more to Pakistan than sticking with him. Over the past few months, US-Pakistan relations have been going downhill. The aid blockage by the US Congress is a manifestation of the trajectory in which the relationship was moving. The Afghan government was meanwhile bristling at Pakistan reneging on pledges made at the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG). The failure of the QCG (which includes China) to push the peace process forward meant that diplomatic efforts to settle Afghanistan had reached a dead end, which in turn meant that the violence would intensify and could spill over into Pakistan. With the security situation in the region deteriorating, the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on which Pakistan has staked its entire future, could be adversely affected. There are reasons to believe that even the Chinese were leaning on the Pakistanis to start delivering on Afghanistan. And then there were all the new strategic alignments in the region, not the least of which was the forthcoming visit of the Indian prime minister, first to Iran to firm up the Chabahar project, and later to the US to give a push to the strategic partnership. Clearly, the Pakistanis needed to rethink their Afghan gambit. By helping the Americans take out Mansour, the Pakistanis would have delivered a big prize and in return would get the goodies they wanted from the US. It would also help them reach out to the Afghans. But most importantly, Mansour was expendable for Pakistan. His loss doesn't necessarily mean the loss of control over the Taliban. Having snuffed out challenges to Mansour from within Taliban ranks, and having managed to manoeuvre their favourite Sirajuddin Haqqani as Mansour's military chief, the Pakistanis had firmed up their control over the Taliban. With Mansour dead, the Pakistanis will try to get their man - either Sirajuddin or Mullah Omar's son or even someone else - accepted as the Taliban Emir. To be sure, some Taliban commanders will rebel. But given the firepower of the Haqqanis, coupled with efforts of the Afghan army and the Americans, these elements can be put out of business. And once this is done, the "reconciliation" drama can recommence with the Pakistanis and their proxies plugging for their demands to be accepted. While the Pakistanis might have played a high risk but calculated gamble, Afghanistan has a bad habit of pulling nasty surprises on even the most carefully calculated and calibrated plans. Even if the Taliban was to accept a Pakistani proxy as their Emir, will he continue to dance to Pakistan's tune and also play ball with the Americans and the Afghan government? Won't the new Emir have to establish his jihadi credentials just as Mansour had? If so, then the situation will get much worse before it gets better, if at all. Of course, if there is another power grab within the Taliban ranks, it will give the Afghan government an opportunity to degrade the Taliban movement. While it is good riddance, Mansour's death alone isn't going to pave the path for any immediate "reconciliation" in Afghanistan. It could in fact make the battle lines more chaotic. Even so, the Americans have struck a welcome blow and more such blows need to be delivered on Taliban and their affiliates for a political settlement in Afghanistan to have any chance of succeeding. While a Left win in Kerala was predictable, considering the states tryst with change every five years, the scope of the victory surprised many. It has now become clear that the mandate the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has got in Kerala 91 out of 140 seats was not just to root out the allegedly corrupt, but also a consolidation of minority votes in favour of the LDF. Pinarayi Vijayan with CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury. The mandate comes with a huge responsibility on chief minister designate Pinarayi Vijayans shoulders to deliver growth in a state which has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country. Vijayan should use this historic opportunity to focus on some key parameters: Education Kerala is getting a respite from the predictable "education politics" of the UDF, where an alliance partner was offered the ministry as if by default, and subsequently goofed up every time. The state, high in literacy, is unfortunately hostage to the so-called commercialisation of education, the money that changes hands for staff appointments and seats, and the overall disconnect between learning and education. Vijayan should bring in those with progressive ideas to handle this crucial portfolio. Healthcare The so-called Kerala model of development boasted of high standards in primary healthcare facilities. That's waning, and fast. And private hospitals fleece patients to no extent. This should change. Infrastructure Outgoing chief minister Oomen Chandy is credited with moves to improve infrastructure. This work should continue, time-bound, making full use of the Centre's aid in this regard. The metro, highways, Vizhinjam port, and SmartCity are low-hanging fruits to be pursued. Business Kerala needs jobs, especially in the light of tougher norms on work permits in the Gulf. The new government should get cracking on ventures that are easier to set up - in services like IT, retail, tourism, in food processing and encourage start-ups. Above all, implement tough labour norms, where no staff who plays truant at work is encouraged. It should keep trade union demands limited to real, genuine cases, if it wants to attract investors into the state. Keep a hotline with Centre Make sure to utilise all of the assured resources, and ask for more. Be flexible in dialogue, except in the case of the environment. That lovely strip of land has to be taken care of, and development has to be totally in harmony with its flora and fauna. Scams Settle the cases that dogged the previous government, sure and fast. Punish the guilty, and end the endless debates on solar, Saritha, bar bribery and so on. Social harmony Vijayan should be able to rein in his own party cadre, and advice restraint and humility in the face of such a resounding victory. Already, the BJP has escalated the clashes between their workers and the Left in the state to a national level, even meeting the President in this regard. While the formers party workers could equally be blamed for initiating this violence, as pointed out by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, no time should be lost to ease tensions between the cadres of both parties. Liquor prohibition Last but not the least, re-evaluate the bar policy. Provide safe liquor in clean, hygienic settings to those who want to pay for it. Don't punish the Malayali any more by making him stand in long queues in front of government beverage shops. The policy hasn't worked and Malayalis drink just as much as earlier, if not more! Osama bin Laden, the backbone of al Qaeda was found and killed in Pakistan. The leader of Taliban Mullah Mohammed Omar is believed to have lived and died in Pakistan. And Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour who replaced Mullah Omar was killed in US air strike in Pakistan on May 21, 2016. "The strike on Mansour makes it crystal clear that Pakistanis continue to distinguish between good and bad militants," said Michael Kugelman (columnist and senior associate for south and southeast Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Centre. "Mansour was not a fugitive or in hiding. The Pakistanis, for their own strategic reasons, chose to leave him alone. This is very different from the genuine efforts Pakistan has made to go after anti-State militants in the country. Mansour was an asset, pure and simple. And you do not turn on your assets. I think Pakistan is not quite sure how to respond. If it resorts to the sovereignty violation line, it would come across as weak. If it praises the strike, it would anger the hardliners. It needs to take time to think how to strike a certain balance in its response," he added. Scholar and veteran columnist, Ayesha Siddiqua, on the other hand, felt that the air strike indicated that relations between Pakistan and the US were going lower and lower. "Mullah Mansour had the support of the army and his presence in Balochistan proved the presence of the Quetta Shura. Was his presence there likely to increase violence more than what there was already?" She added that Pakistan was caught yet again and so prime minister Nawaz Sharif's reaction that the air strike was a violation of sovereignty was expected. "What comment can you expect when Nawaz Sharif is worried about saving his neck?" Mullah Mansour's killing has proved that Quetta Shura is actively working in Balochistan and the Taliban has been strengthening itself in the region to reduce the strength of Baloch nationalist movement, according to scholar and columnist Mohammad Ali Talpur. Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was also found and killed on Pakistani soil by the US forces. He added that the Taliban, especially Haqqani network, has a stronghold in Peshwar and Quetta, which couldn't have happened without the support of the armed forces. According to Talpur, the Balochistan, Iran and Afghanistan borders are connected, which allows the Taliban to move in this region freely, which explains Mullah Mansour's killing in Balochistan. He pointed out that the Taliban, moreover, have easy access to Pakistan identity documents. The National Action Plan is not against the Taliban, it is against the Baloch people, Talpur said, adding that if the NAP was against the Taliban, no terrorist could have moved around so easily. The minister of Balochistan had revealed that around nine thousand local citizens had been arrested in the light of NAP. "Killing of another most wanted terrorist leader in Pakistan shows terrorists continue to use Pakistani soil as a safe haven for their activities. The policy of differentiation between the good, bad and ugly Taliban is intact despite commitments under the NAP that action would be taken against all terrorists," said Buhsra Gohar the senior vice-president of the Awami National Party. "Why was Mullah Mansour travelling on a Pakistani passport? Who issued it? How could he easily travel around? The OBL (Osama bin Laden) commission report has yet to be presented in the Parliament for debate. Despite billions spent on operations, a million families are displaced, their houses and livelihoods destroyed, thousands of innocent citizens brutally killed, and the Taliban continues to find a safe have inside Pakistan and use her soil for its brutal attacks," Gohar said. "The killing of yet another Taliban leader inside Pakistan shows there is no change in the self-destructive strategic depth policy. Parliament's joint session should be called to debate the killing of Mullah Mansour. Accountability of operations against terrorism and extremism should held under the NAP. It is time for Parliament to debate defence and foreign policies. On the question of the Pakistani state showing another name - Wali Mohammad - instead of Mullha Mansour, the foreign ministry should not have waited for over 24 hours to issue a statement. The confirmations have come from all sources and it is best for the government not to create distractions," Gohar added. "In the Chaman area, thousands of people have had their CNICs (computerised national identity cards) sealed and people have not found it easy to get CNICs. If Mullah Mansour's CNIC has the address of Karachi, I doubt it was issued from Karachi. We should remember that Taliban Leader Mullah Omar lived there," said a source. "Why is everyone surprised to see Mullah Mansour in Balochistan? Bin Laden was living near the capital Islamabad. In the Helmand area, the Taliban has been fighting for a month and easily moving there. Everyone knows this and supports them! Common citizens need peace on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. They cannot afford an undeclared war," the source added. On the relations between Pakistan and the US, Siddiqua feels that Pakistan's embarrassment works in favour of India and it is bound to be played up by New Delhi. It gives the impression to the Taliban that the State is ignorant." LONDON - England - Today's publication of the ICSA report shows a 24% collapse in support of the EU from big businesses. Commenting on the ICSAs survey of FTSE 350 companies released today, Chairman of the Vote Leave Business Council John Longworth said: The remain camps concerted campaign to do down the economy has failed. In fact it has had the opposite effect as the EU supporters have failed to make a positive case for continuing to hand Brussels more control of our economy, our democracy and our borders. Business recognises it is possible for Britain to continue trading across Europe, part of the free trade zone that exists from Iceland to turkey, without handing Brussels 350 million a week and EU judges ultimate power over our laws. On 23 June the safe option is to take back control. Barely a third of FTSE 350 companies support the EU. The survey shows a 24% collapse in support for the EU among FTSE 350 companies. Only a minority of FTSE 350 companies think EU membership has had a positive impact on their business, down from 61% in December: Just over a third (37%) of companies regard EU membership as having a positive effect on their business, substantially down from 61% in December 2015. This is evidence that the Prime Ministers renegotiation has failed to convince big businesses of the merits of staying in the EU. A majority of FTSE 350 companies do not consider leaving the EU would be damaging. The survey reports that 57% of FTSE 350 companies do not think leaving the EU would be damaging. Just 43% think leaving the EU would be damaging. This comes on top of collapses in support for the EU in other business surveys. By 46.4% to 42.8%, British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) members who do not export would vote to leave the EU. By 50.1% to 46.7%, BCC members which export to the rest of the world only would vote to leave the EU. Firms which do not export to the EU represent over 90% of British businesses. A majority of IoD members (50%) agree that the UK could make an economic success of leaving the EU. LONDON - England - The PM has been caught out misleading the public with blatant lies regarding Turkey's accession to the EU. Responding to the Prime Ministers claims on Peston on Sunday, Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of Vote Leave said: David Cameron has said he wants to pave the road to Ankara and has repeatedly confirmed it is government policy for Turkey to join the EU. The EU is speeding up the process of Turkey joining and we are paying nearly 2 billion to help make it happen. If it isnt on the cards why are taxpayers footing the bill for it already? As with so much in the referendum the remain campaign are saying one thing now before the vote but are planning for the exact opposite after 23 June. The only safe option is stop handing Brussels 350 million a week and Vote Leave Commenting, Lord Owen, former Foreign Secretary said: Only 9 weeks ago David Cameron committed the country at the European Council to re-energise the accession process of Turkey into the EU. The EU is continuing the preparatory work for Turkey at an accelerating pace with all of this going forward in parallel. The Prime Minister is misleading the public on Turkish accession, of which he is the strongest possible advocate. The Prime Minister said on Peston on Sunday that it is not remotely on the cards that Turkey is going to join any time soon. He also claimed that Britain has a veto, but he has been clear that he supports Turkish accession. The accession process is being accelerated. On 4 May 2016, the European Commission announced that: The accession process will be re-energised, with Chapter 33 to be opened and preparatory work on the opening of other chapters to continue at an accelerated pace. David Cameron strongly supports this. In 2010, Cameron said he was angry at the slow pace of Turkish accession, that he was the strongest possible advocate for EU membership for Turkey, and that I want us to pave the road from Ankara to Brussels. In 2014, he said that: In terms of Turkish membership of the EU, I very much support that. Thats a longstanding position of British foreign policy which I support. The Government admitted it supported Turkish accession last month. Last month, the Europe Minister, David Lidington, said: The UK supports Turkeys EU accession process. The British public will not get a vote on the accession of Turkey to the EU. The European Union Act 2011 allows the Government to ratify EU accession treaties without a referendum. There was no referendum on the accession of Croatia to the EU in 2013. The Government opposes giving the British people a say. As the Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said in 2011: A few years ago, 10 new member states joined the European Union at the same time. I believe that their combined population then was 73 million, which is slightly greater than Turkeys population is now. I do not believe that anybody in this country argued at that time that a British referendum on those accessions was right. The only thing to do is to Vote Leave on June 23 to stop the deluge on our already overloaded and crumbling public services. LONDON - England - More than 20 MP's from Commonwealth backgrounds, or representing constituents from BME backgrounds, have written an open letter calling for the UK to Leave the European Union. They argue that Britains Membership of the EU is a barrier to ties being strengthened with the Commonwealth and the rest of the world and say that a Vote to Leave will allow us to adopt fairer trade and immigration policies. The cross-party group of signatories include Boris Johnson, Priti Patel, Gisela Stuart, Rishi Sunak and Iain Duncan Smith. Priti Patel MP, who was appointed UK India Diaspora Champion by the Prime Minister in 2013, said: India is a growing market with the fastest growing working age population of any other major economy but it is a market that we are forbidden from striking a trade deal with because it is against EU rules. Thats just one example of how the EU is holding our great nation back if we Vote Leave we can change that. Similarly, EU membership has led to us having an immigration system with discrimination and prejudice at its core. At present, we discriminate against those outside the EU all due to the fact that EU freedom of movement rules mean we are unable to control migration from countries that are members of the bloc. If we Vote Leave we can look forward to a safer, more secure, and more prosperous future we can introduce a fairer immigration system, and take back control of our trade policy. We can also take back the 350m we send to the EU every single week, and spend it on our priorities instead. Gisela Stuart, Chair of Vote Leave said: If we vote to remain, the UK will be unable to make trade deals with the rest of the world as the Eurozone economy stagnates. This means that the UK may well remain unable to trade on favourable terms with major emerging economies in the years ahead, while remaining tied to the failing Eurozone. The percentage of UK exports going to the EU has been in decline for a decade. If we vote to remain, we will tie ourselves to a shrinking market. It is beneficial to Vote Leave and take back control. The letter We are a group of cross-party British Members of Parliament who represent constituencies with large numbers of hardworking people, from Commonwealth backgrounds or with strong cultural ties to those countries. We all know that Britains Membership of the EU is a barrier to our ties being strengthened with our friends and families in the Commonwealth and the rest of the world which is why it is so important we Vote Leave on 23 June. Britains trade policy is controlled by the EU. That means we are unable to sign bilateral free trade agreements with countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand or for that matter any other non-EU state. Commonwealth countries like India have been in talks with the EU about doing a trade deal since 2007 to no avail. While we stand ready to trade and build close ties with countries across the world, the EU is inward looking, protectionist and more concerned with defending its own vested interests than supporting global trade and growth. As well as damaging our economy, membership of the EU has left Britain vulnerable to the pressures of mass uncontrolled levels of Immigration from Europe. The pressures this causes means that we have to turn away qualified doctors, teachers, and entrepreneurs from non-EU countries who would make a positive contribution to this country. The ancestors of many people we represent fought alongside the British in two world wars, but are now forced to stand aside in favour of people with no connection to the United Kingdom. This is unfair. Over six million residents from diverse ethnic backgrounds are eligible to vote, their voices are crucial in this debate if we are to secure a positive future for our country. We send 350 million pounds a week to the EU, money which would be better spent on our priorities. The referendum is an opportunity to take back control of our borders, our economy and our democracy and finally rejoin the rest of the world. Thats why its essential to Vote Leave on 23 June. The letter has been signed by: Name Constituency The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP The Prime Ministers UK-India Diaspora Champion Witham Boris Johnson MP Uxbridge The Rt Hon Gisela Stuart MP Chair of Vote Leave Edgbaston The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP Chingford and Woodford Green The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP Chipping Barnet Bob Blackman MP Harrow East Andrew Rosindell MP Chairman of the Australia, New Zealand and Canada Parliamentary Groups Romford James Duddridge MP Minister for African and Overseas Territories Rochford and Southend East Paul Scully MP Chairman APPG of British Curry Industry Sutton and Cheam Richard Fuller MP Bedford Suella Fernandes MP Fareham Adam Holloway MP Gravesham Adam Afriyie MP Windsor Nusrat Ghani MP Wealdon James Cleverly MP Braintree Roger Godsiff MP Birmingham Hall Green David Burrowes MP Enfield Southgate Kelvin Hopkins MP Luton North Kwasi Kwarteng MP Spelthorne Nadhim Zahawi MP Member of Foreign Affairs Select Committee Stratford upon Avon Graham Stringer MP Blackley and Broughton Rishi Sunak Richmond (Yorkshire) Skip to main navigation Great Summer Hikes Escape the summer heat in the forest shade, catch a refreshing lakeside breeze, or find relief on a mountain summit. To amplify the cooling benefits, time your hike for the early morning hours and remember to bring plenty of drinking water. David A. Sarnoff Pine Barrens Town of Southampton, Suffolk County Hike through the oak and pitch pine forests of one of Long Island's largest pine barrens. The sandy soils were left behind by glaciers, but beneath the dry surface lies a gigantic aquifer that supplies Long Islanders with drinking water. Trails: Three trails traverse the preserve (a map at the kiosk illustrates their routes). To find the trails from the parking lot, walk west about 150 feet and locate the trailhead sign. Length: Trails of varying lengths. Difficulty: Moderate Wildlife and Natural Attractions: Designated a state Bird Conservation Area, in summer the preserve is aflurry with songbirds such as eastern towhee, common nighthawk, whip-poor-will, brown thrasher, blue-winged warbler and pine warbler. Visitors can also spot white-tailed deer, red foxes and box turtles. Getting There: From Rte. 495/Long Island Expressway, take exit 71 to Rte. 24E. At the Riverhead traffic circle, make the second right onto Rte. 104. Drive two miles, and the parking lot for the preserve is on the right. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk daily. A seasonal access permit is required from DEC. More information: DEC Region 1 Wildlife Manager, 631-444-0305. Saint Francis Woodlands Staten Island, Richmond County Saint Francis Woodlands encompasses 25 acres of wooded property offering a wide range of family-based recreational activities, including: hiking, wildlife and nature viewing, birdwatching and nature photography on pleasant Staten Island Greenbelt trails. A small dam at the beginning of the main stream provides an excellent opportunity to glimpse reptiles and amphibians. Follow the stream's winding course through the trees, and the woods suddenly reveal a glittering quarter-acre pond, located on the state-owned Richmond County Country Club property. Saint Francis Woodlands contains a beautiful deciduous swamp with red maple, sourgum, and American elm trees set deep within a wooded upland composed of mature sweetgum, hickory, hornbeam, spicebush and white pine. Trails: Part of the Staten Island Greenbelt, Saint Francis Woodlands provides visitors with three rambling trails through its forested-hill and upland-swamp habitats. Surface: Rolling, wooded terrain Length: Three trails, all less than one-half-mile-long Difficulty: Easy Wildlife and Natural Attractions: More than 30 species of birds are known to breed at the site, and dozens of plant species are present. The vernal pond also supports a locally rare population of spring peepers. Getting There: From the Staten Island Expressway, take the exit for Todt Hill Road. Parking is available in the residential area on Helena Road and at the trailhead at the end of Helena Road. Nearby Attractions: Todt Hill Woods Mongaup Pond Campground Sullivan County Combine hiking with camping at this great location for both. Not counting New York City's reservoirs, 120-acre Mongaup Pond is the largest body of water in the Catskill Park. After your hike, cool off with a swim at the campground beach, have a picnic lunch, or go fishing or canoeing around the pond. Canoes and rowboats are available for rent, or there is a cartop boat launch for your own boat. The campground also includes several accessible features for those with mobility difficulties. Trails: Miles of foot and multi-use trails begin in and around the Mongaup Pond Campground and extend into surrounding Willowemoc Wild Forest and Big Indian Wilderness Area. Popular hiking destinations include Frick and Hodge ponds, which can be accessed via the Frick Pond trailhead located on Beech Mountain Road, just south of Mongaup Pond Campground. Dress appropriately for summertime activities, and take plenty of water with you. Surface: Soil or rocky terrain ranging from old logging roads to simple foot paths Length: More than 40 miles Difficulty: Easy to challenging (rocky terrain is slippery during wet weather) Wildlife and Natural Attractions: Black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, beaver, fisher and coyote Getting There: If heading east on Route 17, take Exit 96 (Livingston Manor). At the end of the exit ramp, turn right onto White Roe Lake Road. Drive a short distance and turn left at the intersection of Old Route 17. Take the first left onto DeBruce Road (County Route 81/82) and go six miles. At the fork at the end of DeBruce Road, bear right onto Willowemoc Road. Drive a short distance and turn left at the intersection of Mongaup Road. Drive three miles to the campground entrance. If heading west on Route 17, take Exit 96 (Livingston Manor). At the end of the exit ramp, turn left onto Debruce Road (County Route 81/82) and continue as described above. More Information and Directions: Mongaup Pond Campground or call 845-439-4233 Nearby Attractions: DEC's Catskill Fish Hatchery, Catskill Art Society Arts Center and Catskill Fly Fishing Center in Livingston Manor Blackhead Mountain Trail Maplecrest, Greene County This challenging trail offers spectacular views of the northern Catskills for those who make the trek. Blackhead Mountain is the easternmost peak in the Blackhead Range, covered with a mix of mature hemlocks, northern hardwoods and balsam fir. Thirsty hikers can stop for a refreshing drink at a natural spring along the route. Trail: The trail itself is rocky, and the slope alternates between gentle to moderate, to a crevice where hands and feet are needed to descend safely. Surface: Uneven, with tree roots and rocks and possibly loose stones Length: 5.1 miles Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous Wildlife and Natural Attractions: Mature hemlock-northern hardwood forest to balsam fir forest cover on the summit. An occasional deer, turkey or bear wanders along the path. Songbirds and raptors can sometimes be seen. Getting There: The trailhead is located in the Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness, approximately 3.7 miles east of Maplecrest on Greene County Highway 56 (about 1/4-mile past the snowplow turnaround). A trail register is located near the parking area, and all hikers are encouraged to sign in before starting a hike and sign out after returning to the trailhead. More Information: Contact the forest preserve manager at 607-652-3698 or by e-mail to feparks@gw.dec.state.ny.us Nearby Attractions: Many more trails and scenic views of the Catskills and Hudson Valley North-South Lake Campground Coney Mountain Tupper Lake, Franklin County Coney is a small peak with a panoramic view, making a great choice for a short hike. The summit is open bare rock, treating hikers to a 360-degree view of mountains and lakes. Trail Description: Marked by blue DEC trail markers, the trail angles southwest and crosses several wooden boardwalks over a wet area. Then, to keep the grade as gentle as possible, the trail gradually ascends on a looping route around the foot of the mountain-all the while climbing through open hardwoods. Surface: Natural, the final 1/10 mile is steeper, through scrub and across bare rock slabs to the summit. Length: 1.1 miles (elevation gain: 523 feet) Difficulty: Moderate Wildlife and Natural Attractions: Wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, including white-tailed deer and ruffed grouse Getting There: The trailhead is located on Route 30 between Tupper Lake and Long Lake, just north of a snowplow turnaround at the Hamilton - Franklin county line. Soon after entering the woods, the trail turns right and leads to an information kiosk and trail register. Nearby Attractions: The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY (leaves DEC website) Rogers Environmental Education Center Sherburne, Chenango County Choose between trails through woodland, meadow, wetland, plantation, or farm fields, or hike them all, then view the center's outdoor exhibits on predators, waterfowl, fish, pond life and backyard wildlife habitat. The entire Rogers Center grounds offer opportunities to encounter the natural world. Trails: Six miles of labeled trails. A two-mile system begins at the Visitor Center traversing a variety of habitats. Trail guide booklets explain various aspects of the natural resources along the way. Another mile of trails, located across the street from the main parking lot, winds its way up to the Farm Tower where one can enjoy a wonderful view of the Chenango Valley. Surface: Varies Length: Varies Difficulty: Varies Getting There: Rogers Environmental Education Center is located on NYS Route 80, 1 mile west of the intersection of Routes 80 and 12 in Sherburne, New York. From Utica Area: Take NYS Route 12 south to Sherburne, turn right on Route 80. From Binghamton Area: Take Interstate 81 north to Route 12 north to Sherburne, turn left on Route 80. From Syracuse Area: Take Route 690 east to Rout 481 south to Route 92 east to Cazenovia. Take Route 20 east to Route 46 south to Route 12B south to Route 12 south in Sherburne, turn right on Route 80. More Information: Rogers Environmental Education Center Texas Hollow State Forest Bennettsburg, Schuyler County Texas Hollow State Forest is a short drive from one of the most popular Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake. Hikers here will find miles of trails and more than 900 acres of serene woods, ponds and wetlands to explore and enjoy. Trails: About three miles of the Finger Lakes Trail bisects the property from north to south. The Bog Loop Trail takes you about 3/4-mile through wetlands. About two miles of multi-use trails penetrate dense pine and hardwood forest. Texas Hollow Road skirts the property on the west, and Newtown Road crosses it about midway. Surface: Soil, wood puncheon and unpaved roads Length: About six miles of wetland and upland trails Difficulty: Moderate to challenging upland terrain Wildlife and Natural Attractions: Ferns and wildflowers decorate quiet forests, bogs and ponds. The Hollow's diverse habitats are home to just about every kind of wildlife native to the area in the summer. Woods and forest margins hold white-tailed deer and a variety of small mammals, along with dozens of warbler species, flycatchers, finches, hawks and owls. In the ponds and wetlands, herons and kingfishers feed on frogs, small fish and salamanders, while waterfowl nibble at aquatic plants. Several species of colorful butterflies and dragonflies add their delicate beauty to your hike. Getting There: From Watkins Glen, take State Rte. 79 east. Turn right onto Texas Hollow Road. Two parking pull-off areas are spaced at intervals along Texas Hollow Road; a third is located on Newtown Road. More Information: Texas Hollow State Forest and Finger Lakes Trail Conference Nearby Attractions: Watkins Glen State Park Palmer's Pond State Forest Town of West Almond, Allegany County This 3,645-acre area offers opportunities for many outdoor recreational activities, including: hiking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, birdwatching and nature photography. It also provides various habitats for numerous wildlife species such as deer, rabbit, grouse and turkey. Hunting and fishing are allowed on the property. Roadside camping is allowed only at designated campsites marked with yellow "Camp Here" disks. Trail Description: Marked trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Two large parking areas opposite each other on Miller Road serve as trailheads for two five-mile loops. More experienced hikers can enjoy unmarked trails on thousands of acres of backcountry, where primitive camping is allowed as well. Surface: Wide dirt and grass paths through wooded areas, dirt and gravel forest-access roads Length: Twelve miles of marked trails, including two five-mile loops Difficulty: Gentle terrain, with moderate elevation changes throughout Getting There: From Interstate 86, take exit 32 (West Almond) and County Route 2 to the Town Highway facility; turn left across the bridge, and bear right onto North/South Road for about 2 miles to the first road to the right, Geitner Forest Road, which leads to the pond (about 1 mile). To reach the parking areas from Interstate 86, take exit 32 (West Almond) onto Miller Road (north side of interstate overpass) for about 1.5 miles. Nearby Attractions: Finger Lakes Trail, Almond Historical Society, Stull Observatory at Alfred University Skip to main navigation Swimming There are many choices for places to swim in NYS. Use this page to find swimming spots as well as tips and tools you can use to help keep you informed when swimming in NYS. NY's waters are great for swimming and water recreation. NY's waters are great for swimming and water recreation. Find Places to Swim Many DEC owned campgrounds have swimming beaches. The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation swimming information page (link leaves DEC website) lists swimming beaches and pools. The Department of Health monitors many beaches; for information about regulated swimming beaches, contact your local health department (link leaves DEC website). The Department of Health coastal beach water quality information webpage (link leaves DEC website) can be used to obtain information about the most recent water quality status of certain ocean and Great Lakes beaches in New York State. Take Steps to Be Safe! The New York State Department of Health advises that people swim at a beach regulated by the state, counties, towns or villages when possible, because these are monitored for safety and health. DOH will close beaches or post swimming advisories when beaches are unsafe. DEC periodically samples surface waters, but does not sample beaches and cannot monitor conditions in all waters at all times. Download and print DEC's "The Water's Great in New York State (PDF)" bookmark and keep it handy as a guide for swimming safety this summer. People who choose to recreate in unmonitored or unregulated water can help protect their health by following the advice below: Do not swallow water and consider keeping your face and head out of the water when swimming. This reduces the chance of getting sick from bacteria, parasites or other microorganisms that can enter your body through your mouth, eyes, ears and nose. Avoid swimming in cloudy or discolored water as it may contain microorganisms that can make people sick and it can make it harder to see underwater dangers. Wash your hands after swimming, especially before eating, and shower when you are done swimming for the day. Be extra careful near any dams or large boats because they can create undertows and dangerous currents. Never cross safety wires and other water hazard markers when near dams. Be informed - Resources from DEC If swimming somewhere other than a regulated bathing beach, DEC has resources to help you make informed decisions and avoid potential hazards. DEC has resources to help the public make informed decisions and avoid potential hazards, if swimming somewhere other than a regulated beach. DEC has resources to help the public make informeddecisions and avoid potential hazards, if swimmingsomewhere other than a regulated beach. Sewage Pollution Right to Know Publicly owned treatment works and publicly owned sewer systems are required to report sewage spills, which can pollute waterbodies. Learn more about sewage pollution and the law. Sign up to receive sewage spill notifications Sign up to receive sewage spill notifications directly to your phone, email or via text message by signing up for NY-Alert (link leaves DEC website) and selecting the "Environmental" category. For more information on how to sign up visit visit the Sewage Pollution Right to Know webpage. To find out if there have been recent sewage spills reported in your community or where you recreate, visit the Recent NY-Alert Sewage Spill Notifications webpage, which also includes a spreadsheet of historical sewage discharge reports. Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Wet Weather Advisory Avoid swimming, boating, or fishing during or following a rainfall or snowmelt event within a waterbody that has a combined sewer overflow wastepipe. Visit the CSO Wet Weather Advisory webpage to learn more and find out if you live or recreate in a CSO community. View the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Outfalls Google Earth Map for more information about CSO locations (requires Google Earth to be installed on your computer). Harmful Algae Blooms Most algae are harmless, but exposure to toxins and other substances produced by harmful algal blooms (HABs) can make people and animals sick. It can be hard to tell a harmful algal bloom from a non-harmful algal bloom, so it is best to avoid swimming, boating, fishing or other recreation in discolored water that looks like it might have a bloom. Find out what lakes have a harmful algal bloom notice, what you can do to avoid blooms, and more information about harmful algal blooms related to swimming. Different algae can form harmful algal blooms in marine waters; learn about marine blooms. Learn about potential health effects on the Department of Health's Blue-green Algae webpage. (link leaves DEC website) Priority Waterbodies Map Before going to your favorite swimming place, you can use the DECinfo Locator to check DEC's Priority Waterbodies List (PWL) to see if there are any known water pollution problems. Select "Outdoor Recreational Opportunities Map View," search for an address or zoom in on an area, and click on a waterbody to download the PWL Fact Sheet. For more information about water quality in certain waterbodies, visit the Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List webpage. London/Mumbai: Excalibur Steel, a management buyout group interested in purchasing Tata Steel's British steelmaking operations, is ready to lend its support to rival bidder Liberty House, two industry sources told Reuters on Sunday. Tata said in March it wanted to sell its UK steel operation, which has been hit by cheap Chinese imports, rising costs and weak demand. The decision prompted a political scramble to find a buyer to save the thousands of jobs at stake. The deadline for final bid submissions is on Monday. A decision on how to proceed with the sale set to be taken at a meeting of the Tata board in Mumbai on Wednesday. The board is likely to shortlist several bids for further scrutiny. Talks between Excalibur and Liberty over a possible collaboration to rescue the steelmaking operation are ongoing, the two sources said. Excalibur would express their support for the Liberty proposal in its bid document, while Liberty's bid will include a statement welcoming the backing of members of the management buyout team, one of the sources said. Tata and Liberty declined to comment, while Excalibur could not be reached for comment. Liberty is proposing a long-term plan under which the Port Talbot steel plant in Wales - Tata's main asset in Britain - gradually shift towards using technology that allows it to melt scrap steel alongside the plant's existing blast furnaces. A second source said that senior members of the buyout team were ready to move over to join Liberty's bid as part of any collaboration. Tata said earlier this month that it had received seven expressions of interest for the assets. Mumbai: Over the last few months, Sushant Singh Rajput has been in the limelight because of his breakup with longtime girlfriend Ankita Lokhande. Looks like the unsolicited attention has gotten to him as he has disappeared from the social media sphere. According to reports, the actor who is a very private person was upset with the continuous hullaballoo over his breakup. He was also quite annoyed with his link-up with Raabta co-star Kriti Sanon. The actor, who is currently shooting for Dinesh Vijan's film in Budapest, has been bombarded with questions from his social media followers. Earlier this month, he cleared the air and put an end to all the speculations. Sushant wrote, Neither she was an alcoholic nor I am a womaniser. People do Grow apart & its unfortunate. Period!! ( sic). Meanwhile, Ankita who made her first solo appearance since the split at the premiere of Sarbjit said that she is 'happy'. When asked about handling the break up, she had said, Do I look depressed? Not at all, in fact I am happy. Though, this is not right place to talk about my relationship status; but yes, we ( Sushant and I) will definitely speak about it at the right time. 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' is a reboot of a Gen-Y franchise that began in 1984 as a comic series. Housefull 3 no longer has the Friday, June 3 all for itself as the makers of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows have decided to release their film a week before. The film which was earlier slated to hit the theatres on June 10, will be locking horns with Akshay Kumars franchise. This year, 'The Jungle Book' was released a week prior to avoid clash with Shah Rukh Khan's Fan. Last year too, James Bond movie 'Spectre' was moved to avoid a clash with Salman Khan's Diwali release 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'. Even the latest edition of 'Star Wars' was delayed due to the big December clash of 'Bajirao Mastani' and 'Dilwale'. Sajid- Farhad's Housefull 3 revolves around Batuk Patel (Boman Irani) and his three sanskaari daughters Jacqueline Fernandez, Lisa Haydon and Nargis Fakhri. The doting father does not want to get his daughters married and the three of them convince him about their respective boyfriends, played by AKshay, Riteish and Abhishek. On the other hand, science fiction film 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' has been set in New York City. It is a reboot of a Gen-Y franchise that began in 1984 as a comic series, which was later adapted into television shows, video games and films. It is centered on four titular brothers Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo trying to save New York City from an alien threat, as well as the return of the Shredder with his own plan for revenge. Deepika Padukone, who has been in Canada for the past three months, will be wrapping up the shoot of her first Hollywood film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage in Toronto this week. The actress has been working on the film non-stop, taking only a small break to attend her friends wedding in Sri Lanka. Earlier she was supposed to make a quick trip to Paris, once the shoot was over. Reportedly, she had plans of spending some time with rumoured beau Ranveer Singh, who is currently in the French capital to shoot for Aditya Chopras Befikre. Now, we hear she will give the Paris trip a miss. A close friend of the actress confirmed saying, Deepika wont be travelling to Paris after completing her shoot in Canada. She is coming back to Mumbai next week. Closer home, if things go according to plan, the actress will start shooting for director Sanjay Leela Bhansalis next based on the life of Alauddin Khilji. Once again she will be starring with Ranveer, making it a hat-trick appearance for the hit jodi. Mukesh G is on something of a lucky streak this year his latest project Dear Dad, directed by Tanuj Brahmar and starring Arvind Swamy has been met with a positive response. Having been roped in for Puri Jagannaths Rogue, which wrapped up shooting, he has also been signed on as cinematographer for another Telugu movie. Produced by NTR Arts half of this yet-to-be-titled movie, will be shot in Spain. Our timing couldnt have been more perfect as he was set to leave for Hyderabad the next day. Its a milestone in my career, says Mukesh on his Tolly projects and being signed on by NTR Arts, As a cinematographer, I want work in all the major regional film industries and not be stuck in one thing. That said, it looks like 2016 will be for Telugu films only as he wont have time for much else! This profession was something he has been leaning towards since his 15-year-old self was completely taken by Santosh Sivans camera work in Kala Pani. And it has come full circle as the ace cinematographer congratulated Mukesh for his work in Dear Dad. Arvind Swamy and he are good friends and after a private screening, Santosh sir texted me saying he appreciated my work. I couldnt believe it and I told him that he was the one who started it for me all those years ago, he smiles. The Hindi film, his first one in Btown, was completely different from what he has done before. Having worked mostly in ad films under various cinematographers like PS Vinod, Mukesh had branched out on his own in 2010, entering commercial films with Andhra Mess. Dear Dad turned out to be his first art house film, totaling his feature length productions to four. Each film has to be treated differently and with that in mind, I chose to shoot the whole film in 1.85:1 ratio, which is rarely seen in commercial films. The shooting was completed in 29 days, but I never felt any pressure. As an art house film, it was content-driven and the whole thing was very satisfying for me creatively and I could focus on framing each scene well, he says. Also, the reception the team received was phenomenal and heartwarming after watching the film, a few people reached out to them on social media, having been encouraged to come out of the closet themselves! Its good to make a difference. Yet, life never really stops and Mukeshs ambition to be technically diverse calls to him. Hes done ad films, feature films, shorts and now, TV series is something he is looking forward to as well. TV and online series will be on the rise, judging by how well Netflix and other websites are doing. R&D is happening in a small way and I definitely want to be a part of it, he says. He is yet to make his debut in a full-scale commercial Kolly film something he is eagerly looking forward to. Malayalam movies are also in his bucketlist. The only bit of bad luck we can confess he had to turn down an offer from Malayalam due to prior commitments. But thats not going to happen again. With his current streak, were sure it will happen. After a hectic two-week shooting schedule in Morocco, the unit of Balakrishnas Gautamiputra Satakarni is back to the city. Director Krish Jagarlamudi shot a big war scene between Balakrishna, who is playing the title role of Satakarni, and Kabir Bedi. Nearly, 100 artistes were needed for the scene along with 200 horses and also camels. We completed our Morocco episode very successfully, says Krish. The war scene was choreographed by action director Ram Lakshman who was assisted by Hollywood stunt coordinators. This was the first time that an Indian film was shot for so long in Morocco. The unit will now start shooting in a big set erected near Chilukur, at the outskirts of Hyderabad. The female lead of the film has not yet been finalised. Brazils most beautiful fat girl beauty pageant has taken social media by storm. After a series of videos on body shaming doing rounds on media platforms in the recent past, the beauty contest comes as a fresh breath of air. Taking a different approach, this contest celebrated a womans curve. Adhering to the rules, women above 76.8 kgs participated in the beauty contest on May 20 in Rio de Janeiro. The event had a swim suit round and the participants also shook their legs to popular tunes. Around 35 women participated in the spellbinding contest which has struck a chord with the audience. At an age when beauty contests are all about panache and a conventionally-accepted body type, this celebration of flab moved a million. What started off as just an idea to bring about a small change in the community went on to create a bigger impact, resulting in corporates, colleges and schools flooding in with blank paper to support those in need of them. It was thus that Kora Kagaz came into being. The idea was born in 2011 when Shreya, then a high school student in Chennai, presented this project at the Teen of the Year competition held in Mumbai. It was selected from among 120 entries and gave her a funding start to initiate this program. With the help of her friends, Shreya, and six other school students from Chinmaya Vidyalaya began collecting books. They segregated them, bound them and gave it to the children in need. The school helped them by organising interact clubs to help them collect books, providing cartons and segregating the material for the students. We initially lacked volunteers but then we got help from our school. They linked us to many other schools in the locality and that gave us a shot in the arm. says Shilpa Suresh. With the founding team away for college or work, their juniors, who religiously carry out their passionate vision, take the idea forward. The team is hoping to set up chapters in different cities. More than 9,000 books have been given to 2,160 students, the highest achievement Kora Kagaz has recorded. Kora Kagaz aims to bring down our carbon footprint and provide for sustainable methods of development. The deceased was identified as R Poornima, a native of Erode. She was working in an IT firm in Sholinganallur. Chennai: A 22-year-old woman software professional was killed in a hit and run incident on KK Salai connecting Old Mahabalipuram Road and East Coast Road on Saturday in Sholinganallur. The deceased was identified as R Poornima, a native of Erode. She was working in an IT firm in Sholinganallur. She was returning to her place of stay from a temple on KK Salai when the mishap happened on Saturday afternoon. A car, which was speeding in a race against an autorickshaw hit the woman who was thrown far in the impact. She died on the spot and the prasadam from the temple was found scattered around her body. A team from nearby Semmanchery police station rushed to the spot and also informed the traffic cops in Guindy. We were told the vehicle involved in the accident was a Tata Sumo. We dont have much information on the vehicle and the driver, the police said. Poornimas body was sent to the Royapettah GH for post mortem. Her family in Erode had been also informed. New Delhi: A special court on Monday reserved its order on framing of charges against gangster Chhota Rajan and three others in a fake passport case for June 8. Special judge Vinod Kumar concluded hearing arguments of CBI and accused persons on the issue of charge during which Rajan denied the allegation that he used a fictitious identity with the help of fake passport to escape the law as he was accused in several cases of heinous nature. His counsel, however, submitted that he has no objection on framing of charge against him as per the allegations in the charge sheet. During the arguments, the CBI had alleged that the government officials conspired to issue the passport to Rajan in the name of one Mohan Kumar, a non-existent person in complete violation of procedures. It had told the court that Rajan, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody, was accused in several cases of heinous nature, involving charges of murder and extortion and in 1995, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him, therefore, he used a new identity to escape. Besides Rajan, the other accused persons in the case are against Rajan and retired public servants Jayashree Dattatray Rahate, Deepak Natvarlal Shah and Lalitha Lakshmanan. According to CBI, Rajan had got his first fake passport issued from Bengaluru on January 1, 1998 allegedly in connivance with the other accused persons. The CBI said Rajan had allegedly got his passport issued twice from Indian missions abroad on the basis of a fake travel document issued to him in the name of Kumar from the Bengaluru passport office in 1998. CBI filed a charge sheet for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery under the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Passport Act. It said these officers had allegedly ignored rules and regulations of verification while issuing the passport on fake identity and address. CBI claimed on the basis of passport issued in Kumar's name, Rajan had allegedly got another passport issued on December 19, 2003 from High Commission of India at Harare, Zimbabwe, and another one from the Consulate General of India in Sydney. Deported after being on the run for 27 years, the 55-year old gangster, who was once a close aide of fugitive terrorist and mob boss Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to India to face trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai. Rajan was deported to India after his arrest in Bali in October last year. The firing incident, whether accidental, is being ascertained, he said, adding that the case is being investigated by the harbour terminus police station. (Photo: Representational Image) Kochi: A 53-year-old defence security official was found dead with gunshot wounds at a naval base here, Navy officials on Monday said. Defence Security Corps (DSC) jawan Naik Sivadasan K was found dead with gunshot wounds late on Sunday while on duty as armed sentry at naval base Kochi, a Navy spokesman said. The firing incident, whether accidental, is being ascertained, he said, adding that the case is being investigated by the harbour terminus police station. The deceased, belonging to Thrissur is survived by his wife and two daughters. "The family has been informed. An inquiry is being ordered by the Navy into the incident," the official said. After demolishing the Congress in its stronghold of Assam, the BJP now aims to capture another two Congress ruled states - Manipur and Meghalya where assembly polls are scheduled to take place in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The BJP had already succeeded in making in roads in Manipur in last assembly elections by winning two seats besides making its presence felt across the state which is dominated by Metei, a Hindu community. The victory of Assam has strengthened the voice of the saffron brigade in the frontier states. BJP has also decided to strengthen its ties with National People's Party (NPP) which succeeded in maintaining its dominance in Garo Hills of Meghalaya even after the sudden demise of its stalwart PA Sangma. Mr Conrad K Sangma defeated ruling Congress candidate Dikkanchi D Shira, wife of Mukul Sangma in the recently concluded Lok Sabha by-elections. If Congress defeat in Meghalaya has created dissension in Meghalaya Congress with growing demand to remove chief minister Mukul Sangma, it is significant that the 15-year old Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress government in Manipur has also been facing a revolt-like situation. Though Mr Singh succeeded in quelling the dissidence by reshuffling his council of ministers and replacing the PCC chief, the dissension continues to wreak havoc for the Congress government in the frontier states in addition to anti-incumbency of 15 years. The BJP intends to capitalise on the situation by turning it into an opportunity, according to BJP strategists. Delhi Police officials claimed that this was not an incident of hate crime. (Photo: Representational Image) New Delhi: Police on Monday arrested another youth in connection with the murder of the 23-year-old Congolese national at south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area three days ago. Prakash is the second person to be arrested in the case after the prime accused, identified as Mobin Azad Saifi, a senior police official said. Prakash, who is a driver by profession, left Delhi after the incident. He was arrested from Vasant Kunj area on Monday after he returned, said the official. Police teams are, meanwhile, looking out for the third accused, Mukesh, who too is absconding and was last traced in a neighbouring state. 23-year-old Congolese national, Masonda Ketanda Olivier, was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men following a brawl over hiring an auto-rickshaw at Kishangarh locality in Vasant Kunj area on late Friday night. Olivier received a deep wound on his head on being attacked repeatedly with a stone. While Oliver's friend and other African nationals in the area who rushed to his rescue alleged that the attack on Oliver took place on racial lines, senior police officials had denied the allegations and claimed that this was not an incident of hate crime. New Delhi: LJP supremo Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday condemned the attack on BJP MP Tarun Vijay for leading Dalits into a temple in Dehradun recently and urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to identify temples and public places where their entry is prohibited. "We will request Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to get the work done on identification of temples and public places where Dalits and women are prohibited and if necessary, central forces should be deployed at such places," Paswan told reporters, referring to the recent Supreme Court order that allowed women to enter temples. The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, who was accompanied by party's Parliamentary Board chairman Chirag Paswan, said a case of conspiracy to kill Vijay should be registered and speedy trial conducted in the matter. A mob had on May 20 attacked Vijay and Dalit leaders for visiting a temple in Chakrata in Dehradun where entry of Dalits is prohibited. Paswan said he would take up the matter with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat. "After so many years of Independence and laws against untouchability, Dalits are still prohibited from entering temples and if someone like Tarun Vijay, who is an MP, tries to take Dalits into temples, he is attacked," Paswan said. The minister said steps should be taken to ensure entry of Dalits into temples and public places where from they are, at present, prohibited. Mumbai: An airline has grounded two pilots for attempting to land their plane on a road which they mistook for a runway, the airline and reports said Monday. The IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad to Jaipur was close to touching down until the pilots were alerted by a "too low terrain" warning in the cockpit, IndiGo said in a statement. "The captain in command immediately took a precautionary measure and carried a go-around. The aircraft landed safely on subsequent approach," added the statement. The incident, the latest to highlight safety concerns in India's rapidly expanding aviation sector, happened on February 27. A new report quoted an aviation official as saying the plane was at an altitude of around 900 feet and 90 seconds away from landing on a road running parallel to the runway. IndiGo said the pilots were made aware of their mistake by an enhanced ground proximity warning system, which alerts the cockpit if the plane is in danger of flying into the ground or hitting something. "At no time was safety compromised. Both pilots have been taken off flight duty with immediate effect, pending investigation," said the statement. "The matter was duly reported to the (aviation regulator) Directorate General of Civil Aviation by IndiGo flight safety department," IndiGo added. IndiGo, famed for its no-frills approach and fixation with punctuality, commands almost 40 percent of its home market, the biggest share of any airline. It is the country's only consistently profitable airline. The government wants to make air travel affordable for millions of its citizens but a number of safety incidents have led to concerns over the speed of growth. Earlier this year an Air India plane with 160 passengers was forced to return to New Delhi almost 30 minutes into a Milan-bound flight after smoke was detected in the cabin. In December a London-bound Air India flight with over 200 passengers returned to Mumbai after three hours in the air over a suspected rat sighting in the cabin. That same month a technician working for Air India died after being sucked into a jet engine as the plane pushed back for take-off at Mumbai airport. Vijayawada: It is the Japan government's responsibility to build Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, and make it next to Tokyo, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said. "Your (Japan's) Maki and Associates is designing our capital buildings. So it is Japan government's responsibility to build Amaravati. It should be next to Tokyo," Chandrababu remarked, inaugurating a two-day Andhra Pradesh-Japan Public-Private joint conference on Monday. Chandrababu asked Japanese companies to make Amaravati "your second home" and invest in different sectors in the new capital as well as other parts of the "sunrise state". "In the near future, we should have a direct flight between Amaravati and Tokyo. You should help in this regard," he told the visiting Japanese Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Yosuke Takagi, whom he termed a "well wisher and family member of AP". Pointing out that 15 Japanese companies were currently doing business in AP, the Chief Minister wanted the number to increase ten-fold to 150 in a year. "AP is an innovative state. People here are creative. We are strong in knowledge economy. There are abundant opportunities for setting up agri-based and mineral-based industries," he added. The Japanese minister said they were keen to improve relationship with AP in sectors like infrastructure, technology, agriculture, automobiles and defence. A joint committee has been constituted to further enhance business interests between AP and Japan, he added. About 80 delegates from Japanese majors like Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Fuji, Nippon, Toyota, NEC, Toshiba, Sumitomo besides representatives of Japan External Trade Organisation are attending the event, organised by the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board. Principal Secretary (Infrastructure, Investment and CRDA) Ajay Jain made a presentation to the Japanese delegation on the investment opportunities in Amaravati capital region. Chennai: AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for a record sixth time along with 28 cabinet colleagues on Monday at a glittering ceremony for which invitations were extended to several national leaders. Parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu represented Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ceremony, who is away in Iran on an official visit. The ceremony took place at the centenary auditorium of Madras University. Jayalalitha stormed back into power in Tamil Nadu in the recently concluded Assembly elections with her party AIADMK winning 134 seats out of 232. She created history by becoming the only chief minister to be elected for a second consecutive term in over three decades in Tamil Nadu. Read: How 'Thalaivi' Jayalalithaa single-handedly steered AIADMK to power The AIADMK supremo retained 15 of her ministers who were in the previous cabinet and 13 new faces including three women. DMK treasurer M K Stalin, former DMK Ministers EV Velu, Ponmudy, party MLAs Sekhar Babu, Vagai Chandrasekhar and Ku Ka Selvam also attended the ceremony. For decades both AIADMK and DMK leaders had kept away from the oath-taking ceremonies of rivals, but this ceremony broke the practice of the rivals keeping away from the other's ceremony. Amid slogans of "Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Vazhga (Long live revolutionary leader Amma) by AIADMK supporters, Jayalalithaa stepped into the decorated Madras University Auditorium in her trademark green saree. Jayalalithaa at the swearing-in ceremony held at Madras University. While Jayalalithaa took oath alone, others were sworn-in in groups in a brief ceremony lasting less than 30 minutes. Ministers in the outgoing Cabinet Natham Viswanathan, Vaithilingam, newly elected MLAs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of the ruling party were also amongst the audience. The ministers retained were O Panneerselvam (Finance), Eddapadi K Palaniswami (Public Works), Sellur K Raju (Cooperation), P Thangamani (Electricity), SP Velumani (Municipal Administration), D Jayakumar (Fisheries), CV Shanmugam (Law, courts), KP Anbazhagan (Higher Education), MC Sampath (Labour), R Kamaraj (Food and Civil Supplies), C Vijayabaskar (Health), SP Shanmuganathan (Milk and Dairy), RB Udhaya Kumar (Revenue), KT Rajenthra Balaji (Rural Industries), and K C Veeramani (Commercial Taxes). Those retained include ministers in the outgoing Cabinet such as Jayalalithaa's trusted lieutenant O Panneerselvam. Others like CV Shanmugam, who had a stint during 2011-16 and were dropped later, have also found a place in the cabinet. The new faces are Dindigul Srinivasan (Forest), V Saroja (Social Welfare), KC Karuppannan (Environment), OS Manian (Textiles and Handlooms), Udumalai Radhakrishnan (Housing), R Duraikannu (Agriculture and Animal Husbandry), Kadambur Raju (Information), Benjamin (School Education), Vellamandi N Natarajan (Toursim), S Valamathi (Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare), VM Rajalakshmi (Adi Dravidar Welfare), M Manigandan (Information Technology), and MR Vijayabaskar (Transport). The entire route from Jayalalithaa's Poes garden residence to the swearing-in venue was filled with cheering AIADMK supporters who showered rose petals on her vehicle as it whizzed past. Musicians, including drummers, were seen playing instruments welcoming the AIADMK supremo as many party workers danced. The function culminated with the customary group photograph of the Governor with the Chief Minister and her new cabinet ministers. Filmstars, including comedians, who campaigned for Jayalalithaa, were also seen among the audience. AIADMK supporters in parts of the state distributed sweets and greeted each other on the occasion. New Delhi: Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday met President Pranab Mukherjee and briefed him on the Ordinance on the uniform medical entrance examination NEET that seeks to keep state boards out of its ambit. The meeting lasted for more than half-an-hour and the minister is learnt to have briefed the President on three set of issues -- different exams of state boards, syllabi and regional languages. Read: NEET ordinance: Congress in tune with President's decision to seek legal advice The President had asked Nadda's ministry to explain the reason for taking the Ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The meeting between the President and the Health Minister was satisfactory, sources said. Read: Urge President Mukherjee not to sign NEET ordinance: Kejriwal The Ordinance was on Saturday sent to the President, who is to leave for China on Tuesday. Nadda was to attend a health summit in Geneva but had to cancel the trip to meet the President. The Ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier on Friday, is aimed at "partially" overturning a Supreme Court order which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. The President has also sought the opinion of in-house legal experts on the Ordinance. The assent of the President is still awaited. Clarifying that the exemption is only for the state government seats, government sources had said the state seats which are earmarked in the private medical colleges have also been exempted. Different states earmark seats in various private medical colleges for state quota so that students from one state can get seats in another state. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1. Health Ministry sources said that seven states will take medical exams as per NEET while in six other states, around 4 lakh students have already taken the examinations. Hyderabad: Terming the rout of the Left in West Bengal as a "big setback", CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy on Monday said the Left parties need to look for new ideas and strategy to gain the lost ground and expand their influence. Reddy, however, asserted they were not worried about the future as losing and winning elections were "inevitable" but it was important to think about methods to reorganise themselves. Read: After poor poll performance, Lefts political existence in Bengal at stake According to him, the Left has lost ground in different states in recent years following the emergence of regional outfits and "neoliberal economic policies" which created a "different type of economic situation". "We have to think of a method on how to reorganise, go nearer to people and bring them into struggles and agitations and expand the influence of the Left. We are trying for it," Reddy told PTI in Hyderabad. Before the advent of regional parties the Left was the main opposition in many states, including Punjab, the undivided Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, he said. "So, it's a reality. It's not that we look at them(regional parties) as our enemies. These types of things do happen in Parliamentary democracy and casteist parties cost us in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," he stated. After the West Bengal election results, Reddy said, the Left parties needed to go for an introspection. "We don't feel there is any need to change our basic ideas of fighting against capitalism, neoliberal policies and all that. On that there is no compromise. "Setback in elections? Yes, we are ready to face it but about strategy and tactics and going nearer to people, mobilising larger sections...for that we need new ideas and strategy," he said. Reddy said the Left parties should introspect as to why they were not able to convert into votes the support of people who backed their struggles and agitations. On West Bengal elections where the Left had struck an understanding with the Congress, he said, "What went wrong is to be discussed. Whether the vote of Congress is not transferred to the Left intentionally or whether Congress voters were not ready to reconcile with the Left. Only after a proper discussion, we can come to conclusions." Reddy rejected suggestions that the Congress-Left understanding was "unprincipled" but admitted that "because Congress was the main political opponent (of the Left) for a long period, many people were unable to digest this type of understanding and for many people it was like 'compromise'". He, however, said the Left and the Congress, the opposition parties in West Bengal for the past five years, were "targets" of the ruling Trinamool Congress. "So, there was a pressure from some sections (for an understanding), but whether it was right to go tactically or not...apparently it looks like it did not help the Left," he added. New Delhi: Cash collections accounted for a whopping 63 per cent of total funds or over Rs 2,100 crore garnered by various political parties during all state assembly polls between 2004 and 2015, a study showed on Monday. The fund collection through cash was however relatively lower at 44 per cent (over Rs 1,000 crore) during three Lok Sabha elections held during this time period. The data collated by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a Delhi-based think tank working on poll reforms, showed the parties collected Rs 2107.80 crore during 71 state assembly elections in this period. During the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, 2009 and 2014, cheque payments accounted for the highest collection at 55 per cent (nearly Rs 1,300 crore), while cash accounted for Rs 1039.06 crore. In case of state polls, fund collected through cheque payments was Rs 1244.86 crore between 2004 and 2015. The study did not take into account the recent polls in five states. ADR said the analysis is based on statements submitted by the national and regional parties to the Election Commission of India. These statements contain information of funds collected and spent between announcement and completion of elections. In terms of expenditure, the the three Lok Sabha polls saw 83 per cent of spending, or Rs 2044.67 crores, through cheque while this percentage was 65 per cent during assembly polls. "India is the least transparent country when it comes to funding of political parties," Professor Trilochan Sastry of IIM Bangalore, a founder-member of ADR, said at a press conference here to release the survey results. The survey, which details the fundings collected and expenditure incurred by regional parties, noted that SP, AAP, AIADMK, BJD and SAD together collected Rs 267.14 crore, 62 per cent of the total funds declared by all the regional parties, during Lok Sabha polls. "SP topped the charts with Rs 118 crore as collection and Rs 90.09 crore as expenditure. Despite contesting only in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, AAP came second in terms of collection by declaring Rs 51.83 crore. AIADMK is placed third with Rs 37.66 crore," ADR said. SP, the ruling party in UP, trumped others in terms of amount collected and spent during the state polls as well. It collected Rs 186.8 crore and spent Rs 96.54 crore. AAP, which has contested two assembly elections till date, came second with Rs 38.54 crore as total funds collected and Rs 22.66 crore expenditure. According to the ECI guidelines, parties should not make any expenditure above Rs 20,000 in cash but there is no provision in the expenditure format for the parties to declare expenses below or above Rs 20,000, ADR said. "Hence, it appears that the parties are taking advantage of the opacity in the expenditure statements to collect and spend funds in cash," the survey adds. It also consists a separate list of 'defaulters', listing parties who did not submit their expenditure statements between 2011-15. Among the national parties, statements of NCP and CPI are not available for two assembly elections held between 2011 and 2015. "The availability of election expenditure statements of regional parties is equally worrisome where the statements of JD(U) is unavailable for 15 assembly elections while that of SP is unavailable for 11 Assembly Elections," it said. Among the national parties, Congress topped the list with maximum funds collection of Rs 1,468.49 crore during assembly elections, while it spent Rs 1,209.84 crore, the survey by ADR said. BJP came in second in terms of funds collected and election expenditure incurred. Total funds collected by BJP stood at Rs 1,128.156 crore and its expenditure was Rs 1,025.54 crore. During Lok Sabha elections, BJP saw the highest collection of Rs 855.22 crore, while in terms of expenditure INC spent the most Rs 1,008.02 crore, it added. Chennai: In a move that could bring down political acrimony between the two Dravidian majors, DMK Treasurer M K Stalin on Monday chose to attend the swearing-in of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister. This is the second time Stalin, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, attended Jayalalithaa's swearing-in after participating in her oath-taking ceremony in 2001. As Chennai Mayor, he along with a few DMK leaders, had attended the function then. Stalin, attired in white shirt and dhoti, was spotted seated in the 16th row at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in function. Former DMK Ministers E V Velu and Ponmudy besides their party MLAs Sekhar Babu, Vagai Chandrasekhar and Ku Ka Selvam were also seated near him. On Sunday, DMK supremo Karunanidhi had said his party would function as a constructive opposition in the 234-member assembly. While the DMK secured 89 seats, its allies Congress eight and IUML one, the AIADMK alone bagged 134 seats in the May 16 polls. Elections to Thanjavur and Aravakurichi segments have been deferred. Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the attacks on policemen in the city was a "worrying" development and the goverment should move quickly to reassure the residents and tourists. "The attacks on policemen in Srinagar is a worrying development. Condolences to the families of those who've died (sic)," Omar tweeted. Read: 2 terror attacks shake Srinagar, 3 cops killed; J&K put on high alert "The government needs to move quickly to reassure residents of Srinagar and visitors (sic)," he said. Three policemen, including an officer, were killed in two attacks in Zadibal and Tengpora area of the city on Monday. New Delhi: Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at her official 10, Janpath residence here to discuss the results of the recent Kerala Assembly polls where the party-led UDF faced a major setback. Talking to the media after the nearly one-hour long meeting, Tharoor asserted the party leadership is determined to move forward with constructive and positive action. Read: UDF failed to change perception of people on corruption, says Tharoor "Having had a serious 50-minute discussion with the party president, I don't want to discuss the content of what we said, but it is very clear that the party leadership takes extremely seriously the election results and has determination to move forward with constructive and positive action," Tharoor told the media after the meeting. He further said doubts that the Congress leadership is not prepared to understand the implication of everything that has happened can be clearly dispelled. "I am very struck by the determination of the leadership to confront the challenges facing the party and to overcome it," Tharoor added. Earlier, Tharoor had expressed disappointment over his party's dismal performance in Kerala and said that the UDF government led by Oommen Chandy did not do enough to change the people's perception in wake of media speculation about the scandals. Chandy said that the poll outcome was a "setback" and they had not expected such a defeat. After resigning from his post on May 20th, Chandy exuded confidence and said that the Congress will face no problem in returning to power as the vote share of BJP in the state hasn't increased much. The CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) returned to power in Kerala with a comfortable majority giving a huge blow to the UDF, while the BJP created history making its debut. In the 140-member assembly, the LDF won 91 seats, UDF 47, BJP and Independents one each. The six River Bed Power House (RBPH) turbines, which are situated on the bed of Narmada river downstream of Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in Narmada district, have been out of operation since October last year due to poor rainfall recorded last year. (Photo: PTI) Ahmedabad: To save water for drinking and irrigation, the Narmada dam authority has kept six 250-MW hydro-power generating turbines shut for over six months now, causing a sharp drop in power generation as against an all-time high record achieved in 2013-14, an official said. The six River Bed Power House (RBPH) turbines, which are situated on the bed of Narmada river downstream of Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in Narmada district, have been out of operation since October last year due to poor rainfall recorded last year. This was done to save water for supply to Gujarat and Rajasthan during scarcity this summer for drinking purpose, the official said. This is said to be one of the longest periods at a stretch that the RBPH has remained out of operation due to water shortage in Gujarat. "The decision to keep the RBPH shut is taken based on water auditing done by the Narmada Control Authority (NCA), which takes into consideration water availability across several reservoirs on Narmada river located in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat," Sardar Sarvar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) General Manager (Technical) M B Joshi said. "So only when the availability of water is more than what is required for irrigation, drinking and industrial use that we will operate RBPH, because water supplied to RBPH goes into the sea, which is a waste, something that we cannot afford especially when we are faced with drinking water scarcity during peak summer season," Joshi said. "The RBPH will now operate only when the dam receives fresh river water supply in excess which can be only be possible during rainy season," he said. As per SSNNL data, RBPH recorded an all-time high power generation in FY 2013-14 at 5,216.80 million units. In 2014-15, it dropped to 1,685.09 MU. From April 2015 till date, power generation from these turbines has been 1,450.13 MU. Five of the six RBPH turbines have not operated since October 20, while one turbine was shut down on December 20. On the other hand, six Canal Head Power House (CHPH) turbines of 50-MW capacity each, which are set up on Narmada main canal head, have been operating at varying capacities depending on water released in the canal network. Gujarat is facing drought-like situation, with the government having declared 1,115 villages as affected due to water scarcity. NEW DELHI: The explosion of violence in the Kashmir Valley beginning from the late 80s and early 90s has left an ugly scar on the minds of the local population. With more than 70% of adults having experienced or witnessed the sudden or violent death of someone they knew, it is no wonder that 45% or 18 lakh of the adult population in the Valleys ten districts show symptoms of significant mental distress. These are summary findings of the first-ever comprehensive survey conducted jointly by global health NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) (MSF), Department of Psychology, Kashmir University and the Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (IMHANS) across all the ten districts. The final report will be released on Wednesday. The survey conducted between October and December 2015 included 399 villages and 5,428 households. The mental health study included symptoms of depression, anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. These results are totally on expected lines. And this is mainly due to very high stress levels which are again due to the ongoing conflict. Firings, blasts, killings, mysterious deaths and people missing were part and parcel of our lives during the peak of militancy. It is only natural that the common mans mind will be affected, Professor Noor Ahmed Baba, who teaches at the Kashmir Central University, told this newspaper. When violence was at the peak, no one was secure. When you left home, you are not sure you will be back safe. It was the youths who were the most vulnerable ones. The phenomena of missing people have resulted in more than a lakh of half-widows in the Kashmir Valley, Baba added alluding to the Kashmiri women whose husbands are still missing due to the conflict. The half-widows do not even know whether their husbands are dead or alive, he added. Youths in the early 90s would be in their 50s now. Not surprisingly, the survey concludes: The proportion of mental distress was significantly higher in the over 55 year age group for all disorders. AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa arrives for her swearing in ceremony in Chennai on Monday. (Photo PTI) CHENNAI: Fulfilling five major promises made during her election campaign on the she assumed office, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Monday announced shutting down of 500 Tasmac shops and reducing the working hours of the remaining liqour shops in Tamil Nadu. She also waived crop loans of farmers and announced 100 units of free power to consumers. After being sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu a record sixth time and all set for a fourth term in office, Ms Jayalalithaa drove straight to Fort St George, seat of the state government and assumed office. She signed five files pertaining to waiving off farm loans, granting 100 units of free power to consumers, increase in allocation of gold for women, increased free power to weavers and reduction in the working hours of Tasmac. Taking the first step towards her poll promise of implementing staggered prohibition in the state, the CM announced that Tasmac shops would open at 12 noon instead of 10 am beginning Tuesday and that 500 liqour shops across the state would be closed. The first file that Ms Jayalalithaa signed was the order pertaining to waiver of crop loans taken by farmers up to March 2016 from cooperative banks, which would cost the exchequer Rs 5,780 crore. The waiver includes crop loan, medium and long term loans of small and micro farmers payable to co-operative banks, an official statement said. DMK irked over Stalins back seat In a rare gesture to promote cordiality among political leaders, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Monday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa along with DMK senior leaders. Partys principal secretary K. Duraimurugan, senior leaders K. Ponmudi, M. Subramanian, P.K. Sekarbabu and actor and MLA Vaagai Chandrasekar attended the function. DMK Treasurer M.K. Stalin attends Jayalalithaas swearing-in ceremony as CM of Tamil Nadu. (Photo PTI) Stalin and other DMK leaders were seated on the tenth row and stayed till the end of the ceremony. Taking exception to seating Stalin on the tenth row, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, said the ruling AIADMK had deliberately insulted the DMK by seating Stalin among the crowd. Stalin is qualified to sit in the Opposition in the Assembly since the party had won 89 seats, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi said. Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will chair the first meeting of the controversial Bengaluru Blueprint Action Group (BBAG) in Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday. Most prominent members of the group, including Biocons Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Flipkarts Sachin Bansal, are expected to attend. The CM is expected to walk into the meeting straight after his city tour. Top honchos of industry, activists and people from civil society, who are part of the group, will meet for the first time. Although it will be a non-agenda meeting, we hope to get clarity on the direction we are to take after the meeting, sources said. Setting the agenda will be priority on the first day as we have identified five subjects which need tackling, mobility, solid waste management, water, sanitation, lakes and pollution and environment. I will suggest we focus on mobility, where we can talk about the peripheral ring road, Namma Metro Phase 2 and 3, white topping of roads, elevated and signal-free corridor among other projects, said a member of the group. We wont just discuss but get things going with deadlines, and drawing up modalities for enforcement of mega projects. We will fix a day to meet every month since we dont have much time on hand. It will probably be the last Saturday of every month, he added On the controversy surrounding BBAG, which is being called elitist by some, he said it was inclusive in nature unlike what was being suggested. We are planning to take BBAG to a public platform through social media. We will post our discussions and action taken on it and invite people to comment on them or give their own suggestions. The primary idea is to make it interactive and not let things happen in isolation, the member explained. NRN, Premji to skip IT czars Narayana Murthy of Infosys and Wipros Azim Premji are not attending the meeting. Mr Murthy, responding to an email by Deccan Chronicle, said he will not be attending the meeting as he is travelling. He wished all the best for the action group. The government is also considering a proposal to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, which is likely to be announced by June-end. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: The state government has lined up sops for employees in June/July as the bifurcation of staff between AP and TS is coming to an end. Several employee issues had not been addressed over the last two years and the state government had kept the sops on hold on grounds that the bifurcation of staff by the Kamalnathan Committee was yet to be completed. With the committee setting itself a June deadline, the state government has lined up promotions for staff in all departments next month, besides clearing long-pending Pay Revision Commission arrears amounting to Rs 4,000 crore in July. Employees transfers will also be taken up after a gap of two years. The government is also considering a proposal to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, which is likely to be announced by June-end. The other major issue leading to resentment among the employees is that of health cards. Though the government had issued health cards offering cashless and limitless health services in hospitals, they are not serving the purpose. Corporate hospitals are not honouring the cards and are demanding higher payment for various treatments. With this, the government is yet to enter into MoUs with corporate hospitals. Though the cards are being accepted by most private hospitals, the employees are demanding access to corporate hospitals. "Now that the bifurcation of staff between TS and AP is to be completed soon, the Telangana state government has come forward to address all the pending issues of employees. The CM has directed the finance and general administration department to speed up the files pertaining to promotions, transfers, PRC arrears, health cards etc. and submit the same to the government for approval. The CM has assured to address all these issues in June and July," said Mr G. Deviprasad, honorary chairman, TNGOs. According to sources, five star hotels sector along with fine-dining, electronic gadgets, luxury personal care and jewellery, performed well in 2015. Chennai: It may sound strange but the reality is that living in Chennai may be inexpensive for many except that five-star accommodation in this metro is costlier than other metros in India. Indian travellers to the city paid Rs 8,686 during their stay in five-star hotels in 2015 while those visiting Pune paid the least at Rs 7,602 a night. Chennai took the fourth position followed by Hyderabad in Telangana at Rs 8,686 and Rs 8,701, respectively, for a nights hotel stay, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) report. Eight cities from India featured as prominent destinations that offered best value five star accommodation, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. While Pune emerged as the best five star hotel destination where Indian travellers paid the least in 2015, with an average price of Rs 7,602 a night, Jaipur took the second place with an average tariff of Rs 7,844 a night and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), ranked third on the list to offer best deals for five star accommodation with tariff of `8,114 per night last year. Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam, was ranked ninth in the list, where Indians paid Rs 9,700 for a night, as per the data obtained from bookings made in hotels on the Hotels.com websites worldwide. According to sources, five star hotels sector along with fine-dining, electronic gadgets, luxury personal care and jewellery, performed well in 2015 and are expected to grow by 30-35 per cent over the next three years. Factors that fuelled the luxury industrys growth are the rise in disposable income, brand awareness among youth and purchasing power of the upper class, it is said. New Delhi/Lucknow: Gearing up for 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, BJP has lined up its top brass, including 45 union ministers, for publicity blitzkrieg on Modi government's second anniversary beginning with the Prime Minister public meeting in Saharanpur on May 26. The union ministers are expected to attend events across the state's 32 cities a day after Modi addresses the Saharanpur rally. The politically crucial state, which goes to the assembly polls early next year, is at the centre of the party's political strategy and BJP president Amit Shah is also likely to address public meetings during the exercise that will go on between May 26 and June 10. "The PM will address a meeting in Saharanpur on May 26 marking the begining of a week-long 'vikas parv' to highlight his government's achivements during his two years in power," BJP state spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said in Lucknow today. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely will be in Lucknow and Road and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in Kanpur, while newly-elected president of BCCI and national president of BJP's youth wing Anurag Thakur and HRD Minister Smriti Irani will be in Gorakhpur to participate in programmes on separate dates. A number of union ministers are also scheduled to attend programmes like press conferences and public meetings across the country on the anniversary day. Health Minister J P Nadda and his ministerial colleague Harsimrat Kaur are likely to be in Varanasi, Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, and Agra respectively. Amaravati: Senior politician and Telugu Desam MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary created a sensation by levelling allegations against the BJP during the mini Mahanadu meeting held at Guntur on Saturday. Addressing the meeting, Mr Butchaiah Chowdary lamented that the residuary AP was badly affected due to bifurcation. He alleged that the BJP is the first political party to propose united AP bifurcation. He recalled that during its party meeting at Kakinada, the BJP proposed two states theory and demanded Special Category Status for 10 years during the passing of AP State Reorganisation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Mr Butchaiah Chowdary alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after visiting the affected areas of Visakhapatnam during HudHud cyclone, had announced Rs 1.000 crore aid, but sanctioned only Rs 535 crore to AP. The Prime Ministerhad the BJP will fulfill all bifurcation promises. He demanded that the Union government announce a special package to AP besides Special Category Status. He said that BJP leader Somu Veerraju was unnecessarily levelling allegations that the TD government was violating the election pact between the two parties. He alleged thatr Mr Veerraju was unfit even to win as a ward member. He opined that Mr Veerraju has no knowledge about development activities of the TD government. Mr Butchaiah predicted that AP people will teach a strong lesson to the BJP in the next election if the BJP fails to fulfil all the demands promised. Hyderabad: TD president and AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has apparently made up his mind not to field a fourth candidate from the party to prevent YSR Congress nominee V. Vijay Sai Reddy from become a Rajya Sabha member. According to indications, there will be no elections to the Rajya Sabha from AP with the the TD taking three seats, and the YSRC one. Mr Naidu is of the view that it will be difficult to manage if another 20 YSRC MLAs defected to the TD in the next four-five days. He also felt that it would be a politically embarrassing to field another candidate without a single surplus vote available with the TD-BJP combine and to solely depend on the YSR Congress rebel MLAs. If more than four valid nominations are filed, it will lead to a contest, otherwise the nominees will be unanimously elected at the end of filing of papers on May 31. According to sources, the Chief Minister is of the view that if theres going to be a contest, though it is easy to prepare different codes for the legislators to vote for a candidate in a particular manner, in practice it would be difficult for the MLAs to follow. Second, since there is an open ballot system for RS polls, the YSR Congress agent will come to know which legislator has not voted for the party nominee. This might prove to be embarrassing for the ruling establishment, that it won a seat with the help of defectors. Third, all the surplus votes are with the YSR Congress, and the strength of TD-BJP is sufficient only for three candidates to win. Fourth, encouraging defection of almost 40 legislators from the opposition also appears to be difficult as of now. Fifth, whoever is decided as the fourth candidate, from the TD or as an Independent, would have to spend tonnes of money, which ultimately may lead to ruling party legislators dema-nding their pound of flesh from the official candidates. Last, if everything does not go as per the codes, it may boomerang on the official candidates as well. In a related development, TD sources said BJP president Amit Shah would formally ask Mr Naidu, when the two meet in Guwahati on Tuesday, to support Union minister for commerce Nirmala Sitara-man for a second term from AP. Sources indicated that Mr Naidu may not refuse the request coming from the BJP national president at a time when several issues of the AP government are pending with the Centre for approvals. Sources said if Mr Naidu refuses the request, it will go against the spirit of alliance. Union parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu will be filing papers for the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka for a record fourth time on May 26. The Karnataka state BJP unit on Sunday passed an unanimous resolution requesting the national leadership to offer the lone RS seat to Mr Venkaiah Naidu. Wandering about the near empty streets of a somnolent Lisbon on Sunday it seemed incredible that for years I was expressly forbidden to visit the Portuguese capital. Not me alone. No Indian could. Those were the years when Indian passports were not valid worldwide. Just as New Delhi grudgingly issued a travel document it also decided the countries to which one could travel. A stamp in my passport ruled out South Africa, Albania and Portugal. No reason was given. No reason needed to be given. The Indian government was sole and supreme arbiter of the destiny of all Indians until the courts stepped in and insisted no governments power was limitless. South Africa was out of bounds because India disapproved of the white racist regimes apartheid policy. Albanias exclusion was a mystery. Some said Albania supported China but, then, I wasnt banned from visiting China, at least in theory, even after Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai euphoria exploded into war. The restriction on Portugal was Indias way of showing its displeasure when the Salazar regime refused to hand over Goa. Britain, too, came in for criticism. I was a student in Manchester in 1955 when Craveiro Lopez, the Portuguese President, paid a state visit to London. Britains Oldest Ally gushed the newspapers, waxing eloquent over the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance (Alianca Luso-Britanica) that the 1386 Treaty of Windsor ratified. Its the worlds oldest alliance still in force, dating back to the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373. An India Office education officer, ironically a man with a Portuguese name, came up to Manchester and told us that inviting Mr Lopez was Britains way of showing support for Portugal over the Goa dispute. Burra hoosiar hai! exclaimed Mr Ribeiro or Sequira, covering up his Goan lineage. All that is ancient history. But the past never dies. It will be 518 years next week since Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut, Kerala, on May 27, 1498 to inaugurate a new form of alien rule in the subcontinent that lingered till 1961 when India liberated Goa. But as a bemused Jawaharlal Nehru wondered when China made the same claim regarding Tibet, liberated from whom? A few years after the liberation, I took a boat from what was still Bombay for the overnight voyage to Vasco da Gama port in Goa. There wasnt a proper jetty, so I dragged my suitcase down, dumped it on the ground and went up to a taxi standing nearby. The driver wouldnt get out of his vehicle to fetch the suitcase. You Indians very strong, he blurted out, you take Goa, you carry own suitcase! Drinking cashew liquor with young Goans throwing dice that evening, I heard their version of the liberation. The consensus was that V.K. Krishna Menon needed the Goa victory to be elected to the Lok Sabha from North Bombay. Those Goan youths were also convinced Bombays rich and influential people coveted Goas material goods. Whether or not shops were looted I dont know, but their shelves were soon emptied out. Bombaywallahs had the money to pay for the wine, cheese, caviar and the antique colonial furniture in those days of import substitution austerity. The exodus of Goans to Portugal might suggest that many Goans are still not reconciled to absorption in India. On the other hand, it could illustrate the opportunism that is often the dominant Indian characteristic. It is said Chinese immigrants will go wherever there is land and water. Indians will go wherever they are accepted. The Portuguese government grants full citizenship rights to anyone born before 1961 in Goa, Daman and Diu and to their children and grandchildren. According to some estimates, between three and four lakh Goans took advantage of this clause after Portugal joined the European Union in 1986. Another assessment is that 11,500 Goans opted for Portuguese citizenship between 2008 and 2013. Moreover, at least 20,000 Goans have settled down in Britain with their Portuguese-EU papers. Many have never set foot in Portugal. They are like the Indian Jews I met packing flowers in Beersheba in Israel. There was no conversation for those so-called Jews were Malayalis who had picked up some Hebrew but didnt have a word of Hindi or English. They were servants of Cochins extinct Paradesi Jews, and labour-hungry Israel had accepted them, too, as Jews. Three years ago I read of two Goan legislators who had also taken Portuguese nationality but, since India doesnt allow dual citizenship, kept it a dark secret. Caetano Silvia belonged to the Vikas Party, and Glen Ticlo to Narendra Modis own BJP. Court cases were instituted against them but I dont know what happened. No one here in Lisbon seems to have heard of them. But there are some small signs of India. Driving in from Humberto Delgado Airport we passed a modest sweet shop called Annapoorna. An inconspicuous brass sign a little later proclaimed the Hare Krishna Centre. Occasional Indian faces surfaced in the taxi queue or at the ATM. They explained the question by an Australian businessman who regularly suffers the fourteen-and-a-half-hour flight from Brisbane to Dubai, and the further seven-and-a-half hours from Dubai to Lisbon. Going home? he asked conversationally, settling down in his adjacent slumberette on board the last Emirates lap. He had turned in before I could ask what he meant. Now I know. Portugal was once an enemy nation with which India fought a war. That makes no difference. An Indian passports value for most holders lies not in allowing him or her to roam the world but as a bridge to another preferably Caucasian passport. The 6.5 metre long Re-usable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) which weighs about 1.75 tonne at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, before it was taken for the launch at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. Chennai: Isro is all set for testing an indigenous winged prototype Resusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) on Monday morning from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. It has got a launch window between 7 am and 11 am tomorrow. Depending upon the weather and wind conditions the RLV will be launched, an Isroofficial told DC on Sunday. The RLV will be launched by a solid rocket motor to 70 km height andit will re-enter the atmosphere. Everything in this RLV technology demonstration was developed indigenously, he said. The reusable launch vehicle with delta wings and angled tail fins willfly into space and inject an orbiter, then land on Earth like anaircraft. After that it can be reused. This will help cut cost of satellite launches by at least 10 times. This RLV prototype will have 6.5 metre long aeroplane-like structure. It weighs more than 1.75 tonnes. The RLV will splash down in the Bay of Bengal within ten minutes of the launch. The descent of the RLV will be a controlled one and it will be closely monitored, he added. It is described as a very preliminary step in the development of areusable rocket. The final version is expected to be built in 10-15years. Isro is launching the winged flight vehicle for the first time. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Ibrahim, who has three children, said the kidnappers told her she was being taken to attack the Kantin Kwari textile market in the northern city of Kano. (Photo: AP) Kano, Nigeria: A Nigerian mother of three has described how she escaped from Boko Haram Islamists after being abducted, drugged and told she was going to become a suicide bomber. Khadija Ibrahim, 30, said she was snatched by two men from a bus station in the northeastern city of Maiduguri on Friday, as she travelled to see her doctor for medical treatment. Her account backs up theories that female suicide bombers used by Boko Haram are not willing participants. The group has deployed the tactic against civilian "soft" targets since mid-2014. "They offered me a lift, which I readily accepted because I wanted to be at the hospital on time. They drugged me by placing something on my nose and I lost consciousness," she told reporters on Sunday. "I just woke up to realise I had been stripped and strapped with a suicide vest and heard one of my captors whispering to me that I was going to do God's work." Ibrahim, who has three children, said the kidnappers told her she was being taken to attack the Kantin Kwari textile market in the northern city of Kano. But she said she came round from the effects of the drugs and feigned unconsciousness until she saw her chance to escape when the car overheated twice on the way and was forced to stop. Ibrahim said she managed to unfasten the bomb vest during the second breakdown, which happened after they reached Kano late on Friday. "While the driver went to look for water the other man went out to the opened bonnet to examine the engine, which gave me an opportunity to ran out of the vehicle," she said. Another young woman who was in the car with her may also have been drugged, she suggested, as she looked "dumb and unaware of what was happening around her". It is not known what happened to her. Ibrahim said she was picked up by a man in the Hotoro neighbourhood of Kano late on Friday, who took her to the police. They then handed her to the state governor, Umar Ganduje. "If this woman had not regained consciousness the story would have been different by now," he told reporters. Boko Haram has attacked the Kantin Kwari market before. In December 2014, two young female suicide bombers killed four people, while a third refused to detonate her explosives and was arrested. In July 2014 there was a spate of suicide bomb attacks by young women in Kano, which led the state government to cancel celebrations to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. New York: A Sikh-American councilman was called a "terrorist" on Twitter by a Donald Trump supporter but the Indian-origin politician hit back at the troll, saying "you clearly don't know what it means to be an American". Ravinder Bhalla, city council member at large and council president of Hoboken, New Jersey, posted a message on Twitter about the Hoboken City Council approving a waterfront multi- use pathway. After Bhalla sent out the tweet, Robert Dubenezic, an open supporter of Republican presidential nominee Trump expressed shock that Mr Bhalla was a councilman. "How the hell did Hoboken allow the guys to be councilman? Shouldn't even be allowed in the US #terrorist," Mr Dubenezic tweeted on Thursday. Bhalla, was quick to answer, exclaiming, "Sir, I am born and raised in America. You clearly don't know what it means to be an American...#ignorant." Dubenezic's Twitter page contains several posts expressing his support for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Trump. "With a lot of the rhetoric we're hearing from people like Donald Trump about Muslim Americans and people who are perceived to be from a Muslim background, I think the spread of Islamophobia from our national leaders sends the wrong message," Bhalla told NBC News. "I hope this episode shows people that words can be hurtful and that discriminating based on how someone looks shouldn't just be ignored. People should be educated on different faiths and backgrounds so that diversity is celebrated," Bhalla said. "America is, after all, a nation of immigrants. And if we work together instead of against each other, we'll accomplish so much more," he said. Many voiced their support of Mr Bhalla, including elected officials US Representative Bonnie Watson-Coleman and Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer, members of the Sikh-American community, and his constituents. "At the end of the day, I don't hold any malice toward this person. I forgive him for what he said and hope he will educate himself about how his comments can be hurtful and divisive," Bhalla said. Bhalla is also an attorney and a founding member of the national Sikh Bar Association. He earned national recognition for leading a successful challenge to the New York Police Department for restricting the religious practice of a Sikh officer, and he successfully challenged the search policy of the Federal Bureau of Prisons after he was asked to remove his turban in order to see a client. Washington: Some elements in the Pakistani military and the ISI had "shown a willingness" to work with terrorist outfits, a top American Congressman has alleged after the US said it has killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike deep inside Pakistan. "I think that there is an element in the ISI, an element in their security services that in the past have shown a willingness to work with terrorist organisations, especially inside Afghanistan," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee told CNN on Sunday. "And my hope is that now that has come back to bite, that there is a realisation that that support has to end," he said. Asked if Pakistan can be an ally in the war on terror, Royce said, "I think the civilian government is." Asked whether he believes that Pakistan gave the okay for the drone strike against Mansour or was given advanced warning, Royce said, "Some elements in the Pakistani military are conflicted here for this reason. They've worked with the Taliban in the past, but at the same time, the Taliban and their allies, their other radical allies, are also trying to overthrow the civilian government inside Pakistan itself." "And so, this has complicated the situation for Pakistan since they have lost so many civilians to attacks by Taliban and other affiliated radical organisations. So, I think end of the day, the fact that we've taken out the Taliban leader might allow us to see an evolution in this, where we get more security in the region," he said. Mansour, who was in his early 50s, and another militant were targeted in a precision air strike by multiple unmanned drones operated by US Special Operations forces on Sunday in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province close to the Afghan border. Royce said the air strike against Mansour was an important development because he had "killed thousands and thousands of people." "So, the fact that we took out their leader, this is important, but it's only the first step. If we're really going to give the air power, the support necessary to make certain that the Afghans can hold their ground against the Taliban," Royce said. Royce said the airstrike against Mansour was an important development because he had "killed thousands and thousands of people." (Photo: AFP) Washington: Some elements in the Pakistani military and the ISI had "shown a willingness" to work with terrorist outfits, a top American Congressman has alleged after the US said it has killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike deep inside Pakistan. "I think that there is an element in the ISI, an element in their security services that in the past have shown a willingness to work with terrorist organisations, especially inside Afghanistan," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee told CNN on Sunday. "And my hope is that now that has come back to bite, that there is a realisation that that support has to end," he said. Pakistan can be an ally in the war on terror, Royce said, "I think the civilian government is." Asked whether he believes that Pakistan gave the okay for the drone strike against Mansour or was given advanced warning, Royce said, "some elements in the Pakistani military are conflicted here for this reason. They've worked with the Taliban in the past, but at the same time, the Taliban and their allies, their other radical allies, are also trying to overthrow the civilian government inside Pakistan itself." "And so, this has complicated the situation for Pakistan since they have lost so many civilians to attacks by Taliban and other affiliated radical organisations. So, I think end of the day, the fact that we've taken out the Taliban leader might allow us to see an evolution in this, where we get more security in the region," he said. Mansour, who was in his early 50s, and another militant were targeted in a precision air strike by multiple unmanned drones operated by US Special Operations forces on Sunday in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province close to the Afghan border. Royce said the airstrike against Mansour was an important development because he had "killed thousands and thousands of people." "So, the fact that we took out their leader, this is important, but it's only the first step. If we're really going to give the air power, the support necessary to make certain that the Afghans can hold their ground against the Taliban," Royce said. The destroyed vehicle in which Mullah Mansour was travelling in the Ahmad Wal area in Balochistan province of Pakistan, near Afghanistan's border. (Photo: AP) New York: The US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Pakistan was a signal that the Obama administration was becoming "less patient" with its "failure" to combat the Taliban insurgency, American media commented on Monday. "The strike in Balochistan was also seen as a signal that the Obama administration was growing less patient with Pakistan's failure to move strongly against the Taliban insurgency. While Pakistan's powerful military establishment has quietly cooperated with the CIA's campaign of drone strikes against Al-Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban in the northwestern tribal areas, it has refused past requests from the spy agency to expand the drone flights into Balochistan," a report in the New York Times quoted former US officials as saying. It cited officials saying that the US drone strike on Saturday against the leader of the Afghan militants signalled a "major break" with precedent as the US circumvented Pakistan in an effort to disrupt the strengthening insurgency. The report said the US and the Afghan government have long pointed at the Taliban sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, as the main reason for the resilience of the insurgents despite a strong global campaign against them that at one time had involved nearly 150,000 international troops. In another report, the Washington Post said that the drone strike "represents another escalation in US involvement in the war in Afghanistan by trying to cripple an insurgent group that has for years found refuge on Pakistani soil." "This is an unprecedented move to decapitate the Taliban leadership in its safe haven of Pakistan," Bruce Riedel, a South Asia expert at the Brookings Institution, was quoted by The Post as saying. "It exposes Pakistan's role in promoting and protecting the Taliban, and will provoke a crisis in US-Pakistan relations." Former Pakistani ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani was quoted in the NYT report as saying that the US' expansion of its drone campaign into Balochistan suggests "that the US is losing patience with the promises of Pakistan. "The Taliban insurgency will probably continue, but Pakistan has another chance to dissociate itself from backing the greatest threat to Afghan stability," Haqqani said. Until the strike against Mansour, authorised by President Barack Obama weeks ago, consecutive administrations in Washington had resisted the temptation of going after Taliban sanctuaries out of fear of angering Pakistan. "Instead, American officials focused on pressuring the Pakistani military to force the Taliban's leadership into joining peace talks with the Afghan government," it said. Hanoi: Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US strike, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. "We have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like al Qa'ida," the US President said in a statement, referring to Saturday's strike which took place on Pakistani soil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit seeking to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way in the wake of lifting of sanctions against Iran. (Photo: AP) Tehran: India will invest billions of dollars in setting up industries ranging from aluminum smelter to urea plants in Iran's Chabahar free trade zone after it signed a pact to operate a strategic port on the Persian Gulf nation's southern coast. The inking of commercial contract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said. "The distance between Kandla and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable us quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link," he explained. "Over Rs 1 lakh crore investment can happen in Chabahar free trade zone," he said. Read: Modi meets Rouhani in Tehran, commits huge investment in Chabahar port Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit seeking to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way in the wake of lifting of sanctions against Iran. Iran, Gadkari said, has cheap natural gas and power that Indian firms are keen to tap to build a 0.5-million tonne aluminium smelter plant as well as urea manufacturing units. "We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount," he said. Read: Lifting of sanctions on Iran opens immense opportunities: Narendra Modi Gadkari said Nalco will set up the aluminium smelter while private and co-operative fertiliser firms are keen to build urea plants provided they get gas at less than USD 2 per mmBtu. Railway PSU IRCON will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods right up to Afghanistan, he said. Gadkari said India Ports Global Pvt, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest USD 85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi cargo berths. The Indian consortium has signed the port pact with Aria Banader Iranian. "The contract is for 10 years and can be extended. We will take 18 months to complete phase one of the construction," he said, adding that first two years of the contract are grace period where India doesn't have to guarantee any cargo. From the third year, India will guarantee 30,000 TEUs of cargo at the Chabahar port which will go up to 2,50,000 TEUs by the 10th year. An initial pact to build the Chabahar port was first inked during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government in 2003, but the deal slipped through during subsequent years. It has been aggressively pushed in the past one year, leading to signing of the agreement for phase-1 today, Gadkari said. "This is a historic event which will herald in a new era of development. We can now go to Afghanistan and further to Russia and Europe without going through Pakistan," he said. The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway, setting up road access to four major cities in Afghanistan, Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. India is also reported to finance another road network inside Afghanistan to enable Iran to access as far as Tajikistan through a shorter route. Chabahar is about 100 km from the Chinese-run Gwadar port in Pakistan, which is part of China's USD 46 billion plan to develop China-Pakistan Economic Corridor aimed at opening new trade and transport routes across Asia. The Indian joint venture company will invest more than USD 85.2 million in development of the port. India's Exim Bank will provide a credit line of another USD 150 million. India is blocked from land access to Afghanistan and through it to the central Asia countries because of opposition from Pakistan, which sees India's expansive diplomacy in the region as a threat. India, Afghanistan and Iran separately signed an agreement to set up a trade and transport corridor, with Chabahar as the hub. Road and rail links are being built so that the land-locked Afghanistan can get access to the Iranian port as an alternative to the Pakistani port of Karachi. India will install equipment and operate two berths in the first phase of the Chabahar port with an investment of USD 85.2 million and annual revenue expenditure of USD 22.9 million on a 10-year lease, Gadkari said. The Chabahar project moved slowly because of western sanctions against Iran. The sanctions were lifted in January and since then India has been pushing for conclusion of an agreement. About a fifth of the oil consumed worldwide each day passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping choke point that separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean. Gadkari also said India will build a 500-km railway between Chabahar and Zahedan which will connect Chabahar to Central Asia. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province on Iran's southern coast, is of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast. The port project will be the first overseas venture for an Indian state-owned port. The Jawaharlal Nehru port, India's biggest container port, holds a 60 per cent stake in Indian Ports Global while the Kandla port has the remaining 40 per cent. The visit to the dynamic and rapidly growing southeast Asian nation is Obama's first and the third by a sitting president since the end of hostilities in 1975. (Photo: AP) Hanoi: Barack Obama will meet communist Vietnam's senior leaders on Monday, kicking off a landmark visit that caps two decades of post-war rapprochement, as both countries look to push trade and check Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. The visit to the dynamic and rapidly growing southeast Asian nation is Obama's first and the third by a sitting president since the end of hostilities in 1975. In that time the two countries have experienced an astonishing turnaround in their relations from bitter foes physically and psychologically scarred by a decade of war to increasingly co-dependent regional allies. Both nations have long pushed for closer trade ties, with the US hoping to tap into Vietnam's burgeoning middle-classes. Hanoi's leaders meanwhile are keen to continue delivering impressive growth to stave off the threat of opposition to their authoritarian rule. But Washington and Hanoi also share increasingly common security goals, particularly as Beijing continues to flex its muscles in the disputed and strategic South China Sea where Vietnam also claims ownership of key islands and reefs. The Obama administration has pitched this week's trip as an opportunity to push ties beyond the rapprochement period, with Vietnam now a vital plank in America's much vaunted pivot to the Asia-Pacific region. "This visit is a significant upgrade in the relationship between the United States and Vietnam as partners on many issues," Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor, told reporters ahead of the visit. On Monday morning Obama will meet the country's president, its prime minister and the country's de facto leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the Communist Party. Trong and Obama met last July, when he was given a prestigious Oval Office meeting. A major talking point will be the lifting of a US arms embargo, a last vestige of the decade-long war between the two nations. Advocates argue an embargo lift is vital to helping Vietnam improve coastal defences and bolster its outdated, largely Russian-origin military equipment to better counter Beijing. Look towards the future But weighing against it are concerns about communist-ruled Vietnam's still dismal human rights record, an issue Obama is expected to touch on in a speech in Hanoi on Tuesday. Increased trade ties will also feature prominently during the trip, with Obama keen to make the case for a trans-Pacific trade deal that faces an uncertain future. On Tuesday afternoon Obama will fly to Ho Chi Minh City, the southern Vietnamese metropolis formerly known as Saigon which, in the 40 years since American troops hastily beat a retreat, has transformed itself into the country's thriving commercial heart. There he will meet with tech entrepreneurs and hold one of his trademark town hall gatherings with young people. In an overnight note, the State Department said both countries had announced a partnership to help tackle the fallout of climate change in Vietnam, a country particularly vulnerable to flooding and creeping salinisation. The visit comes at a time when America has rarely, if ever, been so popular among ordinary Vietnamese. A poll last year by the Pew Research Centre found 78 percent of Vietnamese have a favourable view of the US, the third highest in Asia after the Philippines and South Korea. The approval rate was even higher among young people, a huge demographic in nation where the median age is around 29. Like most Vietnamese, 25-year-old Doan Quang Vinh from Hanoi was born long after the war. "For me, the American war against Vietnam is a matter of the past, and though we must not forget the past, we should not dwell on it. We should look towards the future," he told AFP. Thuy Tien, 19, likened Obama to communist Vietnam's founding father Ho Chi Minh. "I've heard lots of stories, and I admire his achievements," she said, giggling. "He's just like our Uncle Ho!" Black smokes rises as a car burns following one of the bomb blasts that rocked two Syrian cities. (Photo: AFP) Beirut: More than 148 people were killed Monday in bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in northwestern Syria, the deadliest attacks yet in the regimes coastal heartland. Seven near-simultaneous explosions targeted bus stations, hospitals and other civilian sites in the seaside cities of Jableh and Tartus, which until now had been relatively insulated from Syrias five-year civil war. The unprecedented attacks on strongholds of President Bashar al-Assads regime came as IS faces mounting pressure in both Syria and Iraq, where Baghdad's forces on Monday launched a major offensive to retake the jihadist-held city of Fallujah. A hundred people were killed in Jableh and another 48 in Tartus to the south, at least eight of them children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were without a doubt the deadliest attacks on the two cities since the start of the war. IS claimed the blasts via its Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had attacked Alawite gatherings in Jableh and Tartus. Binali Yildirim said he was working on a new cabinet after being handed the task by President. (Photo: Twitter) Ankara, Turkey: Turkey's incoming premier Binali Yildirim said on Monday he was working on a new cabinet after being handed the task by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, without saying when the new lineup would be announced. "It is not the first time a government is formed in Turkey. A list of the cabinet is being prepared," he told reporters in Ankara. Yildirim was on Sunday chosen by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as its chairman, replacing Ahmet Davutoglu, who stepped down as premier after a power struggle with Erdogan. According to party rules, the posts of party leader and premier are held by the same person. Yildirim was the sole candidate for leadership at the party congress. In an address to party delegates, Yildirim vowed to beef up the powers of president through changes to the constitution which would see Turkey shifting away from a parliamentary system that keeps the premier strong. Yildirim said today he would present the new cabinet list to Erdogan "whenever it is convenient for him" as the president is currently hosting a UN-backed humanitarian summit which ends on Tuesday. "Do not worry, it will be sorted out in a short while," he said, without giving further detail. Markets are closely watching the formation of the new cabinet amid speculation that Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak may replace Mehmet Simsek as the deputy prime minister in charge of economy. "We think markets' heavy emphasis on names is misplaced, for we think that incoming ministers will have little influence on policy direction and it will be Erdogan team calling the shots," Inan Demir, chief economist at Finansbank, said. "Nonetheless, we acknowledge that markets will prefer to see familiar faces and absence of Simsek could serve as a red flag," he wrote in a note to clients. Yildirim's appointment comes as Turkey is battling Kurdish militants in the southeast and the ISIS in Syria. Last week, the Turkish parliament passed a contentious bill lifting immunity for dozens of pro-Kurdish and other MPs which could drive them out of parliament. 'Party-Affiliated President' Turkish media said the AKP was mulling the idea of a "party-affiliated president" meaning Erdogan could rejoin the party he co-founded -- or at least overtly support it. According to Turkey's constitution, the head of state has to remain neutral and sever his bonds with all political parties, meaning that when Erdogan became president in 2014, he had to leave the AKP. However, in a message read out at Sunday's congress, Erdogan said: "The bonds of my heart with you have never and will never be cut." And Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag made no secret of who he thought was AKP's guiding light, describing it as "Tayyip's party". The AKP is working on a mini-constitutional amendment package seeking to prevent any potential power conflict between the president and prime minister, the HaberTurk newspaper reported, quoting party sources. The amendment would to remove the neutrality provision from constitution and replace it with a party-affiliated president, it said. Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet newspaper, said Erdogan's message to the congress had kicked off the era of a party-affiliated presidency. He said Yildirim would not only be party leader and prime minister but had also undertaken an important mission on the issues concerning the "presidential system" and a "party-affiliated president". Paris: In a shocking incident, a television reporter who was covering a demonstration live in Paris was hit by an unidentified masked protestor. Anna Baranova, who is a reporter with RT news, was hit on the head in an unprovoked attack but the brave journalist remained unfazed and continued to cover the anti-labour reforms protest in the heart of France. The reporter did not let the antics of the protesters get to her. However, it took a few seconds for Anna to recover from the attack and she was clearly dazed from the hit. Luckily for her, the protester had hit her on the head and she was wearing a helmet and was not injured. Seconds after she is attacked, another protester is seen thrusting his hands in front of the camera and clapping. Its not known if the protester was encouraging the man who hit the reporter or was lauding her for carrying on with the live coverage despite what had happened. The body of 38-year-old Sonita Nijhawan was discovered at the house in the posh St. George's Hill area of Weybridge on Saturday morning in what is being described as a possible murder-suicide. (Photo: YouTube) London: An Indian-origin woman was found murdered in a pool of blood at her family estate in south England, leading to the arrest of her husband. The body of 38-year-old Sonita Nijhawan was discovered at the house in the posh St. George's Hill area of Weybridge on Saturday morning in what is being described as a possible murder-suicide. A 46-year-old man arrested on suspicion of her murder has been named locally as her husband Sanjay Nijhawan. Their four-year-old son is believed to have witnessed the murder and his father was also reportedly found with serious injuries after attempting to slash himself with a knife. A post-mortem on Sonita has given a preliminary cause of death as head and neck injuries. "The investigation into this tragic incident is still in the very early stages but at this time I believe this to be an isolated incident, with no wider threat to the community," senior investigating officer from the Surrey and Sussex major crime team, Detective chief inspector Jason Taylor, said. An unnamed relative reportedly visited the house after receiving alarming text messages and called paramedics to the house. Police were called to the property just after 10 AM on Saturday and a man was rushed to hospital for treatment. According to local reports, the couple had spent three years building the 2-million-pound home and had moved in only a fortnight ago. Their neighbours described them as a seemingly happy couple. Sanjay worked as an investment banker in London and Sonita was a co-director of three care homes along with her father Chander Parkash and brother Amit. A neighbour, who did not want to be named, told the 'Sun' newspaper: "It was heartbreaking. I came back from an errand and saw Sonita's father on the drive. He was in tears and their little boy was with him. "I saw the ambulance and went over to ask what happened. I thought Sonita had fallen over or something but her father said she'd been killed. Their little boy was asking repeatedly, 'Where's mummy? Where's mummy?' "I just put my arm around him and said, 'Mummy will be back soon.' What else could I say?" A member of the crew of a U.S. Navy Lockheed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft from Sigonella, Sicily, scans the area in the Mediterranean Sea. (Photo: AP) Cairo: A US Navy plane searching for the missing EgyptAir aircraft has discovered 100 pieces of debris thought to be from the missing MS804 flight. The plane was searching the waters near Sigonella, Sicily in support of Egypt's operations. A video released on the operation shows the Lockheed P-3 Orion as it searches the waters for vital clues or evidence. Below can be seen many small white specks that appear to be floating on the water. It has not been confirmed whether these are the parts of the plane found, though the Navy confirmed it has passed on intelligence about the debris.The US Navy confirmed it had found the debris, reports CNN, and said the information has been passed on to Egyptian authorities. This comes as theories surrounding the doomed plane, which disappeared on Thursday, continue to surface. Two Turkish Airlines pilots claim an Unidentified Flying Object with green lights passed over their plane shortly before the downing of EgyptAir flight nearby. The unidentified object was reportedly seen by the pilots who were flying from Bodrum to Istanbul last Thursday night. The pilots claim they saw it close to Istanbuls Silivri district when the plane was flying at about 17,000-ft at 11.30pm. Just one hour later, the EgyptAir plane came down in the Mediterranean between Turkey and Egypt. Syrians gather in front of a burning car at the scene where suicide bombers blew themselves up, in the coastal town of Tartus. (Photo: AP) Beirut: More than 120 people were killed on Monday in two Syrian regime bastions in a spate of bombings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Fifty-three people were killed in the city of Jableh and another 48 died in Tartus further south, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were "without a doubt the deadliest attacks" on the two cities since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. The Islamic State group claimed the attacks via its Amaq news agency, saying IS fighters had attacked "Alawite gatherings" in Tartus and Jableh. Seven bombs, most of them suicide attacks hit Jableh and Tartus almost simultaneously on Monday morning. Syrian state media also reported the attacks but gave a total of 78 dead, including 45 in Jableh and 33 in Tartus. State television broadcast footage of a bus station that was hit by one blast in Tartus. Charred minibuses lay on their sides while others were still ablaze. A Facebook page sharing local news from Jableh, where another bus station was targeted, as was a government hospital, shared footage of people around fire trucks near several bombed-out cars. Both cities are strongholds of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad whose family hails from the village of Qardaha, just 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Jableh. They have been relatively insulated from the war raging in Syria, which has killed at least 270,000 people since March 2011. The prisoners are then brutally crushed to death with a huge stone. (Photo: YouTube Screengarb) Sanaa, Yemen: Islamic State only recently revealed one of their new forms of execution -- by stabbing prisoners directly in their heart -- the terror group in a fresh video has unveiled another method of killing their captives -- crushing them to death by boulders. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the propaganda video released by ISIS shows jihadists dressed in military uniforms and vests while they prepare themselves to execute their prisoners. The video clip titled 'Crush your enemies' shows the prisoners dressed in blue jumpsuits kneeling down on the floor. The prisoners are then brutally crushed to death with a huge stone. A prisoner, accused of Spying for the Syrian government was stabbed in the heart by ISIS militants. (Photo: Twitter) Last week, Islamic State group executed 25 Iraqi prisoners in Northern Iraq's Mosul by lowering them in a vat filled with nitric acid. Witness accounts revealed that 25 prisoners were tied together with a rope and then thrown into a large basin containing nitric acid until all their organs and bones dissolved completely. Tehran: India and Iran on Monday pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as the two nations signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India committed around USD 500 million for the important port in Iran's southern coast, which will serve as a "point of connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and East Europe. "We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here. Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was addressing a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani after one-on-one talks. Read: India, Iran ink pact to develop Chabahar port, aluminium plant His visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Terming terrorism as a "big problem running rife and rampant in the region", Rouhani said that both the nations have discussed the issue and agreed to share intelligence to combat the menace. "Due to the importance of stability and security in the region and especially in the countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and because a big problem called terrorism is running rife and rampant in the region. "The two countries discussed about political issues as well and how they can cooperate on intelligence sharing and how they can get closer to each other in the fight against terrorism and extremism and how they can contribute to peace and stability in the whole region," Rouhani added. As regards the economic cooperation, besides developing the Chabahar port, the two sides also signed agreements in diverse fields like trade credit, culture, science and technology as well as railways. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone," said Modi. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. Read: India, Iran vow to fight terrorism, share intelligence Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation's southern coast, is of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan. India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran's border with Pakistan. "Chabahar can very well turn into a very big symbol of cooperation between the two great countries," Rouhani said, adding that it can serve as a point of connectivity among "India and Afghanistan and countries in the Central Asia and CIS countries and also those in the East of Europe". Commenting on the importance of Modi's visit, Rouhani said: "This visit come at a time when we have managed to conclude the nuclear deal and at a time when sanctions are withdrawn and now the ground is prepared more than ever for to further our economic cooperation." Read: Modi meets Rouhani in Iran, commits huge investment in Chabahar port India and Iran have also agreed to enhance interaction between their defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security. Terming the "dosti" (friendship) between India and Iran as old as history, he said, "through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce." Iran was among the first countries to come forward to help when earthquake struck Gujarat in 2001, said Modi who was the then Chief Minister of the state. Describing the agenda and scope of partnership as truly substantial, Modi said, "The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership...Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilizers, education and cultural sphere are driving our overall economic engagement." On relationship with India, Rouhani said: "Our relations will go beyond merely trade relation and turn into a full fledged comprehensive economic one. "When we are talking about economies of the two countries we mean Iran and the countries surrounding it and by that I am talking about a population (of) 400 million people and also when I talk about I am talking about a powerhouse with a population (of) 1.2 billion people." Read: Modi accorded ceremonial welcome by President Rouhani in Iran Talking about the trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement involving Iran and Afghanistan, Modi said, "It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region." Inviting President Rouhani to visit India, Modi said, he would look forward to strengthen the engagement between the two countries. In this regard he quoted a couplet from legendary Urdu and Persian poet Mirza Ghalib, "Once we make up our mind, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step." Modi had earlier said the lifting of sanctions had opened up immense opportunities and India was looking to expand cooperation with the Persian Gulf nation in sectors such as trade, investment, infrastructure and energy. "India and Iran have always focused to add strength to our relations, even during the difficult times. In the current context, both countries can look to expand our cooperation in the fields of trade, technology, investment and infrastructure and energy security," he had told Iran's IRNA news agency. Modi arrived in Iran on Sunday and offered obeisance at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara here. Tehran: India and Iran inked a dozen agreements on Monday ranging from a contract to develop the strategic Chahabar port to an initial pact to set up an aluminium plant and one on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The 12 agreements and MoUs signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Iran to further deepen bilateral ties in diverse fields. The agreements were signed in presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation in 15 years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The documents were in the fields of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Also an agreement to provide USD 150 million credit line was signed by Exim Bank of India. IRCON signed an initial agreement to lay a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, while state-owned Nalco signed an MoU to look at possibility of setting up a 0.5 million tonne aluminium smelter at Chabahar free trade zone provided Iran gives cheap natural gas. An MoU was also signed between the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran and the Export Guarantee Corporation of India. The documents included an MoU between the foreign ministries of both countries for dialogue on policy-making and interaction between think-tanks. Another MoU was signed between School for International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of India. Also signed was an executive protocol between the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran, and India's Ministry of Science and Technology and an MoU between National Archives of India and National Library of Iran. An executive programme of cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance as well as an MoU between Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations was also signed. Khamenei, who has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues, welcomed Modi. (Photo: Twitter) Tehran: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signifying the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, called on Khamenei at his office towards the end of his two-day visit. "A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 Khamenei, who has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues, welcomed Modi. "Prime Minister of India H E Narendra Modi @narendramodi met with Leader of Revolution," said a tweet from his office. Earlier in the day, Modi met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and held one-on-one talks. The two countries pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as they signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India also committed around USD 500 million for the important port in Iran's southern coast, which will serve as a "point of connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States countries and East Europe. Modi's visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Official engagements begin with a ceremonial welcome by President Hassan Rouhani. (Photo: Twitter) Tehran: Narendra Modi who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Iran in fifteen years, was accorded a ceremonial welcome by President Hassan Rouhani in a historic meet on Monday, following which he exchanged ideas with the President in a restricted tete-a-tete. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar was also present in the meeting. President Rouhani will also host a luncheon for Modi later during the day. Modi was received by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the forecourts of Saadabad Palace - the seat of executive in Iran. Military bands played national anthems of the two countries after which Modi inspected guard of honour. Building an enduring partnership. PM @narendramodi and President Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete pic.twitter.com/yX6uCwb2mK Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 Following this, the two leaders had a 30-minute restricted meeting to discuss bilateral issues of strategic and business importance. Read: Modi meets Rouhani in Tehran, commits huge investment in Chabahar port Several agreements of economic and strategic importance and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a series of projects are also expected to be signed between both sides. The trilateral agreement on connectivity of India with landlocked Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar will also be signed in the presence of Prime Minister Modi, President Rouhani and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. Prime Minister Modi and President Rouhani will later jointly address the press, highlighting the developments. Read: Lifting of sanctions on Iran opens immense opportunities: Narendra Modi Modi was received at the Mehrabad International Airport by Iran's Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia, after which he left for a local Gurudwara to meet people of Indian origin here. Modi will also call on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini as well before his return. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President Rouhani of Iran Yesterday, Modi started his Tehran visit with a visit to a Gurudwara. It is my pleasure that my 2-day visit to Iran has started with me seeking blessing from Guru Granth Sahib, Modi said, speaking at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Tehran. Reached Iran, a land with whom India shares civilisational ties. Hope to enhance economic partnership between our nations. I also hope my Iran visit further cements cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Iran, he tweeted after landing in Iran. Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour killed by a US drone strike on May 21. (Photo: AP) Tehran: Iran on Monday denied reports that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour entered Pakistan from the Islamic republic before being killed in a US drone strike, state media reported. Pakistani security officials said on Sunday that the man killed on Saturday in the southwestern province of Balochistan, believed at the time to be Mansour, had just returned from Iran when his vehicle was attacked. US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that Mansour had been killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura (council) was under way to select a new leader. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari was quoted by the official IRNA news agency on Monday as denying Mansour had been in the country before the attack. "The competent authorities of the Islamic republic deny that this person on this date crossed Iran's border and into Pakistan," he said. "Iran welcomes any positive action leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan," he added, without elaborating. Pakistani identity documents found on the body of the man now known to be Mansour named him as Muhammad Wali, and showed he had left for Iran on March 28 and returned the day he was killed. Iran supports the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban group. President Ashraf Ghani meanwhile arrived in Tehran on Monday for the signing of a tripartite agreement between Iran, India and Afghanistan to turn Iran's southeastern port of Chabahar into a transit hub between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan. Islamabad, which says it hosts many of the Afghan Taliban's top leadership to exert influence over them and bring them back to peace talks with Kabul, called the US drone attack a violation of its sovereignty. Tehran: A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed on Monday by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest $500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. Modi's visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, comes months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on the southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation's southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan. "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone," Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Iran in 15 years, said while addressing the media jointly with Rouhani. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. The trilateral agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor, linked to the Chabahar port development, was signed later by India, Iran and Afghanistan in the presence of Modi, Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Describing it as "opening of a new chapter", Modi said, "today, we all are witnessing creation of history, not just for the people of our three countries but the entire region. It will build bonds of connectivity." Underlining that the agreement was part of the endeavour to "carve out new routes for peace and prosperity" in the region, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the corridor will "spur unhindered" economic growth and help stop radicalisation of the youth by providing job opportunities. "The arc of economic benefit will go beyond the three countries... Its reach can extend to Central Asian Countries. It can link South Asia on one end and Europe on the other," he said. He asserted that the agreement "will strengthen our ability to stand in mutual support against those whose only motto is to maim and kill the innocents. Its success will be a positive vote for peace and stability in the region." Rouhani, while describing the Chabahar agreement as a "spring" in the ties among the three countries, said it was "not against any country", an apparent reference to Pakistan. Modi, while quoting Persian poet Hafez, spoke a few lines in Persian to say, "Days of separation are over; night of wait is coming to an end;Our friendship will stay forever." Earlier, Modi and Rouhani, during bilateral talks, discussed a wide range of issues of mutual concern. "We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security," the Prime Minister said. Terming terrorism as a "big problem running rife and rampant in the region", Rouhani said that both the nations have discussed the issue and agreed to share intelligence to combat the menace. "Due to the importance of stability and security in the region and especially in the countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and because a big problem called terrorism is running rife and rampant in the region. The two countries discussed about political issues as well and how they can cooperate on intelligence sharing and how they can get closer to each other in the fight against terrorism and extremism and how they can contribute to peace and stability in the whole region," Rouhani added. India's right to use Chabahar port to access landlocked Afghanistan and eastern Europe without having to go through Pakistan is considered a strategically important move as it will counter China's growing involvement in the region. Chabahar port lies just 100 km from the Gwadar port in Pakistan, which is part of China's USD 46 billion plan to develop China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and is aimed at opening new trade and transport routes across Asia. Besides the trilateral pact with Iran and Afghanistan for developing transport and transit corridor using a combination of rail and road connectivity from Chabahar right up to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries also adds muscle to India's economic clout in Asia. "The arc of economic benefit from this agreement would extend beyond our three nations. Its reach could extend to the depths of the Central Asian countries. When linked with the International North South Transport Corridor, it would touch South Asia at one end and Europe at another," Modi said. Compared to the traditional sea routes, it could bring down the cost and time of the cargo trade to Europe by about 50 per cent, he said, adding that "over time, we could even look to connect it with strong sea and land based routes that India has developed with Indian Ocean Region and South East Asia." India may also finance another road network inside Afghanistan to enable Iran to access as far as Tajikistan through a shorter route. Road and rail links are to be built so that landlocked Afghanistan can get access to the Iranian port as an alternate to the Pakistani port of Karachi. Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said India will build a 500 km railway between Chabahar and Zahedan which will connect Chabahar to Central Asia. Nationals gather at the site of a twin bombing that targeted Yemeni forces in the southern city of Aden on Monday. (Photo: AFP) Aden: Twin bombings targeting the Yemeni army in second city Aden on Monday killed at least 41 people, most of them would-be recruits, a military official said. A suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing up to enlist at a recruitment centre near the Badr base in the Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, commander of special security forces. Later, a second explosion inside the base killed seven soldiers, the official said. Aden is the headquarters of the government of President Abedrab-bo Mansour Hadi as it battles rebels who control the capital and has seen a spate of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its rival the Islamic State group. They will also take part in the Malabar exercise near the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty on almost all of the South China Sea which is disputed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. (Photo: AFP) Beijing: China on Monday said it has no objection to "normal" military cooperation between countries in the South China Sea if it is conducive to regional stability, days after Beijing raised "concern" over participation of India in Malabar exercise with the US and Japan near the disputed sea. "We have noted the relevant report. Concerning the normal military cooperation we have no objection to that. We hope that military cooperation such as this is conducive to peace and regional stability," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. A Chinese official had earlier said that Indian ships taking part in maritime exercise in the South China Sea was a matter of "concern". The official said the colonial tactics of "divide and rule" was being used. "When there is some trouble in the South China Sea, India is worried. When Indian ships participate in maritime exercises in the South China Sea, of course China will show concern," the official told reporters in New Delhi last week. Guided missile stealth frigates, INS Satpura and INS Sahyadri, INS Shakti, a sophisticated fleet support ship, and INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette, had set sail on May 18 on a two-and-a-half month long operational deployment to the South China Sea and North West Pacific. They will also take part in the Malabar exercise near the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty on almost all of the South China Sea which is disputed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The US, which had been pushing for Japan's inclusion, has said the exercise is an important element for assessing the maritime capabilities of all the three countries. The US has in recent months ramped up its warnings over what it calls China's growing "militarisation" in the region. American warships and aircraft have undertaken a number of operations in the region to challenge China's moves even as the US hopes to stitch Asian military powers into a closer cooperation. The US has also been pushing for a quadrilateral security dialogue involving itself, India, Japan and Australia. Karachi: A 31-year-old Ukrainian woman, who was allegedly kidnapped in Pakistan three years ago, was on Monday rescued during a police raid in Sindh province, police said. Katrina was found in Katho village near Mithi in Tharpakar district and her alleged abductor was arrested, Sarfaraz Nawaz, SSP, Tharparkar district said. "A joint team of Rangers and police raided the village following a tip-off that a foreign woman was present there and we found Katrina and also arrested her suspected kidnapper, Abdul Munaf Nohrio," he said. Katrina could barely speak Urdu and told the law enforcement officials in English that Munaf had kidnapped her from Rawalpindi three years ago and brought her to Tharparkar, the SSP said. However, Munaf's parents said that their son had married Katrina after the two met on a social networking site. The possibility of other people being involved in the kidnapping is not being ruled out, Shaikh said, adding, an FIR has been registered against Munaf. Katrina and Munaf would be handed to a police team from Rawalpindi for further investigations, he said. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday assured that universities under the Delhi government would follow the NEET for medical college entrance and claimed the government would not allow sale of seats. After a meeting with Vice-chancellors and higher education department officials, Sisodia, who also heads the education portfolio, said the AAP government would work out a mechanism for smooth implementation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in Delhi. At least the universities, under the Delhi government would follow NEET, he told reporters. The Supreme Court in its recent order had said the admission for undergraduate medical and dental courses across the country would be only on the basis of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), even for students from state boards, from this academic session itself. Implementation The Delhi government is one of the few governments which want the NEET to be implemented from the current academic year. Del govt favors NEET. Central govt, in collusion wid most state Govts, planning to kill NEET to favor mafia, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted a few days ago. Kudos to @SatyendarJain who singlehandedly opposed efforts to kill NEET in Central n state Health Ministers meet on Sunday. The apex court earlier turned down a batch of appeals by states seeking to conduct their own medical admission tests. Jain claimed that medical education is allegedly a Rs 20,000 crore industry, which involves capitation fee and widespread corruption. Last week Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him not to bring any ordinance to overturn Supreme Court's order on NEET otherwise people would think that the Centre is backing those indulging in black money. A few hours later the Union Cabinet passed an ordinance postponing We all know that the admission in private medical colleges is marred by malpractices. It involves a huge amount of money. Instead of talented students, those having money get seats, wrote Kejriwal. To put an end to these malpractices, the Supreme Court has passed an order that admission to medical colleges should be done through a common entrance test, NEET, he added. Kejriwal said that students across the country want the NEET to be implemented. So it's a humble request not to bring any ordinance to postpone the NEET otherwise people will get a message that the central government is helping those indulging in black money, he added. The Delhi CM said that many leaders of political parties and some MPs have their own private medical colleges. Out these private colleges, whike some of the institutes are good, others have become the hub of black money. So these leaders and political parties do not want NEET to be implemented, he added. Asaram's alleged henchman Karthik Haldar, suspected of shooting dead three key witnesses of two rape cases against the self-styled godman and his son Narayan Sai, had planned to acquire an AK-47 rifle for eliminating other witnesses, police said. Haldar, a sharp-shooter and staunch follower of Asaram, was arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh on March 13 in a joint operation by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and city Crime Branch. He is now in the custody of Rajasthan Police for further probe, city Crime Branch's Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) K N Patel said today. During his interrogation here, Haldar had admitted that he wanted to acquire an AK-47 rifle or a similar capacity "large" weapon to carry out the killings, Patel said. "In his statement, Haldar admitted that other sadhaks (disciples) of Asaram collected Rs 25 lakhs to fund the operation of eliminating the witnesses. In a meeting with these sadhaks, it was decided that a large weapon, such as AK-47, must be acquired to carry out the killings," he said. "To arrange an AK-47 or a similar capacity weapon, Haldar paid Rs 11 lakhs to a person in Jharkhand, who promised to arrange an AK-47. However, Haldar told us that he never received the weapon as that person cheated and gave only a double-barrel gun, which Haldar used to fire at Mahendra Chawla last year at Panipat in Haryana," the ACP said. Chawla, Asaram's former personal assistant who later turned a witness against him, had survived the attack. Apart from the key witnesses, Haldar had also hatched a plan to kill the then Investigation Officer (IO) in the rape case filed against Asaram in Jodhpur. "In his statement, Haldar admitted that he wanted to kill Jodhpur ACP Chanchal Mishra, who was the IO of rape case in Jodhpur. In his statement, Haldar told us that he even did a recce of daily route used by the woman officer to commute between her office and home. However, Haldar could not execute his plans," said Patel. Haldar was allegedly involved in the killings of Asaram's personal doctor Amrut Prajapati in Rajkot, the jailed religious leader's former assistant-cum-cook Akhil Gupta at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and another key witness, Kripal Singh, at Shahjahanpur in UP. These killings took place between June 2014 and July 2015. All of them were shot from close range as part of an alleged conspiracy to eliminate those who had given their testimonies against Asaram, a Crime Branch release had said when Haldar was arrested in March. Apart from these killings, Haldar was also allegedly involved in four cases of attempt to murder, including firing at Asaram's former personal assistant Mahendra Chawla last year at Panipat in Haryana. Among other attacks, Haldar fired eight rounds at the warden of Asaram's Chhindwada-based ashram, Omprakash Prajapati, and his wife Seema, the release had stated. Haldar, a native of South 24 Pargana district in West Bengal, first came in contact with Asaram's preachings in 2000 when he attended his religious discourse in New Delhi. A year later, he left his household responsibilities and became a full-time sadhak and started living at Asaram's ashram in Motera near Ahmedabad, the release had said. In October 2013, two Surat-based sisters had registered separate rape complaints against Asaram and his son. The elder of the two women, in her complaint, had accused Asaram of sexual assaulting her between 1997 and 2006 when she was living at his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. Asaram is presently lodged in Jodhpur jail since 2014 in connection with another alleged rape case. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signifying the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic Republic after 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, called on Khamenei at his office towards the end of his two-day visit. "A rare honour, signifying the strength of the unique relationship. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives PM @narendramodi," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. Khamenei, who has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues, welcomed Modi. "Prime Minister of India H E Narendra Modi @narendramodi met with Leader of Revolution," said a tweet from his office. Earlier in the day, Modi met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and held one-on-one talks. The two countries pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as they signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India also committed around USD 500 million for the important port in Iran's southern coast, which will serve as a "point of connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States countries and East Europe. Modi's visit comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. At the Science of Consciousness conference recently in Tucson, Arizona, USA I was faced with a quandary: Which of the 8 simultaneous sessions should I attend? In one room, scientists and philosophers were discussing the physiology of brain cells and how they might generate the thinking mind. In another, the subject was free will real or an illusion? Next door was a session on panpsychism, the controversial (to say the least) idea that everything animal, vegetable and mineral is imbued at its subatomic roots with mind-like qualities. For much of the 20th century, the science of consciousness was widely dismissed as an impenetrable mystery, a morass of a problem that could be safely pursued only by older professors as they thought deep thoughts in their endowed chairs. Beginning in the 1990s, the field slowly became more respectable. There is, after all, a gaping hole in science. The human mind has plumbed the universe, concluding that it is precisely 13.8 billion years old. With particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), scientists have discovered the vanishingly tiny particles, like the Higgs boson, that underpin reality. But there is no scientific explanation for consciousness without which none of these discoveries could have been made. Faced with this vacuum, hundreds of people gathered in Tucson where wild speculations and carnivalesque pseudoscience were juxtaposed with sober sessions and data-filled talks about probing conscious brain states with PET scans and EEGs. Neural sparks Because I couldnt clone my brain, I found myself sitting, late one afternoon, in Vibrations, Scale, and Topology, where a musician from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who called himself Timbre Wolf, was strumming a guitar and singing the Bing song. Bing is a word that Stuart Hameroff, the University of Arizona professor who organises these mindfests, uses to describe the moment when the spark of consciousness lights up the brain. Imagine a mad scientist hooking together neurons one by one until suddenly they reach a threshold of complexity and bing consciousness emerges. We all know the feeling, one that science has been powerless to explain. Before launching into the tune, Timbre Wolf played a recording of an eerie composition called Brain Dance, derived from vibrations generated by tiny molecular structures called microtubules, which are part of the scaffolding of brain cells. The music, to his ear, was reminiscent of Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Cuban rumba, Gustav Holts The Planets, and the visual rhythms of strange mathematical objects called Penrose tiles. All of this, he suspected, had something to do with quantum mechanics and consciousness, an idea that Stuart has long been pursuing. That all made for good metaphysical fun. More disconcerting was the starring role given to the new age entrepreneur Deepak Chopra. Deepak believes that human consciousness directs the unfolding of human evolution. There were talks on psychic phenomena and retrocausality, the hypothesis that the future can affect the past through quantum emanations. Presentations that didnt make it into prime time were laid out in colourful posters attached to rows of bulletin boards: What Might Cause a Stars Consciousness? The X-Structure: The Basic Nature of Life and Existence. Beyond all of that, there was still plenty of serious theorising. For a rapid-fire summary, you can hear Baba Brinkman, a rap artist who provided a daily report on the meeting, which he called half science lab and half Burning Man. Late one night at an event called Club Consciousness, Baba joined Dorian Electra and the Electrodes as the band regaled the crowd with songs like Mind-Body Problem and Brain in a Vat. Chinese Room was about a thought experiment that the philosopher John Searle claims to be a refutation of the possibility of artificial intelligence. But the big hit of the night, Sensual, which has been made into a rock video, was about a famous intellectual conflict that has raged since the 17th century when John Locke went to the mat with Rene Descartes over the source and nature of human knowledge. For John and the empiricists, the mind begins as a blank slate (a tabula rasa) and truth comes to us through our senses. But Descartes and the rationalists insisted that some knowledge was innate, prefigured into the mind of every newborn. Electra opened the debate. There aint nothin in the mind which aint been in the sensations. Let me take you on a sensation vacation. Through sense experience, the mind is created. As well as rules to process raw sense data. Ultimately they concluded, as many philosophers have, that the truth lies somewhere in between. In the past, these conferences were called Toward a Science of Consciousness. Recently, the organisers dropped the first 2 words of the title, as if the fog was finally lifting. But as I left the auditorium, I wondered if their confidence was premature. In even the wildest presentations, one could sense a longing for an answer to the question of consciousness, a fuller accounting of what we are and how we fit into the cosmic machinery. For all of the effort, the goal of providing a compelling explanation one so clear it would make your head go bing seemed as remote as ever. A two-wheeler rider died on the spot after a lorry knocked him down in Chikkajala on Sunday night. The victim was identified as Manikantachar, 24, a resident of Vinayakanagar in Bagalur. The accident occurred around 7.15 pm at Ganganagar Cross on MVIT Road when Manikantachar, a carpenter, was heading home on his Pulsar bike after visiting a nearby village. Lost control The speeding lorry driver lost control over the vehicle when he approached the cross and mowed down the bike. Manikantachar came under the front wheel of the lorry and died instantly. The driver abandoned the lorry and fled, added the police. Sources said the accident occurred while Manikantachar was trying to negotiate a pothole. The Ganganagar cross road has not been asphalted many years and is riddled with many potholes, making riding very difficult. Manikantachar fell down while negotiating a pothole and the lorry following the bike ran over him, alleged a few local residents. They said they had submitted several memorandums to the elected representatives seeking road improvement, but their pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Friends stab man to death A 33-year-old man was stabbed to death by his two friends over an old rivalry in Banashankari area on Sunday night. Akram Pasha, a resident of Cauvery Nagar 2nd Stage, was murdered by Waseem and Imran, both residents of the same area, said the police. The duo killed Pasha when he was returning home after attending prayers at around 11.30 pm. They accosted him near Ayyappa temple, picked a fight, repeatedly stabbed him and fled, said the police. Local residents rushed a bleeding Pasha to Victoria Hospital, where he died. The police have registered a case and launched a manhunt for the killers. The Union Ministry of Mines and mineral-rich states have agreed to develop software to monitor clearances required post-auction and till the start of mining. In the recent meeting between the officials of Union Ministry of Mines and state representatives, it was also decided that the software should be able to monitor timelines for each of the key activities involved in the clearance whether it is forest, environment or land acquisition. The state government and other departments concerned should be able to update the processing status on online portal for monitoring and expediting the post-auction mining clearances. Bidders will also be allowed to be registered on the portal to enable them to flag issues and provide updates, said an official from the ministry. In an attempt to promote ease of doing business, the meeting also decided to grant various clearances and land acquisition in a time-bound manner. As per the decision, the Union Environment Ministry is expected to grant its clearance for the auctioned mines in 165 days, issue of terms of reference in 30 days, public consultation in 30 days, submission of environment impact assessment and environment management plan in 60 days. The decision by the Expert Appraisal Committee for grant of environment clearance should be in 45 days. For forest clearances, the stage-I clearance is expected in 90 days, and stage-II approval will be granted in 45 days. For acquisition of land, within 60 days, requisite consent of land owners should be taken, while acquisition of land should be completed in 120 days for mining, sources said. In the meeting, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) informed that revised guidelines for forest clearance are to be finalised within a month. However, the Centre will delegate the power to states to grant approve based on forest canopy on proposed mining areas. DH News Service Infosys has announced that it has won a five-year contract with Commerzbank, the second largest bank in Germany. As part of this agreement, Infosys will remodel the banks investment banking IT architecture, optimize IT processes, and evaluate a potential Post-Trade Processing Utility. The utility would then focus on the clustering of trade processing platforms across various product types. Commerzbank is benefitting from the renewal and simplification of its current IT landscape, developing new and radical technologies, and is pursuing new business models to compete better in an increasingly regulated market, said Mohit Joshi, President and Global Head for Financial Services, Infosys. DH News Service The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students Union (JNUSU) on Monday condemned the University of Hyderabads move to forcibly evict students from hostels and removal of tents erected by students during their protests demanding justice for Rohit Vemula. The JNUSU accused the University of Hyderabad administration of unleashing fresh attacks on students taking advantage of their decreased strength due to summer vacation. The JNUSU gave a call for a massive protest here outside Shashtri Bhavan, which houses Human Resource Development Ministry, against the move initiated by the Hyderabad university administration. They vowed to up their ante against the central university officials if Vice Chancellor Appa Rao was not removed. Militants targeted two police posts and shot dead three policemen, including an officer, in Srinagar on Monday. The attacks were the first major strike in the city in nearly three years. The first attack took place at Zadibal area of Srinagar at around 10.30 am. Police said two unidentified militants opened fire on a police party near Mill Stop in Zadibal, which connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and super-speciality hospital in Soura. The victims, identified as assistant sub inspector Nazir Ahmad and constable Bashir Ahmad, died on the spot. An eyewitness told DH that the militants were riding a motorbike and they fired at the policemen from point-blank range. The slain officers were posted at nearby Zadibal station. The area was cordoned off and senior police and paramilitary officers arrived at the spot to take stock of the situation. Barely an hour after the first attack, militants struck another police party in Tengpora area of Srinagar around noon, leaving constable Mohammad Sadiq injured. The officer later succumbed to injuries. Police said the gunmen also stole the service rifle of the deceased policeman. A senior police officer said this was a case of shoot-and-run and militants deliberately chose soft targets. The slain policemen were unarmed and regulating traffic, he said, and assured the assailants would be identified soon. Indigenous militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for both the attacks. Operational spokesperson of the outfit Burhan-ud-din was quoted by local news agency CNS as saying that the twin attacks were carried out by a special squad of the outfit. The operation field commander of the outfit has directed the squad to intensify the attacks on the Special Operation Group of the police. Attacks on security establishments will continue, the news agency, quoting the spokesperson, warned. Previous incident The last such attack took place on June 22, 2013, when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street in Srinagar. The death of six Assam Rifles personnel in an ambush in Manipur on Sunday has rattled the security establishment. The attack has prompted New Delhi to order a crackdown on Northeast militants operating on the Myanmar border in Manipur and Nagaland. While CorCom (Core Committee), a joint conglomerate of all banned militants groups of Manipur who operate in the Imphal valley region, has claimed responsibility for the ambush, it seems the attack may be a part of a larger design. Troopers from 29 Assam Rifles, who were posted to guard the porous Indo-Myanmar border, were returning after inspecting a landslide hit area near the border when they were ambushed in Joubi on Sunday. The incident took place in New Somtal area near Hengsi of Joupi under Tegnoupal police station in Chandel district. The militants also snatched six AK 47 rifles, one LMG and ammunition from the soldiers. The post-mortem was conducted on Monday and the bodies would be sent to their respective homes, officials added. This ambush comes close on the heels of yet another failed attempt on May 19 when PLA militants had tried to ambush BSF personnel in Thoubal district of Manipur. We had inputs that militant groups who are hiding in Myanmar were trying to launch a massive attack. Though we had information, the incident happened. We have information that they might try to target Assam Rifles in Nagaland as well, said a senior Military Intelligence officer posted in Imphal. According to Manipur Police sources, the attack might have been carried out by the hit squad of CorCom but they might have got support from the oldest militant group of Manipur, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF). UNLF has a strong base in the area. The security forces are alarmed since it was in the same area where 18 Army jawans were gunned down in an ambush by a combined team of Northeast militant groups in Paralaon in Chandel district of Manipur last year. The Army had last year launched surgical strikes on the Indo-Myanmar border last year to hit Northeast militant bases in Sagaing division of northern Myanmar. Army sources also informed DH that the special crack unit of the 7 Para Regiment Special Forces stationed in Leimakhong cantonment near Imphal have been asked to remain ready for a surgical strike like last years should New Delhi give a go ahead. Apart from sounding a high alert and sending reinforcements, the security establishment has conducted review meetings on Monday, trying to find out loopholes since there were prior inputs of militant movement, Army sources added. The state BJP has planned to commence celebrations over the completion of two years of the NDA government at the Centre in Bengaluru on May 27. State party president B S Yeddyurappa told reporters here on Monday that prior to the arrival of Modi in Davangere on May 29, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu will launch the celebrations in Bengaluru on Friday. Modi will address a huge gathering of 1 lakh people and highlight the achievements of the government. Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman and Uma Bharati will address conventions in Bidar, Mangaluru and Bengaluru respectively, he said, but did not announce the dates. He said Modis call for a Congress-free India was being realised. It was evident from the recent elections in five states. The Congress, which once held 400 seats, was reduced to just 45 seats in the Lok Sabha, he said. On a query over Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs remarks that BJP would never return to power and that Yeddyurappa was under the illusion of becoming the chief minister, Yeddyurappa described Siddaramaiah as insane. On another query over the failure of Venkaiah Naidu in doing justice to the state as Rajya Sabha member, Yeddyurappa said Naidu was a good parliamentarian. The state unit would abide by the decision of the high command in re-electing him to the Rajya Sabha, he said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the licences of two IndiGo pilots after they flew an aircraft very close to a road parallel to the Jaipur Airport runway three months ago. The pilots apparently mistook the road near the airport as its runway and flew close to it but after a warning, managed to land safely at the Jaipur Airport on February 27. The flight was coming from Ahmedabad. The aircraft was to land at the Jaipur Airport when the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) issued a warning. The EGPWS is installed in an aircraft and it provides warning to flight crew when the aeroplane is in a potentially hazardous proximity to the earths surface. The incident that put the lives of the passengers at risk was brought to the DGCAs notice, which is conducting an enquiry into the incident. The regulator has suspended the flying licences of the two pilots involved in the incident. The airline had already grounded the pilots from flight duties. The airline said flight 6E-237 was involved in EGPWS Too Low Terrain warning during visual approach at Jaipur Airport. The captain-in-command immediately took a precautionary measure and carried a go-around. The aircraft landed safely on subsequent Instrument Landing System approach on runway 27, it said in a statement. A study conducted by the Public Works Department has found that the promoters of the vexed Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) have done land transactions on 756 acres worth not less than Rs 7,077 crore meant for the project in and around Bengaluru. This is in violation of the Frame Work Agreement (FWA) as the land transacted is meant for the toll road, the PWD says. The promoter, Nice (Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise), has done transactions with various real estate developers: It has either mortgaged the land or entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to take up housing projects. While the JDA has been signed with respect to 61 acres, about 29 acres have been sold to various companies and individuals. The company has mortgaged the remaining portion of 667 acres to TWIT & ECL, according to the report. (See the table for the details). The Institute of Social and Economic Changes (ISEC) has prepared the report for the PWD. The report, highlights of which are available with this newspaper, was recently submitted to a Legislative Assembly Committee looking into the project. The Siddaramaiah government, in September 2014, formed the committee to probe charges of violation of the FWA by Nice. The 11-member panel is headed by Law Minister T B Jayachandra. The ISEC has estimated the total market value of 756 acres of land at Rs 7,077 crore. In terms of the guidance value fixed by the government, the total worth of these lands is Rs 4,951 crore. The ISEC has taken the value of land per acre under the sale agreement and the value per square feet under the JDA and mortgage agreement for estimation of the total value. The PWD has also brought the issue to the notice of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Chief Secretary Arvind Jadhav. In a detailed power-point presentation to the chief minister on the BMIC project recently, the PWD has mentioned that the land transactions by the company were against Article 4.1.2 of the FWA signed by Nice and the government in 1997 to implement the project. The FWA has clearly defined the toll road area. Moreover, the company has to revert the entire toll road assets to the government after the concession period of 30 years, the PWD added. There is no housing development in and around the peripheral and link road, which are only connectivity roads to the main expressway. All other commercial activities mentioned in schedule-4 shall have to be executed in the 5 townships only. Nice, instead of constructing Service Area and Truck Terminals (Maintenance Area), engaged in developing housing schemes by entering into a Joint Development Agreement with various developers and also selling lands provided for toll road to private parties, the PWD stated in the presentation. The project has remained at a standstill for many years as it has hit a legal hurdle. But the company has completed a major portion of the peripheral road (41 km) and the link road (9.8 km). It has developed only a portion of the expressway. The company has been saying that it is ready to complete the project if the required land is provided, but the PWD has been arguing that the government has already given more than the required land to the promoter. However, the Siddaramaiah government has so far shied away from taking any decision in this regard. When contacted, Nice Managing Director Ashok Kheny said he was not aware of any report and hence, he cannot say anything. DH News Service Former Lok-ayukta Justice Santosh Hegde and president of the Anti-Land Grabbing Struggle Committee A T Ramaswamy on Monday criticised Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya for his statement regarding former chairman of the KarnataPublic Service Commission Gonal Bhimappa. Anjaneya had, on Sunday, said that the government would protect Bhimappa, who is facing a CID probe on charges of corruption in the selection of gazetted probationers. A minister has given a statement that relatives who indulged in corruption will be protected and that there is no need to fear anyone till they are in power, said Justice Hegde, on the sidelines of a book release function organised in the city. By giving such statements, the minister was encouraging corruption, the former Lokayukta said. Haven for corrupt Ramaswamy said that the state had become a haven for the corrupt and that the politicians and the heads of mutts had no moral right to speak on the issue of corruption. DH News Service Umashree defends minister Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree on Monday defended her cabinet colleague H Anjaneya over his controversial statement on private school managements, saying that his intentions were good. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, she said Anjaneyas intentions were good, but the words he used were wrong. The social welfare minister meant to say that educational institutions should render service to all sections and not discriminate against people. Asked about Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs plans to reshuffle the cabinet, she said that she had discharged her duties and responsibilities given by the party to the best of her abilities and that she would continue to do so in the coming days. President Pranab Mukherjee, who will commence his four-day visit to China on Tuesday, is scheduled to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. Mukherjee will kickstart his visit from Guangzhou, the capital city Guangdong province in South China and will travel to Beijing on Wednesday. This is Mukherjees first visit to China as president, and his meeting with Xi will also be the first leadership-level engagement between the two nations this year. Prime Minister Narednra Modi will travel to Hangzhou in Zhejiang province in September to attend the G-20 summit. Xi is likely to visit India in October to attend the BRICS summit in Goa. The governor and secretary of the Communist Party of China in Guangdong Province will call on Mukherjee during his visit to Guangzhou, said Venu Rajamony, press secretary to the President, said. The Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Indian Embassy are jointly hosting a reception in Beijing for Mukherjee, who is also set to visit the Peking University in Beijing. Pradeep Rawat, Joint Secretary (East Asia), MEA, said, A whole range of bilateral issues covering political, economic and people-to-people domain will be discussed when the two presidents meet. On a day when she cleared her class XII examination scoring 80% marks, her father slit her throat with a knife. Seventeen-year old Ramandeep Kaur lay dead in a pool of blood at her house in Ludhiana on Sunday. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead. Ramandeeps only fault was that she was in a relationship with a boy living in village Lehra Mohabbat in Bathinda district and she also wanted to marry him. This is the fourth case of suspected honor killing in Punjab in the last few months. On Sunday, a heated argument escalated after the father, Baljit Singh (42), suspected a relationship between his daughter and the boy. Ramandeep confessed to her relationship. This infuriated Singh, who slit her throat with a knife. Baljit has been arrested. In fact, it was Binder Kaur, the victims mother, who lodged a complaint against her husband Baljit following which he was taken into police custody. Sources said, Kaur was a bright student and had lofty dreams of making it big in life. On April 23, Harbans Singh of Bathinda killed his 19-year old daughter suspecting her to be in a relationship with a boy of a backward caste. In another incident on May 11, one Gora Singh killed his two minor daughters- one just 2-years of age- since he wanted a divorce. He cremated his daughters clandestinely and has since been arrested. The Enforcement Directorate is likely to make a fresh bid to extradite liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom, even as it is planning to start proceedings to attach his assets in connection with its ongoing probe into the Rs 900 crore IDBI loan default case. The ED will soon file its request before the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to send an extradition plea under the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to the UK. The ED had got a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by a Mumbai court against Mallya, seeking execution of the 1992 treaty between the two countries against a fugitive. The treaty can be invoked in a criminal probe case seeking the "transfer of persons, including persons in custody, for the purpose of assisting in investigations or giving evidence". This move is a better option for the ED as regular extradition takes time because the agency has to first file a chargesheet and then notify the counterpart country to send the fugitive back. President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday sought additional information from the health ministry on the ordinance meant to exempt state boards from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test. Mukherjee asked Nadda to provide information when the health minister met the President to brief him about the proposed ordinance, which would allow state boards to hold their own entrance tests for admission to undergraduate medical and dental courses in 2016. The meeting lasted for about half an hour during which Nadda reportedly briefed the President on states' objections on syllabus mismatch, language issues and the preparations they have made to conduct their own entrance examinations. The additional information relates to the health ministry's position in the Supreme Court on each of the contentious points of the NEET ordinance that is sure to face a legal challenge. The ministry has already sent information to the President, said an official. Neither did Nadda speak to reporters after the meeting nor did health ministry officials clarify about nature of the ordinance. So far, there is no official comment from the government on the NEET ordinance, which was cleared by the Cabinet on Friday. However, quoting 'official sources', PTI reported that the exemption granted under the ordinance was not only for state government seats, but also the 12-15% seats in private medical colleges, earmarked under the state quota. The ordinance was on Saturday sent to Mukherjee, who is to leave for China on Tuesday. Nadda, who was scheduled to attend a health summit in Geneva, cancelled his trip to meet the President, who also sought a legal opinion on the ordinance. Non-governmental organisation Sankalp, which dragged the government to the Supreme Court on the implementation of NEET in 2016, claimed it would challenge the ordinance once it is published. The ordinance is aimed at partially overturning a Supreme Court order that said admission in all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would have to happen only through NEET. Several parliamentarians and 15 states have opposed the test. Confusion has been created by the government on the admission process to medical colleges. This has put lakhs of deserving students aspiring to be doctors in uncertainty and mental stress. That the President of India has sent the ordinance for clarifications in itself shows that there are some serious discrepancies in the ordinance, says National Coalition on Medical Ethics, a group of senior doctors promoting ethics in medical practice. Electronics City Industrial Township Authority, Karnatakas first and only such hub, completed three years recently after being conferred the status of authority in 2013. The stage is now set for the first ever polls to elect members to the ECITA council as the first batch of members soon after the constitution of the authority were nominated by the state government. The authority, which has 10 industrialists and invitees as its Council members, has municipal powers like collection of property tax, maintenance of the region, regulation and construction of buildings, issue of kathas, traffic management among others. As mandated by the 74th amendment to the Constitution, once given township authority status, Electronics City was excluded from the jurisdiction of local bodies and planning panels. Sources in the Urban Development department said election to the ECITA council is due and announcement on the modalities of conducting the polls would be made soon. Representatives of industrial houses on the rolls of ECITA can contest the elections, which will be held on the lines of cooperative societies, the sources said. ECITA jurisdiction is spread over an area of 903 acres and 11 guntas comprising Electronics City Phases I, II and III. It has 158 registered companies including Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, Hewlett Packard among others. 5 more authorities planned The government has also proposed to provide industrial township authority status to five more industrial areas in different parts of the state. These include Peenya Industrial Area, Bommasandra Industrial Area (both in Bengaluru). The other three on the cards include industrial areas in Mysuru (covering Metagalli, Hootagalli, Hebbal and Belawadi), Hubballi and Belagavi. Meanwhile, urban experts have pointed out that notifying Peenya Industrial Area (PIA) as an authority,would mean that 40 sq-km would come out of the BBMP jurisdiction. The city may lose four to five wards to the township authority, which may lead to political opposition. Largest industrial zone Incidently, PIA is Asias largest industrial zone. There is a provision to accommodate the elected representatives, whose wards would cease to exist, as members of the authority. At the same time, the government is contemplating whether a separate framework should be drafted for functioning of industrial townships. Luxury is not something to show off about, says Monica Garg, director, International Luxury Academy (ILA), who has won the Samaj Ratan Award. Most of the people have not yet learnt the true meaning of what is luxury. It is a lifestyle. To make people more aware of the concept and introduce the true essence of luxury, Garg started ILA that offers luxury image consultancy services and helps students explore and learn about the luxury industry. Image consultancy is fairly common in Delhi nowadays. But what we have come up with is the idea to have luxury image consultants who specialise not only in image but also in luxury brand management. They can have high-end clients from all over the world, their fashion styles, and the desired image of clients. She adds, Luxury image consultancy can transform a person completely, like a 360 degrees make over. One can see changes in themselves and even people around them can see it. They become the best version of themselves from inside as well as outside. Professional training is also given where fundamentals such as marketing, branding, pricing, business strategies and consumer behaviour are imbibed in the course to make students able to handle the market. These can open scopes for students in companies, consulting firms and various industries in fashion, luxury and lifestyle. The knowledge and hands on job experience will enable them to creatively deliver solutions in the field of brand management, marketing, communication, event planning, retail, visual merchandising and e-commerce. Garg is trained in brand management, styling, fashion and etiquette management and specialises in image enhancement for women and has also conducted various workshops in New York and China. I realised there is a need here and came up with the idea of combining the two concepts image and luxury to create the luxury image consultant. Though Garg admits that one cannot judge a person depending on his looks but being practical, a person is judged by his looks first, which is the first impression. Also, when you are dressed well even you would feel more confident and better about yourself, she says. Bringing The Trial, one of the dreaded 20th century German playwright, Franz Kafkas novel to the Indian audience was a challenge, feels television and theatre personality Rama Pandey. He is such a complex writer. I worked on the Hindi translation of the book Der Prozess (The Trial) for on and a half years. I thought I will not be able to do justice to it unless I understand the man. Why and how was he reacting in a certain way were some questions I constantly asked myself and understood through his writings, said Pandey. She has now conceptualised the novel as a Hindi play, Giraftaari, which is about a man who is put on trial without knowing the crime he has been accused of. I thought an experimental drama was relevant to depict the current social, administrative and legal system in India. I added elements of Haryanvi lingo and tried to show how an aam aadmi would react if he were to be arrested without an explanation. The challenge was to convey the right message to the audience, Pandey told Metrolife, at the recent staging of the play at Shri Ram Centre for Arts and Culture. She added, I have tried to bring Kafka to the aam aadmi. I have used a lot of film techniques like in documentary dramas. My book cant be called only a translation of The Trial. It is based on the trial but also has one-third of Kafka in it. I constantly talk about his craft, thought and power of his pen. But why Kafka? The grey writing has been made even darker to such an extent that people are afraid to read. I have tried to make it simple. My intention is to highlight Kafkas simple ideas, she said. Pandeys Montage Films and Theatre believes in socially relevant theatre, and provides a platform not only to young artistes like Arman K Jha, Jattin Sharma, Rajat Arora, Mangat Ram, Amarjeet Arora but also to veterans like Lakshmi Shankar Bajpai and Ashok Vyas. I wouldnt do anything if it is not socially relevant, and something everybody can understand. It was needed to get Kafka sans the dark psyche that hes associated with, said Pandey. Emphasising the importance of classic literature, she said, It is necessary to give importance to classics of other languages. They not only open ones mind but also give us limitless possibilities. Every classroom in a school has a group of naughty students who feel distracted and are not interested in studies. For them, nothing is interesting enough to keep them focused. So, engaging them in a creative activity or co-curriculars is one of the ways of making them disciplined and well mannered. In an endeavour to revive warli art and get such students closer to art, Arvind J Kudia art teacher at Nutan Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Cantonment Board School, Ahmednagar Cantonment, Maharashtra has trained almost 100 students in it so far. A tribal art form mostly practiced by adivasis of north Sahyadri area of Maharastra, warli involves creating miniature triangle-shaped stick figures. Traditionally done on walls with rice grains, the artwork portrays cultures, traditions, dance, wedding ceremonies and meditation to name a few, of these adivasis. According to Kudia, the monochromatic artwork is today struggling to survive in the market. So, by teaching students this art form, he aspires to make students feel connected with art. Students work on this art after school hours. They enjoy it so much that they sit for 12 hours at a stretch for these paintings, adds Kudia, who has displayed warli paintings created by selected students of the school, at an exhibition titled Transformation Through Art, at India International Centre. For him, engaging students in something productive like warli art, will not only bring more discipline to their lives, but will also make them feel content at the end of the day. Given the detailing that goes in these paintings, many onlookers of the exhibition didnt believe that they were really created by students of class 10th, informs Kudia. Hence, he asked students to create these paintings during the exhibition, so as to provide a live demo to the visitors. And despite being miles away from their hometown, there seem to be a notable confidence and grace in these students, while they enthusiastically make tiny strokes of warli on handmade paper with poster colours, and with acrylic on canvas. This has now become our hobby. Earlier it was difficult to understand this art, but now we enjoy it, remarks Rishikesh Salve, son of a waiter in a small eatery, who dreams to become a landscape artist. Ek hi colour mei banana hota hai, islie isme bahut maza aata hai (Since these paintings are done with just one colour (white), its fun to create them, Salve tells Metrolife. Like Salve, most of these students come from underprivileged families. While warli art is something that they all want to continue, as a profession or a hobby, they say that being engaged in this art form for the last two years, and becoming masters of warli art, has changed them a lot. We used to be more furious earlier. But making warli paintings has changed us a lot. Our parents, our neighbours and relatives, everyone now feels proud of us, says Adnan Kazi, whose father is a mechanic and mother a homemaker, and aspires to be an artist in near future. By John Vidal 22 May 2016 Lilongwe, Malawi (The Guardian) Up to 50 million people in Africa will need food by Christmas as a crisis across the continent triggered by El Nino worsens, the UN and major international charities have warned. A second year of deep drought in much of southern and eastern Africa has ravaged crops, disrupted water supplies and driven up food prices, leaving 31 million people needing food now, and 20 million more likely to run out this year. A further 10 million people in Ethiopia, six million in southern Sudan and five million in Yemen were in danger of starvation after floods and drought, said the UN. The severest El Nino in 30 years was expected to tail off in the next month as hot equatorial waters in the Pacific returned to normal temperatures, but its effects would be felt for many more months, said the World Food Programme. Stephen OBrien, the UNs humanitarian chief, said: The collective impact of the El Nino phenomenon has created one of the worlds biggest disasters for millions of people, yet this crisis is receiving little attention. The numbers are staggering. One million children in eastern and southern Africa alone are severely acutely malnourished, and across southern Africa 32 million people need assistance and that figure is likely to increase. The UN predicts that food will start running out on a large scale by July, with the crisis peaking between December and next April. Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Madagascar, Angola, and Swaziland have declared national emergencies or disasters, as have seven of South Africas nine provinces. Botswana, Kenya, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have also been badly hit. In Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe has appealed for foreign aid to buy food and Malawi is expected to declare in the next few weeks that more than 8 million people, half the population, will need food aid by November. Maize prices have risen by 60% across much of the region within a few months. Seven million people in Syria, 10 million in Ethiopia and 14 million in Yemen also needed food urgently, said the UN. Elhadj As Sy, secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, pledged $110m after visiting Malawi and Zimbabwe last week. We cannot describe enough how dire the situation is, he said. Abdoulaye Balde, the World Food Programme country director in Mozambiques capital, Maputo, said: The situation is critical. We are at the point of no return. [more] Brian King, Texas Instruments EETimes (5/17/2016 10:00 AM EDT) In the a previous blog, we discussed some of the challenges when designing AC/DC adapters for USB Type-C power delivery (PD). In that article, we focused on an adapter with a single Type-C output connector. In this article, we'll examine the complexities introduced when architecting a multi-port Type-C adapter. Before getting into the details, it is helpful to review some of the power requirements of a Type-C PD output: The standard Type-C cable is rated for 3A of output current. (There are also provisions for up to 5A of output current with a special active cable.) The voltage on the Type-C bus is adjustable from 5V to 20V, with standardized levels of 5V, 9V, 15V, and 20V. A Type-C connector that serves as a power source is known as a downward facing port (DFP). The DFPs supported voltage/current profiles are advertised on a pair of communication wires (CC1 and CC2) within the Type-C cable. When a load is connected to the other end of the cable, it can communicate back to the DFP which of the available profiles it wants. A port controller device is used in the DFP to provide this handshaking and interface back to the switching power supply within the DFP. The first decision to make is which voltage profiles to support. This will be driven by the application and the voltage profiles supported by the devices that the adapter is intended to charge. The 5V level is mostly used by legacy phones and tablets, as well as small devices like thumb drives. As Type-C is more widely adopted, we should see more of the phone and tablet market migrate away from the 5V level. Click here to read more ... Last week, Google made a whole bunch of announcements at their annual developer conference - Google I/O 2016. This is where Google also announced their upcoming messaging service Google Allo. History is witness to the fact that Google has yet not been able to crack the social media space. Be it Google+ or Hangouts, for some reason the Mountain View based tech giant has not been able to rub shoulders with the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp and even Snapchat. All that is about to change with Googles new and upcoming Allo messenger, an app that looks to have a clean and simple interface with a lot of features borrowed from existing messaging apps. One example of this would be that the Allo app will depend upon a users mobile number for identification, rather than their Gmail accounts, just like WhatsApp. Another notable feature borrowed from Snapchat would be the ability to write and doodle on images before sharing them with friends. But, of all its exciting features, the most attractive one has to be the Google Assistant, a bot-like, search assistant built right into the messaging app. Yes, users of the Allo app will simply be able to type in @Google in the messenger window to search. They will also get smart suggestions from the Google Assistant as per an ongoing conversation between friends.So If a movie plan is being discussed, Google Assistant will suggest films running in nearby theaters and will also suggest prefered timings as per what it gathers from the conversation. Pretty neat right? If Googles vast knowledge in machine learning is anything to go by then the Google Assistant sounds every bit as promising as the company says. Where Google seems to have faltered in a big way is their approach to the end-to-end encryption built into the Allo app. The company has been taking some heat since their announcement of the Allo app for the same. Whats the muck-up? Well, the problem is that Google will be allowing its users to enable or disable end-to-end encryption on the Allo app, rather than making it a default setting. An incognito mode of the Allo app will allow users to make specific conversations encrypted, while others will not be encrypted by default. This has opened up a pandoras box of questions and insinuations from the tech and security community. Former CIA operative and whistleblower Edward Snowden also called for a boycott of the Allo app citing privacy issues. Google's decision to disable end-to-end encryption by default in its new #Allo chat app is dangerous, and makes it unsafe. Avoid it for now. Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 19, 2016 According to a report by the Washington Post, FBI Director James B. Comey is happy with Googles decision to make end-to-end encryption optional. In a recent speech he remarked that he is largely in favour of encryption, but that a balancing act is necessary keeping in mind safety and security concerns. While safety issues might be causing Google some trouble before the official launch of the Allo messaging app, they could also be responsible for killing the most awaited feature of the app - Google Assistant. The Google Assistants bot-like functionality will only work if its able to throw data back to Googles servers to process a users query or to make suggestions based on conversations. The AI is also supposed to learn and adapt to a users preferences over a period of time. It cannot do so if chats are encrypted end-to-end. So naturally, this puts a user in a catch-22 situation. If the conversations are encrypted the Assistant cannot be used and If they are not, chats will no longer be private and will give government (or hackers) the ability to tap into them. Encryption is messaging services is becoming the need of the hour with hack attacks on an all time high. Apples iMessage app is completely encrypted and now, so is Whatsapp. Snapchat is also reportedly eyeing a more secure encryption. Currently, even though snaps are deleted from the users phone and snapchat servers after they are viewed, the company stores unopened snaps for a period of 30 days on their servers. Following this internet upheaval, Google has not yet clarified its stand on end-to-end encryption for the Allo app. Although, if the company wants it can change encryption to default or work out a system where it can marry its assistant and encryption features. For now, it looks like privacy will be the price to pay for those who let Google into their lives. Google's Project Ara modular smartphone will come with six slots for swappable modules Google's Project Ara smartphone will be available to developers this fall, and is expected to start shipping to consumers by next year. The announcement was made during Google I/O. The modular smartphone will come with six slot for swappable modules, while the frame of the phone will contain the CPU, GPU, display and battery. The modules are designed as per specific standards, so that they work with future versions of the frame. The modular smartphone was initially expected to be released last year in Puerto Rico, but was delayed. According to Aras official Twitter account, the reason for the delay was lots of iterations... more than we thought. Google had also showcased a prototype of the Ara smartphone called the Spiral 2, in early 2015. However, a lot has changed since then. LG has already released a modular smartphone of its own, called the G5. The device may not be as flexible as Ara, but let's users add either a camera or an audio module to the phone. Further, Motorola may also release a modular smartphone soon. The upcoming Moto X (or Moto Z) is tipped to feature modular backplates called MotoMods, which may include a pico projector, stereo speakers, and a camera grip with optical zoom lens. Google opened the naming of Android N to the public, and people are going crazy! An Indian dessert has finally made it to the list of possible suspects for Androids next name. At the I/O this time, Google announced that it is crowdsourcing the name for the next version of Android, known currently as Android N. You can go to this website to enter your suggestion for what the N in Android N should stand for. Incidentally, one of the names shown on the website, is Neyyappam, a South Indian dessert. The Kerala government, through its Twitter handle, encouraged its followers to vote for this name, while many media outlets just went ahead and announced that Android N may be called Neyyappam. Google, as is usual, hasnt said a word about which name it is finally going to choose. With a little bit of your help we can name the next Android version Neyyappam - https://t.co/H1rwZcFDRh pic.twitter.com/st7g2bdHZH Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) May 20, 2016 Twitter came alive, with people rooting for the name. Theres even a website, called www.androidneyyappam.com, which encourages people to vote for the name, along with a Twitter feed, showing tweets from those that have. Do we really want Neyyappam to be the name, though? It would be a bad choice for Google, considering that few would relate to it. Further, even fewer would be able to actually pronounce the name of the dessert, and if it is indeed such a delicacy, you wouldnt want the name ruined, would you? Other suggested names for Android N include, Nougat, Nut, Nuttela and more. Google is likely to choose something that would suit a global audience, instead of catering to just Indian consumers. Having said that, the prospect of naming Android N through crowdsourcing is a good way to spread the OSs reach. Android already owns over 85% of the market, but such endeavours can help Google reach deeper into countries like India. Meizu is expected to launch the Pro 6 with Helio X20 and MX6 with Helio X25, later this year While we await the first sale of the Meizu M3 Note in India, the company is gearing up to launch its next generation of flagship devices, including the mid-range MX6. New, leaked details suggest that the phone will be available in two RAM and storage options. The phone is likely to be launched in 3GB and 4GB RAM variants, which will offer 32GB and 64GB of internal storage respectively. Earlier, when Meizus 2016 portfolio was leaked, it was suggested that the MX6 will be available in three storage variants 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The leak also features an image alongside the RAM details, which looks very much like the MX5. The Meizu MX6 is rumoured to feature a 5.5-inch display with 1080p display resolution, which might offer a pressure-sensitive panel somewhat similar to Apples 3D Touch. The phone will reportedly be powered by a MediaTek Helio X20 SoC. The phone is likely to feature a 20.7MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facing camera. Also, like the M3 Note, the MX6 may house a 4000mAh battery. On the other hand, the Pro 6, which is the flagship smartphone for the company, is likely to be powered by a MediaTek Helio X25. The Pro 6 will be replacing the Pro 5, and is rumoured to house a smaller, 5.2-inch display with 1080p resolution. It is expected to sport an AMOLED panel, which will offer 3D Touch-like functionalities. Rumours suggest that the phone is likely to house a 21MP rear camera with 10 LED flash. The rear camera might also feature laser-assisted autofocus. Chinese marine foods and seafood processor and producer Aquatic Foods Group reported a drop in revenues and profits on Monday, citing growing pressure from a slower domestic economy. The AIM-traded firm said unaudited aggregate revenues for the three months to 31 March were 7% lower year-on-year at CNY 214.8m (22.5m), although volumes were up 17% as demand for its products continued at lower average prices. Aquatics gross margins remained steady compared with the previous quarter at 24% overall, though it remained lower than the 31% achieved a year earlier. Export revenues remained steady at 6% of total sales, compared with 7% in the corresponding period in 2015. Its unaudited gross profit for the first quarter was CNY 52.3m, a 28% drop on the first quarter of 2015. "The fall in revenue and gross margins reflects the pressure imposed by the macroeconomic conditions in China, said Aquatic Foods Group chief executive Li Xianzhi. However the board is satisfied that the company remains profitable which demonstrates the strength and resilience of our business model, he added. Xianzhi explained that the challenging market conditions may continue further into 2016, though it will continue with its commitment to grow the Zhenhaitang brand domestically and to expand its processing capabilities and distributor network. That will ensure the company is fully prepared to benefit from future opportunities once the macroeconomic environment improves, he added. In the meantime, the board believes that through increased promotional and brand awareness activities that our sales within the Peoples Republic of China will improve as well as internationally by attracting new distributors, Xianzhi added. The board is pleased with the group's resilience during the challenging economic environment, and we would like thank our employees and shareholders for their continued support. Metal Tiger said it was pleased with the latest set of assay results from its Botswana copper belt joint venture with Australia's MOD Resources . The new results come from the T3 prospect. The positive results received, when added to previous assay data, continues to build our understanding and demonstrate the potential of T3, Metal Tiger said in a statement. Our partners' work is now focused on demonstrating the size and scale of T3 which will be achieved through the continuing drill programme, receipt of assays and analysis thereof. T3 is building into a project of substance which requires an advanced degree of operational organisation, efficient implementation of the drill programme and delivery of the resultant analysed results to market. Metal Tiger said the results from the first three diamond drill holes support the preliminary interpretation that the vein hosted and disseminated Cu/Ag sulphide mineralisation is defined by two shallow dipping mineralised zones, hosted within a distinctive 40-50m wide sequence of green siltstones, marl units and intercalated sandstone units/. Monsanto is likely to reject the takeover approach from Germany's Bayer , analysts at Olivetree Financial suggested on Monday, although the price of the deal is "hard to argue against". Olivetree said the deal will also be closely monitored by rival BASF, which the market might expect to make a competing offer. Earlier the German drugs and chemicals titan had offered $122 per Monsanto share in cash, valuing the US agriculture group at $62bn. The offer values Monsanto at $53bn market cap and is pitched at a 20% premium to Fridays close, or 37% more than they were valued before Bayer made an initial proposal to the US company on 10 May. Last Wednesday Monsanto was forced to respond to media speculation by confirming it had received an unsolicited, non-binding offer from the German company. "This situation is playing out quickly, with a raft of shareholder/press engagements today it would appear that Bayer realises the cat is out of the bag and needs to sell the merits of this transaction hard to its own holders," Olivetree said. "This leaves it vulnerable to demands to pay up from Monsanto, and also allows a competitor such as BASF to monitor quietly from afar." The absence of any coupled statement from Monsanto leads to a presumption that it will be rejecting this approach, analysts added, "although it is hard to argue hard against the implied value of the bid". Although there was sell-side broker note in the US on Friday that suggested a price of $145 would be required to convince the target board to accept the offer, Olivetree Bayer stock continued to decline, having retreat around 11% over the last week on market fears of overpaying and a possible $25bn equity raise to fund the transaction. "The next piece of newsflow feels like it will be a rejection from Monsanto and given the aggression which Bayer is showing in pursuing this quarry so hard, presumably this is a downward move for Bayer stock too." Monsanto shares are likely to trade above this price, the analysts added, in expectation of an improved offer from Bayer and also a potential response from BASF. They added that given the anti-trust backdrop of the ultimate failure of the Monsanto-Syngeta deal it would seem unlikely that Bayer look to go hostile. "Bayer will need to keep its own shareprice in mind though, presumably the harder it shows the market it is convinced this is the right thing to do, the more its shareholders will be concerned about the probability of them overpaying." Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Oller: How John Frank found peace after life of football punishment Former Ohio State tight end John Frank finds joy and meaning in Orthodox Judaism, which ironically would have precluded him from playing football. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) The company that produces Budweiser is facing a $150,000 fine and a three-day suspension after an investigation showed it violated Washington State's pay-to-play rules. KIRO-TV reports the Anheuser-Busch is accused of entering into an illegal agreement with two Seattle concert venues. Investigators say the company paid The Showbox and Showbox Sodo an exclusive promotional fee to secure a place for its products at the events and block out competitors. . . . Subscriber content preview By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN Associated Press HAVANA Fast and Furious. U.S. cruise ships. A star-studded private celebration of Chanel. The triple tsunami of global capitalism that pounded socialist Cuba this month has spawned a fierce debate about the downside of detente with the United States. Artists, writers and intellectuals who believe deeply in Cuba's opening to the world are questioning their government's management of an onslaught of big-money pop culture. . . . Ever heard of Buzludzha? Neither had we until Australian brand Valley Eyewear travelled to Bulgaria for a new campaign starring Jordan Barrett knee-deep in some serious snow. Shot over the course of four days, Valley founder Michael Crawley took Jordan Barrett along with Natalie Sole and threw them to the wolves, creating a dramatic clip you can check out below, in the former Bulgarian Communist Party Headquarters. As for style, theres no shortage of it in the Valley Eyewear campaign. Reflective tortoiseshell styles are combined with square-lensed spectacles, classic Wayfarer and round styles for a must-have selection of mens and womens eyewear perfect for snow travels, street style statements and more. Jayalalithaa closes 500 liquor shops and cuts shop timings by two hours on Day 1 One of the first things that Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa did after taking oath for the sixth time was closing down of 500 shops belonging to Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) and reduction in the timing of liquor shops by two hours. Immediately after taking oath ac Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa also announced a Rs5,780-crore waiver of cooperative loans for farmers, 100 units of free power for all households, 8 gram gold free to brides under wedding assistance scheme and 200 units of free power to handloom weavers and 750 units to power looms. The 68-year-old Jayalalitha, who took oath as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu in Chennai along with 28 ministers today, after leading her party to a win for the fourth time in the Assembly elections, marked the first day in office. Among the first to take included her trusted lieutenant O Pannerselvam who took the oath of office and secrecy in the name of God in Tamil that was administered by Governor K Rosaiah. The AIADMK supremo retained 15 of her ministers who were in the previous cabinet and 13 new faces including three women. Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Pon Radhakrishnan, Lok Sabha deputy speaker and senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai and Jayalalithaa's aide Sasikala were seated in the front row. She waived the cooperative crop loans, medium term and long term loans of small and tiny farmers as of 11 March 2016. This will mean an additional expense of Rs5,780 crore to the government. She also signed an order that provides for free supply of 100 units of electricity to all households. This will mean an additional subsidy of Rs1,607 crore the state government will have to provide the state power utility. Jayalalithaa signed an order to shut down 500 liquor retail outlets and brought down the working hours of the shops and attached bars to 12 pm to 10 pm. There are over 6,800 retail outlets for India-made foreign liquor, working from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm now. The entire liquor trade in the state is now state-run and under these shops procure liquor from private manufacturers. Under the wedding assistance scheme for the poor the government will now provide 8 g gold to the brides, apart from the ongoing cash assistance of Rs50,000 to brides with graduate degree or diploma and Rs25,000 for others. Previously, the scheme provided for 4g gold for making `mangalsutra'. For handloom weavers, 200 units of free power and for powerlooms 750 units of free power will be provided, the government said. An Garda Siochana have issued the following advice in relation to possible traffic delays and security restrictions to coincide with the visit to Donegal Town and Letterkenny of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on Wednesday: It is envisaged there will be some delays & traffic disruptions will occur in the areas where the visit is scheduled and the following advice has been issued. Donegal Town: Vehicular access not permitted to the Diamond Area of Donegal Town (Route Number N 56) from 8p.m on Tuesday Night 24th of May until 12.30pm on Wednesday 25th of May. Pedestrian access will be allowed but persons will be subject to search and check. Pedestrians are advised where possible avoid taking bags. All business premises in the Diamond will be open and access is permitted. Motorists are advised that invariably there will be some delays as a result of minor or temporary road closures to facilitate vehicle movement, and are asked for patience and co-operation. Please allow extra time for your journey, if possible travel earlier that 10am or after 1pm. Any vehicles parked in restricted areas will be towed away. The Garda intention is minimum disruption to the general public and to facilitate any persons with special requests where possible. Keep abreast of Radio News bulletins which will impart latest information. Letterkenny: There will be significant disruption to traffic on the Port Rd, Letterkenny. No vehicular access (no through Traffic) from K.F.C to the Heiton Buckley Entrance from 12pm (Midday to 3p.m) on Wednesday 25th of May. Pedestrian access will be permitted but will be subject to search. There will be restricted access to the Ballyraine Road (rear of LYIT) Regional Road R 245 from 10am to 3.30pm. Delays may be also experienced on the West Donegal access /egress route to Letterkenny (R 250) between 2pm and 4pm. The Garda intention is minimum disruption to the general public and to facilitate any persons with special requests where possible. General Advice: 1. Be aware of extra traffic density in and around Donegal Town and between Donegal Town (N 15 ) to Letterkenny through Ballybofey and onwards onto the (N 13)in to Letterkenny. 2. Allow extra time for your journey. 3. Persons with specific requests (health issues etc) make contact with Gardai at Letterkenny on 91-67100. A judicial inquiry which investigated the death of Ballyshannon based Garda Sergeant Michael Galvin has, the Sunday Times reports, cleared the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission of wrongdoing. Sergeant Galvin took his own life at Ballyshannon Garda Station on Thursday May 28th last year. He had been the subject of a GSOC investigation, but was apparently unaware that he was on the verge of being cleared by the GSOC inquiry. The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Supreme Court Judge Frank Clarke has found GSOC acted in good faith in its dealings with Sergeant Galvin, and the investigation had not been concluded at the time of 48 year olds death. Following Sergeant Galvins death, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald ordered the judicial inquiry after meetings with both GSOC and the Association of the Garda Sergeants and Inspectors. GSOC officers had been questioning the sergeant about his contact with a pedestrian, mother of three Sheena Stewart, 33, from Mountaintop, Letterkenny, shortly before she died in collision with a minibus in the early hours of January 1st in Ballyshannon town centre. In a note addressed to his wife, Sergeant Galvin asserted his innocence, saying he could no longer take the pressure of an investigation, and asked his loved ones to vindicate his good name after he was gone. Minister Fitzgerald is studying the report, and is expected to publish it in the coming weeks. dpa ElectionsData With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc. The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties. Chinese owned British car brand MG has revealed its newest method of testing its new models, the wet dog test. Along with testing its new SUV, the MG GS, over 1.2million kilometres, in 46 degree heat at Alice Springs and minus 30 degrees in Sweden, the car maker opted to include a more relatable test for the ordinary new car buyer. Placing wet cloths in the new SUV to simulate a wet dog, the test's main aim was to see how quickly the car can demist the moisture present in the car due to your wet canine. However, there was no mention of how the GS would handle the smell, hair or most likely accompanying mud and water shake-off. The fledgling new car brand is no doubt looking to separate itself from the pack in an increasingly crowded market. It is after all a dog-eat-dog-world. There's something of a plug-in revolution going on in Australia at the moment, albeit on a small scale. European luxury brands are slowly embarking on a strategy to flesh out their lean-and-green options. Sales of plug-in hybrid and electric cars are still tiny compared with the overall market less than 0.1 per cent but there's a sense that the technology is the way of the future and how quickly we adopt it depends on everything from the offers available to government incentives (there aren't any currently in Australia). For Audi, that environmental tinge comes in the form of e-Tron models, which supplement a regular engine with an electric motor and batteries that can be recharged from a household powerpoint. First out of the blocks is the A3 e-Tron. On a quick glance the e-Tron looks almost identical to other five-door A3s, but it has a unique grille with a toothier look as well as different alloy wheels. Plus, there are the badges that denote the unique drivetrain beneath the skin. What do you get? The A3 is a popular model for Audi because it is the entry into relatively affordable premium motoring; in recent years it's been the brand's top seller. But the e-Tron is at the upper end of the hatchback scale, priced from $62,490, plus on-road and dealer costs. That's a sizeable $19k wedge over the A3 1.8 TFSI that has similar performance and also drives the front wheels. But the e-Tron brings a lot more kit. For the ask you get full leather trim, satellite-navigation, digital radio tuning and LED headlights, the latter no doubt chosen in part because they suck less electricity from the batteries. There's also smart key entry, a reversing camera and a 7.0-inch colour screen for infotainment functions. The A3 e-Tron also comes with a fast charger wall box for your home, which in most cases an Audi dealer will install for nothing (it depends on the wiring in your house). And for those who like their green car to stand out, there's not much to get excited about; you'll have to make do with the aforementioned unique bumper, grille and 17-inch alloy wheels. What's inside? It's pure A3 inside, which means a clean and spacious cabin. Quality finishes and attention to detail rule. Up front there's great legroom and head room as well as comfortable seats. Storage is good, too, with lots of hidey holes and a decent centre console. In the rear, leg room is tight if those up front have their seats in the backward position. But with some compromises it's not too bad, and head room is also respectable. Rear air vents also help circulate fresh air throughout the cabin. Further back the boot has been trimmed slightly versus regular A3s, although it's only obvious if you line the two up side-by-side. The e-Tron's 280-litre capacity is 100 shy of normal A3s, but the split-folding seats account for larger items. The main difference between the e-Tron and regular A3s is to the instrument cluster, which drops the tacho in favour of a power gauge, the latter letting you know how much of the electric energy you're using or how much is being fed back into the batteries. If you really want a tacho for the rare times the engine might be running there's a small digital one as part of the expanded trip computer, which also gives more information about the electrical energy flow. Under the bonnet There's a familiar 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo engine beneath the bonnet, and it produces the same 110kW and 250Nm that it does in other Audi models. But it's very much the back-up act in the e-Tron. It's the 75kW electric motor that takes centre stage. And while the peak power is nothing special, the 330Nm of torque on tap from that motor is what makes it such an easy car to live with when running purely on electricity. The e-Tron is a plug-in hybrid, so differs from cars such as the Toyota Prius, which runs mainly on petrol. In the e-Tron you can recharge the car and run on electricity or you can rely on petrol for the times when you need more range. For the vast majority of driving particularly around town you won't need more than that electric motor. It's smooth and grunty and makes for zippy city driving. Even steep hills don't faze it much. Those wanting the full performance fruit with claimed 0-100km/h acceleration of 7.6 seconds can utilise both the electric motor and that turbocharged petrol engine. It adds a lot more fizz for initial acceleration, and carries that through for warm hatch-ish performance. Part of the trick is keeping the petrol engine out of the equation. Push the accelerator right to the floor or select Sport mode on the transmission and it automatically wakes the petrol engine. But only use 95 per cent of the throttle travel and its electric all the way, at least until the batteries run out. Speaking of which, claimed electric driving range is up to 50km, but we never got close to that. Around 40km is more realistic, sometimes less if you've got the air-conditioning cranked or are driving more aggressively. When it does come time to charge you're looking at just under five hours from a regular household powerpoint, or half that from the dedicated fast charger (or a public charger, some of which you'll find in shopping centres trying to boost their green image). The official fuel figure is 1.6 litres per 100km, although that figure is largely academic. Between charges you can use no fuel, with the fuel tank predominantly there for longer trips to allow for hundreds of kilometres of hybrid driving. You'll likely use at least 5.0 litres of fuel per 100km once the engine has kicked in, which is good but not excellent. So, really, the e-Tron is best for electric driving for distances of 40km or less, with the engine there as an occasional backup. On the road The e-Tron is very much like a regular A3 to drive, albeit one that's somewhat heavier. The addition of an electric motor and banks of batteries has added about 260kg to the A3; at 1.6 tonnes it's no featherweight. That said, you don't often notice it, and because the batteries are in the rear of the car the balance is pretty good. Steering is accurate and relatively light, although you can add some meat to the feel with the Drive Mode Select button. Brakes, too, are firm and effective, with no discernible inconsistencies to their operation as they switch from regeneration (reversing the flow of the electric motor to create electricity when decelerating) to regular brakes. Grip levels are good, too, ensuring you can have some fun on the right road. It makes for an enjoyable car to drive, and while you'll feel bumps, they're well controlled through the suspension to ensure decent comfort levels. Verdict Like so many partial electric cars the e-Tron comes with a price tag that will scare off many. But if you are prepared to take the plunge in turn benefiting from generous equipment levels that come with it it's a surprisingly normal car with great performance and driving manners. Electric performance is great, and as a hybrid it's smooth, seamless and punchy. Of course it really depends on how you plan to use it. The e-Tron is best for short trips where it can show off its electric smarts. The benefits on longer trips are less obvious, even if it will handle them without complaint. 2016 Audi A3 e-Tron price and specifications Price: $62,490, plus on-road and dealer costs Country of origin: Germany Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (110kW/250Nm) combined with electric motor (75kW/330Nm) Power: 150kW combined; 75kW from electric motor, 110kW from petrol engine Torque: 350Nm combined; 330Nm from electric motor, 250Nm from petrol engine Fuel use: 1.6L/100km CO2 emissions: 37g/km Transmission: 6-speed auto, front-wheel-drive Weight: 1615kg Safety: 7 airbags, stability control The Competitors BMW i3 Rex Price: $69,900, plus on-road and dealer costs Engine: 0.6-litre 2-cylinder petrol and electric motor; 125kW/250Nm; 1-speed auto; rear-drive Fuel use/CO2 emissions: 0.6L/100km, 13g/km Safety: 6 airbags, stability control Pros: Punchy performance and fun to drive; quirky design; interesting materials, including carbon fibre body and bamboo dash Cons: Tight rear seats; short suspension travel makes for bouncy ride; not suited to longer drives Our score: 6.5/10 Toyota Prius i-Tech Price: $42,990, plus on-road and dealer costs Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol with electric motor; 90kW (combined), 142Nm (petrol engine), 163Nm (electric motor); CVT auto; front-drive Fuel use/CO2 emissions: 3.4L/100km, 80g/km Safety: 7 airbags, stability control Pros: Distinctive styling; decent around-town performance thanks to torquey electric motor; spacious and quality interior; frugal Cons: Modest performance for overtaking; can't be recharged from a powerpoint; tight rear headroom Our score: 7/10 Lexus CT200h Sports Luxury Price: $54,990, plus on-road and dealer costs Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol with electric motor; 100kW (combined), 207Nm; CVT auto; front-drive Fuel use/CO2 emissions: 4.1L/100km, 95g/km Safety: 6 airbags, stability control Pros: Performance is perky enough around town; frugal; stylish interior Cons: Can't be recharged; old-gen Prius drivetrain; lifeless steering; tight back seat Our score: 6/10 Q4 smoke turns holy for ITC ITC, originally a tobacco company which is now an Indian conglomerate having dozens of varied products in its basket of offering posted its Q4 results in the last week. The popularly tagged as a 'tobacco major' surprisingly given robust numbers in Q4 where it usually faces some budgetary turmoil every year. In the union budget 2016-17 the excise duty hike on tobacco and cigarettes was too marginal for the company to react accordingly. ITCs cigarette business which accounts for nearly 50 per cent of its total revenue increased at the rate of 10.2 per cent to RS Rs 4639.17 crore. Similarly its PBT from cigarette has grown 11.5 per cent to Rs 3018.56 crore. However, going forward the company may face some hurdles amid the recent government rule to print large pictorial warnings covering 85 per cent of the front and back side of the cigarette packaging meant to discourage smoking. The entire tobacco has protested against the move stating that it would drastically affect the businesses of more than 45 million farmers. Subsequently the agri business that accounts for 16 per cent of its total revenue grew at a rate of 26.5 per cent to Rs 1806.79 crore in Q4FY16 from Rs 1427.89 crore. To enhance its agri business activities, the company is shifting its plant to Guntur from Hyderabad. The plant is likely to introduce more products including food safe spices and millets by investing nearly 8000 crore for the same. Apart from the two mentioned above, ITC has also penetrated into the packaged foods business which has seen a very gradual upside in the wake of huge competition from the sole packagers. Its packaging business accounts for only 11 per cent of the revenues. Packaging business remained flat for the quarter. However, its packaging faces restrictions o the use of logos, colours and brand images which could be a hurdle in the near term. ITC is very small in terms of its hotel business but has witnessed a gradual growth. Andhra Pradesh government has been boosting the company to set up its agri plants and five star hotels in Guntur. ITCs stock price has not grown much from the last year but still has maintained to outperform against the benchmark and its major peer Hindustan Unilever. The company is virtually debt free through which it has been attracting investors so far. The company has a good Return on Equity track record from last three years. The company also maintains healthy dividend payout of more than 50 per cent and book value of 50. The stock has seen recent rise in its share prices after it announced bonus in the ratio 1:2 and dividend of 8.5/share of Re.1.00. ITC is nearly in its 52 week high and has a strong resistance near 355-360 levels. The stock is a buy from 322 levels which is the strong 100 EMA support level. The stock can test 400 once it gives a breakout at 360 in the first place. Where the compulsory warning on the packages has not helped reduce the number of smokers in India, the pictorial warnings would hardly do. However, faster diversification would help it offset the fear of losing the share in its prime business. Privacy concerns among business professionals are driving a backlash against conducting work activities in out-of-office locations such as cafes, hotels and public transport, according to Regus. The global workspace provider surveyed 1,090 Australian professionals about their preferred locations for undertaking work activities. Four in five respondents (80%) said their biggest concern about working outside the office was a lack of privacy. This follows on from earlier research commissioned by Regus, showing public transport, cafes, hotel bars and lounges, aeroplanes and campus-style work canteens are locations that put sensitive business information at risk. While a majority of professionals were happy to read their emails at a cafe or on public transport, 67% said they did not respond while taking their coffee and 55% preferred not to reply during their commute. Further, one in respondents (50%) revealed that their car or a hotel was the next best location outside of their office to field a phone call, while a business lounge was more preferable for higher concentration tasks such as sensitive emails (49%) and checking and approving documents (46%). Public settings not suitable for everyday tasks Commenting on the study, CEO of Regus Australia and New Zealand, John Henderson, said that while flexible working practices are being increasingly embraced, public settings such as busy cafes and bustling trains do not provide professionals with the privacy needed to conduct many work activities With Wi-Fi available nearly everywhere, it is certainly convenient to stop at a cafe and quickly skim through emails on a smartphone, he said. However, away from the office, non-professional environments are simply not suitable for everyday work tasks that require time and sensitivity. Professionalism and productivity Henderson said research has confirmed that for some tasks a more professional and productive environment is required. Business lounges and professional co-working spaces are ideal for phone calls or conference calls, as users dont have to worry about losing reception or being disturbed by fellow commuters, he said. A bad line or background noise can affect the professional image of a business so this is an important consideration when calls involve a client or prospect. Henderson referred to a UK study suggesting three quarters of British employees feel less productive away from their desk than when theyre sitting in an office environment. This highlights the need for touch-down environments where on-the-go professionals can carry out urgent tasks efficiently and productively, but also fully protecting the sensitivity of their business information, he said. 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[Recording date: May 9, 2016.] Russ: Now, one of the central ideas of your book is what happens with the average worker as technology and innovation grows in the economy: Do they share in the gains? A lot of people worry the average worker isn't sharing in the growth of the economy over the last decade, decades. What can history teach us? Guest: Well, history lessons are always tricky to apply to the present. What history can do is make sure at least asking the right questions. In fact, the Industrial Revolution saw problems and patterns that are not really, or seem very similar to what's happening today. I won't say they are identical; they are not. They faced different challenges than we face. But I think people often forget or neglect the history or don't know it in the first place. And I think our understanding today would be a lot richer if we did know that. Russ: Well, I was very surprised and intrigued by the historical data that you bring to bear on the question, which is, in particular over long stretches of the Industrial Revolution, pay was stagnant, or appears to be stagnant. And that led some thinkers and writers to be very pessimistic about innovation, about capitalism. But things changed. In my mind, it's just a long, steady increase in human wellbeing since about 1750. And that's not true. So, talk about what the data show, how it was misinterpreted or at least assumed, some trends, were assumed to be permanent, and what we can learn from that. Guest: People understood very quickly that machines were taking over tasks of workers. And this prompted people to get very concerned, not unsurprisingly and very similar to today, that we're not going to have jobs. You combine that, then, with a long period of stagnant wages--so, this was true both in the Industrial Revolution in Britain and in the United States. I use data for the United States but we can see that the textile mill, which was really the forefront of the Industrial Revolution both in the United States and in Britain, productivity was going up very rapidly and wages were not. Wages didn't go up for textile workers until after the Civil War. So, you had a long period--the first textile mills were the 1814, 1817--and you had this very long period of tremendous productivity growth in output per worker. And completely stagnant wages. And so people--Marx included--looked at this divergence and said, 'Capitalism is this new system that is extracting all the profits to the capitalists.' And that time, it seemed like that was right. It seemed like that was happening. And people were very afraid that there would be massive unemployment, what we call technological unemployment today. Didn't happen. 4:21 Russ: So, the stagnation in wages over that period--it's a very long period of time: it's roughly half a century-- Guest: Yep. Russ: What's your explanation for why that stagnation occurred and then why things changed? Guest: Yeah. Yeah. So, the--I think the--this is a complicated explanation, a little bit. The first thing to realize is: These were not unskilled workers. It's a common misconception. It's very prevalent. We still tend to think today of factory workers being unskilled, especially at the Industrial Revolution. And it's certainly true that they did not have many skills when they walked in the door of the mills. I look in detail, for instance, at weavers. And these weavers were typically teenage girls. Some of them had woven on handlooms at home. But they had never been in an industrial-type environment with sophisticated machinery, anything like was what was in the mills. And they had no prior experience, for the most part, when they walked into the mills. The mills hired people who had never worked in the mills before and who had no industry experience. Over the course of a year or so, they would learn a tremendous amount, and their productivity would go up 5-fold or 6-fold. Many of the new entrants didn't succeed. They couldn't survive in that environment. They couldn't manage to learn, or they found it too distasteful. But the ones who did, had, acquired very valuable skills. We can actually measure those skills. And we know that those skills were important and critical to actually the mill achieving productivity. Mills that failed to get the workers up to speed failed economically. Russ: The reason is--I want to interrupt for a sec. Which is, one of the challenges, I think, about thinking about these issues today, especially, as well as in history, is that we think about the phrase, 'Machines make workers more productive.' Which is undoubtedly true in the transformation and industry you are talking about--weaving--we'll probably get into it in some detail. It's rather extraordinary how much more workers could do than with the machines than without. With the automation and without. And yet, in many ways it's the machines that are productive. And so the fundamental question is, one of the fundamental questions is: What are the workers bringing to the experience that works with the machine, as well as that makes them valuable in and of themselves relative to their alternative employment? And I think that's something people often forget. Guest: Yeah. And so, I think the general answer to that question is: Technology is complex. And it's never 100% automated. When you have something that's even 98% automated, there are still lots of things for workers to do. And, it turns out that their proficiency as doing those few remaining tasks is critical for the through-put of the machine. So, what--I mean, literally, with the textile machines, if something went wrong, the machine would stop. And it would be down. And it was the ability of a weaver to recognize the problem was developing; if possible, fix it before the machine stopped. If not, fix it quickly so the machine was down for a short period of time. And fix it reliably so that it wouldn't go down again. So, the productivity of the machines was just deeply intertwined with these very specific technological skills that the workers had to learn on the job. And this was a particular challenge then; and I'll argue it's a very similar challenge, today. From a social point of view, what was difficult about these skills was that they had to be learned on the job. At least at first. They were skills that couldn't be taught in the classroom. And many of them were very unstandardized. You would go to one mill and would do things one way and would have one set of equipment--very often the looms were custom-built for the mills. It was very different from what was in other mills. So that skills learned in one mill weren't necessarily portable to another. You didn't have a labor market developing where workers who were trained at one mill could work at another mill proficiently. What happened after the Civil War was that standardization started taking place: That the mills coordinated their machinery; they coordinated the way that they hired workforce and used the machinery. There were training school developed for mill managers. So there was much more uniformity. And what you see happening is that robust labor market developed. That, in the 1830s, very few of the new hires had any prior experience. By the 1880s, almost all of the new hires had previous experience. What that labor market did, was it meant that mills would bid up the wages. You are talking a competitive market, workers with skills that could be applied across mills. And so, the labor market meant that if I was not earning enough as a weaver at one mill, somebody else is going to pay me more. And so, that was the essential thing to start wages on their upward trajectory. 10:30 Russ: It's hard to understand why it would take so long. And one argument--I once a labor economist. I still play one on TV. But, you know, what sets your wages is your next best alternative, combined with your productivity. And if there are a lot of people who can work a loom, a power loom--and it doesn't take very long to learn how to do that--you're not going to get paid a lot of money. No matter how more productive the power loom is or the person is than an artist or craftsperson, loom weaving fabric by hand. That's my perspective. And I think it's yours as well, in the book. What changed in that story? Normally, you'd say, 'Well, in the early days, it was really hard--it was really easy to do. But it got more sophisticated.' I don't think that's your story, though. Right? Explain what, in a sort of standard labor economics way, why a worker in 1870 got paid a lot, whereas the worker in 1845 didn't. Guest: So, the work in 1870 was basically paid what they were worth. Because, if they didn't get it, somebody else would pay them--somebody else would hire them. In 1830, you just didn't have the prospect. If you left your job, you were not going to get a job at another mill, in all likelihood. I found something that only 18% of new hires had previous experience. That's a rather low figure. So there's no guarantee that I'm going to be able to take my work elsewhere. Now, why wasn't, why couldn't I find those alternative opportunities? Because basically if I went to another mill, things were so different between one mill to the next, that the new employer had no guarantee that my experience was relevant. They would more or less have to treat me as a new hire. And we actually see some of this: that even people who had some experience are not paid well at first. Then their productivity goes up over time, and then they make the earnings. Understand, most workers in these mills were paid piece rates, so their earnings were very closely tied to their productivity. Russ: So this is--a technical term for this is firm-specific human capital. So, I have some knowledge that I've learned on the job, but it doesn't apply elsewhere, so it's not valuable to new employers. I'm not much different, you are saying, from a new hire. So, what changed in the industry, then, that made me more productive outside the mill I started in? Guest: So, it was partly things became more competitive in the industry, and so employers--the mills started forming trade associations so that they exchanged all sorts of knowledge about the technology and about work practices--you see the Cotton Textile Manufacturer's Association forming in, I believe, 1865. You see the growth of a residential labor force. So, again, understand, in the early years they were hiring from all over New England. Where they situated the mills--these mills were driven by water power, so they had to be at locations that had good water power, which weren't typically in urban centers: there weren't many workers around. Lowell, Massachusetts was just a farming village. So, they hired girls off of farms from all over New England to come live in town. They were put up in boarding houses. And only very slowly did the residential labor develop. So, when somebody left the mills, they went back to Northern Vermont or whatever, weren't around to be rehired by anybody else. So, part of this development was the development of an urban labor force. And that's why it took especially long, I think, in the 19th century. And of course that's not a problem we experience so much today. Russ: Well, it sounds like China, actually. Guest: Right. Russ: Young women leaving the countryside, moving to cities, boarding-- Guest: Living in dormitories. Exactly. Russ: Not a very pleasant life at first, for sure. Guest: And you see this same pattern with Japan's industrialization. And again, beginning with the textile industries. It's striking how similar this pattern has been repeated. In Japan, they actually studied the Lowell pattern and attempted to follow it. In China, I don't think so much. But it's nevertheless you are facing some of the same problems, the same issues, and you see some of the same sort of developments. 15:44 Russ: Let's move to the present. One of the areas I think people are worried about is manufacturing. And listeners to this program, I think, are pretty knowledgeable in the sense that they know that manufacturing is an incredibly successful sector of the economy in terms of output. And a very declining sector in terms of employment--as you point out as well: as a proportion of employment, it's fallen steadily since the 1940s, mid-'40s, at the end of WWII. That speed of decreases accelerated a little bit in the last 10 or 15 years, perhaps, due to, perhaps, China; perhaps the Recession of 2008. But a lot of people are worried that--the main thing driving that, of course, is productivity. It's that machines are being made that allow output per worker to be sufficiently high, that the demand for workers is relatively low. And you point out two very interesting things. The first is that that doesn't always decrease--the fact that machines make workers more productive doesn't always--or eliminates them, even--doesn't always decrease employment in an industry. So, let's start with that. Talk about tellers and ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) as a sort of--to me a very powerful example. Guest: Well, actually, let me go back to the 19th century first, because you are talking manufacturing. So, what happened with textiles? During the 19th century, if you look at the tasks of weavers, 98% of the work was automated; yet the number of weavers continued to grow. The reason was the greater degree of automation meant that the price of cotton cloth went down, and people started using more cloth. The demand was elastic. We typically--when we think about this machinery question, we typically forget about the effect on demand. At the beginning of the 19th century, people had very few clothes. Clothing was dear-- Russ: It's hard for people to understand that. You had a couple of sets, maybe, and you washed them as much as you could bear doing. Because that wasn't fun. Guest: Right. You typically had one pair of clothes. I think that was probably typical. Most of the clothing was made at home. It was a very, very tedious process--I mean, just making the yarn took hours and hours. So, you had this tremendous drop in the cost of cloth. And people found more and more things to do with it. They got more clothes; they had the development of a fashion industry. We had cotton cloth used for draperies, carpets, rugs--all sorts of applications of textiles. And people found more and more uses. Each time the price dropped, the demand would kick in and it would increase more than the--enough to offset the labor-saving effect of the new technology. Now, eventually we get to the 1920s, 1930s, and we see that all of a sudden demand doesn't increase so much any more. The demand for textiles gets saturated. And we see this beginning of a long, but very slow decline in relative employment and then ultimately around the 1970s, 1980s, decline in absolute employment in textiles. Driven almost all by technology at that point. Russ: And of course the same thing is happening in agriculture--agricultural productivity is going through the roof. And after a while we don't need as many farmers, and it just continues to fall and fall and fall. Which is fabulous, unless you have a lifetime dream of being a farmer with your children's children's children. In which case, you'll be disappointed. But for the rest of us, who like to eat--maybe it's too good. We have an obesity problem instead of a poverty problem, for much of America. Guest: Right. Russ: But I found the tellers and ATM example fascinating. Guest: Right. Right. Russ: A lot of people assume that ATMs have destroyed the number of tellers in America. Guest: Right. And it's the same logic at work: that there's a demand effect. So, what happened when automatic tellers came in? Basically starting in the mid-1990s, ATM machines came in in big numbers. We have, now, something like 400,000-some installed in the United States. And everybody assumed--including some of the bank managers, at first--that this was going to eliminate the teller job. And it didn't. In fact, since 2000, not only have teller jobs increased, but they've been growing a bit faster than the labor force as a whole. That may eventually change. But the impact of the ATM machine was not to destroy tellers [?], actually it was to increase it. What happened? Well, the average bank branch in an urban area required about 21 tellers. That was cut because of the ATM machine to about 13 tellers. But that meant it was cheaper to operate a branch. Well, banks wanted, in part because of deregulation but just for deregulation but just for basic marketing reasons, wanted to increase the number of branch offices. And when it became cheaper to do so, demand for branch offices increased. And as a result, demand for bank tellers increased. And it increased enough to offset the labor-saving losses of jobs that would have otherwise occurred. So, again, it was one of these more dynamic things where the labor-saving technology actually created more jobs. This is in fact a much more general problem--a much more general pattern, I mean. We see a whole number of occupations where you might think that technology is going to destroy jobs because it's taking over tasks; and the reverse happens. So, if you look, for instance, when they put in scanning technology into cash registers, the number of cashiers actually increased. When legal offices started using, beginning in the late 1990s, electronic discovery software for doing discovery of documents in lawsuits, the number of paralegals increased rather than decreased. Russ: The other part of it that I found so fascinating, I think that often typically gets forgotten is that often--not always, but often--in these industries, what the people actually do isn't the same any more. It's not just that there are fewer or more tellers. It's that the tellers that are still there now are doing something a little bit more that's just different. And I think that's a really important part of this transformation. Guest: That's exactly right. And so, what's happened is that cash-handling has obviously become less important for tellers. But their ability to market and their interpersonal skills in terms of dealing with bank clients has become more important. So the transition--what the ATM machine did was effectively change the job of the bank teller into one where they are more of a marketing person. They are part of what banks call the 'customer relationship team.' But it's a different sort of skill. Maybe it's a higher skill. There is some evidence that their wages have gone up. They are hiring more college graduates as bank tellers. And in a whole variety of ways we are seeing changes of this sort where the nature of occupations is getting up-skilled in some fashion. Often very specific skills related to the particular technology, the particular job. This is happening across the board. And that's part of the challenge that technology is posing for us: How do we develop all of these new skills? Much of that was the challenge with the weavers in the 19th century. 24:29 Russ: So, one of the things people worry about, we've talked about a lot on the program, is this fear that artificial intelligence or smart machines won't just make it cheaper to expand output and change the numbers in complicated ways through demand response, but just eliminate them totally. So, we'll go to online banking, where there will be no people. We'll go to a smart factory that just--the only thing the person does is make sure that the dog that's in front of the place doesn't get out of control--I think that's a joke. I'm not doing it correctly. But, you know--that's the concern. And just to take one dramatic example: A world of driverless cars and driverless trucks will eliminate thousands of jobs currently held by cab drivers who are drivers, truck drivers; and it's not like there will still be a few left to make sure that certain cars are driven well or to oversee the steering wheel process within the car; they'll just be more chatty and friendly or something. They just want to have a job. And their skills, those specific skills will now be worthless, that they've accumulated driving a truck. And so their next best alternative is going to be a lot worse-paying. Does that concern you? Guest: I think it does. The change we are facing now is different in a couple of dramatic ways. So, one of them is that we may be seeing technologies that are capable of replacing the entire set of tasks of an occupation. I don't think we are there yet. I think experts in artificial intelligence will tell you it's going to be quite a while till we're there yet. Except for maybe some very specific occupations. The other sort of reason things are very different now is that computer technology, information technology, is affecting far more workers. It's affecting a much larger share of the workforce than anything else we've seen before in terms of major technology changes. So, we can think of mechanization in the 19th century or electrification during the early 20th century as big technology changes. But these only affected a relatively small part of the workforce. With computers, we are talking about the majority of workers, already. I guess one of the--so, there is concern that we will see complete replacement of workers in some areas. There are a small number of lights-out factories. But that's not a very significant aspect today. I think, however, that the main thing that's happening and the main turbulence to jobs is coming when computer technology is being used by some workers to replace other workers. So, we can definitely point to occupations that have been diminished. Typesetters, for instance, have--the number of typesetters has dropped by 80% or something since 1980, with the advent of computerized publishing. On the other hand, the same technology is associated with an increase in graphic designers--a much larger increase in the number of graphic designers. So work has shifted from one occupation to another. And that's a typical thing we are seeing today. And I think it's a typical thing we are going to be seeing over the horizon in the next 10 or 15 years. It's not so much the specter of machines completely replacing workers. It's much more about jobs changing either internally, as with the bank tellers, where the nature of the job changes; or work shifting from one occupation to another. And all of this requiring new skills. The specter of wholesale job replacement and major impacts on unemployment, if it occurs--it seems to me to be multiple decades out. Russ: The graphic design is a nice example. Because if you are a typesetter, you are probably not so--let's say it differently: Being good at typesetting doesn't help you with graphic design. As you point out. It's just a totally different set of skills. Now, you can go acquire those skills, perhaps. It would depend on the person, their age, and their creativity and their brain and all that. But, I think that's one of the worries: that the transition time, as people leave an industry and join new industries, is maybe going to be a lot more difficult. I think one of the things--we had David Autor on the program talking about trade with China. And, if you lose your manufacturing job or your construction job--say, the construction sector was overheated due to a variety of factors--it's not obvious what your next best alternative is once you confront the fact that that job you lost may not be coming back. There's a human tendency to weight it will come back. And if it doesn't, you eventually have to confront the fact that you need a different set of skills or you are not going to be paid very much. I think one of the challenges is--your book, Learning by Doing, some of those skills are--the mechanisms by which a person can acquire those out of the blue is not so easy, when they are in the middle of their lives. So, do have any thoughts on that? Guest: Yeah. So, I think this is the big challenge. And it's a big challenge for two reasons. One is the thing I just mentioned, that we are talking about technology affecting more jobs now than ever. So, I think the scale of the transitions that people are going to have to go through is much larger than we've seen before--at least if it's resulting from technology. The other is the problem that these skills are often very difficult to acquire, for a number of reasons. So, one is that until things are standardized and well understood, they can't be taught in school. Or, it's difficult to be taught in school. As long as they are, continue to change very rapidly, it's difficult to be taught in school. And it's difficult to teach yourself. So we're seeing in numbers of areas great challenges in acquiring these skills. It's not something that we can expect our schools to do very easily. And we don't have much in the way of other institutions to help people with that. The graphic designer is an example where the skills are continually changing. And it poses a big challenge. So, what--initially you had this publishing coming in, in the 1980s. And so designers, who had been primarily trained as print designers now had to learn a new technology. And then the Internet came along; and so they had to learn web design. And then smartphones came along, and they had to learn mobile design. And throughout this process, standards and technologies keep changing. So, a few years ago, Flash was a requirement, more or less, for a lot of jobs. Today, Flash is seen as obsolete; and people are learning HTML 5. If you are not able to teach yourself the latest technology, such as Flash or HTML 5, either on your own or by taking an online course, or whatever, it's very difficult to--you can't get the very best jobs. And so what you are seeing is a divergence in pay between the average graphic designer, who still largely has print-design skills, and the top designers, who have these other much more sophisticated skills and is able to keep up with the pace of change. So, you project that sort of challenge across many, many occupations, which is what, I think, we are seeing, and we've got a social problem. A difficult problem. 33:03 Russ: What strikes me about graphic design, as an interesting example, is that it gets standardized. But then the standard changes. Guest: Yeh. Russ: So, at first, you have to know Flash. Or you have to know--I'm thinking of just the artistic part of it--you have to know Adobe Illustrator; you have to know Photoshop. And so often software gets more and more complicated. They get more and more bells and whistles. It gets harder and harder to be a master of it. And all of a sudden, that software is out. People don't want to use that any more. There's a new program or a new package that's designed to make your life easier. But you don't know it. You haven't learned that piece of software. So you've got to now, in a sense, retool. And it's almost a cliche. But clearly the best skill to have is not Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop or Lightroom or whatever is the design tool you are using. It's to know how to learn to use a piece of software. And that's something you can't teach, except through, perhaps, teaching lots of different kinds and how people see they are connected. And I suppose it's easier to learn a new software package once you've learned a few. Guest: Yeah. I think that's right. It's this, what people call lifelong learning. And we're seeing a lot of people putting effort into different ways to do this. So, the rise of these online courses. We're seeing boot camps. We're seeing traditional schools trying to adapt their curricula. It's hard to know what works and what doesn't. Me, as a person needing new skills, it's often hard to know where to go. Russ: Yeah. And I think that's true at every level of education. I encourage my children to stay in touch with new things that are being developed and try to get them to think about going into them, if they are interested in them. They are in the middle of their teens or slightly past their teens. So it's a very exciting time. But, not quite sure what to work on, or what to invest in. But what seems to be true, for my kids, which is a blessing, is that there are a lot of things they could learn on their own, if they want to. They can get on Coursera. They can get on the web and find--they can almost get themselves a college major without the piece of paper. But they can have the skillset. Now, obviously this is a question of being able to prove that knowledge. Let's put that to the side. Yet, at the same time, there are many, many kids who are not prepared to do that level of self-learning. And I just want to come back to this point. It would seem to me that if you can teach people how to teach themselves, you really give them the greatest gift. It's almost the modern variation of 'Give a person a fish, they are fed for a day. Teach them how to fish, they are fed for a lifetime.' If you can teach somebody how to learn, you've really given them the greatest gift. Guest: Yeah. I think that's right. And, you know, one of the problems is I don't think we know how to do that, large scale. 36:19 Russ: Well, let's shift gears and talk about this training issue a little more explicitly. There's a big--along the lines I'm talking about--it's a parallel track. People think it's the same track, but I'm not sure they cross. But, [?] to say, 'Well, we've just seen more college graduates.' And you are very critical of that claim. Why? Guest: So, college graduates might--college diplomas might very well be good things for most people. But it might not be what they need right now. This kind of skill--talk about the graphic designers: You have a lot of graphic designers who have college diplomas. You have a lot who don't. The college courses in graphic design, are, I have to say, most of them at this point are not able to teach the latest graphic design skills. And I'm not sure that they teach--and maybe the best ones do--but I'm not sure that they teach you how to learn. At least, it appears that a lot of graphic designers who do have college diplomas aren't necessarily faring so well. So, it's a story that a lot of these skills have to be learned in part through experience with new technology. Some of this stuff has to be learned on the job. Or, at least, in conjunction with on the job experience and, you know, a classroom. So, you know, one of the things that's encouraging is you see a lot of community colleges developing work-study programs with local employers, where people are able to learn both in the classroom and on the job. And I think that's an important aspect of solving this problem. We're seeing some other things developing that I think are helpful. So, because actual experience is so important, with many of the new technologies, we're starting to see more trade associations developing certifications. So that, somebody gets certified as having a set of skills, even if they've learned it on the job; but not in the classroom. And this becomes an important signal for employers, that this person is somebody who they can hire who will be able to get the job done. And that helps build the labor market and overcome these problems of firm-specific human capital that we talked about earlier. Which was a problem for the weavers and is a problem for many people today as well. Russ: The other part of this that you talk about so well in the book is the role of licensing. Once you have certification there's a temptation that a person, to work in this field, needs a certificate to get the license that makes them qualify for the job supposedly. Talk about the growth in licensing; why that's worrisome rather than encouraging. Guest: Yeah. So, it seems like certification and licensing are more or less the same thing. And they are not. There's really a very important difference between them. So, to the extent that certification presents and employer with some information about your characteristics, that's a good thing. To the extent that you can't get a job without a license, that's not such a good thing. Because it prevents you from getting the experience that you need in the first place. What we've seen is a tremendous growth in licensing, from about 5% of all workers in the 1950s to close to 30% today require some sort of licensing in order to get their jobs. Now, licensing may be very important where there are critical issues of, you know, health or safety. But, what seems to happen repeatedly--and there's very good evidence about this--is that licensing puts professionals within the occupation in a position to restrict entry into the occupation, raise prices, reduce service quality; and it may help the people in the occupation but it limits entry of new workers; it limits the adoption of new technologies; and it certainly hurts consumers. So we've seen a huge growth in licensing. And to my mind, and I think to the minds of many other people, excessive growth, where there needs to be some much better economic rationale for some of these licensing restrictions. Russ: As you point out, the political rationale is very clear. It protects the existing workers and gives them a little more security and lets them get paid more, but it's bad for the rest of us, including the people who would like to be in that industry. What are the chances that that political rationale is going to change any time soon? Other than people like you and me, and others which I've seen lately, who are saying, 'Hey, wait a minute. This is crazy.' Guest: Yeah. I don't think it's going to change very soon. It's rather discouraging how much political activity has been oriented around these things. A lot of this occurs at the state level, so we're talking--it may not even make it into the newspapers. People are generally unaware of what's happened, of what's happening. So these are things that tend to affect, you know, relatively small communities in the legislature but their impact on the broader society is much greater. And, I can't say I see any short term change in that pattern. Russ: A small glimmer of light would be the Institute for Justice, which if you don't know about it out there, check it out. They try to fight unnecessary licensing through the court system as a way of promoting economic freedom, and I'm a big fan of a lot of what they do. They are fighting this battle right now, city by city, state by state. 43:13 Russ: So, let's talk about an example I knew nothing about--it's an interesting claim--which is the role of government procurement in encouraging innovation and technology. The last third or so of your book is about government policy; and a lot of people want government to champion certain kinds of innovations. As you point out, it's a very mixed bag; it hasn't been so successful. But you point out a role for procurement--government purchases of stuff--that I'd never heard or seen before. And it starts very long ago. So, start with that example of rifles and firearms, which I'd never heard. It was very interesting. Guest: Yeah. So, I think it was even before the--well, shortly after the Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson among others became aware that they needed a new way to build firearms that could be standardized so that replacement--each of the parts could be cannibalized from one rifle and put into another one, so that they could be repaired on the field. So, this was the ideal, the manufacturing ideal. Government played a key role in fostering this technology. Now, it did it for these very specific reasons of making firearms this new country could rely on, especially as it didn't have a large number of gunsmiths. So, they developed these techniques. And what happened was--it was done in a very open way, so that there were two armories--Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and Springfield, Massachusetts--that were centers[?] of technology development. They shared the information widely. They hired numbers of private firms to produce the guns, and these firms would share their knowledge and their latest developments with other people in the process. And as a result what grew up was a whole community of people who were skilled in this new approach to machining. Well, it turned out that that community was able to then take those skills and apply them to a whole range of other mechanical technologies, and this really led to the emergence of the United States as the leading nation in terms of mechanical technology. It led to the development of the assembly line, but much more generally than that, it led to this real supremacy in terms of having workers who acquired these very unique skills to use technology with replaceable parts, which became known as the American system of manufactures. By providing the procurement program under the right set of rules where knowledge was widely shared, the government had helped spur this entire process. So, you hear people talking--and I think correctly--about government playing a key role in modern technology, such as the semiconductor or the computer, the Internet. And in many of these cases, it was government procurement playing a very similar role to what was played, to the role it played in the 19th century. And much of it related to either NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) or defense procurement. But it was done--the reason these efforts ended up in having a much wider and more important civilian application was that they were done in ways where the key knowledge was widely shared; skills were developed among a broad base of people; and this provided the springboard to greater civilian application. And a key part in recent productivity growth. Recent technological growth. Unfortunately, it's not always the case that government procurement is done in such a beneficial way. Russ: Some of that's luck, right? It wasn't intended. The government, when it made those firearms, demands and purchases, wasn't thinking, 'Well, this will lead to all that great stuff.' Guest: Exactly. Russ: I think a lot of the Internet is the same way. People say the government created the Internet. Well, they created some infrastructure that allowed other people to create the Internet. So, obviously there is some public role that is relevant, but it's not necessarily their best thing, the government's best thing, to start from some idea and try to take it through fruition. But there are these unintended positive consequences sometimes. 48:41 Russ: But I want to bring you back to standards. Because I don't think we got at the issue that I think is really at the heart of the question we started with, which is: When do workers share in the gains and when do they not share so much. Which is partly a role of standardization. So, standards can emerge from private activity, through either associations of manufacturers or industries. Sometimes they can be imposed from the top down--they can decree a standard of some kind, sometimes correctly, sometimes not so correctly and you can go down the wrong path. Obviously we can make mistakes in all kinds of settings. But I want you to try to bring back why standardization is important for worker productivity and compensation and their ability to learn on the job, because I think we didn't give that enough attention in the first part of the conversation. So, why is that relevant in terms of allowing more learning by doing, more specific human capital that allows workers to be compensated and productive? Guest: Right. So, this is the--this was something with the example of the rifle, with the Internet, with all these things: is that a key aspect was open standards that were widely shared. So, why was this important? And people who write about standards, typically write strictly from the point of view of the importance of standards in allowing inter-cooperation, inter-operation of different parts. My argument is that standards play a perhaps more important role, or at least as important role, in terms of their ability to make skills portable. To allow--and having portable skills allows robust labor markets to develop. So, what happened when we had standards for making machinery with interchangeable parts were that there were a whole set of skills, and not only standard tools, but standards of measurement that a worker could learn. And if they had learned these standards, their skills were then widely applicable to other employers. And so that meant that they had a wider labor market to appeal to, when they were looking for work. Russ: So, I didn't really appreciate this until I read your book. And I think I appreciate it even more from this conversation--which is, thinking back to the graphic design idea. So, if you are in a company that wants to have, say, a corporate newsletter, or some kind of ad that you want to produce for some kind of publication; and you've got a brilliant genius in your IT (Information Technology) Department, and she figures out a way to help the art people draw that ad or create that newsletter. And then that firm dies or you need to move or you get fired or whatever it is, and you go want to go to a new company; and they have their own genius who has created a totally different system. It's a fabulous system for creating newsletters or for drawing or for an ad. But you've never used it before. So you've got to start from scratch. And a software package--one of the things that--we tend to think about it as, 'Well, it's great.' Because then you can do the stuff easily without being a great artist. But the other thing it does, which I hadn't thought about till I read your book or had the conversation is that what it means is that somebody can teach you how to use that package somewhere. You can take a course in it. You can take--you can go to night school. You can learn it online. You can buy the package yourself and practice it. And once you've learned it--most firms are using that package--you are very valuable to all of them. And so your wages are going to be a lot higher than they would be. Unless you are that rare person who can develop the package in-house for that customized one-time application. And so I thought the part I really enjoyed, hadn't appreciated, was that, from your book, was this idea that the ability to acquire a skill, once standardization sets in, gets a lot easier. You can teach it in a class. You can write a book about how to learn it. Without that, you've got nothin'. And so that allows the average worker to invest in a skill that has an application beyond the firm that they work in. And that's huge. Guest: Yeah. And very aptly put[?]. I've been struggling to say it as nicely. And there's something else, though, too. We were just talking about how do these governmental technologies--government plays a role in the early stages, and it fosters--it flowers from there. And when you have something where you can take that skill and use it and multiply it across employers, that's how new technologies take hold. That's how they get widely adopted, and then develop the productivity gains that we all want so much from technology. So, technology struggles to get adopted when it's very firm-specific and when it's not standardized. And it's inevitable that in the early stages because it's changing rapidly and it's new, when there are multiple variants, things are different from firm to firm and things don't get widely adopted. And so we have new technology, but we don't have necessarily the productivity growth we would hope from that new technology. It's when things become standardized that the technology itself becomes more productivity. Because we have the skills, the skilled people, who can take it and spread it widely. 54:45 Russ: The other thing I just want to make sure we mention is the synergy between people across firms that can occur in geographic areas. And in particular, famously in the United States, Silicon Valley. And you contrast Silicon Valley with Route 128, which is a fantastic example I'd never heard before. I just don't want to miss that conversation point. It's just fantastic. At least the claim. I don't know if it's true. But talk about the non-compete role, and the difference in the two places. Because it's an issue that's in the news lately, the role of non-competes--being the contractual thing that when you are hired somewhere that if you change jobs or quit, you can't necessarily work wherever you want. Which is a bizarre thing that you would agree to such a thing. But a lot of firms have non-compete agreements. So, talk about that and how it makes a difference. Guest: So, the use of non-compete agreements, particularly for technical employees, has been growing over the last couple of decades, as well as--it's not just licensing. Non-compete is an issue. Non-compete is starting to be an issue in lower-wage jobs as well. But I think it's particularly important for technical employees. So, from the point of view of the employer, there's a rationale for a non-compete, which is: If I'm going to, as an employer, train you on some specific skill, I want you to stay employed at my firm rather than take that skill to somebody else. So, having a non-compete might make the employer's incentive to provide training greater. Now, as it turns out, employers, don't, in the United States, provide much training to employees. But there is a flip side to that coin, which is: If I as an employee have a non-compete agreement, I have less incentive to invest my own time in learning a new skill. Russ: Yeah. Guest: And so that's one of the drawbacks of non-compete. There are two others I think. One is that in a place like Silicon Valley you see a lot of knowledge being transferred from one firm to another as employees go from one firm to another. And this is often critical with newly emerging technologies. So, nobody typically has a monopoly on all of the good ideas. So, there's Firm A and there's Firm B; and Firm A has figured some things out, and Firm B has figured some things out. And if, through employee exchange, which is what happens typically in Silicon Valley, both firms can benefit from what they have jointly developed. The third thing is non-competes make it difficult for new firms to start up. So, we are seeing cases in Massachusetts where a firm wanted to--a Silicon Valley firm, actually--wanted to, for instance, wanted to open up a Massachusetts office. But everybody they wanted to hire had been employed some time in the last two years in the industry for a competitor, and so they could not hire anybody. And they eventually gave up. From the employees' point of view, these things are sometimes very unfair. So, there are stories where somebody has been working, got a Ph.D. in the technology, who has been working in the field, that they take a job; things don't work out, they've got a clash with the boss; and they leave. And then for 2 years their entire--everything they've learned over a long period of time is put on iceballs, and they've got to take a detour. So, economists have done some very good work showing that there are some detrimental effects on startups, on innovation, patenting rates, with non-compete agreements. And because we are seeing some state-to-state variation, they are able to measure this quite nicely. So, there is good empirical support for this explanation, of the difference between Silicon Valley and Route 128. Russ: Well, so the claim is that Massachusetts is much more tolerant[?] of non-competes than California? But my impression now is that California seems to have a growing issue with this. Guest: No. Yes. In California, non-competes have not been enforced. In Massachusetts, they have been. So, Massachusetts, there are some efforts, including by the Governor, to change the law in Massachusetts. But this has worked in favor of Silicon Valley as opposed to Route 128. So, if you go back--this is, Annalee Saxenian first made this argument a while back--if you go back to 1980, both areas seemed very comparable in terms of tech firms. They had tech firms with large universities. They looked very similar. But California was able to adapt to challenges much more effectively and Silicon Valley grew much more rapidly, where the firms around Boston did not. Now, there's something of a resurgence in New England, particularly with biotech. But there seems to be some good evidence that noncompetes played a role in the poor performance of Massachusetts. Why Subscribe? 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What we offer: DHAKA - Three joint Bangladesh Accord/Alliance factories, all them part of the Smart Group, have been found guilty of falsifying concrete strength test results and will now be ineligible to produce for Accord signatory companies. (Photo: Dalai Lama's Facebook page)From left Rev. Canon Mpho Tutu, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama meeting in India early in 2015. Ordained Anglican church minister Rev. Canon Mpho Tutu has revealed that her licence carry out her ministerial duties in South Africa is being revoked because she married a woman so, she's decided to step down instead. Newlyweds Mpho and Marceline Tutu-Van Furth are on honeymoon on the Indian Ocean, Indonesian island of Bali after their wedding at a wine estate in South Africa, City Press newspaper reports. The wedding at Franschoek near Cape Town was attended by Mpho's parents, Leah and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. "Bali is quite magical," said Mpho in an email to City Press, noting that she had decided to "give up" her ministerial duties her authority to preside at Holy Communion, and to officiate at weddings, baptisms and funerals in South Africa. "Because the South African Anglican Church does not recognise our marriage, I can no longer exercise my priestly ministry in South Africa," she said. "The bishop of the Diocese of Saldanha Bay [Bishop Raphael Hess] was instructed to revoke my licence. I decided that I would give it to him rather than have him take it, a slightly more dignified option with the same effect." Same-sex marriage was legalized in South Africa in 2006. The South African Anglican law on marriage states, however, "Holy matrimony is the lifelong and exclusive union between one man and one woman." Debate over same-sex marriage has riven the worldwide Anglican Communion and, in South Africa, Mpho and Marceline's high-profile union has also highlighted the issue. In December, the couple legally tied the knot in Marceline's home country, the Netherlands. Soon after, Cape Town's Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba indicated that pastoral guidelines for same-sex marriage would be reconsidered in September, City Press said. Desmond Tutu had said last week that Makgoba allowed him to give his daughter and her bride a "father's blessing." "Archbishop Thabo permitted me to give the couple a father's blessing, which we hoped would not be misconstrued as pre-empting decisions of the Provincial Synod, the church's highest legislative structure," he said. Mpho Tutu pointed out that despite obvious differences between her and her spouse, ironically, it now is her and Marceline's sameness that was causing distress. "My wife and I meet across almost every dimension of difference. Some of our differences are obvious; she is tall and white, I am black and vertically challenged. Some of our differences are not apparent at a glance; she is Dutch and an atheist, I am South African and a priest in the Episcopal/Anglican Church. "Ironically, coming from a past where difference was the instrument of division, it is our sameness that is now the cause of distress. My wife and I are both women," she said. 'CONFRONTING GENDER STEREOTYPES' The couple had confronted gender stereotypes, and one that irks her most is the question, "who's the man in the relationship?" She also criticised skewed power relationships in households and abusive men in South Africa. "In the South African context, one could also ask: 'Who gets to have multiple sexual partners (in or out of wedlock), and who gets to be drunk and violently abusive to his partner with little fear of religious sanction and no cultural consequence?' "We have decided that we will both be the woman in the relationship. We meet as mutually respectful equals who enjoy working together. "Neither of us stays home. Both of us enjoy cooking. We share responsibility for cleaning and employ domestic workers. Parenting our four children on two continents is a joy and a challenge. Our marriage is for our mutual joy and support. We have decided to forgo the violence and infidelity." Mpho Tutu explained that she was still a priest in good standing in the Episcopal Church in the United States, where same-sex marriage is recognised. Marceline is a professor of paediatric infectious diseases at the Vrije Universiteit medical centre in Amsterdam, while Mpho is executive director of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town. Both women have been married before and have children. As my morning train passed through the tunnel, a faster-moving train on a parallel track grabbed my attention as it passed on my left, going in the same direction. For a few moments, I experienced the discomfiting feeling that I had spontaneously reversed direction, moving away from, rather than toward, my final station. Reason told me that I was still headed to my destination, but I turned to my right and peered through the darkness at the stationary tunnel wall just to check. My sense of forward motion returned. Physicists explain this phenomenon as relative motion . Speed and direction are measured in relation to a reference point. Contrary to the adage, perception isnt always everything. Stick with me. This is a metaphor for education policy and social justice. In education, it is vital to remember frames of reference. We need to know about both faster- and slower-moving trains. We need to be clear about what we left behind, where we want to go, and with whom. We need to be cognizant of who is traveling on which track and not forget to take into account the complex education transport system. An external observer of my morning train, or any passenger grounded in reality, would have known that relative to the departure point, both trains moved continuously forward. So it is with educationwith one big difference. External critics often ignore the fact that some trains have more powerful engines, ride on tracks with less friction, hold a larger supply of fuel, and carry different passengers. However, unlike physicists, policymakers often forget to consider frames of reference. They ignore a fundamental principle of science. Scientists use models to investigate and explain the natural world, but understand that models have limits. Designers of current education improvement, on the other hand, tend to focus blame on teachers and principals while ignoring other significant parts of the system. It is like blaming the drivers, conductors, and passengers for the speed and arrival time of the slower train. Many current education policymakers try to explain complex phenomena such as disparity in education outcomes with reference to only some parts of the system, such as teachers or students persistence. They ignore other contributing factors, such as unemployment, family and neighborhood stability, differential access to health care, and inequitable school funding. When they look exclusively at narrowly defined scores on standardized tests, everything seems like backward motion. When some critics of American education look at seemingly faster-moving school systems such as those in Finland or Ontario, they only notice speed and ignore how the systems are built and supported. As is the case with prejudice-driven stereotypes, even some people inside school systems become so accustomed to looking at who is moving faster that they forget to recognize their own significant progress. Children, classrooms, and schools all have an education destination. Some students get a head start because their parents have more time and financial resources. Some students get to ride on faster trains because they live in communities that can commit more resources to local schools. And notwithstanding the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education, students race remains a substantial determinant of which train children can get aboard. Different tracks are not just a metaphor for school resource variations. Teaching students on different tracks, also known as ability grouping, is still common within many schools. In education, it is vital to remember frames of reference." Education in the United States is unequal by design. It is structured to perpetuate inequality and segregation. Some students continue to leave school better educated than others. This is not the de facto result of parental selection of schools or neighborhoods. Differential funding of schools through inequitable property taxes is a choice. Housing segregation is the result of deliberate policy decisions and zoning regulations. In-school tracking and differential instructional decisions are intentional choices, too. These longtime fixtures of our society appear to be givens, but that does not imply that they are not purposeful political choices. This makes them harder, but not impossible, to change. However, lets not forget to consider frames of reference. If we occasionally turn away from the faster-moving train of inequality, there are sure signs of progress toward equity. The first two promising developments are growing support for what was once considered unrealisticpassage of laws in an increasing number of cities setting a minimum wage of $15 an hour, and the burgeoning movement to opt out of high-stakes testing. The former means more money in workers paychecks, which in turn leads to families that are less stressed and more stable and to more children who are ready to learn. The latter, if its growing influence is realized in different policy decisions, will mean more time for meaningful learning. Both suggest a shift in the perception of what is possible when average citizens get together to demand change. Thats progress relative to where we have been. A third sign of progress is the developing body of knowledge about effective teaching and learning, which has yet to be fully realized in daily instruction. For example, because we know that learning is an active process, the old practice of passive learning and rote memorization should fade away. Because we know that early development affects childrens later learning, we should be investing in family health and well-being. Because we know that students emotional health affects learning, we should invest in family and community stability and promote supportive classroom culture. Because we know that learning in diverse environments is good for all children, we should be promoting integrated classrooms, schools, and neighborhoods. A battle is raging between two solutions to different education tracks. One is to give a few students an opportunity to jump aboard a theoretically faster-moving train with limited available space. That track symbolizes charter schools. However, on average, they are no more effective than the regular public schools from which they drain limited funds, and they are removed from the democratic control of communities. The other solution is systemic, addressing not just the content and quality of instruction and school leadership, but also inequity in funding and the conditions of peoples lives in communities through investment in jobs, universal preschool, health care, and access to higher education. My perception of my morning train ride was constrained by the reference points in the tunnel. So it is if we confine our thinking to accepting the limits of the current education system and the inequity that surrounds us. Our new reference point for education should be ensuring what it takes to prepare every child to be successful in life, work, and citizenship . The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide GBP 525 million for construction of the Beatrice windfarm to be built 14 km off the Caithness coast, near Wick in north-east Scotland. This represents the single largest support ever for investment in an offshore wind project by the European Investment Bank. This is also the first project in Scotland to be supported by the new European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe, intended to generate EUR 315 billion of new investment across Europe. We are delighted that Beatrice has achieved Financial Close and we are extremely grateful for all of the support received throughout the development of the project from stakeholders such as the Scottish Government, DECC, HIE, the Highland Council, Moray Council and local communities. Contracts have already been placed with many UK based suppliers, and Siemens intend to undertake turbine blade construction from Siemens new manufacturing facility in Hull. Todays decision reaffirms SSEs commitment to offshore wind and we are proud to progress such a flagship project for the Scottish offshore wind industry and the UKs skilled supply chain. It shows SSE will continue to play its part in investing in the critical energy infrastructure the country needs to power homes across the UK both today and in the future. said Paul Cooley, Director of Renewables at SSE. Around 10m of investment is planned at Wick Harbour to house the wind farms operations and maintenance facilities and improving the existing RNLI facilities. We expect a peak of around 65 jobs during construction of the Operations and Maintenance base with around 90 long-term jobs anticipated during the operational phase. added Cooley. Investment in offshore wind is crucial to harnessing the full potential of Scotlands renewable energy resources. The European Investment Bank is one of the worlds largest lenders for renewable energy and our backing for Beatrice represents the EIBs largest ever support for offshore wind investment. We are pleased to provide GBP 525 million to support construction of the Beatrice windfarm that will strengthen renewable energy generation in Scotland. This also represents the first Scottish scheme to be backed by the new European Fund for Strategic Investments. EIB backing for energy investment across the UK demonstrates our firm commitment to supporting ambitious energy projects that create jobs and benefit local companies. said Jonathan Taylor, European Investment Bank Vice President. The UK is the world leader in offshore wind; and this industry, backed by the UK Government and benefiting from our access to the EU single market, is a success story going from strength to strength. This project will provide home-grown clean energy boosting skills and creating jobs and financial security for working people and their families in Scotland, and across the UK. This is great news for the industry and I congratulate the owners SSE, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and SDIC Power on achieving this significant milestone in the development of this multi-billion pound infrastructure project. said Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd. The Beatrice Offshore Windfarm has the opportunity to deliver so much to Caithness and Scotland as a whole, in terms of employment and community benefit. Scotlands renewables sector is stronger than ever and our early adoption of clean, green energy technology and infrastructure was the right thing to do. Renewables are now Scotlands biggest electricity generator, and nearly half of gross electricity consumption comes from renewables. Scotland is well on course to meet its interim renewables target and is delivering a strong contribution to global climate efforts. I look forward to this project contributing to our green energy mix. said Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Business, Innovation & Energy in the Scottish Government. "Thanks to the Investment Plan and the European Investment Bank, we are getting closer to reaching our COP21 goals. Already the European Fund for Strategic Investments has helped to finance sustainable, green investments across the EU worth billions of euros. Indeed more than half of the EFSI projects approved so far are in renewable energy, energy efficiency and green investment. There's a business case; it's time to invest!", said Maros Sefcovic, European Commission Vice-President responsible for Energy Union. The 86 turbine Beatrice windfarm will generate up to 588MW of renewable electricity equivalent to the energy needs of more than 475 thousand homes and is expected to be fully operational in 2019. The new wind farm will cost more than GBP 2.7bn and be built by Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited, a partnership formed between SSE, SDIC Power and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. Construction and operation of the Beatrice windfarm will support job creation, skills training opportunities and opportunities for local businesses in both the Moray and Highland regions of Scotland. The Beatrice windfarm will use a new generation of Siemens 7MW Wind Turbines with 154-meter diameter rotor blades. The wind turbines, the largest generally available, will each be more than 190m high, taller than the Gherkin building in the City of London. The wind farm will be controlled and operated from a base at Wick, with access to the wind farm primarily by Crew Transfer Vessel as well as by helicopters. The GBP 525 million 19 year long-term European Investment Bank loan will support more than GBP 2.7 billion of overall investment. Part of the European Investment Bank loan will be guaranteed under the European Fund for Strategic Investments. The European Fund for Strategic Investments was established last year by the European Investment Bank and the European Commission to enable increased lending crucial projects by the European Investment Bank in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, digital infrastructure, social infrastructure, transport and R&D; as well as financing for SMEs. SSE is working closely with local businesses to create a sustainable local supply chain, advertise opportunities for local suppliers and provide opportunities for local firms to benefit from investment in Scotlands power infrastructure. In the last 10 years the European Investment Bank has provided more than GBP 4 billion for direct investment in Scotland, with additional investment from UK wide programmes. This has included transport, education, social housing, transport, water, energy, urban regeneration and new hospital investment across the Scotland, alongside additional investment from UK wide programmes. The European Investment Bank is the worlds largest international public bank and is 16% owned by the UK government. Over the last decade the European Investment Bank has provided more than GBP 10 billion for investment in energy infrastructure across the UK including renewable energy schemes, national transmission networks and regional power distribution as well as inter-connectors to Ireland, France and the Netherlands. Lending by the EIB in the UK last year totalled GBP 5.6 billion and supported long-term investment in 40 projects across the country. This represented the largest annual engagement since the start of EIB lending in the UK in 1973 which has supported nearly GBP 16 billion of overall investment. El Castillo, Nicaragua, May 22 (EFE).- A 341-year-old fortress in southern Nicaragua that was formerly a bastion against English pirates is nowadays a growing tourist attraction. The town of El Castillo, in southern Rio San Juan province, owes its name to the local fortress - "El Castillo de la Inmaculada Concepcion," built by the Spanish in 1673-1675 and nowadays one of the little town's main historical attractions. "Here is a very quiet town, the people come and go quietly. They like it because they say it's a safe place and that's the truth," the administrator of the El Castillo tourist office, Nubia Hernandez, told EFE. The remote town is accessible only by small boat and has about 4,000 residents, who make their livings mainly from agriculture, fishing and tourism, the latter of which - little by little - has been picking up steam thanks to good management. The homes are a little different from those in most rural towns, since in El Castillo they are built on pillars or posts above the river's regular flood level during the rainy season. Both domestic and foreign tourists come to the area to make night trips to see caimans on the riverbanks and experience the Indio Maiz nature preserve, more than 2,600 square kilometers (1,000 square miles) in area and designated as a biosphere preserve by Unesco in 2003. It is virtually obligatory to see the local fortress, where - for just $3 - one can visit the museum to learn about the details of life, battle and the people who lived there during the colonial era, as well as to obtain a great view of the river and, in the distance, the nature preserve. Between 400 and 500 tourists come here each month, mostly from Germany, the United States, Spain and Italy, Hernandez said. Relacionados Una revista cientifica publica un estudio sobre las pinturas de la cueva del Castillo Hanoi, May 22 (EFE).- U.S. President Barack Obama arrived Sunday in Hanoi, where on Monday he will begin a three-day official visit during which he will meet with the country's top officials to strengthen economic and defense cooperation. Air Force One landed ahead of schedule at 9:35 p.m. local time at the Noi Bai Airport, on the outskirts of the Vietnamese capital, where a few hours earlier Secretary of State John Kerry arrived from Myanmar to accompany Obama on his official visit. Obama will meet on Monday with President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the head of the National Assembly, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, the most powerful person in Vietnam. The U.S. leader's visit has aroused special interest due to the possible lifting of the U.S. arms embargo on Vietnam dating from 1984. It is also expected that Obama will put special emphasis on economic matters, particularly the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a treaty signed in February by 12 nations representing 40 percent of world trade. Vietnam signed the accord, but the U.S. Congress still has not ratified it. The other nations signing the pact are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singapore. After meeting on Monday with Vietnamese leaders, Obama on Tuesday will hold meetings with members of civil society and will deliver a speech directed at the Vietnamese public. The president will then travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, where on Wednesday he will meet at the City Hall with young businesspeople before departing for Japan to participate in the G7 Summit and make an historic visit to Hiroshima. Mushcup's Brian Steff takes his turn in 'My Favorite Guitar' Mushcup's Brian Steff has an arsenal of guitars though his favorite is one loved and admired by fans Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London. 05:00, 25 OCT 2022 Recruitment efforts for new nurses paying off The average age of nurses on the Isle of Man is "too high" and work is being done to bring it down. That's according to the Health and Social Care Minister who says renewed recruitment efforts are in full swing. 19 registered nurses have recently been appointed - recruiters have also attended universities in Belfast and Dundee to try and attract students. Howard Quayle says the department has also removed the barrier of expensive relocation costs: Media Howard Quayle MHK Pensions under spotlight at public meeting The public will be given a chance to discuss the future of public sector pensions tonight. An open meeting is being held by the Public Sector Pensions Authority at the Manx Museum in Douglas. The authority has described the issue as the Island's 'biggest domestic challenge' saying it's a 'complex, long term problem' with no 'simple or easy solutions'. The meeting starts at 7.30pm and is open to all. When news that Nokia would be entering the phone making business once more, many tech aficionados greeted the news with much nostalgia. After all, behind the dominant smartphone brands of today such Apple and Samsung, there will always be the once-dominant Finnish giant called Nokia. However, as much as the firm's return is indeed highly supported by many consumers, Nokia's return might be a lot easier said than done. Nokia dominated the world's cellular phone market for more than a decade, from 1998 up to 2007, the year when Steve Jobs unveiled the very first iPhone to the world. During the height of the firm's power, Nokia had a market cap of $300 billion, about 20 percent of Finland's overall GDP. However, a series of bad decisions on the company's part, heralded by an overlying hubris surrounding its homegrown Symbian OS as a competitor to Apple's iOS and Google's open-source Android, ultimately led to Nokia's eventual decline. Though Nokia was eventually acquired by Microsoft in 2013, even those efforts proved ultimately futile, with Windows Phone being almost as unsuccessful as Nokia's own Symbian. With Nokia's re-entry to the smartphone market, however, the Finnish giant has confirmed that it would begin embracing Android as its smartphones' operating system of choice. Of course, the fact that it would be HMD, a Finnish firm headed by a former Nokia executive, which would be manufacturing the device, would also help Nokia saturate the market with its devices once more. One thing that Nokia could actually count on would be its feature phone business, which has actually remained pretty resilient over the years. Indeed, even as the world continued to move towards a smartphone-centric future, Nokia's feature phones still managed to make themselves into a niche product for those which require a simple, basic device. However, even with Android and its feature phone business in tow, Nokia's efforts towards reclaiming one of the top spots in the world of mobile devices is a very steep one. Despite the fact that the firm is a brand that most smartphone users today know by heart, it is undeniable that Nokia lost a lot of years in terms of innovation. Plus, even the low-end, feature phone business has begun to be taken over by aggressive firms with low-cost devices such as Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi. Thus, Nokia might very well end up re-entering the market on the defensive side. With Apple and Samsung claiming the top spots in the smartphone world, Nokia would need to do something very unique in order to make its presence known once more. If any, Nokia must avoid falling into the same trap as its old powerhouse peers, Blackberry and Motorola, two other once-dominant firms which have seen their prominence decline over the past years. Then again, if there's anything about Nokia that everyone knows, it is that the company is, just like its phones, very, very resilient. With this said, maybe it's not too late for Nokia after all. Graduates face a big challenge By Paul Driessen As they don caps and gowns, endure commencement speeches and take their diplomas, many high school and college graduates face bleak prospects in an economy that grew a dismal 0.5% the first quarter. The United States added a meager 160,000 new non-farm jobs in April, a paltry 4,000 of them in manufacturing. First quarter 2016 averaged just 203,000 jobs per month. The labor force participation rate remains stuck at an abysmal 63% meaning 93 million working age Americans are still unemployed. Many who are working hold multiple jobs to make ends meet, while others are toiling at temporary, part-time or "gig" jobs, at lower pay, with few benefits and little job security. They and the graduates may be hoping that Donald Trump will "Make America great again," Hillary Clinton will "revitalize" our ailing economy, or Bernie Sanders will "invest" trillions of tax dollars to train and employ millions of young Americans in a 100% clean energy economy. Like the candidates, they may be blaming our economic woes on China, climate change, Wall Street, the one percent, Mexico, inadequate supervision of greedy capitalist corporations, unpatriotic companies fleeing to foreign shores, or insufficient tax revenues to support essential government programs. All are appealing excuses, but the real answer is much closer to home and involves multiple self-inflicted wounds. Most legislators and regulators are loath to admit any responsibility for our economic woes, and most graduates will find it hard to analyze the problem. However, the analytical process is essential. The difficulty for students and graduates is that most were not taught how to think. Their teachers too often present mostly liberal-socialist ideology as unassailable fact, discourage or prohibit discussion and debate, and shelter sensitive snowflakes via speech codes, safe zones and bans on verbal microagression. While raking in millions of taxpayer dollars for climate research, a cabal of RICO-20 university professors has gone even further. It has asked US and state attorneys general to launch racketeering prosecutions of anyone who disagrees with alarmist views on "dangerous manmade global warming." World-renowned physicist and Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman's admonition has been largely discarded in the halls of academia. "I would rather have questions that can't be answered," he said, "than answers that can't be questioned." Sadly, answers that none dare question now dominate classroom life. And so, as you and graduates in your family or circle of friends leave those institutions of rote learning, and go into the Real World, you will have to undertake your greatest challenge: learning to think. Examining, questioning, discussing and challenging hypotheses, assertions and accepted "facts" are always absolutely essential for scientific, technological and societal progress. In this election year, it behooves us all to demand details from candidates, honestly assess whether their proposals will improve or worsen our economic situation, insist on and participate in rigorous debates, and cast informed votes. As you try to understand why our economy has been so anemic, why so few jobs are being created, and why one in three young American voters supports socialism as better than free enterprise here are just a few realities to ponder. God gave Moses Ten Commandments. The federal government has given us tens of thousands of commandments, enforced by millions of nameless, unelected bureaucrats who have nearly unfettered discretion to interpret and administer their rules. Complying with them costs American families and businesses $1.9 trillion per year. That's more than the entire Russian economy, more than the IRS collected in corporate and personal taxes in 2015, and $15,000 in hidden costs for every family. The Obama Administration has been publishing 80,000 pages of new regulations per year and is preparing to unleash 3,000 more rules before it leaves office. Small businesses are hurt most, as they cannot possibly read, comprehend and comply with this regulatory tsunami. They thus live in fear that any unknown or inadvertent violation will result in massive fines or even jail time. Indeed, more than 4,500 federal rules carry criminal penalties, and lack of knowledge or intent is no defense. Coupled with the highest corporate tax rates in the developed world, new hourly wage and overtime rules, and mountains of state and local regulations, these federal edicts dramatically impair hiring and growth. This unintended job and economic destruction has shrunk middle class family incomes by more than $1,000 per year during the Obama era, sent 3 million more families into poverty, and added over 600,000 black Americans to the overall poverty number. The intentional damage is even more insidious. The Obama EPA's war on fossil fuels has contributed greatly to the loss of nearly 50,000 coal industry jobs since 2008. Mrs. Clinton has made it clear that she will "put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business," if she is elected. Like Senator Sanders, she also wants to eliminate most US oil and natural gas production while ignoring the fact that fossil fuels still provide 82% of all US energy. That would mean vastly more land-intensive, heavily subsidized wind, solar and biofuel substitutes. It would send electricity and motor fuel prices skyrocketing to levels now found in California and New York, or even in Britain and Germany: double, triple or quadruple what most Americans now pay. For hospitals, factories, school districts and other major energy users, that would bring thousands to millions of dollars per year in higher costs and thus countless more lost jobs and closed doors. President Obama, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Sanders, most Democrats and even some Republicans justify these self-inflicted wounds by saying they are necessary to prevent catastrophic global warming and climate change. But even if plant-fertilizing carbon dioxide is a primary culprit and thousands of scientists say it is not even shutting down all US fossil fuel use would bring no benefits, amid tremendous pain. China alone accounts for 80% of the entire world's increase in coal consumption so far this century. It now consumes as much coal as the rest of the world combined. The 155 new coal-fired power plants it is currently planning to build will burn twice as much coal as all of Germany's existing plants do. Coal generates 67% of China's electricity, oil and natural gas 23%, hydro 10%, and wind and solar combined only 2 percent. Nearly a billion Chinese still exist on less than $5 per day, and the Middle Kingdom will be burning fossil fuels for decades to improve their living standards. India, Indonesia, the rest of Asia, all of Africa and much of Latin America are in the same situation. All are burning coal, oil and natural gas to lift billions out of abject poverty and will continue doing so. America's political classes always protect themselves. It is poor, minority, middle-class and blue-collar families that will suffer along with most of you graduates from these all pain/no gain climate policies. Politicians always like to show they care, by giving other people's money to worthy causes, their favorite voting blocs and their campaign contributors. They are far less charitable with their own money. Joe and Jill Biden raked in $333,182 in 2009 and gave just $4,820 to charity; during the previous decade, they averaged $369 annually. Between 2007 and 2014, the Clintons "earned" $139 million; they gave $14,959,450 to charity but 98.7% of that went to the scandal-ridden Clinton Family Foundation. Socialist and anti-energy policies boil down to strangling jobs and wealth creation making the economic pie smaller and smaller taking money from hard-working taxpayers and giving it to "less fortunate" people who aren't working but will likely vote for politicians who promise them "free stuff" and ensuring "more equitable sharing" of ever greater scarcity, poverty and misery (for non-ruling elites). As to telling poor countries to stop using fossil fuels, it is an unconscionable crime against humanity to impose policies that pretend to protect Earth's poor, malnourished and energy-deprived masses from hypothetical climate chaos by perpetuating poverty, malnutrition and disease that kill millions of them every year, right now. Think about all of this as you take your diploma, evaluate candidates, and head to the polls. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power - Black death. Home What does the next OPEC meeting have in store? By Rakesh Upadhyay The next OPEC meeting on the 2nd of June will act as little more than a forum for continued altercations between Saudi Arabia and Iran The 2 June 2016 OPEC meeting will be held amid a backdrop of oil prices near $50 per barrel, a sharp drop in Nigerian production due to sabotage, turmoil in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia operating with a new oil minister, and Iran aggressively pumping close to pre-sanction levels. OPEC interactions have become a direct altercation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, with the remaining members reduced to mere observers. The new Saudi oil minister, Khalid al-Falih, will be attending his first OPEC meeting, but experts doubt he will have the same clout and skills as the outgoing Saudi oil minister, Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi. "OPEC's unity is now in the spotlight more than ever," said an OPEC official. "Would we ever see a minister that carries the same weight as Naimi? I don't think so, especially as it is clear now that decisions are in the hands of the deputy crown prince," reports The Wall Street Journal. The Prince outlined his strategy in "Vision 2030", and a major step in that direction is the listing of the state-owned oil company Aramco. In order to gain additional traction for the proposed listing, the Saudis will continue their aggressive stance in OPEC, and keep all the oil producers on the hook, a glimpse of which was given by the new Saudi Aramco Chief executive Amin Nasser. "Whatever the call on Saudi Aramco, we will meet it," Mr. Nasser said. "There will always be a need for additional production. Production will increase upward in 2016," reports The Financial Times. Though Mr. Nasser did not hint at the percentage increase, even a small increase will add to the supply glut, because Aramco produces around 9.54 million barrels per day (bpd). On the other hand, its adversaryIranhas quickly ramped up production to 3.56 million barrels per day and is on course to reach its targeted output of 4 million bpd. Iran has increased its market share in the excess supply environment by offering large discounts, undercutting the Saudi and Iraqi prices for their deliveries to Asia. Though Iran had initially hinted at joining any production freeze once it reached its target of 4 million bpd, the heightened tensions with Saudi show no signs of abating. "Our main competitor is Saudi Arabia," Amir Hossein Zamaninia, Iran's deputy oil minister for international affairs, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Zamaninia said Iran disapproves of increased politicization of the OPEC. "In the Southern Persian Gulf, oil is becoming a political commodity, more than an economic commodity," he said. "OPEC is in a difficult situation." He said that without solutions to the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, an agreement is unlikely. The relations between the two warring nations have reached a new low, with Iran refusing participation in the Hajj pilgrimage. The negotiations between the delegates of the two nations ended in conflict. Considering the existing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, if the OPEC meeting ends without a fight, it should be considered an achievement. The proposal by the Kuwaiti deputy foreign minister Khaled Jarallah for the member nations to freeze production is a feeble attempt to support prices. "It is clear that Mohammed bin Salman wants to confront Iran not just in the Middle East but in the energy markets," Amir Handjani, a member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai-based RAK Petroleum, told RT. He said that it was unlikely that Prince Salman will back down now. "And certainly the Iranians are not going to back down either," reports Hellenic Shipping News. While these two nations continue their slugfest in the OPEC meeting, the smaller nations have no choice but to remain mute spectators, dreaming of their glory days. Rakesh Upadhyay is a writer for Oilprice.com where this originally appeared. Home Looking at the annual rankings of Polish universities and colleges, 2003-2015 (Part Three) By Mark Wegierski Today, I can unfortunately see how the country is in the throes of massive change. Indeed, one can see today that young people in Poland are being enchanted and entranced into new types of lifestyles so-called "international" or "North American" modes of life -- where genuine patriotism and religious faith are playing less and less of a role. Nevertheless, there is a definite presence in at least some of the higher-education sector of patriotic and religious themes and elements. One thinks of such institutions as the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin ( kul.pl ) which had once been the only independent university between the Elbe and the Pacific. (The university, which had been founded in 1918, has a hybrid public/private legal status.) Two prominent Catholic universities are the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw (uksw.edu.pl), and the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow ( upjp2.edu.pl). I would also like to bring the readers' attention to the Akademia Polonijna (Polonia University) in Czestochowa (ap.edu.pl ) which has taken on a special mission to maintain contacts with the various Polish communities abroad. The very conservative Father Rydzyk (the founder of Radio Maryja and TV Trwam) has established a college in Torun (wsksim.edu.pl) which has ranked in the top thirty of non-public institutions which offer a master's degree. As far as the rankings themselves, it's not surprising that the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and the University of Warsaw, have always been ranked first or second. (In 2012 and 2013, the Jagiellonian University was first. In 2014, it was the University of Warsaw. In 2015, both the Jagiellonian University and the University of Warsaw received the maximum possible scores, so they were effectively tied in first place.) Perennially in a strong third place is the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. In the interwar period, the university in Poznan, and the city and countryside around it, were bastions of the right-wing Polish National Democracy movement. Today, however, AMU seems to be one of the most "politically correct" universities in Poland, with a special focus on "internationalization". The Second World War and its aftermath caused enormous, virtually incalculable losses in the Polish academy. Huge numbers of Polish intelligentsia were massacred by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. For example, in late 1939, the professors and research workers of the Jagiellonian University were treacherously invited to a meeting by the German occupation authorities, where they were brutally set upon and sent to the concentration camps. Many of them died of ill treatment. Many of the Polish reserve officers who died at Katyn were prominent professors and scientists. With the loss of Wilno and Lwow, the two, centuries-old Polish universities in those cities ceased to exist, although some of the scholars tried to resume work at Torun and Wroclaw, respectively (in the new People's Republic). The Stalinist period, which lasted until 1956, was mostly an era of darkness. It was only when Wladyslaw Gomulka came to power in 1956, and initiated the period of "the Thaw" that the regime was essentially "polonized". Nevertheless, the general level of most people's education in the People's Republic doubtless improved, although it was also mixed in with propaganda. Illiteracy virtually disappeared. The birthrates in Poland until the 1980s were also actually considerably higher than they are today, when they have fallen drastically. Even these annual ranking issues have mentioned the fact that a "demographic low" is overwhelming Poland which is clearly expected to have an impact on college attendance numbers. The only "solution" that is being suggested is "internationalization" of the student body. What is interesting, however, is that after all these strenuous efforts, most of the foreign students are from Ukraine, Belarus, and other Slavic and Eastern European countries some of whom may in fact be of Polish origins. To be continued. (An earlier version of this article has appeared at Quarterly Review (UK) (September 28, 2012).) Mark Wegierski is a Toronto-based writer and historical researcher. Home Trump earthquake causes Democrat tsunami By Dr. Robert Owens It is not often that we get to witness a true phenomenon. The Reagan Revolution was exciting but it was not a phenomenon. It was a carefully planned, long fought, and hard won battle between the Conservative wing and the Progressive wing of the Republican Party. The Reagan Revolution began with The Speech by Ronaldos Maximus in support of Barry Goldwater delivered on a television program, Rendezvous with Destiny. It blossomed during his two successful terms as Governor of California, and sputtered a little in 1976 when he lost the nomination for President to Gerald Ford in the last contested convention in American History. Then after four years of hard grass roots work Reagan's followers, this author included in their ranks, captured the party from precinct captain to national chairman. The next eight years led to many successes, compromises, and a failure culminating in the party being handed over as a prize to George the First and the rest is History. The Bush dynasty ran the brand into the ground. Enter The Donald. Now here is a phenomenon. The last time a non-politician came from nowhere to capture the nomination of one of the major parties was in 1940 when the so-called Miracle in Philadelphia brought about the surprise nomination of a life-long Democrat who mirrored FDR's positions on most important issues. He came in as a dark horse and through clever manipulation and behind the scenes machinations whisked the nomination out of the hands of the three top contenders: Senator Robert Taft of Ohio (the son of President William H. Taft), Senator Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, and Manhattan District Attorney Thomas Dewey. Of course this was back in the day when there really were smoke filled backrooms and party bosses and long before primaries and State caucuses. Here we are a life-time later and the ideological descendants of the Wilkie wonks after turning the Party of Reagan into Democrat Lite were planning on foisting another Bush on their unwilling base. Trump trumped them all. He knocked off one establishment straw man after another as well as the closest thing we will see to Reagan to stand unchallenged for the nomination. No grass roots organization, no army of K-Street consultants, hardly any advertising, just Trump. His triumph over everyone else who should have won is a true political phenomenon. Now comes the general election at least once the Democrats stop the charade of Hillary losing her way to the nomination and hold their coronation of the Queen of Hearts. Even relying on the yellow-dog Democrats, the dead Democrats who continue to vote, and the undocumented Democrats Hillary is going to face an uphill battle. When you consider she may be ethically challenged, personally cold, under threat of indictment, and bringing Slick Willy along her campaign strategy consists of convincing people that her opponent is worse. You can see she may not be the certainty the liberal media make her out to be. Just look at her record. Everything she has accomplished has been because she said "I do" to Bubba. While he was playing hound dog and doing some government jobs on the side she was busy covering up his serial abuse of women and smoothing out the wrinkles from his frequent bimbo eruptions. Then after they left the White House, looting it on the way out the door, she ran for the Senate in a state where the Democrats own the vote. She spends a term and a half accomplishing nothing and is appointed as Secretary of State. The judgement of her tenure as America's leading diplomat has yet to be adjudicated. She is a poor campaigner at best. And she's bringing Bill back to the scene of his crimes. This is not the recipe for the Clinton Crime Family to recapture the capitol. If that isn't enough we do have Hillary's top scandals as reported in World Net Daily(this is an abbreviated version): 1. Benghazi: Four American lives lost: On Sept. 11, 2012, while Hillary was secretary of state, Islamic militants attacked a U.S. special mission in Benghazi, Libya, and murdered U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. Foreign Service Information Management officer Sean Smith. Two CIA contractors, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, were also killed. In the months leading up to the attack, Hillary's State Department cut security in Libya. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., accused Hillary of "dereliction of duty" that led to the deaths of the four Americans. "The State Department not only failed to honor repeated requests for additional security, but instead actually reduced security in Libya," Johnson wrote in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Although no one can say with certainty, I firmly believe a relatively small contingent of armed military guards would have prevented the attack, and those four lives would not have been lost." As WND reported, a security decision finalized personally by Hillary may have unwittingly doomed the Americans in Benghazi. Hillary herself signed waivers that allowed the facility to be legally occupied, since it did not meet the minimum official security standards set by the State Department. The waiver legally allowed the CIA annex to be housed in a location about one mile from the U.S. special mission. According to accounts from Benghazi survivors, the delayed response time by those at the CIA annex may have cost the lives of Stevens and the three other Americans killed at the special mission. If the CIA annex had been co-located with the U.S. special mission, a rapid response team would have been on site during the initial assault in which Stevens was killed. Clinton's waiver allowed the CIA annex to be housed at the separate location. As WND also reported, State Department emails show Clinton knew while the attack was under way that it was being carried out by terrorists. Judicial Watch has obtained previously classified documents from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of State revealing that DOD almost immediately reported that the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was planned and carried out by al-Qaida and Muslim Brotherhood-linked terrorists. A federal court ordered the government hand over more than 100 pages of previously secret documents that showed then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other senior Obama officials were given reports within hours of the Sept. 11, 2012, attack. In those memos, the DOD described details of a plan 10 days in advance "to kill as many Americans as possible." Nonetheless, Hillary falsely blamed it on "rage and violence over an awful Internet video" when she spoke at a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base on Sept. 14, 2012, as the remains of the four Americans were returned to the U.S. 2. Clintons turn IRS into gestapo': Individuals singled out for audits during the administration included Clinton paramours Gennifer Flowers and Liz Ward Gracen, sexual assault accusers Paula Jones and Juanita Broaddrick, fired White House Travel Office Director Billy Dale and attorney Kent Masterson Brown. Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, an outspoken critic of both Bill and Hillary Clinton, said he was audited three times during the Clinton presidency. A 1996 survey by the Washington Times could not identify a single liberal public policy organization that had been audited during the entire Clinton administration. 3. Filegate: FBI files on GOP enemies: The Clinton duo was involved in a scandal known as "Filegate" in which they illegally obtained FBI files on perceived adversaries, most of whom served in previous Republican administrations. The scandal was first detected by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, which investigated the Clintons' Travelgate caper. The committee found that the FBI files had been improperly accessed by Craig Livingstone, a former bar bouncer Hillary had hired to work in the White House Counsel's Office. However, Hillary called the whole affair a "completely honest bureaucratic snafu." 4. Travelgate: The staff of the White House travel office was fired to make way for Clinton cronies, including Bill's 25-year-old cousin, who was reportedly promised the position of office director. Hillary allegedly fired seven employees and gave the positions to her Arkansas friends. According to the Washington Post, there was an effort to award a White House airline contract to a Clinton friend. Also, Hillary reportedly had the FBI investigate the former head of the travel office, Billy Dale, who was fired without notice and removed from the White House grounds. Dale was charged with embezzlement but found not guilty of the crime in 1995. He was later audited by the IRS. 5. Landing under sniper fire' in Bosnia: In her March 17, 2008, foreign-policy speech on Iraq, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton recalled a trip she made to Tuzla, Bosnia, in 1996. "I remember landing under sniper fire," Hillary said of her visit while she was first lady. "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base." But news footage of her visit revealed her "sniper fire" claim wasn't just exaggerated. It was completely false. And Hillary had repeated the claim several times, including during her time on the presidential campaign trail in 2007. Rather, Hillary landed on a tarmac and greeted a crowd, including an 8-year-old child who gave her a poem, under no duress. According to the Washington Post, a review of more than 100 news articles revealed no security threats to Hillary at the time. 6. Hillary's missing' law firm billing records: In 1994, federal investigators subpoenaed Hillary's billing records from her days as a partner in the Rose Law firm during the Watergate scandal. The White House said it didn't have the 115 pages of files. While Hillary claimed she had a minor role in the affair, the Washington Examiner reported that "when the records mysteriously turned up in the White House in 1996, they showed she met repeatedly with key figures in the scandal." 7. Pardongate: Hillary Senate contributions: Before Bill Clinton left the White House in 2001, he granted numerous controversial pardons including to convicted tax evader Marc Rich, whose wife made significant contributions to Hillary's 2000 Senate campaign and the Clinton presidential library. The Associated Press reported that Rich had been "indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury on more than 50 counts of fraud, racketeering, trading with Iran during the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis and evading more than $48 million in income taxes crimes that could have earned him more than 300 years in prison." Rich fled to Switzerland in 1983 after his indictment and remained on the FBI's Most Wanted List until President Clinton pardoned him. Also, Hillary's brothers, Tony and Hugh Rodham, reportedly received large amounts of money from people who were pardoned by Bill Clinton. Hillary said she and Bill were unaware of the scheme. Accuracy in Media reported, "Hugh Rodham, Hillary's brother, was taking money and promising access to help get pardons. Two such high profile cases were those of drug kingpin Carlos Vignali and convicted swindler Glenn Braswell. Rodham received hundreds of thousands of dollars from each, and they were both granted pardons. Rodham was quoted as telling a top White House aide that the pardon for Vignali was very important' to Hillary." 8. Hillary's cash cows and 9,987 percent profit: In March 1994, it was revealed Hillary with no previous experience had made massive profits from cattle futures trading between 1978 and 1979, when Bill Clinton's salary as Arkansas attorney general had been modest. She reportedly made $99,537 in profit on a $1,000 investment (a 9,987 percent profit) in just nine months because of a highly placed connection at Tyson Foods, which was the largest employer in Arkansas and a big Clinton donor. The New York Times reported: "During Mr. Clinton's tenure as Governor, Tyson benefited from several state decisions, including favorable environmental rulings, $9 million in state loans, and the placement of company executives on important state boards. The commodities trades were the most successful investment the Clintons ever made. The nearly $100,000 profit enabled them to buy a house, invest in securities and real estate and provide a nest egg for their daughter, Chelsea." 9. Clinton body count: You find dead people' "The Clinton body count," first published in WND and later circulated by Linda Tripp to Monica Lewinsky, is a collection of names of people associated with Clinton administration scandals who have died mysterious and often violent deaths. Reporter David Bresnahan broke the story of the list during the summer of 1997 while researching his book, "Cover Up: The Art and Science of Political Deception." "I started looking into all the various deaths of people that were involved in various Clinton scandals," Bresnahan said. "I started to investigate the entire picture instead of just one focused event. Nobody out there was putting it all together," he said. "If you look at one scandal, you'll find one dead guy. When you investigate all Clinton scandals, you find similarities, you find common tactics, you find common actions and you find dead people." The list was not just a source of terror among sworn enemies of the administration. It was an even greater terror for those close to Clinton for those closest, it appeared, died younger and more inexplicably than those on the outside looking in. In his research, Bresnahan came up with more than one list. "Not only did I find a list of dead people, but I also found that there are over 100 people who have refused to testify," he said at the time. "There is also a list of people who have gone to jail. There are 45 people who have gone to jail, some of them White House staff, Cabinet members as well as people from the Justice Department. So many of those (lists) developed when I started to pursue the big picture." 10. Watergate: Fired for being a liar' Hillary actually played a role in the Watergate saga, and her actions as a young attorney may have set the tone for her career. The 27-year-old Clinton was fired from the staff of the House Judiciary committee investigating the Watergate scandal in 1974. She was fired by her supervisor, lifelong Democrat Jerry Zeifman, who called her a liar and much worse. "She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer," he said. "She conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality." Zeifman also refused to give Clinton a letter of recommendation, making her one of only three employees he snubbed during his 17-year career. Who knows maybe she will get indicted before the coronation and save the Democrats all this baggage. Then they could parachute in Biden and Warren to save the day. Or maybe they will nominate the man who is winning so many of their primaries and instead of a red queen go for a red king. Believe it or not Bernie's their best chance and he's a Socialist. I know his useful idiots repeat the party line, "He's not a Socialist. He's a Democratic Socialist." This is like Hitler reassuring the Germans with, "I'm not a Fascist I'm a National Socialist." A statist is a statist, central planning is central planning, and collectivism is collectivism. To put it in terms the philosophical among Bernie's supporters might understand Capitalism is the thesis, Socialism is the anti-thesis, and Progressivism is the synthesis. At least he would bring the enthusiasm for anything but the status quo to the support of the Democrat ticket. If they nominate anyone else a large percentage of that vote may well end up crossing over from the dark side and support Trump. However, try as they may, the Democrats are on the wrong side of History in this election cycle. Their rule-by-decree culture of corruption coupled with the Neo-Conns and their nation-building wars for peace have brought us to the precipice. The political class ensconced in their gated communities and safe behind the beltway moat may not know it or they may not care, but the once secure middle-class in the rustbelt flyover country know it and Trump has managed to convincingly play the marshal for this parade. He has ridden the wave of discontent into the nomination and the phenomenon that is the Trump earthquake is about to cause a tsunami for the Democrats. I just pray that everyone remembers that while a rising tide may lift all boats a crashing tidal wave submerges the whole coast and anything less than freedom isn't freedom. Keep the faith. Keep the peace. We shall overcome. Dr. Robert Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion. He is the Historian of the Future @ http://drrobertowens.com 2016 Contact Dr. Owens drrobertowens@hotmail.com Follow Dr. Robert Owens on Facebook or Twitter @ Drrobertowens / Edited by Dr. Rosalie Owens Home Donald Trump: For rent By Michael R. Shannon Donald Trump has upended presidential campaign conventional wisdom yet again. It was traditional for candidates in former years to wait until after inauguration to break campaign promises. Trump doesn't even wait until he's the nominee. Before a recent announcement two of Trump's biggest applause lines were "I'm selffunding my campaign" and "go ahead and kick that demonstrator's a**." Going into as much detail as he ever goes into, Trump would explain, "By self-funding my campaign, I am not controlled by my donors, special interests or lobbyists. I am only working for the people of the U.S.!" And the people at least those who made it inside the venue and spoke English loved it! He's not PC and he's building the wall! Trump is his own man. He can't be bought or bribed. Trump's independence gave him credibility. Juan Bush bragging about his fundraising total may have impressed professional politicians, but it told average Americans that he was more promiscuous than the rest of the field. When people are tired of boughtandpaid for politicians, proclaiming yourself the biggest sellout of all is hardly a vote getter. Money is the mother's milk of politics and the man who brings his own cow is his own man. As long as Trump could get by on the cheap, much like the interior decoration in his casinos, selffunding was okay. He limited his spending to a mere $40 million during the primary because the news media, his private superPAC, helped him dominate primary coverage. Michael Bloomberg another rich guy, but lacking a personality had to spend more of his fortune to become mayor of New York than Trump did to win the GOP presidential nomination in a nationwide campaign. Now Trump has made what Deon Sanders used to call a business decision. He knows his media superPAC will be all Hillary all the time in the fall and it will take real money to replace that free coverage. He's concluded it's too expensive to be unbought and antiestablishment in the general election. Now he's listing himself on Craigslist under the headline: AntiEstablishment Insurgent for Rent. This is extraordinary. Trump's absorbing the Republican National Committee's fundraising apparatus and soliciting bigmoney donations repudiates half of his most effective message to voters. Trump's explanation when asked about the aboutface was he could sell a building and finance his campaign, but why bother? After all, selffunding was only a promise to the people who choose Trump to be their nominee. It's not like he signed a contract. If Trump is questioned regarding this slapintheface to Main Street American's who sent money, attended rallies and voted for him, no doubt his answer will be a variation on "Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying ears?" Even MSNBC, hardly a fan of Trump or the GOP, thinks this turnabout is a huge mistake: "Trump is taking one of the best arguments in support of his candidacy and throwing it out the windowTrump has argued, ad nauseam, that campaign contributions have a corrupting effect on public officials. Politicians can be bought, the argument goes, and Trump knows because he's done the buying." And now it appears Trump is at least for rent. There are two ways to look at Trump's decision. One, he's not as rich as he claims possibly explaining why Trump won't release tax returns either and he doesn't have the money to run a general election campaign. Or two, he believes his own hype. Trump thinks he can do or say almost anything and his base will still support him. Trump's pumppriming made his candidacy possible. Can you picture him raising a dime from the usual suspects in May of 2015? By selffinancing he turned lemons into lemonade and began a movement. Now he's tinkling in the lemonade. The truth is Trump the man who listens to the Americans the elites ignore is just as ready to tune them out as Democrats and Establishment Republicans when he finds it convenient. You might say during the primary Trump selffunded and during the general election he selfdestructed. Michael R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). US and North Korea 38th censorship parallel By Ryan Maass Media control is an ever-present phenomenon. While consumers in the United States are not subject to the same restrictions as they would be in North Korea, their partisan ideologies impose subtler regulations. In totalitarian regimes, systemic censorship is obvious. North Korea recently expelled a BBC correspondent and his team over their coverage of the Workers' party Congress. They were following Nobel prize laureates conducting a research trip. In the free world, ideological partisans do the same by being intensely loyal to their favorite media outlets. It's common knowledge in America Fox News caters to conservatives, while MSNBC, the New York Times, and others are more popular with liberal audiences. Because of this, many American users actively limit their own exposure to different political perspectives. Totalitarian Media Framing North Korean officials questioned correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, producer Maria Byrne, and cameraman Matthew Goddard for eight hours before sending them to Beijing on a plane. A spokesman for the communist state said the journalists were "speaking very ill of the system." From a Western perspective, this is not exactly hard to do. The single-party state recognizes almost no freedom of expression of any kind, save for those that favor the Workers Party elite. The production team arrived safely in Beijing after their detainment. "We're obviously very glad to be out. We're going to go and talk to our bosses now. But just relieved to be out," Wingfield-Hayes told Reuters at the airport. As expected, the BBC persistently pushed for their reporting to continue in the country. "We are very disappointed that our reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes and his team have been deported from North Korea after the government took offense at material he had filed," the BBC said in a statement. "Four BBC staff, who were invited to cover the Workers Party Congress, remain in North Korea and we expect them to be allowed to continue their reporting." Voluntary Censorship Almost the entirety of the Western world is united in its opposition to censorship tactics like the recent example from North Korea. But the most sinister for of censorship is the kind we subject to ourselves. Media companies in the United States compete for dominance by creating a demand for their products. Fox News understands conservatives yearn for a right-leaning perspective, and their programming is modified accordingly. CNN, MSNBC, and other left-leaning outlets do the same for their liberal consumers. But exactly how much competition is there? In 2012, Business Insider released a graphic showing 90% of all media - not just news or political - is controlled by just six mega-conglomerates. This includes General Electric, News Corporation, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, and CBS. This means information digested by 277 million Americans is dictated by just 232 media executives. Media framing makes it almost impossible for Americans to find balanced news, and similar trends are also found throughout the rest of the Western world. It is ultimately up to media viewers and readers to find the balance of news story perspectives themselves, keeping in mind every source is constrained by the use of framing. Ironically, information is easier than ever to come by, but finding the truth has never been more difficult. A "loud and proud libertarian headbanger", Ryan Maass strives to put a fresh face on capitalism and individual liberties.Read more at EpicTimes.com where this originally appeared. Home Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel Bottom Line: The investigational anticancer therapeutic abemaciclib, which targets CDK4 and CDK6, showed durable clinical activity when given as continuous single-agent therapy to patients with a variety of cancer types, including breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), glioblastoma, and melanoma, according to results from a phase I clinical trial. Journal in Which the Study was Published: Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Senior authors: Amita Patnaik, MD, associate director of clinical research at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics in San Antonio, Texas, and Geoffrey I. Shapiro, MD, PhD, director of the Early Drug Development Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Background: In February 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (Ibrance) for use in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole for treating postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. The oral CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib is a very different molecule from palbociclib, with distinct attributes that contribute to its discrete therapeutic effects, in particular, its single-agent activity, according to Shapiro. For example, abemaciclib has greater selectivity for CDK4 compared with palbociclib, which may explain why it does not affect white blood cell counts as severely, allowing it to be taken on a continuous schedule without treatment holidays, he said. Abemaciclib also penetrates the central nervous system, whereas palbociclib does not, raising the possibility that it could be used to treat primary or metastatic brain tumors, he added. How the Study Was Conducted and Results: Patnaik, Shapiro, and colleagues enrolled 225 patients with a variety of types of advanced cancer in the phase I clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of abemaciclib. In the dose escalation phase, the researchers determined that the maximum tolerated dose was 200 milligrams (mg) every 12 hours; the dose-limiting toxicity was grade 3 fatigue. In the expansion phase, single-agent abemaciclib was administered to 47 patients with breast cancer, 68 with NSCLC, 17 with glioblastoma, 26 with melanoma, and 15 with colorectal cancer. Among these patients, the most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss, kidney dysfunction, and decreased red and white blood cell counts. Radiographic responses were observed for some patients with breast cancer, NSCLC, and melanoma. Among the 36 patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, 11 had a partial response, with four of the 11 responders having continued prior endocrine therapy, and an additional 18 patients had stable disease. Among the 68 patients with NSCLC, two had a partial response and 31 had stable disease; one patient who had a partial response and 12 who had stable disease were known to have KRAS-mutant NSCLC. Among the 26 patients with melanoma, one had a partial response and six had stable disease. Three of the 17 patients with glioblastoma had stable disease, with two of them continuing to receive treatment without disease progression for 19 and 23 cycles, respectively. Author Comment: "These data show that abemaciclib is an oral drug that can be taken on a continuous schedule and achieve durable clinical activity against multiple tumors including breast and lung cancers," said Shapiro. "The results of the trial supported the FDA decision to grant breakthrough therapy designation to abemaciclib (previously known as LY2835219) for patients with refractory hormone receptor-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer," added Patnaik. Limitations: Patnaik explained that because this study included 225 patients with different types of cancer, confirmatory clinical trials in specific patient populations are necessary to precisely define the role of abemaciclib in cancer care. Multiple clinical trials have already been initiated to evaluate abemaciclib as a treatment for certain groups of patients with breast cancer and NSCLC, as well as children with primary brain tumors and adults with brain metastases, she noted. ### Funding & Disclosures: The study was funded by Eli Lilly and Company. Patnaik has received research funding from Lilly. Shapiro served on an advisory board for Lilly during the conduct of the study; reports receiving personal fees from Lilly, GI Therapeutics, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and grants from Lilly for work other than reported here; and is an investigator on several trials using other CDK4/6 inhibitors, including palbociclib and ribociclib. Follow us: Cancer Research Catalyst; Twitter @AACR; and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org About the American Association for Cancer Research Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 35,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 104 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with nearly 19,500 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes eight prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit http://www.AACR.org. To interview Amita Patnaik or Geoffrey I. Shapiro, contact Julia Gunther at julia.gunther@aacr.org or 215-446-6896. Tuna fishers who network with their competition may be able to stop thousands of sharks a year from being accidentally captured and killed in the Pacific Ocean. Researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University and the University of Hawaii found if fishers communicated more with their rivals, it could lead to more sustainable fishing practices. "Forty-six thousand sharks could have been saved if information about avoiding sharks was shared freely between fishing groups," says lead author Michele Barnes. Barnes interviewed nearly every single Hawaii-based longline tuna fisher and found there were three distinct groups, based on who they shared information with. "To use the phrase, 'birds of a feather flock together', we definitely found that to be the case here - fishers primarily shared information with those most similar to themselves." The research team found that these 'cliques' prevented communication to come up with strategies to catch fewer sharks and more tuna. Bycatch, which is the accidental capture of non-target species, is a big global problem. In longline tuna fisheries, where fishers hang thousands of hooks from a mainline stretching up to 45 nautical miles, 100 sharks can be caught on a single line. "Shark bycatch has significant ecological implications because many species of shark are in sharp decline, but when sharks are accidentally caught there are also economic implications because it takes time for fishers to cut them off the line, they risk losing their gear, and it can be dangerous," says co-author John Lynham. "It's unclear whether fishers are even aware that some groups have learned how to avoid sharks more effectively, so sharing this information with them is the first critical step," says Barnes. "Sharks are vital to the health of the oceans, and fishing supports the livelihoods of millions of people across the globe. So when we can find simple, low cost ways to reduce the number of sharks that are accidentally caught, it's great for fishers, and for the oceans." The paper entitled "Social Networks and Environmental Outcomes" has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ### Paper Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. http://www.pnas.org Images Link: bit.ly/1TgN731 (Images must carry credits as listed in Dropbox folder) Contacts Dr. Michele Barnes, lead author Visiting Scholar, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Hawaii Office: +61-4-4781-6751, mob: +61-4-0867-7570, e-mail: michele.barnes@jcu.edu.au John Lynham Associate Professor, Economics Department, University of Hawaii Currently on sabbatical at Udayana University, Indonesia tel: +62-812-3897-7836, email: lynham@hawaii.edu Kylie Simmonds Communications Manager ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University James Cook University, Townsville Queensland 4811 Australia Phone: +61 (0)7 4781 6067, +61 (0)428 785 895 Email: kylie.simmonds1@jcu.edu.au Funding bodies ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. U.S. National Science Foundation. DALLAS, May 23, 2016 - Higher long-term variability in blood pressure readings were linked to faster declines in brain and cognitive function among older adults, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension. "Blood pressure variability might signal blood flow instability, which could lead to the damage of the finer vessels of the body with changes in brain structure and function," said Bo (Bonnie) Qin, Ph.D., lead study author and a postdoctoral scholar at Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Brunswick, New Jersey. "These blood pressure fluctuations may indicate pathological processes such as inflammation and impaired function in the blood vessels themselves." Researchers analyzed results from 976 Chinese adults (half women, age 55 and or older) who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey over a period of five years. Blood pressure variability was calculated from three or four visits to the health professional. Participants also underwent a series of cognitive quizzes such as performing word recall and counting backwards. Researchers found: Higher visit-to-visit variability in the top number in a blood pressure reading (systolic blood pressure) was associated with a faster decline of cognitive function and verbal memory. Higher visit-to-visit variability in the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) was associated with faster decline of cognitive function among adults ages 55 to 64, but not among those age 65 and older. Neither average systolic or diastolic blood pressure readings were associated with brain function changes. Qin said physicians tend to focus on average blood pressure readings, but high variability may be something for physicians to watch for in their patients. "Controlling blood pressure instability could possibly be a potential strategy in preserving cognitive function among older adults," she said. While the study was observational and does not suggest a direct cause and effect between blood pressure variability and brain function decline, the findings add to a growing body of evidence that variation in blood pressure readings -- perhaps more so than averages -- may indicate increased risk for some additional health problems. Clinical intervention trials and longer term studies are needed to confirm the findings. ### Co-authors are Anthony J. Viera, M.D.; Paul Muntner, Ph.D.; Brenda L. Plassman, Ph.D.; Lloyd J. Edwards, Ph.D.; Linda S. Adair, Ph.D.; Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D. and Michelle A. Mendez, Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript The National Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Carolina Population Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Fogarty NIH grant funded the study. The first author received financial support from Sanofi /UNC Global Nutrition Fellowship and the Fogarty NIH grant. Additional Resources: Researcher photo, brain graphic, and blood pressure images are located in the right column of this release link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/higher-fluctuations-in-blood-pressure-linked-to-brain-function-decline?preview=523a881343e5097c59e63214aafb1e87 Understanding Blood Pressure Readings Take the Blood Pressure Monitoring Challenge Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews. For the updates and new science from the Hypertension journal follow @HyperAHA. Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association's policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding. A survey of noise ordinances in nearly 500 of the largest communities in the United States shows there's no set standard for preserving peace and quiet WASHINGTON, D.C., May 23, 2016 - If you live in Waco, Texas, your neighbor maneuvering a gas lawn mower in the middle of the night likely wouldn't violate the decibel limit, which is eight times louder than the typical nighttime limit in the United States. The large difference is just one example of the diversity of laws regulating noise throughout the United States. The Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, a national non-profit based in Vermont that gathers noise related resources and advocates for quieter public spaces, has now compiled a database of noise ordinances for nearly 500 of the largest communities in the U.S. The goal is to make it easier for researchers and lawmakers to understand what regulations exist and which ones work the best. "I've analyzed ordinances from 491 communities so far," said Les Blomberg, executive director of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse. He will present his database at the 171st meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, held May 23-27 in Salt Lake City, by which time he hopes to have gotten up to at least 500 communities. So far, the communities in the database generally have more than 60,000 residents. In total, they represent about a third of the U.S. population. Excessive noise is a common complaint from community residents, from the cities to the suburbs, Blomberg said. His initial inquiries suggest that around 3-8 percent of calls to the police concern loud sounds. Going forward he plans to more systematically survey law enforcement agencies to determine how often noise ordinances are violated and whether certain wording makes it easier for police officers to enforce the law. The database of noise ordinances is a good start, Blomberg said, because it displays how exceptionally varied our approaches to noise pollution are. The ordinances include decibel-based standards, plainly audible standards, nuisance standards, quiet zones and restrictions based on zoning, setbacks, time-of-day regulations, and outright bans on some noise sources, such as gas-powered leaf blowers. Many communities rely on a combination of these regulatory approaches. The most common approach was a nuisance standard, which appeared in 85 percent of the 491 ordinances. The nuisance standard is usually based on what a "reasonable" person would find offensive. The interpretation of "reasonable" is left to law enforcement officers and the courts. Decibel levels, which are a standardized measure of sound pressure, appear in 55 percent of noise ordinances in the database. While decibel levels may be a more scientific measure of noise, they're also difficult to enforce, Blomberg said. Police officers must be trained in the use of noise meters and they have to have their calibrated equipment with them to measure sound levels. In some cases, they may not be able to wait long enough to gather the data necessary to say whether a noise source is out of compliance. For this reason, some communities are updating their laws to simplify enforcement, Blomberg said. For example, in 2005 New York City added a plainly audible noise standard. The regulation states that if a noise source is plainly audible at a certain distance, it is in violation. "All a police officer would need to enforce the law is her or her ears and a tape measure," Blomberg said. Blomberg said most all of the noise ordinances he's looked at have limitations. Some reveal the priorities of the community. "Many times the special interests of a community are visible in its noise laws," he said. For example, some communities exempt shooting ranges or church bells from the law. "In Oklahoma and Texas, noise regulations do more to protect oil producers from their neighbor's complaints than they do to protect the neighbor's health and welfare. In Austin, Texas, it's the music venues that are protected," he said. Blomberg hopes the database can serve as a resource to the acoustics standards community, which is currently working on writing a model noise ordinance. He also hopes community members, lawmakers, and businesses will find the database helpful. When it's complete, it will be uploaded to the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse's website at http://www.nonoise.org. ### Presentation #1aNS2, " Analysis of 500 noise ordinances," by Leslie D. Blomberg will be take place on Monday, May 23, 2016, at 9:05 AM MDT in Salon B/C. The abstract can be found by searching for the presentation number here: http://acousticalsociety.org/content/spring-meeting-itinerary-planner. ABOUT THE MEETING The 171st Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) will be held May 23-27, 2016, at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek Hotel. It will feature more than 900 presentations on sound and its applications in physics, engineering, music, architecture and medicine. Reporters are invited to cover the meeting remotely or attend in person for free. USEFUL LINKS Main meeting website: http://acousticalsociety.org/content/spring-2016-meeting Itinerary planner and technical program: http://acousticalsociety.org/content/spring-meeting-itinerary-planner WORLD WIDE PRESS ROOM In the coming weeks, ASA's World Wide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay-language papers, which are 400-900 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio, and video. You can visit the site, beginning in early May, at (http://acoustics.org/current-meeting). PRESS REGISTRATION We will grant free registration to credentialed journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact John Arnst (jarnst@aip.org, 301-209-3096) who can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information. LIVE MEDIA WEBCAST A press briefing featuring a selection of newsworthy research will be webcast live from the conference on Tuesday, May 24. Topics and time of webcast to be announced. ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world's leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. For more information about ASA, visit our website at http://www.acousticalsociety.org. Douglas C. Wallace, Ph.D., director of the Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, was inducted into the Italian Academy of Sciences during the Academy's 234th annual meeting on May 5 in Rome. Dr. Emilia Chiancone, as president of the Academy, conducted the ceremony inducting Dr. Wallace as a foreign member of the organization. Founded in 1782 as the Italian Society, the Italian Academy of Sciences has a mission of encouraging scientific research and disseminating the progress of science to schools and the general public. It membership is limited to 40 Italian scientists and 25 foreign members. During the Academy's long history, it has welcomed as members Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Louis Pasteur, Alessandro Volta, Rita Levi-Montalcini, Wilhelm Roentgen, Enrico Fermi and many other internationally prominent scientists. "We are deeply honored that this very elite international scientific organization has recognized Dr. Wallace's accomplishments," said Bryan Wolf, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. During the event, Dr. Wallace presented a lecture on the role of mitochondria in metabolic and degenerative diseases. Mitochondria are tiny structures that function as power plants within cells, carrying their own DNA and playing crucial roles in physiology. Wallace founded the field of mitochondrial medicine 40 years ago, and investigates the role of mitochondria in human evolution, health and disease. He is also a member of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences and Medicine. ### About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 535-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu. The 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will include more than 70 research presentations by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators and will attract as many as 30,000 oncology professionals from around the world. Held June 3 to 7 in Chicago at McCormick Place, presentations will cover the latest findings across oncology. Here is a brief look at select studies Dana-Farber and Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center researchers are presenting at the meeting: Colorectal cancer: Tumor location impacts survival odds Abstract 3505: Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH - Presenter 9:24 a.m. - 9:36 a.m. Oral Abstract Session: Gastrointestinal (Colorectal) Cancer Sunday, June 5, 8 a.m. - 11 a.m., Hall B1 Although the location of a colorectal cancer has a big influence on survival odds, this factor isn't routinely reported or included in patient counseling, say researchers from Dana-Farber who contend this practice needs to change. In a study to be presented at the ASCO annual meeting, researchers found that the average survival of patients whose tumors were located in the right-hand portion of the colon, or large intestine, was about half that of individuals whose tumors were elsewhere in the colon. The colon has a configuration like that of a large upside-down, square-sided "U" in the lower and upper abdomen. The ascending colon begins in the lower right abdomen and extends vertically. Then it takes a 90-degree turn straight across the abdomen to the left side. This portion is called the transverse colon. Taking another sharp turn, it becomes the descending colon, which goes down to the lower right abdomen, where it turns again to form the sigmoid colon, ending in the rectum and anus. Using a federal database, the researchers compared median survival and three-year survival in patients with tumors on the right side (ascending colon), descending colon, and rectum. The patients had stage III or IV cancers. Patients with tumors in the left side of the colon and the rectum survived for a median of 17 months, with a three-year survival probability of 27 percent. Outcomes were significantly worse when the tumor was in the ascending colon on the right side or the transverse colon. Median survival in those patients was 8.7 months, and their odds of surviving three years were only 16 percent. This disparity calls for consistent reporting in the medical record of the tumor's location, the researchers say, along with further research to determine why location influences survival. Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH, an oncologist in the Gastrointestinal Treatment Center and chief of the Division of Population Sciences, Department of Medical Oncology, at Dana-Farber, is lead author of the study. "We already understand that one reason for the difference in survival is that specific mutations such as BRAF are more common the right side," she said. "As more patients undergo genotyping, the mechanisms that underlie this finding will be better understood." Breast cancer: Clinical trial participation of older patients with breast cancer still lagging, research finds Abstract 1024: Rachel A. Freedman, MD, MPH - Presenter Poster Board: #129 Poster session, breast cancer - triple negative, Cytotoxics/Local Therapy Sunday, June 5, 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Hall A Even though the proportion of older patients with breast cancer participating in clinical trials after surgery has increased somewhat over the past 25 years, the proportion of older patients with metastatic breast cancer in presurgical trials is decreasing. In a study to be presented at the ASCO annual meeting, researchers found that overall, older patients with breast cancer are still largely underrepresented within these trials, research by investigators at Dana-Farber and City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests. By examining the ages of patients enrolled in more than a dozen breast cancer trials between 1985 and 2012, the researchers found that the proportion of patients over age 65 - and in particular over age 70 - is not meaningfully improving with time, despite the fact that most breast cancers occur in these groups. The researchers, led by Rachel Freedman, MD, MPH, of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber and Arti Hurria, MD, of City of Hope, call for the development of new accrual strategies to increase the participation of older patients. Pediatric cancer: Survey finds strong support among clinicians for medical marijuana use in children with cancer Abstract 10581: Prasanna Janaki Ananth, MD, MPH - Presenter Poster Board: #272 Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Poster Session, Pediatric Oncology, Monday, June 6, 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Hall A More than 90 percent of pediatric oncology providers favored access to medical marijuana for children and adolescents with cancer, according to a survey study to be presented at the ASCO annual meeting. With more states legalizing medical marijuana, patients and families are asking providers to help them obtain marijuana products to try as treatments for nausea, pain, and loss of appetite. Nearly one-third of respondents to the survey reported receiving such requests more than once in the past month, according to lead researcher Prasanna Ananth, MD, MPH, pediatric oncologist, Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Senior author is Joanne Wolfe, MD, MPH, director of the Pediatric Advanced Care Team, a joint pediatric palliative care program of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital. The study surveyed clinicians in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington, where medical marijuana is legal. Of 301 respondents, 92 percent favored helping pediatric cancer patients obtain medical marijuana. A majority - 88 percent - said using the drug near the end of life was appropriate, but only 34 percent would favor its use in early stage cancer treatment. A marijuana-derived synthetic drug, dronabinol (Marinol) is routinely used in supportive cancer care to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting and to stimulate appetite. Patients anecdotally say medical marijuana, whether smoked or taken as an oil, is helpful for these problems, but its effectiveness hasn't been compared to dronabinol or other drugs taken to combat nausea, say the authors. Ananth and Wolfe say they plan to conduct a second survey seeking opinions from adolescent and young adult patients and their parents about medical marijuana use. Pediatric cancer: Many parents of children with cancer unaware of potential for long-term health problems, study finds Abstract 10522: Katie Greenzang, MD, EdM - Presenter Poster Board: #213 Discussed at the Poster Discussion Session on Monday, June 6, 2016, 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., at S504 Today, the vast majority of children with cancer go on to become long-term survivors of the disease, but many survivors experience physical or cognitive impairments later on. A new survey to be presented at the ASCO annual meeting finds that most parents of survivors at high risk for such difficulties want detailed information about life after cancer but don't recognize the likelihood that their child will develop these problems. Investigators at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center surveyed 352 parents of children with cancer to assess how well they understood their children's risk of future limitations in physical abilities, intelligence, and quality of life. Among children identified by physicians as being at high risk for such challenges, 38 percent of parents recognized this risk in physical abilities, 21 percent in intelligence, and 5 percent in quality of life. The results indicate a need for better communication between doctors and parents about the risk of future health problems in survivors of childhood cancer, the investigators, led by Katie Greenzang, MD, pediatric oncologist, and Jennifer Mack, MD, MPH, pediatric oncologist and associate chief, Population Sciences for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, both of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's, conclude. Leukemia: Study yields 'reassuring' safety data for leukemia drug Venclexta Abstract 7528: Matthew Steven Davids, MD - Presenter Poster session, Hematologic Malignancies--Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia poster session Monday, June 6, 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Hall A Venclexta, the recently approved drug for hard-to-treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients, has significant side effects, but they are manageable and often become less severe as treatment continues, according to a new study. Venclexta (venetoclax) received Food and Drug Administration approval on April 11 for patients with CLL who have relapsed or not responded to at least one previous therapy, and whose cancer cells lack a piece of a chromosome called 17p. Patients with the 17p deletion have a worse prognosis. The drug, which targets "survival proteins" cancer cells deploy to escape orders to self-destruct, has been hailed as a welcome new therapy for CLL after producing a high rate of responses, including some complete responses, in a phase 1 clinical trial reported in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). In a report to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, Matthew Davids, MD, MMSc, of Dana-Farber summarized Venclexta side effects and safety data on 279 patients, of whom 181 had the 17p chromosome deletion. Of these, 24 stopped taking the drug because of adverse events, the most common being a low white blood cell count, diarrhea, nausea, anemia, fatigue, and upper respiratory tract infection. There were 11 deaths linked to adverse events. Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), a complication of therapy where the rapid death of tumor cells causes metabolic disruptions, was observed in 5 patients, but all of these patients were able to safely reach the full dose and none discontinued drug due to TLS. Working closely with Abbvie and other investigators, Davids has helped develop precautionary measures that reduce the risk of life-threatening TLS. Davids, a medical oncologist in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies at Dana-Farber, who was a leading investigator on the phase 1 first-in-human trial of Venclexta, says the results of the study are "reassuring, in that they look similar in this larger data set to the results we reported in the NEJM. "One of the most interesting findings is that the rates of adverse events, particularly the hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities, decrease significantly over time as patients continued on Venclexta. This suggests that the hematological toxicities, specifically, may be more related to prior chemotherapy and the CLL itself, rather than the drug, which over time helps these toxicities to resolve by effectively treating the CLL." ### (BOSTON, May 23, 2016) -- Two new studies raise enough questions about a possible link between childhood cancer and light therapy for newborn jaundice that clinicians should exercise caution in prescribing the treatment for infants whose jaundice is likely to resolve on its own, a pediatric oncologist from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center argues in an editorial published today by the journal Pediatrics. The suggestion of a link, however, should not deter use of the treatment, also known as phototherapy, in babies who otherwise would be at risk of brain damage or hearing loss. Despite the inconclusive findings, the editorial notes that the research represents an important and novel approach using "big data" to begin to discern whether environmental factors may be implicated in the development of pediatric cancer. Two companion studies, also published today in Pediatrics, examined an association between phototherapy and pediatric cancers. The first study, the California Late Impact of Phototherapy Study (CLIPS), analyzed data from five million infants born in California hospitals between 1998 and 2007. The study used administrative data that linked the billing code for phototherapy and the diagnosis code of childhood cancer. The strongest association is a 1.6-fold increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The risk of Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer of childhood, also rose to statistical significance. The second study -- the Late Impact of Getting Hyperbilirubinemia of photoTherapy (LIGHT) study -- analyzed data from 500,000 children born in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system between 1995 and 2011. The associations between phototherapy and childhood cancer were not statistically significant, but an association with AML was again observed. The studies come at a time when the number of infants receiving phototherapy is increasing, in part, the researchers suggest, because of the availability of light therapy units that can be used in the home. In the Kaiser study, 16 percent of babies received phototherapy in 2011, up from 3 percent in 1995. In both studies, the associations were stronger and statistically significant among children with Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome are already known to be at an increased risk of leukemia. "Even though the results are inconclusive, they are worrisome enough that phototherapy should not be presented as risk-free. That being said, however, the brain damage and hearing loss from high bilirubin levels are real and well-documented, and the suggested risk of cancer from these new studies is both unclear and very small," says the editorial's lead author, Lindsay Frazier, MD, of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's. "What is concerning is the fact that, at least in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system, the number of children receiving phototherapy has dramatically increased. The risks associated with such a prevalent exposure require close scrutiny." Even in the CLIPS study, which found a statistically significant association between phototherapy and childhood cancer, the absolute numbers involved were very low. Of the 5 million infants studied, 58 who received phototherapy later developed cancer. The increased risk of AML, for instance, was based on 10 cases among the 178,000 children who received phototherapy, versus 103 cases in the 4.9 million children who did not. "Studying why children get cancer is very difficult because it is such a rare disease," Frazier says. "The association between smoking and lung cancer was relatively easy to detect because the disease is well over 10 times more common than childhood cancer. There are about 225,000 new cases of lung cancer a year in the United States, versus 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer. Thus, to study childhood cancer, a scientist needs to find a way to study large populations. The authors are to be commended for finding a way to do just that. But even in these studies of huge populations, the number of children who actually develop cancer remains quite small." Despite the small numbers, the editorial advises clinicians to weigh a possible link with cancer in determining which babies need phototherapy. "In the end, acknowledging that the information is imperfect, general pediatricians and neonatologists must make a choice," the editorial concludes. "These data suggest that phototherapy may not be harmless, and that the risks as well as the benefits need to be weighed before flipping the switch." ### Frazier was joined in writing the editorial by co-authors Mark Krailo, PhD, a biostatistician at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and Jennifer Poynter, PhD, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota. Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center -- the nation's top pediatric cancer center, according to U.S. News & World Report 2015-16. - brings together two internationally known research and teaching institutions that have provided comprehensive care for pediatric oncology and hematology patients since 1947. The Harvard Medical School affiliates share a clinical staff that delivers inpatient care at Boston Children's Hospital and most outpatient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. (Note: See accompanying news release. Head shots available.) Q & A: Making sense of new research on possible link between phototherapy for newborn jaundice and cancer Pediatric oncologist and neonatologist discuss new big-data studies Two new studies published in the journal Pediatrics analyze large datasets to see if there is a link between phototherapy (light therapy) for newborn jaundice and pediatric cancer. One study found a statistically significant association; the other did not. A companion editorial explores the implications of the studies. Lindsay Frazier, MD, a pediatric oncologist at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and lead author of the editorial, and Anne Hansen, MD, MPH, a neonatologist and medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Boston Children's Hospital, answer questions about the new research and its implications. Q. What is newborn jaundice? Anne Hansen, MD: Jaundice is a yellow color that can be seen in the eyes and skin due to elevated levels of a substance called bilirubin. Bilirubin is released as part of the normal life cycle of the red blood cell. Due to immature functioning of newborns, it is common for babies to have mild jaundice between about two days and two weeks after birth. In some circumstances, if untreated, infants' bilirubin levels can get high enough to cause hearing loss and even brain injury. Q. What is light therapy, and how is it used to treat newborn jaundice? Anne Hansen, MD: Light therapy, also called phototherapy, is a very simple treatment in which a specific frequency of light is shined on a baby's skin. The light converts the bilirubin in the skin to a related substance that is easier for the newborn to pass from the body. We know that light therapy is effective in lowering bilirubin levels and avoiding hearing loss and brain injury. In the United States, about 250,000 babies receive light therapy every year. Q. What, if any, association between phototherapy and childhood cancer did the two new studies find? Lindsay Frazier, MD: Two big studies led by researchers at the University of California San Francisco looked at the issue. The first, which analyzed administrative records of five million children born in California hospitals between 1998 and 2007, found a statistically significant association between phototherapy and two types of pediatric cancers -- acute myeloid leukemia and kidney cancer. The second study examined medical records of 500,000 babies born in Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals between 1995 and 2011. It found no statistically significant association with childhood cancer, after adjusting for other possible risk factors. Q. Why are big-data studies like this important to childhood cancer research? Lindsay Frazier, MD: What causes childhood cancer remains one of the great unsolved questions in medicine. Unlike adult cancers in which we can point to many preventable causes of cancer, like smoking and obesity, we still understand virtually nothing about what elements, beside genetics, can cause a child to develop cancer. The main reason this has been such a vexing problem is that childhood cancer is very rare. For instance, with 225,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed annually in the United States, its association with smoking was relatively easy to establish. On the other hand, only 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer -- of all types -- are diagnosed annually. This means that researchers who want to examine the relationship between an exposure, such as phototherapy, and childhood cancer must analyze large datasets in order to have enough cases to be statistically significant. The study of the etiology of pediatric cancer has been hampered by this fact. Large datasets, such as the ones analyzed in these California studies, present an opportunity to study an outcome as rare as pediatric cancer. Q. What should clinicians and parents take away from these new research findings? Lindsay Frazier, MD: Phototherapy has been perceived by most as causing minimal risk to the infant. Although these studies are inconclusive and do not prove a relationship between phototherapy and cancer, they should give us pause. One of the most striking findings was the authors' data on the dramatic increase in the number of children who are receiving phototherapy, at least in the Kaiser Permanente system, in part, they suggest, because of the availability of units that can be used in the home. In 2011, 15.9 percent of the Kaiser infants received phototherapy, up from 2.7 percent in 1995. The risks associated with such a prevalent exposure require close scrutiny. If I were the one prescribing phototherapy today, I would want to be sure it was indicated. Anne Hansen, MD: Although one Pediatrics study found a statistically significant correlation between phototherapy and cancer, that does not mean the light therapy caused the cancer. By contrast, it is well-established that severe jaundice can cause hearing loss and brain injury if left untreated. We also know that light therapy decreases bilirubin levels and prevents hearing loss and brain injury. So, we need to balance what we do with early stage data about correlations against known, substantial neurologic risk. That said, the new research is suggestive enough that clinicians should be mindful of the possible risk in cases in which mild jaundice is likely to resolve on its own. While we must always strive to understand the possible side effects of any our treatments, light treatment, overall, is safe and the benefits of offering it, when indicated, far outweigh the risks. Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center -- the nation's top pediatric cancer center, according to U.S. News & World Report 2015-16. -- brings together two internationally known research and teaching institutions that have provided comprehensive care for pediatric oncology and hematology patients since 1947. The Harvard Medical School affiliates share a clinical staff that delivers inpatient care at Boston Children's Hospital and most outpatient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Boston Children's Hospital is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 1,100 scientists, including seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and 10 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children's today is a 404-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care. Boston Children's is also the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more, visit our Vector and Thriving blogs and follow us on our social media channels: @BostonChildrens, @BCH_Innovation, Facebook and YouTube. San Diego, CA (May 23, 2016) -- Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) -- a treatment currently used to address recurring Clostridium difficile infection -- is also an effective approach to helping individuals who suffer from ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a study being presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2016, the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Researchers in Australia found that one in four patients who were resistant or intolerant to conventional UC treatment -- steroid or anti-inflammatories -- achieved the study's dual goals: participants reported their symptoms went away and researchers determined, through endoscopic examination, that patients' digestive tracts improved, both without the use of steroids. Additionally, more than half the patients experienced symptom improvement with FMT. Researchers indicated that many UC patients are resistant or intolerant to conventional therapies. "In recent years, researchers have gained a better understanding of the gut microbiota and the critical role it plays in health and disease, including conditions like ulcerative colitis," said Sudarshan Paramsothy, MD, a gastroenterologist from the University of New South Wales, Australia. "By using fecal microbiota transplantation, we aim to treat the underlying cause of ulcerative colitis instead of just its symptoms, as opposed to the majority of therapies currently available." Dr. Paramsothy and his team enrolled 81 patients across three Australian study sites -- 41 receiving FMT treatment and 40 receiving placebo, or non-active treatment, who had active ulcerative colitis, as determined by the Mayo Scoring System for Assessment of Ulcerative Colitis Activity, and were resistant to standard non-biologic treatments. Patients received the first FMT and placebo treatment through a colonoscope. Subsequently, participants were given enemas that were self-administered five days per week for eight weeks. After eight weeks, more than three times as many FMT patients responded to treatment than those in the control group. Specifically, 11 of the 41 FMT patients (27 percent) achieved the study's primary goal -- patients reporting no UC symptoms and doctors determining the lining of the digestive tract had healed or substantially improved. Only three of the 40 patients (8 percent) in the control group reached this goal. When researchers looked at just the number of patients reporting being symptom-free (and discounted clinician observation of the colon), they found that 44 percent of FMT patients reported improvement versus 20 percent in the control group. "Previous research in this area has been limited to small case series and two single center trials with conflicting outcomes. Our study is the first multi-centered trial that uses an intense therapy of FMT infusions, 40 over eight weeks, and has been able to show definitively that fecal microbiota transplantation is an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis," added Dr. Paramsothy. "This is important because there are millions of people worldwide seeking alternative treatments for their condition. This population is accustomed to using enemas as part of previous treatment, so our approach would not be unusual to them." In FMT, clinicians collect fecal matter from healthy individuals who are screened to determine that the stool is safe for transplantation. The stool is processed and prepared for use, then placed in patients by methods such as colonoscopy, endoscopy or enema. In this study, each FMT enema consisted of stool from at least three donors. Dr. Paramsothy and his team used this multi-donor method to ensure that study results were not influenced by a "donor effect," in which individual patient outcomes may be unduly influenced by the microbial characteristics of a single donor. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 200 cases of UC for every 100,000 adults. UC is a chronic condition with no known cure. It causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon, which can lead to rectal bleeding, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. Dr. Sudarshan Paramsothy will present data from the study "Multi Donor Intense Faecal Microbiota Transplantation is an Effective Treatment," abstract 600, on Monday, May 23, at 11:07 a.m. PT, in room 20BCD of the San Diego Convention Center. For more information about featured studies, as well as a schedule of availability for featured researchers, please visit http://www.ddw.org/press. Dr. Paramsothy received funding from the Broad Medical Research Program at the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, the Gastroenterological Society of Australia, and Mt Sinai Hospital New York (SUCCESS fund) to conduct this research, while study infusions were supplied by the Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sydney. Faculty disclosures can be found online at http://www.ddw.org/DDW_Disclosure_Index.pdf. ### Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 21-24, 2016, at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org. Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW16. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook. Massive amounts of data require infrastructure to manage and store the information in a manner than can be easily accessed for use. While technologies have scaled to allow researchers to sequence and annotate communities of microorganisms within an environment,(its "microbiome"), on an ever-increasing scale, the data management aspect has not been developed in parallel. In a paper published online May 16, 2016 in Trends in Microbiology, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, call for the formation of a National Microbiome Data Center to efficiently manage the datasets accumulated globally. By integrating and harnessing all available microbiome data and metadata, researchers could conduct larger-scale comparative analyses in order to address global challenges related to energy, environment, health and agriculture. "The time is ripe to embark on the greatest endeavor to understand Earth's microbiome," said Nikos Kyrpides, DOE JGI Prokaryote Super Program head and the study's first author. "Biological sequence data should be considered an instrumental tool for the study of biology systems, analogous to the telescope for astronomy and the particle accelerator for high-energy physics." A Complement to the National Microbiome Initiative The timely publication complements the White House's launch of a National Microbiome Initiative focused on comparing microbial communities across ecosystems to identify the "organizing principles" that shape all microbiomes. A national microbiome data center, the team wrote, would "organize, process, and serve all available environmental genomic data." Kyrpides and his colleagues identified three bottlenecks in microbiome research associated with short-sightedness: lack of a grand vision to move beyond "single-use" microbiome datasets to a more cohesive collection; lack of interagency funding models; and, limited international data standards that hinder the global research community's ability to efficiently conduct comparative analyses. Several large data management systems already exist to help, including the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) system and the Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD) system run by DOE JGI scientists. These resources allow researchers to access and analyze publicly available assembled microbial and microbiome data and metadata, respectively. In addition, the DOE JGI has partnered with the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) to operate in a high performance computing environment and support the growing community demand. A Grand Vision as Microbiome Research Scales "There is a profound lack of a grand vision in appropriate funding to support the extraction of knowledge from big data (i.e., across studies)," Kyrpides said. "Furthermore, the reference data needed to contextualize the myriad microbiome samples is sorely lacking. These data are fundamental for interpretation of how microbiomes function, and how they interact within the environments and hosts they inhabit. Systematic decoding of microbes and their environments to fill in the gaps in our databases is a key step towards hypothesis-driven science and enabling a better understanding of microbial life." The Department of Energy has a tradition of taking on massive projects--from the first particle accelerator to its role in initiating the Human Genome Project, and the DOE JGI is no stranger to microbiome research, reporting the first genomic characterization of a microbial community back in 2004. Over the past decade, microbiome research has grown in scale, tackling projects such as termite hindgut, cow rumen, the Gulf of Mexico oil-eating microbiome, prairie soils and permafrost. Through the Community Science Program, the largest dataset focused on oxygen minimum zones and what has been described as the "only systematically and quantitatively prepared dataset available" for the viral ecology community were developed in collaboration with the DOE JGI. "At the dawn of the third decade of microbial genomics, and well into the information age, the establishment of a national microbiome data center can pave the way to understanding the Earth's microbiome," Kyrpides said. ### The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, User Facility of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory supported by the DOE Office of Science, is committed to advancing genomics in support of DOE missions related to clean energy generation and environmental characterization and cleanup. DOE JGI, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., provides integrated high-throughput sequencing and computational analysis that enable systems-based scientific approaches to these challenges. Follow @doe_jgi on Twitter. DOE's Office of Science is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. Berlin, 20 May 2016 - New evidence for the clinical efficacy of cannabis therapy is presented in the latest issue of the Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology (JBCPP), a De Gruyter publication. The authors have studied cannabis therapy for many years at international research centers, examining its effects, potential applications, and risks. In his article, Raphael Mechoulam, a highly respected pioneer in the field of cannabis research, provides an overview of research projects and clinical trials undertaken recently at Israeli universities and hospitals on the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). After presenting evidence that cannabinoids are useful for treating a broad range of conditions - including Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and gastrointestinal illnesses such as Crohn's disease - Mechoulam calls for more extensive clinical trials. In her article, the Canadian researcher Mary E. Lynch, a leader in the field of alternative pain therapy, explains that 25 of 30 randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that cannabinoids have analgesic effects. These findings are of particular interest for the development of new pain therapies, because demographic change and increasing life expectancy will lead to greater numbers of patients with chronic pain. The other articles in the journal address various topics, including how the body's endogenous cannabinoid system can be influenced to treat anxiety disorders (Irit Akirav), kidney diseases (Joseph Tam), glaucoma (Melany Kelly) and traumatic brain injury (Mann and Shohami). The recent legalization of cannabis for medical purposes in some US states has reinvigorated the debate over cannabis in Germany. Support for medical cannabis has been rising in Germany. Legislators recently passed a law that will enable severely ill patients who lack treatment alternatives to get dried cannabis flowers and cannabis extracts from pharmacies with a prescription from their doctor. The law will go into effect in the spring of 2017. Convinced that treatment with cannabinoids can have more benefits than risks, a growing number of physicians and pharmacologists have been making calls for more clinical research as well as broader use of medical cannabis. ### The JBCPP issue on cannabis research can be viewed online at the following link: http://bit.ly/23djtuM. New York, NY (May 23, 2016) - Physician-scientists are crucial to moving scientific discoveries from the lab to patients, but their numbers have been dwindling just when they are needed most, particularly in cancer research, as the number of cancer cases is projected to increase by 45 percent in the next fifteen years and elevate cancer to the leading cause of death in America. "Physician-scientists have the unique capacity to blend their insights from treating patients and working in the laboratory in a way that enables and accelerates medical advances," said Yung S. Lie, PhD, Deputy Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. "If the present shortage of physician-scientists continues, we risk a situation in which some major laboratory research discoveries may not reach patients at all, and that would represent a true crisis in cancer research." To help increase the number of physician-scientists, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (Damon Runyon) created the Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award, which provides physicians who have earned an MD degree and completed clinical specialty fellowship training the opportunity to gain the research skills and experience they need to become leaders in translational and clinical research. The program was launched in 2015. Damon Runyon seeks to address the financial disincentives that often deter physicians from pursuing a research career by providing considerably higher funding than most research fellowships--$100,000 in the first year, with increases of $10,000 per year over the next three years. It will also retire up to $100,000 of any medical school debt still owed by an award recipient. (The average medical school debt is now more than $150,000.) Damon Runyon announced that five scientists with novel approaches to fighting cancer have been named the 2016 recipients of the Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award. The awardees were selected through a highly competitive and rigorous process by a scientific committee comprised of leading cancer researchers who are themselves physician-scientists. Only those scientists showing exceptional promise and a passion for finding new cures for cancer were selected to receive the award. "Too often, medical students and recent graduates discover their passion for research when it is too late to join an MD-PhD program or otherwise acquire the experience they need to pursue a research career," said Lorraine W. Egan, President and CEO of Damon Runyon. "Physicians are essential to cancer research but often lack the opportunity and grant support needed to become researchers. We felt it was important to create that opportunity and hope that other organizations will use this award as a model." The Physician-Scientist Training Award was established thanks to the generosity of Damon Runyon Board members Leon Cooperman and Michael Gordon. 2016 Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award Recipients: Giada Bianchi, MD [Damon Runyon-Celgene Physician-Scientist], with Mentor Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable cancer of blood cells. It evolves from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a pre-malignant condition affecting 3-5% of individuals older than 50 years. MGUS patients progress to MM at a rate of 1% per year and the mechanisms underlying such transformation are unknown. No genetic driver mutations have been identified in MM to date, thus limiting our therapeutic options. Signaling through the transmembrane receptor Roundabout1 (ROBO1) is important in solid tumors, particularly gastrointestinal cancer. In MM, ROBO1 expression level was found to correlate with adverse survival in newly diagnosed patients, and ROBO1 mutations have been recently identified in patient-derived MM cells. Dr. Bianchi aims to investigate whether ROBO1 is sufficient to promote disease pathogenesis and to identify the downstream signaling molecules responsible for its function. She anticipates that her results will provide new insights into disease biology and the basis for development of biomarkers and novel therapies against MM and/or precursor conditions, allowing for rapid bench-to-bedside translation. Kristopher R. Bosse, MD, with Mentor John M. Maris, MD, at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nervous system that occurs in young children and is often lethal. An improved understanding of neuroblastoma tumorigenesis is urgently needed to catalyze development of innovative and effective therapies. Recent immunotherapy advances have provided optimism for the use of this treatment type in children with neuroblastoma. However, there is a desperate need for new molecules that can be safely and specifically targeted with immune-based therapeutic approaches. Recent work showed that a protein called glypican-2 (GPC2) is abundant on neuroblastoma cells, but not found on normal cells, and that GPC2 helps neuroblastomas grow aggressively. Thus, GPC2 may be an ideal cell surface molecule to target with immune-based therapies. Dr. Bosse seeks to validate GPC2 as a candidate for engineered targeted immune cells in high-risk neuroblastoma. This research will also define how GPC2 promotes cancer growth, thus providing additional critical knowledge for the therapeutic exploitation of an important tumor-sustaining pathway. Finally, this work will help establish a robust pipeline for the identification of novel tumor-specific molecules for immunotherapeutic targeting in pediatric cancer. This blueprint will allow for the rapid translation of prioritized molecules to a clinically available targeted immunotherapeutic, with an aim to make meaningful differences in the clinical care of children with high-risk pediatric malignancies. Julia C. Carnevale, MD, with Mentor Alan Ashworth, PhD, at University of California, San Francisco, California Pancreatic cancer may soon become the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the nation. While many cancers have mutations that can be targeted with specific drugs, historically no such targets had been recognized in pancreatic cancer. This changed recently with the discovery that approximately one of every four pancreatic cancers has a defect in the machinery that repairs DNA damage. For example, some have been found to have mutations in the BRCA genes as well as other similar genes involved in repairing double-strand breaks in DNA. Because BRCA-mutant cancers have impaired DNA damage repair, they rely on backup DNA repair systems to survive. Other tumors with BRCA mutations are particularly vulnerable to certain drugs: having such a mutation is an Achilles' heel for the tumor. If the relevant backup systems in these cells can be identified, we can potentially use these dependencies against the tumors. One example of a backup system, the PARP DNA repair system, is currently being targeted in clinical trials in BRCA-mutant pancreatic cancer. Dr. Carnevale aims to uncover multiple vulnerabilities in these cancers that can be targeted with higher efficacy than PARP inhibitors. There may also be candidates for PARP inhibitor combination therapies to more potently eradicate these tumors and/or avoid the development of resistance. Michael W. Drazer, MD, with Mentor Lucy Godley, MD, at The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Leukemia is, for some patients, an inherited disease that may affect multiple individuals within a single family. Similar to other diseases such as inherited breast cancer, we now understand that specific genes may increase an individual's risk for developing leukemia over the course of his or her lifetime. While an increasing number of genes involved in inherited leukemia have been identified, the underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of leukemia and other blood cancers are less well understood. Some individuals with inherited blood cancers develop abnormal blood conditions years before actually developing overt leukemia. Dr. Drazer aims to better understand the molecular mechanisms that cause these abnormal blood conditions to transition into leukemia. The goal of this work is to apply these findings to inform future therapies for patients with blood cancers. David M. Kurtz, MD, with Mentor Ash Alizadeh, MD, PhD, at Stanford University, Stanford, California Despite improved outcomes for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma over the last two decades, a significant number of patients - about 40% in the most common type of lymphoma - will ultimately die from their disease. One of the major reasons for this is a lack of response to chemotherapy. Predicting how an individual patient will respond to treatment remains a major challenge. Current methods rely on risk factors measured prior to therapy; however, cancer is a dynamic process with dramatic changes throughout therapy. Dr. Kurtz aims to develop methods that use emerging blood-based biomarkers to measure changes in cancer patients over time. This technology allows the creation of tools for precise prediction of outcomes to therapy from a simple blood test. Ultimately, this technology could help doctors make personalized treatment decisions and tailor therapy to individual patients. ### About the Foundation To accelerate breakthroughs, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation provides today's best young scientists with funding to pursue innovative research. The Foundation has gained worldwide prominence in cancer research by identifying outstanding researchers and physician-scientists. Twelve scientists supported by the Foundation have received the Nobel Prize, and others are heads of cancer centers and leaders of renowned research programs. Each of its award programs is extremely competitive, with less than 10% of applications funded. Since its founding in 1946, the Foundation has invested over $300 million and funded over 3,500 young scientists. This year it will commit over $16 million in new awards to brilliant young investigators. 100% of all donations to the Foundation are used to support scientific research. Its administrative and fundraising costs are paid from its Damon Runyon Broadway Tickets Service and endowment. CONTACT Yung S. Lie, PhD Deputy Director and Chief Scientific Officer Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation yung.lie@damonrunyon.org 212.455.0521 Philadelphia, PA, May 23, 2016 - Over the past decade, interest has been rising in fermented dairy foods that promote health and could potentially prevent diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure). Functional dairy products that lower blood pressure and heart rate may offer consumers an effective alternative to antihypertensive drugs if their effectiveness can be demonstrated. Investigators reporting in the Journal of Dairy Science review the scientific basis of reported claims and identify opportunities for developing products based on new lactic acid bacteria. Hypertension affects more than one billion people throughout the world, according to the World Health Organization. It is an important risk factor for developing other cardiovascular diseases, stroke, renal failure, cerebrovascular accidents, and many other medical complications. Although hypertension can be treated with drugs, these often involve significant side effects. Scientists are therefore seeking out food substances that can help reduce or prevent hypertension. "Fermented milk has been promoted as a nonpharmacological treatment for hypertension, mainly because of the lack of undesirable side effects, but as yet, there is insufficient evidence to support this according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)," explained lead investigator Belinda Vallejo-Cordoba, PhD, of the Center for Food Research and Development, Sonora, Mexico. "The most studied bioactive peptides derived from dairy proteins are antihypertensive peptides; however, existing studies need to be evaluated before a health claim may be associated with products. With this in mind we have carefully reviewed in vitro and in vivo and clinical studies of fermented milk containing antihypertensive peptides." The team of investigators established that the most common strategy to select fermented milks with antihypertensive potential was to identify angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides by in vitro studies. However, they observed that some strains inhibiting ACE activity in vitro did not reduce blood pressure in rats. They evaluated 13 studies with spontaneously hypertensive rats and seven randomized controlled clinical trials in which an antihypertensive effect was demonstrated. Most were based on Lactobacillus helveticus. Scientifically proven health claims and acquisition of exclusivity rights of using novel food ingredients in functional food products has been observed as a critical factor in ultimate success of these food products in the market. The investigators note that several fermented milk products already on the market attribute their antihypertensive effect to the bioactive peptides present in the fermented milk and draw attention to the fact that some of these commercial products possess intellectual property rights. However, they point out that these products may also contain minerals such as potassium and calcium, which may have a positive effect on blood pressure. "Although much research related to antihypertensive peptides has already been done, there is a great need for exploration of new lactic acid bacteria that possess the ability to generate this bioactivity as well as good technological properties for the production of fermented dairy products. As commercial fermented milks with antihypertensive effects are scarce and most of the current products are based on Lactobacillus helveticus, there is a great opportunity here," commented Dr. Vallejo-Cordoba. The authors recommend future studies to include in vitro lactic acid bacteria screening for ACE-inhibitory effects, in vivo studies with spontaneously hypertensive rats, and clinical trials to test the efficacy of the fermented milk product. "It is also important to develop the regulatory legislation that allows the introduction of health claims for functional dairy foods, especially in countries where this subject is underdeveloped," Dr. Vallejo-Cordoba concluded. ### A Georgia Institute of Technology research team has devised a novel way to help keep a driverless vehicle under control as it maneuvers at the edge of its handling limits. The approach could help make self-driving cars of the future safer under hazardous road conditions. Researchers from Georgia Tech's Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering (AE) and the School of Interactive Computing (IC) have assessed the new technology by racing, sliding, and jumping one-fifth-scale, fully autonomous auto-rally cars at the equivalent of 90 mph. The technique uses advanced algorithms and onboard computing, in concert with installed sensing devices, to increase vehicular stability while maintaining performance. The work, tested at the Georgia Tech Autonomous Racing Facility, is sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Office. A paper covering this research was presented at the recent International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), held May 16-21. "An autonomous vehicle should be able to handle any condition, not just drive on the highway under normal conditions," said Panagiotis Tsiotras, an AE professor who is an expert on the mathematics behind rally-car racing control. "One of our principal goals is to infuse some of the expert techniques of human drivers into the brains of these autonomous vehicles." Traditional robotic-vehicle techniques use the same control approach whether a vehicle is driving normally or at the edge of roadway adhesion, Tsiotras explained. The Georgia Tech method - known as model predictive path integral control (MPPI) - was developed specifically to address the non-linear dynamics involved in controlling a vehicle near its friction limits. Utilizing Advanced Concepts "Aggressive driving in a robotic vehicle -- maneuvering at the edge -- is a unique control problem involving a highly complex system," said Evangelos Theodorou, an AE assistant professor who is leading the project. "However, by merging statistical physics with control theory, and utilizing leading-edge computation, we can create a new perspective, a new framework, for control of autonomous systems." The Georgia Tech researchers used a stochastic trajectory-optimization capability, based on a path-integral approach, to create their MPPI control algorithm, Theodorou explained. Using statistical methods, the team integrated large amounts of handling-related information, together with data on the dynamics of the vehicular system, to compute the most stable trajectories from myriad possibilities. Processed by the high-power graphics processing unit (GPU) that the vehicle carries, the MPPI control algorithm continuously samples data coming from global positioning system (GPS) hardware, inertial motion sensors, and other sensors. The onboard hardware-software system performs real-time analysis of a vast number of possible trajectories and relays optimal handling decisions to the vehicle moment by moment. In essence, the MPPI approach combines both the planning and execution of optimized handling decisions into a single highly efficient phase. It's regarded as the first technology to carry out this computationally demanding task; in the past, optimal- control data inputs could not be processed in real time. Fully Autonomous Vehicles The researchers' two auto-rally vehicles -- custom built by the team -- utilize special electric motors to achieve the right balance between weight and power. The cars carry a motherboard with a quad-core processor, a potent GPU, and a battery. Each vehicle also has two forward-facing cameras, an inertial measurement unit, and a GPS receiver, along with sophisticated wheel-speed sensors. The power, navigation, and computation equipment is housed in a rugged aluminum enclosure able to withstand violent rollovers. Each vehicle weighs about 48 pounds and is about three feet long. These rolling robots are able to test the team's control algorithms without any need for off-vehicle devices or computation, except for a nearby GPS receiver. The onboard GPU lets the MPPI algorithm sample more than 2,500, 2.5-second-long trajectories in under 1/60 of a second. An important aspect in the team's autonomous-control approach centers on the concept of "costs" - key elements of system functionality. Several cost components must be carefully matched to achieve optimal performance. In the case of the Georgia Tech vehicles, the costs consist of three main areas: the cost for staying on the track, the cost for achieving a desired velocity, and the cost of the control system. A sideslip-angle cost was also added to improve vehicle stability. The cost approach is important to enabling a robotic vehicle to maximize speed while staying under control, explained James Rehg, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing who is collaborating with Theodorou and Tsiotras. It's a complex balancing act, Rehg said. For example, when the researchers reduced one cost term to try to prevent vehicle sliding, they found they got increased drifting behavior. "What we're talking about here is using the MPPI algorithm to achieve relative entropy minimization -- and adjusting costs in the most effective way is a big part of that," he said. "To achieve the optimal combination of control and performance in an autonomous vehicle is definitely a non-trivial problem." ### WASHINGTON (May 23, 2016) --Researchers from the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences received a $2.1 million U01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to begin work on a phase 1 clinical trial to test a hookworm vaccine in an endemic area of Brazil. This is the latest in a series of tropical vaccines being created and tested at GW. "Tropical vaccines are getting a boost at GW," said Jeffrey Bethony, Ph.D., the co-principal investigator (PI) on this clinical trial who is leading immunology efforts and is a professor of microbiology, immunology, and tropical medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "We have the capacity to do vaccine clinical trials here and in developing countries. It's what we're good at. Besides malaria, there isn't another group that does this for tropical diseases." This clinical trial will be the first time immune interference has been tested using new antibody profiling methods and B-cell immunology. "We have two separate vaccines for hookworm that have each been tested on their own," said David Diemert, M.D., PI for the clinical trial and associate professor of microbiology, immunology, and tropical medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "We would like to combine them into a single product, so we have one vial offering the greatest protection against hookworm. What we need to know is if by combining these two vaccines, the immune response to either of them is impaired. We want to know whether there is competition between the vaccines and if there are any safety risks with combining them." There is a parallel clinical trial underway in Africa, funded by the European Commission, where all volunteers have been given both vaccines. In Brazil, some volunteers are given one of the vaccines, while others are given both vaccines, creating greater comparisons. For the clinical trial, GW is partnering with the Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz in Brazil, University of California - San Francisco and Johns Hopkins University, as well as the Sabin Vaccine Institute. In addition to the U01 grant, Diemert and Bethony also received an R34 planning grant from the NIH to vaccinate volunteers in Washington, D.C., and then infect them with hookworm to test the efficacy of the vaccine. They want to use the lowest dose to illicit the highest immune response. This is the next step after last year's clinical trial, in which healthy volunteers were infected with hookworm in order to establish a controlled infection model. Hookworm, which infects more than 500 million people worldwide, is currently treated with yearly, widespread-administration of anti-worm drugs, which does little to prevent re-infection and may create drug-resistance in the near future. A vaccine would do much more to improve the quality of life for those in endemic areas. Media: To interview Dr. Diemert or Dr. Bethony, or for more information, please contact Lisa Anderson at lisama2@gwu.edu or 202-994-3121 or Anne Banner at abanner@gwu.edu or 202-994-2261. ### About the School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Founded in 1824, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) was the first medical school in the nation's capital and is the 11th oldest in the country. Working together in our nation's capital, with integrity and resolve, the GW SMHS is committed to improving the health and well-being of our local, national and global communities. smhs.gwu.edu Nanosized Trojan horses created from a patient's own immune cells have successfully treated inflammation by overcoming the body's complex defense mechanisms, perhaps leading to broader applications for treating diseases characterized by inflammation, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. An international team, led by researchers at Houston Methodist Research Institute, described the creation of nanoparticles called leukosomes and evaluated their ability to treat localized inflammation in the May 23 issue of Nature Materials (early online). Recent approaches to treating inflammatory diseases have been unsuccessful because an already overactive immune system treats simple nanoparticles as foreign invaders and clears them from the body, preventing them from reaching their target. "A better approach for building effective drug delivery platforms is to find inspiration for their design in the composition of the immune cells of our body," said Ennio Tasciotti, Ph.D., director of the Center for Biomimetic Medicine at Houston Methodist Research Institute and the paper's senior author. "Immune cells such as leukocytes freely circulate in blood vessels, recognize inflammation, and accumulate in inflamed tissues. They do so by using special receptors and ligands on their surface. We purified leukocytes from a patient, then integrated their special ligands and receptors into the leukosome surface. Using the body's own materials, we built a drug delivery system camouflaged as our own body's defense system--thus the Trojan horse." In its normal form, acute inflammation is a necessary and beneficial part of the body's defense against infection. However, under certain conditions, inflammation can turn from a friend to a vicious foe, damaging or destroying healthy cells. This is the case for autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease, or in illnesses such as Alzheimer's, cancer, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Leukosomes are able to target inflamed tissues because they retain the same surface properties of the immune cell membranes from which they are made. To evaluate leukosomes' effectiveness as drug carriers, Tasciotti and his colleagues created vesicles from mouse leukocytes and filled them with dexamethasone (DXM), an anti-inflammatory agent. "We used 'personalized' DXM-loaded leukosomes to treat inflammation in mice," Tasciotti said. "After administering the leukosomes, we observed their attachment to the surface of blood vessels surrounding the inflamed tissue, and they selectively delivered DXM to the affected cells." The treated mice showed definite signs of improvement, including resolution of the inflammation, a significant reduction in tissue thickness, and a reversal of the immune response that is commonly seen in inflammation. The success of the team's initial leukosome trial is encouraging, Tasciotti said, and suggests that membranes purified from any other cell types could also be used as biomimetic nanocarriers to treat other diseases. "By combining cell biology with nanotechnology, we can create valuable medical tools that work within, and not around, the laws of nature," he said. ### The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (1R21CA173579-01A1 and 5U54CA143837 PSOC Pilot project), the Department of Defense (W81XWH-12-10414 BCRP Innovator Expansion), George J. and Angelina P. Kostas Charitable Foundation, The Brown Foundation Inc., William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and The Cullen Trust for Health Care. The researchers who collaborated with Tasciotti on the Nature Materials paper are: Roberto Molinaro, Claudia Corbo, Jonathan O. Martinez, Francesca Taraballi, Michael Evangelopoulos, Silvia Minardi, Picheng Zhao, Enrica De Rosa, Naama E. Toledano Furman, Xin Wang and Alessandro Parodi (Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas); and Michael Sherman (University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas). Corbo, Taraballi and De Vita also are on the staff of research institutions in Italy. Nature Materials is part of the Nature family of journals and has an impact factor of 36.5. To speak with Ennio Tasciotti, Ph.D., contact Gale Smith, Houston Methodist, at 281.627.0439 or gsmith@houstonmethodist.org. For more information about Houston Methodist, visit houstonmethodist.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. More information: Biomimetic proteolipid vesicles for targeting inflamed tissues, Nature Materials DOI: 10.1038/nmat4644 (Online May 23, 2016). Scientists from ITMO University and Trinity College have designed an optically active nanosized supercrystal whose novel architecture can help separate organic molecules, thus considerably facilitating the technology of drug synthesis. The study was published in Scientific Reports. The structure of the new supercrystal is similar to a helix staircase. The supercrystal is composed of numerous rod-shaped quantum dots -- tiny semiconductor pieces of about several nanometers in size. Importantly, unlike individual quantum dots, the assembly possesses the property of chirality. Thanks to this distinctive feature, such supercrystals can find wide application in pharmacology to identify chiral biomolecules. An object is chiral if it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. The most common example of chirality is human hands. As for the supercrystal model, its chirality can be visualized as two spiral staircases with quantum dots as steps: one turns right, while the other turns left. Therefore, the supercrystal is able to absorb left-polarized light and skip right-polarized light or other way round depending on the architecture. Head of the Modeling and Design of Nanostructures laboratory Ivan Rukhlenko notes: "As with any chiral nanostructure, the range of applications of our supercrystals is huge. For example, we can use them in pharmacology to identify chiral drug molecules. Gathering in spirals around them, quantum dots can exhibit collective properties that enhance molecule absorptivity by hundreds of times. Thus, the molecules can be detected within solution with much more accuracy". Chirality is inherent in almost all organic molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids and other substances in the human body. For this reason, two mirror forms (enantiomers) of one drug have different biological activity: while one form may produce a therapeutic effect upon interacting with chiral molecules in the organism, the other form may not have any effect at all or even be toxic. This is why careful separation of enantiomers during drug synthesis is vitally important. In addition to pharmacology, optical activity of supercrystals can be used in several technical applications where light polarization is required. The rod shape of each quantum dot causes them to interact with light along the longitudinal axis, which is why mutual position of quantum dots has key importance for optical properties of the whole structure. Similarly, optical effects of supercrystals are most strongly manifested when the light is distributed along the central axis. Therefore, by orienting the supercrystals in solution scientists can switch optical activity of the system, similarly to the way it is done with liquid crystals. Supported by Trinity College, scientists have examined the optical response of the model. In order to study the supercrystal, researchers varied a number of morphological parameters of its structure, in particular, stretched it like a spring, changed the distance between quantum dots and their orientation relatively to each other. "For the first time, we could theoretically identify the parameters of chiral supercrystal that let us achieve maximum optical effect. Thanks to this approach, we avoided the fabrication of many unnecessary copies with unpredictable properties," says Anvar Baimuratov, lead author of the study, research associate at the Centre of Information Optical Technologies (IOT) at ITMO University. "Knowing the output parameters of optical properties, we can model a supercrystal to solve a specific problem. Conversely, having data on the supercrystal structure, we can accurately predict its optical activity". Based on the results obtained by the Russian scientists, their colleagues from Dresden University of Technology plan to bring the model to life and synthesize the supercrystal by means of DNA origami. This method allows assembling a helical structure from quantum dots through mediation of DNA molecules. "Experimental study of our supercrystals should confirm their theoretically predicted properties and identify new ones. But the main advantage of new semiconductor structure is already evident: varying its morphology in the synthesis process, we can change optical response of the supercrystal in a wide frequency range," adds Ivan Rukhlenko. A number of current technologies are based on the use of single quantum dots. Now the researchers proposed to gather them in supercrystals. "Assembling quantum dots in blocks, we get more degrees of freedom to change optical activity of supercrystal solutions. The more complex the structure is, the stronger its properties depend on how we have put the elements together. Adding complexity to the structure will lead to the appearance of a number of new optical materials", concludes Anvar Baimuratov. ### Germany's award in the highest amount for researchers from abroad was handed over to Professor Wolfgang Wernsdorfer yesterday evening (May 03) in Berlin. The pioneer of molecular spin electronics will now return from France to Germany: From June 01, 2016, Wernsdorfer will continue his research for the development of future quantum computers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The research award in the amount of EUR 5 million was handed over by the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Cornelia Quennet-Thielen, and the President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Professor Helmut Schwarz. "Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is the perfect match for KIT," the President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka, says. "It is one of our objectives to make essential contributions in the areas of energy, mobility, and information for coping with the global challenges of mankind. We are very happy to have Mr. Wernsdorfer, an internationally renowned expert in the areas of electronics, spin physics, and quantum computting, in Karlsruhe in the future." Wolfgang Wernsdorfer will come from the Institut NEEL of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Grenoble, France, back to KIT in Germany. He is specialized in molecular quantum spintronics, an area of experimental solid-state physics at the interface to chemistry and materials sciences. Wernsdorfer is among the leading experts worldwide for molecular nanomagnets and their use in quantum computer systems. With his pioneer experiments, Wernsdorfer determined and further developed the area of quantum magnetism. He found how molecular magnets behave under the laws of quantum mechanics. Based on this finding, he was able to build electronic circuits with single molecules, in which electric current can be controlled by the magnetization of the molecule. Wernsdorfer's next goal is to integrate extremely small and quick molecular quantum processors into the highly advanced microelectronic chip technology. This would allow quantum computers to be developed, which are based on magnetic molecules and nuclear spins. If connected in an appropriate way and number, they would be far superior to conventional computers in terms of speed and energy efficiency. The ultimate objective is to use molecular nanomagnets coupled to semiconductor transistors in future quantum computers. Presently, four spin states can be controlled by quantum mechanics in Wernsdorfer's nanomagnets. With this, one building block of a quantum computer is given: The qubit. "It is my vision for the future to test how many cubits can be connected and how these quantum systems can be applied," Wolfgang Wernsdorfer says. He will be member of the staff of KIT's Physikalisches Institut and plans to cooperate in an interdisciplinary manner with the Institute of Nanotechnology and the Institute for Theoretical Solid-state Physics. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer was born in 1966 in Germany and started to study physics at the University of Wurzburg after he had passed vocational training to become an electrician and a higher vocational school. He completed his studies at the renowned Ecole Normale Superieure in Lyon/France. In 1993, he became a doctoral researcher at the Low-Temperature Laboratory and the Laboratoire de Magnetism in Grenoble, France - two of the institutes that formed today's Institut NEEL of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), where he has held the position of Directeur de Recherche Premiere Classe since 2008. From June 01, 2016, he will establish the first center for molecular quantum spintronics of its kind at KIT. Wernsdorfer was granted a number of high-ranking honors and awards, such as the Agilent Europhysics Prize, the Olivier Kahn International Award, an ERC Advanced Grant of the European Research Council, or the Prix Special of the Societe Francaise de Physique. ### A video presenting the research conducted by Wolfgang Wernsdorfer can be found on the website of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: http://www.humboldt-professur.de/content/1-preistraeger/01-preistraeger-2016/8-wernsdorfer-wolfgang/00-wernsdorfer-de.mp4 About the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship to leading researchers in all disciplines worldwide, who have been working abroad so far. The winners have been nominated by German universities and research institutions and are now to establish internationally competitive teams and structures to conduct cutting-edge long-term research at German universities. The prize money in the amount of up to EUR 5 million is to cover the first five years of research in Germany. It is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The Humboldt Professorship provides German universities with the opportunity to attract excellent international researchers and to strengthen their profile in worldwide competition. In total, six winners were chosen in 2016. In the future, they will continue their research in Bielefeld, Bonn, Halle/Leipzig, Karlsruhe, Munich, and Munster. More information may be obtained at http://www.humboldt-professur.de/en. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) pools its three core tasks of research, higher education, and innovation in a mission. With about 9,300 employees and 25,000 students, KIT is one of the big institutions of research and higher education in natural sciences and engineering in Europe. KIT - The Research University in the Helmholtz Association Since 2010, the KIT has been certified as a family-friendly university. This press release is available on the internet at http://www.kit.edu. The photos of printing quality may be downloaded under http://www.kit.edu or requested by mail to presse@kit.edu or phone +49 721 608-4 7414. The photos may be used in the context given above exclusively. PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A new study from The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine found that smokers who received a text messaging intervention were more likely to abstain from smoking relative to controls. The paper is published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research mHealth and uHealth. "Tobacco use is one of the leading preventable global health problems, and text messaging has the promise to reach a wider audience with minimal costs and fewer resources," said Lori Scott-Sheldon, Ph.D., a senior research scientist in The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine and an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University. Text messaging (short message service, SMS) interventions provide health education, reminders and support using short written messages. SMS interventions can be adapted to fit an individual's health needs in his or her natural environment. The messages of support can be as simple as "You can do it!" or "Be strong." Using meta-analysis--a statistical technique for combining the findings from independent studies--the researchers conducted the most extensive systematic review of the literature to date. This included 20 manuscripts with 22 text messaging interventions for smoking cessation from 10 countries. "The evidence provides unequivocal support for the efficacy of text messaging interventions to reduce smoking behavior, but more research is needed to understand for whom they work, under what conditions, and why," said Scott-Sheldon. Added co-author Beth Bock, Ph.D., a senior research scientist in The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University, "Text messaging enjoys near-market saturation and is a widely preferred method of communication with deep penetration across diverse groups. Wide availability of an attractive and effective smoking cessation program can exert a powerful, sustained impact on public health." ### Study co-authors from The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine include Ryan Lantini, M.A.; Ernestine G. Jennings, Ph.D.; Herpreet Think, Ph.D.; Rochelle K. Rosen, Ph.D.; and Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher, M.D., Ph.D. About The Miriam Hospital The Miriam Hospital is a 247-bed, not-for-profit teaching hospital affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. It offers expertise in cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, men's health, and minimally invasive surgery and is home to the state's first Joint Commission-certified Stroke Center and robotic surgery program. The hospital, which received more than $23 million in external research funding last year, is nationally known for its HIV/AIDS and behavioral and preventive medicine research, including weight control, physical activity and smoking cessation. Named 2015-16 best regional hospital in Rhode Island and the Providence metro area by U.S. News & World Report, The Miriam Hospital has been awarded Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Services five times and is a founding member of the Lifespan health system. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@MiriamHospital) and Pinterest. Contextual factors, such as the race of participants in an experiment or the geography of where the experiment was run, can reduce the likelihood of replicating psychological studies, a team of New York University researchers has found. Their work, which appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), analyzed papers examined by the Reproducibility Project in an effort to identify potential challenges to replicating scientific scholarship. "The scientific community is continually evaluating how it can optimize its research process and should remain open to new practices to improve scholarship," observes Jay Van Bavel, an associate professor in NYU's Department of Psychology and the study's lead author. "These new findings suggest that we will need to improve both our methods and our theory if we want to improve reproducibility in science and we propose a roadmap for enhancing scientific research: scientists should avoid making universal generalizations based on limited data, explicitly define contextual factors that may influence their results, and work closely with original researchers to enhance reproducibility." Last year, the Reproducibility Project, a collaborative of psychology researchers, sought to replicate the findings of 100 previously published psychology studies. However, it was able to do so with only 39 percent of these studies, raising questions about the validity of the original scholarship. In March, a group of psychology researchers from Harvard University and the University of Virginia published a critique in Science, raising doubts about the Reproducibility Project's findings. They concluded that its analysis was statistically flawed and that several replication studies were poorly designed. In the new PNAS paper, the NYU researchers took a different approach--they focused on the nature of the research topic in the original studies. They re-analyzed all 100 papers that the Reproducibility Project sought to replicate, including some co-authored by other NYU faculty. Specifically, they assessed the extent to which the effects reported in the original studies were likely to be influenced by contextual factors such as time (e.g., pre- vs. post-Recession), culture (e.g., Eastern vs. Western culture), location (e.g., rural vs. urban setting), or population (e.g., a racially diverse population vs. a predominantly white population). In other words, they appraised the contextual sensitivity of the topics in the original 100 studies. The coders were blind to the results of the Reproducibility Project's replication attempts for all the papers they coded. The researchers then examined the relationship between ratings of contextual sensitivity (i.e., how likely context would affect the chances of replicating a given study) with the findings from the Reproducibility Project. The results showed that context ratings predicted replication success even after statistically adjusting for methodological factors such as effect size and statistical power. Specifically, studies with higher contextual sensitivity ratings--where, for instance, altering the race or geographical location of study participants could alter the results--were less likely to be reproduced by the Reproducibility Project researchers. In a second analysis, the NYU researchers examined which of the 100 replication studies were endorsed by the original authors--prior to the Reproducibility Project's data collection. Here they found that replication studies, which were not endorsed by the original authors, were far less likely to reproduce the results. Van Bavel and his colleagues note that challenges facing replication are not limited to psychology--and stretch back hundreds of years. For example, Sir Isaac Newton alleged that his contemporaries were unable to replicate his research on the color spectrum of light due to bad prisms. After he was able to direct them to better prisms (ones produced in London, rather than Italy) they were able to reproduce his results. In modern times, studies using mice or rats may be hampered by subtle environmental differences, such as food, bedding, and light, which can affect biological and chemical processes that determine whether experimental treatments succeed or fail. ### The study's other co-authors included Peter Mende-Siedlecki, an NYU postdoctoral fellow, and William Brady and Diego Reinero, both NYU doctoral candidates. This work was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (#1555131). COLUMBUS, Ohio - English ivy's natural glue might hold the key to new approaches to wound healing, stronger armor for the military and maybe even cosmetics with better staying power. New research from The Ohio State University illuminates the tiny particles responsible for ivy's ability to latch on so tight to trees and buildings that it can withstand hurricanes and tornadoes. (Not to mention infuriate those trying to rid their homes of the vigorous green climber.) The researchers pinpointed the spherical particles within English ivy's adhesive and identified the primary protein within them. "By understanding the proteins that give rise to ivy's strength, we can give rise to approaches to engineer new bio-inspired adhesives for medical and industry products," said Mingjun Zhang, the biomedical engineering professor who led the work. "It's a milestone to resolve this mystery. We now know the secret of this adhesive and the underlying molecular mechanism," said Zhang, who focuses his work on finding answers in nature for vexing problems in medicine. The study appears today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Like many scientists before him, Charles Darwin among them, Zhang found himself captivated by English ivy - the physics of it, the sheer strength of it. "Ivy has these very tiny hairy structures that have a wonderful interaction with the surface as the plant climbs. One day I was looking at the ivy in the backyard and I was amazed at the force," Zhang said. "It's very difficult to tear down, even in a natural disaster. It's one of the strongest adhesive forces in nature." When he and his team took a look at the ivy's glue with a powerful atomic-force microscope, they were able to identify a previously unknown element in its adhesive. The tiny particles inside the glue on their laboratory slides turned out to be primarily made up of arabinogalactan proteins. And when the scientists investigated further, they discovered that the driving force behind the curing of the glue was a calcium-mediated interaction between the proteins and pectin in the gelatinous liquid that oozes from ivy as it climbs. Zhang said particles rich in those proteins have exceptional adhesive abilities - abilities that could be used to the advantage of many, from biomedical engineers to paint makers. Zhang, a member of Ohio State's Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, is particularly interested in bioadhesives that could aid in wound healing after injury or surgeries. Others, notably the U.S. military, are interested in surface-coating applications for purposes that include strengthening armor systems, he said. Many plants are excellent climbers, but scientists have had limited information about the adhesives that enable those plants to affix themselves to walls, fences and just about anything in their way, he said. "When climbing, ivy secretes these tiny nanoparticles which make initial surface contact. Due to their high uniformity and low viscosity, they can attach to large areas on various surfaces," Zhang said. After the water evaporates, a chemical bond forms, Zhang said. "It's really a nature-made amazing mechanism for high-strength adhesion," he said. The glue doesn't just sit on the surface of the object that the ivy is clinging to, he said. It finds its way into openings invisible to the naked eye, further solidifying its bond. To confirm what they found, Zhang and his collaborators used the nanoparticles to reconstruct a simple glue that mimics ivy adhesive. Advanced bioadhesives based on this research will take more time and research. In addition to its strength, ivy adhesive has other properties that make it appealing to scientists looking for answers to engineering quandaries, Zhang said. "Under moisture or high or low temperatures, it's not easily damaged," he said. "Ivy is very resistant to various environmental conditions, which makes the adhesive a particularly interesting candidate for the development of armor coatings." Ivy also is considered a pest because it can be destructive to buildings and bridges. Knowing what's at the heart of its sticking ability could help scientists unearth approaches to resist the plant, Zhang said. ### Zhang's collaborators from Ohio State were Yujian Huang, Yongzhong Wang, Leming Sun and Jennifer Petrosino. Others involved in the study were Li Tan, of the University of Georgia; and Mei-Zhen Cui and Feng Hao, of the University of Tennessee. The research was supported by the U.S. Army, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. CONTACT: Mingjun Zhang, 614-292-3181; Zhang.4882@osu.edu Written by Misti Crane, 614-292-5220; Crane.11@osu.edu The lab of Rice University synthetic organic chemist K.C. Nicolaou has reported the streamlined total synthesis of delta12-prostaglandin J3, a molecule previously claimed to kill leukemic cancer cells. The researchers said their work sets the stage for large-scale synthesis of the cytotoxic agent, a lipid found in nearly all animal tissues, and related compounds that can be produced as potential agents to treat certain types of cancer. The report by Nicolaou and his colleagues on the streamlined total synthesis appeared in Chemistry - A European Journal. The Nicolaou lab specializes in the synthesis of therapeutic molecules found in nature, but in amounts too small for thorough biological evaluation or clinical use. Since joining Rice and setting up at the BioScience Research Collaborative in 2013, Nicolaou and his team have achieved the synthesis of several cancer-fighting molecules. Nicolaou is best known for the total synthesis of paclitaxel, a drug commonly used to treat a number of cancers. The prostaglandin the Nicolaou lab synthesized had been isolated in 2011 as a secondary metabolite formed from eicosapentaenoic acid that is found primarily in fish oil. The Nicolaou lab reported the first total synthesis of the molecule in 2014. That allowed them to confirm its structure. Now the lab has established techniques to develop related disease-fighting compounds and ramp up bulk production if necessary. Several such derivatives under consideration as preclinical drug candidates were detailed in a second paper by the lab this month. The lab reported that total synthesis of the natural product now requires only six steps from commercially available starting materials. Such a concise and efficient route is highly desirable for the synthesis of preclinical drug candidates and drugs. In the second paper, the Nicolaou lab identified a macrolactone derivative, formed by joining two functional groups together, as a promising chemotherapy agent to fight a variety of cancers. That publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society described the synthesis of dozens of prostaglandin derivatives. Nicolaou said the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute (NCI) tested their cytotoxicity against a variety of cancer cell samples. "All of the compounds were sent to the NCI for testing," Nicolaou said. "In their initial tests, they give a high dosage to cancer cells to see if the compound has any activity. Some of them failed that test. But those that pass go for further testing at lower concentrations to see how powerful they are." One derivative tested by NCI, designated as macrolactone 11, is currently under evaluation as a preclinical drug candidate, Nicolaou said. Related compounds macrolactone 33 and 44, which he said showed evidence of even higher potency against leukemia, lung cancer, colon cancer, melanoma, renal, prostate cancer "and several more we did not include in this paper," are also being considered for further testing by Texas Medical Center collaborators. Results obtained in collaboration with the group of Mark Bronstrup, a professor at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Germany, led the researchers to suspect the molecule works by inhibiting the export of a translocation biosensor from a cancer cell's nucleus through a covalent addition to an export receptor. The lab continues to develop drug candidates based on prostaglandin. "The macrolactones are very good - better than the natural product - and now we're following this lead to optimize the potency while minimizing toxicity. It's a balancing act," Nicolaou said. "In the process we've developed a lot of nice chemistry, and we know a lot more about the biology of this compound," he said. "We've advanced organic synthesis in general and also enriched the knowledge about how these kind of molecules behave. We hope the papers provide some ideas and leads and inspiration for others to follow." ### Postdoctoral researchers Kiran Kumar Pulukuri and Stephan Rigol, graduate student Ruocheng Yu and lab alumni Charles Grove, Philipp Heretsch, Christopher Hale and Abdelatif ElMarrouni, all of Rice, are co-authors on the Chemistry - A European Journal paper. Pulukuri, Rigol, Heretsch, Yu, Grove, Hale and ElMarrouni as well as Bronstrup and Verena Fetz of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany, and Monette Aujay, Joseph Sandoval and Julia Gavrilyuk of Stemcentrx Inc., San Francisco, are authors of the JACS paper. The National Institutes of Health, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the Welch Foundation supported the research. Read the Chemistry abstract at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.201601449/full. Read the JACS abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.6b02075. This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2016/05/23/new-cancer-fighters-emerge-from-lab/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Related materials: K.C. Nicolaou Group: http://nicolaou.rice.edu/members.html Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for best quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview. Oysters are keystone organisms in estuaries around the world, influencing water quality, constructing habitat and providing food for humans and wildlife. Yet their populations in the Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere have dramatically declined after more than a century of overfishing, pollution, disease and habitat degradation. Smithsonian scientists and colleagues, however, have conducted the first bay-wide, millennial-scale study of oyster harvesting in the Chesapeake, revealing a sustainable model for future oyster restoration. Their research is published in the May 23 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Despite providing food for humans for millennia, little is known about Chesapeake Bay oyster populations prior to the late 1800s. Using fossil, archaeological and modern biological data, the team of scientists was able to reconstruct changes in oyster size from four time frames: the Pleistocene (780,000-13,000 years ago), prehistoric Native American occupation (3,200-400 years ago), historic (400-50 years ago) and modern times (2000 to 2014). They found that while oyster size fluctuated at certain points through time, it has generally decreased over time and the average size of modern oysters is significantly smaller than oysters from the 1800s and earlier. "Our work demonstrates the importance of working across disciplines and using the past to help us understand and transcend modern environmental issues," said Torben Rick, an anthropologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and lead author of the research. "In this case, paleontology, archaeology, history and marine ecology all provided unique perspectives on the difficult puzzle of restoring Chesapeake oysters. Ultimately, they issue a challenge for us to make important and difficult decisions about how to restore and sustain our marine ecosystems and organisms." The team also found that Native Americans' method of selecting and hand-collecting oysters likely resulted in more consistent average sizes and fewer very small individual oysters. People were likely removing oysters from the reefs in a way that was biased toward medium-sized oysters without decreasing the average size of the oysters in the harvested populations. With limited variability in oyster size and abundance, and no strong evidence for a size decline from 3,500 to 400 years ago, the Native American Chesapeake Bay oyster harvesting appears to have been largely sustainable, despite changing climatic conditions and sea-level rise. The teams point to four supporting factors: Water depth and technology restricted Native Americans' harvest primarily close to shore Oysters may have been harvested intensively at particular times of year and less so at others The density of the human population was drastically lower than today Broad-spectrum human diets that had a mix of marine and terrestrial resources It is this sustainability of the Native American oyster fishery that can provide insight into the future restoration of oysters in the Chesapeake Bay and around the world. However, there are factors stacked against modern-day oysters that did not exist in the prehistoric Native American's time. "Chesapeake Bay oysters now face challenges resulting from disease, poor water quality and over a century of overfishing, which not only removes oysters, but also destroys the reef habitat oysters depend on," said Denise Breitburg, co-author and senior scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. "These factors have led to the decline of oysters in Chesapeake Bay and are making restoration difficult. But large-scale efforts are underway to try to reverse the trend." The team's model of a sustainable prehistoric Native American harvest of oysters, primarily by hand from fringing reefs that left deeper-water reefs largely intact, supports recent plans for Chesapeake Bay oyster-restoration efforts. They include reduction of modern harvest levels and creation of increased no-take zones that are conceptually similar to deep-water areas where harvest was unlikely in Native American fisheries. Current restoration plans also include enhancement of oyster density using hatchery seed and the addition of new hard substrate where needed. The team's Pleistocene data also provide a baseline against which the size distribution of oysters in no-take reserves could be evaluated. While not solving all the challenges facing oysters in the Chesapeake, the team's research provides an example of an apparently sustainable millennial-scale fishery, elements of which may help inform restoration and harvest in today's ecosystem. The archaeological component of this study was funded by the Smithsonian Institution and a Committee for Research and Exploration grant from the National Geographic Society. ### San Antonio -- May 23, 2016 -- A Southwest Research Institute-led team of scientists discovered two geologically young craters -- one 16 million, the other between 75 and 420 million, years old -- in the Moon's darkest regions. "These 'young' impact craters are a really exciting discovery," said SwRI Senior Research Scientist Dr. Kathleen Mandt, who outlined the findings in a paper published by the journal Icarus. "Finding geologically young craters and honing in on their age helps us understand the collision history in the solar system." Key to this discovery was the SwRI-developed Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) instrument aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). LAMP uses the far-ultraviolet Lyman-alpha band skyglow and light from ultraviolet-bright stars LAMP to "see" in the dark and image the permanently shaded regions of the Moon. Using LAMP and LRO's Mini-RF radar data, the team mapped the floors of very large, deep craters near the lunar south pole. These deep craters are difficult to study because sunlight never illuminates them directly. Tiny differences in reflectivity, or albedo, measured by LAMP allowed scientists to discover these two craters and estimate their ages. "We study planetary geology to understand the history of solar system formation," said SwRI's Dr. Thomas Greathouse, LAMP deputy principal investigator. "It is exciting and extremely gratifying to happen upon a unique and unexpected new method for the detection and age determination of young craters in the course of nominal operations." Collisions in space have played an important role in the formation of the solar system, including the formation of the Moon. Impact craters tell the history of collisions between objects in the solar system. Because the Moon has been peppered with impacts, its surface serves as a record of its past. Determining when collisions occurred helps scientists map the motion of objects in the solar system throughout its history. Craters that are young on geological timescales (millions of years) also provide information on the frequency of collisions. When a small object collides with a larger object, such as the Moon, the impact creates a crater on the larger body. Craters can be a few feet in diameter or several miles wide. During the impact, the material ejected forms a blanket of material surrounding the crater. The ejecta blankets of "fresh," relatively young craters have rough surfaces of rubble and a sprinkling of condensed, bright dust. Over millions of years, these features undergo weathering and become covered with layers of fluffy, dark dust. Scientists determined that the areas around the two craters were brighter and rougher than the surrounding landscape. The team estimated the age of one crater at about 16 million years. The other crater's rough extended ejecta blanket had faded, showing that this crater must be at least 75 million years old. But time would have completely covered the ejecta blanket in fluffy dust within 420 million years, providing an upper limit on its age. Other images, produced using laser altimetry and sunlight scattered off crater walls, provided details about topography, surface features, and material properties. Discovering these two craters and a new way to detect young craters in the most mysterious regions of the Moon is particularly exciting," said Mandt. This method will be useful not only on the Moon, but also on other interesting bodies, including Mercury, the dwarf planet Ceres, and the asteroid Vesta. ### "LRO-LAMP Detection of Geologically Young Craters within Lunar Permanently Shaded Regions" is published in Icarus (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.07.031. This work was funded by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project. Editors: Image to accompany this story: http://www.swri.org/press/2016/lamp-lunar-crater-discovery.htm University of Adelaide environmental researchers have called for a 'code of best practice' in using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for wildlife monitoring and protection, and other biological field research. The researchers, from the University's Unmanned Research Aircraft Facility (URAF) or Adelaide Drone Hub, say that drones are a useful tool for field research and their use is growing in popularity. But, they warn in a report published in the Cell Press journal Current Biology, this new technology could also have undesirable and unforeseen impacts on wildlife and there is currently little understanding of the risks. The report authors are Jarrod Hodgson, researcher and PhD candidate in the URAF, and Associate Professor Lian Pin Koh, Director of URAF and a global pioneer in the use of drones for conservation as founding director of the not-for-profit organisation Conservation Drones.org. "Even though an animal might not appear to be disturbed, it could be quite stressed -- for example, a bird may choose to remain near a UAV even when stressed because it is incubating an egg or protecting its hatchling," says Mr Hodgson. "It is likely that animal responses vary depending on a variety of factors including the species, environmental and historical context, as well as the type of UAV and its method of operation." Mr Hodgson says that considering the growing popularity of UAVs as a tool among field biologists, and the potential for negative impacts on wildlife, steps need to be taken to minimise and manage the risk. "A code of best practice will allow informed use of UAVs, while mitigating or alleviating potential wildlife disturbance," he says. Mr Hodgson and Associate Professor Koh provide a suite of recommendations as the basis for such a code of best practice for using drones in the vicinity of animals and/or for the purpose of animal research. They consider this code should be a first and guiding step in the development of species specific protocols to reduce potential disturbance to wildlife. Their recommendations cover: adopting a precautionary principle in lieu of evidence utilising institutional animal ethics processes to provide oversight complying with civil aviation regulations; regular maintenance and training selecting appropriate UAVs for the job exercising minimum wildlife disturbance flight practices, and ceasing operations if they are disruptive publishing detailed reports of methods and results "In a time of unprecedented change, such techniques will assist in understanding, managing and conserving our planet's biodiversity; and maximise the potential of UAVs as a powerful, low impact ecological survey tool," Mr Hodgson says. ### Media Contact: Jarrod Hodgson Lead author Mobile: 61-0-427-506-152 jarrod.hodgson@adelaide.edu.au Robyn Mills Media Officer Phone: 61-8-8313-6314 Mobile: 61-0-410-689-084 robyn.mills@adelaide.edu.au An international team of scientists, including two professors and three graduate students from UCLA, has detected and confirmed the faintest early-universe galaxy ever. Using the W. M. Keck Observatory on the summit on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the researchers detected the galaxy as it was 13 billion years ago. The results were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Tommaso Treu, a professor of physics and astronomy in the UCLA College and a co-author of the research, said the discovery could be a step toward unraveling one of the biggest mysteries in astronomy: how a period known as the "cosmic dark ages" ended. The researchers made the discovery using an effect called gravitational lensing to see the incredibly faint object, which was born just after the Big Bang. Gravitational lensing was first predicted by Albert Einstein almost a century ago; the effect is similar to that of an image behind a glass lens appearing distorted because of how the lens bends light. The detected galaxy was behind a galaxy cluster known as MACS2129.4-0741, which is massive enough to create three different images of the galaxy. According to the Big Bang theory, the universe cooled as it expanded. As that happened, Treu said, protons captured electrons to form hydrogen atoms, which in turn made the universe opaque to radiation -- giving rise to the cosmic dark ages. "At some point, a few hundred million years later, the first stars formed and they started to produce ultraviolet light capable of ionizing hydrogen," Treu said. "Eventually, when there were enough stars, they might have been able to ionize all of the intergalactic hydrogen and create the universe as we see it now." That process, called cosmic reionization, happened about 13 billion years ago, but scientists have so far been unable to determine whether there were enough stars to do it or whether more exotic sources, like gas falling onto supermassive black holes, might have been responsible. "Currently, the most likely suspect is stars within faint galaxies that are too faint to see with our telescopes without gravitational lensing magnification," Treu said. "This study exploits gravitational lensing to demonstrate that such galaxies exist, and is thus an important step toward solving this mystery." The research team was led by Marusa Bradac, a professor at UC Davis. Co-authors include Matthew Malkan, a UCLA professor of physics and astronomy, and UCLA graduate students Charlotte Mason, Takahiro Morishita and Xin Wang. The galaxy's magnified spectra were detected independently by both Keck Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope data. ### Using a miniature microscope that opens a window into the brain, UCLA neuroscientists have identified in mice how the brain links different memories over time. While aging weakens these connections, the team devised a way for the middle-aged brain to reconnect separate memories. The findings, which were published today in the advance online edition of Nature, suggest a possible intervention for people suffering from age-related memory problems. "Until now, neuroscientists have focused on how the brain creates and stores single memories," said principal investigator Alcino Silva, a professor of neurobiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "We wanted to explore how the brain links two memories and whether the passage of time affects the strength of the connection." "In the real world, memories don't happen in isolation," said first author Denise Cai, a researcher in Silva's lab. "Our past experiences influence the creation of new memories and help us predict what to expect and make informed decisions in the future." In an intricate experiment, the UCLA team tested in young and middle-aged mice whether the brain linked memories of experiences separated by five hours versus seven days. Watching neurons in real time The lab used a miniature microscope, called a Miniscope, which was developed by UCLA neuroscientists Dr. Peyman Golshani, Baljit Khakh and Silva with funding from the presidential BRAIN Initiative and the Geffen School. The instrument's powerful camera allowed the scientists to peer into the brains of young and observe their cells in action. The tiny, head-mounted microscope illuminated the animals' neurons firing as the mice moved freely in their natural environments. For 10 minutes at a time, each mouse was placed in three boxes, all unique in terms of fragrance, shape, lighting and flooring. A week's time separated placement in the first and second boxes. Only five hours separated time spent in the second and third boxes, where the mouse later received a small shock to the foot. Two days later, the team returned each mouse to all three boxes. As expected, the mice froze with fear when it recognized the inside of the third box. What happened next, however, came as a surprise. "The mouse also froze in the second box, where no shock occurred," Silva observed. "This suggests that the mouse transferred its memory of the shock in the third box to its experience in the second box five hours earlier." When Silva and Cai examined the animals' brains, the neural activity confirmed their hypothesis. "The same brain cells that recorded the mouse's shock in the third box also encoded its memory of the second box a few hours earlier," Cai said. "We saw 20 percent more overlap in the neural circuits that recorded the animal's experiences in the memories that unfolded closer in time." In other words, says Silva, "The memories became interrelated in how they were encoded and stored by the brain, such that the recall of one memory triggered the recall of another memory related in time." Exciting the brain Based on an earlier Silva finding, the team knew that a cell is most likely to encode a memory when it's aroused and ready to fire. Neuroscientists refer to this condition as excitability. "The excitable brain is already warmed up," Silva said. "It's like stretching your muscles before exercise or revving your car engine before you drive." Suspecting that aging weakens neurons' ability to fully excite, the UCLA researchers conducted a similar experiment in middle-aged mice. They introduced each of the mice to two boxes, five hours apart, and administered a foot shock in the second box. When they returned the animals to the boxes two days later, the results could not have been more clear-cut. "The older mice froze only in the box where they had received a shock," Cai explained. "They did not react in the first box." A glimpse into the Miniscopes confirmed that the brains of the mice did not connect the two memories; each memory was encoded on its own neural circuit. Rescuing lost connections Next the team focused on boosting the older animals' ability to link memories. Cai used a biological tool to excite neurons in a tiny part of the hippocampus -- the memory center of the brain -- before introducing the mice to the first box. She stimulated the same cells before placing the mice in the first box and the second box, where they received a foot shock two days later. "The proof in the pudding arrived when we reintroduced the middle-aged mice to the first box," Silva said. "The animals froze -- they now linked the shock that happened in the second box to the first. This suggests that increased excitability had reversed their age-related inability to link memories." Cai and Silva are currently testing an FDA-approved drug's effect on the ability of middle-aged mice to connect memories. ### The work was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke and the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation. The National Institute of Mental Health and the dean's fund at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA provided funding to Silva, Khakh and Golshani to develop the miniaturized microscopes. Media Contacts: Elaine Schmidt 310-794-2272 eschmidt@mednet.ucla.edu Enrique Rivero 310-794-2273 erivero@mednet.ucla.edu In 2012, the White House put out a call to increase the number of STEM graduates by one million. Since then, hundreds of thousands of science students have started down the path toward a STEM career. Yet, nearly half of all undergraduate students studying in a these fields will abandon their major before graduation according to a study from the National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education Sciences. "The first impressions of many STEM majors are often introductory survey courses that only scratch the surface of a field," said Andrew Zureick, a former chemistry undergrad at Dartmouth College. "Faculty interaction is limited given large class sizes, students get lost in the shuffle, and many times students feel like the rest of a major in the sciences will be like this. When students leave their science major, it's often before pursuing upper level, topic-specific courses where you become better acquainted with cutting-edge research and new developments in a field." Zureick and three fellow Dartmouth students, Justin Bauer, Yoo Jung Kim, and Daniel Lee, wanted to find a way to help more students make it to graduation. Together they created What Every Science Student Should Know (University of Chicago Press) with the hopes that aspiring scientists would realize they were not alone when it comes with the unique pressures and frustrations of their majors. "Science is challenging, but it's also shrouded in lots of misconceptions that scare many students away. We want students to understand that with the right guidance and work, they can succeed in STEM," said Kim. The authors used their own experiences as recent science graduates and also drew from their time as editors of the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science. "By sophomore year, I had racked up several Bs and B minuses in my STEM courses," Kim said. "I wondered whether I was cut out to be a biology major. Thankfully, my faculty and student mentors at Dartmouth College helped me to change my attitude and study habits. Starting junior year, I aced my courses. After that, I asked my student mentors to join me in writing a book that would enable other students to succeed in their STEM majors." The author team interviewed dozens of successful scientists as well as fellow students in order to gather the best advice for surviving the ups and downs of undergrad life. They wanted What Every Science Student Should Know to be a personal mentor for students. Chapters cover the entire college experience, including choosing a major, mastering study skills, doing scientific research, connecting with mentors, finding a job, and, most important, how to keep their love of science. "My hope is that reading this book will give students a solid understanding of what to expect and prepare for during their college careers," said Bauer. "I believe that this understanding will leave them much better able to deal with the challenges that they will face." All four of the authors are still pursuing careers in the STEM fields. Bauer is studying for his MD at the University of California, San Diego. Kim is a first-year medical student at Stanford University. Zureick is currently a medical student at the University of Michigan while Lee is a medical student at Harvard Medical School. What Every Science Student Should Know publishes on May 23, 2016 from The University of Chicago Press. ### A pioneering team of international researchers have devised a 'manifesto for fire science' to explore the pivotal relationship that exists between mankind and fire, on a global stage. The team, brought together by Dr Claire Belcher from the University of Exeter's wildFIRE Lab and colleagues, delves into the complex relationship that fire has had with our planet and humans over millennia, from the first fires through to its role in the industrial revolutions worldwide. In their synthesis the experts deliberate the intricate role that fire has made on the natural environment, and the tension it can create with human inhabitants as populations have expanded. Crucially, the researchers suggest that a combination of factors, including the problem of invasive plants, landscape change, climate change, population growth, human health and economic, social and cultural attitude make a re-evaluation of the relationship between fire and man necessary. The innovative research paper was produced following a Royal Society discussion meeting, held in September, and is published as part of volume exploring both the natural and human face of fire in the respected scientific journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B on Monday, May 23. Dr Belcher, who is an Earth scientist specialising in the study of natural fires in the Earth system, said the research would help policymakers "reassess their attitudes" towards how to deal with fire in the natural world. Dr Belcher said: "It is imperative that we consider this complex interaction between fire and humankind on a global scale, and not just imagine it is a localised, or of far away, concern. "What we have shown is that understanding fire is a broader and more complex issue than it is perhaps treated now - it encompasses physical, biological and social sciences as well as engineering, and the humanities - and it needs to be seen as such by policymakers, both home and abroad. "In the UK we may imagine that fire is only an issue in hot, dry areas of the world, such as the US or Australia, but even in the UK a wildfire can have a massive impact - The SE faces particular threat from wildfire via the proximity of at risk forests and heathlands to core infrastructure for example if a wildfire were to cause a part closure of the M25 even for an hour in peak time the cost to the UK economy would be close to 1million." Dr Belcher highlighted: "In order for mankind to consider a more sustainable coexistence with fire into our future researchers and policy makers need to come together to explore fire's relationship with man and our planet across timescales and across political boundaries". The experts conclude that: "Imagining that we could live without fire is both folly and impossible. Importantly, our combustion habits - both fossil fuels combustion and landscape burning - ensure that we are building new dynamism into our social-ecological relationship with fire through climate change. We must learn to live with fire as it will this will become an increasing problem that needs a fuller discussion among all affected: stakeholders, policy-makers and scientists." ### The full issue can be found after publication at: http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/interaction-fire-and-mankind University of Exeter experts will collect large amounts of propaganda put on the internet by Islamic State terrorists in real time to understand how it radicalises people. The group is well-known for its use of social media to elicit fear and communicate and promote its ideology. Academics will harvest and analyse this content, and use this huge amount of information to understand more about the themes, issues and claims made by ISIS. It is hoped the findings will strengthen the capabilities of UK intelligence services to combat propaganda initiatives of violent organisations. Researchers involved in the study will conduct a large-scale, computer-assisted analysis of video and text. They hope to identify how ISIS' online propaganda encourages individuals to commit to political extremism and violence. Analysing the propaganda will allow academics to evaluate how ISIS' online content makes use of polarizing language known to foster intergroup conflict. The academics will examine the language used and the structure of the propaganda to give a clear picture of the arguments made by ISIS in support of terrorism. Their findings will be shared with policymakers. The study is led by Stephane Baele and Travis Coan from the Department of Politics, and Katharine Boyd from the Department of Sociology. Dr Baele said: "We are thrilled that this CREST grant allows us to examine ISIS' online propaganda. We are certainly not the first to work on this crucial issue, but our research has two unique aspects that will significantly enhance our understanding of this complex phenomenon. "We will make use of powerful, computational techniques to detect, gather, and analyse this propaganda. We will also use our knowledge of cognition and perception to make sense of the data we collected. By combining rigorous methods and in-depth explanations, we ultimately hope to contribute to ongoing and future efforts to stop the appeal of violent organisations." This is one of a range of projects set up to address some of the security threats facing the UK funded by the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (CREST), which is led by Lancaster University. Director of CREST, Professor Paul Taylor, said: "We were delighted with the outstanding response to our call. Standing out against stiff competition, the successful projects promise innovation, rigour, and results that will make a difference to how we understand and counter security threats. I am looking forward to working with them." ### A University of Iowa special education researcher is using interactive technology to help K-12 teachers improve students' behavior and attention problems in the classroom. UI College of Education faculty member Allison Bruhn, along with two research colleagues at Vanderbilt University and the UI's Jo Hendrickson, was recently awarded a three-year, nearly $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to further develop their self-monitoring behavior intervention app called Score It. Score It is an iPad app that prompts students and teachers to assess students' behavior at regular intervals throughout the school day. The app has been piloted in middle schools across eastern Iowa. Bruhn says students were taught to think about their behavior and to record it over time. Score It provides a timer that goes off every few minutes, alerting students to rate behaviors such as respectfulness on a scale from zero to four. At the same time, the teacher is completing the same procedures to evaluate the students. The app keeps track of this data, which teachers can use to provide feedback to students and to evaluate student progress. The idea is to get students who struggle with behavior problems, such as being off-task or disruptive, to be more aware of what they are doing, which should lead to improved behavior. Bruhn says traditionally this process has been done using paper and pencil. Recording data digitally improves the experience for both students and teachers. "Students like technology," she says. "It's cool to them and can be more discrete than using pencil and paper. Teachers like the automation; the app calculates and graphs data for them." Kristi Emerson, at-risk coordinator and reading teacher at Mount Pleasant Community Middle School, says she had tried all sorts of techniques--rating scales, physical cues, verbal cues--to help improve one of her student's classroom behavior, but none were as effective as Score It. "The student was really struggling with the ability to stay on task, to stay focused, to get work completed in a timely manner," Emerson says. "We set the app so the timer would go off every 10 minutes, and for whatever reason, this technology really worked. It was easy to use, it was successful, and it was quick from a time management standpoint. ... I'm curious to see where this goes in the future." The new Department of Education grant will help enhance Score It's capabilities to interpret data and then recommend next steps to teachers, which will save teachers time and enable them to be more independent of researchers and behavior specialists. "It's like having a live expert inside the technology," Bruhn says. "We know that the app works. We know that self-monitoring works. But the more difficult task is using data to make decisions that will maintain behavior improvements over time. Most teachers aren't trained in this; we want to make things easier for them by giving them all the tools they need right at their fingertips." Project activities related to the grant will be carried out in elementary and middle school reading classrooms over the course of three years in local Iowa and Tennessee schools. Bruhn says the research team plans to make Score It publicly available this summer on iTunes. ### In the aftermath of violent acts such as mass shootings, many people assume mental illness is the cause. After studying the 2011 case of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers are suggesting a new forensic term to classify non-psychotic behavior that leads to criminal acts of violence. "When these types of tragedies occur, we question the reason behind them," said Tahir Rahman, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Sometimes people think that violent actions must be the byproduct of psychotic mental illness, but this is not always the case. Our study of the Breivik case was meant to explain how extreme beliefs can be mistaken for psychosis, and to suggest a new legal term that clearly defines this behavior." Breivik, a Norwegian terrorist, killed 77 people on July 22, 2011, in a car bombing in Oslo and a mass shooting at a youth camp on the island of Utya in Norway. Claiming to be a "Knights Templar" and a "savior of Christianity," Breivik stated that the purpose of the attacks was to save Europe from multiculturalism. Two teams of court-appointed forensic psychiatrists later examined Breivik. The first psychiatric team diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. However, after widespread criticism, a second team concluded that Breivik was not psychotic and diagnosed him with narcissistic personality disorder. Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison. "Breivik believed that killing innocent people was justifiable, which seems irrational and psychotic," said Rahman, who also conducts forensic psychiatric examinations but was not involved with the Breivik case. "However, some people without psychotic mental illness feel so strongly about their beliefs that they take extreme actions. Current clinical guides, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, offer vague descriptions of alternative reasons a person may commit such crimes. Our suggested term for criminally violent behavior when psychosis can be ruled out is 'extreme overvalued belief.'" Rahman defines "extreme overvalued belief" as a belief that is shared by others and often relished, amplified and defended by the accused. The individual has an intense emotional commitment to the belief and may act violently as a result of that belief. Although the individual may suffer from other forms of mental illness, the belief and the actions associated with it are not the result of insanity. "In courts of law, there are not clearly defined, standard methods of diagnosing insanity for legal purposes," Rahman said. "This new term will help forensic psychiatrists properly identify the motive for the defendant's criminal behavior when sanity is questioned." Rahman said that more research on extreme overvalued beliefs is needed to understand how they develop. Identifying those at risk will give mental health professionals an opportunity to intervene before violent behavior occurs. "Certain psychological factors may make people more vulnerable to developing dominating and amplified beliefs," Rahman said. "However, amplification of beliefs about issues such as immigration, religion, abortion or politics also may occur through the internet, group dynamics or obedience to charismatic authority figures. We already warn our youth about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, teen pregnancy and smoking. We need to add the risk of developing extreme overvalued beliefs to that list as we work toward reducing the violence often associated with them." ### The study, "Anders Breivik: Extreme Beliefs Mistaken for Psychosis," recently was published in The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Research reported in this publication was supported by the MU School of Medicine and the MU Department of Psychiatry. The researchers have no conflicts of interest to declare related to this study. About the MU School of Medicine The MU School of Medicine has improved health, education and research in Missouri and beyond for more than 165 years. MU physicians treat patients from every county in the state, and more Missouri physicians received their medical degrees from MU than from any other university. For more information, visit http://medicine.missouri.edu/. A University of Oklahoma Center on American Indian and Alaska Native Genomic Research will examine the impact of genomic information on American Indian and Alaska Native communities and health care systems. A National Institutes of Health grant for $3,611,308 will allow the OU research team to collaborate with the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, the Chickasaw Nation and Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage, Alaska, to study knowledge and attitudes about genomics. Paul Spicer, professor in the Department of Anthropology, OU College of Arts and Sciences, and OU Center for Applied Social Research, leads the research effort. Co-principal investigators are Cecil Lewis, professor in the OU Department of Anthropology and co-director of the Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research; and Amanda Cobb-Greetham, professor in the OU Department of Native American Studies, and the OU Native Nations Center. The OU Center will focus on research, education and training on the implications of genomics in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Native communities have been at the forefront of debates about genomics in society, and the proposed Center seeks to advance these dialogues through deliberation, identifying where opportunities to develop this knowledge may lie and to articulate protocols that maximize the value of this work to tribal communities. The Center is equally concerned with identifying the potential problems with genomic knowledge and identifying protections for Native communities that may choose to engage in such research. The program draws on OU's strengths in cultural and biological anthropology, Native American studies, law and communication. Scientists from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation also lend expertise in the science of genomics. The National Human Genome Research Institute's Centers of Excellence in Ethics, Legal and Social Implications Research program was established in 2004 to bring together experts in wide-ranging fields--bioethics, law, behavioral and social sciences, epidemiology, public health, public policy, genomics and clinical research--to study the potential societal implications of genomic information and research. These projects help develop public policy and guidelines for research, in addition to educating the next generation of researchers. For additional information, contact Spicer at paul.spicer@ou.edu. ### A new study from the University of Rochester suggests that human intelligence might have evolved in response to the demands of caring for infants. Steven Piantadosi and Celeste Kidd, assistant professors in brain and cognitive sciences, developed a novel evolutionary model in which the development of high levels of intelligence may be driven by the demands of raising offspring. Their study is available online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition. "Human infants are born far more immature than the infants of other species. For example, giraffe calves are able to stand-up, walk around, and even flee from predators within hours of their births. By comparison, human infants cannot even support their own heads," said Kidd. "Our theory is that there is a kind of self-reinforcing cycle where big brains lead to very premature offspring and premature offspring lead to parents having to have big brains. What our formal modeling work shows is that those dynamics can result in runaway pressure for extremely intelligent parents and extremely premature offspring," said Piantadosi. In other words, because humans have relatively big brains, their infants must be born early in development while their heads are still small enough to insure a safe delivery. Early birth, though, means that human infants are helpless for much longer than other primates, and such vulnerable infants require intelligent parents. As a result, selective pressures for large brains and early birth can become self-reinforcing--potentially creating species like humans with qualitatively different cognitive abilities than other animals. Piantadosi and Kidd tested a novel prediction of the model that the immaturity of newborns should be strongly related to general intelligence. "What we found is that weaning time--which acts as a measure of the prematurity of the infants--was a much better predictor of primate's intelligence than any of other measures we looked at, including brain size, which is commonly correlated with intelligence," said Piantadosi. The theory may also be able to explain the origin of the cognitive abilities that make humans special. "Humans have a unique kind of intelligence. We are good at social reasoning and something called 'theory of mind'--the ability to anticipate the needs of others, and to recognize that those needs may not be the same as our own," said Kidd, who is also the director of the Rochester Baby Lab at the University of Rochester. "This is an especially helpful when taking care of an infant who is not able talk for a couple of years." "There are alternative theories of why humans are so intelligent. A lot of these are based on factors like living in a harsh environment or hunting in groups," said Piantadosi. "One of the motivating puzzles of our research was thinking about those theories and trying to see why they predict specifically that primates or mammals should become so intelligent, instead of other species that faced similar pressures." The key is live birth. According to the researchers, the runaway selection of intelligence requires both live birth of a single off spring and large brains, distinctive features of higher mammals. "Our theory explains specifically why primates developed super intelligence but dinosaurs--who faced many of the same environmental pressures and had more time to do so--did not. Dinosaurs matured in eggs, so there was no linking between intelligence and infant immaturity at birth," said Kidd. ### The research was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Eusebius Small, assistant professor in The University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work, has been named a prestigious Fulbright Scholar for the Republic of Sierra Leone at the University of Sierra Leone, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences. The recognition comes with a fellowship grant worth up to $100,000 over 10 months that will be used to research the social and environmental factors that contribute to HIV incidence, contraceptive use, and prenatal health and decision-making outcomes among women between 17 and 40 years of age in Sierra Leone. The goal is to enhance the depth and access of professional and scientific knowledge on women's health literacy and sexual behavior among unmarried women in the West African country. "Sierra Leone is a very poor country that was ravaged by civil war from 1991 to 2002," said Small, who is a native of Kenya in East Africa. "The war destroyed Sierra Leone's infrastructure, which includes its health systems, and I think the people and services there need more researchers and more exposure than any other country." Small joins an esteemed list of UTA faculty who also have served as Fulbright Scholars, including: Pranesh Aswath, vice provost for Academic Planning and Policy and professor of materials science and engineering; Ritu Khanduri, associate professor of anthropology; and Alusine Jalloh, associate professor of history. Fulbright Scholars are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Fulbright Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, and it is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Scott Ryan, dean of the School of Social Work, commended Small on the honor and recognized his work, which aligns with UTA's focus on health and the human condition within the Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact. "Dr. Small's recognition as a Fulbright Scholar is a testament to his dynamic and impactful research, and a reflection of the School of Social Work's prominence and UTA's growing reputation as the model 21st century urban research university," Ryan said. Small joined the UTA School of Social Work in 2011 and researches mechanisms for reducing sexually transmitted infections among vulnerable youth populations with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. In recent years, his research has focused on immigrant children, aggression behavior and substance use among immigrant children. He will begin his Fulbright research in Sierra Leone in September and conclude the work in June 2017. ### About the Fulbright Program The Fulbright Program is named for the late U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, who in 1945, introduced a bill before Congress calling for the use of surplus war property to fund the "promotion of international good will through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture and science." Fulbright alumni include 54 Nobel Laureates, 82 Pulitzer Prize winners, 29 MacArthur Fellows, 16 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Visit eca.state.gov/fulbright to learn more. About The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington is a R-1 Carnegie "highest research activity" institution of more than 53,000 students in campus-based and online degree programs and is the second-largest institution in The University of Texas System. U.S. News & World Report ranks UTA fifth in the nation for undergraduate diversity. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times' 2016 Best for Vets list. Visit http://www.uta.edu to learn more, and find UTA rankings and recognition at http://www.uta.edu/uta/about/rankings.php. It took nearly a half trillion tries before researchers at The University of Texas at Austin witnessed a rare event and perhaps solved an evolutionary puzzle about how introns, non-coding sequences of DNA located within genes, multiply in a genome. The results, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, address fundamental questions about the evolution of new species and could expand our understanding of gene expression and the causes of diseases such as cancer. "Until now, the only way researchers could track the evolution of introns was through phylogenetic analysis which is examining the evolutionary relationships among sets of related organisms," says Scott Stevens, associate professor of Molecular Biosciences. "Our work is the first experimental verification that shows how introns can be transposed into an organism." For a long time, scientists have known that much of the DNA within any given organism's genome does not code for functional molecules or protein. However, recent research has found that these genetic sequences, misnamed "junk" DNA in the past, often do have functional significance. These introns are no exception. Now known to play a role in which genes are expressed, introns are the portion of gene sequences that are removed or spliced out of RNA before genes are translated into protein. When eukaryotes first diverged from bacteria, there was a massive invasion of introns into the genome. All living eukaryotes--from yeast to mammals--share this common ancestor, and while simpler organisms like yeast have eliminated most of their introns, organisms such as mammals have considerably expanded their intron inventory. Humans have over 200,000 introns which take up about 40 percent of the genome. In the current paper, Stevens and his co-author, Sujin Lee, a former graduate student in cellular and molecular biology at UT Austin, used a new reporter assay to directly detect the loss and gain of introns in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The team tested nearly a half trillion yeast and found only two instances where an intron was added to a new gene. The proposed mechanism for this addition is a reversal of a splicing reaction. Normally, to make proteins, RNA reads instructions from DNA, skipping the code contained in the introns. But in these two instances, the cell read the DNA in reverse and allowed the introns to make it into the RNA, thus creating a permanent genetic change. These are called intron gains, and if these accumulate over time, they can contribute to the development of new species as well as human disease. "We showed in this project that introns continue to be gained, although infrequently at any point in time," says Stevens. "But can introns drive evolution? If these sequences give organisms a selective advantage and become fixed in a population, others have shown that it can be a major factor in the creation of new species." These evolutionary advances come at a cost, however, because diseases such as cancer correlate with the improper removal of introns from RNA. Stevens adds, "We are continuing this work to further understand how this process impacts our genetic history, our future, and the prospects of curing disease." ### The Department of Molecular Biosciences at The University of Texas at Austin funded this research. Screening was assisted by students in the Vertebrate Interactome Stream of the UT Freshman Research Initiative. The GBP to EUR exchange rate has seen a sharp appreciation on today's foreign exchange markets thanks to the latest EU referendum poll showing Remain clearly in the lead. Where next for euro to pound sterling in the latest forex forecasts? Tuesdays trading session saw the pound euro exchange rate stage an impressive rally. This took the single currency to the worst conversion against the British counterpart in four months. The pound to euro managed to remain trending in a stronger position despite UK public borrowing data showing that Britains government borrowed more-than-expected in April. No UK data is expected to be released tomorrow, therefore the day will start proper with the announcement of the German Gfk consumer confidence survey for June. The day will progress with further German contributions, concerning surveys for June and May. While there is a strong expectation that Greece will receive its next tranche of bailout funds following this afternoons Eurogroup meeting this was not enough to keep the Euro (EUR) exchange rates on a stronger footing. Investors were deterred by the IMFS continued insistence on the need for stronger debt relief in order to secure its continued support, with the persistent disagreement of creditors reigniting concerns over the outlook of the Greek economy. Monday's foreign currency markets have seen very flat trading for the euro to pound exchange rate and other single currency crosses. The next notable pairing data is set to be focused mainly on the Eurozone side. This will consist of the ZEW surveys for Germany and the Eurozone, covering the month of May. Regarding economic sentiment, no forecast has been put across for the German outcome but a rise from 11.2 to 12 has been estimated for the Eurozone-wide result. Other Pound Sterling / Currency Exchange News Latest Pound/Euro Exchange Rates On Tuesday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 The live inter-bank GBP-GBP spot rate is quoted as 1 today. The GBP to USD exchange rate converts at 1.131 today. Today finds the pound to swiss franc spot exchange rate priced at 1.134. NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 25th Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks. With Greece looking to be on the verge of receiving its next tranche of bailout funds there remains reason for investors to favour the Euro (EUR). Demand for Pound Sterling (GBP) was generally volatile at the start of the week, with markets continuing to bet on the odds of the UK voting to leave the EU in June. "We have seen the bounce back towards 0.7750/0.7785 resistance we looked for on Friday, although a lot quicker than expected. We see the upside limited to this region for now and a near-term pullback towards 0.7700/0.7675 to follow." Lloyds 23/05/2016 Despite a complete absence of British economic data, the British pound to euro exchange rate rallied to a daily best of 1.297. The appreciation in the GBP/EUR can be linked to continued hopes that the UK will vote to remain in the European Union on June 23rd. Meanwhile, the single currency fluctuated, erring towards depreciation, after domestic ecostats produced mixed results. Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Err Towards Appreciation despite Absence of Data With political developments the driving force behind Pound Sterling exchange rate movement, the UK Pound continues to hold a position of comparative strength. This is due to easing Brexit concerns as opinion polls suggest that the UK will vote to remain in the European Union on June 23rd. Chancellor George Osborne has warned that the UK leaving the EU could lead to a year-long recession. "The British people must ask themselves this question: can we knowingly vote for a recession?" stated Chancellor Osborne. However, those campaigning for the UK to leave state that this is no more than biased conjecture. Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Edge Fractionally Lower after Eurozone PMIs Disappoint Mixed domestic ecostats caused the Euro to fluctuate versus its major peers. A slight lean towards appreciation, however, can be linked to easing Brexit concerns. German Manufacturing, Services and Composite PMIs all managed to eclipse the respective market consensuses in May. However, Eurozone Manufacturing, Services and Composite PMIs all failed to meet with expectations, prompting concerns of Eurozone economic slowdown. The robust pace of economic growth seen in the first quarter will prove temporary, said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit. The survey therefore paints a picture of a region stuck in a low-growth phase, managing to eke out frustratingly modest output and employment gains despite various ECB stimulus bazookas, a competitive exchange rate and households benefiting from falling prices. Hi there, We are applying in person for flrm for my husband. Who does the employer need to address the employer letter to? Many thanks Huck658 welcome to the forum hope you take a little advice from everyone who post on your message. Most of these guys have been in the fire for a long time and understand the ends and outs. But in the end you and your wife are truly the only one that can decide what to do and is best for both of you. As for me I've collected a ton of information from the guys on this forum as we prepare to make our move in a couple of months. We have been married 30 years and have been in and out of the Philippines a thousand times between being stationed there and vacations there. We purchased are first house around 28 years ago for her mother and sister. Since then we have purchased 3 more houses and a rice field. The first house is know being rented out since her mother passed many years ago. 2 of the other houses are being rented by bed space as boarding houses for college students. The last house is a big 2 story house that we built for us and her sister. Her sister and husband have a room downstairs.and we have a big master suite upstairs. They run a small eatery and farm the rice field and garden as they raise a lot of vegetables and have fruit trees and a small pond of tilapia. Plus pigs and piglets so there is plenty to keep us busy. One thing you might want to take into consideration is medical? As you think about making a move to the Philippines. I say it takes planning to make it as smooth as transition as possible. I know Philippines and smooth transition don't have much of a chance HAHAHA... Also M.C.A. Those ducks are good for one thing we put 5 in the rice field they eat the snails hahaha. expat11 said: What kind of changes are you asking about? Click to expand... Stuff like prices of food, restaurants, and the like? I don't want to keep my money in the dollar either. I used Bangkok Bank but see rates are next to 0 and the mutual funds have done terribly. We have a nice home in Khonkaen. We owned and operated a Steakhouse for 2.5 years and I taught English. The Steakhouse wore my butt out. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate School field trips dont usually do much for Brackenridge High School junior Serena Torres, but the backstage tour that her theater tech class took of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on Monday was different. I actually got excited over this one, Torres said. The 17-year-old took the 90-minute tour with 12 of her classmates and teacher Cheryl Hanson. Technical Director Sean Jenkins met the group in the lobby, where they asked about the kinds of lights that are in the ceiling. (Theyre LEDs.) From there, he took them to the loading dock, backstage of the H-E-B Performance Hall and into the tech booth at the rear of the space. On the way back to the bus, they got a quick look at the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater and the River Walk Plaza. The tour, which included some hands-on experiences, was a pilot for a new program at the Tobin Center designed to give high schoolers interested in theater tech a look at the career possibilities in the field. The program is part of the Generation Next Education Initiative, the education arm of the Tobin Center. A guiding idea behind that programming is to work with educators and others to meet the needs and wants of the community. More Information Backstage programs Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: For information about backstage tours, email Education Coordinator Sarah Sanez at Sarah.Saenz@tobincenter.org. Classic Theatre: For information about the AIM High program, which offers opportunities both onstage and backstage for high school and college students, call 210-468-3900 or email Executive Director Kelly Hilliard Roush at kroush@classictheatre.org. The Playhouse San Antonio: To get involved in any of the theater's backstage programs, visit theplayhousesa.org and click on the "volunteer" page, or call Community Engagement Director Eva Laporte or Technical Director Pat Smith at 210-733-7258. See More Collapse In this case, the request for something for tech kids came from Omar Leos, the San Antonio Independent School Districts coordinator for visual and theater arts. Leos wanted to make sure that students who are interested in working behind the scenes have the same kind of opportunities as those who prefer to be on stage. When touring shows come through, kids are always offered master classes or talk-backs with the actors, but hardly ever is anything done for the kids that arent in the spotlight, he said. That is starting to change a bit, he said. The Playhouse San Antonio has several programs that give high school and college students backstage experience, and Classic Theatres year-round AIM High program is an apprenticeship for high school and college students interested in working both on stage and behind the scenes. We offer total immersion in design, tech production and acting through hands-on experience, said Kelly Hilliard Roush, Classics executive director, noting that students can explore any area that theyre interested in. The Tobin Centers first foray into that world took nine months to develop. Education Coordinator Sarah Saenz worked with the tech staff and with Kendall Purpura, vice president of development and education, to create a tour that would make the most of a short amount of time. Jenkins ran the session, pointing out the top-of-the-line equipment in the H-E-B hall. He also had pre-set some cues to give the students a quick demonstration of the light, sound and other equipment. Hanson asked him to share some of his background, and he talked about touring with productions of The Lion King and Billy Elliot, for which he operated fly systems to hoist young dancers into the air. He also offered bits of advice, including a reminder to always be professional when talking on the headsets (You dont know whos listening) and strongly encouraging those aiming at a career backstage to join the stagehands union, because membership opens the door to more jobs. Whatever decision they make in terms of a career, he said, you should love what you do. If you dont love what you do, you should choose another field. Raymond Mendez, an 18-year-old junior, had made up his mind that theater tech is what he wants to do before he took the tour. He was glad to have spent the morning checking out the space. It was exciting to see the backstage of a major place, he said. Torres wasnt leaning toward theater tech as a career before the tour, but said she had learned some things that grabbed her imagination. She was particularly intrigued by the Tobin Centers new college internship program. I havent explored my options in tech theater, but now that Ive seen how it is and Ive seen all the backstage and everything (stagehands) do, maybe Ill start opening up my research a little more, seeing whats really out there, she said. Saenz and Purpura will be meeting with Hanson and Leos soon to get some feedback on the tour to figure out whats next for the program. Its growth will also be driven by the city at large. It depends on the demands of the community, Saenz said. If we see theres a lot of interest, thatll predict our next move. One bit of feedback that bodes well: Hanson already has told them she wants to bring another group of students for a tour this fall. dlmartin@express-news.net Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Lilliana Gonzalez and her husband loved to travel before they became parents, and fully expected to continue doing so after they had kids. We feel that travel is enriching, said Gonzalez. Its about the journey, and I was hoping to instill that idea in my children. It took a while, though, for them to figure out how to do that. Their first family adventure, an impromptu weekend get-away with then-2-month-old Gabriela, did not get off to a great start. They were used to throwing a few things into a bag and taking off, but that was not possible with an infant. I thought, oh, my god! How much crap do you have to take when youre traveling with a kid?, recalled Lilliana, who now has two daughters. That question led her to launch My Tots Travel, a business that rents all sorts of equipment, such as strollers and car seats, to traveling parents. It will also ship supplies, so that essentials such as diapers and formula are waiting when the family arrives wherever theyre going. Looking into similar services can help cut down on the amount of stuff families have to lug in transit. More Information More travel tips Know what your children's limits are. Travel, Lilliana Gonzalez noted, "is a different experience for everybody. It's about finding what works for your family and making the most of that." If you're flying, try to book nonstop flights to avoid changing planes. For children who are nursing, have a bottle with a little milk in it or a pacifier ready for the descent. That'll help keep their ears from popping, mom Meredith Bell Alvarez said. Make friends with those seated around you. When Beth Erwin flew to Hawaii with her 1-year-old daughter Megan, she handed out bags of candy to her fellow flyers with a note from the little girl, letting them know that she was just a baby and that she was going to see her uncle. Alvarez has offered to buy those seated around her a round of drinks when flying with a baby: "We wanted to let people know we were cognizant (of potential issues with a crying baby) and were trying to be respectful to our fellow travelers." If it's possible, pack as early as possible to cut down on last-minute chaos. Alvarez tries to have her son's suitcase packed five days out. Make sure that tablet is loaded up with games and also make sure you've packed your charger. Or take advantage of the time away and unplug. Stock up on activity books and games that spark interaction. "If you're going to take the time to go away and spend the money to go away, you should dialed into what you're doing," said Alyson Miller, who is a big fan of Mad Libs for car trips. "When you're traveling as a family, it's an opportunity to interact with each other and take a break." Deborah Martin See More Collapse Thats one tip that Gonzalez and other San Antonio moms shared for families planning summer journeys. The moms also shared some of the patience-testing experiences behind their advice. You get initiated into the mother club once you travel, said Meredith Bell Alvarez, a mother of two boys. Youll have your story, some sort of stressful thing. Embrace it. Consider it your hazing and move on. Tip No. 1: Make sure tiny travelers know what to expect Thats another tip from Gonzalez, who has traveled across the country and throughout Mexico with her husband and their daughters, 8-year-old Gabriela and 4-year-old Anahi. Before any trip, they talk about whats coming. Theyll discuss how theyll get there and what theyll be doing, and will look for books about their destination. Gonzalez wasnt entirely sure that those lessons were sinking in when her girls were very young, but then she overheard her younger daughter having a conversation in advance of a trip. My mom is a nervous flyer, and I heard (Anahi) say, Grandma, its not a big deal, and she starts to explain the process to my mom, she said. I realized it was from the books wed been reading to them. Tip No. 2: Keep everybody on the same level Two years ago, Alyson Ramos Miller and her husband Chad decided to go to Disney World. The wild card was their son Gibbs. I was not sure how that was going to go with an almost 2-year-old, because theyre unpredictable creatures, Miller said. The best choice they made, she said, was carting the boy around the park in a baby carrier. In a stroller, he would be looking at peoples knees, she said. Wearing him, he was much more on our level. He was in all the pictures. He would fall asleep if he needed to. The couple had another secret weapon: Millers mom came along, and she watched Gibbs in the evenings so that the grown-ups could have time to themselves. Youve got to remember why you became parents in the first place, Miller said, laughing. You used to like each other. Tip No. 3: Training, training, training To prepare for a family trip with toddlers Megan and Liam, Beth and Miles Erwin bought season tickets to SeaWorld. I called it Disneyland training, Beth said. We would go and spend all day there without a nap. We wore them out. But they were conditioned to the heat because of the San Antonio heat, and to being in the stroller. They started out going for three or four hours and then built up the time. And it worked. As far as our kids compared to other kids, they were very well-behaved, Beth said. Tip No. 4: Invest in a travel trailer When Amanda Buckerts husband suggested that they buy a travel trailer, she was skeptical. But she swiftly became a convert. It has been magical for the kids, especially when they were little, said Buckert, mother of 12-year-old Lily and 4-year-old Waylon. We take it and go to state parks or lakes or the beach. Its like a little apartment. Buckert has a travel disaster story that may have made her love the trailer all the more, since it means no airports. Waylon was a 2-year-old livewire when she took him and Lily to Colorado by herself. There was a mishap in the terminal after he stood up in his stroller, upending it and sending the coffee Buckert had been carrying pouring all over both of them. That was just the warm-up, though. When she headed back to Starbucks to replace the coffee, he tore off, racing back into the lobby. Chasing after him, I got clotheslined (by a TSA agent), she said. Theyre yelling at me, and Im saying, No, do you see that kid running toward ticketing? Thats my son. They eventually let her go and she was able to nab Waylon. The boy and his deeply annoyed mother had to go through the security line again, making it back to the gate just barely in time to get on the plane. When the plane landed, Waylon once again made a break for it, racing into the cockpit, where he started pushing buttons and flipping switches until the pilot put a stop to it and Buckert found herself being lectured for the second time that day about how she needed to control her son. She called her husband when they finally got off the plane, and he asked about their flight. I said, well, your son committed two federal offenses and is probably on a no-fly list, she said. The return flight was blissfully free of that kind of drama. Even so, she said, I didnt fly with him for a year. Tip No. 5: This, too, shall pass Alvarez has a travel disaster story, too. She was a relatively new mom when she and her husband David took their 6-month-old son Josiah to a wedding in the Colorado mountains over Labor Day weekend. They had been advised to pad their travel time to the airport for their return flight, and they did, allotting eight hours for what was estimated to be a two hour drive. They didnt factor in holiday traffic on a two-lane road leading out of the mountains, though, and ended up getting to the airport with absolutely no time to spare. While her husband returned the rental car, Alvarez grabbed her purse, her breast pump and the baby, intending to get the whole family booked on a later flight. When she got to the ticket desk, she was told that if she ran, she could probably still make the flight. I said, I have been in the car with this baby for six-and-a-half hours; I am not running anywhere. And she said, Suit yourself. The next available flight (with three seats) is Thursday. This was Monday. Alvarez ended up sprinting from one end of the airport to the other, jostling an understandably cranky Josiah in her arms and arriving at the gate just before the door closed. I was drenched in sweat, she said. I sat down, and a lady in front of me handed me two bottles of water, saying You need this more than I do. The flight attendants were kind, too, offering to hold the baby for her and letting her stand in the aisle to rock him. And now, she said, that is the standard for all of their family trips. If there isnt a catastrophe, its a very good day. Shes keeping that in mind as she prepares for the familys first trip with new arrival Teddy, who is 3 months old, and 5-year-old Josiah, who has become an experienced traveler who enjoys selecting a few toys to keep himelf occupied on their trips. My advice for moms is to realize there will be an end to it, Alvarez said. At some point, you will land, and you will be at home or the hotel. And it will all be over. As long you can remember that tomorrow is another day, itll be all right. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After a lifetime of packing stadiums from Chicago to Monterrey, Mexico, Tejano music icon Emilio Navaira packed one final house: a memorial held in his honor Sunday. Navaira died May 16 in New Braunfels. He was 53. He was found unconscious and not breathing around 8:20 p.m. in his home in the 6300 block of Myrtle Run. Emergency crews performed life-saving measures. He was later pronounced dead at the Resolute Health hospital. On Sunday, an estimated crowd of more than 12,000 gathered to mourn Navaira at Freeman Coliseum, where his family hosted a public visitation and rosary. While the event had all the trappings of a funeral, it felt more like a celebration. Many mourners, such as Rodrigo Perez, 53, of Laredo, had an emotional connection to Navairas music. That song helped me through two divorces, Perez said of Its Not the End of the World, one of Navairas country crossovers about a loved one walking out. Always glad to have had his music in my life. At the farewell, people smiled, took pictures and even broke out in spontaneous chants and bits of song. Others posed for selfies and group pictures alongside collages and pictures of Navaira that ringed the concourse, just like they would have at a live performance. Son Emilio Navaira IV, along with niece and nephew Destiny and Rodrigo Navaira, teamed up to re-create some of his signature hits such as Una Hora Mas and the fitting Its Not the End of the World for those in attendance. Before his death, Navaira filled that same coliseum with his rugged voice and a charismatic presence that many grew to love during multiple performances throughout his career. He had last performed May 11, at a Mothers Day concert in Monterrey. Navairas family issued a statement that thanked all those in attendance. Emilio will be deeply missed and remembered forever in the hearts of many, and through his music. Manny Trejo, 61, was one of the first in line for the ceremony. I saw him here in San Antonio in 2008, Trejo said. I had missed so many of his (other shows) over the years because I was working night shifts back then, but I didnt know it was going to be the last time I saw him in person. In 2008, Navaira had a troubled year. He crashed his tour bus while intoxicated and suffered severe brain injuries as a result, which nearly derailed his career. He made a full recovery and went back on tour after a period of house arrest. Still, Navairas legacy of chart-topping Tejano hits garnered years of success and a legion of fans now mourning the man who became a staple of Texas culture in the 1990s. Hundreds had gathered as early as 7 a.m. for the viewing, while thousands more streamed in throughout the day. This is a celebration we want to celebrate Emilio, said Monica Boyle, 35, of New Braunfels. Inside, sisters Cassandra Mendez and Natalia Mendez pushed toward the casket, which was surrounded by colorful bouquets and flanked by twin screens playing videos of his past performances. Both had fond memories of Navairas music. We had a big truck in high school, and we used to drive from Harlandale over to Padre Park with our friends in the (truck bed) after school was over, Cassandra Mendez said. We had the Tejano station on, we had the country station on, and when (Navaira) came on, the radio was loud. Its like were losing a bit of our past, Natalia Mendez added. Im so sad for him. He died so young. Navaira is believed to have died of natural causes. A final cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner, officials have said. A Catholic funeral liturgy for Navaira will be held today at San Fernando Cathedral at 115 W. Main Plaza downtown, starting at 1 p.m. The interment portion of his services will follow at San Juan Cemetery, Bergs Mill. Both services are public. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The owner of a valuable 46-acre tract in San Antonios La Cantera area that federal authorities claimed was bought for indicted former Tamaulipas Gov. Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba reached a settlement Monday with the U.S. government, which had tried to take the property through civil forfeiture proceedings. Alberto Berlanga Bolado agreed to hand over $1 million to federal prosecutors after he sells the property for $10 million to a yet-to-be-disclosed buyer. In exchange, the government will drop its forfeiture lawsuit against the property and agree that Berlanga was never charged. Berlanga was secretary of public works and urban development for Tamaulipas, a northeastern Mexican state that borders Texas, under Yarringtons successor. Berlanga, 51, now lives in San Antonio, and he headed Cantera-Parkway Development Partners LP while running five companies in Mexico. He maintains he did nothing illegal and that he was wrongly portrayed because of his past dealings with an ex-business partner, Fernando Cano, whom Berlanga has known since 1989. Yarrington and Cano are charged in Brownsville with financial and related crimes, and both are fugitives. The United States has asked Mexico for their arrests and extraditions. The indictment against Yarrington said he used police and politicians to help Mexicos drug cartels in his state and in 2007 became a full-fledged narcotics trafficker. He also is charged with conspiring to smuggle drugs. Yarrington, a longtime border politico who rubbed elbows with Texas governors, is also accused of using others to launder bribe money through properties in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. Prosecutors have said the 46-acre tract near Six Flags Fiesta Texas and the upscale Shops at La Cantera and Eilan Hotel and Spa was acquired by Cano for Yarrington, though Yarringtons lawyer denies it. I dont believe anything the feds tell me on that stuff, attorney Joel Androphy of Houston said Monday. Their word doesnt mean anything without proof. The settlement came as U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez was scheduled to start a mini-trial Monday in which Berlanga was expected to explain how he acquired the property from Cano with funds from Berlangas civil engineering, construction and machinery companies in Tamaulipas. Instead, the judge learned that Berlanga found a buyer for the property, as previously instructed by the judge, and that the sale proceeds will be used in the settlement. We got a $10 million offer, Berlangas lawyer, Rolando Rios, told the judge. They (the government) are going to get $1 million. My client is going to lose $2.7 million what he put into the property but hed rather resolve the case than let it continue to drag on. Its been four years, Berlanga said after the hearing. As a matter of fact, yesterday was four years exactly since the seizure of the property. We reached an agreement that, while not ideal for me, its what is best for all involved. Rios said the $2.7 million Rios will lose largely represents interest payments to PlainsCapital Bank, which bought a loan Berlanga obtained for the property. Rios said Berlanga fell behind on loan payments because of the forfeiture action and that the bank sought to foreclose on the property. Berlanga has since caught up on loan payments, and he and the bank still have to hammer out how much PlainsCapital should get, the judge said. At hearings in 2015, the government had alleged that roughly $3 million used to acquire the property was dirty money. The government views Mr. Berlanga as a nominee owner of indicted individuals, namely Mr. Cano and Mr. Yarrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Nelda Valadez said at a hearing in February 2015. The settlement stresses that Berlanga was not charged. He was not indicted, Valadez said Monday, stopping short of saying whether the government had enough evidence to charge him. She did not know if Berlangas case ever went to a grand jury. Berlanga and Rios said the forfeiture attempt wrongly branded Berlanga guilty by association, stained his reputation and made it difficult to develop the land or to drum up new business for his companies in Mexico. The companies I own in Mexico are real, Berlanga said. When a person in Mexico is simply accused, many doors close. ... Hopefully, we can continue to do business cleanly and legitimately, like we have always done and how it should be done. gcontreras@express-news.net jbuch@express-news.net Twitter: @gmaninfedland @jlbuch Mexican-Americans might not recognize their cultural history as it unfolds in a new textbook proposed for Texas public schools. Chicanos are described as people who adopted a revolutionary narrative that opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society. In another passage, Mexican-Americans are linked to undocumented immigrants. Illegal immigration has caused a number of economic and security problems in the United States, the textbook notes. Poverty, drugs, crime, nonassimilation and exploitation are among some of these problems. Studies have shown that the Mexican-American community suffers from a significant gap in education levels, employment, wages, housing and other issues relating to poverty that persist through the second, third and fourth generations. These are excerpts from Mexican American Heritage, the first textbook on this subject ever included in a list of preapproved instructional materials for Texas public schools. After an outcry in 2015 from activists who demanded that Mexican-American studies be formally included in the state curriculum, the State Board of Education voted to include textbooks on the subject. But instead of a cause for celebration among Texas Latinos, the new book, linked to Cynthia Dunbar, a former SBOE member known for her right-wing views, is courting controversy from critics who say it is poorly written, racist and prepared by nonexperts. Hispanic advocates such as San Antonios Juan Tejeda, a faculty member in the Mexican-American studies program at Palo Alto College, have described this and other portrayals as an anti-Latino sentiment that is fueling a new generation of Mexican-American students to embrace their heritage with pride. The Texas Education Agency said it followed standard procedure for the call to submit instructional materials for Mexican-American curriculums under Proclamation 2017, so named because the materials are scheduled to reach classrooms in the 2017-2018 school year. The proclamations, once approved by the Texas State Board of Education in a public meeting, are posted on the Texas Education Agency website and sent out on various public email listservs, which are open to anyone to sign up, said TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson. All of the discussions and approvals are done at public meetings. There is still time until September for Texans to submit comments and complaints about the proposed instructional materials in Proclamation 2017, Culbertson said. Ultimately, the books that are adopted by the SBOE in November become part of the recommended instructional materials for statewide curriculums, although independent school districts are not required to embrace them. The book is produced by Momentum Instruction, a company that appears to be owned or operated by Dunbar, an SBOE member from 2007 to 2011. A right-wing Christian activist who questioned the constitutionality of public schools in 2008, Dunbar labeled the education system tyrannical when she published her book One Nation Under God while she was a board member. More recently, Dunbar served as the Virginia state co-chairwoman of the Ted Cruz campaign, according to her website, cynthianolanddunbar.com. Despite repeated attempts, Dunbar and none of the listed authors on the book could be reached for comment. Dunbars is the only name familiar to local educators, who are already reacting to its contents. We never received notification that they were going to consider texts for this curriculum, said Nicolas Kanellos, a University of Houston professor and director of Arte Publico Press, the nations largest and most established publisher of contemporary and recovered literature by U.S. Hispanic authors. Arte Publico has published several titles related to Mexican-American studies, including Chicano! The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, by F. Arturo Rosales, a professor at Arizona State University and a well-known authority on the subject. Chicano! accompanied a PBS documentary series and is part of school curriculums around the country. Kanellos said the Mexican American Heritage book appears to be blatant opportunism from certain people to make money and/or to water down the real Mexican-American history. No wonder they didnt issue a call to submit texts to be evaluated. They have wanted to ensure the adoption of that simulacrum of a textbook. In Texas, more than half the students in public primary and secondary schools are Latino, most of them Mexican-American. Yet there is a long history of frustration among Mexican-American educators and activists who say their culture and history are often unrepresented or misrepresented in the public education system. The lack of Mexican-American courses is a big problem because what is happening to Mexican-American and Latino students is that they dont see a collective history that is part of their own history, said Jesus Cantu Medel, professor of Mexican-American studies at Houston Community College. They see an American history but not their unique American experience. While there are at least 25 black universities in the country that have contributed to the educational advancement of that community, Medel observes, Mexican-American and Latino kids have little chance to get in contact with significant educational materials related to their culture. Some educators are not convinced that Mexican American Heritage is the right textbook to fill this need. Several studies, including one published in the American Educational Research Journal and another from Arizona State University, show a reduction in the dropout rate among Latino students taking courses in Mexican-American studies at the middle and high school levels. By taking these courses and learning about their contributions, they gain a positive respect for themselves, Medel said. They get motivated to complete courses and (to get) a high school diploma. AUSTIN - When Gov. Greg Abbott proposed amending the U.S. Constitution to rein in the federal government, you might have expected the Republican to get slammed by the left. And he did. But there also are loud voices on the right voicing concerns about Abbott joining the move for a convention of states to make constitutional changes, calling it a dangerous maneuver that could be hijacked by liberals. Strike Two For Gov. Abbott, was the recent headline in a conservative blog, which also took issue with his pre-kindergarten initiative. We all know our country is in a big mess with an out-of-control government, and we would like to do something about it, but lets not put our original Constitution at risk with an amending Convention of the States, wrote Shirley Spellerberg, a former Corinth mayor, past member of the Republican Party of Texas Platform Committee and an Eagle Forum member. Answering such concern was a driving force behind Abbotts Broken But Unbowed, the new book that he has been promoting on national television and with a bus tour. Thats one of the goals of the book - to beat back the fears that are out there about the convention of states, said Abbott communications director Matt Hirsch. Among points in the book, Abbott says that a runaway convention simply would not happen because at least 34 states would have to agree to hold a convention, and any proposal must be agreed upon by 38 states before it can be ratified. Just seven states have approved identical resolutions calling for a convention so far. If we want to fix the problems we face today, we need to repair the fractured foundation of our government, writes Abbott of the longshot convention proposal, a challenge he likens to the ones he overcame to become governor despite the accident that broke his back and put him in a wheelchair when he was a young man. Its open to question how much his book will sway people, but count on Abbott not to back down on the issue he has pushed for months. Its absolutely part of his agenda for the next legislative session, Hirsch said, along with priority issues like child protective services, border security, education and ethics. The idea isnt new to the Legislature. A resolution was approved by the Texas House last year asking Congress to call a convention, but it died in the Senate. The House will consider the idea again, Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, said when Abbott unveiled his push in January. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, has had no comment. The idea has some strong GOP support. Its in the Republican Party of Texas platform, which is careful to oppose a broad convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution while supporting a limited convention of states to reduce the power of the federal government. Its backed by prominent members of the GOP, including state party Chairman Tom Mechler. The Texas Association of Business supports a convention of the states on one issue, balancing the budget. But theres also risk to supporting the idea, given the division in the GOP and the way its painted by the opposition. Americans from all sides of the political spectrum know there are real challenges that need real solutions, today. Instead of fantasies about bringing back the Articles of Confederation, said Texas Democratic Party Deputy Executive Director Manny Garcia by email. Gov. Abbott ought to get off the tour bus and back to work. Texans are stuck in endless traffic, our infrastructure is crumbling, and Republicans are shortchanging our childrens education, Ive heard similar comments from less partisan people who find a convention of states is an odd distraction but dont want to publicly oppose Abbott. But Mark Meckler, president of Citizens for Self-Governance and co-founder of the Convention of States Project, said pushback from conservatives is relatively minimal and decreasing. Abbotts articulate support, coming from his experience as not only governor but as a former state attorney general and Texas Supreme Court justice, helps to raise the profile of the issue nationally, Meckler said. It's a big country with huge, noisy media, he said by email. The Governor's voice on the issue helps the movement to rise out of the noise and into the headlines. For people like the Eagle Forums Cathie Adams, however the convention idea remains a point of disagreement. I dont expect him to back off. I think he is a very good man. I think that he has every good intention. It is a disagreement that not going to change on our end, because the concerns have been there and have not been allayed, she said. There is nothing that has caused us to say, Thats the safeguard we were looking for. But theres one thing she hasnt yet gotten around to, she said. Ive not read his book. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CAIRO Egypt has deployed a submersible to help find the wreckage of EgyptAir Flight 804 in the deep Mediterranean waters where it crashed, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Sunday. He also warned that it might take a long time before the cause of the crash is determined. An international flotilla of search ships, aided by surveillance planes, was scouring a section of sea 180 miles north of the port city of Alexandria. Wreckage, belongings and human remains were retrieved over the weekend. But the search crews have yet to find the main body of the plane and its cockpit data and voice recorders, commonly known as the black boxes. They hope the recorders will explain what caused the Airbus A320, carrying 66 people, to fall from the sky early Thursday as it headed to Cairo from Paris. A statement from the Islamic State on Saturday failed to mention the EgyptAir crash, confounding speculation that the group, which claimed to have been behind the crash of a Russian airliner in Sinai in October, might have been responsible. So far, the strongest clues have come from signals emitted by the stricken plane indicating that several smoke detectors were activated as it hurtled toward the sea. Frances aviation authority said that while those transmissions provided evidence of a catastrophic systems failure in the plane, they did not provide enough information to determine what had caused the crash. In Washington on Sunday, government officials debated whether the Islamic State or some other terrorist entity had orchestrated the crash. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said the preponderance of evidence he had seen suggested terrorism might be less likely than initially thought and that if the crash was an act of terror, it was more likely carried out by a lone actor. Weve looked at the signals intelligence. Weve looked at the manifests, Schiff said Sunday on ABCs This Week. We have not come up with any hard evidence of terrorism as of yet. The EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed continues to be deadlocked over renewal of licences for glyphosate use, which, unless extended, will expire on 30 June 2016. The Green Alliance of 46 MEPs is opposing the renewal. However, Dr Colin Ruscoe, Chairman of British Crop Production Council (BCPC), has contacted Keith Taylor, Green MEP for SE England, to challenge this stance. The Green Alliances concern is that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) argues that, based on risk-assessment, glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer in humans, despite the view of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic". The Green Alliance argues that the EFSA opinion is flawed, since it was based on unpublished regulatory studies (which the industry has offered to make available). "EFSAs conclusions were based on studies, already comprehensively reviewed by EU regulators, which considered risk as well as intrinsic hazard. "The IARC assessment only considered hazard, not risk," says Dr Ruscoe. "In addition, their main cancer link to glyphosate are controversial studies on non-Hodgkin lymphoma which diagnosis is no longer used because it is too imprecise. "Over 60 good genotoxicity studies on glyphosate show no evidence of harm from any likely human exposure." The WHO Joint Meeting of Pesticides Residues (JMPR) committee, which provides definitive ruling on safe limits of pesticide residues, has also pronounced that glyphosate residues do not pose a risk to consumers. "The Green Alliance just focuses on those results which suit their purpose," says Dr Ruscoe. The Green Alliance also attacks glyphosate as an antibiotic, deleterious to soil humus and to mycorrhizae. "Studies with glyphosate on earthworms, arthropods, and microbial soil nitrogen transformation show no effect from the highest rate used," says Dr Ruscoe. "I have asked to see the science on which these assertions of environmental harm (and others on the Alliances website) are based." GM technologies BCPC also challenges the Greens opposition to GM (and associated) technologies. The recent US Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report, covering 900 studies over three decades, found no evidence of adverse effects of GM foods on human health or the environment. "Given this report, I would like to know how the Alliance can continue to justify its ideological opposition to genetic modification of crops," says Dr Ruscoe. Finally, BCPCs letter points out that by invoking the Precautionary Principle to counter technologies showing any hazard, despite the evidence of safety from scientific risk-assessment, the Alliance attacks tools essential to feeding rising global populations. It states that it is paradoxical that the Alliance attacks intensive farming, which results in less land being converted to food production, and so actually supports the Greens agenda to preserve the worlds natural environment. "Such abuse of the Precautionary Principle is stultifying progress in a range of innovation-based industries, not just agriculture, and making EU growth in prosperity and employment fall further behind that of other trading blocs which the EU was set up to compete with," says Dr Ruscoe. Why is the Green Alliance against glyphosate? The Green Alliance want glyphosate banned until it is proven to be safe, as numerous scientific and government bodies clash on the subject of whether or not it is a health hazard to humans and wildlife. The Alliance website says: "It's not just human health that may suffer as a result of glyphosate. "EFSA found a high long-term risk to animals, including farm animals such as cows and sheep. "The German Environment Agency has also found significant adverse effects on biodiversity due to pesticides in general and glyphosate in particular. "Glyphosate does not only kill target weeds, but also useful herbage in and close to fields treated with glyphosate. "Organic farmers have demonstrated the same thing time and time again - glyphosate is not necessary for productive farming. "The farming of the future is working with nature not against it. "The use of Glyphosate is linked to a highly intensive agriculture that is simply not sustainable. European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan was urged to drive forward his simplification agenda as he visited a West Lothian farm this morning (20 May). At the request of NFU Scotland, the Commissioner visited the Dandie family at Learielaw, Broxburn on Friday, 20 May, where they run a large arable farm with a beef suckler cow herd and beef finishing enterprises. The visit followed Commissioner Hogans participation in NFU Scotlands debate on European membership 'In or Out The implications for Scottish food and farming' which was held at Ingliston the previous evening (Thursday 19 May). Commissioner Hogan spoke in some detail about his commitment to cutting regulatory burden during the debate and NFU Scotland used the farm visit to push the case that his simplification agenda must deliver meaningful change for those actively farming and crofting in Scotland today. Burden 'weighs heavily' on almost every farm business Speaking after the visit, NFU Scotland President Allan Bowie said: "The regulatory framework built around CAP, and the fear that has built up around accidental breaches of those rules, weighs heavily on almost every farm business in Scotland. "Commissioner Hogan has spoken passionately about his simplification agenda, changes are being introduced and we understand more positive developments are yet to be announced. "That is refreshing to hear and we urge the Commissioner to press on with that work so that we can make a genuine difference to the regulatory burden on Scottish farm businesses. "One key development already on track is the notion of a yellow card system on penalties, where an unintentional breach of the rules offers the opportunity to rectify matters rather than the current heavy handed penalty system approach. "This is a significant step forward on proportionality and a lobbying priority of NFU Scotlands for many, many years. We look forward to more detail on how this approach can be taken forward. 'Huge environmental contribution that farming delivers' "On regulation, the rules around the greening element of the new CAP are part of Commissioner Hogans review. "We not only need simplification in this area, but we also want the Commissioner to better recognise the huge environmental contribution that farming currently delivers. "While we urge Commissioner Hogan to put the tools in place across Europe, it will then be NFU Scotlands job to ensure that Scottish Government adopts them. "But as we have seen, to our cost, Scottish Government has at times chosen to gold-plate rather than simplify and as a result our farmers and growers are now operating to more restrictive greening rules when compared to other parts of the UK and Europe. "With CAP budgets under pressure, we want the Commissioners review to keep a focus on activity, preserving precious funds for those actively farming and so delivering the economic, environmental and social goods which the CAP was designed for. "With the meeting having taken place on an excellently managed West Lothian farm, producing quality Scottish cereals and beef, the extreme market volatility affecting every farm and every sector in Europe means Commissioner Hogan must press on with measures to help reduce the impact of such extreme volatility on family farms. "We know market management tools and support from the European Investment Bank are under discussions but the farm price crisis is deepening. "NFU Scotland believes changes are required in the wider supply chain. As things stand, an unfair share of the risk sits with primary producers while they are failing to share in the rewards. "While the Grocery Code Adjudicator is an important starting point for fairness in the UK, we urge the Commissioner to press on with similar considerations at a European level and extend these from the retailer right down the supply chain to farms." The Tenant Farmers Association has called on all those who supply inputs to the agricultural industry to lend its support to an agenda for change within wider farm policy. TFA National Chairman, Stephen Wyrill said: "It was great to see the farming community united with many within the supply trades at the Farming to London March on 23 March this year. "However, we need to keep up the pressure on the Government to step up to make the changes necessary to create a profitable and resilient farming industry. "I am aware that many within the supply trades are facing a tough trading environment with mounting debts and falling sales. "We need suppliers to stand with us to get the policy changes we need which ultimately will benefit us all." The TFA has set out a 10 point agenda which it is asking the supply industry to support: 1. Giving the Groceries Code Adjudicator deeper and wider investigatory powers. 2. Implementing the Bonfield report principles to enhance public procurement of British food. 3. Endorsing continued CAP support for food and environmental security. 4. Improving the delivery of agri-environment schemes. 5. Creating a sustainable uplands policy focusing on support for ruminant livestock. 6. Promoting the high environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards of British food. 7. Seeking policy levers for production control when markets are oversupplied. 8. Developing dignified exit routes for those leaving the industry. 9. Protecting routes into agriculture through County farms and longer term tenancies. 10. Stopping the subsidised competition for land from anaerobic digestion. "We would love to hear from vets, feed suppliers, banks, haulage companies, fertiliser reps, insurance companies and all others who do business with the farming community, about whether they would be prepared to sign up to all or some of our 10 current asks of Government, said Mr Wyrill. "The agricultural supply trade must stand with the farming community for the sake of their businesses and the rural economy more widely," said Mr Wyrill. EU agricultural commissioner Phil Hogan has met with Scotland's First Minister to discuss the Scottish government's failures in handling the Common Agricultural Policy payments. Scotland is facing a 125 million fine from the EU because of a series of mistakes led to farmers not being paid their support payments on time. An Audit Scotland study into the computer system that was designed to make the payments under the Common Agricultural Policy warned the project is at risk of running out of money because of costs. Mr Hogan discussed the issues with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her new rural economy secretary, Fergus Ewing, at Bute House in Edinburgh. A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: "It was a good discussion and the first minister and Mr Ewing found the meeting with the commissioner to be very positive." Opposition parties said the spending watchdog's findings revealed a 'litany of failure' and 'incompetence.' Audit Scotland said ministers were aware of the issue in the project to reform EU rural subsidies. The Government admitted in March there is an 'extreme risk' it will not make all the required payments by the European Commission's (EC) deadline of June 30. If this deadline is not met, the report said the Scottish taxpayer is liable for European fines of between 40 million and 125 million. "The scale of the challenge ahead should not be underestimated," said Caroline Gardner, Auditor General for Scotland. "Its vital that the Scottish Government take steps now to ensure the IT system is fit for purpose and fully assess the potential financial impact if its unable to meet the European Commissions regulations within the programmes remaining budget. "The CAP Futures programme has been beset with difficulties from the start. "These problems, and the way they have been dealt with by the Scottish Government, are a serious concern, particularly as the programme continues to face major obstacles and is unlikely to deliver value for money. "There is a significant risk that the Scottish Government will not deliver its aim to minimise financial penalties charged by the EC for non-compliance with regulations. A range of financial penalties is possible, with a potential range between 40 million and 125 million, subject to an assessment of the specific circumstances by the EC." Achieving more sustainable food and farming will only be possible through sound science that is firmly rooted in practical application. This was the message delivered at LEAFs inaugural Integrated Farm Management Conference last week. Delegates heard about the use of LED lights to maximise growth and plant quality, the application of drones to improve yields, how biobeds and phytobacs are enabling farmers to reduce their environmental impact and the benefits of cover crops to farmers and wildlife. This was followed by talks from LEAF Demonstration Farmers who highlighted how they were making IFM work for them. Julian Davies from Stockbridge Technology Centre, one of LEAFs Innovation Centres explained the advances that were being made in the horticultural sector. For example, looking at LED lights and more sustainable growing media to push forward more sustainable methods of glasshouse production. LEAF at the forefront of farming sustainably Also speaking at the conference, Professor Dave Roberts, Head of SRUC Dairy Research said: "The framework of IFM had the potential to offer much to the livestock sector in terms of better grassland management systems, feeding and welfare", but acknowledged there was still a long way to go. At the conference, which was introduced this year as part of LEAFs 25th anniversary, the LEAF Information Centre was unveiled an online information portal for LEAF members housing all of LEAFs technical publications and a range of guides, assessments and videos on all aspects of IFM as well as some of the broader topics associated with sustainable agriculture. Caroline Drummond, LEAFs Chief Executive said: "LEAF has been at the forefront of delivering more sustainable food and farming for the past 25 years. "We have spent this time defining the principles of IFM, building our knowledge generation and exchange activities, developing management tools and guidance for farmers, creating a robust and transparent global assurance system and delivering innovative public engagement activities. "I am immensely proud of what we have achieved and hugely excited by the challenges that lie ahead. "The practices and developments within IFM must continue to evolve and improve. Meeting the challenge of providing better nutrition for more people sustainably calls for joined-up research that takes an ecological approach, responds to peoples real needs and respects farmers know-how. Our Demonstration Farmers and Innovation Centres are key to making this happen." 'Vital to have access to latest technology' Alice Mitchell, LEAFs IFM Manager added: "Underpinning all our activities is our network of Demonstration Farmers and Innovation Centres. "If farmers are to continue to farm more sustainably, then it is vital they have access to the very latest research and technologies as well as opportunities to share their own knowledge and expertise. "This helps to drive forward real change and helps farmers seize opportunities and make meaningful and informed choices that will work for them and their businesses. "Our Innovation Centres and Demonstration Farms represent some of the most forward looking scientists and farmers in the country. "This feeds into the continual development of IFM to ensure it remains robust, relevant and able to address the challenges ahead in a way that is pragmatic and resilient to future uncertainties." LEAF Demonstration Farmer, John Renner from Renner Farming in Northumberland concluded the afternoon talks by stating: "I have been amazed today to see the sheer diversity of farming enterprises represented by LEAF members and implementing IFM principles. "There is a very positive future for farming in every sense. We can supply the food we need, protect and enhance the environment as well as offering some fantastic career opportunities for young people." A Manchester Metropolitan University lecturer has warned that a British exit from the European Union is likely to have a negative effect on the countrys farming industry. Charlie Clutterbuck, an Associate Lecturer in Hollings facultys Department of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality, took part in a debate on the effect a Brexit would have on Britains food and farming industries. His talk focused on the knock-on effects of the countrys cheap food and farm policy, and asked whether policy makers pursuing free market ideals really have farmers best interests at heart. Charlie said: "Sadly, all too often, British Governments of whatever colour have taken a much less supportive approach to farming than they have been forced to take as members of the European Union. "The big question we are having to answer is, would this situation get better as a result of Brexit? "And the answer would have to be no, it is more likely to be worse. "The main political feel behind Brexit in the UK is towards a freer market capitalism and laissez faire economics compared with the more social capital of EU, where there are more protections for family farms." Dan Crossley of the Food Ethics Council chaired the debate. He said: "For better or worse, the EU influences pretty much every aspect of the UKs food and farming landscape, and the referendum result will have really profound implications but many working in the field dont know enough about what they are. "There are a lot of factors to consider in this debate, and as organisations working for a fairer, more ecological food system, we want to make sure food and farming is high up on the agenda as we go to the polls. Key points UK governments have been made to take a supportive approach to British farming by the EU than they would like Less protection for family farms outside the EU Policy makers pursuing free market ideals do not have farmers best interests at heart A podcast of the presentation is available by clicking here. Princess Anne, patron of the Royal Three Counties Show, will open this years momentous event on Friday 17 June. The Princess Royal will be in attendance to inaugurate the opening ceremony of the show featuring the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery. She will also be presenting the Three Counties Agricultural Society Long Service Awards. Ken Nottage, CEO of the Three Counties, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Princess Anne to the showground once again. "It is an immense privilege to have her continued support of the Royal Three Counties Show. "Her involvement has greatly contributed to the shows position as one of the countrys premier livestock events, alongside elevating the show to its Royal status, a title of which we are extremely proud. "This is the first year for many years that HRH Princess Royal has been able to join us due to the fortunate timings of the Trooping of the Colour and were delighted. "This year is to be a spectacular year for the Royal Three Counties Show and we cannot wait to share what is shaping up to be our best show yet." Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery Princess Anne will begin proceedings for the Royal Three Counties Show by launching the opening ceremony. The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery will be a pinnacle moment of the ceremony as they dominate the Main Arena with their world-famous musical drive. Offering the only opportunity to be seen outside of London in 2016, the Kings Troop will perform each day in the Main Arena of the landmark agricultural show. In the month of the Queens Official 90th Birthday, The Band of the Queens Division will also provide live musical accompaniment to the magnificent displays. Within her role as President of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth, HRH Princess Royal will also present the Three Counties Agricultural Society Long Service Awards. The annual awards acknowledge employees of members of the society who have completed 30 years or more of continuous service to agriculture and horticulture. The awards are an integral part of the societies long standing heritage. The Royal Three Counties Show will take place from Friday 17 June until Sunday 19 June 2016. Ulster Farmers' Union President Ian Marshall says he is delighted almost 7000 was raised for Rural Support, his chosen charity for his term as President. UFU members, staff and its group offices were involved in the fundraising drive. "I would like to thank everyone involved for their kind donations and for showing their support to a charity that helps the rural community in so many different ways," said Mr Marshall. Rural Support is an industry-driven charity, formed back in 2002 to help deal with financial and emotional fallout from the foot and mouth epidemic. Since then it has been providing help and support to farmers and rural dwellers through a confidential helpline and signposting service. It has a team of trained volunteers who listen and assist with issues such as financial problems, physical and mental health, emotional distress, succession and red tape. "This is an organisation available seven days a week and the support they provide to the industry is invaluable," said Mr Marshall. Rural Support chief executive, Jude McCann, added: "We are extremely grateful to the UFU for their continued support. "As a small independent charity all donations are welcome and they help ensure the continued work of Rural Support. "In the current economic climate we would encourage any farm family experiencing difficulties to contact our helpline and avail of our free financial mentoring service. "We are acutely aware of the mounting pressures on farming families. Our key message is that its OK to ask for help," said Mr McCann. AHDB agrees to transfer surplus levy funds to new horticultural body A large unmanned aircraft that will help North Dakota State University with an agricultural research project has taken its first flight. Small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), most weighing 55 pounds or less, have proved to be useful in crop and livestock production. A group of North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station scientists and NDSU Extension Service specialists think large UAS can play an important role in agriculture as well. Those scientists and specialists are collaborating with the Hillsboro Airport Authority, some Traill and Steele County producers and Fort Worth, Texas-based Elbit Systems of America on a research project to test that theory. Elbit is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli high-tech company that provided a Hermes 450, a UAS with a 35-foot wingspan, for the project. Thats similar to the wingspan of a single-engine manned aircraft. The Hermes 450, which was flown in sections to the U.S. from Israel, then trucked to North Dakota, was assembled this week. It is flying out of the Hillsboro Municipal Airport, where it will be based for the duration of the project. The Hermes 450s ground control equipment was installed earlier this month. Small UAS are ideal for scouting crops and livestock, and can be used effectively to capture imagery for precision management decisions such as variable-rate in-season fertilization, weed identification, livestock inventory and identifying sick animals, says John Nowatzki, Extension agricultural machine systems specialist and the principal investigator on this project. But small UAS are relatively limited by flight time and cannot easily capture imagery of thousands of acres on the same day, he adds. Large UAS will be needed to collect high-spatial and temporal-resolution imagery over entire regions in a timely manner. One of the benefits of using UAS for agricultural purposes is saving time, but if a producer has to drive a small UAS from field to field, then it really isnt much of a time saver, notes Sreekala Bajwa, chair of NDSUs Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department and a co-investigator on this project. Most small UAS need to capture hundreds of individual images to make a single mosaicked image of one square mile, Nowatzki says. A large UAS could capture high-resolution imagery of one square mile in a single image. This would make it possible to capture imagery useable for precision crop management over hundreds of thousands of acres in a single day at very high resolution. This project will use the Hermes 450 and small rotocopter and fixed-wing UAS to collect imagery from a four- by 40-mile corridor in east-central North Dakota every two weeks during the 2016 crop-growing season. The Hermes 450 will gather images from altitudes of 3,000, 5,000 and 8,000 feet, while the small UAS will fly at 400 feet or below. The UAS will collect data on stand counts in corn, sunflowers and sugar beets; the effectiveness of nitrogen applied to corn and wheat; iron chlorosis deficiency in soybeans; and yield predictions for corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar beets and sunflowers. The researchers plan to test whether UAS also can benefit livestock producers, such as by inventorying cattle in pastures. The intent is to compare the data collected from the air at various altitudes with data collected through satellite imagery, in-field observations and on-the-ground sensors, detailed soil analyses and harvest yield information. This research is the first of its kind in the nation, Bajwa says. Researchers also plan to assess the costs associated with collecting UAS imagery, including personnel, transportation, the number of flights required to gather sufficient data, the time required to collect the information, area of coverage per flight and maintenance costs per hour of flight to determine whether using UAS for agricultural purposes is economical. Those involved in the project say this kind of information also will help companies such as Elbit decide whether to consider expanding to North Dakota. A Research ND grant from the North Dakota Department of Commerce is partly funding this project. The purpose of these grants is to promote long-term economic development in the state, Nowatzki notes. To inform producers and others in the test area about the project, Extension agents Alyssa Scheve from Traill County and Angie Johnson from Steele County organized informational meetings in both counties. They sent letters to landowners and ran ads in local newspapers to make sure everyone was aware of the meetings. Topics discussed at the public meetings included data privacy, manned and unmanned aircraft safety, project research objectives and image collection flight schedules. Trajectory information from the UAS flights will be shared with the Federal Aviation Administration, which is developing regulatory standards for the use of UAS. The FAA recently approved the Hermes 450s flight as part of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in North Dakota. The state was selected in 2013 as one of six FAA test sites and is conducting research that will assist the FAA in developing those standards. Because the FAA requires UAS to be flown within the operators line of sight and the Hermes 450 will go beyond that, the North Dakota wing of the Civil Air Patrol will fly a chase plane with a visual observer who will be in constant radio communication with the ground-based UAS operators, Nowatzki says. Source:ndsu.edu More than half of employees who work for CCS make $43K or more a year Angelina Jolie is joining the London School of Economics as a visiting professor. Angelina Jolie The 40-year-old actress and human rights campaigner will give a series of lectures to students of the new one-year MSc course on women, peace and security, which will run from the beginning of the 2017 academic year. Angelina - who helped to launch the MSc last year with Britain's former foreign secretary, William Hague - said: "I am very encouraged by the creation of this master's programme. I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict. I am looking forward to teaching and to learning from the students as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations." According to the LSE, the course is intended to "develop strategies to promote gender equality and enhance women's economic, social and political participation and security". Visiting professors including Angelina and Mr. Hague will give lectures, participate in workshops and undertake their own research. An LSE spokeswoman said they will teach "as often as their schedules, and their commitment as agreed with the director, will allow". And Angelina could be set to teach at an American university too as the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security Ambassador Melanne Verveer said she has held talks with the actress. According to PEOPLE, she said: "I was pleased to meet with Angelina Jolie during my recent trip to London on ways we at Georgetown University can continue the collaboration between our sister programs on both sides of the Atlantic. We look forward to welcoming Angelina and former foreign secretary Hague to Georgetown in the future." Justin Theroux suffered a number of injuries while filming 'The Leftovers'. Justin Theroux The 44-year-old actor - who is married to Jennifer Aniston - admitted he had to visit hospital after hurting himself while filming the three seasons of the show. Speaking at the Inside: The Leftovers panel discussion during the 2016 Vulture Festival, he said: "I went to the hospital. I got 10 stitches in my lip and I broke my nose. "Both episode eights in both seasons I shattered my hand, I got stitches in my head, and I broke my knuckles." And it's not just on set where Justin has had back luck as he previously revealed he nearly died on his honeymoon. The actor tied the knot with Jennifer in August 2015 and nearly lost his life when he went scuba diving in Bora Bora following the pair's nuptials. He recalled how he was enjoying "the pretty fish" and coral with a group of friends and an instructor who didn't speak much English, when he saw his oxygen tank was low. Because of the language barrier, the instructor didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He explained: "He just kept swimming away from me. I got to my friend [and said], 'Dude, look.' And he said, 'Oh my God, you are about to die.'" However, after a second attempt, Justin's instructor understood he needed to act quick. He added: "He pulls the emergency respirator out, puts it in my mouth, hits this clear button, which sends all these bubbles out, and it sends water down my throat. So now I'm also linked to this jerk because now I have to swim alongside him and finally he rolls his eyes and we go up. "I'm just looking at this guy through my mask [thinking], 'I'm going to murder this guy.' I was going to throw the biggest haymaker!'" The Daughter is set to hit the big screen later this week and we have a fantastic exclusive clip for you to take a look at. The Daughter The Daughter is a big screen adaptation of the play by Henrik Ibsen and sees Simon Stone in the director's chair. While Stone was part of the ensemble directing team of The Turning, this will be his directorial debut on a solo project. As well as being in the director's chair for the film, Stone has also adapted Ibsen's play into a screenplay. There're just a few days to go until The Daughter is released and here is a great new clip to whet your appetite. Take a look: Stone has brought together a fantastic cast as Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie, Paul Schneider, Miranda Otto, Anna Torv and Sam Neill are all set to star. The movie will also introduce us to the acting talents of Odessa Young, as she takes on the role of Hedvig in what is only her second feature film. She is an actress to keep an eye on over the next couple of years. In the last days of a dying logging town, Christian (Schneider) returns to his family home for his father Henry's (Rush) wedding to the much younger Anna (Torv). While home, Christian reconnects with his childhood friend Oliver (Leslie), who has stayed in town working at Henry's timber mill and is now out of a job. As Christian gets to know Oliver's wife Charlotte (Otto), daughter Hedvig (Young) and father Walter (Neill), he discovers a secret that could tear Oliver's family apart. As he tries to right the wrongs of the past, his actions threaten to shatter the lives of those he left behind years before. The Daughter premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and has been winning over critics and audiences ever since. The Daughter is set to be a compelling relationship drama and a welcome break from all of the big budget blockbusters. The Daughter is released 27th May. by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on Mark Ronson has teased that he's working on new music with Lady Gaga and Tame Impala. Lady Gaga and Kevin Parker on Mark Ronson Instagram (c) The 'Uptown Funk' hitmaker shared a photo of the 'Born This Way' hitmaker and Kevin Parker of the band in the studio on Sunday (22.05.16). Alongside the picture posted on his Instagram, he cryptically captioned it: "Illusion". He also shared a picture of Parker on the drums with the caption "Crash". The posts suggest the Tame Impala frontman - who previously worked with Ronson on 'Summer Breaking' and 'Daffodils', which featured on his album 'Uptown Special' - might be working with the superstar producer on tracks for Gaga's eagerly-anticipated follow-up to 2013 'Artpop' LP. The pair were spotted standing over a Korg synthesiser and on the left hand side of the picture is producer BloodPop, who has worked with an array of pop stars including Grimes and Justin Bieber. The 40-year-old star previously revealed he's been teaching Gaga, 30, how to play guitar for her fifth record. Talking about the pair's duet of 'Burning Down The House' at a recent Met Gala after-party, he shared: "I've been working with Lady Gaga for the past few months on her upcoming record and I am blown away by her talent and her voice. "She's never played guitar in public before. She's great on piano but guitar is something she is learning for this record. And she just smashed it. I showed her things and she's such a fast learner and as a performer her charisma is insane so she could have carried it anyway." Ronson has also teased that the record will be "authentic and "analogue" and won't rely on digital or computer trickery. He said: "She is a muso at heart. She's happiest when she is sat at a piano barking orders and that side of her I don't think the world has seen it. It is great to make this very honest, authentic analogue kind of record." As for Kevin, he revealed he's working on new music at his very own studio in Perth, Australia, last month, which could mean the trio are working together there. At the time he said: "I've got my own recording studio in Perth just down the road from where I live. So there are all sorts of things going on." An ever-increasing load of paternity cases--where the father's biological link with his child is under dispute--has prompted the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Kalina to nearly double DNA testing charges for the first time in a decade. State officials said the hike was to cover the rising cost of imported chemicals and disposables. Statistics collated by the FSL show paternity tests jumped from 115 in 2014 to 135 in 2015. FSL experts said the DNA division, which is mainly supposed to aid in the investigation of murder, rape and kidnapping cases, was busy solving around 11paternity disputes every month."At least 5-10% of the section's monthly work involves giving closure to suspicious fathers," an official said, "and the numbers seem to be multiplying every year." Testing a sample to establish paternity , which used to cost around Rs 10,000, will now be around Rs 19,000. A senior Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) official said, "The chemicals we use for the test are mostly imported. It is an expensive and tedious test that requires expertise." The police department's samples pertaining to murder, rape and other investigations are tested for free. Looking at the demand, the test is being extended from branches in Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad. An FSL official said increasing awareness of the most scientific way to establish parentage had wreaked havoc on the social fabric. "Surprisingly, even men from poor backgrounds seem to be plagued by the question of 'who is the father'. Many struggle to pay for the test," the official said. The Supreme Court had in 2010 held that a DNA test in a paternity suit should be ordered by courts only in exceptional cases. The FSL figure takes into account a small subset of cases that have landed up in court and subsequently at the state-run lab for the final genetic verdict.At least 10 times as many tests are being carried out in private labs. "There is no way to track the actual volume of tests carried out simply by buying kits from the internet and mailing a cheek swab," said Dr Rukmini Krishnamurthy , founder member of Helik, a forensic research agency , and FSL ex-director . "It is amusing how the technological advance that was supposed to give us clarity has brought out a dark side of society ," she said. "In 90% cases the fears of the father are unfounded but there are rare cases where the family has to deal with heartbreaking revelations," she said.Krishnamurthy said a wealthy Jaipur man came to the city to find out if he was the biological father of all five children. "The DNA results surprised us. Not only were none of the children biologically related to him but three of the siblings were not related to the other two," she said. Such cases underline the need for such tests to be conducted along with counselling. A private Andheri-based laboratory executive told TOI, "We test up to 300 samples every month and charge Rs 12,000-16,000 depending on the package the client opts for." Santacruz-based psychiat rist Dr Milind Joshi said, "Most disputes come from nuclear families with working couples, where lack of intimacy and communication leads to suspicion." Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts Gene and Preity couldn't contain their joy during a day trip at the Taj Mahal in Agra on May 12 Preity attended a class with students at the Mother Miracle School in Rishikesh on May 22 A file photo of the pool at her private villa in Ananda In The Himalayas After treating husband Gene Goodenough and his family to a guided day trip to Taj Mahal in Agra on May 13, Preity Zinta continues her India sojourn with the love of her life.Last week, the newlyweds checked into Ananda In The Himalayas, a luxury wellness spa in Uttarakhand, for a quiet retreat. The couple is staying at one-bedroom luxury villa, that has a private sauna and a private pool.Yesterday they made a day trip to Mother Miracle, a school for underprivileged children in Rishikesh where they interacted with students and had a meal with them. The actor-turned-entrepreneur supports the Mother Miracle Trust in India. She even raised money for various charities by selling the photography rights of her wedding celebrations in Mumbai to an American photo agency. Photograph: APH IMAGES Stung by a study that found violations in its supplier factories in India and Cambodia, Swedish clothing retailer H&M said it was collaborating with trade unions, government as well as the UN to improve workers' conditions.The study by the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) found workers stitching clothes for H&M in factories in Delhi and Phnom Penh faced problems such as low wages, fixed-term contracts, forced overtime and loss of job if pregnant. Stung by a study that found violations in its supplier factories in India and Cambodia, Swedish clothing retailer H&M said it was collaborating with trade unions, government as well as the UN to improve workers' conditions. The study by the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) found workers stitching clothes for H&M in factories in Delhi and Phnom Penh faced # The AFWA, a coalition of trade unions and labour rights groups, accused H&M of failing on its commitments to clean up its supply chain.An official from H&M told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Saturday that the company has been working actively to improve the lives of textile workers for many years."The report raises important issues and we are dedicated to contribute to positive long-term development for the people working in the textile industry in our sourcing markets," said Therese Sundberg from H&M's press and communications department."The issues addressed in the report are industry wide problems. They are often difficult to address as an individual company and we firmly believe that collaboration is key."H&M has partnered with the International Labour Organization, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency as well as global and local trade unions to seek out solutions, she added in an emailed statement.The fashion industry has come under increasing pressure to improve factory conditions and workers' rights, particularly after the collapse of the Rana Plaza complex in Bangladesh three years ago that killed over a thousand garment workers.The study surveyed 50 Indian workers from five factories and 201 Cambodians workers from 12 factories from August to October 2015.It found that overtime in all the factories was expected by employers. Cambodian workers reported they had to do two hours of overtime daily, while Indian workers were even worse off, working at least 9 hours to 17 hours a day."Workers are routinely required to work until 2 am in order to meet production targets - and then to report to work at 9 am," it said, referring to workers in Indian factories."The financial imperative of working overtime due to the persistence of minimum wage standards below living wage standards can be viewed as a form of economic coercion that leads to involuntary or forced overtime," it added.The study also found that fixed-term contracts were being used in 9 of the 12 Cambodian and all Indian factories surveyed. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cautioned that pro-business environment without "pro-competition" policies can result in dangerous consequences, including crony capitalism."Being pro-business alone is not enough. Being pro-competition is essential to be with pro-business. If you are pro-business without being pro-competition, the consequences could be very dangerous," he said as he pitched in for competition in his annual day lecture of Competition Commission of India recently. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cautioned that pro-business environment without "pro-competition" policies can result in dangerous consequences, including crony capitalism. "Being pro-business alone is not enough. Being pro-competition is essential to be with pro-business. If you are pro-business without being pro-competition, the consequences could# Citing example of competition providing plethora of choice to customers, Jaitley said advent of e-commerce has provided widest possible choices of goods to the consumers at most competitive prices at the click of a button."Competition promotes technology at most reasonable prices, competition will provide quality of services/products to the consumers at competitive prices. It promotes innovation, efficiency and quality," he said.Pointing out Russia, he said, the country went in for a lot of privatisation without emphasis on pro-competition resulting in creation of oligarchs."Oligarchs again meant monopolies. So any pro-business policy per se also has to be pro-competition because without pro-competition, being pro-business itself can encourage oligarchs. It can encourage crony capitalism which itself is dangerous," Jaitley, who is also the Corporate Affairs Minister, said. With India's transformation from a regulated to a market economy, Jaitley said the government had dual capacity in the context of running enterprises such as BSNL, general insurance companies and LIC. Then there was the need to have "regulators at arm's length from the government... The more we professionalise them better it is for our economy," he said."Today world over people have investment and when they choose they never invest in sluggish economy. They want to invest in more competitive economy, they want to invest in a fair economy, they want to invest in an economy where entry and exit is easy, where the rules of business is fair," Jaitley said highlighting the importance of competition and its impact on growth.With the passage of Bankruptcy and Insolvency Code, easy exit will be facilitated."An investor does not want to invest in a jurisdiction where exit is difficult. Therefore, with now proper regime creation there would be significant improvement in that area," he noted. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the government to pay special attention to the readymade garment (RMG) industry while preparing the upcoming national budget. To attract investment and help sustain competitiveness, BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman proposed 10 per cent special corporate tax rate and reduction of tax at source to 0.30 per cent from existing 0.60 per cent in the next fiscal year for the RMG industry. Rahman said this while speaking at a pre-budget discussion organised by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and a private television channel in Dhaka last week. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the government to pay special attention to the readymade garment (RMG) industry while preparing the upcoming national budget. To attract investment and help sustain competitiveness, BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman proposed 10 per cent special corporate tax rate and # The BGMEA president laid emphasis on employment generation along with achieving higher economic growth. He urged the government to keep import of all the safety equipment duty free. Finance minister AMA Muhith was the chief guest at the discussion, which was also attended by commerce minister Tofail Ahmed and government advisor AB Mirza Azizul Islam, among others. (RKS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The global economic slowdown has hit the textile machinery industry with shipments in some of the textile machinery segments experiencing declines in 2015. Deliveries of new short-staple spindles fell by nearly 8 per cent from 2014 to 2015. Shipped long-staple spindles and open-end rotors decreased by 61 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. The number of shipped draw-texturing spindles fell by 26 per cent and shipments for new circular knitting machines by 6 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, deliveries of shuttle-less looms increased by 14 per cent in 2015 and shipments of flat-knitting machines rose by 52 per cent.These are the main results of the 38th annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF). The report covers six segments of textile machinery, namely spinning, draw-texturing, weaving, large circular knitting, flat knitting and finishing. The 2015 survey has been compiled in cooperation with over 140 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world production. This number does not include the numerous Chinese companies that are represented by the so called District. The number of participating companies is likely to be around 200. The global economic slowdown has hit the textile machinery industry with shipments in some of the textile machinery segments experiencing declines in 2015. Deliveries of new short-staple spindles fell by nearly 8 per cent from 2014 to 2015. Shipped long-staple spindles and open-end rotors decreased by 61 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. The number of # Shipments of new short-staple spindles fell by nearly 8per cent year-on-year in 2015, the second decrease in a row. The level of short staple spindles declined to about 9 million spindles, the lowest level since 2009. Most of the new short staple spindles (92 per cent) were shipped to Asia, whereby shipments fell by 7 per cent year-on-year. Thereby China, the world's largest investor of short-staple spindles, experienced a decline of 26 per cent, whereas deliveries to Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam rose by 97 per cent, 4 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively. All of the five largest investors for short-staple spindles in 2015 originate from Asia and include China, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia, ITMF said in a press release.Global shipments of long-staple (wool) spindles decreased sharply by 61 per cent from around 138,000 in 2014 to nearly 54,000 in 2015. Deliveries to Turkey, one of the main investors of long-staple spindles in the last few years, fell by 83 per cent from 67,000 in 2014 to over 11,000 spindles in 2015. The majority of long-staple spindles (58 per cent) were shipped to Asia. Nearly 41 per cent of long-staple spindles were shipped to Europe. In 2015, Iran was the largest investor with 14,200 spindles, followed by China with over 13,000 spindles. US cotton demand, including mill use and exports, is expected to increase 12 per cent to 14.1 million bales in 2016-17, as exports are projected to rebound, the US department of agriculture (USDA) said in its latest report In 2015-16, the limited suppliesparticularly of higher quality cottonand sharply lower imports by China reduced demand to a 30-year low. For 2016-17, exports will continue to account for the majority of US cotton demand at 10.5 million bales, accounting for 74 per cent of the total demand, compared to 2015-16 estimated exports of 9 million bales. US cotton demand, including mill use and exports, is expected to increase 12 per cent to 14.1 million bales in 2016-17, as exports are projected to rebound, the US department of agriculture (USDA) said in its latest report. In 2015-16, the limited suppliesparticularly of higher quality cottonand sharply lower imports by China reduced demand to a 30-year # The increase in exports is likely to push US share of global trade in 2016-17 to 32 per cent, up from last season's 26 per cent but similar to the share recorded in 2014-15, the USDA report said. However, US cotton mill use for 2016-17 is estimated to remain flat at 3.6 million bales, supported by the continued demand for US cotton textile product exports. With US cotton production expected to exceed demand in 2016-17, ending stocks are projected to increase from the current season. Cotton stocks are forecast at 4.7 million bales on July 31, 2017, the highest since the 2008-09 season. According to USDA's initial projection for the 2016 crop, US cotton production is forecast at 14.8 million bales, 15 per cent above the final 2015 estimate. Based on the Prospective Plantings report, 2016 cotton area is expected at 9.56 million acres, 1 million acres above 2015. The higher planted acreage is largely due to a return of area that was prevented from being planted last season due to wet conditions. In addition, relative prices favour cotton slightly over competing crops. US cotton harvested area for 2016 is projected at 8.8 million acres, 9 per cent above the 2015 estimate of 8.1 million acres. (RKS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, is leading a Fijian delegation to the United Nations World Humanitarian Summit, which opens later today in Istanbul, Turkey. The Summit is being attended by representatives of 175 countries, including 53 heads of state and government, who will discuss a range of humanitarian challenges such as the mass displacement of refugees due to conflict and natural disasters. In a series of statements at the Summit, the Prime Minister will call on the global community to assist countries such as Fiji with the funds they need to build their resilience to climate change and brief other nations on the relief and rehabilitation effort in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Winston. He will also be speaking about the need for international assistance to enable Fiji to give permanent refuge to the people of Kiribati and Tuvalu in the event that both nations are submerged by the rising seas caused by global warming. In other sessions, the Prime Minister will speak about the Governments program to improve the position of women and girls in Fiji and the steps being taken to integrate the private sector into decision making and improve the ability of the business community to deal with disaster. Among the Fijian delegation are the Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Inia Seruiratu, Fijis Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem and the Permanent Secretary in the Prime Ministers Office, Yogesh Karan. Yesterday (May 22, 2016), we had shown you the pictures of Aryan Khan's graduation ceremony and now, we have brought to you the airport pictures of Shahrukh and Gauri Khan. Interestingly, these pictures will remind you of an important scene from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. But the only difference is that in the movie Shahrukh & Kajol are going in two different directions while, here Shahrukh & Gauri are returning together. Check Out The Pictures Below: SRK-Gauri's daughter, Suhana also turned 16 yesterday. The proud father Shahrukh tweeted, "Today the only negative is that my kids have grown up... Now to wait till they start believing in fairy tales again..." SHOCKER! Ranbir Kapoor's Alleged Gf Bharti Malhotra Finally Talks About Him Gauri Khan also took to Instagram to share a picture of her son on the occassion of his graduation and Suhana's picture with Aryan. There is no denying that all the pictures, which were shared yesterday was extremely adorable but we miss one of the most important Khan members in the picture: AbRam! Don't you think it would have been a perfect family picture, if AbRam had also have gone to London along with her parents. Gauri had also complained about hubby Shahrukh pampering AbRam much more than his other kids Aryan and Suhana. She said, "She says, "That child is a globetrotter. He is never here. People just pick him up and run - my mum, Shah Rukh - nobody wants to leave him. "I think he is pampered much more [than Aryan and Suhana]. He is more on sets with Shah Rukh too. My other kids didn't do that. I am now wondering, why?" "Everything I do can be done right here from a computer. So I am always next to AbRam, provided he is at home," she had added. We had earlier informed you about talented actresses who might rule Tamil film industry for the next 10 years. Now, it is time to do some guess work pertaining to young Tamil actors. Kollywood has never ceased to manufacture talented actors, but only few of them go on to become superstars. These below mentioned actors might be the one's to look out for in the next 20 years or so. Without a doubt, Sivakarthikeyan stands a strong chance of becoming one of the superstars of Kollywood in the near future. After a great start to his acting career, the Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam star has grown from strength to strength, acquiring huge fan base across Tamil Nadu. Vijay Sethupathi It's in his name isn't it? If there is one actor (after the Suriyas and the Vikrams) who has managed to capture millions of hearts by exhibiting raw acting talent, it is Vijay Sethupathi. It is almost unbelievable how this performer has risen from being a good actor to a star in a matter of few years. He is definitely someone to watch out for in the future. Dhanush It may appear as if Dhanush is tad too old to be featuring in this list, but this 32-year-old National Award winner has just begun his journey and has a long way to go. With a couple of Hindi films under his belt and an upcoming Hollywood movie, Dhanush may in fact, go on to become a pan-Indian superstar. Simbu Love him, hate him but you cannot ignore him. Simbu might be going through a rough patch right now, but there are chances that he may bounce back with a vengeance. Given his massive fan following, he may quickly rise above the rest when he starts delivering good movies. Vishal Given his involvement in various welfare activities, Vishal may go on to rule Tamil cinema in the near future. Though he doesn't have a massive fan following at the moment, the Sandakozhi actor might become a popular figure in Kollywood, if everything goes according to plans. Also Read: Why AR Rahman's Music Must Be Played On A Loop For You To Understand It Completely Kajal Aggarwal, who predominantly works in Tamil and Telugu films, believes that 'star' status has nothing to do with one's sartorial choices, and adds that she is not brand-conscious. "Being a star has nothing to do with your choice. As a star, I'm not very brand-conscious, and I pick and wear anything that attracts my fancy. If I really like something from a brand, I pick it up and know how to combine it with something I bought on the streets," Kajal, during the launch of a GAP store in Chennai, told IANS. In her opinion, a brand is nothing but an association with an intangible feeling. "We think of a brand and what comes to mind defines the brand. When I think of GAP, I find it very comfortable, relatable, modern and chic. The association with such intangible feelings is what really makes a brand," she said. "It is like food connection. You eat something and if you instantly like it, you create an association with it," she added. Kajal, whose fashion sense has turned heads across industries, believes in keeping everything "simple" yet "classy". On the acting front, the 30-year-old star is busy with multiple projects under her belt. Having completed nearly a decade in the industry, she feels it's important to reinvent with every project. "There's no dearth of self-improvisation. I would like to reinvent in every sphere of the industry and that is the only way to survive in the extremely competitive profession," she said, adding it's also equally important to stay grounded. "Never take failure to your heart and success to your head. That's the only way you can grow in this industry," she said. The Paayum Puli actress awaits the release of Jiiva-starrer Kavalai Vendam and a yet-untitled project with Vikram. Also Read: 'Iraivi' Will Make You Watch It More Than Once: Kamalinee Mukherjee On Her Comeback Film We had recently reported about Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain's Anita Bhabhi aka Saumya Tandon attending the Cannes Film Festival. The actress is back from Cannes now. Posting a picture (Slide 13), probably taken from the flight while travelling back to Mumbai, Saumya wrote, "Bye bye france, from the sky, back to my land Mumbai." Check Out Saumya Tandon Pictures At Cannes She further wrote, "Hope to get some very interesting world cinema to @1018mb for real cinema lovers in India. Keep urself registered to choose Ur screenings." It has to be recalled that BJGPH actress is also an entrepreneur with a venture titled 1018mb. The actress was at the film festival to connect with the film fraternity across the world. On May 18, Saumya attended the Cannes Film Festival. She posted a picture (Slide 2) and wrote, "Landed in d lovely Cannes, attending #CannesFilmFestival to get good films to @1018mb.Hope to crack some good deals." Saumya also spent some time shopping at Cannes. Posting a picture (Slide 5) the actress wrote, "Giving in to the temptations of shopping in #Cannes2016 , it's my guilty pleasure." She was seen in a beautiful black dress in the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Posting a couple of pictures (Slides 8-9), the actress wrote, "How could I miss the #Indianlook at another premiere @Festival_Cannes @cannesfilmfestival." Apart from Saumya, Sasural Simar Ka actors Avika Gor and Manish Raisinghani also attended the Cannes as their short film Ankahee Baatein was selected for the Short Film Corner. The short film stars Manish and Barkha Bisht, while Avika is the creative director of the movie. (Images Source: Twitter & Facebook) The ongoing track of Star Plus's popular soap opera Diya Aur Baati Hum is shaping up really well. Sandhya (Deepika Singh) and Sooraj (Anas Rashid) are aware of the Riddhi's two lookalikes- Siddhi and Samriddhi who are fooling all the people around by posing themselves as Dui Mukheshwari Mata! Sandhya's fight against the blind beliefs and superstitions will take major turn shortly as she will finally encounter the Takshak snake and capture it, much to the disapproval of the villagers. In fact, Sandhya will perform this daredevil act without a gun! Click on View Photos To View the Images After surprising the viewers with her dynamic stunts in the previous episodes, she will finally don her ACP Avatar, reach Naaglok and spot the Takshak there. She will throw a blanket over the snake in order to get a hold of it, to prove to the villagers that the Takshak is not at all a holy snake, as they have been assuming it to be till now. A source informs, "Sandhya's chief motive is to eradicate their belief into something which is delusional. Let's wait and watch if she succeeds in convincing the villagers or not." Well, we just hope that Sandhya reaches her target soon, by convincing the villagers and save her beloved son, Ved from the web of blind beliefs. In the latest episode, Sandhya caught hold of Siddhi and Samriddhi, who were decked up as Dui Mukheshwari Mata! She even got to know their motive and rushed to the spot to save Sooraj( as he was getting injected by Rishabh with neelvish as per the plan) and she injects the same to Rishabh instead! After this, Sandhya and Meenakshi pose themselves as Dui Mukheshwari Mata! Meanwhile, Samriddhi meets Ved as Dui Mukheshwari Mata and tells him that he has the power to fly. What will happen next? Stay tuned for more updates... PERTH, AUSTRALIA and GREER, SC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/22/16 -- Highlights: Alexium's flame retardant phase change material (PCM) to be exclusively used by leading global mattress ticking producer. Alexium deal breaks new ground in PCM bedding market, with estimated share for Alexium of more than $5 million revenue per annum Multi-year production plan now being developed. Alexium International Group Limited ("Alexium," "the Company") (ASX: AJX) (OTCQX: AXXIY) today announced it has signed a sales agreement with one of the largest global producers of mattress ticking to be the exclusive supplier of flame retardant (FR), cooling phase change material. The Sales Agreement follows a six-month period of extensive testing and production trials. Sales commence second quarter calendar year (CY) 2016, and a multi-year production plan is now being developed. "This is a breakthrough Sales Agreement in the phase change materials sector," said Nicholas Clark, CEO, Alexium, "and opens up the higher volume mid-priced bedding market as well as high-end bedding." "Our share of the PCM bedding market is more than $5 million annually," said Clark, "and we expect this share to grow rapidly given the performance, cost and environmental benefits of our fire retardant PCM product. Alexium's FR PCM technology provides bedding manufacturers with an exciting new product feature in a market where innovation is typically incremental. Our customers in this segment will now be able to significantly increase market share by offering what is a new and sought-after feature. We are well capitalized to meet this client's expectations whilst maintaining our existing accounts." "With this Sales Agreement, we have launched an entirely new FR product, and we're already making significant inroads with scale-up trials with a number of other bedding manufacturers." The global bedding customer has plants in North America and Europe, and supplies most of the major manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad with fabrics used for mattress covers. Phase Change Materials are used for a wide range of applications and makes materials cool to the touch. As the non-innerspring mattress market continues to grow, the use of PCM expands as well. "Alexium was selected for this partnership due to our innovative technology and proven capability to meet customer's needs," said Dirk Van Hyning, President, Alexium. "We have a significant competitive advantage in the PCM market with our ready-to-use chemistry solution and are pleased to have reached this first Sales Agreement in this valuable market segment." AB: 91 064 820 408 ASX: AJX About Alexium Alexium International Group Limited (ASX: AJX) (AX: AJX) (OTCQX: AXXIY) holds proprietary patent applications for a process developed initially by the U.S. Department of Defense, which allows for the surface modification and attachment of nano-particles or multiple chemical functional groups to surfaces or substrates to provide functions such as fire retardancy, water proofing, oil proofing, and anti-microbial treatments. Applications under development include but are not limited to textiles, paints, and packaging, glass and building materials. Alexium's fire retardant chemical treatments are currently marketed for different fabric markets under the Alexiflam, Ascalon, Nycolon, Nuvalon, and Polytron, Omnitron and Bactron trademarks. For additional information about Alexium, please visit www.alexiuminternational.com. U.S. Contacts: Nicholas (Nick) Clark Chief Executive Officer nclark@alexiuminternational.com Melissa P. Kelly Vice President, Corporate Communications mkelly@alexiuminternational.com U.S.: +1 864.603.1165 x303 U.S. Corporate Offices: 148 Milestone Way Greenville, SC 29615 U.S.: +1 864.603.1165 1100 New York Avenue Suite 710W Washington DC 20001 U.S. R&D Center: 8 Distribution Court Greer, SC 29650 U.S.: 864.416.1060 SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 05/22/16 -- Companies around the globe have made digital transformation a top business priority, fueling the need for more technology consulting and service providers to become OutSystems Partners in order to build and deploy applications on OutSystems Platform -- the most trusted Rapid Application Development and Delivery (RAD) platform for enterprise. Currently, of the 140 leading IT services and consulting companies that partner with OutSystems, 15 are based in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. Together these partners form a solid global community that has helped make OutSystems the platform of choice at organizations across a wide range of sectors. Insurance companies, banks, telcos, retailers, manufacturers, biotechs, universities, utilities, transportation companies and many other types of enterprises rely on applications built by OutSystems Partners on OutSystems Platform to achieve digital transformation. "Mobile applications are becoming a priority for many organizations. They empower businesses to make gains in efficiency and productivity and deliver return on investment," says Carlos Alves, Vice President, Global Sales at OutSystems. "We now have more companies using apps to transform their organization, and they're demanding apps that deliver excellent user experience as well as functionality. This opens up a tremendous volume of business that our Partners can take advantage of by rapidly building apps on OutSystems Platform." OutSystems Partners benefit by delivering time-to-value, meaning they can develop and deploy an app on OutSystems Platform in significantly less time than using other methods. Other benefits include opportunities to increase recurring revenue, improve productivity and resource utilization to increase profits, and to leverage OutSystems Platform to broaden their portfolio of services. Renvi Martinez, President and General Manager, Transnational E-Business Solutions, Inc., says, "OutSystems Platform lowers technical barriers with developers building apps. Skills reuse is definitely a plus, while reducing the technical risk providing security, reliability and scalability." Many OutSystems Partners, including those in the Asia Pacific region, also use OutSystems Platform on Microsoft Azure. This offering combines the standards, security and reliability from Microsoft -- that many developers know and trust -- with the ability to rapidly build beautiful applications in OutSystems. Faisal Rafi, Country Head Singapore and Senior Vice President, Technology Services at Xchanging, a CSC Company, says, "OutSystems encapsulates the entire SDLC from conceptualization to implementation on one platform and can lead to significant gains on productivity." According to Andrew Dean, Managing Director and CEO of DB Results, a digital business consulting and technology company with offices in Australia and Hong Kong, "We are faster since we started working with OutSystems. Faster delivery, faster training for our team, faster time to value and faster delivery of projects to our customers -- and new repeated business!" For many technology consulting and services firms, the low-code platform business model in general and OutSystems Platform in particular represents an exceptional growth opportunity. OutSystems received the highest score in the current offering category and was among the highest scores in the strategy category in The Forrester Wave: Low-Code Development Platforms, Q2 2016. In terms of market size and growth, another recent Forrester report states that the low-code platforms market generated at least USD 1.7 billion in revenue during 2015 and will grow to approximately USD 15.5 billion by 2020. In 2015, OutSystems grew subscription revenue by more than 60 percent. This increase is due to the Platform's ability to improve operational efficiency, business agility, and employee productivity. To keep up with demand, OutSystems is seeking Partners that possess industry expertise, local delivery capabilities, and can offer a high level of service to customers. Company logo http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/4739 About OutSystems: OutSystems provides the most trusted enterprise Rapid Application Development (RAD) platform to accelerate digital transformation. OutSystems Platform is the fastest and most comprehensive way to create, deploy, change, and manage custom mobile and web applications -- delivered seamlessly across all devices. Available as a cloud or on-premises solution with deep integration to all existing systems and an open architecture, OutSystems manages the complete application lifecycle of large portfolios at over 600 enterprise organizations in 33 countries across 22 industries. Visit us at www.outsystems.com, or follow us on Twitter @OutSystems or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/outsystems. For media inquiries, please contact: Jeraldine Kon OutSystems APAC Email Contact +65 9726 5546 Lewis Moh Allison+Partners Email Contact +65 9788 6767 American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire SMT, a travel management company (TMC) based in Finland and a subsidiary of Finnair. SMT has been an important partner within the GBT network for 27 years. When the transaction completes later this year, the company and its staff will formally join the GBT family. Elyes Mrad, GBT's Managing Director, EMEA, said: "SMT has a customer-centric approach to business and is driven by a passion for delivering superior customer service. This, of course, is underpinned by its profound knowledge of the Finnish marketplace. It is a natural fit with GBT. Companies and organizations in Finland and around the world will continue to benefit from SMT's local expertise, and the advantages of GBT's global scale and access." The acquisition, according to Steven Curts, GBT's Chief Strategy Officer, is an important step in the evolution of GBT's global business. He said: "At GBT, we are focused on improving our customer experience, offerings, and footprint through acquisitions, partnerships and organic growth. The purchase of SMT is an exciting milestone on this strategic journey." SMT was formed in 2013 after the merger of the two largest Finnish-owned business travel agencies, Area Travel Agency and Finland Travel Bureau. The company provides travel management and meeting and event services to customers throughout Finland. Under the leadership of Kirsi Paakkari, SMT has adopted an increasingly lean and entrepreneurial approach to the marketplace. Paakkari said: "SMT's main strategic objective is to be a leading provider of corporate travel services in Finland. Joining GBT accelerates our progress toward that objective. We have motivated, productive and innovative employees. Our dynamic business style, combined with GBT's resources, will make us a powerful and effective business travel partner for companies across Finland." Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer of Finnair and chairman for SMT's Board of Directors, said: "SMT will flourish within the innovative and dynamic growth environment provided by GBT. If TMCs are to succeed, they must stay ahead of technological developments while adopting a serious and effective approach to traveller security. GBT will provide the ideal platform to develop SMT's business in Finland going forward." Jarvinen said the Finnair Group decided to divest SMT after a successful turnaround in the TMC business. He added that the Finnair Group's focus would remain on its core airline businesses. GBT plans to close the transaction in the third quarter of 2016. About American Express Global Business Travel American Express Global Business Travel enables corporations and empowers business travelers with insights, connections and exceptional customer service on a global scale. Through technology and information, American Express Global Business Travel provides leading travel solutions, integrated consulting services, proprietary research, and end-to-end meetings and events capabilities. These innovative offerings enable clients to optimize the return on their travel and meetings investments. American Express Global Business Travel has operations and network partners in nearly 120 countries worldwide with approximately 12,000 employees. American Express Global Business Travel ranked first among corporate travel providers in the 2015 Corporate Travel 100 ("CT100"), an annual listing compiled by Business Travel News which ranks companies with the largest volume of U.S. air bookings. Learn more about how American Express Global Business Travel connects the world at amexglobalbusinesstravel.com and twitter.com/amexgbt. American Express Global Business Travel ("GBT") is a joint venture that is not wholly-owned by American Express Company or any of its subsidiaries ("American Express"). "American Express Global Business Travel", "American Express" and the American Express logo are trademarks of American Express, and are used under limited license. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523005355/en/ Contacts: Media: Kwittken (London) Liz Alexander, +44 7811 378 040 lalexander@kwittken.com or Kwittken (New York) Jessica Nelson, +1 646 747 7141 jnelson@kwittken.com or American Express Global Business Travel Martin Ferguson, +44 7789 816 523 Director of Communications Public Affairs martin.ferguson@aexp.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/23/16 -- Asanko Gold Inc. ("Asanko" or the "Company") (TSX: AKG)(NYSE MKT: AKG) advises it will hold its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") on Thursday June 16, 2016. Materials for the AGM, including its shareholders proxy circular, have now been filed at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov and are available on the Company's website at www.asanko.com. In the proxy circular, the Company provides details of its proposal to re-elect its current slate of seven directors, reappoint KPMG LLP as auditors and certain mandated disclosure about corporate governance matters. Included in this year's agenda is also a proposal to re-adopt a shareholders rights plan to replace a similar one that expired in 2015. The Rights Plan was not adopted in response to any specific take-over bid and is intended to ensure that, in the context of a bid for control of the Company through an acquisition of shares, all shareholders have an equal opportunity to participate in, and adequate time to assess, any bid that may be made. The Rights Plan is described in detail in the proxy circular and a full copy of the Rights Plan is separately available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov. Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Asanko Gold Inc. Alex Buck Manager, Investor and Media Relations Toll-Free (N. America): 1-855-246-7341 +44-7932-740-452 alex.buck@asanko.comAsanko Gold Inc.Wayne DrierExecutive, Corporate Development+1-778-729-0614wayne.drier@asanko.comAsanko Gold Inc.www.asanko.cominfo@asanko.com Espoo, Finland, 2016-05-23 13:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SRV GROUP PLC PRESS RELEASE 23 MAY 2016, AT 14.00 SRV has signed an alliance agreement with Senate Properties on the renovation of the Lappeenranta police building. Part C of the state office building, located in the centre of Lappeenranta, will be completely renovated. In the project, all of the building systems, roof, facades and windows will be renewed. At the same time, changes and extensions to premises as required by various functions will made. Overall, the scope of the project is approximately 6,800 gross square metres. "The renovation of the police building is an excellent addition to our record-high order backlog and, above all, an important project for the entire Lappeenranta region. In recent years, SRV has implemented many alliance projects, and this latest project in Lappeenranta is indicative of the high esteem in which our alliance project expertise is held," says Production Director Antti Raunemaa, who is responsible for the project in SRV. The building, which was constructed in 1980, has served as the Lappeenranta police station for the Southeast Finland Police Department. For the duration of the renovation, police functions have been relocated to temporary premises. The renovation work in Lappeenranta will be launched immediately and the project is expected to be completed at the end of 2017. Further information: Antti Raunemaa, Production Director, +358 40 564 4105, antti.raunemaa@srv.fi Harri Martin, Project Manager, +358 40 064 6600, harri.martin@srv.fi Paivi Kauhanen, SVP, Communications, tel. +358 50 598 9560, paivi.kauhanen@srv.fi www.srv.fi You can also find us in the social media: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Instagram SRV - Building for life Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Regulatory News: Leading multinational producer, distributer, and exporter of paints selects IFS Applications to standardize operations for more than 400 users across Egypt, UAE and Jordan IFS (http://www4.ifsworld.com/l/5332/2015-08-10/2qts7r), the global enterprise applications company, today announced that National Paints (http://www.nationalpaints.com/), the Middle East's largest paint company and a member of Sayegh Group (http://sayeghgroup.com/), has chosen to implement IFS Applications 9 (http://www.ifsworld.com/en/solutions/ifs-applications/) and IFS Managed Cloud on Microsoft Azure (http://www.ifsworld.com/en/solutions/ifs-applications/cloud-erp/) to replace its existing enterprise systems with a single solution in a multi-million US$ license and services agreement. National Paints will replace and consolidate multiple enterprise information systems with IFS Applications to promote operational efficiencies throughout its manufacturing and distribution. National Paints will implement manufacturing, demand planning, supply chain, warehouse data collection, finance, maintenance, CRM, projects and will provide mobility to over 400 users. IFS will provide a single platform giving visibility to company executives and managers while standardizing and integrating processes across the company. In addition, National Paints will reduce the reliance on IT resources by hosting IFS Applications in the IFS Managed Cloud on Microsoft Azure, which offers a flexible and cost-effective way to enhance ERP implementations. "We selected IFS after a rigorous ERP selection process based on its exemplary references in the paint and process manufacturing industry as well as its pragmatic approach to project delivery. Furthermore, IFS Applications proved to fit our needs perfectly and allows us to develop our global business with strong control and continued growth," said Fa'eq M. Sayegh, Executive Director. IFS Middle East sales manager Luis Ortega added, "Our fully managed ERP solution offers Sayegh an outstanding cloud-based platform that will support its future growth ambitions by driving transparency across its business and providing it with the ability to quickly adapt to change. IFS is proud to be working with this innovative company to further improve its competitiveness and grow its business with a modern and agile ERP solution." Read more about how IFS supports companies in the process manufacturing industry here: www.ifsworld.com/en/industries/process-manufacturing. About Sayegh Group Sayegh Group, established in 1932, is a leading multinational conglomerate of companies and investments spreading across the Arab World, Eastern and Western Europe and Asia. The Group's core business lies in the production, distribution and export of paints whereby it owns fourteen paint and five resin plants worldwide led by over 5000 dedicated employees. For more information, please visit www.sayeghgroup.com. About IFS IFS (http://www.ifsworld.com/en/) is a globally recognized leader in developing and delivering enterprise software for enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise asset management (EAM) and enterprise service management (ESM). IFS brings customers in targeted sectors closer to their business, helps them be more agile and enables them to profit from change. IFS is a public company (XSTO: IFS) founded in 1983 and currently has over 2,800 employees. IFS supports more than 1 million users worldwide from its network of local offices and through a growing ecosystem of partners. For more information visit: www.ifsworld.com. Follow us on Twitter: @ifsworld (http://twitter.com/ifsworld) Visit the IFS Blog on technology, innovation and creativity: http://blog.ifsworld.com/ IFS discloses the information herein pursuant to the Financial Instruments Act (1991:980) and/or the Securities Markets Act (2007:528). The information was submitted for publication on May 23, 2016, at 1 p.m. CEST. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160523005691/en/ Contacts: IFS Anders Lundin, Corporate Communications Telephone: 46 8 58 78 45 00 press@ifsworld.com NORWALK, Connecticut, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mederi Therapeutics, Inc., manufacturers of Stretta Therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), today announced that a new study, published in Managed Care, suggests the potential for substantial payer cost savings associated with radiofrequency energy (RFE) treatment of GERD patients, as compared to treatment with medical management or fundoplication. The study, entitled: "Budget Impact Analysis to Estimate the Cost Dynamics of Treating Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease With Radiofrequency Energy: a Payer Perspective" was conducted by researchers at Baker Tilly LLP, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Stanford University. Using claims data from Medicare and a national health plan comprising approximately 24 million covered lives, the study concluded that "increasing the total number of RFE procedures to 2% of total cases performed generated per-member, per-month (PMPM) savings of $0.28 in the Medicare population and $0.37 in the commercially insured population," with "further increases yielding higher PMPM savings." This translates into a combined estimated savings of more than $15 million per year for a five million member plan. According to a report from the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA), GERD is the most costly gastrointestinal disease in the U.S. and associated with about 142 billion in direct and indirect costs. David Gregory of Baker Tilly, explained, "Considering the high cost burden of GERD, the savings noted by using Stretta (RFE) on a conservative number of patients is significant." The methodology included a retrospective claims analysis "designed to assess the costs and impact on payer expenditures asAsociated with managing and treating GERD surgically, endoscopically (RFE/Stretta), or medically," added Gregory. "In today's healthcare environment, truly effective treatment should provide high quality patient care, while positively impacting health economics," said George Triadafilopoulos, MD of Stanford University and coauthor of the study. "We've known for some time that RFE treatment of GERD is safe and effective. Now, we know that it lowers overall patient treatment costs in a meaningful way, making it a sensible choice for payers looking to cover GERD treatment cost-effectively." About 30% of adults in the United States suffer from chronic GERD. Many patients don't completely respond to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most common type of GERD medication, and many more are concerned about risks associated with long-term PPI use, or surgical intervention. Stretta provides a non-surgical, middle treatment option for these patients. The study concluded that: "Adding to the clinical importance of RFE in filling the gap between medical and surgical management, this economic analysis demonAstrates to payers that the adoption of RFE can create notable savings to their plans when compared to surgery or medical management." About Mederi Therapeutics Inc. and Stretta Therapy Mederi manufactures innovative devices that use radiofrequency (RF) energy to treat digestive diseases. Mederi's product, Stretta Therapy is a clinically validated, non-surgical procedure that significantly improves GERD symptoms, allowing a majority of patients to eliminate or reduce medications, and avoid surgery. Stretta delivers RF energy to the muscle between the stomach and esophagus. Studies show that this treatment regenerates the muscle, resulting in improved barrier function, fewer reflux events, significant symptom relief and dramatic improvement in quality of life. More than 40 studies show that Stretta is safe and effective, with durability of treatment effect up to 10-years. Stretta is available worldwide. About Baker Tilly Baker Tilly is a nationally recognized, full-service accounting and advisory firm. Baker Tilly's healthcare practice is comprised of consulting, tax and audit professionals that work with hundreds of hospitals, health systems, and health plans developing growth strategies. Media Contact: Mike Elofer mike@pascalecommunications.com (484) 620-6167 HONG KONG, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTP"), Medical Valley EMN, Hong Kong Biotechnology Organisation ("HKBIO") and Hong Kong Medical & Healthcare Device Industries Association Limited ("HKMHDIA") signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") to accelerate the development and collaboration of the biomedical industry between Germany and Hong Kong. Under the MoU, the four parties agree to pool resources to establish a network of partners that will work to facilitate innovation, technology transfer and commercialisation of promising healthcare-related inventions for companies in Germany and Hong Kong. Leveraging Hong Kong's role as a super-connector, the partnership also aims to help local late-stage start-ups and SMEs to expand to Europe, and likewise, to assist German companies to develop Asian market from Hong Kong. One of the four signatories of the MoU, Medical Valley EMN, is a renowned medical technology cluster from Germany with over 190 medtech start-ups and SMEs within its current network. In the past, the organisation has worked with different parties in the U.S. and in South America; and in its first attempt at breaking into the Asian market, Medical Valley EMN has chosen Hong Kong as its entry point with HKSTP as its partner. Since the nature of biomedical value chain always involves research talents, suppliers, manufacturers, distribution and marketing professionals from different parts of the world, Hong Kong's proximity to the Mainland China gives the city an absolute advantage over neighbouring cities. Utilising Hong Kong's unique edge and network, Medical Valley EMN can easily access the resources and talent to help these German start-ups commercialise their inventions and facilitate midstream and downstream development, including clinical trials, accreditation and certification, product development and marketing. Under the first phase of the collaboration, Medical Valley EMN will identify, shortlist and introduce promising biomedical innovations to Hong Kong, and it is expected to have partnerships with companies in Hong Kong on three areas within this year, including wound healing patch, micro MRI technology and bio-sensors. "Hong Kong is a great springboard for us to easily reach key players and markets all across Asia. This vibrant city is also where some of the region's brightest minds are working in, making it a great frontier for scientific and technological advancement. In addition to advanced technology know-how, the reasons why we chose Hong Kong to be the starting point in Asia is hugely due to its global network of professionals as well as the proactive and supportive attitude of the Hong Kong SAR Government. These factors enable the German medtech research companies to create value quickly," said Matthias Hiegl, Member of the Managing Board of Medical Valley said. "One point to note that our partner -- HKSTP is a world renowned incubator, whose connections and networks will surely enable us to achieve great success in realising innovative ideas from Germany and Hong Kong." Commenting on the overall status of Hong Kong's biomedical industry, Andrew Young, Chief Commercial Officer of HKSTP, said: "Biomedical industry is a global business. Professionals in Hong Kong have made great strides in the field of biomedical technology, and many of them are of global renown. With its extensive resources, established legal system and connected talent pool in biomedical technology, Hong Kong is ready to take the next step forward." "HKSTP is already hosting numerous research teams that are focused on developing biomedical technology in collaboration with local universities and healthcare institutes. And by signing the MoU, we formalise our intent to catalyse the development of biomedical technology in Germany and Hong Kong, which will ultimately speed up commercialization of innovations, foster closer industry collaboration and development. HKSTP, together with our three new partners, will bring in new opportunities for knowledge exchange and funding for innovators in the field of biomedical technology," added Young. Young and Hiegl were joined by Albert Yu, Chairman of HKBIO and Andros Chan, Chairman of HKMHDIA, in signing the MoU. Partnering with key local and global players is one of many initiatives undertaken by HKSTP to drive the growth of Hong Kong's biomedical technology industry. HKSTP remains committed to executing on its 3C Strategy - Connect, Collaborate, Catalyse - to fuel the continued advancement of Hong Kong's technology sector. About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Comprising Science Park, InnoCentre and Industrial Estates, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is a statutory body dedicated to building a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem to connect stakeholders, nurture technology talents, facilitate collaboration, and catalyse innovations to deliver social and economic benefits to Hong Kong and the region. Established in May 2001, HKSTP has been driving the development of Hong Kong into a regional hub for innovation and growth in several focused clusters including Electronics, Information & Communications Technology, Green Technology, Biomedical Technology, Materials and Precision Engineering. We enable science and technology companies to nurture ideas, innovate and grow, supported by our R&D facilities, infrastructure, and market-led laboratories and technical centres with professional support services. We also offer value added services and comprehensive incubation programmes for technology start-ups to accelerate their growth. Technology businesses benefit from our specialised services and infrastructure at Science Park for applied research and product development; enterprises can find creative design support at InnoCentre; while skill-intensive businesses are served by our three industrial estates at Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org. LOS ALAMITOS, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/23/16 -- NovaWurks Inc., a provider of high-technology space products and services, announced today that the company's flagship technology, the Hyper-Integrated Satlet (HISat), is scheduled for launch into space through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s Phoenix program. As part of Phoenix's goal to develop new satellite architectures, DARPA plans to launch its eXperiment for Cellular Integration Technology (eXCITe) spacecraft to validate the concept of an aggregated satlet system cluster in low Earth orbit (LEO). "HISats are designed to radically change the way spacecraft are designed and deployed. This eXCITe mission is the next step in the development of the HISat and HISat-based cellular spacecraft design as an affordable alternative to traditional monolithic structures," said Talbot Jaeger, founder and chief technologist at NovaWurks. Built by NovaWurks, the eXCITe spacecraft is expected to launch the third quarter of 2016 via Spaceflight's SHERPA in-space transportation platform aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Payloads participating on the eXCITe spacecraft will be attached to the HISat-based structure using NovaWurks' User-Defined Adaptor (UDA). The payloads include: the Maestro Flight Experiment (MFE) developed by the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) at the University of Southern California (USC), DARPA's Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements (SeeMe) prototype satellite and NASA Langley's Rapid Response Radiation Survey (R3S) instruments. NovaWurks' first self-funded HISat-based mission, the Satlet Initial-Mission Proofs and Lessons (SIMPL) was successfully launched on December 9, 2015 aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus automated cargo spacecraft, and received at the International Space Station (ISS). The unassembled SIMPL experiment will be assembled onboard the ISS by U.S. astronauts, marking the first time a microsatellite is assembled on-board the ISS prior to deployment via a microsatellite deployer. NovaWurks' HISat technology is a biologically inspired satlet that provides a foundation for building safe, rapid and cost-effective solutions. With each HISat containing all of the functional capabilities of an autonomous satellite, and the flexibility to conform to the shape or capability requirements of any payload, the HISat-based cellular architecture is flexible for a variety of mission purposes. About NovaWurks: NovaWurks, Inc., located in Los Alamitos, California, invents, designs and creates high technology products and services for a broad range of applications for space. The NovaWurks team of designers, scientists and engineers offers a diverse background in spaceflight, consulting and research work with decades of experience in managing complex, visionary projects for government, military and corporate clients. For more information, visit www.novawurks.com. MEDIA CONTACTS: Vivian Slater Echo Media Group 714-573-0899 ext. 235 vivian@echomediapr.com LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - The Automobile Club of Southern California projects the biggest Memorial Day Weekend travel holiday since 2005 among local residents. This year, 2.89 million Southern Californians and 4.67 million statewide are expected to take a long weekend getaway -- a 2.5 percent increase over the number of 2015 travelers. It's the largest number of Memorial Day travelers since the all-time record of 3.2 million in the Southland and 5.18 million statewide, which was set in 2005. Among Southern California travelers, 2.45 million are expected to travel by car -- a 2.7 percent increase from last year and a number representing about 85 percent of all travelers. Another 264,000 local residents are expected to go by plane, which is a 2.4 percent increase over the 2015 holiday. And about 176,000 local travelers will take a recreational vehicle, cruise, bus or train trip this weekend -- about the same number as last year. Statewide, about 85 percent of travelers, or 3.96 million, are expected to go by car, a 2.7 percent increase over 2015. About 426,000 statewide are projected to fly, a 2.4 percent increase from last year, and 284,000 will go by other means, a 0.2 percent decrease from 2015. The Auto Club defines a holiday trip as one at least 50 miles away from home, and the Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 27 to Monday, May 30. "The centennial of the National Park Service, new theme park attractions, cheaper gas prices and rising personal income are some of the reasons motivating an increase in travel this holiday," said Filomena Andre, the Auto Club's vice president for travel. "Also, some domestic airfares for the weekend are less expensive than in 2015, fueling an increase in air travel." Nationally, travel is expected to increase by 1.9 percent compared to last year's Memorial Day holiday, with 38 million travelers expected compared to 37.3 million in 2015. Car travel is expected to rise by 2.1 percent to nearly 34 million, while air travel is expected to rise 1.6 percent this year to 2.58 million, and "other" travel will drop 2.3 percent to 1.6 million. Gas prices are expected to be more than $1.10 a gallon less at most local stations than a year ago at this time, when the ExxonMobil refinery explosion forced the Los Angeles-Long Beach average price over $4 a gallon. Likely due to the national parks centennial, the top five Memorial Day destinations for Southern California travelers include two national parks, according to a survey of AAA Travel agents: 1) Grand Canyon National Park 2) San Diego 3) San Francisco 4) Las Vegas 5) Yosemite National Park While Southern California travelers will be mainly heading out of the Los Angeles area on their holiday trips, the city is the No. 6 destination for this holiday weekend among travelers from across the U.S., according to AAA projections. Memorial Day travel projections are based on research conducted for AAA by IHS Global Insight. Those traveling by air this weekend should be advised that TSA lines at some airports have been particularly long in recent weeks. TSA officials are asking travelers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled boarding time, not the departure time. For international flights, allow three hours before the flight boarding time. The Auto Club offers the following tips for the 85 percent of travelers who will be heading out in vehicles this weekend: Travel during off-peak times to avoid congestion. Check your vehicle's fluid levels, belts, hoses and tires, and if traveling to the mountains or a snowy area, bring along snow tires or chains. Pack plenty of fluids and activities for youngsters for long trips. Plan your route ahead of time and bringing along a map in case you need to choose an alternate route. While GPS services and smartphone apps are helpful, they may not always be operational or accurate. Motorists can call the California Highway Information Number at (800) 427-7623 for interstate and state route lane closures and highway closures. The information is updated hourly. Take care with children by properly using safety belts and car seats, and accompanying them into the restroom during travel breaks. Choose a well-lit, populated area for rest stops when driving at night. CONTACT: Jeffrey Spring/Marie Montgomery (714) 885-2333 Technavio's latest report on the anticoagulants market in the USprovides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. The top three emerging trends driving the anticoagulants market in the US according to Technavio healthcare and life sciences research analysts are: Expected exploitation of new therapeutic use Patient assistance programs Declining shares of heparin market Expected exploitation of new therapeutic use Heparin and related drugs are widely used for their anticoagulant activities. However, it has been identified that heparin exhibits anti-inflammatory activities and prevents the metastatic spread of tumor cells. Heparin exhibits anti-inflammatory activity by neutralizing cationic mediators, inhibiting adhesion molecules and heparanase, which are involved in leukocyte recruitment into tissues. Similarly, research studies indicate that heparins acts as an inhibitor of cell adhesion and elicits anti-metastatic activities. The drug is also found to target P- and L-selectin, and integrin activity, preventing cancer progression. Further studies are being conducted to exploit the use of heparin as an anti-inflammatory and antitumor agent. With frequent innovations there has been an increase in the development of heparin drugs as novel formulations and for the treatment of new indications. "Ockham Biotech is developing inhaled heparin for the treatment of airway diseases, cystic fibrosis, and asthma either alone or in combination with other drugs under various stages of development. Also the LMW Heparin MMX, which is under the Phase II stage of development by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, is indicated for the treatment of ulcerative colitis," says Barath Palada, a lead analyst at Technavio for cardiovascularand metabolic disorders research. Patient assistance programs Patient assistance programs for anticoagulants are expected to boost the growth of the market during the forecast period. The vendors in the market are providing co-pay assistance to patients who are purchasing the indicated medications for coagulation disorders. For instance, Daiichi Sankyo's drug Savaysa has an assistance program to provide financial assistance to those consuming the drug. According to the support program, eligible patients are provided with a SAVAYSA Savings Card, which is available at USD 4 for a 30-day prescription and at USD 12 for a 90-day prescription. However, individuals who are enrolled for the Medicare/Medicaid program are not eligible for this savings program. Similarly, BMS provides assistance to patients buying its drugs through the Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation. Only residents of the US who are not insured under any other public or private insurance are eligible for assistance under this scheme. Apart from these, Janssen's XARELTO CarePath Savings Card and Boehringer Ingelheim's PRADAXA Savings Card allow eligible patients to acquire the drugs with minimum payment. "Since such assistance programs are provided by the drug suppliers, patients feel inclined toward purchasing branded therapies," says Barath. Declining shares of heparin market The share of the heparin drugs market, which constitutes over half of the overall anticoagulants market, is declining at a significant rate owing to the availability of improved drugs in the market. This has reduced the overall heparin production, especially in developed countries because of shrinking demand from end-users. China remains the largest heparin active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) producer in the world and has a share of 80% of the global heparin API market. The market grew exponentially till 2009, and then experienced a decline due to the restrictions imposed after the 2008 adulterated heparin disaster, which led to the loss of hundreds of lives. This led to a decline in demand for heparin in Western countries and increased the regulatory standards for heparin API. However, the market has been experiencing slow growth in terms of the volume of heparin API being exported to other countries. Browse Related Reports: Global Heparin Market 2016-2020 Global POC Diagnostics Market 2015-2019 Global Clot Management Devices Market 2015-2019 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/20160523005492/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/23/16 -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TCK.A and TCK.B, NYSE: TCK) ("Teck") today announced that it has commenced cash tender offers (the "Tender Offers") to purchase up to U.S.$1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount (subject to increase by Teck, the "Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount") of the following series of notes issued by Teck: -- 3.150% Notes due 2017 (the "3.150% 2017 Notes"); -- 3.850% Notes due 2017 (the "3.850% 2017 Notes"); -- 2.500% Notes due 2018 (the "2018 Notes"); and -- 3.000% Notes due 2019 (the "2019 Notes" and, together with the 3.150% 2017 Notes, the 3.850% 2017 Notes and the 2018 Notes, the "Notes"). The terms and conditions of the Tender Offers are described in an Offer to Purchase, dated May 23, 2016 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and the related Letter of Transmittal. Teck reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to increase the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount or the Tender Cap (as defined below) without extending withdrawal rights except as required by law. The amounts of each series of Notes to be purchased may be prorated as set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Dollars per U.S.$1,000 Principal Amount of Notes ----------------------------------------------------- Aggregate Principal Amount Acceptance CUSIP Outstanding Tender Cap Priority Title of Notes Number (U.S.$) (U.S.$) Level ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.150% Notes due 2017 878742AU9 $300,000,000 N/A 1 3.850% Notes due 2017 878742AR6 $300,000,000 N/A 2 2.500% Notes due 2018 878742AX3 $500,000,000 N/A 3 3.000% Notes due 2019 878744AA9 $500,000,000 $300,000,000 4 Early Tender Offer Tender Total Consideration Premium Consideration(1) Title of Notes (U.S.$) (U.S.$) (U.S.$) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.150% Notes due 2017 $983.75 $30 $1,013.75 3.850% Notes due 2017 $1,002.50 $30 $1,032.50 2.500% Notes due 2018 $982.50 $30 $1,012.50 3.000% Notes due 2019 $947.50 $30 $977.50 (1) Includes the Early Tender Premium. The Tender Offers will expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, at the end of the day on June 20, 2016, unless extended or earlier terminated by Teck (the "Expiration Date"). No tenders submitted after the Expiration Date will be valid. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Tender Offers, the consideration for each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offers will be the tender offer consideration for such series of Notes set forth in the table above (with respect to each series of Notes, the "Tender Offer Consideration"). Holders of Notes that are validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 6, 2016 (such date and time, as it may be extended, the "Early Tender Date") and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offers will receive the applicable Total Consideration for such series, which includes the early tender premium for such series of Notes set forth in the table above (with respect to each series of Notes, the "Early Tender Premium"). Holders of Notes tendering their Notes after the Early Tender Date will only be eligible to receive the Tender Offer Consideration, which is the Total Consideration less the Early Tender Premium. All Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offers will receive the applicable consideration set forth in the table above, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes from the last interest payment date with respect to those Notes to, but not including, the applicable Settlement Date (as such term is defined in the Offer to Purchase) ("Accrued Interest"). Tendered Notes may be withdrawn from the Tender Offers at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 6, 2016, unless extended by Teck (such date and time, as it may be extended, the "Withdrawal Deadline"). Holders of Notes who tender their Notes after the Withdrawal Date, but prior to the Expiration Date, may not withdraw their tendered Notes. Teck reserves the right, but is under no obligation, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Tender Offers, to accept for purchase any Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Date, at any point following the Early Tender Date and before the Expiration Date (the "Early Settlement Date"), subject to the Acceptance Priority Levels, the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount and the Tender Cap. The Early Settlement Date will be determined at Teck's option and is currently expected to occur on June 7, 2016, subject to all conditions to the Tender Offers having been either satisfied or waived by Teck. Irrespective of whether Teck chooses to exercise its option to have an Early Settlement Date, Teck will purchase any remaining Notes that have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Expiration Date and that Teck chooses to accept for purchase promptly following the Expiration Date, subject to all conditions to the Tender Offers having been either satisfied or waived by Teck (the "Final Settlement Date", the Final Settlement Date and the Early Settlement Date each being a "Settlement Date"). The Final Settlement Date is expected to occur on the first business day following the Expiration Date. Subject to the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount, the Tender Cap and proration, the Notes accepted on any Settlement Date will be accepted in accordance with their Acceptance Priority Levels set forth in the table above, with 1 being the highest Acceptance Priority Level and 4 being the lowest Acceptance Priority Level. In addition, no more than U.S.$300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2019 Notes will be purchased in the Tender Offers (subject to increase by Teck, the "Tender Cap"). All Notes tendered at or before the Early Tender Date will be accepted for purchase in priority to other Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date, even if such Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date have a higher Acceptance Priority Level than Notes tendered prior to the Early Tender Date. Acceptance for tenders of any Notes may be subject to proration if the aggregate principal amount for any series of Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn would cause the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount to be exceeded. Acceptance for tenders of 2019 Notes may be subject to proration if the aggregate principal amount of the 2019 Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn is greater than the Tender Cap. Furthermore, if the Tender Offers are fully subscribed as of the Early Tender Date, holders who validly tender Notes after the Early Tender Date will not have any of their Notes accepted for purchase. The consummation of the Tender Offers is not conditioned upon any minimum amount of Notes being tendered. However, the Tender Offers are subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, including, among others, Teck having raised net proceeds through one or more issuances of debt in the public or private capital markets, on terms reasonably satisfactory to Teck, sufficient to purchase all Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for purchase by Teck in the Tender Offers and to pay Accrued Interest and all fees and expenses in connection with the Tender Offers (the "Financing Condition"). Goldman, Sachs & Co., BofA Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are the dealer managers in the Tender Offers. Global Bondholder Services Corporation has been retained to serve as both the depositary and the information agent for the Tender Offers. Persons with questions regarding the Tender Offers should contact Goldman, Sachs & Co. at (toll-free) (800) 828-3182 or (collect) (212) 902-6941, BofA Merrill Lynch at (toll-free) (888) 292-0070 or (collect) (980) 388-3646 or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (toll-free) (866) 834-4666 or (collect) (212) 834-8553. Requests for copies of the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and other related materials should be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (toll-free) (866) 807-2200 or (collect) (212) 430-3774. None of Teck, its board of directors, the dealer managers, the depositary or the information agent, the trustee with respect to the Notes or any of Teck's or their respective affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of the Notes should tender any Notes in response to the Tender Offers. The Tender Offers are made only by the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal. The Tender Offers are not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the Tender Offers are required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Tender Offers will be deemed to be made on behalf of Teck by the dealer managers, or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction. About Teck Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include: statements regarding the terms and timing for completion of the Tender Offers, including the acceptance for purchase of any Notes validly tendered and the expected Early Tender Date, Expiration Date and Settlement Dates thereof; the potential increase to the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount; the potential increase to the Tender Cap; and the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions of the Tender Offers, including the Financing Condition. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Teck to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to vary include, but are not limited to, inadequate investor response on adequate terms to the issuance of debt intended to satisfy the Financing Condition, conditions in financial markets, investor response to Teck's Tender Offers, and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in Teck's reports filed with Canadian securities administrators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned against unduly relying on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of the relevant document and, except as required by law, Teck undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise. Contacts: Investor Contact: Greg Waller Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Analysis 604.699.4014 greg.waller@teck.com Media Contact: Chris Stannell Senior Communications Specialist 604.699.4368 chris.stannell@teck.com The two individuals activated a personal locator beacon (PLB) after forest fires and smoke in the area put them in danger. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., coordinated the search. The two canoeists were found by a CC-130 Hercules aircraft from 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Winnipeg, Man., and were extracted by a Bell 412 helicopter from 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Southport, Man. The helicopter then transported them to Red Lake Airport where they were transferred to the care of the Ontario Provincial Police. 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. (ASX:OHE) Orion Health Group Limitedhas announced its full year results for the year ended 31 March 2016. The company recorded an Operating Loss after Income Tax of NZ$54 million down from NZ$61 million in 2015. Operating revenue for the year grew by 26 percent to $207 million, up from $164 million in the previous year. The best performing regions for the company were Europe, Middle East and Africa, where revenues grew 59 percent, contributing NZ$48 million to the combined total. The company now manages over 100 million patient health records globally and believes it is on track to achieve profitability in 2018. Connecterra, an Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based provider of a dairy health service, closed a $1.8M seed funding round. The round was led by Breed Reply, with participation from UAE-based fund MENA Ventures (MVI), Japan based DeNA Co Ltd, and angel investor Elias Tabet. The company will use the funds to further develop their machine learning platform, grow their team and accelerate the trial and delivery of their product to the market. Founded in 2014 and led by Yasir Khokhar, CEO, Connecterra combines sensor technologies and machine learning to provide a health monitoring service for the dairy industry. The solution consists of a wearable device, which monitors the herd in real-time and transmits the data to a cloud platform for analysis and prediction of behavioural patterns. This allows farmers to improve milk production per animal and optimize their breeding cycles. The company is supported by Microsoft as part of their Bizspark Plus Program. FinSMEs 23/05/2016 OrbiMed, a global investment firm focused on the healthcare sector, closed its second Israel-focused venture capital fund, at approximately $307m. Investors in OrbiMed Israel Partners II, LP, include several of the worlds largest healthcare companies, in addition to dozens of institutional investors and family offices. Consistent with its predecessor fund, the fund will target all stages and sectors of the healthcare industry, with a focus on biopharmaceuticals, digital health, medical devices, and diagnostics companies in Israel. It is targeting to invest in approximately 20 portfolio companies. Where appropriate, Israel Partners II may co-invest with OrbiMeds global private equity team, leveraging the financial and strategic resources of its 100+ team members and $15 billion global investment platform. The firm has offices in New York City, Herzliya, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Mumbai. The Israel office, opened in 2010, is led by Dr. Nissim Darvish, Erez Chimovits, and Anat Naschitz. FinSMEs 23/05/2016 As a syndicate of angels based in London, Wild Blue Cohort focuses on investing in early stage food, fintech, B2B and B2C enterprise, media, real estate, healthcare and education companies led by experienced managers and targeting big market opportunities. Serial entrepreneur and investor, David Barrie, the Founder and CEO of WBC, answered our questions about himself, the firm, its investment strategy and much more. FinSMEs: Hi David, first, can you tell us a bit more about you? David: I have founded and delivered several ventures that have been credited with raising 500m+ of new investment through public-private partnerships. These ventures include projects in the U.K., Russia, Eastern Europe and Canada; progressive enterprises such as The Peoples Supermarket, London. My background is in media production. I have produced and directed television for 20yrs+, after working as a producer of financial programmes at the BBC and a research analyst in mergers and acquisitions for a major consulting firm. FinSMEs: You have an Investment Director at Wild Blue Cohort tell us more about her. David: Deepali Nangia is Investment Director at Wild Blue. She started her career as an analyst on Wall Street and then spent several years in the investment divisions of GE and MMC (now Stonepoint Capital) focusing on financial services and financial tech. In these roles, she evaluated many balance sheet, outsourcing and technology plays; followed by ops roles at corporates in New York, London, Hong Kong and India. FinSMEs: Lets speak about Wild Blue Cohort. Why did you come up with the idea of creating it? David: Entrepreneurs need finance. Investors want fast growth prospects and some like to be close to the companies that they invest in, especially if they have a role in its management. West London is full of immense commercial and corporate talent and expertise and many residents are private investors. Whats more, many people who live in West London would like to see a more vital, entrepreneurial, diverse local economy. A locally based angel investment network seemed to address all of these needs. FinSMEs: How does it work? David: We promote opportunities to our members after direct contact from entrepreneurs or deal partners, such as accelerators, incubators, investment firms and our members. Wild Blue promote enterprises to members through quarterly pitching events and off-cycle. Members carry out their own due diligence. Members invest either alone or in syndicate. FinSMEs: Which is the investment strategy? David: Our members are excited by companies led by outstanding individuals and with robust plans to scale up and grow. Wild Blue members tend to seek opportunities that require up to 1m in equity finance at reasonable valuations, with priority given to enterprises eligible for EIS or SEIS tax relief. Companies are screened for several indicators, with priority given to growth and quality of management but also the value of future growth to the local West London economy. We are sector-agnostic but members have very extensive experience in early stage and fast growth businesses and have expertise in food, fintech, B2B and B2C enterprise, media, real estate, healthcare and education. FinSMEs: Personally speaking, what do (and what dont) you like to see in startup founders? David: Investment Director Deepali Nangia and me like to see leaders, honest and direct people, hard working and collaborative traits and of course track record important but not essential. Differentiation and a long-term vision are important. I like the investor Saul Kleins view that an inspirational entrepreneur is the one who can describe what the view looks like behind them, after a 20yr journey to success. FinSMEs: Who is in the portfolio? David: Wild Blue members have invested in eight firms to date. Plentific which provides online support for property transactions; HomeTouch an on-demand market place for hiring carers started by a doctor trained at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital; Loyal zoo an app for keeping your various loyalty points in one place; Simplycook which provides its customers with restaurant-quality recipes and ingredients; Seeing a crowd-sourced video content website started by a graduate of Chelsea School of Art; Great British Chefs a popular website offering recipe inspiration, expert-cooking guides and the latest chef and restaurant news; Lexoo an online marketplace for legal advice, and Trint a workflow software company. FinSMEs: Is London becoming startup friendly? David: The culture of business in London is very startup friendly but the barriers to entry are high. It is very expensive to base your business in London and hire local talent. The motivation of many members of Wild Blue Cohort is to use local money to support local enterprise. Also we are planning to launch towards the end of 2016/early 2017 an unique co-working space that will try to make it easier and more affordable to start and grow a business in West London. FinSMEs: Personally, which tech trend do you follow? David: I follow all tech trends a junkie for TechCrunch, Crunchbase and many newsletters. FinSMEs 23/05/2016 If there was ever a time to feel old, it is now. Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan and Amitabh Bachchan's grand daughter Navya Naveli have just graduated school. Both attend the prestigious Seven Oaks School in London. Today the only negative is that my kids have grown upnow to wait till they start believing in fairy tales again pic.twitter.com/XKJCWV4bd0 Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 21, 2016 A photo posted by Navya Naveli Nanda (@navya__nanda) on May 21, 2016 at 9:10am PDT They're both reportedly good friends and have posted their graduation pictures all over Twitter and Instagram. #7o A photo posted by Aryan Khan (@iamaryankhan) on May 21, 2016 at 3:33am PDT Thank you #happy #graduate #home A photo posted by Navya Naveli Nanda (@navya__nanda) on May 20, 2016 at 6:29pm PDT G.D A photo posted by Aryan Khan (@iamaryankhan) on May 21, 2016 at 12:32pm PDT A photo posted by Navya Naveli Nanda (@navya__nanda) on May 21, 2016 at 11:35am PDT If rumours are to be believed, then both Navya and Aryan are working towards a career in Bollywood. Karan Johar has previously spoken about launching Aryan under Dharma Productions. This is definitely one step closer. Congratulations! Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Iran tour has become a historic one after the country signed as many as 12 pacts including a contract to develop the first phase of strategic Chabahar port. In a joint statement, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani today stressed that said both the countries can improve their economic co-operation. Considering that both countries have an important port like Chabahar, we can have vast cooperation-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 Chabahar port can serve as a point of connectivity between different countries, specially India & Afghanistan, also east of Europe-Iran Pres ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 Bilateral agreement to develop Chabahar port is an important milestone: PM Modi in Tehran #ModiInIran pic.twitter.com/NyNliUyklM ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 Later today we will sign a trilateral transport and transit agreement in partnership with India, Iran and Afghanistan: PM Modi #ModiInIran ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 It will be a historic occasion.It'll open new routes for India,Iran&Afghanistan to connect among themselves: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/ydwtAXJdQ9 ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 Agreement to develop Chabahar port & related infra & availability of about 500 million USD from India for this,is an important milestone- PM ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 We should perceive the agreement as an engine of growth, and I believe it is the beginning of a new era in the Indo-Iran relationship, which was started by Vajpayeeji and Modiji is opening the gate for it, Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari was quoted as saying in a report in ANI earlier in the day. Here's an all you need to know about the deal: What is the deal all about? Indian Ports Global Pvt, a joint venture between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will sign a contract with Arya Bandar Company of Iran for developing two terminals and five multi-cargo berth in Phase-1 of the Chabahar port project. Indian investment in phase-1 will be about $500 million. An MoU to develop the port was signed in May 2015 between Gadkari and Irans Minister for Transport and Urban Development Dr Abbas Ahmad Akhoundi. Modi is now signing the contract to develop the port. Why is the agreement important? Chabahar is in South-East Iran and a port here will help India skip Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan with which New Delhi has developed close security ties and economic interests. From Chabahar port, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan, about 883 km from the port. The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland highway, setting up road access to four major cities -- Afghanistan-Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. The port will be used to ship crude oil and urea, saving India transportation costs. India intends to lease two berths at Chabahar for 10 years. The port will be developed through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) which will invest $85.21 million to convert the berths into a container terminal and a multi-purpose cargo terminal. "The distance between Kandla and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable us quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link," Gadkari was quoted as saying in a PTI report. Complementing the agreement is the signing of a trilateral agreement on transport and transit corridor among India, Afghanistan and Iran. Sources told PTI that talks will feature Indian state-run firms securing rights to develop the offshore Farzad-B gas field, which was discovered by ONGC Videsh. The trilateral agreement is seen to significantly enhance prospects of Indias connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond such as the North-South corridor. What experts are saying? C Raja Mohan says in an article in The Indian Express that the Chabahar project "has the potential to alter the hostile regional geography that Delhi had inherited in 1947". According to him, the move deserves credit as it is a break from the past governments' lack of political will "to pursue declared strategic objectives towards Iran." The UPA government had dilly-dallied with the idea for about 10 years as the the US wanted India and other countries to not rush into doing business with Iran as Washington was in the process of working out a deal with Tehran on the latters contentious nuclear programme. "The Chabahar Port will be a game changer for India because it will provide connectivity to Afghanistan, Iran and Eurasia, strategically outflanking an intransigent Islamabad. It is also a counter to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," says this report in The Hindustan Times. Indias flagship explorer ONGC is facing a repeat of KG fiasco in Iran as lengthy negotiations on terms may drive it to a point where its discovered gas reserves in Farzad-B field in the Persian Gulf may be drawn out by neighbouring Saudi Arabia. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) alleges that 11.12 billion cubic meters of natural gas worth Rs 11,055 crore has flowed from its idling Krishna Godavari basin blocks in Bay of Bengal blocks to neighbouring KG-D6 fields of Reliance Industries. And the same is now on the verge of repeating in the Farzad-B field, which it had discovered in 2008 but no contract to exploit the 12.5 trillion cubic feet of recoverable reserves has so far been concluded with Iran. Sources said a portion of Farzad-B field extends into territorial waters controlled by Irans regional arch-rival Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has already drilled wells on the area falling in its territory, which it has named Hasbah field, and has begun production. The two fields are connected, with the area falling in Iranian territory holding larger share of 12.5 Tcf of recoverable reserves while the Saudi territory has only 3 Tcf or so. But the two fields are connected and whosoever is able to move first would extract more benefits. Sources said in the dispute with RIL, ONGC is claiming compensation for its gas flowing through under-sea connected reservoir to KG-D6 and the government has constituted a one-man committee to look into the issue and suggest compensation. But such a thing may not be possible for Farzad-B as rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran may prevent from arriving at any internationally recognised practice of splitting the spoils in conjoined fields. It was expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Tehran today and tomorrow may see finalising of a contract, giving developmental rights of Farzad-B field to ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of the state explorer. But Iran is yet to agree to USD 4.3 billion master development plan submitted by OVL. Also, it is yet to agree on the price at which OVL can take all of the gas produced from the field, they said adding that no definitive contract for the development of the field would be signed during Modis visit. Previously, Iran was to pay OVL a fixed fee for its effort for discovering and producing gas from Farzad-B field. The gas ownership was to be with Iran and so Tehran was pushing for a low price of gas. But now a new modified contract is being talked about which will part ownership of the gas produced to OVL. And so naturally, Iran is now seeking a higher gas price, they said. Once investment in the field and the gas price are frozen, possibly by August-end, an agreement confirming development rights on OVL will be signed. But after that negotiations on the terms of the contracts fixed fee or ownership of gas as well as marketing of the fuel, will begin, sources said adding the entire process may take one year time. Also, Iranian Parliament, Majlis is yet to approve new Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC) under which the Farzad-B field is to be given to the OVL-led consortium. IPC ends two-decade old buyback system that prevented foreign companies from booking reserves or taking equity stakes in Iranian companies. Under some circumstances, the new model allows reserves to be booked, but foreign companies would still not own oil fields. While previously foreign firms were paid a fixed fee for discovering and bringing to production an oil and gas field, the new model raises their profit by grading the fee based on the risk of the fields, allows contracts to last for up to 25 years and no ceiling on capital expenditure. Foreign firms are to be paid a fee per barrel and they will also be entitled to an increase in profits in the face of dramatic oil price fluctuations. Back home, ONGC believes the KT-1/D-1 gas find in its Krishna Godavari block KG-DWN-98/2 (KG-D5) and G-4 Pliocene gas find in Godavari Block extend outside the block boundaries into KG-D6. According to ONGC, RILs D6-A5, D6-A9 and D6-A13 wells drilled close to the block boundary may be draining gas from the G-4 field while the D6-B8 well may be sucking out gas from DWN-D-1 field of KG-DWN-98/2 block. RIL has denied allegations saying RIL it has scrupulously followed every aspect of the production sharing contract and has confined its petroleum operations within the (boundaries of its) KG-D6 block in Krishna Godavari basin. LONDON Brazilian low quality white sugar flows are expected to increase to Myanmar, believed to be a gateway for sugar smuggled into China, as Indian sweetener exports fall. Surging domestic sugar prices in India mean that Indian mills will increasingly spurn the export market, traders say. Availability of Thai sugar is also thin due to hefty recent Chinese demand for Thai whites and prolonged dry weather in the number 2 exporter which cut yields, boosting the opportunity for Brazilian low quality white sugar exports to Myanmar. One European trade source quoted Indian low quality whites at $500-$510 per tonne FOB, based on ex-mill prices in drought-hit Maharashtra. This represents a $138-140/ tonne premium over New York July raw sugar futures, compared with a premium of $83/tonne for Brazilian low quality whites. "The (export) supply from India is drying up," a senior European trader said. "We're virtually done now," he added, referring to expectations of tightening supplies in India, the world's number 2 sugar producer, due to drought. "With domestic prices high, it does not pay to export." India is expected to shift to a net sugar importer next season from a net exporter. Dealers said that as India and Thai export supplies tighten, Brazil could become the main source of sweetener for Myanmar. Brazil's cane harvest has got off to a flying start in predominantly favourable weather in the centre-south, auguring for ample availability of Brazilian supplies to Asian markets. Shipping times to Myanmar from Brazil will be longer than from India, but importers may have little choice but to accept the longer waiting times as there is limited availability of alternative supplies. "What remains to be seen is whether Brazilian low quality whites are able to fully replace Indian low quality whites in Myanmar going forward amid rising domestic prices in India," a second European trade source said. (Reporting by David Brough; Editing by David Evans) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Ghaziabad: Senior IAS officer Pradeep Shukla, arrested for being allegedly involved in the multi-crore NRHM scam and presently lodged at Dasna prison, has developed a tumour in his spinal cord, jail authorities said today. Senior medical experts have been rushed to the hospital to examine Shukla's condition, jail superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma said. The jailor said that Shukla was feeling uneasy in his barrack and was shifted on Sunday night. A special CBI court had on 17 May remanded Shukla to judicial custody for 14 days. Special CBI judge AK Singh remanded the IAS officer in judicial custody, rejecting the CBI's plea for three more days of his custody for further interrogation. Singh had fixed 28 May as the next date of hearing. Shukla was arrested on 10 May by the CBI for alleged bungling in upgradation of 89 district hospitals under NRHM programme causing a loss of nearly Rs 22.5 crore to the exchequer. He was held from Lucknow airport while he was going to Delhi for some treatment. PTI ___ Why this revised edition? The Descent of Air India, that chronicles the saga of the unprecedented decline of a once cherished global brand, faced turbulence soon after the book was released on 11 October 2013. Two individuals, Praful Patel, as civil aviation minister, and V Thulasidas, as chairman who through their actions/decisions caused maximum harm to Air India, and thus figured prominently in the book embarked on a journey of vendetta with the twin objectives of restricting distribution of the book and attributing motives. To begin with, the book refused to show up on the shelves at book stores at the prime Delhi and Mumbai airports. Apparently, Patel had used his clout with the private promoters of these two airports. Media coverage on the book also got short shrift with a partial blackout of news on the book release function. In one case a TV news channel was forced to drop an interview after it was recorded and ready for broadcast. Soon after the book was released, that very same month, Praful Patel filed a criminal defamation suit against me and the publisher in a Mumbai Court. I was delighted. The court hearings would provide an opportunity to place more facts in the public domain. Patel's objective was probably differentto pressurise my publisher Bloomsbury to withdraw the book and pulp the stock. I am led to this inference since the former civil aviation minister did not move court against Arvind Kejriwal then an activist of India Against Corruption' and now chief minister of Delhi when he asked for a probe, accusing Patel on national TV channels of squeezing Air India by ordering a large number of aircraft and taking more on lease when there was no requirement. Two other politicians, Kapil Sibal and Nitin Gadkari, who were also at the receiving end of Kejriwal's ire, took affront to the charges levelled against them and filed defamation suits against the activist. When a Canadian Court imprisoned a Canadian national of Indian origin for bribing Indian officials to obtain an Air India contract and the evidence taken on record named Praful Patel as one of the persons who received the kickbacks, he did not feel it necessary to protest or file a defamatory case. (The Canadian Court judgment is reproduced verbatim on pages 144152.) Bloomsbury behaved amateurishly, if not irresponsibly, by springing a surprise on me on the eve of the Court hearing in January 2014 with the information that they had entered into an agreement with Patel regarding withdrawal of the book. This, after they had been informed of the documentary evidence in my possession to back every sentence written in the book, as well as the fact that the managing director of Bloomsbury, assisted by his lawyer, had had a meeting with the lawyers defending me with a view towards taking up an identical stand. The withdrawal meant that the twin objectives of the book weren't achieved. I was hopeful that my narration would provoke management case studies into what went wrong at Air India so that no management endangers the future of corporate entities. Not only that, I had hoped that the Air India story would serve as a cautionary message for employees and unions of other public sector undertakings so that they don't risk their company's future by demanding more and more emoluments for less and less work and fail to change their work ethics even as the survival of their companies, operating in a more competitive environment, are at peril. As the book had found support from Air Indians, friends and public alike and many of them could not make a clear distinction between a ban on the book and voluntary' withdrawal of book stocks by the publisher, I swiftly made the e-book available on Kindle so that the malicious whispering campaign that the book had been withdrawn because it lacked authenticity, was quickly laid to rest. As categorically stated by me in the original edition, one of the reasons why I ventured to write the book was also to ensure that it helped 'apportion responsibility, accountability and blame to its rightful owners'. The book wasn't written to specifically target Patel and Thulasidas, as alleged by them, but to present to the country a sincere account of the role played by various stakeholderspolitical leaders, ministry officials, Board members, chairmen and managing directorswith a few exceptions, who held office during the past three decades, senior management personnel and recalcitrant union leaders who contributed in varying degrees to the tragic diminution of Air India. After having been a cherished global brand, the decline of Air India first gradually in the 1980s and 1990s, and then at an accelerated pace post-2004 warranted a book. Reference to Patel and Thulasidas was thus purely incidental since they were at the helm during the period of accelerated decline. If I had any intentions of targeting and defaming Patel, as alleged by him in his complaint, I would not have just highlighted the acts of omissions and commissions that harmed Air India in my book, I would also have narrated the specific instances of blatant misuse of Air India's resources by the former minister for his personal good like flying out and hosting a husband-wife duo from Gondia, his constituency, to Seattle in USA, at Air India's expense the couple listed as journalists to cover an aircraft delivery event at Boeing's establishment in that American city. Let me also aver that as the sordid saga of Air India involved the powerful and the mighty I took my time to write the book. Self-censorship was deemed critical by me. Only those instances of alleged corruption, nepotism and wrongdoings were included in the book of which I had documentary evidence. Several instances, unethical and reflecting blatant political interference, that caused harm to Air India, of which I did not have the requisite proof in my possession, were avoided. These instances included transfer of land in Air India's control in Delhi and Mumbai to private airport operators without adequately safeguarding the airline's interests and the erstwhile Indian Airlines, giving its new A321 fleet registration codes PPA, PPB, PPC, PPD...... PP of course, standing for Praful Patel. As I did not have clinching evidence as to whether Patel asked for it or a sycophant management offered to do this to please the minister, I made no reference to it in the book. Such was the care exercised while penning the story of Air India's descent. Barring that one Court hearing in January 2014 in which Bloomsbury and Patel signed the consent terms for book withdrawal (and I stood my ground by informing the learned judge that there was no question of an apology forthcoming from me since everything written in the book was factual and backed by requisite evidence), all future hearings a dozen of them fixed so far were adjourned. The Metropolitan Magistrate, hearing the case, on 5 November 2015, while denying any further adjournment, passed an order listing the case for final hearing on 28 January 2016. When the Court met on the day of reckoning, Praful Patel's lawyer sought yet another adjournment, which the Judge once again declined. The Judge after admonishing the lawyer and reiterating that too many adjournments had already been granted imposed a penalty of Rs 3000 while fixing the next date as 12 February 2016. What next? Early end of the case or tareek pe tareek pe tareek! In the meantime, even though the evidence already available with me was good enough, I began accessing more documents through the Right to Information Act so that Patel's plea of innocence could be effectively nailed. Armed with a wealth of additional information, which is damning and further proves the way the airline was being managed rather mismanaged I wondered if the information should only be used to fight the legal battle or also go into a revised and updated edition of my book so that the larger objective outlined above, which remained unfulfilled, could be attained. So here is the revised book, updated where needed, and holding more detailed information than in the first edition. - Jitender Bhargava, The Descent of Air India: An Insider's View of How A Once Globally Cherished Brand Was Grounded By Those Entrusted With The Task of Making It Soar Ahmedabad: Asaram's alleged henchman Karthik Haldar, suspected of shooting dead three key witnesses of two rape cases against the self-styled godman and his son Narayan Sai, had planned to acquire an AK-47 rifle for eliminating other witnesses, police said. Haldar, a sharp-shooter and staunch follower of Asaram, was arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh on 13 March in a joint operation by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the city Crime Branch. He is now in the custody of Rajasthan Police for further probe, the city Crime Branch's Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) KN Patel said on Monday. During his interrogation, Haldar had admitted that he wanted to acquire an AK-47 rifle or a similar capacity "large" weapon to carry out the killings, Patel said. "In his statement, Haldar admitted that other sadhaks (disciples) of Asaram collected Rs 25 lakhs to fund the operation of eliminating the witnesses. In a meeting with these sadhaks, it was decided that a large weapon, such as an AK-47, must be acquired to carry out the killings," he said. "To arrange an AK-47 or a similar capacity weapon, Haldar paid Rs 11 lakhs to a person in Jharkhand, who promised to arrange an AK-47. However, Haldar told us that he never received the weapon as that person cheated and gave only a double-barrel gun, which Haldar used to fire at Mahendra Chawla last year at Panipat in Haryana," the ACP said. Chawla, Asaram's former personal assistant who later turned a witness against him, had survived the attack. Apart from the key witnesses, Haldar had also hatched a plan to kill the then Investigation Officer (IO) in the rape case filed against Asaram in Jodhpur. "In his statement, Haldar admitted that he wanted to kill Jodhpur ACP Chanchal Mishra, who was the IO of rape case in Jodhpur. In his statement, Haldar told us that he even did a recce of daily route used by the woman officer to commute between her office and home. However, Haldar could not execute his plans," said Patel. Haldar was allegedly involved in the killings of Asaram's personal doctor Amrut Prajapati in Rajkot, the jailed religious leader's former assistant-cum-cook Akhil Gupta at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and another key witness, Kripal Singh, at Shahjahanpur in UP. These killings took place between June 2014 and July 2015. All of them were shot from close range as part of an alleged conspiracy to eliminate those who had given their testimonies against Asaram, a Crime Branch release had said when Haldar was arrested in March. Apart from these killings, Haldar was also allegedly involved in four cases of attempt to murder, including firing at Asaram's former personal assistant Mahendra Chawla last year at Panipat in Haryana. Among other attacks, Haldar fired eight rounds at the warden of Asaram's Chhindwada-based ashram, Omprakash Prajapati, and his wife Seema, the release had stated. Haldar, a native of South 24 Pargana district in West Bengal, first came in contact with Asaram's preachings in 2000 when he attended his religious discourse in New Delhi. A year later, he left his household responsibilities and became a full-time sadhak and started living at Asaram's ashram in Motera near Ahmedabad, the release had said. In October 2013, two Surat-based sisters had registered separate rape complaints against Asaram and his son. The elder of the two women, in her complaint, had accused Asaram of sexual assaulting her between 1997 and 2006, when she was living at his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. Asaram is presently lodged in Jodhpur jail since 2014 in connection with another alleged rape case. Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday asked the state police and other security forces to attune themselves to the mission of compassion adopted by the state government. "I want to take Jammu and Kashmir out of the whirlpool of violence that has broken the back of our society and economy, but I will not succeed unless the J&K police and security forces include themselves in that mission to apply balm on the wounds of the people," Mehbooba said addressing the passing out parade of 13th batch of 228 Constables at Subsidiary Police Training Centre in Sheeri, Baramulla. Highlighting the role of state police in combating militancy, the chief minister said the situation in the state has improved because of the efforts of multiple security agencies. "If you had not acted in time, we could have landed in a situation similar to countries like Syria, Iraq and Pakistan which have been ripped apart by acts of violence carried out in the name of religion," she said. "Unfortunately, our police force has more responsibilities. The violence of the last three decades has landed you in a difficult situation. You can fight with outsiders but when your own youth pick up guns, it becomes a big challenge for you. You have given many sacrifices. You have stood your ground and I salute you for performing to the best of your abilities," Mehbooba added. The chief minister said the role of police has evolved given the unprecedented improvement in the security situation of the state. "Your role is difficult because you have to tackle your own people. I can't tell you how to react when bullets are being fired at you. But during crowd control, we tend to overreact. We have to understand that these boys are our own and it is your responsibility to bring them into mainstream," she said. Addressing the constables who passed out of the training centre on Monday, the chief minister asked them to respect the Constitutions of J&K and India while performing their duties. "Under the constitution, police has more responsibilities than rights. If a small incident takes place, the complaint will come to you as constables. People have high hopes from you. They expect you to undo the wrongs. You should not let them down," she said. Asking police to set up a proper mechanism for engaging with the youth, the chief minister said the life of a police officer should become an ideal for people in Jammu and Kashmir, where security forces are often portrayed in a negative light. "Whenever any civilian dies, it undoes the efforts of reconciliation by the state government. The army is doing an excellent job at the border by stopping infiltration. Police too should show restraint in dealing with law and order situations," she said. Mehbooba said she is carrying forward mission of her late father, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, to put a permanent end to the troubles of J&K for which he joined hands with the NDA. "Despite his falling health, Mufti Sahab stuck his ground and joined hands with NDA. It was a difficult decision for him. He knew that he was running out of time but the welfare of people of J&K mattered to him more than anything else. I am now carrying forward his half-done mission," she said. The chief minister said the J&K government will evolve a system for quick promotion of constables on the basis of merit. "You will get rewards on the basis of merit and the inequity between KPS and IPS cadres will be taken care of," she said. She also said they were thinking of giving one time relaxation to absorb all those children of policemen who laid down their lives in the line of duty. New Delhi: Protesting the letters sent to their parents for staging an agitation against the water crisis in their hostel, female students from Delhi University (DU) on Monday approached the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and the varsity vice- chancellor alleging "witch-hunt" by administration. Over 200 students of Delhi University's Undergraduate Hostel for Girls (UGHG) had held a protest on 23 April, which went on till around 2.30 am the next day. There was no water supply to the hostel for two months. Delhi Water Minister and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chairman Kapil Mishra had met the protesting students and addressed them around midnight. Water supply was restored on 25 April. A month after the incident happened, parents of some of the students involved in the protest received a letter sent by the hostel administration saying the act was in violation of rules and that it could have a bad impact on other residents. Mishra, also objected to the letters and said that he will raise the issue with DU VC Yogesh Tyagi. "This is intolerable. I will raise it with VC. Students highlighted the failure of DU admin. DU shd be thankful," he said in a tweet. A protesting student said, "calling or writing letters to parents as a threat to silence the voices and resistance of women students will not be tolerated any more. This is gender discrimination and harassment, and has to be called out as that". "The university has to stop treating us an infantile 'girls' and recognise that we are independent adult women who demand that the university be accountable to us and the constitution," she added. The students on Monday approached the DCW, terming the letters sent to their parents as witch-hunt by DU for raising their voice against the administration. "This is an age-old sexist ploy universities have constantly used against women students, colluding with the patriarchal and casteist family's desire to control and restrict women's aspirations and dreams," the complaint sent to DCW said. The students also marched to the vice-chancellor's office but were stopped midway by the university's security. Representatives from the Delhi University Dean of Student Welfare (DSW) and proctor office met the students and took their memorandum of demands. Thiruvananthapuram: With Kerala's finances in poor shape, the need of the hour is for the new Kerala government to come out with a White Paper on Kerala's financial position, said an economist on Monday. Veteran economist M.A. Oommen said the situation is such that Kerala has topped the monthly per capita consumption in the country, pushing states like Maharashtra and Punjab down. "Tax revenue in Kerala has not increased and hence nothing can be done. A White Paper has to be prepared by the incoming government and after that they should take the people into confidence. The expenditure has to be curtailed," said Oommen. Kerala has outstanding liabilities of over Rs.141,500 crore, which is over 28.5 percent of its gross domestic product. The new government may face cash constraints for capital and development expenditures because just three expenditure heads -- salaries, pensions and interest payments -- are likely to consume over two-thirds of the state's total budgeted revenue of Rs.84,000 crore for this fiscal. "To cut down on expenditure, the new government should stop buying luxury cars. The government officials should work to their best efficiency and collect all outstanding arrears that are due to the government, in various sectors," added Oommen. Former Finance Minister Thomas Issac, who in all probability will get the portfolio this time also, opined that there is a serious shortage of funds for the government. "A White Paper has to be prepared to know where and how the state's finances are," said Issac. Tehran: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two day visit to Iran, was on Monday given ceremonial welcome by President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. "Stepping forward with Iran. Official engagements begin with a ceremonial welcome by Rouhani," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet. "Building an enduring partnership. Modi and Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete," he said. Modi is expected to sign the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan to develop the Chabahar port in the Islamic Republic. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi's agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will hold talks with the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime minister's visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. On Monday, JP Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, will be meeting President Pranab Mukherjee to brief him about the Centres ordinance that seeks to defer the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical and dental colleges in the country. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has already given a go ahead to NEET and requested President Mukherjee not to sign the ordinance. The ordinance to defer the implementation of the test was cleared on 20 May. It followed the order of Supreme Court on 9 May directing the Centre to implement NEET and strong objection from some states. In December 2010, Medical Council of India (MCI) amended its Graduate Medical Education Regulation which provides for the procedure and qualification for the admission to medical colleges. As per the amendment, those seeking admission in MBBS and other courses will have to secure minimum eligibility marks in a common entrance test, to be called NEET. It was challenged by various private medical colleges and other organizations and was struck down in 2013 by Supreme Court. A review petition was filed by Union of India and MCI. In April 2016, the earlier judgement was set aside by a larger bench, and NEET was revived. The court held: We further clarify that notwithstanding any order passed by any court earlier with regard to not holding NEET, this order shall operate. Therefore, no further order is required to be passed at this stage. NGO Sankalp, which filed the PIL seeking an order on conducting NEET, in a press release said, This is a severe jolt to reforming medical education. Government rather than taking any positive and proactive steps is doing things to stall reforms. It added, The move is anti-student, anti-reforms in the medical field and it will bring down the standard of medical education in India. The move will help those with vested interests and only promote corruption and black money in medical education in the form of capitation fees. Questioning the ordinance issued by the government, advocate Amit Kumar who appeared for Sankalp said, The doctrine of separation of powers applies to the final judgment of the courts. The legislature cannot declare any decision of a court of law to be void or of no effect. It can, however, pass an amending Act to remedy the defects pointed out by a court of law or on coming to know of it aliunde. In other words, a court's decision must always bind unless the conditions on which it is based are so fundamentally altered that the decision could not have been given in the altered circumstances. The above lines are from judgement of constitution bench of Supreme Court. A bare reading makes it clear that the law can't be passed to overrule the judgment of Supreme Court. Citing another judgment, Kumar said the law enacted by the legislature may apparently be within its competence but yet in substance, if it is shown as an attempt to interfere with the judicial process, such law may be invalidated being in breach of doctrine of separation of powers. In such a situation, the legal effect of the law on a judgment or a judicial proceeding must be examined closely, having regard to legislative prescription or direction. Kumar added, The questions to be asked are: (i) Does the legislative prescription or legislative direction interfere with the judicial functions? (ii) Is the legislation targeted at the decided case or whether impugned law requires its application to a case already finally decided? (iii) What are the terms of law, the issues with which it deals and the nature of the judgment that has attained finality? While posing serious questions over the ordinance, he said If the answer to questions (i) and (ii) is in the affirmative and the consideration of aspects noted in question (iii) sufficiently establishes that the impugned law interferes with judicial functions, the court may declare the law unconstitutional. Ordinance in this case would be targeting the judgment of Supreme court and hence bad in law. On April 28, JP Nadda had welcomed the order of Supreme Court on NEET and had affirmed that the aim of the Health Ministry is to facilitate and enable MCI and CBSE to conduct the entrance exams in a manner and time that would not cause distress to lakhs of students appearing for the NEET. On 16 May, Nadda met state health ministers and in a press note issued by his ministry it was stated: Most states are in favour of NEET in principle. However, some states have expressed that there are some logistic issues that are impeding its implementation, and therefore they have desired for some more time. In the same press note, Nadda stated that during his interaction with health ministers from many states where they shared their state-specific issues in the context of holding NEET this year, they also agreed that NEET was a welcome move to bring in transparency and remove several observed malpractices from the field of medical education. Three days after the meeting the ordinance deferring it was passed. During the state health ministers meet with Nadda certain problems were highlighted as reason for postponing the exam. In some states the examination process was either underway or was soon to commence. Also, there were issues of the syllabus of the CBSE being different from what the state boards followed. Moreover, the states also pointed out that NEET should be allowed in regional languages in addition to Hindi and English in order to have parity for the students who have taken the state board exams. While some of it is genuine concern, it is something which is seen by most students as something which comes with any transition or change. President Mukherjee has already sought legal advice on the ordinance to keep state boards out of the ambit of NEET this year. If the ordinance is approved by him, then a transparent system of entrance for training professionals for one of the most responsible jobs, will have to wait for some more time. New Delhi: India has banned its nationals from travelling to Libya, irrespective of the purpose of the visit, in view of the prevailing security situation in that country. Announcing this on Monday, External Affairs Ministry said the decision has been notified to all Immigration authorities. "In view of prevailing security situation in Libya, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the Government has decided to impose a travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose," the MEA travel advisory said. Asking Indian nationals for compliance, the ministry said the travel ban is effective from 3 May, 2016 till further orders. The MEA's announcement came a day after reports of a Libyan former minister being killed in clashes between unity government forces and fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Sirte. Libya is witnessing increased violence due to clashes between them. Srinagar: Militants today shot dead two policemen, including an officer, in Zadibal area in Srinagar, the first such attack in the city in nearly three years. The ultras shot at the two cops from close range at Mill Stop in Zadibal area which connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and super speciality SKIMS Hospital at Soura, a police official said. The two cops died on the spot, he said, adding the deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Mohammad and Head Constable Nazir Ahmad. The slain cops were posted at Zadibal Police Station. Police and other security forces have been put on an alert to look out for the assailants, who managed to flee the spot. This is first such major strike in the city in nearly three years. The last such attack took place on 22 June, 2013 when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. Guwahati: BJP Legislature Party leader Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday requested outgoing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to take part in his swearing-in ceremony to be held on 24 May. Sonowal visited Gogoi at his official residence in Koinadhara area of the city Monday afternoon and invited him to the oath-taking function to be held at Khanapara field. A host of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, are slated to attend it. Sonowal also sought Gogoi's advice, goodwill and blessings, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement. Gogoi accepted Sonowal's invitation and said he would attend the swearing-in ceremony and also conveyed good wishes to him, the CMO said. Earlier in the day, Sonowal was unanimously elected as BJP Legislature Party leader in Assam, paving the way for his becoming the next chief minister of the state. Following this, he led a delegation of BJP, AGP and BPF members to Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the next government in Assam. The Governor afterwards invited the BJP-led alliance to form the next government in the state. Thiruvananthapuram: CPM on Sunday slammed BJP and RSS for 'conspiring' at the national level to establish that there was widespread violence in the state after the Left front came to power securing a massive mandate. Party state secretary said BJP and RSS were unleashing attack against their party workers and vandalising their offices across the state out of frustration over their poor performance in the May 16 assembly polls. He said Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's warning that saffron party would not sit quiet and would take on CPM on streets points to the fact that the attacks were with the knowledge of the party's central leadership. He also wondered why no Congress leader had deplored the minister's statement and said it was as good as promoting the politics of violence of RSS. "BJP and RSS are indulging in violence as the results were not up to their expectations. They had earlier claimed that they will come into power winning at least 70 seats and 30 percent votes and later brought it down to 12....BJP and RSS are conspiring at the national level to establish that there is widespread violence in the state," he told reporters. However, when they managed to secure only one seat, that too with the support of Congress, the BJP and RSS decided to unleash violence, he alleged. Alleging that the BJP and RSS had "organised" attacks in 41 places in eight districts soon after the poll results were out, he said two party workers were killed and 62 injured. Meanwhile chief minister-designate Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post, said BJP should have the tolerance to accept the verdict of people of Kerala. "BJP is the party which rules at the Centre and it should show the responsibility in this regard. The party leaders should be vigilant while making provocative statements," he said. CPM leader and LDF convenor, Vaikom Viswan also criticised the attacks against the party workers and said the front would convene meetings and rallies across the state against the violence. Slamming Sangh Parivar forces for attacking left activists, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said the saffron party was unleashing attack in the state as part of their agenda to create insecurity in the country. The attack against the CPM headquarters AKG Bhavan at New Delhi was also part of this, he said adding that there should be strong public protest against it. Umar bhar Ghalib yeh bhool karta raha; Dhool chehre pe thi aur aina saaf karta raha. This brilliant couplet by Mirza Ghalib was posted by political analyst Mohan Guruswami on his Facebook page to pinpoint the exact problem that plagues the Congress along with this short explanatory note: Today, the Congress party reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of Shrimati Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi, and will now try to understand the reasons why the state units couldnt deliver results. I think they would be better served if they made an assessment of the caliber of the duo and found a way out of their predicament. I agree with what Mohan Guruswamy is trying to convey to the best of his understanding of Indian politics in general and the Congress culture in particular. Can you digest what Ajay Maken, Congress boss of the Delhi state unit, said after winning 4 of the 13 municipal corporation seats in the recently concluded by-elections? I would like to thank Congress workers of Delhi and the biggest credit should go to our leader Rahul Gandhi as he contributed a lot to this victory. Compare this with what party spokesman, Randeep Surjewala, said after the Congress was mauled, if not massacred, in the Assembly elections in Assam and Kerala, We will analyse the causes. We will discuss this in a cordial atmosphere. Responding to reporters probing queries on Rahul Gandhis leadership, the spokesman came up with a rather feeble reply, Every election has different issues and they should not be linked to any individual. It was clear from Surjewalas statement that the party had decided to firewall Rahul from the heat and dust generated by the election results. No Congress leader, not even an otherwise outspoken Digvijay Singh or an erudite P Chidambaram, can dare to bare the truth. The precise, historical truth about the grand old party is that it can shine only when it is led by a towering, charismatic leader. The party loses both its glory and winnability the moment its leadership become lacklustre. Its not a cadre-based outfit like the RSS-backed BJP or the card-holding communists, that can stand firmly on the ground on the strength of their well-oiled organisational machinery. The Congress had almost always been blessed with a seemingly unending series of captivating leaders that kept the masses enchanted throughout its 130-year-old history. In the pre-independence era, it was led by Mahatma Gandhi. And in post-independence years, it was steered forward by Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Little wonder then that in 15 General elections so far, it could win an outright majority on six occasions and lead coalition governments a further four times at the Centre. But now, things have changed. The wind has evaporated out of their sails. The leadership looks faded, tired, especially in the face of a Narendra Modi who, whether you like him or not, looks dynamic, talks energetically and rides an organisation nurtured by an overtly nationalistic, propagandist RSS. What remains of the Congress is only a glorious past. All its satraps in the states who enjoyed mass support have left the organisation wilfully or otherwise, one by one. Remember Mamata Banerjee is an ex-Congress leader of West Bengal. So is Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam. Its a sad commentary on the state of affairs of the Congress that any provincial satrap with even a semblance of mass support is driven out of the party by its leadership. It has happened in the past innumerable times (Please recall these names to refresh your memory Subhash Chandra Bose, K Kamraj, Atulya Ghosh, S Nijalingappa, SK Patil, Morarji Desai, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, D Devraj Urs, Sharad Pawar, PA Sangma, Tariq Anwar and Mamata Banerjee). It is happening even now. A Jagan Mohan Reddy or a Himanta Biswa Sarma are considered too inconvenient to be retained in the party with the result being that the grand old party loses sheen in what happened to be its bastions. Whats the way out of the current morass? There are only two options: First, purge the leadership not just the general secretaries ridding the party of its dynastic stigma. But knowing the Congress culture as we do, this option looks improbable. The majority of the Congress leaders and workers still feel that it is the Nehru-Gandhi family that is holding the party together like an adhesive. Without them at the helm, the party shall wither away. Then comes the second, easier option: Bring in Priyanka Gandhi at the top without any further delay and, as a corollary, purge the deadwoods in the second and third line of leadership. Time is running out fast for them with the next round of Assembly elections less than a year away. Their fortunes would be made or marred in Uttar Pradesh. Chennai: DMK president M Karunanidhi on Monday alleged that his party was 'insulted' at the swearing-in ceremony of J Jayalalithaa as Tamil Nadu chief minister, complaining about the seating arrangement made for his son MK Stalin. He said Stalin was made to sit 'among the crowd' even as a losing candidate and AIADMK ally, R Sarath Kumar, was allotted seat in the front row. "Stalin, who has the qualification to sit in the Main Opposition (possibly as its Leader) after (DMK) won 89 seats, was given seat among the crowd whereas Sarath Kumar was seated in the front row," Karunanidhi said in a statement. DMK was "insulted" in a planned manner, Karunanidhi said, and criticised Jayalalithaa over the incident. Stalin, attired in a white shirt and dhoti, was spotted seated in the 16th row at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, the venue of the swearing-in function, breaking a practice of the rivals keeping away from the other's ceremony. Former DMK Ministers EV Velu and Ponmudy, besides their party MLAs Sekhar Babu, Vagai Chandrasekhar and Ku Ka Selvam were also seated near him. Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM ministers in Kerala Chief Minister-designate Pinarayi Vijayan's cabinet ministers were named without much problem, but the process was more difficult in the CPI and two other constituents of the Left Democratic Front. It was decided on Sunday that the Vijayan cabinet would have 19 members (including the chief minister) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist will have 12 berths, the Communist Party of India 4 and three other LDF constituents - the Janata Dal-S, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress-S - would get one each. On Monday, the CPM named its ministers, including three - Thomas Issac, A.K.Balan and G.Sudhakran - who were ministers in the V.S.Achuthanandan cabinet (2006-11), while new faces are E.P.Jayarajan, K.K.Shailaja, A.C.Moideen, Kadakampally Surendran, T.P.Ramakrishnan, C.Raveendranath, J.Mercykutty Amma and K.T.Jaleel (who won as a CPM-backed Independent). However it was high drama at the state party headquarters of the CPI when the party leaders met to select their four ministers. C.Divakaran and Mullakara Ratnakaran, who were part of the Achuthanandan cabinet, tried their level best to get a second term, but it was shot down by the party state secretary Kanam Rajendran, who instead nominated E.Chandrasekheran, P.Thilothaman, V.S.Sunil Kumar and P.Raju. "Like in 2006, we selected new faces for the post of minister, this time also, we have followed that," Rajendran told reporters while announcing their ministers. Meanwhile the Janata Dal-S and the Nationalist Congress Party even after a few rounds to select their ministerial candidates have not been able to do so as there are more than one aspirant for the posts. But no such issue is there in the Congress-S as its lone legislator Kadanapally Ramachandran is all set to be sworn in. Three other legislators from three different political parties, who are not LDF constituents but allies, also made a valiant attempt to get ministerial berths, but this was shot down by the CPM. The new Vijayan cabinet would be sworn in at the Central Stadium here at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The CPM-led LDF won the May 16 polls, winning 91 seats in the 140-member Kerala assembly. Kolkata: West Bengal government is sending a team of officials to Nepal for coordinating the rescue operations of two mountaineers from the state, who had reportedly gone missing at Mount Everest. Trinamool Congress legislator and outgoing Sports, Housing and Youth Affairs minister Arup Biswas said a three-member team led by S A Baba, Principal Secretary of youth affairs department, will leave from Kolkata on 24 May. He said that the body of another mountaineer Subash Paul, who had reached 8,849-metre summit on Saturday but collapsed while descending the Hillary Step ice wall, will be brought to the state and the government will extend all required support to his family. Biswas said the team will try to co-ordinate the rescue operations of both Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh, who have gone missing. The government has also started a control room in the state secretariat where the families of those missing can call, seeking information. West Bengal Governor KN Tripathi condoled the death of Pal saying, "He conquered highest peak of the world and died a hero's death while returning. He will remain an inspiration to the adventure loving youth of West Bengal". He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and innumerable admirers. KABUL/WASHINGTON The Afghan Taliban's leadership council met on Sunday to start considering succession after a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan targeted its commander, two Taliban sources told Reuters, in the strongest sign yet the insurgency had accepted he was dead. The strike targeting Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Saturday was perhaps the most high-profile U.S. incursion into Pakistan since the 2011 raid to kill al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and sparked a protest by Islamabad that its sovereignty had been violated. If confirmed, Mansour's death could trigger a succession battle within a Taliban insurgency that has proven extremely resilient despite a decade and a half of U.S. military deployments to Afghanistan. The Taliban have not yet officially confirmed that Mansour was killed and there were conflicting accounts on Sunday, with the Afghan government declaring him dead, while Washington stopped just short of doing so. "At this point, were not quite prepared to confirm that he was killed, though it appears likely," U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told "Fox News Sunday." The Taliban sources said that Sunday's meeting of the Rahbari Shura, or leadership council, included discussion of possible successors, including guerrilla commander Sirajuddin Haqqani. Haqqani, who has a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head, would likely prove an even more implacable foe of Afghan government forces and their U.S. allies. He is widely seen by U.S. and Afghan officials as the most dangerous warlord in the Taliban insurgency, responsible for the most bloody attacks, including one last month in Kabul in which 64 people were killed. "Based purely on matters of hierarchy, (Haqqani) would be the favorite to succeed Mansour," said Michael Kugelman, a senior associate at the Woodrow Wilson Institute think tank. The Taliban were also considering Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, a potential unifier because of his fathers name. Former Guantanamo detainee Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir and Mullah Sherin were also cited, the sources said. PAKISTANI PROTESTS The Saturday drone strike, which U.S. officials said was authorized by President Barack Obama, showed the United States was prepared to go after the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, which the government in Kabul has repeatedly accused of sheltering the insurgents. Pakistan protested on Sunday, saying the U.S. government did not inform Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif beforehand. "This is a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," Sharif told reporters in London, saying it was still unclear who was killed. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that Washington only notified Pakistan after the operation. It was unclear how long Mansour might have been inside Pakistan before the U.S. strike. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry disclosed that a passport found at the site, bearing a different name, carried a valid Iranian visa. It added that the purported passport holder was believed to have returned to Pakistan from Iran on Saturday, the day of the drone strike targeting Mansour. Photos of the passport, bearing the name Wali Muhammad, seen by Reuters showed a passing resemblance to some of the old photos available of Mansour. If it is confirmed that Mansour had traveled to Iran before his death, it would raise new questions about the Taliban's use of neighboring territories, including Iran. The drone strike underscored the belief among U.S. commanders that the Taliban under Mansour's leadership had grown increasingly close to militant groups like al Qaeda, posing a direct threat to U.S. security. Mansour had failed to win over rival factions within the Taliban after formally assuming the helm last year after the Taliban admitted Mullah Omar had been dead for more than two years. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had conducted a precision air strike that targeted Mansour "in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border". Mansour posed a "continuing, imminent threat" to U.S. personnel and Afghans, Kerry told a news conference while on a visit to Myanmar. "If people want to stand in the way of peace and continue to threaten and kill and blow people up, we have no recourse but to respond and I think we responded appropriately," Kerry said. PEACE TALKS Efforts to broker talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban had already stalled after a suicide attack in Kabul last month that prompted President Ashraf Ghani to prioritize military operations over negotiations. But Ghani's office said on Sunday the removal of Mansour could open the door to talks and that Taliban members who wanted to end bloodshed should return from "alien soil" and join peace efforts. U.S. experts were less optimistic, cautioning against the idea that the shake-up would diminish the Taliban's broader sense of strength, particularly given the uneven performance of U.S.-backed Afghan forces last year and a pullback by Western troops. "The Taliban have made considerable progress in Helmand (province) and elsewhere, so it's hard to see much incentive for them to start compromising now," a U.S. intelligence official said on condition of anonymity. The new U.S. commander in Afghanistan is reviewing strategy, including whether to request broader powers to target Taliban insurgents and whether to seek a halt in plans to reduce the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. One U.S. government analyst said the Taliban were likely encouraged by the upcoming U.S. presidential election. "The Taliban, the Haqqanis, (Pakistani intelligence) and everyone else knows that ... the election this fall isn't going to bring in someone who wants to send more American troops to retake territory the Afghans are losing," the analyst said. (Additional reporting by James Mackenzie, Drazen Jorgic, David Morgan, John Walcott and Jonathan Landay; Editing by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Beijing: On the eve of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit, China today struck a positive note saying that both the countries have been taking positive steps to manage the border dispute and that it is ready to "accelerate" talks to resolve the vexed issue "at an early date". "China is ready to work with India to accelerate negotiations and resolve this historic issue at an early date to move forward bilateral relations," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, responding to Mukherjee's remark that India wants fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement to solve the border issue. "We will extend warm welcome to President Mukherjee," on his first visit to China, Hua told reporters. She said "China and India are committed to resolve territorial disputes through negotiations seeking a fair and reasonable settlement which is acceptable to all." "In the past three decades and more the two sides have been taking positive steps to properly manage disputes and safeguard peace and tranquility of the border area creating favourable conditions for sound and sustainable development of bilateral ties," Hua said responding to a question on Mukherjee's comments to Chinese media on the issue. Mukherjee, who arrives in the Chinese industrial city of Guangzhou on a four-day visit to China on Tuesday, has told Chinese media that India seeks a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of the (border) question." He will reach Beijing on May 25 and is scheduled to hold talks with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders. Outlining the steps taken by India and China to resolve the dispute, Hua said so far the two countries have established a series of working mechanisms including talks at the level of Special Representatives to resolve the issue besides reaching political guidelines and three step road map. The two sides held 19th Special Representative talks here last month. Both also reached political guidelines and three step road map, she said. "China and India, both are emerging markets with increasing influence on the international stage. Both the countries are major force behind world peace and development. We are glad to see that in the past few years China and India have been moving forward on bilateral relations in a sound and stable way," she said. Recalling Xi's 2014 visit to India which was followed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China last year, she said bilateral ties have entered a period of fast development. "We can take that President Mukherjee's visit this time to implement important outcomes during the previous visits of practical cooperation and forge close partnership for development," she said. In his interviews to the Chinese media, Mukherjee has said that "pending the boundary settlement, we seek to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. Both sides should strive to ensure that the outstanding issues are addressed in a manner that demonstrates mutual sensitivity to each other's concerns, interests and aspiration," he said. "Only in this manner can we ensure that these differences will not come in the way of continuing development of bilateral relations. We should enhance our mutual trust and understanding through stepped up dialogue on political security and strategic issues," Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying. He also called for zero for tolerance against terrorism. "India and China both huge countriesmulti-cultural, multi-racial if they come together in fighting this menace, I am sure it will have its own impact," Mukherjee said. "And India always believes that every country should have a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and the fight is to be all out," he told the Chinese state run CCTV. His comments assumed significance in the backdrop of China putting a technical hold on India's move to ban Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Muhammad's leader Maulana Masood Azhar for his alleged role in Pathankot air base attack which has become a major irritant in relations between the two countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Iran served as a fillip to the traditionally warm bilateral relations between the two nations. He visited the country following a trip by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan in April 2016. According to this piece by The Diplomat, India has sent a clear message of wanting to strengthen economic ties with Tehran through these visits. Both the nations have always maintained friendly relations despite the sanctions imposed on Iran. Tehran's alignment with Washington during the Cold War and New Delhis non-aligned position proved to be an ephemeral deterrent. Indias disapproval of the 1979 Iranian Revolution also temporarily soured ties between the two nations. However, the amity was restored after the end of the Cold War and death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to India in August 2015 paved the way for Indias investment in the Chabahar Port. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to sign the deal on 23 May during his maiden visit to Iran. It will open the Indian economy to Central Asia, specifically Afghanistan and will bypass Pakistan, as Moneycontrol reported. Iran has the worlds second largest reserves of natural gas and it was Indias second biggest oil supplier until the US imposed economic sanctions on it. Despite the sanctions, India had been importing oil from the country through a rupee payment agreement. It is Irans biggest oil client after China, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. With the sanctions removed from Iran, India can liberally trade with the nation. Indias imports from Iran have nearly tripled since the sanctions were lifted, hitting 540,000 barrels per day, according to Genscape. Moreover, India can now pay $6.5 billion that it owes to Iran for crude oil purchases. Apart from the minor hindrance that the sanctions posed for India-Iran relations, they have supported each other. In 2012 after the sanctions were imposed, then prime minister Manmohan Singh visited Tehran to attend the NAM Summit, somewhat displeasing western nations. More recently, during her visit to Tehran, Swaraj was assured by Irans president Hassan Rouhani that his country would provide support to Indias oil and gas needs. The only factor that might cast a shadow on the blooming relations between India and Iran is Irans growing closeness with Pakistan and China. Common interests in Afghanistan have brought Iran and Pakistan closer. On the other hand, China is Irans biggest importer of crude oil. China and Pakistan's growing bilateral ties with Iran have no doubt worried India. Besides economic and cultural connections, India and Iran are also connected by a love for 'Shah Rukh Khan and lipsticks', according to a report by the BBC. Interestingly, the National Jewellery Museum in Tehran house is home to many diamonds from India. Whether or not this resumption of warm relations translates into actual on-ground results (investment, cooperation etc), remains to be seen, but as Modi enters the third year of his premiership, signs look good. An Indian climber who had fallen sick and was being helped down Mount Everest has died, becoming the fifth to die in recent days while attempting to scale the world's tallest peak, an expedition organiser said Monday. Subhash Paul reached the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) summit on Saturday but collapsed while descending the Hillary Step ice wall. He died the following day as he was being helped down the mountain by Sherpa guides, said Wangchu Sherpa of the Trekking Camp Nepal agency in Kathmandu. He was among four Indians who lost contact with operators on Saturday afternoon, said Loben Sherpa of the same agency, which organised their expedition to Mount Everest. Two other members of Paul's team Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh have been missing since Saturday. Wangchu Sherpa said it was unlikely they would be able to survive Everest's hostile conditions. Sunita Hazra, the fourth member of the team had fallen sick. She was resting at a camp at a safer altitude after being brought down. "We have sent a helicopter to bring Sunita back. We still don't have any news on the missing two," Loben Sherpa said. More than 350 climbers including 140 foreigners have successfully scaled the world's highest peak this season after two consecutive years of deadly disasters. But four other mountaineers have died in the Himalayas in the past few days. A Dutch man, identified by BBC as Eric Ary Arnold died Friday. An Australian woman, identified by ABC News as Dr Maria Strydom, died hours later after suffering from altitude sickness on Everest. ABC News also reported that her husband, Rob Gropel, was with her when she died. He is safe and will soon make his way to Kathmandu. Phurba Sherpa, a 25-year-old Nepali guide perished Thursday, reported CNN. He slipped and fell 2,000 metres down Mount Lhotse, the world's fourth-highest peak. Another Indian climber died after falling ill while descending from Mount Dhaulagiri in the Himalayas. Dozens of other climbers have developed frostbite or become sick near the summit in recent days. Guides and helicopter pilots have rescued more than 30 climbers following complaints of altitude sickness and frostbite, tourism official Gyanendra Shrestha said. Favourable weather has allowed nearly 400 climbers to reach the summit from Nepal since 11 May, but the altitude, weather and harsh terrain can cause problems at any time. Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for the impoverished Himalayan nation of Nepal and trekking companies were anxious to see foreign climbers return to Everest after two years of disasters. Last year's earthquake, which killed almost 9,000 people, threatened the future of its climbing and trekking industry. Climbing attempts were largely abandoned in 2014 after an avalanche above the base camp killed 16 Sherpa guides. With inputs from agencies BAGHDAD Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launching of an offensive to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Falluja after the military told residents on Sunday to get ready to leave before fighting started. "Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi said on his official Twitter feed, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group. He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A U.S.-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighboring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support. Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the jihadists, in January 2014, six months before the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria. Iraqi officials said Shi'ite militias, including ones backed by neighboring Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city proper, as they were largely in the battle for Ramadi, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents. The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Falluja since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months. Families who cannot flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city, the military's media unit said in a statement on state television, a tactic employed with some success in other recent offensives. Deputy District Council Chairman Falih al-Essawi said three corridors would be opened for civilians to camps west, southwest and southeast of the city, and a subsequent military statement said some residents had begun to flee. "Our goal is to liberate civilians from Daesh's repression and terrorism," Abadi said in a televised speech. TRAPPED CIVILIANS Residents told Reuters about 20 families set out from a southern front-line neighborhood late on Saturday but that only half of them made it out. Some were intercepted by Islamic State, while others were killed by explosives planted along the road by the jihadists, the residents said. The United Nations and Human Rights Watch said last month that residents were facing acute shortages of food and medicine during a siege by government forces. Aid has not reached the city since the Iraqi military recaptured nearby Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital, in December. Essawi told a local television channel on Sunday that more than 75,000 civilians remained in Falluja, in keeping with a recent U.S. military estimate of 60,000 to 90,000. About 300,000 people lived in the Euphrates River city before the war. Known as the "City of Minarets and Mother of Mosques", Falluja is a focus for Sunni Muslim faith and identity in Iraq. It was badly damaged in two offensives by U.S. forces against al Qaeda insurgents in 2004. Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for Abadi, said the city's "liberation" would help restore normal life to Anbar province, over which Islamic State took nearly complete control in 2014. Following recent government offensives in Rutba and Hit, control of Falluja would secure the road more than 500 km (300 miles) from Baghdad to the Jordanian border and northwards to Haditha, 190 km (115 miles) northwest of the capital. But Islamic State still controls vast swathes of territory and major cities such as Mosul in the north. Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake Mosul this year, although some officials question in private whether the army will be ready in time. (Additional reporting by Maher Chamytelli and Omar Fahmy in Cairo; Editing by Ros Russell and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. ADEN A suicide car bombing claimed by Islamic State killed at least 40 Yemeni army recruits and wounded 60 in the southern city of Aden on Monday, medics said, in one of the deadliest attacks yet on government interests. The attack occurred as the recruits lined up to enlist outside the home of a senior general near a military camp in Aden's Khor Maksar district, officials said. The port city serves as the temporary capital of Yemen's Saudi-backed administration while it seeks to seize back Sanaa from the Iran-allied armed Houthi group that took it in 2014, plunging Yemen into civil war. Local news website Aden al-Ghad showed pictures of soldiers picking up bloodied comrades in uniform from the ground and witnesses said ambulances with blaring sirens collected the wounded. Islamic State said the attack targeted "the apostate Yemeni army" and named the attacker as Abu Ali al-Adeni, according to a statement posted on its social media accounts. It said a bomb planted at the gate of the nearby Badr army base detonated afterwards. Officials said the second blast caused no casualties. The attacks follow gains by Yemeni government forces backed by the United Arab Emirates, who mounted an offensive on al Qaeda militants in southern towns last month. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has taken advantage of chaos in Yemen since the civil war began to win control over swathes of southern and eastern Yemen. Their militant rivals in Yemen's branch of Islamic State have carried out a series of suicide attacks on all parties to Yemen's tangled conflict, killing 25 police recruits outside the southeastern port city of Mukalla earlier in May. The militant threat has spurred U.N.-sponsored peace talks between the Houthis and Hadi's government in Kuwait that have made little progress since they began last month. The talks have been bogged down by differences over the implementation of a U.N. resolution calling for the Houthis to quit cities they control and hand over weapons and forming a more representative government. Yemeni forces pushed al Qaeda out of its base in Mukalla and killed 16 militants in a raid outside the city backed up by Gulf Arab helicopters on Sunday. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Noah Browning and Sami Aboudi,; Editing by Richard Balmforth and John Stonestreet) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. United States President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US air strike in Pakistan, hailing his death as an "important milestone" in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Saturday's bombing raid, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistan soil, marks a major blow to the militant movement, which saw a new resurgence under Mansour. "We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda," the US president said in a statement. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura (council) is under way to select a new leader. Obama said Mansour had rejected efforts "to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children." He called on the Taliban's remaining leadership to engage in peace talks as the "only real path" to ending the attritional conflict. Mansour was elevated to the leadership of the Taliban in July 2015 following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had died two years earlier. He was killed on Saturday near the town of Ahmad Lal in Pakistan's south western Balochistan province, when missiles fired from a drone struck the car he was travelling in. Pakistan, which says it is hosting the Afghan Taliban's top leadership in order to exert influence over them, has lambasted the United States over the drone attack, calling it a violation of its sovereignty. In his statement, Obama said American forces would continue to go after threats on Pakistani soil. "We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven," he said. It was believed to be the first time the United States has targeted a senior Taliban figure in Pakistan. A man of war, not peace talks Mansour took over as head of the insurgent movement last July following the revelation that the group's founder Mullah Omar had been dead for two years. He was initially thought to favour peace talks with the government, but after becoming leader he repeatedly refused partake in negotiations. For some, Mansour was the obvious choice to succeed Mullah Omar, the one-eyed warrior-cleric who led the Taliban from its rise in the chaos of the Afghan civil war of the 1990s. Born in the same southern province, Kandahar, some time in the early 1960s, Mansour was part of the movement from the start and effectively in charge since 2013, according to Taliban sources. Mansour spent part of his life in Pakistan, like millions of Afghans who fled the Soviet occupation. There he reportedly developed links with the country's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, which nurtured the Taliban in the 1990s and even now is regularly accused of fuelling the insurgency. He served as civil aviation minister in the Taliban government which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until it was ousted by the US-led invasion in 2001, when he fled again to Pakistan. He repeatedly showed a canny ability to navigate between different currents in the Taliban movement, from the Quetta Shura to the "political office" in Qatar to commanders on the ground in Afghanistan. To take the leadership he out manoeuvred Mullah Yakoub, Omar's son who was favoured by some commanders as the new leader but judged to be too young and inexperienced at 26. But his leadership got off to a rocky start. Some Taliban members were unhappy at the thought that Mansour may have deceived them for over a year about Omar's death and others accused him of riding roughshod over the process to appoint a successor. While Mansour was close to his predecessor, he wasn't known for having Omar's aura of religious authority though the Taliban did confer upon him the title "leader of the faithful", by which the old chief was known. Mansour initially faced a huge challenge in trying to unite a movement that was already showing signs of fragmenting and questions about his legitimacy at the highest echelon of the Taliban did not bolster his position. But analysts say Mansour quickly set out to consolidate his authority, rooting out opposition to his leadership by buying the support of rebellious commanders, quashing renegade groups and luring dissidents with leadership positions. Who will succeed him? Mansour was widely blamed for leading the cover-up and the roster of candidates to succeed him will include many of the same names who entered the fray last year. These include Omar's son Mullah Yakoub, who was favoured by some commanders as new leader but at the time judged too young and inexperienced, and Omar's brother Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund. Mansour gave both of them senior positions on the group's leadership council and both are seen as favourites to take over. Other possible successors are Mansour's deputies influential religious leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Sirajuddin Haqqani leader of the feared Taliban-allied Haqqani network responsible for some of the worst attacks on Afghan and US targets. "This could be the time Haqqanis will try to take over the whole movement," said Pakistani security analyst Amir Rana. Will this further splinter the Taliban? Almost certainly yes. Mansour had been particularly effective at subduing dissidents and eliminating rivals. Mullah Dadullah, a prominent dissident commander, was killed last year in a gunfight with Mansour loyalists. And Mullah Rassoul, who formed a Taliban breakaway faction, had reportedly been detained by the Pakistani military though his followers continue to fight on in his name. Analysts believe differences are once again likely to surface within the militants. How would this impact the security situation? "This could help the peace process if it allows the moderate faction to come to the surface," said Ahmed Rashid, author of the book Descent into Chaos. While infighting could buy some breathing space for beleaguered Afghan forces, the strategy of "divide and rule" may also backfire. "First Mullah Omar and now Mansour once you take the core out of a movement it could begin to unravel," said Imtiaz Gul, director of the Islamabad based Centre for Research and Security Studies. "On the other hand, peacemaking will become even more difficult if you are dealing with so many leaders. This has been the strategy for several years to splinter them and make deals but whether that works, we don't know." According to Rana, Mansour's death could also pave the way for groups like the Islamic State and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, long in the Taliban's shadow, to emerge stronger than before. What does the drone attack mean for Pakistan? Pakistan was one of the Taliban's main allies during their 1996-2001 rule of Afghanistan, and has continued to exert influence over their insurgency. In March, Pakistan's top foreign affairs official Sartaj Aziz admitted openly what many had suspected for years that the Afghan Taliban's top leadership were sheltering inside the country. But with peace efforts stalled despite the formation in January of a four-country group the United States, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan designed to kickstart the efforts, US patience could have been growing thin. The fact that the strike took place deep inside Pakistani territory, and not in the border tribal regions where all but one previous such attack occurred, will raise speculation however that Islamabad acquiesced. The last round of four-way talks took place in Islamabad Wednesday. At that stage, the US was ostensibly still willing to talk to the Taliban and their leader. Mansour's intransigence may have been his downfall. "There was an agreement that if Taliban refuse to come to the table then Pakistan will cooperate with operations against the Taliban. They had a commitment," said analyst Rana. 'Decisive strikes' There was speculation about Mansour's fate last summer following reports he was critically wounded in a firefight with his own commanders in Pakistan shortly after he assumed the mantle of leadership. The Taliban subsequently released an audio message purportedly from Mansour, vehemently rejecting reports of any shootout as "enemy propaganda". The group of hardliners have seen a resurgence under Mansour's leadership, leaving Afghan forces struggling to rein in the expanding insurgency. They briefly captured the strategic northern city of Kunduz in September in their most spectacular victory in 14 years. The militants have also claimed a series of high-profile attacks over the past year on embassies, media as well as the UN and Nato properties in and near the diplomatic quarter in Kabul. In a recent message posted online, Mansour told his followers to prepare for "decisive strikes" during the Taliban's annual spring offensive. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a US official on Saturday said Mansour was targeted and "likely killed" in a US drone strike in a remote area of Pakistan along the Afghan border. Blow to US-Pakistan ties? The strike could signal a fresh blow for US-Pakistan ties, which have improved markedly in recent years since the killing of Al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden in 2011. The US has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in the Pakistan, mainly in the country's border tribal regions with Afghanistan, with leaked documents showing Islamabad had quietly consented, despite publicly protesting. This time, however, both sides insist Pakistan was informed only after the fact. Leaked diplomatic cables from 2010 had indicated that Islamabad wanted the southwestern province of Balochistan, home to a separatist insurgency, to remain off-limits. The meeting of the Taliban's Supreme Council continued into its second day Monday, according to senior militant sources, though the group has yet to release an official statement. A senior Taliban source told AFP the killing had sent shockwaves through the leadership and many were laying low in Pakistan while some had fled across the border to Afghanistan. "The shura meeting is continuing at an undisclosed location, they keep on moving due to the fear of US drone strike," the source told AFP. With inputs from agencies. There is something seriously wrong with the way the Modi government is appeasing China. After the avoidable ignominy over the issue of repealing visa to the Uyghur activist Dolkun Isa, the government has committed another faux pas by first accepting the invitation and then backtracking from sending two parliamentarians to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwanese president-elect Tsai Ing-wen. The first female president of the island nation was sworn in on 20 May. In fact, the government had already announced the names of DP Tripathi (of the Nationalist Congress Party) and Meenakshi Lekhi (of the Bharatiya Janata Party) for the event. But subsequently, it changed its mind and disallowed the two MPs from visiting Taipei. One does not need to become a Nobel laureate to understand that it is the fear of China that has done the trick. As in the case of Dolkun Isa, this time too the Modi government realised its "folly" of antagonising Beijing particularly when President Pranab Mukherjee is all set to visit China on 24 May. The question thus is: If the government is so scared of China, then why does it unnecessarily initiate an action that displeases Beijing? Strange it may seem, but it is true that the BJP, a supposedly nationalist party, whenever in power in Delhi, has always disgraced the country while dealing with China. For instance, until 2003, Indias standard position on Tibet was that it is an autonomous region of China, meaning that Indias view on Tibet could change if Beijing takes away Tibets autonomy. But Atal Behari Vajpayee, during his visit to China in 2003, agreed unconditionally that Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is part of the territory of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). And what is more important, such an agreement on Tibet was signed for the first time at the prime ministerial level. It seems that this sordid history is being repeated under the second Prime Minister from the BJP, Narendra Modi. It is true that India follows the One China policy and does not recognise Taiwan as a country. In the absence of formal diplomatic relations, India and Taiwan coordinate their relations through their respective Economic and Cultural Centers in each others capital. But within these broad parameters, it is to the credit of the previous Manmohan Singh government that New Delhi was successfully de-hyphenating its policy towards Taipei from its China-policy. In March 2011, India had announced to forge a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Taiwan, while denying the same to China. And ignoring Chinas protest, India approved in December 2012 the opening of a branch office of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in Chennai. In fact, this process of de-hyphenation was supposed to gain further momentum under Modi. But that does not seem to be happening. And that too at a time when for the first time a Taiwanese president on her inauguration day has specifically mentioned India in what will be her priority of developing a South-bound policy (towards Southeast Asia and India) to restructure the island nations economy by bidding farewell to the single market phenomenon (meaning China). Incidentally, it was again the Vajpayee government that had belittled Taiwan when, in 2001, the then Taiwanese vice-president Annette Lu was disallowed to visit the earthquake-affected people of Gujarat with relief material worth more than $ 1 million. And this was apparently due to the fear that the communist China would not like her visit to India. This was rather strange, considering the fact that Chinas total relief-help for Gujarat was $60, 000, whereas the $1 million worth relief material that the Taiwanese vice-president was sending in her personal capacity was the gesture of a single voluntary organisation called Love and Care whose chairperson happened to be Ms. Lu. The small-sized island of Taiwan, with 23 million people, has emerged as a formidable economic powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan is the world's 16th largest economy and fifth largest economy in Asia (after China, Japan, India and South Korea). It has the world's third largest foreign exchange reserves with more than $255 billion. It is the world's fourth largest IC maker globally, and the second after the United States in IC design. Taiwan leads the world in market share output of 23 IT items, with the result that every 8 out of 10 computers in the world use some Taiwanese system or the other. Above all, Taiwan is one of the largest investors all over the world. Its per capita income of $15,000 is among the worlds highest. It may be noted that Taiwans leading businessmen constitute the largest source of investments in China, the unofficial figure amounting to as much as $ 300 billion. Ironically, these huge investments by the Taiwanese in China have made them Beijings potential hostages. Naturally, Taiwanese policy makers want to diversify their economic interests. Besides, Taiwan is aware that technological and innovative edge is key to long-term sustained growth in an age of global economic interdependence. It risks losing its edge as its businessmen deepen their ties with a communist China that is weak in innovation and strong on cheap labour. So, Taiwanese businessmen want to establish strategic R&D alliances with global innovation centers. And here, the prospect of collaboration between Taiwan's computer hardware industry and India's world-class software industry is said to be extremely promising. In fact, Indias Nascom and Taiwanese counterpart, named III, have been planning to collaborate in producing cheap computers in Tamil Nadu, which, incidentally, has emerged as the focal point of the Taiwanese business in the last few years, with many Taiwanese companies establishing their offices in the southern coastal state of India. Of late, Taiwanese exports to India have been growing. For the first five months of May 2015, they stood at over $2 billion. The annual trade between the two countries is about $8 billion. This figure as well as the Taiwanese investments in India are expected to expand significantly upon the conclusion of an FTA between the two governments. In fact, Taiwan can be an important partner in strengthening the Make in India programme. Taiwanese Foxconn has decided to manufacture Xiaomi mobile phones in Andhra Pradesh, and is also going to invest $5 billion over a period of three years in a manufacturing unit in Maharashtra. With a focus on make in India, the demand for Taiwans machine tools is also likely to increase. India and Taiwan complement each other in terms of demographics. The latter has been experiencing below replacement rate fertility levels of around 1.6 (and declining) for many years. The average life expectancy is 77 years and is increasing. The elderly will make up 20 percent of the total population of Taiwan by 2020, and this will imply an increase in median age and a reduction in working age persons to total population ratio. In contrast, India is in a demographic gift phase, with rising working age to total population ratio till 2045. Even after that, its ratio will decline quite slowly, and the ratio will remain higher than for Taiwan. Against this background, Taiwan can extend its economic space and cope with population ageing by taking advantage of Indias relatively young manpower through outsourcing and off-shoring of many activities. These may range from routine Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) types to those involving such KPO activities as research, and design. Many MNCs, including those from China, are basing their research and design centres in India. Taiwans participation in selected areas of research and design could provide with win-win opportunities. It is said in this context how a portion of Taiwans pension assets, which are estimated to be $150 billion, can be invested in India to obtain high returns. These in turn can assist in achieving financial security for the aged in Taiwan. Secondly, there can be mutually beneficial exchanges of information between the intelligence agencies and militaries of India and Taiwan on a range of issues such as terrorism, cyber-hacking, navigation security and sea piracy. Similar exchanges take place between the Taiwanese agencies and their counterparts in the US, South Korea and Japan, to name a few. Even if one treats the interactions between Taiwan and the US as unique and quite complex, the fact that Tokyo and Seoul share strategic information with Taipei is interesting in the sense that they have much more at stake than New Delhi in maintaining friendly relations with Beijing, considering their quantum of trade with and investments in the mainland China, let alone their geopolitical links. Beijing may not like such interactions, but then the overall national interests of a country in cultivating relations with another must not be made hostage to the Beijing factor. The point is if Japan and South Korea can do it, why not India? In sum, despite being the world's largest democracy, India has neglected Taiwan, the first Chinese society to reject authoritarianism in favour of democracy. India under the BJP is so sensitive to China's reaction that it has always compromised both principles and pragmatism in its relations with Taiwan. It does not realise that developing a healthy relationship with Taiwan will not only further Indias strategic and economic interests but also checkmate China's expansionist designs in the region. Damascus, Syria: A spate of bombings in two Syrian regime stronghold cities killed at least 120 on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A news agency linked with the Islamic State group says the group's militants were behind the multiple attacks on civilian gatherings in two Syrian coastal cities. The one-sentence report by the Islamic State-linked Aamaq news agency offered no details. The agency regularly carries the group's news and claims. Thirty-four people were killed in three bombings - at least two of them suicide attacks - in the Mediterranean coastal city of Tartus, the monitoring group said. Another 38 died in four bombings, three of them suicide blasts, in Jableh further north, the Observatory said. The TV reports said at least one suicide bomber followed by a car bomb blew up minutes apart in a packed bus station in Tartus. More than 20 were killed and many injured in the bombings, an Interior Ministry official told the channel. Separately, Syria's SANA state news agency and the state TV said four explosions rocked Jableh, south of Latakia city. The attacks included three rockets, and a suicide bomber at a city hospital, the state media said. The attacks are a rare occurrence in the normally quiet and pro-government cities. Russia keeps a naval base in Tartus and an air base in Latakia province. Insurgents maintain a presence in rural Latakia. Officials say government forces have pushed Islamic State militants from some agricultural areas outside the city of Fallujah at the start of a military offensive aimed at recapturing the city from the Islamic State group. Police 1st Lt. Ahmed Mahdi Salih said on Monday that the ground fighting is taking place around the town of Garma, east of Fallujah, which is considered the main supply line to the militants. IS holds the center of Garma and some areas on its outskirts. Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who is in charge of paramilitary forces, says his troops recaptured at least three agricultural areas outside Garma. Backed by US-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, Iraqi government forces launched the long-awaited military offensive on Fallujah late Sunday night. Meanwhile, Yemeni security officials say that a pair of suicide bombers killed at least 45 people in the southern city of Aden. The officials said Monday that the two bombers targeted young men seeking to join the army. One suicide car bomber targeted a line outside an army recruitment center, killing at least 20. A second bomber on foot detonated his explosive vest among a group of recruits waiting outside the home of an army commander, killing at least 25. The Yemeni officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Yemen's conflict pits the internationally recognized government against Shiite rebels who control the capital, Saana, and are allied with a former president. The country also contains active al-Qaida and Islamic State group affiliates. Los Angeles: A 12-year-old Indian-American boy, who was congratulated by President Barack Obama after he became the youngest ever to graduate from a US collage, is eyeing to become a doctor by the time he turns 18 as he has been accepted to two prestigious university campuses. Tanishq Abraham, a native of Sacramento in California, has been accepted to University of California (UC) Davis and received a regents scholarship to UC Santa Cruz. He is yet to decide in which university he will enroll. "I think I'll be 18 when I get my MD (medical degree)," Abraham was quoted as saying by CBC Sacramento television station on Sunday. He said he is just an ordinary kid who plays with video games and not just microscopes and just likes to learn. Abraham will be a junior transfer student when he enrolls in either UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz. Creating a record of sorts, he surprised one and all by graduating from a California college with three associate degrees in maths, science and foreign language studies last year at the age of 11. Abraham graduated from American River College in Sacramento alongside 1,800 students last year. He said that he wanted to become the President of the United States. Abraham, is the youngest to graduate from the college last year. He became one of the youngest ever in the US to graduate high school. Home-schooled since the age of seven, he passed a state exam in March in 2014 that certified he had met the appropriate academic standards to receive his high school diploma. His achievement last year had earned the attention of Obama who had sent Abraham a congratulatory letter. Abraham joined MENSA, the prominent high IQ society, when he was only four-years-old. His mother, Taji Abraham, said he has always been ahead of the class. He said some of the students at the college "were intimidated" by him but a lot of others "were really happy" to have a kid in their classes. He graduated with three associate degrees from the college. Abraham had first asked his parents father Bijou Abraham, a software engineer and mother Taji who is a veterinary doctor to allow him to take a college course when he was six years old. Later, he convinced his parents who then enquired about him attending a class at American River College. "Lots of professors, they didn't really want me in their classes because I was too young," he said. Finally, a professor agreed and it didn't take long for Abraham to become the top student. Abraham's parents had migrated to the US from Kerala. HANOI The United States announced a complete end to its arms embargo on Vietnam on Monday, a historic step that draws a line under the two countries' earlier enmity and underscores their shared concerns about China's growing military clout. The move came during President Barack Obama's first visit to Hanoi, which his hosts described as the arrival of a warm spring and a new chapter in relations between two countries that were at war four decades ago. Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, has made a strategic "rebalance" toward Asia a centrepiece of his foreign policy. Vietnam, which borders China, is a key part of that strategy amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness and sovereignty claims to 80 percent of the South China Sea. The decision to lift the arms trade ban suggested such concerns outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and Washington would lose leverage for reforms. Obama told a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully and not by whoever "throws their weight around." But he insisted the arms embargo shift was not linked to China. "The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said. Obama later added his visit to a former foe showed "hearts can change and peace is possible." In 2014, the Obama administration eased the decades-old arms embargo to allow its former Cold War enemy to buy maritime surveillance and "security-related" systems to strengthen it with China in mind. Now Hanoi will be able to buy a full range of U.S. weapons and military equipment. Immediate big-ticket purchases are not expected, but Vietnam's military strategists are likely to seek U.S. drones, radar, coastal patrol boats and possibly P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft. The sale of arms, Obama said, would depend on Vietnam's human rights commitments, and be made on a case-by-case basis. The announcement met a mixed reception in the U.S. Congress, which can block foreign arms sales. Some lawmakers said they supported lifting the embargo, but would keep a close eye on Vietnam's human rights record. "Congress will work with the administration to ensure today's more expansive shift in policy aligns with U.S. interests, including the desire for progress on human rights," said Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But others, including some of Obama's fellow Democrats, saw a missed opportunity. "Now what incentive is left for the Vietnamese government to meaningfully enact human rights reforms and respect the civil rights of the Vietnamese people?" asked U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez, a California Democrat who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam. HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS The advocacy group Human Rights Watch reacted with dismay to Washington's decision to toss away a critical lever it might have had to spur political reform in the Communist Party-ruled state. Phil Robertson, the watchdog's Asia director, said in a statement that even as Obama was lifting the embargo, Vietnamese authorities were arresting a journalist, human rights activists and bloggers. "In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam - and basically gotten nothing for it," he said. Obama told the news conference with President Quang that Washington would continue to speak out for human rights, including citizens' right to organise through civil society. Obama is scheduled to meet with activists on Tuesday. Quang, who announced the lifting of the U.S. embargo before Obama could do so, was until recently minister of public security, which activists say harasses and arrests dissidents. Dissent was once the domain of just a few in Vietnam. But while the party has allowed more open criticism in recent years, it is quick to slap down challenges to its monopoly on power. Although the communist parties that run China and Vietnam officially have brotherly ties, China's brinkmanship over the South China Sea - where it has been turning remote outcrops into islands with runways and harbours - has forced Vietnam to recalibrate its defence strategy. Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at Australia's Defence Force Academy, said the steep costs of U.S. arms would remain a factor for Hanoi, pushing it towards its traditional suppliers of missiles and planes, particularly long-time security patron, Russia. On the other hand, lifting the embargo will provide Vietnam with leverage in future arms deals with those suppliers. China sees U.S. support for rival South China Sea claimants Vietnam and the Philippines as interference and an attempt to establish hegemony in the region. Washington insists its priority is ensuring freedom of navigation and flight. However, China's response to the embargo announcement was muted. The Foreign Ministry said it hoped the development in relations between the United States and Vietnam would be conducive to regional peace and stability. Underlining the burgeoning commercial relationship between the United States and Vietnam, one of the first deals signed on Obama's trip was an $11.3 billion order for 100 Boeing Co (BA.N) planes by low-cost airline VietJet. China is Vietnam's biggest trade partner and source of imports. But bilateral trade with the United States has swelled ten-fold over the past two decades to about $45 billion. Vietnam is also now Southeast Asia's biggest exporter to America. (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen, Ho Binh Minh, My Pham and Martin Petty in Hanoi, Greg Torode in Hong Kong and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Alistair Bell and G Crosse) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Chinese brand OPPO has always produced hardware that punches above its weight. When we reviewed the OPPO F1 sometime back, we observed that it was an above average device which had a good balance of performance and hardware quality with design sensibilities thrown in for good measure. Enter the OPPO F1 Plus. Bigger, better and with a bit of a focus on its camera capabilities. Weve put the device through our review cycle and heres what we think about it. OPPO F1 Plus specifications 5.5-inch (1080 x 1920 pixels) Full HD AMOLED display Octa-core (4 x 2.0 GHz + 4 x 1.0 GHz) MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755) processor with 700MHz Mali T860MP2 GPU 4GB RAM, 64GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD) Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) with ColorOS 3.0 13MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, 5P lens, LED Flash, 80.6-degree wide-angle lens, 4K video recording 16MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, 78.1-degree wide-angle lens Fingerprint sensor Dimensions: 151.874.36.6mm; Weight: 145g 4G LTE with VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS 2850mAh battery with VOOC Flash Charging Design On one hand, the OPPO F1 Plus can be called a pretty good-looking phone. Everything from design to ergonomics to what is commonly termed as hand feel has been well thought out. That said, it is hard to discount the fact that it is heavily inspired by the current iPhone design. But it is what it is, so lets see what else stands out here. The front of the phone packs a 5.5 inch Full HD AMOLED display and has Gorilla Glass 4 protection. Below it is the home button which also houses a fingerprint scanner. The button doesnt have much travel but still manages to feel really premium. A sentiment that is echoed throughout the design of the hardware of the OPPO F1 Plus.The fingerprint scanner is extremely fast at detection and drops you right into the homescreen. On either side of the home button are capacitive keys. Up at the top is the 8MP front facing camera module. Youll also find a notification LED up there. The volume rockers are placed on the left side of the device and offer above average tactile feedback. Certainly nothing to complain about. Over on the right side of the handset is the power key. The hybrid SIM slot is also found here above the power button. Both the headphone jack and microUSB charging port are at the bottom of the OPPO F1 Plus. The phone has a single speaker that is placed at the bottom and it is extremely easy to cover it up and has a tendency to muffle all audio. Over on the flip side of the device you really start noticing the design similarities between the OPPO F1 Plus and the newer iPhones. From the curved edges and even with the antenna lines, the similarities are pretty easy to see. Up at the top is the 13MP rear camera and single LED flash. All in all, the OPPO F1 Plus is a pretty good-looking albeit inspired device. Theres really little to fault here on the design front. The device weighs just 145 grams and is also really slim at just 6.6mm. This makes it incredibly easy to slip into pockets or skinny jeans too if you prefer rocking those. Software If you were looking to be surprised by the software on the OPPO F1 Plus, youll be fairly disappointed. The interface is pretty much the same as any other smartphone these days, Chinese or not. It adopts the same two level hierarchy that weve come to get used to and drops the secondary app drawer seen in Android devices. The lockscreen is fairly typical wherein you get access to a clock and a rolling display of wallpapers. A camera shortcut is placed at the bottom. Your notifications will of course show up here. Swiping up from the display drops you into the app drawer. You can place widgets here and make app folders but little else. Scroll around pages and you can find whatever app youve installed. Were not very fond of the single app page UI paradigm that has become all too common but it works well as far software optimization goes. The icons too look like theyve been lifted straight from iOS but thats expected given the design of the phone. The notifications shade works as usual with a swipe bringing you to toggle switches. There are some useful additions to the software like the eye protection mode as well as some not-so-useful ones like O-Cloud. Beyond that theres the regular Google app suite and some. Performance The OPPO F1 Plus is powered by an Octa-core (4 x 2.0 GHz + 4 x 1.0 GHz) MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755) processor with 700MHz Mali T860MP2 GPU. Theres 4GB of RAM that makes sure that multitasking is no hassle at all. In fact throughout usage with video playback and gaming as well thrown in, the phone remained smooth all around. It is worth noting that the phone had a tendency to heat up around the camera module. Even then, the temperature doesnt go high enough to be a major hassle. For the most part, performance is satisfactory. You might occasionally come across a skipped frame while playing graphic intensive games. We weigh real life usage higher than synthetic benchmarks but the latter can often help us get a comparative score between handsets so we put the OPPO F1 Plus as well through the benchmark cycle. Heres what we found out. On the AnTuTu benchmark, the OPPO F1 Plus scored 51536 points placing it around the middle of the test bench. The Helio P10 on the handset isnt really able to keep up with the best of the lot. With a score of 1098, the OPPO F1 Plus places amongst the top three in our Basemark OS II benchmark. In the Vellamo 3.1 Browser benchmark, the OPPO F1 Plus once again places third in the test bench with a score of 3065 points. Display Being the part of the phone is used the most, the display is a critical aspect that is often overlooked during the buying decision. The OPPO F1 Plus uses a 5.5 inch AMOLED Full HD Display that is plenty great to look at. Being AMOLED in nature, it exhibits deep blacks and vibrant colors. OPPO has done a decent job at calibrating the screen so that the colors are natural to look at even if they do appear pretty vibrant, an intrinsic trait of the AMOLED tech used. The brightness levels go sufficiently high and sunlight visibility was never really a problem. Viewing angles are great and youll be able to use the handset from virtually any angle with next to no color degradation. The phone ships with a screen guard pre-installed in addition to having Gorilla Glass 4 protection. Camera The focus of the device lies on its camera capabilities, more specifically the selfie camera. The OPPO F1 Plus is rather unique in its hardware wherein the front facing camera has a higher resolution sensor than the rear camera. The front camera has a 16MP module that unfortunately lacks auto focus capabilities. Images are captured well under sufficient natural light and are generally very good but start degrading in yellow light with night-time images being very noisy. The image below has been captured with the front facing camera in lieu for yours trulys ugly mug! A high-resolution front facing camera is no replacement for a rear camera of course. And it is unfortunate to see that the rear facing module captures significantly worse images than the front facing module. The camera has a tendency to blow out highlights as is evidenced by the shots below. Youll also notice significant grain in the low light shots. The camera faced issues with getting a focus lock in low light conditions which makes us believe that the camera really needs optimizations for such situations. Noise is visible across shooting spectrum but shoots up drastically in low light situations. Overall, while the front facing camera on the OPPO F1 Plus seems above average, even good in well-lit conditions, the rear camera seems to have been compromised. Connectivity & Battery Life Connectivity options on the handset include 4G LTE with VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. The phone is a Dual SIM device with VoLTE capabilities as well which makes it pretty future proof as well. Do keep in mind that the 2nd SIM slot is a hybrid slot that doubles up as a micro SD card slot as well. Theres 64GB of storage onboard of which roughly 51 is available at first boot. You can expand this via the microSD slot. The phone also supports expansion via an OTG Drive. In terms of battery life, theres a 2850 mAh unit built into the phone. The phone exhibited above average battery life and delivered about hours of screen on time with careful usage. A full day of mixed usage is feasible though youll most certainly have to charge it by the end of the day. Theres fast charging in the form of OPPOs proprietary VOOC technology that requires you to use not just the charger but also the exact cable bundled with it. Conclusion The OPPO F1 Plus marks a well-rounded device that caters to a very specific audience. The handset offers a decent mix of performance and design as well. The Helio P10 chipset isnt as powerful as what youd find on the competition but still delivers a serviceable experience. The USP of the device is its front facing camera. The 16MP front facing shooter certainly is memorable enough producing above average shots in well-lit conditions. Low light shots were a different story though. The rear facing module on the other hand is a bit of a disappointment. The phone is priced at Rs. 26,990 and is available in both Gold and Rose Gold colors. So should you buy the OPPO F1 Selfie? It is probably worth your consideration if selfies are a bit part of your daily usage. If not, there are better devices available at similar or even lower price ranges. ZTE is all set to introduce the nubia Z11 Max, the high-end version of the nubia Z11 mini that was introduced last month. The company has sent invite for the launch event on June 7th in China and the invite features its latest brand ambassador Cristiano Ronaldo. We already know the specifications of the smartphone since it recently got certified by TENAA. ZTE nubia Z11 Max rumored specifications 6-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display Octa Core Snapdragon 652 processor (Quad 1.8GHz ARM Cortex A72 + Quad 1.2GHz A53 CPUs) with Adreno 510 GPU 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, expandable memory with microSD Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) Dual SIM 16MP rear camera with dual-tone LED Flash 8MP front-facing camera Dimensions: 159.1582.257.4mm; Weight: 138g Fingerprint sensor 4G LTE with VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n (2.4 / 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS + GLONASS 4000mAh battery We should know all the details of the ZTE nubia Z11 Max including the pricing at the launch in a couple of weeks. Source Google has launched Science Journal app for Android. It measures and records data in real time on your Android phone and then converts that data into easily readable graphs and charts. The app even lets you take notes interpret as well as organize notes on your observations. Science Journal app can record light, motion and sound levels using only your phones sensors, microphone or accelerometer and helps with prediction models on future tests. Google says it will work with people in the science community to continually improve the app. Google has teamed up with San Francisco-based public learning lab Exploratorium to come up with activity kits that work in concert with Science Journal. Kids can create their own activities, integrate their own sensors and even build kits. Science Journal is part of Googles Making & Science initiative. Play link Science Journal source [Update: The latest teaser reveals that it will launch the Le 2 smartphone in India on June 8] LeEco India just sent an invite for an event on June 8th. The company is expected to launch the Le 2, Le 2 Pro and Le Max smartphones at the event. These phones were unveiled in China last month, come with a unibody metal design, fingerprint sensor and have new Continual Digital Lossless Audio (CDLA) audio standard for loss-less audio through USB Type-C port and doesnt have 3.5mm audio jack. LeEco Le 2 specifications 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display, 500nits brightness, 80% NTSC color gamut 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio X20 deca-core processor with Mali-T880 MP4 GPU 3GB LPDDR3 RAM, 32GB (eMMC5.1) internal storage Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with EUI 5.8 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 16MP rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, f/2.0 aperture, PDAF 8MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture, 1.4m pixel size, 76.5-degree wide-angle lens Dimensions: 151.1 74.2 7.5mm; Weight: 153g CDLA loss-less audio, Dolby Atmos. Fingerprint sensor, infrared sensor 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz),Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, USB Type C 3,000mAh battery with fast charging LeEco Le 2 Pro specifications 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display, 500nits brightness, 80% NTSC color gamut MediaTek Helio X20 / X25 deca-core processor with Mali-T880 MP4 GPU 4GB LPDDR3 RAM, 32GB (eMMC5.1) internal storage Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with EUI 5.8 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 21MP rear camera with dual-tone, LED flash, Sony IMX230 sensor, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture, 6P lens 8MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture, 1.4m pixel size, 76.5-degree wide-angle lens Dimensions: 151.1 74.2 7.5mm; Weight: 153g CDLA loss-less audio, Dolby Atmos. Fingerprint sensor, infrared sensor 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11ac/a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz),Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, USB Type C 3,000mAh battery with fast charging LeEco Le Max 2 specifications 5.7-inch (2560 x 1440 pixels) Quad HD display with 95% NTSC color gamut, 450nits brightness 2.15GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 820 64-bit processor with Adreno 530 GPU 4GB DDR4 RAM with 32GB (UFS 2.0) internal storage, 4GB / 6GB DDR4 RAM, 64GB (UFS 2.0) internal memory Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with EUI 5.8 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 21MP rear camera with dual-tone, LED flash, Sony IMX230 sensor, PDAF, OIS, 6P lenses, f/2.0 aperture 8MP front-facing camera Dimensions: 156.8 77.6 7.99mm; Weight: 185g CDLA loss-less audio, Dolby Atmos, Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, infrared sensor 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11ac/a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz MIMO), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, USB Type C 3100mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 LeEco said that if will send official media invite with more information soon so we should know more details by next week. Are you waiting for these smartphones? Playboy has been an iconic mens lifestyle brand for over 60 years. Though recently, a majority of its cash flow is coming from two surprising consumers the Chinese and women. Our licensing business globally is over $1.5 billion of retail sales and outside of China almost all of those products are bought by women, Scott Flanders, CEO of Playboy Enterprises, tells FOXBusiness.com. Women love our rabbit head logo. Flanders says while they have licensing agreements in more than 180 countries, nearly 40% of their revenue comes from China. Its an interesting piece because in China, we never had a website or a TV station. We never had anything from a media standpoint. Yet the Chinese buy suits, shirts, luggage branded Playboy because it represents the good life. It represents the accentuation into the middle class for the Chinese consumer, adds Flanders. Playboy has undergone a massive revamp over the last five years, after magazine sales declined to around 800,000 down from 5.6 million in 1975 due to the plethora of free pornography on the Internet. When we first asked Millennials, can you imagine Playboy without nudity? They said no and that almost shut down our consideration of taking the magazine non-nude, but when we showed them the imagery that looked like what they would see on Snapchat or InstagramWhen they saw that, they said 'Wow! I like this. This is sexier than nudity', says Flanders. In February, the company decided to make its magazine completely non-nude, a decision that helped expose them to over 1,200 more newsstands and digital shelves. Magzter was the first one that embraced us and we're going to be available on the Nook and iTunes soon, he says. "Millennials don't read that much in print, so it's really important for us to be available digitally." In 2014, the company also re-launched Playboy.com as "safe for work" without any obscenity to draw in Millennials. Since then, Flanders says their traffic has quadrupled and their average demographic went from 47 to 31 years of age. "Playboy has always been about social progressiveness. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was an early mover in gay rights and womens rights. So we want to continue that." Many universities are now shelling out big bucks for celebrity commencement speakers, but is the PR boost worth it or is it a waste of university funds? Universities are shelling out massive amounts of money, often public universities, to people like Matthew McConaughey or Katie Couric, Lexion Capital CEO Elle Kaplan told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo. And celebrities often get other perks above and beyond just the six-figure fees. The school is giving you an honorary degree and youre given this wonderful opportunity to inspire students, could you imagine? And demanding six figures, first class air travel to and from, spa treatments its absolutely crazy, said Kaplan. These big fees raise questions about where the money is coming from to pay these celebrities. For example, Matthew McConaughey was paid $166,000 in 2015 to give the commencement address at the University of Houston in 2015, and yet, Student debt is getting higher and higher every year, and these are often public universities that are doing this. Whats even crazier is most universities pay nothing, Kaplan said. Kaplan also questions the reasoning behind asking actors to speak at college graduations in the first place. Instead of paying an actor massive amounts of money, why not pay real heroes? Why not pay someone whos gone from homeless to employed to inspire graduates. Or pay no one at all and just have people feel that honor and come on in. Maybe members of the military, other people who are real American heroes who can inspire graduates versus these actors. Often these actors dont even have college degrees, said Kaplan. On the other hand, Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) COO Sheryl Sandberg spoke at the University of California at Berkeley for free. Anyone who is given an honorarium by a university should feel that honor and speak for free. Sheryl Sandberg is a role model and a wonderful business person, so great, she did what everyone should be doing, Kaplan said. German pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG (NYSE:BAYR) and Monsanto (NYSE:MON) are close to agreeing to a deal that will create the world's largest seed company, the FOX Business Network has learned. Bankers with knowledge of the matter say barring a deal spoiler the merger could be announced in the next 24 to 48 hours. These bankers also tell FOX Business the deal is not complete and a hitch could delay the timing or upend the transaction. Earlier this month Monsanto disclosed that it had received an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from Bayer AG for a potential acquisition of Monsanto and that the company was reviewing the deal. A potential combo could be worth $44 billion and would give Bayer a sizable footprint in the genetically modified crop business, according to an earlier report in the Wall Street Journal. While GMO food has become controversial for companies including Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) it remains a lucrative business. Monsanto shares have gained 8% this month as news of the deal surfaced. Press people for Bayer and Monsanto weren't immediately available for comment at the time of publication. Bank of America's headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Image source: iStock/Thinkstock. Bank of America got a rare dose of positive legal news on Monday after a federal appeals court reversed a $1.27 billion lower-court judgment against the nation's second biggest bank by assets. The case dates to Bank of America's purchase of Countrywide Financial in 2008. Prior to the acquisition, Countrywide sold billions of dollars' worth of subprime mortgages to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that were marketed instead as prime loans. A jury in 2013 held Bank of America liable for fraud, resulting in the $1.27 billion legal judgment. This was despite the fact that the program had ended by the time the bank purchased Countrywide. The ruling on Monday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed the lower court's judgment. The appeals court based its holding on a lack of evidence that Countrywide intended to defraud Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- intent being a necessary element of fraud. The net result is that Bank of America can presumably reduce its legal reserves by more than $1 billion. This isn't the first piece of good legal news that Bank of America has received over the past few years. Most importantly, a ruling last year from a New York state judge time-barred $7.6 billion of unresolved legal claims against the bank and reduced the quarterly inflow of new claims (known as representations and warranties claims) from more than $2 billion a quarter down to $200 million. But these victories aside, Bank of America has spent tens of billions of dollars settling lawsuits and paying judgments and attorneys since the financial crisis. The bank noted at its annual investors' day last month that its total legal tab since 2010 has added up to $65 billion, split between $37 billion in litigation expenses and $28 billion in provisions to cover representations and warranties claims. It's hard at this point to know what impact today's ruling will have on Bank of America's profits. That said, assuming the North Carolina-based bank had previously set aside money to cover the lower court's judgment, then it isn't unreasonable to think that the reversal of the $1.27 billion award could eventually find its way to Bank of America's bottom line. Whether it does or does not, however, there's no question that this is good news to the bank and its shareholders, who have pined for the day that oppressive legal costs are a thing of the past. Every victory on this front moves Bank of America closer to its goal of returning to the upper echelons of banking by generating a double-digit return on equity. The article 1.27 Billion Reasons for Bank of America to Celebrate originally appeared on Fool.com. John Maxfield owns shares of Bank of America. 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. Image source: Celldex Therapeutics Clinical-stage biotechCelldex Therapeutics stock took a pounding recently, and the market hasn't let up since. Its first drug, Rintega, performed in line with previous results in earlier trials with brain cancer patients, but during its first controlled trial, the group receiving the standard of care shocked everyone by outperforming historical averages. Although Rintega treatment was pretty effective, the surprising control group results rendered the trial a failure. Without any approved products to sell, the market has turned its back on Celldex and the rest of its pipeline. At the end of March, the company reported $254 million in cash and marketable securities on its balance sheet. With a market cap of about $398 million at recent prices, Celldex is seeing Wall Street severely undervaluing the remaining drugs in its pipeline. That means if just one of these clinical-stage hopefuls begins to raise eyebrows, the stock could rise again. Let's have a look three potential rainmakers in Celldex's lineup. 1. 301 + 1401 might equal millions Celldex stock recently received an upward nudge after the American Society of Clinical Oncology released a summary from a study the company plans to present in early June. Image source: Celldex Therapeutics. Investigators pretreated 30 out of 60 melanoma patients with CDX-301, an early-stage drug that binds to stem cells that give rise to other blood cells, including ones that could begin an immune-system attack. Then they treated all 60 with CDX-1401, a two-sided agent. One side binds to proteins commonly found on the surface of a variety of tumor cells, and the other side binds to a blood cell that starts an immune-system response.The study summary hinted at increased immune-system activity in the group pretreated with CDX-301, and the treatments were well tolerated. If the presentation confirms enough immune activity against melanoma to advance the combo into later-stage development, the stock could rise. Given the early stages of these programs, however, I think two other candidates further along the drug development path are worth more attention. 2. Varlilumab: Big pharma combos ahead? A bit closer to the finish line is Celldex's varlilumab, a drug that stimulates T-cells to attack cancer cells. Bristol-Myers Squibb's superstar cancer therapy Opdivo makes it harder for cancer cells to hide from T-cells. Naturally, the pair began testing Opdivo and varlilumab in combination about two years ago. After determining the combo is relatively safe and well tolerated, they began a phase 2 trial with 134 patients spread across 6 different types of cancer this April. They're mostly looking for favorable response rates, so we might hear news from this study by year's end. Bristol isn't the only big player interested in varlilumab. Roche's recently approved cancer therapy, Tecentriq,also makes it difficult for cancer cells to hide from T-cells. Last December, the Swiss drugmaker began supplying Celldex with Tecentriq for combination testing with varlilumabin a variety of cancers . It's early yet, but if the combination studies show promise in one or more tumor types, Bristol or Roche could be swayed to get more involved. If either announces another deal to run larger trials, Celldex stock could get a nice boost. 3. Glembatumumab vedotin Progress with CDX-301, CDX-1401, and varlilumab could cause Celldex stock to rise, but this biotech's biggest chance to sparkle is glembatumumab vedotin, or just glembat. This antibody-drug conjugate has a cancer-recognizing protein on one side and a super-toxic chemotherapy drug on the other. The two are connected using technology from Seattle Genetics that doesn't let go of the chemo-bomb until it's invited inside a cancerous cell. Image source: Celldex Therapeutics. It turns out, lots of different cancer cells overexpress a glycoprotein called gpNMB on their surface. The protein side of glembat binds specifically to gpMNB, which brings it into tumor cells like a Trojan horse. The drug showed some impressive results in a small group of triple-negative breast cancer patients years ago, and the company began a randomized, controlled study in this small population. The trial was later amended to support applications in both the U.S., and EU, and it should finish enrolling patients by the end of the year. The primary goal is progression-free survival,so we won't know if it's a winner until late next year at the earliest. If it is, however, this drug could have blockbuster potential, given that triple-negative breast cancer affects roughly 170,000 patients worldwide who have few effective treatment options. Failed brain cancer drug Rintega chewed through a great deal of resources and raised plenty of hopes. It's easy to understand why the market was so harsh on Celldex when it failed. However, if the results seen in glembat's smaller trial are repeated in the larger ongoing study, this small biotech could be a big winner in the long run. The article 3 Reasons Celldex Therapeutics Stock Could Rise originally appeared on Fool.com. Cory Renauer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Celldex Therapeutics and Seattle Genetics. You can follow Cory on Twitter @TMFang4apples or connect with him on LinkedIn for more healthcare industry insight. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Image source: GrubHub. The race is on to bring dinner to your door, and a model mauler's presence is spooking investors in niche leaderGrubHub. Shares of GrubHub surrendered 10% of their value this week after Amazon.com broadened its food delivery business. GrubHub is a rising star in the gig economy. Companies including Uber, Lyft and GrubHub are giving folks with idle cars and time the ability to make some money on the side by running errands. In GrubHub's case, these gigs involve picking up takeout orders from local restaurants and delivering them to hungry patrons. However, now we have Amazon expanding its similar takeout delivery platform. The leading online retailer announced on Tuesday that Amazon Restaurants is now offering eatery delivery in Dallas and Manhattan. Amazon Prime customers can have meals delivered within an hour, and the key GrubHub shot here is that Amazon isn't charging anything for the service. Customers get the exact pricing offered at the restaurant. There are no service charges or hidden fees. GrubHub is free for takeout orders, but folks seeking the food sent to them have to pay whatever the restaurant charges for home delivery. Amazon's approach is disruptive when it comes to delivery, but this isn't a surprise. It's usually a bad sign for existing players when Amazon enters a market given its scale and its penchant to overlook near-term profitability for the sake of market share. From e-tail to web services, the worst thing that a niche's top dog can ever hear is that Amazon is pondering an entry into its market. Amazon will flop from time to time. I'm looking at you Fire phone. However, if Amazon is jumping in and leaning on its tens of millions of Prime subscribers it's hard to justify charging more than the online retailer. GrubHub's still growing. Revenue climbed 27% to $112.2 million in its latest quarter when pitted against the prior year. Earnings and adjusted earnings didn't grow as quickly, but that's just the nature of both the competitive climate and the investments GrubHub is making for near-term growth. It has seen its count of active diners rise 24% over the past year to 6.97 million. It was less than 4 million active diners when GrubHub went public two years ago. The one thing that isn't growing is GrubHub's stock. It went public at $28 in the springtime of 2014, peaking at $47.95 a year later. It has gone on to give all of those gains back. It kicked off last week barely above its IPO price and Amazon's news turned into the latest broken IPO. The silver lining for GrubHub investors is that they have time. Amazon seems to be taking a calculated approach to expanding Amazon Restaurants since it needs to build out a fleet of local drivers. However, with that steering wheel-gripping army already in place through a growing number of major cities via Amazon Prime Now, a showdown with GrubHub is inevitable. There are dot-com darlings that have lived to tell the tale of standing up to Amazon. Soon, we'll find out if GrubHub has the stomach for it. The article Can GrubHub Bounce Back After Last Week's 10% Drop? originally appeared on Fool.com. Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.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. The SEC requires publicly traded businesses to spell out their worst fears in annual filings. These are the items that keep management up at night and could damage the business if they come to pass. Ignoring early warning signs of these potential disasters could be hazardous to your portfolio's health. So let's take a closer look at three of the biggest issues facing NXP Semiconductors right now, according to the latest annual filing. Freescale integration At the very top of NXP's risk overview, you'll find the recently closed merger with Freescale Semiconductor. And for good reason, too. The $11.8 billion buyout combined two mid-range semiconductor stocks with related but not often overlapping interests in the mobile, embedded, and automotive end markets. Taken together, the new NXP is one of the largest chip companies in the world, with serious economies of scale and a chokehold on the exciting automotive sector. The deal is a game-changer. But with great power comes great responsibility. The integration of Freescale into the larger NXP structure is of critical importance to the company's future. Flub this merger, and it's not just a wasted $12 billion -- NXP would end up damaging its original business as well. So NXP lists a number of sub-risks under the Freescale heading. Key talent must be put in the right places, and motivated to stay on board during this large-scale transformation. Clients and partners must be convinced that the new company is at least as good and trustworthy as the old one, and then management expects to build future synergies and cross-sales on that base. Integration costs could run out of control at any point. All of these risks are very real, and any of them could undermine NXP's future plans. Every investor needs to keep a close eye on the Freescale integration. So far, NXP CEO Rick Clemner says that the combination is proceeding as planned. The integration milestones that were set up for the first 90 days were passed "smoothly," and the cost synergies are on track as originally laid out. The sales teams have been merged, internal development processes are being aligned with new operating targets, and management is sorting out the flow of the two supply chain structures. Clemner says that customer response has been "outstanding," and that clients are getting excited about the solutions this new chip giant can produce. In other words, no red flags to worry about yet. Just keep the Freescale combination in mind for the next several quarters, as the company continues to navigate this important process. NXP CEO Rick Clemner is aware of these risks. Image source: NXP. Need to innovate This one is a no-brainer. If NXP fails to introduce new technologies and products in response to changing market conditions and demands, the company will fail. The competition would eat NXP's lunch in a heartbeat. The best way to stay ahead of this risk is by leading the market with fresh insights and new ideas, and that comes from a healthy investment in research and development. In the first quarter of calendar year 2015, NXP's R&D budget stood at $199 million. Freescale's R&D expenses added up to $222 million, for a grand total of $421 million between the two merging businesses. The recent first-quarter report did not show growth on top of that base, but shrunk 3.8% to $403 million instead. Yes, NXP is unlocking cost savings as redundant efforts are deep-sixed. The company also had to sell of the part of its business that developed radio frequency power controllers to Chinese investors, as part of the Freescale deal's closing conditions. So it's a little early to panic about this data point. But I do expect the R&D line item to grow again over the coming quarters, or it would be a sign of NXP moving in the wrong direction. You can't cost-cut your way to business growth, after all. Having the right clients and contracts This is a two-part risk. First, NXP must win contracts and selection processes in the right places. Send in the best sales teams to the most important deal negotiations, deliver on all the right promises. Here, NXP has at least some control over the final outcome -- but must still execute where it matters the most. Then, there must be strong demand for the products that NXP won those contracts for. If self-driving cars never take off, it won't matter whether NXP defended its market share in that segment. The global consumer is a fickle beast, and not always predictable. There's market research involved here, but also a bit of luck. The Freescale deal, for example, was a huge bet on the automotive market. NXP saw that sector heading toward massive growth in the near future, and made a $12 billion move to secure its place at the table. That was probably a smart move, but you just never know for sure. There are no surefire crystal balls, and even the best laid plans of mice and men way go wrong. So this risk ties back to the Freescale integration issue in a big way, and also connects to the demand for strong innovation. Everything is connected. These three risks are a good starting point, but NXP also pointed out many other important risk factors. These include potential manufacturing problems, having factories and research centers in areas prone to natural disasters, and the heavy yoke of $7.5 billion in net debt. You should read through that list and make sure that NXP isn't falling short on some crucial detail not discussed here. The article NXP Semiconductors NV: Investors Must Know These 3 Risks originally appeared on Fool.com. Anders Bylund has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends NXP Semiconductors. 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. Many dividend investors search for companies that have fat yields and trade for an attractive valuation. Of course, companies with high dividend yields can be risky, so potential owners need to be quite picky about which stocks they choose to buy. Let's take a closer look at two stocks -- Spark Energy (NASDAQ: SPKE) and GameStop (NYSE: GME)-- that both have above-average yields and low valuations. Is either stock worth buying? Image source: Getty Images. A different energy choice Many consumers who live in deregulated energy markets might be surprised to learn they have a choice of electricity and gas providers.Spark Energy is one of the many independent retail energy-services companies in the country that offers a competing choice. Spark Energy isn't an energy producer. It buys energy and gas on the wholesale market and resells it to consumers at retail prices.The company claims that switching to its service in many cases can helpits customers save money. While persuading customers to make the switch can be tough, Spark has been in rapid growth mode over the past few years, thanks to its healthy appetite for acquisitions. Since its 2014 IPO, it has completed seven acquisitions, which has helped consistently drive its top line higher. When combined with the company's generous dividend policy -- Spark's current yield is 5.7% -- shareholders have seen significantvalue creation. SPKE Total Return Price data by YCharts Given that theretail energy-services market is highly fragmented, Spark appears to help plenty of room left to expand. With shares trading for about 9 times forward earnings, the numbers suggest that this could be a home-run investment in the making. However, while all of Spark's numbers look great, there are a few warning signs. For one, companies that grow by acquisition are notoriouslydifficult to understand, since their financial statements are always changing. That makes them difficult to value, and it can be easy for management to hide internal problems. In addition, Spark has received a lot of terrible reviews on sites such asYelp and the Better Business Bureau, from customers who claim the company used high-pressure sales techniques to get them to switch and who then saw their energy bills rise. Finally, with more than 42% of the company's publicly available shares having been shorted, a lot of money managers are betting big against this company. A retailer in transition Just as in the DVD and music business, video-game consumers are gradually shifting away from buying physical products and looking toward digital channels to get their fix. That trend has been a thorn in the side of video-gameretailerGameStopover the past few years. The increasing popularity of digital games has created less of a need to visit one of the company's stores, putting downward pressure on its sales. Management has admitted that the trend is here to stay and has projected a slow but steady decline in its legacy business. However, there are reasons to believe that the decline won't be as steep as you'd first expect. Cutting-edge video games for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One can sometimes require up to 40 gigabytes of storage space to play, which is many multiples higher than video or music files. That's one reason digital penetration of high-quality video games still remains relatively low. In addition, digital games can't be resold the way physical games can. That provides an incentive for gamers to continue to visit GameStop's stores. Meanwhile, GameStop is looking for other ways to drive sales growth. The company has created its owndigital gaming platform that currently rings up more than $1 billion in digital sales. Management is also making a move into thecollectible space through its acquisition of ThinkGeek, and sales are growing quickly. In fact, management believes that this business could hit $1 billion in revenue by 2019. Finally, GameStop is pushing hard into the mobile and computing market with its Spring Mobile and Simply Macconcepts. These stores are leading authorized resellers of products fromAT&T andApple. Believe it or not, these new sales channels are expected to drive modestearningsgrowthover the next five years. Still, many investors are worried that this strategy shift won't work in the long run and have priced GameStop's shares accordingly. The company is trading for less the ridiculously cheap price of 7 times forward earnings, and its dividend yield has been pushed above 5.6%. More than 27% of the company's publicly available stock has been sold sort, which tells you how little faith the markets have in this company. Is either worth buying? While Spark offers investors a high yield, the potential for growth, and a cheap valuation, I see too many warning signs to be willing to put money into the stock. GameStop, on the other hand, is also ahigh-risk bet, but the company is still highly profitable and appears to have a realistic plan in place for slowly turning its fortunes around. That makes me think GameStop might be the better bet for daring investors. 10 stocks we like better than GameStopWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and GameStop wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017 Brian Feroldi owns shares of Apple. Brian Feroldi has the following options: short July 2017 $27 puts on GameStop. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple, short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple, and short April 2017 $28 puts on GameStop. The Motley Fool recommends Yelp. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Alphabet is well known for its "moonshot" projects, those business ideas that will either crash and burn or become the next $10 billion idea. In fact, it restructured the whole company because it invests so much in those moonshots. Over the past 12 months, Alphabet has spent $12.9 billion trying to find the next big thing in tech while innovating around its existing products. AMAZON CEO JEFF BEZOS. IMAGE SOURCE: AMAZON.com. But one company has somehow spent even more. Amazon.com has managed to spend $13.3 billion on research and development over the same period. And CEO Jeff Bezos indicated that its efforts aren't going to slow down anytime soon. He's also fond of taking moonshots -- he owns a spaceflight company, after all -- and Amazon continues to pump out new technology every year. A tech company that does retail Amazon may have started as a retail company, but it has since transformed into a tech company. From cloud computing to tablets and smart speakers to robot-filled warehouses to algorithms predicting the next item shoppers will want to buy, Amazon has its hands in a lot of technology. The fact that it does retail has become secondary to the company's efforts in tech. Basically all of Wall Street is clamoring about the growth of AWS -- Amazon's cloud-computing business -- and its potential as a profit driver going forward. (I'm guilty of that, too.) That's despite a 25% year-over-year increase in its retail sales last quarter, when most retailers saw a decline in revenue. Amazon's technology is mostly used to support its retail operations. Its line of Kindle tablets and e-readers helped usher in the age of e-books and supports a thriving independent publishing industry. Oh, and Amazon helps those independent publishers publish those e-books as well. Its line of smart speakers and Fire TV devices urge consumers to subscribe to Amazon Prime to get the most out of those devices. Its new robot-filled eighth-generation fulfillment centers allow it to ship orders more quickly and efficiently. AWS started off by renting out excess server space Amazon wasn't using to run its own online retail operations. And it's always tweaking its software for product recommendations, search results, advertising technology, and its website as a whole. But the biggest sign that Amazon is a tech company and not a retailer is that no other retailer has research and development expenses -- unless you count Apple or Microsoft, which got into retail well after establishing themselves as tech companies. Not afraid to fail THE FIRE PHONE. IMAGE SOURCE: AMAZON.com. Amazon has had its fair share of technology failures. Most recently it introduced a smartphone that nobody bought, and it was forced to write down $170 million in inventory. But Bezos thinks failure is actually a good thing. "The size of your mistakes needs to grow along with" the company, Bezos told The Washington Post in an interview. "If it doesn't, you're not going to be inventing at scale that can actually move the needle." Referring to the Fire Phone in particular, he said, "If you think that's a big failure, we're working on much bigger failures right now." Amazon will take chances on just about anything. Alphabet operates the same way. Both take the same approach as venture capitalists -- the one big success will pay for all the mistakes. Amazon has already had quite a few to make up for the Fire Phone, Amazon Destinations, and its defective diaper debacle, among other failures. Likewise, Alphabet's investments in Fiber, and the expansion of Nest and Calico made up for things like Google Glass and other losers. Sometimes failures allow Amazon to produce better more profitable products later on. The defunct Amazon Auctions site led to Amazon's third-party marketplace, which is a huge revenue growth driver for its retail operations. Investors should expect R&D expenses at Amazon to continue rising, particularly as AWS expands. It's been able to successfully build upon its successes, which will continue to make up for losses from failed developments. And keep in mind that some of Amazon's biggest failures produced some of Amazon's biggest successes. The article This Is the Only Company Spending More on R&D Than Alphabet originally appeared on Fool.com. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adam Levy owns shares of Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon.com, and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft and has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. 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. Although Sumner Redstone has left his formal positions at Viacom and CBS , he still controls both through National Amusements, a privately held company that holds 80% of the voting stock in the two public entities. There are questions concerning the 92-year-old mogul's mental faculties. In May, however, Judge David J. Cowan of Los Angeles County Superior Court dismissed a court case brought by Redstone's former lover and caregiver, Manuela Herzer, that challenged his mental capacity regarding healthcare decisions. The lawsuit was only questioning Redstone's capacity when it came to aspects of his personal life, but had he lost, it could have touched off a series of challenges to his control of voting shares in CBS and Viacom. Though the former active chairman has stepped aside from day-to-day operations, he still retains voting control "and remains in control until he is declared incompetent or dies," The New York Times reported. Redstone hasn't been seen in public since an appearance at his own 92nd birthday party in May 2015. His video deposition in the competency lawsuit was not made public, but a transcript of it was, along with an evaluation by a geriatric psychologist. Judge Cowan, in his evaluation of that testimony, said "it is also not in dispute that Redstone suffers from either mild or moderate dementia." In the deposition transcript, Redstone is often vulgar, repeatedly has to be prodded to answer through an interpreter, and at times seems unaware of what is happening around him. Redstone, seated, is shown during happier times as he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Standing above him, left to right, are Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey, and CBS CEO Les Moonves. Image source: Viacom. What's at stake here? In the event that Redstone dies or is legally declared unable to make decisions for himself, his stake in National Amusements and control of CBS and Viacom will shift to a seven-member trust. There is a battle under way for control of the trust that may or may not be led by Redstone's daughter, Shari Redstone, vice chairman of CBS and Viacom. On May 20, two members of that trust, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams, received faxed notification that they've been removed from both the trust and the board of National Amusements. Dauman has been publicly at odds with Shari Redstone since she returned to the picture after years of partial business estrangement from her father. Dauman's spokesman called the moves "illegal and invalid" in an emailed statement to Reuters. "They are a shameful effort by Shari Redstone to seize control by unlawfully using her ailing father Sumner Redstone's name and signature," the spokesman said. "As she knows, and as court proceedings and other facts have demonstrated, Sumner Redstone now lacks the capacity to have taken these steps." Shari Redstone released her own statement, which was reported byThe Wall Street Journal, supporting the removal of the two trust members. "l fully support my father's decisions and respect his authority to make them," she said through a spokesman. If the dismissal of Dauman and Abrams stands, she would have effective control of the trust. The remaining members of the trust include Shari Redstone; her son, Tyler Korff; David Andelman, a member of the CBS board; Norman Jacobs, Sumner Redstone's divorce lawyer; and Leonard Lewin, an attorney who represented Redstone's first wife, Phyllis, in her divorce from Sumner. One of Sumner Redstone's attorneys, Michael Tu, released a statement saying that his client had taken "decisive and lawful action which he firmly believes is in the best interest of Viacom Inc. and its stockholders," the Associated Press reported. Viacom has responded by questioning whether Tu actually represents Sumner Redstone, claiming that until this recent action, he was unknown to anyone associated with the ailing mogul other than Shari Redstone, the Journal reported. The next step Though the names have not been released publicly as of May 23, The New York Times reported that Sumner Redstone plans to name Thaddeus Jankowski, the senior vice president and general counsel of National Amusements, to one of the open trust positions. The second appointee, The Times wrote, "is an undisclosed friend of Ms. Redstone." The fact that the appointees could be Jankowski -- who serves under Shari Redstone at National Amusement -- and one of Shari Redstone's friends reinforces the Viacom theory that the younger Redstone is fighting for control of the trust. It's all about control While Judge Cowan made it clear that the elder Redstone wanted his daughter to make medial decisions for him in the case he is no longer be able to make them himself, his wishes regarding his business empire remain unclear. Dauman and Abrams are longtime Sumner Redstone allies, but that doesn't mean the mogul did not make the decision to remove them from the trust. Clearly, Dauman doesn't agree. His statement makes it clear that he thinks it's a power play by Shari Redstone, with whom he has often been at odds. Abrams echoed that thought in his own statement, according to The Wall Street Journal. "I have known and represented Sumner Redstone for over 50 years." Abrams said, before recounting his long history working on various projects with the ailing mogul professionally and personally. He continued: "Above all, he is my friend. The Sumner Redstone I knew would never have taken this action. What is going on now is unsettling and sad." Shari and Sumner have fought, too Shari Redstone and her father have not always agreed on business matters, which she acknowledged in a court filing, The Los Angeles Times reported. "My father and I have a uniquely close relationship, both as father-daughter and professionally," Redstone said in a court filing. "In the past we have had very public disagreements over business matters. We have patched those up, and family has always been the most important thing to me." The younger Redstone also turned down a $1 billion offer from her father for her 20% stake in National Amusements. What happens next? Dauman and Abrams are nearly certain to fight their dismissal, which could force another mental-capacity evaluation of Sumner Redstone. That could raise questions about not only whether the elder Redstone is mentally competent at the time of any future evaluation, but also whether he made a competent decision (or a decision at all) to remove Dauman and Abrams. How that plays out legally will not only determine the future of the trust that will control CBS and Viacom, but it may also determine whether Dauman remains as CEO and executive chairman of the company. Sumner Redstone's deposition makes it clear he has serious health issues, but it doesn't answer the question of whether he's competent enough to make decisions regarding the business he owns controlling stock in. It's also unclear whether Dauman's foremost concern is his longtime friend's interests or his own job security. Similar things could be said about Shari Redstone, who may be protecting her father's interests and carrying out his stated will -- or perhaps looking to consolidate her own power. There may be both angels and devils here. All we know at the moment is that this will get ugly before it gets settled, and uncertainty won't benefit Viacom or CBS shareholders -- though the latter company is less affected, because CBS CEO Les Moonves has stayed out of the family dispute. Viacom specifically has seen its share price slide 36% over the past year. Some of that drop can be attributed to be business weakness, but management unrest doesn't help. It's almost certain that this will go back to court to determine the validity of the trust changes. Until these questions are answered and shareholders know who's in charge -- not just today but in the long term -- potential volatility remains, and it's unclear who, if anyone, is fighting for the shareholdersin this complex struggle for control. The article What Investors Need to Know About the Sumner Redstone Saga originally appeared on Fool.com. Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. He worked in his family's business for four years and he understands why no side may be purely right. 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. Image source: Aixtron. What: Shares of German chipmaker Aixtron SE surged on Monday following news that the company had received and accepted a buyout offer from a Chinese investment fund. At 11:30 a.m. EDT, the stock was up about 12.5%. So what: Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund, which is 51% owned by Chinese business man Zhendong Liu and 49% owned by Xiamen Bohao Investment Ltd., has agreed to pay 6 euros in cash for each ordinary share of Aixtron. This price is 50.7% higher than the three-month volume-weighted average share price prior to the announcement. The deal is valued at 670 million euros, or about $750 million. The transaction still needs to be approved by regulators, and it requires a 60% acceptance rate from all of Aixtron's outstanding shares. According to a statement the company made to The Wall Street Journal, the goal of the acquisition is growth. "Aixtron and FGC view the transaction as an opportunity to grow and to expand the company and its workforce -- the transaction isn't directed toward cost or staff reductions." Now what: Shares of Aixtron have plummeted since peaking in 2011. The ADR surpassed $40 per share at its peak, only to tumble below $4 per share earlier this year. After the deal was announced, the ADR traded for around $6.15 per share. AIXG data by YCharts. Aixtron is not the first case of a European company being bid on by a Chinese company. Last week, Chinese appliance maker Midea Group offered $5 billion for Kuka, a German robot maker. And in February, Swiss seed company Syngenta agreed to a $43 billion offer from China National Chemical Corp. The deal for Aixtron is the smallest of the three, but it's unlikely to mark the end of this Chinese acquisition spree. The article Why Shares of Aixtron SE Surged Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Timothy Green has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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. Gone are echoes of coronation as Democrats brace for a divisive convention. Despite near certainty of clearing the delegate hurdle, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders greatest political weapon: Being the once underestimated candidate. Just eight years ago the once presumptive nominee Clinton scraped together victory after victory well into the last primaries, even after the nomination had eluded her. Whats so different this time is that underestimated Sanders was never a presumed anything except maybe socialist gadfly. But as Californias primary looms, no one underestimates Sanders anymore. Clintons inch by inch delegate accumulation has become a burden for both Democratic campaigns, though Sanders is leavened by thrilling turnout and a parade of victories. So what does it mean for this seasons presumptive? Weighed by ballast from Sanders and Democratic Senator from Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren, Clintons ship is listing away from her comfort zone; leaving many to wonder where her true north might be. Take Wall Street for example. There is no ambiguity in the Sanders/Warren camp. But Clinton and Wall Street have history. During her husbands presidency with Robert Rubin as Treasury Secretary, the Clintons achieved great fluency in Wall Street matters. Their collaboration led to rousing markets, economic growth and the creation of 20 million jobs. As U.S. Senator from New York, Hillary obliged Wall Street as an influential hometown employer. During her time as Secretary of State, the post-2008 axe fell on Wall Street, Main Street and everything in between. Suddenly her comfortable rapport became an inconvenient truth. The Obama administrations thinly-disguised contempt for business in general and Wall Street in particular has been unmistakable. When was the last time you saw our commander-in-chief in a photograph with a Wall Street leader? Campaign dynamics have made Clintons anti-business rhetoric harsher, but shes no match for the full-throated ire of Sanders and Warren. They favor busting up big banks pre-emptively. Clinton is more measured stress tests and living wills describe her Dodd-Frank Plus regulatory vision. Clinton further calls for doubling the capital gains rate and increases in corporate taxationboth inexpertly aimed at the cradle of job creation-- certainly bad news for the American middle class. Sanders' refusal to leave the fray until the last dog dies (as President Bill Clinton once said) yanks Clinton further from the centerthe very pathway her husband took to the White House. Far worse than pulling Clinton from her comfort zone, or from turning her full attention to Trump or even the big influence Sanders/Warren will enjoy at the convention, the Sanders momentum means Clinton must abandon that center sweet spot. Clintons leftward tilt leaves desirable center real estate to the one candidate who truly appreciates first-class property. As The Donald knows, the path to the White House is the most coveted real estate there is. Peter D. Kiernan is an award winning New York Times bestselling author who is also an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and philanthropist following a multi decade career on Wall Street. Today he spends much of his time fighting poverty as a 26 year member and former Chair of the board of the Robin Hood Foundation. He is a regular contributor to the FOX Business Network and appears frequently on national TV and radio talk shows, as well as many different public forums. Kiernan's first choice was not Donald Trump, but he has decided to support his candidacy for President. The nascent fundraising effort by presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has hit yet another snag. The FOX Business Network has learned that billionaire oil magnate T. Boone Pickens has abruptly cancelled his planned fundraiser at his ranch in Mesa Vista, Texas that was scheduled for June 11-13; No new formal date has been rescheduled. In an email to FOX Business, Pickens spokesman Jay Rosser said, The proposed donor event for mid-June has proved overly problematic from a logistics and scheduling standpoint. We will look to reschedule a major fundraising initiative later in the campaign, most likely after the Republican Convention when Mr. Trumps nomination is secured. But people close to the campaign said several other factors played a role in the decision, including Pickens being uncomfortable with Trumps fundraising apparatus such as the available super PACs which he can funnel money through. Super PACs are semi-independent fundraising committees that can raise nearly unlimited funds for candidates as long as they maintain an arms-length relationship with the official campaign. Trump is affiliated with a number of super PACs but they have been relatively dormant, largely because the candidate eschewed outside money in his quest to gain the nomination, having financed his campaign largely with loans totaling $43 million. In his statement, Rosser wouldnt elaborate on the rationale behind the postponed fundraiser other than to say that there is no tension between Boone and Trump Boone supports Donald Trump for president and is committed to help him win in November. But the fundraising problems for Trump are manifold; Presidential campaigns cost more than $1 billion and while Trump estimates his net worth at $10 billion, much of it is tied up in real estate, his brand and other illiquid investments. Trumps likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, is expected to raise close to $2 billion, and given the so-far tight nature of the race polls show Trump and Clinton nearly tied money to finance attack ads and get-out-the-vote efforts could be the deciding factor in who wins the White House in November. As a result, Trump recently announced that he would accept outside donations from well-heeled individuals like Pickens and others on Wall Street such as hedge fund impresario Anthony Scaramucci, who is a FOX Business Network contributor. The Trump campaign is also expected to create an official fundraising committee to glean contributions. Even so, Trump hasnt directly courted such donors unlike other major candidates and his relationship with many major donors is strained given his slash and burn campaigning, where he openly attacked GOP money men and their influence while stating that he didnt need their contributions to win the White House. Then theres the issue of perception given Trumps boasting of his wealth during the campaign. Trumps successful business career as a real estate investor and reality TV host has been a central theme of his campaign as was his astronomical net worth, which would rank him among the nations most wealthy people. I hear from a lot of millionaires and billionaires why should I give to this guy? said one prominent GOP fundraiser. Theyre saying, if hes worth so much money let him reach into his own pocket. Heidi Klum was spotted ditching her bikini top during a recent secluded beach day with boyfriend Vito Schnabel in the south of France, and the stunning supermodel says she's always surprised by how the paparazzi find her during her most intimate and revealing moments. "You have to understand -- I go on a boat for like an hour and a half to try and find the most secluded piece of beach where there's literally nobody," Klum told ET's Cameron Mathison at the Billboard Music Awards red carpet in Las Vegas on Sunday. "I don't know how the [paparazzi] do it. They come with like the SCUBA thing!" PHOTOS: PDA Alert! Celebrity Couples Who Can't Keep Their Hands Off Each Other The 42-year-old "America's Got Talent" judge was snapped beachside in Pampelonne, Gulf of Saint-Tropez with her 29-year-old beau last Wednesday. Klum rocked a large pink hat and dark glasses to shade her face from the sun, but went sans top to catch some rays and go for a dip in the Mediterranean waters. "I never see [the photographers] and I think we're all by ourselves," Klum continued. "It's not like I'm going topless on a public beach with lots of people around." WATCH: Heidi Klum and Boyfriend Vito Schnabel Pack on the PDA During Romantic Caribbean Getaway The famed fashionista admitted that she wasn't too bothered by the revealing photos. "I'm from Germany," Klum explained. "We are not as uptight if you don't wear a top." While Klum has been in a relationship with Schnabel since 2014 -- two years after Klum filed for divorce from her ex, Seal, with whom she had been married since 2005. Klum and Seal both walked the red carpet at Sunday's BBMAs, but the two seemed to avoid each other in front of the cameras. Mark Ruffalo made headlines with his thoughts on the safety of the water in Flint, Mich., even causing a professor to slam the actor for spreading misinformation. When asked for his response, Ruffalo told FOXNews.com on Sunday that Water Defense -- a non-profit organization he founded -- would be handling that. But he had some other words for the EPA, the state of Michigan, and Flint residents. The important thing to remember is those people are really sick there, and we should focus on them not people getting feeling like the information coming out of there is just test results is somehow taking away from the debate," Ruffalo said when asked by FOXNews.com during an interview junket for his new movie "Now You See Me 2." Ruffalo said the people of Flint are anxious due to test results that the EPA will not release. The community has been asking us to release test results. We are the only organization to release test results to the community; not the EPA or Michigan has released the actual test results, he said. The EPA hit back at Ruffalo's claim. "With regards to our sampling in Flint, we have posted data results for the first round of sequential sampling, hot and cold water sampling, and chlorine residual monitoring. We have been updating our interactive results maps for chlorine monitoring, sequential sampling and filter tests throughout our response effort. "With regards to the health report, EPA collected the samples but the state health department is the lead on developing the report. We will post EPA data used for this report once all residents have received their results from the state." Ruffalo insisted all he is doing is providing information to the community. But we are doing the same testing and using the same results and using the same tests the EPA is using but we are releasing our test results and the EPA isnt, he said. And so all we are doing is giving people information and there is nothing wrong with that. The Avengers star argued the people in Flint are still sick, and everyone has a right to know what is in their water. They will tell you 'We are sick and this is still happening and there is no one doing anything to help usnot the CDC, or the EPA. Theyre not telling us whats happening, and we are frightened because we dont know whats in our water.' And everyone has a right to know whats in their water." The water crisis in Flint began in August 2014 when the city began to pump their water from the Flint River instead of purchasing it from Detroit. Flint has since gone back to purchasing water from Detroit and there have been improvements to the conditions but complaints and rashes continue. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said the water is safe for bathing and they are investigating the rash claims. Dr. Marc Edwards slammed Ruffalo last week in an essay titled "A-List Actor But F-List Scientist." I appreciate the moral support offered by actors like Mr. Ruffalo... but if they are going to claim to engage in science, it needs to be credible... Edwards told FOX411. Fox News' Ashley Dvorkin contributed to this report. When she was 13, Amy Moritz was diagnosed with epilepsy. Now 48, shed gone ten years without a seizure and considers herself one of the lucky ones, but isnt letting her good fortune stop her activism for epilepsy awareness. Now, her partner, Peter Schnall, has focused his latest documentary on sharing the story of those with epilepsy to help remove the stigma. Seized: Inside the Mystery of Epilepsy, debuted on PBS in May. Schnall, a seven-time Emmy Award-winning film director and producer, followed four individuals and their families as they navigate their way through the complexities of epilepsy and try controversial treatments. More than five million Americans have a history of epilepsy, a neurological disorder that is characterized by unpredictable seizures. To be diagnosed with the disorder, an individual has to have had two unprovoked seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ouida Foster of Boston, is one patient featured in the documentary. The young mom underwent a radical surgery with the hopes that it would alleviate her symptoms. She had a smart device implanted in her brain to detect and control seizures by sending electrical impulses to the parts of the brain that were being impacted by the disease. Over the past six months, Foster hasnt seen a major reduction in the seizures, but has felt comfort and more ease in her daily life, Schnall told FoxNews.com. Caitlin Dunne, 26, and Lili Gilmore, 13, have suffered from severe seizures since they were infants and are both part of a study conducted by Dr. Orrin Devinsky, director of NYU Langone Epilepsy Center. Both women are featured in Seized. Davinsky is experimenting with the effects of cannabidoil, an extract from medical marijuana, on those who suffer from epilepsy. Dr. Devinksy found that of the patients that were originally part of the program, about 50 percent of them showed some sign of less seizures that they have been having in their normal, daily life, Schnall said. Dunne, for example, saw shorter, less intense and more infrequent seizures. In addition to highlighting unorthodox treatments, Seized raises questions about the causes of epilepsy, especially cases where the symptoms are seen later in life. Army veteran Andy Ford served in Afghanistan and now suffers from post-traumatic epilepsy. His symptoms are unique in that he loses consciousness and experiences sudden bouts of violence the ambulance and law enforcement were called to manage his first seizure and he woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed. Ford and his doctors believe his epilepsy was caused by a blast that he sustained while in combat. Researchers are looking at his case with the hopes of finding out what causes this sort of epilepsy for those who suffer a violent incident, such as a wartime blast. Two months before Seized was released, Moritzs luck ran out when suffered six seizures in one night. Her relapse strengthened her resolve that the documentary will raise awareness and one day lead to a cure. For more information, click here. A Salvadoran woman suspected of being infected with the Zika virus has given birth in Costa Rica to a baby girl that tested positive for microcephaly, a rare birth defect, authorities said on Friday. Costa Rican health officials said the woman entered the country from her native El Salvador in April. If confirmed, the case would mark the sixth instance of microcephaly linked to a Zika infection in Central America and the first in Costa Rica. According to the World Health Organization, there is a strong scientific consensus that Zika can cause microcephaly as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis, though conclusive proof may take months or years. Microcephaly is defined by unusually small heads and can result in developmental problems. Brazil has confirmed about 1,200 cases of microcephaly and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections. Micah McDade graduated high school with his peers on May 20, but the day was made even more exciting by his surprise walking across the stage to accept his diploma. McDade, who attended Okmulgee High School in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, has been confined to a wheelchair since his diagnosis with cerebral palsy at birth, Okmulgee News Network reported. Though he was pushed to the stage in his wheelchair, he stepped out onto the stage, showing the hard work he secretly did to achieve his goal of walking. The crowd erupted when he stood, assisted, and cheered for him as he walked with a walker. McDades parents, Mark and Anisa McDade, proudly stood in the crowd, crying tears of joy, the news site reported. Cerebral palsy, a group of neurological disorders, affects body movement, muscle coordination and balance, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). There is no cure, but early treatments can improve a childs ability. Kathy Mancuso, 61, of Massapequa, New York is no stranger to skin cancer. Since 2013, she has had skin cancer five times. The first one: a basal cell carcinoma on her arm. When I got that call, I actually cried because hearing the word cancer scared me. Now it seems like I hear it too much, she said. Mancuso had always been vigilant about going to her dermatologist for full-body skin exams, especially because her mother had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and her sister with melanoma when she was 18. Both women are cancer-free today. Yet what she thought she should be looking for moles that change color or have irregular borders, for example turned out to only be a few of the signs of skin cancer. In fact, when she brought her mother to the doctor, she realized that scaly skin lesions could turn out to be cancerous too. And when one showed up on her face, she brought it to her doctors attention. When I went to the dermatologist and he looked at it, he said No, thats just a wart. Its nothing [but] well keep an eye on it, Mancuso recalled. When the legion started to get itchy and bleed, Mancuso returned to her doctor and urged him to do a biopsy. The results showed that she once again had basal cell carcinoma and she needed Mohs surgery to remove it. Then in July 2014, Mancuso was again diagnosed with skin cancer, this time, twice in a matter of weeks. One was a squamous cell carcinoma on her knuckle, which Mancuso found herself, and an infiltrating basal cell carcinoma on her shin, which her doctor spotted. The next year, Mancuso raised concern about another lesion on her face. Yet when her doctor looked at it, he said it was an overgrowth of cells and used a treatment to freeze off the lesion. When it came back, however, Mancuso went for a second opinion. Although her doctor and his physicians assistant agreed that it was an overgrowth of cells, Mancuso pushed them to do a biopsy. Once again, it turned out to be basal cell carcinoma. This time however, the cancer had spread deep down into the muscle below her tear duct. I could have easily ignored it and that scares me because then if it could have gone into the eye, then I would have had a serious problem, she said. Although her doctors agreed to do the biopsies, Mancuso said she often felt that she had to persuade them do so. I kind of expected that they would just see with their magic glasses [and] they would know when something was not right. But that wasnt the case, she said. Skin cancer doesnt always follow the rules Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States one in five people will develop it in their lifetime. Experts say however, that its often overlooked. One of the reasons might be that although there are early signs of skin cancer, they dont always meet the exact criteria for doctors to make a diagnosis. There are some times when skin cancer doesnt go by the rules, said Dr. Kristin M. Baird, founder and medical director of the Dermatology Center of the Rockies in Longmont, Colo. and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado. Whats more, approximately 90 percent of providers said they had seen patients whose skin cancer was misdiagnosed or overlooked by a non-physician, according to survey by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. Although doctors would never think twice about doing a biopsy on a spot they suspect is skin cancer, they may be apprehensive if its on a highly visible area like the face, Baird, who is also a contributor for RealSelf, said. We do often know when something just isnt right, said Cindy Pearson, executive director for the National Women's Health Network in Washington, DC. In those cases both men, women and parents of children can and should be advocates for a trained professional to slow down, listen and take another look, she said. Patients are always their best advocates, but persuading a doctor to re-consider a diagnosis can be challenging because of the power differential. Women in particular, may feel hesitant to speak up and challenge their doctors. On average, women listen more [and] theyre less likely to interrupt. Theyre also more likely to use a social nicety phrase or a social lubricant phrase which is slightly denigrating themselves, Pearson said. Nevertheless, experts agree that all concerns should be taken seriously by their physicians and patients should remind themselves why theyre advocating for themselves in the first place. Although skin cancer can be hard to spot, one of the best ways to detect it early is to see a board-certified dermatologist for a yearly fullbody skin exam in addition to at-home self-exams. Use a mirror for hard-to-see areas and take pictures to keep track of changes, Baird said. Although her doctor missed the cancers, Mancuso continued to return because he always listened to her concerns. Today, Mancuso is diligent about wearing sunscreen and a hat every day, getting regular screenings and doing self-checks every day, but she can no longer enjoy the things that used to bring her joy like taking a walk on the beach or going for a swim in the pool. Although she admits shes worried about getting skin cancer again and knows that shes also at an increased risk for other types of cancers, she refuses to let fear get in her way. Im proud of myself for taking control. I will not be a victim, she said. The World Bank on Saturday said it was launching a $500 million, fast-disbursing insurance fund to combat deadly pandemics in poor countries, creating the world's first insurance market for pandemic risk. Japan has committed the first $50 million towards the facility, which will combine funding from reinsurance markets with the proceeds of a new type of World Bank-issued high-yield pandemic "catastrophe" bond, the bank said. In the event of a pandemic outbreak, the facility will release funds quickly to affected poor countries and qualified international first-responder agencies. The genesis of the new facility was the slow international response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014, when it took months to muster meaningful funds for affected countries as death tolls mounted. "The recent Ebola crisis in West Africa was a tragedy that we were simply not prepared for. It was a wake-up call to the world," World Bank President Jim Yong Kim told a media conference call. "We can't change the speed of a hurricane or the magnitude of an earthquake, but we can change the trajectory of an outbreak. With enough money sent to the right place at the right time, we can save lives and protect economies," Kim added. The so-called Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility will initially provide up to $500 million that can be disbursed quickly to fight a pandemic, with funds released once parametric triggers are met, based on the size, severity and spread of an outbreak. The facility was developed in conjunction with the World Health Organization and reinsurers Swiss Re and Munich Re, which are acting as insurance providers. It will include catastrophe, or cat bonds, in which purchasers would lose principal if fund flows are triggered by a pandemic outbreak, the World Bank said. But the insurance mechanism is limited to certain classes of infectious diseases most likely to cause major outbreaks, including several types of influenza, respiratory diseases such as SARS and MERS, and other deadly viruses including Ebola and Marburg. Kim said the types of qualifying diseases had to be limited in order to secure the insurance policy, for which the World Bank will pay premiums. The mosquito-borne Zika virus now spreading in Latin America is not included in the insurance scheme, but Kim said funds for Zika and other diseases that could lead to pandemics would be made available through a separate cash window, which is likely to be in the $100 million range. Kim, who announced the facility at a Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors' meeting in Sendai, Japan, said he expected more contributions from G7 and other donors. He said he hoped the new facility would spur development of a market for pandemic risk, similar to that for natural catastrophe risk since the 1990s. The bank estimated that had the facility existed in mid-2014, an initial $100 million could have been mobilized as early as July of that year to severely limit the spread and severity of the Ebola epidemic. Instead, it took three months for that scale of money to begin flowing, a period in which the number of Ebola cases increased ten-fold. The disease eventually killed more than 11,300 people and has cost at least $10 billion - more than $7 billion in international aid and some $2.8 billion in gross domestic product losses in Guinea, Libera and Sierra Leone. Nearly five years ago, the U.S. government announced the arrest of an Iranian-American for plotting the assassination of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador at a restaurant he favored in downtown Washington. A successful assassination would have likely killed and wounded hundreds of Americans out for an evening dinner in our nations capitol. The operation was to have been carried out by members of Los Zetas, a Mexican drug cartel, and coordinated with the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. The assassination plot was part of a hemispheric terror attack, including the bombing of the Israeli embassies in Washington and Buenos Aires, and the Saudi Embassy in Argentinas capital. The plot was foiled by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) which had an agent inside the drug cartel. Its evidence included intercepts of conversations with high-ranking Iranian Revolutionary Guards officials in Tehran. This is only one of many examples of the lethal alliance between drug smugglers and terrorists, most of them radical Islamists. Iran, the worlds leading sponsor of terror, has been one of the major actors, as former FBI and Treasury official Matthew Levitt revealed two years ago in his book, Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanons Party of God. Hezbollah has worked closely with drug cartels, especially, as in the Washington assassination plot, groups in Mexico. U.S. officials have reported a surge in cartel operatives with Farsi language tattoos pledging loyalty to Hezbollah. A Hezbollah terrorist and a Mexican military officer have both told American law enforcement organizations that Hezbollah carries out extensive explosives training of cartels. This is a big deal. Many thousands of terrorists have been arrested while coming across our southern border, and Florida Representative Ron DeSantis recently testified to the House Oversight Committees National Security subcommittee that the inflow continues. According to DeSantiss testimony on March 23, "Recent reports state that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has apprehended several members of known Islamist terrorist organizations crossing the southern border in recent years." The organizations include the Somali group, Al Shabaab, as well as Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, both intimately tied to Iran. In fact, according to sources inside of the U.S. intelligence community, there is an up-tick in threat activity in the infiltration of ISIL through the Caribbean and we understand our CBP is developing a holistic plan to address this emerging threat, a good thinglets hope they arent too late. There are so many terrorists in the United States that FBI Director James Comey has stated under oath [emphasis added] that the Bureau has active cases in every one of the fifty states. Yet the Obama administration, the major media, and the political class all seem indifferent to the threat. The Iranian leaders chant Death to America, and they have sent hundreds of would-be agents to fulfill the threat, but we lack the will to combat them on a suitable scale. DeSantiss testimony and supporting evidence from border security officials challenge the State Departments claim that Irans influence in Latin America has been waning in recent years. Indeed, Iranian support for terrorists in our hemisphere is very vigorous, operating under religious cover. Iranian intelligence officials and agents have been found pretending to be purely involved in matters of faith, from supervising mosques to managing the production of halal meat. A typical example is Bilal Mohsen Wehbe, ostensibly a Shiite proselytizer in Brazil. In 2010, the U.S. Treasury identified him as Hezbollahs representative in Latin America. Wehbe relayed information and direction between Hizballah leaders in Lebanon and Hizballah elements in South America, and oversaw its counterintelligence activity in the triple frontier of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Other well-known cases include Mohsen Rabbani, the head of the Al-Tawhid mosque and chief halal inspector in Buenos Aires, who ran back to Iran after he was identified as the key member of the group that organized the bombing of the Jewish community center in 1993. Men such as these recruit Latin Americans, fly them to Qom for indoctrination and terrorist training, and send them back to our hemisphere, awaiting orders. Sooner or later those orders will be transmitted from Tehran and other radical Islamic headquarters. We still have no winning strategy, not against ISIL, not even against Iran, our most dangerous enemy. Just as we recently learned how the Obama team lied to the American public about the Iran nuclear deal, orchestrated by none other than the master juggler himself, Deputy National Security Adviser, Ben Rhodeswe now realize how both enemies, especially Iran, wage war while our president and secretary of state cater to the demands of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and even pay for his war against us. We need to attack the radical doctrines, and kill the hardest of the hardcore: radical Islamists. There is no escape from this war, we will either win it or lose it, but we will not talk our way out of it. If we cant win in our own hemisphere, well end up losing everywhere. While she brags about playing the woman card in her presidential run, Hillary Clinton recently dealt herself a losing hand by saying that if elected, she would put my husbandin charge of revitalizing the economy, 'cause you know he knows how to do it. So, Hillarys first act as president would be to subordinate her leadership to the First Dude on what voters identify as the most important problem facing the country today: the economy in general and unemployment. Handing off Job One on Day One to her husband would hardly be an act of a confident, competent, ground breaking female first president of the United States. Instead, its a repudiation of everything she is supposed to represent: an independent, accomplished woman, qualified to be president. Hillary Clintons need to invoke her husbands mojo and management prowess is actually another sign of her weakness, desperation and duplicity as an Oval Office candidate. On the one hand, Clinton wants us to believein the words of the Helen Reddy song I Am Womanthat she is wisestronginvincibleI am woman, hear me roar. But on the other hand, she purred while campaigning in Kentucky that, especially in places like coal country and inner cities and other parts of our country that have really been left out," she would abdicate, delegate, or outsource economic and job development to her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who last held office 15 years ago, in a very different economy. She added that, "I've told my husband he's got to come out of retirement and be in charge of this because you know hes got more ideas a minute than anybody I know." For those who argue that it is very modern of Hillary Clinton to offer a 2-for-1 Clinton presidency, there is the counterargument that she has rejected many of her husbands economic and job creation policies when he was in office. Bill Clinton governed as a pro-free trade president. He bucked many in his own party by supporting controversial deals, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, a bill granting permanent normal trade relations to China, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. But these days, Hillary Clinton disavows free trade, as she kowtows to labor unions by opposing the 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership (which she supported as secretary of state). Even President Obama champions TPP. Indeed, looking at all the flipping and flopping on free trade that Hillary Clinton has done as first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, The Washington Post came up with this headline: Hillary Clintons position on free trade? Its (very) complicated. Actually, its not complicated. Hillary Clintons only consistency is to pander to whatever constituencies serve her ambition and power drive at the time. This time around, though, it is not only unconvincing, it is unbelievable. If Hillary Clinton is to give Bill Clinton the portfolio on economic and job development, either he must disown the very same free trade policies he boasted led to economic prosperity during his term in office or she is (typically) creating a false and deceiving equivalency. She expects voters to believe that Bill Clinton can bring back the good times of the 1990s even while she opposes what he did to bring about those good times. For example, as president, Bill Clinton declared in his 1996 State of the Union address that the era of big government is over. That same year, he signed into law the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, based on his 1992 campaign promise to end welfare as we know it. Yet this year, Hillary Clinton is racing to rival Bernie Sanders taxpayer-funded free-stuff government handouts. She admitted to The New York Daily News that to pay for her proposed massive expansion of big government programs, she would impose $1 trillion in tax increases on the American people over the next ten years. Prodded by Republicans to spur economic growth and encourage investment in businesses, President Bill Clinton slashed the highest capital gains tax rate to 20 percent from 28 percent. Prodded to match the anti-capitalism of left wing Sandersistas, Hillary Clinton wants the top capital gains tax rate increased to 43.4 percent from 23.8 percent. As president, Bill Clinton eventually acquiesced to Republican pressures to balance the budget. But, as economist Richard Rahn pointed out, During her Senate career, Mrs. Clinton sponsored or co-sponsored more than 800 bills to increase spending (a total of more than $900 billion), and only 12 bills to decrease spending (for a total of only about $1 billion). Her net spending sponsorship was also considerably higher than the average Democratic senator. If Hillary Clintons attempt to ride her husbands aging coattails is her way of playing the woman card, that card is a joker because as her record shows, when Hillary Clinton also tries to play the Bill card, it is a counterfeit Bill. Every Monday, Fox News contributor Karl Rove wraps up the last week in politics and offers an inside look at the week ahead. Last week was pretty bad for Clinton: Not only did Hillary Clinton get trounced in Oregon and barely carry Kentucky, a state she won in 2008 by 36 points, but in signs of how bitter feelings have become among Democrats: Bernie Sanders supporters went berserk at the Nevada State Convention, and the Vermont senator endorsed Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultzs primary opponent in Florida; made demands for seats on the platform committee and a big role in deciding its leadership; and secured four permits for massive demonstrations in Philadelphia when Democrats assemble there July 25. But Trumps almost could not have been better: Not only did Donald Trump prevail in Oregon with 67 percent on Tuesday, but his list of 11 potential Supreme Court picks was well-received and helped highlight one of the principal differences between the parties. He aced a largely uneventful interview with Megyn Kelly by displaying a humble and restrained demeanor; he signed a joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee that will go a long way toward assuring the necessary funds for the GOPs ground game; and he named his convention manager, Paul Manafort, as his campaign chairman. Trump also enjoyed a slew of favorable national polls. They started rolling out Wednesday with the Fox News poll showing him up over Clinton, 45 percent to 42 percent. Then this past weekend, the Washington Post/ABC survey had Trump ahead 4644; NBC/Wall Street Journal had Clinton up 4643; and CBS/New York Times had her leading 4741. All four surveys showed Trump had vastly improved his position over the past month. As the week closed, the National Rifle Association convention gave Trump a warm reception, and after sitting on the sidelines in the primaries because of his past statements, the group enthusiastically endorsed him, giving him the help of a vast army of Second Amendment backers, many of them in battleground states. The #NeverTrump movement continued to lose steam as its options dissipated, and congressional Republicans, resigned if not enthusiastic, accept the inevitable. Still, things in politics are rarely as bad or as good as they seem. Clinton remains on track to be the Democratic nominee. She will end the primaries on June 7 with healthy leads in the popular vote and pledged delegates. Her huge advantage among the unelected superdelegates ensures a crushing first-ballot victory. Sanders war chest has dwindled dramatically with news this past week that he was down to $6 million at the end of last month. And all is not happy inside his insurgent campaign: There have been some significant staff departures, and last week some left-wing pundits savaged him for staying in the race. Though she has morphed into a terrible candidate with favorable/unfavorable numbers almost as bad as Trump, Clinton and her super PAC still sit on big war chests. She has been replenishing hers with fundraising events last week and this week. Her PAC, Priorities USA, has also opened its media attack against Trump with spots featuring his offensive comments about women, with tougher spots to come. Trumps not out of the woods. His good poll numbers are largely the result of two changes. The rapid consolidation of Republicans behind him following the Indiana primary now gives him as large or larger a share of Republicans as Clinton draws among Democrats. But the current parity between the candidates in drawing roughly equal shares of their partys adherents suggests that once the Democratic battle is over, Clinton could further consolidate her party and end up with fewer defections than Trump. No Republican has been elected president when a larger share of Republicans defects than of Democrats. In addition, Trumps lead in the Fox News and Washington Post/ABC polls and his improvement in all four polls came from doing better with independents. They will be even more volatile and susceptible to change than normal, and they could move to Clinton as the Democratic contest draws to an end. For example, six of 10 respondents in the Washington Post/ABC survey said they want Trump to release his tax returns. Trump has more to do to solidify his base: While he took two-thirds in Oregon, the remaining third cast their ballots for Ted Cruz and John Kasich, who suspended their campaigns weeks ago. That plus an empty campaign war chest, confusion as to which of the six groups that claim to be his super PAC really is his blessed group, and the need to blunt the attacks on him that are coming to television and computer screens in battleground states, courtesy of Priorities USA means Trump has his hands full. Still, the narrative wont change until events make it change. Clinton is in the barrel and can expect more bad press this week. Trump is on top of the world and can expect to remain there until events intervene to cause a shift in coverage and/or public perception. Look for Trump to have more good news this week with the Washington State primary, more good polls (now from battleground states), further news of his partys consolidation and more speculation about vice presidential possibilities. Meanwhile, Clinton will suffer more bad coverage about her joyless campaign, the increasing rancor of Bernies Brigades and the deepening split in the Democratic Party. Its the mother of all food fights church ladies versus lunch ladies. The controversy involves a church that received permission from the Seattle School District to serve free pizza to students at three area high schools. Click here to join Todds American Dispatch: A must-read for conservatives! A union representing public school cafeteria workers in Seattle, Washington erupted with rage last week warning that the weekly pizza giveaway could result in cafeteria layoffs. They even accused Bethany Community Church of proselytizing with pepperoni. We are not telling them a Bible story before they get pizza, Youth Pastor Nick Steinloski told television station KOMO. He also said it is about showing the kids the church cares about them. No sermon. Just two, hot slices of cheesy goodness and according to the kids its a heckuva lot better than what they would get in the school cafeteria. To say the lunch ladies got their hairnets in a twist would be an understatement. The International Union of Operating Engineers launched a campaign to intimidate and bully the church into submission. It was ugly even by the unions low standards. Click here to subscribe to Todds weekly podcast! Until Bethany Community Church and Pastor Nick honors his commitment to stop carelessly harming us in this way, we are asking participants to think about the effects of consciously and deliberately harming our families and community through their actions, the union wrote on an inflammatory poster titled, What God Hurts Innocent People? We humbly seek to defend our livelihoods, they added. And then they set off to slander the churchs good name. The lunch ladies union accused the church of luring students off campus with high fat, empty calorie pizza from boxes out of the trunk of a car. The stopped just short of calling them a bunch of child molesters dressed up like clowns driving around town in an ice cream truck. One union thug left an ominous message on the youth pastors telephone. I felt intimidated by that message, Pastor Nick told KOMO. And they even threatened to picket the church unless they stopped serving pizza. They actually wanted to picket a House of the Lord. The union goon squads eventually got what they wanted. The church decided to stop serving free pizza at lunch and will instead do so after school. We do care about the workers, we care about the immigrant workers and those working here at the school, the youth pastor said. The union explained to the television station that cafeteria jobs are based on how many meals are sold. If fewer meals are sold, that means fewer workers are needed. That means a number of families will potentially lose health benefits and (ultimately) the basic income that supports them, the union said in a statement. And besides, the union added the kids love the nutritious pizza made under our HACCAP conditions. (That stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) The young people beg to differ. One youngster told KOMO that if the lunch ladies want them to eat cafeteria pizza perhaps they should consider using a better recipe. In the meantime, the kids might want to stock up on antacid tablets. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump carry more baggage than a paroled safecracker seeking employment at a bank. Those negatives may consume the media, but voters should consider that Trump is the better choice for the economy. Apart from getting tough with China on trade, Trump wants to simplify personal and corporate taxes and otherwise ease regulatory burdensessentially make dealing with the government easier for ordinary folks filing their taxes and buying health insurance and businesses looking to expand and add jobs. Clintons economic message is much different and largely premised on the ideas that businesses invest foolishly and discrimination by corporations, universities and other institutions are disadvantaging women and minorities and handicapping growth. According to her, tightly regulating behaviorfor example, through the tax code and generalizing to the national level Californias Fair Pay Actwill miraculously add trillions to our GDP and solve most of the inequality issues plaguing America. The challenges we face are more radical and paradoxical than Clinton supposes and require a lighter touch. Capital and energyonce scarce and expensiveare now abundant in American and many workers jobs are becoming obsolete. The digital economy is based more on intellectual propertycomputer apps and artificial intelligenceand less on hard assetsindustrial buildings and equipment. This greatly reduces the amount of financial capital businesses need to make and create products. For example, Google was launched with only $25 million in 1999 and grew into a $23 billion enterprise at its initial public offering five years later. It took billions and decades for Henry Ford to create a company of similar value and global scope. Digital growth is powered by electricity, not petroleum. Even in the old economy, the electric car will displace gasoline powered vehicles over the next several decades, and abundant natural gas and cheaper solar and wind power will make that power. Oil prices will stay down. Over the next three decades, robots that can think and handle materials with human-like agility have the potential to partially replace workers in 90 percent of contemporary occupationsincluding to my horror many college professors. The new, good paying jobs will be mostly in more creative pursuitsfor example, in robotics, industrial design, finance, the arts, and various fields of basic scientific and social research. Of course, we may still remain reluctant to cede to machines some ordinary tasks such as caring for young children. The political impulse to disruptive technologies is to legislate against them. Consider that taxi and limousine services recruit municipal governments to block Uber, and California regulators are drafting rules that would slow the deployment of driverless vehicles. Yet, the future of the automobile industry is at stake and if Americans dont pioneer these technologies entrepreneurs elsewhere will do so to our great peril. Smart people, alone or in small groups, can accomplish wondrous things. Two geeks working out of a garage and with less than $25,000 in financing designed and marketed the Apple I computer. That launched an industry that put the internet and the resources of the worlds largest libraries on virtually every desk in the industrialized world. The social media revolution has similar origins. Businesses are circumventing large investment banks to engineer mergers in favor of smaller practitioners and lawyers. After all, small businesses now have analytical power on their laptops that rivals the army of expensive analysts housed by Wall Street giants. Regulating corporate payroll and hiring policies and imposing restrictions on free speech and endless instruction in political correctness at our universities will not adequately prepare or empower our young people and businesses for a world that places a premium on agility, adaptability and entrepreneurship as opposed to conformity, compliance and the huge overhead of multinational corporations. At her core, Clinton is devoted to economic micro-management by government regulation and under President Obama that has yielded a terribly mediocre recordslow growth, poorer job opportunities for virtually every demographic group and dysfunctions in the health care and banking systems. Warts and all, Trump is an entrepreneur and all about taking things the other way. There you have itchoose between a more certain but tired past, or a riskier but bolder future. Remember, only nations that wager can win the prize! The Virgin Islands attorney general has withdrawn a controversial subpoena against a prominent libertarian D.C. think tank, after being accused of bullying the group as part of a broader probe into whether ExxonMobil misled the public about global warming. Attorney General Claude Walker had issued the subpoena, demanding the Competitive Enterprise Institute hand over 10 years' worth of its communications related to climate change, in April. CEI fired back with a lawsuit of its own, seeking to fine Walker for what the group called a breach of their First Amendment rights. Walker's office dropped the subpoena Friday, according to court documents. The office did not respond to a request for comment from FoxNews.com. CEI said it would still seek sanctions against Walker -- noting that while this subpoena has been dropped, a more expansive subpoena against ExxonMobil still stands. CEI is going forward with our motion for sanctions because Walker's withdrawal only strengthens our claim that this subpoena was a constitutional outrage from the very beginning, violating our right to free speech and our donors' right to confidentiality, and threatening the right of all Americans to express views that go against some party line, CEI General Counsel Sam Kazman said in a statement. The probe into whether Exxon misled the public on the risks of global warming is itself part of a broader battle against the oil giant by a coalition of attorneys general, led by New Yorks Eric Schneiderman, and environmental groups. The coalition claims Exxon lied about the risks of climate change, similar to the way tobacco companies misled the public about the risks of smoking. Walkers subpoena against Exxon seeks 40 years' worth of communications with 90 conservative groups, including CEI, and any other organizations engaged in research or advocacy concerning Climate Change or policies. Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange asked a Texas state judge to put an end to Walker's investigation, calling it a fishing expedition of the worst kind. This case is about abusing the power of the subpoena to force Exxon to turn over many decades worth of records, so an attorney general with an agenda can pore over them in hopes of finding something incriminating, Paxton said in a statement. [It] ... represents an effort to punish Exxon for daring to hold an opinion on climate change that differs from that of radical environmentalists. President Barack Obama said Monday that the violent death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour by a U.S. airstrike should send a "clear signal" to anti-American extremists that "we're going to protect our people." Obama also said Mansour's death was an "important milestone" in the years-long effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. "It has been confirmed that he is dead," Obama said Monday during his first visit to Vietnam. "He is an individual who, as head of the Taliban, was specifically targeting U.S. personnel and troops inside of Afghanistan" who Obama sent there to help counter terrorism and help train Afghan troops. Mansour was killed when a U.S. drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan, though it was unclear whether the airstrike took place on Friday or Saturday. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last year. Obama authorized the attack and was briefed before and after it was carried out, aides said. Speaking at a news conference following his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Obama said the fatal attack on Mansour did not represent a change in U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan, which is to help train Afghan forces. Obama ended the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. "We are not re-entering the day-to-day combat operations that are currently being conducted by Afghan security forces," Obama said. "Our job is to help Afghanistan secure its own country, not to have our men and women in uniform engage in that fight for them." "On the other hand, where we have a high-profile leader who has been consistently part of plans and operations to potentially harm U.S. personnel and who has been resistant to the kinds of peace talks and reconciliation that ultimately could bring an end to decades of war in Afghanistan, then it is my responsibility as commander in chief not to stand by, but to make sure that we send a clear signal to the Taliban and others that we're going to protect our people. "And that's exactly the message that has been sent," Obama said. Mansour was chosen to head the Afghan Taliban last summer after the revelation of Omar's death in 2013. The Taliban is the most powerful insurgent group in the war-ravaged country, where an estimated 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded and 5,500 government troops and police officers died last year alone. The Taliban seized power in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan according to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law until the group was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Almost 15 years later, about 13,000 troops are in the country from a U.S.-NATO coalition, including around 9,800 Americans. While they are mostly focused on training and helping Afghan government forces battle the insurgency, about 3,000 troops are conducting counterterrorism operations against the Taliban and the extremist groups Al Qaeda and ISIS. In a written statement issued before the news conference, Obama said Mansour's death marked an "important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan." Obama said Mansour had rejected Afghan government efforts to engage in peace talks with the Taliban with the goal of ending violence that has killed thousands. He called on the organization to choose the path toward peace. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," Obama said. One of the strangest questions in politics is whether disaffected Bernie backers might wind up on the Trump train. It scrambles all the usual Beltway assumptions on left-right politics. After all, how could diehard supporters of Bernie Sanderswhos so far left that hes unhappy with eight years of Obama liberalismmove to a Republican who wants to build a wall on the Mexican border and temporarily bar Muslim immigrants? Part of the answer is that the electorate has changed. And part is that voters dont operate the way pundits do, with an issue-by-issue checklist that requires ideological consistency. Trump rails against a rigged system. Sanders rails against a rigged system. Trump even says the Democratic Party is screwing Bernie and, in a bit of mischief-making, urges him to run as an independent. They both tee off on unfair trade deals and play to middle-class economic anxieties. That populist approach touches a nerve far more than a bunch of carefully worded position papers. A lot of those people would come with me, Trump said of Sanders supporters yesterday on Fox & Friends. I'm no fan of Bernie Sanders, but he's right about one thing: trade agreements. Many Americans go with their gut. Trump comes from outside the political system. Sanders is a veteran senator but until last year wasnt even a Democrat. They are both leading movements. No wonder theres some overlap. In the end, I think most of those feeling the Bern will fall into line and back Hillary Clinton. But the fact that Trump has a shot at a good chunk of themwhich could help put a few Democratic-leaning states in playis a sign of the scrambled politics of 2016. Its also a sign of a changing electorate. Trump was arguably the least conservative Republican in that field of 17. Sanders would have been the most liberal Democratic nominee since LBJ. National Review Editor Rich Lowry picks up that point: Sanderss and Trumps styles and affects are very different the rumpled, oddball lecturer in Socialism 101 vs. the boastful, power-tie-wearing business mogul but they have worked in tandem to ensure that the center of gravity in this falls presidential election will be further to the left than it has been in decades. Lowry argues that Sanders and Trump have executed a squeeze play on the Madam Secretary. Sanders pushed her to the left on trade and Social Security in the primary, when she disavowed the Trans-Pacific Partnership that she helped negotiate and embraced increasing Social Security benefits. She probably wont be snapping back to the center on those issues in a general election because it would open her up to Sanders-like attacks from Donald Trump. Such is the shift in the tectonic plates of our politics that the presumptive Republican nominee for president, endorsed by voices on the right ranging from Sean Hannity to Mitch McConnell, is making a far-fetched but not entirely irrational pitch for the support of fans of a Vermont socialist. Lets take this a step further. If both parties are edging left, it doesnt come as some kind of backlash to a right-wing administration. Charles Krauthammer declares that after nearly two terms of Barack Obamas corrosively unsuccessful liberalism both parties have decisively moved left. Hillary Clinton cannot put away a heretofore marginal, self-declared socialist. He has forced her into leftward genuflections on everything from trade to national health care. At the same time, Bernie Sanders has created a remarkably resilient insurgency calling for after Obama, mind you a political revolution of the Left The Republicans ideological about-face is even more pronounced. Theyve chosen as their leader a nationalist populist who hardly bothers to pretend any allegiance to conservatism. Indeed, Donald Trump is, like Sanders, running to the left of Clinton on a host of major issues including trade, Wall Street, NATO, and interventionism. This was deemed heresy by true-blue conservatives during the primaries, but I kept reminding folks it would make Trump a stronger general-election candidate if he got that far. And there is growing nervousness on the left that Hillary could lose to The Donald: Clinton has no chance of winning a majority of working-class white voters, Salon says. They have voted heavily Republican for years, especially working-class men. In the 2014 midterm elections, for example, working-class whites voted for Republicans by a 30-point margin. But Clinton needs to win some of them. In 2012 Barack Obama won the support of about 35 percent of working-class whites, which was enough to help him win reelection If she lets Trump position himself as the tribune of the working class, shell only dig a deeper hole for herself with blue-collar voters. Its no secret that an evolving electorate is driving some of this political upheaval. The growing proportion of minority voters means a Republican has to win more white voters to offset losses in that community. A new generation of younger voters takes for granted such matters as same-sex marriage, which used to be a Republican wedge issue. And voters who came of age during the Iraq war may share a wariness of military intervention, reflected in Trumps frequent criticism of George W. Bushs invasion. Perhaps Trump, who doesnt emphasize social issues, and Sanders, who doesnt emphasize foreign policy, both sensed this new reality. And maybe the idea that they share a certain appeal isnt so crazy after all. The Romanian hacker who claimed he easily breached Hillary Clintons personal email server is finalizing a plea deal with the FBI and U.S. attorney, Fox News has learned. Marcel Lehel Lazar, the 44-year-old hacker also known as Guccifer, first gave indications he wanted to cooperate with the U.S. government in mid-April, during an interview with Fox News. Lazar, in a subsequent discussion, said he was working on a plea deal he then suspended media contact earlier this month. On Monday, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia confirmed that a change of plea hearing is now scheduled for Lazar on Wednesday morning. He originally had pleaded not guilty to the nine-count indictment when he was extradited to the U.S. He is now expected to plead guilty to some charges. It is not publicly known whether the deal being worked out has a provision for cooperating with federal authorities and whether that has anything to do with the investigation into Clintons exclusive use of a private email server for government business while secretary of state. But an intelligence source familiar with the FBI probe said if Guccifer pleads guilty to compromising Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthals AOL account which is one of the nine charges it will show that Clintons use of a personal server put sensitive information outside secure government channels and made it accessible to foreign hackers. [Clintons] gross negligence allowed this material to get out to an adversary, the source said. Through her communications with Blumenthal, [Clinton] contributed exposure and risk. Fox News was first to report about Lazars claims that he breached former secretary of state Clintons server. Lazar said he breached Blumenthal's AOL account by correctly guessing his security questions, and then using it as a stepping stone to the Clinton server. While his claims could not be independently verified and he offered no hard evidence, he made similar statements during another interview in Romania with NBC News which aired after Foxs reporting. Further, it was through Lazars hack of Blumenthals account that Clintons personal account was first revealed. During an April 29 phone call with Fox News, Lazar said he wanted to work with the U.S. government. "I was always showing that I want to cooperate like two years [ago] when I met with the American authorities, he said, adding that he showed he wanted to cooperate and talk to the FBI agents during the plane journey to the U.S. when he was extradited. Though Lazar had agreed to meet again with Fox News the week of May 16, an official at the detention center in Alexandria, Va., where hes being held, later informed Fox News Lazar was no longer taking visitors at this time. A former Justice Department official, who declined to speak on the record due to the sensitivity of the FBI investigation, said it is not usual for defense attorneys to advise their clients to cut contact with the media as a plea agreement is finalized as any discrepancies between the agreement and comments to the media can diminish the value of a clients statement. National security defense attorney Edward MacMahon Jr., agreed. If he was my client, I would strongly advise against talking to press, he said. MacMahon recently represented former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling, who was convicted of leaking classified information. You want to be in control of the process as best you can, having different people interact with your client does not serve your purpose. Lazar, who was extradited to the U.S. before his Romanian jail term was complete, currently faces a September trial for separate hacking charges. The charges, made public in June 2014, include alleged hacking of accounts belonging to a member of George W. Bushs family, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and longtime Clinton confidant Blumenthal. A review of recent federal cases by Fox News found that Guccifers extradition appears to be an outlier. Hackers typically are extradited once their prison terms are over in their native countries -- and typically for major financial theft. The former Justice Department official said the U.S. government would not go to such extremes, unless [Guccifer] has something they want. Guccifer was effectively neutralized in a Romanian jail, when he was extradited to the U.S. Lazar, speaking with Fox News, said he accessed the former secretary of states private server like twice, though he described the contents as not interest[ing] to him at the time. Throughout the interviews, Lazar stressed that he used Russian proxy servers for his hacking because they are the best and claimed he could determine who else was inside by the looking at the IP addresses. Lazar said this included IP addresses from other countries. "As far as I remember, yes, there were up to 10, like, IPs from other parts of the world, he said. After Lazar was flown to the U.S. on March 31, U.S. government officials confirmed that federal agents from three agencies previously met with Lazar in Romania where he was serving a seven-year sentence for breaching the accounts of Romanian officials. Two independent sources also confirmed in recent weeks that Lazar spoke at length to an FBI agent during his extradition flight from Romanian to Virginia. Asked why he agreed to be extradited when he faces the possibility of more than five decades in an American prison, Lazar said, "It was not my call." Then Lazar claimed that his extradition agreement contains conditions that block further charges. While the claim cannot be independently verified, the statement could help explain why Lazar felt comfortable discussing his supposed hacking of the Clinton server which was not mentioned in the nine-count federal indictment. During an interview Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press, Clinton was not asked about the FBI investigation or claims the server was hacked, but her campaign said in early May: "There is absolutely no basis to believe the claims made by this criminal from his prison cell. We have received no indication from any government agency to support these claims, nor are they reflected in the range of charges that Guccifer already faces and that prompted his extradition in the first place. A review of her emails found more than 2,100 containing classified information though she claims nothing was considered classified at the time. The Supreme Court is making it easier for federal workers to file employment discrimination lawsuits after quitting their jobs over conditions they consider intolerable. The justices ruled 7-1 Monday that workers who bring so-called "constructive discharge" claims have 45 days from the time they resign to begin the process. The court rejected the Justice Department's position that the clock should start running when the alleged abuse occurs. The ruling gives employees more time to bring bias lawsuits for discriminatory acts that occurred months or years before legal action begins. The court sided with Marvin Green, a former Colorado postmaster who says he was forced to quit his job due to racial discrimination. A federal appeals court dismissed Green's case after ruling that he waited too long to file a complaint. President Obama lifted the decades-long U.S. arms embargo against Vietnam on Monday in an apparent effort to shore up the communist country's defenses against an increasingly aggressive China though he faced criticism that the move takes away U.S. leverage to press for human rights freedoms. Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference in Hanoi alongside Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. The president said the move was intended as a step toward normalizing relations with the former enemy and to eliminate a "lingering vestige of the Cold War." The embargo was imposed in 1984. The United States partially lifted the ban in 2014, but Vietnam pushed for full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Obama, in announcing the agreement Monday, said every U.S. arms sale would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis going forward. Vietnam has not bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalized and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. "At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect," Obama said. U.S. lawmakers and activists, though, had urged Obama to press for greater human rights freedoms in the one-party state before lifting the embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. "In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of U.S. leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam -- and (has) basically gotten nothing for it," Phil Robertson, with Human Rights Watch, said. In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry outwardly praised the move, with a spokeswoman saying China hoped "normal and friendly" relations between the U.S. and Vietnam would be conducive to regional stability. China itself remains under a weapons embargo imposed by the U.S. and European Union following 1989's bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Obama said the United States and Vietnam had mutual concerns about maritime issues and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. He said that although Washington doesn't take sides on the territorial disputes, it does support a diplomatic resolution based on "international norms" and "not based on who's the bigger party and can throw around their weight a little bit more," a reference to China. Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam's leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace, where Obama congratulated Vietnam for making "extraordinary progress." Quang praised the expansion in security and trade ties between "former enemies turned friends" and called for more U.S. investment in Vietnam. Obama also made the case for stronger commercial and economic ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. The deal, which includes Vietnam, would tear down trade barriers and encourage investment between the countries that signed it. Critics worry it would cost jobs by exposing American workers to low-wage competition from countries such as Vietnam. Obama and Quang earlier attended a signing ceremony touting a series of new commercial deals between U.S. and Vietnamese companies valued at more than $16 billion. The deals included U.S. engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney's plans to sell 135 advanced engines to Vietnamese air carrier Vietjet, and Boeing's plans to sell 100 aircraft to the airline. Obama is the third sitting president to visit Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to China's growing strength. The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to double by 2020. That would mean knocking down auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett is still listing ending two wars as one of the major accomplishments of the Obama administration, despite deepening U.S. involvement overseas including the recent U.S. drone strike that took out Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour. Jarrett, one of President Obamas closest aides, made the remarks in an interview aired Sunday on CBS 60 Minutes. Asked whatever happened to the presidents call for hope and change, she cited a slew of changes during Obamas two terms: Just look at what's happened in the last seven years. Our unemployment rate going from 10 percent down to 5 percent. Our automobile industry back. Ending two wars. Twenty million people with health care, many for the first time. While the interview may have been conducted before the official Pentagon announcement, her comments coincided with the news that a drone strike had taken out Taliban leader Mansour in the Pakistan province of Baluchistan the latest sign of the prolonged fight in the Middle East and South Asia. Even before those comments, the administration was taking criticism for efforts to downplay U.S. military actions against terror and insurgent groups. On Thursday, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates accused the White House of semantic backflips for refusing to use the word combat to describe U.S. troops fight against the Islamic State. "I think that is incredibly unfortunate not to speak openly about what is going on," Gates said on MSNBCs Morning Joe. Earlier this month, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Charles Keating IV, a Navy SEAL, was killed near Irbil, Iraq by ISIS fire becoming the third American servicemember to die in combat in Iraq since the start of the campaign against ISIS. Obama has sent over 4,000 U.S. troops back to Iraq, after pulling them out at the end of 2011 when the war formally ended. And as of May 10, the U.S. military has conducted more than 9,000 airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. In the most recent effort, the United States is now supporting an Iraqi military operation to retake Fallujah, the first city to fall to ISIS, with airstrikes -- and is advising the Iraqis at two operation centers in Baghdad and Taqaddum, according to an American military spokesman based in Baghdad. Meanwhile, a total of 10,000 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, a war that also technically has ended. That number is supposed to be cut in half by the time Obama leaves office in January. Nearly 3,000 of those 10,000 are focused on counterterrorism missions against Al Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups. In a reminder of the dangers U.S. troops still face in Afghanistan, a U.S. military convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber on Saturday morning, according to a Kabul-based U.S. military spokesman. There were no injuries to the U.S. troops in the convoy, according to a statement from the U.S.-led mission to Afghanistan. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. India performed a successful space shuttle test launch late on Sunday, marking the latest milestone for the countrys space program. The Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) mini-shuttle is the countrys first space plane. NASA ended its 30-year space shuttle program in 2011. Indias unmanned shuttle was launched on a HS9 booster rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota, an island off Indias Bay of Bengal coast. The booster burnt out after a successful flight of 91.1 seconds, according to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). After burnout the HS9 and RLV-TD coasted to a height of about 35 miles before the shuttle separated from the rocket and ascended to about 41 miles. Related: Cheap Mars mission could prove lucrative for India, experts say After reaching its peak altitude, RLV-TD began its descent, which was followed by atmospheric re-entry at around Mach 5. The vehicles Navigation, Guidance and Control system accurately steered the vehicle during this phase for safe descent, explained ISRO, in a statement. After re-entering Earths atmosphere with the help of its Thermal Protection System, the spacecraft glided down to land in the Bay of Bengal, about 280 miles from Sriharikota. Total flight duration from launch to landing was 770 seconds. In this flight, critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance & control, reusable thermal protection system and re-entry mission management have been successfully validated, explained ISRO, in its statement. RLV-TD is a scale model of Indias planned space plane. The Times of India reports that the final version of the spacecraft is expected in the next 10 to 15 years. Related: India's Mars orbiter captures beautiful 3D images of the red planet The successful test earned praise from Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them, he tweeted. Mondays hypersonic flight experiment will be followed by a landing experiment, a return flight experiment and a scramjet propulsion experiment, according to the ISRO. The launch is the latest achievement for Indias ambitious space program. In 2014 the country won plaudits for successfully launching its low-cost Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter, which experts say could open the door to lucrative space deals with the U.S. and Europe. Related: NASA picks Dream Chaser space plane for ISS supply missions The orbiter is Indias first interplanetary space venture. Despite the space shuttles retirement, reusable space planes are set to feature in NASAs future. In January Sierra Nevada Corporation was among the private space companies awarded NASA contracts to supply the International Space Station from 2019 through 2024. The deal adds Sierra Nevadas Dream Chaser to the list of spacecraft flying cargo missions to the orbiting laboratory. NASA says that the runway landings offered by Dream Chaser will be valuable for fragile science experiments returning to Earth from the ISS. The U.S. military is also harnessing space plane technology, as evidenced by the Air Force's uncrewed X-37B, which recently completed 1 year in orbit. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers A dead whale that washed up on a southern Australia beach has something peculiar in its mouth: a sharp and pointy fang, say the researchers who examined it. The whale, identified as a Hector's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hectori), was found south of Adelaide on Waitpinga beach in February. For the past 25 years, the South Australian Museum has done necropsies (an animal autopsy) on "as many [stranded] whales as it can from its shores," but the museum's researchers didn't expect to find anything unusual when they examined this particular whale a female juvenile, said Catherine Kemper, a senior research scientist in mammals at the South Australian Museum. Instead, the researchers found an "intriguing" fang, which has never been seen before in a Hector's beaked whale, Kemper told Live Science in an email. More from LiveScience: It's possible that the tooth is vestigial that is, much like a human's appendix or wisdom teeth, it was useful in an ancestor, but isn't useful anymore, she said. Or, maybe it's an evolutionary throwback, also known as an atavism, meaning it was present in ancestors, but still pops up from time to time, much like a human baby born with a tail, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). "All whales are derived from animals that had more teeth," Kemper said. "What's happened with time is [that] some of them have evolved. They have lost teeth because they have specialized their feeding to not need them." However, it's difficult to say exactly what is going on, largely because scientists know little about beaked whales, said Nicholas Pyenson, a curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, who has not seen the new specimen. Case in point this is only the third Hector's whale the museum has collected, Kemper told ABC. "Beaked whales, they're among the most mysterious groups of whales," Pyenson told Live Science. Some beaked whale species are only known to science because their skulls have washed ashore, he said. "They're hard to see in the wild, they live off shore, Pyenson said. "They dive very deep into the ocean and don't surface too much." Yet, beaked whales are some of the most species-rich groups of whales, Pyenson said. And although scientists don't know much about them, they're famous for their weird teeth, he said. For instance, the male strap-toothed whale (Mesoplodon layardii) has teeth that curve up and over its snout, preventing it from opening its mouth more than a few inches, Pyenson said. Other whales have extremely long teeth that might be used for male-male sparring, "which we infer happens deep underwater because you find scars all along the bodies of males that wash up," he said. Without more specimens, it's hard to say whether this whale's pointy fang is a common variation, an evolutionary throwback or something else, Pyenson said. "It's definitely weird, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's a throwback, because these [whales] already have teeth, [this one] just seems to have had an extra, strange tooth," he said. Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A rocket went up over the Australian desert on May 18, but this successful test launch was no ordinary feat: The experimental rocket hit a speed of Mach 7.5or 7.5 times the speed of soundqualifying it for "hypersonic" status, reports Gizmodo. Military scientists from the US and Australia teamed up on the project, called Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation, or HiFire. The goal, reports techradar, is to design an engine that flies at Mach 7, and Wednesday's test is one in a series that will run through 2018. "It is a game-changing technology ... and could revolutionize global air travel, providing cost-effective access to space," says chief Australian scientist Alex Zelinsky, per AFP. More From Newser To put the feat in more concrete terms, the scientists say such an engine could make a trip from Sydney to London possible in a mind-boggling two hours. (Today's travelers can figure on closer to 24 hours, factoring in connecting flights.) In fact, it would make any trip in the world much more manageable and make it far easier to put satellites in space. But Popular Science also takes note of the military applications: "With that much speed, it would be impossible for an enemy [to have enough time] to move anything on the ground after radar detected [a] plane, letting it either capture pictures immediately or drop bombs almost unimpeded." The next test, in which the engine would separate from the booster rocket, is scheduled for 2017. (Also in the works: reusable rockets.) This article originally appeared on Newser: This Rocket Could Change Travel and War Already faced with lines that snake through terminals out to the curb, fliers are bracing for long waits at security in the busy summer months. Some major airports are currently seeing wait times exceeding 90 minutes at peak hours. Here's a look at the problem and what travelers should expect. Q: Why are the waits so long? A: More people are flying, thanks to a mix of a strong economy, more flights and lower fares. At the same time, the Transportation Security Administration and Congress cut the number screeners by 10 percent on expectations that an expedited screening program called PreCheck would speed up the lines. However, not enough people enrolled. The TSA had been randomly placing passengers into the faster PreCheck lanes but that stopped in the fall after government auditors found lapses in security. Q: Will there be long lines for my flight? A: There is no easy way to tell. The worst waits have been at the largest airports, which see the majority of fliers, and only during peak hours. But during slower hours, the TSA staffs fewer lanes and that might cause backups. Even those enrolled in PreCheck have no way of knowing if those express lanes will be open when they arrive at the airport. The TSA suggests passengers arrive at least two hours before domestic flights but some in the airline industry are now saying that might not be enough. However, at certain times of the day, lines are nonexistent. Q: What is the government doing about it? A: Congress agreed to shift forward $34 million in TSA funding, allowing the agency to pay overtime to its existing staff and hire an extra 768 screeners by June 15. But there is no grand plan to return staffing to former levels. Some passengers can still randomly be placed in PreCheck based on their age or if an explosive-detecting dogs first screen them, but those are small numbers. The TSA is relocating screeners and canine teams to the 20 busiest airports, such as Chicago's O'Hare. Q: What can I do to speed up the line? A: Each passenger should have their ID and boarding pass ready. Before reaching the X-ray machine, empty your pockets and place your keys, cellphone, change and any metallic jewelry into your carry-on bag. Wearing slip-on, slip-off shoes also helps. Q: What if I miss my flight? A: Passengers have been missing flights. For now, airlines have been finding space for them on later flights. But during the busiest summer travel days there are very few empty seats to accommodate anybody who misses a flight. __ Follow Scott Mayerowitz at twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/scott-mayerowitz British Airways is launching its longest ever long-haul flight to Santiago, Chile. The airline will fly four times a week direct to the Chilean capital, a journey of 14 hours, 40 minutes nearly an hour longer than its current longest flight, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The new route utilizes Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner planes, which boast a four-class cabin complete with a completely revamped new First cabin. According to a Britsh Airways press release, the new first cabin is "a very private eight-suite space, with four additional storage areas around each seat, including an ottoman, a personal suiter, a locker for small personal effects and a device stowage space complete with device powering capability." Each seat will have a 23-inch fixed screen and a smart 'jog-dial' to manage the seat's recline, headrest and lumbar inflate and a global lighting control to set both ambient and reading lighting. In addition to noting Latin America's growing economy as a hub for business travel, British Airways chief executive Alex Cruz said, Chile is of enormous appeal to leisure travellers, especially those looking for adventure, exploration and experiences thanks to its outstanding and diverse natural beauty and attractions and its great food and wine. The service launches in January 2017 and special fares are available now from about $1,080. Drew Peterson -- the swaggering Chicago-area police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger fourth wife vanished in 2007 -- was sentenced to 38 years in prison on Thursday for murdering his third wife. The sentence came moments after Peterson shocked the courtroom with a rare public outburst of anger as he proclaimed his innocence in the death of Kathleen Savio. "I did not kill Kathleen!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, emphasizing every word. Peterson seemed to look across the courtroom at Savio's family. Savio's sister Susan Doman shot back "Yes, you did. You liar!" before the judge ordered sheriff's deputies to remove her from the courtroom. Illinois does not have the death penalty, and the 59-year-old Peterson had faced a maximum 60-year prison term. The judge gave him four years' credit for time he has served since his arrest. Jurors convicted Peterson in September in Savio's 2004 death. Neighbors found the 40-year-old's body in a dry bathtub at home with a gash on her head -- her hair soaked in blood. Peterson is also a suspect in the disappearance of Stacy Peterson -- who was 23-years-old when she vanished -- but he hasn't been charged in her case. It was her disappearance that led authorities to take another look at Savio's death and eventually reclassify it from an accident to a homicide. Fascination nationwide with Drew Peterson arose from speculation he sought to us family members told the judge Thursday that they hoped she was somehow watching the proceedings. "I hope she is haunting him in his dreams," said Henry Savio Jr., the victim's brother. "I hope ... she is watching his descent into hell." Savio added his only consolation was that Peterson would be "rotting in prison for the rest of his life." The verdict was a vindication for Glasgow and his team, who gambled by putting on a case they conceded was filled with holes. Prosecutors had no physical evidence tying Peterson to Savio's death and no witnesses placing him at the scene. They were forced to rely on typically barred hearsay -- statements Savio made to others before she died and that Stacy Peterson made before she vanished. Illinois passed a hearsay law in 2008 tailored to Drew Peterson's case, dubbed "Drew's Law," which assisted in making some of the evidence admissible at Peterson's trial. The hearsay -- any information reported by a witness not based on the witness' direct knowledge -- included a friend testifying that Savio told her Peterson once put a knife to her throat and warned her, "I could kill you and make it look like an accident." A turning point at the trial came when the defense called a divorce attorney who said he spoke to Stacy Peterson before she vanished. Rather than blunting her credibility, the witness stressed to jurors that Stacy Peterson seemed to truly believe her husband killed Savio. Earlier Thursday, Judge Edward Burmila denied a defense request to grant Drew Peterson a retrial. Peterson's current attorneys contended his former lead attorney, Joel Brodsky, botched the initial trial and had been the one to decide to call Smith to the stand. Brodsky stepped down from the defense team in November, as his quarrel with Peterson's current lawyers worsened. Prosecutors suspect Peterson killed his sandy-haired fourth wife because she could finger him for Savio's death, but her body has never been found and no charges have ever been filed. Jurors weren't supposed to link her disappearance to Savio's death, and prosecutors were prohibited from mentioning the subject. Peterson has maintained his fourth wife ran off with another man and is still alive. Peterson's attorneys have said they might appeal all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court on grounds Illinois' hearsay law is unconstitutional. Authorities charged Drew Peterson -- a former Illinois cop convicted of murdering his third wife and the prime suspect in his fourth wife's disappearance -- with trying to hire a hit man to kill the lead prosecutor in his ex-wife's murder trial. Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy R. Walker on Monday filed a two-count criminal information against 61-year-old Peterson, charging him with one count of solicitation of murder for hire and one count of solicitation of murder, both Class X felonies. The charges allege that between September 2013 and December 2014, Peterson plotted to hire a hit man to kill Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, the prosecutor who led the 2012 trial that resulted in Peterson being convicted of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Peterson, who is currently incarcerated at the Menard Correctional Center, made an initial appearance on the charges Monday at the Randolph County Courthouse. A preliminary hearing is set for March 3 at 10 a.m. The case will be jointly prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General's Office and the Randolph County State's Attorney's Office. The charges allege that between September 2013 and December 2014, Peterson solicited an unnamed individual to carry out a murder-for-hire plot against Glasgow. Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police officer, is serving a 38-year prison sentence after being convicted in the 2004 drowning death of Savio. An investigation into Savio's death was reopened after Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, disappeared in 2007. Authorities have said they believe Stacy Peterson is dead and that Drew Peterson is a suspect, but he hasn't been charged in that case. Savio was found dead inside a waterless bathtub inside her home, her hair soaked in blood, in what the coroner ruled at the time was an accidental drowning. A neighbor and friend who discovered the body testified during the trial that he saw a cut on Savio's head and bruising on her wrists. After Peterson's fourth wife mysteriously disappeared in October 2007, authorities exhumed Savio's remains. Prosecutors argued at trial that Savio's death was a murder staged to look like an accident. They suggested Peterson killed Savio because he feared their pending divorce settlement would wipe him out financially. Peterson has claimed that Stacey Peterson, a 23-year-old mother of two, ran off with another man -- an argument neither the police nor her family say they believe. A shuttle bus carrying nearly two dozen people returning from a women's church retreat overturned on a highway in Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains, leaving six people seriously injured and 14 with more minor injuries. The bus turned on its side across State Route 330 shortly after 2 p.m., San Bernardino County Fire Capt. Jeremy Kern said. The bus carrying 22 people was one of several buses transporting about 200 women who were returning Sunday from an annual mountain retreat to their church in Downey, California, a church official said. "We got the news right after regular Sunday Service," Robert Acosta, assistant to the senior pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Ministerios Llamada Final, told the San Bernardino Sun. "It was unnerving, but we immediately pulled together." All 20 of the injured were taken to hospital by ground ambulance and all were expected to survive, Kern said. Two people aboard were not injured. Authorities had initially reported an overall injury toll of 26. At one point as it was coming down the mountain, the 2000 El Dorado bus made contact with a Nissan Versa sedan, California Highway Patrol spokesman Juan Quintero said. No one in the car was hurt. The CHP is investigating the cause. The highway was shut down for hours for a 16-mile stretch near Highland. The bus was lying on its right side diagonally across the road and blocking the entire highway. The crash site is about 60 miles east of Los Angeles and about 20 miles from the site of a 2013 bus crash on another highway in the San Bernardino Mountains. Eight people were killed in that crash of a tour bus from Tijuana, Mexico. The suspect wanted in the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts police officer during a traffic stop was shot and killed after an exchange of gunfire Sunday as authorities closed in on him just seven miles from site of the initial shooting, officials said. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, burst out of a closet and opened fire on the officers as they approached him inside a duplex apartment in Oxford, authorities said at a news conference. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. Authorities said Zambrano had an extenisve criminal history, including charges for drug distribution. WFXT reported that Zambrano had been arrested by Massachusetts State Police within the ast week. BREAKING: Sources say Auburn police officer shot overnight has died. https://t.co/sVXcclCLeq pic.twitter.com/yXKK0cc0QI FOX25 News Boston (@fox25news) May 22, 2016 A Massachusetts state trooper who was wounded in the shootout was hospitalized, but was up and walking later in the evening, officials said. His name wasn't released, but he was identified as an 18-year State Police veteran and a former Navy SEAL. Zambrano's death ended a manhunt that began approximately 18 hours earlier, when Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino, 42, was shot dead during a traffic stop at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. "I'm extremely proud of the work done by every trooper and officer involved in today's investigation and tactical operation," said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Richard McKeon. "My pride is outweighed only by my sorrow for the Tarentino family and the Auburn police, and my concern over our injured trooper." Tarentino joined the Auburn Police Department two years ago from the Leicester, Mass., department, Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis said. Tarentino leaves behind a wife and three children. Our thoughts and prayers are with @AuburnMAPolice as they mourn the loss of one of their officers who was killed overnight. Arlington Police (@ArlingtonMAPD) May 22, 2016 After the manhunt, officials assured Massachusetts residents that they were safe. "The threat he (Zambrano) posed to our community is now over," Sluckis said. "We now continue the process of speaking for Officer Tarentino by continuing to investigate all the facts and circumstances of his homicide. We owe his family a thorough accounting of everything that occurred." State and local police officers lined up outside of the hospital Sunday as a police vehicle, escorted by a procession, took Tarentino's body to the state medical examiner's office in Boston, where the vehicle was met by another large contingent of officers. Tarentino was the second police officer to die in the line of duty in Massachusetts this year. State police Trooper Thomas Clardy was killed March 16 when his cruiser was struck by another vehicle. Outside the Auburn police station, the American flag was lowered to half-staff. The town's residents left bouquets of flowers and miniature American flags piled at the bottom of a stone monument dedicated to law enforcement officers who've been killed in the line of duty. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click here for more from Fox 25 Boston. Click for more from The Boston Herald. Five people were killed Monday in a fiery plane crash on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, officials said. Fire officials told KHON-TV the crash of the home-built plane happened just outside the fence line of the Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe, Hawaii. The crash took place around 9:30 a.m. local time during a skydiving tour, KHON reported. The pilot, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers were believed to be in the plane at the time of the crash. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while one adult male was transported to a hospital where he was then pronounced dead, according to KHON. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor told the Honolulu Star Advertiser that the single-engine home-built Vans RV6 crashed under unknown circumstances while taking off from the airport. The group was believed to have been part of a tour operated by SkyDive Kauai, county firefighters said. The company offers tours from Port Allen. SkyDive Kauai is listed in state documents as a trade name for D & J Air Adventures, which FAA records identify as the registered owner of the aircraft. Company President David Timko said he didn't have any comment because the crash is under investigation. But he said he offers his condolences to the families of those killed. Kauai firefighters said the identities of the dead haven't been released. Click for more from KHON2.com. Click for more from The Honolulu Star Advertiser. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Speaking at the White House on Monday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch asked for "thoughts and prayers" for the family of a Massachusetts police officer shot and killed during a routine traffic stop one day earlier. "As many of us know, we did lose another police officer just last evening in the state of Massachusetts. A Massachusetts police officer was killed on a routine traffic stop - Officer Ron Tarentino Jr. And I know some of you are aware of this but I ask that you all keep Officer Tarentino and his family in your thoughts and prayers because they're on that difficult road now," Lynch said during remarks on the state of policing around the country. Police said 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano killed the officer during an early morning traffic stop Sunday. Police killed him later in the day during a shootout that wounded a state trooper. Referring to the trooper, Lynch added, "I ask that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers also." The name of the 18-year veteran and former U.S. Navy Seal wasn't released. Zambrano burst out of a bedroom closet and opened fire on officers Sunday evening as they approached him inside a duplex apartment in Oxford, investigators said. Oxford is about 7 miles south of Auburn, where the police officer was shot and killed. "The suspect appeared from inside a closet and fired on the troopers, striking one of them," State Police Colonel Richard McKeon said. "The STOP (State Police Special Tactical Operations) team returned fire and struck the suspect." Zambrano, who authorities said had a criminal history, was taken to a hospital, where he died. The injured trooper suffered a gunshot wound to his left shoulder and underwent surgery late Sunday night. Officials said they expected him to make a full recovery. "I'm extremely proud of the work done by every trooper and officer involved in today's investigation and tactical operation," McKeon said. "My pride is outweighed only by my sorrow for the Tarentino family and the Auburn police, and my concern over our injured trooper." The violent end to the manhunt came nearly 18 hours after Officer Ronald Tarentino was shot dead by Zambrano during a traffic stop at about 12:30 a.m. in Auburn, authorities said. The 42-year-old Tarentino was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had been with the Auburn police force for two years, and before that worked with the Leicester Police Department in his hometown. He leaves behind a wife and three children. Officials said Zambrano fled the scene after the shooting. They later learned that he was at the Oxford duplex and spotted what they believed was his vehicle parked behind the building. It remained unclear why Zambrano may have shot Tarentino or why he went to the duplex. After the manhunt, officials assured Massachusetts residents that they were safe. State and local police officers lined up outside of the hospital Sunday as a police vehicle, escorted by a procession, took Tarentino's body to the state medical examiner's office in Boston, where the vehicle was met by another large contingent of officers. Tarentino was the second police officer to die in the line of duty in Massachusetts this year. State police Trooper Thomas Clardy was killed March 16 when his cruiser was struck by another vehicle. Outside the Auburn police station, the American flag was lowered to half-staff. The town's residents left bouquets of flowers and miniature American flags piled at the bottom of a stone monument dedicated to law enforcement officers who've been killed in the line of duty. Fox News' Matt Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A judge in Baltimore Monday found a police officer not guilty on all charges against him in connection with the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, months after another officer's trial ended in a hung jury. Meanwhile, riot-trained officers from outside Baltimore started to arrive in the city in case of any unrest. Officer Edward Nero faced second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. Prosecutors said the 30-year-old unlawfully arrested Gray without probable cause and was negligent when he didn't buckle the prisoner into a seat belt. "Officer Edward Nero, his wife and family are elated that this nightmare is finally over," defense attorney Marc Zayon responded. In a lengthy analysis read from the bench, Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams said Nero's partner, Officer Garrett Miller, detained and arrested Gray himself. Williams said Nero did not act "corruptly" with an intent to commit a crime. He also said the state failed to prove that Nero was informed and aware of an updated transport policy regarding seat belts. "As the eyes of the nation are upon us, I have no doubt we will all exhibit behaviors that represent the very best of Baltimore," Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said. "Although the criminal case against Officer Edward Nero has come to a close, the internal investigation has not. With that, Officer Nero's status will remain unchanged. He will remain in an administrative capacity while this investigation continues," police spokesman T.J. Smith added. "Officer Nero is relieved that for him, this nightmare is nearing an end. Being falsely charged with a crime, and being prosecuted for reasons that have nothing to do with justice, is a horror that no person should ever have to endure," the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police responded. As the verdict was read, Nero dropped his head down and his attorney placed a hand on his back. The courtroom was quiet. When the judge said he was not guilty, Nero stood up and hugged his attorney, and appeared to wipe away a tear. Several angry protesters surrounded Nero's brother as he left the courthouse protected by armed security officers, shouting "no justice, no peace." "This is our American system of justice and police officers must be afforded the same justice system as every other citizen in this city, state, and country... In the case of any disturbance in the city, we are prepared to respond. We will protect our neighborhoods, our businesses, and the people of our city," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. Nero opted for a bench trial rather than a jury trial. A judge declared a mistrial for Officer William Porter in December. Gray died April 19, 2015, a week after his neck was broken in the back of a police transport van while he was handcuffed and shackled but left unrestrained by a seat belt. His death set off more than a week of protests followed by looting, rioting and arson that prompted a citywide curfew. His name became a rallying cry in the growing national conversation about the treatment of black men by police officers. Tessa Hill-Aston, president of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP, said the case "speaks to a lack of training, lack of protocol" that officers didn't see that Gray should've been buckled into the seat. On the morning of April 12, 2015, Nero, Miller and Lt. Brian Rice were on patrol in Baltimore's high-crime area of the Western District when Rice made eye contact with Gray and he ran away. Rice called for backup, and Miller and Nero responded. According to testimony, Miller, who'd jumped off his bicycle, caught up with Gray and placed him in handcuffs. Nero's attorney, Marc Zayon, said Nero touched Gray to help him up from the ground after he'd been handcuffed and was asking for an inhaler. Gray was placed in the back of the transport van, seated on the wagon's bench. A few blocks away the van stopped, and Rice and Miller took Gray, who police said had been kicking, screaming and shaking the van, out of the wagon, placed him in leg irons and replaced his metal cuffs with plastic ones. The officers, with Nero's help, loaded Gray back into the van, sliding him into the compartment on his belly and head-first. That was the second and last time Nero touched Gray, his attorney said during the trial. Prosecutors said the officers should never have arrested Gray without first patting him down to determine whether or not he was armed and dangerous. In failing to do so, the officers violated the rules for a routine stop. Without probable cause, Gray never should have been taken into custody, they said. The judge disagreed. Shortly after Gray's death, State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged six officers. Three of them are black; Nero and two others are white. The other officers are set to have separate trials over the summer and into the fall. The assault charge against Nero carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and reckless endangerment carried a punishment of up to five years. Nero's attorney argued his client didn't arrest Gray and that it was the police van driver's responsibility to buckle in detainees. The judge said police training materials dealing with transport safety were clearly aimed at drivers. The defense also sought to convince the judge that the department's order requiring that all inmates be strapped in was more suggestion than rule because officers were expected to act with discretion based on the circumstances of each situation. Fox News' Griff Jenkins, Kara Rowland, Leland Vittert and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reeling from an exploding homicide rate, Las Vegas is pointing a finger to the west, where California has implemented two laws easing sentences and parole conditions for prison inmates. So far this year, Sin City has seen 66 homicides, up from 29 for the same period in 2015. Metro Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told the Las Vegas Suns editorial board this week the crime spike can be traced to laws passed in neighboring California to shorten prison sentences for criminals deemed nonviolent. "We have seen individuals directly related to California committing crimes here in substantial numbers," Lombardo said. Nevada police did not back down after Lombardos charge ignited a border war of words. Las Vegas, like many large cities in the U.S. is experiencing a rise in crime, Larry Hadfield, spokesman for the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, told FoxNews.com. We are seeing an influx of persons being arrested or involved in violent crimes from California. Many of these people have current ties or past affiliations with gangs out of California. California Proposition 47, which passed in late 2014, allowed some nonviolent felony sentences, including drug possession and petty theft, to be reduced to misdemeanors. The 2011 California Public Safety Realignment Act transferred some felons deemed nonviolent from state to county jails and reportedly reduced parole times. Hadfield acknowledged there are no hard statistics proving a direct link between the rise in violent crime in Las Vegas and Californias early-release programs. Overall, the Las Vegas crime rate, also including robberies, home invasions and sexual assaults, is up 22 percent this year. Sal LaBarbera, retired detective supervisor with the LAPDs Criminal/Gang Homicide Division, noted that while it is difficult to track, Lombardo does make a sound assumption. Many of our murder suspects have connections to Las Vegas, he said. It is not unusual for our suspects to flee to Vegas. Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Probation Department Reaver Bingham cautioned against linking rising crime to the legal reforms, but said the 2011 California law could be having a greater impact on Nevada than Proposition 47. Bingham told FoxNews.com that between 40 and 50 parolees from Los Angeles alone fled to Las Vegas since the law was signed. He said that due to the efforts of a joint operation those individuals are known to Nevada authorities. To date, 27 have been arrested and either returned to California or now await return. FBI spokeswoman Bridget Pappas said such cooperation between local police jurisdictions is crucial to meet the challenges of the current environment. Police on the streets of Las Vegas have a better view of whats going on than criminologists and data crunchers, said retired California-based FBI agent Robert Chacon. The Vegas cops are the ones who are out there every night dealing with these people in the streets, Chacon said. They know where these people are coming from because they are actually talking to them face-to-face, even the ones they dont arrest. If the street cops are saying they have seen an increase in contacts or arrests from Californians let out under the prop, it is pretty hard to argue that isnt a cause, he said. Yet staunch supporters of Californias efforts to slash prison overcrowding claim that Nevadas finger-pointing is illogical. Prop 47 is based on releasing non-violent criminals so that there is more bed space for the violent ones, said constitutional attorney George Mull. It is overkill for authorities to say that we are releasing a ton of violent criminals who are then causing crime rates to rise in Nevada. California over-incarcerates and that costs the taxpayer a lot of money. Prop 47 is a positive step. Mark Chaparian, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, said the answers to Las Vegas crime increase must come from within the city and state. We cant control California, but we can take control of what is happening in Nevada, he said, advocating more police on the streets and the re-establishment of a Las Vegas police gang unit. Chaparian also said Nevada has decreased its own prison population estimating that there are around 600 fewer criminals behind bars than a year ago due to cuts. Hatfield acknowledged that the gambling mecca was hit hard by the recession, which drove some of the cuts. LVMPD is currently staffed at only 1.7 officers per 1,000 people, he said. Las Vegas gets 40 million visitors a year. It is a proven police motto that more officers equals less crime, he said. Jamie Brennan contributed to this report. Vietnam veteran Roberto Gonzalez's final wish was granted Saturday when he was reunited with his beloved horses -- Ringo and Sugar -- outside of a Texas VA hospital. Gonzalez, of Premont, Texas, who was shot and paralyzed during the war, was wheeled outside the front doors of Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio where he was greeted by the horses he had raised for decades, mySA.com reported. Gonzalez, who was one of the hospital's first patients when it opened in 1974, had asked his family to see his horses one last time. The family passed along the request to hospital staff who gladly obliged. Ringo and Sugar then made the 150-mile trip to the hospital to see him. "Horses are his life," his wife, Rosario Gonzalez, told KABB. "We've been training and raising horses for 30, 40 years." The South Texas Veterans Health Care System posted a photo of the meeting on its Facebook page on Sunday, calling Gonzalez a great American and identifying him as one of the first patients at the hospital. "A heartfelt Thank you, to all at Audie L. Murphy V A Hospital," Rosario Gonzalez posted in response. "A special thank you to the spinal cord staff, all of you became a part of our family. "The care you have been giving my husband and to me goes above and beyond," she wrote. "You are our angels God Bless you all." Gonzalez reportedly learned that his kidneys and liver were failing when he recently visited the hospital for a back wound. "He never let his injuries slow him down. He loved horses, he loved cattle, he loved ranching and farming. He was proud to serve his country," Rosario Gonzalez told ABC affiliate KSAT. Gonzalez's May 21 visit with the horses came 46 years to the day after he was wounded in Vietnam. His wife told local media stations that her husband was one of the only licensed, handicapped horse trainers in Texas. "When the horse came up to him he actually opened his eyes. They came up to him and I think they were actually kissing him," Gonzalez told News4SA.com. What do Eva Longoria, social entrepreneurship,and $1 million dollars of funding have in common? The ability to significantly impact social enterprise and perhaps the worlds future. Longoria was announced as one of three judges in "The Venture" -- Chivas Regals search to find and support the most innovative startups from across the world. Alongside judges Joe Huff (Founder of LSTN Sound Co.), Sonal Shah (founding Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation) and Alexandre Ricard ( Pernod Ricard Chairman and CEO), Longoria will be tasked with dividing a portion of Chivas $1 million fund amongst "The Venture" finalists -- inspirational social entrepreneurs who aim to succeed in business while having a positive impact on the lives of others. There are so many companies that dont understand social responsibility and giving back, so when I heard of Chivas The Venture I was intrigued because my life is focused on entrepreneurship and philanthrophy, so this is a personal interest of mine, Longoria states. Related: Expert Tips To Excel In Social Entrepreneurship She sees her role on the panel of judges as one of mutual benefit, bringing her research and experiences in entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures to the event while meeting other promising social entrepreneurs from around the world. Using business as a force for good is not only a passion of mine but, really, its the only way that were going to change the world. While your business may not have started out as a social enterprise, that doesnt mean you cant add in some elements of social entrepreneurship. Want your business to be more socially conscious? Here are four steps you can take to make social responsibility a priority in your business. 1. Start from within. Examine your processes, the inputs, and the outputs. Are you sourcing from fair labor areas? Do you use sustainable products? Can you create a point-of-purchase opportunity where a percentage goes to a cause that is authentic to your program and brand? A great example of this is Toms. You buy a pair of shoes, and a pair of shoes is provided for a child in need. Toms is a great example of a business build with social responsibility in mind from the onset, Longoria states, To create a full-circle social business plan, social consciousness needs to be in the DNA of your company. 2. Think local, impact global. Although your business may physically exist in and you may serve a local community, your impacts can go far beyond. A product, process, system or service you create can perhaps solve an issue in another community. One of the most exciting aspects of being asked to judge, states Longoria, is the ability to see how a product created with one community in mind can impact so many other areas. Related: Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Social Entrepreneur? Many people talk about the global economy but its really the global community. You may be in South Dakota, but your neighbor could be as close as China in a global world. 3. Insert social elements into your process. Finalist Jaco Gerrits of CrashDetch from South Africa shares, Ive always loved the idea that entrepreneurship and business can be used as a force for good. As an entrepreneur Im continuously on the lookout for how to solve problems in new and unique ways. There are few things as rewarding as the ability to positively contribute to the lives of others, whilst doing what you love. Look at your processes and see where you could shift responsibilities or open opportunities. Longoria shared the example of a lingerie company in Venezuela that outsources the finishing touches on pieces, such as beading and embroidery, to women in impoverished areas. This creates jobs -- a sign of a functioning economy -- and provides opportunities for others through paying a fair wage and bettering the surrounding communities in which the company operates. 4. Know your purpose, your why. I get what you make, but why are you making it? And who are you making it for? Those are simple but big questions, Longoria says. Citing Simon Sineks TED talk Start with Why, she adds Like Sinek mentions, its not just what you make, or how you make it, but why you make it that matters. The why is your purpose and is a huge driver of social entrepreneurship and social consciousness. This why often involves an outside-in approach. Related: 5 Social Entrepreneurship Essentials Finalist Oscar Andres Mendez Gerardino, Columbia, Conceptos Plasticos S.A.S. agrees. To create a social enterprise you need to think about other people, understand their situation and understand that what isnt good for you, isnt good for anyone. Connecting the dots. Social entrepreneurship doesnt happen in isolation. Bringing these challenges, processes and ideas to the forefront is how we create more meaningful and lasting impacts. Longoria is honored to be a part of this space and be a champion social entrepreneurial ventures. The great thing about this experience is that its really connecting the dots. Its exciting to be a part of giving people the platform to share their ideas and in doing so the ideas being shared will help others think about and tackle a range of social issues. As a judge Im really just one of the many dots that is being connected. If you want to see how 27 finalists from around the world present their ideas, receive feedback from judges, and pitch their plans for a piece of the $1 million in funding, follow the show at TheVenture.com where you can vote for your favorite social enterprise from now until June 13. A Virginia teenager and his father said they came across a man who had just crashed his car, and stopped to make sure he wasn't too badly hurt -- unaware that he was suspected in a jewelry store robbery and shootout hours earlier on Saturday. Police said the unnamed suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer, leaving a bystander seriously hurt in the Washington suburb of Springfield. Kevin Greer and his son, Andrew, told Fox 5 they saw the suspect's car veer off the road. The father called 911. "At that point, I had asked my son to go over and make sure this individual was all right." Andrew Greer said the suspect didn't make eye contact. "It was all very sudden. I was only over there maybe 30 seconds and in that 30 seconds I only saw him for about three before he turned around and started getting his stuff." Police were called shortly after noon to the jewelry store at the Brookfield Plaza shopping center. Police said an officer saw a man exit the store and confronted him. Police said the suspect fired at the officer, who shot back. They said the robber escaped in a car that crashed, then carjacked another vehicle, crashed that one, and ran away. That's when the Greers said they saw him. The suspected gunman apparently fired the bullet that wounded the bystander who was driving by, officers said. They called the injury life-threatening. Police said the suspect appeared to be a black man in his 20s or 30s, and initially wore brown clothes. The Greers said they would not let this encounter keep them from being Good Samaritans again. "I would always help those in need," the father said. Click for more from Fox 5. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Since childhood, I was always fascinated by the stories of great explorers like Edmund Hillary, Neil Armstrong and other extraordinary pioneers of the past. I was particularly appealed by the adventures of Sir Douglas Mawson and his expeditions in the Antarctic. What most attracted me about Mawson was his determination, tenacity, leadership and survival instincts to explore unchartered territories during the heroic age of Antarctic exploration in the early 20th century. Fast forward 100 years, and I was honored to meet Australian serial entrepreneur and adventurer Julio De Laffitte in an exclusive radio interview. I was keen to explore Julios legacy behind his new venture, Unstoppables -- a movement dedicated to "igniting the entrepreneurial spirit and taking entrepreneurs, business owners and investors to the next level through the power of collaboration." Related: 3 Ways Your Social Business Will Be Better Than a Charity 1. Collaboration: a new currency In an opening statement, Julio focuses on the importance of collaboration. He confidently claims that collaboration is the new currency of the 21st century -- a core ingredient in establishing solid connections and achieving sustainable outcomes amongst business leaders around the world. He goes further to say that "collaboration is worth more than money." Despite the benefits of collaboration, Julio also warns that this new currency poses a set of new challenges for entrepreneurs -- especially for the business leaders who are reluctant to proactively and genuinely address global issues affecting humanity. Julio's simple solution to this complex problem was to bring entrepreneurs together in one environment and encourage adventure, foster comradery, and create long lasting relationships in remote and exotic locations like Antarctica and the Amazon. 2. Adventure: the antidote for change Julio believes that business leaders must foster their wisdom and ingenuity to yield sustainable change. Essentially, disrupting the traditional thought process opens up a channel of new opportunity, as well as a genuine desire and commitment towards solving global issues like climate change, conservation, poverty, etc. Julio warns however that pioneering and stimulating change always carries a high degree of risk. In a traditional business environment, most business leaders would prefer to remain cautious and adopt the status-quo approach to decision-making to avoid ridicule, criticism and even failure. Julio believes that "fear is the common denominator that limits progress." However, in a unique and exhilarating environment like Antarctica, traditional business owners transform into "social entrepreneurs," who are prepared to innovate and find sustainable solutions to global challenges. I personally believe that Julios recipe to social entrepreneurship is about increasing the drive and passion of business leaders through adventure and team work. Related: 5 Things Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Fishermen 3. A recipe for success The Unstoppables maiden adventure in Antarctica in 2015 yielded outstanding outcomes. From a statistical perspective, the results were staggering, with over 98 businesses created in a period of 10 days amongst 105 entrepreneurs. 15 million dollars were invested in each of these businesses, $32 million was offered in sponsorship, and many commercially viable outcomes were yielded as a result. The second voyage in the Amazon in February 2016 also yielded similar outcomes. An example includes the development of high-tech drones by Western Australian firm Airscope Industries, with the aim of conducting inspections of wind turbines, oil rigs, conveyer belts, sewage plants, etc, as well as the monitoring of sharks in open waters. This innovation has encouraged Julio himself to seriously invest in the company and confidently accept the role as one of the directors. Looking into the future, Julio also believes the success of such new-age ventures goes beyond internal investors and stakeholders. In addition, it will largely pivot on crowdsourcing, value chain and Bitcoin to help external investors and the public take part in these social entrepreneurial initiatives on a global scale. 4. Instincts of social entrepreneurs "The natural instinct of an animal is to survive within a sustainable ecosystem," says Julio. For the social entrepreneur, the instinct "is about generating social awareness, and do whatever possible to innovate, disrupt traditional work practices and provide sustainable solutions to our fragile planet." Sharing ideas, disrupting the thought process and developing sustainable solutions in a fragile environment like Antarctica is a formula that works well. This is in contrast to capitalism and traditional work practices whose primary objective or mission is about generating profit and market share simply to benefit the shareholders earnings or back pocket. Related: 6 Founders Whose Companies Are Making a Big Difference in the World The movement continues The Unstoppables movement hinges around amazing people going to amazing places, to produce amazing results, says Julio. I believe its also about people working on the edge of discomfort, and experiencing results beyond the ordinary; taking the ultimate leap of faith into the unknown for the benefit of future human civilization. Plans are currently underway for a third voyage in 2017. Kentucky State University President Raymond Burse is resigning at the end of this week. In a statement released Monday, Burse says he decided that the "further demands and challenges of Kentucky State must be undertaken by new leadership." A Harvard-educated lawyer, Burse was named Kentucky State president in October 2014 after a short interim period and made headlines when he gave up $90,000 of his presidential salary to boost the wages of university workers. Burse also served a term as president of the traditionally African-American university in the 1980s. The university was spared from a recent round of funding cuts imposed by Gov. Matt Bevin. Burse says in the statement he decided to leave the job after nearly six months of personal assessments and evaluations. His last day is Friday. Lawmakers in Montgomery County, Maryland, the leafy and liberal suburb of Washington, D.C., want to expand a free meals program to feed kids on the weekends. The proposal calls for $150,000 to feed more than 1,000 students on Saturdays and Sundays. The Montgomery County Council also recently proposed spending $400,000 to add a bus line that would serve 45 people. It has proposed two tax increases to fund these projects a 6.4 percent hike in residential property taxes and an increase in taxes on home sales. We dont want to victimize the children, Craig Rice, chair of the councils Education Committee, told a D.C.-based radio station. If the children are going hungry, then we need to solve that for them. The question is whether this really solves it. Taxpayers already underwrite meals for students all week long through school lunch and breakfast programs. Many of these programs are rife with fraud and waste, and they are used extensively by people who are not supposed to be eligible for public benefits such as illegal immigrants. Now, the county proposes to feed poor children on the weekends as well. This country is a generous one charities, humanitarian organizations, religious institutions, and governments at all levels feed millions of people every day and may this ever be so. And the council member is correct, of course, that no children should go hungry in this country. Period. But if parents cant afford to feed their own children even on the weekends even for just two days there is something else going on here. Are they fit to be parents? The question must be asked. Many people need a temporary hand up but this program will attract those who look at it as a permanent source of food and public assistance for their children on the weekends forever after. When a parent has five days a week in meals already covered by the government and cant even cover the weekends, it means they cannot feed their children at all. That is parental neglect, and government ought to deal with that appropriately and aggressively. Contrast this with another news story coming out of the same county that of kids hauled to the police station and their parents accused of neglect because they let the kids walk one mile home from the local park. Why is the government going after these free-range children on the one hand, but seeking to feed thousands of kids every day of the week on the other? Because one embodies resistance to government control and one requires it in exchange for food. Build that dependency now and you will have a pro-dependency, pro-handout voter for life. I met a public school principal in central Florida who provided a package for each child to put in her or his backpack every Friday. Why? Some children would not eat a real meal until Monday. To avoid embarrassing hungry children, each child received a package, Gerard Robinson, former commissioner of education for the state of Florida, told LifeZette. That the county in Maryland already overspends and overtaxes to the point that it is quickly building a reputation as the least dynamic jurisdiction in the Washington area does not matter. That parents who can be trusted with kids should be able to feed them two days per week also does not matter. It doesnt even matter that the county wants to spend $400,000 to bus 45 people around. What matters is the governments habit of sinking its teeth into taxpayer wallets, absolving individuals of all their bad choices and making people depend on government for more and more. There are times when you have to make choices between being fiscally responsible and being socially responsible, and I think this is one of those times where being socially responsible is our highest priority, said Transportation Committee Chairman Roger Berliner, defending the bus line boondoggle. Really? Was the council being socially responsible or fiscally responsible when it voted itself a graduated 17.5 percent wage hike for 2017? What about when it proposed to take 6.4 percent more out of residents paychecks for a property tax hike? At what point will it become socially responsible to pressure bad parents to step up to their duties? Its already fiscally responsible. A Russian software company hired a heavy hitter when it prepared to go public on the New York Stock Exchange, naming former U.S. ambassador to Russia Thomas Pickering to its board of directors, according to newly revealed documents. The revelation, reported by McClatchyDC.com, is among the latest to emerge from the Panama Papers, a trove of more than 11 million documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm that specialized in helping the rich, famous and powerful set up offshore companies and bank accounts to avoid taxes. The documents show how Luxoft hired Pickering in 2013 as it geared up for an initial public offering. Pickering is not being accused of any wrongdoing, but the report does raise the curtain on high-level diplomats like him trading on their contacts and influence. Pickering, 84, served under six administrations and was U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, India, Israel, Jordan, Nigeria, Russia and to the United Nations from 1989-92. I disclosed about 150 interests, including that I was on this board, Pickering, who retired in 2001 and went on to work for Boeing and other international companies, told the news service. It is a Russian company and obviously for tax reasons or otherwise incorporated itself in Tortola, the British Virgin Islands. That I knew. And I didnt see any problem with that. Luxoft is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, but its operating headquarters are in Switzerland. Pickering, who said he donated his compensation to charity, is the highest-level former U.S. official to be linked to one of the offshore companies named in the Panama Papers. The documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca were leaked to an international group of reporters, including the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and McClatchy. Luxoft declined to comment. As a public company we do not respond to unsolicited enquiries of this nature, Natasha Ziabkina, general counsel of Luxoft Group, wrote in an email to McClatchy. Any material information about our company is disclosed through our publicly available securities filings. Luxoft officials, who had worked with Boeing, approached Pickering before the company went public, Pickering said. New York University law professor Stephen Gillers told McClatchy Pickerings relationship with Luxoft did not present an ethical dilemma. What else is new? asked Gillers. Yes, people sometimes use their former government experience to do exactly this. Luxoft also disclosed his role in its public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A new Mormon temple is opening soon in Philadelphia, and several friends of mine are over-the-moon excited about it. Im excited for them. Im Catholic, yet many of my local friends are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. These Mormon ladies have been talking about the new Philadelphia Temple for several years, and now its finally going to open this fall. When construction first began with the groundbreaking and dedication on September 17, 2011 (Constitution Day), it was thought that the 53,000-square-foot temple would be open by 2014. While these initial estimates were too ambitious, it seems fitting that the final dedication is now scheduled for September 18, 2016 (the closest Sunday to Constitution Day). The temple will be open to the public on August 10 until September 9 (the Open House is free, but reservations are required). MormonTemples.org, the official website for the open house, says tours will include a video and a description of the purpose of each room. After the temples dedication on September 18, only church members will be permitted inside following the dictates of LDS religious guidelines. John McElroy, the public affairs specialist of the Valley Forge Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, explained what sets the temple apart from the standard local buildings used for weekly worship and baptisms. Temple houses have strict ordinances and covenants that deal specifically with families, he said. He and his wife, Susan, converted nearly 40 years ago after they both graduated from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh and moved to Philadelphia to start their careers. The Philadelphia area was critical to the young church in the early 1800s, he told LifeZette. The Quaker community believed strongly in the freedom of religion and permitted the church to hold meetings locally without fear. He added, The opening of the temple in Philadelphia is exciting in so many ways. We believe the temple will bless the community in many ways and we look forward to working there frequently. When I asked a few friends to share their feelings about the new temple, I was struck by the unmasked joy that each person radiated when talking about it. Rachael White and her husband were raised Mormon and live in Springfield, Pennsylvania, with their two young children 115 miles away from the nearest temple in Manhattan. The Washington, D.C.-area temple (located in Kensington, Maryland) is 125 miles away. She said that once the Philadelphia temple opens, she looks "forward to visiting the temple more frequently and for more opportunities to serve the Lord." She explained that for Mormons, the temple is "God's house on earth." Being there, she said, fills her with spiritual contentment and a renewed devotion to working God's will in her life. Visiting the temple is different from attending Sunday worship services every week in the local ward or branch. A ward is a geographical area for a congregation; a branch is just a smaller version of a ward. Wards and branches are part of a larger organizational unit called a stake. It is loosely analogous to the way that Catholic parishes are part of a larger diocese or archdiocese. It seemed to me that going to the temple is for my friends what going to benediction and adoration is for me. Erynn Wilcox, another friend, is also eagerly anticipating the opening of the Philadelphia temple for the same reasons as Rachael White. "I'm excited that the architecture matches the beauty of historical colonial Philadelphia as homage to the birth of our nation," she said. My close friend Erin Traverso agreed, but also said, "A lot of people in Philadelphia are going to admire the temple for what it looks like on the outside. What I love, what I'm most excited for, is the peace we'll find inside of it. September can't come soon enough!" The events leading up to the opening include a cultural celebration on Saturday, September 17 the 229th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. Erin Traverso's son, Sam, will be performing in the celebration, along with nearly 2,000 other Mormon children ages 12 to 18 from four states: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. The event celebrates the cultural heritage of the Philadelphia region and will include narration, song, and dance. The new Mormon temple will bless my life in a personal way: My friends and I will be able to jump on the train for a visit to Philadelphia together and while I go to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, they'll go to the temple. After our spiritual refreshment, we'll then all meet up for lunch! Jewels Green is a mother, writer, public speaker and advocate for the right to life from conception to natural death. She lives in a suburb of Philadelphia. Apparently working your hardest to be the best you can be -- and being recognized for the effort -- is one lesson a North Carolina school board no longer believes is worth teaching. Citing what it calls "unhealthy" competition among students, the Wake County school board is the latest in the country to make valedictorians and salutatorians a thing of the past, The News & Observer of Charlotte reports. The school board unanimously gave initial approval last week to a policy that would prohibit high school principals from naming valedictorians and salutatorians titles reserved for the two graduating seniors with the highest grade-point averages after 2018, according to the newspaper. We have heard from many, many schools that the competition has become very unhealthy, school board Chairman Tom Benton told the paper. "Students were not collaborating with each other the way that we would like them to. Their choice of courses was being guided by their GPA and not their future education plans," Benton said. Critics of the change claim it is too "politically correct" and creates an everyone gets an award" mentality -- failing to fairly recognize those who achieve the highest grades. But school officials say singling out two people for their grade point averages just encourages students to take easy classes and to not help their classmates study. Click for more from The News & Observer Drew Peterson, the Illinois ex-cop convicted of murdering his third wife after his fourth wife went missing, plotted to kill a prosecutor because Peterson was motivated by "anger, hatred, revenge," the prosecution claimed as his murder-for-hire trial launched Monday. Peterson, 62, told a fellow inmate he was willing to pay $10,000 for the killing of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, the prosecution said. Glasgow testified Monday, recounting veiled threats Peterson made several years ago in court. Defense attorney Lucas Liefer warned that prosecutors would "sensationalize the heck out of this thing." Peterson was convicted in 2012 of first-degree murder in the 2004 death of his ex-wife, Kathleen Savio. His fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007, prompting officials to reopen their investigation into Savio's death. Savio's body turned up in a dry bathtub in her home outside Chicago, but investigators determined she'd drowned. At first, they said her death was an accident. Defense attorneys claimed police altered evidence in the murder case. They pushed for a re-trial, which the judge denied. Prosecutors said after Peterson was locked up, he recruited a prison informant known as "Beast," with whom he'd bonded over basketball and prison recipes, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Peterson faces a sentence of up to 60 years if convicted of both solicitation of murder for hire along with solicitation of murder. He is serving 38 years for Savio's death. During his sentencing in 2013, Peterson shouted, "I did not kill Kathleen!" Savio's sister Susan Doman responded, "Yes, you did. You liar!" Prosecutors had no physical evidence tying Peterson to Savio's death and no witnesses placing him at the scene. They were forced to rely on typically barred hearsay -- statements Savio made to others before she died and that Stacy Peterson made before she vanished. Illinois passed a hearsay law in 2008 tailored to Drew Peterson's case, dubbed "Drew's Law," which assisted in making some of the evidence admissible at Peterson's trial. The hearsay -- any information reported by a witness not based on the witness' direct knowledge -- included a friend testifying that Savio told her Peterson once put a knife to her throat and warned her, "I could kill you and make it look like an accident." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Pennsylvania man has been convicted in the murders of his neighbors, two sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker. Allen Wade is now facing the possibility of the death penalty. Allegheny County jurors on Monday convicted the 45-year-old Wade on all counts, including criminal homicide, robbery and burglary. Prosecutors say Wade shot 44-year-old Susan Wolfe and 38-year-old Sarah Wolfe after they returned from work on Feb. 6, 2014, then stole a bank card and withdrew $600. Wade's public defender argued that police rushed to judgment to charge Wade because of the prominence of their sister, Democratic Iowa state Rep. Mary Wolfe. Prosecutors are seeking a death sentence over life in prison without parole. A man accused of conspiring in a foiled plot to bomb a Kansas military base on behalf of the Islamic State group has pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Alexander E. Blair changed his plea to guilty Monday in a Topeka federal court. Prosecutors say Blair helped 21-year-old John T. Booker in his plot to plant a 1,000-pound bomb at the Fort Riley military base to aid the Islamic State group. Blair admitted in court that he loaned Booker $100 to secure a storage space for the explosives and failed to inform law enforcement of the plot. A court document states that Blair decided to change his plea because he believed that the government had collected enough evidence to convict him. Booker has pleaded guilty and admitted to the plot. A $100 real estate deal may have ended a potential constitutional crisis in a small Texas city. An atheist group sued Port Neches last fall over a 10-foot cement cross that stood in a public park for more than 45 years, saying its presence on public land violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. But the city short-circuited the lawsuit by selling the 400-square-foot plot where the cross stands to a local church. We found a section in the local government code that allows the sale of property to a religious organization, as long as that organization owns land within the municipality and theres an agreement to revitalize that land, Port Neches City Attorney Lance Bradley told 12News Now. The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation raised the issue last November, after it said it received a complaint from an unidentified citizen of the community of 13,000 near the East Texas city of Beaumont. The governments permanent display of a Latin cross on public land is unconstitutional, the group wrote in a letter to Port Neches Mayor Glenn Johnson. The display of this patently religious symbol on public property confers government endorsement of Christianity, a blatant violation of the Establishment Clause. The organization demanded the removal of the cross, sparking a backlash from area residents buoyed by a defiant Johnson. I want to make it perfectly clear to the citizens of Port Neches specifically that this mayor and this city council will not fold, it will not bend, it will not roll over, Johnson told reporters. Were going to fight this all the way. And if it goes to court, then it goes to court. And well fight it there as well. But the sale of the cross and the land on which it stands to First United Methodist Church of Port Neches seems to have satisfied all parties. We looked at a number of options and this is the direction that city council decided to proceed, City Manager Andre Wimer told ChristianNews.net. FFRF called the sale a victory, but expressed skepticism about the price. The action to remove the Christian symbol from the public park is certainly a step in the right direction, attorney Rebecca Markert told local television station KDFM. FFRF will be looking into the details of the land sale to ensure the law was followed. If it is determined that the sale did not go through the proper process and the purpose was to save a religious symbol, then its not a closed case. Mexican authorities say a total of six men were killed in shootings at two nightclubs in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz. One of the early Sunday incidents was at a nightclub in the state capital of Xalapa. The state prosecutor's office says gunmen opened fire from the deejay's booth on four men sitting at a table in the La Madame club, killing them. About a dozen people were wounded. Prosecutors say two more men died in a gunfight with law enforcement officers at a club in the Veracruz city of Orizaba. One of the dead was identified as organized crime figure Luis Alberto Carrera Rodriguez, alias "El Negro," or "Blackie." Al Qaeda has returned to its longtime base of operations in southern Afghanistan and is plotting new attacks against the West, fifteen years after being overrun by U.S.-led NATO forces following the 9/11 attacks, according to a published report. Britain's Daily Telegraph, citing Afghan security officials, reported Monday that Al Qaeda cells have moved back into southern Afghanistan following the withdrawal of most U.S. and allied troops in 2014. The report claimed that most of the cells are operating around the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, the spiritual home of the Taliban. The Telegraph reports that security officials believe that Al Qaeda's return to Afghanistan is the latest move to re-establish its strength after the killing of Usama bin Laden by Navy SEALs in 2011 and the rise of ISIS, a former Al Qaeda splinter group. The report comes days after a U.S. drone strike killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour. His death was hailed by Afghan leaders as a game-changer in efforts to end the long insurgent war plaguing the country. President Obama called Mansour "the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like Al Qaeda" In a statement, Obama called on the Taliban to "seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability." After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Al Qaeda operatives retreated across the border into remote areas of northwest Pakistan, where local tribal leaders hold more sway than the government in Islamabad. "Al Qaeda has been desperate to get back into Afghanistan ever since they were ejected after 9/11," Col. Richard Kemp, a former commander of British troops in Afghanistan, told the paper. "Now they are back they will be desperate to launch a high profile attack against the West." In addition to its numbers in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda is believed to have around 150 terrorists based in Syria and an unknown number based in Yemen, where an ongoing civil war between Iran-backed rebels and the Saudi-backed government has raged for 14 months. The U.S. currently maintains a force of approximately 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. A further drawdown to 5,500 troops is set for late this year or early 2017. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The Daily Telegraph. While tens of millions of people endure displacement, starvation and violent death from long-running wars and unexpected disasters, the United Nations is hosting an international humanitarian summit, hoping to shake up a tottering global aid system. But the much ballyhooed summit is taking place without President Obama or Russias Vladimir Putin. The U.N.s top humanitarian relief official, Stephen OBrien, has described the two-day Istanbul meeting, which continues through Tuesday, as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set in motion an ambitious and far-reaching agenda to change the way that we alleviate, and most importantly that we prevent, the suffering of the world's most vulnerable people. Whether the rest of the world agrees about the consequences of what the U.N. calls the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit is another question. Along with Obama and Putins absence, the conference will be missing representatives from one of the worlds most successful and dynamic relief organizations, Medicins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders, which pulled out of the summit earlier this month, calling it a fig leaf of good intentions. MSF declared it no longer had any hope that the U.N. gathering will address the weaknesses in humanitarian action and emergency response, particularly in conflict areas or epidemic situations which are its own focus. (MSF says it has had more than 50 of its workers killed in combat zones so far this year.) Our core competency is not squarely at the center of the agenda, says Jason Cone, executive director of MSFs U.S. section. While acknowledging the summit has other aims, he underlined a concern that the U.N. aid system in many areas is not reaching the needs of the people, and is really far removed from the day-to-day reality of most refugees. Cone indicated that a number of other humanitarian organizations, which had not joined in MSFs pullout, shared his organizations concerns. Donor fatigue has clearly set in. Less than 20 percent of the current U.N. humanitarian financial goal is so far funded. In the overwhelming Syrian regional disaster, less than a quarter of the $4.6 billion required for relief has so far appeared, according to the U.N.s Financial Tracking Service. Of another $3.2 billion required for Syria itself, only 14 percent is funded. The challenges that the summit meeting claims to be facing, however, are stark and still growing: some 60 million people displaced or otherwise gravely affected by what one aid official calls a gigantic spike in conflict-related violence; and tens of millions more affected by other social or natural disasters. The lack of resolution to long-running conflicts like those in Central African Republic, Liberia and Syria means that refugees also live in degraded, limbo status for much longer: currently an average of 17 years. Meantime, the bill to alleviate some of that suffering is rising steeply. In 2016, funding for humanitarian relief is already estimated by OBriens U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance at some $20.8 billion to help 90.1 million desperate people in 40 countries, virtually triple what was requested four years ago. Meantime, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has just launched a new appeal to make up a $500 million shortfall in providing the basics of shelter for some 2 million people. One reason for the shortfall is that the U.N. has largely kept returning to the same financial well. Five nations and groupsThe U.S., Britain, Germany, Japan and the European Commissionare always the Top Five among generous nations, followed by other Western nations and the global private sector. Chief among them, of course, is the U.S., which has already given or pledged some $2.4 billion in humanitarian aid so far this year. Last year, the U.S. gave $6.25 billion -- nearly one-third of the worlds relief giving. The U.S. has been the most generous donor in the world, says Jeremy Konyndyk, Director of USAIDs Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. We feel very strongly that we are doing our part. This is not a pledging conference. We are not making new pledges. Another reason, however, is concern with the way that U.N. agencies charged with delivering aid to the suffering, especially in conflict situations where one side is a U.N. member state, have performed at fulfilling those obligations -- especially in the worlds ugliest vortex of violence, Syria. And yet another reason may well be the kind of response to disaster that is reflected in the summit itself. The U.N. meeting has taken four years to organize, involved two years spent on an elaborate and vaporous consultation with more than 23,000 people around the world, and will embed the outcome in a thicket of other ongoing U.N. global improvement campaigns, ranging from its Sustainable Development Goals to global frameworks for disaster risk reduction. (Among other things, the consultations, the U.N. said, have generated a demand for a vision of a world whose fundamental humanity is restored, a world where no one confronted by crisis dies who can be saved, goes hungry, or is victimized by conflict because there is not enough political will or resources to help them.) U.N. officials declined to provide the cost of the gathering, saying that most of the funds had been provided by the host government of Turkey. A query from Fox News to Turkeys U.N. mission about the cost was not answered or acknowledged before this story was published. Even without hard figures, the lavish and extensive scale of the meeting underlines that its a very expensive, costly process, says Michael Bowers, vice-president of humanitarian leadership and response at Mercy Corps, a U.S. based non-government organization that provides humanitarian aid in some 40 countries. Mercy Corps is attending the summit, and attaches considerable importance to many of the objectives, but Bowers says, I would not be advocating this type of gathering to meet the acknowledged crisis. What is likely to ensue is more U.N. process. The summit will attempt to get governments around the world to endorse a series of non-binding and vague core commitments ostensibly along the far-reaching and preventive lines OBrien mentioned. These include: ? a new approach to the world refugee crisis that recognizes the needs of longer-term refugees; ? promises to address root causes of conflict and act early upon potential conflict situations to keep humanitarian catastrophes from growing; ? supporting countries that host large numbers of refugees with the necessary political, policy and financial support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact; ? promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law and other codes that supposedly keep civilians and aid workers from being attacked; ? and increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance. The commitments are supposed to drive further thinking on how to take the mission and make it real, observes Bowers, and also to involve as many groups as possible in that process. One of the core commitment hopes of the summit is that it will encourage rich Gulf states, as well as countries such as China, to join the humanitarian financing club on a more permanent basis, dig deeper -- as well as prompt new and innovative methods of financing relief efforts, and greater private sector involvement. There is a long way to go on that front. Last year, the United Arab Emirates ($722 million) and Saudi Arabia ($533 million), were also in the top roster of humanitarian donors. This year, neither one has made similar efforts, at least so far. U.N. officials talk of another summit purpose as helping to weld the humanitarian agenda to the development agenda-- long-term anti-poverty spending -- as a means of dealing with the mammoth size and duration of the refugee wave -- a viewpoint that is endorsed by many other relief organizations. According to USAIDs Konyndyk, improving the coherence between relief assistance and development assistance is a major U.S. aim at the meeting. Right now they dont interact very well, he told Fox News. This is particularly unhelpful when conflicts go on and on. Among other things, the summit will include the unveiling of a new international fund for education, under the auspices of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to help deal with the long-term effect of failure to provide educational services to the huge number of child refugees caught up in disaster. However, says Konyndyk, We are not looking at any major revamping of the system. We are looking differently at how U.N. agencies can work together. But the U.N. version of development refers to the large and wildly fragmented world of U.N. agencies, funds and programs devoted to economic and social welfare whose activities, according to one independent study done for the U.N., have never been formally defined to the point that there exists an agreed understanding on what they mean. And there has been considerable evidence that the development arms of the U.N. shop, led by the United Nations Development Program, dont accomplish their own aims that well. The biggest challenge to the elaborate pomp and circumstances of the Istanbul summit, which claims to be seeking solutions to root causes of the refugee crisis, is that the biggest cause of all is not yet addressed. There are, as yet, few signs of the political will needed to accomplish what the U.N. summit calls Core Responsibility 1 of leaders attending the meeting -- to prevent and end the wave of long and unresolved conflicts, in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere, that are currently driving the refugee catastrophe. Labelling a conference humanitarian almost guarantees it immunity from criticism, observes former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, a Fox News contributor. But if any discernible change emerges from this summit that could not have been accomplished in a less grandiose way, I will be stunned. George Russell is editor-at-large of Fox News and can be found on Twitter: @GeorgeRussell or on Facebook.com/GeorgeRussell A Muslim woman who was photographed taking selfies in front of a Belgian protest last week, earning her widespread praise for her cheerful stance against bigotry, reportedly praised Hitler and called for the killing of Jews in past Facebook posts. Zakia Belkhiri was photographed taking the selfies as she flashed a peace sign in front of Vlaams Belang protesters at the third annual Muslim Expo in Antwerp.The protests were part of the increasing resistance in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe to the flood of Muslim refugees pouring in from war-torn and poverty stricken countries in the Middle East and Africa. "How To Neutralize Anti-Islam Protesters with a Selfie," was the headline of a Vice.com article where the photos by Jurgen Augusteyns initially appeared. Belkhiri told the BBC she took the photos "to show that things can be different. And that we can live together, not next to each other but with each other." Social media commenters called Belkhiri "a badass" who put anti-Islamist protesters in their place. But the newfound notoriety brought scrutiny of Belkhiri's alleged Facebook and Twitter posts by Breitbart.com and other sites. Many were far more disturbing than anything Belkhiri was protesting. "Hitler didn't kill all the Jews, he left some," read one. "So we [would] know why he was killing them." A Facebook post attributed to Belkhiri said, "F---ing Jews, I hate them so much." Belkhiri briefly deactivated her Twitter account, then reactivated it to first deny the posts were hers and then to apologize and explain that she had meant "Zionists." The U.S. military launched airstrikes and advised Iraqi government forces in their push to recapture the city of Fallujah from Islamic State fighters Monday, a U.S. military spokesman based in Baghdad confirmed to Fox News. Government forces pushed ISIS militants from some agricultural areas outside the city Monday, Iraqi officials said. Col. Steve Warren said the U.S. was advising the Iraqis at operation centers in Baghdad and Taqaddum. Iranian-backed Shiite militias -- whose forces were located on the outskirts of town -- reportedly tried to play a role in the Fallujah operation, but Col. Steve Warren said the U.S. military would not support those forces. "We are not going to drop bombs in support of the Shiite militias," he told Fox News by phone. Warren estimated that there are between 500 and 1,000 ISIS fighters in Fallujah, along with 50,000 civilians. ISIS captured the city roughly 40 miles west of Baghdad in January 2014. Since May 17, U.S. airstrikes have destroyed 21 ISIS targets in Fallujah, Warren said. The U.S. support for the Iraqi military aimed to mirror recent operations that pushed ISIS out of the western town of Rutbah -- near Iraq's border with Jordan -- and Hit and Ramadi, also in Iraq's Anbar Province, according to Warren. Following a string of bombings that killed hundreds of Iraqis in Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad, the Iraqi government prioritized the operation to clear ISIS from Fallujah ahead of plans to recapture Mosul, located roughly 250 miles north of Baghdad. The commander of the Fallujah operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, could not say how long the offensive would take, citing terrain, the number of civilians in the city and bombs planted by the militants. Al-Saadi added that the first phase aimed to surround and bomb ISIS positions. Federal police battalion commander, 1st Lt. Ahmed Mahdi Salih, said ground fighting was taking place around the town of Garma, east of Fallujah, considered the main supply line for the militants. ISIS holds the center of Garma and some areas on its outskirts. Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who is in charge of paramilitary forces, said his troops recaptured at least three agricultural areas outside Garma. Al-Mardhi added that airstrikes and artillery shelling intensified against ISIS positions inside Fallujah. In the early days of the Sunni-led insurgency that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, Fallujah emerged as the main stronghold for different militant groups opposed to American forces. The main group was Al Qaeda in Iraq, which later spawned ISIS. Fallujah was the site of two bloody battles against U.S. forces in 2004. Since August, Fallujah has been under siege by government troops, who have prevented the entry of food and medicine into the city. Residents seeking to flee the city have sometimes found themselves trapped by the militants, who aim to retain Fallujah's civilian population as human shields against a full-scale government assault. As of Monday, there was no evidence of mass displacement from the city or surrounding areas, but the U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said in a statement that around 80 families are reported to have fled Fallujah over the past few days. UNHCR says it has emergency stocks in Baghdad of 10,000 tents and 10,000 core relief items such as sanitary kits and food and water supplies that can assist families. Flanked by senior military commanders, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of military operations in a televised speech late Sunday night. He vowed to "tear up the black banners of strangers who usurped this city" and hoist the Iraqi flag. Wearing the black uniform of Iraq's counter-terrorism forces, al-Abadi visited the Fallujah Operation Command and met with commander on Monday morning. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Activists rally support for Genocide trials in France A newly formed local NGO whose main objective is to fundraise and provide any other support to its France-based counterpart says it is determined to do whatever it takes to help bring Genocide ... http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2016-05-21/200070/ ProSource Wholesale Signs Development Agreement for Fort Lauderdale, FL Showroom Franchise Will Be Featured at the Miami Franchise Expo, June 4-5 ST. LOUIS, MO - (Marketwired - May 18, 2016) - ProSource Wholesale, America's largest wholesale home improvement franchise celebrating its 25th year, is pleased to announce the completion of a development agreement for the opening of a new ProSource showroom in Fort Lauderdale FL. This development agreement provides a third location in the South Florida region. ProSource Wholesale continues its momentum as a featured franchise opportunity at The Miami Franchise Expo, June 4-5 at the Miami Airport Convention Center. ProSource Wholesale has current franchise opportunities in the Miami area. Contact 314-506-0078 for complimentary entrance pass and visit www.FranchiseProSourceWholesale.com to learn more about ProSource Wholesale franchise opportunities. "We are pleased to announce the completion of the development agreement for our new location in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area," shared Josh Carr, ProSource Wholesale Franchisee. "My family has been ProSource franchisees since 1994 with the opening of ProSource of Orlando, ProSource of Pinellas County in 2000 and ProSource of Jacksonville in 2010. We are proud of our Orlando location as the largest single volume ProSource showroom in the country in 2015." "Prospective franchisees looking for a franchise company that continuously finds ways to grow their operations should look no further than ProSource Wholesale," added Carr. "ProSource Wholesale is member focused, rather than retail, which the DIY consumer market has been showing signs of decline. Our franchise model increases at a better rate than retail because it focuses on members from the construction and design trade industries. Trade Pro Members buy ten times more than a retail customer and ProSource Wholesale continues to evolve their product categories to meet the needs of our members. For example, expanding from flooring products to now offering kitchen and bath." ProSource of Fort Lauderdale, joins over 140 ProSource Wholesale showrooms that sell exclusively through a qualified network of more than 320,000 trade professionals who have become members since 1991. Consumers can only access ProSource Wholesale through their builder, remodeler, interior designer, general contractor, real estate professional, installer, and other trade professionals. ProSource of Fort Lauderdale will feature over 40,000 flooring choices via in-showroom and online, including private label and name brand carpet, hardwood, ceramic, vinyl, laminate and more. In addition to floorcoverings, ProSource of Fort Lauderdale will offer products for kitchen and bath, including cabinets and countertops. "Our unique business model continues to be recognized by franchisees, such as Josh Carr and his family, as a way to tap into the growing home improvement industry," shared Eric Bernstein, President of ProSource Wholesale. "We applaud our franchisees on their commitment to helping our ProSource members achieve their professional goals with exceptional member service, valuable business-building tips on project management, product knowledge, and networking opportunities to generate project leads." About ProSource ProSource opened its first showroom in St. Louis, MO in 1991, and continues to play a significant role in their trade professionals' success by connecting people, products and projects. The company's unique business model innovated 25 years ago continues to be recognized by franchisees as a catalyst for creating relationships and building success for not only the trade professional, but also the franchisee, and strengthening the local home improvement community by embracing this business philosophy. The ProSource Wholesale successful franchise business provides franchisees with many benefits. Low overhead and operating costs Strong cash flow No accounts receivable Limited inventory No retail hours No installation services Exceptional franchisee support Extensive private brand program Group purchasing as part of parent company, CCA Global Partners, Inc. Low wholesale prices offered everyday To learn more about ProSource franchise opportunities visitwww.FranchiseProSourceWholesale.com or visit ProSource at the Miami Franchise Expo June 4-5 at the Miami Airport Convention Center; call (314) 506-0078 for a free entrance pass to the Miami Franchise Expo. SOURCE ProSource Contact: Stacy Enslen Van Leuven Communications P: (800) 520-1834 x 1 E: stacy@vanleuvencommunications.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Helen Doron English Franchises Poised for Another Year of Growth LONDON - May 23, 2016 // PRNewswire // - The Atmosphere was Lively and Stimulating as Franchise Professionals From 36 Countries Gathered to Share Best Business Practices at the Annual Helen Doron English Master Franchise Conference Held April 3-7, 2016 in Budapest, Hungary "The Benefits of Shared Knowledge" conference featured 3 days of roundtable discussions, seminars and breakout sessions. Helen Doron Ltd. presented an overview of a new customer relationship and business management system, Helen Doron Community, currently in development and production. This global information-sharing platform will offer exceptional and accurate tools that can be used at every level of business sales, marketing, customer communication and business analysis. Anne Gordon, VP of Business Development, reported on the impressive company growth during 2015 as the company welcomed 8 new Helen Doron English Master Franchisors fromChina, Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain and Romania. "It is interesting to see the strong growth in Spain with 3 new Master Franchisors from that area alone," reflects Gordon. "We found a lack of quality after-school English education in that market, which we intend to fill. While Helen Doron English is franchised throughout much ofEurope, we are still looking to expand in Berlin, Germany; Calabria & Basilicata and Triveneto West in Italy as well as in Latin America and the Confederation of Independent States. " Helen Doron English pioneered an innovative, unique methodology teaching English to babies, children and teens using the highest quality learning materials supplemented with state-of-the art apps. With almost 90 Master Franchise areas, about 900 Learning Centre franchises and over 4500 active, specially-trained Helen Doron English teachers, Helen Doron English is, by far, the largest provider of quality English after-school education for children and teenagers inEurope. Helen Doron enables entrepreneurs to start their own franchises and join a leading business network with a solid niche in the English-as-a-foreign language industry. The Helen Doron franchise is a proven business model with franchise life cycles among the longest and strongest in the franchise industry. Participants discussed the increasing demand for high-quality English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language (ESL/EFL) programmes and materials. "The demand for English learning courses and materials, both print and digital, continues to skyrocket. We can see ever-increasing numbers of visitors to our website and online English games portal, Kangi Club, downloads of our Apps, listeners to our radio station, and purchasing our merchandise," comments Chief Marketing Officer, Simon Darr. Darr continues, "At this year's conference, social and digital media took centre stage both as a means to communicate with our target audience and as a delivery platform for Helen Doron's unique English learning content." For more information on how you can join the Helen Doron English franchise network, visit us online. About the Helen Doron Educational Group The Helen Doron Educational Group stands at the forefront of innovative educational systems, providing exclusive learning programmes and quality educational materials for babies, children and adolescents the world over since 1985. The company's flagship franchise, Helen Doron English, along with Helen Doron Kindergarten, MathRiders, Ready Steady Move! franchises today encompass nearly 900 learning centres in 36 countries in Europe, Asia and South America. Today, more than two million children have learnt with the unique Helen Doron methodology. The Helen Doron Educational Group invites entrepreneurs to join a successful business operation that benefits children around the world. Visit us athttp://www.helendorongroup.com. SOURCE Helen Doron Educational Group Contact: Marilyn Glazier Social Media Manager +972-523858518 Marilyn@helendorongroup.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus IHG Opens First Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Barranquilla, Colombia New hotel is IHGs first in the city of Barranquilla and 13th in Colombia May 23, 2016 // Franchising.com // MIAMI InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the worlds leading hotel companies, today announces its arrival in Barranquilla, Colombia, with the opening of the newly built 18-floor, 154-roomHoliday Inn Express Barranquilla Buenavista hotel. IHGs first Holiday Inn Express hotel in the city boasts an excellent location, in one of Barranquillas most exclusive areas, Buenavista. This property is IHGs first in Barranquilla and will be joined later this year by the Crowne Plaza Barranquilla property. Gerardo Murray, Regional Vice President of Brands & Marketing, Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean, IHG said: This particular neighborhood in Barranquilla, Buenavista, where the Holiday Inn Express property is situated, is thriving and offers both leisure and business travelers a perfect combination of activities to fulfill their needs and wants. We are thrilled to continue to grow the IHG portfolio in Colombia and offer travelers to this beautiful city the comfortable accommodations and efficient service of the Holiday Inn Express brand along with the opportunity to earn IHG Rewards Club points when visiting the area. Barranquilla is situated on the northern coast of Colombia. From the citys historical landmarks, skyscrapers overlooking the tropical lowlands, to the open-air shopping centers filled with upscale shops, the city is a booming metropolis. According to an analysis by BBVA Research completed in 2015, Barranquilla was one of the few Colombian cities to have an average economic growth rate of five percent, which motivated the nearly US$12 million investment by the hotels ownership company. Owned by Grupo Contempo S.A.S. and managed by OXO Hoteles, the Holiday Inn Express Barranquilla Buenavista hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG. The property marks IHGs fifth project with the ownership group. The Holiday Inn Express Barranquilla Buenavista hotel offers guests a comfortable, yet affordable stay with innovative, preferred guest amenities to ensure a pleasant stay, including a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool, complimentary high-speed Internet access, a business center, meeting spaces and complimentary parking. The complimentary Express Start breakfast bar features a full range of breakfast items, including regional and local dishes, a rotation of egg and meat selections, breads, yogurt, juices, fruit, pastries, cereals and coffee. The Holiday Inn Express brand participates in IHGshotel rewards program, IHG Rewards Club. The industrys first and largest hotel rewards program is free, and guests can enroll at www.IHGRewardsClub.com, by downloading the IHG App, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHGs more than 5,000 hotels worldwide. The hotel also participates inIHG Green EngageTM and offers unique programs to ensure sustainability. Guests can also book an environmentally-friendly hotel stay at any of our IHG Green Engage enrolled hotels. About the Holiday Inn Express brand Holiday Inn Express hotels are modern hotels for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a free hot Express Start breakfast bar with new healthier offerings, free high-speed Internet access and free local phone calls (U.S. and Canada only). There are currently 2,438 Holiday Inn Express hotel locations around the globe. For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, visit www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress. Find us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/hiexpress or Facebook www.Facebook.com/holidayinnexpress. About IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites andCandlewood Suites. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,000 hotels and 742,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,400 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG Rewards Club, the worlds first and largest hotel loyalty programme with nearly 94 million members worldwide. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Groups holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHGs hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc. SOURCE IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) Media Contacts: Jordan Worall IHG jordan.worrall@ihg.com +1 (770) 604-5010 Israel Kreps Kreps DeMaria PR ikreps@kprepspr.com +1 (305) 663-3543 Veronica Villegas Kreps DeMaria PR vvillegas@kprepspr.com +1 (305) 663-3543 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus New Franchisee Gives Card Connection 10/10 May 23, 2016 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced Gayan Weerakkody has taken over as the new franchisee for the Oxford area. Gayan succeeds Ron & Shirley Maynard who are retiring and looking to spend more time with their five grandchildren after over 20 years as franchisees! Having been a BP forecourt manager in London, I am used to working with leading, professional organisations, confirms Gayan. Card Connections team get 10/10 in this regard, as they have provided all the help, information and training I need to get up and running quickly. As my new role required relocating with my family from London to Didcot, it was important this kind of support was available, continues Gayan. Its been a bit hectic managing the move and training all at the same time, but thats life! I am now looking forward to supplying my new retail customers with Card Connections range of quality greetings cards and accessories. Ultimately, it was the product that was one of the main attractions to Card Connection, confirms Gayan. A local franchisee used to deliver to my BP store and the displays always looked better than any competition that I saw at other retail outlets. I did some research and was also impressed with the size of the 100-strong National Account network which Card Connection franchisees supply to, in addition to independent retailers. I could see from the sales figures this really was a viable business. Michael Johnson, managing director, Card Connection comments: We are delighted to welcome both Gayan and his wife, who will help him run the business, to our Card Connection franchise family. Gayans forecourt background makes him ideally placed to understand retail customers needs and our team will be on-hand to ensure he has all the help and training needed to get off to a great start as a Card Connection franchisee and to continue to develop his franchise on an ongoing basis. Card Connection is part of UK Greetings, which is a subsidiary of American Greetings Inc., one of the largest greeting card publishers in the world and has limited vacancies for franchisees that are keen to run an expanding business. Since the franchise network in the UK is complete, the available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already-established territory from an existing franchisee. These vary in price according to their level of development, but start at 7k + Stock + Card Connection fee with earnings potential in excess of 50k per annum. Territories currently available include: Bath, Coventry, Bournemouth, Northampton, Liverpool, Croydon, Windsor, Brighton, Plymouth, Edinburgh and Ireland South. For further information about franchises for sale, please see: www.card-connection.co.uk About Card Connection Card Connection is one of the UKs most successful card publishers and is the market leader in the franchised distribution of greeting cards. The company was established in 1992 and became a Full Member of the British Franchise Association in 1995. It now distributes greeting cards to around 13,000 outlets through its network of 67 franchisees. www.card-connection.co.uk SOURCE Card Connection Contact: Mel Betts Grapevine PR Ltd 01544 318546 melanie.betts@grapevinepr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Real Living Pittman Properties Celebrates 40 Years in Business Raleigh, NC-based brokerage is a longtime community mainstay. RALEIGH, N.C. - May 23, 2016 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Real Living Real Estate, one of the nation's leading real estate franchisors and a member of the HSF Affiliates LLC family of real estate brokerage networks, today congratulated Real Living Pittman Properties on celebrating 40 years in local business. Pittman Properties was founded in 1976 as an independent brokerage by George Pittman and his partner Jud Ammons. The brokerage originally operated as Ammons Pittman Real Estate. In 1989, Georges wife of 44 years, Lou Ann Pittman joined the day-to-day operation of the business. Today, the company has more than 40 agents who serve the Raleigh, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Apex, Cary, Holly Springs and Northern Wake County areas of North Carolina. Were proud to survive and prosper for 40 years, said George Pittman, who credits the companys strong reputation among clients as a primary reason for its ongoing success. The two key words that sum up the way we do business are the same today as they were decades ago: honesty and integrity, he said. Weve been through 17% mortgage rates and now 2-3% mortgage rates but we adapt because we always stay true to our core values. Lou Ann Pittman added that the brokerages longevity is also a testament to the loyalty of its agents and their deep community ties. A lot of our agents and several members of our staff have been with us more than 20 years, so weve built solid, lasting relationships with them, she explained. Additionally, George served as president of the Raleigh Board of REALTORS, and has received many awards such as REALTOR of the Year in 1989, and his induction into the Raleigh REALTOR Hall of Fame in 2008. He has also been active as a past North Carolina Association of REALTORS Political Action Committee Chairman among other association positions, so he knows the local real estate community well and they know him. George Pittmans commitment to serving his community underscores the philosophy of the entire brokerage. Our agents operate on a true spirit of cooperation, he said. At our company we understand that if we win, together we all win. Robert McAdams Jr., president of Real Living Real Estate, applauded Pittman Properties milestone. This achievement is a testament to a hard-working, honest team that truly cares for and proudly serves the local community, he said. Were honored to call them a member of our Real Living family. Real Living Pittman Properties is based at 10224 Durant Rd., Raleigh, NC 27614; 919-277-4622. About Real Living Pittman Properties Real Living Pittman Properties was founded in 1976 and continues to keep current with the real estate market trends while maintaining its two core values: honesty and integrity. Visit www.realliving.com/Pittman-Properties. About Real Living Real Estate Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise company with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as for consumers who work with them. In 2016, Real Living Real Estate was named Real Estate Agency Brand of the Year and Most Loved real estate brand in the 28th annual Harris Poll EquiTrend study. Additionally, the Real Living brand and its innovative concepts were recognized by Entrepreneur magazine; have won Inman Innovator Awards, and been named the Most Promising New National Brand by the Swanepoel TRENDS Report. Real Living Real Estate is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, majority owned by HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. For more information, visit www.RealLiving.com. SOURCE Real Living Real Estate Contacts: Kevin Ostler HSF Affiliates LLC Kevin Ostler 949-794-7980 kevinostler@hsfranchise.com Matt Kaufman HSF Affiliates LLC 224-532-7631 mattkaufman@hsfranchise.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Slim Chickens Opens Seventh Restaurant in Sooner State Rapidly Growing Southern Fast-Casual Franchise Brings Fan-Favorite Chicken to Moore FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (PRWEB) May 23, 2016 - Slim Chickens, a leader in the better chicken segment of fast-casual restaurants, is excited to announce the expansion of its fresh chicken and unrivaled flavor in Oklahoma. The corporate-owned restaurant, located at 100 SW 19th Street in Moore, Okla., will join the brands existing locations in Norman, Edmond, Warr Acres and Oklahoma City on May 23rd. Weve seen a consistent demand for new locations in the Oklahoma City area as more and more people fall in love with our brand, and were excited to bring our signature flavors to the Moore community, said Sam Rothschild, Chief Operating Officer of Slim Chickens. Slim Chickens now has seven locations in the state of Oklahoma, the third largest state presence for our brand outside our home state of Arkansas and Texas. The corporate team currently operates 19 locations and is building on that success by using these locations as a jumping off point to a larger corporate growth strategy. Were using a dual strategy by continuing to open corporate restaurants and franchised locations throughout the country to carry on our expansion, said Rothschild. Our offerings appeal to so many consumers, and were excited to continue spreading our fresh, southern flavor to fans in Moore, through the state of Oklahoma and across the country. Slim Chickens has seen strong growth momentum over the last two years, expanding from its home state of Arkansas into Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee and Illinois and emerging as a national player to establish fast-casual dinings better chicken segment. Our top-of-the-line product offerings have propelled us into a league of our own, said Rothschild. None of our competitors are doing quite what we are doing, and were really proud to be able to share the brand experience with a new community. By focusing on high quality, fresh chicken, the brand has developed a niche in its sector of the restaurant industry for product quality that cant be found anywhere else. With fresh ingredients and minimal freezer space used in every restaurant, Slim Chickens honors a commitment to homemade recipes and strong supplier partnerships, ensuring guests can feel good about the food they eat. The down-home Southern brand offers diners hand-breaded or grilled chicken tenders and wings paired with a choice of eight handmade dipping sauces or seven wing sauces for exceptional flavor that has earned admiration from both customers and critics. Slim Chickens also offers fresh salads, wraps and chicken and waffles. To offset the savory side of the menu, rotating desserts served in Mason jars are also available. About Slim Chickens Slim Chickens opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with a focus on culinary excellence in a fast-casual setting. Guests can always expect fresh chicken tenders and wings cooked to order and served with handmade dipping sauces made from scratch. With more than 30 locations today and a fanatical following in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana and Nebraska, the eternally cool brand is an emerging national franchise leading the better chicken segment and intends to grow nationwide to a footprint of 600 restaurants over the next decade. Southern hospitality is not just for the South; everyone, everywhere can appreciate honest food and socializing with friends and neighbors. To learn more about the brand, visit slimchickens.com. SOURCE Slim Chickens Contact: Lauren Boukas No Limit Agency +1 (312) 526-3996 ### Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus The teacher crisis is real, and were not going to work our way out of it simply by making it easier to hire teachers. Baltimore MD Rental Property & Apartment Management Advice Website Launched Baltimore Property Management Services announced the launch of a new website with multiple articles, extensive information and detailed expert advice on several essential aspects of rental property management to help owners and real estate investors in the Baltimore, Maryland area. -- The popular Baltimore Property Management Services has announced the launch of a new website with extensive information, advice and resources to help property owners or investors interested in property management in the Baltimore, Maryland area. More information is available at http://propertymanagement.mywebpal.com/. Baltimore Property Management Services is an experienced residential property management and investment firm currently providing hundreds of clients, including individual and institutional property owners or real estate investors throughout the Baltimore, Maryland area with dedicated, professional and full-service property management solutions. The prominent business has announced the launch of a new website with articles, detailed information and extensive advice on some of the most essential aspects of property management in Baltimore, Maryland. The newly launched website provides articles exploring the principles of rental property management and what a professional service can offer owners or investors, from establishing a rental price that can optimize vacancy rate and monthly income, collecting the rent on time, promoting and marketing the rental component, locating and managing renters, handling contractors or ensuring compliance with the law, and more. Additional information on rental property management, including details on support software and associations available, an analysis on 'Is it Easier to Do Property Management Yourself or Hire Anyone to Control the Home', 'How to Find a Good Rental Property Agent in Baltimore' or if it is efficient to have a professional manager for just one rental property, and more, are available on the newly launched website. Detailed expert advice on how to 'Get Rental Properties in Baltimore with Tax Deductions' and how to overcome the challenges of correctly promoting the rental houses, choosing the right tenants and handling the landlord-tenant relationship is also provided and can be consulted at http://propertymanagement.mywebpal.com/rental-properties-in-baltimore-with-tax-deductions/. The Baltimore Property Management Services explains that the valuable advice shared on the newly launched website derives from "having successfully managed hundreds of residential properties throughout Baltimore, Maryland by working exclusively for the property owner, respecting the tenant and servicing each property as if it is the only one we manage". The business adds that "many Baltimore real estate investors have chosen our company to be their preferred full-service property management partner and they have found that we are results oriented and truly care about the entire management lifecycle experience". For more information about us, please visit http://propertymanagement.mywebpal.com Contact Info: Name: Barbara Atkins Organization: Baltimore Property Managment Serivces Address: 22 Light Street, Baltimore MD 21202 Phone: +1 856 335 5990 Release ID: 116170 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) WordRecon Justin Sardi Valerie DuVall 2016 Keyword Analysis Tool Launched A new keyword analysis tool has launched called WordRecon, which allows users to find and track the exact keywords internet users search for. It can help users to ensure their websites make the most of popular search terms to improve their website content. -- Muncheye has announced the launch of a new keyword analysis product called WordRecon, which utilizes 12 keyword suggestion sources to provide website owners with a tool to generate more effective content. By matching exact search phrases used by millions of real people, users who run Word Recon can make their website content more effective, with relevant and targeted keywords to help drive more traffic to their site. More information can be found on the Word Recon page at: http://letsgolook.at/WordRecon. The website explains that WordRecon ?? ?ur???? bu?lt t? uncover exact ???r?h ?hr???? that ????l? ?r? t???ng ?nt? search engines by harnessing k??w?rd ?ut?-?ugg??t??n?, ?n?bl?ng site owners who use it to un??v?r the m??t ?ff??t?v? ?nd r?l?v?nt k??w?rd? f?r search engine optimization. It also applies to video marketing, bl?gg?ng/??nt?nt marketing, ?-??mm?r?? ?r ?n? ?th?r type of k??w?rd r????r?h that h?? t? do with ?ttr??t?ng ?nd driving tr?ff?? to their w?b??t? ?r ?ff?r. WordRecon is created by Justin Sardi and Valerie DuVall, who say that m??t k??w?rd r????r?h tools ?n the m?rk?t are b???d on d?t? fr?m th? G??gl? K??w?rd Planner, which ?? wh? k??w?rd? f?und u??ng these t??l? ?r? often t?? br??d, ?v?rl? ??m??t?t?v? ?r unr?l?t?d. They underscore that the Google Keyword Planner gears its keyword generation towards paid advertising, making it hard for many business owners to figure out the precise words real users type when searching within a specific niche. A full video preview is available on the WordRecon site, which explains that the program is simple to use. There is no installation required, because it works through the cloud directly on a user's computer. It also works on mobiles through its responsive design, allowing users to access their data from anywhere. WordRecon identifies trends quickly, displaying the number of occurences of each word in search results. Users can uncover highly targeted and relevant keywords that match what they're looking for, and find the top ranked Amazon products based on those keywords. It's also possible to save keyword lists, which users can then access from anywhere. Interested parties looking to find out more about WordRecon can visit: http://muncheye.com/justin-sardi-et-al-word-recon. For more information about us, please visit http://letsgolook.at/WordRecon Contact Info: Name: James Peterson Organization: Muncheye.com Release ID: 116198 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Job Source 1 Expands Job Board To Include Des Moines, Iowa Job Opportunities Job Source 1 has expanded its website into new territories, including Des Moines, Iowa, where employers can post job listings in over sixty industries. -- Des Moines, Iowa is a surprising jewel in the crown of the American Mid-West. Being the most populous city in the state of Iowa, it offers both an economic and educational hub, and punches well above its weight when it comes to multinationals. Despite a population of just over 200,000, it boasts offices for Facebook, Microsoft, and Pioneer Hi-bred, as well as a huge range of other industries. Those looking for employment opportunities in Des Moines now need look no further than Job Source 1, which has just expanded its jobs board to provide coverage of the area. Job Source 1 enables individuals to find jobs with a wide range of high quality employers across more than sixty industries. To celebrate the expansion of the jobs board, they have created a new feature post on everything Des Moines and Iowa has to offer, giving people an full overview of the opportunities available. Individuals can upload their resume to the website free of charge and use it to apply to a wide range of jobs, posted by employers looking for the best candidates in the area. The website is intuitive and easy to use, and it takes just minutes to sign up. All listings and employers are fully vetted by the site's editorial team to ensure only authentic opportunities are made available to users. A spokesperson for Job Source 1 explained, "We are pleased to announce the expansion into the Des Moines area, as we feel this will be a significant win for our current audience, as well as attracting more new job seekers to our site. Des Moines was a key strategic expansion for us and we have worked tirelessly to connect with business leaders in the area to ensure they bring their opportunities to our site first. As such, there is no better place to conduct a Des Moines job search." About Job Source 1: Job Source 1 is a nationwide jobs board designed to bring employers and employees together to discover more fruitful partnerships than ever before. With jobs listed in over sixty different industries, the website is regularly updated by a committed team looking to offer the best experience to both employers and job seekers. For more information about us, please visit http://jobsource1.com/ Contact Info: Name: PRWhirlWind Organization: PRWhirlWind Phone: 608-270-8352 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/job-source-1-expands-job-board-to-include-des-moines-iowa-job-opportunities/116196 Release ID: 116196 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) New Probiotics For Dogs Stand Tall Against Tough Competition Wagglies' brand new Probiotics for Dogs have stood tall against their competitors and have survived their first month on sale on Amazon. -- Wagglies' new dog probiotics are now entering their second month of being on sale on Amazon, after making reassuring progress through Amazon's ranks over the course of their first month on sale. The popular dog brand hope that the progress that they have seen so far will continue into the future. "We're really pleased with the progress that we've made on Amazon so far." said Dan Clayton, Founder of Wagglies, "It's been a big hill to climb as many of our competitors are experienced and established within the product category, but we have proved ourselves as contenders. Within just a few weeks, we've managed to rank on page one for probiotics for dogs which is a huge achievement for us." Wagglies' Probiotics for Dogs is not the first product that the dog brand have sold on Amazon. Previous products sold by the brand are Puppy Training Pads and Dog Nail Clippers (still available) on both Amazon UK and U.S. "Launching onto Amazon is definitely a risk." continued Dan, "For a relatively young brand like ours there are lots of hurdles to overcome but we feel that we're now out of the danger zone. If we can survive our first month and gain such great feedback from our customers then we can survive anything!" Wagglies' dog probiotics with added prebiotic are the brand's first foray into pet supplements and are already proving to be successful after just a couple of weeks on sale. The probiotics are a custom powder formula that contains 25 billion CFUs, 74 trace minerals, 5 probiotics and 1 prebiotic. The brand have chosen to include a prebiotic in the mix as the prebiotic acts as an anchor, guiding the probiotics to where they need to be in the stomach and intestines and allowing them to work more effectively. Wagglies Probiotics for Dogs are now available in a 6oz bag (~ 2+ months supply) from Amazon U.S.: http://www.amazon.com/Wagglies-Probiotics-Dogs-Pre... For more information about us, please visit https://www.wagglies.com/us/ Contact Info: Name: Dan Clayton Organization: Wagglies Release ID: 115534 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Academy Dental's Dentistry from the Heart Event is a Great Success ( May 23, 2016 ) Victoria, BC -- Academy Dental, the largest dental organization in Victoria, gave back to the community on April 25, 2016, with a day of free dental services for Dentistry from the Heart 2016. The free event, which took place from 8:00am-4:00pm at Academy Dental's Victoria and Sooke locations, welcomed both adults and children, and it was smiles all around. Academy Dental is pleased to announce that with this year's event, they provided over $39,000 of free dental services, beating last year's total by more than $4,000. Academy Dental believes in being a strong voice for community health. In Canada, dentistry falls outside of the Canada Health Act, which means many Canadians are unable to afford basic dental care. Academy Dental is pleased to be an annual participant in Dentistry from the Heart in an effort to help make basic dental care accessible to everyone. "I think it's a wonderful thing to do for the community", said Dr. Frank Van Gyn, the owner of Academy Dental. "It makes a big impact for people who can't afford to get dentistry done. It's a real feel-good day." Dentistry from the Heart was started in 2001 by Florida dentist, Dr. Vincent J. Monticciolo. It's a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free dental care to those in need. Every year, thousands of individual dentists, hygienists, volunteers, and hundreds of practices across the world donate their time and resources to host their own Dentistry from the Heart events. It has grown into a world-class event with more than 300 events per year in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and New Zealand. Academy Dental is proud to help serve the community and once again bring Dentistry from the Heart to Victoria! About Academy Dental V6H 1A5: Academy Dental is the well-known dental organization for dental checkups in Victoria. They are located at 1195 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8V 3L1, Canada and can be reached by phone at 1-250-385-6552. To learn more, visit the Academy Dental website at http://victoriadentist.com/, like their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/AcademyDental, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/AcademyDentalClinic. For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Matteson Partners Taking On New In-House Legal Recruitment Clients (Mon 29th May 17) Huong Nghiep A Au Vocational Guidance School Launches New Major (Thu 25th May 17) FSP unveils new Industrial and Gaming power solutions at COMPUTEX 2017 (Wed 24th May 17) The Best Free Keylogger of 2017 Has Been Announced by the Official Remote Keylogger (Tue 23rd May 17) The Remote Keylogger Development Team Announces An Update to the Official iPhone Keylogger (Thu 11th May 17) CaptureStream Announces its New Streaming Video Recorder and Downloader (Mon 8th May 17) United States Variable Capacitance Diodes Industry 2016 : Market Size And Growth Report By Radiant Insights,Inc RadiantInsights.com includes new market research report on "United States Variable Capacitance Diodes Industry Size, Share And Trends Report Up To 2016 : Radiant Insights" to its huge collection of research reports. -- Across the U.S. electronics sector, variable capacitance diodes (varactors) are made to exploit the voltage-reliant capacitance of reverse-bias p-n junctions. Varactors find applications in voltage-controlled capacitors. They are also regularly adopted in parametric amplifiers, voltage-regulated oscillators, and frequency multipliers. Browse Full Research Report With TOC on http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/united-states-variable-capacitance-diodes-industry-2016 Their wide usage across so many devices is anticipated to propel incomes for the United States variable capacitance diodes market. Voltage-regulated oscillators have multiple uses like phase-locked loops and frequency modulation. Phase-locked loops are adopted in frequency synthesizers that tune various T.V. sets, radios, and cell phones. Varactors were manufactured first by a subsidiary of the Ramo Woolridge Corporation. They are made to operate in reverse-bias states, preventing the flow of DC current via devices. The 'reverse bias' amount regulates 'depletion zone' thickness and varactors' junction capacitance. Normally, thickness of the 'depletion zone' is directly proportional to the square root of the applied voltage. The capacitance is however, inversely related to thickness of the 'depletion zone.' This makes the capacitance inversely relative with the square root of the applied voltage. All diodes display 'variable junction capacities.' But varactors are designed to benefit from this impact and boost capacitance variations. Apart from applications, the market is split on the basis of 'tuning' kinds. Some of these kinds are nominal diode capacitance, power dissipation, minimum breakdown voltage, and minimum diode capacitance ratio. See More Reports of This Category by Radiant Insights: www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/electronics Surging demand for varactors from the sector of RF design in the United States bodes well for the market. It even contributes added revenues for the latter. Through the adoption of varactor diodes, filters can be tuned. 'Tracking filters' are generally required in 'receiver front end circuits' wherein they help the filters to track 'inward received signal frequencies.' The same may also be regulated using an applied voltage. Comprehending the properties of varactors is the key to maximally benefit from the United States variable capacitance diodes market. If adopted properly, these diodes offer highly consistent & reliable services. The market is analyzed further under the categories of material prices, supply & demand, costs, gross margins, and other statistical figures. 'Harmonic multiplication' applications in the U.S. should also drive the market in the near future. Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: www.radiantinsights.com/research/united-states-variable-capacitance-diodes-industry-2016#tabs-4 About Radiant Insights,Inc Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. For more information about us, please visit http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/united-states-variable-capacitance-diodes-industry-2016 Contact Info: Name: Michelle Thoras Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Organization: Radiant Insights Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 San Francisco, CA Phone: 1-415-349-0054 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/united-states-variable-capacitance-diodes-industry-2016-market-size-and-growth-report-by-radiant-insightsinc/116263 Release ID: 116263 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Directory of Local Tax Attorney Professionals Launched A local tax attorney benefits clients for both businesses and individuals. The services of an attorney who understands and can work with the tax codes will provide financial assistance and planning to clients. -- For business or individual clients who want to make the lowest possible tax obligation, the skill of a reliable tax attorney is a necessary tool. The legal professional who specializes in this area of law helps clients with questions about local, state and federal tax obligations. The need for a legal professional applies to the IRS, as well as to state tax codes. Whether or not the client is currently having issues with the taxing entity, the attorney can be of assistance in sorting out the complexities of the tax code. The choice of tax code specialization begins as early as law school. The code is extremely complicated and too complex for laypersons to navigate. In addition, the code may have a few or many changes each year. 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For more information about us, please visit http://www.abatetax.com/ Contact Info: Name: William Davis Organization: Abatetax.com Address: 1812 N Columbia Blvd, Suite C15-573170, Portland, Oregon, 97217 Phone: (503) 568-1586 Video URL: https://youtu.be/Q76QYwu7tUs Source: http://marketersmedia.com/directory-of-local-tax-attorney-professionals-launched/116326 Release ID: 116326 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Reputation Rankings Launches Beta Test To Local Businesses with Poor Reputations Local businesses, national brands, individuals, and those with a severely damaged reputation looking for a product to address Improving your businesses online reputation seen by customers can sign up for the Reputation rankings beta to get early access and help shape development. -- Reputation Rankings has a limited number of beta slots available for businesses, brands, individuals, and those with a severely damaged reputation interested in reputation marketing. Their new product Reputation Rankings is being built from the ground up and the company is seeking feedback from qualified candidates. Interested potential beta testers can find out more about the product by visiting the video: Join The Beta Video Reputation Rankings has plans to incorporate several sought after features, including: Get More Positive Reviews - 73% of consumers say positive reviews make them trust a business more Increase Credibility For Sales - Most business owners don't have time to continually monitor social media sites, search engines and other web sources to see what customers are saying about them. That's where Reputation Rankings shine for businesses, brands, and more. Monitor and Engage - But it is not a set-it-and-forget-it type of deal. It takes ongoing assessment and marketing to ensure businesses build an overall positive brand image that makes consumers feel at ease and comfortable to become a customer. Selected beta testers will be expected to give feedback on these features as well as other planned functionality. Eric Williamson has created a big buzz for "Reputation Marketing" in the past five years. Yet businesses finding the time to properly strategize any reputation marketing is the biggest challenge. Eric Williamson is experienced at creating a wide range of reputation marketing content to help achieve both external and internal business goals. Having grown up in a corporate family, Eric understands how to get positive customer reviews and deliver the information online to the target audience. Eric is eager to find the right match between Reputation rankings and businesses, brands, individuals, and those with a severely damaged reputation . In particular, those who do not understand why their online efforts to generate business seem stalled. "Reputation Rankings is looking for practical feedback that will allow the company to make specific improvements to Reputation rankings. 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It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. Be the voice When silence dominates and ignorance Shoves cottons down the throats of your fathers; And fear cripples your mothers vocal chords; And your weeping child is choking for breath Desperately on the portals of death. Stand up and sing a song or speak some words. Carve them on wood; scribble them on papers; And paste them on walls nail them on a fence. Be the voice. When no one speaks and all lie in pretence, Be the voice. Climb to the top of the highest mountain, And shout across the halls of valleys deep. Let your echoes skip above soaring trees. Let them spread their wings and glide with the breeze. Let them arouse the kumuls in their sleep, And bring music to garamuts again. Be the voice; For life, for love, for living. Take the chance. Bear the burden, but entertain no pain. Mortify your horrors and chase your dreams. Be the voice That rises when everyones falling down, And soars higher when everyones standing. Run in the morning and fly at evening. Hold your pride. Wear your belief as a crown. Be the voice Rising above uninterrupted screams, Where warriors of truth and justice are slain. Wipe from your eyes the tear. Peel off the frown. Bury your remorse in the garbage pit Justice favours the determined and brave. Be the voice That offers to the poor a second chance; That gives to the downtrodden vengeance. Be the voice That gives freedom to the banned and the slave. When threatened with fines or coddled with meat, Even then, parade your cause around town. Be the voice that money cannot silence; And scheming politics cannot correct; A voice that knows its heart and its own head. Look at the people around you. Can you Be their voice? Be their voice. And as needle is to the pole, be true. In the end, justice makes hearts warm with glad- ness, and truth makes the whole world its subject. My friend, be the voice that makes a difference! ____________ PHOTO: ROSE CASSY, JIWAKA PROVINCE All womenwe all are fierce. We have all the same rights that men do - Rose Cassy Roses husband abused her for almost 20 years of their marriage. After decades of emotional and physical suffering, Rose took her husband to court and won her case against him. He was fined for his abuses and warned to stop his violent behavior. This victory empowered Rose, and she wanted to help other women in similar circumstances win their right to freedom from violence. She joined Global Fund for Women grantee partner Voice for Change, which works in rural communities in Jiwaka in Papua New Guinea to fight for womens rights and safety, and stop gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices like polygamy. Rose now escorts other women to court, providing moral and legal support for women testifying in cases of domestic violence and polygamy. In these situations, Rose often finds herself face-to-face with a womans abuser, and she stands up to him on her behalf. Many women dont know their human rights, the laws of the country, or how the courts work and how to access justice, says Rose. Thats why violence against women is a national issue. Violence against women is a normal thing. https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/rose-cassy/ Baillie Gifford has launched a new multi-asset fund as the approach continues to prove popular with investors. The portfolio, which is managed by Baillie Giffords multi-asset team, applies the same investment process used for the firms 5.9bn Diversified Growth offering, which soft-closed in 2013. The Multi Asset Growth fund will target a return of 3.5 per cent per annum ahead of the UK base rate, net of fees, annualised over rolling five-year periods. It will aim to produce annualised volatility of less than 10 per cent. Patrick Edwardson, head of the multi-asset team, said: Many investors are turning to multi-asset approaches to deliver attractive returns with lower volatility. Patrick Connolly, certified financial planner at Chase de Vere, said: We have seen many investment companies launching or repackaging multi asset funds as they aim to capitalise on a growing pension investment market. This new fund from Baillie Gifford is one of those which has real merit. It has an established team and investment process, competitive charges and is, unlike some others, a genuine multi-asset fund. Seventy years later, two women sit in a top-floor New York apartment. One sips dandelion-root tea as both pore over fragments of a developing speech. She may have been writing about the worlds fate, as much as her own. In this, the dawn of the second year of the World War I, Woolf takes to her journal and writes the future is dark, which is the best thing the future can be, I think. ITS 18 January 1915 and Virginia Woolf is 33 years old. She is being monitored by nurses and guards after a suicide attempt six months earlier following a severe bout of depression. The speech is to be presented by one of the women cultural critic and essayist, Susan Sontag. Her companion is Rebecca Solnit, writer of Men Explain Things to Me. Virginia Woolfs journal entry anchors their discussion. Both women have had publications influenced by that desolate single sentence penned by Woolf, one of the most prominent of 20th century English writers. Both agree that this darkness of the future ought to be embraced. Individuals must be willing to venture towards the unknown in spite of uncertainty of the outcome. Sontag presents her interpretation in a book on empathy and photography, Regarding the Pain of Others (2003). Her argument is that people ought to look, look again and keep looking at images of the atrocities of war. We must look; not to numb ourselves from the suffering or to pretend that we understand the magnitude of how the subjects have experienced war. However futile, we must keep looking to explore within ourselves the possibility that we care. Solnits interpretation demands the use of hope in writing. Solnit argues that no action is futile. Why? Because individuals have no memory of the future. There is no guarantee of what is going to happen next. And in that future the unlikely and the unimaginable often transpires. Solnit is adamant that writers are a key group of dedicated individuals who comprise a popular movement that has shaped history by acting in the dark. Think of the words that resonate long after the death of many writers. This, Soltin argues, is why a dark future is the best thing it could be. Its the job of writers and explorers to see more, to travel light when it comes to preconception, to go into the dark with their eyes open, she writes. After recently reading Inside the Crocodile: The Papua New Guinean Journals, I wrote to author Trish Nicholson to share my thoughts. The memoir is an account of the five years (1987-1991) Nicholson spent as an aid development worker in West Sepik (Sandaun) Province. I found the book thoroughly engaging, informative (yes, I learnt so much about my country) and entertaining. But the main reason for the correspondence was to thank her for a particular act. Of the multitude of experiences she recounted, Nicholson chose to include a demonstration of about 200 women, some bare breasted in traditional bilas of grass skirts and shell pendants, their faces and bodies smeared with ash. It was a protest by Papua New Guineans against the development of a road between Vanimo and Jayapura. The protest, driven by womens concern about social problems, made its way to the Premiers office; the eventual outcome being proof that Papua New Guinean women can have a significant role in decision-making. In moving prose, Nicholson recorded a significant moment in Papua New Guineas history. Our women can and will exercise their right to social and political activism. Our female population know how to be present in the conversation. We demand that our voices are heard. We will not be silenced. Last week, a group of Papua New Guinean female students from the University of Papua New Guinea, like the bilased mothers some 25 years before, embraced the dark of the future, Papua New Guineas future. Accompanying my commentary, PNG Attitude republishes an image of that day. Does it, as urged by Sontag, stir an emotion within? Why and how much do you care about the stance our young women took that day? We all must care. We also see Michael Dom and Phil Fitzpatrick venture into the dark to offer hope to Papua New Guineans. They have, as Solnits advocates, seen more in the image and the young womens actions and recorded their impressions and interpretations. But we need many more Papua New Guineans to embrace the dark by acknowledging, understanding, supporting and recording instances of political and social activism by the women (young and old) of PNG. It just might be what encourages current and future generations of Papua New Guineans to care and hope enough so as to do their part to propel positive change in our nation. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are quickly becoming the apps of the investment world in that theres one for just about anything. Witness the launch in the US of the Millennial Generation ETF, tracking an index of companies targeting 18- to 34-year-olds. Never has the smart' in 'smart beta been so up for debate. Theres a serious point here, too. These products may not exist to the same extent in the UK, but the sector is unquestionably expanding at a rapid rate. Smart beta products, such as those that track different investment styles, are clearly of use. But from a providers perspective, you have to question whether each individual offering will be able to reach a critical mass. This is just one of several challenges facing firms whove sought to play a part in the burgeoning market. Passives may be on the rise, but its not just certain active managers who may end up left behind. If buyers judge ETFs by price alone, and prices are all but identical, the bigger brands win For one thing, the initial rush has seen providers market themselves on the basis of their lower costs helpful when competing against active funds, but an impediment to taking market share from passive rivals. If buyers have been taught to judge ETFs by price alone, and prices are all but identical among the main players, whats to stop the biggest brands such as Vanguard and iShares scooping up all those assets, via either ETFs or index funds? This may be one motive behind the creation of the ETF Forum, an initiative backed by BMO, ETF Securities, Source and WisdomTree that is designed to educate advisers and wealth managers about the products. If this brings a greater focus on tracking error, tracking difference and other metrics, then so much the better, but theres always a risk these things end up patronising buyers or as sales pushes. The slow progress being made on opening up access to the products must count as an equally significant frustration for providers. FundsNetwork may have just begun offering ETFs, but progress at Cofunds and Old Mutual Wealth is still painfully slow. As weve detailed recently in Investment Adviser, the inability to trade fractional portions of ETFs means one of the fastest-growing segments on all platforms model portfolios often ignores the products altogether. These are substantial barriers to more meaningful take-up. Thats significant at a time when tougher markets mean passive returns and flows will be less impressive. Weve already seen signs of a more difficult operating environment according to consultancy ETFGI, major providers such as db x-trackers, Lyxor and Source have all seen outflows in the first quarter of 2016. For smaller providers, the outlook may be darker still. Id suggest establishing a presence in the UK market may be a lot tougher than some had bargained for. Lord Adair Turner, former chairman of the FSA and Pensions Commission, has proposed raising the state pension age to 70 by 2030. The proposal, which represents a radical acceleration of the governments current timetable, would affect workers aged 56 and less today. However, Lord Turner said those working in physically demanding industries or on low incomes could be granted earlier access at a lower rate. Speaking at a private event on Friday (20 May), Lord Turner was quoted as saying: I would make the state pension more generous at 70 and, in addition, I would introduce forms of state pension or means-tested benefit, which would be available for lower-income people whove retired from 65 or 66 onwards. The current timetable for raising the age pension eligibility age stops at 68, which it would reach in 2048. However, with a government review chaired by John Cridland into the state pension age currently underway, this timetable is likely to change. The review is in the consultation phase. Tom McPhail, head of retirement policy at Hargreaves Lansdown, said changing the state pension age would be politically difficult and likely to upset voters. The state pension is a blunt instrument, which makes no allowance for peoples wealth or their life expectancy, he said. However any deviation from the current state pension entitlement calculation based on a simple NI contribution history to one based on individual circumstances, could be both complicated and contentious. Radical options, including medical underwriting, means testing, or using the state pension as a long stop for when someone has exhausted their private savings are all possible. The government will no doubt be mindful that it is very difficult to introduce any reform in this area of public policy without upsetting some voters. Matthew Harris, director of Dalbeath Financial Planning, said it was inevitable that the eligibility age would and should increase to 70 eventually. However, he said Lord Turners proposal to introduce an interim state pension for people in physically demanding jobs was less attractive, because it would re-introduce means testing. Im a fan of the flat rate pension, and Lord Turners proposal would mean a return to the means testing that we had before that, and all the complications that come with it, he said. He added that he wasnt entirely convinced that there are industries in which people must retire earlier. He said a more sensible approach in such industries would be to move older employees into less physically demanding roles. The onus would be on employers to work out how to do this, he said. james.fernyhough@ft.com Despite signing several declarations to say she had not received advice, an advisers client has won compensation after an ombudsman ruled she thought she was receiving advice. In late 2011, Mrs H was introduced by her mortgage broker to a pensions expert, who she believed was working for LP Financial Management; formerly known as Lansdown Place Financial Management. The pensions expert was in fact a Harlequin agent who had previously worked for LP. The agent wanted to arrange for Mrs H to move 65,000 from several pension schemes, which included a final salary pension, to a Sipp so she could invest 58,500 in a Harlequin property. Mrs H said she agreed to invest, believing the fund was safe and that her money would be tied up for just two years. LP arranged the Sipp on behalf of the Harlequin agent and the adviser stated it did so on an execution-only basis, having satisfied itself it could do so using forms provided by the pension administrator. Mrs H signed a form with a box ticked to state she had not received advice about the Sipp and the underlying investment. A declaration in the form stated she had decided to invest based on the information from the investment provider. The declaration also contained statements about the risks, making it clear that there was no guarantee, there were higher risks and Mrs H could get back less than the amount invested. The form also explained she might not easily be able to sell the investment and it was not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme or the Financial Ombudsman Service. Mrs H was offered a review of her decision by LP in 2012 and again signed to say she was an execution-only client. At the end of 2014, Harlequin Management Services (South East), the UK sales arm of the embattled overseas property development business which trades as Harlequin Property, entered liquidation. In February 2015, Mrs H complained to LP and then the Fos. Ombudsman Roy Milne said as the regulated party, LP should have known it had a duty of care to Mrs H. A few basic checks would have shown that Mrs H had been persuaded to transfer all of her pensions to the Sipp, he stated, adding this was so she could invest in a high risk unregulated investment. LP should have known this was unsuitable and told Mrs H not to go ahead. Had it done so, Mrs H would have left her pensions with the former providers. Mrs H did sign some declarations to say that she had not received advice. But, she has explained that she was referred to a pensions expert. In my view, its likely that she thought she was receiving advice. Mr Milne added it is unusual for a consumer with little investment experience to enter into an investment that could be thought of as complex without receiving advice. Court of Appeal judges have backed advice network Personal Touchs decision to terminate an appointed representatives contract, after the business allowed unauthorised members of staff to carry out fact-finds. SimplySure, which was an appointed representative of Personal Touch Financial Services between December 2006 and January 2009, was found to be in breach of its agreement with the network. According to court documents seen by FTAdviser, SimplySure used employees who had not been authorised by Personal Touch to conduct an initial fact-find conversation - which was essentially a questionnaire - before referring clients to an authorised adviser. After visiting SimplySure in January 2009, the compliance director at Personal Touch wrote to the firm stating it had become apparent there were a number of compliance processes and procedures which are not being adhered to within [the] branch, which are fundamental to the adherence of FSA regulation. They stated: All our findings have been assessed on the basis of risk and we have concluded that the risk is too great to allow you to continue as an appointed representative of Personal Touch Financial Services. I am therefore writing to inform you that your authorisation is terminated with immediate effect. SimplySure subsequently became directly authorised by the Financial Services Authority, the predecessor of the Financial Conduct Authority, in February 2009. In an earlier High Court ruling, the judge decided employees who interviewed potential clients for the first part of the fact-find were conducting regulated activity, and since the activity was being carried out by an unauthorised member of staff, concluded SimplySure was in breach of the AR agreement. Despite this, the judge decided Personal Touch had not been entitled to terminate the agreement, and therefore SimplySure was entitled to damages. The judge also decided the network was liable to pay renewal commission on business introduced by SimplySure, because the advice firm still had a right to receive commission even after their contract had been terminated. But Personal Touch lodged an appeal against this verdict, pointing to the judges acceptance that an unauthorised member of staff had carried out regulated functions. The network claimed the judge wrongly suggested it had authorised the completion of the first part of the fact-finds by unauthorised employees, and claimed it had been entitled to terminate the agreement. During a Court of Appeal hearing last month, Sir Stanley Burton QC sided with Personal Touch. He said the High Court judge correctly found SimplySure to be in breach of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, because the company had put an unauthorised person in a position where they could advise the client. Referring to the questionnaire, which stated the remainder of the fact-find was to be completed by PMI authorised advisers only, Sir Stanley said this did not mean the previous part of the fact-find could be completed by someone who had no authorisation at all. Story Highlights More than eight in 10 Sanders supporters say election process not working Fewer Clinton backers (60%) feel the same way Overall, almost three in 10 in U.S. say election working as it should PRINCETON, N.J. -- Neither political party's supporters think the election process is working as it should, but Democrats who back Bernie Sanders (17%) are less than half as likely as those who prefer Hillary Clinton for the nomination (39%) to feel positively about the process. On the flip side, more than eight in 10 of the Vermont senator's supporters (81%) say the process is not working, exceeding the 60% of Democratic Clinton supporters who feel the same way. Americans' Views of Election Process Next, please try to answer each of the following questions based on what you may have heard or read so far about the presidential campaign and candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties. Does the way the presidential campaign is being conducted make you feel as though the election process is working as it should, or not? Yes, as it should No, not as it should No opinion % % % Democrats/Democratic leaners Prefer Hillary Clinton as nominee 39 60 1 Prefer Bernie Sanders as nominee 17 81 1 Republicans/Republican leaners Pleased with selection of Trump 35 64 1 Wish someone else were nominee 23 75 2 Gallup, May 13-15, 2016 The views of Sanders and Clinton supporters about the process have not changed much over the past month. Although the Republican nomination is essentially settled now that Donald Trump's main competitors have dropped out or suspended their campaigns, 35% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who are pleased with the selection of Trump -- or about half of Republicans -- say the election process is working. In April, when Ted Cruz was still waging a spirited campaign against Trump, just 25% of Republicans who backed Trump for the nomination thought the process was working well, compared with 32% of Cruz supporters. Overall, 28% of all U.S. adults this month say the election process is working, similar to the 27% in April but down from 33% in February and 37% in January. Over these five months, Democrats' satisfaction with the process has been fairly steady near 30%, while Republicans' fell from 46% at the start of the year to 30% by March and has since remained near that level. Current public skepticism about the election process contrasts with early 2000 and 2008, when about half or even two-thirds of Americans -- including majorities of Republicans and Democrats -- thought the process was working as it should. Americans' View of Election Process, Trend by Party ID Percentage saying the way the campaign is being conducted makes them feel the election process is working as it should National adults Republicans/Leaners Democrats/Leaners % % % May 13-15, 2016 28 29 28 Apr 15-17, 2016 27 26 29 Mar 16-17, 2016 30 30 32 Feb 15-16, 2016 33 41 29 Jan 15-16, 2016 37 46 32 Dec 15-18, 2011 39 49 31 Jan 10-13, 2008 67 66 71 Dec 14-16, 2007 47 46 52 Mar 10-12, 2000 53 54 54 Gallup Although Gallup's trend on this question is limited, only in December 2011 were attitudes nearly as dour as they are today. At that point, only 39% of Americans thought the election process was working well. And the results by party were remarkably similar to what Gallup found in January of this year: roughly half of Republicans (49%) versus nearly a third of Democrats (31%) thought the process was working well. One similarity between the 2011-2012 and 2015-2016 election cycles is concern about overexposure of the Republican candidates because of the number of debates, the number of candidates or both. In January 2015, Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said he thought the number of Republican debates and forums during the 2011-2012 cycle -- 27 total -- damaged the party's image by giving too much airtime to Republicans' attacks on each other. As a result, Priebus limited the number of debates this cycle; since last October, there have been 12. But the unprecedented number of candidates running this time, with Trump launching sharp attacks on his opponents, has produced as much if not more of a spectacle. Bottom Line Sanders' supporters have their reasons to be frustrated with an election process that seems destined to deliver the Democratic nomination to his opponent. Even if Sanders manages to win a similar number of delegates to Clinton's in the state primaries and caucuses, her commanding lead among Democratic "superdelegates" has tilted the nomination process strongly in Clinton's favor. That could explain the higher percentage of Sanders than Clinton supporters who today say the election process is not working as it should. However, Democrats have been critical of the process as far back as January, most likely reflecting their views of the Republicans' highly fractured and divisive race as much as the Democratic one. And, echoing the sentiment from late 2011, the year began with Republicans feeling better than Democrats about the election process. But as GOP candidates started dropping out, and personal attacks among the remaining ones became the campaign's prominent feature, Republicans' satisfaction fell in March to match Democrats' and has since remained low. Both parties have an opportunity to put a more positive spin on the process at their nominating conventions this summer, as well as during the presidential debates this fall. However, if those events fail to convince Americans that democracy is on course, voters' low satisfaction with the process could contribute to lower turnout in the election this fall. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted May 13-15, 2016, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey, with a random sample of 1,537 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 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the sample of 699 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, the margin of error is 5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the sample of 677 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, the margin of error is 5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. Learn more about how the Gallup U.S. Daily works. People started arriving in Kundiawa as early as eight oclock last Thursday. At the beginning there was a small misunderstanding with the Kundiawa Police Task Force and the Mobile Squad 8 of Kerowagi when they questioned the legality of the assembly. After receiving official permission from the Simbu provincial police commander, Superintendent Albert Beli, Voice of Simbu conducted a province-wide awareness program to inform people of the forum. The forum also canvassed actions that the people of Simbu could take. The forum, jointly organised by university students and Voice of Simbu led by Mathias Kin, was to inform the people of Simbu and make them aware of how Peter ONeill has run down Papua New Guinea as well as to explain the Parakagate affair and other allegations involving ONeill and his government. THE people of Simbu called upon prime minister Peter ONeill to resign from office at a recent public forum held in Kundiawa and attended by over 6,000 people. However the provincial police commander came out and addressed crowd. He agreed the forum had official approval and could go ahead. The forum was joined by students from the University of Technology who had travelled from Lae on the tulait tulait bus. The students gave good insights into the current political, social and economic situation in PNG. They spoke strongly on the many current issues surrounding the prime minister including the National Provident Fund saga, Paraka fraud, the $3 billion UBS loan, the PNG power generator fraud, government mismanagement, the disbanding and suppression of government institutions, sacking of ministers and senior police, public servants pay, university students strikes and the current cash problems. The crowd strongly applauded as the speakers touched upon each issue. After the students spoke, other people contributed including the member for Sinasina Yongomugl, Kerenga Kua MP, who spoke powerfully on the need for the prime minister and other elected and unelected officials to respect the laws of this country and not to continuously use expensive lawyers to run to the courts and use the media to convince the public. Kua called on his Simbu colleagues to put the interest of the people and their country first by withdrawing their support for ONeill. He said politicians who continued support for ONeill showed that they were selfish and greedy and only serving their own interests. The forum concluded with a resolution from the crowd that the prime minister must resign to save Papua New Guinea from disaster. To show Simbu peoples position on this national crisis, it was resolved that 200,000 Simbu people will sign a petition to give to the prime minister. The six Simbu members of parliament will receive the petition on behalf of the prime minister. The organisers of the forum thanked all the Simbu people for attending the forum, which ended peacefully at one oclock. They also highly praised the Simbu peace and good order committee and provincial police commander Beli for their endorsement of the staging of the forum. They commended Beli for his neutrality, observing that police in Port Moresby had become ONeills puppets. News & Notes The Corvallis Clinic Pharmacy recently changed its hours of operation. The pharmacy now is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Increased competition from large retail chains and mail-order pharmacies, along with forces that are reducing insurance reimbursement, prompted the change. The pharmacy can be reached at 541-754-1284, with voicemail available 24 hours, seven days a week. It is in the Asbury Building at 3680 N.W. Samaritan Drive in Corvallis. SoupCycle, a soup delivery company started in 2008 in Corvallis, recently became a Certified B Corporation. B Corporations are a new kind of company that use the power of business to help solve social and environmental problems. SoupCycle joins 66 other B Corporations in Oregon. There are more than 1,000 Certified B Corporations in 60 industries in 34 countries with a goal of redefining success in business. Certified B Corporations are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions not only on shareholders, but also on stakeholders: workers, suppliers, community, consumers and the environment. SoupCycle is a small-batch, organic soup company that delivers by bicycle. The company provides meals of soup, salad, juice and bread to homes and offices in Corvallis, Portland and Bend. With a changing menu featuring four soups, multiple salads and additional items, it is easy to put together a child-friendly meal that is ready to eat in minutes. SoupCycle has made more than 180,000 deliveries. The company is committed to providing tasty, affordable meals made with organic ingredients and delivered sustainably. People on the Move Keller Williams Realty recently announced the addition of a new agent, Jenni Lorenzen. Lorenzen has lived in the Willamette Valley for more than 20 years, and is originally from Spokane, Washington. She is working out of the Keller Williams office in the Corvallis Market Center at 1121 N.W. Ninth St. She can be reached at 541-231-6507 or JLoren@kw.com. Take a Bow Bryony DuPont, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Oregon State University, recently was named one of DiscoverEs 2016 New Faces of Engineering honorees. Since 2003, DiscoverE has presented this award to honor the work of up-and-coming engineers who are making their mark on their industry. National engineering societies nominate colleagues 30 years old or younger for consideration. DuPont was nominated by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Case Western Reserve University, and Master of Science and doctoral degrees from Carnegie Mellon University; all her degrees are in mechanical engineering. DuPont, 30, is a designer and builder of advanced computer algorithms. Her work is focused at the intersection of artificial intelligence and sustainability, to design renewable energy systems and sustainable products that are adaptable to the real world. Outside the lab and classroom, her outreach activities encourage young women to pursue engineering education and careers. She runs an engineering design workshop for girls through middle-school outreach programs, where students use KNEX to make racecars to learn about engineering design tradeoffs. A public forum will be held this week to address concerns about potential water shortages in the Alpine area. Hosted by the South Benton Citizens Advisory Committee, the forum will take place starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Alpine Community Center, 25184 Webster Ave. in Alpine. Residents have expressed concerns about the number of failing domestic wells in and around Alpine. Representatives from the Oregon Water Resources Department will be on hand to discuss groundwater resources in the area and what can be done to assure an adequate supply. Oct. 14, 1921 May 12, 2016 Remembering a war hero and family hero decorated World War II veteran Larry Underwood died May 12 surrounded by family members at the age of 94. Larry was born in Newton, Massachusetts, on Oct. 14, 1921. His family growing up lived in Ridgefield, Washington, where his father was superintendent of the school district. After moving to Corvallis he graduated from Corvallis High School, and then entered the army in 1941. He worked at United Chrome Products as a salesman for many years. Then Larry started his own metal fabrication business in Philomath called Underwood and Sons. Larry was a highly decorated veteran who served in the army from 1941 to 1945 in the war in the Pacific. For his war injuries and valor he was the recipient of three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. To keep his memories fresh, one of his prized possessions was a large flag of Imperial Japan that he confiscated from a Japanese airbase in New Guinea in 1944. Inscribed on the flag are dozens of names, the names of his fellow soldiers in the 162nd Infantry Regiment of the 41st Division the Jungleers. Larry enjoyed getting together for reunions with his band of brothers. While he maintained contact with his fellow veterans when he returned from the war, he wanted to get on with his life, which he did. He married the love of his life, Dotty, in 1945, and they lived happily together in Corvallis, and celebrated over 71 years of marriage. His family came to see him as an even greater hero for the way he provided for them and kept them together, providing support and wisdom that can only come from a well-lived life. He was our hero! Larry enjoyed spending time with his family in his backyard and pool, playing horseshoes, Sunday poker night, fishing, Army reunions, bingo, welding sculptures in his garage, and of course playing practical jokes on his neighbors. He was a member of Elks and Moose lodges, and Roaming Antlers Club. He is survived by his siblings and children: one son, Wendell Underwood of Corvallis, and two daughters, Janice Lehman of Corvallis and Patti Eby of Portland. Larry is also survived by seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Remembrances can be made to Hospice Care of the Northwest. A celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Corvallis Oregon National Guard Armory, 1100 NW Kings Blvd., Corvallis. Small dialogue meetings that have been occurring between Philomath and Kings Valley school board members and administrators to settle various differences in a more efficient manner have produced positive results, Tom Klipfel reported. I think its productive. Were closing things that were points of contention in the past, Klipfel, Philomath School Board chair, said during Thursday nights meeting. Were addressing things I think its working very well. But along with those comments, Klipfel added, we have a long, long way to go to heal some riffs and mentioned Kings Valleys continued interest in joining the Falls City School District. Its clear that the Kings Valley Charter School Board is moving full steam ahead on working with Falls City to look at the option of a boundary realignment and then move the Kings Valley Charter School area into the Falls City district, Klipfel said. Jamon Ellingson, KVCS executive director, used softer language when describing his boards interest. It hasnt necessarily moved forward but theyre still considering it, Ellingson told Klipfel during the meeting. Strained relations between Philomath and Kings Valley this past winter apparently played a role in the charter schools decision to explore its sponsorship options, despite the fact that it had requested a 10-year contract during the most recent renewal talks. Mark Hazelton, representing KVCS, approached the Falls City School Board several months ago about a possible change in district boundary lines. The former longtime executive director of KVCS requested a schematic showing a potential land swap based on tax assessment value. During the Philomath School Boards Feb. 18 meeting, Klipfel expressed disappointment that KVCS had made contact with Falls City about a boundary change without first notifying Philomath. Beth Hoinacki, KVCS board chair, said in February that she and Hazelton had talked about a school boundary change for years as a possible way for the charter schools students to benefit from program offerings when partnered with a like school. Klipfel said such a change would require signatures from both the releasing and receiving school districts and then go for approval from both Benton and Polk county commissioners. A timeline has not been put together, Ellingson said. The place where it was left was the board members were going to communicate and I dont think thats happened yet. Its a developing strategy. Philomath School Board member and Kings Valley resident Rick Wells said he and other residents in the region should be informed of whats going on. I havent heard anything from the school to the community that theyre even proposing this, so it probably would be a prudent move to let the residents out there know because Im sure its going to involve some houses around there Im assuming that will be put into a different taxing district. I dont know how that works, Wells said. Ellingson agreed with Wells that communication with the community is a great idea. In other points brought up by Klipfel during his report on the KVCS dialogue meetings, the Philomath district received emails that it had requested in an effort to understand the relationship between KVCS and the third-party nonprofit organization, People Sustaining Kings Valley. We did get a good patch of emails that Melissa (Goff, Philomath schools superintendent) and Jamon have gone through to identify some areas where policy and process need to be put in place, Klipfel said. We feel good progress has been made there. Klipfel said interest remains in KVCS and PSKV officials taking part in an educational program of some sort to better understand regulations and requirements. In another matter to be discussed at the next dialogue meeting with KVCS, Klipfel said a memorandum of understanding will likely be drafted to formalize a situation involving the schools ADM, or average daily membership. Five part-time students attending on campus have added 0.5 to the schools ADM. Apparently there was sort of a handshake agreement between the former executive director and our former superintendent that kind of put that above or outside the charter, Klipfel said. Its very nominal. I took the action to draft a formal proposal to bring here to basically create an amendment to the charter. Dialogue meeting discussion has also included topics such as nursing services and teacher salaries. In other business from Thursdays meeting: On behalf of the Special Education Advisory Committee, counselor Phoenix Ries honored two staffers and one student with an Equity Award, a new way to recognize work in the special education arena. Associated Student Body adviser Michelle Cahill, student Christopher McMorran, who will serve as ASB president next year, and elementary school principal Susan Halliday were recognized. A local resident and pastor approached the board suggesting a conversation on suicide prevention awareness. The board agreed to put the issue on the June agenda. The board and the districts administrative team discussed challenges with attendance and behavior issues through the analysis of compiled statistical data at each grade level and suggested strategies. The board discussed a new approach on engagement with community, staff and students. Klipfel put together a plan for the academic year that will be revisited this fall. The boards approved hirings included Bill Mancuso as the new district business manager. The board had approved Jonathan Moore for the position at the April meeting but he ended up rescinding his interest in the job. Mancuso, who will begin the job July 1, will replace Jackie Olsen. The hirings of Brian Flannery as PHS principal and Krista McGuyer as special programs/student services administrator became official. Dan Johnson was approved as summer school administrator within the extra duty category. School board member Jim Kildea announced that Philomath was one of nine school districts to receive $5,000 under the Promise Scholarship Program. The pilot program rewards board development actions with scholarship funds for students. Space weather Our suns adolescence was stormy-and new evidence shows that these tempests may have been just the key to seeding life as we know it. Some 4 billion years ago, the sun shone with only about three-quarters the brightness we see today, but its surface roiled with giant eruptions spewing enormous amounts of solar material and radiation out into space. These powerful solar explosions may have provided the crucial energy needed to warm Earth, despite the suns faintness. The eruptions also may have furnished the energy needed to turn simple molecules into the complex molecules such as RNA and DNA that were necessary for life. The research was published in Nature Geoscience on May 23, 2016, by a team of scientists from NASA. Understanding what conditions were necessary for life on our planet helps us both trace the origins of life on Earth and guide the search for life on other planets. Until now, however, fully mapping Earths evolution has been hindered by the simple fact that the young sun wasnt luminous enough to warm Earth. Back then, Earth received only about 70 percent of the energy from the sun than it does today, said Vladimir Airapetian, lead author of the paper and a solar scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. That means Earth should have been an icy ball. Instead, geological evidence says it was a warm globe with liquid water. We call this the Faint Young Sun Paradox. Our new research shows that solar storms could have been central to warming Earth. Scientists are able to piece together the history of the sun by searching for similar stars in our galaxy. By placing these sun-like stars in order according to their age, the stars appear as a functional timeline of how our own sun evolved. It is from this kind of data that scientists know the sun was fainter 4 billion years ago. Such studies also show that young stars frequently produce powerful flares giant bursts of light and radiation similar to the flares we see on our own sun today. Such flares are often accompanied by huge clouds of solar material, called coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, which erupt out into space. NASAs Kepler mission found stars that resemble our sun about a few million years after its birth. The Kepler data showed many examples of what are called superflares enormous explosions so rare today that we only experience them once every 100 years or so. Yet the Kepler data also show these youngsters producing as many as ten superflares a day. While our sun still produces flares and CMEs, they are not so frequent or intense. Whats more, Earth today has a strong magnetic field that helps keep the bulk of the energy from such space weather from reaching Earth. Space weather can, however, significantly disturb a magnetic bubble around our planet, the magnetosphere, a phenomenon referred to as geomagnetic storms that can affect radio communications and our satellites in space. It also creates auroras most often in a narrow region near the poles where Earths magnetic fields bow down to touch the planet. Our young Earth, however, had a weaker magnetic field, with a much wider footprint near the poles. Our calculations show that you would have regularly seen auroras all the way down in South Carolina, says Airapetian. And as the particles from the space weather traveled down the magnetic field lines, they would have slammed into abundant nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere. Changing the atmospheres chemistry turns out to have made all the difference for life on Earth. The atmosphere of early Earth was also different than it is now: Molecular nitrogen that is, two nitrogen atoms bound together into a molecule made up 90 percent of the atmosphere, compared to only 78 percent today. As energetic particles slammed into these nitrogen molecules, the impact broke them up into individual nitrogen atoms. They, in turn, collided with carbon dioxide, separating those molecules into carbon monoxide and oxygen. The free-floating nitrogen and oxygen combined into nitrous oxide, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. When it comes to warming the atmosphere, nitrous oxide is some 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The teams calculations show that if the early atmosphere housed less than one percent as much nitrous oxide as it did carbon dioxide, it would warm the planet enough for liquid water to exist. This newly discovered constant influx of solar particles to early Earth may have done more than just warm the atmosphere, it may also have provided the energy needed to make complex chemicals. In a planet scattered evenly with simple molecules, it takes a huge amount of incoming energy to create the complex molecules such as RNA and DNA that eventually seeded life. While enough energy appears to be hugely important for a growing planet, too much would also be an issue a constant chain of solar eruptions producing showers of particle radiation can be quite detrimental. Such an onslaught of magnetic clouds can rip off a planets atmosphere if the magnetosphere is too weak. Understanding these kinds of balances help scientists determine what kinds of stars and what kinds of planets could be hospitable for life. We want to gather all this information together, how close a planet is to the star, how energetic the star is, how strong the planets magnetosphere is in order to help search for habitable planets around stars near our own and throughout the galaxy, said William Danchi, principal investigator of the project at Goddard and a co-author on the paper. This work includes scientists from many fields those who study the sun, the stars, the planets, chemistry and biology. Working together we can create a robust description of what the early days of our home planet looked like and where life might exist elsewhere. For more information about the Kepler mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kepler Despite what we argued in an editorial last week, it may be too early to conclude definitively that the states motor-voter registration system had little or no impact on the primary election. Certainly, the overall numbers from Tuesdays election were impressive: Officials expect that final tallies will show that 1.2 million Oregonians cast ballots in the election. If that expectation holds, this will be only the second primary election in state history with more than 1 million ballots turned in. (The other election came in 2008, when Oregon voters were galvanized by an epic struggle between Democratic hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.) Some of that increase likely comes from population growth in Oregon. And its also true that the states motor-voter registration program has added more than 50,000 new voters this year. One big question about those new voters, though, was this: Would they vote in the primary? Preliminary data from the Oregon Motor Voter Coalition (a proponent, as the name suggests, of the motor-voter system) suggests that at least some of them did: The coalition said that Oregon voters registered through automatic programs such as motor voter in some cases actually voted at a higher rate than people who registered through traditional means. For example, the coalition reported, about 20.3 percent of Republican voters registered through automatic programs were turning in ballots, compared to 12.7 percent of Republicans registered through traditional means. You could say that, well, sure, those new Republican voters were at least politically motivated enough to take the trouble to affiliate with a political party, unlike the vast majority of motor voters, who remained nonaffiliated. (The act of affiliating with a political party requires the new voter to return a postcard, and most new voters did not do so.) But the coalition says that even new unaffiliated voters turned in their ballots at a higher rate than their peers 10 percent, compared to a 3 percent rate for nonaffiliated voters who registered through traditional means. But the question remains and likely will remain unanswered, at least until an enterprising political scientist digs deep into the data: Did the influx of motor voters play a role in affecting the outcome of any of the states elections? Certainly, you might look at the surprisingly easy win that Bernie Sanders enjoyed over Clinton in Oregon as a possibility, especially since what limited polling was done in the state suggested that Clinton was in the lead. But Democratic turnout in Oregon was less than it was in 2008, suggesting that voters just grew weary of the race this year, especially as it became clear that Oregon would not be playing a pivotal role in the presidential primaries. (For the record, Clinton did better in Oregon in 2016 than she did in 2008. She lost to Sanders by a 55-43 percent margin. In 2008, Obama claimed 59 percent of the vote.) In addition, the fact that Clinton seemed to write off Oregon entirely, with a very limited campaign presence and no appearances in the state, seems to suggest that her pollsters had a better understanding of Oregons tendency to back a scrappy underdog in a primary. As for the states new voters, they may not be as politically disengaged as we initially thought. But their first acid test will come in the November election. Former Rochester Institute of Technology Adjunct Professor, International Producer and American Choreographer Sean McLeod returned to campus to teaches an MT Afro Hip Hop Master Class to college students at RIT's National Institute of Technology for the Deaf in Rochester, NY. In order to set the space in any environment, Sean first helps everyone to understand that fear is natural, but ultimately to embrace the fear so you can move on and grow instead of allowing it to freeze your action or hold you back. Will you embrace your fear and grow this #MTMonday? 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. CARE : Aid organization celebrates 70 years The Bonn chapter of CARE celebrated the 70th anniversary at Munsterplatz with the motto Bonn says thanks. Foto: Frommann Bonn Bonn says thank you to workers of the international organization CARE for 70 years of help throughout the world. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Food and clothing, medicine and tools, school materials and seeds: Around 100 million packages were distributed by aid organization CARE in Europe following World War II. They helped families who had lost everything. About ten million CARE packages were delivered in Germany alone. Norbert Blum, Bonn resident and former Labor Minister of the Kohl government, remembered the packages. Speaking at Munsterplatz on Saturday, he said I know, that I was fully overcome with emotions. CARE was founded 70 years ago in the U.S. and the NGO has been in Bonn since 1980. The Bonn chapter of CARE celebrated the 70th anniversary at Munsterplatz with the motto Bonn says thanks. Information was handed out to people strolling in the city center, and kids could participate in various games or try an obstacle course. Sabine Wilke of CARE said The help we offer today is different. Following the war, delivering food was a main concern but today their work is on a broader scale. We are active in more than 70 countries, in areas where there is war but also where natural catastrophes have occurred, said the spokeswoman. CARE packages are still being provided but the organization also focuses on helping people to help themselves, and implementing sustainable projects. One of their targets is helping ensure women and girls are able to go to school and learn so they can care for their children. During the refugee crisis, this is especially important and consuming. Not only in Syria, but along the whole refugee route from Greece and over the Balkans, we are there, commented Wilke. The Bonn branch of CARE is not only active worldwide but also right here in Bonn. For five years now, they have a partnership with the Marie-Kahle-Gesamtschule (Secondary school). Students there are given the opportunity to learn about global issues including the environment and protecting natural resources, sustainability and human rights. CARE is also working on a pilot program for integration in Germany. In that program, teachers will be taught how to work with children who have been traumatized from the violence they have experienced. Bicyclist hit : License taken from 91-year-old driver Bad Godesberg A young woman was on her bike in Bad Godesberg when she was hit by an elderly driver. She was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken On Saturday, a 91-year-old woman was forced to give up her drivers license after causing an accident. Police report that the elderly driver was on Rheinallee at about 12:30 p.m. heading towards Moltkestrae. She turned left onto Rungsdorfer Strae without giving right of way to a 19-year-old woman on her bike. The bicyclist flew off the front of the car and landed on the ground. The 91-year-old driver then backed up her car, hitting a 56-year-old driver who had been waiting behind her. Injuries sustained by the biker were serious enough that paramedics had to be called to the scene and respond with first aid. The young woman was treated on site and taken by ambulance to the Waldkrankenhaus (hospital). Police estimate total damages at around 3,600 euro. A case of negligent assault is being initiated against the driver. Authorities are to determine if she will be allowed to go on driving or not. Because of the circumstances surrounding the accident, officials ordered that her drivers license be confiscated until an investigation has been completed. Ab 11.09 Uhr am Bonner Himmel : Das sollten Sie bei der heutigen partiellen Sonnenfinsternis beachten AUBURN Music has been and still is alive and well in the Auburn schools. That was proven Sunday when Auburn graduate Nick Hrynyk, now a professional pianist, and student-musicians from the Auburn Enlarged City School District performed in the annual music program benefit concert at Willard Chapel. Hrynyk, who began his musical career as a student in Auburn, is now a professor at New York University, where he teaches piano. On Sunday, as he was playing and interacting with the upcoming musicians, it was evident Hrynyk loves what he does and is enthusiastically encouraging to those who wish to follow in his footsteps. High school music teacher Victoria Kinney, a professional harpist who played with the ballet and orchestra in Omsk, Russia, before emigrating to the United States, was exceedingly proud to have Hrynyk return and play with her students. I feel so proud of each of them; I have discovered so much talent in Auburn, and it is wonderful that the Auburn Maroon Orchestra Boosters support us in this way, Kinney said. The boosters organize this concert each year to raise money to provide any musical necessities not covered by school funds. For example, last year, they provided Herman Avenue Elementary School with a violin and cello rack, and gave Auburn Junior High two cellos and one violin. Booster bard member Christine Collins, whose son, John, was in the high school orchestra and began playing the viola when he was in fourth grade, talked about the importance of the music program. "I became involved because I saw what a difference music plays in the life of these students, Collins said. Although students used to be able to begin an instrument in the fourth grade, middle school music teacher Adam Carkey said, budget cuts have changed that to fifth grade. But there is hope. Right now, we have increasing enrollment in all of our music programs, and two of our students, Zane Carnes and Sam Hensel, made all-state this year; that hasnt happened in quite a while, Carkey said. Both Kinney and Carkey were quick to acknowledge that many of their students play in Syracuses String Orchestra and Youth Orchestra. Those positions are only achieved through solo auditions. Some also perform with the Auburn Chamber Orchestra. As with many of the youngsters who performed on Sunday, Hrynyk started early. He said, I heard music all the time at home, and when I was very young, around 4 or so, I would dance to it. My father played the piano so I grew up in a musical family. He enjoys coming back to Auburn to play and to encourage the youngsters who will soon follow in his footsteps, noting that the range of musicians playing for the concert was from eighth grade through 12th. Dear Esther, It has been several weeks since we met at your home tucked away in the rolling hills between Skaneateles and Marcellus. You agreed to talk with me on the dawn of your retirement from 16 years as a licensed family child care provider, so I could profile your story for Child Care Solutions. The stories I typically write are attempts at illustrating the importance of the work we do on behalf of the Central New York child care system. I spin negative circumstances which our agency has helped parents or child care providers overcome into heart-tugging pleas for more money, better legislation, and progressive public policies. But your story is different. Your story is an example of our vision "every child being cared for in a high quality, safe and nurturing environment that cultivates healthy development, early learning and joy" being brought to life. There is nothing to spin, no barrier to hurdle, no struggle to detail. Yet I want you to know, you tugged at my heartstrings like no other person I've interviewed. The day we met began with a nostalgic drive down memory lane on the country roads of my youth. Farm houses, sturdy barns and rolling pastures brought me back to simpler days and led me to a humble home that felt comfortably familiar. I stumbled up your gravel driveway; you held the door open for me, your cheery yellow scarf blowing in the wind, and shouted, Honey, Im so glad to meet you. My heart knew you meant it. I loved you instantly. After formal introductions and offers of coffee and tea, I settled into a well-worn couch and learned about the volumes of knowledge accumulated during 16 years as a family child care provider. What was supposed to be a quick half-hour interview about retirement evolved into a two-hour visit that filled me with gratitude for having met such a kind soul. I could have stayed nestled in that couch forever. I'd liken the experience to what I am sure Jane and Michael Banks felt after realizing that Mary Poppins had magical nanny powers it was mesmerizing! Please know that meeting you felt like kismet to me. You came along during a period when I was questioning the relevance of my work and becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of political/societal will to change a dysfunctional child care system. You single-handedly reignited my spark because in you I saw what I'm working for child care that is filled with learning, play, security, comfort, and most importantly, love. You embody what every child care provider should be. This vocation was your calling and countless children and parents benefited from your passion. My hope is that by writing this letter, others will reap the rewards of your wisdom; they will know your story is a diamond in the rough and that we need more diamonds. In 2000, you worked up the courage to open your own child care business. "It was the scariest thing I've ever done," you told me. You had never been your own boss, having worked in retail and in the copy center at a Camillus copy center, where people would come in and scream and yell all day. The thought of anyone yelling at you is heartbreaking. Who yells at quite possibly one of the kindest ladies I have ever met? These jobs led to an assistant position at a child care center in Skaneateles, where you found your destiny. And I don't use that word lightly. It is my belief that some people are simply hardwired to perform certain jobs. Child care is one of the hardest professions around and it takes a special person to do it really well, and to want to. Let's face it, you weren't in it for the money. You said yourself you should have charged more, but that wasn't what it was about for you. For you, it was about the kids and loving them and helping their parents. "Where else can you go to work every day and get a hug and 'I love you'?" Oh, how I wish I would have known you when my children were small. The heartache you could have saved me. As you know, Esther, heartache like mine can be quite common among parents who rely on child care when they are at work. Leaving your child in someone else's care is a leap of faith. It is the ultimate test of trust. For you, it was "a privilege that parents would trust [me] enough to help raise their children." When you uttered those words, I choked up and thought, why can't everyone feel that way? For truly, it is a privilege and an honor (albeit not always an easy one) to be entrusted with another's safety, security and education. (We need this privilege to translate to community and political leaders; a letter for another day!) For 16 years you did it with grace, humility, confidence, common sense and a little bit of flair. That flair shines through in what I'm calling "Esther's Pearls of Wisdom." These are the nuggets you peppered into our conversation, and I've compiled them into a list so you can easily share them with others: 1. Play outdoors all of the time, but be prepared for anything. Always have extra sweatshirts, socks, and underwear on hand. 2. Thrifty Shopper and the Rescue Mission are a child care provider's best friend for things like sweatshirts, coats and snowsuits. A little soap and water and things are like brand new! 3. Don't be afraid of making messes. It's OK if you get paint on the table. It will come off. 4. Let kids play. Let kids make mistakes. 5. Kids are so smart. Give them the time and patience they need because slow and steady wins the race. 6. Encourage, don't discourage. Praise children for things they do well. Listen and get excited for them. 7. Say "I'm sorry" as an adult and teach children to say "I'm sorry" sincerely. 8. Place children on your heart and never take them off. 9. Adults have good days and bad days. Children are no different always remember that. 10. Don't buy expensive toys. It's OK to get toys at garage sales. 11. There are no bad kids only bad situations. 12. Greet children at the door with a hug or a handshake. 13. Document, document, document every bump, bruise, tummy ache, etc. 14. Jump in the mud! 15. Do arts and crafts outdoors. Kids will be inspired. 16. Parents visit a child care program multiple times before you make a decision. You can't get a true sense of what a place is like in one day. 17. Know what your limits are and what you're capable of. 18. If you can't give kids 110 percent, it's time to quit. 19. Have a schedule and share it with parents. Be flexible with the schedule if you need to. 20. Enroll in CACFP. 21. If you are the child care provider and you witness a child's first step or word or smile, DO NOT TELL THE PARENTS! Let them have this experience. 22. JUST LOVE THEM! These pearls of wisdom are just a few of the examples of the kind of child care you provided, Esther. How lucky are the children and parents who benefited from this advice. As you embark on your retirement, please rest assured knowing that you served the parents and children of your community well. The impact you've had on children's lives cannot be underestimated. Children like Mackenna Caryl are better people for having been in your care; I'm sure she will always credit you for being the person who got her to eat green beans (a magical feat for many parents) and for being a second "grandmother" to her. Your "kids" who are now teenagers come back to visit you and write cards and letters. That says something! So from me personally and the entire staff of Child Care Solutions, thank you. Thank you for your dedication, for treating child care as a profession, for doing right by children, for being the type of child care provider everyone should emulate, for being Central New York's own Mary Poppins. You will be missed. Xiaomi Mi 5 vs Coolpad Max: Here Are 6 Ways These Phones Are Different Features oi -Abhinaya These days, the Indian smartphone arena is witnessing the launch of many new mid-range devices with affordable price tags so that consumers are lured towards them. One such device that turned everyone towards it is the Xiaomi Mi 5 priced at 24,999. Last week, Coolpad took the wraps off the Coolpad Max that also carries the same price tag as the Xiaomi phone. While the Mi 5 is also available for purchase, the Coolpad Max is exclusive to Amazon India and it will be made available from May 30. Also read: Moto G4 Plus [First impressions]: 5 things we love and 5 we wish to change! These smartphones compete well in the mid-range segment and each one as its own pros and cons such as 4G LTE support, fingerprint scanners, etc. If you want to buy one of these, you can check out the comparison give below. Coolpad Max is premium but Xiaomi Mi 5 is comfortable to hold Xiaomi Mi 5 has a premium and a seamless design featuring a chrome boundary across its edges and chamfered edges. The device fits easily in hand and it is quite comfortable to hold. The Coolpad Max features a full metal body, and it has premium looks and feel with superior build quality. But, the handset is quite wide making it not as comfortable as the Mi 5 to hold. FHD screens are sharp enough Coolpad Max features a curved 5-inch FHD 1080p 2.5D IPS display that is quite bright and vibrant. Also, the 5.15-inch IPS LCD FHD display in the Xiaomi Mi 5 is capable of rendering bright content with a comfortable viewing angle. Though Quad HD 1440p displays are the rage these days, these phones feature only Full HD displays, but the same is sufficient for a day-to-day use. Xiaomi Mi 5 has a quad-core SoC While the Coolpad Max employs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 SoC that ticks at 1.5 GHz clock speed. This processor is teamed up with Adreno 405 GPU and 4 GB RAM. On the other hand, Xiaomi Mi 5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor clocking at 1.8 GHz. An Adreno 530 GPU and 3 GB RAM power the device rendering the necessary performance. Coolpad Max features 64 GB native storage capacity that can be expanded up to another 64 GB using a micro SD card. The Xiaomi phone is bundled with just 32 GB storage space that cannot be expanded as there is no micro SD card slot on board. Coolpad Max is the first Dual Space equipped smartphone Coolpad Max comes with a Dual Space feature that will let users access two WhatsApp, Facebook, and other social media accounts from the same device at the same time. This will separate the personal and work life of the users without using two phones. Xiaomi Mi 5's front camera is better Xiaomi Mi 5 boasts a 16 MP main snapper with a Sony imaging sensor. Also, the front-facer is a 4 Ultrapixel camera. The rear snapper has a sapphire glass protection and it has 4-axis OIS. Also Read: Sony Xperia X, Xperia XA Pre-registrations Open in India: What Should You Know About The Phones There is a 13 MP main snapper with dual-tone LED Flash on the Coolpad Max and a 5 MP front-facer for selfies. The wide angle lens on the device is quite good. Android Marshmallow on Mi 5 While Coolpad Max runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop along with Cool UI, Xiaomi Mi 5 is based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow topped with MIUI 7. Both the devices support 4G LTE and dual-SIM aspects. Coolpad Max is fueled by a 2,800 mAh battery claimed to last up to 17 hours of talk time. The more capacious 3,000 mAh battery in the Mi 5 can last up to 18 hours of moderate use. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Moto G4 Plus [First impressions]: 5 things we love and 5 we wish to change! Reviews oi -Harshita Much rumors and conjectures later, the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus were finally unveiled at a recently held event in Delhi. The phones got launched as "Moto by Lenovo", for Lenovo had already announced that it would remove the Motorola branding for next generation Moto smartphones. The first set of devices under Lenovo's branding have a lot to offer. Moto G4 Plus is one of the most anticipated smartphone, and is crucial for the company, considering the tough competition prevailing in its price category. Rating: 4.0 /5 With Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, LeEco 1s and 1s Eco, and many more hogging limelight for their high end specifications at compelling price, it was important for Moto to come up with a specs-heavy smartphone at a price point that suits consumers' pocket. PROS Improved camera fingerprint scanner CONS Lacks Water proofing capability USB Type C The Moto G4 Plus seems to have hit the right spot, with some long-desired improvements and update in specifications. And like always, the USP remains the pure Android experience you get on Moto smartphones. SEE ALSO: LeEco Le 1s Eco vs Moto G4: Which one gives more value for money! There are many things we love about the Moto G4 Plus that has been priced for Rs 13,499 for the 2GB variant. However, like every coin has a flip side, so does Moto G4 Plus. There are a few features which we wish were better, while testing the phone during the event. We went hands on with the Moto G4 Plus at its recently held launch event, and here are 5 things we absolutely loved about it and 5 we wish to change. Take a look! Starting with the 5 Things we love about Moto G4 Plus: It is pretty light! Moto G4 Plus has a very few but important design changes, which results in a thinner as well as lighter smartphone. Moto G4 Plus measures in at 7.9 mm in thickness and is pretty light on hand. The front now also has a fingerprint scanner, where as the trademark Moto dimple below the camera module remains the same. Right side house volume rocker and power keys, and the bottom has a microUSB charging port. Overall, the phone looks appealing for its price. High display resolution Another thing we think is good about the Moto G4 Plus is that it has a bigger and better display. You get a 5.5-inch Full HD display giving you 1080p resolution, against the 5-inch screen with 720p in Moto G3. The display is layered with Corning Gorilla Glass for protection from light scratches and other damages. Overall the screen looked crisp, vibrant, reproduced colors well, and gives good viewing angles. Fingerprint security This time, you also get a fingerprint scanner, which is the first on a Moto G smartphone. The fingerprint scanner is a square pad placed below the display which operates only as a scanning pad, unlike many other smartphones, which have it integrated in the home key. In terms of performance, during our brief hands on, we found the scanner fast and precise. One of the key areas, where Moto G smartphones lagged behind rivals, was the camera department. However, the company claims that it has improved the camera this time. You now get a 16MP snapper on the Moto G4 Plus, with features like phase detection autofocus (PDAF), f/2.0 and professional mode. Up front, there is a 5MP camera with 84 degree wide angle lens. In terms of performance, we found the camera impressive, however will reserve our final take for the detailed review of the phone. SEE ALSO: Oppo F1 Plus First Impressions: A specs-heavy Android-powered iPhone 6s lookalike targeted at selfie Promising Hardware: The hardware composition including Snapdragon 617 octa-core chipset combined with 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM, and 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM, seem good to us. Moreover, the company gives you expandable storage option via microSD card with up to 128GB capacity. Also, the company has used a huge battery of 3000mAh capacity. The battery supports turbo charging feature that can give 6hrs of battery life with 15 minutes of charging, as per company claims. The hardware of the phone looks promising and we look forward to test the smartphone to check its performance. 5 Things we wish we could change! The display seems reflective, and uncomfortable for single handed use! The Moto G4 Plus has a 5.5-inch display with 1080p resolution, which does offer good viewing angles and reproduces colours well. However, we found it a bit reflective. Moreover, we found ourselves a little uncomfortable operating the phone single handedly, though, that's the case with most big-screen phones. Those who are used to of handling big-display phones are unlikely to face issues operating the Moto G4 Plus single handedly. No Flash light with front-camera! There is no doubt about it that Moto has improved the camera on the new Moto G smartphone, but we missed a flash light with the front facing camera. Up front you get a 5MP snapper which is good to selfies but we think it could have been better with a flash, especially considering that it is available on Samsung's recently launches J series smartphones. Water friendly, no more! The Moto G3 boasted water resistance where as this time the company has given away with it. Water resistance was, in fact, one of the highlights of Moto G smartphones, but Moto G4 Plus instead comes with a nano-coating to be splash free. Doesn't have USB Type C port: Most of the competitive smartphones in this price range come with USB Type C reversible port, whereas the Moto G4 Plus features a microUSB port. Well, we feel that the presence of reversible port would have added to the overall user-experience. Home key placement: We are not sure how would you feel about it, but we think that the company could have combined the home key with the fingerprint scanner. Well, it may not have made much of a difference to many, but could have been more convenient, we feel. Best Mobiles in India Afghan Intelligence Confirms Death of Taliban Leader Mansour in US Strike Sputnik News 12:27 22.05.2016(updated 13:40 22.05.2016) The Afghan spy agency confirmed Sunday that Taliban leader Mullah Mansour was killed after a US drone strike in southwestern Pakistan. MOSCOW (Sputnik) US officials and the Pentagon said a drone strike targeting Mullah Mansour's vehicle killed the Taliban leader near the remote southwestern Pakistani town of Ahmwad Wal along the Afghan border on Saturday. "The Taliban leader killed yesterday afternoon in an airstrike," the KHAD intelligence agency said. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office confirmed in a statement Sunday that the United States carried out a drone strike targeting Mansour, adding that it would provide further details if his death was confirmed. Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah speculated earlier that the Taliban leader's purported death would lead to "big changes" in its leadership. Mansour succeeded longtime Taliban leader Mullah Omar after his death in 2013 was confirmed in mid-2015. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rivet Joint The USAF RC-135V/W RIVET JOINT surveillance aircraft are equipped with an extensive array of sophisticated intelligence gathering equipment enabling military specialists to monitor the electronic activity of adversaries. Also known as "RJ", the aircraft are sometimes called "hogs" due to the extended "hog nose" and "hog cheeks". RIVET JOINT has been widely used in the 1990's -- during Desert Storm, the occupation of Haiti, and most recently over Bosnia. Using automated and manual equipment, electronic and intelligence specialists can precisely locate, record and analyse much of what is being done in the electromagnetic spectrum. The fleet of 14 RIVET JOINT aircraft increased to 15 in late 1999 with the addition of a converted C-135B. The jet's conversion cost about $90 million. The Rivet Joint fleet is currently undergoing significant airframe, navigational and powerplant upgrades which include re-engining from the TF-33 to the CFM-56 engines used on the KC-135R and upgrade of the flight deck instrumentation and navigational systems to the AMP standard. The AMP standard includes conversion from analog readouts to a digital "glass cockpit" configuration. The Air Force plans to spend at least $1.4 billion to keep the RC-135 Rivet Joint (RJ) fleet flying through 2018. The service also plans to modify a recently retired Air National Guard KC-135 tanker, turning it into the Air Force's 17th RJ signals-intelligence aircraft. Basic roles include: providing indications about the location and intentions of enemyforces and warnings of threatening activity broadcasting a variety of direct voice communications. Of highest priority are combat advisory broadcasts and imminent threat warnings that can be sent direct to aircraft in danger operating both data and voice links to provide target info to US ground based air defenses The RIVET JOINT aircraft are capable of conducting ELINT and COMINT intercept operations against targets at ranges of up to 240 kilometers [in contrast to the 280 kilometer intercept range of the higher-flying U-2]. The RIVET JOINT aircraft operated by the 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., provide direct, near real-time reconnaissance information and electronic warfare support to theater commanders and combat forces. In support of the 55th, the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron operates out of Mildenhall and provides pilots and navigators to fly the aircraft. The 488th Intelligence Squadron provides the intelligence personnel who work in the back of the plane. Since the beginning of Operation Joint Endeavor December 21, 1995 through May 1996 the 95th and 488th flew 625 hours and 72 sorties together in support of the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. RIVET JOINT (RC-135V/W) is an air refuelable theater asset with a nationally tasked priority. It collects, analyzes, reports, and exploits enemy BM/C4I. During most contingencies, it deploys to the theater of operations with the airborne elements of TACS (AWACS, ABCCC, Joint STARS, etc.) and is connected to the aircraft via datalinks and voice as required. The aircraft has secure UHF, VHF, HF, and SATCOM communications. Refined intelligence data can be transferred from Rivet Joint to AWACS through the Tactical Digital Information Link TADIL/A or into intelligence channels via satellite and the TACTICAL INFORMATION BROADCAST SERVICE (TIBS), which is a nearly real-time theater information broadcast. Upgrades There is little question that the most sophisticated and capable collection system today is the 85000 System onboard the RIVET JOINT aircraft. The House Intelligence Committee's concept would continue the incremental and continuous sensor improvement to the 85000 System with the goal of ``cross-decking'' it to the new aircraft in the then-current state of modification when the first aircraft is ready to accept it. This would require ``new'' equipment purchases for the first number of new aircraft that replace the EP-3, and the later number of aircraft would be outfitted with equipment directly transferred from the RC-135 aircraft as each is retired. The cost savings realized with this concept would be substantial over the alternative option to develop an entirely new SIGINT system. The Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) is developing a family of CDL-compatible, low-cost, light weight, digital data links for initial application to unmanned aerial vehicles. Normally the data returns with the collecting aircraft to be downloaded and processed at base. A long-standing need remains to provide the theater CINC and/or the National Command Authority (NCA) with the ELINT environment in real-time. In the future TCDL design is expected to be extended to additional manned and unmanned applications, including RIVET JOINT. The TCDL will operate in Ku band and will be interoperable with the existing CDL at the 200 Kbps forward link and 10.71 Mbps return link data rates and is expected to interface to the Tactical Control System (TCS). On February 12, 1997 Sanders, a Lockheed Martin Company, was selected by the Joint Airborne Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Program Office for development and demonstration of the Joint SIGINT Avionics Family (JSAF) Low Band Subsystem (LBSS). Major subcontractors include: Radix Technologies, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; Applied Signal Technologies (APSG) of Sunnyvale, Calif.; and TRW System Integration Group, also of Sunnyvale. Radix will provide radio frequency (RF) and digital signal processing subsystems; APSG will develop special signal processing subsystems; and TRW will be responsible for high speed networking and computing subsystems. The JSAF low band subsystem is a platform-independent, modular, reconfigurable suite of hardware and software that can address multiple mission scenarios aboard a variety of aircraft. It will significantly enhance the ability of reconnaissance platforms to detect and locate modern enemy communications systems and provide real time intelligence on enemy intentions and capabilities to the warfighter. Initially, JSAF LBSS will be deployed on U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft and other special Air Force platforms as well as the U.S. Army's RC-7 (Airborne Reconnaissance Low) and the U.S. Navy's EP-3 aircraft. JSAF LBSS will also be capable of deployment on unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) in the future. JSAF collection systems intercept, exploit, and report on modern modulation and low probability of detection communications and radar signals. It permits the collection of signals in the presence of co-channel interfering signals, and provides interoperability between primary DOD airborne collection platforms, establishing the infrastructure to support near-real-time exchange of information for rapid signal geolocation and targeting. Provide compliance with DOD directed Joint Airborne SIGINT Architecture (JASA). Current aircraft architecture and collection system have insufficient capability to intercept modern modulation and low probability of detection communications and radar signals. System requires improvements to accurately measure signal polarization and angle of arrival to the required accuracy, and to process signals in the presence of co-channel interfering signals. DOD airborne collection platforms do not operate under a common architecture and are limited in their ability to exchange data among platforms for the purpose of rapid signal triangulation for geolocation and targeting. Four aircraft undergo PDM per year. Current funding in FY01/02 only supports JSAF modification for three of the four aircraft during those years. Result will be 2 different aircraft configurations moving thorugh PDM. The impact includes dual qualified aircrews, split logistics, increased training, increased cost for "out-of-cycle" modification. The RIVET JOINT Joint Airborne SIGINT Architecture (JASA) High Band Sub-System (HBSS) Upgrade procures and installs upgrades to the RIVET JOINT's high band antennas, RF distribution network, and software to intercept, exploit, and report on modern modulation and low probability of detection communications and radar signals. It permits the collection of signals in the presence of co-channel interfering signals, and provides interoperability between primary DOD airborne collection platforms, establishing the infrastructure to support near-real-time exchange of information for rapid signal geolocation and targeting. Provide compliance with DOD directed Joint Airborne SIGINT Architecture (JASA). The JSAF CRD (CAF 002-88 Joint CAF -USA, USN, USMC CAPSTONE Requirements Document for JOINT SIGINT AVIONICS FAMILY) requires all airborne reconnaissance aircraft to migrate to JASA compliance by 2010. Current aircraft architecture and collection system have insufficient capability to intercept modern modulation and low probability of detection communications and radar signals. System requires improvements to accurately measure signal polarization and angle of arrival to the required accuracy, and to process signals in the presence of co-channel interfering signals. DOD airborne collection platforms do not operate under a common architecture and are limited in their ability to exchange data among platforms for the purpose of rapid signal triangulation for geolocation and targeting. The RIVET JOINT SHF High Gain Steerable Beam Antenna Upgrade I will procure and install a new antenna array in the cheek to provide increased sensitivity and signal separation for selected frequency bands. It provides an increased number of steerable beams in bands that currently have steerable beams, and provides steerable beams in bands not currently steerable beam capable. Increases the number of signals that can be processed simultaneously and increases signal selectivity against co-channel signals. Increasing number of low power signals and increased signal density have decreased the ability to collect tasked targets due to co-channel signal interference. Antenna improvements permit deeper target penetration against low power emitters or increased standoff ranges. The current SHF antenna array does not provide the sensitivity or selectivity required to collect low power or co-channel signals, reducing probability of intercept. RIVET JOINT SHF High Gain Steerable Beam Antenna Upgrade II procures and installs a new antenna array in the cheek to provide increased sensitivity and signal separation in selected frequency bands. Provides an increased number of steerable beams in bands that currently have steerable beams, and provides steerable beams in bands not currently steerable beam capable. Increases the number of signals that can be processed simultaneously and increases signal selectivity against co-channel signals. Increasing number of low power signals and increased signal density have decreased the ability to collect tasked targets. Antenna improvements permit deeper target penetration against low power emitters or increased standoff ranges. The current SHF antenna array does not provide the sensitivity or selectivity required to collect low power or co-channel signals, reducing probability of intercept. The RIVET JOINT High Frequency (HF) Direction Finding (DF) System procures and installs a ten element HF array antenna on RIVET JOINT to provide HF DF capability. Upgrades the Joint SIGINT Avionics Family (JSAF) LowBand SubSystem (LBSS) receiver to process HF DF. The current RIVET JOINT HF capability is limited to a long wire antenna. This configuration supports signal reception, but not HF DF. The aircraft is tasked to perform search, classification, collection, and DF of all militarily significant signals. This tasking includes signals in the HF band. Without HF DF, the aircraft will continue to have no DF capability in this increasingly significant frequency band. A ten element HF antenna array, and receiver upgrades are needed to perform HF DF operations. Without the installation of a ten element HF antenna array, RIVET JOINT will not be able satisfy the requirement to DF signals in the HF band. The RIVET JOINT 360 Search, Acquisition, and Direction Finding System procures and installs a circular antenna array and receiver system designed to search, acquire and DF emitters over the full. The antenna will be centerline mounted on the aircraft underside. The antenna output will be routed to a new receiver dedicated to 360 intercept. The receiver output would be routed to existing processors for exploitation. The proposed implimentation will retain the high sensitivity and geolocation accuracy of the current system while adding an additional antenna array and receiver specifically for 360 coverage. RIVET JOINT is currently unable to satisfy the long-standing requirement to search, acquire, and DF emitters through the full 360. The current radar acquisition and DF systems have a limited field of view, restricted to 120 on each side of the aircraft. Additionally, the operator can only select one side or the other. The aircraft is often employed in orbits requiring a greater antenna field of view, often from both sides of the aircraft, or from the nose and tail. The crew currently accomplishes this tasking by alternating antenna selection from side to side, and by changing aircraft headings. These tactics provide sequential, not simultaneous looks at the target area, and pose a significant probability of missing short-up-time and low-probability-of-intercept emitters. RIVET JOINT Wideband Line-of-Sight Data Link procures, installs and integrates a wideband datalink terminal on the aircraft. Datalink would be line-of-sight capable. Datalink will be interoperable with ground-tethered assets for data exchange and exploitation. Permits airborne exploitation of UAV sensors. Provides capability for cooperative direction finding for near instantaneous target geolocation. Allows aircrews to draw on in-theater intelligence center databases and processing capability. Provides for near-real-time interaction between theater assets, increasing probability of intercepting targets, and increasing geolocation accuracy of target locations. Airborne reconnaissance platforms require a wideband datalink for interaction among platforms in order to provide high probability of signal detection, provide accurate and timely target geolocation, draw on theater atabases and processing capability to exploit robust signals, and permit airborne access to UAV sensor data. Without this upgrade, RIVET JOINT aircraft will not be able to exchange data among in-theater reconnaissance platforms and draw on CONUS based national assets to exchange data, cooperatively geolocate targets, and exploit robust targets in near-real-time. RIVET JOINT Wideband SATCOM Data Link/Global Broadcast Service (GBS) procures, installs and integrates a wideband datalink terminal on the aircraft. Datalink would expand the capability of a wideband line-of-sight datalink to add SATCOM capable. Datalink will be interoperable with ground-tethered assets for data exchange and exploitation. Permits airborne exploitation of UAV sensors. Provides capability for cooperative direction finding for near instantaneous target geolocation. Allows aircrews to draw on in-theater intelligence center databases and processing capability, or provide for reach-back to CONUS intelligence center databases and processing capability. Provides for near-real-time interaction between theater and national assets, increasing probability of intercepting targets, and increasing geolocation accuracy of target locations. Terminal will permit receipt of Global Broadcast Service. Airborne reconnaissance platforms require a wideband datalink for interaction among platforms in order to provide high probability of signal detection, provide accurate and timely target geolocation, draw on theater and CONUS databases and processing capability to exploit robust signals, and permit airborne access to UAV sensor data. RIVET JOINT aircraft will not be able to exchange data among in-theater reconnaissance platforms and draw on CONUS based national assets to exchange data, cooperatively geolocate targets, and exploit robust targets in near-real-time. RIVET JOINT Operator Workstation Upgrade procures and installs high resolution operator displays to improve target detection and signal recognition. Wide band fiber optic base audio distribution network to all operators. Wide band, high capacity COTS audio recorders. High capacity, digital, reprogramable, wideband demodulators and processors. Current display resolution is insufficient to allow accurate signal detection and recognition of modern modulation target signals. Several current target emitters exceed the bandwith of the current audio distribution system, resulting in unintelligible audio output. Several receiver outputs are routed to specific operator positions, limiting flexibility in responding to theater driven dynamic target environments. Bandwidth and capacity of current recorders is exceeded by an emerging class of wideband modern modulation target emitters. Bandwidth and capacity of current signal demodulators is exceeded by an emerging class of wideband modern modulation target emitters. Current demodulators are not reprogramable. It is expensive and time consuming to reconfigure them to process different target emitters. RIVET JOINT Cockpit Modernization includes the RIVET JOINT in the Air Force PACER CRAG initiative to upgrade the C-135 fleet cockpit, and installs the GATM/FANS avionics required to operate in the evolving civil air structure. PACER CRAG installs new compasses, radar, multi-function displays, and global positioning system/flight management system. New fuel panel, Mode S IFF, TCAS, precision altimeters, and DAMA compliant, 8.333 KHz channel radios are included in this upgrade. The upgrade provides RIVET JOINT and RJ Trainer (TC-135) aircraft commonality with the C-135 fleet for training, logistics, and parts. Eliminated "vanishing vendor" problems associated with diverging from the KC-135 avionics. Permits aircraft to comply with ICAO navigation and communication standards to operate in the trans-oceanic and European portions of the commercial air structure. Improves safety, reliability, and maintainability of aircraft. Aircraft will be denied access to increasing portions of civil air space without proper navigation/communications equipment. Current avionics systems will become unsupportable as KC-135 migrates to newer equipment. Commonality will be lost with the rest of the C-135 fleet. Common parts supply base will not be available. CFM-56 Re-engining completes re-engining of RC-135 aircraft with CFM-56 engines, and modifies the airframes to support re-engining. The project decreases cost of ownership and increases operational capability by installing new, fuel efficient engines. The upgrade also reduces maintenance manpower and logistics costs; the new engine is more reliable than the current engine, and the engine is common with the AMC KC-135 fleet. This project extends unrefueled range and time-on-station, and permits operations at higher altitudes, increasing airborne sensor field of view and effectiveness. Increased altitude range provides flexibility to airspace planners integrating aircraft into conjested airspace just behind the FEBA. The new engines decrease dependency on tankers for air refueling, and provide a capability to takeoff on shorter runways at increased gross weights. The project facilitates two-level maintenance concept reducing costs by 32%, and supports improved aircraft environmental system prolonging sensitive sensor life. Failure to fund re-engining to completion will leave a logistically split RC-135 fleet, equipped with two completely different engines. Increased cost of ownership due to duplicate spares at each operating location. Current TF-33 engines will become more difficult and costly to support requiring significant increases in future O&M costs (TF-33 parts no longer in production). The RC-135 fleet would lack commonality with re-engined KC-135 fleet, and the GAO validated $1.7B life cycle savings (total RC-135 program) would not be realized if this project was not funded. In 1996, the service decided to spend $612 million over a decade to include the RJs in the multibillion-dollar effort to replace engines aerial tankers. As of late 2002, four RJs had been delivered On 24 October 2001 the House Appropriations Committee recommended spending for the re-engining of four Rivet Joint aircraft. RIVET JOINT Air Conditioning (A/C) Environmental Cooling Modifications procures and installs a vapor cycle cooling system. Includes a liquid cooling loop and heat exchangers. The system will provide in excess of 10 tons of additional cooling at all operating altitudes. Permits effective operation of collection systems added to the aircraft over the last decade. Reduces the requirements for auxiliary air conditioning during ground support operations. The heat load of the "mission equipment" has exceeded the capacity of the standard C-135 air-conditioning system. Skin heat exchangers have been installed to effect additional cooling. This system is only effective at altitudes in excess of 25,000 ft and has reached its capacity. To allow future growth in system capabilities, flexibility in operations, and crew comfort, additional capacity must be obtained. Without increased A/C capability, future growth of aircraft mission equipment, operational flexibility, and crew comfort will be curtailed. The RIVET JOINT Mission Trainer (RJMT) will provide a high fidelity ground trainer for RC-135 RIVET JOINT reconnaissance compartment personnel, using aircraft hardware and software. The trainer will be equipped with signal generators to create and display a full range of radar and communications signals to the reconnaissance crew. A complex, syncronized signal environment can be presented to the crew, permitting coordinated exploitation of these signal. The trainer will be equipped with Link-11, Link-16, and TIBS datalinks to train aircrew to effectively interact with other battle management assets. The trainer will be Distributed Interactive Simulation capable, permitting RIVET JOINT participation in large scale exercises. The RJMT will provide initial qualification, currency, and upgrade training. RJMT is required to conduct efficient and cost effective initial qualification, continuation/proficiency, and specific mission area training for RC-135 reconnaissance compartment aircrew. Current RC-135 mission training devices are limited to position mock-ups, outdated part-task trainers, PC-based procedural trainers, and audio playback workstations. These devices are supplimented with extensive airborne training flights on mission aircraft. The heavy dependence upon mission aircraft directly impacts training timeliness, continuity, and costs, and this training does not adequately simulate a challenging collection environment. RJMT will relieve the training load in the ops squadron, reduce dependence on aircraft availability for training, and facilitate decreasing the total aircrew TDY rate to 120 days per year (ACC goal). RJMT will provide an improved margin of safety during contingency operations. The only contingency training available is OJT during actual operations. The simulator will provide a safe controlled environment to practice tactics, develop new procedures, and exploit new capabilities. RJMT will allow RC-135 aircrews to interact, through Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), with other platforms' simulators. Through electronic exercises, the RJMT will provide aircrew exposure to multiple interoperability issues, tactics, and procedures. RC-135 operational effectiveness is significantly impacted because an integrated training device is not available for the training of crewmembers in Sensitive Reconnaissance Operations (SRO), contingency support, SIOP missions, and exercises. Ops tempo is reduced to support initial training and proficiency requirements. Air crewmember TDY will continue to exceed the stated ACC goal of 120 days per year. Capability to train entire squadrons on aircraft equipment modifications/upgrades is not available. Capability for RC-135 aircrews to electronically exercise with other platform simulators developing new tactics and procedures, performing interoperability issues will not be available. RIVET JOINT Crew Comfort Upgrade installs a modern, commercial aircraft-class latrine for crew comfort. New latrine will provide increased holding capacity and the capability to be serviced, from the ground, using current field servicing equipment. Provides a sink, with fresh running water, allowing aircrews to wash their hands. Current aircraft latrine leaks and lacks privacy requirements needed for combined male/female aircrews. Waste leakage is causing corrosion problems with aircraft structural components. The smell of the waste/disinfectant fouls the cabin air. Increased aircrew stress due to inferior latrine facility which produces waste/disinfectant odors inside the mission crew area. Leakage corrodes the aircraft structural components. As of mid-2002, upgrades had been completed on one of the Air Forces Rivet Joint aircraft. With an additional 16,000 pounds of thrust provided by the F-108 engines, the new aircraft has increased endurance, increased reliability, and delivers an anticipated 25,000 more flying hours per engine than before. In addition, the new engines increase the plane's fuel efficiency by 15 percent, increase its time to conduct the mission and enable it to do the mission much more quietly than before. This re-engine initiative for the 14 RJ planes is one of three initiatives to keep the reconnaissance aircraft contributing to the Air Force mission into the year 2020 or even 2030. The second phase is an update of critical mission equipment for the electronic warfare officers, intelligence operators and in-flight maintenance technicians. Phase three will update avionics equipment, changing over to the Rivet Glass system that will replace analog equipment with digital and conform to Global Air Traffic Management requirements. Both the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint (RJ) and the RC-135U Combat Sent (CS) aircraft are United States Air Force (USAF) electronics reconnaissance platforms. The RJ is the USAF's standard airborne signals intelligence (SIGINT) gathering platform, while the CS is designed to collect technical intelligence on adversary radar emitter systems. Both aircraft are extensively modified C-135's characterized by protruding "cheek" fairings along the sides of the fuselage forward of the wings as well as the addition of numerous antennas along the top and bottom of the fuselage. The major distinguishing feature between the two variants is the nose radome, wherein the RJ has an elongated nose while the CS has the standard C-135 nose with a protruding "chin" radome along the underside. The RJ has experienced problems with antenna bueting resulting in broken antennas and damage to the aircraft. Flight testing confirmed the presence of unsteady loading on certain antennas that was traced back to the turbulent exhaust flow of a liquid cooling system (LCS) installed in the forward cheek fairings. Both variants have this modification but only the RJ has experienced structural damage. RIVET JOINT Aircraft AC # name ordered delivered notes 62-4125 1996 1998 RC-135W [ex C-135B] 62-4127 1996 1998 RC-135W [ex C-135B] 62-4129 Greyhound Feb 87 22 Apr 88 TC-135W trainer [ex C-135B] 62-4130 1996 1998 RC-135W [ex C-135B] 10 62-4131 Junk Yard Dog Jun 79 09 Mar 81 RC-135W [ex RC-135M] 13 62-4132 Anticipation 30 Nov 84 RC-135W [ex RC-135M] 12 62-4134 The Flying W 07 Jan 81 16 Aug 81 RC-135W [ex RC-135M] 9 62-4135 Rapture 05 Sep 78 15 Nov 80 RC-135W [ex RC-135M] 11 62-4138 Jungle Assassin 09 Jan 80 Jul 81 RC-135W [ex RC-135M] 14 62-4139 Sniper 22 Jan 85 RC-135W [ex RC-135M] 8 63-9792 17 Oct 75 04 Aug 77 RC-135W [ex RC-135U] 7 64-14841 Red Eye 01 Jan 75 19 Jan 78 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 2 64-14842 Fair Warning 20 Nov 73 05 Jan 75 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 3 64-14843 Don't Bet on It 04 Dec 73 05 Feb 75 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 4 64-14844 Problem Child 08 Jan 74 03 Mar 75 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 5 64-14845 Luna Landa 01 Oct 74 21 Nov 75 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 6 64-14846 22 Jan 74 18 Dec 75 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 1 64-14848 01 Dec 72 08 Aug 73 RC-135V [ex RC-135C] 15 14 Oct 99 RC-135W [ex C-135B] Specifications Primary Function: Signals Intelligence Collection Contractor: RC-135V - LTV RC-135W - E-Systems Power Plant: Four JT3D engines Length: 152'11" (46.6 m); Height: 42'6" (12.9 m); Weight: 171,000 pounds (77,565 Kg)-- Empty 155,000 pounds (70,307 Kg)-- Max Fuel 336,000 pounds (152,408 Kg)-- Max Gross Wingspan: 145'9" (44.4 m); Speed: .84 Mach Range: 11 hours -- 20 hours with air refueling Unit Cost: Crew: Flight crew of 4 plus mission crew (mission crew size varies according to mission) Date Deployed: 1996 Inventory: Active force, 14 (3 more to be delivered by 1998); ANG, 0; Reserve, 0 Related Programs Associated Units Operating Facilities NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MIlitary Personnel The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act built up force structure. The bill increased the end strength of the active-duty Army to 476,000. The Army currently stood at 475,000, but was scheduled to be reduced to 460,000 by the end of 2017. The Air Force got an active duty increase to 321,000, an increase of 4,000, and the Marine Corps was authorized to bump up to about 18,500, an increase of 3,000. The value of pay and benefits has eroded as annual raises have fallen below civilian wage growth for the past five years. Trump wanted another 60,000 soldiers in the ranks of the active-duty Army, for a total of 540,000 soldiers. The Department of the Army will add 28,000 soldiers to its ranks by 30 September30, 2017, officials announced 16 March 2017. The troop increase was directed by the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2017. Across the force, the active component end-strength authorization increased by 16,000 to 476,000; the Army National Guard increased by 8,000 to 343,000, and the Army Reserve increased by 4,000 to 199,000. This 28,000 increase meant the total Army will number 1,018,000 Soldiers. Trump vowed to build a 350-ship Navy, versus the current battle force of 272 ships and submarines. An unspecified number of additional sailors would man the 78 ships and submarines he intends to build - this plan would require the addition of 50,000 sailors, by one estimate. This buildup would move the service from 330,000 sailors today to more than 380,000. He wants up to 12,000 more Marines to serve in combat units. Trump proposed to buy at least another 100 combat aircraft for the Air Force, along with the personnel required for these units. The Air Force has declined from its post-9/11 peak of 376,616 airmen in fiscal 2004 to roughly 311,000 in fiscal 2015. John Venable, an Air Force veteran and a defense fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said he believes Trump could boost Air Force personnel by roughly 40,000 airmen in the next few years. Personnel End Strength - end, FY2017 Active Guard Selected Reserve** Civilian TOTAL TOTAL 1,296,900 448,700 364,500 764,400 2,875,500 DOD ----- ----- ----- 193,800 193,800 Army 476,000 343,000 199,000 196,500 1,214,500 Navy 322,900 ----- 58,000 183,300 564,200 Marines 182,000 ----- 38,500 20,000 245,000 Air Force 317,000 105,700 69,000 170,800 662,500 Personnel End Strength - end, FY2016 Active Guard Selected Reserve** Civilian TOTAL TOTAL 1,301,300 447,500 363,500 769,900 2,882,200 DOD ----- ----- ----- 195,400 195,400 Army 475,000 342,000 198,000 201,700 1,216,700 Navy 327,300 ----- 57,400 181,500 565,900 Marines 182,000 ----- 38,900 20,100 241,000 Air Force 317,000 105,500 69,200 171,000 662,700 Law authorizes the number of military members in every Service and component - this number is known as End Strength. Recruiting involves attracting and accessing both prior Service members and those who are new to the military, referred to as non-prior service. In 2010 the Army and Marine Corps successfully achieved their "grow the force" active military goals of 547,400 and 202,100 enlisted, respectively, more than two years ahead of schedule. According to the Department of Defense, the Navy, Marines, and Air Force met their recruiting goals in 2018, but the Army, the militarys largest branch, fell more than 6,500 recruits short about 8% below its target of 76,500. A 2018 report by Mission: Readiness, a group of 750 retired military professionals that makes policy recommendations to increase the percentage of young Americans eligible to serve in the military, found that 71% of Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 fail to meet all of the basic requirements for military service. The biggest disqualifier is obesity, with roughly 31% of American youths disqualified because they are overweight. Other factors explaining the shortage of eligible recruits are inadequate education, criminal history and drug use. US Army End Strength In the 1990s the Army dropped from 780,000 to 480,000 active duty end strength. Many in Congress wanted to increase the Army's end strength by as much as 40,000 troops in order to ease the strain of deployments. But the Army's top general, Peter Schoomaker, adamantly opposed adding end strength. Army planners believe the service can gain 10,000 spaces from military to civilian conversions. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has authorized the Army to temporarily exceed end strength limits by 30,000. The Military Officers Association of America questioned the numbers, stating that the Army already is some 17,000 over end strength, which would bring the actual increase to 13,000. The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the fiscal year 2005 Defense Appropriations bill on June 22, 2004 which provided $605 million to support an Army end strength increase of 20,000 soldiers, leaving the overall Department of Defense end strength of 2,263,900. The provision, passed as an amendment to the fiscal 2005 defense authorization bill, would increase the Army's strength to 502,400. Voting against it were Republicans Gordon Smith of Oregon, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Larry Craig of Idaho and Craig Thomas of Wyoming. Not voting were Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Robert Bennett, R-Utah and James Inhofe, R-Okla. The House version of the bill, approved in May 2004, would have added 30,000 Soldiers and 9,000 Marines over three years. Under the the fiscal 2005 Defense Appropriations Act which President Bush signed into law 05 August 2004, Air Force Reserve Command's end-strength ceiling was raised to 76,100 reservists in the Selected Reserve in 2005. The Army's Average Strength during FY2004 was 210,252 higher than authorized end strength, reflecting Guard and Reserve mobilizations authorized in the supplemental. [ Operation and Maintenance Overview, page 178] In October 2004 the FY2005 Defense Authorization Act increased Army end strength by 20,000 and Marine Corps end strength by 3,000 for FY2005, with additional increases authorized in future years. The Army recognizes the challenges the continuing deployments have created. It is one of the driving forces behind the Army growing by close to 30,000 Soldiers over two years. The authorization that the Army has to raise the end strength to 512,400 through fiscal 2009 would allow the service to continue its transformation plan. That plan is to build to 43 active brigade combat teams and 44 reserve component brigade combat teams- 34 National Guard, 10 Army Reserve - and the support units needed to maintain them. The requirement is to be able to deploy and sustain 20 brigade combat teams. To do that on a sustainable model, the Army believes that it must be able to go to one deployment in a three-year term for active forces and a deployment in a five- or six-year term for your reserve forces. The 512,400 active duty figure was based on continued access to National Guard and Army Reserve troops. Key to that is having units trained sufficiently prior to deployment. If that's not true and the National Guard and reserves are not available under those assumptions, then the Army will have to grow the active force further. The increase in early 2005 in maximum recruiting age from 35 to 39 applied only to National Guard and Reserve recruits, not to active duty troops. The Army's recruiting goal that began in October 2004 was 80,000 by 2005 with the hopes of recruiting at least 8,000 prior-service troops. The new Defense Department program intended to rebalance the size of the military is called "Operation Blue to Green." Under this plan, the Army will reach out to Sailors and Airmen who are leaving under the force shaping initiative but who still want to serve their country. The "third wave" is a plan by the Department of the Army to outsource 214,000 civilian and military jobs to the private sector. For the first time, almost all non-combat positions are included in the outsourcing plans. The genesis of the third wave was a 4 Oct 2002 memo from Secretary White to the Non-Core Competencies Working Group (NCCWP). The Secretary of Defense proposed to increase the authorized end strength of the active duty Army to 569,400 in the fiscal year 2011 budget request. During the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the Army had about 570,000 troops and has since dropped to about 510,000. Cuts in 2014 were aimed at producing an end strength of 490,000 troops the Armys previous target. The most recent defense budget proposal from the Pentagon, now working its way through Congress, called for an Army of some 450,000 soldiers. Should sequestration return in 2016, after two years on hold because of a bipartisan budget deal, 420,000 troops would be the target end strength. In 2011, the Secretary of Defense announced a series of initiatives intended to reduce costs across the Department of Defense (DOD) and the military services, including cuts of $29.5 billion from planned Army spending from fiscal year 2012 through fiscal year 2016. Additionally, in 2011, Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011, which, among other things, set limits for national defense spending through fiscal year 2021. In response to these spending limits the Army announced it would reduce its planned end strength from a high of about 1.11 million soldiers in fiscal year 2011 to 1.045 million soldiers by fiscal year 2016. In June 2014, DOD stated that the Army would further reduce its end strength to 980,000 soldiers by fiscal year 2018, a level at which the Army stated that it could execute the National Defense Strategy, but at significant risk.3 The Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff reiterated this point in March 2015 in congressional testimony, and stated that further reductions would make that strategy unexecutable. Congress established the National Commission on the Future of the Army in the Carl Levin and Howard P. Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. The commission was directed to evaluate the size and force mix of the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve and make recommendations where appropriate. The Commissions final report, published in January 2016, determined that an Army with 980,000 soldiers (450,000 in the active component, 335,000 in the Army National Guard, and 195,000 in the Army Reserve), is the minimum sufficient force needed to meet the U.S.s national security objectives and the challenges of the future strategic environment. The United States Army reached its lowest active-duty roster in 75 years, following the discharge of 2,600 soldiers in March 2016. The latest reports show that, as of March, there were 479,172 active-duty soldiers, 154 fewer than the post-Cold War drawdown in 1999. This means the US had the smallest force since 1940, when the number of soldiers on active duty stood at 269,023. If Congress does not act to mitigate the magnitude and speed of reductions with sequestration, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said September 20, 2013, the Army will not be able to fully execute requirements of the defense strategic guidance issued in 2012. By the end of fiscal 2014, the Army will have significantly degraded readiness, as 85 percent of active and reserve brigade combat teams will be unprepared for contingency requirements, he said. From fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2017, as the Army continues to draw down and is restructured into a smaller force, its readiness will continue to degrade and modernization programs will experience extensive shortfalls, the general added. "We'll be required to end, restructure or delay over 100 acquisition programs, putting at risk the ground combat vehicle program, the armed aerial scout, the production and modernization of our other aviation programs, system upgrades for unmanned aerial vehicles, and the modernization of air defense command-and-control systems, just to name a few," Odierno told the panel. Only in fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2023 will the Army begin to rebalance readiness and remodernization, the general said, but this will come at the expense of significant reductions in the Army's number of soldiers and its force structure. The Army will be forced to take further cuts from a wartime high of 570,000 soldiers in the active Army, 358,000 in the Army National Guard and 205,000 in the Army Reserve to no more than 420,000 in the active Army, 315,000 in the Army National Guard and 185,000 in the Army Reserve, the general said. This represented a total Army end-strength reduction of more than 18 percent over seven years, a 26 percent reduction in the active Army, a 12 percent reduction in the Army National Guard and a 9 percent reduction in the Army Reserve, he explained, adding that it also will cause a 45-percent reduction in active Army brigade combat teams. US Air Force End Strength The Air Force exceeded the mandated active duty end strength of 359,000 during 2002 and 2003 due to the Global War on Terrorism. The Air Force planned to reduce the size of the active forces by more than 20,000 people by the end of fiscal year 2005. The Navy planned a force reduction of almost 8,000 through 2006. As of 2003 Air Force manning numbers were beyond the authorized end-strength of 359,300 airmen on active duty. The Force Shaping Program has scheduled active-duty numbers to drop by 3,900 officers and 12,700 enlisted airmen by 15 September 2004. Palace Chase is a program for airmen to transition off of active duty by trading their active-duty service commitments for Air Force Reserve service commitments. The Department of Defense is turning back the clock, raising Air Force Reserve Command's end-strength ceiling to the fiscal year 1996 level. The change is the result of the FY 2005 Defense Appropriations Act. President Bush signed the bill into law 05 August 2004. Under the defense bill, AFRC may have up to 76,100 reservists in the Selected Reserve in FY 2005. US Navy End Strength After years of downsizing, by March 2009 the U.S. Navy had nearly achieved its end-strength goal of 329,000 Sailors. "For the Navy, force stabilization marks a transitional period, where we are now finished downsizing," Rear Adm. Daniel P. Holloway, director of the Navy's military personnel, plans and policy division, told Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters. The Navy had been reducing its ranks by 8,000 to 10,000 servicemembers a year for the past six to seven years, Holloway said, noting his service now is close to reaching its designed end-strength goal of about 329,000 sailors. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly has pledged the Navy will expand to 355 ships from its present 290 vessels by 2030, but attracting specialists to the engineering-heavy service is another question. Vice Adm. Robert Burke, the Navys top personnel official, estimated in 2018 the Navy would need another 35,000 sailors to operate, support and sustain the 65 additional warships, a 25% increase over their present manpower. the service still struggles with historically low morale, making retention of servicemembers increasingly difficult. A 2014 report by Military Times ominously titled Americas Military: A Force Adrift, found morale indicators on the decline in nearly every aspect of military life. Troops report significantly lower overall job satisfaction, diminished respect for their superiors, and a declining interest in re-enlistment now compared to just five years ago, the report noted. Today's service members say they feel underpaid, under-equipped and under-appreciated, the survey data show. After 13 years of war, the all-volunteer military is entering an era fraught with uncertainty and a growing sense that the force has been left adrift. Navy warships are 9,000 sailors short, Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Nowell told Defense News on 11 February 2020. Defense News noted a typical example of the manpower shortage: on average, only about 265 officers and crew deploy on an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the Navys surface fleet workhorse. The warship should deploy with 323 souls aboard. US Marine Corps End Strength In early 2007 the president approved the request for the Marine Corps to grow from its then-current end strength of 175,000 marines to 202,000. The Marine Corps announced it would "Grow the Force" to the end strength of 202,000 by 2011. Initial planning for Grow the Force began in December 2006. The Marine Corps' active duty end strength was more than 200,700 in December 2009, at which time it was expected to reach the 202K goal by October 2010. The operational tempo of the Long War had resulted in strain on Marines and on the Corps as an institution. The first task was be to build three new infantry battalions and the required supporting structure - approximately 4,000 Marines. Afterwards, the Marines would then grow by approximately 5,000 marines per year. The goal was to achieve a 1:5 deployment-to-dwell ratio for reserve units, and 1:2 deployment-to-dwell ratio for active component units This would ensure that for every seven months a Marine is deployed, he or she would be home for at least 14 months. The Marine Corps grew by over 12,000 Marines in fiscal year 2008. In fiscal year 2008, the Marine Corps reenlisted 16,696 Marines including 8,423 first term Marines. Reducing the Marines to 175,000 and adding more sensor capability to smaller units are part of a wide swath of adjustments the Marine Corps is pursuing in the latest iteration of its modernization drive. Released on 09 May 2022, the Force Design 2030 annual report is the Marines latest refinement of plans to orient the service to face complex threats in the maritime environment within the next decade. Personnel End Strength - August 2005 FY2005 Active Mobilized * Guard Selected Reserve** Civilian TOTAL TOTAL 1,415,600 210,252 456,800 404,100 680,466 2,923,966 DOD ----- ----- ----- ----- 106,000 106,000 Army 512,400 148,442 350,000 205,000 218,000 1,285,400 Navy 365,900 6,508 ----- 83,400 193,466 642,766 Marines 178,000 9,717 ----- 39,600 ----- 217,600 Air Force 359,300 45,585 106,800 76,100 163,000 705,200 * FY2004 Supplemental for Guard & Reserve called to active duty, Non-Add ** Does not include non-drilling Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan Confirms Taliban Leader Killed May 21, 2016 by RFE/RL Afghanistan says that Taliban leader Mullah Akthar Mansur has been killed in a U.S. drone attack inside Pakistan. The National Directorate of Security on May 22 said Mansur was targeted on May 21 along with other militants aboard a vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan. Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said on Twitter that Mansur was killed early on May 21 after his car was hit by a drone strike in Dahl Bandin district, just over the border with Afghanistan. The statements come after the Pentagon announced it carried out an air strike against Mansur in a remote region along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the United States was studying the results of the attack, but a U.S. official not authorized to discuss the operation publicly said Mansur and a second male combatant accompanying him in a vehicle were probably killed. The official said the attack was carried out by unmanned aircraft operated by U.S. Special Operations Forces. The official said the operation occurred near the town of Ahmad Wal in Balochistan, and was authorized by President Barack Obama. The Associated Press quoted Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Rauf as saying Mansur was killed in a drone strike "in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area." Other Taliban militants denied the reports as baseless. "I have seen the reports," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said. "We are seeking clarification." Two Pakistani intelligence officials told AFP news agency that the drones struck near the city of Quetta, killing two people whose bodies were burned beyond recognition. They did not confirm whether Mansur was among them but said the bodies had been moved to a hospital in Quetta. 'Opposed Peace Talks' Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah said Mansur's death would have a positive impact on stalled peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government. He said Mansur was "the main figure preventing the Taliban joining the peace process" in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have been waging an insurgency for 15 years. "In the event of Mullah Mansur's killing, a new opportunity presents itself to those Taliban who are willing to end the war and bloodshed, return to the country from the foreigners' land, and join the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process," Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office said in a statement. Cook said Mansur had prohibited Taliban leaders from participating in peace talks with the Afghan government and had been "actively involved with planning attacks" across Afghanistan. During a visit to Myanmar, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Mansur posed a "continuing imminent threat" to U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and to Afghans, and was "directly opposed to the peace negotiation and to the reconciliation process." The air strike that targeted the Taliban leader "sends a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners as they work to build a more stable, united, secure, and prosperous Afghanistan," Kerry added. He said both Afghan and Pakistani leaders were notified of the air strike, but he declined to elaborate on the timing of the notifications, which he said included a telephone call from him to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It was the first ever known U.S. drone strike in Balochistan, where the Taliban leadership is believed to be based. Until now, nearly all U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan were carried out in the country's tribal areas, especially North and South Waziristan. Members of the U.S. Congress lauded the attack. Representative Adam Schiff (Democrat-California), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Mansur's death would be a huge blow to the Taliban, but not enough to allow the United States to disengage from the conflict. "We must remain vigilant and well-resourced in the field, and must continue to help create the conditions for a political solution," Schiff said. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (Republican-Arizona) said he was glad Mansur "has met his just end," but urged stepped-up coalition attacks on the Taliban. "Our troops are in Afghanistan today for the same reason they deployed there in 2001 -- to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for global terrorists," McCain said. Mansur was declared the leader of the Taliban in July 2015, just days after the Afghan government confirmed that Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had died in the Pakistani port city of Karachi two years earlier. But a leadership dispute immediately ensued with some Taliban commanders refusing to recognize Mansur. The Taliban ruled Afghanistan according to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law until the group was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion following the September 11, 2001, attacks. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan- us-strike-leader-mansur/27749451.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MARCELLUS In a world drowning in selfies, 35 Marcellus Senior High School art students created portraits for children in Ethiopia as an extracurricular activity for the Memory Project, a nonprofit organization that invites students to paint portraits of disadvantaged children from around the world. Marcellus High School Principal John Durkee introduced part-time visual art teacher Donna de Monte to the Board of Education to speak about the Memory Project with several of the participating students in attendance as well as art teachers Tara Charles and Nathan Cazza. "This was a full departmental project with students from grades 9 through 12 involved, from Studio to AP portfolio students," de Monte said. "Many of the artists used colored pencil, but they could use any medium they wanted." New to the district but a longtime art teacher, de Monte introduced the Marcellus art department to the Memory Project. Its a nonprofit organization that invites students to paint portraits of orphans from around the world. "I have facilitated portraits of disadvantaged children from Rwanda, Haiti, Dominican Republic and India," de Monte said. "I know they are looking for volunteers to do portraits of kids from Peru and Romania." Marcellus was selected to prepare portraits of children from Ethiopia because of the timing, de Monte said. Some of these children dont have mirrors, let alone pictures of themselves. Many of those children dont have photos of themselves," Cazza said. "They dont have a record of themselves growing up, so to see our students taking an interest, it meant a lot. I was able to walk through the art room on several occasions when students were working on it, Interim Superintendent Judith Pastel said before the start of a short video on the project that documents three different groups of the orphans in Ethiopia getting their portraits delivered. The portraits were drawn from a single photo reference taken of each child provided by The Memory Project. The artists are able to keep the photo of their subject, de Monte said. "We like this project because it not only helps art students develop their skills but shows them that art is a universal language," she said. "That their art can have a positive social effect and truly touch the lives of others." One of de Monte's students, Anna, said, "It felt good to be helping other people and to see our art go beyond the classroom and make a difference out in the world." These gifts keep on giving as the child will have this as a lasting record from his or her childhood. So, there is a long-term benefit as well. "We will certainly do this again in the fall," de Monte said. Coalition Strikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Iraq, Syria From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 22, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack and fighter aircraft conducted three strikes in Syria: -- Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed two ISIL oil pumpjacks. -- Near Mara, two strikes struck an ISIL command and control node and destroyed an ISIL mortar system. Strikes in Iraq Fighter aircraft conducted 14 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL ammunition cache. -- Near Fallujah, a strike destroyed two ISIL bunkers and two ISIL fighting positions. -- Near Habbaniyah, two strikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL supply cache. -- Near Haditha, a strike produced inconclusive results. -- Near Kisik, a strike destroyed an ISIL bulldozer. -- Near Mosul, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL supply cache, an ISIL weapons cache, two ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL vehicle. -- Near Qayyarah, three strikes struck an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL assembly area. -- Near Sinjar, two strikes struck an ISIL vehicle bomb facility and suppressed an ISIL mortar position. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Centcom Commander Visits Iraq and Syria By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity SYRIA, May 22, 2016 Over the past two days, during Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel's latest trip to the Middle East, the U.S. Central Command chief met in Iraq and Syria with coalition members, other partners, senior commanders and military leaders to discuss operations and continued collaboration there. Votel's first stop was in Kuwait on Wednesday to meet with Kuwaiti Defense Minister Khaled Al Jarrah Al Sabah and other military leaders before traveling to Baghdad Thursday. There, Votel met with the U.S. embassy country team and senior commanders on Friday, and later visited Iraq's Defense Ministry to meet with the Iraqi army's chief of defense and staff, "and talk about upcoming operations." Votel told reporters traveling with him that he and the Iraqis also discussed "a few things that they are looking for assistance on and that we are working with them on as they continue to maintain momentum" in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Building Partner Capacity During a stop in Taji, about 27 miles north of Baghdad, the general said the rural district is one of six locations in Iraq where coalition trainers are building partner capacity -- a critical need for the coalition, he noted. "Taji [is] the main sector where we bring organizations to get them ready to do operations the Iraqis need to do to get control of their country from [ISIL]," Votel said. "Our strategy is focused on building partner capacity and executing our operations on a by, with and through manner, so this aspect is an extraordinarily important part of what we're doing," he said. Coalition trainers from Australia and New Zealand working at Taji are key to the effort, Votel added, noting that "they're doing some great work in very challenging conditions here to help the Iraqis get ready for the operations that are upcoming." Improved Iraqi Readiness Readiness is improving for the Iraqis, the general said, adding that the improvements are apparent as he talks to their leaders and to the fighters themselves. "I think they're getting a better handle on the challenges they face from both a training and an operating sustaining standpoint," he said. But there's a lot left to do, Votel said, including making sure the coalition understands their status, making sure they understand it, and "making sure that as we advise them, as we assist them, that they understand where their limitations are and we take that into consideration as we continue to do operations." "In terms of their ability to be successful and defeat ISIL, I would point out to you that they have been, we've seen that," he said. "We're seeing that out at Anbar where we're actually moving more and more into stabilization operations. [and] while there are operations underway here, they are achieving objectives that they set out to attain here." The general added that the ability of the Iraqis to sustain those advances depends on institution building and the institutional sustainment that must be in place for a professional military to provide long-term security. "I think that's an area we'll have to continue to focus on," he said. Generating Forces One of the big challenges the Iraqi forces face and the coalition faces with them is generating forces, Votel said. "There's a lot going on. We've got operations at Anbar [and] in the Tigris River Valley. We've got things going on right around Baghdad, so they're having to make decisions in terms of where their force is going, where their priorities are, how they sustain those things [and] how they move forces around and get them ready to continue their offensive operations so they can maintain momentum," the general added. "That's a difficult challenge for any military," he said, "but I think it's one that they are working through and we are seeing some success with it." Votel's assessment is that Iraqi forces want coalition assistance and are now in a much better place to accept and utilize that assistance to achieve lasting effects from their operations. "I think their planning is maturing, their forces are maturing [and] they're getting better," he said. "There is certainly a way to go, but I think they're in a much better position today than they might have been a couple of years ago to actually leverage the capabilities we're assisting with." Increasing Cooperation Speaking with reporters after a day of meetings in Northern Syria, Votel said he had a chance to meet with some of the Syrian Democratic Force leaders and coalition members who are in the area on advise-and-assist missions. 'We had the opportunity to get around and see a number of things, talk about a wide variety of topics, talk about how things are going [and] talk about things that we could do to continue to increase our cooperation, collaboration and effectiveness," he said. The general said he learned a lot during his visit, and that "there's nothing like being able to see it up front and talk to the people who are actually doing it. So it was a good day for me." The coalition knew going in that the partners it is working with in Syria are competent and capable, Votel said, noting, "I'm certainly not surprised by this but I'm just incredibly proud of how our coalition members here who are working with our partners are doing in very challenging environment, but they are definitely rising to the occasion." Votel added, "They're exhibiting their initiative, their innovativeness, their skills [and] their expertise to really make a difference here." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Taliban top leader Mullah Mansoor reportedly killed in Pakistan People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:01, May 22, 2016 ISLAMABAD, May 22 -- Afghan Taliban top leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone strike launched at a small town in Pakistan's southwest province of Balochistan along the Pak-Afghan border, reported local Urdu TV channel ARY on Sunday. There is no immediate official confirmation of the death of Mullah Mansoor from the Pakistani side. According to the local media reports, U.S. unmanned aircraft on early Sunday morning fired two missiles at a vehicle which was believed to carry Mullah Mansoor and his colleague in Ahmad Wal, a small town which lies some 150 km southwest of Quetta, capital of Balochistan province. Mullah Mansoor and his colleague were believed to have been killed in the strike, but the Pentagon said that the U.S. military was still assessing the results of the strike which reportedly took place at about 3 a.m. local time on Sunday. A foreign TV channel based in the Gulf region said that Taliban had denied the death of Mullah Mansoor. Born in 1960s, Mullah Mansoor officially became the top Afghan Taliban leader on July 30, 2015, a day after the news about the death of former Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar was disclosed. The news about the death of Mullah Mansoor came at a time when Afghan Taliban had refused to come back to the negotiation table despite the repeated efforts made by the Pakistani side along with other countries for the peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, Thailand start joint military exercise People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:47, May 22, 2016 SATTAHIP, Thailand, May 21 -- Thai and Chinese marine corps held an opening ceremony for a joint military exercise codenamed Blue Strike 2016 here on Saturday. The opening ceremony, held at Sattahip Naval Base, Chon Buri province, was presided over by Royal Thai Navy Fleet Commander Naris Prathumsuwan and Wang Hai, deputy commander of Chinese Navy. The joint exercise includes joint training at sea and on land, evacuating people from conflict-affected areas and disaster relief in counter-terrorism occasions. Wang said the drill manifests the perseverance and ability of marine corps from both countries in counter-terrorism and maintaining peace in the region and the world. Naris said the drill would help boost the long-standing relationship between Thailand and China and the exercise was aimed at increasing cooperation between the two forces by sharing practical knowledge and experiences. The military drill is the third one of its kind, following the Blue Strike 2010 and Blue Strike 2012 joint training exercises. During the opening ceremony, marines also gave performances as a way of exchange. Chinese marines presented kung fu while their Thai counterparts performed Muay Thai. Sattahip Naval Base, where the headquarters of Royal Thai Marine corps is located, is the biggest naval base in Thailand. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Egypt military kills over 58 militants across Sinai in three days Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 4:35PM Egyptian security forces have conducted a series of fresh raids against the hideouts of militants in the North African country's restive Sinai Peninsula, killing at least 58 terrorists over three days. Egyptian security officials said that at least seven armed men were killed in clashes North Sinai on Sunday. Three militants, including a ringleader, were killed when security forces raided their hideout in south Rafah, while four others were killed when troops attacked their positions in el-Arish's al-Jurah district and the town of Berth. Also on Friday, at least 51 militants were killed after Egyptian military supported by the air force conducted massive raids against the militant positions in north and central Sinai. According to Egyptian security sources, 43 of them were killed in and around Arish, Sheikh Zuwaid and Rafah, while six others were killed in the mountainous Halal region in central Sinai. Two others were also killed while they were attempting to target a security patrol south of Sheikh Zuwaid. Two top militant commanders are among those killed in the massive security operations. Egyptian forces also destroyed 12 buildings along with a farm used by militants as bases to carry out attacks across the troubled region. They also managed to destroy four trucks, five motorbikes and a huge fuel dump belonging to the militants. Meanwhile, four roadside bombs planted by extremists south of Sheikh Zuwaid and Rafah were defused. In recent years, Egyptian troops have been engaged in efforts to quell rampant militancy across the Sinai Peninsula. The battle has led to the deaths of hundreds of troops and militants, including those with the Takfiri Velayat Sinai group. In October 2014, a state of emergency was declared across the whole peninsula following a deadly terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 33 soldiers. Previously known as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, the outfit has pledged allegiance to the Daesh terror group, which is mainly active in Iraq and Syria. The militants also claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian plane in a mountainous area of Sinai Peninsula in late October last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hadi delegation to rejoin Yemen peace talks: UN envoy Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 9:29AM The UN special envoy for Yemen says representatives of the former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, will come back to negotiations aimed at putting an end to the conflict gripping the Arabian Peninsula country. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said on Sunday that Hadi had agreed to end its latest boycott of the discussions after mediation by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. On April 21, the UN-brokered peace talks started in Kuwait City between Houthi Ansarullah fighters and their allies in one side and loyalists to Hadi on the other side. The talks came against the backdrop of an open-ended shaky ceasefire that began on April 10 in the impoverished state. The Saudi-backed delegation, however, suspended its participation in the negotiations on May 17, saying it would only return if the Houthis withdrew from areas under their control and handed over their weapons. However, Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi, a representative of the pro-Hadi side, said on Twitter that its delegation had agreed to give the peace talks a "last chance." "We have fixed all the references. This is a first step on the path for a real peace that leads to implementing Resolution 2216 beginning with withdrawals, surrender of weapons and the restoration of state institutions," he said, referring to the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council last April. Yemen has seen almost daily military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March 2015. More than 9,400 people have been killed and at least 16,000 others injured since the onset of the aggression. Saudi Arabia launched its offensive against Yemen in a bid to bring Hadi, a staunch ally of the Riyadh regime, back to power and undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mullah Akhtar Mansour killed in drone attack: Taliban Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 6:27AM The Afghan Taliban militant group has confirmed reports that its leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was killed in a US assassination drone strike against Pakistan's conflict-ridden southern province of Balochistan. Mullah Abdul Rauf, a senior commander of the militant group, said on Sunday that Mansour died in an aerial attack on Friday night. Rauf said the strike took place "in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area." Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani's office has confirmed the strike with a spokesman for Afghan president saying on Sunday that a drone strike targeting Afghan Taliban leader appears to have been successful, Reuters reported. Ghani's acting spokesman, Sayed Zafar Hashemi, who accompanies Ghani at a conference in Qatar, said, "The raid was done in agreement with Afghan authorities. It seems to be successful. We are assessing for confirmation." "Our hope and understanding is that in the wake of these new developments an Afghan-led peace process would result in bringing lasting peace and stability," he added. The country's chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, has been also quoted as saying that Mansour is "more than likely" dead. Later on Sunday, Afghanistan's spy agency said the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, has been killed in an air raid. "Mansour was being closely monitored for a while... until he was targeted along with other fighters aboard a vehicle," Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security said in a statement. On Saturday, the US Department of Defense announced in a statement that it had mounted the strike against Mansour "in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region." "Mansour was the leader of the Taliban and actively involved with planning attacks against facilities in Kabul and across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and security forces, our personnel and coalition partners," the statement read. He was "an obstacle to peace and reconciliation between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, prohibiting Taliban leaders from participating in peace talks with the Afghan government that could lead to an end to the conflict," the Pentagon added. The Taliban have seen a string of defections ever since the news about the death of its founder and long-time leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, broke in late July 2015. Mullah Omar died at a hospital in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi in April 2013. The Taliban said they had concealed his death for two years as they did not want to make it public until foreign forces would have ended their fight against the militants in Afghanistan. The news about Mullah Mansour's death come as splinter groups within the Taliban had refused to pledge allegiance to him. There have also been growing differences among Taliban elements over peace talks with the Afghan government, with some vowing to fight for power instead of taking part in negotiations. The Taliban militant group recently announced the start of its annual spring offensive against Afghan security forces and US-led foreign forces across the conflict-ridden country. The Taliban said in a statement that the campaign had begun on April 12. The militants dubbed the offensive "Operation Omari" in honor of Mullah Omar. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Death Showcases Afghan Taliban Leader's Iran Connection May 22, 2016 by Abubakar Siddique The likely killing of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansur in a U.S. drone strike in southwestern Pakistan has attracted attention to Islamabad and its longstanding covert alliance with the Afghan Taliban. But less attention is being paid to budding relations between the hard-line Sunni insurgent movement and Iran's clerical establishment. A well-placed Afghan source has confirmed to RFE/RL's Gandhara website that Mansur was targeted on the afternoon of May 21 after returning from Iran earlier that day. Mansur and his driver were killed on the outskirts of Ahmad Wal town on the main highway connecting Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan Province, to Iran. Ahmad Wal is nearly 500 kilometers or a five-hour drive from the Taftan border crossing between Pakistan and Iran. According to Pakistani media reports, one of the passengers killed in the attack bore a Pakistani passport with the name Wali Muhammad. The Afghan source said Muhammad was a pseudonym of Mansur's. Indeed, the photo on the passport closely resembles Mansur. Pakistani officials, meanwhile, are investigating the passport and identity of the driver and passenger killed in the drone strike. Pakistan's ARY News TV reported that the driver was identified as Muhammad Azam, who used to ferry passengers from Taftan to Quetta in his taxi. The report said Azam's partially burned remains had been handed over to his relatives on May 22. Pakistani media reports suggested Pakistani immigration stamps on Muhammad's passport showed he went into Iran in in late March and returned on May 21. Islamabad, however, denounced the U.S. drone strike believed to have killed Mansur. A Pakistani foreign office statement on May 22 said the drone strike was a violation of its sovereignty. "A person named Wali Muhammad, son of Shah Muhammad, carrying a Pakistani passport and I.D. card, entered Pakistan from [Iran through the] Taftan border," the statement noted. "His passport bore a valid Iranian visa." The Afghan source said deepening covert cooperation between Tehran and the Afghan Taliban under Mansur seemed to be driven by threats posed by the emergence of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan since early 2015. "The emergence of IS is the main reason [for their cooperation]," he said. "But Iran has stakes in Afghanistan, and if it can gain some influence over the Taliban, why wouldn't it?" The source said Tehran is keen on keeping the Taliban from becoming a close ally of its regional archrival, Saudi Arabia. "Iran's relations with the Taliban can fit every possible game and strategy for Tehran," he said. In recent months, Afghan sources claimed that after capturing large swaths of rural territories in Afghanistan after the end of NATO's combat mission in 2014, the Taliban have reached out to Iran and Russia to break free from their reliance on Pakistani financing and sanctuaries. Indeed, the Taliban have systematically eliminated IS cells in Afghan provinces bordering Iran or in close proximity with the Iranian border. The Taliban's relations with Islamabad, however, have meanwhile deteriorated. Many were surprised when Sartaj Aziz, a foreign affairs adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, stated in March that Islamabad has some "influence over them [the Taliban] because their leadership is in Pakistan." Afghan officials then asserted that after denying the Taliban's presence in its territory, Pakistan was keen on asserting its control over the Afghan insurgents because the Taliban were increasingly slipping away from Islamabad's control. Several informed sources suggested Mansur's targeting inside Pakistan was made possible by a tip from the country's security services, who have long nurtured Taliban and other extremists to promote Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and other neighboring countries. The Afghan source said Pakistan seems to have helped Washington in targeting Mansur in Balochistan, where an Afghan Taliban safe haven has been immune from U.S. drone strikes that have killed hundreds of Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders in the neighboring Federally Administered Tribal Areas. "Pakistani intelligence seems to have delivered this to the U.S. in exchange for easing up on F-16s [fighter aircrafts], other aid, and relieving the overall pressure from Washington," the source said. Earlier this month, U.S. senators dubbed Pakistan a "frenemy" and barred U.S. financing for a $700 million deal with Lockheed Martin that would see eight F-16 fighter jets and other equipment sold to Pakistan. Last week, the House of Representatives passed a defense budget that tied $450 million in aid to Islamabad to a crackdown on the Taliban's deadly military wing, the Haqqani network. Source: http://gandhara.rferl.org/a/iran-pakistan- afghanistan-taliban-leader/27750527.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Warning Of War, Ex-Deputy Commander Says NATO Must Counter 'Russian Adventurism' In Baltics May 22, 2016 by Eugen Tomiuc A former NATO deputy supreme commander is warning that the alliance could find itself in a full-fledged armed conflict with Russia within a year if it does not strongly step up its presence in the Baltic states. Retired British General Richard Shirreff set out the stark scenario in a book published this week, 2017 War With Russia, which has raised eyebrows with its suggestion that what some are calling a "new Cold War" could turn hot in a hurry. In an interview with RFE/RL, Shirreff stressed that the book -- which describes Russian forces invading Latvia next May and piling into Ukraine in a bid to open a land corridor to illegally annexed Crimea -- is a "work of fiction. " But he says he wants to send a "very strong signal" that NATO must act to ensure it stays that way. "The point of the book is...to highlight the importance of strong, effective deterrence to prevent such an eventuality happening," says Shirreff, who was deputy supreme allied commander Europe from 2011 to 2014. Before that he served in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, and Iraq, where he was a British tank commander in the First Gulf War. The retired general says he is concerned that "Russian adventurism" could lead to an attack on Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia, which were under Moscow's thumb for decades after World War II and joined NATO in the years after the 1991 Soviet collapse. A sharp deterioration of relations between NATO and Moscow since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and backed separatists whose war against Ukraine's government has killed more than 9,300 people, has raised alarm in the Baltics that they could be Moscow's next targets. "We continue to hear very bellicose signals coming out of Russia," Shirreff says. "Russia, or President [Vladimir] Putin, has used force to change boundaries of Europe, he's seen that force is successful." Shirreff's publisher, Coronet, says he closely modeled his book on NATO "war gaming" scenarios -- in this case, Russia opening a land corridor across Ukraine to Crimea and seizing the Baltic states to avoid what Kremlin officials have claimed is creeping "NATO encirclement." "I think NATO has to be strong to deter any sort of adventurism by Russia," he says. "You know, I think we have to take account of the fact that Russia...invaded Georgia in 2008, it invaded Crimea in 2014, it invaded Ukraine in 2014. Shirreff tells RFE/RL that a large, permanent conventional NATO presence in the Baltics is particularly important "given the huge strength of Russian troops around the Baltic states and the proximity of those Russian troops to major centers of population and capital cities." "Any strategy of deterrence which involves NATO deploying reserves or bringing troops from one country to another, which would take time, would simply not work, so the solution to that is to maintain troops permanently in the Baltic states," he explains. He says deterrence is particularly important since an attack on the Baltic states would mean a generalized war in Europe for the first time since 1945. "And not only that, but because Russia hardwires nuclear thinking into every aspect of their military doctrine it could also mean nuclear war," Shirreff adds. Shirreff has warned in the past against defense cuts by NATO countries that he says could leave them unable to fulfill alliance members' obligation under Article 3 to be able to defend themselves. 'Deter And Dialogue' NATO's eastern members, including the three Baltic states and Poland, have been pressing the alliance to increase its presence in the region. NATO is laying plans to do so, but is expected to avoid stationing large forces permanently -- something that would be certain to add to Russia's ire. NATO foreign ministers have met in Brussels to finalize plans for the alliance's biggest military build-up since the end of the Cold War. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said it could include up to 3,500 troops and that it "isn't intended to be aggressive." NATO leaders are expected to approve the overhaul -- part of a "deter and dialogue" approach meant to guard against potential Russian aggression and reassure allies -- at a summit in July in Warsaw. The details are still being discussed. "We are still in development of the concept for enhanced forward presence [in NATO's eastern member countries] in terms of the actual contribution of troops, the size of the force, etc." U.S. General Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, said on May 18. Russia has criticized NATO's plans, saying it believes talk of deterrence is a cover for encroaching on Russia's borders. Western states counter that it is Russia that has acted aggressively, requiring a response. Moscow also opposes the European missile shield that the United States has been building in concert with NATO, claiming that its aim is to undermine Russia's security. Key elements of the shield were activated in Romania this month, as Poland broke ground for another component of the shield. Shirreff says that while it is "absolutely right for NATO to continue to go down the line of ballistic-missile defense," the alliance should focus on preventing a possible conflict with Russia through maintaining "an effective conventional deterrent as well." Some Western officials and military analysts say that warnings of a severe and imminent threat from Russia are overblown and in some cases amount to scaremongering aimed at boosting military budgets. Shirreff says that while there is a need to spend more on defense in Europe and that all alliance members should meet their commitment to spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense, what matters most is using NATO's assets "wisely, and deploying those assets to deter in the Baltic states." Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-nato-former- commander-counter-adventurism-in-baltics/27750398.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Referendum To Tighten Grip On Power Of Tajik Leader May 22, 2016 by RFE/RL Voting has ended in Tajikistan's referendum on amendments to the constitution. Preliminary results of the polling will be announced on May 22, the head of the administration of Tajikistan's Central Election Commission, Abdumannon Dodozoda, told TASS. "Two hours before the end of the voting, the voter turnout was 88.3 percent as 3.9 million Tajik citizens had already cast their votes," Dodozada said. The amendments are expected to strengthen the grip on power of President Emomali Rahmon. The May 22 referendum included 41 proposed amendments to the constitution. Voters could either vote "yes" or "no" to the package. It is not possible to vote on individual amendments. The most important proposed amendments include eliminating the term limit for Rahmon, lowering the age of eligibility to become president, and banning the creation of faith-based political parties. The term-limit amendment would apply only to Rahmon, owing to the "leader of the nation" status parliament voted to grant him last year, which also affords him and his family permanent immunity from criminal prosecution. Rahmon has ruled Tajikistan for close to a quarter of a century, showing what critics say is an increased disregard for religious freedoms, civil society, and political pluralism in recent years. The referendum also asks voters to lower the presidential age limit from 35 to 30 -- a change that could position Rahmon's 29-year-old son, Rustam Emomali, for an early succession. The referendum further proposes a ban on the formation of parties based on religion amid the ongoing trial of key members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT). The IRPT was widely viewed as moderate before the government branded it a terrorist group last year, stripping away the most significant formal opposition to the Rahmon regime. The last referendum in Tajikistan took place in 2003 and changed the one-term limit for the president to a two-term limit. Tajikistan's previous referendum, in 1999, approved the legalization of religious political parties. It was necessary because the peace deal that ended Tajikistan's 1992-97 civil war stipulated that members of the opposition, the bulk of whom were from the IRPT, would receive places in government. That referendum also approved lengthening the presidential term in office from five to seven years and later, on that basis, President Rahmon declared that the first two presidential terms did not count as part of the two-term limit. With reporting by TASS and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/tajikistan -referendum-/27749878.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Peters Australia partners with Nestle for confectionery inspired ice cream range Posted by AFN Staff Writers on 23rd May 2016 Peters Ice Cream Australia is now selling ice cream tubs inspired by Nestle confectionery brands. The range, which is available from Coles and Woolworths, consists of: Milo: Milo flavoured ice cream with choc pieces throughout Fantales: Caramel flavoured ice cream with chocolate sauce and chewy caramels mixed in Smarties: Chocolate and vanilla ice cream with mini Smarties chocolates Peppermint Crisp: Peppermint flavoured ice cream with chocolate sauce and crispy peppermint pieces Fruit Tingles: Tutti fruitti flavoured ice cream with mini Fruit Tingle lollies Comments by Australian Food News (AFN): Nestle Australia formerly owned Peters Ice Cream between the mid-1990s and 2012 when it sold the brand to Pacific Equity Partners for an undisclosed sum. Peters was then sold to the UK-based R&R Ice Cream in 2014. Despite the sale, Peters and Nestle have still been able to work together and utilise the power of both brands. By combining efforts, the two brands can maximise sales throughout the year. It has always been known that ice cream and chocolate are counter-seasonal, with ice creams being a hot seller in summer and chocolates being a hot seller in winter. However, this partnership allows each of the brands to maintain and expand their presence throughout the whole year by offering the combined product. AFN allows points out that this is not the first time of confectionery and ice cream brands have joined forces. Other examples in Australia have included: Peters and Nestle have already been working together for years to create the single-serve Milo Scoop Shake typically sold in convenience stores, milk bars, canteens and petrol stations. Bulla acquired the licence from Fonterra in 2008 to create Cadbury branded ice creams. Since acquiring the licence Bulla and Cadbury have released new ranges together including Cadbury Marvellous Creations branded ice creams In February 2016, Streets started producing an ice cream tub range under its Blue Ribbon brand using Darrell Lea chocolates Armenia Army Conduct Drills on Basis of April's Hostilities in Karabakh Sputnik News 18:09 22.05.2016 The Armed Forces of Armenia have conducted drills based on episodes and details of fighting in the disputed Karabakh region in early April, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. YEREVAN (Sputnik) The violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani breakaway region with a predominantly Armenian population, escalated on April 2. While Baku and Yerevan accused each other of provoking the hostilities, the sides to the conflict succeeded in reaching a ceasefire agreement on April 5, which has been followed by near-daily reports of truce violations. "Units of the Armenian Armed Forces' first army corps have worked out during strategic drills specifics and scenes of April's hostilities in the Karabakh conflict zone," the statement read. According to the statement, the units involved in the maneuvers performed tasks in conditions as close as possible to those during the real-life fighting. Summing up the drills, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan has welcomed the high level of fast orientation in the situation and the professional actions of military personnel. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988, when the autonomous region sought to secede from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, before the latter proclaimed independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities in 1994. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Alliance Divided: NATO Members at Odds Over Restoring Dialogue With Russia Sputnik News 15:19 22.05.2016 Divisions are growing among NATO country members over the need to restore dialogue with Russia, an article in Financial Times read. Concerns are growing that the standoff between Moscow and the West is getting out of control. The newspaper made the assumption as a result of two days of talks between NATO foreign ministers and chiefs of general staffs. The meeting took place in Brussels on May 19-20. During the talks, representatives of France and Germany pushed for rapprochement with Moscow and holding a session of the Russia-NATO Council during the July summit in Warsaw. Other NATO members were skeptical about the idea. For example, one Eastern European diplomat told the Financial Times that talks with Russia were not to calm Moscow but to "reassure people in Brussels, people who worry too much about angering [Russian President Vladimir] Putin." He added that Russia is just "playing games with NATO." The "war of words" between Russia and NATO is getting increasingly "worrisome and bellicose," the article read. NATO plans a major military buildup at its eastern flank, and Moscow has promised to respond. Earlier this week, British General Richard Shirreff warned that the prospect of a full war with Russia within a year. This triggered a "bout of soul-searching within NATO" over the need to de-escalate the tensions. British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond harshly criticized the general for his disturbing conduct and using irresponsible language. "It's wildly speculative and inflammatory, and I'm afraid from where I sit it does look as though it is related to maximising publicity," Hammond told Financial Times. He added that dialogue is the "best way" to de-escalate tensions with Russia. In Turn, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance is trying to avoid "misunderstandings, misinterpretation and miscalculations" in order to make sure "things are not spiraling out of control." NATO has repeatedly claimed Russia is a threat, thus justifying their military buildup in Eastern Europe. The alliance plans to deploy four or five battalions in the Baltics and Poland. The decision is due to be made at the summit in Warsaw. Moscow has said that Russia is not interested in confrontation but ready to give an adequate response to the NATO strategy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kerry: Pakistani Leader Informed of Airstrike on Taliban Leader Mansour Sputnik News 11:45 22.05.2016 Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was informed of a drone strike on its territory that targeted the leader of neighboring Afghanistan's Taliban insurgency, US State Secretary John Kerry said Sunday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) It remains unclear whether Sharif, as well as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, was informed ahead of or after the strike. Ghani's office confirmed in a statement Sunday that the United States carried out a drone strike targeting Mansour, adding that it would provide further details if his death was confirmed. Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah speculated earlier that the Taliban leader's purported death would lead to "big changes" in its leadership. US officials and the Pentagon said a drone strike targeting Mullah Mansour's vehicle killed the Taliban leader near the remote southwestern Pakistani town of Ahmwad Wal along the Afghan border on Saturday. The claim appeared to be confirmed by senior Taliban leadership to US media outlets. Mansour succeeded longtime Taliban leader Mullah Omar after his death in 2013 was confirmed in mid-2015. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Somalian Army Kills Senior Al-Shabaab Leader Sputnik News 02:41 22.05.2016 The Somali Armed Forces killed one of the leaders of al-Shabaab militant group near southwestern country's city of Xuddur, local media reported. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Midnimo news website reported Saturday that the militant was killed as a result of joint operation of Somalia's army and the African Union. The media outlet added that one more senior al-Shabaab militant was captured during the operation. Somalia has been mired in an armed conflict with Islamist militants for two decades. Its government relies heavily on the African Union's peacekeepers for protection. The state's collapse in the African nation provided a breeding ground for warlords, pirates and the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab terrorist group. Al-Shabaab has been staging numerous attacks in Somalia in an attempt to create an Islamic state ruled by Sharia law. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni President Ready to Resume Settlement Talks Sputnik News 03:20 22.05.2016 Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi confirmed his readiness to bring the government delegation back to the negotiation table of the talks aimed at reaching peace in the country, UN press service said in a statement. UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) On Saturday, Hadi held a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The sides discussed a number of issues related to the Yemeni crisis, including the ongoing settlement talks as well as Tuesday decision of Yemeni government to leave the negotiations. "The President of Yemen confirmed that he will send the Government's delegation back to the talks as requested by His Highness the Amir of State of Qatar and the Secretary-General," the statement published on Saturday said. Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between the government headed by Hadi and Houthi rebels, the country's main opposition force. The Houthis are backed by army units loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries have been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request. The latest round of the UN-mediated peace talks between the Yemeni government and the Houthis started in Kuwait on April 21. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Intel: Afghan Taliban Leader Killed in US Drone Strike by Ayaz Gul, Carla Babb May 22, 2016 The Afghan intelligence agency confirmed that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Pakistan near the Afghan border. Pakistan says it was informed by the U.S. after the drone strike was carried out but lashed out at Washington for violating its "sovereignty." Islamabad did not immediately confirm that Mansoor was killed. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday during a visit to Myanmar that Mansoor was targeted because he posed "an imminent threat to U.S. personnel, Afghan civilians, and Afghan security forces," and that Mansoor "was directly opposed to peace negotiations." Taliban officials have privately confirmed the death of their leader but are reluctant to be identified, saying any final determination will be made by the group's so-called Rahbari Shura or leadership council. The drone strike occurred Saturday in Dalbandin, Baluchistan, according to Afghan intelligence agency NDS. Passport and IDs found The Pakistani statement and doctors at Quetta's Civil Hospital say two bodies were brought to the hospital, following what witnesses say was an airstrike on a taxi at Kochaki. The statement said the taxi driver's body was released to his relatives. A passenger in the taxi, who is believed to be Mansoor, was carrying a Pakistani passport and an I.D. card with the name Wali Muhammad. The picture on the Pakistani passport resembles Mullah Mansoor, some Taliban sources confirmed to VOA. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office in Kabul said Sunday, "The Government of Afghanistan is in the process of reviewing the final details of this operation concerning the fate of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and will publicly announce the results as soon as possible." It said the Taliban leader was "engaged in deception, concealment of facts, drug-smuggling and terrorism while intimidating, maiming and killing innocent Afghans." Earlier, a U.S. official who spoke on background said the strike was authorized by President Barack Obama. The official said several unmanned aircraft operated by U.S. special operations forces targeted a vehicle in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. Rare drone strike against Taliban fighters Depending on the actual location of the strike, it could be the first time U.S. drones are known to have targeted Taliban fighters inside Pakistan's Baluchistan province. All other known drone strikes inside Pakistan have occurred in the country's federally administered tribal areas, a semi-autonomous region along the Afghan border where Pakistan's military has battled militants for years. The elimination of Mansoor will deal a critical blow to the Taliban, which has struggled with internal divisions over its leadership since July 2015 when the insurgent group announced its founder and first leader, Mullah Omar, had been dead for more than two years. The United States has not designated the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist group. U.S. policy in Afghanistan generally allows coalition aircraft to target enemy fighters only when they can be identified as al-Qaida or Islamic State group loyalists, or when militants are directly threatening NATO personnel. Working arrangement Earlier this month, a senior U.S. commander in Afghanistan told reporters that there are signs that al-Qaida terrorists have been working more with the Taliban since Mullah Mansoor took charge. Brigadier General Charles Cleveland said, however, U.S. forces "are not in, necessarily, direct combat with the Taliban." Cleveland said that the expectation is that Afghan government forces are the ones mainly engaging the Taliban, and U.S. forces are there to help them. On Friday, David Petraeus, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and former head of the CIA, called for loosening restrictions on U.S. airstrikes against Afghan Taliban fighters. In an essay published in The Wall Street Journal, Petraeus and his co-author, military analyst Michael O'Hanlon, said because of the Taliban's long ties with al-Qaida and the Haqqani network, its aims of overthrowing the Afghan government, and its continuing push to seize territory, the United States should rely more on air power to help defeat the group. VOA's Ayesha Tanzeem contributed to this report from Islamabad. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Who Will Lead the Taliban Now? by Ayaz Gul May 22, 2016 Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was formally named leader of the Taliban in July 2015, shortly after the militant group disclosed that founder Mullah Omar had died two years prior. The Afghan government said Mansoor was the de facto leader of the Taliban during the time that Omar's death remained a secret, and he kept that news even from some top commanders. That led to some dissension among Taliban officials who were skeptical of how Mullah Omar's succession was being handled, and of Mullah Mansoor's ties to Pakistan. Mansoor's close relationship with Omar, however, and his status as one of the few remaining founding members of the Taliban helped him to consolidate power and unify the group over the past year. Mansoor's successor remains unclear. When he was named leader in 2015, the Taliban also named two deputies: Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the powerful Haqqani militant network, and Maulvi Haibatullah Akhund, a religious cleric known for issuing decrees on behalf of the Taliban. Sirajuddin Haqqani is considered a terrorist leader by the United States, which has long offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his capture. Little is known about Haibatullah Akhund's role in the militant group. Hard-line Islamist movement A member of the Ishaqzai tribe in southern Kandahar's Maiwand district, Mansoor joined the Taliban when the hard-line Islamist movement emerged during the bloody power struggle among various Afghan factions following the collapse of the Najibullah government in 1992. Afghans with knowledge of Mansoor's early years with the Taliban describe him as a low-level administrator who mostly dealt with organizational matters. He was the minister for civil aviation till the end of the Taliban regime in late 2001. After the Taliban was driven from Afghanistan and the group launched its counteroffensive, Mansoor was declared the group's shadow governor of Kandahar and a member of its leadership council. Omar appointed Mansoor as his deputy and acting head of the shura, or leadership council, after Mansoor's predecessor, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was captured in Pakistan in early 2010 by the Pakistani spy agency, with the help of the CIA. The Taliban has long maintained that it will not engage in peace talks with the Afghan government until all foreign troops have left the country. Peace talks But in 2015 there were secretive meetings and encouraging signs that leaders could discuss peace. Afghan and Pakistani sources asserted that these initial meetings had the backing of Mansoor. Soon after they began, however, the reported death of Omar all but ended the talks while the Taliban reorganized under Mansoor as leader. Since then, the peace process has stalled and the Taliban has made aggressive moves to seize territory, continue bombings in the capital, Kabul, and fight back against competing militant groups such as the Islamic State group. U.S. military officials also assert that the Taliban's ties with al-Qaida have grown since Mansoor formally took charge. The group's reluctance to engage in peace talks, and its continuing attacks, have caused Afghan officials to grow more pessimistic about the peace process, considered the best hope for ending the war that has now gone on for more than 14 years. Afghan authorities also have grown more critical of Pakistan, which they say is supporting and harboring the Taliban and the Haqqani network of militants. The reported killing of Mansoor in a remote area of Pakistan's Baluchistan province is likely to only reinforce those views. Criminal enterprise Last week Afghan President Ashraf Ghani suggested the Taliban has become little more than a criminal enterprise. "The question is: Is the Mansoor group a drug cartel masquerading as a political organization? Or a political organization using a drug cartel as its means? You have to judge this question. It can no longer be avoided," Ghani told an audience at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Obama in Vietnam, Facing Pressure to Lift Arms Embargo by Cindy Saine May 20, 2016 Forty-one years after the end of one of the most divisive wars in American history, experts say ties between the U.S. and Vietnam have never been closer. In fact, there are calls coming both from within the U.S. Defense Department and from the Hanoi government for President Barack Obama to further strengthen the relationship by completely lifting the decades-long arms embargo. Obama arrived early Monday for a visit to Vietnam. The president has the power to bypass Congress and lift the lethal weapons ban on Vietnam on his own. But one U.S. lawmaker his administration likely would appreciate support from is Republican Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain. McCain has witnessed the changes in relations firsthand between the two wartime enemies. Prisoner of war The Arizona senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee was a young Navy aviator during the Vietnam War. His plane was shot down and he spent 5 years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, enduring torture and neglect. But the decorated veteran bears no bitterness, as he told VOA in an exclusive interview. "I think when we normalized relations that there was reconciliation between our countries and people," McCain said. "Look, there are some individuals that mistreated me in prison that I hope I never see again. But that doesn't change my opinion that the Vietnamese people are wonderful and dear friends, and we need them and they need us and I see a bright future in our relationships with hopefully improvement on human rights issues," he added. McCain told VOA he has been back to Vietnam at least 20 times over the years, and he says the changes are profound. He said he does not know what is on the president's agenda, but he has a few ideas. "I think he should raise our solidarity with Vietnam as regards to freedom of the oceans, that the Chinese behavior is provocative and in violation of international law, that our bonds of friendship and our relationship and things like scholarship programs and others and exchange programs are excellent programs that need to be improved between our two military-to-military and such thing as humanitarian crises or disaster relief," the Arizona senator said. "All of those need to be improved, American port visits. But the president should also point out that there is significant progress that needs to be made as far as freedom of speech, treatment of Buddhists, treatment of the minorities who live in the hills and mountains of Vietnam, and we expect those improvements to be made," he added. Security issue Brian Harding, Asia expert at the Center for American Progress, said security will be a major focus of the president's talks. "The U.S.-Vietnam relationship is trending in an extraordinarily positive trajectory. Top of the agenda for President Obama will be security issues, human rights and trade," Harding said. "I think all eyes, though, will be on whether the United States lifts its policy of an embargo of lethal weapon sales to Vietnam during this trip." The main sticking point over lifting the lethal weapons ban is Vietnam's human rights record. Human Rights Watch and other human rights groups say the Communist Party state has assaulted and imprisoned scores of rights activists and bloggers, and that it restricts freedom of speech, press and religion. John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, said lifting the arms embargo would be "underserved at this time," calling the Hanoi government "one of the most repressive in the world." Harding agreed that the president must stand up for human rights wherever he goes. He said the Vietnam War still casts shadows in both countries, but the future looks bright. "Vietnam is quite a young country demographically; its people, especially the young people have incredibly positive feelings towards the United States," Harding said. On this trip, Obama also will visit Japan, another former wartime enemy, and is likely to highlight the power of reconciliation to transform ties in both countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 23, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria: -- Near Shadaddi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle. -- Near Raqqah, three strikes destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb-making facility and an ISIL oil pump-jack. -- Near Ayn Isa, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle. -- Near Mar'a, two strikes struck an ISIL weapons storage facility and destroyed an ISIL rocket rail. Strikes in Iraq Attack and fighter aircraft conducted 10 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Huwayjah, a strike suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position. -- Near Fallujah, two strikes struck an ISIL weapons facility and an ISIL improvised weapons factory and destroyed three ISIL bunkers and two ISIL tunnel entrances. -- Near Habbaniyah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL supply cache, and an ISIL vehicle, and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Mosul, five strikes struck an ISIL communications control center and destroyed two ISIL vehicle bombs, two ISIL mortar systems, and two ISIL supply caches and suppressed an ISIL mortar position. -- Near Qayyarah, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system. Additionally, due to an administrative error the following strikes in Syria were not included in the May 22 news release: -- Near Raqqah, two strikes destroyed an ISIL weapons cache. -- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rescue vessel eyed for the Nansha Islands People's Daily Online (China Daily) 08:24, May 23, 2016 Drones and robots could be used to help ships that get into difficulties China is considering deploying an advanced rescue ship that could carry drones and underwater robots to the Nansha Islands this year to help ships in trouble, including foreign vessels. Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship Nanhaijiu 118, under the Ministry of Transport's South China Sea Rescue Bureau, told China Daily of the plans. "Our bureau is planning a duty post in the Nansha Islands, with a ship based there. This will possibly be carried out in the second half of the year," Chen said, without specifying which island the ship will be based at. Wang Wensong, captain of the Nanhaijiu 118, said the ship proposed for the mission might be bigger than his 3,700-ton vessel and will be equipped with advanced rescue facilities. "It might carry drones and underwater robots," Wang said. The bureau was involved in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared more than two years ago on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Wang said it was decided after this mission to develop underwater search capabilities. He said the bureau has 31 ships and four helicopters to cover rescue work in the South China Sea. Other forces, such as the military, may join rescue efforts. "The international shipping routes near the Nansha Islands are very busy. Such a big area means quite a number of ships could get into trouble," the captain said. The South China Sea boasts one of the world's busiest shipping routes, with about 40 percent of global cargoes shipped annually passing through these waters. It also attracts many fishermen, who can be vulnerable in frequent typhoons. Zhang Zengxiang, deputy head of the Shipping Division at the Maritime Affairs Bureau in Sansha, Hainan province, said the proposed base station will help with rescue work in the southern South China Sea. "The main difficulty in rescue work around the Nansha Islands is the long distances," he said, adding that the Nanhaijiu 118, built last year, has to sail for nearly two days to reach the Nansha Islands from the Xisha Islands. He also said the distance is too great for helicopters, the most efficient way to save lives at sea. The main way to handle accidents in the area at present is to arrange for vessels passing by to help. Wang Qingjian, a captain who has fished in the Nansha Islands for 34 years, said, "The new station will greatly help fishermen." Wang Wensong, the captain, said: "We will try our best to save any vessel sending distress signals in waters under our jurisdiction, no matter what country a vessel is from even it is from a country that has territorial disputes with China, or a country without diplomatic relations with us. These are not problems." Beijing has promised to develop its search and rescue capabilities in the South China Sea to "provide necessary assistance" to both Chinese and foreign ships. In 2006, Wang, then first officer of the Nanhaijiu 111, worked with other Chinese rescuers to search a vast area after a typhoon, and located 22 Vietnamese fishing ships at Hanoi's request. They rescued and helped 330 Vietnamese fishermen. Wang said the growing number of rescue forces in the South China Sea will help with China's Belt and Road Initiative and business worldwide. "Shipping is the major way to send cargo, and a guaranteed international route is good news for all countries." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Quinoa crops continue to take off in Australia The growing of quinoa crops continues to expand in the most northern area of Western Australia, with a record number of farmers growing the crop as part of Western Australias Ord Irrigation Scheme. According to ABC Rural, farmers have been able to start growing quinoa in the area with help from research performed by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food testing its growing abilities. The Ord Irrigation Scheme was established in 1959 to help develop quality farming land in Western Australia. With a series of dams built to help channel water from the Ord River, state and federal government funding still helps fund the scheme. The popularity of the crop in WA comes after a three year quinoa growing trial was launched in Australia in July 2015. The project is funded by Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, is co-funded and led by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, with contributions from participating states. Mansour's death a 'milestone' in fight against terrorism: Obama Iran Press TV Mon May 23, 2016 1:29PM US President Barack Obama has confirmed the death of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone airstrike, calling it an "important milestone" in fight against terrorism. "Today marks an important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan," Obama said on Monday during a news conference in Hanoi, Vietnam. He added that Taliban militants have continued "to plot against and unleash attacks" on American and NATO forces while aligning themselves with terrorist groups like al-Qaeda. "Mansur rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children," Obama added. "The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," the US president continued. The US Department of Defense announced on Saturday that the military carried out a major operation against Mansour near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and "likely killed" him. "Mansour has been the leader of the Taliban and actively involved with planning attacks against facilities in Kabul and across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and security forces, our personnel, and coalition partners," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement issued on Saturday. "Mansour has been an obstacle to peace and reconciliation between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, prohibiting Taliban leaders from participating in peace talks with the Afghan government that could lead to an end to the conflict," Cook added. Mansour assumed command of the Taliban on July 29 2015, following the death of its longtime leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, who purportedly died on April 23 2013 from tuberculosis. The Taliban revealed last summer that Omar had died. As the founder of the Taliban, Omar brought the militant group to power following the withdrawal of the Soviet forces from Afghanistan in the 1990s. He was ousted in 2001, when the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. 'US will continue to help strengthen Afghan forces' Obama said on Monday that Washington will "continue to help strengthen Afghan security forces and support President [Ashraf] Ghani and the National Unity Government in their efforts to forge the peace and progress that Afghans deserve." He also said American forces will continue its strikes against extremist networks which are targeting the US. "I thank our dedicated military and intelligence personnel who have once again sent a clear message to all those who target our people and our partners - you will have no safe haven," Obama said. "Today is a day for us to give thanks to all of the Americans who have served in Afghanistan for so many years with a selfless commitment to the security of our nation and a better future for the Afghan people." The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban regime from power, but after more than 14 years, the foreign troops have still not been able to establish security in the country. In October last year, Obama announced plans to keep 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan through 2016 and 5,500 in 2017, reneging on his promise to end the war there and bring home most American forces from the Asian country before he leaves office. According to US officials, Washington would also maintain a large counterterrorism capability of terror drones and Special Operations forces to fight militants in Afghanistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen warring sides resume direct talks after week-long pause: UN Iran Press TV Mon May 23, 2016 1:10PM The United Nations special envoy to Yemen says the warring sides in the Yemeni conflict have held their first direct meeting after a week-long break. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said on his Twitter page Monday that the face-to-face talks came after a delegation representing the resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi accepted to end its one-week boycott of the talks in Kuwait. "A joint meeting between the two delegations to the Yemen peace talks has started in the morning," Ould said, without elaborating. However, sources close to Hadi had said Sunday that he has agreed to give the Kuwait-hosted talks, which began on April 21, a "last chance." Hadi delegation withdrew from negotiations after accusing Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and allies of failing to keep their word. Hadi's representative had urged the Houthis to begin to implement a UN Security Council resolution and withdraw from the capital Sana'a and other places they control and surrender their arms. But the Houthis refused to give in, setting their own preconditions, including a full halt to aerial and ground attacks by Saudi Arabia in support of Hadi that have left close to 10,000 killed in Yemen over the past 14 months. The Houthis said on their website al-Masirah that Hadi delegation was forced to return to direct talks in Bayan Palace in Kuwait City under recommendations from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, saying a trip by Hadi to the Qatari capital Doha to meet UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani could not assure him of concessions by Ansarullah and allies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Independent Narrowly Defeats Far-Right Candidate In Austria Presidential Runoff May 23, 2016 by RFE/RL Austrians have elected Alexander Van der Bellen, a former leader of the Greens party, as president in a closely watched vote that nearly brought the first-ever far-right head of state to power in an EU member state. After an election on May 22 that was too close to call, Austrian officials counted hundreds of thousands of postal ballots that ended up lifting Van der Bellen past Freedom Party rival Norbert Hofer. The result averts an embarrassing setback for Europe's political establishment, which is threatened by rising populist and anti-EU parties that have capitalized on public concerns about the continent's migration crisis and years of weak growth and high unemployment. Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said Van der Bellen collected 50.3 percent of the Austrian vote compared to 49.7 percent for Hofer, who had run on an anti-immigration platform. Preliminary results late on May 22 had put Hofer 3.8 percentage points ahead in the runoff for the largely ceremonial Austrian presidency. But the paper-thin margin was erased after a record 700,000 postal ballots were counted on May 23, leaving Van der Bellen just over 31,000 votes ahead in the final tally of more than 4.6 million ballots. Many observers expected the intellectual Van der Bellen, 72, would fall to his younger rival after lagging 14 points behind him in the first round on April 24. Hofer conceded defeat in a post on his Facebook page, thanking his supporters and telling them not to be discouraged. "Of course I am sad today," he said. "I would have liked to take care of our wonderful country for you as president." The vote in Austria, a country of 8.5 million people, had unsettled leaders elsewhere in Europe, particularly in neighboring Germany, where a new anti-immigration party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), is on the rise. In France, the National Front of Marine Le Pen is leading in polls ahead of a presidential election next year. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls immediately voiced his "relief" that Van der Bellen had triumphed over the far-right challenge. "Relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism," Valls tweeted about the result. "Everyone in Europe should learn from this." Across the Channel, the right-wing U.K. Independence Party is campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union in a referendum on June 23. EU member Austria has been at the center of a record influx of migrants from the Middle East, fanning public resentment toward the two centrist parties -- the Social Democrats (SPO) and the conservative People's Party -- that have dominated politics since the end of World War II. Hofer, 45, has described himself as a center-right politician, but his Freedom Party has its roots in Austria's Nazi past. He tapped into anti-EU sentiment and fears about rising numbers of asylum seekers, with millions of Middle Easterners and others fleeing war and instability. Austria took in 90,000 asylum seekers last year, representing more than 1 percent of its population, many of them shortly after it and neighboring Germany threw open their borders last fall to a wave of migrants including refugees from Syria's ongoing conflict. The government in Vienna has since clamped down on immigration and asylum, but that about-face only fueled support for the far right. 'Child Of Refugees' Van der Bellen is an economics professor and former leader of Austria's Greens, who advocate environmental protection and minority rights, among other things. He revealed that he himself was a "child of refugees who has received a lot from Austria." He was born in Vienna to an aristocratic Russian father and an Estonian mother who had fled Stalinism. Van der Bellen struggled to convince many conservative voters, who suspected him of pandering to the left. They have also accused Van der Bellen of being a "turncoat" because he was a member of the Social Democrats before joining the Greens in the early 1990s. An outspoken supporter of gay marriage, the divorced and recently remarried father of two is known as "The Professor" or "Sascha," a diminutive of Alexander, in reference to his Russian roots. In his private life, Van der Bellen admits to two weaknesses: Donald Duck comics and cigarettes. "I once quit for four months...but why should I torture myself at my age?" he said. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/austria-left-wins- presidential-vote/27752834.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Obama: Mansoor Rejected Peace Efforts in Afghanistan by Ayaz Gul, Carla Babb May 22, 2016 U.S. President Barack Obama said the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor "removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and coalition forces." Obama discussed the killing of the Afghan Taliban leader during a news conference Monday in Hanoi. He said Mansoor had rejected efforts by the Afghan government "to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children." Obama urged the Taliban to join the Afghan government in a "reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability." The U.S. leader made the comments one day after the Afghan intelligence agency confirmed Mansoor was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Pakistan near the Afghan border. "Removing Mansoor from the battlefield eliminates one roadblock to peace in Afghanistan," Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said in a statement Monday. Pakistan said it was informed by the U.S. after the drone strike was carried out, but lashed out at Washington for violating its "sovereignty." A government statement says U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was "called in" by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi, on Monday to hear Pakistan's concerns over the strike. Taliban officials have privately confirmed the death of their leader but are reluctant to be identified, saying any final determination will be made by the group's so-called Rahbari Shura or leadership council. The drone strike occurred Saturday in Dalbandin, Baluchistan, according to Afghan intelligence agency NDS. Passport and IDs found The Pakistani statement and doctors at Quetta's Civil Hospital say two bodies were brought to the hospital, following what witnesses say was an airstrike on a taxi at Kochaki. The statement said the taxi driver's body was released to his relatives. A passenger in the taxi, who is believed to be Mansoor, was carrying a Pakistani passport and an ID card with the name Wali Muhammad. The picture on the Pakistani passport resembles Mansoor, some Taliban sources confirmed to VOA. Images from the scene showed a destroyed car. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office in Kabul said Sunday, "The government of Afghanistan is in the process of reviewing the final details of this operation concerning the fate of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and will publicly announce the results as soon as possible." It said the Taliban leader was "engaged in deception, concealment of facts, drug-smuggling and terrorism while intimidating, maiming and killing innocent Afghans." Earlier, a U.S. official who spoke on background said the strike was authorized by President Barack Obama. The official said several unmanned aircraft operated by U.S. special operations forces targeted a vehicle in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. Depending on the actual location of the strike, it could be the first time U.S. drones are known to have targeted Taliban fighters inside Pakistan's Baluchistan province. All other known drone strikes inside Pakistan have occurred in the country's federally administered tribal areas, a semiautonomous region along the Afghan border where Pakistan's military has battled militants for years. The elimination of Mansoor will deal a critical blow to the Taliban, which has struggled with internal divisions over its leadership since July 2015 when the insurgent group announced its founder and first leader, Mullah Omar, had been dead for more than two years. The United States has not designated the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist group. U.S. policy in Afghanistan generally allows coalition aircraft to target enemy fighters only when they can be identified as al-Qaida or Islamic State group loyalists, or when militants are directly threatening NATO personnel. Earlier this month, a senior U.S. commander in Afghanistan told reporters that there are signs that al-Qaida terrorists have been working more with the Taliban since Mullah Mansoor took charge. Brigadier General Charles Cleveland said, however, U.S. forces "are not in, necessarily, direct combat with the Taliban." Cleveland said that the expectation is that Afghan government forces are the ones mainly engaging the Taliban, and U.S. forces are there to help them. On Friday, David Petraeus, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and former head of the CIA, called for loosening restrictions on U.S. airstrikes against Afghan Taliban fighters. In an essay published in The Wall Street Journal, Petraeus and his co-author, military analyst Michael O'Hanlon, said because of the Taliban's long ties with al-Qaida and the Haqqani network, its aims of overthrowing the Afghan government, and its continuing push to seize territory, the United States should rely more on air power to help defeat the group. White House correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report from Hanoi, and VOA's Ayesha Tanzeem contributed to this report from Islamabad. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Lifting Vietnam Arms Embargo a 'Wake-up Call' for Russia by Daniel Schearf May 23, 2016 U.S. President Barack Obama's announced lifting of a decades-old arms embargo against Vietnam is raising eyebrows not only in China, where a dispute with Hanoi in the South China Sea inflames military tensions, but also in Russia. Russia has long been Hanoi's top weapons supplier. But, that dominance will slowly be eroded as the market is opened and U.S. arms dealers begin to seize the opportunity. 'It will ultimately undermine Russian dominance in the Vietnamese market, but is unlikely to have a quick effect," said Alexander Gabuev, chairman of the Russia-Asia Pacific program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, in e-mailed comments to VOA. "The market environment will be more competitive, but Russia has a strong position in terms of value-for-money of its systems, the Vietnamese military's long-standing ties to Russian producers and the need to train personnel. A lot will depend on whether the U.S. government will support possible sales of American systems, and what the position of the next government will be." . The U.S. ban on lethal weapons supplies to Vietnam was lifted after non-lethal arms sales were eased in 2014. However, all sales still have to meet U.S. government approval. "I wouldn't expect a sudden surge in US arms exports to Vietnam as the inertia in the sphere of arms procurement is very strong," said Anton Tsvetov, a researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), in e-mailed replies to VOA. "Russia," he added, "is likely to retain its dominance on the Vietnamese arms market in most of the high-value sectors, such as fighter jets, combat ships and missile defense systems, at least for the decade to come. The U.S., however, may occupy certain niches, including maritime surveillance and reconnaissance." Vietnam has been seeking to beef up its navy as China builds its military presence around disputed islands in the South China Sea. By the end of this year, Russia is expected to deliver the last of six Kilo-class diesel submarines to Vietnam. According to Tsvetov, while Moscow will not welcome the prospect of competition with U.S. arms dealers, the significance has less to do with military concerns than politics. "For the overall state of Russia-Vietnam relations, this development is certainly a wake-up call for Russia," he said. "Moscow will have to work harder to maintain strong ties with Vietnam." Russia's official TASS news agency on Monday quoted the deputy head of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Anatoly Punchuk, saying the embargo being lifted would not affect Moscow's arms supplies to Vietnam. "Our relations with Vietnam are of a strategic character and their further development will depend on the leadership of Vietnam," said Punchuk. Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and during a summit in Sochi with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "Hanoi, for its part, is very careful to demonstrate that this is not a pivot from Russia, but a move towards a well-balanced foreign policy, one normal for an aspiring middle power, said Tsvetov. "The long and substantial visit to Moscow and Sochi by the new Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, among other things, was meant to reassure the Russian leadership that Vietnam is still loyal to its strategic partnership with Russia, no matter what developments the Obama visit brings," he said. The Russia-ASEAN summit was seen as a bid by Moscow to expand its so-called "pivot east" beyond improving relations with China. Hanoi has been concerned that Russia has tilted towards Beijing's position in the South China Sea dispute by opposing internationalization of the conflict. Still, Moscow has managed to balance their relations thus far. Russia sells arms to both sides, and Gazprom, its state gas company, drills in disputed waters. Gabuev said China understands that if it insisted Russia choose the larger Chinese market over Vietnam's, Hanoi would turn to more strategically uncomfortable suppliers. "It will have nowhere else to go (other than to) Japan or to the United States," he said. "China definitely doesn't want to see that outcome." Speaking in Vietnam on Monday, Obama said that lifting the ban was a part of normalizing relations and not aimed at China, though Beijing sees it differently. "We may see even more aggressive efforts of Rosoboronexport [Russia's state arms dealer] to boost its presence in Vietnam, as China is likely to prefer increased Russian-Vietnamese military ties to American-Vietnamese" ties, said Gabuev. "Moscow will look at the issue from predominantly business perspective, not in terms of balance of power." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Kenya, Protests Against Electoral Commission Turn Deadly by Jill Craig May 23, 2016 Protests against Kenya's electoral commission took place in several cities Monday, with local media reporting at least three demonstrators were killed in western Kenya. In Nairobi, riot police formed a line around the commission headquarters, waiting much of the afternoon to deter the latest in what have become weekly protests. The protesters never reached the compound because police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse about 100 demonstrators before they could get close. Smaller groups of protesters were also tear gassed earlier in the day, including a group from Kibera, a large Nairobi slum. Authorities say the demonstrations were illegal. Protesters were able to march against offices of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, or IEBC, in the cities of Mombasa, Kakamega and Kisumu. A reporter for the Standard newspaper, Phillip Orwa, told VOA that one demonstrator in Kisumu was killed and four others hospitalized. There were conflicting reports on whether the deceased protester was shot or trampled to death. Local media also reported two fatalities in Siaya, a town northwest of Kisumu. Police avoid clubbing, kicking "Today it wasn't as intense as it was before," said Assa Nyakundi, a lawyer whose office is located near the electoral commission headquarters in Nairobi. "I think what the police seem to have done, they were under instructions not to let people gather in big groups or in any groups at all. So I think in that sense, they were able to thwart any big groups and therefore, the capacity to demonstrate." Many bystanders agreed that the police acted more professionally this week than last, when photos and videos of riot police clubbing and kicking protesters were shared widely on social media and sparked outrage. The protesters, most of whom are supporters of the opposition CORD coalition, say the IEBC must be disbanded ahead of next year's national elections. The opposition says the IEBC favors the ruling Jubilee coalition. The opposition has held protests on four of the past five Mondays and vowed to continue until the government engages in meaningful dialogue about the electoral process. "With IEBC, we see the elections will not be credible," said Rufus Magaga, a CORD supporter and demonstrator. "The results will be doctored and all that, yes. They'll favor the current government." Nyakundi warns that these protests do not represent the opinions of the entire electorate. "I believe that what you're seeing now is just partisan politics," said Nyakundi. "There is a whole group of Kenyans who do not agree with this." Kenya is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in August 2017. While the last elections in 2013 went off peacefully, Kenya is still haunted by the 2007 vote, when alleged rigging set off violence that killed an estimated 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 Kenyans. Amos Wangwa contributed to this report from Nairobi. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Neptune Spear On May 01, 2011, in a televised address to the Nation, U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed that Osama Bin Laden had been killed that day as a result of a US military operation, codenamed Neptune Spear, by US Special Operations Forces inside a compound in Bilal, a suburb of Abbottabad; a city of 100,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province home to to the headquarters of one of the brigades from the Pakistani Army's 2nd Division, as well as the Pakistani Military Academy, the country's equivalent to the US Military Academy at West Point. Abbottabad is located between Pakistan's capital Islamabad, and Peshawar, approximately 30 miles from Islamabad. The compound was reportedly a large million dollar property, built about 5 years prior to the operation, and was believed to have been made specifically for Osama Bin Laden. Equipped with 12-18 foot tall and thick walls topped with barbed wire, multiple interior walls, additional privacy walls, and 2 security gates, it nonetheless lacked internet and phone access. It was suggested by US officials that the inhabitants of the compound probably had very little interaction with those around them. The Associated Press reported Osama Bin Laden's compound to be located only 100 yards away from a Pakistani Military Academy. Though the reported distance between the 2 sites varied in the immediate reporting, the location of the compound was clearly near or within the jurisdiction of Abbottabad Cantonment, controlled by the Pakistani military. Planning the Operation The operation came as a result of a lead that first emerged in August 2010, surrounding a courier for Osama Bin Laden operating out of Pakistan. The operation followed months of additional information-gathering, with President Obama chairing 5 National Security Council meetings. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) were among the agencies noted to have participated in the intelligence gathering effort. The courier was reported to have been a former protege of Khalid Sheik Mohammed. The Washington Post reported that the compound used by Osama bin Laden was put under extensive surveillance by CIA agents, which included the establishment of a nearby safehouse, for months prior to the raid. The surveillance effort was reported have been very costly, requiring approval from Congress for the reallocation of millions of dollars from within the budgets of various agencies to fund the operation. Following the raid by US Navy Seals, the safe house was closed and CIA assets moved. Planning for the raid itself was also extensive, beginning around March 2011. The planning process was reported to have involved the construction of a full size replica of the compound or sections of the compound at Harvey Point, North Carolina. Another mock compound was also said to have been constructed within a secret portion of Bagram Air Base. The raid itself was reported to have been launched from Jalalabad Airfield, also in Afghanistan. The Raid The raid, conducted by Joint Task Force Neptune, reported to consist of US Navy SEALs from Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU; also commonly referred to as SEAL Team 6) and helicopters from the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), as well as possibly other elements, was designed to minimize collateral damage and risk to non-combatants in the compound and to Pakistani civilians in the area. The final order for the operation was given on the morning of 29 April 2011. It consisted of a helicopter insertion after which a firefight ensued, resulting in the death of Osama Bin Laden. CIA Director Leon Panetta said that 25 Navy SEALs had conducted the raid. Accompanying the US Navy Seal team was a bomb-sniffing dog. US personnel were on the ground for approximately 40 minutes. Media sources reported that Pakistani Intelligence was involved in helping the United States track Bin Laden and that Pakistani intelligence operatives were on the ground during the operation. However, only US forces were reported to have been involved in the operation. Initial reports suggested that no Pakistani troops had been involved in the operation. The official US Government position was that no Pakistani personnel were involved in the operation. In addition, it was reported that the Pakistani government was only informed of the operation after the fact. Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan reported in a briefing on 2 May 2011, that the Pakistani Air Force scrambled fighter aircraft in response to the raid. In a White House press briefing on 3 May 2011, Press Secretary Jay Carney said that Osama Bin Laden resisted capture and was shot, but that he had been unarmed. Government sources reported that he was shot in the head. His body was recovered by US forces and later authenticated as being that of Osama Bin Laden. Osama Bin Laden had reportedly been assigned the codename "Geronimo" during the operation. Following authentication, Osama Bin Laden's body was reportedly handled "in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition" and later buried at sea. This involved washing the deceased's body and then placing it in a white sheet. The body was placed in a weighted bag, a military officer read prepared religious remarks, which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker. After the words were complete, the body was placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up, whereupon the deceased body eased into the sea. No autopsy was performed on the body. During the raid, 3 other men, including one believed to have been one of Osama's adult sons were reported to have been killed. Osama bin Laden was later said to have been on the second floor of the target building, with the others being killed when the assaulting forces entered the ground floor. Subsequent reporting suggested that only one of the men, believed to have been a courier, was armed, but that the others were seen either moving threateningly toward the forces conducting the operation or toward weapons. In addition, several women and children were also present at the compound. One woman was killed when she was used as a shield by one Osama's men. Two other women were also injured. Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan said in a briefing on 2 May 2011, that the woman killed had been being used as a human shield either for or by Osama Bin Laden, and may have attacked the forces conducting the operation. Senior Defense and Intelligence Officials said during a briefing later on 2 May 2011, that the woman who had been killed had been used as a human shield by one of the 4 military-age males on the compound. During that briefing, it was reported that one of the women who was wounded was with Osama Bin Laden and was identified as one of his wives, possibly the youngest. Osama was reported to have been living at the compound with 3 of his wives. In a White House press briefing on 3 May 2011, Press Secretary Jay Carney said that the woman who was killed had been killed in the cross fire and had not been used as a human shield. He also said the woman who was with Osama Bin Laden and who was wounded, had rushed the forces conducting the operation and had been shot in the leg. During the operation, no US personnel were injured, although a US helicopter used in the operation was originally reported to have suffered a mechanical failure and had to be destroyed. The remnants of the helicopter was recovered by members of the Pakistani military after the raid. The initial reports, including statements from US government officials, were that a total of 2 MH-60 Black Hawk and 2 MH-47 Chinook type helicopters had been used in the operation. Subsequent pictures of the wreckage of the down aircraft suggested that a new type, possibly incorporating stealth technology or noise reduction technology, had been used. The helicopter was also subsequently reported to have suffered from a failure in the so-called "hot and high" environment, rather than a mechanical failure. The air flow created by the compounds high walls, which blocked rotor downwash from diffusing, was also reported to have been a factor. The aircraft then entered a vortex, causing it to loose altitude rapidly. During the resulting hard landing, the aircraft was sufficiently damaged, including a complete loss of the tail rotor assembly, to warrant its destruction. Aftermath The authentication process used to determine the deceased as being Osama Bin Laden included visual confirmation by the forces conducting the raid, visual confirmation by a woman at the scene identified as one of Osama Bin Laden's wives, and visual confirmation by CIA analysts of photographs taken with confirmed photographs of Osama Bin Laden. On the morning of 2 May 2011, CIA and other specialists in the intelligence community performed the initial DNA analysis matching a virtually 100-percent DNA match of the body against DNA of several Bin Laden family members. Hundreds of media storage devices were also recovered during the raid. Intelligence agencies were said to be pouring over them to determine their contents and potential intelligence value. It was expected that a recording of Osama Bin Laden, either audio or video, would emerge after the attack. US officials speculated that it was likely that Bin Laden's supporters had such a recording to be disseminated to his supporters in the event of his death. US Government officials noted, however, that Al-Qaeda was an organization that had been experiencing a variety of issues, including financial problem, well before the death of Osama Bin Laden. It was unclear whether or not there would be someone to claim the $25 million bounty that the US had placed on information leading to the capture or death of Osama Bin Laden. Later in May 2011, the U.S. released a number of videos taken from Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad compound to the public. The videos were released without sound. On 10 May 2011, Joint Task Force Neptune, the raiding force, was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for the period from 17 March to 2 May 2011. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OPLAN 5027 Major Theater War - West OPLAN 5027 is the US-ROK Combined Forces Command basic warplan. Under Operations Plan 5027 (CINCUNC/CFC OPLAN 5027), the United States plans to provide units to reinforce the Republic of Korea in the event of external armed attack. These units and their estimated arrival dates are listed in the Time Phased Force Deployment List (TPFDL), Appendix 6, to Annex A to CINCUNC/CFC OPLAN 5027. The TPFDL is updated biennially through U.S./ROK agreements. CINCUNC/CFC OPLAN 5027 is distributed with a SECRET-U.S./ROK classification. Jeff Seldin reported 01 December 2021 that the United States and South Korea are preparing to develop "a new, operational war plan" to better address the growing threat from North Korea's military. The new plan would replace existing strategies meant to respond to potential North Korean aggressions which were drawn up about a decade ago and do not account for Pyongyang's military advances, according to senior U.S. defense officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order discuss the process. "This is the right thing to do," a senior defense official told reporters en route to Seoul for meetings between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean officials. "The ROK's [South Korea's] advanced capability development as well, and their ability to contribute to the plan is an important part of the update, as well," one official said. Pyongyang can credibly threaten the prompt destruction of Seoul with conventional arms alone. The North Korean military could also establish a shallow foothold across the DMZ. However, the DPRK's ability to sustain these offensive operations, or advance its forces further to the south, is questionable. South Korean and American air forces could quickly establish air supremacy and destroy North Korean ground forces. The ensuing buildup of US forces in Korea could reverse any remaining North Korean advances into the South, and unlease offensive operations into the North. North Korea does not require long-range missiles with nuclear, chemical, or biological warheads to devastate Seoul or to make a land grab across the DMZ. Such weapons are needed to deter or defeat an American counteroffensive into North Korea. Pyongyang has the ability to start a new Korean War, but not to survive one. North Korea has about 500 long-range artillery tubes within range of Seoul, double the levels of a the mid-1990s. Seoul is within range of the 170mm Koksan gun and two hundred 240mm multiple-rocket launchers. The proximity of these long-range systems to the Demilitarized Zone threatens all of Seoul with devastating attacks. Most of the rest of North Korea's artillery pieces are old and have limited range. North Korea fields an artillery force of over 12,000 self-propelled and towed weapon systems. Without moving any artillery pieces, the North could sustain up to 500,000 rounds an hour against Combined Forces Command defenses for several hours. North Korea's short-term blitzkrieg strategy envisions a successful surprise attack in the early phase of the war to occupy some or all of South Korea before the arrival of US reinforcements on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean ground forces, totaling some 1 million soldiers, are composed of some 170 divisions and brigades including infantry, artillery, tank, mechanized and special operation forces. Of the total, about 60 divisions and brigades are deployed south of the Pyongyang-Wonsan line. North Korea has deployed more than half of its key forces in forward bases near the border. Seventy percent of their active force, to include 700,000 troops, 8,000 artillery systems, and 2,000 tanks, is garrisoned within 100 miles of the Demilitarized Zone. Much of this force is protected by underground facilities, including over four thousand underground facilities in the forward area alone. From their current locations these forces can attack with minimal preparations. This means a surprise attack on South Korea is possible at any time without a prior redeployment of its units. The North Korean navy has also deployed 430 surface combatants and about 60 percent of some 90 submarine combat vessels near the front line in forward bases. With about 40 percent of its 790 fighter planes deployed near the front line, the North Korean air force could launch a surprise attack on any part of South Korea within a short period of time. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea possesses larger forces than Iraq, and they are already deployed along South Korea's border. A war could explode after a warning of only a few hours or days, not weeks. Unlike in the Persian Gulf, this attack would be prosecuted along a narrow peninsula on mountainous terrain. It would probably be accompanied by massed artillery fire, commando raids, and chemical weapons. Initially, the primary battlefield would be only about 125 kilometers wide and 100 kilometers deep. The DPRK attack would be conducted against well-prepared ROK forces in fortified positions and against larger US forces than in the Persian Gulf. Most probably, the DPRK attack would aim at seizing nearby Seoul by advancing down the Kaesong-Munsan, Kumwa, and Chorwon corridors. If successful, North Korean forces might also try to conquer the entire peninsula before large US reinforcements arrive. The South Barrier Fence is the Southern part of the DMZ. The South Koreans have a series of Defensive lines that cross the entire peninsula, but with the exception of the South Barrier Fence, they aren't connected completely across the peninsula. They are designed to withstand an attack and allow a minimum force to hold a line while reinforcement/counter attack forces are assembled and sent to destroy any penetrations. The basic goal of a North Korean southern offensive is destruction of allied defenses either before South Korea can fully mobilize its national power or before significant reinforcement from the United States can arrive and be deployed. The primary objective of North Korea's military strategy is to reunify the Korean Peninsula under North Korean control within 30 days of beginning hostilities. A secondary objective is the defense of North Korea. To accomplish these ambitious objectives, North Korea envisions fighting a two-front war. The first front, consisting of conventional forces, is tasked with breaking through defending forces along the DMZ, destroying defending CFC forces, and advancing rapidly down the entire peninsula. This operation will be coordinated closely with the opening of a second front consisting of SOF units conducting raids and disruptive attacks in CFC's rear. The DPRK offensive against the ROK will consist of three phases. The objective of the first phase will be to breach the defenses along the DMZ and destroy the forward deployed forces. The objective of the second phase will be to isolate Seoul and consolidate gains. The objective of the third phase will be to pursue and destroy remaining forces and occupy the remainder of the peninsula. Approximately forty percent of the South Korean population resides within 40 miles of Seoul. While the terrain north of Seoul is dominated by rice paddies offering limited off-road mobility, the terrain west of Seoul is a wide coastal plan with the main invasion routes to Seoul. North Korean forces attacking Seoul through the Chorwon or Munsan corridors would have to cross the Han or Imjin rivers (while these rivers freeze in the winter, the ice is not strong enough to support heavy armor). The narrow eastern coastal plain is lightly settled and less heavily defended, though mountains make movement of forces from the east coast difficult. The US plans are based on the belief that the North Koreans would not be successful in consolidating their gains around Seoul and could be pushed back across the DMZ -- though the plans assume the North may break through the DMZ in places. A critical issue is strategic warning of unambiguous signs that North Korea is preparing an attack. The warning time has reportedly been shortened from about ten days to about three days as North Korea has covered its military activities. The US-ROK defense plan would be shaped not only by the threat but also by the mountainous terrain. Korea is commonly regarded as rugged infantry terrain that invites neither mobile ground warfare nor heavy air bombardment, but North Korea has assembled large armored forces that are critical to exploiting breakthroughs, and these forces would pass down narrow corridors that are potential killing zones for U.S. airpower. A new Korean War would bear little resemblance to the conflict of 195053. During Phase 1, US-ROK forces would conduct a vigorous forward defense aimed at protecting Seoul. Their campaign would be dominated by combined-arms ground battles waged with infantry, artillery, and armor. US air and naval forces would conduct close air support, interdiction, and deep strike missions. After Phase 1, US-ROK operations in Phase 2 would probably focus on seizing key terrain, inflicting additional casualties on enemy forces, and rebuffing further attacks. Phase 3, to start when the US ground buildup was complete and ROK forces were replenished, would be a powerful counteroffensive aimed at destroying the DPRK's military power. The war plan envisions amphibious assaults into North Korea by US Army and Marines at the narrow waist of North Korea. The entire resources of the US Marine Corps would flow there to establish a beachead, with substantial Army resources quickly conducting over-the-shore operations. OPLAN 5027-74 The the forward defense strategy in OPLAN 5027 was developed by Combined Forces Commander US General James F. Hollingsworth in 1973 [this discussion is based on "Winning in Korea Without Landmines," by Caleb Rossiter]. Prior to this time, OPLAN 5027 focused primarily on defeating a North Korean invasion. It envisioned the allies staging a 50-mile fighting retreat along the primary armored invasion route from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and taking up strong positions [the "Hollingsworth Line"] south of the broad Han River where it bisects the South Korean capital of Seoul. There, allied forces would wait for US reinforcements before counter-attacking. Concerned that the US withdrawal from Vietnam might lead the DPRK to question American commitment to defend South Korea, Hollingsworth altered the focus of OPLAN 50-27 to a forward-based offensive strategy. The goal was to convince North Korea that an invasion could bring an end to its regime. The new posture moved most allied artillery, tanks,and infantry forward toward the Military Control Zone (MCZ), which runs five miles south of the DMZ. General Hollingsworth announced plans to strike north after these forces defeated the invasion. He assigned two brigades of the US 2nd Division to seize the North Korean staging city of Kaesong just across the DMZ, and promised around-the-clock raids on the North by B-52 bombers and a "violent,short war " to capture the capital of Pyongyang. It was unclear whether Hollingsworth's plans included the use of the US tactical nuclear weapons then on the Korean peninsula if the North Korean invasion forces overwhelmed the allies. At the time, the Congressional Budget Office predicted that without nuclear weapons,the new strategy could result in the initial loss of Seoul. In 1975 Gen. Hollingsworth stated that the US had a '9-day war plan', according to which North Korea would be defeated in a few days in a violent clash with 700-800 air sorties. OPLAN 5027-94 As of 1994 it was reported that a variant OPLAN 5027 under consideration by CINCPAC focused on a scenario under which ROK forces were able to blunt a DPRK offensive and stabilize a defensive line at FEBA Bravo (20-30 miles below the DMZ). Subsequently, US-ROK Combined Forces Command would execute a retaliatory offensive once US reinforcements arrived. A major air campaign against northern forces would be required before the counteroffensive could begin. A US Marine Expeditionary Force (in division strength) and the 82nd Air Assault Division, along with ROK divisions, would launch an overland offensive north toward Wonsan from the east coas. Soon thereafter, a combined US-ROK force would stage an amphibious landing near Wonsan, and advance to Pyongyang. Subsequently, a combined US-ROK force would execute a major counteroffensive from north of Seoul aimed at seizing Pyongyang. This would be achieved either by linking up with the force at Wonsan, or meeting it at Pyongyang. A favorable outcome for the South depends on two conditions. First, the ROK forces must withstand DPRK forces during the initial 5-15 days of North Koean offensive actions. Second, they must hold the line while US and ROK forces are mobilized for the counteroffensive, which could take another 15-20 days. The ROK and US war plan included a counteroffensive that would destroy the North Korean regime. South Korean state television reported on 24 March 1994 that Seoul and Washington planned to topple the North Korean government if the Stalinist state attacks the South. The Korean Broadcasting System said that rather than simply driving back the North's troops, the plan provides for a counteroffensive to seize Pyongyang and try to topple the government of Kim Il Sung ["KBS reports plan to topple Kim Il Sung," Washington Times , March 25, 1994, p. 16]. In 1994, the South Korean president, Kim Young-sam, said: "Once a major military confrontation occurs, North Korea will definitely be annihilated" [Ranan R. Lurie, "In a Confrontation, 'North Korea Will Definitely Be Annihilated,'" Los Angeles Times (Washington Edition), March 24, 1994, p. 11]. The battlefield coordination line (BCL) first appeared in MEF operations during Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL) 94. It was employed as a workaround "MEF internal fire support coordination line (FSCL)" since the combatant commander approved theater FSCL was too distant from the Marine close fight to be of any value. The extended placement of the combatant commander's FSCL was due mostly to cultural and programmatic conflicts between the Army and the Air Force (read JFACC or in Korea, the CFACC). The point of contention has always centered on the area between the FSCL and the ground commander's forward boundary. The Air Force has historically demanded that the Army "coordinate" strikes forward of the FSCL with the CFACC prior to execution. The Army doesn't like the idea of having to coordinate (thus delay operations) with another component inside its own assigned area of operation, so to avoid the problem, they push the FSCL out to a point beyond their area of influence, ATACMS soliloquies notwithstanding. In effect, the FSCL became a de facto forward boundary. OPLAN 5027-96 After the nuclear crisis of 1994, OPLAN 5027 was completely overhauled, including a new agreement to ensure Japanese bases are available if the US goes to war with North Korea. The updated Japan-US defense cooperation guidelines, which the Japanese parliament approved 24 May 1999, allow the US to prepare for a Korean war by stationing its military forces in Japan and the Pacific region. OPLAN 5027-98 Further revisions to the concept of operations were elaborated in OPLAN 5027-98, dated 01 December 1999. Previous versions of OPLAN 5027 had called for stopping a North Korean invasion and pushing them back across the Demilitarized Zone. The new version of the plan was more clearly focused on offensive operations into North Korea. A senior US official was reported to have said: "When we're done, they will not be able to mount any military activity of any kind. We will kill them all." The goal of the revised plan was to "abolish North Korea as a functioning state, end the rule of its leader, Kim Jong Il, and reorganize the country under South Korean control." New priorities also focused on countering sudden chemical and biological attacks against Seoul. The South Korean military reportedly estimates that 50 missiles carrying nerve gas could kill up to 38 percent of Seoul's 12 million inhabitants. The new plan called for a campaign against North Korean armed forces and government involving "defeating them in detail." The operation would be conducted in four phases: activities prior to a North Korean attack, halting the initial North Korean assault, regrouping for a counter-attack, and finally a full scale invasion of North Korea to seize Pyongyang. According to reports, the new military plan included preemptive attacks against North Korea's military bases, including long-range artillery and air forces bases, if intellitence detected a hard evidence that North Korea was preparing to wage war. US and South Korean military leaders included pre-emptive strikes in this revised war plan. If the North Koreans showed unmistakable signs of preparing to strike, and the US decided not to wait until South Korea had been attacked, US forces had targets in North Korea already picked out and weapons assigned to destroy them. Tasks performed during the Destruction Phase of the OPLAN reportedly involve a strategy of maneuver warfare north of the Demilitarized Zone with a goal of terminating the North Korea regime, rather than simply terminating the war by returning North Korean forces to the Truce Line. In this phase operations would include the US invasion of North Korea, the destruction of the Korean People's Army and the North Korean government in Pyongyang. The plan includes the possibility of a Marine amphibious assault into the narrow waist of North Korea to cut the country in two. US troops would occupy north Korea and "Washington and Seoul will then abolish north Korea as a state and 'reorganize' it under South Korean control. When this new war plan leaked to the press in November 1998, it escalated tensions between the United States and North Korea. North Korea sharply criticized OPLAN 5027-98, charging that it was a war scenario for the invasion of North Korea. Pyongyang blamed Seoul for the revision of OPLAN 5027, and a North Korean Army spokesman stated 02 December 1998 that North Korea had the right to take a containment offensive while holding mass rallies of military units and various social organizations to criticize OPLAN 5027. Such incidents illustrated North Korea's sensitive reaction to the OPLAN 5027. On 02 December 1998 the General Staff of the North Korean People's Army (KPA) issued a lengthy and authoritative statement warning that the United States was instigating a new war. The statement stressed that the KPA would rise to the challenge. "We neither want nor avoid a war. If a war is imposed, we will never miss the opportunity," the statement read. The unique aspect of Pyongyang's public statements is the preoccupation with "US war-plan # 5027" as an imminent threat. Official Pyongyang is adamant that "war-plan # 5027" is already being implemented, and public statements frequently focus on OPLAN 5027. OPLAN 5027-00 According to the 04 December 2000 South Korean Defense Ministry White Paper, the United States would deploy up to 690,000 troops on the Korean peninsula if a new war breaks out. The United States apparently had considerably increased the number of troops that would be deployed in any new Korean conflict. The figure had risen from 480,000 in plans made in the early 1990s and 630,000 in the mid-1990s. The latest Time Phased Forces Deployment Data for any contingency on the Korean Peninsula is comprised of 690,000 troops, 160 Navy ships and 1,600 aircraft deployed from the U.S. within 90 days. The South Korean defense ministry described the increase as the result of a new US "win-win strategy," which would require the United States to have the capability to fight two wars simultaneously, such as in the Middle East and East Asia. Along with equipment to counter weapons of mass destruction, the US plan focused on the deployment of aircraft carriers and advanced aircraft to attack enemy artillery units in the early stages of any war. US augmentation forces, including the army, navy, air force, and the marine corps, are composed of approximately 690,000 troops. The augmented forces comprise army divisions, carrier battle groups with highly advanced fighters, tactical fighter wings, and marine expeditionary forces in Okinawa and on the US mainland. The US augmentation forces have contingency plans for the Korean peninsula to execute the Win-Win Strategy in support of United Nations Command (UNC)/Combined Forces Command (CFC) operation plans. There are three types of augmentation capability: Flexible Deterrence Options (FDOs), Force Module Packages (FMPs), and the Time-Phased Forces Deployment Data (TPFDD). These are executed through a unit integration process, when the commander of CFC requests them and the US Joint Chiefs of Staff orders them in case of a crisis on the Korean peninsula. FDOs are ready to be implemented when war is imminent. They can be classified into political, economic, diplomatic, and military options. Approximately 150 deterrence options are ready to be employed. FMPs are measures that augment combat or combat support units that need the most support in the early phase of the war should war deterrence efforts through FDOs fail. Included in the FMPs are elements such as strong carrier battle groups. Under TPFDD, in which FDO and FMP are included, the key forces are planned ahead of time to be deployed in case of an outbreak of war. There are three types of forces under TPFDD: in-place forces, or forces currently deployed to the peninsula; pre-planned forces, or forces of time-phased deployment in a contingency; and on-call forces, which could be deployed if needed. CFC Pub 3-1 (Deep Operations Korea) of 1 May 99 requires pre-planned fire support coordination lines (FSCLs) 26 hours prior to ITO execution, and immediate FSCL changes (inside the ITO cycle) 6 hours from transmittal to implementation with nominal FSCL placement 12 to 20 kilometers from the FLOT. The publication discusses the need to avoid confusion and fratricide via frequent FSCL changes, yet still retain the ability to accommodate rapid maneuver. Ground and amphibious force commanders will recommend placement of the FSCL, but the combatant commander is the approving authority. OPLAN 5027-02 In February 2002 it was reported that the US military was updating OPLAN 5027 in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. This includes a military calculation of the force needed to remove North Korean leader Kim Jung Il. In mid-2002 a top aide to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld briefed a concept of operations for striking North Korea's weapons of mass destruction. This case study in the application of the Bush administration's new doctrine of pre-emptive military action envisioned a swift attack, carried out without consulting South Korea, America's ally on the peninsula. Soon after word of the briefing spread, administration officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell and Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of US forces in the Pacific, worked to stifle further discussion of the scheme. OPLAN 5027-04 In late 2003 it was reported ["Military Alters Plans For Possible Conflicts" By Bradley Graham Washington Post November 18, 2003, pg. 18] that " ... the new plans would allow the United States to respond without waiting for as many ground forces to arrive, by substituting air power for artillery and getting such critical equipment as counter-battery radars -- for pinpointing enemy mortar and artillery fire -- on scene ahead of the rest of their divisions. The resulting force might not be as "elegant" as planners would like, but "it will certainly be capable... " While Patriot is the only missile defense system deployed by the US military, the Defense Department expected that three "emergency capabilities" for missile defense would begin to emerge in the year 2004. Those capabilities are ground-based midcourse interceptors being installed in Alaska as part of a Pacific test bed; sea-based midcourse interceptors on one or two Navy Aegis ships; and an Airborne Laser prototype. These could provide an emergency capability against a North Korean missile attack, but it was extremely limited. Five anti-missile interceptors will be deployed at the site. During fiscal year 2003, MDA achieved a 50-percent success rate on hit-to-kill intercepts-one success out of two attempts for each of the GMD and Aegis BMD elements. The actual defensive system to be fielded by 30 September 2004 will have fewer components than planned. MDA could not meet its upper-end goal of fielding 10 GMD interceptors by September 2004. Rather, MDA expected to field 5 interceptors by September 2004 and complete the goal of 10 interceptors by February 2005. In addition, the agency was be hard-pressed to achieve its goal of producing and delivering an inventory of 20 GMD interceptors by December 2005, because GMD contractors had yet to meet the planned production rate by mid-April 2004. The first BMDS block will cost more and deliver fewer fielded components than originally planned. As reported in DOD budget submissions for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, the Aegis BMD interceptor inventory decreased from 20 to 9, the number of Aegis BMD ships upgraded for the long-range surveillance and tracking mission decreased from 15 to 10. An intercept capability by Aegis BMD was not part of the September 2004 Initial Defensive Operations (IDO). By April 2005, two upgraded cruisers with an inventory of five interceptors were expected to be available for engaging short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. The potential operational use of Airborne Laser [ABL] and the sea-based radar as sensors was no longer part of Block 2004. The SBX was fielded as a test asset at the end of Block 2004 (December 2005), and it would be placed on alert as an operational asset during Block 2006. Following Operation Iraqi Freedom, USFK held a conference for senior military leaders at Osan Air Force Base to evaluate the air component of OPLAN 5027. The conference was held on May 22-23, 2003 and was to adapt lessons learned from the use of UAVs and ground tactics and to "apply them in plans and strategies for 2003" according to 7th Air Foce commander Lt. General Lance Smith. The Air Boss conference discussed specific targets and the impact of new technologies. According to General Smith, as quoted by Stars and Stripes on May 24, 2003 the battle plan has changed considerably. OPLAN 5027-06 Missile Defense Agency Block 2004, represents calendar years 2004-2005. The ground-based Midcourse Defense will consist of 18 total Ground-based Interceptors, with 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. and 16 at Ft. Greely, Alaska. The Navy's Aegis will consist of 10 sea-based Surveillance and Track Destroyers, 2 Engagement/Surveillance and Track Cruisers, all equiped with 8 Standard Missile-3 sea-based interceptors. A total of 281 Patriot Advanced Capablility-3 missiles will be operated by the US Army. The Sea-based X-band radar will be introduced to the Missile Defense Test Bed in 2005 to provide more realistic sensor information in tests using long-range targets and countermeasures, and will also enhance operational capability. OPLAN 5027-08 In June 2003 US and Republic of Korea officials agreed to a plan to realign American forces stationed in "The Land of the Morning Calm." In June 4-5 meetings held in the South Korean capital city of Seoul, according to a joint US-South Korean statement, it was decided the operation would consist of two phases. During Phase 1 US forces at installations north of the Han River would consolidate in the Camp Casey (Tongduchon) and Camp Red Cloud (Uijongbu) areas. Both bases are north of Seoul and the Han, but well south of the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea. The 14,000-strong US Army 2nd Infantry Division, which provides troops to bases near the DMZ, is headquartered at Camp Red Cloud. During Phase 2 US forces north of the Han River would move to key hubs south of the Han River. US and Korean officials agreed to continue rotational US military training north of the Han even after Phase 2 is completed. The realignment operation would take several years to complete. Most American troops will be moved out of Seoul by the end of 2007, and all of the US 2nd Infantry Division that's currently patrolling the region north of Seoul will be moved south of Seoul by 2008. Existing military facilities at Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys, both located south of Seoul, are being expanded and upgraded to accept the redeployed forces. Missile Defense Agency Block 2006 represents the period of development for calendar years 2006 and 2007. Block 2006 will be the first block in which the Ballistic Missile Defense System will have the ability to intercept an incoming enemy missile in every phase of flight. Up to 10 additional Ground-based Interceptors will be deployed at Ft. Greely, Alaska (for a total of 28 Ground-based Interceptors between Ft. Greely and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA). The Army will have 231 additional PAC-3 missiles (for a total of 512). The Navy will convert the 10 Aegis Surveillance and Track Destroyers to full Engagement/Surveillance and Track, add up to five additional Aegis Surveillance and Track Destroyers, and add an additional Aegis Engagement/Surveillance and Track Cruiser. By that time the fleet will have up to 20 additional Standard Missile-3 interceptors. OPLAN 5027-10 OPLAN 5027-12 The United States and South Korea have drawn up joint plans for a retaliatory set of tit-for-tat responses to any strikes by North Korean on its neighbor. The scale of the response was set down in a new war plan to ensure that there is no unintended escalation into broader war. The new "counter-provocation" plan is calling for an immediate but proportional "response in kind" to North Korea if it decides to launch a ground attack or a missile. Under the plan, the source of any North Korean attack will be hit with similar weapons. OPLAN 5027-14 OPLAN 5027-16 Leo Byrne reported in North Korea News that US and South Korean defense chiefs agreed on pre-emptive strike plans on North Koreas nuclear capable sites and weapons during a security meeting in Seoul 09 November 2015. Representatives from Seoul and Washington said a 4D (detect, disrupt, destroy and defend) operational plan would be put in place to counter the DPRKs growing nuclear capabilities. Such planning is pretty standard. Military forces of most countries create hypothetical plans for various scenarios so that they have them ready if and when needed and are not caught unprepared, NK News military analyst John Grisafi said. South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter added there will be special emphasis on using reconnaissance and high altitude drones under the new plans. Securing and or disabling nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction would be critical to prevent North Korea from using these and/or preventing them from falling into control of another part (a foreign power or rogue forces), Grisafi added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 1965 - Search and Destroy Critics like Andrew Krepinevich have argued that the United States and South Vietnam could have succeeded in Vietnam had they only dispersed their troops into the villages to control the population, instead of using large numbers of troops in search-and-destroy operations. But such a shift would have caused the enemy to shift gears, too, by massing forcesand defeating the dispersed forces in detail - the Communists actually did so on a number occasions, and their strategic deliberations show that they viewed South Vietnamese regulars, notmilitia units, as the principal obstacle to victory. The three most basic operations or missions were search and destroy, clearing, and security. These terms and the concepts they described were new, and like most new names and ideas, they were understood by some and misunderstood by others. Best known and most misunderstood was search and destroy. Search and destroy operations began in 1964, before U.S. ground forces were committed. These operations were conducted to locate the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong main force units in and around their base areas and to attack them by fire and maneuver. Since enemy infiltration of the populated areas depended heavily on the availability of base areas near the population centers, destruction of close-in base areas received priority attention. The second of the three basic missions was clearing. Clearing op?erations were conducted to drive enemy forces away from populated areas and to allow small units to carry on securing activities among the people. These operations upset the pattern of mutual support that was essential to the enemy's integrated main force-local force effort. Operation IRVING demonstrated the clearing of the central coastal area of Binh Dinh Province and the effects of the operation on the inhabitants. Securing operations, the last of the three missions, were directed at the enemy in the hamlets-at the infrastructure and the farmers by day and at the Viet Cong guerrillas by night-who operated individ?ually as well as in squads and platoons. These enemy elements re?quired tactics that were different from those used against the main forces. Saturation patrols and squad-size ambushes, which were highly risky in the jungle against the main forces, proved to be effective against the local guerrillas. During securing operations, U.S. and allied forces maintained a respect for private property and for the people whose hearts and minds were the objectives of the enemy forces. General Maxwell D. Taylor, who was appointed Ambassador to Saigon in mid-1964, believed that a carefully calibrated air campaign would be the most effective means of exerting pressure against the North and, at the same time, the method least likely to provoke intervention by China. Taylor thought conventional Army ground forces ill suited to engage in day-to-day counterinsurgency operations against the Viet Cong in hamlets and villages. Ground forces might, however, be used to protect vital air bases in the South and to repel any North Vietnamese attack across the demilitarized zone, which separated North from South Vietnam. Together, a more vigorous counterinsurgency effort in the South and military pressure against the North might buy time for Saigon to put its political house in order, boost flagging military and civilian morale, and strengthen its military position in the event of a negotiated peace. Throughout the spring of 1965 the Viet Cong sought to disrupt pacification and oust the government from many rural areas. The insurgents made deep inroads in the central coastal provinces and withstood government efforts to reduce their influence in the Delta and in the critical provinces around Saigon. Committed to static defense of key towns and bases, government forces were unable or unwilling to respond to attacks against rural communities. By the summer of 1965, the Viet Cong, strengthened by several recently infiltrated NVA regiments, had gained the upper hand over government forces in some areas of South Vietnam. With U.S. close air support and the aid of Army helicopter gunships, Saigon's forces repelled many enemy attacks, but suffered heavy casualties. Elsewhere highland camps and border outposts had to be abandoned. ARVN's cumulative losses from battle deaths and desertions amounted to nearly a battalion a week. Saigon was hard pressed to find men to replenish these heavy losses and completely unable to match the growth of Communist forces from local recruitment and infiltration. In early March 1965, General Harold K. Johnson, Chief of Staff of the Army, was in South Vietnam to assess the situation. Upon returning to Washington, he recommended a substantial increase in American military assistance, including several combat divisions. He wanted U.S. forces either to interdict the Laotian panhandle to stop infiltration or to counter a growing enemy threat in the central and northern provinces. The commitment of U.S. forces in 1965 prevented the enemy from attaining his objectives and averted collapse in the south. In this environment of impending disaster U.S. units were first ordered to search for and destroy or neutralize North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces, base areas, and supply points. The question of how best to use large numbers of American ground forces was still unresolved on the eve of their deployment. Focusing on population security and pacification, some planners saw U.S. combat forces concentrating their efforts in coastal enclaves and around key urban centers and bases. Under this plan, such forces would provide a security shield behind which the Vietnamese could expand the pacification zone; when required, American combat units would venture beyond their enclaves as mobile reaction forces. This concept, largely defensive in nature, reflected the pattern established by the first Army combat units to enter South Vietnam. But the mobility and offensive firepower of U.S. ground units suggested their use in remote, sparsely populated regions to seek out and engage main force enemy units as they infiltrated into South Vietnam or emerged from their secret bases. The pattern of deployment that actually developed in South Vietnam was a compromise between the first two concepts. On 28 July 1965, President Johnson announced plans to deploy additional combat units and to increase American military strength in South Vietnam to 175,000 by year's end. During 1966 and 1967, the Americans engaged in a constant search for tactical concepts and techniques to maximize their advantages of firepower and mobility and to compensate for the constraints of time, distance, difficult terrain, and an inviolable border. Here the war was fought primarily to prevent the incursion of NVA units into South Vietnam and to erode their combat strength. In the highlands, each side pursued a strategy of military confrontation, seeking to weaken the fighting forces and will of its opponent through attrition. Each sought military victories to convince opposing leaders of the futility of continuing the contest. For the North Vietnamese, however, confrontation in the highlands had the additional purpose of relieving allied pressure in other areas, where pacification jeopardized their hold on the rural population. Four phases of the Vietnam strategy have been described by General Westmoreland. All four phases emphasized strengthening the Republic of Vietnam armed forces. In addition, during the first phase, from mid-1965 to mid-1966, the enemy offensive was blunted.. The second phase, from mid-1966 to the end of 1967, saw the mounting of major offensives that forced the enemy into defensive positions and drove him away from the population centers. In phase three, beginning in early 1968, the Vietnamese armed forces were addition?ally strengthened, and more of the war effort was turned over to them. The final phase called for further weakening of the enemy and strengthening of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam as the U.S. role became, in the words of General Westmoreland, "progressively superfluous." The communist army simply refused to fight unless it had a distinct advantage. The JCS reported in 1972 that of all the American patrols conducted in 1967 and 1968-years of peak combat activity in the war-less than 1 percent resulted in contact with the enemy. When South Vietnamese patrols are considered as well, the number drops to one-tenth of 1 percent! (Edward Doyle, Samuel Lipsman et al., America Takes Over, The Vietnam Experience [Boston: Boston Publishing Company, 1982], 60). The third phase of the war began in early 1968. Although the ob?jectives of the second phase included wearing down the enemy and driving him away from the population centers, they did not take into consideration that the enemy was a victim of his own propaganda, that he was irrational, or that he was prepared to pay an awesome price to enter the cities of South Vietnam. Early in the third phase the U.S. command recognized that the term "search and destroy" had unfortunately become associated with "aimless searches in the jungle and the destruction of property." In April 1968 General Westmoreland therefore directed that the use of the term be discontinued. Operations thereafter were defined and discussed in basic military terms which described the type of operation, for example, reconnaissance in force. Besides avoiding the mis-understanding of search and destroy operations, the change expressed the difference between U.S. operations in the early stages of the war and those conducted during the third phase. In the early stages, the terms "clearing," "securing," and "search and destroy" had served as doctrinal teaching points to show the relationship between military operations and the pacification effort. They had been adopted in 1964 for use by military and civilian agencies involved in pacification. By 1968, when the terms were dropped, the pacification program had developed to the point where civilian-military co-ordination was routine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Freedom Party of Austria - FPO In 2014, Andreas Molzer, a prominent candidate for the Austrian Freedom Party, had to abandon his European Parliament bid after decrying Europe's future as a "conglomerate of negroes," but the party won 20 percent of the 25 May 2014 vote, compared to 7.3 percent four years ago. Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache of the far-right Freedom Party said on 18 May 2019 he was stepping down and would be replaced by Transport Minister Norbert Hofer after an embarrassing video of him was published by German media. The video was reported by two of Germanys leading newspapers weekly Der Spiegel and newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung purportedly showing a meeting in Ibiza between Strache, another party official and a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. The newspaper reports also said the video appeared to be a sting operation. Strache had headed the party since 2005, bringing it back to mainstream electoral success not seen since it was led by the charismatic Joerg Haider. It secured 26 percent of the vote in 2017s parliamentary election. Support for groups like the eurosceptic, anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPO) has been on the rise in European countries that have taken in large numbers of migrants like Germany and Sweden as well as some that have not like France and Britain. Most far-right parties are still far from achieving majority support. The FPO has been in government before, serving as a coalition partner in the early 2000s when it was led by the late Joerg Haider. But whoever wins the presidential election, it is likely to be a new high-water mark for Austria's and Europe's far right, all the more significant for taking place in a prosperous country with comparatively low, albeit rising, unemployment. The Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs--FPO) was founded in 1956 by Anton Reinthaller, who had served in the Seyss-Inquart national socialist government formed in collaboration with Hitler after the Anschluss in 1938. Anticlerical and pro-German, the FPO was the party of persons who were uncomfortable with the domination of Austrian politics by the "red-black" (socialist-clerical) coalition governments of the SPO and OVP. The party had liberal and nationalist wings, which frequently disagreed over strategy. Although the FPO was not an extremist party, it attracted many former Nazis with its philosophy that Austrians should think of themselves as belonging to a greater German cultural community. The FPO's stress on nationalism made it an atypical liberal party. Nevertheless, in 1979 the FPO was admitted to Liberal International, the worldwide group of liberal parties. The FPO's ideology emphasized the preservation of individual liberties in the face of the growth of the state's power. The party enthusiastically endorsed free enterprise and individual initiative and opposed a larger role for the state in the ownership of enterprises. The FPO was also against the socialist idea of striving for greater equality between socioeconomic groups. After Reinthaller's death in 1958, Friedrich Peter became the head of the FPO. Under his leadership, the liberal wing increased its influence, and ties to the SPO were developed. However, the FPO remained a minor party with a limited opposition role in the parliament. Between 1956 and 1983, the FPO's share of the vote stagnated between 5.0 and 7.7 percent. After the election of 1970, the FPO struck a deal with the SPO, which promised electoral reform in exchange for the FPO's support of Kreisky's minority government. The ensuing changes in the electoral laws helped the FPO increase its representation in parliament in subsequent elections, despite the fact that its vote totals did not rise at the same time. Peter's hope that he could make the FPO attractive to the SPO as a coalition partner was dashed by Kreisky's success in obtaining absolute majorities in the elections of 1971, 1975, and 1979. It was only in 1983, when the SPO lost its majority, that it turned to the FPO to form a government. The FPO's brief three-year experience in power in the SPO-FPO coalition of 1983-86 was mostly frustrating, as the government stumbled from one crisis to the next. Norbert Steger was FPO party chairman between 1980 and 1986. A member of the party's liberal wing, Steger served as vice chancellor and minister for trade in the SPO-FPO coalition. He was not a charismatic politician, and, as the coalition's troubles mounted, he began to lose support among the party's rank and file. At an FPO convention in the spring of 1986, Joerg Haider, leader of the Carinthian branch of the party, launched a successful coup against Steger and became the new chairman. Haider, born in 1950, was a handsome, dashing figure whose self-confidence strikes many observers as verging on arrogance. He comes from the nationalist wing of the party and has stirred controversy on many occasions by his remarks about Austria's proper place in the German cultural community. On one occasion in 1988, Haider referred to Austria as "an ideological deformity." Since Haider took control of the FPO in 1986, the party has achieved dramatic gains at the polls in both national and provincial elections. In the March 1989 provincial election in Carinthia, the FPO displaced the OVP as the second strongest party, and Haider was elected governor of the province with votes from the OVP. This election marked the first time that a provincial governor was not from either of the two major parties. Haider's term as governor was cut short in June 1991 by the controversy unleashed by his remark during a parliamentary debate that the Third Reich's employment policy was a positive model. The OVP and SPO joined together to pass a vote of no confidence against Haider, marking the first time in the history of the Second Republic that a governor was forced to step down. Haider did not allow this setback to create challenges to his leadership of the party. In three provincial elections in the fall of 1991, Haider led the FPO to outstanding showings, proving that Austrian voters were increasingly ready to vote for alternatives to the two major parties. A less charitable interpretation of the FPO's rise under Haider is that Austrian politics had taken a turn to the right. At times in his career, Haider gave his critics ample reason for accusing him of neo-Nazi tendencies. He frequently pandered to the sentiments of the far right, but his everyday political discourse is more moderate. Haider tailored his remarks to his audiences, and he resorted to the rhetoric of right-wing populism in order to inspire the conservative nationalists in the FPO. A major element in Haider's prescriptions for Austria was his desire to cut down drastically on the number of foreigners allowed to live in the country. Haider consistently argued that immigration is excessive and is causing serious problems for Austrian citizens in the areas of jobs and housing. Haider's campaign against foreigners was a major reason for the passage of a 1991 law that decreed that foreign workers could not make up more than 10 percent of the work force. In 1993 this ceiling was reduced to 9 percent when a new law, the Resident Alien Law, went into effect. Early in the same year, Haider sponsored a referendum to further tighten the control over the number of foreigners in Austria. Although he got only half of the 800,000 signatures he sought, the language Haider used in his campaign was extreme enough to cause large counterdemonstrations. The tensions between Haider and the liberal wing of the party caused five FPO members of the Nationalrat to leave the party in early 1993 and form a new party, The Liberal Forum (Das Liberale Forum). Led by the FPO's 1992 presidential candidate, Heide Schmidt, the group won seats in the Upper Austria provincial elections of May 1993. The new party was also recognized by Liberal International, which was expected to expel Haider's FPO from its ranks in 1994 because it advocated policies incompatible with traditional European liberalism. Despite these setbacks, Haider was expected to remain a formidable force in Austrian politics. His sense for the issues that trouble many voters and his ability to enunciate views too extreme for the larger parties will likely win him a substantial following during the rest of the 1990s as the country struggles to adapt to post-Cold War conditions. Membership in the FPO was direct (there is no tradition of joining an organization affiliated with the party, as with the SPO). The party's membership grew from 22,000 in 1959 to 40,000 in 1990. The membership-voter ratio declined as the party made dramatic gains at the polls. The FPO's share of the vote in national elections tripled between 1983 and 1990, when it achieved 16.6 percent. The FPO has a strong base of support in the provinces of Carinthia and Salzburg. The party draws much of its support from the middle class, salaried employees, and the self-employed. More than 60 percent of its voters were under the age of forty-four, and many were well educated. The party had few auxiliary organizations, in comparison with the OVP and the SPO. In addition to an organization for people in business, it had groups for academics, students, and retired persons. The FPO's party structure is decentralized, and provincial organizations play an important role in party affairs. The party chairman, who is elected by the party conference, chooses the party manager and general secretary. The general secretary acts as a liaison between federal leaders and provincial organizations. Under Haider, the party went from its worst result ever, 5.0% in 1983, to a record 26.9% in 1999, beating the OVP into third by a razor thin 400 vote margin. After that result it the FPO entered into coalition with the OVP. Yet in government it was outmanoeuvred by the more experienced OVP. In joining the government the FPO also became part of the establishment, essentially undermining its own anti-establishment appeal. Attempted sanctions of the Austrian government by the EU only had a counterproductive effect, and they were quietly dropped. The FPO lost significant support at the 2002 election, falling to 10.0%, losing more than half its support. Haiders party formed another coalition with the OVP nonetheless, though infighting began to break out between the increasingly more pragmatic leadership (including Haider himself) and the more radical activist base. In 2005 things came to a head, with Haider, the majority of the partys MPs and all its cabinet ministers leaving the FPO to form the Alliance for the Future of Austria [BZO], which continued the coalition while the FPO went into opposition. The Carinthian Hypo Alpe Adria was a bank that had expanded too quickly with heavy investments in particular in the Balkans where its activities were backed by Austrian local government guarantees. At the time Carinthia was ruled by the [now deceased] far right Freedom party leader Joerg Haider, who in exchange for guaranteeing the bank used it like his own personal piggy bank to fund voter winning ideas. But before the banks serious problems became apparent Haider had managed to sell it to a German bank owned by the Bavarian government and he famously told people in his southern Austrian province: "Now we are rich." FPO leadership passed to Heinz-Christian HC Strache, the leader of the partys strong Viennese wing. The FPO performed better than Haiders new party following the split, actually gaining a percentage point of support in 2006. The FPO has returned to a more radical xenophobic, populist rhetoric under Strache with slogans such as Vienna must not become Istanbul. The party has also recently attempted to highlight social/economic issues. In the 2013 election its slogan was Love thy neighbor though this was subtitled For me, thats our Austrians. The party is particularly strong with young men. Exit polling in 2013 showed the party winning 32% support with men under 29, making it the largest party with this group. Only 10% of women in this age group voted for the party, however. Far-right candidate Norbert Hofer conceded defeat in the Austria's presidential election. He had led over former Green Alexander van der Bellen by a wider margin, before the counting of absentee ballots. The margin of victory was 31,000 votes, out of more than 4.6 million ballots cast, with Van der Bellen winning 50.3 percent. Turnout was 72.7 percent. While 86 percent of working class voters pulled the lever for Hofer, 81 percent with university degrees backed Van der Bellen. The Euro-skeptic far right Freedom Party's candidate for President, Norbert Hofer, finished first in the 24 April 2016 polls with just more than 35 percent of the vote. Green Party nominee Alexander Van der Bellen finished a distant second with 21 percent, setting the stage for for a runoff election 22 May 2016. Hofer's first place finish, the far right's best showing since 1945, is widely seen as reflecting rising voter alarm over Europe's ongoing migrant influx and dissatisfaction with the European Union role in the crisis. Hofer, deputy leader of the FPO, is known as the gentler face of the party but has only recently become a household name. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Flagstaff police have identified the armed man shot and killed by officers in the Plaza Vieja neighborhood Monday morning as a Tuba City resident. According to Flagstaff Police Department, Verl Bedonie, 25, was fatally shot after he attempted to carjack a man at gunpoint near the intersection of South Park Street and West Phoenix Avenue shortly after 8 a.m. Northern Arizona University Police Department officers requested assistance for a suspicious person carrying a weapon inside the High Country Conference Center, located near the southeast corner of West Butler Avenue and South Milton Road, at about 7:50 a.m. The suspect left the hotel but did not comply with officers' instructions to drop the weapon, which turned out to be a 9 millimeter handgun. According to an FPD press release, the suspect pointed the gun at one of the officers as they pursued him through the Drury Inn parking lot. FPD's Cpl. Ben Sandoval and Officer Eric Tomperi responded by firing a total of five shots. All of them missed the suspect. Officers followed the suspect from approximately 20 to 30 yards away as he crossed South Milton Road and entered the Plaza Vieja neighborhood. According to police, he pointed his gun at a taxi driver parked at a car wash on West Clay Avenue at one point. Police also believe he fired one round in an alley between South Florence Street and South Park Street. An undercover officer in an unmarked vehicle saw the suspect get into the passenger side of a vehicle near the intersection of South Park Street and West Phoenix Avenue. According to FPD, the driver later told police the suspect pointed the gun at him and demanded to be taken to Phoenix. The undercover FPD officer rammed the vehicle to prevent the suspect from fleeing in the car while the driver was being held hostage inside. The suspect then exited the vehicle and walked to the north side of the street. Multiple officers told the suspect to put down his gun. Instead, according to FPD, the suspect raised his gun toward the officers and fired off one round. FPD Sgt. Collin Seay and NAUPD Officer Dillon Jenkins also fired an undisclosed number of shots, fatally striking the suspect. He was declared dead at the scene. One of the officers' bullets pierced through the wall of a home behind the suspect in the 300 block of West Phoenix Avenue, striking a dog. An animal ambulance transported the wounded pet to a veterinarian. FPD officials said the dog was expected to recover after surgery. _____ 1 p.m.: Flagstaff police say an armed man attempted to carjack an occupied vehicle before officers fatally shot him in the Plaza Vieja neighborhood. According to an FPD press release, Northern Arizona University police officers requested assistance in dealing with a suspicious person carrying a weapon inside the High Country Conference Center near the southeast corner of West Butler Avenue and South Milton Road at about 7:50 a.m. The suspect left the hotel but did not comply with multiple officers' instructions to drop the weapon, which turned out to be a 9 millimeter handgun. "The officers from Flagstaff Police Department recognized a deadly threat and discharged their weapons towards the suspect," according to the press release. FPD has not provided specifics regarding the "deadly threat," nor have they said whether the suspect also fired or pointed his gun at anyone. He then started walking toward South Milton Road. The suspect fired his gun in an as yet unspecified direction after armed police chased the suspect into the Plaza Vieja neighborhood. He attempted to carjack a vehicle near the intersection of South Park Street and West Phoenix Avenue. An undercover FPD officer rammed the vehicle to prevent the suspect from fleeing in the car while the driver was being held hostage inside. "The suspect got out of the vehicle and refused to comply with officers commands to drop the weapon and gun fire was exchanged and the suspect was mortally wounded," according to the press release. The suspect, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing. _____ 12:15 p.m.: An unidentified man was shot and killed by police during a confrontation in Flagstaffs Plaza Vieja neighborhood Monday morning. According to Flagstaff Police Department records, Northern Arizona University police officers requested assistance in dealing with a suspicious person carrying a weapon inside the Drury Inn at the southeast corner of West Butler Avenue and South Milton Road at about 7:50 a.m. The suspect was walking toward South Milton Road. At about 8 a.m., an officer in the area reported a report of a fight involving a gun. The suspect was described as a Native male, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 160 pounds wearing a blue San Diego Chargers jersey. He was carrying an automatic pistol in his right hand. At 8:03, there was a report of shots fired. FPD Sgt. Margaret Bentzen said it appears the suspect fired multiple bursts starting in the Southside area and then in Plaza Vieja while he was being pursued by police. Tammy Linares was driving her children to school on South Milton Road when she heard the first burst of gunfire. When I heard the shots, I honestly thought maybe it was construction because it was loud, she said. After the third or fourth shot, she said, the suspect walked out onto South Milton Road right in front of her. He had a can in one hand and a gun in the other. Linares saw officers chasing the man with their guns drawn, shouting for him to stop. The suspect just stood in front of her car waiting for southbound traffic to clear. There was no expression on his face. Nothing, Linares said. All I could think was, please just dont shoot. If you want this car, just take the car, just dont hurt my kids. To Linares relief, the suspect crossed Milton Road and disappeared behind the Natural Grocers building. Linares pulled over. I didnt know if he was going to turn around and start shooting so I just sat there, she said. I think Im just shaken up and overwhelmed. I was born here. Ive never had to deal with anything like that. All the schools in the area went on lockdown when the suspect passed into the Plaza Vieja neighborhood. Police followed the suspect westbound on West Clay Avenue until he started running. He ran northbound on South Florence Street toward the railroad tracks. Theres a second series of shots fired at that point, Bentzen said. Armed officers chased the suspect through the neighborhood to South Park Street and West Phoenix Avenue. At 8:08 a.m., officers reported the suspect was down. Bentzen confirmed at least one officer shot the suspect. He was dead at the scene. The deceased has not been identified. Investigators are still assessing how many shots were fired and where they all went, but it does not appear that any officers or bystanders were shot. The only one that sustained injuries was the suspect, Bentzen said. The chase forced Flagstaff Unified School District schools to go on lockdown in the morning, district spokeswoman Karin Eberhard said. Haven Montessori School, located on Clay Avenue and Malpais Lane, had about 24 students on campus in their before school program, school officials said. A school employee at Haven Montessori heard gunshots in the area and called police, who told them to lock down the school. The lockdown interrupted regular drop off procedures at the school. This is the second fatal officer-involved shooting in the Flagstaff area in less than a week. Coconino County Sheriffs deputies shot and killed a man in Doney Park in the early morning Saturday after a standoff with an armed suicidal man outside a home on Lumberjack Boulevard. Sheriffs officials said deputies shot 31-year-old Mark Nelson when he pointed his gun at them. A multi-agency team is investigating both shootings. _____ 9:30 a.m.: An unidentified man was shot and presumed killed in a confrontation with police in Flagstaff this morning. It is unclear at this point whether the fatal shot came from officers or his own hand. According to Flagstaff Police Department records, Northern Arizona University police officers requested assistance in dealing with a suspicious person carrying a weapon at the southeast corner of Butler Avenue and Milton Road at about 7:50 a.m. At about 8, officers received a report of a fight involving a gun. At 8:03, there was a report of shots fired. Sgt. Margaret Bentzen said it appears the suspect fired multiple bursts starting in the Southside area and then in Plaza Vieja while he was being pursued by police. He died from a gunshot wound at Park and Phoenix Avenue. No other injuries were reported. The deceased has not been identified. The investigation is ongoing. 9 a.m. Breaking News: Shooting reported at Milton and Butler Flagstaff commuters report a heavy police presence at the intersection of Milton and Butler including officers running with weapons drawn. A witness from the scene reported hearing shots, seeing a man with a handgun and police arriving in the empty lot in front of Natural Grocers. Another witness reported seeing police run by with weapons drawn and then hearing at least three shots fired. No other information is available at this time. Drivers are advised to avoid the intersection. Stay tuned for updates. Stab in the Back (Dolchstoss Legende) To stab (someone) in the back is to harm (someone) by treachery or betrayal of trust. The "stab in the back" legend asserted that Germany's fate was caused, not an overwhelming military defeat, but by treacherous internal forces. The famous legend of the stab in the back (Dolchstoss Legende / Dolch-sto-Legende, literally "dagger stab") made its debut in public political discourse in the Autumn of 1919. Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg told a committee of the the National Assembly investigating the defeat of Germany that an English general had said that "The German army was stabbed from behind." In his memoirs Out of My Life , Hindenburg wrote that "Just as Siegfried fell to the treacherous spear of terrible Hagen, so did our exhausted front line collapse. They tried in vain to draw new life from the dried-up well spring of the home front." The Nibelungen music-dramas are great dramatic poems set to music. "From the womb of night and of death," said Richard Wagner, allowing his mystical fancy free play, "there sprang a race who dwelt in Nibelheim (Nebelheim, the place of mists), that is, in dim subterranean chasms and caves. They were called Nibelungen. Among them Alberich gained possession of the bright and beautiful gold of the Rhine-the Rheingold - drew it up out of the depths of the waters, and made from it, with great and cunning art, a ring, which gave him power over all his race, the Nibelungen." The "Nibelungenlied" is the greatest and most complete of all the German popular epics. The historical basis of the poem is found in the fifth and sixth centuries of the Christian era. The present form of the poem is undoubtedly the work of a single author, who, with a soundness of judgment and felicity of genius rarely equaled, combined the separate songs, sagas, and traditions relating to Attila and the Huns, and their connexions with the Burgundian tribe, into one beautiful and harmonious whole. The Nibelungen are best known from the 13th century German Nibelungenlied, but there are Scandinavian poems of their deeds. One source of this tale is the Volsunga Saga, a translation of which was made by Eirikr Magnusson and the poet, William Morris. It relates the marvelous exploits of Sigurd [Siegfried]. In Scandinavian poems, Siegfried meets Brunhild before marrying Grimhild. They may (or may not) exchange marriage-vows. On arriving at the Nibelungen-court, Siegfried is administered a love philter making him forget Brunhild and love Grimhild, whom he marries. The Nibelungenlied [Song of the Nibelungen] relates that the Nibelungen, a race of dwarfs, married their sister Grimhild to the Great Hero Siegfried. Gunther, king of the Nibelungen, is helped by Siegfried to conquer his bride, Brunhild. The Nibelungenlied tells of the conquest of the Nibelungen, the possession of the hoard, or treasure, the magic cap, and the bathing in the dragon's blood, which rendered him invulnerable save in a spot between his shoulders, where a leaf fell upon him as he bathed. Brunnhilde did not make Siegfried's back invulnerable, knowing that he would never turn it on a foe [a pervasive theme, witness the vulnerable heal of Achilles]. Siegfried is murdered by Hagen, uncle to the Nibelungen. This story, as well as the others employed to form a ground-work for the Nibelungen Tetralogy, Wagner has modified to suit his own purposes, but without changing the ethical conditions leading to the " Gotterdammerung," or final decline of the gods. In Richard Wagner's Gotterdammerung (The Twilight of the Gods), first produced at Bayreuth, August 16, 1876, Hagen promises Brunnhilde revenge, and she tells him that he must stab Siegfried in the back, his only vulnerable point. Siegfried, under the memory-waking spell of a herb Hagen has put in his drink, tells the whole story of his life, and how he came to lean the language of birds, and how he won Brunnhilde. The sacred ravens fly past, Siegfried starts up and looks after them. Hagen thrusts his spear into his back. Siegfried turning, swings his shield high to crush Hagen, but with sudden weakness, drops it, and falls on it. Hagen stalks away. Siegfried, seeing Brunnhilde in a vision welcoming him, dies in a rapturous delirium. His body is raised and carried homeward. The political decline of the German empire became apparent at the end of 1916. The peace offensive and the negotiations with President Wilson revealed a political incompetency scarcely equaled in the annals of modern Europe. In January, 1917, only a portion of the government was convinced of the necessity of a peace of reconciliation. At the very moment when President Wilson was working for "a peace without victory", a settlement which would have maintained the integrity of the German empire, German statesmen through their foreign policy were destroying the moral credit of the nation abroad. On 29 January 1917, the German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg, with the approval of Ludendorff and Hindenburg, telegraphed the German terms of peace, together with the note concerning unrestricted submarine warfare, to President Wilson. These peace terms provided for German annexations on the eastern and western fronts and for an enlargement of the German colonial empire. They were supported by the German political parties, including the Social Democrats. Developing from a group of Social Democrats who in 1914 opposed the voting of the war credits by the party, the Independent Socialists became an organization which regarded the war as ruinous for Germany. Since the summer of 1917 their leaders had planned to overthrow the empire by a revolution. In November, 1917, the working masses of Russia seized power. The great strike wave spread over the whole capitalist world. In January, 1918, there were mass strikes in Germany. The leaders of the party were active in the great general strike of January 1918. Owing to the breakdown of transportation, difficulties in supplying the population with coal became universal. There was lack of electric light and power in the cities and a scarcity of petroleum in the country. In 1918 the government established the meatless weeks, which heightened the effect of food control. To add to the general bitterness, contraband trade flourished, and, although the imperial currency depreciated, the wealthy class and the bureaucrats of the cities secured butter, eggs, and flour from the country. Hatred of the rich developed from month to month. After three years of successful but indecisive warfare, the German empire at the close of the campaigns of 1917 was confronted with a new enemy, America, which hastened to the aid of England, France, Italy, and Belgium. The sudden collapse of Russia appeared, however, to give Germany the means of ending the war in the west before the arrival of large American forces. The disastrous defeat of the Italian army by the central powers in the autumn of 1917 seemed the prelude to Germany's final military victory. Propaganda against defeatists, profiteers, and agitators was carried on in the interior of Germany, while morale officers and civilian speakers and workers, all organized under the Fatherland Instruction System, were used to strengthen the morale of the army and the will to victory. The fourth and last phase of the war was ushered in by the failure of the German Champagne-Marne attack of 15 July 1918 and the success of the Allied counter-attack at Soissons on 18 July 1918, the results and far-reaching consequences of which came as a surprise to German and Allied commanders alike. On 15 June 1918 the Germans commenced their decisive offensive on the western front by striking at Rheims and the Marne. In the second battle of the Marne the German empire put forth its utmost strength. The allied line, despite local reverses, held. When the German attack of July 15 failed, the French army showed itself anything but a beaten force. Marshal Foch swiftly and secretly prepared for a counter offensive, which, opening on 18 July 1918, marked the turning of the tide. When the supposedly nonexistent Americans established alike their presence and their fighting ability by marching through the German lines South of Soissons in a fashion which compelled the evacuation of the whole Marne salient, the scales dropped from the eyes of the German soldier. To him the war was now lost; it was time to go home. Von Hertling, the German Chancellor, has written: "We expected grave events in Paris for the end of July. That was on the 15th. On the 18th even the most optimistic among us understood that all was lost." After four years of war the German empire was confronted with inevitable military defeat. On 13 August 1918 the Emperor of Austria appeared at German General Headquarters and discussed the terrible situation of the dual monarchy, which was unable to continue the war. Ludendorff states in his memoirs that after the successful English offensive on the eighth of August, he realized that the front of his armies might be broken at any time. From this day he traces the beginning of the final collapse. Certain groups of Independent Socialists had struggled to undermine the righting power of the army. Since the failure of the general strike in Germany in January 1918, these groups worked systematically for the overthrow of German militarism. Thousands of strikers who were sent to the fighting lines helped to spread this propaganda among the troops. The grievances of the German soldiers against their officers were of course heightened both by enemy and Socialist propaganda until the hatred of their leaders became by November, 1918, one of the characteristic features of the German army. More acute than the gradual political and military degeneration of the empire was the collapse of the economic life. Moltke, in emphasizing the importance of agriculture, said: "The German empire will perish without a shot being fired if German agriculture collapses." Despite rigorous laws and the organization of a central food control, the food supply of Germany gradually declined, although it was supplemented by contributions from the occupied territory. Contrary to official reports, the allied blockade and insufficient harvests reduced Mittel Europa to the verge of starvation. The individuals of whom the field army was composed were constantly changing. The food situation in Germany was thus quite unlike that in contemporary Russia. The under-feeding was, on the average, less serious in Germany than in Russia, but it was more general, much more equally distributed. The General Staff by September 28, 1918, came to regard the struggle as hopeless. Ludendorff, fearing that his front would be broken at any moment and the entire army involved in the disaster, suddenly dispatched an ultimatum to Berlin demanding that the civil government of Germany request an immediate armistice of the Allies. On the afternoon of 03 October 1918 Hindenburg appeared before Prince Max and explained the precarious condition of the front. Ludendorff demanded peace because he no longer trusted the powers of resistance of his armies. Frantically the ministers asked for time, but the emphatic answer of the military party was: "No." Under the pressure of the army solely, the German civil government began the armistice negotiations. As soon as the imminent collapse of the western front became known to the party leaders, the downfall of the old monarchical system in Germany was certain. The destruction of the military dictatorship of General Headquarters, and the parliamentarization of the empire and the federal states became the program late in September 1918 of the Liberals and Catholics. These parties invited the Socialists to join them and to assume a share of the burden of government. On November 4 the revolt of the German navy began at Kiel. Soon tidings of revolts in southern Germany, the Rhineland and the Hanseatic towns indicated that the empire was doomed. The "stab-in-the-back" legend held that the collapse of German civilian morale had caused Germany's defeat in 1918. Colonel von Thaer's Diary Notes from October 1, 1918, describe the scene "Terrible and appalling! It is so! Indeed! As we were gathered together, Ludendorff stood up in our presence, his face was pale and filled with deep worry, but his head was still held high. A truly handsome Germanic hero figure. I had to think of Siegfried with the mortal wound in his back from Hagen's spear .... he [Ludendorff] had answered that the Supreme Army Command and the German Army were at an end; the war could no longer be won, but rather an unavoidable and conclusive defeat awaited .... Our own Army had unfortunately also been heavily contaminated with the poison of Spartacus-socialist ideas, and the troops were, he said, no longer reliable." After the armistice a great controversy arose in Germany over the causes of the imperial military collapse and the outbreak of the revolution. Ludendorff and many militarists, as well as a great group of Pan-Germans, attempted to explain away the military debacle. It was a remarkable characteristic of German militarism, that, in the very hour of its final defeat, it raised the cry that the army had been betrayed in the rear and stabbed in the back. The Pan-Germans audaciously informed the nation that the demand of Ludendorff for negotiations with President Wilson was made because of the terrible political situation of Germany. During the period of the armistice German public opinion was profoundly concerned with the expected allied proposals for peace. The questions of the war-guilty, cessions of territory, reparations, military occupation, and future reorganization were freely debated. On 08 May 1919 the terms of peace of the allied and associated powers were received in Berlin. Scarcely had the German press disseminated the principal allied demands than a wave of protest arose from the entire nation. Had the Allies destroyed Prussia, reestablished the kingdoms of Westphalia and Hannover, and restored the confederation of 1815, they could not have added to the crushing effect of the peace terms upon the German people. German statesmen and publicists united in denouncing the treaty. On 18 November 1919, Paul Von Hindenburg, Field Marshal of the German Army, alluded to this popular belief during his testimony before a parliamentary committee. "An English general said with justice:`The German Army was stabbed in the back.' No guilt applies to the good core of the army. Its achievements are just as admirable as those of the officer corps. Where the guilt lies is clearly demonstrated."11 Hindenburg was alluding to the politicians, Social Democrats and others, who founded the Weimar Republic and signed the Treaty of Versailles. During his campaign for the presidency in 1925, Hindenburg continued to employ the "stab in the back" logic to justify his and Erich Ludendorff's decisions late in the First World War. The greater the defeat, the greater the legends that grow up around it, the more eager the public is for scapegoats, the less fussy about evidence. One has only to think of the "stab in the back" legend that grew up in Germany after World War I. Post-war Germany, had a politician whose fortunes demanded an account of defeat in which he was blameless: Ludendorff. When Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg told the National Assembly, "As an English general has very truly said, the German army was 'stabbed in the back.'" Hindenburg biographer John Wheeler-Bennett wrote . "Ludendorff's eyes lit up, and he leapt upon the phrase like a dog on a bone... 'Stabbed in the back?' he repeated. 'Yes, that's it exactly. We were stabbed in the back.'" Ludendorff (Hitler's quondam colleague in the comic opera Beer Hall Putsch) later wrote that "Germany, lacking any firm hand, bereft of all will, robbed of her princes, collapsed like a house of cards. All that we had lived for, all that we had bled four long years to maintain, was gone ... The new rulers and their camp-followers abandoned all resistance, and without any authority signed our unconditional capitulation to a merciless enemy ... The authorities at home, who had not fought against the enemy, could not hurry fast enough to pardon deserters and other military criminals, including in part among these themselves and their nearest friends. They and the soldiers' councils worked with zeal, determination, and purpose to destroy everything military. This was the gratitude of the newly formed homeland to the German soldiers who had bled and died for it in millions. The destruction of the German power, achieved by these Germans, was the most tragic crime the world has witnessed. A tidal wave had broken over Germany, not by the force of nature, but through the weakness of the Government represented by the Chancellor and the crippling of a leaderless people." In the summer of 1919 the German government finally published a White Book on the events leading to the armistice, in order to combat the conservative and monarchist propaganda and to justify the action of the revolutionary government in admitting its defeat by signing the armistice. These documents reveal the utter helplessness of the German High Command in the face of the continuous allied advances, and they show clearly that only the armistice saved the wreck of the imperial army from a disaster which would have been unparalleled in history. As the powers of resistance and the morale of the German armies on the western front collapsed in the autumn of 1918 before the steady blows of the allied armies, so the internal front crumbled when the German nation gave up the unequal struggle after four years of false hopes, privations, and social, economic, and moral decay. This collapse was all the more dramatic since the nation had entered upon the war with universal enthusiasm because of its belief that it had been attacked. From the Socialists who voted the war credits, to the Pan-Germans who joyously shouted, "Vae victis", the entire nation had united about the person of the last emperor to conquer a place in the world which would be worthy of Germany's imperial destiny. Nazi propaganda later made the "stab in the back" (the theory that Germany had not been defeated in 1918 on the battlefield but had collapsed as a result of treason and weakness on the home front) an article of German faith, with the Fuehrer its leading proponent.Adolf Hitler would use the myth to encourage collaboration between his National Socialist Party (NSDAP) and the conservative elements of the National Party (DVNP). By perpetuating the myth and blaming individuals he labeled "Jewish-Marxist revolutionaries", Hitler further hardened a large sector of the German population against the Soviet Union. In Mein Kampf Hitler wrote that "It required the whole bottomless falsehood of the Jews and their Marxist fighting organization to lay the blame for the collapse on that very man who alone, with superhuman energy and will power, tried to prevent the catastrophe he foresaw and save the nation from its time of deepest humiliation and disgrace .. branding Ludendorff as guilty for the loss of the World War ... ... If we pass all the causes of the German collapse in review, the ultimate and most decisive remains the failure to recognize the racial problem and especially the Jewish menace. The defeats on the battlefield in August, 1918, would have been child's play to bear. They stood in no proportion to the victories of our people. It was not they that caused our downfall; no, it was brought about by that power which prepared these defeats by systematically over many decades robbing our people of the political and moral instincts and forces which alone make nations capable and hence worthy of existence." Hitler echoed the anti-Semitic and anti-Communist rhetoric: "Kaiser William II was the first German Emperor to hold out a conciliatory hand to the leaders of Marxism, without suspecting that scoundrels have no honor. There is no making pacts with Jews; .... " For the countries that lost the war, the carnage of the battlefield seemed a sacrifice made in vain, inexplicable except by insidious internal betrayal. The stab-in-the-back legend attributed the German and Austrian defeat in World War I to internal traitors working for foreign interests, primarily Jews and communists. The prominence of individual communists of Jewish descent in revolutionary regimes (Leon Trotsky in the Soviet Union, Bela Kun in Hungary, and Ernst Toller in Bavaria) confirmed to anti-semites the "natural" attraction of Jews and international communism. This legend was widely believed and deliberately disseminated by the defeated German military leadership, seeking to avoid personal consequences for their policies. Like other negative stereotypes about Jews, the stab-in-the-back legend was believed despite the fact that it was entirely untrue: German Jews had served in the German armed forces loyally and bravely. The prominence of the "stab in the back" myth is unquestioned, and its effect in undermining the Weimar Republic was significant. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Binali Yildirim Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said May 05, 2016 he will step down as party leader and PM constituted another episode that showed that Erdogan's dominance over the AKP and the executive was absolute and unchallenged. Davutoglu's exit paves the way for Erdogan to appoint a more pliant head of government and gather enough support to pass controversial constitutional changes designed to transform the ceremonial head of state position into a more executive presidency like the one in the Russia. Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on 19 May 2016 nominated Transport, Maritime and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim to serve as the partys next chairman, following Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglus decision not to serve out the remainder of his term. Yildirim, 60, has a political career spanning over a decade on his path to becoming party leader and the nations next prime minister. A co-founder of the AK Party in August 2001, Yildirim is Turkeys longest-serving transport minister with other portfolios, including maritime in five Turkish governments, under Abdullah Gul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Ahmet Davutoglu as successive premiers. As transport minister, Yildirim shepherded through several major projects, including high-speed rail lines connecting the capital Ankara to Istanbul and the central Anatolian cities of Eskisehir and Konya, as well as Istanbuls Marmaray underwater rail tunnel, the Eurasia Tunnel a roadway tunnel connecting Istanbul's European and Asian sides and Istanbuls third bridge over the Bosphorus, the latter two set to open later this year. Yildirims path to success had humble beginnings. He was born on Dec. 20, 1955 in Refahiye, a town in Turkeys eastern Erzincan province. At age 16, Yildirim's mother, who was 38, died. He said his greatest joy as a child was to lie in the fields and watch airplanes fly overhead. While gazing at the airplanes, Yildirim would say to himself: "I wonder if I will be able to ride one of those. I wonder what it would feel like to fly." Moving into adulthood, Yildirim earned a bachelors degree at the Istanbul Technical University's School of Maritime. He later graduated with a Master of Science from Swedens World Maritime University in 1991. Under then-Istanbul Mayor Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Yildirim served as director general of the Istanbul Fast Ferries Company (IDO) in 1994-2000. Yildirim won his first seat in the Turkish parliament as a deputy for Istanbul in the fall 2002 general elections, which swept the AK Party into power, and served as minister of transport and communications through 2007. In the 2007 general elections, he was elected an AK Party deputy from his home province of Erzincan and continued his tenure as transport and communications minister. After being elected as a deputy from the Mediterranean province of Izmir in the 2011 general elections, Yildirim became minister of transport, maritime, and communications. In 2014, he ran for mayor of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality but came in second, with 36 percent of the vote. This March, Yildirim helped usher in 4.5G technology, giving Turkish cellphone users access to data 10 times faster than the previous 3G. In November 2015, after the fall general elections took the AK Party to a new term, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reappointed Yildirim minister of transport, maritime, and communications. Yildirim speaks French and English, and is married with three children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Green Zone For 15 years, most Iraqis had been unable to access the heart of Baghdad. But the tall concrete walls and barbed wire that have closed off the Green Zone for years are finally coming down. The Green Zone, a 10 square kilometre area in central Baghdad, has been partially open to the public since 10 December 2018 for a two-week trial period that was likely to become permanent. Cars are now allowed to traverse the area from 5pm to 1am along the 14th of July Road, a key thoroughfare that extends from the 14th July Bridge - also known as the hanging bridge - and connects the city's east and west. However, side roads where Iraqi officials are based remain closed and government buildings and foreign missions continue to be under heavy security and surveillance. With two of the capital's key thoroughfares - Haifa Street and 14th of July Boulevard - traversing the Green Zone, the reopening has reduced some of Baghdad's heavy road congestion. The International Zone (formerly known as the Green Zone) was the heavily guarded diplomatic/government area of closed-off streets in central Baghdad where US occupation authorities live and work. The Green Zone in the central city includes the main palaces of former President Saddam Hussein. The area houses the civilian ruling authority run by the Americans and British and the offices of major US consulting companies. The precise boundries of the "Green Zone" were difficult to determine, and indeed may change with time. The core of the Green Zone appears to be Hussein's former presidential complex. The International Zone was commonly referred to as the "Ultimate Gated Community" due to the numerous armed checkpoints, coils of razor wire, chain link fences, and the fact it was surrounded by "T-Walls" (reinforced and blast-proof concrete slabs). Part of the International Zone was said to have been "Uday's Playground" comprised of the Presidential Palace (now the U.S. Embassy Annex); numerous villas for Saddam's family, friends and former Baath party loyalists; an underground bunker (Believers Palace); the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Military History Museum; the new Baath party headquarters (unfinished); the Al-Rasheed Hotel; the Convention Center; and a large park including the much photographed crossed sabers and parade route. The International Zone was also home to Saddam's man-eating lions, which have since been moved to the Iraqi National Zoo. Due to the numerous Iraqi Interim Government entities occupying space within the Zone, traffic and population has increased. There was a taxi service supported by the Iraqis working within the International Zone. Also, several independent local shops, including an Iraqi flea market provide an array of international and local Iraqi goods. Contrary to popular belief, the International Zone was lush and tropical with very little humidity. The area was garnished with world-class date producing palms, various fruit and other exotic trees. The 14th of July Bridge reopened for the first time since the fall of Saddam's regime after a ribbon-cutting ceremony held 25 October 2003. The 14th of July Bridge serves as a major transportation artery which allows access to the northwestern part of Baghdad. Curiously, nobody thought of changing its name, which celebrates the inception of Baathist rule. Baghdad 's first suspension bridge links the Karkh and Karadah districts on the north and south side of Baghdad. It was damaged during the first Gulf War, but was never repaired by the former regime. Realizing it was unsafe for use, Coalition forces closed the bridge when they entered Baghdad in April 2003. The newly repaired bridge will alleviate traffic build-up and allow drivers a direct route across the Tigris River. When the bridge was closed, people had to spend an extra twenty minutes to drive around the river. A bomb attack in central Baghdad on 13 November 2003 prompted the coalition to close the Bridge. The 14th of July Street (Arbataash Tamuz Street) which runs over the 14th of July Bridge (Arbataash Tamuz Bridge) runs between the Presidential Palace and the New Presidential Palace, both of which were in use by the Coalition Provisional Authority. Closing the Bridge would seal a potential point of access into the heart of the Green Zone. The Green Zone -- also called "The Bubble" - was the hub of the vision for the New Iraq. It was almost self-sufficient, and staff working there can be treated in the compound's hospital or run safely in its grounds. When they leave, it was by armored car with an armed military escort. The Convention Center was where the United States set up headquarters, and was also home to the coalition press office. The state-of-the-art hall was in the same Green Zone as the Republican Palace. Once used by the fallen regime for conferences, it was home to a highly visible collection of troops, some of whom live in an office that has been converted to barracks. The Iraqi Governing Council was headquartered in the handsome marble building that once was the Military Industry Ministry run by Saddam's son-in-law, Hussein Kamel. The new Iraqi Ministry of Justice has decided to use the Adnan Buildingg, which was within the Green Zone, instead of the Clock Tower Building, for the Central Criminal Court and the Supreme Court. The Green Zone was defended with coils of razor wire, chain-link fences, earthen berms and armed checkpoints. The area was defended by M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and HUMVEEs with .50 caliber machine guns on top. The Green Zone appears under siege, with barriers, high concrete walls and checkpoints. US officials are rarely visible outside it, and rules for British personnel bar them from leaving it unless accompanied by four bodyguards and an armored vehicle. Iraqis and foreign diplomats have been critical of occupation officials, who they say were isolated within the Green Zone and un-informed about life elsewhere in Baghdad, an area that official US security jargon calls "the Red Zone." Being in the Green Zone in Baghdad provides a limited possibility to meet regular Iraqi people. Americans were walling themselves in, mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. In an analysis on 01 September 2003 ["After Najaf: The Emerging Patterns of Combat in the Iraq War"] Anthony H. Cordesman stated that "a critical mistake [was] made by ORHA and carried on by the CPA by creating US security zones around US headquarters in central Baghdad. This has created a no go zone for Iraqis and has allowed the attackers to push the US into a fortress that tends to separate U.S. personnel from the Iraqis. This follows a broader pattern where terrorist know that attacks tend to push the US into locating in "force protection" enclaves and cut Americans off from the local population." By late 2003 much of the huge US military presence in Baghdad was out of sight at the airport and in other encampments. In September 2003 US officials said they planned to reopen parts of the Green Zone to civilian traffic in October 2003 to reduce the zone's disruption to Baghdad's traffic. But this step would make security even more difficult for top US officials here. On 27 September 2003 guerrillas struck at the heart of the US occupation, firing three rockets or grenades at a Baghdad hotel filled with American soldiers and civilians. Only one actually hit the hotel and did minimal damage and no one was hurt. The attack on the al-Rashid Hotel, home to US military officers and civilian occupation officials came at about 6:30 AM. The 200-foot-tall hotel stands hundreds of yards from the high, earth-filled barriers ringing that section of the zone. The green zone was still the safest area in Baghdad, and until this incident there had no shooting incidents or attacks on any personnel in this area. Camp Dragoon / FOB Iron Horse Camp Patriot (Camp Watani) The Vipers were the driving force at Camp Dragoon in improving living conditions. The shower trailers, with heated water and air conditioning, were now up and operational as of 27 August. The soldiers of RHHT, working together with local contractors, expect an indoor swimming pool to be complete by mid September. The pool will contain a whirlpool and be heated. A full service laundry operation was also in the works. In keeping with the motto of the Regiment, RHHT was "Always Ready" to make things easier for all at Camp Dragoon. It was not the biggest retail outlet in Baghdad, but by September 2003 soldiers wearing every unit patch in the city had shopped at Camp Dragoon's CavMart. Set up in a former Iraqi Army weapons storeroom, the CavMart boasts shelves stocked with health-care items, personal hygiene supplies, batteries, soft drinks and snacks. Camp Dragoon's 900-soldier population makes it too small for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service to set up a retail outlet. Instead, the exchange works with units to support smaller, soldier-managed stores in outlying camps. Soldiers run the stores, pick up merchandise and manage the money. Since the 502d Military Intelligence Company detached from Wolfpack they have been with RHHT and have been continuously conducting collection missions. Just like 'Wolfpack Base Camp', 'Camp Dragoon' (as they call their camp) was lacking in creature comforts at first. Slowly the area has improved. The glass in the windows has been replaced. They now have a small PX, and air conditioning in most rooms, including an air-conditioned movie theatre where they play DVD movies mostly every evening. In addition, they have an Internet cafe and a satellite phone that was available each day. The great soldiers of the 502d have rallied together to make it through tough times. As Operation Iraqi freedom progressed through its seventh month, the U.S. Army worked toward improving living conditions for the troops in Iraq. One of the newest projects completed by late October 2003 was a dining facility recently opened at the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment forward operating base, Baghdad. The new dining facility also serves nearby soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and attached personnel, such as civil affairs units. It was amazing how the contractors were able to get this building rolling and ready for the soldiers. Contracted by Kellogg, Brown and Root Services, the modular building was trucked into the area in sections and pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. The facility has a seating capacity of 500 with a turnaround capacity to serve 2,000 personnel for breakfast, lunch or dinner. KBR worked astonishingly hard to provide a great meal. Unlike the dining facility at nearby Al Rasheed Hotel, which has its meals delivered from the Coalition Provisional Authority palace dining facility, the 2nd ACR facility has its own kitchen and culinary crew contracted through KBR. The facility has food items such as bread, muffins and pastries prepared and served daily. At Camp Dragoon, troops seemed to particularly enjoy taking advantage of Saddam's massive personal infrastructure to make life more comfortable. In Baghdad, for example, home to the headquarters of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Division, soldiers enjoy nightly movies in the world-class movie theater Saddam built for his secret police. Popcorn was free, and Sunday was double-feature day. By late January 2004 engineers from the 1st Armored Division were midway through an $800 million project to build half a dozen camps for the incoming 1st Cavalry Division. Army planners expected to finish by 15 March 2004. The new outposts, dubbed Enduring Camps, will improve living quarters for soldiers and allow the military to return key infrastructure sites within the Iraqi capital to the emerging government, military leaders said. "The plan was for the camps to last from five to ten years," said Col. Lou Marich, commander of the 1st AD engineers. "They will last longer if we take care of them." Moving to the outskirts of town will allow Iraqi police and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps to take a lead role in the city's security. Camp Dragoon and Camp War Eagle combined will have room for about 2,200. Pulling guard duty was something nearly every soldier does at some point during a deployment. And, the troopers of the Air Defense Artillery Battery, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, based at Dragoon Forward Operating Base were no exception. Whether it's standing watch in a tower, manning a gate at the forward operating base, or being part of Dragoon's quick response force, the troopers of the air defense artillery have been there. FOB Trojan Horse FOB Union III (FOB Al-Tawheed Al-Thalith) The living conditions in our FOBs were getting better daily. Most of the soldiers now have beds and mattresses. There was a new DFAC on FOB Trojan. SSG Parker, from 3d Platoon (ESE) has done a great job setting that up and providing first-rate support. They expected the installation of Air Conditioners by late June 2004, and were working on new phone banks on FOB Trojan. The soldiers living in the other FOBs still have access to their phone banks to call home and commanders try to get the soldiers over to one of those from FOB Trojan as often as possible. By August 2004, great progress had been made improving the quality of life on FOB Trojan Horse. Soldiers had a free laundry service on the FOB as well as several telephones available for as low as 10 cents a minute. All soldiers also had ready access to the internet. The consolidated Dining Facility was up and running at full speed. They had a cookout for Memorial Day. They also recently received beds for all soldiers on the FOB and have wall lockers coming in. Mail was arriving regularly and was always a great morale booster. Camp Honor / FOB Honor Camp Steel Dragon / FOB Steel Dragon / Camp Wolfpack In January 2006, the Iraqi army took over control of FOB Honor from U.S. forces in another transfer of authority of U.S. bases to Iraqi control. This was the first transfer of authority within the Green Zone and increased the Iraqi forces presence and role in operations of central Baghdad. FOB Steel Dragon was in the "Green Zone" section of Baghdad. The 2-82 FA deployed from Fort Hood, TX on 15 March 2004. The battery spent two weeks at Camp Udari, Kuwait drawing equipment, downloading home-station vehicles and preparing for the convoy into Iraq. Our three -day move north to Baghdad, Iraq was very successful. All vehicles, equipment and soldiers arrived safely at Camp Wolfpack, now called Camp Steel Dragon, on 29 March 2004. They immediately began training with our counterparts from 3/2 Armored Cavalry Squadron (ACS) in order to take over the escort mission. Due to an unexpected change in mission for 3/2 ACS our battalion was forced to take over the escort mission sooner than expected. As usual the soldiers of Bravo Battery were fully prepared, ready, and excited to do so. Since taking over, the battery has already cycled through three weeks of conducting Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) escorts and one week of Forward Operation Base (FOB) security of Camp Steel Dragon. Additionally, the battery has recently had a change of mission. We have been tasked to provide artillery support to Camp Cook in Taji, Iraq. Two Paladin sections (12 soldiers), two mechanics, a platoon sergeant, our Fire Direction NCO, and the battery executive officer were working with the 1-206 Arkansas National Guard, a light artillery (105mm) battery, to provide artillery counter-fire against enemy mortar and rocket attacks. After 165 days in Camp Steel Dragon the Warriors had accomplished more than 561 Platoon Security Escort Missions encompassing more than 142,296 miles of driving throughout Baghdad and other locations within Iraq! Our Maintenance section was by far the most experienced in Iraq. Noone put more miles on our vehicles than the Steel Dragons and Warriors! Additionally, the Warriors have defended Camp Steel Dragon with 6 weeks of FOB Security. As of August 2004 the 89th Military Police Brigade was at Camp Steel Dragon, Baghdad, Iraq. In November 2004, as part of an Army-wide effort to give its facilities around Baghdad friendlier connotations, and try to resolve the issue of constantly-changing facility names, Camp Steel Dragon was renamed Camp Honor. In January 2006, the Iraqi army took over control of FOB Honor from U.S. forces in another transfer of authority of U.S. bases to Iraqi control. This was the first transfer of authority within the Green Zone and increased the Iraqi forces presence and role in operations in central Baghdad. FOB Blackhawk FOB Blackhawk was located within the International Zone in downtown Baghdad. It was situated near the Al-Rasheed Hotel. The conference area and outside courtyard were reported to be nice. There was also an excellent outdoor bread oven that was used often. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Avigdor Liberman Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached a deal to expand his coalition government on 25 May 2016 by bringing in the ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu party and appointing its leader Avigdor Lieberman as his new defense minister. The development capped a tumultuous political week that began with Netanyahu negotiating with the moderate Labor Party against a backdrop of international pressure to relaunch peace efforts with the Palestinians, before choosing Lieberman's hawkish party instead. Lieberman is one of Israel's most polarizing politicians and has a reputation for making inflammatory statements. The Palestinian president's adviser promptly denounced the appointment, saying Lieberman was a "fascist minister" who will promote settlements. Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers, said all Israelis leaders are "criminals and killers" and that appointing Lieberman signaled "the increasing extremism and racism in the Israeli occupation." With the deal, Netanyahu expanded his coalition to 66 of parliament's 120 members. He previously only had 61, the slimmest of majorities, which made it difficult to govern and legislate and opened him to potential extortion of any single lawmaker. The new Cabinet was dominated by religious and ultranationalist ministers who oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state and had close ties to the West Bank settler movement. Avigdor Lieberman is a polarizing figure in Israeli politics. He has in the past called for the bombing of Palestinian gas stations, banks and commercial centers, and more recently, he led a parliamentary drive to exclude Arab parties from running for election. That drive was eventually overturned by Israels Supreme Court. Lieberman is known for his nationalistic rhetoric, a key component of his election campaigning. Lieberman, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, stirred controversy by questioning the loyalty of Israel's Arab citizens and proposing that some Arab communities in Israel be shifted to Palestinian control in a land-for peace deal. Lieberman rose to prominence as the engineer of Netanyahu's successful run for prime minister in 1996, and he later became Netanyahu's chief of staff. He has held a number of Cabinet posts in the past. Liberman served two terms as Foreign Minister, from April 2009 until December 2012 and from November 2013 until May 2015. Liberman is head of the Yisrael Beitenu Party, and served in the past as Minister of Transportation, Minister of National Infrastructures, Minister of Strategic Affairs, Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office. He has served as a Member of Knesset since 1998. Avigdor Liberman was born in 1958 in Moldova and immigrated to Israel in 1978. He served in the IDF, and has a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is married, with three children. One of the founders of the Zionist Forum for Soviet Jewry, Avigdor Liberman was a member of the Board of the Jerusalem Economic Corporation and the Secretary of the Jerusalem branch of the Histadrut Ovdim Le'umit and was the editor of a newspaper (Yoman Yisraeli). Liberman served as Director-General of the Likud Movement from 1993-1996, and then as Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office (1996-1997). In 1999, he founded and became Head of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party. Yisrael Beitenu is unquestionably dominated by Liberman. Because the party has existed for only a few years, Liberman's leadership has been thorough and unchallenged. His constituents mostly from the former Soviet Union who immigrated in the 1990s, were older at the time of immigration, and are therefore living without either a Russian or Israeli pension. First elected to the Knesset in 1999, he has served as a member of the Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee and State Control Committees, and as Chairman of the Israel-Moldova Parliamentary Friendship League. United Torah Judaism and Shas have a long history of intense distaste for Liberman, who resents their control over religion-state matters. In March 2001, Liberman was appointed Minister of National Infrastructures. He resigned his post in March 2002. He served as Minister of Transportation from February 2003 until June 2004. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs from October 2006 until his resignation in January 2008. In March 2009, Avigdor Liberman was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Some considered Liberman to be a largely positive influence within the government, in part because of Liberman's support for the Roadmap, while Netanyahu continued to have reservations about the Roadmap. By November 2009, the Israeli leadership believed that through its temporary settlement freeze it has done its part to resume peace negotiations. When asked about Palestinian leadership's rejection of the settlement freeze, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman said, "Palestinians' concerns should be the least of our worries. What we should care about are our friends in the world... we talked with them and most of them told us: help us to help you...The ball is now in the Palestinian court." In April 2010 Lieberman warned Palestinian officials not to declare independence unilaterally. Lieberman said any unilateral decision by the Palestinians would release Israel from its previous commitments. He said it would allow Israel to annex parts of the West Bank and end a series of agreements that had benefited Palestinians for more than 16 years. Lieberman resigned on 14 December 2012 after being charged with fraud and breach of trust. Israel's Justice Ministry said it would charge Lieberman over alleged irregularities tied to the promotion of an Israeli diplomat who had leaked him privileged information about a police probe into his activities. More serious allegations, including money-laundering and bribery, were dropped. He remained the head of the Yisrael Beitenu party. The Israeli mayor of Jerusalem was re-elected on October 23, 2013 in a hotly contested race that dealt a political blow to his challenger's main backers: former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and the ultra-Orthodox Shas party. A Jerusalem court on 06 November 2013 acquitted Lieberman on charges of fraud and breach of trust stemming from allegations he had given an Israeli diplomat an ambassador's post in exchange for a tip-off about a police probe into his affairs. Re-elected to the Knesset, he served as Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee until his reappointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 2013. The Israeli Cabinet approved the return of far-right leader Avigdor Lieberman as foreign minister after his acquittal on corruption charges. Lieberman was outspoken in his skepticism of the US-sponsored negotiations that resumed in July 2015 after a three-year impasse, saying a permanent peace deal was impossible. He served until his resignation in May 2015. On 20 May 2016, reflecting the principle of keep your friends close and your enemies closer, the hawkish Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman was the presumptive defense minister. The Absorption Ministry was set to be handed over from Likud to Yisrael Beytenu. The unpredictable but pragmatic Liberman is said to have given up his demands on religion-state issues, namely reforms to Israels conversion authorities, the enactment of civil marriage, and instituting a more equitable and universal national service. He is married, with three children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mexico - Machismo Hispanic culture is traditionally associated with distinct gender roles for men and women, known as "machismo" and "marianismo," which dictate certain behavioral expectations for members of that community. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on family and community ("familismo") that interacts with the couple's expectations and decision-making while reinforcing the importance of cultural and societal norms. The Mexican mestizo culture places a high value on "manliness." A salient feature of the society is a sharp delimitation between the roles played by males and females. In general, men are expected to be dominant and independent and females to be submissive and dependent. The distinct boundary between male and female roles in Mexico appears to be due in part to a culturally defined hypermasculine ideal referred to as machismo. In the machista perspective, a man's greatest offense against the norm is to not act like a man. But machismo is as much about power relationships among men as it is about establishing the dominance of men over women. It is not exclusively or primarily a means of structuring power relations between men and women. It is a means of structuring power among men. Like drinking, gambling, risk taking, asserting one's opinions, and fighting, the conquest of women is a feat performed with two audiences in mind: first, other men, to whom one must constantly prove one's masculinity and virility; and second, oneself, to whom one must also show all signs of masculinity. Machismo, then, is a matter of constantly asserting one's masculinity by way of practices that show the self to be "active," not "passive"...yesterday's victories count for little tomorrow. One of those practices is an ongoing game of verbal sparring and one-upmanship, a constant attempt to force masculine rivals into the feminine role, in a never-ending quest to avoid adopting the role themselves. Each of the speakers tries to humiliate his adversary with verbal traps and ingenious linguistic combinations, and the loser is the person who cannot think of a comeback, who has to swallow his opponent's jibes. These jibes are full of aggressive sexual allusions; the loser is possessed, is violated, by the winner, and the spectators laugh and sneer at him. A biological model of machismo asserts that males everywhere tend to be more aggressive than females, a sex difference which appears to have a genetic base. A modern theory of sociobiology offers another explanation for macho behavior. According to this theory, much of animal, and perhaps human, behavior is influenced by the drive for one's genes to reproduce themselves. A generally accepted psychological theory views machismo as an expression of an inferiority complex. Most research on machismo is restricted to the lower classes. Research from Mexico, Puerto Rico, England, and the United States suggests that lower class males suffer from job insecurity and compensate for their feelings of inferiority by exaggerating their masculinity and by subordinating women. Other studies point to distant father-son relationships as one factor leading to feelings of inferiority and to the development of machismo. Women may support machismo by being submissive, dependent, and passive. Hegemonic masculinity may be considered a public health problem in that it promotes aggressive behavior, violence towards men and women, and self-injury. "Being a man" within such a pattern implies stress, tension and anxiety to prove one's own masculinity. For men, the cultural emphasis on machismo can translate into a positive outcome where the man serves as provider and sacrifices for the family or a negative one that emphasizes dominance and control. The positive side of this gender expectation is that it encourages men to work hard to provide for and protect their family. The primary role emphasized for women in Hispanic tradition is that of mother instead of wife. The cultural construct of "familismo" is defined as an emphasis on family relationships and a strong value placed on childbearing as an integral part of family life and the feminine gender role. This leads women to define themselves through their family and children instead of independently or as part of a couple. The role of martyr is also idealized, with women expected to be submissive and sacrifice themselves for their families. Beginning in the 1970s and over the next two decades, dramatic changes occurred in the role of women in the Mexican economy. In 1990 women represented 31 percent of the economically active population, double the percentage recorded twenty years earlier. The demographics of women in the workforce also changed during this period. In 1980 the typical female worker was under twenty-five years of age. Her participation in the workforce was usually transitional and would end following marriage or childbirth. After the 1970s, however, an emerging feminist movement made it more acceptable for educated Mexican women to pursue careers. In addition, the economic crisis of the 1980s required many married women to return to the job market to help supplement their husbands' income. About 70 percent of women workers in the mid-1990s were employed in the tertiary sector of the economy, usually at wages below those of men. The growing presence of women in the workforce contributed to some changes in social attitudes, despite the prevalence of other more traditional attitudes. The UNAM 1995 national opinion survey, for example, found a growing acceptance that men and women should share in family responsibilities. Approximately half of all respondents agreed that husbands and wives should jointly handle child-care duties and perform housekeeping chores. However, such views were strongly related to income and educational level. Low income and minimally educated respondents regarded household tasks as women's work. Members of working-class households held traditional norms and values regarding the roles of men and women. In addition, these women were often subjected to control, domination, and violence by men. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mullah Akhtar Mansoor Mullah Akhtar Mansour led the Taliban since mid-2015, when the death of the movements founder, the one-eyed Mullah Mohammad Omar became public. Mansour had run the movement in Mullah Omars name for more than two years. The revelation of Mullah Omars death and Mansours deception led to widespread mistrust, with some senior leaders leaving the group to set up their own factions. The Afghan intelligence agency confirmed 22 May 2016 that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in a US airstrike in Pakistan near the Afghan border. When he was named leader in 2015, the Taliban also named two deputies: Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the powerful Haqqani militant network, and Maulvi Haibatullah Akhund, a religious cleric known for issuing decrees on behalf of the Taliban. Sirajuddin Haqqani is considered a terrorist leader by the United States, which has long offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his capture. Little is known about Haibatullah Akhunds role in the militant group. US military officials asserted that the Talibans ties with al-Qaida have grown since Mansoor formally took charge. Afghan authorities had grown more critical of Pakistan, which they say is supporting and harboring the Taliban and the Haqqani network of militants. The killing of Mansoor in a remote area of Pakistans Baluchistan province was likely to only reinforce those views. The groups reluctance to engage in peace talks, and its continuing attacks, caused Afghan officials to grow more pessimistic about the peace process. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, said Mullah Mansour's killing would only worsen the prospects of the talks. "With the Taliban facing another drawn out succession process, and also facing questions about the safety of its sanctuaries, issues of peace and reconciliation will be the last thing on the group's mind," Kugelman told DW 23 May 2016. "In the long term, questions about peace will depend on who Mansour's successor is. Mansour had originally been seen as a moderate willing to pursue peace, but clearly the US had come to a very different conclusion in recent weeks," he added. Pakistan said it was informed by the U.S. after the drone strike was carried out but lashed out at Washington for violating its "sovereignty." Islamabad did not immediately confirm that Mansoor was killed. Pakistani security officials recovered two bodies charred beyond recognition. The passenger, who was suspected of being Mansoor, was said to be returning from Iran and was using a Pakistani passport with the name Muhammad Wali. US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Mansoor was targeted because he posed "an imminent threat to U.S. personnel, Afghan civilians, and Afghan security forces," and that Mansoor "was directly opposed to peace negotiations." A US official who spoke on background said the strike was authorized by President Barack Obama. The Pentagon confirmed the US army had tried to kill Mansoor. "We are still assessing the results of the strike and will provide more information as it becomes available," spokesman Peter Cook said. "Mansoor has been an obstacle to peace and reconciliation between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, prohibiting Taliban leaders from participating in peace talks with the Afghan government that could lead to an end to the conflict." The timing of the strike was significant because the Afghan government warned it would take action against the group for not participating in the talks. The US said several unmanned aircraft operated by US special operations forces targeted a vehicle in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. This could be the first time US drones were known to have targeted Taliban fighters inside Pakistan's Baluchistan province. All other known drone strikes inside Pakistan occurred in the country's federally administered tribal areas. The Taliban, which has a history of refuting developments that could hurt its standing, did not initially issue an official statement though some of the group's officials earlier denied the reports. False rumors on the deaths of Taliban figures have circulated before. In December 2015, the Afghan government said Mansoor had died after a gunfight. The Taliban later released an audio message from him in which he denied he had been killed. On July 31, 2015 the Afghan Taliban announced that its 'shura' or supreme council had chosen Mullah Akhtar Mansoor as the new chief of the Afghan insurgent group, a day after confirming reports of the death of its founder, Mullah Omar. The new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor served as deputy to Mullah Omar and was the head of the Taliban's political and military affairs. Mullah Mansur, believed to be in his 50s, hails from the southern province of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban. He served as civil aviation minister in the Taliban regime that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. The Leading Council of the Islamic Emirate said "Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor, who was considered a reliable and suitable person for shouldering huge tasks even in the lifetime of late Mullah Mohammad Umar Mujahid (may his soul rest in peace) and had been practically administrating the Islamic Emirate since long; therefore, the leading council of the Islamic Emirate and authentic scholars judged him a suitable and talented personality for the new leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and appointed him as their legalized leader. "In this meeting of leadership appointment, scholars, saints and dignitaries of the Islamic Emirate took an oath of allegiance to Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor as Amir-ul-Momineen in accordance with the principal of listening and obedience. He, as a legal Amir, pledged his commitment to the Sharia Law too." In being named as the new head of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansur, one of the founders of the movement, was granted the title of Amir-ul-Momineen (Commander of the Faithful). This gave him the same supreme status held by his predecessor, Mullah Mohammad Omar. The announcement also said that Maulvi Haibatullah Akundzada and Maulvi Sirajuddin Haqqani had been appointed as deputies to Mansoor. Sirajuddin Haqqani had long headed the so-called Haqqani network, a militant group aligned with the Taliban and based in North Waziristan, one of Pakistans tribal regions along the Afghan border. The network has been blamed for many of the deadliest attacks against coalition forces and the Afghan government during the war. Taliban sources identified Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzada as the former head of courts during the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan before 2001. Mullah Mansoor was born in around 1965 in a small village called Kariz in the Maiwand district of Kandahar. A member of the Ishaqzai tribe, Mansoor participated in the US-backed Afghan insurgency, widely known as Afghan jihad, against the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan between 1979 and 1989. Later, he participated in the Islamist armed struggle against the Communist regime of Dr. Najibullah that was installed in Kabul after Moscows military departure in 1989. He was a member of Harakat-i-Inqilab-i-Islami, a former paramilitary group formed by Maulana Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi to fight the Soviets. Mansoor joined the Taliban when the hardline Islamist movement, led by its founder Mullah Omar, emerged during the bloody power struggle among various Afghan factions following after the collapse of the Najibullah government in 1992. One of his first jobs for the group was overseeing the security of Kandahar airport. In 1996-2001, when the Taliban was in power, he oversaw ministry of civil aviation. Afghans with knowledge of Mansoors years with the Taliban describe him as a low-level administrator who mostly dealt with organizational matters and was not among the top 10 Taliban leaders at the time. He briefly served as director general of the Kandahar airport and enjoyed the status of a minister for civil aviation till the end of the Taliban regime in late 2001. After the Taliban was driven from Afghanistan and the group launched its counteroffensive, Mansoor was declared the groups shadow governor of Kandahar and was a member of the Talibans leadership council. He rose to the upper echelons after Mullah Akhtar Osmani, a senior Taliban military leader and a close associate of Mullah Omar, was killed by US-led coalition forces in 2006 and Mullah Dadullah Akhund, the group's top military commander, was killed in 2007 by British special forces. Between 2007 and 2010 he was able to stake a claim for higher office when Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy of Mullah Omar, and Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, the Taliban government defence minister, were captured by the Pakistan Intelligence agency ISI. Omar appointed Mansoor as his deputy and acting head of the shura or leadership council after his predecessor, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was captured in Pakistan by the neighboring countrys spy agency in early 2010 with the help of the CIA. Baradar, a co-founder of the Afghan Taliban movement, was released in September of 2013 at the request of the then Kabul government. The top official in the Afghan government delegation involved in the peace talks with the Taliban, Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, has said that the Taliban delegation at the first round of talks had the backing of Mansoor. Sources in Pakistan also assert that Mansoor is the driving force behind the nascent Afghan peace process. In July 2015, Afghan intelligence said that Mullah Omar had been dead for two years. Within hours of that announcement, the Taliban reportedly held a meeting and elected Mullah Mansoor as leader. But his appointment appeared to expose fissures in the group. A few months after his appointment, Taliban fighters seized the capital of Kunduz province after launching a daring raid from multiple directions. The attack was the biggest blow to President Ashraf Ghani since he took office a year before. Mansoor refused to join any of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meetings, made up of representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States and aimed at reviving a peace process. After his persistent refusal to join talks, Afghan officials told Al Jazeera that action against the Taliban would be on the agenda for the fifth round of peace talks in early May 2015. Taliban commander Mullah Mansour is not to be confused with Mullah Bakht Mohammad (alias Mullah Mansour Dadullah), a popular military commander. Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor, a logistics expert, was head of the Talibans senior shura council and a reputed pragmatist. Other senior pragmatists included Shahabuddin Delawar and Noorudin Turabi, who was released by Pakistan in December 2012. Some experts believed that these figures blame their past association with Al Qaeda for their loss of power. The pragmatists faced debate from younger and reputedly hardline, anti-compromise leaders who believed outright Taliban victory was possible. Some factions favor Mullah Yaqoub, the eldest son of Mullah Omar. Omars 26-year-old son, Yaqoob, and other hardliners oppose the peace talks. They also opposed the decision of Omars deputy Mullah Akhtar who wanted to send a delegation to direct peace talks on 07 July 2015. The emergence of actual negotiations placed enormous strain on the Taliban and widened a dangerous rift inside the group. With Islamic State and other jihadist groups competing for the loyalty of young Taliban fighters, it was unclear whether any leader can hold the Taliban movement together and then get its members to accept a peace settlement. The nightmare is if nobody respected the leadership anymore in the Taliban, because then there is no one to talk to. The Taliban Supreme Council (Shura Council) was not consulted before the appointment of the new leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansoor, a move that could impact on the peace talks with the Afghan government, Al Jazeera has learned. Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, a senior member of the Supreme Council, told Al Jazeera on 31 July 2015 that Mullah Mansoor was appointed after a brief discussion with four to five senior Taliban commanders without consulting the Supreme Council members. "This decision was taken without our consent. Our Mujahideen have sacrificed their blood for two decades. We have to appoint someone who has a proper knowledge and hold on Sharia and our Afghan values. Mullah Akhtar Mansoor did not even contribute much to our movement," Mullah Niazi said. Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir, a member of Leadership Council of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name the group refers to itself, released a statement 31 July 2015 denying claims of disagreements and conflict on the decision. "I have heard that Mullah Muhammad Hassan Rahmani, Mullah Abdul Razzaq, Mullah Muhammad Rasul and other individuals have claimed in radios and some gatherings that Mullah Abdul Qayyum is in conflict with Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor Sahib," Zakir said in a statement published on the group's official website. "These claims are absolutely baseless. I reassure you all that I will exert my complete efforts in working for the Islamic Emirate and hope from Allah that I will be one of the most obedient individuals from it." Mullah Zakir, a former chief military commander of the Taliban, had previously supported Mullah Yaqoub, the son of Mullah Omar, for the post. Mullah Yaqoub and Mullah Mansoor had been long rivals for control of the group. On 04 August 2015 the head of the Afghan Talibans political office in Qatar resigned, and issued a highly critical statement that highlights growing internal schisms since the confirmation of the death of founder Mullah Mohammad Omar. In a statement released to the media, Tayyab Agha said there were historic mistakes made in keeping Mullah Omars death secret for nearly two years and in picking his successors outside of Afghanistan. Aghas claim gave credence to the widespread perception that the Talibans new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, was selected with the backing of Pakistan. The statement also suggests that the groups senior political representative was unaware of the Taliban leaders death and had been actively deceived by those around Omar since he died two years ago. The fate of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour remained unclear December 04, 2015, two days after Afghan authorities alleged he was wounded in a gunfight during a meeting of militant commanders in neighboring Pakistan. Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour died of injuries, Sultan Faizy, a spokesman for the first vice president of Afghanistan said. The alleged firefight took place near the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on 01 Decembe 2015. The Taliban swiftly rejected the claim, saying it was fabricated by the Afghan intelligence agency as part of its campaign to create divisions within the Islamist insurgency. On December 05, 2015 Afghanistans Taliban said it has received a voice message from its supreme leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, that should refute claims about his involvement in a gunfight, and supposed death, earlier in the week. In the message, Mansour stressed he is safe and healthy, and denied there are rifts in the Taliban leadership. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Soviet Aid to North Vietnam The Soviet Union had three clear objectives regarding the Vietnam conflict: to maintain the advantages of peaceful cooperation with the US; to support national liberation movements and their role in the eventual final victory of communism; and to reduce the influence of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the world communist movement. The PRC was a major factor from the Soviet position. Moscow was ostensibly "pressing" for negotiations while watching the protracted conflict sap the strength of its major international foe. Washington's repeated use of bombing just after proposing an initiative for reducing the hostilities undermined Moscow's credibility. North Vietnam initially acknowledged the Soviet Union as leader of the "socialist camp" and accorded Moscow first place in its eulogies of the Communist countries. Had there not been the Russian October Revolution, there would not have been an Indochinese Communist Party, the precursor of today's CPV. Had the Red Soviet troops not defeated German fascism and Japanese militarism, the 1945 August Revolution in Vietnam would never have occurred. Had the Soviet Union not been powerful, Vietnam would not have been able to defeat French colonialism, US imperialism and international reactionaryism. Comrade Ho Chi Minh, still in France at that time, was the first Vietnamese who, after reading the first draft of Lenin's thesis on national and colonial problems, realized the truth that, to save the country and liberate the nation, there was no other road than that of proletarian revolution. (Ho Chi Minh: "Forever Following the Road of Great Lenin," Su That Publishing House, Hanoi, 1970, page 51) From that moment, Marxism-Leninism spread to Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh wrote "The Great October Revolution Has Opened the Way to the Liberation of All Nations" [1 November 1967] "By following the path charted by the great Lenin, the path of the October Revolution, the Vietnamese have won very large victories. Therefore, the bond and the gratitude that the Vietnamese feel toward the glorious October Revolution, the great Lenin and the Soviet people are exceedingly deep." Since the rise of Communist China and the deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations, however, North Vietnam maintained the position, as did other Communist states, that all "socialist" states are equal and independent. Nevertheless, it acknowledges that the Soviet Union has been an important contributor of economic and military aid, especially since early 1965 when Moscow initiated measures to improve Hanoi's "defense potential." Soviet emphasis on military intervention began with Soviet aid to Cuba and Vietnam. Both countries faced confrontations against the United States. Military aid to Egypt, Syria, and Iraq was directed at Israel, considered an outpost of American imperialism. Soviet military aid to Vietnam began after the Second World War to assist Ho Chi Minh in his struggle against returning French rule. This aid continued after Vietnam divided. North Vietnamese-backed guerrillas tried to overthrow the South Vietnamese government using this aid. Estimates of the total cost of the Soviet Union's support to the North Vietnam government range from $3.6 billion to $8 billion [in then-year U.S. dollars]. The top leaders and other officials of the two governments had also consulted during visits to each other's capitals: President Ho Chi Minh in 1955 and 1957; Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan in 1956 and President Kliment Y. Voroshilov in 1957. At the 1960 Lao Dong Party Congress, Premier Pham Van Dong supported the Soviet Union's thesis on the possibility of avoiding open warfare with imperialist powers and on the tactical importance of peaceful coexistence with the West. For its part, the Soviet Communist Party representative declared his government's intention to broaden its cooperation with North Vietnam. An agreement signed with Moscow in December 1960 assured Hanoi of Soviet economic and technical assistance; a similar Soviet pledge was made in an agreement signed in September 1962. Between 1961 and late 1964, Hanoi's relations with Moscow were generally cordial, although there were indications, especially after March 1963, that Hanoi was inclined to agree with the militant position of Peiping in ideological disputes between Communist China and the Soviet Union. At the 16th session of the UN General Assembly (1961), the Soviet Union proposed that 1962 be declared the year of the total elimination of colonialism and demanded an end to wars of aggression, the dismantling of military bases overseas. During this period, various nations won large and continuous victories in their brave struggle. Beginning in November 1964, relations with the Soviet Union took a new turn, evidently because of Moscow's avowed intention to render active support to Hanoi in its political and military confrontation with the United States. On 17 November 1964, the Soviet Politburo decided to send increased support to North Vietnam. This aid included aircraft, radar, artillery, air defense systems, small arms, ammunition, food and medical supplies. They also sent Soviet military personnel to North Vietnam-the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Vietnam (DRVN). Some 15,000 Soviet personnelserved in Indo-China as advisers and occasionally as combatants. The largest part of the Soviet adviser personnel were air defense officers. In February 1965 Soviet Premier Aleksei N. Kosygin visited Hanoi, accompanied by Air Chief Marshal Konstantin Vershinin, who was commander in chief of the Soviet air force and a deputy defense minister. A joint communique issued at the conclusion of his visit on February 10 announced that the two. governments had signed an agreement on measures for strengthening Hanoi's "defense potential." After returning to Moscow, Premier Kosygin said that his government had already taken necessary steps to implement the agreement. It appeared that the Soviet military aid consisted mainly of surface-to-air missiles (SAM's), jet fighters and technical advisers. In late March 1965 the Soviet Communist Party's first secretary, Leonid I. Brezhnev, announced that his government had been receiving "many applications" from Soviet citizens offering to serve as volunteers in Vietnam. Since 1965 the Soviet Union and Communist China had been haggling over the military aid each is providing North Vietnam and over the mechanics of moving Soviet aid to North Vietnam. The dispute was a facet of the broader Sino-Soviet conflict and was interwoven with issues arising from US-North Vietnamese negotiations. Parts of the continuing argument surfaced, periodically in polemical exchanges between Moscow and Peking. Both Moscow and Peking, throughout the dispute, had other considerations in mind in addition to North Vietnam's war needs. A paramount Soviet purpose was to use aid to Vietnam as a means of strengthening Moscow's influence over Hanoi and elsewhere at the expense of Peking. Sino-Soviet political enmity and military rivalry worked to limit to some extent what aid the North Vietnamese received and how they received it. Because of China's insistance on a right to inspect Soviet shipments in transit to North Vietnam, the Soviets appear to have held back or delayed shipment of some sophisticated military equipment. Third, both Moscow and Peking were been constrained in their aid to North Vietnam by a desire to avoid a direct conflict with the US. The USSR repeatedly suggested that it believed the Chinese wish to provoke a conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States in the Gulf of Tonkin. A widely-distributed CPSU letter to other parties in February 1966 claimed that the Chinese sought such a conflict "in order to be able to, as they themselves say, 'observe the battle of the tigers while seated on the hill.'" In April 1966, the Soviet leaders circulated a document at the 23rd CPSU Congress which accused the Chinese of trying to force the Soviet Union to ship its military aid by sea and risk a clash with the Seventh Fleet, and thereby to force a Soviet-US showdown. The Hanoi government received continued support from Moscow on the political, military and economic fronts. Moscow endorsed the peace proposals of both Hanoi and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam. The Soviet Union, in agreements signed in July 1965 and December 1965, respectively, also pledged to give increased military and economic aid. In early March 1965 (presumably in accordance with the understandings Kosygin had reached with the Vietnamese in Hanoi in February) the Soviets proposed to send to the DRV by rail through China eight battalions of SAMs and four thousand Soviet advisors and technicians. The Chinese strongly objected, but they repeatedly claimed in April and May that it was North Vietnamese reluctance to accept Soviet personnel that had caused the offer to be rejected, On the other hand, the Soviets claimed that the Chinese were placing a limit on the transit of Soviet personnel. Under the influence of the mounting US bombing, the DRV prevailed upon China to permit a limited quota of Soviet SAM personnel to pass. It was not until 24 July 1965 that the SAMs were fired for the first time, by Soviet crews. In December 1965 the Soviet army newspaper, Red Star, reported for the first time that Soviet antiaircraft missiles had been supplied to North Vietnam. Still another Moscow pledge of military and economic assistance was made in an agreement signed in January 1966, when Aleksandr N. Shelepin, a member of the Soviet Communist Party Presidium and Secretariat, visited Hanoi. The extent of Soviet aid, though never officially announced, was reported by various sources. In February 1966 the chairman of the Canadian Communist Party, Tim Buck, was quoted by Radio Djakarta as having said that some 5,000 North Vietnamese were being trained in the Soviet Union to become fighter pilots. This information was reported to have been obtained from President Ho Chi Minh while the Canadian Communist was visiting Hanoi in late 1965. The extent of the Soviet aid to Hanoi was estimated in some quarters to be "worth about half a billion rubles", ranging from rocket installations to planes, tanks and warships. In March 1966 Le Duan, First Secretary of the Lao Dong Party, headed a delegation to Moscow to attend the twenty-third Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Communist China had boycotted this Congress. In his speech before the Congress, Le Duan declared that he had two fatherlands, North Vietnam and the Soviet Union, and thanked Moscow for its "huge and many-sided aid." In August 1966 Soviet authorities confirmed that an undisclosed number of North Vietnamese fighter pilots were being trained in the Soviet Union. In addition, Radio Moscow on October 2, 1966, announced for the first time that Soviet officers and specialists had been sent to North Vietnam to train antiaircraft units in the use of Soviet-made surface-to-air missiles. Nhan Dan announced in October that Hanoi had signed in Moscow an agreement on the new Soviet "nonrefundable" aid to Vietnam and an agreement on supplementary Soviet loans to Vietnam for 1967. The USSR obviously had great anxiety over the sea supply route to North Vietnam -- the main channel for Soviet economic and military-support shipments to the DRV. The Soviets were concerned over U.S. bombing of DRV ports and over the possibility that the United States might take steps to close DRV ports by mining or blockade. Through repeated vigorous protests the Soviet Union sought to convey the impression that the USSR regarded access to DRV ports as important to Soviet interests. What the Soviets apparently wanted was a way to carry weapons by sea to the Far East, yet have someone else assume the burden of actual delivery to the DRV. Such a solution would be available if the Chinese were willing to accept Soviet shipments at Chinese ports -- such as Canton -- for transshipment to the DRV either by rail or by Chinese ship. After the 02 June 1967 strafing incident at the DRV port of Campha, a Soviet Foreign Ministry note threatened "to take appropriate measures to insure the safety of Soviet ships" if the incident were reported. On 05 January 1968, after two more incidents had actually occurred, a Soviet protest note said that "the corresponding Soviet departments will be compelled to take measures for insuring the safety of Soviet vessels bound for DRV ports." It is possible that the Soviet navy, in the spring of 1967, was instructed to prepare contingency plans for a possible Soviet attempt to break a hypothetical US blockade of Haiphong - leaving implementation open as a matter for politburo decision. Czechoslovak Defense Minister Lomsky reported to the collegium of the Ministry that the Soviets had issued an order to the Soviet navy to provide escorts for Soviet merchant vessels in the event that Haiphong was blockaded or a Soviet vessel bombed in Haiphong harbor. This order also allegedly called for efforts to break any blockade, including steps to sweep minefields. Lomsky, who had just returned from Moscow, said that the Soviets had told him that they would resist any U.S. moves to prevent Soviet ships from going to Haiphong. The Soviet order was supposedly issued at a time when U.S. statements pointed to a possible blockade of Haiphong. However, no Soviet naval escorts were in fact provided. The Soviet Union indicated that some of the weaapons requested by the DRV had been denied. The CPSU document on Soviet military aid to Vietnam circulated among visiting foreign Communists in Moscow in November 1967, stated that "the USSR has speedily satisfied practically all the requests of the DRV for delivery of military equipment." The DRV did not receive the KOMAR or OSA-class guided-missile-firing patrol boats, which it wanted and, apparently, at one time thought it was going to receive. The failure to receive such boats must be particularly annoying to the DRV because, over the previous decade, the USSR had distributed KOMARs and OSAs to about a dozen countries around the world, including some whom the DRV must regard as far less deserving than itself. The military aid figures reflect the level and intensity of combat operations in Indochina. The high level in 1968 resulted both from replacement requirements for ground forces equipment following the 1968 Tet offensive and the delivery of substantial amounts of Soviet air defense equipment before the bombing halt that year. Combat levels were lower during the next two years and military aid declined. This trend was reversed in 1971 when Hanoi began preparations for the 1972 spring offensive. Military assistance jumped sharply again in 1972, reflecting an upsurge in deliveries of ground forces equipment and air defense equipment. Shipments apparently turned down in 1973 following the ceasefire agreement. Economic aid from the USSR exceeded $300 million annually during the l968~7l reconstruction period'and could have been higher if North Vietnam's absorptive capacity were not so limited. Soviet aid fell sharply in 1972, however, as a result of the mining of North Vietnam's ports and the halt in reconstruction activity during the 1972 bombing. 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 Cumulative Economic Aid 305 385 345 320 210 200 1,765 Military Aid 415 175 90 165 375 175 1,395 US Intelligence estimate, 1974 dollars Following the conquest of South Vietnam in 1975, Hanoi sought to retain the equilibrium of its wartime relations with both China and the Soviet Union, but mounting tensions with Beijing, culminating in the loss of Chinese aid in 1978, compelled Hanoi to look increasingly to Moscow for economic and military assistance. Beginning in late 1975, a number of significant agreements were signed between the two countries. One coordinated the national economic development plans of the two countries, and another called for the Soviet Union to underwrite Vietnam's first post-reunification Five-Year Plan. The first formal alliance was achieved in June 1978 when Vietnam joined Comecon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 The third war between India and Pakistan took place between November 22 (when the Indian's began providing active artillery support to the seperatists) and Dec 17, 1971. The origins of the third Indo-Pakistani conflict (1971) were different from the previous conflicts. The Pakistani failure to accommodate demands for autonomy in East Pakistan in 1970 led to secessionist demands in 1971. In March 1971, Pakistan's armed forces launched a fierce campaign to suppress the resistance movement that had emerged but encountered unexpected mass defections among East Pakistani soldiers and police. The Pakistani forces regrouped and reasserted their authority over most of East Pakistan by May. As a result of these military actions, thousands of East Pakistanis died at the hands of the Pakistani army. Resistance fighters and nearly 10 million refugees fled to sanctuary in West Bengal, the adjacent Indian state. By midsummer, the Indian leadership, in the absence of a political solution to the East Pakistan crisis, had fashioned a strategy designed to assist the establishment of the independent nation of Bangladesh. As part of this strategy, in August 1971, India signed a twenty-year Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation with the Soviet Union. One of the treaty's clauses implied that each nation was expected to come to the assistance of the other in the event of a threat to national security such as that occurring in the 1965 war with Pakistan. Simultaneously, India organized, trained, and provided sanctuary to the Mukti Bahini (meaning Liberation Force in Bengali), the East Pakistani armed resistance fighters. Unable to deter India's activities in the eastern sector, on December 3, 1971, Pakistan launched an air attack in the western sector on a number of Indian airfields, including Ambala in Haryana, Amritsar in Punjab, and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. The attacks did not succeed in inflicting substantial damage. The Indian air force retaliated the next day and quickly achieved air superiority. On the ground, the strategy in the eastern sector marked a significant departure from previous Indian battle plans and tactics, which had emphasized set-piece battles and slow advances. The strategy adopted was a swift, three-pronged assault of nine infantry divisions with attached armored units and close air support that rapidly converged on Dhaka, the capital of East Pakistan. Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, who commanded the eighth, twenty-third, and fifty-seventh divisions, led the Indian thrust into East Pakistan. As these forces attacked Pakistani formations, the Indian air force rapidly destroyed the small air contingent in East Pakistan and put the Dhaka airfield out of commission. In the meantime, the Indian navy effectively blockaded East Pakistan. Dhaka fell to combined Indian and Mukti Bahini forces on December 16, bringing a quick end to the war. Action in the western sector was divided into four segments, from the cease-fire line in Jammu and Kashmir to the marshes of the Rann of Kutch in northwestern Gujarat. On the evening of December 3, the Pakistani army launched ground operations in Kashmir and Punjab. It also started an armored operation in Rajasthan. In Kashmir, the operations were concentrated on two key points, Punch and Chhamb. The Chhamb area witnessed a particularly intense battle where the Pakistanis forced the Indians to withdraw from their positions. In other parts of Kashmir, the Indians made some small gains along the cease-fire line. The major Indian counteroffensive came in the Sialkot-Shakargarh area south and west of Chhamb. There, two Pakistani tank regiments, equipped with United States-made Patton tanks, confronted the Indian First Armored Corps, which had British Centurion tanks. In what proved to be the largest tank battle of the war, both sides suffered considerable casualties. Within hours of outbreak of hostilities, the Indian Missile Boat Group was ordered to execute operation Trident, the code name for the first attack on Karachi. The task group consisting of three OSA class missile boats, escorted by two Kamorta class anti-submarine patrol vessels, regrouped off Okha and charged towards Karachi. At 2150 hrs on December 4, the task group was 70 nautical miles south-west of Karachi. Soon thereafter, the task group detected patrolling Pakistani naval ships on their sensors. The deadly missiles were heading towards their targets which were soon hit. PNS Khyber, a destroyer and PNS Muhafiz, a minesweeper were sunk. Another Pakistani destroyer Shajehan was badly damaged. The fuel storage tanks at Karachi harbour were set ablaze, causing heavy loss. Operation Trident was a thundering success with no damage to any of the ships of the Indian Naval Task Group, which returned safely. Operation Trident had introduced to the war, the first ever ship launched missiles in the region. Enthused by the success of this attack, the Indian Navy planned another offensive operation, code named Python. The continued presence of the Indian Navy's larger ships is the area gave enough indication to the Pakistani naval authorities that more offensive operations were in the offing. The Pak aerial surveillance was stepped up and their ships attempted to outsmart the Indian Navy by mingling with merchant shipping. Notwithstanding these measures by the Pakistanis, operation Python was launched on the night on December 8 and 9, 1971. Despite bad weather and rough seas, the task group consisting of missile boat Vinash and two multipurpose frigates, executed the attack with razor sharp precision. INS Vinash approached close to the Karachi coast and fired four missiles. The first missile struck the fuel tanks at the Keamari Oil Farm. The other three missiles hit the merchant tankers Harmattan, Gulf Star and the Pakistani naval tanker Dacca. More than 50 percent of the total fuel requirement of the Karachi zone was reported to have been blown up. Operation Python was another great success. Though the Indian conduct of the land war on the western front was somewhat timid, the role of the Indian air force was both extensive and daring. During the fourteen-day war, the air force's Western Command conducted some 4,000 sorties. There was little retaliation by Pakistan's air force, partly because of the paucity of non-Bengali technical personnel. Additionally, this lack of retaliation reflected the deliberate decision of the Pakistan Air Force headquarters to conserve its forces because of heavy losses incurred in the early days of the war. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sierra Leone Sierra Leone ["Lion Mountain"] was embroiled in a civil war that resulted in the death of over 50,000 civilians. It began in March 1991, as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) attempted to overthrow successive governments. In 1982, as Sierra Leones government and economy worsened, a group of Sierra Leone University, Fourah Bay College students led by their group leader Alie Kabbah, fled to eastern Sierra Leone to form a political organization to rebel against the Temne tribe's All Peoples Congress (APC), the governing party of the time. Their organization became the RUF and its objectives were to overthrow of the Sierra Leonean government, oust corrupt officials, and re-allocate Sierra Leones wealth to benefit the general population. Throughout the 1980s, Libyans infiltrated Sierra Leone to recruit rebels as part of Libyan President, Colonel Muammar Gadhafis Pan-African initiatives to recruit dissidents against western influence in Africa. While training in Libya, Foday Sankoh from Sierra Leone met Liberian warlord Charles Taylor. After establishing a relationship, Sankoh and Taylor agreed to support guerilla wars in their respective countries in hopes of overthrowing their countrys governments and creating political change. In 1989, under the leadership of Charles Taylor, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) launched a guerilla war against the Liberian government that led to Liberias civil war. Once Taylor was in power in Liberia, he supported Sankohs invasion and guerilla war in Sierra Leone. Civil war broke out in 1990 under the command of former Sierra Leonean army corporal Foday Sankoh, who launched his first attack in villages in Kailahun District in eastern Sierra Leone on March 23, 1991. This small band of men who called themselves the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under the leadership of a former-corporal, Foday Sankoh, began to attack villages in eastern Sierra Leone on the Liberian border. The government of Sierra Leone, overwhelmed by a crumbling economy and corruption, was unable to put up significant resistance. Within a month of entering Sierra Leone Reitred Coporal Sankoh Revolutinary United Front controlled much of the Eastern Province. Fighting continued in the ensuing months, with the RUF gaining control of the diamond mines in the Kono district and pushing the Sierra Leone army back towards Freetown. On April 29, 1992, a group of young soldiers led by Capt. Valentine Strasser, apparently frustrated by the government's failure to deal with rebels, launched a military coup which sent president Momoh into exile in Guinea. They established the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) with Yahya Kanu as its chairman. But Kanu was assassinated by fellow NPRC members, who accused him of trying to negotiate with the toppled APC administration. On May 4, 1992,Captain Valentine Strasser took over as chairman of the NPRC and Head of State of Sierra Leone. The NPRC proved to be nearly as ineffectual as the Momoh government in repelling the RUF. More and more of the country fell to RUF fighters, so that by 1995 they held much of the countryside and were on the doorstep of Freetown. To retrieve the situation, the NPRC hired several hundred mercenaries from the private firm Executive Outcomes. Within a month they had driven RUF fighters back to enclaves along Sierra Leones borders. In January 1996, after nearly four years in power, Strasser was ousted in a coup by fellow NPRC members led by his deputy Maada Bio. As a result of popular demand and mounting international pressure, the NPRC agreed to hand over power to a civilian government. Bio reinstated the Constitution and called for presidential and parliamentary elections, which were held in April 1996. In the second round of presidential elections in early 1996, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, candidate of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) defeated John Karefa-Smart of the United National People's Party (UNPP). Kabbah was a diplomat who had worked at the UN for more than 20 years. Parliamentary elections were conducted, for the first time, under the system of proportional representation. In 1996, Maj. Johnny Paul Koroma was allegedly involved in an attempt to overthrow the government of President Kabbah. He was arrested, tried, convicted, and imprisoned at Maxium Prison in Freetown. But some top ranking Army officers were unhappy with this decision, and on May 25, 1997, a group of soldiers who called themselves the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) overthrew President Kabbah's government. The AFRC released Jonny Paul Koroma from prison and installed him as their chairman and Head of State of the country. The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council later invited the RUF to join the government. In March 1998 the Nigerian-led ECOMOG forces ousted the AFRC junta after 10 months in office, and reinstated the democratically elected government of President Kabbah. In October 1998, the United Nations agreed to send Peacekeepers to help restore order and disarm the rebels. The RUFs renewed attempts to overthrow the government in January 1999 brought the fighting to parts of Freetown, leaving thousands dead and wounded. ECOMOG forces drove back the RUF attack several weeks later. With the assistance of the international community, President Kabbah and RUF leader Sankoh on July 7, 1999, signed the Lome Peace Agreement, which made Sankoh Vice President and gave other RUF members positions in the government. The accord called for an international peacekeeping force run initially by both ECOMOG and the United Nations. The UN Security Council established the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in 1999, with an initial force of 6,000. ECOMOG forces departed in April 2000. Almost immediately, however, the RUF began to violate the agreement, most notably by holding hundreds of UNAMSIL personnel hostage and capturing their arms and ammunition in the first half of 2000. On May 8, 2000, members of the RUF shot and killed as many as 20 people demonstrating against the RUF violations outside Sankohs house in Freetown. As a result, Sankoh and other senior members of the RUF were arrested and the group was stripped of its positions in government. After the events of May 2000, a new cease-fire was necessary to reinvigorate the peace process. This agreement was signed in Abuja in November of that year. However, Demobilization, Disarmament, Reintegration (DDR) did not resume, and fighting continued. In late 2000, Guinean forces entered Sierra Leone to attack RUF bases from which attacks had been launched against Liberian dissidents in Guinea. A second Abuja Agreement, in May 2001, set the stage for a resumption of DDR on a wide scale and a significant reduction in hostilities. As disarmament progressed, the government began to reassert its authority in formerly rebel-held areas. By early 2002, some 72,000 ex-combatants had been disarmed and demobilized, although many still awaited re-integration assistance. On January 18, 2002 President Kabbah declared the civil war officially over. In May 2002 President Kabbah was re-elected to a 5-year term in a landslide victory for the SLPP. The RUF political wing, the RUFP, failed to win a single seat in parliament. The elections were marked by irregularities and allegations of fraud, but not to a degree to significantly affect the outcome. On July 28, 2002 the British withdrew a 200-man military contingent that had been in country since the summer of 2000, leaving behind a 105-strong military training team to work to professionalize the Sierra Leonean army. In November 2002, UNAMSIL gradually began drawing down personnel until the end of its formal peacekeeping mission in December 2005. Following the end of the UNAMSIL mandate, the UN established the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), which assumed a peacebuilding mandate. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address War and Ethnic Cleansing in Yugoslavia With Slovenia and Croatia declaring their sovereignty in June 1991 it was clear that Yugoslavia would fall apart. Fighting began almost immediately after the two republics declared their independence from from Yugoslavia and this was only the beginning of what would prove to be Europe's bloodiest war since World War II. However, first it is worth adding a note about these wars. There is the very common notion that these wars were nothing more than the product of ancient tribal hatreds and bloodlusts, that the people of Yugoslavia have always hated each other and wanted nothing more than to see their neighbors wiped off the face of the earth. While this may be an easy conclusion to draw, this is not at all true and the reality is much more complicated. For one, it is hard to say that all of the hatreds seen in the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s are ancient. There had never even been any concept of a Macedonian nation for no more than 150 years prior to the breakout of the wars. The tensions in first the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and later in Yugoslavia was not the result of varying ethnicities hating the neighbors they had to share a country with, but rather conflicting and competing nationalisms that got in the way of each other because of structural problems in the way the unified state was constructed. Yugoslavia was simply too small for the nationalisms of its constituent ethnicities. The first sustained violence between Croats and Serbs did not occur until World War II and while the violence was indeed horrific, it hardly qualifies as ancient. Even then, the violence witnessed did not occur because genocide is a "natural" product of Serbo-Croatian relations, but rather because of the desire of the fascist Ustase to create an ethnically pure Croat state, which in turn called for the elimination of Serbian and Muslim minorities in Croatia. While this does nothing to excuse the horrors committed by the Ustase, it does point to the fact that what occurred was in fact a historical anomaly as opposed to ancient historical hatreds. Furthermore, neighborhoods in Yugoslavia were becoming increasingly mixed, intermarriage was on the rise, and people increasingly identified themselves as "Yugoslav" as opposed to Croat, Serb, Slovene, ect. Serbs and Muslims lived in Sarajevo in mixed neighborhoods without incident for quite sometime. Radovan Karadzic was in fact a family doctor who practiced on people regardless of ethnicity until he became the infamous president of the Republika Srpska. What occurred then was a result of manipulative leaders like Ante Pavlic, Slobodan Milosevic, and Franjo Tudjman who exploited and manipulated people's nationalist leanings to gain power and prominence. While it is true that the people must go along with them for their agendas to be successful, it is also true that without such personalities, the potential for violence in the Balkans is significantly diminished. Slovenia Slovenia was the first to break away from Yugoslavia when it declared its independence and began taking over border posts. However, Slovenia left Yugoslavia without much incident, as there were only a few days of fighting and only a few dozen deaths. The federal JNA (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija, or Yugoslav People's Army) withdrew early to deal with the situation of Croatia. Slovenia was recognized as an independent state by the United Nations and European Community in 1992 and has been by far the most successful and prosperous of the former Yugoslav republics, having joined NATO and the European Union in 2004. Croatia However, the situation in Croatia was much more difficult and would come to be the scene of some of the most intense fighting in the wars. In 1990, Croatia elected a non-communist government with nationalist Franjo Tudjman as its leader. The move was spurred largely by the election of Serb nationalist Slobodan Milosevic as Serbian Communist Party leader. He instantly revived dreams of a "Greater Serbia." Milosevic's rhetoric and repression of the Albanian population in Kosovo frightened the other republics. Worried that Serbia would try to impose similar measures over all the republics, Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991. As soon as it declared their independence, fighting broke out. Fighting in Croatia was heavy between the JNA, Serbs in the Krajina and Croat forces. While the Serb forces had the JNA arsenals at their disposal and could additionally stock the Serb militias in the Krajina, Croatia had to rely on its meager national defense forces to defend itself. During this time the Serbs created the Republic of Serbian Krajina in central and northwestern Croatia. The Serb forces (which in this case includes both the JNA and Serb militia forces in the Republic of Serbian Krajina) used their military superiority to claim large chunks of Croatia, namely much of the Krajina, Western Slavonia, before beginning a drive towards the Dalmatian coast, namely the port cities of Zadar, Split, Ploce in the south. Most damaging to Croatia was the capture of Knin, a Dalmatian town near Serbian Krajina that was a major transport hub between Dalmatia and Croatia proper. The loss of this town essentially cut off Zagreb from Dalmatia and its vital coastline. The territorial losses were not only strategically damaging, but also damaging to the Croat national psyche. The Croats swore that they would get their territories back. In 1992, after the European Community had repeatedly tried and failed to negotiate a peace, the United Nations was able to administer a truce between the two sides and sent in a peacekeeping force, UNPROFOR. At the time the agreement went into place the Serbs held roughly 30% of the former Yugoslav Republic of Croatia, and the UN agreement froze this status quo, which also left many Croatians as refugees from their homes in the Republic of Serbian Krajina as part of Serbian ethnic cleansing. There were reports of homes being looted and burned, as well as other atrocities committed against Croat civilians. The United Nations and European Community also recognized Croatia as an independent state in January of 1992. In 1995, Croatian forces launched a massive offensive against the Krajina Serbs. The offensive led to approximately 14,000 Serb civilians being killed and about 300,000 Serb refugees. The lightning attack included attacks against civilians, namely burning Serb homes, looting Serb property, and killing and mutilating Serb civilians, especially the elderly. In retaliation the Serbs launched a rocket attack on the Croatian capital of Zabreb, causing a few deaths and over 100 injuries. Bosnia-Hercegovina Most famous of these wars was the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina. The sheer brutality of the fighting and horrific campaigns of ethnic cleansing drew much of the media coverage and much of the world's sympathy. This war in particular came to epitomize the small-scale ethnic wars that came to prominence during the 1990s. Bosnia had never really been a mono-ethnic state, having been shared between Serbs, Croats, and Bosnian Muslims (also called Bosniaks), all of which held a considerable portion of Bosnia. When Slobodan Milosevic came to power, he began talk of creating a "Greater Serbia" that included much of Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo. It should be noted that this concept of Greater Serbia is not synonymous with historical Serbia. The concept of Greater Serbia could be summed up in Milosevic's famous line, "Where ever there is a Serb, there is Serbia," thus Greater Serbia can be seen as an ethno-national concept rather than a historic one. Voivodina, Bosnia, the Krajina, and Slavonia were never part of the old Serbian Empire, yet had large Serbian populations. Only Kosovo and Serbia-proper were parts of historic Serbia (as well as Macedonia and northern Greece, but these were never contested). The problem is that there were no clear geographic divisions between ethnicities, but rather a complex patchwork of groups spotted across the country and no one held an absolute majority over the country. This meant that in order to create distinct ethnic enclaves, some regions would have to be "ethnically cleansed," a sickeningly sterile term that essentially amounts to removing a ethnic population with whatever means necessary. This would have tragic consequences in Bosnia. Bosnia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1992 and was recognized by the international community and admitted to the UN soon after. The Bosnian Serbs almost instantly created the Republika Srpska with the idea of creating an ethnically pure Serbian enclave in northern and eastern Bosnia. The Croats began to do the same with the founding of the Croatian Community of Herceg-Bosna (Herceg/Herzegovina refers to the Croatian portion of Bosnia). Fighting grew to be intense between Muslim forces and Bosnian Croat forces who were directly supported by the Croatian government in Zagreb, and in 1994 Croatian forces began to fight directly in support of the Bosnian Croats. In 1994 Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats agreed to a cease-fire and founded the joint Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. As the war with the Serbs continued, both the Bosnian Croats and Muslims began to fight together against the Serb forces. The fighting between the Serbs and Bosnian Muslims was perhaps the heaviest and most reported in the entire war. The Serbs were interested in creating an ethnically pure Republika Srpska for the Serbs, but large Muslim minorities, especially in the cities, made it difficult for the Serbs to carve out homogonous ethnic entities. As a result, the army of the Republika Srpska under the leadership of General Ratko Mladic began a policy of "ethnic cleansing" against Muslims in what they considered to be Serb lands. This included sending Muslims to Europe's first concentration camps since World War II, massive counts of rape and sexual assault against Muslim women and girls, and mass executions of Muslim men and boys of military age. Most infamous of these acts was the 1995 massacre in the city of Srebrenica, where more than 7000 Muslims were killed by Serb forces under than command of Gen. Mladic. There was also heavy looting, torture of Muslims, and widespread forced relocation. Many of Bosnia's cities were also besieged by Serb forces, namely Sarajevo, Bihac, and Tuzla, as well as many others. The brutality and scale of the fighting shocked many in the west. Though it should be added for the sake of fairness, that while most acts of ethnic cleansing were overwhelmingly committed by Serb forces, Croat and Muslim forces also committed similar acts as well. In addition, this was not the first time that ethnic cleansing was practiced in the Balkans, with both the Croat Ustase and the Serb Cetniks committing acts of ethnic cleansing during World War II. Governments however, were less effective in dealing with the war in Yugoslavia. The United Nations has been criticized for its handling of the conflict, and rightfully so. The UN Protective Force (UNPROFOR) was originally designed to supervise the cease-fire between Serbs and Croats, but soon found its mission extended to Bosnia. However, UNPROFOR was designed by the UN to act only as a peace-keeping force, not a war-fighting force, and the rules of engagement assigned to UNPROFOR were designed accordingly to enforce their status as peace-keepers. UNPROFOR was ordered not to fire unless directly fired upon and were not engage in the fighting under any circumstances, even to defend UN-designated "safe areas" in Srebrenica, Tuzla, and Zepa, designed to protect Muslim populations from Serb aggression. As a result, the Dutch UNPROFOR unit was forced to stand by as Serb forces rounded up and massacred Muslim civilians in Srebrenica. The UN's inaction during the massacre has become a tragic symbol of the UN's failed peace-keeping policy in Bosnia. Rather than keep the peace, the Serbs only found ways to exploit it, making a farce of UNPROFOR. But the policy failures extended beyond UNPROFOR. For one, an arms embargo was placed on the combatants. Yet rather than control the scale of the fighting, it simply reinforced the arms disparity between the well-armed Serb forces and the poorly armed Muslim forces. This contributed to considerable Serb gains in Bosnia, as they eventually held two thirds of Bosnia's territory. However, the Croat-Muslim alliance that was formed in 1994 helped tip the scales against the Serbs, and the Croats and Muslims succeeded in reducing Serb gains. The Yugoslav government under the leadership of Slobodan Milosevic cut off military aid to the Bosnian Serbs, which helped contribute to Serb losses. It should be noted that while Serb forces in both Bosnia and the Krajina tried to present themselves as independent entities with separate armies and separate governments and leadership, there is no question that they got most of their support from Belgrade and Milosevic. The Yugoslav government was crucial in supplying the Krajina and Bosnian Serbs with weapons, ammunition, fuel, and logistical support, even though Yugoslavia claimed to be uninvolved in the fighting. In fact, Slobodan Milosevic was the main architect of the war in the former Yugoslavia. The Dayton Peace Accords Throughout the war there were several attempts to negotiate some sort of a peace deal between the sides. While there was some success in negotiating agreements between the Croats and Serbs and the Croats and Muslims, negotiating a peace agreement between the Serbs and Muslims was considerably more difficult. There were talks and even plans put in place (like the Vance-Owen peace plan) that would have called for the canonization of Bosnia. This would mean that Bosnia would Bosnia would be divided into mono-ethnic noncontiguous cantons. However these plans were scrapped as ethnic cleansing altered Bosnia's ethnic makeup. While before the war Bosnia was a messy patchwork of ethnicities with no discernable regions devoted to a single ethnicity, ethnic cleansing essentially did the job is was supposed to do by creating distinct Serbian, Muslim, and Croat regions. Before and after ethnographic maps of Bosnia clearly show the dramatic results of ethnic cleansing. As a result, peacemakers tried to find a solution to accommodate these changes. While ideally it would have been favorable to return to Bosnia's multiethnic mixture, the results of the war and the intentions of the negotiating parties, especially the Serbs and Croats, would mean that Bosnia would have to be divided along ethnic lines. This solution was amiable to Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic and Croat leader Franjo Tudjman, both of whom wished to divide Bosnia between Serbia and Croatia. There is even a story that after having a bit to drink, Tudjman drew a map for negotiator Paddy Ashdown that showed the border that the Serbs and Croats would use to divide Bosnia. For the west, ending the war became vital to secure peace in Europe. There had long been the perception that the west was not doing enough to end the fighting, so eventually it became politically beneficial to western leaders to hammer out some sort of agreement. The end result of this were the Dayton Peace Accords which were signed in December 1995. Under this agreement, Bosnia was to be divided into two-substate entities: the Muslim-Croat federation which would claim 51% of Bosnia's territory, and the Serbian Republika Srpska, which claimed 49% of Bosnia's territory. Sarajevo was to be a unified city while the former Muslim "safe-zone" of Gorazde would remain under Muslim control. The federal government was to be of mixed ethnicity, but with a high representative from the UN who had far reaching powers over the Bosnian federal government. The UN high commissioner had the power to dismiss officials or veto laws that might be contrary to the peace process, making the high representative a sort of UN-appointed president. The Presidency of Bosnia-Hercegovina was to be a rotating presidency between the three ethnicities. Its main tasks concern foreign policy, defense, and dealing with parliament. The legislature was to be divided among the different ethnicities as well. NATO was to take the lead in peacekeeping operations with the so-called " Intervention Force" (IFOR) whose 60,000 personnel (60% of whom were American) were tasked with maintaining the cease-fire and keeping the peace. Unlike UNPROFOR, IFOR came to Bosnia heavily armed and was permitted to shoot whenever necessary. It essentially had the backbone that UNPROFOR was so lacking in. What resulted however was a fractured state that was too federal and lack any sort of real cohesion. Each of Bosnia's three entities acted with undue political independence. For example, the Croat entity issued Croatian license plates, money, police uniforms, and its citizens acted as citizens of Croatia, not Bosnia. The Serb entity was no better. The Republika Srpska acted almost as an independent state, with its own government, state symbols, president, parliament, customs and border guards, and even had its own airline. While Dayton and IFOR undoubtedly ended the fighting and preserved the cease-fire in the country, many agreed that the state and the peace were only held up by foreign intervention and support. While Dayton may have ended the fighting, there were serious doubts as to whether it created a functioning state in Bosnia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fire managers with the Coconino National Forest are allowing three lightning-caused fires to burn, allowing the fire to fulfill its natural role in a healthy ecosystem. In addition to the Mormon and Cowboy fires, a third lightning-caused fire, Pivot Rock fire, in the Mogollon Ranger District is being used as a multiple objective fire. All three are currently small in size, Pivot Rock is the largest at approximately 360 acres and the other two are smoldering in areas that are visible to the public, which will become even more noticeable as conditions dry out. The most noticeable fire to the public is the Cowboy fire, it is next to I-17, near the northbound Kelly Canyon exit. Fire operations will cause this area to increase the smoke thickness today and the rest of the week. Motorist are reminded to use caution and leave plenty of time to travel in these smoky areas. Arizona Department of Transportation, the Forest Service and other area public works have placed signs and in a cooperative effort are reminding motorist to slow down and drive safely. The forest thrives on fires such as these that are low severity and creep across the forest floor, reducing fuels, the risk of severe wildfire, creating safer conditions for residents and visitors, and restoring wildlife habitat by promoting future healthy vegetation. Even though the smoke increases this week, motorist and travelers should see relief Friday as the Forest Service will monitor and hold the fires to the greatest extent possible over the Memorial Day weekend. The fires will increase in size as time goes on, and firefighters will be conducting burnout operations to manage where and how the fires move through the landscape. Smoke will become more noticeable, but still be much lighter than that of a severe wildfire. Fire managers will closely monitor smoke impacts to communities. The smoke near I-17 may settle in the Interstate corridor over nights, so motorist will need to obey ADOT instructions and personnel monitoring road conditions. The Pivot Rock, Mormon and Cowboy fires are not prescribed burns. Though the resource benefits will be similar, these are wildfires that will be managed and used as nature intended. This means they do not have planned end dates, but fire managers have carefully determined the perimeters within which the fires may run their natural course. Ultimately, fire will eventually treat portions, or all of, the land inside the perimeters. Information and details about the fires, including their objectives, will be updated on Inciweb at inciweb.nwcg.gov/. Quick updates will also be provided via the Coconino NF Twitter site at www.twitter.com/coconinonf (@CoconinoNF), so please follow us if you would like to be updated as information is received. The public can report smoke impacts online at http://tinyurl.com/cof-smokerpt or get more information about the Forest at www.coconinonationalforest.us. PVIOT ROCK FIRE OVERVIEW Start Date: May 19, 2016. Location: Approximately 3.25 miles northeast of the junction of SR 87 and SR 260; 8 miles northeast of the towns of Pine and Strawberry. Current Size: 360 acres Fire Behavior: Fire is moving and active along all sides of the area. Fuels are being reduced with low to moderate severity impacts to forest floor and soil. Smoke Impacts: None currently. Closures: None currently. Current Management Actions: MORMON FIRE OVERVIEW Start Date: May 14, 2016. Location: Approximately six miles east of Munds Park near Mormon Mountain. Current Size: Six acres Fire Behavior: Smoldering and creeping, producing light smoke. Smoke Impacts: Smoke will increase this week with back burning operations. Closures: None currently. Current Management Actions: In monitoring status until conditions become drier. COWBOY FIRE OVERVIEW Start Date: May 17, 2016. Location: About eight miles south of Flagstaff, on the immediate east side of Interstate 17. Current Size: Five acres. Fire Behavior: Smoldering, with visible small flame lengths and creeping across the forest. Smoke Impacts: Smoke is readily visible from I-17 since the fire is right next to the interstate. Smoke will increase this week and could impact the community of Mountainaire and Kachina since they are north of the fires location. Motorists should be cautious while traveling along I-17 near the fire (approximately milepost 331), as smoke could reduce visibility, and fire personnel will be working on and near the roads as management of the fire increases. Closures: None currently. Current Management Actions: In monitoring status until conditions become drier. Deveselu Base, Romania The US activated the $800 million (700 million euro) missile defense site in southern Romania on 12 May 2016, a move that infuriated Moscow. "Both the US and NATO have made it clear the system is not designed for or capable of undermining Russia's strategic deterrence capability," US assistant secretary of state Frank Rose told a news conference in Bucharest. "Russia has repeatedly raised concerns that the U.S. and NATO defense are directed against Russia and represent a threat to its strategic nuclear deterrent. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. Rose instead cited Iran as the targeted threat. "Iran continues to develop, test and deploy a full range of ballistic missile capabilities and those capabilities are increasing in range and accuracy," he said. Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, chairman of the State Duma's defense committee, called the missile defense site a threat to Russia. "This is a direct threat to us,'' Komoyedov, the former commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, told the Interfax news agency. "They are moving to the firing line. This is not just 100; it's 200, 300, 1,000 percent aimed against us. This is not about Iran, but about Russia with its nuclear capabilities,'' he said. Russia's envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said by deploying Mk-41 launchers capable of firing intermediate-range missiles at Aegis Ashore bases, the US is seriously undermines the agreements under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces [INF] Treaty." The new Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system at Romanias Deveselu airbase came online 18 December 2015, as the US Navy took control of the site after years of construction. Washington and Bucharest announced the pre-operational phase of the first ground-based Aegis Ashore anti-missile site at Deveselu airbase at an official ceremony. That means all the major components of the missile defense system, including the missiles, are in place, and have been handed over to military commanders. However, the system cannot be formally called operational until spring 2016 as it needs to be fully integrated into NATOs ballistic missile defense system, a move championed by Obama administration. The US assumed control of the missile-intercepting defense base in southern Romania 10 October 2014 as part of a new NATO missile shield in a move that has unsettled Russia as NATO bolsters its presence in Europe. This is an historic occasion, said NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow during the inauguration ceremony at the Deveselu military base, south Romania. The facility here in Deveselu will be a crucial component in building up NATOs overall ballistic missile defense system, Vershbow said, reported Stars and Stripes. By the end of 2015 this base will be operational and integrated into the overall NATO system. Romanias Deveselu will host the base, which was previously a disused Romanian airfield, and it will come into operation in 2015 as part of NATO's overall ballistic missile defense (BMD) system. On October 29, 2013 Romania and the United States inaugurated a military site that will be part of the NATO missile defense system that protects Europe from attack. Russia vigorously opposed having a U.S. missile system so close to its borders, and Moscow is sure to retaliate. The United States and Romania jointly selected the Deveselu Air Base near Caracal, Romania, to host a U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System which employs the SM-3 interceptor (also referred to as the Aegis Ashore System). The deployment to Romania is anticipated to occur in the 2015 timeframe as part of the second phase of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) the U.S. national contribution to a NATO missile defense architecture. The EPAA will provide protection of NATO European territories and populations, and augment protection of the United States, against the increasing threats posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles from the Middle East. At the November 2010 NATO Summit, the Alliance welcomed the EPAA as a U.S. national contribution to the NATO missile defense capability. American officials reiterated that the system is designed to protect against short and medium-range missiles, and it is not designed to undercut Russia's strategic deterrent. American officials said there was no basis for such a concern, citing the invitation from the United States and NATO for Moscow's participation in a common missile defense system for Europe. The U.S. believes that cooperation on missile defense is in the security interest of both countries, and is the best way to provide Russia transparency and reassurances that missile defense is not a threat to its security. The site will consist of a radar deckhouse and associated Aegis command, control, and communications suite. Separately, it will house a number of launch modules containing SM-3 interceptors. Personnel can live and work safely near the Aegis radar system. The United States has safely operated the Aegis Radar Test site in Moorestown, New Jersey for over 30 years without any danger to people or the environment. SM-3 interceptors are for defensive purposes only and have no offensive capability. They carry no explosive warheads of any type, and rely on their kinetic energy to collide with and destroy incoming enemy ballistic missile warheads. The Aegis Ashore configuration of the ballistic missile defense system will be thoroughly tested at a specialized test center at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Hawaii starting in 2014. The U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense site is approximately 430 acres (175 hectares) and is located within the existing Romanian Air Base at Deveselu. An estimated 200 military, government civilians, and support contractors will be required to operate the U.S. facility at the site. SM-3 Interceptors based in Romania will not be used for flight tests, and will be launched only in defense against an actual attack. The risk of damage or injury from an intercept and debris are small and pose little threat to people and property. The alternative (allowing a threat warhead to impact its target) likely would result in far more severe consequences. At the semiannual joint committee meeting June 29, 2012, Sebastian Hulaban, State Secretary for Defense Policy and Planning in the Romanian Ministry of Defense, and Major General Mark O. Schissler, Director, Plans and Policy, at Headquarters U.S. European Command, signed two implementing arrangements and three amendments to existing implementing arrangements related to the construction and operation of the planned missile defense facility in Deveselu. One implementing arrangement is for the use of land areas surrounding Deveselu Base, which is located near Caracal, Romania. The other implementing arrangement is for the use of airspace over Deveselu Base. The two governments also signed three amendments to existing implementing arrangements regarding security, real estate and the functioning of the joint committee. Each of these implementing arrangements supports Phase II of the European Phased Adaptive Approach. U.S. NAVSUPPFAC, Deveselu, Romania was establishes June 12, 2013 per the U.S. and Romanian Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement signed in September 2011. The facility supports the U.S. Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System Romania established in 2012. Host nation notification is not required for this action as it was publicly announced by the two governments in 2011. The AEGIS ASHORE Navy Facilities and Infrastructure encompasses approximately 80 hectares (198 acres) and is the location of the non-mission support facilities. The project, awarded July 9, 2013 to Kellogg Brown & Root Services, Inc, consists of the necessary facilities to support an operational Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System (AAMDS) in Deveselu, Romania. The facilities will include a two story combined barracks/dining facility including morale welfare space, administration space, and recreation functions, a public works facility, a general purpose warehouse, a medical facility, a lift station and an access control facility. The barracks/dining facility will include Sustainable design principles and be LEED Gold. The other facilities include sustainable design principles. Pavement facilities include asphalt roadways, concrete drives, parking and an outer control road. Site preparation includes contaminated soil clean-up. The project includes a complete Access Control Point and boundary fencing. Supporting facilities include: electrical services; water; sewer; paving; walks; storm drainage; fire protection and alarm systems; site improvements; telecommunication and information management systems. Access for handicapped will be provided. Temporary facilities will support construction oversight and equipment installation. An Electronic Security System is also required. Temporary facilities, mob/demob includes provisions for a construction man-camp based upon the remote rural location of Deveselu and the non-availability of skilled workers may be necessary to construct a highly technical missile defense site. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia to Respond to US Missile Shield in Europe - Security Council Sputnik News 16:58 23.05.2016(updated 16:59 23.05.2016) Russia will find ways to respond properly to the deployment of US missile defense systems in eastern Europe, Deputy Secretary of Russia's Security Council Yevgeny Lukyanov said Monday. GROZNY (Sputnik) The Aegis system uses advanced radar and powerful computers to control weapons aimed at enemy targets. Originally developed for ships, the system has been modified for land use, and it is central to a NATO missile defense system now being installed over Russian objections in Romania and Poland. "Any threat will always meet a proper response," Lukyanov said ahead of a high-level international security meeting in southern Russia. Russia has repeatedly expressed concern over the creation of the ballistic missile defense system in Europe, approved in 2010 during a NATO summit in Lisbon. A group of European countries, including Poland, Romania, Spain and Turkey, agreed to deploy elements of the system on their territories. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Some 4,300 Officials Reprimanded for Misconduct in China in April Sputnik News 12:00 22.05.2016(updated 12:12 22.05.2016) The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) reprimanded 4,300 officials last month for disciplinary violations, the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement on its website Sunday. BEIJING (Sputnik) In March, the commission said it investigated 3,115 discipline violation cases, carried out inspections across 31 regions, 139 central and state bodies, 106 government enterprises, and 15 state financial institutions. A total of over 1.65 million officials have been punished in the first quarter of this year. The CCDI was created to fight corruption and other abuses within the ranks of the CPC. The watchdog conducts internal investigations before deciding whether to hand the case over to the judicial authorities. After assuming office in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping initiated a large-scale campaign to secure discipline and to fight corruption, primarily targeting high-level officials in the CPC, the armed forces and state-run enterprises. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany's Bundeswehr Concealed Shortcomings With Jets' Production For Years Sputnik News 20:05 22.05.2016(updated 23:24 22.05.2016) The German Ministry of Defense knew about the violations in the production of the Airbus A400M transport aircraft for several years, but has done little to improve the situation, German magazine Der Spiegel reported, referring to internal Bundeswehr documents. According to the magazine, inspection groups identified shortcomings in the Airbus plants in northern Germany and in 2013 informed the ministry about the violations. The plants reportedly produced defective fuselage details which got covered with cracks during their exploitation. In particular, the report referred to "intolerable working conditions" in the plants and frequent strikes. However, the Bundeswehr has not solved the problem, but rather "urged" the inspection body to weaken its control, the documents revealed. Meanwhile, the German Ministry of Defense said that the shortcomings in the production have been identified and partially resolved. Airbus representatives, for their turn, stated that the problematic parts of the aircraft weren't produced in factories in the north of Germany. Earlier, the French military announced that it will buy its transport planes from the US aeronautics supplier because of problems with the Airbus A400M. France bought four Airbus A400M military cargo planes, but restricted their use in May after an Airbus A400M crashed in Spain during its first flight. An investigation by Spanish authorities concluded that the aircraft had a problem with the supply of power to three of the aircraft's four engines, possibly due to a software problem. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Money Trouble: German Bundeswehr Can't Afford New Tanks Sputnik News 10:07 22.05.2016 The German Bundeswehr is short of funds to buy an advanced tactical missile defense system and an additional number of Leopard-2 tanks, according to an internal Defense Ministry document obtained by the daily newspaper Bild. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen earlier planned the purchase of 100 Leopard-2 tanks amid the military conflict in eastern Ukraine. The lack of funds has put at risk the implementation of a number of other defense programs, including the creation of a so-called "cyber army." Citing the dangers of a hybrid warfare and hacking attacks, Bundeswehr only recently began to form the new IT structure within the army, which now, however, faces the possibility of shutting down before ever starting to work. Germany will also fall short of meeting NATO's target of ramping defense budgets up to 2 percent of GDP, which was agreed on during the Wales summit in 2014. "Starting from 2018 the share of our defense spending relative to the GDP will again be down to the 2014 level," the document said. Overall, the 2017 defense budget is slated to increase by 1.7 billion euros, but a promised pay raise to servicemen will eat up most of the allotted funds. According to the authors of the country's 2017 budget the mid-term deficit is expected to reach a hefty 7 billion euros. Meanwhile, according to German defense planners' estimates, the Bundeswehr will need 3.6 billion euros to implement the military reforms slated for next year. Ursula von der Leyen has already managed to obtain government approval to raise the country's defense spending before 2020 to 39.2 billion euros from 34.3 now. However, the planned hike requires the consent of the Bundestag. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beit-ol-Moqaddas-28 military drills begin in central Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Kashan, Isfahan prov., May 22, IRNA -- Beit-ol-Moqaddas-28 military exercise started on Sunday in two provincial regions in cnetral Iran during a ceremony attended by Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan. The drills started with fire-testing of two Army tockets in Kashan's Maranjab Desert and Isfahan's Nasrabad region. Units of Army's Ground Force demonstrate their strength during the two-day military drills using their latest weapons, defensive and missile tactics. Improved versions of the indigenous 'Nazeat' and 'Fajr-5' missiles would hit their hypothetical targets during the first stage of the drills which are being held on the eve of the anniversary of the liberation of the strategic southwestern city of Khorramshahr on May 24, 1982 (Khordad 3rd in the Iranian calendar). Occupied by Iraqi troops in the early days of the eigh-years of Iraq's imposed war against Iran (1980-1988), Khorramshahr was finally liberated on May 24, 1982, after two days of heavy fighting and sacrificies made by the Iranian forces. Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems in recent years. The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries and that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence. 9060**1394 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran test-fires artillery rockets in missile drill Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 6:43AM The Iranian Army's Ground Forces have successfully test-fired a number of rockets during a major maneuver in the central parts of the Islamic Republic. The two-day exercise codenamed Beit-ul-Muqaddas 28 opened in a desert area in the central province of Isfahan on Sunday and saw the successful test-fire of a number of domestically-manufactured short-range N-6 and N-10 Naze'at and Fajr 5 rockets. Long-range artillery of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces also hit predetermined targets during the drill. Speaking before the opening of the drill, Iranian Army's Ground Forces Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said the maneuver is aimed at improving the capabilities of the forces and exercising defensive and missile tactics in asymmetric warfare. He added that the Iranian Armed Forces are ready to counter both extra-regional threats and proxy wars led by Takfiri terrorist groups. The commander emphasized that the Iranian Armed Forces would display their might in the face of any possible threat or invasion by enemies. He said the maneuver conveys the message of peace and friendship to regional countries. The Iranian Army's Ground Forces successfully held Beit ul-Muqaddas 27 war game in Isfahan Province in May 2015. In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems. Iran has also conducted other major military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and state-of-the-art army equipment. The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Successfully Test-Fires 2 Ballistic Missiles During Drills Sputnik News 14:00 22.05.2016(updated 16:07 22.05.2016) The Iranian military has successfully carried out launches of two short-range ballistic missiles during ground forces exercises, local media reported Sunday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the IRNA news agency, the improved versions of Nazeat and Fajr-5 missiles were used during the first stage of the two-day drills in Kashan's Maranjab Desert and Isfahan's Nasrabad region. "The Beit-ol-Moqaddas-28 military drills aimed at enhancing defensive capabilities, training techniques in asymmetric war and test-firing improved weapons of the Iranian Army," Commander of the Ground Force of the Iranian Army Brig. Gen. Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said, as quoted by the media outlet. Iran's target of boosting its national defense program has sparked concerns among the international community, despite reassurances from Tehran that it would never threaten the national security of another state. On July 14, Iran and the P5+1 group of countries comprising Russia, the United States, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which guarantees the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Following the adoption of the JCPOA, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2231, which prohibits Iran from engaging in activities related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi premier orders 'liberalization' of Fallujah from Daesh Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 10:19PM Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi informs the Iraqi nation of the beginning of a process for the "liberation" of the Daesh-held Fallujah city. Nearly 70 kilometers west of the capital Baghdad, the strategic city has been suffering under the Takfiris' control. In a televised speech late on Sunday, the commander-in-chief announced the start of the operation, promising the nation that the "Iraqi flag will rise" again in Fallujah. The city will return under the control of the government just like "hundreds of villages and cities and towns," recaptured by the Iraqi soldiers, backed by Shia and Sunni fighters. The forces tasked with battling the Takfiri terrorists in the western Iraq are "approaching a moment of great victory," stated the prime minister. The western town of Rutba, also in Anbar, was recently the recaptured by Iraqi forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq army prepares for Fallujah recapture, urges residents to leave Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 2:8PM The Iraqi army has been preparing to retake the control of the strategic city of Fallujah in Anbar province from the Takfiri Daesh group, asking residents to leave the area before the operation begins. The army said in a statement on Sunday that it "is asking citizens that are still in Fallujah to be prepared to leave the city through secured routes that will be announced later." The army also said that local residents who could not move should raise white flags to mark their location. The army, however, did not give any clear date for the operation. Deputy district council chairman Fail al-Essawi said people could camp west, southwest and southeast of Fallujah as three corridors would be opened for them to be able to leave the city. Essawi said over 75,000 people remained in the city. Fallujah was the first city seized by Daesh militants in Iraq in January 2014, six months before the Takfiri group took control of many other Iraqi cities. Daesh shooters have reportedly been stopping Fallujah citizens from escaping the city amid acute shortage of basic commodities and medication. According to the UN and Human Rights Watch, people in Fallujah were facing food and medicine shortages and aid convoys could not reach the city. Iraqi forces have surrounded the western city after they took control of the city of Ramadi last December. Militants have prevented people from leaving the city. The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted their offensive in June 2014. Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi troops advance in Fallujah, kill dozens of Daesh militants Iran Press TV Mon May 23, 2016 6:3AM Dozens of Takfiri militants have been killed as Iraq launches an offensive to retake one of the two remaining Daesh strongholds, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi saying the "moment of great victory has drawn near." Iraqi jets bombed Daesh positions in Fallujah late Sunday, destroying an explosive-making factory and a court building where the extremist group sentenced many of its victims to death, the al-Sumaria news website reported. According to volunteer Hashid al-Shaabi sources, troops pounded terrorist positions in northern and northeastern Fallujah with heavy rocket and artillery fire. The districts of Harariat and al-Lifyah as well as Shahabi were liberated, the al-Forat news agency said Monday. The offensive is being conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shia Muslim militias, Prime Minister Abadi said on Sunday. Security sources said Abadi is personally supervising the operation and had visited the command center near the city to meet military commanders. Fallujah and Mosul, the capital of the northern province of Nineveh, are the last two major cities Daesh still holds in Iraq. Fallujah is almost completely surrounded by Iraqi forces, who have regained significant ground in Anbar province in recent months, including its capital Ramadi further up the Euphrates River valley. "We are beginning the operation to liberate Fallujah," Abadi said in a statement. "The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah," he added. Fallujah, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the Takfiris in January 2014, six months before Daesh declared a "caliphate" spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria. More than 75,000 civilians remain in Fallujah, according to Iraqi officials who have urged them to flee. Residents, however, say checkpoints controlled by the extremists along roads leading out of the city are preventing most from fleeing. On Monday, a tribal source said Daesh had imposed a curfew in the city and shut bridges with concrete blocks. According to the military's media unit, families who cannot flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city, a tactic employed with some success during other recent offensives. "Our goal is to liberate civilians from Daesh's repression and terrorism," Abadi said in his televised speech. The announcement comes at a time when Iraqi ground forces are gaining territory against Daesh, most recently in Iraq's vast western Anbar province. Most recently, Iraqi forces recaptured the western town of Rutba in Anbar from the terrorists. Iraqi forces, however, are expected to face a complicated fight to push Daesh out of Fallujah. Following recent gains in Rutba and Hit, control of Fallujah would secure the road more than 500 km (300 miles) from Baghdad to the Jordanian border and northwards to Haditha. But Daesh still controls vast swathes of territory and major cities such as Mosul in the north which Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake this year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Fears for Fallujah Civilians as Iraq Begins Offensive by Sharon Behn May 23, 2016 United Nations officials are worried about thousands of families who may be trapped in Fallujah, as Iraqi forces start an offensive to retake the city from Islamic State militants. The U.N. refugee agency on Monday said it was worried about the estimated 10,000 families who "are unable to leave Fallujah and who are in a very precarious situation." Some 80 families have fled over the past few days, but for some, "their escape was at the cost of lost lives, including women and children," said UNHCR's assistant representative in Iraq, Leila Jane Nassif. The U.N. mission for Iraq has been warning of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the city, with residents unable to get even basic supplies. Aid has not reached the city since December, when supply routes were cut off by Iraqi forces and armed groups. "Residents have faced acute shortages of food and medicine and other essential items," Nassif said Monday. Local media reported that some civilians trying to escape had been stopped by Islamic State militants; others had been killed by bombs placed along the roads. Iraq's military has called on residents trapped in the city to mark their locations with white flags, as Iraqi ground troops begin moving to end a months-long siege of the Islamic State stronghold. Combat aircraft are supporting the troops. Prime minister pledges 'great victory' Fallujah was the first city in Iraq to fall to IS extremists in January 2014 and the group is well entrenched. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Iraqi forces were "approaching a moment of great victory." "The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah," Abadi declared on national television Sunday night. The embattled prime minister stood side by side with the nation's top military commanders and counterterrorism forces as he spoke. The traditional Sunni city is an important base for Islamic State in Iraq's vast western Anbar province and the battle to retake it will likely be a harsh one. The operation to retake the city is expected to include an array of Iraqi forces, including the army, counterterrorism troops, Sunni volunteer fighters and powerful Shi'ite militias. U.S. airstrikes have been pounding IS targets in and around the city for weeks. The U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, Col. Steve Warren, has said that clearing Anbar of IS would contribute to the security of the capital, Baghdad. IS could go into hiding Islamic State has been steadily losing physical ground as the fight to defeat the militants in both Iraqi and Syria has intensified. According to The Soufan Group, or TSG, which specializes in strategic security intelligence, the extremist group will likely react to its current losses by going underground until conditions allow it to appear again. "Despite collective military action against the Islamic State's strongholds, the vacuums, divisions, and tensions that fueled the group's rise are as bad as ever," TSG wrote Monday. The Fallujah operation comes as Prime Minister Abadi faces a serious challenge to his leadership aggravated by a series of bombings in the capital that have left more than 100 people dead. Anti-government street protests galvanized by Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have left the parliament in disarray and paralyzed most of the government. The latest demonstration on Friday at the entrance of the fortified International Zone where the prime minister's office is located ended in a hail of warning gunfire in the air, tear gas and stun grenades. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Libya Asks for EU Assistance in Coast Guard, Naval Forces Training Sputnik News 23:16 22.05.2016(updated 00:48 23.05.2016) According to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's statement, Libyan authorities have requested EU assistance in the training of employees of the Coast Guard and the country's naval forces. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Libyan authorities have requested EU assistance in the training of employees of the Coast Guard and the country's naval forces, according to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's statement published Sunday. "The Libyan Prime Minister [Fayez] Serraj has written to request rapid EU support contributing to the training of the Libyan Navy and Coast Guard, as well as the security service," the statement read. According to Mogherini, the move of the Libyan authorities is an "important development" that is due to be discussed on Monday during a meeting of the European Council on foreign affairs in order to fulfil all necessary measures to support the Libyan population as soon as possible. On Friday, Mogherini said the European Union and the NATO could cooperate in training Libyan coastguards in curbing arms smuggling in the Mediterranean. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan slams US drone strike reportedly killing Taliban chief Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 5:29PM Pakistan has denounced the US drone strike believed to have killed the Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour. In a statement issued to the media, Pakistan's foreign office said the drone strike was a violation of its sovereignty, adding that information about the drone strike was shared with the prime minister and the army chief after the strike. "It may be recalled that the fifth meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) held on 18th May had reiterated that a politically negotiated settlement was the only viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan and called upon the Taliban to give up violence and join peace talks," the statement said. Afghanistan's spy agency known as National Security Directorate (NDS), senior officials in Kabul and some militant sources on Sunday confirmed that the Taliban leader was killed after the US drones targeted his vehicle in a remote area of in a remote area of south-west Pakistan, near the Afghan border, on Saturday. On Saturday, the US Department of Defense announced in a statement that it had mounted the strike against Mansour "in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region." The Pentagon announced on Saturday that the operation had been authorized by President Barack Obama. The development comes as 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 and sheltering its leadership, while Islamabad blames the Afghan government for giving shelter to the militants on its side of the border. Moreover, 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. The Taliban has seen a string of defections ever since the news about the death of its founder and long-time leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, broke in late July 2015. Mullah Omar died at a hospital in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi in April 2013. 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. In recent months, a four-member group comprising Afghanistan, the United States, China and Pakistan has been attempting to revive the talks. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Accused of 'Violating Pakistani Sovereignty' in Taliban Drone Strike Sputnik News 15:57 23.05.2016 Pakistan has accused the US of violating its sovereignty following a US drone strike that killed the leader of the Afghan Taliban in an area just inside Pakistan's border. US President Barack Obama confirmed Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the leader of the Afghan arm of the Taliban, had been killed in the strike, labelling the death "an important milestone" in the fight against the group. While Obama justified the US intervention, saying Mansour had "continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and coalition forces," the drone strike, which was conducted inside Pakistani territory, angered officials in Islamabad. "This is a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said, claiming that Islamabad was not informed before the drone strike was carried out. In fact, media reports have suggested Pakistani officials were informed after the drone strike had been carried out. Concerns Over Taliban Splintering While US officials were concerned Mansour's leadership was pushing the Taliban closer to jihadist groups like al-Qaeda, there are fears his death could trigger further fracturing within the group, as rivals engage in a power struggle for control. Pakistan has previously denounced US drone strikes on its territory, labelling them a breach of sovereignty, with the latest incident set to further strain relations between Washington and Islamabad. Pakistan officials have long argued that the only way to end the conflict in Afghanistan was to negotiate with a united Taliban, with concerns Mansour's death could have a negative effect on the peace process. The death comes amid stalled peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, with last month's deadly suicide bombing in Kabul leading Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to prioritize military solutions rather than negotiations. While the Taliban are yet to make a public statement in reaction to the news, it's understood the group's leadership council have already met to choose a successor. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria militants threaten to abandon ceasefire agreement Iran Press TV Sun May 22, 2016 5:57PM Syria's militant groups have threatened to stop abiding by a cessation of hostilities deal unless Syrian government forces ends targeting terrorist positions near the capital, Damascus, within 48 hours. Some 40 militant groups fighting against the Syrian government across the country signed a statement on Sunday, saying they would consider the truce as having "totally collapsed" if the government forces did not stop their fight against them in two days. The statement also said once the two-day period is over, the foreign-backed militant groups would "take all possible measures and respond with all means." This came as the Syrian army made fresh gains against terrorists in the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus on Friday and managed to retake 13 villages from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front elements. The militants' statement said that the Syrian army should stop fighting against terrorists and "pulls back to its pre-May 14 positions," especially in Daraya. In Hama, the Syrian soldiers broke the siege imposed on al-Zara power plant and forced terrorists to retreat and move to the town of Harbanafseh in the southern countryside of the province. The Syrian Air Force further destroyed positions held by Daesh terrorists in al-Shaer field and Um al-Tababeer area in the central Homs Province. The Syrian army has vowed to press ahead with its counter-terror military operations and drive terrorists out of their major strongholds. A ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia went into effect on February 27 across Syria. The truce agreement does not apply to Daesh and al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. According to UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, over 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict since March 2011. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US General's Surprise Visit to Kurds Prompts Syrian Rebels' Fury by Jamie Dettmer May 23, 2016 A visit by a top U.S. military commander to northeast Syria to confer with Kurdish commanders and plot the next stage in the battle against the Islamic State group has provoked the anger of Syrian rebel commanders, who accuse the Obama administration of giving up on the Syrian revolution. In interviews with VOA Monday, the Syrian rebels warned that the U.S.-led international coalition's strategy is creating the circumstances for future sectarian violence between Arabs and Kurds by turning to the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF), dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, to liberate Arab majority towns from Islamic State. The warning came in the wake of an unannounced 11-hour trip to Kurdish-controlled northern Syria Saturday by General Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command. Votel told Pentagon correspondents who accompanied him that the U.S. had to work with the allies it has on the ground against IS and that the defeat of the jihadist group remains for Washington the clear military priority not the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. The SDF's Arab militias, several of whom have checkered histories, at best represent about 20 percent of the total SDF force, which can field about 30,000 fighters. Free Syrian Army (FSA) commanders, however, insist the number of Arab fighters in the SDF is much lower than the claimed 5,000 to 10,000. US support of SDF incites anger The U.S. attention being given to the SDF is infuriating FSA factions. Rebel commanders also bristle at what they say is the Western media's uncritical reporting of the YPG, much of it focused on the Kurdish group's embrace of secularism and the presence of young women fighters in its ranks. "We are getting insufficient supplies form the West both in terms of quantities as well as the type of weapons we need," says Zakaria Malahefji of the 3,000-strong Fastaqim Kama Umirt, a brigade aligned to the rebel alliance Jaish al-Mujahideen (Army of Holy Warriors). He complained that the FSA is "just being kept on life support" while it is fighting, unlike the SDF. The course of the civil war would have been different if the West had supplied Syrian rebels with anti-aircraft missiles and offered the kind of close air support the YPG has been getting, Malahefji argues. US coalition causing sectarian divide General Salim Idris, the former FSA chief of staff, told VOA he welcomed any defeats inflicted on IS, but said the U.S.-led coalition risks building up deeper sectarian problems in Syria because of its support for the YPG, the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party, or PYD, which wants autonomy for the Kurds in northern Syria. As the SDF moves against villages and towns that are traditionally Arab, the seeds for conflict are being sown, he warned. He says the Arab element being crafted onto the SDF is seen as being just cosmetic by most Sunni Arabs. "The Arab fighters are just camouflage," Idris said. "The SDF is the YPG, which collaborates with anyone Assad, the Russians, the Americans when it suits its purposes," he added. FSA rebel commanders accuse the YPG of coordinating with Assad government forces elsewhere in Syria, including in the northern Aleppo countryside, where in February Kurdish fighters overran Arab villages during a Russian-backed regime offensive. YPG officials say the land-grab was to prevent territory from falling into the hands of government forces. The U.S. embrace of the YPG started with American airstrikes to help Kurdish defenders see off a months-long siege by IS of the border town of Kobani in 2015. U.S. support of the YPG increased subsequently as Washington sought to shape a proxy ground force to battle IS, initially setting up a "train-and-equip" program for moderate Syrian rebels. The program failed with rebel commanders declining to join because of Washington's insistence that the 'train-and-equip force' could only be used against IS, and not against President Assad. Votel visit to rankle Turkey The Votel visit is likely to rankle the Turkish government, which earlier this year reacted with fury to a 2-day visit to Kobani by U.S. diplomat Brett McGurk. During his visit to northern Syria, Votel said his trip had hardened his belief the U.S. has adopted the right approach to developing local forces to fight the jihadist group. "I left with increased confidence in their capabilities and our ability to support them. I think that model is working and working well," he said. But Gen. Idris questioned what the U.S. had in mind for the administration of territory seized by the YPG from IS. "Who will control the towns and villages?" he asked. "I raised this question with U.S. officials in the past when they talked about using the YPG but never got a reply. If it is the Kurds, then there will be trouble. I really don't think the Obama administration has thought this through. Will the Kurds give up Arab towns they capture?" he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Multiple Blasts in Syrian Coastal Cities Leave Scores Dead by VOA News May 23, 2016 A series of bomb blasts killed more than 100 people in two normally quiet Syrian coastal cities Monday, according to Syrian state television and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The blasts took place in the government strongholds of Jableh and Tartus, which have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in Syria's five-year civil war. Four bombs, including at least one suicide attack, exploded in Jableh, including at the emergency entrance to the city's hospital. A rocket attack on a bus station killed at least 53 people, according to the Syrian Observatory. Another three bombs, at least one of which was a suicide attack, hit the city of Tartus, about 60 kilometers south of Jableh, in what observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman called an "unprecedented" attack. Again, the terrorists targeted a crowded bus station, Syria's SANA news agency reported. The TV report said at least one suicide bomber blew himself up near the station, and was followed minutes later by a car bomber. Another 48 people died in that attack, according to Rahman. A news agency linked to the Islamic State group credited the extremists with the attack. "Attacks by IS fighters hit Alawite gatherings in Tartus and Jableh on the Syria coast," the Amaq news agency said on Twitter, referring to the minority from which President Bashar al-Assad hails. Russia, which backs Assad, has a naval base in Tartus and an air base north of Jableh. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said the series of attacks "demonstrate how fragile the situation in Syria is" and "demonstrates the need to continue vigorous steps to continue the negotiation process." The United States condemned the attacks, calling them "horrific." A State Department spokesman, Mark Toner, said the United States will continue to "lead the global coalition to degrade and defeat Daesh [Islamic State] so that it can no longer brutalize those who reject its tormented world view." He also called on Russia to press the Assad government to end attacks that kill civilians so that political talks aimed at ending the crisis can succeed and all parties can focus on defeating Islamic State. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned Monday's attacks and noted "with great concern of the escalating military activity in many areas in and around Damascus," according to a spokesman. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Tsai urges U.S. support for Taiwan's TPP bid ROC Central News Agency 2016/05/22 16:09:44 Taipei, May 22 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () on Sunday urged the United States to support Taiwan's bid for the U.S.-led trade bloc Trans-Pacific Partnership. Tsai said Taiwan and the United States have close trade relations, noting that Taiwan was the ninth largest trade partner of the United States last year and that the U.S. has again surpassed Japan to become Taiwan's second biggest trade partner. Taiwan's government will actively pursue the chance to participate in the second round of negotiations on the U.S.-led TPP and achieve its goal of joining the trade bloc, Tsai said during a meeting with a visiting delegation of U.S. congressmen. The first round of negotiations on the TPP among its 12 Pacific Rim members was completed in October 2015 and the members signed the agreement on Feb. 4 this year. The pact has yet to be ratified by the U.S. Congress, however, and with free trade a sensitive issue in this year's U.S. presidential election, there are questions whether it will be approved before the end of President Barack Obama's term. Tsai also expressed her thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate for passing a bill in March that directed the U.S. secretary of state to develop a strategy to obtain Interpol observer status for Taiwan. Obama later signed the bill to make it legally binding. This has clearly shown that there is a consensus in Congress across party lines to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, she said. Tsai noted that former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and incumbent Secretary of State John Kerry have been positive about Taiwan-U.S. relations and have seen Taiwan as an important security and economic partner. Tsai also expressed her thanks to the United States for abiding by the Taiwan Relations Act and its commitment to Taiwan's security. She noted that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a concurrent resolution in support of Taiwan, reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as "the cornerstones of U.S.-Taiwan relations." The Six Assurances stipulate that the United States will not: set a date for termination of arms sales to Taiwan; alter the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act; consult with China before making decisions about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan; mediate between Taiwan and China; alter its position on the sovereignty of Taiwan; or formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan. This was the first time that the U. S. Congress included the Six Assurances into the resolution, which Tsai said was very "significant." (By Sophia Yeh and Lilian Wu) enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey new PM to place more power in Erdogan's hands Sun May 22, 2016 1:35PM Turkey's newly-elected prime minister plans to place more power in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's hands by switching from the existing parliamentary system to an executive presidential system. Transport Minister Binali Yildirim, a longstanding and faithful ally of President Erdogan, vowed in a speech at a special congress in Ankara on Sunday to push for his bid to change the constitution and create a presidential system. "Turkey needs a new constitution. Are you ready to bring in a presidential system?" Yildirim said, adding, "Now that the president is elected by the people nothing can be the same as it was." Yildirim said the priority now had to be to legalise the current "de-facto" situation. "We have to put an end to this confusion. The way to this is a new constitution and presidential system," he said. Yildirim was elected as the next leader of Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and will therefore become the new prime minister. One of the co-founders of the AK Party along with Erdogan, Yildirim won all the votes from the 1,405 delegates at an extraordinary party congress. He is expected to back Erdogan's aim of changing the constitution to institutionalize a presidential system instead of the current parliamentary regime. The president argues that the country cannot be run by two strongmen, but opponents warn that the new system will give rise to growing authoritarianism. The 60-year-old will replace Ahmet Davutoglu who stepped down this month after bitter power struggle with Erdogan. The resignation exposed a rift between Davutoglu and Erdogan over the latter's attempts to expand his power. Tensions between Davutoglu and Erdogan had been boiling for months over a series of issues including an accord with the European Union on refugees, Turkey's peace process with the Kurdish militants, and the shift from parliamentary to presidential system. The political uncertainty, which emerged in Turkey after Davutoglu's resignation, has negatively affected financial markets, with the Turkish lira losing five percent in value against the US dollar over the last month. Elsewhere in his remarks, Yildirim vowed to continue the fight against Kurdish, saying the change in government leadership would not alter the struggle against terror groups. Tensions have been on the rise between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants over the military's campaign in several regions with a majority Kurdish population in the past few months, following a number of deadly bombing attacks in the country last year. Both Erdogan and Yildirim are strongly opposed to resuming talks with PKK, which has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across Turkey since a two-year-long ceasefire collapsed in 2015. Gokhan Bacik, a political commentator, said he expected Yildirim to prove a far more pliable figure for the president and allow Erdogan to further consolidate his powers. "Yildirim could be the last prime minister of Turkey..," Bacik said, adding, "He will only have the role of deputy to Erdogan in the (presidential system) that he wants to put in place". Yildirim, who has never stepped out of line with the president on a policy issue, also worked as head of the Istanbul ferry company while Erdogan was mayor of the city in the second half of the 1990s. Source: Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan Ally Set to Become New Turkish PM by Dorian Jones May 22, 2016 In Turkey, a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been selected leader of the country's ruling party, becoming the presumptive prime minister. The move is seen as the latest step by the president to consolidate his grip on power and his bid to turn Turkey into an executive presidency. Thousands of members of Turkey's ruling AKP Party crammed into a congress hall in Ankara to elect unopposed Binali Yildirim as its new leader and the country's presumptive prime minister. Yildirim, the transport minister, is one Erdogan's closest and longest serving allies. Yildirim pledged to carry out his president's ambitions. He said the most important job the government needs to do is to adopt a new constitution, and change the constitution to a presidential system. Erdogan has declared his desire to push through constitutional reform to change the country from a parliamentary democracy to an executive presidency, with few checks and balances. Critics say that will be a tantamount to an elected dictatorship. Observers say outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who formally resigned his post Sunday, is believed to have balked at such changes and was subsequently ousted by the president, even though he was once a close ally. Sunday's party congress was eager to present a strong message of unity and there were no visible signs of dissent. Behind the scenes, supporters of the ousted prime minister are reportedly being purged from their positions in the party. Ankara's NATO allies who see Turkey as a key member in the war against Islamic State are increasingly voicing concern that Erdogan is turning more authoritarian. That concern is likely to grow with the ousting of Davutoglu who was seen as having a moderating effect on the president. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK Arms Export Controls Committees to Examine Alleged Cluster Bombs Use Sputnik News 20:28 23.05.2016(updated 20:38 23.05.2016) The United Kingdom Parliament's Committees on Arms Export Controls will examine any evidence of cluster munitions use, a spokesman for the committees told Sputnik on Monday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Amnesty International said it had found the unexploded UK-made cluster munition in a village in northern Yemen. Those munitions are designed to be used by Tornado jets, used by Saudi-led coalition forces in its anti-Houthi Yemen campaign. "The committee will certainly examine any evidence of use of cluster bombs as part of their inquiry, but it is too early to comment on individual cases or Britain's regulatory framework at this stage," he said. In March, the Committees said they would carry an investigation into the use of UK weaponry in Yemen, including on government compliance with its own criteria on allowing arms export licenses to the sides involved in the conflict. Cluster munitions are explosive weapons that contain and release large numbers of smaller sub-munitions over a wide area. The use of cluster bombs is prohibited by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which has been signed by 108 countries and ratified or acceded by 100. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has conducted a military operation in Yemen against Houthi forces since March, 2015. Since the coalition launched its air campaign, several rights groups have documented use of banned cluster munition in several airstrikes, claiming that they were used in Yemen's civilian-populated areas, wounding and killing civilians. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nuclear Weapons Program John Bolton, US ambassador to the United Nations from August 2005 to December 2006, wrote on April 30, 2015 "Tehran and Pyongyang have cooperated on ballistic missiles since at least 1998 ... numerous reports have emerged of Iranian and North Korean scientists exchanging visits and potentially valuable information. What if Pyongyang is already hosting an extensive Iranian-enrichment program, deeply buried somewhere in its half of the peninsula? What if some of the estimated 20 warheads are actually Irans property, having been manufactured and now stored far from Tehran to avoid detection? East Asian experts have long looked through a stovepipe at North Korea, and Middle East experts gaze through their own stovepipe at Iran." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said 27 July 2020 there will be no more war as the countrys nuclear weapons guarantee its safety. Kim made the remarks as he celebrated the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Now we are capable of defending ourselves in the face of any form of high intensity pressure and military threats from imperialist and hostile forces, he said. Thanks to our reliable and effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent, there will no longer be war, and our countrys safety and future will be firmly guaranteed forever. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rode a horse on Mount Baekdu in what may be an ominous warning as the year-end deadline he announced for the United States to make a new proposal in stalled nuclear talks draws near. The state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on 04 December 2019 published multiple photos of Kim atop a white steed accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju and others. KCNA said Kim visited Mount Baekdu in remembrance of the founders of the North Korean state and emphasized the need to teach the new generation of the ruling Workers' Party about the revolutionary tradition of the mountain. Mount Baekdu is considered a sacred place as it symbolizes the Norths founding family. State media have in the past publicized visits to the region by Kim ahead of major provocations or announcements. The Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) decided to convene the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK in late December. North Korea's promised 'Christmas gift' to Trump could be a missile test capable of striking the US. Experts say Kim Jong Un probably isn't bluffing and that the threat's wording echoes a past statement about a test of ICBMs. All these developments will finally lead up to Kim Jong-un's 2020 New Year's Address, which will lay out where the regime is heading amid its months-long stalled denuclearization talks with the US. "Everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea," Trump tweeted 13 June 2018 shortly after meeting with the North Korean leader. After his summit with Kim in Singapore, Trump touted the meeting as an overwhelming success. An official North Korean document obtained by the Voice of America in June 2019 suggested Kim Jong Un did not intend to give up his regimes nuclear weapons, a position that appears to contradict the Trump administrations certainty that North Korea will denuclearize. The document is a teaching guide for instructing top military officials on Pyongyangs official internal position prior to a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The document makes clear that Kim saw the meeting in Hanoi to strike a final deal as a means to acceptance as a global nuclear strategic state. Kim is quoted as saying he would use the meeting to further consolidate nuclear power that we have created. The Hanoi summit failed to reach a deal due to a clash of views on denuclearization and sanctions relief. The confidential document indicated that Kim had made two different nuclear policy statements. One, not included in the document, was targeted to foreign audiences, such as that delivered in his 2019 New Year message that conveyed Kims unwavering commitment for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The military elite, according to the document, were told in December that Kim intended his second meeting with Trump to achieve the final outcome of raising the [North Koreas] status as a world-class nuclear force nation. Kim continued, The Korea Peoples Army must firmly hold the nuclear weapons [as] our all-around security sword to protect the revolutionary leadership like an impregnable fortress. Kim further said the U.S. is so terrified by our nuclear power it proposed meeting with North Korea to negotiate and to get rid of our nuclear weapons by [any] means. Published by the Korea Workers Party Publishing Company in November 2018, the document was prepared as a material for December 2018 training lectures for North Koreas top military officials. The document describes Kims aspiration to rule the world with nuclear weapons. The dear supreme commander will dominate the world with the nuclear weapons, will make the U.S. apologize and compensate for us for decades of bullying our people, and will declare to the entire world that the worlds powerful order will be reshaped by the Juche-Korea, not the United States, according to the document. The American broadcast news source NBC reported 29 July 2018 that North Korea had increased its production of fuel for nuclear weapons at multiple secret sites in recent months. While citing US intelligence agencies, NBC also said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may try to hide those facilities as he seeks more concessions in nuclear talks with the US. NBC News said that the intelligence assessment seemed to counter the sentiments expressed by President Donald Trump, referring to his Twitter posts that claimed there was no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea after his 12 June 2018 summit with Kim. The White House did not immediately respond to the news report. "There's no evidence that they are decreasing stockpiles, or that they have stopped their production," one official told NBC. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) chided President Trump's claims that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat amid reports that the country is ramping up its nuclear fuel production. Skeptics of the meeting noted that Trump signed an agreement that provided concessions without receiving a concrete commitment to a timeline and method for irreversible denuclearization. They also pointed out that North Korea has made similar agreements in the past, only to renege. Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un signed a brief declaration at the Singapore summit 12 June 2018, short and vague, with few details on how Pyongyang would denuclearize or how the US would verify steps toward that goal. Trump assured reporters after the summit that US and international inspectors would monitor North Korea's commitment this time around, but it remained noteworthy that the two sides did not include that detail in the final declaration. "North Korea will not give up its nuclear weapons easily, if at all," said Evans J.R. Revere, an expert at the Brooking Institute in Washington and a former US State Department official. "North Korea wants to resuscitate the approach it pursued in every previous nuclear negotiation: Launch a lengthy, complicated negotiation to get agreement on actions each party must take, and use this process to buy time for the development of the North's nuclear weapons program," he said. There had been mixed messages coming out of the White House. On 25 June 2018, the US Secretary of State said there is no timeline being given to North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. But just two weeks before, he said that he expected North Korea to denuclearize by 2020, the end of President Trump's first term. Since the end of the Kim-Trump summit, North Korea had not shown any visible sign that it has begun the process of denuclearization. But it does seem like it will send back the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War, as part of the agreement that was reached between the two leaders. Although North Korea's pledge to denuclearize was progressing slowly, the U.S. and South Korea halted their joint-military drills for the next few months. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was in Seoul, meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Song Young-moo. The two Koreas were really pushing ahead with exploring joint activities and ventures, such as connecting railways, separated family reunions, and joint basketball games. But there was some criticism that by doing this South Korea is effectively easing pressure on North Korea, when so far the regime has shown little progress towards denuclearization. New satellite imagery showed North Korea had made rapid improvements to the infrastructure at its Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center -- a facility used to produce weapons-grade fissile material, according to an analysis published by 38 North, a prominent North Korea monitoring group. Captured on 21 June 2018, the photos reveal modifications to the site's plutonium production reactor and the construction of several support facilities -- long-planned upgrades that were already underway before North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump met in Singapore. In 2007, just one year after its first nuclear test, North Korea agreed to deactivate the reactor following 6-party talks with South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States. However, the isolated nation changed its mind in 2015. The state-run media announced that all nuclear facilities, including a uranium enrichment plant and an experimental reactor, had been restarted. The Washington Post reported 08 August 2017 that the Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that North Korea had successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles. The IC [intelligence community] assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles, the assessment states, in an excerpt read to The Washington Post. Another intelligence assessment sharply raises the official estimate for the total number of bombs in the DPRKs atomic arsenal at up to 60 nuclear weapons. Siegfried Hecker, director emeritus of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, had calculated the size of North Koreas arsenal at no more than 20 to 25 bombs. James Clapper, former U.S. director of national intelligence for the Barack Obama administration, said 03 July 2017 that North Korean denuclearization was no longer achievable and that Washington should focus on capping its nuclear and missile capabilities. Clapper said he could attest from first-hand experience in North Korea during his trip there in November 2014 that Pyongyang will not give up its nuclear arsenal. Would be nice if they did, would be great if we could figure out some incentive to motivate them to give up their nuclear weapons, but theyre not going to do that, said Clapper. Thats their ticket to survival. Its how they create deterrence against attacks against them, which they are very afraid of, and its how they have leverage, how they have face. Since the 1950s, the DPRK has been proceeding with a nuclear development program. It seems that North Korea is engaged in one of two things. Either they are building weapons to give them up for a new relationship with the United States. Or the down side and very dangerous side is that they're trying to build-up a nuclear arsenal for deterrence. Some observers call it "diplomacy by extortion." They say the communist north is building atomic weapons in order to secure economic aid and special trade agreements with its neighbors and the West in exchange for curtailing its nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang maintains that it needs a deterrent to possible South Korean, Japanese and American military aggression against North Korea. But this argument has lost its credibility. The north has always argued that while they're interested in economic reform, they need to leverage the security threat because they're not certain that the intentions of the rest of the world are really benign in terms of negotiating with North Korea. The problem, though, is that since 1994 there is a record of engagement with North Korea by South Korean, Japan, the United States, Europe and Australia. It would be very difficult to survey all of these countries that have engaged North Korea and argue that they have not credibly communicated that their intentions are benign. So this argument that the north continues to put forward, while it still may be credible to them, is becoming less credible to the rest of the world. The nuclear program can be traced back to about 1962, when the DPRK government committed itself to what it called "all-fortressization," which was the beginning of the hyper militarized North Korea of today. In the mid-1960s, it established a large-scale atomic energy research complex in Yongbyon and trained specialists from students who had studied in the Soviet Union. Under the cooperation agreement concluded between the USSR and the DPRK, a nuclear research center was constructed near the small town of Yongbyon. In 1965 a Soviet IRT-2M research reactor was assembled for this center. From 1965 through 1973 fuel (fuel elements) enriched to 10 percent was supplied to the DPRK for this reactor. North Korea maintains uranium mines with four million tons of exploitable high-quality uranium. In the 1970s, it focused study on the nuclear fuel cycle including refining, conversion and fabrication. In 1974, Korean specialists independently modernized Soviet IRT-2M research reactor in the same way that other reactors operating in the USSR and other countries had been modernized, bringing its capacity up to 8 megawatts and switching to fuel enriched to 80 percent. Subsequently, the degree of fuel enrichment was reduced. In the same period the DPRK began to build a 5 MWe research reactor, what is called the "second reactor." In 1977 the DPRK concluded an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], allowing the latter to inspect a research reactor which was built with the assistance of the USSR. The North Korean nuclear weapons program dates back to the 1980s. In the 1980s, focusing on practical uses of nuclear energy and the completion of a nuclear weapon development system, North Korea began to operate facilities for uranium fabrication and conversion. It began construction of a 200 MWe nuclear reactor and nuclear reprocessing facilities in Taechon and Yongbyon, respectively, and conducted high-explosive detonation tests. In 1985 US officials announced for the first time that they had intelligence data proving that a secret nuclear reactor was being built 90 km north of Pyongyang near the small town of Yongbyon. The installation at Yongbyon had been known for eight years from official IAEA reports. In 1985, under international pressure, Pyongyang acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). However, the DPRK refused to sign a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an obligation it had as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In September 1989 the magazine JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY stated that North Korea "could manufacture nuclear devices in five years' time, and the means to deliver them soon afterward." In July 1990 THE WASHINGTON POST reported that new satellite photographs showed the presence in Yongbyon of a structure which could possibly be used to separate plutonium from nuclear fuel. The Joint Declaration on denuclearization was initialed on December 31, 1991. It forbade both sides to test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy, or use nuclear weapons and forbade the possession of nuclear reprocessing and uranium enrichment facilities. A procedure for inter-Korean inspection was to be organized and a North-South Joint Nuclear Control Commission (JNCC) was mandated with verification of the denuclearization of the peninsula. On January 30, 1992, the DPRK also signed a nuclear safeguards agreement with the IAEA, as it had pledged to do in 1985 when acceding to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This safeguards agreement allowed IAEA inspections to begin in June 1992. In March 1992, the JNCC was established in accordance with the joint declaration, but subsequent meetings failed to reach agreement on the main issue of establishing a bilateral inspection regime. As the 1990s progressed, concern over the North's nuclear program became a major issue in North-South relations and between North Korea and the US. The lack of progress on implementation of the joint nuclear declaration's provision for an inter-Korean nuclear inspection regime led to reinstatement of the US-South Korea Team Spirit military exercise for 1993. The situation worsened rapidly when North Korea, in January 1993, refused IAEA access to two suspected nuclear waste sites and then announced in March 1993 its intent to withdraw from the NPT. During the next 2 years, the US held direct talks with the DPRK that resulted in a series of agreements on nuclear matters. North Korea was reported to have created a nuclear backpack special military unit tasked with spraying toxic radioactive materials at the enemy. The U.S.-based Radio Free Asia(RFA) on 24 August 2016 quoted a source in the North Korean province of North Hamgyong as saying that Pyongyang created the nuclear backpack troops in March. The unit is said to consist of soldiers selected from the scout platoons and light infantry brigades under the Korean Peoples Army. Another North Korean source residing in Yanggang Province told RFA that the regime was telling the soldiers that nuclear backpacks are not designed to detonate nuclear bombs, but spread radioactive substances over a wide area. In October 2015, the North displayed soldiers carrying backpacks emblazoned with nuclear radiation symbols during a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the Norths Workers Party. It also showed a truckload of soldiers wearing the backpacks during a military parade in 2013. Strongly condemning the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 09 September 2016, the Security Council on 30 November 2016 unanimously adopted measures that United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described as "the toughest and most comprehensive sanctions regime ever" against that country. Through a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member Council reaffirmed that the DPRK should not conduct any further nuclear tests, launches using ballistic missile technology, or any other provocation. The sanctions target revenue sources for the North-east Asian country's nuclear or ballistic missile programmes, with the Council for the first time imposing a limit on how much coal the DPRK can export per year. According to the resolution, total exports of coal from the DPRK to all Member States should not exceed $400 million or 7.5 million metric tonnes annually, whichever is lower, beginning January 1, 2017. For the remainder of this year, the ceiling is $53.4 million, or one million metric tonnes. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said 20 April 2018 his country will freeze tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and close down a nuclear test site. "From April 21, North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles," North Korean state media said. "The North will shut down a nuclear test site in the country's northern side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear tests," the official KCNA news agency said, according to Yonhap. KCNA also said North Korea will join international efforts to halt nuclear tests entirely. "As the weaponization of nuclear weapons has been verified, it is not necessary for us to conduct any more nuclear tests or test launches of mid- and long-range missiles or ICBMs," Kim told a ruling party meeting, KCNA reported. "The northern nuclear test site has completed its mission," he added. Interviewed 12 June 2018 by ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Trump said: "'George, I'm given what I'm given,' Trump said. 'I've met him. I've spoken with him. This has started early and it's intense. He really wants to do a great job for North Korea. I think he wants to denuke. Without that there's nothing to discuss. A total denuclearization of North Korea. We're starting from scratch and we have to get rid of weapons". Trump said "I can only tell you from my experience ... I think that he really wants to do a great job for North Korea.... We have the framework for getting ready to denuclearize... He's de-nuking the whole place and I think he's going to start very quickly ... He really wants to do something I think terrific for their country". South Korea's foreign minister, Kang Kyung-wha, said 05 October 2018 the decades-old animosity between North Korea and the United States is why Pyeongyang's denuclearization requires an approach different from the conventional "declaration and inspection first." "After 70 years of distrust with the U.S., denuclearizing North Korea is much harder than Ukraine, South Africa or Kazhakstan, which quickly gave up their nukes and allowed inspections by the IAEA. This is why the North's denuclearization must be carried out together with trust-building measures, as stipulated in the Sentosa Joint Declaration." Minister Kang told the Washington Post that the U.S. should hold off on demanding a nuclear inventory from the North. In the interview, she noted that past denuclearization talks with the North broke down after a list was submitted when the parties were discussing verification. She told reporters that inspection IS crucial, but the U.S. and North Korea can negotiate WHEN it should take place. Washington might not be 100-percent on the same page as Seoul, she said, but the U.S. too is considering those different approaches. As for what might constitute the kind of "corresponding measure" Pyeongyang wants in exchange for dismantling its Yeongbyeon nuclear site, Kang noted that a declaration ending the Korean War has been mentioned numerous times. But she added that South Korea is proposing all kinds of possibilities to both sides. She did not, however, specify whether those options include reopening the Gaeseong industrial complex or the Mt. Geumgang tourism project, as a South Korean media report had suggested. Minister Kang did reiterate, though, that nothing will happen on that front unless there is a change in the sanctions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Alan Burkitt-Gray speaks to Michael Wheeler, executive vice president at NTT Ltd, about a name change for the company, NTT's contribution in the midst of the pandemic and all things network security. CARSON CITY, Nev., May 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mexus Gold US (OTCQB:MXSG) (Mexus or the Company) announced today that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with MarMar Holdings of Mexico at its Julio/Santa Elena property. Under the 50/50 joint venture agreement, MarMar will operate the mine and carry all costs. In addition, the company is announcing that the Julio/Santa Elena property will now be known as the Santa Elena mine. MarMar Holdings is owned by Marco Martinez of Monterrey, Mexico. Mr. Martinez has over 40 years of experience in mining including work done at Penoles La Herradura open pit mine. MarMar has an extensive staff including lawyers, certified geologists, engineers, equipment operators and general labor to work the Santa Elena mine. In addition, MarMar owns equipment capable of moving up to 100,000 tons of ore a day. Certified Geologists from MarMar are already working the property and have identified additional ore bodies. The company is bringing in a blast hole drill and will do the initial shoot when ready. Initially, Mexus had planned to do a test 10,000 ton heap leach pad. This agreement changes the plan and will allow the heap leach pads and ponds to be built much larger. Added Mexus CEO Paul Thompson, The scale and scope that MarMar brings to this project will allow the mine to be built out much larger and much faster than we had planned. This is a great fit for Mexus and a win for our shareholders. Marcos knowledge and experience with large mines will prove invaluable as we move forward. Between our geologist, Cesar Lemas, and MarMars certified geologist weve identified over 1,000,000 tons of mineralized material with an average value of 1.5 gram AU per ton. This material sits at the surface with an initial mining depth of 3 meters and no overburden. We know that this properties value goes much deeper than that. In addition, the certified geologists will begin a drill program that will be the basis of creating an NI 43-101. Our goal is to mirror what Penoles did just 30km south of our property and create a world class mine that will produce gold for years to come. About Mexus Gold US Mexus Gold US is an American-based exploration company with holdings in Mexico. Mexus' fully owned Santa Elena mine is located 54km NW of Caborca, Mexico. The property sits in an area which is currently being mined by some of the largest mining companies in the world. Mexus has drill results which show a high grade, multi vein system throughout the property. Mexus also owns the rights to the Ocho Hermanos property, which is located 80km NE of Hermosillo, Mexico. This property will be drilled to show a proven reserve once our flagship property is in full production. Preliminary drilling on this property has been extremely promising. Founded in 2009, Mexus Gold US is committed to protecting the environment, mine safety and employing members of the communities in which it operates. For more information on Mexus Gold US, visit www.mexusgoldus.com Cautionary Statement Forward looking Statement: Statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the failure to complete successfully the development of new or enhanced products, the Company's future capital needs, the lack of market demand for any new or enhanced products the Company may develop, any actions by the Company's partners that may be adverse to the Company, the success of competitive products, other economic factors affecting the Company and its markets, seasonal changes, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results may differ materially from those contained in this press release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any statements in this press release. CONTACT: Inquiries Paul Dent, 425-478-4908 pdent@mexusgoldus.com Shoppers across the nation appear to be showing their support for beleaguered Australian dairy farmers by turning their backs on $1-a-litre supermarket house brand milk. Singleton Woolies today, boycotting unbranded milk! #milkcrisis #aussiedairyfarming #aussiedairyfarms #moo #brandedmilk #brandedmilkbottle A photo posted by Stacey Ropa (@staceygracie1) on May 21, 2016 at 1:10am PDT Instead householders appear to be heeding a call-to-arms by dairy farmers, heralded by The Project's Waleed Aly, to buy branded Australian milk. Images are flooding social media of empty supermarket shelves that once held branded milk such as Paul's and Pura, while the $1-a-litre Coles and Woolworths brands sit almost untouched. The public support for dairy farmers comes after the two major milk processors, Murray Goulburn and New Zealand owned Fonterra, slashed prices paid to dairy farmers. The price cuts have resulted in many farmers now being paid the equivalent of 37c a litre, which is below the cost of production. Members of the public are also supporting dairy farmers via an online petition - Save Our Farmers - on Change.org, which calls on Canberra to put a floor price of 50c a litre on milk, returning 12c a litre to farmers. The petition has collected more than 31,000 signatures towards a target of 35,000 when the petition will be delivered to Federal Agricultural Minister Barnaby Joyce. On Friday the Victorian government announced a $1.5 million package to assist dairy farmers while ANZ Bank announced easing of terms for affected farmers. However a spokesperson for Australia Food Sovereignty Alliance, Tammi Jonas, said temporary assistance was a short-term solution. "Australian dairy farmers borrow from banks to fund cheap milk and company profits. It is not a sustainable system." Brisbane's new board game cafe-bar Club Sosay. Photo: Robert Shakespeare A new Paddington venue aims to get people off their mobile devices and talking IRL (in real life). Club Sosay, a board game cafe-bar, opened on Saturday in the space vacated by Deano's Wine Bar. It's the brainchild of chartered accountant Debbie Seipel, who opened the cafe with business partner Angela Brown. South American snack: Beef empanadas. Photo: Robert Shakespeare "Even when people socialise they are on their devices. We've lost the art of conversation," Seipel says. "We wanted to create a community-focused space where people could meet and connect and improve their conversational skills. It's a different way to socialise that doesn't just involve going out and getting drunk or trying to talk in a noisy bar." There are more than 250 games to choose from, from childhood favourites such as Monopoly, Mousetrap and Snakes and Ladders, to more contemporary games, with staff on hand to explain the rules. Seipel says the cafe is also family friendly, with plenty of games for kids, too. "We want to be inclusive. If you're on your own, we'll direct you to a 'conversation table' where you can join a game or just have a chat." Gamers are welcome to just play games (cover charge of $5.50) or stay a while and eat. There's a menu of simple snacks such as corn chips, mugs of soup, a cheese platter and southern fried chicken. Chef Edgardo Pacheco's South American specialities include empanadas or salchipapas a Peruvian dish of chorizo, potato and house-made sauce. Advertisement A concise wine list offers six whites and six reds, all available by the glass, plus 4 Pines and Stone and Wood beer and cider. Segafredo coffee, hot chocolate, a range of teas and softdrinks are also available. A second venue is opening soon in St Lucia, with plans to expand to the Sunshine Coast and interstate. Open Mon-Fri 11am-late; Sat-Sun 10am-late. 2 Latrobe Terrace (corner Given Terrace), clubsosay.com Magical: The cauliflower panna cotta at White Mojo. Photo: Pat Scala In Melbourne's restlessly brilliant culinary scene, nothing can be taken at face value. Bars hide behind cupboards, restaurateurs experiment endlessly, and breakfast in an unassuming neighbourhood cafe can be an unexpected esoteric adventure. Here are three spots with a serious side order of surprise. The brunch that blows your mind: White Mojo In an airy white and blond CBD space, which looks deceptively conventional, resides what the team behind this new brunch spot gleefully term "carefully curated chaos". White Mojo has turned brunch into a wild gastronomic ride even by Melbourne standards during which you might encounter the White Mojo croissant burger: soft-shell crab, pickled cucumber, chipotle mayonnaise and fried egg, all lovingly embraced by a croissant. Or venture further into the disconcertingly delicious with cauliflower panna cotta, which comes with black pudding dust, Canadian scallop, crisp pancetta, 63-degree egg (cooked at the Heston Blumenthal-decreed optimum temperature for a perfect runny yolk), dehydrated red onion and potato popcorn, all served in a smoke-filled glass cloche. There's a lovely quote on White Mojo's menu declaring that their fresh juices "encourage our customers to be their best, to feel empowered, to stay innovative, to be considerate and delightful and, of course, to be happy." After this, any other brunch will seem both boring and spiritually bereft. 115 Hardware Street, Melbourne CBD Sagra Italian restaurant in Malvern. Photo: Anu Kumar The restaurant that's (much) more than a restaurant: Sagra Advertisement The location of huge, four-level Italian food emporium Sagra is its first surprise. The sleepy suburb of Malvern last year found itself an unlikely home to this gleaming, bustling foodie hub that aims to satisfy your every possible epicurean whim from early breakfast to late-night rooftop cocktails, takeaway, hampers, pantry ingredients or a sit-down, slap-up dinner. Event catering for 350? No probs. And then there's art, furniture and views. This place wants you to sing, like Barry White: "You're my first, my last, my everything." And you might especially when you try the Sicilian cannoli dipped in Callebaut dark chocolate. The ground floor houses a central open kitchen surrounded by a 120-seater dining room where there's theatre aplenty as the chefs bring forth juicy lamb, pork ribs, calamari, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant and more from their pride and joy, a high-temperature Josper roasting oven. To the rear are an alimentare and enoteca offering all the wines on the menu and an array of produce cheese, salumi, ready-made meals from local suppliers. On the mezzanine floor, with views over the foodie action below, is a gallery with rotating exhibitions. Ascend a tucked-away staircase and you'll find a 100-seater rooftop bar with wow-factor views across Melbourne and an extravagant menu of Italian proseccos, wines, grappa and craft beers. This semi-secret eyrie is a standout, especially with a plate of Josper-roasted chicken wings and a Birra del Borgo ReAle APA from Lazio. Or you could just do dessert, which can be enjoyed in the gallery, dining room or upstairs. Among all those very good reasons to come, we'd still pick the cannoli. 256 Glenferrie Road, Malvern The bar that's almost not there: Bar Exuberante Most cocktail lovers in Melbourne will be familiar with the Richmond space that used to be Matthew Bax's cult cocktail bar Der Raum, which morphed into "rum brothel" Bar Economico. You used to go through a sliding door at the back of bawdy Economico to access the hidden Exuberante, a tiny, 14-seater, windowless, wood-paneled homage to faded hotel pomp. When staying nearby, we decide to revisit. But when we arrive, Economico has gone, and all that remains is a dark, empty shop, the only furniture a lone writing desk marooned near the window. The sign out front has been crossed out. We assume the whole lot's closed, because mercurial Bax is known for shutting or relocating his clever conceptual ventures without warning (Der Raum is now in Munich). But we ring the doorbell anyway. There's a pause, and then a fellow in a shabby concierge uniform, hat and all, appears from somewhere at the back. He unlocks the door, ushers all the way through the eerie empty space into a tiny, dishevelled manager's office. Beyond a door is Exuberante, made all the more surreal by its isolation. Matthew Bax in character at Bar Exuberante. Photo: Carmen Zammit You're in the once-salubrious private bar of the fictitious 1950s Havana Imperial Exuberante Palace Hotel, complete with typos on the menu, room keys as drinks tabs and the staff in full character. There's a Ladies' Menu with no prices, and a big bell that the bartender rings to signal the cocktail waitress (in French maid outfit) to deliver your drinks the two steps to your table. It's all a hilarious stage for the cocktail genius that defines Bax's venues. The Hot Cold Pina Colada warm white chocolate and coconut foam atop a chilled, lavender-infused rum cocktail is one of the best drinks I've tasted anywhere. Who knows what lies ahead for Exuberante, but be persistent in seeking it out. 438 Church Street, Richmond The writer travelled as a guest of Airbnb Cynthia Esparza/Standard-Times Rick DeHoyos says hello to 8-month-old Jaylee Frazier and Myeesha Alvarado as they came for an appointment with him. shot/archived 11.18.10 SHARE Cynthia Esparza/Standard-Times Rick DeHoyos and his claims manager, Veronica L. Vasquez look up a police report at his office on South Irving Street for one of their clients. DeHoyos' Law Firm was recognized as one of the four recipients to this year's Chamber of Commerce Diversity Awards. shot/archived 11.18.10 Rick DeHoyos goes over information a client was telling him at his office on South Irving Street. DeHoyosa law firm was one of the four recipients of this yearas Chamber of Commerce Diversity Awards. By Becca Nelson Sankey Special To The Standard-Times When Crockett County was sued in the early 1970s for gerrymandering, Rick DeHoyos said he was there to witness justice prevail. In the process, he realized his own dreams of becoming an attorney. It was nearly four decades ago, but DeHoyos who attended the legal proceedings because his father Hector DeHoyos was one of several plaintiffs in the case remembers every detail about two attorneys there, from their demeanor to what they wore. I remember being present. and seeing (the lawyers) carry on, DeHoyos said. They were very organized. Every time the judge asked them something, they would pull out their briefs to reference specific pages. DeHoyos wondered how the men could be prepared and look so sharp at the same time. I remember thinking, Those guys, I want to be like them, he said. The attorneys worked the case pro bono because it was an injustice they felt strongly about, DeHoyos said. When they won, the lines in Crockett County were redrawn, and more Hispanics were able to be elected, he said. I thought to myself, Only in America can this type of justice prevail, DeHoyos said. I always remember that phrase Majority rules; minority rights. The case didnt change DeHoyos perception of his hometown: For every person who has discriminated, he said he can name five good people who have helped him. It did, however, lead him on his career path toward being an attorney, and nearly 40 years later, DeHoyos has his own business in San Angelo, Rick DeHoyos Law Offices. DeHoyos has been an attorney for 22 years, with 18 of those spent in San Angelo, he said. He recently left a well-known local law firm where he was partner and in July opened Rick DeHoyos Law Offices, where two other attorneys also work. DeHoyos specializes in personal injury. His cousin Orlando DeHoyos focuses on criminal law, and Alfredo Lozano handles immigration law, he said. Working with fewer people is a challenge, DeHoyos said, because you have to depend on one person knowing the books, one person knowing the budget or marketing, and if one persons absent or sick you have a greater impact. But being a small business owner has allowed him to achieve his goal of providing more services to clients, he said. As a partner at the other law firm which handled only personal injury I found myself referencing a lot of our clients to other lawyers, DeHoyos said. I felt it was important the client felt that This is my lawyer, and hes my lawyer for everything. We want to eventually provide a service to everyone with every legal need. They can come in, and its a one-stop shop, and we do everything except bankruptcy, and its all local. Recently, DeHoyos was able to help an elderly couple settle a credit card dispute, something he said he would not have been able to do as partner at the other law firm. All it took was one person saying, Im Rick DeHoyos. Im an attorney and it was a totally different response, from the credit card company, he said. They were getting the run-around. I felt it was important to help them, and it may have taken two or three hours, but it got done. Another couple in their 60s also came to DeHoyos for help with an $800 credit card dispute, he said. Most lawyers probably would not have touched it because youre thinking, Im going to charge them $1,000, and whats in dispute is $800. But Im thinking, I helped them, but maybe later on if their family is in an accident, theyll refer them over here. DeHoyos has been able to carve his own niche in a saturated market. All three attorneys at the firm are Hispanic and bilingual, which earned the business recognition last month as one of four local recipients in this years Chamber of Commerce Diversity Awards. It was important to have that kind of representation here, DeHoyos said of his effort to diversify the business. When I first got here, there must have been nine or 10 Hispanic attorneys here. Now there are probably six or seven. Theres a huge need to represent San Angelos Hispanic population. The business ability to provide immigration law services also makes it a rarity in West Texas, DeHoyos said. There are very few lawyers that specialize in immigration law and are board certified, DeHoyos said, adding that Lozano hopes to be board certified in the near future. Lozano is going to be a huge asset to the entire West Texas area, he said. I think the timing is crucial because immigration is just a hot issue right now. Lozano can help employers ensure their Mexican employees have U.S. work permits, can help Mexican citizens become U.S. citizens and can assist resident aliens with green cards who are charged with a crime in taking care of their legal issues without deportation, DeHoyos said. I think its an invaluable service, he said. Standard-Times: Whats it like working with your cousin? DeHoyos: I think its destiny. We graduated from high school together. We graduated with our bachelors (degrees) together, and we graduated with our masters (degrees) together, and we graduated from law school the same month, same year. Then we passed the bar together at the same time. When he knew I was going to do a solo practice, he said, Ill join you. Were just two kids from a small town that had high dreams, and we were just determined. Hell be operating (from a solo practice) in Ozona, and then from here (too). S-T: What do you like about owning a small business? DeHoyos: I think whats rewarding is that in a small business, your reputation and word of mouth is the best advertising you get. In a big partnership, if your partner messes up, it comes back to you. In a smaller business, you have more control. If you treat people right, it comes back to you. You work hard and you treat people right, the business multiplies. (Clients) will refer their cousins, their friends, their co-workers. The other thing with a small business is you dont have to have partner meetings. The decisions are made instantly. The last benefit is you control your schedule. If I want to take off and go to the movies at 2 oclock today, I dont have to call my partner; I can go. S-T: When clients come to you, Im guessing theyre typically stressed out because they have a major problem. How do you handle that on a day-to-day basis? DeHoyos: I was taught early on from one of my supporting attorneys that theres a difference when youre in law between responding and reaction. Sometimes when you react, if the client is frustrated, reaction is raising your voice and shouting back. Responding is listening to what theyre saying. I let them get it out of their system and then I say, Whats the response? Reacting doesnt help anything. If theres a client (whose behavior has to be addressed), I say, Im considering resigning as your lawyer. I dont have to yell or shout at them. Lastly. if youre honest to the client, they see right through you. If youre trying to paint a pretty picture, they see that too, and that only raises frustration. After 22 years, I get used to it. When people walk in here, theyve got problems. Im thinking, How can I help you? And if I cant help you, Im not taking your money. S-T: You said you found those two lawyers who influenced your career path early on. What was their reaction to your story? DeHoyos: When I graduated from law school and became a lawyer, I looked those guys up and told them they were the motivation for me becoming a lawyer. (One of the men) said hes not surprised that one of Hector DeHoyos family members would become a lawyer because Hector had the same characteristics lawyers had. My dad was a fighter; he was confrontational, wouldnt back down. The other lawyer broke down. He got very emotional. They were very touched. SHARE By Federico Martinez, Federico.Martinez@gosanangelo.com @Federico_sast On the banks of the Concho River, a small band descendants of the Jumano natives who flourished in West Texas during the 1600s walked in unison across Celebration Bridge, late Sunday afternoon. They followed a group of "actors" who re-created the legend known as "The Lady in Blue," the story of a nun who is said to have seen a vision: that Catholic missionaries needed to travel to West Texas to evangelize to the Jumanos, the indigenous people of this area. That nun was the Venerable Sister Maria de Agreda, born Maria Fernandez Coronel in 1602, in the northeast part of Spain, between Madrid and Pamplona, and her vision is credited as the founding link between the Roman Catholic Church and the Jumano Tribe. That relationship was renewed during the 8th annual celebration of "The Lady in Blue," as about 200 San Angelo residents, political, community, and religious leaders turned out to recognize the Jumano's heritage and culture during a brief outdoor ceremony and reception inside the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. "Today is about the bridging of history, the bridging of cultures," said Rev. Michael Sis, Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo. As a memento of that relationship, Bishop Sis presented a rosary, handmade from turquoise stones to Jumano Chief Gabriel Carrasco. In return, Jumano Chris Lujan presented Sis with a large Jumano arrow point mounted on a stone base, and a banner from Immaculate Conception Monastery, which he received during a trip to Agreda, Spain during the past year. "Nine months ago there was a documentary done here about The Lady in Blue," said Lujan, who explained that he and others traveled to Spain and lobbied to have Madre Agreda canonized as a saint. "It's getting huge. It's going international. The people in Spain want to know what you're doing." Chief Carrasco, who has lead the procession for eight years, said the event is an opportunity to remind San Angelo of its native history. It's also an opportunity to celebrate the Jumano's history and culture, which was thriving long before the Spanish arrived with Catholic missionaries. "We were here many years before the Spanish came," said Carrasco, who performed the traditional Native American "smudging" also known as the Sacred Bowl Blessing. The tradition requires Carrasco to light plants placed in the bowl that give off a sweet scent. The smoke is supposed to have a calming effect and is symbolic, as the smoke ascends to heaven as if bringing prayers and intentions to God. Carrasco carried the bowl throughout the crowd making sure everyone present had an opportunity to have the smoke wash over them before it rose into the sky. San Angelo residents Kathleen Wiley and her father Ivan White said they attended the event partly out of curiosity, and to show support to the community. White, 88, said the event brought back memories of his years in the Air Force. As a young man he was stationed in the South Pole during the late 1940s, early 50s and his assignment was to help measure the Earth. "I used to tell the other guys I was working with that what we were doing was important," White said. "We were tying the world together, that was our mission. "That's what happening today. With the Jumanos and residents of San Angelo coming together, "we're tying the world together." Less than a decade after her death, Sister Maria was declared venerable by Pope Clement X, "in recognition of her heroic life of virtue." The process of her beatification opened in 1673, but has not, as yet, been completed.

Standard-Times file

The old Montgomery Ward building, which opened in 1938 at 10 W. Beauregard Ave., closed for good in 1980 and later was demolished.

SHARE On March 2, 1988, a Standard-Times editorial asked readers an interesting question. The headline read: Is the past in the citys future? Since then, the downtown district has gradually changed for the better, thanks to preservationists like the late Ken Gunter and brave downtown merchants. Even so, no one could stop the exodus of businesses from downtown in past decades. Even downtown businessmen didnt anticipate how the loss of Montgomery Ward & Co. and other longtime businesses might affect downtown. I dont see a decline, a Nathans Jewelers manager told the newspaper in 1985. Hemphill-Wells, ourselves and other businesses are here to stay, he said. He, and many others, were wrong. A good example was Montgomery Ward & Co. The building, which opened for business on Sept. 15, 1938, was enormous by San Angelo standards. The 41,000-square-foot building was at 10 W. Beauregard Ave., next to the J.C. Penney store. I remember going into the palatial store as a child and marveling at the shining floors and huge building. It was like walking into the Texas Theatre or City Auditorium in their heydays. But even with its loyal customers and thriving sales, Montgomery Ward was shut down for good in 1980. The San Angelo store closed and let 50 employees go on Christmas Eve. No one knew what to do with the big, empty, antiquated building left behind, so it was demolished, leaving nothing behind but a private parking lot. The J.C. Penney building next to the Montgomery Ward store has a happier story. The first J.C. Penney in San Angelo opened Sept. 22, 1920, in the 200 block of South Chadbourne Street. By 1953 the original San Angelo Penneys needed more room, so it moved to the northwest corner of Chadbourne Street and Beauregard Avenue. The 18,000-square-foot, three-level beauty with a red brick exterior and huge windows survived a fire in 1959. In 1980 the business moved to Sunset Mall and a much larger store. There were only 22 parking spaces around the downtown Penneys, but it was a very busy, well-accepted store, Keith Box, manager of the malls J.C. Penney store told a Standard-Times reporter in 1992. The classic downtown building didnt stay empty for long. In 2000, Dale and Joyce Chadwick moved their Myers Drug into the newly renovated building. Its well-built, Doug Chadwick, Dales son, said of the turn-of-century building. While other businesses left downtown for suburban shopping centers, his familys business didnt join the migration. Doug remembers how, as a boy, he would leave the store in the afternoon and not see a single car driving down the once-busy street as the minutes passed. Even so, the family drugstore stayed put. We believed in downtown, Doug said. We didnt want to go to the other side of town. Were downtown folks. Is the past in the citys future? Leaving the store recently, I paused to count the number of cars speeding through downtown but kept losing count. I admired Myers Drugs busy red brick building and remembered my familys visits when it was a J.C. Penney and we did our school shopping there. I spent time walking the big parking lot behind Myers Drug. I found no clues that a Montgomery Ward or its shiny floors had ever been there. The store that made memories and helped make downtown special was gone. Just gone. Is the past in the citys future? I hope so. Will we have believers like the Chadwicks, the Ken Gunters and all those who remember and rescue old downtown buildings and grow young, memory-making businesses and remake downtown along the streets, sidewalks and river? Is that downtowns future? Im a believer. Rick Smith is a local news and community affairs columnist. Contact him at rsmith@gosanangelo.com or 325-659-8248. SHARE Munoz Sandoval By Staff Report Just before 6:30 a.m. Friday morning, San Angelo police were dispatched to the 2900 block of San Antonio Street to investigate a call of suspicious subjects attempting to burglarize vehicles in the area. Upon arrival, officers learned the subjects had just pulled into the Greystone Apartment complex, and were unloading bags from a red Pontiac G5, and taking them inside one of the apartments. Officers located the suspect vehicle, and detained an occupant, 19-year-old Lorenzo Sandoval. During a visual check of the vehicle, officers observed a high-powered rifle in the front passenger compartment, but Sandoval was unable to provide police with the gun owner's name. During a consent search of the vehicle, officers located a large amount of suspected stolen property and a small amount of suspected marijuana. While officers were checking the rifle's serial numbers to determine if it was stolen, dispatch began to receive numerous calls for vehicle burglaries in the Southland area. It was learned that the suspect vehicle seen in the Southland burglaries matched the red Pontiac. While police were at the scene, two Hispanic males exited the apartment in question. They were detained and identified as 17-year-old Roy Munoz and a 16-year-old juvenile. Consent was obtained to enter the apartment to conduct a search for evidence, and once inside, officers located a second rifle, handguns, and a large amount of suspected stolen property. The property was seized and tagged into evidence. At the conclusion of a lengthy investigation, Sandoval, Munoz, and the 16-year-old juvenile were charged with Theft of a Firearm and transported to the Tom Green County Jail and Juvenile Detention Center. The recovered property has been linked to at least eight burglaries from the Southland area. Detective Kelly Lajoie is the lead investigator on this case. This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed pending the outcome of this investigation. SHARE A persistent theme of Bernie Sanders' insurgent Democratic campaign and, until recently Donald Trump's is that the political system is rigged against outsiders like them who challenge the political establishment. Polls show most Americans agree. Trump's gripes were essentially personal, stemming from his campaign's failure to plan for the fact that each state had different rules and procedures. Sanders' complaint is more generic, directed at party rules limiting participation in some states to registered Democrats and allocating 15 percent of the delegates to elected and party officials known as superdelegates. His diminishing chance of winning depends largely on persuading those superdelegates to abandon their support of Hillary Clinton because many polls show him running better against Trump. He's right that the Democratic rules give the party establishment extra clout. Democrats deliberately changed their system to grant their leading figures a role in picking their nominees, a reaction to their minimal role in the 1972 and 1980 nominating fights. That stemmed largely from the way Sen. George McGovern took advantage of new rules making the process more democratic and of opposition to the Vietnam War to win the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination. The new rules which he helped write forced elected and party officials to take sides, and many lost delegate races backing his rivals or running on unsuccessful "favorite son" slates. Their absence from the convention exacerbated party divisions and contributed to McGovern's weak showing. After another divisive primary fight between President Jimmy Carter and Sen. Edward Kennedy in 1980, party and elected officials vowed to regain a place in the nominating process without having to choose a candidate in advance. A party panel initially allotted 20 percent of the votes to superdelegates, but a compromise lowered it to 15 percent, where it's generally stayed. All Democrats in the House, Senate and governorships are delegates, as are former party chairs, past congressional leaders and the 450 members of the Democratic National Committee. Republicans don't have superdelegates, but guarantee seats to their 168 national committee members, about 6 percent of the total. Theoretically, superdelegates are supposed to provide an independent voice to exercise leadership in the nominating contest. They have rarely inserted themselves, but their inclusion ensures greater integration of the party's presidential and congressional campaigns and brought greater success, winning or coming close in six of eight presidential elections by nominating more broadly acceptable candidates than McGovern. Sanders' problem is twofold. He probably won't win a majority of elected delegates. And the years he spent as an independent, opposing both Democratic and Republican candidates in Vermont, have hampered his campaign for superdelegates. Over the years, he has done far less for Democratic candidates than Clinton. The Sanders forces have undercut their chances with aggressive social media campaigns, including some direct confrontations to persuade superdelegates to follow the popular vote. In Seattle, several were arrested after refusing to leave the office of Rep. Jim McDermott, a Clinton supporter from a strongly pro-Sanders district. In Nevada, the two sides clashed in a near-riot at the meeting to select delegates. Since Clinton will likely hold majorities of both elected and superdelegates, the Sanders forces face an uphill fight at the Democratic Convention if they try to change the rules to open all primaries to independents or reduce the future role of superdelegates. Leaders of both parties strongly believe their own members should pick their nominees. The best the Sanders delegates might do is to force creation of yet another party commission to study these issues. Democrats love commissions. Unsurprisingly, the Sanders forces never mention that caucuses are somewhat undemocratic because they generally attract fewer voters than primaries, presumably because a majority of Sanders' wins were in caucus states. Nebraska's recent nonbinding presidential primary, won by Clinton, drew more than double the voters than the earlier caucuses to pick delegates, which Sanders won. Meanwhile, the potential for Republican convention fights has diminished since Ted Cruz conceded the nomination. But GOP leaders in many states placed Trump foes on key convention committees. That could create conflict over party rules or platform positions. Both party's nominating systems are messy, but two things are clear. The courts have ruled the parties themselves are entitled to set their nominating rules. And despite the grousing, both likely nominees this year are the candidates who got the most votes. Carl P. Leubsdorf is a columnist for the Dallas Morning News. Contact him at carl.p.leubsdorf@gmail. SHARE Kelly D. Clover, San Angelo Widespread fears exist in the GOP that Donald Trump's presence at the top of the ticket will cause the party to lose many congressional and state races it otherwise would win. I think these fears are well-justified. The biggest problem is Trump's practice of needlessly insulting other people. Mexican-Americans are outraged at his statements that he will build a wall to keep illegal immigrants out and force Mexico to pay for it. Does anyone really believe that Mexico will pay for the wall? Trump's attacks on John Kasich's table manners a reflection on Trump, not Kasich. Trump's attacks on Bill Clinton are unlikely to help him gain ground against Hillary Clinton. He hasn't mentioned anything that people did not already know about Bill Clinton. Trump admits to being audited this year by the IRS and he refuses to release his tax returns. Does he have something to hide? He probably does. There is one thing I see that may actually help Trump win: the controversy in North Carolina over the use of public restrooms. The Obama administration says it is protecting the rights of transgender people. They really are protecting the rights of sex offenders who will enter where they have no business entering. Separate facilities for males and females have served us well for many decades. We must not let the LGBT lobby change this. A federal lawsuit alleging widespread confusion over California's presidential primary rules asks that voter registration be extended past Monday's deadline until the day of the state's primary election on June 7."Mistakes are being made," said William Simpich, an Oakland civil rights attorney who filed the lawsuit Friday.At issue is whether voters understand the rules for the presidential primary, which differ from those governing other elections in California.Unlike statewide primaries _ where voters now choose any candidate, no matter the political party _ the presidential contests are controlled by the parties themselves. Democrats have opened up their primary between Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to voters that have no political affiliation, known in California as having "no party preference."But the lawsuit alleges elections officials in some of California's 58 counties aren't making that clear to these unaffiliated voters."There's mass confusion," Simpich said in an interview on Saturday night. "This is a situation that really shouts out for some uniformity."Simpich said a judge should require state elections officials to conduct a broad public awareness campaign about the voting rules before May 31, the deadline for requesting a ballot by mail.And to ensure unregistered Californians aren't disenfranchised in the presidential contest, the lawsuit asks voter registration be extended from its deadline on Monday until June 7, the day of the election.There is no indication yet of whether a judge will agree with the suit.The lawsuit's plaintiffs include two San Francisco Bay Area voters and the American Independent Party, a minor party that is allowing unaffiliated voters to cast presidential ballots and has also faced its own problems with voter confusion in recent weeks.(The Republican Party did not open its California presidential primary to unaffiliated voters.)Also listed as a plaintiff is a group called the Voting Rights Defense Project, described as "an organization campaigning to heighten voter education and voter turnout for their candidate, Bernie Sanders."The lawsuit names the registrars of voters in San Francisco and Alameda counties as well as Secretary of State Alex Padilla as defendants.A spokesman for Padilla on Sunday declined to comment on the pending litigation.The suit focuses on whether "no party preference" voters who intend to cast ballots by mail understand they can ask for a ballot from one of the three parties that allow them to cross over and participate in the race for president: the Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party, and California's American Independent Party.If they do not make the request, those voters will receive a ballot with a blank space where partisan ballots list the presidential candidates.The lawsuit alleges that some counties have not done an adequate job of informing these voters. A recent report by Political Data Inc., a company that is paid to analyze California voter information for candidates and campaigns, found relatively few unaffiliated voters have asked for a ballot with presidential candidates.As of last week, only 9 percent of "no party preference" voters in Los Angeles County had been mailed a Democratic ballot.Neal Kelley, registrar of voters in Orange County and president of the state association of elections officials, said that about 23 percent of his county's "no party preference" voters have asked for partisan ballots. And he said that the outreach effort was carefully planned."Counties have been gearing up for this for well over a year," Kelley said.While he would not comment on the allegations contained in the federal lawsuit, Kelley said it's not possible for elections officials to register voters on election day. California has plans to move to a "same-day registration" system in 2018 after certifying its new statewide voter database.In the meantime, the current elections process relies on paper documents at each polling place listing eligible voters."The infrastructure's not in place," said Kelley.Both Sanders and Clinton are ramping up their efforts in California with the presidential primary a little more than two weeks away. Sanders held a rally outside of San Diego on Saturday and has multiple events planned, while Clinton arrives Monday night and plans several days' worth of events.Supporters of Sanders, whose candidacy has been boosted in other states by independent voters, are intently focused on the state's "no party preference" voters who now account for roughly one quarter of the registered electorate.Simpich, a Sanders backer, suggested the problems extend beyond just informing voters.He said accusations have been made that some elections officials are training poll workers to hand out provisional ballots on election day to any "no party preference" voter who asks for a partisan presidential ballot, and even then only if one is requested.Provisional ballots are used for instances of last-minute confusion and only counted after a special effort at verifying a voter's identity.Kelley said "no party preference" voters can easily resolve problems on election day _ including those who didn't receive the ballot they wanted in the mail."They can take that ballot in and surrender it," he said. "There's no need to vote a provisional ballot in that case."(c)2016 Los Angeles Times About half of black gay men in America will be infected with HIV at some point in their lifetimes, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study. That frightening statistic is surprising to many, as public perception in the U.S. is that HIV has largely been eradicated here. But for those who work in HIV research and advocacy, its not a surprising number at all.For most people facing the disease, HIV is no longer seen as a death sentence but as more of a lifelong, manageable illness. Yet the policy and program efforts for treating and preventing the disease havent always extended fully to communities of color. The high rates of HIV among black gay men can be traced back to factors including stigma in the community, lack of health care and few community resources. The organizations and funds that are available often dont go far enough or arent adapted to best serve the population.There needs to be a peer-to-peer health-care infrastructure in place that touches every single delivery point, says Phill Wilson, president of the Black AIDS Institute, which works to stop the AIDS pandemic in black communities. Often well see community health programs where other gay black men are helping out at the screening and testing phase, but not in the health-care delivery phase -- which is the most vital.Alameda County, Calif., is hoping to change that. It was awarded state funds in March to improve coordination with community members and providers regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a pill that can be taken to prevent an HIV infection. Community members, called navigators, will help those most at risk -- largely black gay men, especially in Oakland -- get access to PrEP.Meanwhile, in Los Angeles County, the nonprofit AIDS Project Los Angeles is refocusing its efforts to adapt to the changing face of the AIDS patient. The project recently opened clinics in traditionally African-American and Latino neighborhoods that focus on increasing the use of PrEP.Nick Moss, director of the HIV/STD unit at the Alameda County Public Health Department, acknowledges that there has to be a change in how public health entities approach HIV prevention and care in more urban areas. Were a government entity, so its important that were not barging in and telling people what to do, he says. We really want to make prevention efforts community-focused so we can best understand needs and challenges.One bright spot is that the CDC study could bring much-needed attention to the issue from public officials who dole out money and resources to health agencies. Officials at AIDS Project Los Angeles say theyve heard that the CDC report has been circulating in Sacramento, so theyre hoping that state legislators will act soon to fund efforts like theirs. We have an opportunity to address HIV in these communities in ways we havent before, says Moss. We know we can do a better job testing people; we know we can do a better job keeping people on treatment.The impact of the CDC report is good news to Wilson of the Black AIDS Institute. I was diagnosed with HIV when I was 26, and my doctor told me to get my will in order because I wasnt going to live to my 27th birthday, says Wilson. Im about to celebrate my 60th birthday. So Im always optimistic that something will lead to a breakthrough within our population. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has vetoed a measure that would have effectively banned abortion, the latest and most extreme state restriction in the nation.The law passed Thursday by the state's Republican-dominated Senate would have made performing abortions a felony punishable by up to three years in prison.It would also have barred doctors who perform abortions from obtaining or renewing their medical licenses in Oklahoma, unless they did so to save the life of the mother."The bill is so ambiguous and so vague that doctors cannot be certain what medical circumstances would be considered 'necessary to preserve the life of the mother,'" the Republican governor said in a statement."The absence of any definition, analysis or medical standard renders this exception vague, indefinite and vulnerable to subjective interpretation and application."Fallin said that she, like the bill's sponsor, wants the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade, but added: "This legislation cannot accomplish that reexamination."She called instead for "the appointment of a conservative, pro-life justice to the United States Supreme Court."Fallin had five business days to veto the measure before it automatically became law, set to take effect in November. The Legislature could still override her veto.Republican state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a software developer who sponsored the legislation, did not return calls late Friday.The state has two abortion clinics and reported 4,487 abortions statewide in 2014, the most recent figures available from Oklahoma's Health Department.The proposal is only the latest in a wave of state-level abortion restrictions in the U.S. this year.Earlier this week, South Carolina legislators banned women from obtaining abortions at 20 weeks or later, even if they are victims of rape or incest. Sixteen other states have passed similar legislation.A case concerning whether Texas abortion restrictions impose an undue burden on women is pending before the Supreme Court, with a ruling expected next month. Judge Barry G. Williams is scheduled to issue a ruling Monday in the case of Officer Edward Nero, one of six Baltimore police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. Nero, 30, is charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office, all related to his role in Gray's initial detention and arrest on April 12, 2015.Nero has pleaded not guilty to the charges.Gray, 25, suffered severe spinal cord injuries while in the back of a Baltimore police van, prosecutors say. He died a week later.Williams is expected to hand down his ruling at 10:30 a.m.Second-degree assault carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Reckless endangerment carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. Misconduct in office does not carry a set term limit. All charges are misdemeanors.Officer Edward Nero, a former New Jersey volunteer firefighter who joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012, is one of three officers who were on bike patrol when they chased and arrested Gray. He is suspended with pay from the police force, per policy.The trial lasted six days, with the prosecution calling 14 witnesses and the defense calling seven before closing statements Thursday. Prosecutors are alleging that Gray's arrest was an assault because it did not meet the standards of a legal detention. Legal analysts have called the theory unusual. The defense has sought to minimize Nero's role in the arrest, saying for example he had touched Gray only once. The defense has argued that the officer followed his training. On Saturday, in the morning, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey received Their Excellencies the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), and Lady Cosgrove. In the afternoon, at Metro Hotel, Ipswich, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended an afternoon tea to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Ipswich Meals on Wheels where His Excellency addressed guests. On Sunday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended Eucharist at St Thomas Anglican Church of Toowong. On Monday, in the morning, at Government House, Mrs Kaye de Jersey, with His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, hosted a morning tea for the Queensland Country Womens Association and addressed guests. In the afternoon, at Oxley, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey called upon His Grace Archbishop Emeritus John Bathersby. Also present were Reverend Monsignor Peter Meneely, Vicar-General, Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and Mrs Anne John. Description GIS 23 May 2016: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Collaboration in Academic Activity will be signed shortly between the Ministry of Technology, Communication (MTCI) and Innovation and IBM (Mauritius) Ltd. The objective is to leverage on IBMs Middle East Africa University program, which is a new Academic Professional Technical Certification Program for Universities in areas of latest emerging technologies. The Middle East Africa University program covers several Certification Tracks, which prepare students for job positions that are currently required in the IT Sector, such as Cognitive Technologies, Cyber Security, Data Science, Business Intelligence, E-Business and Enterprise Applications. It is recalled that Oracle Education for Eastern Central Europe, Middle-East and Africa has agreed to set up an Oracle University courses delivery centre in Mauritius. This initiative is in line with Governments aim to offer innovative and technology-driven training in the current knowledge economy which will contribute to the economic growth of Mauritius in a sustainable and inclusive manner. Description GIS - 23 May, 2016: A high level delegation of Mauritian manufacturers of textile and apparel will showcase Made with Care products from Mauritius at the Hilton London Olympia from 25 to 26 May 2016. The delegation of over 20 leading manufacturers of garments who are regular exporters to Europe, USA and Africa will be led by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Kumar Gungah, accompanied by Mr Arvind Radhakrishna, CEO of Enterprise Mauritius, and Mr Yusuf Salehmohamed, Chairman of Enterprise Mauritius. The main objective of the Buyers Sellers Meetings is to promote Mauritius as a reliable and preferred sourcing destination for quality products. The quality of Mauritian products and adherence to international norms are known to all major UK retailers, who have been sourcing from Mauritius for the past 40 years. The Buyers Sellers Meetings represent an excellent opportunity for UK buyers to assess first-hand the Made in Mauritius label and to forge business partnerships with Mauritian enterprises. The products promoted range from shirts, t-shirts, polo shirts, sweat shirts, jeans wear, denim fabrics, light knitted garments, kids wear, pullovers and cardigans, mens underwear, fine knits for ladies, casual wear, beachwear, swimwear, and made to measure suits. Mauritius is a well-known exporter to major UK retailers such as Harrods, Arcadia Group, Marks & Spencer, Next, and River Island and has earned a good name for timely supply of quality apparel products over the last 40 years. Top manufacturers involved in the event include the likes of RT Knits Ltd, CIEL Group, and FM Group. RT Knits Ltd is the pioneer manufacturing company in the 1970s that manufactures a wide range of fine knits, T shirts, sweatshirts, Polo shirts, and others with high added value and laying much emphasis on eco-friendly products. As for CIEL Group, it is one of the most well established companies in Mauritius that serves a number of sectors and which includes manufacture of shirts, knitwear, fine knits, yarns and fabrics. FM Group is a vertically integrated company that manufactures jeans for a number of American brands, such as Levis, J.C penny, J crew, among others. A Trade and Business relationship of more than 100 years Mauritius has a trade and business relationship for more than 100 years with the UK. Considered as the catalyst of the Mauritian industrial revolution, the textile industry has spearheaded the structural transformation of the Mauritian economy. In 2015, exports from Mauritius to the United Kingdom amounted to over Rs 10 billion, of which textile and apparel products represent Rs 6.1 billion. It is to be noted that 21% of all textile & apparel exports from Mauritius are towards the United Kingdom. Enterprise Mauritius CEO, Mr Arvind Radhakrishna stresses that the UK has been a major market for Mauritius for the past 40 years, with export figures amounting to over Rs 10 billion in 2015. The interest to do business with UK buyers is very strong from Mauritian producers of quality textiles & apparel products. British retailers have been sourcing from Mauritius due to short lead times, flexible orders, compliance with international norms & standards, and continuous investment in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, he said. Description GIS -23 May, 2016: Around 25 Technical and Scientific staff of different ministries as well as representatives of NGOs and other relevant stakeholders Around 25 Technical and Scientific staff of different ministries as well as representatives of NGOs and other relevant stakeholders are participating from 23 to 25 May 2016 in a three-day training workshop on Coral Diseases and Monitoring being held at the University of Mauritius, Reduit. The aim of the workshop is to provide participants with a clear and up-to-date understanding of coral diseases affecting the reef corals of Mauritius and other regions, and to empower them with the know-how of identifying a diseases outbreak, monitoring of such outbreaks, sampling and data recording, as well as some of the techniques for the identification of such diseases. Organised by the Ministry of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands and the University of Mauritius, the workshop is funded by the Indian Ocean Commission and the European Union. The themes that are discussed are: Introduction to Coral Diseases and causes; Importance of studying coral diseases; Anatomy of a coral disease outbreak; Field investigations: coral disease survey and monitoring, sampling techniques and data recording; Coral disease identification: laboratory analyses; and Related health and safety precautions. The resource persons are Dr Ranjeet Bhagooli, Senior Lecturer (Marine & Environmental Science), Mrs Sushma Mattan-Moorgawa, Lecturer (Marine/Environmental Science), and Mrs Deepeeka Kaulysing, Lecturer (Marine Sciences). In his opening address at the workshop, the Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands, Mr Premdut Koonjoo reiterated Governments commitment to the sustainable utilisation of our marine resources by giving due consideration to the protection of the natural capital. We have to adopt a sustainable and responsible approach towards ocean development. In this context, we have to reckon with healthy, productive and resilient ocean and coastal ecosystem which are critical for poverty eradication, access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, livelihoods, economic development and ecosystem services, he said. Speaking about coral reefs, Mr Koonjoo pointed out that world-wide they are continuously exposed to anthropogenic activities related to fishing, tourism, coastal development, seabed exploration along with the harmful consequences of climate change, while adding that their vulnerability is further exacerbated by the infestation of crown of thorns and proliferation of pathogens. The Minister recalled that in Mauritius, many of the above mentioned issues were gradually addressed at the local and national level through policies, regulations and sensitisation campaign in collaboration with different stakeholders involved in the marine conservation. Presently, he said, the sub-committee on Coral Reefs set up under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management is looking upon aspects of conservation and preservation of the coral biodiversity. This Committee is also responsible to coordinate activities which may enhance the adaptive capacity of the vulnerable coral reef ecosystem and associated marine organisms. As challenges arise more and more, Minister Koonjoo said, it becomes of paramount importance that stakeholders dedicated to the conservation of the marine biodiversity to be empowered with the required know-how to identify a disease outbreak, monitor such outbreaks, carry out sampling, and data recording. (TNS) -- Peco Energy Co. wants to install a self-sustaining "microgrid" in a Delaware County community that has endured a large number of power outages.The utility has asked the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for permission to spend about $35 million to install the experimental microgrid in Concord Township, Delaware County, along the Route 1 corridor in Concordville.The microgrid, which could operate independently of the regional power grid during an widespread outage, would supply power to a 388-acre area that includes the Concord Township Municipal Complex, a fire station, a sewage-treatment plant, a retirement community, two medical facilities, two motels, two shopping centers, and a Wawa store.The three government facilities and 27 businesses have a typical aggregate peak load of 8.6 megawatts, Peco said.The microgrid would include five two-megawatt natural-gas power generators, a 500-kilowatt solar array, and two 100-kilowatt lithium-ion battery arrays that would be located at the township building and at the Concordville Fire Station. The plan also calls for an electric-vehicle charging station.Peco would recover the estimated $35 million cost through customer rates. It says the impact would eventually require an increase of about 29 cents a month for a residential electrical customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours.In the fall, the PUC responded positively when Peco, in its long-term infrastructure plan, telegraphed its desire to build a microgrid pilot project.Microgrids, which are more widespread in Europe, are seen as critical for electric utilities to adapt to the growing shift from centralized power plants to a diffusion of local power sources, such as solar or wind installations, fuel cells, small power generators, and backup battery systems.They can work in harmony with the traditional regional power grid to help stabilize operations, or can disconnect from the grid and operate autonomously.Peco's Wednesday request to the PUC calls for two conjoined microgrids that can operate independently.The utility also would upgrade the local distribution network, switches, and communications infrastructure to allow the grid to operate independently. It plans to harden the existing power lines to make them more resistant to storm damage.Peco said it selected Concord Township for the pilot project because the location provided an array of different customers, including vital government services and medical facilities.Peco already participates in a microgrid project sponsored by Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. at the Navy Yard.William J. Patterer, Peco's director of regulatory strategy and revenue policy, said the Concord Township project "will test microgrid network controller technology in a subgrid and is expected to provide useful knowledge regarding microgrid control technology and utility system integration including microgrid islanding, synchronization and reconnection, protection, and system resiliency."The Concordville area has suffered through an above-average number of storm outages. Last June, 91 percent of customers within the proposed microgrid experienced outages for up to four days because of thunderstorms."In the past five years, Concord Township has experienced longer-than-average outage durations because it is served primarily by aerial distribution facilities that are exposed to weather, vegetation, and other environmental factors," Patterer said in testimony filed with Peco's application.Once the microgrid is installed, the utility expects to be able to restore power within 15 minutes.In addition to the government facilities, the microgrid will include Maris Grove Retirement Community, Crozer Medical Plaza and Reading Cancer Center, CHOP Specialty Care and Surgery Center, the Shoppes at Brinton Lake, and the Concordville Town Center, which includes an Acme Market, a Home Depot, and a Target. Get Your Head Out of Your Apps Lost Teddy Bear Showcases City One of the lessons I like to teach is that its OK to have fun on government social media. However, some social media managers arent given the leeway to try new things. Sometimes, the best way to get your elected officials or management to allow you to embrace a particular approach is to show them solid examples of agencies that are rocking it. While its best to have an eye for knowing when levity is appropriate, some risk-takers have landed on their feet with even risque posts.The Missouri Department of Transportation took a gamble on a tweet and it paid off. In a plug against distracted driving, the agency tweeted a photo of an electronic freeway sign that read, Get your head out of your apps.Although this word play is something Ive seen before, its bold for a government agency. The department admitted that it edited this image for Twitter, but expressed that this was indeed a message placed on digital signs along the interstates.I like when agencies use humor for more than just belly laughs as the attention-getter to drive home a message. In this case, the state wanted to get the word out that distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes in Missouri.The Washington State Department of Transportation is known for its sense of humor on Twitter. In fact, its efforts earned two Golden Post Awards in spring 2016, honoring the clever use of social media by a government agency.Two springs earlier, WSDOT tweeted one of my favorite lighthearted posts. Just because the agency didnt have any video footage showing a black bear that was sighted on the freeway doesnt mean it couldnt have fun with the concept. In a particularly creative tweet the agency noted, Cant see that black bear in I-90 median on camera, but heres what it may look like.Then they proceeded to share a hand-drawn stick picture illustrating a bear-like figure waving Hi from the center of the busy freeway. Funny? Check. Hundreds of retweets and favorites? Check. Growing their audience with humor so they have their ear when WSDOT needs to share important messages? Mission accomplished.Sometimes, being creative on social media gives a government agency the ability to showcase its community. The Downtown Round Rock, Texas, Facebook page received thousands of likes and shares when it posted about a teddy bear that was found at an outdoor community event.The agency issued a Lost Teddy Alert that mimicked an official bulletin. The creative part is that it also used the teddy bear as an opportunity to creatively showcase the community using images. Pictures were posted of Teddy hanging out at popular downtown locations, all the while missing his human. Eventually the owner was found and the bear was publicly reunited with the little girl who lost him by the local police and fire departments.I asked Round Rocks social media coordinator, Austin Ellington, to share some insight on his approach. He explained, It wasnt complicated and didnt take hours of planning, but instead was an off-the-cuff, spur-of-the-moment idea that was born out of an overall social media strategy grounded in being creative, keeping things lighthearted and most importantly being social in our approach to connecting with constituents.Was all of this branded as a waste of taxpayer dollars? No. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and rightly so. Economic development and community branding bring both industry and dollars to cities. Ultimately the teddy bear campaign received more than 3,000 likes and shares, citizens were happy about belonging to the community, and a little girl felt special. Pretty impressive results if you ask me. Develop a mobile-friendly website. This will address points No. 2 and No. 3 previously discussed. Communicate via SMS. I see a lot of communication from the public sector. Sadly, with an open rate of 22 percent, its really a futile way to communicate. SMS, on the other hand, has a read rate of 98 percent. The good news is that there are a lot of SMS marketing tools out there that are relatively inexpensive. Ive actually seen a couple of organizations that realize SMS is a better way to communicate, and the employees end up using their personal cellphones to send out text messages. Develop a native app. An app can be a very effective tool to communicate with a population served by a public-sector organization. The reasons for an organization having their own native app are numerous, and as such, I plan to write a future post on why a public sector organization would need a native app. The public sector tend to be late adopters of technology, and this is the case with mobile technology. However, there are several reasons why nonprofits and public-sector organizations need to adopt a mobile strategy.1.The main reason that a mobile strategy should be adopted is that the population has already adopted mobile. In the few short years since the debut of the iPhone, the smartphone has had unprecedented adoption. There are lots of studies and statistics to prove this point. My favorite stat is that there are more mobile devices than there are people in the world. 2.Recently Google reported that there are more searches done from mobile devices than from desktop computers.3.In 2015, Google changed its algorithm so that a search done on a mobile device will favor a mobile-friendly website. So based on points No. 2 and No. 3, organizations that have a mobile-friendly website will have an advantage over those that dont.4.In a recent study , mobile was the only means of access to the Internet for 23 percent of families below the poverty level. So for organizations that deal with providing social services, a significant part of the population they serve can only access the Internet via a mobile device.5.A good example is the California WIC website . This website is hard enough to navigate on a desktop computer. However, if you are in the WIC program, you are typically below the poverty level and theres a good chance that your only connection you have to the Internet is through a mobile device. Try navigating the WIC website with your smartphone and realize that for some, this is their only option.In developing a mobile strategy, there are three elements to consider:If you manage a public-sector organization, I hope this post gives you some food for thought on why you need to adopt a mobile strategy. Latest phase in state 911 center initiative Debate in Lebanon (TNS) -- Warren County communities are resisting efforts to create a statewide emergency dispatch network, despite the potential to save millions in taxpayer money.Due to the critical nature of public safety dispatching, it is not recommended that the city discontinue the use of its communications center in an effort to achieve the cost savings that may result, Lebanon City Manager Pat Clements said in conclusion of a March 2016 evaluation of consolidation.Lebanon estimates it could save $432,000 a year by joining the Warren County Command Center, at least for the time being, provided to communities at no cost.Already Springboro and Mason have switched. Franklin and Lebanon are the final holdouts in the county.Last week, Franklin officials offered no indication they were willing to give up the local service. There were signs of possible change in Lebanon, where the city council is looking for budget cuts to pay for needs, such as road repairs.Kettering, Oakwood and Centerville still operate their own 911 response centers, although Centerville now handles the task for West Carrollton.The issue has divided communities and local officials around the state, including Montgomery and Greene counties.In Lebanon, the communication center dispatches utility workers and provides other community services.This is a hot button in Lebanon, Lebanon Councilwoman Wendy Monroe said last week during a work session with the Warren County Board of Commissioners.On May 12, the latest standards established through the Ohio 9-1-1 Program Office ESINET Steering Committee took effect. The standards are another step toward setting up a statewide network using next-generation technology to get first responders to the scene of emergencies as quickly as possible, saving lives and getting ahead of a wide array of other catastrophes.By May 2018, all public safety answer points (PSAPs) are to operate according to the standards, or lose state funding - derived from a 25 cent charge on cell phone bills.Each center will be required to complete training, staff the center with two dispatchers ready for 911 response, establish an emergency medical dispatch protocol, provide an alternate power supply and comply with other potentially expensive standards.In March, Lebanon City Council spent $135,000 to update computer programming supporting its system, rather than sign on with Warren County, which signed a $1.8 million contract in January for software computer-aided dispatch, records keeping and records management.Warren County funds its center with sales tax, in particular on the sale of new cars and trucks from the auto mall along the county line.Lebanon, struggling to fund street repairs, has no such surplus and voters defeated a levy issue designed to help the city catch up on road repairs Last week, Vice Mayor Mark Messer said the city spent $700,00 to $900,000 a year on the service. Franklin did not reply to questions about what it costs to operate its call center.Messer and Monroe said they would take their findings back to Lebanon City Council, which is in the midst of its annual cost-cutting search.The way I see it, there is a significant amount of savings, Messer said during the discussion with the commissioners.Clements indicated the issue was not scheduled for any upcoming Lebanon council meetings. He said the city was part of the statewide committee and ready to move ahead with its own center.The county commissioners directed Mike Bunner, the countys director of emergency services, to reconvene a committee established to deal with the state changes and divvy up the cell phone funds - $433,272 last year.Currently Franklin and Lebanon each get 25 percent $108,318, leaving the rest, $216,636 for the county.However Bunner found support on the board for cutting the shares going to Lebanon and Franklin, possibly urging the cities to join the county.Commissioner Dave Young said the time and technology had passed when a city could truly state local dispatchers were able to provide a better service due to knowledge of local streets and other community idiosyncrasies.In my opinion, its a waste of money, Young said. Max Verstappen is sure becoming F1's youngest ever winner will not go to his head. Hot on the heels of entering the category as the world's first 17-year-old grand prix driver last year, the Dutch sensation broke through for victory in Barcelona -- mere days after being promoted to Red Bull's top F1 team. Verstappen has admitted he has spent the week since then trying to take it all in, including watching the replay of the race commentated in his native Dutch. "The commentator was crying," he exclaimed to Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. "I still get goose bumps when I see it," Verstappen added. He said he is not the type to get "emotional very easily", but admitted he was holding back tears on the podium. "I did it," he smiled. Verstappen also admitted it has been impossible to ignore all the hype triggered by his Spanish grand prix triumph. "Today it's all a bit crazy," he said, "but it's very important not to lose touch of the ground. My father and my manager help me with that." Verstappen is now moving on to the Monaco grand prix, where last year he shone for Toro Rosso until a huge rear-end smash sent him into the barriers. "That won't happen again," he insists. "I've learned my lesson." Instead, he is targeting his next podium, acknowledging that although Red Bull is expecting to shine on the Principality's streets, "I was a bit lucky" in Spain. "I feel really at home around Monaco," Verstappen is quoted by the Daily Star. "I love street circuits. Sure, it is difficult to overtake here as I found out last year when I tried and hit the wall. "But that won't put me off trying my best for another win or at least a place on the podium." (GMM) Honda is planning to hand in all of its engine performance 'tokens' by Spa-Francorchamps in August. That is the claim of Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, citing the information of an unnamed engineer. "By then we will be able to feed in more electrical power," the engineer is quoted as saying. The first step in the McLaren works partner's two-step in-season upgrade plan will be in Canada, the report added. Fernando Alonso is hoping Monaco this weekend will be another milestone for the Anglo-Japanese collaboration, after he powered into Q3 for the first time in Spain. "In theory Monaco is the best circuit for us all year," the Spaniard told the Spanish broadcaster Movistar whilst attending the MotoGP round at Mugello at the weekend. Then for 2017, it is reported that Honda will unveil a totally redesigned power unit concept, with the turbo no longer located inside the 'V'. Stoffel Vandoorne, the team's current reserve, hopes he has been drafted into the race lineup by then. "For me, I hope the decision comes as soon as possible, I guess that's better for everyone," the Belgian is quoted by Italy's Tuttosport. "I'm pushing it and hope to be racing next year, it's definitely my goal," Vandoorne added. "The number 1 priority is to be with McLaren." (GMM) Cocktails: Stars share love for whiskey Bengaluru: What is the one common thing between Canadian model Coco Rocha and Indian celebrities like Randeep Hooda, Mandira Bedi and Dino Morea? Besides their glitzy professions, they all share a love for whiskey! The stars, who had gathered at the Shangri-La hotel here for USL-Diageo's #LoveScotch event to celebrate the World Whiskey Day on Saturday, opened up about their preferred ways of consuming the alcoholic beverage. Rocha, the ambassador of the #LoveScotch campaign, said that traditionally people believed that Scotch is a man's drink, but she enjoys it in varied avatars. "For some reason, it has been believed that Scotch is a man's drink. I drink it all sort of ways, as cocktails. I have always been a cocktail girl. I think women felt that there was just one type of taste, but that's not the case," Rocha told IANS. Meanwhile, Randeep, who even has a horse called Johnnie Walker, said he usually prefers to have whiskey on the rocks. "If I am drinking to unwind, better to have whiskey on the rocks. It is a great conversation drink along with soft jazz," Randeep told IANS. Mandira revealed that she was first introduced to the drink by her father and she developed a taste for it over the years. "I enjoy a good Scotch. My father introduced me to it. I believe if a parent introduces you to a drink, you have a healthier relationship with alcohol. A lot of my taste and what I enjoy have been determined by him," Mandira told IANS. "I prefer my Scotch neat with two blocks of ice. I believe single malts make good cocktails, though," she added. Dino, who is now a successful entrepreneur besides pursuing his career as an actor, says he loves a good single malt. "If I am out on a party, I would like a whiskey cocktail. If I am at home with friends coming in for a party, I would prefer it on the rocks. Maybe a little bit of soda to give it a crackling taste," Dino told IANS. "Someone showed me a mix of whiskey and ginger ale, which I loved," he added. The stars even created some concoctions with single malts and tried their hand at mixing. With a gleeful spirit, they showed the guests that they are not just celebrities who we all see on screen, on the ramp, or on magazine covers, but also aficionados of one of the world's most beloved alcoholic beverages. (The writer was in Bengaluru on the invitation of USL-Diageo. He can be contacted at ankit.s@ians.in) People who are eager for the approval of medical cannabis in Nebraska will have to wait at least another year, and maybe three, for a chance at getting it legalized. It is hoped those who need it still will be around to benefit from it, if and when it eventually is approved in this state, said Shelley Gillen, whose son Will has severe epileptic seizures and potentially could be helped by the drug. After a bill (LB643) failed in April to get enough votes to stop a filibuster, and allow for an up or down vote on the bill itself, several groups said they were working on an initiative petition drive to get the question on the November ballot. That won't happen, Gillen said. There's not enough time and there's not enough money to get it done this summer. They are looking at the possibility of a 2018 vote, she said. "We just can't count on the Legislature," she said. "We've been doing this since Will was 11. He's now 14. So we've been through it three legislative sessions." The strictest medical cannabis proposal in the country still isn't good enough for some senators, she said, or Gov. Pete Ricketts and Attorney General Doug Peterson. The bill would have allowed medical cannabis in pill, oil or liquid form for patients with certain conditions who were certified by a medical provider. It would have been acquired and dispensed through centers -- one per congressional district -- registered by the state Department of Health and Human Services. "I have no doubt Sen. Garrett's bill would've passed if it weren't for the two of them (Ricketts and Peterson)," Gillen said. Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg led the charge in the Legislature against the bill, saying he didn't want the state legalizing a federal Schedule I drug. Garrett's bill was filibustered, and it required 33 votes to stop the debate and force a vote. Garrett said after the vote failed that he thought he had the 33 votes, but some senators reneged. He ended up with 30. Without the filibuster, the bill needed only 25 votes to pass a second round of consideration. It broke Garrett's heart, he said, because last summer he had talked those who wanted medical cannabis in the state out of working on gathering signatures for the initiative petition. "I really thought we had a great chance of getting it passed," Garrett said. Now, getting it on the November ballot is a bridge too far, he said. "It required so darn much money to get something on the ballot," he said. He speculated it would have taken $700,000 to nearly $1 million to pay for petition circulators, consultants, advertising and promotion. Last year, Nebraskans for the Death Penalty successfully collected enough signatures to get their reinstatement question on the November ballot. That campaign reported spending about $909,000. Garrett is facing re-election this year, but if he makes it back to the Legislature, he said, he plans to try again on the bill. "It's going to be an uphill struggle," he said. Nine senators who supported the bill will be gone next year because of term limits, and several more are facing re-election. Only one opponent of the bill -- Omaha Sen. Beau McCoy -- will leave. "We've got a whole bunch of new senators that we're going to have to convince," he said. "(But it's) not an impossibility, especially now that yet another state has approved it." In April, Pennsylvania became the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana. And this week, the U.S. House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing legislation that would lift restrictions on Veterans Affairs doctors discussing medical marijuana as a treatment option with their patients in states where it is legal. Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have expressed some form of support for medical marijuana. And the federal Drug Enforcement Administration will review marijuana's classification as a Class I drug, the most dangerous, this summer. "You know, if the moon and the stars align right, there's a potential we could get it done," Garrett said. "We're going to keep fighting the fight." NATA is gearing up for Dallas Convention NATA, the North American Telugu Association is gearing up for its Dallas Convention 2016. The event is scheduled to happen on the last weekend of May i.e. from May 27th to May 29th. The event is happening at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. Various programs are organized for the event. There are cultural events which include Classical Dance, Short Skits, Ballets, Small Skits, Karaoke, Dubsmash and many other events. Panel Discussion on various issues by prominent celebrities is also planned. The stage is also set for a Youth Forum which has Science Workshops, Youth Night, Arts and Crafts along with various other events. The convention also has Business Seminars and Political Forum in its schedule. Apart from the above mentioned the event has got a fair share of literary events and Spiritual events on its schedule. Prominent personalities from different walks of life are invited for the Convention. Politicians like Bandaru Dattatreya, D. K Aruna, P. V. Midhun Reddy, N. UttamKumar Reddy, SA Sampath Kumar are some of the main Politicians who are attending the event. Hero Sampoornesh Babu is also expected to attend the event while actresses like Nitya Menon, Hamsa Nandini, Siya Goutham, Tejaswini, Madhuri Itagi are on the invitees list. Telugu movie directors like Harish Shankar, Kodandarami Reddi and Gandhi are likely to precede the convention. Famous Tollywood comedians like Prudhvi Balireddy, Sapthagiri, Praveen, Bittar Satti and Bithiri Savitra are expected to spread smiles at the convention. Spiritual invitees to the convention include Dr Prakasa Rao Velagapudi, Kalyan Viswanathan, Swami Sarveshananda, Swami Paratmananda, Swami Abhishek Chaitanya Giri. Sri K. Prabhakar Reddy IAS is also expected at the event. Ravindra Sannareddy, Sri City Managing Director and Uday Reddy, Yupp TV CEO are the prominent business personalities scheduled to attend the event. All the travel and Hotel arrangement is updated on the official website of the event. Contact information of the organizers and volunteers is also updated on the website. The schedule of each event is also updated on the website so as to make the visitors available with the programs organized. The North American Telugu Association is inviting one and all for the event. The registration link for the convention is also available on the website: http://nata2016.org/ Press note released by: Indian Clicks, LLC T.A.T.A celebrates Mother's Day with true style in LA Telangana American Telugu Association (T.A.T.A) successfully hosted Mothers day celebrations event on Saturday May 21st, 2016 at Indian Oven Banquet Hall, Simi Valley, CA. A mark of respect to each Mother who is the only irreplaceable entity. A person often mute, yet a person who puts the family moving each day! It was a fitting tribute to the Motherhood often forgotten. The event organizers from Telangana America Telugu Association felt the Mothers deserve more and special on this day and conducted this Ladies exclusive Event. The event was steered by Harinder Tallapalli, Regional Vice-President from Los Angeles and coordinated by Regional Coordinators Shireesha Tallapalli, Praveena Kasanagottu, Bindhu Gande, Saritha, Sucharita Rampuram among other women leaders from the community. The women attendees felt T.A.T.A injects and instill confidence, leadership qualities and promotes cohesiveness and many came forward voluntarily to register as members of T.A.T.A. The organizers conducted activities such as Singing, Kuchipudi Performances, Comedy Skits, Talent show, Fashion Show, Awards Ceremony, Super Mom contests, and many fun-filled Games where many attended and recalled their fond memories of being a child and as a Mother, shared their happy moments together, showcased their talent and enthralled the attendees with their wit and mingling attitude. The event began with lighting ceremony by T.A.T.A President Jhansi Reddy Garu followed by Ganapathi pooja and devotional songs. T.A.T.A President Jhansi Reddy conveyed message about objectives of T.A.T.A and upcoming Telangana SEVA Days, T.A.T.A Convention 2017 and encouraged more Women involvement, leadership in T.A.T.A. and requested to enroll in membership. Marking the occasion Chief Guest actress Laya graced the occasion and extended support to T.A.T.A. LA Regional Coordinators felicitated T.A.T.A President who in turn felicitated Acterss Laya President by Jhansi Reddy. The event was concluded by cake cutting and a promise to undertake more initiatives that include women and community related services. The event was supported by T.A.T.A national team members President Jhansi Reddy, Anil Arrabelli Joint Treasurer and Harinder Tallapalli Regional Vice President. The team thanked Dr. Malla Reddy Advisory Council Chair, for his unconditional support, T.A.T.A President Jhansi Reddy, Advisory Council members, Executive team, Board of Directors and other members who continue striving to make T.A.T.A a premier organization. The event was supported by local Telugu organization Telugu Association of Southern California (TASC) and Los Angeles Telugu Association (LATA). TASC President Bayappa Reddy and Executive committee Felicitated Jhansi reddy garu and extended their support to T.A.T.A. Click here for gallery Oops! There was a problem! Sorry, but we can't find what you were looking for right now. The content may have been removed, or is temporarily unavailable. GreatAndhra.com powered by India Brains Infotech, LLC, its owners, associates and employees are not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations on any of our pages or on any links on any of our pages. 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'Brahmotsavam' Review: Silver Screen Telugu Serial Movie: Brahmotsavam Rating: 2/5 Banner: PVP Cinema Cast: Mahesh Babu, Samantha, Kajal, Pranitha, Sathyaraj, Revathy, Jayasudha, Naresh, Tulasi, Nasser, Sayaji Shinde, Rao Ramesh, Subhalekha Sudhakar, Krishna Bhagawan, Vennela Kishore and others Dialogues: Parachuri Brothers Music: Mickey J Meyer Cinematography: Rathnavelu Editor: Kotagiri Venkatehswara Rao Production Design: Thota Tharani Producer: Param V Potluri, Pearl V Potluri, Kavin Anne Story, Screenplay and direction: Srikanth Addala Release Date: 20 May 2016 One of the biggest movies of this year, Brahmotsavam has been creating buzz for a long time and everyone is waiting for its release. The combination of Mahesh Babu and director Srikanth Addala, who delivered blockbuster Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, was the prime reason for the great expectations it generated. Mahesh Babu, the top star of Tollywood, is also in great form. Hence Brahmotsavam has become most-talked about the movie this year. Will the team deliver what everyone is looking forward to? Lets find out... Story: Mahesh Babu is son of an industrialist in Vijaywada. He has no name in the film. His father Sathya Raj loves to lead life celebrating festivals with his relatives and family members together. When his brother-in- law Rao Ramesh who is hoping that Mahesh marries his daughter Pranitha sees that Mahesh kissing Kajal Agarwal, hell breaks loose. He walks out of the family and leaving Mahesh Babus father devastated. The tragedy in his family makes Mahesh Babu to find the extended family that is living all over India. Artistes Performances: Mahesh Babu has proven himself that he excels in classy dramas where emotions matter more. After Athadu and Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirmalle Chettu, he has come up with another sincere performance. Frankly speaking more than performance, he has looked handsome that is impressive. The movie doesnt have scope for him to bring out best performance. He has looked all more handsome and has carried the film on shoulders till the end even as the movie proceeds in dull manner. Sathya Raj is suited in the role of Mahesh Babus rich father. Rao Ramesh is in terrific form. It looks like Srikanth Addala writes movies only for him. Kajal Aggarwal has shared terrific chemistry with Mahesh Babu and she has got more screen presence among the three heroines. Samanthas role and her acting is silly, when she speaks in slang she sounds awkward. Pranitha has nothing much to do in the film. Senior actresses Revathy and Jayasudha dont disappoint us. Comedy by Vennela Kishore has worked well. Technical Excellence: Richness is noticed in every frame in the film beautiful photography, stunning sets, presence of veteran and known actors. Rathnavelu has filmed the movie dipping with beautiful colors. His photography has elevated the movie to the next level. Music is good but they irritate as they come frequently. Songs like Bala Tripuramani and Nayudigarinitikaada are a treat to watch on the screen. Picturisation of the songs is like celebration of a wedding loaded abundance of decoration. Sets created by Thota Tharani are splendid. PVP Cinemas production values are rich. The editing is utterly bad. Main villain of the movie is editing work and dialogue writing. There is not much action in the film. Highlights: Mahesh Babus handsomeness Interval scene Rich Photography and production values Climax episode Drawback: Boring Screenplay Dull episodes Too many songs Plenty of actors with little characterisation Some sequences seem like a TV serial Dialogues are hard to understand Analysis: Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu had elevated director Srikanth Addala to another league. Despite the movie having no major story, the way he has handled the scenes, brought out the bonding between two brothers struck a chord with everyone. His next film Mukunda was highly criticized by many. Despite this, when he teamed up with Mahesh Babu for Brahmotsavam expectations shot high and the title and teasers hiked them up as they promised a colorful family entertainer. But one feels cheated by the teasers as the movie proceeds on. Can you sit through a movie in which first one hour is devoted to songs, wedding events, festival celebrations, picnics, silly banter between family members and nothing else? Yeah, the first hour of Brahmotsavam treads on like Sathya Raj and his son playing with a group of 50 to 60 family members and singing songs. When the family is not shown, we get to see some silly verbal romance between Mahesh Babu and Kajal Aggarwal. Like in old Krishna Vamsi's movies Murari or Ninne Pelladutha, all the ladies either do pooja or make pickles, and every room in the large house is decorated with flowers, banana leaves, and dozens of kids and workers moving all the while. The dialogues in thick Godavari slang sometimes amuse us and the philosophical conversation between Mahesh Babu and Sathya Raj is hard to understand. While the first half is filled with family drama with song and dances, the second half is more like a Travel documentary for a TV channel with Mahesh Babu and Samantha heading to Nagpur to Haridwar to Jaipur to Sholapur and all over the India to find out the roots of seven generations of his family. Along the way Samantha and Mahesh Babu talk in plain silly way and look at each other admiringly but refrain from doing anything. The proceedings are as tedious as some of our never-ending TV serials like Mogali Rekulu or Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki. Director Srikanth Addala has stressed the focus on Mahesh Babu and his relationship with his father in the first half and then immediately shifts focus to roots of his family. It is like watching two different movies on a single ticket. But that is fine if it is told interestingly. Although the movie has couple worth family sentiment scenes like the interval tragedy and the climax duel between Rao Ramesh and Mahesh Babu, the actual drama is very little in the film, flimsy storyline is the main drawback. While the hero goes all over India to search for his roots, he doesnt care to bring his sister who lives abroad to his home. Even when the tragedy happens at home, she doesnt come? Strange! Also, in entire first half, the director shows that Mahesh Babus house is filled with atleast 50 members and servants but when the tragedy strikes, he shows there is no one in the house to approach except his mother. Although the film has stunning production values and great cinematography, director Srikanth Addala has put all his eccentric ideas here. He directed the film based on his whims and fancies, little caring about a cohesive story or screenplay. All in all, Brahmotsavam tests the patience with its idiotic scenes, directionless screenplay, and snail-paced romantic thread. If not for Mahesh Babus presence, the film collapses completely. Bottom-line: Directionless Drama (Venkat can be reached venkat@greatandhra.com or Twitter) Click here for Telugu review OPEC interactions have become a direct altercation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, with the remaining members reduced to mere observers. The next OPEC meeting on the 2nd of June will act as little more than a forum for continued altercations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The 2 June 2016 OPEC meeting will be held amid a backdrop of oil prices near $50 per barrel, a sharp drop in Nigerian production due to sabotage, turmoil in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia operating with a new oil minister, and Iran aggressively pumping close to pre-sanction levels. The new Saudi oil minister, Khalid al-Falih, will be attending his first OPEC meeting, but experts doubt he will have the same clout and skills as the outgoing Saudi oil minister, Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi. OPECs unity is now in the spotlight more than ever, said an OPEC official. Would we ever see a minister that carries the same weight as Naimi? I dont think so, especially as it is clear now that decisions are in the hands of the deputy crown prince, reports The Wall Street Journal. The Prince outlined his strategy in Vision 2030, and a major step in that direction is the listing of the state-owned oil company Aramco. In order to gain additional traction for the proposed listing, the Saudis will continue their aggressive stance in OPEC, and keep all the oil producers on the hook, a glimpse of which was given by the new Saudi Aramco Chief executive Amin Nasser. Whatever the call on Saudi Aramco, we will meet it, Mr. Nasser said. There will always be a need for additional production. Production will increase upward in 2016, reports The Financial Times. Though Mr. Nasser did not hint at the percentage increase, even a small increase will add to the supply glut, because Aramco produces around 9.54 million barrels per day (bpd). On the other hand, its adversaryIranhas quickly ramped up production to 3.56 million barrels per day and is on course to reach its targeted output of 4 million bpd. Iran has increased its market share in the excess supply environment by offering large discounts, undercutting the Saudi and Iraqi prices for their deliveries to Asia. Though Iran had initially hinted at joining any production freeze once it reached its target of 4 million bpd, the heightened tensions with Saudi show no signs of abating. Our main competitor is Saudi Arabia, Amir Hossein Zamaninia, Irans deputy oil minister for international affairs, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Zamaninia said Iran disapproves of increased politicization of the OPEC. In the Southern Persian Gulf, oil is becoming a political commodity, more than an economic commodity, he said. OPEC is in a difficult situation. He said that without solutions to the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, an agreement is unlikely. The relations between the two warring nations have reached a new low, with Iran refusing participation in the Hajj pilgrimage. The negotiations between the delegates of the two nations ended in conflict. Considering the existing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, if the OPEC meeting ends without a fight, it should be considered an achievement. The proposal by the Kuwaiti deputy foreign minister Khaled Jarallah for the member nations to freeze production is a feeble attempt to support prices. It is clear that Mohammed bin Salman wants to confront Iran not just in the Middle East but in the energy markets, Amir Handjani, a member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai-based RAK Petroleum, told RT. He said that it was unlikely that Prince Salman will back down now. And certainly the Iranians are not going to back down, reports Hellenic Shipping News. While these two nations continue their slugfest in the OPEC meeting, the smaller nations have no choice but to remain mute spectators, dreaming of their glory days. Rakesh Upadhyay is a writer for US-based Divergente LLC consulting firm. Link to original article: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/What-Does-The-Next-OPEC-Meeting-Have-In-Store.html Rescue workers were kept busy Sunday evening when two crashes occurred in the southern part of Gage County in close succession. Beatrice Fire and Rescue Capt. Jeremy Seggerman said the first crash happened on Highway 8, around 2 miles east of Odell. A 2005 Toyota Avalon driven by 20-year-old Emma R. Johnson, of Beatrice, was traveling northbound on Southwest 18th Road just south of West State Highway 8. The Toyota lost control due to its speed on the loose white rock of the roadway, according to a press release from the Sheriffs Office. The vehicle left the west side of the roadway and entered the ditch, where it collided with a barbed-wire fence and rolled three times before coming to rest in a field. All four occupants in the vehicle were ejected. The front passenger was transported by StarCare to Bryan West in Lincoln with serious injuries. The driver was transported to Beatrice Community Hospital by Beatrice Rescue and was released later. One rear passenger was transported to Beatrice Community Hospital by Wymore EMS and was also released later. A fourth occupant refused medical attention. Rescue workers were dispatched to the rollover at 6:26 p.m. and finished the call at 7:35 p.m. At 7:47 p.m., crews were dispatched to an ATV crash near East Locust Road. The ATV, a Yamaha Grizzly four-wheeler, was northbound on the bike trail when it approached Locust Road between South 36th Road and South 43rd Drive, according to a press release from the Sheriffs Office. The ATV crossed over Locust Road and back onto the bike trail, where motorized vehicles are not permitted. The driver of the ATV, 46-year-old James L. Wells, allegedly lost control and began to roll, throwing Wells into the field east of the bike trail. The ATV then came to rest just east of the trail. Beatrice Fire and Rescue transported Wells to Bryan West Medical Center in Lincoln for life-threatening injuries. Seggerman said StarCare was initially contacted, but hadnt completed transporting the patient from the rollover crash. Wells was reported to be in critical condition. Friends riding ATVs with Wells at the time of the accident stated that Wells drank a couple alcoholic beverages earlier in the day. It is unclear at this time if alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident and the wreck is still currently under investigation by the Gage County Sheriffs Office. Seggerman reminded ATV riders to take the proper safety precautions before riding. Always wear a helmet, he said. Ride in areas where youre supposed to be riding and just be careful. GREENWICH The U.S. Postal Service is rolling out new technology to protect letter carriers from dog bites. The new program uses mobile scanners, which postal workers carry for package deliveries, to indicate if a postal customer has a dog. And when customers visit the USPS website to schedule a package pickup at their home, the form asks if a dog lives there with them. Nationally, there was a 13 percent increase in dog bites to letter carriers from 2014 to 2015, with 6,549 carriers attacked last year. The number of attacks is growing because there are more dogs 70 million than ever in American homes, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. The concentration is highest in suburban locations like Greenwich. Everyone has a dog now. And were going to the door now more than ever, said interim Greenwich Postmaster Maria Kresmery. The new technology will let letter letter carriers know which properties have dogs, and note other potential hazards like loose steps or broken pavement. Carriers are also getting additional training and education, including tips on self-defense and body language. This is important, Kresmery noted, Dog bites are pretty scary. The USPS Washington headquarters released the data to promote National Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 15-21. Attacks have little to do with breed or size or even temperament, according to the veterinary group. They have to do with interactions. A stranger entering a yard or porch sparks a dogs protective instincts. If the stranger then extends a package, a dog may see the motion as threatening to its owner. Bottom line: Any dog can bite. Upswing in assaults The Postal Service has data showing the number of attacks reported last year by 4,018 municipalities nationwide. Houston had the most attacks, 77, followed by San Diego and Cleveland, each with 58, and Chicago and Dallas, each with 57. Greenwich has experienced some close calls in recent years with dogs behaving aggressively with letter carriers, Kresmery said. Stamford Postmaster Jeff Salamon said training was a valuable way to prevent dog bites. Last year was an improvement from 2014, when there were three attacks. There have been none so far this year, Salamon said. So our plans are working, he said. The Postal Service asks homeowners to do two things: Secure your dog in another room before opening the door to a carrier. Dogs sometimes break through screens and even glass to defend the home. Teach children not to receive mail from a carrier in front of a dog. The other thing to know is that if a carrier feels threatened by your dog, your mail or packages may not be delivered and you may be asked to pick up your things at the post office. If your dog is loose and acting threatening, your next door neighbors mail and packages will not be delivered either. For all their risk taking, letter carriers are still not the most frequent victims of dog attacks. Who gets hurt There are 4.5 million Americans bitten each year, with about one in five requiring medical attention, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of the victims are children, who are more likely to be severely injured. Children most often are attacked by dogs they know. The second most-attacked group is senior citizens, followed by letter carriers. National statistics show more American households some 43 million have dogs than have children under 18. Most dogs have no formal training and, because their owners are often at work all day, they spend a good amount of time with little to do, creating boredom and stress. The veterinary association warns that a wagging tail does not always mean a dog is happy. It may signal nervousness. Dont pet a dog without asking the owners permission, the group advises. Dont pet a dog through a fence, or one that is off leash, or one that seems to want to be alone. Avoid reaching for a dog that is eating, sleeping or playing with a toy. Dont assume a dog that was friendly in the past will be so again, or that one acting friendly with someone else will be so with you. Even if a dog approaches you, avoid prolonged eye contact, quick movements and high-pitched or loud sounds. Staff writer Robert Marchant contributed to this report. angela.carella@scni.com; 203-964-2296; This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Greenwichs state legislators reacted with dismay to the $1.6 million drop in state education funding the town will face in the next school year, but they said the cut probably would not be quickly reversed. The towns education cost sharing allocation will drop from approximately $3 million to about $1.4 million, a decrease equal to about 1 percent of the school districts operating budget for next year. Only Fairfield will experience a greater drop in its ECS allocation. School and municipal officials said they expect budget savings to offset the cuts, but the towns four legislative delegates all Republicans said they are still unhappy with the decisions of their Democratic counterparts in the state Capitol. Unfortunately its not surprising that the governor and the Democratic majority continue this trend of implementing the largest cuts and highest tax increases to the town of Greenwich and other Fairfield County municipalities to offset their mismanagement of the states economy, said state Rep. Mike Bocchino, who represents the 150th District. We all know that we are the one of the largest contributors to the state, and we receive the least in return. State Sen. L. Scott Frantz called the ECS decrease shameful and also blamed Malloy and Democratic legislators for the cuts. A Republican budget would have maintained the towns education funding and municipal and hospital grants, without raising taxes, he said. The enacted budget was created to help win elections in November and does very little to assure the fiscal solvency of Connecticut going forward for future generations, Frantz said. Fred Camillo, the 151st Districts state representative, described the cuts as both unfair and unnecessary. Like Frantz, he said the Republican-backed budget would have maintained Greenwichs current ECS funding. Livvy Floren, the 149th Districts state representative, said she was troubled by the plummet in state money, but expressed hope that the impact would not destabilize the Greenwich and Stamford school systems. Her district also includes parts of Stamford. I am certain that the Greenwich and Stamford Boards of Education are nimble and will be able to make adjustments so that necessary programs and services will be preserved, Floren said. Chris McClure, a spokesman for Malloy, said the governor and Democratic legislators had treated Greenwich fairly. Earlier this year, Malloy proposed a budget that would have wiped out all of Greenwichs ECS funding. Like the households we represent, the state must live within its means and align revenue and spending, McClure said. In Greenwichs case, the total reduction from the enacted fiscal year 2017 budget was less than 1 percent of Greenwichs total education budget. Frantz said he has told Ben Barnes, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, that the ECS reduction was unacceptable. He asked Barnes to restore the money, but the Greenwich legislators do not expect that to happen. Unfortunately, with billion-dollar deficits forecast for the next several out years, I would say the chances of restoration of funds are not likely, Camillo said. However, should the Republicans win control of the House or Senate, which is certainly not a sure thing, at least this coming year, then I would be more hopeful. Despite the obstacles they foresee, the legislative quartet said that they would continue to push for more state aid. I will continue to fight for the remainder of this term for the kind of fiscal responsibility that prevents funding for important programs, such as ECS, from being crowded out by irresponsible growth in core state spending, Frantz said. Floren said she did not think the ECS cuts spelled the end of state support for major projects in the school district. Committee members overseeing the development of plans for a new building for the overcrowded New Lebanon School have said the state could fund about 60 percent of the construction costs for the $37 million project. I have always believed that local school districts can best direct their resources, Floren said. We will continue to advocate for school construction monies as we have for the (Greenwich High School performing arts center) MISA funds and New Lebanon. pschott@scni.com; 203-625-4439; twitter: @paulschott Residents in Washington, Roxbury and Bridgewater will vote Tuesday on Region 12s nearly $21.4 million proposed school budget. The Board of Education trimmed $200,000 from the initial proposal by pulling that amount from the capital reserve to cover renovations at the teacher-student work area in Shepaug Valley School instead of using new tax revenue. The proposed budget is about $200,000 less than the 2015-2016 budget. Under the proposed budget, Washington, which contributes about 48.5 percent of the students, would cover about $10.2 million of the budget. Bridgewater, which makes up about 32 percent of the student body, will cover $6.7 million. Roxbury, which has about 19.4 percent of the students, will cover about $4.1 million. Polls are open noon to 8 p.m. Nebraska State Patrol troopers arrested a woman on multiple drug offenses Friday after a K-9 unit alerted them to the presence of drugs. At around 2:30 a.m., a trooper was northbound at Sixth and Jefferson streets when he saw a southbound Honda Accord that was speeding. The trooper initiated a traffic stop, and suspected the smell of marijuana from the vehicle, but was unable to properly identify it. Morgan Kriz denied the presence of drugs and denied the trooper consent to search the vehicle. He requested a K-9 unit, which indicated the presence of drugs to officers, according to Gage County Court documents. During a search, authorities found 8.7 grams of methamphetamine, 8.3 grams of loose-leaf marijuana, eight edible THC pieces, 7.5 grams of cocaine, 5.5 millileters of hash oil and 1 gram of hash wax. Authorities also found empty dime bags stored with the drugs. Kriz had an unspecified weapon in the vehicle, court documents state, leading to a charge of possession of a deadly weapon while committing a felony. Her bond was set at $7,500 with a 10 percent deposit in Gage County Court. Her next hearing is scheduled for June 21. The sausage at Gabriel Kreuther lays the groundwork for a serious bender. Photo: Tirzah Brott/New York Magazine Thanks in part to the great mixology revolution, the city is awash in satisfying, elaborate bar menus now. Our current favorites are culled from new-age dive bars, Japanese-style cocktail izakayas, and even the ritzy cocktail lounges of haute gourmet midtown restaurants. The Absolute Best 1. Gabriel Kreuther Bar Lounge 41 W. 42nd St., nr. Ave of the Americas; 212-257-5826 Gabriel Kreuthers elegant new midtown restaurant isnt a bar, per se, but the lounge were talking about is separate from the great Alsatian chefs grander, some would say slightly over-fussy fine-dining restaurant, and the range of inspired Alsatian-influenced bar snacks is unparalleled. The classic tarte flambee (smoked bacon, caramelized onions, creme fraiche) goes with almost any drink, but if you feel like laying the groundwork for a serious bender, we recommend braised tripe gratine or the fat pork-stuffed Alsatian sausage dressed with a tangle of house-cured sauerkraut. If youre in a lighter mood, enjoy the crunchy Maine lobster croquettes with your Kir Royale (or your perfectly fashioned martini), and a crisp glass of Alsatian white with what is undoubtedly the finest example of haute gourmet liverwurst in town. 2. The NoMad Bar 10 W. 28th St., nr. Broadway; 212-796-1500 On most evenings, the vaulted dark, mobbed space is the opposite of a peaceful dive bar. But if you manage to secure a table, the depth of the drinks program (over 20 beers, 80-odd cocktails) and the quality of Daniel Humms bar menu (Scotch olives made with lamb sausage, a perfectly aged burger, the truffle-rich chicken potpie) will make all of your troubles worthwhile. 3. The Long Island Bar 110 Atlantic Ave., at Henry St., Cobble Hill; 718-625-8908 The longshoremen who used to inhabit this impeccably renovated Atlantic Avenue bar may have a little trouble mingling with the new crowd of hipster regulars. But were betting they would be pleasantly surprised by radically upgraded pub grub, which includes ye olde fried cheese curds (with French onion dip), and a dry-aged double burger for 18 bucks. Related Stories New Yorks Best Bar Food Will Satisfy Every Drunk Craving 4. Bar Goto 245 Eldridge St., nr. E. Houston St; 212-475-4411 Pegu Club veteran Kenta Goto designed this elegantly cozy Lower East Side watering hole to resemble the great neighborhood bars of Tokyo. Which means that while you sip your cherry-blossom-garnished Sakura martini, you can also graze on a steady stream of delicious, impeccably prepared Japanese bar snacks. 5. The Commodore 366 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg; 718-218-7632 Nobody knows nouveau drinking food like Stephen Tanner, and his original faux tiki bar on the corner of Metropolitan and Havemeyer is the place to get it. The fried-chicken plate is reliably greasy and satisfying, but if youre planning a true rum-and-tequila bender, call for the mountainous Cadillac Nachos and a fortifying pot of properly viscous queso dip. Lilias lamb-leg steak. Photo: Melissa Hom Even as the neighborhood has filled with glassy fortresses and brutalist condos, Williamsburg has somehow managed to maintain its reputation as a place where restaurateurs go to try something that might not work in Manhattan. The restaurant scene is so saturated, in fact, that there are dozens of adventurous pizza places, sushi spots, and Southern restaurants that would easily place on a longer list. Establishments with distinct culinary missions were selected for this round, along with how well and how consistently they are executed. Here are the absolute best restaurants in Williamsburg. The Absolute Best 1. Lilia 567 Union Ave., at N. 10th St.; 718-576-3095 Missy Robbinss pink peppercorn and Parmigiano-Reggiano mafaldini should do for post-millennial pasta what spaghetti primavera did for Le Cirque decades ago. Try the rigatoni, ravioli, and cappelletti, though, too, because the excellent pasta course is the most likely reason the bustling, hangarlike restaurant is the toughest neighborhood reservation to land. Robbinss light touch with sardines (with capers and dill on grilled garlic bread) and blowfish tails (with astringent, herbaceous salmoriglio) could warrant a spinoff devoted to undersung seafood. Dishes like mozzarella sprinkled with bottarga and pomodoro-braised cannellini beans are prime examples of how simple ingredients can be luxurious, just as the lamb-leg steak topped with dressed raw fennel and celery is an offcut elevated to spectacular heights. 2. Aska 47 S. 5th St., nr. Wythe Avenue; 929-337-6792 Photo: Melissa Hom In accordance with the unwritten rules of Nordic futurist fine dining, the room is dark and semi-spotlit. There are conspicuously few tables, to the point that it wouldnt be weird at all if the lawyer at the next table who just flew in from Hong Kong stood up suddenly and launched into an Ionesco monologue. Dinner unfurls at a processional pace: A tuft of dehydrated and fried lichen atop reduced, almost-candied cream, in chanterelle broth and a float of spruce vinegar; a hefty spoonful of Finnish caviar dissolving in lemon-verbena broth, pearl-onion petals on the side; gently cooked Glidden Point oysters, arranged like pearly doubloons and dotted with oil made from pressed juniper shoots. Flavors can seem remote, and thats often the point, because it renders the contrast of each emulsified, smoked, fermented, pressed, steeped, crisped, or pickled ingredient into all the more standout and elegant bites. Depending on how you feel about the idea of ecological marginalia so crucial to this style of edgy fine dining, your impression of the special effects may vary. No one can argue, however, with a pool of strawberry juice collected last summer and fermented, set down with a perfect quenelle of milk sorbet in the dead of February. 3. Reynard 80 Wythe Ave., at N. 11th St.; 718-460-8004 Since taking charge of the kitchen in late 2017, Christina Lecki has been blasting whole heads of cauliflower in the embers, whipping wood-fired squash into zabaglione-like clouds, and tweaking the stately Wythe Hotel dining room with a root-cellar Gothic sort of vibe. The super-French wine list seems better than ever suited to the food, which isnt all veggies: Coppa di testa with hot chilies and charred onions is presented with butterhead lettuce for DIY head-cheese wraps. Housemade merguez pairs nicely with warm sourdough flatbread, and provides the exact sort of gutsy, plucky element the handsome space needed. 4. Sunday in Brooklyn 348 Wythe Ave., at S. 2nd St.; 347-222-6722 Photo: Melissa Hom The trio of stacked, saucerlike malted pancakes doused with liquefied maple-hazelnut praline, crowned with a pat of brown butter are the de facto showstoppers, the houses certified Instagram star. For anyone whos ever been burned by abysmal brunch, which is everyone, the good news is that these are very good pancakes. The better news is chef Jaime Youngs dinner menu. There are gougeres with grated black truffle and a drift of white cheddar, and a rib eye with koji brown butter and black garlic jam. Its all stuff cooks might cook for other cooks. Even the leaves in salads come from prestige lettuces, whats served at status restaurants, but no one brags about the farmer or smirks through tableside patter. Its just assumed that because the back of the house finds it delicious, you will, too. 5. Llama Inn 50 Withers St., at Lorimer St.; 718-387-3434 Photo: Melissa Hom With its base of citruslike aji amarillo peppers, Peruvian salsa ocopa is a workhorse sauce, usually paired with humdrum boiled potatoes. Here, the condiment gains more interesting work in a composed plate of peanuts and crisp anchovies, plus ribbons of roasted hunks of brightly colored winter root vegetables. Chef Eric Ramirez actually offers a limited-edition tasting menu on Tuesdays, but like his flame-grilled beef heart and smoky roast chicken with Huancaina, most dishes are set up like fine dining, but they all land like exceptional comfort food. 6. St. Anselm 355 Metropolitan Ave., nr. Havemeyer St.; 718-384-5054 Between the Underground Gourmetpraised butchers steak and the Platt-endorsed sirloin, the bustling hipster chophouse tends to get more done with fewer square feet and cubic ounces of meat than Peter Luger nearby. Beef aside, whole mackerel is great, and no one seems to order the lamb shoulder chop doused with salsa verde, but anyone who appreciates a little fat definitely should. 7. Win Son 159 Graham Ave., at Montrose Ave.; 347-457-6010 The fermentation extravaganza known as stinky tofu is one of those tough-to-find Taiwanese specialties that once would have whipped Chowhounders into a cross-borough tizzy. Luckily for everyone, its now freely available here, in a somewhat cheffed-up form, along with excellent oyster omelettes studded with briny Beausoleils and heritage pork. Dont miss zhajiangmian, or thick egg noodles bound with lamb and fermented soybean paste, and the Big Chicken, a.k.a. the most delightfully unruly dark-meat sandwich in town right now. 8. Birds of a Feather 191 Grand St., nr. Driggs Ave.; 718-969-6800 At this bustling Sichuan restaurant, your server for the evening will be an almost-famous Instagram poet, or someone wholl be plucked from indie-film obscurity to helm a Marvel Phase VI tentpole in 2029 starring an actor whos currently in preschool. All thats to say that if the dining room is sometimes spotty and unfocused, the cumin lamb is not. Neither are the chili-oil dumplings, or the whole-braised tilapia half-sunk in a deep dish of spicy miso and fragrant coriander, or the wobbly, housemade tofu with cracked Sichuan peppercorns. 9. Meadowsweet 149 Broadway, nr. Bedford Ave.; 718-384-0673 It may be near the waterfront as opposed to on it, but in terms of New American signifiers like St. Louis ribs and spiced duck breast, Meadowsweet at times comes across as a more relaxed, less staid River Cafe. Brunch-time duck hash, cinnamon sugared doughnut holes, and a facsimile of inos lamented truffled egg toast are enough of a draw, while the $85 five-course tasting is a steal. 10. Casino Clam Bar 160 Havemeyer St., nr. S. 2nd St.; 718-782-3474 Small dishes like bruleed uni arranged atop fettuccine or tiny dehydrated shrimp buttered up with bottarga on flatbread match well with the big wine list, which skews interesting producers and includes a lot of unexpected bottles. Boquerones, clam strips, and squid combine forces in the super-artsy fritto misto; the fry-up, like most everything else on the menu, adheres to an understated theme of sustainable seafood. The quirkily highbrow caviar happy hour nicely includes dollar littlenecks and two-dollar Lady Slipper oysters for people who dont own glassy East River condos, while the provenance of the funnel cake and saltwater taffy mignardises is straight-up Asbury Park. 11. Marlow & Sons 81 Broadway, nr. Berry St.; 718-384-1441 A hamburger and friendly check-in is always in order at Diner, the vault-ceilinged and cramped dining car thats, since 1999, informed menus and aesthetics of countless local and farther-flung restaurants. The thing is, its next-door sibling has more wiggle room and a generally heartier menu. Golden, crisp-skinned brick chicken is the permanent menu item; the rest, such as deeply flavored white beans and salads of bitter chicories in winter, is all about seasonality. 12. The Four Horsemen 295 Grand St., nr. Havemeyer St.; 718-599-4900 The mind-boggling list of wines from practicing organic and biodynamic producers is neatly organized into divisions like New Additions and Last Call, and a server may be inclined to organize an impromptu one-glass swap of the white Burgundy on your table with a different variety from the same winemaker being sipped by a two-top at the bar. Its a nifty trick. Cured small plates such as raw Montauk scallops with pearly morsels of finger lime and white soy, or rosy chopped beef tartare with buttermilk and sesame, are ideal for by-the-glass drinking, but its also easy to make an excellent meal out of charcuterie and cheese like robiola, presented with dainty, cheffy condiments such as tomato preserves. 13. Okonomi and Yuji Ramen 150 Ainslie St., nr. Lorimer St.; no phone The centerpiece of New Yorks absolute best prettiest, too, while were at it breakfast is a clean-cut slab of local fish cured simply with konbu, or dunked in sake lees, or miso-slathered, or salted. A plump cube of custardy egg offsets the fish, with pickles, seven-grain rice, tea, and a bowl of miso soup on the side, and the overall effect prompts most diners to wonder why every day does not begin like this. At night, the space morphs into a showcase for Yuji Haraguchis inventive mazemen and fat-dappled bowls of ramen. 14. Emmy Squared 364 Grand St., at Marcy Ave.; 718-360-4535 The selling point of squarish Detroit-style pies is a crust that has a nice salty mantle, as if a pan of focaccia landed squarely in the path of lava made of molten fried cheese. As far as toppings go, what at first seems cavalier Emmys namesake pie has mozzarella, onions, tart banana peppers, and ranch dressing, with red sauce served only on the side invariably yields a sort of gonzo genius, which carries over to the pretzel-bunned chicken-parm sandwich and messy, double-stack burger. 15. Best Pizza 33 Havemeyer St., nr. N. 7th St.; 718-599-2210 Photo: Melissa Hom If New York City Pie was a 100-level college class, Best Pizza would be a crucial part of the syllabus, starting with the 20-inch plain cheese. Established ca. 2010, Best Pizza is not particularly ancient; but its wood-burning oven, a literal hole-in-the-wall, is, and theres not one molecule of irony in the pizza parlors glorious chili-flake shakers, pleated paper plates, or house red. Vinegar-doused romaine salad is textbook lower-Brooklyn slice joint; and fresh from the oven, the cheesy, oily garlic knots have the chew of delectable, squishy dumplings. No one else makes them like that anymore. 16. Barano 26 Broadway, nr. Kent Ave.; 347-987-4500 Chef and owner Albert Di Meglios knack for fine-tuned flavor and contrast abounds in silky mozzarella, the crunch of his green-market giardiniera, and the simultaneous deployment of both textures in the sheeps-milk cannoli. That aside, Baranos best quality may just be its seemingly inbuilt sense of welcoming. The sleek dining room has got legroom to spare, gluten-free options are proffered without a fuss, and each of the three increasingly elaborate tiers of large-party, family-style feast all featuring a star-making turn of smoky eggplant served parm style is a great value. 17. Motorino 139 Broadway, nr. Bedford Ave.; 718-599-8899 Mathieu Palombinos Motorino is a bona fide chainlet, going strong in the Philippines and beyond, but the good news is that its Brooklyn flagship still functions like a solid neighborhood spot. Clam pizzas are wonderfully puffy and charred. Sides like roast artichoke rivals osteria; the tiramisu retains its from-scratch fluffiness. And, crucially, the place is open late. 18. Casa Publica 594 Union Ave., nr. Richardson St.; 718-388-3555 Tortillas made with heirloom corn are fantastic vehicles for tostadas layered with raw scallops with salsa macha, or generous bits of uni and a deft chiffonade of bitter herbs. The kitchen nails the flavor of cochinita, and chicken with a sheeny mole made from nuts and seeds arrives as an intact leg, but pulls apart with a mere swipe of a fork. Casa Publica is ambitious without being ostentatious even the salsas seem to have distinct personalities and if that doesnt impress, maybe the churros with cajeta will. 19. Bamontes 32 Withers St., nr. Lorimer St.; 718-384-8831 After 118 years, theres no sign that the saucy zuppa di clams, hulking pizzaiola pork chops, or tender artichokes wilted under an avalanche of cheesy garlic bread crumbs are going anywhere soon. 20. Delaware and Hudson 135 N. 5th St., nr. Bedford Ave.; 718-218-8191 An entire menu based on mid-Atlantic cuisine turns out to be resolutely unflashy, and thats the point. Patti Jacksons ode to somewhat bygone regional eats one might find in former factory, fishing, and farm towns provides a nice opening for hearty spaetzle, dandelion greens, Blue Points Rockefeller, potpie, and Pennsylvania Dutch deep cuts like schnitz und gnepp, a vivacious ham-and-dumpling medley. What else? Jackson is one of New Yorks most underrated chefs, and her prix fixe menu is a great value. 21. Osakana 290 Graham Ave., nr. Powers St.; no phone Okonomis sister establishment Osakana is not so much a restaurant as it is a top-notch fish market wrapped around the beating, ponzu-flushed heart of a counter-service izakaya. Seafood is minimally handled and the menu changes daily, but theres usually ramen in broth made from roasted fish bones. Other highlights include donburi brimming with spicy tuna, or sticky, briny spoonfuls of natto and Maine uni. 22. Egg 109 N. 3rd St., nr. Berry St.; 718-302-5151 Despite attempts to branch out with breakfast-adjacent items like chicken-cutlet and pulled-pork sandwiches, the all-day, every-day lure of Eggs famed Col. Bill Newsoms superb Kentucky-ham biscuits and now canonized Eggs Rothko have proven irresistible, if not indispensable, to the neighborhood. Regardless, the cornmeal-fried oyster sandwich is a breezy delight, served with a tangle of distinctly local greens, and happy-hour pimento cheese fries should definitely have more fans. 23. Rider 80 N. 6th St., nr. Wythe Ave.; 718-210-3152 Hot chicken comes with wacky nasturtium ranch, and the burger is topped with tangy cabbage and Russian dressing, so it could almost pass for a Reuben. That said, Rider is less like a fusion den and more like an already smart bistro on nootropics. Brassicas figure into Thai food, for example, just as pork simmered with red chilies is very Italian, so it goes that broccoli rabe with laab splits the difference between a Bangkok street stall and an Italian butchers showroom, and to great effect. A Beatrice woman will serve 4-5 years in prison after being convicted of attempting to sell methamphetamine. Dawn M. Phillips, 32, was sentenced Monday in Gage County District Court. Judge Paul Korslund said Phillips history, which includes a failed attempt at Drug Court in 2009, was a key factor in the sentence. The sad reality that I dont think anybody wants to confront is Im afraid there are just some people theres almost no answer for, he said. I hate to conclude that. I hope youre not one of those. You have learned some things in Drug Court. At some point you just have to hope that what youve learned and the tools made available to you are going to kick in. Phillips was given 20-48 months in prison after not complying with Drug Court in 2009. Gage County deputy attorney Amanda Spracklen-Hogan said prison was warranted, given Phillips unsuccessful history in Drug Court. That was not very successful for her, apparently, she said. Now, instead of taking past mistakes and addiction and the resources she was given in the past and using them to help her forward and further her future, shes actually become a bigger part of the problem. Phillips was initially charged with three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, though the case was reduced to a single charge of attempted distribution of methamphetamine. On June 9, 2015 a confidential informant agreed to purchase 1/2 gram of methamphetamine for $60 from Phillips. The confidential informant met Phillips at Subway in Beatrice, according to the arrest warrant. After a brief conversation, she allegedly handed the informant a cellophane wrapper with 1/2 gram of methamphetamine and was given $60. On June 18, a confidential informant allegedly purchased 1 gram of methamphetamine for $150 from Phillips in Beatrice. An informant purchased 1/2 gram of methamphetamine for $50 from her in Beatrice again on June 24. The Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed the substance in all three exchanges was methamphetamine. ASUS has launched an updated version of the ZenFone Max in India. One of the changes in the new model is the upgrade to an octa-core Snapdragon 615 chipset. The phone also comes in two variants with 2GB or 3GB RAM options, and has 32GB storage common across both with microSD support up to 64GB. Other features such as 5.5-inch 720p display, 13 megapixel rear camera, 5 megapixel front camera are carried over from previous phone but the new model will come with Android 6.0.1 out of the box. The main feature here still is the 5000mAh battery, that ASUS claims will give three days of usage and 38 days of standby time. The phone can also be used as a charger for other devices, using an OTG cable. The new ZenFone Max will be available in black, white, orange, and blue. It is priced at INR 9,999 ($148) for the 2GB and INR 12,999 for the 3GB option. ASUS also announced that Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha will be the company's first ever brand ambassador in India. Sonakshi will be part of future ASUS launches and will be trying out the devices prior to launch to strengthen her connection with the brand and the product. Source YU has announced that it will be open sourcing the OS on its smartphones and inviting developers to download and contribute to the new YU-OPEN-OS. As part of the new Project Highway, YU will be "curating source codes from multiple drop points, such as Google's AOSP repos, Chipset Vendors Repos, Various ROMs (where the community developers contribute), Internal YU customization and finally creating one manifest which will be able to support all YU based devices and other Android devices too." Also, users with Yureka, Yureka Plus, Yuphoria, and Yunique will be able to download a beta build of Marshmallow for their device, with the stable version arriving in the next 30 days. Source Two weeks after starting his new position, Walker Zulkoski is familiarizing himself with the area as the new director of the NGage economic development group. Zulkoski was announced as the director of NGage at a meeting in April and started his new role May 9. Im really excited to be down here, he said. Just in my first week the number of people Ive met who have so much interest in helping me and this community and county grow is encouraging. A native of Ord in central Nebraska, Zulkoski has previous experience with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, where he spent four years as a business recruiter at the state level. Zulkoski was involved in projects that created nearly 600 new jobs and resulted in more than $400 million in investments. Gauging the success of an economic development group poses a challenge, largely because some projects are years in the making. With many different factors to consider, Zulkoski said a primary trait of successful economic development groups is a focus on creating primary jobs. One thing I learned at the state level is you get pulled in so many different directions, he said. What I always go back to is the core of what we do for economic development is to create primary jobs and investment. Those are the two simplest things if you were going to measure to look at. A focal point for Gage County economic development in recent years has been a desire to sell the building formerly occupied by Husqvarna, the turf care company that left Beatrice in 2010. Zulkoski said a challenge with selling the 274,000-square-foot facility is finding a single buyer for such a large building. They dont want to section it out, so finding someone willing to take on the whole burden is kind of the main issue, he said. Its a wonderful space and a really nice building. It has good highway access, its got dock doors, its a really good building, but its pretty expensive for someone who might need it for warehousing. The available properties portion of NGages website lists the building at $6.4 million. NGages previous director, Glennis McClure, will remain with NGage as small business director, a new position focusing on the needs of small businesses and startups. An executive assistant position was cut as part of the transition. To accommodate the new arrangement, Zulkoski said a wall will be added to the lower level of the Carnegie building in downtown Beatrice to create two offices for NGage. Zulkoski said he and McClure have different strengths, which will benefit economic development efforts. We just have two different skill sets and really two different interests, but we both have a passion for economic development, he said. Shes really good at the small business side and the entrepreneurship side and helping businesses create a business plan. ... We have the same goals in mind, but two different ways of getting there. I think us together is a pretty cool tandem. Zulkoski added incentive programs, such as LB840 funds, are an important resource for businesses seeking assistance. A lot of companies we work with need the money up front. ... They want to be successful quicker and so thats when the local dollars can come into play and are so important, he said. LB840 funds are just huge and not everybody has those. Ireland's Folk Band of the year, The High Kings, have just released their brand new album "Grace and Glory." The album has debutted at #1 on Ireland's iTunes independent chart. The band will also be embarking on their US tour. The High Kings are Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey and Darren Holden. Coming from accomplished Musical pedigrees, The High Kings grew up in households soaked in the Irish Musical tradition and each member of the band witnessed first hand the power of well crafted Irish music on an audience. Since The High Kings started in 2008, they have sold out hundreds of shows, in Ireland and the US, made numerous TV appearances, recorded 3 studio albums and 1 live album and achieved platinum status with their 1st two albums. 2013 is the start of an exciting time for The High Kings having signed to Sony International and releasing their 4th album "Friends for Life" which is out in Europe in September 2013. This impressive album features tracks written by the lads and some old favourites. The High Kings showcase their incredible versatility and skills as multi-instrumentalists, playing 13 instruments between them bringing a rousing acoustic flavour to brand new songs as well as some old favourites. The High Kings are continuing to live up to their reputation as a phenomenal live band, serving up laughter, good times and even the odd sing along. Tracklist: 01 - Hand Me Down My Bible 02 - Schooldays Over 03 - Spancil Hill 04 - Follow Me up to Carlow 05 - Grace 06 - Kelly the Boy from Killane 07 - Goodnight Irene 08 - Ride On 09 - The Green Fields of France 10 - Nancy Spain 11 - Early Morning Rain 12 - The Boys Are Back in Town 13 - Ireland's Call Tags : irish band the high kings grace and glory the high kings new album the high kings news Published on 2016/05/22 | Source Indonesian President Joko Widodo (left) and his daughter (center) pose with Choi Minho, a member of boy band SHINee, in this picture provided by Widodo. Advertisement Indonesian President Joko Widodo claims he became a big K-pop fan thanks to his daughter. In a keynote speech on Tuesday at the Asian Leadership Conference hosted by the Chosun Ilbo and TV Chosun, Widodo confided that Korea is one of his favorite countries for its food, electronic appliances and music. He showed photos of his daughter taken with boy bands SHINee and Super Junior. Widodo went with her to a SHINee concert two years ago and showed another picture of the two of them at a Super Junior gig. He added "I love Korea" in Korean, to rapturous applause. Widodo is also apparently a fan of Korean movies and TV soaps like the 2014 film "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" and the recent hit "Descendants of the Sun". Running the family furniture business before he became president, he said he developed enormous respect for the diligence of the Koreans he met. Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Published on 2016/05/22 | Source Author Han Kang (right) and translator Deborah Smith pose in London on Monday after being named joint winners of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize for Han's novel "The Vegetarian". /Yonhap Advertisement Deborah Smith, the joint winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize along with author Han Kang, lives in London where she heads a non-profit imprint called Tilted Axis Press. Reading English literature at Cambridge University, Smith started studying Korean in 2010 when she took a master program at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She had never eaten Korean food or even met a Korean until she finished her first degree. The reason she picked Korean for her master's was merely that there was an almost complete lack of translators and she sensed a professional opportunity. She moved to Korea for a while to get started but now says she is very emotionally invested in Korean literature. Translating the prize-winning novel "The Vegetarian" took her just four months back in 2013, and it was published in the U.K. by Portobello Books in January last year. The chairman of the Booker judges this year, Boyd Tonkin, had high praise. "The point about this prize is that it's totally equal between the author and the translator, and we feel this strange and brilliant book has absolutely found the right voice in English", he said. Prior to the announcement of the prize, Smith told the Chosun Ilbo, "I was drawn by how Han explored the dark and violent aspect of human nature through a perfectly calculated and moderated style of writing". Only 28, Smith has also translated Han's novel, "Human Acts", which was published early this year. Published on 2016/05/22 | Source Kim Ki-min, a principal dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia, became the first Korean ballerino to win the top award in this year's Benois de la Danse held in Moscow on Tuesday. Advertisement The Benois de la Danse, founded by the International Dance Association in Moscow in 1991, is one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world. It is held every year to select the best ballerina, ballerino and choreographer. Among ballerinas, Kang Sue-jin, the director of the Korea National Ballet, and Kim Joo-won, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, won the award respectively in 1999 and 2006. Kim earned the honor for his role in the Paris Opera Ballet's "La Bayadere", which was staged at the end of last year. Six dancers from the world's most prestigious ballet troupes, including the New York City Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet and the Royal Swedish Ballet, competed for the award. Kim became the first Asian ballerino to join the Mariinsky Ballet in 2011. Along with the Bolshoi Ballet, it is one of the renowned classical ballet troupes in Russia. Among the 180 dancers, only three are foreign, and Kim is the only Asian. When asked about his next goal, he said, "I want to spread the beauty of ballet and give performances to more audiences. My goal doesn't look to be specific, but it can be an important and difficult task for me because every dancer interprets the same ballet differently, and each one gives a different impression to the audience". 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. 11:52, 25 OCT 2022 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. Court finds Cyprus criminally negligent for 2011 naval base explosion On May 20, a court in Cyprus found the government guilty of criminal negligence for its role in an explosion five years ago that killed 13 people and seriously affected the countrys economy. The court in Larnaca said in its ruling the Republic of Cyprus had shown criminal negligence in its handling of a large quantity of explosives that exploded at a naval base where they had been stored. Vasilikos power station after the blast - Image: IDE Technologies Ltd "The Republic of Cyprus has shown criminal disregard for the lives of persons ...(It) grossly violated its obligation under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the lives of the victims," the court said in its ruling, reported by the Famagusta Gazette. The explosives were confiscated from a Russian ship, en route from Iran to Syria, for violating United Nations sanctions. Some 500 tonnes of munitions in 98 containers were stacked in the middle of the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base near the town of Zygi. The explosion killed 13 firemen, policemen and conscripts who were trying to put out a blaze inside a container on the site. The blast caused widespread devastation and knocked out Cyprus's brand new Vasilikos power plant. The destruction deepened a recession of the economy and forced the government to request a bailout by the Eurogroup and the IMF in mid-2012. An official investigation found that then-President Demetris Christofias had refused to hand over the explosives to European Union experts because he was about to pay a visit to Syria. A criminal court found former Defence Minister Costas Papacostas guilty of charges related to the explosion and sentenced him to five years in prison. The families of three of the victims were awarded a total of 1.82 million euros in damages, and there are still 10 more actions before the court. The Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys were a mainstay for years at the Mountain Home Music concerts held throughout the High Country during its first 20 years, serving as Joe Shannons house band. Back in the day, this quartet made up of some of the High Countrys best nationally recognized pickers were the glue that held Shannons folksy concerts together. This Sundays May 29 Memorial Day Salute marks the return of the original members of The Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys(MHBB) for the first time in three years. Joining them on stage will be their neighbor and musical friend, Willard Gayheart, another JSMHM favorite on guitar and vocals. This much-anticipated show kicks off the JSMHM 2016 Summer Indoor Concert Series at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue in Boone, beginning at 7:30 p.m. JSMHM director Rodney Sutton explains, The number one request that I have received from long-time audience members during my first two years as Director of JSMHM has been please bring back the Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys(MHBB). Though various incarnations of MHBB have played in our Brass and Grass concert and our Appalachian Christmas shows, with everyones busy music schedules, it has been difficult to find a date that these four guys could all make. This year I made it a point to book them on a Sunday. The stories behind the origins of the Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys leads directly back to Shannon himself. The band consist of two-time national bluegrass banjo champion and noted guitar player, Steve Lewis; two-time national studio musician of the year award winner, David Johnson; mandolin, fiddle and vocalist, Scott Freeman; and holding things together on bass and vocals, Josh Scott. I had hoped to make the focus of this article the MHBB, say Sutton. But to a man, each one of them credited the late Joe Shannon as being instrumental in the formation of the MHBB. Yet, there is a second thread that weaves these musicians together Steve Lewis. Lewis hails from Todd, the small mountain community north of Boone where he was raised. His dad would tell the story of how Lewis held his first guitar back in 1967, just before his third birthday. By the age of seven he was playing along as he listened to his fathers albums, the radio or as he watched musicians on the television. His biggest influences were Tony Rice and his close-by neighbor in Deep-gap, Doc Watson. Not only was Lewis gaining a reputation for his flatpicking, by age 10 he was teaching himself how to pick the banjo with inspiration from JD Crow, Earl Scruggs and Tony Triska. Lewis would soon be hauled around all over the High Country by his dad to play at restaurants and at Lees-McRae College, fascinating folks as the wonder boy who flat-picked the guitar that was bigger than he was.(This image is being mirrored over 40 years later, as Lewis is now the mentor for the newest local flat-picker phenom, 11 year-old Presley Barker.) Lewis reputation grew and he soon found himself playing at Opryland in Nashville and from there he went on to play with a number of noteworthy country and bluegrass bands in the 1990s. It was during this time that Lewis played at the very first Mountain Home Music concert. I met Joe when he was doing an artist in residency at my elementary school when I was in the fifth grade. Later on Joe would have me gig with him occasionally. Thats kinda how MHM came about, remembered Lewis. He goes on to say, Joe and I had an early afternoon gig and I commented that it was a shame we didnt have somewhere else to pick that night. Joe soon put legs under that thought. Shortly after Joe, Rachael Nelson, Becca Eggers and I played the first MHM show at Our Daily Bread in Boone on February 4, 1994. I played most of the first seasons programs. What Joe had in mind was to showcase local and regional musicians that otherwise might not be heard outside their own communities. As they say the rest is history through MHM, Lewis met Johnson. Lewis and MHBB member Scott Freeman had been picking bluegrass together for years. Josh Scott had been playing bass with both of them in different bands so they brought him along to play a MHM concert. Shannon realized that he had lucked into one of the most talented bluegrass house bands anywhere, one that could play just about any style of music. He proclaimed them a band and named them the Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys. It stuck! It is difficult to get the MHBB to talk about their band they kept deflecting the conversation back to Joe Shannon. Freeman says of this pairing of friends, My old group, Skeeter and the Skidmarks, played one of the MHM shows in the 90s. Joe and I became friends almost instantly. Joe Shannon was one of the most genuine people Ive ever known. He was so good with the kids he taught, especially special needs kids. Passionate is the one word that describes Joe for me. Id played with Steve since we were teenagers. David I met through Joe. Both of these guys, I look up to musically. We never practiced for the shows, Joe would spring new songs on us an hour before time to play. He had a lot of faith in us that way. Lewis finished up by saying, Joe worked tirelessly to secure sponsors and venues to keep MHM going. His passion for the musicians and the music they played was enough to keep MHM going. No one ever had a better friend than Joe Shannon. There should be a biography written on the life and accomplishments of Joe Shannon. Friendships and passion for the music are what makes Mountain Home Music what it is today a small mountain non-profit concert series that strives to honor the vision of its founder, Joe Shannon. This up-coming Sunday night concert A Memorial Day Salute will give the MHBB a chance to celebrate the beginning of summer with an unforgettable evening of music with a special segment of patriotic songs dedicated to our veterans and to the memory of those who gave their all in service to our country! The Harvest House is located at 247 Boone Heights Dr, Boone, NC 28607 This concert is supported by the following private sponsors: The Ned Trivette Family, Dr. E. Frank and Tara Hancock, Lynn Hubbard, Merida H. Steele In Honor of John H. Steele, and The Estate of Joe Shannon. Business sponsors include; Mountain Times Publishing, The Harvest House Performing Art Venue, The United Way(courtesy of Jack and Karen James), and Mountain Times Publishing. Additional support is provided by the Watauga County and North Carolina Art Councils. Joe Shannons Mountain Home Music is also proud to be included as a site on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina(BlueRidgeMusicNC.com). Tickets cost $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Student tickets are $10. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.mountainhomemusic.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the Mast General Store (Boone and Valle Crucis), Freds Mercantile on Beech Mountain, Stick Boy Bread Company(345 Hardin St, Boone), The Blowing Rock Market and Pandoras Mailbox both on Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here Ahtisaari reminded in his address in a conference organised by Historians without Borders that the abuse or deliberate misinterpretation of history is not exclusively a feature of the past but continues today especially on social media platforms. Nobel Peace Laureate Martti Ahtisaari has expressed his concerns about the role of social media in the distortion of history. Social media has become a powerful tool in conflicts, he said. Young people in conflict zones, in particular, are prone to using social media as their only source of news, according to the ex-President of Finland. If we're unable to reach out to people through their own channels, we risk losing them to extremist thinking, he warned. The conference was organised in order to contemplate how historians could prevent the abuse of history and promote the resolution of conflicts by means of an international network. Its guests included Margaret McMillan, a professor at the University of Oxford, and Bernard Kouchner, a co-founder of Doctors without Borders and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France. Historians without Borders was founded by Erkki Tuomioja (SDP), an ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs. Tuomioja similarly drew attention to the abuse and misinterpretation of history during conflicts in his opening remarks in Helsinki on Thursday. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Today we will be also joined by Sweden and Finland, members of the EU and two of Nato's closest partners, he said in his doorstep statement . Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato, called attention to the importance of Finland and Sweden for the security of the Baltic Sea Region as Finland, Sweden and the European Union participated in a Nato Foreign Ministers' Session in Brussels on Friday. This illustrates both the importance of Nato and EU co-operation, and the vital role of Sweden and Finland on issues of common concern, such as hybrid threats and the security situation in the Baltic Sea, continued Stoltenberg. The European Union and Nato must develop their co-operation further, he added. Nato, he also revealed, is intent on convening a new meeting of the Nato-Russia Council before its next summit in Warsaw, Poland, in July. Timo Soini (PS), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, represented Finland in two parts of the meeting first to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan, and second to discuss EUNato co-operation and a variety of topical issues with Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, according to a press release from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Finland and Sweden were accepted into the Nato Enhanced Opportunities Programme in 2014, the same year as they signed a host nation support agreement with the defence alliance. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: John Thys AFP / Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi A European alcohol reform is finally here. Less patronising, more sense, a spokesperson for the party declares on Facebook. Members of the National Coalition Party are over the moon about an agreement reached by the ruling parties on the reform of the Alcohol Act on Thursday. Outi Makela, a deputy chairperson of the National Coalition Parliamentary Group who, along with her fellow deputy chairperson Sinuhe Wallinheimo, represented the party in the negotiations, has published a list of the amendments agreed upon by the three-party coalition on her blog. Retailing The alcohol limit for beverages sold in grocery shops will be raised from 4.7 to 5.5 per cent of alcohol per volume, while microbreweries will be allowed to also sell products with an alcohol content exceeding 5.5 per cent on site. Alko, in turn, will be allowed to extend its opening hours on weekdays by one hour to 9pm. Grocery shops will also be able to sell alcoholic beverages not produced by means of fermentation, such as canned cocktails, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Serving The licence system for serving alcohol will be rationalised by effectively abolishing one of the two licences currently in place, the so-called B licence. The patrons of establishments serving alcohol will be able to buy more than one portion of alcohol at a time, buy alcoholic beverages to go and make their payments with credit cards issued in Finland. Only credit cards issued abroad have previously been accepted as a method of payment for alcoholic beverages. Such establishments will no longer have to apply for a permit to extend their opening hours to 4am, but a notification will suffice. The age limit for serving alcoholic beverages under the supervision of a shift supervisor will be lowered from 18 to 16, while the special skill requirements of shift supervisors will be removed. Public events Regulations governing the sales of alcoholic beverages at public events such as music festivals will be relaxed by, for example, allowing vendors to set up common areas for serving beverages, so-called food courts. Businesses with a catering licence will only have to issue a notification, instead of applying for a temporary permit, for setting up an area for serving alcoholic beverages at festivals. Advertising The producers and wholesalers of alcoholic beverages will be allowed to freely display their product catalogue in print and online. The ban on advertising happy hours will be lifted, and a section on web-shops targeted at overseas customers will be added to the Alcohol Act. Other The restrictions on the use of raw materials in home-brewing will be removed. The agreement struck by the three ruling parties will serve as a basis for a bill that will be presented for parliamentary consideration at a later date. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Roni Rekomaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Bon Worth marketing to younger audience Donte Bradshaw and other Bon Worth executives and business leaders celebrate the women's clothing retailer's grand reopening. [PHOTO BY MELISSA MOSS] While many shoppers were under the impression that the Bon Worth Factory Outlet had closed, the retailer's chief financial officer assured business leaders and the press that such talk was greatly exaggerated. Were here in North Carolina, we intend to stay in North Carolina, Nick Dmytryszyn said Monday during a ribbon cutting to underscore the fact that ithe women's wear chain is very much alive. In fact, the business never closed. It just changed hands. Founded in the 1960s by Loren Wells, a Hendersonville native and University of North Carolina graduate, Bon Worth expanded across 31 states. At its peak, it operated some 300 stores across the United States. Now there are 132. In 2014, Wells sold the company to suppliers in Korea and Singapore. The clothing is manufactured in the U.S., China, the Eastern Caribbean and other countries around the world. The company has about 600 employees 40-50 of them in Hendersonville. The executive offices are in the factory outlet store building on Frances Drive off Four Seasons Boulevard. With the trouble the company has faced in recent years, the retailer is aiming to reach a wider age range of women now. It has a loyal customer base of female customers around age 65 and older and is working to reach women in their 50s as well. Oldsmobile had this same problem, Dmytryszyn said. Just as the legacy carmakers rebranded with its Not your fathers Oldsmobile tagline, Bon Worth is telling women that the clothes arent just for their mothers. What we have put in place is now taking traction, Dmytryszyn said. As part of its grand reopening, Bon Worth is holding a tent sale Saturday and Sunday. LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: Spanish program es grande exito Its hard to move the needle at a diverse, lower performing school with high poverty. Bruce Drysdale Elementary School has found a way with an innovative Spanish immersion program that has improved test scores and created a cohort of schoolchildren moving toward graduation with a powerful asset. The story in last weeks Hendersonville Lightning by our Hendersonville High School intern, Taylor Wright, described the program that has made Bruce Drysdale something of a star. The programs roots go back five years, when school leaders and administrators looked at other Spanish immersion programs in Southern California and in North Carolina. Setting aside their first instinct to wade in with a half-and-half approach, school leaders decided instead to take the plunge. Now in its fourth year, the program features classes taught all in Spanish. Testing, which is in English, has improved for both native-English and native-Spanish speakers. Kids in the dual-language classes are outperforming other kids in the non-dual-language classes in academics, says Dr. Christine Smith, the schools principal. The research said that would happen, and it has. The kids in dual-language class are developing deeper thinking skills; again the research said that would happen because its growing the brain dendrites more than monolingual folks. So your brain doesnt expand, it develops neurotransmitters that werent there or that wouldnt have ordinarily been there. These kids are really good thinkers generally compared to the non-dual-language folks. Smith has proven to be an intuitive and adaptive guide for the program. We were originally teaching our kids like we, English-speaking Americans, learned to teach kids how to read, she says. Then I started hiring all these international teachers who taught children how to read with methods they learned in their native countries, well, its very different. Theyve kind of revolutionized our curriculum and the delivery of our curriculum to put an emphasis on sentence structure and masculine and feminine, which we dont have in English. Now, with seven international teachers at Bruce Drysdale from five Spanish-speaking countries, the teachers lounge sometimes sounds like a confab of Latin American nations. They all talk at once, and they say Is that how you say that word in your country? We dont even have that word in our country because their dialects are different and their word choices are different, Smith says. As important as the academic achievement is the cultural assimilation. Latino kids are suddenly much in demand as mentors to their native-English speaking peers. They have friendships, Smith says. They invite each other over to their houses. These kids have been having sleepovers, their parents talk, its broken down the boundaries with those families. The school system is wisely making plans to make sure the schoolchildren sustain their written and conversational Spanish through middle school and high school. When they get their diplomas in 2025, the Spanish immersion kids from Bruce Drysdale will own a marketable asset that their competition wont have. A senior associate of the Hutch gang who survived two murder bids has discharged himself from hospital and gone into hiding. Convicted armed robber Keith Murtagh (32) suffered a grazed arm when a gunman opened fire on a house in Cherry Orchard Court, Ballyfermot, in the early hours of Saturday morning. A woman who was in the house at the time also suffered minor injuries to her leg. It is unclear if the injuries were caused by bullet fragments or splintered glass after at least nine shots were fired through the front window of the house. Gardai believe that Murtagh was the intended target when a hitman mistakenly shot dead innocent drug addict Martin O'Rourke in the north inner city last month. Detectives are now investigating if this latest attack is linked to the ongoing Kinahan/Hutch feud, which has claimed six lives in eight months. It is believed that Murtagh was targeted because of his association with members of the Hutch gang. Murtagh was brought to St James's hospital after the attack, but discharged himself on Saturday. He fled to the UK following the shooting of O'Rourke on Sheriff Street on April 14 but had returned and was spotted in the north inner city in recent days. He has been warned by gardai that his life is under threat. It is believed a 100,000 sum has been offered for the killing of Murtagh, which was ordered by a close associate of Regency Hotel murder victim David Byrne (34) who is a senior member of the cartel headed by Daniel Kinahan. Murtagh was part of an armed gang which included Derek Hutch that conspired to steal a large sum of money from a cash-in-transit van in Lucan, Co Dublin, seven years ago. Fire Gardai had intelligence about the plan and they moved in as the crime was underway. Murtagh was wounded and one of his accomplices, Garrett Molloy (27), was shot dead when gardai opened fire. Murtagh later pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of a weapon with intent to endanger life at Foxboro Road, Lucan, on May 15, 2009. Garda sources now said there is no end in sight to the current feud that was sparked by the Kinahan gang's murder of Gary Hutch (34) last September. This was followed by an attempt to murder Derek Hutch in prison. He was stabbed repeatedly with a home-made knife and only saved by the intervention of staff in Mountjoy Prison. Keith Murtagh has been one of the top targets of the Kinahan gang since the Regency Hotel attack on February 5 in which David Byrne, a senior Kinahan gang member, was shot dead. It is believed Murtagh was targeted because of his close links to Derek Hutch and other members of the northside gang. According to garda sources, the Kinahan gang's representatives, based mainly in the southside of inner city Dublin, are determined to destroy the Hutch gang and its associates. So far, the Kinahan gang have killed five people in the feud, including Gerry Hutch's brother Eddie (59). Security guards on Luas trams have been attacked, spat at and verbally abused. Photo: doug.ie Luas security staff are to vote on strike action after rejecting a pay deal worth only a fraction of what is on the table for drivers, the Herald can reveal. As the prospect of a "summer of discontent" looms with the drivers' pay row continuing, Luas operator Transdev could soon be faced with another industrial dispute. The latest headache to hit the troubled tram system emerged when security guards, who work for a private firm, dem- anded an increase on their 10.75 hourly rate. Despite the fact that they are regularly attacked, spat at and verbally abused while doing their jobs, the guards earn around half of what Luas drivers who have reached the top of the pay-scale for their grade get. The hourly rate for a guard can be bumped up to 12.50 for late night and Sunday allow- ances. This means the pay scale ranges from 21,800 to 26,000 compared with drivers who start at 32,000 and can earn up to 42,000 a year. Demanded Luas security guards are also paid less than their counterparts who police Dart services and earn 13.84 per hour. The 10.75 figure is the minimum wage for security guards employed by private firm STT Risk Management which holds the Luas contract. The guards, represented by Siptu, made a pay claim recently in the Labour Court. They demanded an increase because they feel their role goes beyond that of regular security staff and because the "profile" of people they must deal with on the Luas is different to those encountered by other guards. They also argued that they deal with more people and have to cope with more anti-social behaviour incidents. The Labour Court recommended an interim pay increase of 6pc, which would bring the basic hourly wage up to 11.40 an hour by the beginning of 2018. Pay could not be fully reviewed, the Labour Court said, until the job the guards do was reclassified in conjunction with the Private Security Authority (PSA). However, staff have rejected these proposals and are due to meet with their union representative this week or early next week to vote on strike action. It is understood that the risky nature of the guards' job and concerns about safety and training are also at the root of the dispute, which has been largely kept out of the public eye. An agreement between Siptu and the company exists which states that strike action will not be pursued, but the Herald understands that the union is willing to back the workers. Transdev was not able to clarify at the time of writing if the Luas would be able to operate in the event of a strike by security staff. Before the rejection of the pay deal, STT Risk Management's director of operations said the company was willing to accept the terms set out by the Labour Court. Safety However, following the workers' vote, all queries were direct- ed to Transdev who then declined to comment due to the commercial arrangement between the two firms. Transdev dismissed concerns about health and safety that have been raised by workers. "Transdev operates Luas in accordance with all regulatory legislation and our safety management system is certified by the Rail Safety Commission," a spokeswoman said. A senior member of the so-called New INLA crime faction was in the Sunset House pub when a dissident republican was shot dead on the orders of the Kinahan cartel, the Herald can reveal. Only days after the murder of Michael Barr last month, the north inner city criminal was officially notified by gardai of an active threat against his life amid mounting underworld speculation that he played some role in setting up Barr on the night he was shot dead. However, it is not known exactly who is targeting the New INLA figure, who is understood to be in hiding. Gardai believe that Co Tyrone man Barr, who was shot several times in the Sunset House in Dublin's north inner city on April 25, became a target because of his close association with the Regency Hotel gunman nicknamed 'Flat Cap'. They are both from the same county. Barr, who was linked to the New IRA, was blasted several times, including once in the head, in the Summerhill pub. The killing was the sixth fatal shooting linked to the continuing Hutch-Kinahan feud. Sources said last night that if the New INLA faction got dragged into the bitter gangland war it could have "disastrous consequences" that could lead to a further escalation in the bloodshed. Bomb "The New INLA are involved in extortion, criminal debt collection and drug-dealing, but they're also involved in legitimate businesses - they're making tens of thousands of euro each month," a source said. Investigations into the mob were stepped up after a viable bomb and a pistol were seized and a Polish man arrested when armed gardai pulled over and searched a vehicle near Mountrath, Co Laois, last February 25. That incident led to the M7 motorway being closed for several hours. Sources said the bust had led to "lives being saved". Late last month, gardai seized a handgun and ammunition linked to the New INLA when they raided a property in Ballymun. No arrests have yet been made in relation to Barr's murder. He was due to be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for handling stolen electrical equipment. Barr had pleaded guilty to the offence at Finnstown House Hotel on July 18, 2014. A bomb was found in a car there two months earlier. Republican supporters described Barr as an "ex-republican POW". He had lived in Poppintree and in Finglas before moving to the north inner city when he took over the Sunset House in the past year. Fifteen men, including three Dubliners, were arrested by the PSNI at Barr's funeral earlier this month. Five-hundred people turned out for the mass at St Mary's Church in the Melmount area of Strabane, Co Tyrone. Around a dozen men dressed in paramilitary-style uniforms accompanied the cortege towards the church. Black flags were placed on lamp posts along part of the route, while a black beret and gloves were placed on top of the coffin, which was draped in a tricolour. At the celebrations in Dublin Castle were supporters and campaigners for the Yes Equality campaign, including Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald. Photo: Collins Record numbers of young people have come out as gay in the past 12 months following the passing of the marriage-equality referendum. A national survey of 14- to 23-year-olds of all sexualities and genders showed 53pc of young people know someone who has come out for the first time since last May. Newly-wed gay couples were among those celebrating the first anniversary of the vote at Dublin Castle yesterday, including the first same-sex couple to marry Cormac Gollogly and Richard Dowling. Hundreds gathered with politicians and "Yes" campaigners to mark the occasion with a nine-tier wedding cake in the castle's courtyard. New research by the national lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth organisation BeLonG To shows 39pc of respondents who identify themselves as LGBT spoke to someone about their sexuality for the first time in the past year. Respondents said this was down to the confidence the Yes vote gave them. Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald said it was great to reflect on the positives that have come from passing the referendum. "I stand proud of the Irish people who came together and voted with their hearts last summer and changed Ireland forever. "We took an extraordinary step forward for justice and equality for all citizens. "While the future is secured, the present can still be a frightening place for LGBT young people. We need to keep saying yes to supporting young LGBT people." Almost two in three (62pc) of those who have just come out said they did not know where to turn for help after coming out. Terrific 10: Championship season brings out best in county athletes Tesla Cup and Central Maryland Conference championships were decided last week, with county teams and athletes rising to the occasion. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ A 37-year-old woman from Uzbekistan, who claims to have been abducted and brought to India, is in a Bhopal jail for the last five months, oblivious to the charges against her due to the language barrier. The accused Uzbek national, identified as Djuraeva Barno, was arrested on December 9 last year from the Misrod locality for allegedly staying in India without a valid visa and booked under Section 14 of The Foreigners Act, 1946. She is being held in the Bhopal Central Jail, and her case is under trial at the district court. The accused arrested by the police doesnt know either Hindi or English. She understands only Uzbek, the language of Uzbekistan, said Manoj Shrivastava, Barnos counsel. The police booked her under allegations that she doesnt know or even understand because of the language barrier. Police have confiscated her passport too. The police claim that the accused entered the country illegally from Nepal and was living here from July 26, 2014. But the reality is she herself approached the police that while in Nepal she was sedated by some anti-social elements...When she came to her senses, she found herself in Delhi, said Srivastava. In Delhi, she met a man named Vikas Sarkar, a resident of Bhopal, who promised to help her and brought her to Bhopal, he said. In Bhopal, however, she approached the police accompanied by one Chhotu Shukla. Barno met the senior superintendent of police on December 7, 2014, but was unable to explain her plight due to the language barrier. She was asked to visit the district special branch of police, which in turn sent her to the police station in Misrod, where she was living with Vikas. She tried to explain her problem to the town inspector of Misrod but he booked her for staying illegally in India and presented her before the court on December 10, 2014, said Srivastava. The Misrod police in its report before the court said the accused only knew Russian. The question arises how the police knew that she knew Russian when they themselves were unaware of the Russian language, he said. The court directed that a translator be provided to the accused, but none has been provided as yet. Eight hearings of the case have taken place in the court after the order to provide her an Uzbek translator. On top of that the district administration has not informed the Uzbek Embassy in Delhi about the arrest of one of their nationals in Bhopal, said Srivastava. Police are yet to send her passport details to Uzbek embassy The Uzbek embassy has sought passport details from the police to confirm that Barno is a citizen of Uzbekistan. But police officials are yet to send her passport details and an official letter to inform the embassy of the arrest. Though we keep records of foreign nationals who come to Bhopal and stay here, in this case the letter has to be sent by Misrod police as the case is being investigated by them, said Vivek Kumar Lal, additional superintendent of police (district special branch). On the other hand, the Misrod town inspector said he didnt have the authority to contact the embassy. It is beyond our jurisdiction to establish contact directly with the embassy of a country. It has to be made by higher authorities, said Mukati. In the absence of a translator, the Uzbek woman is facing trial without a clear understanding of the charges or the proceedings in the court. At 41, award-winning actor Kajol still stands strong and bold in the film industry. But the Padma Shri awardee, who has a film career spanning over two decades, believes that showbiz is simply just another business and is a mans world. Wage inequality recently became a hot topic in Hollywood and Bollywood. Asked about gender inequality in the film industry, Kajol said, It is male dominated. There is no getting away from that fact. Whether it is Hollywood or Bollywood, that will be there because currently our world is like that. Hollywood or Bollywood, it is simply another business where it is male dominated. But again it has to be monetarily feasible and economically viable. Thats something that has everything to do with the pay scale as far as this particular business is concerned. Read: Kajol meets PM Narendra Modi over hand wash campaign Read: AAP govt writes to Kajol, Gauri: Stop husbands from endorsing masala But neither age nor her marital status has ever come in the way of her career. Married to actor-producer Ajay Devgn, the mother of two, was last seen on the big screen in the 2015 film Dilwale. And no, she isnt taking a break from movies as of now. She will soon start shooting for a film under their home banner production. I cant talk about it right now. It is still in the scripting stage. I hope it goes on floors in the next three months or so. The director is yet to be finalised, said the Gupt star. Watch: Kajol, Bobby Deol, Manisha in a song from Gupt Apart from doing movies, she is also Lifebuoys Help a Child Reach 5 handwashing ambassador. Help a Child Reach 5 has been advocating hand washing with soap as one of the most cost-effective means of preventing child deaths on platforms. Its (the campaign) very close to my heart. As a star and as a person, you have a responsibility... you need to stand up and be a part of society and help out in whichever way you can. For somebody like me...I am famous and people recognise me. Hopefully, they will believe in the things that I have to say, so I can use that to the advantage of my society and work for it, she said about the cause for which she visited the capital and also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She shared that they talked about how hand wash should be mandatory in schools. It is necessary to put in not only toilet but wash basins as well. So that facility should be available and then only the habit will be available. Has he shown any support to the cause? Officially, no. I cant say that we have tied up. But I think the way we are going, what we are talking about, it coincides well with his own campaign (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan). We are definitely on the same page, said Kajol. Kajol also wants to make a difference as a part-time member of the Prasar Bharati Board that runs public broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio. My opinion is one of many. Since I am on board, hopefully my suggestions will be taken. I am there to give suggestions and make a difference if I can, she said. Watch: Kajol, Shah Rukh Khan in a song from Dilwale With so many projects in hand, dont her children - daughter Nysa and son Yug - complain? They always complain. If they had their way, I would be sitting at home 24/7. My son tells me Mama I like it when I enter the house and see you waiting for me. I think every child wants their mother to be their bai (maid), she signed off. Follow @htshowbiz for more. Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoors so-called Dilliwalli girlfriend is not amused. After days of being targeted by the paparazzi, make-up artist Bharti Malhotra finally broke her silence and said the rumours of her dating the star are completely untrue. In fact, Delhi girl Bharti Malhotra said she never even followed Ranbir as a fan and they have never met. Bharti, a make-up artist from west Delhi, attracted the attention of paparazzi after a tabloid claimed that Ranbir had started dating a Delhi girl post his recent breakup with Katrina Kaif. In an interview to the Times of India, Bharti was quoted as saying that one of her friends asked if she was dating Ranbir. Like any other girl with no connection to Ranbir or even Bollywood, I thought someone was playing a prank on me. Then I got to know that I was being tagged as Ranbirs new Delhi-based girlfriend by a news channel, the English daily quoted. Take me back #vacationneeded A photo posted by Bharti Malhotra (@malhotrabhaarti) on May 21, 2016 at 10:26am PDT Rumour mills also claimed that Ranbirs sister Riddhima introduced Bharti to the Bollywood actor. She, however, claims that she hasnt met either. My friends and family know that I dont even know Riddhima, forget about meeting her at a party and her introducing me to Ranbir, the newspaper quoted her as saying. Bharti further said in the report that she had no clue who started this or how this was reported without anyone trying to reach her. Bharti even contacted some of the media houses to clarify that she did not even know Ranbir, according to the report. Read: Have Ranbir and Katrina broken up? In her interview, Bharti also claimed she is in a steady relationship with her boyfriend, Prateek Chaudhary. I have been dating him for the past three years. Our families know about us, and we will be formally engaged soon. I was on a vacation in Jaipur with him and I also have pictures from there. A photo posted by Bharti Malhotra (@malhotrabhaarti) on Jan 30, 2016 at 7:37am PST Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, who allegedly broke up early this year, are working together on their upcoming film, Jagga Jasoos. Hindustan Times could not independently verify the report. Follow @htshowbiz for more The Bombay high court stayed the trial against actor Sooraj Pancholi on accused of abetting the suicide of actress Jiah Khan, and posted for next month a petition filed by the late actress mother Rabia seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the death. A vacation bench of Justices BR Gavai and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi while staying the trial before a special womens court posted Rabias petition for hearing on June 7. The special court had on May 20 adjourned the trial till June 10 after Rabia sought to move the high court seeking stay in the trial pending hearing of her petition. In her petition in HC, Rabia sought a SIT probe because she alleged that CBI, which is presently investigating the case, had concurred with the findings of Mumbai police that it was a suicide case and not homicidal death. The high court today accepted my arguments that earlier also the trial was stayed in the case by the regular bench of HC but later refused to extend the stay. Following this Rabia approached the Supreme Court, which on May 17 asked her to petition the high court again and asked HC to expeditiously decide the matter, Rabias advocate Subhash Jha said. The trial in the lower court is not proceeding in a proper manner and there is a likelihood that the accused (Sooraj) may be discharged in the case, Rabias petition said. According to Rabia, CBI, due to reasons best known to it, has been vehemently opposing the appointment of special public prosecutor in the case by Maharashtra government. Jha said that investigation be handed over to the SIT as CBI has also, in its charge sheet, said that the death was not homicidal despite forensic evidence suggesting otherwise. Rabia had petitioned HC against CBI categorising Jiahs death on June 3, 2013 as suicidal and not homicidal. Rabia sought the high court to set up a SIT to probe the case afresh. Jiahs boyfriend-actor Sooraj was arrested for abetting her suicide on June 10, 2013 but released on July 2, 2013, after the HC had granted him bail. On June 3, 2013, 25-year-old Jiah was found by her mother hanging from the ceiling of her house. As per the charge- sheet, Jiah had returned from Soorajs house that morning where she had been staying the previous two days. Salman Khan will complete 27 years in Bollywood this year and the actor himself finds it hard to believe how far he has come. Pata bhi nahin chala 27 saal kaise nikal gaye (I didnt even realise how 27 years went by). I am very happy with the way things have panned out. I never thought I will get this far. I didnt know where my life would go. But, touchwood, everything has gone well. I have no complaints, Salman says. As he prepares for the release of his new film, Yash Raj Films Sultan, he talks about his journey so far, the films he has done, rumours about his marriage with alleged girlfriend, Iulia Vantur, and more. Iulia Vantur clicked with Salman Khans mom Salma at the Mumbai airport. (Yogen Shah/HT) Your personal life always tends to be in the news. Since the media doesnt have anything else to write about, they focus on my personal life. Theres a lot of curiosity about your marriage. Is it happening? If I want to talk to my fans about my marriage, I have got my own platform to do that. I have Twitter and Facebook. It wouldnt be fair for me to speak about this (his marriage) to a particular channel or newspaper, and not to others. Whenever it has to happen, the news will come directly from me. Read: Salman Khan: I am not getting married but enjoying the rumours So, theres no marriage on the cards right now? No marriage is happening. At least, its not in my head so far. The speculation about your marriage started when you went to Preity Zintas reception with Iulia. Salman Khans friend Iulia Vantur at Preity Zinta and Gene Goodenoughs wedding reception in Mumbai, on May 13. (IANS) Yes, we did go to that party, but am I not allowed to go anywhere with anybody? So, if I am seen outside with any woman, will I be married off to her? One has to understand ones responsibility towards a woman. The media keeps saying, Salman will get married on this date or that date. But when it (marriage) doesnt happen, its only the girl who suffers. Aise bolke aapne uski izzat ki dhajjiyan hi udaa di (you have stripped her of all her respect). They (the media) have dishonoured a woman regardless of whether she is an Indian or a foreigner. In such cases, the media gives hope to the woman and puts pressure on me. And this is not good; I also look like an insensitive person, who is not interested in getting married. Your brother, Sohail Khan, recently lashed out at a reporter for asking your father, Salim Khan, if you are getting married. Yes, I think Sohail yelled, saying, What is happening? My father and Sohail were out for dinner, when someone asked my father, Is Salman getting married? My dad didnt even hear the question, but the mics kept getting shoved into his face. So, Sohail reacted angrily because he was worried about our fathers well-being. What if he had fallen, broken his leg, or dislocated his shoulder due to that commotion? Let them (the reporters) try doing this when I am with my father or my mother... Sohail, in fact, didnt do anything. When it comes to your family, friends and people who are close to you, they (the media) shouldnt cross the line. Will you announce your wedding when it is fixed? I shouldnt answer this question clearly. One day I will say, Yes, I am getting married. The next day, Ill say, No, I am not. One day, I will say I have been married for a long time, and I also have two kids, just like my father said in jest recently; he said I have two kids, named Aamir and Shah Rukh (laughs). And the next day, I will say, This is none of your business. Though your journey has been successful, you have also had some difficult times... Thats everyones journey. If something has happened to me, others might have had faced some other problems. By Gods grace, my parents, brothers and sisters are all hale and hearty. So, other things hardly matter. Read: Iulia Vantur breaks silence on those Salman Khan wedding rumours Have those tough experiences made you stronger? I think other people have had tougher experiences in life. So, I am not the right person to comment on that. My journey has been quite a smooth one. Youve mentioned earlier that shooting for Sultan was difficult for you. It is a very difficult film. I trained for two-and-a-half hours every day. I wasnt training to be a wrestler, but to look like one also, you need to go through the same process. Also, the shoot for the fight scenes would go on all day. So, in a way, the training used to start in the morning and it would go on till night. That was painful (smiles). Salman Khan during a press conference of IIFA awards in Mumbai on Friday. (PTI) Although you have done a variety of roles in the past, the perception is that you are best at commercial potboilers. All my masala films have also had an emotional backdrop be it a love story or a father-son equation. Theyve all had some emotional angle. Only hitting people or jumping off planes cannot make a film work. It needs to have a gripping story. Salman Khan, Robinhood Pandey from Dabangg. Do these perceptions ever bother you? Not at all. People who make my films work are more important for me. Some of them will like my work and others wont. Some will like me [in a movie] and others wont. You just need to work hard enough to get those who dont like you to start liking you. Why did you do Sultan when you knew it would be a painful process? I thought I will be able to bear the pain, and I did. Also, I felt it would help me become fitter. But wrestling is a difficult sport. We did mixed martial arts (MMA) as well. The fighting is all real [in the film]. So, I got hurt too. I fought with real MMA fighters. Whenever they used to get an opportunity [during shots], they used to hit me, as if we were really competing (laughs). Do you identify with your character in your next film? It is the story of an underdog. The film revolves around my characters struggle. Thats the best format. For example, most of the kids who qualify for the Olympics are usually poor, they lack nourishment, food and proper equipment. Still, they get that far after making it through school, college, state and national level competitions. Look at their dedication and love for the sport; it is commendable. Read: The Salman Khan interview you must not miss At this stage of your career, you can do any film. What makes you pick up such challenging roles? You have to. Even when it comes to my personal choice, I want my hero to look good, and do his best. I want to see how hard he has worked. The harder he works, the more the audience will enjoy [the film]. You need to work hard so that when your fans watch your film, you bring a smile to their faces, and, maybe, even inspire some. Quick take: No Eid clash with SRK They (makers of Shah Rukh Khans Raees) must have their own reasons [for moving the release date]. Maybe they arent ready with the film; maybe it isnt an Eid kind of film. Anyway, two big films cant release on the same day. So, Adi (Aditya Chopra; producer of his next) worked out the dates with them. I wasnt even in the picture. Quit journalism While some reports suggest that I will get married on my birthday (December 27), some others say it will happen in October. All those reporters who are writing this stuff should just quit journalism if it (the marriage) doesnt happen, because all these stories are false. These reports are meant to fool people. I havent said anything about it (my marriage). I am getting married only in their minds. Follow @htshowbiz for more. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pushed against the wall due to rising bad loans, higher provisioning and financial losses, some public sector banks (PSBS) are speeding up plans to sell non-core assets. Non-core assets are investments made by banks that are not related to core areas of lending and borrowing, and includes strategic investments in other firms, real estate, holdings in subsidiaries and joint ventures. A Jefferies report last year estimated the total worth of non-core assets in PSBs to be around $8 billion. Last week, State Bank of India invited bids from investors to sell its 5% stake worth `1,000 crore in National Stock Exchange (NSE), and is also learnt to be evaluating options to sell a 21.67% stake in Central Warehousing Corp. The SBI also has real estate assets worth `20,000 crore, and plans to list its life and general insurance subsidiaries to raise funds. Some of these plans are likely to be announced this week. IDBI Bank said it plans to raise $1 billion (around `6,500 crore) in 2016-17 through the sale of non-core assets. About `5,000-6000 crore worth of capital will be needed in 2016-17, MD Kishore Kharat told HT. Though the bank had planned to raise about `650 crore before March, it could only manage `450 crore through non-core asset sale. In March, IDBI Bank sold its 2% stake in the NSE to Life Insurance Corp of India. Bank of Baroda also said its process to sell non-core assets is on. About `1,000-1,500 crore worth of disposal of investments may take place this year, MD and CEO PS Jayakumar said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following lifting of sanctions against Iran in January, India has been eyeing deeper energy ties and has already lined up $20 billion as investment in oil and gas as well as petrochemical and fertiliser projects there. So the centrepiece of prime minister Narendra Modis two-day visit will be the contract for commissioning the first phase of the strategic Chabahar port. Chabahar in South-East Iran will help India skip Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan with which New Delhi has developed close security ties and economic interests. From Chabahar port, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan, from there the Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistans Garland highway. This would give India road access to four major cities; Afghanistan-Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. Indian investment in phase-1 will be in excess of $200 million, including $150 million line of credit from Exim Bank, an agreement for which would also be signed during the visit. Besides signing of commercial contract for Chabahar Phase-1, Modi will witness signing of a trilateral agreement on transport and transit corridor among India, Afghanistan and Iran. Sources said business talks will also feature securing rights for ONGC Videsh to develop the offshore Farzad-B gas field, in Iran. Bilateral talks began today morning as Modi meets President Hassan Rouhani. On the agenda are regional connectivity, infrastructure and energy as well as terrorism and extremism in the region. Discussions will also feature the pending payment of $6.4 billion that Indian refiners Essar Oil and MRPL owe Iran for past oil dues. As a goodwill gesture ahead of prime minister Narendra Modis visit to the Persian Gulf country, India has agreed to pay 1.5% interest on the dues and the refiners have cleared a payment of $1.2 billion. As Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke of plans to expand manufacturing operations in India, China is apprehensive that it could lead to possible exodus of Apple production chain and loss of tens of thousands of jobs, Chinese state-run media said. It seems the time has come for China to consider whether it is ready for the possible exodus of Apple Incs production chain, an article in Global Times said, referring to Cooks comments during his India tour. Cook had discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the possibilities of manufacturing. Cook shared Apple Incs future plans for India. He spoke of the possibilities of manufacturing and retailing in India. He appreciated the breadth of young talent in India and said the youth have significant skills, which Apple would like to tap, an official statement said. Cooks words have prompted a heated discussion in China. Wage increase has apparently eroded Chinas labour competitiveness, resulting in the departure of a number of manufacturing businesses. Now people are wondering if Apple will be the next one, the Global Times said. Apples decision could affect the jobs of tens of thousands of Chinese workers. However, a see-saw battle between China and India over the technology giant is not the only solution, it said. It is natural that Apple would want to move its manufacturing base from China to another Asian nation to lower production costs. In fact, before Cooks words, some major Apple suppliers such as Foxconn had already announced plans to expand their business in India, the report said. China may need to promote the development of more local manufacturers and encourage them to move to less-developed central and western regions where labour costs are lower, it said. Several factors are to blame for the slow manufacturing transfer from coastal regions to inland areas. Although a large amount of money has been allocated to boost development in western China in recent years by accelerating infrastructure construction, the environment for business development in the region is still lagging behind, it said. German drugs and crop chemicals group Bayer has offered to buy US seeds company Monsanto for $62 billion (Rs 4.12 lakh crore) in cash, defying criticism from some of its own shareholders in a bid to grab the top spot in a fast-consolidating farm supplies industry. The unsolicited proposal, which includes debt, would be the largest foreign takeover by a German company if accepted. The move, which would eclipse a planned combination of Dow Chemical and DuPonts agriculture units, comes just three weeks after Werner Baumann took over as Bayer CEO, and was condemned by a major shareholder as arrogant empire-building when news of the proposal emerged last week. Giving details for the first time, Bayer said on Monday it would offer $122 per share, a 37% premium to Monsantos stock price before rumours of a bid surfaced. We fully expect a positive answer of the Monsanto board of directors, Baumann told reporters on a conference call, describing criticism from some investors as an uneducated reaction in the media, driven by an element of surprise. Monsanto, which said last week it had a received an approach from Bayer but gave no details, has yet to comment on the offer. The US companys shares jumped 9.5% to $111.17 in pre-market trading. Baumann is staking his claim as the global agrochemicals industry races to consolidate, partly in response to a drop in commodity prices that has hit farm incomes and also due to the growing convergence between seeds and pesticides markets. ChemChina is buying Switzerlands Syngenta for $43 billion after Syngenta rejected a bid from Monsanto, while Dow and DuPont are forging a $130 billion business. German chemicals group BASF has also been exploring a tie-up with Monsanto but is seen as unlikely to counter bid, sources close to the matter have said. BASF declined to comment on Monday. Shares in Bayer, which had already fallen 14% since rumours of a bid emerged last week, dropped as much as 3.6% on Monday to a new 2-1/2 year low of 86.3 euros. The offer values Monsanto at 15.8 times its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for 2015-16. Upper limit Markus Manns, a fund manager at Union Investment, Bayers 14th biggest investor, said a deal made sense but not at any price. The price that has now been disclosed is at the upper limit and it is just about economical. Should it rise further, which is to be assumed, the takeover will become increasingly unattractive, he said. Equinet analyst Marietta Miemietz, who has a buy rating on Bayer stock, said: While the leverage appears to be manageable from a (credit) ratings perspective, we believe that it would curtail Bayers strategic flexibility in the Healthcare space. Baumann said Bayer would continue to develop its health care business, which includes stroke prevention pill Xarelto and aspirin, the painkiller it invented more than a century ago. We are not feeding Peter by starving Paul here, he said, adding no asset sales were planned to help pay for the deal. Bayer said it would finance the bid with a combination of debt and equity, primarily a share sale to existing investors. Equity would account for about a quarter of the deal value. The German company expects synergies to boost annual earnings by around $1.5 billion after three years, plus additional future benefits from integrated product offerings, a reference to Bayers push to combine the development and sale of seeds and crop protection chemicals. VIENNA: The Indian Railways may soon start deploying an European system of preventing head-on collisions of trains. The move follows a successful trial of a technology developed by the French multinational Thales on a 68-kilometre stretch in Southern India. India is an important market and we have a clear intention to have a presence there, Alfred Veider, country director, Thales Austria, said in an interaction. Trains have been colliding on Indian tracks with alarming regularity in the last few years, and has accounted for the second-largest cause of passenger deaths. Over the past decade and a half, the Railways have experimented with various technologies, including the indigenously developed Anti Collusion Device, and the Train Collusion and Avoidance System. We plan t o de ploy t he European system on certain routes, a senior ministry official said. Called the European Train Control System (ETCS), the technology involves the monitoring of train movements and calculates the maximum speed limit accordingly. In the event of an impending collision, the system ensures that the brakes are automatically applied. The system, which costs around 25 lakh per kilometre, also provides the cab signalling device to alert train drivers about the signals passing by. The ECTS has a 30% global market share, said Denis Laroche, vice-president, Thales. The Railways have identified 28 projects for implementation of the European system between 2016 and 2021, officials said, adding, 2,600 cab signalling systems would also be installed. (The authors visit to Vienna was sponsored by Thales Foundation). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Albinder Dhindsa knew it was Grofers last chance. So, when the hyperlocal grocery startup raised $120 million last year in November, instead of expanding operations, Dhindsa and co-founder Saurabh Kumar decided to shut shop in 10 cities. A change in strategy, considering that in less than two years since its inception in December 2013, Grofers had expanded to 16 cities. Media reports signalled this as the beginning of the end for Grofers, a technology platform where retailers host their inventory, and buyers use the Grofers app to buy fruits, vegetables and grocery. The perceptions were not un-founded. Since 2012, more than 50 e-grocers had mushroomed in India, but by December 2015, few were left standing. Even the big boys of e-commerce dared not venture too far into the space. Flipkart started Nearbuy, but closed it in five months; Paytms ZIP never took off; OlaCabs burnt its fingers trying to get its drivers to deliver grocery. But, Dhindsa and Kumar though otherwise. We faced management issues to run so many cities My manager in Chandigarh didnt get time for one-and-half month to go to Ludhiana, which was also under him, says Dhindsa. They turned their focus on serving fewer cities better. So, even after shutting down in 10 cities, Grofers remained one of the top three grocery selling platforms in India. BigBasket and Snapdeal-backed PepperTap were the other two. All three wanted the consumer to get rid of queues and parking hassles, and bring the basket to your doorstep. The opportunity was huge online made up for just 0.1% of $320-billion domestic grocery market. Death of PepperTap Internet grocery is not an easy business it needs deep pockets, large assortment, competitive prices and inventory management. PepperTap failed on most of these parameters. On April 22, 2016, Navneet Singh, co-founder of the 17-month-old startup, said in a blog post that the company will shut its grocery delivery operations. The move to lure buyers with more and more discounts was bleeding the companys balance sheet PepperTap was losing money, sometimes as high as 70%, on every order. There were no signs of profitability, and the startup had become capital light. It had also failed to manage the inventory well, and it was difficult for customers to find everything they needed while placing an order. Who will give $100 million? The investment climate has changed from what it was a year back, Singh told HT a day after he wrote the blog. Once PepperTap shut down, only two large players were left in the race Grofers and BigBasket. Both companies are modelled differently but sell the same products fruits, vegetables and things of daily need. Grofers is a marketplace (except for fruits and vegetables), and BigBasket has its own inventory and operates as a mega wholesaler. Marketplaces essentially act as platforms connecting sellers and buyers, whereas in inventory-based models, companies own the inventories they sell. Though the jury is still out on who will emerge as the winner, BigBasket, it seems, has won the first round. According to a report by Morgan Stanley in February: BigBasket generated a gross margin of 19.5%. The company also raised $150 million from Pakistan-born Arif Naqvi Abraaj Group. A bigger basket BigBasket decided early that it will become a wholesaler to a bunch of retailers one or two in every locality. There are 1,000 such retailers on its platform. The order is placed on BigBasket, and based on the location of the order, it is forwarded to the nearest retail partner, who does the delivery. BigBasket just supplies to these retailers. We have tied-up with farmers for fresh fruits and vegetables. We also have partnerships with over 800 companies, says Vipul Parekh, co-founder, BigBasket. It has tied up with over 1,000 farmers. Grofers, incidentally, has tie-ups with 100. Unlike BigBasket, which supplies to retailers, Grofers relies on retailers inventories. We are bringing the local market to your phone, but there is lack of inventory, says Dhindsa. So he decided to remove retailers who were not performing well. In two years, Grofers almost halved the number of retailers on its platform from 18,000 to 9,800. Grofers is tying up with brands (140 of them) to ensure availability of products. It also runs special schemes with brand Nestle was running an offer on curd, Patanjali had another one for ghee, along with Kwality Walls and Fortune. Working with brands also helps Grofers earn marketing money as it offers banner ads for promotions. The company has even started building cold chains to carry perishable items. A higher average order size is critical for any internet grocer, as net margins are low in the business. A vast assortment is needed to make money. BigBasket deals in 20,000 stock-keeping units (SKU), or unique products. That has led to a higher fill rate of 99%, which means when a customer orders, she gets 99 out of the 100 things ordered. For Grofers, the number is 94-95%. We are working to reach that level, says Dhindsa. Meanwhile, Parekh has set himself a target of a billion-dollar company by 2018. For that We have raise money to increase our retailer base by 10 times, he says. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has asked Pfizer Ltd to withdraw stocks of its already imported drug Medrol, used to treat a wide range of inflammatory, allergic and immune disorders, six months before the expiry period of 60 months prescribed under the rules. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Of course I sign e-mail petitions if I strongly agree with the cause they are pushing. I have spent a lifetime protesting against injustices in ineffectual ways walking miles on demonstrations, shouting myself hoarse outside the British Parliament and law courts, calling attention to objectionable social or political behaviour through pamphleteering and agitating. The thing about protest politics is that one never knows if it has hit the target or how effective it has been. These signatures and protests certainly signal the signatorys virtue, but do they achieve results? I am not saying they dont I just dont know though I do know that terror achieves its aim of terrorising and then mobilising attention and resources that may be spent better elsewhere. These thoughts are occasioned by a letter e-mailed to me by a Mumbai friend condemning the London chapter of this years Jaipur Literary Festival (JLF) and asking the invited writers to boycott it. The email says the JLF has accepted money from Vedanta, the global mining corporation. The signatories to the petition contend that Vedanta is an exploitative, wholly nasty and ruthless company that stands accused and convicted of criminal acts. Read | Call to boycott Jaipur Lit Fest in London The organisers of the JLF on Londons Southbank replied to this email through the press. They insist that they are a platform for free expression and that the sponsors who pay for their festival do not have any influence over who is invited or what is said in the session. The protestors disagree. Their contention is that literature does not exist in a vacuum, and neither does free and frank discussion. Content cannot be separated from sponsorship; it will influence the orientation of programming. In any case, the unaddressed fact remains, that in accepting Vedanta sponsorship the festival is promoting the company, and actively supporting its efforts to whitewash its crimes. There is ample evidence that Vedanta stands accused in courts and in copious publications of the violation of human rights, of carelessness as to the safety of its workers, of not paying them, of illegal deforestation and crimes against the environment. Very many respectable organisations, including The Rowntree Trust and the Church of England, have withdrawn their investments from Vedanta. The accusations and proven crimes of Vedanta are attested to and the list is as lengthy as a Ram-Leela Ravans arm. I am also sure that the directors of the festival, Namita Gokhale, William Dalrymple and Sanjoy Roy, the festivals spokesman, accepted Vedantas sponsorship in full knowledge of these legal convictions and other alleged misdemeanours. Read | Round about: Hot springs erupt by the Thames I have, as a writer, appeared on several of the JLFs platforms, reading my work, even talking about being a Parsi writer and interviewing VS Naipaul. Last year I was invited to participate in the Southbank Jaipur Fest and did. I have no idea who sponsored that festival or the earlier ones to which I was invited but, since I didnt meet with any demonstrations or receive any letters asking me to boycott the event, I conclude that the sponsors were wholesome capitalists or individuals. On each of the times I was invited there was never any attempt to editorially influence what I would say or how I would say it and I have never heard from any participants of any influence the sponsors could have had over the content of their presentations. (One of the organisers did say to one of the participants he approached Dhondy? He is not an intellectual! a remark for which I was wholly grateful as only Frenchmen and Bengalis would describe themselves as intellectuals). The JLF in its original location is a high-profile event. The Southbank one less so. I genuinely wonder how many people participating in or attending these festivals pay any attention to the logos of sponsors printed on the programmes. Now if a prominent, world-wide fried chicken franchise was handing out free samples of their product at the event, I would certainly have noticed and I may even have acquired a taste for the fatty, unhealthy product and patronised their branches subsequently. But how would I, or anyone for that matter, support Vedanta? Will the company advertise themselves as patrons of literature in order to attract and get capital investment? Is that the benefit they hope to get? Read | JLF 2016: Approaching different histories of war and violence On this occasion I wont stand outside the Royal Festival Hall on the Thames Southbank carrying a placard or shouting slogans. Such a demonstration will certainly embarrass the organisers, the writers who attend and the controllers of the Southbank complex which houses the festival. I look forward to the row in the British press. I have, though, a suggestion for my friends, the organisers. Why not invite a severe environmental critic of Vedanta and of other despoilers of the planet onto one or more platforms in the interest of free thought and expression? It will prove the bona fides of the JLF platform, spread awareness about the bad practices of Vedanta to a much wider audience and possibly get a reaction from Vedanta, which would signal their motivations. Farrukh Dhondy is an author, screenplay writer and columnist based in London. The views expressed are personal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 23-year-old man was electrocuted on Sunday afternoon while he was working on his laptop at his house in south-east Delhis Tughlaqabad Extension. The man, Brijesh Kumar, worked as a manager at an export firm in Faridabad. Brijeshs laptop was charging when the accident took place. It was not clear whether 23-year-old manager was electrocuted because of the charger or the device. Police said they received information about the incident from Majeedia Hospital in Tughlaqabad around 4 pm. Brijesh family members had taken him to the hospital. An investigating officer said a doctor at the Majeedia Hospital told the police that Brijesh had died before he was brought for medical attention. Our officers visited the spot and inspected the house. Prima facie, it appears he was using an extension cord to charge his laptop. His hand got caught in it and he was electrocuted. His wife was in shock, so we have not been able to take her statement. We have asked her to say what happened, said a senior police officer. Police seized the laptop and sent it for forensic examination. They said that contrary to rumours, there was no explosion in the laptop. There are some marks on his fingers that suggest Brijesh died of electrocution. There seems to be no foul play. His body has been sent for post-mortem. The findings will confirm the cause of death, said Vijay Kumar, additional deputy commissioner of police (South East). Brijesh lived with his wife and parents at a rented house in Tughlaqabad Extension. The landlord, Om Pal, reportedly stays in Noida, and had visited the family soon after he heard about Brijeshs death. His parents lived on the first floor. The couple had got married on February 26. Brijeshs last rites were performed on Monday afternoon. The family was in shock and could not recount what had happened. Even the neighbours did not know the exact sequence of events that led to Brijeshs death. They family has not eaten since Sunday. All of us are in grief, said a neighbour. Brijesh was a nice and humble person. I know the family well, as they have been staying here for a long time, said Habibuddin, who runs a shop near Brijeshs house. . The bread you eat everyday could be pushing you closer to cancer. More than 80% of 38 popular brands of breads, buns and ready-to-eat burger and pizza tested positive for potassium bromate and iodate, a study by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment says. Read: What one loaf of bread costs in Delhi, Sydney and Paris? The first of the two chemicals is a category 2B carcinogen that can possibly cause cancer and the second is known to trigger thyroid disorder. Indian manufacturers use potassium bromate and potassium iodate for treating flour while making bread, the study said. More than 80% of 38 popular brands of breads, buns and ready-to-eat burger and pizza tested positive for potassium bromate and iodate, a study by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment says. (Shutterstock) The use of these chemicals in the bread-making sector is banned in many countries because they are listed as hazardous for public health. India does not ban their use, a statement released by the Centre for Science and Environment said. The CSE recommended the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ban the use of potassium bromate in making bread with immediate effect. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) should also amend relevant available standards, CSE said. Read: Ditch white bread, corn flakes and puffed rice to beat lung cancer We found 84% samples positive with potassium bromate/iodate. We re-confirmed the presence of potassium bromate/iodate in a few samples through an external third-party laboratory. We checked labels and talked to industry and scientists, said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE and head of CSE lab. Our study confirms the widespread use of potassium bromate/iodate as well as presence of bromate/iodate residues in the final product. Read: Kokum baguette, yeast-free bread,why were obsessed with bread The study was conducted by the Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML) of CSE. This is the second major food scandal in the country. The countrys food regulator banned the popular instant noodle snack Maggi last year after several state laboratories found excess levels of lead. The ban was lifted by the Bombay high court last November. Also Read | Not notified of any health issues with Maggi noodles in India: Nestle The Delhi government on Monday notified the bus aggregator policy for app-based premium bus services, starting June 1. The scheme, which was notified on the official website of Delhis governments transport department, will allow only air-conditioned buses to ply. One bus aggregator will have to run at least 50 vehicles to get a licence from the transport department, the notification read. All premium buses, which ply in Delhi in conformity with guidelines specified in the app-based premium bus services scheme, shall be deemed to be used for the purpose of reducing the pollution and shall be exempted from provision of sub-section (1) of Section 66 of the said Act to such extent as may be necessary for operation of such premium buses, it read. The scheme was announced by Delhis transport minister Gopal Rai last month. The buses will operate on the lines of app-based cab services being run by aggregators -- Ola and Uber. The notification, however, has not set any restrictions on fares or routes of the services. The service will also allow electronic payments. Read: Ready for cap on prices: Uber relents, says no to surge in Delhi Rai had said that applicants will have to install Wi-Fi, GPS and two CCTV cameras in each bus. A panic button is also a mandatory licence condition. Aggregator service, Ola, issued a statement soon after welcoming the governments move. Ola welcomes the efforts of the Delhi government to launch app-based premium bus services. We look forward to working with the government in extending a world class daily commute solution from Ola Shuttle, to citizens across the state, the statement read. At present, three major bus aggregator services -Ola, Shuttl, and ZipGo are already operational in the Delhi-NCR region. In fact, in December last year over 20 buses from Ola Shuttle, and Shuttl were seized for providing intra-city transit services without proper permits. Though sources in the Delhi government said the notification was not approved by the Lieutenant Governor, the claim could not confirmed. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Dilip Pandeys meeting with Delhi police commissioner Alok Kumar Verma to demand the arrest and custodial interrogation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Karan Singh Tanwar in connection with murder of NDMC official M M Khan has been postponed until further notice . Pandey along with other party legislators was scheduled to meet Verma at around 12 pm on Monday. This meet up postponed by .@CPDelhi Office, new timings are yet to be confirmed. FYI. https://t.co/U161r967kN Dilip K. Pandey (@dilipkpandey) May 23, 2016 Mohammed Moin Khan, a lawyer and an assistant legal advisor with NDMC, was shot dead last week. The AAP has alleged that NDMC vice-chairman Karan Singh Tanwar had threatened the 57-year-old lawyer with dire consequences a few days before his murder. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and union home minister Rajnath Singh had announced compensation of Rs one crore and Rs 25 lakh respectively to Khans family. NDMC has also offered a job to one of the family members of Khan and allotted a three-tier house to them. Police have questioned Khans colleagues who claimed he was an honest officer and forthright in his dealings. The investigators, however, came to know that Khan was once suspended by NDMC on charges of misconduct 11 years ago. (with ANI inputs) More seats will be up for grabs in Delhi University as some colleges will begin new courses this year, throwing open extra options for students. At present there are 54,000 seats in 63 DU colleges and starting of new courses could add nearly 500 seats. These are not new courses but different humanities and science courses already running in DU colleges. From this year, some more colleges will start these streams. The colleges are awaiting the University Grants Commissions (UGC) go-ahead. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College will start history (hons), adding 40 seats to the existing 872. G K Arora, principal of Ambedkar College, said, We come under Delhi government and we have all approvals. We will take applications for this course this year. Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College will start bachelor of management studies (BMS), and BSc (hons) in forensic science and computer science. In BMS, the college will take 46 students and 30 and 46 seats in forensic science and computer science, respectively. The college is waiting for UGC;s approval. We will start these three courses from the new session. We have approvals from the university and have written to the UGC, said Jaswinder Singh, SGTB Khalsa principal. Daulat Ram College will start BSc (hons) in physics, adding 46 more seats. The UGC had written back to some colleges, saying the courses could be self-financing ones. Read: St Stephens to begin admission process from May 28 For instance, Indraprastha College for Women has approval to start BA(hons) sociology and geography from the university. There is still time and we hope we find some way to start the course. We will make some representations to the UGC, said Babli Moitra Saraf, principal of IP College. It is the same case for Kalindi College which was to start honours courses in botany, zoology, chemistry and geography. We have approvals from the university and its bodies but not from UGC. But we wont do it till UGC clears it, said Anula Maurya, Kalindi College principal. Some colleges such as Aryabhatta are starting BA (hons) in psychology and BSc (hons) computer science. We will rationalise seats from pass courses. Till last year, we were taking 60-70 students in pass courses. We will limit it to 50. The remaining seats will be distributed for new honours courses, said Manoj Sinha, principal. BOX: Courses and colleges approved by DU : Aryabhatta College: BSc Computer Science, BA (hons) Psychology Bhim Rao Ambedkar College: BA (hons) History Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College: BSc Computer Science, Bsc Forensic Science and Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) Daulat Ram College: Bsc (hons) Physics Indraprastha College for Women: BA (hons) Sociology, Geography Kalindi College: Hons in Botany, Zoology, Chemistry and Geography. Gargi College: Hons in Mathematics Delhi College of Arts and Commerce: Hons in Mathematics. St Stephens College will start the online application process for admission to its 10 undergraduate courses from May 28 even as Delhi University has asked it and Jesus and Mary to follow the centralised registration plan. The prospectus and online admission form will be available from May 28. The aptitude test and interview for 10 undergraduate courses will be conducted between June 20 to July 9. But it is not clear if the college will be part of the DUs centralized online registration process. Delhi University had recently written to St Stephens and Jesus and Mary the two religious minority colleges who conduct a separate admission process--on the matter. A meeting was conducted on Monday between university officials and principals of the two colleges. For the remaining 61 colleges, the admission process is centralised and is likely to begin on May 28. They can continue with their separate admission process but they need to become part of the centralized online registration process. They cannot admit students who have not registered in the centralized online process, said RN Dubey, member, DUs admission committee. Read: Delhi University may come out with only five cutoff lists this year College officials were not available for a comment. St. Stephens College had recently decided it will conduct a written test for admission to its undergraduate courses this year too, despite opposition from teachers. The written test was introduced by former principal Valson Thampu in 2015. Students who met the cut-off had to sit for a test and interview for final selection. The college allots 85% weightage for class 12 board results. The remaining 15% is divided between the test and the interview. St. Stephens College offers 10 undergraduate courses Bachelor of Arts in economics, history, philosophy, English, Sanskrit and pass course. Bachelor of Science is offered in mathematics, physics, chemistry and BSc pass. Tentative schedule for aptitude test and interview: Sanskrit: June 20 Economics: June 21, 22, 23 Physics: June 21, 22, 23 Chemistry: June 25, 27, 28 English: June 28, 29 History: June 29, 30, July 1 Mathematics: June 30, July 1, 2 BSc Programme: June 30, July 1, 2 Sports: July 4 BA Programme: July 5, 7, 8 Philosophy: July 9 With a bid to improve the sanitation of the markets of south Delhi, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will distribute dustbins to street vendors especially those selling eatables. The project is in conjunction with the governments Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. The civic agency has procured 10,000 bins, and the distribution process will begin soon. The blue-coloured dustbins are made of fibre, thus are light in weight. A sample of the dustbin has been sent to the laboratory for quality check. We will start distributing them once we get the report back, said a senior SDMC official. According to the plan, 100 dustbins will be distributed in each ward. There are 104 wards in the four zones of south Delhi. The licensing department has prepared a list of vendors after consulting with area councillors. The department is responsible for the distribution of bins. The bins are potable and vendors can take them home in the evenings to avoid misuse. SDMC sanitation staff will be responsible for lifting the garbage from the dustbins regularly. Vendors, including food joints, often dump waste on roadsides. This is unhygienic and the locality gets dirty. We will not just provide them dustbins but also educate them on keeping the market clean, said Radhey Shyam Sharma, Vasant Vihar councillor. In 2008, following the use of dustbins for the serial bomb blasts by terrorists in Delhi, the municipal corporation had stopped installing bins. Police had also raised security concerns while objecting to bins in crowded places. But, after the Centre launched the Swachh Bharat initiative in October 2014, the civic body framed this policy. According to senior municipal officials, the Delhi police have agreed to the dustbins being placed with the caveat that bins in densely crowded areas should be monitored regularly. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON It is no secret that Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to visit Israel. But it is a measure of the confidence in the depth of ties between Tel Aviv and New Delhi and the importance of Iran for Indias interests that the PM is able to visit Tehran first. And rightly so. Irans re-emergence in world affairs after decades of isolation is forcing significant realignments in the region. With a population of 77 million, an educated workforce, civilisational confidence and geostrategic location as a potential bridge between Europe and Asia, Iran is not a country that the world or India can ignore. Even though India-Iran ties have had an on-off character owing to the sanctions imposed by the US, which forced New Delhi to scale back contact, there is plenty of mutual interest to consolidate ties. Iran needs investment to rebuild its infrastructure while India is driven by strategic imperatives that go beyond the customary focus on hydrocarbons. Read | India, Iran and Afghanistan sign Chabahar port agreement This is evident from the bilateral contract that will allow India to develop the Chahbahar port, through an initial $150 million line of credit from the Exim Bank. This is an agenda item that has barely moved since 2003 but now assumes urgency owing to Beijings plans to operationalise the Gwadar port as part of the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. To counter this India wants to participate in railway projects that connect Chahbahar-Zahedan-Mashhad (in Iran) which can be a potential gateway for Indian goods heading to Russia and Europe. Through the Tripartite Trade and Transport Agreement signed with Afghanistan, India will help develop the Chahbahar-Zahedan-Zaranj corridor that will develop connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia, countering the lack of two-way transit rights through Pakistan to Afghanistan, which Islamabad has not accorded to India despite the obvious economic benefits to the three countries. Read | Iran denies killed Taliban leader was in the country The list of bilateral agreements signed during Modis visit suggests that both sides are keen on improving contact between their policy collectives and wider publics. MoUs on culture have been signed in addition to those extending dialogues between think tanks and training of diplomats. All this will hopefully lead to a greater acquaintance with Iranian society, politics and artistic expression that Indian audiences have lost touch with over the decades. The commitments to develop Chahbahar port and connectivity within Iran and Afghanistan are significant ventures. But New Delhi ought to ensure that they are delivered on time. Indias record on delivering promised infrastructure is patchy as the experience with Nepal shows. We cannot continue to let China move into vacuums we have created. Read | Agreement to develop Chabahar port an important milestone: PM Modi in Iran The recent observations of finance minister Arun Jaitley about the role of the judiciary in adjudicating upon a number of policy matters has sharpened the debate over separation of powers and constitutional obligations of the judiciary as a counter majoritarian institution. The minister observed that judicial review is the legitimate domain of the judiciary but then a Lakshmanrekha has to be drawn by all the institutions themselves. Lakshmanrekha is very vital. He added: Executive decisions are to be taken by the executive and not the judiciary. These are important observations and reflect the collective concerns not only of the government, but also of other institutions of democracy. I believe the judiciary will not disagree with the separation of powers principle articulated by Jaitley. The real difficulty is in relation to where the Lakshmanrekha should be drawn. Historically, the judiciary has been progressive and inclusive in interpreting the provisions of the Constitution to uphold justice. The evolution of public interest litigation, liberal and progressive interpretation of rules, expansive interpretation of fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy, invoking the writ of continuing mandamus, recognition of substantive and procedural due process as tools to fulfil the values of constitutionalism, all these have been widely appreciated. This indeed is the strength of Indias judiciary led by the Supreme Court of India. Given this backdrop, the debates on the relationship between the judiciary, executive and legislature are happening at the right time. The judiciary is facing twin challenges. First, responding to the enormous challenges of dealing with delays and pendency. Second, meeting social expectations and civil society demands on judicial intervention in almost every aspect of the governmental decision-making processes. Arbitrariness and violations of constitutional principles are at the heart of appeals for justice. Read | Judiciary must draw its own Lakshman rekha: Arun Jaitley The following principles can inform us of what is at stake and enable institutions of government to exercise their powers in an effective manner, respecting the separation of powers doctrine. First, law policy and judicial intervention: The separation of powers doctrine is about the legislature having the prerogative of making laws; the executive being entrusted with the responsibility to implement laws; and the judiciary vested with legal and constitutional powers to adjudicate disputes and review both legislation and the executive actions for their compliance with the Constitution. Read | There are flaws in the SC drought ruling The judiciary needs to evolve a robust set of principles on the basis of which it will, on its own, differentiate its interventions on matters which are not related to law and are actually policy questions. Elected governments are best suited to make policy choices. They are better placed to determine the suitability of particular policy choices. But the judiciary must intervene if any, or all of these powers, are arbitrarily exercised. It is not all that difficult to tell, a priori, what is law and what is policy. The real difficulty arises when enforcement of law and implementation of policy results in a clear violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. Second, constitutional norms and institutional limitations: The judiciary is vested with the obligation to ensure that all the wings of the government follow constitutional norms. Our courts have intervened in many matters that appear, at first blush, to be substantive questions of public policy, as opposed to law. In such matters the judiciary interprets issues from the standpoint of upholding rights and values of justice. The judiciary must recognise that there are inherent limitations to the exercise of judicial powers when it comes to its policy questions. Read | The SCs ruling on drought should push the State to get its act together In the landmark case, SR Bommai v Union of India, the Supreme Court, in relation to the exercise of the emergency powers under Article 356, observed, The opinion which the President would form on the basis of the Governors report or otherwise would be based on his political judgmentThe temptation to delve into the Presidents satisfaction may be great but the courts would be well advised to resist the temptation for want of judicially manageable standards Three, judicial restraint and executive accountability: The judiciary must show much more restraint when it is asked to decide upon questions of policy. Determining correctly what properly constitutes a question of policy calls for competencies that the judiciary may not possess. There are several instances where the Supreme Court may have crossed the lakshmanrekha. In 2012 the Court ordered interlinking of rivers. This was criticised as a disquieting judgment because it encroached into the executive domain. Even if a citizens right to water is a fundamental right that gives the Supreme Court some rationale to review executive actions, to order the interlinking of rivers, in the face of clear executive unwillingness to do so (which was supported by expert evidence), is a clear example of the Court overstepping its boundaries and getting into the domain of policy making. However, there have been other judgments, including a 2013 order directing the creation of an Independent Civil Servants Boards within three months. This was positively received as it undid the injustice done to a civil servant while seeking executive accountability. Why must the judiciary exercise self-restraint in policy matters without violating fundamental rights? Because it lacks wherewithal and competencies to grasp all the ramifications of policy choices. A decision of the Supreme Court is the law of the land (Art. 143 of the Constitution). When courts decide what policies should be legally mandated, it will need revision judgments to change those policies in the public interest. Judicial calibration of policies is unwise. C Raj Kumar is founding vice-chancellor of OP Jindal Global University and the Dean of Jindal Global Law School. The views expressed are personal . Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has now said it will declare the results of the arts stream of the intermediate (IA) or Class 12 and matriculation or Class 10 examinations on Wednesday. The results of IA would be released on May 25 at 2pm. As for matriculation, their results would be declared on May 28, BSEB chairperson Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh said. May 25: Declaration of Bihar board Intermediate (Arts) results deferred again On May 17, board officials said the IA and Class 10 results would be announced on May 21 and May 25 respectively. Last year, the board released IA results on May 30 and the matriculation results almost three weeks later on June 20. The high number of students could be a reason why the BSEB deferred the date to declare the IA and matriculation exam results a couple of times in past weeks. Around 5.5 lakh students appeared in the IA examination and close to 15 lakh students took the matriculation papers. The number of students who took the matriculation examination of the BSEB this year was much higher than those who appeared for the national boards such as the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. Read more: As it happened: CBSE Class 12 results 2016 declared, Delhi girl tops The BSEB, for the first time, released the results of the science stream of intermediate (ISc) on May 10, well ahead than its usual date of May 20. The pass percentage in IA last year was higher than previous years at 86.47. The number of students who scored first division in the examination was 30.06%. In matriculation, 75.17% students passed last year, while 21.45% got the first division. Read more: Girls outshine boys in 2016 UP board Class 10 and 12 exams The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced the results of the 9th edition of Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) on Monday. The exams were held on February 21, 2016 in India and abroad. The examination is conducted for candidates to be eligible for selection as teachers for classes 1 to 8. You can see your results on the CBSE results website. Steps to check results: - On the CBSE results page, click on the link Central Teacher Eligibility Test - FEB 2016 to go to the log-in page. - Submit your roll number and the result will be displayed on the screen. CTET scores shall apply to schools of the central government ( Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), Central Tibetan Schools, etc.) and schools under the administrative control of Union territories of Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and NCT of Delhi. Read more: As it happened: CBSE Class 12 results 2016 declared, Delhi girl tops CTET scores may also apply to the unaided private schools, who may exercise the option of considering the CTET. Schools owned and managed by the state government/local bodies and aided schools shall consider the teachers eligibility test (TET) conducted by the state government. However, if a state government decides not to conduct the state TET, it can also consider the CTET scores. For details visit CTETs official website. The overall pass percentage of Class 12 students from the Patna region of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) registered an increase this year. As per the figure provided by CBSE Delhi headquarters, the overall pass percentage of students from CBSE Patna region, which covers Bihar and Jharkhand, was 75.29%. The overall pass percentage of the region last year was 75.06%. However, the data given by CBSE Patna regional officer RR Meena during a press conference on Saturday showed a decline in the overall pass percentage of the region at 74.9%. The Patna figure was obtained by calculating the pass percentages of 71,496 regular candidates and 4,367 FS and compartmental candidates who registered/ appeared in the examination. Read more: As it happened: CBSE Class 12 results 2016 declared, Delhi girl tops According to the Patna regional office, a total of 75,683 regular, FS and Comp students had registered for the examination. The number included 48,645 boys and 27,218 girls. Of the total number of candidates 72,785 students appeared. Meena said the pass percentage of boys this year from the region was 70.8% while that of girls was 82.2%. As per Delhi figures, the pass percentage of girls from the region this year was 82.51%, while that of boys was 71.12%. JEE (Advanced) 2016 Paper 1 This years JEE (Advanced) Paper-1 was similar to those prior to 2015 it contained single answer correct type multiple choice questions (MCQs), multiple answer correct type MCQs and integer answer type MCQs. There were two key changes though. Firstly, partial marking for multiple answer correct type MCQs was reintroduced. Secondly, the paper was more logical than calculative. Section-wise analysis In Chemistry, the overall difficulty level was moderate. There were at least four tough questions that could be easily misinterpreted. There were five questions from organic Chemistry, six from inorganic and seven from physical Chemistry. Given the difficulty level of the paper, scoring 80% would be a task. In Mathematics, the paper was as tough as per the usual JEE standard. There were about five questions with lengthy solutions. Scoring in this paper will also be difficult. The Physics paper was the easiest in comparison. All questions were standard and had clarity, reducing chances of students misunderstanding or struggling with the paper. The average score is expected to be between 40% and 60%. Read more: After CBSE success, Delhi boy Siddhartha wants to top JEE JEE (Advanced) Paper 2 The format of the JEE (Advanced) 2016 Paper-2 drastically differed from the previous years. There were more single option correct questions as compared to last year. The matrix match questions were also missing. Paragraph-based questions were given single correct options whereas in previous year, they were given multiple correct options. Section-wise analysis The Chemistry paper was moderately difficult. At least four questions were difficult for students to analyse. There were five questions under inorganic Chemistry, seven under organic and six from physical Chemistry. Scoring 85% in this paper will be tough. In Mathematics, Paper-2 was comparatively easier than Paper-1. Overall, the examination was balanced. There were no tricky questions. A large portion of the paper was from calculus and co-ordinate geometry. There were more question from 12th standard than 11th. Unlike the JEE Paper 1, the Physics section was the most difficult of the three sciences. It contained two tricky questions that were hard to comprehend. The mechanics portion was also quite tough to answer. The average score is expected to be around 33%. For an average student, the test would have been difficult to handle. (The author of this article is Director, Aakash Educational Services Pvt. Ltd. The views expressed here are personal.) Union health minister JP Nadda met President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday afternoon to explain the reasons behind the governments decision to bring in an ordinance that exempts for a year state medical entrance tests from a common national examination. HT explains the controversy- what supporters of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) say and why there is a section that opposes it: History 2010: With the approval of the Centre, the Medical Council of India (MCI) notifies a single entrance examination for medical and dental undergraduate and post graduate courses from the academic year 2012-13 2012: The MCI issues a revised notification to conduct the national examination from the academic year 2013-14. Court Cases 2013: * Supreme Court quashes NEET implementation. * For entry to government colleges, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts a common medical test. Private and some state medical colleges Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Jammu Kashmir are exempt from participation. * The Centre and MCI file a review petition that is heard by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court. Read | NEET relief only for a few students from Maha, say experts 2016: April 11: The Supreme Court allows the review petitions and recalls its 2013 judgment, paving the way for the NEET to be conducted from the current academic year April 28: While Union health and human resource development ministries contemplate the feasibility of the exam being conducted, Sankalp Charitable Trust files a petition in the SC, putting pressure on the government to conduct NEET this year. Parents of medical entrance examinees form a human chain to protest against the verdict of Supreme Court's on National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) in Mumbai. (PTI file photo) *The court allows the test to be held in two phases: NEET-I (formerly AIPMT) that was held on May 1, and NEET-II on July 24, when the remaining colleges mostly state and private colleges will participate. *The combined result to be announced on August 17, and counselling and admission process to be done by September 30. Read | Tawde hails NEET victory for state students Problem May 16, 2016: *Representatives from 15 states urge Nadda to approach the SC to implement the centralised test for the 2017-18 academic year, as there were practical difficulties in implementing the NEET from this year * Non-CBSE candidates will be disadvantaged by the NEET as there was little time left for students to bridge the difference between state board syllabi and the central curriculum. *The absence of regional language options meant non-English or Hindi-speaking students will find it difficult to score well in the NEET, the Centre was told. Police arrest the activists of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) members during their hunger strike against the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) and reinstating the combined entrance examination (CEE) in front of the directorate of health education in Guwahati on Monday. (PTI file photo) Controversy May 20, 2016: *Cabinet clears an ordinance to postpone the implementation of the NEET to academic year 2017-18 for state boards, to give them some time to prepare *The governments decision to postpone the implementation of the exam is slammed by some opposition parties who allege private medical colleges are being favoured over the students *The government rubbishes the claim, saying concerns of all stakeholders need to be duly addressed while implementing the NEET. Read | Tips for NEET-2: Keep calm, revise Class 11 syllabus, numericals SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Unhappy with the results of the Class 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations, declared on May 21, students and teachers staged a protest near the boards Patna office on Monday. Around 100 students and their parents gathered at the spot to allege that low marks were awarded by the CBSE in several subjects, especially mathematics. The protesters complained that despite performing exceedingly well in the examinations, they were awarded low scores due to blunders on the part of the central education board. I was given one mark in mathematics, three in physics and seven in chemistry. I wrote the examination well, and was confident that I would score at least 60 marks in each, alleged Vishwajeet Singh, a student. While Nikhil Raj scored 95 in chemistry, 88 in physics and 85 in English, he was given a paltry three marks in mathematics. How is this even possible? he exclaimed. Many other students secured less than 10 marks in mathematics, though they claimed to have fared well in the Joint Entrance Examination and other competitive tests. I got nine in mathematics. But I cleared JEE-Main with 200 marks, said Ritu Raj Prasad, a private candidate. A student showing her marksheet during protest outside the CBSE office in Patna over unfairly low marks on Monday. (HT photo) Rajiv Kumar said that his son, Swapnil, was given low scores in physics and mathematics for no fault of his. He has never secured such low marks. The CBSE is ruining my sons future, he said. Some students also questioned the low marks given to them in subjects like English, physical education and painting. Read more: As it happened: CBSE Class 12 results 2016 declared, Delhi girl tops Ripu Singh complained that while he secured 90 marks in English in the pre-board examinations, the CBSE accorded him a mere 45. This is unacceptable. I was extremely happy with the way I wrote the examination, and I simply cannot believe that I got such low marks, they said. Rakhi Kumaris father Ajay Kumar said she got six marks in mathematics and 27 in painting. Who fails in painting? he wondered. The protesters demanded that free re-evaluation of the answer sheets be conducted immediately. Union HRD minister Smriti Irani said students would get grace marks in mathematics because the examination was tough. Where are those grace marks? We demand a re-evaluation or a re-test. Our future is at stake, one of them demanded. Read more: CBSE results 2016: Bihar girls outshine boys in Class 12 exam The CBSE extorts money in the name of re-evaluation. The process is lengthy too. We demand justice, another student added. When contacted, Patna CBSE regional officer RR Meena said the online link for re-checking will be provided on or after May 25. No offline requests for the same will be accepted. The issue raised by the students and parents pertains to the CBSE head office, he added. Three armed men clad in burqas allegedly broke into Medanta, The Medicity in early hours of Monday in an apparent robbery attempt, police said. The trio managed to flee without incurring damage after the hospital guards raised an alarm. A case has been filed against the unidentified men at Sadar police station. Police said that the three accused, concealing themselves in burqas a head-to-toe veil reached the cash counter of the hospital in Sector 38 at 3am. They had an argument with the staff at the cash counter following which they brandished pistols. The guards raised an alarm and the trio fled from the spot, police said. The hospital administration lodged a complaint at Sadar police station based on which an FIR was lodged under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act. We have lodged a case under section 451 (house trespass), section 506 (criminal intimidation), section 34 (act by several people with common intention of IPC) and Arms Act, said assistant sub inspector Prahlad Singh, the investigation officer. Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman and managing director, Medanta - The Medicity, said that the police was investigating into the episode. Nobody knows what actually happened. It is being investigated. There was no loss, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thousands of residents in the citys upscale localities are facing a water crisis in the sweltering heat. The water scarcity is acute in new Gurgaon localities such as DLF City (phases 1-4), South City 2, and Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) localities including sectors 45, 50, 51 and Chakkarpur area. DLF City phase 1 residents say they have not received water since Saturday evening. This is despite the fact that the upscale locality is directly connected to the water treatment plant at Basai run by the Huda. Residents said they spoke to the Huda administrator about the crisis but the urban authority is laying the blame on Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigams (DHVBN) erratic power supply. We are worst hit by the water crisis. This has happened just because of the failure in planning, Santosh Dhiman of a DLF City Phase 1 said. With insufficient and sporadic water supply, residents are increasingly depending on tankers. A DLF official said that the water shortage has affected all DLF phases. Tankers are supplying water to residents. We are dependent on the Huda water supply and there is some electricity issue because of which no water is supplied from Basai water treatment plant, the official said. Kusum Sharma of DLF City Phase 2 said, For the last three days, we are not getting water. We booked tankers but could not move out of the house till the water tanker arrived six hours later. Residents buy drinking water, but they cannot use it for other essential purposes such as bathing, washing and other household needs. Some people, who have rented houses in these parts of the city, are considering moving to areas with better water supply. My tenants are considering vacating the house because of the water shortage in summer. They have a small child and cannot cope without water, Sangeeta Kumar of DLF Phase 2 said. The residents from Chakkarpur village staged demonstration on Monday before meeting the deputy commissioner and submitting a memorandum demanding water supply in their area. President of DLF Qutab Enclave RWA R S Rathee said, We had a meeting with the deputy commissioner (DC), Huda administrator and superintending engineer, and superintending engineer electricity. There is no coordination between the Huda and DHBVN officials. Earlier, we had got permission to extract water from tube wells in case of an emergency. Neither has the DLF done anything about it nor has the DC asked them to do the needful. We have requested the DC to take up the matter with DLF and clean some tube wells so that the acute water shortage can be mitigated up to a level, Rathee said Gurgaon deputy commissioner TL Satyaprakash, however, said that he cannot permit to revive defunct tube wells in DLF City at the moment. The Huda has written to the DHVBN asking for continuous power supply to the water treatment plant. Case studies Priti Podder, DLF City Phase 1 Block R Priti Podder. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo) Priti Podder, 54, who has been on dialysis for the last eight years, says she has to depend on water tankers provided by the area councillor to meet household needs these days. She has not been able to sleep properly in the last three days because of frequent power cuts. I had to leave for my dialysis today (Monday), but cancelled my appointment because there was no water or power in the house. I was so frustrated that I wrote mails to the Huda administrator, MCG commissioner and other officials. I also spoke to the DHVBN officials but all officials are passing the buck, Priti said. She feels the officials should try to look for permanent solutions to the problem rather than blaming each other. I am not keeping well and cannot run after water tankers or keep waiting for the tanker water supply. How will we survive if things remain the same in the coming days? Priti said. Aarti Sharma, DLF City Phase 1 Aarti, 49, moved to Gurgaon 11 years back with the hope of a better life in the city as compared to Delhi. She says the builder had given her promises about the best infrastructure. We are totally dependent on DLF for water supply. The power supply has been erratic and every five minutes the light goes off. We are planning to return to Delhi as soon as possible and if the situation remains the same, many residents will sell their apartments, Aarti says. The other day I was talking to my friend in Mumbai and she was complaining that they are getting water supply for only five hours. In Gurgaon, we never get water for more than 1.5 hours in 24 hours. Aarti says providing the bare minimum water to meet the basic needs seems to be a challenge for the authorities now. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After entering and then dropping out of negotiations to star in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming, Michael Keaton is back in talks to play the villain in the film starring Tom Holland as the friendly neighbourhood superhero. The Birdman star originally entered into negotiations to appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming last month but reportedly dropped out due to salary issues, reported Deadline. Read: Michael Keaton to play villain in Spider-Man Homecoming? According to reports, a disagreement arose after Robert Downey, Jr joined the cast to reprise his role as Iron Man and bosses at the studio reportedly suggested they would not be able to accommodate both actors salary requests. Read: Spider-Man: Homecoming loses Keaton but gains Downey Jr If Keaton signs on to the film, he will join Tom Holland, who will play the titular superhero in the movie, Marisa Tomei, who will portray Aunt May, and Zendaya, whose role is being kept under wraps. Spider-Man: Homecoming, directed by Jon Watts, is slated to hit cinemas in July, 2017. Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Oscar Issac says the heroes in Star Wars: Episode VIII will be tested as its the darker second chapter in the series. A leaked image also reveals that the film could be titled Star Wars: Fall of the Resistance. Production on the project is underway and the movie will see Isaac reprise the role of Poe Dameron alongside Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, reported Femalefirst. Read: Star Wars VIII is going to be bigger than Force Awakens: John Boyega In the new film, theres a lot more to do. What happens now is the heroes get tested. All three of them (Dameron, Daisy Ridleys Rey and John Boyegas Finn) get tested immensely... BB-8 gets tested too! Everybody gets tested! Its the dark second chapter, but not really dark, Issac said. Rian Johnson has replaced JJ Abrams as the director for Episode VIII. This will be the fourth feature film of his career and his first since the success of Looper back in 2012. Read: After Daniel Craig in Force Awakens, Tom Hardy to cameo in Star Wars? A leaked video also revealed what could possibly be the title of Episode VIII. The video, about the forthcoming Star Wars Celebration fan even to be held in London in July carried a fleeting look at a poster which revealed the title Fall of the Resistance. Disney has not confirmed the title yet. Fall of the Resistance, if it is the actual title of Episode VIII, suggests the movie will indeed be darker. (Twitter) The movie is scheduled to hit the big screen in 2017. Follow @htshowbiz for more June 1st is screen legend Marilyn Monroes 90th birth anniversary. In conjunction with the milestone, Juliens Auctions announced a historic auction where the most important archive to appear on the market in decades will be put up for bidding. The auction is unique for its diversity and because it contains items ... that havent seen the light since her death in 1962 and even since her childhood, Martin Nolan, the executive director of the auction house, told EFE. Just last year, rare photos of Marilyn Monroe, taken just weeks before her untimely death, went to auction in London. Read: Marilyn Monroes heartbreaking letters, belongings to be auctioned The stunning snapshots were taken by her friend, photographer George Barris, on Santa Monica beach on July 13, 1962, just three weeks before she was found dead at 36 in her Los Angeles bedroom. The set also included photos of Monroe in her Brentwood, California home. Barris, who met Monroe in 1954 on the set of her hit film The Seven Year Itch, originally intended to use the pictures for a book he was working on about the iconic actor, but he scrapped it after her death. Here are the stunning pictures (Twitter) (Twitter) (Twitter) (Twitter) (Twitter) With agency inputs Follow @htshowbiz for more Two separate militant strikes killed three policemen in Srinagar on Monday, forcing authorities to sound a high alert and launch a hunt for the extremists behind the first major attacks in the city in years. In the first incident, extremists shot two cops from close range at the Mill Stop in the Zadibal area that connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and a hospital in Soura, a police officer said. The duo, assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad and head constable Nazir Ahmad, died instantly from bullet wounds, he said. Hours later, policeman Mohammad Shafi was killed in the citys Tengpora area on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The militants took away his service rifle. Sources said the attackers are on the run on a motorcycle. A massive search was launched in the city with security personnel putting up barricades to check vehicles and frisk pedestrian. The Hizbul Mujahideen extremist group that has bases in Pakistan-administered Kashmir claimed responsibility for the attacks. Hizbul operational spokesperson Burhanuddin told news agency CNS that a special squad of the outfit carried out the attacks and warned that such strikes on the security establishments will continue. Police officials collect evidence from the site of the attack in Srinagar. (Waseem Andrabi/HT Photo) Srinagar has been relatively peaceful since an attack on June 22, 2013, in which two policemen were shot dead in the business hub of Hari Singh High Street. Mondays incidents come two days after an encounter with militants in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, in which a soldier was killed. Security forces said five militants were killed and two soldiers were wounded in a fierce gunbattle in Drugmulla. Thousands of people participated in the funeral of the five dead militants in a sign of growing restlessness in the Valley. Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir have witnessed a steep fall in militancy in recent years as compared to the troubled 90s, leading to spurt in the tourism industry, the mainstay of the states economy. But recent attacks have brought back fears of the Valley plummeting to the dreaded days of violence and chaos. The fear got amplified when thousands of people turned up at funerals of dead militants. The restlessness was evident in April when the alleged molestation of a schoolgirl in north Kashmirs Handwara sparked fatal protests across the Valley after several protesters were killed in police firing. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bihar government, which has assured to protect the fourth pillar of democracy in wake of the killing of a journalist in Siwan, faced yet another embarrassing moment on Sunday after a journalist with the leading Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar was abducted by a local contractor. The journalist, Hemant Thakur, was abducted from his home in Bihars Araria district for not writing a news report in the favour of the contractor, Haji Laddan. Read: People know who killed my son: Father of slain Hindustan journo Ranjan According to reports, Laddan abducted Thakur and took him to Sadar Hospital where he first thrashed the journalist and then locked him inside a room. The contractor also gave a patient a knife and told him to kill Thakur if he tried to escape. Thakur was rescued by the hospital staff after he screamed for help. In the past, several incidents, where journalists have been murdered or received death threats, have been recorded in Bihar. Last week, Rajesh Singh, a journalist with a Hindi daily, lodged an FIR at the Laheri police station against Janata Dal (United) MLC Hira Vind after receiving death threats. 42-year-old Rajdeo Ranjan was shot dead by criminals near the Siwan railway station, earlier in May. Two bullets were fired at the Siwan bureau chief of Hindi daily Hindustan that hit him on his head and neck. Also read: We will fight for Rajdeo Ranjan, because it is necessary The owner of a private hospital in Patna has received an extortion letter demanding Rs 50 lakh, with a live cartridge as a threat, magnifying fears of a decline in law and order in the state. Delivered on May 19, the letter threatened Dr AK Singh, owner of Ruban Diagnostics Hospital located on S P Verma road, if he failed to pay up. Dr Singh said the letter was handwritten. The letter has been written by one Rohit Kumar, MD of Jai Shitla Mata Construction Company. The identity of the sender appears to be fake. He has asked me to pay up Rs 50 lakh. I have been threatened with dire consequences if I fail to do his bidding. I have informed DIG, Patna range, Shalin about this, the doctor said, adding that senior superintendent of police, Manu Maharaaj, visited his house to inquire about the incident. An FIR has been lodged with the Gandhi Maidan police station. Its a first of its kind incident in which a criminal has sent a threat letter with a live cartridge enclosed, said a senior police officer, adding that the all angles were being investigated in the case and suspects were being identified. Security has already been provided to Dr Singh. We are trying to find out the culprit, said deputy inspector general police, Sri Shalin. Dr Singh denied having personal enmity with anyone. In fact, many of his hospital staff quit recently since the facility was not doing financially well, he said. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the letter was sent from a post office nearby. Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said police were investigating the case on a priority basis. The culprit will be nabbed soon. Nobody will be spared, he added. The Bihar government is already struggling with political foes claiming a return of the 90s jungle raj following the killing of a senior journalist on May 13. A group of five criminals on motorcycles shot two bullets at 42-year-old Rajdeo Ranjan when he was on his way home from office on a bike. Investigations revealed that kill orders for Ranjan allegedly came from Siwan jail where former MP and RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin is serving a life sentence for murder. Read | Siwan jail raided after journalist murder, Shahabuddins cell searched Women domestic workers from Andhra Pradesh are languishing in jails in Gulf states after attempting to flee abusive employers or overstaying their visas, said an AP minister, urging the Centre to help them. In a letter to external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, Andhras minister for non-resident Indian welfare, Palle Raghunatha Reddy, called for action to bring back the women. Necessary steps should be initiated to bring them to their native areas safely by providing free travel and necessary visa documents at the earliest possible (opportunity), he wrote. Instructions should be issued to Indian embassy officials in Gulf countries to interfere in the matter and provide necessary help in terms of food, clothing and shelter. Government figures show there are an estimated six million Indian migrants in the six Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman. These include women who leave their villages to take up jobs overseas paying up to three times more than in India, putting their fate in the hands of recruitment agents, who often dupe them. There is no official data on the exact count of the migrants stranded in Gulf countries but experts put the numbers in tens of thousands, many of them in jail. Some of the migrants overstay on tourist visas and are unable to pay the fines required to return home. In some cases, they do not have exit visas. Many others have been jailed on petty offences waiting for their case to be heard, according to the Andhra Pradesh government. Women from Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring state of Telangana are being sold like products in a retail shop, Reddy wrote in the letter sent last week. Women are being sold to the tune of Rs 400,000 in Saudi Arabia and between Rs 100,000 to 200,000 in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, the minister wrote. He added that at least 25 women jailed in Gulf states have sought the state governments help recently. In response to a query in Parliament in March, the foreign ministry said their diplomatic missions in all six Gulf states had registered complaints of physical abuse, maltreatment, non-payment of salary, and other grievances. Requesting anonymity, a senior official in the Andhra Pradesh government said a group of ministers from the state would travel to the Gulf next month to investigate the plight of migrants from their region. The state government is also in the process of appointing lawyers to provide legal advice to Indian prisoners in Gulf jails, the official said. The BJP and the Congress have a husband-wife relationship in which they fight but hide their secrets, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday. I feel both parties have a husband-wife kind of a relationship--Mister and Missus BJP-Congress. They are like husband and wife fighting inside the house. They know each others secrets, Kejriwal told Aam Aadmi Party volunteers in Panaji. BJP knows the secrets of Congress and Congress of BJP. Someone told me that (Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar has several files of Congress leaders in Goa, but he wont take action against them. He will keep on threatening Congress with these files, said Kejriwal, who is the Aam Aadmi Partys national convener. BJP and Congress have together looted people. Both parties combined are mafias, they run mafia raj. Kejriwal, who on Sunday began AAPs campaign for the Goa Assembly elections next year, accused the BJP and the Congress of having an unwritten understanding to rule the country for five years each. He appealed to people of Goa to shun their old political loyalties and vote for AAP this time for the sake of the state. I was told that people are reluctant to come out in support of AAP fearing that they will lose benefits of government-sponsored social welfare scheme, if they are spotted in AAP group, he said. Dont worry, if they cancel the pension we will give all the pension with retrospective effect. Whatever benefits that were given by current government will be resumed (if AAP is voted to power) and dues will also be paid, he said. Senior Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi on Monday joined the growing chorus for change in the party, saying the organisation needs to undergo a cardiac surgery and not cosmetic surgery for its revival. He also made a veiled attack on senior leader Digvijaya Singh, saying those people talking about surgery are actually responsible for bringing the party to this condition. The voices in the Congress have grown louder after the partys debacle in the just-concluded assembly elections, particularly in Assam and Kerala. Digvijaya Singh was the first to talk about a major surgery in the party organisation insisting that action and introspection is the need of the hour. Read | After assembly poll debacle, Congress may go in for a reshuffle He was joined by Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor and party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi who in a series of tweets on Sunday suggested that young state leaders should be brought in. Chaturvedi too agreed that the surgery should have been done two years ago. But cosmetic surgery will not help. The party needs cardiac surgery to deliver electoral success, he said. We have to rethink about those because of whom the party had to face defeat... Read | Stick to principles, no failure is permanent: Sonia to Congress workers A special court on Monday refused bail to 14 suspected Islamic State (IS) operatives, arrested from across the country for allegedly financing and recruiting people to join the terror group. District judge Amar Nath rejected the bail application of the accused persons saying the allegations were of serious nature and they do not deserve the relief. In the bail application, the accused had sought statutory bail, saying the period of probe had expired on May 18. The period of investigation was extended up to 120 days and the same expired on May 18, hence the indefensible right to statutory bail arises and the applicants-accused have been entitled to be released on bail... It is, therefore, most respectfully and in the interest of justice prayed that the applicant-accused may kindly be released on statutory bail, the bail application moved by the accused appearing for the accused persons said. While accused Nafees Khan and Mohd Shareef Moinuddin Khan were arrested on January 22, the other accused including, Abu Anas, Mohd Afzal, Suhail Ahmed, Mohd Aleem, Asif Ali, Mohd Hussain Khan, Mohd Imran Khan, Syed Mujahid, Mohd Obaidullah Khan, Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh, Najmul Huda and Mohd Abdul Ahad were arrested on January 23. Earlier, the probe agency had told the court that the accused were involved in a larger conspiracy of the outfit, in India and abroad, including recruitment of resident and non- resident Indians. The terror group has captured vast territories in Iraq and Syria. The accused were arrested from different parts of the country for allegedly recruiting and financing people to join the terror organisation. The NIA had earlier told the court that the accused, in course of interrogation, had admitted to their involvement in this case about recruiting and financing persons willing to join the Caliphate of ISIS at Syria. They were arrested under several sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC. A case was registered by NIA on December 9, 2015 against unknown and unidentified persons involved in the activities of Islamic State (IS) in India and Asian powers in peace with India. Two militants, including a suspected top commander of banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, were killed in an encounter in Srinagars Saria Bala area late on Monday night. Police have yet ascertain the identity of the two killed, but sources said Jaish Saifullah, a top commander of the outfit, might be among them. Both militants are believed to be non-locals. The suspected militants were gunned down in a brief exchange of fire with security forces in Maharaja Bazaar following information about their presence in the area, said a police official. Sarai Bala is less than a kilometre from Srinagars commercial centre, Lal Chowk. The duo allegedly had rented a room in the area claiming to be from Kupwara and students of a local college. We had asked for papers and they had promised to give us proper identity proof and other papers in a few days, said a member of the family that owned the house. The encounter took place on the day three police officers were killed in two separate militant attacks in Srinagar. The militants, believed to be from Hizbul Mujahideen, were still at large on Monday night. In the first incident, two officers were shot from close range at Mill Stop in Zadibal area, which connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and a hospital in Soura, a police official said. The deceased were identified as assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad and head constable Nazir Ahmad. The second attack that claimed the life of police officer Mohammad Shafi took place a few hours later in Tengpora area on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The militants allegedly made away with the officers rifle. It is yet to be ascertained if the slain militants were involved the two attacks, said a police spokesperson. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The government on Monday barred Indians from travelling to strife-torn Libya in view of the security situation in the North African country. Twenty nine Indians - most of them employees of Zawiya Hospital in Libyas Sabratha city - were evacuated from the country earlier this month. Last year, four Indian nationals were abducted from Sirte town near Tripoli. The Indian government had then issued an advisory asking its citizens to leave Libya. In view of prevailing security situation in Libya, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the government of India has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. All immigration authorities have been notified in this respect. Indian nationals may please take note of the travel ban for compliance, it said, adding that the ban has been effective from May 3 this year. IS wrecks havoc in Libya Islamic State controls a strip of more than 250 km (155 miles) of Libyas central coastline, from which it launches regular attacks to the east, west and south. IS took advantage of the political turmoil and security vacuum after the uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi five years ago to build a power base in Libya. Over the last week it has made gains, carrying out suicide attacks in the sparsely populated area between Sirte and Misrata, including at a major checkpoint at Abu Grain. (with inputs from PTI, IANS, Reuters) Union health minister JP Nadda met President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to brief him on the ordinance cleared by the Cabinet to exempt state boards from participating in the common medical entrance test- National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) this year. The meeting that lasted for about an hour, focussed on problem areas such as regional languages, different syllabi and on-going state board examinations. The President reportedly had asked the health ministry to explain the rationale behind taking the ordinance route to keep state boards out of NEET for this year, which would effectively overturn the Supreme Court order partially. The Court in its April 28th order had refused to grant reprieve to state government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges, making it mandatory for all to participate in NEET. After meeting representatives of 18 states on May 16, the health minister Nadda had said that the government though willing to comply to the Supreme Court order needed to consider concerns of all stake holders. Human resource development minister Smriti Irani and Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi were in a Twitter war Monday morning. The spat came a few days after the Congress leader was threatened on Twitter with rape and murder like Nirbhaya. Ms @ShefVaidya a perceived threat to @smritiirani s life gets Z sec, here I am struggling to get rape/death threat investigated. cut the crap, Chaturvedi said in response to a tweet. Irani responded by saying, I dont have Z security Madam. Ms @ShefVaidya a perceived threat to @smritiirani 's life gets Z sec,here I am struggling to get rape/death threat investigated.cut the crap Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016 There have been reports quoting home ministry officials that Iranis security was being upgraded to the highest, Z category, with armed commandos to guard her in view of increased threat to her life. Chaturvedi, too, cited media reports and asked Irani I presume no security at all then. The minister, who is fairly active on Twitter and has had a few run-ins, shot back, Why are you so interested in my security? Planning anything? Not worth my time, so dont worry on that front @smritiirani , you must concentrate on creating another campus ruckus, Chaturvedi said. Dats more Rahuljis forte. Oh wait, losing Assam is. My bad. Have a good day, Irani replied. @priyankac19 dats more Rahulji's forte. Oh wait, losing Assam is. My bad. Have a good day. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016 Chaturvedi retorted with another sarcastic remark. Repeatedly losing and yet becoming a minister in thecabinet is your forte. You have a glorious day too @smritiirani, she posted. The exchange comes a day after Chaturvedi criticised Irani for overzealously trying to implement the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sanghs agenda of saffronisation and causing damaged to institutions of education. China on Monday called for in-depth talks to build consensus over Indias admission into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), days after Pakistan staked claim to join the 48-member grouping with purported backing from Beijing and just ahead of President Pranab Mukherjees visit to that country. China also rebutted Indias assertion that France was included in the Nuclear Suppliers Group without signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying France was a founder member of the elite group and so the issue of accepting its membership does not arise. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying sounded firm about Chinas stance that all new members that join the NSG must sign Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Hua rebutted Indias assertion that France was included in the elite group without signing the NPT. When France joined the NSG it was not a party to the NPT: France was the founder member of the NSG so the issue of acceptance to the NSG does not exist, Hua said responding to ministry of external affairs spokesman Vikas Swarups comment last week. The NSG is an ad hoc export control regime and France, which was not an NPT member for some time, was a member of the NSG since it respected NSGs objectives, Swarup had said on May 20, rejecting Chinas oft-repeated assertion that India should sign the NPT to join the NSG. The NSG is an important component of the non-proliferation regime is founded on the NPT. This is a long term consensus of the international community which was reaffirmed last year by the NPT review convention, Hua said. That is why the NSG has been taking NPT signatory status must status for new members, Hua said. The issue was expected to figure in the talks during President Mukherjees visit to China from Tuesday. Mukherjee would arrive in Chinese city of Guangzhou and later go to Beijing on May 25 during which he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese leaders including his counterpart Xi Jinping. Acknowledging differences among the NSG members in the backdrop of US supporting Indias bid to join the grouping based on its non-proliferation record, contrary to Pakistans history of clandestine export of nuclear technology, Hua said the NSG members needed in-depth talks on the issue. Pakistan is not a party to the NPT. For whether the non-NPT countries can join the NSG there are discussions with in the group and there are major differences that is why China along with other countries have been maintaining that there should he through discussions whether non-NPT countries can join the NSG and decision shall be made upon consensus, Hua said. This applies to all non-NPT countries including Pakistan, she said. Pakistan is an all weather strategic partner of China for coordination and a close neighbour. Our position is not targeted against Pakistan and applies to all non-NPT countries, the spokesperson said. We support the NSG members having in-depth discussions on this so as to reach a consensus at an early date and we continue to take constructive part in the relevant discussions, she said. India signed on Monday a historic deal to develop the strategic port of Chabahar in Iran and agreed on a three-nation pact to build a transport-and-trade corridor through Afghanistan that could help halve the time and cost of doing business with Central Asia and Europe. Developing the Chabahar port was seen as crucial for India because it will not only allow New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and access global markets but also counter Chinas expanding influence in the Indian Ocean region. But the projects land route through Afghanistan remains a security headache. We want to link with the world. (The) agreement can alter the course of history of the region, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the deal was signed in the presence of Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Studies show that the corridor could bring down cost, time of cargo trade to Europe by about 50%. Separately, Modi the first Indian prime minister to visit Iran in 15 years -- and Rouhani signed several deals, including on sharing intelligence to combat terrorism and increasing cultural and technology contact. Read: Chabahar port and deeper energy ties on agenda as Modi renews Iran link India has watched with unease Chinese funding for a strategic port in Gwadar, Pakistan, which New Delhi believes will give Beijing access to the Indian Ocean region. In response, New Delhi began negotiations with Tehran moer than a decade ago to develop the Chabahar port to counter the Chinese moves in what is seen as part of Indias sphere of influence. Mondays bilateral deal with Tehran will see India spend about $500 million (Rs 3,400 crores) to develop the port in southeastern Irans Sistan-Baluchistan province as a regional trade hub. This will allow it to open up an alternative land-sea route for trade with Afghanistan. The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about $500 million from India is an important milestone, said Modi. Rouhani said, Chabahar can become a very big symbol of co-operation between Iran and India. The PM also quoted a couplet from legendary poet Ghalib, Once we make up our mind, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step. As part of a separate trilateral deal, India, Afghanistan and Iran agreed to establish a land transit-and-trade corridor. The three nations have engaged in protracted negotiations since 2003 but the lifting of sanctions on Tehran in January has boosted prospects of the ports development. From Chabahar port, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan. This road can then connect to the 218-km Zaranj-Delaram road -- constructed by India in 2009 at a cost of Rs 680 crore and finally to Afghanistans Garland highway. This will give India road access to four major cities; Afghanistan-Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif but Kabul has already warned New Delhi to be ready for possible attacks by Pakistan-backed elements to delay the project. Future plan include an International North-South Transport Corridor through Iran to Russia and Europe. Indian will invest $500 million (Rs 1,000 crore) in phase-1, including $150 million line of credit from Exim Bank to the Irans Maritime and Ports Organisation for making jetties and berths at Chabahar. State-owned construction firm Ircon signed an agreement to lay a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan and Nalco signed a deal to look at the possibility of setting up a 0.5 million tone aluminium smelter at Chabahar free-trade zone, provided Iran gives cheap natural gas. India Ports Global, a recently formed port project investment arm of the shipping ministry and a joint venture between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla port, will invest $85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi-cargo berths. Indian refiners Essar Oil and MRPL cleared $1.2 billion of a $6.4 billion in dues owed to Iran for crude oil imports and agreed to pay 1.5% interest on the remainder as a goodwill gesture. This is the first payment to Iran by India since the lifting of Western sanctions against the Persian Gulf nation earlier this year. After the end of bilateral talks between Modi and Rouhani, top sources in the government said, India is keen to settle the entire oil dues, keeping in mind the emerging economic relationship with Iran. (With inputs from Suchetana Ray in New Delhi) Read: Agreement to develop Chabahar port an important milestone: PM Modi in Iran India and Iran on Monday decided to jointly combat terror, radicalism and cyber crime as the two strategic partners signed 12 agreements including a milestone pact on developing the key Chabahar port for which India will provide $500 million. We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime, Modi said while addressing a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani after the two held one-on-one talks. Besides developing the Chabahar port, the two sides also singed agreements in diverse fields like trade credit, culture, science and technology and railways. The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about $500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone, said Modi. This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today, he said. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province on Irans southern coast, is of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from Indias western coast, bypassing Pakistan. India-Iran joint statement: As it happened India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Irans border with Pakistan. India and Iran have also agreed to enhance interaction between their defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security, said Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the important energy-rich Persian Gulf nation after a gap of 15 years. Terming the dosti (friendship) between India and Iran as old as history, he said through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. Iran was among the first countries to come forward in support when earthquake struck Gujarat in 2001, said Modi who was the then chief minister of the state. Describing the agenda and scope of partnership as truly substantial, Modi said, the outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership... Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including railways, partnerships in oil and gas sector, fertilizers, education and cultural sphere are driving our overall economic engagement. Talking about a trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement with participation of Iran, Modi said, It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. Inviting President Rouhani to visit India, Modi said, he would look forward to strengthen the engagement between the two countries. In this regard he quoted a couplet from legendary poet Ghalib, Once we make up our mind, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step. Prime Minister Modis visit to Iran comes months after lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Also Read | Modi in Iran: PM begins trip with visit to Tehran gurudwara Modi had earlier said the lifting of sanctions had opened up immense opportunities and India was looking to expand cooperation with the Persian Gulf nation in sectors such as trade, investment, infrastructure and energy. India and Iran have always focused to add strength to our relations, even during the difficult times. In the current context, both countries can look to expand our cooperation in the fields of trade, technology, investment and infrastructure and energy security, he had told Irans IRNA news agency. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Iran in 15 years on a bilateral visit after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, arrived in Iran on Sunday and offered obeisance at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Tehran. Haryana chief minister on Sunday ruled out political vendetta behind the central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids at 16 places in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi in connection with the alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 industrial plots by the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in Haryana. There are no political motives behind these raids. The CBI was doing its work and they will take action as per their findings in the investigation, Khattar said while talking to reporters here. The former chief minister (Hooda) had himself stated on the floor of the state assembly that he was ready for any probe. Now, the investigation agencies are doing their job. If anybody did not do anything wrong, why should he be worried? he added. Jat stir: More guilty officers could face action, says CM To a question, the chief minister said more officers could ace action for their role behind the violence during the Jat quota agitation in February. The state government will go by the Prakash Singh committee report and initiate disciplinary action against all officers/officials found guilty of lapses during the widespread violence in February, the chief minister told the media in Karnal. Khattar reaches out to BJP workers Facing criticism for ignoring BJP workers in his own constituency, Haryana chief minister on Sunday reached out to his party activists and his supporters at their residences and assured them all support. The chief minister, who visited the residences of 13 dedicated party workers and met people of Karnal assembly constituency, said the workers were the backbone of the party. However, during his visit some BJP workers complained that they were being ignored and not getting the due respect in the party. I, along with my family members, worked hard for your victory in assembly elections, but I am being ignored now and not getting the due respect in the party, a worker told the chief minister at the residence of senior deputy mayor Krishan Garg. Later addressing a gathering of workers in Sector 13, Khattar said the workers were the backbone of the party and they would be given importance, keeping in view their hard work. Khattar, the first time MLA from Punjabi-dominated Karnal constituency, also had lunch with the party workers. Party insiders said the CMs move to meet party workers at their residences was initiated in the wake of the alleged resentment among the workers. Khattar swung into action after some influential families of the city, which played very active role in his election, left the BJP recently. Relief for workers, officers face heat Though the day-long visit of the chief minister brought some relief to his supporters, it was a tough day for senior officers of the district administration, including deputy commissioner (DC) Mandeep Singh Barar and superintendent of police (SP) Pankaj Nain, who accompanied the CM all along. As the party leaders were called by the CM one by one for interaction, the DC and SP were seen waiting outside the residences of the party workers. Besides, the ADC, two SDMs and the officers of the CMO were also touring with Khattar in the scorching heat. However, the officers were tight-lipped about their presence in the meetings. We do not know anything about it. You can ask the chief minister, a senior officer said when asked about the presence of various officers during the CMs visit to party workers. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the richness of Persian heritage is an integral part of Indian society and the time has come for India and Iran to regain the past glory of their traditional historical ties. Centuries of free exchange of ideas and traditions, poets and craftsmen, art and architecture, culture and commerce have enriched both our civilisations, Modi said at the inauguration of a two-day conference titled India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects. The event is being held as part of the Cultural Festival of India in Iran being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. India and Iran have always been partners and friends. Our historical ties may have seen their share of ups and downs. But throughout, our partnership has remained a source of boundless strength for both of us. Time has come for us to regain the past glory of traditional ties and links. Time has come for us to march together. In this endeavour, you, the eminent scholars, have a defining role to play, he said. Our heritage has also been a source of strength and economic growth for our nations, said Modi on the second and final day of his visit to Iran. He said while a part of Iranian culture lives in Indian hearts, a slice of Indian heritage is woven into the Iranian society. Modi said that the centuries-old association between India and Iran was a perfect response to the those who preach radical thoughts in the two societies. Read |India, Iran and Afghanistan sign Chabahar port agreement Referring to a rare manuscript called Kalileh-wa-Dimneh containing the Persian translation of tales from the Jataka and the Panchatantra, which he released ahead of his speech, he said it captured the close historical links between India and Iran. It is remarkable how the simple stories of the Indian classics of Jataka and Panchatantra became the Persian Kalileh-wa-Dimneh, Modi said. It is a classic example of exchange and travel of cultural ideas between two societies. A beautiful demonstration of how our two cultures and countries think alike. The Prime Minister drew attention to the fact that the ancient heroes and epics of India and Iran had striking parallels. The dargahs of Ajmer Sharif and Hazrat Nizamuddin in India are equally revered in Iran, he said. Mahabharata and Shahnama, Bhima and Rustam, Arjuna and Arsh exhibit similarity in our world views and values. He said that though crafts like Zardozi, Guldozi and Chanderi were a part of Iranian society, these were equally common in India too. In the richness of Iranian culture, who can forget the poetry and beauty of its vehicle -- the Persian language, Modi said. In India, we regard it as one of our own. The great medieval poets of India have called the Persian and Sanskrit the two sisters. Indias religious epic Ramayana which has seen over a dozen translations in Persian is known to have about 250 words of Persian. He also said that Persian served as a court language in medieval India. But, its popularity is also because it is written on the hearts of the Indians. It is taught in around 40 universities in India, he said. Modi pointed out that India has a proud collection of almost five million manuscripts of Persian language in public and private collections. There are more than 20 million documents in Persian in national and state archives, he said. Many of these have common heritage as they were written by Iranian calligraphers and painted by Indian artists, he stated, adding that a major effort to digitise all manuscripts, including Persian, was currently underway in India. As two ancient civilisations, we are known for our ability to be inclusive and welcoming to foreign cultures, the Prime Minister said. Sufism, a rich product of our ancient links, carried its message of true love, tolerance and acceptance to the entire mankind, Modi said. Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association has decided to approach the high court for a probe into the Kupwara encounter after allegations that the militants were killed in a staged gunfight. In view of the reports about the killing of five militants by the Army, at Chak Drugmulla, Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar, has decided to request honourable chief justice and his companion judges of the High Court at J-K to take sou-motto cognizance of the matter and entrust the investigation of the case, to a high level, reputed agency to find out, as to how and under what circumstances the five militants, were killed, said general secretary of Bar, Bashir Sidiq. Read | Srinagar on high alert after militants kill three policemen Army and police said that five militants were killed and two armymen were wounded in an encounter with militants in Drugmulla village of north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Saturday. However, some locals had expressed their doubts over the genuineness of the encounter saying the militants seemed to have been killed 6-7 days ago and brought here. Kupwara superintendent of police, Aijaz Ahmad, denied the allegations, saying This is not true. The militants were foreigners and seem to have infiltrated recently. The association wanted the HC to intervene owing to the concerns of the people. Read | As locals protest over encounter, internet services suspended in Kupwara Terming the rout of the Left in West Bengal as a big setback, CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy on Monday said Left parties need to look for new ideas and strategy to gain the lost ground and expand their influence. Reddy, however, asserted they were not worried about the future as losing and winning elections were inevitable but it was important to think about methods to reorganise themselves. According to him, the Left has lost ground in different states in recent years following the emergence of regional outfits and neoliberal economic policies which created a different type of economic situation. We have to think of a method on how to reorganise, go nearer to people and bring them into struggles and agitations and expand the influence of the Left. We are trying for it, Reddy told PTI here. Before the advent of regional parties the Left was the main opposition in many states, including Punjab, the undivided Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, he said. So, its a reality. Its not that we look at them (regional parties) as our enemies. These types of things do happen in Parliamentary democracy and casteist parties cost us in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, he stated. After the West Bengal election results, Reddy said, the Left parties needed to go for an introspection. We dont feel there is any need to change our basic ideas of fighting against capitalism, neoliberal policies and all that. On that there is no compromise. Setback in elections? Yes, we are ready to face it but about strategy and tactics and going nearer to people, mobilising larger sections...for that we need new ideas and strategy, he said. India and Iran signed 10 agreements on Monday, the second day of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to this Gulf nation, during delegation-level bilateral talks in Tehran. India and Iran shared interest in the growth and prosperity of each other and that it was a privilege for him to visit the Islamic republic, Modi said in a joint media conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. India-Iran joint statement: As it happened 1:45pm: Highlights of PM Narendra Modis statements - Agreement to develop Chabahar port and related infra and availability of about 500 million USD from India for this, is an important milestone. - We shared concerns over radicalism and terrorism in our regions, also agreed to consult closely on combating threats of terrorism. - It will be a historic occasion. Itll open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. - We can never forget Iran was one of the nations to offer support following the earthquake in Gujarat. - Similarly India is proud to have stood beside Iran during its difficult times. - The clarity of President Rouhanis vision have deeply impressed me. - In our meeting today we focused on the full range of our bilateral agreements. - The outcomes and agreements made today offer a new opportunity for our partnership. - Agreements signed with Iran today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership. 1:35pm: Highlights of PM Narendra Modis statements - Grateful for gracious hospitality given to me. - On behalf of 1.25 billion Indians extend greeting to Iranian people. - Visiting Iran is a great privilege - India and Iran are not new friends our dosti centuries old. - As friends and neighbours we have shared interests in each others growth and prosperity 1:30pm: Highlights of Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis statement - We made a decision to bring relations between our academics, universities, technology & scientific parts closer to each other. - Chabahar port can serve as a point of connectivity between different countries, specially India and Afghanistan, also east of Europe. - Considering that both countries have an important port like Chabahar, we can have vast cooperation. 1:15pm: - Economic relationship between two countries can become much bigger compared to the past. 1:14pm: - PM Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani deliver joint statement in Tehran 1:12pm: - Agreement on Chabahar port signed between India and Iran. 1:10pm: - Signing of agreements between India and Iran in Tehran. Ahead of the talks, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a restricted meeting. The prime minister, who arrived in Tehran on Sunday evening, was accorded a ceremonial welcome on Monday morning. With inputs from Agencies Maharashtra policeman Rafiq Shaikh Taher Patel, who scaled Mt. Everest last week and suffered frost-bite, has been rushed to the Army Hospital in New Delhi from Kathmandu on Monday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. Patel, who works with the Aurangabad Rural Police, became the first policeman from the state to scale the worlds tallest mountain, but suffered frostbite in his foot while returning to the Everest Base Camp. Patel, 30, was airlifted from Lukla region to Kathmandu and admitted to a hospital there on Sunday for treatment. Upon learning of his condition, Fadnavis said he called up Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and sought the best treatment for the policeman. Parrikar directed Patel to be airlifted to New Delhi and he was admitted to the Army Referral Hospital for treatment on Monday, he added. Fadnavis called up Patel and congratulated him on his achievement and assured the best of treatment at the hospital. Aurangabad Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and district Superintendent of Police N. Reddy have appreciated the governments efforts in the matter. After two earlier unsuccessful attempts due to inclement weather conditions and natural calamities in the past two years, Patel against started on the difficult expedition on May 15 and finally succeeded in reaching the summit on May 19. He hoisted the Indian tricolor and the Maharashtra police flag atop the worlds tallest peak at 8,848 metres. Such a proud moment! Our Aurangabad Police Constable becomes the 1st policeman from Maharashtra to scale Mt Everest! Fadnavis said in a tweet last week. An avid mountaineer, Patel had scaled seven other tall peaks in the Himalayas including Mt. Dhaulagiri and Mt. Kanchenjunga. For the Everest expedition, he availed financial help from friends and relatives and also took a loan of Rs.500,000 to finance the climb. Three villagers, suspected of being police informers, were killed by Maoists in Bihars Jamui district on Saturday, police said. The victims were killed at night in Gadi village in the Chakai area of Jamui district which borders Jharkhands Giridih district. Their bodies were recovered by the police on Sunday morning While one of the victims Tipan Mandal (30) was picked up from his house in Gadi, one Mukesh Kumar Rai (25) was from Chowki, and another Yogendra Turi (35) was brought from Garanga, both villages located in Giridih district. According to sources, a group of armed men reached Gadi village around midnight and carried out the executions. Police found Maoist posters at the crime scene which stated that the information provided by the victims led to the killing of a front ranking CPM leader, Chirag, in a police encounter this January. The Maoists also claimed two of men killed were special police officers (SPOs). The posters further said the killings were a warning for other police informers. Confirming the incident, Jamui superintendent of police, Jayant Kant said the victims were killed by Maoists. Kant said the Central Reserve Police Force and district police had started a combing operation in the area to catch the killers. Media in-charge of Giridih police, sub divisional police officer RK Mehta rubbished the claim that two of the victims were SPOs. Those killed were neither police informers nor SPOs. They were innocent villagers and had nothing to do with the police or the security forces, he said, adding that the Maoists had killed in frustration. (It was done) to make their presence felt in Bhelwaghati and suburban areas, especially after the death of Chirag Da. Deputy inspector general of police, eastern range, Barun Kumar Sinha, who holds charge of Munger range too, said police were investigating various possibilities behind the killings. Giridih superintendent of police, Akhilesha B Variar told reporters that though the incident is under Bihar police jurisdiction, a high alert had been sounded in Jharkhand. In Giridih too we have sounded a high alert in order to avoid any untoward incident. Apart from intensifying ongoing operations, additional police force has been to deployed for enhancing long-range patrolling, he said. The killings have revived memories of the Bhelwaghati massacre in September 2005. Maoists had killed 15 unarmed members of the Gram Raksha Dal, a group of local youngsters organised by former chief minister Babu Lal Marandi at Bhelwaghati village to check the Maoists. Marandi was instrumental in organising anti-Maoist operations across the region during his stint as chief minister. However, the incident set him back and the group was disbanded. The West Bengal Government has said it is sending a team of officials to Nepal to coordinate the rescue operations of two mountaineers from the state who had reportedly gone missing at Mount Everest. Trinamool Congress legislator and outgoing Sports, Housing and Youth Affairs minister Arup Biswas said a three-member team led by S A Baba, Principal Secretary of youth affairs department, will leave from Kolkata on Tuesday. He said that the body of another mountaineer Subash Paul, who had reached 8,849-metre summit on Saturday but collapsed while descending the Hillary Step ice wall, will be brought to the state and the government will extend all required support to his family. Read:Missing Indian mountaineers climbing Everest rescued by Sherpas Biswas said the team would try to co-ordinate the rescue operations of both Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh, who have gone missing. The government has also started a control room in the state secretariat where the families of those missing can call, seeking information. West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi condoled the death of Pal saying, He conquered highest peak of the world and died a heros death while returning. He will remain an inspiration to the adventure loving youth of West Bengal. He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and innumerable admirers. Read:Around 30 climbers frostbitten or sick on Mount Everest after 2 die Recently, Art of Living Foundation (AOL) head Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited the dry Manjara riverbed in Latur, Maharashtra. AOLs project Jal Jagruti Abhiyaan has been trying to rejuvenate water sources there by dredging dry riverbeds with heavy machinery to remove accumulated silt. Over two lakh people have been benefited in the state since the launch of the project in 2013, Sri Sri claimed to the media. The project has earmarked 17 Indian rivers for this method of revival, but follows a questionable model - which provides water in the short term but does little for water conservation in the long term - that is espoused by the Maharashtra government, and now drought-hit Karnataka wants to implement it too. This is Karnatakas third successive year of drought - the worst in over 40 years. Over 135 taluks are drought-hit, and north Karnataka is seeing the worst of it, with the failure of both the kharif (summer) and rabi (winter) crops. 125 of the 127 villages in Aland taluk in Kalaburagi district are being supplied water through tankers. Things are so bad that on April 29, the state water resources minister, MB Patil, declared that the government was ready to use dead storage in reservoirs (the water below the level of the lowest outlet in a dam) to meet drinking water needs. In its profile on the Karnataka drought, the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People states that nearly 1,000 farmers committed suicide between April and December 2015, while others are migrating in droves. In this scenario, the Karnataka government has decided to adopt a dubious river rejuvenation plan from Maharashtra. Last month, a team of senior officials of the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation visited Bengaluru to assess Karnatakas water shortage. Headed by Parameswaran Iyer, secretary of the ministry, they met with HK Patil, Karnataka minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and other state officials to discuss drought management techniques. A team from Latur (the epicentre of Maharashtras drought) made a presentation on Dhule districts Shirpur pattern of water conservation. The Shirpur pattern, used in Latur district as well, involves reviving groundwater by recharging wells using water from canals, building check dams on streams, and dredging rivers, making them deeper and wider in order to increase their capacity for rainwater storage. The Shirpur pattern - referred to as the angioplasty of water conservation - is deeply problematic. A 2011 government report concluded that it was unscientific and its benefits exaggerated. But Maharashtra went ahead using it as the basis of its Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan (JSA) scheme to try to make the state drought-proof by 2019. And now, according to a press release from the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, efforts are being made to replicate and scale this technique, and a pilot of the technique is being planned in North Karnataka to help the drinking water situation in the region. S Vishwanath, director of Bengaluru-based Biome Environmental Solutions, a firm which works on ecological and economic design solutions, says, Water conservation and groundwater recharge is a science. Before promoting any model, the local context of a watershed has to be studied. Implementing Shirpur pattern in Karnataka is like applying a band-aid for chicken pox. Pandurang Pole, collector of Latur, confirms that his district administration is assisting Kalaburagi, Bidar and some other districts of north Karnataka in water conservation works. In one of the worst drought crises the country has ever seen, our water management strategy is turning out to be a case of the blind leading the lame. Despite the models dubiousness, both the CEO of Kalaburagi zilla parishad, Anirudh Sravan Pulipaka, and Aland MLA BR Patil, are keen to adopt the water conservation models of Maharashtras Latur and Dhule districts. Pulipaka has already prepared two reports on revival of water bodies in Aland taluk based on the stream widening and deepening works carried out in Latur. District-level officials in Karnataka are also keen to adopt a scheme on the lines of Maharashtras JSA. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has launched a new scheme, Kere Sanjeevini, which aims to desilt lakes by June 15 and clean their feeder canals by dredging them using heavy machinery. 30-year-old Pulipaka aims to turn things around in his drought-hit district by using funds under the MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme. In some villages, he has already begun works worth Rs 5 crore to deepen and widen canals. He told the the media that he plans to use all of the Rs 154 crore allocated for MNREGA projects in Kalaburagi on water conservation schemes. There are already three private river rejuvenation projects in Karnataka by the AOL for the Kumudavati, Palar and Vedavathi rivers, though their pace is slower than in Maharashtra. When this reporter wrote to Union water ministry secretary Parameswaran Iyer asking about the Centres dubious plans to implement the Shirpur pattern in Karnataka, his secretary replied that the ministry does not deal with water conservation, though the ministrys press release on the Karnataka meeting indicates otherwise. Manjunath Naik, Karnataka commissioner for Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation, did not respond to repeated requests for an interview. When this reporter asked a senior official of the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Commission, who asked not to be named, why dredging was allowed despite its negative ecological impact, he said, People are doing something good. Why criticise it? When prodded some more, he said, In the coming years, maybe this dredging also will become a scam like irrigation in Maharashtra. At the end of the day, this strategy is a populist, short-term political move which gives the suffering populace an illusion that a fix is at hand. And Karnataka seems ready to sign up for it despite the hazards. Rejuvenation projects, like that of Fullmasta river in Maharashtra, may start water conflicts, experts warn. (Nidhi Jamwal/ Grist Media) Bursting the Shirpur bubble Pradeep Purandare, former professor at the Aurangabad-based Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), dubs the Shirpur model the genesis of all the unscientific river deepening projects being carried out across Maharashtra. Theres no doubt that Karnataka needs a solution to drought, and fast. But Maharashtras Shirpur model is a poor idea that may end up doing little to recharge groundwater. Since 2004, Shirpur tehsil has seen a series of water conservation works carried out by a retired geologist of the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA), Suresh Khanapurkar. In these projects - implemented in an area of about 200 sq km, covering about 35 villages - over 91 cement bandhs were created and 59 wells were recharged using 29 km recharge channels. Another 36 km of streams were widened by 10-15 m and deepened by 10-13 m. It was claimed, among other things, that these works would lead to a sudden rise in the groundwater table, recharge aquifers (geological formations that hold reserves of groundwater) and create a huge water storage capacity. This is why the Shirpur model is so problematic: rivers and streams that have been dredged are not rejuvenated per se - instead, they work as large storage tanks for water. Borewells and dug wells immediately near the dredged sections may get recharged temporarily, and machinery can be used to pump water from the river to fields on either side. This is just a short-term fix that benefits those with land near the river. Also, unscientific dredging raises the danger of dredged riverbed sand clogging the aquifers instead of reviving them, and dredging too deep can expose aquifers, causing the water in them to evaporate. Only when check dams and bunds are constructed at the right spot after hydreogeological studies will they recharge groundwater in the area, else it remains as stagnant water, depriving villages downstream of water. To assess the Shirpur pattern, the Maharashtra government appointed an expert committee headed by Dr Mukund Ghare. The 2011 Ghare report - which was never made public - concluded that many of the interventions in Shirpur were scientifically and technically false. As activist and researcher KJ Joy, who saw the report, points out, the committee also found that the cost of the project was a few times more than that of existing water conservation programmes by the government, and no proper accounts had been maintained. It found that rivers were being deepened by 15 to 20 m, when all that was required was the removal of 1-3 m of clay. In basalt areas, the committee found that streams in Shirpur had been deepened too much, exposing aquifers. The Ghare committee report was never accepted. Instead, another committee was set up in 2013, which recommended, among other things, that that sand or rocky structures at riverbed bottoms should not be dredged. Based on the new report, the state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) on May 9, 2013 recommending the deepening of streams, use of machinery, and other measures under the GSDAs supervision. This GR, too, was later withdrawn. In December 2014, the Maharashtra government launched its JSA scheme. One of the components of this programme is widening and deepening of streams to recharge aquifers. As of April 27, over 7,694 stream widening and deepening works have been undertaken in Maharashtra. Is there a better way? The basic principle of watershed management recommended by experts is the ridge to valley method - treat the catchment area of a river, right from the land on the highest point (ridge) to the lowest (valley). On the ridge, trenches are dug so that the water doesnt flow straight down the valley, and plants are grown on the soil dug out from the trench so it doesnt get washed back into the trench or perpetuate erosion. This ensures that farmland located away from river valleys is also able to receive water. Only after the ridge is treated should works be undertaken lower down. Uday Deolankar, Agricultural Officer for Aurangabad, can vouch for the efficacy of the ridge to valley method. He says that it is also important for equitable water distribution as poorer Dalit and Adivasi farmers tend to own land along ridges, while richer farmers tend to own land along river valleys. In the village of Bhadegaon, water supply was required through tankers until June 2015. After we implemented the ridge to valley method without requiring too much money, says Deolankar, the village hasnt needed tankers at all. One is reminded of the stark contrast with the dredging project in Harangul, Latur, where those organising it say they spend Rs 1 lakh a day just to hire an earth mover. Deolankar also says the per capita annual income of residents in the village has gone up. Adinath Chavan, a ginger farmer in Bhadegaon, has had the highest ginger output per acre in all of Aurangabad this year. We [Maharashtras Ministry for Agriculture] are hoping to replicate this model elsewhere in Aurangabad, says Deolankar. A better model to emulate, says Harshvardhan Dhawan, manager (rural water) at Arghyam, a foundation that grants funds for groundwater projects, is of villages like Randullabad in Satara district and Muthalane in Pune district. They have become drought-proof by adopting participatory groundwater management that marries scientific understanding with social structures. Groundwater experts work with the local people to carry out hydrogeological studies and, based on the total water available in the village, water is distributed by the locals themselves. Such works have also been carried out in Pargi village (Rangareddy district) in Telangana. Meanwhile, Maharashtras Department for Water Conservation is heedlessly forging ahead with the JSA. HM Desarda, former member of the Maharashtra State Planning Commission, has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court against JSA and other private river deepening works. Under so-called river rejuvenation projects, scattered works are being carried out without any understanding of the local geology or hydrology. Not even a single project has followed the ridge-to-valley method of water conservation, he complains. Several water experts have already written letters to Maharashtras chief minister requesting a stop to haphazard water conservation works being carried out under the JSA. The perils of DIY dredging The present drought, affecting 60 percent of Maharashtras villages, and the governments miserable failure to respond to it, has made people desperate. Many people are now attempting to dredge rivers themselves. It has become the governments easy way out - giving citizens a free hand with public resources and cutting ribbons to launch these projects, as Laturs collector Pandurang Pole has been doing. We do not want to depend on the government for water. We will bring our own water, says a confident Nilesh Thakkar, who is part of Jalyukt Latur, a diverse group of residents who recently launched the Manjara river widening and deepening project. Through donations, Jalyukt Latur has collected Rs 7.5 crore, without government support, to deepen 18 km of the dried-up Manjara between Sai and Karsa barrages. The Art Of Living Foundation has also contributed Rs 1 crore and technical guidance for the project. In Aurangabad, CSR funds are being used to widen and deepen the Yelganga and Fullmasta rivers, both of which have dried up. In Harangul, Latur, village residents are frantically widening and deepening their dried-up main stream and mini-streams. We want to deepen 27 km of the village stream, of which 18 km is already done, says resident Mahesh Patil, an irrigation department official who also owns large tracts of land in Harangul, on which he grows sugarcane - a water-guzzling crop). We are also building check dams to block rainwater, adds fellow sugarcane farmer Suryakant Patil. Seventeen check dams have been built, with 21 more planned. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has donated Rs 50 lakh for this project. The problem with allowing such peoples projects is that rivers are a common resource and need to be protected for all. Dredging, if it must happen, has to be planned and scientific. Currently, there is no official vetting, clearance, data or subsequent accountability for such projects that are environmentally suspect to begin with. Arghyams Dhawan fears that ad-hoc river rejuvenation projects may further increase water conflicts instead of decreasing them since there is still no institutional mechanism for equitable distribution. When this reporter visited a dredging site along the Yelganga in mid-April, a restaurant and an ashram near the now-dry-again riverbed had dug private dugwells into the riverbed itself and were still receiving water months after the monsoon, while the villagers were not. At several sites such as in Laturs Harangul and Manjara, over-enthusiastic citizens and NGOs have dredged upto 5-6 m or more. Members of AOL are not unaware of dredgings drawbacks. Ideally, ridge to valley principle should be followed, says Makrand Jadhav, state coordinator of AOLs Youth Leadership Training Programme. But Marathwada is facing an acute water shortage. This year we are deepening 18 km of Manjara river. But in the next two years, we will treat [involving water and soil conservation] the entire catchment area. Maharashtra began several thousands of dredging projects underway in the last year and a half, even though no studies have been conducted on the impact of carrying it out on such a scale. If the Karnataka government does adopt the Shirpur pattern on a large scale, will it be in charge of all of these projects or allow any citizen to take up river dredging? Will it ensure that the dredging is carried out scientifically, or encourage a dredge-first damage-control-later mode of action? We should ask before its too late. (In arrangement with GRIST Media.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, on the second day of his two-day visit to Iran, held a restricted meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani following a ceremonial welcome. Building an enduring partnership. PM @narendramodi and President Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. India, Iran and Afghanistan will sign an agreement on Monday to develop the Chabahar port in this Persian Gulf nation. Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modis agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month-and-a-half after his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran. Modi will also hold talks with the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The prime ministers visit comes four months after the sanctions on Iran were lifted and the international community is re-engaging with the nation. Unfazed by the show cause notice slapped on him by his party for praising Narendra Modi, RJD MP Mohammad Taslimuddin on Monday strongly endorsed the Prime Minister for the salutary work he was doing in the Muslim hub of eastern Bihar. The Modi Government has given Rs 500 crore for a railway line in Araria which had been pending for almost 10 years and the work on it is about to start. The PM surely deserves my praise, Taslimuddin told HT on Monday afternoon, in his first reaction to the party notice. Taslimuddin said Modi had done a great service to the people of eastern Bihar by giving Rs 1,000 crore to Aligarh Muslim University. Short of funds, the AMU VC had come to me in desperation. I took up the matter with the central government and the funding was approved. Why shouldnt I praise the PM for the good turn? Taslimuddin asked. The RJD MP also said that whenever people from the Shashtra Seema Bal (SSB), a para-military force posted in the border areas of north and eastern Bihar, committed atrocities, the PM always responded positively to our complaints. Taslimuddins responses came a day after RJD national secretary general S M Qamar Alam show-caused him for praising PM Narendra Modi in his various press interactions and also speaking out against the policies of the RJD as well as of the grand alliance coalition. It appears, you are speaking the language of the RSS and the BJP. More so, as an RJD MP, you have not shied away from praising PM Narendra Modi on different occasions, the show cause notice read. The MP from Araria in Bihar has been asked to reply to the notice within the next seven days or else face disciplinary action. Taslimuddins statements against the party and coalition have helped the BJP. He has also praised the PM in a statement on May 14, referring to how Modi was doing a good job in running the country whereas Bihar suffered from poor law and order. This is not acceptable, said Alam. Taslimuddins reiteration of praise for PM Modi, in defiance of the show cause notice, is all the more significant because of the profile of his Lok Sabha constituency. He represents Araria, comprising four districts of eastern Bihar, bordering West Bengal, known as the Muslim hub because Muslims comprise between 35 and 70% of the population. The praise is also notable for the fact that amid the Modi-powered sweep of the NDA in the May 1014 Lok Sabha polls, when the BJP-led alliance won 31 out of 40 seats in Bihar, it lost all four seats in the Muslim hub, namely, Araria, Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj. Describing the show cause notice as an act of madness, Taslimuddin wondered why his appreciation of Modi for being a benefactor of his region was such a bad thing when the grand alliance government in Bihar had no qualms about going to the PM for money. Narendra Modi is not just PM. He is also leader of the Lok Sabha. So what if he from the BJP? So long as he does good work, Ill praise him. Modi always has time to meet me, whereas (chief minister) Nitish Kumar does not have time for me, he argued. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Srinagar was on high alert on Monday after unidentified gunmen killed three policemen in the first such attack in the Jammu and Kashmir capital in years. Security personnel put up barricades to check vehicles at many places and frisked pedestrians at all strategic spots in the city. In the first incident, militants shot two policemen from close range at Mill Stop in Zadibal area that connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and a hospital in Soura, a police official said. The policemen, who died on the spot, have been identified as assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad and head constable Nazir Ahmad. A few hours later, another policeman was killed in a strike in the citys Tengpora area on the Srinagar-Jammu National highway. The militants also snatched the personnels rifle. The policeman has been identified as Mohammad Shafi. Sources say attackers, who are on the run, were on a motorcycle. A massive search operation has been launched in the city. Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen claimed the responsibility for the incidents and its spokesperson Burhanuddin told a local news agency CNS that attacks on the security establishments will continue. The incident comes two days after an encounter with militants in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, in which a soldier was killed. Security forces said that five militants were killed and two soldiers were wounded in a fierce gun battle in Drugmulla. The last such attack took place on June 22, 2013, when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear the plea of an Italian sailor, accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012, for easier bail conditions that will allow him to go home. Early this month, the UNs permanent court of arbitration in The Hague ruled that Salvatore Girone, who is out on bail and lives in the Italian embassy in Delhi, be allowed to return to his country till the dispute is resolved. Massimiliano Latorre, the other accused in the case that strained ties between the two countries, went back to Italy after a stroke in 2014. The court recently allowed him to extend his stay to September 30. On Monday, a vacation bench comprising justice PC Pant and justice DY Chandrachud agreed to hear Girones plea that seeks modification of a Kerala high court order granting him bail. The marine said he be allowed to go back to Italy till the UN panel decided on the issue of jurisdiction. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the marines. Italy claims the deadly shooting on February 15, 2012 took place in international waters, so the sailors should be tried at home. India says the fishermen were killed in its waters. The arbitration proceedings would be completed by December 2018, the Centre had earlier told the court, which has stayed all proceedings in the case including the marines trial. While allowing a joint request by India and Italy, the court had said the proceedings would remain suspended till the jurisdictional issue was settled. The marines say they mistook the fishermen for pirates and opened fire. The month-long Simhastha Kumbh, a once in 12-year congregation of lakhs of pilgrims on the banks of Kshipra river, appears to have fulfilled its political objective of giving a date for start of construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has announced that the work will start by December 31, a few months before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Ayodhya is in Uttar Pradesh and the construction of Ram Temple could be a sensitive issue in the polls considering that it can polarise voters on religious lines. Around 18% of voters in UP are Muslims. We will keenly watch the Supreme Court which will hear the Ram Janam Bhoomi case after the vacation, a VHP functionary said. The Kumbh, where the attendance was less than expected, saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trying to extend its influence on Dalits with its president Amit Shah taking a holy dip with Dalit saints. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Sri Lankas president Maithripala Srisena also participated in an event organised by the state government. In addition, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat was one of the speakers at a three-day ideological mahakumbh. The participation of many dignitaries turned into a saving grace for the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, which had invested Rs 4,000 crore to showcase the event. In the beginning, the attendance was much less than expected but it improved a bit on most days in May after Shah and PMs visits to the Kumbh. But, still it was less than what the state government had estimated. Simhastha in-charge minister Bhupendra Singh claimed that over eight crore pilgrims had visited the Simhastha during the one-month period, and over 1.5 crore people had visited Ujjain on the last day. There are, however, doubts over the figure of eight crore people visiting the Kumbh. The Simhastha Kumbh, however, had its share of criticism with opposition Congress party accusing the government of indulging in massive corruption, especially in making of temporary toilets. Mismanagement and corruption were the hallmarks of the Simhastha and instead of the event being a glorification of Lord Shiva, the chief minister tried to brand himself, alleged party spokesperson K K Mishra. Pt Anand Shankar Vyas of Ujjain said he had been seeing the Simhastha Kumbh since 1945 but earlier there was no attempt on the part of political parties to draw a political mileage from the religious event as they were doing it now. Against the backdrop of widespread allegations of post-poll violence, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Monday urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to enforce law and order strictly to stop such attacks. The governor has sent a letter to the chief minister, West Bengal, today urging that the law and order enforcing mechanism in the state be suitably instructed to take prompt and strict action irrespective of political affiliation to deter such attacks, said a media statement from the governors office. Read:Rupa Ganguly beaten up as post-poll violence continues in Kolkata A group of state Bhartiya Janata Party leaders and a combined delegation of the Left Front and the Congress met Tripathi and handed over a memoranda alleging widespread post-poll violence targeting their respective members. The governor also has reports showing attacks on Trinamool Congress activists and damage to their properties, the statement said. He appealed to all sections of the society and political parties not to take recourse to violence and take part in the democratic process peacefully. The conviction rate of the Mumbai range of the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) this year hit an all-time low of zero percent with the accused in a total of 29 bribery cases, which completed trials till April, being acquitted. Incidentally, the number of courts trying the ACB cases in Maharashtra had almost doubled in 2015 and the ACB had thought that this would help in speeding the trials of the long-pending cases and thereby improve the conviction rate. However, the measure doesnt seem to have worked in case of the Mumbai ACB range. In 2014, around 39 bribery cases completed trial in the Mumbai ACB range, in which, the conviction came in 12 cases and the conviction rate stood at 31%. Though in 2015, about 69 cases completed trials in the Mumbai ACB range and the conviction came only in five cases with the conviction rate dropping to a mere 7%. Mumbai ACB range additional commissioner of police Keshav Patil refused comments when sought a reaction on the dwindling figures. The accused are being let-off on technical grounds. Many a times the forensic evidence i.e. the audio recording is not taken into consideration. We are apprising the judges of the special ACB courts about the efforts taken by us during the entire process of executing a trap case where government servants are caught red-handed taking bribe. We are also showing them the judgment copies of the accused convicted by other districts. We hope this will better our conviction rate, said an official. He added, Another issue is use of habitual panchas. The panchas get repeated in cases and this is termed as habitual witness. Then there is an issue where the judge or the defence raises questions on the qualification and competency of the investigating officers working on the case, including ones from the forensic lab. Cases pending for a long time in courts is another reason for them getting acquitted. The ACB last year had taken a slew of measures to improve the conviction rate. These were to video record the entire trap process, asking the complainant to write the complaint in his own handwriting so that he/she does not turn hostile in court during the trial. Only using government servants as panchas is another step because if they turn hostile years later when the case comes up for trial, a department inquiry can be initiated against them and they can be punished for turning hostile. In case the panch is a private person it is difficult to prosecute him/her, a source said. A covert operation of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to crack down on the Islamic States (IS) Malwani module late last year reportedly came a cropper after an autorickshaw driver tipped off the operatives, helping them escape. Sources said investigations had led the IB team as well as a team of the Andhra Pradesh police to Malad in suburban Mumbai, where 19-year-old Khalid Ahmed Ali Nawazuddin alias Rizwan the second-in-command of the terrorist organisations India operations was reportedly hiding. It was by monitoring Rizwan that the IB caught wind of the Malwani module. Both Andhra Pradesh police and IB officials knew about Rizwans plan to visit Mumbai in the first week of December, and had accordingly tasked their personnel to monitor him and other terror suspects. Officers of the Maharashtra anti -terrorism squad (ATS) were not even aware that around 12 people from Goregaon and Malwani have been radicalised, and were planning to join the Islamic State, said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity. On the day of Rizwans arrival, Mohsin Sayyed an alleged IS sympathiser and autorickshaw driver came to receive him at Malad station with two colleagues, Wajid Shaikh and Noor Mohammed. Unknown to each other, a bike-borne IB sleuth and an Andhra Pradesh police officer were monitoring Sayyed and the others from a distance. After Rizwan arrived and the four boarded Sayyeds autorickshaw, the police officer tried asking a motorcyclist nearby to help him follow the suspects only to be turned down. Incidentally, the motorcyclist was the IB sleuth tasked with observing the suspects. The officer then hopped into an autorickshaw and prodded its driver to follow Rizwan and the others to Malwani by citing his credentials as a law enforcer. When the four finally alighted from the vehicle, he began tracking them on foot. However, the officer did not know that the autorickshaw driver who had ferried him to Malwani was an acquaintance of Sayyed, and would soon inform him of his pursuers. Sayyed, Shaikh and Mohammed left Mumbai the very next day. Sayyed was finally picked up in New Delhi in February this year while the Maharashtra ATS arrested Rizwan from his home town in Uttar Pradesh. Following its rout in the just-concluded Assembly elections, question marks are being raised over the future of the Congress party. Even the hopefuls in the grand old party are wondering whether and when its fortunes will be revived. The status of the party in Maharashtra is not any better. Following a crushing defeat in the 2014 Assembly elections, the party is still struggling in the state that was once its citadel. Call it a co-incidence or clearly visible examples of what was going wrong with the partythe situation in Kerala or Assam before the Assembly elections was not much different than the one prevailing in Maharashtra before the party lost this state to the BJP. Just like those two states, there were enough indications before the elections that Maharashtra was slipping out of the Congress hands, but the party leadership did precious little to improve the situation. In fact, the Congress downward trend was seen clearly in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when the party won just two out of 48 parliamentary seats. Six months later, it lost power in the state. Then a section of the party blamed the Modi wave for the defeat, while others were not convinced. They thought things could have been different had the Congress worked out an alliance with Sharad Pawars Nationalist Congress Party and handled the ground level election management better. They also pointed out that Shiv Sena won 63 seats even as Uddhav Thackeray had launched a high-pitched campaign criticizing PM Modi who was then at the peak of his popularity. We wont know whether they were right. What we know is that the defeat of the Congress in Maharashtra was unprecedented. Its tally in the state Assembly was the lowest since the formation of the stateit was reduced to 42. Several Congress leaders had said that the corruption cases against the NCP affected the party, but ironically, the NCP won four seats in the Lok Sabha, against Congress two and its assembly tally was 41just one less than the former. Eighteen months after the defeat, the party is yet to recover from the shock. There have been some changes in the organization. The party has new leadership in the state. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan is now heading the state unit. Former minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil is the opposition leader in the Assembly. The changes stop at that. Its leaders have still not got into the Opposition party mode. Many of them are not willing to criticize the state government where it does wrong. Some think it is too early to speak against the government, some dont want their cordial relations with BJP ministers to be affected, while others are worried the government will take a closer look at the decisions taken by them as ministers. Following the arrest of Chhagan Bhujbal in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan case and reopening of the Adarsh prosecution case, there has been unease in the Congress-NCP camp. On his part, Ashok Chavan is trying to galvanize the party cadre by holding district-wise sessions. A few functionaries such as spokesman Sachin Sawant (who exposed the chikki scam) have started attacking the ruling parties with allegations of wrongdoings. However, the general impression in the party is these measures wont be enough. They would need more than that. The party has failed to corner the government inside the legislature. It has also failed to bring the Opposition parties together. Above all, it has not managed to come out of the taint of scams during its rule both in the state as well as the Centre. The party faces an uphill task in convincing the people that it will safeguard their interests. Will Ashok Chavan and Co. manage to do that? We will get first indication in next years mini-assembly elections when most civic bodies and district councils go to polls. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON They are just two years old in the circuit, but Rakesh And Friends (RAF), a five-member fusion outfit led by popular flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, is already a well-known name in the music scene. Ahead of the bands performance at the Hindustan Times No TV Day Weekend Fest on May 28, we talk to Rakesh about the bands journey so far. You were already popular as a classical musician when you set up RAF. What prompted this decision? Youngsters, these days, are so busy with their work that they dont have any time for music. Even during my concerts, many young audience members would come up to me and ask me what instrument I was playing. I was so surprised to learn that so many young Indians dont know what a flute looks like or how it sounds! So, I decided to set up this band. We play fusion music Indian classical with world music so that we can reach out to the young audience and introduce them to classical music in a different form. What we play is original, yet crisp. What does your uncle, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, think of RAFs work? Carrying his legacy forward is a huge challenge. But I am glad that babuji (Pt Chaurasia) is so receptive to newer forms of music. He loves our music and the fact that we experiment so much. He is proud that we are picking up on the fusion music scene. Read: It was my dream to meet Lataji and Dilip Kumar: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia All your band members are also popular independent artistes. Does finding time for your bands performances ever become difficult? It does, since all of us keep performing regularly. We struggle a lot to match our dates. But we are all very good friends. So, we try to figure out our dates well in advance. Many of you are associated with different genres of music. Has there ever been a difference of opinion? Obviously, there has, but we are all open to experimentation. If someone makes a suggestion thats different from our sensibilities, we give it a shot and see how it sounds. This variety adds to our versatility. At times, when I improvise on stage, they follow. Its fun to do the unexpected. How has RAFs journey been so far? It has been wonderful. Our new album, RAF, has been received so well. Due to that, we got a chance to perform at a jazz festival in Cape Town (South Africa) recently. The show was attended by over 36,000 music lovers. Were proud of the way we are faring. Read: Music composer Pyarelal returns to Bollywood Will your band venture into Bollywood music as well? We dont have any plans for that as of now. I have worked on a lot of films. I have played the flute for Laxmikant-Pyarelal in the past. But I feel making music for Bollywood wastes a lot of time. Film-makers will make you wait for a week, and then ask you to change the song. I would rather concentrate on my own music. If we are approached by a film-maker who gives us the freedom to make music the way we want to, we might consider that offer. What are your future plans? We want to introduce more hip hop in our music, while keeping the classical base intact. We also want to perform at a lot of schools and colleges, and expand our fan base. We want youngsters to be aware of various musical instruments. Like most other bands in India, does RAF also face financial constraints? Though money is the only source of bread and butter for us, we consider it secondary. If we get a good opportunity and the money being offered is less, we usually go for the opportunity. Follow @htshowbiz for more. NEW DELHI: Amping up its offensive against the Left Front in Kerala, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation on Sunday met President Pranab Mukherjee over attacks on party workers allegedly by CPI(M) supporters in Kerala. Union minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters after meeting the President that BJP and RSS workers were facing atrocities from CPI(M) and alleged that police was not taking appropriate action against the offenders. We have given the President details of these cases, including photographs. Our worker Pramod was killed. Houses of more than 100 workers have been vandalized, he said. Gadkari also attacked the Congress for allegedly remaining silent on the issue, which he said was detrimental for democracy. Unfortunately Congress is keeping quiet. This is not good for democracy. Democracy is a battle of ideas and parties cannot grow by taking law into their hands. We hope that those having faith in democracy will condemn this violence, he said. BJP chief Amit Shah had slammed the Left on Saturday, accusing it of violating the peoples mandate as his party said it will not sit quiet and fight on the streets if the violence continued. Meanwhile, the Left Front in turn slammed the BJP and RSS for allegedly targeting its workers and accused the party of misleading the people. A man who believes that his daughter was murdered has preserved her body for the past over 30 days in his mango orchard in Kannauj. He has used natural oils and chemicals to preserve it. Vishambhar Yadavs 21-year-old daughter committed suicide on April 20 by jumping from 17th floor of NRI City Residential Society in Greater Noida, allegedly wary of facing her parents after her flatmates told them about a shoplifting accusation against her. The girl, Ritu Yadav, was an engineering student at a private university in Greater Noida. In her suicide note, she accused her four flatmates of mentally and physically torturing her. The girls were arrested for abetting Ritus suicide and sent to jail. The Noida police have filed the chargesheet in the case. Read more: Accused of shoplifting, student jumps from 17th floor in Greater Noida Vishambhar Yadav said he has preserved the body as he wants the administration to conduct another autopsy at the Agra forensic lab and register a case of murder. He said he has placed the body in a pit filled with chemicals and applies natural oils on it every alternate day to prevent decomposition. Yadav met district magistrate of Kannauj Anuj Kumar Jha on Monday with the request to conduct a second postmortem of the body. He alleged that the accused girls had thrown Ritu off the building. My daughter had called and told me that the other girls had harassed and beat her in the presence of a boy on the night of April 18, he said. She told me that she was hit with a beer bottle. I told her and the other girls not to fight. I also told them that I will reach Noida soon, he added. Yadav and his wife learnt about their daughters death when they had just boarded the train in Kanpur for Noida. Yadav said the police got the autopsy conducted in his absence and tried to save the girls. After receiving the body from the police, Yadav brought it to his Sahnapur village in Tirva tehsil, where he preserved it. Despite pressure from family members, he has refused to cremate it. The body will not be cremated till another autopsy is conducted at the Agra forensic lab. We have approached the chief minister as well, said Deepankar Yadav, the girls uncle. The Kannauj DM said he has no jurisdiction in the case. He said the Noida police can go for a second autopsy if the investigating officer feels that it is imperative for investigation. We have conveyed our stand to the parents. They will take up the issue with the Noida police, he said. Dinesh Kumar, SP Kannauj, said the police will do their best to help the parents despite jurisdictional constraints. Putting its foot down, the Amritsar district administration on Sunday decided to go ahead with its move to convert the road leading to the Golden Temple into a no-traffic zone, despite the recent tension it evoked among the shopkeepers. Amritsar deputy commissioner Varun Roojam, who visited the site on Saturday afternoon, while talking to HT said, We will convert the area into a no-traffic zone as per the plan. Anyone who has any sort of objection can come forward and talk to us. The project, however, will not be stopped. Meanwhile, the business community also held meetings on Saturday and criticised the attitude of the administration. They said the governments move that would cause loss to them was not required. On Friday, the shopkeepers had staged a protest and damaged the structure that is being constructed to install bollards (short vertical posts arranged in a line to obstruct the passage of motor vehicles in order to control traffic). Raising slogans against the authorities, the protesters had filled up the dug area and said they would not allow installing of bollards. Police and the public works department (PWD) officials had to rush to the spot to pacify the agitated protesters, but the shopkeepers were stern with their decision. Responding to the protest, the city police had registered a case against 150 unidentified shopkeepers for allegedly damaging the governments property. The government is setting up bollards along the road leading to the Golden Temple in order to convert it into a pedestrian zone, while the shopkeepers are afraid that the move might affect their business as they will not be able to bring vehicles to load and unload goods for their shops. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Manish Tewari on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no right to claim that it is representing or safeguarding the interests of Hindus in Punjab. A common Hindu in Punjab feels that the BJP in Punjab has been reduced to the status of minority morcha of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) without any say or status in the government, Tewari said while addressing a conference on the political future of Hindus in Punjab organised by the Hindu Jagrati Maha Sabha, Punjab, at the Red Cross Bhawan here on Sunday. The former minister maintained that Punjab was the land of rishis and gurus and had evolved a strong socially equitable system in the state. He said, however, there was a feeling among a large section of the Hindus that they were not being adequately represented in the political system of the state. He said, now was the time to ensure that the social and economic equitability was extended to the political system so that no section felt ignored and left out. He said while the Congress has always maintained a strong secular character and has been accommodative in addressing the aspirations of all sections of the society, the BJP has only exploited the emotions and sentiments of the Hindus in Punjab. As a result, there is virtually no development in the urban areas and trade and industry has been left out to their own fate by the Akali-BJP government, he observed, while adding that the state BJP leadership has been content with gaining and getting small favours here and there. He said the purpose of holding todays seminar was to create awareness among the community and warn them against being exploited by the vested interests in the name of religion. He said, similar seminars will be held all over Punjab at the district headquarters in the coming three months. He pointed out, Hindus were integral to the socio-economic system of Punjab and they were concerned that the state should not move from chaos to anarchy. Spiritual guru, Acharya Pramod Krishnam, president, Bharatiya Sant Samiti, lashed out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for first exploiting the sentiments of the Hindus and then letting them down. He said it was time to expose the double face of the BJP and its Prime Minister, as they have only misled and exploited peoples emotions and sentiments. A Pakistani national was detained by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near a border post in Bamyal sector in Pathankot district on Sunday morning. Sources said the man whose name is Mohammad Shafi is suspected to be mentally challenged. The BSF recovered a cheque book, Rs 2,500 in Pakistani currency notes, some coins and empty bottles of soft drinks from his possession. Pathankot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rakesh Kaushal said the man was arrested around 8am, and the BSF informed the police around noon. The BSF is yet to hand the man over to the police, he said, adding that it was too early to say if he was mentally challenged or a spy. His identity will be ascertained only after we quiz him, said the SSP. The Pakistani terrorists who had attacked the Dinanagar police station and Pathankot airbase had entered India from the Bamyal sector. There have also been cases of mentally challenged people crossing the border accidentally. Impressed by his work to clean the river Bein, at Gurdwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi, Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra on Monday invited environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal to his state for the project to clean another sacred river the Yamuna. Mishra, who is also chairman of Delhi Jal Board, joined his other visiting officers and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur in praising Seechewal for his motivating villagers to turn a polluted river around in Punjab. He set a three-year deadline for cleaning the Yamuna with the help of Seechewal. Receiving the two leaders and the Delhi Jal Board officers at this village here, Seechewal explained to them his model of cleaning the Holy Bein and installing a low-cost water-treatment plant. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who visited Seechewal recently, told me to take tips from him, so I brought my entire team over. said Mishra. On Tuesday, he will meet Union minister for water resources and Ganga rejuvenation Uma Bharti, who had visited Seechewal last August and said the Centre would replicate his model to clean the Ganga river. Replying to a media query about which political party he supported, Seechewal said: Any party that will include the environmental agenda in its election manifesto. Mishras visiting team included Delhi Jal Board chief executive officer (CEO) Keshav Chandra and member RS Tyagi. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nearly a week after the firing on Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwales cavalcade, Ludhiana police are yet to identify the mastermind of the murderous attack. The May 17 attack had resulted in the killing of Dhadrianwalee aide Bhupinder Singh. Read: One dead in attack on Sikh preacher Dhadrianwale So far, police have been able to arrest eight of the 20 accused in the case. On Monday, police sought a seven-day extension of the remand of the accused on the grounds that their interrogation was vital for the arrest of the other accused. However, the court turned down its request and granted just a one-day remand of the accused. The Ludhiana police told the court that four accused in the case were arrested on May 20 following the interrogation of the four suspects who were arrested on May 18, a day after the crime. Read: 4 held in connection with Dhadrianwale attack as CCTV near crime spot gives leads Police said the extension in the remand was vital to question all eight accused together to ascertain the whereabouts of the absconding assailants. Police also stated a car used in the crime has been recovered. The search for other vehicles and weapons is on. Read: Arrest Ludhiana attack mastermind, Dhadrianwale tells Badal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Farmers from 12 districts of the state will hold a five-day protest, starting from Tuesday, against the state governments failure to check farmer suicides. Under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugarahan), the farmers will hold protests outside the deputy commissioner offices in Bathinda, Moga, Mansa, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Muktsar, Sangrur and Barnala. The farmers will also gherao offices of sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) in Ludhiana, Patiala, Gurdaspur and Amritsar. The authorities have stepped up security to stop the farmers from holding sit-ins outside the DC offices to avoid inconvenience to the people. Unions state general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said the government was not paying heed to the genuine demands of the farmers, which is forcing them to commit suicide. The government has failed to share authentic report on farmer suicides with the Union government and has also overlooked our recommendations to bring farmers out of crisis, he said. The union is wants the government to waive farmer loans, stop auctioning properties of debt-ridden farmers, `5-lakh compensation to families of farmers who committed suicide, post-2010 suicide survey and tubewell connections to those having less than 2.5 acres of farmland. The union also sought an apology from vice-chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board Ravinder Cheema for his remarks that farmers were committing suicides to get compensation. Kokri said it was due to the insensitive approach of the state government that a mother-son duo committed suicide at Joghpur village in Barnala in April. This has to be stopped as commission agents are working in an autocratic manner at the behest of Punjab Police and harassing farmers even after they repay loans, Kokri added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab unit convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur on Monday said expelled Congress leader and former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar had no place even in the AAP. Replying to a media query at Seechewal village on Monday, Chhotepur said: Brar was expelled from this party last month for criticising its leaders and keeping his interests ahead of the partys. Even on Saturday, he addressed a public rally at Chappar Chiri near SAS Nagar, where he termed the ruling Badals and Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh traitors of Punjab. Read: Kishor said join AAP if made CM face as its sweeping Punjab Brar has been vociferous in his praise for the AAP for several weeks now, since before he was expelled by the Congress. At the Chappar Chirri rally too, he had refrained from naming AAP in his speech but later was all-praise for the party in media interactions. Read: I called Kejriwal modern Gandhi; if AAP wise, will rope me in: Brar SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON About 3,500 students appeared in the Joint Entrance Exam (advanced) a eight centres in Chandigarh on Sunday, of which over 1,000 were from the city. The examinees said the paper was a bit tough and lengthy. The examination was held in two sessions9am to noon and then 2pm to 5pm. The two-part examination comprised questions totalling 186 marks each. Experts said multi-answer questions was a new thing this year. In this format, students are given four marks if all four options are marked correctly. But in case an incorrect option is marked, the answer is deemed as wrong and the examinees loses two marks (negative marking). Savin Sadhu, a local academician, said, The chemistry paper was easy, but the calculations in the phsyics and mathematic sections were of relatively higher standard and slightly lengthy. Even the brightest of students couldnt attempt all questions. Similarly, another local JEE trainer, AK Ganguly said some of the students found the paper lengthy and change in the marking scheme and format of the paper gave tough times to examinees. Dhruv Jaglan, a resident of Zirakpur, said, The exam was lengthy as well as slightly tough. Vishwajeet, another student, found Paper 1 tough. The mathematics section was complicated and in paper 2, questions in the physics section were too complicated . I couldnt finish as I wanted to. The results are expected on June 12. A Punjab Police constable, Balkar Singh, 42, a resident of Tarn Taran, Amritsar, was shot dead while he was cleaning his service carbine here on Sunday. He was deployed at the Shiromani Akali Dal office in Sector 28. After the police were informed, he was taken to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where he was declared brought dead. The police said during the preliminary investigation, it was found he was cleaning his weapon when he accidentally fired the bullet that hit his chest. However, the police will further investigate the matter to get more details. Victim was in tension and didnt had food on Saturday night, said a colleague on the condition of anonymity. The police said they will look into the suicide angle after talking to the family members, though they said chances were minimum. Badge of pride If you want respect from others, you must first learn to respect yourself. This seems to be the new mantra of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). In a recent meeting of the Punjab cabinet, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal came wearing a badge that read I am proud to be an Akali. He was carrying several similar badges which he started distributing to other cabinet ministers. Sukhbir then walked up to the CM and attached the badge on his jacket. Amused by the deputy CMs gesture everyone laughed when he tried to attach the badges to jackets of some BJP ministers. Sukhbir told his colleagues that they should be always wearing the badge to create a sense of pride in what they are doing. Why these badges? Isn't pride already running high? There are a few who feel that they should try a badge that says: Im a humble worker of SAD. It may work better in an election year. Cash-strapped Cong gets a treasurer! Losing elections is not the only woe of the Congress. With it, it is also losing donations. So the party is literally scraping the barrel when it comes to paying its bills. The depleted reservoirs of the party usually fill up during elections, but with its poll graph heading downwards, there is little trickling in. So Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh has appointed MLA Amrik Dhillons son Kamaljeet Singh as his new treasurer. The man had even his predecessor Partap Bajwas confidence. Never mind the buzz in the Congress on the source of Dhillons millions. Loyalty, royalty and money make a heady cocktail in the Congress! Congress games When expelled leader Bir Devinder Singh finally refused to join hands with another rebel Jagmeet Brar, a few in the Congress credited partys poll strategist Prashant Kishor for preventing it. State Cong chief Captain Amarinder Singhs team, rewarded with plum posts for loyalty to the crown, was first busy asking Captain to show Brar and Bir their place and later, they gunned for Kishor. Now the loyal brigade is trying to find out who is funding Brar, the rebel without a pause. But it is Bir Devinder who is having the last laugh. The wily politician is taking digs at all. To those who care to listen, Devinder is even heard quipping, The Congress pays Kishor for working, but for me, he works for free. Who says turning friends into foes is not strategy at work. Haryana babus village visit Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, taking a cue from the Centre, asked his top bureaucrats to visit district of their first posting for a first-hand feel of the ground situation and implementation of government programmes. When the chief secretary also wrote to senior IAS officers, asking them to visit any village in the sub-division of their first positing and spend two days and one night there, several of them got in touch with the deputy commissioners and drew up their travel plans. With many areas of the state reeling under severe heat wave conditions, those who had their first postings close to the state headquarters or Delhi appeared to the happiest. Some others looked for rest houses where they could have a comfortable stay. But, then, there were also a few who did not mind sleeping in the open. An additional chief secretary (ACS)-rank officer apparently spent the night on a cot in open compound of a government school. He made sure the moment was captured, perhaps for official records. The pictures went viral on WhatsApp. Truant ministers irk Virbhadra Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh has repeatedly told his cabinet colleagues to spend more time in their offices in the state secretariat. He even suggested that they be there on first three weekdays every week. But several ministers have not paid any attention. They are still playing truant, irking the chief minister. The CM has now threatened to change the portfolios of ministers refusing to change their ways. If they dont adhere to what I say, I will be left with little choice except to change their portfolios, an upset Virbhadra told reporters when asked about his ministers absence from the secretariat. Maheshwar Singh in a fix Maheshwar Singh, scion of Kullus royal family, had created a flutter in political circles of the state when he parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to float his Himachal Lokhit Party before the 2012 assembly elections in the state. Maheshwar is caught in a Catch-22 situation now. He appears to be weighing his options to return to the BJP. Maheshwar, MLA from Kullu, is also in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that is trying to find a toehold in the state. (Contributed by Sukhdeep Kaur, Chitleen K Sethi, Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Navneet Sharma and Gaurav Bisht) Four years after a Mullanpur Dakha woman went missing from Belgium in 2012, a team of Belgian police has come to India to investigate the matter. The two member team comprising a male and a female cop Wim Peirs and Chloe Dardenne arrived in Ludhiana on Saturday. After procuring call details of the missing woman, Jagwinder Kaur, who was married to Kewal Singh of Moga, police have focused investigation on one Balwinder Singh of Bhagike village in Moga. On Sunday, the Belgian police questioned Balwinder for at least 45 minutes in a closed door meeting suspecting links with the missing woman. Earlier, police was suspecting Kewal Singh as prime suspect. As per information, after marriage Jagwinder Kaur and Kewal Singh started living in Belgium. Later, they divorced in 2012, after which the woman went missing. The Belgian police have procured call details of missing woman and found frequent calls made to and from Balwinder, leading suspicion of an extramarital affair of the woman with him. But, denying any links with her, Balwinder claimed that he was in Belgium in 2010, and there he used to work at Kewal Singhs store. So, sometimes Kewal used to call him from his wifes number, he added. Sources said that call details revealed that long-hour calls were being made even after Balwinder returned to India. Several others questioned Besides quizzing Balwinder, police team also questioned Nihal Singh Wala village member of legislative assembly (MLA) Rajwinder Kaur, Bhagike village sarpanch Jatinder Kaur and Kewal Singhs family members, including brothers Bakhtaur Singh, Chamkaur Singh, and Balour Singh and latters wife Manjit Kaur and their mother Gurdev Kaur. The team also visited Balwinder Singh and Kewal Singhs houses. The team has also collected samples of Bakhtaur Singh, brother of Kewal Singh, for DNA profiling test. Bakhtaur Singh had gone to Belgium once and returned after spending sometime there. Superintendent of police (investigation) Amarjit Singh said, Belgium is investigating the case of missing woman for which a team of Belgian police had arrived here to record statements of family members and relatives. Earlier, the police had questioned womans relatives at her native village Mullanpur Dakha. Refusing to divulge intrinsic details of the investigation, Belgian police inspector said, We have recorded statements of family members and of those, who were close to Jagwinder Kaur. Statements of people known to her have also been recorded to know whether the couples relations were strained. Jaswinder Kaurs husband is the main suspect, we are investigating the case. We hope to get a lead very soon. Personnel at Balianwali police station may have been expecting a sleepy Sunday, but it wasnt to be as three protests took place at different timings outside the station. In the three different protests, people raised slogans against police, demanding justice in their issues. Bhunder villagers along with family members of the minor rape victim demanded arrest of the accused booked in the case. The residents blamed that despite case being registered in this connection, police have not arrested the accused. While in the other protest, Balianwali residents raised slogans demanding action in alleged abduction of grandchildren of an octogenarian man of the town. In the third protest, Bhartiya Kisan Union activists blamed police for not acting against culprits who allegedly beat up a woman in presence of the police. Facing the ire of the protesters, Balianwali police station SHO Iqbal Khan defended his force and said that two missing children were with their mother contrary to the allegations of they being abducted. In connection of minor girl rape case, he said he would look into the issue as he joined three days ago only. He further said that in beating up of woman, they have registered a case in that connection. The SHO also said that body of suicide victim Jasvir Kaur (21), who had hanged herself in the police station on Saturday, was handed over to her family after post morterm. Actor Michael Jace, best known for his role in The Shield is scheduled to go on trial in a case, two years after he shot and killed his wife in their Los Angeles home. Jace, who played a police officer on the FX series The Shield, turned himself in to police immediately after the shooting and has been behind bars ever since. Few details about the slaying have been released, although a prosecutor has said the actor shot April Jace in the back and then shot her again while their young children looked on. The actors attorneys have said his state of mind on the day of the killing will be a key element of his defense in the murder case. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Perry has said jurors will be told April Jace was having an affair, but that limited details would be discussed during the weeklong trial. April Jace, 40, was a financial aid counselor at Biola University and had two sons with her actor husband. The boys were both under the age of 10 when she was killed. Jace called his father-in-law to pick up the children after the shooting, according to a 911 call released by fire officials. Read: Shield actor Michael Jace arrested over wifes murder Her family called her death senseless act of domestic violence in a statement. Neighbours described the actor as a doting father after his arrest. They said they never saw or heard signs of trouble coming from the Jaces home in Los Angeles Hyde Park neighborhood. A prosecutor has said there was no evidence of previous domestic violence by Jace toward his wife. In this Oct. 6, 2012 file photo, actor Michael Jace attends WordTheatre presents Storytales at Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Jace's murder trial was scheduled to begin on May 23 in downtown Los Angeles. (AP) Michael Jace, 53, worked steadily in small roles in films such as Planet of the Apes, Boogie Nights, Forrest Gump and the television series Southland. The actor had been experiencing financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy in 2011 and had fallen behind on payments just months before the shooting. Read: Latest updates from the world of small screen If convicted, he faces 50 years to life in prison. Follow @htshowbiz for more British auteur Ken Loach won the deservedly Palm dOr for his deeply moving story of an unsympathetic bureaucracy, I Daniel Blake, on Sunday at the closing ceremony of the 69th Cannes Film Festival. This is the second time that Loach has won the coveted trophy for the best movie, having clinched it in 2006 for his brilliant Irish civil war drama, The Wind that Shakes the Barley. Loach now joins the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Haneke, Shohei Imamura, Bille August, Emir Kusturica and brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne -- who had also garnered the Palm dOr twice. Loach, who is 79, has had 13 of his films in Cannes Competition, and has been awarded the Jury Prize -- in addition to the top Palm dOr -- three times, most recently in 2012 for The Angels Share. Read: Romanias Graduation is a strong contender at Cannes Loach -- who has been threatening to retire from movie-making since the past few years -- said in his acceptance speech: We must give a message of hope, we must say another world is possible. The world we live in is at a dangerous point right now. We are in the grip of a dangerous project of austerity-driven by ideas that we call neo-liberalism that have brought us to near catastrophe. While Loachs work went extremely well with critics, the jury, headed by Australias George Miller, disappointed them in some other areas. Maren Ades German comedy Toni Erdmann -- about a fathers desperate attempts to knock sense into his workaholic daughter -- and Jim Jarmuschs Patterson -- about the extraordinarily ordinary life of an American bus driver and his wife (played by Iranian beauty Golshifteh Farahani) -- went unsung at Cannes. Read: At Cannes, documentary Peshmerga and its gutsy cameraman applauded So did Spanish master Pedro Almodovars Julieta, an extremely moving story about a mother-daughter relationship that takes a dive after the death of the girls father in a fishing accident. Another competing work, Jeff Nichols Loving -- a hard look at an inter-racial marriage in the 1950s America and the hostility the couple face -- was another disappointing miss of the evening. Xavier Dolans Its Only The End Of The World got the festivals Grand Prize despite a critical lambast during its press screening. The Canadian filmmaker, who is just 27 and who won the Jury Prize for Mommy two years ago, presented in his latest creation a family drama that looked highly theatrical and even somewhat superficial. Read: How Irans independent cinema is drawing attention at Cannes It's Not The End Of the World won the festivals Grand Prize despite a critical lambast during its press screening. (Cannes Film Festival) Irans Asghar Farhadi -- whose The Separation marked a new high in his countrys cinema -- won two prizes for this years The Salesman: Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Shahab Hosseini. The Salesman is about a couple in a touring production of Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman whose relationship sours after an elderly intruder walks into their home and watches the wife taking a shower. Read: Cannes 2016 | Jim Jarmuschs Patterson is an extraordinarily simple work Asghar Farhadis The Salesman won two prizes this year. (Cannes Film Festival) Farhadis honour follows his 2013 The Past, which clinched the Best Actress Palm for Berenice Bejo. The Best Actress award went to Jaclyn Jose for her lead role in the Filipino helmer, Brillante Mendozas MaRosa, where she essays a harried impoverished mother of four in Manila who sells drugs to make ends meet. The Best Director Palm was shared by two: Frances Olivier Assayas for Personal Shopper (also booed at during the press show) starring Kristen Stewart, and Romanias Cristian Mungiu with Graduation -- an first-class study of parental dilemma over a daughters future. Read: Kristen Stewarts Personal Shopper booed at Cannes despite good reviews The Best Director Palm was shared by two: Frances Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper) and Romanias Cristian Mungiu (Graduation). (Cannes Film Festival) Graduation was Mungius third movie to screen in Competition following 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days in 2007, which won the Palme dOr, and Beyond The Hills, which scooped the best screenplay honour and joint best actress for its leads in 2012. Britains Andrea Arnold won the Jury Prize for American Honey -- which was no patch on her earlier Red Road. American Honey follows some teenagers who sell magazine subscription during the day and party hard at night. For Arnold, this was her third Jury Prize -- after Fish Tank in 2009 and Red Road in 2006. Next year, Cannes 70th edition will coincide with Indias 70th anniversary of independence, and one hopes that it will be different from Indias no-show this time in the festivals official sections. (Gautaman Bhaskaran covered the Cannes Film Festival from May 11 to 22.) ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Senior Afghan Taliban figures met on Monday to agree on a successor to Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the leader of the militant movement who U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed had been killed in an American air strike at the weekend. The Taliban have so far made no official statement on the fate of Mansour, who assumed the leadership only last year. But senior members have confirmed that their main shura, or leadership council, has been meeting to discuss the succession in a bid to prevent factional splits from fragmenting the movement. Obama, on a three-day visit to Vietnam, reiterated support for the Western-backed government in Kabul and Afghan security forces, and called on the Taliban to join stalled peace talks. The president authorised the drone strike that killed Mansour in a remote region just on the Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan on Saturday. Pakistani authorities have said the drone strike was a violation of the countrys sovereignty and an official from the foreign ministry told the U.S. ambassador in Islamabad that the attack could adversely impact peace talks. But reaction from Islamabad has otherwise been relatively muted and a number of questions remain over what exactly happened. An undamaged Pakistani passport in the name of Wali Muhammad, which Pakistani authorities said contained a visa for Iran, was recovered next to the burned-out car at the scene of the attack and is believed to have belonged to Mansour. But it is unclear what he may have been doing in Iran and why he was apparently travelling in Pakistan without a security detail. A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry was quoted on state media denying that such an individual had crossed the border from Iran to Pakistan at the time in question. MILESTONE Calling the death an important milestone, Obama said Mansour had rejected peace talks and had continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces. The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability, he said. However, he stressed that the operation against Mansour did not represent a shift in U.S. strategy in Afghanistan or a return to active engagement in fighting, following the end of the international coalitions main combat mission in 2014. The U.S. currently has 9,800 troops in Afghanistan, divided between a NATO-led mission to train and advise local forces and a separate counterterrorism mission fighting militant groups such as Islamic State and al Qaeda. A decision is expected later this year on whether to stick with a timetable that would see the number of troops cut to 5,500 by the start of 2017. CAN TALIBAN UNITE? The Taliban, which have previously rejected ouvertures to join talks with President Ashraf Ghanis government, have been pushing Afghan security forces hard since the launch of their spring offensive in April. The attack on Mansour has thrown the movement into disarray at least temporarily, but Afghan authorities have braced for an upsurge in violence as rival candidates position themselves to succeed him. Although some individual Taliban members have been quoted in media reports saying that Mansour was killed, the groups leadership, keenly aware of the need to limit splits, has not issued its own confirmation. The leadership is being very careful because one wrong step could divide the group into many parties like former mujahideen, one Taliban official from the eastern province of Nangarhar said, referring to guerrilla leaders who fought the Soviets in the 1980s before splitting into warring factions. Serious divisions emerged last year when it was confirmed that Mullah Mohammad Omar, the groups founder, had been dead for two years, leaving his deputy Mansour in effective charge of the movement and open to accusations he deceived his commanders. One senior member of the shura, which is based in the western Pakistani city of Quetta, said that the choice for the next leader appeared to be shaping around Mansours deputy, Sirajuddin Haqqani, or a member of the family of Mullah Omar, such as his son, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob. Haqqani, leader of an affiliated network blamed for a series of high-profile suicide attacks in Kabul, had the backing of Pakistan, while Yaqoob had support among members of the Afghan Taliban, the shura member said. We prefer someone from Omars family to put an end to all internal problems, he said. Twin bombings claimed by the Islamic State group hit Yemeni forces in Aden on Monday, killing at least 41 people in the latest of a spate of attacks in the southern city. The attacks in Aden -- which is serving as the temporary government headquarters after rebels forced authorities from the capital -- follow a major military operation against jihadists in parts of southern and southeastern Yemen. Backed by a Saudi-led coalition, forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi are battling both Sunni extremists and Iran-backed Shiite rebels. In the first attack, a suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing to enlist at a recruitment centre near the Badr base in Adens Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, the commander of Yemens special security forces. A subsequent explosion inside the base killed seven soldiers, he said. Medics said that 38 people were wounded in the twin attacks. In a statement posted online, IS said one of its fighters detonated an explosives belt among apostate soldiers at a recruitment centre, followed by the bombing at a gate of the Badr base. The jihadist group, which has seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq, also claimed responsibility Monday for a wave of bombings in Syrian coastal cities that killed more nearly 150 people. A local resident in Aden described the scene of the Badr explosions as horrible, saying body parts had been blown dozens of metres (yards) away. They came to complete the procedure of their recruitment and receive their first salary, he said, speaking of the young men who had gathered outside the army centre. Abandoned slippers and sandals, apparently from the victims, covered the area, television footage showed. Aden resident Ramzi al-Fadhli said wailing filled the air as women identified the remains of relatives at Al-Jumhuriyah Hospital, where at least 32 bodies were taken. - Peace talks resume - Aden has seen a wave of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its jihadist rival IS after government forces drove Shiite Huthi rebels out of the port city in July with support from the Saudi-led coalition. The coalition launched operations in Yemen in March last year after the rebels seized control of Sanaa and other parts of the country, forcing Hadis government to flee the capital Sanaa. Al-Qaeda -- which has a long presence in the Arabian Peninsula country -- and IS have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict to expand their zones of control in the south and southeast. In the past two months, government and coalition forces have hit back, driving Al-Qaeda militants out of the Hadramawt provincial capital of Mukalla, which they had controlled for a year. But attacks on security forces have left scores dead. On May 1, four guards were killed in a bombing that targeted the convoy of Adens police chief General Shallal Shayae, in the second such attack on him in a week. Several attacks have also targeted troops in Hadramawt since government forces ended Al-Qaeda rule in Mukalla. Earlier this month, 47 police were killed in a series of bombings near Mukalla. The European Union condemned the attacks in a statement, saying they highlight the importance of restoring peace and the rule of law throughout the country. UN-brokered peace talks between the government and rebels resumed Monday in Kuwait after they had broken off a week ago. UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the two parties to exert all efforts to achieve a sustainable solution for the sake of easing the suffering of Yemenis. The government had demanded a written pledge from the rebels and their allies recognising an April 2015 UN Security Council resolution calling for their withdrawal from the capital and other territories, as well as the legitimacy of Hadi. Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi tweeted Sunday that the government had agreed to give the peace talks a last chance. Fighting since the coalition intervention in March 2015 has killed more than 6,400 people, displaced about 2.8 million and left 82 percent of Yemens population in need of aid, the United Nations says. Austrias Norbert Hofer narrowly failed on Monday to become the EUs first far-right president after his ecologist rival scraped to victory in a knife-edge election that was a rude wake-up call for the continents established parties. Alexander Van der Bellen won 50.3% of the vote in Sundays second-round, marginally ahead of 49.7% for Hofer, presented as the friendly and moderate face of the anti-immigration, populist Freedom Party (FPOe). Of course I am sad, Hofer said on Facebook as he conceded defeat, but added: Please dont be disheartened. The effort in this election campaign is not wasted, but is an investment for the future. Preliminary results late Sunday had put Hofer barely four points ahead in the run off for the largely ceremonial but bitterly fought-over post of Austrian head of state. But his paper-thin margin was erased after a record 700,000 postal ballots were counted during Monday, dramatically putting Van der Bellen ahead by just over 31,000 votes in the final tally. Turnout was at almost 73%, high for European elections. Most observers had thought that Van der Bellen, 72, an independent who stood with Green Party backing, would fail to beat his polished younger rival after lagging 14 points behind him in the first round on April 24. But in the last 14 days, there has been such a momentum among voters... (across) all sections of society, the professorial Van der Bellen said late Sunday. Gun enthusiast Hofer, 45, had tapped into unease about the record number of asylum-seekers at the height of Europes migrant crisis, with his typical supporters made up of lesser-educated working-class men and in rural areas. But the self-proclaimed gladiator has also toned down the FPOes message to win voters across the spectrum, disillusioned with the centrist parties in the current government that have dominated national politics since 1945. His strategy mirrored the success of other fringe political figures across Europe, most recently in elections in Cyprus on Sunday, as well as further afield as seen with the success of Donald Trump in the United States. A supporter holds a picture of Austrian far right Freedom Party (FPOe) presidential candidate Norbert Hofer during his final election rally in Vienna, Austria. (Reuters File Photo) French relief In France, where the National Fronts Marine Le Pen will run for president next year, Prime Minister Manuel Valls voiced his relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism... Everyone in Europe should learn from this. Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said he was very happy, in particular with regard to our bilateral relations. Rome and Vienna have been at odds over Europes migrant crisis in recent weeks. Reinhard Buetikofer and Monica Frassoni, co-chairs of the European Green Party, said the message was that Europes values and our shared republican and democratic goals can be defended against insurgent right-wing populism. But fringe politicians still drew solace from the result. Frauke Petry, head of Alternative for Germany, who was in Vienna Sunday for what had been expected to be a victory party for the FPOe, congratulated Hofer for the outstanding result. Polarised nation With almost half of the votes cast, or 2.2 million people, going to Hofer, Van der Bellen now has to unite a polarised nation after a bruising election campaign. Norbert Hofer managed to motivate 50% of the Austrian population against the whole system, FPOe chief strategist Herbert Kickl said. This means that Van der Bellen has a massive responsibility in his treatment of this 50%. An even bigger challenge awaits the coalition government of the Social Democrats (SPOe) and the centre-right Peoples Party (OeVP), which have dominated national politics since 1945. The two parties suffered a historic debacle in the first round of voting for the presidential election on April 24, knocked out with 11% each, and prompting chancellor Werner Faymann to quit. His successor, Christian Kern of the SPOe, now has two years to win back voters from the arms of the FPOe in time for the next general election, due in 2018. Despite narrowly losing out on the presidency, FPOe leader Heinz-Christian Strache, 46, will have been boosted by the close contest in his hopes to become chancellor in two years. His party is leading in opinion polls with more than 30% of voter intentions. The SPOe and the OeVP look on course to fall short of a majority between them. Despite outstanding historical issues like the border problem, India and China have reached a consensus to prevent disputes from clouding cooperation and stalling bilateral development, Beijing has said in the run-up to President Pranab Mukherjees upcoming four-day visit beginning Tuesday. Both India and China have the ability and wisdom to negotiate and properly handle existing problems between the two countries, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs told HT. Historical problems such as boundary issues still remain between the two countries. Its an important consensus to prevent the disputes from affecting the development of the two countries. We believe both countries have the ability and wisdom to properly handle related issues, and continue to strengthen cooperation in various areas so as to ensure greater development of bilateral ties, Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokesperson, told HT in a written statement. Mukherjee will arrive in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, Chinas richest and most populous province on Tuesday. Guangzhou is home to some 5,000 Indians who are mostly into commodity trading. After attending a reception of the Indian community, a business forum and a visit to the Hualin temple with ancient Buddhist ties to India in Guangzhou, Mukherjee will fly to Beijing a day later, where he has a series of bilateral meetings beginning with President Xi Jinping. This is Mukherjees first state visit to China as President and the first by an Indian President since 2010. The foreign ministry did not respond to specific questions on the latest problems like China blocking Indias bid for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the controversy over Beijings stubborn stand on Indian attempts to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a terrorist. These are questions Mukherjee is likely to raise during his meetings, but the Chinese ministry said insisted that bilateral ties have entered a new era of development. The China-India relationship has maintained a good momentum of healthy and stable development in recent years, the ties between the two countries entered a new era of rapid growth since President Xi visited India in 2014 and Indian PM Narendra Modi visited China in 2011, Hua said. As rising powers in rapid development, both China and India are having increasing influence in regional and international arena, and have become major forces for the maintenance of world peace and stability. We would like to work with India to implement the important consensus between the leaders and the outcomes of practical cooperation, as well as establish a stronger partnership of development, she said. Hua said Guangzhou was chosen as the first stop for Mukherjee on Indias request. Guangzhou serves as a window of Chinas reform and opening-up policy. During President Xi Jinpings visit to India, Guangzhou and Indias city Ahmedabad established sister-city relationship. President Mukherjee will visit Guangzhou at the request by the India side. We believe the visit will further promote regional interaction and cooperation in various fields, she said. As per diplomatic tradition, the leaders of the two countries are expected to exchange gifts during the visit. If China gives a gift, it will be a symbol of friendship between the two countries, Hua said. Iran on Monday denied reports that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour entered Pakistan from the Islamic republic before being killed in a US drone strike, state media reported. Pakistani security officials told AFP on Sunday that the man killed on Saturday in the southwestern province of Balochistan, believed at the time to be Mansour, had just returned from Iran when his vehicle was attacked. US President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that Mansour had been killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an important milestone in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Senior Taliban sources have also confirmed the killing to AFP, adding that a shura (council) was under way to select a new leader. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari was quoted by the official IRNA news agency on Monday as denying Mansour had been in the country before the attack. The competent authorities of the Islamic republic deny that this person on this date crossed Irans border and into Pakistan, he said. Iran welcomes any positive action leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan, he added, without elaborating. Pakistani identity documents found on the body of the man now known to be Mansour named him as Muhammad Wali, and showed he had left for Iran on March 28 and returned the day he was killed. Iran supports the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban group. President Ashraf Ghani meanwhile arrived in Tehran today for the signing of a tripartite agreement between Iran, India and Afghanistan to turn Irans southeastern port of Chabahar into a transit hub between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan. Islamabad, which says it hosts many of the Afghan Talibans top leadership to exert influence over them and bring them back to peace talks with Kabul, called the US drone attack a violation of its sovereignty. A manhunt is underway for criminals who looted millions from Japans cash machines nationwide in an hours-long heist, officials and reports said Monday. Armed with fake credit card details from South Africas Standard Bank, the thieves hit 1,400 convenience store ATMs in a coordinated attack earlier this month. The international gang members, reportedly numbering around 100 people, each made a series of withdrawals in less than three hours, Japanese media said. Their haul totalled 1.4 billion yen ($13 million), according to the reports, with machines in Tokyo and Osaka among those targeted. It was not clear how the gang made off with the equivalent of millions of dollars so quickly as the cash machines usually limit withdrawals to 100,000 yen ($910) a day. Japanese police declined to confirm the robbery, but Standard Bank acknowledged the heist and put its losses at around $19 million. The bank said it was a victim of a sophisticated, coordinated fraud incident. This involved the withdrawal of cash using a small number of fictitious cards at various ATMs in Japan, it said in a statement. Japans top-selling Yomiuri newspaper said the lightning-fast raids began early on the morning of May 15, a Sunday, when banks were closed. That may have bought the thieves enough time to pull off the robbery and leave the country before authorities could act, reports said. Japanese authorities are expected to analyse footage of ATM security cameras and work with South African authorities. Investigations are at a sensitive stage and further information will be provided as appropriate, Standard Bank said. It was believed that police had no suspects in custody. Similar robberies have occurred in recent years, including a pair of heists totalling about $45 million that saw a group of cyber thieves disable withdrawal limits on ATMs around the world. The machines were later raided by street associates who used stolen security passcodes to harvest the loot. Barack Obama will not apologise for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima when he this week becomes the first sitting US president to visit the city, he told Japanese television. The comments are the clearest yet from his administration over an issue that raises hackles in the United States and has been the subject of heated debate for decades. Asked if an apology would be included in remarks he plans to make, he said: No, because I think that its important to recognise that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions. Its a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during war time. American airmen launched the worlds first atomic strike on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, causing the deaths of about 140,000 people. Tens of thousands were killed by the fireball that the powerful nuclear blast generated, with many more succumbing to injuries or illnesses caused by radiation in the weeks, months and years afterwards. The southern city of Nagasaki was hit by a second bomb three days later, killing 74,000 people, in one of the final acts of World War II. Obama travelled to Vietnam at the weekend and is due in Japan later this week. He will visit Hiroshima after attending the Group of Seven summit hosted by Japan. My purpose is not to simply revisit the past, but to affirm that innocent people die in a war, on all sides, that we should do everything we can to try to promote peace and dialogue around the world, that we should continue to strive for a world without nuclear weapons, Obama said in the interview with NHK, aired Sunday. US officials have consistently said in the weeks leading up to the visit that there would be no apology. Obamas upcoming visit has reignited an emotive debate over former US president Harry Trumans epoch-making decision to drop the atomic bombs. The speed, circumstances and repercussions of Trumans decision remain contentious. In Japan, a majority believe the mass bombing of civilians was unnecessary and perhaps even a crime. Many Americans believe that it avoided an even bloodier ground invasion of Japan. Nearly 80 percent of survivors of the atomic bombings are not seeking an apology from Obama, as opposed to 16 percent who want one during Obamas visit, according to a Kyodo News survey of 115 people. Some thought it best that Japan not seek an apology for fear it would be an obstacle to Obama making the trip to Hiroshima, Kyodo said. But Terumi Tanaka, the head of a survivors group, told reporters Friday that survivors want an apology from Obama to those who died, bereaved families and parents who lost their children Pakistan summoned US ambassador David Hale on Monday to express concern over the drone strike by American forces in Pakistani territory to kill Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, which it said was a violation of its sovereignty. According to a statement by the Foreign Office, special assistant to Prime Minister on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi pointed out to the US envoy that the drone strike was a violation of Pakistans sovereignty and a breach of the UNs Charter that guarantees the inviolability of the territorial integrity of its member states. Fatemi also emphasised that such actions could adversely impact the ongoing efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) for facilitating peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The special assistant said that Pakistan and the US had been closely coordinating in the fight against the menace of terrorism and that this cooperation needed to be maintained. Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. President Pranab Mukherjees China visit comes at a time when bilateral ties appear to have lost some steam since Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip in May last year. An air of anticipation about the two countries forging fresh ties was whipped up in the months between President Xi Jinpings visit to India in September, 2014 and Modis China visit eight months later. In about a year, that expectation has thinned and given way to hard foreign policy and diplomatic realities; New Delhi and Beijing continue to be poles apart on many issues. Chinas decisions to block New Delhis move in the United Nations to designate Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist, and preventing India from becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) were interpreted as decidedly anti-India positions taken by Beijing. Beijing, meanwhile, has been wary of New Delhi cosying up strategically and militarily to the US and Japan and have expressed indignation at Indias statements on the dispute-ridden South China Sea. At the end of 2015, bilateral trade never got close to the much-touted $ 100 billion-mark; it was $ 71.6 billion last year. So, what can be expected from Mukherjees visit? Experts say the visit itself is a sign that the two countries are regularising high-level visits as part of bilateral political process. Ever since 1988, when the normalisation process of Sino-India relations started, one of the most significant stabilisers of bilateral relations is maintaining such top level exchanges, which have been conducive in reducing mutual misunderstanding, misjudging, misgivings and mistrust, said Hu Shisheng, South Asia expert at the government-affiliated China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations said. It is not merely a reciprocal visit. It is intended to indicate that despite ups and downs, both countries will continue political dialogue at the highest level, Alka Acharya, director, Institute of Chinese Studies in New Delhi, told HT. Mukherjees visit to Guangzhou is expected to firm up better business contacts, especially in seeking Chinese investment, political scientist and eminent China scholar Manoranjan Mohanty said, adding: Since PM Modi did not visit Guangzhou last year and this city is emerging as a major power house of the next stage of the reforms -- producing not just for exports but for domestic market -- his visit is significant. Pakistan, of course, could well be in focus in Mukherjees discussion with Chinas top leaders. Beijing has a history of blocking sanctions against Pakistan-based militants at the UN. So although the Masood Azhar case has attracted a higher profile, its of a piece with what China has been doing for years. The same is true of the NSG, Andrew Small from the US-based German Marshall Fund said. Small, author of The China Pakistan Axis: Asias New Geopolitics, said there is little progress likely on these issues. China isnt fundamentally going to shift its approach to Pakistan, and is tending, if anything, to reinforce its support, Small said. The broad opinion is the same: that the China-India big picture will remain the same as the two countries navigate and negotiate differences while attempting to forge stronger economic ties. As Small said: I think India and China have become more sophisticated at doing these things in parallel, rather than attempting to portray the relationship in black and white terms. South Africas Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed a government bid to keep a seven-year ban in place on the domestic trade in rhino horn, an industry group said on Monday. The decision has no bearing on a ban on international trade in rhino horn. Potential domestic buyers could include those who see rhino horn as a store of wealth that could appreciate in value and for decorative purposes. Thousands of South African rhinos have been slain in recent years to meet demand for the commodity in Asian countries. Legal finality has now been achieved, Pelham Jones, chairman of South Africas Private Rhino Owners Association, told Reuters. A spokesperson for South Africas department of environmental affairs said it would comment later in the day on the ruling made on Friday. Confirming Taliban leader Mullah Mansurs death in a drone strike, President Barack Obama has called it an important milestone in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. While the US announced the targeting of the vehicle carrying Akhtar Mohammad Mansur in a town in Pakistan, it had not officially confirmed it, but governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan did. Today marks an important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan, Obama, who is touring east Asia, said in a statement on Sunday. He added: With the death of Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansur, we have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like al Qaida. Mansur, who took charge of the group after Mullah Omars death was announced in 2015, has been described as opposed to peace talks that a section of Taliban and its leaders had backed. Mansur rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, Obama said, urging the Taliban to seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability. Mansur was killed on Friday in a strike carried out simultaneously by multiple drones in Dalbandin, a city in Pakistans Baluchistan province . Pakistan, which called the attack a violation of its sovereignty, was informed of the strike after the fact as in May 2011 when US special forces killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. The New York Times said the strike in Baluchistan marked a departure in Obama administrations strategy of only targeting al Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban figures in Pakistan. The US tended to let Pakistan deal with the Afghan Taliban, many of whose leaders took shelter in Balochistan, with the urgent aim to persuade them to join peace talks. Not any more, it seems. The NYT said the strike was seen as a signal that the Obama administration was growing less patient with Pakistans failure to move strongly against the Taliban insurgency. While not going as far in his statement, Obama said, We will work on shared objectives with Pakistan, where terrorists that threaten all our nations must be denied safe haven. Also Read | Pakistan denounces US drone strike believed to have killed Afghan Taliban chief There was once a band called Steely Dan. Bernie Sanders millennial supporters may be unaware of it since they were way over their age bracket. But Steely Dan made music mellower than a marshmallow. Steely Dan occurred to me as reports of the recent Nevada convention of the Democratic Party filtered through. Among the highlights (or low, given how it went down), was a Hillary Clinton backer, California Senator Barbara Boxer facing a fusillade of projectiles, including dildos, from miffed Sanderskinder. Media attributed this to the BernieBros, the moniker given to the Vermont Senators young male legions. Two questions occurred to me, and woefully, neither will ever be answered: 1) What sort of person carries a dildo to a political convention? 2) Whatever happened to them? (the dildos, I mean). Steely Dan, for those immune to rock trivia, was named after a steam-powered dildo in author William Burroughs counterculture classic, Naked Lunch. Maybe Bernies kids were reminded of these lyrics: See the glory/Of the royal scam. Most of us have become used to drama being staged by Donald Trump and his followers. But within a fortnight, that scene has shifted. Its now the Democrats that are beset with more chaos than the latest Marvel supermovie. Even The Donalds acolytes never tossed sex toys at opponents, though, given their demographic, throwing beer cans might be more likely. Two weeks earlier, the punditry was still predicting violence and viciousness at the Republican convention in Cleveland. Instead, those stakes have been moved to Philadelphia, where the Democrats will have their do. Instead of Texas Senator Ted Cruz trying to derail the Trump train, we have Sanders raining on Hillary Clintons parade. We had the commentariat unloading historical details about previous contested conventions of the GOP. Now, you have a Democratic Senator warning that this may be 1968 all over again, when anti-war protestors turned the perimeter of the Chicago venue into a near war zone. This is a pretty good reason to stop with the predictions this election season its as unscripted as Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha. Something tells me there will be plenty more of this to watch before we return to our regularly scheduled programming. Till then, this is the world of alternate reality TV. Perhaps, rather than dildos, Sanders supporters ought to be carrying chill pills. Or at least listen to some Steely Dan Id suggest starting with their excellent debut album, Cant Buy A Thrill. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The spiralling crisis surrounding the Zika virus is due to decades of policy failures on mosquito control and poor access to family planning services, the World Health Organization said on Monday. The spread of Zika... (is) the price being paid for a massive policy failure that dropped the ball on mosquito control in the 1970s, WHO chief Margaret Chan told the opening of the UN health agencys annual assembly. Those failures have allowed the mosquito-borne virus to spread rapidly and create a significant threat to global health, Chan told some 3,000 delegates gathered from WHOs 194 member countries. Experts agree that Zika is behind a surge in Latin America in cases of the birth defect microcephaly -- babies born with abnormally small heads and brains -- after their mothers were infected with the virus. The virus, which also causes the rare but serious neurological disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome, in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, is mainly spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito but has also been shown to transmit through sexual contact. Programmes in the 1950s and 60s targeted the aegypti in a bid to prevent the spread of dengue and yellow fever, which it also spreads, and all but eradicated the mosquito species from Central and South America. But when the programmes were discontinued in the 1970s, the mosquito returned. Chan also decried policy failures in the realm of reproductive rights. Many of the hardest-hit countries in the ongoing Zika outbreak are conservative Catholic, and she warned their failure to provide universal access to sexual and family planning services had exacerbated the crisis. With the virus now present in 60 countries, countless women who may want to delay pregnancy have no access to contraception, and even fewer to abortion. Chan pointed out that Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest proportion of unintended pregnancies anywhere in the world. With no vaccines and no reliable and widely available diagnostic tests to protect women of childbearing age, all we can offer is advice, she told the assembly. Avoid mosquito bites, delay pregnancy, do not travel to areas with ongoing transmission. In Brazil, the hardest-hit country, more than 1.5 million people have been infected with Zika, and nearly 1,400 cases of microcephaly have been registered since the outbreak began last year. Researchers estimate that a woman infected with Zika during pregnancy has a one percent chance of giving birth to a baby with the birth defect. Not prepared to cope Zika is not new. The African strain of the virus was discovered in Ugandas tropical Zika forest in 1947, and an Asian strain has long circulated on that continent, without sparking concern. On its own Zika is fairly benign, like a bad cold or a mild flu. But when the Asian strain jumped to Latin America last year, it suddenly wreaked havoc in a population never before exposed to the virus. Alarmingly, the WHO last week said the Asian strain was now for the first time spreading locally in an African country -- Cape Verde, raising concern over what impact the strain might have on the population on that continent. The rapidly evolving outbreak of Zika virus warns us that an old disease that slumbered for six decades in Africa and Asia can suddenly wake up ... on a new continent to cause a global health emergency, Chan said. Zika is not the only virus that has taken us by surprise. Chan pointed especially to the recent Ebola disaster that killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa, which revealed the absence of even the most basic infrastructure to deal with the outbreak. Chan offered Mondays assembly a stern warning. What we are seeing now looks more and more like a dramatic resurgence of the threat from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, cautioning: The world is not prepared to cope. Thoughts on History Mix government with art, and the result can be volatile. For example, consider the Federal Theatre Project, a 1935 Works Progress Administration (WPA) program that set out to put theatrical people to work but ended up creating controversy with some left-leaning productions. Our story concerns one production in particular, a musical Orson Welles directed called The Cradle Will Rock. Its also the subject of a new film directed by Tim Robbins that should be arriving in theaters at the same time this magazine comes out. The issues raised by The Cradle Will Rock situation didnt end with the Depression years. Periodically, the National Endowment for the Arts comes under fire for channeling federal money to controversialsome might prefer to say offensiveartworks. As we were preparing this issue, an art museum in Brooklyn became embroiled in a controversy about an exhibitpartially funded with local tax dollarsthat included a painting of the Virgin Mary festooned with elephant dung. What incenses many critics of these works is not just that they offend their sensibilities, but that their taxes help support them. Whether butting heads with WPA officials in New York or studio heads in Hollywood, Orson Welles had his own share of controversy. Today its a sad fact that if people remember him at all, its as a large, bearded man who appeared in wine commercials and performed magic tricks on talk shows. But of course, he was much, much more than that. Recently the American Film Institute selected his first feature, Citizen Kane (1941), as the countrys greatest movie. Before making Kane, Welles became famous by scaring the nation to death with his radio dramatization of H.G. Wellss The War of the Worlds in 1938. And he did all of this, Citizen Kane included, before he was 26. Welles was so precocious and self-assured (and perhaps a little pompous on occasion too) that his cowriter on Kane, Herman Mankiewicz, once quipped, There, but for the grace of God, goes God. Unfortunately for Welles, the rest of his career didnt match his early triumphs, though his misfortunes were not entirely of his own making. His studio, RKO-Radio Pictures, took control of his second film, The Magnificent Ambersons, while Welles was in Brazil making a movie. The studio altered the film by cutting it nearly in half and tacking on a happy ending. To add insult to injury, RKO released it on a double bill with a movie called Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost. He did make other films that are now acknowledged as masterpieces, most notably Touch of Evil (1958), which was recently re-released in a version edited according to Welless instructions. (Typically, the studio bosses had originally ignored most of his recommendations.) One of the many projects Welles tried and failed to launch was his own movie about The Cradle Will Rock. God, how theyll love me when Im dead, Welles once complained to director Peter Bogdanovich, and he was right about that. Fourteen years after he died in 1985 at the age of 70, were in the middle of a Welles revival, fueled in part by the Tim Robbins film and an HBO special about the making of Citizen Kane. Better late than never, I guess. * Tom Huntington, Editor, American History Information about Battle Of Pea Ridge during the American Civil War Battle Of Pea Ridge Facts & Summary Location: Benton County, Arkansas Dates: March 68, 1862 Generals: Union: Samuel R. Curtis | Confederate: Earl Van Dorn Soldiers Engaged: Union Army: 10,400 | Confederate Army: 16,400 Outcome: Union Victory Casualties: Union: 1,300 | Confederate: 2,100 This is an account of the Battle of Pea Ridge, fought on March 68, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas. The Confederate strategy was simple: Advance northward through Missouri, defeat the Federal forces there and capture St. Louis, thus commanding the gateway to the West. Southern aspirations were aptly summarized by Major General Earl Van Dorn, who wrote to his wife: I must have St. Louisthen Huzza. Van Dorn clearly understood the significance of taking St. Louis, both for him and his government. Control of St. Louis, a major industrial and commercial centerand a notoriously pro-Union citywould symbolize Confederate control of the entire state. And from a personal standpoint, it would place the supremely ambitious Van Dorn squarely in the center of military power and prestige. All that stood in his way were the outnumbered Union forces in Missouri under the command of Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis. Van Dorn confidently looked forward to a shower of accolades The Confederacy as a whole had high hopes for its Missouri campaign in the winter of 1861-62. Politically, economically and militarily the state was vital to both the North and the South. Missouri protected the northwestern flank of the newly formed Confederate States of America. The Mississippi River was the strategic link between the eastern and western portions of the Confederacy. And St. Louis, lying as it did at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, was the historic jumping-off place to the Western frontier. In Earl Van Dorn, the Confederacy had an experienced, aggressive career soldier. A West Point graduate, he had served with distinction in the Mexican War and been wounded several times for his trouble. He had also fought Indians on the Southwestern frontier. A nephew of President Andrew Jackson, he shared Old Hickorys famous temper and charming way with the ladies. He had also inherited some of Jacksons political savior faire. At the outset of the Civil War, when he learned that his fellow Mississippian Jefferson Davis wanted to be in charge of his home states troops, Van Dorn graciously stepped aside and took another appointment in Texas. In return for helping the South retain control of the Lone Star State during the first chaotic months of the war, Van Dorn was summoned to Richmond by now-President Jefferson Davis, promoted to major general and given the task of winning back Missouri for the hard-pressed Confederacy. It had been a disastrous winter for Confederate hopes in the West. Already, Union forces under Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had seized Forts Henry and Donelson in western Tennessee and, in so doing, had caused the evacuation of Nashville and the fall of Kentucky and most of Tennessee to Union control. Farther west, in Missouri, Confederate elation following their victory at Wilsons Creek in August 1861 had turned to despair as superior Federal forces had steadily pushed Maj. Gen. Sterling Prices outnumbered troops southward out of Missouri. By late February 1862, the Confederates had been driven to the Missouri-Arkansas border. At Fayetteville, Ark., Van Dorn assembled a force of some 16,500 Confederates, including 8,000 Texicans under Brig. Gen. Benjamin McCulloch and 7,000 Missourians under Price. These Regular forces were augmented by a colorful contingent of 2,000 assorted Indians, principally Cherokees, led by the renowned frontiersman Brig. Gen. Albert Pike. Van Dorn eased the personal friction between McCulloch and Price, and he persuaded them to cooperate in his bold plan to retake Missouri, capture St. Louis and move east to link up with General Albert Sidney Johnston and fall on Grants Union forces in Tennessee, pinning the Federals between them and bringing about a decisive Confederate victory in the West. In assembling his army and convincing the other generals to go along with his plans, Van Dorn had already accomplished a significant feat. Moreover, he also seemed to have luck on his side. His force significantly outnumbered the 11,000 Union troops under Curtis, a fellow West Point graduate of no prior military distinction. Indeed, Curtis was more renowned as a politician than a general. A former mayor of Keokuk, Iowa, he had served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives prior to the war. Curtis very success worked against him. Following his comparatively easy victories over Price, demands had arisen for the transfer of Union forces from Missouri to other, more threatened theaters of the war. To achieve his strategic goal of recapturing Missouri for the Confederacy, Van Dorn planned for his units to move west of the Union forces, outflank them, cut their supply lines and fall on them from behind. It was a smaller version of his grand scheme to cross the Mississippi and outmaneuver Grant in western Tennessee. Never one to delayand even though he was suffering the after-effects of flu or pneumoniaVan Dorn wasted no time heading north from Fayetteville. The movement began on March 4, following an obligatory address to the troops by their commanding general. A heavy snow was falling. Van Dorn himself was so wracked with fever that he began the journey lying in a wagon. The rugged terrain of the Boston Mountains added to the strain of the march. As the weather-hampered Confederates trudged through knee-deep snowdrifts and stinging winds, the Union forces under Curtis were moving to meet the approaching threat. At Pea Ridge, a long hill 30 miles northeast of Fayetteville, Curtis consolidated his forces and entrenched along Little Sugar Creek, which ran roughly parallel to the ridge, two miles to the southeast. He centered his operations at Elkhorn Tavern, a well-known watering hole at the eastern end of the ridge. His right flank, the flank Van Dorn expected to turn, rested against Elkhorn Mountain and Pea Ridge. The Union position was sound, reflecting Curtis prewar training as an engineer. The creek afforded a natural defensive barrier, and the mountains immediately to the west offered additional protection. To add to the strength of their position, the Federal troops were busily entrenching under the stern gaze of their formidable commander. As he came upon the Federal positions on the evening of March 6, Van Dorn realized immediately that he would be unable to slip past Curtis flank completely unnoticed. He would have to deal with Curtis first, before moving any farther north. Van Dorn decided to take advantage of his superior numbers, the static position of the entrenched Federals, and the terrain itself. The same mountains that provided security to Curtis right flank might also serve to mask Van Dorns movements to the west. He was further encouraged by a minor success when his advance guard briefly engaged and dispatched a small Union detachment under Brig Gen. Franz Sigel. Van Dorn then determined to bring his force to the rear of the Federal line, thereby negating its entrenchments and its advantageous position behind Little Sugar Creek. On the night of March 6-7, he ordered his troops, already weary from three days and 50 miles of arduous marching, to make their way along a road called the Bentonville Detour. That movement would allow the Confederates to move past the Union right flank. Shielded from view by the looming mountains, Van Dorns troops hoped to use McCullochs and Prices divisions as two arms of fast-closing pincers. They would fall on both Union flanks from the rear, creating a surprise double envelopment from which the outnumbered Federals would have no escape. In attempting to create a double envelopment, however, Van Dorn had created an ironic problem for himself. His two wings would be attacking in a southerly direction. By cutting off the Federal force from its line of supply and retreat to Missouri, he was also severing his own communications with his rear supply area in Arkansas. Even worse, he had left his slow and cumbersome supply and ammunition trains behind himin effect, cutting himself off from his own supplies. The Battle of Pea Ridge (or Elkhorn Tavern) began on March 7. Curtis had gathered his four divisions along Little Sugar Creek; they now numbered 10,500 men after Sigels losses the day before. The hollow of the creek and the obstacle of Pea Ridge provided a natural defense. Curtis stiff, traditional, old-school demeanor was ideally suited for the developing situation.At the outset of the battle, Van Dorn was confident. He had kept his campfires burning in front of the Union lines all night to mask his maneuvering around their position. Sterling Prices division had the longest trek, passing around the Union right in a wide arc to bring them behind the left wing. McCulloch had a lesser distance to travel to attack the enemys left rear. On the morning of the 7th, Curtis realized that Van Dorns forces were absent from their camps on the south side of Little Sugar Creek. At first he had no idea where they had gone. But a few hours after sunrise, Curtis scouts informed him that the Rebels were making their way toward him from the rear, moving through the high ground along Pea Ridgethey were moving in strength. Curtis could have retreated across Little Sugar Creek, fleeing toward Arkansas or circling back into Missouri. Instead, he chose to fight. He quickly ordered an about-face, not the easiest maneuver to execute, nor the best way to redeploy for a fight. After turning 180 degrees, an army is frequently disorientedunits normally on the left are now on the right, and orders and directions become confused. Yet Curtis and his subordinates maintained good order and discipline. The Confederates, by contrast, were struggling to meet their timetable. The long mountain trek had delayed them during the cold, dark night. They were coming into attack position a few miles from the Union linesbut they were also a few hours late. By 10:30 a.m., when Prices men pressed down the Telegraph Road toward the Union position around Elkhorn Tavern, Colonel Eugene Carr was waiting for them. The Federals fought back hard, but Carrs outnumbered men were soon reeling under the Confederate assault. Again and again, Carr regrouped and formed new defensive lines. He sent word to Curtis that he needed reinforcements. By noon, Prices men had pierced Carrs second line of defense and fanned out around Elkhorn Tavern. Meanwhile, McCullochs wing struck the Federal left near Leetown. Curtis had assigned Colonels Peter Osterhaus and Jefferson C. Davis (no relation to the Southern president) to meet the threat. As with Carr at Elkhorn Tavern, the two Union colonels met the approaching Confederates head-on. But they, too, were outnumbered and hard-pressed to hold on.On both flanks the Confederates had employed their superiority in infantry and artillery to gainat least temporarilythe upper hand. Gray-clad gunners pummeled the Union lines on both fronts, while Pikes Indians overran Osterhaus first line of defense and immediately paused to begin chanting their victory songs. It would prove a costly diversion. Curtis was under intense pressure to reinforce both his wings. Osterhaus had been hit particularly hard. He had given up much ground, and in the process had lost several artillery pieces and equipment. Carr, too, was reeling, but so far neither wing had broken. Time was now on the Union side. The repeated Confederate artillery and infantry assaults had consumed much of the remaining daylight. In the waning light, made worse by the thick haze of gunsmoke and dust, few officers could see far enough to plot their next moves with any accuracy. Two other factors, both attributable to Van Dorns earlier tactical decisions, began to have a deleterious effect on the Confederates in the evolving battle. First, after repeated barrages and assaults, they were running low on ammunition. But their extra ammunition was in the rear. Or in this case, in the opposing forces rear, since the Federals had turned around to face northward, with Little Sugar Creek behind themand the Rebels precious ammunition boxes just across the creek, separated from them by several miles of rough terrain and a thoroughly aroused Federal army.Additionally, the Confederate forces by this time were exhausted. They had had no sleep and little food for almost two days; no sooner had they encountered the Federal force at Little Sugar Creek than they were on the move again, making another long trek through the cold winter night to reach jumping-off points in what was supposed to be the Union rear. But the enemy rear had become the enemy front when Curtis ordered a timely about-face. Instead of a devastating surprise attack against the backs of an outnumbered and outmaneuvered enemy, the Confederates had encountered a determined and ready foe prepared to contest every yard of ground and not at all inclined to flee or succumb. Elements of their early success now haunted the Confederate effort. Their Indian allies had enjoyed greatly their thumping of Osterhaus, but they adamantly refused to make another direct frontal assault against entrenched Union positions. Ultimately they withdrew from the battle altogether.On the same wing, Van Dorn suffered another crushing reverse when General McCulloch fell dead, shot by a green Illinois foot soldier as his men gathered for a last surge against the faltering enemy troops. A legendary frontier fighter and friend of Davy Crockett, McCulloch had been a leader of the Texas Rangers and a key figure in the pre-Confederacy republic. His death so demoralized his soldiers that many stopped their charge in midstride and simply faded away into the countryside. To make matters worse, McCullochs successor, Colonel James McIntosh, was also killed, and Colonel Louis Hebert was captured. Only Albert Pike remained to gather the remnants of the command and lead them around the north side of Pea Ridge to rejoin Prices force. Meanwhile, on the east end of the ridge, Price had been stymied by a determined force that was half his size. Van Dorn, headquartered with Prices units, became increasingly desperate. He ordered Price forward for a late-afternoon assault despite the exhausted state of the troops and the severe shortage of ammunition. Once again the Confederate artillery did its deadly work, wrecking numerous Union pieces and pressuring the infantrymen crouched down among them. Carr, still calling for reinforcements, was forced to find another defensive line.It was now sunset. Curtis sensed that the danger on his left had diminished, and he sent his reserve division under Brig. Gen. Alexander Asboth to Carrs relief. Asboth arrived in time to help Carr establish his fourth defensive perimeter of the day. By then the Confederates had shot their last bolt. Wearily, they fell to the ground seeking sleep. The fighting on the Union right dwindled away with the dusk. During the night, Curtis, who had carefully avoided committing his reserves until late in the day, now calculated correctly that his numerically superior opponent was exhausted. With better interior lines, steady and disciplined maneuvering, capable subordinates and valorous troops, Curtis line had held, bent but not broken, throughout a long day of assaults. In the darkness he moved more men to his right, opposite the largest remaining concentration of Rebel troops. The Confederate positions were now defensive. The troops were still divided into two segments, Prices on the Union right and the remnants of McCullochs force on the left. The Rebel dispositions and the inward curvature of their lines made it apparent to Curtis that the enemy was weakened and not inclined to renew the offensive the next day. Accordingly, he shifted Colonel Davis division from the left to the right, joining Carr and Asboth opposite Elkhorn Tavern. Sigel and Osterhaus remained on the left, opposite what remained of McCullochs force. On March 8, the Federal troops enjoyed the benefit of a hot breakfast and the confidence that they had held out against superior numbers. The Confederates, meanwhile, were low on food and ammunition, and they were hardly disposed to make another inspired effort after the myriad frustrations of the previous day. Undeterred, Van Dorn resumed hostilities with a booming cannonade from his still numerically superior artillery. But the firing was without focus, less designed to soften the Union lines for another assault than to test the Northerners remaining resolve. The weakness of the barrage indicated to Curtis that the steam had indeed gone out of the Rebel effort. He immediately ordered Sigels artillerymen to respond. As the Rebel artillery ammunition dwindled, the Union gunners began knocking the Confederate cannons out, one by one. Meanwhile, the Union infantry surged forward on the left and pushed the Rebels back from the ridge. Sigel, as much surprised as elated, urged his men forward. The newfound enthusiasm was contagious. Curtis insisted on another precisely timed artillery barrage and a properly synchronized infantry assault. Sigels men closed with the Union right and both elements set off toward, around and past Elkhorn Tavern. Their attack carried them over the same ground they had lost the previous day and pushed the dispirited Confederates back along the entire front. Both of Van Dorns wings began to dissolve. The Union victory was swift and almost anticlimactic. Curtis, his normally dour demeanor split by an infectious grin, rode among his men shouting, Victory! Victory! For his counterpart across the way, the question now was how to hold his beaten force together. Van Dorn did not have to decide what to dohis men decided for him. The Confederates beat a hasty, disorganized retreat in three directions to the north. The Indian contingent simply melted away into the vast wilderness of Indian Territory to the west. Van Dorn managed to hold a remnant in place and led them around Curtis force back to Arkansas, where more of his troops scattered in every direction, delaying for weeks any serious attempt to reconcentrate and reconstitute another meaningful Confederate force in the region. A combination of factors had produced a major Union victory at Pea Ridge. The Union artillery, outnumbered throughout the battle, nevertheless displayed accuracy and aggressiveness, particularly on the second day. The numerical advantage of the Confederate force was negated partly by fatigue, first-day battle losses, the refusal of their Indian allies to resume the fight, and low supplies of ammunition. And throughout the battle the Union commanders showed more initiative, flexibility, creativity and zeal than their Confederate counterparts. Above all, the clear thinking and composed leadership of Samuel Curtis had produced three important and correct decisions that directly affected the course of the battle. First, he turned his force completely around to meet Van Dorns attempted double envelopment. Second, he held back his reserves, not employing them futilely or prematurely, until impact could be decisive. And third, he counterattacked at just the right time for such a stroke. Like so many other Civil War battles, the dreams and aspirations of the combatants, as well as their lives, faded on the bloody field of combat. Van Dorn, despite writing in his report that I was not defeated, but only spoiled in my intentions, was denied the public adulation he sought so desperately. For Van Dorn and the rest of the Confederacy, the Battle of Pea Ridge brought no huzza, only defeat. This article was written by Richard H. Owens and originally appeared in the October 2000 issue of Americas Civil War magazine. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Americas Civil War magazine today! The artists really engaged [the Boneyard Project] as eye candy, saying, This is something my granddad might like.' For the hundreds of outdated warplanes parked in the desert at Davis-Monthan AFB near Tucson, Ariz., the final resting place is generally the scrap yard. But an international team of street and graffiti artists has given a few of these Boneyard planes a second option. Pushing the concept of nose art beyond the nose, the Pima Air and Space Museums Boneyard Project exhibit, which opened in January, displays three brightly painted Douglas Super DC-3s, along with a Beechcraft C-45, Lockheed VC-140 Jetstar and C-97 Stratofreighter cockpit. The artists styles range from folksy to 1930s art deco to postmodern. In 2010 gallery owner Eric Firestone and art critic Carlo McCormick approached Scott Marchand, director of collections and aircraft restoration at the Pima museum, with the idea of using retired aircraft for contemporary art. It was just such a unique offering, Marchand said, adding that he was hoping for a project that challenges peoples ideas and perceptions. Firestone and McCormick started collecting nose conesone of the few parts industrial designers and DIYers leave behind after picking through the Boneyards scrap heapand sent them to well-known street artists. The result was Nose Job, an exhibit that ran at Firestones East Hampton, N.Y., gallery last summer and is now at the Pima museum. This time the artists have been rewarded with entire airplanes, which are on display just outside the museum. According to McCormick, the concept is a tribute to American and European folk art that decorated war machines in World War I and II. This is meant to be a popular show, McCormick said. The artists really engaged it as eye candy, saying, you know, This is something my granddad might like, even though he doesnt get everything I do. Theres a generous sense of sharing visual invention. For more on the project, visit theboneyardprojects.com. Winston Churchill called the alliance between the United States and Great Britain a special relationship. In his 1946 Iron Curtain speech in Fulton, Mo., he said that the peace of the postwar world would depend on the fraternal association of the English-speaking peoplesa special relationship between the British Commonwealth and Empire and the United States. The empire is gone, and the commonwealth is a shadow. But American and British leaders since Churchill have (mostly) embraced his vision. Have they still in the Obama years? In 2009 Britain released from jail the Libyan intelligence officer responsible for the 1988 bombing of PanAm Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The United States was not pleased. The next year Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed Argentine calls for negotiations over the Falkland Islands, which Britain had gone to war in 1982 to defend. Britain was not pleased. Besides policy disagreements there have been small symbolic gaffes. When Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited Washington in 2009 President Obama gave him a box of DVDs of American moviesa gift, the Daily Mail complained, about as exciting as a pair of socks. But the special relationshipwhich is actually 50 years older than Winston Churchills Fulton speechhas lasted, despite occasional differences, because the two countries share common interests and roots. The relationship coalesced at the very end of the 19th centurya bad one for Anglo-American relations, beginning with the War of 1812. At mid-century, the United States was worrying about British designs on the Republic of Texas and the Hawaiian Islands. The Civil War twice came close to becoming a war with Britain: in 1861, when the Union Navy plucked two Confederate diplomats of a British mail ship (they were released after Britain protested); and again in 1863, when a British shipyard built two ironclad rams for the Confederate Navy (the British government bought the ships after the Union protested). Yet another squall with Britain blew up over a South American boundary dispute. Venezuela and British Guiana had been quarreling over their common border for decades. In February 1895 the United States intervened when Congress passed a resolution calling on Venezuela and Britain to submit to arbitration. This seemingly evenhanded gesture was in fact partisan: Venezuela, the weaker country, wanted arbitration, while Britain refused even to consider giving up what it believed was its territory. Economics impelled the United States to take a stand. British miners were extracting gold that had been discovered in the disputed territory; Americans wanted a piece of the action. Britain claimed to control the mouth of the Orinoco Riverthe commercial pathway to Venezuelas interior. Could Americans use the path if Britain guarded the entry? Some Americans worried about the balance of power. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge warned that if Britain were left in possession of the Orinoco, the Caribbean would become a British lake. (Britain already had a slew of Caribbean colonies, from British Honduras to Barbados, while the United States as yet owned nothing south of Key West.) Lodges mentor Henry Adamsson, grandson and great-grandson of men who had all been feisty ambassadors to Britain favored geopolitics with a dash of Anglophobia: It is time, he declared, that the political existence of England should cease in North America. (Adams might be hazy about his continents but not his prejudices.) But the main feeling motivating Americans in 1895 was a consciousness of their newfound power and prospects. The United States had expanded to the Pacific and filled in its western frontier; now it wanted new worlds to stretch out in. Richard Olney, who became Grover Clevelands secretary of state in June, would express the national mood of self-assertion in a brash metaphor: This country was once the pioneer and is now the millionaire. On July 20 Olney sent a message to Britains Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury. Olney looked back to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 in which the United States had declared the Western Hemisphere of limits to new European conquests. Although Britain was now not literally invading Venezuela, its bullying attitude put the smaller country under duress. Therefore its actions were injurious to the interests of the people of the United States. Olney coupled his reasoning with a boast: Today the United States is practically sovereign on this continentthat geographical confusion, againits infinite resources combined with its isolated position render it master of the situation. Lord Salisbury answered with debaters points and sarcasm: The 72-year-old Monroe Doctrine did not apply to the state of things in which we live at the present day. How would the United States like it if Mexico tried to reclaim the Southwest, and some third country demanded arbitration? President Cleveland himself replied on December 17, in a message drafted by Olney. The Monroe Doctrine, he said, could not become obsolete while our Republic endures. Therefore the United States would resist by every means in its power, as a willful aggression upon its rights and interests, any British land-grab. Britain and Venezuela should submit to arbitration. And Cleveland was bold enough to push negotiations to the brink: In making these recommendations I keenly realize all the consequences that may follow. Britain backed offbecause of a threat in another quarter of the globe. On January 2, 1896, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany telegraphed Paul Kruger, president of the Transvaal Free State, an independent Afrikaner republic in what is now South Africa, congratulating him on repelling an attack from Britains Cape Colony. (British politicians in the Cape wanted to annex the Transvaal and its gold fields greater than Venezuelas.) Although London disowned the attackers, the Kaisers meddling raised a storm in Britain that blew Venezuela, Olney and Cleveland of the front pages. But the Kaisers telegram was more than a temporary distraction. Germany, no less than the United States, was a rising powerand one that was much closer to Britain. In order to respond to the German challenge, writes historian John Lukacs, the British realized they had to secure the friendship of the United States, at almost any price. To settle the Venezuelan border dispute, in November 1896 Britain and the United States agreed to an arbitration tribunal consisting of two Americans, two Britons and one Russian. (No Venezuelans were included.) Two years later, when the United States went to war with Spain over Cuban independenceits bid to make the Caribbean an American lakeBritain sided with its former rival. Realpolitik was not the only engine of Anglo-American rapprochement. American heiresses who married into cash-strapped British aristocratic families gave more than their fortunesJennie Jerome, the Brooklyn born daughter of a stockbroker, was the mother of Winston Churchill. Mass immigration into the United States made old-stock Americans think more fondly of their roots. If the two English speaking countries did not vex each other with quarrels, why not cooperate? The new special relationship would undergird three world wars (I, II and Cold) and survive insults a lot worse than giving Gordon Brown a box of DVDs: In 1956 President Dwight Eisenhower rudely stopped an Anglo-French attempt to recover the Suez Canal from Egyptian nationalists. Close as kin, Britain and the United States repeatedly drop their mutual grievances to support each other against more egregious wrongs committed by common enemies. Even powerful countries need reliable friends. When the Islamic State overran northwestern Iraq in the summer of 2014, Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron co-authored an op-ed in the Times of London asserting their determination to foster stability around the world. When ISIS beheaded David Haines, a British prisoner, the White House announced, The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve. The special relationship should last for decades yet. On the morning of February 20, 1962, millions of Americans collectively held their breath as the worlds newest pioneer swept across the threshold of one of mans last frontiers. Roughly a hundred miles above their heads, astronaut John Glenn sat comfortably in the weightless environment of a 9 1/2-by-6-foot space capsule he called Friendship 7. Within these close quarters he worked through his flight plan and completed an array of technical and medical tests as he cruised through the heavens. It offered the leg room of a Volkswagen Beetle and the aesthetics of a garbage can, but the small capsule commanded an extraordinary view of the planet Earth. Through the crafts window, Glenn saw thick, puffy, white clouds blanketing much of southern Africa and the Indian Ocean. The Atlas Mountains of North Africa stood like proud, majestic statues on a planet that seemed as timeless as the stars that twinkled an eternity away. Dust storms blew across the deserts, and smoke from brush fires swirled into the atmosphere. Oh, that view is tremendous, Glenn remarked over the radio to capsule communicator (Capcom) Alan Shepard, his fellow Mercury astronaut stationed back at mission control. As Friendship 7 passed over the Indian Ocean, Glenn witnessed his first sunset from space, a panorama of beautiful, brilliant colors. Before the conclusion of that historic day, he would witness a total of four sunsetsthree while in earth orbit, and the fourth from the deck of his recovery ship. For Glenn, the historic voyage of Friendship 7 remained a vivid memory. Even years after, people would ask him what it felt like to be the first American to orbit the earth. And often he would think of his capsules breathtaking liftoff and those subtle, emotionally empowering sunrises and sunsets. Here on earth you see a sunrise, its golden, its orange, Glenn recalled. When youre in space, and youre coming around on a sunset or sunrise, where the light comes to you refracted through the earths atmosphere and back out into space, to the space craft that refraction has the same glowing color for all the colors of the spectrum . . . . There have been more than 10,000 sunsets since his orbital flight helped launch the United States deeper into a space race with the former Soviet Union. And although Glenns political career as a Democratic senator from Ohio had kept him in the public eye, he is remembered by many of his countrymen as the first American to circle the planet and as the affable spokesman for the seven Mercury astronauts. Glenn marveled at how people all over the world still recall the heady days of the Mercury program. Its been heartwarming in some respects and its amazing in others, he said. I dont go around all day, saying Dont you want to hear about my space experience? Quite the opposite. But if the kids come to the office here, or if I run into them on the subway and they want to stop a minute, I dont hesitate to stop and talk. I think its good; I think thats a duty we [former astronauts] have. By the time Glenn and Friendship 7 burst through the earths atmosphere, the United States was already a distant second in space technology behind the Soviet Union. The race to begin to explore the universe had unofficially begun on October 4, 1957, when the Soviets launched Sputnik I, the worlds first artificial satellite. I think Sputnik sort of forced the hand, said Gene Kranz, who served as Project Mercurys assistant flight director and section chief for flight control operations. I think we found ourselves an embarrassing second in space and related technologies. We were second best, and Americans generally dont like that kind of a role. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, however, was more concerned about the countrys security than its self-esteem. With the Soviets having the rocket power to propel a satellite into space, he wondered how long it would be before they were capable of launching a nuclear bomb toward the United States. In response to this perceived Soviet threat, Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) into being on July 29, 1958. One of the first assignments given to the new agency was to launch a man into space and return him safely to earth, and that fall, Project Mercury was created to fulfill that daunting task. On April 9, 1959, NASA formally introduced to the world the seven test pilots who would, it was hoped, carry the U.S. banner to the heavens. Selected were: Lieutenant Commanders Malcolm Scott Carpenter, Walter Marty Schirra, and Alan B. Shepard of the Navy; Air Force captains Leroy Gordon Cooper, Virgil I. Gus Grissom, and Donald Deke Slayton; and Lieutenant Colonel John H. Glenn of the Marine Corps. Born on July 18, 1921, Glenn was the oldest of the group, arguably the most celebrated, and an obvious candidate for Mercury from the beginning. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Glenn had flown 149 combat missions and been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross five times. After completing test-pilot school in 1954, Glenn went to work testing the fastest jets America could produce. His resume sparkled even more in 1957 after he set a transcontinental speed record for the first flight to average supersonic speed (seven hundred miles per hour) from Los Angeles to New York. From their first public appearance together, the Mercury 7 astronauts, as they came to be known, were celebrities and heroes. We were at first extremely surprised when we were announced to the whole world, and how crazy everybody went over the whole thing, laughs Cooper. But enthusiasm for the project was one thing; making it a success was more difficult. There were countless variables and unknowns to conquer: weightlessness, a new capsule, an inconsistent booster in the Atlas rocket, and of course, the awesome specter of space. To put it bluntly, we didnt know what we were doing in many areas of the Mercury program and we were fortunate our country understood there was no achievement without risk, admits Kranz. As the Mercury project evolved and moved into the next decade, NASA found a crucial supporter in President John F. Kennedy. Just weeks into his term, however, the Soviets scored another technological coup. On April 2, 1961, Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly in space, orbiting the earth once during his one hour, 48-minute flight, which came just three months after a U.S. Redstone rocket had carried a chimp named Ham into space and brought him safely back. On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard made Americas first, manned suborbital voyage, flying for 15 minutes and reaching an altitude of 116 miles. Compared to Gagarins flight around the world, Shepards 302-mile mission was a mere stopover between ports of call. It was, however, a major boost to Americas pride. While Gagarin flew under a cloak of secrecy, Shepards flight was broadcast live on television. The early success of the Mercury Program spurred President Kennedy to inspire NASA to reach for new heights. On May 25, he grabbed the worlds attention when he told Congress that the nations new goal was to complete a manned trip to the moon before the end of the decade. For the first time in its space duel with the Soviet Union, the United States, which had so far amassed just 15 minutes of manned space-flight time, had set the stakes. Gene Kranz recalled with a laugh that we thought he was crazy, but the astronauts also felt energized to meet the new challenge. NASA turned its efforts up a notch that summer. In July, Gus Grissom replicated Shepards short suborbital flight, and by the fall, NASA was ready to attempt putting a spacecraft in orbit. As a final test in preparation for a manned trip, a chimpanzee named Enos was launched into space in late November. The craft carrying Enos completed two orbits before landing safely back on earth, after which NASA announced that on December 20 of that year, John Glenn would make the first American orbital flight. Before taking this next giant leap toward the moon, however, NASA had to ensure that an astronaut could function in a weightless environment for an extended period of time. Some scientists feared that without proper equipment and technology, a space travelers eyeballs would bulge out of their sockets and change shape. This, in turn, would distort his vision and preclude his flying the craft should any of the automatic controls fail. Also, scientists feared that fluid in the inner ear might float freely into the air and that Glenn would become so nauseated and disoriented that he would be unable to perform his tasks. In addition to its concerns about Glenns adaptability to weightlessness, NASA worried about the inconsistent Atlas booster, the huge rocket designed to push Glenns ship into orbit. Two of the five unmanned test firings conducted on the 93-foot Atlas prior to Glenns mission had failed. The memory of one of those failures has remained vivid for Glenn. It was a night test, he remembered, and it was very dramaticsearchlights and a beautiful starlit night. Not a cloud in the sky. They light this thing, and up she goes . . . . At about 27,000 feet it blew up right over our heads. It looked like an atom bomb went off right there. To add to the mounting tension, poor weather and mechanical problems with the rocket forced NASA to scrub Glenns scheduled mission nine times. Finally, on February 20, 1962, seven months after Americas last manned flight, John Glenn would don his bulky pressure suit one more time. Rising out of bed in his ready room at NASAs space craft center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 2:20 a.m., he checked the weather report, which indicated a 50 percent chance of rain. Glenn showered and shaved and had the customary astronauts breakfast of steak and eggs, before taking a preflight physical. If the many weeks of anticipation weighed on Glenns mind, his body did not reflect it. Four hours later, Glenn made the short ride to the rockets launch site. When he emerged from the transfer van, Launch Pad 14 resembled a movie set as giant floodlights waved streams of milky white upon the rocket and the surrounding area. The huge Atlas was a glowing silver sword in the coal black night. My flight wasit was like you staged it, recalled Glenn. It was Hollywoodesque. Two hours before his scheduled liftoff, Glenn squeezed into the cramped cabin of Friendship 7, perched atop the Atlas rocket. The sky was clearing, and just before 8:00 a.m. technicians began the laborious task of bolting on the entry hatch of the craft. Sealed inside the capsule, Glenn felt truly alone. The minutes ticked by slowly as he calmly and methodically worked through his preflight checklist. Finally, Glenn heard the flight team give his mission an A-OK over the radio. With all systems functioning normally, Glenn acknowledged his preparedness with a firm ready. As the final countdown to liftoff began, backup pilot Scott Carpenters voice crackled over Glenns radio: Godspeed, John Glenn. At 9:47 a.m., the rockets three engines ignited. Friendship 7 began to vibrate as the mighty Atlas built up 350,000 pounds of thrust, the force needed to lift Glenn and his craft into orbit. For a few interminable seconds, the massive rocket held steady. Finally, its hold-down clamps released, and the Atlas slowly, agonizingly clutched and pulled at the bright blue sky. We are under way, Glenn reported to Mercury Control. Minutes later, Glenn was 100 miles above the earth and traveling at more than 17,000 miles per hour. With all systems running smoothly during his initial orbit, Control advised him that he had a go for at least seven turns around the earth. Unlike Soviet Cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who had experienced nausea and dizziness during his recent 16-orbit flight, Glenn worked and ate without difficulty. As he gazed earthward through the capsules window, he noted how fragile the planet appeared, shielded from the unforgiving vacuum of space by a film of atmosphere that seemed no more dense than an eggshell. Back at Mercury Control, the flight team, headed by Chris Kraft and Kranz, kept their focus on more practical considerations. After Glenns first orbit, Control had received a telemetry signal indicating that his capsules heat shield might be loose. If that signal was correct, Glenn and the spacecraft would disintegrate in the 3000-degree heat generated by reentry into Earths atmosphere. There seemed to be only one solution to this potentially tragic problem. If Glenn refrained from jettisoning the ships retro-rocket package, a normal procedure just before reentry, its titanium straps might hold the shield in place. Control advised Glenn of their decision to end his flight and ordered him to plan for reentry after his third orbit. Unwilling to burden Glenn with concern over the possible heat-shield malfunction, Control offered no explanation for their decision until he was safely home. Glenn was suspicious, but all parts of Friendship 7 seemed to him to be working properly so he concerned himself only with what was within his control. Before long, the capsule splashed down safely in the Atlantic Ocean. When I started back in through the atmosphere, when the straps that held the retropack on burned off, one of them popped up in front of the window, Glenn remembers. I thought the retropack or the heat shield was breaking up. It was a real fireball. But the heat shield worked fine. Glenns flight was a public relations boon for the U.S. space program. He returned to a heros welcome and a wildly emotional New York City ticker-tape parade. The United States had made a significant step forward in its competition with the Soviet Union and its quest for the moon. Few people knew, however, that the nations most famous pilot would never again fly in space. As Glenn recalled, President Kennedy had passed word to NASA, and I didnt know this for some years, that I was not to be used again on a flight, at least for a while. You cant believe being the focal point of that kind of attention when we came back. I dont know if he was concerned about political fallout, or what. Glenn was disappointed that he never again traveled into space, but said,I dont feel cheated because I had such a tremendous flight. Three years after the confetti and streamers had blown away, John Glenn left NASA and, relegating space flight to a vivid memory, moved into another public arena. Politics is a high-profile world in which Glenns clean-cut image and amiable personality had easily endeared him to his constituents and to the public in general. In 1974, he was elected to the U.S. Senate by his home state of Ohio, an office he held through three more terms. Despite the passage of more than a quarter century, Glenn recalled the innocent joy he found in those wondrous space sunsets. He never lost the ability to draw inspiration from his experiences and to channel it into a positive outlook. I think its an attitude, he said, of maintaining his inner youth. I think kids have an expectation of whats going to happen tomorrow. I think some people are able to maintain that whole thing, this expectation about what theyre looking forward to. Not surprisingly, Senator Glenn found his time consumed by the business of Capitol Hill. But whenever a bright-eyed teenager asked Glenn to describe a launch or splashdown, the senator from Ohio again became one of Americas first astronauts, as he relived that historic day in 1962 when time stood still and three space sunsets blazed like campfires of a thousand sparkling colors. This article was written by Bryan Ethier and originally published in October 1997 issue of American History Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to American History magazine today! All the wars scars have disappeared from the landscape of southern New England, where, more than three centuries ago, the great Wampanoag Indian sachem, or chieftain, King Philip waged a fierce and bitter struggle against the white settlers of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The old fortresses of the colonistssturdy blockhouses of wood and stonehave all vanished. So too have the signs of Indian villages in what used to be the fertile lands of the great Wampanoag, Narragansett and Mohegan tribes. But near Bristol, Rhode Island, beneath a gray bluff of rocks called Old Mount Hope, where the Sakonnet River flows gently into Narragansett Bay, one can still find a place called King Philips Seat, a rough pile of boulders that legend says is the spot where the Indian sachem planned the ferocious war of 1675-1676, and where, when all was lost, he returned in great sadness to die. It is in the shadowy places like King Philips Seat and other obscure landmarks that one may feel the ghostly presence of Philip, the Wampanoag warrior sachem who nearly succeeded in driving the English out of New England in a war that inflicted greater casualties in proportion to the population than any other war in American history. Down through the centuries, though, King Philip has not been well remembered. The Puritans scorned him in life and denigrated his memo-ry after his death. In the 18th century, Paul Revere, the famous Revolutionary and self-taught artist, engraved a portrait of Philip that made him look hideous, even comical. Historians of New England have written reams about King Philips War, but in their descriptions of burning villages, booming muskets and brutal massacres, King Philip the man has been lost. Lost, too, is the meaning of Philips unsuccessful attempt to win a lasting victory against his white enemies. What King Philip experienced in his defeat was a pattern that would repeat itself over and over, down through the subsequent centuries, as whites spread their settlements into Indian territory. The pattern itself was insidious. As a first step, whites would invade Indian lands and establish permanent settlements. Later, after a period of trade and friendly exchanges, the Indians came to realize that they were being swindled, usually out of their valuable lands, by the whites. When they resisted, the Indians almost always faced an enemy that outnumbered them and possessed superior weapons and technology. In the end, as the pattern repeated itself, the Indians ultimately faced two untenable choices: extermination or acculturation. In the case of King Philip, he chose to gamble on wargiving his life in the endrather than acknowledge his white enemy as his master. Little in his background foretold Philips later greatness. His life began around 1638 in the Indian village of Sowams, near modern Warren, R.I., and his fellow Wampanoags knew him as Metacom. He was the second son of Massasoit, the principal sachem of the Wampanoags and the same man who had befriended the Pilgrims when they settled at Plymouth in 1620. During the early years of English settlement, Massasoit had worked diligently to maintain the peace with both the Plymouth Separatists and the Massachusetts Bay Puritans. Keeping the peace between Indians and whites in 17th-century New England was no easy task. The white colonists were hungry for land, and their settlements began to spread quickly throughout the lands of the Wampanoags and other local tribes. Roger Williams, who founded the town of Providence in 1636 after being banished from Massachusetts for arguing, among other things, that Indians should be paid for their land, said that the English suffered from a disease called God landsomething he likened to God gold among the Spanish. As the years went by, the Wampanoags felt more and more pressure to give up their tribal territory, and Massasoit, wanting to accommodate his white neighbors and reap the trade goods that the settlers often used to pay for lands, sold off increasing amounts of the Indian country. Undoubtedly he understood the awful consequences if he did not comply with English demands for Indian land. Philips father, like so many other Indians of New England, took heed of the outcome of the war fought in 1636 by the Puritans against the Pequot Indians of Connecticut, a war that came close to exterminating the entire Pequot tribe. As a result, Massasoit placated the English by continuing to sell land. The Wampanoags, given their proximity to the largest white settlements, were particularly under pressure to accept English culture and laws. Despite the challenges facing his father and his tribe, Philip lived most of his life in peaceful obscurity. He took one of his cousins as his wife, a woman named Wootonekanuske. Together they lived not far from Sowams, in a village called Montaup (which the English settlers called Mount Hope). The historical records are vague about Philips children; he and Wootonekanuske may have had several sons and daughters, but the extant sources mention only one son. Little is known about Philips private and family life because the white colonists paid relatively little attention to him. Until the 1660s, that is. In the winter of 1661, Massasoit died at the age of 81. Philips older brother, Wamsutta, became the principal sachem of the tribe. In a gesture of friendship and fidelity, the two brothers appeared before the Plymouth Grand Court and took the English names of the two legendary princes of ancient Macedonia, Alexander and Philipnames appropriate to their high station among the Wampanoag people. Yet the friendly gestures soon melted away in the heat of suspicion and distrust. The English colonists quickly came to believe that Alexander and Philip were hatching plans for a war against the whites. In 1662, Plymouth authorities sent an armed guard to arrest Alexander and bring him to trial in an English court. When Alexander pledged his undying friendship to the white settlers, the court released him and allowed him to return home, but he had contracted a serious illness in the English settlement and died on the trail before reaching home. Many Wampanoags believed that Alexander had been poisoned by the settlers at Plymouth, and some of the Indians wanted to avenge his death by attacking the colonists. King Philip, probably in his mid-20s at the time, assumed the duties of principal sachem and managed to calm down the hotheads in the tribe. For the next nine years, he sustained peaceful relations with Plymouth and the other Puritan colonies, all of which had grouped together under a regional governmental body called the United Colonies of New England. As the Puritan colonies banded together for strength, the Indians of southern New England grew increasingly weak in numbers and influence. During these years of peace, Philip continued his fathers practice of selling lands to the whites. But he soon found himself on a slippery slope. As he sold more and more land, the white settlers established towns closer to the Wampanoag villages, including the settlement of Swansea, not far from Montaup and Sowams. The colonial authorities also decided to regulate Philips real estate transactions by requiring him to obtain permission from the Grand Court before selling any more land. Increased contact between Indians and whites bred increased suspicion and distrust on both sides. Repeatedly during the late 1660s and early 1670s, the Plymouth magistratesoften the victims of their own paranoia and gullibilitysuspected that King Philip was plotting with the French in Canada or the Dutch in New Netherlands to attack the settlements of New England. Philip denied any involvement with the French or Dutch, but he failed to convince the Plymouth officials of his innocence. In 1671, after the colonists suspicions became a conviction that Philip was planning to attack their towns, they forced him to sign a new treaty that pledged his friendship to them. They also extracted a promise to pay them an annual tribute of 100 pounds sterling and to surrender his warriors muskets to the Plymouth authorities. Not all of Philips men gave up their guns, however, and the Plymouth officials saw the lack of total compliance as another threat of war. On September 29, 1671, King Philip signed yet another treaty with the whites that brought about what he had been trying to avoid all along: the subjugation of his people under the laws of Plymouth colony and the English king. Philip did not seem to take the agreement seriously. He held the colonial authorities in utter contempt and complained on one occasion that the Plymouth magistrates did not hold the highest station in their government. If they wanted him to obey them, they should send their king to negotiate with him, not their governors. Your governor is but a subject, he said. I shall treat only with my brother, King Charles [II] of England. When he comes, I am ready. It is nearly impossible to know what Philip was planning in the mid-1670s as he and the English veered closer and closer to war. A reconsideration of the scarce available evidence suggests that Philip never did develop an overall policy toward the English, or a grand design for a conspiracy against them; however, he may have hoped on more than one occasion to rid himself of his white neighbors by attacking their settlements, or finding allies who could help him subvert the colonists rising dominance. Styled king by the English, Philip actually lacked the sweeping political authority over his own people attributed to him by ethnocentric whites who assumed that the governmental structure of Indian tribes resembled the English monarchy. Rivalries with other Algonquian tribesand the success of the English policy of divide and conquerprecluded any military coalition among the Wampanoags and their Indian neighbors. Whether or not King Philip was conspiring with other Indians to wipe out the English, the white authorities certainly thought he was. So did some Indians. John Sassamon, an Indian who had served for a time as Philips aide and translator, believed the Wampanoag sachem was indeed planning a pan-Indian conspiracy against the English. A convert to Christianity who had studied for a time at the Indian school at Harvard College, Sassamon lived for many years among the whites in Massachusetts, but in the 1660s he abandoned the English and joined Philips band at Montaup. Later, Sassamon, who was described by another Indian as a very cunning and plausible Indian, well skilled in the English Language, lived with a community of Christian Indians in Natick and eventually became an Indian preacher. In late January 1675, Sassamon, saying he feared for his own life, told Governor Josiah Winslow of Plymouth that King Philip was hatching a plot against the English. Despite all their earlier suspicions about Philip, Winslow and the other Plymouth officials refused to take Sassamon seriouslyuntil they found his body beneath the ice in a pond. An Indian witness claimed that he had seen three Wampanoags murder Sassamon and throw his body into the water. Quickly the Plymouth authorities rounded up the suspectsall of whom belonged to Philips bandand took them into custody. With great speed, the three Indians were tried, found guilty of murder and sentenced to be hanged. On June 8, 1675, two of the Indians were executed. But when the rope around the neck of the third man broke, allowing him for the moment to escape death, he confessed to Sassamons murder and declared that Philip had masterminded the crime. The condemned mans confession did him no good; within a month he was executed by a Plymouth firing squad. When word of the executions reached King Philip, he ordered his tribe to prepare for war. The Wampanoags sent their women and children to safety across Narragansett Bay and gathered their men together for war dances. Deputy Governor John Easton of Rhode Island visited Philip and tried to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Plymouth and the Indians. Even Plymouths Governor Winslow sent letters of peace and friendship to the Wampanoags. For about a week there was a possibility that the crisis would pass without bloodshed. Then the storm broke. On June 18, several Wampanoags raided a few deserted houses in the English settlement of Swansea, just north of Montaup. Two days later, more Indians returned to the settlement, entered the abandoned houses and set fire to two of them. Meanwhile, the Swansea settlers took refuge in fortified garrison houses and sent a messenger to Plymouth asking for military assistance. On June 23, a young English boy shot and killed an Indian who was looting his housethe first bloodshed in what was to become New Englands most devastating war. No one seemed able to control events, least of all King Philip. If his plan was to fight the English rather than submit to their ways, his military strategy revealed an utter lack of careful thought or purposeful design. On June 24, the Indians attacked Swansea in force, killing a total of 11 white settlers (including the boy who had fired the wars first shot) and wounding many others. Yet the approach of militia troops from Plymouth made it apparent that Philip could not remain in Swansea or even in Montaup. Fleeing Montaup, King Philip led his warriors east to the Pocasset country. A small group of white soldiers, commanded by militia Captains Benjamin Church and Matthew Fuller, tried to surprise Philip and his Wampanoags at Pocasset, but the Indians fled before the colonial troops could attack. Later, Churchs company was ambushed in a fierce attack by Philips Indians, who pushed the soldiers back to the Pocasset shore. Pinned down at the beach, Church and his men finally escaped when some Rhode Island patrol boats rescued them in the nick of time. Church later thanked the glory of God and his protecting Providence for helping to effect their narrow escape. While soldiers from Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay assembled near Swansea and organized themselves into an army, Philip and his small force struck effectively at nearby undefended white settlements. During early July, Philips warriors attacked the towns of Taunton, Rehoboth, Middleborough and Dartmouth, killing settlers and burning houses. Stealth and speed became Philips greatest weapons, causing the English to live in constant fear of surprise attacks. Every noise in the forest sounded like the footsteps of moccasins or the echoes of war whoops. On July 19, Church and his men, hoping once more to trap King Philip, returned to the swamps of Pocasset and fought a desperate battle with the Indians. The English suffered many casualties in the fight and withdrew, leaving behind seven or eight of their dead. After regrouping, Church and his men tried to surround the marshlands and force Philip to surrender. Instead, Philip and his Indians slipped through the swamp and disappeared into thick woods, leaving no trace. One English soldier observed that fighting in muddy swamps and tangled forests made victory for the whites nearly impossible. It was, he said, dangerousto fight in such dismal woods, where the leaves muffled movements, thick boughs pinioned arms, and roots shackled feet and legs. It is ill fighting with a wild Beast in his own Den, he complained. Philips escape from the clutches of Church and the colonial militia meant that the war would no longer be fought simply within the relatively small area around Mount Hope, Swansea and Pocasset. The conflict now burst out into the open country of New England, and the spread of its flames could not be contained. As Indian attacks multiplied throughout southern New England during the summer of 1675, white settlers believed that King Philip had taken supreme command of a large army of Indian allies, although such was not the case. At best Philip led a war party of some 300 Indians, most of whom were Wampanoags or members of other bands residing in the vicinity of Montaup. At the end of July, Philip took his warriors out of Wampanoag territory to link up with the Nipmucks of central Massachusetts. No one knows precisely what he did or where he went for the next several weeks. Throughout August, reports came into Plymouth and Boston that he was spotted in Massachusetts, or seen in Connecticut, but most of the reports were unconfirmed or vague in their details. Actually Philip seemed to be everywhere at once, or nowhere at all. Meanwhile, the frontier exploded from Connecticut to Maine with one Indian attack after another. The Narragansetts, who at first declared Philip their enemy, eventually allied with him as the fighting continued during the summer of 1675. But not all New England Indians rose up against the whites. The Niantics of southern Rhode Island, the Mohegans and Pequots of Connecticut, and several other smaller tribes throughout southern New England served with the English as scouts and warriors against Philips forces, or maintained a nominal neutrality during the conflict. English towns, however, remained vulnerable to surprise attacks, and one settlement after another was abandoned in the wake of devastating Indian assaults that took place from the summer to the late autumn of 1675. Taken off guard by the Indian uprising, and poorly prepared to fight a major war of any kind, the New England colonists seemed unable to win any decisive victory against their Indian enemies. That situation changed in December when a combined English force invaded the territory of the Narragansetts in southern Rhode Island in hopes of capturing Philip at an Indian fortress in the Great Swamp. On December 19, the soldiers assaulted the palisaded fort at a weak, unfinished corner, but Indian resistance was strong and effective. Impetuously, the English troops decided to fire the fort; in doing so, they burned the Indians supply of food, which the soldiers themselves needed for their return march out of the swamp. The Narragansetts fled the fort, leaving behind about 100 dead and 50 wounded warriors, and perhaps as many as 1,000 casualties among their women and children. The English lost 70 dead and about 150 wounded, many of whom later died in the winter cold from their wounds. The whites had at last won a victory, but at a very high cost. More important, the English troops had failed to capture King Philip. Earlier intelligence reports had proven false; he was not in the fort at the time of the attack. While the Narragansetts took flight from the Great Swamp, Philip and his Wampanoags were traveling west on a long journey through the winter snows. Philips hope was to stay the winter with the Mohawk Indians of New York and convince them to join the war against the English. In January 1676, he encamped on the east side of the Hudson River, about 20 miles north of Albany, where he negotiated with the Mohawks and successfully avoided the English patrols that searched in vain for him throughout the New England countryside. But Philips plan for Indian assistance backfired when Sir Edmund Andros, the governor of New York, persuaded the Mohawks not only to remain loyal to the English but also to attack the Wampanoags in their winter camp. So the war went on, and the casualties mounted with every engagement. Fleeing from the overpowering might of the Mohawks, King Philip took his followers to the upper Connecticut River valley. In March their attacks on white settlements grew even more merciless. On a single day, March 26, 1676, the Indians surprised several English towns and troops in separate assaultsat Longmeadow, Marlborough and at the Blackstone River, north of Pawtucket Falls. A few days later, the Indians attacked Rehoboth in Massachusetts and Providence in Rhode Island. Even so, the tide of war was beginning to turn. Because the Indians had not planned on war, their stores of food and other supplies were being rapidly depleted. As spring approached, the tribes could not return to their seasonal camps to plant crops or to hunt the scarce game in the New England woods. Indians began starving to death. Others became convinced they could not totally defeat the English, who greatly outnumbered them and whose supplies of food and ammunition seemed unlimited. During the spring, many Indians decided to abandon the war and surrender to the English forces. King Philip, however, refused to surrender. In July 1676, he and his Wampanoags returned to the Pocasset country, back to the lands where the war had begun the year before. All around southern New England, small expeditions of white soldiers were rounding up Indians and selling them off into slavery for profit. For almost a month, Philip and his people avoided capture by hiding in the woods and swamps. But he could not remain hidden forever. On July 20, Benjamin Church led a small expedition of English and Indian allies and attacked Philips camp near Bridgewater. More than 170 Wampanoags were captured or killed in the battle, but King Philip escaped into the forest. Among the prisoners, however, were his wife, Wootonekanuske, and their 9-year-old son. After much debate, the colonists decided to spare their lives by selling them into slavery in the West Indies for a pound apiece. When Philip heard of their fate, he is reported to have said: My heart breaks. Now I am ready to die. Captain Church continued in hot pursuit of Philip. When an Indian deserter who blamed Philip for the death of a relative revealed that the sachem had returned to Montaup, Church led his men to the vicinity of the old Wampanoag village and down to the craggy shoreline below the impressive bluffs along the Sakonnet River. In the early morning hours of August 12, Church and his company found the small band of Indians sound asleep near the spot later known as King Philips Seat. Philip had posted no sentries around his camp. Without warning, Church and his men attacked, but Philip, aroused by the noise of battle, saw an escape route and ran quickly toward a swamp. As he ran for his life, a shot rang out, and the sachem slumped to the ground. The great King Philipthe most feared Indian in New Englandwas dead. The shot had been fired by John Alderman, one of Churchs trusted Indian friends. Like Crazy Horse 200 years later, King Philip was slain by a fellow Indian. Church inspected the body of the fallen sachem and in disgust called him a doleful, great, naked, dirty beast. The captains men let out a loud cheer. Then Church ordered the body to be hacked to pieces, butchered in the manner of the standard English punishment for treason. As a reward, Alderman received Philips head and one hand. The rest of the sachems body was quartered and hoisted on four trees. Later Alderman sold the severed head to the Plymouth authorities for 30 shillings, the going rate for Indian heads during the war, and it was placed on a stake in Plymouth town, where the gruesome relic remained for the next 25 years. The death of King Philip signaled an end to the war. About 9,000 people had lost their lives in the conflict, including some 3,000 Indians. Nearly 50 English towns and countless Indian villages had been destroyed. Many Indian captives, like Philips wife and son, were sold into slavery. Unlike the English settlers, the Indians of southern New England never entirely recovered from the devastation of the war. Some Indian tribes, including the Wampanoags and the Narragansetts, were almost entirely annihilated. Indian survivors of the war huddled together in remote communities where they hoped to avoid scrutiny by the whites, but in subsequent years the local authorities made sure that these remnant bands of Indians came under close supervision of the colonialand later statelegislatures. In the spirit of King Philip, these native peoples did their best to sustain their culture, traditions and identity despite their dwindling numbers, intermarriage with African Americans and uncharitable treatment by their white lords and masters. The Pequots and Moheganssome of whom intermarried with the Wampanoag survivors in the centuries after King Philips Warmay have thought they had chosen the winning side by fighting against Philips Indians during the war, but they ultimately suffered the same cruelties of harsh white policies and bigotry that all Indians in southern New England experienced well into the modern era. Among their greatest losses, besides the tragic loss of life that occurred on both sides during King Philips War, were the lands that were gobbled up by hungry whites whose appetites could not be satiated until every last morsel had been consumed. As for King Philip and his loyal Wampanoags who chose to fight rather than submit to English demands, they paid the highest price of all. Today the memory of Philip remains strong among the Indians of New England. Standing in the long shadow of King Philip, his descendants and other New England Indians still work for justice and fair policies toward their people. Outside of New England, however, few Americans know Philips story or the privations experienced by the Indians of New England after his death. Under the circumstances, it is intriguing to wonder just how different American history might have been if King Philip had won his terrible war. This article was written by Glenn W. LaFantasie and originally published in the April 2004 issue of American History Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to American History magazine today! More to War Than Fighting When you stop to consider everything that was involved in the day-to-day experience of a commanding general in the Civil War, you begin to wonder how they ever found any time to fight battles. It is natural for us to think of generals mounted atop noble steeds parading along the firing line, barking out orders as bullets fly around their heads. But as it was for every soldier from army commanders on down to privates battles were simply the temporary shock points amid the long daze of marching, camp and everything else that was part of the reality of army life. Certainly tactical competency and combat leadership were critical aspects of a commanders resume and essential if he was going to consistently win battles. But ultimately commanders were expected to win wars, and to do that they also needed skills that went beyond the Xs and Os of the battlefield. A successful army commander was part warrior, part mediator, part politician and PR man, part logistician and statistician, and the list goes on. When he wasnt placating disgruntled bureaucrats in the War Department or fending off relentless newspapermen, he was busy figuring out how to move thousands of men and animals and tons of supplies across massive theaters of war, or how to keep his subordinates from killing each other or from trying to steal his job. As Richard Selcer reminds us in this months cover story, battlefield negotiation was another skill that was fundamental to a generals success. Ulysses Grants reputation in American military annals is secure based on his combat prowess alone, but it is his proficiency in making peace that sets him apart from many of his peers, and may also constitute his greater contribution to military history. Selcer begins his analysis of Grants negotiation skills in this issue with an exploration of Fort Donelson and the generals first real opportunity to try his hand at offering terms. Well continue the story next month by looking at Vicksburg and Appomattox. In so doing we see, among many other things, the maturation process of a general who was operating on instinct in 1862, but by the time of Appomattox in 1865 had changed both his approach to, and his execution of, peace offerings just in time for one of the most important surrender negotiations in American history. Ultimately Grant would have been pleased that we remember him today as more than just a fighter. Its doubtful he would have minded that characterization either, but if the mans own memoirs are any indication, he wanted history to be keenly aware of everything else that a commander did too. Grants work isnt the place to find sensationalized accounts of personal heroism or grandiose descriptions of epic battles some of his peers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line enthusiastically filled that void in their own memoirs. Grants writing, like the man himself, is pragmatic, devoid of ceremony, gritty and real. It is these qualities that make his memoirs fascinating, and give them staying power. He pulls back the curtain of romance that shrouds Civil War commanders and reminds us how much time and energy was devoted to logistics (and then logistics, and then more logistics), soothing tattered nerves in Washington, mediating petty disputes or fending off attacks from his own side of the lines. Somehow he also found time to win a few battles, and even more important, bring peace to the battlefields that would ultimately end the war. C.W.L. Ken McGwin 2nd Class Petty Officer, U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Amphibious Forces September 1967-April 1971 It was easy to be drafted in Marquette County, Wisconsin, in 1967the pool was not large there. I chose not to go to college; I knew everything already. We were farmers and the farthest Id been from home was Kansas City. A friend had gone into the Navy and I thought this would be a great way to see the world. I had visions of the Mediterranean, France and Spain. After basic training, I was assigned in September 1967 to USS Vancouver in San Diego. North Korea took the spy ship Pueblo in early 68, so everyone was anxious about that, and Vancouver got underway early for an extended deployment in the Tonkin Gulf and the South China Sea. At sea, near Da Nang, I received orders for USS Westchester County and flew to its home port at Yokosuka, Japan. Wesco, as it was known, was a 384-foot tank landing ship (LST), so Id gone from deep water navy to brown water navy. We were in Operation Midraft, the deployment with the joint Army/Navy Mobile Riverine Forces in the Delta. We traveled far up the Mekong, moving with the tides in shallow waters to supply armored gunboats and troop carriers, or gunboats called Tangos. They would tie up alongside the LST with a camel, a pontoon-type thing between the boats, so the crews could come aboard for meals or to get cleaned up. We refueled the boats and made repairs. I became a third class petty officer, a machinists mate, and spent most of my time in the engineering spaces, where boredom was interspersed with some activity and lots of work. That all changed on Nov. 1, 1968, when Wesco was attacked while anchored midstream on the My Tho, 40 miles up-river from Vung Tau. The ship was serving as temporary home and base to 175 soldiers of the 9th Infantry Divisions 3rd Battalion, 34th Artillery, and to crews of Navy River Assault Division 111. It was a typical night. I was in the boiler room distilling water for the ship, there was a full watch on the bridge and picket boats had dropped percussion grenades in the water to keep the Viet Cong from swimming out to the ship to deliver mines or attach explosives to the hull. At about 3 a.m., I felt two tremendous explosions. General quarters sounded. I couldnt get anyone on the phone, so I left the boiler room for the main deck. Lights were out, and clouds of choking steam, smoke and vaporized diesel fuel filled the air. We manned our repair stations, but decided that someone had to find out what was going on. I went with another guy to the starboard side and saw many dead and wounded. Two gigantic holes had been ripped into Wescos starboard side, directly beneath the camel. Steel plating was twisted and shredded, fuel tanks were ruptured and berthing compartments, where senior petty officers had been sleeping, were destroyed. You could hear people struggling to get out. We expected more explosions and didnt think we would live through the night. Most of the senior ranking petty officers had been killed. Where people were trapped, there was only the light from our battle lanterns and flashlights. We could not use torches to cut people out because of diesel fuel in the air. Wesco began listing to starboard and there was still power to the pumps, so we opened valves and pumped water to restabilize the ship. With ammunition laying scattered about on the oil-slick deck, and highly flammable vaporized fuel hanging in the air, it was a recipe for disaster. When daylight finally came, we realized the scope of the attack. Many were still hurt and trapped, but we just couldnt get to them in time. We discovered two men alive in one of the partially flooded compartments, so I climbed down into the wreckage and pried them out. Our hospital corpsman calmly treated them, even though he himself was badly injured. That night 25 were killed and 22 woundedthe Navys greatest single-incident combat loss of life in the war. Days later, we beached the ship on the bank of the river and Seabees patched the holes. Wesco then steamed back to Japan, a trip that saw another crisis. Trying to outrun a typhoon in heavy seas, we lost some of the patches, and water again flooded the ship. We ran the pumps and shored up as best we could. Wesco arrived safely at Yokosuka on November 26. I returned to Vietnam as a second class petty officer on the amphibious assault ship Tripoli as Vietnamization began, hauling out aircraft and equipment. In 1971, during Tripolis yard period in San Francisco, I got out of the Navy. I wanted to go home to the farm and get away from people. A friend from Indiana, who got out on the same day, had a new VW Beetle, so we hopped in it and headed east, feeling free and alive. Adapted from the documentary film Wisconsin Vietnam War Stories, by Wisconsin Public Television, www.wisconsinstories.org/vietnam. Daryl Paulson Age: 64 Hometown: Bozeman, Mont. Career: President and CEO, BioScience Laboratories, Inc. In-country: July 1968-Aug. 1969 In 1991 Daryl S. Paulson, Ph.D., started BioScience Laboratories, Inc., a small antimicrobial product testing firm that now employs 60 people and does business globally. Paulson also has a welding shop and has created a multitude of metal sculptures for public art spaces in Bozeman. Sgt. Paulson served in the 5th Marine Regiment during Operation Taylor Common to clear the An Hoa basin. Shocked by the way vets were treated following the war, he became depressed and suicidal and left college. Thanks to a psychotherapist who worked with him, he quit drinking, returned to school, got his masters degree in medical microbiology, along with a doctorate in psychology, and started his own biological lab. The author of several books, including two on PTSD, Paulson gives back to his community by supporting youth and veterans programs. His book Walking the Point: Male Initiation and The Vietnam Experience is a powerful account of how PTSD healing can occur only when one begins to examine his life authentically and begins to trust himself again. BACK TO VETERAN SPOTLIGHT Although scientists are witnessing a decline in numerous populations of fish species in the world's oceans, cephalopods - including octopus, cuttlefish and squid - have increased over the past 60 years. The findings stem from a study from the University of Adelaide that examined the global database of cephalopod catch rates in order to reveal their long-term trends. "Our analyses showed that cephalopod abundance has increased since the 1950s, a result that was remarkably consistent across three distinct groups," said Zoe Doubleday of the University of Adelaide and lead author of the study. "Cephalopods are often called 'weeds of the sea' as they have a unique set of biological traits, including rapid growth, short lifespans and flexible development. "These allow them to adapt to changing environmental conditions (such as temperature) more quickly than many other marine species, which suggests that they may be benefiting from a changing ocean environment." Declining ocean temperatures are raising concerns over the habitability of the world's oceans for the marine species within them. However, the new data suggests that all species are not on the decline. Furthermore, the current study stemmed from research on the decreasing population of the Giant Australian cuttlefish, which is now rebounding. "There has been a lot of concern over declining numbers of the iconic Giant Australian cuttlefish at the world-renowned breeding ground in South Australia's Spencer Gulf," Doubleday said. "To determine if similar patterns were occurring elsewhere, we compiled this global-scale database. Surprisingly, analyses revealed that cephalopods, as a whole, are in fact increasing, and since this study, cuttlefish numbers from this iconic population near Whyalla are luckily bouncing back." The team is considering the possibility that the rise in cephalopod numbers could be caused by the alterations in the marine environment caused by human activities such as global warming and climate change. "Cephalopods are an ecologically and commercially important group of invertebrates that are highly sensitive to changes in the environment," said Bronwyn Gillanders of the University of Adelaide and co-author of the study. "We're currently investigating what may be causing them to proliferate - global warming and overfishing of fish species are two theories. It is a difficult, but important question to answer, as it may tell us an even bigger story about how human activities are changing the ocean." The findings were published May 23 in Current Biology. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. R ight now the Royal Docks is a work barely in progress. There are plans for 24,000 homes and 60,000 new jobs in the area, while in his final Mayors Question Time in March, Boris Johnson pledged it would become a world-class business destination. One of the first housing developments is Royal Albert Wharf, overlooking the Royal Albert Basin and close to the Thames. More than 1,500 homes are planned here by 2021, with cafes and shops lining a pretty dockside and a tree-lined public square. Notting Hill Housing has launched the first 72 shared-ownership homes for sale at Royal Albert Wharf, aimed at Londoners on low to medium salaries. Prices start from 126,000 for a 40 per cent share of a one-bedroom flat with a full market price of 315,000. Two-bedroom flats start at 156,000 for 40 per cent, with three-bedroom flats from 210,000. Monthly service charge ranges from 130 to 270 a month, depending on the size of flat. Anybody living in any of the London boroughs can apply, and the homes will be move-in ready by early summer. Hopkin Man, head of sales at Notting Hill, says: This area will change massively in the next few years. The Elizabeth line is coming in a couple of years and values will increase. Early residents will need imagination and pioneering spirit. There is not a lot going on apart from building, but Albert Dock has potential and some flats have water views. For now, London Regatta Centre offers facilities for rowing and dragon boating, plus several clubs to join and a restaurant. The University of East London has moved to the area, and the ExCeL exhibition centre offers the chance to hop across to Greenwich on the Emirates Air Line, the UKs only urban cable car. Other developments at the docks will encourage shops, bars and restaurants, and there are future plans for Britains first floating village, plus the renovation of a Thirties Art Deco mill, set to become a base for start-up businesses. On the waterfront: Royal Albert Wharf overlooks Royal Albert Basin homes with water views are ever-popular TRANSPORT LINKS The site is just east of London City airport, handy for weekend getaways although a degree of aircraft noise is to be expected. On the ugly list is Beckton gas works and sewage treatment works, which locals say adds an occasional distinctive aroma, although recent upgrades by Thames Water ought to help solve the problem. The nearest DLR station, Gallions Reach, has services to Canary Wharf in 19 minutes, London Bridge in 22, and Waterloo in 25 minutes. From 2018, it will be possible to take Elizabeth line trains from Custom House, two miles away, directly to the City, West End and Heathrow. THE KNOWLEDGE: ROYAL DOCKS Past: Albert Dock was opened in 1880, with three full miles of quayside to handle grain imported to feed a growing London. Future: the three Royal Docks the other two are named after Queen Victoria and King George V are to be transformed into a mini city with 12 miles of waterfront. Trivial pursuit: the US Olympic and Paralympic teams were billeted at the University of East Londons campus at Albert Dock during the 2012 Games. What it costs: an average flat in the E16 postcode costs 345,793 according to Rightmove. Landmarks: its not glamorous but Beckton sewage treatment works, designed by engineer Joseph Bazalgette and opened in 1875, saved London from cholera and gave us the flush lavatory. 350,000: a refurbished three-bedroom flat in Kildare Road, E16. Contact I Am the Agent (03334 441007) Eat: The Reach Bar & Kitchen has a gastropub menu and outdoor seating for sunny days. Drink: The Fox at ExCeL is a warehouse-style pub, all bare brick and beams, close to the nearby exhibition centre. Buy: Gallions Reach Shopping Park has a reasonable range of high street chains. Walk: Beckton District Park, Beckton District Park North and Beckton New Park make this area surprisingly green. First-time buy: its not all shiny new build in this neck of the woods. I Am the Agent (03334 441007) has a refurbished three-bedroom flat, ideal for sharers, for sale at 350,000 in Kildare Road, E16. Read more The new Airbnb TV ads should strike terror in your heart, especially if you manage or own a resort. That is where I see the main - and growing - threat from sharing economy accommodations players such as Homeaway and Airbnb. And my advice to hoteliers is blunt: start now to prepare for battle because it is going to get bloody. The Airbnb ads hit an emotional high note: Don't go there, live there - and what vacationer does not want to feel that he/she spent a week living in Paris or Manhattan or even Santa Fe? Implicit in the campaign is the spin that somehow hotels encroach upon their community and are fundamentally alien to it. I have heard - frighteningly often - from senior resort executives that the sharing economy is no threat to them. Threatened, they say, are city hotels that cater to business travelers who, increasingly, are Millennials and, according to these execs, it's Millennials who want to use Airbnb et. al. What nonsense and yet they believe it, Recent research out of the UK found that only 2% of business travelers expressed an interest in Airbnb-type lodgings. No surprise. Business travelers want predictable, reliable lodgings and almost definitionally that means chain hotels. So also no surprise that this same survey found that only 21% would choose an independent hotel. But for a vacationer - especially one spending multiple days, perhaps a week - Airbnb et al. can offer compelling attractions that put them right in the midst of where they want to be, from Vail to Paradise Valley. But "living there" is just the start of the Airbnb benefits. There also is space. Squeezing a family into a typical hotel room is plain uncomfortable. Often for just a couple too. Upgrading to a suite at a resort is expensive. Wouldn't you rather have a whole house or apartment? Of course and with Airbnb et al. you can, often at a price sharply below that of a suite at many resorts. That math is daunting - it should be - but know that you can still win. But many have to up their games, sharply and broadly. There are three places where resorts should win. It starts with service. That is no Airbnb forte but it ought to be a core strength of a resort. Sadly, it isn't always so - when hotels are under-staffed and under-trained. That has to change to win the fight with Airbnb. This means more staff, better trained staff and, yes, that increases the costs but it is worth it because it gives the resort a competitive edge. There is no way a sharing economy accommodation can rival the smooth professionalism of the staff at a top resort. No way. Next: upgrade the activities on offer and cut out most of the upcharges. A common resort guest complaint is being nickel and dimed. Give guests fun - exciting - activities and no sharing economy accommodation can compete. Keep as many as possible free. Airbnb generally offers no activities. So this becomes a huge win for the resort. Last: focus on culinary. Yes, that whole house rented via Airbnb has a kitchen, but unless you're a foodie shopping the local farmers' markets, most travelers will not want to cook while on vacation. It is a lot more convenient to walk into a nearby restaurant and enjoy a well-priced meal in local surroundings. Price a resort restaurant to be competitive with in-town dining and make very sure that the restaurant is as good as, ideally better than, other restaurants in town. That means guests should want to eat there and when they do they will love the convenience and be wowed by the food. And that is a big win over Airbnb. Now let's look at the scorecard. AIrbnb will probably win on space and price. But a smart resort will win on service, activities and food - and that will be enough to delight many guests. The fight with sharing economy accommodations is about to get brutal - know that. But it is winnable. Just double down on the strengths a well-run resort should have and the odds shift heavily in your favor. Babs Harrison Babs Harrison + Partners Babs Harrison + Partners Plan now to join the global leaders in lodging development, investment, and finance during the 39th Annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, which will be held on June 46, 2017 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City. Conference Chair Jonathan M. Tisch and the Executive Planning Committee are in the process of developing another extraordinary program for the 2017 NYU Hospitality Investment Conference. Registration is now open! You may register online, by mail, or onsite at the Conference. For more information please contact [email protected] World's biggest luxury hotel brand teams up with renowned futurist to predict the future of luxury travel IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies announces that its InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand has sought the expertise of Fortune 500 Futurist, Faith Popcorn. The collaboration comes as the InterContinental brand celebrates 70 years of pioneering luxury travel and looks ahead to the next 70 years. Looking at luxury travel trends of the future, Faith focused specifically on the guest experience, service, destinations as well as hotel design. She believes that Virtual Reality (VR) escapism and immersive brand experiences will shape service and guest experiences in the future of luxury travel: Clanning Experiences : VR technology will enable real-time sharing of adventure and luxury among friends or family who are spread around the world. It will mean that guests and their loved ones can enjoy simulated adventures in real-time, whether it be a walk through the Serengeti or an ocean swim with extinct marine life. : VR technology will enable real-time sharing of adventure and luxury among friends or family who are spread around the world. It will mean that guests and their loved ones can enjoy simulated adventures in real-time, whether it be a walk through the Serengeti or an ocean swim with extinct marine life. Customised Wardrobes: Hotels will partner with fashion brands to sponsor guests' in-room wardrobes, complete with 3D printed designer clothing. Wardrobes will be customised to suit personal taste based on online shopping habits, size and local weather conditions. Hotels will partner with fashion brands to sponsor guests' in-room wardrobes, complete with 3D printed designer clothing. Wardrobes will be customised to suit personal taste based on online shopping habits, size and local weather conditions. Fantasy Escapes: Luxury as we know it today will become so accessible that consumers will seek more extreme and un-attainable experiences. Hotels will provide guests with game-like environments for fantasy escapes, which could involve living out danger in a safe environment. Described as "The Trend Oracle", Faith Popcorn has worked with leading Fortune 500 companies to help them accurately predict consumer trends. With a documented 95% accuracy rate, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts teamed up with Faith as part of the brand's ongoing commitment to remain at the forefront of luxury travel. Futurist Faith Popcorn commented: "In envisioning with InterContinental Hotel & Resorts to mark their 70-year anniversary, we've forecast what the future holds for luxury travel. Consumers will be craving immersive experiences which will allow them to indulge in luxury in both a physical and a virtual sense. By harnessing Virtual Reality (VR) and the constant flow of personal likes, dislikes and bio-data, hotels will be able to provide guests with once-in-a-lifetime experiences seamlessly and spontaneouslyor so it will seem." By 2086, as space itself becomes the ultimate luxury, VR will evolve interior design so that it can be tailored by guests, and luxury travel will offer access to never-before-explored locations and immersive experiences: Building Down: With 70% of the world's population set to be urban by 2050, the design and structure of luxury hotels will change dramatically with brands set to adopt new architectural solutions such as 'building down', to fit to the changing landscape. With 70% of the world's population set to be urban by 2050, the design and structure of luxury hotels will change dramatically with brands set to adopt new architectural solutions such as 'building down', to fit to the changing landscape. Immersive Spaces: Guests will be able to design spaces specifically tailored to their personal aesthetics and needs. From customisable holographic wall art to fully adjustable interior design, guests will be treated to state of the art facilities to ensure maximum satisfaction and relaxation. Guests will be able to design spaces specifically tailored to their personal aesthetics and needs. From customisable holographic wall art to fully adjustable interior design, guests will be treated to state of the art facilities to ensure maximum satisfaction and relaxation. World Experience: Different wings or rooms in hotels will be created to offer guests a taste of cultural experiences from different corners of the world from golden Caribbean beaches to white blanket ski slopes, all located in the same hotel. In order to continue creating new experiences for guests that elevate the everyday, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts have teamed up with world famous interior designer specializing in luxury hotel design, Tara Bernerd, for the development of the brand's new design philosophy. Commenting on the future of luxury design in hotels Tara Bernerd said: "InterContinental Hotels & Resorts are constantly looking to evolve their interiors and aesthetic to make their properties more unique and luxurious for guests. Interior architecture and design play a very powerful part of a guest's experience and I am delighted to be supporting InterContinental Hotels & Resorts on their new design philosophy that will hope to see them continue to push the boundaries of luxury travel into the future." InterContinental Hotel & Resorts is set to break new territory once again, with the development of the Songjiang Quarry Hotel in China. The hotel is set to be built in a 90m deep quarry outside of Shanghai. Boasting cascading waterfalls, extreme sport facilities such as bungee jumping and rock climbing, underwater bedrooms and cutting-edge conference facilities, it is set to be the greenest hotel ever built, with plans to power the luxury resort with geothermal and solar energy. Simon Scoot, VP Global Brand Strategy at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts added: "Our collaboration with Faith Popcorn and partnership with Tara Bernerd further ensures the InterContinental brand remains at the forefront of luxury travel. Innovation and pioneering spirit is in the InterContinental brand's DNA. Since the launch of the brand in 1946, followed by the opening of the first hotel in Belem, Brazil, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts opened the gateway to a whole new world of glamour and discovery for a jet-set generation. 70 years on, as global travel has transformed, the InterContinental brand has evolved and adapted with it." With nine iconic openings in the last year including new hotels in London, Dubai, and Chennai, and the upcoming opening of InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun later this year, as well as the re-opening of the iconic InterContinental New York Barclay, the brand continues to build its luxury legacy. About IHG IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good. With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG Rewards. For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Jovana Lakcevic +44 (0) 1895 512 864 IHG It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home The 86-room Tru by Hilton Oklahoma City Airport is located just five miles from the Will Rogers World Airport at 802 South Meridian Avenue, and is expected to open in spring of 2017. The new property is expected to add 75 construction jobs and 20 jobs in the long term once the hotel is open. On Friday, less than four months after Tru by Hiltons public debut, Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) broke ground on the brands second property, located in Oklahoma City. The celebratory event, in keeping with Trus forward-thinking and innovative personality, swapped out hard hats and shovels for 3D artwork of the hotels exterior design, which allowed attendees to feel as though they were part of the hotel. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin addressed the crowd and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and local Councilman Larry McAtee also attended Fridays event. The 86-room Tru by Hilton Oklahoma City Airport is located just five miles from the Will Rogers World Airport at 802 South Meridian Avenue, and is expected to open in spring of 2017. The new property is expected to add 75 construction jobs and 20 jobs in the long term once the hotel is open. Hilton's Alexandra Jaritz, Jim Holthouser and Bill Fortier join Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, Local Councilman Larry McAtee and Champ Patel, CEO of Champion Hotels, LLC, to celebrate Tru by Hilton's Oklahoma City groundbreaking. Tru is a disruptive brand, built on the belief that a great stay and affordability can, in fact, go hand-in-hand, said Alexandra Jaritz, global head for Tru by Hilton. We know the brand will have broad appeal to Oklahoma City travelers who span generations but share a similar youthful mindset. Bringing an original, back-to-basics experience with soul grounded in value and anchored in the DNA of Hilton Tru will provide Oklahoma City with a contemporary, consistent and fresh hotel experience, while at the same time being operationally efficient to our owners. The value proposition continues to drive developer interest. Hilton Worldwide currently has 70 approvals and 172 more deals committed or in progress, up from 130 hotels in January when the brand launched at The Americas Lodging Investment Summit. Tru by Hilton is believed to be the fastest growing new-build hotel brand in U.S. history. We are proud to have partnered with Hilton from the very beginning as part of a group of owners who advised on the creation of the brand and to bring one of the first Tru by Hilton properties to market, right here in Oklahoma City, said Champ Patel, CEO of Champion Hotels, LLC. Tru by Hilton is going to transform the midscale category by virtue of its innovative offering at a very desirable build cost, and will certainly bring fresh energy and options to Oklahoma Citys guests. When completed, the new Tru by Hilton Oklahoma City will provide guests with smart and efficiently designed guest rooms and reimagined public spaces, including an open lobby with four zones for lounging, working, eating or playing. Designed to appeal cross-generationally, complimentary amenities will include a unique toppings bar breakfast, coffee and tea; mobile check-in and Digital Key available through the Hilton HHonors mobile app; a multifunctional fitness center; and segment-leading Wi-Fi bandwidth. By breaking through the clutter of the midscale sectors undistinguished offerings, Tru by Hilton will provide guests with experiences, and not just a place to stay, said Matt Wehling, senior vice president of development North America, Hilton Worldwide. We thank our partners within Champion Hotels who have signed more than a dozen Tru by Hilton deals and are excited to bring to life the opportunity Tru creates in Oklahoma City. Tru by Hilton Oklahoma City will participate in Hilton HHonors, the award-winning loyalty program serving more than 50 million members. Hilton HHonors offers members exclusive benefits and more ways to redeem points than any other guest loyalty program. New hotel is IHGs first in the city of Barranquilla and 13th in Colombia InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today announces its arrival in Barranquilla, Colombia, with the opening of the newly built 18-floor, 154-room Holiday Inn Express Barranquilla Buenavistahotel. IHG's first Holiday Inn Express hotel in the city boasts an excellent location, in one of Barranquilla's most exclusive areas, Buenavista. This property is IHG's first in Barranquilla and will be joined later this year by the Crowne Plaza Barranquilla property. Gerardo Murray, Regional Vice President of Brands & Marketing, Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean, IHG said: "This particular neighborhood in Barranquilla, Buenavista, where the Holiday Inn Express property is situated, is thriving and offers both leisure and business travelers a perfect combination of activities to fulfill their needs and wants. We are thrilled to continue to grow the IHG portfolio in Colombia and offer travelers to this beautiful city the comfortable accommodations and efficient service of the Holiday Inn Express brand along with the opportunity to earn IHG Rewards Club points when visiting the area." Barranquilla is situated on the northern coast of Colombia. From the city's historical landmarks, skyscrapers overlooking the tropical lowlands, to the open-air shopping centers filled with upscale shops, the city is a booming metropolis. According to an analysis by BBVA Research completed in 2015, Barranquilla was one of the few Colombian cities to have an average economic growth rate of five percent, which motivated the nearly US$12 million investment by the hotel's ownership company. Owned by Grupo Contempo S.A.S. and managed by OXO Hoteles, the Holiday Inn Express Barranquilla Buenavista hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG. The property marks IHG's fifth project with the ownership group. The Holiday Inn Express Barranquilla Buenavista hotel offers guests a comfortable, yet affordable stay with innovative, preferred guest amenities to ensure a pleasant stay, including a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool, complimentary high-speed Internet access, a business center, meeting spaces and complimentary parking. The complimentary Express Start breakfast bar features a full range of breakfast items, including regional and local dishes, a rotation of egg and meat selections, breads, yogurt, juices, fruit, pastries, cereals and coffee. The Holiday Inn Express brand participates in IHG's hotel rewards program, IHG Rewards Club. Spire Hospitality announced the appointment of Jim Gross as general manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld. Gross will oversee the operations of the 1,004-room, 28-acre hotel while overseeing a multi-million dollar renovation and convention center addition. As a seasoned hospitality executive, Gross brings more than 20 years of progressive industry experience that has come full circle. Gross led a number of Spire Hospitality hotels as general manager and is returning to the company to lead DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld. Gross will build on the current success of the hotel helping to drive revenues, strengthen the operating performance, reposition the hotel as a result of the coming conference center addition while building on the strong culture that assures excellent guest service and experiences at DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld. "We are very proud to welcome Jim back to Spire Hospitality as our new general manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld," says Spire Hospitality President and CEO, Bill DeForrest. "His extensive knowledge, outstanding leadership skills and experience working with the financial aspect of operations will ensure growth and continued excellent performance of the hotel during and following our renovation and convention center addition." Most recently, Gross served as the general manager for Embassy Suites by Hilton San Diego on the Bay where he created a service culture at the property that improved overall guest experience. Prior to, Gross increased revenue and repositioned the sales culture as general manager of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, Calif., after a dramatic renovation. Gross was later promoted to area director of operations in 2014, where he was responsible for four Kimpton hotels in San Francisco. Gross has also worked as general manager for the Sheraton Mahwah in Mahwah, N.J., Crowne Plaza Hotel in Somerset, N.J., New Jersey and Hotel Solamar in San Diego, Calif. among others. "Success is based on collaborative leadership style, and the ability to create clear goals and drive hard towards achievement," says Jim Gross, general manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld. "I look forward to leading a strong team of individuals whose primary goal is attentive service and genuine hospitality to guests of DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld." Marina Del Rey Hotel Sonnenblick-Eichner Company announced today that it has arranged $38 million of first mortgage leasehold financing for Marina del Rey Hotel, a 164-room, full-service, luxury boutique hotel located on the water in Marina del Rey, California. The hotel underwent a $28 million renovation and reopened in January of 2015. The three-story property features 6,291 square feet of meeting space, SALT Restaurant & Bar, a heated year-round infinity pool and spa, a marina view sundeck, business center, and a 24-hour fitness center. Elliot Eichner, a Principal of Sonnenblick-Eichner Company, commented, We were successful in arranging a 10-year fixed rate loan, sized to a 10% debt yield with the hotel being fully operational for less than 12 months. The loan provided for interest-only payments for the entire term. Patrick Brown, also a Principal of Sonnenblick-Eichner Company, added: Though the property had limited operating history, the loan was fully funded at closing and did not require an earn-out provision. About Sonnenblick-Eichner Company Sonnenblick-Eichner Company (www.sonneich.com) is a Beverly Hills-based real estate investment banking firm that specializes in arranging structured finance for acquisition, construction and permanent loans, interim and mezzanine financing as well as joint-venture equity transactions. The company is recognized for its expertise in marketing institutional real estate for sale and providing capital for all product types including retail, office, hospitality, industrial, and multifamily properties. Lr dig mer om hur ett online casino med bankid fungerar innan du klickar in p ett casino som rekommenderas av Videospelautomater. About Pacifica Hotels Pacifica Hotels was formed in January of 1993 to consolidate the hospitality operations of Invest West Financial Corporation, which has been involved in the acquisition, development, refurbishing and operating of quality hotel properties and other commercial real estate properties for almost 30 years. Today, Pacifica Hotels is the largest owner and operator of boutique hotels on the Pacific coast. Pacifica Hotels 35 independent and flag properties in key California cities from San Diego to San Francisco, as well as Hawaii and Florida, feature outstanding locations, AAA 3 and 4-diamond ratings, upgraded amenities and high standards of guest service. For complete hotel descriptions and reservations, visit www.pacificahotels.com. Source: Sonnenblick-Eichner Company Media Contact: Bruce Beck bruce@dbrpr.com (805) 777-7971 Its been over eight months since Rodeo, and La Flame fans are more than ready for a new album. Travis Scott created a massive buzz last week when he announced two upcoming projects, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight and Astroworld. He revealed the titles of the projects during a concert in Houston and referred to them both as albums. He told the crowd that the first of the two albums, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, would be dropping sooner than you motherfuckers can take a shit tonight. Though shits have likely been taken, the album still isnt here. A couple of nights after the initial announcement, Travis performed a surprise show in Atlanta and confirmed the imminent release of Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. Im dropping my new album in a couple of fucking days, he said to an audience of adoring fans. He went on to reveal that the album will feature some of my favorite fucking artists. That was Thursday night (May 18) more than a couple of days ago but whos counting? Fans are ready for the trap to be filled with the sweet singing of McKnight at any moment. Travis Scott The international harm reduction event is taking place this time next year Its been confirmed that the 2017 Club Health Conference will be held in Dublin from May 24-27. The 10th such gathering, it will address nightlife, substance use and related health issues. With UCD, the Health Research Board and Ballymun Youth Action among the partners, it promises to be a very fruitful exchange of views. In a reverse of whats happened with the Web Summit, last years conference took place in Lisbon where Global Drug Survey supremo Dr. Adam Winstock was among the contributors. The Irish 2016 GDS findings will be exclusively revealed on June 23 in Hot Press, with Adam also contributing to the chemsex article thats in our new issue out on Thursday. This article can only be read with a Premium Account Many of cinema's greatest directors have won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. But only Francis Ford Coppola had won the accolade twice, before the great British socialist director Ken Loach snaffled his second award tonight... I, Daniel Blake directed by Ken Loach, has scooped the top prize, the Palme dOr, at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Loach has described the film as 'a message of hope.' The 79-year old British director, who is one of the most celebrated auteurs in recent film history, won the Palme d'Or a decade ago, with the powerful and widely-acclaimed Irish film, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, starring Cillian Murphy. Loach's latest film aims to expose the cruelty of the British welfare system. "We must give a message of hope, he said as he accepted the prize.We must say: another world is possible." An astonishingly powerful and moving film, I, Daniel Blake tells the story of 59-year old Newcastle carpenter, Daniel Blake (Dave Johns), who is recovering from a heart attack. His doctor has told him not to work, and recommended sick leave but, in a scenario that is all too familiar in a post-Thatcherite world, the carpenter is forced to look for work or be deprived of financial assistance from the State. During a visit to the job centre, Blake meets Rachel, played by Hayley Squires, a single mother with two children. In order to avoid living in a hostel, Rachel has had to accept accommodation all of 280 miles from her home town. Their lives inter-twine, giving the film its powerful dramatic narrative. Recent winners of the Palme d'Or include Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013), Winter Sleep (2014) and Dheepan (2015). Advertisement One of the most prestigious awards in film, the annual accolade is awarded by a jury comprised largely of film-makers and actors. In its inaugural year, 1955, the Palme d'Or was awarded to Delbert Mann for his film, Marty. Sadly, there were no Irish victors in Cannes this year. Among the winners announced this evening, across various categories, were: Best Short Film: Timecode; Camera dOr (Best First Feature) - Divines (director, Houda Benyamina); Honorary Palme dOr - Jean-Pierre Leaud; Best actor - Shahab Hosseini, The Salesman; Best Actress - Jaclyn Jose, Ma Rosa; Jury Prize - Andrea Arnold, American Honey; Best Screenplay- Asghar Fahardi, The Salesman; Best Director - Graduation (Cristian Mungui) and Personal Shopper (Olivier Assayes); Grand Prix - Xavier Dolan, Its Only the End of the World. There have been numerous notable winners of the Palme d'Or over the years, many of which went on to be regarded among the greatest films of all time, including the Federico Fellini-directed La Dolce Vita (1960); Luchino Visconti's The Leopard (1963); and Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which starred Catherine Deneuve, in 1964 and which retains a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up won the award in 1967; Robert Altmans Mash scooped the prize in 1970; and Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation took the top slot in 1974. Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver, starring Robert de Niro in his defining role as Travis Bickle, claimed glory in 1976. Apocalypse Now, also directed by Francis Ford Coppola shared the Palme d'Or in 1979, with Werner Hertzogs legendary adaptation of Gunter Grass' The Tin Drum; meanwhile the Bob Fosse-directed All That Jazz took the honours in 1980, alongside Japanese director Akira Kurosawas brilliant Kagemusha. The Wim Wenders-directed Paris Texas with an amazing soundtrack by Ry Cooder claimed the Palme d'Or in 1984; Seven Soderbergh led the way in 1989 with Sex, Lies, Videotape; The Coen Brothers snaffled the honours in 1991 with Barton Fink; and in 1993, New Zealand director Jane Campion the only female director to date to have won the Palme dOr shared the prize for her movie The Piano, with the brilliant Farewell My Concubine, by Chen Kaige. Quentin Tarantino was accorded the ultimate Cannes accolade for his second major feature Pulp Fiction in 1994; Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami's A Taste of Cherry jointly claimed the prize with The Eel by Shohei Imamura in 1997; in 2000, it was the turn of Lars von Trier for Dancer in the Dark, which starred the iconic Icelandic star Bjork; and Gus van Zant's Elephant triumphed in 2003. Advertisement All good company, as they say. But only Francis Ford Coppola had previously won the Palme dOr twice. That puts Ken Loachs achievement in perspective. That he is among the great modern European directors has been confirmed unequivocally. Long live Ken Loach! Menza reportedly suffered a heart attack during a gig. Ex Megadeth drummer Nick Menza has died aged 51. Menza was the drummer for the group from 1989 to 1998. He collapsed on stage during a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday night. He played on albums such as Rust in Peace, Countdown to Extinction, and Youthenasia. He is best known for the tracks 'Holy Wars', 'High Speed Dirt' and 'The Conjuring". Current Megadeath frontman Dave Mustaine reacted to the news on Twitter. TELL ME THIS ISN'T TRUE! I woke at 4 AM to hear Nick Menza passed away on 5/21 playing his drums w/Ohm at the Baked Potato. #nickmenzarip Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) May 22, 2016 Menza's management released a statement on the events after he collapsed on stage. In it they said,"earliest reports indicate [Menza] suffered a massive heart attack and was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital". Former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman has also paid his respects to Menza. "We all know the great and unique drummer that Nick Menza was, but he was also a trustworthy friend, a hilarious bandmate, as well as a very loving dad. Im beyond sad, did not see this coming at all. RIP Brother." Fans of the group have been paying tribute online to the drummer using the hashtag #nickmenzarip. Holy shit. #NickMenzaRIP You went out doing what you loved to do. You will be missed. So much talent gone. Rest well ??????? ShreddZ (@TheRealShreddZ) May 23, 2016 Advertisement You will be missed Nick. You were always one of my favorite drummers. #nickmenzarip Jesse Martin Doss (@Norrian1) May 23, 2016 Check out Menza playing Megadeth's 'Holy Wars' at London's Hammersmith Apollo Theatre in September 1992. The Today FM DJ is bringing his show to the Dublin venue this week. Paul McLoone is to broadcast live from the Workman's Club in Dublin city centre this Wednesday, May 25. The show will be part of his Paul McLoone Presents series on Today FM. The live radio event will include performances from Lisa O'Neill, exmagician and Blossoms. All will perform on the night with the acts coupled on to topical discussions from the presenter. Tickets for the show are free but must be reserved via the Today FM website. Blossoms are supporting The Last Shadow Puppets at their Olympia gig on the same night and will be dashing across the city to join the show after. Last night they made their first appearance on Later... with Jools Holland. Check out the video below. Lisa O'Neill released her latest album Pothole In The Sky in April and Belfast based electronic duo exmagician are fresh off the back unveiling their debut album Scan The Blue in March. Yorgos Karahalis/STR ATHENS, Greece - After days of heated debate, Greek lawmakers voted narrowly on Sunday to approve a fresh set of financial measures aimed at ensuring that eurozone finance ministers will decide this week to unlock billions of euros in badly needed rescue loans from the country's third bailout. The legislation passed 153-145, with all of the government coalition members in Parliament voting in favor. It includes a 1 percentage point increase in the highest rate of sales tax to 24 percent, higher taxes on coffee, alcohol, fuel and other goods and new rules liberalizing the market for nonperforming bank loans. There is also a measure creating a privatization fund to sell off state assets and utilities, including public transport companies, the post office and the state power corporation. The holy grail for any barbecue explorer is to drive through a small Texas town and find an obscure, unknown joint that makes great barbecue. In today's social-media-fueled world, that's becoming harder and harder to do. But that doesn't stop the inveterate explorer, myself included. It is mostly a quixotic search - you know that all the best places have been documented, but maybe, just maybe, there's another one out there waiting to be found. It's about the journey and not the destination. So any trip across Texas becomes a series of detours. Driving to Austin? Don't bother with U.S. 290. Take Texas 71 north from Interstate 10. This stretch of Texas backcountry is known for small, unknown barbecue joints popping up on weekends like thunderstorms popping up on sultry summer afternoons. Still, how do you know when you should stop and when you should keep going? How can you improve your chances of finding great barbecue? The first clue, of course, is appearance. Is it a run-down barbecue shack, a small trailer, a slick new restaurant or just some guy cooking barbecue on the side of the road? The hard reality: If it looks like a down-at-the-heels shack, in all probability the barbecue is not very good. This is counter to every instinct we have as Texans and barbecue fans. Shouldn't those old-fashioned, weather-beaten, blue-collar places make the best barbecue? Alas, they usually do not. Taking Texas 71, I used to stop at a place called Gil's Bar-B-Que Shack just north of Columbus. It was a shack both in name and appearance. Gil and Mary Vrazel ran the place on the weekends. The pit room in the back, which looked to be about 50 years old, was a true Texas treasure. The old steel barbecue pits produced, well, just pretty good barbecue (the sausage was great). The Vrazels have since retired and closed the place. Today, for better or worse, the best Texas barbecue comes from comfortable, contemporary and usually air-conditioned restaurants. Consider Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Pecan Lodge in Dallas and Killen's Barbecue in Pearland. There are a couple of other things to look out for - rather, sniff for - when judging a barbecue joint by its cover. Every great barbecue joint I've ever visited retains the fragrance of burning wood either inside or out. This may seem obvious, but it is only after eating middling barbecue at a new place that I realize there is no smell of smoke anywhere to be found. Similarly, a quick visit around the back of the joint will often reveal what type of pit is used. Trailer-mounted barrel smokers are a good sign. A shed filled with all-gas automated smokers is not. You also can check for a wood pile near the smoker. Is the establishment using post oak, pecan or mesquite? I once visited a place (that shall remain unnamed) that had a pile of two-by-fours sitting next to the smoker. I never went back. And if you're poking around, take a peek at the joint's outdoor trash area. Empty brisket boxes will often be piled up, and you'll see where the business sources its brisket. Packaging from a producer such as Creekstone is a good sign, Walmart is not. Finally, in all my years of exploring, I've never been to a great barbecue joint that featured a drive-through window. There's just something about combining fast food with barbecue that is counter to Texas tradition. I never want to order a plate of smoked meats and be asked, "Do you want fries with that?" Melissa Ginsburg's new novel, "Sunset City," has all the elements of a hard-boiled mystery: a violent and inexplicable murder, a troubled but sincere protagonist, an attractive detective and suspects ranging from socialites to porn stars. And acting almost as a character itself is the city of Houston, the setting for Ginsburg's dark foray into exploitation, drugs and murder. "I think Houston is perfect for noir," Ginsburg said, "because it is a very easy place to hide, to stay lost if you want to. There's so much space in between everything and a lot of privacy because of that. People tend to stay in their air conditioning, so if you exist in the in-between spaces, you can get away with nearly anything. It's perfect for crimes." Her first-person narrator, Charlotte Ford, self-medicates with drugs and sex as a way of dealing with the loss of her most significant childhood friend, the beautiful but self-destructive Danielle Reeves. Intent on finding Danielle's killer, Charlotte weaves her way through the city with lyric descriptions that Houstonians will appreciate. One minute, Charlotte is in River Oaks, where "it was getting dark. The outside air vibrated all around me. Cicadas whined in the trees, and a slow wet breeze signaled summer's beginning. The city felt gentle and open." The next, she is flying down a freeway, "floating through the endless neighborhoods of identical houses, the cul-de-sacs lined with progressively younger trees." It's obvious that she knows the city deeply. "Growing up in Houston was great in many ways," she said. "The schools I went to were really wonderful, and I had access to art classes, the museums. I grew up exposed to the ballet, the symphony, all the arts. I went to HSPVA (the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) for high school and studied visual art, and I could not have asked for a more ideal situation. Even as a teen, I knew how lucky I was to be at that school." Yet at times, the city could be lonely. "When I was a kid, I felt pretty isolated in Houston," Ginsburg said. "I remember feeling trapped and bored a lot, unable to go anywhere on my own. I went to magnet schools, so I didn't have friends in my neighborhood, ever. My friends and I used to get rides to the Galleria and watch other people buy things. I also read a lot, spent a lot of time by myself. It was lonely, and I wanted to leave. Everyone I hung around with in the '90s talked about leaving, moving to Austin or New York or San Francisco, someplace that seemed more hip and vibrant." Ginsburg stayed and enrolled at the University of Houston, but she soon left. After college she attended the Iowa Writer's Workshop, where she studied poetry. She hasn't lived in Houston since 2003. More Information 'Sunset City' by Melissa Ginsburg Ecco, 208 pp., $25.99 Book signing What: Melissa Ginsburg will sign and discuss "Sunset City" (Ecco Press; $25.99) When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday Where: Murder By The Book, 2342 Bissonnet See More Collapse "In many ways, the Houston of 'Sunset City' is the Houston of my childhood in the '80s and '90s," she said. "I wrote the book while living in other places - Iowa, Los Angeles, Mississippi - so much of it is based on memory rather than direct observation. It's fictionalized." After she left, Ginsburg "felt homesick in lots of unexpected ways. Houston is a great city, and it's gotten more interesting since I left." She now teaches at the University of Mississippi at Oxford, but her sister and some of her extended family still live here. When she visits the city, Ginsburg most looks forward to eating Vietnamese food and visiting the Menil Collection. "I also love driving in Houston - I feel more like myself on a Houston freeway than in any other situation." That theme shows up in Ginsburg's book, too. At one point, heroine Charlotte admires her friend Audrey's ability to just drive around. Charlotte says that she, personally, can't do that: "I have to know the next turn." "There's not much to it," Audrey replies. It's the setup for a perfect Houston noir line: "If you don't care, you can't make a mistake." Mexican Americans might not recognize their cultural history as it unfolds in a new textbook proposed for Texas public schools. Chicanos are described as people who "adopted a revolutionary narrative that opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society." In another passage, Mexican Americans are linked to undocumented immigrants. Illegal immigration has "caused a number of economic and security problems in the United States," the textbook notes. "Poverty, drugs, crime, non-assimilation, and exploitation are among some of these problems. Studies have shown that the Mexican American community suffers from a significant gap in education levels, employment, wages, housing, and other issues relating to poverty that persist through the second, third, and fourth generations." These are excerpts from "Mexican American Heritage," the first textbook on this subject ever included in a list of pre-approved instructional materials for Texas public schools. (The Texas Observer first reported on this textbook May 11.) Following an outcry from activists in 2015, who demanded that Mexican American studies be formally included in state curriculum, the State Board of Education voted to include textbooks on this subject. But instead of a cause for celebration among Texas Latinos, the new book is courting controversy. "Paradoxically, we pressed for the board to include texts on Mexican American studies, and we achieved it, but not in the way we were expecting," says Tony Diaz, host of Nuestra Palabra (Our Word) radio program in Houston and Director of Intercultural Initiatives at Lone Star College-North Harris. "Instead of a text that is respectful of the Mexican American history, we have a book poorly written, racist, and prepared by non-experts." The Texas Education Agency says it followed standard procedure for the call to submit instructional materials for Mexican American curriculums under Proclamation 2017, so named because the materials are scheduled to reach classrooms in the 2017-2018 school year. "The proclamations, once approved by the State Board of Education in a public meeting, are posted on the Texas Education Agency website and sent out on various public email listserves which are open to anyone to sign up," says DeEtta Culbertson, a communications specialist with the agency. "All of the discussions and approvals are done at public meetings." 'Blatant opportunism' There is still time - up until September - for Texans to submit comments and complaints about the proposed instructional materials in Proclamation 2017, Culbertson says. Ultimately, the books that are adopted by the Texas State Board of Education in November become part of the recommended instructional materials for statewide curriculums, although independent school districts are not required to embrace them. The book is produced by Momentum Instruction, a company that appears to be owned or operated by Cynthia Dunbar, a member of the Texas State Board of Education from 2007 to 2011. A right-wing Christian activist who questioned the constitutionality of public schools in 2008, Dunbar labeled the education system "tyrannical" when she published her book "One Nation Under God" while she was a member of the board. More recently, Dunbar served as the Virginia State Co-Chair of the Ted Cruz Campaign, according to her website. Despite repeated attempts, the Chronicle was unable to reach Dunbar or any of the other listed authors on the book. Dunbar's is the only name familiar to local educators, who are already reacting to its contents. "We never received notification that they were going to consider texts for this curriculum," says Nicolas Kanellos, University of Houston professor and director of Arte Publico Press, the nation's largest and most established publisher of contemporary and recovered literature by U.S. Hispanic authors. Arte Publico has published several titles related to Mexican American studies, including "Chicano! The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement," by F. Arturo Rosales, a professor at Arizona State University and a well-known authority on the subject. "Chicano!" accompanied a PBS documentary series and is part of school curriculums around the country. Kanellos says the "Mexican American Heritage" book "appears to be blatant opportunism from certain people to make money and/or to water down the real Mexican American history. No wonder they didn't issue a call to submit texts to be evaluated. They have wanted to ensure the adoption of that simulacrum of a textbook." 'Positive respect' In Texas, more than half the students in public primary and secondary schools are Latino, most of them Mexican American. Yet there is a long history of frustration among Mexican-American educators and activists who say their culture and history is often unrepresented or misrepresented in the public education system. The lack of Mexican American courses is "a big problem because what is happening to Mexican American and Latino students is that they don't see a collective history that is part of their own history," says Jesus Cantu Medel, professor of Mexican American studies at Houston Community College. "They see an American history but not their unique American experience." While there are at least 25 black universities in the country that have contributed to the educational advancement of that community, Medel observes, Mexican American and Latino kids have little chance to get in contact with significant educational materials related to their culture. Local educators are not convinced that "Mexican American Heritage" is the right textbook to fill this need. The book "is not a text that we have recommended nor we will be recommending," says Douglas Torres-Edwards, coordinator of a Mexican American Studies course that has been approved by the TEA and implemented in some Houston Independent School District schools. "Frankly, that author is not recognized as someone who is part of the Mexican-American studies scholarship and most individuals engaged in scholarship will not recognize her as an author." Academically, there seems to be an advantage for Latino students to learn about their contributions to collective history. Several studies, including one published in the American Educational Research Journal and another from Arizona State University, show a reduction in the dropout rate among Latino students taking courses in Mexican American studies at the middle and high school levels. "By taking these courses and learning about their contributions, they gain a positive respect for themselves," Medel says. "They get motivated to complete courses and (to get) a high school diploma." 'Open season' Yet the "Mexican American Heritage" textbook could be damaging, says Diaz, an activist who pushed hard for Proclamation 2017 and spoke out against the banning of the Mexican American Studies curriculum in Tucson schools a few years ago. Diaz even launched the Librotraficante movement to bring banned books back to Arizona. If "Mexican American Heritage" is formally recommended by the state, "it's going to be considered by some schools," Diaz says. "And that is problematic especially in this election cycle that you have the Republican presidential candidate talking about Mexicans being rapists, and now you have what some people may mistake as a legitimate textbook saying that Chicanos are violent. It just seems like it's open season on Latinos." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Andrew White was younger, his mother reminded him that when he's in the presence of adults, he needs to have something to say and to know how to say it. " 'In 20 years, there's going to be a time when you're going to eat dinner with the mayor, and you're going to have to talk to him (or her) properly,' " he said, repeating his mother's warning. "I was like, 'Mom, that won't happen.' " Except that it did. He's now 18 and has just been named - by Mayor Annise Parker, in partnership with Writers in the Schools and the Houston Public Library - the City of Houston's first Youth Poet Laureate. White was chosen from 45 applicants ranging in age from 14 to 19 to represent Houston at events in the city and around the state. He also gets a book deal from Penmanship Books to publish a collection of poems, a podcast platform and a mentorship from Houston Poet Laureate Robin Davidson. "He is an exemplary young man who not only possesses a talent for writing poetry but also has leadership skills, a love for Houston and a powerful voice that will be an asset as he takes his poetry to the people," Parker said. The Youth Poet Laureate role is also part of an effort to get a younger generation more engaged with literature and poetry. Andrew White's poetry Lunar Patterns by Andrew White I never liked knowing that words are limitless. I always like to pretend that stars that left particles in the air were nothing more than tombstones lost to infinity drifting away. I never liked thinking that romanticism was the only type of poetry You say that the two are inseparable, but I always believed that a word breathed deeper than a monarch who sits on a treebranch. I never liked listening modern love songs You say that a bird's song sounds a lot like plastic bottles whistling through air conditioner vents, I always thought that the shadow a pen made on a page were like imprints on an asphaic moon, and as lunar patterns became our gods poetry should become like scripture onto a city's landscape. See More Collapse "It's really missing in modern society," White said. "Today, a lot of youth and America itself see poetry as something that one has to study for the SATs, or study for English class, ... but it really is a way to express yourself and be. Just be. It ... speaks to all generations." White's interested in other writing too, essays and screenplays and can be found sitting in a coffee shop or a library jotting down ideas for hours at a time. "I love writing about family relationships or romantic relations, or any kind of relationships such as a teacher and student," said the teen, who loves to read work by poets such as Wallace Stevens, who integrates his own imagination and reality into his work. A self-described dreamer, White wants to create a unique life for himself. "I want to live in my own utopia, where I could be living in my own in a town similar to New York, but in the mountains," he said with a laugh, "writing anything and everything. I'll just be writing constantly, that's the dream." He may have been a little surprised at winning this citywide honor, but his teachers at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts were anything but. Poetry teacher Angela Apte remembers the first time she met White. "He came in to my class, and I remember asking him what he likes to read, and he was reading Rothko and Emily Dickinson. All of our students are readers, but I haven't met a student who was looking back at the classics, and I'm like 'Who is this kid?'," she said. It didn't take long for her to figure him out. "It is how he makes meaning in the world," Apte said. "One thing about him is that he has a generous spirit, so when he writes, when he speaks with people, there's just this openness to engage and listen and interact with them that is so authentic and infectious." English teacher Virgina Ballard sees White as an old soul. "What impresses me is his depth," Ballard said. "He has a great ability to use language and analysis; he has this great world view which is much more mature for his age." Poetry isn't his only interest. The HSPVA senior is also a founding member of the Houston Art for the New Generation teen leadership group at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and he has participated in dramatic writing intensives at New York University, has taken playwriting and spoken word classes at Houston's Alley Theatre, and has performed in plays and musicals at HSPVA. He is also in a pop punk band called Margaret Fisher Stole My Heart, where he plays bass and backup vocals. His mother, who was euphoric when she heard of White's new position, trusts that he will change young readers' perception of literature. "This moment has the power for the next moment afterwards," Tanyga White said. "I hope he shares that literature is good, that people are still kind, that giving presence is valuable. That words can be used not to share, but to process things. We should be sharing our words with each other." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In his reckless youth, Pattillo Higgins shot up an African-American church and killed a sheriff's deputy. Later in life, after finding Jesus, he married his adopted teenage daughter. In between, the one-armed speculator helped launch the Texas energy boom 115 years ago with his steadfast belief that an epic gusher lay beneath Spindletop Hill near Beaumont. Higgins, arguably the father of the Texas oil rush, is just one of a long list of risk-takers who helped transform Houston from a burgeoning timber and port town into the energy capital of the world, home to thousands of companies that find, produce, refine and transport fuels that drive the global economy. "Spindletop is the birthplace of the modern oil industry," said Tyler Priest, a former University of Houston energy historian now at the University of Iowa. "It's kind of hard to understate the importance in Houston and Texas." The history of oil in Texas, however, starts long before Higgins and Spindletop, reaching back to the Spanish conquistadors. Some historians trace the initial U.S. oil discovery to the Texas Gulf Coast in 1543, when the survivors of the Hernando de Soto expedition were forced ashore between the Sabine Pass and Galveston while fleeing to Mexico City. They found oil seepages similar to asphalt that they used to repair the bottoms of their boats en route to the Spanish colony. Origins of Texas oil More Information History of petroleum and natural gas 1543: Survivors of the De Soto expedition use a form of naturally occurring asphalt along the Texas coastline to repair their boats. 1816: Baltimore becomes the first U.S. city to light its streets with gas power. 1837: Houston is incorporated after brothers John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen bought land. 1839: Traces of oil are collected near Lake Charles, La., along the Calcasieu River. 1857: Frederick Law Olmsted writes about sulphurous, oily Sour Lake in Hardin County and its alleged medicinal purposes in his "A Journey Through Texas" publication. 1859: Drake well in Pennsylvania sparks nation's first oil boom. 1860: Houston announces plan to construct a "gas works." 1861: The Southern Confederacy is formed. 1863: French refineries begin to process oil imported from the U.S. 1865: Civil War ends and President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated. 1866: The first Texas oil well is completed near Nacogdoches County to produce about 10 barrels per day. 1871: Graham brothers make Texas' first notable natural gas discovery in Young County. 1886: Just outside of San Antonio, George Dullnig hits heavy oil in 1886 while drilling for water. 1892: Pattillo Higgins forms Gladys City Oil in Beaumont to drill for oil at Spindletop Hill. 1894: Texas' first mini oil boom starts in Corsicana. 1899: Construction of the Port of Houston is approved by Congress. 1901: Modern oil industry is birthed by the Lucas gusher at Spindletop. Sources: "The Chronological History of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries" by James A. Clark; "Texas Oil & Gas Since 1543" by C.A. Warner on the bayou Marcellus Foster - a reporter who went to cover the story of the Lucas Gusher - invested in Spindletop and soon made a lot of money. He used the money to found the Houston Chronicle, which first published on Oct. 14, 1901. See More Collapse In the 1700s, Native Americans and European settlers saw oily substances making their way to the surface in places such as Sour Lake and Saratoga in nearby Hardin County. A rudimentary resort area even sprung up in the mid-19th century at Sour Lake, where it was believed the sulphurous water had medicinal purposes. "They traveled from far and wide to heal battle wounds and skin diseases," C.A. Warner wrote about Sour Lake in his 1939 book, "Texas Oil & Gas Since 1543." As thousands sought cures at the Sour Lake resort, the 1859 Drake well discovery in Pennsylvania sparked the nation's first rush for oil, which, in the days before electric lights, was refined into kerosene for millions of American lamps. In Texas, however, extensive oil exploration had to wait until after the Civil War. The first successful oil well in Texas is credited to Lyne "Lynis" Barret who grew up near Nacogdoches in East Texas and for years saw signs of oil in the spring water near his childhood home. His exploration efforts were cut off by the Civil War. After serving as a captain in the Confederate Army, he returned home and used a rudimentary form of rotary drilling in 1866 to complete a well that produced about 10 barrels of oil a day. But investors' eyes were focused on Pennsylvania and Barret ran out of money. Decades later, after returning to the mercantile business, he watched others get rich by pumping oil in the same area. The next Texas milestone came in 1894 in Corsicana, where the town was drilling for water and found oil mixing in with its potential drinking-water supply. The discovery quickly turned into Texas' first mini-oil boom. Corsicana brought in Pennsylvania oil veteran Joseph Cullinan, who had worked at John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, to construct Texas' first full-scale refinery. His company later became part of the Magnolia Petroleum Corp. and, eventually, Mobil Oil. More than a fool's folly At the turn of the century, Houston was still a small city of 45,000, but growing into a center of cotton, timber, and finance connected to the rapidly industrializing nation by railroad. "Houston was always going to be the major city (in the region)," said Joe Pratt, an oil historian at University of Houston. "Then, Spindletop and all those oil discoveries just spurred that growth." In Beaumont, Patillo Higgins had developed a reputation for pulling pranks and harassing African-Americans, according to historians. In 1881, when Higgins was 17, police responded after he and friends shot into a church with people inside. Higgins shot and killed a deputy city marshal. In the gunfight, Higgins took a bullet in the arm, which was amputated, from the dying marshal. He pleaded self-defense at his trial, arguing he couldn't tell it was a deputy in the dark, and was acquitted. He found God four years later at a Baptist revival meeting, becoming a teetotaler and Sunday school teacher. "Higgins was a real Texas bad boy and prankster," said Ellen Rienstra, a historian who co-authored "Spindletop: The Sleeping Giant" about the origins of the Texas oil industry. "But, not long after, he found the Lord and became as adamant a Christian as he'd been a bad boy before." Higgins went into brick-making and trekked to Pennsylvania to research its manufacturing plants. While there, he also examined the type of geological areas where oil was found and became convinced that crude lurked beneath the sulfurous Spindletop Hill near Beaumont. Higgins formed Gladys City Oil company in 1892 to prove his theory, but the drilling efforts at Spindletop were defeated by quicksand that kept collapsing the wells. In 1899, Higgins placed a trade journal ad to find a drilling partner. It caught the eye of Anthony Lucas, a Croatian-born mining engineer who was exploring salt mines in Louisiana and had theorized that oil and salt deposits were geographically linked along the Gulf Coast. Lucas joined Higgins, but they still failed to strike oil. Fresh out of funding, Lucas made a last-ditch pitch to Pittsburgh oil financiers James Guffy and John Galey, who decided to back him. There was one catch, though. Higgins was out of the deal. The new partners hired Al and Curt Hamill, who had drilled wells in Corsicana. The brothers injected mud into the well as they drilled, stabilizing it as they explored deeper and deeper. Then, on Jan. 10, 1901, after reaching 1,160 feet, they stopped to change drilling bits. Moments later, at 10:30 a.m., the well broke loose and the Lucas gusher was born, spewing about 800,000 barrels of oil over nine days before the well was capped. "There's a scale that we'd never seen - that photograph of oil gushing over the derrick for almost 10 days," Pratt said. "It was pretty stunning compared to anywhere else throughout the world." Big news The discovery reverberated around the world and thousands of people flocked to Beaumont, including Cullinan, who formed the Texas Fuel Company, which later became Texaco, and other founders of early petroleum giants such as Humble Oil, Gulf Oil and Sun Oil. Production quickly moved to Houston, where companies could find financing to explore new fields and railroads to move crude to refineries and fuel to customers. The timing for the city was impeccable. With mass production of automobiles underway, the prevalence of Texas oil and Henry Ford's gasoline-powered Model T "sealed the deal" for gasoline as the source of transportation power, instead of electricity or steam, Pratt said. Among those who had raced to Spindletop was a Houston Post editor and reporter, Marcellus Foster, who went to cover the story of the gusher. He quickly made money off his own Spindletop investment and used it to found the Houston Chronicle, which first published on Oct. 14, 1901. As for Higgins, he struck oil on adjacent Spindletop land and carried a reputation as a maverick wildcatter for much of his life. It was Higgins' unshakable belief in Spindletop that made Texas synonymous with oil. And without oil, Pratt said. "Houston would've been a prosperous, mid-sized cotton town." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It was unseemly the way hell kept cropping up when old-timers talked about Texas. Davy Crockett blustered that he was heading to Texas and everyone else could go to you-know-where. Yankee Gen. Phil Sheridan sneered that if he owned both locales, he'd live in hell and rent out Texas. Religious pioneers arriving in 1830s Houston doubtless puzzled over their new home's true nature. Lured by boosters' promises of health, wealth and scenic mountains, they encountered a jarring reality: a backwater mud-hole buzzing with mosquitoes and barflies. Prayer was needed, and pray some of those first Houstonians certainly did. Other Texans joined the righteous chorus. In 1835, one year before he died at the Alamo, garrison commander William Barrett Travis beseeched Methodist leaders to send spiritual reinforcements. The denomination dispatched three missionaries. A few years later, a Houston Episcopalian named William Gray bemoaned the fact that - during the war for independence - Texas had been a resolutely irreligious wilderness. More Information Religion Comes to the Wilderness Early Houston may have been many things, but few settlers considered it "God's country." That perception gradually changed as religious institutions took root in the town's soggy soil. Here's a timeline of the founding of still-extant major 19th-century places of worship: 1839 First Presbyterian, First United Methodist, Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) 1841 First Baptist 1851 First Evangelical Lutheran 1854 Congregation Beth Israel 1865 Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist 1866 Antioch Missionary Baptist 1873 Annunciation Catholic Church on the bayou Today, according to the Pew Research Center, nearly three-fourths of adults in the Houston metropolitan area identify as Christian, with Protestant evangelicals accounting for almost one in three. See More Collapse "I have known men here say that they have not heard preaching since they left the United States some 10, some 12 or 15 years ago," he sighed. But in 1838, he noted, things seemed to be changing: Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and Catholic clergy had arrived in Houston to deliver the Word. The men, he reported, had preached "zealously" and had been heard by "respectable congregations." Baptist missionary Zachariah Morrell's assessment was starker: "The infidels," he proclaimed in 1837, "are beginning to waver." Today, reports the Pew Research Center, nearly three-fourths of adults in the Houston metropolitan area identify as Christian, with Protestant evangelicals accounting for almost one in three. The city is home to Lakewood Church, which, with weekly attendance of about 45,000, is the nation's largest Protestant congregation. Almost one in five of adult metro residents is Catholic. Judaism is the religion of 2 percent of area residents; Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism claim 1 percent each, Pew reports. Still, on a list of America's top 100 religious metro areas, Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown ranks only 49th, right ahead of New Orleans, Gallup pollsters say. Yet another study, this one by the Barna Group-American Bible Society, found that Houston comes in at 46th place in terms of "Bible-mindedness." In the Houston metro area, atheists, agnostics and "nothing in particulars" narrowly outnumber those identifying as Catholics. In Houston's earliest days, "nothing in particulars" outnumbered everyone. "Houston was two-parts camp, one-part shanty and one-part town in 1839," said Don Frazier, a McMurry University history professor and director of State House Press, which publishes Texas and Southern history. "Its residents were overwhelmingly young and male - along with the attending vices of that age demographic. The civilizing influences of God and women were in short supply, and any preacher of that period who hoped to change the atmosphere faced an uphill climb. ... Church was for people in reflection, not for young men on the make who imagined themselves chieftains of a new domain." Nonetheless, three of Houston's leading Protestant congregations - First Presbyterian, Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) and First United Methodist - trace their beginnings to March 1839, when God, arguably, finally responded to religionists' cries for help. On separate occasions in that month, Methodist and Presbyterian preachers organized their respective congregations in the Republic of Texas Capitol, now the site of downtown's Rice Lofts, where representatives of their denominations already served as chaplains. In 1842, First Presbyterian built the city's first church at Main and Capitol, and, by 1845, President Sam Houston was among those attending. Houston, who waged fearsome battles with demon rum, later became a Baptist in a creek-dunking baptism, wryly expressing concern for the welfare of downstream fish when apprised that his sins had been washed away. In 1843, the Methodists, who held their first services in a grove of trees near Buffalo Bayou, claimed 68 members, almost half of them African-American. When Augustus Allen, one of the New York-born, real estate-speculating brothers who founded the city, gave land to area congregations for churches, Methodists erected Texas' first brick building at Texas and Travis. The site later was occupied by the Houston Chronicle. Land also was awarded to Episcopalians, who launched Christ Church Cathedral with 28 families in a wood-frame chapel, and Baptists, who established their first church with 16 members in 1841. Today, Christ Church Cathedral claims about 3,500 members; First Baptist, about 28,000. In 19th-century Houston, death and disaster never were far away. "The Methodist church would experience the ravages of every illness that would plague Houston," said First Methodist church historian Allen Houk. In the fall of 1839, mosquito-transmitted yellow fever struck the city, killing more than 10 percent of its approximately 2,000 residents. In November of that year, only four vestrymen showed up for a meeting of Christ Church Cathedral's directors. The others had died, settled elsewhere or fled. In 1862, a fire demolished the Presbyterian church. In 1864, a wall of the Methodist church collapsed in a storm; three years later, another yellow fever epidemic killed 1,000 people, including Methodist pastor William Rees. The tenuousness of life was reflected, too, in the priorities of Houston's first Jewish residents. They created a cemetery in 1844 - a full decade before they voted to organize Congregation Beth Israel, Texas' first synagogue. Initially, the congregation of 22 people met in a small room on Austin Street, just a short walk from today's Minute Maid Park. Today, Beth Israel claims about 1,600 families as members. Congregational minute books from the period open a window on daily life with accounts of grievances, quarrels and problems with children. They reflect, too, matters of more serious concern: a post-Civil War shift from Orthodox to Reform Judaism; creation of a school for Jewish children; maintenance of the community cemetery and erection of a more commodious religious home. Catholicism arrived in Texas with the first Spanish explorers but didn't take root in Houston until 1840. Lutherans, although perhaps active in the late 1840s, didn't form their first church, First Evangelical, until 1851. Lisa May, archives director at the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, said the denomination's first church - St. Vincent - was located at Caroline and Franklin. In little more than 20 years, though, the congregation had outgrown its home. The cornerstone of a new church - Annunciation - was laid in April 1869. To provide building materials, an old county courthouse was purchased and demolished. Still, construction was delayed when Catholics ran low on funds. The building was completed in 1873 after Houston's non-Catholic churches raised money to cover construction costs. After serving as home to a German-language congregation, St. Vincent Catholic Church closed a few years later. Germans also were served by First Evangelical Lutheran Church, which initially was known by its German name, "Erste Deutsche Evangelisch Kirche." Congregants initially held services at the Episcopal church, before building their own chapel on the southeast corner of Main and Capitol in 1854. At the Civil War's close, African-Americans established houses of worship that became centers of life for the city's black community. Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church opened its doors in the Piney Point "freedom colony" 10 miles west of current downtown Houston in 1865; Antioch Missionary Baptist Church opened a year later in the city's center. Beginning in members' homes, Pilgrim Rest soon built its first chapel on a 1-acre site purchased for $1.50 near the current 8000 block of Westheimer Road. "Not much has changed at this church," said longtime member Rosanna Sanders. "It was dynamic, and it still is. God has never changed, so we have never changed, either." Antioch, at first led by itinerant clergy or preachers associated with other local churches, elected its first full-time pastor, John Henry "Jack" Yates, about 1868. A literate Virginia-born former slave, Yates propelled the church to a leadership role in providing education for African-American youth, creating an academy that became a precursor to today's Texas Southern University. Congregations of both churches were active in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. "We are living their legacy," Antioch pastor the Rev. O.B. Winkley said of church founders. "We have an intense thankfulness to God." Earlier this year, a Fort Bend County jury sentenced a 45-year-old man to 40 years in prison following his conviction for human trafficking, an offense that had never gone to trial before in the once-rural county. Prosecutors alleged that Raymond Mark Gonzales had kept a woman about his age at his command, coercing her into prostitution from which he benefitted. The case, now on appeal, marks one of only a handful of human trafficking allegations ever brought to the local district attorney's office, offering a new reference point in a growing county still grappling to understand the problem's extent. Whether Fort Bend is seeing an uptick in human trafficking or is just starting to tackle an existing problem remains up for debate in the sprawling suburb, where leaders have taken pride in pristine, master-planned communities, free of Houston's stress and grit. Stopping human trafficking in Fort Bend will require looking past that "veneer of gentility" and acknowledging that it's taking place, said Cat French, founder and director of Elijah Rising, a nonprofit that works to spread awareness about and stop trafficking. Of more than 14,000 Houston-area posts added in February on Backpage.com, a site where escort ads can easily be found, an average of about one-fifth each day offered services linked to Fort Bend, data provided by Elijah Rising shows. French added that 80 percent of all prostitution cases involve the force, fraud or coercion that characterize trafficking. Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said he's gotten few phone calls related to trafficking, but that his office would be ready "should human trafficking rear it's ugly head." "Am I saying that it doesn't exist in Fort Bend? No," the sheriff said. "I'm just saying that right now I have not received complaints." Human trafficking is not a new issue to a major city like Houston, but it is increasingly on the radar of law enforcement, including police in suburban areas. Montgomery County prosecutors filed their first human trafficking charges in November. The state attorney general's office announced a new initiative to crack down on the crime in January. And in early May, Houston's mayor launched a sweeping plan to confront sex and labor trafficking. Fort Bend County formed a human trafficking task force more than two years ago, the result of a state law requiring that the county consider applying for funding to establish a court focused on prostitution. The committee, appointed by county commissioners, found there wasn't a need for a court in Fort Bend, which had prosecuted only three prostitution cases in the previous decade. Rather than apply for funding, the panel "felt that more in-depth study was needed to understand the extent of the problem in the county," the task force's 2013-14 report said. 'Good detective work' Gathering such information requires learning how to look for it, explained Kyle Dobbs, director of juvenile probation and detention for Fort Bend County. That means asking the right questions and getting outside help. Since last April, 15 teenagers brought in for crimes like theft or being a runaway have been identified as trafficking victims, Dobbs said. Their true situations required time and a tender ear to uncover. "You really have to dig a little deeper to figure out what the problem is," Dobbs said, adding that the FBI is now involved in investigating some of the cases. Fort Bend is now looking to begin a specialty court, for which a county judge has already volunteered. Without data like Dobbs has found, it can be hard to "substantiate that we need to go out there and do something," said Amanda Bolin, the county's chief family violence prosecutor. The district attorney's office is hoping to receive funding to add an investigator for human trafficking cases, said Bolin, who believes more cases are occurring than those for which prosecutors have been made aware. She said they aim to prosecute the crime vigorously, but rely on law enforcement to make arrests. "It's just a matter of finding it, investigating it and getting enough evidence to prosecute," Bolin said. "Once that ball starts rolling, and we start getting some of them, that's going to start getting us the data to convince the powers that be that there is a problem that we need to address." Gonzales' arrest and prosecution for human trafficking was "a case of happenstance and good detective work," Bolin said. On Feb. 10, 2014, a witness observed Raymond Gonzales' sister Benita, then 53, hit a woman in a motel parking lot, court records show. When the case crossed the desk of Rosenberg police Lt. Jeremy Eder, two aspects of the narrative caught his attention: the female victim's mental capacity, likened to that of a child, and the location of the assault, a motel known for prostitution, drugs and violence. Eder had a hunch the assault victim might also be a trafficking victim. 'Localized' trafficking With assistance from children's advocates in interviewing the victim, the department began to piece together a darker story that stretched back years. After Gonzales was arrested in June 2015, he became a suspect in what authorities described as a "localized form" of sex trafficking. Prosecutors agreed to pursue trafficking charges. Gonzales' defense attorney questioned whether the case met the statute's definition. "It was not characteristic of the true trafficking we're trying to fight," the attorney, James Andrew Stevens, said in a recent interview. The victim, now in her 40s, had moved years earlier to a Rosenberg apartment where she would meet the Gonzales siblings, said Robert Clopton, who was a prosecutor on the case. (The Houston Chronicle does not identify victims of sexual violence). As Clopton told it, Gonzales family members began partying in the woman's apartment, eliciting neighbors' complaints and driving up the electric bill. An eviction notice arrived in December 2012. The woman's mother wanted her to live back at home, but she instead moved in with Raymond Gonzales in Houston, believing him to be her boyfriend, said Stevens, the defense attorney. The prosecution and defense differed on whether, as the months passed, the woman could come and go as she pleased. Clopton focused on her allegation that Gonzales had threatened to kill her and burn down her parents' home if she left him; Stevens believed she made up that threat. Stevens said the woman saw and communicated with her parents off and on and, when Gonzales served jail time after a fight with his brother, she visited him there. 'Keeping an eye out' It's not clear when exactly the victim's forced prostitution began, nor could she say how many men were involved or where exactly it happened. The trial focused on one suspected john, referred to as "Mr. Bill," an elderly man whose photo was found on the victim's phone. She recalled being driven to meet him in a Fiesta parking lot in Rosenberg, where Gonzales' sister Benita helped negotiate a price, and he took her away in his truck. (By the time police identified and reached "Mr. Bill", Alzheimers has gripped him.) After a jury convicted and sentenced Raymond Gonzales, a hearing came up in the court docket for Benita Gonzales, who was also indicted in the case. She went before the judge in a wheelchair - apparently having sustained an injury in jail - dressed in a dark green county jumpsuit, her gray hair braided into tight pigtails. Her court date was April 25, days after her brother filed an appeal in his case. She accepted a plea deal, receiving eight years of probation. Hearing her brother received 40 years in prison, Benita Gonzales had been "scared to death," acknowledged her defense attorney, Don Hecker. In recent months, authorities have brought other prostitution and trafficking cases, including one stemming from a prostitution raid on a massage parlor in Cinco Ranch. "We're keeping an eye out," says Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable Rob Cook, who oversaw the raid. "We're aware that there could be issues out there." Texas legislators who passed a $3 billion taxpayer-funded assault on cancer talked of the cures it would yield, but nearly a decade later, a more modest milestone is being celebrated: awarding half the money. Top officials of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas touted the agency's achievements last week at a news conference at the Capitol, the site of battles just three years ago on whether to continue the then scandal-ridden program. CPRIT has regained momentum, officials claimed. "There's nothing magical about $1.5 billion - it's just a nice, even number," said Wayne Roberts, the agency's chief executive officer. "But it does provide an opportunity for us to let the public know the good things going on here." It also provides an opportunity to assess the bang Texans are getting for their bucks, the most for cancer to any governmental body outside the National Cancer Institute and the Department of Defense. The program constitutes Texas' Cancer Moonshot, conceived nine years before President Barack Obama's proposal earlier this year of a similar federal initiative to tackle the nation's No. 1 killer of people under 85. The good things, Roberts said, include the hiring of 110 top scientists, who could bring 2,000 hours of future research to the state; the enrollment of nearly 5,600 patients in 84 clinical trials aimed at bringing new therapies to the market and, perhaps most important, the delivery of early detection clinical services to more than 1 million Texans. Roberts suggested that a 13 percent decline in Texas' cancer death rate from 2008 to 2013 is partly attributable to such services. Critics question whether the program, oversold, has underdelivered and should be retired after the money is exhausted. "With half of the $3 billion approved by voters now spent, I think it may be the appropriate time to ask what CPRIT's long-term future looks like when that money ultimately runs out," said Texas Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, chair of the health and human services committee and an orthopedic surgeon. "With so many other critical priorities, I'm not sure the state should be so quick to commit more taxpayer money to something that, while unquestionably noble, is really not an essential function of state government." Schwertner in 2015 sponsored a bill calling on CPRIT to develop a plan for "self-sufficiency," legislation that passed the Senate and made it to the House floor before being struck down on a point of order. Even so, it was widely considered a signal that the Legislature may not be inclined to renew the program in 2021. It's a far cry from the legislative rhetoric that flowed in 2007. One legislator called the proposed initiative "an answer to our prayers." Another envisioned her pride at being able to tell grandchildren "I had something to do with the cure." After the bill's easy passage, voters approved a constitutional amendment enabling the state to issue up to $300 million a year in bonds to finance the program. More Information By the numbers $1.5B: Total (out of $3 billion) spent so far in state fight against cancer. 110: Top scientists added to further research. 5,600: Patients enrolled in clinical trials. 13: Percent decline in Texas' cancer death rate from 2008 to 2013. See More Collapse CPRIT scandals The program was launched in 2009 and gave its first grants in 2010. In no time, it ran into trouble. Between May 2012 and January 2013, mismanagement and improprieties were discovered in three grants totaling $56 million, causing top elected officials to shut the program down for 10 months and pull its funding from the state budget. The money was restored at the 11th hour, but only after passage of a reform bill that removed its governing board and installed more stringent safeguards. The scandals stained CPRIT's reputation, but they were nothing new in grant-giving, said Dr. Vincent DeVita Jr, former director of the National Cancer Institute. DeVita compares CPRIT's problems to tussles that took place during the early days of President Richard Nixon's War on Cancer, when the use of contracts rather than grants was viewed as "a way to steer money to cronies doing lesser work." Rebooted after the scandal, CPRIT changed priorities, placing more emphasis on rare cancers, particularly pediatric, and efforts to commercialize the research. Acknowledging the clock was ticking, officials said the new priorities represented a way to make the most of CPRIT's remaining opportunity. The $1.5 billion has produced nothing close to a cure, of course - a fantasy only a politician could believe. Forty-five years of the federal government's exponentially better-funded war has resulted in slow, incremental progress. Researchers' new goal is to make cancer a chronic, treatable disease. Still, at least one critic is unimpressed with what CPRIT has to show, based on the agency's own promotional materials. "It's pretty hard to say Texans - or anyone else except the people who got the money - has got anything of value in the realm of cancer treatment out of this venture so far," said George Annas, director of Boston University's Center for Health Law, Ethics & Human Rights. "As a jobs-creation venture, for example, the cost per job created is about $320,000." 'To the bedside' Annas said that with the Obama administration's Moonshot expected to add as much as $1 billion a year to cancer funding, now's an opportune time for CPRIT officials to start planning how to wind down the program." Grant recipients fear such a development. Dr. Matthew Anderson, obstetrician-gynecologist at Baylor College of Medicine and the Harris Health System, said a CPRIT-funded cervical cancer program has reduced those patients who do not follow through for needed treatment from 19.4 percent the year before the program's inception to less than 5 percent the last three. He said the program has shifted cervical cancer's burden at Harris Health to earlier, more treatable stages and saved county taxpayers upwards of $2 million annually in the three years, well exceeding CPRIT's $1.6 million award. The 110 scientists CPRIT recruitment grants helped lure to Texas include Jim Allison, the much-honored MD Anderson scientist whose discoveries about the immune system are turning immunotherapy into a new pillar of cancer treatment, and many in his lab. They also brought to Houston five additional members of the National Academy of Science, the nation's most distinguished organization of scientists. DeVita said the investment should pay off. "Contrary to common view, money does buy ideas, as it puts good scientists to work and ideas flow from their labs," said DeVita. "I think this is very likely to be the result of CPRIT funding." The public also is supportive of CPRIT. A 2015 Texas Poll, commissioned by the American Cancer Society, found 70 percent of 800 likely voters surveyed said it is more important to continue funding CPRIT through state taxpayer dollars than to end the program to save taxpayers' money. Nevertheless, Schwertner plans to refile his CPRIT self-sufficiency bill in 2017, said Chief of Staff Thomas Holloway. He said he is confident about its chances of passage. Roberts said CPRIT is focused on continuing its work, not trying to figure out a way to support itself. There has been previous talk that royalties from products developed through CPRIT grants might eventually support the agency, but Roberts called it a tiny amount and said there's no chance it would be sufficient, even by 2021. He said the agency cannot speed up "the time it takes to move a discovery from the bench to the bedside," typically 15 years. 'A key question' To Roberts, the question is what an end to the program would mean to scientists lured by its funding largesse. "Do we want to maintain CPRIT's momentum through continued incentives for these recruits to remain in Texas, or do we want to risk having them recruited away?" asked Roberts. "That's a key question for legislators to consider." In any event, CPRIT only has until Aug. 31, 2020, to award its remaining nearly $1.5 billion, a timetable that behooves agency officials act carefully. After all, the 2013 state audit that detailed $56 million in grant mismanagement noted that one problem was a rush to award big amounts of money. Democratic Party members packed a downtown union hall Sunday to hear from candidates seeking the Harris County Precinct 1 commissioner's seat, one of the first public events in a highly unusual race that will be decided next month by a small group of the party base. Dozens of Democratic Party precinct chairs - who will essentially pick the next commissioner - watched as hopefuls, including frontrunner and state Sen. Rodney Ellis and his top rival current Precinct 1 commissioner Gene Locke, emphasized well-known party goals of increasing voter participation, expanding programs for seniors and youth and reforming the criminal justice system. The task of picking a commissioner who will represent 1.2 million people - more than the populations of nine states - and control a $200 million budget falls to a group of 125 Democratic precinct chairs. That's because longtime Commissioner El Franco Lee's name remained on the March 1 primary ballot after his death in early January, leaving the precinct chairs to select the party's new nominee, who will be unopposed in November. That pick will happen June 25. The tensest moments at Sunday's event included when Locke defended questions about his decision to work on roads around NRG Park ahead of the Super Bowl, listing off a handful of projects he was proposing around the precinct, and when Ellis and Houston City Councilman Dwight Boykins, who has not announced his candidacy, exchanged words over Boykins' decision to vote against former Gov. Rick Perry in the 2010 Republican primary. There were few attacks, otherwise, as candidates largely focused on their track records and goals. "I ask you to let me do what I know I can do," Locke told precinct chairs, pointing to his experience as an attorney representing local government and four months as county commissioner. Boykins has not expressly announced he is seeking the seat because of a state "resign-to-run" provision that may force him to resign if he declares. Other participants included photographer Georgia Provost, KPFT chairman DeWayne Lark, and educator Rickey Tezino, who portrayed themselves as non-establishment candidates who could shake up the status quo. It's unclear how much of an impact Sunday's forum had on precinct chairs' choices, many who have already been thoroughly wooed by the candidates through personal meetings, which can be "hugely impactful," said Texas Southern University political scientist Michael Adams. "Personal meetings are critical, and all of the (chairs) have likely met with each candidate many times," Adams said. Many precinct chairs have already committed to a candidate. Jonaphan Roberts, chair of precinct 174 who is supporting Boykins, described the forum as a "dress rehearsal" for next month's vote, where candidates will likely have another opportunity to speak. Candidates exposed some differences when describing their thoughts on the most important problem facing the next county commissioner. Many acknowledged a multitude of challenges, while keying in on particular issues: Ellis discussed the Harris County Jail and a recent lawsuit targeting bail practices that some say over-incarcerate people. Boykins pointed to the financing of NRG Stadium's construction - a topic echoed by Lark - and the funding of the Harris Health System. Locke extensively talked about expanding voter registration to expand the party's power in the county, while Provost talked about disproportionately less services in Precinct 1 and Tezino emphasized flooding. Melissa Young, chair of voting Precinct 223, said she was supporting Ellis because of his success in 26 years on the state Legislature, though she said Locke was also a well-qualified pick. She said the forum highlighted differences between the candidates and also showed a lack of Hispanic and Latino representation in Precinct 1 politics, despite making up almost 40 percent of the precinct's population. Her main goal, though, was to learn about how the vote next month will be conducted, several details of which have yet to be decided. She said many of her counterparts don't know about the nuances of voting procedure. "I wanted to make sure that they will educate us precinct chairs," Young said. AUSTIN - The Texas State Board of Education on Wednesday narrowly voted down a proposal to have university professors fact-check state-approved elementary and high school textbooks. "While I am disappointed with the vote on my amendment, we did adopt other amendments that will strengthen our process," said Thomas Ratliff, the Mount Pleasant Republican behind the proposal. "It's a step in the right direction, just not as big a step as I had hoped for." Texas textbooks long have been plagued by controversy. Last year, when the board OK'd the first new state-approved social studies textbooks in a dozen years, they were criticized for passages that addressed everything from free-market economics to the faith of the Founding Fathers. Advocacy groups like the Texas Freedom Network said the coverage of these issues was clearly biased and reflected the religious and political leanings of the Republican-dominated board. Months went by without any news, however, until earlier this fall when the mother of a high school freshman from Katy complained about a passage found in her son's 2016 edition World Geography textbook that referred to African slaves as "workers." The online version of the McGraw-Hill book was soon changed but not before the story went viral. The national outrage over the passage, however, did not sway the board Wednesday. Members voted 8-7 against Ratliff's proposal to set up a panel of higher education experts to vet K-12 instructional materials for errors. Republican members, except Ratliff and Tom Maynard of Florence, voted against the plan. TFN President Kathy Miller blasted the board's decision, saying, "With all the controversies that have made textbook adoptions in Texas look like a clown show, it's mindboggling and downright embarrassing that the board voted this down. Instead of appointing qualified historians, scientists and mathematicians to review proposed textbooks for accuracy, board members are leaving it up to schoolchildren to do the fact checking." Roni Dean-Burren, the Katy mother who first complained of the McGraw-Hill passage on slaves, on Wednesday said she was not surprised but disappointed by the vote. As a high school English teacher for 11 years and a former curriculum specialist, she said she thinks textbooks should go through multiple vetting stages before they make their way into Texas classrooms. "I think it is absolutely indicative of this sort of obsession, I think, the board has with being right, and this obsession they have with being infallible," said Dean-Burren, who is currently in the second year of a Ph.D. program at the University of Houston focused on curriculum and instruction. "Clearly they do need that kind of help. So, yeah, it's real comical to me ... They are so full of poo, it's ridiculous." School districts are not required to use state-approved instructional materials, but most do because they adhere to Texas' curriculum standards, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS. Before new materials are approved, panels of "content experts" - mostly current and retired teachers, parents, and business people - review the books for errors and to ensure they conform to TEKS. But some on the board think the process does not have enough oversight and worry the panels spend too much time checking for adherence to curriculum standards and not for errors. Also on Wednesday, the board adopted another Ratliff proposal that will require most of the members on these review panels have "sufficient content expertise and experience." Tesla Motors' Lone Star ambitions won the blessing of the Texas GOP at the party convention in Dallas this month, paving the path towards a possible end to the three years of drama over the electric car manufacturer's right to sell in Texas. RELATED: Electric cars will be big in 2017 model year It's a dramatic incremental victory for Tesla in Texas, the nation's second-largest auto market, coming less than a year after the state's top Republican, Gov. Greg Abbott, told Bloomberg that Texas wasn't interested in the California car company's direct sales. The debate, which surfaced officially in the last two legislative session, saw the full fury of Texas car dealers unleashed, and pit principles of conservative economics against each other. When leaders herald a competitive marketplace with slim state control, what do they do when retailers ask for state control to maintain competition? Since 2013, Tesla sought an exemption from state regulations that require its luxury automobiles be sold at franchised dealerships. There isn't much of a parallel elsewhere in the retail unvierse -imagine a law requiring laptop computers be sold at designated retailers like Best Buy or Micro Center. Tesla wanted to open the equivalent of an Apple Storea single-brand shop with factory-direct merchandiselike they have opened in other states. The Texas Franchise Law outlawed that, so Tesla in Texas ran "galleries," not stores, where employees could show the cars but not discuss their prices, or even give the web address where customers could order a Tesla from a California factory. RELATED: Tesla opens up gallery and service center in Houston Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Tesla founder Elon Musk, who also started Paypall and SpaceX, took his qualms to Texas lawmakers in 2013. Advocates for Texas car dealers argued that Tesla's request amounted to an unfair exemption for a single player. Indeed, the bill filed by Rep. Eddie Rodrigues (D-Austin) carved out an exception for "a manufacturer of only all electric-powered or all battery-powered motor vehicles" which already operated dealerships elsewhere in the U.S. and never used a franchised retailer. That pretty narrowly singled out Tesla without mentioning the name. That bill passed committee but never made it to vote. A 2013 report from the watchdog group Texans for Public Justice credited the failure to high dollar contributions from auto dealers to state lawmakers. When the 2015 session came around, the issue reemerged and both sides upped their game. Tesla increased its spending on lobbying efforts from about $350,000 in 2013 to $1.5 million in 2015 Car dealers upped their spending even more, according to a 2015 report by Texans for Public Justice, doling out $6 million in campaign contributions during the 2014 cycle. As the Tesla issue caught traction in the 2015 session, the Texas Automobile Dealers Association issued a "myth vs. fact" explainer. "MYTH: Franchise laws contradict the free market," it said. "FACT: Franchise laws were put in place to prevent monopolies and promote competition in vehicle pricing and service to the consumer." Texas car dealers argued that a Tesla exemption would open the door for all manufacturers to monopolize direct sales in Texas, and would pave the path towards certain doom for the franchised dealership industry. The legislation, this time with bipartisan backing, stalled in committee. RELATED: Tesla bills in reverse at the Texas Legislature The coming 2017 session seems poised to provide a breakthrough for Tesla, now that the company has courted the sentiments of Texas republicans. With a booth at the party's state convention in Dallas in May, a Tesla rep argued that repeal of franchise law amounted to a truer free market system. And the party agreed, adding a Tesla-friendly plank to its 2016 platform. "We support allowing consumers in Texas to be able to purchase cars directly from manufacturers," the addition said. That will make it very hard for the state's ruling party to continue to resist the years-long push when lawmakers convene again in Austin in January. RELATED: Katy mall first with station for charging of all electric vehicles as industry grows If a franchise exemption passes for Tesla in Texas, consumers will face the fresh opportunity to walk into a Tesla gallery and drive out in one of the world's foremost models of luxury electric sedans. It will probably prompt the opening of more Tesla storefronts across Texas, and could help push electric vehicle travel into the mainstream. MEXICO CITY - Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, was recently stuck in Mexico City traffic, overcome with frustration - not by the congestion, but by something that was irritating him even more: Donald Trump. He grabbed his phone, turned the lens on himself and pressed record. "Ha! Donald," Fox said, holding the phone perhaps a little too close to his face. "What about your apologies to Mexico, to Mexicans in the United States, to Mexicans in Mexico?" In short order, the 15-second clip was on Fox's Twitter feed - another salvo in a personal campaign against Trump that has included TV appearances, radio interviews and a fusillade of hectoring Twitter posts. Fox's voice is among a growing, if uncoordinated, chorus of influential Mexicans worried about what a Trump victory could mean for the complex relationship between the U.S. and Mexico - not to mention the effect Trump's bid may have already had. The voices have included at least two former Mexican presidents, top government officials, political analysts, academics, editorial writers and cultural figures. President Enrique Pena Nieto likened the candidate's language to that of Hitler and Mussolini in an interview with Mexico's Excelsior newspaper. And he recently shuffled his diplomatic corps in the United States, replacing Mexico's ambassador to Washington and installing new consuls general around the country, in part to strengthen his administration's response to the rise of Trump and what it reflects about U.S. sentiment toward Mexico. "His threat is cataclysmic, I think, for Mexico," Enrique Krauze, a Mexican historian and literary magazine editor, said in an interview. "What it would mean for bilateral trade, in social terms, in the tearing of families, in the trauma, the collective panic, the opening of old wounds." He added: "I can use one of Trump's favorite words. Yes, this is huge. It's a huge danger." Mexican critics of Trump say he has already damaged the image of their country and of the Mexican people with his espousal of views that many regard as xenophobic. At a rally to kick off his campaign in June, the Republican candidate suggested that many Mexican immigrants were drug traffickers and rapists. Mexican officials, concerned about negative impressions of Mexico in the United States, have been rolling out a strategy to improve the image of their country and show how the relationship between the two nations has been of "mutual benefit," said Paulo Carreno, the newly appointed undersecretary for North America in Mexico's Foreign Ministry. The strategy includes "cultural diplomacy," grass-roots activism and the deployment of Mexican community and business leaders living in the United States, he said. In general, however, the administration has mostly refrained from commenting on the candidate. That has frustrated many Mexicans, who have called on the government to come to the defense of Mexico and push back at Trump more forcefully. "They can package that in the traditional Mexican nonsense: We don't interfere in elections," said Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign minister. "The real reason is that they have no idea what to do, so the default option is to do nothing." Donald Trump's nomination success will almost certainly make life harder for future campaign managers and consultants. Deep inside nearly every politician is a sense that people inherently like them and that, if enough people simply heard their message, they'd win. But that's not how you win campaigns, for a number of reasons. The main reason, of course, is that it's very hard for an average candidate to get in front of a big enough audience that they'll hit enough actual voters to win the most votes. In an ideal world, it's useful to tell everyone in the district who you are; in a practical world, you at least need to make sure you're covering the subset of that group who will actually cast a ballot. During the primary, Trump had little interest in targeted voter contact for the simple reason that he could actually contact voters at scale. He held giant rallies, sure, but his main method of voter contact was forcing himself into America's consciousness by dominating the media. He got beaten in Iowa because Ted Cruz out-organized him. His field operation in New Hampshire was sparse, to put it generally. He consistently did far better in primaries among those who made their minds up early; people who were organized to vote at the last minute often went for one of his opponents. In Louisiana, the gap between those who voted early and those who came out on primary day almost cost him a win - though that was again because of Cruz's strong performance. The most important question over the next six months for Republicans who want to see Trump win is: Was his unusual, media-first strategy a smart strategy - or was it a fluke? For most political campaigns, running a successful campaign goes like this: - Figure out how many votes you need to win. - Poll and ID voters to figure out how best to add up to that number. - Advertise to and contact voters who either a) are certain to vote but need to be convinced of the candidate or b) are certain to support the candidate but may not actually go vote. Trump's primary campaign looked like this: - Go on TV. - Run ads when you heard a state might be close (like Florida). - Go on TV. Over the course of the primary, Trump's campaign spent far more on collateral - hats, signs, etc. - than it did on voter data. Last month alone, line items in the campaign's FEC filing for things emblazoned with Trump's name added up to three times what the campaign spent on data. And bear in mind: Last month, the race was still contested. In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Trump dismissed the value of data in his campaign. "Obama got the votes much more so than his data processing machine, and I think the same is true with me," Trump said. A McCain staffer said that this wasn't exactly true: "We lost in large part because Obama's ability to use data was so much better than ours," Buzz Jacobs told the AP's Bill Barrow. Trump's general election campaign is also far behind Hillary Clinton's in other important metrics - even while she is still battling to lock up her party's nomination. Politico looked at FEC filings for the two campaigns, finding that Clinton's got far more office space than Trump and more than 10 times as much staff. The Clinton campaign has more than 730 staff members; Trump has 70. Trump has raised about $60 million, mostly in the form of loans from himself. Clinton has raised more than $210 million. In 2012, Barack Obama raised $722.4 million to Mitt Romney's $449.9 million. Total spending, including that from outside groups, topped $2 billion. Trump has said that he won't fund his general election campaign out of his own pocket - meaning that he'll need to raise a substantial amount. But he's behind the curve on that, too, as the New York Times reported this weekend. A group of a dozen major donors to the Republican Party - a group that has given $90 million over the past three cycles - indicated to the Times that they didn't plan to donate to or raise money for Trump. The Republican National Committee clearly disagrees with Trump's apathy toward using data to contact voters. Last week, it pledged to build "the largest and most sophisticated data-driven turnout operation in history." This hasn't been a strong suit of the party or its candidates in the past; in 2012, Romney's vaunted digital get-out-the-vote tool collapsed on Election Day. As with anything Trump says, it's hard to know how indifferent he actually is to this kind of traditional campaigning. After his team's weak field efforts were blamed for his loss in Iowa, Trump lavished praise on his team in his New Hampshire victory speech, insisting they'd learned how to run a GOTV effort in a week. (Which is incorrect both because GOTV efforts demand more than a week of effort - and because in a win the size of Trump's in that state, field didn't make any difference.) There's little question, though, that Trump thinks his airwave dominance is still integral to his efforts. There's a problem with that, though. In a general election - one-on-one, with a much larger group of voters paying attention - Trump's dominance won't be so complete. In the first four months of this year (and the last four months of 2015), Trump was competing for attention against a dozen much more boring candidates. From here on out, he's competing against Hillary Clinton, who may not match him in grabbing attention but who provides a much clearer counterpoint. The other problem for an all-earned-media strategy is that it's impossible to tailor a message. When Trump was running to win the Republican nomination, his arguments about immigration and tacit appeals to the concerns of white men were ones that were broadly popular with the electorate. Making a similarly broad pitch for the next six months risks alienating groups to whom he needs to make a more nuanced - or contrary - argument. It's hard to imagine any other candidate using Trump's playbook and seeing success. It's hard to imagine him replicating that strategy to win in November. Trump's move to wave voter targeting away is mostly bravado, of course, as are most things he does. But his primary success may prove to be the exception that proves why data rules. Why do a number of my fellow conservatives - or those posing as conservatives - believe that an Article V Convention of the states call to amend the Constitution will solve the present constitutional crisis? The U.S. Constitution is not the problem. What's pushed us to this dangerous precipice is our failure to follow the Constitution and Congress' unwillingness to limit the unconstitutional actions of the federal judiciary and an overreaching executive branch. The latest politician to jump on the bandwagon and call for an Article V Constitutional Convention is the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott. He proposes to invoke a never-before-used provision of the U.S. Constitution, Article V, in order to call a convention of the states and pass a series of constitutional amendments to restore states' rights. This would require 34 states to agree to such a convention; and (even more difficult to imagine) convince those states to endorse the nine specific amendments to the Constitution proposed by Abbott. Then three-fourths of the states would have to ratify those amendments. As a friend of mine has observed: You have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing all that happen in our lifetime. Many of the suggested amendments are worthwhile ideas; but here is the first question that comes to mind: Assuming you can get 34 states to agree to such a constitutional convention, how do you limit such a gathering to consideration of only those specific constitutional amendments that Abbott has proposed? It won't happen. Such a convention of the states opens the door to consideration of other proposed amendments not to the liking of constitutional conservatives. Abbott's response to this is that "it requires only 13 states to block a "runaway convention". Doesn't the governor realize that his point about the 13 states works the other way as well? It would take only 13 states to block Abbott's proposed amendments from being passed. I can name you 20 states today that would never agree to support Abbott's plan. Writing in the Jan. 13 issue of Forbes, David Davenport summed up Abbott's proposal and its likelihood of passage: "This idea is 'terrible, horrible, no good, very bad.' But we are likely to be spared the worst of it because it is also a non-starter which even its proponents surely recognize is pure political rhetoric (italics added) and not a serious policy proposal." Convincing 38 states to ratify Abbott's proposed changes will not happen. But it gives the new governor a bully pulpit to inveigh against the unconstitutional actions of unelected federal judges and an Obama administration that ignores the limits of executive power. If conservatives truly want to rein in overreaching federal judges and an out-of-control executive branch, there is a far simpler - and more effective - course of action that could be taken. To address the problem of federal judges deciding political questions best reserved for the elected legislators at every level of government, there already is a remedy in Article III Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. Congress can simply reassert its duty to legislate on political issues by including in the text of appropriate legislation a section that prohibits the federal courts from hearing challenges to that legislation. Such an approach only requires the support of the majority of the U.S. House and Senate along with the signature of the president. As for Executive overreach, Congress has the power of the purse. Use it. We truly face a constitutional crisis. We desperately need a conservative president to provide the leadership needed to persuade a Republican majority in Congress to pass legislation to return power to the states and the American people themselves. Combining such a majority in Congress with the right leader as president could make this happen - even in our lifetime. Pauken is a former Reagan official and Texas Republican Party Chairman. It may seem like a century ago, but this time last year, Texas legislators were getting ready for what even the staunchest opponents expected was a ruling to legalize same-sex marriage across the country. They got that, and then some. Attorney General Ken Paxton, basically, offered the full power of his office to any county clerk or local official who wanted to challenge, if only for a hot minute, the Supreme Courts ruling. He found that, most notably, in Hood County Clerk Katie Lang, who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the landmark case. After a few days of will-she-wont-she, and following a lawsuit from a gay couple, Lang said she would not personally issue licenses, but that she would not stop her employees from doing so. The religious doctrines to which I adhere compel me to personally refrain from issuing same-sex marriage licenses, she wrote in a statement. Nonetheless, the county clerks office of Hood County will have staff available and ready to issue same-sex marriage licenses. Hood County includes Granbury, which is one of the most reliably Republican-voting areas of the state. It had become a national barometer of sorts for county clerks all over the country who did not want to comply with the courts order outright last summer, or who wanted to explore their legal options in its aftermath. Eventually, after all those fits and starts, any adult couple could get marriage licenses in whatever county they want just as the Supreme Court said. For a moment, however, highlighting the resistance to the courts ruling was the sole mission of those on the right. They found in Lang a perfect test case that could draw crowds to protest what they saw as an attack on religious freedom and prompt counter-protests, all the while thrusting Lang into the national spotlight. Now, Texas right-wing has been animated by public restrooms. Despite his pleas that he simply found himself at the center of the firestorm, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is the new crusader when it comes to where Texans can relieve themselves. He has won support from the usual cast of characters, namely a handful of House Republicans and grass-roots activists, but how is it playing outside Austin? Consider what Granbury ISD Superintendent James Largent said in a statement regarding (the) transgender bathroom issue, as he put it, on Friday. It is never appropriate to bully or discriminate against anyone, he wrote. However, this issue has turned into a political one, used to gain political points, and in my opinion is a solution searching for a problem. I will not take the bait and play the what if games that so many want to play to incite strong feelings on this topic. He wants to avoid the what if games, but Largent does get in a shot at Patricks line that the Obama administrations rules will allow men to wear dresses and follow women into bathrooms. Nobody expects a groundswell of people to suddenly declare themselves transgender so they can go hang out in a particular restroom, Largent wrote, though adding again that we will not take the political bait. If Republicans are going to have as much traction on the bathroom question that they want to have next session, they need to find a school district that can mirror Langs objections to same-sex marriage. They need to find someone to rally around, some place where the superintendent doesnt merely shrug off Patricks declarations as much ado about nothing. That hasnt happened on a large scale yet. Case in point: Largent went on to urge our political leaders to concentrate on issues they directly control, like the billion+ dollars they have spent on a failed testing system. Coming a week after the Texas Supreme Court failed to order the Texas Legislature to fix anything specific in the states school finance system, Largents statement knowingly hints at the reality that every day lawmakers talk about bathrooms is a day theyre not crafting transformational changes to public schools, to use the courts term. This week thousands of law enforcement officers from around the country came to Washington, DC to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. As part of the memorial ceremonies, 252 names will be added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Wall and among them three officers from Missouri killed in the line of duty last year. Tragic events are something that stick with many of us, they mark our lives, and recall memories that we struggle with. Yet, often our law enforcement officers and first responders are individuals who put themselves in those positions to protect us and keep us safe. One of the most profound memories I have was from December of 2002, when Chief Deputy Joann Barnes of the Dent County Sheriffs Department was fatally shot as she approached the scene of a double murder investigation. Joanns murder rocked my hometown community. A lot of people knew Joann, we also knew she wasnt someone that needed the job, but she was proud of her community and committed to service and her absence was going to be profound. More recently, our community was witness to another heart-wrenching event, that also highlighted the heroism of our men and women in blue. Police Lieutenant Brad Smith and Corporal Cary Dunavan were called to the scene of a car accident in Cape Girardeau where a couple, including a pregnant woman, were ejected from their vehicle. Without hesitation, both officers raced to the scene of the accident to try and save the victims lives. Tragically, the pregnant mother did not survive the crash, but thanks to the actions of these officers who performed CPR until the paramedics arrived doctors were later able to save the life of the unborn child. Time and again, in the eyes of danger and disaster our law enforcement officials wade right in to harms way to keep us safe and bring stability to crisis. They do this with their own families often waiting anxiously at home. We also know that for a police officer off-duty does not really exist because their training and commitment is always ready to be called to service. That is one of the reasons we passed legislation last week to make it easier for off-duty officers to carry their firearms. It is of utmost importance that those who protect our communities are also protected so that they can do their jobs, even if we never need or call upon them. This week is not only a tribute to those in law enforcement who go to work every day to protect our communities, but also a time to remember those who never returned home. It is a time to remember the people like Joann Barnes or be grateful for the service of Lieutenant Smith and Corporal Dunavan. We never know when tragedy or crisis may hit, but we are fortunate that we have people who are ready to answer our call in a moments notice. Please take the time this week to thank a law enforcement officer in your community for putting their lives on the line, reminding us to do the right thing, or protecting and keeping us safe even when we arent expecting it. Jason Smith represents Missouris 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Contact him at 573-335-0101 or visit https://jasonsmith.house.gov Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. luating job performance can be subjective especially when looking as aspects such as levels of commitment, problem solving abilities or team work.As none of these things are easy to measure, management may be tempted to look at quantitative data such as the time staff spend working at their desks. The downside of taking this approach is that it is pretty easy to game the system, said one business expert.In 2015, a study by Erin Reid a professor at Boston Universitys Questrom School of Business found that many male employees at a leading consulting firm were just pretending to work the required 80-hour working weeks.Many men found unobtrusive, under-the-radar ways to alter the structure of their work (such as cultivating mostly local clients, or building alliances with other colleagues), Reid wrote in a Harvard Business Review article.This excessive number of hours was deemed necessary to become the ideal employee one who was always available for the job while being free from personal responsibilities and interests which could interfere with work.Reid calls this strategy passing when employees give the impression that they are really working while finding ways to scale back their true hours in reality.This tactic can manifest itself in extreme ways, she noted. One consultant she talked to was actually on a ski holiday while his manager thought he was at work.He told me: I skied five days last week. I took calls in the morning and in the evening but I was able to be there for my son when he needed me to be, and I was able to ski five days in a row.He clarified that these were work days, not vacation days: No, no one knows where I am. Those boundaries are only practical with my local client base Especially because were mobile, there are no boundaries.In another article for the Harvard Business Review, Reid and Lakshmi Ramarajan, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, called for evaluating tangible results instead of hours worked.We propose that managers reduce the incentives for passing by encouraging people to focus on achieving their goals and measuring actual results rather than hours invested, they wrote.Managers can praise staff for the quality of advice provided, they suggested. Alternatively, manager could look at and respond to the number of repeat engagements secured.Other policy changes can be made even more easily. One employee we interviewed remarked that her current boss differed from her old one because he believed late nights were a sign that she was working inefficiently, and he discouraged them.Another employee said that her manager had let her allocate deadlines for the tasks she was expected to complete. This higher level of autonomy can encourage high-performing workers who may have passed on a particular task to follow through instead, Reid and Ramarajan said. le companies can hold onto their employees by offering higher pay, expanded training or a rewards & recognition program, there is one much better way to retain your staff.This is the view of Ciaran Foley, head of Frazer Jones Australia, who says that there is one aspect that beats the rest when it comes to convincing an employee to stay on at a firm: the relationship with their managers.These claims are backed up by the Frazer Jones Asia-Pacific HR Salary Survey for 2016 in which HR professionals were asked about what motivated them to stay with their employers.It is interesting that in the ever-changing world we work in, the relationship people have with their direct managers still takes precedence over everything else, he said.As the saying goes, people leave managers, not companies, and this is still true today in amongst the modern work settings flexible work arrangements and advanced technology, he added.This highlights the important role that HR can play in retaining talented staff below them.While managers must be accountable for their leadership and communication style, HR can develop these skills in their leaders and future leaders, Foley said.With many people leaving companies because of the relationship they have with their managers, I believe this represents a commercially strong business case for investing in leadership training.The logic behind this is simple: excellent leaders will keep excellent staff.Through careful development of leaders in the firm, a positive culture can be instilled which further increases retention rates at a firm, Foley noted, with senior leaders demonstrating both the values and behaviours expected of each employee.Our research demonstrates that this is a journey well worth taking if you want to retain your star performers. baona via Getty Images True and false checkboxes on chalkboard. It's census time again which means Statistics Canada is reaching far and wide to figure out what makes our country, well, our country. The information provided by the census is valuable for planners, with the results impacting anything from healthcare to public transit. Despite the benefits, there are those that feel unsure about completing the form because of privacy concerns or simply because of a lack of understanding of what it is or what it does. In collaboration with Statistics Canada, we dispel a few common misconceptions about the census with a game of true and false. Ready to play? Advertisement True Or False? The census is optional, so I don't have to complete it. False. All residents of Canada are legally required to take part in either the short or long-form census, according to the country's Statistics Act. This also means you have to account for everyone in your household, from your kids to your parents. The regional data collected can help guide pension programs and determine where services need to be delivered in French or English, among other things. Determining the population will also affect how money is allocated. True Or False? Once I submit my information, it'll be accessible by anyone. False. Under the Statistics Act, all information collected in either the long or short form census is kept strictly confidential. Your personal data is not to be released by Statistics Canada. While general information about the country will be published (from age groups to income details) your name will never be attached. Advertisement True Or False? Studying or working outside of the country prevents you from completing a census form. False. While most of the census data comes from residents within our countrys borders, information is also derived from those who live abroad. If you're a member of the Canadian Armed Forces stationed in another country, for instance, you are still required to complete an electronic questionnaire. Families that have children away at college or university most of the year, but whose children return home to live with them, are to include their children in their household questionnaire. Understanding the year-round activities of Canadians can help sort out our daily needs. This child-friendly space provides a safe place for children to play and learn, after the horrors of war. All Photos by Brett Tarver, at the Bersive camp for internally displaced people in the Kurdish region of Iraq. The playground was full of energy. Kids were laughing, running, skipping and talking in loud, excited voices. For just a second it felt like I was picking up my own daughters after school. I half expected to see them run smiling towards me, shouting out the day's highlights or showing their newly perfected handstands. Advertisement It felt so...normal. But the lives of children in this camp for internally displaced people have been anything but. These children have fled the conflict and violence of war, leaving behind all that they've known to face an uncertain future. Their lives are intact, in this tent city in the Kurdish region of Iraq. But their bodies and minds remain at serious risk. Safety through education At the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul this week, global leaders, humanitarian agencies and the private sector are coming together in search of sustainable solutions to address urgent humanitarian crises. The fate of millions of children, like those I met, literally hangs in the balance. World Vision is pushing for significant changes to how the international community assists the world's most vulnerable people. In particular, we're asking that education be considered as more than a valuable service. We want it to be viewed as a life-saving intervention -- just as important as shelter and clean water. On this recent trip to the Kurdish region of Iraq, I saw for myself how education programs within camps for internally displaced people can help keep children safer in the here and now, while also preparing them for productive lives down the road. Advertisement Instead of hanging out in back alleys of the camp, or selling small trinkets on the side of the road, children can take refuge in our child-friendly spaces. Here, they can feel safer thanks to programs which help protect children from exploitation, abuse and violence. These education and psychosocial programs do more than keep children physically safe, they can help keep a child's mind and spirit intact, when life is contriving to tear them apart. Safety and comfort For best friends Xalib and Dilin, story time at a child-friendly space is an opportunity to cozy up and contentedly hold hands together. The five-year-olds are also learning to read and write, teachings they've missed since being forced from their homes. But education programs in safe spaces can do more than keep children learning and happy. They are a hand extended to children who might have walked away into an uncertain future. Advertisement When eight-year-old Asim first arrived at the World Vision centre two years ago, he kept to himself. Asim was reluctant to socialize or even speak, unless lashing out in anger against the other children. His family felt it was the extreme stress as a result of being forced from their homes. But Asim came to the centre every day, sharing that he felt safer there than in the alleys and tents in the camp. As Asim began to open up, World Vision staff continued to treat him with kindness and patience. His self-esteem improved. And his friendships with other children became much stronger. "I feel I have a home," Asim says. Asim is no longer distant and aggressive, but is connecting with other children and learning new skills. Youth Empowered Child-friendly spaces aren't just for little kids. Older children in the camp are equally affected by the psychosocial cost of conflict, often on a different level as they remember and understand more. Advertisement I met with a group of young people at a youth empowerment class, and listened to their heartbreaking stories. They described the simple pleasures they used to know at home, like playing with their friends or walking to the market in their village. Then the young people described being suddenly forced to flee for their lives on foot. They talked of friends and family who had been killed. Some recounted seeing on TV the rubble that their homes had become. Some of the boys had been forced into work, hauling heavy loads at local brick yards or selling candies to passing cars on the highway. Encouraging the youth to share their stories, listening carefully and providing empathy, is critical to helping them to begin healing emotionally. It was clear to me that they're finding their voices, are learning what their rights are, and growing to understand their value for the future. Combine this with the basic education the young people receive at the centre, and you've got children who are equipped for a brighter future. Advertisement Youth from the Kurdish region of Iraq are growing through an empowerment class, which teaches them about their rights. Refugee realities The children I met are just a small sample of some of the most vulnerable children on earth. But they were also astonishingly resilient -- largely because of the education and protection services they are receiving and the safety, encouragement and healing it brings to their lives. World Vision is working to help give children a better shot at tomorrow. And Canadian support is making a direct, positive impact. But we have a long way to go. There are now more than 60 million refugees around the world and more than half of them are children. The average length of displacement is a staggering two decades. It's an almost overwhelming figure to comprehend. Here's what Canadians can to do help: Learn more and take action to address this situation at www.worldvision.ca Join the conversation, get involved, show solidarity and raise awareness online through #HelpThemDreamAgain Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Chris Wattie / Reuters REFILE - TYPOCanada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pauses while responding to questions after delivering an apology in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 19, 2016 following a physical altercation the previous day. REUTERS/Chris Wattie In the first year of law school I remember learning one of the most well-known axioms about the law. "The Law," Aristotle once said, "is reason devoid of passion." That might be the case for the laws of the land once they are codified and in force, but it is certainly not the case for the creation of those laws. Parliament is charged with debating and drafting those laws and this debate should be fuelled by passions on all sides. Our parliamentary democracy is built upon the central tenet that the government will advance the will of the people and will be held in check by loyal opposition voices that provide criticism, accountability and often amendment to the formation of laws that will govern the country. Our Parliament requires passionate advocacy by all Members of the Parliament to function effectively. We don't want our MPs to be dispassionate observers or the "trained seals" that some derogatory accounts of politics would suggest they are. We should want our representatives to bring their experiences, intellect and passion to Ottawa to advance the issues that matter to their constituents, their community and their country. Advertisement If we want to improve our democratic institutions like the House of Commons we should actually require more debate and more coverage of it. The subject of heckling often comes up in criticisms of Parliament. That is often because most Canadians only see brief clips on the news from Question Period, where almost 98 per cent of the heckling might take place. There is actually very little heckling in the House of Commons and virtually none in the committee work done by all MPs. There are hours of debate in the House of Commons and sadly most of this debate, whether stirring or boring, is ignored by the media and most Canadians. If a non-answer is given in Question Period, a funny heckle should be expected in my books. Winston Churchill heckled and was still respected enough to save the free world and was voted the Greatest Briton ever. My rule of thumb with regard to heckling is to never be personal, never be incessant and to try and elicit a smile from the person heckled. Heckling is an example of an animated House of Commons where people actually care about what is being said. If we want to improve our democratic institutions like the House of Commons we should actually require more debate and more coverage of it. Debates in our Parliament are important, but sadly it is rarely watched or covered. I have researched and prepared for several important speeches in my time as an MP. I have been startled the odd time to get an email or a tweet from someone watching my speech on a subject because I get so accustomed to speaking to only a few colleagues in the House of Commons. Advertisement In the last two weeks in Ottawa one of the most profound debates facing this Parliament has shown the passions of MPs at their best and this passion at its worst. Bill C-14, the assisted dying legislation, has been front and centre both inside the House of Commons and in media coverage across the country. Like many MPs, I have taken part in the debate in Ottawa, in discussions with my constituents and in media interviews. Parliamentarians on all sides have brought their own views and experiences to the debate and it has been civil and powerful all at once. In what is likely the most important debate of the 42nd Parliament, MPs on both sides of the issue have shown compassion and respect for contrary views in their speeches. They have also revealed their own personal stories of faith, illness and loss in a way that has made the debate itself a powerful and important exercise in helping this new Parliament understand one another better. One Liberal MP that I regularly disagree with in the House on almost all subjects shares an experience of loss due to cancer similar to mine. We learned that through debate and it has deepened our respect for one another. We should not fear debating difficult or even controversial issues provided that respect is the touchstone. If all MPs and all Canadians approach these subjects with respect, we can all feel better about the outcome whether you support Bill C-14 or not. I have been part of a few interviews and discussions with MPs on the issue of assisted suicide and got to know my colleagues across the aisle and understand their motivations better. This is passion and Parliament at its best. Sadly, last week also saw Parliament at its worst when the prime minister of Canada allowed his passion to get the better of him and he stormed across the aisle to yell at, and engaged in a scuffle with opposition MPs. Ironically, after days of respectful debate about Bill C-14, the government was using closure to cut off debate on this important subject and the prime minister got into a physical altercation with other MPs as he tried to speed up the process of voting on the closure of debate. The writing of our laws should not be devoid of passion, but the process must also not be devoid of reason. I will not make more of this sad incident than has already been made by commentators and news outlets in the last two days, but I will say this. While I accept the prime minister's apology and genuinely believe that he has deep regret for losing his cool, I am profoundly disappointed in this incident because of the example it sets. The prime minister is not just leader of the government and of the Liberal Party. He is Canada's leader and the country and its institutions look to him for leadership by example. Having served in cabinet myself, I can imagine the tremendous pressure and strains that come with the role of prime minister, but it is also a very special privilege and that requires the office to be held to a higher standard of conduct and deportment. At a time that federal agencies and institutions like the Canadians Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are trying to improve problems in their workplaces, this episode sends a terrible message. All MPs must be accountable and not justifying mistakes or misconduct on the pressure of a job, or as some voices have done on the provocations of others. Leadership is not blaming others for your actions. Politicians are leaders in their communities and the prime minister must always lead by example. The writing of our laws should not be devoid of passion, but the process must also not be devoid of reason. Respect for one another, for Parliament and for the roles of both sides of our Parliament is fundamental to our parliamentary democracy and must never be taken for granted. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Staras via Getty Images Man with a toothache. Pain in the human body on a gray background The Ontario government's proposed reform of the provincial health-care system is going forward with a glaring omission: primary mouth care. To make this reform truly "Patients First," Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, must include primary care for the mouth. Dentists are not part of the primary health-care system and physicians are not trained to deal with mouth diseases, such as those that affect teeth and gums. Primary mouth care is not covered under OHIP, and hospitals are not equipped to deliver dental care. Ontario only has public dental programs for low income children under 18, and a patchwork of basic services for people receiving social assistance. Advertisement If you develop extreme pain in your abdomen and think it could be appendicitis, you can get emergency care at the local hospital. If you develop extreme pain in your mouth and cannot afford to see a dentist, no such luck. Usually the emergency room physician will give you a prescription for painkillers, maybe antibiotics, and advise you to see a dentist. How does that help? It doesn't. The reason many go to the emergency room for mouth pain in the first place is because they can't afford to see a dentist. Left untreated, mouth diseases progress and can lead to the need for more costly interventions such as hospitalization. This is a common scenario in Ontario. Now we know that you cannot be truly healthy if you have diseases in your mouth. In 2014, there were almost 61,000 hospital emergency room visits for dental problems. The most common complaints were abscesses and dental pain. It is estimated that every nine minutes a person shows up in a hospital emergency room with a dental problem. The minimum cost of each hospital visit is $513. As a result, taxpayers spend approximately $31 million annually to have physicians acknowledge that patients have dental disease which they cannot treat. Advertisement When medicare was first introduced, primary mouth care was left out. At that time the links between poor oral health and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardio-vascular and respiratory diseases, and the delivery of pre-term, low birth-weight babies were not established. Now we know that you cannot be truly healthy if you have diseases in your mouth. The insufficient understanding of the importance of good oral health and the lack of advocacy for inclusion in medicare meant the delivery of dental services remained in the private sector. Over 50 years later the disturbing reality is that too many people in Ontario do not have access to basic dental care services. The College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario estimates that two to three million Ontarians have not seen a dentist in the past year. The main reason is the cost. Our teeth and gums are part of our body, and poor oral health affects our overall health and well-being. Neither the private dental system nor the patchwork of public oral health programs are meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities: low income families and workers without dental insurance; low income seniors and the elderly in institutions; indigenous people; immigrants and refugees; people with disabilities and people living in rural and remote areas. Advertisement We have an opportunity in Ontario in 2016 to begin to change this dismal picture. The Health Minister is proposing the "Patients First" plan to reduce gaps in the health-care system with the objective of improving health equity to ensure all Ontarians receive timely, consistent and appropriate high quality care, no matter how much they earn, where they live or what their ethnicity. Legislation is expected to be tabled in the Ontario legislature this spring. But the plan is inadequate without the inclusion of primary oral health care. Our teeth and gums are part of our body, and poor oral health affects our overall health and well-being. The proposed plans must ensure equitable access to oral health services so that vulnerable people in our communities can get the care they need and be healthy. How can this be done? We urge the provincial government to require Ontario's fourteen Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to be responsible for ensuring access to oral health services for vulnerable populations as part of their new primary care planning roles. Ensuring low income people can get preventive oral care and treatment will reduce visits to hospital emergency rooms, improve health outcomes and reduce acute care health costs. To achieve these goals in a cost efficient way, we urge the Ontario government to act faster on its 2014 promise to extend public dental programs to include low income adults. Services should be delivered through publicly funded dental clinics in public health units, Community Health Centres and Aboriginal Health Access Centres. These institutions already serve many vulnerable people in their communities. Advertisement It's time to bring the planning and delivery of oral health care services into the mainstream of policy discussions on Ontario's health-care system if we are to achieve better health outcomes for all Ontarians. The five things you need to know on Monday May 23, 2016 1) DIY SOS The Treasurys short term study into Brexit certainly won the Monday morning headlines it wanted, with scary forecasts of a recession and a profound shock that would shrink the UK economy by 6%. Advertisement But as the Brexiteers suggest this is yet another dodgy dossier, the FT has a nice story that the Treasury was so nervous that it employed Charlie Bean, the former deputy governor of the Bank of England, to cast a critical eye over the process and give it the stamp of approval. On the one hand, many Outers admit there would be a shock to the UK economy, but the question is how deep and how long (Steve Hilton in the Mail today accepts there is a risk of leaving). The Treasurys guesswork is inherently uncertain yet tries to pin certainty on the debate. Yet George Osbornes key line, alongside the PM in Hampshire after 9.30am, will be this: Does Britain really want this DIY recession?. Some Eurosceptic Tories now see Cameron and Osborne as having all the credibility of 'the Chuckle Brothers' but without the laughs. Iain Duncan Smith has already said the forecasts are not honest. And IDS on Radio 4's Westminster Hour last night underlined just how much damage is being done to Cameron and Osborne from this blue-on-blue conflict, using a line straight out of a Labour attack ad. He said Pinocchiowith his nose just getting longer and longer and longer.[is] very similar to the chancellor. With every fib you tell, it gets longer. Who am I to judge how many there have been? Advertisement Mark Carney is a much better source of ammo than the Treasury. And I suspect the Cam and Osborne Q&A (and the 'technical briefing' at HMT) may focus on how dodgy some of these stats really are. But never forget that Project Fear simply depends not on facts but on fear - and the belief that there's no such thing as bad publicity. Vote Leave wants to hit the NHS issue hard this week so were dismayed by Simon Stevens Carney-like warnings of dangerous Brexit on Marr yesterday. No wonder IDS said: Its a real issue about the misuse of the Civil Service here. Still, Stevens will hate the implication hes anybodys tool. The Mail on Sunday story yesterday about Boris offering the keys to No11 to Andrea Leadsom (and two others), in return for support in a leadership bid, is seen by Team Bojo as a black op by his enemies. More worrying is the threat posed by someone more Eurosceptic than Boris, with the guarantee of a second referendum. As for other future hopefuls, IDS told the BBC this morning he was "deeply disappointed" in Sajid Javid, who he claims told him privately he wanted Britain to leave the EU. Carney is before the Treasury Select tomorrow, the IFS is out on Wednesday and you can bet the G7 will have an anti-Brexit line later this week. In the Commons, the Queens Speech debate dominates everything this week and today the focus is public services. After last weeks TTIP ambush, word is that Brexiteers are looking for more Parliamentary theatrics in the debate itself. 2) COLD TURKEY After a scrappy match, England beat Turkey 2-1 yesterday. But the Turks showed enough to prove they could be a handful in Europe this summer. And with fresh talks on the EU-Ankara migrant deal today, its a similar story off the pitch and in politics. Advertisement Turkish accession to the EU has become a central theme in the Brexit case, and as well as a focus on the NHS this week, the campaign is due to push posters today raising the spectre of all those Turks arriving on these shores. But its image of dirty footprints entering the backdoor of the UK has upset Trevor Phillips with its straightforward prejudice. Angela Smith told the Westminster Hour that Vote Leaves tactics were distasteful and reminded her of attacks on Sadiq Khan (Khan launches his own pro-EU effort today). Of course Penny Mordaunts suggestion on Marr that the UK didnt have a veto over Turkish accession was plain wrong. What was just as notable was the relish with which the PM laid into her on Peston The fact that the leave campaign are getting things as straightforward as this wrong should call into judgment the bigger argument about leaving the EU. Some Eurosceps suspect this was payback for the way Mordaunt had questioned the PMs family finances during the early Panama Papers revelations. But it was brutal nevertheless. IDS rightly pointed out last night that the PMs official position is to support Turkey joining the EU, despite his recent claims that it would take until 3,000AD to get there. IDS was said Cameron had declared we want to pave the road from Brussels to Ankara. Its a bit disingenuous now to suddenly say dont worry, it will never happen, even though we want it to happen'. 3) FULL ENGLISH Labour unrest has calmed a bit since the local elections, but long-term unease still simmers away in the PLP. Today, Tristram Hunt has a new collection of articles by defeated Labour Parliamentary candidates on why the party needs to establish an English identity. Portsmouth council Labour group leader John Ferrett blames Ed Milibands lack of support for English shipbuilding, and warns Corbyns anti-defence stance is toxic. Susy Stride, who got hammered in Harlow by Rob Halfon, has a line that sums up how many 'moderate' MPs view the party's drift under Miliband and now Corbyn, and their approach to working class voters' concerns on things like migration and welfare: The Labour party was viewed like middle-class Ryanair passengers having to stomach a couple of hours flight with people they shared little in common with. It could be uncomfortable but it got you where you needed to go. Advertisement Another contributor was Jon Cruddas, whose report due this week (on Labours woes and its UKIP challenge) also uses the t-word. Labour is becoming a toxic brand. It is perceived by voters as a party that supports an open door approach to immigration, lacks credibility on the economy, and is a soft touch on welfare spending. The Times has an intriguing report claiming that Corbyn supporters want to see Ed Miliband given a Shadow Cabinet post in any reshuffle. It may be a forlorn hope, given that the former leader has made quite clear to friends that he has no intention of going back to the frontline. But theres still a lovely line from one former frontbencher: Ed shouldnt be in the shadow cabinetHe should be in jail for what he did to the Labour party. The summer reshuffle could prove very tricky for Team Corbyn. If mishandled, it could spark a fresh PLP revolt. So too could Corbyn using the Chilcot report to call again for Tony Blair to be tried for war crimes. That would be seen as a step too far for many Labour MPs. BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR This video of an American mums Star Wars obsession has gone viral with 130m views. Its probably her laugh that did it. 4) RULE BREAK Among the off-cuts from David Camerons Peston interview was his first hint that the Tories may have blundered in the battle bus expenses row. If there were misdeclarations or things left out, we have to put those in place, he told the ITV pol ed, before adding: But Im confident we can answer all the questions that are being put to us. Lets see if the cops are as sanguine. Advertisement The PM also made clear that hes still no pal of Donald Trump. Having said Trumps Muslim ban plan was stupid, divisive and wrong Cameron went further, adding Im making it worse now, but its a very dangerous thing to say as well as a divisive and wrong one. And while protocol may dictate that Trump will get a meeting with Cameron once hes the Republican nominee, the PM didnt sound keen. I hear its possible he may not get the money shot of a No.10 doorstep greeting, and the meeting could take place elsewhere. 5) HIGHLAND FLINGS Stewart Hosie announced last night that he was to step down in the autumn as the SNPs deputy leader, citing health issues around his blood pressure and stories about his affair with journalist Serena Cowdy. Nicola Sturgeon, who is a friend and colleague of Hosies wife, was notably cool in her reply, not even mentioning his health. (Am I the only one who thinks its a bit Victorian the way the mistress is getting more of a kicking from several columnists, rather than the man in all this?) On a happier note, the Sun has an exclusive of brighter Scots political relationship. Ruth Davidson got engaged to girlfriend Jen Wilson last night during a romantic Paris break. A source close to the couple said last night: It was very romantic. Theyre both thrilled. They have known each other for almost a decade. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. Tyrants rarely seize government, the people usually hand power to them. It might seem extreme to compare the EU to a tyrant, but if you're a 23-year-old in Greece, facing a generation of deprivation and unemployment, you might not think the comparison unjust. People have fought for hundreds of years to win the right to elect their lawmakers and if the UK votes to remain on June 23rd, we will have surrendered that right for the foreseeable future. This referendum is a straightforward choice: do we hand more power to the EU, or do we reclaim it for ourselves? Paxman in Brussels did a good job of showing how the EU works. It is an undemocratic institution. We, the people, have no power to remove those who make our laws, the EU Commission. And the people we do elect, the MEPs, have virtually no power and sit in a parliament so toothless that it might as well not be there. So what? What's the big deal about sovereignty? What's so great about democracy? Let's use the NHS as an example. Most people in Britain support the NHS. Having lived in countries that have private health systems, I think the NHS is a miracle. It is a testament to British kindness and social equality, a very real recognition of our common interest in helping each other. Advertisement The EU is often lauded as a progressive institution, but few people realise the role it's played in curtailing workers' rights and mandating privatisation. There has been much discussion of the NHS with regard to TTIP and whether the EU's trade treaty with the US will put it at risk. If we vote to remain in the EU, and it truly decides, as part of an exercise to standardise the healthcare market, to open the NHS up to competition, there would not be a thing we could do about it, short of leaving. The history of the EU has been one of slowly and steadily assuming the power of a nation state, without taking on the responsibility to be accountable to the people it governs. If a Conservative government threatened the NHS, we could vote them out. We could lobby our MPs, petition, put pressure on our elected representatives to back down. We only need to look at the number of U-turns George Osborne has made to see that democracy really works. When the people express their will, the results can be seen quickly - we don't even have to wait for elections. If the EU threatened the NHS, what would we do? What would you do? Orwell wrote of the nightmare of a large bureaucracy for a reason, it is the most efficient way to suffocate freedom. Look at Greece, Germany, Spain, Italy to see how much the EU cares about demonstrations and protests. Insulated from the need to win elections, the Commission can act in what it thinks are our best interests, regardless of what we say or do, and that is the very essence of tyranny. Tyrants don't regard themselves as evil, they are motivated by what they believe is the common good, but their actions can harm people who are powerless to influence or resist them. If we found ourselves on a collision course with the EU over an issue like the NHS, having no power to elect or impeach the people who make the law, our only remaining power would be as a nation, to leave. But what if the EU passes a law requiring all residents, not only nationals, to vote in any future referenda? What do we do then? Elect a party on a platform to take us out of Europe? It's all too remote, too slow, too vulnerable to abuse, too prone to going wrong. History shows what happens when people give away their democratic rights; it never ends well. Advertisement If my imagined scenario ever came to pass, my guess is that, just as we're letting ourselves be talked out of our democratic right to elect our lawmakers, we'd allow ourselves to be convinced that hobbling the NHS was for the greater good, for the achievement of the European Ideal. The end justifies the means. People on the left, like Paul Mason, who recognises that the EU is undemocratic and harms workers' rights, that it will threaten the Heath Service, but who say now is not the time for taking action against it for fear of handing the Tories a victory, are doing us all a disservice. They do not understand that an unaccountable bureaucracy is much more powerful and far more dangerous than any political party. Last week a number of creative people, some of whom I work with, some of whom are friends, signed a letter in support of the EU. If, instead of the healthcare market, we imagined the EU liberalising the media market, mandating the privatisation of the BBC, I'm sure many of those same people would rail against the EU, but we'd be powerless to stop it. The EU probably doesn't have any such plans, but we don't know, and that's the point; we don't know what any future politician, bureaucrat or government has planned, which is why we must not trust in their benevolence. We must keep our democratic power and hold it close. "Leave no one behind" and "localization" are big picture ideas that are being widely-discussed at the World Humanitarian Summit next week in Istanbul. But, what does it really mean to leave no one - not one single person - behind? As the head of an organization that began and remains firmly based in the localization industry, I'd like to add my voice to the conversation -it's a conversation vital to everything we do as humanitarians. I've been thinking about what humanitarians can learn from the corporate sector in terms of localization. When I say "humanitarians", I mean local, national, international NGOs, UN agencies, etc. Why do companies localize? What do they know that we (humanitarians) don't? The localization industry is expected to be worth $37 billion by 2018. Obviously, localization matters to corporations. Here is what they know: Advertisement Translate. People remember and respond better to what they learn in their native language. According to Robert Lane Greene of The Economist, research demonstrates that when people read something in a language they understand, they can comprehend it. If they read something in their mother tongue, they are more apt to believe it to be true. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Simple messages in native languages work. Content can't be translated well if it doesn't make sense in the original language. Go to the customer. Go to the places where people get information. Localize what you find and create what is missing. Provide people with knowledge and information, not instructions. Let people decide how to use the knowledge. Advertisement Ensure efficient processes. Use technology to speed up (but not substitute for) localization. We humanitarians know this. But why do companies localize, but we in the humanitarian world don't? Same, same, but different In the corporate translation/content world, localization is about how to make information accessible to customers. For humanitarians, localization is about putting affected people at the center of the humanitarian response. Maybe it's the same thing? Doesn't "leaving no one behind" mean making our "products" accessible to people affected by crises, our customers? Doesn't putting people at the center of the response mean that they decide which products best suit their needs? Why are we behind in our participation? We've all heard the excuses: Translation is too expensive; we don't have the budgets companies have. Translation takes too long and people will die. We don't have translators on staff, and those we do have focus on the languages that our donors speak, not those languages that affected people speak. Just give them cash and let them work out what they need. People can make their own decisions. Let's address these. Translation is too expensive. It IS expensive to translate a lot of content. Fortunately, we already have the lessons that the private sector has learned and the tools they've developed. We need to: Advertisement decide what is crucial information (not huge tomes) ensure that the content is good (for example, not UN or NGO-speak) find qualified professional translators (bad translations can kill) use translation tools wisely make the process efficient These things cut costs and force us to prioritize. Translation takes too long and people will die. Or they will die because they don't get the right information at the right time in the right way? In my four months at TWB, I've discovered that this is really not as hard as we think. TWB currently releases information in Arabic, Farsi, and Greek in less than five hours. And with the social media penetration rates of many of the places we work, we provide the best information to people using high quality translations, subtitles, or voice overs before most humanitarians can score their visas, flights, hotels and advances. Localization works even better if there are trained community translators already in the country of need. In-country resources are low-cost and easily developed for all humanitarian and development workers. As an aid community, we need to think differently. Think about how much you can do virtually, without getting on a plane. For example, TWB has no corporate HQ - our only office is a translation center in Nairobi. All of our staff and our 3,400 translators work remotely. Just give them the cash. I agree. Give them the cash. And ensure that those in need have access to high quality information that they understand so they know what's available to best protect themselves and their families. Localization is as much about improving the quality of assistance as it is about ensuring people can protect themselves and live with dignity. As an aid community, we can only meet our own rigorous standards if people get the information they need in a language they speak and in a format they can access. Advertisement With all the other commitments, let's make sure we really do leave no one behind. Still not convinced? Translators without Borders has done a series of very simple comprehension studies. This will make you think: 197 people were asked questions about how Ebola is spread. 8% of the questions were answered correctly About 100 of these people attended an English information session; the other 100 got the same information in a professionally-translated Swahili session Both groups were given the same test at the end of the sessions The group that received information in English got 16% of the questions correct The ground that received info in Swahili got... ....Wait for it... 92% of the questions correct If we're really serious about 'leaving no one behind', then every humanitarian organization should invest in ensuring that key information is already translated into languages where we know disasters will occur (or are occurring) by: Train community translators and interpreters to listen and respond, alongside community groups. Ask for translation support. There are tools to rapidly develop local translator networks or global virtual translation/interpreting teams. Pre-translate questionnaires and make them available in various media. You can sub-title or dub videos or radio programs fairly easily into numerous languages and have them ready for deployment. Advertisement Make sure source content is simplified in advance. I shudder to think that we might have to ask translators to translate the CHS graphic. Simple language can be easily translated into languages that are not vocabulary-rich, without compromising the meaning. It's not difficult. It's not expensive. It will improve our accountability. It will save lives. Come visit TWB in the Innovation Marketplace at WHS. We're booth 2. Contributors: According to a recent opinion poll for the Observer, most young people want the UK to remain in the EU but, only around half of the 18 to 34 year olds spoken to say they are likely to vote. The pollsters found that 53% of young people backed staying in and 29% favoured a UK exit but only 52% said they were likely to vote. In sharp contrast in the 55 plus age group, 54% say they will vote for Brexit and we know they are far more likely to vote. The polling companies have not done well in recent years - but even if we believe them when most say that the remain side is ahead - this may mean nothing on 24th June - because it is all about who can be bothered to vote. Advertisement Democracy is about having the debate - even an argument - on important issues and our membership of the EU is an important issue. The debate about our membership has passionate and sincere supporters on both sides. But, from my personal experience having talked to a lot of people on doorsteps and in the street, there is a strong negative theme running through some of the exit arguments and thats xenophobia - the morbid dislike of foreign people. We were out in a busy shopping street last week - campaigning for staying in, handing out leaflets and talking to people who wanted to talk. One man came up - said nothing and slapped down page from the Daily Mail and walked off without saying anything - it was photographs and an article about some East Europeans living in a car park somewhere in the UK. For him this was all that need to be said about the EU (or not said in his case). A few minutes later a women came up and demanded my views on East Europeans working in the UK - it was clear she had issues with East Europeans and didn't want to talk about anything else. They didn't say that East Europeans had actually taken their own jobs or the jobs of anyone they know. It was not clear if the man with the newspaper cutting had been directly effected by any East Europeans. They seemed to simply hated the idea of them being in the UK. Advertisement A good number of people also said they supported staying in - I should add. I happen to think that on balance we are better of in than out - better off bargaining with China and the USA as part of a block of Countries working together even with some of the disadvantages. We are better off generally cooperating with other European countries rather than putting up barriers. But - it is the many people who seem to want us to leave just because they don't seem to like foreigners that is depressing. There is a proper debate to be had about things like immigration and it's effect on employment but a number of people appeared angry that foreign people where coming to this Country at all - period. These angry, apparently xenophobic, people seem to be more my age than young. This is a generalisation of course - but I think there is something to it. There are a number of older people in the exit camp just plain angry about foreign people coming to the UK even if it has not actually impacted on them directly. Don't get me wrong - I recognise that is their democratic right but it is depressing because it is a crappy reason to make such a momentous decision. The issue is that these same people - those my age - have less of a stake in the future because, to be frank, we have less long to live than someone aged 18 to 34 years. People my age, who are more likely to vote, have a shorter future than those younger people who are less likely to vote and it is older people who may well decide the future for everyone. Advertisement Of course the bulk of any exit vote will be made up of people who have a variety of reasons to vote for Brexit - as is their right. But it still looks like the views of older people will prevail over those with a bigger stake in the outcome - a bigger stake because they will live with the consequences longer. Mental Health Awareness week - a chance to share my story. A chance to describe how at times I can be crippled by anxiety and a chance to highlight post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a hidden cost of neonatal intensive care. Nothing can really prepare you for parenthood; but when your baby is born prematurely the time to plan and the excitement and anticipation of a new arrival is dramatically interrupted. Shocked and numb, you suddenly find yourself in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Advertisement Neonatal intensive care - a scary sounding place and one you are unlikely to chance upon. As it happened I had worked in neonatal care as a children's occupational therapist and yet when my own son was born at 30 weeks I found myself lost in a medical world I did not recognise. For eight weeks I visited my baby every day, trying to become a mother in a unit where rows of incubators housed babies at the very edge of life. All around me monitors beeped and alarmed as they seamlessly chimed with the uncertainty of our journey. Given the nature of NICU, the pain of leaving your fragile baby each day, the feelings of emptiness and grief, the uncertainty and ups and downs, the lines, wires, monitors and alarms, not to mention the security buzzers at the entrance of the unit or the constant rigorous hand washing, it came as no surprise to me that parents who have experienced premature birth are at greater risk of post natal depression, anxiety and PTSD. I remember the moment I first felt panicked and sick with PTSD; I was returning to the neonatal unit for a routine 4 week follow up. Walking out of the car park and into the hospital I could hear and feel the sound of my heart pounding in my head. I could hear the beep, beep, beep of monitors and the sound of the ventilator as air filled my son's lungs. If I closed my eyes all I could see were wires and the mechanical rise and fall of my babies tiny chest. I felt sick to the bottom of my stomach and although I felt as if my body was completely shutting down, there was nothing I could do to stop it. Advertisement No one warns you about the flash backs, with PTSD often presenting itself once you are home. The support network of the hospital can disappear overnight and you are left to wonder how on earth you made it through. Family and friends with good intention assume that the difficult times are behind you and the idea that discharge would be the end of your neonatal journey suddenly seems farcical. I found the usual routes where I could have sought support closed to me, as well-meaning questions at health visiting clinics or baby groups only intensified negative feelings and bought back painful memories. The reality of becoming a mother in NICU is so far removed from the 'norm' that I quickly became isolated, unable to connect with the experiences of other families. For a long time I believed I was alone in my thoughts of loss and grief and remained quiet about the flashbacks and crippling anxiety I was experiencing. I still remember the great feeling of relief when I first read another mothers account of life after neonatal care; suddenly I was no longer alone. In fact I was in quite good company, with more than 40% of NICU mums suffer from postnatal depression (compared to 5-10% of mothers who give birth to full term health babies), and more than half reporting symptoms of anxiety and PTSD. Yet, like many aspects of mental health, PTSD following neonatal intensive care is rarely spoken about. Through the openness and honestly of mothers, just like the account I first read, we can begin to normalise PTSD, raise awareness of the hidden cost of NICU and call from more support for mothers following premature birth. I've known Ken Loach for around 40 years, and supported him and his films for most of that time. Not because I agree with all his political views ( I'm just a champagne socialist compared to him) but because he is a film-maker capable of making us laugh and cry and get angry at the unfairness of the world at more or less the same time (Kes, for instance) - and, by the way, he's a genuinely modest man to boot. But even a supporter like myself was more than a bit surprised that I, Daniel Blake, his film about a working class guy who has a severe heart attack at 50 and gets screwed by the British welfare system, won the Palme D'Or at Cannes. Make no mistake, I liked the film and thought it certainly worth something from Australian George Miller's jury. But there were other even better films around, some of them not even mentioned by the judges. This is the second time Ken has won the top award -- the first was The Wind That Shakes The Barley - and, well, if I don't quite agree with the verdict, I am genuinely happy for Ken. He made a good rousing speech at the podium too. They love him at Cannes despite the fact that not many of those in their expensive glad rags watching his films can possibly claim to share his political opinions. Advertisement The other awards were even more surprising. In fact, most of them were odd enough to secure hearty boos from the journos sitting in the theatre next door to the main auditorium and watching the prizes on the video screen. Most astonishing was the lack of anything at all for Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann, a hit with almost everyone bar the jury. This German comedy, written and directed by a talented woman film-maker, has an eccentric father trying to persuade his strikingly successful daughter not to take her computer dominated life so damned seriously. It might well have won the Palme D'Or from another jury. There was some compensation, though, when the International Critics Jury awarded the film their prize. Another strange result gave the Canadian Xavier Dolan's It's Only The End of the World the Grand Prize of the Jury, which is considered the second best award of the festival. Boos rang out again when this was announced since the film had been generally slated after its press show. Accepting the prize, Dolan looked understandably triumphant. UK director Andrea Arnold's first American venture American Honey, which some loved and others disliked, won the minor jury prize. Which meant that Arnold won that particular prize for the third time after her excellent Red Road and Fish Tank. There was further controversy when Olivier Assayas' eccentric ghost story Personal Shopping was paired with Cristian Mungiu's infinitely superior Graduation from Rumania in the best director category. Graduation, a coruscating story about corruption in Rumania, reaching out from top to bottom of society, was another critical hit and certainly deserved its reward for the director of the splendid Palme D'Or winning Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days. Finally, there were two more shocks in the acting categories when Shahab Hosseini was made best actor for Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman (Iran) and Jaclyn Jose was given the best actress award for Brilliante Mendoza's Ma' Rosa (the Philippines). Both were good performances but not generally considered for prizes. Advertisement When I was a girl on my first visit to my mother's birthplace, Smithville, a tiny ramshackle village in the mountains of central Jamaica, my grandmother carried our three enormous suitcases on her head down a long mountain path to the bus, where we would say goodbye and return to London. She made it look like nothing and I remember admiring the strength and grace in which she carried the heavy load. Now, as shadow international development secretary, cognisant of the fact that empowering women in the developing world is the key to strengthening the livelihoods of communities, the image of my grandmother returns to me. Advertisement This weekend, stakeholders from officials from government, the UN and the multilateral agencies descend on Istanbul to attend to the World Humanitarian Summit amid a dangerous rising of instability, inequality and temperatures across the globe. I am glad the summit has a particular focus on women. But coming out of the summit we want this to be truly reflected not just in the statements or loosely worded documents but actual policy that is backed up by implementation and of course funding. The forces of patriarchy remain as strong. As does an economic system that does not reward women for the vital work of raising new human beings and often denies them jobs and the rights to land, education and sexual health. Rather than being seen as a solution to a community's ills, women in the global south are all too often reduced to a collection of problems. We need to take action against these forces of conservatism. To support women's ability to mobilise and achieve financial independence. Advertisement Despite the British government's newfound attention to women and girls the solutions are top down, dramatically limiting their effectiveness. The government's own aid watchdog IACI has urged the government to significantly increase funding for local women's rights organisations. The advocacy group Action Aid suggests boosting British aid finance to local women's groups by 70million over the next three years. OECD figures for 2013-2014 show that, of the US$39.9billion in aid committed to supporting gender equality on average per year, just 1% was reported as direct funding for women's and girls' equality organisations and institutions. This simply isn't good enough. In their rush to help the development sector at times forgets exactly what 'empowerment' is. Women do not need us to deliver for them. They need our support and resources to allow them to deliver for themselves. My biggest hope for the World Humanitarian Summit is that resources are allocated to support grass roots women-led organisations, which have been shown to have the greatest impact in delivering both safety for the women of the global south and prosperity for their communities. Advertisement Family breakdown is a key driver of poverty Children's life chances can be profoundly harmed by fractured family relationships Addressing family breakdown would disproportionately help the most vulnerable and disadvantaged It was encouraging to hear in the Queen's Speech the words 'New legislation will be introduced to tackle some of the deepest social problems in society, and improve life chances.' Amongst our deepest social problems - if not the deepest, because it triggers so many others - are dysfunctional, chaotic and fractured family relationships. The scale of family breakdown in Britain bludgeons the senses. Almost half of all children sitting their GCSEs this year will no longer be living with both parents. This proportion rises to two-thirds in low-income homes. As the Prime Minister himself has said, 'a teenager sitting their GCSEs is more likely to own a smartphone than have a dad living with them.' Advertisement Behind these statistics are individual young people whose life chances can be profoundly impacted by the separation of their parents. As the Centre for Social Justice has repeated over several years now, 'Children who experience family breakdown are more likely to experience behavioral problems; perform less well in school; need more medical treatment; leave school and home earlier; become sexually active, pregnant or a parent at an early age; and report more depressive symptoms and higher levels of smoking, drinking and other drug use during adolescence and adulthood.' So, if we care about increasing 'life chances for the most disadvantaged', to quote elsewhere from the Queen's Speech, then we cannot ignore the fact that more support for families, family life and relationships within families at different stages and ages is critically needed. This would disproportionately help the most vulnerable, and directly combat family breakdown as a key driver of poverty. Elsewhere in the Queen's Speech, the Government states its intention 'to tackle poverty and the causes of deprivation, including family instability, addiction and debt'. Stable families are a key building block of strong societies, and when they break down, all of us are in some way affected. If we are committed to improving the life chances of all children, leaving none behind, we must be committed to reversing the endemic level of family breakdown currently experienced in Britain. The damage which family instability can cause children starts at the earliest of ages. Babies are born craving attachment. Our adult understanding of emotional and physical connections with those around us can be rooted in how we bonded as tiny children with those closest to us. How much we depend and co-operate with others later in life can be similarly influenced by how dependable and available the adults were in our early life. Living in dysfunctional or chaotic families, children can become hard-wired to assume there is little, or no, security in relationships. Not just in the home, but in the school and at work as well, this subsequently impacts our ability to succeed in a culture which increasingly requires cooperation and communication skills in the workplace. Advertisement The tragedy is that many families would like to stay together - that surely is the aspiration of most couples when they start a family together - but often they lack the tools or role models to help to resolve conflicts and to see a way forward through the difficult times, which - let's face it - we all experience at one time or another in family life - that's entirely normal! Since 2013 the Government has provided some funding for schemes to help prevent relationship breakdown and, as a result, many thousands have benefited. This support needs to be substantially increased if we are really serious about, as the Queen's Speech also states, 'giving every child the best start in life.' A good start would be making couple relationship support available to every couple when they become a new parent. This needn't be a heavy thing - just knowing someone or somewhere to go to for the right words of encouragement and direction may be all some need. Having a child aged 0-3 years can be a critical trigger for family breakdown, and support given at that time could help couples work through difficulties as a united front. Other more structured programs, such as those provided for couples who are just settling down together - or even simply thinking about doing so - can help raise awareness that no long-term relationship is without its crises, and that it is possible to prevent painful issues from being entrenched. Many tools for maintaining healthy relationships, married or not, are easy to learn, as MPs heard at a recent meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Strengthening Couple Relationships, which I have the privilege of Chairing. Harry Benson, founder of the relationship education charity the Bristol Community Family Trust, spoke of his 'Let's Stick Together' programme, which has effectively helped thousands of new families strengthen their relationships. Nicky and Sila Lee also spoke - they founded the Marriage Course, which over the last two decades has been translated into 40 languages and now runs in 109 countries - so there is clearly an appetite for this kind of advice! To be very clear, there is no judgment in this article of any family. Many parents do a fantastic job of raising children alone or with very little support. There are many abusive and broken relationships from which people need liberation rather than forces trying to keep them together. However, there are also many relationships where couples want to make things work and want to be together to look after their children, but find themselves struggling with the many pressures of modern life. Added challenges, such as those found in some cross-cultural relationships, or greater geographic distances from a network of wider family support can make it harder for couples to clarify, form and maintain strong and lasting commitments. Advertisement If we want to fully realise yet another pledge in the Queen's Speech 'to work to bring communities together and strengthen society,' then as the party of Government we have an opportunity - and an urgent duty - to help families build strong and happy homes for the benefit of themselves, their children, and society as a whole. As this latest pledging jamboree begins, it's worth asking whether commitments have been fulfilled to the last one. This week Turkey is hosting the first ever World Humanitarian Summit - one of the objectives of the summit is a new Grand Bargain between the 15 main donors and 15 main recipient networks. But will it result in the Agenda for Humanity that the UN Secretary General bravely called for in February? Turkey is currently hosting the world's biggest number of refugees at nearly 3 million. It will be hard for those present to avoid the Syrian conflict raging nearby. The five core principles that Ban Ki Moon put on his agenda are vital for all Syrians but hopes for progress on any of them are fading. Who will be there to prevent and end conflict; to respect the rules of war; to ensure all displaced are not left behind by having access to education; to change people's lives by moving away from aid to addressing need; or to invest in humanity? The aims are high, the reality risks being a disappointment. Advertisement But wait. Haven't we heard some of this already this year? Not so grand, equally controlled by the host government, but with some nice announcements at the end. No commitments to ending conflict but quite a bit about helping those fleeing from conflict in Syria: quite a bit about providing education, decent work, livelihoods and safety. Ah yes, the conference on providing support to Syria and its neighbours in London in February. So what happened? Have those pledges made a difference to people's lives? How much has been delivered? It is always difficult to follow up these kinds of commitments and despite the demands of NGOs at the London conference, no accountability mechanism was set up. So Concern Worldwide with the help of Christian Aid and Islamic Relief conducted some of its own research Still Paying the Price: and guess what? They found that by mid April 94% of donors had not turned those pledges into commitments. When people in Lebanon were asked if their lives had improved since the conference over three times as many beneficiaries said the situation has not changed or got worse compared to those that felt it had improved. Action is needed to address this profound sense of hopelessness. Of course, the most important action would be to stop the conflict, even to prolong the ceasefire which is now in such jeopardy that humanitarian aid can't be delivered to starving people in Daraya and elsewhere. But for those governments that pledged funds and action in London in February it should also be possible to deliver on those promises. There are some simple actions that can be taken to make a real difference to refugee lives. In Turkey to help improve access to work permits and ensure decent working conditions, in Lebanon to remove charges for residency permits, in Jordan to extend the grace period on work permits in Jordan, and to make further and quicker progress on job creation, access to education and protection in all countries. Advertisement Will anyone be asking for such specifics at the World Humanitarian Summit? They might, especially the few Syrian NGOs who will be there in the side-lines campaigning hard for change, campaigning hard for the right for local NGOs to get more funding during humanitarian emergencies. They are, after all, the ones who understand their country's needs the most. This was supposed to be a summit to help their voice. I apologise for my cynicism but when it took Western NGOs to give up their place in London for Syrian voices to be heard, it is hard to be too hopeful that the Turkish government will be more generous. I hope I am wrong. In the meantime let's not forget those pledges that were already made and let's keep trying to hold governments to account for their past promises before they make new ones. It's been another stellar start to the year for children's picture books. Here are twenty of the best that would made great additions to the bookshelf of any child, school or library. A River by Marc Martin (Templar, 12.99) Marc Martin is quickly establishing himself as a supremely talented author-illustrator. A River is a beautiful meditation on imagination and landscape that reveals hidden visual treasures on every fresh reading. Advertisement The Detective Dog by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie (Macmillan) A new book by Julia Donaldson is always a cause for celebration, and this latest offering is set to be another classic: a heart-warming celebration of books, libraries, reading and friendship, it's got all the trademark poetry Donaldson is renowned for, vibrantly brought to life by Ogilvie's illustrations. A sure-fire hit. Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio and Christian Robinson (Simon and Schuster, 6.99) Gaston is a dog who doesn't look or behave like his brothers and sisters. One day in the park, two mothers realise there's been a terrible mistake in puppy-swapping. A charming and endearing tale about nature, nurture and the truth about belonging. Advertisement Mango and Bambang: Tapir All at Sea by Polly Faber and Clara Vulliamy (Walker, 8.99) A bit of a cheat, this one, as it's a storybook rather than a picture book, but it's so good I couldn't possibly leave it out. Last year's first outing for Mango and Bambang introduced us to a brilliant modern heroine and her best friend - a tapir. Now they're back with four more adventures that are filled with equal amounts of charm, humour and pathos. Beautifully illustrated by Vulliamy in a striking red-and-white palette, this is a wonderful fictional friendship destined to become a modern classic. Quick Quack Quentin by Kes Gray and Jim Field (Hodder, 11.99) The partnership of Kes Gray and Jim Field has produced two of the best picture books in recent years: Oi Frog and How Many Legs. Now they're back with this entertaining and educational tale about a duck who's lost his quack and needs to go in search of the letter A to find it. Perfect for children learning to read, write and spell. Petunia Paris's Parrot by Katie Haworth and Jo Williamson (Templar, 6.99) Spoilt little rich girl, Petunia Paris, has everything she could possibly want. So when the parrot she's given for her birthday refuses to talk, she has to find out why. Quirkily illustrated, this is a sweet and uplifting story. Advertisement Before I Wake Up by Britta Teckentrup (Prestel Publishing, 9.99) Teckentrup is one of the most prolific illustrators on the picture book scene. This beautiful meditation on a little girl's dreams is the perfect bedtime read. This visually impactful wordless picture book highlights the dangers of polluting our oceans, while providing a fun, Where's Wally? challenge for readers. Advertisement Tidy by Emily Gravett (Two Hoots, 12.99) Pete the badger is determined to tidy the forest. But when his tidying goes a little too far, he needs his friends to help put it right. Another sure-fire hit from Kate Greenaway winner Gravett. Little People, Big Dreams: Frieda Kahlo / Coco Chanel by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Eng Gee Fan and Ana Albero (Frances Lincoln, 9.99) These biographies of two of the twentieth centuries most iconic figures are brilliant introductions to their lives and works. Strikingly illustrated, they're superb first biographies for younger readers. Advertisement There is a Tribe of Kids by Lane Smith (Two Hoots, 12.99) A beautifully illustrated and poetic journey through the natural world, to discover groups of animals in oceans, rainforests and jungles. Mesmeric. Can I Eat That? By Joshua David Stein and Julia Rothman (Phaidon, 10.95) A playful and quirkily illustrated book about the foods we can eat - and those we most definitely cannot. Nibbles: The Book Monster by Emma Yarlett (Little Tiger Press, 11.99) Nibbles is a very naughty monster who keeps eating his way through classic tales from Goldilocks to Jack and the Beanstalk. Beautifully produced with cut-outs and peep-throughs, it's a worthy successor to Yarlett's fabulous Poppy Pickle. Advertisement These wordless picture books play with the reader's perception of distance and colour, and are both strikingly illustrated and fun to read - a worthy addition to the Minibombo book stable. Albert's Tree by Jenni Desmond (Walker Books, 11.99) Albert the bear emerges from hibernation to find his favourite tree, only to discover that his tree is crying. A gorgeous tale of friendship and sharing. Advertisement Outside: A Guide to Discovering Nature by Maria Ana Piexe Dias, Ines Teixeira do Rosario and Bernardo P Carvalho (Frances Lincoln, 18.99) A comprehensive guide to the outside world, filled with ideas for activities, probing questions about nature and an abundance of beautiful illustrations. The Great Fire of London by Emma Adams, Fiz Osborne and James Weston Lewis (Wayland, 12.99) This strikingly illustrated account of the Great Fire of London brings an iconic story to younger readers with both clarity and drama. Advertisement Winnie-the-Pooh by AA Milne and EH Shepherd (Egmont, 8.99 / 5.99) What do you have as your screensaver? While some companies allow staff to revel in their favourite sunset snap or their kids pulling hideous faces, others provide the screensavers to focus minds on the top priorities. At the UK's Department for International Development, the staff's screensavers were all changed last year. No longer do staff start the day reminded of their commitment to tackling poverty; now, they are also committed to building peace in fragile and conflict-affected states. It reflects the new focus of British aid - seeking both to end poverty and to build our common, global security. Indeed, last year the Government announced that half of all British aid will be spent in countries affected by conflict. Advertisement The UK Aid Department is far from alone. In fact, many donors, from Sweden to the World Bank, are re-ordering priorities, committing to focus on countries in conflict, or at risk of slipping back into conflict. The new focus has good cause. Conflict is back on the rise after being in decline for many years, and is forcing millions to flee their homes. And last year, the rich nations' think-tank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said that we would not achieve the Global Sustainable Goals' 2030 agenda and end extreme poverty without dealing with conflict. Conflict has changed too - think less men in uniforms marching to their national anthem, think more about smaller groups of fighters or criminal networks - magnified by demographic pressures, climate change and growing global inequality. The changing face of conflict has also significantly changed the scope and scale of humanitarian assistance. Global humanitarian appeals have increased by an impossible 600% over the last 10 years. Today, 86% of humanitarian aid is going to crises caused by conflict - and the conflicts are dragging on for longer than ever before. Advertisement This is why it is no surprise that the UN Secretary General's report 'One humanity: shared responsibility' released in advance of the first ever World Humanitarian Summit, being held in Istanbul this week, begins with a call for political leadership to prevent and end conflict as the only means to reduce humanitarian need. This call to action has translated into five proposed commitments under the Summit's High Level Roundtable on political action to prevent violent conflict. These include a commitment to act early, improve prevention capacity, commit for the long term to avoid relapse, deal with root causes of conflict and understand what works. These core commitments could, however, miss an opportunity at the Summit to consider the contribution that humanitarians themselves can make to peace, and the need for a fundamental reform for the humanitarian system to deal with today's crises. The focus must be on concrete actions. And on how humanitarians who do such outstanding work saving lives in crises can join forces with peacebuilders, as well as political leaders and development workers to better serve people's today - in such a way that also builds a platform for a better future. We need to ensure that no aid, including in response to humanitarian emergencies, is exacerbating conflict - a principle surely essential to the humanitarian principle of impartiality. Nothing makes a humanitarian agency look biased more quickly than if they are unwittingly feeding local conflicts - for example by only hiring staff or buying goods from one particular group. Advertisement For instance, in response to the earthquake in Nepal a year ago, huge sums of aid flowed into the country. But many felt it was distributed unfairly, reinforcing the caste system that played an important role in the conflict that had simmered on. There are also many stories of aid reinforcing the wealth and influence of powerful warlords or government militaries in countries such as Somalia, Afghanistan, and Democratic Republic of Congo. We can all learn from these sad lessons and ensure emergency aid for today is building peace for tomorrow. In Lebanon, the arrival of over one million Syrian refugees has added a huge strain. Not surprisingly, friction can run high between Syrians and Lebanese. Take healthcare, for example. The Lebanese felt unfairly treated as they watched international aid go to help Syrian refugees. But Syrians in turn felt discriminated against as many health workers were fast-tracking Lebanese patients - or giving them separate sitting rooms. International Alert trained health workers on how to deal with the pressures in ways that promoted more peaceful relations. Some such changes are not so difficult to make and many such as World Vision, CARE and Mercy Corps are leading the way. In Nigeria, International Alert has advised humanitarian organisations on very practical, day to day things that can mean the difference between delivering on their goals and making a conflict worse - changing their procurement practices so that they don't favour the interests of power brokers , or bridging divides through recruiting staff in way that is seen as fair. Last month the world's biggest donors met in Sweden to endorse the International Dialogue Stockholm Declaration. Under this banner they committed, in the lead up to the Humanitarian Summit, to apply a conflict-sensitive approach to development and humanitarian assistance, as well as focusing on prevention by addressing the drivers of conflict Advertisement Here again, the key is turning this political commitment into action. That's why The Peace promise has been agreed by 25 UN agencies, humanitarian, development and peacebuilding NGOs, ranging from World Food Programme, UN Development Programme and UNICEF, through to the World Bank and the UN Peacebuilding Support Office. It lays out a set of commitments which offer practical ways forward to support peace on the ground, now. In Istanbul, I will be strongly urging member states, as well as other national and international NGOs and international bodies, to endorse these commitments, and to start working on the practical measures that can contribute to peace - even in the very midst of conflict. With the referendum really heating up in recent weeks, there has been a surplus of outlandish claims coming from both sides. With plenty of column inches already dedicated to the Prime Minister's scaremongering about the dangers of World War 3 if we Leave the EU, the ordinary voter can understandably come to the conclusion the whole referendum issue is a bit of a storm in a teacup. It is vital therefore for both campaigns to address issues which directly impact on voters. One of the more interesting, yet rather under-reported remarks came from the former Liberal Democrat Leader Paddy Ashdown, suggesting food prices would decrease post-Brexit. The prospect of a cheaper weekly shopping bill is clearly something of significant interest to many ordinary voters, so it is worth examining his claim in greater depth. Following a speech by the pro-Brexit Justice Secretary Michael Gove on the 19th May, Ashdown tweeted "Gove: Brexit means opening the door to cheap food world-wide, Goodbye UK Agriculture. Been nice knowing you." The implications being that Ashdown favours Remain - partly because the EU is artificially keeping prices high in order to protect British agriculture. I am not sure if Ashdown's foresight has improved over the last year. His last major prediction during the coverage of the 2015 General Election resulted in him having to eat a chocolate replica of his own hat! Quite how Paddy Ashdown calculates high food prices - which disproportionately hit the poorest - are a fair price to pay to subsidise a landed elite is anyone's guess. However the major problem with Ashdown's claim is the suggestion it's an either or scenario, in which we have a choice between high food prices or the collapse of British agriculture. As with many claims coming out of the BSE campaign, this is deliberate scaremongering with little truth or reality. Advertisement The BSE campaign has since stepped back from Ashdown's remarks, claiming instead the EU delivers "lower prices". This is a textbook case of "political spin", which the BSE campaign is rather good at doing whenever its leading figures accidentally admit there will be significant benefits from Brexit! After all, if you remember, their own Chairman Lord Rose admitted wages would rise following Brexit - this being another example of how well off we will be after we Leave. The reality is the EU's very nature ensures higher prices for all its citizens. The EU is a customs union, a block of trading nations which utilise protectionist measures - a system of imposing tariffs and excessive regulations to protect domestic industries - not necessarily of benefit to individual Member States. It erects a wall around the Single Market, making it harder and more expensive for non-EU producers and manufacturers to sell and export their goods to the United Kingdom. This in turn raises prices for UK consumers. Research by the Institute of Economic Affairs has revealed EU policies result in 36% higher costs for beef. Similarly chicken costs around 22% more as a result of our membership of the EU. Overall, an average UK family (2 adults and 2 children) would save around 45 per month on their food bills following Brexit - a significant amount for many hard-pressed families. Leaving the EU would enable the UK to remove many of these tariffs, allowing producers from outside the Union to compete with European famers - and in particular the militant French farmers. This competition will, as the law of supply and demand tells us, result in lower food prices for British households. Farmers would also benefit, as the UK would negotiate trade deals with growing markets in Asia and South America to reduce tariffs on British producers - instead of being subservient to the militant French farmers. It is daft for farmers to restrict themselves to the Continent, which is both in economic and demographic stagnation. Instead they could be expanding into booming foreign markets where there are literally many more mouths to feed. A further bonus would be the removal of damaging EU policies such as the CAP, which stifles UK agriculture with its excessive regulation - and masses of paperwork to complete. This would not only make life easier for our farmers, but would also make them more competitive as well. Advertisement It is clear Paddy Ashdown and the BSE campaign do not have the Great British Public's interests at heart. They neither care for British farmers who would benefit from leaving the CAP, nor for British consumers who would benefit from lower prices. The EU is an outdated customs union which, in the long run, is detrimental to both producers and consumers. Leaving the EU would enable the UK to re-establish the free-trade principles which played such a vital role in developing in the first place. The Remain side dismiss such suggestions as an inability to get over the loss of the British Empire, but none of us are advocating a return to imperialism. Instead we want to re-adopt the economic policies which made us the wealthiest and most prosperous nation in the world. This was ultimately due to free-trade not imperialism. For farmers who want and need their industry to thrive long into the future, and for consumers who want lower prices in their weekly shopping trolley, there is only one option - and this is to vote to Get Britain Out of the EU on June 23rd. "My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break." --The Taming of the Shrew I just read the BBC article about the sale of the gun that killed Trayvon Martin, sold for $250,000. And my heart sank. My heart sank for Trayvon Martin's family and I was overcome with the desire that I could suddenly have some sort of superhero power where I could set out lighting rods to deaden every single telecommunications device around the world indefinitely. If only they do not have read what I just read. My heart sank for the memory of Trayvon shared by those who knew and loved him, those his community, his friends, his classmates--that they might not hear of this vile act of depravation. What kind of world are we living in where a gun that killed a child--or more to the point, where the man who killed this child and narrowly escaped a murder charge (although we all know he is guilty)--is allowed to be put on auction as the trophy of that murder? As the remnant of a life snuffed out because of a hoodie and headphones. And racism. I have remained quiet on this matter, perhaps because the pain of losing a child creates a bond amongst parents who have lost children. And we tend to share our losses silently, not through words. Yet, the highly mediatised death of Trayvon Martin adds a layer to this loss for Trayvon's family, a strata of metafiction that media spins and twists and highlights only to be forgotten as an "unfortunate incident." A layer that I simply cannot comprehend. This loss is repeated each and every single time Trayvon's killer performs his racism gratuitously for the spectating public who either shake their heads in disgust or revel in yet another Second Amendment high. I cannot imagine the emotions this must provoke among those who knew and loved this young man who was gunned down. All because of a hoodie and headphones. And racism. Advertisement Black Lives Matter was created in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, and later became more nationally prominent for its public demonstrations following the 2014 deaths Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The hashtag of #BlackLivesMatter has become more familiar to people on Twitter because, as the name goes, black lives matter. Or rather, they should. But you would hardly know this viewing the way black men and women are treated in the United States still in 2016. Specifically, black and brown men's lives are still devalued, still treated with contempt, still barred access from quality education, and the presence of black males is extricated from the media eye when the story does not uniquely concern prisons, drugs, criminality, and poverty. Still far too many young black men today are naturalised as criminal and poor, their lives ontologically positioned within the perpetual disappearance of their bodies from public sight. Is it any wonder that Trayvon Martin's life was treated as disposable and negligible from the moment George Zimmerman had Trayvon Martin in his sights? George Zimmerman claims that the auction had "raised funds for worthy causes" and he will donate some of the proceeds of the sale of this weapon to "fight [Black Lives Matter] violence against law enforcement officers." The irony of such a statement explains in one breath why black men in the United States are deemed worthless, why their numbers in prisons dwarf any other demographic, why they are under and unemployed, why they will read what I have just read and understand all the more that in the heart of our country the deprived heart of racism persists. Not even a black president will change this because everything is structurally against black youth who grow up in poverty. Advertisement Wether it is "stop and frisk" or "stand your ground," black lives in the USA are demonstrably not recognised as white lives are, especially when the person standing and frisking will likely be of one colour and the individual at the other end of these actions will statistically be a black male. In response to Zimmerman's acquittal in 2013, Cornel West called out President Obama for protecting the status quo, what West terms "the new Jim Crow" whereby he indicated those members of the political community stuck on "Obama's plantation." In response to President Obama's identification with Trayvon Martin, that he too could have been young Trayvon, West asks this: "Will that identification hide and conceal the fact there's a criminal justice system in place that has nearly destroyed two generations of very precious, poor black and brown brothers...five years in office and [Obama] can't say a word about the "New Jim Crow"?" While this might be an uncomfortable question, it is a necessary one since the right to bear arms in the USA extends far beyond the person of light skin colour holding a gun on a black man. This paradigm of racism extends well into the prison industrial complex where the cellblock is even today a symptom of white exceptionalism, where for every Trayvon Martin whose vestiture signaled danger to George Zimmerman, there are towns like Ocala, Florida which passed a law specifically targeting young black men who wear "saggy pants." When the fear of young men in hoodies with headphones results in death at the hand of someone with lighter skin than the black male lying dead on the grass, it is high time to subvert the entire political structure from the top down and focus on the larger picture of inequality in the United States. After his acquittal, Zimmerman criticised the US government, specifically targeting President Obama whom he would later call an "'ignorant baboon." Zimmerman claimed Obama inflamed racial tensions committing a complete reversal of events, "He by far overstretched, overreached, even broke the law in certain aspects to where you have an innocent American being prosecuted by the federal government." The greater problem for Zimmerman aside from the moral dilemma whereby not only does might not make right, but white doesn't either, is how he and his cronies can function in a world where injustice is still recognised, observed, and articulated against. Especially if those persons naming the injustice might at any time engage in their rightful exercise of the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms. Advertisement Desperate after his acquittal in 2013 to get his gun back for fear of his life as threats against him mounted, Zimmerman has now sold the gun that he used to kill a young black man. The amount won from the sale speaks volumes to the depravity of Zimmerman and anyone who has bid on this gun. I am as horrified that Zimmerman would be able to behave so callously against the memory of the person he shot and killed, as I am with the legal system that allowed him to walk free. Zimmerman's courtroom explanation claim innocence, but his actions defy just that as we can see on all levels that the system failed Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman demonstrates indifference to his actions, exhibiting no remorse for having shot and killed another human. An all-female jury with one lone person of colour, Juror B29, speaks to the depravity of the US justice system which failed Trayvon Martin. And if these acts of shooting an unarmed man in cold blood, Zimmerman's indifference to his actions, and his acquittal were not bad enough, the fact of this gun sale had reflects quite pitifully the ways in which black lives simply do not matter. The four-year-old and I have been watching our way through the classics of Disney recently. It's been a joy to sing along with The Bear Necessities and Everybody Wants to be a Cat again but it's also been interesting to see how progressive the films have become over the years, especially in the Princess Arena. If you have a preschool child that hasn't been living halfway up the North Mountain these last few years, then chances are you'll have a touch of Frozen fatigue. But take a moment to reassess the message of the film - Anna thinks that she needs romance to save her, but actually the strength and love comes from her own heart. Elsa doesn't even have romance on the agenda. We're a long way from Snow White and Cinderella, who wimpily sat around doing the housework, until a man turned up to save them. Watching the 14-year old Snow White ride off with a man she'd barely even met set off all kinds of alarm bells for me. What I would have given for a Kristoff to pop up with a well-timed: "You got engaged to a man you'd just met that morning?" Advertisement 14-year-old? Yeah, we'll come back to that. The princesses have taken an upward curve in terms of feminism and independence - the early princesses were bland and simpering (yes Aurora, I'm looking at you) but Ariel in 1989 heralded a new model of heroine. She was feisty, defiant and yearned for something bigger than just a man's love. She wanted her independence, she wanted to join a culture that excluded her, she longed for experiences... the handsome prince was just a bonus. Then we had Belle, reading books and rejecting suitors for being "positively primeval". We were on the way up, Next, Disney tackled its diversity problem. The remainder of the 90s saw heroines Jasmine, Pocahontas, Esmerelda and Mulan give the lineup a touch of variety among the identikit blondes. In some ways it's surprising that it took until 2009 to have an African-American princess but even slow progress is progress. What's more, Tiana's film wasn't about being African-American...it was just a story where the heroine happened to be from that community. She wasn't presented as an exotic wonder, in the mould of Pocahontas or Jasmine - she was just herself. Ambitious, hard-working and entrepreneurial...that's the kind of princess we need more of. I'm looking forward to seeing what Moana, the first Polynesian princess, is going to be like. But there's still one glaringly backward part of the Disney canon and that's the issue of age. Think how young all these princesses are; they are all teenagers. True, Elsa is 21 but she's progressed to the status of Queen. Anna, the more traditional princess figure, is 18, just like Pocahontas and Rapunzel before her. Belle was 17, Aurora and Ariel 16, Jasmine 15 and Snow White - as discussed above - 14. 14? That's really young. In the 30-year gap between me and my four-year-old, her role model sits half as far away from her as she does from me. I don't consider myself old, but Snowie is full two decades younger than me. Over half the princesses are under half my age. Think again for a second how weird that is, especially when they're all getting married at the end of their stories. Do I want my daughter riding off into the forest with a strange man in ten years' time? No, I think I'd call the police. It doesn't help that the princes are all older than their wives - this handy guide will explain to you how few of these pairings would pass the Age of Creepiness test. Advertisement The idea of these teenagers making such huge commitments on the basis of so little is only part of the problem. The lack of older role models leads girls to believe that nothing good will ever happen to them after the age of 20. That beauty and romance simply don't exist. Which leads naturally to the idea that all middle-aged women spend their time seething over their lost youth and plotting how to regain it. Look at Snow White's evil queen, Cinderella's stepmother, Malificent and, more recently, Rapunzel's Mother Gothel. All bitter and jealous of the slim-waisted, shiny-haired princesses. And that's just the characters that make it to middle age - a tricky proposition, given how many of Disney's mother figures die before their children grow up (Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine, Ariel, Belle, Anna and Elsa are all lacking mothers..and some of their fathers don't fare too well either). It's only when you pass into proper Old Age that Disney had a place for you again - personified by the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast and the Good Fairies in Sleeping Beauty. These ladies have accepted that their time is past, and they're happy to bless the younglings' romances and dish out kindly advice. Again though, I'm not sure I'm ready to be a Mrs Potts (how is she Chip's mother? That always confused me). Is there really no scope for decent characters in their 30s and 40s. Occasionally, a mother will survive childbirth and middle age to attend their daughter's wedding but these characters have fairly minimal parts - see the interchangeable queens in Sleeping Beauty and Tangled who just stand around looking beautiful and worried. I can't ever imagine a Disney film where a 30 year old woman is the main character. I have deliberately not talked about Brave so far, which is both a wonderful film and an anomaly. The Queen in that film is shown to have a lot of human weakness - slamming doors and shouting at her infuriating teenage daughter. That teenage daughter goes on to kick some Caledonian ass in an archery contest and win her own hand in marriage. Up the Sisterhood! But this is Pixar, which has always been a progressive force in filmmaking and - as such- doesn't really fall into the Disney pattern. Merida might stand shoulder-to-bare shoulder with the rest of the princesses but she's never quite going to be one of them. Advertisement Inspired by my dad's science books when I was little, I grew up to develop a deep passion for science. During my undergraduate degree in Human Anatomy, I found the brain and it was my first love! I became particularly interested in how our brain cells communicate to make us who we are and how we lose these functions in brain diseases. I realised this needed knowledge of how the brain cells work and this was how I got to do my Masters in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience and now my Neuroscience Ph.D. in one of the UK's leading Neuroscience Research Centres - Sussex Neuroscience. With over 50 research groups, the Sussex Neuroscience demonstrates a reputation of working to find answers to how our brain operates in health and diseases. I am currently in the third year of my research PhD in the Serpell Laboratory, Dementia Research Group, at the University of Sussex where I work on trying to understand one of the most devastating brain diseases, Alzheimer's. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, the most common of dementias, that affects learning and memory, personality, communication skills and many other behavioral functions. One of the common but debilitating symptoms patients encounter is the loss of memory - the memory of who we are, our family and many more. The major hallmarks of the disease in the brains of sufferers are two protein deposits called amyloid plaques comprised of a protein called amyloid beta and neurofibrillary tangles made up of a protein called Tau. Decades of research has implicated these proteins in the disease. However, we still don't have a complete understanding of the function and involvement of these proteins in triggering or driving the disease. The research in our lab tries to understand the normal role of these proteins and how they turn deviant in brain cells of people with Alzheimer's disease. To find efficient therapies that could slow or cure the disease, we need to understand more about how brain cells become affected by the disease. Advertisement With support from both the University of Sussex's Neuroscience Centre and the Sussex Genome Damage and Stability Centre, using cell models, my project, has employed a wide range of cell and molecular biology techniques to identify how amyloid beta and Tau may interact to prevent brain cells from functioning in a healthy manner. These findings recapitulate what happens in the different stages of the disease, indeed confirming the relevance of our findings. I hope that by the end of my Ph.D, my research will enhance our understanding of the disease and how to best therapeutically target it. The day Trump becomes president will be a sad day for liberals all across the world. Looking at the almost even election polls of a Trump vs Hillary 2016, it looks like such a day has become scarily likely. Trump has become a globally infamous Republican presidential candidate. His most famous policy internationally is his proudly-proclaimed policy to restrict the freedom of movement rights of Muslims because of a simple, animalistic prejudice. Trump wished to ban 22% of the globe's population from entering the United States. This was, Trump claimed, because of the threat of ISIS - a force, using CIA estimates, only 53,000 fighters strong. Trump was scared of all Muslims, because 0.003% of them are part of ISIS, an astonishingly insignificant number. Trump's fear was irrational, and totally disingenuous. As Cenk Uygur explained in a an episode of The Young Turks, it is clear that Trump will be performing a swift u-turn from this policy, describing it recently as just a 'suggestion'. He is attempting to steal yet more votes from disenfranchised Hillary supporters, and it is working. Advertisement However, for many of the world's leaders, it is far too late for Trump. Sadiq Khan is the first Muslim Mayor of London, and has been a very public and fierce critic of Trump's ex-policy. Mr. Kahn described Trump as someone 'who is trying to divide America from the rest of the world'. This divide would be detrimental to any hopes of America becoming the leader of the world again. Global opinion and willingness to co-operate with America has been in rapid decline since Iraq, such a choice of president will make America's influence yet more weak. Trump's support, and by extension, the American people, have had their reputation tarnished as bigoted, reckless and stupid. It is not just Mr. Kahn or other Muslim leaders who are very open about how little value they see in Trump. Both the Paris Mayor and British Prime Minister David Cameron called him 'stupid'. Why do the American people wish to be represented by such stupidity? - a question asked by the rest of the world. How can you tackle ISIS, climate change or other global superpowers without the confidence and support of your allies? Are Americans really tired of the smooth, charismatic, international charm of Obama? I have lost track of how many times I tell my children, Arlo and Angelica, how lucky they are. They dutifully nod at me and say, "yes Mum, we know", but I wonder how much a six and seven year old can really imagine. How much a six and seven year old can understand of the cruelties of life and how quickly, everything that is loved, can be turned upside down and simply lost. I travel a lot with Save the Children, and last week, I added Lebanon to the list of countries I have visited to see the impact of this life saving Charity's work. I met Rami*, a Syrian refugee, and father of five, who had taken shelter in Akkar - Northern Lebanon. Rami* and his family are just like mine - or at least they were. They are, or were, comfortably middle class - with an education and aspirations matching my own. He showed me a picture of his beautiful terraced home in Homs and he spoke, with pride of the job and the life he had lost. Rami is now one of the 1.1 million registered Syrian refugees that calls Lebanon, a country as small as Wales, home, There isn't much space in Lebanon - it's the largest per capita refugee hosting country in the world, and despite opening its boarders, the sanctuary it offers is hardly bearable. As we sat in his makeshift tent, edging onto the main road, his eldest daughter, Hiba*, remembered their home in Syria. Shyly she reminisced about the smell and feel of the sea - where her father would take her on special days; of the taste of ice cream, and of the colour of the leaves. Advertisement Rami, his wife and children fled Syria three years ago - walking for days carrying two month old twins. They had stayed in Syria as long as they could - but regular shelling and militia attacks forced their flight. Hiba has memory of home, her brothers and sisters know nothing else but their makeshift shelter. I asked Rami what more could the international community do to help. His humility astounded me. "There are those worse off than me" he said. "Help them first, and the Lebanese are poor too. Then come back for me". This, from a man who had lost almost everything. As I looked at Rami's children rolling around their tent, nudging and pinching each other, in the hope no one had noticed - I couldn't help but clock the vague adornments to their shelter - the drawings proudly pinned to the tattered fabric of the tent, and the irony of the word "happy" woven into the canvas. Advertisement But what that showed me, was that they were still a family - and still sought normality amidst the abject poverty of their new life. Unlike other children I've met around the world, depleted by diarrhoea and disease, who have sat dejected and quiet, Rami's children were still as boisterous and as challenging as my own. The future of Rami's children and millions of others like them depends on them being able to get an education. In Syria, before the war, they all would have had access to decent, free schooling. Now 2.8 million Syrian children are out of school - threatening the creation of a lost generation. Today, Monday 23rd May, the UK's Minister for International Development Justine Greening, Gordon Brown, and other influential figures will announce a new fund for education in emergencies at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. Save the Children is launching a new campaign at the summit to ensure that no refugee child, anywhere in the world, is out of school for more than a month. I hope and pray that one day Rami and his family can return to their home in Homs and rebuild the life they had before the war. Until then, World leaders must take action to keep hope alive and ensure that refugee children have a promise of a better future. A new poll of more than 27,000 people in 27 countries shows that 80% of those interviewed - in countries on all continents - would accept refugees in their country. The poll, carried out for Amnesty International by the global consulting firm GlobeScan, contrasts sharply with anti-refugee attitudes expressed by extremist organizations and politicians claiming to speak on behalf of "ordinary people" in their countries. The results of the GlobeScan poll were announced just ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul this week (23-24 May). The statistics suggest that global public opinion is more broadly expressed by the 15,000 - 20,000 people pictured above marching in Brussels last year. Advertisement The survey found that 73% of people globally agreed that people fleeing war or persecution should be able to take refuge in other countries. In several countries at the heart of the refugee crisis, three-quarters or more still want their governments to do more, including Germany (76%), Greece (74%) and Jordan (84%). Despite the anti-immigration rhetoric that has characterized some of the debate in the UK in the run-up to the EU referendum, the GlobeScan survey found that three quarters of the British public would accept refugees in their neighbourhood or home. "The survey reveals that anti-refugee political rhetoric is out of step with reality," says Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK. "The results show that the British public is overwhelmingly supportive of refugees and reflect what we are seeing in communities up and down the country. Local organisations are campaigning for their councils to take in refugee families, grassroots groups are collecting supplies for Calais or organising fundraising comedy or music nights and individuals have been heading as far as Greece to volunteer in refugee camps." History comes full circle for Amnesty International It's as if history has come full circle for Amnesty International. Fifty-five years ago its founder, British lawyer Peter Benenson, was inspired by the success of the UN's World Refugee Year. "How much can be achieved when men and women of good will unite was shown during World Refugee Year," he wrote in his historic article, "The Forgotten Prisoners" that launched the original Campaign for Amnesty. Advertisement World Refugee Year ran from 1959 - 1960. Many refugees still remained in camps almost fifteen years after the end of the Second World War. The aim of the UN year was to "clear the camps". It achieved significant results, especially in Europe. By the end of 1960, for the first time since before the war, all the refugee camps in Europe were closed. Now the world faces an even more staggering challenge on the refugee front. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees there are 15.4 million internationally displaced refugees and 937,000 asylum seekers worldwide, as well as 28.8 million people forced to flee their homes within their own countries. Our family gets together every Sunday for dinner at my aunt's house. It's been a tradition since before I can remember, and I really enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with my loved ones. Last Sunday, I found myself seated next to my 93-year-old grandmother at the dinner table. She's lived through so much and has an incredible amount of knowledge locked up in her brain; I have yet to speak with her without learning something new about the world, or my family. However, she caught me off guard this weekend when she said, quite plainly, "The world is going to hell." I was stunned. Here's a woman who has lived through some of the scariest times in our history, yet today she claims everything has changed and we're on a catastrophic course. I listened as she rattled off events happening in other parts of the country and the world: the economic meltdown of 2007-2009, terror attacks in Paris, and civil unrest over plans to exit the European Union. Then the news broke on Wednesday that an EgyptAir A320 had disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea. Immediately the news services (cable, radio and internet) went into overdrive reporting on every speculation and development (along with a lot of non-developments). As I watched how the news outlets gorged on the story, a thought creeped into my consciousness. What if the reason my grandmother has such a dim view of the world is because she is glued to TV news and the morning paper? What if the world view she has been given, through second-hand accounting, is being impacted more by ratings than by facts and balance? Advertisement 1. Sensationalized Headlines As you scroll through the homepages of online news sites, and even the morning paper, you'll see sensational headlines designed to grab reader attention. According to Medical Daily, "...the things covered by the media are usually what get the most attention - death, accidents and war." To stay in business, and outperform the competition, news providers must attract viewership; driving ad-revenue. For example, an article in Reuters covering the disappearance of EgyptAir MS804 starts off with the header: "EgyptAir jet vanishes after mid-air plunge over Mediterranian." The title draws an image in the reader's mind of a plane violently crashing back to earth after a tragic accident. The article quotes multiple government officials, who at the time of the interview have very limited information, speculating that the cause of the crash is probably related to terrorism. 2. Fear-Based Context International context is provided in the Reuters article by quoting the Los Angeles Airport Police: "In light of the disappearance of EgyptAir Flight MS804, we have heightened our security posture and enhanced our counter-terrorism security measures." The author inserted a quote from a law enforcement official literally half way around the globe. I would speculate that the reason for cherry-picking this particular quote is that if includes "counter-terrorism" and "heightened...security posture". Adding context to articles that increases fear and anxiety helps hook the reader, causing a subconscious need to read the entire article for more information. Advertisement 3. Agenda-Driven News When news outlets are between catastrophic events that drive ratings, an increasing number of news sources are becoming opinion-driven. Their goal is to cater to loyal target audiences that will consistently tune into their programming. To gain audience loyalty, a news station needs to identify what the viewers believe in and care about. Once they know how to appeal to viewer bias, they can shape their presentation to reinforce those views. This ideological reinforcement leads viewers to believe the news their watching is "better" and "more honest". One of the largest television news markets in the world is the United States. In fact, the reach of US news media travels far beyond its borders. Television viewers in a multitude of countries can subscribe to packages that provide live streams of US cable news, like Fox News, CNN or MSNBC. In areas where a traditional cable connection isn't available, online streaming is likely an option. To hold onto their biased viewership, news media relies on painting the opposite side negatively. The reason is simple. As reported in an article from the Proctor Gallagher Institute, "...[people] store bad memories more easily, and recall them more frequently." If you want an audience to remember what you're telling them, or in the case of news media, where they got it, you need to provide the audience with palatable bad memories that conform to their pre-existing bias. This is one of the many reasons that Fox News is reportedly the highest-rated news network in the United States. They have perfected the art of crafting a palatable, memorable message to their viewing audience. In the UK, the laws governing television news are a bit different from the US and limit outright political bias. But, have no fear, the newspapers in the UK more than make-up for the lack of political spin in TV news. The Daily Mail is reportedly the most-read newspaper in the UK. It's known for its unabashed conservative, right-wing leanings. The Daily Mirror comes in second place, with a strong tilt to the liberal, left-wing political readership. This alone tells you that news sources with a goal of becoming the most read need to have a targeted, somewhat biased approach to news coverage. Advertisement The statistics should never stop shocking us: one in four of us will experience a diagnosable mental health difficulty at some point in our life. Worldwide, 450 million people worldwide experience mental health difficulties; with appropriate support most will either recover or learn to live effective and meaningful lives despite their difficulties. However, they also face a huge amount of discrimination and social stigma (around 90% of sufferers state that this has a negative impact on their life), making it more difficult for them to find appropriate help and support. What's more, the impact of poor mental health extends even further - to all carers, family and friends who support them. Last week, Michelle Obama highlighted the burden of poor mental health on loved ones in her opening address at the second Invictus Games. Advertisement Sadly, for the carers of those with mental health problems in the UK, there is little support available. This means that many parents, family members and friends struggle to look after their loved ones alone. In 2005, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers found that 86% of these carers had been offered no services in their own right. What many families ask for is straightforward, high quality information about mental health difficulties and treatment but this can be hard to find. Working with FutureLearn, the Charlie Waller Institute at the University of Reading has developed a free online course about anxiety, depression and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The course provides information, exercises and a public forum to share thoughts and experiences during the five weeks of the course, including case studies from those who have experienced depression and anxiety. Advertisement The course was designed and is being run by clinical experts. This course is open to anyone, anywhere. More than 28,000 people signed up to the first five-week course which began on 9th May 2016, and will open again in November this year. I'll admit that I picked up Qasim Rashid's latest book "Talk to Me" with a little apprehension. I had no fear of the quality of his writing. My apprehension was in the little I knew about the book: a collection of chapters by different writers, writing about those conversations in their lives that had changed them immeasurably - conversations that led to realisations about parenthood, race, religion and education. I thought to myself, "oh Gawwd it's not going to be a mushy new age hippy love-fest telling us all to just get along, is it?" I was worried it was just going to be nice quotes on a page, divorced from the reality of the world. How wrong I was. Qasim's book is all about reality - gut wrenching, heart breaking - reality. And that's why I simply couldn't put it down. I was shocked by much of what I read - from the high school guidance councillor who wrongly insisted that Qasim hated women because he was a "Muzlem" to the police officer who pointed a gun at his head when he was pulled over (without good reason) at sixteen years old. It's easy to read statistics about how police officers in the US are twenty one times more likely to shoot a black child than a white child, but it is individual examples - like those that Qasim's book is packed with - that hit home the reality of the world we live in. That is, as Qasim puts it, the most important first step in changing the world for the better: admitting a problem exists in the first place. Advertisement It is easy to ask people to talk to one another - indeed, the evidence shows we do it all time with social media. Qasim's point is that we talk to those of our own mind set, with our view, with similar life-experiences. Our social media experience is about including those similar to us, as much as it is about excluding others different to us. Our purchases on Amazon so often are followed up with recommendations on the basis of what we have already bought. Our world-view is self-perpetuating, self-sustaining, in a world of experiences we choose for ourselves to reinforce only the rightness of our own perspective, and the wrongness of everyone else's. Qasim's book is a call to action to step outside your comfort zone and to approach the "other." You might be surprised with what you learn, is Qasim's message. While reading Qasim's book, I was reminded of an event from my own faith tradition of Islam. The Prophet of Islam was subjected to heart breaking cruelties including the murder of his own pregnant daughter, Zainab. On account of such tortures for twelve years between 610 and 622 AD, he migrated to another city 200 miles away from Mecca, known then as Yathrib, now known as Medina. He was pursued relentlessly and wars were waged against him for six years, during which time he was forced to take up arms in self-defence against a foe greatly superior in numbers and resources. It was in 628AD, eighteen years after his claim to prophethood and after six years of war, that a truce was called. It was known as the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah. The treaty stated that anyone who wished to join Islam would be free to do so and would not be prosecuted or harmed by the pagan Arabs. The treaty was regarded as humiliating by the Muslims, for its various clauses that were biased against them. Nevertheless, the Prophet of Islam valued religious freedom above egotistical motives and he accepted the terms of the treaty. For ten years, according to the truce, freedom to preach Islam and to accept it was guaranteed. At the time of the treaty, the Prophet of Islam had around 1,400 companions with him. It wasn't long before the Meccan pagans broke the treaty a year and a half later and the Prophet of Islam marched on Mecca with 10,000 companions. Eighteen years of persecution, including six years of war, had enabled him to amass a following of merely 1,400 men, yet in a period of one and a half years of peace wherein dialogue and conversation were freely permitted, 8,500 further individuals, with their families, joined his community. Advertisement It was conversation, dialogue and human contact that won the hearts of the erstwhile violent Arab tribes. Muhammad's greatest victory was achieved through dialogue, compassion and conversation, not through force of arms or war. (Trump in a questionable pose, by Gage Skidmore) The United States today is a battle-ground. Increasingly, Americans are seeing their fellow citizens as the "other." With the rise of individuals like Donald Trump, everyday Americans are distancing themselves from their friends and colleagues, asking themselves whether they can trust that Muslim or that Mexican. That mistrust isn't just against ethnic minorities but is also from ethnic minorities too. Muslims, black individuals and Mexicans are asking themselves whether that white-guy at work is a Trump-supporter or whether that white-girl at university thinks I should be thrown out of my country. Suspicion, hatred and fear are on the rise. The drone. Is there a gadget in the last five years that has grown in popularity as much as the humble drone? It has gone from a hobbyist's extravagance to the answer (and cause) of all our problems. Indeed, look in the news today and you'll see that the word drone is not generally used positively. Advertisement Stories about drones have so often ended up leaning towards the extremes of what they are capable of, whether it's blocking flight paths or being used as drug mules. What you might not know though, and what this blog series hopes to achieve, is that something as publicly scorned as the drone is actually changing the world in an entirely different way. A better way. Did you know that right now, along the coast of Australia a drone is patrolling the coast. It's called 'Little Ripper' and its sole job is to endlessly watch the coastline. It doesn't need a lunch break, it doesn't get tired and should it need some help, you can take control using something as simple as an iPad. Advertisement On the New South Wales coast if someone has an emergency, it won't be a giant helicopter they see - first it'll be 'Little Ripper', complete with first aid kit and buoyancy aids. Using drones as first responders isn't just a good idea, it's an great one. They're fast, agile and can reach the scene of a crises faster than any human mode of transport. In the Netherlands, Delft University graduate Alec Momont created 'Ambulance Drone', a quadcopter that goes ahead of a conventional ambulance and provides key medical equipment including a defibrillator. When the drone arrives, a camera and two-way communication system allows anyone at the scene to be walked through the process of administering emergency care. Advertisement I'm just getting started though. Zipline, a tiny company based out of California, have built Zip an incredible little drone that can deliver emergency medical supplies over huge distances. Travelling at over 100km/h, this little winged aircraft can fly itself to a pre-designated location and then safely drop the supplies via parachute. In partnership with the Rwandan government, Zip will start delivering all blood products for all 20 hospitals around Rwanda this summer. Technology can often be placed into a negative pen, and in almost all of those cases we're aiming our blame in the wrong direction. Advertisement The wonderful thing about technology is that it is a blank canvas. It is how we choose to use it that then determines our perception of it. Drones are being used to do some truly awful things, but that's because they're in the hands of some truly awful people. Give a drone to a student who wants to save lives however, and you'll create a piece of technology that can do something incredible. Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing blogs from inspiring innovators, who are using tech to change the world - from the charity helping sight impaired kids use public transport independently, to the start-up that have created an app to help parents suffering from postnatal depression. It might sound naive, but ultimately that's what Tech For Good is all about. It's not about celebrating the technology by itself, it's about celebrating the humans and how they're using technology to achieve something great. Employers should not be imposing dress codes that are sexualised in nature or which force women to wear feminine attire. People should only have a required uniform if it directly relates to their job. For example, a doctor may be required to wear scrubs, or a factory worker could be required to wear certain safety attire. Recently, the Price Waterhouse Cooper case of a woman being forced to wear heels to work caused an outrage in the media. Prior to this, the most disturbing cases I had heard of emerged from Hooters, the American chain of restaurants that requires the waitresses to dress in provocative, skimpy outfits. The one that resembled the PWC heels case most closely was the case of a Hooters waitress who experienced weight discrimination by her employer. She sued for wrongful dismissal because she had been fired for gaining weight. Similar to the PWC case, in which the employer claimed that the women were encouraged to wear heels in order to maintain the professional tone of the companies hiring them, the Hooters executives made similar claims. Hooters claimed that an appearance standard was crucial for the waitresses work at the restaurant chain. Advertisement What is the fundamental issue in both of these cases? The women are being forced to wear certain outfits to work because their employers are claiming that the dress code directly relates to their job requirements. I would argue, however, that in both cases, the women's outfits are not relevant to their functions as secretaries or waitresses. We need to eliminate dress codes that are being imposed by employers to emphasize gender differences because they directly contradict the progress we have made with gender equality in the workplace. My point of view is that people should have the freedom to dress however they desire. Employers should be able to provide guidelines for workplace attire, but they should not be able to impose gender specific rules on their staff. "The United States has long made lifting the embargo contingent on Vietnams improving its human rights record, and recently administration officials had hinted that the ban could be removed partly in response to Chinas buildup in the South China Sea. But Mr. Obama portrayed the decision as part of the long process of normalizing relations between the two countries after the Vietnam War." [NYT] Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, was killed by a U.S. airstrike that took place just inside of Pakistan. [Reuters] "The Elks Lodge episode was one of at least 358 armed encounters nationwide last year -- nearly one a day, on average -- in which four or more people were killed or wounded, including attackers. The toll: 462 dead and 1,330 injured, sometimes for life, typically in bursts of gunfire lasting but seconds." [NYT] ISIS took responsibility for the coordinated attacks in Jableh and Tartous. [Reuters] Investigators are looking into the plane's prior stops before flight MS804. [Reuters] Starting with Ben & Jerry's, of course. [Jason Linkins, Howard Fineman and Lauren Weber] WHATS BREWING "Grandparents have long provided safe harbor for grandchildren for a host of reasons -- dire financial straits, teen pregnancy, military deployment. But not since the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, analysts say, have so many children been at risk because of parental drug addiction." [NYT] Advertisement The strike zone could be altered and intentional walks signaled instead of pitched out. [ESPN] From Britney Spears' triumphant performance to the fashion, here's what you missed out on if you didn't watch last night. [HuffPost] Wait until you hear the inspiration for it. [HuffPost] It's just a little trippy. [HuffPost] "A transcript of a private, $285,000 paid speech Bill Clinton delivered last year at the 'China-U.S. Private Investment Summit' in Austin, Texas, obtained by POLITICO, offers a glimpse behind the curtain of the Clintons' controversial paid speaking gigs -- and some insight into how the former president holds court out of sight of the press." [Politico] From last night's "Game of Thrones." No one ask us to hold the door today. [HuffPost] For more from The Huffington Post, download our app for iOS or Android. WHAT'S WORKING "A new report about the surge of the global sustainable seafood market this month reveals how consumer and corporate decisions could significantly move the needle when it comes to tackling the worlds environmental woes." [HuffPost] For more, sign up for the What's Working newsletter. BEFORE YOU GO ~ The brother of one of the Brussels suicide bombers will compete for Belgium in the Olympics. ~ At least four have died summitting Mount Everest in the last four days. ~ Rumors are swirling that Beyonce and Jay Z are about to drop an album together that will respond to "Lemonade." Advertisement ~ The danger of misusing the Venmo charge feature. ~ A Japanese pop star is in critical condition after being stabbed over 20 times by a fan who was reportedly stalking her on social media. ~ Watch out for listeria in these sunflower products. ~ The dispute over who killed the killer in the first campus massacre 50 years ago. ~ These amateur code-breakers are going after the Zodiac killer's ciphers. ~ Congrats to Eva Longoria on her marriage to Jose Baston this past weekend. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends Meeting of the Advisory Group of the Central Emergency Response Fund 21-22 March 2016, in New York UN HQ. Credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas By Stephen O'Brien, Marie-Claude Bibeau, Kristian Jensen, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Lilianne Ploumen, Brge Brende and Isabella Lovin A decade ago, 32 million people were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance - today that number is over 125 million. Prolonged conflicts have displaced millions and more intense natural disasters are having a greater impact on people's livelihoods. Climate change, extreme poverty, water scarcity, food shortages, migration and epidemics require humanitarian organizations to help more people in more places. Last year, the humanitarian sector saw its largest ever funding gap of US$15 billion according to the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing. Behind these figures are the desperate realities of women, men and children struggling to survive. As the UN and its humanitarian partners work tirelessly to assist the most vulnerable, it is vital that resources are immediately available to save lives. Advertisement Ten years ago the UN General Assembly created the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) with one mission: to enable timely life-saving assistance to people affected by acute crises, rapid onset disasters, armed conflicts and forgotten emergencies. Since 2006, CERF has assisted millions of people across 94 countries through almost $4.5 billion in grants. Each year on average, the Fund enables partners to reach 20 million people with health services, 10 million with nourishing food, 8 million with clean water and sanitation, 5 million with livelihood support, 4 million with protection, and 1 million with shelter. Whilst the world's humanitarian needs have dramatically increased, the resources available from CERF have remained almost unchanged. Each year the Fund aims to raise $450 million for humanitarian response. To ensure that CERF keeps pace with the escalating needs and remains an effective tool able to meet the current scale, complexity and range of crises, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has called to double the CERF to US$1 billion. A larger CERF would better address today's humanitarian needs. It would have a greater impact while still maintaining its focus, scope and speed. During a crisis, time lost means lives lost. CERF's advantage is that it is able to respond quickly. Funds for critical life-saving operations can be made available within hours, as was the case in the aftermath of the earthquakes in Ecuador, Nepal and Haiti. Today CERF has become indispensable to global humanitarian response. It provides UN organizations and their partners with flexible and timely funds to kick start relief efforts immediately. CERF projects are based on impartial and neutral assessments of needs conducted by humanitarian teams on the ground. The funds flow to a vast network of partners, supporting a coordinated response. With CERF funds, responders are able to quickly procure and deliver large amounts of relief supplies for the most vulnerable. Advertisement In many cases, CERF intervenes before a crisis makes the headlines. In March 2014, when many responders had not yet launched operations to address the Ebola crisis, CERF provided seed funding to trigger the UN response. And as the situation deteriorated, CERF supported vital aspects of the response such as the humanitarian air service, without which humanitarian operations would have largely come to a standstill. With a stronger financial base CERF could provide more funding in such emergencies. Since the war broke out in Syria, CERF has provided more than $200 million to support humanitarian action across the region filling important gaps in the international response and improving the living conditions of refugees. CERF is also on the frontline of the response to the current global El Nino phenomenon. Since 2015, it has allocated more than US$119 million for critical life-saving action in 19 countries affected by El Nino. For both crises this funding is only the beginning of what is needed. Humanitarian leaders in countries impacted are requesting more CERF support but the CERF cannot deliver more at its current capacity. A $1 billion CERF is urgently needed to have a greater impact and to strengthen principled humanitarian assistance. The Fund works to ensure maximum impact for every dollar invested by continuously improving its efficiency and effectiveness. As such, CERF is a crucial part of the humanitarian eco-system which is ultimately accountable to the tens of millions people affected by crises. The Fund's purpose is closely aligned with the call for change and a new way of working made by the UN Secretary-General in his Agenda for Humanity. This is the crux of what will be discussed in Istanbul during the first World Humanitarian Summit on 23-24 May. Established as a 'Fund by all, for all', CERF has received broad support from 125 Member States and private donors. However, the top ten donors have provided 87 per cent of the Fund's resources. If CERF is to become a $1 billion fund, more countries and corporations must actively participate and significantly increase their support. New contributors and larger contributions, coupled with innovative financing solutions are needed for the CERF to effectively respond to today's global humanitarian needs. Many lives depend on it. Advertisement LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 17: In this photo illustration, the words 'IN' and 'OUT' are depicted on mugs on March 17, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will hold a referendum on June 23, 2016 to decide whether or not to remain a member of the European Union (EU), an economic and political partnership involving 28 European countries which allows members to trade together in a single market and free movement across its borders for citizens. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) LONDON -- Robin Niblett, PhD, is director of Chatham House, which was ranked number one in foreign policy and international affairs by the University of Pennsylvania Global Think Tank Index 2015. Chatham House is a neutral nonprofit; its constituencies are governments, civil society, opinion formers and businesses around the world. What do you think about the Brexit referendum? I think we are having this referendum for a combination of factors. The most immediate driver was tactical, at a time of weakness for U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron and the Conservative party, which was in a coalition government back in 2011-12. The economy wasn't growing fast enough, and the U.K. Independence Party was on the rise. There were high levels of unrestricted immigration from the rest of the EU. Britain had estimated 20,000 immigrants in 2004-5 and completely miscalculated, ending up taking 800,000 to 1 million. Advertisement What has happened since then? From 2012 onwards, the British economy started to do better than the rest of continental Europe, and a second wave of migration from the rest of the EU drew another 150,000 a year. In this last year, we had 330,000 in total, of which roughly half came from the EU. British citizens are constantly reminded that being in the EU means you cannot control immigration, and this has become one of the touchstone issues for those who want Britain to leave the EU. It is the most explicit manifestation of Britain not being a sovereign nation inside the EU. British citizens are constantly reminded that being in the EU means you cannot control immigration. What are the negative sides of voting to get out? They are many. I would argue that for Britain, the impact of not being able to control immigration from the EU is far outweighed by the benefits of being in and by the risks of leaving. What are the benefits of remaining? They are many. The U.K. has the perfect deal in the EU. It's outside the Euro, therefore able to manage its economy to its best interests, while retaining access with no barriers to the equal or second largest single market in the world. Among all the EU countries, for the last ten years the U.K. has been the largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Why does the U.K. have this advantage? Because the U.K. is a very open and liberal market, but it is completely interconnected, with no barriers of any sort, to the other 450 million people in the rest of the EU market. Today when you invest in the UK, you are investing in a platform for the rest of the EU. If the U.K. leaves the EU, there is a risk that those rates of foreign investment will decline. There are many other economic reasons to remain. Advertisement What about the UK's political considerations? Again, the U.K. has the perfect setup. It is not a member of Schengen, which like the Eurozone was not well designed, and yet it has opted in to specific aspects of border police and judicial cooperation, such as the European Arrest Warrant, which means you can extradite people across borders and the Schengen Information System for identity sharing on police databases. The U.K. controls its borders, unlike Schengen countries, but it can benefit from information sharing about risks. How would you summarize the situation? Economically, we have the best of all worlds. In border security terms, we have all the sovereign flexibility that a country would want. Thirdly, if the U.K. leaves the EU, it would damage its own security and economic prospects, because the EU might be destabilized. If Britain leaves, it would be like an earthquake for the EU, and it would give ammunition to populist parties. Would Germany be too strong? The danger is that other countries would fear that Germany would be too strong and that they would try to prevent that. European governments might be more protectionist and would need to overcome the insecurities of their people. Cameron holds a Q&A session with students at University Campus Suffolk ahead of the EU referendum on Feb. 29.(Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty ) What would more populism in Europe mean for Britain? A more populist continental Europe is likely to be one that would not undertake the economic reforms that Britain would benefit from. A more populist economic environment would constrain growth and worsen cooperation against immigration. Brexit would make it more difficult for EU nations to share information and cooperate with the U.K. on measures to counter terrorism. Advertisement Why? Because you need legal structures to share information about citizens across borders, and Britain would be excluding itself from that. Was this the main issue that President Obama stressed when he came to England? Obama's angle was that Americans want Britain to remain in Europe, because Britain represents the kind of Europe that Americans appreciate: an open market, taking security seriously and outward looking. If Britain leaves, Europe would be weaker as a partner, and Britain would be less influential in Europe and in the world. Washington would prioritize concluding geographic scale trade agreements like TTIP and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, rather than bilateral deals with relatively small economies like Britain. If Britain were to leave the EU, it would have to rewrite 50 trade agreements. If Britain leaves the EU, would Britain become a much less relevant country? That's America's fear, and that's my fear as well, but you have to be careful not to overplay the effect for Britain. If Britain were to leave, the impacts are highly unpredictable, but in my opinion, all negative. The impacts on Britain would definitely be negative economically in the short term. Britain may look strong, but underneath the surface, the British economy is still vulnerable. Is Brexit going to happen? If I had to make a bet, I would say no. There is at least a 10 percent majority of potential voters to remain. However, what we don't know is who will turn up to vote on June 23. Those who want Britain to leave will definitely turn out to vote, motivated emotionally by a heroic vision of a Britain of 50 years ago. It's a chance to vote for the past. But those who want to remain may not turn out, because they are just voting for the status quo. Europe has many problems, like migrants, terrorism, climate change, anti-Semitism, integration. Where are we today? Advertisement I am still an optimist about Europe. Everything is relative. Show me one part of the world that is succeeding today under the pressures of globalization. We always beat up Europe, but why did Donald Trump win the primaries and Bernie Sanders almost beat Hillary Clinton? Because America is a divided society in which median wages have not grown since 1995. China is undergoing the most painful transitions, trying to become a middle-income country, and it may not succeed. Brazil is going backwards. Modi has not lived up to his promise to take India forwards. Russia has an economy going backwards. Where are people investing their money? The answer is in Europe because it's still a community of countries that are governed by the rule of law, that are relatively stable and that hold their destiny in their hands. Show me one part of the world that is succeeding today under the pressures of globalization. American investment is very strong? American investment in Europe has risen every decade. America and Europe are still the two beacons of stability, more than China, Japan, the Middle East, Africa. Europe is trying to rebuild itself to succeed, and European policy makers must move beyond building fair-weather institutions to building durable and effective institutions. Do they have the time to do so? If they want to survive, they have no choice. The question is, can they convince their populations of the risks of not doing so and of the opportunities if they do so? People don't trust their governments, and that is dangerous. Now there are fascists and right wing parties again throughout Europe. Did we learn anything? We will see. I might be wrong, but I think the institutions in the early 20th century were far more brittle and less transparent. I think people are better educated today, and we have the benefits of history. That is why I think the Marine Le Pen Freedom Party movements are maximum 20 percent movements. In the old days, 5 - 10 percent could take power. I don't think 20 percent could take power today, as the institutions are far stronger. Advertisement Trump poses for a photo after an interview with Reuters in his office in Trump Tower. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson) What about the Trump versus Clinton contest for the next American presidency? Hillary Clinton is a traditionalist in foreign policy and a realist. If Britain remains in the EU, we will see a focus on strengthening the transatlantic political relationship. In a world of uncertainties and steps in reverse, of rising authoritarianism, nationalism, even protectionism, Europe remains America's natural ally. If Britain remains, then it's easy to rebalance back to Europe, but if Britain leaves then, under a Clinton administration, they would need to strengthen the EU more than Britain. Britain would move into second place for America. Otherwise, the EU might fracture, and then Russia takes advantage of it, which would be bad at all levels. And if Trump wins? If Trump wins and Britain remains, it would be easier for the EU to answer the Trump demand that Europe takes care of more of its own security. Do you think Trump will win? I think Trump winning is like Britain leaving the EU. It's very possible, but not probable. Therefore, if Trump wins and Britain remains in the EU, it's easier for the EU to cope with a Trump demand that's saying, look after yourselves. If Britain leaves, then we have a much more early 20th century environment. What do you mean by that? An America that is not very interested in trying to manage a fragmenting Europe and a Europe that isn't as capable of looking after itself. Advertisement Is Trump dangerous for the world?I don't think he automatically is. He's a businessman, and he only wants to close the deal. He will worry about the policy later. I have the feeling that he has got no idea what he will do as president. He just wants to be president; he wants to win and to overcome the humiliation that Obama put him through. If Britain leaves, it would be like an earthquake for the EU, and it would give ammunition to populist parties. Is he a bit like former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi? It is a similar dynamic, and Putin is very good at flattering those types of egos. He's good at dealing with egotists, not with systems and processes. Is Trump like Marine Le Pen? I think Trump will turn out to be a 20 - 25 percent. What do you think about Obama's legacy? He did alright. I think he managed the hand of cards he was given as well as he could. He didn't manage relationships with Congress well, but Congress did not make it easy for him. His main failure was not observing his own red line in Syria. He has served as the necessary transition to a world that cannot be, and does not want to be, led by America. Now the likes of Google control everything, and the world has changed? I think the Googles disaggregate political power, which prevents the 20 percent from taking real power. This is what the Chinese fear and why they do not let Google in; and the Americans don't, because business and individuals dominate the country, not politics. Advertisement NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) is calling on New York State parents to support a boycott of new high-stakes assessments being field-tested in grades three-to- eight between May 23 and June 10. NYSAPE asks parents to contact school district offices requesting that they return the field tests to the New York State Education Department (NYSED). While the field-testing takes less than an hour, it contributes to the climate of high-stakes assessment that drives curriculum in the state. The New Paltz Board of Education has already rejected field-testing its students. On May 4, it passed a unanimous resolution directing its school superintendent to return the field-testing material to NYSED and to inform it that the tests would not completed by students. In an earlier resolution, the New Paltz school board complained that since neither students nor teachers received performance results from field tests, the tests had no educational benefit. They also charged that "this type of assessment is in violation of Pearson's contract with NYSED which requires that assessments adhere to the American Psychological Association's testing standards which include the test takers right to receive a timely and understandable explanation of test results." In the next three weeks, over 2,300 New York State schools are scheduled to administer the field tests to a quarter of a million students. Many districts have children participate in the field tests without even informing parents. However, parents can submit an opt-out letter so their children are excused from the tests. In addition, some schools are administering Regent field tests in higher grades. Children can also opt-out of these tests. Advertisement According to NYSAPE, since 2012, the New York State Education Department has allowed the Pearson testing company to use the state's children to experiment with test questions for the next year's statewide exams. Pearson does not pay New York State or local districts for this privilege. Not only that, but New York State pays for the cost of the field-testing. Taiwan Study (2016) The sample was 378,881 Taiwanese school children, ages 4-17, who were in school from 1997 to 2011. Kids born just one month prior to the grade cutoff date were 61% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD compared to their oldest classmates. These youngest children were also 75% more likely to be medicated. According to the authors, these findings "emphasize the importance of considering the age of a child within a grade when diagnosing ADHD and prescribing medication for treating ADHD." Canada Study (2012) The sample was 937,943 children in British Columbia ranging between 6 and 12 years of age and used data from between 1997 through 2008. The study found that male children born one month prior to the grade cutoff date were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and 41% more likely to be medicated compared to the oldest male children in the same grade. Female children born one month prior to the grade cutoff date were 69% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and 73% more likely to be medicated compared to the oldest female children in the same grade. The study concluded that, "The potential harms of over-diagnosis and over-prescribing and the lack of an objective test for ADHD strongly suggest caution be taken in assessing children for this disorder and providing treatment." Iceland Study (2012) The sample was 11,785 Icelandic children, ages 9 and 12. Male children born 1-4 months prior to the grade cutoff date were 52% more likely to be medicated for ADHD compared to the oldest male children in the same grade. Female children born 1-4 months prior to the grade cutoff date were 73% more likely to be medicated for ADHD compared to the oldest female children in the same grade. The study concludes that, "Relative age among classmates affects children's...risk of being prescribed stimulants for ADHD." USA (2010) Of all the studies reviewed, this one showed the highest increase in risk of diagnosis and medication of ADHD for the youngest children in a class. The study gathered data from 11,784 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten longitudinal survey tracked them for 9 years starting in 1998. Children born 1 month prior to the September 1st class grade cutoff date were 122% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and 137% more likely to be medicated for ADHD. The study concludes by noting that, "Whether relatively young children are over-diagnosed, relatively old children are under-diagnosed, or both, current efforts to define and diagnose ADHD evidently fall short of an objective standard." USA (2010) This study used a sample of 35,343, children from the National Health Interview Survey and 18,559 children from the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey. Children born 1-3 months prior to the grade cutoff date were found to be 27% more likely to be diagnosed for ADHD and 24% more likely to be medicated for ADHD compared to children born 10-12 months prior to the grade cutoff data. The study does a nice job of relating its findings to the "real world" scale of the problem when it states, "To put our estimates into perspective, an excess of 2 percentage points implies that approximately 1.1 million children received an inappropriate diagnosis and over 800,000 received stimulant medication due only to relative maturity." For additional data on these studies see here. On an April day in 1968 my fellow high school classmates and I marched down Commonwealth Avenue toward Boston Common, led by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin. It was a defining moment in my salad days as a budding anti-war activist and I was feeling pretty cool ... cool, that is, until my mother, who had been getting her hair dyed at the beauty parlor along the route, came running out of the shop with her hair wrapped in tin foil spikes like a purple porcupine -- waving excitedly and proudly calling my name. I furtively waved back (thinking, "Now, ma? It's the revolution!") and marched on. At one point I zigged while our group zagged, and I fell in step with the wrong crowd. That crowd being those zealots known as the Weathermen. I didn't know how I recognized them, as they weren't exactly chanting "We are the Weathermen, Hey Hey Hey." But it wasn't long before I found my original group where Hoffman was addressing the crowd in the Common. He was pointing toward the John Hancock building and in his thick Boston accent he hollered, "John Hancock wasn't an insurance salesman. He was a f...ng revolutionary!" In 1968 our country was in turmoil. And it was the year I grew a social conscience, thanks largely to my 25-year-old English teacher, Mr. Goggin. Mr. G. taught us there actually was a whole world outside of our little Newton, Mass. universe. He introduced us to films such as Citizen Kane and The Seventh Seal. Prior to that, the highlight of my movie-going experience had been awaiting the fate of the kidnapped teen idol in Annette and Frankie's Beach Blanket Bingo. Advertisement As for books? Outside of the ones I had to read? Why read when I could shoot pool or watch The Mod Squad or The Beverly Hillbillies? Mr. G. changed that, too, and when I headed off to my summer job as a counselor at Camp Naticook, I schlepped a satchel of books that included Soul on Ice and Manchild in the Promised Land. During free periods I'd sit on a rock, nose buried deep in my book ... ok, until I heard the clarion call of a nearby game of Capture the Flag. But I still finished every one of those books. That might have even been the summer I started thinking about joining the Peace Corps when I was old enough, which I did. Our high school had hosted a number of speakers that year, each one more inspirational than the next. One of those speakers was the comedian/civil rights activist Dick Gregory. He is the reason I took a trip down memory lane today, as I had just read that he is the subject of a new off-Broadway play. For reasons I cannot begin to understand, because I have a sieve for a memory, the words he spoke at my high school that night have stayed with me all these years. Then there was the way he spoke them, in what I can only describe as quietly, pleadingly and filled with melancholy. He spoke about the Statue of Liberty as if she were a person. A deeply sad and disappointed person because America had not become the welcoming haven described in the words on her base: Advertisement "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Yoga is something that I have done since college (if you promise not to do math, I'll simply say I've been doing yoga for 20+ years). There was a period of time when I considered going through the teacher training program and becoming a yoga instructor, and now I really wish I had followed through on that thought. Why, you ask?! You don't understand yoga's true, full potential until you've gone through a life-changing physical trauma. Knowing what I know now, I have a deeper love and appreciate for yoga; a greater understanding of it's powerful healing benefits. Advertisement In February of 2014 I slipped on a patch of black ice on an inclined driveway. I had zero warning as my feet went up into the air and my skull made full impact with the frozen asphalt. Amazingly, I walked away with my life -- I am still in awe at the incredible resilience of one's skull and how much of an impact it can actually take. What I did sustain in the fall included: a severe concussion (later referred to as a traumatic brain injury, or TBI for short), major whiplash, c4/c5 damage in my neck, torn muscles in my neck, throat, abdomen, and chest, and a dislocated sternum. Sounds like a load of fun, huh? As we began addressing the physical injuries, I was unaware of the journey I was starting inside my head. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a very complicated and invisible injury, and one that many professionals (as well as friends and family) just don't quite understand. I was frustrated when doctors wouldn't listen to me, or would simply tell me that I will feel better in a few weeks. Every few weeks would start a new cycle of pain, grief, and anxiety. After about 15 months of feeling pained, isolated, depressed, and anxious I reached out to a yoga instructor friend of mine. Advertisement Because of the dislocated sternum, I wasn't able to lift my hands much higher than my shoulder and couldn't take a full, deep breath. Because of the TBI I suffered from dizzy, balance, and neck mobility issues. I also noticed I would drag my right foot and my right arm did not move in motion with my walk -- both of which are a neurological problem. My dear friend helped me come up with FIVE yoga poses that I could do without feeling like I would fall over or causing me pain and discomfort. Five poses. That was it. They included: cat-cow pose, puppy dog (child's) pose, tree pose (with the help of a chair for balance), eagle arm pose, and side twists while lying down. After a few days of doing these five poses for about 10-15 minutes, I started noticing a difference. I was able to breathe deeper than I had since the accident, my flexibility was coming back (slowly), and my dizzy and balance issues were starting to bother me less. My range of motion was growing every single time I did yoga. I gradually added in some of my favorite poses as I felt ready, for a single breath. I would go into down-dog pose and warrior pose just to see if I could. I would hold it for one breath, and then two. I eventually got brave enough to try side angel, which is my ultimate favorite post (and the one pictured above). I was thrilled that I was able to do it, at least with a block to assist me. Advertisement Now that I am just over two years out from my accident, I am an advocate for TBI awareness. I not only want to raise awareness, I want to help other survivors. Which brings me back to my point about teacher training. While you do not need an actual license/certificate to teach yoga, I would very much love to take a course on trauma yoga, and help other survivors find some comfort and peace in yoga, the way that I did. EVERYONE can do yoga, even those who think you have to be "flexible" to do it. Yoga is an individual activity, one in which you only do what you can. It can be modified to fit your injury, and some poses can even be done from a hospital bed. There are amazing benefits to doing yoga, and I hope that my experience can help another survivor decide to give it a try (under the guidance of an instructor). Namaste, Amy Amy Zellmer is an award-winning author, speaker, and advocate of traumatic brain injury (TBI). She is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post, and has also created a private Facebook group for survivors. She sits on the Brain Injury Association of America's Ambassador Council (BIAAAC) and is involved with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. She travels the country with her Yorkie, Pixxie, to help raise awareness about this silent and invisible injury that affects over 2.5 million Americans each year. In November, 2015 she released her first book, "Life With a Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding the Road Back to Normal" which received a silver award at the Midwest Book Awards in May, 2016. for more information: www.facesoftbi.com young woman sitting at conference table with two businessmen Cause of death: crush injuries from rapidly lowering bar Real talk around diversity can be hard to find in the workplace. I've had conversations about it here and there, but nothing that got too deep. The focus was usually hiring, and the theme usually struggle. Things like: "there are pipeline issues" and "it's so hard to even find good candidates at all." Hiring is relatively easy to talk about, because it's comfortably all about "them" and not about "us." The diversity in hiring conversation often has echoes of the "nice guy" trope: "I'm a nice guy, I don't understand why it's so hard to find a good woman." Advertisement Dude. It's not them, it's you. When it comes to diversity, the hiring conversation is just the tip of the iceberg. Candidates evaluate workplace environments before they decide to apply, and they're free to swipe left if they don't like what they see. It's time for companies that are struggling with diversity to take a hard look at themselves. It's not just about tweaking the little things, like removing aggressive language from job ads and eliminating unconscious bias from the interview process. It's about the company deciding if it's ready and able to change who it is as a culture. This starts with understanding what diversity actually is. I tried to explain this recently in a job interview. As you can tell from the title of this piece, it didn't go well. Actually, it was so bad that while it was happening, all I could do was tell myself "at least this will make an interesting story later." So here's the story. I was on my second interview for a writer position, and I was asked to come prepared to pitch a piece of scientific research that could be packaged into a compact training for someone in a manager role. So I ... gulp... chose to talk about diversity research. I knew it was going to be awkwardly meta to talk about hiring practices in a job interview. I also knew that women and minorities are generally punished for promoting diversity in any environment. But most importantly, I knew I was going to be pitching this research to an entirely White male group, and that it would make them uncomfortable. But I did it, because after spending hours looking through the kind of content the company produces, I knew it needed significant anti-bias work. The only way I was going to take the job is if I saw that my potential employers would be open to examining some of the bias issues in their content, so my goal in the interview was to understand how they were thinking. Advertisement Note that my goal was not "get this job at all costs." If I had really needed the job, I would have behaved differently. I would have chosen a "safe" topic, and I would have done everything in my power to make my interviewers feel comfortable with me. I'm not saying it would have worked. I'm just saying that difference, and drawing attention to difference, tends to make people uncomfortable. Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that there's some hefty privilege (and delusion) behind my thinking I had a choice to not bring up differences. I was already up against gender bias from the moment I applied. But I did have the ability to avoid mentioning race completely, because everybody in the room was White. If I had been a Black person with a Black-sounding name, I could still have chosen not to say a single word about race, but it wouldn't really matter. The unconscious biases around race are so strong that I might never have gotten called for the interview in the first place. And there are all kinds of other intersecting identities that trigger bias and affect your job chances, like whether you're an immigrant, whether you're transgender, whether you have a disability or not. It's pretty ridiculous to talk about having a choice to make people feel comfortable or not, since their discomfort is likely in response to who you are as a person. But I couldn't help thinking (knowing) that in this case I was totally sabotaging myself. Back to the story. Let's cut it open and look at the guts On the day of my interview, I showed up, shook all the hands, listened to a couple of internal pitches, and then it was my turn. I decided to state the problem (from a manager's point of view) as: "I need to hire new team members, and I'm getting pressure from higher-ups to make my team more diverse. But I don't want to lower the bar." Advertisement First off, I wanted to explain why a manager should be invested in making their team more diverse, as opposed to seeing it as some top-down demand they aren't inclined to follow. The research I used was something I'd heard in the "Raising the Bar" episode of the Reply All podcast. The hosts had interviewed Leslie Miley, the only Black engineer in a managerial role at Twitter, who quit after wrestling for years with an environment that didn't understand the value of diversity. It's a great counterpoint to the typical hiring-focused conversation, because Miley talks a lot about how Twitter's culture was the real problem. The podcast references research done by Scott E. Page, a professor of complex systems at the University of Michigan. Page created two groups of problem-solving algorithms and put them to work solving tough problems. One group was a set of the best individual performing algorithms. The other group was a set of randomly-chosen algorithms, diverse in how they encoded the problem and searched for solutions. The diverse set of algorithms consistently beat the best-performing group at solving tough problems. Why? Because it got stuck less often. The diverse group saw more ways to approach the problem and had more problem-solving tools to use. I explained this research, and then I used the following example to really drive it home: You could select a toolbox filled with the best hammers money can buy. Or you could select a toolbox with hammers, screwdrivers, chisels, and drills of varying quality. Which option will prepare you to build and fix more things? It also bears mentioning that your tools (skills, cultural background, education) impact your perspective. If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. I explained to my interviewers that, in a nutshell, the research shows that diversity has a greater impact on team success than ability. The looks on their faces were polite but skeptical. I said that it's very important to get it straight that ability is an individual thing, but diversity is a group thing. Advertisement Then I said that companies should hire people of high ability, aiming to create teams that are highly diverse. There are two categories of diversity: Inherent diversity : things like race, gender, and age. : things like race, gender, and age. Acquired diversity: things like education, experience, and knowledge bases. Both make up the "tools" a group has at their disposal when they solve problems. You can't just look at one of these categories of diversity and pretend the other isn't important (but that's a whole other subject, for another post). Next, I wanted to get into what's going on behind the cringeworthy "lowering the bar" idea. I explained that even though it makes no sense to call an individual person "diverse", people do it all the time, as a shorthand way to describe an individual person of color, or a woman: "we're trying to hire a diverse person for the role." Then I told them that this is where we uncover the bias. Turning diversity into a personal characteristic, and then equating it with low ability, is racism and sexism at work. Have you ever heard anybody called "non-diverse" as a shorthand? Have you ever heard any worry expressed over "non-diverse" people lowering the bar? No. Because sameness is equated with high ability (and whiteness, and maleness, I might add, but I didn't say this in the interview). Advertisement I could see protest in their eyes, but they didn't interrupt me. I kept talking. I was supposed to pitch concrete actions that managers could take based on the research, not just talk about why diversity is important. I'd framed the question around hiring, but I wanted to make it clear that hiring is just one of the areas where managers have influence. So I said: Managers have a huge influence on the diversity of their teams in two areas: 1. Hiring 2. Day-to-day team management For extra concreteness, I broke down the two areas of influence. (Please note that my breakdowns here are meant to be a simple entry point and in no way represent all the work that needs to be done to address unconscious bias): 1. Hiring Process It is not always easy or comfortable to hire for diversity. It feels more natural to converse with a job applicant with whom you share a similar background and interests. A diverse team also presents more of an initial learning curve, since everyone will need to work through some friction (differences in communication, work styles, perspectives) to figure out how to work together. But this friction is not only surmountable, it's key to a winning team. Here are some concrete things you can do during the recruitment and interview process: If you're involved in writing or reviewing the job description, pay careful attention to the language. Many applicants will choose not to apply if your job ad reflects an environment that sounds exclusionary. Ask: "how did you get to where you are?" to find out how a candidate has handled obstacles along the way, and learn more about their knowledge bases. Don't hire for "culture fit", and steer clear of the "beer test". Bring up team diversity when you discuss the candidates with the hiring committee. What perspectives or backgrounds do they bring that are not already present on your team? If you're looking at two well-qualified candidates, the one who brings more diversity is the one who will be more valuable to the team. 2. Day-to-Day Management: You cannot sustain diversity in an environment that values sameness over difference. After all, nothing you do during the hiring process is meaningful unless your new employee encounters an environment where they want to stay. As a manager, there are concrete actions you can take to create an environment where diversity thrives instead of withers. Advertisement Be observant of who is asked to do "office housework" like taking notes in a meeting, planning team social activities, or cleaning up after a meeting. Figure out a nonbiased way to assign these tasks. If you are involved in a performance review process and someone uses words like "abrasive" or "aggressive" to describe an employee, ask for performance-related examples. Same goes for "lack of initiative" and "not a team player." Pay attention to the small things. Learn to recognize microaggressions, and address them when you hear them. Notice who talks most during team meetings. Who gets interrupted? Work on solutions. If you're asked to choose someone from your team to represent the company at a conference or event, find out about the composition of the group as a whole. Is it representative? I presented all of this, and then I waited for feedback. A total flatline situation I knew this was a long shot, but I was still hoping for the best. My first indication that my attempt was a flop was their first comment: "Diversity is really a c-suite issue. It's not something managers have influence over." So I said "yes, I agree that diversity is a c-suite issue, but managers also very much have influence." I referred back to all of the concrete ways I'd just laid out that managers can directly impact team diversity. They really didn't seem convinced. The next comment was: "Everybody already knows that diversity is important. You're not presenting anything new or interesting. It needs more concrete, actionable advice." I pointed out that the fact that diversity trumps ability is pretty interesting, and referred again to the bulleted lists of concrete actions managers could take. I kind of felt like I was being gaslighted at this point. Were my bulleted lists invisible? I said that while most people will agree that diversity is important, it might be just because they're looking at it from a moral standpoint, and they know that's what they're supposed to say. Advertisement Then we got to a piece of feedback that left me speechless. They said: "But it is really hard not to lower the bar. Even if a diverse person applies, if they don't meet the qualifications, I can't hire them." Headdesk. I tried to control my face, but I was a little bit horrified. They were still talking about "lowering the bar" as if it is a thing. They were using the word "diverse" to describe a person. They were arguing against hiring unqualified people (nobody said hire unqualified people) Nothing I had just explained made any impact. So I spent the next ten minutes trying to gently explain things in different ways. I honestly don't remember what I said. I do remember there was one tiny sparkly moment. One of the interviewers said "so you're saying that a company could be doing something internally that's making diverse people leave?" I nodded. He looked thoughtful. "That's what happened at my old company. They left." He trailed off, and the discussion went somewhere else. But for a second, he was thinking about it as an "us" problem instead of a "them" problem. And realizing that maybe his old company wasn't such a "nice guy" after all. His word choice showed that he was still connecting the word "diverse" with individual people, so I doubt I had much influence on expanding his understanding of what diversity meant. But it was something. Advertisement If I had another shot Hindsight is the worst. There's just so much I could have done differently. I'd really appreciate feedback, calling out of my blindspots, and suggestions. One thing that was immediately obvious to me is that it's really hard to simplify this conversation. Every string you pull leads somewhere deep. If it had been just a conversation instead of a structured pitch, I think we probably would have covered less ground, but maybe the interaction would have been more meaningful. If I had to do it again, I'd try avoiding the phrase "lowering the bar" altogether. I think hearing it might kick the "diversity = low ability" framework into high gear. But it's such a familiar phrase that I felt it would make a good starting point. Something to dismantle. In Scott E. Page's book, he uses a fruit basket example that completely unlinks the idea of diversity and ability in a way the toolbox example doesn't. He compares a fruit basket of all oranges to a fruit basket with a variety of fruits. Which is more desirable? The basket with variety. Simply because variety is better. So maybe I could get rid of "lowering the bar" and talk about fruit instead of tools. The last thing I'd do differently is to find a way to address the discomfort that talking about diversity brings. It seems like there's a strong knee jerk reaction to deny it, but discomfort is actually a good thing, and there's no way around it. Advertisement Co-authored by Douglas Dechow, space writer, librarian, teacher On May 21, External Tank #94 arrived at the California Science Center, where it eventually will be stacked with the orbiter Endeavour and two test rockets and displayed upright as if ready to launch. Lofty Ambitions was there to see ET-94 arrive because we couldn't imagine more fun for nerds on a Saturday night. This particular external fuel tank for the space shuttle is the only functional ET in existence. It is a lightweight version built for use with Columbia, but, in 2003, Columbia broke apart on reentry before this tank was used. By the time NASA was flying shuttles again, a super-lightweight tank was the preferred design. In fact, ET-94 was used to study whether the lightweight construction contributed to the Columbia accident. As you can see in our photos, pieces of foam have been removed as part of that investigation. No other external tanks survive because they were all used to launch space shuttles. The external tank was the large orange tube to which the orbiter and solid booster rockets were attached. (The tank on the first two flights was painted white as added protection, but paint added unnecessary weight.) The tank therefore provided structural stability in addition to holding the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen that fed the Space Shuttle Main Engines for roughly the first 70 miles of its journey. With the fuel exhausted, the empty tank separated from the orbiter and plummeted back toward Earth, disintegrating on its way through the atmosphere. Advertisement ET-94 left Louisiana on a barge on April 12. Later last month, it made its way through the Panama Canal and on to Los Angeles. On its way up the coast, the tugboat pulling the ET rescued four people from a life raft in the Pacific Ocean after their fishing boat had sunk. This tank is 15 stories long, which is longer (though lighter and narrower) than the orbiter that made its way through the streets from LAX to the science center in 2012. Finally, yesterday, aboard a deftly maneuvered transporter, ET-94 made its way through the streets of Inglewood and to the California Science Center at Exposition Park, where we met it up close. For the time being, according to Aerospace Curator Ken Phillips (in photo with author below), ET-94 will be enclosed next to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, where a window will be added so that visitors to Endeavour will be able to peek out at the fuel tank. The effect of Superdelegates on the Democratic nomination process has never been more apparent than in the 2016 election. Created in 1982 largely by the party establishment, the superdelegate was to serve as a safeguard to ensure a populous candidate did not take the nomination, and keep the Democrats out of the White House. This election more than any prior, proves no one can say what a populous candidate might be able to do once they get to the presidential debate stage. Polls show if Bernie Sanders were allowed to run as the Democratic nominee, he would do quite well against Donald Trump. Superdelegates are largely comprised of party establishment, according to NBC News Superdelegates are unpledged delegates to the Democratic convention, meaning that they aren't beholden to the results from the primaries and the caucuses (the way pledged delegates are). They are, for the most part, current and former Democratic politicians. They make up 15 percent of all delegates (714 out of 4,765) -- down from 20 percent in 2008. And they are free to support the presidential candidate of their choice at the convention. According to NBC News' latest count 4/11/2016, Clinton leads Sanders in superdelegates, 460-38. Focusing in and looking at a state like New Hampshire, we can clearly see how superdelegates have effected this race. At the polls Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire's pledged delegates by a landslide 22 percent. Bernie Sanders received 60.4 percent of the poll vote, just about 150,000 votes. Clinton received 38 percent of the poll vote, tallying just about 95,000 votes. Yet, all six Democratic New Hampshire superdelegates gave their support to Hillary Clinton, effectively erasing Sanders win, leading both candidates to leave the state with the same 15 delegates. The six votes of support by Governor Maggie Hassan, Representative Ann Kuster, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and DNC members Bill Shaheen, Kathy Sullivan, and Joanne Dowdell, effectively erased the impact of 55,000 Democratic voters on this election. Advertisement According to MSN today Clinton leads in pledged votes, with 1768, while Sanders has 1494. But to look at the aftermath of the vote count we truly have to critically evaluate the start. Hillary Clinton entered Super Tuesday in March in a virtual tie in pledged delegates with both candidates holding just about 50 pledged delegates, yet she held the support of nearly 400 super delegates. This early lead created the visual that Sanders could not defeat her for many voters, clearly affecting the race. In effect this year, more than any before superdelegates may have not only decided the Democratic nominee, but they likely also chose the next President of the United States. Antonio Moore, an attorney based in Los Angeles, is one of the producers of the documentary Freeway: Crack in the System. He has contributed pieces to the Grio, Huffington Post, and Inequality.org on the topics of race, mass incarceration, and economics. Follow on Youtube @Tonetalks Image: Hospital. Stock Photo. Pixabay.com Tens of thousands of people languished in psychiatric hospitals in the Soviet Union for years, not because they were insane but because they held views that contradicted the system. Happily, the use of forced psychiatric confinement to punish those who questioned the state plunged in the first decade after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. But the practice resurfaced in the late 1990s. And anecdotal evidence indicates it is growing, although it has yet to come close to the scale seen in Soviet times. Now the number of those who are sane but confined against their will appears to be in the hundreds or low thousands, not the tens of thousands, human-rights experts say. Advertisement A glance at cases since 2000 indicates there's a new twist in involuntary psychiatric confinements that wasn't around during Soviet times: Some victims are confined not because they criticize the establishment but because they're involved in property disputes. Rivals are arranging for them to be committed in order to seize the disputed property. No former Soviet country releases statistics on involuntary confinement of people believed to be sane, of course. That means evidence about it comes from news stories, human-rights organizations' reports and even government ombudsmen reports on involuntary confinements of specific individuals -- some of them high-profile, like members of the Russian rock band Pussy Riot. Most of the cases the public has become aware of in recent years have been in Russia, partly because it is the largest former Soviet republic and partly because it has been cracking down on challenges to the system. Advertisement A typical victim is Roman Lukin, a businessman who held up a sign in a public square in his hometown of Cheboksary in 2005 railing against judges who ruled against him in a lawsuit. Lukin had sued to force a person who owed him a big business debt to repay it. His inability to recover the debt bankrupted him, he contended in the suit. When the three-judge panel rejected his request to force the debtor to repay him, Lukin held up a sign in the square branding the judges "creeps." The judges retaliated by having authorities force Lukin to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Most Russian psychiatrists issue findings the think the authorities want, so those examining Lukin ordered him confined to a mental institution for "unexplainable behavior." He was luckier than most of those involuntarily who are confined, because he was released after only two weeks. Advertisement Even short stints in a mental institution in the former Soviet Union can cause lasting damage, however: The majority of patients are subjected to mind-altering drugs. Although most cases of involuntary psychiatric confinement in Russia involve dissidents or whistleblowers, they can involve other kinds of iconoclasts as well. Viktor Krasnov of Stavropol was thrown into a psychiatric hospital for a month for posting atheist views on social media in 2014. Two men who read Krasnov's assertions, including that "there is no God" and that the Bible's content consists of "fairy tales," asked authorities to file criminal charges against Krasnov under a 2013 law against "insulting others' religious convictions." Authorities asked psychiatrists at a mental hospital to evaluate Krasnov before the start of his trial in March of this year. He spent a month at the facility, with doctors eventually finding him sane. Advertisement Atheistic views would probably not have prompted charges against Krasnov, or his psychiatric confinement, before the rise of Vladimir Putin in 2000. The Russian president has made the Russian Orthodox Church, which he's a member of, a key partner in his regime. In fact, Putin ordered Russia's parliament to pass the 2013 law against "insulting others' religious convictions" that was used to bring charges against Krasnov. The law was a response to Pussy Riot's protest in a Moscow cathedral in 2012. The group performed a song decrying the church's support for Putin in the 2012 elections. Some band members were subjected to psychiatric evaluations before all involved in the demonstration were convicted of hooliganism. Among those besides dissidents and atheists who have been involuntarily confined in psychiatric hospitals in the former Soviet Union in recent years have been journalists. Advertisement Sazak Durdymuradov, an unpaid contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Turkmenistan service, for example, was thrown into a psychiatric facility in eastern Turkmenistan in June of 2008. The confinement came a week after police beat and tortured him in his hometown of Baharden, he said, to try to get him to leave the American news service. His arrest and psychiatric confinement surprised many in Turkmenistan because he was known for moderate political views and community service. The growing number of those in the former Soviet Union who have been involuntarily confined in recent years over property disputes includes Julietta Amarikian of Armenia's capital of Yerevan. A row between her and her brother over what to do with an apartment the two had inherited from their parents led to her confinement. Advertisement She wanted to sell the apartment and split the proceeds with her brother. He wanted to make it his home. The dispute escalated to the point that the brother threatened to have her confined -- and, a week later, actually did so. Armenian law fails to protect those who are sane from wrongful involuntarily confinement, critics say. In the vast majority of cases, if someone asks authorities to commit a relative, the authorities do it, with few or no questions asked. Once confined, the victim has a difficult time getting out. "They locked me up and left me," Amarikian said. "No one even examined me. I was terrified. I thought it was the end of me. I have never had problems with my mental health. I only had problems with my brother." She was lucky. A human-rights activist who happened to visit the facility learned about her, and arranged her release. Advertisement A lot of victims of involuntary psychiatric confinement in the former Soviet Union aren't as fortunate, though. Once in, they're in for some time. And the worst news is that the number of forced confinements keeps growing. Six years after its passage on a party-line vote, the Affordable Care Act remains controversial. Nineteen states still refuse to expand Medicaid eligibility as allowed under the law, a major avenue by which uninsured people were to find health insurance. However, six months before the Nov. 8 presidential election, expansion of Medicaid could become a pivotal issue among an important and growing voting bloc: Latinos. Republican presidential candidates this cycle have largely adhered to the party orthodoxy of opposing every piece of President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul -- though the presumptive nominee, Donald J. Trump, has been an exception. Trump, while maintaining that he wants to repeal and replace the ACA, has declined to denounce state Medicaid expansion but has called for "block granting" the program, which would allow states to reduce benefits and enrollment. Advertisement Meanwhile, Democratic candidates have argued over whether the law goes far enough in broadening access to care. This summer, as the political season changes from primaries to the general election, will Latinos' embrace of Medicaid expansion hold sway over the party nominees? Why Medicaid Matters to Latino Families No demographic group has benefited more from Medicaid and the ACA than Latinos, who accounted for nearly a third of newly covered adults under the law, far more than their 17 percent proportion of U.S. adults. And of new enrollments under the ACA, 71 percent gained coverage via the Medicaid expansions. Additionally, Medicaid is an essential lifeline for many Latino families, covering more than half of Latino children. And, thanks to Medicaid expansion, uninsured rates for Latino children have reached a historic low of 9.7 percent. Advertisement But while Latinos have significantly benefited from the ACA's expansion of Medicaid, more work remains to be done. A Department of Health and Human Services report found that if all states expanded Medicaid, 95 percent of uninsured Latinos might qualify for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or tax credits to help with healthcare premiums. Why Latinos Could Shape the 2016 Election Medicaid expansion has significantly benefited Latino families, so it's little wonder they feel strongly about it. In a November 2014 poll of Latino voters, 77 percent nationwide said states should take money to expand Medicaid programs, with only 15 percent opposed. And although nobody knows what the outcome of the 2016 presidential election might be, there's evidence that Latinos' support of expanding Medicaid might translate into votes against the Republican candidate. During the most recent statewide elections in the pivotal swing state of Florida, 66 percent of Latino voters said they would be more likely to support a gubernatorial candidate who favored Medicaid expansion. Only 17 percent said they would be less likely to support a candidate who favored expansion. What's more, U.S. demographic trends mean Latinos will have more say than ever in the 2016 election. Of the 10.7 million new eligible voters since 2012, more than two-thirds are from a racial or ethnic minority, and Latinos are expected to cast 10 percent of all ballots this November, up from less than 4 percent in 1992. Considering that congressional Republicans have voted 62 times to repeal the ACA and Medicaid expansion, those numbers doesn't bode well for the Republican nominee come November, none of whom has voiced support for expansion. Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, both advocate Medicaid expansion. Advertisement Why Latinos Embrace Medicaid Although Medicaid expansion has greatly increased health coverage among the Latino community, coverage numbers alone don't tell the whole story. They gloss over how Latinos benefit from that coverage. The simple answer is that health insurance is a life-changing benefit. A 2012 New England Journal of Medicine study found that Medicaid enrollees had lower rates of mortality than that their uninsured peers. A study in Oregon found that enrollees were more likely to have their diabetes diagnosed and treated and less likely to suffer from depression. The financial benefits are real, too. Medicaid enrollees are 40 percent less likely to have medical debt than their uninsured peers. Even people with private insurance can face financial ruin if they experience large out-of-pocket costs. Medicaid, by contrast, provides care at little to no out-of-pocket cost for enrollees, and it comes with dental and vision care at no additional cost. For working families who are trying to make ends meet, the quality, low-cost health insurance that Medicaid provides can drastically improve quality of life. It's something more and more Latino families are finding out, and it may be something the presidential candidates must come to accept as well. Benjamin Geyerhahn is an experienced entrepreneur, a healthcare policy expert, and a member of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Health Benefit Exchange Regional Advisory Committee. He is the founder and CEO of BeneStream, which uses a combination of technology and a multilingual call center to guide employers and employees through the Medicaid enrollment process. This article first appeared on my column in Forbes. The Internet Is Far From What It Was Meant To Be The Internet was meant to be a force for democratization, its power drawn from the bottom-up, peers working with each other without mediators. Recall that its origins were in ARPANET, originally funded by DARPA, as a decentralized and distributed collection of networks, without omnipotent hubs that might be vulnerable to attack by foreign powers. Much of the entrepreneurship that has fueled the Internet was bootstrapped out of scrappy locations -- dorm rooms, friendly couches, garages -- far from the corridors of power. Subscribe Now: Forbes Entrepreneurs & Small Business Newsletters All the trials and triumphs of building a business - delivered to your inbox. Yet, the Internet, circa 2016, is far from a digital Woodstock; it is ruled by a handful of omnipotent hubs. While this outcome may seem ironic, in an industry prone to network effects and scale economies, a concentration of market power among a handful of players is entirely natural and should not come as a surprise. What is surprising is how much we trust them and the tradeoffs we make every time we use their products. To get a sense of how powerful the "nabobs of the Net" are, consider some statistics: Alphabet (Google's parent) and Apple are the two largest companies in the world, as measured by market cap; Advertisement Facebook accounted for 43.9 percent of all social media site visits by U.S. consumers in February 2016, 60 percent market share in app downloads, over 90 percent audience penetration in the age 35+ category in the U.S. and has 1.65 billion active monthly users worldwide; Amazon is the "everything store" and is the world's largest retailer; Despite the competition, Uber dominates the ride-sharing market, having grown share from 9 percent to 29 percent market share from 1st quarter 2014 to 1st quarter 2015. The Internet Is Prone To Disruption - But Not In The Way That You Think Today, if any of the nabobs, Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, Uber, were to stop functioning, there would be serious disruption -- and not of the "disruptive innovation" kind so widely associated with the industry. Despite their outsize influence, given the perennial threat of competitive innovation in this industry, these players are not regulated in the way the old telephone monopolies used to be. Not only do we rely on a handful of nabob nodes not going down, we also trust that they are acting in our interest. Indeed, every time we tap on an app, do a search or make purchases on the Internet, we are making a tradeoff between the costs of incomplete "digital trust" in the industry and the benefits of partaking of its products. We Love The Internet Despite Incomplete Digital Trust In case, you were wondering whether trust in these all-too-familiar companies was incomplete, let's re-visit some recent news. Apple: Despite its much-beloved products, the company has been famous for its opacity. "More than any company I can recall, Apple has shut the door on speaking with CEO Tim Cook or Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri. That's unprecedented, certainly for a company of its size," according to Tiernan Ray of Barron's. In parallel, Apple has only recently emerged from daily headlines covering a high profile face-off with government officials over the FBI's demands that it unlock an iPhone in the interests of national security. Facebook: Recently, there has been a blizzard of questions about how Facebook curates its news feed and chooses the "trending" topics. In particular, conservatives are questioning whether there is a political bias in the process. CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is even meeting with conservative media figures to help re-build trust. Google: European regulators are on a warpath alleging that Google manipulates search results to its own advantage. It faces a record $3.4 billion fine from the European Commission. Amazon: In six major Amazon same-day delivery cities, the service allegedly excludes predominantly black ZIP codes, according to Bloomberg Uber: The city of Austin, Texas has insisted that ride-sharing companies, such as Uber, ought to be conducting fingerprinting-based background checks on their drivers. It has even led to Uber (and its competitor, Lyft) to quit Austin, for now. Concerns about how much due diligence Uber does on its drivers has been an ongoing concern in cities around the world. Advertisement Even these few instances suggest digital trust encompasses many disparate issues. In fact, because the products of the digital industry are intangible and the process for assembling them are complex, often done by arcane algorithms running on networks behind the scenes, much of our interaction with these players involves an act of trust. 10 Questions To Test Your Digital Trust There are at least 10 ways in which we cross the trust barrier in the digital world. Here the corresponding questions we implicitly ask: Which platform of the many options available, e.g. Google, Facebook, Amazon, or others, such as Yelp, Quora, can I trust for the information I need? Since these platforms get me information based on an anonymous "crowd" of other users, can I trust the wisdom of the crowd? Can I trust the platform to keep my private information secure, use it responsibly and for my benefit? Can I trust an aggregator that stores my private information, including passwords, user-id and digital history, in exchange for reduced complexity, increased convenience, a personalized experience and speed of service? Can I trust tracking and analysis systems designed for my security (e.g. public cameras, wiretaps, corporate monitoring, fraud-prevention, etc.)? Can I trust digital systems that learn from my data and digital behavior, e.g. machine learning systems, chatbots, artificial intelligence, features, such as autocorrect, auto fill-ins, etc., in order to increase convenience, offer a personalized experience and speed of service? Can I trust the ecosystem around the core digital platform I use, e.g. battery life, network access, logistics and delivery systems, to work reliably? Can I trust the present state of the digital infrastructure to keep my personal or business data secure against cyber-attacks? Can I trust that the evolving developments in the digital infrastructure (e.g. Internet of Things, self-driving cars, automated services, 3D printed products) will also keep my personal or business data secure against cyber-attacks? Can I trust the larger-than-life personalities whose reputations are so tightly associated with their products and brands -- e.g. Cook, Zuckerberg, Page-Brin, Bezos, Kalanick, etc. - and believe that they will make decisions that are in my interest? We interact with digital products constantly. One-in-five Americans - and 36 percent of 18-29 year olds - go online "almost constantly" according to the Pew Research Center; it was recently reported that we spend on average 50 minutes a day on Facebook alone. The beauty of the digital industry is that it succeeds when it makes the technology invisible. In other words, much of how the business is done and how the services are created are opaque to the consumer - by design. This simultaneously makes us use the services more, even while we have nagging doubts about how much to trust what lies beneath the surface. Incomplete Digital Trust Creates Transactions Costs The incompleteness of digital trust is what economists would call a "transactions cost", which adds friction to every interaction between consumers and the industry. In the extensive literature on the "theory of the firm", the presence of transactions costs -- without third-party institutions regulating or reducing the costs -- leads to several cost-minimizing outcomes. For example, both sides of a transaction might be better off housed within the same organization or one or more of the parties invests in ways to mitigate the cost. I think a similar theory applies here. Most significantly, the digital industry's outsize investments in "doing good" serve a trust-building purpose. In fact, the industry's mantra of changing-the-world is so firmly embedded that it is parodied so effectively in the HBO show, Silicon Valley. Apple's products have become intensely personalized extensions of ourselves; if we think we are good, their products are good too. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder, has made an unusually early start in philanthropy. Google is famous for its "do no evil" policy. Guiding others based on customer reviews and click trails started at Amazon. Listening to Uber CEO, Travis Kalanick's TED Talk might give you the impression that the company is largely a social enterprise that, incidentally, makes money. All have invested in the developing world with aims to include the next billion. Hamilton Won. Again Indeed, we have come a long way from the Woodstock version of the Internet. To quote Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus and an industry pioneer: "In the first decade of the republic--when the United States was a start-up--it was Alexander Hamilton versus Thomas Jefferson for the dominant vision of what kind of government we were to have. Hamilton won, and we wound up with a highly centralized society. But now there's an opportunity to have sort of a rematch, under very different conditions, between the principles of Jefferson and those of Hamilton. We have the ability, given the construction of a high-capacity information infrastructure, to do things in a decentralized fashion that does not require large institutions, either public or private." Advertisement Kapor's vision was off. Hamilton won again. The reigning nabobs know that it is essential that we trust them and maintain some equilibrium between the Hamiltonian reality and Jeffersonian ideal. In this industry, more than in any other, it is crucial to go beyond "do no evil". Doing good is essential to doing well; it builds trust. Over the past years I have been to a number of refugee camps and communities where people experience humanitarian conditions beyond imagination. I have witnessed the human suffering caused by the ebola outbreak in West Africa, the earthquake in Nepal, the civil war in South Sudan and, not least, the horrific atrocities in Syria. Whatever the challenging circumstances people lived under, one concern was shared by the children and parents I met: the need for a functioning school in the neighbourhood. Education was just as essential as safety, health, food and shelter. However, 75 million school-age children and youth in conflict and crises areas are in urgent need of support to get the schooling they are entitled to. I am extremely concerned that some Governments and the international community does not do more to ensure their fundamental right to education. Advertisement Less than 2 per cent of global humanitarian aid goes to education. But it is not acceptable to let children in desperate circumstances wait for education. Knowing that crises last for an average of 17 years, humanitarian crises should not be considered only short-term challenges, but be addressed with a longer-term perspective. Norway is pleased to participate in the launch of the "Education Cannot Wait - fund for education in emergencies" at The World Humanitarian Summit. The process of establishing a common platform and fund was given a boost last summer at the Oslo Summit on Education for Development. Istanbul is another important step. A range of organisations, donors and partner countries working on education in emergencies and protracted crises have come on board. Now the real work of putting in place the resources that are required to make a long lasting difference on the ground, can really start. The initiative will need all the support it can get. First and foremost, governments and decision-makers responsible for ongoing conflicts, human right violations and widespread corruption must be held to account. Donor countries must coordinate and strengthen our support to the many governments that take responsibility, but are stretched to capacity in trying to provide a functioning education system. Together, we need to both mobilize more money and spend existing resources more efficiently through joint approaches that bridges humanitarian aid and development cooperation. The platform and fund launched at World Humanitarian Summit will be designed to address many of these challenges. It is set up to inspire political commitment, mobilize additional resources, strengthen capacity, improve accountability and ensure joint responses. Advertisement Norway will also continue to mobilise support for The Safe Schools initiative. In many countries, armed conflict continues to destroy not just school infrastructure but the hopes and ambitions of a whole generation of children. Educational facilities are regularly used for military purposes by governmental armed forces and security forces, and by armed non-state groups, putting them at risk of attacks and jeopardizing access to education in conflict situations. Further, schools and universities have increasingly become the targets of violent attacks for political, military, ideological or other reasons. This is unacceptable. Norway therefore, together with Argentina, took the initiative to the Safe Schools Declaration. More than fifty States have now endorsed this political declaration. They have committed themselves to work together to strengthen the protection of educational facilities, their students and staff. The Oslo Summit on Education for Development established an International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, chaired by the UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown. Its main task is to develop a renewed and compelling investment case and financing pathway for achieving universal access to quality education. The Commission will identify innovative sources of funding where they are needed the most - including for education in emergencies and protracted crises. When the Commission hands over its report to the UN Secretary General in September, it will be one year since world leaders took on the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Previously, the Millennium Development Goals had contributed to lifting more than one billion people out of extreme poverty. Now, we have a new international commitment to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 and ensure that every child can exercise their right to go to school, including those with disabilities and those in areas hard to reach. It is essential to get children back into school for so many reasons - youngsters who are not in school are at a higher risk of exploitation, girls are more at risk of child marriage or sex slavery, boys of becoming child soldiers. The statistics show that the longer a child stays out of education, the less likely she or he is to return. In all corners of the world, schools carry the promise of opportunity and aspiration for the future. Everywhere education is a prerequisite for development. In countries affected by conflict and crisis quality education creates the foundation for reconciliation and rebuilding of societies. Advertisement Which is why the Norwegian government is in the process of doubling our support for education, and why we consider education to be at the core in both humanitarian aid and development cooperation. Last Friday, in accepting the endorsement of the National Rifle Association ("NRA") at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum in Louisville, Kentucky, Trump touted his sons' gun rights credentials. He said "My sons have been members of the NRA for many, many years and they are incredible. They have so many rifles and so many guns sometimes even I get a little bit concerned. I say 'That's a lot.'" Why do Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump need such vast arsenals? Like many Americans, they are hunters. While they do hunt conventional game, they also hunt exotic wild animals in an activity sometimes labeled "trophy hunting." Photos have gone viral of the Trump brothers happily posing with the many wild animals they have killed. One shows them using a water buffalo that they killed as a prop for their guns and hat. Another shows them smiling holding a dead leopard that they slaughtered. There is also a photo of a grinning Donald Trump, Jr. holding a tail that he cut off an elephant after he shot and killed it. Advertisement I am reminded of the recent story of Walter Palmer, a dentist from Minnesota, who also fancied himself a big game hunter. He killed a lion in Zimbabwe, which turned out to be a 13-year old lion named Cecil, beloved in that area. The outrage was swift and massive. Jane Goodall said this: I simply cannot put myself into the mind of a person who pays thousands of dollars to go and kill beautiful animals simply to boast, to show off their skill or their courage. Especially as it often involves no skill or courage whatsoever, when the prey is shot with a high-powered rifle from a safe distance. How can anyone with an ounce of compassion be proud of killing these magnificent creatures? Lions, leopards, sable antelopes, giraffes and all the other sport or trophy animals are beautiful - but only in life. In death they represent the sad victims of a sadistic desire to attract praise from their friends at the expense of innocent creatures. And when they claim they respect their victims and experience emotions of happiness at the time of the killing, then surely this must be the joy of a diseased mind? Trump's sons, having grown up with extraordinary wealth and privilege, have the education and resources to make an enormous positive impact in the world. So what are their interests? Apparently, collecting large quantities of weapons and trophy hunting of exotic wild animals are among their passions. Is it fair to attribute his sons' actions to Donald Trump? Are they fair game in this election when they are not running for office? Trump appears to have no qualms about using his sons' weapons stockpiles and hunting activities to pander to the NRA. Further, since he considers his sons qualified to be EVPs in the Trump Organization and his worthy surrogates on the campaign trail, will he will think them worthy of significant positions or influence in his administration? Advertisement But maybe we don't even need to consider whether Donald Trump's son's actions are fairly attributable to him. His own words are enough. Speaking at the same forum, Donald Trump said, "I think [the right to bear arms] is the most basic human right of all." That's right. In his view, "gun ownership" is the most fundamental human right. Not life or liberty, not food or water, not medical care. Guns. It is clear that the apples do not fall very far from the tree. Assuming she gets the nomination, Hillary Clinton needs someone on the ticket who offers something she cannot provide. To win an election with a level of rancor and negativity unlike anything we've seen before, Clinton needs a very specific type of individual. It needs to be a man. A white man. And it would really help if this white man was a military man--someone who has been in the theater of combat. Someone who understands national security threats from firsthand experience. Someone who has been the nation's top spy. Someone with a Ph.D. in International Relations. Someone like David Petraeus. If you've made it this far in the article, you are either nodding in agreement or making a puking sound. It seems like an outlandish suggestion. Most prognostication has it that Clinton needs to make herself more appealing by value-adding some measure of regional balance, shoring up a swing state or appeasing a needed demographic with a symbolic selection. At first blush, a northeastern white male who was recently disgraced in a sex-and-secrets scandal with his biographer, who now has a misdemeanor conviction for mishandling classified information and who is a registered Republican to top it all off, would not seem right for the role. But hear me out. For one thing, Hillary Clinton has a white male problem. Thus far, she has failed to muster the same support she enjoyed from white men in 2008, losing them by double digits in key states. To become president, she doesn't need to win with white males, but she does need to lose them "better," if you will. It's true that simply having a white man on the ticket won't win over die-hard Trump supporters, or more generally those disaffected "Reagan Democrats" that pundits love to talk about in this election cycle, but it should help with independents and others disinclined to vote for (or against) a candidate based solely on party labels. Is it patronizing and even patriarchal to contend that a woman needs a man to reach the White House? Probably. But it's also pragmatic--and Hillary Clinton is nothing if not pragmatic. Advertisement But, you might ask, what about the infidelity that in part brought Petraeus down a few years ago? Could Clinton really support someone who cheated on his wife with a younger woman? Um, yeah. She could. She has before. Who better to negotiate the indignation of those casting stones at her glass house? She has had twenty years (or even thirty or forty years) to adopt, and adjust, her posture on such matters and we can reasonably enough assume her ability to manage this move. She is still married to Bill, after all. Whether that bespeaks a forgiving nature or simply raw opportunism, it's hard to see her being too troubled by the one-time philandering of a seemingly contrite four-star general. The moral high ground offers a nice view, but most of the people live down in the valley. Okay, then how about the sharing of secrets in notebooks and the lying to investigators? How could he (or she) overcome that? Clearly, Petraeus would have an easy target on his back, with opposition research only a few clicks away, but consider this: What other prominent former government official has been accused of failing to protect the privileged information of the United States? Maybe the woman at the top of the ticket--the one who is vulnerable to the same kind of attack? Pairing liabilities in this way effectively packs two pieces of political baggage into one. Those who think Hillary's email scandal disqualifies her to be president won't be turned off by Petraeus because they were unwilling to vote for her in the first place. And those supporting her can hardly be turned off by his lapses in judgment, indiscretions and failure to abide protocol, because while he knew he was doing it and she claims she didn't, the voters aren't focused on what the definition of "is" is. If it is not a death knell for her, nor is it for him. Advertisement Finally, there is the issue of Petraeus's personal politics. He is a registered member of the Grand Old Party, but it's important to note that he describes himself as a "Rockefeller" Republican--aka the type of Republican that no longer has a place in the Republican Party. Petraeus accepted President Obama's nomination to serve as commander of US forces in Afghanistan in 2010 and in 2011 he began service as Obama's Director of the CIA, winning unanimous confirmation in the Senate. Whether Petraeus the citizen appreciates the Donald Trump phenomenon within the Republican Party, or whether his Rockefeller-orientation (moderate and even liberal on many issues) would impel him in another direction, we do not know. What we do know is that Petraeus the soldier has already served within a Democratic administration and, especially since we've entered a political era where anything can happen, we can at least infer a potential willingness to do so again. So, he could do this--but would he? Only he knows the answer to that, but if he wants to have another chance on the national stage, if only to rehabilitate his reputation through another act of public service, he might see this as his last best shot. Running on the Clinton ticket would provide the kind of exposure and opportunity for political redefinition that he'd need, should he have any future desire to hold elective office. Finally, as someone with both academic and battlefield schooling in international relations, Petraeus can hardly be pleased to hear the isolationist rhetoric of Donald Trump and presumably anyone President Trump would pick for his Cabinet. Successfully recruiting Petraeus would be a bold move for a politician never really known to be much of a gambler, but I submit this is precisely why it's the one Hillary Clinton needs to make. Despite her experience as Secretary of State, the fact that she is a woman and a Democrat suggests that public perception will deem her opponent better prepared to address national security issues. And thus, putting Petraeus on the ticket takes a page from Karl Rove's old playbook by attacking the enemy at his strength, not his weakness. Rather than ceding national security to Trump--who is already busy sending tweets questioning Clinton's "stamina" to keep us safe from ISIS, North Korea and so on--she'd be saying, "Here's my counsel in the War on Terror. Where's yours?" Still, Petraeus is a long shot--such a long shot, in fact, that he doesn't even register as a shot at all for the chattering class. Most assume Clinton will choose someone from Virginia or Ohio, hoping to get the count right with her electoral math; that she will make even more history for her gender by selecting another woman as her running mate; or that she will offer comparable symbolism, albeit in a different form, by running with someone of Hispanic descent, for example. These options might help her appease disgruntled Sanders supporters, and certainly they are the right tactics if that's the strategy for the general election. But, instead, if the plan is to essentially count on x-% support from those inclined toward Sanders (as Obama counted on Clinton supporters in 2008), while making a hard push for the unaffiliated centrists and middle-dwelling moderates that make up an increasingly large bloc of the electorate, then toss out all the short lists that have been piling up in campaign headquarters. Short-list thinking tends to be fixed on the last campaign, just as armies tend to fight the last war. As we have seen already, this election finds ways to buck convention--meaning that, at a certain point, conventional wisdom no longer applies. "All tickets are the responsibility of the driver." - Jon Ferretti, Operations Manager, Gotham Dream Cars We arrived at Gotham Dream Cars just before 2o'clock. I couldn't tell if we were in the right place or not. There was no fancy signage or exotic cars parked out front. Just a plain brick building right off William Street in Englewood, New Jersey, some 25 minutes outside of Manhattan. But as I pulled into the parking lot I spotted something ominous behind a garage door: an all-white Lamborghini LP550-2 Spyder. Yup, we're here. We were greeted at the door by John Ferretti, the operations manager at Gotham. After signing some paperwork, we made our way into the garage. As I looked around six vehicles stared back at me: a Lamborghini LP550-2 Spyder, Ferrari 458 Italia Spider, Corvette Z06, Jaguar F-Type, a Ferrari California and Porsche 911 Carrera. Advertisement The next three hours were going to fly by. We were about to embark on the Gotham Dream Car Tour, a scenic three hour trip through North Jersey, up into Bear Mountain and back to Englewood. Tour participants are allowed to pilot all six vehicles along the route, switching up rides every 15 miles at designated checkpoints with six other riders. As Gotham puts it, participants will be able to answer the age old question "Are you a Ferrari guy? A Lamborghini girl? James Bond in training?" I learned I might be a Corvette guy. But more on that later. I figured the group riding experience would be a drag. In the beginning, several riders strayed from the group so the rest of us had to sit in a parking lot until the staff could track them down. But I was mistaken. After the initial hijinks, the group made the experience much more fun. There's nothing quite like sharing smiles with strangers as you fly through traffic in six figure exotics. The energy and excitement was contagious. The Ferrari 458 engine roared as I sped around the lower embankment of Bear Mountain. The Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type handled the twisty mountain roads with ease. Accelerating through the hills in the Lamborghini Spyder felt like a roller coaster ride, butterflies and stomach knots included. The mix of highways, mountain roads and side roads were just right. But the Corvette Z06 on a wide open highway was a whole other story. If I were to get pulled over at my current speed I'd be in a world of trouble. Jon Ferretti had warned us about the last guy who ended up getting five tickets. They weren't seat belt violations either. Plus, putting other drivers at risk is not cool. Advertisement But here I was: on a wide open highway during sunset in a car I might never get the chance to drive again. So, with no other drivers in sight, I punched the pedal. We hit 100 miles per hour in just a few seconds. The speed left me elated. I felt like a pilot in a cockpit. Unfortunately, there were no wings or turbines in that version. By the time we got back to the garage I felt like Lakitu from Super Mario World: on a cloud. Here's my Gotham Dream Car Tour review: 10 out of 10. The instruction we received before pulling off the lot was comprehensive yet concise. The staff that followed along with us were knowledgeable. The group was a ton of fun and the positive energy was so contagious. I can't stress enough how much of a difference the group made. Plus, the tee shirt and certificate were a nice extra touch. If you ever wanted to take an exotic for a spin, the Gotham Dream Car tour represents an affordable, unforgettable experience worth the $895 investment. Hopefully Corvette will have added those airplane wings by then. Get on that guys. "We created an image of a teacher and students in a class with digital tools from which they can access families, the community, the environment and the world at large through the internet." -- Brian Annan Just Imagine schools decades from today - what will they be like? Dr. Brian Annan was the program director for the Learning and Change Networks (LCN) strategy from October 2012 to June 2015, an initiative funded and supported by the New Zealand government and Ministry of Education. The strategy concentrated on supporting 53 networks involving 350 schools and communities to identify and address achievement challenges among students performing below national standards. In June 2015, Brian set up a new company, Infinity Learn Ltd, with co-director Mary Wootton, the lead facilitator from the LCN strategy, to explore the merger of learning and wellbeing. We invited Brian to share his vision for schools of the future in The Global Search for Education. How will the school of the future be more environmentally conscious? Schools of the future will be far more focused on ecological learning for community and environmental improvement. There is at least a century of real-life improvement projects in communities and the environment that kids and adults can work together on to adjust the health of our planet. But most schooling systems and communities around the world including NZ are not prepared for that agenda just yet. There are pockets of innovation but overall the rhetoric of change is way ahead of actual movement towards new learning arrangements for children and young adults to contribute meaningfully to our planet's health. Advertisement It will take the whole schooling system along with families, communities and businesses activating their agency to make the shift towards ecological learning. "Eventually, and probably not too far away, craft work and hand writing will be on the side to look at as something a few die-hard enthusiasts continue to do but mainly humans did back then." -- Brian Annan How will the school of the future be more globally inclusive? Many schools are in the process of becoming globally inclusive. The first step is to become linked to the globe. The diagram below shows how we conceptualized a link from the classroom out to the wider world in LCN. We created an image of a teacher and students in a class with digital tools from which they can access families, the community, the environment and the world at large through the internet. It was used with network leaders to motivate them to go back into their schools to analyze and improve their current arrangements for local and global connectedness. How will schools handle this global citizenship and, at the same time, retain cultural identity going into the future? Is global inclusiveness about exposing and retaining cultural diversity? Or is it about exposing the diversity of culture and, in so doing, creating global commonalities that diminish the uniqueness of each culture? LCN design was about taking those sorts of debates down into schools and communities so that teachers, students and families could think carefully about the changes they were thinking about making. Advertisement How will technology be integrated into the curriculum and how will the school handle the integration of continual advancements in technology? Students in LCN schools outside of Manaiakalani, particularly those in families with limited resources, were overwhelmingly appreciative when their school leaders invested in modern digital devices for their use. Technology is an enabler. It is about replacing pencil, paper and books. Earlier in history those learning tools replaced slates and centuries before that, etchings on cave walls. My view is that there are three categories of the way schools, or individuals within schools, typically deal with current and on-going technology integration into the curriculum. The first category is the enthusiasts, such as the Manaiakalani leaders, that choose to lead the integration process. They are quite happy to deal with all the messy and difficult situations that inevitably arise. They also have the vision of reaping the benefits of business partnerships by being out in front. The second category is those that wait a while until the messiness is under control. They then utilize integration systems and processes that are working well. The third category are those stuck in the past and technology integration is like acid rain. They wait for it to rain down on them and it is at that point that they take it on because they have to. What will be left of traditional craft work and writing? Traditional craft work and writing is probably heading in the same direction as horses on roads in modern cities. You don't see horses on roads any more. You see them in paddocks and in parks. It was a big deal when the transition happened from horses to cars, but it is not any more. We're now in a similar transition from traditional craft work and hand writing to digital mediums. Eventually, and probably not too far away, craft work and hand writing will be on the side to look at as something a few die-hard enthusiasts continue to do but mainly humans did back then. "My prediction is that all students will experience personalized learning when the schooling system invests in student-led innovation." -- Brian Annan Given the new trends of museums and corporate architecture integrating technology and media into their physical space and infrastructure, will schools evolve in a similar way? Yes, they will. Education systems tend to follow successful business practice, but sometimes that can take a decade or longer to happen. Our input into the LCN design picked up on the lateral learning within the commercial culture of businesses in Silicon Valley in the 1980's when that valley became the global leader in computer technology. Competing companies in that valley formed collaborative networks. They encouraged employees to learn across the firms and feed the ideas back into the industry across the valley. All the firms in the collaborative arrangement picked up on new ideas quickly and valley-wide advancement accelerated. Going back to the question, some schools already have integrated technology and media into the fabric of the way they do things. One version of integration is to build the infrastructure within the school site as the hub for development. Manaiakalani is one cluster of schools that is well down the track in this regard. The "Learn, Create and Share" pedagogy includes a multi media/tech culture that includes digital links between the schools and homes, community television and film festivals and links to government agencies and local, national and international learning and business partnerships. Manaiakalani constantly pushes out the boundaries of learning possibilities using a centralized, but by no means exclusive, infrastructural model. Advertisement Another version of integration is to extend the school boundaries out into the museums, libraries and corporate and environmental communities. Those places are potential sites for learning and development whereby our youth contribute to community and environmental improvement. So the community at large rather than the school or network of schools is seen as the vital engine room for integration of technology and media. In this version, school learning is just one of many approaches situated within holistic community-based learning. Given the efficiency of the Internet and home learning, how much time will students be needed in school? My belief about future engagement in school is that some students will not see the need to go to school at all. Others will see the need to be at school for some time but not always, and others will enjoy going to school as often as possible - if, in fact, schools survive as day-care centers. This arrangement will be different from the past when students had to attend school whether they liked it or not - systems will be put in place for accreditation of learning both in and out of school. What students do in school when they do go will vary from structured to free-ranged learning and the same will occur out of school in homes, clubs, hobbies and hanging out with buddies. It is also my view that this phenomenon is already well on its way to fruition. Manufacturing the phenomenon so that it becomes the norm is a priority for the future, particularly for students challenged by formal learning. LCN-type projects will manufacture personalization for some students but not all. My prediction is that all students will experience personalized learning when the schooling system invests in student-lead innovation. "If hierarchies continue to erode and technologies continue to grow in sophistication, teachers and schools as physical entities are likely to diminish in importance." -- Brian Annan Advertisement How important will the presence of physical teachers be? If hierarchies continue to erode and technologies continue to grow in sophistication, teachers and schools as physical entities are likely to diminish in importance. However, the notion of a teacher in the broader sense of the word is likely to remain valued for a considerably long time. This search for the balance between formal and informal learning leads to a couple of thoughts about teachers. One is the extent to which the interest-based lateral learning could take over some or all of the formal academic teaching arrangements. The second is the possibility of formal academic learning becoming fully redundant as digital mediums strip out the necessity for humans to learn technical aspects of language, numeracy and science. Those thoughts conjure up new images of teachers - connectors within and across communities-of-learning-interests that form in a meshed network environment. Scary? No scarier than driving a car instead of riding a horse! Will technology advancement lead to further personalization of education to individual students or will it also increase the techno-bureaucratic need for standardization? Much of the structure-to-freedom learning continuum to create personalized learning has been heavily influenced by technology advancement. As that advancement continues, scope for freedom continues to grow. Why on earth would any human, bureaucrat or techno-geek, want to standardize diverse learning interest? There are of course considerations around ethics, societal values and citizenship. LCN discussions and actions did get into those issues. NZ schools and communities are conservative and tend to consider safety first. So small steps ahead of radical change is part of the NZ schooling culture and LCN developments in this regard were no exception. Faced with increasing time spent on digital devices how can we teach more practical skills, including coping with stress levels and interpersonal conflict? Advertisement This question invites the merging of two significant societal outcomes around learning and wellbeing. Modern day learning and living is about merging digital and practical activities. Both forms of activities are important and can be complimentary. Take a modern-day artist. She paints a beautiful picture, displays it at an art gallery and sells it via twitter and Facebook. Her practical and digital endeavors combine to make her passion viable. This scenario is not uncommon as most schools, professions, trades, arts and community organizations come to terms with the merging of digital and practical tasks. The growth of wellbeing to counter anxiety, conflict and stress is a community-wide responsibility. It is a need that schools and teachers should embrace (and effective ones already do) but not alone. They need other government agency colleagues from welfare, health, police and justice alongside them as a collective teaching and care force to combine learning and wellbeing. They also need community leaders and senior family members to be part of that teaching fraternity. (All photos are courtesy of Dr. Brian Annan) C. M. Rubin and Brian Annan Join me and globally renowned thought leaders including Sir Michael Barber (UK), Dr. Michael Block (U.S.), Dr. Leon Botstein (U.S.), Professor Clay Christensen (U.S.), Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond (U.S.), Dr. MadhavChavan (India), Professor Michael Fullan (Canada), Professor Howard Gardner (U.S.), Professor Andy Hargreaves (U.S.), Professor Yvonne Hellman (The Netherlands), Professor Kristin Helstad (Norway), Jean Hendrickson (U.S.), Professor Rose Hipkins (New Zealand), Professor Cornelia Hoogland (Canada), Honourable Jeff Johnson (Canada), Mme. Chantal Kaufmann (Belgium), Dr. EijaKauppinen (Finland), State Secretary TapioKosunen (Finland), Professor Dominique Lafontaine (Belgium), Professor Hugh Lauder (UK), Lord Ken Macdonald (UK), Professor Geoff Masters (Australia), Professor Barry McGaw (Australia), Shiv Nadar (India), Professor R. Natarajan (India), Dr. Pak Tee Ng (Singapore), Dr. Denise Pope (US), Sridhar Rajagopalan (India), Dr. Diane Ravitch (U.S.), Richard Wilson Riley (U.S.), Sir Ken Robinson (UK), Professor Pasi Sahlberg (Finland), Professor Manabu Sato (Japan), Andreas Schleicher (PISA, OECD), Dr. Anthony Seldon (UK), Dr. David Shaffer (U.S.), Dr. Kirsten Sivesind (Norway), Chancellor Stephen Spahn (U.S.), Yves Theze (LyceeFrancais U.S.), Professor Charles Ungerleider (Canada), Professor Tony Wagner (U.S.), Sir David Watson (UK), Professor Dylan Wiliam (UK), Dr. Mark Wormald (UK), Professor Theo Wubbels (The Netherlands), Professor Michael Young (UK), and Professor Minxuan Zhang (China) as they explore the big picture education questions that all nations face today. The Global Search for Education Community Page As the long-awaited, much-heralded and not-free-of-enemies peace process in Colombia meanders to a signing, and the South American nation begins to ponder the challenges of incorporating almost 10,000 demobilized fighters into a faltering economy, corruption and impunity remain major threats to the country's fledging democracy. Two issues in recent weeks -- the Panama Papers and Bogota's Mayor Enrique Penalosa non existing academic credentials -- have raised their heads only to remain buried in the headlines. Regarding the Panama Papers, Semana's Maria Jimena Duzan writes that the names of 1245 appear on the files. Yet, "It did not even bloom for day in the Colombian media which has chosen to give this topic a low profile that does not deserve, a fact that diminishes us and positions us very poorly in public opinion". Advertisement As to Mayor Penalosa's sweetened resume, Luis Fernando Parra wrote an excellent note for El Molino Online. We've translated it into English and share in this space. With just over 100 days in his second mandate as mayor of Bogota, the capital of Colombia, Enrique Penalosa was discovered for the second time in a month to have included falsehoods in his academic credentials, which for many years he has shared with Colombian society and government as well as international institutions that he claims to have advised. Mayor Penalosa's resume, posted for the world to see in the City's webpage, boasted until the end of March this year, undergraduate studies in economics and history at Duke University, a Master's degree in government at the Institut International d'Administration Publique and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Universite de Paris II. It so turned out that Colombia researchers Juana Afanador and Carlos Carrillo recently discovered that the Universite de Paris has never offered a Ph.D. program as Mr. Penalosa listed both in the books he's written as well as in the many interviews he has given. Advertisement Faced with the falsehood, the Mayor's press office said it was an "error". And, despite the implications that such an event could trigger anywhere in the civilized world, Bogota saw the withering away of a justifiable trial over ethical matters. Except for the daily El Espectador and the magazine Semana, noteworty publications although of limited circulation, which dealt marginally with the matter, almost all of the major media outlets ignored the facts denounced by Afanador and Carrillo. A couple of columnists even downplayed the issue, justifying it as an eccentricity of some politicians, arguing that to govern effectively, it's not necessary to hold a PhD, forgetting that it was Penalosa himself who had marketed himself as a technocrat, assuring the public than more than a politician, he was a person with a solid academic background, and this had earned him the merit to again govern the capital city of Colombia. So, with the adjustments made on the Mayor's resume on the web, it was soon business as usual for Mr. Penalosa. Thus, a matter that should have been be approached from an ethics and transparency point of view was reduced to the level of soon-to-be-forgotten urban anecdote. Only a few days ellapsed since the "mistake" was made public about the inexisting PhD, when other matters surfaced questioning Mayor Penalosa's already flimsy academic credentials. The very same researchers, Afanador and Carrillo, noticed that the Mayor's "new" resume lists a master's degree in Government, acquired over the course of four semesters in the now defunct Institut International d'administration Publique, now merged with the Ecole nationale d'administration (ENA). It does not exist either. Mr. Penalosa took those courses between 29 August 1978 and 6 July 1979, and they fall under the category of Methods of Modern Public Administration. This program by its short duration and simplicity did not require a thesis from Mr. Penalosa. Given these new and delicate findings, both researchers have decided to inform the Attorney General's Office, a move that will surely weaken the Mayor's ability to govern and his public support, despite the pro-establishment media's reluctance to report on these developments. Advertisement But what is certain is that neither the nation's Senate, nor Bogota's City Council, the chambers with jurisdiction to call the Mayor into account, are interested in the matter: Both institutions are now headed by politicians who have been accused of forgery and plagiarism in their academic credentials. And because in Colombia there's never enough, top the above with recent revelations that link the tax havens in the Panama Papers and Panama Data so with three officials in Mr. Penalosa's cabinet -Planning, Social Integration and Mobility -- as well the director of the city's billionaire subway development project, who recently assumed his post. Neither one of those developments has been mentioned by the media or Mayor Penalosa himself. You can read this note in the Spanish original, along with more news about Colombia and elsewhere, at El Molino Online. In 1994, California voters approved one of the harshest anti-immigrant laws in U.S. history, Proposition 187. Today, as we mark the 20th annual Immigrant Day in Sacramento, our state is recognized as having the strongest pro-immigrant laws in the country. California's transformation shows that progress is possible even in states where anti-immigrant anger and discrimination are prevalent, such as modern day Arizona, Alabama or Georgia. Here, in the most diverse state in the nation, it took many years of hard work to turn the tide and help more people see that immigrants are not a problem but an asset for our communities and our economy. A Dark Moment When California voters approved Prop. 187, it was a dark time for immigrants in California. The proposal would have barred undocumented immigrants from attending public schools and receiving non-emergency health care, while also requiring that local police act as immigration agents for the federal government. Advertisement Fortunately, a federal district court struck down Prop. 187. But it was still a shock to many that almost six in 10 voters across the state had voted in favor of the ballot measure. At the time, it was hard to imagine that California could turn the page on this painful chapter in our state's history. Despite rapid changes in the state's population, it was only in the last decade that the immigrant movement finally gained the strength and the depth required to achieve lasting progress against discrimination and inequality. Statewide advocacy groups began to align their policy agendas and make a concerted push for action in Sacramento by combining sophisticated research and analysis, strategic communications, public education and organizing. And new immigrant rights coalitions like California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance (CIYJA), Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium formed to lift up the diversity of voices of immigrant communities across the state and add their potent grassroots power. Resilience, Savvy and Results Today, the results of all of this hard work are plain to see. First there was the TRUST Act, which limits the ability of local jails to hold undocumented immigrants so they could eventually be deported; this law has since been replicated in 360 jurisdictions across the country. Then came legislation allowing paid overtime for domestic workers, and providing driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants. California also was the first state to allow low-income undocumented children to be eligible for free or low-cost health insurance under the state's Medicaid program. And last but not least, California approved $15 million in state funding to help Californians gain citizenship and take advantage of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the federal policy providing Dreamers with temporary work permits and deportation relief. Advertisement These types of policies level the playing field and offer opportunity individuals and families, and they also benefit entire communities and states. Consider that an undocumented high school student in Arizona today cannot qualify for in-state tuition, in-state financial aid or healthcare coverage. She can't even get a driver's license. But if she lives in California, she can do all of these things. Thanks to recently passed legislation, she can even be admitted to the California Bar Association after attending law school and passing the bar exam. Here in California, we know that we all gain by offering immigrants a fair shot to develop their talents and contribute to the vitality of California. The motto for this year's Immigrant Day is "20 Years of Resilience." It's a fitting theme given the turnaround that's happened in California over the last two decades. Yes, we still have a lot of work to do to create real opportunity for all Californians, including the millions of immigrants who live here. But we've made great strides -- and we believe time will show that California is ahead of history in valuing diversity and inclusion. Just a few weeks ago, in one of his provocative and hilarious critiques of American culture, John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight, turned his discerning eye to scientific research. If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth the watch. The topic hit home with me because my colleagues and I recently published a paper looking at some of the very criticisms Oliver so succinctly explains. You can find it here. We looked specifically at researchers who study management, but the results are applicable in a general way to all disciplines. Advertisement One Oliver quote struck me as especially poignant: "Science is by its nature imperfect, but it is hugely important," he said. "And it deserves better than to be twisted out of proportion and turned into morning show gossip." Oliver touched on a few pieces of the puzzle, but at least some of the burden lies with two groups: researchers who employ questionable research methods and journalists eager to report on juicy results. As Oliver points out, there are countless examples of the media sensationalizing and over-simplifying complex and nuanced scientific findings. But the news media aren't the only perpetrators guilty of misrepresenting science; the scientists themselves are also to blame for mischaracterizing the nature of our procedures and findings. Fortunately however, transparency and open dialogue are bedrock principles of science and many disciplines within the scientific community are beginning to foster and maintain open dialogue about how to make the process even more transparent and trustworthy. At the heart of the problem is an entrenched set of practices adopted by researchers that push the boundaries of accepted scientific practice. We call them questionable research practices, and the appropriateness of these practices can range from questionable to fraudulent, depending on a number of circumstances. First, though, it's helpful to understand what we talk about when we say "questionable research practices." In our study, we found evidence of Advertisement Selectively reporting hypotheses Excluding data that do not support the hypothesis Hypothesizing after results are known Selectively including control variables Rounding off probability values Each of these practices is problematic, and Oliver himself hits on one of the key questionable research practices: p-hacking. He describes it as collecting a lot of variables, then playing with data until something is found that is statistically significant. This practice is becoming increasingly common as it becomes easier to access and analyze large data sets. Another problem is the systematic exclusion of data. In our study we found more than a third of scientists surveyed admitted to a post-hoc exclusion of data for the express purpose of supporting hypotheses with statistical significance. That means their original hypothesis was not supported by the collected data, so they excluded some of that data from the set in order to support their hypothesis. This is problematic at best, particularly if these procedures aren't reported. So why do researchers engage in these practices? To be fair, the root causes are as varied as the methods themselves. But one reason stands head and shoulders above the rest: the intense, often overwhelming pressure to publish at all costs. Once at a university, new professors on tenure-track lines generally have five years before they are put up for promotion. And depending on the university, requirements for tenure can be pretty tough to reach, but the vast majority of schools require multiple peer-reviewed publications in top academic journals. That process -- which can often take several years from the start of the research to publication -- has to be balanced with lesson planning, grading, classroom and lab teaching and student mentoring. Advertisement That is not complaining -- it's only to say that the stakes are high. And as the pressure mounts, if a scientist finds that data collected over a year and a half isn't significant, there's really no time to push the reset button. But, with an adjustment here and a tweak there, an academic paper is soon in the offing. Everyone is complicit -- from the administrators who demand more and more publications to the journal editorial staffs who only want to publish large-scale, ground-breaking studies. In all honesty, no one should be surprised to find that the use of questionable research methods is pervasive -- and now thanks to Oliver's 20-minute rant, no one is. So what to do about it? It's easy to diagnose the problem and ferret out its root causes. But the solution is much more complicated. First, it's naive to hope universities will relax their publishing requirements or teaching loads. Universities need cash and research and publication brings in grant dollars, name recognition, and large donations. Teaching brings in tuition dollars. And in the end, this is, the job we signed up to do. But some of the best journals could begin to acknowledge the importance of replication studies as well as those rigorous studies that find no significant results. After all, if we fully expect to find an effect and don't, isn't that interesting and "significant"? Encouraging research partnerships might also relieve some of workload issues as well as the interdepartmental competition that often feeds the beast. Furthermore, it's time we got transparent. My colleagues and I are advocates of opening up the scientific process -- pre-registering hypotheses, research questions, study design and actual surveys, and sharing data on open platforms. That doesn't preclude deviation from the original course of inquiry, but it documents changes so results are verifiable and replicable. Advertisement While your small business' success doesn't depend entirely on how effective your SEO strategy is, the fact that it plays a huge role in getting your brand ahead of your competitors is undeniable. This is the reason why it matters so much for your small business to have a reliable SEO strategy in place and an SEO manager who will execute it perfectly. For this reason, you'd be wiser to hire an SEO manager while we're still halfway through the year so you can make sure you hit those small business goals you've set when this year started. More than that, here are other reasons getting professional help the soonest that you can will benefit you. 1. Proven experience The right SEO manager has credentials that can surely wow you at first sight. He has three years or more of hands-on experience working with clients or with agencies, so you can be sure he knows what he's doing. He has a proven track record of implementing successful SEO strategies for varying clients, which he can show proof for. 2. Intermediate HTML Skills Understanding and knowing how to work with HTML is like air to an SEO professional. He breathes it. He's not only skilled with the whole metadescriptions, tags, and other complex things you might not even heard about; it's second nature to him. This can at least assure you that if anything goes wrong with your site, a knowledgeable and skilled member of your team can at least figure out the cause and get it fixed. Advertisement 3. Strong understanding and experience with analytics Not only will the best SEO manager have an analytical mind and a strategic perspective; he also has a good grasp of the most common analytics program like Google Analytics so he'll be able to tweak the SEO strategies you have in place depending on the results that you get. More importantly, he knows how he can tie the SEO strategies to the major goals of your small business. In short, he can come up with a strategy that will help give you the numbers you're looking for. 4. Excellent reporting skills More often than not, you'll be asking your SEO manager to conduct a site and competitor analysis. With that said, it's crucial for him to be able to explain what his findings are to you. This also applies to the results of PPC adverts you have in place, affiliates, and social media marketing. So you know you've got the best SEO manager if he's not only excellent in communication; he also can prove to you that he can nail the art of SEO reporting so you'll know where your business is at and how far it is from the goal. 5. Strong grasp and knowledge of authorship With Google putting more focus on quality content, more and more small business owners want their SEO manager to show a competitive ability in the areas of blogging and online content production. Thus, he isn't expected to be good with numbers only but also in writing quality SEO articles. Hard Hat Riot 1970, meet Donald Trump 2016. Trump's brand of xenophobia and nationalism has ignited rage on both sides of his security fence. For months, Trump's campaign rallies have been plagued with outbursts of anger and physical violence. In March, the campaign cancelled a Chicago event because so many protesters inside the arena rendered it a security risk. At a Trump event in Costa Mesa California on April 29, dozens of protesters blocked traffic, threw punches and overturned a police car. Police in full riot gear dispersed the crowd from mounted horseback. The next day, a cable news commentator compared the Costa Mesa melee to the Chicago Democratic convention in 1968 -- a bit of a stretch because Chicago '68 was much bigger and bloodier, but a reminder nonetheless of how the anger, violence of the late '60s haunts this year's presidential election. Trump has openly fueled the fire: "I'd like to punch him in the face," he told one audience, referring to a man who had just disrupted his speech. "People come [to Trump campaign events] with tremendous passion and love for their country," Trump told CNN's Jake Tapper in an interview. "When they see what's going on in this country, they have anger that's unbelievable. They have anger. They love this country." Now that Trump is the inevitable Republican nominee the lessons of the '60s admonish us to brace for more civil unrest to come. Nixon's Silent Majority (a term Trump has adopted), personified by the "patriotic," pro-war Hard Hats in New York, hated the free-love peaceniks of the youth culture. They stood on one side of an unbridgeable generation, political, and cultural gap in American society. Fury over the Vietnam War and the draft, which touched the lives of 27 million young men, mounted during that academic calendar year of 1969/1970, when 9,000 protests and 84 acts of arson and bombings erupted at schools, and two and a half million students shut down 700 colleges and universities. The Scranton Commission, appointed by president Nixon after Kent State, warned that the student strikes had imposed a "crisis as deep as the Civil War [and] if this crisis of understanding endures, the very survival of the nation will be threatened." The country was coming unhinged, and the popular term youthquake barely captured the destructive vibrations of this anti-establishment explosion. "If you didn't experience it back then," Nixon aide Stephen Bull told me, "you have no idea how close we were, as a country, to revolution." The movement for social change in the '60s was an umbrella that encompassed the antiwar, anti-imperialist, socialist, civil rights, counterculture, feminist, gay rights, environmentalist, and native American rights movements. The young left was at war with the establishment represented by presidents LBJ and Nixon, the FBI, the Republican and Democratic parties, the military, large banks and corporations, and the cops. The populist anger of the 2016 presidential campaign is not just confined to Donald Trump supporters. Bernie Sanders has captured a similar anti-establishment rage from the left. Both Sanders and Trump supporters are fighting the new "establishment," a modern international economy that has left the white working class behind and created a huge wage gap, while a disabled and ineffective Congress does nothing but fan the flames to get reelected. Trump blames immigrants, Sanders blames big banks, Citizen's United, and they both blame Congress and Hillary Clinton. International trade deals like NAFTA and TPP have become a rallying cry -- the new Vietnam-lite. Sanders, a 74-year-old socialist ex-hippie from Vermont, has ignited the younger generation with energy and crowds worthy of the Vietnam era. Sanders and Trump have tapped a similar vein of revolutionary fervor -- what was then called "the Awakened generation" could describe Bernie's youthquake. Compromise is again a dirty word. Sanders hasn't encouraged physical violence, but he has successfully villainized big financial institutions and Hillary Clinton as the establishment, ironically "the Man." He lumps them together as members of the same corrupt corporate power structure that must hear his calls for real change. If we are to learn anything from the lessons of the '60s, it is that movements matter -- and they are ignored at our peril. After the dust settled in the early 1980s, the verdict of the '60s could be boiled down to: cultural revolutionaries won, political revolutionaries lost. Americans inherited unprecedented levels of personal freedom, yet we still struggle with recidivist engagement in overseas wars. If harnessed, the populist energy of the 2016 election can perhaps fulfill some of the unfinished business of the '60s. But if ignored, the revolution that never fully exploded remains a very real existential threat to our democracy. Our lives seem normal. Just like in the beginning of the movie, 'The Matrix.' I mean, not great or anything. But fine. We get up every morning and repeat our programmed daily grind. But is this all there is? Is this all life has to offer? Or is there more to it than this, some larger force that is hidden away out of sight that is controlling us and our society but that we don't realize or understand? Well, dear reader, the choice is yours. Do you really wish to know? Be forewarned that the reality of the truth may be more painful and difficult than the illusion of your current existence. Advertisement If you take the blue pill by stopping here and reading no further, then you will be safely returned to your current life, resume your daily grind, and be none the wiser. If you take the red pill by reading on, however, there is no turning back. The reality of the truth will forever change your understanding of the hidden forces that are acting upon you. Ah. Brave choice. In modern capitalist societies like America, our lives are fine. We are not suffering from mass starvation, and we are not ruled by a despotic tyrant who tortures us at will. So that's nice. We are free to watch any television show we desire. We are told, repeatedly, that we are free. And we feel free. We think we are free. After all, we are told, repeatedly, we can be whoever we wish to be in this great democracy. We can do anything we desire. The choice is completely our own. So it seems like we are free. Advertisement But are we free? Well, there's just one little catch to this "freedom." And that is that we must work. Work? Now, hold on a second here. This is a little confusing. If we must work, then how can we be free? These two concepts do not go together. In fact, they are diametrically opposed. Are we forced to work under threat of physical violence? No, the System assures us. We are not forced to do anything. We are free. We are not kept in chains, and no one whips us if we choose not to work. Oh thank goodness. But do you wish to eat? Do you wish to have a place to live? Do you wish to have an education? Do you wish to have a car? Do you wish to provide for your children? Well, then, you must work. You know, this is sounding rather disturbing. I might just decide that I want nothing to do with any of this, thank you, and I'll go off into nature and make my own place to live and eat food in the wild. Nice try, but that is not permitted. Someone else owns that land so you cannot do that. Huh? As a human being on this planet I cannot live in the natural environment that I was born into and make my own home and forage for my own food? Nope, that is against the law. Instead, you must work. Hm. Well, if we all must work, can we at least choose the type of work to do? Yes, the System assures us. We are free, remember? So we can choose our own work and do anything our hearts desire. Advertisement There's a break. Okay, this might not be so bad after all. I think I'll be a movie star and be rich and famous. Sure, the System says, go ahead. But, of course, the odds of being successful are a million to one. And in the meantime, I need to eat. So that option is closed. Well then I'll be a doctor so I can heal people. Sure, the System says. You'll just need to get into medical school, and you'll first need to take an entrance exam and score in the top percentile of the population. But, I'm just an ordinary person. Oh, sorry, that option is closed. A lawyer maybe? A professional athlete? An artist? An explorer? A philosopher? Closed, closed, closed. So what can I do then? Well, here's a mop. You can clean the floors at Walmart. But I don't really want to do that. What happened to being able to choose my own job? Just get to work. If I must do this unfulfilling job, may I at least spend only a small amount of my life at work? No. In order to make ends meet, you'll need to work a lot. An awful lot. It will require 50, 60, or 70 hours per week, and you'll probably need to get a second job and maybe a third. Now hold on here. This means I'll be working all day long, almost every single day. I'll have no more than just a few hours left to myself. Yes, that's just the way it is. Advertisement But this is my life! Sorry, this is just the way it is. It should come as no surprise that the vast majority of people are dissatisfied with their jobs. One survey shows that 80% of people hate their jobs, and another that only 13% of people like going to work. The vast majority of our precious time in life is spent at our jobs toiling away. Our lives are hectic and frantic because they are centered around work. From the moment we get out of bed we are scrambling to get to work on time. We work all day under a great deal of stress in miserable corporate environments of tyrannical control, then our evenings are another mad dash to get home. After all the cooking, cleaning, and errands, we have only a very small sliver of time left for our own lives. So we become dissatisfied with our lives. We feel unfulfilled. We experience emptiness, alienation, and a vague general sense of resentment. Many people become depressed or turn to alcohol or drugs to relieve the mental anguish. This is just the way it is, the System tells us. That's all. It's just the way things are. Just the way it is? Hold on a second here. This is not some naturally occurring phenomenon. It's not like, say, the earth revolving around the sun. That's something that is just the way it is. Or the fact that our bodies require food to live. Or the fact that sometimes it rains. Those are things that can be accurately described as just the way it is. But being forced to toil our lives away? That is not just the way it is. No. That is something that has been entirely imposed by humans. In fact, who created this anyway? Whose idea was it that we must toil our lives away? It certainly wasn't the majority of the people because 80% hate how this System robs us of our own lives. It is no accident that we are forced into bondage. Someone is benefiting from all of this. Someone is behind it all. But who? Advertisement What is the Matrix? In the movie, Neo senses that hidden forces are acting upon him. In real life, we sense it too. What is the System? The pathway to enlightenment is simple: Follow the money. Last year, several of the top hedge fund managers personally earned for themselves over $1 billion each. In a single year. The top two each earned $1.7 billion. Wow. Now what sort of contributions did they make to society that justifies such enormous payments? It must have been extraordinary. Did they make life better for millions of people by, say, curing disease, preventing hunger, providing affordable housing, spreading education, developing a clean energy source to preserve our environment? No, nothing like that. They managed money for rich people to make them even richer. This reflects what the System values and thus what the System rewards. Managing money for rich people is much more important than improving the lives of ordinary people. Economic inequality is staggering. A remarkable 76% of all of the wealth in the entire United States is owned by only the richest 10% of people. The top 1% of people own 35% of all the wealth. The bottom 80% of the population owns only about 10% of the wealth. This reveals what the System is all about. A very few people at the top extract enormous sums of money for themselves by forcing the great masses of the population to spend their lives in toil. The entire System is structured to favor the wealthy few. It forces everyone else to work their lives away in unfulfilling jobs that they hate and that make them miserable for minimal compensation that keeps them trapped in their circumstance working ever harder and longer merely to hang on. Advertisement Just the way it is? No. This System is by design. And thus millions of Americans, as they toil away, believe they are "free." It's the stuff of legends. In April 2016, a rancher shot and killed a wolverine in North Dakota. Officials identified the animal as M56, a radio-collared individual from Yellowstone who rose to fame in spring 2009 when he dispersed over 500 miles across the Great Divide Basin, crossing Interstate 80 on Memorial Day weekend in the process, eventually turning up in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Until his collar quit working in 2012, its data indicated that he'd remained there among the snow peaks. How this peripatetic male had ended up in North Dakota, where his luck ran out, will remain a mystery. Wolverine, iStock Photo Then there was the radio-tagged young male wolverine who a few years back summited the highest mountain in Glacier National Park, ascending the last 4,900 feet up a sheer, nearly vertical ice rampart in less than 90 minutes. He made the ascent for no obvious reason and presumably left his urine on the summit to mark his turf. Such feats have inspired even the most staid scientists to refer to the wolverine as a "badass" species. Despite its physical prowess, the wolverine is highly vulnerable to extinction in the contiguous 48 United States. Snow availability is its most critical habitat need--for denning as well as foraging. In the far north, because of deep cold, it has lots of habitats. Farther south, its habitat occurs only in the mountains in discontinuous, rapidly shrinking patches. To make matters worse, of all the large carnivore species, the wolverine has one of the lowest reproductive rates and the highest metabolic and mortality rates. Advertisement In 1994 and 2000, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) considered Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection for the wolverine. However, each time it found listing unwarranted due to lack of data about this species' historic range. To address this lack, ecologist Keith Aubry analyzed wolverine trapping and observation records and found that from 1801 to 1960, the species had occurred throughout the Intermountain West and Upper Midwest. Between 1961 and 1994, people continued to report it in the northern Rockies and Cascade Mountains. Then from 1995 to 2005, these reports declined. Nevertheless, in 2008 USFWS deemed listing unwarranted on a technicality (none of these wolverines constituted a distinct population, as defined by the ESA). Environmental groups sued and won. Currently 250-300 wolverines exist in the contiguous United States. Scientists have attributed their ongoing decline to climate change, which is ineluctably reducing wolverine range to isolated mountaintops--creating habitat islands that impair genetic diversity. Other threats include backcountry recreation, roads, and trapping. Jackson Glacier, Glacier National Park, Montana Photo by Cristina Eisenberg By 2010, wolverine trapping had been prohibited in the US, except for Alaska and Montana. In October 2012, environmental groups litigated the ecological soundness of lethal wolverine trapping in Montana and prevailed. Meanwhile, wolverine numbers continued to plummet. In response, in December 2010, USFWS designated it a candidate for ESA protection. However, a candidate species backlog put the wolverine at the end of a very long line. Concern arose that given this species' low survival and melting habitat, it might go extinct before USFWS was able to list it. When another lawsuit propelled the wolverine to the front of the line, the Service proposed filing a listing rule by 2013. A panel of scientists convened by the Service recommended reintroducing the species in Colorado (which has 28 snow peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation). Advertisement Remarkably, in August 2014 the Service withdrew their listing proposal, maintaining that per scientific review, the wolverine has steadily recovered in the past half century, and that while the climate is warming, climate change effects are unlikely to place it in danger of extinction now or in the foreseeable future. This inspired yet another lawsuit. In April 2014, federal judge Dana Christensen overturned the Service's decision, calling the wolverine a "snow-dependent species standing squarely in the path of global climate change." ESA protection will yield a recovery plan. In the meantime, the temperature continues to rise, increasingly shrinking and fragmenting wolverine habitat, so what's next? This species' second most important ecological need is safe passage between habitat patches. National parks provide wolverine refuges. But as M56 graphically demonstrated, parks are little more than postage stamps of security for a species that needs so much room to roam. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., waves to supporters at a rally on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Vista, Calif. (AP Photo/Sandy Huffaker) As Maine goes, so goes the nation, Bernie? Because we know what happens when a stubborn, left-leaning candidate stands on principle complaining about persnickety party politics, and it isn't pretty. In fact, it's insane by definition: We do it over and over again and expect different results. "I am not standing down ... and neither should those voters whose consciences compel them to cast a vote for me," Eliot Cutler said defiantly, with zero chance of winning - and then Maine re-elected the man Politico magazine called "America's craziest governor" with 48 percent of the vote, the majority of votes split between two far-superior candidates. Advertisement It doesn't take Einstein to figure out the math had Cutler urged his team to put on the blue jerseys in 2014. And it's pretty simple math that says Bernie Sanders can't win the Democratic nomination in 2016, but his ego and the affluenza of his advisers insist on fighting until the end - one that looks to become increasingly more bitter by the day. The arc of Sanders' campaign has gone from extremely inspiring to incredibly annoying, and the latest temper tantrum in Nevada is inexcusable. Whining about "unfair" rules that have been on the books since 2008. Outrage that delegates not registered as Democrats were refused a seat at the official convention of Democrats to select the Democratic nominee. Indignation that the higher number of Clinton delegates trumped the higher volume of Sanders delegates. Astonishment that "Bernie Bros" rushing the dais, throwing chairs, cursing and shouting caused security to shut down the convention four hours after the designated end time. Accusations of another conspiracy by establishment. Hillary Clinton is winning the Democratic primary fair and square by the same rules by which she lost to Barack Obama in 2008. She won the recent contest in Nevada for the same simple reason she's winning overall: She got more votes. That's not "establishment" - that's democracy. The reaction of the Sanders people -- trashing the place and threatening the state party chairwoman -- was immature at best, and if it weren't for the fact that their antics increase the probability of a Trump presidency, we could gently close the door and let them cry it out. Advertisement But that's what Maine did in 2014, and who's crying now? What's sold as a "political revolution" looks more and more like just another power trip. Bernie and Jane Sanders are high on crowds and crowdfunding, and through the haze it's crystal clear why virtually none of Sanders' colleagues in the capital support him. It's not because he's "anti-establishment." It's because he's an angry, unreasonable man with a chip on his shoulder as big as the state of Maine. America's economic system might be rigged to favor the rich and powerful, and maybe the nominating process is, too, but hello? Sanders' campaign is pretty darn rich and powerful. A Washington Post analysis of Federal Election Commission reports found that "by the end of March, the self-described democratic socialist senator from Vermont had spent nearly $166 million on his campaign -- more than any other 2016 presidential contender, including rival Hillary Clinton. More than $91 million went to a small group of admakers and media buyers who produced a swarm of commercials and placed them on television, radio and online." Sanders is losing fair and square in the voting contest, so why must he torch every bridge along the way? Why must he incite volatile people and provoke useless rage? Sanders has been in Washington for decades, and he still can't manage to disagree with people without being disagreeable. There's a word for somebody with these characteristics, and it's not "leader." Clinton has won 2.9 million more votes than Sanders and has won 1,768 pledged delegates to Sanders' 1,494. The so-called superdelegates are not to blame for these numbers. Sanders is not going to be the nominee because he hasn't won enough votes or delegates, and his latest stunt - an anti-democratic pitch suggesting that polls point to him as the best nominee - is ridiculous. Elections are rigged, so we should use polls to determine who gets to be president of the free world? Is that what socialism looks like: Polls determine a future that we must believe in? The same polls that Sanders himself was against before the polls were for him? Advertisement On May 29, 2016, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa's hunger strike to free Sikh political prisoners in India will reach 500 days. Having been subjected to force feeding and abuse by the authorities for more than half that time, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa remains steadfast in his resolve. Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa being force-fed at a hospital in Punjab, India. Last month, videos and photos were published of his force feeding at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on social media. The footage shows hospital personnel and police holding Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa down while a female staff member quickly inserts a feeding tube up his nostril. The video is graphic, difficult to watch and even more disturbing for the fact that it is happening to an 83-year-old man. Some of the photos even show police and hospital personnel unable to watch while the tube is inserted in his nose. Individuals who have been subjected to force feeding and medical experts agree that it is a form of torture: Advertisement "The procedure is, in a word, barbaric. And that's when we are trying to be nice...it is important to realize that force feeding inflicts two very different pains on a prisoner. One is the physical misery induced by the tube placement, which is nearly intolerable...the other pain is inflicted by doctors who willfully violate the wishes of a patient. That is a deeper and surely much more brutalizing pain..." (Sepkowitz, 2013). DMCH personnel inserting a feeding tube into Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa's nose (April 2016). During the course of his hunger strike, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa has inspired thousands worldwide. Supporters remain in awe of the lifelong activist who, despite the mental and physical torture inflicted upon on him and his family, including the unsolved murder of his son-in-law Satwinder Singh and his son, Ravinderjeet Singh, and family being unable to return to the U.S., refuses to end his strike until the prisoners are permanently released. This inspiration has led to awareness campaigns around the world, including protests, rallies, blood donation drives, and more recently, a series of art exhibitions showcasing artwork from artists and supporters. Sikhs in the U.K. protested in front of the Houses of Parliament in central London on July 15, 2015 to raise awareness for Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa and Sikh political prisoners (photo courtesy of Yahoo! News) Advertisement A worldwide #SikhBlood blood donation event took place in October-November 2015. Originating in the U.K. and now touring in the U.S., the #Art4Justice art exhibitions have brought together work from artists all over the world (photos courtesy of Hawk-Eye Photography and Punjab2000.com). Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa's struggle has resulted in several significant achievements. Since June 2015, his hunger strike has secured the permanent release of nine political prisoners and the transfer and parole of prisoners who have served more than twenty years in jail. Achievements of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa's hunger strike since January 16, 2015. Currently, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa remains detained at DMCH, serving his longest forced detention to date. Adamant in his demand, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa expresses his hunger strike will continue until the political prisoners are permanently released. A detailed timeline of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa's hunger strike made by graphic designer Vikram Singh (https://twitter.com/GraphVik_Design). A Twitter event has been organized on Sunday May 29, 2016 (UK 8pm) for the 500th day, to help raise awareness for his continued struggle (@bapusuratsingh; hashtag #500DaysOfHunger). Advertisement For more information about Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa's hunger strike: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/damanvir-kaur/indias-modern-day-freedom-fighter-bapu-surat-singh_b_8875350.html References Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Northern Virginia one soggy morning I encountered a thru-hiker who started on the trail in Georgia months ago and is heading up to the northern end of the Trail in Mount Katahdin, 1,200 miles away, in Baxter State Park. A spectacular wilderness area in Northern Maine that is home to lynx, loons, moose and bear, the 200,000 acre Baxter State Park is remote and pristine. Adjacent to Baxter State Park is almost 90,000 acres of privately owned magnificent forest, ponds and bogs -- lands that could soon be turned over to the public, and protected as a companion to the popular Acadia National Park. Lately, this dream is getting closer to reality and a proposal has emerged to create a new Maine Woods National Monument within the National Park system. What a fitting gift that would be to America this year as we celebrate the Centennial of the National Park Service. The proposal would convey 87,500 acres to the National Park Service and establish an endowment to provide long term funding for the maintenance and operations of the new national monument. These new public lands would bring sorely needed tourism dollars to an area where small towns struggle as logging companies pull out of the area. A few nights ago I joined local Sierra Club activists at a public meeting in Bangor, Maine. The meeting was co-hosted by National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis and Senator Angus King to receive public input about the proposed Maine Woods National Monument. Over 1,300 people showed up and welcomed the Senator and Director with a standing ovation. The energy in the auditorium was electric. Mainers from all over the state spoke publicly about their deep connection to the proposed monument area, their desire for economic recovery and their gratitude for such an opportunity. Director Jarvis was eloquent in expressing how adding these wild lands east of Mount Katahdin to the National Park System will contribute a unique landscape and ecosystem to our public lands heritage. He committed to preserving the recreational activities and outdoor traditions of the surrounding communities. With Acadia National Park just a two hour drive away, putting this new national monument on the map will most assuredly attract thousands of park visitors to the area, and help revitalize local economies suffering from the collapse of the timber and paper mills. New national monuments all over the country DO result in bringing new people and new economic benefits to local communities. (A recent study found that national monuments designated by President Obama have generated $156 million annually for nearby communities, including $58 million in labor income and more than 1,800 jobs.) Advertisement *coauthored by Liz Ullman It is true that our forefathers set out to create a juridical system that blindly judged the accused in a manner that afforded them the opportunity to receive a fair trial, regardless of political affiliation and standing in civil society. The unspoken story, however, is that race, class, and gender and other social constructs do matter, and justice is not always what it purports. The latest Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP) scandal shows that our system of law, order and punishment is more about flexing Army muscle than actual justice. And it is costly, destroying lives and careers; and it is a monumental waste of taxpayer money. G-RAP was the National Guard Recruiting Assistance Program from 2005-2012 and soldiers were financially incentivized to find new recruits, and they were called Recruiting Assistants (RAs). Years after those RAs helped rebuild the Guard to full strength. Their participation was challenged by Army officials who reported that G-RAP was marred by a possible $100 million worth of fraud and soldiers were to blame. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is examining all 106,000 RAs who participated. For men and women connected with the program, simply being investigated by CID puts their military career on hold, their security clearance in jeopardy, their benefits suspended and undermines any possibility of advancement. For veterans of the Guard, investigations mean harassment, possible bankruptcy and an overwhelming knowledge of how the government they swore to defend can betray them in an instant. Advertisement CID's investigations have resulted in hundreds of indictments. Many of those indicted hinge on memory--whether or not a recruit remembers the name of the G-RAP RA, who was paid for his or her enlistment. If that recruit cannot summon the RA's name, after as many as ten years have passed, the RA is likely to be charged with a felony. Most soldiers incriminated for their participation in G-RAP cannot afford adequate legal representation. And yet, most make just enough that they do not qualify for a public defender. Without adequate counsel, these service members are given ultimatums that leave them powerless. Meanwhile, they are bullied by Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID) Agents-- interviewed without a lawyer (and the statements are later used as evidence against them), given inaccurate statements by supposed witnesses, and urged to take polygraphs. In the end, most soldiers are pushed to take plea bargains offered by the prosecution to give CID a quick victory and take the case off the public defender's plate. Regardless of what road they take, this system places a hefty burden on the accused. Individuals that choose to stand firm and fight the case all the way to the courtroom to on a significant risk. The risk is with a jury who has little knowledge of the tangled web of the circumstances. Even with solid evidence, the gamble involves how well the attorney can present the complexity of G-RAP and the military culture where soldiers are trained to follow orders from their superiors, doing precisely what they are told. The legal challenge requires a specialist, an attorney who grasps the magnitude and murkiness of G-RAP. This lawyer must also be conversant in the world of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and US laws and regulations. When a G-RAP defendant gambles and loses, the results are catastrophic, including the loss of any military benefits and retirement, difficulty obtaining a decent job with a felony record, and a likely prison sentence. Advertisement If the defendant has the means to hire an attorney, good counsel cost around $500-800/hr. The average case will cost between $30,000-50,000 before it ever goes to court. Just to prepare for trial requires a burdensome amount of cash before the judge has even heard the opening argument. Because of the convolution of G-RAP, it takes hours of painstaking work to sift through witness statements, understand and learn the G-RAP training manuals, conduct counter-interviews, meet with district attorneys and everything in between needed to prove one's innocence. The final cost of a trial can extend upwards of $100,000, resources that most Americans, let alone soldiers, do not have. CID examines former RAs for just participating in G-RAP. And that individual will pay one way or another regardless the outcome. Those who win at trial will receive no money back for legal fees, troubles or lost wages. If that individual is in the military, being found innocent does not hold sway with command. Even the innocent have been strong-armed, separated from the Guard, lost retirement and educational benefits, and face an uncertain future. CID has boasted the indictments on various local and national websites such as armytimes.com, starsandstripes.com. That's a permanent digital record of the accused's name. When individuals beat the rap, there is no effort made by either CID or the news sources to report on the finding of innocence. Instead, the individual now has a digital stamp of guilt that exists forever. Even if charges are dismissed, they will remain on a permanent record that will appear to any future employer. The aphorism "innocent until proven guilty" has little meaning in the lives of the G-RAP accused. These legal entanglements can lead to future loss of employment and a lifetime of difficult explanations. So what does all this pain and hardship cost the government and taxpayer? Take the all-too-common instance of a former RA accused of wrongfully enlisting one prospective soldier, and thereby "stealing" $2,000 from the US government. CID agents on official government military orders cost an estimated $10 million dollars a year. The average cost to replace a soldier is upwards of $400,000 for non-specialized troops. Agents have been on orders for no fewer than four years, which means our taxpayers are spending some $40 million. Imagine 1,000 individuals processed criminally for their participation in the program. That would mean the cost to investigate each crime is roughly $40,000. Then let's say that person goes to trial. The CID is determining who should be brought to trial, and the prosecution is simply lock-step in agreement, assuming the federal government has done the appropriate due diligence. The cost for a five-day trial is about $5,000, and the preceding does not include the cost of all the meetings, possibly a public defender or any pre-trials and/or appeals. If this person is found guilty and sent to prison, it costs an average of $35,000/year to house an inmate in federal prison in the U.S. Advertisement When much of the evidence surrounding these former RAs relies on whether or not the enlistee remembers the RA, from six to ten years prior this is an unimaginable amount of wasted precious resources pursuing somebody for possibly breaking an ambiguous rule. And it is the Army CID that decided that breaking the rules was tantamount to a federal crime. Convicted or innocent, former RAs who are still in the Guard will likely face official reprimands and separation from service. That soldier will have to be replaced by the US military. As mentioned prior, the average cost to replace a soldier can exceed $400,000 for non-specialized troops. The cost of spending is over $600,000 of tax payer dollars for each $2,000 that was allegedly stolen, from a program that was deemed to be flawed, mismanaged and inherently obscure by the US Army's own leadership. In the end, everyone pays because of CID's and the US Army leadership's decision to prosecute and slander innocent soldiers. Please watch 60 Minutes on Sunday, May 22nd for more information. For the press if you would like an interview, please reach me at darronsmith@mac.com A view of the Khurais oilfield, about 160 km (99 miles) from Riyadh, June 23, 2008. State oil giant Saudi Aramco is adamant the biggest new field in its plan to raise oil capacity will arrive bang on schedule in June next year. REUTERS/Ali Jarekji (SAUDI ARABIA) As though there aren't enough surprises in the Middle East, consider these: Speculation about the sale of at least some assets of the Saudi Arabian-owned oil company Aramco to investors, plus another shuffling of Saudi King Salman's cabinet, starting with replacement of long-serving oil minister Ali al-Naimi with Khaled al-Falih, chairman of Aramco. This news has sent shockwaves throughout global economic and diplomatic realms. With oil prices hovering around the discouragingly low of $43 a barrel, the desert kingdom is considering its options over what to do next. Saudi Arabia's financial power derives from its oil wealth; thus, offering for sale some of Aramco's precious assets could have serious consequences for the royal family's existence. So why is the king pursuing this strategy? Advertisement First, the kingdom could well be broke by August 2018 if it keeps dipping into its financial reserves (about $655 billion by some estimates) to support not only the royal family's lavish lifestyle (such as large numbers of Airbus A380s outfitted with gold) but its wide array of social services, all offered while forgoing taxation. This all-that-glitters scenario comes with the full understanding that, yes, the price of oil will not go above $43 a barrel anytime soon -- and could plunge even lower in coming months. Second, by offering Aramco's assets as an initial public offering, the kingdom hints it knows something the rest of the world does not. One thing I'm certain of is that the kingdom has never disclosed the exact amount of its oil reserves. U.S. intelligence has been trying for years to find this out, all to no avail. Some estimate it to be about 260 billion barrels of oil, which could supply the world market at its current consumption for the next 80 years. But we're guessing here. Third, Saudi leadership likely realizes it no longer plays an influential role in Middle East affairs, especially in the aftermath of Iran's nuclear agreement with the West. That deal means yet more oil in the market and the possibility of at least some rapprochement in the long term between the United States and Iran when it comes to shared interests. And any sale might be driven by the need for the kingdom to cash out and scatter before Islamic State, al-Qaida and other terrorist groups that harbor deep hatred for the kingdom finally storm the gates. This is, after all, the Middle East, where anything can and will happen. Whatever, OPEC's June meeting should provide a clue as to whether the kingdom will move forward with any Aramco sale. I remain skeptical. Mind you, the sale of Aramco assets -- no matter how little -- will be perceived by some as the beginning of the end of the al-Saud dynasty. Rival royal family members and international enemies might see this as an opportunity. Even mere speculation diminishes and undermines the legitimacy of the royal family as absolute stewards of Mecca and Medina and ultimate arbiters of oil prices in the almighty OPEC. Advertisement In recent history, the al-Saud family has derived tremendous power from its ability to unilaterally manipulate the price of oil whenever it chose. Taking Aramco public might disrupt that power in the global marketplace by dropping another element into the mix: investors. As for the sudden reshuffling of the royal cabinet, it goes well beyond what King Salman did when he took the helm of power from his half-brother, the late King Abdullah. This abrupt cabinet reshuffle puts the stamp of approval on his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and his economic reform proposal, Vision 2030, which sets up priorities and policies for a world of flattened oil prices. Imagine. While King Salman's royal decree to reshuffle the cabinet may bring new blood and fresh ideas, I doubt it will. The disoriented, ill-conceived policies the kingdom has embraced since the royal ascension of 2015 only highlights further internal turmoil within the Saudi establishment. Royal infighting over control and power could mark the start of the end for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as we know it. Far-reaching consequences would resound not only economically and politically but also religiously and geopolitically. One does not have to look far to see how entangled the kingdom is in Yemen, which pretty much proved the crown prince's naivete in global affairs when he decided to embark on a military adventure there. Images broadcast on al-Jazeera and BBC (but hardly at all on U.S. media outlets) show Saudi Arabia, an outrageously rich country, pummeling Yemen, one of the poorest in the Arab world. All this has generated criticism of the Saudis and sympathy for Houthi rebels. That's not what King Salman needs now. And tensions between Iran and the desert kingdom show no sign of abating, especially when it comes to Iran's nuclear program. Recently, Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief, announced that "all options" would be on the table if Iran moves toward a bomb, "including the acquisitions of nuclear weapons to face whatever eventuality might come from Iran." Good luck to the next U.S. president who must deal with this volatile and sensitive situation. Advertisement Like virtually all Americans, I come from a family of immigrants. Family lore has it that my paternal grandfather was born on a ship coming over from Europe and opened his eyes just in time to see Ellis Island and the Statute of Liberty beckoning. My grandfather drove a truck to earn a living and my grandmother worked as a "chicken flicker," meaning she plucked the feathers from a freshly killed chicken. As a kid, I thought she pretty much had the coolest job ever. Today, not so much. While my grandparents worked humble jobs, my parents had the opportunity to "do better." They attended college and worked as professionals. And the generation after them -- my sister and I -- continued an upward path by earning graduate degrees. For my family, the American dream of opportunity, education, and a better life for future generations came true. I'm worried that today's immigrants and their families may not have those same opportunities. We are a nation of immigrants, and those who are in this country working hard to give their families a better life should be able to achieve the same goals that my grandparents did. I'd call it un-American to climb the ladder of success and then pull up the ladder behind you, denying opportunities to others. Advertisement Yet, opportunity is denied when people aren't healthy. Children can't learn and adults can't work to their full potential when they are sick and in need of medical care. Health care is expensive and health insurance is the ticket into the American health care system. There is a mountain of evidence that having health insurance leads to improved health, better access to care, greater financial security, and longer life. Sadly, many of today's immigrants do go without coverage. Nationwide, the most recent Census data show that more than 31 percent of non-native residents are uninsured, compared with 8.7 percent of those born in the United States. Coverage rates for noncitizen children are better, although those children are still more than three times more likely to be uninsured than their native-born counterparts (20.8 percent compared to 5.8 percent). Insurance coverage among immigrants remains stubbornly low, in part, because many undocumented immigrants are simply ineligible for coverage. With few exceptions, undocumented individuals are barred from accessing public coverage like Medicaid. They are even prohibited from using their own money to purchase coverage through the health insurance exchanges established under Obamacare. Obamacare has dramatically increased coverage rates for Americans. The nation's uninsured rate fell to 9.1 percent in 2015, a record low, according to a new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The difference between 2013 and 2015 translates to 16.2 million more people with health insurance. Yet, these gains have left undocumented residents behind. Remember that ladder? It feels further out of reach for some. Advertisement Some states are bucking the trend and honoring their immigrant histories by making coverage more accessible. New York State has expanded opportunities for immigrant coverage, taking advantage of a presidential executive order known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). For millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States who were brought to the country before the age of 16 years and who have been in the country for five or more years, DACA can provide employment authorization, temporary protection from deportation, and a Social Security number to work legally and pay taxes. In New York State, DACA also provides an opportunity for Medicaid eligibility for tens of thousands of immigrants (using State-only dollars). Awareness of this opportunity for Medicaid coverage has been low. Recently, a targeted ad campaign in New York City (where an estimated three-quarters of undocumented New York State residents live) launched to educate New Yorkers about their potential eligibility for health insurance coverage. New York State could do more still if it chooses to. A well-functioning, stable, and strong health care market, as well as continued access to care, will depend on creating additional insurance mechanisms for New York's undocumented immigrants. The Community Service Society of New York has modeled the design and cost of three insurance options for undocumented immigrants in New York State. Aggressive efforts are also underway in California to cover undocumented immigrants; recent legislation aims to allow undocumented immigrants to use their own funds to purchase health insurance on the State's health insurance exchange. Doing so would require federal approval, however, and the likelihood of that approval is unclear. Historically, New York has been a welcoming gateway for immigrants to the United States. Recently, New York has gone the extra mile to extend State-financed Medicaid coverage to immigrants and been a leader in this area. Emma Lazarus, whose words adorn the Statue of Liberty, would be proud. Advertisement Co-authored by Lev Bagramian, Better Markets, Senior Securities Policy Advisor The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a financial ticking time bomb that will explode no later than July 1st when a $1.9 billion bond payment is due, which will almost certainly not be paid. Put simply, Puerto Rico is effectively bankrupt. However, while those financial issues dominate the headlines, they obscure a much larger crisis: a burgeoning human catastrophe as basic social services, including fighting the growing Zika epidemic, are being severely cut to pay interest on bonds, which now consume an astonishing 36% of Puerto Rico's current budget. This is a serious problem and not just for Puerto Rico. The fiscal crisis and deteriorating services, combined with a bad economy creating too few jobs and growth, have sparked a mass exodus from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Zika will not be far behind. But because Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth rather than a state or municipality, it cannot simply file for bankruptcy and realign its revenues and debts in an orderly, fair and reasonable way. To enable this and prevent a social disaster, a paralyzed, hyper-partisan Congress must act quickly. While Speaker Ryan and the Obama Administration have announced a deal that will permit Puerto Rico to address several of its immediate problems, including authority to restructure its debt, the final passage is still uncertain. Advertisement But what can and should have already happened is a thorough investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into this municipal debt debacle, including in particular into the creation, packaging, selling and trading of Puerto Rico's bonds. This would not be an unfounded fishing expedition. There have been numerous high-profile allegations of misconduct regarding the structuring, sales and trading of some of Puerto Rico's bonds. The SEC is supposed to be in the investor and issuer protection business. It's time for them to get to work. There is ample precedent for this. For example, between September 2010 and July 2011, the SEC held three field hearings to examine whether investors and issuers of municipal bonds were sufficiently protected. At one of the hearings was held in Jefferson County, Alabama, which three years earlier had been a victim of JP Morgan's corrupt municipal bond underwriting and advisory practices. Then-SEC Commissioner Elise Walter said policymakers must be "informed by [the] experiences of those who live and work outside of Washington, D.C..." adding that it is "particularly true with respect to municipal securities, given their impact on local communities and retail investors." From the 2010-2011 hearings, the SEC released a report on the state of municipal securities market, calling for many far-reaching reforms, some of which the SEC still has to act on. These proposed-reforms were in addition to what were then-still-new rules introduced by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Section 975 of the Act required, for the first time, that municipal advisors -- the professionals who sit by the issuers during their negotiations with underwriters and broker-dealers when issuing bonds and selling them to investors -- be subject to competency and conflict of interest rules, and above all, become fiduciaries of issuers. The same law also explicitly mandated that the SEC protect municipal entities. Armed with this mandate, the SEC should immediately announce a series of actions, including field hearings in Puerto Rico, roundtables, forums and fact-finding missions, to address regulatory shortcomings related to Puerto Rico and, more broadly, financially distressed municipalities. It must, at a minimum, answer the key questions: Did municipal advisors, underwriters, and broker-dealers act in the best interest of the Puerto Rican issuers? Did they package, sell and trade bonds consistent with the laws protecting investors? Advertisement The SEC should also promptly determine if it should revise its rules on municipal advisors, broker-dealer conduct and standards of care, underwriter conflicts of interest, or disclosure-related regulations for financially distressed municipalities. Everyone is entitled to know if current laws and rules are adequate to protect municipal entities and investors from being exploited. -By Don C. Reed The first time I "met" Hillary Rodham Clinton does not really count: I was in the back of a huge crowd in Oakland, so far away from the stage I could barely understand her words. She was running for President against Barrack Obama, and my wife Gloria and I had gotten free tickets for doing volunteer work. We loved Hillary as a long-term fighter for healthcare, our number one issue since our son Roman was paralyzed. The second meeting was at a fundraiser, led by her husband, the former President. We were in the backyard of Bob Klein, the man who inspired Proposition 71, which led to the $3 billion California stem cell program. Advertisement I would have about fifteen seconds to talk with President Clinton. Naturally I had it all planned out, exactly what I would say. "Thank you for being the first President to authorize embryonic stem cell research." Clinton had indeed been the first, though President George W. Bush canceled it immediately, only later allowing a small sliver of the promising research. But when it was my time to meet the former President, standing there beside Bob Klein, it occurred to me that was something Bob should say, as the host, not me. And so I pretended to be tongue-tied, which if you know me, is not often the case. It was interesting to see how President Clinton handled the awkward moment. He seemed to genuinely want me to succeed. He leaned forward, and nodded encouragingly, waited--ignoring the long line of other people waiting--but I said nothing, and so he just smiled and took a picture with me and Gloria. Advertisement But later, inside the house, sitting in the living room, I had a second chance. When Bob said the President would answer some questions, I jumped up first. "Why is it," I asked, "that when a man acts strong we say he is showing leadership, but when Hillary does the same thing, people say she is rude?" He beamed, and talked for twenty minutes about his wife's leadership abilities. The third meeting took place earlier, in Washington, DC, on the West steps of the White House. A group of stem cell research supporters were gathered to support the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act: April 12, 2005 Celebrities were there: Dana Reeve, John Kerry, Susan Sarandon, the paralyzed Representative James Langevin, legislative champions Lindsey Graham and Tom Harkin, champion scientist Wise Young, Orrin Hatch, tireless advocates like Tricia Brooks and Michael Manganiello of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), Susan Maus, Kris Gulden, rap star Professir X and many more. Wheelchair spokes glittered in the afternoon sun. Many spoke, perhaps too many; we were running a little long. Then Hillary took the mike. She smiled at someone she recognized, nodded once, and began. I opened my notebook, clicked my pen. Advertisement A few minutes later, when she was done, I unclicked my pen, looked down to see what notes I had taken. But my hands were empty. There was my notebook, lying on the asphalt, where I had dropped it. I had not taken a single note. But I was in tears. It was as if she had spoken directly to me, in a personal conversation. I felt she knew what the loss of Christopher meant to us, and that of course we would go forward and fight for the cause, and by so doing, honor his memory. Today, of course, Hillary is running for President against Donald Trump. For some, this may not be exciting, because we are just used to her, seemingly always there, fighting on our side. Maybe we even take her a little for granted. But I do love to watch her in battle. Remember that debate with Bernie, when he got so excited he started shouting and flailing his arms? She did not flinch when he invaded her space, just studied him, calmly, as if he was something interesting. And when the Republican-stacked Benghazi committee interrogated her for more than 12 hours, she just answered them politely, as long as they had the energy to keep making up new questions. Eventually, she wore them out. Advertisement I imagine she will deal with Trump similarly when they meet in the debates; he will holler his usual insults, attempting by every means to intimidate her. Watch for him to lean forward suddenly, trying to shake her concentration. But she has been attacked before. She expects the fight, and does not fear it. "Courage," said Ernest Hemingway, "is grace under pressure." A President will needs such calmness and courage, as he or she faces the most tremendous problems on earth. When crises come, as they surely will, she will study the situation, and make up her mind carefully, intelligently. "Shooting from the hip" is not helpful from someone who has the nuclear codes, and could literally begin World War III. Is she the right woman for the job? For an incredible twenty times, the highly respected Gallup Poll has selected Hillary Rodham Clinton as the most admired woman in the world. Read her story on Wikipedia, see what she has done with her life: how at every step she has been a leader, a decision-maker, and someone who fights for good. And the nomination struggle? Every Democrat is moved by the passion of Bernie Sanders; he is the heart of democracy. Advertisement But the votes are being counted, and Clinton is ahead. When that struggle is behind them, I expect her to be toward Sanders as Obama was to her: recognizing his talent and vision, relying on his council, putting the needs of America before any former rivalry. Above all, Hillary Rodham Clinton is ready, overwhelmingly prepared for the job. In addition to a lifetime of public service, she has worked side by side with two of the greatest leaders in history: President Obama, who brought us through the Great Recession, and who respected Hillary so much that he appointed her Secretary of State; and Bill Clinton, who led an American era of peace and prosperity. Hillary! She is the very affirmation of the Presidency, comporting herself with dignity, strength, courage and compassion-- we would be fools to let her go. The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain sails in formation during exercise Foal Eagle 2013 in waters west of the Korean peninsula in this March 21, 2013 handout photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy. The Pentagon said on Tuesday that a second U.S. guided-missile destroyer had taken position in the western Pacific on a missile defense mission, as tensions rise over North Korea's threats of war against the United States and its ally, South Korea. REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Declan Barnes/Handout (SOUTH KOREA - Tags: MILITARY POLITICS) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS America's international position is distinguished by its alliance networks. Presidential candidates decry today's dangerous world, yet the U.S. is allied with every major industrialized power, save China and Russia. It is a position Washington's few potential adversaries must envy. Unfortunately, littering the globe with security commitments is costly. The U.S. must create a much bigger military to project force abroad to protect countries that often matter little for this nation's security. Moreover, while military tripwires are supposed to prevent war, they ensure involvement if deterrence fails. Advertisement Equally important, America's defense guarantees turn friends and allies into dependents. The principle is the same as domestic welfare. Why do it yourself if someone else will do so? In his recent interview in the Atlantic Monthly President Barack Obama complained: "Free-riders aggravate me." Unfortunately, Washington has created a world filled with free- or at least cheap-riders. The president recently visited one of the targets of his ire: Saudi Arabia. The royals long ago assumed the U.S. military would act as their de facto bodyguard. The first Gulf War was more about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia than Kuwait. At least the KSA began putting more money into its military when it perceived the Obama administration's commitment to Riyadh was waning. The kingdom was outraged at Washington's nuclear negotiations with Iran and refusal to directly intervene in the Syrian civil war. Yet the "alliance" still has dragged the U.S. into the KSA's war in Yemen, which has gone from local civil war to regional sectarian conflict. Advertisement Content to spend barely one percent of its GDP on the military throughout the Cold War while facing the Soviet Union and Maoist China, Japan has started doing a bit more. It appears Tokyo is worried that Washington might not go to war with Beijing over the Senkakyu/Diaoyu Islands. Japan only recently passed legislation allowing its military to aid U.S. forces under attack. For decades Japan's only responsibility as an ally was to be defended. Washington's Korean commitment grows out of the Korean War, which ended 63 years ago. Since then the Republic of Korea has raced ahead of the North, with an economy as much as 40 times as large, a population twice as big, and a dramatic lead in technological prowess, international influence, and most every other measure of national power. Yet the ROK, facing a supposed existential threat, spends a lower percentage of its GDP on the military than does America. Although Seoul's military is qualitatively superior to that of the North, South Korea's forces lag in quantity. Because the ROK expects to be defended by America. Then there are the Europeans. Foreign policy should be based on circumstances. After World War II Western Europe was prostrate and Eastern Europe had been swallowed by the Soviet Union. Today the Europeans not only vastly outmatch Russia, their only potential antagonist, but they possess a larger economy and population than America. Yet Washington's desperate, even humiliating pleas for its allies to do more continue to fall on deaf ears. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg took great pleasure earlier this year when he announced that NATO's European members only slightly reduced their military outlays in 2015, after years of significant cuts. Such is considered progress. Advertisement In all of these cases the U.S. has variously insisted, demanded, and requested that its friends do more. When they did not, it often turned to begging and whining, with no greater success. One could at least argue during the Cold War that it was in America's interest to defend countries even if they would not protect themselves. No longer. Washington faces no hegemonic threat, no ideological competitor, no international peer. There isn't any "there there," as Gertrude Stein said of Oakland. Yet the alliances commit America to go to war in defense of other nations' interests. At the same time such guarantees dissuade friendly states from doing more on their own behalf. If deterrence fails, as it often has throughout history, the good times will come to a dramatic and bloody end. This month marks the 55th anniversary of the Freedom Rides on interstate buses that shocked the conscience of the nation and helped bring about an end to legal segregation. These days, the trials facing many Greyhound riders who fill the 55 seats on any given bus, while different, should also shock the conscience of the nation. Greyhound is a kind of rolling focus group for our working and want-to-be-working poor -- those living at the margins, and by the narrowist of margins. Over the past decade, I have traveled more than 100,000 bus miles, part of a project aimed at drawing attention to the struggles of riders. Connecting the tiniest depots and largest cities, Greyhound serves 2,200 destinations in America, as compared, say, to American Airlines, which serves 160, making bus travel the nation's most ubiquitous form of transportation apart from the car. Still, those who travel by bus -- a cross-section that spans every demographic, except economic -- are the least reflected in our daily discourse. Advertisement Despite such varied backgrounds on our nation's buses (and the clear legacy of institutionalized racism), there is a oneness in the struggle against a stark economic disparity that paid 25 hedge fund managers an annual take-home of between $175 million and $1.2 billion each last year, while 47 million Americans lived with the incessant insecurity of poverty, on the equivalent of $19,000 for a family of three, not to mention the tens of millions more who hover just above the poverty threshold. These include people I've met along the way, like Boomer, the roofer from the Allegheny mountains who was leaving Pennsylvania because the worked had dried up, with $60 in his wallet and a bag of tools at his feet, on his way to what he was told would be some work in Florida; Rocky, the ex-Greyhound driver in East Los Angeles who struggled for basic food money; Brian, the vet I reconnected with recently, who survived an explosion in Iraq that put him in a coma, and whose 100% PTSD disability classification means he can't seek other means of work -- and yet whose basic bills for his wife and three year old are becoming too steep to meet. As I got ready this week for a bus trip to Montgomery, Alabama to speak and perform at the Southern Poverty Law Center related to the commemoration of the Freedom Rides, I called to talk to one of these heroic riders, Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, co-founder of CORE (the Congress on Racial Equality) and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Chief of Staff from 1960-64. He had met Dr. King in 1952 while they were both seminarians. Dr. Walker said that economic justice, which had become Dr. King's greater focus toward the end of life, was so much harder to tackle, because some of the injustice is, "So systemic and subtle," he said. "It's hard to get at." Dr. King said that "Class divisions can be as vicious and evil as a system based on racial injustice." Yet, there is no ignoring figures that codify the effects of a two-centuries-long system of segregation and slavery. African-Americans are, in varying multiples, more likely to live in poverty, less likely to have access to quality education, less likely to have a positive net worth, more likely to have served time in prison for non-violent drug offenses, more likely to be searched by police, less likely to live as long. Advertisement Still, the bus, Dr. Walker said, remains a symbol of class division and the nation's struggles with social justice. But he is hopeful. Not only because of his personal faith, but because of the acts of courage shown by so many, including minimum-wage fast-food strikers, living on the edge of eviction in some cases, who have made a stand for those who stand for a living. As reported by Taryn Finley of Huffington Post last week, scholar-athlete Andrew Jones -- the valedictorian of Amite High School in Amite, Louisiana, who has a 4.0 grade point average -- was recently barred from marching in his school's graduation ceremony. Why? A mustache. "Our school board has a policy that does not allow any facial hair on male students," Tangipahoa Parish school superintendent Mark Kolwe said. "This young man was given at least three opportunities." As a committed Mustached American, Jones must be applauded as the actions by Tangipahoa Parish schools -- in the eyes of the American Mustache Institute (AMI) -- represent a clear violation of his civil liberties in discriminating against his Mustached American lifestyle. Advertisement In response, AMI sent the following correspondence to Superintendent Kolwe and the board of Tangipahoa Parish schools. Mr. Kolwe, The American Mustache Institute (AMI) recently learned of a policy of discrimination against people of Mustached American descent by Tangipahoa Parish schools as evidenced by your explicit unwillingness to allow Amite High School valedictorian Andrew Jones participate in his graduation ceremony due to his Mustached American heritage. The enforcement of said discriminatory policy is unacceptable to people of Mustached American heritage and the Mustached American community at large as it represents a clear and dangerous precedence and an egregious violation of young peoples' civil liberties. Setting aside your barefaced mortality, this runs in direct contradiction to your stated philosophy that, "the Tangipahoa Parish School System exists to serve all the people ... that those involved in education must make every effort to meet the needs of all students in granting them the fullest possible educational opportunities." Advertisement These philosophical benchmarks, however, clearly do not apply to peoples of facial hair. Indeed, by your treatment of Andrew Jones you demonstrate the district's disinterest and unwillingness to extend an effort to "meet the needs of all students" to young men or women wishing to lead a Mustached American lifestyle, which we believe to be a stark violation of civil liberties and of course contradict the scientifically-based principles of rugged good looks. Lest us remind you that as an academic institution of freedom and handsomeness, the staff and administration of the American Mustache Institute appreciates that your schools, "know that the needs of children are similar, but not identical, and we try to adapt our program to this knowledge." This is vital as Mustached Americans have proven to score 27 percent above the national average in standardized testing vs. the clean shaven mortal populous. It goes without saying that developing each child's potential in the key to our collective futures, and therefore every child is vitally important -- including young Mustached Americans. However, restricting the growth, masculinity, earning potential and civil liberties of your student body -- while disallowing them to experience their ordained heritage as people of Mustached American descent -- flies in the face of reason, justice and the American way of life. We demand that you cease these discriminatory policies, and that you live your stated principles understanding that if today's youth are to excel, they must have the personal freedom to live a lifestyle that embodies those freedoms more than anything else. You're welcome, Last week, Thomas Farragher provided some thoughtful commentary on the perils of underfunding public higher education in Massachusetts. It's an important discussion that reaches well beyond how much money flows to higher education. Mr. Farragher argued that the cost of attending U Mass Amherst is $26,445 annually but that tuition is only a bit more than $1,700 of this number. He suggested that "bragging right" full tuition scholarships mean little when calculating the true cost of attendance at public colleges and universities in the state. Mr. Farragher further noted that this is bad for the booming Massachusetts knowledge economy. He reported that the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council estimates that Massachusetts has 17 jobs for every graduate in tech and computer science programs. Where Mr. Farragher's argument breaks down is when he equates the failure to fund public higher education partly with the richness of the private college and university community in the state. He suggested that Massachusetts state legislators have adopted a "let the privates educate the masses," while they view public support, according to one former higher education official, almost as "a social welfare project." Advertisement Mr. Farragher cites Mohammad Ali, chief executive of Boston-based Carbonite, which produces cloud backup and recovery software: "We live in the shadows of MIT and Harvard, but they cannot put out the number of people that we need . . . We're kind of elitist here. We're enamored with private higher education. We forget that we have to have the richness of public education, too." Let's peel back the onion a bit to explore this argument more deeply. First, most of us can accept the fact that many states do not fund higher education sufficiently. Within Massachusetts public higher education, no sector does well although the state's community colleges may face the worst public higher education funding deficiencies. Second, let's remember that not all of the private colleges and universities in Massachusetts are Harvard and MIT - not by a long shot. Neil Swidey's telling piece in the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine yesterday speaks to the danger of families attending underfunded private colleges whose students take on significant debt that they do not fully comprehend and cannot afford. What Mr. Swidey did not fully explore is that it costs something to live in cities like Boston whether or not you attend college, full- or part-time. Students would incur the room and board and some cost of attendance fees, whether in school or not. Advertisement Further, Massachusetts fails to provide a robust state student grant program that is common in many states to offset some of this student debt. Most private colleges in Massachusetts are under resourced, poorly endowed institutions with aging physical plants now having trouble meeting their freshman admission targets. Life along the Charles is a world that most private college employees can only dream about. So, what's the problem? The disparity between tuition fees and the comprehensive cost of attendance reflects two painful facts. The first is that Massachusetts operates on an annual state budget cycle determined not by long term needs in public higher education but by political expediency in the Massachusetts statehouse. It's almost impossible to manage a long-term strategic vision for public higher education coordinated with a political election cycle where the players change with voter preferences. The second is that university bureaucrats have manipulated the room, board and fee structure beyond tuition to balance their budgets to respond to the demands from governors and the legislature for decades. Who can blame them? Massachusetts leads the nation in any number of categories but it regularly shoots itself in the foot. It may be better to think about the richness of the higher education system in the Commonwealth than peel off underfunded segments with band-aid incremental solutions. And this starts with a fundamental question. What does Massachusetts want from its robust, rich and decentralized higher education system? We can look at any number of funding crises, growing problems of social and economic inequality, and the inability of the state to train and prepare graduates who meet the work force demands of the 21st Century. Boston is the "hub" of New England, but the rest of the region needs support too. Massachusetts' state leaders must begin regional discussions about how to grow New England through better coordination, careful planning, combined efficiencies and economies of scale, and a better and broader strategic vision that sustains a case for higher education funding no matter who sits in the governors' chairs across the region. Advertisement This begins with taking the case to the voters. Chancellors can fix the inequalities in tuition, fee, room and board numbers within the comprehensive fee. Legislators can ration increased dollars to higher education and within public higher education to pick winners and losers among the higher education sectors. And governors can announce initiatives that fix "MBTA-like" capital funding deficiencies in college and university physical plants. "I never knew anyone else like me, going through the things I went through, not fitting in, always having to choose..." Kip Fulbeck, The Hapa Project Hapa is a term that emerges from Hawaiian vernacular to describe a person of mixed Asian or Pacific Islander descent. Photographer Kip Fulbeck provides a startling and compelling examination of this mixed identity construct in his seminal Hapa Project, allowing us to visualize and comprehend what Asian and Pacific Americans bring to the larger mestizaje that shapes and defines so much of our ever-evolving national culture. In her book, Intimacies of Four Continents, Lisa Lowe writes, "Liberal forms of political economy, culture, government, and history propose a narrative of freedom overcoming enslavement that at once denies colonial slavery, erases the seizure of lands from native peoples, displaces migrations and connections across continents, and internalizes these processes in a national struggle of history and consciousness. The social inequities of our time are a legacy of these processes through which 'the human' is 'freed' by liberal forms, while other subjects, practices, and geographies are placed at a distance from 'the human.'" Dr. Lowe, a professor of English and American Studies at Tufts University, has launched a courageously deep dive into the racial, cultural, economic and political complexities engendered by early European exploration, settlement, globalization and system of racialized segmentation in the Americas, and its attendant direct links to slavery. It provides a very helpful lens through which we can better understand what it is to be American in a continental context. Advertisement Recall that after the Spaniards "discovered" the so-called New World they went on to "discover" Asia, a route they were pursuing in the first place. The Spaniards landed in the Philippines in 1521, quickly establishing another colonial headquarters from which to solidify their economic empire. Before the Spaniards arrived, native Filipinos had been trading with other Asian neighbors, primarily the nearby Chinese. The currency situation in dynastic China was a mess, and its rulers realized that the importation of silver from the Americas could help stabilize their monetary system. The resulting exchange, powered by the Nao de China, or Manila Galleons, lasted well beyond the 250 years of Spanish colonial rule. Besides the exchange of material goods was the transfer of certain propagational body fluids, laying the foundation for the first generation of Hapa. I encourage readers to learn more about this fascinating and impactful historical period and its rippling effect in the Americas. Forgive me for fast forwarding to May 2016, as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This year, the Smithsonian Institution's Asian Pacific American Center is presenting "Crosslines," an ephemeral artistic exploration of the "intersectionality" between Asian and other communities. Beginning in 2009, the Smithsonian Latino Center began a collaboration with the Asian Pacific American Center examining Asian-Latino intersections in the areas of immigration and migration, urban culture, stereotyping and the public imaginary, and food, a program series that included a real-time pop-up museum at the Civic Plaza in Silver Spring, Maryland in 2013, curated by and presenting Asian, Latino and Asian-Latino curators and artists. It is wonderful to see this series continue and expand, now under the Culture Lab rubric. Advertisement Adriel Luis and Lawrence-Minh Davis co-curated "Crosslines" with a specific idea in mindto understand that identities exist and emerge in complex, multi-layered and fluid ways, distinct from traditional notions of diversity, which Luis asserts often conforms to quotas and tokenization. Luis explains further, "While diversity attempts to satisfy through blanket inclusion, intersectionality understands that inclusion can never be comprehensive, so instead seeks nuances and overlaps among identities to demonstrate an expansive scope." In organizing "Crosslines," Luis and Davis afford us an opportunity, albeit brief, to understand how our commonalities, distinctions and interplay surface through the experiences of diaspora, gender and sexuality, colonial histories, gentrification and media representation. In a society that continues to distinguish and act upon embedded and often distorted notions of race and ethnicity, the artists in "Crosslines" propel us toward a deeper understanding of the greater human experience. We would do well to open ourselves to continue an exploration that began well over 500 years ago. BILOXI, MS - JANUARY 02: Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump speaks at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum on January 2, 2016 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Trump, who has strong support from Southern voters, spoke to thousands in the small Mississippi city on the Gulf of Mexico. Trump continues to split the GOP establishment with his populist and controversial views on immigration, muslims and some of his recent comments on women. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Fear of Islam and Muslims has been a visible trend since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. In Europe, this trend was given fictional respectability in the name of freedom of speech. A report recently issued by Freedom House suggests that the growing Islamophobia in Europe is threatening democracy. The report, as an article in Asharq al-Awsat put it, "portrayed a bleak picture of the state of liberal values in parts of Europe, highlighting a number of worrying trends in 29 countries in Eastern and Central Europe, as well as former Soviet states in Central Asia." Advertisement Moreover, as a 2015 Gallup survey found, 38 percent of Americans said they would refuse to vote for a "well-qualified" Muslim candidate for U.S. president. Many Brits also manifested a similar attitude by articulating their view that Islam is a "threat to western liberal democracy." Viewing this mounting Islamophobic trend from the point of multiculturalism, the Brits are divided along the following lines: 38 percent say it would make their country a worse place, while 37 percent think it would be a better place. The numbers on "don't know" and "no difference" categories were 6 and 19, respectively. Supporters of ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn at a demonstration on Feb. 1, 2014 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/ Getty Images) We are witnessing a number of right-wing parties and their leaders in Europe who remind those who listen to their babble that Islam is "alien" to the "democratic" constitutions of a number of Western countries. The believers of this relatively new form of "racism" either know nothing about the fact that democracy guarantees the rights of its citizens to practice the faith of their choice and protects them from the tyranny of a racist and bigoted group, or else they are suffering from purposeful selective amnesia. Lately, in the U.S., hating Islam and Muslims has been made "respectable" by Donald Trump, who mastered the highly bigoted and uninformed anti-Muslim rhetoric in the name of denigrating political correctness. But since Trump's candidacy emerged in an era of so-called "angry white men," who feel that the system is working against them, and, at the same time, attacks sponsored or encouraged by the so-called Islamic State are taking place in Europe and the United States, Trump's anti-Muslim bluster has not been given the denunciation and scorn it warrants. Advertisement Trump's anti-Muslim bluster has not been given the denunciation and scorn it warrants. Multiculturalism has remained one of the most controversial features of the policies of countries with large Muslim populations -- the U.K., France and Germany, for example. As one study noted: Different countries ... have followed distinct paths [of multiculturalism]. The United Kingdom has sought to give various ethnic communities an equal stake in the political system. Germany has encouraged immigrants to pursue separate lives in lieu of granting them citizenship. And France has rejected multicultural policies in favor of assimilationist ones. These policies are generally aimed at sustaining the distinctiveness of ethnic cultures in those countries -- except for France. But in reality, those policies have become a convenient excuse for the leaders of those countries to not integrate Muslim communities into the mainstream culture -- through educational and vocational training programs aimed at enhancing their employability, for example -- thereby leaving them marginalized. It is the responsibilities of leaders to play a visible role in making integration policies and then to make sure they are implemented earnestly. If they find that such policies are not creating their intended results, it is their responsibility to tweak those policies or even radically modify them. For the chronic social and economic separation of Muslims from the mainstream population, those governments ought to share a majority of the blame. As the noted French academic Gilles Kepel writes in his book "The War for Muslim Minds: Islam and the West": Neither the blood spilled by Muslims from North Africa fighting in French uniforms during both world wars nor the sweat of migrant laborers, living under deplorable living conditions, who rebuilt France (and Europe) for a pittance after 1945, has made their children, as far as the French or indeed Europeans in general are concerned, full fellow citizens. Kepel goes on to quote the author of a book called "Naal bou la France," referring to a curse popular in North Africa that insults a man and his lineage. The author is a radical leader of the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, a group associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, and he writes: "Oh sweet France! Are you astonished that so many of your children commune in a stinging naal bou la France, and damn your Fathers?" Even though enlightened European leaders refuse to acknowledge any linkage between their multicultural policies and European Muslim alienation, the fact of the matter is that a large number of Muslims suffer from low levels of education, high unemployment and consequent alienation. In that state, they are easy prey for poorly educated and West-phobic imams and their incendiary religious rhetoric. Demonstrators at a rally organized by Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, in Dresden on Jan. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) The general and ill-conceived impression on the part of mainstream populations in the aforementioned countries is that multiculturalism has failed to integrate Muslims and should be abandoned. In the United States, Muslim alienation has remained comparatively low for two important reasons. First, a majority of Muslim immigrants to the United States have been highly educated in technical fields and do not suffer from low education or high unemployment rates. Thus, a great majority of them have traditionally rejected the angry and prickly sermons of the radicalized imams in American mosques. Advertisement Second and most importantly, the American political culture has been legendary in accepting newcomers from different cultures, ethnic backgrounds and religions. But in the post-9/11 era, the anti-U.S. rhetoric from Al Qaeda and the self-proclaimed Islamic State has created a backlash in the form of Islamophobia. When Bin Laden declared war against the United States in 1996, and the intermittent calls of ISIS to kill Americans became frequent global headlines, Islamophobia also became a frequent practice among politicians, so-called strategic thinkers and counterterrorism "specialists" in the United States. The anti-U.S. rhetoric from Al Qaeda and ISIS has created a backlash in the form of Islamophobia. Consequently, Muslims citizens in the West have become a toy, if not a pawn, in the hands of Western Islamophobes and Al Qaeda and ISIS. Muslims and their religion are targets for Islamophobic haranguing, and meanwhile ISIS gleefully tells Muslims in the West that the West hates Islam. Through its global use of social media, ISIS invites Muslims to kill Westerners. ISIS propagandists turn video clips of Western Islamophobes denouncing Muslims and their commitment to the countries of which they are citizens into powerful recruiting tools, particularly when the Islamophobes offend Islam and the prophet of Islam. In an essay trenchantly entitled, "ISIS Wants You to Hate Muslims," The Nation was spot on in the following observation: The Islamophobia is racist, of course, but it also plays right into the hands of ISIS, as does the war fever. The terror group has been quite clear that its strategy is to eliminate what it calls the 'grayzone' where Muslims and non-Muslims live in harmony. It aims to provoke Western governments into clamping down on their own Muslim populations, the better to drive them into ISIS's arms. In its magazine Dabiq, ISIS applauded George W. Bush's post-9/11 language: 'Bush spoke the truth when he said, "Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists." I.e. either you are with the crusade or you are with Islam.' If a Republican is elected president of the United States and Islamophobia continues to escalate, the post-Obama era is going to be a very challenging one. A Republican president may be too eager to deploy ground troops to both Iraq and Syria in order to "wipe out" ISIS. While ISIS is not likely to be wiped out, the ensuing destruction of the Levant will become a place for further mushrooming of a transformed and potentially more vile version of ISIS. No one knows how intense or diminished the trend of Islamophobia will be in the coming years under a Republican administration. Advertisement A Muslim man holds a U.S. flag during a protest against Trump in Manhattan on Dec. 20, 2015. (REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz) If Hillary Clinton were to be next in the White House, it is likely Islamophobic rhetoric inside the United States will be tamped down. However, as a conventional liberal interventionist, Clinton is also likely to commit U.S. troops to the Levant and even to Libya, where ISIS continues to grow. The recent history of American interventionism in the Middle East has proven that it has not lessened the tide of terrorism. If anything, two victims of recent American invasions -- Iraq and Afghanistan -- have remained cesspools of terrorism, mayhem and the resultant incendiary instability. No matter what happens, ISIS is likely to intensify its call -- "either you are with the crusade or you are with Islam." In the fight against ISIS and in the endeavor to eradicate Islamophobia, it is hoped that Western leaders remember the memorable words of the late Malcolm X: "The future belongs to those who prepare for it today." Earlier on WorldPost: Last week I spent 3 days doing nothing. Well, it wasn't exactly nothing. I spent 3 days asking myself, "what do I want to do now?" Sometimes my answer was, "nothing." And sometimes my answer was, "let's walk," or "let's eat." So who was I asking? I was asking the inner me. My intuition. My divine most inner voice. This voice is always there for you and for me, but the noise of the world tends to dampen the volume on a daily basis. You can get disconnected from this inner wise-woman over time unless you mindfully choose to: PAUSE --> ASK --> LISTEN --> TRUST --> ACT Being on retreat helps you to embody the divine feminine by inviting you to take these 5 steps. Stepping into the divine feminine way is all about slowing down and giving yourself breathing space. You don't need to be on a 3 day retreat to do this, but it does feel incredible to give yourself permission to truly step away from life. The amazing thing is that you can do this in an hour. I started taking solo-retreats 3 years ago and it has completely changed my relationship to my inner wise-woman. Advertisement But again, you can learn to do this in your day-to-day life by simply inviting a silence, a pause, a micro-retreat into your day. If you can be in nature, go for it. Here are 5 ideas to help you get started: 1 - Take a sacred bath with no music, no book, no podcast. Just you. 2 - Take a walk in nature and enjoy everything you see, hear, smell and notice. Again, no distractions. Just walk. 3 - Sit outside in your favorite nature spot (or if it's cold, sit at the window) and just notice what you see and how you feel. 4 - Lay on the grass and stare at the sky. Remember how fun it was to just look at the clouds? It's still pretty magical. Advertisement 5 - Commit to a Self-Care date each week by putting in on your calendar and defending that time fiercely. These are just some of the practices I teach in my Divine Self-Care Circle Mastermind. Are you will to make a sacred promise to YOU and begin to slow down enough to hear your inner voice? REPLY here and let me know that you are saying YES to YOU. A GIFT FOR YOU Here's a poem I wrote as I sat by the water on my own Self-Care retreat. The words just flowed out as I sat and listened. ENJOY: Sitting at the beach Cold water at my feet Yoga for the sun blessing the water offering it all to Divine. This is such a blessing Water is a blessing the sound, the feel, the cool, the grounding. the cleanse. This is sacred land This is sacred time This is sacred I AM sacred I am Divine I am the man down the way praying at the waters edge I am the seals that came to offer Divine presence I am the setting sun I am the sand I am the cool breeze I am the warmth of a million years of sunlight. Advertisement I am the rough shell I am the smooth stone I am the child laughing on the playground I am the man healing his body in sacred waters. I am the towel underneath me I am the mountains in the distance I am the gravity pulling me to the magnetic earth core I am the Divine light pouring into my crown I am the driftwood I am the bird I am mystic I am mother I am bird song I am daughter I am ancient I am newborn I am joy I am grief I am celebration I am silence I am loved I am guided I am pen and paper I am stickiness I am flow I am sky I am earth I am angel wings I am lava rock burning I am listening to it all I am distracted I am I am I AM I AM. And so are you. No, this is not a post about beer ... but about the risk of a missed opportunity. President Obama's visit to Havana in March shined a spotlight on Cuba--a country that, one's political views aside, is regarded warmly by people around the world. Over the last two years, a new foreign investment law has sparked the interest of many companies (especially European ones) and the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the United States has also made the possibility of trade and investment deals with U.S. companies seem closer. In this context, a number of corporate leaders are wondering how they should view the Cuban opportunity while avenues to move beyond the embargo are pursued in Washington. In a new article on bcgperspectives.com, we address the question of what the evolution of the Cuban economy means for multinationals. The country clearly has great economic potential and there were high hopes that the recently concluded VII Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba would take further steps to create a more hospitable environment in which private enterprise can make greater contributions to accelerated economic growth and job creation. Such steps--which the government officially refers to as aiming to "perfect" or "update" the Cuban economic model--could, for instance, be modeled on what the Cuban president in his main speech referred to as the processes of "reform" in China and "renewal" in Vietnam. But these market liberalization measures have not yet been adopted. They remain works in progress. Meanwhile, the Cuban economy is lacking a growth dynamo, and its slow "brewing" runs the risk of stagnating. Without stronger economic growth, the country will lack the resources needed to maintain the social achievements of recent decades. Advertisement Foreign investors have an important role to play in a number of industries (beer included) and in the sorely needed development of all kinds of infrastructure. In areas such as information and telecommunication services, their impact (especially in a competitive market environment) could be quick, positive and pervasive. But for the right kind of investor to be attracted--those who will contribute to adding value and jobs in Cuba--they will need more than tax holidays, incentives and special zones. They will need regulatory transparency, reliability in the implementation of policies and flexibility in the operating environment for businesses. The experience of many countries shows that sustainable economic success cannot be built on a combination of only foreign investors and state-owned enterprises. Cuba is fortunate to have a well-educated and creative population--fertile ground for entrepreneurship, provided that an appropriate legal framework is established to facilitate private enterprise. In addition, there is another untapped homegrown asset: a large population of professionally experienced Cubans living outside the country, many of whom might be keen to return home and contribute to its prosperity with their skills, savings and connections. Today, after 18 months of ferocious uphill organizing the Labor/Community Strategy Center reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles School Police Department. They agreed: To return all military grade weapons to the Department of Defense "Excess Military Equipment Program" AKA the 1033 Program that is arming police departments all over the U.S. In particular, they returned 1 tank (a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle), 3 grenade launchers ("37 mm less less-lethal launch platforms"), and 61 M-16 rifles. To withdraw completely from the 1033 Program. To provide a complete inventory to the Strategy Center and the public of every weapon they received under the program, when it was received, the serial numbers, and when and where it was returned. Advertisement To apologize for the policy that brought the weapons to Los Angeles in the first place. The Strategy Center is the first group in the U.S. that we know of to win such demands. The LAUSD and the LASPD are the first government agencies that we know of--a police force of 500 officers and staff-- to return all the weapons, withdraw from the program altogether, give a complete inventory of every weapon received and returned, and to issue a public apology to a civil rights organization and the Black and Latino students and communities whose lives were threatened by the program. The precedent can be explosive. We have shown that even if by one bullet alone--let alone a tank, 3 grenade launchers, and 61 M-16s--we can reduce the police arsenal of weapons just as they try to increase them and can win the ideological war against the growing police state. In our view, remembering Amilcar Cabral's "tell no lies and claim no easy victories" this is a major structural, symbolic, and ideological victory for the Civil Rights, Black Liberation, Chicano Liberation, and revolutionary movements in the U.S. Lessons from our No Tanks in L.A. and the U.S. Campaign That Can Help Organizers in Every Urban Center Let me tell you the story of how we won this grueling battle of ideas and arms and some lessons for organizers in the U.S. who understand that the battle against the police/warfare state is the cutting edge of transformative organizing. Advertisement Identifying our own government as a center of counter-insurgency against the Black Nation. In August, 2014 Strategy Center organizers Manuel Criollo, Ashley Franklin, and Julian Lamb went to Ferguson, Missouri in solidarity with the movement protesting the killing of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson--and the larger crime of the U.S. government against the Black community and the Black nation. When we saw the use of tanks, assault rifles we understood this was part of the war against Black people. At the time, we did not know about the Department of Defense 1033 Program but we and others soon found out. As CBS news reported, "For several nights this week, tanks, combat gear and assault rifles were seen in Ferguson, Missouri. It looked like a military operation. That's because police departments in the St. Louis area--like those across the country--are arming their officers with equipment once on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Much of it is free of charge or bought with federal grant money authorized by Congress. In the past year, the Department of Defense has given local law enforcement over 600 MRAPs, the armored vehicles designed to withstand roadside bombs. Texas alone has received 68, Florida 45. The Pentagon program has given police departments over $5 billion worth of surplus equipment since the program launched in 1991: helicopters, firearms, protective gear, night vision, even computers and camouflage clothing. The local police also get federal grant money to buy the military-style equipment. One recent study by The Center for Investigative Reporting found the federal government has doled out more than $34 billion to local police departments since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." We did our research and found out that in Los Angeles the Los Angeles Police Department LAPD had amassed over 1,600 M-16 assault rifles, a military truck, military cargo plane and helicopter while the LA Sheriff has over 1,000 M-16 assault rifles, 2 MRAP tanks, and 62 mine detectors, all through the DOD 1033 program. We chose to begin the campaign by focusing on the School police because that was where we were doing most of our organizing and the issue of tanks in the schools would generate, we hoped, the greatest outrage that we could then bring to bear on the LAPD and President Obama. Exposing the Double Cross by the LAUSD. At the time, the Strategy Center was involved in negotiations with the School Board challenging the school to prison pipeline. We had won the overturning of the Daytime Curfew Law through which the LAPD and LASPD had issued 38,000 tickets to Black and Latino students for "truancy." We had passed a School Climate Bill of Rights to end the offense of "willful defiance" that was code for disciplining Black boys in particular for any signs of life or rebellion. And while we were negotiating in good faith with the school board and police we found out that, behind our backs, they had contracted for the tank, the grenade launchers, and the M-16s. Advertisement Making clear demands. The Strategy Center operates on a theory of "counter-hegemonic demand development" that I developed in my book, The Seven Components of Transformative Organizing. I learned that theory from my work with CORE, SNCC, SDS, the Black Panthers and my reading of Mao, Lenin, and revolutionary history. The objective is to raise real demands on the system that go to the heart of its ideological, economic, and political power and challenge the system itself. Manuel Criollo, the Center's director of organizing, and I wrote a public letter to LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines with very clear demands. Immediately withdraw the District's participation in the Department of Defense 1033 program Call on President Obama to end the entire DOD 1033 Program Destroy or dismantle all military grade equipment obtained by the LASPD: specifically the documented 61 M-16 assault rifles Make a complete inventory of LASPD's military equipment and weaponry acquired throughout your enrollment in the 1033 Program Document all weaponry currently in LASPD's possession Write to other school boards calling on them to discontinue their participation in the 1033 Program Work with us to call on the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department (LASD) to immediately withdraw from the 1033 Program and to destroy their military weapons obtained through the DOD 1033 Program -- in that LAUSD students and our Black and Latino communities are subject to the jurisdictions of those departments as well. As you can see, this was both very specific in nature (almost all of which we eventually won) but also had the tenor of a revolutionary manifesto. (See www.fightforthesoulofthecities.com and Google for the full text of the letter). Building a base around the demands. The Strategy Center is very lucky to have Ashley Franklin as our lead organizer. Recruited from Scripps College with strong roots in Belize and the Black community she is a truly gifted group builder, propagandist, and agitator. Under her leadership, Elmo Gomez, Cindy Donis, Laura Aguilar, Monique Jones, Michael Davis and dozens of other politically conscious students from our Taking Action clubs, especially at Roosevelt High School in East L.A. and Augustus Hawkins High School in South L.A. carried out extensive classroom presentations, one-on-one studies, revolutionary art exhibitions, call- in campaigns to board members and direct confrontations with the board. The moral power of the students themselves was a big factor in turning the tide. These are the people on the frontlines. They decided that killing the 1033 Program in the Schools was a life and death issue for them. Advertisement Framing the Debate Historically. Ashley, Manuel, and I teach revolutionary history as a critical component of political consciousness and building long-distance runners. Manuel teaches a course on the colonial nature of U.S. education for Blacks, Indigenous people, and Latinos. Ashley teaches about slavery and the Black codes. We use my book, Katrina's Legacy, and the chapter on Black history, "History Can Guide US" in our political education work with students and faculty. In particular, we situate the counterinsurgency culture as a conscious effort by the white power structure to suppress the history and traditions of Black-led revolution in the U.S. And we say this directly to the people in power. In our letter to Superintendent Cortinez we wrote, "In our reading of history, the expansion and militarization of urban policing was a deliberate backlash against the militancy of a Black Movement--a very orchestrated and racist ideological campaign waged by the Nixon administration with the support of many Democrats to portray Black and Latino communities as violent and inherently criminal. The war on crime, war on drugs, and war on gangs --and now, the indefensible war on "thugs and criminals"--has been a racist subterfuge to lock up Black and Latino youth for jaywalking, marijuana and alcohol possession, "resisting arrest", "parole violation", disorderly conduct, and loitering. It is an ideological and military response to a people's right to protest and resist oppression and the virtual re-enactment of the Black Codes. It is shameful that the LAUSD would want any connection to these crimes against humanity and our communities. This has led to the most blatant character and actual assassination of Black youth in Los Angeles, Sanford, New York, Ferguson, Baltimore and every city in the country. We saw after the Sandy Hook shooting that the LAPD, with the support of Superintendent Deasy, authorized additional police patrols in and around elementary schools. For those who have a world view of advocating for police expansion they will consistently call for increased armed force used against unarmed communities, when in reality our communities need homes, jobs, mental health clinics, health care and a dramatic reduction in police. In the wake of the heartbreaking and devastating increase of police shooting of civilians throughout the country and growing scrutiny of the militarization of police, we have witnessed the weapons LAUSD has in their possession similarly being used against protestors in the city of Baltimore. The National Guard was deployed against a people overwhelmed with feelings of grief and anger." The students tell the school board they are aware of the racism of the system and its long traditions in the Black Codes and the war against the Black and Latino movements. The Board members, white liberal, Black, Latino do not like the accusations but the historical arguments give the students more confidence that this is not specific to their experience. They go beyond, "This is not good policy" to "You guys are trying to kill us." They confront the board with bullet proof vests and cardboard tanks and helicopters with the slogan, "Students are not bullet proof." Advertisement Bringing the War Home Ashley Franklin explains, "We won the battle of ideas with our own students. We explained that the U.S. is already at war with Black and Latino communities; the only question is do we want to fight back in the war. These weapons were there for a reason--what we call "counterinsurgency" against the next freedom fighters. The students understand and agree, through our Freedom Summer and other educational programs, that the Black and Latino communities are oppressed nations and peoples inside the United States, not just suffering "discrimination" but national oppression by U.S. imperialism. That explains why M16s used to kill civilians in Vietnam are used to kill civilians in Ferguson, Baltimore, and L.A." We confronted LAUSD President Steve Zimmer, "Your silence is consent. You say you did not know about them. Then you say you are "working on it" behind the scenes but in front of the scenes you do nothing but support educational and military racism." We disrupted LAUSD Meetings forcing them to go into closed session and to turn their backs on the students. We called it "educational and military racism." The students made bullet proof vests saying, "Students are not bullet proof" and kept asking the board, "Why do you want to kill us?" Challenging the Democratic Establishment. How is it possible that the U.S. is able to bring weapons of mass destruction into its cities with little or no opposition? Despite their efforts to demonize Trump, Cruz, and the Republicans it is the Democrats who are the main danger in every major city in the country. With the defeat of the revolutionary movements of the Two Decades of the Sixties the Democrats have built corrupt, gentrifying, corporatized white liberal, Black, and Latino political elites who are both servants and agents of corporate capital and imperialist urban development. It was Bill Clinton who led "Effective Death Penalty and Counter-terrorism Act" and "ending welfare as we know it." It was L.A. Democratic mayors Tom Bradley, Antonio Villaraigosa, and now Mayor Eric Garcetti who enthusiastically embraced the title of "corporate tool" as a badge of honor. And it is the Democrats who have created the "normalcy" of police surveillance and occupation in Black and Latino communities. Most churches, community organizations, and social service agencies are "on the take and in the make." They are part of the urban dictatorship of the political classes that suppress dissent and any challenge to Democratic officials from the local dog catcher to President Obama. Advertisement In this 18-month campaign we worked every way we could to build a broad coalition to challenge the police state. But most labor unions and community groups, even in Black and Latino communities, said they agreed with the problem but in actuality chose to sit it out. That is why it took 18 months--we built this movement virtually alone, not out of sectarianism or self-promotion but out of necessity. Finding people of good will on "the other side--raising the moral challenge to those in power. It would be the height of arrogance or delusion to believe we brought the school board or the Los Angeles School Police Department to their knees. Our movement was impressive but still relatively small by historical standards--but relatively large by the standards of this age of reaction. When we disrupted the school board meetings we did so with elected officials we knew by name and had negotiated with for years. They knew we were smart organizers and were just doing our job. They could have called the police on us--but they didn't. They chose to adjourn the meeting and go into "closed session" behind closed doors. And then we would meet with them and engage them directly one-on-one. Through conversations, arguments, phone calling campaigns, letters of record, demonstrations in the schools, the interventions of great teachers like Mark Gomez at Hawkins, inch by inch the system did move. There are some people "on the left" who think that protest in itself can win victories and that "street heat" is the key to victory. But in this campaign and in "the movement" in the U.S. we rarely have the power to defeat elected officials or to win by force alone. We did not have the power to take over the system let alone overthrow it. But, we had the power to confront people who believed they were not agents of state repression and as such, could appeal to them to confront the contradiction between their stated beliefs and their actions. In the end the school board and the LASPD did the right thing and we are very appreciative that they did. While we had many battles with Board President Zimmer he did move, in his own way at his own speed, to end the program. Advertisement Compare that to Mayor Eric Garcetti who lied to the Strategy Center, the Bus Riders Union, and the bus and rail riders. He voted to raise the bus fares after he had promised us he would not. He broke every promise he made at public hearings, backed every rail contractor in town, and didn't give a damn when 500 bus riders and community groups told him they could not afford one penny more let alone $25 a month for the transit pass. Or look at L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, once of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and now of the Friends of Capitalism caucus who does not even pretend to give a damn about low-income bus and rail riders but is part of the MTA plan to once again raise sales taxes to pay for more gentrification. Our organizing in the No Fare Increase--No Cars in LA Campaign was at least as creative and militant as the No Tanks in L.A. campaign. But there was not one elected or appointed official on the MTA board who would support our demands or our movement. They didn't care if MTA riders ate bread or cake, drove a car, rode a bus, or walked to work. In this story there are two more people who deserve real recognition for this victory--Board Member Monica Garcia and LASPD Chief Steven Zipperman. Monica Garcia, a member of the LAUSD board from East Los Angeles, has always been the strongest voice on the board to work with us to end the school to prison pipeline, to end punitive and racist educational policies, and to fight for "positive behavior support" as an alternative to excessive discipline, policing, suspensions, and expulsions. At a time just weeks ago when our allies from Dignity in Schools Campaign all over the country were coming to Los Angeles to support our demands we asked every board member to come out to support us, call for the full accounting of the weapons, and to issue an apology. I worked with Monica Garcia to encourage her to put forth the first public apology for the 1033 Program that was so essential to our campaign. We could not allow the LAUSD and LASPD to just return the weapons--we had to get an agreement that the policies were wrong and harmful to the Black and Latino communities. She wrote to the demonstrators, "To the Members of the Labor/Community Strategy Center and the Dignity in Schools Campaign...I regret that LAUSD's participation in the 1033 program may have caused a lapse in the trust LAUSD was building with many community partners including the Dignity in Schools Campaign. I apologize for any misunderstanding caused by this participation and the perception among some that LAUSD seeks to perpetuate division instead of creating communities that are safe, supportive and successful. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "we have a long way to go." Let us commit ourselves to continue to work towards 100% graduation by increasing support services for our scholars, increasing graduation, fully implementing the historic Student Climate Bill of Rights and ultimately eliminating the racial disparities that exists in suspensions, expulsions and academic achievement." "Regret" "Apologize" "perpetuate division" "racial disparities" In this political context this was the first board member to apologize and as I read it to 300 demonstrators this was the strongest public acknowledgment of the role of our campaign and the demands we had raised. And in the end, this civil rights victory against police abuse could not have happened without the support of LASPD Chief Steve Zipperman. Chief Zipperman is a unique, principled police chief who has a conscience, can be appealed to, works with instead of suppressing community groups, and accepts the contradiction of his role in society. Manuel Criollo and he have worked together for years and many LASPD officers have worked with us to oppose the "zero tolerance" rules they have been asked to enforce. Manuel and I met with Chief Zipperman for two hours several weeks ago. When the LAUSD announced that they had returned all the weapons to the DOD the press asked us to claim victory and put the campaign to an end. We refused. We explained that we had no verification that all the weapons were returned and would not accept the undocumented statements of the board. We asked for a full accounting of every weapon--serial number by serial number. And then we demanded an apology from the School board and the police force. Now in organizing, you do have to know when to declare victory and when to stop making demands you can't win after years of work. But the students were adamant that without verification and without an apology there were no guarantees the weapons were returned and no guarantees the policies would not be carried out again. Advertisement On May 18, Chief Zipperman kept every promise, word for word, that he made to us. He began his seven page letter by saying, "Our past and ongoing commitment to strengthening trust and partnerships with the Strategy Center and other community organizations remains paramount." This was followed by pages of every invoice, every weapon, every serial number, with a page of 61 M16s that start with serial number 1289118 and end 61 lines later with 1826156A along with the Fed Ex tracking numbers we requested. He ended his letter to us and the public with the following, "A final thought. The LASPD recognizes the sensitive historical aspect of associating "military-like" equipment and military presence within a civilian setting. We recognize that this sensitive historical component may not have been considered when originally procuring these type of logistics within a civilian or K-12 public school setting. LASPD regrets that not recognizing that aspect of your group's philosophical stance may have strained our relationship with the Labor-Strategy Center and various members of the school committee." In today's historical context and in his institutional context this is a principled and perhaps risky decision-- in which a police chief actually worried that he was straining his relationship with a militant civil rights and social justice organization as a rationale to agree to the issues we raised. Revolutions take place in unique and historically specific ways. We are very fortunate that the creative, impressive, and relentless organizing on our part had people on "the other side" who could be moved by our moral and political perspective. Advertisement So now the campaign--no we never stop--moves on to make demands on President Obama to issue an executive order to disband the DoD 1033 program altogether. He has already issued a very weak executive order modifying it; he has the power to end it once and for all. As the California Democratic Primary is on June 7 we will be calling on Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton to support this demand on the president now--as well as pledging to end it if they are elected. Thank You for teaching us what it means to Learn to Change the World Faculty graduation speech to the graduating class of the Harvard Graduate School of Education May 25, 2016 Good afternoon! How good it is to watch all of you ready to graduate tomorrow. I bring you greetings from my faculty colleagues and congratulations on your hard work during your studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It has been a joy to learn alongside you during your studies. In these remarks I want to share some reflections on what you have taught us about leading educational change to improve the world and to offer an invitation for reflection on what it means be part of the global education movement that has produced one of the most remarkable quiet revolutions in history. I will draw these reflections from only one of the many instances in which you have constructed part of the curriculum to support your own learning and ours as we have tried to live up to the aspiration reflected in the campaign's theme: Learn to change the world. Advertisement Several weeks ago I participated in the China Education Symposium which some of you organized. A student initiative which began only five years ago as a gathering on a Saturday of two dozen students, had grown into a three day event that filled Askwith Auditorium, bringing together students and faculty from multiple campuses in the United States and in China to discuss the significant educational transformations taking place in that country, home to 17 percent of the world's children. I was especially impressed by the presentations of the seven teams of high school students you had brought from China to Cambridge to present the projects they had created to address serious social challenges. Those of you who organized the Symposium had invited teachers in fifty high schools in China to partner with you in creating a Youth Leadership Challenge, an opportunity for their students to identify and address issues in social inclusion and sustainability. In thoughtful ways these teenagers were working to support children in rural areas whose parents migrate to the cities in search of work, to foster the use of renewable energies, to support the education of the poorest students. In these service projects these students were gaining and demonstrating important competencies for life, for work and for civic engagement: compassion, empathy, imagination, complex thinking, the capacity to understand social challenges, the skills to identify a point of entry to address them, and the courage, commitment and skills to implicate themselves and to collaborate across several dimensions of difference in constructing a solution. These are the competencies every student around the world should gain in school in the 21st century, the blend of academic skills and character, of self-knowledge and leadership, of complex thinking, communications, creativity and capacity to solve problems which are essential to participate in complex societies and to face the rapidly evolving challenges of our times. Those high school students had clearly benefited from the good work of their teachers who had created for them the opportunities to develop as whole human beings. They had also benefited from the initiative of those of you who reached out to their teachers, seven thousand miles away from Cambridge, and included them in the youth leadership challenge you had created. In taking this initiative you taught us two important lessons. The first, that to learn to change the world, as is our collective aspiration in this school, one must become a participant in trying to improve it. That learning and insight result from reflection on action and that we must actively engage in partnerships with teachers and education leaders who are working to prepare the young with the competencies that empower them to be contributors in addressing the challenges of their times in order to generate knowledge that is relevant to advancing that work. Advertisement The second lesson you taught us is that if we are to learn to improve the world, to repair it, we need to do this work IN the world, the full 197 million square miles of the earth's surface, and engaging with the full 7 billion humans who inhabit it. We may do our particular share of this work locally, with a particular group of students, in a particular community, but we must keep sight of the links between this local action and the global enterprise of which it is a part. There is so much to be gained from the comparative study of how it is that teachers and education institutions equip the young to face the future. Education is a global enterprise, one that brings humanity together in discerning how to pass on to the next generation what we consider valuable, and how to prepare them to create a world that is better than the one we are passing on to them. We can all benefit from learning across borders how best to do this work. After all, the children of the world are human, members of our species, descendants of the same African parents, before most of us became migrants and members of the many invented communities which define our sense of who we are: clan, tribe, religion, nationality, social class, or race. The scientific study of education, as is all science, is a cosmopolitan activity, one where people collaborate across national boundaries in advancing knowledge. The scientific study of the fundamental processes of learning and teaching should help us understand what is universal, and human, before we can know what is specific to particular contexts or groups. The great variation in global educational practice is a rich laboratory from which we can draw insight on how to educate all children. The practice and the advancement of education is also one that has benefited from global collaborations. The inclusion of the right of education in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948 created one of the most dramatic quiet revolutions in human experience. This quiet revolution transformed a world in which most children did not have the opportunity to set foot in a school before 1948, to one where most children today receive a basic education and in this way have a shared experience of attending institutions invented to socialize the young. This remarkable transformation was the result of actions big and small of educators like you who, over the last seven decades, did what they could to help educate all children well. Today, sixty million teachers around the world are the cornerstone of this global education movement to educate all children. Ninety percent of those students live in the developing world where most of this expansion took place since 1948. Whatever path you follow, and I hope many among you will choose to teach, work to strengthen the profession of teaching everywhere, to recognize teachers and support them, to honor their voice and work in partnership with them. The future of humanity depends on whether teaching becomes a profession aligned with the highest standards of practice and supported with the best resources available to us. Tomorrow, as you graduate, you will be joining the ranks of this global education movement, you will stand on the shoulder of those giants. I invite you to read the Sustainable Development Goals, the compact adopted by the United Nations last fall at the seventieth general assembly, which articulates a vision of what it would take to create a world with sustainable peace. A world without poverty or hunger, where all have health and education, a world where women and men have the same opportunities, where all have clean water and sanitation, where we use renewable energies, where there are good jobs for all and economic growth and prosperity created by industry and innovation, a world where we reduce inequalities and create sustainable cities and communities, where we consume responsibly and behave in ways that no longer change climate in ways harmful for life on this planet, a world where we honor and protect life under water and on land, a world of peace and justice for all. Studying these goals and why they matter, giving some thought to what it would take to achieve them, can give us a perspective akin to that gained when we view our planet in a picture taken from space. From the vantage point of some distance the beauty of our planet and the rich diversity of life it sustains become clear, how promising and abundant this little spot in the universe is, but also how vulnerable and fragile. This perspective also makes visible how we are all in this together, inexorably bound to each other by the flows of air, water, people, ideas and the butterfly effects caused by our actions, how we will either succeed or fail together, how the challenges we share are shared challenges, and how the children on this planet, all of them, are our children; and our shared future, in this fragile planet, is entirely contingent on whether we succeed or fail in educating all of our children well. Together we must work so every student is empowered with the competencies necessary to contribute to the achievement of those sustainable development goals. We must educate all students well with an education which is relevant to these challenges, and educate all to be global citizens who understand our shared responsibility to address these challenges together. If we are to succeed in this task we must all take responsibility to educate all children, not just the children in our communities. This means we all share responsibility to educate the 59 million children who today are not in school, to close the educational opportunity gaps facing girls, poor children, and children of marginalized groups around the world, including refugees, and we must take responsibility to ensure that all children who do attend school indeed learn what is necessary to be empowered global citizens. This work will be fundamentally about the steady effort and the daily actions of teachers and educators such as those who empowered the high school students who visited us from China a few weeks ago and of those of you who partnered with those teachers to create new forms of learning from action for their students. Just as making education a universal human right changed the experience of humanity in only seventy years, your work and leadership as part of the global education movement can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Advertisement A Woody Guthrie song says, "sometimes they rob you with a six-gun, sometimes with a fountain pen." That's a good description of the legislative coup that is going on right now against the elected government of President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil, where I visited last month to participate in a trade union seminar on racial equality. A majority of Brazil's 200 million people are of African descent. For decades, Afro-Brazilians have faced discrimination in one of the world's most unequal economies. But under the government of President Dilma and former President Lula da Silva, things began to change. Massive social investment, legal reforms and strong labor unions helped bring 40 million Brazilians out of poverty. Government ministries were established to protect the rights of women and Afro-Brazilians. Brazil's elites, who control the Congress, did everything they could to undermine popular power. Last month they began impeachment proceedings against Dilma, removing her from office for 180 days even though she is not charged with any crime. Advertisement The new Cabinet installed by the right is overwhelmingly rich, white and male. Already, it has eliminated the Ministry of Women, Racial Equality and Human Rights. Its economic program includes "flexibilizing" labor law by allowing employers to contract out any job, cut benefits and raise the retirement age for workers, sell off oil and other national industries to multinational companies, and strip Afro-Brazilian communities (quilombos) of traditional land rights. These policies threaten to worsen inequality and political exclusion, police violence and mass incarceration directed against Afro-Brazilians. Yet the United States appears to be supporting the coup. "What happened in Brazil complied perfectly with legal constitutional procedure and totally respected democratic norms," said the U.S. representative to the Organization of American States on May 18. The reactionary program of the coup supporters, and the language of division and hatred that has been directed against President Dilma and former President Lula, remind me of the invective hurled against President Obama by the organized right in the United States. The enemies of progress and opportunity, especially for people of African descent, are using the same playbook in both countries. President Obama should take a public stand against the elites who want to roll back Brazil's social progress and in support of the government democratically elected by the Brazilian people Advertisement On Friday I took off my fabulous shoes and placed them on the feet of a 24 year old young woman. I had a strong feeling they would look infinitely more amazing on her. They did and I suggested Sashauna keep them. As she eagerly strapped them on she noticed the label, "they are Jimmy Choos". "Cool." I told her. "I didn't know I had Choos. They are yours now." I slid my feet into her worn out Old Navy flip flops clumsily walking like I was wearing pedicure slippers. Sashauna, held her head high, thrust her shoulders back, hips forward and owned her womanly stride. In switching shoes, I was struck by the absurdity of feeling more connected to Sashauna. Could I really understand what it was like to be in her shoes by literally walking in her shoes? Advertisement Sashauna was removed from her mother's custody at age 6 when her three year old brother was murdered in front of her by the boy's namesake -- his own father. From that point Sashauna and her seven siblings were in and out of foster care. Her Mom, a product of the system herself, consistently found herself with abusive men and she struggled with addiction. When the mother was sober she would win her children back. Which meant those kids never had the chance to be adopted by a healthy family. Unfortunately, this yo-yo scenario is an all too typical tale. Sashauna was moved from one unsettling place to the next until she "aged out" at age 18, and has been fending for herself ever since. I met Sashauna about 18 months ago when a random act of kindness led me along a journey I had never anticipated. I met Sashauna not long after I founded a nonprofit, A Sense of Home (ASOH) that creates homes for aged out foster youth. The model is based on my original random act -- harnessing donated furniture, appliances & house hold items, volunteers-- in barn raising fashion -- to make the first ever permanent living space for an aged out youth feel like "home". Sashauna received the 7th home created and upon first encounter, not someone I thought I would ever be able to truly connect with. She hung her head low and mumbled as she studied the cracks in the pavement. She struggled to accept the donated furniture and appliances that we volunteers installed in her apartment to make it feel like a dignified dwelling and "home". It was the first time she hadn't been a guest in someone else's place. Her first chance to feel safe and secure and place her clothes in her very own dresser. Aging out foster youth are more likely than those in the general population to not finish high school, be unemployed, be dependent on public assistance, have addiction issues, find themselves in prison, homeless, or parents at an early age. With no means to furnish her space and roughness encircling the exterior, Sashauna's achievement of securing an apartment and beating the odds didn't feel particularly rewarding. The newly amassed community of loving volunteers were in her apartment to change that. But Sashauna struggled to accept the open hearts of strangers. Noticing a level of discomfort, we left a little earlier with a few finishing touches to be completed by Sashauna with just one volunteer, Maryam. Advertisement In the intimate space of Sashauna's apartment the two women struck up a friendship. And once all the volunteers left, Sashauna was able to revel in the beauty of what had taken place. Maryam was also transformed by the experience and became one of the most passionate ASOH volunteers. The recipients of ASOH are supposed to "pay it forward" and volunteer at the creation of a sense of home for another youth. But Sashauna struggled to find the time in between tending to her seven younger siblings. Two with their own children. She had become a mother to all of her siblings. Part of Sashauna's struggle to receive the kindness of strangers was that her entire life had been about giving to others. She had never been the recipient of anyone's focus. Sashauna finally found an opportunity to pay it forward and experienced the magic of becoming immersed in a community of giving. Sashauna learnt to trust, and was able to truly believe that there are good people in the world. Moreover she learnt that if she showed up and met such individuals half way, together they could create magic. She was able to observe that the many tiny acts of kindness performed by many amounted to service for the greater good and a celebration of our connection as one. Working as a community of love, serving as the village once did, yields more than a sense of home. For the recipient youth it affords self worth, pride, dignity, an affirmation that they matter and that they can be as successful as their new inspired environment . For all involved it educates, offering a deeper understanding of the those from differing places across the socio-economic,racial and ethnic spectrum. Sashauna learnt the invaluable lesson that individuals, like herself, can have a profound impact on our communities. She also learnt that when we pull together to form a community that gives outside of the our circle of comport to share the strength of our kindness we erase lines of division. Advertisement Springing from her many experiences paying it forward Sashauna was able to tap into and unleash her gratitude, style, drive, passion, impressive work ethic, wisdom, creativity, and sense of adventure. In displaying her many wonderful attributes through the paradigm of ASOH, Sashauna was able to earn an internship at Burberry, the ability to partake in a study abroad program last summer in Spain, a position working at the GO Campaign and now working alongside iconic designer, Meredith Baer. Sashauna just returned from a trip to Bali where friends of ASOH embraced her with their generous hospitality. Through all of these many, enriching experiences, Sashauna has learnt to mother herself. Yesterday as we created our 95th home, I returned to Sashauna her flip-flops. The Jimmy Choos are hers. But I learnt in my shoe exchange that the best way to walk in another's shoes is to to walk alongside of them. I am with Sashauna for life. I am excited to witness the expanding impact she will have on many. I am excited to see her step into and own her mantle as a role model. Not just for foster youth, but all young women. Each year, countless salmon must jump Books Falls in Alaska as they make the journey back to their place of birth to spawn a new generation. Photo Ami Vitale One day in 2014 a female eel set off from Nova Scotia on a long and hazardous journey to her spawning grounds. This was no ordinary eel. Scientists had released her with a tracker to learn more about her migration. After 45 days, the eel had travelled no less than 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) and reached the northern edge of the Sargasso Sea. There contact was lost, but it is assumed she spawned and released thousands of eggs. It was the first time such a migration had been tracked in detail. The experiment, conducted by the Ocean Tracking Network at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, showed that migrating fish like eels have complex lives, combining journeys through rivers, down coasts and across open seas. For the eel, the unity and integrity of these ecosystems is a matter of life and death, as it is for other migratory fish--from New England river herring and California steelhead to the Mekong catfish, salmon species in many parts of the world, and even tuna, which take long migratory routes across the world's oceans. All depend on regular migration and in turn, millions of people around the world rely on them as both a food source and income. In the Mekong River basin alone, migratory fish are an important source of food and income for tens of millions of people. Advertisement Yet populations of these and other migratory fish, especially those that migrate between river and ocean, have collapsed over the last century or are collapsing. Europe's population of eels has tumbled to just 1% of the numbers of a few decades ago. Some fish are on the Red List of threatened species. What has caused this precipitous decline in once abundant stocks of migratory fish? What can be done about it? The critical state of many fish migrations between rivers and oceans has a host of causes, mostly the unintended consequences of human activity. Unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices, bycatch at sea which scoops up unwanted fish in the search for more profitable or targeted species, and the construction of dams and levees which cut rivers off from their natural floodplains, all harm the ecosystems essential to fish migration. Dams in particular often block migratory fish from the stretches of rivers they need to thrive and reproduce. The proliferation of dams on the Amazon, Irrawaddy and Mekong, for example, threatens the remaining fish migrations on those rivers. Remedial measures such as fish bypasses and ladders can only partly compensate for the massive obstacle to swimming fish. Eels cannot negotiate fish ladders at all, although there are other types of fish passages they can use. Advertisement The migratory cycle is the rhythm of nature. It is intricate and sensitive, vulnerable to shocks from outside. If it is disrupted, fish stocks fall fast. The economic consequences can be serious, and poor people are often the hardest hit. The decline in fish stocks in the Mekong, one of the world's richest river fisheries, is threatening supplies of animal protein for millions who rely on it. Fisheries directly employ over 58 million people worldwide and are valuable for sport and recreation. Fishing is the most popular sport in most developed countries, with about 50 million participants in the United States alone. The still-grey sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) wait to pass through a fish-counting gate at the Pacific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography. Photo Ami Vitale Disrupting fish migrations can have serious consequences for nature as well, destabilizing entire ecosystems. If stocks of fish decline, the amount of food available to other species can fall. Overfishing of menhaden, a non-migratory fish on the east coast of North America, leaves less food for striped bass, an emblematic and important migratory fish prized by sport fishers. Fish such as salmon are a significant source of nitrogen in rivers, where after spawning at the end of their life cycle, their decaying carcasses fertilize river banks and forests. If we care about migratory fish, then we can easily plot a better course, and in some parts of the world, we already are. In the United States, for example, there is an expanding program of dam removal. Dismantling old and unneeded dams on the Taunton River in Massachusetts is allowing river herring to return in greater numbers to their ancient breeding grounds. These interventions are useful, but their impact is limited without addressing other disruptions as well across the migratory system - river, coast and ocean - as it affects a given fish species. We must also improve our knowledge of fish stocks, which remains poor. Of more than 10,000 fisheries, fewer than 440 are regularly and robustly measured. Without a sound understanding of the condition of fish stocks it is hard to put management rules in place. Advertisement Ecosystem restoration and protection are also key. Managing the ecosystem requires collaboration and agreement amongst many stakeholders. On the Penobscot River in Maine a group of state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, the hydroelectric company and the Penobscot Indian Nation put together a plan to remove hydroelectric dams and restore the river without reducing the amount of electricity generated. New technology can play its part. An app called eCatch reduces the bycatch of vulnerable species while allowing fishing operations to continue providing livelihoods to fishers. Financial innovation can support better protection as well. There is scope for green investment to fund schemes to protect ecosystems for migratory fish. Where income can be earned, for example though restoring and managing fisheries that are part of a migratory system, green investment in the form of green bonds, debt swaps and impact investment could be mobilized, perhaps alongside conventional finance. We have known for years that fish stocks are declining. Overfishing was one part of the problem, but not the only part. As we learn more about fish migrations, we begin to see the complexity of the underlying ecosystem. Conserving migratory fish and their ecosystems is a major challenge. But we have the tools to reverse the crisis engulfing many fish species, and benefit nature and people simultaneously. The eel might never give up all her secrets but she can still thrive. By Laura Woods, Contributor The music industry's biggest stars gathered at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday for the 2016 Billboard Music Awards. Everyone from power couple Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani to Kesha graced the stage for the annual event. Here's a look at the big winners of the night. Top Performers at the Billboard Music Awards 2016 The Billboard Music Awards were filled with incredible performances and inspiring wins. Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani shared an onstage duet, Madonna sang "Nothing Compares 2 U" in tribute to Prince and Kesha received a standing ovation amid her ongoing battle with Dr. Luke. Celine Dion gave an emotional performance, her first following the death of her husband, Rene Angelil. Britney Spears opened the awards show in a racy outfit and iconic headset. Advertisement Billboard Music Awards 2016 Top Winners Top Artist -- Adele Net Worth: $125 Million In addition to winning the award for Top Artist, Adele won Top Female Artist and Top Selling Song for her album "25" and song "Hello." Adele's net worth is $125 million. She reportedly has signed a $130 million record deal with Sony -- the largest contract ever for a British musician. Top Male Artist -- Justin Bieber Net Worth: $200 Million Justin Bieber is officially back, winning both Top Male Artist and Top Social Media Artist, thanks to his new album, "Purpose." His newest record sold more than a million copies within weeks of its release, reported CNBC. It includes hits like "Sorry," "Love Yourself" and "What Do You Mean?" Justin Bieber's net worth is $200 million and counting. His Purpose tour -- which he's in the midst of -- has already earned $40 million, according to Billboard. Top New Artist -- Fetty Wap Net Worth: $8 Million Top New Artist Fetty Wap's self-titled inaugural album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and has sold more than a million albums to date. Fetty Wap's net worth is $8 million. Advertisement Top Song Sales Artist -- The Weeknd Net Worth: $10 Million The Weeknd was the biggest winner at the Billboard Music Awards, garnering a total of eight honors, including Top Song Sales Artist, Top R&B Song, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Album and Top Streaming Song (Audio). His "Beauty Behind the Madness" album has sold more than three million copies, featuring hits like "The Hills" and "Can't Feel My Face." The Weeknd's net worth is $10 million. Billboard Achievement Award -- Rihanna Net Worth: $160 Million Rihanna was honored with the Billboard Chart Achievement Award, which was voted for by fans. Her latest album, "Anti," has sold more than two million copies and her single "Work" was certified triple platinum in April. Rihanna's net worth is $160 million. Best and Worst Dressed at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards All net worth figures are according to CelebrityNetWorth.com unless otherwise noted. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (front L) sits together with World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo, President of The World Bank Jim Yong Kim, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde, Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) (background L-R) during a meeting with leaders of economic and financial institutions, at the Chancellery in Berlin March 11, 2015. REUTERS/Stefanie Loos (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) Following the Berlin Wall's fall, the United States drove the creation of the World Trade Organization and its tribunal, the Appellate Body. The tribunal rose quickly to prominence for its clarification of WTO rules and its resolution of trade disputes. It became heralded for legitimizing the WTO rules-based system to a broader global community by showing deference to national public policy, including through integrating public international law regarding the environment, public health, and human and animal rights. But now the US is threatening to undermine its independence and effectiveness, raising consternation in Geneva and the international trade community. The initiative began when the Office of the United States Trade Representative publicly lambasted and refused to support the reappointment of US member of the Appellate Body Jennifer Hillman, supposedly for failing to defend US perspectives. Hillman was a former Commissioner of the US International Trade Commission, former General Counsel of the USTR, and now teaches at Georgetown. The USTR continued when it blocked consensus for the selection of James Gathii to the Appellate Body. Gathii, a chaired professor at Loyola University Law School in Chicago, would have been the first and only black, sub-Saharan African member of the Appellate Body during its twenty-year history. Advertisement Now, the USTR has taken its most extreme step to date by proclaiming that it will block the reappointment of the South Korean judge Seung Wha Chang. (Appellate Body members are elected for a four-year term, renewable once). The reason given is not because Mr. Chang demonstrated a lack of judicial competence or independence. On the contrary, Mr. Chang is a former national judge who has a doctorate from Harvard Law School and is the endowed Nomura Visiting Professor of International Financial Systems there. Rather, the USTR opposes judge Wha Chang because he participated in decisions against the United States. Now South Korea plans to retaliate by threatening to block the replacement candidate for another Appellate Body member. The Appellate Body would then be reduced to five from seven, catalyzing a legitimacy crisis. What incensed the USTR will sound, to most, unbelievably technical and mundane -- the Appellate Body's findings regarding the practice of "zeroing" in antidumping calculations, in which only low home-state prices (but not high ones) are set at zero. This averaging methodology biases the calculation so that dumping is found where there is none, or antidumping duties become higher than they otherwise would be. The Appellate Body found that it is not a "fair comparison;" the USTR charges the Appellate Body with overreaching. I agree with the Appellate Body interpretation, but even if I didn't, one sometimes wins and sometimes loses before a tribunal. The US, in fact, has brought far more cases than any other WTO member, and it has won far more than it has lost. The US actively uses the WTO dispute settlement system to enforce rules on others, but that will become implausible if the US destroys the system's credibility. Advertisement The USTR opposition to Mr. Chang's reappointment aims to compromise the tribunal's judicial independence. But that is central to the rule of law. The words "independent" and "independence" appear seven times in the Code of Conduct for WTO dispute settlement officials, and the Code's "Governing Principle" begins: "Each person covered by these Rules shall be independent and impartial." Other countries, including China, are taking note. USTR's hubris could be explained if this were Putin's Russia. Or perhaps Trump's America. But the Obama administration? Has this fallen outside the President's radar? It is a high-risk strategy for an administration that professes to be internationalist. The core reason for building a global trade regime is to create a third party institution that helps manage conflicts that could ultimately endanger international welfare, peace, and security. The WTO was successful in helping countries manage the Great Recession of 2008 by curtailing beggar-thy-neighbor, trade protectionist responses that could spiral out of control, as they did during the 1930s. It was the experience of the 1930s that led US leaders like Cordell Hull to call for the creation of a rules-based multilateral trade institution which came into being after WWII. The United States has a history of building and undermining international institutions. Following the horrors of WWI, an isolationist US Senate refused to ratify the Versailles Treaty, which drastically impaired the new Permanent Court of International Justice. Then, after the horrors of WWII, the Roosevelt administration spurred the creation of the United Nations and the International Court of Justice. Later, in the 1980s, the Reagan administration withdrew from recognizing the ICJ's administration when the ICJ decided against it in the Nicaragua case, undermining that body. Syrian refugees stuck between the Jordanian and Syrian borders waiting to cross into Jordan, walk at a camp, after a group of them crossed into Jordanian territory, near the town of Ruwaished, at the Hadalat area, east of the capital Amman, May 4, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed Can there be a better illustration of the threat to women and children in conflict than the current Syria crisis? In February, a missile attack on a hospital specialising in mothers, babies and young children narrowly missed killing women anaesthetised for surgery and babies in incubators. Recently, in Aleppo, patients and doctors weren't so fortunate when the city's main referral hospital for children was razed by a direct missile strike. The brutal event killed patients, medical staff and the only known paediatrician left in the area. Sadly, relentless assaults on the region may render even the last remaining health services temporary. Advertisement Women and children are often the main casualties of conflict and have been deliberately targeted by militant groups. They endure suffering from violence and intimidation long after conflict ends. Girls are being abused as sex slaves, beaten and raped, and trafficked across borders. Such brutality is not limited to Syria. Systematic violence against women and children is a tactic of war across the globe. Rape is used as a weapon to terrorize and control populations. Children are kidnapped, forced to become soldiers and increasingly used in suicide missions. According to the United Nations Children's Fund, around 300,000 girls and boys are being used in conflict in over 20 countries around the world. In South Sudan, 16,000 children have been recruited to fight since 2013. In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo at least 200,000 cases of sexual violence have been documented since 1996, during the country's many insurgencies. Young girls in fragile states are also acutely vulnerable to poverty. They face additional barriers to education and economic opportunity, and therefore a higher risk of child marriage. During conflict, parents are more likely to commit their daughters to marry to generate an income for the family, to buy protection and sometimes as a safeguard from the increased risk of sexual violence. UN Women says the rate of early marriage among Syrian refugee girls in Jordan is 51 per cent, compared to just 15 per cent for girls in Syria before the conflict started. Both our organizations work to mitigate the impact of conflict on women and children. Our projects include equipping men and boys as well as community leaders to become change agents in their communities and advocate to end violence. We also work to ensuring families have access to basic services and to economic opportunities, which can keep women and children out of harm's way, as can providing Women, Adolescent and Young Child Friendly Spaces in emergencies. Advertisement While these are vital responses to the symptoms of the conflict, what's still largely missing is the chance for women and children to have their voices heard, to participate in every stage of the peace process. This despite a UN resolution passed in 2000 that called for the adoption of a gender perspective to "consider the special needs of women and girls during conflict, repatriation and resettlement, rehabilitation, reintegration and post-conflict reconstruction." In 2016, isn't it about time that the world included women and children at every stage of the peace process? Only when they are guaranteed a safe space at the decision-making table and invited into real dialogue, will nations be able to end the horrifying escalation of civilian abuse. US Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters at an election rally in Irvine, California on May 22, 2016. / AFP / Mark Ralston (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) According to Real Clear Politics, Bernie Sanders defeats Donald Trump in an average of polls by 10.8 points: RCP Average 5/6 - 5/19 Sanders + 10.8 NBC News/Wall St. 5/15 - 5/19 - Sanders +15 CBS News/NY Times 5/13 - 5/17 - Sanders +13 FOX News 5/14 - 5/17 - Sanders +4 PPP (D) 5/6 - 5/9 - Sanders +11 Bernie Sanders, in an average of four national polls for the month of May, defeats Trump by 10.8 points. Vermont's Senator is victorious in every general election matchup. In contrast, Hillary Clinton according to Real Clear Politics now loses to Donald Trump by .2 points: RCP Average5/13 - 5/19 - Trump +0.2 ABC News/Wash Post5/16 - 5/19 - Trump +2 NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl 5/15 - 5/19 - Clinton +3 Rasmussen Reports 5/17 - 5/18 - Trump +5 FOX News 5/14 - 5/17 - Trump +3 CBS News/NY Times 5/13 - 5/17 - Clinton +6 Donald Trump, the man viewed to be the reincarnation of Hitler by some people, beats Hillary Clinton in three out of five national polls. The former Secretary of State is now losing to Donald Trump, in an average of polls, by .2 points. Advertisement Although a bit more optimistic, HuffPost Pollster shows Clinton only up by 1.6 points over Trump. On April 15, 2016 Hillary Clinton was up by around 10 points, and on June 24th of last year, Trump trailed Clinton by about 20 points. The big issue with Clinton is that she doesn't keep polling leads, and Election Day is over five months away. In contrast, HuffPost Pollster shows Bernie Sanders defeating Trump in a general election by 10.2 points. Do you want to see a Trump White House? If Democrats truly fear a Trump presidency, then superdelegates should make certain Bernie Sanders wins the contested Democratic convention. Bernie Sanders is obviously the best chance for a Democrat in the White House, primarily because he defeats Donald Trump, without the litany of scandals or question marks possessed by Clinton. First, the FBI investigation is nearing an end, and Clinton likely faces criminal indictments. I explain why the FBI will recommend indictments very soon in my latest YouTube segment. Every legal defense pertaining to Clinton's email setup rests upon the notion that her use of a private server was merely out of convenience; an innocent, yet improbably reality considering Hillary Clinton is known for secrecy. Her excuse, quoted in a CNN piece shortly after the story broke in 2015, makes little sense: "I opted for convenience to use my personal email account, which was allowed by the State Department, because I thought it would be easier to carry just one device for my work and for my personal emails instead of two," she said. "Looking back, it would have been better if I'd simply used a second email account and carried a second phone, but at the time, this didn't seem like an issue. ...The former secretary of state defended her process in choosing which emails to turn over to the State Department, telling reporters that she and her staff "err[ed] on the side of providing anything that could be possibly viewed as work-related." "I trust the American people to make their decisions about political and public matters and I feel like I've taken unprecedented steps for these emails to be in the public domain," Clinton said. "I went above and beyond what I was requested to do." Looking back at this excuse, after knowing that one person has been granted immunity, and Top Secret emails were stored on her server, points to the obvious reality that there must have been another motive. Again, every legal defense evaporates if Clinton had a motive other than convenience. If she intended to hide information from the government or the American public, Clinton faces criminal charges. Also, the FBI will soon interview Hillary Clinton, and CNN writes "One of the final and most anticipated steps in the probe is an interview of the former secretary of state." During this interview, the FBI will ask Hillary Clinton what motivated her to own a private server outside U.S. government networks. Will her answer one again be convenience? If Clinton speaks to the FBI in the manner she's communicated with the American people, there will certainly be legal consequences. Under the Espionage Act, "gross negligence" is enough to indict anyone who mishandles information regarding national security. The issue of gross negligence applies to a Fortune piece titled For 3 months Hillary Clinton's email access was unencrypted, vulnerable to spies: Advertisement Security firm Venafi has found that Clinton's email server may have been open to foreign intelligence snoops when traveling abroad... Venafi, a Salt Lake City computer security firm, has conducted an analysis of clintonemail.com and determined that "for the first three months of Secretary Clinton's term, access to the server was not encrypted or authenticated with a digital certificate." In other words: For three months, Clinton's server lay vulnerable to snooping, hacking, and spoofing. "Without a certificate you have no assurances that a website you're attached to or an email server you go to is the one you're actually going to," said Kevin Bocek, vice president of security strategy and threat intelligence at Venafi. "There could easily be a 'man in the middle' who could easily intercept communications because they're not being encrypted." "Longterm access is probably ultimately the worst consequence here," Bocek said, raising the possibility that hackers could have obtained Clinton's compromised credentials and used them to continue accessing her email archive even after a digital certificate was added in late March. The most likely threat though, Bocek added, is spying. "If the Department of State had been eavesdropped on while on diplomatic mission that could have jeopardized a whole variety of activities." There were thousands of classified emails, and a number of Top Secret files on Clinton's computer. For a certain time, as Fortune states, the computer was "open to spies." In addition, "long term access" is a consequences of the three months without security. Once again, "gross negligence" overshadows intent. Even if Clinton was naive enough to own a private server for convenience, this behavior was more than just careless. Using a server that also contained Top Secret data without encryption defines "gross negligence." If you've had enough of the emails, get ready for the upcoming media frenzy. Bernie Sanders defeats Trump by over ten points, while Clinton loses (or barely beats) the reality show star because Vermont's Senator can type an email without scandal. Bernie has the highest favorability ratings in 2016, in large part because he no problem disclosing the contents of a speech. If anything, he wants people to know his philosophy on Wall Street, and every other issue. In addition, while Bernie Sanders inspires millions, and is widely popular among independent voters, Clinton is constantly on the defensive. Advertisement Perpetual scandal, including the FBI's criminal investigation regrading Clinton's email server, is one of the biggest reasons the former Secretary of State is losing to Donald Trump in the polls. If anything, Clinton hasn't been vetted enough regarding the emails, because her supporters simply can't imagine indictments, and I explain this phenomenon in the following YouTube segment. If Democrats want to win, they'll nominate Bernie Sanders, especially since the FBI hasn't yet disclosed the findings if its investigation; not "security review." Clinton's terrible poll numbers against Trump, before the FBI recommends indictments or explains the ramifications of its investigation, will only suffer from the email issue. Finally, if Clinton beat Trump by 10.2 points, and Bernie Sanders lost to Trump in an average of polls, imagine what the Clinton campaign would be saying at this moment. During my latest MSNBC appearance, I explained that supredelgates exist to ensure the most electable candidate is nominated. If Clinton's poll numbers continue to sink, and if Bernie continues to defeat Trump in the polls, Democratic superdelegates have only one choice at the convention. It's obvious to anyone paying attention, and to people who aren't beholden to the Clinton name, that Bernie Sanders is the best Democratic candidate. Very soon, the FBI will confirm this sentiment, as I explain in this segment. ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Sunday (May 22) told supporters in California his campaign "is the campaign that will defeat Trump, and defeat him badly", as he continued to push forward toward the Democratic National Convention in July. "Today there was, I think today, a poll came out from the NBC in the Wall Street Journal. It said that Hillary Clinton was ahead of Donald Trump by three points. We were ahead by 15 points," Sanders said at the rally in Vista. He added, "And that is why our campaign is the campaign that will defeat Trump, and defeat him badly." Sanders has clashed with the Democratic establishment and said it favors his rival Hillary Clinton. While the Democratic primary now hits a two-week lull before the final set of major nominating contests scheduled for June 7, Sanders said the challenge now was securing as many delegates as possible. "If we can win big here, we're going to have the momentum taking us into the Democratic convention to win the nomination. And if we win the nomination, I assure you, Donald Trump will not become president," he told cheering supporters. Democratic voters in California head to the polls on June 7, where 475 delegates are at stake. On Sunday, Madonna and Stevie Wonder paid tribute to Prince at the Billboard Music Awards with a performance of "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "Purple Rain." Social media reacted strongly and negatively. BET even put out an ad for their own tribute at the upcoming eponymous awards with the tagline "Yeah, we saw that. Don't worry. We Got You." In terms of the performance itself, everyone seems to forget that Madonna and Prince were in fact close friends, as a recent Bustle article recaps. Author Sage Young talks about how as recently as last year the pair hung out at Prince's Paisley Park compound in Minneapolis. Guy Oseary, Madonna's manager, said that the two were considering a joint tour at one point in the 80s. Prince respected Madonna as an artist so much that he appeared on her Like A Prayer album, considered one of the best pop albums of the 80's, if not of all time. Were there other artists, particularly Black artists that could have done a tribute? Absolutely. The critiques of the fact that Madonna, a white lady, was chosen to pay musical respects to an artist who was so overtly pro-Black seems hypocritical. I think it's certainly important to have Black artists paying tribute to Prince on their own terms (particularly given, as some have pointed out, that Prince reportedly asked for Black women to be involved in any tribute to him while he was alive). But as his close friend, I imagine that Madonna only wanted to do him justice, and would loathe the idea that she was in any way disgracing his memory. Advertisement Say it wasn't Madonna. Say that the Billboard Music Awards team asked Justin Timberlake to perform, or Mick Jagger. Say it was anybody else. Would the same sort of vitriol be circulating about their performances, the same constant universal disapproval? Would there be calls for these artists, but in particular Jagger, to retire and go off to a nursing home? Would we be seeing the same Vine of that artist taking an embarrassing onstage fall making the rounds again and again? Hating Madonna is an American pastime -- it's nothing new, and it's certainly not going away any time soon. Both times that I've seen Madonna live, I've been among the youngest people in the audience. Inevitably, the people around me share stories of how hugely important she was in their lives. Men and women in their forties and fifties talk about growing up with her music, and seeing so many other artists falter in her immensely powerful shadow. Just like I see the influence of Michael Jackson in so many popular entertainers of today, so I see the markers of Madonna. The re-invented looks and provocative performances may not have been invented by her, but she certainly made them the focus of everyone's attention. And now that those practices have become ubiquitous, we've supposedly decided that we're done admiring Madonna. For how much everyone seems to hate Madonna and want her to go away, she's doing quite well with the American public. Her last tour, which had eighty-two shows on five continents, grossed a whopping $169 million. The MDNA Tour in 2012 grossed more than One Direction's Take Me Home Tour that same year. For a woman who is supposedly so irrelevant, she's selling out stadiums like it's nobody's business. Musically, she's not doing too poorly either. In 2012 she earned her thirty-eighth top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, extending her all-time record. Last year she earned her forty-sixth number one single on the Dance Club Songs chart, setting a record for most number ones on any chart ever. Rebel Heart, her latest studio effort, debuted at number two. Meghan Trainor, for comparison, saw her new album debut at number three this week and only has four top ten singles to her name. Advertisement But I get it. Music isn't everything. Plenty of musicians are talented, but it doesn't mean they're worth paying attention to. Madonna, for her part, defined much of the 1980s MTV generation with her unique looks and provocative live performances. Remember that time when she almost got arrested at a Canadian concert for simulating masturbation during a show? How about the time when she published a coffee table book called "Sex" wrapped in a condom? If you don't remember any of those moments, perhaps you've heard of the time where a friend died in her arms from an AIDS-related illness, inspiring "Why's It So Hard" on her 1992 Erotica album. If not, maybe you knew she was close friends with Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Maybe you're familiar with her charity work for AIDS advocacy and support organizations, or her MTV campaigns to encourage young people to vote. Certainly her sexual assault at knifepoint in a New York City back alley rings a few bells. To have spoken out so openly in support of the LGBT community during a time when such association was political and social suicide was unprecedented, and Madonna was there from the beginning. Not only that, but her legacy with social activism in general, particularly through music and visual media, is a defining one. Perhaps you've seen the music video for "Borderline", one of the first aired on MTV to show an interracial relationship. "Papa Don't Preach", a song encouraging female reproductive autonomy which received praise from people on both sides of the abortion debate, might be another touchstone. If not, then you've surely seen "Like A Prayer", which lost her a Pepsi deal because of her decision to include a Black actor in a Jesus-esque role. At 57, Madonna is basically expected to crawl into a corner and die. Her body, appearance, performance style, sexuality, clothing, voice, mannerisms, habits, and everything under the sun are the subject of constant public ridicule. As Amy Schumer so brilliantly pointed out in her sketch of the same name, Madonna has long outlived her "Last F**kable Day", and the public is ready for her to spend the rest of her life in ankle length skirts knitting sweaters and watching 60 Minutes. If you know anything about Madonna, that is not her style. And after a thirty year career of constant criticism, harassment, and vitriol, there is no way that she is going to go out with a whimper. Advertisement Besides, if you were her, what incentive would you have? Playing the Super Bowl to a then record-breaking audience decades after some of her supposed usurpers' careers have faded into oblivion isn't exactly a reason to give up and go home. Plus, if we're being honest, you were watching. You begrudgingly acknowledged that it "wasn't that bad", that it "wasn't a complete train wreck". You remembered that in your parents' attic is your dusty copy of True Blue. You had the cross necklaces. You used to vogue while singing into your hairbrush. And when Madonna goes out someday in a blaze of glory, you will sit alongside the rest of the world waxing poetic about her artistic brilliance and bemoaning the fact that no one appreciated her enough for what she was: an icon. Is she imperfect? Absolutely. Is she the greatest anything of all time? She herself would likely tell you she isn't. But is she the woman who has fascinated, captivated, and frustrated the world for the past thirty years? Without a doubt. US President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (R) take part in a joint press conference in Hanoi on May 23, 2016.US President Barack Obama praised 'strengthening ties' between the United States and Vietnam at the start of a landmark visit on May 23, as the former wartime foes deepen trade links and share concerns over Chinese actions in disputed seas. / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) As President Barack Obama's visit to Vietnam and the lifting of the arms embargo to that country represents his "pivot to Asia," his simultaneous killing of Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, the Taliban leader in Pakistan, and the U.S.-backed Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's announcement of an assault to free Fallujah in Iraq illustrate why the pivot has not been realized. The pivot is an attempt by the United States to contain China by supporting countries in East Asia against its rising power and also to augment U.S. military forces and bases in the region. Yet the pivot has never been fully completed because the United States has been bogged down needless nation-building wars in the greater Middle East for a decade and a half. Advertisement Obama, supposedly the anti-war president, has failed to recognize that Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria are unwinnable nation-building quagmires. The war in Afghanistan--of which the assassination of Taliban leader Mansour in Pakistan is a part--has surpassed the Vietnam War as the longest war in American history. Obama first surged U.S. force levels there and then halted a promised complete withdrawal to continue the fight indefinitely against the Taliban with 11.000 American troops. In Iraq, initially, Obama wisely carried out George W. Bush's timetable for complete American withdrawal and then decided to send U.S. forces back in to fight ISIS (5,000 troops and increasing), which is largely a threat to the Mideast and Europe. Obama has also sent a limited number of U.S. forces into Syria for the same purpose. While in Vietnam, perhaps Obama should reflect on options for the Mideast by examining U.S. policy toward the Vietnamese communist regime, which took over the entire country after the U.S. withdrawal in 1973. In 1995, President Bill Clinton astutely buried the hatchet and established diplomatic relations with that odious regime. The Vietnamese regime remains autocratic, having undertaken only a few economic and almost no political reforms, while still possessing an abysmal human rights record. Yet the United States needs not only to talk to authoritarian regimes but to get along with them. Such a policy doesn't mean the United States can't monitor their human rights records toward specific dissidents and complain about it through diplomatic channels. If the United States followed a similar policy in the imperfect countries of the greater Mideast, it would withdraw from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. As with Vietnam, none of these countries is strategic for U.S. security, especially in light of the fracking boom that has restored the United States as the largest oil producer in the world. Furthermore, the United States needs to realize and accept that the resurgent Taliban eventually will have some role in the Afghan government and might even control it. All the United States needs to do is to make it clear that if the Taliban again starts harboring anti-U.S. terrorists, U.S. air power (notice I didn't say ground forces) will return to wreak havoc on the country. However, the Taliban, keen on survival, should have learned a lesson from its earlier harboring of al Qaeda: it was ousted by U.S. military power. Advertisement In Iraq and Syria, the United States should again withdraw its forces, leaving regional and local actors to contain the threat from ISIS, which is limited in scope. If the United States continues to meddle there--which is why ISIS's precursor group, al Qaeda in Iraq, arose in the first place--ISIS may focus its limited resources on trying to launch much more challenging attacks against the faraway United States. The Europeans should also encourage the U.S. to leave Iraq and Syria, because they have been complaining about a flood of refugees washing up on their shores, yet don't seem to realize the connection between that and U.S. and European intervention there has further destabilized those countries. US democratic political donkey symbol. If Democrats agree on one thing, it is on the urgency of defeating Donald Trump this November. Now, as the primary season is nearing its end and Bernie Sanders's chances of winning a majority of pledged delegates are increasingly remote, the Sanders campaign has put forward a provocative argument: If Democrats truly wish to avoid a Trump presidency, they should nominate him rather than Hillary Clinton. There is an obvious philosophical problem: The candidate calling for a political revolution is now looking to unelected super delegates to overturn the will of the people, who have given Hillary Clinton a clear majority of both pledged delegates and the popular vote. Yet the question remains: Is Sanders correct that he is more likely than Hillary Clinton to keep Donald Trump out of the White House? At stake in this debate is not just the choice between Sanders and Clinton, but competing visions of the future of the Democratic Party. Advertisement The conventional wisdom among the commentariat -- often delivered with no small amount of condescension -- is that Sanders's claim is manifestly false: his admittedly better performance in the polls, they argue, would rapidly disintegrate in the face of the inevitable assault from the Republican attack machine. William Saletan expressed the prevailing view of the punditocracy in Slate, writing that "if you were designing the perfect target for Republicans ... you'd create Bernie Sanders," adding that the Republicans' "only hope is a fresh piece of meat, an alternative Democratic nominee who looks clean to liberals, but is loaded with unexploited vulnerabilities and is easy to caricature as a wild-eyed socialist." Other articles making essentially the same argument, though not always as colorfully, have appeared in Mother Jones, the Washington Post , Vox(twice), Bloomberg News, CBS/New York Times (both Paul Krugman and Charles Blow), New York, and Slate(Michelle Goldberg). This is a serious argument and the stakes are high, for a Trump presidency would mean right-wing appointments to the Supreme Court, a drastic decline in America's international standing, and worst of all, the corrosive legitimation of xenophobia and racism emanating from the nation's highest office. But like other arguments, it should be carefully scrutinized and not taken for granted. And, where possible, it should be subjected to relevant empirical evidence. That Sanders has not been the object of the kind of brutal negative attacks that have been leveled against Hillary Clinton for a quarter of a century is not in dispute. Nor is there any doubt that if Sanders were to somehow defy the odds and win the nomination, the Republican attack machine would be unleashed against him and the attacks would be ferocious. The broad contours of such attacks are easy to imagine: Sanders is a socialist, he is un-American, he has a fondness for repressive Communist regimes, and he is a "wild-eyed" radical with weird views who would tax and spend America -- and American families -- into bankruptcy. Advertisement The logical starting point for an assessment of the claim that Sanders's lead over Clinton in presidential polls would evaporate once he was subjected to the full force of the Republican attack machine is with the much-maligned polls themselves. Right now the poll averages reported by both Real Clear Politics and the Huffington Post show Sanders with an average 11 percent lead over Trump, and Clinton ahead of Trump by a much narrower margin of 3 percent. The four latest polls that compare Sanders and Clinton all show Sanders ahead with margins of 12, 13, 13, and 4 percent. Clinton, in contrast, is ahead by 3, 2, and 6 points in three of the four polls and behind Trump by 3 points in the latest of the four; together these four polls produce an average Sanders lead of 10.5 points and a Clinton lead of 2 points. Translated into statistical terms, then, the specific claim of Sanders skeptics is that the Republican attack machine, once unleashed, would eradicate Sanders' advantage of roughly 8 points over Clinton. The results of the most recent of the four polls, this one taken between May 14 and 17, show Clinton to be highly vulnerable. While she trails Trump among independents 46-38, Sanders is ahead 46-30; interestingly, Sanders does every bit as well as Clinton even among self-identified Democrats (Sanders 82-5, Clinton 83-6). Most surprisingly, Latinos, who are central to any Democratic strategy (and who were heavily over-sampled in the survey) are slightly more supportive of Sanders, 66-22 v. 62-23 for Clinton. Even more worrisome for Clinton's prospects are voters' views of her as a person: 71 percent say she would "say anything to get elected," 66 percent say she is not "honest and trustworthy," and 57 percent say she lacks "strong moral values." The latest CBS/New York Times poll shows her net favorability rating at -21 (31 v. 52), compared to a net plus for Sanders of 8 (41-33). As Henry Enten of Five Thirty Eighthas observed, Hillary Clinton's net favorability ratings are the lowest ever recorded, except for Donald Trump, who holds the current record. But these results, though worrisome for Clinton, do not address the question of how Sanders would fare in the aftermath of fierce Republican attacks. Sanders skeptics assume his support would crumble, but they also make a second, more hidden but equally crucial, assumption: that Hillary Clinton has been attacked for so long and so ferociously that she is immune to further impact. As William Saletan put it: "After three presidential elections, eight years in the White House, eight years in the Senate, and four as Secretary of State, she is one of the most thoroughly investigated people in American history ... [Republicans have] subpoenaed everything they can find on her, unloaded all their oppo, and she still wins." Advertisement Saletan and other Sanders skeptics are surely correct in believing that Sanders's poll ratings would drop in response to a sustained assault by the Republican attack machine. But it is crucial to understand that the charges leveled against him, some of them true and others fabricated, will all be viewed -- as is the case with Hillary Clinton -- through the lens of public perception of his character. Here Sanders is on firm ground: 68 percent of voters consider him "honest and trustworthy" and 70 percent say he has the "integrity to be president." In a year in which voters crave authenticity, Sanders's unwavering consistency, his record of taking principled but sometimes unpopular stands, and his exceptional financial probity are powerful assets. Nonetheless, Sanders's high ratings in character would not render him immune to ferocious Republican attacks. These attacks would almost certainly depress his poll numbers, but there are reasons to doubt the familiar narrative that Sanders would be decimated. Let us begin with the charge that he is a "socialist"; it is, after all, true, and Sanders has not hidden that he considers himself a democratic socialist. Three or four decades ago, this attack would surely have been fatal; the Cold War was still very much alive, and the Soviet Union was the international symbol of socialism. But the Cold War ended more than a quarter of a century ago, and now the word "socialism" often conjures up images of Denmark and Sweden -- hardly the stuff of nightmares. Broad swaths of the American electorate no doubt find the idea of a "socialist" president unacceptable, but it is doubtful whether many potential members of a Democratic coalition would vote for Trump in response to this line of attack. Sanders skeptics often point to the disastrous Dukakis campaign of 1988 and the notorious Willy Horton ads that helped sink it as an example of what the Republican attack machine can do to a liberal Democrat. But as Princeton historian Matt Karp has pointed out, this is a profoundly flawed analogy, for Dukakis was a stiff technocrat who, he wryly notes, "won the Democratic primary not by packing arenas with passionate supporters, but chiefly by having more impulse control than Gary Hart and being whiter than Jesse Jackson." In May 1988, only 52 percent of voters knew Dukakis well enough to have an opinion of him, making his early lead illusory; in contrast, by New Year's Day 2016, 85 percent of Americans had formed an opinion of Sanders. Today's political, demographic, and media context make it a vastly different world from 1988. Perhaps the most important difference is the rise of what political scientists call "negative partisanship" -- a sharp increase in partisanship and straight-ticket voting driven by hostility to the opposing party and reinforced by shared racial, cultural, and ideological identities. This growing polarization likely sets an upper limit on the efficacy of the Republican attack machine. Advertisement A revealing indicator of the declining effectiveness of the kind of attacks that worked so well in the past was the fate of Obama in the election of 2008. In February of that year, Clinton pollster and campaign strategist Mark Penn dismissed Obama's strong performance in early presidential polls, arguing that "Sen. Obama has never faced a credible Republican opponent or the Republican attack machine, so voters are taking a chance that his current poll numbers will hold up after the Republicans get going." Obama, after all, was an African-American with the middle name Hussein, and he had spent a good part of his childhood in a Muslim country. During the midst of the primary campaign, in what now seems a distant memory, a video suddenly appeared showing Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of Obama's church, shouting "God damn America!" The attacks that followed no doubt damaged Obama with Republicans, but failed to undermine his appeal to a majority of voters. Reviewing this history, Matt Karp asks a pointed question to those who believe Sanders could not survive Republican attacks: "Why does anybody believe that red-baiting will succeed where racist innuendo failed?" The rise of negative partisanship also gives Clinton a degree of insulation from Republican attacks, as does the public's long familiarity with many of the likely lines of attack. But it would be a serious mistake to assume that Clinton's favorability ratings could not drop even lower; according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, since the campaign began in May 2015, her favorable/unfavorable rating has dropped from 35-36 to 31-52, and her rating for being "honest and trustworthy" plunged from 48-45 to 32-64. To say the least, this is not reassuring. From what we have seen so far, the Trump campaign seems likely to pursue a minimum of four lines of attack on Clinton. Together, these have the potential to do significant damage: (1) "Crooked Hillary": This is the probably main line of attack. Though juvenile and outside the boundaries of normal campaign discourse, this rhetoric may nonetheless prove resonant, given the public's preexisting negative perceptions of Clinton. One possible straw in the wind is a 13-minute YouTube video entitled, "Hillary lying for 13 minutes straight," already seen by 7 million viewers. It is difficult to watch it without noting the frequent - and politically convenient - shifts in her views on various issues. Advertisement (2) She is the status quo candidate: As the wife of a two-term former president, the former senator from New York, the former Secretary of State, and a two-time presidential candidate, Clinton is the embodiment of the Establishment. Given widespread popular discontent, coupled with pervasive hostility towards politicians, this is a very bad year to be the living symbol of the status quo. (3) She favors "free trade" deals that destroy American jobs: Having once called the Transpacific-Partnership the "gold standard" of trade agreements, and having supported NAFTA, Clinton's recent conversion to trade skeptic is unlikely to be convincing and reinforces the perception that "she will say anything to get elected." Especially in the industrial swing states stretching from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, this could prove a major issue. (4) She is an interventionist who will drag America into unnecessary and costly wars: In addition to her vote for the Iraq war and her support for intervention in Libya as well as a greater military role in Syria, Clinton's generally hawkish reputation makes her vulnerable to this line of attack. With Americans tired of 15 years of military involvement in Afghanistan and the Middle East, this issue may be a good one for Trump. It is worth noting that none of these four lines of attack would have any hope of succeeding against Sanders, though he does have his own weaknesses. Yet even if it is true that Sanders would be the stronger candidate against Trump, and that Sanders skeptics have exaggerated his vulnerability to Republican attacks while seriously underestimating the damage that such attacks can still inflict on Hillary Clinton, it does not follow that the Democratic Party should - in defiance of the express will of the people - nominate Sanders. Assuming, as now seems almost certain, that he will fail to win a majority of pledged delegates, the violation of democratic principle that nominating Sanders would entail would be too grave. But what it does mean is that the Democratic Party, which is attaching its fortunes to a historically weak candidate in Hillary Clinton, should be responsive to the aspirations of the millions Sanders supporters not only on the party platform, but on critical issues of process. The Democratic Party should, in short, make it an urgent priority to itself become more democratic; a good place to start would be open the primaries to independents, to ease registration restrictions, and to eliminate, at long last, super-delegates - the ultimate symbol of a Democratic Party Establishment unwilling to relinquish control. But the ultimate issue beneath the debate about whether Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton would be more likely to defeat Donald Trump goes far beyond party platforms and party process, for it is at bottom a debate about the future of the Democratic Party. The question to be resolved is whether a candidate like Sanders - someone committed to single-payer and truly universal health care, to free tuition at public colleges, to a $15 minimum wage, to breaking up the big banks and curbing the power of Wall Street, to increasing rather than merely defending Social Security benefits, to taking drastic measures to address climate change, and above all to radically curtailing the power of money in politics - is electorally viable. Based on the historic primary season of 2016, the answer is a resounding yes. ____________ [1] The four latest polls, all of them taken between May 9 and May 17, were conducted by Fox, CBS/Times, Morning Consult and NBC/Survey Monkey. Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) is ablaze with anger and a sleeping giant has awoken. The Inter Religious Organization (IRO) voted 17 to 24 in favor of keeping an old colonial law allowing child marriage of girls as young as 12 years old. Almost immediately, social media erupted and the IRO were condemned. Petitions are picking up speed to end the practice. The YWCA and WOMANTRA have come out against it. Even several churches have joined the outcry. However, the IRO and their few supporters have dug their heels in, insisting that tradition be respected. This has only served to pour gasoline on the flames. The combustible material that made this possible was the tragic reality that Trinidad and Tobago, an island of just 1.3 million, has staggering child sexual abuse rates. There are several reports that the rates of HIV among teenage girls had increased. This April the T&T Guardian reported that a 12-year-old girl gave birth to a boy at the San Fernando General Hospital. This would be followed by this report from the Medical Chief of Staff at the Mt Hope Women's Hospital Dr Karen Sohan informing the public that 74 girls under the age of 16, gave birth at the hospital last year and then came the IRO with their rousing support of marrying off underage girls to the older teens and young men who impregnate them. Even now, in the midst of the furor, comes news of an older married man arrested, allegedly with a 9- and 14-year-old in his car, apparent victims of drugging and sexual assault. Advertisement A similar pattern exists all over the Caribbean. It is an epidemic! It does not know color, creed, religion or class. While some islands are doing PSAs to tackle the problem, others have had their head buried in the sand for a long time, focusing on slippery slope, unproven threats to children both boys and girls, from the openly gay neighbor down the street instead of the far more statistically likely, married, father, older brother, uncle or school teacher or other boyfriend, the man everybody knows as a "respectable man in the community". This distraction is something the religious community is also complicit in encouraging, instead of sharing actual evidence-based information on the real profile of child molesters and the real red flags because that does not suit their agenda. Advertisement For too long the society has allowed religious organizations to oppose comprehensive sex education which is often the first step in "predator-proofing" children by teaching them what their private parts are and who is allowed to touch them and what to do if any adult touches them in a bad way and let them know it is safe to tell on adults who do. This is not something that cannot be left up to the parents, many of whom are steeped in misinformation and are often complicit in allowing the abuse, due to financial dependency on the abuser, fear of stigma and horrible advice from certain religious organizations who often discourage reporting incidents to the police. For too long the society has engaged in victim blaming saying, "Oh dem young gyal too hot up wit demselves and feel dey big!" and "Dey look for dat! It good fuh dem!" The IRO has demonstrated that for all their talk of protecting children some religions will tolerate archaic laws that make pedophilia okay. That marrying one's statutory rapist somehow, makes it all better! It would be easy to say it is just old men of Hindu and Muslim background pushing this nonsense (and ignoring the women of their religious communities speaking out) but sadly there is also a lone female voice that supports the old law, Barbara Burke, head of the Spiritual Baptist Church. Her reasons for supporting marrying off girls as young as 12 were made very transparent when in an interview she expressed fears that if the law is struck down it sets a precedent that State Law trumps people's religious beliefs. She is worried that other things that some in the religious community are in support of might be similarly challenged. "This is what we are guarding against," she said. "The State always tends to be advantageous and you got to battle to overcome the State and this is a serious thing. We are going to make sure we are always on our guard. Except they have a crisis and they can't handle it they call in the churches but too many people in this country don't want to serve God and people who do, they want to put you in jail or burn you at the stake. ... I will give up my license if I have to marry Steve and Kirt and Hilda and Doris." What she fears hits at the heart of the matter and this is where I turn from journalist to activist. Some religious traditions are bad! Some religious beliefs are harmful! Some religious traditions trample on the well-being of others or tacitly condone negative attitudes in the society that put its most vulnerable at risk of exploitation and dehumanization. Civil laws cannot be informed by such beliefs. It is time for Governments to step up doing their job of protecting the human rights of all citizens by making laws based on evidence not blind allegiance to tradition. The age of consent in Trinidad and Tobago is eighteen (18) because we have recognized after years of evidence-based hindsight and the study of the generational effects of underage pregnancy and underage sexual relationships that a certain level of emotional and mental maturity is needed to be able to consent to sex and handle any repercussions that may come from it. Some say this IRO firestorm is an all too convenient distraction from the hotly contended SSA Bill, (many are concerned it gives T&T's Government the unlimited ability to spy on private phone conversations and e-mail correspondences), that the current Government is trying to pass. Whether this is true or not, is irrelevant. Regardless of how important other matters are regarding protecting Constitutional Right to Privacy, we still have a child-predatory society to deal with right now! We do not have the luxury to let an opportunity like this, that has united people of every race, gender, class, religion in solidarity, to slip away. There is a lot of work to be done within Government institutions to make Trinidad and Tobago a safer place for children. The Ministry of Health can no longer operate in a silo when underage girls show up pregnant at the hospital and it is not reported to the police, each and every single time! There has to be Comprehensive Sex Education in schools that tackle the real issues young people are facing, not the proven failure of Abstinence Only, which has wasted tax-payer money on in other countries, like the USA and several African nations grappling with HIV, and now the religious contractors are trying to push their failed product here in the Caribbean. We cannot risk that here, not with our problems. Trinidad and Tobago and the entire region needs proper intervention for children and young teens who are at risk for sexual exploitation due to poverty and poor parenting. Proper prosecution of predators of children and a Sex Offender's Registry are all needed. Floodwaters surrounding houses in Dhaka,Bangladesh Luca Alinovi, Executive Director, Global Resilience Partnership Johan Rockstrom, Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre The first United Nations World Humanitarian Summit takes place among the mosques and minarets of Istanbul today. While long overdue, it will fail to address recurring humanitarian crises. The truth is that the monolithic institutions charged with dealing with these crises -- and the thinking that governs these institutions -- are rapidly becoming obsolete as we enter a new, less predictable era. Advertisement Worldwide 125 million people need humanitarian aid. The causes are well known: conflicts and natural disasters. In 2014, violence and conflict displaced 15 million people -- approximately the population of the Netherlands. While natural disasters, of which 90% are weather related, forced 19 million people to abandon their homes -- just less than the population of Australia. In 2015, OECD nations spend $13.6 billion on humanitarian aid, a rise of 11% on 2014, and $131 billion on overseas development, a rise of 6.9%. Over the last 30 years, one-third of development spending -- $3.8 trillion (USD) -- went on recurrent crises. With war raging in Syria and ten million people in southern Africa requiring food aid this year, there is a clear tension between short-term humanitarian priorities, long-term development goals and limited financial resources. This tension led to Medecins Sans Frontieres abruptly and understandably withdrawing from the summit. The summit must go beyond Red Queen solutions where "We must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place", as Lewis Carroll wrote, not least because the ground beneath our feet is feeling increasingly unstable as a result of human impact on the planet. Very soon, even Red Queen solutions will no longer suffice. Why? Earth has entered the Anthropocene -- the age of humans. Our impact has now pushed the planet beyond its usual operating state that has provided a remarkable climatic stability for 11,700 years. Increasingly, shocks reverberate globally thanks to interconnectivity from communications, trade, financial systems and politics -- the Arab Spring and global financial crisis are two prominent examples. The people hit hardest, ironically, are those who have done the least to cause them -- the poorest. Advertisement The 21st century will be defined by three drivers: increasing complexity where societies and ecosystems become even more intertwined; global interconnectivity, from local to global scales; and, surprise. This means stability and assumptions of linear, incremental change are history. Shock and stress -- from droughts, to pandemics and violence -- are here to stay. Efficiency and optimisation is not enough, we must invest in diversity and flexibility. And, we must recognize that reactive humanitarian aid is insufficient, we now need an international strategy for proactive action to enable communities to avoid disaster and transform positively through crises. In short, we must build resilience. Resilience is often used rather narrowly to refer to how something -- a person, community, city or ecosystem - returns to its original state after being pushed by an external shock -- a virus, flood, civil war or fire, for example. This has led to a myopic focus on disaster preparedness as the catch-all resilient solution. The solution often involves separating human societies from nature to focus on social and technological strategies to resist change. This assumption worked relatively well in the past but in the Anthropocene it is wrongheaded. Resilience cannot just stop at 'bouncing back'. It must build capacity to avoid abrupt, irreversible change, adapt to change, and transform in situations of crisis -- both society and the ecosystem society lives within. We need social and ecological resilience. We need to actively see unpredictability and surprise as an opportunity -- not just a challenge. The Global Resilience Partnership (convened by the Rockefeller Foundation, USAID and Sida) is investing $150 million (USD), and leveraging billions more, to apply radical resilience thinking across four of the most vulnerable regions on Earth: the Horn of Africa, the Sahel and south and southeast Asia. The Stockholm Resilience Centre is providing an intellectual anchor point to ensure this investment delivers long-term resilience to chronic stresses and contributes to the transformation and development of these societies and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Advertisement This unique partnership is on a mission to redefine resilience for humanitarian and development aid -- as strategies for persistency, adaptation, and transformation -- and provide essential solutions. The Salesman is the story of Emad and Rana, a young couple living in Tehran, who are forced to move into a new apartment, when their building collapses. The first scene is powerful: people run out of the building as the walls crash down. Bear up with the next twenty minutes, which take a long time in establishing who the couple is (a couple of actors) and where they will next live. For suddenly something happens in Rana's bathroom, and from henceforth, the drama is riveting. So much so that, in an unusual move, the Cannes jury awarded Ashgar Farhadi's drama The Salesman with two awards this year: a prize for Best Screenplay and one for Best Male Performance to Shahab Hosseini, who plays the husband. Taraneh Alidoosti, who plays Rana What is strong about The Salesman is that, like in classic tragedy, there is a strong ethical conflict at the core of the story. A crime happens. And through the revelation of a bound foot (a nod to Oedipus), we find out who is responsible. Now will the husband take the traditional route of taking violent revenge, outside the law, or will he have compassion and forgive? Here, the director's background in theater comes to the fore. The moral debate is filmed with sharp precision, with each line delivered like a swipe of a paddle in a ping-pong match. The last twenty minutes are a tour-de-force heart-wrenching confrontation between the criminal imploring on his knees for forgiveness and the young angry husband: a scene so intense that my vote would have gone to the former for best actor. "He made me cry," said one journalist, touching her heart. Advertisement The movie leaves us with a powerful reflection: every action we make has a consequence. Choosing violence as a response--no matter how justified--can only lead to more violence, and regret. "The film is about premeditated violence that appears to be justified," the director stated. "Just like terrorists. The terrorist thinks he has a good reason to be violent." In the background of Farhadi's moral tale is the play Death of a Salesman. We intermittently watch the husband and wife play the characters of Willie Loman and his wife Linda. Here the film falters. There is no apparent thematic connection between Death of a Salesman and the story being told in The Salesman. The play is about the crushing oppression of the American Dream on the male ego; the film about what justice means in today's world. Farhadi argued with me: "No, for me they are connected. In the beginning of Arthur Miller's play there is a description of New York, which shows a change in the city: modernization. Willie has lost all his benchmarks. People fail to adapt to changes that happen too quickly. What is happening in Iran is very similarly. Iran is developing in a way similar to New York. There is a race forward, a thirst for modernity, and often it is irrational. And it does not match people's ability to adapt." Farhadi with interpreter He explained that for him, the husband is caught between traditional values and modern. He cares about "collective judgement, how his neighbors view him." This worry is what makes him become violent. I'm privileged. I grew up in a two-parent, white, middle class household. I'm a third generation college graduate. My parents are educated professionals and they were able to involve themselves in my education. They entered my name into the magnet school lottery more than once. I never got in, but in retrospect, I'm glad I never won that raffle. Not because Wake County's magnet schools aren't incredible (they are). And not because I don't believe in magnet schools. I believe that when magnet schools serve their intended purpose -- to encourage affluent parents to send their children to high performing schools located in poor areas and vice versa -- the programs are a brilliant way to increase school diversity. Of course there are some cases where magnet schools pervert the intended outcome, but I diverge... I'm glad I never got into the magnet schools because now I can share my experiences with people who might be nervous to send their children to schools with poor children. People who bought homes in areas with a socioeconomic buffer. People who worry that bus rides will be too long or think that the district will be unstable. Advertisement I attended my assigned school from kindergarten through twelfth grade in a district that bussed students to ensure no school exceeded 40 percentd free and reduced lunch. In other words, the school board mandated each school be socioeconomically representative of the larger district. Some of the schools I attended were closest to my home and some weren't. At each school, I received a high quality education. My teachers fanned the flames of my natural curiosity. In kindergarten, I was asked to show off my reading prowess on the morning news. In middle school, I competed as a "Mathlete." In high school, I aced every single math problem on the SAT. From kindergarten through twelfth grade I received a top-notch, enriching arts education complete with field trips and community partnerships. I never worried about my safety. I graduated among the top of my class. I got into every college I applied to and was offered several scholarships. I was more than well prepared for college, and continued to receive grants and scholarships once I was there. I exhibit my artwork and publish my writing. To top it all off, I have my dream job. Enough about me. To make a long story short, I think I turned out pretty good. Am I just an outlier? What does the research say? Basically, no. Studies show affluent students are not academically negatively impacted by attending diverse schools. In fact, many studies purport that affluent students actually benefit from diverse environments. Sherrilyn Ifill, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund president, wants to reframe the way we remember Brown vs. Board of Education. She explains, "We should remember that lawyers for the black students in Brown presented strong evidence of the damaging effects of segregation on white children, too." Ifill continues: Advertisement Studies show that white students develop better critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a diverse environment. Diverse learning environments also prepare white and non-white children to work in the diverse workplaces they will encounter as adults in 21st century America. Currently, U.S. employers reportedly spend up to $300 million a year on "diversity training" to help their unprepared employees learn the critical skills needed to succeed in diverse work environments. So while I don't believe that my education suffered as a result of attending school with low-income students, I know for certain that as a student in integrated schools, I learned lessons much more important than any content found on a test. And the benefits for low-income students are simply inarguable. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times investigative reporter, found that although there are dozens of programs designed to help low-income students succeed academically, integrating schools is the only thing that actually works. All perspectives contain bias. My bias is of a privileged student who thrived in diverse schools. I never knew anything different until I moved away from home. In fact, college was the first time that I realized that other students in North Carolina had very different educational experiences. College was the first time I heard perspectives like "where I'm from, we keep our poor people on the other side of the train tracks." And it wasn't until I started my first teaching job that I understood that my K-12 educational experience was a bright spot in a sea of segregated school districts. The students I taught were so isolated from other socioeconomic classes that many didn't even know they were poor or what opportunities simply were not available to them. That school district operated with neighborhood schools which are hugely popular with many families. As a teacher, neighborhood schools meant going to work each morning prepared for heartbreak. Instruction was interrupted many times a day in and out of the classroom by fights, fires, theft, chaos, bullying, lock downs, harassment, etc. Unacceptable acts of bullying and violence had to be ignored to handle even more pressing issues. Students were treated more like prisoners than people -- with the genuine intention of keeping them safe. Morale was low, teacher turnover was high, and student opportunities were almost nonexistent. Advertisement I was horrified. I hope that all districts can find a way to garner community support for diverse schools -- as that support ultimately determines the success of integration. And sure, even in diverse schools we still have a long way to go to reduce the achievement gap and make sure upper level classes are as diverse as the larger school. However, research shows that having diverse schools in the first place is the only way to get there. So please, join me in demanding that our local school boards promote diversity in our schools. Otherwise, your children and my students will miss out on significant, life-changing opportunities. Previously published at KatherineMeeks.org In the early days of growing your startup, the days are long and challenges are numerous. There are days of late nights at the office, wearing multiple hats of founder, chief salesperson, customer support and accountant and a wide range of tasks from brand marketing to sponsorship sales to budgeting. When you are just starting out and money is tight, you might be tempted to see your brand as too small and not ready to compete with the big leagues. However, getting your startup to where it needs to be requires you to think outside the box of your present circumstances and see your startup as you would like it to be. Advertisement You need to have faith in yourself and in your brand and in your product's potential to raise capital and eventually recurring revenue. In order to grow, you must represent your business as bigger than it is by showing the milestones you have been able to achieve, displaying at the fore front your potential business revenue and other small successes at your startup. Here are 5 ways to play bigger as a startup- 1. Communicate your vision effectively: Your success as a startup is intimately tied to your ability to grow and grow fast. Growth comes as a result of customers that buy your product/service and advocate your brand. Having a dedicated customer base is consistently communicating your vision to your customers and keeping them constantly engaged. Advertisement Selling your vision (whether to investors, employees, customers, etc.) requires your passion and belief in what you are doing. One way to communicate your vision to your customers is to make a product/service that they care about. This shows that you listen to them and you want to help them solve their problems. This communicates to your customers to trust your brand because you take their needs seriously. 2. Offer a distinct product: Another way to play bigger as a startup is to not do what others are doing. Find a way to stand out from the crowd of competitors and copy-cats. Offer a distinct product and/or service. Find a unique way of providing solutions to customers' needs. Do it better, faster. Never compete on price as that is a losing strategy. Instead compete in quality, efficiency and delivery of your product. Target a niche of target customers and differentiate your startup by offering tailored solutions to their needs. Advertisement Find something you do better as a startup and make it the focus of your customers' interactions. 3. Be Nimble: People often assume that startups are at a disadvantage because of their size and their lack of a large advertising budget. After all, big companies have huge resources for marketing and product development. But big companies are usually bugged down by bureaucracy. This makes it easier for you to be nimble. As a startup, you can play bigger by moving fast. The world is wired for smart small businesses that can pivot quickly and respond immediately to change. Act fast where others are slow. Respond to customers' emails and complaints quickly, deliver products fast and efficiently and make decisions faster. With online tools and resources, you can respond to issues quicker, innovate and be more productive at a fraction of the cost of big companies. Advertisement 4. Build a great team: Play bigger by hiring great people. Some startups try to cut costs by hiring mediocre people but that strategy ends up costing your business in the long run. Hire people who are passionate about your product, who know how to develop great relationships with your customers and provide a unique experience for your customers. People buy your products for personal and professional reasons and they all want to feel like their relationship with you is special. Your startup is only as special as the teams you have so make it a priority to hire great people. 5. Advertise For long term: One difference between big companies and startups is their long term plans. Big companies usually have deep pockets they use to get their road maps, business forecasts, strategies and targets, both short and long-term advertisements done. Startups don't usually have such leverage. That's why it's imperative to invest the somewhat limited resources on avenues that will bring in the ROI your business needs. Advertisement With gloomy statistics that 90% of startups fail within the first year, it is pertinent to make your products or services available to the target market through advertisement. You can do this in different ways. As a startup, advertising could be very expensive. You can get cheap business publicity by utilizing directory services like Yellow Pages, Google AdWords, and social media marketing. Other tips include paying attention to cash flow; make sure your startup has a viable business model and a clear way of making money. How do refugees and other forced migrants impact their host communities? Do they take local jobs? Are they reliant on aid? How do refugees around the world maintain livelihoods in the face of insecurity, instability and precarity? The #RefugeeEconomics project is a multi-site reporting project headed by Montreal-based journalist Flavie Halais that seeks to answer some of these difficult and yet tremendously important questions. The project is ambitious in its aims and connects with real people on the ground in East Africa to tell the stories of displaced people who are entrepreneurs in their own right and make measurable contributions to their new societies. The project investigates the impacts on the hosting countries, and the opportunities that can come out of forced migration and new forms of social integration. Data collection is well underway, with fieldwork conducted in Uganda in March. Much of the preliminary data confirms already known issues affecting a large number of forced migrants in the region. Security, health and discrimination continue to be identified as major barriers to the pursuit of economic coping strategies and other forms of self-reliance. Researchers have raised these issues for years, yet no practical improvements appear to be made. Advertisement In the face of these challenges, almost all refugees survive with no assistance from UN agencies, the government or NGOs. Refugee youth groups and other community-based organisations (CBOs) operate with no top-down support or funding from the international community. While there are many high-level discussions from refugee experts about how to best support CBOs, particularly in urban settings, this is also identified by the #RefugeeEconomics project as an area that requires further attention and support. The narratives emerging from these reporting visits provide an empowered view of refugees and forced migrants as capable, resilient entrepreneurs able to facilitate their own survival in spite of the hostile conditions they face. * Further research is in progress in Kenya. The #RefugeeEconomics project found through interviews that many refugees in Eastleigh, a suburb of Nairobi, Kenya, are so afraid of police harassment that they modify their schedules and avoid being out at night, so as to not be targeted. * This restricted movement impacts their ability to fully participate in the economy, limiting their trade and entrepreneurship to daylight hours. Nevertheless, refugees in the area persevere and stimulate economic activity in the area by day, working in malls and running their own businesses. * For many refugees, the situation in Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya) is rapidly deteriorating. A recently imposed curfew and reported harassment by the host community in neighbouring Turkana county endanger the hard-won economic and social independence of refugees. In response to this, refugees are mobilising groups within their community to patrol for self-defence purposes. In spite of this, the longest-standing and most established parts of the camp still contain thriving businesses, which the #RefugeeEconomics project finds local Kenyans come to for trade.* With the recent announcement that Dadaab and Kakuma will close, the economic coping strategies of these refugees are of crucial importance, perhaps now more than ever. In this announcement, Dr Karanja Kibicho states "as a country with limited resources, facing an existential terrorist threat, [Kenya] can no longer allow our people to bear the brunt of the International Community's weakening obligations to the refugees." Advertisement As the voices of individuals are all too often lost within the hype and hysteria of governments, media projects like #RefugeeEconomics that showcase the voices of resilient, displaced individuals contributing to their communities, deserve the utmost levels of support and encouragement. For project updates and further information please visit the #RefugeeEconomics website. [*] Source: interview with Flavie Halais of the #RefugeeEconomics Project. Photo: A World at School Martin Luther King was not a man who tolerated silence on important issues. A year before his death, he called for a breaking of the silence on the Vietnam War and a recognition of 'the fierce urgency of now.' His speech was biblical and revolutionary. It was a call to action for the times. The echoes of this sentiment can be heard on this historical day as well. King preached, 'These are revolutionary times. All over the globe men are revolting against old systems of exploitation and oppression and out of the wombs of a frail world new systems of justice and equality are being born. The shirtless and barefoot people of the land are rising up as never before...' This morning at 6:30 am in Istanbul, Former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon were joined by dozens of senior foreign ministry officials, private sector and civil society leaders from around the world to kick off the World Humanitarian Summit. Advertisement Why would all of these leaders meet before dawn in an already packed schedule? What could not wait? Education. Amidst the important conversations about the need to reform the humanitarian system is a growing understanding of the protective and life-saving impact of including education as part of the response in disasters and emergencies. This afternoon the new Education Cannot Wait fund will launch. Children and youth who are out-of-school without hope of returning are far more vulnerable to exploitation from traffickers and extremist groups and far more at risk of violence, abuse, child marriage and domestic slavery. Education changes this by changing both the calculations that families make when they are struggling to survive and the real and perceived opportunities of children and youth. Gordon Brown noted 'we know we are here today dealing with the problems faced by the most vulnerable and children in the world and we know what to do. And we must do it urgently.' 'We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today... said Dr. King, 'We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.' Advertisement When we speak of education in emergencies we speak of children torn from the arms of their mothers, families blown apart figuratively and literally. We speak of children born into trauma and youth growing up too fast in the midst of violence and devastation. For these children and youth we must be ambitious and we must not delay. As Dr. King said, 'In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late... Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity... We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: "Too late." Let us not be too late. Today the Education Cannot Wait fund will launch -- a milestone in the fight to realize the right to education for all children everywhere. Leaders will step up to commit resources towards addressing the $8.5 billion annual gap. At the high-level breakfast meeting this morning, the Global Business Coalition for Education announced it will mobilize $100 million over the next year from the private sector for the fund. Let us hope that other leaders step up as well in this fiercely urgent moment. The human mind is perhaps the most powerful weapon in the world; creating a thing and destroying it with a better version. Take money for instance, it started out as trade by barter, then cowries, coins, notes, safes buried in the ground, banks, cheques, credit cards and now people want to receive and transfer money in the blink of an eye, free of charge and with no hassle. Believe it or not, financial experts say the future of traditional banking is now being threatened by millennials developing start ups that merge financial services with technology. This industry is known as a shorter name of course - 'fintech'. The brilliance in Fintech is it has succeeded in occupying the lending gap between banks and small business owners who face a brick wall when trying to access bank loans due to the banks' bureaucracy. No wonder, the Fintech industry has been predicted as one of the most promising industries in recent times. Without the burden of expensive branches and traditional banking systems, Fintech start ups focus their resources on providing online lending and payment services to small businesses which are estimated at $2.5 trillion in the developing economies alone. Advertisement So what works for the Fintech industry? Security: The lending business is high risk so security is imperative, however, the industry is run by millennials who live and breathe technology. With the rise of bank frauds, credit card cloning and online scammers; the Fintech industry uses the highest standard of security technology like AU10TIX, which is able to authenticate documents such as digital photos or scans of ID's of customers in seconds with features that record a 10-second turn around speed and 100 percent automation; a first in the security technology market. According to Ron Atzmon, Managing Director, at AU10TIX, "Our solutions offer the the whole nine yards, the best turnaround speed, security, and overall experience for our clients. With AU10TIX's technology, an online FinTech retailer can authenticate a client's ID in just 10 seconds, saving valuable time and resources." With such integrated systems, customers require no additional input except submitting an ID document digitally, thereby challenging the traditional manual examination processes. This ease has no doubt helped to meet the needs of online retailers in the payment industry and the Fintech companies as a whole, as they rapidly take on more customers. Time: Sophisticated data analytics run background checks on customers and make credit decisions in seconds which is light years from the tedious traditional bank loan verification process. Also, because services are online, location is not a barrier and customers can access loans and make payments at any time wherever they are. With the Fintech model similar to "uberization", a recent Citigroup report predicts that in a decade, about 800,000 people will lose their manual processing-driven jobs; this covers between "60-70 percent of retail banking employees". According to the report, "If all the current manual processing can be replaced by automation, these jobs can disappear or evolve". Advertisement This is perhaps the key factor that has put Fintech companies firmly in the heart of their customers. Banks have repeatedly said they do not trust SMEs in turning down their loan requests after long verification processes; the Fintech industry has done a fine job in tending to the bruises of SMEs. It also offers them an anonymous payment system. Naturally, with trust comes the money. In 2014 alone, the industry saw a $12.2 billion investment from venture firms that are technology focused. In 2015, Citigroup data said $19 billion was invested into the sector. While it may seem like the Fintech industry is only on the rise, there are challenges facing the industry, the most being regulation. Governments are concerned about regulating the industry to prevent against money laundering and funding of terrorist activities. For example, following the Paris attacks, there is speculation that ISIS is using Fintech because of the anonymous payment method facility in the system. With multiple security, privacy, and technological hurdles to be met in the emerging regulatory framework, innovation will prove to be even more important. The rise of companies like AU10TIX is one of the clearest signs of how the industry is rising to meet this challenge. Critically, the speed at which AU10TIX operates is a necessary component of any solution in this arena. It's an example of how new solutions must be developed to meet the stringent requirements that governments are putting in place, and how the answer can only come from real innovation. Advertisement Financial experts say another rising challenge is the staying power and discipline of the Fintech industry given the amount of money in the financial service industry, especially as a new wave of investors keep lavishing billions of dollars in the industry. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." ~ Psalm 23:2-3 Spiritual retreat is time set apart to be in quiet, rest, and solitude with God. For generations, people have gone on spiritual retreats to encounter God and experience spiritual renewal. Retreats remove us from noise and distraction, and into a place of spiritual refreshing and renewing. It is a way of entering into the presence of God, and allowing him to nourish our soul. As we settle into the stillness, we notice the stirrings of our soul, our deeper longings, and God's quiet whisper to us. Advertisement You may want to take a spiritual retreat, but don't know how to do it. If the practice of spiritual retreat is new or foreign to you, I've created a simple guide for you. Whether your retreat is a half-day or multiple days, this guide will give you some helpful guidelines. Here is a practical, step-by-step guide to taking a spiritual retreat: 1. Create the time and find a place Consider the length of time you want to take, and figure out when it can fit into your schedule. It can be a day or multiple days. Make any necessary arrangements to protect this time from distractions and work. Find a quiet setting where you can spend time alone with God. Go to a retreat center or monastery that welcomes visitors. Or spend a day outdoors in nature. 2. Set your intention Consider what the purpose is for your retreat. What are you hoping to receive from the time? Perhaps you want to experience rest, or gain more clarity about something in your life. Maybe you are discerning your vocational calling or a major life decision, and want to dialogue about that with God. 3. Settle into God's presence Once you begin your retreat, spend time simply settling in. Do something that helps you quiet your body and soul, and ease into the present moment - take a leisurely walk, or sit in stillness while doing deep breathing exercises. Allow yourself to become aware of God's presence. When you sense his nearness, dialogue with him about your feelings and expectations of this time. Ask him what he wants for you to receive during this time. Listen. Respond to any stirrings you receive from the Spirit. Advertisement 4. Reflection Let your awareness turn to the last week or month. How have you experienced God's presence? What has been life-giving? What has been life-draining? Use the Life Reflection worksheet as a guide. As you reflect, notice any desires of your soul that emerge. 5. Connect with God Connect with God through practices that help you engage with him and rest in his presence. You might read Scripture, practice centering prayer, write a psalm, make a gratitude list, or go on a hike with God. Do some good self-care in the presence of God. Do anything that you desire that makes space for your soul to worship and listen. This Creating Space for God prayer guide might be useful. 6. Receive and return Ponder what you received from God during your retreat. What do you want to leave behind? What do you want to bring back with you? There is no right way to retreat. Receive what has been given to you, trusting that whatever happens is nourishing you in the way God intends. Have you ever taken a spiritual retreat? How have your experiences been for you? Please share in the comments. I come from a humble family. Living in the heart of Brooklyn, gentrification had brought down its colossal hand and made our home unaffordable. I remember my mother crying because we barely had enough money at the end of the month--because she didn't know how we would make it. The countless close calls. Even with our hardships, my family felt higher education was important for me to have a good life and be successful. But all I saw were two parents who had gone to college but weren't doing anything with their degrees. Their careers have nothing to do with what they studied. It seemed a waste to put that much effort into something you don't end up using. After 16 years of school, why would I want to go back to school for a career I didn't love? Attending college was doubtful. Reading stories about people making their own success without a college degree, I really started rethinking my journey. I became afraid of what going to college would mean for my life: was it worth going into mountains of debt? Application deadlines drew nearer, and I wasn't any closer to making a decision. Advertisement When I finally went to a college guidance counselor for information and support, I just didn't bother listening. She didn't know me, she didn't know my problems, she didn't understand my concerns. Luckily, she referred me to a program called College Summit, an organization dedicated to helping students get to college. I had no idea where this would take me, but it was unquestionably one of the best decisions I've ever made. "It begins with a four-day workshop that will change your life," College Summit said. "Four days, four years, for life." I accepted the invite, and was off to a College Summit workshop to become a "Peer Leader." I rode a bus for seven hours up to Daemen College, alongside students who were strangers to me. This would be my first time on a college campus, and I had no idea what to expect. Upon arriving, people in "College Summit" shirts ran toward us, screaming "WELCOME! YOU MADE IT!" Over the course of the next four days, I learned what they meant. I learned what college really meant--and what it could do for me. Advertisement More importantly, I felt like I deserved to go to college for the first time in my life. I sat in classrooms with students from different high schools, different backgrounds, and different struggles. And yet, we were all the same. We shared heartbreaking tales, times we were beaten down and made to feel unworthy. I realized that I wasn't alone, that there were kids out there just like me, and that we had the power to change how we approached college and beyond. I came home from the workshop with a newfound belief that I could be successful, and that I had the ability to help others come to the same realization. Now, two years later, I'm a video arts and technology major at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City. That workshop weekend, I realized that I wanted more, that I was driven to achieve more than I thought I could. I wanted my friends to feel that drive too. So many of them were frustrated and confused by the application process--or, like me, were disenchanted by the idea of college. To help, I organized FAFSA information sessions, ran personal statement workshops, and sat down with classmates one-on-one to help them get through their application. Getting my college acceptance letter in the mail is one of my proudest achievements. But knowing that I was able to get over 70 percent of my graduating class to apply AND get accepted into college is something I will be proud of for the rest of my life. They followed my lead - not because I had the title "College Summit Peer Leader," but because they knew I understood what they were going through. At my College Summit training I saw directly the power of a fellow classmate telling me what I'm capable of, that I could get financial aid, and that I was worth a higher education. Hearing a peer telling me this was worth much more than just another adult talking about how it was for them. Advertisement Asana, or physical yoga, was originally designed to make it more comfortable for monks to sit and meditate for long periods of time. The goal of yoga is to release stress from the body, so one can sit and think quietly. It is the ideal exercise for the seated office worker! In some schools of thought, the definition of yoga is union: union between the mind, breath, and body. Yoga is sitting and listening to yourself breathe. Yoga is stretching your arms in the air and taking a twist to feel better in your spine. We already do so many yoga poses naturally! When you do yoga poses, it physically releases stress from your mind and body. As an office yoga specialist, I spend almost every day teaching in offices. My goal is to teach energizing ways to be healthier, in mind, body, and spirit. Yoga is great for anyone who is getting back into an active lifestyle, or someone who just wants to get started. Many yoga classes are user friendly enough for beginners, too. There are so many poses that are great for people who work at an office. Below is one of my favorite easy poses you can do anywhere. Advertisement Diver's Pose The secret to this pose is getting to a point where you face your fear and actually might fall. Luckily, this pose is super safe -- if you stumble, you'll be fine -- your heels are only inches above the ground -- but the act of facing the physical emotion of fear through this yoga pose can really energize you. And this will translate to your work life, and your real life. Your mind must be clear in Diver's Pose, or you will fall. By balancing in a yoga pose, you are removing your mind completely from stressful thoughts and situations. When you do this, you can take a real break. Practices like meditation and yoga remove your mind from stressful situations completely, and are really refreshing. Try diver's pose, or any fear inducing yoga pose. They will help you conquer other fears. The gift of yoga is that once you accomplish a yoga pose, the impossible becomes possible, and you can recognize your own inner strength. And hopefully that inner strength can help you have a more productive day as you sit during the work day. For far too long, American popular opinion has relegated climate change to the ranks of pedagogical scientists, clearly siloed from our everyday lives. It is with this in mind that a number of environmental advocates kicked off a campaign this spring in support of President Obama's Clean Power Plan. The legality of the EPA's carbon rule to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Power Plan will be determined in the State of West Virginia vs. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)--the court case was originally scheduled to come before a three-person panel at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 2. As of last week, it has been delayed to September 27--but will come before a whole court. The campaign in favor of the Clean Power Plan is unique in that its rhetoric borrows from the gay rights movement: Joshua Dorner, a strategist at the Washington political communications firm SKDKnickerbocker who has experience working on same-sex marriage campaigns, told the New York Times, "On gay marriage, it was that everyone has a friend, a neighbor, a sibling who could be impacted." He feels we can now apply this same message to climate change in "showing how it directly impacts people's lives." Dorner and fellow advocates are correct in their assessments of climate change's impact and reach; their arguments are further strengthened by the immediacy of the problem at hand. After all, as President Obama declared in 2013 when introducing his Clean Power Plan, "those who are already feeling the effects of climate change don't have time to deny it--they're already dealing with it." Advertisement But what is missing in such rhetoric is that while everyone on the planet can be, or perhaps is being, directly impacted by climate change, certain populations--namely, racial minorities and the economically disadvantaged--are adversely affected. On the domestic level, regardless of climate change, we know that people of color--especially women and girls of color--face far more societal barriers than other Americans. Black family earnings and wages are far lower than that of white, Hispanic and Asian Americans; the black child poverty rate currently measures 38 percent. The unemployed and immigrant populations are routinely denied social services such as access to health care. Keeping all of this in mind, let's think about the social justice implications of climate change specifically for these underserved American populations. Natural Disasters: Katrina, Sandy, and Why Who Was Hit Mattered Increasing global surface temperatures are leading to the development of higher intensity storms, increased wind speeds, and rising sea levels. Thus, climate change can be held accountable for a number of natural disasters. We need look no further than Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy for evidence of just how differently such natural disasters affect different populations of people. Hurricane Katrina--the costliest and one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history--hit Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama in August of 2005. As of 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau had Mississippi ranked as the state with the highest poverty rate. Louisiana was the second worst, and Alabama the eighth. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities calculated that of the 5.8 million people who lived in the areas hit hardest by the storm, over one million of these people lived in poverty, and over one-third of them were black. Zooming in on New Orleans, 27.9 percent of the city's 485,000 person population was categorized as poor at the time of the storm. 328,000 of those people were comprised of blacks, and 34.9 percent of them were poor. Advertisement We know that the high percentage of poor blacks living in New Orleans at the time Katrina hit is no coincidence. Indeed, the demographic makeup of any American city is anything but natural, rather, it is more often than not a direct result of various Federal Housing Administration (FHA) racially restrictive policies. As recognized by Paul Jargowsky, "...We are witnessing a nationwide return of concentrated poverty that is racial in nature... These neighborhoods are not the value-free outcome of the impartial workings of the housing market. Rather, in large measure, they are the inevitable and predictable consequences of deliberate policy choices." Of this largely poor, black population hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina, many were not able to evacuate. While some were rescued despite inadequate government response, many were not; and over a decade later, New Orleans continues to rebuild. As Jane Daugherty asserts, "The poor and near-poor tend to be clustered in areas most vulnerable to flood waters. And once their homes and neighborhoods are damaged, these communities don't return 'to normal' with the same speed as nearby, more well-off areas do." Superstorm Sandy of 2012 did hit those well-off areas, and serves as an example of how privileged populations can respond to natural disasters (or use their voices to be helped). Sandy is second only to Katrina in natural disaster costliness to the U.S. However, the demographics of the people hit hardest by Sandy--residents of New Jersey and New York City--starkly contrast the victim makeup of Katrina. The median home value in Ocean County, NJ was 162 percent of the national average at the time of the storm; it was 244 percent in Monmouth County, NJ; and in New York County, homes were worth 387 percent of the national average. The majority of these ethnically diverse yet largely economically privileged people had the resources--and perhaps not altogether mutually exclusive government attention and support--to safely evacuate flood zones and rebuild after the storm. It is true that within New York City in particular there are gross disparities with regards to income and poverty levels. Over one-fifth of the city's population has consistently lived below the poverty line; the median income for this poorest fifth of the city was $8,844 annually at the time of Sandy. This is compared to the median income for the highest fifth, which was $223,205. Such vast inequality is critical to the narrative when discussing Sandy; wealthier inhabitants of Lower Manhattan had the ability to flee their apartments for hotels uptown whereas it was a very different story for residents of the Rockaways, Queens. Of course, the magnitude of the storm in these different areas plays a role in this comparison as well; but personal means and safety nets that vary drastically between neighborhoods based on the systematic relegation of poor people and people of color to certain areas was evident with Superstorm Sandy. Ultimately, New York City and its surrounding metropolitan area have enough resources--and therefore, loud voices--so that, consequently, Sandy's victims were generally helped during and after the storm in a timely fashion. Advertisement Flint's Water Crisis Let us turn to Flint, Michigan, the city that has been brought to the forefront of American news coverage since 2015 due to their current water crisis. Though the pollution of the city's drinking water--caused by a water supply mandate put forth by the state's government--cannot be qualified as a direct effect of climate change, we should eye such water issues as interrelated given that realities such as drought are direct byproducts of climate change and are sure to continue exacerbating the water problems we already have. In Flint--a city that has been in declared state of financial emergency since 2011--people of color (mostly blacks) make up approximately 60 percent of the population. 40 percent of these people live in poverty, and the median household income in 2014 was a mere $24,679. The blue-collar town fueled by the auto industry is also characteristic to racial and economic segregation solidified by decades of housing and zoning policies. Indeed, as Jessica Trounstine writes for the Washington Post, "If Flint had been mostly white and mostly well off, it is possible that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and governor would have listened more attentively [to the warning signs of the water crisis]. But what's even more likely is that the deep financial woes that led to this series of disastrous choices would never have taken place." It was thanks to the medical team of Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician at Flint's Hurley Medical Center, that the harmful effects of the drinking water were realized: Hanna-Attisha was testing toddlers with rashes and hair loss for lead levels, which she found to be doubling and tripling. As we know, lead poisoning has long-term health consequences. With poverty rates and unemployment rates as low as they are in Flint, this paints a grim picture for everyone who has been affected by the water crisis being able to receive the ongoing medical attention they need. Advertisement Air Pollution and Access to Health Care Indeed, the disparities Americans face with regards to access to health care will increasingly rear their ugly heads in the wake of climate change. As I've written before, the burning of fossil fuels for energy is not only steadily depleting the Earth's ozone layer--it is simultaneously polluting the air we breathe. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution has been the cause of death for at least 3.7 million people worldwide under the age of sixty just in the year 2012. WHO qualifies most of the world's cities as having unsafe--and deteriorating--air quality levels. Los Angeles, the American city with the highest rate of pollution, has less than one-eighth the amount of concentrated fine particulate matter (PM2.5)--the world's primary air pollutant--in its air as Delhi, the world's most polluted city. It's worth noting that Los Angeles still has twice the amount of PM2.5 WHO considers to be safe. The health problems posed by climate change yield particularly alarming implications for countries like the United States that lack universal health care. Once again, marginalized populations are hit the hardest. Given that American health care coverage is still primarily granted by way of employer, the reality is that blacks followed by Hispanics are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to medical access. Unemployment rates for black women and men have been consistently higher than that of any other race in the U.S., followed by Hispanics. The total unemployment rate for black Americans sixteen years and older 10.5 percent in 2014 and 8.8 percent in 2015; Hispanics were next highest at rates of 6.5 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively. The same reality holds true for undocumented immigrants to the U.S.: Even Obamacare does not grant coverage to this population. Swirling Bluetail Unicornfishes at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Photo Jeff Yonover If you were to sit down to dinner with four friends and all order seafood, it is more than likely that at least one of you would be eating a stolen fish. That fish doesn't taste so good anymore, does it? The scale and reach of illegal fishing is huge, costing in excess of US$23.5 billion per year to the global economy in lost revenue. The poorest are hit hardest; robbed of food for their families and the opportunity to earn a living. The Government of Indonesia estimates the cost to their nation alone at over US$3 billion per year. But it's not just about the money. As the Associated Press Pulitzer prize winning reporting has revealed, many that work in illegal fisheries are in great peril, and are often subject to beating, torture, kidnapping and even murder. Advertisement However - there is good news on the horizon in the fight to contain what is often referred to as Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated or IUU fishing. The UN Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) has been ratified by more than the 25 countries needed and will enter into force on 5 June 2016 becoming the world's first ever binding international accord specifically targeting IUU fishing. This is an important milestone in the fight to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This treaty is a mighty weapon in the arsenal for nations to fight illegal fishing, stopping IUU fishers moving their catch from ship to shelf and from illegal fish making its way onto your plate. Foreign-flagged IUU fishing vessels, as well as transport and support vessels, will now have a harder time offloading their illegal bounty in countries that have ratified the agreement. There will now be increased inspection in ports - and the possible refusal of port entry or access to port services including the landing, trans-shipment, processing and packaging of seafood. Despite the good news, we as civil society organisations urge governments not to get complacent. The treaty will only truly be effective if key fisheries countries which have some of the highest landings such as Russia, Japan, China and Malaysia also sign up. Advertisement Effective implementation is also fundamental. Countries must work cooperatively to close the net by helping developing countries to fully implement the agreement and to complement those efforts by adopting domestic laws to crack down on illegal fishers. At the same time, the major market states for fish: the US, Europe, China and Japan must align their import rules to close their markets to illicit catches. The harm caused by IUU fishing to fish stocks and fishers around the world can indeed be lessened with concerted action, cooperation and leadership. The EU IUU fishing Regulation, is a promising measure, which issues a yellow warning card to nations that have taken insufficient action to address IUU fishing, and bans imports (a red card) if the nation fails to address these shortcomings. Fishing countries are also starting to take a tough stance on IUU fishing. Indonesia has scuttled 174 fishing boats caught operating illegally in its waters. The US government has outlined a comprehensive set of measures in its IUU and Seafood Fraud Report, which TNC contributed to, and will strengthen enforcement, partnerships with state and local governments, industry, and control entry into the US. Greater transparency in the supply chain will allow us to trace fish from ship to port to shelf, helping enforcement officials to catch, prosecute and sanction and ultimately deter IUU fishers - and protect those fishers operating legally. Big Data can help to identify patterns of suspicious fishing activity using enormous data sets derived from Automated Identification Systems (AIS) -- automated tracking used on ships and vessel traffic services used for identifying and locating vessels. Both Pew and Oceana's Big Data efforts are promising as they seek to aggregate and visualize AIS data to aid in monitoring and surveillance of IUU but this is only one piece of the puzzle.The Nature Conservancy is working with partners on technology to track and monitor small scale fishing vessels that fall through the cracks of these bigger systems. We are also working with fishers around the world to improve fishing practices, with seafood processors and distributors to strengthen use of data and supply chain management, and with governments to strengthen laws and policies - over their local fisheries, and to regulate import of illegal or fraudulent seafood. Advertisement Technology used to ID fish at source will help too. TNC is developing its FishFace technology which will use affordable image recognition software to identify species from photos, much faster and more accurate sorting of fish will be possible at the processing plant, or even as it is landed on the boat. The ultimate goal is to turn it into a smart phone app that could be used on fishing boats around the globe. Now that the PSMA is ratified, it's time to move on all fronts. More countries need to join the effort, supermarkets need to verify where their fish comes from and insist on traceability from bait to plate. TNC is looking forward to working with countries to take the next important steps to tackle this challenging issue both on the ground and collectively at the Our Ocean conference in September. NOTE: *The following States and regional economic integration organization are Parties to the Agreement: Australia, Barbados, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, European Union - Member Organization, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Iceland, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palau, Republic of Korea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Tonga, United States of America, Uruguay, and Vanuatu. LISTEN HERE: By Mark Green Stuart Stevens and Ron Reagan -- who know something about Republican nomination contests -- see Trump is a stress test for our democracy, They discuss how he rose and what lessons the GOP will learn after November. Also: like other primary losers who elevate grievances over beliefs, will Sanders choose to hurt Hillary or Donald? How the hell did Trump win the GOP Nomination? Yes, the media's $2 billion in-kind gift to the blond bloviator helped boost him. But Stevens and Reagan emphasize other culprits. "It's like The Guns of August," says Romney media guru and novelist Stevens, "There was alot of stupidity and cowardice that fed together but mostly it was opponents who foolishly let him win. They thought that if Romney could win a nomination, how hard could it be? But it's very hard and they never went after Trump." Why not? Referring to The Emperor's New Clothes, the Host cites their fear of getting hurt by Trump's tweets and expectation that one of the other guys would take him on and down. Didn't happen. Ron deplores how the media "treated him as a normal candidate when he wasn't", instead providing him saturation without analysis. He also blamed a party "kept ignorant by right-wing talk radio and Fox about a Kenyan president, ISIS coming across the border, climate change as a hoax", a party of nativists and racists that Trump know how to play. Advertisement What can the media do now? Since it's very hard to interview a river of lies and assertions, both hope for more "ridicule." Stuart: "Trump knows nothing and what he thinks he knows is wrong. So interviewers should ask 'how many amendments are there in the Bill of Rights and what years did Lincoln serve as president?" Ron argues that the media should have learned its lesson and now always ask why he's not disclosing his tax returns as all candidates have done going back to Nixon. But how to pressure him to do so? Stuart thinks that should be a criterion that the Debate Commission uses before permitting someone in the Fall debates while the Host suggests that Clinton or surrogates should now just assert what's logical: "Since every recent nominee has released tax returns, we have to assume that either he's a philanthropic cheapstake, exploits loopholes to pay a low or zero tax rate, or is worth a fraction of his self-touted $10b. Since only he can provide the answers and doesn't, it's fair to assume he's a tax fraud until he shows otherwise." Host: There are two models of how to cross-examine Trump. When Chris Matthews in a MSNBC town hall asked him a rapid-fire series of questions ending with "would you punish the woman" if abortion is murder, Trump stumbled and said "yes." And when Trump called into "This Week", George Stephanopoulos inserted this quick question in a conversation about his tax disclosure, "what 's your tax rate?", provoking Trump's testosterone to blurt out, "That's none of your business." (So the private sex life of a candidate's spouse is fair game but not a nominee's tax rate?) Chance Trump can actually be president? Reagan says 10% while Stevens ns pegs it at 25%, "which assured a friend of mine until I asked him whether he'd fly a plane with a pilot who crashed a quarter of the time." Advertisement Should Trump lose by the expected 5-10 points that today's fundamentals indicate, what will the GOP learn? Stevens lauds the RNC and Priebus for conducting a painful but thoughtful "autopsy" after its 2012 loss which concluded that the party had to reach out more to growing minorities, "both for political and moral reasons." But we then agree this was unlikely given a base that cheers when Mexicans and Muslims are villainized and the Trump/Cruz folks -- who totalled 80% of the vote in recent primaries and now comprise most delegates and party regulars -- keep trying to out-wing each other notwithstanding the likely 6th popular vote loss in the last 7 presidential contests. Or as preachers say, "it's the congregation that writes the sermon." What does Bernie want? This week saw his supporters shout-down Senator Boxer in Las Vegas, leading her colleague Diane Feinstein to fear another "'68 convention." Indeed, new polling does show a tightening of the General Election contest because 28% of inflamed Sanders voters now say they'd boycott Hillary in November. When Clinton mathematically clinches the nomination by the June 7 California primary, what will Sanders do? Will he work with the party & Clinton to defeat the loathed Trump or keep belittling the nominee citing something -- Superdelegates unfair! Closed primaries unfair! Wasserman-Schultz mean!? (Actually, Clinton won 10 of 14 "open primaries" with 58% of the vote.) The panel assumes a reconciliation since, in Stevens view, "Trump is the Democrats great unifer." Stevens suggests that Clinton choose Sanders as her VP to keep his liberal millennials in the tent. Or perhaps Warren. We then have spirited debate about whether Clinton, who's doing especially poorly among white working class men, would choose another woman...even one as appealing as the popular populist, Elizabeth Warren. Stuart thinks that'd be smart but "Hillary probably won't because she's risk-averse." Host: Forgive the Ferrer-Ramirez-Sharpton reference from 2001 but it does seem like a comparable situation. Unless a nominee can unify his/her party, any primary loser can find a pretext to seek revenge by defeating the person who defeated him. And make the margin of difference. Advertisement In acclaimed author Rufi Thorpe's second novel, Lucas--a hapless father blindsided by his 17-year old daughter Vera's diagnosis of bipolar disorder--decides to travel with her to Vilnius, Lithuania. There he hopes to connect with Vera and help assuage the pain of her diagnosis by introducing her to the hometown of his mysterious grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who both escaped a concentration camp and went on to fight in the Home Army. Alternating between Lucas's narration and Vera's emails home to her boyfriend Fang, Dear Fang, With Love braids together the stories of the father and daughter with the rich history of a singular city changed forever by war. A deeply-detailed, beautiful, often hilarious novel, Dear Fang, With Love unflinchingly examines mental illness, the Holocaust, the power of family myths, and the relationships between generations. A captivating, compulsively readable and utterly original book. Advertisement I had an email exchange with Rufi Thorpe about the novel. Before I read Dear Fang, With Love I'd heard very little about Vilnius, Lithuania. The way you write about the city and its history was enchanting. How did you come upon Vilnius as a location for Dear Fang? After I finished my MFA, I had not yet published anything and I was in a miserable cycle of waiting tables and feverishly submitting short stories that were inevitably rejected. It was like being in love with someone who didn't love me back. I would relentlessly google increasingly unlikely opportunities late at night until I was numb enough to sleep. And then, one day, I won an honorable mention in a contest run by Summer Literary Seminars, which meant I could attend one of their workshops. I was thrilled. I decided to attend the Lithuania session for no reason other than that it was the one that fit best into my schedule. I knew nothing about Lithuania. Often times, the most significant things in my life have arrived incognito, wrapped in a cloak of the random and unlikely. Going to Vilnius, Lithuania turned out to be a turning point for me artistically. At the time, I was writing the first draft of what became "The Girls from Corona del Mar." It was also a turning point for me personally. So I suppose it was natural that I would want to write about a city that had such a profound effect on me. The city itself is magical. The old town is very walkable and filled with baroque churches that look like wedding cakes, the streets are narrow and cobbled, the people are polite and reserved. But it was the history of the city that really bewitched me: the ethnic and religious diversity, the pagan tree-worship, the wars and seemingly endless regime changes, the repression and persecution and violence. So much has happened in Vilnius, and yet the current population does not necessarily have a long memory. Vilnius lost about 90% of its prewar population. So it is literally a different city than it was at the beginning of the twentieth century. Advertisement I don't know, that idea fascinates me. There is something about forgotten pasts that gets to me. That is central to what I am always trying to address. In Dear Fang, Lucas' grandmother Sylvia barely survived life in a concentration camp during WWII. She and her sister were in the gas chamber waiting to die, and an officer pulled Sylvia out, raped her and then set her free. Her sister was not so lucky. And every year Sylvia celebrated her "rape birthday" with a birthday cake. Lucas would always remember "the blue flowers of lard frosting she would lick off the knife." What did this rape birthday mean to you? What did you want to get across in writing about it? Well, on the one hand, I stole it. The bones of it were a story told to me by a dear friend and mentor who had a family member who had experienced that. So there was a kind of radiant authenticity to me, right away--this eccentricity of the cake, of the combination of freedom and sexual violence. But I suppose it was also because my mother was sexually abused as a child and one of my very close friends was violently raped. I watched them struggle over years, decades, with it, and what I saw in their journeys seemed so far from how sexual violence and rape were generally talked about. The world saw rape as scandalous, almost licentious, but to me it seemed very threadbare and common. I saw that the world was very interested in monitoring and editing the narratives of victims of sexual violence, and it was most interested in making them stop talking altogether, either by the ever present suggestion that their testimonies were perfidious, or through shame. Even a woman who was "really" raped was trying to "get attention" if she talked about it. So there was something so elegantly subversive to me about this woman who insists on her rape birthday cake, who makes her family celebrate her survival and the price she paid to obtain it. Advertisement In Dear Fang, seventeen-year old Vera has recently been diagnosed with Bipolar 1, the more severe form of bipolar disorder. Just as she is coming of age as a woman, she's facing this terrible diagnosis of lifelong mental illness. Why did you want to write about a woman on the edge of that particular precipice? I was always convinced I was going to be diagnosed with a mental illness. It was one of my greatest fears. Women are often told they are irrational and there is a lot of gas lighting that goes on even on a broad cultural level. I was an emotional and sensitive teenager and it was difficult to separate out my femaleness from my emotional instability from my creative ability. Please don't misunderstand me--I'm not comparing a serious mental illness to PMS. But I am saying that an authority figure turning and telling me my thoughts and feelings and perceptions of reality weren't real was a daily fear that didn't seem out of place in the context of my lived experience. Dear Fang alternates between Vera's emails to her boyfriend Fang and the first-person narration of her father Lucas. How did you settle on these narrative forms? Originally the entire book was written from Lucas's point of view, but once I started experimenting with Vera's voice, she just sort of exploded. She is one of those characters who writes herself. But I also really like repressed narratives--points of view buried and then discovered, parallax, the way the same story can look very different from various perspectives. In McSweeney's you have a regular column called "Listicles For People Exactly Like You"--a funny concept in this time where list articles abound in popular media. How did you get the idea for the listicle column and what has the response been? I was just thinking about listicles and about how we click on them. I have a friend on Facebook who relentlessly posts these kinds of things: "10 Things all Extroverts Who Are Really Introverts Want You To Know." And it became clear to me that she was searching for something in these, searching to see herself adequately described, but wanting too to be the same as some group of people. And I thought: wouldn't it be funny to write listicles that were so radically specific that they applied to no one at all? So I tried writing them and I thought I could make them funny and then I got very lucky that McSweeney's wanted to run them as a column. But the funny part is that the response has generally been: OMG, this list is ME. People keep tagging each other, saying, "How did this woman know you have a cat named Muffin?" There was even a subReddit of mystified men who all felt a certain listicle may have been written about them. As unique and specific and gloriously bizarre as we all are, the internet teacheth us: there is always another weirdo out there just like you. Your McSweeney's bio is very much about how you write while simultaneously raising two small children. What is that process like for you? Well, right now I am answering these questions while my ten-month-old sleeps and my three-year-old watches Animaniacs on Netflix while eating a banana in bed and asking me every ten minutes if I am done yet. Everyone always expresses amazement: "I don't know how you do it!" they say. And my answer is: "I'm not--I'm not doing it. Please, somebody save me, I'm fucking drowning and I haven't taken a shower in five days." And they go, "You're so funny!" And I say, "No, all my wildest dreams have come true and it's AWFUL." And they say, "Oh, YOU." PEORIA -- As I left the 2016 Illinois Republican Party convention Saturday, I couldn't decide if I had just witnessed the death knell of the once mighty state GOP or the earliest spark of its resurrection. After weeks of turmoil over the prospect of Donald Trump becoming the leader of its ticket in November, the party fully embraced its presumptive candidate for president. "Hillary for Prison" was a common refrain around the Peoria Civic Center, where 978 delegates and many other party faithful gathered for a big show of unity eight weeks ahead of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Even Gov. Bruce Rauner, who previously had said he would neither endorse Trump nor attend the Republican National Convention at which Trump is all but assured of the nomination, managed to imply his support without stating the candidate's name. Advertisement "What we can't do is let Hillary Clinton get in the White House. No way Hillary Clinton is getting elected," Rauner said to huge applause after urging party unity "up and down the ticket." Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider, conceding that Trump had not been his favored choice in the March 15 Illinois primary, noted that "the people have spoken" and now it was time to get behind Trump. As Trump took the country by storm in victory after victory in state Republican primaries, he showed that this is an election in which conventional wisdom would not apply. If it did, Trump would have been out of the race long before primary season got under way. If this convention-defying trend continues, Saturday's mass bear-hug for the billionaire candidate might one day be remembered as the moment at which the Illinois Republican Party began its resurrection. Conventional wisdom has presumed ever since March 16 that Trump atop the ballot in blue state Illinois would be a disaster for Republicans in contests down the ballot. Advertisement Conventional wisdom holds that Illinois Democrats generally turn out in greater numbers in presidential years, and they'll be even more motivated to get to the polls Nov. 8 both to vote for Hillary Clinton and to guard against any chance of Trump ending up in the White House. That conventional theory was forged in the weeks immediately after the Illinois primary, when the shock of Trump's victory in a state known for moderate Republicans like Sen. Mark Kirk still was fresh. Back then, the national Stop Trump movement was formidable, as Republicans -- what we now call "establishment Republicans" -- recoiled at the idea of the blustering Trump being their presidential nominee. A scant seven weeks later, the Indiana primary results made it clear that Trump was rolling and would not be stopped. "We've got a gentleman at the top of the ticket who's brought enormous numbers of people out in the primaries," Schneider said after Saturday's event. Now those who feared Trump's potential negative effect atop the ticket say they relish his presence. Rather than dispirited Republicans staying home on Election Day, they see an energized base eager to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House showing up in record numbers. That, of course, would be good also for the many Illinois House and Illinois Senate Republican candidates trying to end the Democrats' super-majority control of the Illinois Legislature. Advertisement The numbers do not favor this theory. In the March 15 Illinois presidential primary contests, there were a total of 2.06 million Democratic ballots cast to slightly less than 1.45 million GOP ballots. That's roughly a 60-40 split with Democrats on top. Those numbers are low because primary turnout always is lower than that of general elections. But general election turnout in the last two presidential elections heavily favors Democrats as well. In 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain 3.4 million to 2 million (62 to 37 percent). In 2012, Obama defeated Mitt Romney 3 million to 2.1 million (58 percent to 41 percent). It's going to take a massive wave of energized new voters eager to support Donald Trump and the rest of the GOP ticket for the Republicans' ideal scenario to play out. That will require a major drive to get more likely Republican voters registered. And if that doesn't happen? If Trump continues his tendency to say ever more bombastic things long after his nomination in Cleveland in July? If the voter repulsion that pundits predicted would have arrived long ago finally arrives in the fall? Then I may have witnessed the party on Saturday embracing the man who could single-handedly bring it one of the worst elections in recent history. But there I go again with my conventional thinking. Think back to when you were in high school. Do you remember that person who stood out amongst the class? That guy or girl everyone thought would change the world? They got straight A's on their report card and were praised all the time. People would talk about the things that person would go on to do one day. Now fast forward a decade or two to the present day. You haven't seen anything spectacular the person has done. In fact, you haven't heard anything at all. Advertisement "What happened?" people wonder. Maybe you know someone like this. Or... maybe you are that person. I used to think that intelligence and a strong work ethic were all you needed to be successful. But it turns out that's not always true. Yes, both are important, but they aren't a guarantee for success in life. A number of other factors come into play. Here are 7 reasons why smart, hardworking people can't find success: 1. They don't reach out to new people. Let's face it: It's easy to stick to people you've known for a long time. You know each other's histories and can laugh at inside jokes together. While old friends are great to have, getting to meet new people is equally as important. Staying nearby familiar people means that the same ideas are recycled over and over again, and you don't get to learn new perspectives outside of your bubble. Advertisement It can be tough to reach out at first, but starting small can help. Aim for a low goal initially, such as introducing yourself to one new person a week. 2. They can't adapt to new situations. A change in environment, whether it's a change in circumstances or events, means that there's a sudden need to adapt. Sometimes being in the same environment for a long time means it's hard to suddenly make the best of a different situation. The good news is that changes are also a chance for opportunities and innovation. Instead of resisting changes, see how you can make the best of them and allow them to work for you. Be open to new concepts and curious about the world around you. Maybe there's a new business opportunity or a life-changing event around the corner. I like to use the Page Turner technique to keep myself motivated to learn new things. 3. They don't take calculated risks. There are two types of risks: Blind risks, where something is done simply to seek thrill or excitement with a potentially long-term disastrous effect. Calculated risks, where there is potential loss, but the upside is great and could be life-changing. I think we can both agree that calculated risks are what we're aiming for. Smart people often opt for neither, though, because they choose to follow the safe route. They might follow the same path as their peers or choose a career because it's considered acceptable by everyone else. While there's a degree of security in doing so, it also means that there's less chance of achieving great success by branching out. 4. They think they deserve success because of their credentials. People that worked hard in school frequently have an impressive alma mater, numerous achievements, and high grades. They're used to being at the top and told about their potential. All these things can feel good, but they also have a detrimental effect. I've heard people claim they deserve something because of their intelligence or where they went to school. They expect things to pan out automatically because of their credentials. Sadly, though, life doesn't work like that. Advertisement In the real world, results matter. Getting results means that there is hard work, strategic thinking, and some luck involved. You can increase that last factor by working on the first two. 5. They always chase the next big thing. One thing I hear often from high achievers is that they hate wasting time. Smart people are all too aware of the value of their time, as time and effort spent on one thing means that they could potentially be missing out on something else. While this is a strong attribute, it also leads to a bad habit of chasing the next big thing and not following through. Starting out in any field or endeavor is tough, and getting through the initial obstacles requires patience. Focusing effort on one goal yields much better results in the long run than going after one thing, getting bored, and then going after something new. 6. They can't commit to a decision. Being smart and working hard can open up numerous doors. People normally see this as a good thing, but it can be as restricting as having few choices. Advertisement An abundance of choices makes it difficult to decide what to do. As a result, it's tempting to jump around and "see what suits you." I knew someone who attended numerous graduate school programs, one after another. Over 10 years later, she still can't figure out what to do. Rather than dabbling in many endeavors, I suggest testing things out first. Talk to other people and do the research before making a decision, so that you know whether or not an option suits your personality and lifestyle. 7. They don't believe in their capabilities. Surprisingly, smart people can underestimate their own abilities. They are their own worst critic, causing them to believe that they can't accomplish as much as they can. Smart people have high standards when it comes to their work. Whenever they work on a project, they tend to scrutinize and second-guess the final product. This seems like a good thing on the surface, but it's often more debilitating than helpful. Perfectionism can hinder people from progressing forward in their goals or starting on anything in the first place. Advertisement So instead of letting fears of "what if" or "I'm not good enough" keep you back from something new, just try it out. Getting started beats aiming for perfect every time. Let's Connect If you enjoyed reading this article, please join the newsletter. As thanks, I'll send over a copy of my popular guide, How to Get Anything You Want In 2009, the UK's Channel 4 broadcast a video purportedly taken on a mobile phone by a Sri Lankan soldier, as part of its "Killing Fields" documentary. The footage appeared to show the Sri Lankan army executing captured Tamil fighters during the closing phase of a civil war which had killed an estimated 100,000 people. The Sri Lankan government dismissed the video as a fake, calling it, "A sinister attempt to bring disrepute to the government." The United Nations concluded that the video was authentic, but because it did not meet courts' evidentiary standards no prosecutions could be pursued. Having been passed the footage by Channel 4 News Foreign Correspondent Jonathan Miller, the International Bar Association set out to prevent this from happening again. Last year, the International Bar Association, supported by LexisNexis, launched the eyeWitness to Atrocities smartphone app, which can verify images and data so that they are admissible as evidence in courts of law. It does this through technology that proves photos have not been altered by securely logging information like pixel configuration, and the time, date and location where an image was captured. Around 10,000 people have downloaded the app already, with expressions of interest from 136 countries. Advertisement War zones represent the most extreme lack of rule of law, but not the whole spectrum. According to the United Nations, an estimated 4 billion people live outside the umbrella protection of the rule of law and these people often struggle for basic, human rights. If you're picturing countries outside U.S. borders, think again. The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index is one of the most comprehensive bodies of work on this topic. It documents countries' adherence to 44 rule of law indicators in categories including Absence of Corruption, Fundamental Rights, Civil Justice and Criminal Justice. Over 100,000 citizens and experts have been interviewed and 102 countries indexed to date. In 2015, Denmark was the highest ranking country on the Index, scoring 87 percent. Venezuela ranked lowest, with a score of 32 percent. In terms of rule of law, the U.S. is significantly behind many major industrialized nations, ranking 19th on the World Justice Project Index in 2015. U.S. rule of law scores fall behind Germany, Australia and Japan for example. To get a better view of the social and economic impact of strengthening the rule of law, we've correlated data from the World Justice Project, the World Bank and Transparency International. Advertisement Based upon statistical correlations among the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index and measures of economic and societal health such as GDP per capita, child mortality, homicide rates, levels of corruption and life expectancy, we estimate that over the next decade, a 10% increase in the rule of law mean score would have a transformational effect on both economic and social progress. GDP per capita would go up by about $7,000 per person. Child mortality rates would decline from 24 to 16 per 1,000. Crime would go down by more than 30%. Average life expectancy would increase by more than two years. This data is publicly available through an online, interactive rule of law tool, which allows users to explore the relationships between the rule of law and these economic and social indicators. The correlation with GDP per capita is unsurprising given that rule of law is a critical factor which businesses take into account when deciding where to invest and expand operations. This is because the rule of law provides a legal foundation for conducting business in a reliable and predictable manner. It promotes economic investment by increasing the protection of property rights and contracts. It allows for the timely and predictable resolution of disputes, lowers levels of corruption and bribery, and ensures the legal identity of individuals and organizations, providing greater security. So how can businesses support this virtuous cycle of stronger rule of law, increased investment, and economic and social advancement? The United Nations Global Compact has introduced the Business for the Rule of Law Framework, which suggests five key areas of activity for every business. First, businesses can ensure accountability by helping to reduce corruption and bribery, and creating more effective and transparent institutions. We can provide certainty by strengthening the enforcement of Intellectual Property and other property rights and strengthening labor and environmental standards. Businesses can promote equality by achieving legal identity for all, and enforcing non-discriminatory laws and policies. We can protect human rights by preventing violence and crime against women and children, and protecting fundamental freedoms. Finally, we can support access to justice by improving public access to information, including legal education and access to the legal profession. Advertisement Business can play a powerful role in helping to drive change. By harnessing the innovation, creativity and energy companies display every day in their commercial activities, we can open up new markets and opportunities through supporting the rule of law. And in the process we can play a fundamental role in something much more important - enhancing the lives of billions of the world's most vulnerable people. Admittedly, when I was thrust into this beautiful and terrifying journey called motherhood, I was expecting to learn a lot about myself. Becoming a new mom requires quite a steep learning curve. One thing I did not expect to learn about myself was that I was one of those moms. I wanted to take photos of every single moment, because they were just gone too soon. Day to day, my newborn changed and developed and I felt it leaking through my camera-phone-obsessed fingers. And that's how I stumbled upon this community of people just like me: the instamoms (and some instadads). Advertisement I suppose I should have realized they exist. I mean, there is a community of every possible permutation on instagram, but before becoming a mom, I hadn't really thought about it. And then, during those 2AM, 4AM and 6AM feedings, while I sat in the dark room, nursing the baby, I found myself browsing through photos of babies from all over the world. I knew that my friends were likely sick of seeing the oversharing of photos of my baby on my social media. But here was a community of parents who would were doing exactly what I wanted to do: sharing every moment. So, I decided to make a separate instagram account and recruit some advice from some of my new friends on Instagram with huge beautiful feeds of photos. And I became an instamom for 6 weeks. A post shared by mom to M + E (@michplustwo) on Feb 22, 2016 at 12:01pm PST Advertisement Here's what happened. Week 1: Help from @taylensmom Name: Angelica Instagram handle: @taylensmom Kids names & ages: Taylen (2.5 years) Aleia (1 year) Years on Instagram: 2.5 Location: Davie, FL Website: www.pompkids.bigcartel.com Advice: Be honest and transparent. Angelica has two of the most gorgeous little girls I've ever seen. She is also one of the instamoms who has been shouted out by celebs like Kim Kardashian. She had one major piece of advice that was super useful when attempting to figure out the voice and direction of our Instagram. I couldn't just be posting photo diarrhea, right? She told me, "Be as honest and transparent as you can be through your posts. Each of your moves will affect your children's future - let them be kids first. Nothing should be propped or pushed on them, let them be kids and have fun sharing your world with others." Looking around instagram, you will see lots of moms doing the opposite of what Angelica suggested. I thought it was amazingly wise and sound advice that she gave. So I decided to show little peeks into our life and chronicle letters to my daughter. I wanted it to be something she and I could both look back on and marvel at all the love (and some hardship) that we had gone through in those early months and years. A post shared by mom to M + E (@michplustwo) on Apr 24, 2016 at 5:18pm PDT Advertisement Photo inspired by Angelica Through Instagram, Angelica's adorable daughters have now been picked up by a modeling agency. But it all started with a feature account! Feature accounts are the accounts on Instagram that scour for the cutest or most fashionable photos and then post to their own instagram. It's a great way to get exposure. Angelica was featured by @fashionkids. "After @fashionkids posted the first photo of Taylen on their page- the photo automatically became viral with over 120,000 likes in one day. Still to this day, that photo is the most liked photo on their platform. Shortly after that, we were picked up as the first influencer for Kardashian Kids line nearly 2 summers ago and our page went from 10,000 followers to now close to 150,000." Then, this past holiday season, Taylen headlined Kardashian Kids holiday print campaign. A post shared by Taylen Biggs (@taylenbiggs) on Apr 28, 2016 at 9:59pm PDT So, going into week 2, I decided to reach out to my friend Nadine of @kidzootd Week 2: Help from @kidzootd Name: Nadine Nankervis Instagram handle: @kidzootd Kids names & ages: Jaiden (12 years); Aiva (4 years) Years on Instagram: 2.5 years Location: Birmingham, England, UK Website: www.kidzootd.com Advice: Combine fashion and fun Nadine has one of the largest feature accounts for kids on Instagram. With almost 300,000 followers, she has garnered a following of people who just love cute kids in cute clothes. Advertisement She was kind enough to actually pick an entire outfit for my daughter, and reminded me to always "combine fashion and fun." So, during week 2, I focused on getting together the outfit for our photoshoot while Nadine would feature the next month. But, I also posted my first fashion-focused photo. A post shared by mom to M + E (@michplustwo) on Apr 21, 2016 at 8:37am PDT Photo inspired by Nadine Nadine chooses her photos mainly from the hashtag #kidzootd. She says, "Whatever pictures catch my eye will be featured. With over 1 million pictures tagged, I can be torn between a few, so I consult my sister and close friend now and again with the selection process." For the moms looking to be featured, Nadine says it's pretty simple. "I look for clear pictures and of course trendy outfits, I especially love unique or new products I haven't seen before so I can share the hottest new trends or items in children's wear." During week 2 I discovered that, not only are there a ton of feature accounts, but there are a plethora of cute children's boutiques on instagram. This fueled my shopping craze and I loaded up on outfits because when I see a pair of tiny panda socks... or baby loafers, I really cannot resist. A post shared by KidzOutfitOfTheDay (@kidzootd) on May 2, 2016 at 12:08pm PDT Advertisement Week 3: Help from @TaylerGolden Name: Tayler Gunn Instagram handle: @taylergolden Kids names & ages: Remy (2 years), pregnant with second! Years on Instagram: 3 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Website: www.wildbird.co Advice: People like to follow feeds, not photos Tayler's feed is absolutely gorgeous. Her piece of advice made me think more about the photos and my aesthetic and less about each individual photo. She told me, "People follow feeds. All your photos need to look consistent and go well together. It helps if you use the same filter on every photo." I knew that something had been missing, and once we told me to focus on the feed, I realized what it was. I wanted a pretty feed. I wanted it to look like a magazine. Tayler encouraged me to think outside the box with my photos. A post shared by mom to M + E (@michplustwo) on Mar 25, 2016 at 9:01am PDT Photo inspired by Tayler Honestly, this was the breath of fresh air I needed as a new mom. You don't realize it before the baby come barreling out of you, but once you are a mom, life feels a little isolated. You can't go out the way you used to, the baby's nap schedule dictates when you can shower, and going to Sunday brunch with girlfriends is pretty much out of the question. This gave me a reason to take an hour out of my day and do something that I enjoyed. I got to pull out my camera and be creative. Advertisement This week was the week my feed went from a hodge podge to something that I thought through. It was also the week I realized that I really love photography. I decided to invest in a better camera. Week 4: Help from @leialauren Name: Peter & Amber Yong Instagram handle: @leialauren Kids names & ages: Leia and Lauren (10 months) Years on Instagram: less than a year Location: Singapore Website: www.leialauren.com Advice: Get some quirky clothes to dress up in and have fun! Ok, so Peter & Amber are two of the most lovely people I've ever met, but their twins! Goodness, are they beyond adorable or what? They have become an internet phenomenon. Obviously, I had to chat with them about their Instagram life. Luckily, Peter happened to be in New York that week on business, so we caught up, both sans babies, to chat. For Peter and Amber, Instagram really started as a way to share with friends and family. "We started using instagram for our travel photography, even before our babies came about. Instagram is a perfect platform for us to document Leia and Lauren's growing journey." Amber is the brains behind the concepts of their shoots, focused on cute outfits and quirky accessories. A post shared by mom to M + E (@michplustwo) on Apr 11, 2016 at 2:20am PDT Advertisement photo inspired by Peter & Amber I had such a ball perusing some of the sites they suggested to shop on. I settled on the romper with a giant bear face, because frankly, my daughter looks like a chubby little bear. A post shared by Momo Twins ~ Leia & Lauren (@leialauren) on Mar 24, 2016 at 5:48pm PDT The quirky aspect added even more fun to this experiment (and even more dollars to my credit card bill). During those middle-of-the-night feedings I now had something else to do. It kept me smiling. Week 5: Help from @gparrish Name: Ginger Parrish Instagram handle: @gparrish Kids names & ages: Jonah (4 years), Riggins (2 years) Years on Instagram: 4 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Website: www.theparrishplace.com, www.gigipip.com Advice: Make your photos look as unfiltered as possible. Ginger is a recent friend on Instagram. She takes beautiful photos that tell a story. But this wasn't always the case. She told me, "The first instagram I ever posted was the day we brought our first son, Jonah, home from the hospital. A photographer friend had posted a new picture on Facebook that he had edited with instagram so I instantly downloaded it to edit my newborn shots." In the beginning, much like the rest of us, it was all about the filter. "You know, Valencia? The creamiest filter in the crop? I applied it to every single photo I took from there on out for a nice glossed blur." Advertisement But then, she saw the light. "Fast forward to today, I don't remember the last time I applied an instagram filter. In fact, I try hard to make my pictures not look filtered. We've come along ways in 4 years." And her photo advice has been sought out by so many others in instagram that she even released an e-book on how to edit them. She told me to never use a filter, and keep the photos looking crisp and clean. Considering that I don't really know how to use the instagram filters correctly, anyway, this was an easy task. A post shared by mom to M + E (@michplustwo) on Mar 2, 2016 at 9:11am PST Photo inspired by Ginger It's really all about the moments. I want to journal them as they pass, because they pass too quickly. My daughter is already 6 months old, and I can't believe how much she has grown in that short period of time. "I think I would describe an instamom as a mother who is making an effort to enjoy the everyday moments with my children and documenting them along the way," Ginger said it best. Week 6: Reflecting On Being an Instamom So, I've realized a few things as I started journaling my new life as a mom. Advertisement 1. Many people post multiple photos a day. This helps with followers, however, I don't have the energy to do that. So, I probably don't qualify as a real instamom. I am probably more of a half-assed instamom. 2. I found that I love photography and it's a hobby that I will probably enjoy for many years. 3. Everyone uses hashtags. Angelica describes them as "a parking space for your photo." If you are looking to share your photos and engage with the mom community, you need to hashtag your photos. #momlife is a good place to start. 4. Due to this experiment, I am leaving my 6 weeks with so many more framed photos than I expected. 5. Scrolling though my own feed makes me feel nostalgic. I know this is akin to liking your own post on Facebook, but I'm being honest. Seeing her grow up in the tiny square Instagram photo grid makes me glad that I started documenting. 6. I've made friends around the world who are also moms, and who are willing to give me advice about the 2AM, 4AM, and 6AM feeding that are still happening! I'm not going to share the details of my personal experience, but I will tell you that second opinions are a great way to avoid unnecessary medical procedures. A second opinion probably saved my life years ago, and I am now skeptical any time I hear someone talk about surgery. Unnecessary medical procedures are not uncommon. A 2013 study by USA Today revealed that unnecessary surgeries in the United States might account for as much as 10-20 percent of all operations. These include spinal surgeries, knee replacements, hysterectomies, and caesarean sections. Various cardiac procedures are also included in this list, which scares me, as I'm someone who lives with hypertension. Pictured above, knee surgery being performed in 2012. Knee replacements were identified in the 2013 USA Today report as being part of the 10-20 percent of unnecessary surgeries. Image courtesy of Flickr. Advertisement These type of unnecessary medical procedures are not limited to the United States. In 2014, the Royal College of Surgeons of England conducted an inquiry into the operations of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI), one of the largest hospitals in the NHS Grampian publicly funded healthcare system. The health board initially refused to release full details of the report, but reluctantly did so in 2016. To me, that's an obvious sign there is something they did not want people to know. The inquiry came after what was reported as a dramatic breakdown in team-working within the surgical department of the 900 bed hospital. The results showed some cases where decision making was considered questionable, leading to surgeries that may not be in those patient's best interests. In defense of ARI, other cases were found to be reasonable procedures and the patients achieved a favorable outcome from them. Pictured above, the entrance to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as shown in 2007, Copyright Donald Thomas and licensed for re-use under Creative Commons License ShareAlike 2.0. Advertisement It appears that disagreements about patient care led to the inquiry, and eventual report, concerning ARI's surgical practices. Hopefully, your healthcare provider will have the same disagreement -- and I trust, correction -- regarding patient care before you ever receive a recommendation for surgery. A recent lawsuit filed in the state of Florida claims that the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) failed to act against a doctor who was found to be performing unnecessary surgeries on patients. The lawsuit claims that one procedure was performed in 2013, three years after HCA determined that unnecessary surgeries were being performed at some of its hospitals. According to an article in The New York Times, the procedures began as early as 2008 when Dr. Abdul Shadani, the subject of the lawsuit, was witnessed placing a stent into a patient who did not appear to have any blockage. The nurse who observed the procedure reported the incident and was later told that his contract with the hospital would not be renewed. However, Shadani continued performing procedures. Pictured above, Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, one of the 200+ hospitals and surgical centers managed by the Hospital Corporation of America. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. It wasn't until the nurse persisted with his claim that an inquiry actually took place, the results of which showed problems with 13 of 17 cases performed by Shadani. According to the attorneys for the plaintiff, the HCA never revoked the privileges of Shadani and he continued to perform unnecessary procedures at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute. The hospital has acknowledged the lawsuit and released a statement that they plan on defending it vigorously, disputing the allegations of the complaint. Advertisement If the allegations in the lawsuit are substantiated, let's hope that there are more of the same nurses in the healthcare facilities we continue to visit. After all, a whistleblower taking care of business ahead of time could save us from being subjected to surgeries we don't need. Hopefully the facility has enough common sense to listen and take action. Now, I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on television. Don't let me advise you on whether your medical procedure is necessary or not. Unnecessary procedures take place every day, but that doesn't mean that yours is a bad decision. Just keep in mind that if you are unsure, second opinions are always available and often recommended. As the Founder of Cora, a San Francisco-based startup offering premium organic tampons, and an advocate for global women's rights, I've observed the genesis of the "tampon tax" opposition movement for over a year. I've followed California's position on its own version of the tax, analyzing its effect on our business and our customers here. What started in Europe as a grassroots movement has gained mainstream coverage internationally. In the U.S., male and female politicians alike have voiced their support for its repeal in their states. Even President Obama denounced the tax in an interview on YouTube. This is a blatantly gender-biased tax, and one of the few of its kind. As a woman, I feel outrage at the institutional misogyny this tax upholds and the inequality it perpetuates. To assert that a product as intimately tied to women's' health, wellbeing, and dignity as menstrual products is not a basic necessity like food or medicine is not just absurd, but also insulting, particularly when it is deemed as such by someone who will never need these products, or experience the pain of not having them. Advertisement Beyond the inherent sexism of the tax, there's also real financial impact on women. California levies a 7.5% tax on tampons. A woman can expect to spend around $2000 on tampons in her lifetime, meaning she'll pay an additional $150 in taxes alone for the "privilege" of the health and dignity afforded by menstrual products. Conversely, items like candy bars, medical supplies, and Viagra carry no tax at all. As I was incited to create Cora after realizing that my household-name tampon brand contained pesticide residues and synthetics, I'm incited to take action to remedy the impact of this blatantly sexist and unjust tax. Today, I'm announcing that we as a company will, from now on, pay the sales tax for all Cora customers in California. That means any woman in California who purchases Cora's organic tampons will pay only for the products, nothing more. As an online business, we are not required to charge sales tax on our products when purchased by customers in other states. We would, however, be required to apply the tax to women in California because we operate there. Advertisement We decided to base our company in California because we believe in it's progressive values and commitment to the health of its citizens. But we believe this tax is inconsistent with those values, and we cannot, in good conscience, follow California in wrongly burdening women this way. State legislator Assembly Member Cristina Garcia has introduced a bill that would end the tampon tax in California, but the bill has not yet passed. I encourage every woman reading this to make herself aware of her state's tax policy for feminine products, sign the Change.org petition in favor of abolishing the tax nationally, and to vocalize her right to these essential products. We hope that you will share this letter with the women in your life to help us spread awareness of this issue, and join the movement to make this sexist tax a policy of the past. Yours in the movement for women's health and equality, Puerto Rican flag in Old San Juan When I was a young girl I spent every Sunday at my grandfather's house. While dinner was the precursor that brought us together, it was not the principal reason everyone gathered at his Brooklyn apartment. The time spent together was critical to nurturing our family bond. Human nature naturally causes families to stick together. You tend to be loyal to those who share your last name, your bloodline, or even just your shared experiences. Family has shaped most of who I am. Being part of a large Puerto Rican family instilled in me a strong and powerful sense of orgullo. It is a fusion of the love I have for our culture, our food, and our music. It's the reason my eyes tear up every time I hear Preciosa or Que Bonita Bandera. Advertisement Cultura for me has always been rooted in family traditions and customs like the sleepless nights spent at my abuelo's house watching the adults make pasteles for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It was watching my aunts become glued to the television whenever Walter Mercado came on and revealed to them their fate through their horoscopes. Orgullo was me proudly wearing the brown leather chancletas with Puerto Rico inscribed on them in bright golden letters. It was being able to brag to my friends that I'd spent my summer vacation on the island even though I could barely communicate with my Spanish speaking tia. And familia didn't necessarily always mean someone in your bloodline, but instead could be found in that one friend who you proudly claimed as your cousin even though there was no ancestral relation. For a long time when someone asked me "What do Puerto Ricans have to be proud of?" I could never give a well thought out and educated answer. I equated pride with the love I received from my family, the adoration I felt for the island that birthed my ancestors, and the joy I felt whenever I saw our flag; a flag that for years was outlawed. As I got older, I realized those were reasons enough to be proud. I no longer feel it's necessary to justify my pride. While the island is now suffering the greatest financial crisis in its history, we must remember Puerto Ricans come from a long line of hardworking individuals. Many who have made indelible contributions to the world, be it on the island or here in the States. There's a long list of Boricuas who have contributed to politics, science, medicine, music, and the arts. We have produced poets (Julia de Burgos), astronauts (Joseph Michael Acaba), scientists (Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria), inventors (Angel Rivero Mendez invented Kola Champagne soda),athletes (Roberto Clemente), actresses (Rita Moreno), musicians (Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Tito Puente) even Supreme Court justices (Sonia Sotomayor). We are credited with inventing the hamaca and cooking grill which were first invented and used in Puerto Rico by the Taino Indians. Our contributions are everywhere. Advertisement My father recently said to me, Just remember that when it comes to our history and culture it was handed down to us. We are just caretakers for the next generation. He is correct; history and orgullo are passed on. It is our responsibility to honor and preserve our history while also adding to it, so that we leave our children a legacy they can be proud of. Tax avoidance is legal. Tax evasion is not. The U.S. tax code is full of various tax loopholes which allow taxpayers to legally avoid paying taxes. While honest and hard-working Americans pay taxes, tax cheats use offshore or secretive shell companies to hide their ownership in order to evade taxes. Worse yet, those hiding ownership of their illicitly gained assets and laundering the proceeds of crime include the world's corrupt government officials, dictators, and tycoons who have amassed tremendous unexplained wealth, and transnational organized crime networks and terrorists using offshore jurisdictions and anonymous shell companies. As long as criminal networks, terrorist networks and rogue states are able to use offshore structuring; they will continue with crime and terrorist attacks unhindered. Advertisement More than 1,200,000 people crossed over via land and sea into Europe within one year. Among the migrants were refugees fleeing the war in Syria, economic migrants coming from Asia and Africa, and radicalized Islamists. Whether economic migrants looking for a better future in the West, or refugees fleeing the war, these people have been impoverished and deprived of their freedom for decades, by dictators and authoritarian regimes, who have been siphoning off the funds to anonymous accounts into Western banks. In its December 2015 report, "Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2004-2013," Washington, DC-based Global Financial Integrity (GFI) found that developing and emerging economies lost US$7.8 trillion in illicit financial flows from 2004 through 2013, with illicit outflows increasing at an average rate of 6.5 percent per year--nearly twice as fast as global GDP. Think about billions of American taxpayers' dollars sent as aid to corrupt regimes, whose dictators and corrupt officials are siphoning off that money, and stashing it in their private accounts through offshore structuring. According to the GFI report, in the Balkans alone, over $145 billion of illicit financial outflows via crime, corruption and tax evasion were sent to foreign accounts and tax havens. NATO member country Croatia, and NATO candidate country Montenegro have each lost 60% of their respective GDPs (measured in 2013) to illicit financial outflows via crime, corruption and tax evasion during the period 2004-2013, with significantly larger amounts since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Getting Rid of Anonymous Offshore and Secretive Shell Companies The following is a list of winners and losers of the Panama Papers' release. The winners would benefit from the dismantling of secretive/anonymous off-shore and shell companies. This list is not all-encompassing but more instructive to provide understanding of the scope of the off-shore structuring plague. Advertisement WINNERS 1. Average taxpayers of the Western world. 2. Oppressed citizens - living under authoritarian regimes, dictatorships and mafia states. 3. Fleeced citizens of Eastern Europe, China, Russia, Mexico, India, Malaysia and other countries whose corrupt officials and their private partners in crime have amassed tremendous unexplained wealth. 4. Victims of terrorist attacks. 5. Victims of illicit drug addiction. 6. Victims of human trafficking. 7. Victims of organ trafficking. LOSERS 1. Dictators, rogue states, authoritarian regimes and mafia states. 2. Corrupt government officials. 3. Corrupt governments' private partners in crime (cronies in business). 5. Panama, British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, Cayman Islands, and other offshore structuring business centers. 6. Wyoming and Delaware secretive shell companies centers. 7. Banking sector which has been open to receiving illicit financial flows - Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, etc. 9. Think tanks advocating for the above. 10. Lobbyists hired by the above. The winners of Panama Papers release are not only more numerous, counted in absolute number of individual winners. Moral authority is on their side! Advertisement The losers of the Panama Papers release are certainly less numerous. Unfortunately, we allow them to define the political discourse today, influence public opinion, formulate public policy, subvert the rule of law, stump free speech and freedom of the media, cause wars and calamities. Now is the defining moment to begin dismantling offshore structures and deliver a major blow to terrorism financing, organized crime and dictators around the world. Tracking the stolen funds from taxpayers around the world and retrieving them to the impoverished taxpayers must become a major priority for the rule of law nations. Tax evasion by American taxpayers should be dealt with in an incentivized way by implementing tax reform which will simplify the tax code, eliminate double taxation, lower the rates, and apply territorial system of taxation (eliminate taxation of the world-wide income). A woman hangs her clothes to dry on a barbed wire fence at the migrants camp in Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, May 19, 2016. Thousands of stranded refugees and migrants have camped in Idomeni for months after the border was closed. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) On this year's National Independence Day, March 25, the Greek people exalted as never before the religious and political significance of the Greek Revolution in 1821. A milestone in European history after dramatically overthrowing the Ottoman Empire's Islamic grip on Greece which had lasted four hundred years -- and thereby putting an end to Islam's audacious vision of conquering Europe. This Empire, one century and a half earlier, had also threatened the rest of Europe's integrity until repelled with the victorious Battle of Vienna in 1683. It is mainly in this historic context that we can properly assess the EU's mal-conceived plan purporting to return to Turkey the bulk of Muslim refugees and asylum seekers still flooding Greece -- but already unravelling in border chaos. By contrast, this year's resounding independence celebrations in Greece proclaiming it will always remain a solidly Christian state in Europe could not have come at a better moment. Practically coinciding with the British Prime Minister's robust affirmation over Easter that Great Britain is a Christian country to be respected as such by different faiths. In harmony, too, with the Russian President's visit this week to Mount Athos aptly paying foremost respects to Christianity in Greece. Advertisement In the meantime, the British people happen to remain in the dark still wondering if their country will ultimately lose its right to deport thousands of asylum seekers -- as Italy also appeals to EU leaders to help it send back migrants. Characteristically, too, an important transatlantic trade agreement between Canada and the EU is curiously held back. Challenged all along by peripheral interference from Romania and a certain "region" in Belgium. A case in turn that does not necessarily highlight, as has been suggested elsewhere in the press, "the pitfalls for the UK if it leaves the bloc". Such obstructions are more deeply feared and also expose the real dangers for Great Britain remaining in a Union where optimal policies prove inherently susceptible to disruptive actions from minor member-states. It will probably not be long, therefore, before Greece itself tackles, invariably humanely, the tens of thousands (increasingly aggressive) migrants and refugees trapped on Greek territory and currently creating mounting ethnic tensions particularly among themselves -- while the EU still condones closed borders in the Balkans. For months misusing widespread Greek hospitality, having, for example, brought to a (costly) halt vital communications from the country's south to the north and on to Europe. Deliberately camping en masse on inter-city railway lines but also disrupting equally regretfully other strategic locations, including the busy port of Piraeus. The damage caused this way runs into millions per day and certainly undermines the Greek people's years-long painful sacrifices -- committed, as they are, to pursuing radical social and economic reform in their own country. At a time, too, when the impending next round of even more deep-cutting legislative measures recently imposed is bound gravely to affect everyone in Greece. Amazingly, thousands of refugees indifferently continue to occupy the huge (deserted) area of the old Athens airport in Ellinikon stalling a massive redevelopment project there, already signed and sealed by the government and the participating international investors, with an effective capability of creating over 50,000 new jobs. Advertisement At present, a creative proposal is independently emerging -- as a last resort -- that all refugees could be returned in style to where they came from. Aboard vessels of the world's largest merchant-marine fleet Greece controls: duly monitored by the Greek Navy, which is capable of blocking any would-be new arrivals. This realistic prospect is rapidly gaining favour with leading Greek ship-owners worldwide and is further seen as an easily generalizable initiative which the European Union would do well to support at this critical juncture. It is fast becoming apparent that the best hope for the Syrian war's civilian victims is not recklessly seeking survival as unwelcome refugees in Europe. In their majority they should probably feel relieved that an opportunity may materialize to go back sooner than expected. What is more, as a civilizing force actively engaged to promote long-term peace in the homeland they originally had to abandon. ________________ Demonstrators hold signs as they protest against U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump nearby where he and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were to hold a fundraising event in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, U.S., May 19, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar Dear Republican Friends, The speed and ease with which you have coalesced around your new presumptive nominee is remarkable. After all, just last month, a third of you had a negative opinion of Donald Trump. Many more of you regarded him as a bad joke. And let's not forget the blistering (and accurate) denunciations of Trump's character, integrity, and experience that rained down from nearly every corner of the GOP firmament. Advertisement "An egomaniac with no principles," said Bobby Jindal. "A con man," said Marco Rubio. "A cancer on conservatism," said Rick Perry. "Utterly unfitted to the office" and "fundamentally dishonest," said 100 Republican foreign policy experts. The list goes on and on. But now almost all of you are marching together in lock-step behind your new leader, with only an occasional tweet of dissent. The latest polls give Trump more than 80% of the GOP vote and rising. What happened? Is Trump a different man? Have his qualifications expanded between the Iowa caucus and the Indiana primary? Has his temperament changed? Has he disavowed his prior appeals to racism, nativism, and sexism? Has he become more truthful, civil, or coherent? Has he become less of a bully or narcissist? What should we make now of all those Republican statements branding Trump manifestly wrong for the highest office in the land? Never mind? Advertisement Please remember that the man you are putting forward as President of the United States -- the man you advise your fellow Americans to install in the Oval Office as Commander-in-Chief, with his finger on the button -- has no fixed principles, no relevant experience, no apparent interest in truth. He advocates policies that could only be implemented in a police state. He is zealous in peddling conspiracy theories, but disdains credible sources of information and expertise; one of his chief foreign policy advisors even listed "Model UN" as a credential. This is not a normal candidate. These qualities do not fit anywhere on the normal spectrum of choices in the greatest democracy on Earth. And he should not, can not, must not ever be treated as normal. But, no, you probably won't. Too much cognitive dissonance. Too many uncomfortable truths. It's hard to look at the betrayal of one's nation full-on in the mirror. Better to cast a sideways glance. Or make excuses . . . Excuse Number One. Trump is giving voice to real issues and legitimate grievances. Yes, there are serious problems in America. But, there have always been serious problems. The test of a strong democracy is not how it hums along in periods of happiness and contentment; the test is how it endures in the face of challenges, and, until now, even in our darkest moments, we have passed the test every time. Advertisement Our institutions helped us get through a Civil War and two World Wars. Our institutions helped us overcome the Great Depression and the Great Recession. Our institutions helped us evolve from a small agrarian republic that enslaved millions into a global superpower in which all of us can vote, all of us can marry, and a biracial man can twice be elected President. And we did it without ever answering the siren song of the strongman who sweeps away everything in his path. If you think Trump is voicing legitimate grievances, then, dammit, do something about those grievances. Don't elevate a dangerous demagogue to the highest office in the land. Excuse Number Two. Trump isn't my first choice, but I can't vote for Hillary. Really? Why not? Even if you assign the worst, most implausible interpretation to Hillary's past actions, none raise questions about her basic competence or capacity to serve. None suggest that she would embarrass our nation or threaten our Constitutional order. None hint that she would dismantle our alliances or compromise our core democratic values. Maybe you don't like broccoli. Fine. But if your other option is rat poison, eat the broccoli. It's not a hard choice. (And to the Bernie-or-Bust crowd: this goes for you, too.) Advertisement -- Even a democracy as old and durable as ours can be more fragile than it seems. It is built, in the end, on faith and trust and belief. It depends on all of us, especially leaders, to put the interests of our institutions above everything else. It depends on us to be patriots. Think of Lincoln submitting himself to a free and fair election, even as the nation was riven by war. Or think of less noted, but perhaps nearly as important, moments of high patriotism - Al Gore conceding the election instead of urging his supporters into the streets, Nixon resigning instead of surrounding the White House with troops. Do you imagine that Donald Trump would do the same in similar circumstances? No. Donald Trump is something fundamentally different. He is the nightmare incarnate of our nation's founders. And to suggest that this singularly unqualified and dangerous man should be the leader of the free world is an act of pure contempt for the Presidency, for America, and for humanity. Some people say Trump's nomination marks the end of Republican Party, but I don't think that's exactly right. The Republican Party will go on mimicking the routines and rituals of a great and proud political organization. It will go on holding conventions and running candidates. But, like a pod person from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, beneath the surface, the GOP will be a subversion of everything it claims to be. It's not too late, my Republican friends. Party loyalty can be fervent, but it need not be blind. As John McCain once said: Country First. But to the Republicans who are coming together quite nicely behind Trump - whether out of misguided conviction or craven expediency - you can go on being Republicans and calling yourselves Republicans. Advertisement In the impoverished South American country of Paraguay, there is a slum called Cateura outside the capital of Asuncion. This poorest of shantytowns is built on a landfill where the city's 1,500 tons of garbage and waste is dumped each day. Despite the filth and the stench and contamination it breeds, about 2,500 families live in Cateura, making their only hand-to-mouth living by sifting through the trash and selling anything that's recyclable. 24 hours a day there are people going through the most decrepit waste of others, cashing in on 10 cents for a pound of plastic and 5 cents for a pound of cardboard. The barefoot children don't go to school, can't read or write, and have no medical care, forced to sift through the trash from a young age, just like their mothers and fathers. There is no hope for escape to a better life in the landfill community, as joining a gang, becoming a criminal, and doing drugs are usually the only other options. The inhabitants don't usually have electricity or plumbing and their drinking water is dangerously contaminated with pollution. That was the only life they know in Cateura...until the music started. When environmental technician Favio Chavez visited the landfill community years back, he had an idea for a music school to help lift the children out of their wretched conditions. He quickly realized that new instruments or even buying used ones was not an option. "A violin is worth more than a house here," Chavez. Advertisement So instead, to generate instruments for the music school, he turned to a resource they did have in abundance - trash. Why not make the instruments out of all the recycled materials and garbage? So he turned to local trash worker and carpenter Don Cola Gomez for help, asking him to make a violin. Though Gomez had never seen one, they started going to the dump together three days a week to scour for things they could use to construct their patchwork instruments; oven trays, oil cans, recycled string, drain pipes, bottle caps, forks, metal scraps, and salvaged pieces of wood. They brought everything back to a cramped workshop at the edge of the dump, where he went to work. Pretty soon, he was producing three violins a week, and then taught himself how to make cellos and guitars, trumpets and saxophones, and finally drums and basses. The instruments were given to the children during free music classes, and thus the Recycled Orchestra was born. The availability of instruments and the new presence of music in their lives inspired the children - and reinvigorated the community - like no one could have imagined. Most of the parents in the landfill community had never heard their children play, so they set up a concert at the local church, with banners in the street and local radio stations advertising it. The concert was packed with humble parents swelling with pride, hopes for a better life rising with each musical note. The children kept playing and became quite adept. The amazing story of a children's orchestra from the poorest of places who played with instruments repurposed from trash spread like wildfire, and soon they were invited to play in the main city, and then to other countries in South America, and now all over the world. Advertisement "People realize that we shouldn't throw away trash carelessly," says a young man nicknamed Bebi as he plays the Prelude to Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 on an oil can cello. "Well, we shouldn't throw away people either." In 2015, a documentary called 'LandfillHarmonic' was released, following the story of the children rising from the trash to play beautiful classical music in the finest concert halls of America and Europe. The film has been enthusiastically received by the international community, winning nominations and awards at film festivals including the Audience Award at the AFI Fest and the BIFF Award at the Boulder International Film Festival, among many others. But it't the soulful message of hope and positivity that is most resonating with the viewers. "My life would be worthless without music," says one girl in pigtails in the documentary. Even before the documentary was released, donations started flowing in from all over the world for the music school and the people of Cateura. Once she heard about the Recycled Orchestra, Paraguay's most famous musician, Berta Rojas, started flying down regularly from her home in Maryland to teach musical classes. Of course there are still problems in their community. People are still poor and faced with a never-ending scramble for survival. But now, the community feels they are being better respected instead of scorned, called Recyclers instead of just trash workers. They can envision a day when their children don't have to work in the trash but can go to school, and move away for real jobs and other opportunities for a better life. They have been transformed by the power of music, resurrected by the indomitable hope of the human spirit. Just listen to Ada Rios, a precocious and smiling little girl when interviewed about playing music: We hear a lot about "too-big-to-fail" banks, and rightly so. It's time to bring that same discussion to health insurance. Most Americans first learned about too-big-to-fail when financial industry recklessness crashed our economy, causing an avalanche of foreclosures and throwing millions out of work. With health care now making up 17 percent of U.S. gross domestic product and affecting literally every one of us, it's time to worry about concentration in the health insurance marketplace. Many have sounded alarm bells over the fact that the five biggest U.S. banks now control nearly half the market. In comparison, America's four largest health insurers controlled 83 percent of the market as of 2014. (This includes the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association, whose affiliates are technically separate but have exclusive, non-overlapping market territories and thus don't compete with one another). Advertisement Health insurers probably can't crash our economy, but they can impact it greatly, and the decisions they make truly have life or death consequences. I've been thinking about this lately because state insurance regulators here in California are considering whether to allow several of our state's major health insurers to merge. Anthem, California's second largest health insurer, is poised to spend $54 billion to acquire rival Cigna, the state's sixth largest health insurer; while Aetna, the third largest health insurer in the state, is set to absorb Humana, California's fifth largest health insurer, to the tune of $37 billion. Nationally, these four companies rank third, fourth, fifth, and seventh in size. This would significantly reduce competition in California, where the market is already heavily concentrated in just a few firms. Like other fields, lack of competition in health insurance is generally bad for consumers. As The Commonwealth Fund reported last year, "several studies document lower insurance premiums in areas with more insurers," while insurance mergers tend to lead to higher premiums. As an advocate for communities of color, I worry about these impacts, and I also worry about the specific effect on diverse communities in a state where people of color make up about 62 percent of the population. Advertisement In California and nationwide, communities of color have specific health challenges. Among other things, they disproportionately lack health insurance (despite improvements under the Affordable Care Act) and are more likely than whites to suffer from chronic health issues, often related to air pollution (that increases rates of asthma) or other environmental conditions. This makes it important for health insurers to recognize the importance of diversity in order to be able to serve this diverse population. Aetna, for example, has a weak record, with people of color making up just 14 percent of the company's executive positions and 15 percent of its board of directors. Communities of color are also underrepresented in Aetna's rank-and-file staff. Additionally, Aetna rarely contracts with minority-owned suppliers, contributing little to our state's diverse business economy. Because of America's ongoing racial wealth gap, we're particularly concerned about the effect of health insurance mergers on affordability - though of course premium increases affect individuals and employers of all backgrounds. Companies looking to merge typically tout how combining will create efficiency and save costs, but - as noted above - these efficiencies seem to benefit stockholders and executives much more than consumers. We've therefore proposed that, if Aetna and Humana are allowed to merge, they should put their money where their mouth is by pledging a five-year freeze on premium increases. If they're so sure they can save money by merging, the people and small business owners who struggle to pay the cost of health coverage should benefit. Keeping premium hikes under control benefits taxpayers, too, since under the Affordable Care Act federal tax dollars provide subsidies to help low-income families buy insurance. These questions originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. A: What a great question! I think I'd first say that visiting every country changed me personally. I'm a lifelong introvert, which isn't a weakness at all, but before I started traveling I was also frequently afraid and insecure. The more I experienced as I went around the world--and especially when things went wrong, but then I recovered--the more confidence and inner strength I gained. As for how I viewed the world, I don't know if there are any truly unique observations. I gained a lot of respect and admiration for different cultures in a way I didn't have before. This isn't to say I disrespected a culture or religion before I traveled; it's just that there's a lot I didn't know. Advertisement For example, I visited the old mosque in Damascus, Syria, one of the historical sites of Islam. I went to Bhutan, one of the few countries in Asia that hasn't been transformed by modernity. I lived on a hospital ship docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone for a year, and was continually amazed at the resourcefulness of people who had endured a long civil war. I went away from most trips feeling impressed and awed. And also tired, but that's another story. ... A: Two major points: I chose to invest in travel as a meaningful life experience, and I prioritized it over other expenses. For ten years I didn't own a car. I avoided debt and didn't buy anything I couldn't pay off. Going to the first 100 countries cost about $30,000--which isn't a small amount of money, of course, but over time it was manageable. I thought of it like buying a car or a graduate degree, but with a lot more long-term benefit (at least for me). I learned to travel hack! In short I spent a lot of time understanding how to earn a lot of Frequent Flyer Miles and put them to good use for flights all over the world. This was no small thing; I probably went to at least 50 countries for very little money at all. Obviously there are expenses on the ground, visas, etc. but to have airfare + lodging covered through miles & points takes a ton of pressure off. ... A: I have a lot of favorite countries! Honestly, I enjoy travel for the sake of travel--I like the process of planning, the act of being in motion, going from one place to another. I thrive off that. So for me, very often it is exactly like that old cliche: the journey matters more than the destination. Advertisement That said, of course there were places that stood out more than others, or that were especially meaningful for me. In no particular order: Osho is the most dynamic masters in the history of modern spirituality. He had inside out knowledge of spiritual science and process of connecting with the masters. His works that can be found in the books, videos and internet depict that he had mastered all the paths that have ever been followed by those seeking self-realization. Osho's work are one of the best for the seekers of enlightenment or God-realization who can't relate to religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Islam or Buddhism. Today, his guided meditation system and sutras to attain the absolute are available across the camps and resorts established under his name by his disciples. Consciousness is the basis of everything we are. Without the presence of consciousness, we are mere corpses devoid of any power, beauty, truth or life. Shiva, Rama, Christ and Allah are nothing but different names of this same consciousness that abides in everything that exists. Without it, nothing can be. Advertisement Each of us are this pure energy/Shiva that is entangled with different modes of material nature. Basis of all the good things is this energy/consciousness. Those who are not connected with this source remain bound like the stone, unable to express their true nature which is infinite beauty, infinite power, limitless love and all other things that people seek. Matter is activated by this energy which is otherwise just a corpse. Scientists can invent all kind of things and do all kinds of magic, but no one can make this energy which goes by different names like Spirit, soul and different names of God. This absolute cause which pervades everything in the universe which is that component smaller than the smaller, bigger than the biggest, unthinkable, unknowable truth called Vishnu by Vaishnavas, Shiva by Shaivites, Christ by Christians and Allah by Moslems. Guided meditation techniques are the processes that help one connect with this source without which even the most powerful and intelligent being/creation can't move. Even if a person comes in touch with this self that exists within us once in his lifetime, he becomes qualified for the moksha/liberation that Hindoos fight so hard for. Different religions and rituals are just the methods created by highly qualified masters to bring us in touch with this Self. One devoid of religion slowly loses this power through the decay of his body by karmic effects and finally dies or is killed by different agents of the cosmos like the government forces who are just representatives of Ishwara. One who hates this self within or without which is as alive as the moving air, flowing river which is source of everything, cause of all causes is thrown into deluded wombs in the family of demons or low-class animals. Those who seek wisdom and self-knowledge rise slowly through many life times travelling in different wombs of animals, plants and humans into house of pious or prosperous or house of yogis thereby working towards final salvation and freedom from the cycle of repeated births and deaths. Advertisement Life work can become a source of bondage or liberation. Works or duties carried out without any expectations or as a service lead to dawn of self-knowledge and liberation while actions performed for personal goals create greater bondage and harm in the long run. Without activities, body maintenance is not possible while even small scale activity like drinking water for own pleasure causes bondage of jiva. Sages are very cautious thus to perform every action in the spirit of yagya/sacrifice to the limitless Ishwara thus remaining pure from the chains of births and deaths. One can purify himself by performing their regular duties and work without any expectations or in the spirit of sacrifice. Self-within can be perceived in the process of this purification. Works done by people of pure conscience are far superior than those by deluded people. Mind in touch with Ishwara is steady at all times while minds of people seeking pleasure and material things loses its stability thus destroying themselves. People following the tenets of religions are far calmer and stable than people without religion. Photo: Buddha's Page The word "Buddha" means a person who has personally been able to perceive the ultimate truth. Buddha was considered "Siddhartha Gautam" before being recognized as the enlightened being. Most of the historians agree that his lifetime was between 563B.C. to 483B.C. According to the last investigation, his death is said to have occurred between 486-483 B.C. There is no doubt that Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal. He spent his first 29 years as a King's son among wealth and prosperity. However, he was always reflecting upon the pains of birth, old age, disease and the sufferings of this miserable and transitory world. For this reason, Buddha abandoned his home at the age of 29 across the plains of India to find solution to these problems. At last, realizing that arduous path to self-realization was not fruitful, Buddha switched to a more moderate path called "the great middle way" by his followers. While under a tree in Bodhgaya meditating on the self, he realized the true knowledge of the Self and was thus called "Buddha." Later, for over 45 years, he went on sharing the knowledge he had gained throughout Indian sub-continent. Photo: Buddha's Page Of serious demeanor since his childhood, Gautam used to be worried easily by little things. While performing daily chores, he saw people of old age and full of diseases. He also saw people dying. All these created indifference in him. Why do people becomes diseased? Why do they get old? Why do they die? All these caused a holy indifference in him. One day, he left the palace in the middle of the night at the age of 29 abandoning father's kingdom, which he was to inherit. Advertisement Siddharatha Gautam's father Suddhodhana was the Shakya dynasty King of the kingdom of Tilaurakot. His mother's name was Mayadevi. It is said that Queen Mayadevi was resting at Lumbini on her way to Devdaha when she experienced a great pain. By the puskarani sarobar while lying by the tree, child Siddaratha was born. Sage Asit named the child Sidartha. Meaning of Sidartha is "completely satisfied in the self." Buddha was definitely born in Lumbini, Nepal. Lumbini is a very vibrant place today with people from all over the world travelling for pilgrimage. Besides, Bodhgaya is considered a sacred spot for those seeking ultimate peace/nirvana. There's no sense fighting for Buddha's birthplace. Seekers of truth should be able to make use of both places for the purpose of perceiving the ultimate like Buddha did. Photo: Buddha's Page Buddha travelled across the world meditating and seeking knowledge from the masters before attaining enlightenment. His journey was often arduous after he left the palace. He acquired knowledge from various masters in the process and ultimately while sitting under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, full knowledge dawned on him. Buddhism like any other religion has become a way for different political and social groups to attain power/pleasure. Many international organizations are simply using Buddhism to increase their influence among people. Mist of these people do not follow the tenets of Buddism or are engaged in any type of yogic practices. Most of them do not have any text on Dhammapada at their homes. Most of these institutions are created to import immigrants as Buddhist monks from countries like Tibet, Nepal, India, Bhutan etc. Advertisement Photo: Buddha's Page Emperor Ashoka is said to have contributed to the transmission of the messages of Buddha across the world. After himself becoming a Buddhist, he sent all his children across the world to teach people Buddha's messages. He made Buddism the national religion, constructed Boudha Bihar and regularly honored Boudha Bhikshus on the national stage. This caused rise of Buddism across the Kingdom. Buddha's teachings have been recorded as "sayings" in collections called "Tripithak." They include 82000 sutras by Buddha and 2000 sutras by his disciples. Why do Christians go to Israel? Because, it's the birthplace of Jesus. Buddhist followers are all over the world, but we can't find anyone who visit Lumbini. It doesn't show any respect or faith over Buddha and what he taught. That's why; the nation is far above any religion. There's no need of recognition or position for those who want to serve their country. Just 10 minutes in 24 hrs are enough. "Less than a year after almost closing, Sweet Briar College has received a record-breaking number of applications." Its old management announced plans in March 2015 to shut down the school in August, citing "financial challenges" and declining student interest in small, single-sex liberal arts colleges. But an alumnae-headed movement fought back, wrestled control of the school and ultimately saved Sweet Briar, giving it a new lease on life this year. Students and faculty say the number of applications - which increased from 751 at this time last year to 1099 this year -- is just another sign of a community that has banded together to pull itself back from the brink. "There's a sense of trust that has been restored throughout our college," says Katie Craig, the student body president. "There's an idea that future sustainability is what we're all working for." Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 Republican Party's Presidential nomination, reluctantly endorsed presumptive GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump, averring that the race between Trump and likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is a "binary choice." This is the mentality the Libertarian Party faces in presidential election cycles. Although the party has the political dexterity to get its Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees on the ballot in all or almost all fifty states and the District of Columbia, many voters either are not cognizant that the party has a nominee on the ballot, or immediately eliminate the candidate from consideration, believing that a vote for a non-major party nominee is a wasted vote. The Democratic-Republican duopoly employs rhetorical brainwashing to maintain their electoral hegemony by using the hypnotic technique of "repetition," continuing to repeat the message that a vote for a third party is a wasted vote, inculcating this notion in the minds of American voters until the vox populi eschew their conscience and select a nominee from one of the two major parties. The Libertarian Party has been in an electoral steady-state in the Presidential sphere since it began nominating candidates in 1972. Only twice, in 1980 and in 2012, did the party garner at or near 1% of the national popular vote. Their Presidential nominees have often been non-politicians who appear to be in the race to wave the party's flag rather than to be serious contenders. In addition, the candidates have sometimes been doctrinaire Libertarian ideologues who view any attempt to mainstream their message as apostasy. Advertisement This year, the applecart could be upset. The frontrunner for the nomination is former Republican New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Former Republican Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld has agreed to run as Johnson's Vice Presidential runningmate. Both candidates are serious political players with redoubtable experience as Chief Executives. This is coupled with a political climate where neither of the likely nominees from the two major parties are favored by a majority of voters. The Libertarian Party preaches a mantra of "Minimum Government, Maximum Freedom." The party is generally thought of as a non-interventionist party. Libertarian devotees support limited government intervention in the economy, limited involvement in the affairs of other nations, and limited intervention in personal behavior. The Libertarian Party is often ideologically identified as the fiscally conservative, socially liberal party. Though the party barely registers in the polls, a recent Gallop survey revealed that 27% of the American electorate are ideologically Libertarians. This finding illustrates that the party should work to consolidate the voters who actually support the candidate closest to their values. Part of the reason why so many American voters identify as Libertarians but do not vote for the Libertarian Party nominee might be that voters who know of the party's existence are more moderate Libertarians. While they support the idea of limited government, they would not eradicate the Social Safety Net. They might agree that the U.S. should stay out of foreign entanglements, but would not egress from all international organizations. They may support abortion rights, but favor restrictions on late-term abortions. In addition, voters could be turned off by Libertarian nominees who preach the Libertarian gospel but who have never actually run anything substantial. Advertisement Both Johnson and Weld are moderate Libertarians with both electoral and executive prowess. While Johnson is a more libertarian than Weld, neither is a rigid Libertarian ideologue. Both were elected twice as Governor with support from both Democrats and Republicans. Johnson was elected in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Weld was elected in a state where GOP registration was only about 13%. Johnson was first elected in 1994, defeating three-term incumbent Democratic Governor Bruce King. Johnson won the New Mexico Governorship not by proposing a radical reconstruction of the role of government but by bringing a "commonsense approach" and applying business principles to state government. He amalgamated traditional center-right conservatism. Johnson reduced the growth of the state budget, cut taxes, and advocated a school voucher program. Johnson entered the national political stage in 1999 by becoming the highest elected official to explicitly call for the legalization of marijuana, an issue which now strikes a resonate chord with the electorate. Weld, a former U.S. Attorney, won the GOP nomination for Governor in 1990 by defeating the House Minority Leader Steve Pierce, a full spectrum conservative. In the General Election, Weld won over Democratic voters by highlighting his support for abortion rights, tax reduction, and taking a hard line on crime. He waxed sentimental about the days when prisoners experienced: "the joys of breaking rocks." Weld ran to the left of Democratic nominee John Silber on the environment. During a debate, Weld exploited a claim by the Democratic nominee, John Silber Ph.D., that beavers created so much wetland that preserving wetlands should not be of concern. Weld quipped: "Would you tell us doctor, what plans, if any, you have for the preservation of open spaces in Massachusetts, other than leave it to beavers?" Advertisement Weld was re-elected in 1994, pocketing a record 71% of the vote. Despite a modicum of Republicans in the state, Weld won 346 of the Commonwealth's 351 municipalities. While Weld often garners the Libertarian label, his record as Governor shows him to be a very watered-downed version. Weld supported the 1994 Federal ban on some semi-automatic firearms, Affirmative Action, and later in his term proposed and signed budgets which increased state spending. In his 1993 State of the State Address, Weld proposed more state spending and avowed: "We're not against government spending. We don't wish to dismantle government." When Weld ran unsuccefully for a U.S. Senate seat in 1996, he ran as a technocratic pragmatist, emphasizing his bi-partisan bone fides, exclaiming: "I have worked with Democrats, Republicans and Independents . . . Since I've been Governor, we practice good management in Massachusetts, not partisan finger-pointing." That year Nathaniel Palmer, an unpaid field operative for the Weld Senate campaign, approached the state chairman of the Libertarian party asking if the party would endorse Weld. Palmer recounts: "His response was indignant and incredulous - the way most Libertarian react, which I had naively forgotten. He said there was no way that would ever happen and that Weld was the furthest thing from a Libertarian." With a broad cross-section of voters across the political spectrum disaffected with the likely major party nominees, the Johnson/Weld ticket has a real electoral opportunity. The first step is to prove to the general electorate that the ticket is center-right fiscally and center-left on social issues, not a rarified Libertarian ticket. The ticket must support a retrenchment from foreign entanglements, and make the case that U.S. intervention effectuates blowback, ironically making the U.S. less safe. However, the ticket must emphasize that the U.S. will defend the homeland and will not enfeeble its military apparatus. The ticket must create a master narrative of two outsiders with executive experience with a moderate Libertarian worldview. The ticket must also communicate that it is not confined to a Libertarian straight-jacket, and is willing to work with members of the two major parties. Advertisement A recent poll showed Johnson registering at 11% nationally. This is a number no Libertarian ticket has ever remotely reached. If the ticket registers at 15% in five national polls, Johnson would be allowed to participate in the Presidential debates. This would afford voters the opportunity to see Johnson on the same stage as the two major candidates, giving him nearly universal name recognition, and evidencing the fact that the American electorate has more than a simple "binary choice" between Clinton and Trump. Some unadulterated Libertarians would be disconsolate at the ticket's effort to broaden its appeal, but as Palmer points out, with the inclusion on the ticket of the more mainstream Weld: "I'm sure the anti-Johnson faction of the party now will point to further evidence that Johnson himself is not Libertarian, just an opportunist who couldn't get the Republican nomination. And that generally sums up why the Libertarians do so poorly to advance candidates." A Johnson/Weld ticket must ignore this view, and present itself as an alternative to the two major parties. The campaign should repeat a quote by former U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy (1959-1971) in 1978: "Saying we should keep the two-party system simply because it is working is like saying the Titanic voyage was a success because a few people survived on life rafts." The United Nations is convening its first-ever World Humanitarian Summit this month in Istanbul. It comes at a time when protracted conflict, instability and forced displacement are defining features of the global landscape. Combined with an ever-increasing number of natural disasters, the world has witnessed widespread human suffering and destitution. There are more than 60 million refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced persons worldwide as a result of violence and persecution. The average length of displacement for a refugee is now 17 years. While displacement has been on the rise, the numbers of refugees repatriating has been declining. The 126,000 who did go home in 2015 were the lowest number in over 30 years. A change in mindset to deal with protracted crises and displacement is urgently needed. Displacement has traditionally been seen as a short-term emergency. But it is equally a challenge to long-term progress, affecting poverty levels, education, employment and service delivery--not only for those who have been forced to flee their homes, but also for the nations and communities hosting them. Advertisement While there are no "quick-fixes" for the longer-term challenges, there are important steps that governments, donors, humanitarian and development partners can take to better respond to the needs of crisis-affected populations. Understanding the developmental dimensions of crises and the threats they pose to the stability and security of neighboring countries and beyond is critical to ensure the sustained engagement of a broader range of actors and resources. The growth in humanitarian crises and the associated financial needs has been dramatic. So are the shortfalls in funding. Despite the generosity demonstrated by increased support from the international community over the years, huge gaps between appeal requirements and contributions continue. The 2016 Global Humanitarian Appeal seeks $20 billion to assist more than 89 million people in 39 countries. Five months after its launch, just 20% of those requirements have been funded. These shortfalls translate into cuts of basic assistance and services to vulnerable populations, the majority of whom are women and children. More predictable, flexible, timely and multi-year funding is a prerequisite for delivering more cost-effective assistance. We cannot continue to respond to long-term crises or attempt to address the root causes contributing to people's vulnerability with the current reliance on short-term financing. Greater assistance for the frontline states hosting refugee populations is critical. Although much of the world's media focus has been on the arrival of displaced populations in Europe, the vast majority of the world's refugees are hosted by middle-income and developing countries, which often do not have the means to provide assistance and protection to a large influx of people while meeting the needs of their own populations. Among these are Jordan, Lebanon, Ethiopia and Kenya. They must be recognized as providing a global public good and should be supported by the international community to ensure they are able to meet both the needs of refugees as well as their own vulnerable populations. Advertisement Bold steps are needed. Greater coordination between emergency relief and long-term development is long overdue. More effort must be made to not only save lives, but also to support education, job creation and other opportunities that promote self-reliance and help break the cycle of dependency on aid. The engagement of the private sector must not be overlooked. Their resources, skills and capacities need to be more fully leveraged to support job creation and economic growth that would benefit both displaced and host country populations. Strengthened partnerships that support national safety net systems in fragile, conflict-affected and refugee-hosting countries are one example where emergency and development collaboration can make a difference. There is a real risk of many school-age children and youth from the countries affected by crisis becoming a lost generation. Without access to proper nutrition and adequate health care at critical times in their development, their futures are compromised. Older children often miss out on learning opportunities and adolescents face dangers that include child marriage, labor exploitation and recruitment into armed groups. We must come together to protect the world's most vulnerable. The bottom line is this: A family affected by crisis does not care about donor funding windows, organizational mandates or categories of assistance. They want to know that whether remaining in their country of origin or forced to flee across a border, they will have access to food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation as well as educational opportunities for their children. They want opportunities to work and be self-reliant. If displaced, they want assurance that in returning home, these same basic needs will be met. This will be a prerequisite for reintegration and post-conflict peace consolidation to be successful. The current alarming levels of crisis-related needs is a reflection of the inability of the international community to prevent conflicts and to find solutions to ongoing crises. Addressing the humanitarian needs that emerge from these unresolved conflicts has become an ever more difficult and dangerous task for relief workers who must interact with a range of state and non-state actors in environments where adherence to the basic principles of International Humanitarian Law is not always observed. It must always be remembered that although the humanitarian community is committed to meeting the needs of those affected by crisis wherever in the world they may reside, humanitarian action can never serve as a substitute for the political will and action needed to address the root causes of conflict and to reach sustainable peace. Until we can secure peace, the world needs to remember the innocent families trapped in violence and ensure that their most basic needs of survival are being met. Advertisement Tackling the challenges of today's crises must be understood to be in the public interest. Conflict, natural disasters and public health emergencies do not respect national borders. We must seize the opportunities in front of us to work more effectively together. LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 20: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is introduced with Chris Cox (L), Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action and Wayne LaPierre (R), Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association, at the National Rifle Association's NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during the NRA Convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center on May 20, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. The NRA announced their endorsement of Trump at the convention. The convention runs May 22. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Any doubts about whether the NRA is feeling the pressure of an increasingly powerful gun violence prevention movement can be quelled by reading Wayne LaPierre's latest keynote rant. While never the most coherent thinker, this year's stream-of-warped-consciousness epic hate poem, showed LaPierre giving up all pretense and appealing directly to his audience's worst fears, deepest prejudices and festering anger. Here's why: For years the National Rifle Association has maintained its stranglehold on national politics by convincing politicians that it is politically invincible. But now there is fresh evidence -- actual numbers -- that show the NRA is increasingly feeling the heat of Americans' shifting attitudes about gun violence prevention. This is a big deal. Advertisement The numbers appear in a tax form known as a 990, which charitable organizations must file every year to let the Internal Revenue Service know what they are up to. The NRA's 990 for the year 2014 just appeared online at Guidestar, where all such filings are made public. The invincibility myth has always been just that -- a myth -- the apocryphal story of a massive army of passionate gun lovers who will exact revenge on any who dare to cross them. The truth is far more complicated. As we show in our latest film, Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA, the NRA's resources come largely from the gun industry and the organization's actual membership does not actually agree with all their stances. Nonetheless, too many politicians believe the NRA can't be beat and so are unwilling to step up and try. The result is the kind of tragedies we chronicle in Making a Killing -- suicides that could have been prevented, children unintentionally shooting other children, women living in fear of armed, dangerous domestic abusers. The tragedies continue. Those politicians should take a look at the NRA's latest 990s and reconsider their stances - or perhaps, rediscover their backbones. Advertisement The major takeaway is that the NRA in 2014 lost money -- that is, they spent more than they took in. Overall, the gun manufacturers' sales and marketing team -- our shorthand for the real NRA -- grossed $37 million less in revenue than in 2013. A hefty chunk of that decrease is in members due. Much of the myth of the NRA's power stems from its constant refrain of the number 5 million -- as in, "we have 5 million members willing and eager to do our bidding at any time." That figure has always been suspect, with numerous investigations uncovering schemes to inflate the rolls. Now the latest 990 offers more proof that the numbers are smaller than advertised and getting smaller still. In 2014 member dues plummeted by $47 million -- from $175 million to $128 million, according to the NRA's filing. Other telling and related facts include: Spending more to keep politicians in line: The NRA's Institute for Legislative Action -- a.k.a. lobbying arm -- spent $47 million in 2014. That's considerably more than the $27 million they spent in 2013 lobbying to defeat a bill that would have expanded criminal background checks for private gun sales, which gained traction in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre. This spending surge suggests the NRA's concern about lawmakers willingness to march in lockstep going forward. Spending more to polish their image: The NRA's public relations agency Oklahoma raked it in, with $16.9 million in billing in 2014 -- compared to $14.5 million in 2013 -- the year after Sandy Hook. That's hardly a show of strength. Advertisement Two former Republican governors are running for president and vice president on the Libertarian line. They are Gary Johnson, former New Mexico governor, and William Weld, former governor of Massachusetts. The Libertarian Party holds its nominating convention in Orlando, Florida, over Memorial Day weekend. The Libertarian Party could play the spoiler role in 2016 for Donald Trump, just as Ralph Nader did in 2000, but this time helping to tip the election to the Democrat. Its minor-party counterpart on the left, the Green Party led by standard bearer Jill Stein, is far less likely to draw a comparable level of support from disaffected Bernie Sanders supporters. Sanders himself has already said he'll support the Democratic nominee. Advertisement Unlike the typical third party candidates, Johnson and Weld are experienced mainstream politicians. Johnson, a former construction company entrepreneur, served two terms from 1994 to 2002, winning both elections by ten points. Weld was a highly popular and moderate governor of the Bay State. He won re-election by the largest margin in state history in 1994. Polls are notoriously unreliable on third-party campaigns, especially this early in an election year, when low name recognition understates appeal. But it looks as if the Libertarians could easily take 5 to 10 percent of the total vote and more in key states. Almost all of this will come at the expense of Donald Trump. A Fox poll conducted Friday had support for Johnson at surprising 10 percent of the national vote. Once the campaign moves to the general election phase, the Libertarian ticket will get more attention. In 1980, Republican Congressman John B. Anderson of Illinois, who could not abide Ronald Reagan, mounted an independent challenge and won just under 7 percent of the vote. In what seems an increasingly close election, even five points drawn off from Trump in such key swing states as Colorado, Florida, or Ohio, or possibly Arizona, could lock those states into the blue column and provide some insurance for Hillary Clinton. Advertisement Of course, many of the Republicans who are most appalled by Donald Trump are far from libertarian. They are traditional business types or social moderates. On the other hand, they are fervent tree-traders -- like the Libertarians and unlike Trump. The presence of a ticket with two former mainstream GOP governors gives them a way to disdain Trump without crossing all the way over and supporting Clinton. In addition, the Republican Party is home to many genuine libertarians such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and his legions of young supporters. Libertarians tend to support very limited government, both at home and in limiting military adventures abroad. They also are big on rights, such as abortion rights and the right to smoke or grow marijuana, and the right to freely migrate. Gary Johnson not only supports the right to grow and smoke marijuana. He's a pot entrepreneur, the CEO of a company called Cannibis Sativa. Trump, with his defense of traditional Social Security and Medicare, and a military stance that swings wildly between intervention and isolation, seems the opposite of libertarian. Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, told the New York Times that Trump's views on Muslims reminded him of Kristallnacht, the Nazi rampage on Jewish shops and synagogues in 1938. The spurned Republican kingmakers and donors so far have failed to get a high-profile figure like Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan to mount a third party run against Trump. But two former GOP governors on the Libertarian ticket could well end up playing that role. Even though most Republican elected officials have fallen in line behind Trump, a lot of Republican voters would dearly like to cast their ballots for someone else. Advertisement -- Quick! When you think of modern architectural powerhouses around the world, which destinations come to mind? Dubai. Shanghai. Scandinavia. The Netherlands. Warsaw. Warsaw? That's right. Poland's Warsaw. A city that is making its bold global mark on modern architectural design. And creating inviting lifestyle spaces for Poles in the process. For starters, the artistic and multi award-winning 19th District. Situated in the heart of Warsaw, this gentrified area -- long seen as an outcast by Poles due to its history as a prisoner and labor camp deportation outpost during the war -- is arguably the pulse of the city. Stroll this JEMS Architects-designed neighborhood and immediately notice the minimalist approach. Wooden facades. Walls of windows creating outdoor transparency. A balance of symmetrical and irregular construction. And a self-sustaining infrastructure to boot. All urban eye candy and appeal for the design-obsessed. But merely a quick glance through a courtyard to an impressive, domed landmark is a fond reminder that historic Poland is just right around every corner. Head to the southernmost district of Warsaw, Ursynow, and you'd be amidst the most quickly growing area of the city. With the prestigious Warsaw University of Life Sciences, stunning Park Natolinski nature reserve, and the biggest bicycle route network in the capital, Ursynow has become perhaps the most sought-after area to plant roots. Having been transformed from a late 20th century concrete jungle to a locale that offers a wide variety of cultural, natural, and educational experiences, it's no wonder Ursynow's population has shot to over 150 thousand. And its real estate to some of the most valuable in the city. Advertisement Ah, Zoliborz. Stroll through this quaint, charming, central district and immediately feel the artists' community that surrounds you. Full of charisma, Zoliborz's pre-war, functionalist structures of smaller townhouses with tiled, slanted roofs, set the tone for this peaceful, creative neighborhood. But don't let the whimsical, cafe-lined, green-spaced main square (named after one of Poland's most renowned artists, Czesaw Niemen) of Zoliborz Artystyczny fool you. The modern architecture of the Maka-Sojka Architects' development is serious business. Bright, spacious, tastefully-crafted interiors sporting contemporary amenities are at the core of the building design. Only the strikingly colorful exteriors rival the nod to innovation. Making an even greater bid to Poles who are looking to reside in a comfortable, community-focused area that has it all. As that celebrated Niemen's famous song "Strange Is This World" proclaims, the global architecture game is strangely (and profoundly) shifting. Could Warsaw be the next formidable player? You better believe it. And it's making its move. For more on Polish travel and culture, check out RobinGoesTo.com. Climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity. It requires all the countries of the world to work cooperatively to limit its progress and manage its increasingly disruptive impacts. It demands our very biggest commitment. But first, let's take five to think big about it. No nation can address the warming individually or manage its impacts single handedly, without putting itself at a competitive disadvantage. The consequences of climate change are already being felt in every region of the planet. Overcoming the climate challenge requires all the countries of the world working in a coordinated framework with common goals and timetables. At the beginning of June the Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting in San Francisco, Energy ministers from 23 countries and the European Commission will meet to discuss new technologies. But we already know we need to ramp up wind, solar, wave-power, appropriate hydro and other non-carbon sources. With the ink drying on the Paris Agreement, now is the time for action at home and abroad. Here is one plan that is appropriate in size and scale to the magnitude of the challenge: rewiring the world with clean energy. Every country would make a binding commitment to increase its carbon efficiency by five percent a year. That means that each country would produce the same amount as last year using five percent less fossil fuel or produce five percent more but emitting the same amount of carbon as the previous year. A nation's compliance would be measured by calculating the ratio of its emissions to its gross domestic product -- a ratio that would have to change by five percent a year. Initially, countries could meet the annual five percent reduction through efficiency - by getting the waste out of their current energy systems. When those efficiencies were exhausted, countries would meet the five percent goal by deploying non-carbon energy sources - solar, wind, appropriate hydro, wave power, etc. That would create the mass markets and economies of scale for renewables that would bring down their prices--which are already competitive with fossil fuels in many places. A global energy transition requires industrial countries to redirect their hundreds of billions of dollars in energy subsidies away from carbon fuels. By leveling the playing field, the redeployment of those subsidies would dramatically accelerate the production of renewables. Developing countries need a fund of about $500 billion a year for about a decade to transform their energy structures. That money could come from a carbon tax in the north, a small tax on international air travel or a tax on international currency transactions (a "Tobin Tax"). The fund could be administered by the private banking system to avoid a new bureaucracy, minimize corruption and ensure the money went to non-carbon energy sources. The second half of global warming's global challenge requires groups all over the world to convince their governments to cooperate in managing the coming impacts. These threats will only continue to intensify -- crop failures, water shortages, uncontrolled migrations of people whose lands are becoming uninhabitable, and national budgets stressed to breaking points by the costs of extreme weather events. Absent a concrete framework for international cooperation, perhaps one building off of the Paris Agreement, we will see a devastating increase in wars over diminishing resources. This will almost certainly be accompanied by a rising wave of domestic repression as governments resort to totalitarian measures to keep order in the face of chaos. This admittedly monumental task is beyond the reach of the environmental movement. Any chance for a climate-friendly future requires the climate movement to enlist activist organizations around the world -- groups working on human rights, economic equity, poverty alleviation, civil liberties, social justice and government reform -- to mount a coordinated global effort to pressure the world's governments to ensure their citizen's safety by addressing climate impacts. The implications of climate change for social justice and human rights are already vividly apparent. While the countries of the north created the problem, the countries of the south are most vulnerable to its impacts - because they lack the resources to deal with intensifying floods, droughts and crop failures. Domestically, poorer communities - especially communities of color - are also far more vulnerable to the destructive impacts of extreme weather events. Were the industrial countries to help finance a clean energy transition in the developing world, it would create millions of jobs. It would raise living standards abroad without compromising ours. Eventually, it could turn impoverished countries into trading partners. In the coming years, our lives and our institutions will be profoundly changed. It would surely be better if these changes were made by us rather than done to us. So let's start by taking five to think big about how to truly combat climate change. Activist, reformer, intellectual. He was everything that a white supremacist based system feared and resented. As we recently commemorated the birth of Malcolm X, later on known as El Hajj Malik El Shabbaz, we think of the legacy he left behind and the activist work he embarked upon that still remains alive, especially in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement most recently. He spoke truth to power and challenged the normalization of a prejudicial-based system that thrived off of white supremacy. His adherence to Islam has made the continuity of his memory within Islamic societies last for many years as well as it relates to a broader range of people. As many recollect on his contributions to the civil rights movement, we also seek to highlight the uplifting and motivating factors of his activism within the framework of Islamic principles. What is also most notably striking, and what many Muslims choose to often times shy away from is the anti-black racism within the Muslim community despite such ethnic and racial pluralism that exists among Muslims. As many begin to feel uncomfortable reading this, it cannot continue to remain overlooked. Although Malcolm X's work specifically targeted the problematic issues concerning racism and discrimination within a white-supremacist based society, strictly orchestrated in a way to suppress people of color, his efforts are ever so applicable to the Muslim community just as much. "Arab privilege", much like "white privilege" does in fact exist. The notion of anti-blackness within the Muslim community is a factor that unfortunately influences the way non-black Muslims may think, act, and feel. Regardless of how much we may speak of inclusiveness within Islam the reality is anti-black racism seems to be normalized to an extent among Muslims at times ranging from social cliques to marriage restrictions. This evidently contradicts not only the efforts of Malcolm X, but Islamic principles in and of themselves. Advertisement We know too well racism has no place within Islam. As it is stated in the Quran, "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted" (Quran 49:13) This verse is a clear indication that racism is an alien concept to the principles of Islam as God has created us in a manner that is not monolithic whatsoever. Furthermore, what is also very staggering is the Prophet Muhammad's infamous condemnation of racism in his farewell sermon. "No black is superior to a white, and no white is superior to a black, and no Arab is better than a non-Arab and no non-Arab is better than an Arab. Honor is the birthright of every human being. The only criterion of superiority amongst you is nothing but good conduct" So what excuses does the Arab Muslim community have? How can anti-blackness be continuously justified and overlooked when the religion we claim to follow strictly condemns it? Have we truly lived up to our own expectations of inclusiveness? Have we genuinely applied Islamic principles of tolerance, love, and brotherhood/sisterhood? Or have we only contradicted ourselves? Rather than embodying the love, inclusiveness, and strong sense of fraternity that our beloved Prophet Muhammad used to, it seems as if some Muslims have strayed away from this Prophetic tradition. Despite the significance of the faith, Muslims are also very much engulfed within their cultures of origin. However, our communities need to transcend above ethnic and racial barriers and sincerely exemplify the pluralism that we often times advocate. As Malcolm X traveled throughout the Muslim world, he witnessed the ethnic and racial diversity of Muslims and was embraced and accepted as a fellow brother of Arab Muslims as well as African Muslims he encountered. Upon returning to the United States from the annual Hajj, Malcolm X stated in an interview that being embraced by fellow Muslims in Arab and African countries may solve the problem for him personally, however, his personal problems will never be solved as long as the problem is not solved for all of his people in this country. This is just as applicable to the Arab Muslim community. So as long as black Muslims are not welcomed and do not feel welcomed by Arabs, there will forever remain a sense of alienation and exclusivity. Malcolm X embodied and personified the noble traits and qualities of integrity, honesty, love, resilience, justice and courage and used them as a means of voicing his concerns to eradicate hatred, discrimination and inequality. These are exemplary characteristics that are manifested through Islamic principles and are seen within the Prophetic tradition. So as long as the Arab community is unable and unwilling to reform the social stigma of its disenfranchising blacks, so too will the Muslim community at large remain in a regressive cycle. FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2013 file photo, Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaks in Phoenix. A gadfly attorney and a county sheriff from Arizona want to halt President Barack Obamaas immigration program in the first courtroom battle over the initiative designed to spare nearly 5 million people from deportation. On Monday, lawyer Larry Klayman will try to persuade a judge nominated by Barack Obama that the immigration system, contrary to what the president says, isnat really broken. Klayman says the president has violated the Constitution by doing an end run around Congress and that drastic changes in immigration programs should be stopped. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) On May 2, a federal court in Arizona allowed Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to continue his workplace raids to search for undocumented immigrants using false identities to work. In the wake of this decision, we should reconsider how we define identity theft. Rather than immigrants being "identity thieves," my research with farmworkers in California's Central Valley suggests that in many industries dominated by undocumented workers, employers actually give undocumented workers work authorization documents. In 2008, Arizona broadened its definition of identity theft to include those who use fake documentation to obtain work. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) has since used this law to arrest more than 780 people--mostly undocumented workers--in 83 workplace raids. A closer look at how undocumented immigrants obtain the documents they need to work complicates Arpaio's view of them as "identity thieves." Advertisement In 1986, the U.S. passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), intended to reduce employment as an incentive for undocumented immigration. IRCA requires that employers inspect proof of identity (such as "green card" or passport) and proof of work authorization status (a Social Security card) for each prospective employee. Yet IRCA does not require that employers verify the authenticity of such documents. So the law encouraged employers to accept fake, loaned, or stolen documents. In industries like agriculture that are reliant on undocumented labor, employers either turn a blind eye to false or purloined documents or provide them themselves. Employers know that frequent "No-Match" letters from the Social Security Administration--that is, notifications of discrepancies between a worker's name and his reported Social Security Number--trigger federal immigration raids or audits. Because of this, employers' degrees of compliance depend on their size and employee turnover. For example, among small labor contractors in California's Central Valley, the high turnover of their seasonal workforce makes federal immigration raids uncommon. Labor supervisors who hire field hands can therefore dispense with IRCA's required documentation inspection entirely. In contrast, large agribusiness companies with a more permanent workforce bear a higher risk of workplace audits or raids. These companies often have a formal policy of only hiring workers with valid documentation. This poses a dilemma for labor supervisors, who have devised a strategy to evade this policy. Farmworkers said that labor supervisors often qualify the official company policy. As one said: "They tell workers, 'Yes we want good documents... But they don't need to be yours.'" Advertisement In large agribusiness companies, then, supervisors encourage what I call identity masking. They ask undocumented immigrants to work loaned or stolen documents in order to hide their presence from the federal government. The practice allows these companies to disguise their employment of undocumented immigrants from the immigration authorities, and their use of child labor from state and federal labor departments. Identity masking is not unique to agriculture. During the 2008 raid of a kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, Agriprocessors, Inc., federal prosecutors charged 389 undocumented workers with "aggravated identity theft," meaning that they had "knowingly" and "intentionally" used the identity of a third party to work. A year later, after the workers had been imprisoned and deported, the Supreme Court reversed their convictions, finding the charges unsubstantiated. Meanwhile, one supervisor was convicted for directing six undocumented employees to obtain "new identification documents" to avoid federal scrutiny and another was similarly convicted of conspiracy to commit document fraud. And one plant manager admitted in court that he had conspired with the former vice president a week before the raid to buy fake identification documents for 19 employees. This suggests that supervisors may have been the ones who had in fact provided the workers with loaned or stolen documents--precisely in an effort to avoid a federal raid. In Arizona, too, evidence suggests that some workers arrested for "identity theft" were merely working the documents or Social Security Numbers provided by their employers. On August 9, 2012, the MCSO arrested Luz Ruiz Rascon during a raid at a GNC vitamin supply company warehouse. The federal I-9 and W-4 forms that Rascon's employer had on file bore Social Security Number that had been invented, and Maricopa County prosecutors charged Rascon with six counts of identity theft and forgery. Yet the Maricopa County Attorneys' Office (MCAO) eventually dropped the felony charge against Rascon and offered her a plea bargain of a misdemeanor. As the MCAO spokesperson later told a reporter, Rascon's work authorization papers "appeared to support a possible finding by the jury that she may not have completed all the sections of the documents herself." I love to think about the ancient royal families who retained personal astronomers, who were responsible for tracking the movements of the celestial bodies in the skies for extraordinary events. Absent networked communications technology, the skies provided the ultimate wide-screen monitor: a vast, ethereal display in which to divine earthly events. For example, Vatican scholars agree that the Magis' journey to welcome Jesus was guided by an exceptionally bright star, dramatically viewed in a sky unencumbered by man-made light. Today's astronomers still work around the clock to take note of celestial phenomena. Take just one month, this May, for instance. May 9: Mercury completed a transit across the Sun. The transit of Mercury occurs only about 13 times in a century, and the next one takes place on November 11, 2019. (Click here for the schedule from the years between 1605 to 2295, inclusive.) Advertisement May 21: Blue Moon -- the third blue moon of four this season. (A "blue moon" is a second full moon within a single month.) The next monthly Blue Moon will appear on January 31, 2018. May 22: Mars arrives at opposition to the Sun, and coincidentally will appear close to the spectacular blue moon. During this period, Mars shines at its brightest for 2016, i.e. magnitude minus 2.1, or nearly twice as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Also on May 22: Mercury, one of four planets currently in retrograde, turns direct. Perhaps the most astounding feature of all these spectacular events is that they are happening on a schedule, and in anticipated detail (see italics above). And not only this month, but comme d'habitude. For instance earlier this year, five planets appeared in the dawn sky, starting on January 19 and continuing until February 20. This occurrence will repeat in August, for six days beginning on August 13, and at dusk instead of dawn. Before this year, the five planets had not been together for more than a decade. These fantastic celestial events are not capricious; they are operating on a precise timetable ad with specificity that eclipses the most talented flight scheduler or souffle chef. Advertisement About twice a year, the moon passes in front of the Earth, as recorded here by NASA's new Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. "It is surprising how much brighter Earth is than the moon," says Adam Szabo, DSCOVR's project scientist. "Our planet is a truly brilliant object in dark space." Sky-gazing reminds that the only place to live is exactly where we are. For all the mayhem, brutality, and depravity of this world, it is a miraculous, flabbergastingly hospitable haven. No offense to Elon Musk and other contemporary rocket expeditioners, but my bets are on this planet: the Earth is the only livable speck in a galaxy of untenable, uncomfortable, alien alternatives. Who on earth would dare to deny or interfere with a natural order that includes such rhythms? Herod, Saul and Priam in ancient times come to mind. Proud, powerful people who privileged their own gain and reaped disaster. Is it naive to hope that the most powerful climate-change deniers might eventually take note of this short-sightedness? Advertisement This evening, I recommend straightening your cervical vertebrae from constant tapping and tweeting on the phone, and gazing skyward for the rare sight of a full "blue" moon with tiny red Mars to the side. And let's hope our most influential leaders are doing the same, reminding themselves that there are forces operating on a scale monumentally larger and more enduring than our vulnerable human constructions, infinitesimally tiny and inconsequential by comparison. If you happen to know someone who might benefit from a stellar perspective, please invite them along. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a rally on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Vista, Calif. (AP Photo/Sandy Huffaker) The optimism of Bernie Sanders' latest viral video belies the fact that what we need is another politician like our under-valued 13th President, Millard Fillmore. Much has been made by the majority of American Democrats under 45 who support Bernie Sanders of recent comparisons between the Vermont Senator and Franklin Delano Roosevelt -- the American President who won World War II and authored "The New Deal," an economic plan that shepherded America from the Depression to its most productive and prosperous decades. Advertisement The superficial similarities between the two men, which almost exclusively relate to their economic policies and support for new forms of diplomacy abroad -- Roosevelt having been instrumental to the creation of the United Nations -- was, frustratingly, only bolstered when the world's foremost left-leaning economist, Thomas Piketty, said recently that "Sanders' success today shows that much of America is tired of rising inequality...and intends to revive both a progressive agenda and the American tradition of egalitarianism." The lavish praise was bad enough, but the comparisons to Roosevelt, again superficially reasonable due to the two politicians' synchronicity in most areas of public policy, dangerously misunderstand what America needs in this time of economic and international crisis. As pointed out in the excellent 2015 essay "Incrementalism Versus Disjuncture," written by Marc Landy and published in the Tulsa Law Review, the nation's roster of "forgotten" Presidents -- which includes William Henry Harrison, who died just days into his term, but also the understated Fillmore, who resisted efforts by fellow Whigs to dictate his executive appointments -- suggests that sometimes uninspiring and uncharismatic Presidents can have much more impact than we anticipate they will. While Landy ultimately rejects the theory that incrementalist Presidents are preferable to ones who are ideologically counter-institutional (as he notes, "Overall, one is struck by how little the Forgottens contributed to the development of the presidency as compared to the Remembered"), his analysis of the nation's least-heralded Presidents underscores that sometimes what is wanted is a cautious bureaucrat whose sense of the possible is decidedly modest even by contemporary standards. There has been an assumption that if America were to demand a "New New Deal" from its government, one that again deployed spending and legislative strategies which were historically transformative for the nation in ways now considered almost entirely positive, it would likewise achieve the same result today. Yes, it might, but why take the chance that it won't and we come right back to where we started? As things stand now, approval ratings for Congress are at acceptable levels, legislation to rename post offices or other government buildings often achieves bipartisan support, and only a minority of Congressional races are competitive -- one of the major pluses of gerrymandering, as when too many Congressional districts can be contested every two years it makes the citizens of these districts restless and even intemperate. Advertisement Far better than any President of the period from 1842 to 1856, Millard Fillmore knew how to deal with restlessness. When Lajos Kossuth, a leader of the failed Hungarian Revolution, demanded that the U.S. recognize Hungary's independence, the demand electrified Americans from Maine to California -- a sense of unease that Fillmore quite adequately quelled by refusing to change American policy toward the Eastern European nation. Would Bernie Sanders have had that level of foresight? There's nothing in his twenty-five year Congressional record, nor indeed anything in the three terms Roosevelt was in the White House, to suggest either man would have reaffirmed America's neutrality toward Hungary in the highly charged atmosphere of 1851. But you know who would have reaffirmed America's neutrality toward Hungary, and done so with the appropriate pomp and caution? Hillary Clinton. And that's exactly the sort of understated but in a certain way bold incrementalism America needs right now. Bernie Sanders might appear to most American Democrats under 45 and several of the world's foremost economists -- Piketty being just one example -- like the Second Coming of FDR, but what America really needs to ask itself is, was FDR really so great? If you think about it, it seems absolutely clear what the answer to that is. Seth Abramson is the Series Editor for Best American Experimental Writing (Wesleyan University) and the author, most recently, of DATA (BlazeVOX, 2016). Also on HuffPost: view of coal powerplant against ... With the eyes of the world on Japan for this week's G7 meeting in Ise-Shima, the government will be hoping to show off the best of our country. The town of Ise-Shima itself is home to the one of the most revered Shinto shrines in Japan and a proud part of our history. But the government is also about promoting the nation's cutting-edge art, technology and culture abroad. Advertisement At the heart of this is - Cool Japan - a PR campaign run by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. But it seems like coal is the new cool, because it's a little known fact that unlike its G7 partners, Japan is in the process of building 49 new coal-fired power stations - whilst also being by far and away the largest financial backer of coal infrastructure in the region. From 2007 to 2014, Japan provided over US$20 billion in coal financing abroad. While the US, the UK, France and other countries have placed restrictions on their financing of coal projects abroad, and are actively shutting down existing plants, Japan remains the world's number one supporter of overseas coal. That's why this week we're taking part in the launch of the brand-jamming Coal Japan, which aims to let the world know what's quietly going on in the land of the rising sun. Advertisement Because let's face it, there's not much cool about coal. The Coal Japan campaign aims to show the world that Japan's plans for 49 new coal-fired power plants are far from cool Ironically, Japan will be one of the world's most affected countries by sea-level rise, with 7.5 million people - 30 percent of Tokyo's population - affected by the sea level rise under a 4 degrees Celsius scenario in the capital alone. A rise by 2 degrees Celsius would leave 4.2 million people's homes underwater. Coal is climate change and climate change is catastrophe. A Climate Central report shows that 7.5 million residents of Tokyo would be affected by sea level rise under a 4 degrees Celsius scenario Which is why at the last G7 in 2015, members agreed that the decarbonisation of the global economy should be completed by the end of this century: requiring deep cuts in CO2 emissions and big changes in how we power our planet. In Paris, under the Paris Climate Agreement, this goal for decarbonisation was brought forward to zero emissions by 2050. This means that G7 leaders, including Japan, agreed there is no future for coal in a world that is acting to avoid dangerous climate change. Advertisement And the G7 is moving away from coal. The UK has totally kicked the habit and the USA is rapidly retiring old coal plants, with over 200 shut in the last five years and more closing their doors every week. Japan is the odd one out as only country in the G7 building new coal-fired power stations, despite promising the rest of the world to do the opposite. And this is also despite having to import all its coal from abroad, mainly from Australia and Indonesia. So what's with Coal Japan? 350 Japan campaigners protest against the country's coal policy last week The answer lies in the flow of both public and private finance from Japan's banks and institutional investors to major power corporations such as TEPCO, whose interests are to restrict new renewable energy power generation that will disrupt their business model. A survey commissioned by 350.org Japan revealed that the investments in, and loans to corporations related to fossil fuels, new domestic coal-fired thermal power facilities and nuclear power-related companies by Japan's mega-banking groups - including Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho, Mitsui Sumitomo and Mitsui Sumitomo Trust - amounted to approximately 5.389 trillion Japanese Yen in 2014. Advertisement This survey also found that Japan's major life insurance companies have investments and loans totalling 4.330 trillion Japanese Yen in companies connected to fossil fuels and nuclear power. All the big names are there and they're not keen on renewable energy shaking the apple cart. But the bright side is that Japan can be a renewable energy powerhouse by directing its financial and technological might towards clean energy. With almost US$20 billion invested annually in new solar developments that are bringing 8 gigawatts (GW) of solar-powered electricity online per year, Japan is one of the three largest solar installation markets globally. So as the G7 comes around we're at a major cross-roads. Are we going to be seen by the world as Cool Japan, or Coal Japan? Which is why we're asking individuals, Japan's banks, insurance companies, pension funds and all public organizations that they divest from corporations linked to fossil fuels and nuclear power, and transition these investments towards the development of renewable energy - through the #DivestJapan campaign. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi looks on during a meeting at the Capitol Hill in Rome, Italy, May 5, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi We don't know for sure that Matteo Renzi likes to play cards, but he certainly has an excellent poker face. Italy has grown accustomed to the prime minister's all-in moves: He has placed all of his chips on a few key reform laws. From the Jobs Act to the new electoral law (the so-called Italicum) to the civil unions, Renzi's game was simple: he personalized every debate, turning each issue into a dramatic and personal referendum. His underlying narrative has been: "You're either with me or against me." Due to his popularity and the weakness of the opposition, Renzi has been gradually winning the pot, and is on his way to victory. Advertisement Renzi has used this same "go big or go home" strategy in the most important game of all: the October referendum on constitutional reform. The referendum intends to simplify the country's institutional structure, speed up the legislative process, and reduce the cost of Italian politics by a billion euros a year. In other words, it intends to weaken the Senate's power. Former President Giorgio Napolitano and the EU had long hoped for a referendum on these reforms. However, the upcoming referendum has quickly turned into an outright "Rexit" that has split the country in two. Recent polls show that more and more people are planning to vote "no" in the referendum, and that Renzi's approval ratings have fallen. Meanwhile, the economy continues to struggle. Is this the end of the honeymoon period for Renzi? Probably. Will it have a boomerang effect? Likely. Recent polls show that more and more people are planning to vote "no" in the referendum, and that Renzi's approval ratings have fallen. Besides feeding the opposition's campaign against him, Renzi's technique of making every issue a personal one also risks influencing the results of the June administrative elections, in which all the major cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin and Naples, some smaller cities, such as Bologna, Cagliari and Trieste, and over 1,300 districts will take part. Risk-taking is not in Renzi's nature, and it would be too dangerous for him to try to transmit these local votes into votes for himself. There is also the fact that the opinion polls do not bode well for the Democratic party, of which Renzi is the secretary. He must concentrate on the challenging task of performing well in Rome and Naples. Naples is firmly within the grip of the left-wing former magistrate Luigi de Magistris, who has the support of 14 local parties. The Democratic party is at risk of not even appearing on the ballot there. In Rome, which is still simmering after the bizarre reign of the former surgeon Ignazio Roberto Maria Marino, the front-runner appears to be the 5-Star Movement's candidate, Virginia Raggi. However, the situation is still uncertain. The recent legal troubles of the 5-Star Movement and the less-than-transparent behavior of its leaders (apart from Beppe Grillo) seem to have slowed down the party's momentum. The right, divided by two strong candidates -- Giorgia Meloni, an ex-minister in the Berlusconi government, and Alfio Marchini, an Italian billionaire -- could lose the capital, or at least the vote, to the Democratic party candidate, the ex-radical Roberto Giachetti. In Turin, the polls are showing Piero Fassino, the current Democrat mayor and former secretary of the Democrats of the Left party in the lead, although Chiara Appendino, the 5-Star Movement candidate, is making a strong showing in the polls. Advertisement The real test, however, will be in Milan, where Renzi has a loyal candidate at his disposal: Giuseppe Sala, who successfully organized the 2015 Expo in Milan for the government. Sala will go head-to-head with another manager with proven experience, the center-right candidate Stefano Parisi. If the Democratic party loses in Milan, it would be a huge blow for Renzi. Close up of calculator, data and stethoscope Last week we posted a critique of the Urban Institute's (UI) absurdly biased report that claimed Sen. Bernie Sanders' proposal for single-payer health reform would cause a massive increase in health spending. Now, the report's authors have issued a 12-page rejoinder to our criticism. But that response is riddled with distortions, misinterpretations and glaring factual errors. Moreover, they now make it clear that they didn't even try to estimate the costs of Sanders' (or our) single-payer proposals. Instead, they made up their own reform proposal and costed that out. Our critique identified three main problems with the UI's projection that implementing single payer would boost total health spending by $519 billion in 2017. First, UI ignored about 75 percent of the administrative savings that single-payer reform would achieve. Second, it substantially underestimated single payer's savings on prescription drugs. And finally, it posited an absurdly large increase in the utilization of health care under single payer, far more than could possibly be provided by the current supply of doctors and hospitals. Advertisement Below, we briefly discuss the UI's response to those criticisms, and the facts of the matter. 1. Administrative savings, Part 1: The original UI report projected that single payer could cut insurance overhead from the current 9.5 percent of health spending ($341 billion) to 6 percent ($215 billion). As they now admit, they were modeling a compromised single-payer system, in which private managed care insurers like UnitedHealthcare would continue to play a major role, as they do in the Medicare Advantage program. (Neither we nor Sanders have suggested such a continued role for private insurers.) We pointed out that Canada's single-payer system runs for 1.8 percent overhead (a figure they impugn, but which is taken directly from Canada's official health statistics), and is similar to the overhead in the traditional Medicare program. Reducing our insurance overhead to the Canadian level would mean cutting it to "only" $65 billion. There's no reason to believe we can't be as efficient as Canada if we, like Canada, proscribe participation by private insurers. The UI rejoinder argues that "it would be inadvisable to cut administrative costs so much that important functions could not be carried out effectively under a new system. Such functions include rate setting for many different providers of different types facing different costs across the country; quality control over care provision; development, review, and revision of regulations; oversight for fraudulent activity; provider oversight and enforcement of standards; bill payment to providers; consumer services; and more." Of course traditional Medicare (and Canada) are already doing all of those things, and the UI response gives no reason why $65 billion can't do the job. 2. Administrative savings, Part 2: The original UI estimate projected that single-payer reform wouldn't realize any savings on the vast amounts hospitals and doctors currently spend on billing and paperwork. Yet, Sanders' (and our) proposals would enormously simplify this billing and paperwork. We noted that reliable studies published in the most respected medical and policy journals have documented these provider administrative savings, and that numerous single-payer estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office and private consultants have all assumed that these savings would occur. Advertisement In response, our UI colleagues continue to project zero administrative savings for providers, but say: "We agree that administrative costs would fall, but we do not agree they would be close to zero as HW [Himmelstein and Woolhandler] assert." Actually, we never asserted any such thing. We wrote that "U.S. hospitals spend one-quarter of their total budgets on billing and administration, more than twice as much as hospitals spend in single-payer systems like Canada's or Scotland's. Similarly, U.S. physicians, who must bill hundreds of different insurance plans with varying payment and coverage rules, spend two to three times as much as our Canadian colleagues on billing." Our estimate that cutting U.S. providers' administrative costs to Canadian levels would save about $2.57 trillion over 10 years was based on this well-established (and peer-reviewed) data. 3. Drug prices: The latest UI piece restated their conviction that a U.S. single-payer system could get only half the discounts that single-payer systems in other nations have gotten from drug companies (and would actually raise drug prices for patients currently on Medicaid). They continue to offer no reason why the discounts would be so small. Moreover, they now claim that Himmelstein and Woolhandler "argue incorrectly that we ignored savings from paying less for prescription drugs." In fact we didn't ignore their estimated savings, but said they should be two-fold higher than the 25 percent they projected. 4. Utilization of care, Part 1: The original UI report estimated that single-payer reform would cause a $519 billion increase in health spending in 2017, even accounting for some savings on administration and drugs. But we noted that there just aren't enough hospital beds or doctors to meet the huge surge in visits and hospitalizations they predict. To back up our claim we cited data from Canada (when its single-payer reform was implemented) and the U.S. (when Medicare and Medicaid were implemented). These data document that no, or very modest increases in society-wide use of care, occurred, and that instead care shifted from the rich and healthy to the sick and poor. In response, the UI rejoinder says: "Contrary to HW's [Himmelstein and Woolhandler's] claim in their article, health care use and spending for the elderly population did increase substantially once the Medicare program was implemented in 1965." Here (as in their claim about our statement on providers' administrative costs) they have misquoted us. We wrote that "between 1964 (before Medicare) and 1966 (the year when Medicare was fully functioning) there was absolutely no increase in the total number of doctor visits," and that "the same thing happened in hospitals." While we are well aware that utilization by the elderly and the poor went up after Medicare and Medicaid were implemented, the point is that there was a compensatory, slight reduction in utilization by other Americans, reflecting the limitations imposed by the existing supply of hospital beds and doctors (most of whom were already working full time). Advertisement Here's the actual data on the number of doctor visits per person (not just the elderly) before and after Medicare/Medicaid: And here's the actual data on the total number of hospitalizations: In sum, we were correct in stating that the overall utilization of care showed no surge. 5. Utilization of care, Part 2: We noted in our critique that the lack of a surge in overall utilization in Canada, or with the start-up of Medicare/Medicaid, reflected a shift of care, with the newly insured poor and sick patients getting more of the care they needed, and the healthy and wealthy getting less elective and unnecessary care. The UI rejoinder disputes that such a shift could occur. "HW [Himmelstein and Woolhandler] indicate that use would increase for the newly insured but would decrease by a similar amount for those already covered as physicians cease unnecessary services for those otherwise covered and perform additional necessary care for those otherwise uninsured. This assumption is faulty for two major reasons. First, no uniform definition of what is necessary and unnecessary exists in medical care; if such a definition existed, insurers would stop paying for all unnecessary care under our current health system. Second, there is absolutely no reason to believe that higher-income, currently insured individuals would lower their use of care under provider supply constraints." Their puzzlement displays a lack of familiarity with the considerable literature on variability in the utilization of care between different areas in the U.S., as well as the actual practice of medicine. John Wennberg and colleagues long ago observed that the number of surgical operations in a community showed only modest correlation with needs of the population, but was strongly correlated (r=.64) with the supply of surgeons. Advertisement As any doctor knows, doctors play a large role in regulating the amount of care they deliver. If we have no free appointment slots for the next month we're likely to put off seeing our healthy patients a bit longer. Gastroenterologists often perform unnecessary screening colonoscopies. That's not something many patients would demand. Indeed, the Aday paper referenced (to support a different point) in the UI rejoinder makes exactly our point: "After Medicare and Medicaid were introduced, providers may have begun to ration the number of visits by the 'well-to-do' to accommodate the influx of low-income patients with newly acquired purchasing power and a backlog of unmet need." In sum, there's considerable evidence that doctor routinely adjust the utilization of care by their patients, and that when many additional people gain coverage, doctors shift care to this newly insured group, and compensate by reducing unneeded care for the wealthy and healthy. 6. What system was the UI analyzing? The UI researchers claimed to be estimating the budgetary impact of Sen. Sanders' proposal. Yet now they tell us, "To be politically acceptable, compromises would have to be made, and those compromises are reflected in our assumptions." In other words, their estimates are not actually based on the reform that Sanders (or we) have recommended. Instead they assume that the insurance and drug companies are too powerful to really rein in. Overall, the UI response misrepresents key elements of our critique, and fails to address the erroneous assumptions that underlay their original analysis. Single-payer systems elsewhere provide more and better care at a lower price than we pay. The administrative bloat of our market-driven payment system accounts for much of the difference. While we recognize that a transition to a true single-payer system faces stiff political headwinds, it's medically and economically feasible. And as Sen. Sanders has shown, political climates can be changed. Drs. Woolhandler and Himmelstein are internists in the South Bronx, professors at the City University of New York School of Public Health at Hunter College, and lecturers in medicine at Harvard Medical School. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those institutions'. After jihadists slaughtered 132 people in a Paris nightclub, French ambassador Gerard Araud declared on CNN, "It is not because you are unemployed that you blow yourself up in a theater...the problem is radical Islam." Yet, unemployment among Muslim youth is estimated by Eurostat to be 40 percent in France and 50 percent in Germany. Can there be any doubt that financial desperation--not religion--is handing terrorist recruiters a huge pool of potential foot soldiers? To cut recruiters off at the knees, the United States must encourage its allies to commit to new strategies to integrate Muslim youth into their economies. According to Brandeis professor Andrew Hahn, "Studies demonstrate that entrepreneurship education programs are among the few strategies that work during periods of massive youth joblessness," We blame religion and ignore the economic underpinnings of terrorism at our peril. We can fight back with entrepreneurship education, and initiatives that will encourage a worldwide entrepreneurial eco-system to take root, instead of poisonous ideologies. Advertisement An Historic Pattern: Youth Unemployment Leads to War Viewed historically, it is no surprise that high rates of youth unemployment could lead to shocking acts of violence. In "The Bachelor Bomb: This Lost Generation of Young Men is Threatening Global Stability", Quartz editor Gwynn Guilford explores the close relationship between surging populations of underemployed young men and revolutions or wars. Clear examples she cites include the English Revolution (1642-51), the French Revolution of 1789, and the emergence of the Nazi Party in the 1930s. Since 2005, France has suffered through a series of youth riots ignited by rage over unemployment and discrimination. In her 2007 paper for the Institute For Social Policy And Understanding, "Muslims in France: French or Muslim, What Is the Choice?" Moushumi Khan argued that the riots exploded out of French Muslim frustration at "not getting rights of equal citizenship--including employment." Khan added: "The degree of misinformation and prejudice about Muslims in Europe clouds any examination of the underlying reasons for social unrest." Studies Prove Entrepreneurship Education Changes Minds When I began teaching in New York City's public high schools in 1982, I was only able to reach my angry, disenfranchised low-income students when I started teaching them about business. Once I started using business lessons to get their attention, I discovered that they coped exceptionally well with the stress of business risk. They were eager to learn how to make money, and worked hard with great enthusiasm once they were shown how to create and run their own small businesses. They became interested in improving their math, reading and writing skills because these helped them run their businesses, and were less likely to drop out. But I couldn't prove it. Luckily, starting in 1997, Brandeis and Harvard University partnered with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) for two decades to conduct the first-ever double-blind studies on the effect of entrepreneurship education on low-income youth. The studies showed that students exposed to entrepreneurship education developed: Advertisement A 32% increase in attending college. A 4X increase in occupational aspirations. Three times as many new businesses as the control group. The Harvard study also concluded that students learned critical thinking and collaboration skills which created a "psychology of entrepreneurship" and made them stronger candidates for employment. France Begins Entrepreneurship Education Initiative Education is a priority in France, with 21 percent of the annual national budget earmarked for it, yet according to the French Council of Economic Analysis, roughly 150,000 young people drop out of school annually. In 2014, France recognized entrepreneurship education as a "cross-curricular objective at all levels of school education," according to School Education Gateways' report "Entrepreneurship Education in France." France has begun to add entrepreneurship objectives into the national curriculum and target Junior Achievement (Entreprenedre pour Apprendre) programs to low-income youth. These initiatives are small, yet encouraging. Sub-Sahara's Entrepreneurship Boom Meanwhile, the 2014 and 2016 GEM Global Reports--the world's largest entrepreneurship study--found burgeoning entrepreneurial activity in the world's poorest economies.Ten sub-Saharan economies--Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia--are "in the midst of an entrepreneurial revolution that is invigorating the region with new opportunities, increased employment, and a robust rise in gross domestic product," according to GEM. Advertisement American foreign policymakers need to be aware of this activity. We and our allies can help encourage entrepreneurial eco-systems to take root in Nigeria, for example, to help low-income youth resist the lure of Boko Haram and other violent extremist groups The GEM Report found "an incredible ability for people here to create their own jobs, and in many cases, jobs for others," adding, "entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa can contribute substantially toward providing income for families and lifting communities out of poverty." 5 Initiatives to Connect Entrepreneurs Globally I propose that the United States take the lead in establishing five international initiatives to connect entrepreneurs to markets and financing, and promote entrepreneurship as a viable path out of poverty for low-income youth. The estimated total annual cost of these initiatives is around $100 million, which pales in comparison to the billions spent on the War on Terror. Potential sponsors include not only national governments, but also the World Economic Forum and major corporations. 1. International business plan competition The top ten young entrepreneurs under age forty from 250 countries worldwide would be honored at an award ceremony and networking event in a different city annually. Estimated annual cost: $15 million Advertisement 2. Worldwide venture capital fund for young entrepreneurs If 200 countries each choose 250 entrepreneurs to receive $1,000 grants to start their businesses, the total capital required per year would be $50 million globally. That is a small amount to invest compared to the social benefits of building a new generation of entrepreneurs. 3. Global expansion of Ernst & Young U.S. Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Estimated cost $5 million. 4. Free apps to connect entrepreneurs to markets globally These would enable a small farmer in Syria, for example, to find importers in Europe for his dates. Estimated annual cost $10 million. 5. International Internet/television series profiling young entrepreneurs This would promote award winners and tell their stories. Estimated cost $20 million Part 2 of a four-part series on winning the war on terror with owner-entrepreneurship education and support for entrepreneurs. Read Part 1 here. Workers clean solar panels at a solar energy plant in Jinzhou, Liaoning province December 12, 2009. Governments seeking to combat global warming are giving incentives for low-carbon energy production and penalizing industries that emit greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. The global recession has curbed energy usage and reduced emissions but also scaled back investment in alternative energy. REUTERS/Sheng Li (CHINA - Tags: ENERGY ENVIRONMENT) In an excellent piece in the New York Times, Erica Goode summarized a recent report from the World Health Organization (W.H.O.). According to Goode: The report, which compiled air quality readings from 3,000 cities in 103 countries, found that more than 80 percent of people in those cities were exposed to pollution exceeding the limits set by W.H.O. guidelines, above which air quality is considered to be unhealthy. And in poorer countries, 98 percent of cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants were out of compliance with the health organization's guidelines. Her story noted that while most of the disparity was between wealthy nations and poorer ones, Europe's dependence on diesel-fueled autos has resulted in pollution levels that are far higher than those in North America. In Europe, 60% of those living in cities breathed air that did not meet international standards; in North America, that number was 20%. The World Health Organization's report indicates that public policy and economic choices can lead to higher or lower levels of pollution; that there is no trade-off between economic growth and air pollution; and that the wealthiest countries tend to have the cleanest air. One standard response to the presence of cleaner air in the developed world is to argue that these countries have exported their largest polluters--dirty, heavy industry--into the developing world. While the export of manufacturing is undoubtedly true, most air pollution comes from generating electricity and from vehicles, so the real story is a failure to regulate power plant and auto emissions. Given what we have learned about Volkswagen's attitude toward emissions monitoring, it is easy to understand why Europe's air is not as clean as America's or Canada's. Government may not always be an efficient mechanism of program delivery, but when it comes to setting rules and enforcing standards, they are really the only game in town. Without the rule of law and rigorously enforced air pollution regulation, there seem to be too many incentives for trading off long-term benefits for short-term gains. Nevertheless, I am sure we could develop a market mechanism to reinforce air pollution standards and that market incentives would drive compliance with clean air rules even higher. Innovative policy designs to reduce pollution should always be explored. But there is no substitute for rules that express a nation's sense of values and for those national values to include preservation of the planet. I am not arguing that securing clean air does not require sacrifices and trade-offs. There will certainly be old dirty factories that are not cost effective unless they pollute, but those factories should either clean up or close down. The workers who are harmed by these changes should be compensated for their loss and offered alternative means of employment. The efforts to reinforce the trade-off between environmental protection and economic development are shortsighted and terribly manipulative. For example, union members eager for construction jobs are told that without a gas pipeline or coal-fired power plants there will be no jobs. That is only the case if our nation decides not to invest resources and build the high-tech businesses of the 21st century. There will be plenty of jobs if our political leaders exhibit the political courage to invest in our roads, bridges, ports, mass transit, energy efficiency and water supply. Our infrastructure is characterized by a massive amount of deferred maintenance. No one wants to pay the user fees or taxes needed to maintain modern energy, water or transportation infrastructure. But once we decide that we are willing to invest public treasure for public goods, construction jobs will return. Advertisement Our transportation infrastructure is falling apart. Last week I went from my office on Broadway and 114th Street to the National Science Foundation offices near the Ballston-MU Metro Station in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. I took the subway to Penn Station, the Amtrak to Washington, D.C., and the D.C. metrorail to Ballston. My hotel was directly connected to the metro station. I didn't travel by train because it used less energy than other means; I did it because it was the easiest way to travel. But I must tell you, the best piece of infrastructure I travelled on was the NYC subway--and that is nothing to brag about. Penn Station in New York is a dump and the Amtrak trains could certainly use modernization. Union Station in D.C. is a wonderful, beautiful and (I hope) thriving commercial hub, but the D.C. metrorail is a depressing disaster. I worked in Washington when the metro was new and I thought it was the subway of the future. Sadly, the cars seem to have the same carpet and seats today that they had back in the 1980s. There is plenty of work to do if someone wants to fix up the metro (I'd suggest putting a few more escalators in the NYC subway and building a bullet train from D.C. to New York). The trade-off between environmental protection and economic growth has been discussed for half a century. What we have learned is that government regulations requiring pollution control are "technology forcing" and encourage the modernization of industry and infrastructure. A marginal business that can't afford pollution control technology would not last very long anyway. But the investment in environmental clean-up often stimulates other upgrades that enable businesses to more effectively compete in a global economy. Moreover, a clean environment reduces illness and that reduces the need for expensive health care. Clean air also attracts businesses, residents and tourists. Dirty air discourages visitors and investment. The idea that wealth has nothing to do with ecology is idiotic. Humans are living beings requiring the food, air and water that can only be generated by thriving ecosystems. The wealthy cannot build a walled community to keep the foul air out of their plush estates. Perhaps they can filter their homes and reduce particulates, but some toxics will still get through, and eventually even a wealthy person must leave their cocoon and breathe along with the rest of us. Advertisement The rich may know they can't hide from air pollution, but American workers have been convinced that they won't have jobs if they don't help extract fossil fuels. Donald Trump claims he will re-open America's coal mines. People who oppose fracking and pipeline projects are considered anti-growth and anti-labor. We cannot "make America great again" by trying to return to the industrial era of the mid-twentieth century. As Bruce Springsteen wrote in "My Hometown": "They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks. Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back." It is cynical and manipulative to claim that we can return to the mid-twentieth century; we can't. Agriculture and manufacturing are becoming more automated and modular construction is the wave of the future. Employment will need to be based on the economy of the future, not our dreams of the past. I am Katie Howard and you might know me through my Instagram project @PickleBeholding. What you may not know is that I started the Instagram project because I work as a private art advisor for individuals and companies. In other words, I help people figure out what art to buy within their budget and taste. A lot of that work is taking away the stigmas and fears of feeling uneducated enough or not wealthy enough to appreciate and buy art. You don't have to be super educated to appreciate contemporary art. Liking it is appreciating it, and if you like it enough to want to live with it, you should. When I look for art for myself, or a client, it is important to find something that grabs and keeps my attention. For me that means the works I am typically drawn to use humor to engage the viewer in a deeper criticism. So I thought since Frieze New York has come to a close I would share some of my favorite works from the past week, with Pickle of course. Yayoi Kusama "The Moment of Regeneration," 2014 at Victoria Miro Gallery The first artist I wanted to share is Yayoi Kusama. She is most well known for her dot paintings, orange bob, and infinity room that has been Instagrammed almost 15 thousand times, and at 87 she has become the highest paid living female artist. This work "The Moment of Regeneration" is very typical of her fun and whimsical sculptures. Her works are so popular because they are able to provide the viewer with a moment of fun and relaxation, and she has been able to transcend the pitfalls of being tied to specific art movements. Advertisement Gina Beavers at Clifton Benevento These works are by an incredible emerging artist Gina Beavers. Her works are best described as sculptural relief paintings, meaning that the paintings have dimensionality and actually pop off the wall. Her works reference Claes Oldenburg's soft sculptures but you don't need to know that to appreciate their pop culture and Internet photography references which she carefully recreates. Los Carpinteros "Clavo Once," 2015 at Galeria Fortes Vilaca This bent and twisted oversized nail is by a Havana-based artist collective Los Carpinteros. Their works, like so many that I am drawn to are playful but underneath can be quite critical of the world around them. Their works aim to draw attention to the intersections between fine art, craft and design and break down the assumed differences between them. Another contemporary of Claes Oldenburg they are able to make what would ordinarily be functional objects useless, and in this work it's done with scale. In highlighting these contradictions they bring awareness of the divides between artists and skilled craftsmen by mocking the fact that we as a society say we appreciate art more than craft. Sam Moyer "North Woods," 2016 at Rodolphe Janssen This work is by another incredible female artist and Frenchie owner, Sam Moyer. She started her career being known for dying fabrics outside with techniques to make them look like marble. As her practice progressed she began to incorporate actual marble slabs in the work. She has since progressed to this incredible point in her work where she is now re-creating brush strokes with marble imbedded in canvas. It's this kind of experimentation and fun that also pushes boundaries that I look for when following an artist's career. Faig Ahmed "Osho," 2015 at Nature Morte This was the first work that grabbed me during Frieze Art Fair and it's by the Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed. The incredible craftsmanship of this work on top of the breathtaking design is enough to make anyone stop to look. But what is brilliant is his ability to make these woven rugs look either look like they were painted, melted, or digitally manipulated and the feelings that are brought out because of it. To me, the work is heartbreaking because I see melting of a very distinct and unique culture. And it makes me think of the homogenizing of our beautiful cultures because of the Internet. Yet, precisely because he's making these works he is paying homage and calling for recognition of this centuries old tradition. Advertisement It's Monday and, like many of my colleagues, I am rushing frantically to the copier to try and beat the morning frenzy. I dig through my classroom closet, past piles of books, workbooks, and old materials to try and find something more valuable than gold: copy paper. After much digging...nothing. Without copy paper, there are no copies. Without copies, there is no homework to go home with my 60 students for this week. Without homework, I am doing my students a massive disservice. Shelby County Schools is facing a 40 million dollar deficit, a huge amount that can only lead to one outcome: budget cuts. Budget cuts are generally felt in every affected field like a shock that reverberates through the building. In Shelby County, we're facing an earthquake-like rumble. In our district, over 47% of our students are living in poverty; classrooms across Shelby County are filled with students who come to school without the materials they need to excel. It's not simply that our students do not have books or computers-many students are unable to complete their nightly homework because they do not have a pencil at home. Shelby County School Board must ensure that the looming budget deficit does not cut into student resources. As teachers, we believe that by making three prudent budget cuts instead, Shelby County can allocate available funds in the right places-to serve students. Textbooks Walk into any classroom in Shelby County and you will see stacks of untouched textbooks that sit on the shelves collecting dust. Since the introduction of the Comprehensive Literacy Improvement Plan (CLIP) and the implementations of the TNReady Standards, there has been a shift in the district to a more multisensory learning approach. Teachers are now hand-making materials and utilizing online resources to make sure their students both receive a 21st century education and meet the standards. The new approach does not leave much room for standard textbooks or supplemental workbooks. Teachers like us only use the textbooks to make sure the content in our lesson plans is aligned to the curriculum. We can easily print whatever is valuable to the lesson from a digital textbook at our discretion. The average textbook costs $70, and most classes are allotted approximately 80 books. There are classrooms with nearly $5,600 of textbooks lining the walls. And when you factor in the cost of four workbooks per student, there is another $800 per classroom collecting dust. The School Board should elect to cut the textbook budget, which would save Shelby County hundreds of thousands of dollars. This money could be used to supply teachers with copy paper and ink for printing-resources that teachers find indispensable and often have to purchase out of pocket. A cut in the textbook budget would ensure that teachers are able to use what is relevant and needed in their classrooms to better meet the needs of their students. Professional Development Every school in Shelby County is different, and within each school there are teachers with different needs. Despite this, professional development in Shelby County Schools is often a one-size-fits-all approach that is not reflective of the needs of our students and teachers. We believe that professional development in our district should be at the discretion of each teacher based on his or her reflection of their strengths and weaknesses in their teaching practices, as well as their availability and personal schedule. Once a teacher has established his or her areas of needed improvement, the district should provide opportunities for the teacher to address their individual needs. Instead of outsourcing professional development, we should transfer it into the hands of the highest-performing teachers in our district who can use their own classroom experience to train their peers. Energy Conservation Want to cut your electric bill at home? Turn more lights off. If classrooms throughout the district were actively conserving energy, we could save up to thirty cents for every dollar spent on energy use and make a sizable dent in our 40 million dollar deficit. Simple reminders to turn off any and all appliances (i.e. lights, computers, air conditioners, unused refrigerators, kitchen ovens, etc.) when not in use and at the end of each school day would help Shelby County Schools to not only conserve energy but also conserve money. Classrooms and entire school buildings can elect an in-house energy conservationist to root out any perceived energy waste. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach in order to reduce the current outstanding deficit; something as simple as turning off the lights each and every day brings us one step closer to doing this. Shelby County has gained national praise for our progress in combatting the achievement gap and we must continue to make high-quality education attainable for all. It is imperative that the Shelby County School Board makes the right budget cuts, and not simply those that are the easiest. It would be a grave disservice to our students, our families, our communities, and our teachers to cut funding for the essential parts of our classrooms. Mobile phones have become ubiquitous in Africa. Among younger users, basic phones are most common. But more pupils are accessing smartphones that can connect to the internet - and taking them along to school. Phones are often used in school whether they're allowed or not. Although they can enable valuable access to information, they also bring new responsibilities and dangers. It's remarkably common for classes to be interrupted by both pupils' and teachers' phones. Access to pornography as well as bullying and harassment through phones is widely reported. We have conducted a study of young people's mobile phone use in Ghana, Malawi and South Africa. Our findings emphasise the central place that mobile phones occupy in many young people's lives. Before the mobile phone arrived in Africa, few people had access to landlines. The mobile phone represents far more of a communication revolution in Africa than in richer countries. Advertisement Researching phone stories The study, involving a group of university researchers from the UK and Africa, was funded by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council and Department for International Development. It covers many aspects of young people's phone use, from generational relations to job searches and health advice. Use in school has emerged as a leading issue, echoing concerns around the world. We conducted more than 1,500 face-to-face interviews and focus groups with young people, teachers, parents and key community members across 24 locations - eight in each country. These varied from poor city neighbourhoods to remote rural hamlets. We followed this up with a questionnaire to about 3,000 young people aged between nine and 18 and 1,500 young people aged between 19 and 25 in the same 24 locations. The survey of children aged nine to 18 years shows that mobile phone use is much higher than ownership figures might suggest. Ownership of phones was lowest in Malawi, the poorest of the three countries. Here only 8% of children in the survey owned their own phone, compared with 16% in Ghana and 51% in South Africa. Nonetheless, in Malawi 35% of children said they had used a phone in the week before the survey. In Ghana the figure was 42% and in South Africa it was 77%. Children often borrow phones from each other, their parents, other family members and neighbours. Advertisement Children's use of phones Some pupils, particularly in South Africa, use their phones to access sites like Master Maths for help with homework. But the positive benefits mostly seem to be limited to mundane tasks such as contacting friends to check on homework or using the phone as a calculator. Much information from pupils and teachers was more negative: academic performance affected by disrupted classes - due to teachers as well as pupils using their phones - disrupted sleep because of cheap night calls, time wasted on prolonged sessions on social network sites, and harassment, bullying and pornography. Class disruption from pupils' phones used to be mostly from ring tones when calls were received. Now, for those with smartphones, messaging on WhatsApp or checking Facebook have become common classroom activities. Teachers' phone use in class can be equally disruptive, as some teachers admitted. A call comes in, or they make a call, and whether they step outside or take the call in class, the end result is that the lesson is interrupted and - as more than one told us - "You forget what you are going to deliver." In Malawi, 60% of enrolled pupils said they had seen their teacher using a phone in lesson time during the week before the survey. The corresponding figure for Ghana was 66% and for South Africa 88%. Pupils are rarely given such an opportunity to comment on the behaviour of those in authority over them but even if not all were truthful, these figures are of concern. Many head teachers also spoke about the problem of teacher phone use, saying they found it difficult to regulate. Other problems include disturbing levels of pupil bullying and harassment. In the survey of enrolled pupils who use a phone, 16% in Ghana, 28% in Malawi and 55% in South Africa said they had received unwanted, unpleasant or upsetting calls or texts. This was almost equally true for boys and girls. Distribution and viewing of pornography is also widespread, as older boys were often willing to disclose. A few - even primary school pupils - mentioned sexting. Advertisement Promoting responsible phone use in school Many head teachers have asked us how to promote responsible phone use in school. Here are some suggestions: Pupil phone use: It is important to have a clear school policy on pupil phone use, to inform parents about this and to explain the reasoning behind it. If the school has decided to allow pupils to bring their mobile phone to school - for instance, because of travel problems - but not to use it in school, then pupils could be required to put a name tag on their phone and deposit it with a staff member, using a register, before school begins. In this case parents or carers must be given a phone number for urgent messages. If the school allows pupils to use mobile phones in class as calculators or to access the internet, pupils and their parents could sign an "acceptable use" agreement each term. This would promote effective use of class time and their own and other pupils' safety. Pupils also need reminders not to publish personal information on the internet and to tell their teacher, a parent or carer if they access any information that worries them. Parents must be encouraged to help their child follow the school's guidelines. Asking them to sign an acceptable use agreement together with their children will help. Teacher phone use: Teachers' mobile phones should be switched off and left in a safe place during lesson times. If teachers are using their phones when pupils are banned from doing so, pupils may become resentful. Staff should not contact pupils from their personal mobile phones or give their mobile phone numbers to pupils or parents. This would help teachers maintain sound professional practice. Advertisement "RFK in the Land of Apartheid: A Ripple of Hope" was recently screened at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) with filmmaker Larry Shore on hand to discuss the film. The documentary chronicles American Senator Robert Kennedy's visit to South Africa in 1966, recording many historical moments around his short visit, including the defiant meeting with then African National Congress (ANC) President Chief Albert Luthuli, then under a banning order. Known by his initials, "RFK" was part of the famous Kennedy political clan. He was assassinated in 1968. The speeches Kennedy gave at the universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Wits may have faded from public memory or may no longer seem relevant. However, by recovering these images, the film succeeds not only as a record of the racial segregation of this society and the former "whites-only" universities at the height of apartheid, but acquires an added poignancy with the recent student protests and ongoing calls for the transformation of the entire education system in South Africa. Kenneth Kaplan, who teaches directing and writing in the Film/TV division at Wits University in Johannesburg, interviewed Shore, who is a Professor in the Department of Film & Media Studies, Hunter College, New York. Advertisement Why did you choose to focus on this particular event? I was a junior high school student in Johannesburg in 1966 when Robert Kennedy visited South Africa. Although I did not attend any of the events, I followed it closely in the liberal Johannesburg English-language newspapers like the Rand Daily Mail and The Star. The visit really amazed me, as it amazed many others. In high school and then at the University of the Witwatersrand I became really interested in American history and politics, which included an interest in the Kennedys. I remembered the visit when I left South Africa in 1973 for the US and afterwards. My MA included a good dose of US foreign policy, and policy towards Africa and apartheid South Africa in particular. So I think I was always interested in US-South Africa relations and the connections between the two countries. I also teach about this stuff as a professor at Hunter College in New York. This carried over when I became interested in documentary films. I also liked the story because it opened up doors to other interesting stories that deserved to be told, like those of Albert Luthuli and the National Union of South African Students (Nusas), to name just two. I am very grateful and pleased that the film has been well received by South African audiences although my original primary audience was the United States. I always believed that it helps to tell a story about a foreign country to an American audience if it has an American connection. Robert Kennedy was that connection. What impact did the visit have and how did it shape relations between the US and South Africa? As a filmmaker you don't want to overdo it or make more of it than is right. It was only a moment - but it was an important moment. I do think that the visit did have an impact in South Africa. It was the first time anyone important had come to the country from the outside world and said they were on the side of those who opposed apartheid. And it was someone important - a Kennedy and brother of President John F Kennedy, who was popular in South Africa. He was not just a famous American. Advertisement South Africans were interested in American affairs and they believed Robert Kennedy was going to be the next president. And you had the feeling that this important person was going to do something about it when he went home. Or at least tell the world what was happening in South Africa and maybe something would happen. Like the famous speech he gave at the University of Cape Town, his visit was a "ripple of hope" and it was felt across the country. His visit with Chief Luthuli was a big publicity boost for the ANC, which in 1966 was in the depths of the deepest repression with Nelson Mandela on Robben Island and Luthuli banned to Groutville (a small town in the province of KwaZulu-Natal). The visit to Soweto and RFK's meeting with various black South Africans was a lift for black South Africans. It also was a source of encouragement for white liberal organisations and individuals within Nusas, liberal politician Helen Suzman and others. I think that the visit to Stellenbosch University helped lay a few seeds for what later became the verligte (enlightened) movement among Afrikaners. I don't think the visit changed US policy towards South Africa directly at the time, but it was one of a number of things that began to bring attention to bear on South Africa - what was going on there and what could be done about it. What might we know about you and your life that you think led you to make this film? Well, as I said before, I have always been interested in US-South African stories. Certainly a part of that is because I am a South African-American. I have lived most of my adult life in America but I grew up in and have a lot of connections to South Africa. I kept that connection during my years in the anti-apartheid movement in the US and after the end of apartheid. When I became convinced that it was a good story, and would make for a good film, I realised that, as someone who understood and had lived in both countries, I was well suited to make the film. What are some of the creative challenges you faced making the film? I think one of the most difficult things about making a film about someone as famous as Robert Kennedy is to avoid hagiography - putting him up on a pedestal and making the visit appear more important than it was yet at the same time not denying its significance. How to find the right balance was a major challenge in making the film. Advertisement As with any documentary like this, I also faced challenges deciding what interviews not to use. I had lots of terrific interviews with important and interesting people but I had to leave some of them out and make tough selections. The text above has been edited from an interview conducted by Kenneth Kaplan with Larry Shore following the recent screening of "RFK in the Land of Apartheid: A Ripple of Hope" at Wits University. Kenneth Kaplan, Lecturer in Directing & Writing in Film/TV, University of the Witwatersrand President Obama's visits this week to Vietnam and Japan are his latest high-profile demonstrations of America's enhanced focus on the Asia Pacific. As a scholar of East Asia and its politics, I have studied the relationship between the U.S. and the region for more than 40 years. I believe the president will emphasize the upbeat prospects for relations between the U.S. and Asia. The president will also be sending a not-too-subtle message to potential military challengers. America seeks a peaceful and economically prosperous East Asia, but our ties to countries like Japan and Vietnam must also remain robust to rebuff any untoward military challenges from elsewhere in the region. Advertisement Talk of peace and prosperity I predict the president will stress the region's promise as a showcase for economic integration and peaceful development, and praise the historical transformation of America's relations with both Japan and Vietnam. U.S.-Japan ties have been positive since the end of World War II. Ties with Vietnam have seen astounding progress since they were normalized in 1995. In a briefing last week, Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security advisor, said the president's message in both countries will be "forward-looking." Rhodes said it would: reflect on and confront directly and engage in dialogue about our history... [because] we are focused on the future we're trying to seek -- a future of greater peace and cooperation, of nonproliferation going forward. Obama will likely cover myriad topics during this visit, including the mutual benefits expected from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to which all three countries are parties. Advertisement REUTERS/Carlos Barria In Vietnam, the president will also meet with a variety of civil society groups as part of America's commitment to human rights and inclusive governance. In Japan, he will visit Hiroshima -- the site of the first atomic bombing -- where he will likely urge the world to be mindful of the devastating human toll of wars and nuclear proliferation. Military links are expanding Nevertheless, the military and security implications of Obama's visit will not be far from the surface. Japan and the United States have, over the last decade, substantially deepened their strategic connections. Japan's 2014 National Defense Program Guidelines take major steps to advance the sophistication of Japanese military planning and operations. The guidelines also match, more closely than ever before, U.S. security planning. The Japanese parliament also recently adopted policies permitting its military to engage in previously banned "collective defense." This measure expands the geographical and strategic range of U.S.-Japan military cooperation and allows Japan's Self Defense Forces to act in defense of that country's allies, most importantly the United States. In Vietnam, President Obama has been particularly keen to boost bilateral ties. This began with his administration's announcement of the comprehensive partnership in July 2013. He was also vigorous in his commitment to make Vietnam a participant in the TPP, despite the fact that its economy is further from meeting its standards than are those of most other participating countries. Advertisement Joint defense relations with Vietnam have also witnessed a number of notable developments. They include the easing of the lethal arms embargo in October 2014 and the signing of a new framework for defense ties in 2015. And after landing in Vietnam, Obama went further and ended the longstanding embargo on U.S. weapons sales to Vietnam. Balancing regional challenges China and North Korea are not far from Obama's calculations. North Korea, under its young President Kim Jong-un, has rejected efforts at cooperation from the U.S. and South Korea. Kim has opted instead for a series of nuclear and missile tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions while spewing hot-throated threats of annihilation in the direction of Japan, South Korea and the United States. North Korea has been a steadily rising threat. But the North is almost certain to be completely destroyed in any full-scale war, according to a majority of security experts with whom I've spoken. I believe its regional threats remain limited to annoying provocations and its real challenge comes from nuclear proliferation. REUTERS/Nguyen Huy Kham China poses a different type of threat: namely, slow-but-steady maritime expansions that worry the U.S. and other Asian countries. China continues to emphasize its contentious Nine Dash Line, with implicit claims that the South China Sea is little more than a Chinese lake. It has also been rapidly turning contested rocks and atolls into militarily occupied islets, in what Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., the commander of the U.S. Pacific fleet, has called a "great wall of sand." Advertisement Chinese actions seem to reflect their leader's conviction that China is rising while the U.S. is declining. Or, as Foreign Minister Yang announced in apparent frustration when 12 nations at the 2010 Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) meeting challenged Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, "China is a big country and other countries are small countries and that's just a fact." Such looming challenges lie behind Obama's visit which represents another step in his administration's ongoing efforts to shape the choices made by potential adversaries. As Obama has said, the U.S. will extend a handshake when aggressors unclench their fists. At the same time, the U.S. will resist reshaping the status quo by using military force. The President's visits to Vietnam and Japan will telegraph this message with unmistakable clarity. By Corinna Yazbek, Senior Associate for Strategic Partnerships, Vera Institute of Justice "I'm writing this letter to ask for another chance for my dad." From the moment Kenneth Anderson's daughter reads her letter to the judge aloud, The Return restores prisoners' humanity. She continues, "It has been years since I've seen my father's face... I look to this as a chance to show him what I've become and hopefully allow him to be a father to me in my adult life." For many of us, this documentary film, which premieres tonight on PBS, hits close to home. The stories of rocky recovery and tenuous returning loved ones are familiar; our own families' highs and lows echo through every scene. But what the film asks of us--whether or not you've had an incarcerated loved one or been incarcerated yourself--is, what does reentry look like in our communities and what can we do to make it work? Our country is at a critical moment: there is nationwide, bipartisan support for ending the failed social experiment of mass incarceration. The #cut50 campaign has galvanized senators from both parties to commit to reducing our prison population; California has released thousands of inmates, including many who were serving decades- or life-long sentences for nonviolent offenses because of three-strikes laws; and New York City is making changes to its bail system to help limit the number of poor people languishing in jail, awaiting trial. Advertisement As much attention as our criminal justice system is getting, not nearly enough attention is being paid to the support systems in our cities and towns that will determine the success or failure of these efforts. The Return takes us beyond policy, past the courtroom and the prison walls, to the time after a person is released. We witness the often untold journeys of inmates returning home and see the toll incarceration takes on them and their families--even after the sentence itself is over. The Return Project tour invites people around the U.S. to not only witness what's happening on screen, but also to share their own experiences. Last Thursday night, 40 people gathered at Zeitgeist in New Orleans to watch the film and hear from a panel that included local advocates. One of the panelists had been locked up in Angola, a former plantation and the largest maximum security prison in the U.S.; another one is a public defender and in her free time is working to build long-term economic opportunities for formerly incarcerated people; and the third panelist is the head of reentry for the City, working within the Mayor's Office to create job opportunities and connect people reentering society with services and care. After the film, audience members shared their own experiences with incarceration--one young man served 20 years for a crime he didn't commit and an older woman decried the lack of services and resources for the unique experiences of women leaving prison. Panelists and audience members alike celebrated the film for catalyzing a public conversation about the serious challenges to successful reentry in New Orleans. A wave of emotion and recognition washed over me when the previously incarcerated audience member described the importance of a broad base of community support. I didn't know how much I needed that conversation before that moment. I thought all my pain and sadness was from the time my dad was locked up, but his addiction and mental illness spiraled post-incarceration until, in 2005, it killed him. I finally understood that even though it had been difficult for me to support his reentry years ago, I can show up for formerly incarcerated people and families receiving them in my community now. The Return is a call to action. Advertisement Vera has been working in New Orleans since 2006 to end the over-use of detention. Though we focus on the pretrial population--people not tried nor convicted, and often not even charged--who are held largely because they are too poor to pay a bail to go home, we also understand the importance of supporting people reentering. Just this year, with guidance and support from Vera and local advocates, New Orleans's housing authority was the first in the nation to reverse its policy banning people with criminal convictions from rejoining their families. The marketplace, once defined by businesses who created profit for shareholders, is now a dynamic kaleidoscope of unexpected partnerships vying for social attention and hoping to attract interest, engagement and revenue. One thing is clear: any organization which is not focused on sustainability, values-driven mission or conscious workplace is not likely to invite the support of the communities which now define their success. Aaron Hurst, author of 'The Purpose Economy,' writes that the Information Age has ended. Why? The Millennials, now the largest consumer group in history, are a compelling influence, shaping the way we work in a multitude of ways. They are user-review driven. They demand social impact experiences at work. They expect their employers to act in sustainable, values-driven ways that support the planet's positive future. This is a whole different breed of worker. Success depends not only on good strategy and product/service innovation, but also on cultivating engagement, curating relationships and events to a virtual audience and innovating design elements that foster client intimacy and loyalty. Advertisement Work, relationships, community and commerce are being redefined by those who can stretch between traditional business basics and this neuro-networked marketplace. One of leading organizations in this category, the YWCA of Chicago has developed mindset, strategic vision and engagement approaches that defy its tax status as a non-profit. "Everyone and everything has value in the new economy," says CEO Dorri McWhorter, former Partner at Crowe Horwath. Dorri's believes that we are all value creators and that the YWCA's role is to "remain on the forefront of advancing society through a stronger marketplace." An uncommon way of thinking for most leaders, much less one that is leading a 140 year old organization! Dorri and her team operationalize their strategy through partnerships that include "social impact realization," of which Uber is an example. When Dorri studied Uber's business model and their stated objective to get 1 million women in cars by 2020, she immediately recognized the complementarity with YWCA objective of increasing economic opportunity for YWCA clients as well as the potential for lasting social impact. Dorri introduced Uber to the 200,000 women consumer group that comprises the YWCA clientele, and within several months, 15,000 Chicago women were Uber drivers whom received free rides to access employment opportunities. Philanthropy, which has long been the hallmark of non-profit sustainability, is redefined by Dorri's team as "strategic investment in the YWCA vision." An example of this is TechGYRLS, where girls are taught programming at 1871, the famous Chicago entrepreneurial incubator. With an investment in TechGYRLS, a more digitally intelligent workforce is available for the hungry techno-based economy. Advertisement The Y Model, which includes many other aspects for creating value and a stronger marketplace, is powerful for all work enterprise, regardless of tax status. This Thursday, Dorri elucidates her New Model of Social Enterprise at the Conscious Business Network at 1871. She is an enthralling speaker, a brilliant teacher and an engaging collaborator -- she embodies her vision. By Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Cares Today, an unprecedented 59.5 million people around the world have been forced from their homes, 40% of whom originate from the Middle East. There are more than five million Palestinian refugees and four million Syrians who have been displaced outside their country. Another 7.5 million are displaced internally. An additional three million displaced in Iraq brings the total to 19.5 million There are more than five million Palestinian refugees and four million Syrians who have been displaced outside their country. Another 7.5 million are displaced internally. An additional three million displaced in Iraq brings the total to 19.5 million In addition to the more than five million Palestinian refugees, there are now nearly five million Syrians who have been displaced outside their country, and another 7.6 million who are displaced internally - 3.5 million of whom are children. An additional 3.5 million displaced in Iraq brings the total to over 20 million. When I travel to visit our programs, parents and children affected by emergencies and protracted crises consistently highlight the importance of education. These children will one day be responsible for shaping and leading their own nation as doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers and parents. Yet education accounts for a small fraction of humanitarian aid; in 2014 only 2% of funds from humanitarian appeals were directed to education. Most funding is provided through short-term humanitarian appeals, but we cannot build an education system equipped to cope with a protracted crisis on the foundations of short-term and unpredictable funding cycles. The Education Cannot Wait platform that will be officially launched today at the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in Istanbul addresses this shortage of funding, and its unpredictability, as well as ensures that everyone who matters is around the table. I strongly believe that only a collective response to the current education crisis can ensure a more efficient delivery of quality education in these critical emergency contexts. The inclusion of the philanthropic community and the private sector in this group is critical in order to attract both the new funds that are so desperately needed, and contribute new skills and expertise to the sector. Education Cannot Wait is timely and it is necessary as only a collective response based on true partnerships between donor organizations - be they public, private, or philanthropic -, implementing organizations, host governments and the beneficiaries can deliver the necessary results required to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4 - inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all - by 2030. Because of this, Dubai Cares will commit USD 2.5 million over the next two years to the start-up phase of the Education Cannot Wait Secretariat. Advertisement Another part of ensuring an improved response to education in emergencies is to invest in what methods work best. At Dubai Cares we use research to design and fund innovative and stimulating programs that test alternative models and hypothesis to increase the impact of the interventions we fund. Monitoring, evaluation and learning helps us understand what works and what does not and allows us to adapt to changes, mobilize more resources, develop innovative approaches and better utilize funds. One example of how we do this is through innovative partnerships. We recently partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and New York University's (NYU) Global TIES for Children in Niger, Sierra Leone and Syrian refugees in Lebanon for an initiative that integrates low-cost learning strategies developed specifically for use in conflict-affected contexts to strengthen children's cognitive, academic, and social-emotional skills. We then evaluate these strategies in order to build an evidence base about what works to improve children's learning in these contexts. At the WHS, Dubai Cares commits to further expanding the evidence base on what works in education in emergencies and protracted crises by spending 10% of all our funding for education in emergencies on research and evaluations, and sharing the findings with our partners in the sector as they arise. We will also commit to increasing the share of our programs that reach refugee and internally displaced children and youth, as well as children and youth of host communities, to 1/3 of our financial portfolio over the next two years. Education gives us hope. It makes us more resilient. It makes us stronger. We cannot allow more than 34 million out-of-school children and adolescents living in conflict-affected countries to grow up hopeless, vulnerable and fragile. We cannot rob them of their potential by not allowing them to be educated. We have to act now. Education Cannot Wait. Advertisement This post is adapted from the Colby College Baccalaureate Address, delivered in Waterville, Maine, on May 21, 2016, by Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett. Thank you, President Greene, for that generous introduction. It was such an honor to work with you at the University of Chicago - you made a tremendously positive impact on the University and city that I love so dearly. So, it is great to see that you are continuing such important work here at Colby. Receiving an honorary degree without taking a single exam to earn it is very cool, but after even a short time on campus, I know I would have loved spending four years here. Advertisement Thank you to Chairman Diamond, the Board of Trustees, and to the faculty and staff, for your dedication to Colby and the Class of 2016. To the parents, family, friends, and loved ones outside watching this ceremony on the big screen, thank you for all you've done supporting these extraordinary young people and helping them reach this point. And of course, what makes Colby unique is your incredible student body. Class of 2016, from all I've heard and seen, your mix of intellectual curiosity, energy, idealism, passion, grit, and determination is just what our country needs, and I am proud to be a member of your class. Congratulations, this weekend is all about you! Now, I did have a chance to glance at your senior week schedule. It is truly a testament to your endurance that any of you are actually here this morning. Between pub crawls in Waterville and Portland, your last Loudness - I know most of you still call it that - and perhaps a final midnight quesadilla - or two - at the Spa, I'm sure you're all feeling some combination of both exhaustion and exhilaration. I hear you, because after seven and a half years in Washington, I feel that way too. In retrospect, I'm sure the last four years have flown by and it feels like just yesterday when you were first playing Big Blue Moon and meeting your COOT families. When you were figuring out how to gain your bearings, develop friendships, and squeeze everything possible from your Colby experience, all to prepare yourself for this weekend, your well-earned send off to the next chapter of your lives. Advertisement After all, you follow in some big footsteps. This is where a young Mary Low shattered a glass ceiling for women's education and demonstrated that women could easily compete with men. Sorry fellas, but you know it's true. Your alum, Elijah Lovejoy, became a leading voice for press freedom and the abolition of slavery. This institution has helped shape many of our nation's leaders. Class of 2016, you are now a part of Colby's incredible legacy. And there are responsibilities that go along with this mighty privilege. More on those in a minute. As you heard from President Greene, I was born and spent the first five years of my life in Iran. My parents and I lived on a hospital compound with Iranian, French, British, and American families. I learned three languages and played freely with children from different cultures, religions, incomes, and races. I discovered that in spite of our apparent differences large and small, we had much in common. That early experience fundamentally shaped my perspective on people, and the world in which we all live. Similarly, Class of 2016, you are more diverse, better connected, and more likely to see yourself as part of a global community than any generation before you. Your class is from big cities from coast to coast, small towns, and rural communities. You're from 32 different countries - from Brazil and Bulgaria, Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia, China, India, and Italy, and everywhere in between. And your diversity has no doubt enriched every aspect of your college experience. It will serve you well into the future, because as you enter the 21 century global marketplace, appreciating and being comfortable with people from diverse backgrounds is not just a strength, but a necessity. Advertisement Now, when I was in college, there was no internet and no cell phones, so a face book was another name for a yearbook, a tweet was a sound that birds made, and libraries actually had books in them. Today, the innovation and technology revolution has been, and continues to be, a catalyst for transformative change, at an unprecedented pace. You don't need to be born in a foreign country to interact with, and learn about, people the world over. You can do so with the touch of a finger. A small business in your home town is able to sell its goods all over the world. But, as its potential market expands, so does its competition. So that while understanding the needs of a diverse consumer base is essential, it can also be threatening. For, some of the factors that bring us closer together in a shrinking world are also the very same ones that can drive us further apart. And, although there is much to be excited about, this new reality is rife with challenges. And require inclusive strategies. From climate change, to growing a healthy economy. From civil wars that cause the outpouring of refugees, to curing and preventing the spread of diseases, to the threat of terrorism, to name just a few. The forced intimacy - the smallness - of our world, where, like it or not, we are inextricably linked, and it tests our humanity, tolerance, and core decency in profound and fundamental ways. Advertisement As historical boundaries and traditional social norms give way, we see those uncomfortable with, or threatened by change, desperately holding tight to the status quo. Building barriers - both literally and figuratively - to try to regain their sense of identity, certainty, and stability, while all the while the ground is shifting seismically under our feet. And then, of course, there's the polarization of our domestic politics. My world - and one of my greatest disappointments. Rather than being a space where we can negotiate the needs of a strong and diverse country, in a globally competitive world, our politics has become pathetically tribal. The inevitable differences in a richly diverse country are increasingly cause for scorn and suspicion, rather than, as you learned here, curiosity and yes, compromise. But, here's why, even after my long and painful class in toxic politics 101, I am still optimistic about our country's future. There is no better time to be alive than right now. Think about it. Those technologies that connect us the world over, can bring together our best minds in a way that's never before been possible. While many of our problems require global cooperation, we also have a stunning capacity to come together as a country and a world - from the unprecedented international responses to stop the Ebola epidemic, to a global climate change agreement with 195 countries, to cutting our unemployment rate from 10 to 5 percent! More citizens live in democracies. Fewer people live in extreme poverty. More Americans are graduating from college. And you, my classmates, are entering the best job market since 2007. And I am optimistic because of you. My hope is our challenges motivate you to use your talent and skills to be positive agents for change. We are counting on you. Advertisement And so, in my remaining time, I'll share four tips that I urge you to consider. I. Citizenship First, fully embrace the responsibilities of citizenship. That starts with voting. In every election. Not just Presidential elections. Your elected representatives are responsible for tackling many of the challenges I mentioned earlier. Yet, in the 2014 elections, less than 20 percent of young people voted. Twenty percent! Your voice will not be represented in our democracy, unless you vote. Do not disenfranchise yourselves. And before and after you vote, engage with your government. The responsibilities of your citizenship do not begin and end at the ballot box. Government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people, requires your representatives to engage with you, but you must be willing to reciprocate. If you don't engage, you run the risk that they will make decisions based on the narrow self-serving priorities of those special interests that spend a lot of money lobbying. The best and most painful example was our inability to pass sensible gun legislation to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a threat to themselves or others. About 30,000 people die from gun violence each year, and two-thirds commit suicide. In the wake of the Sandy Hook mass murder of 20 six- and seven-year olds and six adults, 90 percent of the American people supported our proposed legislation. But the senators who voted against it said they had not heard strong support for the legislation from their constituents. If you are unwilling to honestly and fairly engage with, and yes, challenge, your government, how can it possibly reflect your values and priorities? Ours is a big and diverse country. We are strongest when every voice speaks up - when we do more than passively love our country, but when we actively help perfect it. Advertisement In addition to voting and engaging with your government, citizenship in our democracy is its strongest when our most talented serve in its government. So without any reservation, I also encourage you to join the arena. Serve in government - local, state, or federal - or run for office yourself. Any office. For they all have the potential to improve the lives of your fellow citizens. The mark of true citizenship is also importantly defined by how well you engage with, and relate to each other. It's about our obligations, service, and fidelity to one another. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." That is only more true today. Our government simply reflects our country. If our communities are divided, our elected leaders will be too. If we have no respect or compassion for the needs of others, then those values will infuse our politics. II. Build bridges Which brings me to my second tip: build bridges. Engage your fellow citizens with genuine curiosity. With a near insatiable hunger to understand their perspectives. Advertisement I know an important issue on Colby's campus, as it is at colleges around the country, is how we create an inclusive community where all voices are heard. The manner in which we surface historical injustices that linger in our society. From the mistreatment of students of color, to the painful reality of the sexual violence epidemic on college campuses, to the homophobia and transphobia still present in our schools and our communities. Those conversations are vitally important. But as you've seen, they are hard, and even painful. It takes work to ensure that we make it safe for diverse perspectives to contribute to a community's richness, rather than deepening its divisions. This challenge will grow harder when you leave a campus where the leadership helps facilitate these conversations. You must now be the leaders. And understanding those outside of our immediate community, is more complicated by the way we consume information. The high standards that your academic writers face are much lower in today's 24/7 media world. With its nearly infinite range of sources and uneven quality filters, it's easy for anyone to drift - consciously, or unconsciously - toward biased, uninformed opinions, or those with which we simply agree. So resist following the crowd and always question what you consume. Colby taught you how to do that. Carry that muscle memory wherever you go. III. Compromise is not a dirty word. And now, my third tip. Even though today's political climate makes compromise seem weak or ideologically unfaithful, it is essential to a robust, healthy, and diverse democracy. Let's take health care reform for example, or Obamacare as many so fondly call it. For decades, one of our country's great tragedies has been that too often, if you couldn't afford health insurance, you simply went without it, and suffered the consequences. And even if you could have afforded it, you might have been discriminated against because you had previously been sick, or charged more just for being a woman. Yes, indeed. Advertisement When President Obama ran for office, it was with the promise that he would prioritize reforming our health care system to make it an affordable right for all Americans. Turned out to be easier said than done. We spent months negotiating with members of Congress, making concession after concession to secure support. For the President faced the choice of either passing a good - though not perfect - bill, or passing no bill. The President chose compromise. Today, 20 million additional people now have insurance - many of them for the first time. All of you can stay on your parents' plans until you turn 26. Insurance companies may no longer discriminate against you for pre-existing conditions. All insured women have access to preventive services, health care rates are rising at the slowest rate in 50 years. And for the first time ever, more than 90 percent of Americans have health coverage. Our health care system is undeniably better. Much better. And as the President said recently, "I'll take better any day of the week." And keep in mind, major legislative initiatives are never perfect at the outset - programs such as Social Security and Medicare initially had flaws, but, over the years they improved and reflect essential values of our democracy, upon which tens of millions of Americans now depend. IV. Take the long view Which leads to my final piece of advice: take the long view. Not only is our world much smaller than it was when I was your age, but it spins much faster. We seemingly have everything we need literally at our fingertips, and attention spans tend to be about the length of our smart phones. Let's face it, we expect everything right when we want it. Advertisement But remember that although technology has accelerated our efficiency, the toughest problems require not just solutions from our government, which can take longer than they should, but cultural change - changes in attitudes, habits, and hearts. And frustrating as it may be, that takes time in order to be truly sustainable. And believe me, I know, it's hard to see injustices and not want immediate solutions. But change requires patience, perseverance, and resilience - truly. And yes, disappointment, failure, rejection, and setbacks hurt. Welcome to my daily world, or just look at my Twitter feed. But what defines you is how you learn, bounce back, and continue to push forward. A great example is same sex marriage. Now known simply as marriage. When President Obama took office, same sex marriage was legal in only two states - Massachusetts and Connecticut. Two. And as you know, last June, the Supreme Court ruled that it is now the law of the land. All that progress in just the years since you started high school. Seemingly like a thunderbolt. But to see progress in just six years ignores the decades that people spent fighting for LGBT rights and laying the foundations for the change we see today. Remember, for a range of both understandable or unjustified reasons, there are people deeply invested in the status quo. And even if you do not benefit from the status quo, fear of the unknown is a powerful emotion that causes inertia. Advertisement Change happens not just because we vote in one election. Or put our hopes in one leader. Change requires a sustained effort over time, learning to absorb the pain of setbacks along the way, yet remaining resolute. For as Dr. King also said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." That spirit is what has made our country, with all of its flaws, the greatest country on earth. Mary Low could probably barely imagine a time when more women would graduate from college than men. That didn't stop her from breaking the glass ceilings she faced in her day. Elijah Lovejoy could only have dreamed of the world we now enjoy. But that didn't stop him from laying down a marker for freedom. You, Class of 2016, stand on their shoulders. President Greene has already described the incredible things that some of you have done during your short time at Colby. They stepped up because they understand what I said at the outset - that there are responsibilities that go along with the privilege of your Colby education. And they are not alone. Many of you have already stepped up too. That's how change happens. One citizen at a time. And in closing, as Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Around this time each year I start to see tweets, Facebook statuses and blogs debating the current relevance of Pride events. Those who doubt the need for such events usually talk about the fact that they have become corporate circuses and are now focused around partying and getting drunk. Another argument against Prides is that in 2016, with equal marriage now a reality in the UK, there really isn't a 'need' for such a gathering of communities -- after all, what else is there left to fight for? To understand Pride and the its significance we need to take a step outside of our own experience and look at the bigger picture. Of course, I'm not trying to convince anyone that they should attend a Pride event if they really don't want to, but I do think it's useful to provide an alternative view of what Pride is for. I came out in 2002 when I was 21, but even now when I'm marching in the Pride in London parade with 400 other colleagues, friends and Stonewall supporters, I feel a renewed sense of acceptance. It's hard to explain how it feels to walk through the streets of your capital city publicly displaying your support for LGBT people and to get universally cheered and applauded by hundreds of thousands of people, LGBT and straight, parents with their kids. We shouldn't need that affirmation but unfortunately, living in a world that is still overwhelming geared towards straight cis-gendered people, many of us still do. Advertisement I work at Stonewall and each year we enable 150 young people join us in that parade and for many of them it's a day of firsts; first time in London, first time around so many other LGBT+ people, first time seeing so many allies showing their support for the LGBT community. The impact of such an experience on a 16-year-old is immeasurable. It's always a very emotional day and I know those moments stay with the young people for a long time after the last sticker or flag has been swept up. It's true that same sex couples can marry now in the UK, but they can't in Northern Ireland, that fight continues. And let's be realistic, just because laws have changed to make life for LGBT people better, that doesn't mean that homophobia, biphobia and transphobia have been wiped out. In fact, in 2015 homophobic crimes in London rose by almost a third. Whether this was due to more actual crimes or just more effective reporting mechanisms, the figures don't lie. There are still many people out there who simply don't like us, and more than that, will make that dislike known and felt. Last year 75,000 young people were bullied for being lesbian, gay, bi or trans. 23 percent of lesbian, gay and bi young people have attempted suicide. For trans young people that figure shoots up to 48 percent. Having sex with someone of the same sex is illegal in 75 countries, and you could be put to death in ten. Each year, one in twelve Trans people in Europe experience a violent hate crime. The recent 'bathroom bill' in America shows not only the severe lack of understanding of trans people but also a blatant disregard for trans people's human rights. Advertisement I could go on but you get the point. If you think that Prides are pointless because there's nothing left to fight for, see above. There's no doubt that over the years Pride events have changed. They are a great opportunity for corporate organizations and public services to show their support as well as showcasing how far they've come in becoming more inclusive for LGBT people. Staging a Pride event, even just the parade aspect, is not cheap. The money needs to be found from somewhere, and if large organizations want to offer financial support, as well as celebrating their own LGBT staff and inclusive cultures, then surely they should be able to. The main point of Pride for me isn't about seeing two thirds of Atomic Kitten performing 15 year old songs to a bunch of drunk people, but what's wrong with that? Remember, the parades are always free to watch, if you don't want to stay for the evening, you don't need to. Throughout its history, Manchester Pride has given out over 1.3 million to local LGBT charities, organizations and community groups in Greater Manchester. Lots of this money would have been raised from the sale of wristbands. Birmingham Pride raises around 75,000 each year which is distributed to local LGBT causes. I'd estimate that I've been to around 20 Pride events and no matter where I am there's always a moment that hits me and reminds me why we still need them. Whether that's seeing someone give me the thumbs up from the side of the parade, reading a powerful banner about international LGBT inequality or simply enjoying a moment with my friends. Has Pride changed? Most definitely. Is Pride still needed? Absolutely. @waynedavid81 A suburb of Cairo, Egypt - March 2012 I turned around angrily and grabbed the police officer's arm, almost twisting it. There was no need to push me through that huge iron door into the cage, but he did anyway. He pushed so hard that I stumbled. I was so enraged that I couldn't speak. I glared at him in silence. His face was expressionless - like stone. I was a defendant and he was free to abuse me. We stood like that for almost a minute until another officer helped to push me inside. The sound of the cage door slamming shut in my face woke me up to reality. Advertisement "My God, it's not just a bad dream; it's so real, I can almost touch it." I closed my eyes for a few moments then opened them again. I was still in the cage. I turned around and saw 14 others, including three young women in their 20s. They all seemed to know one another, and were standing in groups of twos and threes. Some continued to whisper. Others fell silent. In the media frenzy before the trial, they'd heard that a well-known journalist had been included in the indictment at the last minute. They'd been waiting to find out who that journalist was. After 20 years as a war correspondent covering conflicts in Serbia, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), I was no stranger to detentions, arrests and even imprisonment - all punishments for telling the truth. READ MORE: A letter from Tora prison I'd been kept in solitary confinement in a Kabul jail by the Taliban and in a DRC prison so bad that it made me long for my cell in Afghanistan.Then there were the three days in July 1991 when I was held in the woods, my hands tied behind my back, by Serb forces during the Serbo-Croatian war. But I couldn't recall ever feeling as estranged as I did standing there inside that cramped cage in the criminal court building in Al-Qahira Al Jadida, a suburb east of the Egyptian capital of Cairo. From my first moment inside the cage I felt like a foreigner in my own country. I didn't even know what crime I was on trial for until the trial began.There had been plenty of talk in the media, of course, with officials throwing around accusations that sounded more like stories from the realm of science-fiction than law. Advertisement After the first hearing, I learned that my charge was, in fact, accepting funds from the US to train journalists. The only element of truth to that was that I'd intended to be an adviser to a journalism training programme. But I'd been taken in before the programme began and I'd never received, nor was I supposed to receive, foreign funding. As a newspaper editor, I had never imagined that the military might indict me simply for agreeing to teach journalism students. In fact, I might even have expected thanks. [Illustration by Jawahir Al-Naimi/Al Jazeera] But there was another reason why I felt like a foreigner: there was no difference between my country's military regime and the developing world dictatorships I'd covered throughout my career. Suddenly, I felt as foreign as I had when detained in prisons overseas. The cage was suffocating; so small that I could feel the breath of the other detainees on my face and the back of my neck. Advertisement I didn't want to talk to anyone, so I made my way through the bodies to the corner, only to stumble into a man sitting cross-legged on the rough cement floor. "Sorry, could I get to the corner?" I asked in Arabic. The man looked up through the thick cigarette smoke that surrounded him and gestured a typically Egyptian sign for welcome. But he wasn't Egyptian. He was American. I was confused because I'd heard that all of the American defendants had taken refuge in their embassy in downtown Cairo, and that the US had declared that its citizens would never stand trial on politically motivated charges. I was equally as confused because the American seemed to have understood my Arabic. I passed him and stood gazing through the iron bars of the cage, which ran from floor to ceiling and opened to the vast courtroom. An audience had gathered: a strange mix, the majority of whom had nothing to do with our case. I later discovered that the authorities pay people to attend those cases that involve the media or are deemed to be of high political importance. But alongside our rent-a-baying crowd were family members of my co-defendants, civil lawyers who represented the "public", the defendants' lawyers, uniformed and plain-clothed security personnel and, most importantly, other members of the media profession. Advertisement As I stared at the crowd, the quiet ramblings of the paid audience turned to shouts. "Death to the traitors," they demanded. "Death?" I asked, first silently, then aloud. "I merely offered my services to train fellow journalists to make them better professionals ... Why death?" The American stood up and whispered in my ear. "Are you afraid?" he asked. I looked at him and shook my head: "No." "Nervous?" he asked. I closed my eyes. When I opened them, he was smiling. "Don't be," he said. "They're not going to hang us today." At those words, I smiled - for the first time in the weeks since my ordeal had begun. WATCH: Al Jazeera journalists freed from Egypt prison It was the beginning of a life-changing conversation that hasn't really stopped in the five years since. "What state are you from?" I asked him. "Egypt," he replied, with a touch of sarcasm. "I meant which state in the United States," I said smiling. "Does it really matter? I'm from the United States, but in terms of love, I'm as much Egyptian as any of you." "Why didn't you take refuge with your fellow Americans at the US embassy?" "I told you, I am Egyptian," he repeated. "Do you realise we may not get out of this cage throughout the trial, and God only knows if we are going to be acquitted?" Advertisement "That's exactly why I refused to abandon my Egyptian brothers and sisters," he responded. It dawned on me then that many of my own friends, some of whom I'd come to view as brothers and sisters over the years, had either betrayed or abandoned me. Despite knowing that the whole thing was a farce, many had chosen to attack me - using their newspaper columns and television shows to do so, either because they knew it would please the military or because they saw in it an opportunity to take out someone they considered a professional threat. I looked at my American cage mate, who reminded me of a modern-day John Wayne. "Excuse me, are you for real?" I asked. "Of course I am," he laughed. "You are allowed to touch me if you want to make sure I'm real." [Illustrations by Jawahir Al-Naimi/Digitised by AJE Creative/Al Jazeera] I reached out to shake hands with him, and we burst into laughter. We laughed so loud that it attracted the attention of those audience members sat closest to the cage. They responded by calling us names and labelling us agents of the US. My new American friend, Robert Becker, asked me what all the shouting was about. I explained that they were accusing him of things that might result in him receiving a life sentence, but which, if proven against me, could well lead to death. Becker replied: "I heard you are a prominent journalist and that you are being tried because of your intentions to train Egyptian journalists, so why worry? When the people realise the truth, they will come to appreciate you." Advertisement I told him I was here in the cage because my teaching was in co-operation with Americans. "Don't you get it, Becker?" I said. "It's the US that is on trial here." He looked at me, stretched his arms wide open, hitting several cage mates in the process, and declared: "Even so, it's becoming one big world." He stood like this for a few seconds until I told him: "Fold in your arms, our world is now this filthy, cramped cage." Chronicle of a caged journalist is a series of excerpts from an upcoming book. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policies. ASSOCIATED PRESS Congress party President Sonia Gandhi, right, and her son and Vice President Rahul Gandhi listen to a speaker during celebrations marking the 125th birth anniversary of the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014. Nehru is the great-grandfather of Rahul Gandhi. His birth anniversary falls on Nov. 14. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) In an emotional speech Rahul Gandhi had said that his mother had come to him and wept after he had been appointed the Congress vice president. My mother came to my room and she sat with me and she cried because she understands that power so many people seek is poison, Rahul had said. Advertisement Power might be poisonous but in politics, being powerless is fatal. As the Congress loses the helm of two more states in India its climb back to national relevance becomes that much steeper. In that same speech Rahul Gandhi had said, We should not chase power for the attributes of power. We should only use it to empower the voices. But the Congress ability to empower other voices also took another bruising blow in these elections. Its jote understanding with the Left in Bengal fell flat on its face at the hustings allowing Trinamool to romp home with a thumping unassailable majority. The Congress can take some solace there. The understanding helped it improve its own seat tally in the Assembly. It will now replace the Left Front as the main opposition in the state. But the fact that some Left votes transferred to the Congress in seats where it ran but the reverse did not quite happen augurs ill for the prospects of future alliances. Power might be poisonous but in politics, being powerless is fatal. But what should trouble party workers is the national leaderships response which came from an out-of-date script. Advertisement No failure is permanent, said Sonia Gandhi. And then she trotted out the same mantra that has long stopped working for the party. We have to compensate for each drop of Rajivs blood spilled on Indian soil by promoting and strengthening social harmony. Granted this statement was on the occasion of the 25th death anniversary of the former PM. But the Congress cannot ride to the polls on the back of its slain leaders anymore. And it is the worst form of self-righteous noblesse oblige to expect that voters will vote for the party in gratitude for the fallen Gandhis. The voters have already made that clear but the Gandhis cannot seem to hear it as they trot out the same shopworn story of sacrifice. Sonia said, Success achieved by discarding basic principles will not last long. And if the basic principles are intact, then no failure is permanent. But the Congress has long lost sight of any basic principles it really stands for. It stands for secularism but a wishy-washy kind, watered down when politically expedient or when vote banks are at stake. The jote in Bengal articulated little by way of an alternative vision for the state other than a one-point agenda Anything but Mamata. In his speech at a rally in Kolkata Rahuls most specific promise was building the collapsed flyover in six months. Advertisement Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of the Indian National Congress (INC), center, inspects the collapsed under-construction Vivekananda overpass in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, on Sunday, 3 April, 2016. The only basic principle the Congress has nurtured and held fast to, through thick and thin, is Gandhi-worship. We are a party of all, for all and by all, said Jyotiraditya Scindia but did not mention that above all, its a party for the Gandhis. After the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi predictably accepted responsibility, offered to resign, and then graciously yielded when the party refused to accept that offer. Its a farce that accepts responsibility without taking any responsibility. Even before the final results were out, it was clear that Congress leaders were gearing themselves for an encore performance of that same naatak. The results could not be laid at Rahuls door. The electoral strategies in the five states were made by the local leadership. The high command didnt enforce its wish on any state, said spokesperson P C Chacko. Advertisement The party satraps can protectively circle their wagons around Rahul but the choices for him are bleak. If he takes on the mantle of the party right now he will be rewarded for leading it to defeat yet again. On the other hand, if he does not take over the mantle, it just prolongs this status quo that is yielding ever diminishing returns. There might not be much of a party left to take over. The only basic principle the Congress has nurtured and held fast to, through thick and thin, is Gandhi-worship. The grand old party watches as if paralysed as even its opposition status gets usurped by regional forces. And the more it shrinks, the more dissident party leaders from Arunachal Pradesh to Uttarkhand will mull whether it makes sense to hang on to a sinking ship or jump boats before its too late. The Congress will soon concede the opposition space to a federated group of parties which will be made up of strong regional parties, including something like the Aam Aadmi Party, said Jai Mrug, a political analyst in HT Mint. Prashant Kishor might have been brought in to change its fortunes but the biggest misfortune for the Congress is that it is a party inherently allergic to change. A party leader told the Economic Times, After the 2014 debacle not a single general secretary has been changed. Madhusudan Mistry and Shakeel Ahmed are good examples of this. There seems to be no accountability. Congress leader, V Kishore Chandra Deo has demanded 15-20 leaders be sent on compulsory holiday for a few years for misleading the leadership. The silver lining in the cloud has already been identified. S M Krishna has pointed out the BJP has only won 67 Assembly seats to the Congress 137 and the Congress is now the main opposition in West Bengal, Assam and Kerala. And its the party in power in Puducherry. Advertisement Digvijaya Singh has now said, We have to hand over power to the youth. There is no other option. But the Mail Today said some 600 young leaders recruited by Team Rahul are still waiting in the wings. We have done enough introspection shouldnt we go for Major Surgery? tweeted Singh. But what if the major surgery calls for a head transplant? Thats the one sacrifice, a party addicted to sacrifice, cannot stomach. Better hold on to the face-saver of Puducherry. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - APRIL 18: Ambulance stuck during the Huge Traffic at Vikas Marg near PHQ on April 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Day four of the Delhi governments odd-even experiment began with reports of major traffic snarls emerging from various parts of the city. The second phase of the odd-even experiment was launched on April 15 to reduce the alarming levels of air pollution in the city. (Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) In a landmark ruling, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday banned all the diesel vehicles registered ten years ago from plying in six major cities of Kerala. The Gods Own Country faces a serious environmental threat from pollution as greenery is fast depleting and temperature soaring to record high levels this summer. Advertisement In April, the Tribunal said that diesel vehicles over 10 years old will not be allowed to run in Delhi. That ruling was in response to rising vehicular pollution in the capital. According to news reports, the vehicles will have to be taken off the roads within 30 days. The tribunal said that the violators will be fined Rs 5,000 as environmental compensation. The green court's special circuit bench at Ernakulam, that was hearing a petition filed by lawyers of an environmental awareness forum also ruled that no new diesel vehicle with an engine capacity of more than 2000 cc will be registered in the state going forward. The only exception to this will be public transport and local authority vehicles. The court also directed the state government to check on the availability of CNG, a cheaper and cleaner fuel, in the state and inform it. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: Babu Babu / Reuters A supporter holds up cut-outs of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party symbol with an image of M.K. Stalin, son and heir-apparent of M. Karunanidhi, chief of DMK during a rally ahead of a general election in the southern Indian city of Chennai April 6, 2014. India, the world's largest democracy, will hold its general election in nine stages staggered between April 7 and May 12. REUTERS/Babu (INDIA - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) Hindsight is a wonderful thing. When the polls are done and dusted, one can say, in cavalier fashion, that the writing was always on the wall. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), should not have given 41 seats to its ally, the Congress. DMK heir apparent MK Stalin should have been announced as the Chief Ministerial candidate. Cash distribution to voters swung votes in Jayalalithaas favour in the last two days. The lure of freebies announced by Jaya more gold for thaali (mangalsutra) for women, 50% discount on scooters for working women and free mobiles for all did the trick. Prohibition was never an election issue and therefore tipplers voted for Jaya since they believed she would not ban the booze immediately. Women voters too appear to have solidly stood behind their idol, Jaya. Advertisement All of the above analyses would be correct. But these are descriptions of symptoms alone. There is a firmer diagnosis arising out of the DMKs not-so-vast debacle of 2016. That, simply put, is a crisis of credibility for the Dravidian party, something which it needs to address with urgency. Known Devils Vs Unknown Angels A look at the realigned political map of Tamil Nadu in 2016 shows clearly who the voters saw as the alternative to the ruling party. The DMK took 98 seats in alliance with the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League. The AIADMK took 134 out of a total of 232 seats which went to polls on May 16. For the first time in Tamil Nadus history, there were a number of visible alternatives to the voter. The Third Front was one such Vijaykanth with his DMDK (Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam), Vaiko and his MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), Dalit leader Thol Thirumavalavan, the two Left parties and GK Vasans brand new party formed after his split with the Congress. Another visible face was that of former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, young, urban and speaking development politics, with an Obama-like campaign, proclaiming himself to be the much-needed alternative. The Bharatiya Janata Party, an almost irrelevant force in the southern state too ran a high pitched campaign, stating that they were the alternative. Advertisement Tamil Nadu categorically decided that the alternative to one Dravidian party, the AIADMK, could only be another, the DMK. And despite Vijaykanths and Vaikos parties bearing the term Dravida, voters rejected both. Vijaykanth was pushed to third place in Ulundurpet, suffering the ignominy of losing his deposit, along with his party being de-recognised as a state party owing to securing less than 6% of votes polled. Junior Ramadoss too was annihilated in Pennagaram, an Assembly seat within the Parliamentary seat of Dharmapuri where he won as MP in 2014. Thirumavalavan was sent home licking his wounds, losing the Kattumannarkoil seat by a mere 87 votes. The BJP hardly figured in the reckoning, garnering 2.8% voteshare, after crowing about being the third largest party in the 2014 polls with 5% voteshare and 2 MP seats. Tamil Nadu voters decided that they preferred the Dravidian parties to anyone else, agreed T Ramakrishnan, senior journalist and political analyst. They have given a clear mandate. All those people who made a hue and cry about being the alternative have been sent home. Essentially, the state chose between the known devils the two Dravidian behemoths who have a track record of governance by dint of being alternatively in power in the past. The unknown plausible angels the newer parties were wiped out. Choosing The Lesser Evil Now that the choice was between two known devils, the AIADMK and the DMK, the lesser evil had to be chosen. Voices on the ground spoke the language of anti incumbency. This government has not done any work in terms of development or infrastructure or job creation, was a constant refrain one heard while traveling across the state ahead of polls. But the DMK will be worse if they come to power, was the postscript. Advertisement M Kameshwaran, a voter in Coimbatore explained why he was glad of the AIADMKs win. During the DMK regime of 2006 to 2011, we had to sell our land hurriedly because their goondaism was out of control, he said, anger still evident. The local DMK men had bought all the land surrounding ours. If we had refused to sell, they would have held a knife to our throats. We did not want trouble so we sold it at a lower rate. If we cannot even keep our land in peace and always have to worry, what is the point? he asked. In a Jayalalithaa regime, such land grabbing and goondaism would not happen, he asserted. This was also the highlight of Jayas 2016 campaign Dont forget how they grabbed your lands and threatened you all, she told the electorate repeatedly at her rallies before the polls. Voters have neither forgiven, nor forgotten. In October 2015, during his statewide tour called Namakku Naame (We for ourselves), DMK heir apparent MK Stalin apologised to a voter in Madurai who questioned him about the atrocities and kangaroo courts of the DMK men in the district. I assure you such things will never happen again, he said to the voter, without overtly referring to his elder brother MK Alagiris role in the goondaism of 2006-2011 in that area. Towards the end of campaigns, Stalin again reiterated that there would be no kangaroo courts or rowdyism if the DMK was voted back in. But the reassurance was neither firm enough, nor loud enough. The issue of land grabbing too was simply ignored by the party. Advertisement Another issue that Jayalalithaa harped upon on all her campaign rallies was that of family rule. The powerful but tainted DMK first family and their misdeeds appear to have made the voter wary. While Stalin himself has not been seen campaigning with any of his family members, DMK patriarch and Chief Ministerial candidate M Karunanidhi was seen traveling on his campaign trail, with his daughter Kanimozhi and grand-nephew Dayanidhi Maran, both accused in infamous corruption cases. Stalin, picking on the mood of the voter rather late in the day, announced that neither his son Udhayanidhi, nor his son-in-law Sabareesan would ever enter politics. Jaya, on the other hand, kept reiterating that she had no family my life is dedicated to serving the people of Tamil Nadu she said. The voters appear to have given her the benefit of the doubt. The voters mistrust in the DMK as a credible and worthy alternative is evident from the slim winning margins thrown up in the polls. In 12 constituencies, the DMK has lost to the AIADMK by under 2000 votes in 9 of these, the AIADMK has won on less than 1000 votes. In 7 seats, the AIADMK has polled between 2000 to 3000 more votes than the DMK. None of the above (NOTA) votes are indicative of discontent with the ruling party these are votes which would have gone to a credible viable alternative to the ruling party, if there had been one. Voters choose NOTA only when they have no faith in even the most prominent alternative to the ruling party. An analysis of the distribution of 5.6 lakh NOTA votes in the state shows that in 15 constituencies, the NOTA votes could have swung the election for the DMK, if voters had been convinced of the DMK being a good alternative to the ruling party. In the end, the mandate is clear Jaya is the lesser evil of the known devils, but the voters are not entirely happy with her performance either. By sending the DMK to the position of a powerful Opposition in the state Assembly, the voter has checkmated Jaya too. Advertisement According to VHP, 'Industry' came from Indus, 'Infantry' from some infant, 'Symmetry' from Sim, 'Geometry' from some jaw.@sanjayuvacha Veejay Sai (@veejaysai) May 23, 2016 Rupak De Chowdhuri / Reuters A Catholic nun from the Missionaries of Charity, the global order of nuns founded by Mother Teresa, signs a banner during a rally to show solidarity with the nun who was raped during an armed assault on a convent school, in Kolkata March 16, 2015. Christians in India said on Monday that the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not done enough to protect their religion, after a spate of attacks including the rape of the 75-year-old nun at the weekend. Christians prayed and held vigils across the country to protest against the rape during an armed assault on a convent school, the worst in a series of incidents that followers of the faith say are making them feel unwelcome in their own country. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri (INDIA - Tags: CRIME LAW RELIGION) NEW DELHI -- A 23-year-old JNU student has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman classmate, police said yesterday. Both the complainant and the accused (names withheld) are pursuing post graduation degree in the varsity's Centre for Historical Studies. Advertisement The incident took place in December, when the accused and the complainant went to a friend's rented house for a party and he forced himself upon her, a senior police official said. However, the woman approached the police and reported the matter this Thursday. A case under IPC Section 376 (rape) was registered immediately in connection with the incident and the accused was arrested, the official said. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: PTI Temple authorities in Dehradun will allegedly conduct a nine-day 'purification' ceremony to cleanse the place after Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay led a group of Dalits inside, according to the Times of India. Vijay was attacked by a local mob, enraged at the entry of Dalits inside the temple on Friday. Vijay suffered minor injuries in the attack. An official from the temple trust, who was not named, told the paper that the Silgur devta temple in Pokhri village of the Jaunsar Bawar region in Dehradun will conduct a "long purification ritual" because it was supposedly defiled by the entry of Dalits. Advertisement Condemn the barbaric attack on @TarunVijay ji. You were fighting for a just cause & I support you on this unequivocally. Get well soon! Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) May 22, 2016 Dehradun: Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat visits injured BJP MP Tarun Vijay at the hospital. pic.twitter.com/cNNdAwdnTT ANI (@ANI_news) May 21, 2016 #WATCH Eyewitness from yesterday's incident (when Tarun Vijay was attacked) recounts experience to Uttarakhand CM.https://t.co/h1YRJ6v8aG ANI (@ANI_news) May 21, 2016 "The dev doli of Silgur Devta that was brought after a gap of 36 years to our village was defiled. The devta is upset," the official told TOI. The paper also reported that the Dalits in the area have allegedly started fleeing from their homes fearing backlash from members of the upper castes. Advertisement Vijay, a Rajya Sabha member, was attacked by the mob and his car vandalized after he came out of a temple with Dalit leaders in Chakrata. Although caste-based discrimination was outlawed in 1955, but deeply-entrenched prejudices still exist and people from lower castes still face injustices in many sectors. The polarisation is particularly evident in community places of worship. The police team present at the spot rescued the Uttarakhand MP and the Dalit leaders who sustained minor injuries. Condemning the attack, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat ordered Garhwal Commissioner to look into the incident. Shailesh Andrade / Reuters Anurag Thakur, newly-elected president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), gestures during a news conference in Mumbai, India, May 22, 2016. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade 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 recent video of a road melting in Gujarat went viral on Sunday, demonstrating the extremity of the heat wave faced by India. Recently, Rajasthan recorded the country's highest temperature of 51 degrees in Phalodi city. Advertisement Newly-elected BCCI president Anurag Thakur today vowed to carry on the reforms process in the organisation, insisting that the Board would not run away from implementing the "practical" recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee. Twenty-five passengers aboard a bus had a miraculous escape in Junagadh, Gujarat after a bridge collapsed just as the bus was passing over it. Even as half of the rear end of the bus was hanging at the edge of the collapsed bridge the driver managed to make it halfway to safety before the bridge broke. Sohail Khan, youngest brother of Salman Khan, hurled abuses at some journalists who were asking him about Salman's wedding plans. Sohail, who was accompanied by father Salim and mother Helen yelled at the journalists and asked them to shut their cameras. Main News The first India-made technology demonstrator made of Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), that can launch satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter the atmosphere, was launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 7 am on Monday. The mission was declared successful 20 minutes after lift-off. The 6.5 meter long space shuttle weighs about 1.75 tons and was built by a team of 600 scientists at a cost of 95 crore over five years. Advertisement Contrary to the reports making rounds on social media that Anurag Thakur is the youngest BCCI president, a news website has pointed out that he is in fact the sixth one at the age 42. Fatehsinghrao Prataprao Gaekwad was the youngest BCCI president, elected in 1963 at the age of 33, followed by Raymond Eustace Grant Govan at 37, among others. Indias Tata Motors is in talks with a local manufacturer in Tehran to set up a joint venture for assembling its petrol cars in Iran as it is looking to tap the fast growing market that has emerged after the sanctions. Off The Front Page Green pigmentation from an insect breeding in the Yamuna waters has allegedly been discolouring the Taj Mahals marble walls. The National Green Tribunal has reportedly issued a notice to the authorities on this matter. After a BJP MP led a drive for allowing Dalits to enter the Silgur devta temple in Pokhri village in Jaunsar Bawar, Dehradun, the temple is now being 'purified' with a nine-day long pooja. Noted actor Irrfan Khan will hold a special screening of Marathi movie Sairat, a searing indictment of caste discrimination in Maharashtra. Directed by Nagraj Manjule, the film talks about relationship between two young teenagers, who face several challenges before eloping. Advertisement Opinion Voters are responding to a greater extent to the development agenda and parties are finding new ways to use the media to reach them. More than anything, we are starting to see generational shifts in the way parties function, and this has become a fundamental part of understanding election results, writes Ashish Ranjan in The Hindu. "Now, voters know a lot more about their candidates and parties by just turning on the television. These types of tactics dont work like they used to. Voters are becoming more sophisticated as a result of greater information in the system. They are directly demanding economic development and infrastructure, rather than using identity politics as a proxy for these things. This is no random electoral defeat. In this election, the Congress and the Left Front in Assam and Bengal showed themselves to be old, sputtering machines that have yet to fully grasp the realities of the modern Indian electorate," he says. Another abysmal showing for the Congress might just be the last nail in the electoral coffin for the grand old party, says Vivek Dehejia in Mint. "Politically mature democracies tend eventually to outgrow the party in power at the time of independence or which dominated their early post-independence history. Could India be living through the long goodbye of the Congress," he asks. Indias participation in the Chabahar port project, on the south-eastern coast of Iran and the associated transport and transit agreements illustrate the country's opportunities and delay points to deep-rooted internal constraints, writes C Raja Mohan in The Indian Express. "The successful launch of the Chabahar project allows India to circumvent the geographic limitations imposed by Partition and the enduring hostility with Pakistan... It is the vast gap between an expansive rhetoric on promoting regional connectivity and the lack of institutional capacity to implement strategic projects across and beyond borders. The Chabahar project, hopefully, is the first step in plugging that gap," he says. Advertisement Education Images via Getty Images Vedas, Indian Hindu Scripture. (Photo by Education Images/UIG via Getty Images) In a bid to encourage Vedic learning, the government is planning to set up its own school board. According to the Indian Express, the HRD ministry is planning to establish an examination board under the Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan (MSRVVP) in Ujjain. This will be the countrys first Vedic education board. According to the report, this will be a fully-funded autonomous body under the HRD ministry that will conduct programmes to promote the Vedas. Advertisement To set up the board, a five-member government panel has suggested an initial fund of Rs 6 crore. The NDA government had rejected a similar proposal moved by yoga guru Ramdev recently. Ramdev's proposal was rejected after school education secretary, S C Khuntia, said that the states sanction for a private board would open the doors for similar requests from other unrecognised school boards. The Vedic Education Board intends to be similar to CBSE. The decision to set up the board was taken after recommendation of Sanskrit experts and gurukuls at a meeting attended by Smriti Irani's advisor. According to the report, the board will also help in setting up new schools that will teach Veda and Sanskrit as major subjects. Other subjects will be 'minor.' Around 10,000 students are currently studying Ved Vidya in India. The government estimates that an additional 40,000 students may join after the board is set up. Advertisement Also See On HuffPost: PTI Hindutva organisations answer the problem of caste and untouchability by seeking to give Hindu pride to Dalits and OBCs. The effort has seen mixed results, but cant be called successful by any standards. What they never seek is confrontation and conflict, because that cant be useful in bringing about Hindu unity. They have an easier way of bringing about Hindu unity: creating the fear of the cow-slaughtering anti-national Muslim. Advertisement The BJPs outgoing Rajya Sabha MP, Tarun Vijay, stands out in this respect. For some time now, he has been plunging himself headlong into situations of caste conflict, not only commenting on them but seeking to intervene in ways that bring about resentment and retaliation from upper castes. Asked if the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh would have a Dalit chief one day, he said it would happen some day since the organization didnt practice caste discrimination. For instance, in November last year, he visited a Dalit woman in Karnatakas Kolar district on Bhai Dooj and made her his sister. The woman was a cook facing ostracism. Students refused to eat food cooked by her for the schools mid-day meals. In her lonely battle, a Rajya Sabha MPs intervention became a powerful message to local upper castes who have ostracized her. Vijay introduced in the Rajya Sabha a private members bill that sought to give equal opportunity to Valmikis to become priests in Hindu temples, or any other profession with training, so as to bring them out of manual scavenging. Speaking in Pune recently, he described caste discrimination as religious bigotry, and asked upper caste Hindus to apologise . Advertisement Asked if the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh would have a Dalit chief one day, he said it would happen some day since the organization didnt practice caste discrimination. Truth is, the RSS is not even upper caste dominated. It is dominated by just one high caste, Brahmin. In its 90-year history it has had only one non-Brahmin chief, or sarsanghchalak. That is also why it is rare for someone from the Hindutva fold to lead hundreds of Dalits into a temple they are not allowed in, knowing that the resulting confrontation could even spark violence. When Tarun Vijay did so on Friday, making Dalits touch the Dev Doli of the SIlgur Devta in Chakrata, Uttarakhand, a mob of upper castes retaliated with stone-pelting. He was hurt in his head and ear, admitted to hospital, his car thrown in a gorge. Such violence and discrimination flies of the face of the claim that Hindus are peace loving as against those marauding Muslims. And it is very much a religious issue. The Devta is upset, say the upper castes in Uttarakhand about Tarun Vijay taking Dalits into the temple. They are now doing a nine days long purification ritual . Advertisement The conspiracy of silence around untouchability and caste discrimination comes from left, right and centre alike. Conspiracy of silence There are more than 340 temples in the Jaunsar-Bawar region of Uttarakhand where Dalits are denied entry. In November last year, three Dalits were assaulted and fined for entering a temple in Uttarakhand. Vijay took the three Dalits to meet the Uttarakhand governor. He wondered why those who returned awards and signed petitions crying over intolerance, were silent over this issue. The conspiracy of silence around untouchability and caste discrimination comes from left, right and centre alike. Vijay is questioning the left-liberals but it is not as if prime minister Narendra Modi has been tweeting about this, or I&B minister Arun Jaitley has been writing Facebook posts. The lack of social media outrage over the attack on Tarun Vijay is curious. The left-liberals didnt go into overdrive, and the BJPs social media volunteers were busy with other things. Mostly, they would have you believe the only social reform issue in India is the Muslim Personal law. One could similarly ask Tarun Vijay why his activism for caste equality is not taking him to BJP ruled states. He could go to Haryana for instance, where two Dalit children were recently burnt alive. It was supposedly a property dispute. Amongst the leading reasons for caste violence is land grab, or efforts to prevent Dalits from living in areas dominated by upper castes. When hes up and running again, he could go to this village in Madhya Pradesh where a Dalit student drowned trying to fetch water, because the teacher wouldnt give him water like non-Dalit students after the mid-day meal. He could go to this Gujarat village where the well in the Dalit basti has become dysfunctional. Dalit women line up before the well used by upper castes, but since it is part of a temple complex (belongs to the goddess), the Dalit women dont go on to the platform of the well. Instead, they wait for upper caste women to take pity and fill their pots. This means the Dalit women wait for hours to fill their pots. A bright student in Hyderabad lost his life because of the caste discrimination by Vijays fellow travellers, the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, but Vijay sees it differently. Speaking recently in Chennai, Vijay said, "Rohith Vemula's letter to CPM leader Yechury exposed the anti-dalit mindset of the Left, which has not been answered by the pro-Afzal crowd." But what does the anti-Afzal crowd do? For the self-appointed guardians of the Hindu faith and Indian nationalism, there is only one caste issue, reservations. Sometimes they go further, like Rupa Subramanya asking WTF is caste Hindus? Advertisement If a Sufi shrine disallows entry to women, that will cause national outrage, many column inches of gyaan and high-decibel TV debates. Mostly, they would have you believe the only social reform issue in India is the Muslim Personal law. It is curious that those who claim to defend Hinduism from the onslaught of foreigners, have nothing to say about the daily violence and discrimination against Dalits by Hindus. They want Muslim social reform, but see no need for Hindu social reform beyond paying lip-service to Ambedkar. Who will change their hearts? They have nothing to say about the social boycott of 40 Dalit families in this Karnataka village. They cant enter flour mills, or get potable water, or enter temples, but the only issues in mainstream national discourse are beef, Afzal, nationalism. If a Sufi shrine disallows entry to women, that will cause national outrage, many column inches of gyaan and high-decibel TV debates. But when Dalits are assaulted for daring to fold up their lungis while passing by an upper-caste settlement, that is for the inside pages of a local edition. Paying for sweets in a shop in Agra, a Dalit child accidentally touches the hand of the Brahmin shopkeeper, who assaults him, goes to his house and beats up people there, including a pregnant woman. When you come across such news reports, you wonder, where is the Hindu social reform movement? Advertisement When theres honour killing an upper caste family in Tamil Nadu try to kill their own daughter, and hack to death their Dalit son-in law, you wonder if it is about the pro-Afzal brigade or the anti-Afzal crowd? Who will change their hearts? When will that time come? What is your caste, sir, the owner asks. Lying is not my thing because for the kind of social work I do, I appear on television or in newspapers from time to time. One day or the other the truth would be out. SC (Scheduled Caste), I said. The house owners face fell Sir, don't be offended but, I don't rent out to an SC, he said. Why?, I asked. My wife doesn't like it, he replied. An angry Hettur called up his uncle, saying he wanted to file a case under strict anti-caste discrimination laws. Even after seeing 50 houses he didnt find one landlord willing to give him a house. His uncle replied, Without a change in mindset, nothing can be done. It is their house, they can give it to anyone they like. Hettur calmed down and dropped the idea of going to the police. But he wrote on Facebook, Who will change their hearts? When will that time come? There is a vibrant Dalit movement, which challenges the hold of caste. But upper castes also need an anti-caste movement amongst themselves. If that is what Tarun Vijay seeks, he must stop framing the question in pro- and anti-Afzal terms. The communal-secular binary prevents us from talking about caste. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: asus Asus launched a new iteration of the popular phone, the Zenfone Max, today with upgraded hardware and software. The phone is available in 2 variants on Flipkart, at a starting price of 9,999. The launch of the phone was first announced last year in August and it hit the market early in 2016. The latest version of Zenofone Max features an upgraded processor, with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 now replaced by the Snapdragon 615 Octa-core processor. The company has also upgraded the software in the new model, featuring the Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 wit Zen UI. Advertisement The phone's biggest selling point remains the huge battery with its 5000 mAh capacity. Asus claims that the battery can go for 2-3 days without recharging in course of normal usage. The new Zenofone Max can also work as a power source, supplied as it is with a USB on-the-go cable in the box, which has a USB port where other devices can be plugged and charged. Zenfone Max has a 5.5-inch screen, but at 720p its resolution is disappointing. During our hands-on with the device, the display did not seem to be particularly impressive, though the phone itself felt good in the hand with polished edges and faux-leather back design. The software design could do with improvement. The 13 MP rear camera features dual tone LED and an aperture of f/2.0, while the front camera has a 5 MP resolution. Both delivered quality photographs. Zenofone Max has been launched in two variants -- the first one with a 32 GB internal memory and a 2 GB RAM, and the second one with the same similar internal memory and a 3 GB RAM. The two devices are priced respectively at 9999 and 12999. Advertisement With new mid-range phone models being launched almost every week, Asus has to do a lot of groundwork to compete with the other established players in the segment. Motorola launched their much awaited Moto G4 and Moto G4 plus last week. While, Lenovo introduced their sub-brand Zuk in India with Zuk Z1. And the top device maker for India, Samsung launched two mid-range J-series devices this month. Contact HuffPost India Asus Zenfone Zoom Packaging and Design See Gallery The Kingston Trio comes to Hutchinson All three current members, have links to and experience with the original group. Chinas government fabricates and posts several hundred million social media posts a year to influence public opinion about the country, according to a new paper by U.S. researchers examining one of the most opaque aspects of the Communist Partys rule. The academic study led by Harvard political scientist Gary King claims to be one of the first in-depth looks into the inner workings of Chinas push to influence public opinion by flooding social media with posts portrayed as if they were coming from ordinary people. Aside from possessing highly sophisticated censorship controls to find and delete content outright, Chinas government has long been known to employ a huge group of internet workers, known colloquially as the Fifty Cent Party, to influence discourse in subtler ways. The name originates from a popular rumor never substantiated that such people are paid 50 cents per pro-government post. The research project, which took advantage of a trove of government emails, spreadsheets and work reports from a propaganda office in central China leaked online in 2014, concludes that an estimated 488 million fake posts a year enables the government to actively control opinion without having to censor as much as they might otherwise. Most Read Stories Friday, April 23, 2016. Stevens Elementry 5th graders (with some younger students in support) protest the cancelation of their camp trip to Camp Orkila because of an administrative error. Seattle fifth-graders will get their camp trip, but teachers refuse to go State delegates to the GOP Convention in Pasco wait for their ballots for at-large candidates to be collected. Washington state GOP convention backs Cruz over Trump Philippine president-elect blasts Catholic church, bishops A healthy senior questions the need for statin In this Aug. 16, 2007, photo provided by Cynthia Wilson, Reba Golden stands outside Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. (Cynthia Wilson via AP) UW surgeon, Harborview sued: Fatal surgeries used unapproved bone cement Unlimited Digital Access. $1 for 4 weeks. The researchers also reached a slightly surprising conclusion about the goal of the massive operation: to distract the public during politically sensitive news events. That counters the widespread perception that Beijing employs internet workers to shout down its critics on online forums. They do not step up to defend the government, its leaders, and their policies from criticism, no matter how vitriolic; indeed, they seem to avoid controversial issues entirely, the papers authors write. Letting an argument die, or changing the subject, usually works much better than picking an argument and getting someones back up. The paper detailed an elaborate methodology used by the research team, which employed its own army of research assistants. After gaining a glimpse into how Chinas Fifty Cent operation organizes itself from leaked documents, the research group created numerous fake accounts of their own to ask large samples of suspected government workers an elaborate set of questions to confirm that the posters were indeed getting guidance from authorities. One of the three co-authors, Margaret Roberts from the University of California, San Diego, said in an email that examining leaked documents or interviewing former participants could offer a biased view of the operation, but large-scale statistical analyses of online data allow us to directly observe and summarize what people within the system are doing. The trio of political scientists, which also included Stanford Universitys Jennifer Pan, has been using statistical methods for years to study Chinas methods of information control, sometimes reaching somewhat unexpected conclusions. In a 2014 study sifting through social media posts, they found that Chinese censors allowed netizens a significant amount of freedom to vent their frustrations with the government until any calls for organized action that could lead to street protests appeared. Those were swiftly taken down. Source: http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/chinese-government-backed-social-media-users-flood-web/ Russias Safe Internet League met in Moscow last month with Chinas powerful censors , including Fang Binxing. He is known as one of the creators of The Great Firewall of China. A Russian group working to restrict information on the Internet is seeking advice from Chinese experts. The Safe Internet League is registered as a non-governmental organization. But it reportedly has links to important Russian officials. Observers say the recent meeting shows that government officials in the two countries want to increase their control of the Internet. Fang spoke to the gathering about cyber sovereignty. He said national borders should be guarded in the online world as they are in the real world. And he said foreign interference with a countrys government should not be accepted. Lu Wei is Chinas chief of cybersecurity and Internet policy. He said online freedom is not a right but a responsibility. He said it should be limited because it could lead to terrorism, according to a message on the social media website Twitter from a Financial Times newspaper reporter. Lu agreed with Russian officials who say Western media are leading an information war against their two countries. Both Chinese and Russian officials at the meeting said that American business interests have too much control of the Internet. Konstantin Malofeev is chairman of the Safe Internet League. Observers say he is linked to both the Russian government and the Russian-supported rebels in eastern Ukraine. He said Russia should learn from Chinas Internet censorship practices and protect its sovereignty online. Russian Internet experts say the meeting shows that the Russian government plans to take increasing control of online information ahead of parliamentary elections. The vote will take place September 18. Russia will hold its presidential election in 2018. Andrei Soldatov is a Russian investigative reporter. He co-wrote the book, The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russias Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries. He told VOA he believes the government wants to be sure that it can control the Internet before the elections. Russian officials began to watch social media more closely after it was used to organize large anti-government protests in 2011 and 2012. Ilya Klishin is the chief of digital media at the independent Russian television station TV Rain. He told VOA they thought if you control the television stations -- I mean, like major TV stations -- then youre good, then you control the public opinion. At that point they found out that even Internet news websites and people on Facebook and Twitter can actually organize 100,000 (person demonstrations in) downtown Moscow. Anton Nosik is a long-time blogger in Moscow. Russian officials charged him with extremism one day before the meeting of the Russian and Chinese Internet experts. The charges are connected to online statements he made about Syria. He compared the countrys government to Nazi Germany and wrote that it should be destroyed. The comments came just after Russia began its air campaign to support the Syrian government against rebels. Nosik could face a fine of thousands of dollars and a four-year prison term. Nosik told VOA that Russian lawmakers are competing with each other to write bills that would censor and control information on the Internet. He says some of them are doing it because they want attention and to be included in the next parliament. He says lawmakers have written, in his words, so many laws (to limit) Internet freedom in very many different ways. Reporter Andrei Soldatov says the government targets well-known bloggers and activists for a reason. Because the Russian system, in large part, is based on intimidation and instigating self-censorship among journalists and among users of social networks and bloggers. Experts believe the government will continue to try to intimidate independent journalists. But Klishin, from TV Rain, does not believe Russia will block large websites or social networks, as China does. Its not like in China or even in Turkey where they had YouTube or Twitter blocked. So far, they (have) never blocked a major social network or web platform like Gmail or YouTube or Twitter, he says. (If they banned) Facebook in Russia then everyone would notice. Russia is following Chinas practice of forcing all foreign Internet service providers to place their servers with Russian data inside Russia. Soldatov says Russian security services would have all the providers technologies of encryption immediately available. Western companies have resisted placing their servers in Russia. But some Chinese companies have started to do so. Im Pete Musto. Source: http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/russia-seeks-chinas-help-controlling-the-internet/3329257.html Others you have likely never heard of. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The 2003 invasion of Iraq. Broadcast live around the globe, the gruesome images of these events set the stage for the 21st century. Everyone knew it even while the cameras were rolling. Some moments that change the course of history are obvious instantly. On a chilly Baltic spring day in 2007, a much quieter act of violence began with just an error message here, a disconnected server there. It would end by crippling the institutions of a major European capital, escalating what had been a war of words between two countries, Russia and Estonia, into something unprecedented: Cyberwar. This surreptitious smash into Estonia's digital heart sparked a shift in the fighting stance of the worlds most powerful militaries, richest governments, and most cutting-edge private companies that continues to this day. Estonians compare the day to their own 9/11. Imagine what would happen if Wall St. financial institutions and every American bank was crushed under the weight of a cyberattack while Washington, D.C.'s institutions fell apart under the same withering offensive. Meanwhile, what if no one could read newspapers or call 911? That's the level of attack that Estonia faced. In July 2016, the world's most powerful military alliance will meet in Poland. Over the last decade, NATO's priorities have changed. In the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union, an attack by Russiaof any kindonce seemed almost inconceivable. But military tension has returned to Eastern Europe as Russia and NATO eye each other warily. The Western alliance was shifting, its centers of power moving steadily eastward to capitals like Warsaw, Ankara, and Tallinn. Two old rivals are standing up. The pressure has been building since that historic moment in 2007. Its been called Web War I. Thats how new and monumental this incident was for those who experienced it. It set the stage for Web Wars to come. And it all started with a statue. More: http://www.dailydot.com/politics/web-war-cyberattack-russia-estonia/ The issue came up at the recent airport study group meeting. Pittsfield Airport: Increased Military Traffic Caused By Training Demands PITTSFIELD, Mass. "It's the sound of freedom" is how the assistant airport manager describes the increased activity of military helicopters at the airport. Residents may have recently noticed many military helicopters flying overhead recently. But don't be alarmed: it's just practice. "The Army helicopters have a new navigation system and they are doing training that has to be accomplished by a certain date," Airport Manager Robert Snuck said. "With us having an instrument approach here, some of that training is required to be conducted in designated mountain terrain. We happened to be a designated mountain terrain." Those two element: having an instrument approach and designed as a mountain terrain makes the Pittsfield Municipal Airport fertile ground for training. The flights come in from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield or other bases throughout the country, land with the new instrumentation and then fly out. "A high volume of people in a short amount of time is why we are hearing these," Airport Commission Chairman Chris Pedersen said. The noise from the helicopters is annoying for many, especially when the flights come in late at night. Locally there isn't much that can be done. "There has been an increase in activity because of that but we cannot restrict the military in any way because of the federal funding we receive," Snuck said. "We can't restrict the amount of flights, the times that they fly." Soon the training period will be over. So buckle up and enjoy the rest of the ride until everyone is trained. Then, the air traffic will somewhat normalize. Sen. Benjamin Downing, who is not seeking re-election this fall, is racking up awards and honors. Berkshires Beat: Honoring Downing On His Way Out More praise: State Sen. Benjamin B. Downing (D-Pittsfield) received awards from advocates for the Massachusetts tourism industry and advocates for clean energy in two ceremonies at the State House earlier this month. Downing, a former chair and current vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development, was presented with a Champion of Tourism award at Massachusetts Tourism Day. The annual event is sponsored by the Regional Tourism Councils and the Mass Office of Travel and Tourism. Tourism is the third-largest industry in Massachusetts, supporting over 132,000 jobs and generating $19.5 billion annually in visitor spending. Downing also was honored by the Northeast Clean Energy Council with their Energy Vanguard Award. The presentation was part of Clean Energy Day at the State House, an event that brings clean energy industry leaders to showcase the importance of clean energy for the environment and the regional economy. As Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Downing led recent conference committee negotiations to produce legislation that increases the cap on solar net metering. That legislation was signed into law by Gov.Baker on April 11. New website: To reverse its standing as the Berkshires best kept secret, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, the countys leading charitable land conservation organization, will unveil a new website, logo and tagline on May 25 to help clarify its mission and public benefit in the Berkshires. Along with features like Top 10 Trail recommendations, the website at www.bnrc.org will unveil a new tagline and look for the organization: The Landkeepers. The new website will be followed by redesigned road signs, kiosks and other improvements intended to make clear that Council lands are open to the public. Tim Lovett, a Council board member and the co-founder of Berkshire Property Agents, led a creative team that included Tad Ames, the organizations presiden, brand consultant Karen Slade, graphic designer Jennifer Clark, web designer Brian Martin, and web developers Kit Latham and Jessica Thomson. Healthy dining: In honor of the Berkshire Mayors Fitness Challenge, a variety of food establishments will be offering Mayors Fitness Challenge meals and deals during the week of May 22-28, many of these food establishments are also part of the Be Well Berkshires Healthy Dining Initiative. The Mayors Fitness Challenge meal or option will offer a healthy entree or side dish that will include fruit and/or vegetables, smaller portions or discounts. These healthy options make the healthy choice the easy choice, and as healthy dining restaurants, many of these healthy options can be ordered all year round. Mayors Fitness Challenge Participants can receive points just for dining at the participating food establishments, as well as receive points by enjoying the Mayors Fitness Challenge options being offered. This is a fun and healthy way to support our local economy and community. Please visit the Mayors Fitness Challenge Facebook page to learn of the Specials during the week! 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 The electric bus is one of the major addressable markets for large-sized lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries . On a sales volume per year basis, electric buses grew by 54.6% from 2014 to 2015 with a significant proportion of production and sales of electric buses taking place in China. This rapid growth is a game changer for the Li-ion battery market as electric buses require large-sized batteries ranging from 74 kWh (fast charging e-bus) to over 300 kWh (slow charging e-bus). Indeed, the IDTechEx Research report Lithium-ion Batteries for Electric Buses 2016-2026 predicts a large e-bus battery market that will grow to $30 billion by 2026, potentially making it the largest segment of the overall battery market. Driven by strict government emission standards and the desire to curtail air pollution, electric buses are displacing fossil fuel buses that are major sources of CO2, NOx, SOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions in cities. Indeed, pure electric buses are overtaking the hybrid ones in terms of sales in China as policies favour pure electric powertrains. In addition, the Chinese government reduced and will eventually stop subsidies for hybrid buses that do not plug-in because these cannot operate with long electric range in city centres to reduce local emissions sharply. Besides government policies triggering the growth of electric buses, advancement in battery technology in terms of cost, driving range, safety, energy and power density has also contributed to the adoption of transport electrification. Indeed, we believe battery-powered electric vehicles (BEV) will dominate the clean vehicle market in the coming years. There is ongoing research effort and investments which is supporting the improvement of Li-ion batteries for EV applications. For instance, BYD and Lishen have obtained strong subsidy supports from the Chinese government for the research and manufacturing of advanced batteries and electric vehicles. The U.S. government has also been supporting R&D activities in advanced batteries through the Department of Energy (DOE) while the European Commission and governmental organizations in Europe as well as Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) have also been continuously supporting the R&D activities in advanced batteries. Currently, the best selling BYD electric bus (K9) has a battery capacity of 324 kWh providing an electric range of 150 miles (250 km) per charge. Range anxiety would be a thing of the past as driving range of 300 miles is promised soon with improvement in not only battery technology but other factors such as light weighting, aerodynamics and powertrain efficiency. Ideally, EVs are aiming to compete with conventional ICE powered vehicles that have a driving range of 300 - 400 miles. Battery technology - battle of the dominant Li-ion variant Electric buses in China are predominantly powered using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode variant, the same chemistry produced by BYD and used in their electric buses. The story is different in the marine industry where majority of the electric and hybrid vessel are powered using the nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) cathode variant assembled into packs by Corvus Energy , thanks to their deployment in commercial and industrial watercraft. The LFP chemistry produced by companies such as Saft and Valence is also used in marine EVs. China is seeking to dominate the battery market by retaining the entire value chain of electric vehicles and batteries within the country. Indeed, there has been recent news about the Chinese government intervention with regards to subsidy removal of the NMC lithium-ion variant, which is produced exclusively outside the country. This smells of short-term protectionism since LFP variant is the most common chemistry manufactured in China and used in Chinese e-buses. It is uncertain whether this intervention by the Chinese government will ultimately be upheld but what is certain is that it at least acts as a short-term break on the market of non-LFP batteries. This policy will naturally favour domestic battery manufacturers such as BYD and Lishen who largely supply the LFP battery technology to electric bus manufacturers. Battery giants in Japan and Korea who manufacture the NMC battery chemistry for electric buses such as Toshiba LG Chem and Samsung are most likely to be adversely affected by this intervention. Lithium-ion battery famine and cost reduction With over 200 Li-ion battery manufacturers, one would expect a continuous supply of Li-ion batteries for all electric vehicles - land, sea and air. However, this is not going to be the case even in the wake of gigafactories. We are now seeing electric vehicles demanding large-sized Li-ion batteries like electric buses using as much as 324 kWh and electric ships which use battery capacity of 1 MWh and even reaching as high as 5 MWh. Electric aircraft like the Boeing Dreamliner has them as a new addition to aircraft electrics, not to mention the significant market growth of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric cars which feature large Li-ion batteries. We see a real risk of shortage of large Li-ion batteries, which few can make satisfactorily, in the coming years aggravated by new applications for grid and residential energy storage systems. Indeed, the expensive cost of lithium carbonate has prompted Chinese battery giant BYD to take actions in securing lithium reserves to guard against the price hikes. Although many countries have large lithium reserves such as Chile, China, Argentina and Australia with approximately 7.7 million tons, 3.5million tons, 2.0 million tons, and 1.5 million tons respectively, in the short term, there is limited mining and production capability to meet the demand of Li-ion batteries for all the aforementioned applications. Increase in mining capacity and production of lithium carbonate is important to meet the growing demand of Li-ion battery market as well as driving the cost of raw materials down which currently constitute about 70% of the entire cost of battery packs used in EVs. Edward Price Non-Resident Senior Fellow NYU Center for Global Affairs Contact email linkedin Edward Price, a former British economic official, teaches international political economy, financial systems and international relations at NYUas Center for Global Affairs. He is also an economic advisor for BritishAmerican Business (BAB). Educated at the London School of Economics (LSE), Edward holds an MSc in Finance and Economic Policy and an MA in German History. He has worked in both the British and European parliaments, was Americas editor at IFLR and has worked in the City of London. He speaks German, gets by in Italian and is a member of the Economic Club of New York (ECNY). The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Partnership to galvanize Lenovo and Warcraft fans towards the years most anticipated gaming-big screen tie-up Global technology leader Lenovo, announced that they will be partnering with United International Pictures (UIP) for the premiere of the upcoming movie, Warcraft: The Beginning. Lenovo is thrilled to be part of this partnership to ensure that Lenovo customers everywhere are first to watch the Warcraft movie. Enthusiasts will also get to enjoy, a range of exclusive premiums as well as opportunities to get up close at cinemas, to Lenovo devices optimized for high-fidelity sound, arresting graphics and a satisfying media experience. As part of Lenovos overall strategy to Never Stand Still, the worlds number one PC maker saw the opportunity to continue developing their customer communities range and quality of experiences, on top of innovating devices that meet the latters diverse and evolving computing needs. The partnership with UIP will help extend Lenovos gaming customers experience on their PCs and portable screens to the big screen, in line with Lenovos brand commitment to offer seamless access to content. The partnership with UIP aligns with two of the three passion points created for Lenovos consumer business, namely Gaming and Movies (the third passion point is Music). Lenovo sees strong potential in each of these passion points, and will continue to develop partnerships and devices that deliver immersive and enriching experiences - such as in this case, by combining passion for Games with passion for Movies. Lenovo ideacentre AIO 700 Lenovos brand is known around the world for consistently enlarging the area in which device engineering and human requirement meet to spark innovation. This has placed Lenovo in the position of being the worlds leading technology company, offering a broad spectrum of products to suit any need or desire, in any contemporary situation. Now through this landmark partnership with UIP, gaming communities and anyone who enjoys a cinematic ride will go further into the high stakes, engrossing world of Warcraft than ever before. Under the Lenovo-UIP partnership, there will be activations and roadshows around the Philippines. Warcraft: The Beginning will be showing in cinemas in the Philippines from May 25, 2016. Lenovo ideapad Y700 Lenovo is pleased to announce its partnership with United International Pictures, to present a movie that is certainly hugely anticipated. This collaboration will give our customer communities the chance to preview the exciting transformation of what has been a classic gaming franchise into a large-scale motion picture, and get their hands on some really exclusive merchandise. Warcrafts storyline resonates on a similar wavelength to Lenovos brand philosophy and innovative DNA, centering on the search for something different and better. Lenovo is sure that its gaming customer community and its customers who enjoy movies on the go, are going to be pleased with our offering of this additional dimension of immersion in their passions, said Michael Ngan, Country General Manager, Lenovo Philippines. The partnership with Lenovo further fulfills our goal of bringing many of the most exciting films being made today, to a wider audience. Leveraging on Lenovos reach in the gaming community, were more than happy to bring Warcraft out of the movie theatre and into the hands of Warcraft fans and all seekers of thrilling experience, Hazel Seah, SEA Marketing Manager, United International Pictures, commented. Participating Lenovo Models Lenovo ideapad Y700 Lenovo ideacentre AIO 700 Pricing and Availability The Lenovo Y700 starts at Php69,995 and the Lenovo ideacentre AIO 700 starts at Php69,990. Back to top IMFs Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center concludes its Annual Meeting in Beirut Press Release No. 16/239 May 23, 2016 IMFs Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center concludes its Annual Meeting in Beirut The Steering Committee (SC) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC) held its annual meeting on Thursday, May 19, 2016, in Beirut. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Alain Bifani, Director General of the Ministry of Finance of Lebanon. In his opening remarks, Mr. Bifani said that despite the complex political transformation and difficult security situation in most METAC countries, METAC remained engaged in most of its member countries and delivered 63 missions and seven regional workshops. He expressed his gratitude to METACs donors whose support has been critical for its success and stressed that their support would continue to be crucial in the Centers efforts to carry-out its mandate and broaden its activities in the period ahead. Mr. Bifani also urged member countries to contribute to METACs next funding cycle, which covers the period of May 2016-April 2021. He assured the SC that Lebanon will make every effort to ensure that METAC achieves its objective and despite the difficult budgetary situation Lebanon is facing, every effort will be made to continue to support it financially. Mr. Mohamad Elhage, METAC Coordinator, discussed the work in the areas covered by METAC in fiscal year 2016 (May 2015-April 2016). He noted that despite the difficulties some member countries faced during the last fiscal year, overall it was relatively a successful year for METAC and that the Center delivered technical assistance to all its members except Syria and Yemen. He also discussed METACs strategy for the next funding cycle, which was developed based on consultations with member country authorities, the experience acquired by METAC and IMF departments with beneficiary countries over the years, and member countries requests. METAC advisors discussed developments in their areas in fiscal year 2016 and their work plans for the next fiscal year. They also discussed the notable achievements in member countries as a result of METAC assistance. Representatives from the IMF headquarters shared their departments technical assistances strategies for the region, especially to METACs new members. Donors were pleased with METACs capacity building activities. Mr. Heliodoro Temprano Arroyo, Head of Unit at the European Commission (EC), discussed macroeconomic developments in the Middle East and North Africa and the EC key reform priorities in the region. Mr. Elhage concluded the meeting by thanking members of the SC for their continuous support of the Center. He also bid farewell to the SC members as his tenure at METAC ends in June. Ms. Taline Koranchelian will officially start as the new Coordinator on June 6, 2016. The METAC SC meets once a year to provide guidance to the Centers strategies and sets priorities for its capacity-building assistance. The Center was established in October 2004 in Beirut as a collaborative effort between the IMF, recipient countries, and donors. Since its establishment, METAC has been serving Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and West Bank and Gaza. On May 1, 2016, Algeria, Djibouti, Morocco, and Tunisia joined METAC as its newest members. During May 2010-April 2016, in addition to financial contributions from some member countries (Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria) METAC received contributions from Germany, France, the EC, United States Agency for International Development, European Investment Bank, Oman, and Kuwait. Quick links: Press Release No. 04/224: Inauguration of the Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC) Program Document: http://www.imfmetac.org/index.php?q=p:pages/id:109/section:1 Factsheet: IMF Technical Assistance Factsheet: IMF Regional Technical Assistance Centers Imperial Valley News Center NIAAA selects winners of its Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge Washington, DC - Thursday the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism announced the winners of its Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge, a competition to design a discreet device capable of measuring blood alcohol levels in near real-time. The winning prototype and recipient of the $200,000 first prize was submitted by BACtrack, a company known nationally for designing and selling portable breath alcohol testers for consumer use and professional use. Their entry, the BACtrack Skyn, is worn on the wrist and offers continuous and non-invasive monitoring of a users BAC. Alcohol is detected using a fuel cell technology similar to that in devices used by law enforcement for roadside alcohol testing. The device connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone to store data. NIAAA issued this challenge to spark innovation in alcohol biosensor development. We were very pleased at the level of response and quality of prototypes that we received from the biotech community, said NIAAA Director George Koob, PhD. The Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge, issued through Challenge.gov in March 2015, called for non-invasive wearable technology that could improve upon existing alcohol biosensor technology used in the criminal justice system. An improved alcohol biosensor could be a valuable resource for the alcohol research community, decreasing reliance on participant self-report in scientific studies. NIAAA received eight submissions and the working prototypes were tested for accuracy and reliability in a laboratory setting. Most of the designs took the form of fitness tracker-type watches that estimate blood alcohol content (BAC) based on the amount of alcohol escaping through perspiration (known as transdermal monitoring). One notable exception was a color-changing temporary tattoo applied directly to the skin. Entries were judged based on accuracy, reliability, and frequency of blood alcohol measurements; ability to accurately collect and store data or transmit data to a wireless device; data security and privacy safeguards; and plans for manufacturing. The designs were also evaluated for marketability, appeal to wearers, and overall feasibility. Second Prize: Second-prize ($100,000) was awarded to Milo, a Santa Barbara technology startup, for their design for a wearable blood alcohol sensor. Milo's wrist-worn wearable pairs with a smartphone and uses disposable cartridges to continuously track BAC. Honorable Mentions: BioInk (a color-changing tattoo design by a company of the same name); TAMS (transdermal alcohol monitoring system from a team affiliated with Florida International University). With wearable technology becoming ever more popular, NIAAA hopes that the Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge will stimulate public and private investment in alcohol-monitoring devices. Well-calibrated alcohol biosensors will provide an objective measure of alcohol consumption for research studies, with participants being able to avoid the inconvenience and discomfort of having blood drawn at regular intervals. The data collected would also be more accurate than self-report. Alcohol biosensors have commercial appeal as well; members of the public concerned with their personal drinking, or in the counsel of a therapist, would be able to use the discreet device without stigma. Challenge competitions are a creative way for the federal government to seek innovative solutions from the public. The Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge marks the first time NIAAA has awarded a prize through Challenge.gov Imperial Valley News Center U.S.-Vietnam Joint Announcement on Climate Change Partnership Washington, DC - The Government of Vietnam, represented by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam, and the Government of the United States, represented by the Department of State, fully appreciate the need to combat global climate change, one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. To this end, Vietnam and the United States intend to work together to: Implement the historic Paris Agreement. To reflect the importance of the international effort, both countries signed the Agreement on April 22, 2016, with the intention of joining as soon as possible this year; Transparently implement their respective Nationally Determined Contributions in line with the provisions set out in the Paris Agreement. Both countries intend to work together to promote the timely development of effective modalities, procedures, and guidelines for the Paris Agreement; Recognize the importance of investment decisions in the next five years, particularly in the energy and land use sector, including agriculture, in shifting to a low emission economy to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, while maintaining economic growth; Welcome the importance attached to adaptation in the Paris Agreement. Vietnam is a country vulnerable to climate change, and the United States intends to support Vietnamese efforts in building resilience, reducing risk from and preparing for the impacts of climate change. The two countries intend to work together toward an establishment of a joint partnership with the aims of: Building the foundation for Vietnam to meet targets set forth in its Renewable Energy Development Strategy; Working jointly to increase public and private investments to deploy clean, renewable, and efficient and other low greenhouse gas emissions energy sources; Strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change in both the Mekong Delta and Red River Delta through regional and bilateral cooperation; Working jointly in supporting efforts to transition to a low emission economy by supporting the implementation of Vietnams Green Growth Action Plan and by enhancing capacity to implement low emission development strategies in the industrial manufacturing, transport, construction, and finance sectors; Contributing to regional and global efforts to transition to a low emission economy by being active members and serving in leadership positions in the Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) Global Partnership and Asia LEDS Platform; Increasing investment in low emission, climate resilient agriculture, while improving the livelihoods of small-holder farmers; Supporting the protection of forests and biodiversity; Supporting robust monitoring networks for greenhouse gas emissions and tracking mitigation actions and targets; Supporting coastal zone management and mangrove forests; Supporting the implementation of Vietnams National Adaptation Plan; and Supporting disaster risk reduction efforts, coordinated disaster preparation and response, and early warning systems. Medical students honored by White House for hepatitis awareness efforts Washington, DC - A project by UT Southwestern Medical Center students were recognized at a White House ceremony Thursday for their outstanding commitment to increasing hepatitis awareness as part of the annual National Hepatitis Testing Day observance. The UT Southwestern student-led project, Dallas-Fort Worth Hepatitis B Free Project, promotes hepatitis B awareness among Asian and African immigrant populations in the North Texas region, including Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese communities across the metropolitan area. I am proud to see our students engaged in such an important effort to prevent hepatitis B and to make this information available to those that need it most. Hepatitis B continues to be a major cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer, so their program can save lives, said Dr. J. Gregory Fitz, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dean of UT Southwestern Medical School, and Professor of Internal Medicine, who holds the Nadine and Tom Craddick Distinguished Chair in Medical Science, and the Atticus James Gill, M.D. Chair in Medical Science. UT Southwestern is one of 12 health care organizations being recognized during Thursdays ceremonies. It is the first time the Department of Health and Human Services is presenting awards for hepatitis testing. The Dallas-Fort Worth HBV Free Project provides culturally and linguistically appropriate hepatitis B virus (HBV) education, vaccination, and screening, and refers those with HBV to care with private practitioners or partner hospital systems. The project also maintains a database to collect screening data and trends, and conducts important HBV research. DFW Hep B Free has been a great opportunity to give back to the community in an area where help is much needed., said Tyler Smith, a fourth-year medical student who co-directs the program with fellow student Minh-da Le as part of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association at UT Southwestern. Dr. Doan Dao, a Visiting Senior Fellow in the Center for Genetics of Host Defense led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Bruce Beutler, helped establish the program while a medical student. UT Southwestern is one of 13 sites for the Hepatitis B Research Network, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and is currently enrolling selected patients into a large study. UT Southwesterns Clinical Center for Liver Diseases has been a part of more than 40 clinical trials in the last 20 years and has been part of major, national, ongoing research networks in hepatitis B, hepatitis C, drug-induced liver injury and acute liver failure. This great honor reflects the countless hours of hard work of many UTSW students over the past eight to 10 years, who believed in providing screening for hepatitis in our community to those who otherwise might not receive it, said program mentor Dr. William M. Lee, Professor of Internal Medicine, who holds the Meredith Mosle Chair in Liver Disease in his honor. Dr. Lee has served site investigator for four National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored Networks: the HALT-C Trial, the Acute Liver Failure Study Group, the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network, and the Hepatitis B Research Network. The 12 non-profit organizations being honored were selected based on criteria that included their success in reaching out to underserved populations and getting people tested and linked into care. Nominations for hepatitis testing recognition were solicited from CDC-funded state Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinators and from national partners engaged in implementing the Viral Hepatitis Action Plan. Other programs recognized included UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and in Oklahoma, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, California, Washington D.C, and Wyoming. Increasing testing for hepatitis B and C is a critical part of ensuring good health for all Americans, said Dr. Karen B. DeSalvo, acting assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). With coordinated efforts by diverse partners like those being recognized today, we can reduce deaths and disparities in hepatitis B and C and improve the lives of people living with chronic viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is an underappreciated issue affecting our nations health. An estimated 850,000 Americans have hepatitis B and 3.5 million have hepatitis C. Fewer than half of those with chronic hepatitis B and C are aware of their status. When people remain unaware, they cannot take advantage of life-saving treatments and remain at risk for serious liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer, as well as for transmitting the virus to others. Since 2012, deaths associated with hepatitis C outpaced deaths due to all 60 other infectious diseases that are required to be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2014, the number of hepatitis C-related deaths reached an all-time high of 19,659. Study reveals how differences in male and female brains emerge Washington, DC - Nematode worms may not be from Mars or Venus, but they do have sex-specific circuits in their brains that cause the males and females to act differently. According to new research published in Nature, scientists have determined how these sexually dimorphic (occurring in either males or females) connections arise in the worm nervous system. The research was funded by the NIHs National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). For decades, there has been little focus on the impact of sex on many areas of biomedical research, said Coryse St. Hillaire-Clarke, Ph.D., program officer on this NINDS project. This study helps us understand how sex can influence brain connectivity. In nematode worms, (known as Caenorhabditis elegans or C. elegans), a small number of neurons are found exclusively in male or female brains. The remaining neurons are found in both sexes, although their connection patterns are different in male and female brains. Oliver Hobert, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at Columbia University in New York City, and his colleagues looked at how these wiring patterns form. Dr. Hoberts team observed that in the worms juvenile state, before they reach sexual maturity, their brain connections were in a hybrid, or mixed state, comprised of both male and female arrangements. As they reached sexual maturity, however, their brains underwent a pruning process, which got rid of particular connections and led to either male or female patterns. We found that differences in male and female brains develop from a ground state, which contains features of both sexes. From this developmental state, distinctly male or female features eventually emerge, said Dr. Hobert. Next, Dr. Hoberts team showed that sex-specific wiring in the brain results in dimorphic behavior. They discovered that PHB neurons, chemosensory brain cells that detect chemical cues in the environment such as food, predators or potential mates, work differently in males and females. In males, these neurons proved to be important in recognizing mating cues while in females, the neurons helped them avoid specific taste cues. However, early in development, PHB neurons in males also responded to signals regulating taste, suggesting that even though those neurons are found in all nematodes, in adults, their functions differ as a result of sex-specific wiring in the brain. Dr. Hoberts team used genetically engineered nematodes to look more carefully at individual connections between brain cells. The researchers found that swapping the sex of individual neurons changed wiring patterns and influenced behavioral differences in males and females. Additional experiments helped to identify genes involved in regulating the pruning process during development. Dr. Hoberts group discovered that certain transcription factors, which are molecules that help control gene activity, are present in a dimorphic state and may help establish male or female connections in the brain. In future experiments, Dr. Hobert and his colleagues plan to examine how these molecules target specific connections for pruning. This research was supported by a Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences to Dr. Hobert. The Javits Award provides up to seven years of funding to exceptional scientists who are nominated by the NINDS. The award is named for the late Senator Jacob Javits, who was a strong proponent of neuroscience research. This work was supported by the NIH (NS039996). The NINDS is the nations leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. CIRM Grants May Fund the Next Great Stem Cell Achievement San Diego, California - All scientific achievement begins with an idea. Yesterday, three researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine were awarded funding by the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to pursue budding ideas that might eventually impact the field of human stem cell research. The CIRM Discovery Inception Program provides seed money for great ideas that need testing and early data before they can compete for later, larger funding opportunities. The Oversight Committee approved more than $4 million for 19 such projects at its May 19 meeting, covering projects ranging from stroke and heart disease to prostate cancer and blindness. This is a program supporting early stage ideas that have the potential to be ground-breaking, said C. Randal Mills, PhD, president and CEO of CIRM. We asked scientists to pitch us their best new ideas, things they want to test but that are hard to get funding for. We know not all of these will pan out, but those that do succeed have the potential to advance our understanding of stem cells and hopefully lead to treatments in the future. Three ideas by UC San Diego researchers involving inflamed brain cells, growing blood cells and building mini-retinas earned awards of $232,200 each: Using existing anti-retroviral drugs to treat neuro-inflammation Alysson R. Muotri, PhD, associate professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine departments of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Medicine Inflammation of nervous tissue is an important component of several neurological disorders, including autism, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimers disease and lupus. Its also an element of aging, but little is known about what initiates the neuro-inflammatory process. Usual suspects include infection, trauma and toxic metabolites from the environment, but none of these explain the persistent, chronic nature of the condition. Muotri and colleagues have shown that neuro-inflammation involves retrotransposons or jumping genes, stretches of highly active DNA that accumulate in the cytoplasm of certain brain cells, triggering an inflammatory response. Some anti-retroviral drugs already on the market for other conditions may help reduce neuro-inflammation. Muotri wants to investigate how these drugs work and whether they can be used effectively to treat neuro-inflammation across a broad range of disorders. Expanding the supply of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells Dionicio Siegel, PhD, associate professor of chemistry and molecular pharmacology, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) give rise to all other types of blood cells. The ability to grow them outside of the body a process called ex vivo expansion offers the potential to provide limitless supplies for treating multiple blood diseases. A plant-derived natural product called euralinilide E has been found to promote the expansion of HSPCs, but access to the compound is extremely limited. Siegel and colleagues will investigate how eupalinilide E, developed through a synthetic process, promotes HSPC expansion and its therapeutic potential. Learning how to build a better retina for blinding diseases Karl Wahlin, PhD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Shiley Eye Institute, and director of the Richard C. Atkinson Laboratory for Regenerative Ophthalmology In recent years, researchers have managed to harness the power of HSPCs to generate retinal cells and tissues, often with an advanced 3-dimensional architecture similar to human eyes. This ability to self-assemble into 3D mini-retinas raises hope that such cells could be used for transplantation into individuals going blind from retinal degenerative disease. At present, the process of generating mini-retinas has not been standardized and there is considerable variation in quality, which raises concerns over efficacy and safety. Wahlin and colleagues will use the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to create retinal reporter stem cells, which his lab will then employ to develop systematic and quantifiable methods to improve retinal differentiation, particularly in 3D culture. The goal is to identify and optimize micro-environment conditions that mimic the native embryonic environment of developing eyes. He hopes to develop stem cell models of inherited retinal dystrophy applicable to age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma. 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! UK Train Passenger Praised for Refusing to Give Up Her First Class Seat to Old Woman Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ask the majority of critics who ventured to Cannes for the city's annual film festival and they'll tell you it was one of the best in years. The majority of the films - shown over an 11-day period - were warmly received by attendees while only a few films spectacularly bombed leading to a barrage of dramatic boos and walkouts - a relatively low amount when compared with previous years. ...and then Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake won the Palme d'Or. The protest drama tells the story of a decent Newcastle joiner being ground down by an uncaring British welfare state following a heart attack. It's relevant, touching and features a 'wonderful' performance from lead actor Dave Johns. The consensus, though, is that the film (which will receive a BBC premiere following its cinema release later this year) just didn't come close to the quality of its fellow competitors. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Show all 14 1 /14 The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Julieta Director: Pedro Almodovar Starring: Adriana Ugarte, Emma Suarez What's it about? The Spanish filmmaker's 20th film is based on three short stories from Alice Munro's 2004 book, Runaway which tracks a woman's search for her missing daughter. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 American Honey Director: Andrea Arnold Starring: Sasha Lane, Kate Mara, Shia LaBeouf What's it about? In British filmmaker Andrea Arnold's (Red Road) American road movie - her first film set and filmed outside the UK - a teenage girl who gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying as she crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Personal Shopper Director: Olivier Assayas Starring: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Nora von Waldstatten What's it about? Stewart reteams with French filmmaker Assayas following Clouds of Sils Maria for this ghost story set in the fashion underworld of Paris. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 It's Only the End of the World Director: Xavier Dolan Starring: Lea Seydoux, Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel What's it about? Xavier Dolan (Mommy) returns with this film based on the play Juste la fin du monde which tells the story of a terminally ill writer who returns home after 12 years to announce his impending death. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Paterson Director: Jim Jarmusch, Starring: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani What's it about? An original film from Amazon Studios that follows Paterson, a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New Jersey who lives an inhibited life compared to that of his wife, Laura. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 I, Daniel Blake Director: Ken Loach Starring: Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Micky McGregor What's it about? Written by Paul Laverty (the man behind Loach's Palme d'Or winner The Wind That Shakes the Barley, the film follows the titular protagonist, a joiner who seeks financial felp from the state following an illness. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Loving Director: Jeff Nichols Starring: Joel Edgerton, Michael Shannon, Marton Csokas What's it about? Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special follow-up tracks an interracial couple based in Virginia sentenced to prison in 1958 for getting married. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The Handmaid Director: Park Chan-wook Starring: Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri What's it about? The Oldboy director's latest South Korean film follows an heiress who falls in love with a petty thief. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The Neon Demon Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Starring: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks What's it about? Winding Refn's third consecutive film to compete for the Palme d'Or, this horror thriller follows an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles where 'her vitality and youth are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means to get what she has.' The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Cafe Society Director: Woody Allen Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively What's it about? Woody Allen's latest will open the Festival. It is a New York romantic comedy set in the 1930s with a cast including Steve Carell, Parker Posey, Corey Stoll and Judy Davis. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The BFG Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Mark Rylance, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader What's it about? Based on the Roald Dahl classic, the story follows a young girl named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) who befriends a friendly giant. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Money Monster Director: Jodie Foster Starring: George Clooney, Jack O'Connell, Julia Roberts What's it about? A money-oriented live TV show is interrupted when the presenter is taken hostage by a blue-collar worker compelled to turn to violence following his recent financial losses. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The Nice Guys Director: Shane Black Starring: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe Reason to see: Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) and his razor sharp wit return in a comedy set in 70s LA. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Captain Fantastic Director: Matt Ross Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn What's it about? In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father who devoted his life to raising his six kids with an irreverent education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the 'real' world. Case in point is German comedy-drama Toni Erdmann. Directed by Maren Ade, the film emerged as a leftfield Palme d'Or contender following its premiere last week. Historically, the critics scorecard rated it higher than any other film in the festival's history. Critics are considering I, Daniel Blake's victory - Loach's second following 2006's The Wind That Shakes the Barley - a downright steal from what is sure to be an awards contender come next year. The snub didn't end there; other well-received films that many assumed would scoop some semblance of recognition from the jury - headed by Mad Max director George Miller - left empty handed. Brazilian drama Aquarius, Jim Jarmusch's gentle Paterson, the divisive Kristen Stewart-starring Personal Shopper are all films rated highly that got nada. While many can potentially overlook I, Daniel Blake's success, it's the Grand Prix prize - the festival's runner-up award - that is causing outrage. Xavier Dolan's It's Only the End of the World reigned supreme despite the majority of attendees deeming it one of the weakest competing films. Well, until Sean Penn's The Last Face anyway... Even the actress category - which saw Ma Rosa' Jaclyn Jose become the first ever Filipino to win - has caused confusion with many believing her role to be more of a supporting turn. Kristen Stewart (Personal Shopper, Cafe Society), Isabelle Huppert (Elle), and Ruth Negga (Loving) were considered more deserving recipients. Controversial films The Neon Demon (Danish auteur Nicolas Winding Refn's latest), Alain Giuraudie's Staying Vertical and the divisive Stewart-starring Personal Shopper may not have seemed likely bets (the former's director Assayas did win a joint Best Director award...) but the jury's decision to award them would have been commended if not applauded. The only category people seem to have responded warmly to is Andrea Arnold's Jury Prize recognition for American Honey, her first film to be shot outside of the UK. It's said to place Shia LaBeouf in line for an Oscar nomination too which, alone, is an impressive feat You can find the full list of Cannes 2016 winners below. Best short film: Timecode Camera dOr (best first feature): Divines (director: Houda Benyamina) Honorary Palme dOr: Jean-Pierre Leaud Best actor: Shahab Hosseini, The Salesman Jury prize: Andrea Arnold, American Honey Best screenplay: Asghar Farhadi, The Salesman Best actress: Jaclyn Jose, Ma Rosa Best director: Graduation (Cristian Mungiu) and Personal Shopper (Olivier Assayas) Grand Prix: Xavier Dolan, Its Only the End of the World Palme dOr: I, Daniel Blake The positive way to spin all of this is that, when people are up in arms about octogenarian filmmaker Ken Loach winning the Palme d'Or, the current state of cinema must in a great place. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It's become apparent over the past months that Daniel Craig will probably bow out of playing James Bond in any future films. The rumour mill has been lively for some time now regarding his future replacement with many believing Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Damien Lewis to be worthy successors. A new candidate has stepped forward and, quite simply, we're all for it: Gillian Anderson. The actor, best known for roles including Dana Scully in The X-Files and The Fall's Superintendant Stella Gibson, expressed her desire to play the secret agent via her Twitter account. With all the chat surrounding which British actor could take over from Craig (the majority of money's on Hiddleston), a female actor being cast in the role would certainly breathe fresh life into the franchise. Last week, it was reported that Craig - who has starred in four Bond films throughout ten years - had turned down over 60 million to star in a further two outings. The claim was quashed by separate sources who stated that Craig is not likely to make a decision for a while. The women who could play 007 Show all 20 1 /20 The women who could play 007 The women who could play 007 Carey Mulligan 2015 Slaven Vlasic The women who could play 007 Emily Blunt 2016 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Felicity Jones 2014 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Gemma Arterton 2014 David M. Benett The women who could play 007 Gillian Anderson The women who could play 007 Gugu Mbatha-Raw 2014 Gabriel Olsen The women who could play 007 hAYLEY aTWELL The women who could play 007 Imogen Poots The women who could play 007 Kate Beckinsale 2010 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Kate Winslet 2015 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Keeley Hawes 2014 Danny Martindale The women who could play 007 Michelle Dockery The women who could play 007 Naomie Harris The women who could play 007 Olivia Colman 2015 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Rachel Weisz The women who could play 007 Rebecca Hall The women who could play 007 Rosamund Pike The women who could play 007 Sienna Miller The women who could play 007 Thandie Newton 2015 Jon Kopaloff The women who could play 007 Vicky McClure 2015 Getty Images Anderson, who recently starred in a reboot of classic sci-fi show The X-Files, is currently filming a third and final series of Belfast-set BBC crime series The Fall. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It doesn't take a genius to surmise that - after ten years and four films - Daniel Craig will probably soon bow out of playing James Bond in any future outing. The rumour mill has been non-stop since Spectre was released last year. Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, Damien Lewis - if you're a working actor, you can bet your name has been thrown in the ring at some stage or another. An unlikely person stepped forward today, however, making it known on Twitter that they'd be up for playing 'Jane' Bond should they be asked. That person was The X-Files actor Gillian Anderson. Quite honestly, we think casting a woman in the role of Bond would be an inspired casting decision that would serve to freshen up what has been a pretty stale franchise for some time now (Skyfall's not as good as you're remembering to be). Consequently, we've put together a gallery of the female actors we think casting bosses should look to should they ever decide to go down this route. The women who could play 007 Show all 20 1 /20 The women who could play 007 The women who could play 007 Carey Mulligan 2015 Slaven Vlasic The women who could play 007 Emily Blunt 2016 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Felicity Jones 2014 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Gemma Arterton 2014 David M. Benett The women who could play 007 Gillian Anderson The women who could play 007 Gugu Mbatha-Raw 2014 Gabriel Olsen The women who could play 007 hAYLEY aTWELL The women who could play 007 Imogen Poots The women who could play 007 Kate Beckinsale 2010 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Kate Winslet 2015 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Keeley Hawes 2014 Danny Martindale The women who could play 007 Michelle Dockery The women who could play 007 Naomie Harris The women who could play 007 Olivia Colman 2015 Getty Images The women who could play 007 Rachel Weisz The women who could play 007 Rebecca Hall The women who could play 007 Rosamund Pike The women who could play 007 Sienna Miller The women who could play 007 Thandie Newton 2015 Jon Kopaloff The women who could play 007 Vicky McClure 2015 Getty Images Okay,s o let's run through some decision; the release of underrated cartel drama Sicario saw Emily Blunt give an inadvertent 007 audition as the character of Kate Macer. Both Gemma Arterton and Rosamund Pike have starred in Bond films in the past (Quantum of Solace and Die Another Day, respectively) but this shouldn't discount them from being considered for that lead role; we can see them doing stellar work. TV stars Keeley Hawes (Spooks, Line of Duty), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and Vicky McClure (This Is England, Line of Duty) would no doubt see their careers bolstered further still by an appearance in the British institution. With their blend of action, emotion and deadpan delivery honed, Bond wouldn't be too much of a leftfield step. Similarly, Olivia Colman proved her action chops in recent BBC series The Night Manager alongside probable Bond candidate Hiddleston; if her character Angela Burr can run a covert operation while pregnant, Colman can be Bond. Simple as. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up A strange notion but a series shake-up in the form of promoting Miss Moneypenny actor Naomie Harris to 007 status would prove pioneering. Throughout Skyfall and Spectre, her character has shown she's as capable as the secret agent if not, at times, more so. It'd be a thrill to see Harris get the opportunity. While we ponder the above actors (also included: Kate Beckinsale, Thandie Newton and Kate Winslet) it must be said that Craig - who has reportedly turned down a two-film deal worth 68 million - is officially yet to make a decision on his Bond future. If rumours are to be believed, it's Hiddleston's for the taking should Craig depart the role. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Watching Songhoy Blues frontman Aliou Toure elatedly strut, dance and shimmy around the stage, flanked by his three beaming bandmates, in front of a sold-out Roundhouse crowd, you wouldnt have guessed at this musical outfits turbulent past. After his area of northern Mali was occupied by jihadists with a violent aversion to music, among other things, guitarist Garba Toure was forced to flee south to the nations capital, Bamako. It was here that the band was formed. When Africa Express, a musical project launched by Damon Albarn and including Brian Eno, came to the city, Songhoy Blues were picked to contribute a track on a collaborative compilation album, Maison des Jeunes. It was this release, in late 2013, which kick-started an almost exponential surge in Songhoy Blues popularity. And at this lively Roundhouse show the four-piece exhibited with passion and skill the sound that has enchanted audiences since. The legendary Ali Farka Toure, perhaps the finest son of Malis talented musical family, is an oft-cited and unmistakable influence, although here we saw flashes of American blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Junior Kimbrough, alongside sounds remiscent of Talking Heads Remain in Light (an album, of course, which took such inspiration from the music of West Africa). The drumming of Nathaneal Dembele was fidgety yet focused, tightly wound together with Garbas repetitively hypnotic guitar lines. Al Hassidi Terei, a track from their debut album Music in Exile, was a fine example of this, while Sekou Oumarou and Nick highlighted the bands ability to carve deep grooves. Many songs performed here featured an extended jam, allowing the band to flex their muscles musically, and Aliou to flex his muscles literally. You couldnt help but smile crowd and band alike when he put down his guitar and brought out his wonderfully flamboyant dance moves, all jazz hands and body shakes, sometimes signalling for the audience to mimic him. Closing the show was Soubour, the song which shone so brightly on that Africa Express compilation. It almost took on a reggae feel and stretched well beyond the studio versions three-and-a-half minutes. Being joined on stage by one of the support acts, fellow Malian Fatoumata Diawara, who contributed dancing and delightful vocal improvisations, was a fitting end to a joyous night. Songhoy Blues may be a band in exile, but the warmth of their music means they were lovingly welcomed here in London, and will surely enjoy a similar reception wherever they play next. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} *Spoilers for season 6, episode 5: 'The Door' below* For all the theorising about what the simplistic title of Game of Thrones' fifth episode could possibly mean, nobody could have predicted it would lead to one of the show's most heartbreaking moments. In a bid to save Bran and Meera from a horde of White Walkers, beloved character Hodor fulfilled his dedication by enacting one final order to "hold the door." Intriguingly, the young Stark - who was off having one of his flashback visions - encountered Hodor in the past, then named Wyliss, who - in some kind of time loop - heard his order from the future. Collapsing in a seizure, he's left only able to say a shortened version of the words: "Hodor." Actor Kristian Nairn, who has been on the HBO series since its first season, has spoken out about what fans are deeming the most distressing moment since season three's infamous Red Wedding. Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Show all 9 1 /9 Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Arya Stark and Jaqen HGhar Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Brienne and Sansa Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Littlefinger Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos John Snow Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Leaf and The Forrest Children Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Daenerys Targaryen and Daario Naharis Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Bran and the Night's King Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Sansa and Littlefinger Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Another Red Woman - Kinvara "I love it. Funnily enough, I just saw [the scene] today for the first time. I couldnt be happier how he has gone out," he told EW. "The interesting thing is its kinda left open. You dont actually see him [die]. Its implied. So who knows? He may come back as a White Walker, maybe he got away. But its a really good way to do it. I couldnt have asked for a better goodbye to a character I love. My favorite part is it ties up the question of why is Hodor Hodor. Why does he say the word Hodor? Only George R.R. Martin or David and Dan could have come up with this. Its incredibly sad. The minute you finally learn something about Hodor, they kill him! "I had tears in my eyes. I dont see myself on screen, I see Hodor. I always talk about him in the third person. I just saw the character die and it was very sad. I think people are going to a) freak out, b) be very sad." Of course, having said just one word during his four-year tenure (Hodor took season 5 off), the Irish actor and DJ naturally has a favourite utterance. Hodor's best quotes Show all 8 1 /8 Hodor's best quotes Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor Hodor's best quotes "Hodor" - Hodor "Actually theres one I really like in the current season where Meera and I are talking about sausages. This guy loves his sausages, clearly, and his bacon. His face lights up and starts talking about food," he admits. "I also enjoyed the one in season 3 with Osha. Shes complaining about having to build the camp and he did this Why you telling me?-type Hodor. That was a fun one. I cant believe I can actually isolate two Hodors from all those times!" Game of Thrones is repeated tonight at 9pm on Sky Atlantic. A newly-released preview of episode six teases dark times at King's Landing. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} ** While wed hope anyone reading an article on an episode six preview had seen episode five of Game of Thrones, if you havent the advice is click away now ** The Door took on a very emotional meaning last night (early this morning) with the death of Hold The Door Hodor and Brans longtime direwolf companion Summer. The following episode, Blood of My Blood, looks set to pick up exactly where we left off, with Meera struggling to get the young Stark away from the oncoming White Walker heard. Who will save them this time? (*Cough* Benjen *Cough*) Cersei, Jaime, and the High Sparrow were also notably absent from the episode but look set to play a large role in the upcoming episode. From the looks of things, Cerseis plan to get the Tyrells to enter Kings Landing has played off, Margaerys house and the Faith seemingly coming into conflict over her walk of atonement. Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Show all 9 1 /9 Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Arya Stark and Jaqen HGhar Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Brienne and Sansa Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Littlefinger Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos John Snow Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Leaf and The Forrest Children Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Daenerys Targaryen and Daario Naharis Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Bran and the Night's King Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Sansa and Littlefinger Game of Thrones episode 5 'The Door' photos Another Red Woman - Kinvara Daenerys is back once again, leading a Dothraki army back to Mereen to claim what is rightfully mine. All the while things are getting awkward for Sam Tarly, whose father looks less than impressed he is helping out a Wildling. The official plot synopsis reads: An old foe comes back into the picture. Gilly (Hannah Murray) meets Sams (John Bradley) family. Arya (Maisie Williams) faces a difficult choice. Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) faces off against the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). The title and synopsis for episode seven have also been released, teasing the return of an old fan favourite. Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Google's new artificial intelligence (AI) software will be able to produce original music and art. The search giant's new project, named Magenta, is due for public launch at the start of June, but was unveiled at the Moogfest art and technology festival by Douglas Eck, a researcher from the company's Google Brain AI division. As Quartz reports, Magenta was inspired by DeepDream, a product Google released last year which could turn the most ordinary of images into a trippy, surreal hellscape. Recommended Read more Google has set its terrifying robots on the public DeepDream is an image recognising software turned up to 11. Google trains its computers to describe images, but DeepDream deliberately over-interprets these images, picking out normally meaningless elements and exaggerating them. After being run through the program, a picture of a wandering cloud may turn into a bizarre fish, or a many-headed dog. Magenta works in a similar way, by processing simple musical inputs and turning them into something more recognisable. Eck demonstrates this in a video captured by the site, which shows the software taking a normal five-note sequence and turning it into a rudimentary melody, by finding patterns and building a tune based on its 'knowledge' of music. Magenta's first release will be a tool to let musicians and researchers upload music files to the software, so the program can start to learn its craft. More software, which may allow users to actually create AI-generated music, will be released on the Magenta GitHub page as time goes on. Computer-generated music might not hit the top of the charts any time soon, and Eck admitted that his machines aren't going to take the place of human musicians. However, it's a big step forward for a technology which is becoming a bigger and bigger part of computing every day. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit could plunge Britain into an instant recession, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have said in the starkest economic warning yet of the consequences of Britain leaving the European Union. According to a new analysis by the Treasury the recession defined as at least two consecutive quarters of negative growth would last for a year and leave the level of UK GDP 3.6 per cent lower in two years' time than otherwise if Britons vote to leave the 28-member bloc on 23 June. With exactly one month to go to the referendum, the British people must ask themselves this question: can we knowingly vote for a recession? Does Britain really want this DIY recession? Because thats what the evidence shows well get if we vote to leave the EU said George Osborne. The Treasurys headline figures are based on the assumption the UK manages to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement with the EU in the wake of Brexit, described as a "shock scenario". But it said that if Britain could not do such a deal and was faced with tariffs for exporting to the bloc the consequences would be still more damaging. Under this "severe shock" GDP could be up to 6 per cent lower by 2018. Source: Treasury In addition the Treasury said unemployment would be 520,000 higher, wages 2.8 per cent lower and house prices 10 per cent down. In a severe shock joblessness would be 820,000 higher, wages down by 4 per cent and house prices 18 per cent lower. The Leave campaign dismissed the warning as further scaremongering. This Treasury document is not an honest assessment but a deeply biased view of the future and it should not be believed by anyone said the former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith The Treasury said its economic analysis had been reviewed by Professor Sir Charles Bean, a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, who was acting in a personal capacity. While there are inevitably many uncertainties including the prospective trading regime with the EU this comprehensive analysis by HM Treasury, which employs best-practice techniques, provides reasonable estimates of the likely size of the short-term impact of a vote to leave on the UK economy said Sir Charles. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, said earlier this month that a technical recession for the UK was possible in the event of Brexit. The managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, concurred the following day. The IMF is expected to release its full evaluation of the likely economic impact of Brexit in the week before the referendum vote. Last month the Treasury published a long-term analysis of the economic impact of Brexit. This said that GDP by 2030 was likely to be around 6 per cent smaller than otherwise, equivalent to around 4,300 per head of population. There is a clear consensus among independent economists that Brexit would be harmful to the UK economy. 196 economists signed a letter to The Times earlier this month saying that leaving the UK would entail significant long-term costs and a sizeable risk of a short-term shock to confidence. The Treasury's document today says: "A vote to leave would cause an immediate and profound economic shock creating instability and uncertainty which would be compounded by the complex and interdependent negotiations that would follow". Professor Patrick Minford of the Economists for Brexit group said the Treasury analysis did not take into account the beneficial impact of policies that could follow leaving the EU such as unilaterally lifting all UK import tariffs. At the heart of the Treasury calculations lies a serious attempt to deceive the British people. It assumes that under Brexit we continue with the hated Common Agricultural Policy and the retention of EU trade barriers: between them these currently raise the UK cost of living by up to 16 per cent" he said. But Professor Minford did concede that Brexit would create "volatility...in the very short term". The Treasury's estimate of the short-term impact is slightly more severe than the calculation made by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (Niesr) think tank earlier this month. The NIESR rough equivalent for the "shock" scenario produced a GDP decline of 2 per cent, versus the Treasury's 3.6 per cent fall. Niesr said that the difference was due to a stronger assumption from the Treasury about the increase in uncertainty that Brexit would create. "Qualitatively it's the same story. The underlying narrative is the same" said Jack Meaning, research fellow at Niesr. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ryanair has said fares will fall by at least 7 per cent in 2016 and as much 10 or 12 per cent in the winter months as it fends off the competition from other airlines offering low fares in Europe. If there is a fare war in Europe, then Ryanair will be the winner, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair chief executive, said in a video presentation. Ryanair has promised to beat the competition after beating 2015 profits by 43 per cent to take 1.2 billion for the year to the end of March. Revenues rose 16 per cent to 6.5 billion in the year. The airline benefitted from lower fuel costs but suffered from over 500 cancellations following the Brussels terrorist attacks. O'Leary said that "unjustified" strikes in Italy, Greece, Belgium and France had caused a further 200 cancellatiuons and that its first quarter 2016 profit would take a hit. Despite cancellations, passenger numbers have risen 9 per cent. The airline said it expected to have carried 116 million passengers in the year to March. Ryanair uses a "load factor/yield passive" model that means that it decreases prices in order to keep its planes full. Over the past two years, the loads factor, or how full the planes are, has improved from 83 per cent to 93 per cent and Ryanair has almost doubled its passenger numbers from 80 million to 106 million. Ryanair has proved robust after terror fears hit other businesses in the travel sector. 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. Thomas Cook has said summer bookings are down 5 per cent with passengers reluctant to travel to Turkey, Tunisia or Egypt. Easyjet, meanwhile, swung to a pre-tax loss of 24 million from a profit of 7 million a year earlier. EasyJet halted flights to Sinai after the bombing of a Russian tourist jet in October, while Novembers Paris shootings and the March 22 attacks on Brussels have further weighed on sales. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} University staff from across the UK have confirmed plans for two days of strike action this week following an on-going dispute over pay. Up to 60,000 members of the University and College Union (UCU) will stage a walk-out on Wednesday May 25 and Thursday May 26 in protest over an insulting offer of a 1.1 per cent pay rise from university representatives association UCEA. Staff have also agreed to begin working to contract meaning they will refuse to work overtime, set additional work or undertake extra duties such as covering classes for absent colleagues. If no agreement is reached in the coming weeks, higher education members across the union which represents over 110,000 academics, lecturers, researchers and other staff working in the industry have pledged to take further strike action. Concerns have been raised that the strike action could eventually affect graduation ceremonies and the clearing and application process for next years students. The union has said it is also beginning preparations for a boycott of the setting and marking of students work this autumn. Union representatives have argued that universities could afford to pay more than the proposed increase of 1.1 per cent, which does little to address a real-terms pay cut of 14.5 per cent since 2009. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: The pay offer is an insult to hardworking staff, especially in light of the 5 per cent pay rise vice-chancellors have enjoyed while holding down staff pay. Members have made it clear that they wont tolerate a continued squeeze on their income, pay inequality and the increasing job insecurity blighting the sector. The union has also called for universities to commit to closing the gender pay gap and reducing the proportion of staff on casual and zero-hour contracts. On average, female academics across the sector are still paid 6,103 per year less than male counterparts, despite a reported 2.4 per cent fall in the pay gap overall last year. MS Hunt said: Its time to invest properly in the teachers, researchers and administrators who are the backbone of our universities. Industrial action which impacts on students is never taken lightly, but members feel that they have been left with no alternative. If the employers wish to see a swift end to this dispute, and avoid further disruption, they need to come back to the table with a much-improved offer. As well as the two-day walkout, protests are planned around the UK with rallies taking place in Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Cambridge, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. The UCEA said their higher eduation institutions anticipated "minor impact and minimal student disruption" as a direct result of the strike action, since many students will already be finished their work for the academic year. In a statement, the association confirmed that it had met with members of the higher education trade unions and had agreed to continue working to improve the gender pay gap and casual working arrangements for staff. A spokesperson from the group said: "This industrial action is naturally disappointing given the very good pay offer, plus the joint work on gender pay and casual employment that is on the table. We would like to see UCU consulting its members on the final offer rather than seeking to take action that could damage institutions and harm their students." Last week, Professor Sir Paul Curran, Chair of UCEA, said n light of on-going pay discussions: Having listened, considered and responded to the trade unions on all aspects of their claim the employers remain committed to the fair final offer they have made. We have explained that this offer is at, and for some beyond, a limit of affordability for HE institutions and the very best offer that will be available this year. All we seek now is for all the trade unions to put this offer to their members in full and within the context of a financially challenging year. All parties Im sure share an interest in reaching a settlement that is both fair and sustainable for institutions, their staff and students. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} She is an Oscar winning actress, a political campaigner and now Angelina Jolie Pitt can add academic to her list of roles. The Hollywood star has been appointed a visiting professor at the London School of Economics (LSE), one of Britain's most prestigious universities. She will join former foreign secretary William Hague as a lecturer at the university's Centre for Women, Peace and Security where she will help to teach students studying for a Master's degree. Jolie Pitt, who has been a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency and is currently one of its special envoys, has been a vocal campaigner on refugee rights, and against the female genital mutilation and the use of rape as a weapon of war. She said: "I am very encouraged by the creation of this master's programme. I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict. "I am looking forward to teaching and to learning from the students as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations". Angelina Jolie slams UN on Syria crisis Lord Hague, who worked with Jolie-Pitt on hosting a four-day summit on ending sexual violence in war in London two years ago, said he was "delighted" to be appointed. He said: "This course will help underpin our work in preventing sexual violence in conflict, developing expertise and research to assist us in tackling the culture of impunity. I look forward to working with the LSE students and my fellow visiting professors." The one year course will include modules on Women, Peace and Security, Gender and Militarisation and Gender and Human Rights. Jolie-Pitt has recently been vocal about the refugee crisis, and the failure of European governments to address it. The 24 best universities in the world Show all 24 1 /24 The 24 best universities in the world The 24 best universities in the world 24. University of Edinburgh, UK 80.3 Teaching: 68.6 Research: 77.2 Overall: 80.3 Founded in 1583, Edinburgh is the sixth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. Extremely notable alumni include Charles Darwin, Alexander Graham Bell, and Arthur Conan-Doyle The 24 best universities in the world 23. London School of Economics, UK 81.3 Teaching: 69.8 Research: 80.6 Overall: 81.3 Leaping 11 places from last year, LSE is one of the foremost universities in Europe for studying business, finance, and economics. This shows in its graduates: According to a 2014 study, LSE produced the most billionaires of any European university The 24 best universities in the world 22. Carnegie Mellon University, US 82.3 Teaching: 67.4 Research: 88.8 Overall: 82.3 My heart is in the work is CMU's motto, and it's accordingly known for many inventions and innovations in the fields of driverless cars, brain science, data, and more. It was also, curiously, the first university to create a smile in an email, in 1982 The 24 best universities in the world 21. University of Michigan, US 82.4 Teaching: 76.8 Research: 85.2 Overall: 82.4 One of the biggest research centres in the US, Michigan was attended by President Ford and Google cofounder Larry Page. Mysteriously, a large cube-shaped object sits on campus, balanced on one corner so students can spin it around despite its weight Getty The 24 best universities in the world 20. Duke University, US 82.7 Teaching: 76.0 Research: 78.0 Overall: 82.7 One of the wealthiest universities in the country, Duke is known for its sporting prowess as much as its academics, and its basketball squad is one of the best college teams in the US. President Richard Nixon graduated from here, as did future heads of Apple, JPMorgan, and PepsiCo The 24 best universities in the world 19. University of Toronto, Canada 83.9 Teaching: 75.9 Research: 89.3 Overall: 83.9 A university known for its research and innovation, Toronto has academic papers that are among the most cited in the world. It also has a wide array of extracurricular activities, with more than 800 student clubs, which probably explains why such a high proportion of its alumni begin startup companies The 24 best universities in the world 18. Cornell University, US 84.0 Teaching: 77.9 Research: 86.1 Overall: 84.0 A private Ivy League university with a mission to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge, Cornell boasts a glorious campus in upstate New York that allows students to hike around the Finger Lakes. It also has daily bell performances, a tradition dating back to 1868 The 24 best universities in the world 17. University of Pennsylvania, US 85.2 Teaching: 82.0 Research: 86.9 Overall: 85.2 Established before the US even became a sovereign nation, UPenn claims to be the oldest multifaculty university in the country. It also has the nation's oldest student union and first double-decker football stand. Noted alumni include President William Henry Harrison as well as modernist writers Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams The 24 best universities in the world 16. University of California at Los Angeles, US 85.8 Teaching: 80.8 Research: 88.6 Overall: 85.8 UCLA is known for its encouragement of community undergraduates usually begin with a year-long Cluster Course, a team-taught exploration of a demanding topic. It also has a great student-exchange program, with more than 2,400 students going abroad each year The 24 best universities in the world 15. Columbia University, US 86.1 Teaching: 85.9 Research: 82.2 Overall: 86.1 Notable alumni of Manhattan-based Columbia include Presidents Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt as well as a founding father Alexander Hamilton. It also enjoys a massive endowment value of $9.6 billion last year The 24 best universities in the world 14. University College London, UK 87.1 Teaching: 78.1 Research: 91.0 Overall: 87.1 Founded in 1826, UCL became the first English university to admit women on equal terms as men in 1878. UCL has one of the biggest postgraduate schemes in the country, at 52% of the entire student body The 24 best universities in the world 13. University of California at Berkeley, US 87.2 Teaching: 80.4 Research: 91.1 Overall: 87.2 Dropping five places from last year, Berkeley is still hugely prestigious, and its San Francisco setting makes it a real draw for students looking to study in a vibrant city. It also has a legacy for activism: Some of the best-known Vietnam War protests took place on its campus during the 1960s and 1970s The 24 best universities in the world 12. Yale University, US 87.4 Teaching: 86.5 Research: 87.8 Overall: 87.4 The third-oldest higher-education institution in the US, Yale takes its cue from Oxford and Cambridge by having residential colleges. Five American presidents have studied there: William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Make that six if Hillary Clinton wins this year's election The 24 best universities in the world 11. Johns Hopkins University, US 87.6 Teaching: 77.6 Research: 90.4 Overall: 87.6 Johns Hopkins was an abolitionist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, and he was also the first benefactor of the school, which was founded in 1876. Based in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University's notable alumni include Woodrow Wilson, the 28th US president The 24 best universities in the world 10. University of Chicago, US 87.9 Teaching: 85.7 Research: 88.9 Overall: 87.9 A leading centre of science, the University of Chicago also has prestigious literary alumni, including Saul Bellow and Susan Sontag. It is also the university where film icon Indiana Jones studied The 24 best universities in the world Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich, Switzerland 88.3 Teaching: 77.0 Research: 95.0 Overall: 88.3 Jumping four places from 2015, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is known for its groundbreaking research as well as teaching excellence in natural sciences and technology. Twenty-one Nobel laureates have studied or taught at the university, while about 80 patent applications a year come from there The 24 best universities in the world 8. Imperial College London, UK 89.1 Teaching: 83.3 Research: 88.5 Overall: 89.1 Up a place from last year, Imperial is known for its pursuit of science. Its Central London setting also makes it popular to foreign students 51% of its student body are from overseas. The university's motto is Scientia imperii decus et tutamen, which means Scientific knowledge, the crowning glory and the safeguard of the empire The 24 best universities in the world 7. Princeton University, US 90.1 Teaching: 85.1 Research: 91.9 Overall: 90.1 Princeton is devoted to teaching, offering residential accommodation to undergraduates across all four years of study, which means 98% of them live on campus. The beautiful surroundings are attractive to tourists too: 800,00 people visit the campus each year, bringing in a revenue of $2 billion The 24 best universities in the world 6. Harvard University, US 91.6 Teaching: 83.6 Research: 99.0 Overall: 91.6 Down four places from last year, Harvard is still one of the world's most prestigious institutions. It's the oldest university in the US, and it also has one of the largest endowments of any on this list, raising $1.5 billion in 2013 The 24 best universities in the world 5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US 92.0 Teaching: 89.4 Research: 88.6 Overall: 92.0 Eighty-five Nobel Laureates have studied at MIT, which was founded in 1861. The university likes to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and its living alumni have apparently started more than 30,000 active companies Getty The 24 best universities in the world 4. University of Cambridge, UK 92.8 Teaching: 88.2 Research: 96.7 Overall: 92.8 Up a place from last year, Cambridge isn't quite as old as Oxford University, but with an 800-year history it is still one of the longest-running universities in the world. It has more than 100 libraries, with over 15 million books among them The 24 best universities in the world 3. Stanford University, US 93.9 Teaching: 92.5 Research: 98.9 Overall: 93.9 One of the largest campuses in the US, Stanford benefits from being right next to San Francisco's Silicon Valley. President Herbert Hoover was part of Stanford's first class, in 1895, while the first American woman to enter space, Sally Ride, graduated from there in 1973 The 24 best universities in the world 2. University of Oxford, UK 94.2 Teaching: 86.5 Research: 98.9 Overall: 94.2 Oxford moves up one place from last year to become the best university outside the US. For an institution that was reportedly founded in 1096, that's a remarkable run. It also boasts 30 world leaders among its alumni, including 26 British prime ministers Getty The 24 best universities in the world 1. California Institute of Technology, US 95.2 Teaching: 95.6 Research: 97.6 Overall: 95.2 The best university in the world for the second year in a row according to the Times, Caltech is at the top in teaching, industry income, research, and citations in 2016. It is renowned for its science and engineering courses, but any degree here is sure to be a winner Speaking as part of the BBC's World on the Move day of coverage of global migration issues earlier this month, the 40-year-old actress and humanitarian warned against a growing politics of fear. Fear of uncontrolled migration has eroded public confidence and the ability of governments and international institutions to control the situation, she said. It has given space to a false air of legitimacy to those who promote politics of fear and separation. It has created the risk of a race to the bottom with countries competing to be the toughest in the hope of protecting themselves whatever the cost or challenge to their neighbours, and despite their international responsibilities, she added. She also warned against policies of isolationism, saying that no country can seal itself from the repercussions of the migrant crisis. If your neighbour's house is on fire you are not safe if you lock your doors. Strength lies in being unafraid, she said. PA For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Facebook has reversed its decision to ban an advert featuring plus-size model Tess Holliday and apologised for not initially approving the image. A Facebook advert with a picture of Holliday in a bikini was banned by the social media giant because it depicts a body or body parts in an undesirable manner. Australian feminist group Cherchez La Femme sought to promote an ad for its Feminism and Fat panel discussion but Facebook banned the picture because they said it didnt comply with their health and fitness policy. Facebook has now reinstated the image. Our team processes millions of advertising images each week, so we occasionally make mistakes," a spokesperson told The Independent. "To be clear, the image complies with our advertising policies. We have now approved the image and apologise for any offence this caused. (Facebook / Jessamy Gleeson) Prior to this, Facebook told Jessamy Gleeson, the author of the post and one of the organisers of the event, the image would not be taken down but it was prohibited from being promoted elsewhere on the platform. The image depicts a body or body parts in an undesirable manner, a message from the Facebook Ads team read. (Facebook / Jessamy Gleeson) Ads may not depict a state of health or body weight as being perfect or extremely undesirable." Other images which fall under this remit are close-ups of muffin tops where the overhanging fat can be seen, people in too-tight clothes and images which present eating disorders in a negative light. They also said the organisation might want to use an image of a relevant activity, such as running or riding a bike. Gleeson told The Independent she was furious with the initial choice. We're both disappointed and angry at Facebook's decision to not approve our ad featuring Tess Holliday, she said. There is a huge double standard at play when it comes to Facebook approving images of traditionally 'thin' women when compared to other body shapes and sizes. Plus size models changing the fashion industry Show all 9 1 /9 Plus size models changing the fashion industry Plus size models changing the fashion industry Ashley Graham Getty Images Plus size models changing the fashion industry Tess Holliday Plus size models changing the fashion industry Iskra Lawrence Plus size models changing the fashion industry Candice Huffine Plus size models changing the fashion industry Dalbesio at New York Fashion Week Plus size models changing the fashion industry Sabina Karlsson Plus size models changing the fashion industry Denise Bidot Plus size models changing the fashion industry Plus size models changing the fashion industry Barbie Ferreira Gleeson explained they chose Holliday for the image because she is an empowering individual. She's a powerful demonstration of how fat women can do just as many fantastic things as anyone else, she said. I'm actually a PhD student in social media and feminist activism, and in my research have seen how strongly women feel about seeing accurate representations of themselves in the media. A representative for Holliday did not immediately respond to request for comment. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Richard Dawkins has said he is in favour of offending people's religion and it should be offended at every opportunity. The controversial atheist academic, 75, argued the public was too worried about being viewed as racist and claimed it is absurd to be accused of racism for criticising Islam. Dawkins said this was the result of an absurd double standard in the Western world which means people are more anxious about attacking Islam than Christianity. People are terrified of being thought racist, he told The Times. Theres an awful confusion in many peoples minds. They think Islam is a race, which of course it isnt. People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015. If youre seen to criticise Islam you are often accused of racism, which is absurd. Im all for offending peoples religion. I think it should be offended at every opportunity. Recommended Read more Richard Dawkins dropped from science event for sharing offensive video Dawkins also said migrants from Syria and Iraq who have stopped believing in Islam should be prioritised in the immigration system. In the case of immigrants from Syria and Iraq I would like to see special preference given to apostates, people who have given up Islam, he said. They are in particular danger. The evolutionary biologist, whose best-selling book The God Delusion has been downloaded ten million times, is a provocative figure. He has been accused of Islamophobia in the past but dismisses the term as a non-word. How can we stop violence in the name of religion? Dawkins prompted outrage in September of last year when he suggested the innocent American school boy, Ahmed Mohammed, that was arrested for building a clock might have wanted to be arrested in order to be seen as a victim of discrimination. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The leader of the Scottish Conservative party Ruth Davidson has announced her engagement to her girlfriend Jen Wilson. The 37-year-old politician, who is tipped to be a potential successor to David Cameron, proposed to her while the pair were away for the weekend. Ive been away for a few days as I had an important question to ask, she wrote, unveiling the news via Twitter. Delighted Jen said yes. Very happy. The news follows Ms Davidsons recent rise to victory in the local elections where she pushed Labour into third place in Scotland and made the Conservative party the official opposition party to the SNP. As well as taking the Edinburgh Central Seat from the hands of the SNP, she won 31 seats and increased the Conservative partys vote share by 8.1 per cent. Her fiance Ms Wilson is from Wexford in Ireland and is a marketing assistant to a green energy charity. She kept a low profile until the couple appeared together in a Scottish Tory election broadcast in February. Messages of congratulation for the couple have poured in on social media, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, commending the pair and a number of fellow MPs wishing them good luck. Mr Osborne wrote, "Congratulations Ruth. Brilliant news x", while Peter Grant, the MP for Glenrothes & Central Fife wrote, "Congratulations!". People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015. Ms Davidson has frequently been open about her sexuality in the past. As a practicing christian, she struggled to come to terms with her sexuality for years. I thought I was destined for the big white wedding and the chap on my arm and all the rest of it, and then it wasn't to be, she told BBC Radio Scotlands Stark Talk. I didn't come out until my mid-twenties. I'd known for a few years before that. It took time for me to come to some sort of peace with myself about it. It's something I struggled with. I didn't want to be gay I'm not sure how many people do, and it's been amazing the difference even in my lifetime how things have changed. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Uma Thurman has said she felt super violated after Italian businessman Lapo Elkann kissed her at a charity gala at the Cannes Film Festival. Photographs of Elkann, 38, and Thurman, 46, kissing and holding each others faces were in various reports last week following amFARs annual Cinema Against Aids gala event at the festival in the south of France. Thurman was hosting the event when the entrepreneur Elkan, whose grandfather is former Fiat president Gianni Agnelli, won an auction prize to attend the Victorias Secret catwalk show, according to People magazine. Thurmans spokesperson told the magazine the Pulp Fiction actress was not complicit in the stunt and was left unhappy and feeling violated. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Show all 14 1 /14 The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Julieta Director: Pedro Almodovar Starring: Adriana Ugarte, Emma Suarez What's it about? The Spanish filmmaker's 20th film is based on three short stories from Alice Munro's 2004 book, Runaway which tracks a woman's search for her missing daughter. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 American Honey Director: Andrea Arnold Starring: Sasha Lane, Kate Mara, Shia LaBeouf What's it about? In British filmmaker Andrea Arnold's (Red Road) American road movie - her first film set and filmed outside the UK - a teenage girl who gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying as she crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Personal Shopper Director: Olivier Assayas Starring: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Nora von Waldstatten What's it about? Stewart reteams with French filmmaker Assayas following Clouds of Sils Maria for this ghost story set in the fashion underworld of Paris. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 It's Only the End of the World Director: Xavier Dolan Starring: Lea Seydoux, Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel What's it about? Xavier Dolan (Mommy) returns with this film based on the play Juste la fin du monde which tells the story of a terminally ill writer who returns home after 12 years to announce his impending death. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Paterson Director: Jim Jarmusch, Starring: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani What's it about? An original film from Amazon Studios that follows Paterson, a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New Jersey who lives an inhibited life compared to that of his wife, Laura. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 I, Daniel Blake Director: Ken Loach Starring: Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Micky McGregor What's it about? Written by Paul Laverty (the man behind Loach's Palme d'Or winner The Wind That Shakes the Barley, the film follows the titular protagonist, a joiner who seeks financial felp from the state following an illness. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Loving Director: Jeff Nichols Starring: Joel Edgerton, Michael Shannon, Marton Csokas What's it about? Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special follow-up tracks an interracial couple based in Virginia sentenced to prison in 1958 for getting married. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The Handmaid Director: Park Chan-wook Starring: Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri What's it about? The Oldboy director's latest South Korean film follows an heiress who falls in love with a petty thief. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The Neon Demon Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Starring: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks What's it about? Winding Refn's third consecutive film to compete for the Palme d'Or, this horror thriller follows an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles where 'her vitality and youth are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means to get what she has.' The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Cafe Society Director: Woody Allen Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively What's it about? Woody Allen's latest will open the Festival. It is a New York romantic comedy set in the 1930s with a cast including Steve Carell, Parker Posey, Corey Stoll and Judy Davis. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The BFG Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Mark Rylance, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader What's it about? Based on the Roald Dahl classic, the story follows a young girl named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) who befriends a friendly giant. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Money Monster Director: Jodie Foster Starring: George Clooney, Jack O'Connell, Julia Roberts What's it about? A money-oriented live TV show is interrupted when the presenter is taken hostage by a blue-collar worker compelled to turn to violence following his recent financial losses. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 The Nice Guys Director: Shane Black Starring: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe Reason to see: Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) and his razor sharp wit return in a comedy set in 70s LA. The films to know about at Cannes 2016 Captain Fantastic Director: Matt Ross Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn What's it about? In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father who devoted his life to raising his six kids with an irreverent education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the 'real' world. It is opportunism at its worst. She wasnt complicit in it. Somewhere in his head he must have thought it an appropriate way of behaving. It clearly wasnt. She is very unhappy that this happened to her and feels violated. Thurmans publicist also added to E! News that the kiss was not consensual. The Independent has approached a representative for Thurman for comment, a representative for Elkann declined to comment. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} India has successfully tested its first space shuttle, in a giant leap forward for the country's space programme. The Re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV), which took flight on Monday morning, was only a scale model - at around seven metres long, it was roughly a sixth of the size of the proposed final version. However, the successful test is an important first step towards the goal of a fully re-usable shuttle which could be used to deliver Indian satellites into space. Speaking to the Mint newspaper after the test, a spokesperson for ISRO, India's space agency, said: "Mission has been accomplished and all the parameters and trajectories were fulfilled." Taking off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on the island of Sriharikota at 7 a.m, the 1.75-tonne RLV reached an altitude of around 43 miles. In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Major Tim Peake blasting off into orbit on board the Soyuz space capsule on his way to becoming the first British astronaut to join the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) PA In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Major Tim Peake (left) blasting off into orbit on board the Soyuz space capsule on his way to becoming the first British astronaut to join the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) PA In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Photographers take pictures as Russia's Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 46/47 crew of Britain's astronaut Tim Peake, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Tim Kopra blasts off from the launch pad at Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome AFP In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Expedition 46-47 crewmembers ESA astronaut Tim Peake, NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and commander Yuri Malenchenko launch into space from Baikonur cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Getty Images In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space The Russian rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in front of the world's media following weeks of preparation PA In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space The Russian rocket minutes before launch In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Tim Peake, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), waves to his children from a bus prior the launch of Soyuz TMA-19M space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space US astronaut Tim Kopra waves as he boards the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) Getty Images In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Britain's astronaut Tim Peake (bottom), Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko (top) and US astronaut Tim Kopra board the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) Getty Images In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space British astronaut Tim Peake, member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), during inspecting his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan AP In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space British astronaut Tim Peake, left, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, center, and U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), walk to report to members of the State Committee prior to the launch of Soyuz TMA-19M space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan AP In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space From left, British astronaut Tim Peake, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), wave to their relatives near a bus prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan AP The shuttle glided back to Earth, and finished its flight by splashing down in the Bay of Bengal. This first mission was only meant to assess its flight capabilities - further tests will be needed to perfect the landing. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on its achievement, writing on Twitter: "Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the results of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them." He added: "The dynamism and dedication with which our scientists and ISRO have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring." It may take some time for the full-scale version to enter operation, however. The test model was developed by a team of 600 researchers over the course of five years, at a cost of around 9.7 million. A functioning space shuttle would dramatically reduce the cost of a single trip to space. Typically, space vehicles crash into the ocean or disintegrate in the atmosphere after delivering their payloads, meaning new craft have to be built from scratch for subsequent flights. Being able to safely land a re-usable shuttle back on Earth would remove much of this cost, potentially slashing the price of a trip to space by 10 times. Currently, ISRO is the only national space agency working on shuttle technology. Nasa's Space Shuttle was retired in 2011, while Russia's shuttle programme ended shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The RLV's successful test puts India in competition with private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, who are both working on re-usable rocket boosters. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A former fairground mechanic from west London has been named as the fourth member of the Isis execution squad headed by so-called Jihadi John. The group, known by their captives as The Beatles due to their British accents, were led by Londoner Mohammed Emwazi and have been described as some of the most brutal in Isiss ranks. The fourth man in the terror cell has been identified by British and American intelligence forces as El Shafee Elsheikh, according to a BuzzFeed News and Washington Post investigation. Maha Elgizouli (centre) with her two sons, Mahmoud Elsheikh (left) and El Shafee Elsheikh (right) (BuzzFeed News) (BuzzFeed News) Elsheikh, a 27-year-old convert, is believed to be living in Syria where he travelled in 2012 after being radicalised at Mosques in west London, BuzzFeed News reported. His younger brother, Mahmoud, is understood to have followed Elsheikh to the Middle East and was reportedly killed last year while fighting for Isis in Iraq. Elsheikh reportedly grew up in White City from the age of 5 after fleeing the civil war in Sudan with his parents both of whom were members of the countrys Communist party. According to reports, a former US counter terrorism official and investigators close to the hunt for the 'Beatles'" confirmed Elsheikh had been identified as one of the guards. El Shafee Elsheikh (BuzzFeed News) (BuzzFeed News) El Shafee Elsheikh, aged five (BuzzFeed News) (BuzzFeed News) Between them, the four members of the Beatles cell tortured dozens of hostages and beheaded 27, including seven British, American and Japanese hostages and 18 members of the Syrian army. The other two members of the group have since been revealed as Londoners Aine Davis and Alexanda Kotey. Emwazi was killed in a US drone strike in November, soon after being identified. Speaking to BuzzFeed News Elshekhis mother, Maha Elgizouli, said her son was heavily influenced by the sermons of the west London Islamist preacher Hani al-Sibai, who has also been linked to Emwazi. In pictures: The rise of Isis Show all 74 1 /74 In pictures: The rise of Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from Islamic State group sit on their tank during a parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from the Islamic State group pray at the Tabqa air base after capturing it from the Syrian government in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from extremist Islamic State group parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping A video uploaded to social networks shows men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road before being allegedly executed by Isis Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Haruna Yukawa after his capture by Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Khalinda Sharaf Ajour, a Yazidi, says two of her daughters were captured by Isis militants Washington Post In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Spokesperson for Isis Vice News via Youtube In pictures: The rise of Isis A pro-Isis leaflet A pro-Isis leaflet handed out on Oxford Street In London Ghaffar Hussain In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Isis Jihadists burn their passports In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A man collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A woman collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid Local civilians queue for aid administered by Isis. Since it declared a caliphate the group has increasingly been delivering services such as healthcare, and distributing aid and free fuel In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces detain men suspected of being militants of the Isis group in Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Mourners carry the coffin of a Shi'ite volunteer from the brigades of peace, who joined the Iraqi army and was killed during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Samarra, during his funeral in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Shiite Turkmen family fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, arrives at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi A photograph made from a video by the jihadist affiliated group Furqan Media via their twitter account allegedly showing Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in the territory under the group's control in Iraq and Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Smoke and debris go up in the air as Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul. Images posted online show that Islamic extremists have destroyed at least 10 ancient shrines and Shiite mosques in territory - the city of Mosul and the town of Tal Afar - they have seized in northern Iraq in recent weeks In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq A bulldozer destroys Sunni's Ahmed al-Rifai shrine and tomb in Mahlabiya district outside of Tal Afar In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces celebrate after clashes with followers of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi, in front of his home in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi at his home after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A vehicle burns in front of a home of a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman holds her exhausted son as over 1000 Iraqis who have fled fighting in and around the city of Mosul and Tal Afar wait at a Kurdish checkpoint in the hopes of entering a temporary displacement camp in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees Displaced Iraqi women hold pots as they queue to receive food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis who fled from Mosul and other towns, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, north Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A militant Islamist fighter waving a flag, cheers as he takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa. The fighters held the parade to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters wave flags as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters travel in a vehicle as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade with a missile in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from an al-Qaida splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from the splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters hold a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A member loyal to the Isis waves an Isis flag in Raqqa In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes in the western Anbar province march during a protest in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The United Nations warned that Iraq is at a "crossroads" and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence killed 195 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago, raising fears of a return to all-out sectarian conflict In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces hold up a flag of the Isis group they captured during an operation to regain control of Dallah Abbas north of Baqouba, the capital of Iraq's Diyala province, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Isis fighters parade in the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Isis group, demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony after completing their field training in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Kurdish Peshmerga troops fire a cannon during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Jalawla, Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference Iraqi Prime Minister's security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference about the latest military development in Iraq, in the capital Baghdad. Iraqi forces pressed a campaign to retake militant-held Tikrit, clashing with jihadist-led Sunni militants nearby and pounding positions inside the city with air strikes in their biggest counter-offensive so far In pictures: The rise of Isis A police station building destroyed by Isis fighters An exterior view of a police station building destroyed by gunmen in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Iraq's new parliament is expected to convene to start the process of setting up a new government, despite deepening political rifts and an ongoing Islamist-led insurgency. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a decree inviting the new House of Representatives to meet and form a new government In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Smoke billows from an area controlled by the Isis between the Iraqi towns of Naojul and Tuz Khurmatu, both located north of the capital Baghdad, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces take part in an operation to repel the Sunni militants In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An elderly Iraqi woman is helped into a temporary displacement camp for Iraqis caught-up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Christian woman fleeing the violence in the village of Qaraqush, about 30 kms east of the northern province of Nineveh, cries upon her arrival at a community center in the Kurdish city of Arbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman, who fled with her family from the northern city of Mosul, prays with a copy of the Quran AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq The body of an Isis militant killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces on the outskirts of the city of Samarra Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi civilians inspect the damage at a market after an air strike by the Iraqi army in central Mosul EPA In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Members of the Al-Abbas brigades, who volunteered to protect the Shiite Muslim holy sites in Karbala against Sunni militants fighting the Baghdad government, parade in the streets of the city AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Shia tribesmen gather in Baghdad to take up arms against Sunni insurgents marching on the capital. Thousands have volunteered to bolster defences AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A van carrying volunteers joining Iraqi security forces against Jihadist militants. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced the Iraqi government would arm and equip civilians who volunteered to fight AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters of the Isis group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An Islamist fighter, identified as Abu Muthanna al-Yemeni from Britain (R), speaks in this still image taken undated video shot at an unknown location and uploaded to a social media website. Five Islamist fighters identified as Australian and British nationals have called on Muslims to join the wars in Syria and Iraq, in the new video released by the Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Al-Qaida inspired militants stand with captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside Beiji refinery some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad. The fighting at Beiji comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Isis group. While U.S. President Barack Obama has not fully ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes, such action is not imminent in part because intelligence agencies have been unable to identify clear targets on the ground, officials said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants attacked Iraq's main oil refinein Baiji as they pressed an offensive that has seen them capture swathes of territory, a manager and a refinery employee said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants from the Isis group parading with their weapons in the northern city of Baiji in the in Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A smoke rises after an attack by Isis militants on the country's largest oil refinery in Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said they regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border, trying to blunt an offensive by Sunni militants who diplomats fear may have also seized some 100 foreign workers In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group stand next to captured vehicles left behind by Iraqi security forces at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. For militant groups, the fight over public perception can be even more important than actual combat, turning military losses into propaganda victories and battlefield successes into powerful tools to build support for the cause In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An injured fighter (C) from the Isis group after a battle with Iraqi soldiers at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis aiming at advancing Iraqi troops at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group taking position at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group inspecting vehicles of the Iraqi army after they were seized at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq One Iraqi captive, a corporal, is reluctant to say the slogan, and has to be shouted at repeatedly before he obeys Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group force captured Iraqi security forces members to the transport In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group transporting dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members to an unknown location in the Salaheddin province ahead of executing them In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A major offensive spearheaded by Isis but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants taking position at a Iraqi border post on the Syrian-Iraqi border between the Iraqi Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis rebels show their flag after seizing an army post AFP/Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants waving an Islamist flag after the seizure of an Iraqi army checkpoint in Salahuddin Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Demonstrators chant slogans as they carry al-Qaida flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. In the week since it captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work Ms Elgizouli said: That boy is now not my son. That is not the son I raised. She claimed she had warned British authorities to confiscate Mahmouds passport to stop him following his brother but they refused. A close family friend described Elsheikh as a quiet and respectful boy who had disagreements with his mother over Islam: One day I remember, he came up to her (pointing aggressively) and said you know, Allah says your mum can be your enemy. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} London Underground has confirmed it will begin running all-night services on some of its major lines in August. The 24-hour weekend service will begin on the Central and Victoria lines on 19 August. The Piccadilly, Jubilee and Northern lines will follow in the autumn. The introduction of the service will come nearly a year after it was first schedule to start on 12 September 2015 following a prolonged dispute with London Underground workers' unions, Rail and Maritime Transport (RMT) and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef). The unions launched a series of joint 24-hour full strikes last summer which saw the city's transport system grid to halt. Representatives from RMT and Aslef have said the night tube could have been introduced sooner but blamed Transport for London (Tfl) for 18 months of "tortuous" negotiations on pay and conditions before a deal was reached. The new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the night tube was "absolutely vital" to his plan to "support and grown London's night time economy" . Passengers will be able to travel on Friday nights and in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings (TFL) He said: "The Night Tube is absolutely vital to my plans to support and grow London's night time economy - creating more jobs and opportunities for all Londoners. The constant delays under the previous Mayor let Londoners down badly. I have made getting the Night Tube up and running a priority, and London Underground has now confirmed that services on the first two lines will launch on 19 August. According to figures released by the Mayor's office, the number of late night tube journeys is increasing at double the rate of daytime times and demand for travel on night buses has risen by over 170 per cent since 2000. Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Show all 13 1 /13 Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent "I still play pub cricket when I'm on A-roads. Any pub with a name that includes something with legs (eg, fox and hounds, coach and horses) you get a run per leg. Pass a pub with a name that does not reference anything with a leg and you lose a wicket. As kids we used play against each other, with the pubs divided up according to which side of the car you were on and which side of the road the pubs were." Mike Poloway Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Ibrahim Salha, SEO Editor "Equally addictive as it is fist-bitingly difficult, Flappy Bird is so playable youll easily forget that you were meant to be at work the best part of three hours ago. Bonus: youll feel positively tranquil about the tube delays after falling to your death for the fiftieth time in a row." Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Felicity Morse, social media editor "I try and turn all the tube stations into foods: eg 'Nutting Mill Gate, Pie Street Ken, Parsons Nose'. It whets my appetite for supper/breakfast." Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Louisa Saunders, Associate Features Editor "The quizup app is totally addictive, with sets of question on everything from Mean Girls to economics. You can play your friends, too" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Kashmira Gander: Online news reporter Dreaming of warmer climes while youre surrounded by stressed, sweating commuters becomes a little easier with HitList. This app allows users to create a global bucket-list of potential holidays, made realistic by it only allowing you to choose from places that friends live, have visited or want to go. It then sends you alerts when airplane prices drop to an affordable level. Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Simon Usborne, Independent Feature Writer "Pockets a brilliant read later app. On Chrome you have a button. On your phone its an option when you hold down on a link. Or if youre offline you can email something to your Pocket. Then your Pocket app presents the stories in easy-to-read, offline form. SO you can catch up with stuff youve been meaning to read while on the Tube or plane or wherever." Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Stuart Henderson, Online News Editor "I spend my time playing assorted games Scrabble being the current favourite intertwined with a low-level guilt that I should actually be spending my time more productively. Like reading or something." Courtesy of EA Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Ian Burrell: Media Editor "News in Slow Spanish; its the weeks international news read out in Spanish, slowly, so you get to gen up on whats happening and learn some vocabulary at about the same pace you will probably be travelling http://www.newsinslowspanish.com/" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute James Vincent: Science and Technology correspondent "My favourite is Radiolab. Two American guys (Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich) tell a story about something. Anything. Usually with a sciencey edge, but always revealing about some unexplored aspect of life. Abumrad even got one of those MacArthur genius grants for his work" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Joe Krishnan: Apprentice I have a three-hour round trip each day so have to do something to keep me occupied. Heres what I do. - Sleep: Unsurprisingly, five minutes in sleep time can be an hour in real time, so the journey goes quite fast when Ive nodded off. - Music: Make a playlist with around 10-15 songs that you like. Its over before you even know it, 45 mins gone just like that. Best option if youre standing. - Watch a film: Rather much like music, you become so absorbed in the film that you forget how much time is passing. - Reading a book/magazine: As long as you dont suffer from travel sickness, reading is best time passer. - Make conversation with a stranger? A bit of small-talk never hurts anyone, does it? Rex Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Katie Guest: Literary Editor of the Independent on Sunday "Read a book! Penguin Shorts are good for commuting (digital short fiction, 1.99 each)" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Chloe Hamilton: Editorial Assistant Read the Independent! Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Joseph Charlton: Assistant Editor at Independent Voices "I test myself on the order of stations on different lines. I can do the whole of Victoria and Circle (easy), Northern (High Barnet branch only). Its quite a boring game, admittedly." The office estimates the move will support about 2,000 permanent jobs for Londoners and boost the city's economy by 360m. But RMT has said they still have "major concerns" over the safe running of the service. General Secretary Mike Cash said: "There are major unresolved issues in relation to the Tube Lines engineering workforce and it is imperative that the company now moves quickly to address the points at the core of that dispute and reaches a proper negotiated settlement with the union that doesn't leave that essential group of workers disadvantaged on conditions and pensions. "Against a background of massive cuts over shadowing TFL budgets all parties have to be clear that Night Tube, a development that RMT supports, cannot be delivered on the cheap." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Councillors have approved an application to carry out fracking in England for the first time in five years. The North Yorkshire County Council planning committee voted seven to four in favour of an application by UK firm Third Energy to frack for shale gas near the village of Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire. The application is the first to be approved in the UK since 2011, when tests on the Fylde coast, Lancashire, were found to have been a probable cause of minor earthquakes in the area. The application was passed despite the presence of hundreds of protestors, who gathered outside County Hall in Northallerton throughout the hearing which began on Friday. Vicky Perkin, a council planning officer, told the committee there had been 4,375 letters of objection and 36 of support for the application. The hearing began with Peter Sowray, the planning committee chairman, admitting: This is by far the most controversial application we have ever had to deal with." North Yorkshire council's chief executive Richard Flinton said on Monday: "This has been a very difficult decision for the council to make and we know it is a difficult decision for the people of this county. "We are proud of our beautiful county which attracts so many visitors and maintains a thriving tourism industry. We have no intention of jeopardising those qualities and our rural industries and livelihoods. "For that reason the planning conditions must be fully discharged and monitored. In this case there has already been drilling for gas on this site over many years." The result was greeted with boos and jeers from demonstrators, who shouted shame on you and you will held be held accountable. Jeremy Buckingham shows a river on fire One protestor said: We know fracking carries serious risk to local people, our health and water. This decision is not in our name. Following the result, North Yorkshire Police tweeted a warning saying they would "not tolerate unlawful behaviour linked to the #nyshale protest". The force later issued a statement praising the protestors, saying: "The atmosphere largely remained good natured while North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police facilitated lawful protest. No arrests have been made." The decision has been called a "travesty" by environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth. Simon Bowens, Yorkshire and Humber campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said: "This is an absolute travesty of a decision but the battle is very far from over. Today 7 out of 11 North Yorkshire county councillors voted to approve this fracking application in Ryedale, ignoring the objection of Ryedale District Council itself, as well as thousands of local residents and businesses. "Despite this decision, public support for fracking is plummeting as Wales, Scotland and countries across Europe have suspended it. The risks to peoples health and the environment are unacceptable and we will fight on. The plan, which had previously been recommended for approval, will utilise a two-mile deep well drilled in 2013, over which a 120ft-high drilling rig will be established. In response to the decision, Councillor Andrew Cooper, Green Party Energy Spokesperson, said: North Yorkshire County Council has let down the people of Kirby Misperton by passing this application for fracking today. "The Green Party will continue to stand by local communities under threat from fracking operations and we will strongly oppose any attempts by central government to impose fracking against the will of local people. Daisy Sands, Greenpeace's head of energy campaign, said: "Given the pro-fracking bias from central government, there was an air of inevitability about this bitterly disappointing decision. "It is striking that the overwhelming number of speakers giving evidence at the two-day hearing were against fracking and Ryedale Parish Council voted against fracking at its back door, but North Yorkshire Council has overlooked this and the many, many concerns that were raised locally." Dozens of speakers attended the meeting outlining concerns over the hydraulic fracturing technique. Objectors raised fears about the environment, safety issues, increased traffic, the effect on the landscape, health and the potentially negative impact on the area's tourism. However, supporters - including experts in areas such as noise, water, ecology and landscape - addressed or dismissed the concerns, making statements in support of the application. Rasik Valand, chief executive of Third Energy, said: "If our application is successful, we will see it as a huge responsibility to deliver on our promises, not a victory. Promises to you, the local people." He added that work would not start at the site for "months and months" and would initially be an "exploration phase". Asked if this was a precedent for the approval of further fracking applications, he said: "We don't look upon it like that. We are a local company, we see ourselves as a local company. For us, this is about testing what's in our local area." Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp Show all 8 1 /8 Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp fracking.Rex.jpg Rex Features Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp 175047802.jpg Getty Images Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp balcombe-fracking-4.jpg Getty Images Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp balcombe-fracking-6.jpg Getty Images Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp balcombe-fracking-5.jpg Getty Images Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp balcombe-fracking-3.jpg Getty Images Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp balcombe-fracking-2.jpg Getty Images Vivienne Westwood joins anti-fracking protest camp balcombe-fracking-1.jpg Getty Images The planning officers' report said: "It should also be noted that there is national policy support for the development of a shale gas industry in this country and this is an important material consideration." The Government has said it is going "all out for shale" to boost energy security and the economy. Following the decision Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom said in a statement: This decision has been made by the local council. Were very clear that fracking is a fantastic opportunity. Its good for jobs, the economy and strengthens our energy security. We already have tough regulation in place to ensure that fracking is safe. We are now looking forward to the safe exploration of shale gas beginning and finding out just how much of this home grown energy supply is available to power our homes and businesses. Opponents, however, fear fracking - in which liquid is pumped deep underground at high pressure to fracture rock and release gas - can cause problems including water contamination, earthquakes and noise and traffic pollution. Environmentalists have also raised concerns that pursuing new sources of gad - a fossil fuel - is not compatible with efforts to tackle climate change. Additional reporting by Press Association Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The rising proportion of people who describe themselves as not ascribing to any type of religion considerably outnumbers Christian people in England and Wales, a new study has found. In 2014, 48.5 per cent of people said they had no religion - or were "nones" - compared to 43.5 per cent of people who identified as Christian Anglicans, Catholics and other denominations - researchers at St Marys Catholic University in Twickenham found. The percentage of nones has almost doubled from 2011, when 25 per cent of people referred to themselves as having no religion, the research, reported by the Guardian, revealed. The study, Contemporary Catholicism in England and Wales, due to be launched at the House of Commons on Tuesday, analysed data collected through British Social Attitudes surveys over three decades. What marriage would be like if we followed the bible Stephen Bullivant, senior lecturer in theology and ethics at St Marys Catholic University told the Guardian: The striking thing is the clear sense of the growth of no religion as a proportion of the population." He added that people brought up with some religion who later said they have religious beliefs was a key factor: What were seeing is an acceleration in the numbers of people not only not practicing their faith on a regular basis, but not even ticking the box. Mr Bullivants report found four out of 10 people raised as Anglicans have abandoned their faith, while Anglicans lose 12 followers, and Catholics 10, for every person recruited. Data from Scotland and Northern Ireland was not examined in the report, however in April findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes survey found more than half of people in Scotland now have no religion. Fifty-two per cent of Scottish people said they were not religious, compared with 40 per cent in 1999 when the survey began. The findings published by ScotCen Social Research also revealed attendance at religious services is at the lowest level recorded since 1999. Ian Montagu, researcher at ScotCen, said: "Today's findings show that Scottish commitment to religion, both in terms of our willingness to say we belong to a religion and to attend religious services, is in decline." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of pupils across the UK have been forced to evacuate their schools amid a series of bomb scares from callers threatening to take childrens head off. At least 21 schools have now admitted to receiving "panic inducing" warnings from an anonymous caller warning of a bomb on site leaving teachers no choice but to pull students out of classrooms during GCSE examinations. Canterbury Academy in Kent said it received a message saying that the shrapnel will take childrens heads off. Police were called to the site but were unable to find anything suspicious, causing many to believe the calls were a hoax. According to Kent Police, Barming Primary school in Maidstone was also closed this morning after an anonymous phone call. Two schools in Peterborough were also evacuated and a road was closed following a bomb threat. Voyager Academy and Discovery Primary School were cordoned off by police. One student said: Why put a bomb in discovery with children like it makes no sense. That really scared me I literally thought a bomb was going to blow up in front of us. Canterbury Academy head teacher Phil Karnavas said: It's almost certainly a hoax but with what's happening across Europe I'm not prepared to take that gamble. He added that secretarial staff received repeated calls from an adult male claiming an explosive device was hidden in the school. Police confirmed that an anonymous call was made at 10.13am and that the school was evacuated as a precaution. The Cambridge News website reported a suspected hoax bomb threat at Mayfield Primary school, and Emsworth Primary School in Surrey has been evacuated with staff and children moved to a neighbouring school as police probe a bomb threat. Emsworth headteacher Kate Fripp told local news website UKNIP: There has been a security incident at Emsworth Primary School today. All children are safe and are at Glenwood School receiving refreshments. The police are on the school site and we expect to be allowed back in within the hour. Recommended Read more 18 schoolgirls killed by dormitory fire in Thailand Whiteley Primary and Kingsham Primary schools, also in Peterborough ,have issued security alerts, according to the website. Children were sent home from Wootton Upper School in Bedfordshire, police said. Meanwhile Oulder Hill School and Redwood School in Rochdale were evacuated after calls warning of a suspicious package. Greater Manchester Police say they were called this morning and are still on the scene. The following schools have evacuated pupils as a result of bomb alerts Canterbury Academy, Kent Barming Primary School, Maidstone Voyager Academy, Peterborough Discover Primary School, Peterborough Wootton Upper School, Bedfordshire Redwood School, Rochdale Oulder Hill School, Rochdale Emsworth Primary School, Hampshire Kingsham Primary School, Chichester Whiteley Primary School, Fareham Rosebrook Primary School, Stockton Cranmere Primary School, Surrey Mayfield Primary School, Cambridge Blacon High School, Cheshire Crabtree Farm Primary School, Nottingham Lindisfarne Middle School, Northumberland Charville Primary School, Middlesex Dafen Community Primary School, Llanelli Pinhoe Primary School, Essex Middleton Primary School, Leeds Lindisfarne Middle School, Northumberland Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Drivers on a major train route serving London and the south of England have voted overwhelmingly to strike over plans to introduce driver-only trains. The motion for more industrial action against GTR Southern and Gatwick Express was carried with a majority of 4-1 to over plans to make drivers close train doors - which is normally done by guards on the station platforms. In a statement, Aslef said: "Mick Whelan, general secretary, has welcomed the strong mandate from GTR Southern & Gatwick Express members who have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking action over the dispute concerning the extension of driver only operations. "95.8% of our members voted Yes to taking part in industrial action short of a strike and 84.4% voted Yes to taking part in a strike, on a turnout of just over 82%". Guards are also said to be considering more industrial action after two previous strikes. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union later announced that its train driver members at Southern and Gatwick Express have also voted for strike action and action short of a strike in the same dispute. The RMT is embroiled in a row with Southern over the role of conductors, which has led to strike action in recent weeks. Although dates of the strike are yet to be announced they are likely to cause major disruption (PA) Unions are also protesting against parent company Govia's plans to close over 80 ticket offices across its franchises. The company expressed disappointment at the ballot result and confirmed it would press ahead with seeking an injunction against the strike. A spokesman for Southern said: "We are disappointed with the result and will now await notification from Aslef as to what its plans may be. Any action would only heap more disruption on our passengers - passengers who have already been through two recent strikes by RMT Union Conductors. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak waves as he leaves from Conservative Party Headquarters in central London having been announced as the winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA 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 "We have repeatedly tried to engage with Aslef on this but the union has refused to engage in any sort of meaningful dialogue. We urge them once more to sit down and talk to us. "In the meantime, we have sought an injunction from the High Court against any industrial action that may result from this ballot. "ASLEF selected which drivers it balloted in a way that breaches the strict rules on balloting, and that, because it induced drivers to refuse to drive trains in advance of conducting the ballot, it cannot now lawfully ask them to take industrial action". The company has said the move will free up the guards to help passengers on the station but Aslef and RMT say it is unsafe. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A blanket ban on legal highs due to come into force this week will lead to more deaths and only benefit drug dealers and politicians, critics have claimed. The substances, which mimic the effects of already banned drugs, are being outlawed on Thursday due to concerns their potency is fuelling health problems and anti-social behaviour. But critics have said that the law will simply force users, who are often among the most vulnerable in society, to turn to street dealers and the criminal underworld, leading to more drug-related deaths. Recommended Read more Everything you need to know about the new legal highs legislation Professor David Nutt, the former Government drugs tsar, told The Independent: It is a completely nonsense piece of legislation. It is purely politics. The only people who will benefit will be the drug dealers. Theyll have a monopoly. The popularity of legal highs has increased dramatically in recent years. In 2013, according to the United Nations World Drug Report, 670,000 British 15- to 24-year-olds had tried legal highs at least once. The death toll rose from 10 legal high-related deaths in England and Northern Ireland in 2009 to 68 in 2012. Often compared to cannabis, the potency and addictiveness of legal highs can vary significantly. In a special report for The Independent, some users in Newcastle spoke of the substance as having the effect of heroin. Legal Highs in Newcastle In fact, heroin addicts who switched to legal highs as a cheaper alternative have been known to return to the Class A drug in the belief it is less damaging. The Government has claimed that by imposing prison sentences of up to seven years on those making or supplying drugs capable of producing a psychoactive effect, the new law will clearly signal the dangers of legal highs, which have been sold in head shops, convenience stores and online. Harry Shapiro, the chief executive of the drugs information charity DrugWise, said the new law will make legal highs harder to obtain, but warned: The problem will almost certainly be that legal highs will just become street drugs. The same people selling heroin and crack will simply add this to their repertoire. He added: Politically, they [legal highs] are low-hanging fruit. The easiest thing for any Government to do is to stop people buying these things from shops next to Mothercare, but dont imagine that is going to solve the problem. Prof Nutt said that while some head shops have exercised quality control and showed a degree of responsibility towards users, street dealers would be totally unscrupulous. He claimed that they would use the internet to source legal highs made in India and China, with no regard for quality, and would aim to get legal high users on to heroin and crack. It will be a scary market, he said. And there will be much less safety. Deaths will increase. There will be no quality control people wont stop using legal highs, they will just use more dangerous ones. World's 10 deadliest street drugs Show all 10 1 /10 World's 10 deadliest street drugs World's 10 deadliest street drugs Whoonga Whoonga is a combination of antiretroviral drugs, used to treat HIV, and various cutting agents such as detergents and poisons. The drug is widely available in South Africa due to South Africas high rate of HIV sufferers, and is believed to be popular due to how cheap it is when compared to prescribed antiretrovirals. The drug is highly addictive and can cause major health issues such as internal bleeding, stomach ulcers and ultimately death Getty World's 10 deadliest street drugs Scopolamine Scopolamine is a derivative from the nightshade plant found in the Northern Indian region of South America (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela). It is generally found in a refined powder form, but can also be found as a tea. The drug is more often used by criminals due its high toxicity level (one gram is believed to be able to kill up to 20 people) making it a strong poison. However, it is also believed that the drug is blown into the faces of unexpecting victims, later causing them to lose all sense of self-control and becoming incapable of forming memories during the time they are under the influence of the drug. This tactic has reportedly been used by gangs in Colombia where there have been reports of people using scopolamine as way to convince victims to rob their own homes World's 10 deadliest street drugs Heroin Founded in 1874 by C. R. Alder Wright, heroin is one of the worlds oldest drugs. Originally it was prescribed as a strong painkiller used to treat chronic pain and physical trauma. However in 1971 it was made illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Since then it has become one of the most destructive substances in the world, tearing apart communities and destroying families. The side effects of heroin include inflammation of the gums, cold sweats, a weak immune system, muscular weakness and insomnia. It can also damage blood vessels which can later cause gangrene if left untreated World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crack cocaine Crack cocaine first came about in the 1980s when cocaine became a widespread commodity within the drug trafficking world. Originally cocaine would have attracted a high price tag due to its rarity and difficulty to produce, but once it became more widespread the price dropped significantly. This resulted in drug dealers forming their cocaine into rock like shapes by using baking soda as a way of distilling the powder down into rock form. People were doing this because it allowed for them to sell cocaine at a lower quantity and to a higher number of people. The side effects of crack cocaine include liver, kidney and lung damage, as well as permanent damage to blood vessels, which can often lead to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately death World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crystal meth Not just famous because of a certain Walter H White, but also because it is one of the most destructive drugs in the world. First developed in 1887, it became widely used during the Second World War when both sides would give it to their troops to keep them awake. It is also believed that the Japanese gave it to their Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. After the war crystal meth was prescribed as a diet aid and remained legal until the 1970s. Since then it has fallen into the hands of Mexican gangs and has become a worldwide phenomenon, spreading throughout Europe and Asia. The effects of crystal meth are devastating. In the short-term users will become sleep depraved and anxious, and in the long-term it will cause their flesh to sink, as well as brain damage and damage of the blood vessels World's 10 deadliest street drugs AH-7921 AH-7921 is a synthetic opioid that was previously available to legally purchase online from vendors until it became a Class A in January 2015. The drug is believed to have 80% of the potency of morphine, and became known as the legal heroin. While there has only been one death related to AH-7921 in the UK, it is believed to be highly dangerous and capable of causing respiratory arrest and gangrene World's 10 deadliest street drugs Flakka Flakka is a stimulant with a similar chemical make-up to the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts. While the drug was originally marketed as a legal high alternative to ecstasy, the effects are significantly different. The user will feel an elevated heart rate, enhanced emotions, and, if enough is digested, strong hallucinations. The drug can cause permanent psychological damage due to it affecting the mood regulating neurons that keep the minds serotonin and dopamine in check, as well as possibly causing heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Bath salts Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline drug that is prevalent in the US. While they may sound harmless, they certainly arent the sort of salts you drop into a warm bath when having a relaxing night in, they are most similar to mephedrone, and have recently been featured throughout social media due to the zombification of its. The name comes from the fact that the drug was originally sold online, and widely disguised as bath salts. The side effects include unusual psychiatric behaviour, psychosis, panic attacks and violent behaviour, as well as the possibility of a heart attack and an elevated body temperature World's 10 deadliest street drugs Purple Drank One of the more unusual drugs around at the moment, purple drank was popularised in 90s hip hop culture, with the likes of Jay Z and Big Moe all mentioning it in their songs. It is a concoction of soda water, sweets and cold medicine, and is drunk due to cold medicines high codeine content, which gives the user a woozy feeling. However it can also cause respiratory issues and heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Krokodil Krokodil is Russias secret addiction. It is believed that over one million Russians are addicted to the drug. Users of krokodil are attracted to the drug due to its low price; it is sold at 20 a gram while heroin is sold for 60. However, krokodil is considered more dangerous than heroin because it is often homemade, with ingredients including painkillers, iodine, lighter fluid and industrial cleaning agents. This chemical make-up makes the drug highly dangerous and likely to cause gangrene, and eventually rotting of the flesh And street dealers want to get you on heroin and crack, because they are more addictive. More people will be dying from more dangerous drugs. The effects of the UK law, he added, would mirror those seen in Ireland, which banned legal highs in 2010. There was a transient reduction in use, he said. But now usage has gone back to where it was before, if not higher. Deaths have gone up. In December, Irelands National Drug-Related Deaths Index showed drug poisoning deaths involving legal highs increased from six in 2010 to 28 in 2013. The European Commission has said that between 2011 and 2014, Ireland experienced Europes second largest increase in legal high use among 15- to 24-year-olds. One Irish user told the BBC that after the ban closed head shops: People started selling it on every street. It was even easier to get. Footage of some of the people in Newcastle city centre under the influence of legal highs Critics have also pointed to the fact that drug makers have allegedly proved adept at producing slightly different new substances so quickly that it has been hard for scientists and the law to keep up. A spokesman for the Irish Justice Department insisted the legislation was enforceable, and that one study had shown a drop in legal high use immediately after the ban was introduced, but acknowledged: The emergence of new psychoactive substances happens at a pace that presents a challenge in the context of law enforcement [and] for the scientific and health authorities. Karen Bradley, the UK Home Office Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime, said: We owe it to all those who have lost loved ones to do everything we can to eradicate this abhorrent trade. This Act will end the open sale on our high streets and deliver new powers for law enforcement to tackle this issue at every level in communities, at our borders, on UK websites and in prisons. Allowing these substances to remain legal would not prevent crime committed by the illicit trade; nor would it address the harms associated with drug dependence. But we know legislation is not the silver bullet, and we continue to take action across education, prevention, treatment and recovery in order to reduce harmful drug use. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson today talked a heckler down from egging him in a confrontation on the campaign trail in York. The former mayor of London, who is campaigning to leave the European Union, was giving an informal soapbox speech to about 200 people near the citys Shambles area. Spotting a student carrying eggs, he said: There are people hungry in this country, my friend; don't waste that egg. Recommended Read more Young people twice as likely to be excluded from EU referendum The would-be egg thrower heeded the politicians warnings and did not throw his eggs. Sam Grigg, 22, said he brought the eggs to cause a scene. The eggs were to cause a disturbance and get people on edge. The eggs were a joke. I didn't actually throw them. I knew I would have been arrested, he reportedly said. During his speech Mr Johnson used his speech to liken the Remain campaign to those who were against exit from the European Monetary Union in 1992. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images He said leaving the EMU had been a liberation for the British economy. They were wrong then, my friends, and they're wrong now, he said. While Mr Johnson campaign for Leave in Yorkshire, his Conservative colleague David Cameron and George Osborne campaigned on the south coast of England for Remain. Mr Osborne presented a Treasury report into Brexit which he said showed the UK would suffer a DIY recession as a result of crashing out of the union. Mr Cameron meanwhile defended calling the referendum in the first place, arguing that he had good reason to do so despite his own warnings that its result could cripple the British economy. The campaign today is entering its final month, with the vote scheduled for 23 June this year. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Freedom of movement, or the right to migrate between EU countries, hardly figured in the UKs first European referendum in 1975. Why is is such a key issue this time? Numbers, sheer numbers. Until Eastern European countries joined the EU in 2004, there was no large-scale migration to Britain from other EU countries, except Ireland. According to the most recent official figures, there are now 3,300,000 EU nationals living in Britain up by 2,000,000 since 2003. There are 2,100,000 EU nationals working here. According to the Office for National Statistics, 257,000 EU migrants arrived in the 12 months to September 2015 far more than the Government had expected. Britain can restrict migration from non-EU countries but is bound by European treaties and European law to accept migrants from other member states. Hence, the Brexiteers claim that we have lost control of our borders and can only regain control of them if we leave the EU. What to believe about the EU referendum Where are all these people coming from? And why? The great majority come from the former communist bloc countries in Eastern Europe, such as Poland, the Baltic States, Romania and Slovakia. In the past couple of years, since the beginning of the eurozone crisis, there has also been an influx from Spain, Portugal and Greece. It should also be remembered, that there are more than 300,000 French citizens living in Britain one in 10 of the EU total outside of France mostly young, mostly very well educated and mostly living in the London area. Their reasons for coming vary from economic necessity and the relatively high wages for menial work in Britain (in the case of migrants from the eastern and southern countries) and a desire for adventure, advancement or improved English (the French, Germans and others). Unlike migrants from the Commonwealth, the great majority of EU migrants say they plan to go home after a few years. Why are they all coming to Britain? Why dont they go to France or Germany? They dont all come to Britain. Many go to other, relatively rich member states, such as Germany and Sweden but also to Ireland. Britain, however, has one of the most vibrant economies in Europe and plenty of job opportunities. English is a widely spoken language in Eastern Europe. Between 2005 and 2012 there was a net inflow of 50,000 people a year in the UK (Getty Images) There is also another reason why Britain has taken, proportionally, more migrants from Eastern Europe than other countries. In 2004, when the ex-communist countries joined, other member states imposed transitional periods when migration from the east would be limited. In Britain, the Blair government decided that uncontrolled emigration from Eastern Europe would benefit the UK economy. The Blair government estimated that there would be a net inflow of 13,000 people a year. In the first eight years, to 2012, the net total was 423,000 or 50,000 a year. Why does the EU insist on the right of free movement? Is this not a principle which is becoming dangerous to sustain? Freedom of movement of people is one of the four principles on which the EU single market is founded. The others are free movement of goods, capital and services. Together, they offer a balance of opportunities and advantages between richer and poorer states, between thriving states and struggling states. If you challenge one, you challenge all, as David Cameron found when he asked other EU governments to make freedom of movement less free. What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year In the earliest days of the Common Market, the principle was relatively uncontroversial and there were no large flows of migration. The admission of the poorer, ex-communist countries changed all that. They see no reason why they should accept free trade with more competitive, richer states but lose the right for their younger people to work abroad. Are there any grounds on which an EU state can prevent another European citizen from visiting or from migrating? Yes, there are. In principle any EU citizen has the right to seek and take work in any member state and have the same tax regime and social benefits as anyone else. Member states are, however, allowed to refuse entry on the grounds of public policy, public security or public health. A known German criminal could not demand the right to come to Britain to compete with our own criminals. There is also another restriction. Freedom of movement does not apply to jobs in the public service. Who benefits and who loses from EU migration to the UK? This is where the arguments become complicated. Some economists argue that the migrants have produced a net gain to Britain, boosting population, economic growth and tax income. Brexiteers on the other hand say that they have pushed down wages and strained public services. Boris Johnson could be a big winner if Britain votes for Brexit (EPA) Boris Johnson and other Eurosceptic Tories say that uncontrolled immigration is forcing down wages for British workers. Tory Brexiteers are, it seems, enthusiastically on the side of the workers. The truth of the competing claims is hard to establish. Surveys suggest that there has been no obvious effect on wages in areas of the UK with the largest EU migrant populations. Other surveys suggest that wages have been marginally reduced for lower-skilled workers, such as shop assistants, bar staff and carers. Will 12,000,000 Turks arrive in the UK if we stay in the EU? The Daily Express says so but that would mean that one in seven Turks emigrating to Britain an absurd figure. In any case, Turkeys chance of joining the EU are receding rather than enlarging under the present authoritarian regime in Ankara. Will free movement survive in the EU of the future? Yes, but there are likely to be new restrictions on so-called welfare tourism and certainly long transitional periods for new members, if any, such as Turkey and Serbia. What would the EU migrant situation be if we left? Good question. It all depends on the terms on which we leave. If we want to have continuing access to the single market, we will, like Norway, have to allow free movement for EU nationals even if we are no longer in the EU. We can only gain control of our borders if we leave the single market and its barrier free access to 500,000,000 consumers. The Brexiteers have been obliged during the campaign to admit this inconvenient truth. They now say that Britain would do better with a looser trading relationship with the EU and chosen EU migration. Many business leaders and economist disagree. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has defended charges that it was irresponsible to hold the EU referendum despite it potentially causing major problems arguing that he had good reason to do so. Speaking at a press conference on a visit to the south coast the Prime Minister warned of severe economic consequences were the UK to vote to leave the bloc. But questioned why he would hold a referendum in the first place if he believed Brexit could genuinely cripple to the UK economy, Mr Cameron said it wasnt reasonable to hold a country in an organisation against its will. I absolutely think that if we vote to leave itll have these severe economic consequences, and its not just the Treasury that is saying that the IMF, OECD, and Bank of England have all said it, he said. In terms of holding the referendum, it is a pledge and a promise that I made, and for good reason weve been in this organisation for 40 years, people of this generation havent been able to make the choice of whether to stay or to leave Europe has made changes over the years and you cant hold a country in an organiastion against its will. I think we should welcome the fact that were having the big sovereign decisions by the British people. A report by the Treasury released this morning warned that the economic shock from Brexit would plunge Britain into a year-long recession and contract the economy by between 3.6 per cent and 6.0 per cent depending on the deal the UK reached. Unemployment would rise between 1.6 per cent and 2.4 per cent, and real wages would also fall by as much as 4 per cent over the next two years, the analysis said. Leave.EU and founder and Ukip donor Arron Banks has said it would be worth paying an economic price to leave the EU (Parliament TV) The chancellor George Osborne said that such an economic shock would be a DIY recession caused by the UKs own decision to leave the economic bloc. The predictions follow similar warnings from the OECD, IMF, and Bank of England. Mr Cameron said he did not believe that such a shock would be worth other potential gains from leaving the EU. There are people out there who say yes, there would be a hit to our economy but its somehow worth it for other reasons. Ive heard Nigel Farage, for instance, stay that many times. I profoundly disagree, he said. We have a special deal in Europe and with that in mind it is certainly not worth the huge risk and downside to our economy of voting to leave. That is why Im making this argument so vigorously every day for the next 30 days before we vote. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images Mr Cameron said he would hold an EU referendum before the last general election, after coming under sustained political pressure from eurosceptic members of the Conservative party. Despite setting the official government position as in favour of Remain Mr Cameron has allowed Cabinet ministers to campaign in favour of Brexit. The chief of one of the Brexit campaigns, Arron Banks, said last month that Treasury calculations that families would lose 450 a month from Brexit would be a price worth paying. This isnt about pounds and pence, this is about our democracy, he said, adding that he believed the figures were incorrect anyway. Iain Duncan Smith, of Vote Leave, said he believed the calculations from the government department were a deeply biased view of the future. As George Osborne has himself admitted, the reason he created the independent forecaster, the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility], was because by 2010 the public simply did not believe the government's own economic forecasts, he warned. This Treasury document is not an honest assessment but a deeply biased view of the future and it should not be believed by anyone. Earlier in the referendum campaign Mr Cameron said he believed Britain could survive outside the European Union. Britain will vote on whether to leave or remain in the EU on 23 June this year around a month away. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A senior MP and one of the most prominent health experts backing Brexit has refused to hand out the Vote Leave campaigns NHS leaflets, branding them deliberately misleading. Dr Sarah Wollaston, a former GP and now chair of the House of Commons Health Select Committee, said that the Leave campaign should stop treating the public like fools by claiming that Brexit would free-up 350m a week to spend on the NHS. While attacking outlandish claims on both sides of the EU debate, Dr Wollaston singled out Michael Goves warning last week over the dangers of increased immigration for the NHS. There are many reasons for the pressures on the NHS, but largely because we are living longer and with multiple and complex conditions, she said in an article for The Times Red Box website. As many have commented; if you meet a migrant in the NHS they are more likely to be caring for you than ahead of you in the queue. Dr Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, said that NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens had been right when he said on Sunday that the NHS was dependent on overseas staff. He also highlighted the dependence of the NHS on a strong economy and the knock on consequences for any uplift in funding of financial turbulence. In my view, it is an increase in the percentage of our national income that we spend on health and care that will save the NHS, not Brexit, she writes. The NHS has been thrust centre stage in the EU debate in recent days, after Mr Gove claimed that staying in the EU would see the UK population rise by 5.2m by 2030, making the health service unsustainable. Vote Leave has also released campaign material claiming that the 350m Britain contributes to the EU each week could be spent on the NHS, and would be enough for a new hospital each week. The Leave campaign has already been criticised by the UK Statistics Authority for using this figure, as it does not taking into account for the UKs rebate, or payments received from the EU. The actual net figure is between 110m and 135m a week. After the rebate and funds already committed to support farmers, exporters, regional development projects and science, the leave campaign clearly does not have an extra 350m per week to promise the NHS and they should stop treating the public as fools, Dr Wollaston writes. There are legitimate concerns about pressures of population growth on housing, schools and certain areas of health provision but the current pre-occupation [with] exploiting the NHS, and its protected branding, to support the leave campaigns argument on the EU is a cynical distortion which undermines the credibility of their other arguments. 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. I will not hand out Vote Leaves deliberately misleading leaflets about the NHS. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Iain Duncan Smith has attempted to clarify comments made by his pro-Brexit colleague Penny Mordaunt who was accused of plain and simple lying after claiming that the UK would not have a veto on Turkey joining the EU. Pressed on remarks the armed forces minister Ms Mordaunt made on Sunday, Mr Duncan Smith said she was talking about the British people not having a vote on the matter in a referendum. An individual nation does have a veto, he admitted on BBC Radio 4s Today Programme. The British people themselves dont She was talking about the British people having a referendum. The fact is that the British people cant vote. It comes after Ms Mordaunt was accused of plain and simple lying over the possibility of Turkey joining the EU. She had suggested the UK does not have a veto over the new membership of states such as Turkey despite it being a key part of the Treaty of the EU. On Turkeys chances of joining the EU, she said: This is our last chance to have a say on this, were not going to be consulted on whether those countries should join. Those countries are going to join, it is a matter of when. In an extraordinary intervention, David Cameron said the minister was absolutely wrong on the matter, and implied her judgement on other matters should be called into question as a result. Penny Mordaunt - 'The UK can't veto Turkey joining EU' The Prime Minister told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "Let me be clear, Britain and every other country in the European Union has a veto on another country joining. "That is a fact, and the fact that the Leave campaign are getting things as straightforward as this wrong should call in to question their whole judgment in making the bigger argument about leaving the EU." 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. James McGrory, a spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe, said on Sunday that the minister is "plain and simple lying to people". He added: "We have a veto on whether Turkey can join the EU," he said. "As does every other EU nationthat was disgraceful from Penny Mordaunt on [the Andrew Marr Show]. Criticises dishonesty and then is utterly dishonest about our veto on Turkey." Mr Duncan Smith also said on Radio 4: By the way, we talk about Turkey but Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia are all in line to come into the European Union Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Sajid Javids allies have hit back at Iain Duncan Smith after he claimed the Business Secretary was privately backing Brexit despite publicly supporting the campaign to remain in the European Union. The personal attack on Mr Javid from the former Work and Pensions Secretary came after he appeared on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to defend the latest Treasury analysis warning of a year-long recession if the country votes to leave. It is the latest in blue-on-blue attacks which have intensified in recent days as the EU referendum draws closer. On Sunday the Prime Minister questioned the ability of Penny Mourdant, the armed forces minister, after she claimed Britain would not have a veto on Turkey joining the EU. The pro-Brexit Mr Duncan Smith told the Today programme that he was deeply disappointed in Mr Javid as having privately said how much he wanted the UK to leave the European Union, he is now defending this terrible report. Recommended Read more Boris Johnson manages to talk his way out of being egged Pressed on whether Mr Javid had said to him he wanted out, Mr Duncan Smith replied: "He has." When asked whether that meant Mr Javid was "lying in public", Mr Duncan Smith said: "He has written it in an article." But a Whitehall source close to Mr Javid denied Mr Duncan Smith's claim, saying: It is simply not true. Sajid Javid has said no such thing either in private or public". The attack by Mr Duncan Smith appeared to resonate because of Mr Javids previous sentiments on membership of the European Union. At the end of 2015, the Business Secretary claimed currently costs outweigh benefits when it comes to membership of the EU. In 2014, while Culture Secretary during the coalition years, he told the Daily Mail that Britains prospects outside the EU would open opportunities. He added: If you said to me: Are you worried or frightened or concerned that the British people might vote to leave?, that doesnt frighten me. We should have a referendum on in/out, and if the British people decide Britain is better off outside, I would respect that decision. I think it would open up opportunities. I am not afraid of that at all. He then publicly backed staying in the EU in February this year. Just one month later, however, he appeared to provide a lukewarm endorsement of the Remain campaign at the annual British Chambers of Commerce conference. 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. He said: I personally have no time for ever closer Union. But I accept the UK does well from being part of a 500 million-strong single-market. I see the benefits of the many trade agreements that have been negotiated by Brussels in the four decades since we joined. And I recognise that it could take many years to replicate that position following a British withdrawal. But on this incredibly important issue my mind is made up. I thought with my head for business, for jobs, for growth: remaining in the EU is the best answer. Asked today about his previous Eurosceptic views, Mr Javid said: "At that time no one knew what the final deal would be. Look what has been achieved in this renegotiation. Now that's being put to the British people. He added: Since the announcement of the referendum we have far more detail of the impact, such as this report, that is coming out. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn is prepared to call for an investigation into Tony Blair for alleged war crimes during the Iraq War, according to reports. The Chilcot Inquiry into conflict will be released on 6 July this year after years of analysing evidence about how the Government acted in the run-up to and during the conflict. During the Labour leadership election Mr Corbyn said he was convinced the Iraq War was illegal and that anyone who had committed a crime should be put on trial. If [Tony Blair has] committed a war crime, yes. Everyone who's committed a war crime should be [charged], he said. I think it was an illegal war, I'm confident about that, indeed Kofi Annan confirmed it was an illegal war, and therefore he has to explain to that. Is he going to be tried for it, I don't know. Could he be tried for it? Possibly. The Daily Telegraph newspaper says a Labour spokesperson confirmed over the weekend that Mr Corbyn stands by his views and will not row back from them. Corbyn - Labour election win 'could be sooner than 2020' The spokesperson said: We look forward to the release of the Chilcot report into the Iraq War and reading the evidence he has uncovered. The statement comes amid reports in the Sunday Times that Mr Blair, as well as former foreign secretary Jack Straw, are set to be savaged in the Chilcot Report. Others rumoured to be in for criticism include certain high-ranking military figures. Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Show all 12 1 /12 Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn's reshuffle Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn and the Syria bombing vote Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn asks questions from the public at PMQs, meanwhile backbenchers plot to oust him Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn is unavailable to attend the Privy Council Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Conference rejects Corbyns call to debate Trident Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn At Labour conference Corbyn and McDonnell press for a Robin Hood tax Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyns hopes for a new politics look optimistic in the face of a media barrage Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn enters Labour leadership race The report is definitely critical of some members of the British establishment as it paused for years while allowing those criticised to respond, under the traditional so-called Maxwellisation process. Mr Corbyn is a longstanding opponent of the Iraq War, having voted and campaign against it despite Labours endorsement under Mr Blair. The war, launched by the US with strong UK backing, lead to the deaths of between 150,000 and 600,000 Iraqis over four years. The removal of dictator Saddam Hussein also presaged the current situation in which the Isis militant group controls a significant part of the countrys territory in a brutal civil war that continues to this day. The UN security council refused to back the invasion at the time, warning that there was no evidence of supposed weapons of mass destruction in the country. None were ultimately found. The Chilcot Inquiry's 2.6 million word report has been in production since 2009, when it was launched by former prime minister Gordon Brown. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Leaving the European Union would send Britain into a year-long economic recession, a new analysis by the Treasury has warned. The report, released on Monday says Brexit would reduce economic growth by a further 3.6 per cent, The Chancellor George Osborne says his deparments evidence suggests a Leave vote would cause an immediate and profound economic shock. However former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, who is campaigning for Vote Leave, accused the Treasury of a deeply biased approach. The warnings come after Bank of England governor Mark Carney said that Brexit would cause a sharp slowing of the economy. Christine Lagarde, chief of the International Monetary Fund, meanwhile said the effects of Brexit would range from pretty bad to very, very bad. It's only been eight years since Britain entered the deepest recession our country has seen since the Second World War, the Chancellor is expected to tell businesses during a visit to the South Coast. Every part of our country suffered. The British people have worked so hard to get our country back on track. Do we want to throw it all away? George Osborne is warning against Brexit (Getty) With exactly one month to go to the referendum, the British people must ask themselves this question: can we knowingly vote for a recession? Does Britain really want this DIY recession? Because that's what the evidence shows we'll get if we vote to leave the EU. Yes, we've got improvements to make to the EU - but we know what they are and we're clear about what the future holds. If we remain, major British car manufacturers will go on selling hundreds of thousands of cars to Europe tariff-free. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images If we remain, British farmers will go on selling over 150,000 tonnes of beef and lamb to Europe tariff-free. That is the brighter future on offer for our country. The report looks at a combination of economic factors that the Treasury believes would arise within two years of an Out vote. It assumes Britain would enter a new trade deal with the EU, a secenario under which GDP would likely be 3.6 per cent loweever. However, full Brexit, where Britain leaves the Single Market and defaults to WTO rules with trade with the rest of Europe, would send GDP 6 per cent lower, it says. The modelling found that under all scenarios recession would be expected with a significant risk that the outcome could be far worse. A Remain vote would have little lasting impact on the economy as uncertainty receded, the report says. Former work and pensinos secretary Iain Duncan Smith howver said the analysis was not honest. As George Osborne has himself admitted, the reason he created the independent forecaster, the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility], was because by 2010 the public simply did not believe the government's own economic forecasts, he warned. This Treasury document is not an honest assessment but a deeply biased view of the future and it should not be believed by anyone. The EU referendum will be held in a month's time on 23 June. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Ministry of Defence has been accused in a highly critical parliamentary report of ignoring manufacturers warnings of the risks in using the controversial anti-malarial drug, Lariam, leaving, as a result, servicemen and women to face severe side-effects. The help subsequently provided by the MoD to those who were affected by the drug was inadequate and the system of duty-of-care needed to be overhauled, the Commons Defence Committee has stated. The Independent had revealed that the report by the Defence Select Committee was to call for Lariam to be banned except in very restricted circumstances. The MoD now faces legal action from hundreds of victims in the military, many of whom say that their lives have been shattered by being given Lariam. Dr Julian Lewis, the chairman of the Committee, pointed out that the high-risk of taking the drug had been highlighted by its makers, Roche, who had laid down stringent conditions for its use. But, he continued : Such conditions have often been disregarded in dispensing it to large numbers of troops about to be deployed. It seems quite clear that not only is the MoD unable to follow the manufacturers guidelines for prescribing the drug in all instances, but a number of troops discard their Lariam rather than risk its potentially dangerous side-effects. It is our firm conclusion that there is neither the need, nor any justification for continuing to issue this medication to Service personnel unless they can be individually assessed in accordance with the manufacturers requirements. And most of the time that is simply impossible, when a sudden, mass deployment of hundreds of troops is necessary. The report strongly recommended that Lariam should only be prescribed under strict stipulations. It should only be given to those who cannot tolerate alternative medication, only after a choice has been offered between drugs and then only after a face-to-face risk assessment had been carried out. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak waves as he leaves from Conservative Party Headquarters in central London having been announced as the winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA 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 A number of senior officers welcomed the report. General Lord Richards, who had raised concerns about Lariam when he was the head of the British military, said This is an issue of utmost seriousness and all the measures necessary should be taken as soon as possible. Concerns about Lariam has been long time, we know people who have been affected by it. So there should be no further delay. There were also calls for an investigation into the handling of the issue by the MoD. Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Marriott, of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was prescribed Lariam before going to Sierra Leone to train the countrys troops in 2003. He was told that there may be side effects, but that these would be temporary. Instead he has suffered severe long-term problems including recurring nightmares. Lt Col Marriott, who left the Army in 2008, said: There have been years of representations about this to the MoD by lots of people, including me. In that time they have been in deliberate denial, continuing to insist that the risks were somehow exaggerated. Assurances were made which were not kept; letters were lost inside the MoD. And, all the time, they kept giving out Lariam to service personnel. All this needs to be looked into. The Defence Committee said that although the MoD accepted its duty of care towards personnel who suffered Lariam side-effects, the current arrangements for doing so appear to be inadequate. It recommended that there should be a single point of contact for those who feel they have been affected and this point of contact should be publicised widely though the Chain of Command, veterans organisations, the MoD website, and armed forces magazines and publications. Discussions should also be held with the Department of Heath on possible ways of advising GPs of potential risks to veterans who may previously have been prescribed Lariam.. The law firm Hilary Meredith Solicitors say they have already been contacted by 470 former military personnel prescribed Lariam who have suffered from a range of side effects including hallucinations, severe depression, sleep deprivation and anxiety. Another firm, Irwin Mitchell, say they have received more than 30 approaches from people affected by taking the medication. Kevin Timms, of Irwin Mitchell, said : By accepting that they have used the drug outside of the manufacturers guidelines, the MoD has taken the first step to redressing military personnel concerns. We hope this is also the first step to the MOD working with us in a collaborative manner to resolve the complaints of the troops for whom we act. Philippa Tuckman, a partner at Hilary Meredith Solicitors, who provided evidence to the Inquiry said: While I would have preferred a total ban, this is a welcome and much needed recommendation. The Committee has also confirmed that the MoD has a duty of care in relation to the provision of drugs for service personnel abroad. Service personnel have a tendency to be so dedicated that they think only of the duty they owe; it doesnt occur to them that it should go both ways. Sadly, the MoD will sometimes take advantage of that to get away with providing dramatically substandard care. That is not deliberate, but the catastrophic effect on the lives of our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women is the same as if it were. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Young people across Britain are twice as likely as others not to be registered to vote in the European Union referendum, new research suggests. With the deadline to register to vote in the referendum looming on 7 June and the referendum on 23 June, the under-registration of young people could be the Leave camps secret weapon. Polls consistently show older people are significantly more in favour of leaving the EU, compared to younger people who are significantly more happy to stay in. The organisation Bite The Ballot says that around 30 per cent of young people aged 18-24 are not on the electoral register nearly twice as many as the general population. Additionally, of those on the electoral register at the May 2015 general election only 54 per cent voted, significantly lower than other age groups. The nature of the debate could be responsible for the low levels of registration. Around half of young people 45 per cent told pollsters YouGov the debate resembled a group of old men shouting at each other. Thousands of names have dropped off the electoral register due to the Governments switch to Individual Electoral Registration which scraps the old list. 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. Young people are particularly likely to have been booted off because they tend to change address often and have less data to identify them with in the Governments efforts to reconstruct the list again. Additionally, the Independent reported in October that the IER switch meant the twice as many people were falling off electoral lists in poorer areas as richest ones. There were widespread anecdotal reports at the recent local elections of young people living in private rented housing turning up to vote and finding that they had not been registered even if they had been at the general election. Mike Sani, director of Bite The Ballot, said: With as many as 7.5 million people currently not on the register, the majority from communities furthest away from politics, we need to act now to ensure that those unregistered are empowered and inspired to take a role in the decision-making process, he said. This is a decision that affects everyone. Nick Lowles, chief executive of HOPE not hate, said: This is a once in a generation opportunity for young people to directly decide the future of the country. Its vital they get registered, but also vital for both Remain and Leave campaigns to address the concerns of the young far more directly. We know that if they dont, and the voices of the young are not heard, disaffection can breed alienation. That in turn can act as a potent lure for extremists and others who would divide society. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is facing further questions about his business dealings after it was alleged he was more closely involved in the sale of his Berkshire mansion than had been previously claimed. The allegations come two days after Buckingham Palace sources strenuously denied claims by the Daily Mail that Prince Andrew acted as a fixer in a Kazakhstan business deal from which he allegedly stood to make nearly 4 million in commission. The Daily Mail has now claimed that despite the Palace having always insisted Prince Andrew had no direct involvement in the sale of Sunninghill Park, his private office was allegedly involved in discussing interior design, security, and the possible leasing of two fields bordering the property. Recommended Read more Why Kazakhstan holds the keys to the global economy The 2007 sale has long been the source of controversy because the 12-bedroom mansion, mockingly nicknamed Southyork because of its resemblance to the vulgar residence of oil baron JR Ewing in the soap opera Dallas, was bought for 3 million more than the 12 million asking price. This was despite the fact that by the time of the sale, the mansion, given by the Queen as a wedding present to Prince Andrew and his then wife Sarah Ferguson, had been on the market for five years. And after the sale, Sunninghill reportedly stood empty and decaying for eight years before the bulldozers moved in to demolish the house last October. The 2007 purchaser was listed as a firm based in the British Virgin Islands, but it was later reported that the buyer behind the offshore company was Timur Kulibayev, the oligarch son-in-law of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president of Kazakhstan. As well as having visited Kazakhstan frequently when he was the UKs trade envoy, The Duke of York has also been known to socialise with wealthy Kazakhs, including Goga Ashkenazi, who was widely reported to have had two children through an affair with Mr Kulibayev. Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew, Duke of York arrives at the Royal Albert Hall on 8 November 2014 in London Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew, the Duke of York (L) speaks to Queen Elizabeth II on the Queens stand during Derby day at the Epsom Derby Festival, in Surrey on 1 June 2013 Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew with his daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice on the Balcony at Buckingham Palace, 2013 Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Princess Beatrice (C) poses for photograph with her parents, Britain's Prince Andrew, the Duke York (L) and Sarah Ferguson following her graduation ceremony at Goldsmiths College, in London, 2011 Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrews pointless plunge down the Shard was the moment to take stock of his usefulness Getty Images Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew is the first royal to take and tweet a selfie Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew with Bahrains Crown Prince Salman bin Al-Khalifa at Royal Ascot in 2010 Getty Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew with Ilham Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan in 2009 Rex Features Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the first day of his state visit to London Getty Images Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Duke of York in his uniform REX FEATURES Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Britain's Prince Andrew speaks to the press during a meeting with Turkish Businessmen at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul on 26 May 2004 Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Wearing a traditional Guatemalan ceremonial jacket, Britains Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, turns on the tap innaugurating an irrigation system sponsored by the European community on 7 March 2002 in Nevaj, Guatemala Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew The newly wed Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and his wife Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, wave to crowds on 23 July 1986 from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London while Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Mother look on Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew and Prince Edward with their governess, Lavinia Keppel, at the Children's Book Show in Westminster, London on 7 November 1969 Prince Andrew: Life in pictures Prince Andrew Prince Andrew (bottom left) with his parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and siblings, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and little Prince Edward at Windsor Castle, 1965 Getty Images After the Sunninghill sale became public, however, spokespeople for Prince Andrew insisted there had been nothing untoward about the transaction, stating: Any suggestion that he [the Duke of York] has abused his public position is completely untrue. The sale was a straight commercial transaction." A spokesman for Mr Kulibayev was said to have told the Mail on Sunday in 2010 that the high price was just because at the time of purchase we were told that there were several interested parties and therefore we simply paid the price that was requested. Negotiations for Prince Andrew were reportedly conducted on behalf of a trust headed by the Queen's leading financial adviser, Sir Alan Reid, and a representative of her lawyers Farrer & Co. Royal spokespeople distanced Prince Andrew from the deal by insisting: This was a private sale between two trusts. The Daily Mail, however, has now claimed that Prince Andrews private office was more directly involved in negotiations. The newspaper has revealed what it says are leaked emails from Amanda Thirsk, Prince Andrews then deputy private secretary, discussing with the Crown Estate whether the purchaser could buy or lease two fields next to the house. This, the newspaper alleged, was because the Kazakh buyer was keen to enhance the security of the mansion and its surroundings. Ms Thirsk was also alleged to have emailed the Kazakh oligarch Kenges Rakishev, who reportedly helped broker the Sunninghill sale, over whether it would be possible to have armed guards stationed around the property. Ms Thirsk allegedly emailed Mr Rakishev on July 16 2007 to say: It is not possible to organise armed security in the UK unless it is provided by the police. The Daily Mail also claimed that in the same email Ms Thirsk suggested that the buyer might like to hire Annabel Hall, the owner of a firm called Private Lives, to do the interior design of the mansion. The Mail alleged that Ms Hall emailed the following week, saying it would be a pleasure to give the property a facelift since it needs imaginative transformation from a tired, empty house into a warm and beautiful home for a young family. It is understood, however, that Buckingham Palace does not believe that the emails allegedly uncovered by the Mail show the Duke of York or his private office actively engaging in negotiations over the Sunninghill sale. They are seen as merely showing someone in the Dukes private office putting relevant parties in contact with each other without actively negotiating over the transaction. Palace spokespeople, meanwhile, were standing by the earlier statements distancing Prince Andrew from the sale of Sunninghill Park. A spokesman told The Independent: The sale of Sunninghill Park was a straight commercial transaction between the trust which owned the house and the trust which bought it. In a further claim, however, the Mail said that in 2011, four years after Mr Kulibayev reportedly bought Sunninghill, Prince Andrew tried to help the Kazakh oligarch become a client of the Coutts, the bank used by the Royal Family. The Daily Mail said that a month after the Court Circular suggested Prince Andrew had met with Rory Tapner, the CEO of Coutts and head of wealth management at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which owns Coutts, he emailed Mr Rakishev. In an apparent attempt to engineer a meeting between Mr Tapner and Mr Kulibayev, Prince Andrew allegedly told Mr Rakishev: If possible, I would like to have the CEO of RBS Wealth, Rory Tapner, and John Hourican, CEO Global Markets, come to Kaz [Kazakhstan] to see TK [Kulibayev] with a view to discuss Wealth Management and GBM [Global Banking Markets]. Otherwise it could be arranged in London at TK's [Kulibayev's] convenience when or if he comes here next. The Daily Mail said it has now been told by Buckingham Palace that Prince Andrew, who works to encourage economic growth in the United Kingdom was trying to help Coutts make contact with overseas markets. Prince Andrew with his daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice on the Balcony at Buckingham Palace, 2013 The newspaper, however, claimed that the bank would not have sought a meeting with Mr Kulibayev. It quoted a source at the bank as saying: This was not, to put it mildly, a meeting that we would have been keen to take. Kazakh oligarchs are the sort of people we generally don't touch with a bargepole. A spokesman for Coutts and RBS declined to comment to The Independent. A spokeswoman for Mr Hourican told The Independent that the executive, who left RBS more than three years ago, had not heard about the email until it was mentioned in the Daily Mail. The spokeswoman said: "John Hourican does not know the Duke of York, has no knowledge of this email and did not attend a meeting with Timur Kulibayev. Indeed, he has never been to Kazakhstan." The claims come as Palace lawyers are understood to be looking at the earlier Daily Mail story which claimed the Duke helped a Greek and Swiss consortium in its efforts to secure a 385 million contract to build water and sewerage networks in two of Kazakhstans largest cities. These allegations were dismissed by a Buckingham Palace spokesman who said: Claims that the Duke of York acted as a so-called fixer for an international consortium and stood to benefit from a potential contract in Kazakhstan are untrue, defamatory and a breach of the Editors Code of Conduct. The Labour MP and former Foreign Office minister Chris Bryant, however, reacted to the allegations about the Kazakh water and sewerage deal by saying: Prince Andrew has very questionable tastes when it comes to his business relationships. Referring to Prince Andrews time as UK trade envoy, which ended in 2011 when he stepped down following controversy over his friendship with the American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Mr Bryant added: When I was at the Foreign Office it was very difficult to see in whose interests he was acting. There might be a little bit of business of Britain, but there was certainly always a lot of business for Andrew. He doesnt exactly add lustre to the Royal diadem. Hugh Williamson, of Human Rights Watch, also claimed that there was little to suggest Prince Andrew had done anything to raise concerns about possible human rights abuses in Kazakhstan. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Breaking from President Barack Obama and the White House, Senator Bernie Sanders is blasting a putative deal to install an oversight board to return order to Puerto Ricos ruinous finances saying it would make things worse not better for the islands residents. The salvo fired by Mr Sanders threatens significantly to complicate the path ahead for an accord hammered out just last week by the Republican and Democrat leaderships in the House of Representatives with explicit White House support. Recommended Read more Puerto Rico to default on debt payment In a letter to colleagues in the US Senate, Mr Sanders urges them to reject the plan when it comes to their chamber for a vote, saying it would make a terrible situation even worse. He made the intervention with at least one eye on his battle for the Democratic nomination - one of the very last Democrat primaries will be held on the island in two weeks on 5 June. As it stands now, the proposal would give extensive powers to the new authority to introduce severe social spending cuts and restructure the islands $70 in debt. Puerto Rico has already defaulted on almost $1bn in debt payments and is set to miss a bigger $2bn payment on 1 July. The tropical and essentially bankrupt isle, which as a territory of the US is neither an actual state nor a sovereign country in its own right - islanders have US passports, however, and can vote for presidents - is also struggling with a roughly $40bn shortfall in state pension obligations. While the government of Puerto Rico in San Juan had been begging Congress to do something to help it deal with the default crisis, it did not favour establishing an oversight board with such wide discretion essentially to run rough-shod over the islands own elected representatives. That is at the heart of the Mr Sanders objections. The Senator claims, for instance, that the new unelected and undemocratic oversight board would give the Governor leeway to slash the minimum wage to a paltry $4.25 an hour for as long as five years. "We must stop treating Puerto Rico like a colony and start treating the American citizens of Puerto Rico with the respect and dignity that they deserve," he wrote to Senate colleagues. Puerto Rico is in a ten-year slump that has spurred an accelerating exodus to the US mainland. For the population of about 3.5 million left behind, the crisis has seen rapidly deteriorating services, including shuttering of schools and hospitals, and rising taxes. With more than 67 delegates up for grabs in the 5 June primary, both the Hillary Clinton campaign and Mr Sanders have been vigorously courting its voters. Former President Bill Clinton also spent part of last week hopscotching between its biggest cities. On his own swing through the island last week, Mr Sanders said it was time to end the twilight status of the island. He urged the holding of a new referendum giving islanders a chance to choose between remaining with the status quo, becoming the 51st state of the US or cutting the cord and becoming a sovereign nation. "It is time for the people of Puerto Rico to be allowed to take charge of their political future and for the United States of America to redefine its legal relationship with the people of this Island," Sanders said at one rally in San Juan. "The people of Puerto Rico should not and cannot provide colonial like treatment of its citizens, the people of the United States cannot continue colonial-like relationship with the people of Puerto Rico. Mr Sanders, who has vowed to keep battling Ms Clinton all the way to the Democratic Convention even though he has virtually no chance to stop her becoming the partys nominee, has also gone further than her or anyone else arguing that the only short-term solution for Puerto Rico is a federal reserve bail-out, a step that would be anathema to Republicans. If the Federal Reserve could bail out Wall Street, it can help the 3.5 million American citizens in Puerto Rico improve its economy and lift its children out of poverty, he said. Under current law, the Federal Reserve has the authority. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Supreme Court has thrown out a death sentence given to a black man by an all-white jury, because Georgia prosecutors kept African-Americans from jury selection. In the 71 ruling on Monday, justices ruled in favour of Timothy Tyrone Foster, who was convicted of killing an elderly white woman three decades ago. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the court determined prosecutors went against the courts 1986 decision in Batson v Kentucky that laid out rules against racial discrimination in the jury selection process. Recommended Read more The death penalty situation in the US has just become even more absurd The focus on race in the prosecution's file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury, Mr Roberts said. Mr Fosters defense obtained jury selection notes by the prosecutors through an open records request, USA Today reports. During the selection process, the notes showed the highlighted names of black prospective jurors who had circled black on questionnaires. They were identified as B#1, B#2, and B#3. The remaining black jurors were ranked on the top of a list labeled definite Nos, according to the report. Justice Clarence Thomas, the Courts only black justice, was the only dissenting voice. Foster's new evidence does not justify this court's reassessment of who was telling the truth nearly three decades removed from voir dire, Mr Thomas wrote. Mr Foster will now have a chance to receive a retrial. During the original trial, the Associated Press says, his defense did not contest his guilt, but instead attributed it to a troubled upbringing, mental illness, and drug abuse. They objected to the lack of black jurors at the time, but the trial judge had said they were chosen based on factors other than race. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brazils interim leader Michel Temer is facing his first full-blown political crisis following the release of tape recordings seemingly showing that the suspension two weeks ago of President Dilma Rousseff was the result less of legitimate constitutional complaints and more of a plot. After a day of frantic speculation in the capital, Brasilia, the countrys barely installed planning minister and top Temer ally, Romero Juca, announced he was temporarily stepping aside after admitting earlier in the day that his was one of two voices heard on the tape Recommended Read more Rousseff will be remembered for more than recession and corruption Starting from tomorrow, I will step aside, Mr Juca told a huddle of reporters in the capital Brasilia. The drama around him comes just as Mr Temer is embarking on a rapid-fire set of reforms to try to tackle Brazils spiraling economy. Getting them to stick will now be more difficult and his opponents will be emboldened to protest his proposed reforms. Mr Temer became interim president of Latin Americas largest economy earlier this month after the upper chamber of the National Congress voted to suspend Ms Rousseff and begin an impeachment trial against her on charges she fiddled the nations books to paper over a dire budget deficit. She and her allies contended however that she was in fact a victim of a coup. The bomb was dropped on the Temer team early Monday when one of Brazils leading papers, the Folha de Sao Paulo, released chunks of a 75-minute conversation from early March between Mr Juca, who was then a Senator, and Sergio Machado, also a former senator and the head of a state oil company. Who made the tape and why is not clear. The excerpts depict the two men discussing their distaste for the long-running Car Wash' probe of widespread kickbacks and bribes involving the oil giant Petrobras and numerous senior political figures and how only by removing Ms Rousseff would they be able to stymie it. In an earlier press conference, before confirming his decision to step aside, Mr Juca insisted that the paper had taken parts of the taped conversation out of context. There isnt the tiniest chance of any interference of the executive power in any sort of investigation, he said. Personally, Ive always defended the Lava Jato (Carwash) operation Ive always said that I consider the Lava Jato operation a positive change in Brazilian politics, a paradigm change for the relationship between political parties, candidates and companies. But his protestations may not bail him out, in part because the parts of the tape released by the paper seem to back up precisely what many of Ms Rousseffs defenders have been insisting: that her foes had been maneuvering behind the scenes for months to get rid of her. We have to stop this shit, Mr Juca is heard saying of the Car Wash probe on the tape. We have to change the government to be able to stop this bleeding. Mr Macado is then heard to say: The easiest solution would be to put in Michel [Temer]. They were talking just weeks before the lower chamber of Congress moved first to begin the impeachment process. As alarming as anything, however, are remarks made by Mr Juca suggesting that he had directly sought - and received - reassurances of support for an effort to displace Ms Rousseff from both the Brazilian military and its Supreme Court, comments which seem to show a deliberate blurring of constitutional demarcations between different arms of the state. Any notion of connivance with the military to oust a president in particular will spread alarm among those Brazilians who havent forgotten their countrys long period of military dictatorship ending only 1985. I am talking to the generals, the military commanders, the then senator is heard telling Mr Machado. They are fine with this, they said they will guarantee it. Members of the Workers Party who have found themselves sidelined alongside Ms Rousseff, its leader, since her ouster, seized on the revelations as evidence that the Brazilian people had been duped by the claims that the impeachment move was legitimate. This only confirms what we have been talking about for some time: it confirms the coup against Dilma, said Paulo Rocha, the Senate leader for her Workers Party. On the tape, Mr Juca is also heard suggesting that the Brazilian press has also been brought on side. The press wants to take her [Dilma] out, he is heard saying. Dozens of top political figures both from Ms Rousseffs Workers Party and from the more centrist Democratic Movement Party of Mr Temer have been imprisoned or charged in the still widening Car Wash probe. Seven of Mr Temers ministers were picked for his cabinet in spite of being under investigation. Investigators have said that kickbacks paid to politicians and government officials came to more than $2 billion. The sudden emergence of the tapes sent both Brazils main stock index and its currency down on Monday as investors feared Mr Temers promise of economic reforms were in peril. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Maryland judge acquitted Baltimore police officer Edward Nero of assault and other charges in relation to the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, who suffered a fatal spinal injury while in police custody. Officer Edward Nero was charged with second-degree assault, misconduct in office, and reckless endangerment. Mr Nero waived his right to a jury trial. Judge Barry Williams issued the verdict Monday morning. This is our American system of justice and police officers must be afforded the same justice system as every other citizen in this city, state, and country, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement following the judge's decision. Anticipating protests, she added: In the case of any disturbance in the city, we are prepared to respond. We will protect our neighbourhoods, our business, and the people of our city. Activist leader and former Baltimore mayoral candidate Deray McKesson criticised the lack of police accountability in the aftermath of the verdict. "Although the criminal case against Officer Edward Nero has come to a close, the internal investigation has not, Baltimore Police spokesperson TJ Smith said in a statement, adding that the internal investigation will continue until the criminal investigations for all six officers charged have concluded. Freddie Gray, 25, died on 19 April 2015, one week after his arrest, which prosecutors say was unjustified. Officers allegedly placed Mr Gray in the back of a police van handcuffed and shackled at his feet, but left unsecured to his seat. Defense attorneys say that it was not Mr Neros responsibility to fasten Mr Grays safety belt as we was not the driver of the police transport van. They also argue that the BPD rule for fastening suspects inside of vehicles upon arrest is more suggestion than rule, as each situation requires the officers to use their discretion based on the circumstances, the Associated Press reports. Mr Nero, 30, is the second officer to stand trial for the arrest of Freddie Gray - whose death led to more than a week of protests in the city. Officer William Porter faced manslaughter charges, but his trial ended with a hung jury. Mr Porter will receive a retrial in September. The City of Baltimore reached a $6.4m (4.4m) wrongful death settlement with the Gray family in September. The settlement itself will have no bearing on the ongoing criminal trials of the officers who arrested Mr Gray. Mayor Rawlings-Blake said that the settlement would help the city avoid a long, drawn-out civil suit. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A man accused of killing a police officer during a routine traffic stop has been killed in a gunfight with police, officials have said. Authorities believed Jorge Zambrano shot Officer Ronald Tarentino in Auburn, Massachusetts on Sunday. They closed in on him in the nearby town of Oxford later that day. As officers approached him inside a housing complex Zambrano, 35, burst out of a bedroom closet and opened fire on officers, investigators said. "The suspect appeared from inside a closet and fired on the troopers, striking one of them," said State Police Colonel Richard McKeon. "The State Police Special Tactical Operations team returned fire and struck the suspect." Zambrano, who authorities said had a criminal history, was taken to hospital, where he died. The unidentified injured officer, a former Navy Seal, suffered a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. "I'm extremely proud of the work done by every trooper and officer involved in today's investigation and tactical operation," said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Richard McKeon. "My pride is outweighed only by my sorrow for the Tarentino family and the Auburn police, and my concern over our injured trooper." Tarentino, 42, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had been with the Auburn police force for two years and leaves behind a wife and three children. Officials said Zambrano fled the scene after the shooting. They later learned that he was at the Oxford duplex and spotted what they believed was his vehicle parked behind the building. It remained unclear why Zambrano may have shot Tarentino or why he went to the duplex. 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 threat he [Zambrano] posed to our community is now over," Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis said. "We now continue the process of speaking for Officer Tarentino by continuing to investigate all the facts and circumstances of his homicide. We owe his family a thorough accounting of everything that occurred." State and local police officers lined up outside of the hospital on Sunday as a police vehicle, escorted by a procession, took Tarentino's body to the state medical examiner's office in Boston, where the vehicle was met by another large contingent of officers. There have been 37 police officers killed in the US so far this year,19 of which were firearms related, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A teenager has been arrested after allegedly stabbing his friend in the stomach with a samurai sword during a sleepover at a house in Herriman, in Utah. Police have speculated that the unidentified 17-year-old may have suffered a psychotic breakdown, leading to the attack. They say they know of no other reason why it might have taken place. The victim, also 17, was attacked at around 6am on Saturday morning, when he was stabbed through the torso. It is not known if he was sleeping at the time of the attack. It was a tragic, very uncommon and strange event," Unified Police Lieutenant Lex Bell told local media. Recommended Read more Japanese actor dies from being stabbed with samurai sword in rehearsal "The question of the day is: Why did this happen? The two had been friends for years, as I understand it." Lt Bell described the incident: "When the father gets in the room, the suspect is trying to get another weapon to stab the victim again, it sounds like. So the father grabbed him and there was a physical altercation." Officials said the family called the police and an officer soon turned up and fired a Tazer at the attacker in an attempt to pacify him. He was forced to grab onto the suspect and try to physically restrain him and get him into handcuffs, but the suspect fought extremely hard," Lt Bell said. "It turned into quite a fight." Attending fire-fighters who were waiting outside as per protocol heard the struggle and decided to go into the house. "They could hear how out-of-control this fight was," said Lt Bell. Thankfully they made the decision to go in anyway [ignoring procedure], and by doing that they absolutely saved the life of our victim and very well could have saved the life of the suspect. Who knows what direction that could have gone." He added: We're extremely grateful to the Unified Fire Authority for ably coming into a situation that was not secure and risking their own lives to save our victim, our officer and that family." It was only with the help of the firemen the attacker was subdued and first aid was provided the victim, who was later taken to hospital in an extremely critical condition. Police said drugs were being looked into as a possible cause for the incident. "He was obviously having some sort of psychotic episode," Lt Bell said. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The University of Miami will hire the worlds first atheist studies chair after receiving a $2.2 million donation from retired Florida businessman Louis Appignani. Appignani, 83, is the former president of the Barbizon International Modeling School and has made large donations to humanist and secular causes in the past. Im trying to eliminate discrimination against atheists, Appignani told The New York Times. So this is a step in that direction, to make atheism legitimate. Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and Appignanis friend, also praised the universitys decision. I wish to congratulate the University of Miami for agreeing to establish this position, and Lou Appignani for endowing it, Dawkins said in a statement via the Center for Inquiry which is in the process of merging with the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science. Thomas LeBlanc, the universitys executive vice president and CEO, said that the college is not taking an advocacy position. "Our religion department isn't taking an advocacy position when it teaches about Catholicism or Islam, LeBlanc told The Times. Similarly, we're not taking an advocacy position when we teach about atheism or secular ethics." He said the university was at first hesitant to use atheism in the name of the curriculum, but opted to reflect the growing climate of Americans leaving religion behind. According to the Pew Research Center, 23 percent of Americans do not identify with a religious group, and 35 percent of millennials also identify with atheism, agnosticism or no religion at all. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe is under investigation over donations to his gubernatorial campaign. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department sources told CNN on Monday that the investigation has been underway for at least one year, but the governor has not been contacted by investigators. McAuliffes attorney Marc Elias told NBC that while he cannot confirm the reports, his client will certainly cooperate with the government if he is contacted about it. Sources close to the investigation told CNN that Chinese businessman Wang Wenliang made a $120,000 donation to the campaign and is part of the investigation. The probe also includes McAuliffe's time spent on the board of the Clinton Global Initiative, a vehicle established by former President Bill Clinton. In the past, Wang has also donated $2 million to the initiative. Foreign nations are prohibited from donating to federal, state or local campaigns, however, Wang apparently holds permanent resident status in the US and has not been contacted by investigators. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A woman who lost her eyesight in an acid attack in 2002 has been gangraped in Pakistan, according to police. The victim's neighbour, Muhammed Younus, and two friends, Saleem and Khalid, have been accused of sexually assaulting the women, deputy superintendent Saddar Akram Niazi said. Police say two of the three men have been detained and the victim has been medically examined to establish rape, The Express Tribune reported. The woman, the wife of a day labourer, has a poor family and had apparently been receiving financial assistance and charity from Mr Younus. The paper alleges the man met the woman at the Tehsil Headquarters hospital in Layyah where her 12-year-old daughter was having a medical check-up. He persuaded the woman to go to his home, claiming he had a Rs 3,000 (30) Zakat charity donation for her. Her family told the paper that once there the woman and her daughter were tied up, and the victim was then assaulted by the three men in another room. Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas Mr Younus apparently threatened to rape the womans daughter if she told anyone what had happened. In 2002, the victim lost her eyesight after her cousin threw acid on her because she refused his marriage proposal. The cousin was convicted and served six years in jail. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Indian person has died on Mount Everest, to become the third fatality in as many days on the world's tallest mountain. Subash Paul, 43, had scaled the mountain on Saturday but died the following day because of exhaustion, according to Wangchu Sherpa of the Trekking Camp Nepal company. Two other people have also died on the mountain in the last few days, apparently from altitude sickness. Eric Arnold, 35, had bottled oxygen with him, but complained of feeling weak and died on Friday night before he was able to get to a lower altitude. Dr Maria Strydom, a 34-year-old finance lecturer at Monash University, died while descending from the summit on Saturday. An experienced climber, Dr Strydom apparently sought to climb the mountain with her husband, Robert Gropel, to prove vegans were not weak. "It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak," Dr Strydom had said in a university interview. "By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more." An expedition is now being arranged to retrieve the bodies of the climbers. 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 news comes as 30 people are reported to have become sick or frostbitten on Mount Everest over the weekend. Pemba Sherpa of the Seven Summit Treks agency in Kathmandu said an Indian climber who was unable to move due to frostbite had been carried to a lower camp, where attempts were being made to pick her up by helicopter. Two Indian climbers have also been reported missing. Paresh Nath and Goutam Ghosh were last seen on Saturday. The unfortunate sequence of events has raised questions about safety standards of Everest trekking companies, as some cut-price local companies compete for business as international outfits have scaled back operations. "Many climbers without any experience crowd Everest every year, and companies often use poor quality equipment... offering cheap packages to clients who are exposed to security risks," said Nepal Mountaineering Association Chief, Ang Tshering Sherpa. He added: "Climbers with well-managed companies employing experienced guides are safe." Hiking representatives blame the government, which charges $11,000 for each Everest permit, for failing to spend any money on safety measures. The government collected $3.1 million from the permit fees of 289 climbers so far this year. But government officials blame inadequate preparation on the part of climbers. "The deaths were not due to accident or the crowd," Tourism Department official Sudarshan Dhakal said. "Energy loss and altitude sickness mean that they were not well prepared." Good weather over the past two weeks has allowed more than 350 climbers to reach the summit this month from the Nepali side of Everest and several people climbed from Tibet. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The US has lifted a decades-long embargo on the export of arms to Vietnam in a historic step that draws a line under the two countries' old enmity and underscores their shared concerns about Beijing's growing military clout. The move comes during President Obama's first trip to Hanoi in an attempt to develop ties between the two nations in the face of an increasingly aggressive China. Mr Obama said the move was intended as a step toward normalising relations and to eliminate a "lingering vestige of the Cold War". "At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation," the President said, adding that he expected deepening cooperation between the two nation's militaries. Recommended Read more Obama to visit Vietnam amid tensions in South China Sea Mr Obama is seeking to strike a diplomatic balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang said: Vietnam very much appreciates the US decision to completely lift the ban on lethal weapon sales to Vietnam, which is the clear proof that both countries have completely normalised relations. 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 US lawmakers and activists have previously urged Mr Obama to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before lidfting the embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners. The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. From Laos with love. Vietnam bombs become NY jewellery Mr Obama arrived in Hanoi late on Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with the emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for US goods and an offset to China's growing strength. He is expected to make the case for the approval of the controversial 12-nation Trans-Pacific Trade agreement, which has stalled in Congress and faces strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Australian woman who died after reaching the summit of Mount Everest had wanted to prove that vegans can do anything. Dr Maria Strydom, 34, from Melbourne, Australia, died of apparent altitude sickness while descending the summit of Mount Everest on Saturday. Her husband, Robert Gropel, who was part of the climbing team, suffered a high altitude pulmonary oedema while descending the mountain but survived the journey. Both Dr Strydom and her husband were experienced climbers and had made the decision to climb the seven summits the highest peaks of the seven continents in a bid to prove that vegans can do anything. In an interview conducted by Monash Universitys Business School where Dr Strydom was a finance lecturer, she said the couple had been inspired to climb the seven summits after following repeated questions about whether they had iron or protein deficiencies. It seems that people have this warped idea of being malnourished and weak, she said. By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more. Nervous return to Everest a year after deadly avalanche A Dutch man who was part of the same expedition died just hours before Dr Strydom of apparent altitude sickness. Eric Arnold, 35, had enough bottled oxygen with him, as well as climbing partners, but he complained of getting weak and died on Friday night near South Col before he was able to get to a lower altitude. In a local television interview earlier this year he had said conquering Everest was a childhood dream. The deaths of Dr Strydom and Mr Arnold were the first confirmed this year on Everest. A third man, Subash Paul, 43, from India, has since died after reaching the mountains summit, reportedly from exhaustion. Aletta Newman, Dr Strydoms sister, told the Australian Associated Press that Mr Gropel is able to speak but is absolutely distraught - hes absolutely broken. Hes very determined not to leave Nepal without his wife. The deaths were reported after the first climbers since 2014 were reported to have reached the top of Mount Everest following a series of natural disasters that stopped climbers from scaling the mountain. A deadly earthquake in 2015 and a fatal avalanche the year before had forced climbers to retreat, with last year's climbing season completely abandoned. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A man who forced his transgender step-daughter into sex acts over a period of 13 years has pleaded guilty to incest. The man from Melbourne, Australia, who cannot be named, was caught after his step-daughter filmed his abuse on her iPad. He has pleaded guilty to four counts of incest at a court in Victoria and faces up to 25 years in prison. The court heard how the man began forcing himself on his step-daughter in 2002 when she was 19-years-old, just a year after she had undergone gender realignment surgery. Recommended Read more Security guard arrested after blocking transgender woman from lavatory When the step-father first attempted to kiss his step-daughter, he said: I just cant help myself, youve become such a beautiful woman, the court heard. He was pushed away by his step-daughter, but later forced himself on her when his wife was at church, telling her: I know youve wanted this since your operation. He threatened to financially ruin the womans mother if she spoke of his forced sexual activity. He repeated the threat each time he forced himself on his step-daughter, leaving the woman feeling unable to stop him, prosecutor John Livitsanos told the court, the Australian Associated Press reported. He would tell the complainant she was his second wife and she should be happy because not many men would want to be with a woman like her referring to the fact that she was transgender, Mr Livitsanos said. She did not know how to make him stop. On one occasion the man took his step-daughter to a hotel, claiming it was their honeymoon with the intention of having vaginal sex with her for the first time. The step-daughter, who had not yet been sexually active as a woman, said she was not ready. Mr Livitsanos told the court that despite the woman being scared of being damaged, and despite her cries of pain, the step-father forced himself on her anyway. Over the 13-year period the step-father forced himself on the transgender woman three or four times a week, Mr Livitsanos told the court, to the point where the woman lost count how many times it had happened, The Victoria Age reported. The man told his step-daughter last year he wanted to film the sex and watch it at work, which gave her the idea to record his abuse by filming it on her iPad, the court heard. Her step-father discovered her iPad leading to a struggle for the device that left the woman with bruises on her hands and head. The man the shouted Your daughter wants it. She wants me to f*** her at his wife when she walked in. He was arrested later that day and claimed the incest had lasted six years, with around 30 incidents in that time, the newspaper reported. In a statement read by her brother in court, the woman said her step-father stole my life and I feel watered down to the bone. The plea hearing continues. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Barack Obama said Monday that the violent death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour by a US airstrike should send a clear signal to anti-American extremists that we're going to protect our people. Obama also said Mansour's death was an important milestone in the yearslong effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. It has been confirmed that he is dead, Obama said Monday during his first visit to Vietnam. He is an individual who, as head of the Taliban, was specifically targeting US personnel and troops inside of Afghanistan who Obama sent there to help counter terrorism and help train Afghan troops. Mansour was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistan province of Baluchistan, though it was unclear whether the airstrike took place on Friday or Saturday. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last year. Obama authorised the attack and was briefed before and after it was carried out, aides said. Speaking at a news conference following his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Obama said the fatal attack on Mansour did not represent a change in US military strategy in Afghanistan, which is to help train Afghan forces. Obama ended the US combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. We are not re-entering the day-to-day combat operations that are currently being conducted by Afghan security forces, Obama said. Our job is to help Afghanistan secure its own country, not to have our men and women in uniform engage in that fight for them. On the other hand, where we have a high-profile leader who has been consistently part of plans and operations to potentially harm US personnel and who has been resistant to the kinds of peace talks and reconciliation that ultimately could bring an end to decades of war in Afghanistan, then it is my responsibility as commander in chief not to stand by, but to make sure that we send a clear signal to the Taliban and others that we're going to protect our people. And that's exactly the message that has been sent, Obama said. War artists in Afghanistan Show all 6 1 /6 War artists in Afghanistan War artists in Afghanistan Work by Matthew Cook Matthew Cook War artists in Afghanistan War artists in Afghanistan Work by Jules George Jules George War artists in Afghanistan Embedded: Jules George War artists in Afghanistan Work by Jules George Jules George War artists in Afghanistan Trooping the colours: Jules George was inspired by his father and grandfather to witness and document war, if not to wage it Jules George Mansour was chosen to head the Afghan Taliban last summer after the revelation of Omar's death in 2013. The Taliban is the most powerful insurgent group in the war-ravaged country, where an estimated 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded and 5,500 government troops and police officers died last year alone. The Taliban seized power in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan according to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law until the group was toppled by a US-led invasion following the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. Almost 15 years later, about 13,000 troops are in the country from a US-NATO coalition, including around 9,800 Americans. While they are mostly focused on training and helping Afghan government forces battle the insurgency, about 3,000 troops are conducting counterterrorism operations against the Taliban and the extremist groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State. In a written statement issued before the news conference, Obama said Mansour's death marked an important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan. Obama said Mansour had rejected Afghan government efforts to engage in peace talks with the Taliban with the goal of ending violence that has killed thousands. He called on the organization to choose the path toward peace. The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability,Obama said. Associated Press For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The fate of Austrias political future will be decided by 700,000 postal votes, with the final results expected on Monday afternoon. Little separated the two presidential candidates the right-wing Norbert Hofer and former Green Alexander Van der Bellen in the direct votes on Sunday, with Mr Hofer narrowly leading 51.9% to 48.1%. The postal ballots, which make up approximately 13 per cent of the 4.85 million votes, are expected to favour independent candidate Mr Van der Bellen, and final projections put each candidate at 50 per cent. Last months initial presidential elections eliminated the Social Democratic party and Peoples Party nominees, meaning the position will not be held by someone nominated by either for the first time since the end of the Second World War It also marked the first time the president has not been decided in the first round of voting since 1992. The elections illustrate a strong divide in Austrian politics, with Mr Van der Bellen advocating for liberal refugee policies and a stronger, more unified EU, while the Freedom Partys far-right Eurosceptic candidate Mr Hofer has been calling for closed borders. Austrias constitution provides the president with the power to sack the government and dissolve parliament, although the convention is these powers are not really exercised. However, Mr Van Bellen has said he would not sign in a Freedom Party chancellor, even if they won the next general election. 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Show all 21 1 /21 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Portugal drinks more wine than France Tindo - Fotolia 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Young Italians, by some distance, are the most likely to live at home with their parents 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Britain is on course to overtake Germany as Europes most populated country 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Greek workers work the longest hours in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Estonia has, per capita, more drug-related deaths than anyone else 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The fastest download speeds are to be found in Romania 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Slovenia, Malta and Poland have the smallest gender pay gaps 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe France hates its leader more than other European countries 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Eastern and Western Europe are very divided on the issue of gay marriage 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany has the most millionaires 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone likes Christmas, apart from France 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany accepts by far the most asylum applications 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The UK and France have some of the most positive views of Muslim people 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Europe's largest Muslim population is in Germany 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Danes are the most trusting Europeans, and Cypriots the least 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Finland has the worst economy in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Italy has cut back its military spending more than any other major European Nato member 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone is sad about the refugee crisis 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe People in Spain are also the most likely to live in flats (Brits are most likely to live in houses) 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Spain is the most likely to feel neighbourly 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Luxembourg is home to the highest proportion of foreign nationals Meanwhile Mr Hofer has vowed to dismiss Austrias current coalition government consisting of the Social Democrats and Peoples Party should they not do a better job. But political scientists feel whichever candidate is elected they will have to tone down their message if they are to achieve anything, with Professor Peter Filzmaier saying: If they constantly take positions without being able to enact their views, they will soon have the image of a ranting heckler who cannot accomplish anything politically. Professor Anton Pelinka added: The president can function only if he cooperates with the government. I therefore see any outcome as having major atmospheric but less immediate political significance. Press Association contributed to this report. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Producers of the Italian hard cheese Grana Padano have instructed their lawyers to sue the US soap-opera The Bold and the Beautiful after claiming a joke on the show damaged their brand. In a scene broadcast last year, the show's protagonist Charlie Webber is cooking dinner but realises he has bought Grana Padano cheese instead of the better known Parmigiano Reggiano, or parmesan cheese. He then "shudders with distaste" after realising he has bought the wrong cheese, before giving up on cooking dinner, Corriere della Sera reports. Producers of Grana Padano were unhappy with the joke and say it has damaged their brand. 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 Lawyers for the Grana Padano Consortium have filed a damages complaint against the US show, They had first checked with Italian channel Mediaset, which broadcasts the show in Italy, to see if the dubbed version was faithful to the original. The screenwriting breaks US comparative advertising laws due to the disparaging tone and attitude the actor shows towards our product, Stefano Berni, the consortium's director, said in a translation by the Local. He added: The problem is that Grana Padano, much like The Bold and the Beautiful, is a global product and the negative message could easily have reached hundreds of millions of people." The Power of Cheese! Dairy Company Uses Cheese to Generate Electricity It is currently unknown how much compensation the consortium has requested. The Bold and the Beautiful is produced by CPS and has been running since 1987. The show is broadcast to between 300 and 500 million viewers each day in over 100 countries. The USA is currently the second biggest foreign market for Grana Padano, after Germany, where the show is also broadcast. Italy exports more than 750 million of the hard cheese each year. The Grana Padana Consortium and the producers of The Bold and the Beautiful have been approached for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} More than one in five school-aged refugee children in Greece have never been to school, a study has revealed. Child refugees stranded in Greece have been out of school for on average 1.5 years, and many of them cannot even hold a pencil, according to new research by aid agency Save the Children. Syrian child refugees have been away from the classroom for the longest - with an average of over two years (25.8 months) out of the classroom. Afghan child refugees have been out of school for an average of 10.7 months. Recommended Read more Greek court blocks EU plan to send Syrian refugees back to Turkey Some teachers in the camps have set up make-shift classrooms, but they say the children are already lagging far behind the schooling levels they should be attaining. Sacha Myers, Save the Children's communications manager, said: Several refugee teachers have started their own initiatives with the small amount of materials they have. One primary school teacher from Syria who is now living in Nea Kavala has cleared a space in her tent and has 25 children attending Arabic and maths classes. She told our staff the children have not learnt anything for three or four years. Many don't even know how to hold a pencil or sit and listen in class. In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing for food at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees' tents at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Oxy transit camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos The graves of drowned refugees in Mytilene, Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos A building used to house unaccompanied children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing to register at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees arriving on smugglers' boats from Turkey in Lesbos The study, conducted in northern Greece, collected information on around 130 children between the ages of 6 to 17 years old. Rowan, 12, whose name had been changed to protect her identity, was among the children interviewed. She fled from Syria with her family four years ago when she was in the equivalent of Year 3 and has not been to school since. Until a few months ago, her family had been staying in Turkey, but they did not have the money to send her to school there. She said: Now I should be in middle school. I feel like I missed so many things. We used to do theatre with the other children. I wish to go to school again. My family has tried to teach me some things since I left school. In Syria I was good and I enjoyed meeting the other children every day, playing together and learning. It is different when you have to do it all by yourself. The only thing that I used to do in school that I still do is drawing. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, CEO of Save the Children International, said: Children who have risked everything to reach Europe are now wasting the best years of their lives, in refugee camps, in detention centres, and behind border fences and walls. Many know nothing more than conflict, violence, forced displacement, and their current deplorable conditions which offer little hope for their futures. More than three quarters of the refugee children interviewed said going to school was one of their top priorities. Ninety-nine percent of children and parents surveyed said war and displacement were the main barriers to accessing education. In Syria, one in five schools have been damaged, destroyed or occupied. Around 2.8 million Syrian children are currently out of school. Once displaced for six months a refugee is likely to remain displaced for at least three years, with the average length of displacement now estimated at 17 years almost an entire childhood. Save the Children is currently scaling up its education activities in Greece to provide child refugees with access to basic education through temporary classrooms. The agency has been providing non-formal lessons including English and Greek classes through its child friendly spaces for refugees in Greece. Refugees and migrants from Afghanistan make up 25 per cent of Mediterranean sea arrivals in Greece, with 49 per cent coming from Syria. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The recent shake-up of the Israeli cabinet has led to former prime minister Ehud Barak warn the government's new direction show the "seeds of fascism". Benjamin Netanyahu, the conservative Israeli prime minister, has recently given up efforts for form a centre-left coalition with liberal rivals in favour of joining up with the ultra-nationalist party, Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home). With the new addition, the government's parliamentary share from 61 to 67 seats in the 120-member parliament. Yirael Beiteinu's leader Avignor Lieberman has been reportedly offered the defence minister position inspiring the current Defence minister, Moshe Yaalon , to resign and quit Netanyahu's Likud party. Yaalon, a former head of the Israeli Defence Force, said he was resigning due to "a lack of trust" in Netanyahu's leadership. Lieberman, a West Bank settler, has previously caused controversy by calling for 'disloyal' Israeli Arabs to be beheaded. Moshe Arens, a former defence and foreign minister, has said the reshuffle has wide ranging rammifications. The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Getty Images The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child He wrote in the centre-left Haaretz newspaper:"Yaalon's ouster is likely to be a turning point in Israel's political history. "A political earthquake is in the offing. It may take a little time, but it is coming. The law of unforeseen consequences is at work." The long-serving military affairs correspondent on Israel's Channel 2, Roni Daniel, reacted to Yaalon's resignation live on air saying: "I cannot urge my children to stay here, because it is a place that is not nice to be in." In an attempt to quell rising criticism, Netanyahu said in a news conference he was in charge and had the nation's interests at heart. "I'm looking out for the country's future. I have proved that as prime minister. I hear a lot of voices; many things are said in politics," he said. "Ultimately, it's the prime minister who directs everything together with the defence minister, with the chief of staff, and apparently I haven't done such a bad job during my years as prime minister -- that's the way it is going to be now." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Iraqi forces have launched an operation to retake the Islamic State-held city of Fallujah. The military was "approaching a moment of great victory" against IS, said prime minister Haider al-Abadi in a TV address late on Sunday night, surrounded by top military commanders from the Ministry of Defence and the country's elite counter-terrorism forces. Fallujah is about 40 miles west of Baghdad and has been under the control of IS for more than two years. The announcement comes at a time of deepening political and social unrest in Baghdad. Clashes between protesters and Iraqi security forces inside Baghdad's highly-fortified Green Zone compound left two people dead after security forces fired tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowds. More than 100 people were wounded, hospital and police sources said. The Green Zone houses most Iraqi government ministries and foreign embassies. Mr al-Abadi's office released the results of a preliminary investigation on Sunday that claimed police and military guards did not fire directly into the crowd of demonstrators. Many of the protesters were supporters of powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has led months of demonstrations and sit-ins calling for government reforms. Al-Sadr has since issued a statement condemning the use of force against "peaceful" demonstrations and vowed to continue to support the "revolution" against the government. Mr al-Abadi spoke by phone with US president Barack Obama on Saturday and "agreed on the critical importance of improving the security" of Baghdad and the Green Zone, according to a White House statement. It added that the two leaders also discussed progress being made in the campaign against IS. Iraq's political crisis has left the government deadlocked as security forces struggle to fight IS. In the midst of the political crisis Iraqi ground forces backed by US-led coalition air support have achieved a number of territorial gains against IS, most recently in Iraq's vast western Anbar province. Last week. Iraqi forces pushed IS out of the western town of Rutba, 240 miles west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar province. Last month, Iraqi forces cleared territory along Anbar's Euphrates river valley after the provincial capital Ramadi was declared fully liberated earlier this year. However Fallujah is expected to be a complicated fight. The city is still home to tens of thousands of civilians and has been under IS rule longer than any other territory recently retaken by Iraqi forces. In pictures: The rise of Isis Show all 74 1 /74 In pictures: The rise of Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from Islamic State group sit on their tank during a parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from the Islamic State group pray at the Tabqa air base after capturing it from the Syrian government in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from extremist Islamic State group parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping A video uploaded to social networks shows men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road before being allegedly executed by Isis Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Haruna Yukawa after his capture by Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Khalinda Sharaf Ajour, a Yazidi, says two of her daughters were captured by Isis militants Washington Post In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Spokesperson for Isis Vice News via Youtube In pictures: The rise of Isis A pro-Isis leaflet A pro-Isis leaflet handed out on Oxford Street In London Ghaffar Hussain In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Isis Jihadists burn their passports In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A man collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A woman collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid Local civilians queue for aid administered by Isis. Since it declared a caliphate the group has increasingly been delivering services such as healthcare, and distributing aid and free fuel In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces detain men suspected of being militants of the Isis group in Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Mourners carry the coffin of a Shi'ite volunteer from the brigades of peace, who joined the Iraqi army and was killed during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Samarra, during his funeral in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Shiite Turkmen family fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, arrives at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi A photograph made from a video by the jihadist affiliated group Furqan Media via their twitter account allegedly showing Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in the territory under the group's control in Iraq and Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Smoke and debris go up in the air as Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul. Images posted online show that Islamic extremists have destroyed at least 10 ancient shrines and Shiite mosques in territory - the city of Mosul and the town of Tal Afar - they have seized in northern Iraq in recent weeks In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq A bulldozer destroys Sunni's Ahmed al-Rifai shrine and tomb in Mahlabiya district outside of Tal Afar In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces celebrate after clashes with followers of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi, in front of his home in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi at his home after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A vehicle burns in front of a home of a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman holds her exhausted son as over 1000 Iraqis who have fled fighting in and around the city of Mosul and Tal Afar wait at a Kurdish checkpoint in the hopes of entering a temporary displacement camp in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees Displaced Iraqi women hold pots as they queue to receive food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis who fled from Mosul and other towns, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, north Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A militant Islamist fighter waving a flag, cheers as he takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa. The fighters held the parade to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters wave flags as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters travel in a vehicle as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade with a missile in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from an al-Qaida splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from the splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters hold a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A member loyal to the Isis waves an Isis flag in Raqqa In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes in the western Anbar province march during a protest in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The United Nations warned that Iraq is at a "crossroads" and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence killed 195 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago, raising fears of a return to all-out sectarian conflict In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces hold up a flag of the Isis group they captured during an operation to regain control of Dallah Abbas north of Baqouba, the capital of Iraq's Diyala province, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Isis fighters parade in the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Isis group, demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony after completing their field training in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Kurdish Peshmerga troops fire a cannon during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Jalawla, Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference Iraqi Prime Minister's security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference about the latest military development in Iraq, in the capital Baghdad. Iraqi forces pressed a campaign to retake militant-held Tikrit, clashing with jihadist-led Sunni militants nearby and pounding positions inside the city with air strikes in their biggest counter-offensive so far In pictures: The rise of Isis A police station building destroyed by Isis fighters An exterior view of a police station building destroyed by gunmen in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Iraq's new parliament is expected to convene to start the process of setting up a new government, despite deepening political rifts and an ongoing Islamist-led insurgency. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a decree inviting the new House of Representatives to meet and form a new government In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Smoke billows from an area controlled by the Isis between the Iraqi towns of Naojul and Tuz Khurmatu, both located north of the capital Baghdad, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces take part in an operation to repel the Sunni militants In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An elderly Iraqi woman is helped into a temporary displacement camp for Iraqis caught-up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Christian woman fleeing the violence in the village of Qaraqush, about 30 kms east of the northern province of Nineveh, cries upon her arrival at a community center in the Kurdish city of Arbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman, who fled with her family from the northern city of Mosul, prays with a copy of the Quran AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq The body of an Isis militant killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces on the outskirts of the city of Samarra Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi civilians inspect the damage at a market after an air strike by the Iraqi army in central Mosul EPA In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Members of the Al-Abbas brigades, who volunteered to protect the Shiite Muslim holy sites in Karbala against Sunni militants fighting the Baghdad government, parade in the streets of the city AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Shia tribesmen gather in Baghdad to take up arms against Sunni insurgents marching on the capital. Thousands have volunteered to bolster defences AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A van carrying volunteers joining Iraqi security forces against Jihadist militants. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced the Iraqi government would arm and equip civilians who volunteered to fight AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters of the Isis group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An Islamist fighter, identified as Abu Muthanna al-Yemeni from Britain (R), speaks in this still image taken undated video shot at an unknown location and uploaded to a social media website. Five Islamist fighters identified as Australian and British nationals have called on Muslims to join the wars in Syria and Iraq, in the new video released by the Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Al-Qaida inspired militants stand with captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside Beiji refinery some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad. The fighting at Beiji comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Isis group. While U.S. President Barack Obama has not fully ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes, such action is not imminent in part because intelligence agencies have been unable to identify clear targets on the ground, officials said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants attacked Iraq's main oil refinein Baiji as they pressed an offensive that has seen them capture swathes of territory, a manager and a refinery employee said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants from the Isis group parading with their weapons in the northern city of Baiji in the in Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A smoke rises after an attack by Isis militants on the country's largest oil refinery in Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said they regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border, trying to blunt an offensive by Sunni militants who diplomats fear may have also seized some 100 foreign workers In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group stand next to captured vehicles left behind by Iraqi security forces at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. For militant groups, the fight over public perception can be even more important than actual combat, turning military losses into propaganda victories and battlefield successes into powerful tools to build support for the cause In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An injured fighter (C) from the Isis group after a battle with Iraqi soldiers at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis aiming at advancing Iraqi troops at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group taking position at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group inspecting vehicles of the Iraqi army after they were seized at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq One Iraqi captive, a corporal, is reluctant to say the slogan, and has to be shouted at repeatedly before he obeys Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group force captured Iraqi security forces members to the transport In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group transporting dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members to an unknown location in the Salaheddin province ahead of executing them In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A major offensive spearheaded by Isis but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants taking position at a Iraqi border post on the Syrian-Iraqi border between the Iraqi Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis rebels show their flag after seizing an army post AFP/Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants waving an Islamist flag after the seizure of an Iraqi army checkpoint in Salahuddin Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Demonstrators chant slogans as they carry al-Qaida flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. In the week since it captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work Iraqi security forces repeated calls for civilians trapped inside Fallujah to flee on Sunday, but residents say checkpoints controlled by the extremists along all roads leading out of the city are preventing most from fleeing. Despite a string of territorial defeats, IS still controls significant patches of Iraqi territory in the country's north and west including the country's second largest city of Mosul. The militant group also has claimed responsibility for a series of large-scale bombings in and around Baghdad recently that killed hundreds of people. During the Iraq War, Fallujah was an insurgent stronghold and the site of the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War. In November 2004, US forces led a coalition attack against several thousand insurgents in Fallujah in which thousands of buildings were destroyed in house-to-house fighting. More than 80 American troops were killed along with an estimated 2,000 militants. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Isis has claimed a series of bomb attacks across regime strongholds in Syria, with at least 120 people killed according to local monitoring groups. A busy bus station and a hospital were among the targets in a rare series of mass-casualty blasts targeting civilians in coastal areas. The attacks included at least five suicide bombings and two car bombs, and hit the Mediterranean cities of Tartous and Jableh firmly within territory loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. State media confirmed the attacks had taken place, and the Isis-linked Amaq news agency said the militant group was responsible for carrying out the bombings. Attacks of this size are rare in parts of the country which are under regime control. State media has confirmed the attacks but gave a lower death toll of 78. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they were the first assaults of their kind on the coastal cities. Soldiers and civilians survey the wreckage following a suicide attack in Tartous on 23 May (EPA) It said 53 people were killed in Jableh and gave an earlier toll of 48 in Tartous - which is home to a Russian naval base. Fighting across the war ravaged country has increased dramatically in recent weeks as after peace talks between non-Isis rebel groups and the Assad broke down. Sea Cemetery pays poignant tribute to the Syrians who drowned trying to reach Europe The regime, with the help of Russian airstrikes, has continued its assault on Aleppo where rebels struggle to hold on to the latest parts of the city under their control. Isis are currently being pushed out of the territory they control in Syria and Iraq by a combination of US-led coalition airstrikes and have stepped up suicide attacks on other parts of Iraq and Syria in response. In pictures: The rise of Isis Show all 74 1 /74 In pictures: The rise of Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from Islamic State group sit on their tank during a parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from the Islamic State group pray at the Tabqa air base after capturing it from the Syrian government in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from extremist Islamic State group parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping A video uploaded to social networks shows men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road before being allegedly executed by Isis Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Haruna Yukawa after his capture by Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Khalinda Sharaf Ajour, a Yazidi, says two of her daughters were captured by Isis militants Washington Post In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Spokesperson for Isis Vice News via Youtube In pictures: The rise of Isis A pro-Isis leaflet A pro-Isis leaflet handed out on Oxford Street In London Ghaffar Hussain In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Isis Jihadists burn their passports In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A man collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A woman collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid Local civilians queue for aid administered by Isis. Since it declared a caliphate the group has increasingly been delivering services such as healthcare, and distributing aid and free fuel In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces detain men suspected of being militants of the Isis group in Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Mourners carry the coffin of a Shi'ite volunteer from the brigades of peace, who joined the Iraqi army and was killed during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Samarra, during his funeral in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Shiite Turkmen family fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, arrives at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi A photograph made from a video by the jihadist affiliated group Furqan Media via their twitter account allegedly showing Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in the territory under the group's control in Iraq and Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Smoke and debris go up in the air as Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul. Images posted online show that Islamic extremists have destroyed at least 10 ancient shrines and Shiite mosques in territory - the city of Mosul and the town of Tal Afar - they have seized in northern Iraq in recent weeks In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq A bulldozer destroys Sunni's Ahmed al-Rifai shrine and tomb in Mahlabiya district outside of Tal Afar In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces celebrate after clashes with followers of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi, in front of his home in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi at his home after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A vehicle burns in front of a home of a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman holds her exhausted son as over 1000 Iraqis who have fled fighting in and around the city of Mosul and Tal Afar wait at a Kurdish checkpoint in the hopes of entering a temporary displacement camp in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees Displaced Iraqi women hold pots as they queue to receive food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis who fled from Mosul and other towns, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, north Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A militant Islamist fighter waving a flag, cheers as he takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa. The fighters held the parade to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters wave flags as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters travel in a vehicle as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade with a missile in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from an al-Qaida splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from the splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters hold a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A member loyal to the Isis waves an Isis flag in Raqqa In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes in the western Anbar province march during a protest in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The United Nations warned that Iraq is at a "crossroads" and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence killed 195 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago, raising fears of a return to all-out sectarian conflict In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces hold up a flag of the Isis group they captured during an operation to regain control of Dallah Abbas north of Baqouba, the capital of Iraq's Diyala province, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Isis fighters parade in the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Isis group, demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony after completing their field training in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Kurdish Peshmerga troops fire a cannon during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Jalawla, Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference Iraqi Prime Minister's security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference about the latest military development in Iraq, in the capital Baghdad. Iraqi forces pressed a campaign to retake militant-held Tikrit, clashing with jihadist-led Sunni militants nearby and pounding positions inside the city with air strikes in their biggest counter-offensive so far In pictures: The rise of Isis A police station building destroyed by Isis fighters An exterior view of a police station building destroyed by gunmen in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Iraq's new parliament is expected to convene to start the process of setting up a new government, despite deepening political rifts and an ongoing Islamist-led insurgency. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a decree inviting the new House of Representatives to meet and form a new government In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Smoke billows from an area controlled by the Isis between the Iraqi towns of Naojul and Tuz Khurmatu, both located north of the capital Baghdad, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces take part in an operation to repel the Sunni militants In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An elderly Iraqi woman is helped into a temporary displacement camp for Iraqis caught-up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Christian woman fleeing the violence in the village of Qaraqush, about 30 kms east of the northern province of Nineveh, cries upon her arrival at a community center in the Kurdish city of Arbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman, who fled with her family from the northern city of Mosul, prays with a copy of the Quran AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq The body of an Isis militant killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces on the outskirts of the city of Samarra Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi civilians inspect the damage at a market after an air strike by the Iraqi army in central Mosul EPA In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Members of the Al-Abbas brigades, who volunteered to protect the Shiite Muslim holy sites in Karbala against Sunni militants fighting the Baghdad government, parade in the streets of the city AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Shia tribesmen gather in Baghdad to take up arms against Sunni insurgents marching on the capital. Thousands have volunteered to bolster defences AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A van carrying volunteers joining Iraqi security forces against Jihadist militants. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced the Iraqi government would arm and equip civilians who volunteered to fight AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters of the Isis group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An Islamist fighter, identified as Abu Muthanna al-Yemeni from Britain (R), speaks in this still image taken undated video shot at an unknown location and uploaded to a social media website. Five Islamist fighters identified as Australian and British nationals have called on Muslims to join the wars in Syria and Iraq, in the new video released by the Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Al-Qaida inspired militants stand with captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside Beiji refinery some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad. The fighting at Beiji comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Isis group. While U.S. President Barack Obama has not fully ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes, such action is not imminent in part because intelligence agencies have been unable to identify clear targets on the ground, officials said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants attacked Iraq's main oil refinein Baiji as they pressed an offensive that has seen them capture swathes of territory, a manager and a refinery employee said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants from the Isis group parading with their weapons in the northern city of Baiji in the in Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A smoke rises after an attack by Isis militants on the country's largest oil refinery in Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said they regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border, trying to blunt an offensive by Sunni militants who diplomats fear may have also seized some 100 foreign workers In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group stand next to captured vehicles left behind by Iraqi security forces at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. For militant groups, the fight over public perception can be even more important than actual combat, turning military losses into propaganda victories and battlefield successes into powerful tools to build support for the cause In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An injured fighter (C) from the Isis group after a battle with Iraqi soldiers at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis aiming at advancing Iraqi troops at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group taking position at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group inspecting vehicles of the Iraqi army after they were seized at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq One Iraqi captive, a corporal, is reluctant to say the slogan, and has to be shouted at repeatedly before he obeys Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group force captured Iraqi security forces members to the transport In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group transporting dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members to an unknown location in the Salaheddin province ahead of executing them In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A major offensive spearheaded by Isis but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants taking position at a Iraqi border post on the Syrian-Iraqi border between the Iraqi Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis rebels show their flag after seizing an army post AFP/Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants waving an Islamist flag after the seizure of an Iraqi army checkpoint in Salahuddin Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Demonstrators chant slogans as they carry al-Qaida flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. In the week since it captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work The Syrian army claimed to have killed over 200 Isis militants in a three-day offensive in Deir ez-Zor last week, although those figures could not be independently verified. Earlier this month, a suicide attack claimed by the group killed 10 people in a village near Homs in the centre of the country. Twin explosions took place in the main square in Mukharam al Fawkani near the scene of fierce fighting between the group and the army over the Shaer gas field. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Im a rabid breakfaster, and its not just because I veer into Hulk-level hanger (hunger plus anger) if I dont eat within half an hour of waking up. Im not even falling prey to that faddish obsession with endless morning meals, the rise of so-called breakfastarians who are cereally committed to eating morning food all day. Rather, in a lifetime of travelling, Ive found that nothing sums up a destination better than the first meal of the day. Sandwiches have become an almost global synonym for lunch, while dinners diverse the world over theres always a menu of cuisines, both local and international, almost anywhere. Breakfast, though, remains steadfastly idiosyncratic, a meal that shorthands local tastes, traditions and quirks better than any other. Eating the first meal of the day is like catching a country off-guard, a chance to peek behind its cultural curtain, whether delicious or disconcerting. Take Australia, where I savour every mouthful at breakfast: its home to the sunniest, simplest dishes such as poached eggs with spears of fresh asparagus or chilli flake-spattered avocado toast (Nigellas favourite). As child, there was always something slightly naughty about eating biscuits at breakfast in Italy though I never complained. I crave Tokyos morning meals, made up of morsel-sized dishes of smoked fish, dried seaweed and delicately flavoured, unfamiliar vegetables. As for Sri Lanka, I never leave room for lunch, as I always gorge on moreish hoppers at breakfast, those bowl-like coconut and rice pancakes served with dahl and a bracing curry. Avocado and poached egg on toast (Soho House) Sometimes, though, breakfast can offer insights that a country might be less keen for visitors to glean never more true for me than in Russia, when I was seconded to Sochi to cover the Olympics two years ago. I lodged in a Soviet-era sanatorium next to Putins summer home (there was so security risk, at least). Nowhere was the pre-perestroika mindset more evident than at breakfast. A peroxide babushka Peggy Mitchellova with a ferocious scowl frogmarched me to my assigned seat each day, before barking orders at the cowed waiters to deliver a pre-plated dish. One morning, it was a forlorn rather grey leg of chicken served with what seemed like salty rice pudding; another, it was a 1980s-style pair of bubblegum pink frankfurters, plain soggy spaghetti plus a dollop of mustard on the side. Even the jam seemed suspicious, irradiated to red bright enough to use as a torch on those dark mornings. This was one breakfast where I felt more, rather than less, hangry after the meal. The business of breakfast: best in class Our travel experts recommend their favourite hotel offerings Soho House hotels (London, New York, Los Angeles, Istanbul, Berlin, Chicago, Miami, Toronto) Concise menus that deal in the essentials, but done with aplomb. Stay healthy with cereals and fruit compotes or quinoa porridge, then top up with avocado and poached eggs on toast with chilli. Eggs come any which way but in SHs signature indulgent style: baked with tomatoes, chickpeas and chilli or arrabiata with parmesan. Best of all are the cold-pressed juices; see red with beetroot, carrot, ginger, pineapple, orange, lemon and apple or go green with kale, apple, cucumber, celery, pineapple, lemon, spinach, parsley and ginger. sohohouse.com Shangri-La hotels (Australia, North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East) You're unlikely to eat the same dish twice in a week at these slick, Asian-operated hotels. In Singapore, you can eat your way around world via the impressive buffet at The Line restaurant, where chefs might whip up Indonesian nasi goreng, Chinese congee, Indian roti, American waffles, French pastries or eggs in every conceivable way, alongside the standard spread of cereals, bakery items, tropical fruits and more. shangri-la.com Keltic Lodge (Canada) The Keltic Lodge on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia re-opens this weekend after months of restoration - but I hope the breakfast menu has been untouched. In the Atlantic Restaurant, overlooking Ingonish Beach, you can feast on blueberry pancakes, waffles, ginger scones, peameal bacon and an abundance of healthier stuff. And its all included in the typical double room rate of C$230. kelticlodge.ca The Nam Hai (Vietnam) Part of the GHM group, this beach resort outside Hoi An is just 30 minutes from Danang Airport, which is well connected with both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as international destinations including Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Guangzhou. Food is exceptional all day, not least at breakfast - try the regional speciality Cao Lau, a spicy bowl of noodles with pork, herbs and broth; or tropical fruit salad and juices, home-made granola, eggs Benedict and freshly baked baguettes. ghmhotels.com Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} As Europes leading long-haul budget airline, Norwegian, announced flights from Gatwick to Las Vegas, Hillary Clinton has called for the carriers expansion plans to blocked. But the airline said no passengers with existing bookings would be jeopardised. The Democrat presidential frontrunner has urged the Obama administration to reject the application for a US Foreign Carrier Permit by Norwegians Irish subsidiary, NAI. The airline is setting up NAI in Ireland to expand its network in the US, initially flying from Cork to Boston. We'd aim to start that route from Cork-Boston this year, followed by Cork-New York flights next year, said a spokesperson for Norwegian. We'd also be looking at transatlantic flights from Shannon. At present Norwegian flies from Gatwick to New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale (near Miami), Oakland (near San Francisco) and Los Angeles. Flights to Las Vegas are scheduled to start in October. US-based airlines are vehemently opposed to Norwegians expansion. They say that the entity is a flag of convenience carrier, set up to allow crew to be recruited on substandard contracts. They have enlisted the support of trades unions, and now the favourite for the White House. The Clinton campaign said: "Workers in the US airline industry deserve rules of the road that support a strong workforce with high labor standards - not attempts by airlines to flout labor standards and outsource good-paying jobs. The world's safest low-cost airlines Show all 8 1 /8 The world's safest low-cost airlines The world's safest low-cost airlines WestJet, a low cost Canadian carrier, was voted one of the safest low-cost airlines Alasdair McLellan/Creative Commons The world's safest low-cost airlines Virgin America was named as a low cost carrier by airlineratings.com Virginamerica.com The world's safest low-cost airlines Thomas Cook airlines were ranked highly on the world's best low cost carriers by airlineratings.com The world's safest low-cost airlines Boeing 737 Boeing 737 is part of TUI Fly, a German based subsidiary of Thomas Cook Tuifly.com The world's safest low-cost airlines Volaris, a low-cost Mexican carrier, has been rated one of the safest airlines to fly Volaris/Carribeanairlinenews The world's safest low-cost airlines HK Express was rated highly in the rankings HKExpress The world's safest low-cost airlines Aer Lingus was rated as one of the safest low-cost airlines in the world. The world's safest low-cost airlines America's low-cost carrier has been rated as super safe. Hillary Clinton urges the Obama Administration against moving forward with final approval of Norwegian Air International's application. Too many questions have been raised about NAI's practices and plans. Congressman Peter DeFazio of Oregon said: This airline is Norwegian in name only because it uses a flag of convenience to base crews where labor laws are weak.. The Association of Flight Attendants, representing US cabin crew, said NAI planned to use pilots hired under Singaporean or Thai employment contracts and based in Bangkok. Outside the US, the opposition is seen by some as traditional American protectionism, designed to protect inefficient airlines. A Norwegian spokesperson told The Independent: "Norwegian is confident the U.S. Department of Transportation will approve Norwegian Air Internationals application. Approval of NAI will result in more US aviation sector jobs, enable Norwegian to expand its already large pool of American crew, and deliver much needed competition and affordable fares to consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. The airline said no existing bookings will be affected: All of our existing US routes are operated under our Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS) AOC [air operators certificate] which already has a foreign carrier permit in place. As such, there is absolutely no impact on any passengers booked to travel to the US. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Q I will be travelling by road from Canada into the US. I know British passport holders arent obliged to have an Esta. But would it cause a delay at the border if I don't have one? Lorna Vickery A The scheme under which the vast majority of British travellers can visit the US without a visa is the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which came into effect nearly 30 years ago. For anyone like you who is travelling by road (or rail) to the US, this simply requires you to turn up with a valid passport and fill in a form known as the I94W. There is no guarantee, however, that you will be admitted. The US waives your obligation to apply for a visa, but in return you waive your right to appeal against being turned away if the border official regards you an undesirable alien. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) is a development of the Visa Waiver Program, aimed specifically at people flying to the US. It is one of the measures put in place by the US in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and subsequent attempts by terrorists to down aircraft. Besides seeking to thwart acts of terrorism, the authorities also aim to reduce the number of travellers who are denied admission when they land in America and have to be repatriated. The Esta enables the US authorities to learn more about intending arrivals, and cross-check their details against various watch lists, before deciding whether to grant permission to allow them to board a plane to America. To get one, you must apply online, providing a prodigious amount of information (and paying $14/10 for the privilege). Arriving by land is whole different matter in the eyes of the American authorities. Overland travellers obviously pose no threat to aviation. And if officials dont like the cut of your jib, they simply wont let you in - there is no need to put you on the next plane home. So is there any advantage in obtaining pre-clearance in the shape of an Esta? Well, it could save you filling in a form on the spot. But having crossed land borders to the US many times from both Canada and Mexico, I cannot see any significant advantage. The border official will simply assess you and decide whether or not to let you in. Every day, our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a readers question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Getting Chile British Airways has announced a new route for 2017. It will also be the airlines longest: at 14 hours, 40 minutes and 7,248 miles the direct flights between Heathrow and Santiago de Chile will operate four times a week from 3 January on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Introductory return fares to the Chilean capital of 749 are currently on sale. ba.com Vine time A 19th-century chateau in the Languedoc will be unveiled as a luxury hotel later this week. Chateau de la Redorte opens on Friday [27 May] on a Minervois vineyard close to the Canal du Midi and Carcasonne. It will feature a 25m pool surrounded by cyprus trees, a restaurant, wine bar and spa. Doubles from 119. chateau-redorte.com Bite back The World Health Organisation recently warned that Zika virus could spread to Europe this summer, particularly in Madeira and around the Black Sea. Simon Calder answers your queries in this Q&A: bit.ly/ZikaSummer The dancing fountains at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas Save your money for Sin City No-frills carrier Norwegian has announced a new, twice-weekly route from Gatwick to Las Vegas launching on 31 October on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. There will be an economy and premium cabin on board, with launch fares starting at 326 return in economy. Checked baggage, in-flight catering and seat selection are all extra. norwegian.com On Tour Holiday rental marketplace HomeAway is offering the chance to stay in the Eiffel Tower during the Uefa Euro 2016 tournament this summer. An apartment, which will sleep six, is being created within the Parisian landmark and will be available for stays on 23 and 28 June, 4 and 8 July. To enter, visit homeaway.com/Eiffel-tower and answer the question, what would you do if the Eiffel Tower was all yours for a night? Oz rules The Foreign Office has reported that LGBT travellers should be aware that Australian federal law prohibits the recognition of overseas same-sex marriages, although some states/territories accept foreign civil partnerships and same-sex marriages as evidence of the existence of a de facto relationship. UK civil partnership and same-sex marriage documentation isnt as widely accepted in Australia as in the UK. gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice Active service The New Forest National Park authority is launching a scheme to improve information on accommodation for walkers and cyclists visiting the region. New Forest Walkers and Cyclists Approved lists accommodation in and around the park that offer facilities such as cleaning and drying for outdoor footwear, clothing and bikes; details of the nearest food shops, delivery options, cafes and pubs, pre-ordered packed lunches where available; safe storage for bicycles; emergency repair kits, maps and books, weather information and more. bit.ly/ActiveNewForest Take me to the beach Lonely Planets new spring titles include 50 Beaches to Blow your Mind. From the bizarre rock formations of Bowling Ball Beach in Mendocino, California to the dreamy desert island of Green Island Beach in Antigua and Barbuda, the pocket-size picture book is divided by genre, including bliss, drama, action, parties and more. 6.99. shop.lonelyplanet.com Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen was yesterday confirmed as Austrias new President; but as Heads of States in European countries go, he must be among the most neglected of modern times. That is because he defeated, by an exceptionally narrow margin, Norbert Hofer, who despite ludicrously casting himself as a centrist, would in fact have been Europes first far-right leader in a long time. In defeat, Mr Hofer showed grace and humility. On the campaign trail, he lacked both. The presidential candidate was defended by some as less extreme than the late and more flamboyant Jorg Haider. However, over the course of his career he has adopted extreme nationalist positions that have occasionally ventured into near-fascist territory. His defeat in Austria will not quell him, because the genie is out of the nationalist bottle, not just in Europe but across the world. Geopolitics today is marked by the sudden pre-eminence of strongman leaders who flaunt their machismo on the international stage and reject globalisation in favour of a nativist account of the threats to voters. Nigel Farage and Donald Trump are more entertaining and less extreme versions of this mentality; the latter, it seems, cannot be ruled out as the next leader of the free world. Defeating an ideology of nativism will be hard and time-consuming, and requires an emotional appeal to voters who are inclined to make scapegoats of outsiders, while being disinterested in rational arguments about, for instance, the economic benefits of large-scale migration. It will also require moral and political leadership that is clearly and sorely lacking at the moment. One of the main causes of Mr Hofers new-found eminence is the refugee crisis that is sweeping across Europe. That crisis is, to put it mildly, a problem without a solution. The Syrian civil war, from which many thousands of refugees are fleeing, has lasted many years, and there is no end in sight. While war rages in that region, refugees will stream into Europe, and nativists will have their moment in the sun. But the other cause of resentment among those folk inclined to vote for the likes of Farage, Trump and Hofer is not a short-term phenomenon and also lacks an immediate or easy solution. Globalisation and rapid technological innovation are depriving poor workers in the richer world of their livelihoods. Whole industries, from high-street retail to publishing and manual labour are being wrenched from solidity to nothingness. Living standards may be rising at a thrilling rate in the developing world, but among richer nations, fury and frustration is the order of the day. What can be done? Immediately, not much. But over the medium-term, the only solution is to equip a new generation with the skills, productivity and wages to lead decent lives. This will require visionary, brave and honest leadership of a kind not currently forthcoming. Europe has narrowly avoided electing a far-right man as a Head of State. But as once said of Hitler by Bertolt Brecht, the bitch that bore him is in heat again. The new nativists of Europe and beyond blame outsiders for the sorrows of their people. Patient explanation is unlikely to quell their passion. Somehow stemming the flow of refugees on the continents doorstep, and offering a vision of open, tolerant, inclusive societies that can give poor workers a chance, is the only way to quell the Hofers of today. For now, Austria has quieted him. But he and his like are going nowhere fast. AA Ireland is set to widen its insurance interests here if the company is taken over. Stock photo: Depositphotos AA Ireland is set to widen its insurance interests here if the company is taken over. Irish private equity firm Cardinal Capital is reported to be in talks to take over the car insurance and breakdown services firm in a deal that is likely to be worth north of 150m. News of the talks came as the car insurance specialist revealed plans to move into life insurance. The company said it would offer both new and existing customers life insurance and mortgage protection. AA Ireland's decision to move into life insurance was made with the full backing of Cardinal and it is thought that the move could be a precursor for the company to invest in other insurance products. AA commercial director John Farrell said: "Entering the life insurance market was a fairly natural extension of the AA's product suite. With a large customer base slanted towards urban professionals, there is a strong reliance on AA products as they reach critical milestones such as buying a home or having kids," he added. The insurance will be underwritten by Aviva. Cardinal is believed to view AA Ireland as a way to bet on the recovery across the wider economy. Car insurance is a compulsory purchase for any car owner so consumers cannot roll back on it if the economy was to struggle once again. The breakdown services side of the business - on which AA built its brand - is seen as a hedge on the economy bet but is not material to Cardinal's rationale for buying the business. If the economy falters, the breakdown business is likely to do well as consumers hold off from buying new cars for longer. Anna Baranova was reporting for Russia Today when she was smacked across the head by a man wearing a mask A shocking video showing the moment a journalist was hit across the head while recording a live broadcast has gone viral. The journalist was covering the protests in Paris last week when a masked man came up behind her and smacked her across the head. Anna Baranova was reporting for Russia Today while wearing a helmet saying Press to protect herself on the crowded and violent street. She was covering a demonstration organised by the Nuit Deboit movement against proposed labour reforms. The masked man came from behind the reporter and struck her across the head, knocking her helmet to the side, while she appeared to wince in pain. A set of hands can then be seen clapping in front of Baranovas face, as if to applaud the fact that the man assaulted her. Despite looking shocked, Baranova didnt let the incident stop her and continued on with the broadcast. The crowd was made up of angry youths covering their faces with masks and scarfs, vandals looking for trouble, she told Russia Today. I wasnt so much hurt as surprised people actually come up and hit you on the head while you try to do your job. Wow, she said. While many budding authors will have been encouraged to "write what you know", Lucy Caldwell always took the opposite to be true. But now, after more than a decade of imagining new characters and building each one an individual history, the award-winning Belfast author decided to look inwards and draw on her own experiences for a new collection of short stories. Her new work, titled Multitudes, contains 11 stories, which Lucy says took 11 years to write. Just after my first novel had been accepted for publication, I tried to write a selection of short stories. I saw them all in my head - theyd all be narrated by girls and young women and theyd all be set in Belfast, she recalls. However, she struggled to bring the stories to life, and the project was put aside while she worked on a series of radio plays, stage plays, monologues and novels. The idea for Multitudes initially arose from her desire to represent a side of Northern Irish life she felt was absent from contemporary fiction. I was feeling at that time that the Belfast that I read in fiction wasnt necessarily the Belfast that I recognised from growing up, she explains. It always seemed to be stories from the Troubles that dominated all the narratives, so I wanted to show a whole other multiplicity of stories as well. Multitudes was published earlier this month. Each story is told from a womans perspective, and Lucy tried to capture a broad range of experiences by adding mixed-race characters, same-sex relationships and a transgender narrator in one of the stories. The 34-year-old was born and raised in Belfast, before moving to London aged 18 and eventually marrying Tom, a London architect. The couple now live together in London with their son, William, although Lucy finds herself travelling back to Belfast a lot. Your imagination is formed by the places that had a hold on you when you were a child, and I always find myself drawn back to writing about Belfast, she says fondly, adding that she put more of herself into the new collection than any of her previous works. As she grew up, she says the question of national identity was one that caused particular concern, and one which she has continued to explore throughout her career. Video of the Day I would consider myself first and foremost a Belfast writer, and then a Northern Irish writer. I grew up the child of a mixed marriage, as it was termed then, with one Protestant and one Catholic, and we grew up not practicing either religion in Belfast, she explains. I think I grew up feeling, like many other kids in school, that Irish wasnt an option for us. She describes how, like many young people growing up after the peace process, she questioned the binaries of Irishness and Britishness and realised that she could be both. It wasnt until I got to England and having always considered myself not Irish I realised that I was Irish, she says. Lucy applied for an Irish passport while she was writing her first novel, and says: The concept of my identity as a writer and as being Irish are really bound together, theyre the twin strands of my DNA. The early stories offer snapshots of childhood and adolescent life in Belfast, and the dialogue is peppered with slang, which Lucy notes was crucial to create an immersive and plausible world in such a short form. Language is really important. The rhythm that people speak and the slang can tell you so much about the person, the mood and the situation. You can tell so much about the dynamic or the power struggle between two people in just a few lines of dialogue where it would take you three or more paragraphs of prose, she says. Although the short story has quickly become her favourite form of writing, she admits that she found it very difficult to get right. Its taken me 11 years of writing to have something of the craft and the technique to pull a short story off. There are two stories in Multitudes that have first drafts going back 11 years, I kept coming back to them every year and giving it another go, but its only recently that I started to make it work. Multitudes marks a distinct shift in Lucys writing, as the most starkly personal work she has ever published, with stories chronicling the bruising drama of teenage friendships, the tender emotions of a first sexual impulse, and the painful desire to belong. Ive always believed really strongly that the worst advice you can give is write what you know, she says. I think a lot of writers maybe start the other way, they start writing about themselves and become bolder from there, but for me its taken a while to have any of the craft to approach things very close to me and make them into good stories. It takes a particular sort of attention and care its hard to retain that raw emotion and contain it in the form of a story. I think thats why it took so long to write, because I had to learn how to do that. The final story in the volume, from which the collection takes its title, is the most autobiographical of the works, detailing the trauma of a couple with a seriously ill newborn child. Lucy wrote it when her son was just a few weeks old, and had been released from the intensive paediatric ward. I had such a need to write that story, it felt so urgent. Something about writing it felt really transgressive because Id never, ever written so closely about myself, but it felt so necessary at the same time. That sort of cracked something open for me, I felt there was a whole new of writing that Ive never tried, she says. Something about how close we were balanced between life and death, it made me bolder, it made me not care so much, because someone criticising or not liking your story matters so much less. William is now nearly two years old, and Lucy cares for him full-time, but takes two half-days to write each week, a change she believes has improved her work. Its far less writing time than I used to have but I make far better use of it I think. When you know youve only got this handful of hours before your writing time for the week is over, you make use of it, she says. Next up for Lucy is an appearance at the Dublin International Literature Festival, where she will join Anakana Schofield in a discussion about the renaissance in Irish fiction and what it means to write slightly on the margins. After that, she says she hopes to write more short stories. I think Ive caught the bug, and that feeling that you might just write the perfect short story is really addictive, so Id love to write more of them. Lucy Caldwell is taking part in the International Literature Festival Dublin which runs until May 29th. Lucy and Anakana Schofield will discuss new Irish Fiction at the Smock Alley Theatre on Tuesday May 24 from 6pm. Tickets 10/8. For more info on this and other events check out ilfdublin.com This is one gig you wont want to miss. Smash-hit comedy show Impractical Jokers have added an Irish date to their sold-out UK tour. The stars of Comedy Central hit series will be heading to the 3Arena on January 10 for a brand new live show, Santiago Sent Us. Sal Vulcano, Joe Gatto, James Murr Murray and Brian Q Quinn, known as The Tenderloins, will be taking to the Dublin stage for a series of never seen before comedy acts and videos. In the popular American show, the New-York based comedy troupe perform embarrassing and outrageous pranks in public while being filmed by hidden cameras. Season 8 of the show is currently running on Comedy Central UK on Mondays at 10pm. Tickets go on sale this Friday 27 May from Ticketmaster, from 60.65. Gerard Quinn was killed in an incident on Saturday, May 21 Tributes have been paid 24-year-old Gerard Quinn who was murdered in Derry on Saturday. Friends of the young father from Derry described have spoken of their devastation at his death on social media, paying tribute to him as "funny and kind". Gerard Quinn (24) died after he was assaulted in the Milldale Crescent area on Saturday night. A 16-year-old boy is being questioned at Strand Road police station. He was arrested shortly after midnight on Sunday. Read More Politicians said a house party descended into violence and the victim may have been stabbed in the neck with a bottle. Police received the report at about 10.30pm on Saturday. Mr Quinn was taken to hospital where he later died. A post mortem is due to take place tomorrow (Monday). Another 24-year-old man - believed to be Mr Quinn's twin brother - received head injuries which were not life threatening. Detective chief inspector Michael Harvey said: "At this time it is my belief that there was some sort of altercation in the Milldale Crescent area." He said the young man's death was tragic and appealed for anyone with information to contact police. The detective said investigators had received an excellent response with a good number of people coming forward to provide important information. Friends took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Quinn. Emma Dobbins said: "Can't get my head round it Gerard Quinn. "So funny n kind. I will never forget this night." Agnes Miroslawska said he always made her laugh. "I'm still in shock. I really can't believe it. It's soooo sad to see another young life taken far too soon. "Thinking of your family at this really sad time." Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the death of this young man in these circumstances was a tragedy that had shocked the local area. "There is a live police investigation into this incident and that should be allowed to go ahead. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the man who was killed at this difficult time." SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan also extended his sympathies of the family of the 24-year-old man. Awful news that a young man has been murdered in Derry. Thoughts and prayers are with family and all affected at this sad + traumatic time. Mark H Durkan (@MarkHDurkan) May 22, 2016 "This morning a family is coming to terms with the death of a son in the most horrific of circumstances," he said. "The loss of a young man in any circumstances is absolutely tragic but to have had someone with their whole life in front of them murdered like this will be particularly devastating for his family and his community. "My thoughts and prayers, and those of my party, are with the young mans family and friends at this difficult time. "I have no doubt that the community here will rally around them and provide every support that they need. "I would urge anyone with any information about this crime or who may have heard a disturbance in the Milldale Crescent area last night to come forward to the police as soon as possible." THE IRISH Times and Littlewoods Ireland have avoided court convictions for breaking e-privacy regulations by sending customers unsolicited emails. Following separate investigations by the office of the Data Protection Commissioner they had pleaded guilty to the offences at Dublin District Court in April. Today Judge William Hamill noted they complied with orders made on the last date for The Irish Times Ltd to give 3,000 to suicide prevention charity Pieta House while Littlewoods had donate 5,000 to the same cause. After being furnished with the receipts, he struck out the cases. At the original hearing last month, Tony Delaney, Assistant Data Protection Commissioner, told the court the important message for companies involved in electronic marketing is that there has to be robust testing of technology behind their databases. The offence, which is under the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Privacy and Electronic Communications) Regulations 2011, can result in a criminal conviction and a fine of up to 5,000 per incident. Mr Delaney had told the court that a woman, who had an account with online retailer Littlewoods, had opted out of receiving their marketing emails. However she continued to get more of them and in 2014 the data protection watchdog gave them a warning, after which they agreed to donate 2,500. The emails resumed last year when two more were received by the woman. One of them was a marketing email headed show how super your mother is offering a Mother's Day bargain. She had been inadvertently opted back in to receive marketing messages. As a consequence she received more emails after she thought the problem had been resolved. It also caused a credibility issue for the office of the Data Protection Commissioner, Mr Delaney had said. Littlewoods' counsel, Shelley Horan BL, said it was an accident and the company co-operated with the investigation and also entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity. Counsel said Littlewoods addressed the issue and agreed to pay 1,078 prosecution costs. She had said there was a human error and the offence was committed unwittingly. The customer has kept her account with the retailer which has spent significant time and effort to address the issue, counsel said. In relation to The Irish Times Ltd, the Assistant Data Protection Commissioner had told the court a man subscribed to the Get Swimming weekly newsletter but after three or four issues he opted out last year and received a confirmation email. But he received the next issue and then made several further attempts to unsubscribe. After a number of weeks still receiving the newsletter he contacted their customer care team. Later he received an email with a promotional offer and another newsletter.. Mr Delaney said the man found it distressing and 64 other users were also affected but the fault had been corrected. Defence counsel Eoghan Cole had said The Irish Times was disappointed to find itself before the court and accepted it had fallen short of the required standard. He also asked the court to note that costs would be paid and had they had co-operated fully. Steps were taken to remedy the problem which was caused by human error, counsel had said. A mother-of-five has been convicted of child cruelty following a seven week trial which heard dozens of allegations of horrific sexual abuse against her youngest son. The woman, who is from the UK, has already been found not guilty of sex assault relating to allegations she had sex or simulated sex with her child when he was between six and seven. On Friday, the jury convicted the woman's 64 year old partner, who is also from the UK, of nine counts of raping his son from the age of six years old and child cruelty. They acquitted him of raping the child with a poker. The child gave evidence that it was his father who raped and beat him and locked him in a box for six hours. The charge of cruelty which the woman was convicted of was a general charge of allowing the abuse to happen at the hands of her partner. The boy's father faced nine counts of raping the boy, nine counts of raping the boy with a poker and one count of cruelty. The mother faced two counts of sexual assault relating to allegations she had sex with the boy and one count of cruelty. Both parents had pleaded not guilty to the allegations which are alleged to have occurred in their Waterford home. The parents had originally faced a total of 82 charges but 60 of these were withdraw last week following legal argument. After the jury delivered its final verdict Mr Justice Robert Eagar indicated he intended to grant the woman bail until sentencing. However gardai strongly objected, saying the woman was a flight risk. Her partner was remanded in custody on Friday after his conviction. He will be sentenced on July 11 next. Prosecuting counsel Pauline Walley SC said the woman's partner was her only tie to Ireland and now that he has been jailed gardai believe she may flee. A Waterford garda told the court the woman has four other children who are in care and who she has no contact with. Most of the rest of her family, including her mother, live in the UK. The family home where the abuse occurred has since been sold and the woman lives in rented accommodation in another county. The garda said she has no means to support herself in Ireland. Her partner had been receiving social welfare but payments stopped before the trial. In support of bail, the woman's defence counsel said she has surrendered her passport to gardai and her partner is willing to keep paying her rent from custody. Mr Justice Eagar said in light of the garda objections he would remand the woman in custody. She will be sentenced separately from her partner on July 4th. The child had told gardai that his mother willingly had sex with him while his father watched and filmed it. However during evidence at trial he said his mother had been forced to have sex with him by the father and she complied because he threatened to kick her out of the house if she didn't. The boy told the jury he loved his mother and that she was a nice woman. He said that when he told her he had been raped by his father she gave out to the man. After the child was taken into care just before his eighth birthday his mother continued to have access visits with him. These visits ceased when the child was sent to the UK to receive specialised residential care because of his sexualised behaviour. An inquest into the death of a toddler who choked on a window blind cord has heard pleas for action to avert similar tragedies in the future. The coroner urged parents or anyone involved in the care of children to double check their homes to ensure the "silent killers" were removed or modified. His warning came after the parents of two-year-old Bryan Saba issued heartfelt calls for steps to be taken to prevent any other child dying that way. A tearful Maria Saba told the inquest: "I hope something will come out that will give better security from blind cords. "It's difficult for me to be here or to speak of what happened to us but I prefer to put my hands to this task so other families won't suffer what we are suffering today." Bryan became entangled in the looped blind cord of the living room window at his home in Portadown, Co Armagh, last September. He was playing in the room on his own and an older sister found him hanging from the cord. He sustained a significant brain injury and died in hospital in Belfast 15 days after the accident. Northern Ireland's coroner Joseph McCrisken said, according to Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) statistics, there had been 27 deaths linked to looped blind cords across the UK since 1999. In evidence to the inquest a senior pathologist said Bryan's case was the third death of a child in such circumstances in three years. "Bryan's death is an absolute tragedy for his family - his mother, father, sisters and brothers and other family - and also for our community, of which Bryan was a member," said Mr McCrisken. "I'm satisfied on the evidence before me that Bryan's death was a tragic accident. "Nobody is to blame for what happened to Bryan. And what happened to him could also occur in hundreds if not thousands of homes across Northern Ireland." He added: "There remains thousands, tens of thousands of lethal looped blind cords still in homes of parents and carers in Northern Ireland today. "The cords are lethal and silent killers of babies and young children which lurk in homes of parents and carers of young children." Mr McCrisken told Belfast Coroners' Court one of his responsibilities was to raise awareness and help save lives in the future. "I, as coroner for Northern Ireland, urge and plead with each and every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, child minder, landlord or carer of children to double check each and every blind in your home," he said. "As coroner I don't want to hear another inquest into the death of child as a result of strangulation from a blind cord. "I certainly don't want to see another family endure the heartache or grief that this family has endured." He said he would be writing to Northern Ireland's new health minister - a role expected to be filled later this week - to raise his concerns "I want my letter to be the first on his or her desk," he said. The coroner praised the actions of the medics who cared for Bryan and singled out passer-by Adam King who helped give first aid in the immediate aftermath of the incident on September 11. He also praised the toddler's parents for deciding to donate his organs. "The lives of a number of children have been saved," he said. The infant's father Feliciano Saba also urged greater vigilance. "Since Bryan's death we have been existing from one day to the next," he said in a statement read to the court. "Surviving on the strength that God has given us to sustain us and our children. "Not a day passes without me suffering continuous anguish." Bryan's parents are originally from Guinea-Bissau in west Africa. They married in Italy and Bryan was born in Verona before family members moved to Northern Ireland at the start of 2015 for work. Mr McCrisken urged people to visit the RoSPA or Make It Safe websites for advice on reducing the dangers posed by blinds. Adrian Ismay: killed by bomb planted by the New IRA Photo: Department of Justice/PA Wire Gardai have stepped up their monitoring of suspected members of the New IRA as a result of intelligence fears that they are preparing for a campaign of violence in Britain. The New IRA has been responsible for a renewed spate of terror activity in Northern Ireland in recent months. British security agencies now say they have unspecified intelligence indicating that the terrorists are planning to strike in Britain shortly. Senior garda anti-terrorist officers are working closely with their counterparts in the PSNI and police forces in Britain as a result of the warning. Officers say they have no information to back up reports circulating in Northern Ireland that the group has gained possession of a large haul of Semtex explosive, which had previously been under the control of the Provisional IRA. But as a result of the intelligence, MI5 has raised the threat level to Britain from Northern Ireland-related terrorism from "moderate" to "substantial". This means a terrorist attack is regarded as a "strong possibility". The threat level within Northern Ireland remains at "severe", suggesting that an attack is highly likely. Last March, the New IRA claimed responsibility for planting a bomb under the car of prison officer, Adrian Ismay, in east Belfast. Mr Ismay died two weeks later from his injuries. The New IRA is a relatively new dissident republican grouping, consisting of members of the Real IRA, the Derry-based Republican Action Against Drugs group and former members of the Provisional IRA's east Tyrone brigade. Their ranks include a number of experienced gunmen and those with explosive expertise. The New IRA is now regarded on both sides of the Border as the most dangerous dissident republican organisation on the island and has taken over the mantle from the OnH group since the garda arrest of its leader and other key players. It has strong support in parts of Belfast, Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh, which are its strongholds in the North. Garda Special Branch officers and the crime and security section in the Phoenix Park are keeping a close watch on personnel they believe to be ready to provide logistical support to the groups in terms of manufacturing explosives and supplying vehicles to units operating across the Border. The latest intelligence about a likely attack in Britain is not specific and does not contain details about what type of terror strike is planned or where. Earlier this year, Assistant Garda Commissioner John O'Mahony, who is in charge of the force's crime and security branch, said recent seizures were evidence of the increasing sophistication of dissident "engineers". During 2015, gardai arrested 31 people in connection with inquiries into dissident activity and 22 were charged with terrorist-related offences before the Special Criminal Court. Mr O'Mahony said garda interventions and arrests had, without doubt, saved lives. A massive 50,000 patients a year are walking out of our creaking hospital emergency departments, many of them in despair at the long waiting times. This includes patients who may have serious medical conditions but leave A&E because they cannot stand the overcrowded conditions and trolley gridlock. Expand Close The Mater Hospital in Dublin, one of the hospitals where patients have been leaving before being discharged / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Mater Hospital in Dublin, one of the hospitals where patients have been leaving before being discharged An average of 4,000 patients a month who are registering at emergency departments in the hope of being treated are walking out before being discharged. Some do so without even being seen by a nurse, the figures, obtained by the Irish Independent, reveal. They show for the first time the true scale of the A&E crisis, which extends well beyond the official count of patients who are waiting for a bed in order to be admitted. Although there are numerous reasons why patients leave without being treated, the figures confirm that hospitals with some of the most persistent overcrowding are also experiencing the highest level of walkouts. In October last year, 613 patients left the Mater Hospital in Dublin before discharge and 375 left University Hospital Galway. During the same month, University Hospital Limerick lost 303 patients in this manner. Hundreds also deserted the emergency department of Tallaght Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital. The problem extends to children's hospitals. The figures show that 71 young patients were removed by their families from Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin and 67 left the emergency department of Temple Street Hospital. The HSE said these patients who bailed out were recorded under the heading "did not wait". The spokeswoman said the patient may have chosen to leave either before or after triage by a nurse. Admission They may also exit without waiting to see an advanced nurse practitioner, a junior doctor or a consultant. In some cases, they will have seen a doctor but leave without waiting for tests, test results or admission to a ward. The HSE says that when a patient registers at reception "this is taken to mean that they are requesting help and the advice in such circumstances, irrespective of whether a health professional has seen and advised that individual, would be to remain until admitted or discharged". It is acknowledged that some of the patients had minor complaints and others may have been drunk or have taken drugs. But the high number of walkouts inevitably includes many patients with potentially serious physical symptoms or mental distress and who are at risk. Commenting on the figures, Dr James Gray, emergency consultant at Tallaght Hospital ,said a functioning emergency department should not have a walkout rate of more than 2pc to 5pc. "The reasons are multiple, but poor conditions like overcrowding and long waiting times to see a clinician are fundamental," he said. Dr Gray, who is also a medico-legal expert, pointed out that some patients who are feeling better or have decided to seek alternative treatment can decide to walk away. In cases where drink, drugs or mental illness are involved, doctors want to know if the patient has the capability to make the decision for themselves to leave. Dr Ken Egan, chairman of the National Association of GP Co-operatives, which provide services out of hours, said he had seen older patients who were frightened of going to emergency departments because they were so afraid of ending up on a trolley. He said: "They say, 'I am not going to hospital' - even though they are quite ill." Dr Egan, a GP in Ballindine in Mayo, said: "The overcrowding is putting people off. You could have somebody who is suicidal or another person who has a silent coronary. "If someone goes in with serious indigestion, they should have all the necessary tests done before they walk away. Coronaries can be missed." Health Minister Simon Harris has said a review of hospital beds is to be carried out to see where they are most needed in order to help alleviate the trolley crisis A massive 50,000 patients a year are walking out of our creaking hospital emergency departments - many of them in despair at long waiting times. They include patients who may have serious medical conditions but leave A&E because they are so unwell they cannot stand the overcrowded conditions and trolley gridlock. An average of 4,000 patients a month who are registering at emergency departments - and paying the 100 fee, if they have not been referred by a GP - in the hope of being treated are walking out. Some do so without even being seen by a nurse, the figures obtained by the Irish Independent reveal. They show for the first time the true scale of the A&E crisis, which extends well beyond the official count of patients waiting for a bed to be admitted. Although there are many reasons why patients leave without being treated, the figures confirm that hospitals with the most persistent overcrowding also experience the highest levels of walkouts. Health Minister Simon Harris says a review of hospital beds is to be carried out. The start of summer is not the best time to grab people's attention about our continuing overuse of antibiotics - drugs we normally associate with the cold and flu season. But the stark warnings are ever more urgent, in major reports about common infections becoming killers because so many of these drugs will stop working. Last week, the UK's "superbug tsar" Lord Jim O'Neill, delivered his verdict on the medical crisis to Prime Minister David Cameron. It said severe infections will kill one person every three seconds by 2050. Ireland in particular needs to take heed. We are already ranked 'mid-to-high' in the European league table for antibiotic use. The reality is that more infections are already becoming resistant to antibiotics at worrying speed, causing problems for hospitals and GPs across Ireland in fighting superbugs like MRSA. The miracle drugs treat everything from minor infections to life-threatening illnesses like pneumonia. But the germs have learned to adapt, due to factors such as over-prescribing of antibiotics and patients not finishing their course of treatment. Last year there was a slight increase in Irish hospitals in the use of "last resort drugs" which should be used more sparingly to stay effective in treating serious infections. A major university teaching hospital looking after large numbers of critically ill patients with complicated diseases will tend to use many more antibiotics than one that mainly looks after the less seriously ill. Irish hospitals use on average just under one dose of antibiotic for every patient in the hospital. This does not mean that every patient is on antibiotics. Some patients may be on three at the same time. The problem is complex, and in our maternity hospitals the numbers of antibiotics given to women are on the rise. This is due to guidelines on the treatment of sepsis, a form of blood poisoning triggered by infection, which if untreated, can lead to multiple organ failure. These were introduced following the death of Savita Halappanavar. In the past, doctors would have monitored the patient over time but now it is much more difficult not to start them on antibiotics. It does mean that more of these women are checked over 24 to 48 hours, and may have their treatment changed. Overall concern relates to the continuing rise in the use of critically important groups of penicillin, cephalosporins, carbapenems and quinolones. Although MRSA is the best known superbug, Irish patients are also at risk from Clostridium difficile, MDR-TB and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae(CPE). Clinical judgement still plays a huge role in a doctor's decision on antibiotics, and they can err on the side of caution. Lord O'Neill suggests that rapid testing of patients should be carried out to determine if their infection is due to a virus or bacteria before any antibiotics are prescribed. But a cheap and quick test has yet to be invented. Lorna Moore is originally from Omagh in Co Tyrone A trainee teacher who wanted bring up her children under Isis in Syria, has been jailed for two and a half years. Muslim convert Lorna Moore, 34, was planning to take her three young children to the war zone - including an 11-month-old baby. Around the same time, a number of pregnant women from the same community were poised to give birth in the Caliphate. The mother-of-three is originally from Omagh in Co Tyrone, but moved to Walsall in the West Midlands. She failed to tell authorities her husband Sajid Aslam, 34, was about to leave for Syria. Ayman Shaukat, 28, was also convicted of preparing terrorist acts by helping Aslam and Muslim convert Alex Nash, 22, on their way. Expand Close Ayman Shaukat / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ayman Shaukat Nash's wife Kerry Thomason, 24, was pregnant when she was stopped from flying out with her two children to join her husband in Syria. Sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Charles Wide described Moore as a "very strong character" and said she "knew perfectly well of your husband's dedication to terrorism". "One of the troubling things about you is your facility for telling lies," he added. He said Moore had told "lie after lie" to the jury during her trial and that some of her evidence was "nonsense". Expand Close Kerry Thomason / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kerry Thomason She was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment. Shaukat was jailed for a total of 10 years with a five-year extended licence while Nash was jailed for five years with a one-year additional licence. Judge Wide said Shaukat was "committed" and Nash "dedicated" to terrorism. He described Thomason as "naive" and said her husband made "ugly threats" against her in trying to persuade her to join him. She was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years with a supervision order and six-month tagged curfew between 6pm and 6am. At the time of Aslam's departure in August 2014, Moore had taken the rest of the family on a Butlin's holiday in Skegness. The day after dropping him off at the airport, Shaukat sent a photograph of himself on his mobile phone posing with the IS flag. As Aslam crossed into Syria, he sent a triumphant coded message back to Shaukat in the form of a video link to a song called I Made It by Cash Money Heroes. Within months, Moore had booked flights to Palma, Majorca, but her final destination was given away in a text from Nash's pregnant wife in Turkey saying "see you there". Moore insisted she would "never" put her children's lives in danger, adding: "They mean the world to me." She claimed her relationship with Aslam ended after he became abusive and they only lived together for the sake of the children who are now aged three, nine and 10. She told jurors that when she turned to a Muslim cleric for a divorce, he told her that a "white Muslim is not a special Muslim" and she must take her husband back. Shaukat, of Pargeter Street, Walsall, denied helping his friends join IS by dropping Aslam and Nash off at airports. The convicted burglar and law degree graduate was nicknamed Karma Chameleon because he presented different versions of himself to jurors and his home in the Caldmore area in Walsall is known locally as Karma. He described IS as "evil" and said he told MI5 he would "assist in any way I could" after agents contacted him as treasurer of the community group Islam Walsall. Other members of the West Midlands group allegedly set off for Syria between July and December 2014. The first to join IS was Muslim convert Jake Petty, 25, also known as Abu Yaqoob Britany. His Christian minister mother Sue Boyce wept as she told jurors how she begged him not to go and later had to identify his body from video footage on social media after he was killed in December 2014. Petty was swiftly followed by former schoolmate Isaiah Siadatan, 24, whose pregnant wife Thomason was prevented from joining him. He had sent her an email in December 2014 insisting that she should bring their children to him in IS. Siadatan is believed to have been killed in the summer of 2015, although his death is unconfirmed. Thomason previously pleaded guilty to assisting her husband in preparation of his terrorist acts. Nash and his pregnant wife Yousma Jan, 20, were arrested by Turkish authorities and sent back to the UK. He took sole responsibility for the plan and admitted preparing acts of terrorism, while a charge against Jan was discontinued. The parents of a three-year-old boy who was saved from drowning in a river by the quick action of a brave woman, have said they will never be able to fully repay her. Adriana and Alan Watters said Maria Foley risked her own life when she jumped into the River Lee in Cork city centre to save Caleb after he slipped and fell in. "She saved our child - she is a hero in every sense of the word," said Adriana said. "She risked her own life to save a little child. That is the action of a true hero." The incident, at Patrick's Quay, occurred at noon on Friday as Caleb and another young child were being taken for a walk by an au pair. Caleb apparently ran ahead and the au pair was unable to grab him in time. The child wanted to look at fish swimming in the river - but slipped on the wet footpath and slid directly underneath safety barriers and into the river. Having immediately dived into the river to rescue the child, Maria then managed to hold Caleb above her head with one hand while supporting both of them from the quay wall with her other hand. In the minutes after the rescue, the mother of 13 insisted to emergency services that anyone would have done the same to rescue a child. "All that matters is that the child is OK," she said. Adriana, who is originally from Cologne in Germany but currently lives in Cork, said her family would never be able to thank Maria sufficiently for what she did. "She didn't stop for a second to think about her own safety," she said. "I don't know what we would have done if Maria hadn't jumped in to the river to save him. "We could be dealing with a terrible tragedy today instead of being able to hold our son and tell him how much we love him." Adriana has now set up a special fundraising page as a gesture of thanks to Maria for her incredible courage. The page has a fundraising target of 13,000 - and almost 2,000 was donated in just over 18 hours. "I believe that Maria deserves special recognition for what she did. The fundraising page is our gesture of thanks," explained Adriana. She has appealed to people to show their appreciation for Maria's courage by supporting the special fundraising page the Watters family set up for the rescuer at: gofundme.com/fundatruehero. The family stressed that if Maria does not want the proceeds, they can be donated to Cork's emergency services. An owner of a well-known dress rental shop has called for an investigation after her shop was robbed by a group of women. Kara Maher has spoken out about the incident and said she witnessed a group of women stuffing their buggies and tops with her stock. The incident took place at 'Frock n Fabulous', Exchequer Street on Sunday, May 22. Ms Maher told RTE's Liveline today that six "foreign women" entered her dress shop and took dresses off the rails, putting them into their buggies and up their tops. Kara posted photos of the culprits on her Facebook as she said naming and shaming seems to be my only option. I had to physically tackle these girls who were robbing dresses, putting them into buggy and up their tops. I tried stopping them at door but they pushed past me. I work so hard at my business. It's my livelihood yet these girls keep robbing, she wrote. Expand Close 'Frock N Fabulous' on Dublin's Exchequer Street / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'Frock N Fabulous' on Dublin's Exchequer Street My business cant sustain this level of theft. Another caller Austin OMalley of OMalley Electrical in Charleville told Joe that he experienced a similar theft in his shop. A woman walked into the shop and she put her hand on an electric iron. She lifted her skirt and put the box under and attached it to something under her skirt and then she just walked out the door. She sailed out the door without a bother. I was looking on but what could I do. She had it under her skirt, Austin said. Expand Close 'Frock N Fabulous' on Dublin's Exchequer Street / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'Frock N Fabulous' on Dublin's Exchequer Street The manner in which she was dressed would suggest that she was of a particular ethnic I suppose. Austin said that she ran to a car approximately 20 yards down the road. She was in the shop Id say for 10 or 12 seconds Id say. It was very quick, she was very good at it and sure what could I do, I couldnt approach her. It was educational. I was shocked how she made it look so easy. Im sure stuff was stolen from the shop before but I had never seen it, he said. Expand Close 'Frock N Fabulous' on Dublin's Exchequer Street / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'Frock N Fabulous' on Dublin's Exchequer Street For 20 would you be bothered taking that risk? The risk doesnt come near logic. Una OReilly owner of Allicano dress shop on South William Street also shared a similar experience. Last Saturday the exact same group came into my shop, Una said. She said that she looked at the photos that Kara put on Facebook and saw that it was the same group who tried to rob her shop. I have them on camera and I looked at photos that (Kara) put up on Facebook, theyre exactly the same as the photo. Una said she refused to let the women out of the shop and blocked their exit. Theyre not Irish. A group of four of them came in and they had pockets built into their skirt because I could see them and they were trying to get the clothes in and I said I dont have what youre looking for, said Una. They werent scared, they were in there for the long haul but I wouldnt let them out. I work too hard. I design and make the clothes. I work 18 hours a day, theres no way they were getting past me. Its very stressful. They dont seem to care because nothing happens to them. Gardai were unable to confirm to the independent.ie that an investigation was underway. President Michael D Higgins being greeted by Ambassador of Ireland to Turkey H.E. Brendan Ward at Ataturk International Airport, Istanbul prior to the Presidents two day visit to The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul President Michael D Higgins with H.E Volkan Bozkir, Turkish Minister for EU Affairs at Ataturk International Airport, Istanbul prior to the Presidents two day visit to The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has called for a rethink of international politics and decisive action to tackle humanitarian crises. The President was speaking at a leaders breakfast at the World Humanitarian Summit which opened in Istanbul this morning. Expand Close President Michael D Higgins being greeted by Ambassador of Ireland to Turkey H.E. Brendan Ward at Ataturk International Airport, Istanbul prior to the Presidents two day visit to The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Michael D Higgins being greeted by Ambassador of Ireland to Turkey H.E. Brendan Ward at Ataturk International Airport, Istanbul prior to the Presidents two day visit to The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul Outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon organised the summit in Turkey to address a number of challenges around the globe including gender inequality and climate change. The summit has been criticised by some, including Irish charity Trocaire for a lack of high level political buy-in, but the President has called for action instead of rhetoric to implement changes. For too long, empty pledges and fine words have died in our mouths now is the time to turn promises into action for this generation, he told this mornings meeting. Let us honour those who have worked so hard to prevent, reduce and respond to conflicts, who have helped pick up the pieces in a broken world, but let us not shrink from the reality of the deep political and intellectual failures, with which we must deal, from which we must depart. World leaders were facing a moment of truth he added. The goals set out by the outgoing Secretary General to put a long term plan In place require more than just the re-stating previous aspirations according to the President. It requires a profound and integrated rethink of international politics, and of our theory and practice of economics, development and trade, he said. We must be aware of all those women, men and children who yearn for, even weep for, a United Nations that would be supported, resourced and enabled, beyond any competing set of narrow interests, to act decisively against the interrelated issues of global poverty and hunger, conflict, displacement and climate change. President Higgins is accompanied in Istanbul by Minister of State Joe McHugh and the Ambassador to Turkey Brendan Ward. Speaking to the Irish Independent ahead of the summit President Higgins said that the report prepared by the UN for the summit showed that the world is so far failing to tackle humanitarian challenges such as ongoing displacement and large scale conflict. He will later address round table discussions on aid and improving the international response to crises. BRITAIN'S Prince of Wales is making a three-day visit to Ireland, Clarence House has announced. Charles will begin his trip in Belfast on Monday, and on Tuesday will be joined in Northern Ireland by the Duchess of Cornwall. JUST ANNOUNCED: The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will visit Northern Ireland and Ireland this week. Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) May 23, 2016 The royal couple will then travel to the Republic on Wednesday for an official visit. The visit to Ireland is at the request of the Government and follows Charles and Camilla's trip to the country this time last year when the Prince toured the place where his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, was murdered by the IRA in 1979. Read more about Their Royal Highnessess three-day visit here: https://t.co/10G7oIyCIu Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) May 23, 2016 Follow #RoyalVisitNI and #RoyalVisitIreland to keep up to date with The Prince and The Duchesss activities over the next few days. Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) May 23, 2016 A Clarence House spokesman said: "The visits will recognise the warm friendship that exists between both countries, promoting understanding of their respective heritage and celebrating the best that each has to offer." Charles will begin his visit to Belfast this lunchtime by touring the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) at the Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) at Queen's University Belfast. The heir to the throne will be briefed on the work of the institute and CSIT and also tour a laboratory to watch a demonstration on the weather satellite technology the centre is researching and will learn more about cyber-security software. During their visit to Northern Ireland the royal couple will visit a number of successful local businesses, some of which work in the food and drink sector, as 2016 is the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink. Earlier this month Charles attended an event at Fortnum and Mason in London to promote food and produce from Northern Ireland, as part of his work supporting the sector. The heir to the throne and his wife will also host a musical evening at Hillsborough Castle which will feature an eclectic programme, with performances from the DIT Harp Ensemble from the Dublin Conservatory of Music & Drama, the Belfast Opera, the "Folk & Trad" group of the Royal Irish Regiment and an appearance by comedian Tim McGarry. During his visit to Ireland in May last year Charles made an emotional trip to Mullaghmore in Co Sligo - the picturesque fishing village where his beloved Lord Mountbatten and three others were murdered by the IRA in 1979. At the time he described Mountbatten as the "'grandfather I never had'' and said the murders had given him a deep understanding of the pain suffered by victims of the 30-year Northern Ireland conflict. On Wednesday the royal couple will visit Donegal Town in the Irish Republic, and celebrate the area's heritage by visiting Magee's - a local company which has been producing tweed for 150 years. At the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Charles will meet local entrepreneurs and learn more about the institute's cross-border programmes, while Camilla will visit a local school. Finally, at Glenveagh Castle the couple will tour the gardens and meet children who have been learning about some of the conservation work which takes place in Glenveagh National Park. OFFICERS from Londons Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command are searching for direct descendants of Detective Sergeant Matthew McLoughlin, who was Lord Kitchener's personal protection officer during the First World War. Matthew died on 5 June 1916, along with Lord Kitchener and 735 others, aboard HMS Hampshire which sank after hitting a mine near Orkney, off the north-eastern coast of Scotland. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the tragedy and the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command will name their new office after the late officer when they move from New Scotland Yard later this year. Officers have provided background information on Matthew in the hope of finding his relatives. Matthew was born in Kilcommon, North Tipperary, Ireland on 6 February1879 to Michael, a farmer, and Bridget McLoughlin. He was the seventh of 14 children and lived in a small house on the side of a hill near the hamlet of Foilnadrough, about a mile to the west of Kilcommon. He moved to London in January 1900 and joined the Met on 17 September 1900. In 1904 he transferred to a specialist unit, where he protected royalty and ministers of state. His son, Michael Paul McLoughlin, was born on 19 April 1912 at Sunny View, Pardown, Wootton St Lawrence, Hampshire. His birth certificate reports Margaret Amelie McLoughlin, formerly Quernel (or possibly Queruel or Quesnel) as his mother. She is believed to have been born in France, possibly at Le Havre where it appears Matthew served as a Special Branch Ports officer. His son, Micheal, may have ended up in Caracas, Venezuela as somebody with that name applied for a passport there (date unknown). Matthew and Margaret were married in Kensington, London, on 13 January 1912. If you believe you are a relative of any of the above, or have any information that might assist the Met in tracing a living relative, please email scott.hamer@met.police.uk and richard.roe@met.police.uk Barrister Sean Guerin contacted the Government to express concern over the length of time it had taken for him to be paid over 126,000 for his controversial report into allegations of garda malpractice by Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Mr Guerin sent a letter to the country's most senior civil servant, Martin Fraser, which stated that he had yet to be paid, more than eight months after the completion of the report. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that the taxpayer footed a bill of 126,300 for the report, the findings of which led to the resignation of the Justice Minister Alan Shatter. The documents also detail how Mr Guerin queried the length of time it had taken for him to be paid by the State since the completion of the report last May. "It is now more than eight months later and almost two years since my appointment. My fees remain outstanding, as does payment of the third-party expenses incurred," Mr Guerin wrote in the later, dated February 22, 2016. "In the circumstances, I would be obliged if you would confirm that arrangements are now being made to effect payment in early course," he added. On March 8, Assistant Secretary to the Government Philip Hamell responded to say that payment was being arranged. The Guerin Report found that An Garda Siochana and Mr Shatter had failed in their duties to properly investigate claims of malpractice contained in a dossier compiled by Sgt Maurice McCabe. The subsequent O'Higgins Commission, however, found that Mr Shatter had taken the garda whistleblower's allegations very seriously. Mr Shatter has since called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to remove the Guerin Report from circulation and to ensure that the Dail record is corrected. He is also taking a legal case in a bid to overturn the findings. "I don't think you can leave two contradictory reports in circulation, I think it's right that the Guerin Report is withdrawn, that the errors in it are removed from it and that the Dail recorded is corrected," Mr Shatter said earlier this month. But speaking to the Irish Independent, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said the O'Higgins Commission endorsed findings from the Guerin Report in relation to a number of cases in the Cavan/Monaghan district. "Despite what the early selective briefing suggested, it actually vindicates the Guerin Report's assessment of these individual cases, as some of them reveal very serious deficiencies, to put it mildly, in terms of the investigation process." The Government is set to suffer "loads" of defeats in the Dail in the coming months and is likely to lose another vote as early as this week, according to newly appointed Chief Whip Regina Doherty. In an interview with the Irish Independent, the Meath East TD warned colleagues they must get used to losing votes in the Dail over bills tabled by the Opposition. "Get used to it, because it's going to happen load of times," Ms Doherty said. The weakness of the new administration was exposed when Fianna Fail easily secured the passing of a bill on mortgages through the Dail. And Ms Doherty's warning comes as concerns mount within Fine Gael over the strength of the support being offered by Independent TDs. Clare deputy Dr Michael Harty caused panic within the Fine Gael ranks after warning at the weekend he was not part of the Government and will therefore approach all votes - including motions of no confidence in either the Taoiseach or his ministers - on a strictly case-by-case basis. Dr Harty told the 'Sunday Independent' he backed Enda Kenny as Taoiseach because he believed the country did not want to go back to the polls, but insisted he never committed to full-time support for the Government. But the newly elected TD clarified the issue yesterday, saying he will now back Mr Kenny on motions of no confidence and Budget votes. "When I said on a case-by-case basis I meant votes in the Dail and not votes which could bring down the Government," he said. The GP also said he never sought a position in government from Fine Gael and insisted he was not "throwing his toys out of the pram" because he was not appointed as junior minister. During the week, Fine Gael backbenchers privately claimed Dr Harty sought a position as a reward for his support - a claim he emphatically denies. One minister yesterday said Dr Harty's remarks about not being part of the Government show the current administration is effectively on a "knife edge". A senior Fianna Fail source, meanwhile, said the Government was being "propped up by Michael Lowry and could be pulled down by us". The figure reiterated remarks by party leader Micheal Martin that the plug could be pulled over "policy surprises". But speaking to the Irish Independent, Ms Doherty said it was the responsibility of Fine Gael to ensure there were no such surprises. She also said the Government was preparing to lose another vote this week, when Sinn Fein puts forward a private members' bill on water. "Be prepared, we will probably lose a vote this week. But that's okay. I'm not going to go home crying," Ms Doherty said. "Losing a vote on an issue of non-national importance is not going to be a crisis," she added. Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald has said it is up to Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan to decide when to address the O'Higgins report controversy, which threatens to cast a shadow over the Government for a second consecutive week. Ms Fitzgerald maintained her soft line on the issue yesterday as she declined to say when she believes Ms O'Sullivan will clarify the instructions given to her legal team at the O'Higgins investigation. And the Justice Minister was forced to defend her department's relations with An Garda Siochana in response to a scathing attack from new Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin. Mr Howlin described the department as the "downtown office" of the gardai and said he had no confidence in its ability to drive the change necessary within the force. "There were two reports in the last year from the Garda Inspectorate relating to very broad-ranging reforms that are necessary. I am not convinced yet that they have been embraced," Mr Howlin told RTE's 'This Week' programme. "Bluntly, I have no confidence in the Department of Justice to drive that change because I think there is too close of a relationship between the Department of Justice and An Garda Siochana, who sometimes see themselves as the downtown office of An Garda Siochana, as opposed to the people who are managing policing in Ireland, as well as a number of other things." The issue of the O'Higgins report is expected to be discussed at Cabinet tomorrow. Much focus will be on some of the Independent ministers, who have to date refused to express confidence in Ms O'Sullivan until she clarifies reports that she instructed her team to question the credibility of garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Speaking to reporters in Dublin yesterday, Ms Fitzgerald said Ms O'Sullivan will speak about the matter in her own time. She added that gardai had a lot of making up to do after austerity strained garda numbers and resources. She also refused to say when the Garda Commissioner should clarify why her legal team allegedly attacked Sgt McCabe's credibility during the commission hearings. "That is entirely up to the Garda Commissioner. There is a meeting of the Policing Authority on Thursday, we will have the debate in the Dail and there will be other forums where this will be discussed," Ms Fitzgerald said. "As I said in relation to the Garda Commissioner, what's legal and feasible, I am sure she will in the appropriate form, make a comment in relation to that." The Tanaiste also said the Dail would debate the findings of the O'Higgins report this week. And she added that the Commissioner is due to appear in front of the Policing Authority later this week. In response to Mr Howlin's criticism of the Department of Justice, Ms Fitzgerald said he is aware of the changes that have taken place in the garda force as a result of his time in Cabinet. "At the time when Deputy Howlin was a Minister for Public Expenditure there was a lot of investment in An Garda Siochana and that has led to a lot of changes and a lot of support for them, because during the changes and the period of the economy doing poorly, clearly investment virtually stopped so there is a lot of making up to do," Ms Fitzgerald said. "The O'Higgins Commission looked in a very detailed way at a whole range of issues in relation to An Garda Siochana. There is a lot of learning there. Much has changed since 2007 and 2008. There has been a programme of reform, indeed a lot of investment." Alan Kelly: 'I want to steer our party in a new direction. We need to be placed firmly as the party that represents workers and all their interests' Photo: RollingNews.ie The row over the Labour Party leadership has escalated after Alan Kelly demanded a showdown with Brendan Howlin over his humiliation following his failure to secure a single nomination. Mr Kelly wants Mr Howlin to row back on his public denials that he threatened to stand aside in the event of a leadership contest being called. Expand Close Brendan Howlin: denies that he threatened to stand aside Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brendan Howlin: denies that he threatened to stand aside Photo: Tom Burke The Tipperary TD is adamant that the warning, which he claims was issued by Mr Howlin during a private meeting of the parliamentary party last week, was the catalyst for other Labour deputies refusing to second his nomination. Mr Howlin has firmly denied that he ever made the threat and said on Friday that if Mr Kelly had secured a nomination then an election would have taken place. "If there were two candidates today, there would be an election. Do you think anybody bullied Willie Penrose or Sean Sherlock or Jan O'Sullivan?" asked Mr Howlin. However, party members in Limerick have said their local TD, Jan O'Sullivan, told a meeting of the party last week that she couldn't support Mr Kelly's nomination because Mr Howlin would not contest the leadership. Last night, Mr Kelly told the Irish Independent that he intends to address "concerns and misgivings" he has about the events of recent days. But he insisted that he will play a "central part" in the "revival of my party". "Obviously, I have concerns and misgivings about what happened regarding the appointment of the new leader in our party and I will deal with those internally in the coming weeks and months," Mr Kelly said. "But let me be clear about one thing; I fully intend to play a central part in the revival of my party and I'll be discussing that directly with Brendan and others during the week. I want to steer our party in a new direction. We need to be placed firmly as the party that represents workers and all their interests. That's what we are all about. Everything else is secondary to that." A well-placed source, however, said Mr Kelly would demand a "climbdown" from Mr Howlin in a move that will cause further tensions in the party. Given that former leader Joan Burton and party chairman Willie Penrose opted to detach themselves from the process, Mr Kelly needed the support of one of Ms O'Sullivan, Cork East TD Sean Sherlock or Dublin Fingal deputy Brendan Ryan. None of the three were willing to back the former Environment Minister, despite his pleas. Infuriated The row in Labour comes as the party removed a claim from an internal report that some of its officials behaved like they were in 'The West Wing' during the recent General Election campaign. The inquiry, which is examining Labour's disastrous election result, is highly critical of the manner in which the party's campaign was conducted. It is set to find that Labour was too closely aligned to Fine Gael during the campaign. But it has emerged that a claim that some officials behaved like they were characters from the US television series 'The West Wing' is to be removed from the final draft. It is understood that the use of the term infuriated senior figures in the party. Youth group BeLonG To the Future marks the first anniversary of the passing of the Marriage Referendum at the Outhouse LGBT Community House yesterday Photo: Fergal Phillips Record numbers of young people have come out as LGBT in the past 12 months as part of a surge on the back of the marriage equality referendum. A national survey of 14 to 23-year-olds, of all sexualities and genders, shows more than half of young people (53pc) know someone who has come out for the first time since last year's Yes vote. New research by the national LGBT youth organisation BeLonG To also shows 39pc of respondents who identify themselves as LGBT spoke to someone about their sexuality for the first time in the past year. Respondents said this was down to the confidence the Yes vote gave them. Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald said it was great to reflect on the positives that have come from passing the referendum. "I stand proud of the Irish people who came together and voted with their hearts last summer and changed Ireland forever. We took an extraordinary step forward for justice and equality for all citizens. "While the future is secured, the present can still be a frightening place for LGBT young people. "We need to keep saying yes to supporting young LGBT people." Keith Murtagh: warned by gardai that his life is in danger Nine shots were fired through the window, inset Keith Murtagh A senior associate of the Hutch gang who survived two murder bids has discharged himself from hospital and gone into hiding. Convicted armed robber Keith Murtagh (32) suffered a grazed arm when a gunman opened fire on a house in Cherry Orchard Court, Ballyfermot, in the early hours of Saturday morning. A woman who was in the house at the time also suffered minor injuries to her leg. It is unclear if the injuries were caused by bullet fragments or splintered glass after at least nine shots were fired through the front window of the house. Gardai believe that Murtagh was the intended target when a hitman mistakenly shot dead innocent drug addict Martin ORourke in the north inner city last month. Detectives are now investigating if this latest attack is linked to the ongoing Kinahan/Hutch feud, which has claimed six lives in eight months. It is believed that Murtagh was targeted because of his association with members of the Hutch gang. Murtagh was brought to St Jamess hospital after the attack, but discharged himself on Saturday. He fled to the UK following the shooting of ORourke on Sheriff Street on April 14 but had returned and was spotted in the north inner city in recent days. He has been warned by gardai that his life is under threat. It is believed a 100,000 sum has been offered for the killing of Murtagh, which was ordered by a close associate of Regency Hotel murder victim David Byrne (34) who is a senior member of the cartel headed by Daniel Kinahan. Murtagh was part of an armed gang which included Derek Hutch that conspired to steal a large sum of money from a cash-in-transit van in Lucan, Co Dublin, seven years ago. Fire Gardai had intelligence about the plan and they moved in as the crime was underway. Murtagh was wounded and one of his accomplices, Garrett Molloy (27), was shot dead when gardai opened fire. Murtagh later pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of a weapon with intent to endanger life at Foxboro Road, Lucan, on May 15, 2009. Garda sources now said there is no end in sight to the current feud that was sparked by the Kinahan gangs murder of Gary Hutch (34) last September. This was followed by an attempt to murder Derek Hutch in prison. He was stabbed repeatedly with a home-made knife and only saved by the intervention of staff in Mountjoy Prison. Keith Murtagh has been one of the top targets of the Kinahan gang since the Regency Hotel attack on February 5 in which David Byrne, a senior Kinahan gang member, was shot dead. It is believed Murtagh was targeted because of his close links to Derek Hutch and other members of the northside gang. According to garda sources, the Kinahan gangs representatives, based mainly in the southside of inner city Dublin, are determined to destroy the Hutch gang and its associates. So far, the Kinahan gang have killed five people in the feud, including Gerry Hutchs brother Eddie (59). Coleen Rooney consumed her placenta in capsule form after the birth of her son Coleen Rooney has revealed that eating capsules made out of her placenta following the birth of her youngest child made her feel energised and boosted her confidence. The wife of Manchester United star Wayne Rooney had her placenta freeze-dried and transformed into tablets after welcoming her third son Kit in February. The mum-of-three believes the process helped her shed pounds easier, boosted her milk production and stabilised her moods in the weeks after her sons birth. They had a slightly metallic taste and they definitely made me feel energised, Coleen told The Irish Mirror. Morning A photo posted by Coleen Rooney (@coleen_rooney) on May 11, 2016 at 1:12am PDT I felt full of very positive energy and it helped with a number of pregnancy symptoms such as the production of milk. I slept really well and they helped to stabilise my weight after having Kit. Everyone has a different reaction but in my case they were great, she said. Im almost back to what I was before I had Kit but I do have a bit of a jelly belly. But theres only so much you can do. Read More Coleen is mum to three boys now Kai (6), Klay (3) and Kit (3 months), but said it was a tough adjustment to bring a new baby home in February. Klay didnt really acknowledge him for the first day or so. He wouldnt look at him. So we got him some presents, put them beside Kit and told him his new little brother had bought them. Since then theyve been best friends. He cuddles and kisses them all the time, she said. Pickle is Sunil Ghai's first standalone restaurant. Located at the Bleeding Horse end of Camden Street, it could not be more different to the plushly draped Ananda in Dundrum Town Centre that was his base for most of the last decade. Ghai came to Ireland 15 years ago to work for the Jaipur group of restaurants that includes Jaipur in Dalkey and Chakra in Greystones, as well as Ananda. Moving in succession from one restaurant in the group to the next, his food became ever more sophisticated, a world away from the standard curry-house fare that most of us expect from Indian restaurants. By the time that he arrived at Ananda, Ghai's food was a showcase for the French techniques and plating skills that he had learned during his training with Oberoi in India, combined always with exquisite Indian spicing. It's the kind of food that is seen in high-end Indian restaurants such as Benares in London, and its most well-known exponent is Atul Kochar, who was involved in setting up Ananda. The chattering classes thought that Ghai was in line for a Michelin star last year. (Atul Kochar was awarded Michelin stars at both Tamarind and Benares.) But there was to be no star at Ananda - it appears more difficult for ethnic restaurants than others to achieve that accolade - and perhaps he was fed up waiting for one, because before the year was out he had made plans to move on. And now, with his business partner, Benny Jacob, who had been in charge of front of house at Ananda, he has Pickle. The decor is simple: wooden floors, modest tables and chairs, Indian movie and travel posters on the walls, home-style crockery. On the Wednesday night that we visit, without a booking, the place is jammed, but they squeeze us in. There's a good buzz in the room, which is long and narrow, with the open kitchen at the very back beside a raised area of tables. It feels more in keeping with the mood of the moment than luxe Ananda, yet with none of the theme park Raj-pastiche of Gymkhana in London (where Ghai's brother happens to be the executive chef, and which has a star) but with which there are similarities in terms of the food offering. The menu makes it clear that it's not just in physical terms that Ghai has moved on from Ananda. The chef has made a conscious return to his roots, with a range of dishes focused on regional cuisine, and most coming from the North of India. Ghai is a native of Gwalior, and grew up in a home where his mother had the honour of being the pickle-maker for the household. He chose the name for his restaurant as a tribute to her, a conscious nod of respect to age, experience and authenticity. The cheapest thing on the menu at Pickle is the home-made pickle, priced at 1, and you should be sure to order it. On the night of our visit it was a little pot of heritage tomato pickle: dry, complex, tangy and mouth-puckeringly delicious. But I'm getting ahead of myself, because the pickle came later on in our meal. We began with simple street food-inspired potato cakes filled with asafoetida, served with lentils infused with raw mango and a sour-sweet trio of chutneys. We ate curried scallops - just two - served with a green tomato chutney and a riff on Bombay mix, made out of spiced puffed rice that Ghai should produce commercially. We shared tandoori lamb chops - pink and lovely - with ginger and fennel, smoked aubergine and strawberry green chilly chutney, and full-flavoured jumbo prawns with Kashmiri chilly, lime and butter milk with a gutsy bang of charcoal. Our favourite plate was a goat mince curry with shallots, garlic and black cardamom (at Gymkhana you can pay a supplement and have a similar dish with added pearls of goat brain, and if you go there I would recommend that you do), served with a light and puffy pao bread. Black kali dal was intensely good and comforting, while warm spinach with fennel was extra-garlicky. We almost didn't order the bread basket, and that would have been a mistake. To finish, the kulfi falooda: rose-flavoured Indian ice -cream with caramelised pistachios and saffron-soaked vermicelli that we enjoyed more than we'd expected to. At the next table a couple of young doctors were discussing rotations. One told the other that she'd been trying to get a table for weeks...and went on to order Pickle's version of chicken korma, a dish that I'm pretty sure Ghai would prefer not to have on the menu. This is multi-layered, mindful modern food full of bright, vibrant flavours that is deliberately lighter than the interpretation of Indian food that we have been used to getting in Ireland. I'd like to see better information on sourcing (the menu says only that meats are sourced locally and halal certified), and a more-considered wine list. Our bill for two, with two large bottles of water, a couple of soft drinks and two glasses of Veramonte Reserve Pinot Noir 2014 from Chile, came to 119.50 before service. On a budget Pickle serves an 'Express Lunch' from 12 noon until 3pm. A Gwalior tiffin box, featuring cottage cheese, lentils, rice, naan, pickle, vegetables and a samosa costs 11. On a blowout Crispy prawns followed by lobster poached in turmeric and ginger, with masala duck egg bhurji, a couple of vegetable dishes, bread, condiments, and dessert for two would run to 138 before wine or service. The high point The best Indian food I've eaten in Ireland. The low point Seeing the unadventurous food choices being made at other tables. The rating 9/10 food 8/10 ambience 7/10 value for money 24/30 Whispers from the gastronomicon The Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen are lists of the conventional foods that are the least and most sprayed with pesticides, and therefore the least and most likely to contain pesticide residues. The list comes from the US, but even though spraying practices there differ from those in Europe, we can assume that a European list would be broadly similar. Top of the 2016 clean list are avocados, sweetcorn, pineapple, cabbage and peas, while top of the dirty list - and therefore the foods that it's most important to eat organic - are strawberries, apples, nectarines, peaches, celery and grapes. Seven-year-old Hailey Taylor-Furlong dearly wants to be a vet when she grows up - but her chronic hay fever may put paid to that ambition long before she ever reaches college. As a baby, Hailey had asthma and eczema. She still uses inhalers, carries an epi-pen, has mild eczema and is allergic to certain foods such as nuts and raw eggs. But Hailey's problems don't end there. Even as a young child, recalls her mum Mandy, playing outdoors or in the bucolic surrounds of the Phoenix Park close to the family home in Cabra, could bring on terrible hay fever attacks, leaving her with a red, sore, streaming nose and constant sneezing. Hailey can't tolerate very furry dogs or those with lots of hair - they can bring on similar attacks, Mandy reveals. "She loves animals and wants to be a vet, but we tell her that she'll have to change her ideas about her chosen career because of the effect that animal fur has on her," says the mother of three. Other triggers can include strong perfume or household cleaning products - dad has to be very careful about cutting the grass when Hailey's around, or she will get an attack. The little girl can end up sitting upright in bed for hours on end in a bid to reduce the discomfort of the severely blocked nose which often disrupts her sleep - and regularly wakes up following a night of broken sleep complaining that she cannot breathe through her nose. "It gets worse in the summer, but in the winter she also gets it," says Mandy. "We try to avoid irritants and we give her antihistamines when she gets bad, but sometimes the hay fever gets so bad she doesn't even want to go to bed because her nose is so blocked. "She will end up sitting upright with all the pillows behind her, trying to get relief from the blocked nose - it is really uncomfortable and it interrupts her sleep." Needless to say, the constant discomfort can make Hailey irritable, which doesn't help. "She can get quite cranky and upset with it which can make it worse," says Mandy (28). Hailey is not alone. About one million people in Ireland - one third of them children - will suffer from the symptoms of hay fever this summer, estimates allergist Dr Paul Carson of Dublin's Slievemore Clinic. And that's everything from sneezing to itchy eyes and ears, and in severe cases, blockage of the ears, swollen eyes and even asthma attacks. According to the Asthma Society of Ireland, grass pollen is the most common cause of hay fever, and that up to 90pc of people with hay fever are allergic to it. It usually starts in May. Dr Carson describes it as a "dreadfully uncomfortable" condition which can be "an absolute misery" for sufferers, particularly children, who cannot always properly express what is wrong with them. "It is not a trivial illness - it can really affect a child's quality of life. Children, because they cannot articulate exactly what is going on, tend to try to cope as best they can, whereas adults can tell you in detail of their misery." On top of that, explains Mary Llewellyn, an experienced asthma nurse specialist, who works in general practice and with the Asthma Society of Ireland, hay fever is a very under-diagnosed condition. "Hay fever is a very common condition in children and is under-diagnosed," she says. While it can be a standalone condition, hay fever is also often associated with asthma and eczema. Hay fever, Mary explains, can be seasonal - it can be caused by tree or grass pollen, for example - or it can be 'perennial' which means it's there all year round. Among the most common tree pollens are those from the horse chestnut, hazel, birch and alder. Pollen from wind-pollinated flowers such as those in the daisy family, which are not insect-pollinated, and spores from mushrooms and moulds are also well-known irritants. Perennial, or all-year-round hay fever, can be caused by the house dust mite, furry or feathered creatures, chemicals such as bleach, certain furniture polish or perfumes or even certain foods. According to Dr Carson, city-dwellers can suffer more than rural residents because hay fever is more aggressive in urban areas thanks to the build-up of car exhaust, particularly from diesel fumes. "The diesel combines with grass pollen to produce a 'super pollen' which is much more irritating and produces more aggressive symptoms," he says. The question is, what can parents do to counteract these irritants? With seasonal allergic rhinitis, you can try to avoid it, or at least limit a child's exposure to it, according to the Asthma Society of Ireland. One way to identify which allergens are causing your child's hay fever is to keep a diary with the times and locations of when your child has symptoms. This can help you identify what allergen or type of pollen may be causing it. You can then discuss your findings with the family doctor or health care professional. Although there is no cure for hay fever, in most cases symptoms can be controlled. Some treatments require a prescription but many are available over the counter and your pharmacist can provide advice on suitable non-prescription treatments. If symptoms persist it's a good idea to discuss them with your GP who may prescribe treatments such as antihistamines, eye drops, and nasal sprays or drops. Practical ways to help a child suffering from hay fever, include washing your child's face with cool water which removes pollen from the face, and wearing a hat while outside. Another tactic is to smear a little petroleum jelly around the nose, to trap pollen and stop it settling on the lining of the nose. Try changing your child's clothes and washing his or her hair after you've been outside to remove any trapped pollen. Another strategy is to keep house and car windows closed during peak pollen hours of late morning and late afternoon - and if you're mowing the lawn, always ensure the windows of the house are closed. It's very important to learn about hay fever, says Dr Carson, who explains that while 85pc of people self-medicate for the condition, they need to do it in an informed way. He is concerned about the over-use of antihistamines, he says, because he believes, it risks creating sinus problems down the road. "We tend to rely on antihistamines as a long-term treatment. This is okay for short bursts of pollen allergy, but the long-term use of antihistamines in hay fever symptoms or any nose/sinus allergy that is long-standing, is wrong," he warns. "This is because it gives people some relief from the sneezing but it masks the obstruction that is building up within the nose. I believe there is a risk of creating long-term sinus problems." Dr Carson suggests that parents make it a priority to take the family on summer holidays by the sea rather than in the country, "because offshore breezes blow pollen away". It really is best to be prepared. Because, as Mandy explains, when hay fever symptoms erupt, life gets very uncomfortable for her child. "If Hailey's nose is not running, it's congested or else she's sneezing a lot - it's very uncomfortable and she can get embarrassed because she has to bring a lot of tissues to school." Dealing with sinusitis One of the most common complications arising from hay fever is sinusitis, an inflammation or infection of the sinuses. Hay fever can cause an excess of mucus, which stops the sinuses from draining properly and if it cannot drain away, it can become affected with bacteria. Symptoms of sinusitis include a blocked or runny nose; pain in the sinus, green or yellow mucus and a high temperature. Sinusitis can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin. However when treating children with sinusitis, if they are under the age of 16, they should not take aspirin and ibuprofen is not recommended for asthmatics. Seek advice from your GP or a pharmacist as to the best over-the-counter painkiller to give. For more information see hse.ie Premium John Downing Opinion New British prime minister Rishi Sunaks succession proves an important milestone in British political inclusivity There is an old saying in British politics that goes: The right looks for converts while the left seeks out traitors. It comes to mind when one reflects upon the election of Rishi Sunak as the UKs first non-white prime minister in a party traditionally seen as most opposed to mass immigration and the dilution of national identity via multiculturalism. The majority of gardai do a great job. They can find their lives in danger and have lost brave colleagues. Like all organisations, it has good standards, but a few of these may slip and some of its members sometimes feel the need to speak out. In terms of transparency, it would have been better if the frame of reference of the commission of inquiry had allowed Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins to include how counsel for the Garda Commissioner said he was under instruction to strongly question the integrity, motivation and credibility of Garda Sgt Maurice McCabe on his allegations of malpractice by members of the force. Counsel for the commissioner later said he misinterpreted the instructions and integrity was not included. At some point in the inquiry, an attempt was made to tarnish the garda's character with an allegation over what he said at a meeting to two senior garda officers in 2008 - an allegation which was withdrawn at the inquiry, when a private tape recording Sgt McCabe made of that meeting was given by him to the inquiry, and which was transcribed. It showed he did not say what was alleged. This was not in the report. The O'Higgins report found Sgt McCabe acted out of genuine and legitimate concerns. The Garda Commissioner is at the moment under a cloud, fairly or unfairly, over this case. The role of the media was crucial in instigating government action. The first minister in the last government to publicly support garda whistleblowers like Sgt McCabe was then Fine Gael Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, who said the issues needed to be looked at. Wolfe Tone once spoke of a new Ireland for Protestants, Catholics and dissenters. John F Kennedy said in January 1961: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Some may mock these words, but this is what whistleblowers try to do. JFK's book 'Profiles in Courage' was based on past American politicians who spoke out at great cost to themselves. The battle to do the right thing goes on. Mary Sullivan, Cork We are still better off in the EU Concetto La Malfa complains about the EU being "bureaucratic", "capitalistic", "geared to those countries who are financially more comfortable" and a place in which "people count for very little" (Irish Independent, Letters, May 21). If 28 democracies sign a treaty to cooperate in matters of mutual interest, someone has to take on the bureaucratic task of coordinating the rules - hence the European Commission. If the Soviet Union - in which both political and economic power were vested in a small number of people at the head of government - had succeeded, we would not have free market capitalism. But the Soviet Union collapsed and we are stuck with capitalism with all its faults and failings. Despite all states operating under the same treaty and the same free market rules, there is a reason why some countries of the EU are in a better position financially than others. The reason is that the most powerful citizens at the head of government, financial institutions etc in the financially more successful countries did not make reckless decisions which bankrupted their nations. Thus powerful decision-makers in financially more successful countries, by not making reckless decisions, put the interests of all the people ahead of the interests of the few. The EU is a human institution and not without its faults but we, as its ordinary citizens, are much better off than those in most of the rest of the world. We should, therefore, be very careful to ensure that all these advantages do not "perish", as Concetto La Malfa predicts. A Leavy, Sutton, Dublin 13 Refugee crisis the issue of our times The world humanitarian summit which begins in Istanbul today will be no more than a fig leaf, at which to express good intentions. Isn't it perplexing that there are 11 major civil wars in the world today, in comparison with only four in 2007? It is disheartening that the world is still crippled by war, racism, segregation and discrimination, and shackled by occupations, oppression, repression and the systematic impoverishment of entire generations. It is unbelievable that the fresh memories of the unspeakable crimes of Nazism towards Jews, the crimes perpetrated against innocent Muslims in Bosnia and the Rawandan genocide, to name only a few tragedies, do not help us to reflect, exercise vigilance and stop the unparalleled human tragedies occurring in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South East Asia. Millions of people are being displaced, women are raped and enslaved, innocent victims are slaughtered and burnt alive, minors are sexually abused and cultural, educational and religious treasures are plundered and destroyed. Moreover, millions of refugees are still languishing in overcrowded, unsanitary camps, ravaged by diseases and blighted by the scourge of ignorance, destitution, molestation and despair. Most importantly, this refugee crisis is bound to explode further, widening the social, economic and religious schism between communities, if countries like Jordan are not supported enough to shoulder the burden of refugees. In fact, this summit should have been held in Jordan, a small barren country with little natural resources, hosting millions of refugees from Iraq, Libya, Syria, Albania, Chechnya, Bosnia, Yemen and Palestine. The international community cannot afford to overlook the urgency of the moment. As Martin Luther King so eloquently put it: "This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquillising drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. "Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. "Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children." Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London, United Kingdom Shameful neglect of the arts Last week, junior ministries increased from 15 to 18, yet 'culture' - Aodhan O Riordain's former position - was removed entirely. 'Arts' appear nowhere. Whilst it is fantastic to see a great focus of junior ministries in important areas such as health, it does not have to be an 'either/or' situation. For a country that prides itself on culture, this is a truly disappointing and regressive step. Gavin Brennan, Clontarf, Dublin 3 Sometimes you hear of a good news story and the new partnership between ISPCC Childline and Vodafone is very much one of those. Childline is a listening service in Ireland run by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children that takes over 400,000 calls from children and teenagers annually. That is a lot of calls and for the children that use it, its vitally important that they have a free, reliable and high-quality service when they need it. To date, Childline has been a phone-led service. In todays world, its imperative that the service keeps up with childrens changing communications needs. Thats why the ISPCC is delighted to team up with Vodafone in a partnership that will ensure that children can connect with Childline in any way they choose whether thats calls, instant messaging, or text and access the service at any time, day or night. Through the partnership, the charity will be in a position to develop a new total communications infrastructure which will improve childrens access to Childline and provide a 24-hour online digital platform. Its probably the biggest partnership the organisation has ever had, says Grainia Long, CEO of the ISPCC. We answer over 400,000 calls per year. Weve seen both the type of calls we receive and the way children want to get in touch with us change over the years. Were seeing younger children wanting to get in touch but also children wanting to contact us via text and our webchat service Expand Close Grainia Long / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Grainia Long Childline is a service that connects children, Vodafone is a global telecoms, Internet services and technology solutions provider so it seems the perfect fit. The Vodafone Foundation exists within Vodafone globally to work with charities and partnerships as a vehicle to give back to societies and communities as a whole. As we went through the process of establishing what organisation we could support in a truly meaningful way, it became really clear that Childline was a partnership that was a natural fit. Together we have pledged to keep children safe by keeping them connected, says Jonathan Rutherford, Vodafone's Head of Enterprise Customer Solutions. As well as working with Childline to help transform their communications platforms, we are developing an app to connect children with the services they need and supporting children who experience bullying online by making cyber-safety resources available to parents and children, including our BeStrong modules. We really believe in the transformative power of technology and how it can bring people together, so we believe this partnership is a perfect fit and we have a lot to offer Childline to support their mission. The partnership between Vodafone and Childline brings together the best of both organisations. Obviously Vodafone is an organisation that connects people, they have huge resources, a powerful brand, technical expertise and a top-class, reliable network, says Grainia. Expand Close Jonathan Rutherford / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jonathan Rutherford We have very long conversations with children so its vitally important that the call doesnt drop. Any volunteer will tell you the most important thing is to keep the child on the line and it can be difficult so a secure connection is really important. This is year one of our five year partnership. As well as the technology support, Vodafone is providing the charity with 2 million in funding from the Vodafone Foundation and meeting the cost of all our calls for ten years. Thats a huge investment and were thrilled with that, says Grania. Grainia concludes Our Childline volunteers have the most important job imaginable. They are there 24 hours a day to answer every call or text and help any child that needs them. They listen. They reassure every child that their issue is important, that they have the right to be heard, to feel safe. We never give up on a child. Ever. But for every child who reaches us, there are many more who cannot. Some dont know we are there. Some have called, but cant get through. Some might want to chat to us online during the night but at the moment were not there. Through the partnership, we are confident that, with Vodafones support every child in Ireland will know that we are there, on their terms, whenever they need us. Sponsored by: Victoria's Secret Angels Candice Swanepoel, Karlie Kloss and Alessandra Ambrosio pose during at the Victoria's Secret Celebrates the 2013 Swim Collection & Angels and Artists Swim Video Series on March 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images) Victoria's Secret PINK Brings Back the 70's by Doing the Hustle with Rachel Hilbert in the Wear Everywhere T-Back Bra at Canoe Studios on March 24, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for PINK) Models Alessandra Ambrosio (L) and Behati Prinsloo pose during Victoria's Secret 2014 Swim Collection Press Day with Alessandra Ambrosio and Behati Prinsloo at The London West Hollywood on March 11, 2014 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) Model Behati Prinsloo attends the Victoria's Secret Swim Launch at SLS Hotel on March 8, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) Victoria's Secret is getting a makeunder. As Victoria's Secret is set to opens its largest Irish store in January 2017 (at BT2's current home on Grafton Street), major changes are afoot for the brand. The lingerie giant is going back to basics and pulling all swimwear, clothing, shoes and accessories from its stores and online. They will instead be focusing on lingerie, beauty and their popular PINK range. The news comes after VS introduced a much-hyped Swim Special on CBS, the same network that airs their annual fashion show, in 2015 in a bid to boost sales. Expand Close Victoria's Secret Angels Candice Swanepoel, Karlie Kloss and Alessandra Ambrosio pose during at the Victoria's Secret Celebrates the 2013 Swim Collection & Angels and Artists Swim Video Series on March 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Victoria's Secret Angels Candice Swanepoel, Karlie Kloss and Alessandra Ambrosio pose during at the Victoria's Secret Celebrates the 2013 Swim Collection & Angels and Artists Swim Video Series on March 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images) It will also being ceasing publication of its famous catalogue in the US. The company cut the catalogue in tester cities and noted no impact on sales as consumers focus more on online consumption. A spokesperson for the store at T2 in Dublin Airport said Irish consumers will likely not be affected by the change in strategy as the store didn't stock swimwear. "Their in-store range includes panties, accessories such as bags, wallets, iphone covers, luggage, scarves and then perfumes and cosmetics fragrances, body creams, mists and lip glosses," they said. Syrians look at the remains of burned vehicles at the site of a bombing in the coastal towns of Tartus (SANA via AP) More than 80 people have been killed and around 200 others injured in a series of attacks claimed by Islamic State in coastal government strongholds in Syria. The explosions in the cities of Tartus and Jableh were the first to target civilians in those areas in the course of Syria's civil war, now in its sixth year. The targets included bus stations and a hospital, and mark an escalation in the conflict as world powers struggle to restart peace talks in Geneva. Several rounds of talks were held in the Swiss city earlier this year, although there was no breakthrough. Syrian state media said at least one suicide bomber followed by a car bomb struck at a bus station in Tartus. More than 33 were killed and many injured in the bombings, an Interior Ministry official said. Separately, Syria news agency Sana reported that four explosions rocked Jableh, south of Latakia city. The attacks included three rockets and a suicide bomber at the emergency entrance of the Jableh national hospital, the state media said. Russia keeps a naval base in Tartus and an air base in Latakia province. Insurgents maintain a presence in rural Latakia. The coordinated and near-simultaneous attacks marked a major security breach of government strongholds that have remained calm throughout the war. Tartus and Jableh are home to thousands of internally displaced people from violence-stricken areas across Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group based in Britain, put the death toll at more than 100. It said there were four explosions in Jableh, including three suicide bombings and one car bomb, and four in Tartus, including two suicide bombers and one car bomb. In Jableh, dozens were killed when a car bomb exploded near a bus station, followed by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive belt inside the station. Meanwhile, two men blew themselves up at the electricity company and outside the emergency entrance of a city hospital. Dozens more were killed in Tartus when a car bomb went off in the bus station, and then two men blew themselves up when people gathered, according to the Observatory. Syrian cabinet minister Omran al-Zoubi said: "We will not be deterred ... we will use everything we have to fight the terrorists." A news agency linked with the Islamic State group said the group's militants were behind the multiple attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the increase in militant attacks and bombings in Syria "once again demonstrates how fragile the situation in Syria is". Dmitry Peskov said the situation "demonstrates the need to continue vigorous steps to continue the negotiation process". Asked whether Russia would reconsider its decision to scale back the size of its military contingent in Syria, he pointed to Mr Putin's statement that Russia's bases in Syria allow for "a very flexible approach" to the number of its troops deployed there. Mr Putin sent a telegram to Syrian President Bashar Assad passing on his condolences over the deaths of civilians and confirming Russia's readiness to continue supporting its "Syrian partners". The Kremlin said Mr Putin "stressed that this tragedy has become further evidence of the barbarian and inhuman nature of the terrorist groups that have unleashed bloody war against the Syrian people". It said: "The president of Russia once again confirmed a readiness to continue cooperation with the Syrian partners in countering the terrorist threat and expressed confidence that the criminals who stained their hands with the blood of innocent victims will not escape retribution." The robberies were carried out from 1,400 ATMs across the country An international crime syndicate are suspected of stealing over 1.4bn yen( 11m) from cash machines in Japan in less than three hours. The theft involved thousands of co-ordinated withdrawals, with as many as 100 people working together using forged credit cards. The thieves are believed to have illegally obtained bank account details from a bank in South Africa. The group targeted 1,400 ATMs in convenience stores using the fake cards, each making a single withdrawal of 100,000 yen (814), the maximum withdrawal allowed. A local newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun, reported that the withdrawals began just after 5am last Sunday May 15, with the last one made just before 8am the same day. The thieves targeted cash machines in the capital Tokyo and 16 other prefectures, according to a local news agency Kyodo News. Japanese police are trying to establish how the credit card information was obtained. Transaction data retrieved from the cash machines suggests that the criminals used information for 1,600 credit cards issued by the South African bank, which has not been named. Reports suggest that members of the gang may no longer be in Japan. By using cards that were issued in a different country from the one in which the fraud took place - and on a day of the week when banks were closed - they were probably able to buy themselves enough time to leave the country before their crime was discovered. Japan is the latest victim of a string of ATM heists using credit cards forged using leaked data. In one case, thieves withdrew 4.5bn yen (36.6m) in 26 countries, including Japan, in 2012 and 2013, the Yomiuri said. Ethan Ritchie who died after his bicycle was struck by a van in Airth, in the Falkirk Council area Credit: Police Scotland/PA Wire A nine-year-old boy has died after his bicycle was struck by a van. Ethan Ritchie was on his bike on Friday evening in Airth, in the Falkirk Council area, when he was knocked down by the van in Kennedy Way. He was taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital following the collision, which happened at around 7.15pm, but he died a short time later. Police Scotland, who revealed details of the crash on Monday, said Ethan's family have described him as a "happy-go-lucky boy". Inquiries are taking place and anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Mark Grant at the Road Policing Unit in Stirling on 101. Katie Price has weighed into a debate surrounding Sharon Osbourne's controversial comments about Madeleine McCann's parents. The model and businesswoman has claimed that Kate and Gerry McCann were wrong to leave their young daughter alone on the night she disappeared. The three-year-old went missing on a holiday with her family in Portugal in May 2007. Speaking on ITV's Loose Women, mother-of-five Price was applauded by the audience when she said; "It doesn't matter who you are, you don't leave your children." Price was responding to a controversy over the weekend in which celebrity Sharon Osbourne was criticised for describing it as "insane" to leave children unattended. Speaking on US chat show The Talk, reality TV star and former X Factor host Sharon referred to the couple without naming them during the discussion. Expand Close Kate and Gerry McCann / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kate and Gerry McCann "I will tell you a very quick story. There was a husband and wife on holiday in Portugal," she said. "They left their baby in the room sleeping, sleeping while they went to dinner in the restaurant. Expand Close Kate and Gerry McCann, parents of disappeared girl Madeleine McCann. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kate and Gerry McCann, parents of disappeared girl Madeleine McCann. "While they were in the resort their baby was taken. And it is like, "Oh but we can see everything that is going on" and it is, like, insane." A friend of the McCann family spoke to the press after the interview and described Sharon's comments as 'ill-informed'. Speaking this afternoon, Katie Price said: "I'm on Sharon's side. If you are on holiday, your kids sleep in buggies, why in your right mind would you leave your kids in a room? I don't care if it is a safe place or if you can see them or not." Her comments sparked a debate online as some viewers praised her remarks, while others expressed sympathy for the McCanns. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is to join the London School of Economics (LSE) as a visiting professor on a new masters course on women, peace and security, the school announced today. The LSE said the course, which starts next year, is the first of its kind globally and will be run by the LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security which was launched last year by Jolie and Britain's former foreign secretary, William Hague. "It is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict," Jolie, a special envoy for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR), said in a statement. "I am looking forward to teaching and to learning from the students, as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations." Hague will also be joining LSE as a visiting professor. The Oscar-winning actress and Hague have become an unlikely double-act on campaigning to end sexual violence against women in conflict. The partnership was sparked by Jolie's 2011 directorial debut "In the Land of Blood and Honey" that was set against the backdrop of the 1992-95 Bosnian war in which an estimated 20,000 women were believed to have been raped. The pair co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in 2012 to rally global action on such crimes, increase the numbers of perpetrators brought to justice and ensure better support for survivors. They co-hosted the first global conference on the issue in London in 2014. Hague said the new course would help underpin their work by developing research to help tackle the culture of impunity The stash of 133 bottles was found in Becov castle in 1985 Proving the adage 'well worth the wait', experts enjoyed a rare taste of fine wines from the 19th century, discovered under the floorboards of a Czech castle in a treasure hunt that pitted Communist-era police against aristocrats. The stash of 133 bottles was found in Becov castle in 1985, 40 years after being hidden by its then owners the Beaufort-Spontin family. The wines include Chateau d'Yquem vintages from 1892 - valued at up to 750,000 crowns ($31,000) per bottle - and 1896, and the whole collection is worth at least 30 million crowns, according to early estimates. Sommeliers tasted several bottles on Sunday using technology that extracts a sample through a needle, piercing the cork without damaging it Andreas Wickhoff, a Master of Wine holder who joined master sommelier Jakub Pribyl in the tasting, said the age and size of the Becov stock was unique, especially given wines half as old often turned up spoiled. "If you smell these wines they still have this purity of fruits. There is acidity there, there are refreshing elements in these wines (that) will absolutely be an enjoyment," he said. The wines, most from 1892 to 1899, are the oldest to be worked on by the Coravin device launched in 2013. Its developer Greg Lambrecht said he used an extra-thin needle and lower pressure for the Becov tasting. "It takes longer to pour the wines as a result, but they took a hundred years to get here so we can wait," he said. Anyone hoping to get a hand on their own rare bottle is likely to be disappointed, however, as they remain the property of Czech authorities, which first dusted them off last year to get expert opinion on their value. CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME The Beaufort-Spontins, owners since the early 1800s of the castle in the lush hills 60 km (35 miles) from the German border, fled to Austria at the end of World War Two, having hidden the wines and the Shrine of St Maurus - said to hold John the Baptist's bones - under the chapel floor to keep them from plundering soldiers. After the family were labelled Nazi sympathisers, the castle was taken over by then-Czechoslovakia and remains in state hands under decrees from 1946 that expelled ethnic Germans and others and confiscated property. After unsuccessful attempts to recover furniture and art works, the family in 1984 approached an American businessman, Danny Douglas, who then applied secretly on their behalf to retrieve an unknown object from an unknown location. He offered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a permit, attracting the attention of the then communist state's secret police. Police eventually learned Becov was Douglas' treasure site, but after coming up empty handed in a search there, were ready to give him the permit. Then a final question led his adversaries to the long-lost treasure. "They asked me what tools they should bring, and when I said we wouldn't need any tools, they knew... it was inside as it was winter," Douglas told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper in 2015. Douglas has since been a visitor to Becov, where the shrine is on display. As for the wine, its keepers will still care for the bottles and may re-cork some, said Becov castellan Tomas Wizovsky. "Overall, the tests show the wines are still in top condition," he said. Thousands of pupils were evacuated from schools across the UK today following a series of phone calls which threatened to "take children's heads off". The phonecalls were made as the school day began, with principals deciding to evacuate the buildings. Twenty-six schools in total were evacuated and thousands of pupils were affected. Some teachers described the phonecalls as being "pre-recorded and featuring an American accent". A caller told one receptionist that "if the school called the police the bomb would be detonated immediately". One principal said he had no doubt the phonecalls were an elaborate hoax, but he wasn't willing to take the risk. "It's almost certainly a hoax but with what's happening across Europe I'm not prepared to take that gamble," Canterbury Academy head teacher Phil Karnavas said. Some schools kept parents updated with the incident over social media for the remainder of the day. The evacuations also affected some students who had begun to sit their GCSE exams when the calls were made. Police carried out searches in school buildings but were unable to find anything. Our Canterbury Academy site is now back open and all classes will be running as normal. Thank you for your patience. Kent Adult Education (@KentAdultEd) May 23, 2016 Turkeys Transport Minister Binali Yildirim (second from left) poses with members of his AKP party at a congress in Ankara. Photo: Reuters Turkey's ruling party held a special convention yesterday to confirm a long-time ally of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its new chairman and next prime minister, a move that is likely to consolidate the Turkish leader's hold on power. Binali Yildirim, the transport and communications minister and a founding member of the governing Justice and Development Party, is set to replace prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who announced earlier this month that he is stepping down amid differences with Erdogan. Mr Yildirim (60), who is running unopposed for the party's leadership, is widely expected to be more in tune with Mr Erdogan, who is pushing for an overhaul of the constitution that would give the largely ceremonial presidency executive powers. Traditionally, the post of prime minister in Turkey goes to the leader of the largest party in parliament, and Mr Erdogan is expected to formally ask Mr Yildirim to form a new government after the convention. The change in party leadership comes at a time when Nato member Turkey is facing an array of security threats including renewed conflict with Kurdish rebels in the south east, a wave of suicide bombings linked to Kurdish and Islamic State militants, as well as growing repercussions from the war in neighbouring Syria. The transition also coincides with growing tensions with the European Union over a controversial deal to reduce the flow of illegal migrants from Turkey to Greece, which Mr Davutoglu helped broker. Davutoglu - a one-time adviser to Erdogan and a former foreign minister - fell out with the president over an array of issues including the possibility of peace talks with Kurdish rebels, the pre-trial detention of journalists accused of spying and academics accused of supporting terrorism. A member of the Iraqi security forces mounts a gun atop a vehicle as they gather on the outskirts of the town of Fallujah. Photo: Getty Iraq's military has said it is preparing to launch an offensive to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Falluja. It told residents to get ready to leave before the fighting starts. Families who could not flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, the army's media unit said. Falluja, a long-time bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, was the first city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014. The Iraqi army, police and Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, backed by air strikes from a US-led coalition, have surrounded Falluja since late last year. The jihadists have prevented residents from leaving for months. The army "is asking citizens that are still in Falluja to be prepared to leave the city through secured routes that will be announced later," the statement said, without saying when any offensive might start. The United Nations and Human Rights Watch said last month that residents of Falluja were facing acute shortages of food and medicine amid a siege by government forces. Aid has not reached the city since the Iraqi military recaptured nearby Ramada in December. Essawi told a local television channel that more than 75,000 civilians remained in Falluja, in keeping with a recent U.S. military estimate of 60,000 to 90,000. Around 300,000 people lived in the city on the Euphrates river before the war. Known as the 'City of Minarets and Mother of Mosques', Falluja is a focus for Sunni Muslim faith and identity in Iraq. It was badly damaged in two offensives by US forces against al-Qa'ida insurgents in 2004. Besides Falluja, Isil still controls vast swathes of territory and major cities, like Mosul in the north, which Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake this year. A Syrian army soldier and civilians inspect the damage after explosions hit the Syrian city of Tartous, in this handout picture provided by SANA on May 23, 2016 In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrians inspect damages after a bombing attack at a bus station, in the coastal town of Tartus, Syria (SANA via AP) Syrian army soldiers and civilians inspect the damage after explosions hit the Syrian city of Tartous, in this handout picture provided by SANA on May 23, 2016. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION People inspect the damage after explosions hit the Syrian city of Tartous, in this handout picture provided by SANA on May 23, 2016. SANA/Handout via REUTERS Bomb blasts killed nearly 150 people and wounded at least 200 in Jableh and Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast in the government-controlled territory that hosts Russian military bases. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in the cities that have up to now escaped the worst of the violence in the five-year-old conflict, saying it was targeting members of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 148 people were killed in attacks by at least five suicide bombers and two devices planted in cars. State media had said 78 people had been killed in what is Assad's coastal heartland. The attacks were the first of their kind in Tartous, capital of Tartous province and home to a Russian naval facility, and in Jableh in Latakia province, near a Russian-operated air base. The Kremlin said the bomb blasts underscored the need to press ahead with Geneva peace talks after the collapse of a Feb. 27 ceasefire in April due to intensifying violence in a war that has killed at least 250,000 people. "This demonstrates yet again just how fragile the situation in Syria is. And this one more time underscores the need for new urgent steps to continue the negotiating process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness to fight with the Syrian government against "the terrorist threat" and sent his condolences to Assad, the Kremlin said. The Syrian foreign ministry sent a letter to the United Nations, state television reported, saying the blasts were a "dangerous escalation by the hostile and extremist regimes in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha", referring to support given to the rebels by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks and a spokesman said Ban took "note with great concern of the escalating military activity in many areas in and around Damascus". "BLOOD AND BODIES" One of the four blasts in Jableh happened when a man walked into a hospital emergency department and blew himself up. Another blast was at a bus station. The Tartous bombs also targeted a bus station, the Observatory and state media said. Younes Hassan, a doctor working at the Jableh hospital, said he heard an explosion at the bus station, followed less than a minute later by the blast at the hospital. "Everything went into emergency mode, wounded people began arriving," he told Reuters by phone. The Tartous explosions also occurred in quick succession, no more than 10 seconds apart, a driver at the bus station said. "People began running but didn't know which direction to go, cars were on fire, there was blood and bodies on the ground," Nizar Hamade said. Footage broadcast by the state-run Ikhbariya news channel showed several twisted and burnt-out cars and minivans. Islamic State claimed the attacks in a statement posted online by the group's Amaq news agency, saying its fighters had targeted "gatherings of Alawites". Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said in an interview with Ikhbariya that terrorists were resorting to bomb attacks against civilians instead of fighting on the front lines, and vowed to keep battling them. The government refers to all insurgents fighting against it in the conflict as terrorists. The Observatory said an area of Tartous hosting internally displaced Syrians near a blast site was briefly attacked by government supporters in reaction to the bombings. Some tents were burned but nobody was killed. Tartous governor Safwan Abu Saadah told Reuters that reports on social media about refugees being shot and tents being burned down were not true. He said some Tartous residents had gone to refugee areas to protect them from possible attacks. "Two days ago some camps in Tartous province experienced fires because of electrical problems ... today's reports that people burned (these camps) are not true. Nobody would turn against our guests in this way," Abu Saadah said. Bombings in the capital Damascus and western city of Homs this year killed dozens of people and were also claimed by Islamic State, which is fighting against government forces and their allies in some areas, and separately against its jihadist rival al Qaeda and other insurgent groups. Latakia city, which is north of Jableh and capital of the province, has been targeted on a number of occasions by bombings and insurgent rocket attacks, including late last year. Government forces and their allies have recently stepped up bombardment of areas in Aleppo province in the north, which has become a focal point for the escalating violence. Insurgents have also launched major attacks in that area. The only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city has suffered a week of increasingly heavy air strikes. Zakaria Malahefji, a senior official in the rebel group Fastaqim that operates in the Aleppo area told Reuters that the road was heavily bombarded again on Monday and was dangerous to use. He said Iranian-backed fighters, who are supporting government forces, were mobilising in the southern Aleppo area. France's foreign ministry called the Tartous and Jableh bombings "odious", and said violence from all sides must stop if a political transition is to take place. US President Barack Obama has lifted a half-century-old arms embargo on Vietnam. Mr Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference where he vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the former war enemies and embrace a new era with a young, increasingly prosperous nation. He steered clear of harsh condemnation of what critics see as Vietnam's poor treatment of dissidents, describing instead modest progress on rights in the one-party state. Activists said his decision to lift the embargo destroyed the best US leverage for putting pressure on Vietnam over its human rights record. Mr Obama said: "At this stage, both sides have established a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect. "This change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself and removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War." Mr Obama also has more current motivations. His move was the latest step in a years-long and uneven effort to counter China's influence in Asia. Mr Obama's push to deepen defence ties with a neighbour was certain to be eyed with suspicion in Beijing, which has bristled at US engagement in the region and warned officials not to take sides in the heated territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Mr Obama claimed the move had nothing to do with China, but made clear the US was aligned with the smaller nations like Vietnam. The United States and Vietnam have mutual concerns about maritime issues and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, he said. While Washington does not take sides, he said, it does support a diplomatic resolution based on "international norms" and "not based on who's the bigger party and can throw around their weight a little bit more". China outwardly welcomed the lifting of the US arms embargo, saying it hoped "normal and friendly" relations between the US and Vietnam are conducive to regional stability. A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said bans are a product of the Cold War and should not have existed. China itself remains under a weapons embargo imposed by the US and European Union following 1989's bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations centred on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. For Vietnam, lifting the arms embargo was a psychological boost for its leaders. The United States partially lifted the ban in 2014, but Vietnam has pushed for full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Mr Obama said that each deal would be reviewed case by case and evaluated based on the equipment's potential use. But he said there would no longer be a ban based on "ideological division". "There's been modest progress on some of the areas that we've identified as a concern," Mr Obama said, adding that the US "will continue to speak out on behalf of human rights we believe are universal". Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang embraced the chance to enter a new era in US-Vietnamese relations. He praised the expansion in security and trade ties between "former enemies turned friends" and, standing next to Mr Obama before reporters, called for more US investment. Ahead of the visit, in what was seen as a good will gesture, Vietnam granted early release from prison to a prominent dissident Catholic priest. Some US politicians and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before lifting the arms sale embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. In March, seven bloggers and activists were sentenced for "abusing democratic freedoms" and "spreading anti-state propaganda". Hanoi says that only people who break the law are punished. Phil Robertson, from Human Rights Watch, said: "In one fell swoop, President Obama has jettisoned what remained of US leverage to improve human rights in Vietnam - and (has) basically gotten nothing for it." Mr Obama's arrival in Hanoi late on Sunday made him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. The trip comes four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after former president Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation. Mr Obama also made the case for stronger commercial and economic ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. The deal, which includes Vietnam, would tear down trade barriers and encourage investment between the countries that signed it. Critics worry it would cost jobs by exposing American workers to low-wage competition from countries such as Vietnam. Mr Obama and Mr Quang earlier attended a signing ceremony highlighting a series of new commercial deals between US and Vietnamese companies valued at more than 16 billion US dollars (11 billion). The deals included US engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney's plans to sell 135 advanced engines to Vietnamese air carrier Vietjet, and Boeing's plans to sell 100 aircraft to the airline. Mr Obama's agenda also included separate meetings with Vietnam's prime minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and with the Communist Party general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong. At a lunch for officials, the president offered thanks for all who came before to "help our nations reconcile". He singled out US secretary of state John Kerry, who served in the Vietnam War, for special mention. He said veterans on both sides had showed "hearts can change and peace is possible". SHARE By Johnny Donald A Christian by default is to be the most loving, caring, understanding and forgiving person this world has ever seen or heard about. Notice that I used the word default (the computer science term that is used to express that the operating system automatically assigns a certain printer to be used, unless changed by the operator). Well, this is the way it should be with Christians. There are a few reasons why this may not be the case. The person may not have been properly taught about Christian character or, for whatever reason, they chose not to allow love to be their default. The love that I'm referring to in this column is the same love God, the father displayed to us through sending his son to die in our place for the sins of humanity. In 1 John 4:16 we are informed that God is love. This is amazing because it doesn't say that he loves, but that he is love ? the very nature and character of God. Well, fellow believer, this is the same love that has been placed inside of us through the Holy Spirit; this is why I stated in the opening of this column that we should love by default. If anyone understands the unconditional love of God, it has to be us. Observe that in Romans 5:8 God commended his love toward us when we had no interest in him at all. The point I'm striving to make is that if we say that we love God, it has got to be displayed in how we interact with each other and people in our society on every level of relationship who are not believers in Christ. In Christ's doctrine, he teaches that true and genuine love for him and the father can only be expressed by us submitting to what we're learning about him. He said in John 14:15 and 21a, "If you love me keep my commandments and he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me (KJV). So, as you can see, it is impossible to say that we love God truly if we're not obeying what he requests ? literally commands ? of us. Allow me to use this family illustration: A father has a son who constantly conveys to him "Daddy, I love you," but the son never does what the father requests of him. I believe the point is understood without me giving the father's rebuttal to his son. Well, this is how it is when we say we love God, but don't follow the instructions that we know about. Don't allow this article to be condemning, but inspirational, so that you will be motivated to submit more of your will to God than you have in the past; he loves you with an everlasting love. Remember, he loves unconditionally, but expects for you and me to learn from his example. There are many practical ways we should display love to God: by having a God-centered self-esteem; loving family (yes, even those that may from time to time get on your "last nerve"); be at work before the hour; treat that annoying work associate with respect, though they may not be deserving of it; pray for those who live lifestyles contrary to Christian principles rather than talk about them; be kind to those who wait on you at restaurants, and tip them; have the right attitude when someone takes the parking space that you were waiting for. Pastor Johnny Donald is the senior pastor and co-founder of Strait Christian Church, a non-denominational, multi-cultural church in Belton. PHOTOS BY KEN RUINARD/INDEPENDENT MAIL Dr. Henry Hearn holds newborn Devin Hendrix Mann after delivery near Aaron Mann (left) and Amy Mann (right) at the AnMed Health Women and Children's Center in Anderson. Dr. Henry Hearn takes after his father, Henry Sr., recieving over 8,000 babies delivered in his hands over the years. SHARE Dr. Henry Hearn rolls up to Amy Mann (right) to deliver her baby boy at the AnMed Health Women and Children's Center in Anderson. Dr. Henry Hearn IV, an obstetrician-gynecologist at AnMed Health Women and Children's hospital in Anderson, checks his phone in his office. Dr. Hearn IV has helped in the delivery of more than 8,000 babies. By Charmaine Smith-Miles of the Independent Mail The distinctive laugh of Dr. Henry Hearn IV was so loud it could be heard in the next room over. He was in an examination room with a new, expecting mother. He congratulated her on the big news. And then he asked, "Can you hear that?" It was that unmistakable moment when a mother hears her baby's heartbeat for the first time. Joy was evident in her voice, and in his. This was the start of their nine-month journey together this mother and this doctor. And this moment is what this doctor lives for. Even at age 64 after 35 years of practice, Hearn is not tired of hearing those little heartbeats, which sound like the thump of rabbit's feet, and seeing the smiles on mothers' faces when he hands them their child for the first time. And he's seen it all, 8,000 times. "When our mothers work for 12 hours and then pop out that Mrs. America smile when you hand them their baby, that's the best thing ever," Hearn said. "I never, ever get tired of seeing that." Hearn is a second-generation doctor in Anderson. He started his medical career as an orderly at AnMed Health Medical Center and has been in practice as an obstetrician in Anderson since 1981. His father, Dr. Henry Hearn III, was a pediatrician at The Children's Clinic a practice he shared with medical school classmate and friend, Dr. Colquitt Sims for 40 years. The elder Hearn came to Anderson in the 1953, after serving in Japan for the Air Force as a chief of pediatrics and pediatric consulting at the Nagoya Komaki Air Base Hospital. Hearn was born in Japan, but he grew up in Anderson. As a child, he lived in a house on Lane Avenue, near Concord Elementary School. One of his first experiences with the fight of a mother was with a chicken in their backyard when he was about 5 years old. "I decided to play with the biddies and all of a sudden that mama chicken was on my head, scratching away," Hearn said, laughing. "They will protect their turf." Hearn said what hooked him into the medical profession was his curiosity about the human body and the ability to solve mysteries of the human body. He attended Brown University and completed his residency work at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where he met his wife, Nancy. What has kept him practicing medicine over the years is that special relationship he has with the mothers. "It is cool to watch a mother being made," he said."Mothers are constantly pulling something out of a place they didn't know existed to care for their babies." Hearn also fell in love with medicine while watching his father work. He still remembers watching his father interact with his patients when he was a child. It is where he first learned some of the most valuable lessons he would take with him into his own medical career. "He was bone-dead tired and he didn't take vacations, and he worked long hours, but it wasn't discouraging to watch him work," Hearn said. "He had a multitude of stories from his patients. It was appealing to me to see that." In an article about his retirement at 70 years old, it was noted that Henry Hearn III was known for his tall, 6-foot 4-inch lanky frame and his endearing laugh. In that 1994 Independent Mail article, Iva woman, Ella Ree Hill, said she was a patient of the elder Hearn's and eventually took her children and grandchildren to his office. "I used to think he was the tallest man in the world," Hill said. "I felt close to him even while growing up, and when I had my own children, I felt confident bringing them." In those days, house calls were still a normal part of a doctor's routine and elder Hearn had to treat his young patients for diseases like polio. "I watched him practice the art of being a doctor," Hearn said, of his father. "The science is so, so important. But so is the report you have with your patients. And he always spoke to people in a way that they would understand. He had a contagious laugh that seemed to disarm the children. He had a way of calming everyone in the room." Hearn inherited his father's physical build and his laugh. Denise Anderson Barrett said her third daughter, Abby Rose, was delivered by Hearn. He kept her laughing during her routine checkups when he would rib her about the fact that she did not have belly button. But it was a visit she had after Abby Rose was born that endeared her to Hearn. "In August, after Abby Rose was born in April, I realized she was not developing and doctors were afraid she was not going to have a normal life span and my husband and I had separated," Barrett said. "My world was crumbling around me. When I told him all this in my annual checkup, he just wrapped his arms around me and held me." Another mother, Amy Mann, has had Hearn deliver all three of her children including her youngest, Devin, who was born Friday at 1:42 p.m. Her husband, Aaron, who also is the children's father was standing by her bedside. And she said she would have no other doctor deliver her children. Jodi Hrbacek-Peterson, whose fourth child, Aspen, was delivered by Hearn, said Hearn makes you "feel like you are one in a million." "He is a one-of-a-kind and never leaves town," Hrbacek-Peterson said. "He doesn't want to miss one of his babies being born. Its really his gift." To this day, Hearn has a small black book that he records all of his patients' due dates in them. This way he doesn't miss being able to deliver a baby. He keeps that little book with him all the time. And he said he has no intention of retiring any time soon. "I feel like I picked the right profession," Hearn said. "I am 64 years old and I still don't mind the late nights. And I might not make it to 10,000 babies, but I think I'll try to get to another 1,000. Because I still enjoy coming to work." Follow Charmaine Smith-Miles on Twitter @Charmaine_AIM. Asymmetrique, Indias full service digital branding & media agency, recently won the marketing and brand communications mandate for CleanMax Solar. Asymmetrique will be responsible for a series of activities including brand positioning, digital marketing and lead generation, social media marketing, content creation and marketing, website enhancement and maintenance.CleanMax Solar is a leader in solar solutions, with the largest installed base of rooftop solar power generation in India. As a first mover in the space, CleanMax Solar enjoys a reputation nationwide of being a solution provider with deep engineering expertise and a no-compromise attitude towards quality.Speaking on the win, Nitin Gupta, CEO & MD, Asymmetrique said, It gives us great pleasure to have acquired the opportunity to create strategic communications for CleanMax Solars unique solutions. Our aim is to position the brand as a pioneer in solar power projects and build an effective connect with consumers through focused, cutting edge strategies leveraging our innovative ecosystem.Kuldeep Jain, Managing Director, CleanMax Solar, commented, We are excited to bring on board Asymmetrique, as our brand solutions partner. With their fresh approach and creative thinking, we feel Asymmetrique is sure to add value and offer advanced business-led solutions" Allsec Technologies Limited, Balaji Amines Limited, Banswara Syntex Limited, Biocon Limited, Edelweiss Financial Services Limited, Essel Propack Limited, Finolex Industries Limited, GHCL Limited, Harita Seating Systems Limited, Inventure Growth & Securities Limited, IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited.Jagran Prakashan Limited, Maharashtra Seamless Limited, Manappuram Finance Limited, Minda Industries Limited, Orient Paper & Industries Limited, Pidilite Industries Limited, PNC Infratech Limited, Prime Securities Limited, Somany Ceramics Limited, Suprajit Engineering Limited, Supreme Industries Limited, Tata Metaliks were some of the prominent stocks to log a fresh 52-week high during intra-day.The BSE Sensex ended with a loss of 72 points at 25,230. The BSE Sensex opened at 25,519 touched an intra-day high of 25,519.26 and low of 25,208.The NSE Nifty closed with a loss of 19 points at 7,731. The NSE Nifty opened at 7,814 hitting a high of 7,821 and low of 7,722.The India VIX (Volatility) index was down 1.61% at 16.1600. The Management buyout firm Excalibur and Sanjeev Guptas Liberty House are in the race to acquire Tata Steels UK assets, according to reports. Report says that Excalibur, led by former chief of Tata Steels Port Talbot plant Stuart Wilkie, is considering backing Liberty House. Tata Steel Ltd ended at Rs. 322.9, down by Rs. 3.2 or 0.98% from its previous closing of Rs. 326.1 on the BSE. The scrip opened at Rs. 326.9 and touched a high and low of Rs. 327.3 and Rs. 321.25 respectively. A total of 5148120(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 31360.55 crore. The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 10 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 364.15 on 21-Apr-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 200 on 29-Sep-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 337.25 and Rs. 319.8 respectively. The promoters holding in the company stood at 31.35 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 39.88 % and 28.77 % respectively. The stock traded below its 50 DMA. Tata Group has set a deadline for final bids for British steel operations, with its board set to finalise a shortlist at a meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, says report. Five merchant bankers have been shortlisted for helping the Government to sell a 10% stake in National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NMDC), reports a business daily. The five merchant bankers/selling brokers are ICICI Securities Ltd, Citibank NA and SBI Capital Markets Ltd, Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd and Deutsche Bank AG. The Government has proposed to put up about 39.64 crore shares through an offer for sale (OFS). It hopes to fetch an estimated INR 3,600 crore at the current market prices. The shortlisted merchant bankers will make a presentation before an inter-ministerial group on 3rd June, says the financial newspaper. The Government holds an 80% stake in NMDC with a paid-up capital of INR 396.47 crore. The Centre would also allot shares up to a maximum of 5% of the OFS size to NMDC employees at a discount of 5% to the issue or the discovered price. The employees will be eligible to apply for shares up to INR 2 lakh only. The proceeds from NMDCs disinvestment will be part of the Governments total disinvestment target of INR 56,500 crore for FY17. The payments bank of India Post will start functioning from March 2017 and serve as a wider platform to implement financial inclusion programmes, Information Technology & Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Sunday. "We are going to start the postal payments bank by March 2017. Very soon we will go to the Cabinet," Prasad told reporters in Hyderabad. He also said that the proposed India Post payments bank will have an immense potential to sell third-party products and services. About 50 companies and institutions, including some from abroad, are keen to partner with the postal department for the payments bank, such as World Bank, Citi and Barclays, Prasad said. Responding to a question, he said that these institutions will offer third-party services such as insurance products, mutual funds, banking instruments and a variety of financial instruments. "We are going to invest about INR 800 crore while INR 400 crore will be invested by the department and the remaining amount will be equity part (mobilised as equity)," he said. "The postal department has the widest network in India. We have 1,54,939 post offices in the country; out of that 25,560 are departmental post offices and 1,29,379 are branch post offices," Prasad said. Infosys has won a five-year contract with Commerzbank. The contract will renew Commerzbank's landscape and remodel its architecture, as per reports. Stock commentary: Infosys Ltd ended at Rs. 1190.75, down by Rs. 11 or 0.92% from its previous closing of Rs. 1201.75 on the BSE. The scrip opened at Rs. 1201.5 and touched a high and low of Rs. 1204.4 and Rs. 1185.55 respectively. A total of 2400219(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 276035.33 crore. The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 5 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 1267.9 on 18-Apr-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 932.55 on 10-Jul-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 1225 and Rs. 1198 respectively. The promoters holding in the company stood at 12.75 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 57.69 % and 29.07 % respectively. The stock traded below its 50 DMA. BPCL: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), one of the leading oil marketing companies (OMCs), will announce its Q4 numbers today. IIFL estimates the companys net profit to plunge to Rs.2,337 crore, at a rate of 18.1% yoy; however, the same is expected to go up 57% qoq. Monsanto: Bayer AG offered to acquire Monsanto Co. in an unsolicited bid worth about $62 billion to create the worlds biggest supplier of farm chemicals and genetically modified seeds, as per media reports. SpiceJet: SpiceJet hopes to place an order for more than 100 narrow-body aircraft in the next 2-3 months, Chairman & MD Ajay Singh has been quoted as saying by a business daily.SpiceJet is planning to list its securities on the National Stock Exchange, according to reports. BHEL, Power Grid: BSE Ltd said that it will replace Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd in its benchmark S&P BSE Sensex with Power Grid Corp. Ltd from 20 June. National Aluminium Company Ltd: The company has announced that a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company to consider the proposal for alteration In Articles of Association of the Company and Buyback of the fully paid-up equity shares of the Company. Neuland Laboratories: The company's net profit jumps 16.52% to Rs.6.63 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs.5.69 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. It's sales increased by 2.64% to Rs.126.85 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs.123.59 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Rallis India: The company has entered into a Joint Venture with Indonesian local partner, Mr. Suresh Gobindram Vaswani for the establishment of a seed production and/o distribution Company, viz. PT Metahelix Lifesciences Indonesia. Britannia Industries: The company posted a net profit after taxes, minority interest and share of profit of associates of Rs.1902.30 mn for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 as compared to Rs.1672.50 mn for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. Cox & Kings: The company reported net loss at Rs.305.54 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against net profit of Rs.64.57 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Timken India: The company reported its net profit at Rs.27.50 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs.17.21 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Praj Industries: Praj Industries reported its net profit declined 7.13% to Rs 34.00 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 36.61 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Selan Explorations Technology: The company's net profit is declined by 73.23% to Rs.1.06 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs.3.96 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. IDBI Bank: IDBI Bank Ltd has posted a net loss of Rs. 17358.10 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 compared with Net Profit of Rs. 5459.40 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. Patel Engineering: The company has bagged orders worth Rs.2376.85 crores. Ugar Sugar Works: The company reported net profit rose 166.26% to Rs.61.64 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs.23.15 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Pennar Industries: The company posted its net profit rose by 1.50% to Rs.16.26 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs.16.02 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Auto stocks in focus: Auto stocks will be in focus after Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the new scrapping policy being mulled will help raise turnover in the industry to Rs 20 lakh crore from Rs 5 lakh crore at present. SAIL: The company is targeting sales of 17 million tonnes (MT) in the current fiscal year with focus on deriving 70% of the total figure from the northern and eastern regions of the country, reports a business daily. Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd: The company has initiated the process of listing its wind energy assets that fall under IL&FS Energy Development Co Ltd (IEDCL) as an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT), reports a business daily. Tata Power: The company will announce its Q4 numbers today. IIFL estimates the companys net profit to spurt to Rs.263 crore, at a rate of 151% yoy and 1,532.9 qoq. ITC: ITC, a diversified company and leader in Tobacco industry, reported standalone net profit of Rs.2,495.20 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering growth of 5.68% yoy, but decline of 5.94% qoq. NMDC: Five merchant bankers have been shortlisted for helping the Government to sell a 10% stake in National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd, reports a business daily.The five merchant bankers/selling brokers are ICICI Securities Ltd, Citibank NA and SBI Capital Markets Ltd, Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd and Deutsche Bank AG. Aviation stocks in focus: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) expects more than 100 million domestic passengers to fly by the year end, reports a financial newspaper.The domestic air passenger traffic market grew by 21% in April from a year earlier on the back of lower fares, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data. Aditya Birla Retail Ltd: Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and his family plan to invest Rs.500 crore in the group's food and grocery business and increase its authorised capital to Rs.750 crore, reports a financial newspaper. VRL Logistics: The company will announce its Q4 numbers today.IIFL estimates the companys net profit to rise to Rs.25 crore at 29.9% yoy and 2% qoq. TTK Prestige: TTK Prestige, one of the leading consumer goods companies in the country, will announce its Q4 results today. As per IIFLs forecast, the company is expected to register a net revenue of Rs.333 crore, growing at 16.5% yoy but dropping 25.6% yoy. Avanti Feeds: The company's Q4 net profit rises 43.1% at Rs.31.2 crore. The total income was up 22.9% at Rs 468.8 crore as against Rs. 381.4 Cr (YoY). City Union Bank: The bank will announce its Q4 numbers today. IIFL estimates the banks net profit to soar to Rs.100 crore, at a rate of 26% yoy; however, the same is expected to sink 2% qoq. Kirloskar Electric: The company will increase the authorized capital of the Company from Rs. 90 crores to Rs. 115 crores; also, to increase the limit of holding by foreign entities in the Company from 24% to 49%. Finolex Industries Ltd: The company posted a net profit of Rs. 784.78 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 as compared to Rs. 276.81 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. Ramco Cements: The companys consolidated revenue stood at Rs. 1,015.39 crore, up 1.79% yoy and 23.65% qoq. Tata Motors is likely in talks with an Iran manufacturer, Iran Khodro for a joint venture for assembling its petrol cars, as per reports.The company is looking forward to assembling knocked down units of its petrol models including Tiago, Bolt, Zest, added reports.Tata Motors Ltd is currently trading at Rs. 389, up by Rs. 4.45 or 1.16% from its previous closing of Rs. 384.55 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 388 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 389.9 and Rs. 383.8 respectively. So far 2929492(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 124397.8 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 2 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 516.9 on 22-May-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 266 on 11-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 396.75 and Rs. 381.8 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 33.01 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 41.3 % and 25.69 % respectively.The stock is currently trading above its 50 DMA. How many of us have the power to chase down our dreams and work towards them till we achieve them? Considering that we have time constraints and our goals keep changing every day, its indeed difficult to keep a track of our countless dreams. If you're someone who is looking for some serious inspiration, wait till you read this beautiful story of SRKs fan from Indonesia. Mutiara Ulta Herlita, a fan from Indonesia and a friend of hers love SRK to an extent that they kept on tweeting to him, asking him to meet them. Even when there are millions of his fans on twitter who post such requests, these girls were lucky enough! What happened next will make you believe in the power of dreams. This is how this fairytale began. In a series of tweets, they tagged SRK in all their tweets. I can't cme back nw, nt whn my tears r still fallng dwn everyday.. @iamsrk plez help me, i miss my country.. pic.twitter.com/qN0wzH3Yuw Mutiara Ulfa Herlita (@mutiara_bolly) May 15, 2016 Mannat, I reach hre again.. Sunday,May 15, 2016 at 10.10 am. Plez help me @iamsrk i need u to stop my tears,@SRKFCI pic.twitter.com/58Ay1Z7Vdj Mutiara Ulfa Herlita (@mutiara_bolly) May 15, 2016 Mannat,8.18 pm,still waiting for @iamsrk .. But u r right @SRKFCI , patience is th key,Thanx to help me :) pic.twitter.com/IiYxyD1P85 Mutiara Ulfa Herlita (@mutiara_bolly) May 15, 2016 Mannat,2 days waitng all day,slept in 3 diffrnt plce,limitd money,no eatng,alone,afraid @iamsrk plez help me@SRKFCI pic.twitter.com/JFgaqUBa20 Mutiara Ulfa Herlita (@mutiara_bolly) May 17, 2016 And then, this happened. SRK took time out to meet his fans! Will see u girls as I leave f r work and hear your story https://t.co/H7AjS8NwCu Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 15, 2016 Just like a fairy tale... It always ends in happy ending...Thank u to hear my story @iamsrk @SRKFCI pic.twitter.com/Z69bZpsNcl Mutiara Ulfa Herlita (@mutiara_bolly) May 18, 2016 It's thre, in my FB 'My notes'..The 7 parts of th true story to reach @iamsrk :) Th last part, coming soon @SRKFCI pic.twitter.com/TchFrAiG0a Mutiara Ulfa Herlita (@mutiara_bolly) May 18, 2016 She even posted a beautiful message for King Khan on FB! She posted: Time and again weve seen people from various spheres of life giving up on luxuries only to become monks and nuns. No, we arent kidding! Photos of Former Bigg Boss contestant and model Sofia Hayat have surfaced online and they show her in a nun avatar. In April, she posted a message on her Instagram account that indicated a change in her lifestyle, her heart and her life. The message read: We are beautiful without makeup...hair colour...fashion... We are perfect as we are. Im sorry I gave you the impression otherwise. I am changed. I love you all. Gaia Sofia Mother. Apparently, she has given up on her career and everything and has become a nun. She is Mother Sofia now, owing to a sea change in mindset. Her transition from a model to a nun is well evident from her Instagram posts. Feeling cheeky! #cute #art #blackandwhite #model #art rest #love #life A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Mar 10, 2016 at 1:40pm PST Sofia shot to fame after she joined Bigg Boss 7 as a wild card entrant. Her short-live stardom soon fizzled into oblivion but these recent pictures and posts of 'Mother Sofia' are becoming crazy viral. Here are some of her posts: Divine mother A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 20, 2016 at 2:30pm PDT Love A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on May 22, 2016 at 12:08pm PDT Breakfadt the enlightened way :) #vegan #buddha #breakfas #chiaseeds A video posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on May 17, 2016 at 2:17am PDT Be so part of nature..that she is you and you are she. She keeps us alive. She is why we are all here. She created us..feeds us..nourishes us. Honour our mother..she is here for you...Namaste Gaia Mother Sofia A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 11, 2016 at 8:16am PDT Holy days are herr A photo posted by Sofia Hayat (@sofiahayat) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:27am PDT Technology has reached levels never imagined by mankind before. In order to make life easier with gadgets, we are moving towards a point where we run out of problems. Take the language barrier as a problem for example. Communicating with someone who doesn't speak your language can be a real pain in the derriere. But all that was before Babel Fish launched the Pilot earphones. Mashable The Pilot lets two people who speak different languages communicate seamlessly with each other. Although the wireless earphones translate only three languages (English, French and Spanish) for now with Italian being introduced in autumn this year, the company will be looking to add more languages as soon as possible. Waverly Labs How does it work? The Pilot works by being connected to two different people, speaking different languages and translates what they say in the ear. The company calls it the first 'smart earpiece'. Having said that, the company still hasn't divulged the science behind the product and said it uses "translation technology" embedded in an app. Mashable It's still not the perfect product. Although it's a brilliant idea, the two people talking to each other still need to be wearing earpieces. However, they aim to make a device that translates everything around you. Mashable How did they come up with it, and how much does it cost? Wavery Labs, a New York-based company, said one of their technicians came up with the idea after "meeting a French girl" and wanting to communicate with her. The Pilot will cost $129 (Rs 8646 approx.) and will be available for pre-order on their website. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling Indias friendship with Iran as old as the history itself while signing the pact on Chabahar Port, a new era of cooperation between Indian and Iran has begun. PTI But India and Iran have never been all weather friends like we were with Russia or formerly the USSR. There have been times when India and Iran were seen on the opposite sides despite not showing any hostilities against one another. Here is the complete chronology of ups and downs of Indias relation with Iran and why the current Chabahar port and other deals signed by PM Modi are extremely significant for India. PTI 1. Iran aligned with CENTO while India founded NAM After independence and creation of Pakistan, India lost the geographical boundaries with Iran and this brought distance between the two nations. Iran on one hand signed the US led Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) where as India founded Non Align Movement (NAM) which reportedly had proximities to the Soviet Union. 2. Inception of Pakistan Pakistans creation did affect India-Iran relations. Although Pakistan has a majority sunni muslim population, it's India that has the second largest population of shias after Iran. But despite this fact, the relation between the two countries remained less than cordial. 3. End of Cold War End of Cold War and death of Supreme leader AyAtollah Khomeini opened a window of opportunity for India to clear misunderstandings and upgrade its relationship with Iran. Islamic ties with Pakistan notwithstanding, Iran began to cultivate a strong relationship with India. Bilateral relations also remained extremely cordial during Irans years of global chastisement for its nuclear program, with the exception of a short period during which India was unable to deal with the dynamic of Iran-U.S. divergence. 4. India voted against Iran in UN PTI In 2009, India under the pressure from US, voted against Iran in a resolution passed by UN watchdog for atomic expansion IAEA censuring the Islamic nation over it controversial nuclear programme demand. 5. When India ignored US and bought Irans oil India is one of biggest buyers of crude oil in the world. In 2013, US kept pressurising India to stop buying oil or completely freeze its economic relations with Iran. But unlike in 2009, India didnt bow to US pressure and continued to buy oil from Iran. 6. Obamas arrival and halt on oil import In January 2015 before the signing of historic nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 comprising Britain, China, France, Russia, US and Germany, India for the first time in the last decade halted oil import which irked Iran. 7. Why Chabahar is indispensable for India After the much hyped Economic Corridor from China to Pakistans Gwadar port, developed by China, and which can be used to station nuclear submarines in time of war against India, Chabahar acts as a counter. Located 72 kms west of Gwadar it can be Indias answer to counter the Sino-Paks joint strategic move to corner India. India will help develop the port and invest around $200 million to develop terminals and cargo berths there. A 500-km railway line between Chabahar and Zahedan will also be built with Indian collaboration. 8. Easy access to Afghanistan and Middle East PTI India constructing Chabahar Port would provide the country with a new gateway to Afghanistan, Middle East and Central Asian countries for better trade relations. Till now Pakistan is the only way India can reach Afghanistan and countries further, but Pakistan does not allow India to send goods through its territory to and has only recently begun to allow a trickle of Afghan exports to cross through to India. An IndiGo Airlines aircraft flying in from Ahmedabad landed on a road right next to the Jaipur airport runway, while landing on February 27, 2016, Hindustan Times reported. reuters Only minutes from hitting the road, the pilots were alerted abroad Ahmedabad-Jaipur flight 6E-237 via the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) sirens going off in the cockpit. They pulled the aircraft up, with only minutes to spare. While a probe is ongoing into the matter, the pilots have been grounded by the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA). According to a statement by IndiGo, passenger safety was not compromised. "At IndiGo, the safety and security of customers, crew and the aircraft is the top priority At no time the safety was compromised. Both the pilot have been taken off from flight duty with immediate effect by IndiGo Chief of Flight Safety pending investigation," the statement read. What started out as a simple blog to collate information on the design style inside Mumbai's taxis has now become the big talk of town in New Delhi! Started in 2013 by Sanket Avlani, Taxi Fabric has been working towards putting design in the forefront. "The project is committed to transforming public spaces," says Avlani. "When I started out on the project, I funded the first lot of taxis myself. It was only after it started doing well that we started a crowd-fund to get 30 more projects." "The past can meet the present and a night can be more colourful than a day. Colours, strokes and textures can merge to create a vivid spectacle. It lets you play God and create new worlds, new beings and mirages." @nasheet_shadani for #Taxifabric Photograph by @that_sidartguy A photo posted by Taxi Fabric (@taxifabric) on May 17, 2016 at 5:00am PDT "The move to Delhi was a natural one," he says. "We had exhausted our Kickstarter funds in Mumbai and we started looking for collaborators in Delhi to launch the project here." Like Mumbai, Avlani had to start with funding the first few by himself. The first auto to be launched under the project belongs to Hari Om Sharma who has received a "Humayun's Tomb on a Starry Night" makeover. An NGO has collaborated with the team on the project is providing the funding for another five autorickshaws. "Some of the designers are meticulous. They discuss their ideas with the drivers and seek out common thread of interest that can integrated into the designs." There are notable differences between Delhi and Mumbai. "For one, Mumbai's taxis are a lifeline and people consider it an icon of Mumbai. In Delhi, however, people do not like to take an autorickshaw which are better-known for being more problematic than iconic in any way." So why choose autorickshaws in Delhi that also has taxis? "Unlike Mumbai and Kolkata that thrive on taxis, the autorickshaws are more a popular form of public transport in other parts of the country and hence a larger impact of the designs." After a pause, he adds," Hari Om also said that this project will help in transforming the attitude towards autorickshaws in Delhi." Sanket has also been guiding designers through the programme and finds himself quite taken by the subtle hints of Delhi culture. "There is no comparison among the two cities. Just like the rains in Mumbai cannot be recreated for any other city, the vast number of monuments in Delhi cannot be seen anywhere else. I find the urdu script being used for one of the autorickshaws very beautiful." Most of the autorickshaws undergoing the design makeover play around Karol Bagh area. If you are in the area, watch out for a trippy ride! Two days after Daesh released a video highlighting the Indian jihadists in its ranks, it has emerged that Kalyan youths Fahad Tanveer Shaikh and Aman Naeem Tandel, featured in the video, have been promoted to the top echelons of the terror outfit. Agency Input Fahad, who is now called Abu Bakr al-Hindi, has been named naeb khalifa (deputy caliph) to lead Daesh's operations against India, while Aman, renamed Abu Umar al-Hindi, is the governor of 'Hind wal'Sindh', a Daesh usage for India and Pakistan, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources said. Also Read: Al Qaida's Pakistani Leadership Announces Plans To Invade Iraq, Might Trigger War With ISIS The chilling 22-minute video, in Arabic, shows Aman - who escaped to Syria to join Daesh in 2014 along with Fahad, Areeb Majeed, and Shaheem Tanki - warning the Indian public of retaliation for "committing atrocities against Muslims". Agency Input Aman, bearded and wearing an Islamic turban, is seen in the video saying, "We will return (to India), but with a sword in hand, to avenge the Babri Masjid, and the killings of Muslims in Kashmir, in Gujarat, and in Muzaffarnagar." The NIA sources said that Fahad and Aman were "rewarded with promotions" for being steadfast in their allegiance to Daesh, unlike Areeb Majeed, who panicked and handed himself over to the Indian Consulate at Istanbul after escaping to Turkey. Aman and other fighters also pay homage to Shaheem Tanki, who is said to have been killed in a bomb attack in Raqqa last year. The senior NIA officers said that Aman and Fahad were more orthodox, and far deeply radicalised than Majeed and Shaheem Tanki. Agency Input`s This is the first time that Daesh has released a video directly targeting India, and the NIA officers said its release on Friday was timed to 'celebrate' two years of the four Kalyan youths leaving the country in the guise of pilgrimage to Iraq. The four had left India on May 25, 2014 through Ajmeri Tours in Mumbai, although they had been making efforts to join Daesh since January 2013. Also Read: Coming To Avenge Babri, Kashmir, Gujarat, Muzaffarnagar, Warns ISIS In A New Video Interestingly, it was Areeb, now in the NIA custody, who was the first in the group to have attempted to join Daesh, and was directed to a man named Abu Rami in Iraq, and another person called Abu Fallujah in Turkey. Fahad got in touch with Areeb, and also roped in Aman and Shaheem, and the four travelled to Iraq as pilgrims. Within a few days of reaching Baghdad, the four youths separated from the group of pilgrims and checked into Hotel Burj Al Salaam at Sadoon Street. The group coordinator from Ajmeri Tours lodged a complaint with the Baghdad police and returned to India on June 1, 2014. However, the youths' struggle to join Daesh continued for weeks after they landed in Baghdad. theweek.in The NIA sources said that their induction into Daesh was facilitated by a woman named Tahirah Bhatt, who was based in Syria and was in touch with Fahad. "The four could officially join the Daesh ranks only in June 2014, after their tazkiya (purification) was completed. They were finally inducted at Mosul by top Daesh leader Umar Shishani," an NIA officer said. The NIA interrogation of Areeb has revealed that Fahad and Aman "excelled" at training and tasks allotted to them, while he (Areeb) and Shaheem "couldn't display the martial initiative despite being assigned the fidayeen (suicide) mission on a few occasions." BCCL According to NIA sources, Fahad was highly proficient in technology, and was inducted into the Daesh media cell, while Aman proved to be an inspirational orator. "The progress of the two youths within Daesh was so rapid that Abu Rami gave them new names and started trusting them with bigger assignments," the NIA source said. Also Read: ISIS's Wheelchair Hangman, Wife Glues Alcoholic Husband's Eyes Shut + Other Fun Sunday Reads! "Daesh intends to make Fahad and Aman its poster boys in India. Those radicalised by its ideology believe it will introduce a caliphate, like the one that existed in medieval times. And that's the reason these youths have been given titles like naeb khalifa," an NIA source said. The Silgur devta temple in Pokhri village of the Jaunsar Bawar region, which witnessed unruly scenes on Friday when a mob attacked Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay with stones for entering the premises with dalits, would now conduct a "long purification ritual of nine days". indiatvnews A temple official said that they needed to conduct purifying poojas since the temple had been "Desecrated by the entry of dalits." "The dev doli of Silgur Devta that was brought after a gap of almost 36 years to our village was defiled. The devta is upset. We will now undergo a nine-day stringent prayer and some purification rituals to appease it," said an official of the temple samiti. Dalits have started fleeing Meanwhile, many dalits of the area have started fleeing from their homes for the fear of a backlash from the upper-caste members of the village. Almost 100 villagers converged at Doon hospital on Sunday where their leader Daulat Kunwar is admitted in the ICU. The villagers said they will not return to their area till they get a written assurance from the state home minister that their lives would be safe if they returned. "A number of young boys from our village were beaten up by upper-caste villagers because they had captured the incidents of May 20 (when mobs pelted stones at dalits) on their mobile camera phones. They were threatened not to speak about the incident either to the police or city administration," claimed Narender Singh, a villager from Pokhri where the incident had occurred. Dalit atrocity indiatvnews Meanwhile, Saraswati Kunwar, the wife of injured dalit leader Daulat Kunwar, blamed the state home minister Pritam Singh for supporting the attrocities against dalits. "It's ironic that Pritam Singh who is from the Chakrata area, didn't even bother to visit Kunwar who is battling for his life in the hospital. It clearly shows that there is disdain and contempt against dalits ingrained in his mind." She added that the head of the khat (group of 10-15 villages) had also issued a notice in the village that "anyone who speaks in favour of dalits will face the same fate as Tarun Vijay and Daulat Kunwar." Dehradun: Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat visits injured BJP MP Tarun Vijay at the hospital. pic.twitter.com/cNNdAwdnTT ANI (@ANI_news) 21 May 2016 A group of dalits also burnt an effigy of Pritam Singh in the Doon hospital premises. While a probe has been ordered on the incident, human rights activists say they are not convinced it will be a "fair one." "There is just one dalit woman in the probe committee while rest all are upper-caste men. It raises suspicion on the authenticity of the probe," said a human-rights activist from Vikas Nagar. In brutal attacks on security forces militants shot dead three policeman in Srinagar in two separate incidents. The terrorists killed a security guard and also took away his rifle. Three policemen were shot dead at point-blank range on Monday in Srinagar, in the first such attacks in almost three years, a senior police officer said. The attacks followed a weekend shootout in north Kashmir in which five militants and one soldier were killed, taking to 44 the total number of separatist fighters killed this year in Jammu and Kashmir. J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti pays tribute to 3 policemen who lost their lives in terrorist attacks in Srinagar today pic.twitter.com/9f5MLUsTyU ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 The spike in violence comes against a backdrop of rising social tension and separatist sentiment in the Muslim-majority region, which for decades has been at the centre of a strategic tussle between India and Pakistan. The three policemen were killed in two separate attacks in Srinagar, police official Ghulam Hassan Bhat told Reuters, with two killed in the Zadibal quarter of the city. "The militants fired at these cops from point-blank range, leaving them in a pool of blood," said Bhat, a deputy inspector general of police in the region. The assailants in the second attack shot dead the security guard of a political leader, also at point-blank range, and took his rifle. The attacks came two days after Indian troops killed five militants from Pakistan-backed militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Kupwara district bordering Pakistan. One soldier succumbed to wounds suffered in the gun battle. The number of militants sneaking across the de facto border between India and Pakistan has increased this year, helped by an early summer and a lack of winter snows in the mountainous region, a senior army officer said. "As compared to last year the infiltration is on the higher side," said Brigadier Rajeev Puri, of the Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army, estimating that around 225 militants were active in the Kashmir Valley. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir, each controlling part of the territory but claiming it in full. The Line of Control, or de facto border, runs along the lines of a ceasefire reached in 1948. If it's the thrills you seek, then Casa Assombrada (haunted house) at the Quinta Nova da Assuncao mansion in Belas, near Sintra, Portugal, is where you need to be. During a tour of the empty house, there are apparitions, shadows and the sound of doors randomly shutting. All accompanied by terrified shrieks from groups of visitors. The project has been running at the house, which has stood empty for several years, since last June, drawing visitors from all over the country. Director Michel Simeo calls it "a very intense experience." Reuters The Reflexo theatre company has been performing the show Casa Assombrada (haunted house) in Belas, near Sintra, Portugal. Reuters Once inside, the audience is given a set of instructions to follow and clues to find their way out! Reuters The clues are placed all around the mansion and are not very easy to locate, given the spooky surroundings. Reuters At the show, small groups of visitors walk through the 25-room house with just an audio guide - and each other - for company. Reuters There are signs everywhere! This inverted cross is in one of the rooms of the mansion. Reuters The sudden appearance of an actor is designed to make you scream! Reuters And that's just the beginning, the ensemble cast of actors will leave you no room to turn to! Reuters The entire house has actors hidden away for you to find, worse, stumble upon Reuters This is one performance you don't really want to stand around to hand an applause for! Reuters In a tragic incident, a Chilean zoo killed two lions after a man stripped off his clothes and jumped into the enclosure to commit suicide. The incident happened on Saturday in the Chilean capital. According to Santiago Metropolitan Zoo's Facebook post, the man climbed over the fence and stripped himself naked before approaching the lions. A note was found in his clothes which revealed that he was attempting to kill himself. The state reads how the authorities had no choice but to kill the lions in order to protect the man's life. It was a difficult and heartbreaking choice but sadly it had to be done. The Sun The statements says, "Due to the circumstances and to firstly protect the life of this person, we found ourselves obliged to apply all of our security protocols." The lions were shot soon after they had begun mauling the man. For the zoo, it became "imminent to save this man". The man - whose disregard for his own life cost the zoo two innocent ones - was taken to a hospital where he remains in a critical condition. The Sun The zoo took the decision to shoot the lions only after the tranquilizers failed to take their effect. The two animals, male and female, were killed in the presence of a large crowd. While the male was born in the zoo, the female was rescued from a circus. Meanwhile in India... A drunk man in Hyderabad jumped into a lion's den at a local zoo. Thankfully, neither was he trying to commit suicide nor was he hurt by the lions. He was safely rescued by the zoo authorities. #WATCH: Drunk man jumps into a lion's enclosure in Hyderabad, was safely rescued by zoo authoritieshttps://t.co/an77mTXpIm ANI (@ANI_news) May 22, 2016 Also, the lions didn't charge at the man, but had he remained inside the enclosure for long, his life could have been in grave danger. Shahid Baloch, a grave digger at a Edhi run cemetery is ready for the summer. "Thanks to God, we are better prepared this year" ap Last summer's heat claimed over 1300 deaths, and the record-breaking death promises to have even more victims. He's hired a digger to excavate three elongated trenches big enough for 300 bodies. "Thanks to God, we are better prepared this year," said Baloch, 28, who works with three brothers at the vast Karachi cemetery run by Edhi Foundation. When the heat wave struck in the summer of 2015, hospitals, morgues and graveyards in the city of 20 million people were overwhelmed, and drug addicts, day labourers and the elderly were the biggest victims of the searing heat. Intervention by the army and charity groups staved off an even worse disaster, locals said, but the crisis exposed the shortcomings of emergency services in coping with environmental disasters that scientists say will become more common in the future. reuters Meteorological office is not predicting a repeat of last year's extreme conditions, but, like Baloch in the cemetery, officials are preparing for the worst just in case. "It will not get out of control the way it happened last year," said Karachi Commissioner Asif Hyder Shah, adding that nearly 60 hospitals now have spare capacity for 1,850 heat wave patients. Last summer patients slept on ward floors and long queues formed outside Karachi's main state hospitals at the peak of the heat wave reuters Shah said nearly 200 first response centres have been set up across the city, offering basic heat-stroke treatment to swiftly stabilise patients. There are also 700 makeshift relief centres, dishing out drinking water and rehydration salts. "This will save lives. It's a comfort," said street vendor Muhammad Mahmood, 32, after downing a cup of water at one centre. Next to him, children in school uniforms queued to quench their thirst. Efforts to prepare for extreme heat have been limited by decades of under-investment in Pakistan's crumbling electricity grid and water infrastructure, leaving the sprawling city vulnerable in times of crisis. The problem last year was compounded by power cuts which left people unable to cool themselves with fans and air conditioners, particularly affecting those unable to afford generators. Last summer, the Edhi morgue ran out of freezer space after about 650 bodies were brought in the space of a few days. Ambulances left decaying corpses outside in sweltering heat. Similar macabre scenes plagued Karachi's cemeteries, where grave diggers refused to work in the baking sun and charged up to five times normal rates for burial plots. "People were not able to buy those graves," said Faisal Edhi, managing trustee of the Edhi Foundation. "They buried their dead in their relatives' graves." PTI Virat Kohli has been batting in this IPL like he is a man from another planet. In doing so, the RCB skipper has broken a bunch of records - first player to hit 3 hundreds or more in one edition and the most runs in one edition. Also he is the first to score 4000 runs in IPL. But his 919 runs in 14 innings should hardly come as a surprise, given the kind of form he has been in this year. AFP Team India director Ravi Shastri feels that this good run of form can help when he is playing for his country. The man has a point too. Kohli's momentum with the bat will help him to do well on the upcoming tour to West Indies. AP It is no secret that the 27-year-old is arguably the best batsman in the world currently. On the West Indies tour, he's going to be leading a young yet successful Test team that has more or less the same core as in the home series against South Africa and the away series against Sri Lanka. Here's a look at the 17-man squad Kohli will lead in the four Tests in the Caribbean in July-August. Test squad: Virat Kohli (capt), R Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur. While IPL form is not enough to judge one's international calibre, Kohli has already proved his worth. There is no doubt that this is just a sign of things to come later in the year. Al Qaeda: Heroes of the Empire By Ulson Gunnar May 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " NEO " - Syrian President Bashar al Assad would seem like a natural ally to the United States and the European Union. He heads a secular government and presides over a secular nation. It is a nation where extremist political factions like the Muslim Brotherhood are outlawed and armed terrorist groups hunted down and eliminated. There was even a point in history before the 2011 war began within and along Syrias borders that Washington even feigned such an alliance with Damascus. The London Telegraph in its article, John Kerry and Bashar al-Assad dined in Damascus, reported: Mr Kerry visited Damascus in February 2009, when he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said in a press conference during the visit: President Barack Obamas administration considers Syria a key player in Washingtons efforts to revive the stalled Middle East peace process. Syria is an essential player in bringing peace and stability to the region. Mr Kerry met with Mr Assad at least six times, and on one occasion seen in the photographs dining with the two mens wives at the Naranj restaurant in central Damascus. Though the US considered at the time Syria to be a state sponsor of terrorism, that was only because of its support of Lebanons Hezbollah, not Al Qaeda and its affiliates who the US Armys own reports indicate the government was working against even during the US occupation of Iraq when Syria was used as an entry point into the country along its southern borders. Ironically, the US Armys reports would indicate that many of the networks now considered rebels, were involved in facilitating Al Qaedas transit through Syrian territory into Iraq to kill Americans using Saudi cash. The Enemy of My Enemy is Me, Myself and I Todays headlines are surreal to anyone who remembers the aftermath and hysteria in Washington in the wake of September 11, 2001. Today, the terms rebels and Al Nusra (Al Qaeda in Syria) are used interchangeably by the US and European press in an attempt to obscure the obvious fact that the very rebels the US and its European and Persian Gulf allies are funding, training and arming in Syria are quite literally the terrorist factions these same governments have claimed to be fighting for the past 15 years. Reuters in a recent article attempting to rhetorically undermine Iran, Syria and Lebanons Hezbollah, in one breath mentions the setbacks Al Qaedas Al Nusra franchise is dealing to Iranian-backed troops in Syria, and in the next breath points out how Israel is also picking apart Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah forces. Titled, For Iran and Hezbollah, a costly week in Syria, the article claims: Reports put the death toll among the Iranian, Afghani and Lebanese militiamen as high as 80 in the attack spearheaded by the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Then claims: Israel has not missed the chance to pick off top Iranian and Hezbollah commanders in Syria over the past year or more. Reuters perhaps hopes readers dont understand the implications of the actual events unfolding on the ground in Syria versus the empty rhetoric repeated from behind podiums in Jerusalem, Washington, Riyadh, Brussels and London. Indeed, the US and its allies, including Israel, are fighting side-by-side with Al Qaeda in Syria against precisely the same opponents. In fact, Al Qaeda could not sustain its military operations without significant state-sponsorship, state-sponsorship a look at any map will tell someone is coming from Turkey, Israel, Jordan and by implication Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the US and EU. Perhaps Reuters expects its readers to believe that despite the September 11, 2001 attacks and the many other atrocities attributed to Al Qaeda over the last 15 years are trivial compared to the threat now allegedly posed by Syria, Iran and Lebanons Hezbollah. The phrase the enemy of my enemy is my friend, often implies that the friendship is cynically strategic and temporary and with little else beyond a common foe holding the alliance together. In the case of Al Qaeda, it is not an alliance of convenience, Al Qaeda itself is an extension of US-European-Persian Gulf geopolitical ambition. It has been since it was admittedly created in a joint US-Saudi ploy to evict Soviet troops from Afghanistan in a proxy war. It is no coincidence that Al Qaeda was created to fight proxy wars in the 1980s, and today we find Al Qaeda in its various forms in Syria once again fighting a proxy war. Reuters and other news services across the US and Europe are celebrating what they call setbacks in Syria for Damascus and its allies, setbacks incurred by Al Qaeda and setbacks anyone with a conscience could not consider cause for celebration. This blatant double game of pretending to fight terrorism while all along propping it up, had until now served the US and its allies well. Today, with the alternative media continuing to expand and challenge such flawed narratives, continuing on with them has cost the US credibility it may never reclaim. With pressure continuing to mount on the Wests narrative, one can only hope the impetus to act in Syrias defense among those nations willing and able to send resources to assist will outweigh the impetus the US and its allies have at home and abroad to double down on this bankrupted strategy and the unraveling unsustainable narrative that underpins it. Ulson Gunnar, a New York-based geopolitical analyst and writer especially for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook. See also Saudi paper: U.S. carried out 9/11 attacks: Saudi legal expert Katib Al-Shammari, writing in the London-based Saudi daily Al-Hayat on April 28, charged that the U.S. carried out the 9/11 attacks while placing blame on others, beginning with al-Qaida and the Taliban, then shifting to Saddam Husseins Iraq and now Saudi Arabia. Pushing Russia Toward War NATOs military pressure on Russia and the Wests economic sanctions have empowered Moscows hardliners, setting the stage for an escalation of the new Cold War into possibly a hot one, ex-British intelligence officer Alastair Crooke warns. By Alastair Crooke May 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Consortium News " - Something significant happened in the last few days of April, but it seems the only person who noticed was Stephen Cohen, a professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton University. In a recorded interview , Cohen notes that a section of the Russian leadership is showing signs of restlessness, focused on President Vladimir Putins leadership. We are not talking of street protesters. We are not talking coups against Putin his popularity remains above 80 percent and he is not about to be displaced. But we are talking about serious pressure being applied to the president to come down from the high wire along which he has warily trod until now. Putin carries, at one end of his balancing pole, the various elites more oriented toward the West and the Washington Consensus and, at the poles other end, those concerned that Russia faces both a real military threat from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a hybrid geo-financial war as well. He is being pressed to come down on the side of the latter, and to pry the grip of the former from the levers of economic power that they still tightly hold. In short, the issue coming to a head in the Kremlin is whether Russia is sufficiently prepared for further Western efforts to ensure it does not impede or rival American hegemony. Can Russia sustain a geo-financial assault, if one were to be launched? And is such a threat real or mere Western posturing for other ends? What is so important is that if these events are misread in the West, which is already primed to see any Russian defensive act as offensive and aggressive, the ground will already have been laid for escalation. We already had the first war to push back against NATO in Georgia. The second pushback war is ongoing in Ukraine. What might be the consequences to a third? In mid-April, General Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russias Investigative Committee (a sort of super attorney general, as Cohen describes it), wrote that Russia its role in Syria notwithstanding is militarily ill prepared to face a new war either at home or abroad, and that the economy is in a bad way, too. Russia, furthermore, is equally ill-prepared to withstand a geo-financial war. He goes on to say that the West is preparing for war against Russia and that Russias leadership does not appear to be aware of or alert to the danger the country faces. Bastrykin does not say that Putin is to blame, though the context makes it clear that this is what he means. But a few days later, Cohen explains, the article sparked further discussion from those who both endorse Bastrykin and do precisely mention Putin by name. Then, Cohen notes, a retired Russian general entered the fray to confirm that the West is indeed preparing for war he pointed to NATO deployments in the Baltics, the Black Sea and Poland, among other places and underlines again the unpreparedness of the Russian military to face this threat. This is a heavy indictment of Putin, Cohen says of the revelations from this analysis. It is now out in the open. Mother Russia What is this all about? For some time there have been indications that a key faction within the Kremlin, one that very loosely might be termed nationalist, has become deeply disenchanted with Putins toleration of the Washington Consensus and its adherents at the Russian central bank and in other pivotal economic posts. The nationalists want them purged, along with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedevs perceived Western-friendly government. Putin may be highly popular, but Medvedevs government is not. The governments economic policy is being criticized. The opposing faction wants to see an immediate mobilization of the military and the economy for war, conventional or hybrid. This is not about wanting Putin ousted; it is about pushing him to wield the knife and to cut deeply. What does this faction want apart from Russia preparing for war? They want a harder line in Ukraine and for Putin to reject U.S. Secretary of State John Kerrys snares in Syria. In short, Kerry is still trying to force Assads removal and continues to push for further U.S. support for the opposition. The American government is reluctant as well to disentangle moderates from jihadis. The view is that America is insincere in trying to cooperate with Russia on a settlement and more intent on entrapping Putin in Syria. Perhaps this is right, as Gareth Porter and Elijah Magnier have outlined. What this means at a more fundamental level is that Putin is being asked to side with the nationalists against the internationalists aligned with the Washington Consensus, and to purge them from power. Recall, however, that Putin came to power precisely to temper this polarity within Russian society by rising above it to heal and rebuild a diverse society recovering from deep divisions and crises. He is being asked to renounce that for which he stands because, he is being told, Russia is being threatened by a West that is preparing for war. The prospect of the seeming inevitability of future conflict is hardly new to Putin, who has spoken often on this theme. He has, however, chosen to react by placing the emphasis on gaining time for Russia to strengthen itself and trying to corner the West into some sort of cooperation or partnership on a political settlement in Syria, for example, which might have deflected the war dynamic into a more positive course. Putin has, at the same time, skillfully steered Europeans away from NATO escalation. But in both of these objectives the Obama administration is acting to weaken Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs hand, and therefore strengthening the hand of those in Russia calling for a full mobilization for war. It is not coincidental that Bastrykins alarm-raising article came now, as the Syria ceasefire is being deliberately infringed and broken. American Strategy Is this properly understood in the White House? If so, must we conclude that escalation against Russia is desired? As Cohen notes , the Washington Post [in its editorial pages] tells us regularly that never, never, never under any circumstances, can the criminal Putin be a strategic partner of the United States. Is the die then cast? Is Putin bound to fail? Is conflict inevitable? Ostensibly, it may seem so. The stage is certainly being set. I have written before on, the pivot already under way from within the U.S. defense and intelligence arms of Obamas own administration toward what is often referred to as the Wolfowitz doctrine, a set of policies developed by the U.S. in the 1990s and early 2000s. The author of one of those policies, the 1992 U.S. Defense Planning Guidance, wrote that the DPG in essence sought to: preclude the emergence of bipolarity, another global rivalry like the Cold War, or multipolarity, a world of many great powers, as existed before the two world wars. To do so, the key was to prevent a hostile power from dominating a critical region, defined as having the resources, industrial capabilities and population that, if controlled by a hostile power, would pose a global challenge. In an interview with Vox, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter was clear that this was broadly the bearing by which the Pentagon was being directed to sail. Then again, there is the rather obvious fact that, instead of the much-touted U.S. military pivot ostensibly being to Asia, the actual NATO pivot is being directed to Central Europe to Russias borders. And NATO is plainly pushing the envelope as hard as it dares, up and against Russias borders. Then there is the rhetoric : Russian aggression. Russian ambitions to recover the former Soviet Empire. Russian attempts to divide and destroy Europe. And so on. Why? It may be that NATO simply presumes these envelope-pushing exercises will never actually come to war, that Russia somehow will back off. And that continuously poking the bear will serve Americas interest in keeping Europe together and NATO cohesive, its sanctions in place, divided from Russia. NATO is due to meet in Warsaw in early July. Perhaps, then, the Western language about Russias aggression is little more than America heading off any European revolt on sanctions by stirring up a pseudo-threat from Russia and that the Russians are misreading American true intentions, which do not go beyond this. Or do they? The extraordinary bitterness and emotional outrage with which the American establishment has reacted to Donald Trumps probable nomination as a presidential candidate suggests that the U.S. establishment is far from having given up on the Wolfowitz doctrine. So has Putins strategy of co-opting America in the Middle East been the failure that the Bastrykin faction implies? In other words, is it the case that the policy of gaining cooperation has failed and that Putin must now move beyond it, because America is not about to cooperate and is, instead, continuing the process of cornering Russia? GOP Establishment Revolts As the Texas Tribune reported on May 4, For the first time since his own presidency, George H.W. Bush is planning to stay silent in the race for the Oval Office and the younger former president Bush plans to stay silent as well. To get a sense of the war within the Republican Party (and the Democrats are no less conflicted), read this reaction to that story by the two-time Republican presidential candidate Pat Buchanan. Heres a small selection: Trumps triumph is a sweeping repudiation of Bush Republicanism by the same party that nominated them [the Bushs] four times for the presidency. Not only was son and brother, Jeb, humiliated and chased out of the race early, but Trump won his nomination by denouncing as rotten to the core the primary fruits of signature Bush policies That is a savage indictment of the Bush legacy. And a Republican electorate, in the largest turnout in primary history, nodded, Amen to that, brother! Buchanan continues in another piece: The hubris here astonishes. A Republican establishment that has been beaten as badly as Carthage in the Third Punic War is now making demands on Scipio Africanus and the victorious Romans a reference to Paul Ryans attempts to make Trump adhere to Bush Republicanism. This is difficult to absorb. But here, in this crisis, is an opportunity. America could be heading into recession, corporate profits are falling , huge swaths of debt are looking suspect, global trade is sinking and U.S. policy tools for controlling the global financial system have lost their credibility. And there are no easy solutions to the global overhang of increasingly putrid debt. But a President Trump were that to happen can lay blame for any perfect economic storm on the Establishment. America is all knotted up at present, as the presidential nomination melee made clear. Some knots will take time to undo, but some could be undone relatively easily, and it seems that Trump has some sense of this. It could start with a dramatic diplomatic initiative. Historically, most radical projects of reform have started in this way: overturn a piece of conventional wisdom and unlock the entire policy gridlock the momentum gained will allow a reformer to steamroll even the hardest resistance in this case, Wall Street and the financial oligarchy into making reforms. Trump can simply say that American and European national security interests pass directly through Russia which they clearly do that Russia does not threaten America which it clearly does not and that NATO is, in any case, obsolete, as he has said . It makes perfect sense to join with Russia and its allies to surround and destroy the so-called Islamic State. If one listens carefully, Trump seems halfway there. It would cut a lot of knots, maybe even untie the policy gridlock. Perhaps that is what he intends? US Prepares Troop Deployment to Libya Amid Fight for Oil Fields By Bill Van Auken May 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " WSWS " - Five years after a US-NATO war shattered Libya, Washington is preparing to send troops into the oil-rich North African nation for a long-term mission, the Pentagons top uniformed commander said Thursday. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters returning aboard his plane from a meeting of NATO commanders in Brussels that the new military deployment, which could involve thousands of US troops, could happen any day. It awaited only a formal agreement with the new government that the Western powers and the UN are attempting to set up in Tripoli, he indicated. General Dunford told reporters that there had been intense dialogue and activities under the surface aimed at bringing about the Libya intervention. This apparently referred to efforts by the US ambassador to Libya, Peter Bodde, and the State Departments special envoy for Libya, Jonathan Winer, to wrest a formal request for military intervention from Fayez al-Sarraj, the unelected head of the Western-backed Libyan Presidential Council. Under UN and US tutelage, Sarraj and his allies established this council in exile in Tunisia, returning to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, at the end of March. It is obvious that this new puppet regime has been created for the sole purpose of providing a veneer of legality to another US-NATO military intervention in the devastated country. Sarrajs legitimacy, however, is by no means clear. His is now one of three competing regimes, including the Islamist-dominated General National Congress (GNC) in Tripoli and the House of Representatives (HoR) based in the eastern city of Tobruk, which was previously recognized by the West as the legitimate government of Libya. Neither the GNC nor the HoR have recognized the authority of Sarrajs presidential council. Nor is it clear what fighting force Sarraj can rely upon and the US and its allies can arm and train. It was revealed earlier this month that US Special Operations troops have been on the ground in Libya since last year attempting to contact and assess various rival militias to see which one could be employed in the service of Washingtons interests in the country. Ostensibly, the US and its allies are intervening to counter the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) inside the country. ISIS fighters, reported to number at least 5,000, have taken control of a stretch of the Libyan Mediterranean coast. It is no accident that the center of this territory is the city of Sirte, formerly the hometown of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The city was reduced to rubble by US-NATO attacks in the days leading up to the October 2011 torture and murder of Gaddafi at the hands of US-backed Islamist militiamen. As in Iraq and Syria, Washington is justifying this new intervention in the name of combating a force that it itself spawned. Libyas ISIS fighters came from the Islamist militias that the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies supported and armed in the bid to oust Gaddafi in 2011. Many of them were then sent into Syria, along with large stockpiles of Libyan weapons that were shipped to that country as part of an operation run out of the secret CIA station in Benghazi. That station and a separate US consulate were overrun by Libyan Islamist militiamen in September 2011, leading to the deaths of US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Discussions on the coming Libya intervention took place at a meeting of foreign ministers from the US, Europe and the Middle East on Monday in Vienna. Among the decisions taken was to seek exemption from an arms embargo imposed by the UN after the fall of Gaddafi so that weapons can be funneled in to forces loyal to the puppet Sarraj, though it is, as of yet, unclear who those forces are. US Secretary of State John Kerry allowed that a delicate balance had to be found to prevent the arms from falling into the hands of Al Qaeda-linked and ISIS elements that Washington is ostensibly fighting. The real objective in Libya today, as in 2011, is the assertion of undisputed US-NATO hegemony over the country and its massive oil reserves, the largest on the African continent. Having turned Libya into the model of a so-called failed state with its first intervention, Washington appears to want to impose some kind of neocolonial regime with its pending second incursion. The centrality of oil is manifest in the operations of the two major armed militias that are being considered for the role of Western puppet forces. The first is the so-called Libyan National Army formed under the command of Khalifa Hafter, a former Libyan army officer who became an asset of the CIA in the 1980s, set up near the agencys headquarters in Langley, Virginia and then airlifted by the Americans back into Benghazi during the 2011 war for regime change. Hafters forces have been moving slowly west from Benghazi toward the ISIS center of Sirte, expending most of their energies on seizing control of some 14 oil fields along the way. The fields were taken largely from the Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG), whose commander, Ibrahim Jadhran, had sworn allegiance to the US-backed regime of Sarraj after previously seeking autonomy for the east and attempting to sell oil independently of the government in Tripoli. Meanwhile, a rival militia based in the city of Misurata in northwestern Libya has been approaching Sirte from the opposite direction with similar intentions. It is widely anticipated that these two forces, apparently the principal candidates for serving as the foundation of a Western puppet force in the country, may end up battling each other rather than ISIS. While General Dunford predicted a US-NATO intervention was imminent, he was less forthcoming about its composition. It had been reported initially that Italy, which exercised brutal colonial rule over Libya under the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini, would lead the mission, providing upwards of 5,000 troops. Among Romes principal concernsaside from reasserting its old colonial ambitionsis securing the Libyan coast, which is expected to be the major route for refugees seeking to reach Italy, now that the EU has sealed off the so-called Balkan route. On Monday, however, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said that Italy would not send troops into Libya. While under pressure to intervene in Libya, we have chosen a different approach, Renzi said in a statement. For its part, Germany has reportedly rejected placing any of its troops in Libya, saying that it would only train Libyan forces in neighboring Tunisia. The apparent disarray within NATOs ranks reflects the competing interests of the US and the various European powers as the Libyan intervention escalates what is emerging as a new imperialist scramble for Africa. As Washington prepares to launch another military intervention into a nation that it previously decimated through a war of aggression, its ongoing campaign in Iraq appears in growing danger. Baghdad was placed under military curfew Friday night after Iraqi security forces used tear gas and live fire to drive back thousands of antigovernment demonstrators who stormed the heavily fortified Green Zone, reaching the office of Iraqs US-backed prime minister, Haider al-Abadi. Initial reports indicated at least one civilian, and perhaps several, killed by security forces, and dozens wounded. Protesters, including supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, had stormed into the blast wall-enclosed Green Zone on April 30 to protest government corruption and failure to provide basic services and security. Anger has only deepened in the intervening weeks as the result of a series of terrorist bombings claimed by ISIS that have killed more than 150 people in Baghdad this month. In the wake of the bloodshed in the Green Zone, there is a growing threat that an armed confrontation between government forces and armed Shia militias in the Iraqi capital could eclipse the so-called war against ISIS. Copyright 1998-2016 World Socialist Web Site - All rights reserved Down With The Duopoly The Republicans Have Split; Now Its the Democrats Turn The split in the Democratic Party will become an unbridgeable chasm when Sanders supporters are forced to recognize that the 40-plus percent of the Democratic base they represent cannot coexist with Hillarys truer and more fully explicit ruling class party, and needs its own electoral political formation. The Republican side of the corporate duopoly has already been destabilized. Clintons hard right turn will fracture the Democrats. By Glen Ford If Clinton has her way and she will this will be the last national convention at which leftish Democrats will have a powerful presence. May 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " BAR " - The centrifugal forces set in motion by the global capitalist Race to the Bottom have come home to roost in the United States of Wall Street, and will swirl through the streets and Democratic Party convention halls in Philadelphia, this summer. Democratic honchos, fearing that last weekends raucous Democratic Party convention in Las Vegas is a harbinger of the impending meltdown, pleaded with Bernie Sanders supporters to unite in a common front against Donald Trump. We just cant have a repeat of that in Philadelphia because its distressing, said California Sen. Barbara Boxer, who was booed in Las Vegas. I have a message to the Bernie people who are planning to be disobedient because the system is rigged... There is nothing to protest. The corporate media, acting as press agents for Hillary Clinton, filled their columns with calumny against Sanders for failing to condemn the violence of his supporters, many of whom appear to increasingly view Philadelphia as an Occupy venue. Sanders, understanding that the power of potential disruption is all that he has left, refused to denounce his followers. At the [Nevada] convention, the Democratic leadership used its power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place," said Sanders, pointing out that there have been "zero reports" of violence at his campaign rallies around the country. Nina Turner, the Black former state senator from Ohio and frequent spokesperson for the Sanders campaign, predicted, It is going to be progressives who will disrupt. And when I say disrupt, I dont mean in a violent or a terrible way, but I just mean upset the apple cart. Rose Ann DeMoro, whose National Nurses United union endorses Sanders, said We will be a significant force inside and a significant force outside the convention in Philadelphia. The focus is going to be how disenfranchised the voters felt during this election by the D.N.C. Sanders, understanding that the power of potential disruption is all that he has left, refused to denounce his followers. It will be difficult to differentiate between the Sanders Democrats and the leftish legions that will descend on Philadelphia, in July. The Green Party, which has attempted to open a dialogue with Bernie Sanders since 2011 to no avail, according to Green presidential candidate Jill Stein plans to muster a significant presence in Philadelphia, alongside the Socialist Alternative party and other leftish electoral groupings. The Democratic National Committee is huddling with Philadelphia police to ensure the safety and security of all of our delegates and participants in anticipation of the thousands of protesters that will attempt to mass near the convention site. Hillary Clinton has largely left it to surrogates to attack Sanders and his supporters. Shes already in general election mode, reaching out to Republican moderates defined as any GOP right-winger that is disgruntled with Trump, for any reason. Clintons think-tankers are salivating at the prospect of absorbing much of the GOPs previous base, minus the 30 percent or so of white folks who demand an overtly White Mans Party that rejects jobs-exporting trade deals the twin cores of Trumps appeal. Convinced that the rest of the Republican Party is up for grabs, Clinton is deep into her hard right turn, seeking to build a Big Tent party that will be even more inhospitable to its leftish wing including Blacks, who are the most pro-redistributionist and anti-war constituency in the country, but are trapped in the duopoly by fear of the White Mans Party. If Clinton has her way and she will this will be the last national convention at which leftish Democrats will have a powerful presence. Clinton is also in the process of capturing, by default, much of the Republican Partys fat cat financial supporters and the whole GOP-oriented imperialist political infrastructure, the permanent warmongers. Clintons think-tankers are salivating at the prospect of absorbing much of the GOPs previous base. Get ready for the whiplash, says the writer and activist Paul Street, author of They Rule: Democracy Versus the 1%. The Democratic Party is about to go from being the party that allowed a self-declared democratic socialist to go very far in the primary process, to becoming, objectively, the truer and more fully explicit ruling class party in the country. Donald Trump, whose foreign policy is objectively way to the left of, not only Clinton, but of any modern U.S. president, rejecting the national security basis of the global American military presence, is accentuating his support for Social Security and Medicare programs that Barack Obama began attacking even before he was sworn in for his first term as president, in 2009. When he is in the White House, says Trump, the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will be renegotiated and probably terminated. Trump says Clinton is totally controlled by Wall Street. This is the kind of talk enthusiastically received by Trumps white nationalist masses that flushes Big Capital and the military-industrial complex out of the Republican Party and into Hillarys like-minded corporate Democratic network. The corporate-imperial core of the GOP cannot live with Trumps politics (and may not let him live, if they conclude he stands a chance of being elected). Whatever happens in November, Trumps legions are on their own political trajectory, which will find expression either through a scaled down Republican Party or a new party formation. There is little chance that the GOP elite can field their own candidate in November its much easier to simply back Clinton, this time around. However, the institutional Republican Party is huge, with office-holders of the old school in place at every level who will fight to continue as a corporate-militarist political force. But, without its white nationalist (overtly racist) and anti-Wall Street mass base, the GOP as we have known it has passed into history. The Republican side of the duopoly has been destabilized. The corporate-imperial core of the GOP cannot live with Trumps politics. Hillary Clintons Democratic Party, reinforced by millions of suburban erstwhile Republicans and the moneybags that refuse to feed Trumps ambitions, cannot long accommodate the leftish Democrats arrayed around Sanders. The primary race has taught the Sandernistas that they are a coherent political force in opposition to Wall Street. They will learn just how unwanted they are in the party as the campaign plays out. Indeed, the Sanders enterprise is no longer a presidential campaign, since even its adherents understand that the nomination is lost. Its not a movement either (a much misused word), but a fight to find space for progressives in a corporate Democratic structure. However, the extra space in Hillarys Big Tent is reserved for Republican refugees from Trump. The movement chapter opens when Sanders supporters are forced by events to recognize that the 40-plus percent of the Democratic base that they represent cannot coexist with Hillarys truer and more fully explicit ruling class party, and needs its own electoral political formation with or without Bernie Sanders (almost certainly, without). Thus, the Democratic side of the duopoly is also unstable, and ripe for a split. The fracturing of the GOP has, in fact, helped create the conditions for the Democratic split, both by encouraging Democratic corporatists to move further Right to scoop up unmoored Republicans and their financiers, and by shrinking the base of the GOP, rendering it less of an objective threat to scary lefties. Outsized fear of Trump is hysteria. These days, the brown shirts wear blue. Hillary is the candidate of Wall Street, War and Austerity not Trump, the racist America Firster. And, he cant win, anyway not with tens of millions of moderate Republicans and most of the partys funders rushing into Hillarys welcoming embrace. Again, the movement phase of this saga begins after Sanders and his followers are crushed in Philadelphia. A mass social democratic party is necessary to claim the immense political space to the left of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), the corporate faction of the Party co-founded by Bill Clinton in the Eighties to wage political war against progressives, Blacks and labor within the party ranks. The DLC won that war, electing its second president, Barack Obama, in 2008, after which it went out of business for lack of a mission. Hillary will be the third DLC president, and should be the last leader of a zoo-like Democratic Party encompassing warmongers like herself (We came, we saw, he died) and Black people, the most anti-war constituency in the nation, only 7 percent of whom favored an Iraq invasion that would result in the death of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Hillary is the candidate of Wall Street, War and Austerity not Trump, the racist America Firster. However, Blacks will only abandon the Democrats in large numbers when it is clear that the two-party corporate duopoly has been broken that the choice is no longer between The White Mans Party (GOP) and the party that is more racially inclusive. When that happens, many Black people will find the new party to be a much better fit since, according to Black social demographer Michael Dawson, the biggest bloc of Black voters are most like Swedish Social Democrats, and a very large number of them are more radical than that. The demise of the duopoly will also create the space for the kind of independent Black politics that is impossible under the hegemony of the Democratic Party in Black America. Again, movement politics is in order to prepare the way for this potential sea change. Black folks have been captives in the Democratic enclosure for more than two generations, without a movement to wrestle with the burning issues of the day. The extraordinary events of the 2016 electoral season moved the Black Is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations to initiate a process to create a National Black Political Agenda a project that is absolutely crucial to breaking the shackles that have bound Black people to the Democratic Partys corporate agenda. We dont have to settle for an outcome thats determined by these folk who are tied to the ruling establishment, said Black Is Back Coalition chairman Omali Yeshitela. We can speak for ourselves and have an agenda of our own that will influence the political direction of Black people. BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com. Can Russia Survive Washingtons Attack? By Paul Craig Roberts May 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - It is not only American generals who are irresponsible and declare on the basis of no evidence whatsoever that Russia is an existential threat to the United States and also to the Baltic states, Poland, Georgia, Ukraine, and all of Europe. British generals also participate in the warmongering. UK retired general and former NATO commander Sir Richard Shirreff, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe until 2014, has just declared that nuclear war with Russia is entirely possible within the year . My loyal readers know that I, myself, have been warning for some time about the likelihood of nuclear war. However, there is a vast difference between me and the Western generals. I see the war as the consequence of the neoconservative drive for US world hegemony. The neoconservative drive for world hegemony is acknowledged by the neoconservatives themselves in their public position papers, and it has a 15 year record of being implemented in Americas many and ongoing wars in the Middle East and Africa. Although the Presstitute media does its best to keep our focus away from the known facts, the facts remain known. The position of the Western generals is that Russian aggression is driving an innocent America/NATO to nuclear war. Here is General Shirreffs list of Russian aggressions: He [Putin] has invaded Georgia, he has invaded the Crimea, he has invaded Ukraine. He has used force and got away with it. In a period of tension, an attack on the Baltic states is entirely plausible. Shirreff is talking about make-believe happenings that even if real would be taking place inside what were until recently Russias long-standing national boundaries. General Shirreff strikes me as either uninformed or a dissembler. It is the United States and Israel who use force and get away with it. The Russian invasion of the former Russian province, Georgia, was a response to the American puppet governments invasion of South Ossetia in which the American and israeli trained and equipped Georgian troops killed Russian peace-keeping troops and a large number of South Ossetian civilians while the Russian government was at the Beijing olympics. It only took a small fraction of the Russian Army a few hours to roll up the American and Israeli trained Georgian Army. Putin had the former Russian province in his hand. He could have hung the American puppet president and reincorporated Georgia back into Russia, where if probably belongs, having spent all of modern history in that location. But Putin did not see Georgia as a prize, and having made his point, let the Americans have their puppet state back. The president at the time, a scummy scoundrel, was thrown out of the country by Georgians and now serves the American puppet state of Ukraine, like so many others who are not Ukrainian. Apparently, Washington cant find enough Ukrainians who will sell out their country for Washington and has to bring in foreigners to help Washington rule Ukraine. There has been, alas, no Russian invasion of Ukraine. Putin would not even accept the pleas of the Russian majority populations in the breakaway provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk to be reincorporated back into Russia where they belong. If Putin actually wanted Ukraine, he doesnt need to send in an army. He can take back the eastern and southern parts just by accepting the pleas of the people to again be a part of Russia. The only plea that Putin accepted was that of the Crimeans, who with an extremely high turnout never experienced in western democracies voted 97.6 percent to rejoin Russia, where Crimea resided for longer than the US has existed, until Khrushchev, a Ukrainian, transferred Crimea from the Russian Soviet Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic when both were provinces of the Soviet Union. Little doubt that Putin accepted Crimeas plea because Russias only warm water port and entrance into the Mediterranean Sea is Russias naval base in Crimea, and little doubt that Putin refused Donetsk and Luhansk in order to deflect Washingtons propagandistic charges, such as those of former general Shirreff. Putin reasoned, mistakenly in my view, that his refusal to accept Donetsk and Luhansk would reassure Washingtons NATO puppet states and lessen Washingtons influence over Europe. For the corrupt Europeans, facts are of no consequence. Washingtons money prevails. Putin doesnt understand the power of Washingtons money. In the entire West only money counts. There is no such thing as Washingtons word, government integrity, truth, or even empirical facts. There are only well-propagated lies. The entire West is a lie. The West exists for one reason onlycorporate profits. The retired general Shirreff claims, without any evidence, which is typical, that Putin used force and got away with it. What force is the general talking about? Can he identify the force? The independent international observers of the Crimean voting report that it was completely fair, that there was no intimidation, no troops or any Russian intimidation present. The former NATO general Shirreff believes that a Russian attack on the Baltic states is entirely possible. For what reason? The Baltic states, former provinces of the Soviet Union, comprise no threat whatsoever to Russia. The Russians have no reason whatsoever to attack the Baltic states. It was Russia that gave the Baltic states their independence. Just as it was Russia that gave Ukraine and Georgia their independence. Imperial Washington is leveraging the reasonableness of the Russian government to put Russia in a propagandistic light. The Russian government has permitted itself to be put on the defensive and has given the attack to Washington. Russia has not attacked anyone except the terrorist group ISIS. Allegedly, Washington is opposed to terrorism, but Washington has been using ISIS in an effort to overthrow the Syrian government with terrorism. Russia has put a halt to that. The question before us is whether the Russian government so desires to be accepted by the West that Putin sells out Syria to Washington/Israeli dismemberment in order to show that Russia is a good partner for the West. If Russia doesnt get over its affection for the West, Russia will lose its independence. My understanding is that Russia has been resurrected as a Christian, morally principally country, perhaps the only one on earth. The question that the Russian people and their Russian government need, desperately, to ask themselves is: Do we want to be associated with the War Criminal West that disobeys not only its own laws, but also international laws? The vast majority of the evil in the world resides in the West. It is the west with its lies and greed that has devastated millions of people in 7 countries during the new 21st century. This is the most threatening beginning of a new millennium in modern times. Unsatisfied with its looting of the Third World, South America, Greece, Portugal, Latvia, Argentina, and now Brazil and Ukraine, the Western Capitalists have their sights set on Russia, China, India, and South Africa. What a prize it would be to get Russia with all that vast expanse of Siberia that can be environmentally brutalized and destroyed for capitalist profits. The Russian governments offering of free land in Siberia had better be limited to Russian citizens Otherwise, the land is likely to be bought up by the West, which will use its ownership of Russia to destroy the country. The Russians and the Chinese are blinded by the fact that they lived for decades under oppressive and failed regimes. They look to the West as success. Their misreading of the West endangers their independence. Neither Russia nor China seek conflict. It is a gratuitous and reckless act for Washington to send the message to Russia and China that they must choose vassalage or war. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . Along with his self-congratulatory bombast, Donald Trump has offered a rare critique of Official Washingtons group think about foreign policy, including the wisdom of NATO expansion and the value of endless war, notes John V. Walsh. By John V. Walsh May 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Consortium News " - Only Donald Trump (among the Presidential candidates) has said anything meaningful and critical of U.S. foreign policy. No, that is not Reince Priebus, chair of the RNC, speaking up in favor of the presumptive Republican nominee. It is Stephen F. Cohen, Emeritus Professor of Russian History at Princeton and NYU, a contributing editor for The Nation, that most liberal of political journals. Cohen tells us here that: Trumps questions are fundamental and urgent, but instead of engaging them, his opponents (including President Obama) and the media dismiss the issues he raises about foreign policy as ignorant and dangerous. Some even charge that his statements are like Christmas in the Kremlin and that he is the Kremlins Candidate thereby, further shutting off the debate we so urgently need. (Cohens comment about the lack of a meaningful critique of U.S. foreign policy also covers the statements of Sen. Bernie Sanders.) Cohen first enunciated Trumps five questions during one of his weekly discussions on relations between Russia and the West on The John Batchelor Show , on WABC-AM (also on podcasts ). On the April 6 broadcast , Cohen said: Let me just rattle off the five questions he [Trump] has asked. [First] why must the United States lead the world everywhere on the globe and play the role of the worlds policeman, now for example, he says, in Ukraine? Its a question. Its worth a discussion. Secondly, [Trump] said, NATO was founded 67 years ago to deter the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union ended 25 years ago. What is NATOs mission? Is it obsolete? Is it fighting terrorism? No, to the last question, its not. Should we discuss NATOs mission? Thirdly, [Trump] asks, why does the United States always pursue regime changes? Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, and now it wants a regime change in Syria, Damascus. When the result is, to use Donald Trumps favorite word, the result is always disaster. But its a reasonable question. Fourthly, why do we treat Russia and Putin as an enemy when he should be a partner? Fifth, Trump asks, about nuclear weapons and this is interesting. You remember he was asked, would he rule out using nuclear weapons an existential question. He thought for a while and then he said, No, I take nothing off the table. And everybody said he wants to use nuclear weapons! In fact, it is the official American nuclear doctrine policy that we do not take first use off the table. We do not have a no first use of nuclear weapons doctrine. So all Trump did was state in his own way what has been official American nuclear policy for, I guess, 40 or 50 years. It seems to me that these five questions, which are not being discussed by the other presidential candidates, are essential. Batchelor then turned the discussion to the question of NATO. Cohen replied: When we say NATO, what are we talking about? We are not talking only about the weapons and soldiers on land and sea. Were talking about a vast political bureaucracy with hundreds of thousands of employees and appointees, that is located in Brussels. Its a political empire. Its an institution. Its almost on a par with our Department of Defense, though it gets its money from the Department of Defense, mainly, as Trump points out But it has many propaganda organs. If you look at the bylines of people who write op-ed pieces in many American papers, they are listed as working for the public relations department of NATO or they formerly did so. No, I would say along with the Kremlin and Washington, NATO is probably the third largest propagator of information, in this information war, in the world. But look, heres the reality. And Trump came to this late. When they were discussing expanding NATO in the 1990s in the Clinton administration, it was George Kennan, who was then the most venerable American diplomat scholar on relations with Russia, who said: Dont do it; it will be a disaster; it will lead to a new Cold War. Since George spoke his words and I knew him well when I taught at Princeton where he lived we have taken in virtually all of the countries between Berlin and Russia. NATO now has 28 membership states. But if you sit in the Kremlin and you see NATO coming at you over 20 years, country by country like PAC-man, gobbling up countries that used to be your allies, who appears to be the aggressor? So the expansion of NATO has been a catastrophe. And that has been, in some ways, apart from fighting the war in Afghanistan from which I believe it has now withdrawn, it is now solely American (I may be wrong about that) and in addition taking on the American project of missile defense, expanding toward Russia has been NATOs only mission since the end of the Soviet Union. So people can ask themselves, if they ask calmly and apart from the information war, do we have less security risks, less conflict, today after this expansion to Russias borders, bearing in mind that the Ukrainian crisis is a direct result of trying to bring Ukraine into NATO as was the Georgian war, the proxy war with Russia in 2008. Are we, as [President] Reagan would say, are we better off today? We are not! So easily at a minimum, we have to rethink what it is NATO is doing. So get thee to the website for the American Committee on East West Accord and listen to the weekly Batchelor-Cohen podcasts. They are an ideal antidote to the avalanche of Russia-bashing and Putin-demonizing that we must endure. While you are at it, check out the other leading members of ACEWA, a superb and badly needed organization and make a contribution. Disposable Americans: The Numbers are Growing By Paul Buchheit May 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " CD " - As often noted in the passionate writings of Henry Giroux, poor Americans are becoming increasingly 'disposable' in our winner-take-all society. After 35 years of wealth distribution to the super-rich, inequality has forced much of the middle class towards the bottom, to near-poverty levels, and to a state of helplessness in which they find themselves being blamed for their own misfortunes. The evidence keeps accumulating: income and wealth -- and health -- are declining for middle-class America. As wealth at the top grows, the super-rich feel they have little need for the rest of society. Income Plummets for the Middle Class According to Pew Research, in 1970 three of every ten income dollars went to upper-income households. Now five of every ten dollars goes to them. The Social Security Administration reports that over half of Americans make less than $30,000 per year. That's less than an appropriate average living wage of $16.87 per hour, as calculated by Alliance for a Just Society. Wealth Collapses for Half of Us Numerous sources report that half or more of American families have virtually no savings, and would have to borrow money or sell possessions to cover an emergency expense. Between half and two-thirds of Americans have less than $1,000. For every $100 owned by a middle-class household in 2001, that household now has just $72. Not surprisingly, race plays a role in the diminishing of middle America. According to Pew Research, the typical black family has only enough liquid savings to last five days, compared to 12 days for the typical Hispanic household, and 30 days for a white household. Our Deteriorating Health In a disgraceful display of high-level disregard for vital health issues, House Republicans are attempting to cut back on lunches for over 3 million kids. The evidence for the health-related disposability of poor Americans comes from a new study that finds nearly a 15 year difference in life expectancy for 40-year-olds among the richest 1% and poorest 1% (10 years for women). Much of the disparity has arisen in just the past 15 years. It's not hard to understand the dramatic decline in life expectancy, as numerous studies have documented the health problems resulting from the inequality-driven levels of stress and worry and anger that make Americans much less optimistic about the future. The growing disparities mean that our children will likely see less opportunities for their own futures. It May Be Getting Worse The sense derived from all this is that half of America is severely financially burdened, at risk of falling deeper into debt. It may be more than half. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a JP Morgan study's conclusion that "the bottom 80% of households by income lack sufficient savings to cover the type of volatility observed in income and spending." Fewer than one in three 25- to 34-year-olds live in their own homes, a 20 percent drop in just the past 15 years. It may be even worse for renters. The number of families spending more than half their incomes on rent -- the 'severely' cost-burdened renters -- has increased by a stunning 50 percent in just ten years. Billionaire Steve Schwarzman, whose company Blackstone has been buying up tens of thousands of homes at rock-bottom prices and then renting them back while waiting out the housing market, finds the growing anger among voters "astonishing." What's astonishing is the disregard that many of the super-rich have for struggling Americans. New Political Earthquake in Brazil: Is it Now Time for Media Outlets to Call this a Coup? By Glenn Greenwald - Andrew Fishman - David Miranda (Uma versao deste artigo em portugues sera publicada em breve) May 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " The Intercept " - Brazil today awoke to stunning news of secret, genuinely shocking conversations involving a key minister in Brazils newly installed government, which shine a bright light on the actual motives and participants driving the impeachment of the countrys democratically elected president, Dilma Rousseff. The transcripts were published by the countrys largest newspaper, Folha de Sao Paulo, and reveal secret conversations that took place in March, just weeks before the impeachment vote in the lower House took place. They show explicit plotting between the new Planning Minister (then-Senator) Romero Juca and former oil executive Sergio Machado both of whom are formal targets of the Car Wash corruption investigation as they agree that removing Dilma is the only means for ending the corruption investigation. The conversations also include discussions of the important role played in Dilmas removal by the most powerful national institutions, including most importantly Brazils military leaders. The transcripts are filled with profoundly incriminating statements about the real goals of impeachment and who was behind it. The crux of this plot is what Juca calls a national pact involving all of Brazils most powerful institutions to leave Michel Temer in place as President (notwithstanding his multiple corruption scandals) and to kill the corruption investigation once Dilma is removed. In the words of Folha, Juca made clear that impeachment will end the pressure from the media and other sectors to continue the Car Wash investigation. It is unclear who is responsible for recording and leaking the 75-minute conversation, but Folha reports that the files are currently in the hand of the Prosecutor General. The next few hours and days will likely see new revelations that will shed additional light on the implications and meaning of these transcripts. The transcripts contain two extraordinary revelations that should lead all media outlets to seriously consider whether they should call what took place in Brazil a coup: a term Dilma and her supporters have used for months. When discussing the plot to remove Dilma as a means of ending the Car Wash investigation, Juca said the Brazilian military is supporting the plot: I am talking to the generals, the military commanders. They are fine with this, they said they will guarantee it. He also said the military is monitoring the Landless Workers Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST)), the social movement of rural workers who support PTs efforts of land reform and inequality reduction and have led the protests against impeachment. The second blockbuster revelation perhaps even more significant is Jucas statement that he spoke with and secured the involvement of numerous justices on Brazils Supreme Court, the institution that impeachment defenders have repeatedly pointed to as vesting the process with legitimacy and to deny that Dilmas removal is a coup. Juca claimed there are only a small number of Court justices to which he had not obtained access (the only justice he said he ultimately could not get to is Teori Zavascki, who was appointed by Dilma and who notably Juca viewed as uncorruptable in obtaining his help to kill the investigation (a central irony of impeachment is that Dilma has protected the Car War investigation from interference by those who want to impeach her)). The transcripts also show him saying that the press wants to take her [Dilma] out, so this shit will never stop meaning the corruption investigations until shes gone. The transcripts provide proof for virtually every suspicion and accusation impeachment opponents have long expressed about those plotting to remove Dilma from office. For months, supporters of Brazils democracy have made two arguments about the attempt to remove the countrys democratically elected president: (1) the core purpose of Dilmas impeachment is not to stop corruption or punish lawbreaking, but rather the exact opposite: to protect the actual thieves by empowering them with Dilmas exit, thus enabling them to kill the Car Wash investigation; and (2) the impeachment advocates (led by the countrys oligarchical media) have zero interest in clean government, but only in seizing power that they could never obtain democratically, in order to impose a right-wing, oligarch-serving agenda that the Brazilian population would never accept. The first two weeks of Temers newly installed government provided abundant evidence for both of these claims. He appointed multiple ministers directly implicated in corruption scandals. A key ally in the lower House who will lead his governments coalition there Andre Moura is one of the most corrupt politicians in the country, the target of multiple, active criminal probes not only for corruption but also attempted homicide. Temer himself is deeply enmeshed in corruption (he faces an 8-year ban on running for any office), and is rushing to implement a series of radical right-wing changes that Brazilians would never democratically allow, including measures, as the Guardian detailed, to soften the definition of slavery, roll back the demarcation of indigenous land, trim housebuilding programs and sell off state assets in airports, utilities and the post office. But, unlike the events of the last two weeks, these transcripts are not merely clues or signs. They are proof: proof that the prime forces behind the removal of the president understood that taking her out was the only way to save themselves and shield their own extreme corruption from accountability; proof that Brazils military, its dominant media outlets, and its Supreme Court were colluding in secret to ensure the removal of the democratically elected president; proof that the perpetrators of impeachment viewed Dilmas continued presence in Brasilia as the guarantor that the Car Wash investigations would continue; proof that this had nothing to do with preserving Brazilian democracy and everything to do with destroying it. For his part, Juca admits that these transcripts are authentic but insists it was all just a misunderstanding with his comments taken out of context, calling it banal. That conversation is not about a pact for Car Wash. Its about the economy, to extricate Brazil from the crisis, he claimed in an interview this morning UOL political blogger Fernando Rodrigues. That explanation is entirely implausible given what he actually said, as well as the explicitly conspiratorial nature of the conversations, in which Juca insists on a series of one-on-one encounters, rather than meeting in a group, all to avoid provoking suspicions. Political leaders are already calling for his resignation from the government. Ever since Temers installation as president, Brazil has seen intense, and growing, protests against him. Brazilian media outlets which have been desperately trying to glorify him have suspiciously refrained from publishing polling data for many weeks, but the last polls show him with only 2% support and 60% wanting him impeached. The only recent published polling data showed that 66% of Brazilians believe legislators voted for impeachment only out of self-interest a belief these transcripts validate while only 23% believe they did so for the good of the country. Last night in Sao Paulo, police were forced to barricade the street where Temers house is located due to thousands of protesters heading there; they eventually used fire houses and tear gas. An announcement to close the Ministry of Culture led to artists and others occupying offices around the country in protest, which forced Temer to reverse the decision. Until now, The Intercept, like most international media outlets, has refrained from using the word coup even as it (along with most outlets) has been deeply critical of Dilmas removal as anti-democratic. These transcripts compel a re-examination of that editorial decision, particularly if no evidence emerges calling into question either the most reasonable meaning of Jucas statements or his level of knowledge. This newly revealed plotting is exactly what a coup looks, sounds and smells like: securing the cooperation of the military and most powerful institutions to remove a democratically elected leader for self-interested, corrupt and lawless motives, in order to then impose an oligarch-serving agenda that the population despises. If Dilmas impeachment remains inevitable, as many believe, these transcripts will make it much more difficult to leave Temer in place. Recent polling data shows that 62% of Brazilians want new elections to select their president. That option the democratic one is the one Brazils elites fear most, because they are petrified (with good reason) that Lula or another candidate they dislike (Marina Silva) will win. But thats the point: if what is being avoided and smashed in Brazil is democracy, then its time to start using the proper language to describe this. These transcripts make it increasingly difficult for media outlets to avoid doing so. Kerry Threatens War-Without-End on Syria By Finian Cunningham May 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Sputnik " - Alleged peace-maker John Kerry threatened to wage war-without-end on Syria - if the Middle East country does accept the US demand for regime change. That's hardly the language of a supposed bona fide diplomat who presents an image to the world as a politician concerned to bring about an end to the five-year Syrian conflict. The US Secretary of State repeatedly sounds anxious to alleviate the appalling suffering of the Syrian nation, where over the past five years some 400,000 people have been killed and millions displaced as refugees. Anyone who has not been brainwashed by Western media propaganda knows full well that the suffering of Syria has been caused by Washington and its allies sponsoring a covert war for regime change in that country. Kerry was speaking during another round of failed negotiations this time in Vienna along with other leaders from the 17-nation International Syria Support Group that includes Russia, as well as the United Nations. The "support group" is a disgustingly erroneous name, given that certain members of this entity primarily the US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have done everything in their power to sponsor a proxy terrorist war on Syria. If the truth were not so abject, it would be laughable. In a Voice of America report headlined "US still has leverage in Syria," Kerry is quoted thus: "He said the greatest leverage [on Syria] was the fact that [President] Assad and his backers would never be able to end the war in Syria if they declined to negotiate a political settlement." Consider the pernicious import of that for a moment. In other words, America's top "diplomat" is laying down a criminal ultimatum to the sovereign state of Syria and its elected government of President Bashar al-Assad. Kerry is saying in no uncertain terms that unless the Syrian authorities do not accept Washington's demand for regime change, then the country is facing never-ending war. Of course, being a weasel-worded diplomat, Kerry does not use the illegal term "regime change". He instead talks about "political transition". And he has set a date in August for this "transition" to take place. But what Kerry's euphemistic jargon boils down to is this: the Syrian president and his administration must vacate government or else face more violence and destruction. This is the political objective that Washington and its allies in NATO, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have wanted all along. They want what is an independent, anti-imperialist Syrian government to give way to some composite regime that would be a puppet for Washington's geopolitical interests in the oil-rich, strategically vital Middle East region. Any replacement regime would spurn its erstwhile allies of Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement to become an American vassal. In reality, the supposed pro-democracy change that Washington allegedly wants to install in Syria would be dominated by a repressive, fundamentalist regime that would betray the interests of the Syrian people. We can count on this outcome because the proxies who are waging Washington's covert war are dominated by extremists fully aligned with their despotic sponsors in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Kerry's apparent confidence in predicting that Syria faces a war of attrition if it does capitulate is a tacit admission by Washington that it controls the illegally armed factions in Syria. The United States may officially proscribe terror groups like al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al Nusra and the so-called Islamic State (also known as Daesh). The US pays lip service to "defeating terrorism". But anyone with an informed understanding of what is really happening in Syria and other countries subjected to US-led regime change knows that Washington has orchestrated these same terror groups for its criminal political objectives. This is corroborated by the fact that Washington refuses to coordinate its (ineffectual) bombing campaign with Russia to eliminate the terror groups. It is corroborated by the fact that Washington and its allies point-blank refuse Russia's proposals at the UN Security Council to designate other known terror outfits Jaysh al-Islam and Ahrar al-Shams as terrorist. Jaysh al-Islam and Ahrar al-Shams are every bit as vile and barbaric as the other al Qaeda-affiliated franchises. They all espouse the same twisted death-cult ideology; fight alongside each others (when they are not feuding, that is, over war spoils); and ultimately they all share the same sponsors and American-supplied weaponry. It is openly admitted that America's allies Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Qatar, bankroll Jaysh al-Islam and Ahrar al-Shams and that this nexus serves as a conduit for American weapons from the Central Intelligence Agency. Why else would John Kerry begin his week of "diplomacy" in Vienna by first making an urgent visit to Saudi King Salman last weekend. Kerry was reportedly appealing to the 9/11-sponsoring Saudi regime to support his diplomatic push in Vienna. The Western media "reported" Kerry's Saudi visit as if it were a benign mission, as they usually do. Whenever it should be obvious that what he was really doing was trying to get the Saudis to ease off on the terror war in Syria. Washington is currently trying to wrangle regime change in Syria through a political track. That is a world of difference from gullible Western media projections of Kerry's pretensions of "negotiating peace". Yet all the while the US and the Saudis are reserving the right to use "Plan B" if the political track should not materialize in regime change. That is what Kerry really means when he said in Vienna that "Assad and his backers would never be able to end the war in Syria if they declined to negotiate a political settlement." Washington's "leverage" in Syria is due to the simple, diabolical fact that it and its despotic allies ultimately can turn on and off the violence when it is expedient for their interests. And that violence relies on the deployment of known terrorist organizations, including the ones that Washington's double-think refuses to recognize as "terrorist". So let's put this into stark perspective. Despite his Orwellian title of diplomat and peace-maker, US Secretary of State John Kerry is the public face of a terrorist enterprise. What other world power gives itself the right to threaten nations with "regime change or war"? And yet this same nation considers itself a paragon of democracy, human rights and law-abiding probity. The United States of America is a rogue regime on a criminal scale that exceeds the very worst in history. As a parting footnote, John Kerry is a decorated American "war hero". He served four months as a navy officer during the US genocidal war on Vietnam during the late 1960s. Kerry received a bunch of medals for his "actions", which according to reliable accounts from veterans on his river-boat patrols, involved shooting fleeing Vietnamese peasants in the back. This is the same Kerry who is now purporting to bring peace to Syria. Like everything that Washington says, it is full of lies and deception. The abiding lesson: don't turn your back on Washington and its terrorist-sponsoring, war-mongering "diplomats". Americans: A Conquered People: The New Serfs By Paul Craig Roberts May 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - As readers know, I have seen some optimism in voters support for Trump and Sanders as neither are members of the corrupt Republican and Democratic political establishments. Members of both political establishments enrich themselves by betraying the American people and serving only the interest of the One Percent. The American people are being driven into the ground purely for the sake of more mega-billions for a handful of super-rich people. Neither political party is capable of doing anything whatsoever about it, and neither will. The optimism that I see is that the publics support of outsiders is an indication that the insouciant public is waking up. But Americans will have to do more than wake up, as they cannot rescue themselves via the voting booth. In my opinion, the American people will remain serfs until they wake up to Revolution. Today Americans exist as a conquered people. They have lost the Bill of Rights, the amendments to the Constitution that protect their liberty. Anyone, other than the One Percent and their political and legal servants, can be picked up without charges and detained indefinitely as during the Dark Ages, when government was unaccountable and no one had any rights. Only those with power were safe. In America today anyone not politically protected can be declared associated with terrorism and taken out by a Hellfire missile from a drone on the basis of a list of human targets drawn up by the presidents advisers. Due process, guaranteed by the US Constitution, no longer exists in the United States of America. Neither does the constitutional prohibition against the government spying on citizens without just cause and a court warrant. The First Amendment itself, whose importance was emphasized by our Founding Fathers by making it the First Amendment, is no longer protected by the corrupt Supreme Court. The Nine who comprise the Supreme Court, like the rest of the bought-and-paid-for-government, serve only the One Percent. Truth-tellers have become an enemy of the state. Whisteblowers are imprisoned despite their legal protection in US law. The United States government has unaccountable power. Its power is not accountable to US statutory law, to international law, to the Congress, to the judiciary, to the American people, or to moral conscience. In the 21st century the war criminal US government has murdered, maimed, and dislocated millions of people based on lies and propaganda. Washington has destroyed seven countries in whole or part in order to enrich the American elite and comply with the neoconservative drive for US world hegemony. Americans live in a propaganda-fabricated world in which a brutal police state is cloaked in nice words like freedom and democracy. Freedom and democracy is what Washingtons war machine brings with sanctions, bombs, no-fly zones, troops, and drones to countries that dare to cling to their independence from Washingtons hegemony. Only two countries armed with strong military capability and nuclear weaponsRussia and Chinastand between Washington and Washingtons goal of hegemony over the entire world. If Russia or China falter, the evil ensconced in Washington will rule the world. America will be the Anti-Christ. The predictions of the Christian Evangelicals preaching end times will take on new meaning. Russia is vulnerable to becoming a vassal state of Washington. Despite a legion of betrayals by Washington, the Russian government has just proposed a joint US/Russia cooperation against terrorists. One wonders if the Russian government will ever learn from experience. Has Washington cooperated with the agreement concerning Ukraine? Of course not. Has Washington cooperated in the investigation of MH-17? Of course not. Has Washington ceased its propaganda about a Russian invasion of Crimera and Ukraine? Of course not. Has Washington kept any agreement previous US governments made with Russia? Of course not. So why does the Russian government think Washington would keep any agreement about a joint effort against terrorism? The Russian government and the Russian people are so unaware of the danger that they face from Washington that they let foreigners control 20 percent of their media! Is Russia unaware that Washington has Russia slated for vassalage or destruction? China is even more absurd. According to the Chinese government itself, China has 7,000 foreign-financed NGOs operating in China! Foreign financed NGOs are what Washington used to destabilize Ukraine and overthrow the elected government. What does the Chinese government think these NGOs are doing other than destabilizing China? Both Russia and China are infected with Western worship that creates a vulnerability that Washington can exploit. Delusions can result in inadequate response to threat. All of Europe, both western, eastern and southern, the British Pacific such as Australia and New Zealand, Japan and other parts of Asia are vassal states of Washingtons Empire. None of these allegedly sovereign countries have an independent voice or an independent foreign or economic policy. All of Latin America is subject to Washingtons control. No reformist government in Latin America has ever survived Washingtons disapproval of putting the interests of the domestic populations ahead of American corporate and financial profits. Already this year Washington has overthrown the female presidents of Argentina and Brazil. Washington is currently in the process of overthrowing the government in Venezuela, with Ecuador and Bolivia waiting in the wings. In 2009 Killary Clinton and Obama overthrew the government of Honduras, an old Washington habit. As Washington pays the UNs bills, the UN is compliant. No hand is ever raised against Washington. So why does anyone on the face of the earth think that an American election can change anything or mean anything? We know that Killary is a liar, a crook, an agent for the One Percent, and a warmonger. Lets now look at Trump. Are there grounds for optimism about Trump? In the West news reporting is propaganda, so it is difficult to know. Moreover, we do know that, at least initially, the response of the Republican Establishment to Trump is to demonize him, so we do not know the veracity of the news reports about Trump. Without belaboring the issue, two news reports struck me. One is the Washington Post report that the Zionist multi-billionaire US casino owner Sheldon Adelson has endorsed Donald Trump for President. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/sheldon-adelson-i-endorse-donald-trump-for-president/2016/05/12/ea89d7f0-17a0-11e6-aa55-670cabef46e0_story.html Other reports say that Adelson has mentioned as much as $100 million as his political campaign contribution to Trump. Anyone who gives a political campaign $100 million dollars expect something in exchange, and the recipient is obligated to provide whatever is desired. So are we witnessing the purchase of Donald Trump? The initial Republican response to Trump, encouraged by the crazed neoconservatives, was to abandon the Republican candidate and to vote for Killary. Is Adelsons endorsement a signal that Trump can be bought and brought into the establishment? Additional evidence that Trump has sold out his naive supporters is his latest statement that Wall Street should be deregulated: https://ourfuture.org/20160519/populist-trump-wants-to-deregulate-wall-street It is extraordinary that Trumps advisers have not told him that Wall Street was deregulated back in the 20th century during the Clinton regime. The repeal of Glass-Steagall deregulated Wall Street. One source of the 2008 financial crisis is the deregulated derivative maket. When Brooksly Born attempted to fulfill the responsibiity of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and regulate over-the-counter derivatives, she was blocked by the Federal Reserve, the US Treasury, the SEC, and the US Congress. Nothing has been done to correct the massive mistake of financial deregulation. The Dodd-Frank legislation did not correct the massive financial concentration that produced banks too big to fail, and the legislation did not stop Wall Streets reckless casino gambling with the US economy. Yet Trump says he will dismantle even the weak Dodd-Frank restrictions. The American print and TV media are so corrupt that these reports could be false stories, the purpose of which is to demoralize Trumps supporters. On the other hand, should we be surprised if a billionaire aligns with the One Percent? Elections are an unlikely means of restoring government that is accountable to the people rather than to the One Percent. Even if Trump is legitimate, he does not have the experience in foreign and economic affairs to know who to appoint to his government in order to implement change. Moreover, even if he knew, unless Trump candidates also replace the Senate, Trump could not get his choices confirmed by a Senate accountable only to the One Percent. Americans are a conquered people. We see this in the appeal from RootsAction to the rest of the world to come to the aid of the American people. Unable to stop the lawlessness of their own democratic government, Americans plea for help from abroad: http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12247 The plea from RootsAction indicates that committed activists now acknowledge that change in America cannot be produced by elections or be achieved internally through peaceful means. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . Make Serving in War an Option, Not an Order No one should be forced to register to represent our country in combat By Kristin Christman May 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Josef Beno didn't want to go to war. A Czech, he didn't want to kill his fellow Slavs, the Russians. A father, he didn't want to leave his starving family unprotected. But the year was 1915 and Austria-Hungary was rounding up men and boys to serve in the war. Those who resisted were shot. After hiding for a year, Josef was captured for conscription. He escaped, only to be captured by Russians and marched to Siberia. As the story goes, troops received injections by needle to make them aggressive. Perhaps it was merely a tale to explain a father's changed temper, for upon returning home, Josef physically abused his wife and children, including his daughter, my grandmother. So women have gained equal rights to serve in combat. The top officials of the Army and Marine Corps earlier this year told Congress that women should register for the draft, and a bill to that effect is to be debated this month. But equal rights implies rights to greater freedom of will, not less. And while one can apply for conscientious objector status, this leaves one's fate with a judge. It is now men who must gain equal rights with women, be freed from registration, and engage in war only by choice. Military service should not be dressed up as sacred responsibility if irresponsible policy entangles us in war. When conscription was proposed prior to the 1812 U.S. invasion of Canada, an enraged Rep. Daniel Webster argued: "Where is it written in the Constitution ... that you may take children from parents, and parents from their children, and compel them to fight the battles of any war in which the folly or the wickedness of government may engage it?" Do we truly care for our boys? It's hard enough for boys to endure an imbalanced childhood of overdone schooling. School staff can be wonderful and academics can be meaningful, but academic overkill can abort one's desire to ever read or write again as it represses biological and spiritual needs for adventure, movement, play, conversation, free thoughts, sleep, and fresh air. And then, at 18 years, to surrender the ultimate freedom, the right to live and let live, is, as Webster noted, blatant hypocrisy in a nation labeled free. If "no taxation without representation" so stirred American revolutionists, why do Americans accept being taxed and potentially drafted for wars over which we've no vote, no hearings, no congressional dialogue? What was the point of school? To help us participate thoughtfully in democracy? Or to silence our minds and make us submissive? To create a repressed population eager to blame frustrations on foreigners? Military registration threatens freedom far worse than gun registration. So why is military registration silently accepted while gun registration protest makes headlines? Or do folks plan to use their assault weapons against the draft board? If males don't register, they're ineligible for federal college loans, federal jobs, and a New York driver's license. Just as selfish greed for resources can steer our external policies, venal selfishness is shamelessly bred by internal policies that bait males to accept killing in exchange for financial rewards and possible careers. Ironically, draft proponents claim conscription is character-building; they see nothing selfish about killing as a means of building character. They don't see that the rest of us are building character in other ways. President George W. Bush once remarked, "I do believe there is the image of America out there that we are so materialistic, that we're almost hedonistic, that we don't have values, and that when stuck, we wouldn't fight back." But being willing to kill and be killed isn't a healthy, non-hedonist sign of morality, and thirst for shallow pleasure doesn't drive the anti-war movement. President Gerald Ford abolished military registration in 1973, but President Jimmy Carter revived it in 1980 during Afghanistan's civil war in which Soviet-backed Marxists fought U.S.-backed fundamentalist mujahideen. Fear, ignorance, greed, "folly and wickedness" convinced U.S. policymakers to use foreigners' internal conflicts to pursue their own game of superpower rivalry for wealth and power. Even foreign efforts to help workers and the poor were labeled "communist" by the U.S. and sabotaged. Decades of unpublicized controversy existed in government over the Cold War policies that many recognize today as small-minded. But why should U.S. males continue to pay the price and serve as a safety net for U.S. foreign policymakers' failures? Like a hero struggling impressively to escape danger and grasp some hard-to-reach branch that's the strenuous effort government should be exerting to pursue non-violent conflict resolution. Instead, government shirks its responsibilities and dwells upon which military strategy to pursue. U.S. errors unnecessarily precipitating war include refusing to negotiate unless enemies obey U.S. pre-conditions, one-sided authoritarian negotiation, ignoring opponents' perspectives, discounting their fears, snubbing indigenous non-violent movements, opportunistically taking sides in others' conflicts, sending weapons, and covertly instigating conflict. The obvious question: Should U.S. troops be required to fight wars precipitated by U.S. policymakers' failures and aggravated by an unrepresentative breed of Americans in power who obsessively prize wealth and control? Or is this an undemocratic abuse of troops? With the refreshing exception of Green Party candidate Jill Stein, today's presidential candidates uphold the killing approach. But instead of sacrificing lives in some primitive rite upon Earth's altar, can't candidates sacrifice time to read books about foreign perspectives? Couldn't the Democratic and Republican parties follow the Green Party's lead and sacrifice allegiance to war-prone, wealth-oriented donors? While some believe in the power of blood sacrifice to solve problems, it would be more practical for U.S. leaders to sacrifice time and ego to develop cooperative negotiation skills, sacrifice their addiction to sending arms, and sacrifice those murky pecuniary goals lurking behind war's stated goals. Government had no right to force Josef Beno to fight 100 years ago, and it has absolutely no right to demand that our sons register and prepare for blood sacrifice today. No one has the right to such power over another being. So let's move beyond blood sacrifice and make the practical sacrifices that truly resolve conflict. Kristin Christman has degrees in Russian and public administration and is author of Taxonomy of Peace. >https://sites.google.com/site/paradigmforpeace> A mother of three has opened up on how suspected Boko Haram members abducted her in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, while on her way to the hospital. Addressing reporter at the Government House Kano, on Sunday, the woman said she managed to escape after the vehicle in which she was being conveyed developed fault. On our arrival in Kano, the vehicle (in which she was conveyed) developed a problem I gained my consciousness and found that my body was strapped with explosive belt, she said. It is in the course of repairing the car that I learnt the kidnappers have stripped me of my cloth and explosive devices were strapped on me. She said she eventually ran away before security men rescued her around 11pm and was taken to Hotoro police station in Kano. She said the kidnappers told her that she was to go to the famous Kantin Kwari Market in Kano for Gods mission. Abbati Dikko, commissioner of police in Kano, urged the residents to be security conscious and report suspicious movements to the police. Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of the state, also urged the populace to be very vigilant, especially at markets. Source:BreakingTimes The Nigerian Army on Monday said Boko Harams chief bomb maker has been shot dead. The Army said the chief bomb maker, whose name was not given, was shot dead on Monday by one of the body guards to the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, as he was about to run away like several others following the heat brought down on the terrorist sect by Operation CRACKDOWN. The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, said the chief bomb maker was one of the capable hands in the terrorist sect who was involved in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). His death, Mr. Usman, a Colonel, said came on the heels of the death of Boko Harams chief scientist simply called Abu RPG, who was killed a long time ago. In the same vein, the Army spokesman said one Julelebeeb, who was appointed to take over as chief bomb maker, is now completely blind because his two eyes were shattered by shrapnel in the process of preparing an improvised explosive device, IED, to consolidate his appointment. According to the statement, this development has dealt a deadly blow to the terrorists capacity to prepare IEDs, carry out suicide bombings and their ability to sustain their criminal acts. Chief Olisa Metuh on Monday morning appeared in court in continuation of his trial, despite ill-health. The erstwhile national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is standing trial on a seven-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving N400 million from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd). Mr. Metuh threw up at the car park of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja last Thursday, after receiving treatment at the National Hospital the previous night. Counsel to defendant, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), had told the court that he advised Metuh to attend the trial since he had no prior knowledge of the PDP chieftains true state of health. The trial judge, Okon Abang, adjourned the trial to today, Monday, May 23, for continuation of trial. Despite being in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for over a week now, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has hailed the removal of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as a very big relief. The embattled former spokesperson of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization in the last general elections, said Sheriffs removal weekend, was long overdue as the former Borno State Governor had no business being the chairman of the opposition in the first place. Mr. Fani-Kayode was one of several former PDP ministers who strongly opposed Sheriffs emergence as chairman, labeling the latter a known Boko Haram sponsor. In a statement he issued from detention, the ex-minister, who is to remain in EFCC custody for another three weeks after the anti-graft agency secured an order from a Magistrate Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State to hold him for a longer period, recalled that he was maligned by some party members and citizens alike for insisting that Sheriff must go as he was bad news for the PDP, his sack at the Port Harcourt convention has justified our stand. According to Fani-Kayode, the forum of former PDP ministers (1999-2015) was aware that the former Borno governor railroaded himself into the chairmanship of the PDP under false pretences and bogus claims, three months into his ill-fated tenure, it has become clear to everyone that SAS (Sheriffs nickname) was a mistake the party should not have made in the first place. He continued: Now that he is gone, it is expected that the caretaker committee of patriots and dedicated party leaders put in charge to run the affairs of the party for the next 90 days would do well to embark on the urgent reconciliation of members with the purpose of making PDP that usual united and formidable party it has always been. I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the Caretaker Committee as led by its chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State, who has also been my longtime friend and political associate, will create the needed atmosphere of trust and comradeship among party members going into the next convention. Fani-Kayode also appealed to all aggrieved members of the PDP to sheathe their sword at this time and come together as one people under one umbrella, saying now that the sore point a veiled reference to Sheriff has been removed, members must not miss the opportunity to forge a united front for the sake of Nigeria. While calling for a return of power to the people, the detained ex-minister expressed his appreciation to governors elected on the platform of PDP, party leaders and elders for their steadfastness to do the right thing in the face of immense pressure. This action is proof that PDP is ready to correct its mistakes of the past and remain the only alternative to bringing genuine dividends of democracy to our teeming citizens, he asserted. Kunike International School, Osogbo, Osun State, in conjunction with Delta School District, Vancouver, Canada, has awarded scholarship to the two Chibok girls who recently returned from Sambisa Forest in Borno State. In a statement yesterday, the proprietress of the school, Mrs. Olamide Adekunle, said the scholarship would cover tuition and boarding facilities provided by the school. The management of KUNIKE International School, Osogbo in conjunction with the management of Delta Schools District in Vancouver, Canada, is extending a full scholarship award (all tuition and boarding free) to the first two Chibok girls, Amina Ali and Serah Luka that were brought back home, she said. Amina Ali and Serah Luka, last week returned home after being found by the Civilian JTF and the Army in separate operations at the Sambisa Forest. Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly denied going on exile over fears of his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Mr. Jonathan, who handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari last year May following his defeat at the polls, has recently come under scrutiny following allegations that he approved the disbursement of billions of dollars from the treasury without approval, to fund his re-election. Following calls for his arrest to clear himself of these weighty allegations, the ex-president reportedly went on temporary self-exile in Cote dIvoire until the coast is clear for him to return to Nigeria. However, a news flash by controversial online news medium, Sahara Reporters, said Mr. Jonathan, who left Nigeria almost two months ago for the United States from where he traveled to London to be with his children for a few days preparatory to his return to the country, has denied going on exile. The name Olanrewaju Dabiri popularly wouldnt ring a lot of bells but Eldee on the other hand brings back a lot of memories in the Nigerian rap industry. The Nigerian rapper, record producer and architect becomes 39-year-old today. He has taken a hiatus from the music scene for a while and has attempted a comeback in recent times. He was featured in a song by Beazy titled Everythingll be OK, where he lent his voice to major social issues as usual. Eldee studied Architecture at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and is an original member of the band Trybemen, which was started in 1998 with rappers KB and Freestyle. He hails from Lagos Island in Lagos State of Nigeria. He has won several national and international awards for design and new media campaigns. The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) has stopped production renewed attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region. Some of the attacks have been claimed by a group which calls itself the Niger Delta Avengers Reports indicate that the Kaduna refinery stopped production last week Tuesday as a result of lack of crude oil. A Nigerian newspaper quoted an official of the refinery as saying we have shut down production for now. We do not have crude supply, am sure it is due to the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region. We will resume production as soon as we started getting crude supply from the Niger Delta. We are ready and our equipment are functional, the only problem now is the crude, said our source. The Kaduna Refinery only resumed production in the last week in April alongside three other Nigerian refineries. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has described the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), as a tool designed to destabilise the Muhammadu Buhari administration. After a rigorous and robust analysis, debate and review of political events in Nigeria within the past 12 months; particularly as they affect the Niger Delta region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has resolved to continue to respect the unilateral ceasefire of hostilities declared May 30, 2014 against key economic interests of the Nigerian State, a statement circulated by MEND spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo said. The painful but necessary resolution to respect the ceasefire was borne out of MENDs belief that as President Muhammadu Buhari marks his first year in office, he deserves more time to stabilize the country that was ran aground by the ill-fated, corrupt and visionless immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan which pauperized the Nigerian people to the alarming degree we all experience today. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to condemn and dissociate itself from the recent activities carried out by a group known as the Niger Delta Avengers. Their sudden emergence has absolutely nothing to do with the Niger Delta struggle but rather a tool by certain elements to destabilise the current government. Going by their actions and subsequent statements, it has become very apparent on who the sponsors of these group are. The MEND also dissociated the Niger Delta region from the secessionist call by the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), saying it believed in a unified Nigerian state. MEND serves notice to the International Community that the Niger Delta region shall NOT be part of a secessionist Biafran State. Rather, the group believes in one strong united Nigerian federation where the principles and ideals of Resource Control; True Federalism; Rule of Law/Respect for Human Rights; Democracy; Free Enterprise and a Vibrant Civil Society are well entrenched in the grundnorm and put to practice, the statement read. MEND also called for an end to the Amnesty programme. However, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) remains vehemently opposed to the fraudulent and unsustainable Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) headed by Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd) which still runs on the corrupt bureaucratic and operational template of the past administration. We have always made it very clear that unless the root issues which gave birth to the agitations in the Niger Delta region are addressed, in the form of a sincere dialogue, this programme will only continue to remain a mere cesspool of corruption. Governor Ayodele Fayose has warned that he will not tolerate the invasion of communities in Ekiti State by armed herdsmen even as he called on security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. The governor was reacting to last Fridays night attack by suspected herdsmen on Oke Ako in Ikole Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Two persons reportedly died from the attack while three others are currently being treated for injuries sustained during the invasion in separate private hospitals in Ikole Ekiti and Ado Ekiti. Describing the marauders as agents of the devil that must be fished out and punished accordingly, Governor Fayose warned that there could be reprisal attacks on Fulani herdsmen in the state if they did not desist from invading communities and attacking the people. While commiserating with the people, especially the family of the deceased, the governor, who recently advised people of the state to poison waters that the herdsmens cows usually drink from while grazing, vowed to do everything within his power to prevent a repeat of the Oke Ako attacks in any part of the state. Fayose in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, noted that the Fulani herdsmen were becoming a major threat to the unity of Nigeria. I will not fold my hands while armed herdsmen invade communities in Ekiti, killing people and destroying farmlands at will as they have done in other states. I have directed the police and other security agencies in the state to fish out the killer herdsmen. I am in constant touch with the security agencies and I hope that the killer herdsmen will be fished out wherever they are and made to face the full wrath of the law. The people of Oke-Ako should therefore remain calm while the security agents do their job. However, the security agents must be mindful of the fact that the peoples patience has a limit and they must therefore act promptly and decisively. The Senior Pastor of Champions Royal Assembly, Kubwa, Abuja, Joshua Iginla on Sunday, gave out 32 cars out of which were 16 SUVs to celebrate his birthday. Iginla also gave out money running into several millions of naira to the aged, widows, orphanages and scholarships to orphans from nursery school to university. Six Nollywood actors and actresses got Hummer jeep 3 series, Mercedes G-Wagon and Mercedes CLS 550. They include Jide Kosoko, Francis Duru, Alex Usifo, Ngozi Osondu, Thelma Nwosu and Sunday Omobolanle, popularly known as Babaluwe. Artisans got generators and cash gifts while the widows got deep freezers, rice and cash gifts ranging from N150,000 to N1.5 million. Treasure Orphanage Foundation, Nyanya, Divine Wound Orphanage, Kubwa and Christ Home Foundation, Kuje, got N1.5 million each and rice while some orphans in the homes were awarded scholarships from nursery to university. Iginla said he had 782 widows and orphans he caters for. It doesnt matter to me if I trek home as I have given even the car that I personally drive. I can only drive one car and live in one house at a time. This understanding is what has taught me that when I die, others will inherit my assets. The beauty of life is not in its duration but in its donation. I have not seen some of the beneficiaries before in my life or spoken to them. Im seeing many of them for the first time today. I am seeing Jide Kosoko for the first time, he said. Iginla also said he gave cars to the Nollywood actors because many of them were poor but people erroneously think they were rich. According to him, the fruit of the Nollywood artistes were being reaped by pirates and challenged government to do something to arrest it. The Nollywood actors and actresses are our ambassadors; they have projected the image of this country positively, he said. Kosoko, who confirmed he was meeting Iginla for the first time, commending him for his philanthropy. Iginla had, in 2015, given 18 cars and millions of naira as birthday gifts to people to celebrate his birthday. Source:NAN There is no faction in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, only contending interests, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu yesterday asserted. Ekweremadu spoke against the backdrop of parallel conventions held by members of the PDP at the weekend. While the national convention of the party earlier scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State was reportedly cancelled by deposed national chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, another one organized by Concerned Stakeholders led by Prof. Jerry Gana, took place in Abuja. Speaking on arrival from Port Harcourt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday, the deputy Senate president, who attended the national convention in Rivers State, explained that what is currently playing out in the main opposition party was normal in any political family. Flanked by the caretaker national chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Mr. Ekweremadu told reporters that: For the purpose of clarification, there are no factions within the PDP family as I speak. What we have are contending interests. Such is common in any party. Yes, there were some disagreements, but the good thing is that we have not allowed such disagreements to degenerate into a major crisis that would warrant factions. Instead, what happened in Port-Harcourt at the weekend further confirms PDPs capacity to resolve issues in favour of laid down precepts and in the overall interest of our great party and nation. I am sure what happened in Port-Harcourt remains a disappointment for those who were expectant of major crisis and factions in the PDP because we emerged from the convention more determined to change the change, to save our economy, reposition the electoral process, and make life more bearable for the suffering masses of Nigeria again. Rumours of an impending attack on youth corps members serving in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State has been refuted by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. There were unconfirmed reports at the weekend that corps members in the LGA were living in fear over rumours that they would be attacked by suspected political thugs. But the Rivers NYSC spokesperson, Violet Appolo, in a terse message she sent to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday, described the rumours as false. It is not true that corps member are to be attacked. It is just a rumour, Appolo stated. Meanwhile, the caretaker committee chairman of the council area, Pekins Kelo, said the threat to attack corps members posted to the area emanated from the social media. According to Kelo, he alerted the relevant security agencies on the threat to corps members in Tai after it was posted online on Saturday. He attributed the development to a social media problem, adding It was posted that political thugs will attack corps members in Tai. So I reached out to the Department of State Security and Nigeria Police Force, Rivers Command to make security arrangements for all corps members in Tai. Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has justified the dissolution of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying it was done to save the party. Recall that the national convention of the PDP, which held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital at the weekend, sacked Sherriff and other members of his NWC from office while a caretaker committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State, was appointed to oversee the affairs of the opposition party for three months. Justifying the decision of the national convention, Mr. Fayose explained that although he was one of those who supported the emergence of Sheriff as national chairman in February, he had no option that to support his removal so as to forestall what he termed the disintegration of the party. We cannot sacrifice the party for any individual, the governor was quoted as saying in a statement issued Monday in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka. Mr. Fayose, therefore, urged the ousted PDP national chairman to accept his removal in good faith and join other members to rebuild the party ahead of the 2019 polls. He said: I supported Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in good conscience. But when it became obvious that his continuous stay in office as the National Chairman will jeopardise the collective interest of the party, I had no option than to support his removal. To me, the general interest of the party overrides that of any individual and there is no how I can stand in support of any plan to sacrifice the party for any individual. Anyone whose ambition threatens the collective interest of the party should be removed to save the party and thats exactly what we have done. I therefore urge Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to accept the dissolution of the NWC and appointment of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee in good faith and cooperate with other well-meaning members of the party to reposition it so as to achieve the much needed electoral victory in 2019. To Sheriff and other well-meaning members of the party, what should be important is the party and not the individual and no sacrifice should be too much for anyone to make for the party at this time. The police has explained its decision to seal off the national secretariat of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday. According to a statement issued Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, the police received intelligence that some aggrieved factional leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party have perfected plans to engage thugs from across the country to join them in threatening public peace and security in Abuja. Our correspondent reports that the former ruling party is currently divided with three different groups laying claim to the control of the national leadership of the party. They are the deposed Ali Modu Sheriff group, the caretaker committee group led by Ahmed Makarfi and the Concerned PDP Stakeholders led by Prof. Jerry Gana. The existing leadership tussle resulted in the taking over of the Wadata Plaza, headquarters of the PDP in Abuja by armed policemen yesterday. The plan of the brains behind this development is to infiltrate Abuja and attack the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party with intent to forcefully occupy the facility, the police headquarters said in the statement. Ms. Kolawole said credible sources have informed the police that protesters would be mobilised into Abuja from today, May 23, and that they plan to march through major streets in the FCT, before marching on the PDP national headquarters. The Inspector-General of Police has directed the deployment of Police assets to secure the PDP Secretariat and protect the staff until the threat to internal security that is being occasioned by the intra-party crisis within the PDP is stabilized, she said. The police action is a proactive initiative which is being emplaced in furtherance to the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Police to prevent breakdown in law and order and protect lives and property. The Inspector General of Police warns all actors in the crisis as well as their loyalists to refrain from any act that may threaten public order as the Police shall deal promptly, firmly and decisively with such persons or group in line with their legal obligations. What could have been a tragedy was averted when a woman, suspected to have been kidnapped in Maiduguri, Borno State, and strapped with explosives to carry out a suicide mission in Kano State, regained consciousness. The woman, who gave her name as Khadijah Ibrahim, said she was able to escape her kidnappers when the vehicle they were traveling in, developed mechanical fault on arrival in Kano. Mrs. Ibrahim, a mother of three, narrated her ordeal when the Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Abbati Dikko, yesterday presented her to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. According to her, she was kidnapped while going to a hospital in Maiduguri. Narrating her ordeal to Governor Ganduje in Hausa language, she said: I was standing at a bus stop in Maiduguri waiting for a bus to take me to hospital when my abductors arrived in a car and offered me a lift. I met another woman in the car, but shortly after I settled in the car, I lost my consciousness and I did not gain my consciousness until when the car in which we were travelling developed technical problem in Kano. While they were trying to fix the car, I overheard one of my abductors seeking permission from his colleague if he could administer injection on the two of us, but the other guy said he should leave it until we reach Kano city. I woke up to realize that I was stripped of my clothes and strapped with explosive belt. I also noticed that the car was not the first car in which I was taken and the lady sitting by side was not the woman I met in the first car. The woman I met in the other car was older than the lady sitting beside me in the second car. One of my abductors told me that I was going to launch an attack on Kantin Kwari market. He said it was Gods mission and it is better for me to do it. Mrs. Ibrahim added that the guy that was guarding them in the car urged the driver to quickly fix the car so that they could reach their destination on time, but the driver said he could not fix alone and invited the other guy to come and see for himself. She said it was while they were both trying to fix the car that she carefully removed the explosive belt and jumped out of the car and started running for dear life. I was just running. I dont know anywhere in Kano because I have never been to the state before. The two guys threatened to deal with me if I did not stop, but I ignored them and continued running. Finally, they abandoned me and went back to the other girl that I left in the car so that they could stop her from escape. I later met a Good Samaritan after spending some minutes roaming within a cosmopolitan area. The man stopped me and started asking me some questions. Initially, I did not trust him but after sometime, the man convinced me and assured me that I was in a safe hand. She said the man took her to the police station located in the same area after which she was conveyed to the Hotoro police command around 11pm, same day. Speaking on the incident, CP Dikko urged residents of the state to be security conscious and report suspicious movements and objects to the police. Gov. Ganduje also urged the populace to be very vigilant, especially at markets, saying if the woman had not regained her consciousness, the outcome could have been disastrous. Chart of the Day: A10 Networks -- New Highs Barchart - 11 minutes ago The Chart of the Day belongs to the software company A 10 Networks (ATEN). I found the stock by sorting the Russell 3000 Index stocks first by the most frequent number of new highs in the last month and... ATEN : 16.28 (+1.18%) Up Again...and again Market Tea Leaves - 33 minutes ago Yesterday the markets went Higher, what will they do today? Australia to raise spending to boost slowing economy AP - Tue Oct 25, 4:36AM CDT CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias new government released plans Tuesday for more spending on families, the elderly, defense and its Pacific neighbors as the country braces for an economic slowdown... $SPX : 3,797.34 (+1.19%) $DOWI : 31,499.62 (+1.34%) $IUXX : 11,430.26 (+1.06%) EU energy ministers seek way forward for more energy unity AP - Tue Oct 25, 4:34AM CDT BRUSSELS (AP) European Union energy ministers on Tuesday started seeking some common ground to that their leaders could find last week to soften the blow of an energy crisis for their citizens while... $SPX : 3,797.34 (+1.19%) $DOWI : 31,499.62 (+1.34%) $IUXX : 11,430.26 (+1.06%) Marketing a boat/RV-storage facility can often be much more challenging than promoting traditional self-storage because youre trying to reach a smaller niche market. The key is to zero in on your facilitys benefits, and then build the right marketing strategy. There are many marketing tactics you can employ. Following are a few to help you streamline your efforts. Try one or two of these and test what works for your business. First: Know Your Image You dont need to have all the best facility features to market your boat/RV storage, but you do need an accurate understanding of how certain features are perceived by the community. If yours is a budget offering and your prices are only possible because of the simplicity of your operation, theres nothing wrong with that. RV and boat owners who are most concerned with price will be drawn to you. On the other hand, if youve gone through the work of installing amenities such as wash bays, electricity and water, its important to spread the word about those services through your marketing messages. Think about how you stand out from other local boat/RV-storage facilities. If a potential customer called you right now and asked why he should choose you, what would you say? Make that your selling point. When you write your website content, choose verbiage that draws in the type of renter youre trying to attract. Seek Laid-Back Environments One of the best ways to get acquainted with your potential customers is to get on their level. Many boat and RV owners are outdoor enthusiasts, so where do you think youll find them in your community? One owner took his boat out on the lake, handed out water and lemonade, and attached a flier for his facility. Look for opportunities to meet vehicle owners and their families. Youll start to develop long-term relationships with them, which is precisely what theyre looking for. Host Related Events Whether its a community car wash or an RV and boat show, you can satisfy current renters and draw new ones with one sweep. You can hold events on your property or off site, but the key is to bring people together for a fun activity. Frame the event as an opportunity for your tenants to network with other vehicle owners in the area. Chances are theyll do half the work for you when they spread the news to their friends and family. You can get as involved as youd like, hosting games for their kids or simply handing out refreshments. Foster Local Relationships If you dont provide conventional storage units along with your parking spots, have you established a referral system with local storage facilities? Another good strategy is to partner up with nearby dealerships, mechanics and businesses that wash RVs and boats. An often underused tactic, partnerships are a cost-effective way to spread the word about your facility. Youll please your customers by directing them to your needs, but youll also gain business when partners send them to you for services they dont have. Create a Resource Catalogue If your city doesnt already offer these kinds of resources on its website, you can step up to the plate and earn authority in the industry. Gather information about all the local businesses related to RVs and boats, and then compile it in one place. You can post it as an extra page on your website (which Google will love), pass a printed copy along to those businesses, or leave it out in your office. It seems like a small step, but by helping your leads, you establish the trust they need to rent with you. Blend Tried and True With Exciting and New When it comes to marketing your boat/RV-storage facility, whats most important is to test new methods, discover what works for your store and continue tweaking as times changeall while preserving a consistent image of your business. From your website to your marketing materials to the way you meet local owners, you can change your strategies while holding on to your brand. Above all, your goal is to make the community think of you when they think of boats and RVs. Insight From a Boat/RV Storage Owner Acton Indoor RV & Boat Storage is in Los Angeles, a city with a serviceable population of nearly 10 million people, one where boat and RV storage is very competitive. Facility owner Mike Groff must constantly evaluate his strategies and adapt to the changing needs of his market. I spoke with Groff about his challenges and how he surmounts them. How strong is the competition for RV and boat storage in your area? Naturally, with this population, a good amount of healthy competition comes with the territory. Our biggest challenge is the fact that were priced higher than the discount facilities and the big-box companies, so we need to convince our customers how the higher prices make for a better experience. We also know where our advantages lie. Were a family business and have been for more than 50 years. Versus the competition, were positioned as the independent company with well-maintained facilities, top equipment and, above all, solid customer service. Our customers are appreciative of that blend of business. What marketing efforts have you considered for your facility? We have a good mix of marketing. Whether its online strategies, print media or supporting local events, making sure that a good image is projected to the public is so important. In this new age of technology, its equally important to have a solid, user-friendly website that fits your brand. Our site projects a nice image and can also provide intelligent data that we utilize to make decisions in other marketing areas. From our experiences, weve found that its most important to identify whats working for you and what isnt. Its crucial to keep in touch with the results because things change each day and you have to run with the change. Have certain approaches been more successful than others? Which ones? For us it has been best to employ modern-day SEO [search engine optimization] technology and good old-fashioned print-media advertising. Weve found that being diverse with our approach works, so we definitely try not to stick with one tactic. You have to be diverse but also willing to try different avenues. What, do you feel are the added obstacles in marketing RV and boat storage vs. conventional storage? Generally speaking, its a real commitment for the customer. We must do our best to convince the caller of the advantages of storing with us. There is a lot of upselling that needs to be done because of the cost. Its our job to convey the message and help the customers understand how they can actually benefit from the higher price tag. At the end of the day, we have to stay on top of the game and move forward. Amy Daniels is the content writing manager at StorageAhead, which offers personalized marketing website services (WebReady or WebWorks) and management software (StorEdge). She combines self-storage industry research, powerful Web marketing strategies and small-business experience to cultivate the growth of facilities nationwide. For more information, call 913.954.4110; visit www.storageahead.com. Update 2/16/17 Eastpointe Storage Center is expected to begin construction on MySpace Self Storage in the next few weeks, according to Mary Van Haaren, the citys director of community and economic development. The companys engineering review plans were finalized on Feb. 9. Construction is expected to be complete by next spring, Van Haaren told the source. The Colonial Dodge site is a busy one for development. Used-car dealer DriveTime Car Sales will renovate the existing building on the west side of the property. Approved last fall, the DriveTime project is expected to begin within the next two months, Duchane said. 5/23/16 Self-storage developer Eastpointe Storage Center LLC has received approval from the Eastpointe, Mich., City Council to build a MySpace Self Storage facility on the former site of the Colonial Dodge auto dealership on Gratiot Avenue. The council was in favor of the project despite a recommendation to reject it by the planning commission. Construction could begin in 30 to 45 days. The project includes a partial conversion of the existing building along with the addition of four single-story buildings. Their plan is to tear down a portion of the front of the existing building, which will be the centerpiece, and make it into an enclosed, secure storage site, and then build new buildings around it, Steve Duchane, city manager, told the source. Although city planners believed self-storage wasnt an appropriate use for the corner lot and argued a facility could stifle development along Gratiot, the council believes the $4 million project could encourage other businesses to build in the area, the source reported. We think right across the street, at the former [dealership] showroom, this could spur further development, Duchane said. The storage-facility project will be a very attractive building that will look more like office or retail use. And the company is talking about putting additional retail use on the site that may be related to the storage industry. A rendering of the facility shows a UPS Store in addition to self-storage. In a letter to the city, MySpace representative Todd Clark argued the site was challenging for other business types due to the presence of environmental contamination and the outdated structure. The car dealership operated for 43 years and closed in 2009. However, we believe we have the right stuff to properly redevelop the property and create a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled self-storage facility that is a credit to the community, Clark wrote. MySpace operates five self-storage facilities in Michigan, including one in Brighton and two each in Flint and Lansing. @NASCARHomeTrack #NASCAR Pintys Series @CTMPOfficial Bowmanville, ON- (May 22, 2016)- David Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team were excited to embark on a new racing season during the first round of the NASCAR Pintys Series on the famed road course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this past weekend. Sadly for the team their day would be cut short after being struck by another competitor. The #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team hit the track for practice and were anxious to see how the many improvements theyd worked on for better performance would work out. After an initial lap during Saturday practice to feel the car out Thorndyke said he was pleased with how the car felt. But the next time by complained of a problem that was diagnosed as a broken spindle. This presented a problem for the team as they run a unique part that is different from most others. The crew found replacements but it would take the balance of the day to make repairs forcing the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet to miss the qualifying session and they would start from the back for the 51-lap race. It was a tough break, said Car Chief Adam Thorndyke. We were really hoping to see how the changes worked but we just never got the chance. The entire team worked diligently to make repairs and get the car set up as close to they had it before the incident. Crew Chief Katie Smilovsky was a little worried about getting through pre-race technical inspection. Were hoping the car is okay, but weve had to make adjustments for the replacement parts that went in, she said. As the green flag waved on Sunday David Thorndyke set out with his normal race plan to run smooth consistent laps all afternoon. In the early stages Thorndyke had some success moving forward several positions. However as he went through corner five alongside another competitor the two spun. Thorndyke straightened out the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet and hustled to get going when the other driver impacted him on the driver side. It was big hit, I was up in the air and went for a ride said the driver. Thorndyke got the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet back to pit lane and crew discovered a mount underneath the car was broken and determined it was best to end the day early. Though disappointed they only completed a handful of laps driver David Thorndyke and the team remained positive. Well be able to make the repairs and have the car race ready again quickly. In the few laps we ran I think that the off season changes we made were good and that should help us at the next event. David Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team will be in action next at the Pintys Grand Prix on July 16th during the Toronto Indy weekend. Ambitious, young entrepreneurs like Leigh Drogen and Daniel Nadler are looking to revolutionize the way financial research is done. In his 2001 book, Bloomberg by Bloomberg, Michael Bloomberg set out the greatest challenge facing the company he famously founded in 1982 with a $10 million severance check from Salomon Brothers: fighting the stultifying effects of success, the paralyzing result of growth, the debilitating cancer of entrenchment. Today as Bloomberg LP sits atop the $26 billion financial data industry with annual revenue in excess of $8.3 billion, heading off a growing army of aggressive, nimble start-ups may be equally important. Daniel Nadler, 30, started Kensho Technologies in early 2013 as he was completing his Ph.D. in economics at Harvard University. Nadlers co-founder, Peter Kruskall, 27, worked as a programmer at Google before the launch. Together they have developed a suite of browser-based tools that use Google-grade technology to allow financial professionals to perform the type of complex, multicondition analysis of large-scale data sets that until now has been the province of an elite band of hedge fund firms. Say you want to investigate the effect of political unrest in the Middle East on global defense stocks when oil is above $100 a barrel. Kensho promises a world where you can feed this question into a Google-like natural-language search field and an answer will return, fully charted, within seconds (see also Website Seasonal Odds Is Betting Big on Market Data). Nadler, who writes a column for Institutional Investor,puts his firms technology spend at $300,000. If you leverage consumer IT, the cost of doing things becomes very low, he notes. Kensho has already attracted $9 million in seed funding, with notable venture capital firms Accel Partners, Google Ventures and New Enterprise Associates among the earliest investors. The Johnson family, which founded Fidelity Investments and continues to run the company with a 49 percent shareholding today, also has invested in Kensho. Former Bloomberg enterprise business head Stanley Young joined the advisory board in November; Adam Broun, former chief information officer at Credit Suisse, became the firms head of business development at about the same time. This type of innovation has the potential to transform the way financial research is conducted, Broun says. Another firm generating interest is Estimize, which 27-year-old Leigh Drogen started in 2011 after serving an apprenticeship as a quant at Geller Capital Management, a White Plains, New Yorkbased hedge fund firm. Operating out of a five-man corner room in WeWork, a shared work space for start-ups in Lower Manhattan, Estimize has used cheap, widely available software to build a tool that aggregates and publishes estimates of standard U.S. company performance metrics crowdsourced from an open community of equity analysts. The big market data companies already have data sets that serve that need, but Estimize has a much bigger contributor pool. Drogen says more than 6,000 portfolio managers and researchers look at Estimize data today. With $1.4 million in venture capital to date, the firm has inked deals with four large quantitative hedge fund firms. I/B/E/S, the most widely quoted company estimate database, is owned by Thomson Reuters, but Drogen has Bloomberg, which leads the market in macroeconomic estimates, well within his sights. Itll take us four to five years to disrupt I/B/E/S, but well knock this thing out of the park in six months, Drogen predicts. Restless, ambitious and possessed of seemingly inexhaustible reserves of verbal energy, Drogen and Nadler are exactly the type of fast-thinking young men that Mike Bloomberg himself might have befriended and started a company with in 1982. Instead, they are now taking on the incumbent, and, according to Nadler, the innovations seen in the consumer world mean that technology is firmly on their side. See also The Race to Topple Bloomberg. Follow Aaron Timms on Twitter at @aarontimms. Hedge fund manager Ray Dalio has long attributed his success to the power of mindfulness. The founder of $150 billion Bridgewater Associates, who started practicing transcendental meditation in 1969, credits the experience with changing his life. I was a very ordinary or subordinary student, Dalio, who launched Westport, Connecticutbased Bridgewater in 1975, recalled last year. It brought me a clarity . . . it made me free-flowing. It just gave me lots of gifts. Dalio made those remarks at a New York fundraising event for the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace (DLF), where his fellow speaker and TM devotee was filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Recently, Dalio has been upping his game when it comes to backing the New Yorkbased foundation, launched and supported by eccentric auteur Lynch, who helmed the movies Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive and the 1980s cult television classic Twin Peaks, which is now being remade. In April the DLF auctioned off a lunch with the hedge fund titan; Dalio got to pick the restaurant. Bidding has closed, but neither the foundation nor Bridgewater would say how much the item raised. This month Dalio, along with former U.S. Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker and exTreasury secretary Lawrence Summers, spoke at a fundraising dinner for the DLF. Tables for the sold-out event were priced at $50,000 for a gold sponsor and $25,000 for a silver sponsor, or donors could buy a package of two tickets for $5,000. The cash raised will go toward Operation Warrior Wellness, a DLF division that uses meditation to help combat veterans. Dalio, 66, has also given money to the DLF. The latest 990 filing for his family foundation, the $800 million Dalio Foundation, shows that it donated more than $4 million to Lynchs organization in 2014, roughly the same amount it bestowed in 2013 and up from about $3 million in 2012. In fact, Dalio has consistently given $1 million or more (typically closer to $3 million or $4 million) every year over the past decade. For the 2014 fiscal year, the David Lynch Foundation received a little more than $8 million in grants and donations, making Dalios contribution close to half of the total. For Dalio, who made $1.4 billion in 2015 alone, according to Institutional Investor Alphas ranking of the top-earning hedge fund managers, such largesse may look like nothing, especially compared with the peace of mind that meditation offers him. This content is from: Research In a tumultuous year, new analysts rise to the top as their firms compete for leading spots in the 51st annual ranking. The insurer and broker that placed cover for the EgyptAir Airbus A320 that crashed en route to Cairo from Paris last week have been revealed.According to Reuters, XL Catlin was the lead underwriter and Marsh the broker for the plane which vanished from radar over the Mediterranean on Thursday..66 passengers and crew were on board the A320 when it vanished as Greek radar showed that the plane made two sharp turns and dropped more than 25, 000ft before it plunged into the sea, the BBC reported.Confirming the loss of the plane, EgyptAir tweeted the information on Thursday and noted that they had contacted rescue teams.An informed source at EGYPTAIR reported that EGYPTAIR Flight No MS 804 has lost communication with radar tracking system at 02:45 (CLT), the tweet read.EGYPTAIR A320 was at a height of 37.000ft, and disappeared after entering the Egyptian airspace with 10 milesEGYPTAIR has contacted the concerned authorities and bodies and inspection is underway through the rescue teams.The BBC reported that fire alarms in the bathroom of the plane and in the avionics underneath the cockpit were triggered three minutes before the plane crashed which could present "the biggest clue yet," to understanding what brought the plane down.According to CNN, the Egyptian military displayed wreckage and personal belongings recovered from the Mediterranean over the weekend including an uninflated life vest, a seat, a purse, shoes, carpet, a scarf and parts of chairs and cushions."The search is ongoing. It has uncovered initial pieces of the aircraft, body parts, belongings of the deceased, and it will continue hopefully until we can ascertain exactly where the plane has gone down," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told CNN's Becky Anderson. As the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma exploded into the hundreds in the last few years, nearly a dozen insurance companies moved to limit their exposure, often at the expense of homeowners, a Reuters examination has found. Nearly 3,000 pages of documents from the Oklahoma Insurance Department reviewed by Reuters show that insurers and the reinsurers who cover them have grown increasingly concerned about exposure to earthquake risks because of heightened frequency of seismic activity, which scientists link to disposal of saltwater that is a byproduct of oil and gas production. Even as they insured more and more properties against earthquakes in the past two years, six insurers hiked premiums by as much as 260 percent and three increased deductibles. Three companies stopped writing new earthquake insurance altogether, state regulatory filings obtained by Reuters show. Several insurers took more than one of those steps. In addition, the insurers would consider suing oil and gas companies for reimbursement in instances where they would have to pay damages to homeowners, according to several sources, including two insurance company officials. So far Oklahomas biggest earthquake was a 5.6 magnitude temblor in Prague in 2011 that buckled road pavement and damaged dozens of homes. However, the push to limit earthquake exposure reflects insurers fear that the surge in small quakes is a portent of a big one in coming years, given the relationship between the magnitude and a total number of earthquakes in a certain area. The filings show many insurers explicitly stated they were concerned about exposure to earthquake risk. In late March, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) warned that 7 million Americans were at risk of so-called induced seismicity. The warning further heightened insurers and reinsurers concerns, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak said. Because earthquakes were rare in Oklahoma before shale oil and gas production soared in the past decade, very few residents carried earthquake insurance back then. Oil, Water, Quakes That has changed as the number of quakes of magnitude 3.0 and higher recorded in the state rose from a handful in 2008 to 103 in 2013 and 890 last year, according to USGS. The value of coverage, usually offered as an add-on to standard homeowners policy, also spiked to $19 million in 2015 from less than $5 million in 2009, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. Scientists link the quakes to the injection of wastewater generated from the oil and gas production process deep underground. Volumes of so-called produced water have ballooned as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, boosted output in Oklahoma. Monthly injection volumes in Oklahoma doubled between 1997 and 2013, according to a 2015 Stanford University study. The Oklahoma Oil & Gas Association has said state regulators efforts to work with producers to limit the amount of wastewater injected would reduce seismicity. So far, relatively few homeowners have filed claims, in part because the damages were not big enough to exceed the deductibles. Some who did say they had trouble getting compensation. Julie Allison said the cumulative effects of the 39 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 and above that had struck within two miles of her home in Edmond, Okla., had caused $70,000-80,000 in damages, but Farmers Insurance denied her claim in April. They did not deny that we had damage, Allison said. The insurance company, however, blamed it on ground erosion and settlement, she said. Farmers said it relied on outside engineering experts for the assessment and that the Allisons have accepted the companys offer to pay for a second opinion by an expert of their choice. Higher Exposure For some insurers and reinsurers the risks have proven too big. Responding to the pull-back and premium hikes, the Oklahoma Insurance Department has scheduled a fact-finding hearing in late May. Travelers Insurance Co., the sixth-largest provider of earthquake insurance in the state, stopped allowing existing policyholders to add earthquake coverage in November 2014. In a filing, it said it was making the change to manage our exposure to earthquake in the state. The Hartford stopped writing earthquake insurance in Oklahoma in late 2014. Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. removed earthquake coverage from its existing homeowner policies in February 2011, filings show. The Oklahoma Farm Bureau said it made a business decision to remove coverage in 2010. Travelers declined to comment beyond its filing. Hartford declined to comment. Other companies raised deductibles or premiums. Andrew Walter, manager of underwriting research and development at Country Mutual Insurance Co., which raised its deductible last year, said the step aimed to protect our financial strength in case of a large scale earthquake in the state. Others that hiked premiums include Chubb Ltd., which said it kept providing coverage to existing and new customers, but would not discuss premium rates, and EMCASCO Insurance Company, which did not respond to requests for comment. Risk modelers fear that insurers are too exposed in the event of a big one, even though claims have been few thus far. If they do end up with substantial claims for a large quake, insurers could sue the oil companies for reimbursement. At Doaks request, several insurance companies clarified last fall that they did cover man-made quakes, which provided an incentive to try to recoup payouts from oil and gas companies. Two insurers the United Servicemembers Automobile Association and Palomar Specialty said they could consider such action. (Additional reporting by Liz Hampton and Terry Wade in Houston; Editing by David Gaffen and Tomasz Janowski) Topics Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Energy Oil Gas Homeowners Oklahoma Earthquake It turns out characters like Conan the Barbarian, the cyborg from Terminator and Dutch the protagonist in the original Predator movie, know a thing or two about risk. Definitely the actor who portrayed them does. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in early May revisited a few of his more prolific characters and what it took the portray them for a group of insurance students and industry professionals as a Southern California university. The former California governor also talked about the risks he took leaving his home country of Austria after a career as the worlds greatest body builder to try and make it big in Hollywood, and then his foray into politics. His talk centered on risk was tailor-made for a conference titled Insurance Industry Trends 2020 and Beyond at Cal State University Fullerton. The event was staged by the administration and professors of the Center for Insurance Studies, which is part of the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at Cal State University Fullerton. Schwarzenegger was joined by Robert Hartwig, an economist and president of the Insurance Information Institute, who made what was likely his final stop in the region as the face of the property/casualty insurance industry. Schwarzenegger focused much of his talk on delivering a message to students in the audience: they should pursue their dreams instead of settling for a career they may not really want. When he was first trying to break into acting in the 1970s, Schwarzeneggers brawny frame did not fit the star prototype in an era of rangier men like Al Pachino, and Woody Allen, who at the time was considered a sex symbol. My agent said Dustin Hoffman is hot and he only weighs 150 pounds, Schwarzenegger said. Driven by dreams first formed through viewing 8 mm films as a boy in his homeland, he ignored the advice of his agent and pursued numerous roles in films. You cant be concerned about failure, he said. Not of all of Schwarzeneggers films turned out to be blockbusters, such as the embarrassing 1970 dud Hercules in New York, which the former muscle-man didnt mind poking fun of. It was a disaster, he said. It went into the toilet. Following that failure he landed the role of Conan the Barbarian. The film of the same name was a resounding success in fact Schwarzenegger is set to appear in the yet-to-be-released Legend of Conan. A lions share of his speech took on a get up, dont stay down theme, a mindset he said carried him from body building, to acting, to his time as the Governator. As California governor from 2003 to 2011, the Republican was noted for his crusade against partisanship, particularly in a state dominated by Democrats. Let me tell you, it is quite a surprise when you get in there and you see that everything is political, he said. Schwarzenegger described fighting with both parties on topics like schools, infrastructure and the environment. And those battles often made little sense to him. There is no Democrat air or Republican air. The air is polluted, he said, backing up his anti-pollution stance with the World Health Organization statistic that 7 million people per year in the U.S. die as a result of air pollution exposure. His topics, largely retrospective on the success he had during his years as governor, included political reform, such as fighting against gerrymandering as well as supporting open primaries, workers compensation reform, afterschool programs, equal education and climate change. Despite his pro-business, conservative bent, Schwarzenegger has embraced a number of pro-environment movements, particularly climate change. He was decidedly approving when asked about the Paris agreement hammered out by world leaders last year to battle climate change, called the COP21. I think its good to have a goal, he said. Its a good agreement. Its not perfect by any means. He again pointed to his time as California governor and noted that the state had early in the Millennium started being proactive on reducing greenhouse gases with an initiative that became law in 2006 after opponents battled it all the way up to the high court. They told us they could not regulate our own air, Schwarzenegger said. He scoffed at the oppositions argument at the time that greenhouse gas is not a pollutant. Echoing an earlier comment, he put in: Seven million people die every year because of pollution. He took time to answer a few questions from students and other members of the audience. One student asked him about his new role on NBCs Celebrity Apprentice, and if he would come up with a catch phrase like presidential hopeful and show predecessor Donald Trumps, Youre fired. Youre terminated was one suggested move tie-in he may consider working into the show, the student said, to which Schwarzenegger offered another: Get to the chopper. The famous line from Predator drew roaring laughter from an audience that had largely been quiet until that point. Of Schwarzeneggers few regrets, one is that he is a foreign-born citizen and therefore constitutionally prohibited for attaining the nations highest office. I do regret that I wasnt born in America, he said. Hartwig Slides The event was possibly the final chance for people in Southern California to hear from the man who has been the face of insurance industry since 2007. Hartwig in February announced he is leaving the helm of I.I.I. this summer to join the faculty of the University of South Carolinas Darla Moore School of Business. Hartwig travels throughout the U.S. sharing facts and figures on the insurance industry at a rapid pace as he points audience members to a blur of overhead slides to back up his assertions. Within an hour he covered a large array of topics: changing market dynamics; net premiums written across the U.S.; cyber insurance; the gig economy; workerscompensation; disruptors; auto insurance; autonomous vehicles; and technology. This is an industry going through a tremendous period of technological change, Hartwig said. And with each of those changes, theres no shortage of people trying to write off the insurance industry, such as the lingering prediction from myriad worrywarts that autonomous vehicles will kill off auto insurance, he added. Among his legion of slides was one showing that by 2035 its estimated that 25 percent of new vehicles coming off production lines will be fully autonomous. He also noted that while Googles driverless car is making headlines, it couldnt make the short trip today from the train station to his home without ending up in a ditch. We are a long way off on this stuff, he said. Instead of succumbing to technology, the insurance industry has adapted by providing new products for ridesharing, property sharing and cyber-attacks, he added. Hartwig also dismissed the notion that technology companies will supplant insurers and insurance agents with disruptive innovations like online insurance shopping portals and software-enhanced aggregators. Theres a lot of Silicon Valley hype nowadays, Hartwig said. The event also included a panel discussion with Chris Baggaley, senior vice president at the Automobile Club of Southern California, Ron Guerrier, chief information officer of Farmers Insurance Group, Mark Costa, senior vice president at Kaiser Permanente, and Joe Celentano, senior vice president at Pacific Life Insurance Co. Proceeds went to benefit the centers insurance marketing entrepreneurship program endowment, which provides funding for students interested in careers on the sales side of risk management and insurance. Topics California Pollution Market AXA SA, Frances largest insurer, said it will stop investing in tobacco and divest all of its 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) of assets in the industry. AXA will sell about 200 million euros of stock in tobacco companies and run off its bond holdings in the industry, valued at 1.6 billion euros, the Paris-based company said in a statement on its website Monday. AXA didnt disclose its tobacco investments. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, its holdings include stakes in Philip Morris International Inc., British American Tobacco Plc and Altria Group Inc. This decision has a cost for us, but the case for divestment is clear: the human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Thomas Buberl, who will become CEO in September, said in the statement. It makes no sense for us to continue our investments within the tobacco industry. Organizations such as the Tobacco Free Portfolios Initiative are pushing for corporate divestment in the industry. The board of the $293 billion California Public Employees Retirement System has asked its staff to review the pros and cons of its decision to abstain from tobacco investment. In 2010, Norways sovereign wealth fund, the worlds largest, excluded 17 tobacco companies, including British American Tobacco and Philip Morris, from its portfolio based on ethical guidelines. Surging Shares AXA owns about 0.2 percent of Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Altria, the largest seller of tobacco in the U.S., Bloomberg data shows. An Axa spokesman declined to provide details on the shareholdings. Shares of the worlds top tobacco companies reached record highs in recent weeks as lower gasoline prices encourage some people to spend more on cigarettes. As an important player in health insurance and protection of people, they want to cut the link with the tobacco industry and thats coherent, says Benoit Valleaux, a Paris-based analyst at Natixis SA with a buy rating on AXA shares. Investments in the tobacco industry represent just 0.3 percent of AXAs total, and this shouldnt create difficulties for returns, Valleaux said. The move is a milestone step in the right direction by AXA, Cary Adams, CEO of the Union for International Cancer Control, said in the statement. AXA fell as much as 1.3 percent in Paris trading. The shares were little changed at 21.23 euros at 11:28 a.m. Theyre down 16 percent this year, compared with the 14 percent decline of the 32-member Bloomberg Europe 500 Insurance index. AXAs asset-management operations had net inflows of about 10 billion euros in the first quarter, down from 19 billion euros a year earlier, the company said this month. The insurer sold its Elevate business in the U.K. to Standard Life Plc and is in talks to sell its SunLife unit and its traditional investment and pension business there. Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics AXA XL Cancer patients and survivors are lobbying lawmakers to make Michigan the latest in a long line of states to require equal insurance coverage of chemotherapy regardless of whether the drugs are given by needle or taken orally. The push addresses the tendency for chemo pills to cost patients much more out of pocket, both because they are more expensive and because health insurers cover them differently than IV chemo. Amy Harvey, a 43-year-old mother from West Bloomfield who has had ovarian cancer for nearly seven years, said it cost her $3,100 for a two-week supply of a pill, Lynparza, because she had not met her deductible. While her doctor ultimately decided the drug was not a good match, she said it has been a miracle for other women who should not face financial constraints. As a cancer patient, you have plenty of things to worry about and stress over life-altering decisions. Being able to afford your medication should not be one of them, Harvey said. The state Senate this month voted 36-1 for a bill to ensure that insurance coverage of oral anti-cancer medicines is not more financially restrictive than intravenously or injected medications. It would apply to deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, other out-pocket expenses, annual limits and aggregate lifetime caps. Senate Bill 625 is aimed at combating how IV chemo treatments are covered like office visits under a policys medical benefit which can mean flat, lower co-pays while oral chemo covered under a pharmacy benefit can bring much higher cost sharing, especially for new drugs whose annual price can exceed $100,000. Supporters say Michigan must adapt not only because the pills are becoming more prevalent but because they are more convenient, saving long trips to health care facilities for IV drips and affording patients more time at work and with family. A lot of times the oral is the only or is the best possible medication to use for a certain type of cancer. I want to make sure everybody can afford and have the ability to use the best possible cancer drug that they can, said Republican Sen. Goeff Hansen of Hart, the bill sponsor who lost a son to cancer four years ago. The legislation will next be considered in the House, where Insurance Committee Chairman Tom Leonard does not expect his committee to take up the bill before legislators break for the summer in mid-June. He said he has begun speaking with interest groups that back and oppose the measure, and he plans to meet with a cancer survivor this coming week. He called it a very complicated and complex issue that requires additional study in the GOP-led chamber. I want to dive into this and make certain that were actually solving a problem, if you will, and also Ive got serious concerns about the way that this could drive up health care costs, said the DeWitt Township Republican. A national coalition of cancer organizations says 40 states have enacted chemo parity laws, all in the last seven years. Alaska is expected to soon become the 41st. Michigans legislation cleared the Republican-controlled Senate despite opposition from the insurance industry, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, and business groups such as the state Chamber of Commerce. The Michigan Association of Health Plans says 3.4 million state residents, or roughly a third, could potentially face higher premiums as a result of the bill. (The state cannot regulate Medicare or self-funded employer plans that cover millions of other people in Michigan.) Opponents say the parity bill is a Band-Aid that would not address the underlying issue: skyrocketing specialty drug costs that are forcing employers to boost premiums, co-pays and deductibles. They warn against interfering in private contracts and setting a precedent that could extend to treating diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The costs dont go away. They just get shared differently, Scott Lyon, senior vice president for the Small Business Association of Michigan, told senators at a January committee hearing. He said oral and IV chemo drugs arent the same. What were really getting at here is a matter of convenience, and that convenience comes with a pretty high cost, said Lyon, who noted that the federal health care law sets yearly out-of-pocket maximum costs. Reducing co-pays and other costs for cancer patients on oral medications would lead to a small increase in overall insurance costs, according to the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency. Given the limited range of medications affected by this legislation relative to the overall cost of pharmaceuticals and health care in general, the cost increase would be nominal, the agency said in April. As the debate moves across the Capitol, backers of the legislation hope to avoid what happened in the 2011-12 session, when the Senate unanimously passed a similar bill only to see it die in the House. Harvey, who was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer in 2009, recently spent a day in her wheelchair in Lansing meeting with lawmakers with dozens of other advocates. One was 54-year-old ovarian cancer survivor Michelle Shepherd of Rochester. Ovarian cancer recurs in 80 percent of cases, she said, and doctors must be able to try new drugs. If you have to eliminate things because of cost, youre eliminating options to save your life, Shepherd said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Michigan Drugs The former lawyer for a car crash victim accused an auto insurance company of hiding a $1 million policy that could have paid for his clients medical bills during testimony in court. Attorney Jeff Cole testified in federal court in Sioux Falls in the case against Charter Oak Fire Insurance, the Argus Leader reported. But during his testimony, the defense team for the insurer accused Cole of waiting more than two years to ask whether his client qualified for coverage under the policy. You just chose not to do it isnt that right? asked Mike Cashman, the attorney for Travelers Insurance Co., which owns Charter Oak. Thats not how I would put it, Cole responded. He represented the victim, Laura Dziadek, after she suffered serious injuries when she was a passenger in the car involved in the September 2008 crash. He represented Dziadek until Travelers Insurance subpoenaed him. He was a witness on May 19. The car involved in the crash had been loaned to a friend of Dziadek, and its insurance policy covered uninsured and under-insured motorists. But Dziadek is arguing that Travelers Insurance intentionally tried to hide the policy and is offering a letter that an insurance adjuster sent to Cole as proof. A resolution in favor of Dziadek could have consequences beyond her case. If her attorneys prove that one of the largest insurance companies in the nation intentionally hid benefits, lawsuits from others could follow. In February 2009, Cole received the letter indicating that the policy would not cover Dziadek. The insurance company, however, maintains the letter only referred to liability insurance and not the underinsured policy. The newspaper reported Cole spent two years looking for other legal options for Dziadek, and as the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit neared, he decided to take another look at the policy. An attorney asked for the complete policy from the insurer, which then ended up paying the victim more than $900,000. The attorneys for Travelers Insurance on Thursday also raised the possibility that the adjuster who sent the letter made a mistake. But Cole didnt buy that argument. I think it was a zero percent chance that it was a mistake, Cole said. Secrecy has surrounded parts of the case after U.S. District Judge Roberto Lange agreed to some of the insurers requests. In 2012, Lange allowed Travelers Insurance to file documents under seal, and when some of the information thats off-limits to the public has been disclosed during the proceedings, Lange has closed his courtroom to anyone not affiliated with the case. At the request of Travelers Insurance, Lange closed his Sioux Falls courtroom just as Dziadeks lawyers were readying to show video of depositions on how the insurer evaluates and compensates employees. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Carriers Auto Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart says federal health officials are unlawfully withholding millions of dollars owed to a failed health insurance co-op in his state. Gerhart, who is Liquidator for CoOportunity Health, filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in United States District Court in Iowa. West Des Moines-based CoOportunity was a federally funded nonprofit established to provide health care in Iowa and Nebraska. Gerhart took the cooperative over after he determined the nonprofits claims would exceed its available cash. CoOportunity hit a cash flow crunch after a provision adopted by Congress reduced its assets. It insured about 120,000 people in Iowa and Nebraska, according to Associated Press reports. In a statement released by his office, Gerhart said: The federal government has tried to jump to the head of the creditor line, but is not following Iowa or federal law in withholding over $20 million due to CoOportunity. We are hopeful for a quick resolution in this matter and look forward to continued collaboration with the federal government in other matters during the continued wind down of CoOportunity. The disagreement centers on the federal governments position that they have super-priority ahead of all others creditors, including those with policyholder level claims, in CoOportunitys receivership. The federal government loaned $147 million to CoOportunity to capitalize the new entry (2014) in the healthcare market in Iowa and Nebraska. The lawsuit claims HHS/CMS contractually agreed to make those loans subordinate to policyholder level claims in the case of the $14.7 million start-up loan and to all other creditors under the $132 million insolvency loans. Separate from those loans, the federal government owes CoOportunity another $130 million in Risk Corridor funds under the Affordable Care Act, a program designed to mitigate risks for insurers in the new ACA insurance market, the suit alleges. Gerhart notes, The federal government is unilaterally reducing or holding payments owed to CoOportunity, ignoring the fact thatCoOportunity is owed $130 million in Risk Corridor funds alone. Although HHS/CMS recently filed a proof of claim in the Iowa state court liquidation proceeding, the federal government also claims it is not subject to the authority of the Iowa court, forcing the Liquidator to seek resolution of the issues in federal court in Iowa. A status report has been filed with the Polk County District Court overseeing CoOportunitys liquidation by the Liquidators Special Deputy. The report notified the Court: 1) that the Liquidator has denied HHS/CMS Proof of Claim due to its self-help actions prejudicing policyholder and other creditors and 2) the Liquidator had filed the declaratory judgment action seeking relief in Iowa federal court. The suit seeks the application of Iowa law to control the priority of creditor claims in the CoOportunity estate. In the event the court concludes that HHS/CMS are authorized to reduce certain payments under federal law, Gerhart asks that the government follow its netting regulation, which does not include the start-up and solvency loans as debts which can be netted, and to recognize the fact that loans are contractually subordinated to policyholder and other claims. Because the issues involved are ones of first impression under the Affordable Care Act which also created the CO-OPs, and there is a lot of money involved, theres political pressure on the government to recover loan funds. So they are forcing the issue by holding onto money rightfully due CoOportunity, Gerhart said. The fact is, if the government paid CoOportunity what it is owed, the government would get paid back nearly $100 million on the loans. Source: Iowa Department of Insurance Related: Topics Lawsuits Claims Iowa Nebraska Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies is now offering a lawyers professional liability policy in California, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and the District of Columbia with ten more states planned in 2016. Available as either a complement to other policies or on a standalone basis, lawyers professional liability is designed to protect against financial losses due to negligence, errors, or omissions. Berkshire Hathaway GUARDs coverage has limits starting at $100,000 per claim ($300,000 aggregate) but can range up to $3 million. The product targets law firm with one to 35 attorneys, however, Lyle Hitt, executive vice president of property and liability said the product will meet the needs of many different practices. According to Hitt, coverages that normally have to be added via endorsement have been incorporated into the policy. The product also features an online resource center and a risk management hotline. Previously just a provider of monoline workers compensation coverage, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD has been writing multiple lines of property and casualty insurance since 2008 via BizGUARD Plus, which offers a businessowners policy that can address total insured values up to $12.5 million, commercial auto, workers compensation, and commercial umbrella/excess. Berkshire Hathaway GUARD CEO and President Sy Foguel said the addition of professional liability is part of a corporate strategy and by the end of 2016, over 20 percent of the companys premiums should be from lines other than workers comp. According to Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Vice President Joseph Lincks, expansion of the product line will be an ongoing process. During the second half of the year, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD will also be introducing a miscellaneous professional liability product with other professional liability products on the way. In October of 2012, GUARD Insurance Group was acquired by National Indemnity Company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. Topics Workers' Compensation U.S. insurers deemed big enough to threaten the financial system will probably face capital standards that are simpler and less costly than those imposed on Wall Street banks, Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo said Friday. The Fed in coming weeks will seek outside comment on its plan for creating insurance industry rules mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act, Tarullo said in a Washington speech. His comments revealed the long-awaited outlines of how the Fed will regulate insurers, a controversial process that MetLife Inc. has already sued over to avoid tougher oversight. Companies such as American International Group Inc. and Prudential Financial Inc. deemed important enough that their failure could threaten the broader economy would get regulations that evaluate their capital in a relatively simple set of risk categories, according to Tarullo, the Fed governor responsible for managing regulatory matters. Compliance costs for these firms should be considerably lower than if they had to conform to the bank holding company capital regime, he said, noting that the treatment will be more appropriate for the longer-term nature of most insurance liabilities. The Fed also plans to propose capital standards for insurers it oversees because they own banks, Tarullo said. Those firms, typically small parts of their overall companies, will receive a lighter touch, with the central bank largely deferring to measures imposed by the insurers existing regulators often state agencies, he said. Lobbying Push The process for figuring out how to handle insurance firms has already taken years since Dodd-Frank gave the Fed additional authority over them. The industry has made a lengthy lobbying push insisting that its unfair to treat insurers like banks. Those defending insurers also have said tough capital standards could make insurance more expensive. The advance notice of proposed rule-making promised by Tarullo is a significant step in a process that still has a long way to go. Because each stage of writing a rule typically takes months from seeking comment to proposing text to approving a final version the new capital system may still be a long time coming. MetLife would dodge the new capital standards for the biggest insurers after a judge reversed its designation as systemically important by the Financial Stability Oversight Council. The Treasury Department is pursuing an appeal of the courts finding that the process to label MetLife was flawed. MetLife Chief Executive Officer Steve Kandarian has said insurers dont face the same risks as banks because his industry doesnt have as much of its funds subject to immediate withdrawals. On some life policies, insurers collect periodic premiums and make payments only when a customer dies. Tarullo also said the Fed decided against following an effort by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors to impose insurance standards, because it does not really fit our need. Insurance industry groups praised the Feds rejection of the international standards and its willingness to see that insurers need a tailored approach to oversight. American Council of Life Insurers President and CEO Dirk Kempthorne said his group was glad that Tarullo recognized the business and associated risks of insurers are very different from those of other financial firms. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers General Reinsurance Group is getting a new CEO: Berkshire Hathaway reinsurance senior executive Kara Raiguel, who is described by her boss as a secret weapon, zero maintenance, and a true renaissance woman in the insurance and reinsurance industry. Ajit Jain, head of Berkshire Hathaways Reinsurance Group, announced the news about who will lead Gen Re in a memo to employeesa candid document that also addresses concerns that the reinsurer has become less relevant in the marketplace than it once was. Gen Re is part of the Warren Buffett-owned Berkshire Hathaway, and Raiguels promotion follows news in April that current Gen Re Chairman and CEO Tad Montross would step down by the end of 2016. Jain said that Raiguels mission over the next 90 days will be to determine how best to grow Gen Res book of business without sacrificing the underwriting discipline and integrity that has been the hallmark of the past few years. Shell also look at ways to broaden business relationships without harming the companys platform. In his memo, Jain described Raiguel, a trained actuary, as a key player at our reinsurance division for over 15 years and his secret weapon. He credited her with helping to launch the companys significant workers compensation business in California, leading its entry into the Indian reinsurance market, and launching and managing the creation of its municipal bond insurer. He also lauded Raiguel for leading efforts to underwrite some of the companys largest retroactive reinsurance transactions. Jain added that Raiguel is a true renaissance women in the insurance and reinsurance industry. He described initially meeting her and believing she was going to be a high-performing/low-maintenance colleague, adding that she ended up being zero maintenance because of her abilities. Montross reported directly to Buffett, but Raiguel will report to Jain, long rumored as a potential replacement for Buffett once he retires. Along those lines, Jain disclosed in his memo that he has taken the time in recent weeks to evaluate the Gen Re business, which has seen sales and pretax underwriting profit drop. Gen Re announced in March that it would close several global locations in a larger bid to reorganize. Jain credited Montross with addressing old mistakes and avoiding new ones and said he was impressed by Gen Res platform, client relationships, portfolio and rock-solid balance sheet. But he acknowledged concerns both internal and external that Gen Re is becoming less relevant in the marketplace. Jain said that those worries, plus the continued serious headwinds the reinsurance business still faces, requires us all to consider whether and what actions might be taken to best position Gen Re for the next chapter. Even so, Jain reassured employees that executives are not interested in any hasty decisions or changes that could do harm to the well-oiled machine that, thanks to [outgoing CEO Montross], Gen Re has become. Hollmer is editor of CarrierManagement.com, where this article was originally published. Topics Reinsurance American Medical Systems, a major defendant in litigation over controversial vaginal mesh devices, is accusing a pyramid of businessmen, doctors and lawyers of luring women into unwarranted surgeries to remove the implants and inflate their damages claims. The company, a unit of Ireland-based Endo International, has set aside $1.9 billion to settle as many as 49,000 lawsuits alleging injury from the devices, but it asserts it should not have to pay for unnecessary medical procedures. Reuters previously reported that a new breed of financier is profiting from surgery on patients involved in litigation against mesh makers: These medical funders, often working through specialized brokers, put up the money for operations in anticipation of recouping their investment, plus a hefty return, when the patients lawsuits settle. Now AMS says it has evidence that at least four women were persuaded to undergo surgeries that their own doctors did not recommend. Funding for their procedures was arranged by a lending company working with the doctors who performed them. Hundreds more women may have been similarly steered into mesh removal procedures by a network of lenders, doctors and attorneys orchestrating the exploitation of unsophisticated medical and legal consumers and seeking to perpetrate a fraud, AMS said in a May 12 filing in West Virginia federal court. Members of this alleged network deny wrongdoing. They say they helped injured women receive necessary medical care they could not afford or could not obtain from nearby doctors. They say AMS is trying to divert attention from its own liability for flawed devices. AMS is seeking court authorization to obtain more testimony from members of the alleged network. A spokeswoman for Endo, which has ceased selling the mesh devices, declined to comment. Telemarketing Calls One example cited by AMS is Judy Buzzell, who was implanted with a mesh device to treat urinary incontinence in 2009. In 2014, according to Buzzells testimony, she received unsolicited phone calls from telemarketers who falsely said her device had been recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The callers said they could find her a lawyer and arrange travel to a surgeon who would remove the mesh at no upfront cost. AMS sought testimony from the doctor who implanted Buzzells device, who said that when Buzzell consulted him after the telemarketers phone calls, he found no mesh-related symptoms and did not recommend removal. Buzzell testified that she decided to proceed anyway because she was experiencing pain and bleeding. Although she had health insurance, the telemarketer and another go-between helped her arrange a $21,000 advance from LawCash, a litigation funder, to pay for surgery and travel from her home in Maine to a doctor in Georgia. According to her contract, which is part of the court record, Buzzell owes 39 percent annual interest, payable if her lawsuit settles. As of August, the total will be $46,500. Based on AMSs $1.9 billion fund and the number of eligible claims, the average amount available per plaintiff is approximately $39,000, although actual payments are confidential and vary based on individual facts. Im screwed on it as far as paying it back, I know that, Buzzell testified. But for me to get rid of my pain that I wanted to get rid of, it was worth the trip down and back to get it done. Buzzell declined to comment for this story. LawCash general counsel Lew Fidler said his company advanced money only to patients who were desperate for surgery, needed surgery and complained about their circumstances. According to court filings, Buzzells surgery was arranged by another company that acted as a matchmaker between patients and doctors and received a commission from LawCash. Buzzells surgeon in Georgia, Michael Hulse, worked frequently with that intermediary, Surgical Assistance. Hulse received about $10,000 for Buzzells procedure. Hulse did not respond to requests for comment. Blake Barber, who runs Surgical Assistance, said he encouraged women who contacted him for mesh removal surgery to first seek care from local physicians and use their health insurance. AMS contends the heart of the illicit enterprise was a Florida-based marketing company that found potential mesh plaintiffs and supplied client leads to Surgical Assistance. The company, Law Firm Headquarters, bills itself as a legal marketing and support organization. As Reuters has reported, AMS subpoenaed Law Firm Headquarters, and several related law firms in March. An attorney for Law Firm Headquarters, Abbe Lowell, said the company was trying to help women harmed by AMSs products. (AMSs) tactics will only delay resolution of these cases, to the further detriment of those who have been injured, Lowell said. (Reporting By Alison Frankel and Jessica Dye; Editing by Amy Stevens and Lisa Girion) Topics Lawsuits Claims Gov. John Bel Edwards is pushing to get the oil and natural gas industries to pay for restoring Louisianas fragile coast by encouraging them to settle lawsuits alleging they caused extensive damage to coastal lands. The governor met with industry leaders and company executives on May 13 and asked them to settle the numerous lawsuits, filed by local governments, and help pay for coastal restoration, according to letters obtained by The Associated Press. Industry leaders have rejected his request. But, the governor, in a letter sent to industry organizations, said he wanted to meet with them again to discuss settlements. Three coastal parishes are seeking compensation for alleged state permit violations, coastal damage and pollution. Earlier this year the governor and Attorney General Jeff Landry intervened in those suits. Louisiana has lost about 1,900 square miles of coast since the 1930s and continues to lose about 17 square miles a year. It is one of this impoverished states most dire problems. In the letter, Edwards said he was disappointed that last weeks meeting did not result in a more constructive dialogue and a possible structure to resolve the related liability issues. At this point, we have two choices work together toward an amicable solution or spend years in litigation, Edwards wrote. There should be no doubt that it is in the best interests of Louisiana and the industry to choose the former option. Industry leaders, though, said they are not considering settlements. It is evident that the state is seeking to move us into an area of discussion that is impossible, said a letter from Chris John, president of Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, and Don Briggs, president of Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. The letter said the state was seeking to hold the oil and gas industry accountable for a substantial amount of damages without making any effort to establish liability. At issue are claims that oil and gas companies violated their permits by failing to fix damage caused by oil drilling, such as digging thousands of miles of canals that scientists say led to salt water intrusion and land loss. The oil industry disputes that contention and argues permits were not violated. The lawsuits were filed by profit-motivated lawyers, and are not a funding mechanism for coastal restoration, the industry groups wrote. The position taken by Edwards, a Democrat, is very different from that of his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal. Jindal was opposed to suits against the industry over coastal damage. In a telephone interview, Briggs said Edwards suggested in the May 13 meeting that Louisiana faces spending $100 billion on coastal restoration over the coming decades and that the industry should pay a sizeable amount of that. Briggs said the industry is not interested in settlement talks. The reality is that we are not in any negotiations, he said. We are not even talking about that. The only person talking about that is the governor. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Energy Oil Gas The owner of a construction company in Naples, Fla., was arrested this month for an alleged workers comp scheme, according to an announcement from Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. Raimundo Hernandez-Argueta, owner of Naples construction company Complete Framing Professionals (CFP), was arrested following a joint investigation by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) Division of Insurance Fraud and Division of Workers Compensation. Hernandez faces fraud charges for allegedly misrepresenting information regarding CFPs employee operations and payroll when applying for a workers compensation policy. DFS said by doing so, Hernandez avoided at least $700,000 in workers compensation premium payments. Investigators with the Departments Division of Workers Compensation began investigating Hernandez in August 2013 when visits to CFP job sites led investigators to believe that Hernandez was allegedly concealing his companys payroll amount in violation of Florida law. Investigators later discovered that Hernandez obtained a policy through Florida United Business Association providing coverage for four employees, each with an annual wage of $50,000. Hernandez paid $26,910 for this one-year policy. However, job site inspections documented 108 employees during that time frame and more than $5.5 million in total earnings, grossly lower than what was reported to the companys insurance carrier. Workers compensation policies are calculated by factoring in a companys total payroll and number of employees along with the risks associated with the companys field of work. Based on CFPs actual payroll of $5.5 million, Hernandez should have paid a premium of $728,057. As a result of his misrepresentations, Hernandez was able to illegally avoid paying more than $700,000 in workers compensation premium dues. Hernandez was arrested without incident by the Collier County Sheriffs Office and charged with workers compensation premium fraud, a first degree felony. He was transported to the Collier County Jail where he later posted a bond of $30,000. This case will be prosecuted by the Office of Assistant State Attorney Erik Leontiev of the 20th Judicial Circuit and if convicted, Hernandez faces up to 15 years in prison. Topics Florida Workers' Compensation Fraud Construction West Virginia officials have issued a Do Not Drink advisory for Vienna water after the Environmental Protection Agency announced a new limit for the amount of a chemical present in Wood Countys drinking water. News outlets report that state officials on May 19 advised Vienna residents not to drink or cook with the citys water after it was discovered that the levels of the chemical C8 in the citys water source are slightly above the new limit. The EPA established the health advisory levels at 70 parts per trillion of C8 in drinking water. C8 has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease and high blood pressure in pregnant women. U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito say theyre concerned for residents following the new drinking water advisory. Our first and number one priority is to ensure these residents have safe and clean drinking water, the senators said in a statement. We have been in contact with the EPA, state and local officials, and the National Guard, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely. Commissioner of the state Bureau for Public Health Dr. Rahul Gupta says the Bureau for Public Health is working with Vienna to implement appropriate precautions. He says the bureau will issue Do Not Drink advisories until additional testing and evaluation take place. Parkersburg and Martinsburg also have been affected by the new EPA threshold. Gupta says theyve also taken steps to address the issue by using additional water sources to provide water. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Pollution Virginia Chemicals The parents of a newborn boy deprived of oxygen during a bungled water birth attempt have settled a lawsuit against a Portland, Ore. hospital for $13 million. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported the settlement with the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center is the largest in at least 10 years for a hospital birth malpractice case, court papers said. The lawsuit says Amy Benton went to the hospital in December 2011, planning to give birth underwater. But documents say midwives missed a change in the babys fetal heart rate because she was in water. By the time she was taken out and the baby was delivered, he had been deprived of oxygen and blood, attorneys said. The lawsuit faults the hospital for failing to perform an immediate C-section. The hospital declined comment to the newspaper. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Oregon A Powell, Wyo. hospital has filed for bankruptcy as it faces about 20 lawsuits over surgeries performed by a former orthopedic surgeon. The Powell Tribune reported that Powell Valley Healthcares board of directors approved filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday. The board said in a statement the lawsuits from former patients of Dr. Jeffrey Hansen are the only reason for the decision. Hansen was employed by Powell Valley Healthcare from 2006-14 and resigned after being suspended due to patient safety concerns. The boards statement says the litigation thats come from the alleged events has caused a tremendous strain in personnel time and finances. Hospital officials dont expect operating under Chapter 11 to have an impact on the hospitals daily operations, and no layoffs or staff reductions are planned. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits The Idaho Department of Insurance received notice from the Washington Office of Insurance Commissioner revoking the license of Randy W. Tate, a Washington resident. Idaho insurance code gives the director the right to revoke any insurance producer license that has been revoked in the licensees home state. Tates Idaho insurance license was revoked effective May 17. Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler reportedly found that Tate was fraudulently creating and submitting insurance applications for past customers without their knowledge or consent and using financial information previously obtained from these customers to pay for the fraudulent policies. Customers discovered the unauthorized bank withdrawals, and then Tates fraudulent scheme was uncovered and his license revoked. We are publishing this action due to the close proximity of Mr. Tate to Idaho consumers, Director Dean Cameron said in a statement. Tate has been licensed in Idaho since April 2012. Topics Washington Quasi 10 milioni di italiani si metteranno in viaggio per la Pasqua 2017, con un incremento del 2,3% rispetto allo stesso periodo dello scorso anno. Il 93% scegliera di rimanere in Italia mentre il restante 7% optera per una localita estera. E in crescita anche il giro daffari, che si attesta a quota 3,34 miliardi di euro (+3,6%). Emerge dai dati previsionali di Federalberghi sulle vacanze pasquali degli italiani. Le mete preferite dagli italiani che rimarranno nel Belpaese saranno le localita darte (29,1%), il mare (28,8%), la montagna (21,4%) e i laghi (4,5%). Per chi andra allestero, le grandi capitali europee assorbiranno il 69,5% della domanda, seguito dal 13,8% delle localita marine e crociere. La permanenza media si attestera sulle 3,4 notti (contro le 3,5 notti del 2016) con una spesa media comprensiva di tutte le voci (trasporto, alloggio, cibo e divertimenti) pari a 337 euro (contro i 332 euro del 2016) con un dettaglio di 310 euro per chi restera in Italia e di 679 euro per chi scegliera destinazioni estere. La struttura ricettiva preferita, sara per il 32,5% la casa di parenti e amici, seguita dallalbergo (26,7%), dalla casa di proprieta (14,6%), dai bed and breakfast (10,4%), dallagriturismo (4,4%), dai residence (3,4%) e dallappartamento in affitto (3%). Con questi presupposti, il segnale positivo che ci viene dal mercato consente di analizzare la situazione con moderato ottimismo ha commentato il presidente di Federalberghi, Bernabo Bocca vi e senzaltro da considerare il calendario che questanno colloca le festivita a meta del mese di aprile. E anche se la durata dei pernottamenti sara lievemente inferiore rispetto allo scorso anno, occorre leggere questa lieve flessione nella giusta prospettiva, tenendo conto delle occasioni di vacanza che gli italiani avranno nelle prossime due settimane, con i ponti del 25 aprile e del primo maggio. Le imprese del settore, ha aggiunto, chiedono a gran voce misure concrete volte a contrastare labusivismo, ridurre la pressione fiscale, potenziare le infrastrutture. Ultimo ma non meno importante, a quasi un mese dallabrogazione dei voucher, siamo ancora in attesa dello strumento alternativo che dovra mettere le imprese in condizione di far fronte alle esigenze di flessibilita imposte dal mercato. In a slowing economy, many companies tighten their purse strings by slowing their spending and even freezing their hiring process. However, even when many corporations are cutting back, it doesn't mean that existing employees must forgo annual increases in compensation. On the contrary, there are ways to increase "pay" without actually bumping up take-home salary. Let's run over a few items that employees or would-be employees can negotiate for. Key Takeaways There are a number of ways companies can compensate loyal employees beyond just raising their salaries. Some employers allow their employees to take a sabbatical, an often unpaid leave of absence in which the person travels, or studies, or otherwise takes time off. Flextime is popular with many people as it allows employees to complete their required hours in a time frame that works better for their lifestyle or family obligations. Telecommuting can allow an employee to save money on commuting, avoid the stress of traffic or public transportation and work from the comfort of home. When not able to offer their workers the option of telecommuting, some companies may reimburse their workers for some or all of their transportation costs. Performance bonuses, based on individual or division achievements, and stock options that are set to vest several years down the line are other ways a company can create loyalty and lift employee morale. 1. Sabbatical Perhaps you've always wanted to take an extended vacation or study art in Paris. Or perhaps you just want to be able to take your kids to school and pick them up on a regular basis. If this is the case, then you can ask your boss for a sabbatical or a leave of absence (be it paid or unpaid). To be clear, many companies, particularly those in the Fortune 500, already offer this perk, but only to employees that have several years of service (usually five or more) under their belts. That said, many of these same companies are also flexible and will often make exceptions for valued employees. In order to enhance the possibility that such a request will be granted, it makes sense to plan the leave of absence during a time of year when the workload is lightest. This way, your boss and/or your peers won't feel as overwhelmed about assuming your tasks. 2. Flextime Let's face it, we all live busy lives. In fact, many of us have obligations to organizations such as a local church or school that we often try to squeeze in after a busy workday. And those with large families seem to have even more obligations. What if you could have the best of both worlds? In other words, suppose you were able to get both your work and your personal business done each day without having to rush? Sounds good, right? Well, the good news is that with "flextime," it is possible. What is flextime? Very simply, the employee agrees to work eight hours per day (or whatever the predetermined length of time maybe), but is not required to work the traditional nine-to-five hours. In this way, an employee can avoid the busy morning commute, or take their children to school, by working from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Or, in order to have a Friday off, an employee might agree to work on a Saturday. In any case, if an employee is trustworthy and getting their job done (and done well), then it is likely that an employer will grant this perk in lieu of a pay raise. Remember, from the employers' perspective, if it doesn't cost any money and it keeps you happy, then it's probably worthwhile. 3. Telecommute Because of the relatively high cost of living in and around major metropolitan cities, many people choose to live in more rural areas. However, the downside to living in the suburbs that the commute to work (into the city) is often long and arduous. But maybe it doesn't have to be that way, particularly if they have a job where the majority of the communication and tasks take place on a computer or phone. Flextime and telecommuting are best undertaken by employees capable of structuring their own time, meeting deadlines, and completing projects with only moderate supervision. Employees dependent on steadier supervision may struggle with the less-regimented structure of flextime and telecommuting. 4. Reimbursement for Commuting Costs Maybe your company won't grant you a pay raise or permit you to telecommute, but it may be willing to reimburse you for out-of-pocket commuting and travel expenses. For example, your employer may agree to reimburse you for gas, parking expenses, or buy your train or bus ticket for you outright. Think that sounds like a chump change compared to a pay raise? Think again. In order for you to buy that $100 bus pass, odds are that you need to earn $125 or $140 in pretax money. In other words, there is actually a benefit over and above the cost of the actual ticket. 5. Performance Bonus Many employers are reluctant to give their employees pay raises during difficult times for obvious reasons (mainly, it costs more). But what if, at the end of the year, you could receive a bonus that was directly tied to the company's, or your, performance over and above a certain benchmark. In other words, unless the company made more money or performed well in a certain aspect, or unless you made more money for the company, you will not receive additional compensation. That sounds fair, right? To that end, perhaps your employer will be willing to give you a performance bonus based upon your or your division's sales (for example). Or maybe that bonus could be tied to some other tangible statistic or benchmark. 6. Stock Options If the company that you work for is publicly traded, stock options (as a form of compensation) may be a terrific solution. Why? Because stock options typically aren't worth anything unless the share price appreciates from the date they were granted, they encourage good employee performance. In addition, because options typically don't vest for several years after the grant date, they also encourage loyalty. The Bottom Line While it may not be possible to obtain a pay raise every single year, there are plenty of other perks that an employee can bargain for that can be just as valuable. Within the spectrum of financial instruments, preferred stocks (or "preferreds") occupy a unique place. Because of their characteristics, they straddle the line between stocks and bonds. Technically, they are equity securities, but they share many characteristics with debt instruments. Preferred stocks are sometimes called hybrid securities. In this article, we look at preferred shares and compare them to some better-known investment vehicles. Key Takeaways Preferred stocks are equity securities that share many characteristics with debt instruments. Preferred stock is attractive as it offers higher fixed-income payments than bonds with a lower investment per share. Preferred stock often has a callable feature that allows the issuing corporation to forcibly cancel the outstanding shares for cash. Corporations that receive dividends on preferred stock can deduct 50% to 65% of the income from their corporate taxes. Understanding Preferred Stocks A company may choose to issue preferreds for a couple of reasons: Flexibility of payments . Preferred dividends may be suspended in case of corporate cash problems. . Preferred dividends may be suspended in case of corporate cash problems. Easier to market. Preferred stock is typically bought and held by institutional investors, which may make it easier to market during an initial public offering. Preferred stock is attractive as it usually offers higher fixed-income payments than bonds with a lower investment per share. Preferred stockholders also have a priority claim over common stocks for dividend payments and liquidation proceeds. Its price is usually more stable than common stock. Furthermore, it is more liquid than corporate bonds of similar quality. Preferred stock often has a callable feature that allows the issuing corporation to forcibly cancel the outstanding shares for cash. This precludes the investor from participating in any future price appreciation. It also doesn't specify the maturity date which injects uncertainty over the recovery of invested principal. There is limited appreciation potential, no voting rights and it is sensitive to interest rates. Rules from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) make it attractive for institutions to invest in preferred stock. Under what is known as the dividend received deduction, a U.S. corporation receiving dividends from a domestic company may deduct up to 50% of the income from its taxes if it owns less than 20% of the dividend payer. If the corporation owns more than 20% of the dividend payer, it can deduct 65%. However, the fact that individuals are not eligible for such favorable tax treatment should not exclude preferreds from consideration as a viable investment. Types of Preferred Stock Although the possibilities are nearly endless, these are the basic types of preferred stocks: Cumulative . Most preferred stock is cumulative, meaning if the company withholds part or all of the expected dividends, they are considered dividends in arrears and must be paid before any other dividends. Preferred stock that doesn't carry the cumulative feature is called straight, or noncumulative preferred. . Most preferred stock is cumulative, meaning if the company withholds part or all of the expected dividends, they are considered dividends in arrears and must be paid before any other dividends. Preferred stock that doesn't carry the cumulative feature is called straight, or noncumulative preferred. Callable . Most preferred shares are redeemable, giving the issuer the right to redeem the stock at a date and price specified in the prospectus. . Most preferred shares are redeemable, giving the issuer the right to redeem the stock at a date and price specified in the prospectus. Convertible . The timing for conversion and the conversion price specific to the individual issue will be laid out in the preferred stock's prospectus. . The timing for conversion and the conversion price specific to the individual issue will be laid out in the preferred stock's prospectus. Participating . This is preferred stock that has a fixed dividend rate. If the company issues participating preferreds, those stocks gain the potential to earn more than their stated rate. The exact formula for participation will be found in the prospectus. Most preferreds are non-participating. . This is preferred stock that has a fixed dividend rate. If the company issues participating preferreds, those stocks gain the potential to earn more than their stated rate. The exact formula for participation will be found in the prospectus. Most preferreds are non-participating. Adjustable-Rate Preferred Stock (ARPS). These preferreds pay dividends based on several factors stipulated by the company. Dividends for ARPS are keyed to yields on U.S. government issues, providing the investor limited protection against adverse interest rate markets. Bonds and Preferreds Because preferred shares are often compared with bonds and other debt instruments, let's look at their similarities and differences. Similarities Preferreds are issued with a fixed par value and pay dividends based on a percentage of that par, usually at a fixed rate. Just like bonds, which also make fixed payments, the market value of preferred shares is sensitive to changes in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of the preferred shares falls. If rates decline, the opposite would hold true. However, the relative move of preferred yields is usually less dramatic than that of bonds. Preferreds technically have an unlimited life because they have no fixed maturity date, but they may be called by the issuer after a certain date. The motivation for the redemption is generally the same as for bondsa company calls in securities that pay higher rates than what the market is currently offering. Also, as is the case with bonds, the redemption price may be at a premium to par to enhance the preferred's initial marketability. Like bonds, preferreds are senior to common stock. However, bonds have more seniority than preferreds. The seniority of preferreds applies to both the distribution of corporate earnings (as dividends) and the liquidation of proceeds in case of bankruptcy. With preferreds, the investor is standing closer to the front of the line for payment than common shareholders, although not by much. As with convertible bonds, preferreds can often be converted into the common stock of the issuing company. This feature gives investors flexibility, allowing them to lock in the fixed return from the preferred dividends and, potentially, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock. Like bonds, preferred stocks are rated by the major credit rating companies, such as Standard & Poor's and Moody's. The rating for preferreds is generally one or two tiers below that of the same company's bonds because preferred dividends do not carry the same guarantees as interest payments from bonds and they are junior to all creditors. Differences As observed earlier, preferred stock is equity while bonds are debt. Most debt instruments, along with most creditors, are senior to any equity. Preferreds pay dividends. These are fixed dividends, normally for the life of the stock, but they must be declared by the company's board of directors. As such, there is not the same array of guarantees that are afforded to bondholders. With preferreds, if a company has a cash problem, the board of directors can decide to withhold preferred dividends. The trust indenture prevents companies from taking the same action on their corporate bonds. Another difference is that preferred dividends are paid from the company's after-tax profits, while bond interest is paid before taxes. This factor makes it more expensive for a company to issue and pay dividends on preferred stocks. Computing current yields on preferreds is similar to the calculation on bonds where the annual dividend is divided by the price. For example, if a preferred stock is paying an annualized dividend of $1.75 and is currently trading in the market at $25, the current yield is: $1.75 $25 = .07, or 7%. In the market, however, yields on preferreds are typically higher than those of bonds from the same issuer, reflecting the higher risk the preferreds present for investors. While preferreds are interest-rate sensitive, they are not as price-sensitive to interest rate fluctuations as bonds. However, their prices do reflect the general market factors that affect their issuers to a greater degree than the same issuer's bonds. Information about a company's preferred shares is easier to obtain than information about the company's bonds, making preferreds, in a general sense, easier to trade (and perhaps more liquid). The low par values of the preferred shares also make investing easier, because bonds (with par values around $1,000) often have minimum purchase requirements. Common Stock and Preferred Stock Similarities Both are equity instruments. Their dividends come from the company's after-tax profits and are taxable to the shareholder (unless held in a tax-advantaged account). Differences Preferreds have fixed dividends and, although they are never guaranteed, the issuer has a greater obligation to pay them. Common stock dividends, if they exist at all, are paid after the company's obligations to all preferred stockholders have been satisfied. This is where preferreds lose their luster for many investors. If, for example, a pharmaceutical research company discovers an effective cure for the flu, its common stock will soar, while the preferreds might only increase by a few points. The lower volatility of preferred stocks may look attractive, but it cuts both ways: Preferreds aren't as sensitive to a company's losses, but they will not share in a company's success to the same degree as common stock. Whereas common stock is often called voting equity, preferred stocks usually have no voting rights. The Bottom Line An individual investor looking into preferred stocks should carefully examine both their advantages and drawbacks. There are a number of strong companies in stable industries that issue preferred stocks that pay dividends above investment-grade bonds. The starting point for research on a specific preferred is the stock's prospectus, which you can often find online. If you're looking for relatively safe returns, you shouldn't overlook the preferred stock market. The Small Business Association (SBA) is an agency established in 1953 by the U.S. government that provides various types of assistance to American small businesses. The SBA helps small businesses by providing access to capital and low-cost training, providing government contracts to qualified small businesses, and advocating for small businesses by reviewing legislation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA launched the PPP program, which provided forgivable SBA loans to thousands of small businesses whose operations were impacted by the pandemic. What Is SEC Form N-30B-2? SEC Form N-30B-2 is a required filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for mutual fund companies. The form notifies the SEC that the investment company named is up-to-date with mailing out its reports to investors and shareholders, in accordance with the Investment Company Act of 1940. The form is filed online using the agency's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system. Key Takeaways SEC Form N-30B-2 is a routine filing with the SEC for some investment companies. Filers use the form to confirm that they are up to date with mailing periodic and interim reports to shareholders. The form is required pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1949, which aims to protect the interests of small investors. Understanding SEC Form N-30B-2 SEC Form N-30B-2 is a required filing under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This law regulates investment companies, such as mutual fund companies, that market their investments to individual investors. It was one of the major laws passed in the years following the Great Depression that aimed to protect small investors. The part relevant to Form N-30B-2 details the responsibilities of investment companies to report their performance regularly to their shareholders. The form must be filed by investment companies no more than 10 days after mailings to shareholders are sent. The filing confirms that these companies are compliant with the requirements set forth as per Rule 30b-2 of the Act, which states that they must keep up with mailing out periodic and interim reports to active shareholders on a regular basis. SEC Form N-30B-2 is designed in the form of a letter addressed to the commissioners of the SEC. It is normally submitted by the company's general counsel and includes the following information: The company's name and contact information The type of reports sent to shareholders The specific funds for which the reports were filed The filing signals to the SEC that shareholders have been provided with accurate data and critical information that can allow them to make educated investment decisions. Special Considerations Filings to the SEC must be submitted electronically using the agency's EDGAR online system. Individuals and organizations can access the system and download the required forms and materials via the website for free. Organizations that are unable to submit documents electronically must establish a case for why they should be granted a temporary or permanent hardship classification. Benefits of SEC Form N-30B-2 Quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports contain critical information for mutual fund shareholders. Shareholders can see exactly where their money is being invested, how the investments have performed in the past period, and what fees and management costs the fund company is charging. Providing shareholders with mandated reports at required intervals is important so that investment companies can prove they are operating under a strategy of full disclosure, and are not withholding or concealing any significant financial information from investors who might experience financial harm as a result. AT&T Earnings Results Metric Beat/Miss/Match Reported Value Analysts' Prediction Adjusted EPS Beat $0.86 $0.78 Revenue Beat $43.9B $42.3B Additional Postpaid Phone Subscribers Beat 595.0K 248.1K Source: Predictions based on analysts' consensus from Visible Alpha Key Takeaways Additional postpaid phone subscribers were more than double the amount forecast by analysts. Postpaid phone subscriptions are a key area of growth amid declines in some of AT&T's other legacy businesses. AT&T posted 2.7 million total domestic HBO Max and HBO subscriber net adds. AT&T (T) Financial Results: Analysis AT&T Inc. (T) reported Q1 FY 2021 earnings that beat analyst expectations. Revenue was also higher than forecast. Additional postpaid phone subscribers, which AT&T refers to as "postpaid phone net additions," came in at 595,000, more than double analyst estimates. It was the strongest first quarter for net adds in at least five years. The company's shares were up more than 1% in pre-market trading. Over the past year, AT&T's shares have provided a total return of 8.1%, well below the S&P 500's total return of 52.5%. AT&T (T) Additional Postpaid Phone Subscribers Additional postpaid phone subscribers represent a key metric indicating the net difference between the number of new postpaid phone subscriptions added during the quarter and the number of subscriptions that were terminated. As long as this metric is positive, it means that AT&T is adding to the total number of postpaid phone subscriptions. Adding new phone subscriptions has become increasingly important recently as some of the company's other legacy businesses decline. AT&T was able to garner new postpaid phone subscribers even as at least one competitor lost some during the quarter. Rival Verizon Communications, Inc. (VZ) recently reported a net loss of 178,000 postpaid phone connections over the period. "We continued to excel in growing customer relationships in our market focus areas of mobility, fiber, and HBO Max," said CEO John Stankey. "We had another strong quarter of postpaid phone net adds, higher gross adds, lower churn, and good growth in Mobility EBITDA." AT&T posted 2.7 million total domestic HBO Max and HBO subscriber net adds, bringing total domestic subscribers to 44.2 million. The HBO Max business has become especially important amid the secular shift in consumer preferences from traditional satellite and cable TV toward digital streaming. AT&T offered some guidance for the rest of FY 2021. The company believes that adjusted EPS will remain stable compared to FY 2020 and that consolidated revenue will grow approximately 1% on a comparative basis. AT&T's next earnings report (Q2 FY 2021) is estimated to be released on July 21, 2021. Learn how much you need to retire comfortably, and how to prepare for the "unexpected." Plan for everything from living expenses, to healthcare, to planning that trip you've always wanted to take. Letter from The Editor Our relationship with money has changed. The pandemic accelerated a lot of those changes, but many of the forces were already set in motion over a decade ago. Investing apps and platforms, zero-commission trading, a historic bull market for stocks coming out of the Great Financial Crisis followed by record-breaking inflation, the emergence of cryptocurrencies, and the evolution of financial planning are just some of the forces that have reshaped the way we think, use, plan, save, and invest our money. Our notions about retirement have changed, as well. Younger generations are less likely to work at the same company their entire careers, collect a pension, and ease their way out of the workforce at the age of 65. We are living longer, and we need to be able to afford the lives we want to live when we stop working. For most people, retirement is not their end of work, but the end of being able to depend on a regular paycheck with benefits and a 401(k) match, if we were lucky enough to get one. While over half of working adults in the U.S. are invested in the stock market, the average 401(k) balance for baby boomers and Generation X is only around $161,000 according to Fidelity. With the cost of living rising higher every year, and questions about the staying power of Social Security, the numbers just don't add up for most people nearing retirement. There is no magic bullet solution to these problems. There are, however, some fundamental practices and approaches that younger adults and those approaching retirement, can focus on: Financial awareness: Do you really know what it costs to be you? Investing appropriately for your age: Are you too risky, or not risky enough, or well-balanced? Balanced portfolio: Is the 60/40 portfolio still the answer, given the shake-out in the stock market? Saving and budgeting in a world of rising prices: Inflation is not a bug in the systemit's a feature that we need to accept and incorporate into our personal budgets. Planning and caring for yourself or family members: The cost of care keeps rising, but few are prepared for those bills when they come due. Estate planning: If you can and want to pass along your savings to charity or the next generation, are your affairs in order? Investopedia's special issue on retirement is our first foray into magazine publishing. We are honored to have been a go-to resource for millions of readers for the past 23 years, but we, like you, realize that the game has changed in retirement planning and investing. Therefore, we have dedicated those pages to laying out those changes and offering solutions that can help you change with the times. Pick up your copy at your nearest retailer or buy now online. We hope you enjoy the issue and learn from it. The first step in financial awareness is to educate yourself, so let those pages help you get on the right path. International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) was founded more than a century ago, in 1911, as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (C-T-R). But the computer giant traces its roots back to the1880s. During that decade, Dr. Alexander Dey invented the first dial recorder for his business, while a second enterprise, Bundy Manufacturing, became the first time recording company. Both companies became key building blocks of C-T-R. More recently, IBM has become a global information technology company focused on software, cloud computing, and consulting services. IBM primarily generates revenue today through its five segments: Cloud & Cognitive Software; Global Business Services; Global Technology Services; Systems; and Global Financing. The top shareholders of IBM are James Whitehurst, Arvind Krishna, James Kavanaugh, Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock Inc., and State Street Corp. As of January 5, 2021, IBM had trailing 12-month (TTM) revenue of $75.0 billion and TTM net income of $7.9 billion, with a market capitalization of $111.4 billion. Below, we take a closer look at the top shareholders of IBM. "Insider" refers to people in senior management positions and members of the board of directors, as well as people or entities that own more than 10% of the company's stock. In this context, it has nothing to do with insider trading. Top 3 Individual Insider Shareholders James M. Whitehurst James M. Whitehurst owns 148,606 shares of IBM, representing 0.02% of all outstanding shares. Whitehurst has been president of IBM since 2020. In this role, he is responsible for IBM Cloud and Cognitive Software organization and Corporate Strategy. Prior to IBM, Whitehurst was president and CEO of Red Hat, the open source enterprise software company, and earlier in his career was chief operating officer of Delta Airlines. Whitehurst played a key role in driving IBM's high-profile, $34-billion acquisition of open-source software company Red Hat, the largest such purchase in the companys history. Arvind Krishna Arvind Krishna owns 86,188 shares of IBM, representing 0.01% of all outstanding company shares. Krishna became CEO of IBM in April of 2020 after serving as senior vice president of Cloud and Cognitive Software, IBMs fastest growing business. He joined IBM in 1990 as a member of the companys Watson Research division, then becoming general manager of IBM Systems and Technology Groups development and manufacturing organization. Krishna has been a key driver of IBMs push into cloud computing in recent years, and as head of IBM Research, he has guided the company through developments into blockchain, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing technologies. Krishna was a major architect of IBMs acquisition of Red Hat. James J. Kavanaugh James J. Kavanaugh owns 77,541 shares of IBM, representing 0.01% of all outstanding company shares. Since 2018, Kavanaugh has been senior vice president and chief financial officer of IBM, overseeing the companys global financial operations. In these roles he also leads the companys Global Financing business. Kavanaugh joined IBM in 1996 and has held a variety of financial leadership roles for the company, including vice president of finance for the Americas Group and IBM EMEA. From 2008 to 2015, he was IBMs controller and from 2015 to 2018, he was senior vice president, Transformation & Operations. In his current role he continues to oversee Transformation & Operations, leading the company in aligning its operating model with fundamental industry shifts. Prior to IBM, Kavanaugh was chief financial officer for the Americas Global Services unit at AT&T Corp. Top 3 Institutional Shareholders Institutional investors hold the majority of IBM shares at about 51.9% of total shares outstanding. Vanguard Group Inc. Vanguard Group owns 74.2 million shares of IBM, representing 8.3% of total shares outstanding, according to the company's 13F filing for the period ending September 30, 2020. The company is primarily a mutual fund and ETF management company with about $6.2 trillion in global AUM. The Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT), which tracks a market-cap-weighted index of IT companies, owns IBM. The company represents about 1.1% of the fund's portfolio. BlackRock Inc. BlackRock owns 60.9 million shares of IBM, representing 6.8% of total shares outstanding, according to the company's 13F filing as of September 30, 2020. The company is primarily a mutual fund and ETF management company with approximately $7.8 trillion in AUM. The iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE), which invests in undervalued large- and mid-cap companies, owns IBM. IBM is the fourth-largest holding at 3.2% of the fund's portfolio. State Street Corp. State Street owns 53.0 million shares of IBM, representing 5.9% of total shares outstanding, according to the company's 13F filing as of September 30, 2020. State Street manages mutual funds, ETFs and other investments with $3.1 trillion in AUM. The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA), which tracks a price-weighted index of 30 large-cap U.S. stocks, holds IBM. IBM represents 2.7% of the fund's holdings. Top News - Investor Idea Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Continues Acquisition Path With Purchase of ELMS Assets Including Factory in Mishawaka, IN., Enabling EV Production for Retail and Commercial Vehicle Lines BREA, Calif. - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces the US Bankruptcy Court approval on Oct. 13th, 2022 of its acquisition of electric vehicle company ELMS's (Electric Last Mile Solutions) assets in an all cash purchase. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Announces the I-GO, New Urban Commercial Electric Delivery Vehicle Available Now for European Markets BREA, Calif. - October 24, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today it has secured exclusive sales, distribution and branding rights to the new compact urban delivery electric vehicle, the I-GO, which is fully EU Standard homologated and certified for sale in select European Markets. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea EV Stocks Driving Higher: (NASDAQ: $MULN) (NASDAQ: $TSLA) (NYSE: $NIO) (NYSE: $F) Vancouver, Delta, BC - October 20, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering EV and automotive stocks releases a special report featuring Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), covering the continued growth of the EV market as government policy and infrastructure plans sync up with consumer and investor interest in the EV space. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire Seven-year-old Lachlan Brain faces deportation from Scotland later this month despite being fluent in Gaelic, the Celtic language native to Scotland that is very closely linked to the Irish language. Lachlan moved from Australia to Dingwall in the Highlands almost five years ago with his parents Greg and Kathryn as part of the Highland homecoming program, a scheme heavily advertised in Australia which encouraged those of Scottish descent to return to the country and help to repopulate the Highlands. Gregg and Kathryn both have Scottish roots. They first visited Scotland on their honeymoon in 2005 and returned again in 2011 to do further research on whether a move would be right for them. Between 2005 and 2011, they applied for visas. Kathryn eventually secured a student visa after enrolling in a degree in Scottish history and archaeology. Her husband and son were listed as her dependents. Kathrun finished her degree last year and the familys visa expired in December 2015. The British Home Office has rejected their case to stay. It is believed their further visa application was rejected as they had not succeeded in finding jobs that completely fulfilled visa requirements. Despite Gregg previously working a full-time job and Kathryn also receiving a job offer, both positions were not deemed as acceptable by the Home Office. Scotland is where the Brain family made their home. It would be a huge injustice to deny them their right to remain.https://t.co/bygYMvprgW Alex Salmond (@AlexSalmond) May 19, 2016 All visa applications are considered on their individual merits, and applicants must provide evidence to show they meet the requirements of the immigration rules, said an official spokesperson. The Brain family is disappointed at the visa rejection. They had made clear that they planned to settle permanently in the Highlands at the time Kathryn applied for the student visa. Even on the university application form she described our desire to immigrate here, to do the course and stay on afterwards, to work for someone like the National Trust for Scotland or Historic Scotland, Gregg Brain told The National newspaper. We were responding to the 2007 Highland homecoming program the Scottish Government were promoting in Australia, which was also backed by the Home Office. They laid out the progression you could make to come back and help repopulate the Highlands. Lachlan is a pupil in a Gaelic-medium school and wishes to remain in Scotland. I would be really sad if I had to leave to go to Australia and I really hope that we get to stay in Scotland, the seven-year-old said. My friends are here and we would all miss each other very much. I like my school, teachers and my friends who I have known from Croileagan since I was two and I dont remember anyone from Australia, except Gramps and Pop. I dont want to leave all my aunties, uncles and cousins in Dingwall and Strathpeffer. Believing themselves to be a poster family for successful immigrant candidates, the Brains have received the support of local politicians and the local community in their fight to avoid deportation to Australia this month. Lachlans teacher Rachel-Ann Urquhart has claimed that the young boy would suffer both socially and academically if he was forced to leave the Gaelic school. I believe that in Lachlans best interests he should remain at Dingwall Primary, where he is successfully learning and achieving through the medium of Gaelic, she wrote in a letter to the UK Home Office. Lachlan also has a great number of close, social friendships at the school, which he has developed during his time in education there. The familys case has been taken up by local MP Ian Blackford, who believes the family's story highlights the problems with Scotlands immigration system. I have just intervened in the House of Commons asking for justice for the Brain family. Ian Blackford (@IBlackfordSNPMP) May 18, 2016 The Highlands need people who want to stay and make a contribution, Blackford said. Its a nonsense that the big stick of the UK Government is forcing these people out on a technicality. They have never taken a penny off of the state. They are here to make a living and Lachlans enjoying the benefit of Gaelic education We want young families to settle here, participate in the culture and become part of life here, but the UK Government is saying no its barking mad. "We need to keep the pressure up and, in this regard, the widespread community support and from further afield that has been shown, I know, is much appreciated by the family." The Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also taken an interest in the familys case and wrote to UK Home Secretary Theresa May earlier this month, asking her to reconsider allowing the Australian family to stay. I fear this is another example of the inflexibilities of the UK immigration system resulting in Scotland losing talented individuals who have studied at our universities and contributed to our economy, wrote Sturgeon. We need an immigration system in Scotland that meets our own needs and our continuous calls for the reinstatement of the post-study work route in Scotland would help to address these needs. Can you help Kathryn, Gregg and Lachlan Brain? https://t.co/ZYJX8dznKN SNP Dingwall BlackIs (@SNPDingwallBI) March 20, 2016 The Brain familys story is very similar to that of the Ware family, who faced deportation from Ireland last year despite various visa attempts and pleas from local representatives. Due to a bureaucratic mix-up between the INIS and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), the family was given just weeks to leave before receiving a one year leave to remain just as they were set to leave their Co. Kerry home. The Ware familys daughters were also Irish-language speakers and active members of the community. Read more: US family threatened with deportation from Ireland granted one year to remain H/T: The National One hundred years ago last week, Roger Casement faced a judge and jury in London accused of traitorous behavior against His Majesty. In the dock Casement, who had been badly treated in custody in the Tower of London, was pale and wan, yet nonetheless full of the fire of an Irish revolutionary. Casement is, in many ways, the most interesting of the men of 1916 an Ulster Protestant who made his way through life as a champion of human rights, shaming the King of Belgium and the King of England for their horrific abuse of native rubber workers in the Congo. Incredibly, up to 10 million Congolese could have died in the dreadful conditions in the rubber plantations. They were slaves who had their hands hacked off if they tried to escape. The list of crimes went on and on. Joseph Conrad wrote "The Heart of Darkness" about those supposedly civilized Europeans who plundered, stole and murdered at will in Africa. For his pioneering work Casement was given a knighthood, but his thoughts were always turning towards Ireland. He saw in the faces of the Irish people barely recovered from the Famine era the same dreadful treatment that colonials had administered in the Congo. In his speech from the dock which in my opinion rival's Robert Emmet's he gladly confessed to being a traitor to Britain. Let me say that I am prouder to stand here today in the traitor's dock to answer this impeachment than to fill the place of my accusers. If there be no right of rebellion against a state of things that no savage tribe would endure without resistance, then am I sure that it is better for men to fight and die without right than to live in such a state of right as this. Casement played a huge role in the Rising: raising money in America, visiting Germany to procure arms then cast ashore from a German ship as the rebellion was due to start. He was captured when a carload of IRA fighters never made it to lonely Banna Strand. Here are Casements words: Since arms were so necessary to make our organization a reality and to give to the minds of Irishmen menaced with the most outrageous threats a sense of security, it was our bounden duty to get arms before all else. I decided with this end in view to go to America. If, as the right honorable gentleman, the present attorney general, asserted in a speech at Manchester, Nationalists would neither fight for home rule nor pay for it, it was our duty to show him that we knew how to do both. Then came the war. As Mr. Birrell said in his evidence recently laid before the Commission of Inquiry into the causes of the late rebellion in Ireland, The war upset all our calculations. It upset mine no less than Mr. Birrell's, and put an end to my mission of peaceful effort in America. War between Great Britain and Germany meant, as I believed, ruin for all the hopes we had founded on the enrollment of the Irish Volunteers. I felt over there in America that my first duty was to keep Irishmen at home in the only army that could safeguard our national existence. If small nationalities were to be the pawns in this game of embattled giants, I saw no reason why Ireland should shed her blood in any cause but her own, and if that be treason beyond the seas I am not ashamed to avow it or to answer for it here with my life...I went a road that I knew must lead to the dock...surely it is a braver, a saner, and a truer thing to be a rebel in act and deed against such circumstances as this than tamely to accept it as the natural lot of men. My Lord, I have done." It was an old school Irish Catholic pol, Joe Biden, who reveled last week that he was sold on selecting Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren as his running mate, had he decided to run for president. This has led to heated speculation about who Hillary Clinton will end up selecting for the veep slot. Warren is gleefully turning herself into a thorn in Donald Trumps side, one Washington Post blog reports, adding that people within Hillary Clintons campaign are pushing her to select Warren as her running mate. The same blog goes on to add: My dear liberal friends, I can feel your excitement already. But shes not going to be on the ticket. Politically, that may well make sense. But it was certainly an interesting week to ponder an all-female ticket running for the White House. Read more: We were in denial about Trump so dont think Hillary will have it easy The same week, at the Vatican, Pope Francis held a meeting with 900 women active in the Church, otherwise known as women religious. During a question and answer session, the pope was asked if women could serve as deacons, as they had in the early years of the church. "Why not construct an official commission that might study the question? the pope was then asked. According to The National Catholic Reporter, Pope Francis revealed that he had spoken about the matter once some years ago with a good, wise professor who had studied the use of female deacons in the early centuries of the church. Francis said it remained unclear to him what role such deacons had. The pontiff then asked, "What were these female deacons? Did they have ordination or no? It was a bit obscure. What was the role of the deaconess in that time? Then, as he has many times before, he made a declaration that seemed both ordinary and revolutionary. "Constituting an official commission that might study the question? I believe yes. It would do good for the Church to clarify this point. I am in agreement. And just like that, Pope Francis re-ignited the debate about women serving as priests. Of course, Pope Francis only brought up the issue of deacons. But deacons serve many of the same functions priests do. In fact, given the shortage of priests in many parishes, deacons (who are allowed to be married) are already serving as de facto priests. Which begs the question: Why are so many aging males in the church hierarchy clinging to church doctrine when they refuse to even consider ordaining women? When so many in the world have decided women are quite able to run for and hold high office Clinton, Warren 2016! why do so many Catholics accept the churchs position on female priests, which seems like something out of the Talibans playbook? And if you think that is a cheap shot, think about it were only talking about a female priest celebrating at the altar here. What word other than radical can you call a faith that excludes females not only from parish leadership, but also from more powerful positions in the hierarchy, not to mention the papacy itself? For some time now, Pope Francis has earned accolades for his willingness to question ancient ways. But it may be time to move beyond merely raising questions. The Pope said he is willing to form a commission to study the possibility of women serving as deacons. And even that has gotten many traditionalists up in arms! The all-male priesthood (and hierarchy) has, shall we say, come with its fair share of problems. As it is, many Catholics like to joke that it is usually the nuns who do the real work in any parish. Why not tap that pool of talent? Look no further than Sundays New York Times Magazine, which ran a touching photo essay on Dominican nuns who treat the untreatable suffering from incurable cancer in Westchester County, NY. Imagine if such dedicated and devoted people could actually obtain some power in the hierarchy? How could making the world a better place be against church doctrine? January 25 is International Irish Coffee Day, so brew yourself a cuppa Joe, or whip yourself up an Irish coffee and learn about the history of one of Ireland's most popular drinks. Irish coffee is one of the worlds most popular drinks, yet not that much is known about why and how it became so popular. Joe Sheridan and a cold night in Foynes Joe Sheridan was a top-class chef and bartender when he applied for the chefs job at Rineanna, the townland in Limerick where the Flying Boat terminal was based at Foynes Airport. In his job application, received by CEO Brendan ORegan, Sheridan simply stated: Dear Sir. Im the man for the job. Yours sincerely, Joe Sheridan." Turns out, Sheridan was right. He got the job, which would later help make him famous. In 1943, a Pan Am flying boat flight to New York turned back to Foynes due to bad weather. Sheridan was asked to come back to the airport to prepare hot food and drinks for the freezing passengers. Hoping to warm the travelers, Sheridan put some good Irish whiskey into their coffees and topped it with pouring cream. When he was asked by the passengers if he had used Brazilian coffee, Sheridan replied: "No, it was Irish coffee. Read more Baileys release special Apple Pie Irish Cream for fall Irish Coffee comes to the US In 1951, Stanton Delaplane, a reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle, sampled Sheridan's Irish Coffee at Foynes Airport. The reporter flew home to the US and spent a long evening at The Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco attempting to work out the proper balance of ingredients. Soon enough, Jack Koeppler, the owner of The Buena Vista, found himself to be the proprietor of the most prosperous saloon in the city practically overnight, thanks to Irish Coffee. The year after, Sheridan was offered a job at The Buena Vista. Sheridan settled into San Francisco and worked at The Buena Vista for ten years. Delaplane was later quoted in Time magazine as saying of Irish Coffee: "I can't stand the stuff anymore. Read more Perfect Irish coffee recipe for these cold winter nights Irish Coffee: as popular as ever Today, the Buena Vista serves up to 2,000 Irish coffees a day. The busiest day theyve ever had was the Super Bowl in 1982 when the 49ers played Miami. That day, three bartenders served 109 bottles of whiskey between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The night crew served another 104, meaning the pub served well over 6,000 drinks that day [6,177 specifically]. All because of a cold night and bad weather, all because of a storm in 1943 that forced a flight to America back to its origin at Foynes, Irish coffee became the first flavored coffee drink. Joe Sheridans Original Irish Coffee Recipe Ingredients: 2 sugar cubes 1 1/2 oz Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey Coffee Method: Fill an Irish coffee glass with very hot water to preheat, then empty. Pour hot coffee into a hot glass until it is about full and drop in 2 cocktail sugar cubes; stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Add a full jigger of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey for proper taste and body. Top with a collar of lightly whipped cream by pouring gently over a spoon. Enjoy it while its hot. * Originally published in 2019. Updated in 2022. Read more Mariah Careys Black Irish liquor cannot be sold in Ireland due to legal battle ARE YOU A TOP COMPANY? What it Really Means to be a Top Company! To be a Top Company in Irish Construction Industry Magazines Top Companies listing means far more than just a rank and position in an ordered catalogue of names. To us, it means that your efforts to be the best you can be and to excel in your industry and sector have been effective and have paid dividends. To us, it means that your determination and commitment to develop and instil a positive work culture and environment have brought your business due success plus satisfaction. We see it as you being a supportive and inclusive place in which to work that strives to bring the best out of everyone across every level of the organisation. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fishery and Aquaculture, Nofima will help BIM to drive innovation in the seafood sector. BIM says Nofimas valuable insight and expertise in innovation, technology transfer and sustainability will be of significant benefit to the seafood sector as it seeks to value to its seafood. Update 4.28pm: Fianna Fail has said that it will not be supporting a motion by Sinn Fein and other TDs that calls for the immediate scrapping of water charges. The party is to put down an amendment to the motion which will be put forward on Wednesday night. It has not ruled out supporting a Government counter-motion on water charges if the wording reflects what has been agreed between the two parties. "Well, I can't say that at this stage, I haven't seen the amendment," said Fianna Fail's Dublin Mid West TD John Curran. "You could ask the question the other way around - will the Government support the amendment we're putting forward? "But effectively, we're putting forward an amendment, in Private Members, to indicate our situation on this, and the work that has been done in the formation of a Programme for Government." It is also understood that Independent TD and junior minister John Halligan has agreed to support a Government counter-motion on the subject of water charges. Earlier: The minority Government will face its first real test this week when a motion to scrap water charges immediately is debated in the Dail. Sinn Fein and other anti-charges TDs have put forward the motion, and it is unclear at this stage what Fianna Fail will do when the vote takes place on Wednesday night. The facilitation agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail plans for charges to be suspended and an Independent Commission to look at them. The motion states: That Dail Eireann notes that a majority of Deputies elected to the 32nd Dail made clear pre-election pledges to end water charges; and calls on the Government to: immediately abolish domestic water charges; establish a public water and sanitation board to deliver water on the basis of need; and set a date for a referendum to enshrine the public ownership of water services in the Constitution of Ireland. Some 39 TDs in total - all from the Right to Change banner - and including Sinn Fein, Anti Austerity Alliance, People Before Profit, Social Democrats and Independents have already signed the motion. The latest figures from Irish Water clearly demonstrate that people are opposed to paying this unfair tax, said Sinn Fein's Eoin O'Broin. We expect all the TDs elected on the anti-water charges platform to vote in favour of this motion. We also expect the Government to respect the democratic will of the people and to scrap this charge. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said: Water charges are politically dead. The Government should now allow then to be buried in the Dail this week. One test for the Government could be how newly appointed junior minister John Halligan votes. The Waterford TD has indicated that he may vote in favour of the Opposition. However, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Simon Coveney is to put down a counter-motion this week, which he hopes Deputy Halligan will support instead. I hope when he sees our motion, which is a counter-motion to what Sinn Fein are doing this week, hell see that what were committing to in that motion is whats in the Programme for Government, which John will be familiar with, so I hope hell be comfortable with that, said Minister Coveney. The Teachers Union of Ireland is calling on members to accept the proposed agreement with the Department of Education and Skills. In a communication to members, the TUI has stated that the proposed agreement provides tangible concessions with additional stepping stones for further progress on workload, terms and conditions, bureaucracy and professional autonomy. More than 65 people have been killed and many others injured in a series of explosions in coastal government strongholds in Syria. Syrian state TV reported multiple attacks in the coastal cities of Tartus and Jableh, strongholds of President Bashar Assad. Russia banned many Western food imports, including dairy, in 2014 in retaliation for sanctions over Ukraine, creating supply shortfalls and spurring investments in its agricultural sector. Vietnamese dairy firm TH Group has begun building milk farms near Moscow as part of a 2.5bn 10-year project. It would be a considerable understatement to say that we had matters to discuss. Mr Creed takes up his office when our family dairy farm system which ICMSA regards as the jewel in our agri-crown has been decimated by a collapse in milk price that has seen a near 50% fall over the two years from 2014. We are now fast approaching the first anniversary of the point when the price being paid to farmers for their milk first went below the cost of production. I leave it to your imagination to estimate the kind of media meltdown we would be witnessing if any other section of our society was asked to work on the scale and with the intensity that dairy farmers have to for a full year for no income from that work. However, that is the reality and it is a reality were all going to have to work at changing as soon as possible. There are two aspects to the problem, firstly, we have the quite shameful unwillingness by the Commission and individual member states to confront the margin-pillaging indulged in by the retail corporations. Supply chain fairness Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan is just the latest to talk tough about ensuring fairness in the supply-chain only to then undergo a complete change-of-heart on the question of coercing the corporations into acting fairly. ICMSAs annual general meeting last November was addressed by the commissioner who gave the definite impression that he was going to impose fairness on the chain. Alas, that has now been diluted down to the usual guff about voluntary codes of conduct and the like. Someday someone within the Commission is going to confront the retail corporations about their systematic abuse of Europes farmers and primary producers but until then we must focus on those tools which are within our immediate grasp and deploy them to try and restore milk price to some level of viability. That is why we recently proposed an EU-funded and completely voluntary Milk Reduction Programme that would pay farmers approximately 10c per litre of reduction on a 2015 production to 2016 production basis. The scheme would be voluntary and emphatically would not obstruct farmers who wish to expand to any level. Insufficient response However, the present reality of over-supply has to be recognised and dealt with and it is patently no longer sufficient to just tell farmers to sit tight and wait for markets to recover almost a year after their price fell below the cost of producing the milk. If the reality of the haemorrhage of money out of our farming and wider rural economies is still not concentrating minds, then I would quote only one figure. Our dairy farmer milk suppliers have just received their co-op statement for milk supplied in April. ICMSA calculates the value of those payments is 100m lower than the corresponding figure in April 2014. Remember, thats just one month. In the face of this scale of loss and the pressure consequently being felt in Ireland and right across the EUs dairy farm sector, the present Commission and Council of Ministers response of adjusting or tweaking storage volumes to try and support prices is demonstrably inadequate. Direct response needed We need a a much more direct and immediate response and in ICMSAs opinion that must mean a voluntary milk-reduction scheme that could reduce overall EU supply but still leave us poised to ramp-up production easily and smoothly when markets and prices recover. Not a single farmer will be compelled to alter his or her production on this model; it is entirely a matter for the individual producer. ICMSA had also raised other issues with Mr Creed including the necessity of a vibrant live export market and the ongoing problems with TAMS approvals and payments. Milk price is, has been, and always will be our focus. And we urge Mr Creed to make it his also. It must be Item No 1 on his agenda as he settles into his office with all our earnest good wishes. BIM chief executive Tara McCarthy highlighted the statistics at the IFA-organised national shellfish conference in Athlone, Co Westmeath. These revealed that the industry increased in value by 34m in 2015 to a first point of sale figure of almost 150m. Overall production volumes rose by over 25% to 40,140 tonnes, with employment stabilising at 1,840. Ms McCarthy said the market for Irish oysters in Hong Kong and China was actively targeted in a collective manner by Irish producers, with the assistance of BIM. Irish oysters have received a warm welcome, commanding a premium price in the Chinese and Hong Kong markets and are now the highest priced in this region. Last year, oyster farming employed 775 people in coastal areas. Over 90% of Irish oysters are exported, the majority going to France. However, 2015 saw 10% of Irish oyster exports going to Hong Kong and China. Last weeks shellfish conference followed a recent prediction by agri-food economist professor Alan Renwick that a further increase of 6m and an extra 77 jobs can be produced with every 10% increase in production. The message from the conference itself, which discussed a wide range of issues affecting the industry, was that the marine sector needs government action to create jobs and exports. A poll carried out last year found a significant increase in local residents being happy to see aquaculture in their own locality. The figure was up from 27% (2008) to 49% (2015). The main reasons given for the increased support were employment (59%); ensuring fish stocks (27%); providing a healthy food (22%); creating wealth; and helping support local communities (18%). Also, the Wild Atlantic Way initiative has seen a number of shellfish farmers set up retail outlets for their products on the route. The initiative has also encouraged a resurgence in foodfestivals like the Connemara Mussel Festival and the Carrigaholt Oyster Festival as well as others in Achill, Carlingford and Galway. Prof Renwicks report for the IFA recommended a more simplified regulatory framework, the introduction of contingency plans, a strengthening of the market identity for Irish oysters and a focus on adding value in Ireland. It also called for more effort in improving technical issues and developing greater collaboration between producers on common issues. The study found that in growth terms producers individually and the industry collectively were facing the choice between focusing on higher value output or simply increasing production more along bulk commodity lines. Professor Renwick said the small scale and industry fragmentation presented a range of challenges. This is particularly the case in areas which incur relatively high fixed costs for producers such as investment in purification, water-quality assurance requirements, logistics and marketing efforts, he said. The report said that the issue of possible advantages of increased collaboration and co-operation was central. It said there are significant opportunities for the oyster sector and that these can bring about real economic benefits to Ireland nationally and at a local level. However, it said a number of constraints need to be overcome to ensure the industry can thrive and continue to develop. Of these the dysfunctional licensing system was perceived by all as not only the greatest challenge facing the sector at the current time, but also a major barrier to growth. The report claimed the licensing problem has direct and indirect implications for oyster producers including difficulty for businesses to raise capital from banks or outside investors. Meanwhile, the Irish Shellfish Association, a member of IFA, urged the Agriculture, Food and Marine Minister, Michael Creed at the Athlone conference to ensure swift and measurable action to review procedures, reduce red tape and encourage development of the indigenous sector. The shellfish associations chairman Jerry Gallagher said the industry needs to invest in sustainable growth, based on the clear commitments to better co-ordination between departments, a more responsive licensing system and measures to support producers in meeting environmental challenges. He said the industry needs to see specific actions to back up the very broad aspirations on the seafood sector contained in the Programme for Government. Coastal communities have waited too long for affirmative action by the State to encourage investment in aquaculture and create long lasting jobs in remote areas, he said. Mr Gallagher said employment is steady and growing in the sector and interest is strong from a new generation of aquaculturists and entrepreneurs. These people want to get involved in farming shellfish as a career, combining a natural production cycle with international marketing in peripheral coastal areas. Mr Gallagher said the sector can only maintain and increase competitive advantage in Europe by various actions such as reducing the costs of red tape and improving infrastructure including broadband in coastal regions. EU funds must be wisely used, he said, to innovate and protect producers from algal blooms originating in the deep Atlantic and improving presence and networking in new markets like Asia though agencies such as Bord Bia and BIM. IFA president Joe Healy said his associations remit extends to all Irish food producers. Aquaculture is not the new kid on the block anymore. It has been producing food and jobs in counties like Galway, Donegal, Cork and others for 40 years and is the definition of a success story, he said. Taken by Captain Jack C Hart, the brother of former Lotabeg owner Vincent Hart, in Peking during the 1912 Chinese revolution, the images depict beheadings and victims of torture as well as scenes from the daily lives of Captain Harts colleagues in the British Army. He was able to take the photographs because he was in the army, auctioneer George Mealy jnr said. A Chinese person attempting to photograph these scenes would certainly have met the same fate as the bodies in the picture. Members of the public viewing silver items at the weekend. The auction is expected to generate in excess of 1m. Pic: Larry Cummins Mr Mealy said that this lot, 559, was receiving a lot of international interest. These photographs are politically sensitive, and very rare: the Chinese government has worked very hard to suppress this kind of information. More than 3,000 visitors are expected to visit the house over the three viewing days, Mr Mealy said. At 20 for a catalogue admitting two, the open house event alone is set to raise 90,000 before so much as a cut-glass decanter has been sold. The Order of The Star of India, with cameo of Queen Victoria. Pic: Larry Cummins With a preparation time of two months simply to catalogue and display the house contents and with a small army of keen-eyed auctioneers assistants on hand to answer questions and prevent damage, this figure will only go some way towards the costs of arranging an auction expected to generate in excess of 1m. Lotabeg was designed by architect Abraham Hargrave, who also designed St Patricks Bridge, and Castlehyde, Michael Flatleys house, and was purchased for Vincent Hart as a gift by his father, who managed the Queens Old Castle department store for 23 years. Watching the public traipse through the house, it was impossible not to wonder what the Harts would make of the hoi polloi coming in and snooping through their roll-top desks, scrapbooks and silverware. The family is keen to move on, Mr Mealy said. They want a fresh start, so we are under instruction to sell as much of the contents of the house as we can. Lot 559: Captain John C Harts collection of photographs taken in Peking during the 1911/1912 Chinese Revolution. Pic: Larry Cummins The visitors were a mix of well-heeled private collectors who had travelled from as far away as France to indulge their passion for art, curious locals, and dealers with a professional interest in the more valuable items, such as the George IV and William IV period furniture. In the stone-flagged basement, trunks on display had evocative British India steamer company labels still attached. In the wine cellar, bottles of 1952 Chateau Mouton de Rothschild rubbed shoulders with bottles of Dom Perignon obviously bought by more recent occupants of the house. A Cork man was examining a room full of childrens tricycles and prams. Im just pretending Im in Downton Abbey, he said. A travel case/ luggage box marked as officers baggage. Pic: Larry Cummins Im not a collector or anything, I live close by so I just came in for a look, purely out of curiosity. When the key turns in the lock on Lotabeg house, it will turn not only on a family history but on an epoch, replete with the trappings of colonialism. Lotabeg is open to the public again today. The auction will be held tomorrow at Silver Springs Conference Centre. The general election candidate learned at Mass last week that he would no longer be allowed to read in St Colmans Cathedral due to his partys pro-choice stance. He was told his role as a lector was over due to his partys commitment to repealing the Eighth Amendment. Mr Curtin said this could set a precedence for Ministers of the Word, Ministers of the Eucharists, and choirs and would be a hugely backwards step at a time when Mass attendance is falling. Ken Curtin I do see it as a good organisation in general. Obviously I dont need to point out the mistakes (of the Church) that happened in the past. But in terms of this argument and this fight if they are successful and they get me removed, that is a victory for those who knock the Church, not a victory for the Church. Speaking on Corks 96FM, Mr Curtin stressed he was hopeful of a speedy resolution. He said the Church must go forwards not backwards: There are supporters and members of the parish active in this parish in other roles. Just because somebody is involved in the Church doesnt mean that they agree with every single position of the Church. My faith has always been important to me. In difficult times my faith has been a rock for me. Personally, I was taken aback. I dont just see this as an issue for myself. If this starts happening in general it would be a huge backwards step for the church. I'm happy to confirm I will be meeting with Bishop Crean on Monday morning regarding my removal as a lector (reader) in RC parish of #Cobh Ken Curtin (@kencurtin) May 21, 2016 He said this was a line the Church should not cross. I want to continue to play an active role in the Church. Its very selective to say you cant be a reader but we are happy to have you sit on the pew. We are happy to have you contribute to the two collections but you cant read. Mr Curtin stood as a candidate in the Cork East constituency, but failed to be elected. He also campaigned for a Yes vote in the marriage equality referendum. As the anniversary approaches of the explosions that killed nearly 400 boys and men at the Oaks Colliery near Barnsley in December 1866, volunteer researchers have put together some details of two men born in Cork known to have died. Several other victims are known to have been second-generation Irish who worked at the coal mine, a kilometre outside the south Yorkshire town. William Barry was 27 when he died in the main explosion just after 1pm on December 12, 1866. Dozens of rescuers were killed in a further explosion during efforts to search for survivors and bodies the next day, one of several that occurred over the following week. It is known that William was born in Cork, and census records show he was already working as a coal- miner in 1861. He was then living on Barnsleys Baker St with his parents James and Mary. His younger sister Ellen was also born in Cork, and was working as a winder in a sinew factory. The family had two lodgers, including Irish-born Catherine Conley and young local woman Catherine Hanagan, who worked as a weaver on a linen power loom. The burial order book entry in Barnsley Cemetery of Cork-born Thomas Hiland or Thomas Ireland, killed in the 1866 Oaks Colliery disaster. Picture: Barnsley Archives and Local Studies. William was employed at the time of the tragedy as a hurrier, bringing the mined coal to the surface. However, he was one of an estimated 169 victims whose bodies were never brought out of the pit after the disaster. Among more than 20 of the dead who had Irish parents was John Coughlan, whose great-great-granddaughter Lynda Pickersgill is one of the volunteer team that put over 3,000 hours of research into the project. John was just 22 when he was killed at the Oaks Colliery. His father Jeremiah Coughlan had left Cork in the early 1800s and had a sister called Catherine, she said. John had been living for at least a few years in Barnsley, as Lynda has established that he lodged with a family called Rowlinson in the town before marrying Mary Firth on July 27, 1863. Lynda said: I would love to find out more about John and Jeremiahs background from Cork, and would welcome any light that could be shed on the Coughlan family. Many names are not entirely certain, such as a 30-year-old Cork-born miner who was probably Thomas Hiland or Hyland, but was registered in the records of a local cemetery as Thomas Ireland. Stephen Miller, community officer with Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership which organised the project, said researchers discovered his burial, shared with another victim, was paid for by another Irish coalminer, Andrew Moffatt. He was visiting Thomas Hilands home on Albert Street on the night of the 1861 census so they were probably friends. The fact there are nine people born in Ireland on that one census page with 23 names gives an idea of the population in the area at the time, he said. The Hiland family in 1861 included Thomass parents, farm labourer James and charwoman Jane, who appear to have emigrated during the famine. An 18-year-old daughter Ann was born in Ireland, but the youngest child in the family Margaret was born in Barnsley in 1847 or 1848. With plans for an exhibition in December to offer further stories of some of the victims, Mr Miller said any information or family photos from Ireland would be hugely appreciated. Some of the details found, to date, about the 384 victims, 23 more than previously thought, can be seen at www.discoverdearne.org.uk. Anyone with feedback or information can contact the project at DVLP@barnsley.gov.uk While essentially repeating her position, speaking to the Irish Examiner last night, Ms Fitzgerald said Ms OSullivan would make public whatever is legal and feasible as soon as possible. It is a matter for the Commissioner, I have no doubt she will seek to clarify as much as possible the points raised. The Policing Authority has indicated publicly that it will be addressing and discussing the OHiggins report with the Garda Commissioner. I think that is a very appropriate forum, she said. There were calls from across the political spectrum yesterday for the commissioner to clarify her position, given the inconsistencies with her public statements about whistleblowers including Sgt McCabe. Revelations in the Irish Examiner have detailed how counsel for Ms OSullivan sought to at first challenge Sgt McCabes integrity and later his credibility and motivations in his dealings with the Commission. The new Labour leader Brendan Howlin yesterday said he has no confidence in the Department of Justice, which he said sometimes operates like the downtown office of An Garda Siochana. There were two reports in the last year from the Garda Inspectorate relating to very broad ranging reforms that are necessary. I am not convinced yet that they have been embraced, Mr Howlin told RTEs This Week programme. Bluntly, I have no confidence in the Department of Justice to drive that change because I think there is too close of a relationship between the Department of Justice and An Garda Siochana; who sometimes see themselves as the downtown office of An Garda Siochana, as opposed to the people who are managing policing in Ireland, as well as a number of other things, he said. There was continued radio silence from Garda Headquarters yesterday. There was intense activity between Garda HQ and the Department of Justice, and within the wider Government, at the end of last week to try to craft a statement. Legal concerns around any lifting of client-lawyer privilege and commenting on evidence from a commission of inquiry, as interpreted by Garda legal chiefs and the Attorney General, are thought to explain the delay. The matter is understood to be largely a political one, with senior officials in the Department of Justice, along with Ms Fitzgerald, as well as the Taoiseach and Attorney General, having to sign off on any proposed statement from the commissioner. The statement, while aiming to be sufficient to quell concerns within Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, is unlikely to answer all questions. It is also conceivable no statement will be issued and that the commissioner will only provide information to the Policing Authority at a private meeting on Thursday. Unless chairwoman Josephine Feehily gives an interview after that, the public will not know anything about what was said, at least until the minutes are published the month after. War correspondent Fergal Keane and Kim Phuc Phan Ti, best known as the nine-year-old child depicted in the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken during the Vietnam War, will be visiting the West Waterford town of Lismore for this years festival. Taking place from Thursday June 16, to Sunday June 19, it is expected to draw thousands of visitors from across the country. According to festival co-ordinator Jan Rotte, the theme of this years Immrama event is Journeys through war and peace and each of the guest speakers will focus their talk on that theme. The festival kicks off with a screening of 2015 horseracing dram Palio in the Courthouse Theatre. This will be followed the next day with a talk from multi award-winning journalist Peter Murtagh. Saturday morning will see former County Librarian Donald Brady take to the stage at 11am. Mr Brady is a regular contributor at the Immrama festival speaking every year on a different historical subject or personality from Lismore. This year he will speak about 17th-century chemist Robert Boyle. Guest speakers Donald Brady & Paul Clements return for another year! We can't wait! Catch up with them for Free on 18th June #lismoreimmrama Lismore Immrama (@lismoreimmrama) May 22, 2016 He will be followed by travel author Paul Clements at 12.30pm, who will speak about his latest book, Wandering Irelands Wild Atlantic Way: From Banbas Crown to Worlds End. Mr Rotte said the keynote speakers, who will both speak on Saturday, will be a high point of the weekends events. The two main highlights are Kim Phuc and Fergal Keane and both of them fit very nicely into this years theme, he said. Kim Phuc is the girl in the Pulitzer prize-winning picture from 1972 and she will tell her life story and what her life was like through the Vietnam War. Mr Rotte said it is a very hard-hitting story but a not-to-be-missed event. He continued: Fergal of course has reported from many war zones and from his own experience can tell a lot, particularly with his involvement as a journalist in the latest refugee problems in Greece, Syria and the Ukraine. He will give people a journalistic point of view of the struggles of people caught up in war. A committee of 18 people has been involved behind the scenes of the festival and Mr Rotte extended his thanks to everyone who continues to make the festival a success. With all the organisation that needs to be done things wouldnt happen without their commitment, he said. They are very hardworking. Speaking at the launch of the 2016 programme, Mayor of Waterford John Cummins said Immrama is a festival like no other in the country. This festival has, from its very inception, brought some of the biggest names in travel writing and broadcasting to Ireland and with those names it has also brought international audiences and has shone an international spotlight on this beautiful Heritage Town, he said. Turtle Bunbury will kick-start the fourth and final day of activities on the Sunday morning with the popular literary breakfast in Lismore House Hotel. A new addition is the young travel writers competition, open to secondary school students. www.lismoreimmrama.com or call 058-53803. The Department of Education received 39 applications for student supports under the scheme announced last August. At the time, then education minister Jan OSullivan said a relatively small number of students who are seeking asylum, including those in direct provision, are excluded from going to college each year, primarily because they are considered in the same way as non-EU students with fees of around 15,0000 per year. It was acknowledged that the numbers likely to benefit would be low. They would be entitled to the same access as Irish students to free tuition and, subject to being within the family income thresholds, for eligibility for grants. But a brief on the scheme given to Education Minister Richard Bruton reveals that only two of those who applied were successful through the pilot scheme. With more than 20 students who sat the Leaving Certificate last year believed to have been living in direct provision, the 39 applications was in line with expectations. The low success rate is likely to be considered in a review of the scheme taking place this year. Around 30 to 40 students who are in the asylum-seeking process are expected to sit the Leaving Certificate each of the next few years. The Department of Education told the Irish Examiner the scheme has enjoyed widespread support from stakeholders in the sector since it became operational. It is currently being reviewed following the conclusion of its first year of existence, and after that review is finalised, further announcements will be made, a spokesperson said. The pilot scheme was introduced in line with recommendations in the 2014 report of the Working Group on the Protection Process set up by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and then junior minister Aodhan O Riordain. The strict criteria mean that only those students who had already been accepted into a third-level course were eligible. Applicants were also required to have obtained a Leaving Certificate, and to have been at least five years in the asylum protection system and to have attended school in Ireland for the same period. Solicitors and barristers say the cuts they absorbed in the recession make it unviable to continue participation in the scheme. They say the cuts were accepted on the understanding they would be restored when the economy recovered. Law Society director general Ken Murphy said solicitors fees were cut by 28.5% over four successive cuts from 2009 to 2011. We recognised the disastrous state of the public finances at the time and reluctantly, but public-spiritedly accepted the cuts without protest, but we did so on the basis that when the public finances improved those cuts would have to be restored. We dont expect full restoration of all cuts overnight, but it has to commence. Mr Varadkar told the Irish Examiner he is considering the future of the internship scheme. Indecon is currently evaluating the scheme for the Department of Social Protection, and will report back in September, he said. The scheme has been very effective to date. Some 15,000 interns went directly into paid employment immediately following a JobBridge internship. Independent research indicates that this rose to 29,000 interns, or 61% of all participants after five months, he added. Mr Varadkar said he personally knows people who have benefited from it. It is voluntary and nobody is pushed on to it. But its very much a scheme of its time, and Im considering whether there is a better alternative. I dont think it should just be scrapped. Confirmation its future is in jeopardy comes amid strong criticism that many firms, including state agencies, have sought to exploit JobBridge in a bid to avoid paying normal wages. Last week, Junior Jobs Minister John Halligan said that the scheme needs to be replaced. Fianna Fail Social Protection spokesman Willie ODea said JobBridge has served a purpose but has been abused. It comes as adoption groups have reiterated calls for a number of adoption agencies as well as a range of State and private maternity homes to be included in the investigation. Under its terms of reference, the Mother and Baby Homes Commission will investigate how unmarried mothers and their babies were treated between 1922 and 1998 at 14 State-linked religious institutions. The three-year inquiry which has a 23.5m budget will examine mother and baby homes, county homes, vaccine trials on children, and illegal adoptions where babies were sent abroad. In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the Commission said it not yet made any decision about recommending any extension of its terms of reference. St Patricks Guild has been commonly cited by campaigners as a glaring omission from the inquiry. The agency holds 13,500 adoption files one quarter of all adoption files in the country. Last year, the Irish Examiner revealed that the agency was excluded from the scope of the inquiry despite the Government being told in June 2013 by an Adoption Authority (AAI) delegation that the agency was aware of several hundred illegal birth registrations. A note of a meeting between two nuns from the agency and representatives of the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, on February 3 last year also revealed that St Patricks Guilds records contained some illegal registrations and that full details are available on the majority of cases. The AAI also named St Ritas private nursing home also excluded from the inquiry as a huge source of illegal registrations. Claire McGettrick of the Adoption Rights Alliance (ARA) and Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR) said she expected the Commission to add to the current shortlist of institutions it is examining. The legislation makes an express provision for the Commission to add to the initial list and it has resourced the Commission well with a team of historians led by Prof Mary Daly, president of the Royal Irish Academy. Historians realise there were many institutions involved in the Mother and Baby home sector in Ireland JFMR and ARA have given a list to the Commission of some 170 institutions, agencies and individuals which our organisations and academic historians are also investigating, she said. Paul Redmond of the Coalition of Mother and Baby Homes said that it was a national disgrace that so many people were being excluded from the inquiry when so little effort is required to include everyone. A council engineer said the discrepancy in Bartlemy, a village near Rathcormac in north-east Cork, had been discovered by accident. The speed limit oversight emerged as county councillors discussed a revision of speed signs in nearby towns such as Fermoy. Council engineer Brendan OGorman said he came across the discrepancy by accident and was surprised there was no speed limit in the village, especially as it had a national school, a church and other amenities. The disclosure came at the Fermoy municipal Authority meeting. Officials, meanwhile, rejected calls to introduce a 30kph speed limit in Fermoy town centre from MacCurtain St to Pearse Square over Thomas Kent Bridge and up to Brian Boru Square. However, Mr OGorman said this was not recommended as speed limit guidelines state the 30kph limit should only be introduced to roads with no strategic importance and, therefore, should not be applied to Fermoy as the route through the town was designated as a national secondary. He said, in exceptional circumstances, it could be applied but would require the consent of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). However, it was highly unlikely the TII would give permission for such a proposal in Fermoy Mr OGorman said that he believed if implemented it would lead to further congestion and pedestrians could put their lives at risk weaving in and out of slow-moving traffic. Meanwhile, Mr OGorman ruled out, for nighttime noise reasons, speed ramps in Watergrasshill as councillor June Murphy said she had received complaints about speeding. Legislation could be amended to allow developers lodge applications directly to the board, bypassing local authorities, and that this could bring forward tens of thousands of houses quickly, he said. Currently projects given strategic infrastructure status by the board, such as the proposed incinerator in Ringaskiddy, make their applications directly to the board. Mr Flynn said a similar system would be set up for the next couple of years to tackle the housing crisis because this [housing] is strategic infrastructure. Speaking on RTE radio yesterday, Mr Flynn said the planning system was not working and that there was not enough land available with funded infrastructure to deliver development. He said he was suggesting a drastic measure, that a special unit could be resourced within the board to act as a one-stop shop in terms of dealing with planning with the housing minister acting as executive chair of a committee that could examine any blockages that arose around implementing those plans, and that implementation deadlines could be put in place. His proposed system did not involve taking any third parties out of the process he said. People are homeless, that shouldnt be the case. There are social houses, that shouldnt be the case. This [proposed] system can be used to resolve homelessness, to resolve the social [housing] and I can tell you from dealing with experts on those areas, that can be funded. Mr OFlynn said without adopting this direct planning approach you are never going to solve the problem. The Corkman, MD of the O Flynn Group, blamed the banks for causing the property crisis rather than developers even though people want to suggest it was the other way around. He is back building in Cork and Dublin with funding largely from New York-based Avenue Capital Group. Mr OFlynn said there were a number of fundamental issues around housing and that while the last government talked a good game, they did little about it and thats the blunt reality. He said the problem was land was too expensive and there wasnt enough land zoned in Ireland with infrastructure in the right place. He said he predicted a housing crisis four years ago and people thought I was losing it. Mr OFlynn said speeding up the planning application process was now the key to the housing crisis. He said yesterday he does not intend to vote against the Government in key votes, such as budgets or confidence motions. But this was in contrast to comments he gave to the Sunday Independent, where he suggested he had withdrawn support from the Government after he was overlooked for a junior ministry in last weeks appointments. The story said Dr Harty had pulled his support because he was not appointed as a junior minister by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. It said Dr Harty stated that he was not part of the Government and said he will approach all votes including motions of no confidence in the Taoiseach or his ministers on a strictly case-by-case basis. As a result, the story claimed Mr Kennys Government was teetering on a knife-edge after Dr Harty had withdrawn his support. But yesterday, he appeared to contradict that position. Dr Harty said suggestions that he has withdrawn his support for the Government do not reflect his position. I will take each issue as it comes and decide. But I will not be voting to bring the Government down on crucial votes like the budget, a confidence motion or a cabinet reshuffle. Obviously, if there was some unforeseen cataclysmic event that threatened the Government I would have to consider that. But I intend to be responsible in how I vote, he said. Dr Harty said he was not offered, and had not sought, a junior ministerial position. I voted for Enda Kenny to be elected Taoiseach and to allow a Fine Gael minority Government to take office as that was the only viable government possible,he said. I never gave unqualified support to the Government so there is nothing to withdraw. I was then and remain an Independent TD. The Clare-based GP said his position was similar to the arrangement with Fianna Fail. When the contradiction in this statement was pointed out, Dr Harty said: Obviously, if the vote (of confidence) on cataclysmic, unforeseen event it will depend on the issue at hand. Dr Harty, who was part of the Rural Five alliance which negotiated with Fine Gael, said he never sought a position in government from Fine Gael. He denied he was throwing his toys out of the pram because he was not appointed as junior minister. There is now speculation that Fine Gael may seek to back Dr Harty as chairman of a powerful new Oireachtas health committee. The Fine Gael minority Government is reliant on the support of stand alone Independent TDs Michael Lowry and Katherine Zappone. It is also supported by Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, John Halligan, Sean Canney and Kevin Boxer Moran of the Independent Alliance, and Denis Naughten and Dr Harty of the Rural Alliance. Dr Harty ran on the platform of highlighting the lack of GP care in parts of rural Ireland. At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Patrick Durcan hit out at the boorish behaviour by able-bodied drivers who illegally park in disabled parking spots in towns and villages, especially around Co Clare. He made his comment before banning Valerie Scullion of 18 Bridge View, Roslevan, Ennis from driving for six months. Judge Durcan imposed the ban after hearing evidence from traffic warden supervisor James Counihan that he identified Ms Scullions car parked in a disabled driving spot at Francis Street on December 30 last. The judge said this is a serious matter before imposing the driving ban and a 500 fine. He also awarded costs of 100 against Ms Scullion who did not attend yesterdays court hearing. The court heard Ms Scullion had previous convictions for illegally parking around Ennis, but none for unlawful parking in a disabled drivers spot. Enable Irelands communications officer Aghna Hennigan yesterday welcomed what she called the judges tough stance. She said: Physical accessibility is vital to the true inclusion of people with disabilities in society. If a parking space is unavailable, it can make an entire town inaccessible to a person with a disability. Enable Ireland welcomes Judge Durcans tough stance on this offence and hopes that it will deter other drivers from unnecessarily occupying accessible parking spaces in future. The organisation provides free services to disabled people across 14 counties. Corporate affairs manager of the AA, Conor Faughnan said yesterday: We have to trust our judges in the judgements they make. I dont think anyone can have any sympathy for someone who parks in a disabled parking one. It is an obnoxious thing to do. However, Mr Faughnan said: Justice must be proportionate and I believe that most drivers would be baffled with the ban handed down as the penalty in this case is the same that would be handed down for a person convicted of drink driving. Did you know that the Defence Forces is using Snapchat for a powerful recruitment drive aimed at 18-24-year-olds, or that Lidl uses Twitter to interact with customers? Or that, in terms of usage, Ireland has been a trailblazer on social media, adopting Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and now Snapchat with the greatest of speed? Or that in in this context and perhaps even more importantly its usually women who are behind successful social media initiatives? There are a lot more women than men working in the area of social media in Ireland but you wouldnt think it if you happened to walk in on a conference on the topic, complains digital media consultant Damien Mulley. Basically in the digital media market, a large percentage of the time you are dealing with women, he says observing, however, that the line-up of speakers at digital conferences is usually around 80% male. These are perfectly competent and capable but what happens is you tend to get the same speakers giving the same talks. So Mulley decided to do things a bit differently when he set out to organise a special Social Media week for later this month. The event features week-long talks and mentoring sessions in Cork, Limerick, Dublin and Galway, highlights with a social media conference in Liberty Hall on May 24, and awards ceremony in the RDS on May 25. I deliberately set out to have a very different line-up and get new people, new views and something that is as practical as possible for the audience, says Mulley, who opted for a line-up that was interesting, original and all-female: Rena Kennedy of the Irish Defence Forces, Aoife Clarke of Lidl PR, Shawna Scott of Sex Siopa, fashion designer Emma Manley, Donna Spellacy of DoneDeal, and Ann Lowney of Eventbrite, to name but a few. Finding our speakers was very easy; it took about a week to have most signed up. Our criteria for speakers was people that worked daily in digital, who are doing interesting things and who are not salespeople from the Twitters or Googles or Facebooks of the world, declares Mulley, who says the event will feature panels and talks covering how in-house teams manage social media, how organisations are creating their own content and how SMEs are able to juggle being small operations and using digital marketing to get wide attention I picked the Defence Forces because of the fact that its seen the potential of communications and has been on Twitter, Facebook and other social media for years. The Defence Forces is also now on Snapchat, and its one of the first Defence Forces in the world to use it. Sgt Rena Kennedy from the Defence Forces Theyre using it to target 18-24 year olds for a recruitment drive because thats where the 18-24 year-olds are to be found. A lot of companies and brands have not realised that but the Defence Forces has, and Rena will be talking about how the defence forces manages its social media profile given the environment its working in and the restrictions that imposes. Aoife Clarke, a member of Lidls in-house PR team will be talking about how very large multi-nationals like this company use social media platforms like Twitter to interact with customers and support initiatives such as their current well-received support for women in sport. Lidl has a relaxed tone on social media and customers find them approachable, he says adding that the Defence Forces and Lidl are excellent examples of how to work with the public through social media. Aoife Clarke of Lidl Entrepreneur Shawna Scott of the online company sex siopa.com will provide interesting insights into exploiting the opportunities offered by social media, Mulley believes. Shawna has developed a strong following as someone who can give honest and frank advice about sex. She uses social media very effectively and recently featured on TV through her skill at using social media, she has carved out a reputation as the person to interview in the area of sex and sex toys. Shes on Snapchat, Instagram and is very strong on Twitter. Conference delegates will also hear from fashion designer Emma Manley, who has been hugely successful at promoting her designs through blogs, twitter updates and displaying her work on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and has a particularly strong following on Instagram. Shawna Scott, Sex Siopa What these women have in common is that they are very good at what they do and theyre getting a lot of attention because they understand the general public. They know how to access their target audiences and they go to where these people are, which is on the social media networks. Thats why Ive put together this line-up. Theyre not voices weve heard before at conferences despite the award-winning work many of them carry out. Theyre fresh, original, creative and effective at what they do and all businesses and organisations involved in social media can learn from them. Social Media Week Ireland: May 23 to May 27. HE has the most unenviable job in Irish politics, having to chair the most chaotic Dail ever elected. Yet, last Thursday, in his expansive office in Leinster House, new Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail, showed little sign of a man who is overawed by his new challenge. I am granted 30 minutes and we sit down for his first major interview since his election to become the Dail chairman last month, over a modest glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. Unlike many who have held the role, OFearghail is a warm and engaging personality, and says his approach will not change now he has to oversee the most disparate Dail in history. We begin with what he will do to those ministers who refuse to answer questions in the chamber. He makes his position crystal clear. Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his new team of ministers will be rebuked by O Fearghail should they attempt to stonewall and refuse to answer questions in the Dail. Ministers will not be allowed to dodge tricky or uncomfortable questions from members of the opposition. If the answer is not satisfactory, yes I will intervene, and I will point it out to the minister in question, he says. I think it will be reasonable given the new standing order that a minister will be required to address the question, and not get up and make a statement about something else. Somewhere in his/her answer, the subject matter of the question will have to be dealt with, he added. In light of the new make-up of the Dail, O Fearghail has just overseen the introduction of a wide range of new and enhanced powers for the Dail. But he is clear, with those new powers come responsibilities, and any TD seeking to abuse those new powers will be shut down and sanctioned. I have talked to the political leaders and the leaders of the independent groupings on a number of occasions. We talked about this issue of people naming people from outside the house. It is not appropriate for people to do so and I pointed that out. I asked them that if they have concerns to raise the matter with me in advance and flag it to me so we could have some opportunity to check if it is in the public interest. Otherwise I would be minded to shut down anybody who would be naming people or damaging the good name of people who are not in the position to defend themselves, he says. We will have to look at sanctions for people who blatantly breach privilege, but I have to say, I would consider it a failing on my part if we get to the stage of people being ejected or sanctioned, constantly unruly, unless a person made a very deliberate decision themselves to go down that road and be deliberately disruptive, he adds. Such famous instances in the last Dail, like when Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald named several former ministers in the context of the Ansbacher investigations and Catherine Murphys raising of billionaire Denis OBriens affairs, have caused controversy. Mr OBrien has taken a High Court action against the Oireachtas and members of its oversight Committee of Privilege and Procedures. I ask O Fearghail as to where this matter is at. That process is ongoing, there has been a series of preliminary hearings but they take time, he says. I ask him if as the head of the Oireachtas Commission, he intends mounting a vigorous defence to the challenge. Absolutely, is the unambiguous response. Another court challenge, from the former CEO of the Rehab charity, Angela Kerins, is also still live. The Angela Kerins thing is still ongoing, we have to let the courts process work itself through. That is a matter which will come to us when our legal people are ready to bring it to us, but as of now, it is in the courts, he says. But I then ask him what the impact of becoming Ceann Comhairle has had on him, now that he is above party politics. Is it a lonely position? I never went much to the bar, but I go to the members restaurant and while I dont anymore join the Fianna Fail table, it doesnt prevent me from having a drink or a meal with anyone. In the past, there was this cold clinical thing that you are detached. But there are 157 other people here, they are friends of mine, whether they are in one party or another. I dont feel sitting down to have a meal with someone from Fine Gael or Fianna Fail or Labour in anyway contaminates me or prevents me from fulfilling the job of being impartial in the chair, he says. I thought it might be more difficult than it has been actually. When you are in a party, you are supported by the people around you. Now my philosophy and attitudes havent changed, but I am strongly supported by the people in the office. It hasnt been problematic, he adds. One thing I did worry about was fulfilling my representative role on behalf of the people of Kildare South, but there is nothing in being Ceann Comhairle which precludes me from doing so, he says. The death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour could trigger a battle for succession and deepen fractures that emerged in the insurgent movement after the death of its founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, was confirmed last year, more than two years after he died. Saturdays strike, which US officials said was authorised by President Barack Obama and included multiple drones, showed the US was prepared to go after the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, which the Western-backed government in Kabul has repeatedly accused of sheltering the insurgents. It also underscored the belief among US commanders that under Mansours leadership, the Taliban have grown increasing close to militant groups like al Qaeda, posing a direct threat to US security. The US has not confirmed Mansours death but Afghan government chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, and the countrys top intelligence agency, said he had been killed. Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour was killed in a drone strike ... His car was attacked in Dahl Bandin, Abdullah said in a post on Twitter, referring to a district in Pakistans Baluchistan province just over the border with Afghanistan. US secretary of State John Kerry said the US had conducted a precision air strike that targeted Mansour in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Mansour posed a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel and Afghans, Kerry told a news conference while on a visit to Burma. If people want to stand in the way of peace and continue to threaten and kill and blow people up, we have no recourse but to respond and I think we responded appropriately, Kerry said. The Taliban have made no official statement but two commanders close to Mansour denied he was dead. With the report of Mansours death, attention has focused on his deputy, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of a notorious network blamed for most big suicide attacks in Kabul. Based purely on matters of hierarchy, he would be the favourite to succeed Mansour, said Michael Kugelman, a senior associate at the Woodrow Wilson Institute think-tank. Efforts to broker talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban had already stalled following a suicide attack in Kabul last month that killed 64 people and prompted president Ashraf Ghani to prioritise military operations over negotiations. Obama will become the first sitting US president to tour the site of the worlds first nuclear bombing this Friday, accompanied by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. In an interview with Japanese national broadcaster NHK, Obama who emphasised decentralisation early in his term said the reality is that leaders often have to make hard choices during times of conflict and no apologies would be included in brief remarks he is expected to make in the western Japanese city. Its important to recognise that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions, its a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, Obama said. But I know, as somebody whos now sat in this position for the last seven and half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during wartime. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killed thousands instantly and about 140,000 by the end of the year. Nagasaki was hit on August 9 and Japan surrendered six days later. A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save US and Japanese lives, although many historians question that view. Most Japanese believe they were unjustified. Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, said he felt emphasis needed to be placed on the current relationship between Washington and Tokyo. I think it is also a happy story about how former adversaries came together to become one of the closest partnerships and closest allies in the world, he said. Critics argue that by not apologising, Obama will allow Japan to stick to the narrative that paints it as a victim. The Abe administration has affirmed past government apologies for Japanese actions during the war, but asserts that future generations should not have to apologise for the actions of their forebears. Obama said the visit will be a time to reflect on the harsh toll that war takes at any time. Since I only have a few months left in the office, I thought it was a good time for me to reflect on the nature of war. Part of my goal is to recognise that innocent people caught in war can suffer tremendously, he said. And thats not just the thing of the past. That is happening today in many parts of the world. Witnesses said panic broke out as the first shots rang out, with many in the crowd running into nearby woods or onto a motorway close to the venue in Austrias westernmost Vorarlberg province, according to Florian Kasseroler, mayor of the town of Nenzing. He said one witness estimated that up to 40 shots were fired. The man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and was said to be in a grave condition. Director Alejandra Montalba of Santiagos Metropolitan Zoo told local media the park was crowded with visitors at the time of the incident. Erdogans office said Ahmet Davutoglu resigned hours after the ruling party confirmed Transport and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim as its new chairman in an extraordinary party convention. Erdogan formally asked Yildirim to form a new government last night but Davutoglu remains caretaker prime minister until the new government is formed. El-Sisi also said Egypt was jointly investigating the crash with the French government. It is very, very important to us to establish the circumstances that led to the crash of that aircraft, he said, on Egyptian TV channels yesterday. He said the submarine, which has the capacity to operate at a depth of 3,000 metres (9,842 feet) below the surface, left for the site yesterday. Making his first public comments since the crash of the Airbus A320, in the eastern Mediterranean, while it was en route from Paris to Cairo, el-Sisi said it will take time to determine the cause of the crash, which killed all 66 people on-board. He thanked the nations that have joined Egyptian navy ships and aircraft in the search and began with a minutes silence in remembrance of the victims. El-Sisi also cautioned the media against premature speculation on the cause of the crash. There is not one scenario that we can exclusively subscribe to. All scenarios are possible, he said. El-Sisi spoke a day after the leak of flight data showed trouble in the cockpit and smoke in a plane lavatory, bringing into focus the chaotic final moments of the flight, including a three-minute period before contact was lost, as alarms on the plane screeched one after another. Officials have been cautioning that it is too early to say what had happened to the aircraft, but mounting evidence points to a sudden, dramatic catastrophe. Egypts military, on Saturday, released the first images of aircraft debris plucked from the sea, including personal items and damaged seats. Egypt is leading a multi-nation effort to search for the planes black boxes, and other clues that could explain its sudden plunge into the sea. If they lost the aircraft within three minutes, thats very, very quick, said aviation security expert, Philip Baum. They were dealing with an extremely serious incident. Authorities say the plane lurched left, then right, spun all the way around and plummeted 38,000 feet (11,582 metres) into the sea never issuing a distress call. Investigators have been poring over the planes passenger list and questioning ground crew at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, from where the plane took off. The Facebook page of Brigadier General Mohammed Samir, the chief spokesman for Egypts military, showed the first photographs of debris from the plane, shredded remains of plane seats, life jackets one seemingly undamaged and a scrap of cloth that might be part of a babys purple-and-pink blanket. Brig Gen Samir later posted a video showing a piece of blue carpet, seat belts, a shoe, and a white handbag. The clip opened with aerial footage of an unidentified navy ship, followed by a speedboat heading towards floating debris. Besides Egypt, ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece, and the United States are searching the sea 290km north of the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. EgyptAir pilot joked with controllers The first audio available from the doomed EgyptAir Flight 804 indicates that all was routine as the plane checked in with air traffic controllers in Zurich, Switzerland and joked with their Greek counterparts not long before the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean, killing all 66 on board. The recording was released as leaked flight data showing trouble in the cockpit and smoke in one of the toilets brought into focus the chaotic final moments of the Airbus 320, which was on its way to Cairo from Paris. The pilot contacted Zurich late on Wednesday night, before being handed over to Italian air traffic controllers in Padua (Padova). The Zurich controller says: EgyptAir 804, contact Padova 1-2-0, decimal 7-2-5, good night. The pilot responds: This is 0-7-2-5 Padova control. (Unintelligible) 8-0-4. Thank you so much. Good day, er, good night. The communication occurred around midnight local time, about two and a half hours before contact was lost with the plane. The leaked flight data from Flight 804 includes a three-minute period before contact was lost as alarms on the Airbus screeched. Mounting evidence points to a sudden catastrophe that led to its crash in the eastern Mediterranean early on Thursday. As French authorities question staff who had access to the EgyptAir plane at Charles de Gaulle Airport, cleaning crews are among those drawing attention. One theory is that a bomb could have been placed in the plane while it was on the tarmac in Paris, or at its previous stops in Cairo or Tunis. Egypt's tourism minister downplays the impact the EgyptAir crash will have on the industry https://t.co/yxnjLlMkkg pic.twitter.com/VNsNyMPGNl Bloomberg (@business) May 22, 2016 Officials say the Airbus entered Greek airspace at 2.24am local time. Twenty-four minutes later controllers chatted with the pilot, who appeared in good spirits, quipping in Greek: Thank you. At 3.27am, about midway between Greece and Egypt, a sensor detected smoke in a lavatory and a fault in two of the planes cockpit windows. At 3.27am Greek time, air traffic controllers in Athens attempted to contact the plane. There was no response . At the same time, a sensor detected smoke in the aircrafts avionics, the network of computers and wires that control the plane. Two minutes later, the aircraft reached Egyptian airspace. Alarms suggested major structural problems, and the plane fell off radar. Asia US Lifts Arms Embargo on Old Foe Vietnam as Regional Tensions Simmer US President Barack Obama announces that Washington will fully lift an embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam, underlining warming relations between the former foes. HANOI US President Barack Obama announced on Monday that Washington will fully lift an embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam, underlining warming relations between the former foes amid rising tensions with Beijing over the South China Sea. At a lavish state luncheon in Hanoi, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang toasted Obamas first visit to the country as the arrival of a warm spring after a cold winter. Obama, the third US president to visit Vietnam since ties were restored in 1995, has made a strategic rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific a centerpiece of his foreign policy. Vietnam, where the United States was at war until 1975, has become a critical part of that strategy amid concerns about Chinas growing military might and its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. The decision to lift the arms trade ban, which followed intense debate within the Obama administration, suggested that US concerns about Chinas assertiveness outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and that Washington would lose leverage for reforms. Obama told a joint news conference with Quang that disputes in the South china Sea should be resolved peacefully and not by whoever throws their weight around, but insisted that the arms embargo move was not linked to China. The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations, its based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam, he said, adding later that his visit to a former foe showed hearts can change and peace is possible. He said the sale of arms would depend on Vietnams human rights commitments, and would be made on a case-by-case basis. Though the communist parties that run China and Vietnam officially have brotherly ties, Chinas brinkmanship has forced Vietnam to recalibrate its defense strategy. The lifting of the US embargo will tighten the strategic pressure on China while deepening Vietnams relationship with the United States. It will also provide Vietnam with leverage in future arms deals with traditional weapons suppliers, particularly its long-time security patron, Russia. While Vietnam has recently obtained submarines equipped with land-attack missiles, advanced air defense radars and state-of-the-art jet fighters from other nations, it was likely to seek advanced surveillance and intelligence systems from the United States, said Collin Koh, a military expert at Singapores S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. This is a really cutting-edge but niche field that will help Vietnam better integrate its various forcesand the US can really help fill this gap, Koh said. Lifting the ban will likely upset China, which sees US support for rival South China Sea claimants like Vietnam and the Philippines as interference and an attempt to establish hegemony in the region. Washington insists its priority is ensuring freedom of navigation and flight. Chinas foreign ministry said after the announcement in Hanoi that it hoped the development in relations between the United States and Vietnam would be conducive to regional peace and stability. Underlining the burgeoning commercial relationship between the United States and Vietnam, one of the first deals signed on Obamas trip was a US$11.3 billion order for 100 Boeing planes by low-cost airline VietJet. China is Vietnams biggest trade partner and source of imports. But trade with the United States has swelled 10-fold over the past two decades to about $45 billion, and Vietnam is now Southeast Asias biggest exporter to America. In the commercial hub, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, Obama will on Tuesday meet entrepreneurs and tout a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal he has championed, in which Vietnam would be the biggest beneficiary of the 12 members. Asia Vietnam Frees Jailed Dissident Priest Ahead of Obamas Visit Vietnam releases a Catholic priest who is one of its most prominent dissidents, a move seen as a goodwill gesture before US President Obamas visit. BANGKOK Vietnam granted early release from prison to a Catholic priest who is one of its most prominent dissidents, a move widely seen as a goodwill gesture before US President Barack Obama arrived on an official visit late Sunday night. The Catholic Archdiocese of the central city of Hue reported on its webpage that it welcomed the return Friday of the Rev. Nguyen Van Ly from prison. Photos on its website showed a frail Ly, 70, being helped off a minibus, kneeling to pay his respects to his senior colleagues, then being led to a room prepared for him at the diocese. He has suffered several health crises while imprisoned. Ly has served several long terms in prison or under house arrest for promoting political and religious freedoms in the communist nation. He was first jailed in 1977, two years after the Communist takeover of all Vietnam. His early release was for an eight-year prison term he had been serving since March 2007 after being convicted of spreading propaganda against the state. He was released on medical parole in 2010 for 16 months before being sent back to prison in 2011 to resume serving his sentence, to which a five-year probationary period is also attached. Vietnams persecution of dissidents has been a roadblock to warmer relations with the United States, from which it is seeking the lifting of an arms embargo. Washington and Hanoi share a strategic interest in challenging Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea, some of which are in areas long claimed by Vietnam. The governments relations have always been strained with the Catholic church, associated with French colonial rule and the former anti-communist South Vietnam, as well as an influential power base independent of the ruling Communist Partys control. The US State Department said it welcomed Lys release. We consistently have called for the release of Father Ly and all other prisoners of conscience in Vietnam, said Gabrielle Price, the departments spokeswoman for East Asia and Pacific affairs. We remain deeply concerned for all prisoners of conscience in Vietnam. We call on the government to release unconditionally all prisoners of conscience and allow all Vietnamese to express their political views peacefully without fear of retribution. More than a dozen human rights groups last month sent an appeal to Obama urging him to press Hanoi to release political prisoners. The appeal, whose signees included Human Rights Watch as well as groups focusing on Vietnam, urged him to make clear, both in private and in public, that [the] US-Vietnamese relationship will not fundamentally advance absent meaningful human rights improvements, including the release of imprisoned activists, and end to harassment of civil society groups, and respect for international law. Burma Army Supports Peace Conference, Senior-General Says Burmas commander-in-chief says that the army will support Suu Kyis second Panglong-style peace conference but that future political participation will depend on stability. RANGOON The Burma Army supports the governments proposed Panglong-style peace summit, but continued political participation rests on the countrys stability, said Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, during his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Naypyidaw on Sunday. The meeting followed talks between Kerry and Burmas foreign affairs minister and de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. A Facebook post by Min Aung Hlaing said Kerry praised the Burma Army, also known as the Tatmadaw, for its role in the countrys historic political transition and for supporting a free and fair election last November, as it had earlier promised to do. The US believes Burmas progress depends on these developments, said the post, quoting Kerry. The two sides discussed preparations for a second Panglong-style peace conference, relations between the army and Burmas new government, their respective armed forces and regional relations. The senior-general said that the army would support a second Panglong conference. We will give suggestions and hold talks on the issues while upholding any agreement reached by the government, the army and the ethnic armed groups, he said, adding that the army was working under the leadership of President Htin Kyaw. The first Panglong conference was held by Suu Kyis father, Gen. Aung San, in 1947 and resulted in an agreement granting self-determination to some of the countrys main ethnic minority groups. Less than a year after its signing, Aung San was assassinated and the agreement was never realized, plunging the country into decades of civil war. While Suu Kyi remains determined to emulate her fathers successful negotiations, ongoing clashes, longstanding distrust and underlying tensions will prove to be substantial obstacles, regardless of the armys support. Kerry said that he would like to promote relations between the countrys respective armed forces while focusing on the peace process, national reconciliation and amending the 2008 Constitution. Min Aung Hlaing said it was necessary for the United States to bear in mind the current situation of the nation and take into account the recent positive political trends. He thanked the United States for easing sanctions it had imposed on Burma and expressed his firm belief this would benefit both sides. He added that the United States should continue to decide how to incentivize Burma in line with the success of its reform process. Burma Aung Mingalar Headcount Finds Population Steady: Sources A headcount of those living in the Muslim quarter of Sittwe finds little to indicate, as was claimed, that its population had swelled in recent years. RANGOON Local authorities and community leaders have completed a headcount of those living in the Muslim quarter of the Arakan State capital Sittwe, finding little to indicate, as was claimed, that the neighborhoods population had swelled in recent years. Often described as the citys Muslim ghetto, the Aung Mingalar quarter is the last majority-Muslim enclave in Sittwe, with most of the capitals other Muslims having fled inter-communal violence in 2012 that largely pitted the states Muslim Rohingya minority against Arakanese Buddhists. Complainants last week argued that Aung Mingalars official population of just over 4,000 people was not reflective of the reality on the ground, where they claimed a government health care program being run inside the quarter had documented treatment of more than 10,000 people last year. The weekend headcount was led by state Border and Security Affairs Minister Htein Lin and the Arakan State Immigration Department head Win Lwin. Shwe Hla, a Muslim resident of Aung Mingalar who collaborated with authorities during the two-day tally, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that they counted 4,003 Muslims across five quarters; majority-Muslim Aung Mingalar, and four other quarters where Muslims are a minorityMaw Like, Kyaung Gyi Street, Ka Thae and Kon Tan. The figure was little changed compared with the post-2012 violence population. Everything is fine here. The examination was successfully completed, Shwe Hla said. The Irrawaddy phoned the state border and security affairs minister on Monday morning, but his personal assistance declined to confirm the results of the headcount and referred calls to Immigration Department head Win Lwin. Win Lwins mobile phone was switched off and an office number was out of network on Monday. The Arakanese community leader Than Htun, who cooperated with authorities in the headcount, admitted that there was no appreciable rise in Aung Mingalars Muslim population, but he speculated that the alleged interlopers may have left the quarter for internally displaced persons (IDP) camps outside the city upon hearing of the planned headcount last week. Than Htun declined to reveal the exact population tally. While most of Aung Mingalars residents are Rohingya Muslims, the other four neighborhoods surveyed include a mix of Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, but the tally over the weekend targeted only Muslims. Aung Mingalar resident Zaw Zaw said: Hindu people live on the street next to us, but they were not investigated. It was an inspection exclusively on Muslims. Zaw Zaw said local Muslims were concerned about rumors that the regional government planned to evict Aung Mingalar residents and relocate the population to IDP camps or elsewhere on Sittwes outskirts. Tuesday should address those fears one way or another, he said, with authorities having called a meeting to discuss the weekend headcount. We are invited to attend a meeting tomorrow, which is related to the headcount; Minister Htein Lin will lead it, Zaw Zaw said on Monday. A policy of Burmas previous military-backed government remains in effect, restricting movement into and out of Aung Mingalar. Burma Burma Army Accused of Killing, Burning Bodies of Shan Villagers According to Kachin and Shan community leaders, the Burma Army is responsible for killing and burning the bodies of several villagers in Shan State. RANGOON According to Kachin and Shan community leaders, the Burma Army is responsible for killing and burning the bodies of several villagers in northern Shan State. Sai Tun Win, a state lawmaker with the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), said that on a recent visit to the Kyaukme area, he found at least eight burned corpses and that local Shan people had accused the Burma Army of the killings. We found three dead bodiesfrom Noung Kwan villagein one area and another five bodies in separate locations in and around Wow Long village, Sai Tun Win said. According to local villagers, the three people from Noung Kwan village were detained by the Burma Army on their way from their village, taken to a small mountain and then killed. Although their bodies were burned, the village head and other people from the village were able to identify them, Sai Tun Win said. He added that the five bodies near Wow Long village were found in multiple locations: two in a burned house, the bones of one in the toilet of another house, one outside the villagesupposedly belonging to a Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) memberand another in a different location outside the village. All of the bodies found belonged to ethnic Shan villagers, Sai Tun Win said. Fighting between the Burma Army and the SSA-N broke out earlier this month. The Burma Army accused the dead villagers of being SSA-N members, according to Sai Tun Win. Several SNLD lawmakers recently visited the conflict zone, intending to help locals and to collect lists of civilians who had disappeared or were detained by the Burma Army. We are sure of the identities of the three bodies from Noung Kwan. We still have to identify the other five. We plan to issue a report highlighting the human rights violations of the recent fighting. Well then talk with our party about what to do next, Sai Tun Win said. Similarly, a member of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) said that fighting between Burma Army Infantry Division 99 and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Brigade 6 flared in Man Ping villagein northern Shan States Mongko Township, near Burmas border with Chinaon Sunday afternoon. According to the KBC member, the village, with an estimated 20 households, was caught in the crossfire and burned to the ground. The villagers had already fled to the Chinese border. There was more fighting today in a different, nearby village, the KBC member said. The Burma Army has frequently faced allegations of human rights abuses in conflict zones, particularly among ethnic minority populations. The Irrawaddy was unable to contact Burma Army representatives for comment on Monday. Burma Letpadaung Protester, Companion Detained and Facing Charges An activist marching from Rangoon to Sagaing Division to raise awareness of the Letpadaung copper mining issue is arrested with a friend outside Mandalay. MANDALAY Nay Lin Soe, a protester who had been marching from Rangoon to the controversial Letpadaung copper mine in Sagaing Division, was arrested with a companion outside Mandalay on Monday. As he crossed the bridge from Mandalay to Sagaing, a city across the Irrawaddy River, local authorities attempted to halt him and warned him not to proceed. However, he continued his march and was arrested, along with his friend Kyaw Zin, right after he passed into Sagaing. According to Sagaing Township police, charges were filed and a court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. They were charged under the Peaceful Assembly Laws Article 18 [covering unauthorized protests]. Since it is bailable offense, they will be released this evening. However, we will proceed with the hearing tomorrow, said Sagaing Township Police Col. Nyan Thaung. Though the National League for Democracy (NLD) government intends to replace the controversial legislation, police have continued to bring charges under the Peaceful Assembly Law since the new administration assumed power last month. A banner-wielding Nay Lin Soe began his march from Rangoon on May 14, starting in front of City Hall. His friend, Kyaw Zin, did not appear to be actively participating in the protest, and seemed to have taken on the role of passive travel companion. During the march, Nay Lin Soe said his goal was to raise awareness of the land confiscated from farmers and the negative environmental impacts that locals were facing due to the waste and mining in the Letpadaung project area. In early May, locals and farmers from the villages around the Letpadaung copper mining area held a series of protests against the resumption of mining by Wanbao, a Chinese firm in a joint venture with Burma Army-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd. (UMEHL). Burma Rangoons Stray Dogs: Burdens or Companions? Rangoon has nearly 200,000 stray dogs, leading to a search for the most effective and ethical methods of controlling the number of canines on the streets. RANGOON Midnights in Rangoons Min Ma Naing neighborhood, also known as U Wisara Housing, are incredibly quiet; usually, there is only the sound of footsteps. But there is one exception: barking. Dogsboth strays and quasi-pets, have free rein at night. This is a reality for most of Rangoons neighborhoods. Some residents value these dogs as guards or even as companions, while others are afraid and want the situation handled. According to the citys municipal committeethe Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC)about 180,000 stray dogs live on the streets of Burmas commercial capital, which has a population of over 5 million. Officials from the municipal body say that every day they receive letters from residents, urging them to cleanse their neighborhoods of strays. YCDCs attempt to handle the citys stray dogs by killing them with poison recently made headlines in local newspapers. But this conflict between Rangoons animal lovers and the YCDC is nothing new. The YCDC has been using these lethal methods, such as scattering poison-laced meat in the street, for decades. However, the dramatic growth of the citys stray dog populationfrom over 70,000 in 2013 to nearly 200,000 in 2016suggests that the YCDCs tactics have hardly achieved their purpose. In early May, a group of Rangoon-based animal lovers launched a petition urging the citys authorities to stop exterminating stray dogs and to look for a more sustainable solution for managing the unwieldy number of canines in the streets. We aim to stop the brutal act of poisoning stray dogs. We want to promote their welfare [so] that they may live their lives free of disease, May Thazin Swe, an animal welfare advocate and a lawyer, told The Irrawaddy. She added that rather than poisoning stray dogs, Rangoon city authorities should vaccinate or neuter them to clamp down on overpopulation. We want the YCDC to focus on humane approaches, May Thazin Swe said. Since July 2014, the YCDC has been investigating the use of a sterilization program that entails anesthetizing dogs so that they can be vaccinated and sterilized. But according to Myo Lwin, a deputy head of the YCDCs Veterinary and Slaughterhouse Department, logistical and financial hurdles make it difficult for the municipal body to practice this treatment regularly. Sterilization is expensive. It costs us between 20,000 and 25,000 kyats (US$17-21) per dog. This includes anesthetizing, Myo Lwin said. We cant afford to do this for every stray dog in the city. The YCDC said that poisoning is an ordinary procedure of the committee, with priority placed in public places such as parks, schools, hospitals and neighborhoods. Myo Lwin said that the municipal body can cleanse 30,000 dogs per year. However, he also admitted that killing stray dogs is not effective in reducing the population, and neither are neutering and spaying without receiving more financial assistance and human resources. While admitting that the YCDC should manage the citys garbage more efficiently so that it will not attract stray dogs, Myo Lwin also called for responsible ownership, referring to people who feed stray dogs out of the belief that doing so will bring them good luck. Feeding them without taking responsibility isnt going to help solve the problem, he said. The YCDC official said that poisoning should be done until the population is under control. Its gradually becoming a bigger social burden. We wont need to do it once people are no longer in danger, Myo Lwin said, referring to the risk of catching rabies. More than 95 percent of rabies-related human deaths occur in Asia and Africa, and within that Burma is considered by the World Health Organization to be a high rabies endemic country. According to the WHO, rabid dogs are the source of the vast majority of human deaths from rabies, contributing up to 99 percent of all rabies transmissions to humans. The disease is preventable via vaccination, and Yangon General Hospital (YGH) has been providing anti-rabies vaccines free of charge since September 2013. In 2015 alone, more than 6,000 people bitten by a dog or a cat were subsequently vaccinated against rabies with the three-dose series. The WHO says that, globally, a person dies every 15 minutes from rabies. With some 1,000 deaths per year, Burma has the highest number of rabies-related deaths in Southeast Asia. According to the YGHs deputy medical superintendent Dr. Khin Khin Htwe, 10 people have already died from rabies during first five months of this yearat her hospital alone. Professor Dr. Myint Thein, a former rector at the University of Veterinary Science Myanmar and a veterinarian with over 40 years of experience in the field, said that vaccinating dogs is the most effective way to prevent people from contracting rabies. As long as we dont vaccinate stray dogs, its impossible to eliminate rabies, he said. He also points to countries such as India and Nepal that have been successfully stemming their number of rabies-related human deaths through the vaccination and neutering of stray dogs rather than through the controversial method of killing en masse. The Emergency Animal Rescue Team (EART), a Rangoon-based volunteer group founded by local youth, has been offering free assistance to stray dogs in desperate need of health care. Over 140 dogs are already in the care of the organization. But Nay Lin Tun, one of the groups founding members, told The Irrawaddy that, regrettably, taking in more stray dogseven those at risk of being killed by the YCDCis beyond the capacity of his team. In my opinion, what the YCDC is trying to do is 50 percent correct, Nay Lin Tun said. But the YCDC shouldnt just scatter poison. They should cooperate with residents and plan, systematically, how to address this problem. Poisoning is too cruel and inhumane; the dogs suffer too much. According to the YCDC, an organization led by Min Lee, wife of former US Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell, has signed an agreement with the YCDC to carry out a three-year project, expected to start in June, to confront the issue of stray dogs in Rangoon. The YCDC also plans to open an animal shelter before the end of 2016. Along with many other advocates, Terryl Just, founder of the Yangon Animal Shelter (YAS), has been campaigning against poisoning stray dogs for nearly a decade. She said that only the TNR (trap-neuter-return) method could decrease the population in the long run. YAS, which started with less than 50 dogs, currently houses over 500 dogs. However, Just told The Irrawaddy that the shelter could not take in any more dogs due to financial hurdles. Moreover, releasing healthy and fixed dogs to make room for other stray ones is not an option as long as the authorities continue to poison all stray dogs, she explained. We constantly receive calls from people begging us to take in more dogs, she said. Its heartbreaking to have to tell them that we cant, but were already struggling financially to care of the dogs already at the shelter. Just said that the shelters hope is to bring in more organizations that will promote both the TNR method and mass vaccination as ways to reduce the stray dog population and prevent the spread of diseases such as rabies. Many of these organizations, however, wont provide any services until the poisoning stops. Campaigning against dog poisoning is a priority for YAS, Just said. Correction: A previous version of this story erroneously stated that 95 percent of rabies-related human deaths in Asia and Africa occur in Burma. In fact, 95 percent of rabies deaths globally occur in Asia and Africa. Burma Thai Court Accepts Defense Appeal in Koh Tao Murder Case A Thai court accepts an appeal filed by defense lawyers for two Burmese migrants sentenced to death for the murder of two British backpackers in 2014. CHIANG MAI, Thailand Thailands Region 8 Appeals Court accepted an appeal filed by defense lawyers for two Burmese migrant workers who were sentenced to death for the murder of two British backpackers on Thailands Koh Tao Island in 2014, according to Win Maung, Burmas ambassador to Thailand. The 198-page appeal submitted to the court on Monday contests the Koh Samui provincial courts ruling late last year. Nearly half of the appeal outlines issues related to DNA evidence accepted by the court, according to the defense team. The final verdict was made in December 2015, with the court ruling that the prosecution had proved beyond all reasonable doubt, with the use of forensic evidence in accordance with international standards, that Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, also known as Wai Phyo, had committed the murders. But the case was highly controversial and fraught with allegations of forced confessions and irregular evidence. Despite Thai and international forensic experts citing serious questions and doubts about the forensic evidence used in the case, the provincial court gave the defendants the death penalty. The defendants were allowed to file an appeal in February, but the defense team, supported by a group of Burmese, Australian and British translators, assistants and advisors, requested an extension and took a full five months to finalize their lengthy appeal in order to ensure an adequate defense. Thai lawyer Nahkon Chompuchat, who is one of the lead defense attorneys in the case, said the appeal was only the next step in an interminable process that could drag on for another year or two. The prosecution will respond to the defense appeal and the Region 8 Appeals Court will review the case, likely within 2017, and send a judgment back to the Koh Samui court to deliver. Zaw Lins mother Phyu Shwe Nu remains optimistic about the outcome. I hope Thailands justice system will stand for the truth, she told The Irrawaddy on Monday. Min Oo from the Foundation for Education and Development, which has provided assistance to the defense team, said the court provided a certified letter that they had received the appeal and confirmed the acceptance Monday afternoon. The convicts mothers, who believe their sons are innocent, will visit them on Tuesday in the high-security Bang Kawg Prison, where they have been held since January. Burma The School Builder A Canadian Zen Buddhist monk who came to Burma to teach meditation discovers that his life must go in a different direction. CHIANG MAI, Thailand In 2005, John D. Stevens, a Zen Buddhist monk from Canada, took a trip that changed his own life, and ultimately the lives of thousands of Burmese children. While he was in Mandalay to teach meditation, one of Stevenss students, Maung Maung Gyi, a college-educated trishaw driver, took him to his home village. There, Stevens was astounded by what he saw. The villagers lived in rickety thatched-roof houses without access to running water or electricity. The school was nothing more than a small, decrepit wooden building with a corrugated roof, clearly the debris of decades of government neglect. Stevensnow in his late 60sknew he had to do something. He began by sending supplies like irrigation pumps and farming equipment to the village, but he still thought there was more he could do. He was asked to help build a school, but Stevens was immediately faced with another problem. In 2005, Burma was still controlled by a military government that was wary of foreigners activities in the country. At first, [the government] was suspicious because they were suspicious of all foreigners, says Stevens. Is he a missionary? Is he with a government agency? Basically they wanted to know why I wanted to do this. Once again, a friend helped out. Sein Myint, a painter, had met Stevens by chance when Stevens purchased one of his tapestries in Mandalay in 1997. He was friends with Michael Aris, then-opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyis husband, but still had a good relationship with the government. While the first school Stevens worked on was constructed on the sly, thanks to Sein Myints persistence, the Canadian monks efforts were eventually able to earn the approval of local governments, and he and his organization began building schools in earnest. Maung Maung Gyi, the friend who first introduced Stevens to Burmas rural poverty, became the head project manager, a role he holds to this day. Since 2005, Stevenss charity, 100Schools, a UK-registered non-profit operating out of Chiang Mai, Thailand, has built 49 school buildings in the remote regions of Burmas Mandalay, Sagaing and Irrawaddy divisions as well as Shan State, in addition to one primary school building in Thailands Mae Hong Son province. Over 10,000 students attend the schools. They are now working on constructing two more schools in central Burma. While the villages original schools were technically public and government-run, they were ignored and allowed to fall into disrepair, or were simply little more than shacks to begin with. To build its schools, 100Schools mobilizes a workforce of 35 Burmese carpenters and masons who work with volunteers from the villages to replace the schools with sturdy, brick buildings that cost US$10 to $12 per square foota hefty sum for villages that are largely inhabited by subsistence farmers. For Stevenss organization, making buildings that can withstand earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters is a top priority. Once we have completed the assessment to build a school, we take all of the responsibilities, and use our own crew to guarantee a good quality building, says Stevens. We create the jobs for all the crew, so they have stayed with us for many years, he says. Many of the 35 crew members have been working with us from the beginning. Additionally, many of the construction workers wives and relatives also have been employed by 100Schools. They make school uniforms, which the charity provides to the schoolchildren for free. In addition to the school uniforms, 100Schools has provided notebooks and writing utensils to more than 10,000 students in the schools they have built. They also construct dorms for teachers and build desks, chairs, blackboards and toilets. All this work has earned Stevens the admiration of many villagers around the country who call him, Mr. John, the big donor, a title he brushes off, preferring to simply be known as John. Im just a penniless guy, he joked, referring to himself a bridge between real donors and the needs of the people. But despite the organizations successes over the past decade, the school situation in Burma remains dire. The Ministry of Education reported last year that 7,800 school buildings throughout the country are in urgent need of repairs. The ministry said that it had enough resources to repair 2,800 schools, leaving a large amount of buildings without government attention. Soon, some of Stevenss work will be taken up by the new government. Last week, the National League for Democracy announced that it will provide free textbooks and uniforms to all primary school students. But despite a more proactive government, Stevens still expects his organizations work to continue to be necessary. Within two months of the new government being sworn in, we already have received permits to build two new schools, Stevens says. So we dont have any problems [with the new government]. After focusing exclusively on building schools, 100Schools has expanded beyond simply addressing the material needs of the village students. They have given scholarships to pay for promising students to go to college. One student who learned computer science, now will go back to an underprivileged school to share his knowledge with the students. Another student 100Schools is supporting also plans on returning to rural areas to teach after graduation. Inspired by his grandmotherswho were also practicing BuddhistsStevens has wanted to help others since he was a child. He spent 20 years in France, and then became a Buddhist monk before moving to Southeast Asia. Now Stevens maintains he would be happy to spend the rest of his life working to help children. Schools give them opportunities, he said. As long as I am healthy enough to do it, I will continue. Burma Woman Gunned Down in Hpakants Sai Taung Village A woman from a village tract in Hpakant Townships Sai Taung village, in Kachin State, was gunned down by three men on Sunday, according to local sources. RANGOON A woman from Hpakant Townships Sai Taung village, in Kachin State, was gunned down by three men Sunday evening, according to local sources. Three armed men reportedly went to the home of Nandar Hlaing, an administrator of the local village tract, under the pretext of complaining about a lost motorbike, at which point they shot her six times. They shot [Nandar Hlaing] at around 5:30pm [on Sunday]. The three men, who are young, went [to her house] with their motorbikes, and one of them shot her while the other two complained to her about a lost motorbike, said Shwe Thein, a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Hpakant who said the shooter used a short, small gun. No one dares talk about this even if they know about it because this is a violent area, and it would be too dangerous for them. This was a planned murder, Shwe Thein said. The victim is believed to have been in her 40s. A police officer in Hpakant told The Irrawaddy that a criminal case had been filed. We do not yet know who the armed men are, and we are still investigating their motivations for having murdered [Nandar Hlaing], the police officer said. There were also reports that a small bomb went off in Sai Taung village at around 2:30am on Sunday near the office of the Tai-Leng Nationalities Development Party. A series of bomb blasts in recent weeks has seen security stepped up in Hpakant, the heart of Burmas lucrative jade industry. Monday, May 23rd, 2016 (10:36 am) - Score 1,149 The community built B4RN project, which is deploying ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband networks to remote parts of rural Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire in England where commercial operators ignore, has begun hiring to build its own in-house civil engineering team. The company is almost entirely community funded, with nearly 800 shareholders holding a total of 1.5 million (shares) and another 1 million loaned from the community. In keeping with that much of B4RNs fibre optic network has also been constructed with the help of tireless volunteers from related local communities, which is often done in exchange for shares. Unfortunately B4RN still needs to hire expensive sub-contractors to conduct parts of the work that require more than a few volunteers and some spades. The operators CEO, Barry Forde, told us earlier this year (here) that hiring such firms was often a painful experience and that as a solution they were planning to set up their own in-house team. Barry Forde told ISPreview.co.uk: If you want a job done to a high specification on time to our standards its impossible to find companies able/willing to do it. So we are taking on three staff and all the equipment needed to do the work in-house. We are also putting some of our existing staff through the Street Works Supervisor certification process so they can add to the civils team and also do some volunteer training and supervision. The good news is that B4RN has now officially started the hunt for a Civil Engineering Team Leader (salary of 28,000 to 32,000 depending upon experience etc.) and the job application will remain open until 6th June 2016. After that B4RN intends to appoint an internal operational team of two operatives, with the appropriate equipment, who can then undertake some of the road crossings and highways work rather than contracting it all out. Some sub-contracting will no doubt still be required, but this is still a significant move towards full independence. The job description also confirms that B4RN has been successful in its application for Code Powers from Ofcom, which means that theyre now a registered statutory undertaking able to work on the highway and install our ducts in roads and verges (i.e. much easier to deal with than having to manage lots of tedious section 50 licences). As it standards B4RN has so far connected well over 1,700 homes and some businesses to their community funded and built ultrafast pure fibre optic broadband network. At the current rate of progress wed expect them to have achieved around 2,000 connections by the end of this summer and their longer term goal is now to reach 5,000. In related news weve noted that B4RNs Co-Founder, Christine Conder MBE, has been invited to do a TED Talk in Poland on 18th June 2016 entitled Broadband in the Villages. The talk is open to members of the public and will be held in Krakows Galicia Jewish Museum between 10am and 6pm CEST (details). Monday, May 23rd, 2016 (7:39 am) - Score 954 Chelmsford-based wireless ISP FibreWiFi (Buzcom), which predominantly focuses upon delivering 30Mbps+ capable broadband coverage to significant swathes of Essex and parts of Suffolk in England, is now an approved supplier for the Governments 60m Universal Broadband Voucher Scheme. The subsidy scheme, which is somewhat of a quick-fix solution to help meet the original 2Mbps for all Universal Service Commitment (USC), was introduced at the end of 2015 (here) and focuses upon an estimated 300,000 premises that might not benefit from the Broadband Delivery UK roll-out of fixed line superfast (24Mbps+) broadband services. Initially the subsidy was only available via Satellite based connections, but since then a growing number of fixed wireless ISPs have also become approved suppliers and FibreWiFi are the latest to join. Gary Disley, Managing Director of FibreWiFi, told ISPreview.co.uk: With the widest continuous coverage of any Fixed Wireless provider in the East of England were well positioned to help BDUK provide a solution to those struggling with sub 2Mb/s speeds. Our new Universal package will give people a genuine alternative to the slow connection they currently endure through their old copper phone line. As hinted above the provider has introduced a special package for subsidy users, which offers symmetric speeds of 10Mbps with a 100GB (Gigabyte) monthly usage allowance, 12 month contract, 49 one-off installation fee (plus 45 activation) and an indoor WiFi access device for 24 per month. Additional usage and speed can be purchased at 5 per 10GB and 1 per Mb/s of speed where available. The subsidy is said by the Government to be worth up to around 350, although we note that the special universal package being offered by FibreWiFi would, over the medium term, appear to be more expensive than their normal 15 per month SUPER (15Mbps, but can be upgraded to 30Mbps where available) package (125 activation fee) with the same usage allowance. Its likely theres some key detail that were missing here and we hope to update with a clarification of the differences shortly. UPDATE 8:58am We understand that the Universal package also factors in the 49 cost of an included internal WiFi access point, which is optional on the SUPER package. However the Universal package is aimed at reaching areas that are usually more difficult to cater for and this is reflected in the cost to FibreWiFi and the subsidy received from Government. As such the extra cost to connect customers via the Universal package covers all additional items such as poles, brackets and the larger CPE, which would normally be an extra cost to customers. Separately FibreWiFi also notes that they recently invested 50,000 on an expansion of their network into the county of Suffolk, where a number of new sites are being built. There have been notions of the tech company releasing new product segments for this year such as the Microsoft Surface Phone and the Microsoft Surface Pro 5. Also, hearsay of the release date being different and specs are not that great arise. It appears that Microsoft has a lot in store for the tech world. Microsoft Surface Pro 5 was contemplated to hit the tech stalls by October. There have been theories that the upcoming Surface Pro 5 would incorporate stunning features and that it would embed new technologies that will set the device on the top of the market. Looking back on its predecessor, the Surface Pro 4, Ecumenical News reports that it already integrated Intel's latest sixth-generation Skylake processors. If the notions are true, Microsoft might utilize the Kaby Lake CPU and it is slated for release during the Computex 2016 event in June. According to the same report, Microsoft might focus on other features and improvements for the Microsoft Surface Pro 5. The rumored specs comprise a 4K Ultra HD display, a 3840 x 2160 screen resolution and an augmented Surface Pen that is rechargeable, replacing the old versions that used AAAA battery powered stylus. Since Microsoft has integrated the use of a USB Type-C port, it is likely that the Surface Pro 5 will utilize the same technology as well. Besides the anticipated release of Surface Pro 5, the release of the Microsoft Surface Phone is expected as well. Times of India reported that Microsoft has been rumored to be working on a device that will be one of the breakthrough devices in this present generation. The noted segment is the Microsoft Surface Phone smartphone. According to the same post, after Lumia 950's and 950 XL's failed effort to boost Windows 10 mobile segments, the twisted turnout propelled Microsoft to develop a new smartphone segment that can outrun the iPhone series and other famous smartphone brands. As Microsoft gears up to prepare for the release of its Microsoft Surface Phone and Microsoft Surface Pro 5 products, the recent rumors, news and updates do not reveal any confirmation from the tech giant. It remains uncertain whether the specs are great and whether they would incorporate huge improvements or not. Google, Tesla and Apple face a new threat from their former workers. It appears that a new challenger looms on the horizon of the big giants as Otto firm aims to eradicate the big firms' era and to dominate the self-driving technology and its segment industry. Google, Tesla, and Apple are famed for being the giant companies in terms of distributing self-driving segments. However, their former employees are dedicated to outpace their former employers by creating their own brand. Xinhua reports that a group of 40 former employees from Google, Tesla and Apple have formed a new company that started an era of self-driving trucks and aim to turn the traditional commercial trucking industry into a high-tech sector. In theory, an Otto truck will be able to operate safely for many more hours than a person who is in full control. And unlike the early-stage self-driving cars, Otto will focus on highway driving, which shoulders the main truck routes in America, reports the same post. There have also been notions that the start-up company will begin with Volvo VNL 780, which is one of the largest, heaviest trucks roaming on the big skyways and highway lanes, according to Overdrive Online. Otto is aiming to equip trucks with software, sensors, lasers and cameras so that they can navigate more miles while cruising the U.S. highways on their own. It is while the truck drivers are resting or recharging themselves. For Anthony Levandowski, one of the men that helped steer Google's self-driving technology, has affirmed that it can be done. According to him, "Our goal is to make trucks drive as humanly as possible but with the reliability." The competition has just begun for Google, Tesla, Apple and the threat came from their former workers. As Otto begins to strategize and implement measures to ensure the realization of its dream, it remains uncertain whether Otto's self-driving technology would be beneficial and successful or just the exact opposite. Public Cloud, SaaS and IaaS are the most significant driving forces in IT today. But it is not always clear where that data is or what it is running on. Traffic visibility is a new buzzword. Gigamon, a leader in traffic visibility solutions, has started trials of the worlds first solution that allows enterprises to see information traversing public clouds. Its visibility solutions for public cloud kickstarts with field trials on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) offering. According to JP Morgan, public hosted workloads will explode from 16% to 40% over the next five years. With this rapid growth comes increasing concern for network security, vulnerability, compliance risk and compromised performance. Seamless public cloud adoption hinges on enterprises being able to take advantage of the agility offered by on-demand computing and confidence that hosting business critical applications on shared infrastructure does not mean compromises in security or availability. Gigamons announcement is significant in that it allows enterprises for the first time to gain visibility into previously unavailable public cloud applications and information. This capability is key to accelerating public cloud adoption and reducing its associated migration disruption and risks. With its visibility solution, enterprises gain new flexibility to design and provision the public cloud monitoring infrastructure that meets their business needs with the freedom to choose the most appropriate public cloud provider to address their specific requirements. As part of the initial field trials, AWS users gain immediate benefit from the Gigamon Visibility FabricTM by: Reducing network complexity by centralising how traffic is forwarded to network and security operations centres (NoCs, SoCs), regardless of whether it originates in the private or public cloud. Optimising enterprise performance by providing the means to analyse utilisation of AWS instances. Ensuring comprehensive security by enabling security inspection of traffic flowing among AWS workloads by forwarding that traffic to premised or cloud-hosted security devices. Saving time and resources by expediting troubleshooting and centralising security and performance management tasks. Validating compliance through continuous monitoring of, and enabling reporting of, public cloud-hosted resource access and use. Gigamons solution enables IT organisations to monitor enterprise workloads where it is most advantageous based on their needs. For some, this means monitoring within the AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), or at a dedicated VPC that contains the necessary tools. For others, it may mean centralising the capability on premises or private infrastructure. Paul Hooper, chief executive, Gigamon said, Gigamon is a market pioneer who has transformed the world of IT through the power of visibility. Whether its delivering more effective and efficient security, bringing unprecedented subscriber awareness to service providers or scaling performance management, our visibility fabric has been at the centre of helping our customers to navigate disruptive changes around their next-generation infrastructure. With this milestone, Gigamon enters a new phase in executing our company vision. Today, we are expanding our market yet again to the thousands of businesses that want to confidently and securely host their IT infrastructure on public clouds. Allied Telesis has released a ruggedized compact VPN firewall, ideal for deployments in transportation, retail, manufacturing, branch office, and many other IoT application environments. Allied Telesis, a leading provider of hardware and software products that allow customers to build secure, feature rich and highly-scalable data exchange solutions, has released the AT-AR2010V compact VPN firewall. It has been developed specifically for secure communications applications where a small form factor is highly desirable such as traffic control, video surveillance, vending, ticketing, and remote telemetry. It is capable of 750Mbps throughput, 400Mbps encrypted throughput and, when combined with an integrated DPI firewall and Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDS/IPS), 200 Mbps throughput. It handles high-speed machine-to-machine (M2M) communication (up to 100,000 concurrent sessions and 3600 new sessions per second) and control is secure from attack or eavesdropping. Optional 3G/4G connectivity, AC or hard-wired DC power, and a rugged compact design make the AT-AR2010V ideal for situations where mains power or wired network connections may not be available. The AT-AR2010V is compatible with Allied Telesis Management Framework (AMF), that provides centralised management and zero-touch installation and recovery of deployed devices. AMF reduces the need for manual intervention for both routine and urgent maintenance tasks, significantly reducing both network downtime and running costs. The AT-AR2010V is suitable for a wide range of applications that require high performance security in demanding environments, said Graham Walker, product marketing manager at Allied Telesis. It can survive the wide temperature ranges of industrial or outdoor applications, so it can deliver high-speed secure data almost anywhere. It complements our existing range of industrial ethernet switches. When used with AMF, it allows lower operating costs than other vendors products an important consideration for large-scale projects such as smart cities. The acronym ICS is short for industrial control systems a pleasant TLA (three-letter acronym) that is the basis of critical infrastructure like water and waste treatment, nuclear and conventional power plants and so much more. ICS is hackable! iTWire reported on Darkness in the Ukraine where 225,000 residents lost power due to what is the first known ICS hack. Check Point Software, a global software and hardware security provider, has been following the Ukraine debacle and offered comment on the use of NERC-SIP (North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection) requirements and how, if these were observed, would have likely protected the Ukraines ageing infrastructure. David De Laine, regional managing director for Australia and New Zealand at Check Point Software, has offered more commentary following the recent Sydney Morning Herald report that power networks need to be on high alert amid cyber threats. Essentially electricity network companies face having to further beef up their defences against cyber attacks as the rise of small-scale renewable power generation increases the vulnerability of the grid. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed that the Bureau of Meteorology had suffered an "intrusion" last year, while energy networks have been of particular interest to cyber attackers, with at least 60 incidents in 2014-15. We present De Laines sage advice. The recent government announcement on the national cyber-security strategy highlights just how important it is for all of us to start thinking differently and also brings a very relevant and crucial subject to everyones attention protecting critical infrastructure. The mission of protecting critical infrastructure (industrial control systems - ICS) is so vital that it cannot be left to just any security solution. Every day we expect water to flow from our taps, our electricity to work, and traffic lights to move traffic along quickly and efficiently. Interruptions in any of these essential systems, even if only for a few hours, wreak havoc. In a recent blog post The Next Battleground Critical Infrastructure, Check Point Software Technologies highlighted that the threat to critical infrastructure could no longer be ignored especially after the blackout in Ukraine and the manipulation of Kemuri Water Treatment Company water flow. As the cyber threat world is big and extensive to fully understand the scope of threats to nationwide critical infrastructures, the blog highlights a few insights and perspectives based on Check Points vast and longstanding experience in the cyber world. Three areas that Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are vulnerable include: IT network Insider threat (intentional or unintentional) Equipment and software Attacking through the IT network ICS usually operates on a separate network, called OT (Operational Technology). OT networks normally require a connection to the organisations corporate network (IT) for operation and management. Attackers gain access to ICS networks by first infiltrating the organisations IT systems (as seen in the Ukraine case), and use that foot in the door as a way into the OT network. The initial infection of the IT system is not different to any other cyber attack we witness daily. This can be achieved using a wide array of methods, such as spear phishing, malicious URLs, drive-by attacks and much more. Once an attacker is successfully in the IT network, they will turn their focus on lateral movement. Their main objective is to find a bridge that can provide access to the OT network and hop onto it. These bridges may not be properly secured in some networks, which can compromise the critical infrastructures they are connected to. The threat within Traditional insider threats exist in IT networks as well as in OT networks. Organisations have begun protecting themselves against such threats, especially after high-profile attacks such as the Target hack or Home Depot (and the list is continuously growing). In OT, however, the threat is increased. Similar to IT networks, insiders can intentionally breach OT networks with graver consequences. In addition to this regular threat, there is the unintentional insider threat. Unlike IT networks, OT networks are usually flat with little or no segmentation, and SCADA systems have outdated software that goes unpatched regularly. Unwitting users often inadvertently create security breaches, either to simplify technical procedures or by unknowingly changing crucial settings that disable security. The bottomline remains the same either way: the network that controls the critical infrastructure is left exposed to attacks. This is proven time and again as one can easily encounter networks that were connected to the internet by accident. Meddling with critical components The last avenue that endangers ICS is tampering with either the equipment or its software. There are several ways to do so: Intervening with production of the equipment. An attacker can insert malicious code into the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or HMI (Human Machine Interface) which are the last logical links before the machine itself. Intercepting the equipment during its shipment and injecting malicious code. Tampering with the software updates of the equipment by initiating a man-in-the-middle attack, for example. So, how can we protect our critical infrastructure? To fully protect any critical infrastructure, whether it is an oil refinery, nuclear reactor or an electric power plant, all three attack vectors must be addressed. It is not enough to secure the organisations IT to ensure the security of the production floor. A multi-layered security strategy is needed to protect critical infrastructures against evolving threats and advanced attacks. A new study titled "Vulnerability Management Trends in Asia Pacific" conducted by Forrester Consulting shows Australias information security practitioners cite managing risk as a top priority for their companies, yet demonstrate that their vulnerability management is inadequate. Tenable Network Security, a global leader transforming security technology, has findings from the Technology Adoption Profile (TAP) study titled Vulnerability Management Trends in Asia Pacific in which the regions information security practitioners cited managing risk as a top priority for their companies, yet demonstrated that their use of vulnerability management is inadequate and that attacks are reaching most organisations. The TAP survey, commissioned in April 2016 and conducted by Forrester Consulting, evaluated perceived challenges, drivers, and benefits of various vulnerability management strategies and investments based on responses from information security professionals in Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. Ron Gula, chief executive, Tenable Network Security, said: Some of the pain points identified by the respondents, such as difficulties with remediating breaches across security and operations, prioritising vulnerabilities and mobile and cloud threat monitoring, are a natural consequence of the evolving threat environment. To overcome these challenges and deliver a comprehensive security solution that adequately assesses and mitigates cyber risk, security decision makers need to re-evaluate their processes and technologies against industry best practices. According to survey results, one of the top security priorities of companies is protecting customer data, with a focus on application security, data security and protection of customers personal information. Despite their customer focus, only 22% of security decision-makers performed continuous vulnerability assessments to monitor their environments for new threats. The majority of respondents (44%) conducted scans periodically while 28% performed scans monthly. Managing risk a top priority A total of 46% cited reducing risk and improving security posture as the highest ranking security priority of all strategic IT objectives for companies in the Asia-Pacific region. The survey elaborated that vulnerability management solutions are currently shifting to a risk focus, deviating from a traditional focus on compliance. Security decision makers strive to help their companies understand risks to assets in their IT environments, as 40% of the respondents said their vulnerability management programs are mainly strategic. A total of 37% of the respondents also said that their vulnerability management programs focus on a combination of compliance and risk management. Cyber security is a pressing issue, as the study discovered that 80% of companies have been attacked at least once in the past 12 months, with phishing and DNS-based attacks being the most common. The potential vulnerabilities of companies are compounded as new technologies and devices are introduced by employees, customers, and partners. Such attacks significantly affect the business, ranging from internal consequences such as decreased productivity (53% of respondents said the impact of this was severe or very severe) and increased operational expenses (60%) to detriments such as brand damage (51%), resulting in lost customer trust (57%) and lost revenue (51%). The size and complexity of Asia Pacific combined with the unique political, socioeconomic and cultural distinctions, make cybersecurity a major challenge for this region, said Gula. The security industry needs to help organisations in the region safeguard critical corporate assets, conform to the product and service standards their customers demand, and to help protect them from detrimental effects of cyber attacks to reputation and business continuity. Banished NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has warned that Australia has gone further down the slippery slope of unfettered mass surveillance than even the US. Yesterday Snowden pointed to the recent raids by the Australian Federal Police on the offices of senior ALP parliamentarian Senator Stephen Conroy and a staffer of Opposition communications spokesman Jason Clare to illustrate the potential danger of using retained metadata for nefarious political purposes. In 2015 the current LNP Government and representatives embarked on a campaign to sell mandatory data retention to the Australian public, with rhetoric centred on its necessity to curb dangerous criminal activities such as terrorism. Speaking by satellite in a video link to a packed auditorium in a Melbourne event staged by Think Inc, Snowden pointed to the use of metadata by the AFP to find the sources of journalists' articles about NBN cost overruns as a stark example of how the Australian data retention laws have already been misused for political purposes. It is ironic that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was Communications Minister at that time (when cost overruns occurred), said Snowden. According to Snowden, the rhetoric used by advocates of mandatory data retention, increased government surveillance and laws weakening personal privacy is disingenuous at best and maliciously mischievous at worst. "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say, he said, repeating his often used mantra. He also discredited the statement: If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear by attributing the words to Nazi propagandist Josef Goebbels. Snowden, invoking his credentials as a security expert, claimed that there has been no evidence that mass surveillance is effective in preventing terrorism or other criminal acts. In all my time with the CIA and NSA, there has not been any evidence that a single terrorist incident has been been prevented. Snowden also said that not a single life had been lost as a result of his whistleblowing activities. When asked by a member of the audience if he would support mass surveillance or mandated data retention if it was shown to be effective, his answer was an emphatic no, saying that you could also make the case that plucking suspects off the street and murdering them was effective. New Zealand-headquartered global healthcare technology provider, Orion Health Group, increased revenues by 26% to $207 million for the full year to the end of March, up from $164 million in 2015, on the back of major investment and launch of its Amadeus precision medicine platform. In the APAC region including Australia revenue declined from $38 million in 2015 to $32 million for the FY 2016. The dual Australia-New Zealand listed Orion says the primary reason for the Asia-Pacific revenue decline was the sale of one-off perpetual licences in New Zealand in 2015, which carried limited revenue forward into 2016. But, on a positive note, Orion says that after a period of consolidation in Australia, the company secured two new contracts in Queensland, and revenue increased in Asia with successful deployments in Vietnam and a strategic new contract in Malaysia. Orion chief executive Ian McCrae says the full year 2016 has been one of progress for the company. Having invested in the development and launch of the Amadeus precision medicine platform, the company is now driving to profitability during FY2018, and targeting revenue growth of over 20% in the coming financial year. McCrae says that with $59 million of cash reserves, Orion has enough cash and facilities to fund its growth strategy. We have launched our world-leading Amadeus precision medicine big data platform and we are now working to achieve profitable growth. We have recently made progress with several significant contracts, including Cognizant recently securing its first sale under our partnership. In the FY2016, Orions annualised recurring revenue grew 36% to $85 million, while recurring revenue was 42% of operating revenue, compared with 33% in the previous year, and McCrae says the company is ahead of schedule in achieving its goal of exceeding 50% recurring revenue in the next four years. The company reports operating losses after tax were $54 million compared to $61 million in the previous year, and includes an abnormal expense item of $7 million resulting in an operating loss after tax, before an abnormal item of $47 million a $14 million improvement on the previous year and which McCrae says reflects Orions business strategy of investing in research and development and the cost of restructuring the business in the US market to ensure profitable future growth. Orion reports its best performing region was EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), recording an increase of 59% year-on- year to achieve operating revenue of $48 million. But, North America continues to be Orion Healths largest region, with the company reporting revenue of $125 million, an increase of 32% on the previous year, and Orion says strong growth in Canada was driven by the deployment of the first electronic patient care plan in its largest region, Ontario. In the US market Orion says performance was mixed, but the year ended with the signing of two substantial agreements a contract with Horizon Healthcare Services, a large insurer based in New Jersey with over 3.8 million members, and a partnership with leading healthcare software vendor, Cognizant. McCrae says in the coming year revenue increases will be driven by global expansion, the shift to SaaS-based deployments, strategic partnerships and providing greater value for new and existing customers as they transition to the new cloud technology platform. Our software now manages over 100 million patient health records globally. This puts Orion Health in a powerful position as the health sector experiences major disruption through new technology and as patient records begin to move to the cloud. Telstra has denied claims that faulty modem firmware updates to modems it supplies to NBN and ADSL broadband customers have been responsible for its spate of recent widespread outages. Telstra had a bad weekend with three days of sporadic outages and an increasing unrest caused by scant information on its crowd support site. Over the weekend iTWire received a tip from an anonymous source stating that a faulty modem firmware update was the cause. The tip appeared to be corroborated by an article in the Sydney Morning Herald and via noted telecom forum Whirlpool. When iTWire sought a response from Telstra, the following statement was issued promptly: The issue was extremely complex, but in simple terms, there was a fault with the device that manages the interaction between our network and all of the different types of customer modems. We apologise to our customers for the impact this has had on their services. In a stark refutation of the faulty modem firmware claim, a Telstra spokesman told iTWire that they had heard the rumours but denied that it was due to consumer modem firmware updates. There have been reports of outages affecting "some customers" to as many as 375,000 users. Telstra service status updates claimed on Friday 20 May at 20:11 that "All NBN voice and data services and ADSL services affected today were restored earlier this evening". At 11:47 on Sunday 22 May, service status updates said: "We have made significant progress overnight with restoration efforts and appreciate residual issues are taking longer than expected to resolve." There has been no service update since 16:55 on Sunday 22 May where it says "Residual issues affecting NBN and ADSL data services are now resolved." Social media posts indicate some consumers are still experiencing issues. According to the Whirlpool site, Telstra is offering a 25GB data pack in compensation. There has been no confirmation of that from Telstra nor any information on how that is handled except that Whirlpool suggests you have to ask for it when calling: Rang Telstra around lunchtime tried a couple of things over the phone and was advised a data pack would be added to my phone and that any excess data used would be credited. Still a massive PITA at home, though. The consultant had no clue when it might be fixed. TBH I got the feeling he was a bit jack if having no info to give. Whirlpool has quietened down now after more than 200 comments over three days. Aussieoutages showed a progressive drop in issues overnight, but residual issues were evident this morning. Jurors in the Google-Oracle case will begin their deliberations on Tuesday Australian time, after closing arguments, to decide whether the search engine giant's use of 37 APIs from Java in its Android mobile operating system is covered under fair use. It is only if they decide that the fair use defence is not applicable that the trial will enter a fresh phase to determine the quantum of damages that Oracle should get. But even this trial will not be the end of the story. Whichever side wins, the matter will ultimately end up as an appeal to the Supreme Court. It has taken four years for this second trial to start; the original trial began in 2010 and ended two years later in victory for Google. Appeals then began and finally it was back to court this year. By that reckoning, it may well be 2020 before the case is finally laid to rest. Technology companies are, by and large, hoping that Google will win. They fear that if a company is made to pay for the use of APIs which are copyrightable under US law then the cost of developing software will rise. The prospect of costly litigation for likely past violations is also a genie that may raise its head. Some are talking of the possibility that American companies may have to even relocate in order to avoid rising development costs. This may seem extreme, but in an age when the major competition comes from parts of Asia where software development costs are relatively low, it has to be a serious consideration. Google is often painted as an open source company and this has tended to be a factor in its garnering more support from the media over the lawsuit. But this is not strictly true: Google uses licences that suit its business interests and, in truth, it avoids any open source licence that insists on the doctrine of share-and-share alike. As proprietary businesses do, Google loves open source licences that permit open slather, licences that allow all and sundry to take code, change it in any way needed and then lock it away unseen forever. Its business practices are under the microscope in Europe where it appears likely to be hit with a massive fine before summer. And if there are no charges pending in the US, it is probably due to the fact that former officials from the company are employed in federal policy or law enforcement areas that are of commercial interest to Google. Given that, if Google were pulled into line, it would serve the long-range interests of the software industry much more. Like Microsoft in its prime, Oracle is not exactly popular in both industry and media circles and a victory for the database maker would doubtless take many people by surprise. But then one cannot take from others for business and profit reasons and expect that others will turn a blind eye. True, a verdict in favour of Oracle may well open the floodgates for patent and copyright trolls to have a field day. But then that would only be the effect; the cause lies with Google. The market share of Windows phones has sunk below 1%, according to the latest smartphone sales report from technology analyst firm Gartner. The number of phones made by Microsoft sold in the first quarter of 2016 came to 2.4 million, giving it a percentage of 0.7. In the corresponding quarter in 2015, Microsoft had sales of 8.27 million units giving it a 2.5% share. Overall, smartphone sales worldwide grew by 3.9% to 349 million units compared to the corresponding quarter in 2015, according to Gartner. Predictably, Android sales were the highest (84.1%). Apple saw its share fall with 51.6 million units sold compared to 60 million in the corresponding quarter in 2015. In terms of brands, Samsung extended its lead over Apple taking 23.2% market share compared to Apple's 14.8%. In the first quarter of 2015, those figures were 24.1% and 17.9% respectively, in a quarter when 336 million smartphones were sold. Apple also saw its first double=digit drop year-on-year, with iPhone sales down by 14%, according to Gartner. Another notable feature was the fact that Chinese vendors in the top five gained 17% of the total sales. Garther's research director Anshul Gupta was quoted as saying: "In a slowing smartphone market where large vendors are experiencing growth saturation, emerging brands are disrupting existing brands' long-standing business models to increase their share. "With such changing smartphone market dynamics, Chinese brands are emerging as the new top global brands. Two Chinese brands ranked within the top five worldwide smartphone vendors in the first quarter of 2015, and represented 11% of the market. In the first quarter of 2016, there were three Chinese brands Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi and they achieved 17% of the market." According to Gartner, Oppo had the best performance, moving into the fourth position with unit sales growth of 145%. Like Huawei and Xiaomi, Oppo grew strongly in China, taking share from Lenovo, Samsung and Yulong. Huawei saw strong smartphone demand in Europe, the Americas and Africa, while Xiaomi and Oppo saw their smartphone sales in the Asia-Pacific region rise by 20% and 199%, respectively. Library bond unanimously approved Voters waited in line for 45 minutes Tuesday to participate in an eight-minute meeting that resulted in the unanimous approval of a $600,000 bond to help renovate the North Road... Ferryboat business told to halt operations The ferryboat company operating from the municipally owned docks at East Ferry is illegally using that space, according to correspondence mailed to business owner Bill Munger. Town Administrator Jamie Hainsworth... A DOGGONE NEW BUSINESS A former business that used to clean peoples clothes is reopening as a groomer to tidy up the fur of those peoples four-legged companions. The defunct laundromat at the McQuades... Recent news and updates regarding the NVIDIA Geforce GTX showcased the device priced at $599 in the United States. However, despite the aims of the developers to make the product more appealing, there are insinuations that the device failed to be the breakout segment of this era. According to Engadget, As far as video card upgrades go, there's a lot to love with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1080 and it is considered as the GPU king of all. Owing to the tremendous features being modified, even the developers are expecting positive feedbacks for the noted tech gear. Last May 6, 2016, Nvidia revealed its most up-to-date graphics cards (GPU) to the world, which are the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070. These are the two cards which have been showcased and they both bring exciting specifications to the market, putting pressure on AMD to announce a graphics card to truly challenge it, as conveyed by PC Advisor. The GTX 1080 is set for release on 27 May 2016, and the GTX 1070 will follow suit with a release date of 10 June 2016, and it remains uncertain as to why there is a release gap for the devices. Nvidia will be selling its 'Founders Edition' cards, previously known as reference cards, directly through their website, while third-party manufacturers, such as MSI, EVGA, Gigabyte, ASUS among others, will most likely use a different dual-fan design, as conveyed by the same post. Despite the astonishing features of the NVIDIA Geforce GTX as well as being branded the king of the GPU and priced at $599, there are still notions that the device failed to be the breaking point that outmaneuvered other segments. The 2 industry giants who had at one point been partners against Microsoft seem to be having a pitched battle as Google who had merely started as a search engine somehow keeps getting Apple hit in the crossfire. It's not exactly new or has been a recent contest between the 2. The tug of war has been going on for close to a decade as Google - in its ever expanding search for new ideas - always somehow seem to find itself crossing paths and ending at odds with, Apple. When the iPhone was launched back in 2007, neither Apple nor Steve Jobs saw Google as a competitor - perhaps even Google had not seen itself that way - hence Google Maps came with the original iPhone. A cozy partnership the 2 had had, until Google's Android became the world's biggest android platform and included turn-by-turn navigation in the Android phones but not with the iPhones. Apple hit back by killing off Google Maps and coming out with its own version which unfortunately, had not been up to the task, resulting in a PR nightmare. Later on Google comes up with a map for iPhone 5 complete with navigation resulting in over 10 MILLION downloads in the first 2 days. All seems well, the 2 looks to have buried the hatchet. Of course, from a different point of view, it would also look as if Google saved the day for Apple. Based on Walter Isaacson's biography on Steve Jobs, not only did it get Jobs' attention, it got him wanting to go thermonuclear and spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion to destroy Android which, to his eyes, had cloned the iPhone. Some critics found it odd that even when Jobs saw the importance of mobile and knew of Google's Android, he somehow failed to put 2 and 2 together. Perhaps he had been comfortable in the knowledge that both companies were partners not competitors, having a personal relationship with Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Both companies have virtually dominated the smartphone market. The main difference is that Apple makes both hardware and software. It has maintained a healthy foothold through the years, continuing to surprise and embarrass its doomsayers and critics. Google, on the other hand, merely mainly provides the free software for mobile units. Its own efforts at marketing its own hardware has resulted to feeble Nexus' sales proving negligible at 0.1% as compared to Apple's share of 94% of global smartphone profits. Even Samsung's bigger profit share when compared to Apple's, is considered flat and weak. Hardware profit domination; this is the argument that some put up to in defense of Apple, considering it far more important than Android's 84.7% to Apple's 11.7% (the remaining 3.6% divided between Blackberry, Windows and others) on the software end of the argument. It might prove diligent perhaps were one to consider that these same figures also represent ACTUAL handheld units made by many other manufacturers. Perhaps a bit extreme, but one cannot help but compare it to the argument between expensive, high quality automobiles as compared to their far more reasonably priced counterparts. Everyone wants quality but affordability would always be an issue. As the battle rages on, and as financial analysts continue to predict what's what, who's winning at the moment and who shall emerge victorious, both companies continue their expansion. Apple has some $233 billion stockpiled. It has recently announced plans for a development office and app design center in separate sites in India. It has invested $1 billion on a ride hailing app with Uber's Chinese rival and Warren Buffet, considered one of the most successful investors on the planet, had just taken a $1 billion stake in the company. Google in the meantime, is adapting more lifelike images to its upcoming version of Android with a keen eye on virtual reality. It has unveiled a virtual home assistant, a more advance messaging platform and has invested in fiber networks, internet balloons and self-driving cars. No one is counting Apple out yet. In fact more seem confident in the company's health than otherwise and with good reason. For the longest time many seemed certain of Apple's defeat by Microsoft but Apples has survived, in fact thrived, coming out with twice the market value of its rival. People still line up, long ones at that, to get an iPhone every time a new one comes out. Far from wishing myself to be counted amongst the doomsayers, but I cannot help but notice there are signs, there HAVE been signs, to warrant concern, at the very least, introspection. Google's parent company, Alphabet, had overtaken Apple's market value early this year albeit briefly, but it had. Google should not have caught Steve Jobs unaware knowing what he knew in the past, but IT DID. A recent Verizon strike 2016 update has revealed that the U.S. Congress has urged the protests to end. This comes after the Obama Administration stepped in to help with negotiations. Hoboken Patch's Verizon strike 2016 update reported that 88 U.S. Congress members have issued a plea for both parties to end the rift. The strike has just passed its fifth week. On Apr. 13, nearly 40,000 workers joined the Verizon strike 2016. The number has not dwindled and the employees still continue their protest efforts currently. "We applaud Verizon's success and its ability to be profitable throughout the changes that have taken place in the telecommunications industry, but are deeply concerned about the ongoing Verizon strike," U.S. Congress said in a statement issued on Thursday. "We are troubled that the lack of a negotiated labor agreement could increase the likelihood that good jobs will be offshored to the Philippines, Mexico and other locations overseas or outsourced to low-wage, non-union domestic contractors." "We urge the parties to negotiate in good faith and agree to a fair contract. We firmly believe it is in the public interest to protect middle class jobs, reduce outsourcing and offshoring, and ensure high quality telecommunications services to the public." According to Liberation News, workers who joined the Verizon strike 2016 explained that they want to keep their jobs. They want the company to stop outsourcing work to Mexico, Philippines and India. Moreover, the company has also demanded workers to go to maintenance assignments that are about 100 miles away from their homes. This means that the employee needs to drive for about four hours but Verizon reportedly refuses to pay for that time. "I believe this is going to be an opening for the working class," a source said. "We need to stand our ground and keep fighting. Our action here at Verizon is not just for Verizon workers but it is for the whole working class." Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 73F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 71F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. SHARE By of the A Franklin industrial plating company is planning to more than double the size of its facility. Chrome Tech of Wisconsin Inc. is seeking to build a 21,607-square-foot addition to its 19,619-square-foot building located at 10020 S. 54th St., in Franklin Business Park, according to information filed with the city. A company executive couldn't be immediately reached for more information. The proposal is to be reviewed Monday night by the city Economic Development Commission. Chrome Tech specializes in hard chrome plating and other plating services. Jens Rasmussen (front), an Oshkosh native now living in Brooklyn, is among 20 people following the journey taken by millions of migrating wildebeest from the Serengeti plains to Kenyas Maasai Mara. Credit: Natasha Kutukova / National Geographic Channel SHARE Rasmussen carries firewood back to the camp in Tanzanias Serengeti in Mygrations, a reality show on the National Geographic Channel. Natasha Kutukova / National Geographic Channel By , This time last year, Jens Rasmussen was looking at the African wilderness surrounding him, with next to nothing but the clothes on his back and his knowledge of the plants and wildlife he'd encounter. Rasmussen an Oshkosh native now living in Brooklyn and 19 other people had been dropped off in the most remote area of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Assigned the task of following the 200-mile wildebeest migration on foot with no map, compass or weapons and minimal equipment, the journey would take them six weeks. If they could make it. The group of former special operations forces, survivalists, athletes, farmers and others undertook such a challenge for a National Geographic reality TV series to see who would make it to the end. "Mygrations" premieres Monday night on the National Geographic Channel. The Serengeti is Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, with more than 5,000 miles of African wilderness. The group traversed an untouched part of the Serengeti, previously off limits to humans for more than 50 years. About 1.3 million wildebeests attempt a migration from the southern Serengeti plains to the northern Maasai Mara in Kenya, according to National Geographic. The group's goal was to reach the Mara River. Rasmussen said his background and experience as an adventurist and outdoor educator helped guide him through the journey. Hunting, making sausage, canning and other self-sufficiency skills were part of his life growing up in Oshkosh. He left Oshkosh in 1992, lived in Milwaukee for a while and then ended up in New York, where he lives with his wife, Kimberly Faith Hickman, and is an actor and activist. Rasmussen has hitchhiked across Europe and has been to every country in the European Union and to every state in America except Alaska. He'd never been to Africa, though, where only the strong trees, grass, insects, animals survive the harsh environment, he said. "It's one of the oldest ecosystems in the world," he said. "Everything there is so highly adapted to survival, it's really incredible." The group embarked with just one change of clothes and one blanket each. They shared several coils of rope, four tarps, twine, one big pot and two small pots, four small machete knives, jugs to carry water and a very modest supply of local food, which included biltong (dried meat), tubers (vegetables like potatoes), baobab (a tree that produces a fruit with seeds high in antioxidants) and dried fruit. The water they drank, the same water the animals drank, was the color of chocolate milk, he said. The group had to collect the water whenever they could find it, then try to remove the chunks and particles in it and boil it to kill the bacteria. With only a path of hoofs to follow or the wildebeest themselves when in sight, the members of the group navigated by the sun and stars to follow them north. Among the dangerous situations the group faced were trying to draw water without encountering a crocodile or hippo and, as seen in the show's trailer, getting caught in a lightning storm on the open plains, with no place to take shelter. "That was truly one of the most frightening experiences," Rasmussen said. "That might have been the moment I was most sure we could all die." Rasmussen said the reality-show adventure was the hardest thing he's ever done, and there were many times he wasn't sure he'd be able to go on. But, he said, there was something beautiful about the simplicity that came from living in an untouched ecosystem with the sole focus of getting through the journey something he'll carry with him for the rest of his life. "This was such a profound experience that I know I'll be learning what I learned for years and years to come," he said. WHEN TO WATCH What: "Mygrations" When: 8 p.m. Monday Where: National Geographic Channel Police examine a bullet lodged in the side of a house at the scene of a triple shooting Monday near N. 27th St. and Medford Ave. in Milwaukee. Credit: Calvin Mattheis By of the Milwaukee police are investigating a shooting reported Monday morning that left three men wounded. The men ages 31, 36 and 38 were shot about 11 a.m. near N. 27th St. and W. Medford Ave., according to a police news release. The circumstances and motive of the shooting remained under investigation Monday afternoon. No arrests have been made. The three men were taken to hospitals for gunshot wounds that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to police. The Milwaukee Fire Department confirmed paramedics responded and took two of the men to Froedtert Hospital. Jameel Hameed Ali is charged with fourth degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct and failing to keep his address updated on the states sex offender registry. Credit: Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office SHARE By of the A violent sex offender whose discharge from civil commitment was strongly opposed by prosecutors because he had refused treatment for years, has been charged with a committing a new sex crime within a month of his release from the secure treatment center where he's been housed for more than decade. Jameel Hameed Ali, 67, is charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, but also with failing to keep his address updated on the state's sex offender registry, a felony that could send him back to prison. According to the criminal complaint: Ali was convicted of sexual assault in 1994, and after serving his prison term was found to be a violent sexual offender and ordered in 2004 to be held in civil commitment at Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Mauston, under the state's Chapter 980 commitment law. Ali sought but was denied release from civil commitment over the years, largely because he refused treatment. But after his latest effort, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Mark Sanders ordered Ali discharged on April 20, finding that he was no longer "more likely than not" to commit a new sex offense. Sanders then denied prosecutors' motion for reconsideration, according to court records. Because of the 1994 convictions on two counts of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, Ali is subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender. After his discharge last month, he reported to the registry program that he was living at a motel in Oak Creek. His release conditions require him to update his address within 10 days of any change. In Milwaukee County, however, it is nearly impossible for sex offenders to reside anywhere that doesn't put them inside restricted zones around schools, parks and other places children gather. For nearly a year, state officials would move sex offenders around every few days among a series of group homes, because they weren't considered to be residing in any one place if they stayed fewer than four days. The Milwaukee Common Council recently amended its ordinance to define residence as wherever one sleeps, further limiting housing options for sex offenders, and leaving more of them homeless. Within a week of reporting his motel address, Ali told a registry agent that he had moved to the 2500 block W. Capitol Drive and had arranged to have his GPS bracelet readjusted. Within another two weeks, he told the agent by email that he was now staying with a friend in the 2800 block of N. Holton St. Ali did not return messages from the agent seeking more detail, and later the agent asked Milwaukee police to look for Ali. Officers were able to track Ali by his GPS unit as moving in the W. Capitol Drive area, but the device's records also showed Ali had not spent any nights at the address he had given there, or at the new address on Holton St., between April 30 and May 9. A few days later, the complaint charges, Ali was at the friend's house on Holton St. when he masturbated in front of a woman who had fallen asleep in a chair at the same house. She awoke during the incident, she told police, but acted as though she was still asleep. She said Ali chanted, "Why did she have to be in the room with me, Allah?" before touching her arm, leg and buttocks. When Ali moved away, she texted the man who lived at the house, who came to the room where she was so she could get up and leave. Players in the debate over the Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program in Milwaukee: Demond Means, commissioner (clockwise from upper left); County Executive Chris Abele; MPS superintendent Darienne Driver; and state Rep. Dale Kooyenga. Credit: Journal Sentinel files By of the Milwaukee Public Schools has until June 23 to respond to an invitation from County Executive Chris Abele and his Opportunity Schools commissioner, Demond Means, to partner with them in a plan to turn around some of Milwaukee's poorest performing schools. Means has told MPS that rejecting the deal could force him to bring in an outside operator to run the schools as dictated in state law. But school reform advocates and observers in Milwaukee and around the country say that would be tougher than it sounds, and may not yield the results the Legislature envisioned when it created Means' post. Charter school operators generally prefer to create schools from the ground up, rather than take over existing operations, they said. In addition, the lack of seed money, the lower per-pupil funding for charter schools, Milwaukee's competitive school market and highly charged political environment could make it difficult to attract quality operators. "It's much easier to build a school from scratch than to go in and work with an existing one," said Sean Roberts, executive director of Milwaukee Charter Advocates. "It's challenging to recruit quality providers in general because of the disparity in funding" between traditional public schools and public charters, he said. "Most of the good operators in town have their hands full," said Ricardo Diaz of the United Community Center, which operates the Bruce Guadalupe charter schools. "And, of course, we haven't seen a great deal of success from national operators," he said. Means, superintendent of the Mequon-Thiensville School District, was appointed by Abele under a new law drafted last year by suburban Republican lawmakers in an effort to force improvements in Milwaukee Public Schools. The Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program, adopted as part of the 2015-'17 budget, requires Means to take control of one to five schools annually and turn those over to competing operators. Instead, he and Abele have proposed what they see as a compromise that would be less disruptive to the district. Under their plan, Means would operate the schools as a consultant to MPS, bringing in a number of agencies and organizations to improve staff training and offer wraparound services to students. Teachers would keep their jobs and remain MPS employees. MPS would retain its per-pupil funding, albeit less than it gets currently if the schools operate as charters. And the MPS board would lose governance authority over the schools. The schools would revert to MPS control after five years if they meet improvement goals. MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver, who is in the midst of her own reform initiatives, said the district has been exchanging emails with Abele and Means to flesh out the details of the plan. "It's really around whether this is a value added for our children and families, and whether or not we have the appropriate infrastructure and resources to be able to implement this plan," said Driver, who took issue with the characterization of the proposal as a "partnership." "We're going through a number of elements, not just the plan, but the statute itself, making sure that we have all of those details ironed out," Driver said. "The proposal has left the district with more questions than answers." Questions about plan Among the questions that have circulated between the parties and within the broader education community: What under the statute constitutes a "school" for purposes of a takeover? Does it give Means and Abele authority to take just the building? The furniture and resources inside? Who will pay the start-up costs? MPS estimates it costs as much as $150,000 to launch a community school like the one envisioned by Abele and Means. The state law included no money for the turnaround district, and Abele has yet to attract outside funders, he said, because of the lack of certainty. State aid to schools is paid quarterly beginning in October, so someone would have to front the enterprise. One likely candidate would be MPS, which would effectively be asked to do more with less, according to critics. MPS would be paid as much as $2,000 less per-student for the targeted schools, meaning it would need to tap funds meant for other schools to subsidize the turnaround schools over which it would have no control. Abele said the wraparound services would be covered through federal reimbursements at no cost to MPS. Some have speculated that Abele, a millionaire philanthropist, might tap his own coffers. He skirted the question Friday, saying "my intention is to continue to approach others." What happens if MPS says no? Means declined to speculate, saying he prefers to focus on hammering out a deal with MPS. But the law is clear: Abele and Means would need to attract another operator. Most independent charter schools in Milwaukee Bruce Guadalupe and the Milwaukee College Preparatory schools, for example are homegrown and run by people with deep ties in the community. But those often take years to plan and develop. Few outside operators Only four of the more than 20 independent charter schools are run by so-called charter-school operators. One of those, North Point Lighthouse, will close at the end of the school year. Only one of the four Rocketship South Side Community Prep has posted the type of academic results Means and Abele would likely tout. Charter advocates say such operators have generally steered clear of Milwaukee for a host of reasons, including the disparity in per-pupil, and the stiff competition among providers in all three sectors public, public charter and voucher schools. State Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield), who co-authored the Opportunity Schools statute, said last week that he would encourage Abele and Means "to take a more aggressive approach" with MPS if it declines to take part. And he said he would continue to work to close the funding gap in an effort to better attract charter operators. The Abele-Means plan has been derided as a takeover because it usurps the authority of the elected School Board. It's viewed as an attack on the first black woman to lead the district, a Harvard-educated PhD who's spent her career working in urban school districts. Means feels heat Much of the criticism has been directed at Means. Earlier this month, he was uninvited as commencement speaker by his alma mater, Milwaukee's Riverside High School, after school staff objected. And last week, a coalition of public school supporters delivered a letter to the Mequon-Thiensville School Board urging it to rein in its superintendent. "What would you do if the superintendent of Mukwonago, Madison or some other place came here and said they were taking over Homestead High School and turning it over to a private operator?" Ingrid Walker Henry, co-chairman of Schools and Communities United, said, reading the letter aloud to the board. "Dr. Means is participating in a coordinated attack on public education in Wisconsin and undermining our communities' democratic rights," she said. Means apologized to his board because the protests had followed him to Mequon. And he objected to the assertion that he was out to undermine public education. "I have spent my entire career advocating for public education," he said in an email to the Journal Sentinel. Some observers questioned whether either scenario the MPS collaboration or bringing in outside providers will yield the improvements the Legislature is hoping to see. "They've picked up a rock that's pretty heavy to lift," said Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), who chairs the Senate Education Committee. "If this were easy, it would already be done. Milwaukee wouldn't have these low-performing schools if it were easy." Colette Shumperts Milwaukee home is filled with photos of her son Michael Brown Jr., who was fatally shot in 2012. He lives on through organ donation, and she speaks to donor support groups as well as medical residents and nursing students. Credit: Michael Sears SHARE Daniel Bell had a heart transplant in January after years struggling with heart disease and shares his experience with other patients. Michael Sears By of the Daniel Bell is a young man with a new heart. Colette Shumpert is a mother who grieves for her son Michael Brown Jr., who was killed in December 2012 and whose organs have given others a gift of life. Bell and Shumpert, who live just three miles apart in Milwaukee, are emerging as strong local voices for organ donation. Since undergoing his heart transplant in January at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Bell, 30, has been asked by staff and friends to talk to at least 10 patients who face the same long road he once traveled. That road included being kept alive for 14 months with an LVAD, a left ventricle assist device, to pump blood to his ailing heart while he awaited a transplant. "You'll learn to live with that," Bell said he tells those who may be afraid of undergoing the surgery. Shumpert, 45, volunteers for Froedtert's transplant support group, as well as the Wisconsin Donor Network. The pain of her loss is ever present. At her home, she is surrounded by photos of her late son, Michael, who was 24 when he was killed by his friend in an apparent dispute over payment for a stolen gun. "I asked God that he make something good come out of this," she said. Sit with Bell and Shumpert for any time, and you can understand why they are such forceful and effective proponents for organ donation. Bell is positive, outgoing and energetic. He also knows the score on medical procedures, having worked in the surgical department at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, helping to transport patients, ferry blood and clean the operating rooms. In 2013, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a heart disease. By February 2014, he needed a pacemaker. In October, he was given a wearable defibrillator. With his heart failing, his kidneys began to shut down. He underwent surgery to implant the LVAD, a mechanical pump for his heart. Bell waited for a transplant, sustained by faith, hopeful for a match and, yes, sometimes in terrible pain and also restless. The heart pump had to be powered 24/7, whether by a pair batteries he wore around his waist like a tool belt or a cable plugged into a wall outlet. "I couldn't vacuum, couldn't shower," Bell said. "You burn the pump out and you'll be out of here." On Jan. 28, at 8 a.m., he received a call that a donor heart was found. By 6 p.m., he was in surgery that would last 12 hours. During recovery, complications set in, and Bell was placed in a medically induced coma. On Feb. 10, Bell looked up and saw his wife, Taccarra. She asked him if he knew who won the Super Bowl. "The Super Bowl hasn't been played yet," he told her. But it had. He is doing well now. He looks after his kids, Amirah, 6, and Cynthia, 5. He makes sure there is dinner on the table when his wife comes home from her job as a patient service representative at Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group. He is eager to get back to work. And he is looking forward. For Shumpert, who has two surviving adult children, the past is always present. She misses her oldest son, Michael. "I believe his heart was always good," she said. On Dec. 7, 2012, she received a call from Michael's fiancee, who told her that Michael had been shot and was being transported to Froedtert. Shumpert raced to the hospital, where she met doctors who delivered the terrible news that Michael would not survive. She was asked if she would consider donating his organs. She agreed. An hour later, she was told that when Michael applied for his driver's license, he signed up to be an organ donor. "That was my confirmation, something good has to come out of this," she said. The next morning, doctors told her that tests of her son showed there was no brain activity. "I went back to the hospital to say my goodbye," she said. His organs went to four individuals. "Their lives were spared and saved because of his life," she said. In addition, 11 others received her son's tissue and bone. Months after his death, she wrote letters to the four people who received his organs. "I wanted them to know who Michael was," she said. "I wanted them to know that I think about them and that I hope their organ functions for them for a long time. I wanted them to know that I cared." In the past two years, she has taken her message about organ donation to churches and also talked with medical residents and nursing students. And she has related her story and her son's to donor support groups. One such group met in April at Froedtert. She got up and spoke, wearing a button that featured a photo of her son. The next person who spoke was Bell. He told her, "I knew your son. We went to school together." For a brief moment, there was a connection, of life and loss and love. Rick Frenette was fired as chief executive officer of the Wisconsin State Fair for bypassing state procedures in granting raises for himself and other employees. SHARE By of the State Fair Park Chairman John Yingling said Monday that he notified 30 employees the state was rescinding their controversial pay raises granted earlier this year by former Chief Executive Officer Rick Frenette without proper authority. But the employees will be allowed to keep the increased pay they received from the salary increases from Jan. 10 to May 1 in essence converting the partial pay raises into one-time bonuses. The move was the latest action taken after Frenette's firing May 11 and the resignation a day later of Human Resources Director Ryan Burns after they bypassed state procedures for granting raises to themselves and other State Fair employees. Yingling said the board was "disheartened" by the entire episode, especially Frenette's decision to give himself a $5,000 raise on top of his $127,000 annual salary. Unlike in the three previous years, the raise was not submitted to Yingling for his approval. "A number of them were sickened by it," Yingling said of the board members. "They were completely blindsided by it." Records released to the Journal Sentinel Monday in response to an open records request detail the step-by-step process of granting what was known as Discretionary Merit Compensation at State Fair Park, as well as differing accounts from Frenette on what actually occurred. The increases totaled about $78,000. In a nutshell, state officials warned Frenette in the fall of 2015 that only one-time bonuses for employees would be acceptable, instead of salary-building increases. Despite that, Feb. 1, Frenette and Burns received salary bumps, and a day later other salary increases were granted to other full-time staff. According to a time line given to the board, Burns entered most of the increases into the state payment system, but needed help awarding his own because the system would not allow him to put through the raise. All of the salary increases were backdated to Jan. 10, records show. Just days later, Department of Administration deputy secretary Cate Zeuske called on Frenette to justify the increases. On Feb. 18, Frenette agreed to withdraw them. "I have decided it is not in ... our agency's best interest to rock the boat and put you in a position to do something for us that you cannot explain to others," Frenette wrote in a Feb. 18 email. "You can withdraw our request to give all of my employees DMC base pay increases." In the email, he raised the possibility of the State Fair splitting away from state government and becoming its own authority. He said he was also interested in "the possibility of redefining my position in a new compensation plan." Unknown to state officials, at the time, the increases were already in the system and were not rescinded. In March, two authorized lump-sum bonuses were granted to two low-level State Fair staffers, through the normal process. On April 19, Paul Ostrowski, another DOA staffer, noticed the pay raises for Frenette, Burns and 30 other staffers. At that point, in an April 20 email reply to Ostrowski, Frenette reversed course and justified all of the increases. He noted the success of State Fair Park under his leadership and that the staff deserved to be compensated for their hard work. "We feel this decision to award merit increases was the best way to accomplish this pay increase," Frenette wrote to Ostrowski. Frenette offered to rewrite job descriptions to justify the increases. "Also based on our success, our employees are constantly being recruited from other fairs," Frenette wrote. "My personal increase is based on retention." On May 2, the Department of Personnel Management, which is part of DOA, interviewed Burns. Around that time, Frenette hired prominent criminal defense attorney Franklyn Gimbel, and they met with State Fair Park and state officials a week later. On May 10, in a letter to Yingling, Gimbel acknowledged that "it is clear that there was procedural and oversight negligence in the method in which these pay adjustments were initiated and processed under the watch of Rick Frenette." But Gimbel pleaded with the board not to fire Frenette, who he said was responsible for helping to turn around the State Fair Park's once troubled financial picture. He suggested the board issue Frenette a warning or a financial sanction. "At no time did Rick Frenette intend to cheat the system in place to appropriately regulate state employee compensation," Gimbel wrote. On May 11, after meeting for more than four hours in closed session, the board unanimously fired Frenette. "Bottom line, you cannot give yourself a raise," Yingling said. "It's one of those things where you shake your head." Gimbel said Monday that Frenette was stunned by the board's decision to remove him. "His sense was there would be an admonition and a financial sanction but no goodbye," Gimbel said. Frenette received no financial severance. After Frenette's dismissal, the board replaced him with an interim chief executive, Kathleen O'Leary, a longtime State Fair staffer. Yingling said the board would wait until later this year before deciding on a permanent chief executive. "Right now, my priority is the 2016 State Fair," Yingling said. The fair runs Aug. 4-14. Passengers at OHare International Airport wait in line to be screened at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint on May 16, 2016. Waiting times at the checkpoints were reported to be as long 2 hours. The long lines have been blamed for flight delays and a large number of passengers missing flights. Credit: Scott Olson SHARE By The disappearance and presumed crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, en route from Paris to Cairo, illustrates what's at stake when we discuss airport security. Though it is too soon to say with any certainty why the jet went down, it nevertheless serves as an important reminder in case one was needed of the potentially devastating consequences of a security lapse. It is in this context that we should consider what to do about the excruciatingly long security screening lines at airports around the country that have resulted in thousands of passengers missing their flights. Travelers have every right to be frustrated and angry at yet another government failure. But more than convenience is at stake. As the recent attack at the Brussels airport reminds us, planes are not the only targets. Hundreds of unscreened people waiting in line in a relatively confined space with unscreened bags is an invitation for a terrorist attack. The Transportation Security Administration needs to get serious about its response. There are several measures it should consider implementing immediately: Dramatically lower the price of TSA PreCheck. The cost is now $85 per person older than 12, which could cost a family of four $340 for their summer trip to the lake. Ouch. Only about 2 million people have signed up for the program, falling far short of the goal of 25 million set for all so-called trusted traveler programs, including PreCheck and Global Entry. Although enrollment is valid for five years, the low numbers are clear evidence that the cost, coupled with the requirement of an in-person interview, is too high. TSA should consider a $10 individual or $15 family summer pass good through Labor Day. Assess all airlines that charge for checked bags a hefty "user fee" to offset the cost of hiring more TSA screeners. Strict monitoring will ensure the airlines do not pass on the new user fees to passengers. No one wants to pay the additional fees for checked luggage typically $25 per bag, each way so people carry them on instead, slowing down screening lines. Last year, passenger airlines collected a whopping $3.8 billion in baggage fees. And every bag passengers carry on the plane is a bag the airlines don't have to load, track and deliver. Alternatively, revise the carry-on rules to limit passengers to one regular size backpack (or something of equal size) and suspend airline baggage fees, at least temporarily. This will speed screening and ensure plenty of overhead bin space for everyone. Yes, this is going to make some people, especially business travelers, very unhappy, but until TSA is able to hire and train the increased number of screeners required, it will keep the lines moving. Boost TSA hiring and expand screening capacity.TSA has committed to hiring an additional 768 screeners, a paltry 2% of the 41,928 screeners now employed. If, as TSA says, the number of travelers is up 12% since 2011 and the number of TSA agents is down 12% over the same period, then TSA has a math problem. Beyond that, TSA needs to deploy the screeners it does have more effectively. If there are only a handful of lanes and machines (metal detectors, body scanners and X-ray machines) to process travelers, then it doesn't matter how many screeners you have standing around, there are going to be lines. The body scanning machines, in particular, create choke points. Either get more of them or supplement scanning with metal detectors. Revise travel schedules to minimize crowding.The Department of Homeland Security should work with the FAA, part of the Department of Transportation, to reduce clustering flights at peak periods. Admittedly, the air travel system is a complex web of arrivals, departures and connections, but where possible, flights should be timed to avoid crowds gathering at the security checkpoint in the first place. This is by no means an exhaustive list. The point is that it is not enough for TSA to say, "Come to the airport extra early." In the longer term, we need to reimagine security and function at our airports and other transit hubs. This includes how we hire, vet and train all employees, especially security and safety personnel, to be the world's best experts in what they do; how we physically configure these spaces to accommodate increasing numbers of people; and how we process travelers from the moment they arrive until the moment they depart. For example, our international airports lack the physical space to process travelers through immigration control when they depart the USA, which impedes the implementation of a fully operational entry-exit system first mandated by Congress in 1996. And there is virtually no screening happening at rail stations, though terrorists have carried out attacks on rail in Brussels, Madrid, London and Moscow, and targeted the New York City subway, to name a few. Americans have the right to demand a security process that safely and efficiently screens travelers, and government employees, including members of Congress and leaders at DHS, who are capable of anticipating and solving problems. Having to arrive at the airport three hours early represents a failure of leadership, management and imagination. And the resulting long lines this failure produces are ripe for terrorist exploitation. Kelly Moore served on the 9/11 Commission's border security team and co-authored "9/11 and Terrorist Travel." She has worked for the State Department's counterterrorism office, United Nations peacekeeping missions, the international war crimes tribunal and the U.S. Senate. Her commentary was first published by USA TODAY. SHARE By , A wave of threats directed at schools across the nation forced authorities to lock down buildings or evacuate students. The threats, which appear to be driven by automated calls, were directed at elementary, middle and high schools in states across at least three time zones. Some districts reported that the calls included a bomb threat while others just described the calls as threatening. The calls were reported in Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. Tom McCarthy, a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesman, said the department did not know how many schools statewide had received threats. Ken Trump, a national school security expert and president of a school security consulting firm, said Monday's bomb hoaxes have the hallmarks of swatting. Swatting hoax threats, according to Trump, are intended to trigger massive police response. Trump said they are often described as robotic, computer-generated voices that call in threats to schools or police departments. A single swatting case can affect multiple states, jurisdictions and even travel across international borders, Trump said. "They tend to come in waves," he said. "We've seen them cross six states in an afternoon." Trump said swatting incidents have "skyrocketed" nationwide in the past two years. "(Swatting) suspects are often more sophisticated," he said. "They can use Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol) systems or other technologies that can be virtually impossible to track down." In the United Kingdom, at least 21 schools received bomb threats, as well, according to The Independent. In Wisconsin, Janet Berry Elementary School in Appleton received an anonymous, automated phone call at 11:47 a.m. indicating a bomb would go off in the building. Staff and students stayed outside as police searched the school. They were allowed to return at 1:40 p.m. Other Wisconsin schools affected were: Oakwood Elementary School in the Town of Algoma: The school received a threatening phone call around 11:50 a.m. School officials immediately implemented a "soft lockdown" and began evacuating the school, sending staff and 473 students to the Oshkosh YMCA. Parents were asked to pick up their children at the YMCA. Edison Middle School in Green Bay: The school was locked down for about an hour Monday afternoon after receiving a threatening automated call at 11:40 a.m. Pleasant Prairie Elementary School in Pleasant Prairie: Students and staff were evacuated after an 11:30 a.m. bomb threat. Federal authorities are in the midst of an investigation at Lincoln Hills School for Boys in Irma. Officials are investigating a range of potential crimes at the juvenile prison, including second-degree sexual assault, physical child abuse, child neglect, abuse of prisoners, and intimidation of victims and witnesses. Credit: Mark Hoffman By of the Madison Wendy Peterson quickly moved through the ranks after arriving at Wisconsin's troubled youth prison, climbing to the top position at the facility that is caught up in a federal criminal probe. But Peterson's career path ended abruptly in her previous taxpayer-funded job, records show. Peterson resigned from Northcentral Technical College in May 2011, about two weeks after her boss told her she was being demoted and having her pay cut by more than $14,000 because of poor communication skills. Peterson had been the associate dean of K-12 relations at the Wausau-based college. "This change to your position is occurring due to deficiencies in leadership communication, and the consequences resulting from the deficiency," Laurie Borowicz, the college's vice president of student services, wrote to Peterson on May 5, 2011. "By not communicating and effectively problem solving, relationships have been damaged, and the college's ability to provide services to our K-12 partners are hindered." Soon afterward, Peterson quit, according to a copy of her personnel file released under the state's open records law. From there, she went to work at the state's youth prison, Lincoln Hills School for Boys. This month she was promoted to the six-figure job of superintendent. There's no sign that Lincoln Hills officials checked her work history at the technical school before hiring her in 2011. Peterson has faced criticism at her latest workplace. Frustrated staff filed a petition asking Department of Corrections officials not to give her a promotion in 2014 to second in command, and teachers have said Peterson told them to show juvenile inmates Hollywood movies as a way to keep them in classrooms. Peterson did not respond to a request for comment, but Department of Corrections officials defended her, arguing she was the best person to run Lincoln Hills at a time of turmoil. The details about Peterson's earlier work experience come to light as Peterson takes control of Lincoln Hills and the institution finds itself at a crucial moment. Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake School for Girls, which share the same site 30 miles north of Wausau, have been under investigation for 16 months over allegations of child abuse, prisoner neglect, excessive use of pepper spray, destruction of records and other crimes. In addition to the criminal investigation, federal authorities are reviewing whether there has been a pattern of civil rights violations at the institution. At Northcentral Technical College, Peterson got positive annual reviews for years, her personnel file shows. But in November 2010, Borowicz wrote her a memo titled "Performance Concerns" telling her she needed to develop an improvement plan because she had not effectively communicated with Borowicz. "The issue of your need to communicate with me and others in the college regarding K-12 programs issues has been discussed on a number of occasions," Borowicz wrote. Peterson put together an improvement plan, but six months later Borowicz wrote her the letter saying she was being demoted. The improvement plan "has not produced the necessary outcomes," she wrote. Peterson's pay was cut from about $74,000 to $60,000, and the May 2011 letter to her said her ability to work with others would continue to be reviewed. If it didn't get better, Peterson could be fired, Borowicz wrote. Peterson sent a letter 11 days later, saying she would resign at the end of the month. Borowicz made a notation in Peterson's personnel file saying she would not rehire her. "Poor communication. Left her position with many loose ends," the notation says. Within days of leaving, Peterson was working for Lincoln Hills as a teacher supervisor. Karen Brzezinski, Northcentral Technical College's human resources director, said she was not aware of Lincoln Hills making a reference check with the college before hiring her. As Lincoln Hills' educational director, Peterson was responsible for responding to concerns raised by Milwaukee County officials about how much time Lincoln Hills residents were spending in class. Peterson told teachers they should focus on "quantity over quality" when it came to classroom time, according to Kelly Knudsen, a former teacher and librarian at the institution. Peterson had advised teachers to show movies to keep kids in their classrooms, said Knudsen and a current teacher. Rank-and-file workers fought having Peterson promoted to deputy superintendent. Employees signed a petition saying they lacked confidence in Peterson as she was being considered for that job. Previously, union official Troy Bauch had said about half the prison's staff signed the petition. But one Lincoln Hills worker familiar with the petition said a smaller group of about 15 people signed it. Peterson was widely opposed by the staff, but many people were unwilling to sign it because they were concerned they could face repercussions if they did, he said. The efforts to keep Peterson out of the job failed, and she moved into the No. 2 spot in October 2014. That's around the time the Department of Corrections started an internal investigation of Lincoln Hills. The state Department of Criminal Investigation got involved in January 2015, and federal prosecutors took over the probe about a year later. The school's superintendent, John Ourada, abruptly retired in December, around the time agents and attorneys raided the facility. Longtime Department of Corrections official Wayne Olson was put in charge of the prison in January, but he unexpectedly stepped down three months later. Newly appointed Corrections Secretary Jon Litscher turned to Peterson to run Lincoln Hills. She is making $101,000 in the new job, a 22% boost over the $82,500 she made as deputy superintendent. Peterson had to compete with others to get her previous jobs at Lincoln Hills, but not for the top spot. The corrections secretary believes Peterson is the best person to oversee Lincoln Hills, said a statement from Department of Corrections spokesman Tristan Cook. "As deputy superintendent, Wendy was responsible for overseeing implementation of many reforms and provides a seamless transition as DOC continues to reform Wisconsin's juvenile corrections system," Cook said in his statement. The U.S. Supreme Court for now is allowing arguments partly in secret in a case over whether the high court should hear a dispute over the shutdown of an investigation into Gov. Scott Walkers campaign and conservative groups. Credit: Associated Press SHARE About John Doe Separate but related criminal investigations initiated by Milwaukee County prosecutors have examined events and activities during Scott Walker's time as Milwaukee County executive and as governor. Prosecutors have conducted the probes under the state's "John Doe" statutes that grant extraordinary powers to investigators to compel testimony and maintain secrecy. The first John Doe investigation, begun in 2010, led to convictions of six Walker aides, associates or appointees on charges ranging from theft from a veteran's group to misconduct in office. The second Doe probe, launched in 2012, looked into coordination between conservative political organizations and Walker and other candidates during recall elections. The second probe was halted in May 2014 by a federal judge who agreed that the investigation denied one of the conservative groups' its free-speech rights. No charges have been filed in the second investigation. Walker has denied wrongdoing. See full coverage in John Doe special section By of the The U.S. Supreme Court for now is allowing arguments partly in secret in a case over whether the high court should hear a dispute over the shutdown of an investigation into Gov. Scott Walker's campaign and conservative groups backing him. In an order Monday, the court said the justices would accept filings made under seal and release copies to the public with parts redacted, a practice that would be similar to what happened in other state and federal courts. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm last month asked the nation's top court to overturn a decision by Wisconsin's Supreme Court to shut down an investigation into Walker and groups on the right. Chisholm and other prosecutors argue state Supreme Court Justices David Prosser and Michael Gableman should not have been allowed to hear the case because their campaigns benefited from work by some of the groups being investigated. They also want the U.S. Supreme Court to review whether the Wisconsin court got it right when it ruled candidates have free speech rights to work closely with advocacy groups during their campaigns, according to sources. The U.S. Supreme Court one member short because of the death of Justice Antonin Scalia takes only a tiny percentage of cases filed with it each year. Four justices are needed to accept a case. Joining Chisholm in the effort are two other Democratic district attorneys, Ismael Ozanne of Dane County and Larry Nelson of Iowa County. In 2012, Chisholm launched the probe of the Republican governor's campaign and brought in other district attorneys as the investigation spread to people and groups based in other counties, including Republican District Attorneys Kurt Klomberg of Dodge County and Jane Kohlwey of Columbia County, who worked on the probe but did not join the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Special prosecutor Francis Schmitz led the probe, which was conducted under the John Doe law that allowed prosecutors to force people to testify, turn over documents and remain silent about the case. The Wisconsin Club for Growth and two of its advisers brought legal challenges to stop the investigation for good. One of those advisers, R.J. Johnson, previously worked both for Walker and the Wisconsin Club for Growth. The state Supreme Court last year ruled 4-2 against the prosecutors. Because the investigation was conducted in secret, large portions of many court filings have been blacked out for the public. The case centers on how much candidates can work with political groups at election time. A lawsuit is challenging Wisconsins voter ID law, as well as a host of other laws and policies enacted in the last five years, including limits on early voting and the elimination of straight-ticket voting. Credit: Associated Press By of the Madison Some voters might not have been able to cast ballots this fall if not for a new state rule put in place on the eve of a trial over Wisconsin's voter ID law, the official responsible for issuing ID cards testified Monday. Her testimony came as the federal judge hearing the trial expressed serious concern about voters who have found themselves in a Catch-22 in getting IDs needed to vote because they lack birth certificates or other key documents. "These people are stuck and stuck hard," Judge James Peterson said. The trial entered its second week on Monday and is slated to run through Thursday. Peterson is expected to rule in the coming weeks and the losing side is expected to appeal to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. On the stand Monday was Kristina Boardman, the head of the state Division of Motor Vehicles. That agency is responsible for issuing free ID cards to those who need them for voting. The DMV has set up a special process for the narrow slice of people who can't easily get IDs because they lack birth certificates, have misspellings on their birth certificates or have other problems with their documentation, such as different names on their birth certificates and Social Security cards. Some people have found themselves caught up in that process for months and, at least in one case, for nearly two years. These are the voters who the judge described as stuck. Just before the trial started, GOP Gov. Scott Walker approved new state rules that will allow such people to quickly get temporary receipts with their photos printed on them that they can use for voting while they wait for a determination on whether they can get a state-issued ID. Boardman acknowledged that without those new rules, some otherwise qualified voters might not be able to vote this fall because they wouldn't be able to get an ID by then. "Many of them will be resolved, but there is a possibility some of them may not be" before the election, she testified. The lawsuit was brought by the liberal groups One Wisconsin Institute and Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund. They argue Republican elected officials intentionally meant to make it harder to vote for minorities and others inclined to vote for Democrats. Their challenge is over the voter ID law, as well as a host of other laws and policies enacted in the last five years, including limits on early voting and the elimination of straight-ticket voting. Lawyers with the state Department of Justice defending those laws note Wisconsin had its highest turnout in more than 40 years in its presidential primary last month. During Monday's exchanges, lawyers for the plaintiffs homed in on racial disparities, noting minorities make up a big share of those needing ID cards because they don't have driver's licenses, as well as a large chunk of those facing the toughest time getting IDs. Boardman said race was not the reason that happens. "The race is really blind to the petition process," she said. "We really have to do our work based on the documentation presented." Boardman also described what would happen to people who seek IDs on election day but don't have the necessary documents to get them. Those people will have receipts with their pictures on them put in the mail by the end of the day, she said. That would allow the voters to cast what are known as provisional ballots on election day. The provisional ballots would be counted only if the voters received their receipts in the mail and they showed them to an election clerk by 4 p.m. on the Friday following the election. GOP lawmakers and Walker approved the voter ID law in 2011, but it was blocked for years by other litigation. The law survived those lawsuits, and the law was in place for elections this February and April. This lawsuit is not expected to result in the voter ID law being overturned, but it could force changes over the process that is used for people who have the greatest difficulties in getting IDs. The ruling also will consider the other election laws, such as those limiting early voting. The appeals court expected to eventually consider the case has shown deep divisions over Wisconsin's voter ID law. A panel of three judges from that court upheld the voter ID law in September 2014. The full court split 5-5 on whether the law should be overturned, leaving in place the panel's decision that upheld the law. Five stats that say the Brewers will be better in 2023 (and five that say they won't) Former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate and current Chairwoman Martha Laning. Credit: Journal Sentinel files When officials from the state Democratic Party show up for their convention in Green Bay in a couple of weeks, they may have to pay in cash. That's because they still haven't paid the full bill from their 2009 convention at the same hotel. Records filed earlier this month with the Federal Election Commission show the state Democratic Party still owes $5,807.34 to the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay. The total bill for the event was just over $15,000, according to federal reports. It appears that the party last made a payment for $7,350 in January 2011 but has coughed up zilch since then. Democrats will hold their next convention at the Green Bay Radisson on June 3 and 4. A state Dem official blamed previous party leaders for the apparent oversight. "We have inherited a small number of outstanding accounts payable questions from previous DPW administrations," said Brandon Weathersby, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. "Our new team is in the process of researching and resolving these." That's an apparent reference to former Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate, who was elected at the 2009 convention. He was succeeded last year by Martha Laning, the current chair. Tate declined to comment on the delinquent account. The general manager for the Green Bay Radisson did not return calls or emails last week. Weathersby accused Republicans of drawing attention to the outstanding debt. "It's surprising and hypocritical that GOP operatives would choose this week to raise such an issue, as Governor (Scott) Walker once again put off over $100 million in debt payments, costing taxpayers over $2.3 million in interest," Weathersby said in a statement. Officials with the state GOP said they had no comment on the issue. Of course, there's nothing partisan about sticking it to the taxpayers in increased interest and avoiding difficult budget cuts by putting off payments on the state's debt. Governors from both parties have done it, and they've done it often. Walker, the second-term Republican governor, skipped $108 million in debt payments last year and did the same thing a couple of times in his first term. Former Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, used the trick five times during his eight years in office. In short, officials with neither party like making payments whether they're for an old convention or the state's debt when they don't have to. Trigger-happy Milwaukee County's favorite cowboy has leased two new horses for his agency. County records show that Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.'s office recently signed contracts to lease two horses a Percheron quarter horse named Hero and a Clydesdale named Titan for a total of $2,400 this year. Clarke's spokeswoman, Fran McLaughlin, declined to say whether the horses would be used by the sheriff, his park patrol or other deputies. Melissa Baldauff, spokeswoman for Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, said it was Clarke's call to lease Hero and Titan. "The county executive doesn't have any input on how the sheriff manages his budget or whether those budget decisions are based on data and best practices," Baldauff said via email. "Regardless, we welcome the sheriff to join the Community Justice Council in working to implement data-driven reforms to the criminal justice system." Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Robert Burns of AP reported on the visit inside Syria of the head of the US Middle East Command (Centcm), Army Gen. Joseph Votel, to assess the progress in US training of the Syrian Democratic Forces division. It is said to comprise 25,000 Kurdish fighters of the leftist YPG or Peoples Protection Units along with 5,000 or 6,000 Arab fighters allied with the Kurds against Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). A few dozen US troops are on the ground there, training the SDF, but the latter complain that Washington has provided them with no medium or heavy weaponry. The US press pool was instructed not to say in what kind of aircraft Votel arrived or where exactly he met with the SDF, but the Arabic press is saying it was at Kobane, the largely Kurdish town that US air support helped save from deadly Daesh assaults. The pro-Muqtada al-Sadr Iraqi news site, Nahrainet.net, denounced Votels visit as a clear violation of Syrian sovereignty, saying the US had declined to coordinate the visit with the legitimate Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. The site also accused the US of supporting, not just the leftist Kurds and their allies, but also hard line Salafi groups like the Army of Islam and the Freemen of Syria; it even said US support extended to the al-Qaeda affiliate, the Nusra Front (this is not true), and that Saudi Arabia and Turkey were also behind the Salafis. The Mahdi Army or Peace Brigades of Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are fighting as a militia in Syria on the side of the government of Bashar al-Assad against the Salafis. Votels visit, contrary to what Nahrainet says, had nothing to do with the Salafi groups. Rather, his 11 hours inside Syria were spent with the Syrian Democratic Forces, who are ideologically as far to the left as the Salafis are to the Right. It is in fact a remarkable development that the US should be putting its hopes for defeat of Daesh in Kurdish militias that were more or less Communists during the Cold War. In the post-Soviet period they have evolved in an anarchistic direction and could be called post-communist. The mixture of anarchism and socialism makes them sound like the Syndicalists of the early 20th century, alongside whom George Orwell fought in the Spanish Civil War. Votels visit was likely in preparation for a new, major campaign against Daesh, perhaps even an assault on Raqqa, the capital of the phony caliphate. The US appears to be eager to have the opposition militias, including Salafis, take and hold as much territory in Syria as they can before a permanent ceasefire sets in. Otherwise, there is a danger that with Russian backing the al-Assad regime could roll up a lot of the rebel forces and so reestablish its stability. Russia is also friendly with the Syrian Kurds, so some of Washingtons new haste to deploy the SDF against Daesh may derive from fear that otherwise they might go to Russia for backing. While the Obama administrations initial commitments inside Syria were small, when you have a situation where the Centcom commander is illegally sneaking into another country to consult with 31,000 US-backed local troops, the potential for mission creep and troop escalation is serious. - Related video: AFP from last Month: Syria Kurds train new army to protect federal region' Reddit Email 1 Shares By Baher Kamal | (Inter Press Service) | ROME, May 20 2016 (IPS) We cannot keep jumping from crisis to crisis. We have to invest in long-term development that helps people cope with shocks so that they can continue to grow enough food for their communities and not require emergency aid. With this clear warning, Josefina Stubbs, Chief Strategist of the UNs International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has just launched a strong message for leaders who will gather at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey next week. Recalling that more than 60 million people across the world are reeling from the drought caused by the weather phenomenon known as El Nino, Stubbs warns, The demand for emergency assistance cannot keep up with the supply. Climate change is causing more extreme weather events and natural disasters resulting in an average displacement of 22.5 million people a year equivalent to 62,000 people every day, says IFAD. This movement of people can lead to local and regional instability. And when people are pushed away from rural areas and farming, it can threaten the food security of entire countries, it adds. Poor people in developing countries are disproportionately affected by disasters because they do not have the resources to cope with the impacts and bounce back, says IFADs Associate Vice-President and Chief Strategist. People Are Not waiting for Hand-Outs These people are not waiting for hand-outs. They are looking for opportunities to keep earning incomes even in the face of disasters. Our focus should be on creating these opportunities. The current El Nino drought has had a catastrophic effect on crops around the world causing almost 32 million people in southern Africa alone to go hungry. This number is expected to rise to 49 million by the end of the year. The UN estimates that at least 3.6 billion dollars is required to meet emergency needs resulting from this drought. Less than half of this has been provided. Ethiopia is the worst hit in Africa, with 75 per cent of its harvests lost and emergency food assistance required for at least ten million people. IFAD has been working with small-scale farmers in the country for more than a decade to make them more resilient to the impacts of drought. With investments in irrigation, water-harvesting techniques and early warning systems, and training in sustainable water usage, none of these communities have required any food aid during the current drought, says this UN agency, which since 1978 has provided about 17.7 billion dollars in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached some 459 million people. At IFAD we have seen that building resilience to disasters does work and saves communities from suffering, says Stubbs. But there has to be a global commitment to invest in long-term development. Changing Climate, Scarcity of Natural Resources The changing climate and the increasing scarcity of natural resources are also impacting the already precarious situation of the estimated 60 million people who have been forcibly displaced by conflict. Long-term investments are urgently needed to stimulate the economies of the rural areas of host countries where the majority of refugees live. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialised United Nations agency based in Rome the UNs food and agriculture hub. It invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit takes place on 23 and 24 May and originates from a growing concern about the protracted nature of recent humanitarian crises and the limited capacity of the global community to respond to them. Some 6,000 world leaders and humanitarian and development agencies will gather in Istanbul to make commitments to help countries better prepare for and respond to crises. Human suffering from the impacts of armed conflicts and disasters has reached staggering levels, the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, portrayed the current humanitarian drama, explaining why the UN has decided to hold the WHS. For his part, in an interview to IPS, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA), Stephen OBrien, said Every humanitarian crisis is inherently unique and context-specific. However, taken together, there are 125 million people in need of aid in the world today as a result of conflicts and natural disasters and over 60 million people have been forcibly displaced. These are the highest numbers we have on record since WWII, OBrien told IPS. It is not about one humanitarian crisis, but multiple crises happening at the same time, from the crisis in Syria and the region to the impact of El Nino, which currently affects 60 million people in the world, OBrien said. Herve Verhoosel, WHS spokesperson, wrote in an editorial for IPS We are experiencing a human catastrophe on a titanic scale: 125 million in dire need of assistance, over 60 million people forcibly displaced, and 218 million people affected by disasters each year for the past two decades. More than 20 billion dollars is needed to aid the 37 countries currently affected by disasters and conflicts. Unless immediate action is taken, 62 percent of the global population nearly two-thirds of all of us- could be living in what is classified as fragile situations by 2030, Verhoosel stressed. Time and time again we heard that our world is at a tipping point. Today these words are truer than ever before, he wrote, and added, The situation has hit home. We are slowly understanding that none of us is immune to the ripple effects of armed conflicts and natural disasters. Were coming face to face with refugees from war-torn nations and witnessing first-hand the consequences of global warming in our own backyards. We see it, we live it, and we can no longer deny it. Licensed from Inter Press Service Related video added by Juan Cole: UT: Global Refugee Crisis: Global refugees at record high of 60 mln, half children UN Reddit Email 0 Shares TeleSur | Binali Yildirim was unanimously selected by members of Turkeys ruling party to be the countrys next prime minister. Turkeys incoming prime minister says his governments top priority will be a new constitution to create an executive presidency, a move that would give President Tayyip Erdogan the broad powers he has long sought. Binali Yildirim also told a special congress of the ruling AK Party on Sunday that he would continue the fight against the Islamic State group and Kurdish militants at home and in Syria, saying the change in leadership would not affect the campaign. They are asking us when the anti-terror operations will end. I am announcing hereby that operations will end when all our citizens are safe, Yildirim said in an emotional speech. Operations will continue without pause until the bloody-handed terrorist organization PKK ends its armed actions. The wide-reaching offensive against the guerrilla PKK has claimed the lives of hundreds of Kurdish civilians, drawing the criticism of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday. The military and political attack on Kurds, she said in an interview, will have serious consequences, referring to the recent lifting of parliamentary immunity for pro-Kurdish politicians. Merkel will meet with Erdogan this week as she attends the first humanitarian summit to reinforce her commitments to the refugee deal, which critics say has compromised her stance against the Turkish leader. Yildirim, the current transport minister and a close ally of Erdogan for two decades, was the sole candidate for party head, and therefore the next prime minister. He vowed that under his leadership the AKPs way would be Erdogans way. After winning the presidency in 2014, following more than a decade as prime minister, Erdogan was legally bound to renounce ties to the AKP and remain impartial. But he has retained strong influence over both the party he founded and the government it leads, frequently hosting cabinet meetings in his new palace. Washington has lost confidence in the Turkish executive system and knows that any new prime minister is not going to do anything that is unauthorized and not worth the U.S.s attention, said Professor Kemal Kirisci from the Bookings Institute to the Hurriyet Daily News. Former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced he would step down this month following weeks of public tension with Erdogan. Today our party came to another crossroad. Going to this extraordinary convention after a successful election was not something I had demanded. I am also aware of the questions it has created in your conscious, said Davutoglu on Sunday. A co-founder with Erdogan of the AKP, Yildirim has been the driving force behind major infrastructure projects in Turkey which were one of the pillars of the partys electoral successes during its first decade in power and the center of large-scale protests by environmentalists and activists. His close relationship with construction giants and plan to pool funds to transfer to pro-government media also drew accusations of corruption in 2013, which the government never investigated. Via TeleSur Related video added by Juan Cole: AFP: Erdogan loyalist set to be Turkey Prime Minister VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - Asanko Gold Inc. ("Asanko" or the "Company") (TSX:AKG)(NYSE MKT:AKG) advises it will hold its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") on Thursday June 16, 2016. Materials for the AGM, including its shareholders proxy circular, have now been filed at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov and are available on the Company's website at www.asanko.com. In the proxy circular, the Company provides details of its proposal to re-elect its current slate of seven directors, reappoint KPMG LLP as auditors and certain mandated disclosure about corporate governance matters. Included in this year's agenda is also a proposal to re-adopt a shareholders rights plan to replace a similar one that expired in 2015. The Rights Plan was not adopted in response to any specific take-over bid and is intended to ensure that, in the context of a bid for control of the Company through an acquisition of shares, all shareholders have an equal opportunity to participate in, and adequate time to assess, any bid that may be made. The Rights Plan is described in detail in the proxy circular and a full copy of the Rights Plan is separately available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov. Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. [JURIST] A Canadian federal judge on Saturday ruled in favor of deporting a Gatineau man to Rwanda to face trial for suspected war crimes committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide [BBC backgrounder]. Henri Jean-Claude Seyoboka, a former soldier who joined the fight against the Rwandan Patriotic Front, came to Canada [CBC report] in 1995 seeking refugee status yet failed to disclose his military background. He lived in Toronto with his family free of any investigations until he was interviewed by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) [official website] in 1998. Following questioning, an anonymous witness accused Seyboka of murdering a neighbor and her children who refused him sex at a roadblock. Seyoboka has denied such accusations and has argued that he will not face a fair trial if he is deported back to Rwanda. Nevertheless, Federal Court Judge Daniele Tremblay-Lamer stated that it is time for Seyboka to face proper justice. Numerous war crimes suspects have recently been put on trial for their involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Earlier this month a Swedish court sentenced [JURIST report] a man to life in prison for his involvement and was found guilty of genocide, murder, kidnapping and attempted murder. Also this month two Rwandan mayors went on trial [JURIST report] in France on charges of war crimes ad crimes against humanity committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In January the ICTR formally closed [JURIST report] after issuing 45 judgments. In September a court in Toulouse, France, refused extradition requests [JURIST report] for Joseph Habyarimana, a Rwandan man facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. In January of last year two Rwandan police officers were sentenced [JURIST report] to 20 years in jail for the murder of a Transparency International anti-corruption activist. In July 2014 the ICTR unanimously affirmed [JURIST report] a 30-year jail sentence for former army chief Augustin Bizimungu for the role he played in the genocide. In December 2012 the ICTR convicted [JURIST report] former Rwandan minister Augustin Ngirabatware, sentencing him to 35 years in prison on charges of genocide, incitement to commit genocide and rape as a crime against humanity. US Secretary of State John Kerry [official profile] offered support to Myanmars newly democratic government Sunday and urged the country to push more democratic reform and address human rights issues. Though Myanmar is no longer under military rule, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has stated [Reuters report] that the military will continue to hold seats in parliament until the country has attained peace. Kerry met with Hlaing to discuss political reforms important for Myanmar to complete its transition to a fully democratic system. During Kerrys Myanmar visit, a topic of primary concern has been the continuing displacement and persecution of the countrys Rohingya Muslim population. Since 2012, about 125,000 Rohingya Muslims have been displaced after fleeing the conflict between Myanmar Muslims and Buddhists. Kerry has continued talks with Myanmars Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi [BBC profile] to resolve the conflicts ongoing human rights issues. Suu Kyi has stressed the sensitivity of the matter and has requested that Mynamar be given space to address the conflict as it deems necessary. Suu Kyi further pleaded the US to refrain from using the term Rohingya in public statements. Despite recent uproar against the use of the term, US officials have stated that they will continue to use the term according to governmental policy. The democratic reform process has continued in Myanmar since ending a decades-old military rule. Last month 69 political prisoners were released [JURIST report] who had been jailed for more than a year without trial. In March Amnesty International said [JURIST report] that Myanmars new government has been presented with a historic opportunity to change course on human rights. Also in March Myanmar released [JURIST report] 46 underage child recruits from the military as part of a UN join action plan. In January the country began [JURIST report] the process of releasing the first set of 102 mostly political prisoners days before a democratic power transfer took place. Voters in Tajikistan on Sunday approved changes to the countrys constitution that will allow President Emomali Rahmon to rule indefinitely, officials said Monday. Voters approved amendments [AP report] to remove presidential term limits, lower the minimum age for presidential candidates from 35 to 30 and ban religiously based political parties. The first provision allows Rakhmon, 63, to extend his rule, which he has held since 1992. The second provision would allow his son, Rustam Emomali, 29, to be able to run for president in the next election in 2020. The final provision would continue to ban the main opposition Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, which was declared a terrorist organization and banned last year. Election authorites reported that the 41 proposed amendments were approved by 94.5 percent of voters [RFE/RL report], with 92 percent turnout. Tajikistans Constitutional Court approved [JURIST report] the proposed constitutional amendments in February. In 2014 the UN Special Rapporteur on torture urged the Tajikistan government to implement policies and laws that have been previously adopted by the government in order to end torture [JURIST report] and ill-treatment within the country. Amnesty International [advocacy website] reported in July 2012 that torture, beatings and ill-treatment of detainees are common practice in Tajikistan. The human rights group claimed [JURIST report] that the country lacks measures adequately protecting detainees from abuses and ill-treatment and noted that there are more incentives than deterrence for police officers to engage in such practices. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Drinks Daily News The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Drinks Weekly News A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Drinks Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter Federal authorities have arrested two people in connection with immigration investigations in Tama County. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports it is unclear if the cases against the two are related. A Homeland Security agent accuses 39-year-old Ismael Ruiz-Zamorano of misusing a Social Security number to obtain a job at Midwest Sleep in Toledo. Investigators said Ruiz used a Minnesota identification card and a Social Security card with the name Juan Ramos to obtain the job. Court records state he signed the Ramos name on employment eligibility documents. A federal grand jury indicted 31-year-old Elida Yepez-Alvarez for unlawful use of identification documents, misuse of a Social Security number, false claim to citizenship, and aggravated identity theft. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Authorities accuse Yepez of using a forged Missouri identification card and a Social Security number belonging to another person to obtain employment in November 2014. Authorities also accuse her of claiming to be a U.S. Citizen on an employment eligibility form. GRAND ISLAND If ever a defendant deserved the death penalty for his crimes, it is Michael Petersen, Hall County Attorney Mark Young said. Petersen, 58, pleaded no contest to first-degree murder for the shooting death of Grand Island attorney Todd Elsbernd. In exchange, the state agreed not to seek the death penalty and dismissed a charge of using a weapon to commit a felony. This guy absolutely deserves the death penalty, Young said on Tuesday outside the courtroom where Petersen was sentenced to life in prison. However, Young went on to explain that, although Nebraska has the death sentence, it has no current means of execution. The more I looked at his behavior in jail, I want him to rot, Young said after the sentencing. I want him to sit forever in a cell. Petersen was also convicted of shooting his ex-wife, Nancy Petersen, to death in rural Kearney. He was sentenced in May in Buffalo County to life in prison without parole for that murder. In court on Tuesday, Young asked for a life sentence in the Hall County case and asked that it be served after the sentence for Nancy Petersens death. He explained after the hearing that he asked for the consecutive sentence because there were two separate crimes in two separate counties with two separate victims. He showed a complete lack of remorse or acceptance that what he did was wrong, Young said. Buffalo County District Judge John Icenogle handled both cases. Buffalo and Hall counties are in the same judicial district. Hall County District Judge James Livingston recused himself from the case following a hearing in February. In court, Young told the judge that Petersen sat before him still believing that his actions were justified because he was unhappy with his ex-wife, the justice system and his attorney. None of those could be reasons for taking a life in this cowardly fashion, Young said, looking straight at Petersen. Because whos next? The cable guy? The postman? The repo man? The lady at Verizon because she cant fix your phone? Elsbernd, 52, was shot outside his downtown Grand Island office on Nov. 13, 2013, and Nancy Petersen, 58, was found dead outside her home. Both of them were shot in the back with a high-velocity rifle. On Tuesday, Petersens court-appointed attorney, Jeffery A. Pickens of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, said his client entered the plea agreement to save his son, Reggie, from having to testify against him at a trial. He also saw no reason for a trial after his conviction and sentencing in Buffalo County. Pickens took several minutes to outline the reasons for his clients actions, per Petersens request. The issues date back to December 2001, when Nancy Petersen said she wanted a divorce. Michael Petersen was so distraught over the thought of losing the woman he loved that he attempted to take his own life. He was hospitalized for several months, and before he returned home, his wife filed for divorce, took some of their money and made it hard for him to see his son, Pickens said. Petersen had several attorneys before hiring Elsbernd. His divorce was finalized in March 2004, and an estate of $600,000 was split between the Petersens, Pickens said. Eventually, Nancy squandered her half, and at the time of her death, she had nearly nothing, he said. Petersen had never gotten over the divorce and was bitter that his ex-wife had spent her half of the money. He was also bitter over the splitting of $9,000 that he said was premarital money. He blamed Elsbernd for a mistake in paperwork that led to the courts decision to split the money even though Elsbernd said it was the courts mistake, Pickens said. Eventually, Petersen tried to get his money back through a series of court filings while he was also fighting Elsbernd over an unpaid debt of $800. All of that left him bitter toward lawyers and the legal system, Pickens said. He also filed a malpractice suit against Elsbernd in 2009, but the case was dismissed because the statute of limitations had lapsed, Pickens said. For the last 10 years, Petersen has lived in a concrete bunker near Glenvil and worked 10 to 12 hours a day. He was lonely and turned to a dating website, where he lost approximately $140,000 to two scams, Pickens said. By November 2013, he was working hard, living alone and had lost his money. He was bitter toward his wife and his divorce attorney, Pickens said. When he was arrested, he told the officers he was done getting screwed over by other people and it was time to get even, Pickens said. When given a chance to speak to the judge, Petersen quoted state statutes about divorce proceedings and talked about marital and premarital assets. He said he felt the justice system favored women over men in divorces. The justice system is designed not to work, he said. Young said Petersen spent time in November 2013 going through his extensive weapons collection looking for the right gun for getting even. He settled on a hunting rifle and went hunting, Young said. He drove to his ex-wifes rural Kearney home and shot her because he didnt agree with her decisions. He returned to his home, switched vehicles and drove to Grand Island, where he laid in ambush in a parking lot across from Elsbernds office. Over $800? Young said, his gaze directed at Petersen. Or $4,500? What difference does it make? He took a life over a professional disagreement. Young said Elsbernds loss is felt by his family and friends as well as his co-workers and the community. Outside the courtroom, Elsbernds wife, Jeannie, and his mother, Yvette, hugged his colleagues and friends. Jeannie Elsbernd also embraced Young. Young, who knew Elsbernd, said he wouldnt be human if he wasnt affected by Elsbernds death. But the truth is, any time someone takes a life, Im going to be pretty fired up, he said. President Barack Obamas communications strategists found a perfect tool to distract the public in recent days: Bathrooms and who can use which ones. It involves everyone. Its contentious. Its emotional. So the media lap it up. And as his manipulators know full well, the controversy invites countless other public figures to weigh in and feed the flames, news cycle after news cycle. In yet another executive overreach to redirect public discussion, Obama arbitrarily ruled that every public school receiving federal funds must allow the minute fraction of society who are transgender to use the restrooms of their choice, not their biological genders. Were being played again, folks. Heres whats really at stake: Obamas heir apparent and legacy protector, the 68-year-old Hillary Clinton, is getting shredded in Democratic primary after primary by a 74-year-old socialist, Bernie Sanders. Like Donald Trump in the GOP, Sanders suddenly declared himself a convenient Democrat after a political lifetime elsewhere. Obama would also like to distract you from the slipping new-job creation rates. Obamacare and its artificial state exchanges are crumbling beneath the weight of their own costs and disincentives. A federal judge last week ruled against a crucial part of that program. Disturbing reports of the militarys poor readiness mount, including planes being cannibalized for parts to keep half the jets flying. Obamas sanctions against Russia have failed to change any of its behaviors in Ukraine, Crimea, Syria or the high seas. Another special ops member was killed in Iraq, where, according to Obama, there are no U.S. boots on the ground, and anyway, theyre not in combat. ISIS has lost territory but none of its deadly car-bomb punch in urban Iraq. And the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, admits those JV ISIS guys will not be curtailed under this president. Trump is winning the Republican nomination with a campaign slogan, Make America great again. It is, of course, just another empty T-shirt phrase, like hope and change. But its simple and catchy. Whats the main theme of Clintons campaign? Or does she even use a catchy phrase? Correct. There is none. If there were, it would be something like Ill be Baracks third term, only more so. Thats a risky theme given the latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll. Only 21 percent of Americans believe the country is on the right track, while 68 percent say the wrong track. You want more of this? Unlike her slick husband, Hillary Clinton is a horrible campaigner: stilted, programmed, strident. She shows her sincerity by TALKING LOUDER! Half the time shes playing defense against her own words, as in West Virginia, where she reveled in all the coal companies and miners shes going to put out of work. As one direct result, after winning 67 percent of the primary vote there against a real opponent in Obama eight years ago, this time, as the presumptive party nominee, she could capture only 38 percent against Sanders 51 percent. Shes fundraising now, attacking Trump and Sanders, trying to take advantage of the bathroom distraction. And shes still calling the Justice Department email probe a security review despite the FBI directors repeated contradictions that there is no such thing. But the best thing Clinton has going for her in November, polls show, is Trump. Clinton and Trump are both unpopular, disliked and not trusted. For now, the female New Yorker is less disliked than the billionaire New Yorker. That might change, given Trumps media skills. But meanwhile heres a possible Clinton campaign slogan: Not as bad as the other one. Andrew Malcolm is an author and veteran national and foreign correspondent covering politics since the 1960s. Follow him @AHMalcolm. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC. In a planting season in which some farmers are trying to decide which crop would lose the least money, a new agricultural opportunity is gaining luster in Nebraska, particularly for small and beginning farmers. Costco has begun to help farmers buy land and equipment to grow organic food. The program has just started, but Costco wants to expand it. We cannot get enough organics to stay in business day in and day out, CEO Craig Jelinek told investors at a meeting earlier this year, according to the Seattle Times. Theres no doubt that sales of organic food are growing by startling amounts. Organic food sales were nearly 5 percent of total food sales, but organic farmland is only 1 percent of total farmland. The number of domestic certified organic operations increased by almost 12 percent between 2014 and 2015, representing the highest growth rate since 2008 and an increase of nearly 300 percent since the count began in 2002, the USDA said. The total U.S. retail market for organic products is now more than $39 billion. Costco last year also contracted with owners of organic fields in Nebraska to have local ranchers raise its cattle for is organic ground beef. One of the reasons that organic food is in tight supply is that it takes three years for farmland to qualify as organic under USDA guidelines. Thats why Costco has begun to offer help. Whole Foods has had a loan program for organic farmers since 2006. A decade or so ago some viewed organic food as a fad and a niche market, but theres no sign its slowing. The law of supply and demand remains as strong as ever. 5K Shares Share On my recent tour of residency programs, I had the pleasure of meeting many foreign medical graduates (a.k.a. FMGs; not to be confused with international medical graduates, who are U.S. citizens who go abroad for medical school). Almost uniformly, they struck me as confident, mature and articulate. Many were older than me, some by as much as 10 or 15 years. Most had extensive research experience, and a few had even completed residency already in another country and were here to take a shot at becoming a U.S.-licensed physician, which would require them to do it all over again. To an outsider, they would appear as competitive candidates for programs that aspire to produce first-class doctors. But I did not envy their plight. In our conversations, one thing became clear: Whereas I was hoping to match into one of my top-choice programs, they were hoping to match, period. And, in 2016, only 50 percent did. FMGs get a raw deal. With the exception of Canada, we dont recognize international medical training as meeting our quality standards; thus, doctors licensed to practice in their home countries must start at square one if they want to work here. Before they even apply to residency, FMGs need a stamp of approval from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Only about half succeed in getting certified. One major hurdle, apart from the written exams, is the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills test, which requires a high-stakes demonstration of English proficiency and a costly trip to one of the five U.S. cities where its offered. (Interestingly, from 1998 to 2004 this test was called the Clinical Skills Assessment, and only FMGs were required to take it.) Its virtually impossible for a FMG to start residency directly after finishing medical school. Theyre often encouraged to do a few years of research to pad their resume, or to do a rotation or two at a U.S. hospital. This adds up to a lot of time, money and effort spent on an endeavor that is far from a sure thing. All of this is not to say that we shouldnt have a rigorous screening process for who we allow to train and practice here. We should, and we do. But we must acknowledge that the deck is stacked firmly against FMGs. Imagine youre a program director comparing two applicants side-by-side, one a U.S. medical graduate and the other a FMG. If, on paper, the two appear to have equivalent qualifications, theres a good chance the FMG worked harder and sacrificed more to get there. That is an achievement worthy of recognition. But these days its become something of a badge of honor for residency programs to exclude FMGs from their rosters, and historically they have served as fillers for residency spots that remain vacant after U.S. students have matched. In 1995, the Council on Graduate Medical Education, an advisory body tasked with making recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services, singled out FMGs in their annual report and proposed cutting federal funding for their training by 75 percent in an effort to reverse course on an impending physician surplus (oh, the irony). They walked back this recommendation in a subsequent report due to anticipated legal complexities, but even their less controversial plan carried the same aim: to severely restrict FMGs from entering the physician workforce. I have heard two arguments for keeping FMGs out. The first is that their training is substandard. While Im sure this applies to some cases, it is certainly not a universal truth. Is it really so hard to believe that a student whose education happens outside of a glittering first-world multi-million-dollar medical complex could learn the same principles of biomedical sciences as a student in this country? Is that student not examined as rigorously, mentored as thoughtfully, challenged as intensively, as one of ours? The second argument against FMGs is the so-called brain drain theory; that taking FMGs will siphon much-needed talent from poorer countries where doctors are scarce. I take particular issue with this one. All people, no matter their provenance, should be allowed to use their gifts to better their own lives, especially if that means escaping poverty or conflict. And lets be honest: When a program director rejects a FMG, is he really thinking about the physician supply in Pakistan? What if we applied the same logic within our borders? If a medical student in physician-poor Arkansas graduates at the top of her class, with all the attendant publications and honors to her name, and wants to train at Massachusetts General Hospital, we dont say, No, you have to stay, Arkansas needs you. We let her go as far as her talent and ambition will take her. Will Arkansas suffer? Minimally, perhaps, but theyll be OK. The U.S. prides itself on having the best doctors in the world, so why not bolster our ranks by welcoming some of the best students the world has to offer? Its curious that diversity is championed in medical school and residency admissions, just not this kind of diversity. Our knee-jerk aversion to FMGs seems to be the last true sanctioned form of admissions discrimination. First, we must ask ourselves if we want our admissions process to be truly merit-based. If the answer is yes, then its time to start recognizing merit even when it comes from outside our borders. Eric Beam is an internal medicine resident who blogs at the Long White Coat. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 709 Shares Share Now that Im getting ready to turn 70, I thought Id summarize what Ive learned since I finished my residency, when I was 28. Of course, I didnt learn all this only by being a psychiatrist, since I would hope that most folks have also learned lots in the last 41 years. 1. Psychotherapy is important, particularly if the patient is on the right medication. I wont do med checks, since I would not want them if I was a patient. I figure if its simple enough to do in a few minutes, my family doctor can probably handle it or learn how to do it. If its complicated, its going to take me more than a few minutes. If you have a severe psychiatric disorder like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and you are not on the right medicines, youre in a lot of trouble. 2. Splitting the treatment is serious. Do it only when both treaters know and trust each other and are able to communicate easily. It puts a psychiatrist at great risk of a suit, with little reward. 3. Try to get along with colleagues. Never fight with secretaries; learn from their observations. 4. Try to have as few bosses as possible: Never have more than one at a time. All people not just patients have transferences, and these usually complicate relationships with bosses. 5. If youre always agreeing with the general wisdom, particularly if money is involved, you will eventually be dead wrong. Beware of fads. Dont trust ads. Dont take professors or studies too seriously. 6. The more we know, the less magic is associated with us and the less respect we receive. Its part of our attempt to climb out of the Middle Ages. 7. Psychotherapy is more about healing, which usually occurs in between sessions, than about insight. Patients who dont do the homework probably will not learn new ways of handling problems. 8. You cant tell who is going to be a good patient. People who have addiction problems are the hardest to predict. You probably should give them a chance. 9. People will pay for good medical care, particularly for their children. It is not an accident most psychiatrists are now practicing outside the managed-care system. Dont allow managed care companies to tell you how to practice. Do what is right, even if it costs you in the short run. At least, be kind, if you cant do any more than that. 10. If youre willing to ask for a consultation, you are almost certainly not negligent. Set them up with someone whose advice youll almost automatically take. Dont criticize colleagues to others, including to patients. 11. Dont steal patients. Ask potential patients if they have ever seen a psychiatrist, when they first call. If its in the recent past, ask to have their psychiatrist refer them to you and say youll get back to them if that happens. Clarify beforehand if its for a one-time consultation or for ongoing treatment. If patients dont show up for the first visit for any reason, or give you a hard time on the phone, you will eventually regret taking them into your practice. 12. Be available. Return calls. Have a call hour. Answer letters. Encourage patients to call you if they need you. Find someone to substitute for you whom you can trust when youre away from the office for any significant time. Be very careful about prescribing for the patients of others when you cover for colleagues. Dont charge for phone time; most people wont abuse it. If patients call too much, you probably need to see them more often. Dont let patients go for more than 90 days without seeing them. 13. Document. Too much is better than too little. Follow up on lab tests. Write legibly. Your reputation may depend on the quality of your notes. 14. Be cheerful. You cant expect depressed patients to be optimistic, and someone has to be. If you are a psychiatrist, chances are that most people, and virtually all of your patients, have it worse than you do. Dont complain. 15. Keep learning. Ive heard that almost everything we know weve learned since 1950. Accept that what you know will probably turn out to be wrong or useless. They call that progress. 16. Patients are probably right about side effects. Be suspicious about claims made by drug companies, including maximum recommended doses. Ask patients about drinking and about caffeine, not just about illegal drugs. Check with families. 17. Be suspicious if patients forbid you to contact their families or the professionals who used to treat them. Get to know families. Its crucial if something like a suicide occurs. Get a family history. 18. Dont treat members of the same family, or close friends, if you can help it. Dont write prescriptions for your friends or coworkers. 19. You cant successfully treat everybody. Somebody else may be a better match. 20. You work for the patient, not the other way around. Dress accordingly, use honorifics like Ms. or Mr., and ask what the patient wants. Set up a valid treatment contract, early on. Be wary of double agentry, like working for the patient and the hospital, or for the patient and the managed care company. 21. Use we interpretations. People expect to be treated as equals, and they arent as tied to their traditions and their families as in other places. Sometimes a story or a fairy tale can illustrate a point. Be careful about using your own life as the example. Patients can sometimes change if they are laughing, but be careful. If you offend someone, apologize. Patients dont expect their psychiatrists to be perfect, but they do expect them to display good manners, like holding the door for them or offering them a tissue when they cry. Psychiatric disorders are common, and chances are that someone you know, or even you, will get one. 22. If youre going to work for yourself, you have to stay healthy. Take frequent vacations. Learn how many patients you can safely see in a row and what your personal clock tells you. If you are sleepy, excuse yourself and get some coffee. If you bring it into the session, offer the patient a cup. 23. Make sure you get paid. Dont pursue it too hard; there are too many ways that disgruntled ex-patients can make you miserable. 24. When patients miss an appointment the first time, dont charge. Make sure you call to find out what happened. If they can come later that day, let them. Patients tend to resent paying for missed appointments. 25. Be on time, or at least apologize if youre not. Try to give extra time to people who need it. They rarely abuse it and often appreciate it. Give plenty of warning before you raise your fees. 26. You will like some patients more than others. Some patients will like you more than others. You are neither as good or as bad as your admirers or detractors say you are. 27. Things go wrong. Admit it when you make a mistake. The universe is always disorganizing. 28. Diagnoses can be important. Hand the patient the DSM-V if you think that a personality disorder is present. You may not want to make a diagnosis of a personality disorder, but it may be present anyhow. Completely ignoring it may complicate or destroy the treatment. I hope I havent finished learning. It is upsetting to realize how little we still know about what causes psychiatric problems. Our patients live better lives now than they did 41 years ago and Im optimistic that we can help them live still better lives in the future. I used to think that I would retire when I turned 70, but I decided not to do that. Theres too much going on for me to quit now. Bruce Hershfield is a psychiatrist. A version of this article appeared in the Maryland Psychiatrist and at Shrink Rap. Image credit: Shutterstock.com At the ceremony in Berlin: Award winner Wolfgang Wernsdorfer (second from the left) with the President of KIT, Holger Hanselka (left), State Secretary of the BMBF, Cornelia Quennet-Thielen, and the President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Helmut Schwarz (right). (Photo: David Ausserhofer) Germanys award in the highest amount for researchers from abroad was handed over to Professor Wolfgang Wernsdorfer yesterday evening (May 03) in Berlin. The pioneer of molecular spin electronics will now return from France to Germany: From June 01, 2016, Wernsdorfer will continue his research for the development of future quantum computers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The research award in the amount of EUR 5 million was handed over by the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Cornelia Quennet-Thielen, and the President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Professor Helmut Schwarz. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is the perfect match for KIT, the President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka, says. It is one of our objectives to make essential contributions in the areas of energy, mobility, and information for coping with the global challenges of mankind. We are very happy to have Mr. Wernsdorfer, an internationally renowned expert in the areas of electronics, spin physics, and quantum computting, in Karlsruhe in the future. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer. (Photo: Humboldt-Stiftung/Wolfgang Hemmann) Wolfgang Wernsdorfer will come from the Institut NEEL of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Grenoble, France, back to KIT in Germany. He is specialized in molecular quantum spintronics, an area of experimental solid-state physics at the interface to chemistry and materials sciences. Wernsdorfer is among the leading experts worldwide for molecular nanomagnets and their use in quantum computer systems. With his pioneer experiments, Wernsdorfer determined and further developed the area of quantum magnetism. He found how molecular magnets behave under the laws of quantum mechanics. Based on this finding, he was able to build electronic circuits with single molecules, in which electric current can be controlled by the magnetization of the molecule. Ceremony for awarding the Alexander von Humboldt professorships in Berlin. (Photo: David Ausserhofer) Wernsdorfers next goal is to integrate extremely small and quick molecular quantum processors into the highly advanced microelectronic chip technology. This would allow quantum computers to be developed, which are based on magnetic molecules and nuclear spins. If connected in an appropriate way and number, they would be far superior to conventional computers in terms of speed and energy efficiency. The ultimate objective is to use molecular nanomagnets coupled to semiconductor transistors in future quantum computers. Presently, four spin states can be controlled by quantum mechanics in Wernsdorfers nanomagnets. With this, one building block of a quantum computer is given: The qubit. It is my vision for the future to test how many cubits can be connected and how these quantum systems can be applied, Wolfgang Wernsdorfer says. He will be member of the staff of KITs Physikalisches Institut and plans to cooperate in an interdisciplinary manner with the Institute of Nanotechnology and the Institute for Theoretical Solid-state Physics. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer was born in 1966 in Germany and started to study physics at the University of Wurzburg after he had passed vocational training to become an electrician and a higher vocational school. He completed his studies at the renowned Ecole Normale Superieure in Lyon/France. In 1993, he became a doctoral researcher at the Low-Temperature Laboratory and the Laboratoire de Magnetism in Grenoble, France two of the institutes that formed todays Institut NEEL of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), where he has held the position of Directeur de Recherche Premiere Classe since 2008. From June 01, 2016, he will establish the first center for molecular quantum spintronics of its kind at KIT. Wernsdorfer was granted a number of high-ranking honors and awards, such as the Agilent Europhysics Prize, the Olivier Kahn International Award, an ERC Advanced Grant of the European Research Council, or the Prix Special of the Societe Francaise de Physique. A video presenting the research conducted by Wolfgang Wernsdorfer can be found on the website of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: http://www.humboldt-professur.de/content/1-preistraeger/01-preistraeger-2016/8-wernsdorfer-wolfgang/00-wernsdorfer-de.mp4 About the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship to leading researchers in all disciplines worldwide, who have been working abroad so far. The winners have been nominated by German universities and research institutions and are now to establish internationally competitive teams and structures to conduct cutting-edge long-term research at German universities. The prize money in the amount of up to EUR 5 million is to cover the first five years of research in Germany. It is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The Humboldt Professorship provides German universities with the opportunity to attract excellent international researchers and to strengthen their profile in worldwide competition. In total, six winners were chosen in 2016. In the future, they will continue their research in Bielefeld, Bonn, Halle/Leipzig, Karlsruhe, Munich, and Munster. More information may be obtained at www.humboldt-professur.de/en. Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence. The Colloquium Fundamentale deals with the conflict between protection and utili-zation of the biggest habitat of earth the oceans. (Photo: pexels) It is a source of food as well as an economic area, a climate maker, and a place of longing: The sea has always fascinated mankind. In the 2016 summer semester, the Colloquium Fundamentale of ZAK I Center for Applied Cultural and General Studies of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will cover marine research. The series of public lectures will be opened by Professor Reinhold Leinfelder, geologist of Freie Universitat Berlin and Director of the Projektinitiative Haus der Zukunft (house of the future project initiative) on Thursday, May 12, 2016, 18.30 hrs, at the NTI Horsaal (Engesserstrae 5, building 30.10). [] The public lectures of the Colloquium Fundamentale will be held in the German language on Thursdays. Admission is free. Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence. E band transmitters with parabolic antenna. The installed integrated circuits achieve particularly high performance. (Photo: Jorg Eisenbeis, KIT) Transmitting the contents of a conventional DVD in under ten seconds by radio transmission is incredibly fast and a new world record in wireless data transmission. With a data rate of 6 Gigabit per second over a distance of 37 kilometers, a collaborative project with the participation of researchers from the University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) exceeded the state of the art by a factor of 10. The collaborative project ACCESS (Advanced E Band Satellite Link Studies) was carried out by a research group headed by Professor Ingmar Kallfass from the Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems (ILH) from the University of Stuttgart, the Institut fur Hochfrequenztechnik und Elektronik (IHE) from KIT, Radiometer Physics GmbH, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF. The team realised the record data transmission on a stretch between Cologne and the 36.7 km distant town of Wachtberg. The stations were located on the 45-story Uni-Center in Cologne and the site of the Space Observation Radar TIRA at the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR in Wachtberg. Visual bearing from the transmitter at the Uni-Center Cologne to the Radom at Fraunhofer FHR in Wachtberg. (Photo: Jorg Eisenbeis, KIT) Record through using the latest technology The extremely high data rates of 6 Gbit/s was achieved by the group through efficient transmitters and receivers at a radio frequency of 7176 GHz in the so-called E band, regulated for terrestrial and satellite broadcasting. Only in this frequency range of millimeter waves are the required high effective bandwidths available. Only here can the enormous data rates be realized A further difficulty is the weakening of the signals over larger distances. The transmission has to be especially powerful, and the amplifiers have to be correspondingly efficient. The key to the unique combination of gigabit data rates and highest distance are the efficient transmitters and receivers in the form of fully monolithically integrated millimeter wave circuits (MMICs). The circuits are based on two innovative transistor technologies developed and manufactured by the project partner Fraunhofer IAF. In the transmitter the broadband signals are amplified to a comparatively high transmission power of up to 1 W with the help of power amplifiers on the basis of the novel compound semiconductor gallium-nitride. A highly directive parabolic antenna emits the signals. Built into the receiver are low-noise amplifiers on the basis of high-speed transistors using indium-gallium-arsenide-semiconductor layers with very high electron mobility. They ensure the detection of the weak signals at high distance. Numerous areas of application The transmission of high quantities of data by radio over large distances serves a high number of important application areas: the next generation of satellite communication requires an ever-increasing data offload from earth observation satellites down to earth. Supplying the rural area and remote regions with fast Internet is possible as shown in the trial. 250 Internet connections can be supplied with 24 Mbit/s ADSL. Terrestrial radio transmissions in E-band are suitable as a cost-effective replacement for deployment of optical fiber or as ad-hoc networks in the case of crises and catastrophe, and for connecting base stations in the backhaul of mobile communication systems. Demand increasing unabatedly The unabatedly increasing demand for ever-higher data rates in fiber-based and wireless communication networks can only be mastered by technological innovations in the network infrastructure. Whats more, modern developments such as the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 are only in their early stages. They will demand unprecedented aggregated data quantities. Their processing and transmission in cloud-based services is already today taking the communication infrastructure to its limits. In satellite communication as well, the progress in earth observation and space research as well as plans for a planet-scale satellite network are leading to yet unsolved challenges for the communication infrastructure. An overview of the project ACCESS was finished on April 30 and is being continued in the follow-up project ELIPSE (E Band Link Platform and Test for Satellite Communication). The aim is the next generation of communication systems for the fast connection of satellites. A further application, however, also lies in terrestrial fixed wireless links. Along with the University of Stuttgart, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the industrial partner Radiometer Physics GmbH (A Rohde & Schwarz Company) is involved. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economy and Energy (BMWi) on the basis of a resolution by the German Bundestag. Support was provided by Fraunhofer FHR, the Uni-Center Cologne and the Sudwest-Rundfunk (SWR), who granted access to their buildings. Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence. (Kitco News) - Large speculators pushed their heavily bullish position in gold futures slightly higher in the most recent weekly positioning data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. During the week-long period covered by the report through May 17 -- Comex June gold rose $12.10 to $1,276.90 an ounce. July silver rose 15.8 cents to $17.25. Net long or short positioning in the CFTC data reflect the difference between the total number of bullish and bearish contracts. Traders monitor the data to gauge the general mood of speculators, although excessively high or low numbers are viewed by many as signs of overbought or oversold markets that may be ripe for price corrections. Commerzbank pointed out in a research note that the data suggest that speculative financial investors are remaining loyal to gold. The net-long position of money managers in the CFTCs disaggregated report shows that these accounts upped their net-long, or bullish, position slightly to 212,441 futures contracts from 211,191 the prior week. This was largely due to short covering, as reflected by a decline of 973 lots in the number of total shorts. The number of gross longs rose by 277. Some observers, however, point out that the decline in gold prices since last Tuesdays cutoff for the most recent CFTC data suggests that net length may have narrowed since, as some longs are likely to have either booked profits or exited trades. MKS (Switzerland) S.A. cited investment-bank research showing that the number of open positions in gold futures declined during the latter part of last week as gold prices also eased. This is generally seen as a sign that some speculators with long positions have exited from their bullish gold trades. And, some argue, this could ultimately improve the health of the market. Theres no doubt about it, said Sean Lusk, head of commercial with Walsh Trading. He later added, The market probably got a little overcooked to the upside here.Longs had the profits and they had the risk (of seeing those profits eroded). They probably took some off the table here. The key going forward, he added, may well be the U.S. dollar. The greenback has been recovering lately, and if this continues, could prompt further selling by traders who have gold longs and opt to book profits while they have them, Lusk said. Meanwhile, net-long positioning among money managers in silver declined to 68,198 futures contracts from 72,940 the week before due to a combination of long liquidation and fresh selling. The number of gross longs fell by 2,363 lots, while the number of gross shorts increased by 2,379. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Follow @KitcoNewsNOW A volunteer tour guide at Fort Flagler State Park discusses the dozens of historic buildings at the Marrowstone Island park. Washington State Parks is proposing opening up the park's main campus and about 20 buildings to private development and management. SHARE The World War II-era dormitories at Fort Flagler State Park are on a list of historic buildings Washington State Parks hopes private companies or nonprofit organizations might renovate and operate for recreational and educational uses. A visitor to Fort Flagler State Park looks at the damaged ceiling in the former fort's hospital. Washington State Parks is considering a plan that would open many of Fort Flagler's historic buildings to private enterprises . Cyclists pedal past the World War II-era theater building at Fort Flagler State Park on Marrowstone Island. The little-used building is one of about 20 Fort Flagler structures Washington State Parks hopes a private company will renovate and lease. By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun MARROWSTONE ISLAND The bulk of Fort Flagler State Park's historic buildings could be turned over to private developers and business operators for hotels, vacation cottages, restaurants and other uses, according to a new plan aimed at easing the state park system's budget troubles. The fort, built in 1897 on the north tip of Marrowstone Island, about 3 miles east of Port Hadlock, has about 20 buildings barracks, officers' homes, theater, hospital, dining hall that Washington State Parks officials hope private enterprises and nonprofit groups will refurbish and lease for a variety of recreational and educational uses. "They're pretty old, and some are in bad shape," said Brian Hageman, manager of Fort Flagler, nearby Fort Worden in Port Townsend and four other state parks on the Olympic Peninsula. "The question has been: How do we keep them going? This might be a way to put money back into them." The state parks system's maintenance backlog now at $470 million has grown as state funding has waned. The Legislature directed Washington State Parks to take a more private-sector approach, leading to new fee structures for high-demand campsites and the recent repeal of a long-standing ban on in-park advertising. In January, Fort Flagler was named one of 11 "Recreation Business Activity Candidate Sites." These sites, according to a business consultant hired by state parks, have the potential to draw the interest of restaurant, lodging and outdoor recreation businesses that could breathe new life into poorly maintained or little-used parklands while also boosting park revenue through property and building leases. The initial plan for Flagler was to offer 100 wooded acres for the private development of about 50 overnight cabins. Park officials abandoned the idea after Marrowstone residents objected to the loss of trees in an otherwise undeveloped part of the park. There was little opposition to putting public land into private management, and some residents suggested offering up the park's historic buildings many of which are empty or get little use. "They said, 'You should look at them instead,' and I totally agreed with that," Hageman said. Park officials have identified 20 buildings surrounding the fort's parade grounds for "adaptive reuse" by private companies. Any renovations or improvements would need to be consistent with federal and state standards for historic preservation. Developers could be allowed to build on the footprints of fort buildings that were long ago torn down. Any new structures would have to be constructed to look like the originals and fit in with the aesthetics of the surrounding buildings. The new plan for Flagler also would mean changes to the waterfront campground on park's west side. A 4-acre area used for overflow camping would be turned into six "glamp" sites. "Glamping," shorthand for "glamorous camping," is a growing phenomena that has taken hold at Millersylvania State Park near Olympia. The glamping operator there, Pampered Wilderness, was allowed into the park a few years ago as an experiment. Now the company wants to expand its operation to Flagler and other parks. Its sites at Millersylvania cost $245 per night and feature canvas tents on platforms, king-sized beds, heat and themed decor. Another recent experiment with private management appears to be working at Fort Worden. A Port Townsend-based development authority took over the park's historic campus last year. The public corporation runs food service and housekeeping for hundreds of lodging units, manages educational programs and opened a pub in a 112-year-old guardhouse. Hageman would like Flagler to experience the same renewal. "There are ways to make this a win-win," he said. SHARE By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun LITTLE BOSTON The Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe received a federal grant that's expected to help put 38 of its members to work with green jobs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the tribe $200,000 to train 38 tribal members for short- and long-term jobs that boost environmental health in areas affected by pollution. The training program includes 240 hours of instruction in hazardous site safety, first aid, hydrology, environmental chemistry and practical guidance in underground storage tank cleanup, meth lab decontamination and asbestos abatement. Students who complete the training will receive two state and five federal job certifications. The tribe will offer the training to unemployed and underemployed tribal members. About 1,200 people belong to the tribe. Tribal Chairman Jeromy Sullivan hopes some of the students will assist with cleanup work in and around Port Gamble Bay. "It's an awesome opportunity," he said. "It's good for the environment, good for us and good for everybody, really." The tribe will work with the Hood Canal Coordinating Council, Kitsap Builders Association, Bellingham-based Northwest Indian College and other groups to assist with job placement. The grant was one of 18 awarded nationwide by the EPA's Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program. This year's grants totaled $3.5 million. Of the more than 14,600 people who have completed the program's training since 1998, about 72 percent have found work in an environmental job, according to the EPA. SHARE By Tad Sooter of the Kitsap Sun POULSBO Recreational vehicles are making a comeback on Poulsbo's Viking Avenue. An RV dealer will open on the old auto corridor in June, though not the dealer most Poulsbo residents are familiar with. This time it's Sumner RV, a Pierce County business, setting up shop on Viking. Sumner RV has signed a two-year lease on the former mobile home dealership at 19647 Viking Ave. NW, adjacent to the property where Poulsbo RV got its start. Steve Cohn with Sumner RV said the company saw Poulsbo as a prime location to tap into the West Sound market. "The reason why we chose Poulsbo was the growth," he said. "The growth over the last five to seven years has been phenomenal, from Bremerton north." Cohn said Sumner RV could eventually stage as many as 60 rigs at the Viking Avenue lot, though its inventory will be smaller at the beginning. The dealer will offer Forest River products including Sandpiper fifth-wheels, along with several models of Apex travel trailers. Used and consignment RVs also will be available. Scott Foreman, who will serve as sales manager in Poulsbo, said Sumner RV recently experimented with a satellite office in Fife but had trouble drawing traffic. He believes Poulsbo will be a better fit. "It's a good location," Foreman said. "We draw a lot of our customers over to Sumner from the peninsula." Sumner RV will become Viking Avenue's first permanent recreational vehicle dealer since Poulsbo RV departed its namesake city in 2008. Poulsbo RV still owns property on the east side of Viking Avenue and attempted a brief return last fall with a pop-up show. A Poulsbo RV representative did not return a call last week to discuss the company's long-term plans on Viking. Sumner RV is taking over a lot previously occupied by Golden Homes. The troubled mobile home seller shut down in 2014 after the state determined the dealership was insolvent and suspended its license. Sumner has begun staging some RVs on the property, which also is home to several other businesses. Last week Housing Kitsap and Sound West Group announced a potential joint venture to buy the former Golden Homes property and build a mixed affordable and market-rate housing development there. Housing Kitsap Executive Director Stuart Grogan said the project would take at least three years to complete if it moves ahead. A ribbon cutting for Sumner RV is scheduled for 5 p.m. June 2 at 19647 Viking Ave NW. The Herald editorial: The Labour Party surprised many people last week, and dismayed some of its own supporters, by advocating the complete abolition of boundaries on urban expansion. Its housing spokesman, Phil Twyford, endorsed the Governments view that boundaries imposed by the Auckland Council have been a major contributor to the escalation of house prices. His announcement was timed to get in ahead of an urban development directive to councils expected from the Government soon, possibly in the Budget on Thursday. But Labours proposal goes further than Mr Twyford believes the Governments national policy statement is likely to go. What we are calling for is the abolition of the urban growth boundary, not softening it, not making it more flexible, he says. And not just doing what the Auckland Council advocates, which is periodically adding in more parcels of land zoned for development. All that does is feed the speculative land market. I hope the Auckland Council listens, but I fear they wont. And Phil Goff is refusing to back the policy, which is a bad sign. The main condition is that development on the urban fringe must pay the full cost of the additional infrastructure they need and the party has proposed an interesting method by which this could be financed. It wants the Auckland Council to be allowed to issue infrastructure bonds that would be repaid from rates levied on the newly developed properties. Developers are already charged for the cost of connecting their subdivisions to a citys services but Auckland planners have long opposed urban sprawl on the basis of its infrastructure costs, so clearly those costs have not been fully covered in developers contributions. Infrastructure bonds could fill the gap. In fact, they could permit more amenities to be built in these new communities than have usually been provided from development levies because bonds are effectively a loan to future residents whereas development levies are built into the upfront cost of houses. Infrastructure bonds would enable those savers to share the gains from housing the population boom without pushing up house prices. The bonds might also attract some housing investors, reducing their demand for houses and slowing the rise of prices. New Zealand offers few investments as safe as houses and has an unsatisfied demand for bonds as secure as these. Labour is thinking well. I agree. I like their policy on bonds rather than developer contributions up front. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Christine van Geyn writes: Few things are as revealing of the underlying values of the current Ontario Liberal government as its most recent proposals for election financing reform. The proposals show an absolute lack of faith in voters, and a movement to replace the speech of civil society with government-controlled speech. All on the taxpayers dime. The draft legislation introduced on May 17 includes a taxpayer subsidy of $2.26 per vote to political parties, and limits on speech by civil society groups without corresponding restrictions on government advertising. The taxpayer subsidy of $2.26 per vote would give a total of $10.7-million in taxpayer money to politicians, with the governing Liberals receiving the most at $4.2-million. Thats $10.7-million that is not paying to build roads or bridges. Its $10.7-million of your money that is not filling in potholes, assisting autistic children, or paying doctors salaries. You will be forced to hand over your money to political leaders for them to run attack ads and stuff your mailbox full of flyers. Mildred Culp Columnist SHARE Vorticom Inc. President Nancy Tamosaitis and Vice President Ron Thompson, of New York City, had worked in large agencies before they launched their own firm. They base their professionalism on the work they personally complete for their clients. (Photo: Grant Thompson) Recruiting can be difficult for business owners, who typically have lots of energy and drive. How can you be sure that your spouse is the best recruit? Know the nature of your work, your clients expectations and your spouses character. New York Citys Nancy Tamosaitis has been president of the strategic media relations firm Vorticom Inc., which she launched in 2003 with Ron Thompson, vice president and husband, to craft a narrative for a company. (Full disclosure: Vorticom clients have appeared in WorkWise.) Companies often approach the firm with an objective, such as notifying the public about an acquisition or sale, an increased stock price or an investment opportunity. Before start-up, Tamosaitis recognized that shed be overloaded if she worked solo. Thompson had a marketing background that would be helpful. He reports, with characteristic understatement, Wed known each other a long time and got along. What were doing every day is working, he adds. Her side and mine come together. We collaborate. We also have a division between the professional and personal. A very different business run by a couple is also thriving more than 1,600 miles away. Becki Smith, member of Houstons Smith House Photography LLC, launched 10 years after Vorticom and says she is part of a husband-and-wife wedding photo team, shooting about 25 weddings a year, full-service. We work with brides from the engagement through the wedding day. Smith taught Ryan, her husband and now second photographer, how to handle the role of second shooter in 2014 when Smith House kept growing. First he served as an assistant for shoots and wedding days, until they discovered that grooms were more comfortable with him there. Ryan had hesitated a bit at the outset about working in his wifes business. While I was completely open to the idea of working together, he mentions, I was initially skeptical of the value I would bring since I had no background in photography. However, it became clear pretty quickly that I do bring a lot to the table. CLIENTS THE BASIS OF PROFESSIONALISM These two image businesses couldnt be run with greater differences in spirit, but with a professionalism that very much fits the culture of their area. Thompson points out that he and Tamosaitis focus on clients. Every client has expectations, he comments. Very often they are quantifiable, such as the number of placements in a period of time. Most of the companies we deal with hold us to a standard, Thompson continues. More often than not, we meet those standards. Your client is number one. Care only about their own success. They dont care if the team is married or divorced. If their PR program is successfully executed, theyre happy. According to Tamosaitis, Vorticom is propelled by referrals, not business development initiatives. The work is our calling card, she observes. Unlike large PR agencies, were high level people doing the work We dont just reel in the client, pass him to junior people and do account management. Unlike 99 percent of the large agencies, we reach out on the media side. Smith would concur about the client focus. We always make sure brides and grooms know theyre working with professionals. Behaving as professionals, we arent self-satisfied. We (provide our service) as a business in their best interests by being on time and producing photos of high professional quality. Our method fits in with the culture, Smith says. Our business model leads us to get to know our brides and grooms. She agrees that the two photographers are inspired by southern hospitality. Know the expectations of your market and the character of your spouse before you start recruiting him or her for your business. Then shape your recruiting and the business itself to fit your clients. (Knoxville News Sentinel syndicated columnist Mildred Culp, Ph.D., welcomes your questions. Contact her at culp@workwise.net. 2016 Passage Media.) Gary Simpson (HAWKINS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE) By News Sentinel Staff A Hawkins County judge on Monday ordered a mental evaluation for the uncle accused of abducting 9-year-old Carlie Trent. Gary Simpson, 58, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in General Sessions Court in Rogersville on charges of especially aggravated kidnapping and custodial interference. His public defender, however, asked that he be sent for a mental evaluation. The judge scheduled Simpson's next hearing for 1 p.m. on July 13. When Simpson appeared for arraignment in Sessions Court last week, he told a judge he didn't "understand" why he was being charged with kidnapping. "I don't understand the kidnapping," Simpson said, adding that he was being charged with something Carlie's dad's girlfriend did on occasion. The judge asked if Simpson wanted him to read the charges against him, and Simpson, clad in an orange jumpsuit with Hawkins County Jail across the back, said yes. The judge then read the warrants charging Simpson with taking Carlie from her school on May 4 by saying her father had been in an accident. The judge asked Simpson if he had an attorney, and he replied, "No, I don't." The judge then asked Simpson a series of questions to determine if he could afford one. Simpson said that he was unemployed, that he and his wife spent full time taking care of a handicapped son and that their only income was his son's SSI. Wolfenbarger then appointed the Hawkins County Public Defender's Office to represent Simpson at the preliminary hearing. Simpson is facing 15 to 25 years in prison if he is convicted of the kidnapping charge. Additional charges may be placed, authorities said. He is being held in the Hawkins County Jail on a $1 million bond, where he has been placed on a suicide watch. After he was captured earlier this month, Simpson made no statements to Hawkins County officers, according to Sheriff Ronnie Lawson, referring questions to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. TBI spokesman Josh Devine said no additional details of the incident are expected to be released in the near future. Searchers found the pair May 12 near Clinch Mountain, concluding an eight-day, intensive manhunt that resulted in an Amber Alert that extended to Missouri and more than 1,500 leads in 19 states. More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel. The Kingsport Times-News contributed to this story. Lindsay Elaine Pressley, 26, charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, theft, promoting prostitution and criminal conspiracy. (ANDERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT) SHARE Richard Paul Pressley, 29, charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, theft, promoting prostitution and criminal conspiracy. (ANDERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT) By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel CLINTON The 32-year-old man was answering an Internet ad for an escort service and ended up robbed at gunpoint and tied up in the bedroom of a mobile home, authorities said. After escaping out a window, the man notified authorities, which resulted in the arrest Sunday of a husband-and-wife team believed to have "been involved in other prior robberies of a similar nature," according to an Anderson County Sheriff's Department news release. Whether any past victims will come forward remains to be seen, because no one to date has been "cooperative with law enforcement," Anderson County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Monday. Arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, theft, promoting prostitution and criminal conspiracy were Lindsay Elaine Pressley, 26, and Richard Paul Pressley, 29, residents of Queen Street in Ben's Mobile Home Park off Edgemoor Road in the Claxton community. Richard Pressley is also charged with being in possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The victim, who wasn't identified in the news release, was responding to an ad on backpage.com for escort services, according to the news release. "The victim told deputies he had met a female at the residence and after a short time a male entered, brandished a handgun and robbed him of cash," authorities said. The man said he later freed himself and escaped out the bedroom window. He met with Anderson County deputies about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, the news release continues. The Pressleys remained in the Anderson County Jail on Monday. Bonds hadn't been set by that afternoon, according to jail records. The sheriff's department is asking that anyone who may have been a victim of the couple to contact investigator Rodney Minor of the Criminal Investigations Unit at 865-457-6255, extension 144, or the communications center of the sheriff's department at 865-457-2414. K-27 and surrounding Poplar Creek Facilities (Department of Energy) SHARE The demolition of K-27 is pictured May 2, 2016, in Oak Ridge. The demolition is well ahead of schedule and DOE the clean up contractor is already making preparations to tear down ten other buildings known collectively as the Poplar Creek facility. (LYNN FREENY/DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY) By Frank Munger of the Knoxville News Sentinel OAK RIDGE The post-Cold War cleanup is proceeding at a furious pace at an Oak Ridge site once home to the nation's largest uranium-enrichment complex. With K-27, the last of five gaseous diffusion plants, coming down quicker than expected and likely to be demolished before the year-end target date, the U.S. Department of Energy has started making preparations to tear down a bunch of other old buildings that once supported the nuclear program. URS-CH2M Oak Ridge, DOE's cleanup manager, has taken advantage of favorable weather conditions to accelerate the demolition of K-27, which ceased operations in 1964. The four-story, 383,000-square foot building is highly contaminated and equally deteriorated. A couple of billion dollars has already been spent on cleanup of the former uranium processing complex, with the biggest price tag associated with tearing down K-25 the original uranium-enrichment plant that was a mile long in the shape of a U. It took much longer to tear down K-25 than it did to construct it during the World War II Manhattan Project, when it was the world's largest building under one roof. Blog: Frank Munger's Atomic City Underground Deactivating and demolishing K-27, its sister facility, is expected to cost about $292 million, and bringing it to the ground will be a major accomplishment, perhaps by late summer. But a number of surrounding buildings, known collectively as the Poplar Creek Facilities, will pose their own challenges. Some of these smaller buildings date back to the 1940s, performing missions that supported the processing of gaseous uranium hexafluoride to separate the fissionable U-235 isotope needed for weapons and reactors. All told, there are 10 "significant" buildings that need to be torn down, along with "tie lines" that once connected the various operations. Ben Williams, a spokesman at DOE's Office of Environmental Management in Oak Ridge, said the estimated cost of demolishing the Poplar Creek Facilities is about $74 million. Most of the demolition debris will be sent to an Oak Ridge landfill that is specially designated for hazardous and radioactive materials generated by DOE's cleanup projects. However, a "small portion" will likely be shipped off-site because of the levels of radioactive uranium or technetium, Williams said. He didn't specify the site, but similar wastes have been sent to DOE's Nevada National Security Site in the past. Anne Smith, a spokeswoman for UCOR, said the old facilities are highly deteriorated. "The Poplar Creek work is ongoing, and building demolition will take place through the end of the UCOR contract in 2020," she said. The facilities are located north and west of K-27 and were originally build to support activities at K-27 and the former K-29 plant, which has already been demolished and cleaned up. Here's a description of the Poplar Creek Facilities: K-131 It was built in 1945 to purify the uranium-hexafluoride feed to K-27. The building has five floors, including a basement and "penthouse." The K-131 purification process was relocated to another facility in 1954, according to UCOR. The building was operated as a feed facility from 1948-1955 and then "repurposed" in 1956 as a maintenance shop and a valve repair shop. It was shut down in 1985. K-631 This two-story building in the shape of a cross was constructed in 1945 and operated until 1962 as a "tails" withdrawal facility. It extracted process gas depleted of fissionable uranium isotopes. K-631 was converted to a fluorine-treatment facility in 1970, and it was shut down in 1985. K-633 This steel-framed, asbestos-paneled building was constructed in 1954 and includes two high bays and several "attached" rooms. It was used as a test facility for process gas equipment. K-633 was shut down in 1985, when gaseous diffusion operations at the Oak Ridge site were halted. K-1232 The two-story building, along with auxiliary support facilities, was built in 1976 and used for chemical recovery operations for nonfissile materials. It was modified in 1983 for use in neutralizing and treating waste products from the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant. K-832 This building was used as a recirculating water pump house. It has a concrete frame and concrete exterior walls, as well as a substructure with two concrete channels about 30 feet wide and 20 feet deep. It was shut down in 1985. K-832-H-Cooling Tower Operations began in 1945, but the original 14-cell tower was replaced in 1985 by a five-cell tower. The old cells were demolished at that time, and the new ones only operated a short time. K-1203 This facility housed the plant's sanitary sewage treatment. It consisted of a biological treatment system, lift stations, sedimentation basins, filtration and processing of sludges, according to UCOR. It was shut down in 2008. K1314-G, H and J These facilities were used for refurbishment of cylinders that stored uranium hexafluoride. The complex consisted of three 40 foot-by-80 foot metal buildings with HEPA ventilation systems attached. The three buildings contained "sand blasting and painting processes" that were used to refurbish the containers. Traffic climbs U.S 441 toward Newfound Gap on Dec. 24, 2009, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. By News Sentinel Staff The Great Smoky Mountains National Park said Monday the black bear it euthanized earlier this month was not the one that attacked a hiker sleeping in his tent near the Spence Field shelter. The determination was made after officials received DNA analyses comparing samples from bears found near the shelter where the attack occurred May 10. The first analysis compared a sample of bear saliva taken from the belongings of hiker Bradley Veeder, 49, of Las Vegas and from a male bear euthanized on May 13. Veeder, a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail, was treated and released from a hospital. The second analysis compared a sample from Veeder's belongings and a male bear that was captured and released with a GPS-tracking collar May 20. Based on the analyses, neither of the two bears' DNA matched the bear responsible for the attack. The park said in a news release that it had developed a process that would allow timely testing of DNA samples over the past year. It also established facilities where bears could be held captive temporarily while awaiting analysis of the samples. The park also uses the GPS-tracking technique to locate bears after obtaining DNA samples. The park determined transporting the bears from Spence Field a distance of about 6 miles to the facilities was not practical. Park biologists attempted to attach a GPS-tracking collar to the first bear on May 13, but the 400-pound bear's neck was too large, according to the news release. They were able to use the collar on the 200-pound bear captured and released on May 20. "Bears are iconic symbols in the Smokies and a decision to euthanize an animal is not made lightly," Superintendent Cassius Cash said in a news release. "Park staff have worked diligently over the last year to develop viable alternatives to euthanasia. "Understandably, these options won't be appropriate responses for every bear incident. In the interest of responsibly protecting hiker safety in America's most visited national park, we make our decisions based on the best available information for each particular situation." The decision to euthanize the 400-pound bear on May 13 was made based on a combination of factors, according to the park: The location of the shelter. Size and gender of the bear. The euthanized bear had a canine tooth injury consistent with the bite wound on the victim's leg. The first and only bear present near the scene of the attack. The bear was darted about 75 yards from where the attack occurred. Aggressive and repeated attempts by the bear to enter the hiker's tent. The hiker had properly stored his food on aerial food storage cables. The park said it had recently had multiple incidents of bears ripping into tents in the backcountry. It also said May and June are difficult for bears due to lack of abundant natural foods. Summer foods, primarily berries, will begin to ripen over the next several weeks and aggressive bear behavior is expected to decline. Hikers are reminded to take necessary precautions while in bear country including hiking in groups of two or more, carrying bear spray, complying with all backcountry closures, properly storing food regulations and remaining at safe viewing distance from bears at all times. The Spence Field shelter remains closed, and wildlife staff continue to monitor the site for additional bear activity. The park is the most popular in the country with more than 10.7 million visitors in 2015. Its 522,427 acres straddle Tennessee and North Carolina with more than 850 miles of backcountry trails, more than 100 sites and shelters and around 400,000 backcountry hikers annually. More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel. Knoxville Police Department Chief David Rausch (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch, left, presents a plaque to Deputy Chief Nate Allen on Friday, at the Safety Building. Allen, the department's first black deputy chief, retired from the police department and has accepted a job as chief of police in Decatur, Ala. The department has placed an emphasis on both recruiting and promoting more minority officers within the department. (CITY OF KNOXVILLE) Related Coverage Knoxville loses deputy police chief to Decatur, Ala. By Megan Boehnke of the Knoxville News Sentinel Knoxville police have been visiting predominantly black churches, traveling to nearby military bases and attending minority-focused job fairs in hopes of recruiting a more diverse class for the department's first police academy in three years. "We've been a little more focused this time and, quite frankly, highlighting the importance (of diversity) this time around," Police Chief David Rausch said Friday. "Our push has always been to have a makeup in our department that is similar to our community." So far, the department has received more than 250 applications since posting job listings late last month. Many candidates have already scheduled or taken the written exam to become an officer, although Rausch said the pass rate "hasn't been very good." He said he did not know Friday how many of those applicants were women or minorities, but said "we have had some quality minority candidates apply and pass the written exam." The department has 389 officers on the force, and as of March, 81 percent were white men. There were also 45 white women, 21 black men, two black women and six men of other races. Rausch and other city officials hope those numbers will rise, as an aging police force is expected to lead to high department turnover in coming years. The department will likely hold a police academy annually for the next "five to 10 years," he said. Recruiting more women and minority candidates to join the force will help strengthen the department overall, the chief said. "Where it helps is legitimacy for folks to be able to feel like they are being heard," Rausch said. "It also brings about diverse ideas and understanding. The more diversity you have, the better your officers are because they have exposure to it from within. It helps with our culture (within the force), and it helps in terms of understanding other cultures." Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said diversifying the city's workforce has been a priority for her especially within the police ranks. "I think it's particularly important in the police department because they are out there everyday, walking the streets, patrolling the streets, riding bikes," Rogero said. "They interact with the community more regularly, probably, than the rest of us." Rogero and City Councilman Dan Brown, who appointed Rausch as chief while serving as interim mayor, have pressed the chief about his department's minority recruitment efforts. The issue came up during the city's March budget hearings and even more recently during a City Council meeting. "It's just something that would be good for the community, especially within the African-American community and especially for young people, to see these officers at work," Brown said. "Sometimes it may help in defusing a potential explosive situation." The recruiting push also came as the department's highest-ranking minority officer and first black deputy chief, Nate Allen, announced in April that he would leave to become the top cop in Decatur, Ala. Rausch and Mayor Madeline Rogero pointed to Allen's departure as a loss to the force, but said they are also focused on encouraging more diversity among the department's top ranks. "That's my key team, and captains and above are literally who is advising me when I'm making decisions," Rausch said. "Having that diversity of thought and understanding is vital, and when you lose that, it creates a bit of a void." Rausch noted he still has a female deputy chief, a female captain and a black captain in the police department's ranks. Still, he said, a top focus has been identifying talented minority candidates early in their careers, mentoring them and "helping them see there is a path to the top." The department will continue to accept applications for the upcoming police academy class through Thursday, he said. Those who pass the written exam will then take the physical exam. From there, candidates will go through interviews, background checks, psychological evaluations, drug testing, polygraph testing and medical exams a process that takes six to eight months. The academy will likely begin around the first of the year. Rausch said he expects to take on about 38 new recruits, along with seven recruits who have recently aged out of the department's cadet program. The department has 27 vacant officer positions. Another 18 officers are already on the city's deferred retirement program, most of whom will retire this year, Rausch said. Sen. Bob Corker speaks in Columbia, Tenn., on Nov. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig, File) By Andy Sher, Chattanooga Times Free Press NASHVILLE Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who early on endorsed Donald Trump for president, says he sees a role for U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in a possible Trump administration but not necessarily as vice president. DesJarlais, who is serving as a liaison to the Trump campaign, said he has "no inside information" on Trump's thinking but believes another job may be the one for Corker, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "I'll put my money on secretary of state for Corker," DesJarlais told the Times Free Press on Saturday at the Bradley County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day gathering. "My gut feeling right now and I usually don't have a gut feeling with vice presidents because I think it's one of the hardest things to pick or prognosticate I'm thinking (Newt) Gingrich" as Trump's pick for veep. "He's someone who knows the system and knows how to work with the House and Senate," said DesJarlais of Gingrich, a former U.S. House speaker from Georgia who has run for president. "Just the way it's teeing up, I'd say it was a 70/30 chance that's who it is. No inside information, just a hunch." Continue reading at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, a News Sentinel partner. SHARE I think that we can all agree that one of the best ways to stop illegal activity is to be tough on crime. However, we must not enact policies that punish law-abiding citizens as we seek to penalize law-breakers. As we celebrate National Police Week during May, we should praise our law enforcement for using all of the tools at their disposal to crack down on criminal activity while not infringing on the lives of honest Tennesseans. One area where this is very apparent is in our state's fight against methamphetamine production. Our law enforcement uses a tool called the National Precursor Log Exchange, which blocks the sale of medicine containing pseudoephedrine when the legal allowable limit is reached at the point of sale, providing police with real-time alerts. Additionally, NPLEx gives law enforcement the ability to flag purchases by suspicious people. Law enforcement officers can then use that information during investigations. NPLEx gives Tennessee and 32 other states the ability to focus their anti-drug efforts on criminals without affecting law-abiding citizens in the process. This is important because it means our police officers are arresting criminals and reducing meth production in our state without affecting our access to necessary and safe over-the-counter medicines. Steve Osborn, Sevierville Gerdau rewards Lonsdale students with new bikes Lonsdale Elementary School students receive bicycles and helmets for outstanding attendance. Image courtesy of Gerdau. KNOXVILLE Twelve Lonsdale Elementary School students were very excited to be awarded new bicycles and safety helmets. Steel recycler Gerdau made the presentations in recognition of the students outstanding attendance during the 2015-16 school year. This is the fifth year that the Knoxville steel mill has rewarded Lonsdale Elementary students with best attendance. The company presented the bikes and safety helmets to kindergartners Noemi Andres-Pedro and Matteo Bartolome-Diego; first graders Lelia Nicolas-Juan and Baltazar Pedro-Pascual; second graders Lena Domingo-Geronimo and Karla Juan-Andres; third graders Juana Domingo-Juan and Joscelin Mazariegos; fourth graders Yareli Perez and Juana Sebastian-Manuel; and fifth graders Marselina Francisco-Lorenzo and Emilio Tomas-Francisco. Gerdau is a longtime partner with Lonsdale Elementary, and we remain committed to supporting our neighbor, said Gerdau Vice President and General Manager Johnny Miller. Rewarding these kids with new bikes and helmets is special to us because it recognizes the commitment and dedication of these young students and also encourages them to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle. Amy Brace, principal at Lonsdale Elementary School, is a big proponent of the program. We truly appreciate this generous gift from Gerdau, Brace said. Both our school and Gerdau are parts of the Lonsdale neighborhood, and we are working together to make our community a better place. In 2016, Gerdau won the Knoxville Chamber Impact Award in recognition of its broad community support of its Lonsdale neighbors. For more information, visit www.gerdau.com. Published May 23, 2016 Students pose for a photo at Parbata Elementary School in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in this undated photo provided by Hyundai Engineering and Construction. The company completed an extension to the school, equipping it with classrooms and other facilities capable of accommodating some 1,000 students, as part of its corporate social responsibility drive, March 28. / Courtesy of Hyundai E&C By Nam Hyun-woo Hyundai Engineering and Construction (E&C) employees are contributing through 27 philanthropic and volunteering works in 15 countries as part of the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) drive, the company said Monday. Since its first project in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, in 2011, Hyundai E&C has been engaged in CSR projects across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Central America, the company said in a statement. In a breakdown, the company on April 1 donated 1,500 solar lanterns to children in Yangon, Myanmar, most of whom reside in off-grid towns. The company said it decided to provide the lanterns because those children were studying in a poor environment, mostly without electricity. The lanterns were manufactured by 96 employees hired this year. On March 28, the company teamed up with Plan Korea, a child rights organization, to complete an extension of Senpara Parbata Elementary School in Dhaka, Bangladesh, equipping the school with classrooms and other facilities capable of accommodate some 1,000 students. In Africa, the company and Plan Korea also completed an extension to Nakyaka Elementary School in Kamuli District, Uganda, on March 17 to improve the study environment for students there. The company will also support the region through hygiene education, instructor training and parenting seminars. An official at Hyundai E&C's bridge construction firm in Jinja, Uganda, said: "Local governments are paying more attention to education on raising children. We hope our projects for supporting education in Uganda could contribute to the society." Through the CSR projects, the company said it endeavors to "create shared value" (CSV), a business concept introduced by Prof. Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School. Under this concept, a company's competitiveness and the wellbeing of the surrounding community are mutually dependent. Thus, a company should not engage in projects after it creates revenues, but its business activities should seek profits while creating social value. The company cited its Hyundai-KOICA Dream Center in Vietnam. Along with Hyundai Motor, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Plan Korea, Hyundai E&C completed the center in February and has been teaching the technologies of it and Hyundai Motor to Vietnamese students. A number of students at the center will be offered jobs at the two Hyundai companies. "It is a model suggesting the way of mutual growth between communities and companies," said a Hyundai E&C official, adding that the company will engage in various other CSR projects down the road. This is an aerial view of Gwangyang Port, South Jeolla Province. Industrial parks adjacent to Gwangyang and other ports are stepping up their efforts to attract more foreign businesses by offering larger incentives and a more convenient logistics infrastructure. / Courtesy of Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries By Lee Hyo-sik Korea's port-based industrial parks have emerged as a new destination for foreign companies seeking to capitalize on the nation's geographical advantage of being at the center of Northeast Asia. Over the past few years, dozens of Korean and non-Korean logistics firms have established a foothold in the hinterland areas of Busan and other major ports, making the best use of Korea's extensive maritime transportation networks across Asia. In addition, a growing number of manufacturing and services companies have begun knocking on the door, expressing intent to set up operations in port areas. The Ministry of Oceans and Fishers said Monday that it has been gearing up to attract more foreign businesses to transform port-oriented industrial complexes into international business hubs. "Thanks to Korea's advanced maritime networks to major ports in China, Japan and Southeast Asia, companies operating in the hinterland of local ports can more effectively transport products to their destinations in Asia," a ministry official said. "Industrial parks near domestic ports have become the country's new engine of growth, strengthening its position in the international logistics network. We are now trying to persuade dozens of global companies to establish their units in the parks." Since 2006, Korea has built industrial complexes in areas surrounding its five major ports: Busan, Incheon, Gwangyang, Pyeongtaek-Dangjin and Ulsan. This was aimed at turning the ports into leading logistics hubs by attracting not only shipping companies, but also manufacturing and services firms. In particular, complexes in Busan, Gwangyang and Pyeongtaek-Dangjin are located inside free trade zones, offering businesses a wide range of benefits, including reduced rent and tax exemptions. "Businesses operating in the industrial park near Busan Port, which is the world's sixth-largest container port, can take advantage of the port's extensive maritime transport web," the official said. "It offers all possible services shipping firms need in order to transport cargo to their destinations in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. It has so far attracted 110 billion won in foreign investment." Currently, 68 Korean and non-Korean companies operate in the Busan Port industrial park. Incheon Port has also successfully developed its industrial park thanks to its geographical proximity to major Chinese ports. It has 30 logistics companies. Gwangyang Port has been a popular place for both domestic and foreign logistics firms dealing with a range of steel and chemical goods. POSCO operates a steel mill nearby, while a number of refiners and petrochemical firms make products 24 hours a day. Pyeongtaek-Dangjin Port has also become an ideal place for logistics firms that handle automobiles, semiconductors and other industrial goods, produced by companies in Gyeonggi Province. "We expect more and more foreign companies will come to set up plants in port-oriented industrial parks. So the government will set aside more sites around the five major ports for such use," the official said. "At the same time, the government is considering expanding incentives for foreign businesses, particularly manufacturers." Currently, manufacturing companies pay twice as much rent as logistics firms in the complexes. The ministry plans to halve this. "For the foreign business community here, we will organize more sessions to publicize the benefits of being in port-based industrial parks," the official said. "Last November, we held four sessions across the country for members of U.S. Chinese, European, Japanese chambers of commerce. We will continue to carry out aggressive marketing activities and seek ways to make the country's port areas more foreign business-friendly." Top officials from ruling and opposition parties plan to visit the shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering on Monday, amid rising concerns over the prolonged industrywide slump in one of South Korea's key growth sectors. Chung Jin-suk, the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, will visit a South Gyeongsang Province-based shipyard to receive input from workers and the company. The party also aims to continue discussions with the management on restructuring programs that may emerge as a major drag on the local economy. Kim Jong-in, interim leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, will also visit the shipyard, holding meetings with officials from subcontractors. Kim will visit the yard located on Geoje Island, 470 kilometers southeast of Seoul, right after the Saenuri officials. Daewoo Shipbuilding has been implementing large-scale self-restructuring measures since last year, including layoffs of 2,300 workers and asset sales, in return for financial assistance from its creditors led by the state-run Korea Development Bank. The company's creditors and the financial authorities, however, have been demanding additional belt-tightening measures. The country's top three shipyards suffered a combined operating loss of 8.5 trillion won ($7.13 billion) last year, due largely to increased costs stemming from a delay in the construction of offshore facilities and an industrywide slump. Some 5.5 trillion won of the losses came from Daewoo Shipbuilding. (Yonhap) Hyundai Motor and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors saw their combined shares in China surpass 9 percent for the first time this year in April, the companies said Monday. The two South Korean carmakers sold a combined 146,378 cars in April in China, up 0.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the data provided by the companies. The combined share by Hyundai and Kia in the world's largest auto market stood at 9.2 percent in April, compared with 8.2 percent in March, the data showed. The data showed that Hyundai Motor sold 96,222 cars in China in April, up 6.7 percent from a year earlier, while Kia Motors' sales shrank 10.4 percent to 50,156 units. Hyundai and Kia trailed behind German carmaker Volkswagen and American carmaker General Motors, whose market shares in China came to 18.7 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively. Hyundai and Kia form the world's fifth-largest automaker. (Yonhap) Park Hae-jin / Courtesy of Mountain Movement By Kim Da-hee Actor Park Hae-jin will have his first fan meeting in China on Saturday, his agency Mountain Movement said Monday. The heartthrob, 33, who enjoyed huge popularity for his recent role in the TV drama "Cheese in the Trap" on tvN, will meet fans at the University of Science and Technology Beijing gymnasium. "The advance sale of tickets for the fan meeting started Thursday, creating excitement for his fans in China," the agency said. Park, who rose to stardom in China by SBS's mega-hit drama "My Love from the Star" (2013-14), became the first Korean to be featured on a Chinese postage stamp. Seolhyun By Kim Jae-heun The Visit Korea Committee has deleted photos of its honorary ambassador Seolhyun from the official website's main page and its social networking services on Sunday. The K-pop idol has recently been embroiled in controversy for her poor grasp of Korean history. Seolhyun, a member of girl group AOA, rose to stardom as an "advertisement queen" appearing in almost every commercial, including for the government body. The Visit Korea Committee appointed Seolhyun and actor Lee Min-ho to represent and promote the country as a tourist destination until 2018. On the fourth episode of cable channel OnStyle's variety show "Channel AOA" aired on May 3, Seolhyun could not identify Ahn Jung-geun, one of the country's best-known freedom fighters who assassinated Hirobumi Ito, the Japanese resident-general of Korea in 1909. It sparked a national controversy over her ignorance of Korean history. An official from the agency revealed that it has no plans yet to replace the honorary ambassador and deleting her photos from the online platforms is irrelevant to changing its spokespeople. South Korean politicians from ruling and opposition parties are set to gather in Gimhae on Monday to mark the seventh anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's death. Officials from the ruling Saenuri Party, as well as the main opposition Minjoo Party and the minor People's Party, will visit Roh's home in Bongha Village, about 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Roh, who led the country from 2003 to 2008, killed himself at a mountainside precipice above his provincial hometown in May 2009, expressing emotional stress over a monthslong corruption probe involving his immediate family. He was 62. Political sources said the main opposition party will seek to beef up the public's support through the commemorative event, as Roh's dramatic death has transformed him into an icon of the opposition factions. The People's Party, which failed to earn a single seat in South Gyeongsang Province and Busan, also seeks to embrace supporters of Roh through the commemorative event, they added. The Saenuri Party on the other hand is aiming to shore up its support base in the Gyeongsang region by participating in the symbolic gathering. The party suffered a setback in the April 13 polls by giving up seats in the Gyeongsang area, which traditionally has been its political stronghold. (Yonhap) South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Monday that no decision has been made yet over whether President Park Geun-hye will veto a controversial bill that will enable parliament to open hearings more frequently. After the revision to the National Assembly Act was passed Thursday, Cheong Wa Dae called for an "immediate" amendment to it, arguing that it would paralyze government affairs and give inordinate power to the legislature. The bill has emerged as yet another point of conflict between the government and opposition parties as Park seeks to forge cooperative ties with the opposition forces that secured a majority in the incoming National Assembly that begins its four-year term next Monday. The ruling Saenuri Party bagged only 122 seats in the 300-member Assembly in last month's general elections. "Various rumors have been circulating (over what Park will do about the bill), but nothing has been decided as of yet," presidential spokesman Jeong Yeon-guk told reporters. "We will review it when it is sent to the government." The bill was handed over to the government for presidential endorsement on Monday. Officials said that the bill is unlikely to be handled at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting due to a lack of time for review. The president is scheduled to embark on an 11-day trip to Africa and France on Wednesday. After the bill is handed over to the government, the president, as outlined in the Constitution, has 15 days to approve or veto it. (Yonhap) The CEO of Google Korea who formerly headed the local unit of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser was summoned by prosecutors Monday to face questions over the British firm's toxic humidifier sterilizers which resulted in numerous deaths and illnesses here. John Lee appeared before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul as a suspect in the snowballing case that involves scores of deaths since 2011, including some pregnant women. "My prayers and condolences go out to the victims and their families," the Korean-American told reporters before entering the office. "I will fully cooperate with the investigation." Lee headed the South Korean unit of the consumer goods company from June 2005 to May 2010 when sales of the sterilizer product were greatest. Prosecutors said they will grill Lee on why the company continued selling the product despite complaints from consumers over its side effects. The summons came a few days after Ulrich Hosterbach, the finance director of Oxy Korea, was summoned last week as the first among a number of foreign executives in relation to the toxic sterilizer probe. The humidifier disinfectant case, one of the worst scandals involving a consumer product using chemicals, came to light after four pregnant women died of lung problems from unknown causes in 2011. A government-led investigation confirmed a connection between people who died of lung problems and the chemicals used to clean household humidifiers. South Korea confirmed 221 people as victims. Among them, 177 had used Oxy products. Out of 90 deaths, 70 are believed to have been caused by products made by Oxy. (Yonhap) By Lee Han-soo A high school student, 17, has been booked without detention for illegally entering the apartment of a woman, 23, according to Gwangju Nambu Police Station on Monday. The teenager is accused of sneaking into the apartment through a window at about 11.40 p.m. on April 1, and then fleeing when the woman screamed. Police arrested the teenager after security camera footage showed him in a school uniform. According to police, the teenager followed the woman after being strongly attracted when he saw her on the street. The teenager has claimed he just wanted to ask the woman for her phone number. By Yi Whan-woo President Park Geun-hye may veto a controversial bill approved by the National Assembly last week that would empower parliamentary committees to hold hearings on state affairs at their own discretion. The legislation will take effect if Park endorses it by June 7, according to the Ministry of Government Legislation. However, multiple sources say that Park will veto the bill after returning from her 12-day trip to Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and France, which begins Wednesday. Cheong Wa Dae and pro-Park lawmakers from the ruling Saenuri Party have raised concerns that the bill, if implemented, may "paralyze" the administration because opposition parties could abuse the hearings to mount a political offensive. "Park may exercise her right to veto the bill during a weekly Cabinet meeting scheduled for June 7 after she returns from her overseas trip," a source said. Cheong Wa Dae remained cautious over the dispute. "Nothing has been determined concerning the bill," presidential spokesman Jeong Yeon-guk said, refusing to elaborate further. Main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) floor leader Rep. Woo Sang-ho warned that a veto by Park will be "seen a threat to parliamentary democracy." Minority opposition People's Party spokesman Chang Jin-young also criticized Cheong Wa Dae for "looking down on" the Assembly and the people. Tensions have been escalating between the presidential office and the National Assembly over the bill despite Park's promise to cooperate with the opposition parties in the wake of the Saenuri Party's defeat in the April 13 general election. Endorsed in the final plenary session of the 19th National Assembly, the bill eases restrictions on holding hearings and allows a standing committee to summon key witnesses, including high-ranking bureaucrats, over disputed issues. Cheong Wa Dae and the Saenuri Party have called for a revision of the bill as the opposition parties will collectively outnumber the ruling party in the upcoming 20th National Assembly and that they may open hearings for political purposes. Combined, the MPK and the People's Party won 160 of the 300 seats in the general election against the Saenuri Party's 122 seats. Under the bill, one-third of standing committee members can demand a hearing. There are concerns that Park's possible veto could backfire. She will have no additional right to veto if the controversial bill is returned to the National Assembly and lawmakers approve it again. The bill will be finalized as a law if more than half of the 300 lawmakers are present in voting and two-thirds of them endorse it. Several lawmakers who oppose the President's loyalists faction within the Saenuri Party may also vote with the MPK and the People's Party in addition to six lawmakers from the minority opposition Justice Party. Independent legislators who left the Saenuri Party after being estranged by the President are also likely join forces. "In this climate, it's also possible that Park will deliberately pass the deadline for proclamation and argue that the bill will be void," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University. Park previously exercised her right to veto in June 2015 after the National Assembly passed a bill aimed at strengthening the Assembly's authority to call for change in administrative legislation, including presidential decrees. By Kang Seung-woo U.S. President Barack Obama plans to make a visit to Hiroshima later this week to honor victims of the U.S. atomic bombing during World War II in his commitment to peace and security in a world without nuclear weapons. However, given the Japanese city is the site of the world's first nuclear attack, Obama's visit the first journey by a sitting U.S. president is igniting concerns that it may be a form of apology for the bombing and help Tokyo's move to dilute its wartime aggression. In fact, critics call the visit an apology tour although the White House says Obama will offer a "forward-looking vision focused on a shared future." Diplomatic experts say that Obama's symbolic visit should not stop there and Abe should also offer a future-oriented attitude to trigger reconciliation in Northeast Asia, where history still matters deeply, rather than attempting to affirm Tokyo's often-expressed view of itself as a victim of an atomic attack. Already in China, there are growing calls for Abe to travel to Nanjing to pray for the thousands of people killed in the Nanjing Massacre. In the mass killings, also known as the Rape of Nanjing, more than 300,000 people were slaughtered and 20,000 women were raped by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1937, according to the Chinese government. "Japan must acknowledge damage inflicted on China by the invasive war of Japanese militarism," Gui Yongtao, an associate professor at Beijing University, told the Global Times earlier this month. Kim Youl-soo, a professor of international political science at Sungshin Women's University, echoed the Chinese professor's view. "It is a good and meaningful idea for Prime Minister Abe to visit Nanjing as well as Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, following President Obama's visit to Hiroshima as part of efforts to bring peace in Northeast Asia," Kim said. On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise air attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, killing more than 2,000 American service personnel. The attack led to the U.S. entering World War II. "The bombing on Hiroshima was a response to the invasive war of Japanese militarism, but the Nanjing Massacre was a result from Japan's wartime misdeed. Should Abe fly to Nanjing and honor the Chinese victims, it will play an important role in improving relations between China and Japan and furthermore pursuing peace and stability in Northeast Asia," he added. According to the White House, Obama, along with Abe, plans to lay a wreath at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and take a brief tour of the memorial grounds. Given that a monument honoring Korean victims is located some 200 meters away from the main monument and Koreans were the largest group of non-Japanese atomic bomb victims, there are calls here for the U.S. President to stop by the site and honor them, too, in a belief that his commemoration may positively affect Abe's right-wing perception of history and contribute to rapprochement between Northeast Asian countries engaged in history-related disputes. According to the government, some 70,000 Koreans, including forced laborers, were exposed to the nuclear explosions, with 40,000 killed. "It would be a good idea because the White House has repeated stated Obama's visit to Hiroshima is to honor not only Japanese, but also all of those lost during the war and those lost in the bombing," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. "The White House may have discussed President Obama's stop at the monument with Japan, but Tokyo may have opposed it because it would require embracing the dominant historical narratives in Korea. Although the U.S. government has yet to announce the official itinerary, it seems unlikely." Korea's reaction Since Obama's trip to Hiroshima was announced on May 10, there have been growing concerns in Korea that it may make Japan look like a victim even though U.S. officials have said the visit should not be interpreted as an apology, and Obama will not revisit the decision to use the atomic bomb. Korea, which suffered under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45, is sensitive to issues related to the two countries' shared history and has reacted angrily to Tokyo's attempts to whitewash its wartime atrocities. According to the Korea Atomic Bomb Victim Association, based in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday, it plans to send representatives to Hiroshima to deliver a letter urging the U.S. and Japan to offer an apology and provide compensation to the Korean victims. In addition, there are calls for the foreign ministry to seek relevant measures to ask Obama to offer flowers at the monument to honor Korean victims. "We understand that it was arranged under President Obama's vision for peace and safety through a world free of nuclear weapons," the foreign ministry said. Diplomatic analysts say Korea need not stretch the meaning of Obama's visit to Hiroshima and make a hasty response, which may adversely affect its relations with Washington. "Although the visit may not be a pleasant issue for Koreans out of concerns that Abe may use it politically, we should not be over-sensitive to the visit because the White House has repeated its intentions for it," said Park. In an interview with Japan's NHK, released Sunday, Obama reconfirmed that he did not intend to offer an apology in his message to survivors of the atomic bombing. "I think that it's important to recognize that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions. It's a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during wartime," he said. Sean King, an East Asia specialist with the Park Strategies consulting firm in New York, also said, "Obama just happens to be in Japan and will merely visit Hiroshima so long as he's already there. It's not like he's making a special trip to visit Hiroshima." "I don't get the sense Japan's looking for a U.S. apology at Hiroshima. Very few Japanese ever raise the atomic bombings with Americans. But whatever Obama's motivations behind his visit, Abe might try using it as a means toward establishing some sense of wartime moral equivalency. Abe can point out that America dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan, but that Japanese don't dwell on it, thereby implying that Japan's neighbors should similarly let go of the past." /Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Jin-a More than 575,000 foreign tourists visited Busan in the first quarter, up 27 percent from the same period last year, Busan Metropolitan City said on Monday. The growth rate in foreign tourists to the city was double the national average. A growing number of large cruise ships and international flights arriving in Busan helped the rate to soar. According to the city, large cruise ships from China arrived in Busan 20 times in the first quarter, four more than in the same period last year. Among them was China's mega-ship "Quantum," which can carry up to 6,300 passengers. It visited Busan 11 times in the first quarter. As well, the number of flights arriving at Gimhae International Airport increased to 6,490 from last year's 4,895. The city expects the number will continue to increase because China's popular online video platform "IQIYI" will create a separate page dedicated to Busan this month. The city also plans to offer tour packages in partnership with Japanese travel agency "Rakuten Travel." About 16,000 Chinese tourists visited Busan on tour packages sold jointly by Busan Metropolitan City and "Ctrip," China's largest online travel agency. Kwon Yang-sook, the widow of late President Roh Moo-hyun, lays a wreath at Roh's gravesite while political leaders stand behind her during the seventh anniversary of Roh's death at Bongha Village, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties gathered in Bongha Village, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday, to mark the seventh anniversary of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun. Main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) interim leader Kim Chong-in and its floor leader Woo Sang-ho, People's Party Co-Chairmen Ahn Cheol-soo and Chun Jung-bae and floor leader Park Jie-won and ruling Saenuri Party floor leader Chung Jin-suk attended the memorial service. Roh's wife Kwon Yang-sook, his son Roh Kun-ho, former MPK Chairman Moon Jae-in and independent lawmaker Lee Hae-chan who is also chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation attended the ceremony. Moon served as presidential chief of staff during the Roh administration. Hyun Ki-hwan, the senior presidential secretary for political affairs, was present at the ceremony, representing the government. "Amid intensifying political conflict and confrontation, the MPK will make efforts to create a world that he had hoped for before his death," said MPK spokesman Park Kwang-on in a statement. The minority opposition People's Party also said the party will try to follow the "Roh Moo-hyun spirit" that was focused on eradicating regionalism and abandoning privilege and authority. The ruling Saenuri Party stressed Roh's efforts for political unity. "We honor former President Roh, who sought political integration, overcoming regionalism," Saenuri spokesman Min Kyung-wook said. With many high-profile politicians at the memorial service, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and former opposition leader Sohn Hak-kyu, who is expected to end his retirement from politics soon, did not attend, raising speculation that their absence is aimed at staying away from the pro-Roh faction to court support from the Jeolla region the opposition bloc's traditional stronghold that gave little support to the MPK in the April 13 general election. By Kang Seung-woo North Korea's conciliatory gestures toward the South reflect its bid to reshape itself as a "nuclear state" and take initiatives in its relations with Seoul, analysts said Monday. Since Friday, the North's National Defense Commission, Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea have urged the South to accept an offer for dialogue. However, the South Korean government has rejected the proposals, citing a lack of sincerity. "The series of offers from the North are intended to press the South to change its hostile policy toward the communist country," said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, adding that additional North Korean agencies may join the charm offensive. "To be more specific, the North claims it is a nuclear weapons state, and so its nuclear weapons program is not an issue to discuss with the South, and also Seoul should exclude foreign influence in talks on unification." In a speech to the Workers' Party Congress, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared the isolated country was a "responsible" nuclear weapons state. An Chan-il, the head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, echoed Chang's view. "Following Kim's declaration, North Korea seeks to be recognized as a nuclear power and gain the initiative in inter-Korean affairs," An said. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) imposed new sanctions on North Korea, March 2, for its Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 long-range rocket launch, both of which violated UNSC resolutions. Seoul's foreign ministry estimates that international sanctions are having immediate effects as many countries have halted financial transactions with the North in accordance with them. "In this situation, the North is trying to find a breakthrough in relations with the South," An said. The analysts also said that the dialogue offers were made in order to stop the South Korean military's broadcasting of propaganda messages and activists' balloon propaganda campaigns that Pyongyang denounces as damaging to its dignity. "The North is sensitive to the propaganda campaigns, so it is definitely trying to resolve the issue," said Chang. An also said that the North's recent moves may be aimed at setting the stage for a fifth nuclear test. "The North is trying to highlight its charm offensive to the international community and the South's failure to ease tensions, justifying its dependence on nuclear weapons," he said. The South's unification ministry said Monday that North Korea should stop its groundless accusations that Seoul is raising tension on the Korean Peninsula. "The North's dialogue offer appears to be aimed at driving a wedge between people living in the South, and to weaken the international sanctions regime," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said at a press briefing. Although the government says this is not the time to talk about dialogue with the North, analysts said it will be difficult for the South to hold fast for the North's denuclearization. "When the North offers dialogue, we could call for a meeting that will include discussing the North's nuclear and missile programs," said An. Chang also said that to avoid unnecessary military confrontation, the South Korean government needs to take separate steps with the North. "While sticking with the U.N. sanctions, we can meet with North Korea to ease military tension that may be caused by the North's conventional weapons," Chang said. John Lee, Oxy RB's former CEO, is surrounded by journalists and demonstrators as he makes his way into the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul for questioning, Monday. / Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong Prosecutors summoned the former head of Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Korea, John Lee on Monday for questioning about the company's humidifier disinfectant that caused the death of more than 100 victims. Arriving at the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul around 1:30 p.m., Lee said, "My heart aches for the victims and their families." He also promised to share all he knows with the prosecutors. He had to make his way through the victims who blocked him in protest and pulled at his suit. Lee led Oxy RB from June 2005 until May 2010 and is now head of Google Korea. Under him, Oxy posted strong sales, and he faces allegations of ignoring growing complaints about the product from consumers. He is the first former foreign Oxy RB CEO to be questioned. Last week, the Korean CEO Shin Hyun-woo, Lee's predecessor, was arrested for knowingly ordering the sales of the toxic product. Besides a negligence charge, the prosecution is hoping to find if he was in communication with the company's headquarters in the United Kingdom about the product's danger. Oxy's product killed 103. the total death toll, including that from other brands, stands at 146, according to government statistics. Meanwhile, a group of victims and their families requested the prosecution to start a criminal investigation into former environment ministers and officials for failing to screen the chemicals used in the products. The ex-ministers include Kim Myung-ja who served between 1999 and 2003, and Kang Hyeo-uk who served from 1996 to 1997. "The nation's constitution and laws oblige the government to protect the health of the citizens. What happened shows that the government failed to meet its mandates," according to the complaint filed with the prosecution. "Nevertheless, the government has shown no signs of taking responsibility." The nation's worst biocide crisis was revealed to the public on Aug. 31, 2011, and involved some of the country's major and foreign companies. It has affected 530 people, among whom 146 died. Victims have suffered for the past five years with little light shed on the biocide scandal. But things began to change after a criminal investigation began in January. The investigation has pressured Oxy to apologize to its victims with a proposal of compensations. Last weekend, Oxy met with the victims face to face in Daejeon. The victims initiated a boycott of Oxy products, which is spreading across the country. One week ago, more than 400 victims filed a damage suit against the government and the 18 companies involved, asking for 10 billion won in compensation. In 2012, several victims sued the government for improper responses. The lower court ruled in favor of the government last year, and the victims appealed. /Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Han-soo With UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon's term ending this year, British economic weekly magazine The Economist has published a special article that claims Ban has been a colossal failure. The magazine gave Ban credit for proposing new sustainable development goals and for holding the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in December 2015. But the magazine slammed Ban for being ineloquent, tied up in protocols and lacking flexibility. The weekly also pointed out Ban's unprofessional mistake of calling Morocco's presence in the Western Sahara an "occupation" despite his nine-years in the office. His misuse of the word brought a severe backlash from the Moroccan government and, according to experts, provoked the Moroccan government to expel UN staff trying to maintain peace in the Western Sahara. The magazine said Ban was only elected as UN chief because none of the Security Council's permanent members the U.S., China, Britain, France and Russia believed he would not be a problem in their spheres of interest. By Yi Whan-woo Ban Ki-moon U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to attend a string of events during a six-day visit to Korea starting Wednesday, fueling speculation that he is preparing to run in the 2017 presidential election. Ban was originally scheduled to attend the U.N. Department of Public Information's Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Conference in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province from May 30 to June 1 during his first trip back home since May 2015. He then added the Jeju Forum in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, and the 2016 Rotary International Convention in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on his schedule. He will also visit Hahoe Folk Village in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. Ban, who is regarded as a probable 2017 presidential contender despite denials by him, said his trip is not politically motivated and he does not plan to meet any politicians. But speculation remains that he is seeking to build relations with people in the region, including local government officials and regional community elders, and woo them before he wraps up his trip on May 30. The Jeju Self-Governing Province will host the Jeju Forum, an annual multinational dialogue to discuss issues on security and prosperity in the East Asia, from Wednesday to Friday. Up to 50,000 participants are anticipated to come to the 2016 Rotary International Convention aimed at learning and sharing cultures and technology of the convention's member states from May 29 to June 1. The UNESCO-designated Hahoe Folk Village is where members of the country's Ryu clan live and have preserved a clan-based community established under the leadership of elders since the 16th century during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). The region has been a stronghold of the ruling Saenuri Party. There have also been rumors that a couple of Ban's aides from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plan to set up a foundation named after him. Ban served as foreign minister before being named the U.N. chief in 2007. Several aides to Park are believed to have ties with Ban. They include Yoon Yeo-cheol, a presidential protocol officer who is Ban's former chief of protocol at the U.N. Both Ban and Lee Won-jong, who was appointed as Park's presidential chief of staff on May 15, hail from North Chungcheong Province. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency By Lee Han-soo "The training facility for the Republic of Korea Navy 1st Fleet base was built in the 1980s," a Navy official told Yonhap news agency. "We are planning to upgrade this facility by 2018 and will implement actual sea conditions and battle environments. "This is to increase the chances of survival in case of an attack similar to North Korea's torpedo attack on the South Korean naval frigate Cheonan in 2010 that killed 46 sailors." The new training facility, which replicates a Corvette class warship, can house 65 trainees and five officers. The facility will have replicas of a bridge, an engine room, pump chambers, sleeping quarters and other crucial rooms inside a warship. Training will be held in real-life conditions, with the ship rocking at a 15 degree angle or being tilted after an attack. The navy also plans to update other training facilities at Navy 2nd and 3rd Fleet bases from 2020. North Korea held a state funeral for Kang Sok-ju, a top North Korean diplomat who had negotiated the now-collapsed 1994 nuclear deal with the United States, the North's state media said Monday. On Sunday, the North carried out the funeral of Kang, a former party secretary in charge of international affairs, who died of esophagus cancer at the age of 77, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The death of Kang Sok-ju, genuine revolutionary and able political activist, was a great loss to the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and the people," Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the standing committee of the party's politburo, said in a eulogy. Kang was involved in crafting the Agreed Framework between the U.S. and the North, which aimed to defuse the nuclear crisis in 1994. Under the deal, also known as the Geneva Agreement, Pyongyang promised to freeze its nuclear activities in return for light water reactors and oil, as well as a gradual normalization of diplomatic ties. But the agreement fell apart with the second nuke crisis in late 2002, when Pyongyang was found to have engaged in a clandestine uranium enrichment program. The six-party denuclearization talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia were launched in 2003 to deal with the North's nuke issue, but the forum has been dormant since late 2008. The funeral was attended by key party and military officials, including Hwang Pyong-so, director of the general political bureau of North Korea's armed forces; premier of the Cabinet Pak Pong-ju; and Ri Su-yong, a vice chairman of the WPK's bureau on political affairs. (Yonhap) North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, held talks with Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, president of Equatorial Guinea, at the presidential palace in Malabo, the North's official media report said Monday. Kim, the president of the Supreme People's Assembly, is on an official visit to the Central African country in a rare overseas trip following the North's first ruling party congress in 36 years earlier this month. He met with the African leader Saturday, the news outlet said. At the talks, both sides discussed further developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries and exchanged views on matters of mutual concern, according to the report of the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Attending the talks were Sin Hong-chol, vice-minister of the North's Foreign Affairs, and Kwak Ji-hwan, North Korean ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, the newspaper said. Also, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that at the talks, the president of the African country extended warm congratulations to North Koran leader Kim Jong-un on his election as chairman of the WPK at its seventh congress in Pyongyang. "It is the consistent stand of the government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to further expand and develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries," the African country's president was quoted by the KCNA as saying. He also expressed a will to extend support and offer solidarity to the Korean people as they struggle to build a thriving socialist nation. On Friday, Kim attended the inaugural ceremony for the Equatorial Guinea's leader. The Equatorial Guinea's president, Africa's longest-serving leader, won re-election last month. (Yonhap) Korean-Chinese pastor who helped NK defectors found dead near Chinese-NK border Peter Jung, a pastor and the director of the Seoul-based human rights group Justice for North Korea / Korea Times By Kang Hyun-kyung Korean-Chinese pastor Han Chung-yeol's life abruptly and tragically ended at 48, amid Chinese-North Korean border travel warnings. The respected humanitarian worker who had saved numerous North Korean freedom seekers' lives was found dead on April 30 on a farm in the Chinese northeastern border county of Changbai. His body bore severe bruises, while the back of his head and neck showed knife wounds. The cause of death was a ruptured carotid artery. His body was discovered at night, hours after he left home carrying two mobile phones after receiving a phone call from someone he knew. The two phones have not been found. Chinese security authorities are now investigating the case. Peter Jung, a pastor and the director of the Seoul-based human rights group Justice for North Korea, voiced concerns that the pastor's death and the two missing phones could bring harm to some 200 South Korean humanitarian workers helping hundreds of thousands of North Korean refugees in China's northeastern region. "I heard that one (of the phones) was Pastor Han's phone, and the other belonged to his helpers, and that the two mobile phones were handed over to North Korean authorities," he said, citing multiple anonymous informants who are familiar with Han and his humanitarian efforts. According to Jung, the second phone was used by missionaries and humanitarian workers who assisted Han in his work. "We need to watch carefully what will come next," Jung said. "The missing phones contain Han's contacts, text messages the late pastor exchanged with his helpers and North Korean refugees, and photos, video and audio recordings related to his humanitarian work," he said. Thus, he fears, the missing phones could put the lives of his helpers and the North Korean freedom seekers in grave danger. According to Jung, an unwritten rule among humanitarian workers serving in such a risky mission station as the North Korea-China border is to never lose their cell phones and computers. "This is because these devices have critical information about them and their activities. Once they are lost or handed over to the North Korean security agents, the consequences can simply be too catastrophic," he said. He made the remarks amid repeated safety warnings on the Chinese-North Korean border from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the ministry, two Koreans, including a North Korean defector, who were based in the northeastern part of China, have been missing. "Six people have been reported missing to our Consulate General in Shenyang City in the Liaoning Province since early this year. Four of them were found safe, but two others are still missing," a foreign ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity, last Tuesday. In the past several weeks, the ministry, citing intelligence, warned South Koreans of the dangers of traveling to the northeastern part of China. It first issued a warning in April following the defections of 13 North Koreans, who had worked in the now-defunct state-run restaurant in Ningho City in Zhejiang Province. They were quoted as saying pressure from the North Korean government to send cash to their home country was the main reason for their defections to the South. The North Koreans arrived in the South on May 7. North Korea claimed that their defections were plotted by the South Korean authorities. They also claimed that the defectors went to the South against their will, and thus, the South should return them to their homeland. Han dedicated his life to helping North Korean refugees who crossed the border in search of freedom and better lives in China and beyond. He fed the malnourished people, gave them medicine and arranged for their shelter. Jung said the late pastor provided hope to many North Koreans who had no one to rely on in China after they crossed the border. "I didn't know Pastor Han personally, but one of my coworkers was close to him when he was alive," he said. "He was a fearless man who extended a helping hand to the neediest people near the Chinese-North Korean border where he lived and worked." Han played the role of a guardian angel for the helpless North Koreans living in the dangerous environment. Many North Korean security agents are based on the Chinese-North Korean border to collect intelligence and spy on their nationals to trace defectors and send them back to their homeland. Han had been tormented repeatedly from blackmail by North Korea which described him as a villain who lured innocent North Korean citizens and brainwashed them with the corrupt, greedy capitalist mindset. The regime also threatened that he would suffer the consequences. The missionaries who were familiar with pastor Han were quoted as saying that Han received increasing threats from North Korean security agents months before he was murdered. A local resident who last saw pastor Han on April 30, the day he was killed, said in a media interview that he saw Han fighting with two North Koreans who later went back to the North. The Chinese government was also suspicious of the Korean-Chinese pastor. He was arrested in 2012 by the Chinese security authorities for helping North Korean refugees, who the country considers illegal immigrants. The pastor was later released after he was cleared of the charges against him. China views North Korean freedom seekers not as refugees but as illegal immigrants who cross the border for economic reasons. Once the Chinese authorities catch North Koreans, they repatriate them to North Korea, where they face appalling treatment in political prison camps as traitors. China's criminal laws prohibit its residents, both nationals and foreigners, from helping North Korean enter or leave its territory. Despite the significant risks in such an environment, Jung said Han managed to quietly recruit like-minded humanitarian workers and missionaries to take care of the refugees before they headed to their third countries. "Pastor Han had many helpers around, both in his church and in the Korean community in the Changbai County," Jung said. "He also focused on helping North Korean orphans, called kotjebi,' and tried to find people who could shelter and feed them." Born in 1967 to a Korean family in the Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province bordering North Korea and Russia, Han became a Christian in 1988 while fighting an unknown illness. In 1993, he established the Changbai Church in the border county facing the North Korean city of Hyesan. He had served as pastor there since 2005, years after he completed divinity school in China. The church has some 600 worshippers. Jung said one of the questions surrounding Han's death that remains unanswered is why the pastor was carrying two cell phones. "We were wondering why Pastor Han was carrying the cell phones when he went to the farm where he was found dead on April 30 after receiving a phone call. It remains a mystery," he said. Those who are familiar with Han and his humanitarian work point their fingers at the North Korean security agents as the possible killers, but their suspicions have not yet been confirmed. By Han Seung-bum In 1989, a US college president waited about 50 minutes at a USSR college cafeteria for his lunch, a female worker who worked at the restaurant suddenly said, "We have run out of cabbage and can't make any more soup, so those of you in line may want to stop waiting." Most of those who were in line turned around to leave, but one person shouted in a self-deprecating manner, "Eta Rossia" (This is Russia!). That moment, one thing flashed through the American college president's mind. "Eta Rossia!" Russia was poor, is poor, and will remain poor for a long while. The Soviet regime in the USSR, which served as the hegemony among socialist states during the Cold War for 40 years, was fiction. "Russia has never had her people enjoy a good life even once." This was part of a lecture that the president delivered at a Russian college in 1992. North Korea staged its fourth nuclear test in early January and it looks like they're going to conduct a fifth one. To figure out the next move for North Korea and Kim Jong-un, it would be helpful to take a look at similar cases from history. One may safely consider North Korea to be a natural son of the Soviet Union, which once served as the suzerain state for the socialist bloc. During the Cold War, the USSR waged an arms race with the US with its nuclear weaponry, which was several thousand times more powerful than what North Korea has now. The balance of terror which didn't seem to collapse did break down when President Reagan strongly pushed for a military buildup. The Reagan administration promoted the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative), which aimed to overpower Soviet strategic nuclear weapons, and the latter had to say uncle when it found itself short of the financial means to back up its response. Although it was a nuclear power, the USSR was an underdeveloped country that couldn't manufacture its own toothpicks. The biggest reason that the Soviets said uncle was not warming sunshine but a strong military response. And this is an undoubted lesson from history. Now with even China actively joining in, economic sanctions against North Korea will strangle the North Korean elite led by Chairman Kim Jong-un. The withdrawal symptoms one experiences with money will be worse than those from drugs. Just imagine the anger over being unable to buy the Swiss cheese he eats every day and his favorite Apple laptop. His heart will be torn over his son who weeps yelling, "I'm feeling dizzy!" A revolution takes place, not when people have nothing, but when they change from haves to have-nots. Most big revolutions that happened in the history of mankind fall into this category. The French Revolution, the American Civil War, the Russian Revolution, and the Black Riots in the 1960s took place when life plummeted from its improvement to sudden deterioration. This is explained in Davies' possession-repression theory cited in Robert Cialdini's "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion." Suddenly, the North Korean elite have lost the great affluence they used to enjoy, due to the fourth nuclear test. If you are a member of this elite, what would you do for your "son who's feeling dizzy"? Sooner or later, some of them will say: "We will punish Kim Jong-un, the sworn foe of our people." Han Seung-bum is CEO of Maccine Korea. Write to ceo@maccine.net. By Jeffrey I. Kim Confucius (551-479 B.C.) was a Chinese social philosopher. His writings have greatly influenced East Asian life and thought. "Confucius" is a Romanization of the Chinese Kong Fu Zi. He emphasized study and practice at an early age. He left a great number of his analects. His analects are often quoted. One of the best analects quoted among the intellectuals is, "Is it not a great pleasure when friends visit from distant places?" Means of transportation at that time were poor and a long-distance journey was extremely tiring. At times they had to risk their lives. So seeing a friend who came from a long distance was such a pleasure. This sentiment is not confined to the East Asians alone. People in the rest of the world would feel the same way. They will all heartily greet their friends coming from long distances. Their friendships will be strengthened as they meet together after a long while. In modern times, presidential trips from distant places serve many purposes. Traveling long distances by air is tiring. Flying long enough to change the time zones can be physically exhausting. So the head and the people of the host country pay respect to the head of the visiting foreign country. For these reasons, the presidential trips do not merely strengthen personal friendships among the two countries but firm up their economic ties as well. As a consequence, the economic fruits of the state visits will be enjoyed by the citizens of both countries. Presidential trips to foreign countries are often classified into three categories by significance -- state, formal and working. They are all important and the classification is based more on protocols, not necessarily the substance of the meeting itself. The visiting head of state is usually accompanied by an entourage of senior government officials and by delegations made up from trade organizations. President Park will take her 21st overseas visit, making a state visit to three countries in Africa and also France starting from May 25. Since her presidential inauguration, President Park has made overseas visits 20 times covering a total of 37 countries. During the presidential visit, business leaders join her journey to explore potential business opportunities in the host countries. Their business trips with the president have been extremely productive. This time a total of 169 businessmen representing 166 companies are joining President Park's state visit. The global business environment in today's world is full of risks and uncertainties. It has become more difficult to decide whether or not to make foreign investments. This is because the degree of business uncertainties and the magnitude of investment risks have increased considerably. However, the friendly meeting of the two heads of state will significantly reduce business risks and economic uncertainties. While operating businesses in the host country, foreign investors encounter numerous problems, some expected, some not expected. A large proportion of the problems have a lot to do with unjustifiable regulations. President Park is well known to be the warrior fiercely fighting against regulations. It can be argued that President Park's firm position on deregulation certainly helps the foreign investors to invest in Korea. This argument is supported by some statistical evidence. FDI in Korea is rising. It has been increasing since 2013. The amount of FDI jumped from $14.5 billion in 2013 to $19 billion in 2014 and further increased to more than $20 billion last year. Over the period 2014-2015, the FDI from the middle east increased by more than 500 %, the FDI from China by 66.4%, and the FDI from the US by 52%. All these figures support the argument that the state visits by President Park contributed to the drastic expansion of Korea's FDI. While visiting the countries, the President suggests promising infrastructure construction projects in which the two countries jointly participate. However, it should not be construed that state visits promote FDI only. A state visit brings the citizens of the two countries closer to each other, thereby strengthening their friendship and mutual trust. This is the foundation for maintaining steadfast economic partnership. For these reasons, President Park's state visit is always welcome for Korea. Jeffrey I. Kim is a foreign investment ombudsman, a presidentially appointed troubleshooter for investors and entrepreneurs from overseas. He earned a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Chicago and taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Sungkyunkwan University. The logo of CJ Group is shown at the headquarters of the retail giant in downtown Seoul in this file photo. / Korea Times file CJH says stock swap ratio reflects fair corporate value By Kim Yoo-chul Minority shareholders of CJ HelloVision (CJH), the country's top pay-TV operator, filed a lawsuit with Seoul Central District Court, saying that a proposed takeover deal by SK Telecom was against their interests. "Seventeen minority CJH shareholders who hold a combined 33,111 shares sued CEO Kim Jin-seok and the firm, seeking compensation from CJH over its passive role in defending the interests of minority shareholders," local law firm Haneum, which represents them, said in a press release Monday. They said the acquisition, if pushed through, will provide more benefits to shareholders of SK Broadband, the Internet protocol TV unit of SK Telecom, than to CJH shareholders. "When you look at the takeover suggestion, each CJH share will be traded at 0.476 of an SK Broadband share. This seriously hurts the interests of CJH shareholders," the press release said. "Each of the CJH minority shareholders asked the company to cover certain amounts of monetary losses due to the delayed approval from the government. The amount of compensation could rise according to market situations," Huh Won-jae, the chief lawyer, said in the release. SK Telecom plans to purchase a 30 percent stake from CJ O Shopping, which owns 53.9 percent of CJH. The country's top mobile carrier will later acquire the remaining 23.9 percent stake in CJH owned by CJ O Shopping through call and put options. "This also doesn't make sense as CJ O Shopping did nothing to correct the swap ratio, which we believe is truly unfair," said the release, asking CJH to correct the stock swap ratio. The release failed to include a new desired ratio. Evaluation of the takeover suggestion had been expected to be closed by April 1. But the process has been delayed due to severe opposition by SK Telecom's two chief rivals _ KT and LG Uplus. Share prices of CJH spiked as the merger plan fueled expectations of the possibility of a corporate rerating on SK Telecom. However, Korea's Fair Trade Commission (FTC), which holds the key to approving the proposed deal, has yet to make a decision. The SK-initiated proposal needs regulatory approval from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the FTC and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC). The FTC declined to comment, while KCC said it is still waiting for notes from the former. The latest round of lawsuits is the third such, after a KT employee, surnamed Yoon, and an LG Uplus employee, identified as Kim, both filed lawsuits with the Seoul Southern District Court, seeking nullification of the results of a shareholders' meeting between CJH and SK Broadband. CJH said the company isn't planning to readjust the swap ratio, which had been set according to a related law. "The stock swap ratio was set based on a thorough audit process and related law," CJH said. Like other international service providers, SK Telecom is eager to close the deal, as it believes that the deal will help it move into adjacent business areas such as TV and web services to offset the effects of declining corporate sales and spur sales growth. SK is stressing that its acquisition of CJH will create synergy in areas such as content-sourcing by combining SK expertise with CJH's content, a point that's been drawing criticism from SK's two chief rivals. KT and LG Uplus oppose the proposal, saying the combination will limit consumer choice and hurt fair market competition as they believe SK Telecom plans to expand its influence in the mobile business to the TV sector. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is looking at the possibility of allowing limited use of medical instruments made through 3D printers before final government approval, hoping to change relevant regulations by November, officials said Monday. The attempt falls in line with the results from an inter-ministerial deregulation meeting last week where 3D-printed medical instruments were specified as a subject of eased restrictions. The ministry mentioned through public symposiums that it is considering "fast-track approval" for such instruments, which would allow their one-time use in emergencies even before the government approves their medical applications. Officials said the use would most likely be limited to treating patients who have run out of other available means of treatment or cures. They cite artificial joints and dental prosthesis as possible applications. South Korea drew up a state-supported policy of developing the 3D printing industry in 2014. Ministry officials say 3D printers guarantee precision, convenience and speed, making them perfect for broad use in the medical field. "It would greatly help patients who have no other alternative means of treatment because of their physiological or pathological characteristics," Lee Sung-hui, a working-level official at the ministry handling oral and digestive issues, said. "We will be looking into any potential negative side effects for fast-track use in coordination with medical professionals and agencies." Ministry officials said they plan to complete regulations, revisions and announcements by November, and then expedite the commercialization process. (Yonhap) A man accused of conspiring in a foiled plot to bomb a military base on behalf of the Islamic State group pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Alexander Blair changed his plea ton Monday morning before a federal judge. Prosecutors say Blair helped John T. Booker, 21, in his plot to plant a 1,000-pound bomb at the Fort Riley military base to aid the Islamic State group in the early months of 2015. Blair admitted in court that he loaned Booker $100 to secure a storage space for the explosives and failed to inform law enforcement of the plot. A court document says Blair decided to change his plea because he believed the government had collected enough evidence to convict him. Booker pleaded guilty in February and admitted to the plot. Booker's agreement with prosecutors calls for him to spend 30 years in prison. He has not been sentenced. A kayaker reported missing on the Niangua River has been found safe 32 miles away. The man's family expected him to arrive at a takeout location on Sunday night, but he didn't show up. His trip started at Bennett Spring State Park. It ended in Camden County at Cherry Bluff. That area had no reception for his cell phone. The man was uninjured. Jason Reynolds of Warsaw is the most recent record-setting angler in Missouri. He hooked a spotted bass on Truman Lake on a jug line. The alternative method record spotted bass, caught by Reynolds on May 11, weighed 2-pounds, 11-ounces with a length of 17 1/2 inches. Reynolds used bluegill for bait to try to catch catfish, but instead caught the spotted bass. I really cant believe I caught a state-record fish, Reynolds said. I almost released the fish right after I got it in the boat, but I didnt because it was hooked in the gills and I wanted to make sure it was going to live before I released it. Once MDC confirmed he broke a state-record, Reynolds said he was in shock. I have fished all my life and caught some pretty nice fish, but I would have never thought I would have a state-record with my name on it, he said. Im so grateful and proud to have caught that fish. MDC staff verified the record-weight fish using a certified scale at Lost Valley Fish Hatchery in Warsaw. Reynolds said he gave the spotted bass to the hatchery so the staff could help nurse the fish back to its healthy self. I was hoping to release the spotted bass back into Truman Lake, but the fish didnt make it, he said. So now I am going to mount it and put on my wall. Reynolds recent catch broke the previous state-record spotted bass by almost 1 pound in the alternative methods category. This state record fish is the 12th fishing record broken this year. Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl. Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish. For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at http://on.mo.gov/1S64jH6. The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more Traditional dancers after performing Sunday at LACMA. LA Observed photo. The newest exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, open as of Sunday, explores items from the era in Hawaii that predates the cultural carnage that followed the arrival of Christian missionaries in the early 19th century. The objects on display feature elaborate featherwork made for the royal families of the islands. These pieces are seldom seen outside the islands. Sunday's opening of Royal Hawaiian Featherwork brought out a crowd of local and visiting Hawaiians, hula dancers from South Bay's Hula Halau O Lilinoe and other traditional performers. The Hawaiians and the art treasures were welcomed ceremonially by members and the chief of the Gabrielino band of Tongva indians, who burned sage and sang in the covered main entrance to the museum just a few dozen yards from the closest tar seeps of asphalt escaping from the La Brea Tar Pits, where for hundreds of years at least the Tongva gathered sealing material for their boats and shelters. The lone human remains ever removed from the tar pits, dubbed La Brea woman, could be those of a Tongva. Not your typical LACMA opening. Director Michael Govan even wore a lei for the occasion. From the museum website: For centuries on the Hawaiian Islands, vividly colored feathers gathered from native birds were valuable cultural resources, ornamenting spectacular garments painstakingly constructed by hand. Long cloaks and short capes (ahu ula), helmets (mahiole), and leis (lei hulu) bore rainbows of feathers to signify the divinity and power of chiefs (alii), who wore them for spiritual protection and to proclaim their identity and status. These unique valuables also found use as objects of diplomacy, helping to secure political alliances and agreements. Today, fewer than 300 examples of historic featherwork exist to shape our knowledge of the art form known as na hulu alii (royal feathers). Organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in partnership with the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu, this presentation highlights a remarkable collection of objects rarely exhibited outside Hawaii. While the art form dates back many centuries, this exhibition focuses on pieces made for Hawaiian royals beginning in the late 18th century and ending just before the 20tha period that saw the arrival of European explorers, the unification of the islands, wide-scale conversion to Christianity, the overthrow of the Hawaiian government, and annexation by the U.S. Royal Hawaiian Featherwork is in the Resnick Pavillion at LACMA through August 7. Ahu ula (cloak), pre-1825, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Ethnology Collection, photo Bishop Museum PRESS RELEASE 50- and 100-Year Government Bonds Are a Sign of Europes Endless Zero Growth May 22, 2016 (EIRNS)The miserable truth about the long economic collapse in Europe was touched on by Jeremy Warner in a May 21 column in Britains Telegraph headlined "Europes Fifty-Year Bonds Signal Decades-Long Economic Slump." Europe, Spain, France, and Portugal all have gotten strong investor interest in their 50-year bonds, Warner reports. Unmentioned by him is that Belgium and Holland are experimenting with 100-year government bonds. Note that these are general revenue bondssimply government debt, unconnected with any capital or infrastructure investment, and thus just as speculative as a three-month Treasury bill. "Complete fantasy," commented EIR Founding Editor Lyndon LaRouche. "There is nothing happening in the trans-Atlantic economies but speculation in unreal assets, with purely nominal values." Warner, in his column, asks what explains the success of this anomalous financial product, impossible to offer in normal times? And answers the question: "Investors have simply made up their minds that Europe has become Japan, and is therefore destined for a decades-long deflation.... They have resigned themselves to a world of nil growth for a decades to come." "There is plenty of evidence for such a long-term Western malaise, even from the U.S.," Warner writes, PRESS RELEASE Obama Leaves Hiroshima Decision on His Table May 22, 2016 (EIRNS)On the eve of his trip to Vietnam and Japan, Barack Obama told Japans largest TV channel NHK, yesterday that he will not apologize for the U.S. dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. Why? Because he has learned as President that Presidents have to make difficult decisions during wars: "I think that its important to recognize that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions. Its a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during war time." Harry Truman was thus not just excused, but perhaps fatefully held up as a war-decision maker by Obama. As is his wont, Obama lied that he is, and has been an activist for nuclear disarmament worldwide, and it is Russia which is not willing to reduce nuclear stockpiles. Obama will be the first sitting U.S. President to visit Hiroshima. But on April 11, John Kerry became the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Hiroshima. Kerry did not make any apology either, but his words and demeanor made a contrast to Obamas "hard decisions have to be made" attitude. Kerry after what he called a "gut-wrenching" tour of the museum at the Hiroshima Memorial Park, said that the museum "is a harsh, compelling reminder not only of our obligation to end the threat of nuclear weapons, but to rededicate all of our effort to avoid war itself. War must be the last resortnever the first choice." PRESS RELEASE Russia to U.S.: Join Us Fighting Terror in Syria, Or We Will Do It Unilaterally May 22, 2016 (EIRNS)Let us reiterate: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made public on May 20 the following proposal for joint action had been offered by the Putin government: "Were proposing to the United States as a co-chairman of the International Syria Support Group to start joint operations of the Russian air task force and the U.S.-led aviation from May 25 to plan and deliver strikes against Jabhat al-Nusra groups, illegal armed formations that are rejecting the ceasefire regime, and also against the caravans with weapons and ammunition, armed units illegally crossing the Syrian-Turkish border and in these operations exclude strikes against civilian facilities and populated areas," Shoigu said. "We think that adoption of these measures will allow to get to the process of a peaceful solution to the conflict within Syria. Certainly, these measures are coordinated with the leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic. Yesterday we began to coordinate these measures with our colleagues in Oman and Geneva." Shoigu added, however, that Russia reserves the right, as of May 25, "to conduct unilateral strikes ... on detachments of international terrorist organizations and illegal armed units that did not join the regime of cessation of hostilities." Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis enunciated Barack Obamas summary rejection of this offer to cooperate so as to quickly win the war: "We do not collaborate or coordinate with the Russians on any operations in Syria. Russian operations are supporting and enabling the Assad regime and our focus is solely on degrading and defeating ISIL." Now there are the signs that the Russians are preparing for something big, as fighting against ISIS and Al Nusra intensifies. A source told Syrias Al Masdar News service Sunday morning that air traffic at the Russian airbase in Latakia has exponentially increased, as a large number of the planes take off throughout the day. Al Masdar also reported heavy fighting between the Syrian army and jihadist groups in Idlib and Hama provinces, as well as in eastern Ghouta, where Syrian forces made advances on Jobar. The last time two states went to war over water, it was 1934. The combatants were California and Arizona and the casus belli was the start of construction of Parker Dam, which would direct water from the Colorado River into California via the Colorado River Aqueduct. The episode unfolded with a sort of Gilbert and Sullivan absurdity. Arizonas governor, Benjamin Baker Moeur, dispatched a handful of National Guardsmen upriver in a ferryboat named the Julia B., which frontline correspondents dispatched to the river by The Times and other California newspapers happily dubbed the Arizona Navy. The brave little Julia B., The Times reported, promptly ran into a sand bank and got worked free by bridge-building crews, after which a truce was dictated by the federal government. See the most-read stories this hour >> Advertisement The next water war may involve the same combatants, but may not be so amusing. Lake Mead, the main reservoir holding Colorado River water for California, Arizona and Nevada, has reached its lowest point since it began filling behind Hoover Dam in 1935. As of midnight Sunday, the lake reached 1,074.37 feet above sea level. Its expected to keep falling until mid-summer, reaching 1,070 feet before seasonal agricultural demand falls off and it begins to fill again. Last year, the reservoir reached a low point of about 1,075 feet, but not until late June. If you ask Congress to solve your problems, youre usually asking for trouble. MWD General Manager Jeff Kightlinger The long-term prospects for Colorado River supply are dire. Demand for its water among the seven states of the river basin--chiefly California and Arizona--hopelessly outstrips the supply, and has been almost since the seven states in its basin worked out an allocation deal in 1922. That interstate compact, brokered by then-Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, was based on an estimate of river flows that was flagrantly inflated and never has been met. Since then, the recognition of claims from Mexico and Southwestern Indian tribes has only increased demand. Climate change and drought are making the crisis worse. So water officials from California, Arizona and Nevada have been meeting to work out a solution. Arizona faces the most pressing deadline: Under existing agreements, if the current Lake Mead level persists to the end of this year, the Central Arizona Project, which supplies Colorado River water to Phoenix and Tucson, will be required to give up roughly 13% of its allocation. Further cutbacks are mandated if the lake falls to 1,050 and 1,025 feet, at which point Arizona would lose 17% of its water. Each cutback would especially threaten the livelihood of farmers dependent on the Central Arizona project, who have the most junior rights to the water. Nevada would also face cuts, though these would be relatively modest, since the state has the smallest allocation from the river. The interstate talks are focused on maintaining the level of Lake Mead to avert a federal declaration of shortage triggering the Arizona and Nevada cutbacks. The idea on the table involves Californias taking a voluntary reduction of as much as 8% of its annual allocation of 4.4 million acre feet from the river if the level gets much lower. That would be an extraordinary concession, since existing interstate and federal agreements largely exempt California from any cutbacks as long as theres water in Lake Mead to meet its allocation. The chief consequences for California of a continued decline in Lake Meads water level is that the date of a required renegotiation of water allocations, now set at 2026, would be accelerated by several years. (One acre-foot equals about 326,000 gallons, enough to serve one or two average California households.) But California officials know that working out an interstate deal to keep the reservoir level higher is the wiser option in the long run. At the end of the day, says Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of Southern Californias Metropolitan Water District, once you get so low, California loses out. Among the risks is that federal officials could step in to impose a reallocation settlement among the three states. Arizonas U.S. senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, already have hinted at trying to work a settlement agreement into federal legislation, a step that would probably provoke a donnybrook among the two states congressional delegations without resolving the underlying issues. If you ask Congress to solve your problems, Kightlinger says, youre usually asking for trouble. Nor does anyone want the issue to land in court; the last major lawsuit over river water, the 1952-vintage Arizona vs. California, would last 11 years and go down in history as one of the longest, costliest and most complicated ever to come before the Supreme Court. Its outcome pleased neither party, for the justices ruled that federal officials, not the states, had the ultimate say on the river -- the life-and-death power of dispensation of water rights long administered according to state law, complained Justice William O. Douglas in a furious dissent. All the parties are under pressure to reach an agreement by the end of this year, before the current administration leaves office and the process has to start anew with new federal overseers. But the interstate complexities may pale in comparison with the difficulty of working out agreements among water users within each state. Californias Imperial Irrigation District, which has the largest entitlement of Colorado River water, has balked at any agreement to preserve water levels in Lake Mead without a parallel agreement to preserve the Salton Sea. That huge inland pond has suffered as a result of earlier multi-billion-dollar deals by which the Imperial Irrigation District transferred water to San Diego, the MWD and other users. The shrinkage of the sea already is an environmental and public health disaster. Withholding more water in Lake Mead without a rescue plan would be unacceptable, Imperial Irrigation District General Manager Kevin Kelley said recently. The Salton Sea has always been the elephant in the room in these talks, he told the Desert Sun newspaper. The real elephant in the room, however, is the prospect of a lasting shortage in Colorado River water supply. Says Kightlinger, Its no longer a matter of if, but when. MORE FROM MICHAEL HILTZIK Why is Congress trying to weaken the FDAs oversight of dangerous drugs? Silicon Valleys D-word: These breakdowns show that disruption is sometimes just hype How much do the Saudis own in U.S. Treasuries? After four decades, its no longer a secret. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. With gasoline prices more than $1 cheaper than at this time last year, the number of Southern Californians traveling for the Memorial Day weekend is expected to be the highest since 2005. The Auto Club of Southern California expects 2.89 million Southern Californians and 4.67 million people statewide to travel during the upcoming holiday weekend, a 2.5% increase over the number of travelers a year earlier. This years numbers are the highest since 2005, when a record 3.2 million Southern Californians and 5.18 million people statewide left home for the weekend, according to the Auto Club. Advertisement The projected increase mirrors activity in other travel sectors, including airlines and theme parks, which have reported a surge in customers. A combination of factors have boosted travel spending, including a positive consumer outlook, lower airfares and a drop in gasoline prices. Nationwide, travelers getting away for the holiday are expected to spend $12 billion, a 1.2% increase over 2015, according to a forecast by the U.S. Travel Assn., the trade group for the nations travel industry. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Los Angeles area is $2.83, down from $3.94 per gallon a year earlier, according to the Auto Club. That may explain why about 85% of all Southern California travelers are expected to drive to their holiday destination, a 2.7% increase over last years Memorial Day weekend, according to the Auto Club. The percentage of travelers who are flying for the holiday 9% is also up by 2.4%. The Auto Club also warned travelers that they may face extra long airport security lines for the holiday, the result of an increase in air travelers and a shortage of airport screeners. Roger Dow, president and chief executive of the U.S. Travel Assn., urged federal officials to take action to reduce the airport delays. Leisure travel confidence is up, which could be great news for our economy but when travelers are faced with two- and three-hour wait times at airports, at what point might they just stay home? he said. hugo.martin@latimes.com For more travel news, follow Hugo Martin on Twitter: @hugomartin UPDATES: 1:37 p.m.: This article was updated to add a forecast from the U.S. Travel Assn. that Americans will spend $12 billion this Memorial Day weekend. This article was originally published at 11:13 a.m. Google has announced a new messaging app with strong encryption, meaning that your communications cant be wiretapped. But theres a catch: You have to turn on that feature yourself. The tech titans plan to launch Allo this summer without encryption by default has drawn withering criticism from some quarters. Googles decision to disable end-to-end encryption by default in its new #Allo chat app is dangerous, and makes it unsafe, Edward Snowden tweeted. Avoid it for now. Advertisement But other privacy advocates are more positive. I, too, would prefer that Allo be encrypted by default, said Kevin Bankston, director of New Americas Open Technology Institute. But, he added, all in all, this is going to be a net increase in the amount of encrypted messaging out in the world. And that is ultimately a good thing. With Allos debut, Google is taking a step toward joining the growing number of tech firms embracing end-to-end encryption, which protects the privacy of text messages and voice and video calls in such a way that even with a warrant, the government cant access them. But by requiring users to turn on the feature, Google is lowering the odds that average users will avail themselves of the option, critics such as Snowden say. Apples iMessage launched in 2011 with strong default encryption. WhatsApp, Facebooks messaging app, last month announced it had full, end-to-end encryption by default on all platforms -- including Android, iPhone and BlackBerry. Apple also launched its video call FaceTime feature in 2010 with default strong encryption. That means that even when served with a warrant, these firms cannot provide law enforcement access to WhatsApp and iMessage chats. FBI Director James B. Comey has endorsed the benefits of encryption. I love strong encryption, he said in a speech last month. But, he said, whats changed in the last few years is that its now become the default, covering wide swaths of our lives and covering wide swaths of law enforcements responsibilities. He has called for a balancing of privacy and public safety needs in which firms maintain a way -- usually with a key -- to get the government access to the communications it seeks. So Googles move on balance is welcome, said one law enforcement official, who, unauthorized to speak about the issue on the record, spoke on the condition of anonymity. Having this as an opt-in feature is certainly useful to us. Google designed Allo without default encryption to make it easier to mesh the chat app with Google Assistant, a new conversation bot that can hold natural-sounding discussions with users, a Google spokesman said. Its a competitor to Apples Siri, Amazons Alexa and the many bots created for Facebooks Messenger app. Assistant is designed to tap into Googles wealth of data about users to provide tailored recommendations, such as the best movies to see or the quickest route to the theater. Because Google may need to run queries made of Assistant on its own servers, the official said, its not feasible to offer end-to-end encryption by default. Users who opt to use the encrypted Incognito mode may thus lack some Assistant features, he said. Some tech experts said it is possible to combine strong encryption with the artificial intelligence bot feature. Theres always a way, said Morey Haber, vice president of technology at the cybersecurity firm BeyondTrust. Smartphones, for example, could do some of the processing on the device. But, he said, it would be difficult to fully process queries to Assistant without the power of Googles remote servers, which would need to see the unencrypted queries. I dont think the technology is there yet, Haber said. The company said that even the standard chat mode conforms with standard encryption practices; messages between Google and users will be encrypted, but the Google Assistant system will have access to what users are sending. Still, the companys decision to forgo default encryption has raised questions -- even internally. A Google engineer wrote in a personal blog post Thursday obliquely criticized the lack of default encryption. If incognito mode with end-to-end encryption ... is so useful, why isnt it the default in Allo? Thai Duong wrote. He also said he would push for a setting where users can opt out of cleartext [unencrypted] messaging. Both lines were quietly removed later that evening from his post, with Duong adding a note that he erased a paragraph because its not cool to publicly discuss or to speculate the intent or future plans for the features of my employers products. Google declined to comment on whether it pressured Duong to edit his post. Christopher Soghoian, American Civil Liberties Union principal technologist, said by making the encryption feature an opt-in, Google gets the maximum press value out of the encryption tech while guaranteeing that it is used by as few people as possible. Google, he said, has given the FBI exactly what top officials have been asking for. Bankston said the opt-in will depend on how easy the firm makes it to do so. That, he said, will turn a lot on the design. Ellen Nakashima is a national security reporter for the Washington Post. Hayley Tsukayama covers consumer technology for the Washington Post. Viacom Inc. Chief Executive Philippe Dauman and fellow Viacom board director George Abrams filed a lawsuit Monday in Massachusetts probate court that seeks to invalidate changes that ousted them as directors in Sumner Redstones trust. The move appears to be unprecedented, and is a declaration of war over Redstones controlling interests in Viacom and CBS Corp. Dauman and Abrams are suing Redstone trust members, including Sumner Redstone himself and Shari Redstone, alleging that she is manipulating her father in his weakened condition to alter the trust that will one day decide the fates of Redstones two media companies. Advertisement Sharis actions amount to an unlawful corporate takeover, and if effectuated, could have far-reaching consequences for thousands of shareholders and employees of Viacom, Dauman said in a statement. A spokeswoman for Shari Redstone called the allegations absurd. It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father or controlling what goes on in his household.... He has his own team of independent advisors to counsel him, said Nancy Sterling. Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere. The 24-page lawsuit -- filed by Dauman and Abrams in the Probate and Family Court of Norfolk, Mass. -- also lists as defendants Shari Redstones son, Tyler Korff; CBS board member David Andelman; and two Boston divorce lawyers who represented Sumner Redstone and his first wife, Phyllis Redstone, more than 15 years ago. All serve on the Sumner Murray Redstone National Amusements Inc. Trust. National Amusements is the Redstone familys Massachusetts-based investment vehicle which holds 80% of the voting shares of Viacom and CBS. The two media companies have two classes of shares. Redstone selected various members of the trust, including Dauman and Abrams, more than 20 years ago to oversee his shares in the media company when he was no longer capable, according to the lawsuit. Shari Redstone is attempting to illegally hijack her fathers well-established estate plan by removing professional managers and reportedly installing her daughter, an employee and a friend who are firmly under her control, Dauman said. Redstone and his daughter have a long history of conflict, particularly when it came to issues of Viacom corporate governance, the suit said. It also said that Shari Redstone has installed her daughter, Kimberlee Korff Ostheimer, as one of the new directors of National Amusements. Sumner Redstone is in the grip of a neurological disorder and has become dependent on his once-estranged daughter for his care, according to the suit. Redstone, who turns 93 later this week, is afflicted with a subcortical neurological disorder that can be characterized by dementia, impaired cognition, a slowness of mental processing...and depression, the suit said. Late Friday, Sumner Redstone abruptly dismissed Dauman and Abrams as designated trustees of the Sumner Murray Redstone National Amusements Inc. Trust. Shareholders of Viacom, which has seen its stock plummet in the last two years, are suddenly caught up in the corporate drama. Shares of the media company jumped more than 3%, to more than $40 a share, in Monday morning trading. Viacom shares are down more than 40% in the last year. One prominent Wall Street analyst on Monday called the situation toxic. The subsequent legal volley this morning involving the filing of a lawsuit to block this change only appears to amplify a toxic situation, where investors have little sense of who will control the company in the months (if not years) ahead, Brian Wieser, media analyst with Pivotal Research, wrote in a research report. A Los Angeles lawyer, brought on in recent weeks to represent Redstone, said the mogul -- who has a severe speech impediment -- said Redstone took the action late Friday because he has lost confidence in Dauman and Abrams, his friend for more than 50 years. Redstone is said to be upset because Dauman is seeking investors to buy a piece of Paramount Pictures, the legendary Hollywood movie studio that has long been one of Redstones treasured properties. We all continue to have great respect and affection for Mr. Redstone, but he is clearly being manipulated by his daughter, Shari, Dauman said. After years of estrangement, she has inserted herself into his home, taken over his life, and isolated him from anyone not under her control, including longtime business colleagues, Dauman said. She has recently and repeatedly arranged to deny requests for Viacom board members to meet with her father. In a deposition earlier this month in a separate case, the ailing mogul failed to respond when asked to provide his given name: Sumner Murray Rothstein. Redstone, however, had no problem using obscenities to describe his former girlfriend, Manuela Herzer, who brought the case that challenged Redstones mental capacity late last year. That case brought to the surface years of tension and infighting among Sumner Redstones inner circle. After watching a videotape of Redstones May 5 deposition, the Los Angeles County judge overseeing the case stopped short of deciding whether Redstone was mentally competent. Instead, Superior Court Judge David J. Cowan concluded that Redstone made it clear that he wanted his daughter in charge of his healthcare. Now the battle is over whether Shari Redstone will succeed in consolidating control of the trust that will oversee her fathers voting shares in the two media companies. She is attempting to ... dismantle his estate plan to serve her own interests and assume control of his businesses which he long refused her, the Dauman and Abrams lawsuit says. The removal of Abrams and Dauman will illegitimately tip the balance of power to her, the lawsuit reads. Media mogul Sumner Redstone for years has lavished praise on his protege, Philippe Dauman, calling him the wisest man I have ever known, and trusting him with the keys to his corporate kingdom. Not anymore. The ailing mogul abruptly removed Dauman from his family trust last week, suggesting that Redstones next step might be to use his clout as controlling shareholder of Viacom to push Dauman out as chairman and chief executive of the struggling media company. Game of Thrones youre watching it, said Mario Gabelli, whose Gabelli funds make up the second-largest voting shareholder of Viacom and CBS, the other major media company that the Redstone family controls. Its hard to tell how this all works out. Advertisement Dauman, 62, wont go without a fight. He filed court papers Monday to block the 92-year-old moguls efforts to oust him and fellow board member George Abrams from the trust that will oversee Redstones controlling shares of Viacom and CBS when the billionaire dies or becomes incapacitated. They contend that Redstone is being manipulated by his once-estranged daughter Shari Redstone, who is vice chair of Viacom and has taken a more active role recently in the care of her ailing father. Sumner Redstones health has been deteriorating for more than two years, and the mogul struggles to speak clearly. Analysts said they have never seen anything like the family-corporate drama enveloping Viacom, which owns such properties as Paramount Pictures and cable channels MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and BET. What a mess, said Charles Elson, a corporate governance expert at the University of Delaware. Youve got a fight between the controlling shareholder, the CEO and the daughter of the controlling shareholder. How can you run the company with all of this going on? Daumans ouster as a trustee of the family trust is a significant victory for Shari Redstone. She has long chafed when her father or Dauman marginalized her role at Viacom, and should the banishment of Dauman from the trust be upheld, then she and her family would be able to make decisions without interference from her adversaries. Daumans removal comes at a time when he is most vulnerable. Viacoms stock price has plummeted 40% in the last year and some shareholders have agitated for management changes. Viacom stock rose 2% Monday to close at $39.95. How can you run the company with all of this going on? Charles Elson, University of Delaware Wall Street analysts say one possible successor could be Leslie Moonves, the chairman and chief executive of Viacoms sister company, CBS. Shari Redstone has been a key ally of Moonves over the years. That, however, could only happen if the companies were reunited like they were before 2006. If you combine the companies again, and you put them under Les, who has a proven track record as the best television programmer in America, the market would be ecstatic, said Laura Martin, media analyst with the brokerage Needham & Co. Through a spokesman, Moonves declined to comment. But there would be significant hurdles for him to take over at Viacom. Viacom and CBS are separate publicly traded companies, and theres no indication that CBS board would be inclined to merge the healthier CBS with the weaker Viacom. Board members and shareholders of the two companies would have to approve any merger, a process that would take months. Also, Dauman is supported by a majority of Viacom board members, who say they have been denied access to Redstone in recent months. Frederic Salerno, the lead independent director of Viacom, said Saturday that he has been denied access to Sumner for a face-to-face meeting. Viacom alleges that Shari Redstone has her fathers hilltop mansion overlooking Beverly Hills on lockdown, preventing him from having any contact with executives and board members at Viacom. Dauman and George Abrams, a Redstone friend and advisor for 50 years, filed their lawsuit in probate court in Massachusetts where the Redstone family business, National Amusements Inc., is based. They contend that the ailing mogul is in diminished capacity and that Shari Redstone is calling the shots. She is now on the verge of seizing control of her fathers companies, according to the lawsuit. Two months ago Redstone appeared almost totally non-responsive, and could not meaningfully communicate at all. Sumner Redstone is in the grip of a neurological disorder and has become dependent on his once-estranged daughter for his care, according to the suit. In a statement Monday, Abrams added: My sole purpose in joining in this lawsuit is to allow a court to determine whether Sumner Redstone, in his current diminished capacity, has been subject to undue influence in his recent actions in changing his Trustees and in changing other documents. Redstones attorney denied that his client had been manipulated. Mr. Redstone has been clear and unequivocal in his desire to remove Philippe Dauman and George Abrams as trustees, said the attorney, Robert Klieger. Klieger filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday asking a judge to uphold Redstones changes to the trust. For Dauman, Redstones decision to oust him from his lofty perch as one of the trustees overseeing the Redstone family business represents a particularly harsh fall from grace. Dauman has been Redstones lawyer, and later lieutenant, for more than 30 years. He was installed as chief executive in 2006 after Redstone jettisoned another former favorite, Tom Freston, who had spent two decades builing MTV into a cultural juggernaut. Redstone has a long history of bulldozing allies, including former CBS honcho Mel Karmazin, former Viacom chief Frank Biondi and Viacom founder Ralph Baruch, who was ousted when Sumner Redstone grabbed the controls following a hostile takeover of the company in 1987. Even Dauman was bounced out of Viacom in 1999 when the company took over CBS. The chain of events are confusing and surprising and would likely make for a great movie at Paramount one day combining family drama, love, rage, corporate intrigue and more, Richard Greenfield, media analyst with BTIG Research, wrote in a blog. If Sumner Redstone is unhappy and has capacity, it is hard to see how Philippe Dauman and his management teams survive the wrath of Redstone. UPDATES: 6:30 p.m: This was was updated throughout. 11:13 a.m.: This post was updated to include news that Sumner Redstones attorney filed a petition in Los Angeles seeking to affirm changes to the trust. This post was originally published at 6:47 a.m. Ownership of movie studio Paramount Pictures has become a key issue in the high-stakes battle over the future of Sumner Redstones media empire. On Sunday, for the second time in three months, the ailing Redstone has made known his opposition to the proposed sale of a stake in Viacoms legendary Los Angeles movie studio, Paramount Pictures, which has long been one of Redstones most treasured assets. The latest salvo came via a lengthy statement released by Mike Lawrence, a newly hired representative for the ailing 92-year-old media mogul. Lawrences statement blasted Viacoms unprecedented move this weekend to announce that it believes that its founder is incapacitated, and under the undue influence of his daughter, Shari Redstone, who is vice chair of Viacom and CBS. Advertisement The drama is pitting Shari Redstone against her longtime adversary, Philippe Dauman, Viacoms chief executive and chairman. Until Friday, both served as members of a trust that eventually will oversee Sumner Redstones voting stakes in Viacom and CBS. But Sumner Redstone late Friday abruptly dismissed Dauman and another longtime advisor, Viacom board member George Abrams, as designated trustees of the Sumner Murray Redstone National Amusements Inc. Trust. In addition to Shari Redstone, the seven trustees include her youngest son, Tyler Korff, and four other attorneys, including David Andelman, who serves on CBS board and is Sumner Redstones longtime estate attorney. Daumans proposal to sell a piece of Paramount Pictures to raise money to pay down company debt appears to have contributed to Redstones ire over the stewardship of Viacom, which has seen its stock plummet in the last two years. Unless Viacoms board presents a concrete plan that convinces him otherwise, Mr. Redstone continues to believe that it is in the best interest of Viacom that Paramount Pictures should remain wholly owned by the parent company, Lawrence said in the statement, which came at the end of tense weekend of back-and-forth exchanges. This is not the first time that Redstone has objected to the proposed studio sale. In February, Redstone reacted angrily over Daumans plan to sell a minority stake in Paramount Pictures, although Dauman more recently has said the Paramount sale was proceeding, with an investor expected to be named by the end of June. Now, the sale of a stake of the studio could be derailed -- or perhaps challenged by Redstone, introducing another messy chapter in Viacoms corporate woes. The chain of events ... are confusing and surprising and would likely make for a great movie at Paramount one day combining family drama, love, rage, corporate intrigue and more, BTIG media analyst Richard Greenfield wrote in a blog post Sunday night. The question becomes can Sumner Redstone change his mind about the makeup of the SMR Trust, even if he is in failing health? Greenfield asked. This issue is of critical importance as the SMR Trust has effective control of both Viacom and CBS. As part of his statement, Lawrence disputed Viacoms contention that Shari Redstone had her father on lockdown at his Beverly Park mansion and that she was refusing to allow other Viacom board members to visit him. On Wednesday, Viacom board members voted to strip Sumner Redstone, who has not participated in public Viacom events for 18 months, of his annual salary of $2 million a year. The chain of events ... are confusing and surprising and would likely make for a great movie at Paramount one day combining family drama, love, rage, corporate BTIG media analyst Richard Greenfield That decision apparently angered the elder Redstone, according to someone with knowledge of the situation. We continue to be deeply troubled and saddened by this state of affairs, Viacom spokesman Carl Folta said in a statement late Sunday. We have the deepest respect for Sumner Redstone, but it is clear he is being shamefully manipulated. Viacom board members have discussed the proposed Paramount sale on three occasions, with Redstone listening in to the meetings when the discussions occurred. Redstone, who has a severe speech impediment, did not vocalize dissatisfaction with the plan during these board discussions, said one person familiar with the discussions. An in-depth discussion of the Paramount sale occurred as late as last week, Folta said. The facts are clear. Viacoms 12-hour strategy meetings on May 17 and 18, that Sumner attended by phone, addressed all issues, including Paramount, to the satisfaction of all the independent directors, Folta said. This is the second time that various Redstone insiders have given dramatically different accounts of Sumner Redstones mental fitness. In late November, Redstones former companion, Manuela Herzer, brought a court action, seeking to have Redstone declared mentally incompetent after he removed her as his healthcare proxy. In that case, Herzer described Redstone as a living ghost, prone to crying spells and forced to communicate through a speech pathologist and a nurse. The statement by Lawrence took issue with Viacoms contention that Shari Redstone was exercising undue influence over her father. Viacoms statement claimed that Shari Redstone has isolated her father, putting his residence on lockdown. These claims are false, Lawrence said. Over the past several days alone, Mr. Redstone has hosted family and friends at his home, and met with several attorneys and an executive from National Amusements. He also visited his grandsons home to watch a baseball game and is looking forward to celebrating his birthday with family later this week, Lawrence said. Redstone turns 93 on Friday. Lawrence said Redstone had wanted to meet with Viacom board members -- but not any longer. Mr. Daumans opportunistic claims of [Redstones] incapacity, now make it problematic to move forward with any direct meeting and briefing as Mr. Redstone had previously requested, Lawrence said in the statement. However, Mr. Redstone remains intent on receiving the briefing through his advisors. Lawrence also noted that late last year, it was Dauman who, in court records, described Redstone as engaged, attentive, and as opinionated as ever. That description came from a November meeting that Dauman had with Redstone. Redstones decision to remove Dauman and Abrams as trustees of the Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Trust and as directors of the Redstone family holding company, National Amusements, Inc., came down to a lack of trust, Lawrence said. In response, Viacoms Folta said that Viacom board members have made numerous attempts to meet with Redstone, but such attempts have been spurned. The Sumner Redstone we knew would never refuse a meeting about his businesses and he certainly would not want advisors to stand in for him, Folta said. Viacom board members, he said, remain willing and eager to meet with Sumner at any time. In a deposition earlier this month in the Herzer case, the mogul failed to respond when asked to provide his given name: Sumner Murray Rothstein. After watching a videotape of Redstones deposition, the Los Angeles County judge overseeing the case stopped short of deciding whether Redstone was mentally competent. Instead, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David J. Cown concluded that Redstone made it clear that he wanted his daughter in charge of his healthcare. Now, the battle is over whether Shari Redstone will succeed in consolidating control of the seven-member trust that will oversee her fathers voting shares in the two media companies. A spokeswoman for Shari Redstone did not comment. Neither Shari Redstone nor Sumner Redstone have said who will take over for Dauman and Abrams on the Sumner Murray Redstone National Amusements Inc. Trust. One of the seats probably would go to Kimberlee Ostheimer, Shari Redstones daughter, according to two people briefed on the matter. Another trustee position might be filled by Thaddeus Jankowski, general counsel of National Amusements, one of the knowledgeable people said. At National Amusements, Jankowski reports to Shari Redstone. The New York Times first reported the possible appointments of Ostheimer and Jankowski. meg.james@latimes.com @MegJamesLAT UPDATES: 9:09 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information. This story was originally posted at 7:02 p.m. 5:27 P.M. REPORTING FROM CANNES, FRANCE I, Daniel Blake wins Cannes Palme dOr as a jury goes its own way British director Ken Loach with his trophy after winning the Palme dOr at the Cannes Film Festival. (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) Its not always noted, but there are two Cannes film festivals, one composed of critics, journalists and industry professionals, and the other inhabited by the sequestered jury. Sometimes these two Cannes speak with one voice, but in this 69th festival, they definitely did not. The German film Toni Erdmann, directed by Maren Ade, one of the few women in the competition, was easily the non-jury favorite among the 21 films eligible for prizes. Both wildly raucous and movingly humane, it chronicles the evolving relationship between a prankster father and his high-powered careerist daughter. Far from winning a top prize, however, Toni Erdmann was totally shut out by the jury chaired by Mad Max director George Miller. Instead, the Palme dOr went to 79-year-old British filmmaker Ken Loach for I, Daniel Blake, the on-the-nose narrative of working-class folks getting the run around from an unfeeling government welfare bureaucracy. Read more Assuming for a moment that zombies are real, what is their essence? Are they evil, flesh-eating monsters? Or are they misunderstood humans in a different form? Monsters is the typical answer. Strongly disagreeing, however, is Celia Flores (Marlene Forte) of AMCs Fear the Walking Dead. According to this housekeeper at a sprawling Baja compound, zombies are evolved people who cant control their natures. Advertisement Therefore, when Nick Clark (Frank Dillane) brings home Celias zombified son Luis (Arturo del Puerto) in the midseason finale (Shiva), Mom is elated. Hes still Luis, she says. Changed, yes, but no less my son! Nicks instant bonding with Celia and reckless behavior around zombies alarms his mother, Madison (Kim Dickens). Youre different, ever since we left L.A., Maddie says to Nick. I dont understand this fascination you have with them, with the dead. Youre talking like Im using again, protests Nick, a recovering heroin addict. And as for zombies, they cant touch him, Nick claims. I move among them, Mom. Invisible. I will not die! Because Celia admires Nick, she allows his blended family to remain at the compound, along with Daniel Salazar (Ruben Blades) and daughter Ofelia (Mercedes Mason). However, Victor Strand (Colman Domingo) who transported Maddie and company to Mexico aboard the Abigail yacht must leave. Thats because Victor shot zombie-bitten Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott), whom Celia cared for since he was a child. Victor promised Celia hed die with Thomas in a suicide pact, but changed his mind. The truth, Celia angrily says, is that Victor looked deep inside where his soul should be and found it empty! Later, Maddie confronts Celia for banishing Victor and filling Nicks head with crazy ideas. He understands, Celia says of Nick, that the changed ones are our responsibility. When Maddie indicates she also wants to understand, Celia leads the way to a wine cellar where Luis and other zombies are caged. These are her children, Celia insists, and shell stop at nothing to protect them. Likewise, Maddie will stop at nothing to protect Nick and his sister Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey). So Maddie tricks Celia by locking her in the cellar with that undead family. Meanwhile, Maddies boyfriend, Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis), searches for his son Chris (Lorenzo James Henrie). This emotionally disturbed teenager fled the compound after threatening to harm Maddie and Alicia. When Travis finds Chris, he wont budge. I see the way they look at me, like Im disgusting, Chris exclaims. Like Im a monster! Now Travis faces an excruciating dilemma. Will he rejoin Maddie? Or will he stay with Chris? Travis chooses the latter. Chris needs his father, Travis tells Nick when he arrives to retrieve them both. So as far as Maddie knows, you never saw us, Travis says. As for Daniel, he slips further into mental illness, haunted by his misdeeds in El Salvador. After attacking farmhand Jorge (Ramon Medina), Daniel is tied to a chair for his own protection. Wildly hallucinating, Daniel sees the ghost of his deceased wife, Griselda (Patricia Reyes Spindola). She urges Daniel to kill that demon Celia. For Ofelia, Griselda says. For me. For your soul! Daniel acts quickly. He frees himself after head butting Jorge, pours gasoline into the zombie-filled cellar and ignites a conflagration that consumes the compound. Are Daniel and Celia still alive? Unclear, but dont bet on it. Amid the chaos, Victor steals a pickup truck so he can escape with Maddie, Alicia, Ofelia and Nick to the Abigail anchored offshore. Nick refuses to leave, however, despite Maddies frantic pleas. Celia, she knew what we are, Nick bitterly says. We destroy everything! ALSO: Outlander recap: Claire loses Faith Game of Thrones recap: What does Hodor mean? Now we know Fear the Walking Dead recap: Promise and peril coexist at Baja compound President Obama said Monday he made the call to kill Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in Pakistan this week because the Taliban leader was specifically targeting U.S. troops and other personnel in Afghanistan. But the strike does not mean the U.S. is jumping back into regular combat operations in the region, Obama said during a news conference on a trip through Asia. This does not represent a shift in our approach, Obama said, emphasizing that the U.S. mission is to help Afghanistan secure its own country. Advertisement The remarks were the first U.S. confirmation that Mansour was killed in the airstrike, which hit the car he was traveling in near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on Sunday. U.S. officials believe that Mansour was a primary obstacle standing in the way of the Talibans joining in the peace process in Afghanistan, and they hope his potential successors might be more inclined to participate. RELATED: Taliban leader confirmed killed in U.S. airstrike as focus turns to his successor>> Instability in the country has forced the Obama administration to delay plans to withdraw troops still stationed there. A spike in insurgent attacks pushed civilian casualties in Afghanistan last year to the highest level since the United Nations began keeping track several years ago. On Monday, Obama said that Mansour had been an impediment to peace negotiations. But it was Mansours threat to Americans in Afghanistan that compelled him to order the strike, Obama said. Were going to protect our people, Obama said. And that is exactly the message that has been sent. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> ALSO Obama lifts arms export embargo for Vietnam during his first visit Still few answers in EgyptAir crash and no claim of responsibility Mohamed was a good pilot, father of EgyptAir captain says. And he knows God I was standing on the sidewalk outside La Bodega, a bustling grocery store on West Olive Avenue, awaiting my Uber driver. I could see from the app that Alejandro and his white Nissan Sentra were four minutes away. He would whisk me across the border into Mexico. On the other side of San Ysidro Boulevard, in the distance, the hills of Tijuana shimmered in the late afternoon haze. This was going to be an adventure. Two months ago, to great fanfare, San Francisco-based Uber announced a cross-border service, apparently the first for a smartphone transportation app. Riders would be able to order an Uber to cross into Mexico from the San Diego area. You could Uber to Tijuana! Or Rosarito Beach! Advertisement Or so they said. See the most-read stories this hour >> The launch was hailed as big news in San Diego. Mayor Kevin Faulconer said the service highlights the best of what San Diego has to offer by using one of the worlds most innovative apps to bridge countries, businesses and families in a way that has never been done before. Ubers head of global operations, Ryan Graves, proclaimed that connecting and celebrating great cities like San Diego and Tijuana is right in Ubers wheelhouse. The vice president of international business affairs for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce was equally enthusiastic: This is an affordable option that increases efficiency and reduces commute time, Paola Avila said. I am a Lyft person, but Ubering to TJ seemed like a cool thing to do. I downloaded the app. :: Im going to a cafe in the Hipodromo neighborhood, I told Alejandro. He was very apologetic. I cant cross the border, he said, then explained that only certain Uber drivers were qualified to cross, and that I had to contact them by tapping the word Passport at the bottom of the Uber screen (where you choose the type of car you want UberX, UberBlack, UberSUV and so on). Except Passport didnt appear on my screen, and I had no idea how to get it. Alejandro showed me on his phone. He clicked on the Passport button. As it turns out, it wouldnt have mattered if Id had the Passport option anyway. His screen said there were no cars available. I asked him to cancel my ride with him. He was gracious about the mix-up. Maybe this idea was a bust. A few minutes later, I decided, what the hell, Ill just take an Uber to the border and walk across. If I couldnt enter Mexico as a member of the shiny new sharing economy, at least Id be able to see the new pedestrian lanes, which opened last summer to accommodate the estimated 22,000 people who walk into Tijuana from San Ysidro every day. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Entering Mexico has always been a breeze. Cars are usually waved through. There is rarely any kind of wait. Pedestrians still pretty much amble across, even though foreign nationals (like me) are now required to show passports. Its the return trip that is usually a multi-hour nightmare, as drivers and pedestrians must pass muster with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents. The only salvation is a SENTRI pass, which requires a background check, fingerprinting and a face-to-face interview with a Customs and Border Protection officer. Salvation is allegedly on the way, as more lanes are under construction. But for now, without SENTRI, the lines are ridiculous, whether you are entering the U.S. in a car or on foot. Nothing about Ubers Passport service changes any of that; you can Uber into Mexico, but youre on your own when it comes to crossing back. You still have to wait in line to re-enter the U.S., then figure out transportation on the other side. So who on Earth really uses this service? :: Uber would not give me any information about ridership, or tell me how many of its drivers are qualified to cross into Mexico. I asked a spokeswoman why I was unable to find the Passport button on my app. Turns out the Passport option shows up only if you are a San Diego-area user who has already made trips to or near the border. Anyone else (like me) would have to find a link on Ubers blog and request it. When I did that, I got a message saying it would take between 24 and 48 hours for the button to appear. I was not informed that I would also need to be south of the San Diego County line. So could the company at least tell me why, when Alejandro showed me how to use the Passport option, there were no drivers available? Nope. The spokeswoman told me she had not heard of that ever happening. She assured me the company would not have launched the international service without a healthy supply of drivers. OK, so I figured I had screwed up. This happens occasionally. But just to be sure, I called Jennifer Van Grove, a reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune who covers e-commerce. I asked her if shed mind opening her Uber app, hitting the Passport button, and telling me what she saw. She emailed me a screen shot: No drivers available. Well, I guess it wasnt me after all. Ubers San Diego operations team, I have been assured, is all over it. robin.abcarian@latimes.com | @AbcarianLAT ALSO Horse owners in the San Fernando Valley feel trod on by bullet train Padres discipline employee after San Diego Gay Mens Chorus is drowned out singing national anthem Muslim group on helping San Bernardino shooters family: No one should suffer for the sins of others As President Obama prepares to become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima since World War II, bombing survivors who gathered Sunday in Little Tokyo struggled to describe the carnage they witnessed on Aug. 6, 1945. The bomb, they remember, fell from a sky so vibrantly blue that the B-29 bomber tracing a gray line of exhaust looked like an angel to Kaz Suyeishi, 88. Then came a painfully bright flash, explosions, collapsing buildings, blood and bodies clogging rivers. In the aftermath, the invisible threat of radiation stalked and killed survivors among the rubble. One by one, healthy people dying, dying, dying, dying. Thats nuclear war, Suyeishi said. Advertisement Obama is visiting Japan to meet with world economic leaders this week, and he plans to stop at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and deliver remarks about war and nuclear proliferation. The visit, preceded by similar visits by U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Secretary of State John Kerry, is controversial among those who say that dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki helped save American and Japanese lives, and bring about an end to World War II. Hiroshima bombing survivor Kaz Suyeishi listens to others talk of their experiences at a press conference of the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors. (Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times ) But for Suyeishi and other survivors, the visit is a historic recognition of their suffering. The explosions killed 150,000 to 230,000 people by the end of 1945 and left about 200,000 survivors, according to estimates from Japanese officials. See the most-read stories this hour >> Some survivors of the blast in Japan have lobbied Obama to meet with them and issue a more direct public apology for what happened at the end of World War II. Besides higher rates of cancer and other health issues, their exposure to radiation has made them targets for discrimination. Many of the survivors, known as hibakusha, are unmarried and childless, ostracized because of public concern over potential health issues. One by one, healthy people dying, dying, dying, dying. Thats nuclear war. Kaz Suyeishi, Hiroshima survivor But Obama, wrote deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes in a Medium post, will not revisit the decision to use the atomic bomb at the end of World War II. The visit is intended to shine a spotlight on the tremendous and devastating human toll of war, as well as highlight the cause of nuclear disarmament, Rhodes wrote. Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also indicated that achieving a nuclear-free world is more important to Japan than seeking an apology from the United States. The horrors of Hiroshima cannot be erased with an apology, agreed Junji Sarashina, an 87-year-old survivor. Sarashina was 16 years old and 1.5 miles from the center of the explosion when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He remembers wandering around the city looking for survivors in the rubble, unaware that radiation was creeping into his body. He cant forget what he saw, he said: school yards with bodies piled high, hospitals with doctors and nurses too sick to help patients, a dead woman curled around her baby in the middle of the street, both charred black by the blast. An apology is not a solution, Sarashina said. Whether Obama apologizes is just political semantics to bombing survivor Wataru Namba. Namba was 18 at the time of the blast and just 1.2 miles away from its center. His cousin died of radiation poisoning, and he himself was so weakened by radiation exposure that for months, he lacked the energy to shoo flies away from his face. Obamas visit, Namba believes, is a step toward preventing it from ever happening again. It gives me a warm heart. That despite all the politicians and WWII veterans that may be upset, he is still going. It means he has a heart, Namba said. Sarashina, Namba and Suyeishi are part of the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors, which has about 200 members in Los Angeles. The nonprofit groups members periodically revisit their experiences to raise awareness for the cause of nuclear disarmament. They also organize yearly checkups for Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors, and every other year, they help bring a team of doctors from Hiroshima who specialize in the long-term effects of radiation to examine the groups members. After Obama announced his visit to Hiroshima, they sent 200 postcards to the White House in gratitude. But the visit has to lead to action, said Sarashina, who is battling stomach cancer, a byproduct of radiation exposure in Hiroshima. Its a step toward something good in the future. I hope its going to be more than words, Sarashina said. frank.shyong@latimes.com Twitter: @frankshyong ALSO Japan doesnt want the U.S. to apologize for bombing Hiroshima. Heres why Obama will be first U.S. president to visit Hiroshima but hell make no apologies Obama heads to Vietnam and Japan to confront the ghosts of old wars amid turmoil in modern ones Hundreds of firefighters from across the Los Angeles area battled a wind-whipped brush fire Monday that spread to about 183 acres in the hills above Lake View Terrace, authorities said. The blaze was reported about 2:20 p.m. near the 11300 block of Wheatland Avenue and quickly spread into the Angeles National Forest, blackening the canyons and hills north of Sunland and Pacoima, said Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. Officials dubbed it the Wheatland fire and said it was 35% contained as of 7:30 p.m. Its unclear what sparked the blaze. Advertisement Winds that reached 19 mph fanned the flames, Scott said. No structures were threatened, but there are power lines in the area. See the most-read stories this hour >> By late Monday, officials said the fire was confined to the Angeles National Forest, east of Kagel Canyon, and the U.S. Forest Service took over as the primary agency leading the firefight. Flames burned away from homes and the ridges of area hills blocked the blazes path, Scott said. Fire officials previously said it had spread to 200 acres but later downgraded the size. Wheatland Road north of Foothill Boulevard was closed, as was Foothill Boulevard between Wheatland Road and Christy Avenue, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Join the conversation on Facebook >> The fire sent a plume of black smoke that was visible from area cities, especially to motorists along the 210 Freeway. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory, warning that residents in the eastern half of the San Fernando Valley and westerly parts of the San Gabriel Valley could see unhealthy air quality. As of Monday night, wind was pushing smoke toward the San Gabriel Mountains, but a shift in the wind could send smoke into more populated areas, the air management district said. The fire is expected to be fully contained by Tuesday evening and possibly earlier with the help of light rain in the morning weather forecast. matt.hamilton@latimes.com Twitter: @MattHjourno ALSO Man pleads guilty in decades-old O.C. murder case Two San Diego high schools go on lockdown after back-to-back threats Los Angeles woman charged in death of her 82-year-old grandmother UPDATES: 10:29 p.m.: This story was updated with confirmation that the fire stood at 183 acres and that the U.S. Forest Service was the lead agency. 6:30 p.m.: This story was updated with the fire being downgraded to 135 acres and with the SCAQMD issuing a smoke advisory. 5:10 p.m.: This story was updated with the fire measuring 200 acres. 4:58 p.m.: This story was updated throughout with additional details. This story was originally published at 3:33 p.m. Mark Saladino, the former top attorney for Los Angeles County, has filed a lawsuit against the county and the Board of Supervisors, saying that the supervisors violated the states open meetings law when they pushed him out of the position. The suit seeks to have him reinstated to his old job. Saladino, who had previously been county treasurer and tax collector, served nine months as county counsel. He abruptly announced in June 2015 that he was resigning from the post and returning to the Department of Treasurer and Tax Collector in a management role below his old position as head of the department. The supervisors voted in September 2014 to appoint Saladino to the top attorney post, with Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas casting the lone dissenting vote. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> Two of the other supervisors who voted in favor of appointing Saladino, Gloria Molina and Zev Yaroslavsky, retired from the board shortly thereafter and were replaced by Hilda Solis and Sheila Kuehl. In a complaint filed last week, Saladino alleged that the newly configured Board of Supervisors decided to terminate him in a closed-door meeting on June 9, 2015, but did not report the decision to the public as required by the Ralph M. Brown Act. Instead, a public report on the closed meeting said a scheduled discussion of department head performance evaluations was postponed to the following week. According to Saladinos complaint, the day after the meeting, he was called into a meeting with Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Solis and private attorney Louis Skip Miller, in which they told him that the board had discussed and decided to immediately remove him from the duties of county counsel and that he would be reassigned. The supervisors told him to issue a press release saying he had requested the reassignment, he said. Saladino argued that the June 9 meeting report falsely relays the message that no discussion took place. The decision to terminate, dismiss, accept the resignation of, or affect the employment status of county counsel is certainly a reportable action under the Brown Act, the complaint said. County spokesman David Sommers declined to comment on the lawsuit. Join the conversation on Facebook >> But in a letter sent to Saladinos attorney, Robert C. Baker, and attached as an exhibit in the lawsuit complaint, Miller argued that the board had not taken action to terminate Saladino and that they were not required to report a decision to transfer him to another position. As you know, there was no change in Mr. Saladinos compensation, he kept his automobile allowance, and he asked to be transferred back to his old Department, Miller wrote. Under Saladinos employment contract, he was paid $288,915 as county counsel. According to Sommers, Saladinos current monthly salary is $18,250, or $219,000 a year. Saladino said that at the June 10 meeting, he asked to be transferred to one of two other positions commensurate with his rank, experience and skills that would have allowed him to transition out of the position of county counsel with less damage to his good name and reputation. County Chief Executive Sachi Hamai initially agreed to one of the requested transfers, but it was blocked by Ridley-Thomas, Saladino said in the complaint. He said he then agreed to take the lower position in his old department, rather than being placed on administrative leave until another position could be found for him. The suit seeks a court declaration that the supervisors violated the Brown Act and to have his removal from the county counsel position overturned. ALSO Southern California Gas Co. ordered to stop cleaning Porter Ranch-area homes As Obama tours Hiroshima, bombing survivors in Little Tokyo hope for more than words Muslim group on helping San Bernardino shooters family: No one should suffer for the sins of others abby.sewell@latimes.com Twitter: @sewella A manhunt is underway for a man who is wanted in connection with shooting and injuring a West Covina police officer. Authorities said Jose Luis Chavez, 47, should be considered armed and dangerous. Chavez was riding a bicycle on North Yaleton Avenue near Badillo Street at 11:18 p.m. Friday when the on-duty officer approached him, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The officer tried to detain him, but a gun battle ensued, deputies said. Chavez fired numerous rounds at the officer, deputies said. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> The West Covina police officer was struck in the chest. He was taken to a hospital and was released Sunday. Our officer was released from the hospital this afternoon and is home resting, Police Chief Dave Faulkner said. Now, time to find this guy! Authorities are looking for Chavez and hoping the public will help them find him. Chavez is described as 6-feet-1-inch tall and 225 pounds, officials said. It is unclear whether he was hurt by the gunfire. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the sheriffs homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous tips can be made by calling (800) 222-8477 or texting TIPLA to CRIMES (274637), or going to the website lacrimestoppers.org. veronica.rocha@latimes.com For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO After mob of teens beat San Francisco man, two people stole his wallet, police say Motorcyclist shot several times and killed while riding in Wilmington Southern California Gas Co. ordered to stop cleaning Porter Ranch-area homes The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health ordered Southern California Gas Co. late Sunday to stop cleaning the homes of Porter Ranch-area residents affected by the gas leak at the companys Aliso Canyon facility, concluding that the utilitys contractor was not properly trained or equipped to carry out the cleanup. The cleaning program was ordered Friday by L.A. County Superior Court Judge John Wiley, who ruled that the firm must perform remedial cleaning for up to 2,500 homeowners. The health department said it sent environmental health specialists to monitor the cleaning performed by the utilitys contractor over the weekend and determined that the contractor and the gas company were not abiding by protocols set forth by the health department. Advertisement A spokesman for SoCalGas said the company is working with the Department of Public Health to immediately address issues raised during the first day of the cleaning program. We are committed to coordinating with the Department of Public Health as they continue to provide details about how they interpret their protocol, said Chris Gilbride, spokesman for the utility. Public health officials said they had asked the utility to meet Monday and discuss how the firm can correct its cleaning methods. The work will not resume until SoCal Gas provides necessary assurance that it can carry out the cleaning in compliance with the Public Health protocol, the health department said in a statement. Testing by public health officials showed that the indoor air of Porter Ranch homes had no contaminants, but surface dust had low levels of metal contaminants that are similar to those found in the fluid used in well drilling. Officials said that finding suggested the dust came from the Aliso Canyon facility. The sprawling storage facility near Porter Ranch was where one of 115 wells began to leak in October, releasing an estimated 100,000 metric tons of methane before it was plugged in February. During the four-month leak, thousands of residents in the upscale community were forced to leave their homes and seek temporary housing because of health complaints and illness. Because of the dust, public health officials urged residents to undergo a thorough cleaning of their homes and replace filters used in air conditioning and heating systems before returning. Residents relocated to hotels have until Wednesday to request cleaning of their homes, and those in non-hotel housing have until Friday to request cleaning. Residents have 48 hours to return once the gas company cleans their home, after which the utility is not obligated to compensate for housing expenses. ALSO 20 injured in San Bernardino Mountains rollover crash 5-year-old boy dies in a Vallejo house fire; at least two other people are injured Padres discipline employee after San Diego Gay Mens Chorus is drowned out singing national anthem For more California news, follow me @MattHjourno. E-mail me at matt.hamilton@latimes.com. On the verge of a jury trial for his role in a gruesome kidnapping and murder that went unsolved for years, a former car mechanic from Santa Ana pleaded guilty Monday to murder and is expected to receive a lengthy prison term. Shannon Ray Gries, 45, who went by the nickname Jailbird, was implicated in the slaying of 24-year-old Gonzalo Ramirez, an insulation installer whose blindfolded body was dumped beside a road in Irvine in April 1995. His body had been hacked dozens of times with a machete-like weapon, and was entangled in a distinctive blue cloth. Detectives matched the cloth to a roll missing from the auto shop where Gries worked, Accurate Transmission in Costa Mesa, and where forensics experts found traces of the victims blood. Advertisement The motive for the murder, detectives learned, was revenge. Norma Patricia Esparza, then a 20-year-old Pomona College student who would go on to become a professor of psychology in Switzerland, had told her ex-boyfriend, Gianni Van, that Ramirez had raped her in her dorm room. Testifying at Vans trial last year, Esparza said an angry Van took her to a Santa Ana nightclub and made her identify her rapist. Soon afterward, she said, Van and his friends Gries and his transmission-shop boss, Kody Tran -- followed Ramirez from the bar, rammed his truck on a nearby road and abducted him. Later, Esparza said, Gries girlfriend drove her to the transmission shop, where Gries, holding a handgun, ordered Esparza to walk up a flight of stairs to see what was in the loft. There, Esparza said, she saw a bloodied Ramirez, his arms tied with chains attached to the ceiling, his feet dangling above the floor. He was still alive. He lifted his head up and said, I dont know you, little one, Esparza testified. He said it in Spanish. Esparza said she was paralyzed, just trying not to be noticed, and was being carried away by other peoples actions. Irvine police found Ramirezs body beside Sand Canyon Road hours later, badly mutilated. It was never clear exactly who delivered the fatal wounds. Esparza was never accused of physically participating in the slaying itself. Soon after the killing, Esparza entered into what authorities described as a sham marriage with Van designed to undermine the case and prevent her from testifying against him, which initially thwarted prosecutors from pursuing a case against him. She said she married Van out of fear. She later divorce and remarried, became a psychology professor at Webster University in Geneva, and was charged with murder after she tried to reenter the United States in 2012. She was a key witness at Vans trial, which resulted in his conviction for first-degree murder and a sentence of life without parole. In exchange for her cooperation, prosecutors allowed Esparza to plead guilty to a felony count of voluntary manslaughter, which is expected to bring her a prison term of six years. She is in jail awaiting her July 15 sentencing. Esparza was expected to be a key witness at Gries trial in Santa Ana this week, a scenario obviated by his decision to plead guilty to one count of felony murder for a murder during the commission of a kidnapping. Kody Tran was implicated in the murder but killed himself in a standoff with police before he could be brought to trial. Trans widow, Diane, pleaded guilty in 2014 to a count of voluntary manslaughter and is expected to receive a four-year prison term. The Orange County district attorneys office said Gries is expected to receive 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced. Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report. ALSO Two San Diego high schools go on lockdown after back-to-back threats Los Angeles woman charged in death of her 82-year-old grandmother CHP takes on wayward baby geese in slowest pursuit ever Two San Diego high schools were locked down after back-to-back threats were called in Monday morning, a district spokeswoman said. The first threat was called in to Clairemont High School on Ute Drive in Bay Park about 11:35 a.m., said Linda Zintz, spokeswoman for the San Diego Unified School District. The threat was made by an anonymous male. The second threat was called in three minutes later to Lincoln High School on Imperial Avenue in Lincoln Park. That threat was also made by an anonymous male. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> San Diego police and campus officers are investigating, Zintz said. She wasnt able to say what kind of threat was made. She said all students are safe and that, as much as is possible, instruction would continue. School officials are working to ensure students who didnt bring their own lunches are fed, since the threats were made around lunchtime. Meanwhile, media outlets across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom were also reporting threats to schools. Authorities in Colorado and New Hampshire say the threats led to the evacuation of some schools. In Colorado, two elementary schools in Parker and Pueblo County were evacuated but other schools that got what were described as automated threats remained in session. In New Hampshire, police say at least four schools were evacuated. Recent threats made against multiple districts including Los Angeles and New York City have turned out to be hoaxes. Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ALSO Los Angeles woman charged in death of her 82-year-old grandmother Brain-dead toddler moved to new hospital at mothers appeal CHP takes on wayward baby geese in slowest pursuit ever UPDATES: 2:04 p.m.: This article has been updated with information about threats made at schools around the country. This article was originally published at 1:04 p.m. The Rev. William T. Broadous, scion of an influential San Fernando Valley family of ministers and longtime senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Pacoima, died of a heart attack May 3 in a hospital in the Santa Clarita Valley, said his sister, the Rev. Pamela Broadous. He was 71. Broadous was one of 10 children of the Rev. Hillery T. and Rosa L. Broadous who came to Pacoima from Arkansas in the 1940s. The family sank deep roots into the area and became known for community activism and service. The parents founded the San Fernando Valley chapter of the NAACP and Calvary Baptist in 1955. The younger Broadous became its pastor after his fathers death in 1982. Advertisement Five of his siblings also became ministers. The Alicia Broadous-Duncan Multi-Purpose Senior Center in Pacoima was named for one of them -- his sister Alicia, who died in 2003. Under William T. Broadouss guidance, Calvary established Calvary Christian School, a childrens academy, a bookstore and a community development corporation. Broadous was also a police chaplain, and in 1988, he helped escort a suspected murderer into the lobby of the Los Angeles Police Departments Foothill Station to turn himself in. Broadous led ministry trips to Africa, campaigned against street violence, set up a Latino ministry, and advocated for former prisoners and for economic development in the northeast Valley. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, the Rev. Gloria L. Broadous, five children, 10 grandchildren, and seven of his siblings. The Supreme Court rebuked Georgia prosecutors and judges Monday for having excluded black citizens from the murder trial of a black defendant, and then denying his claims of racial bias even after stark new evidence was revealed. In an unusually biting opinion, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said it was nonsense and not credible for prosecutors to claim they acted for legitimate reasons when they struck several blacks from the jury pool. For example, a prosecutor said one black juror was excluded because his son was convicted of basically the same thing as the defendant, who was charged with rape and murder. In fact, the mans son had been given a suspended sentence five years earlier for stealing hubcaps from a car. Advertisement Roberts cited the shifting explanations, the misrepresentations and the persistent focus on race in the prosecutions file.(which) bear upon the issue of racial animosity. The evidence plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury. The 7-1 decision overturned the Georgia Supreme Court and told its judges to consider whether a new trial is warranted in the nearly 30-year-old case of Timothy Tyrone Foster. He was convicted of strangling a 79-year-old white woman in Rome, Ga., and sentenced to death. The high court did not announce a new legal rule for such cases or even say precisely what should happen next in Fosters case. But the chief justices opinion sends a warning to judges that they have a duty to watch over prosecutors when juries are being selected. Typically in criminal trials, both the prosecutor and the defense lawyer are permitted to strike an equal number of potential jurors based on a suspicion that these people will not view their case favorably. The notion is that these peremptory strikes will lead to a panel of jurors who can fairly decide the defendants guilt or innocence. But in 1986, the Supreme Court announced a new rule and said potential jurors may not be excluded because of their race. In Batson vs. Kentucky, the justices told trial judges to question prosecutors if it appeared they were systematically striking blacks from the jury. These so-called Batson challenges are a regular feature of trials. But the system has many critics. It depends on the honesty of prosecutors and the willingness of trial judges to probe the reasons for excluding particular jurors. Stephen Bright, a prominent defense attorney and president of the Southern Center for Human Rights, appealed Fosters case to the high court after notes in the prosecutors files revealed the potential jurors had been marked and coded by race. He applauded Mondays ruling and said it will lead to a new trial for Foster. But he also noted this was the rare case where the prosecutors note revealed their racial bias. Two peremptory strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Usually that does not happen, Bright said. The practice of discriminating in striking jurors continues in courtrooms across the country. Usually courts ignore the patterns of race discrimination and accept false reasons for the strikes. Even after the undeniable evidence of discrimination was presented in this case, the Georgia courts ignored it and upheld Fosters conviction and death sentence. All the justices but Clarence Thomas agreed in ruling for Foster. However, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. in a concurring opinion, said the Georgia courts may have procedural reasons for not giving Foster a new trial now. The concern for racial bias in juries is a not new for Roberts and Alito. They joined past rulings from Texas and Louisiana which had overturned the murder convictions of black defendants who were tried by all-white juries. In Mondays opinion, Roberts said the evidence of racial bias was apparent. Roberts said files revealed during one of Fosters appeals showed the prosecutors had carefully tracked the black members of the jury pool as B#1 and B#2 and so on. On one file was marked NO. No black Church, suggesting black citizens should be excluded if they mentioned their church. He all but accused the state and its prosecutors of lying to cover up what they had done. The state attempts to explain away the newly revealed evidence is not an example of a prosecutor merely misspeaking. This was not some off-the-cuff remark. It was an intricate story expounded by the prosecution in writing, laid out over three single-spaced pages in a brief filed with the trial court, Roberts said. Two peremptory strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows, he said. The high court stopped short of actually overturning Fosters conviction and death sentence. Instead, it said the Georgia Supreme Court decision rejecting his race-bias claim is reversed and the case is remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. In his dissent, Thomas said Foster had confessed to the murder of the elderly white woman, and he questioned why the court affords a death-row inmate another opportunity to relitigate his long-final conviction. Thomas said the prosecutors appeared to have rejected several black women for the jury because they believed the women would not vote for a death sentence. In other rulings Monday, the court threw out an appeal from three Republican representatives who wanted to preserve election districts in Virginia that were deemed to be racially gerrymandered. The court by an 8-0 vote said the lawmakers had no standing to sue. The court also cleared the way for a retired black postal worker from Colorado to sue for racial discrimination. Marvin Green said he was essentially fired when he was told that his only option was to leave the Denver area and take a lower-paying post in Wamsutter, Wyo. In a 7-1 decision in Green vs. Brennan, the court said his suit was timely because he filed it within 45 days of the time he opted to retire. Thomas dissented and questioned whether the workers constructive discharge can be considered akin to being fired. On Twitter: @DavidGSavage ALSO Bringing El Chapo to the U.S.: Secrecy, high security and swiftness Freddie Gray case: Officer Nero found not guilty of all charges I was just another reporter sent to cover radicalization in Minneapolis. Then 2 local Somalis took me on a tour UPDATES: 2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with more background information. 9:41 a.m.: This article was updated with more details about the ruling. This article was originally published at 8:09 a.m. The Supreme Court rebuked Georgia prosecutors and judges Monday for having excluded black citizens from the murder trial of a black defendant, and then denying his claims of racial bias even after stark new evidence was revealed. In an unusually biting opinion, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said it was nonsense and not credible for prosecutors to claim they acted for legitimate reasons when they struck several blacks from the jury pool. For example, a prosecutor said one black juror was excluded because his son was convicted of basically the same thing as the defendant, who was charged with rape and murder. In fact, the mans son had been given a suspended sentence five years earlier for stealing hubcaps from a car. Advertisement Roberts cited the shifting explanations, the misrepresentations and the persistent focus on race in the prosecutions file.(which) bear upon the issue of racial animosity. The evidence plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury. The 7-1 decision overturned the Georgia Supreme Court and told its judges to consider whether a new trial is warranted in the nearly 30-year-old case of Timothy Tyrone Foster. He was convicted of strangling a 79-year-old white woman in Rome, Ga., and sentenced to death. The high court did not announce a new legal rule for such cases or even say precisely what should happen next in Fosters case. But the chief justices opinion sends a warning to judges that they have a duty to watch over prosecutors when juries are being selected. Typically in criminal trials, both the prosecutor and the defense lawyer are permitted to strike an equal number of potential jurors based on a suspicion that these people will not view their case favorably. The notion is that these peremptory strikes will lead to a panel of jurors who can fairly decide the defendants guilt or innocence. But in 1986, the Supreme Court announced a new rule and said potential jurors may not be excluded because of their race. In Batson vs. Kentucky, the justices told trial judges to question prosecutors if it appeared they were systematically striking blacks from the jury. These so-called Batson challenges are a regular feature of trials. But the system has many critics. It depends on the honesty of prosecutors and the willingness of trial judges to probe the reasons for excluding particular jurors. Stephen Bright, a prominent defense attorney and president of the Southern Center for Human Rights, appealed Fosters case to the high court after notes in the prosecutors files revealed the potential jurors had been marked and coded by race. He applauded Mondays ruling and said it will lead to a new trial for Foster. But he also noted this was the rare case where the prosecutors note revealed their racial bias. Usually that does not happen, Bright said. The practice of discriminating in striking jurors continues in courtrooms across the country. Usually courts ignore the patterns of race discrimination and accept false reasons for the strikes. Even after the undeniable evidence of discrimination was presented in this case, the Georgia courts ignored it and upheld Fosters conviction and death sentence. All the justices but Clarence Thomas agreed in ruling for Foster. However, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. in a concurring opinion, said the Georgia courts may have procedural reasons for not giving Foster a new trial now. The concern for racial bias in juries is a not new for Roberts and Alito. They joined past rulings from Texas and Louisiana which had overturned the murder convictions of black defendants who were tried by all-white juries. In Mondays opinion, Roberts said the evidence of racial bias was apparent. Roberts said files revealed during one of Fosters appeals showed the prosecutors had carefully tracked the black members of the jury pool as B#1 and B#2 and so on. On one file was marked NO. No black Church, suggesting black citizens should be excluded if they mentioned their church. He all but accused the state and its prosecutors of lying to cover up what they had done. The state attempts to explain away the newly revealed evidence is not an example of a prosecutor merely misspeaking. This was not some off-the-cuff remark. It was an intricate story expounded by the prosecution in writing, laid out over three single-spaced pages in a brief filed with the trial court, Roberts said. Two peremptory strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows, he said. The high court stopped short of actually overturning Fosters conviction and death sentence. Instead, it said the Georgia Supreme Court decision rejecting his race-bias claim is reversed and the case is remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. In his dissent, Thomas said Foster had confessed to the murder of the elderly white woman, and he questioned why the court affords a death-row inmate another opportunity to relitigate his long-final conviction. Thomas said the prosecutors appeared to have rejected several black women for the jury because they believed the women would not vote for a death sentence. In other rulings Monday, the court threw out an appeal from three Republican representatives who wanted to preserve election districts in Virginia that were deemed to be racially gerrymandered. The court by a 8-0 vote said the lawmakers had no standing to sue. The court also cleared the way for a retired black postal worker from Colorado to sue for racial discrimination. Marvin Green said he was essentially fired when he was told that his only option was to leave the Denver area and take a lower paying post in Wamsutter, Wyoming. In a 7-1 decision in Green vs. Brennan, the court said his suit was timely because he filed it within 45 days of the time he opted to retire. Thomas dissented and questioned whether the workers constructive discharge can be considered akin to being fired. On Twitter: @DavidGSavage ALSO Bringing El Chapo to the U.S.: Secrecy, high security and swiftness Freddie Gray case: Officer Nero found not guilty of all charges I was just another reporter sent to cover radicalization in Minneapolis. Then 2 local Somalis took me on a tour Bringing Sinaloa cartel chief Joaquin El Chapo Guzman to American soil could take years, but once the process starts, it will probably be lightning quick and as scripted as it has been for other extradited drug lords, terrorists and fugitives. It took eight years to extradite radical London cleric Abu Hamza Masri and four other terrorism suspects to the U.S. in 2012. It took nine years to extradite Tijuana drug lord Benjamin Arellano Felix to California in 2011, where he pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy to launder money and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Advertisement And Vincent Legrend Walters, a San Diego drug trafficking and murder suspect who was on the U.S. Marshals Services 15 most-wanted list, was caught four years ago in Cancun, Mexico, and is still awaiting extradition. A lot of times these things just dont happen as fluidly and timely as you would expect, said William Sorukas, recently retired chief of international investigations for the Marshals Service. Now that Mexico has cleared the way for Guzmans extradition -- though he has appeals that could slow the process by months, even years -- the Justice Department is probably discussing how he will be moved, where he will be locked up, where he should be prosecuted and what jurisdiction has the most robust case, Sorukas said. Mexican federal police guard a road near the Cuidad Juarez prison where Guzman was moved. (Raymundo Ruiz / Associated Press ) Given Guzmans track record of escaping, security will be a concern. Guzman has twice broken out of Mexican prisons, meeting with actors Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo while on the lam before he was recaptured in January. The Marshals Service handles 700 to 1,000 removals a year, including extraditions and deportations, about 300 of them from Mexico, where the agency has employees who coordinate with the government, according to Denis Donovan, chief of international investigations. Until May 7, Guzman was held at the Altiplano prison outside Mexico City, where he was able to visit with attorneys and relatives. Under 24-hour surveillance, he had trouble sleeping and developed hypertension, which required medication, his attorney said. Guzman was apparently surprised when authorities transferred him to the maximum-security prison in Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas. He believed he was headed for the United States until he arrived at the prison, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, one of his lawyers, said. Once Guzman exhausts his appeals, Mexican officials said, they would refuse to extradite him to a state where he would face the death penalty. Mexico has abolished capital punishment and regularly seeks assurances from U.S. officials that extradited Mexican citizens will not face execution. The solution in the past has been a promise by the prosecutors that they would not seek the death penalty, said Ignacio Pinto-Leon, assistant director of the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law at the University of Houston. That seems to be the scenario unfolding in Guzmans case. In announcing its decision to approve his extradition to face charges in California and Texas, Mexicos Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that it had received sufficient assurances from Washington that Guzman would not face the death penalty in either state. Guzman has a month to appeal the Foreign Ministrys decision, which his lawyers have said they plan to do. A fan of El Chapo staged an April protest outside the National Palace in Mexico City. He and other demonstrators professed their support for the accused drug lord. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press ) Guzman faces a mix of federal drug trafficking, kidnapping and murder charges in California, Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, New York and Texas. Some charges require that he be extradited directly to Florida or New York to establish venue, officials said. So far, Mexico has approved only extradition requests from California and Texas. Mexican officials could also insist that Guzman be extradited to a particular locale under the rule of specialty. They could also specify that he not face murder charges, which were brought in New York and Texas. Federal prosecutors have been jockeying for the case, with those in Brooklyn and Miami joining forces and expected to win. According to a new indictment filed May 11 that updates drug trafficking and murder charges filed against Guzman in Brooklyn, N.Y., the U.S. attorney in Miami has been added as special counsel there. They have a staff meeting, everyone sits down and pitches their case, and they try to get Justice to say youre going to this particular locale, said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor who oversaw the narcotics division at the U.S. attorneys office in Miami. FULL COVERAGE: The saga of El Chapo, one of the worlds biggest drug kingpins>> Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch, who led the Brooklyn office when charges were filed against Guzman and is expected to decide who gets the case, met with federal prosecutors in Miami this spring, Weinstein noted. They also have to consider where youre going to house him, he said. Former Gulf cartel leaders Juan Garcia Abrego and Osiel Cardenas Guillen are housed at the penitentiary in Florence, Colo., one of the few top-security prisons nationwide but those are reserved for prisoners who have been convicted. Until trial, Guzman would be housed at a federal detention center. In New York City, the detention centers are designed for the containment of extremely dangerous, violent or escape-prone inmates, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, with tunnels guards used to transport prisoners to the adjacent federal courthouses. (There are similar tunnels connecting the federal detention center and courthouse in San Diego.) Del Castillo, the Mexican actress who met with Guzman before his capture, has said shes looking forward to visiting him once he reaches the U.S. It will allow my team greater access to him in order to tell a full and accurate picture of his unbelievable life and work, Del Castillo said in a statement. Weinstein called that a pipe dream. The only way you can get into a detention center is if youre the attorney, and you have to get cleared to get in, or if youre a relative, a blood relative, he said. Once its time to extradite Guzman, he will probably be flown -- not driven -- into the U.S., Weinstein said. The move from Altiplano to Juarez lasted from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and involved an airplane and a helicopter. The move to the U.S. probably wont be announced until its complete. The risk of somebody disseminating that information and facilitating an escape is just too great. Even those transporting Guzman probably wont know in advance, he said. Theyll get a call: Youre going to go somewhere and do something. Then theyll realize, Oh, Im one of the few who got selected to be on a plane with El Chapo, he said. Its unclear which federal agency would transport Guzman the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI or U.S. marshals. Although they may use a military base for flights, service members will not be involved in the extradition, Weinstein said, because that could be used as grounds for an appeal. Mexican officials moving Guzman closer to the U.S. this month actually made it more difficult to extradite him, some experts said, because Juarez has long been dominated by his cartel. Its dangerous to get him to the airport even from the prison, said Gary Hale, former chief of intelligence at the DEA Houston office, who retired six years ago. Hale said officials prefer to fly extradited prisoners out of the presidential aviation area at the Mexico City airport, guarded and secured with barricades. They can have him in Houston in an hour and a half from Mexico City. Putting him near the border doesnt mean anything in terms of bringing him to the U.S., because driving him is high risk, especially when youre going through downtown Juarez, stronghold of the Sinaloa cartel, Hale said. If the DEA handles an extradition, usually the pilot and crew have some advance notice to prepare for customs, he said. The Marshals Service always sends at least two staffers to extradite someone and, in this case, may add medical personnel, Sorukas said. Although it has employees stationed in Mexico, iit tries to send officials from the destination city, he said, either federal marshals or deputized detectives. During the trip, investigators can record spontaneous admissions by the suspect or even question him, as long as hes first read his Miranda rights, Sorukas said. In some cases, U.S. officials have little control over how Mexican counterparts decide to transfer prisoners, especially cartel leaders they want to take credit for capturing. Cardenas Guillen, known as El Mata Amigos, or The Friend Killer, was flown to the U.S. by the Mexican military on short notice. The Mexican attorney generals office later released photographs of soldiers leading the handcuffed kingpin from the plane. They made a snap decision: OK were extraditing him, where do you want him? And all of a sudden he was landing in Houston, Hale said. El Chapo could be very similar because they dont want to reveal their plans. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> MORE ON EL CHAPO Mexico OKs extradition of drug lord El Chapo Guzman to U.S. Mexico transfers drug lord El Chapo to a prison in Ciudad Juarez Boxer Fernando Montiel recounts his brush with El Chapos capture molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com Twitter: @mollyhf patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com Hennessy-Fiske reported from Houston and McDonnell from Mexico City. Staff writer Del Quentin Wilber in Washington contributed to this report. Leaning back on a park bench, William Wheaton had his cowboy hat pulled down over his eyes and appeared to be dozing. One hand was looped through the straps of his backpack, holding what belongings he had. For most of a year since leaving Eugene, Ore., Wheaton has been living outdoors, as he puts it. Hes 50, divorced, drinks too much, and is out of work again he says. But at least hes living in the Rose City. Guys who travel the coast, he said of other homeless, tell me Portland is the safest place to be. Advertisement Thats up for debate. Portland homeless sites have been hit by fires, stabbings and a shooting, while business and community leaders are raising new complaints similar to those heard about the homeless in other West Coast cities crime, garbage, noise, drug use. Now Portland has embarked on a gentler approach -- letting the homeless bunk down on city sidewalks or pitch tents on public rights of way during evening hours, with the understanding they pack up and move out by 7 a.m. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> The citys safe sleep policy is aimed at breaking up the homeless encampments where crime and drug use can fester by allowing people to sleep in public places and sidewalks without fear of being harassed by authorities. Not everyone is sold on Mayor Charlie Hales homeless experiment, which was launched in February and will be reviewed after six months. Last month, seven civic groups banded together in a lawsuit to challenge what they call the Mayors Camping Policy, contending the measures are themselves unlawful. The suit contends that Portland has been slow to respond to the citys growing homelessness crisis, allowing its shelter beds to shrink from 720 at the start of the 2008 recession to 478 by 2015, and is now playing catch-up with an irrational response. Under the safe sleep policy, individuals or groups an estimated 2,000 homeless spend the nights outdoors in Portland can pick secure, lighted areas to lay down sleeping bags and tarps with less risk of being robbed or hurt by attackers, or rousted by police, as opposed to sleeping in parks or the bushes. Tents are also allowed under Hales policies, but only on city rights of way such as public parking strips. Since the safe sleep guidelines rolled out in February, says Portland mayoral spokeswoman Sara Hottman, theres been a noticeable reduction of tents and structures on sidewalks. Complaints to the mayors office have shifted from complaining about the homeless in general to complaining about garbage or behavior. Hottman said the homeless are going along with the changes and the public is focusing on livability issues that can be resolved. To that end, the city is providing amenities to address garbage and health challenges. They include day storage for belongings, use of Dumpsters, handing out needle containers and providing portable toilets near safe-sleep areas. Portland, San Francisco and Seattle have all declared a homelessness emergency. That allows the city to cut red tape and seek more federal assistance. The four cities and their surrounding counties account for an estimated 70,000 homeless. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department says a third of Americas homeless are bedding down in California alone. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates almost 600,000 people sleep outside, in emergency shelters, or in transitional housing around the U.S. So far, Portlands homeless violence hasnt matched the seriousness of the mass shooting at Seattles Jungle encampment. Five homeless people were shot, two fatally, by a trio of robbers in January. See the most-read stories this hour >> Stuck for solutions, Seattle officials this week announced they would close and remove the Jungle as an ongoing hazard. But they will have to find housing or safe spaces elsewhere for an estimated 300 campers. For inspiration, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and several council members have visited San Franciscos Navigation Center, an innovative and successful 75-bed facility in the Mission District that allows homeless to move in with their partners, pets and belongings. San Franciscos Board of Supervisors is considering adding six more such facilities to house the homeless. Seattle is also waiting to see what happens with Hales low-cost, safe-sleep program here. The approach is an important part of Portlands homelessness action plan, which includes 575 new shelter beds. Eight hundred more beds are proposed in the mayors 2016-17 budget request, which would also fund organized outdoor camping on city-sanctioned sites. Another $384 million over 10 years has been dedicated to affordable housing, Hottman said. Though Hales says his policies have proved to be increasingly successful at balancing the needs of neighborhoods and the homeless, the April lawsuit claims otherwise. Susan Steward, executive director of the Building Owners and Managers Assn. of Oregon, the lead plaintiff, declined to comment directly but pointed to a copy of the legal complaint. Telling people to sleep on the streets is not humane, the suit alleges. In fact, it is the opposite of humane; as recent events have shown, the Mayors Camping Policy has resulted in violence, unhealthy conditions, and pain and suffering for our most vulnerable residents. Creating campgrounds throughout Portland creates health and safety risks. Perhaps the biggest problem with the Mayors Camping Policy is that it gives the illusion of providing a solution, while diverting attention and resources from the necessary long-term solutions that would provide safe, warm, and habitable shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness. The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction to bar the mayor from enforcing the policies. A hearing date is not yet set. In the park, William Wheaton was asked what he thought of the citys homelessness strategy. Well, Im still homeless, he said, smiling. Guess its not working. ALSO Freddie Gray case: Baltimore Police Officer Edward Nero found not guilty of all charges Horse owners in the San Fernando Valley feel trod on by bullet train Supreme Court rules that prosecutors intentionally kept blacks off jury Anderson is a special correspondent. Good morning. Its Monday, May 23, and heres whats going on across California: TOP STORIES Not business as usual The Los Angeles Police Commission has become a battleground for protests that were once confined to the streets. The Black Lives Matter movement has embraced disruption as a key strategy for keeping public attention on its concerns over policing and officers use of force. Los Angeles Times Advertisement Water fight Water conservation is bringing an ugly side effect in some California communities: rising water bills, as officials struggle to recoup revenues lost by selling less water. In Yorba Linda, this issue is fomenting a political revolution. Los Angeles Times Battleground state The Bernie Sanders-Hillary Clinton fight marches on in California. Some Sanders supporters are backing a lawsuit demanding voter registration be extended past Mondays deadline until the day of the states primary election on June 7. Los Angeles Times DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Let it snow: Northern California was hit by another round of snow and rain this weekend continuing a lucky wet streak that continues to help drought relief efforts. Orange County Register Dry town: What happens when one small California town runs out of water? The Atlantic L.A. AT LARGE New heights: One of the regions most famed crossroads Santa Monica and Wilshire in Beverly Hills is about to be transformed by development. The question is how many towers and how tall will they be? Los Angeles Times Tanks for the memories: The space shuttle external fuel tank moved through the streets of Los Angeles this weekend. It didnt become the same phenomenon that the Space Shuttle Endeavour trek was, but it brought out crowds and produced many selfies. Los Angeles Times How to help: Want to help the homeless? Steve Lopez has an action plan for you. Los Angeles Times Pick up the tab: Expensive meals and trips have raised concerns at one Valley charter school. L.A. Daily News POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Horse feathers: Horse owners in the San Fernando Valley arent happy about the prospect of a bullet train whizzing by their beloved steeds. Los Angeles Times Across the bow: Gov. Jerry Brown took a not-too-subtle shot at Bernie Sanders: I dont think anybody should be seeking the Democratic nomination with a scorched-earth policy. At the end of the day, weve all got to work together. Los Angeles Times Key voters: In California, it might all come down to the vast Latino vote. And both Clinton and Sanders are working that demographic hard. Associated Press Legacy: Brown wants to leave his historic fourth term as governor on a high note. But hes increasingly concerned he might step down during times of trouble. Sacramento Bee CRIME AND COURTS Share the road: Motorcycle deaths are rising around the country but for reasons that are not fully clear, they are falling in California. Los Angeles Times No regrets: A leading Muslim American civil rights group took a risk coming to the aid of the family of the San Bernardino shooters. Five months later, group leaders have no regrets. Los Angeles Times Unique lockup: The only federal immigration facility with a special wing for gay, bisexual and transgender detainees is located in Santa Ana. And it might close in four years amid debate in the city and beyond. BuzzFeed What was the motive?: A mob of mostly teenagers beat a man into a coma in San Francisco, baffling police. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE What happened? The Padres have disciplined an employee after the San Diego Gay Mens Chorus performance of the national anthem at the Padres-Dodgers game Saturday was drowned out by a recording of a woman singing. Los Angeles Times Dream house: Has the California bungalow outlived its usefulness in the housing-starved California of 2016? Boom Crikey!: What? Soft tacos? This video of an Australian woman questioning one of L.A.s most famous taco trucks has gone viral. LAist The lady in red: Why red has become the red-carpet color of choice for female celebrities. New York Times Carnivore camera: Hidden cameras capture wildlife both cute and scary at Mt. Tam. SFGate CALIFORNIA ALMANAC In Los Angeles, it will be partly cloudy with a high of 68 degrees. San Diego will be slightly cooler with 66 degrees. Sacramento will be sunny, with a few clouds, and reach 74 degrees. San Francisco will top out at 62. AND FINALLY This weeks birthdays for notable Californians: L.A. City Councilman Felipe Fuentes (May 25, 1971) and musician Lenny Kravitz (May 26, 1964) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad. These are The Times endorsements for the June 7 primary. The Times endorses selectively; these recommendations do not cover every race on every Californians ballot. Voting by mail is underway. In the presidential race, voters select from candidates running for a particular party nomination; winners of each party nomination will compete in the Nov. 8 general election. Advertisement In the Senate and House of Representatives contests, voters may select any candidate on the ballot regardless of party affiliation. The top two vote-getters will compete in the general election. In nonpartisan races, including the district attorney, county supervisors and the Superior Court judge races, candidates who win more than 50% of the vote are declared the winners and will avoid November runoffs. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in the November election. President Democratic nomination: Hillary Clinton Republican nomination: No endorsement U.S. Senate: Kamala Harris House of Representatives, 44th District: Nanette Barragan Los Angeles County District Attorney: Jackie Lacey Los Angeles County Supervisor, 2nd District: Mark Ridley-Thomas Los Angeles County Supervisor, 4th District: Janice Hahn Los Angeles County Supervisor, 5th District: Ara Najarian Los Angeles County Superior Court Office 11: Steven Schreiner Office 42: Cyndy Zuzga Office 60: James Kaddo Office 84: Susan Jung Townsend Office 120: Ray Santana Office 158: David A. Berger Office 165: Kathryn Solorzano Proposition 50: No Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook MORE FROM OPINION Vote for anyone but Trump in the California primary Paul Ryans endorsement of Donald Trump isnt just a mistake, its a disappointment Its time to vote, California! American immigration law allows employees of overseas firms to enter the country for a limited period of time to do business for their employers, including overseeing installation of machinery or other specialized products. The law does not allow those employees, who are here legally on what is called a B1/B2 visa, to do the installation work itself. But a work-site accident at a Tesla Motors auto plant in Fremont last year has spotlighted an uncomfortable reality: The B1/B2 visa system is subject to manipulation and fraud that perverts its intent and undercuts American businesses and workers. The accident involved a Slovenian electrician named Gregor Lesnik, whose B1/B2 visa allowed him to enter the country in March 2015 on behalf of his Slovenia-based employer, ISM Vuzem, as a supervisor of electrical and mechanical installation at a paint shop in a South Carolina BMW plant. Instead, Vuzem allegedly redeployed Lesnik to the Tesla plant to install an industrial heating and cooling system, something his visa did not allow him to do. While walking on the roof in May 2015, Lesnik fell through, bounced off scaffolding and other internal structures and landed three stories below on the factory floor, breaking both legs and several ribs and suffering head injuries, including a concussion. Lesnik survived and sued his employers; the San Jose Mercury News recently used the case to explore the broader problems with the visa system. Part of the problem is that even subcontractors exploit visa-holders, the workers usually still make more money in the U.S. Advertisement The State Department issues B1/B2 visas through consular offices overseas. They cover a broad range of potential uses, including traditional tourism, but are also given to employees entering for up to six months to do work for their foreign employer. The visas can be valid for as long as 10 years, and can be used for multiple entries under the large menu of allowed purposes. The Department of Homeland Security can bar a visa holder from entering the country at the border if its not satisfied that the stated purpose of the trip is allowed under the visa. Once the visa-holder arrives in the U.S., enforcement is the responsibility of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE officials said they investigate fraudulent uses of the visas, but usually only after getting tip from co-workers or U.S. companies who suspect a competitor of illicitly using low-paid foreign workers. According to 2013 congressional testimony, ICE received 38,000 such tips in 2012. But theres no reporting mechanism in place under which the visa holder must tell the U.S. what activities are being engaged in, nor is there a system for the U.S. company -- in this case, Tesla -- to ensure that its subcontractors are employing eligible workers. Lesnik worked for Vuzem, which was fulfilling a contract for Eisenmann, a German-based manufacturer of industrial systems that Tesla hired to oversee the plant expansion. Vuzem beat out local companies for the work because, labor leaders said, it relied on imported employees who would work for much less than Americans would. Lesnik alleged in his lawsuit that although his hourly rate was over $10 an hour, it averaged out to a little over $5 an hour, far below minimum wage, because he wasnt paid overtime for weeks that often reached 80 hours. The same work by a local employee would have cost more than $50 an hour. Tesla founder Elon Musk has denied wrongdoing and said his firm is auditing the contracts to see if its contractors met wage obligations. Eisenmann also denied the allegations. Vuzem has acknowledged hiring Lesnik but disputes his account. ICE officials declined to discuss specifics of the Tesla allegations, but acknowledged that they face hurdles in trying to ferret out visa abusers. Part of the problem is that even when subcontractors exploit visa-holders, the workers usually make more money in the U.S. than they would in their home countries, and therefore have little reason to report the violations. And workers-rights advocates say the foreign-based firms often use threats in the home country to dissuade complaints. There has to be a better way of addressing worker visa enforcement, beginning with compelling the American company at the top of the chain of contracts to take more responsibility for compliance. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook International trade is a salient political issue in 2016. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are grafting discontent in the electorate to dissatisfaction with the forces of globalization. Economic anxiety is surely part of the story. But campaign rhetoric about trade and in particular, the way the Trump camp has been framing the issue reveals that a great deal more than financial insecurity is shaping public opinion. While Sanders ties his protectionist stance to a broad anti-corporate message, Trumps language is decidedly us versus them. According to the Republican candidate, America is losing all over the world in trade, foreign countries are stealing American jobs, and every country (you can just pick a name out of a hat) is beating the United States in this domain. President Obama in his Rutgers University commencement address last Sunday highlighted the connection between Trumps anti-trade rhetoric and the generally xenophobic posture of his campaign. Negative attitudes toward out groups -- in other words, ethnocentrism, chauvinistic nationalism and generalized prejudice -- are strong predictors of trade protectionism. Advertisement The relationship between prejudice and protectionism, however, can be confirmed by more than just anecdotal evidence or casual observation. A series of studies by both political scientists and economists have found that negative attitudes toward out groups in other words, ethnocentrism, chauvinistic nationalism and generalized prejudice are strong predictors of trade protectionism. In several of these studies, the influence of such attitudes on trade opinion appears to greatly outweigh that of personal economic interests.Given what we know from psychology and behavioral economics, these findings are not surprising. In their Nobel-prize winning work, psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky argued that the human mind is lazy: We rely on shortcuts to avoid the effort of deliberate reasoning, unconsciously turning complex decisions into quick, intuitive judgments. When it comes to judgments about foreign trade, the foreign aspect of the issue is what many of us find easiest to focus on, even if unconsciously. International trade is, after all, an interaction with others. Research on globalization opinion suggests that the average individual arrives at a position on trade not through rational (and mentally demanding) assessments of costs and benefits, but largely through gut-level decisions guided by attitudes toward out-groups and foreignness. The result is that insular individuals are far more likely to oppose trade than those with a cosmopolitan world view, all else being equal. These findings shed considerable light on the public politics of trade. They tell us what kinds of messages are likely to shift trade opinion in a given subset of the population, and how various approaches to the issue can help one candidate but not another. And this brings us back to Sanders and Trump. Both have found it politically effective to attack foreign trade, but each has espoused a very different brand of protectionist rhetoric. With an audience prone to xenophobic sentiment, Trump casts trade as a competitive game in which Americans need to fight back against foreign others who are stealing, cheating and outsmarting them. Facing a set of supporters who are much more comfortable with out groups, Sanders pulls on other levers: The villains in his story are not foreigners, but corporate interests perpetuating economic inequality. The different attitudes of each candidates base may well explain why, at the end of the day, Trumps supporters are much more protectionist than Sanders. A Pew Research Center poll conducted in March found that among Trump supporters, 67% believe that free trade deals have been bad for the United States, while only 38% of Sanders supporters hold that view. Of course, the economic impact of expanded free trade is real, and a minority of Americans have suffered significant costs as a result. Out group attitudes, however, appear to explain the political response of trades economic victims. In a paper released last month, four leading economists found that voters in congressional districts hardest hit by globalization turned in subsequent elections to more extreme political candidates, but in different ways: Republican districts overwhelmingly elected more conservative representatives, while Democratic ones chose more extreme candidates from both sides of the political spectrum. One explanation for this pattern is that conservative districts are more likely to blame the negative consequences of trade on outsiders, turning more uniformly to candidates, especially from the Tea Party, who articulate resentment toward out groups. Trade protectionism can be based on all kinds of factors concerns over domestic inequality, human rights and environmental considerations, or good old-fashioned economic self-interest. But opposition to trade and the politics that surround it also has a whole lot to do with how people feel about folks different than themselves. Shahrzad Sabet is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Universitys Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook For months now, Bernie Sanders and the other white-haired gentleman on the campaign trail, Bill Clinton, have feuded over how closely the future of the Democratic Party will resemble its past. They have disagreed over trade and crime policies pushed by Clinton, and healthcare and college tuition policies pursued by Sanders. They have fought over whether the partys turn to the center under Clinton was motivated by survival or was a breach of principle, just as they have disagreed over some of Sanders efforts to push Democrats to the left this campaign season. Advertisement But as both men coursed across Southern California over the weekend, something new was evident, something that seemed, perhaps temporarily, like detente. Gone were some of Sanders harshest condemnations of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, and Bill Clintons tenure in the White House. Gone too was Bill Clintons occasional belittling of the Vermont senators policy proposals. At times they appeared to be singing from the same sheet music, particularly when it came to the threat both said was posed by presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. What is in my view our strength and what is literally unique among major countries around the world is our diversity, Sanders told thousands of supporters Sunday at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, in northern San Diego County. The fact that right now, in this beautiful stadium, I would guess there are people who come from more than 100 countries all over the world. We come from every part of the world; that is our strength. And we will not allow anybody, any Trump or anyone else, to divide us up. And from Bill Clinton on Saturday afternoon at Ganesha High School in Pomona: If you look around this crowd, you represent one vision of Americas future, he said. All of your diversity, from every continent, dozens of countries, believing that we can live here together as one. We all can honor our diversity. Because we believe our common humanity is more important. Each man appeared to be pulling his punches this weekend in deference to the fraught period of the Democratic presidential primary. Hillary Clinton, whose only campaign appearance over the weekend came in Florida, is anxious to finish up the primary season in order to focus completely on Trump, as he is on her. But she cannot appear to be pushing Sanders out of the race lest she dramatically complicate Democratic unity efforts. Sanders is pushing for victories in California and other states primaries on June 7 to maximize his leverage during the summer convention. But he cannot level so much criticism at Clinton that hes blamed in the event of a Trump victory in November. It is something of an oddity that two men well into their senior years Clinton is 69 and Sanders is 74 are so prominently involved as the Democratic Party tries to frame its future. But it is not surprising given the roles they played in the partys successive ideological swings. Clintons Democratic Party was forced to the right in the 1990s after a succession of woeful showings in presidential contests five losses in six White House races before his two wins in a country more conservative in many ways than todays. Sanders has operated as an exceptionally liberal politician for his entire career, and from an atypical state. But he has had the great good luck or foresight to launch a presidential campaign that could capitalize on the rapid move by Democrats toward the left. In many ways, his success has been driven by opposition to positions taken by the Clintons and President Obama as well. Sanders seemed to serve notice in recent days that he intends a full battle against the Democratic establishment, regardless of whether he strikes enough lightning to become the party nominee. His anti-party thrust began Tuesday in Carson, when he angrily denounced national Democrats and demanded that they open the party structure to his supporters, who he suggested are far more equipped to seek the right path than conventional Democrats. Over the weekend he repeated that demand in less dramatic fashion. But the presence of that line of argument was less notable than the absence of something else: his routine denunciations of Hillary Clinton. At a rally Saturday night in National City and on Sunday in Vista, he gave her a pass on most of the criticism hes regularly leveled about her $225,000 speeches to Wall Street, omitting a lengthy bout of mocking about how, for that price, the private speeches must have been Shakespearean. In Vista, he made a one-paragraph reference to her choice to allow super PACs to raise money for her benefit, and that shed received donations from Wall Street employees. But that too was less biting than what Sanders has said in the past. And there were other omissions, at those events and in a Sunday night appearance in Irvine. When he raised the issue of the minimum wage, he did not mention Clintons opposition to the $15-an-hour national rate that he supports. Similarly, when he mentioned the Iraq war, he did not cite Clintons vote for it, as he has throughout the campaign. And when he stated his objections to trade agreements, he did not mention Clintons past support for some deals. His discussion of new criminal justice measures left aside his earlier mentions of the 1994 crime bill supported by both Clintons. Taken together, the omissions covered territory that formed the bulk of Sanders rhetoric in states like Michigan, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania, among others, that voted earlier in the nomination season. Bill Clinton, for his part, seemed to go out of his way to lessen criticism of Sanders. His main target was Trump, whom he repeatedly described as wanting to take America back to an era that may have been good for Trump but not for women or minorities. He didnt elaborately fillet Sanders policy priorities as he had earlier in the campaign. And he took the time to genuflect to the economically needy across the nation who have been one of Sanders bases of support. There is a legitimacy to the anger of the abandoned middle-aged white working force, he said. A lot of these people are dying of a broken heart because we left them behind on the economic battlefield. His wife, he said, has made it clear we are not going to leave anybody behind; we are going back for them. Clinton did not overtly apologize for or defend his two administrations and the positions that have drawn the ire of Sanders and his followers. But on Saturday morning in Chula Vista, before hundreds of delighted fans, he was also not above reminding voters that his tenure had its successes. This election is being fueled by the anger of people who feel left out, he said, aping one of Sanders key thrusts. And, with a bit of dramatic timing, then he added that one of those groups of people were working-class Americans who havent gotten a pay raise well, many of them since the day I left office. Both Clinton and Sanders are difficult to predict; each has the capacity to neatly follow a more muted path and then, without warning, take off for more treacherous ground. But the suggestion over the weekend in California was that something of an agreement might have been reached between the two, either by plan or instinct: Well agree that Donald Trump should not be president. And as for the other stuff, well just not talk about it as much anymore. ALSO: Updates on California politics Live coverage from the campaign trail cathleen.decker@latimes.com Twitter: @cathleendecker. For more on politics, go to latimes.com/decker and subscribe to the free daily newsletter. A special group of Montana families with an uncommon connection enjoyed Sunday afternoon at ZooMontana. The parents, children and grandparents traveled across the state to share their experiences with a genetic deletion syndrome known as 22q. The event, 22q at the Zoo, is part of an international movement to raise awareness on May 22. The syndrome is caused by a missing section of the 22nd chromosome and causes a wide range of symptoms. Raedene Wipf is one of two parents who organized the event at ZooMontana. Wipfs son has 22q and is now 25. She said in the time since he was diagnosed understanding of the syndrome increased dramatically. She hopes to continue raising awareness and encourage early prevention. The key is to get the genetic testing done, but sometimes people arent diagnosed until theyre adults, Wipf said. In many cases a heart defect or cleft palate prompts genetic testing in early childhood and results in a diagnosis. It can also cause weakened immune systems, developmental delays and psychological problems, said Jaclyn Foster, a genetic counselor at Shodair Childrens Hospital. Shodair sponsored Sundays event and Foster shared information with the families in attendance. She said 22q, also known as DiGeorge syndrome among other names, has been easier to diagnose for the last decade due to advances in genetic testing. Testing also provides a better idea of how many people the syndrome affects. We think its about one in 4,000 but we think thats a low estimate because its often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, Foster said. Alyssa Tholstroms 2-year-old son, Landon, was diagnosed just weeks after his birth. Tholstrom drove from Missoula with Landon and her parents to be at ZooMontana on Sunday. She said Landon was born with a heart defect and was airlifted to Seattle just days after his birth. Doctors werent sure he would even survive the flight. It took a couple weeks for test results to indicate Landon has 22q. A Missoula pediatrician left a voicemail with the news and said he wasnt familiar with the syndrome but would learn with the family. Landon had a new doctor before they returned to Montana, Tholstrom said. Landon has undergone surgery twice and will need another heart operation in his teens. He sees a speech therapist twice a month and physical therapist makes home visits on a monthly basis. Tholstrom said shes a single mom and the constant appointments are difficult to juggle while working fulltime as a prep cook in a restaurant. She receives solid support from her parents and was lucky to find a daycare whose owner has experience watching children with 22q. Tholstrom is active in an online community of families affected by the syndrome. She met Raedene Wipf on a Montana 22q Facebook page but Sunday was the first time Tholstrom met other families dealing with a 22q diagnosis in person. We kind of need somebody to compare notes with and who know what were going to go through, she said. Samuel Rodriguez is the kind of Latino whom Republicans hoped they could count on in 2016. An evangelical Christian pastor who opposes the Democratic Partys stance on abortion and same-sex marriage, Rodriguez led a prayer onstage at the 2012 GOP national convention. This election cycle, he publicly praised Republican leaders including Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee and Marco Rubio. Then Donald Trump became the partys presumptive nominee. Now Rodriguez doesnt know what to think. Trumps calls for mass deportations have offended me and my community, said Rodriguez, who heads the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Those are our parishioners. Donald Trump is jeopardizing the very future of our churches, he added. Trumps rise has put evangelical Latinos like Rodriguez in a difficult position. Many view the Democratic Party as hostile to conservative Christian values. Many also say they cannot support Trump, who has alienated Latinos by insulting Mexican immigrants as drug dealers and rapists and pledging to build a massive border wall. We have a problem with the donkey, and we have a problem with the elephant, Rodriguez said at his groups annual convention in Anaheim over the weekend, where Trump and Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, both addressed the crowd in videotaped remarks. It's a problem of great significance, given the size of the Latino vote and the growing influence of evangelicals in Latino communities. A record 27 million Latinos will be eligible to participate in the November general election, a figure that includes a rising number of evangelical Christians. While a majority of Latino adults still belong to the Roman Catholic Church, more and more are embracing evangelical Christianity, according to Pew Research Center. The percentage of Latinos who identify as evangelical or born-again Christian rose from 12% in 2010 to 16% in 2013, according to Pew. Evangelical Latinos, who tend to hold more conservative social views than their Catholic and non-religious counterparts, have long been viewed as potential recruits for the GOP. According to Pew, they are more likely to identify as Republicans than are other Latinos. But Trump's attacks on the immigrant community have forced some Latino evangelicals to put identity politics ahead of their religious beliefs. In good [conscience], I just can't vote for him," said Eddie Rodriguez, a pastor who leads an Assemblies of God congregation in South Florida. Not only does he think Trump has set back the country in terms of racial relations, he doesn't believe Trump is a true Christian conservative. He cites Trump's past support for abortion, his harsh tone toward women and his acknowledgement that he has never asked God for forgiveness. Rodriguez supported Rubio in the Republican primaries, but has now resigned himself to voting for Clinton. It's extremely difficult," he said. "I have to pick between two people I disagree with. That's a dilemma faced by the broader evangelical community, which has been divided between those who support Trump and those who have denounced his language and ideas as un-Christian. Next month, several hundred conservative leaders plan to meet privately with Trump to address concerns about his candidacy. The meeting, which was arranged by former presidential candidate Ben Carson, is expected to include some Latino leaders. Some of those evangelical Latino leaders are winnable for Trump. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter Sergio De La Mora, who helps lead a Latino megachurch in San Diego, said he admires Trumps business experience and doesnt feel personally offended by his rhetoric on immigration. That might be because he and his congregants have long ties to the U.S. and little connection to illegal immigration, he said. Most people really don't care about that," said De La Mora, who said he is considering voting for Trump. Still, when it comes to Latinos, Trump is operating at a major deficit. According to a recent Fox News Latino poll, 62% of Latinos supported Clinton, while only 23% backed Trump. That would give the real estate mogul and former reality television star even less Latino support than Mitt Romney, who won just 27% of the Latino vote as the Republican nominee against President Obama in 2012. Romney's bid suffered in part from his proposal to make life difficult for immigrants in the country illegally so that they "self-deport." After Romney's loss to Obama, the Republican National Committee issued a report that said future Republican survival would require candidates to soften their rhetoric on immigration and the Latino community. "If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States ... they will not pay attention to our next sentence, the report said. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy, if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies. Bush and Rubio, before they left the presidential race, both campaigned based on that playbook, promising to pass legislation that would allow immigrants in the country illegally to stay with some form of legal status. While those proposals won them fans among Latino conservatives, they were not enough to stop Trump. Since becoming the presumptive nominee earlier this month, Trump has toned down his rhetoric slightly and has made a few overt pitches to Latino voters. On Cinco de Mayo, he tweeted a picture of himself with a taco salad and wrote: "I love Hispanics!" But some Latino evangelical leaders say it will take much more than that for them to consider voting for him. Were people of faith, so our response is: 'Say youre sorry. Repent. Make it right.' The ball is in his court. Tony Suarez, an evangelical pastor from Virginia "Were people of faith, so our response is: 'Say youre sorry. Repent. Make it right,'" said Tony Suarez, an evangelical pastor from Virginia who was in Anaheim for the conference. "The ball is in his court." In his videotaped remarks to church leaders Friday night, Trump did not apologize. Instead he told them he would win the election in November and that they were "going to like President Trump." "I'm going to win, and we're going to take care of everybody," Trump said, vowing to help poor and middle-class minority communities by lowering taxes, improving schools and creating jobs. "We're going to take care of you." Trump abstained from the heated rhetoric on immigration. Clinton, in her taped remarks, wasn't about to let the audience forget exactly what Trump has said. See the most-read stories this hour >> "We're hearing some divisive and dangerous rhetoric in this election," Clinton said. "We have a candidate who wants to tear families apart and forcibly deport 11 million undocumented immigrants -- who calls Mexicans rapists." The Rev. Walter Contreras, a pastor in Pasadena who skipped the event, said simply giving Trump a platform to speak was dangerous. Some evangelical leaders appear eager to forgive Trump because they can't stomach supporting Democrats, he said. He and other Christian leaders who share his views have led a campaign to counter that, recently writing a letter in which they said supporting Trump is the same thing as supporting his anti-immigrant message. "We're not going to tolerate that kind of rhetoric," Contreras said. "It's very destructive. It's very real. It's too late." MORE CAMPAIGN NEWS Cruz's campaign is over, but his delegates fight on Donald Trump sees political gain in Bill Clintons extramarital affairs Two white-haired politicians Bernie Sanders and Bill Clinton call a California truce Sanders avoids criticizing Clinton Bernie takes stage in Irvine, says "it looks to me like we got a lot of ppl here ready for a political revolution" pic.twitter.com/0yt9Jf8bNJ Seema (@LATSeema) May 23, 2016 Bernie Sanders, hurtling toward a series of primaries that will almost certainly end his presidential bid, avoided criticizing Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally in Irvine on Sunday night. Instead, the Vermont senator railed against Republicans, presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, the wealthy, corporations and the media. And he repeatedly called for a political revolution to fix the nations woes, which include a rigged economy and a corrupt campaign finance system. It looks like the American people in fact are sick and tired of establishment politics and establishment economics. And it looks like the American people are ready to transform our country in very profound ways, he told several thousand raucous supporters at the outdoor rally. Given the nature of American economics and politics today, no president can do it alone. We need a political revolution. This is a fight we have to wage together. Sanders has won 20 state primaries and caucuses, but he is badly trailing Clinton in the total vote and the delegate tally. Clinton is fewer than 100 delegates shy of winning the Democratic nomination, and is expected to clinch it on June 7, when California and five other states hold primaries. In recent appearances in California, Sanders acknowledged that he faced a steep hill to winning the Democratic nomination. On Sunday, he didnt once mention the race for the nomination. Instead, he laid out his policy priorities, including tuition-free college, universal healthcare, expanded Social Security, paid family and medical leave, equal pay and investments in infrastructure and inner cities. He mentioned several areas where he and Clinton differ, notably trade and the Iraq war. In the past, he typically used these items as opportunities to draw contrasts with Clinton. But he did not on Sunday evening, instead only mentioning her by name twice when he highlighted recent polls that show that he fares better against Donald Trump than Clinton does in a general election matchup. If the Democratic Party wants the strongest candidate to defeat Donald Trump, and we all know for the future of this country, weve got to defeat Donald Trump, it will be our campaign that defeats Donald Trump, he said, citing an NBC poll released Sunday that showed Clinton beating Trump by 3 points and Sanders beating Trump by 15 points. Early polling is not predictive, which Sanders seemed to acknowledge when he added, Polls go up and polls go down. What is most important in terms of understanding which campaign will decisively defeat Trump is you, he told the diverse cheering crowd of students, young families and senior citizens. Look around here, and what you will see here in Irvine is what I have seen all over this country, and that is millions of people that are prepared to stand up and fight back, people who are prepared to take on Wall Street, take on the greed of corporate America, take on the fossil fuel industry, take on the pharmaceutical industry. The message offers a preview of the tone Sanders will take as he heads into the Democratic National Convention with more than 1,500 delegates. There is nothing I have said this evening that is not supported by the vast majority of the American people. Nothing is radical, he said. But together we have got to create a government that listens to us, not just wealthy campaign contributors. That is what this campaign is about. Bernie Sanders calls Hillary Clintons debate snub insulting Bernie Sanders takes the stage in Santa Monica. pic.twitter.com/7JKszwK9KX Kurtis Lee (@kurtisalee) May 24, 2016 Bernie Sanders, trailing in delegates and running out of time in his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination, told a crowd of supporters Monday evening that it was insulting that Hillary Clinton was refusing to debate him in California. I think its a little insulting to the people of California -- the largest state, Sanders said, addressing a rally on the astro-turf football field at Santa Monica High School. She is not prepared to have a discussion with me about how she is going to help California address the major crises we face, he said. Shes scared! Shes scared! the crowd chanted. Earlier in the day, Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, backed out of a debate with Sanders. The two candidates had agreed earlier this spring to hold a debate in May. The last time the pair debated was in New York in April. For Sanders, who also held a rally in East Los Angeles in the afternoon, his criticism of Clinton was a deviation from his standard stump speech. Though he has battled the partys establishment, he has largely avoided direct attacks on Clinton during recent events across California. Still, his disdain over the debate was hard to hide Monday evening. Clinton, he told supporters in Santa Monica, is acting very nervous lately. A packed hall of unionized farmworkers was primed to provide one of the rare flashes of political drama in Californias otherwise unremarkable U.S. Senate race this weekend, but, perhaps not surprisingly in this campaign, the opportunity fizzled. With labor leaders from Californias iconic United Farm Workers gathered for their convention in Bakersfield, and television news coverage from across the Central Valley, Democratic front-runner Kamala Harris made the most of her address as she called for strengthening rights and protections for immigrants. The gathering appeared tailor-made for her top rival, Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange, the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a union machinist who would have been one of few politicians at the event able to talk to the mostly Spanish-speaking crowd without the aid of a translator. Advertisement But Sanchez, after campaign events in Fontana and Pico Rivera early Saturday, canceled her Saturday evening appearance, citing a family matter. Her absence gave Harris a greater chance to make inroads among Latinos and in the Central Valley, both critical bases for Sanchez. United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez said Sanchezs absence was disappointing, but he offered praise for both Democrats. The union has yet to endorse a candidate, although UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta is backing Harris. Both women have tremendous capacity, Rodriguez said. So they both have different things to offer, to Latinos, to immigrants, to farmworkers. And I think were going to be looking at everything to make the best decision we can. With just over two weeks to go before the June 7 primary election, the most intriguing subplot of Californias U.S. Senate race has been the absence of political fireworks in the campaign that will decide the states first open Senate seat since 1992. Since Sanchez entered the race a year ago, her campaign has been primarily a weekend-only affair, with aides saying that is because of the 10-term congresswomans commitments in Washington during the workweek. Its a challenge. Its definitely a challenge, said Sanchez campaign consultant Bill Carrick. Plans for a third debate, sponsored by mega-Spanish-language network Univision in Los Angeles, were scrubbed when Sanchez had a scheduling conflict and had to stay in Washington for a crucial vote on a defense bill, he said. The network instead aired individual candidate forums, but it was another lost opportunity for Sanchez to distinguish herself from Harris with Latino voters. There have been just two Senate debates, and both Harris and Sanchez started airing campaign ads only last week. None of the lesser-known, underfunded Republicans in the race have the money to buy TV time as they vie to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. Not surprisingly, opinion polls in April and March showed that a third to one-half of registered voters remained undecided. That poses the greatest challenge to Sanchez, who is fighting to finish in the top two in June and ahead of the GOP pack. Under Californias top two primary rules, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary will advance to the November election, regardless of party. Carrick said Sanchez has plenty of campaign events, but they rarely attract news coverage, an essential staple for a successful campaign in a state as massive as California, which has more than 17 million voters. Only a handful of news outlets are covering the Senate campaign full time, he said, quite a change from the last open Senate races in California in the 1990s when dozens of reporters trailed the candidates. Even Boxers last reelection campaign in 2010 had more action. In the hotly contested GOP primary that year, Republican Carly Fiorina spent more than $5 million of her own money on ads that took on her chief opponent, former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell. The third-place finisher, former Irvine Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, also tried to rally support among Californias budding and extremely vocal tea party supporters, but his effort fell short. Political consultant Rose Kapolczynski, who was Boxers campaign manager, said that race had a much different political dynamic. That it was competitive made the race a hot news story, she said. Everyone agreed there was a lot at stake in the 2010 Senate race and that led to high-profile, well-funded, vigorous campaigns, she said. But Californias current Senate race is hidden in the shadow of the wild presidential campaign. You try the best you can to get media coverage. Most of the time, the candidates have to go to the media, rather than the media come to the candidates, Carrick said. Its no accident that one of the great accomplishments of Donald Trump is that he got all this coverage without leaving Trump Tower. Harris campaign spokesman Nathan Click disputed any notion the campaign has been quiet. He said the attorney general has received ample local television news coverage during her weekday campaign events, the most recent string of which have been held in union halls. Short of the insider crowds that Harris attracted at the California Democratic Partys annual convention in February, there have been no major rallies even remotely approaching the mobs coming to see Sen. Bernie Sanders. Thats not unusual for a Senate race in California, where most campaigns rely on the television airwaves to reach voters statewide rather than packed arenas and town halls. Harris has the added bonus of being a magnet for media attention as attorney general. In just the last week, Harris held a Santa Barbara news conference announcing the indictment of the company that operates a pipeline that ruptured last year near Santa Barbara, and she also touted her agencys crackdown on Stockton street gangs. Sanchez has similarly taken advantage of her role in Congress, but as just one of 435 House members and serving in the minority party, she faces a more difficult task. Sanchez, a senior Democrat on the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, was a popular guest on national news programs after the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino in December. But even that went awry when she suggested in an interview with Larry King that 5% to 20% of Muslims support a caliphate a strict Islamic state. The comment prompted criticism from Muslim groups. None of the top Republicans in the race hold an elected office, which leaves Tom Del Beccaro, George Duf Sundheim and Ron Unz dependent on small grass-roots campaigning to gin up support. Saturday, Harris was trailed by television news cameras as she marched into the convention center chanting Si se puede! the United Farm Workers motto inspired by the unions co-founder, Cesar Chavez. Harris told union delegates that immigration was the civil rights issue of our time, a phrase she has repeated often at campaign rallies. She offered few specifics on how she would work with the Republicans who control Congress to pass legislation. But no matter. A loud cheer rang out when she proclaimed her support for immigrant rights, saying in English and Spanish, An undocumented immigrant is not a criminal. phil.willon@latimes.com @philwillon ALSO: Kamala Harris is focus of Californias final U.S. Senate debate before primary For California voters, picking a U.S. Senate candidate could be like throwing darts at a dart board Californias next senator could be a Latina. Will her past mistakes get in the way? How race helped shape the politics of Senate candidate Kamala Harris Farmworkers win court battle over access to California labor boards proceedings Produce industry giants team up to promote responsible labor practices Political tension ramps up at legislative hearing on Newsoms gun control initiative Backers of a gun control initiative proposed for the November ballot argued during a legislative forum Tuesday that it is needed to make California safer, while opponents said it will unfairly harm law-abiding gun owners and is primarily aimed at getting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom elected governor. Newsom turned in 600,000 signatures last week for an initiative that would require background checks for ammunition purchasers, ban large-capacity magazines, make gun thefts a felony and require those convicted of serious crimes to give up their firearms within 14 days. The Assembly and Senate Public Safety committees held a joint hearing on the proposal Tuesday in anticipation of the measure qualifying. Craig DeLuz, head of the Firearms Policy Coalition, told lawmakers that most of the provisions in the initiative have been rejected by the Legislature or the governor as too extreme or unworkable. He said the real purpose of the initiative is to get Newsom elected as governor in 2018. Its for one individual to get his name in the paper so he can run for higher office, DeLuz told the lawmakers. That drew a rubuke from state Sen. Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), chair of the Senate panel. I do take offense at the personal attacks on the proponents of the intiative, Hancock said during the hearing. Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) responded, saying the initiative is unnecessary. I am equally offended that the person who came up with this initiative isnt here today to address this body, she said. Thats incredibly disrespectful. Newsom, who has fueded with legislative leaders who are pursuing their own gun control bills, did not attend the hearing, instead participating in a memorial service held for California Highway Patrol officers, a representative said. Attorneys for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which co-wrote the initiative, told lawmakers it will plug serious loopholes in Californias tough gun laws. We believe reasonably that more can and should be done to protect California families and keep lethal weapons out of dangerous hands, added Ari Freilich, a staff attorney at the center. The initiative was criticized by Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Michele Hanisee, president of the Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys of Los Angeles, who predicted many people will not obey the new laws requiring them to get rid of high-capacity magazines. The initiative places additional burdens on an already overburdened court system, she added. None of the lawmakers at the hearing commited to endorsing the initiative. Lawmakers raised questions about the cost of enforcing the initiative, but the Legislative Analysts Office said the bulk of costs may be recovered by fees authorized by the measure. Hancock said she is interested in alternative approaches to addressing gun violence, including a look at improving mental health services. Life on Earth can be found in the most surprising places, from the deep sea to pitch-black caves to just off the main road of a Gabonese National Park. Each year, about 18,000 species are discovered and described by scientists in thousands of academic publications, where regular folks may never find them on their own. Luckily, a panel of experts at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) publishes a highlight reel for the rest of us their annual Top 10 list of the new species discovered over the last year. Since 2008, ESF's International Institute for Species Exploration, comprised of an international committee of taxonomists, has unveiled its list near the birthday of Carolus Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy. Born May 23, 1707, the Swedish botanist is credited with formalizing the system of identifying species by two names (e.g. Homo sapiens). See the most-read stories in Science this hour >> The Top 10 list is meant to highlight new discoveries, even as species go extinct faster than they can be identified. "By having a team of scientists around the world pick their favorite top 10 each year, we're able to ... really put a face on biodiversity," Quentin Wheeler, ESF president and founding director of the International Institute for Species Exploration, explained in a statement. By understanding what kinds of plants and animals exist and where they live, scientists can help slow the biodiversity crisis currently unfolding, Wheeler said. There are about 9 million species known to science, but experts believe there are many times that number still waiting be discovered. Here are 10 of the most exciting newcomers to science that were officially added to the tree of life in 2015. Santa Cruz Island's giant tortoises: two species all along Chelonoidis donfaustoi Location: Galapagos, Ecuador Eastern Santa Cruz tortoise (Washington Tapia) (Test) Scientists have long noticed small differences between giant tortoises that live on the eastern side of Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos and tortoises that live on the western side. But a genetic analysis last year revealed the smaller animals in the eastern population comprised of about 250 individuals are in fact a distinct species. This means the original species, C. porteri, has a smaller range than previously thought, which is restricted to western and southwestern portions of the island. The C. porteri population and the eastern C. donfaustoi population are naturally isolated from each other on Santa Cruz Island. Don Fausto with an Eastern Santa Cruz tortoise (Washington Tapia) (Test) The new species was named after longtime park ranger Fausto Llerena Sanchez, nicknamed "Don Fausto," who worked with the reptiles for 43 years until his retirement in 2014. "'Don Fausto' was the primary caretaker of endangered tortoises in captivity, one of the first to explore tortoise habitat throughout the archipelago, and was well known for his work ethic, commitment to tortoise conservation, and collegiality," wrote the authors of a PLos One study describing the new species. "Several tortoise lineages in Galapagos remain extant in large part due to Don Faustos dedication, ingenuity, and patience." 'Like' these pics of the giant sundew? Drosera magnifica Location: Brazil The carniverous giant sundew with other plants in Brazil. (Paulo M. Gonella) (Test) The giant sundew with prey, a small butterfly. (Paulo M. Gonella) (Test) This giant sundew plant is a record-breaker in two ways. First, it's the largest such plant ever seen in the Americas, with stems growing up to 4 feet tall. Second, it's likely the first new species of plant discovered through photos shared on Facebook. The carnivorous plant secretes a thick mucus on the surface of its leaves to trap and digest unsuspecting insects. The bugs help supplement the inadequate nutrition the plant receives from the soils where it grows. Found on a single mountaintop in southeastern Brazil, the plant is abundant in its small area but already considered critically endangered, according to the International Union of Conservation of Nature Red List criteria. A new branch on humanity's family tree Homo naledi Location: South Africa Homo naledi skull (John Hawks / Wits University) (Test) Homo naledi mandible (John Hawks / Wits University) (Test) In a South African cave, scientists discovered the fossil remains of at least 15 individuals belonging to a previously unknown species of hominins. The bones, first found in 2013, exhibit a combination of modern human and more ape-like traits. For example, with its humanlike feet and hands, Homo naledi likely walked and used its hands like other species in the genus Homo, but still had a brain size similar to earlier ancestors living 2 million to 4 million years ago. H. naledi was also similar to us in size and weight. Its shoulders, pelvis and rib cage resembled earlier humans, according to a 2015 report on the find published in eLife. Scientists have not determined the age of the fossils. Pillbugs that build their own homes Iuiuniscus iuiuensis Location: Brazil Iuiuniscus iuiuensis on the move, left, and in its habitat, right. (Souza, Ferreira & Senna ) (Test) Isopods, or pillbugs, are crustaceans that live in water or on land. These isopods, discovered in a Brazilian cave, live in the mud. The blind, pallid I. iuiuensis builds its own spherical shelters out of mud, a behavior never seen before in isopods endemic to the Americas. Inside its oddly shaped home, the tiny creature, only a third of an inch long, sheds its exoskeleton. Its spiny appearance arises from tapering plates at the base of its legs. The expedition that discovered I. iuiuensis also searched eight other caves in the region, but the new isopod was found in only one cave. The cave's only entrance is at the bottom of a sinkhole that floods during the rainy season. What a catch! New anglerfish found in Gulf of Mexico Lasiognathus dinema Location: Gulf of Mexico (Theodore W. Pietsch / University of Washington ) (Test) The deep sea has no shortage of, well, interesting-looking fish. This new species of anglerfish is no exception. L. dinema was discovered by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials investigating environmental damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Scientists described the new species based on three female specimens in a study five years later. The two-inch-long fish is quite different from the other five species in the anglerfish genus, the scientists noted. Different types of anglerfish are distinguished by the characteristic fishing pole-like organ on top of their heads, called the esca. In some species, the esca contains bioluminescent bacteria that produce light in the deep, dark ocean and presumably attracts prey. L. dinema's esca is unusual for the three appendages growing out of it. Ruby seadragon, pink stripes Phyllopteryx dewysea Location: Australia Ruby seadragon (Western Australian Museum) (Western Australian Museum) First there were just leafy and weedy seadragons. Now there are ruby seadragons. Named for its striking red color, the ruby seadragon also has rib-like pink bars on its body. The nearly 10-inch-long fish was discovered off the coast of Western Australia. Rubies are found farther offshore in slightly deeper waters than the other two seadragon species. Although scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego identified the new species through genetic testing of a museum specimen, they found a living member of the species in the wild for the first time in April. "Aside from its spectacular appearance, it is a reminder of what we have yet to discover about marine species diversity," ESF noted. "If ruby red dragons nearly a foot long in shallow waters have escaped our attention, what else do we not yet know?" Named after a bear, this beetle delivers a message of conservation Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington Location: Peru Featherwing beetles ( Michael Darby) (Test) Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington inside a plant (Michael Darby) (Test) Researchers named this newly discovered featherwing beetle for Paddington Bear, the subject of the popular children's books. Introduced in 1958, the fictional bear shows up in London's Paddington Station after making an impressive journey from Peru. By naming the beetle after Paddington, the researchers wrote they hoped to draw attention to the vulnerable Andean spectacled bear and "promote conservation of its fragmented habitats and for the other threatened plants and beetles including P. osopaddington 'Paddington beetle.'" While P. osopaddington may have an odd name, its way of life is even more peculiar. These featherwing beetles, named for the shape of their wings, are only about 1/25th of an inch long. They live in the pools of water that accumulate in hollow plants, such as tree holes and dome-shaped plants. These bodies of water even have a name, phyototelmata, and are home to a variety animals, including insects and frogs. Because P. osopaddington was discovered in the leaves of an introduced, cultivated Malaysian plant, scientists aren't sure about what it eats or where it naturally lives and breeds. In fact, they're not even sure if it is an introduced species itself or native to Peru. 'Laia,' the ancient sister we probably share with apes and gibbons Pliobates cataloniae Location: Spain An artists re-creation of a living Pliobates cataloniae. (Marta Palmero / Institut Catal de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont) (Marta Palmero / Catalan Institute of Paleontology Miquel Crusafont) The discovery of a little ape may have big consequences for scientists' theories of the origins of humans, apes and gibbons. "Laia," as her discoverers nicknamed her, was unearthed in a Spanish landfill and lived about 11.6 million years ago. That's before the ancestor of humans and other great apes had diverged from its sister branch, the gibbons. Laia's discovery shows that this common ancestor was likely more gibbon-like than ape. She was probably 17 inches tall and weighed 9 to 11 pounds, climbing trees and eating fruit, much like gibbons and most modern apes. The unique flowering tree that went unnoticed Sirdavidia solannona Location: Gabon Sirdavidia solannona flower (Thomas Couvreur ) (Test) Sirdavidia solannona flower and buds (Thomas Couvreur ) (Test) This slight flowering tree, just 20 feet tall and four inches in diameter, had been hiding in plain sight, not far off the main road of Gabon's Monts de Cristal National Park. Genetic testing revealed the tree was so different from other flowering plants that it represented not just a new species but an entirely new genus, too. Scientists named the tree's genus, Sirdavidia, for famed naturalist Sir David Attenborough. The species name, solannona, references the tree's resemblance to certain nightshade plants, which include potatoes and tomatoes, and are likely pollinated by bees. One of 60, this new sparklewing damselfly manages to stand out Umma gumma Location: Gabon (Jens Kipping ) (Test) (Jens Kipping ) (Test) Last year, sixty new species of damselfly were described in a single paper, the most to be named at once in more than a century. Most of the new insects, found in Africa, were so colorful and distinct that they could be identified just from their photographs. The discoveries serve as a reminder that not all unknown species are small and obscure, the authors wrote in the lengthy study. Since damselflies belong to the genus Umma, the researchers saw an opportunity to have some fun with the naming of one species. The shimmering blue and green Robust Sparklewing (Umma gumma), shares its name with the 1969 Pink Floyd album Ummagumma, which is also a slang term for sex that is used in Cambridge, Britain. Who said taxonomy can't be sexy? Follow me on Twitter @seangreene89 and "like" Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE SCIENCE NEWS Why male spiders need to get their game on -- or die Holy bat sounds! Unusual library will help scientists track bat species 'We've never seen this before': Watch NOAA's live feed of a hidden, watery world The end is near the end of the school year, which brings the excitement of moving onward and upward for all, and the excitement of graduation for many. The graduation ceremony is one of the few formal rites of passage in our society. It is a means by which we publicly acknowledge a students attainment of a certain level of education, and for a high school student his or her readiness to move on to an adult role in our society either by going on to college or by joining the workforce. Graduation is not only the end of high school, it is also the end of childhood. The pomp and circumstance as well as the clothing of a graduation ceremony are rooted in the distant past. In the Middle Ages, education was largely a church function and it was through the church that academic life became a guild. Teaching was the Guild of the Master of Arts (from which we derive todays master of arts or MA degree) and the bachelor (the bachelor of arts degree today) was the apprentice of the master. The dress, gown, robe and cap were the outward signs of this privilege and responsibility. In 1932, the American Council on Education presented a code of academic costumes and ceremonies which was revised in 1959 and again in 1960. The graduation gown has its origins in the 12th century. The basic gown was always black. Today, many high schools have matched school colors to the gowns. Red, gold, blue, brown or white, the color may depend on the school. Most colleges still adhere to tradition and use black gowns. Gowns of those being awarded advanced degrees may be trimmed in distinctive colors which usually correspond to the major. A doctorate degree would have three black velvet strips on the sleeves. In Roman law, a freed slave won the privilege of wearing a cap. The cap became a symbol of academic freedom, responsibility, and dignity. Some believe that the square cap or mortarboard style symbolized a book and came from Oxford. An oversized beret style, or Cambridge cap, is worn only by those being awarded doctoral degrees. The hood, which you wont see too many of at high school graduations unless it is on the faculty, designates the highest academic achievement. The color of the trim denotes the discipline represented by the degree, and the color of the lining reflects the universitys colors. As you can see, the graduation ceremony is definitely something old and something new. It is an ancient tradition that ushers your student to a new status in society, while honoring his or her accomplishments. And it indirectly honors you, the parents, for the role youve played in helping your student earn the right to wear that cap and gown. Congratulations to all the graduating students of 2016 and their parents! ROBERT FRANK is the executive director of the Hillside School and Learning Center in La Canada. He holds a masters of science degree in special education and has more than 40 years of teaching experience. His column appears on the last Thursday of each month. He can be reached at frank@hillsideforsuccess.org. High-speed train service Eurostar has a deal for travelers heading to Europe this summer. For a limited time, you can snag premier seats starting at $109 each way between London and Paris or Brussels, Belgium. The deal: Eurostar is the train service that takes you from Londons St Pancras International station to Paris Gare du Nord or Brussels in less than 2 1/2 hours. The sale applies to standard premier seats, which are one step above the regular fare. You get comfier seats with electrical outlets plus a light meal service and beverages. Advertisement Eurostar trains travel from the heart of London to Paris in less than two and a half hours. (Catharine Hamm/Los Angeles Times ) With this ticket, you can check in as late as 30 minutes before boarding and are allowed up to two bags (no weight restrictions) plus hand luggage. When: The sale is on until June 22 for travel between July 18 and Sept. 18, based on availability. Tested: I checked online and found plenty of discount tickets available on random dates that I checked. For example, on July 23, premier standard seats start at $121 from London to Paris -- a price that can be cheaper than the standard seat price, depending on what time of day you travel. Prices for the same seats on May 29 start at $201. Info: Eurostar Sale ALSO Hawaii: Where to really get away from it all on the Big Island Summer pool season opens in Las Vegas! 11 resorts that rock it How many of these 25 top landmarks have you visited? Machu Picchu is No. 1 Need a digital detox? Places to go to really unplug (no cheating allowed) A public university that constantly struggles for sufficient funding cant afford to turn down a multi-million-dollar gift. But there are good reasons the Montana Board of Regents should have taken more time with gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianfortes $8 million gift. The sudden revelation and the regents subsequent approval Friday denied the public the right to effectively participate in a transaction that affects their lives and their property. Taxpayers of Montana built and funded the Montana State University Computer Science Department. With regents approval Friday, the department will be renamed the Gianforte School of Computing in exchange for money that Greg Gianforte and his wife, Susan Gianforte, pledged to contribute over the next five years. Additionally, a classroom in the College of Engineering will be named the Gianforte Auditorium. A gift of $8 million is generous by any measure. However, the election season timing is no coincidence. Much of the public comment to regents meeting Thursday in Havre focused on concerns that the Gianforte Foundation has been a major funder of the Montana Family Foundation, which opposes equal rights for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The Gianfortes also actively opposed the LGBT non-discrimination ordinance enacted by the Bozeman City Council. This certainly isnt the first time that a large gift to a Montana University System unit drew public outrage. For example, last year, the University of Montana School of Law was renamed the Alexander Blewett III School of Law with a donation of $10 million, a move that also was nearly a done deal before it was announced to the public. Before voting to accept the Gianforte gift and name, each of the regents who spoke Friday acknowledged the articulate and heartfelt public comments they received on both sides of the issue. Protect principles Nothing in the acceptance of the gift will compromise MSUs policies of non-discrimination, Regent William Johnstone said before voting in favor of the capstone gift from exceptional business leaders. Student Regent Ash Hohman, a first-year student at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law, spoke passionately of his generations determination to stand against discrimination and his desire to see that students have a say on donations. With a great deal of conflict, Hohman concluded that we cant not accept such a large and generous gift. Chairman Paul Tuss acknowledged that most public commenters were against accepting the Gianfortes gift, but Tuss said he looked at the good this gift will do. The Gianforte millions will create faculty positions and student summer internships and expand the computing curriculum, Kevin McRae, deputy commissioner of communications for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, told The Missoulian. Regent Martha Sheehy of Billings was unable to attend the two-day Havre meeting, but argued against the acceptance. In comments read at Thursdays meeting, Sheehy thanked the Gianfortes for their generosity, but urged the regents not to make a final decision last week. She also called for the board to consider and adopt a policy that would allow greater public and board oversight of future gifts. Get a gift policy The publics input is important to me on name changes, not just because I consider the name to be an asset owned by the public, Sheehy wrote. We are changing the name from 'All of Us School' to one persons name. The board should have more than a one-week review of a contract that has already been signed, Sheehy wrote. I question the efficacy of allowing independent foundations at various campuses to enter into these contracts. The announcement of a major gift to a Montana university campus shouldnt be tarnished with political overtones in the midst of an election. The availability of public buildings or other public property for renaming through donations ought to be discussed and decided publicly before a specific deal is struck. We, the taxpayers of Montana who built MSU, found out just eight days in advance that someone elses name is going on our department and facilities. The regents must follow through on Sheehys advice to get a plan before selling any more names on university property. President Obama and his Vietnamese counterpart announced sweeping new cooperation Monday to bolster both countries military might, an accord prompted by the rise of China and that until recently seemed inconceivable for the two wartime foes. Half a century after the U.S. banned the sale of arms to its enemy in the Vietnam War, Obama lifted the entire embargo. Vietnamese President President Tran Dai Quang responded with a promise of more sweeping access to its strategically valuable ports for the U.S. Navy. Human rights advocates were stunned that Obama would take such a step without first exacting pledges that Vietnams communist regime will improve its record of human rights violations. Advertisement But Obama said that while he will keep pushing for reform, his decision to strip away the weapons sales ban gives Vietnam more heft against neighbors who throw their weight around, an unsubtle reference to Chinas growing influence. The decision remained cloaked in secrecy until Obamas first full day in Vietnams capital, as did his administrations assessment of another surprise move an airstrike that killed the leader of the Taliban, who U.S officials said was blocking peace negotiations in Afghanistan. Obama said he ordered the strike, across the border in Pakistan, in the interest of helping Afghanistan secure its own country. Together, Obamas two moves appeared to lay out the essence of the global mission he hopes to carry out during his final months in office turning U.S. attention to the prosperity and opportunities he sees in Asia, while leaving behind the bog of U.S. military intervention in the Middle East. He is pitching increased trade and enterprise in Vietnam and Japan this week as he tries to rally support in Congress for a Pacific trade deal. The pact would open up markets such as Vietnam, with its rapidly expanding economy and growing middle class, more broadly to U.S. businesses. As an exhibit for his audience back home, Obama also announced new deals for Boeing and General Electric on Monday. Vietnam, with the fastest-growing economy in Southeast Asia and a strategic position on the South China Sea, has been attractive to the U.S. for some time as both a commercial and military partner. President Clinton helped nudge U.S. public opinion toward a postwar view of the country when he visited Vietnam and eased trade restrictions in the 1990s. Two years ago, Obama moved to drop part of the arms ban by allowing sales that would boost Vietnams maritime surveillance and security capability. Among other changes, his decision allowed American companies to sell boats with machine gun mounts to the government in Hanoi. In the meantime, Obamas administration has continued talking with leaders in Vietnam, a government in which the general secretary of the Communist Party is as influential as the president or prime minister. Obama also wanted to work with the chairwoman of the National Assembly. In the run-up to the presidents visit, emissaries took care not to suggest a quid pro quo for any of the offerings up for discussion. Obama didnt want to make the access to Vietnames ports contingent on a lift of the ban. Likewise, Vietnamese officials wanted the human rights question separate from the conversations about military talks. But as Obamas departure for Hanoi neared on Saturday, one presidential advisor said talks were trending toward a series of agreements, all as part of a larger consensus that a stronger, closer friendship would be good for both sides. Human rights advocates dismissed that logic. President Obama just gave Vietnam a reward that they dont deserve, said John Sifton, Asia policy director at Human Rights Watch, adding that the U.S. has for years demanded human rights improvements from Vietnam in exchange for closer military or economic ties, but now appears to have set that aside. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) also questioned the administrations decision to move forward with the arms deal without extracting more concessions. The Obama administrations pivot to Asia should be about security ties, but also standing up for brave Vietnamese believers in democracy when they are under assault in Vietnam, Royce said in a statement. Administration officials havent ruled out the possibility that Vietnam will free some political prisoners and widen the latitude for journalists, bloggers and dissidents to speak out without fear of retribution. Those reforms should come because theyre the right thing to do, Obama said Monday. The U.S. doesnt seek to impose our form of government on Vietnam, Obama said, but will continue to speak out on behalf of human rights we believe are universal. Obama also argues that the Vietnamese are taking steps to improve working conditions by embracing the labor provisions in his Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Quang, while promising greater access to the Vietnamese ports, did not offer specifics about access to Cam Ranh Bay, the valuable port that served as an American supply point during the Vietnam War. A reserved spot in Cam Ranh would give the U.S. military the power to respond more quickly to problems in the vicinity, including in the South China Sea, where China is given to territorial threats against its neighbors. The bay has been open to the U.S. as a service port for some time, but military use has long been off-limits. White House officials believe that the Navy will have access either to that port or to a newly opened international naval port, possibly as early as this fall. The setting of Mondays events served to highlight how far the U.S. and Vietnam have evolved in their relationship since that spring day 41 years ago when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese. For his meeting with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Tron, Obama traveled to the party headquarters. The two men met in a room decorated in red and yellow under an imposing bust of the communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh. As Obama and Quang met with reporters to make their announcements, they did so in the Presidential Palace, where Ho once lived. ALSO Obama on Taliban leaders death: U.S. strike doesnt change military role in Afghanistan Still few answers in EgyptAir crash and no claim of responsibility As Obama tours Hiroshima, bombing survivors in Little Tokyo hope for more than words UPDATES: 7:56 a.m.: This article has been updated with additional details and reaction. May 23, 12:40 a.m.: This article has been updated with staff reporting. This article was originally published on May 22 at 11:38 p.m.. A left-wing candidate supported by virtually the entire political establishment has narrowly defeated a far-right populist in Austrias presidential election after a campaign that splintered the country and caused turbulence across Europe. After absentee ballots were counted Monday, Alexander Van der Bellen, an independent candidate who once led the leftist Greens, emerged as the winner over Norbert Hofer, a 45-year-old gun-toting leader in the far-right Freedom Party who had railed against refugees and migrants as well as the political establishment in Austria. Hofer, frequently compared to Donald Trump, was the clear favorite to win the largely ceremonial office in Sundays election after coming in first with 35% of the vote in the opening round last month against five other candidates. But opposition to him solidified around Van der Bellen, and Hofer conceded defeat on Monday. Advertisement Hofers party was founded by former Nazis in 1956 and had long been on the fringes of Austrian politics. But he held a slim, 144,000-vote lead Sunday after nearly 5 million ballots cast at polling stations were counted. The 885,000 absentee ballots counted Monday went decisively for Van der Bellen and were enough to deny Hofer the win. People walk between election posters for Alexander Van der Bellen, right, and Norbert Hofer, left, in Vienna on Monday. (Ronald Zak / Associated Press) In a Facebook post, Hofer said he was naturally sad, but that the work of his campaign was not lost but an investment in the future. Hofers rise in Austria sent shock waves across the European Union, which has been struggling to find answers to the surge of more than a million refugees who have arrived in the last year from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and other troubled spots. Despite his narrow defeat, analysts believe Hofers strong showing could give a boost to populist and right-wing candidates running for office in France, the Netherlands and Germany in the coming months and years. Hofers Freedom Party campaigned hard against immigrants after 90,000 refugees arrived in Austria over the last year. It was the central issue in the campaign and promises to play a key role in elections next year in France and Germany. Hofer spoke out against the invasion of Muslims into Austria and was opposed to allowing in any more refugees. He was also against transatlantic free trade agreements that he says cost Austria jobs. Unemployment doubled to 10% in Austria in the last three years. Van der Bellen, who was the leader of the Greens party for 11 years, until 2008, ran on a policy of open doors for refugees, as well as greater development of renewable energy. Hofer had benefited from widespread frustration with Austrias two mainstream parties, the center-left Social Democrats and the center-right Peoples Party, which have ruled Austria and dominated the countrys politics since 1945. The two parties lost in the first round of voting, leading to a government upheaval this month in which Chancellor Werner Faymann abruptly resigned after more than seven years in power. A new chancellor, Christian Kern, the former chairman of the national railways, was sworn into office last week. Most of the political establishment coalesced around Van der Bellen, ultimately ensuring his victory. Kirschbaum is a special correspondent. War, conflict and persecution have forced about 60 million people worldwide to flee their homes, overwhelming the global humanitarian aid system designed to help them and exposing its shortcomings. Haphazard organization, inefficient spending and a lack of coordination in delivering aid are among the problems, according to critics who charge that now, more than ever, the structure for helping the worlds most vulnerable people needs to be overhauled. Its definitely the case that the way in which we respond to humanitarian crises needs to be reformed, said Jodi Nelson, senior vice president for policy and practice for the International Rescue Committee. Its not just the humanitarian organizations, its the development organizations. Its really about reforming the entire humanitarian aid system. Advertisement How to better coordinate, fund and organize humanitarian aid are among the topics the World Humanitarian Summit will explore when it opens Monday in Istanbul, Turkey. The two-day event, the first U.N. conference of its kind, was expected to bring together global leaders from government, business, aid organizations, affected communities and youth, among others. Jens Laerke, deputy spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, said world leaders were expected to commit to advancing action in key areas. These include reaffirming the political and financial pledge to help ensure that 130 million people across 40 countries who are in need of life-saving assistance and protection have access to humanitarian aid and protection. The leaders would also respond to the widespread call .for a new way of working to address todays crises, which are increasingly urban, protracted, and complex, leaving millions of people caught in long-term cycles of humanitarian vulnerability and need, Laerke said in an email. The problems of the system are endemic, critics charge, not least among them the delivery of aid. They have a massive problem with coordination, said Elizabeth Cullen Dunn, a geographer at Indiana University, Bloomington, who spent 16 months between 2009 and 2103 conducting research in camps for displaced people in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. There is no one who is in charge. We see a lot of duplication of aid and gaps in delivery. Once they are displaced, [refugees] enter into a system that is extremely chaotic, added Dunn, who authored a paper on refugee protection and resettlement in the May issue of Science. There is very little planning involved. Its very ad hoc. Dunn and other advocates for refugees also criticize the length of time that displaced people fleeing conflict and other trauma are generally left to languish in camps. The average is 17 years, Dunn said. U.N. officials cite a gap in humanitarian funding as exacerbating the challenges to the humanitarian aid system. The sheer scale of the global crisis is something weve never seen before, Brian Hansford, a spokesman for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said in a written comments. But the whole humanitarian system is faced with a critical dilemma because the funds available are not keeping up with the rapidly expanding needs. A girl from Syria rests on a bag of humanitarian aid while waiting to be registered at a registration camp in the city of Presevo, Serbia, in December 2015. (DJORDJE SAVIC / EPA) According to Laerke, U.N.-led appeals to donors that include governments, intergovernmental institutions and the private sector, have grown from $3.4 billion in 2003 to nearly $21 billion today. But the gap between the assessed needs and the resources available to meet them is getting wider and wider, he said. Theodore Talbot, a senior policy analyst at the Washington-based Center for Global Development, said the funding crisis could be helped through various measures, such as keeping a reservoir of money to help aid agencies respond to on-going problems, as opposed to ad-hoc funding or having to pass the hat around for an emergency, Talbot said. Another way to alleviate the funding shortfall would be to create an insurance contract so that governments could be insured against disasters and get an immediate payout, and not have to depend on donor money, Talbot said. He has also suggested creating an endowment for refugees. Instead of condemning more and more people to a long-term future as aid-dependent refugees, what it we turned the support they would receive from donors over many years into an endowment that would enable them to start a new life in a new country? Talbot recently wrote in a blog post. By capitalizing future humanitarian aid spending and borrowing on capital markets, we could invest in these people, Talbot added. This could simultaneously make it more politically palatable for countries to take in people fleeing violence, radically improve those refugees lives, and reduce long-run humanitarian costs for donors. Humanitarian aid specialists agree that its not just about the amount of cash, but how the allotted funds are used. Theres no doubt that the need is outpacing the resources available, said Nelson of the International Rescue Committee. But its not just about needing more aid, its about needing better aid. Advocates for reforming the humanitarian aid system call for giving a larger share of funding to local and national aid providers, along with greater power to make decisions about how that money is spent. Now, about half a dozen large nongovernmental organizations receive as much as 90% of all funding from the U.N., according to data from aid experts. An overloaded car travels through the Assaga refugee camp in Diffa in May 2016, close to the Niger-Nigeria border. Chief of Humanitarian Operations of the UN, Stephen OBrien, has vowed to raise funds at the World Humanitarian Summit for significant help to the more than 240,000 refugees displaced by Boko Haram in camps in south-east Niger. (BOUREIMA HAMA / AFP/Getty Images) Between 2007 and 2013, only 1.87% of the approximate $17.8 billion received in humanitarian assistance from donor countries went directly to local actors, including national governments, according to research from Oxfam. Local actors are often best-placed to respond, said Shannon Scribner, humanitarian policy manager for Oxfam America. They understand the culture. They understand the language. They understand whats going on locally more than people coming in. We need to start trusting them more. We can no longer design a program in another capital, not working with local actors and then use [them] as sub-contractors. It doesnt work. Oxfam is among humanitarian aid providers that encourage making refugees more self-sufficient by giving them direct financial support, an initiative the aid agency implements in countries such as Lebanon and Jordan, where they provide refugees with cash on a debit card. It empowers people to make decisions about their spending at a time when they have been stripped of their dignity, Scribner said. Their savings are gone. They are living in a country that is not home. It helps to get them the assistance they need. All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. Reversing an earlier decision by Brazils interim government led by President Michel Temer, Education Minister Jose Mendonca Filho announced on 21 May that the government will reinstate the culture ministry. End of preview - This article contains approximately 511 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options On 20 May Argentinas President Mauricio Macri vetoed the anti-dismissal bill recently approved by the federal congress, which would have precluded any layoffs for the next 180 days unless employers were prepared to stump up double severance pay. End of preview - This article contains approximately 363 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Amidst high profile (and state televised) military exercises on 21 May Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro declared unity among armed forces, and said that the US dreamed of dividing the armed forces. End of preview - This article contains approximately 548 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are locked in an intense battle for control of the Latino vote as the critical Democratic primary in California looms over the next two weeks. With some estimates having the Latino vote accounting for as much as 20 percent of the total vote in the June 7, showdown, every vote seems pivotal, particularly for Sanders, who most early polls have trailing the former Secretary of State across the region. Sanders Supporter Remain Optimistic Such news has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of supporters for the liberal-minded Vermont senator, who on almost any given day has throngs of supporters blanketing Hispanic communities trumpeting his message. "I don't ever feel like I believe politicians, but I believe him," said 35-year-old Mercedes Hart, who describes herself as once having lived in Mexico and now being a first time voter who has gravitated to Sanders' message of income inequality. In recent weeks, the California primary has taken on more significance given Sanders' strong showing is such contests as Indiana, West Virginia and Oregon. Back in 2008, Clinton won the Hispanic vote in California by a 2-1 margin over eventual Democratic nominee and President elect Barack Obama. If recent polls are a true indicator, her race with Sanders figures to be much closer. A Field Poll taken in April shows Clinton leading Sanders by just seven points among Latinos in California overall, while Sanders was the choice of Latinos under age 40 by a nearly 3-to-1 margin. Data shows Latino voters between the ages of 18 and 29 also appear to be leaning in Sanders' direction. Clinton has Support of Most Local Pols Meanwhile, Clinton can count on the endorsements of nearly a;; endorsements of the state's top Latino politicians, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Secretary of State Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, who heads the House Democratic Caucus. This past week, she added the support of Latino icon Dolores Huerta, who also serves as co-founder of the United Farm Workers organization. On the issue of immigration, both Clinton and Sanders have pledged support for a path toward immigration reform. MISSOULA There's a sense of helplessness surrounding the rise in child abuse and neglect cases in Missoula and across the state. Watson Childrens Shelter built a second shelter in July 2010. Its full, and theres a waiting list. The shelter is not the first resort, said director Mike Boehm. Most who walk through the doors have suffered "profound abuse." If they were to build a third shelter, Boehm worries it would be full in no time. Child abuse is showing no signs of letting up. If anything, its getting worse, according to Missoula County and state data. The increase in child abuse and neglect cases parallels a rise in meth cases not a coincidence, people in the child protection systems say. The status of the Montana child protection system is deeply troubling, according to a recommendations report released Tuesday by the Protect Montana Kids Commission, established by Gov. Steve Bullock last fall to examine issues in the system. The system is in crisis and is experiencing an enormous growth in caseload. There are a record number of Montana children in foster care this year, according to the report 3,179. Thats more than double the number in 2008. The commission agreed with the correlation: Most of the spike can be attributed to parental drug abuse. Of those 3,179, more than 1,000 were removed due to their parents meth abuse. Thats up from 230 children in foster care due to parental meth abuse in 2010. Montana courts handled more than 2,300 child abuse and neglect cases in 2015, up from 1,600 in 2014. Missoula Countys data falls in line with the statewide trend. In 2015, 173 child abuse and neglect cases were filed in Missoula County. Thats a stark increase from the 51 cases filed per year from 2007 to 2011. Our DN (dependency and neglect) cases are slightly ahead of this time last year, said Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst. From 2013 to 2015, the number of meth cases opened in Missoula County rose 137 percent. Meth cases are still consuming an inordinate amount of resources, she said. Deputy county attorney Kelly Henkel reported that about 80 percent of the DN cases she's filed this year are meth-related. The rest are alcohol-related, or have elements of mental health challenges and physical abuse. All of those children have been removed from the home, with 70 percent placed with family members or close family friends, and the rest going into foster care. Court Appointed Special Advocates of Missoula saw its cases triple in three years, ending 2015 with 180 cases. Its drugs, drugs and drugs, said Youth Homes executive director Geoff Birnbaum. Its the one thing we know, lets put it that way. 'Flooded' On a Youth Homes caseworker's first day of in-home parent visitations in Lewis and Clark County, their caseload was full. The oldest kid was 5 and as young as a month old, and every one of the cases had drug and alcohol, and mostly drugs, Birnbaum said. I think the drugs people are using, starting with marijuana, are stronger than ever before. When you go to Oregon and you get legal marijuana, its powerful compared to what it was in the 60s and 70s. What that tells you is people arent just getting a buzz. Theyre gone. Theyre not available. The number of drug abusers has stayed fairly steady during the years, Pabst said, but the types of drugs and where they come from has changed. Were just flooded flooded with methamphetamine from Mexico, she said. Theres just such a rampant supply. Were seeing a huge influx in product coming from the superlabs in Mexico versus 10 years ago when we were dealing with meth problems and a lot of it was cooked locally. Its a huge money-making venture for these labs in Mexico. Theyve got state-of-the-art equipment, engineers, chemists, versus when it was just real small-town and inconsistent in 2005 and 2006 when we were dealing with such a resurgence. A day at the children's shelter At 2 p.m., Quinn Kessler starts her day at Watson Childrens Shelter. Kessler, an evening case manager, reviews the communication log, where staff write down the day's events and what's on the schedule for that night, what appointments are coming up that night, for example, if a child has a visitor. Shes worked there for 12 years, since she was 18 years old. I was three years older than our oldest kid, she said. Program director Deboruah Madonnas story is similar. She started at Watson when she was 19, and has now worked there 28 years. But shes been connected to the shelter far longer. As a child, she grew up next to the shelter and would play with the children, not knowing why they were there. Within the first three weeks of a childs stay, theyre enveloped in services dental, vision, physical, mental health evaluation, counseling and an educational assessment. Watson works with attorneys, a CASA, Department of Public Health and Human Services and family. Meanwhile, parents start treatment plans and in-home services are put in place. At 4 p.m., three more staff come in to help Kessler as the children get back from school. There's an afternoon snack and they unwind from the school day before dinner, appointments and showers. Dinner is family-style at 5 p.m. After dinner, its homework time. Many are in specialized programs at school because of gaps in their education, so theres a lot of catch-up work. With all of that missed schoolwork, the kids could be working for hours every night, but that stress isn't healthy for them, staff say. At some point they cut off the studying and let the kids relax playing, then quiet time, then bedtime. "We want them to be kids, because often kids come in here, with the type of abuse or life they've had, they haven't had the chance to be a child," Madonna said. Staff also have a rule that every child gets at least three positive reinforcements a day. We really try to build the children up while theyre here," she said. "When you come to shelter care, its the uncertainty. If you think about going into somebodys home, theyre strangers youre scared and youre frightened. Were strangers to them. Watson takes in children up to 14 years old. The average stay is 60 days, though children in the more extreme cases sexual and emotional abuse often stay longer. The first choice is for parents to be able to get their children back; second is another family member. But many go into foster care, and others to residential treatment homes. "They become almost like brothers and sisters here, in a way, because they're living together," Madonna said. "I ran into a girl yesterday at Walmart and she's having her third child and we were talking about other shelter kids that she still is in contact with. She named one of her kids after her because they're best friends." Shocking reality CASA of Missoula executive director Jeri Delys had one word for the child abuse and neglect spike meth. If you think about what meth does, how can you take care of yourself, let alone a child? she said. The images of the Montana Meth Projects Not Even Once campaign stuck with Delys, but reality was more shocking. When she traveled to Mineral County for a meth dealer's case, she had a vision of what the person would look like emaciated, with bad teeth and sores on her face. Then Delys saw the woman and nearly did a double-take: She looked exactly like Delys sister. It scared me, Delys said. Its so well-hidden. If you think about somebody whos intoxicated, you can tell. But the signs of a dealer, what do they look like? I was just in my own little bubble. It was extremely eye-opening to me. A CASA is assigned to a child in a DN case. The CASA is a trained community volunteer who becomes the voice for that child, an independent fact-finder. They have a court order to interview whomever they need. Nearly every CASA works one case at a time though last year CASA of Missoula had to ask some to take on two and theyre at about 125 CASAs right now. There are 80 kids on the waiting list. Were just seeing a steady increase, which is difficult to manage, she said. Its important that our program be able to keep up and its hard, and I think anybody who does this kind of work will tell you the same thing. Its very difficult. In 2013, St. Luke Community Healthcare and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, both in Polson, started collecting data on newborns at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome. NAS is essentially withdrawal for a baby whose mother was using opioids during pregnancy. That year, 15 percent to 19 percent were at risk. In 2014, it jumped to 22 percent. In 2015, it was nearly one-third. By January and February of this year, at St. Luke alone, nearly 50 percent were at risk. That really touches on everything were experiencing, Delys said. She doesnt know what it will take to slow the rise in cases, or stop it altogether. I have no idea. I wish I knew. Thats the $10,000 question. 'We've got to get better' Policies need to be enacted to help parents and children before a crisis occurs, Missoula County Commissioner Stacy Rye said at April's "State of the Young Child," including universal prekindergarten, flexible work schedules and high-quality childcare. Many businesses still fall behind in offering parental leave, she said, and daycare isnt cheap. We do more and more each day, Rye said. Were so busy that were dazed. Birnbaum said publicly funded day care would take a lot of pressure off families. Theres definitely nurses that would tell you that we know the kid who goes home that were worried about, he said. Removing a child from their home isn't simple, according to state law. But the cases were seeing, its like, what took you so long? Birnbaum said. And I dont mean that negatively, because I think theyre (Child and Family Services Division) trying. But everybodys full. The hospitals full, the shelters are full. I think weve got to get better as a system in getting people to be willing to involve. I think that some of its just cultural. People defend themselves as parents. When people call me, the first thing I try to do is to make them realize that everybody doesnt know what the hell to do with their kid. And if we can do that, I think wed get more families the help they need. Pabst said locally, prevention efforts and addiction treatment must be the top priorities. Working with projects like the Montana Meth Project, and schools," she said. "But its hard when its such a monumental challenge. As meth abuse grows, so do serious domestic violence cases. And while children are not directly involved, being around it is just as traumatizing, she said. Weve seen a spike in felony domestic cases, Pabst said. What meth does to people from a social standpoint from our professional position is that it turns what would be perhaps petty criminals and turns them into felons. These extremely violent cases were seeing more often than not are tied to meth abuse: assaults with weapons, strangulation. Birnbaum's message was simple: We can't give up. I have a former Youth Homes kid who wound up losing her children in her early 20s," he said. "She had a meth addiction, went to prison for three years and lost custody, came out, stayed sober, filed to get shared custody and got it back. Its possible. U.S. authorities have dropped as many as a dozen murder charges against reputed Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Without announcement, federal prosecutors in New York are reported to have removed the brutal acts from a list of formal charges filed against the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel leader. Plans now call for Guzman to be extradited to the U.S. on a slew of drug trafficking charges, which some legal experts predict could be easier to convict him in connection with. Guzman Being Held in Maximum Security, Mexican Prison Guzman is currently being held in a Mexican prison following his recapture four months ago after a second prison escape. The government there recently announced plans to extradite him to the U.S., where he faces numerous drugs charges in cities across the country impacted by his multibillion-dollar operations. Attorneys for Guzman have indicated they plan to fight his extradition on several legal fronts. Federal prosecutors from New York's eastern district are reported to have won the right to prosecute him first after competing with rival cases including Chicago, San Diego, and El Paso for the justice department's approval. "It is a calculus that involves a lot of different issues, but what it boils down to at the end of day is: who's got the best charges and who's got the best evidence," said Theresa Van Vliet, a former chief of narcotics at the justice department. "It's as simple as that." Brooklyn Charges Once Centered on a Dozen Murders Filed in Brooklyn in September of 2014 when U.S. attorney general Loretta Lynch was still the district's top federal prosecutor, a grand jury indictment previously charged Guzman and an associate with 12 murders that were carried out in Mexico over an eight-year span beginning in 2000, along with two attempted murders and multiple murder conspiracies against rival cartels. Among the murders was that of Roberto Velasco Bravo, Mexico's director of investigation for organized crime, who was assassinated in Mexico City in early 2008. MISSOULA A Montana conservation trust has raised the first $1 million toward buying a rugged 4,200-acre triangle on Missoula's south side, sparking excitement among runners, mountain bikers and others who see potential for using the area that is 1,000 acres bigger than the rest of the city's open space lands combined. The Five Valleys Land Trust announced Saturday that it had raised the money for a three-year option to buy Mount Dean Stone from The Nature Conservancy. The eventual price tag is about $4.5 million. Five Valleys Land Trust Executive Director Grant Kier said he hopes to see community organizations working together to build the property's amenities and steward its natural qualities. "I'd like to see a space to have conversations that are hard to have in a more regimented public place," Kier said. "This is so big, and yet so close to the urban area. We're focusing on the things that are unique to the wild land-urban interface." The Nature Conservancy acquired the parcel as part of the 310,000-acre Montana Legacy Project with Plum Creek Timber Co. It has handed off other parcels to the Forest Service, state land managers, ranchers and the city of Missoula. "We're used to having people recreate on our land as it was when it was owned by Plum Creek," Nature Conservancy land protection specialist Chris Bryant said. "We've helped create or expand wildlife management areas and places for people to snowmobile, fish, hunt and picnic. We don't have the capacity to be a facilitator with a lot of user groups. But we have a long partnership with Five Valleys, and that allows us to work at a scale we haven't in the past." The Nature Conservancy and Five Valleys Land Trust plan to leverage their networks of donors and affiliated groups to raise the rest of the money to buy Mount Dean Stone. One of those groups is Run Wild Missoula, whose members have already donated $25,000 toward the project and have pledged two more annual $15,000 contributions. Group executive director Tony Banovich said his 1,600 members look forward to expanding their running territory. Eric Melton, local advocacy manager for International Mountain Biking Association, said his constituency also is eyeing the project. "We understand the Forest Service's inability to add new miles of trail to the ground when they can hardly handle what they have," Melton said. "We have the ability to go after funds for trail work. And the trails are a benefit to everybody." Shelly Fyant, from Arlee, painted circles around the eyes of a horse named Big Medicine on Wednesday night. The circle gives us a clear vision so we can see our enemy, she said. The enemy Fyant is talking about is methamphetamine. She and a dozen others gathered at a horse barn west of Billings to learn about equine-assisted therapy and the role it can play in recovery. The event was held in conjunction with a meeting of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leadership Council here last week to address what is being called an epidemic of meth abuse on Montanas reservations. A warrior without a horse is at a disadvantage, said Gordon Birch, who led the training. Birch runs the Utah-based Pretty Shield Foundation and conducts equine-assisted therapy around the West. We are at war, he said. Many, many years ago when we went into battle, did we leave our war ponies behind? he asked. Today we have the opportunity to fight this battle with our horses, as one. Participants painted four horses Big Medicine, Spirit, Paladin and Aria. Bertie Brown, of Lame Deer, painted rectangular symbols on Big Medicine that represent calling for hail to fall on enemies. The roads that cartels use to bring meth into Lame Deer are not maintained, she said, and rain will stop their travel. Delia Morsette and Mike Geboe, of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, painted Spirit with their 9-year-old daughter, Faren Geboe. They used symbols from their Chippewa Cree tribe. Mike Geboe painted a spiral with his left hand because warriors need to know how to use both hands. Faren painted a bison, her favorite animal. The family said they felt more connected painting the horse together. Meth is a family disease. When we are dealing with it, its got to be a family together, Mike Geboe said. Its going to be tribal ways that are going to save us. Morsette painted a cross because it signifies escaping damage, something she identifies with after recovering from her own addictions. Spirit has his own recovery story. He was strong for a colt and someone wanted to train him to be a rope horse, but he wouldnt run. Because of that, he was beaten. Jolene and Richard Whiteclay, from Pryor, painted the palomino, Aria. Jolene Whiteclay said her grandmother taught her caring for animals teaches children responsibility. Equine-assisted therapy involves people working with horses to build a physical and emotional bond. People might train horses to respond to commands or ride the horse as a form of therapy. The therapy can both build strong children and communities that are less prone to fall into the trap of addiction, Birch said. It can also be helpful in recovery. Using interventions that are a part of Native culture is important, said William Snell, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leadership Council. "Indian people have the answers, our tribe has the answers, it's just a matter of practicing them again," he said. Many on the reservation begin using drugs as a way to momentarily escape poverty and a lack of opportunity. With meth addicts, using feels so good, Snell said. This replaces that thing with another thing thats meaningful in their life and thats good. Before the painting, participants stood in a circle, which Birch said represented many things unity, equality and a continuum all play a role in building strong relationships and when trying to recover from a meth addiction. We have to look at it from a holistic standpoint, Birch said. Horses have the same wants, needs and desires as people, Birch said. We learn by working with them how to manage our fears, our emotions, he said. Big Medicine and Spirit weigh around 1,350 pounds. When the horses are angry, they attack, Birch said. When they're scared, they run. The same is true for a person. Weve also seen what 200 pounds of scared looks like, what 200 pounds of mad looks like. Richard Whiteclay said many of the tribes in Montana are horse people. His wife, Jolene Whiteclay, has worked with children from broken homes and thinks having them paint horses would give an insight to what a child is thinking and feeling. What they choose to put on the horse can show whats inside, she said. A person and a horse can do a different exercise every day, Birch said. Working together builds up both sides and helps them overcome. After a few months, Birch said, you have the same horse, the same person, and were winning the war. MINOT, N.D. One man was arrested and another treated for injuries after sneaking into a Minot zoo and being bitten by a bear. The Minot Police Department was sent to the Trinity Hospital emergency room to investigate a patient who claimed he was attacked by a bear. Reports indicate that David Shepard, 21, and Cody Kage, 23, climbed the fence surrounding the Roosevelt Park Zoo. Shepard tried to get one of the bears to come near him by sticking his right arm through the bars of the bear enclosure. The bear then bit Shepard's right hand. Both Kage and Shepard were under the influence of alcohol at the time, police said. Kage was arrested for criminal trespass. Shepard was not immediately arrested as he was getting medical treatment. A warrant will be requested against Shepard for criminal trespass. Following citizen complaints about possible drug dealing, Bethlehem police served a search warrant last week and arrested a 65-year-old man, according to a news release. Bethlehem police say a search warrant executed May 19, 2016, in response to complaints about possible drug dealing led to the arrest of a 65-year-old Bethlehem man and seizure of cocaine and marijuana. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo) Joel Nickisher, who lives at the home searched Thursday in the 600 block of Marshall Street, was charged with drug possession with intent to deliver and possession of both drugs and drug paraphernalia. City police officer Bobby Hoppes and his K-9 partner, Blaze, were key in finding cocaine and marijuana during the 9:30 a.m. search because the drugs were concealed in hidden compartments throughout the home, police Chief Mark DiLuzio said in a news release. The search also turned up cash totaling several hundred dollars, DiLuzio stated. "This investigation, once again, was the direct result of concerned citizens calling in information about suspicious activity to their local law enforcement agency," DiLuzio said in the release. "Crimes like drug dealing, and the crime it causes, in a neighborhood are all quality of life issues that affect the entire neighborhood and surrounding areas." At his arraignment Thursday before District Judge Anthony Rapp Jr., Nickisher was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail. He remained incarcerated Monday, court records showed. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. UPDATE: Driver hurt, cited in Route 33 crossover collision A rush-hour crash involving a tractor-trailer Monday closed Route 33 North in Northampton County, authorities said. It was reported about 5:40 p.m. on Route 33 North, between Route 248 and Tatamy in Palmer Township, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Responders closed the northbound highway at Route 248, township fire Marshal Jim Alercia said. One person was initially trapped because of the crash, according to the Palmer Municipal Fire Department. The tractor-trailer could be seen on a PennDOT traffic camera in the grassy center median of the highway. The motorist who was trapped had been freed as of about 6:25 p.m. and taken to a local hospital, Alercia said. Firefighters found oil and diesel fuel leaking as a result of the crash, and the fluids were believed to have reached the Schoeneck Creek that flows beneath the highway, Alercia said. The fire department and Northampton County emergency management authorities were working to contain the spill. The highway was wet at the time of the crash, after a shower had just moved through the area. UPDATE: Accident on PA 33 northbound between PA 248 and Exit: TATAMY. There is a lane restriction. 511PA Allentown (@511PAAllentown) May 23, 2016 Authorities began reopening the highway about 7:15 p.m. CLEARED: Accident on PA 33 northbound between PA 248 and Exit: TATAMY. 511PA Allentown (@511PAAllentown) May 23, 2016 Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A long, underlying partnership between Lehigh Carbon Community College and Cedar Crest College will strengthen with a new program aimed at making it easier for LCCC students to transfer to Cedar Crest. On Monday, LCCC and Cedar Crest College faculty signed a dual enrollment agreement at Cedar Crest's Allentown campus. LCCC students who meet Cedar Crest's enrollment requirements will be accepted into Cedar Crest as a junior after they graduate from the community college. Dual-admission students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA for admission to Cedar Crest and enroll at Cedar Crest within one year after their LCCC graduation. Cedar Crest College President Carmen Ambar said more than 50 students transfer to Cedar Crest each year. A bulk of these students come from LCCC. The agreement is an effort to make transferring to a four-year institution from a community college a less complicated process, Ambar said. She believes the agreement will encourage LCCC students to consider Cedar Crest earlier in their collegiate careers. "This is really about student success," LCCC President Ann D. Bieber said. Bieber added the agreement will help students earn a bachelor's and succeed in their community. Both presidents hope the agreement makes transferring to Cedar Crest feel less like a transition. Cedar Crest College is still an all-women's undergraduate institution. However, Ambar said many students who transfer from LCCC fall under their School of Adult and Graduate Education, which enrolls students of all genders. SAGE admits students who are 25 years of age and older. Ambar remains confident many students will be able to take advantage of the program. Dean of SAGE Gaeten Giannini said he hopes the program will provide many adults with a meaningful second chance. "Many people in the program also have children too, and this can be a demonstration for them (that) succeeding in college is something achievable," Giannini said. Ashleigh Albert is lehighvalleylive.com's Russell J. Flanagan Memorial news intern. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. walmart.jpeg walmart.jpeg Wal-Mart on Easton-Nazareth Highway (Route 248) in Lower Nazareth Township is seen in June 2010. (Matt Smith | For Lehighvalleylive.com) ( ) Colonial Regional police officers arrive daily to deal with pick-pocketing thieves, referee parking lot disputes, shoo away solicitors and send loitering youth home. They are called to the scene even more regularly for folks who stuff grocery items down their pants, conceal baby formula in large pocketbooks, attempt to walk through the self-checkout without paying for items and perform bait-and-switch maneuvers on electronic sales. The calls, Colonial Regional Police Chief Roy Seiple says, are increasingly taking away the department's manpower and costing taxpayers. And, he says, they all happen at big box stores: mainly Wal-Mart. From April 2015 to April 2016, Colonial Regional police officers responded to 296 calls at Wal-Mart alone. Second in the running was Kohl's department store, in which officers responded to 83 calls. And third was Target, in which officers responded to 48 calls. That's an average of at least one call a day for retail theft. Out of 555 total arrests in 2015, Seiple said 187 of those arrests were for retail theft. "By far, retail thefts take up the majority of our arrest time," Seiple said. "The shopping centers are draining our resources." A Wal-Mart spokeswoman did not immediately return a voicemail for comment. However, Wal-Mart spokesman Aaron Mullins previously said the retailer complies with all applicable state laws and has several measures in place to ensure a safe shopping environment, which includes 24-hour security guards in some stores. "Our asset protection team does a great job in identifying people who break the law in our stores and we appreciate the close working relationship we have with local authorities," Mullins has said. Eating taxpayer dime Municipal officials in some communities have blamed the corporate giants for shifting too much of its security burden onto taxpayers and not hiring more of their own guards. Increase in volume calls at Northampton Crossings Mall, which houses Wal-Mart and Kohl's, in 2014 had been one of the factors Lower Nazareth Township was on the hook for a $450,000 increase in paying for police service. The hike prompted Lower Nazareth officials to study forming their own police department, which later was struck down. The 2016 police budget now calls for Bath paying $393,915; Hanover Township paying $1.7 million; and Lower Nazareth paying $1.2 million. "The arrests at Wal-Mart lead to other things, like officers attending court hearings and overtime," said Glenn Walbert, former member of the Colonial Regional Police Commission. "It can take away the ability to patrol. It's a drag on everybody." All the hours spent at Wal-Mart cut into how often law enforcement can patrol other neighborhoods, combat speeding and prevent larger crime, Seiple said. Pohatcong Township Mayor James Kern III said police had the same problem once the Wal-Mart in Pohatcong Plaza II along Route 22 became a 24-hour Walmart Supercenter in February 2012. Theft complaints in 2011 totaled 78, but by 2012, there were 113 shoplifting incidents and that increased to 169 incidents by 2013, Police Chief Jeffrey S. Greenemeir said. "Essentially, our police were being used by one taxpayer versus all our taxpayers," Kern said of Wal-Mart. In July 2015, Pohatcong Township passed an ordinance, telling all big box stores to pay up for petty police calls. Township council unanimously agreed to charge businesses that call for police assistance more than 10 times a month or demand an officer respond to a shoplifting incident that doesn't result in an arrest. The fine is $500, under the ordinance. Pohatcong Township officials in December 2014 additionally passed a measure requiring the operators of large shopping centers to hire a uniformed security officer to patrol the centers, including parking lots, starting one hour before opening until one hour after closing. The result was the Super Wal-Mart using their own security guards, which Kern said has helped since to deter crime. Greenemeir said calls are down with 140 incidents in 2015 compared with just 32 since January 2016. "We've seen a reduction," Kern said. "We still send our police up there, but we've found the store's own security guards are deterring people. I think it's been very successful." Charles Fishman, author of "The Wal-Mart Effect,"compares the high level of Wal-Mart calls to parents calling 911 every time their child misbehaves. He told the Tampa Bay Times in an analysis of four counties surrounding the bay, "That's not what police are for." During holidays, Seiple said Wegman's, across the street from Wal-Mart and Kohl's, pays the tab on police overtime for directing traffic around the shopping mall. It's something other stores could offer when more manpower is required, he said. "Everyone benefits from that," Seiple said. Place for higher crime? Drug addiction is the main reason shoplifters are attracted to the big box stores -- complete with clothing, food, electronics and other expensive gadgets. Drug addicts are often poor and might need food or simply are stealing to fuel the habit, Seiple said. "We ask them and the majority have heroin addictions," he said. And Seiple fears if such big box stores as Wal-Mart don't hire more security guards, additional crime could find itself inside those stores. The families of three people killed last year in the Lehigh Valley are suing Wal-Mart, alleging the retail giant sold ammunition used in the slayings to a man who was underage and drunk, the Associated Press reported. The lawsuit says Wal-Mart employees in Lower Nazareth Township were negligent in selling .38-caliber ammunition to Robert Jourdain, according to the report. The Easton man was 20 at the time, and the suit alleges the store failed to ensure he was at least 21, as required by law. Jourdain, now 21; Todd West, 23, of Elizabeth, New Jersey; and Kareem Mitchell, 23, of Newark, are charged with homicide in the July 5, 2015 deaths of Kory Ketrow in Easton and Francine E. Ramos and Trevor D. Gray in Allentown. Trials are pending. Police shot and killed Andrew Joseph Todd, 20, of Lower Mount Bethel Township in December 2015 who entered the East Stroudsburg Wal-Mart Superstore late at night and began threatening customers at gunpoint. "He could have flipped a coin and just as easily came down toward Easton," Seiple said. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. New Jersey and Pennsylvania police departments on Monday are targeting those not buckling up in a "border-to-border" campaign that is part of the "Click It or Ticket" program. "The mobilization strives to reduce (lack of) seat-belt fatalities by coordinating highly visible, evening seat-belt enforcement checkpoints and details at well-traveled state border sites," said Sean Brown, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Pennsylvania State Police in Belfast and Bethlehem; New Jersey State Police, Easton police and Wilson Borough police held a news conference Monday morning to announce the joint enforcement. Law enforcement plans to be at the state borders reinforcing motorist safety into late Monday evening. The "Click It or Ticket" campaign runs from now until June 5. The program is funded by a portion of PennDOT's statewide distribution of $2.5 million in federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Police say the enforcement focuses largely on nighttime operations, using traffic enforcement zones and roving patrols on roadways identified as having higher un-belted crash rates. According to PennDOT, unrestrained fatalities increased from 383 in 2014 to 413 in 2015. The statewide number of crashes in which people were not wearing seat belts decreased to 13,534 in 2015, compared to 13,627 in 2014. Motorists are reminded that Pennsylvania's primary seat-belt law requires drivers and passengers to buckle up, and children under the age of 4 must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children ages 4 to 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat. In addition, children ages 8 to 18 must be in a seat belt when riding anywhere in the vehicle. Also, drivers and front-seat passengers age 18 and older are required to buckle up. If motorists are stopped for a traffic violation and are not wearing a seat belt, they can receive a second ticket and second fine, police said. Visit www.JustDrivePA.com for more information on seat-belt safety and PennDOT's other traffic-safety initiatives. Join the discussion on social media by using #JustBuckleUp. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Solar Impulse 2 Lands In Silicon Valley After Pacific Crossing In this handout image supplied by Jean Revillard, Solar powered plane Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, flies over the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. (Photo by Jean Revillard via Getty Images) UPDATE: Solar-powered flight into Lehigh Valley is postponed A solar-powered plane that is attempting to become the first of its kind to fly around the world is expected to have a layover at Lehigh Valley International Airport on Tuesday. The Solar Impulse 2, which is powered entirely by solar panels and uses no fuel, will land at the Hanover Township, Lehigh County, airport sometime in the evening, although airport officials don't have an exact arrival time. As of Monday afternoon, the Solar Impulse 2 website said the plane, which is currently at Dayton International Airport in Ohio, is scheduled to take off from Dayton early Tuesday morning and arrive at LVIA at 11 p.m. after a 17-hour flight. Weather conditions are crucial to the flight's operations so the arrival and departure times could change. Many other details, including the length of the stay at LVIA, remain uncertain, LVIA says in an announcement posted on its website Monday. The executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, which operates LVIA, says in the announcement that airport officials are excited about the plane's arrival. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our region and community to be a part of aviation history," Executive Director Charles Everett says. To accommodate the plane, LVIA has constructed a temporary hangar and "will work with the Solar Impulse team to fulfill the needs of its mission," Everett says. That mission is an ambitious one. Here's how LVIA described it in the announcement: The aircraft requires near-perfect conditions to fly. Its four electric engines are powered by more than 17,000 solar cells built into its lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber wings. The pioneers of this journey are Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse initiator, chairman and pilot, who had the vision to fly around the world without fuel, and Andre Borschberg, co-founder, CEO and also pilot, who led the team in designing and constructing the solar airplane. In March 2015, Solar Impulse began its solar journey from Abu Dhabi and has traveled to Oman, India, Myanmar, China and Japan, Hawaii and California. It is now mid-way across the United States, heading to New York to position for the crossing of the Atlantic and is due to arrive back in Abu Dhabi by late July. As of Monday afternoon, no public events were planned in relation to the landing. Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. sunday hunting access Pennsylvania legislators are again considering bills to allow firearms hunting on Sunday. (Express-Times File Photo | MARK DEMKO) Our recent editorial in support of continuing the Sunday ban on firearms hunting in Pennsylvania drew passionate responses from both sides -- but for some it's not an all-or-nothing argument. Some readers looked at the situation and wondered whether a compromise could be struck. Several commenters at lehighvalleylive.com proposed that Sunday hunting be allowed in state game lands but not in state parks, where the potential for clashes with nonhunters is greater. One reader suggested keeping the Sunday ban but extending the rifle season for antlered deer by two weeks. The lines are fairly well drawn. Many believe Sunday hunting would be a big help to hunters who can't get out during the week, especially during firearms deer season. Others who enjoy the outdoors in the autumn say they need a day during weekends that are free from shooting. Is there a middle ground here? The state Senate Games and Fisheries Committee took up the issue last week, accepting testimony on a proposal to allow Sunday hunting. Here's a sampling of our readers' opinions. Feel free to join the discussion in the comments section. I'm a hunter but I understand that nonhunters also enjoy the outdoors. Leave Sunday as a nonhunting day so others can enjoy, in their own way, what we hunters enjoy the other 6 days of the week. Stalzy The primary rifle season is only two weeks starting the Monday after Thanksgiving. Why not allow Sunday hunting on these two Sundays and then allow Sunday hunting during the archery season? This seems like a fair compromise to me. By the way, I don't know a single farmer who opposes Sunday hunting. Deer cause a huge amount of crop damage and the farmers want them gone. It is NO secret that participation in the sport of hunting has been on the decline. Pennsylvania has been encouraging hunters to return to the "woods" with little success. Sunday hunting would give an instant boost to the sport ... Compromise -- allow Sunday Hunting during deer season and see how it goes? Deer season is already too long. You can now kill a deer with different weapons from end of Sept or early Oct all the way through mid January. Some things are legal to hunt 24/7 7 days a week, 365 days a year. So we are not hurting for opportunities. I can understand a ban on hunting in parks on Sundays. Other taxpayers should have the ability to use that park too. But why can't I hunt my own land on Sunday? Let them hunt on Sundays in state gamelands, but not the state parks. Hikers, dog walkers, bikers, horseback riders have to work, too, and the weekends are often the only time they get to enjoy the state parks. Keeping the hunters out of the parks on Sundays is only fair. I for one am happy that I can jog with my dog at Jacobsburg Park without worrying about flying bullets or arrows on Sundays during hunting seasons. If Sunday hunting is so distasteful to the non-hunting or antihunting crowd, how about making the rifle hunting season 1 to 2 weeks longer from the 12 days we get now and leave Sundays off limits? Seems a fair compromise. Ban cutting firewood on Sundays. It's too loud, and passersby might get hit with stray flying wood chips. Why not give the farmers a break from having to listen to that 6 days a week? Leitrim is the destination of choice for businesses and the benefits of moving your business to Leitrim was highlighted at an event in the Intercontinental Hotel, Dublin on Thursday, May 12. Former IDA Managing Director, Padraic White, said that Leitrim offers quality staff, low costs and is only 90 minutes from the M50 providing an ideal base as an over-flow facility for businesses in Dublin. Mr White said that in a survey 98 percent of firms that re-located in the last 18 months were very satisfied with the move and 60 percent of employees said they now enjoyed a better work life balance. The views were echoed by other contributors such as Declan Whyte of Vistamed who said that the multinationals located in Co Leitrim had proven to be a great success. PJ Rigney of The Shed distillery said To stand out, brands must be real and naturally authentic. Customers want to be invigorated by new experiences and location is important for that. It is why Drumshanbo was the perfect home for our brand and identity. Philip Martin of Cora Systems, outlined that their software business which started in Carrick-on-Shannon has now grown to having offices in the UK and the US with 50 people employed with the intention to double those numbers over the next year. Rural Ireland is improving its capability to deliver services to big business and Leitrim is striving to lead this change. Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Leitrim County Council, noted that 4G mobile broadband will cover over 90 percent of the county by 2017 and the National Broadband Plan will see total premises coverage by 2020. The event was attended by over 60 key business people and marks a statement of intent from the county. It is aiming to showcase its ability to become a destination of choice for business. Leitrim already has a strong tourism industry but building on this and competing for investment at a national level is now a priority. The Glens Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Susan McKay as their director. Susan McKay is well known in Ireland and abroad as an award-winning journalist and writer, as well as a broadcaster and documentary maker, and brings immense experience and leadership to the centre and to the north west. The Glens Centre was established in late 1980s as part of a cross-community project to revitalise north Leitrim. It refurbished Manorhamiltons historic Methodist church in 1994 and became a full-time arts centre in 2002 We are proud to welcome a director of the calibre of Susan McKay, said Chairperson Scott Coombs. The board were looking for someone who could articulate a vision for the centre that was ambitious as our own, but equally someone who is sensitive to the strengths and challenges in Leitrim and the north west of Ireland. Susans appointment delivers on all these aspirations. Susan McKays appointment opens an exciting new chapter in the centres history, at a time of transformation taking place both in the arts and in society, Coombs said. We all need places like the Glens Centre to find ways to allow artists to respond to this transformation, and to offer a place for the public to participate in the conversation as well. Coombs also paid tribute to the past directors of the centre, who have contributed to the growth of the centre over the years and who built its strong reputation. In accepting her appointment, Susan McKay said I am thrilled to have been appointed to run the Glens Centre - I want to make sure it maintains its reputation for creative excellence as well as exploring new and imaginative directions and collaborations. As a Derry woman I am also delighted to return to the north west. I look forward to working with the board and staff of the centre and with the community around the Glens, including the many artists who are from here or who have been drawn to live and create here. McKay will take up her post in August. When Brandon Main was released from the state prison last October, he went back to Fort Belknap. In all, he'd be away from the reservation about 15 years. Many of the people he grew up with were dead from drug use, and he didn't recognize some of the ones who are still alive. Most of the homes he visited were filled with drugs and addicts. He relapsed before his first meeting with a parole officer. Ive been repeating the cycle my whole life," he said. "Ive done a lot of bad things, sold drugs. The last time I was in for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Main has been clean since April 26. He believes this time recovery will work because he's enrolled in the peer mentorship program of the Aaniiih Nakoda Anti Drug Program. The 37-year-old has been down this road before. Ive been through almost every treatment program the state has to offer from Deer Lodge boot camp to the WATCh program, pre-releases. Ive been through the whole cycle a couple of times," he said. But having someone to talk to who understands his struggle and his culture makes a difference, he said. Knowledge of addiction Peer mentors are people who have gone through recovery. They do everything from make appointments for the person they mentor to driving them to meetings. They help with court hearings. But mostly, they listen. Peer mentors must be strong in their own recovery, and they work with people in active addiction or who have been clean for a short time, said Miranda Crasco-Kirk, who runs the program with Charmayne Healy. The two women spoke about their program last week to a gathering of tribal leaders, health care and social workers and others who gathered for a two-day summit on meth abuse in Indian Country put on by the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leadership Council. They started Jan. 4 and got their first participant in February. Three more enrolled in March, then two in April and eight in May. There are 12 active participants now; two dropped out. All 14 used more than one drug. Ten of the 14 were intravenous drug users. Eight who have completed the program have had some sort of relapse at one point and eight are in some form of other treatment. 'The new smallpox' The program is funded by $150,000 seed money from tribe's Island Mountain Development Group. Kirk and Healy are beginning to transfer the program to a nonprofit. Tribal leadership comes and goes, they said, and they dont want to be dependent on anyone elses approval to operate. Meth in Indian Country, said George Horse Capture, Jr., vice president of the Fort Belknap Tribal Council, is the new smallpox of the day, and believe you me, its not done feeding on us. Jonathan Gilbert, chief medical officer for the Billings area office of Indian Health Services, said meth use on the reservations is beyond just a problem. It is an epidemic, its a plague, he said. Elders call it the end of days, youth call it the zombie plague. Through the night people are walking through the streets aimless without direction. Crime is up, employment is down, our schools are affected. Conference attendees shared some stories of successes in treating meth, but also spoke about the many challenges they face. A lack of money to pay for sufficient rehabilitation was a universal problem. Lenore Myers, director of the White Sky Hope Center, said her organization in Rocky Boy's spends $10,000 to send patients to Seattle for treatment, and the money that pays for the program was recently cut from $90,000 to $50,000. In the drug court at nearby Havre, 75 percent of participants are American Indian, she said. Working together Peer mentors are less costly and can help fill the deficiency that on-reservation treatment might have over in-patient clinics out of state. Kirks husband, Bryce Kirk, is a mentor in the Fort Belknap program. He has been clean two years. I can sit there and say Ive done this, Ive done this. They can ask you How did you do that? And I can talk to them about the barriers. Peer recovery is "the wave of the future in how we can spread out or resources the most," said Erin Awes, a certified addiction counselor at the Crow Wellness Center. Underfunded Marshelle Lambert, the meth initiative coordinator at the Bureau of Indian Affair's regional office, said the Billings area is the only one to get money to address meth. It receives $1.4 million thats split among 11 tribes and three agencies. Most of the social services programs are understaffed, she said. Ken St. Marks, chairman of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, said theres not enough money to reach people, especially pregnant women. What were finding is a lot of the young ladies are coming to us wanting help and we dont have a place to send them. We dont have the money to send them. For the first two quarters of this fiscal year, based on what the tribes report to the BIA, 27 babies have been born addicted to meth on the Fort Peck Reservation and 18 on Blackfeet. Tribes and reservations have rehabilitation centers set up to treat alcoholism, Gilbert said, but the methods don't work for meth. This isnt alcohol. The 12-step program doesnt work for methamphetamine. Meth treatment, he said, takes longer. And those who go through it struggle when they go back home to the situations that the lived in when they were using. People are encouraged to use and their rehabilitation is discouraged, Gilbert said. People have so little hope in their life they turn to something that gives them happiness for so little time, he said. We have just caught up with an article by Alistair Carmichael in The Independent. The headline itself offers a jolt: The Extremism Bill means that the Queens speech might be the only one you hear from now on. Writing just before the Queens Speech last week he claimed: This Government still seems wedded to the notion that if you ban something it will go away.They banned psychoactive substances, despite zero evidence that it would reduce harm. They tried banning encryption, making all of our data less secure. Now they are trying to ban extremist speech via an Extremism Bill which they will introduce in the Queens Speech tomorrow. Alistair makes it clear that he believes we should be tackling violent extremism but It is vital that we differentiate between violent extremism and non-violent extremism. For those who incite violence and preach hate there are already laws that the Home Secretary can use to shut them down. There are public order laws, hate speech laws and terrorism laws that could all be used in these instances. For those who hold extreme views and are attempting to persuade others, surely the answer is not to ban them but to win the argument on the grounds of efficiency, if nothing else. The current definition of extremism as the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs is drafted so widely that it will not only catch terrorist sympathisers but perhaps even those who oppose the government, believe the monarchy should be abolished or disagree with same-sex marriage. And he gives this commitment: The Liberal Democrats are clear: we will work with all those in Parliament (even those whose views may come across as extreme or distasteful to us) in order to block this Bill. It has no place in a liberal, open and tolerant society. You can read the full article here. LifeStyle The best LifeStyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel LifeStyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Deb Hutton and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand. Get Foxtel RESIDENTS have criticised the location of a new playground in Caherdavin, which has been proposed by Limerick City and County Council in recent weeks. The council has submitted a proposal to the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government for the approval of funding for the playground, which will be located next to Caherdavin Community Centre. The project, which has been on the community agenda for close to 10 years, will have an estimated cost of 245,502, which will cover leisure equipment and construction works. While many parents in the area have praised the idea, a number of local residents have condemned the proposal. According to Independent Cllr John Loftus, numerous residents have said that it will attract more anti-social behaviour. Most of the play parks around the city end up becoming locales for anti-social behaviour, drinking, you name it. And where the Caherdavin playground is going to be located, it is at a crossroads where people meet and drink. And it is already going on there. And just over the weekend, local residents have contacted me about it, and they have said that it is the craziest idea to put a play park there. They said that it is going to make the problem much worse, he commented. He added that a number of residents have suggested to have the proposed playground relocated to Ennis Road, where it will be more visible. Residents supporting the proposals have said that there are no suitable facilities in Caherdavin, and parents must bring their children to the park on Shelbourne Road. Labour councillor Frankie Daly has urged the Minister and the Department to approve of the plans. This was part of my mandate for the council. It is something that is close to peoples hearts, as there is a huge population of children and young families in the area. And I feel that Caherdavin has been neglected, he told the Limerick Leader last week. A PATRICKSWELL man found with drugs valued at over 67,000, due for distribution to clear his debt due to a serious addiction, has received a suspended sentence from Limerick Circuit Court. Facing a maximum sentence of life in prison and a minimum sentence of 10 years, Danny Hickey, 29, with an address at Clouana, Patrickswell, avoided a jail term, as Judge Tom ODonnell took into account that he has no previous convictions and has a responsible position as an employer in the UK. The court heard that on November 11, 2013, gardai were on patrol on the N20 when they stopped a van. Hickeys home was later searched under a warrant, where he informed gardai that he had a kilo of cannabis and two cannabis plants. A further two kilos of cannabis, valued in total at 65,000, and three cannabis plants, valued at some 3,400. The drugs were found concealed in a hedge, while a mobile phone and a digital weighting scales were also seized. Gardai told the court that Hickey made admissions at the house, and later in interviews. He told gardai that he didnt own the drugs, but was due to distribute them on instruction. The court heard that he had developed a serious drug addiction, and was forced into sale and supply to reduce his debt. He wasnt on the radar of the gardai at the time, nor has he been since. A plasterer by trade, he gave up alcohol in 2013 but his family were completely unaware of his level of drug dependency, and were completely shocked [to learn of his arrest and charge]. Judge ODonnell heard that while the family dont condone his drug use, they completely support him. The defendant has been in constant employment in recent years, working as a sub-contractor with his own company in the UK, employing about four others. Judge ODonnell who imposed a three year prison sentence suspended for five years on his own good behaviour and bond of 100 took into account his early admissions, early plea, his efforts to deal with his addiction, his youth, his positive references, and his responsible position as an employer. Im giving you a substantial chance and I dont want to see you in court again but thats your choice, said the judge. The drugs will be destroyed. JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. Several Republican candidates vying to fill Wyoming's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives are united against the Environmental Protection Agency's plans for coal. The candidates say limiting EPA powers and repealing the Clean Power Plan are key to the future of the nation's largest coal producer. For voters, the question may be who will be able to turn rhetoric into action. According to a study conducted by the Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy in 2015, coal generates 14 percent of Wyoming's gross state product and provides $1.3 billion, or 11 percent, of all revenue collected by the state. If passed, the proposed Clean Power Plan would require Wyoming to reduce carbon emissions by at least 19 percent. Without a statewide move to reduce energy demands, the Center for Energy Economics predicted that by 2030, state revenue generated by the coal industry will be reduced by as much as 60 percent while employment across the state will drop by over 3 percent. Already since 2008, state revenue from coal has dropped 17 percent. Wyoming is the largest coal producer in the U.S. Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and a Teton County resident, has called for reducing the size and authority of the EPA. "We need a revolution on regulations," Liz Cheney said. State Sen. Leland Christensen of Alta says the EPA has gone too far, and that he can build a bipartisan, multi-state coalition to rein it in. Rex Rammell says the EPA "epitomizes everything that is wrong with the federal government" and proposes declaring that it is agency non grata in Wyoming. State Rep. Tim Stubson said Congress should do more to trim "governmental overreach." PINT of Science - the lively and engaging discussion forum that aims to make science accessible to all - returns to Limerick next Wednesday, May 25 from 7pm and is hosted by JJ Bowles pub, Thomondgate. This years event is spearheaded by the UL-based Irish software research centre, Lero. Their contribution centres on privacy. Delivered by Drs Fayola Peters and George Grispos and entitled Google knows when you went to the pub, it promises to lift the lid on what information is gleaned from us as we innocently carry around our smartphones. Each lecture is short and designed so the science behind the topics is understandable to all. Leros education outreach manager Clare McInerney explains the Pint of Science concept: Limerick is one of 100 or so cities from Australia to Brazil that are participating and the idea is we bring science to the pub. We have researchers talking about what they do in their research centres so that lay people can understand it. Sporting Limerick is a tag this city is proud of and many a citizen may not cast any thoughts across the mathematics behind elite sports, however, the discourse from ULs Department of Maths and Statistics Kevin Bronson plans to enlighten us all on the topic in a fun and lively manner. Clare adds: We will bring the most interesting and knowledgeable scientists in the Limerick area to talk about their research. You can ask questions and have a drink with the speakers, perhaps even sharing a crazy idea you might have. There are five other entertaining lectures planned for the evening and delivered by various professors, doctors and PhD students. Entry is free, but due to large numbers expected, it is advisable that attendees pre-register at pintofscience.ie. THE new Minister for Jobs recently cut the ribbon at the launch of a new, 100,000-square factory that will serve Regenerons pharmaceutical plant in Raheen. It is believed that the new Exertis Supply Chain Solutions facility could create up to 40 jobs in the city. Approximately 2m has been pumped into the new Raheen Industrial Estate project, which will safely handle, store and distribute over 4,000 pallets of temperature and humidity sensitive bio-pharmaceutical materials . It will also service the largest bio-pharmaceutical production facility in Europe in the shape of Regeneron, according to a spokesperson for Exertis. Minister Mary Mitchell OConnor was joined by Metropolitan Mayor, Cllr Jerry ODea, and representatives from IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Exertis, at last Thursdays launch, during a trade mission around Ireland. I am delighted to be here. This is a really good news story. Its great to open this facility and that youre going to have 20 extra people working here, she said. Company sources have said that the number of employees is expected to grow. The Minister added: We have been here in Limerick, over the last number of days, on a trade mission, and when IDA told me about it first, I imagined that I would be flying off to some exotic destination. But I am delighted. Its a trade mission in Ireland, and what it is, is our indigenous Irish companies doing business with the large multinationals and the large foreign direct investment. What we are doing is bringing the companies together, and what we want the smaller companies to do business with the larger companies. A spokesperson said the project is expected to help generate significant future employment as local businesses capture value from the activities of foreign direct investment. Exertis has operations in a number of countries worldwide, with more than 2,000 employees. Deputy Mitchell OConnors visit to Limerick is the first by one of the new Government ministers. Gov. Jack Dalrymple and other speakers urged those crafting a long-range plan for higher education in North Dakota to hold down costs for students, find efficiencies and continue to partner with the private sector to meet the states workforce needs. About 150 higher education officials, business leaders, lawmakers and other stakeholders gathered at the Capitol for a daylong workshop on the Envision 2030 initiative, which aims to chart a path forward for the North Dakota University System when the current NDUS Edge strategic plan expires in 2020. The discussion comes with campuses still reeling from budget cuts ordered by Dalrymple in February to help offset a projected $1.07 billion shortfall in state tax revenues. The University of North Dakota alone sustained $21.5 million in cuts, eliminating 138 positions in the process. Rep. Mark Sanford, R-Grand Forks, spoke of the need to control costs, noting that while enrollment increased 8.8 percent from 2007 to 2014, the number of university system employees jumped by more than 14 percent. This is a huge part of affordability. This is a significant issue when it comes to controlling the costs, he said. University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott said campuses are working on shared services and identifying administrative cost savings. Dalrymple has asked state agencies to prepare 2017-19 budget requests at 90 percent of their current ongoing expenditures. We know budgets are tight, Hagerott said. Dalrymple, the keynote speaker, praised the progress made since the last long-range planning effort, the Higher Education Roundtable, which was launched in 1999 and consisted of 21 state legislators and 40 leaders from government, education and the private sector. He cited the states growth in gross domestic product and per-capita personal income, low unemployment rate, more than 15,000 job openings and record-high population as evidence of roundtable goals fulfilled. What should we be doing now? I think really its more of the same, and maybe doing it even better than weve done before, he said. His advice included avoiding duplication and looking hard at sharing back-office functions. We know there are savings there, he said. Dalrymple also urged campuses to better utilize existing space, saying the state no longer has cash reserves to fund new building projects. Bonding, which was used in the past, will likely be discussed for the upcoming 2017-19 biennium but only for critical situations, he said. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said higher education must take a global approach with a focus on teaching students to be entrepreneurial as opposed to just training them for jobs. She also said higher educations future isnt necessarily in institutions. I dont think we can get rid of institutions all together, but education is going to be delivered in a much bigger platform than it was when I was a student at UND, she said. Controversies in the states higher education system in recent years are nothing new, and they typically develop when the state Board of Higher Education isnt sure about its goals or the relationship between the chancellor and presidents, Sanford said. Clarifying these leadership roles is just critical, he said. Hagerott said he hopes to have an Envision 2030 ready to be tied in with strategies at the states 11 public colleges and universities in about a year and a half. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Four candidates are vying for two positions on the Mandan City Commission. Each is focused on expanding Mandan and helping the city find its niche. The election is slated for June 14. Scott Davis Scott Davis, 47, aims to tackle gaps in affordable housing, property taxes and economic development the most important issues he sees for Mandan in the next four years. Davis, the North Dakota state commissioner of Indian affairs, is running for the city seat "because I like to get involved with things. ... I have a young family. I served on a lot of community boards, locally and statewide. I get a good glimpse of what goes on. I think I have some good assets to bring to the commission because of my earned access to leadership." As a governor's cabinet member, he said he has built a strong network of local, state and federal officials to use as resources, including Sen. John Hoeven and North Dakota's attorney general, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, treasurer and supreme court justice. In addition to affordable housing, Davis said infrastructure will be important to Mandan's future. He said the city and private sector can partner to encourage denser development to make housing less costly and get it "off the backs of taxpayers," with more infrastructure costs designated to the larger developments. He adds there is a network of resources to create more affordable housing through the Community Block Grant program, the Public Finance Authority, the North Dakota Finance Agency, the State Revolving Loan Fund for wastewater and public facilities, infrastructure loan programs and the Bank of North Dakota. "We have to create our own brand," he said of vying for new business in the area. Davis said he has a strong reputation for his work ethic. He suggests the city do more economic research, modeling itself based upon what similarly sized cities do in the same situation. He praises Mandan for the business contacts it makes. "I would take that a step further and engage with some companies face to face. ... I would say: Come look at us. Look at our workforce. Look at our education levels. It would create a profit for the companies, create jobs, careers and definitely help our tax base," he said. "I definitely know the role of decision-making. I've been through a lot of budgets, budget cutbacks. Policy is a big part of my portfolio," said Davis, who has four children with his wife, Lorraine. Karl Liepitz Karl Liepitz, 37, a member of the city planning and zoning commission for more than two years, said he wants Mandan to be a desirable choice as he seeks to expand his service to the community as a city commissioner. The Minnesota native has lived in North Dakota for 13 years, seven of them in Mandan. He and his family moved to the city at the urging his wife, Britt, who is proud of her hometown. Liepitz, a senior attorney at MDU Resources, cites promoting economic opportunity and development as well as fiscal responsibility as the city commission's top priorities. "We can then sustainably fund all of the updates and expansions to the city infrastructure, streets, sewer and water and make sure we have reasonable ... taxes and fees for the residents," he said. Expanding economic growth, he reasons, will bring more sales tax dollars, expand the property tax base, and ease the burden on property taxpayers as it is spread across a larger population. Liepitz aims to reduce the city's $60 million debt. "If we reduce that over time, it will give us more dollars to reinvest in the community," he said, adding that his focus is to maintain a business-friendly environment with reasonable taxes. "Mandan should not try to be another Bismarck. Mandan is a unique and beautiful place to live. There is an opportunity to attract boutiques or unique specialty shops," said Liepitz, who sees strong potential to bring in shoppers from north and south of Mandan. Now that the diesel cleanup is nearly completed, he said he hopes other businesses will see it as an opportunity to relocate. Liepitz said attracting young people to live in the city is critical. As a member of the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, he was part of the team that organized the universal playground that allows kids with disabilities to play with all children. "I'm sure there are other needs like that in the community. If elected, I would find those needs," he said. Also critical to bringing young people to Mandan are jobs, he said. "You need to maintain an environment that will enable people to flourish, enable them to grow and expand in Mandan, and the property taxes are reasonable," he said. Liepitz and his wife are in the process of adopting a child. Mike Braun Mike Braun, 50, is seeking his second four-year term as a commissioner. As a lifelong resident of the city, Braun said he wants to continue to serve the public and finish the goals he has set forth for economic development. He said Mandan's most important issues in the next four years will be to curtail the city's property tax. He said school, parks and city officials must work with the Legislature to lower mill levies. Ellen Huber, the city's business development director, will play a key role in encouraging people to come to Mandan, he said, and city officials should let people know Mandan is the place to be to sustain its young population. "Economic rebates and tax incentives will bring business and increase our traffic counts ... and we will be prosperous," said Braun, who aims to educate the public that incentives will bring in new business and greater traffic volume. "Our building and construction has gone up in the last five years. I don't know if we are having as much trouble bringing in families and residents as we are (bringing in) businesses," said Braun, who works at North Dakota Guaranteed Title and holds a four-year degree in criminal justice from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He said the near completion of the diesel spill recovery will help with the Mandan brand of "where the West begins." "I bring a firm belief of what I believe is best for Mandan. My voting would be indicative of that," Braun said. "I believe I bring a lot of common sense, which is important, and my ability to communicate with others to express the idea I have and promote something is important." He said he has helped the city in its efforts to boost economic development during his first term. "We have been doing exceptionally well in the four years I have been here. I would say, look at Walmart. There's a lot of building and development. Homes have gone up. I want to keep doing that. You have to keep working to bring business in to promote the city you live in. I can do that," he said. "We have a lot of square footage in downtown Mandan that is open and can be rented." Braun has three children. John Schultz John Schultz, 66, a commercial developer, said Mandan is positioned to benefit from its most recent growth surge -- but cutbacks in state funding will affect cities, he said. "Property taxes have been creeping even with the buyback of the property taxes. I think we will see a big impact with the state having to scale back its budgets. I would like to help the city prioritize their projects. We've got to prioritize our budgetary money so we can eliminate as much tax increase as possible," said Schultz, a Parshall native who ranched for 35 years southwest of Mandan and ran an engineering consulting firm. He said the diesel spill, or the perception of it as a problem, should no longer hold up downtown development in Mandan as more recovery wells are being shuttered. "It's all pretty well available for development. It's a matter of creating a desire for small businesses to move into town," he said. "There are commercial buildings available for rent, yet they're not being utilized. It's going to be a priority to get those buildings utilized." Mandan's growth will come from young people, he said, but they won't cross the river if property taxes are too high. He estimates property taxes are 25 percent higher in Mandan than in Bismarck. "I'd like to see more businesses develop in Mandan. ... At the same time, it can't be at the expense of taxpayers," said Schultz, who earned a master's degree in civil and environmental engineering from Utah State University. Mandan can move past its image as the "poor stepchild" of Bismarck, according to Schultz, who, with his wife, Connie, have three grown daughters and four grandchildren. "Mandan has to look at its own niche a niche that will attract the folks looking for a more rural or Western-type experience. They've done a good job with that on the rodeo and some of the events already developed. They've got to expand on that. They've got to appeal to different folks than Bismarck does. It has a small-town feel in Mandan. I think a lot of people are looking for that," he said. "I think the goal is to get the word out. We have to do a better job of presenting our case in the area more promotion," said Shultz, adding that his 25 years of management experience will benefit Mandan citizens. We must frankly face the fact that the front-runners in both political parties represent a new low, at a time of domestic polarization and unprecedented nuclear dangers internationally. This year's general election will offer a choice between a thoroughly corrupt liar and an utterly irresponsible egomaniac. The Republican establishment, whose serial betrayals of their supporters created the setting for a Donald Trump to arise, must now decide how best to deal with the apparent inevitability of his candidacy. Choosing among various unpalatable options may require some tricky maneuvering on their part, but they have been used to tricky maneuvering before, which is how they find themselves in this predicament in the first place. Apparently some Republican leaders have opted to try to make the best of a bad situation by creating at least the illusion of party "unity" going into this year's elections. But the toxic image of Trump can follow the Republicans repeatedly in future elections. The careers of young Republicans are especially at risk of acquiring an indelible stain by being associated with Trump, much as Marco Rubio may never live down his association with Sen. Chuck Schumer's attempt to create bipartisan amnesty. The smart money says that, when all is said and done, Republican voters are going to have to vote for Trump. If they stay home, that is the same as voting for Hillary Clinton. As former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich put it, Clinton in the White House means a Supreme Court packed with justices who will undermine the Constitution for decades to come. He has a point but not necessarily a decisive point. Seeing the freedom for which generations of Americans have fought and died eroded away by judicial sophistry in the coming years is certainly a grim prospect. But nuclear annihilation is one of the few prospects that are even worse and a man with a runaway egomania may not have the finesse or the depth to steer through troubled international waters that include a nuclear Iran and a nuclear North Korea. If a man in his 60s has not yet matured, he is unlikely to grow up in his 70s. This is not a question about whether Trump is as evil as Clinton. He may well be the proverbial "lesser of the two evils" in that sense, and yet be the more dangerous president to have in the White House. Some have argued that a President Trump could surround himself with experienced and savvy advisers to cover for his own shallow understanding of many national and international issues. But Barack Obama has already shown us that a headstrong egomaniac can ignore even unanimous advice from military advisers. That is how he pulled troops out of Iraq and set the stage for ISIS. Those of us who are far more concerned about the fate of this country than about the fate of the Republican Party face far tougher questions than how to get through this year's election. Some people are said to be thinking about a third-party candidate. Desperate times may call for desperate measures. But if such a desperate choice is made, a third party has virtually no chance of electing its candidate. The most a third party could hope for would be to take enough votes from both Democrats and Republicans to deny either party's candidate a victory in the Electoral College. That would throw the election of the president of the United States into the House of Representatives. No one knows who would then become president. But it would be hard to find someone worse than either Clinton or Trump. The very fact that we are left with such desperate options is not only a rebuke to the professional politicians, but also a painful revelation about the voting public. Immediately after electing a president with virtually no track record, on the basis of rhetoric and symbolism, and seeing disaster after disaster during his administration, many are now prepared to do the same thing all over again. More than two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." If so, can people who cannot be bothered to look up from their electronic devices expect to remain a free people? This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up and thumbs down on issues from the past week. Up One thing schools can do is help us learn from around the world. Legacy High School journalism adviser Susan Skalicky adapted a project that she read about that occurred in Paris. She partnered with Carries Kids, lending cameras to at-risk teens who documented their environments. A Legacy photography class edited the photos, mounted them and presented a gallery during a public display. Students from other classes got involved and the learning experience expanded. In the end the school and the public came away with a better understanding of what at-risk students are facing. Thats the power of education. Down Gov. Jack Dalrymple and School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler were correct to object to President Barack Obamas directive ordering schools to accommodate transgender students choice of bathrooms. Its an issue that doesnt have a simple answer for the entire nation. It needs to be resolved on the local level. Up Bismarck is getting noticed across the country. The Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists with a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community award. The bicyclists group honors communities in all 50 states that improve their bicycle safety environments. Also, the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District is a finalist for the 2016 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. The Gold Medal Awards program honors communities that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Biking and parks-related activities show the community has been thinking healthy. Down A story on Sunday looked at past political campaigns in North Dakota and described how rough and tumble they were. The story concluded the Republican race for the gubernatorial nomination, already considered nasty by some, could get tougher. We hope not. There are plenty of issues to debate without becoming sidetracked over who has the most misleading ad. Up Every year the Great American Bike Race seems to find a way to top its goal. This years Sanford Healths pedaling extravaganza raised more than $400,000 for those with cerebral palsy and related disabilities. Its a lot of fun but its also work. Participants must raise funds and then ride a stationary bike. Kudos to all those who helped top the goal. A stove fragment from the Mijiaya site that was probably used to heat the fermenting grain mash during the beer-brewing process. Barley might have been the "secret ingredient" in a 5,000-year-old beer recipe that has been reconstructed from residues on prehistoric pots from China, according to new archaeological research. Scientists conducted tests on ancient pottery jars and funnels found at the Mijiaya archaeological site in China's Shaanxi province. The analyses revealed traces of oxalate a beer-making byproduct that forms a scale called "beerstone" in brewing equipment as well as residues from a variety of ancient grains and plants. These grains included broomcorn millets, an Asian wild grain known as "Job's tears," tubers from plant roots, and barley. Barley is used to make beer because it has high levels of amylase enzymes that promote the conversion of starches into sugars during the fermenting process. It was first cultivated in western Asia and might have been used to make beer in ancient Sumer and Babylonia more than 8,000 years ago, according to historians. [See Photos of Ancient Beer Brewing in China's 'Cradle of Civilization'] The researchers said it is unclear when beer brewing began in China, but the residues from the 5,000-year-old Mijiaya artifacts represent the earliest known use of barley in the region by about 1,000 years. They also suggest that barley was used to make beer in China long before the cereal grain became a staple food there, the researchers noted. Surprising ingredient The prehistoric brewery at the Mijiaya site consisted of ceramic pots, funnels and stoves found in pits that date back to the Neolithic (late Stone Age) Yangshao period, around 3400 to 2900 B.C., said Jiajing Wang, a Ph.D. student at Stanford University in California and lead author of a new paper on the research, published today (May 23) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Wang told Live Science that the discovery of barley in such early artifacts was a surprise to the researchers. Barley was the main ingredient for beer brewing in other parts of the world, such as in ancient Egypt, she said, and the barley plant might have spread into China along with the knowledge of its special use in making beer. "It is possible that when barley was introduced from western Eurasia into the Central Plain of China, it came with the knowledge that the grain was a good ingredient for beer brewing," Wang said. "So it was not only the introduction of a new crop, but also the knowledge associated with the crop." A map of the location of the Mijiaya archaeological site in the Shaanxi province of northern China. (Image credit: PNAS) The ancient art of beer The Mijiaya site was discovered in 1923 by Swedish archaeologist Johan Gunnar Andersson, Wang said. The site, located near the present-day center of the city of Xi'an, was excavated by Chinese archaeologists between 2004 and 2006, before being developed for modern residential buildings. After the full excavation report was published in 2012, Wang's co-author on the new paper, archaeologist Li Liu of Stanford, noticed that the pottery assemblages from two of the pits could have been used to make alcohol, mainly because of the presence of funnels and stoves. Wang said that some Chinese scholars had suggested several years ago that the Yangshao funnels might have been used to make alcohol, but there had been no direct evidence until now. [Raise Your Glass: 10 Intoxicating Beer Facts] In the summer of 2015, the Stanford researchers traveled to Xi'an and visited the Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology, where the artifacts from the Mijiaya site are now stored. The scientists extracted residues from the artifacts, and their analysis of the residues turned out to prove their hypothesis: that "people in China brewed beer with barley around 5,000 years ago," Wang said. Reconstructing the recipe The researchers found yellowish remnants in the wide-mouthed pots, funnels and amphorae that suggested the vessels were used for beer brewing, filtration and storage. The stoves in the pits were probably used to provide heat for mashing the grains, according to the archaeologists. The beer recipe used a variety of starchy grains, including barley, as well as tubers, which would have added starch for the fermentation process and sweetness to the flavor of the beer, the researchers said. Wang and her co-authors wrote that barley had been found in a few Bronze Age sites in the Central Plain of China, all dated to around or after 2000 B.C. However, barley did not become a staple crop in the region until the Han dynasty, from 206 B.C. to A.D. 220, the researchers said. "Together, the lines of evidence suggest that the Yangshao people may have concocted a 5,000-year-old beer recipe that ushered the cultural practice of beer brewing into ancient China," the archaeologists wrote in the paper. "It is possible that the few rare finds of barley in the Central Plain during the Bronze Age indicate their earlier introduction as rare, exotic food." "Our findings imply that early beer making may have motivated the initial translocation of barley from western Eurasia into the Central Plain of China before the crop became a part of agricultural subsistence in the region 3,000 years later," the researchers wrote. It's even possible that beer-making technology aided the development of complex human societies in the region, the researchers said. "Like other alcoholic beverages, beer is one of the most widely used and versatile drugs in the world, and it has been used for negotiating different kinds of social relationships," the archaeologists wrote. "The production and consumption of Yangshao beer may have contributed to the emergence of hierarchical societies in the Central Plain, the region known as 'the cradle of Chinese civilization,'" they added. Follow Tom Metcalfe @globalbabel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. From an insect with a raunchy name to one of the ugliest species in the world, there were approximately 18,000 newfound species named last year. With such a large number of species discovered each year, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) has put together a list of the "Top 10 New Species," celebrating species named in the previous year, since 2008. This year's list honors 10 species representative of global biodiversity. In the absence of a global species registry, the annual list is a reflection the Earths diverse species population, said Quentin Wheeler, ESF president and founder of the school's International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE). [See the Top 10 New Species from Last Year] "We want to bring attention to the biodiversity crisis," Wheeler told Live Science. "We want to bring attention to how little we know about species on our own planet. And we want to bring attention to the fact that this science is going on and every day new species are being discovered." Given the thousands of species discovered each year and an estimated 10 million species yet to be discovered, five times the number already known Wheeler said the top-10 list includes species that "stand out in some way." This could include the largest or smallest of a species, the last known living, or first discovered or, in the case of this year's list, the ugliest. A new species of anglerfish, Lasiognathus dinema, was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico during a damage assessment after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. With an unusual headpiece that looks, ironically, like a fishing pole, this anglerfish could make an ugliest species list. "The bizarre anglerfish that's on the list this year, that's like driving by a car wreck. The thing is so ugly you cant help but stop and look at it," Wheeler said. Then there are species that make the list for their names, like the damselfly this year, whose genus name Umma lent itself to a rock-and-roll reference. The Umma gumma, one of 60 new damselfly species reported this year, gets its name from the 1969 Pink Floyd double album "Ummagumma" (which has yet another meaning it's British slang for sex). Asked each year for his favorite, Wheeler said it's like asking to name a favorite child. But he said he couldn't help but be drawn to one from this year's list for its historic connection. "This year, I was just astounded at the discovery that the giant tortoises on one of the Galapagos Islands actually represent two discrete species that apparently have been isolated for a long time," Wheeler said. "The giant tortoises are just so iconic for Darwin and for the discovery of evolutionary theory and so forth. To me, they're just pretty spectacular." Follow Kacey Deamer @KaceyDeamer. Follow Live Science @livescience, on Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. C. difficile is one of the most dangerous of the antibiotic-resistant superbugs. SAN DIEGO Patients who undergo a "poop transplant" to treat severe diarrhea often see their symptoms get better within days, but their gut bacteria continue to undergo dramatic changes for at least three months afterward, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed the gut bacteria of eight patients who had Clostridium difficile, a difficult-to-treat bacterial infection that can be life-threatening. After several earlier treatments for their infection didn't work, all of the patients underwent a procedure called fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), in which fecal matter from a healthy donor is delivered into a patient's colon, in order to restore a better balance of bacteria within the gut. On the day of the transplant, the patients had significantly less diversity in their gut bacteria, in terms of the number and types of bacteria, compared with the donors' gut bacteria, the researchers found. And although most patients' symptoms went away within 48 hours of the procedure, the diversity in their gut bacteria was still quite different from that of the donors after a month, said study co-author Dr. Daniel Martin, a gastroenterology specialist at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. It wasn't until three months after the transplant that the diversity in patients' gut bacteria resembled that of the donors, said Martin, who presented the findings here Saturday (May 21) at Digestive Disease Week, a scientific meeting focused on digestive diseases. [5 Ways Gut Bacteria Affect Your Health] People often think that FMT works because the healthy and diverse gut bacteria of the donor work quickly to take over the patient's colon and resolve their symptoms, Martin said. But the new findings suggest that this is not actually the case, and rather that the patients' symptoms go away long before the overall balance of their gut bacteria starts to look like that of the donors. "Patients' symptoms have resolution very quickly after a fecal transplant," Martin told Live Science. However, over several months, "the [gut] flora [bacteria] that those patients have dramatically changes the diversity changes, the type of flora that they have in their GI tract changes and it takes up to 90 days for the recipients' flora to mirror a diversity of the donor flora," Martin said. Diversity in the gut flora is important for long-term health and success after an FMT, but it's possible that specific groups of bacteria play a bigger role than previously thought in helping patients' symptoms go away immediately after the transplant, Martin said. Now, the researchers are working to identify which groups of bacteria may be important for patients' symptom resolution after the transplant. It's also possible that other factors, such as a patient's immune response to the donor bacteria, are playing a role in the quick resolution of patients' symptoms, Martin said. Ultimately, researchers want to identify a subset of bacteria that they could give to patients with C. diff in pill or liquid form instead of performing a fecal transplant, Martin said. In a 2013 study, researchers processed donor fecal matter until it contained only bacteria that they could put in a pill, and found that the pills were well tolerated by patients with Clostridium difficile. Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. A still frame from drone footage of tiger sharks feeding on a humpback whale carcass, shot by Australian tour company Eco Abrolhos on May 20. On May 20, tourists on an Australian cruise witnessed an incredible but gruesome sight: approximately 70 tiger sharks tearing apart the carcass of a humpback whale in Shark Bay. The tour company, Eco Abrolhos, encountered the bloody scene during the fourth day of a 14-day cruise, as the group traveled near Steep Point, Dirk Hartog Island, according to a post on the company's Facebook page. They used an aerial drone to capture footage of the carnage and shared the video on Facebook, showing scores of tiger sharks circling and ripping into the dead whale, as clouds of gore stained the turquoise water. The sharks were described as having "a whale of a time." In an earlier image that Eco Abrolhos shared on Facebook before posting the video, a group of sharks clustered around the whale carcass, close enough to the boat and the photographer that they appear no more than an arm's length away. The video has accrued more than 850,000 views since it was shared on May 21. Shark Bay is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site on the western coast of Australia. Its waters, islands and peninsulas cover approximately 5.4 million acres (2.2 million hectares) and host diverse communities of plants, amphibians, land mammals and marine life. Shark Bay earned its name in 1699, after English explorer William Dampier visited the region and was deeply impressed by the number of sharks he observed there. He also pronounced those sharks to be delicious, according to Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife. But in the May 21 video, it was whale that was on the menu. Increasingly, humpback whales and southern right whales have been using Shark Bay as a stopping point along their migratory routes, UNESCO explained in a site description. While the tour guides were unable to tell how the whale got there or describe the circumstances surrounding its death, the sight of the feeding frenzy likely will not be forgotten anytime soon by the tourists who witnessed it firsthand, or by the hundreds of thousands of people who glimpsed it on video. Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. How much is the sunshine worth in North Dakota? For Northern Plains Electric Cooperative and Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative, it was worth $947 in the past year. The two cooperatives worked together to build a $14,000 solar power-generating system capable of producing 6.56 kilowatts at peak output times, or an estimated 10,000 kilowatt hours in a year. The system has been online for a year, offering a peek at what kind of potential solar power might have in central North Dakota. According to the Energy Information Administration, North Dakota has very little solar electricity generation, even though there is abundant sunshine. The Northern Plains and Dakota Valley project is of the size that would be similar to something someone would put on a house. Ashten Breker, systems engineer at Northern Plains, said the purpose of the project was not to power the office in Carrington where the system is set up. We set it up so we could show the members a real life solar project, she said. The cooperatives received help $10,000 in grants through USDA Rural Development, the North Dakota Department of Commerce, then split the remaining expenses. In its first year in service, the system generated 8.7 megawatt hours or 8,700 kilowatt hours which is worth $947. Katie Ryan-Anderson, the manager of member communications for Northern Plains, said the project is on target to begin returning on the investment in 20 to 30 years. The generation from the system is tracked in real time, so anyone can see the results by visiting http://egauge14462.egaug.es/kiosk2.html. They can see that its putting out more power if its sunny than when its overcast, Breker said. They also can see if the system is down for repairs and thus not producing. The cooperatives also have been open about maintenance and repair costs. Strong winds damaged some of the system components last year. Breker said three or four $65 reflector panels and several $12 struts had to be replaced. Our goal is to learn about these advantages and disadvantages on behalf of our members. That way, our members can know what to expect before investing in solar, Ryan-Anderson said. Breker said the system has produced on par with what was expected of it, given the latitude. But the project also has provided knowledge about solar power to cooperative members. While several members have solar generating systems, Breker said no new systems have been built by members since the project stated. However, she fields a lot of calls from people interested in their options. The project will continue indefinitely, so people can continue to evaluate whether solar power might be a good fit for their homes or businesses, Breker said. As North Dakota grows and diversifies, its courts are not capturing demographic information about the people who go through them. Courts collect little information on the race and gender of criminal defendants, analysis from the Council of State Government's review of the state's criminal justice system shows, even though previous study of the system shows perceived racial disparities in sentencing. Eighty percent of sentencing records from 2006 to 2014 do not include the defendant's race and 52 percent do not specify gender. The missing data will keep the team from analyzing demographic trends at the sentencing stage, though they will study demographic trends for people in prison, on probation and on parole, project manager Katie Mosehauer said. Collecting demographic information is important, because it helps explain who is coming through the court system and how different types and lengths of sentences are meted out across race, gender and age groups, she said. This data also allows researchers to figure out how different interventions, such as prison, probation or drug treatment, work for different groups. When the researchers presented the finding at the Incarceration Issues committee in April, Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle commented that the state was not always as diverse as it is now, adding that the records may have left out race information because there was little to report, according to the minutes. Previous analysis of the court system revealed racial disparities in the state criminal justice system. A 2012 study of racial and ethnic bias in the courts found that African Americans and Native Americans were arrested and imprisoned at rates proportionally higher than their state population. Testimony collected through surveys, meetings and letters "often revealed a belief that minority offenders sometimes receive longer sentences than whites in instances when other factors, such as criminal history, do not differ significantly," the report summarized. The commission recommended that courts gather data on all dispositions for criminal defendants maintained by racial and ethnic category. "We know there exists disproportionate minority contact at the arrest and imprisonment stages, but we don't know what's doing that and where that's occurring," Lindsey Nieuwsma, the staff attorney for the Minority Justice Implementation Committee said, adding that the lack of data "hampers our efforts." Nieuwsma raised CSG's finding at a recent Minority Justice Implementation Committee meeting. The committee decided to send a letter to the chief justice, expressing their concern about the lacking data and encouraging him to ask CSG to make recommendations about how to improve it. "It's always on the deep end that we get race information, not on the county level," Judge Donovan Foughty, chair of the Minority Justice Implementation Committee, said. Ward County State's Attorney Roza Larson, who is a member of the Incarceration Issues committee, said she tracks the kinds of crime her office prosecutes, but not age, race or gender. "Those types of things are not factored in even to our sentencing recommendations. We factor in criminal history, offense and mitigation," she said. "I dont look at gender or race or age or anything." A lack of demographic information was one of a few holes CSG found in the state's sentencing data. Offenses were not labeled consistently across the state, making it difficult to do as detailed an analysis as the group aimed initially and potentially limiting future internal research. For example, marijuana and pot are used interchangeably, Mosehauer said. DUIs were also described with many different terms. Mosehauer said the data collection issues should be easy to fix. Court administrators could start filling in available demographic fields in the Odyssey records system. The state could also start coding offenses, which would allow the state to analyze the data in a more efficient way and without the help of outside consultants, she said. Local News, Health & Wellness, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: May 23 2016 New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard A. Zucker today declared influenza is no longer prevalent in New York State. Unvaccinated healthcare workers no longer required to wear masks. People 65 years and older are at greater risk of serious complications from the flu compared with young, healthy adults because human immune defenses become weaker with age. Albany, NY - May 20, 2016 - New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard A. Zucker today declared influenza is no longer prevalent in New York State. This declaration means that New York State healthcare workers who are not vaccinated against influenza are no longer required by State regulation to wear masks in areas where patients are typically present. Regulations enacted in 2013 require healthcare personnel who have not been vaccinated against influenza and work in certain facilities and agencies regulated by the State Department of Health to wear masks while influenza is prevalent in the New York state. Commissioner Zucker had declared influenza prevalent in the state on February 11, 2016. The "Prevention of Influenza Transmission by Healthcare and Residential Facility and Agency Personnel" regulation, which was adopted by the New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council, was enacted in order to reduce the incidence influenza transmission from health care personnel to patients. Health care personnel are at increased risk of acquiring influenza because of their contact with ill patients, and workers who are ill can also transmit influenza to their patients. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommend that healthcare workers be vaccinated for influenza, vaccination rates are usually far below the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020 goal of 90 percent. As an alternative for persons who cannot be vaccinated or who refuse vaccination, mask wear is expected to reduce transmission. For more information about influenza, please visit the DOH website. Music, Movies & Entertainment, School & Education, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: May 23 2016 Brentwood, Long Island native and co-Founder of the legendary rap group, EPMD, will be honored at the 3rd Annual "Walking Towards A Brighter Future" 8K Walk-A-Thon for his involvement in mentorship to middle school children ... Wantagh, NY - May 23, 2016 - Long Island MC/Entrepreneur, Parish Smith, one-half of the legendary rap group, EPMD, hailing out of Long Island MC/Entrepreneur, Parish Smith, one-half of the legendary rap group, EPMD, hailing out of Brentwood , Long Island, will be honored at the 3rd Annual "Walking Towards A Brighter Future" 8K Walk-A-Thon. Smith, better known to the rap world as "PMD" or "Mic Doc" has achieved massive success in the music industry over the last 28 years. Aside from making music and extensive touring, Smith is being recognized for his part in mentoring middle school children in the Suffolk County area. Smith stated, " I believes that kids can be anything they want to be, as long as they maintain their focus, exemplify God-given passion and staying true to themselves and committed to their dreams. " The Dollicia F. Holloway Memorial Foundation, Inc, through their youth initiative, The H.I.P. H.O.P. Movement Community Enrichment & Economic Development Program, will be hosting their 3rd Annual "Walking Towards A Brighter Future" 8K Walk-A-Thon at Wantagh Park on Saturday, June 25, 2016. The walk will start promptly at 9:30AM. This years recipients of the 2016 H.I.P. H.O.P. Movement Gold Merit Award for Community Service will be graduates, Gregory Allen II and Byron Rudolph. Both are scheduled to graduate in June. Allen, a Senior from Holy Trinity Diocesan High School of Hicksville, will be attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice this fall and Rudolph, a Senior from Paul D. Schreiber High School of Port Washington, will be attending Buffalo State University. The award was created to allow the students community, along with various corporate sponsors to engage and become stakeholders in the educational future of these college bound High School seniors, with assisting them to raise an unlimited amount of funds to offset college expense and to recognize them for their commitment to education and community service. The award will also allow each recipient the opportunity of coming back to their alma maters and enable, equip, encourage and empower students to take part in their educational future and their commitment to their communities. One of the goals of the Hip Hop Movement is to keep education at the forefront of all they do and to teach kids to become financial fit, economically empowered, as well as mission minded and motivated. The Dollicia F. Holloway Memorial Foundation, Inc. are pleased to recognize the great work of other community leaders along with a pioneer of the Hip Hop Community. Along with Mr. Smith, the recipients of the 2016 Hip Hop Movement Community Service Award and Certificates of Recognition for their contribution to education, economic empowerment and youth mentoring are Mrs. La'Shawn Allen-Muhammad, Brooklyn Director, The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Steve Muir, Co-Founder/President of Heeling Soles and Mr. Wayne Devonish, President/Founder, 500 Men Making A Difference. To register for the "Walking Towards A Brighter Future" 8K Walk-A-Thon, you can visit here or here . Corporate Sponsorships, Vendors and Volunteer opportunities are available. The Dollicia F. Holloway Memorial Foundation, Inc , is a IRS certified 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Educational Organization. The mission of the Foundation is to be committed to serving men, women and children by bringing awareness to the community and providing informational, educational and financial resources to survivors of Domestic Violence, hearing impaired adults and the youth oto empower, encourage and equip so they may overcome and obtain a better quality of life. The mission of the H.I.P. H.O.P. Movement Community Enrichment and Economic Development Program is giving assistance to distinguishing our youth from other groups; to contribute assistance towards their promotion in the community;to help them flourish physically and to grow strong financially. "The H.I.P. H.O.P. Movement" will also pay public respect to individuals already implied, who have the capacity to develop something useful, leading towards their future success." For further informaion about the 8K Walk-A-Thon, please send an email here Local News, Travel & Local Attractions, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: May 23 2016 Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will hire more than 750 additional officers to help alleviate wait times this summer traveling season. New York, NY - May 19, 2016 - Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will hire more than 750 additional officers to help alleviate wait times this summer traveling season. As a result of Schumers push, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Airports have each been allocated an additional 72 officers, for a total of 216 officers in the New York- metro area. Ahead of what is predicted to be a summer of long lines and continued waiting, Schumer called for an increase in TSA agents to help speed up outrageously long security lines at New York City-area airports. Schumer also pushed for an increase in passenger-screening canine teams to work with new TSA agents at New York City airports. These new agents are desperately needed to speed-up brutally long security lines now plaguing our airports. We need them on duty ASAP especially at JFK and LaGuardia to ward off the flypocalypse that will ensue when the busy summer travel season begins, said Senator Schumer. Thats why I am pleased that the TSA has agreed to deploy over 200 new agents to New York City-area airports to unclog the lines and improve securitysomething that benefits travelers all across the United States. New York City is home to some of the busiest airports in the country. According to the Port Authority, 126 million air travelers utilize its airports each year. Moreover, this summer traveling season is expected to be one of the busiest. According to reports, more than 220 million passengers are expected to fly this summer season, which Schumer says could greatly impact wait times at local New York City-area airports like JFK and LaGuardiaeven the nation. The Port Authority of NY/NJ, which operates JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Airport, recently pointed to an increase in security line wait times for air travelers. In a May 4th letter to the TSA Administrator, the Port Authoritys Aviation Director and Chief Security Office wrote that during the period March 15- April 15, there were 253 occurrences of more than 20 minute waits in 2016 when compared to 10 instances over the same period the year prior. The Port Authority of NY/NJ says the average maximum wait time at JFK Airport between March 15th and April 15th increased 82 percent from the same period last year. The letter says that JFK Airport's daily average of maximum wait times during this period increased 82 percent from 11.5 minutes in 2015 to 20.9 minutes this year. The letter also states that the absolute maximum in 2016 was 55 minutes vs. 30 minutes in 2015. The Port Authority says that the issue is similar at LaGuardia Airport and Newark. Earlier this month, Schumer pushed the TSA to address the issue of long wait times, specifically by adding additional TSA agents to NYC airports as soon as possible and by increasing the number of highly trained Passenger Screening Canine Teams at New York City airports. Schumer explained that Passenger Screening Canine Teams offer a unique yet efficient way to screen air travelers. Schumer said that these canine teams will not only help address wait times but also provide even greater detection accuracy. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases HARWOOD -- Delays in European Union approval of a new genetically modified soybean has caused some late confusion, some switch-outs for seed and counter-moves by seed suppliers. The issue is over the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, an umbrella marketing term for traits developed by Monsanto but used in many retail brands and varieties across the country. Xtend is a combination of two traits and allows farmers to spray beans with both glyphosate and dicamba herbicide. It is one of the latest moves by farmers and their seed providers to counter weed resistance to a single action trait. The traits -- each considered safe and approved individually by the EU -- allow the beans to be sprayed and the weeds killed without damaging the crop. "The thing we've got going now is just a short-term, temporary problem," says Carl Peterson, CEO of Peterson Farms Seed in Harwood, one of the sellers of the technology in the region. "This is not something that's likely to drag out for a long time." The confusion has meant many of his customers switched out the new Xtend soybeans for other bean seed to be accepted by all elevator markets. Peterson Farms Seed in 2015 produced seed for selling to commercial growers in 2016. "It's a pretty small percentage of our total soybean sales, as of right now," Peterson says. "If it had gotten all of the approvals lined up last fall, it would have been a little more, but going forward it will be a very significant portion of our portfolio because the genetics that are being put into that trait are awesome, and the trait itself for weed control of resistant weeds is excellent." Up to half back Xtend was approved for U.S. use about two years ago and has been approved in important Pacific Rim destinations. In February, Monsanto received import approval from China for the beans, which would allow shipping 2016 crop beans to that large importer -- significant to South Dakota and North Dakota. About 75 percent of soybeans, for example, in recent years have gone to Pacific Northwest ports, bound primarily for China, but also other Asian destinations. The EU has approved the two traits in Xtend separately. In March, the EU was expected to approve the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, but the process was interrupted. Among other things, approval was purportedly delayed as a result of the March 22 bomb attack in Brussels, Belgium, which is near where officials reportedly were meeting to approve it. Typically, the process takes 30 to 60 days, and it began in January. The EU Commission verbally confirmed that it would complete final stages, but the final signature has not been given. CHS and others About a month ago, various grain merchant companies, including CHS, announced they would not accept the Xtend beans in the 2016 marketing year until the EU issue is resolved. "We're pretty confident that before fall, these approvals will have all been taken care of," Peterson says. "The scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority was issued in June 2015. On April 12 the EU Commission sent a letter to the Soybean Export Council, saying the approval is at the final stage of the procedure." On the other hand, he says the elevators' concern is understandable, especially considering the class-action lawsuit that is moving forward against seed giant Syngenta. Syngenta in 2012 commercialized Viptera corn into the U.S. market before China had approved it. China, which hadn't been a significant corn importer while the Viptera approval was underway, became a major corn importer. The case disrupted corn sales to China and is alleged to have cost U.S. farmers billions. Stu Letcher, executive director of the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association, says grain merchants understandably don't want to be at the risk of holding up beans "in a port somewhere" because they are not accepted by the EU or some other market. Peterson thinks the Viptera issue has "fueled the fire" for caution in the grain trade, but says it was a totally different scenario, because the EU process is much more transparent than China's, and might not have the political overtones. FARGO -- Top elected leaders joined about 100 protesters outside a Fargo TV station on Sunday to criticize a report it aired earlier in the week about the supposed health risks of living near refugees. For two hours, the protesters chanted slogans like "Just tell the truth!" and marched around the offices of KVLY, also known as Valley News Live, a local CBS and NBC affiliate. The mayor of Moorhead and the deputy mayor of Fargo each made statements condemning the TV station and its story. Sparking the protest was a KVLY report on Monday. It said "everyone, U.S. born or foreign born, who lives in a refugee resettlement area is at risk for contracting tuberculosis." An on-screen graphic for the story asked: "Could kindness be bad for your health?" Health officials in North Dakota and Minnesota tell Forum News Service that living in a neighborhood with refugees is not a tuberculosis risk. The disease is not easily transmittable. North Dakota has one of the lowest rates of tuberculosis in the country and while Minnesota's rate is higher, it's still below the national average. "It's not a major problem for our community," said Dr. John Baird, health officer at Fargo-Cass Public Health. The protesters demanded an apology and accused KVLY of fearmongering at the expense of refugees, who undergo intensive medical screening, including for tuberculosis, before entering the U.S. Protester Madan Rana, 25, of West Fargo, who is Bhutanese, described how his health was scrutinized before coming to the U.S. from Nepal as a refugee. "When I came from refugee camp, we had to do like one year of medications. We were checked of each and every single things," including tuberculosis, he said. "The people that have moved here from overseas have been screened. Some of them have 30 pages of health reports," Fargo Deputy Mayor Mike Williams told protesters, using a loudspeaker. "We can treat tuberculosis, and it's not a large issue. There are real issues in Fargo: Heroin overdoses are a large issue that's worth news reporting." Moorhead Mayor Del Rae Williams called KVLY's reporting "abuse." "Our community cannot be at risk by journalism that is false. It can't be at risk because people get excited about things that are not true," she said. "We won't stand for this kind of abuse for our community. We will stand for things that are true and I greatly appreciate everybody being here." She noted it was unusual for a politician to publicly criticize a media outlet that regularly covers her city. "For a mayor, it is not the easiest thing to stand up against a media thing, a group. I want my news to go out, I want it to be positive news, and to do this is not an easy thing. But I got to tell you, when it needs to be said, it needs to be said because this is important." In a phone interview Saturday, Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney, a medical doctor, weighed in, too. "It was unfair," he said of the report. "They seem to have a bias in their reporting." He said he was out of town and would not attend the protest. The protest started at noon outside the station's office at 1350 21st Ave. S. A KVLY reporter came out to take some video and went back inside. One of the protest organizers, Hukun Abdullahi, told the crowd that the story unfairly labeled New Americans like him as a public health risk. "What Valley News did is not acceptable. They violated their basic journalism principles and any journalistic integrity--if they had any left--to go one step beyond to classify us as a vector for disease," said Abdullahi, who came to the U.S. from Somalia and runs the Afro-American Development Association in Moorhead. "We are not mosquitoes. We are survivors with families and children, who fled violence, persecution, wars and death," he said. "All of us are here after cleared for admission after stringent medical examinations before arrival." Wearing face masks and carrying signs with phrases like "Valley News stop hatred" and "TB = terrible broadcasting," the protesters walked around the station and along busy University Drive. Abdiwali Sharif of Fargo said KVLY should apologize. "They're trying to create fear," said Sharif, who came to the U.S. as a refugee from Somalia. "Valley News have to correct what they did wrong, and what they did wrong is labeling the entire community with a message that is not true," said Hamida Dakane, 27, a Fargo resident who came from Kenya on a green card. Abdullahi said he will contact KVLY's advertisers and ask them to stop doing business with the station if it does not apologize for the story. "We'll start with Sanford," he said, referring to the major local health provider. A Sanford Health spokesperson could not be reached for comment. Someone who answered through the intercom in the KVLY lobby on Sunday said nobody was there and hung up after being asked if anyone wanted to comment on the protest. A Badr Organization rocket that was prepped near the outskirts of Fallujah. Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), backed by tribal fighters and Iranian-backed militias, have officially begun the operation to dislodge the Islamic State from the city of Fallujah in Anbar province. Fallujah is the last major city held by the Islamic State in the province. Fallujah, which is just 30 miles from Iraqs capital of Baghdad, was the first major Iraqi city to fall to the Islamic State in January 2014 while it was still part of al Qaedas network. On May 22, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al Abadi announced the commencement of operations to recapture the important city, after days of military buildup near the outskirts. According to Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman of the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve, US-led coalition aircraft have carried out seven airstrikes in and around Fallujah over the past week. However, this comes after US military commanders have insisted that extremist elements of the Shia militias have not participated in operations where the US military is providing support. The US has provided air support, weapons and military aid to Iraqi forces during offensives where Shia militias such assuch Baiji, Tikrit, Amerli, and Jurf al Shakr have played an important role but remain hostile to the United States and have threatened to attack US personnel. Despite this claim, several Iranian-backed Shia militias (as well as one Christian militia) have showcased their build-up for the operation in recent days. This includes the US-designated terrorist group Kataib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades), as well as groups led by designated terrorists such as Asaib al Haq, Harakat Nujaba, Kataib Imam Ali, and Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada. Other Iranian-backed groups are also taking part in the operation. Just days earlier, Harakat al Nujaba has said it is clearing a road in eastern Anbar province in preparation for the offensive to retake Fallujah from the Islamic State. The leader of Harakat Nujaba, Akram al Kabi a US-designated terrorist said his special forces are ready to assist Iraqi forces to recapture the city. According to Kabi, Harakat al Nujaba also played a key roles in clearing the Samarra-Fallujah line of communication, which is likely the Thar Thar region between the two cities. Moqtada al Sadrs Peace Brigades have also been active in this area. [See LWJ report, Iran-backed militia prepares special forces for Fallujah offensive.] These militias operate under the aegis of the Popular Mobilization Units, or PMU, which itself is led by Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, a former commander in the Badr Organization who was listed by the US government as a specially designated global terrorist in July 2009. The US government described Muhandis, whose real name is Jamal Jaafar Mohammed, as an advisor to Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Qods Force, which is the external operations wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Muhandis also retains the leadership position of the Hezbollah Brigades. The Islamic State has suffered major setbacks in Anbar over the past several months, losing Ramadi, the provincial capital as well as the nearby town of Hit and the remote town of Rutbah. The Islamic State still controls all of the towns west of Anah along the Euphrates River in addition to contiguous territory across the border in Syria. Mosul, Iraqs second largest city and several other cities and towns also remain under the Islamic States control. Videos of several Iranian-backed militias preparing for the operation to retake Fallujah: Kataib Hezbollah near Fallujah: Kataib Imam Alis Abu Azrael discussing the buildup near Fallujah: Harakat al Nujaba sending troops to Fallujah: Badr Organizations rockets near Fallujah: Kataib Babylon (Christian militia) videos showing its buildup: Saraya al Jihad: Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada preparing for the Fallujah operation: Asaib al Haq shelling Fallujah before the beginning of the operation: Asaib al Haq convoy moving towards Fallujah: Asaib al Haq and other militias fighting in the outskirts of Fallujah: Kataib Jund al Imam: Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of The Long War Journal. Caleb Weiss is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. DEVILS LAKE -- Plans for a west end viaduct project that could last two construction seasons in Devils Lake could be ready by the end of June, a city engineer said. The estimated $15 million project is set to replace a railroad bridge that goes over North Dakota Highway 20. Devils Lake expects to open the bid for construction this fall, though it could be sooner, City Engineer Mike Grafsgaard said. Weve been discussing the project now for three years, he said. It is a large project. We have been having discussions over a period of time of how we are going to handle the traffic control, how we are going to handle the closure and how we are going to fund the project. A project of that magnitude does take time to plan. The first phase of the project includes building a temporary railroad bridge. The current bridge would then be demolished to make way for construction. The project also includes improvements to Highway 20. Grafsgaard said Highway 20 through Devils Lake, also known as College Drive, is vital to the city, adding it is the second busiest roadway that goes through town behind U.S. Highway 2. The city has discussed details of the project with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, including when it should be closed and how to handle detours. How the project will be funded has not been determined, though it is expected there will be some split of federal, state and local dollars. A more specific estimate is expected when KLJ, the engineering firm behind the project, presents final plans, which could come next month. We are trying to very much minimize the length of any type of closures for that construction work, understanding that there are times where it has to be closed due to safety reasons and to allow the construction to occur, Grafsgaard said. The concrete along the highway in the underpass area will be replaced, a task that residents understand since it has become a safety issue, Grafsgaard said. City commissioners expressed concerns during a Monday meeting about access to local businesses and closures to Highways 19 and 20, though Grafsgaard told them meetings would be held to discuss minimizing local effect, the Devils Lake Journal reported. Aside from that, the project has received little input for the project, he added. I think in general, people understand that bridge ultimately has to be replaced, he said. Its one of those necessary evils where you have to complete the construction and it is going to be difficult to some extent to the public as we are doing the construction. But once construction is complete, which could be by the end of the 2018 construction season depending on weather, infrastructure will be improved in the area, Grafsgaard said. Its possible the project may wrap up next year, but two construction seasons likely will be needed, he added. Detouring routes, including Sixth Street Northeast, as well as Sixth and Fifth avenues, will be outfitted with additional asphalt overlay to handle increased traffic during construction. Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal statement protesting the US drone strike that killed Taliban emir Mullah Mansour in Baluchistan province on May 21 as a violation of its sovereignty, and claimed that the prime minister and army chief of staff were only notified after the fact. Pakistan has officially protested some US drone strikes in the past, typically when a so-called good Taliban leader is targeted. The statement, reproduced in full below, was released on May 22 on the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pakistans condemnation of the airstrike that targeted Mansour is not without precedence. The government has issued numerous protests in the past. These public statements have been issued when the US targets members of the Taliban or other groups which are supported by powerful and influential elements of Pakistans military, Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, and government. These groups, such as the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network, the Hafiz Gul Bahadar Group, and the Mullah Nazir Group, are referred to in Pakistani circles as the good Taliban, as they do not advocate attacking the Pakistani state. However they do support jihadist groups that wage war on the government (also known as the bad Taliban) and shelter foreign terrorist groups such as al Qaeda. The so-called good Taliban also support and wage jihad in Afghanistan and India. [See Threat Matrix reports, Pakistan condemns drone strike that targeted good Taliban, and Good Taliban are not our problem, adviser to Pakistans prime minister says.] The Pakistani government sometimes even condemns US airstrikes in which al Qaeda leaders were killed. For instance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs objected to an Oct. 30, 2014 drone strike in South Waziristan that killed Adil, an Arab al Qaeda commander. Adil was killed alongside a Haqqani Network commander known as Abdullah Haqqani, who ran suicide bomber cells in Afghanistan. Pakistan has even condemned drone strikes that targeted the bad Taliban, such as the Nov. 1, 2013 attack that killed Hakeemullah Mehsud, the previous emir of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Hakeemullah was responsible for the murder of tens of thousands of Pakistanis and waged a brutal insurgency against the government. Taliban fighters under his command have launched suicide attacks and assaults in mosques, shrines, hospitals, markets, hotels, police stations, and military bases. Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement: Reported death of a Taliban leader in a drone strike On late Saturday 21st May, 2016, the United States shared information that a drone strike was carried out in Pakistan near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area, in which reportedly the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhter Mansoor was targeted. This information was shared with the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff after the drone strike. According to the information gathered so far, a person named Wali Muhammad S/o Shah Muhammad carrying a Pakistani passport and an I.D. Card, resident of Qilla Abdullah, entered Pakistan from Taftan border on 21st May. His passport was bearing a valid Iranian visa. He was traveling on a vehicle hired from a transport company in Taftan. This vehicle was found destroyed at Kochaki along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The drivers name was Muhammad Azam whose body has been identified and collected by his relatives. The identity of the second body is being verified on the basis of evidence found at the site of the incident and other relevant information. While further investigations are being carried out, Pakistan wishes to once again state that the drone attack was a violation of its sovereignty, an issue which has been raised with the United States in the past as well. It may be recalled that the fifth meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) held on 18th May had reiterated that a politically negotiated settlement was the only viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan and called upon the Taliban to give up violence and join peace talks. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. The White House confirmed the death of Taliban emir Mullah Mansour today, two days after the US said it targeted the groups leader in an unprecedented airstrike in southwestern Pakistans Baluchistan province. President Obama called Mansours death an important milestone in a statement from Vietnam, adding that the Taliban should seize the opportunity and join peace talks with Afghanistan. But a likely successor to Mansour, Sirajuddin Haqqani of the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani Network is even more unlikely than his predecessor to negotiate a peace agreement. Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, President Obama said in the statement. The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability. President Obama later vowed in a press conference with reporters in Vietnam that the US is not re-entering the day-to-day combat missions that are currently being conducted by Afghanistan forces. This does not represent a shift in our approach, President Obama said, according to The Los Angeles Times. The Taliban has yet to officially confirm Mansours death. However the Quetta Shura, the Talibans executive decision making council, is said to be meeting to choose his successor. According to Reuters, Siraj Haqqani and Mullah Yacoub, a son of Mullah Omar, are believed to be the front runners to replace Mansour. Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, one of Mansours two deputies and the Talibans top sharia official is also a candidate. Yesterday, the National Directorate of Intelligence, Afghanistans intelligence service, said that it confirmed that Mansour was indeed killed in an airstrike in Baluchistan in Pakistan. The May 21 drone strike which killed Mansour was the first by the US in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan, where the Talibans top leadership had been known to setup shop in Quetta. Previously, the US military almost exclusively limited drone strikes to Pakistans tribal agencies. According to data compiled by The Long War Journal, May 21 marked the first of 391 drone strikes conducted outside of North or South Waziristan. Since Mansour was believed to be operating under the auspices and protection of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, the attack raises questions whether the US was operating in conjunction or on a tip from Pakistani intelligence, or without Pakistani permission. The US has conducted multiple airstrikes against al Qaeda, the Taliban, and a host of allied jihadist groups inside Pakistan, many without the permission of the Pakistani government. The Pakistani government has even issued formal condemnations of airstrikes that have killed senior jihadists via its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal statement protesting the strike that targeted Mansour while acknowledging that the US informed Pakistans prime minister and top military leader after the attack took place. This information was shared with the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff after the drone strike, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pakistan wishes to once again state that the drone attack was a violation of its sovereignty, an issue which has been raised with the United States in the past as well, the statement said. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Apple does business in a lot of countries. Some of those countries have as close to fairly elected democratic representation as can be realized with actual human beings involved. (I wont describe which.) Others may have elections but shade towards an overweening military or executive power that nullifies their value. Others still are outright totalitarian regimes, in which individual power is meaningless against the states control. Apple sells into all those markets. And some of the security features it builds arent for those of us who live in countries that haveor purport to havethe rule of law, and checks and balances that allow for courts to intervene if the police or executive go too far. This can lead Apple to implement mandatory features worldwide rather than make them options. If something is an option, a government could demand Apple disable the feature for its citizens. But if its mandatory and global, Apple can argue its a fundamental security feature designed to protect against theft, criminal intrusion, and other citizens. Consider a restriction to Touch IDs continuous use that I just uncovered. Apple didnt intend for this addition to be a secret, but it somehow added it in September 2015 and didnt document the change until a few days ago. (Apple confirmed the change for me.) You can read about it in detail, but the gist is that on top of the 48-hour countdown between Touch ID uses before a passcode is required, the new change adds a separate timer. After six days of unlocking with just Touch ID (and not restarting), the 48-hour clock is replaced with an eight-hour one. If you go eight hours or more between unlocking with Touch ID, youre required to unlock with the passcode. As soon as you enter the passcode, the 48-hour and 6-day countdowns are reset. Why add an eight-hour timer? Apple declined to offer any insight into why it was added, nor why it wasnt documented until last week. I have some thoughts, mostly in the form of analogy. You still there? A keep-alive interval When I think about why Apple might implement these Touch ID limitations, Im struck by two seemingly unrelated mechanical systems. The first is the dead mans switch, made famous in the original The Taking of Pelham One Two Three film (1974). Some machinery and technology is equipped with a switch that has to be pulled, held, or depressed continuously in order for a system to keep working. In many rail operations, including NYC Transit, a train operator has to apply pressure to a handle for the train to remain in motion. If the operator cant perform the task, the train slows to a halt. This rarely happens, and occurred last in 2010 in New York. The other is the night watchmans clock. A night guard at a building would be obliged to make their rounds, and use a key attached to a number of stopping points or stations. Each key, when turned in the watchmans clock, would register that theyd passed that point and when. It was a way of keeping people honest at their duties when a boss wasnt around. (A version of this features in Fritz Langs M).) Touch ID and its timeout rules have aspects of both of these concepts. To use Touch ID, you literally have to be alive, because of how Apples sensor uses conductivity. There are likely workarounds used by government agencies and criminal groups that can use either cadaver fingerprints or simulate a fingerprint thats been recorded or lifted. But if that either approach is viable, the particulars are kept relatively secret. Its not a general solution for any party who wants access to a locked phone without having the right person in front of it (and alive). The timeout in that case works as a dead mans switch. The iOS device doesnt brick, but it does require a passcode. A passcode can be cracked, but a long passcode or passphrase is more difficult to break and remains beyond the reach of most parties who want access to a device, whether legally, extrajudicially, or criminally. (Perhaps Apple will add a high-level or corporate security option that, in fact, bricks a phone if you dont use Touch ID for a period of time, even if the phone is turned on.) But the timeout also serves as the watchmans clock, ensuring that at certain intervals, you prove that youre still the person who had the right amount of permission to set up the phone with a biometric marker. (One step better would be an automated email to someone else if you hadnt used Touch ID in a certain perioda canary in a coalmine.) What remains confusing to me and all the security experts and iOS writers Ive spoken to is the scenario in which a phone or tablet repeatedly locks, and an authority or malicious party has to have someone on a less-than-eight-hour basis provide a fingerprint, by verbal or physical compulsion. Surely, any party that wants the iOS device unlocked would, after unlocking it the first time with the fingerprint, set the automatic lock feature to Never, and keep it plugged it or otherwise charged. Only if the device locks unexpectedly, would a Touch ID scan be required. In that case, why eight hours? Im still puzzling it out. It might have a relationship to how intelligence services and police work thats outside my ken. Touch ID is convenient and lets you choose a longer, harder-to-crack passcode. But it also adds a layer of legal vulnerability. In the U.S., we know a court can and will compel a Touch ID unlock by someone charged in a crime or convicted of it. The ability to require a password is more problematic, but someone can withhold a password, while with force they cant withhold a fingerprint. I spoke to Geoffrey King, the technology program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, a group devoted to reducing the danger to reporters worldwide and publicizing jailed and missing writers. Journalists and activists often receive the brunt of a governments worst behavior in the interests in shutting them up and shutting them down. We protect the people who anger everybody else, King noted. He couldnt sort out the new eight-hour limitation, but he noted that any incremental, default change that improves the overall security of someones personal data is a positive. Although its hard to quantify, this is likely to have an impact on journalists safety and we welcome this move, he said. King notes that in parts of the world, a reporter may be picked up by authorities and be asked to unlock their device. It might be a polite request, but its a polite request backed up by the imminent threat of brutality, he said. In those cases, its unclear whether a lockout would help, as someone may be subject to the same risk when they dont provide a passcode that can be typed in. It could be simpler Its possible Im overthinking this. One reader suggested that the timeouts could simply be Apples way of ensuring people dont forget their password. After 48 hours without unlocking a phone or six days without using a passcode, jogging someones memory ostensibly reduces the likelihood they forget their code. Apple cant retrieve a forgotten passcode, and this might increase customer satisfaction. Maybe having you enter your password periodically is a little extra protection against forgetting your password completelyand potentially disabling your phone in the process. But if thats the case, Id suspect Apple would have been happy to provide that as the main or sole reason as part of their newer openness in describing security measures. (This timeout is also a good way to find out which people you know routinely sleep less than eight hours a night and use their device right before they go to sleep and immediately on waking.) It would be great to live in a world in which that innocent explanation is the whole story. But I cant help feeling theres a deeper reason beneath it. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Would Aung San Suu Kyi succeed in freeing Burma from Armys Dominance? by Monaem Sarker Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmas pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Laureate, spent more than 15 years in detention, most of it under house arrest. She was released from her current third period of detention on Saturday, November 13, 2010. Aung San Suu Kyi was born on June 19, 1945 in Rangoon, Myanmar, a country traditionally known as Burma. Her father, formerly the de facto Prime Minister of British Burma, was assassinated in 1947. Suu kyis father Aung San, born on February 13, 1915, was a Myanmar revolutionary, nationalist, founder of the Tatmadaw, and is considered as the Father of the Nation of modern-day Myanmar who served as fifth Premier of the British Crown Colony of Burma from 1946 to 1947. He was the founder of the Communist Party of Burma. On July 19, 1947, a gang of armed paramilitaries of former Prime Minister U Saw broke into the Secretariat Building in downtown Rangoon during a meeting of the Executive Council (the shadow government established by the British in preparation for the transfer of power) and assassinated Aung San and six of his Cabinet Ministers, including his elder brother Ba Win, father of Sein Win, leader of the government-in-exile, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB). A Cabinet Secretary and a bodyguard were also killed. U Saw was subsequently tried and hanged. Aung San was responsible for bringing Burmas independence from British rule in Burma, but he was assassinated six months before independence. He is recognised as the leading architect of independence, and the founder of the Union of Burma. Affectionately known as Bogyoke (Major General), Aung San is still widely admired by the Burmese people, and his name is still invoked in Burmese politics to this day. Her mother, Khin Kyi, was appointed the Ambassador to India in 1960. Suu Kyi obtained a bachelors degree from the University of Oxford in 1969, and in 1972, she married Michael Aris, a scholar in Bhutanese studies. She had two childrenin 1973 and 1977and the family spent the 1970s and 1980s in England, the United States and India. Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988, after years of living and studying abroad, only to find widespread slaughter of protesters rallying against the brutal rule of dictator U Ne Win. She spoke out against him and initiated a non-violent movement towards achieving democracy and human rights. In 1989, the government placed Suu Kyi under house arrest, and she spent 15 of the next 21 years in custody. In 1991, her ongoing efforts won her the Nobel Prize for Peace, and she was finally released from house arrest in November 2010. She has since gained a parliamentary seat with the National League for Democracy party. On July 3, 2009, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon went to Burma to pressure the junta into releasing Suu Kyi and to institute democratic reform. However, on departing from Burma, Ban Ki-moon said he was disappointed with the visit after junta leader Than Shwe refused permission for him to visit Suu Kyi, citing her ongoing trial. Ban said he was deeply disappointed that they have missed a very important opportunity. On the evening of November 13, 2010, Suu Kyi was released from house arrest. This was the date her detention had been set to expire according to a court ruling in August 2009 and came six days after a widely criticised general election. She appeared in front of a crowd of her supporters, who rushed to her house in Rangoon when nearby barricades were removed by the security forces. Suu Kyi had been detained for 15 of the past 21 years. The government newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported the release positively, saying she had been granted a pardon after serving her sentence in good conduct. The New York Times suggested that the military government may have released Suu Kyi because it felt it was in a confident position to control her supporters after the election. The role that Suu Kyi will play in the future of democracy in Burma remains a subject of much debate. On January 5, 2012, British Foreign Minister William Hague met Aung San Suu Kyi and his Burmese counterpart. This represented a significant visit for Suu Kyi and Burma. Suu Kyi studied in the UK and maintains many ties there, whilst Britain is Burmas largest bilateral donor. During Aung San Suu Kyis visit to Europe, she visited the Swiss parliament, collected her 1991 Nobel Prize in Oslo and her honorary degree from Oxford University. In December 2011, there was speculation that Suu Kyi would run in the 2012 national by-elections to fill vacant seats. On January 18, 2012, Suu Kyi formally registered to contest a Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house) seat in the Kawhmu Township constituency in special parliamentary elections to be held on April 1, 2012. The seat was previously held by Soe Tint, who vacated it after being appointed Construction Deputy Minister, in the 2010 election. She ran against Union Solidarity and Development Party candidate Soe Min, a retired Army physician and native of Twante Township. Although she and other MP-elects were expected to take office on April 23 when the Hluttaws resume session, National League for Democracy MP-elects, including Suu Kyi, said they might not take their oaths because of its wording; in its present form, parliamentarians must vow to safe-guard the Constitution. In an address on Radio Free Asia, she said: We dont mean we will not attend the parliament, we mean we will attend only after taking the oath... Changing that wording in the oath is also in conformity with the Constitution. I dont expect there will be any difficulty in doing it. On May 2, 2012, National League for Democracy MP-elects, including Aung San Suu Kyi, took their oaths and took office, though the wording of the oath was not changed. According to the Los Angeles Times, Suu Kyi and her colleagues decided they could do more by joining as lawmakers than maintaining their boycott on principle. On July 9, 2012, she attended the Parliament for the first time as a lawmaker. The NLD won a sweeping victory in those elections, winning at least 255 seats in the House of Representatives and 135 seats in the House of Nationalities. In addition, Suu Kyi won re-election to the House of Representatives. Under the 2008 Constitution, the NLD needed to win at least a two-thirds majority in both houses to ensure that its candidate would become President. Before the elections, Suu Kyi announced that even though she is constitutionally barred from the presidency, she would hold real power in any NLD-led government. Some activists criticised Aung San Suu Kyi for her silence on the 2012 Rakhine State riots (later repeated during the 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis). After receiving a Peace Prize, she told reporters she did not know if the Rohingyas could be regarded as Burmese citizens. Under the 1982 Citizenship Law, most Rohingyas are unable to qualify for Burmese citizenship. As such, they are treated as illegal immigrants, with restrictions on their movement and withholding of land rights, education and public service. Some describe her stance as politically motivated; however, she said that she wanted to work towards reconciliation and that she cannot take sides as violence has been committed by both sides. According to The Economist, her halo has even slipped among foreign human-rights lobbyists, disappointed at her failure to make a clear stand on behalf of the Rohingya minority. However, she has spoken out against a ban on Rohingya families near the Bangladeshi border having more than two children. In a 2015 BBC News article, reporter Jonah Fisher suggested that Aung San Suu Kyis silence over the Rohingya issue is due to a need to obtain support from the majority Bamar ethnicity as she is in the middle of a general election campaign; however, her NLD party has no Muslim candidates for the election and actively discouraged them. Adding to the international criticism of Aung San Suu Kyis silence, in May 2015, the 14th Dalai Lama called on her to do more to help the Rohingya in Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi is negotiating the terms of transition with the military, according to a Reuters report, quoting a local newspaper. The move means Hlaing has consolidated his position in the countrys military, and that there will not be any senior-level reshuffle in the Army. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which is backed by the military, was defeated by Suu Kyis party in November, beginning a transition that was to end on April 1 with the new government in saddle. The win allowed the NLD to push forward its nominee for the presidency, but the party will still have to negotiate with the Army as they continue to have 25 per cent reserved seats in parliament. Aung San Suu Kyi had met the former President thrice. Only the future can say whether Suu Kyi would succeed in freeing Burma from the Armys dominance. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Spectre of Influx by Samit Kar India is now witnessing Assembly elections in five States covering the vast expanse of the country. Of the five States where new governments are to be formed subsequent to the poll, West Bengal is now under a very long election process having seven parts. This shows how the State is now reeling under a depressing law and order condition. Never in the history of electioneering in a State of our country had this experience of the conduct of election segregated in so many parts for security reason. The major cause of the worrying law and order situation in West Bengal seems to be a fallout of the incessant influx from neighbouring countries, especially Bangladesh, leading to tremendous overcrowding of urban and rural locale, especially in the bordering districts. The problem of influx from the other part of Bengal is ageoldhaving a legacy of over 100 years. The partition of Bengal happened in 1905 and the Congress Party, led by rich landlords, money-lenders and beneficiaries of colonial rule, was formed in 1886. The Permanent Settlement Act was enacted by then Governor General of Bengal, Lord Cornwallis, in 1793 covering Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and parts of north Madras. Though the colonial historians, both of European and native origin, had relentlessly subscribed to the thesis of the partiton of Bengal as the handiwork of the infamous British policy of divide and rule, the introduction of the Zamindari System as the byproduct of the Act of 1793 had butchered the communal amity of Bengal to a very significant extent. The severe casualty of the relationship between the Hindus and Muslims was largely due to the burgeoning huge divide, which, became ostensible between these two communities in terms of the emerging pattern of agricultural land ownership. Many of the big landowners and rich countrymen were seen to be belonging to the Hindu community whereas the Muslims occupied the lower strata of society indulging in derogotary occupations to earn their living. This emerging economic divide between the Hindus and Muslims since the beginning of the 19th century had led to the gradual growth of mistrust between them, which eventually took the ugly form of severe animosity and hatred. There can be hardly any denial that the unscrupulous alien rulers did extract this growing dissension between the Hindus and Muslims to the fullest extent in order to reap the highest possible dividend. Thus, there is hardly any scope to say that the British rule was anything but pious and certainly not a beacon of modern civilisation as it was claimed by some colonial history-writers. However, it may appear unfair if one fails to remember the glorious contribution of some foreigners of British and European origin like Henry Derozio, David Hare, William Jones, William Cearey, J.D. Bethune, Rev. James Long, Sister Nivedita in the annals of Bengal. The demand to partition Bengal was originally raised by the rich Muslim landlords, mostly settled in Dhaka and adjoining areas, and this was known to be wholeheartedly supported by the Muslim community as they began to smell a rat in the wake of the formation of the rich Hindu-led Congress Party in 1886. The beginning of the British era had significantly impacted to make a section of the Bengali Hindus own large landed estates at their expense. The Muslims began to earn their living by selling their labour by working as landless agricultural labourers or at best small peasants. After the formation of the Congress Party, the Muslims began to apprehend that henceforth the unquestionable economic dominance of the Bengali Hindus may be well extended to the political realm in league with the dishonest British administrators. The relationship of estrangement between the Hindus and Muslims began to slowly yet steadily increase since 1886, which took a near complete turn by way of the declaration of the partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon. Since then, the Bengali Hindus in East Bengal (later East Pakistan and Bangladesh) continued to remain second-grade citizens. But the most notable beginning of the abysmal form of influx to West Bengal happened in the aftermath of the Noakhali riots in 1946. The influx gained a huge momentum during the partition of India in 1947 and the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. Not only due to the sustained fear in the minds of the Bengali Hindus that the influx is continuously happening in the last 130 years, the economic problem of the other part of Bengal had proved to be the major cause of influx containing both the Hindu and Muslim populations. The misery of West Bengal got escalated as all the countries surrounding the State are found to be terribly impoverished. According to Archimidis principle, water seeks its own level. In economy also, the movement of human capital is largely directed by the question of the survival of the individual beings or to access higher aspirations in life. The misery of Bengal is a byproduct of the socio-historical realities, which one may describe as the legacy of misfortune of Bengal. We are carrying forward this legacy turning the State into Indias most critically populated State. The issues regarding employment and employability, law and order, poverty reduction etc. are now in shambles. Bengal was well known as the icon in the entire country. Now it has become a backbencher. The culprit is the yawning population density. Every citizen of Bengal should have a consensus to raise a moral opposition of the majority against this worrisome, unabated influx across the border in right earnest. The vital statistics of Bengal with regard to crude birthrate (CBR), crude deathrate (CDR), infant mortality rate (IMR) etc. are no way abnormal. But the population size is rising alarmingly. The answer seems to be the worrying trans-border influx, especially from Bangladesh. Social experts believe that a nation or a region is bound to be in utter jeopardy if the locale is beseiged with abnormal population size coupled with a critical form of population density. The breakdown of law and order and the abysmal rise of unemployment in West Bengal is inherently rooted in the socio-historical legacy of Bengal surrounded by impoverished nations having very low quality of human capital. Thus, the large army of men and women who are crowding in Bengal while infiltrating our porous borders are not only causing a havoc by increasing population density, the overall quality and productivity of human capital in Bengal in general is proving to be very disappointing, along with a remarkably poor work culture. The spectre of influx looms large so abjectly that this needs to be done away with as the top priority. The author is a former Sociology Faculty in the Presidency University, Kolkata. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Lucid Account of Pakistans Existence and Future BOOK REVIEW CALL FOR ISLAMABADS TRANSFORMATION TO MAKE IT GOVERNABLE AND FOCUSSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Aejaz Ahmad and Zaboor Ahmad Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military by Hussain Haqqani; Penguin Viking Books; 2016; pages 464. Hussain Haqqanis book, Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military is a straightforward insiders account of Pakistan that traces how the military and religious groups are acting in tandem to rub each others shoulders and explores the nations quest for identity and security. From the outset Pakistan has used religion as an instrument for strengthening the Pakistani identity. In what follows are some of the crucial excerpted events discussed in the book. During its demand for Pakistan as well after its formation, religion has been anticipated to act as a unifying force between diverse people which it failed to pacify. No doubt the bigwigs of the Pakistan movement acted with missionary zeal but the leaders never gave an iota of thought to the blueprint of the future state. Given the dilly-dallying of the leadership up to the last moment of its creation, the state of Pakistan was going to land in trouble. As Nazimuddin, who became the second Governor General of Pakistan, remarked few months before partition, neither he nor anyone in the Muslim League knew what Pakistan means. The fallout has been that armed and unarmed religious groups have gradually become assertive and are able to challenge the writ of the state and have created their own catchment areas. Muslim masses followed as they thought they would be better-off in Pakistan. Interprovincial rivalry, ethnic and language differences, diverse political interests of the elite class, who were silenced during the movement for the sake of its creation, acted as stumbling blocks in the Constitution-making process. Partition accompanied by religious frenzy, economic dislocation, capital flight, refusal of India to hand over the cash balance due to it engendered economic strangulation for the newly-born state that required immediate attention. Before the buck for the dominance of Pakistan is passed to the military, the blame must be put on the shoulders of the civilian leadership which worked at cross-purposes, finally making the way for a smooth military supremacy. Haqqani doubts that had the civilian leadership crafted a Constitution at the outset, the dominance of the military would still have followed. Pakistan was conditioned to believe that its nationhood has been under siege; thus protecting it by military means took priority. When the political cauldron of issues reached the tipping-point, Islam was used to subsume all identities. India was painted as the enemy of Islam to bolster Pakistans self-image as a bastion of Islam. Maulana Maudoodi spoke in the same language of hatred, as Golwalkar; while speaking on Pakistan radio, he characterised socialists, ethnic nationalists, Leftists as anti-Islam and unbelievers. Intelligence agencies fabricated evidence of the communist threat to get into the orbit of the USA ensuring economic and military wherewithal. Refusal of the USA to support Pakistan in any of the wars which it fought with India generated anti-Americanism which is as old in Pakistan as the state itself. It increased exponentially only with the drone attacks. Continued confrontation with India was hurting East Pakistan, but being secular, demanding autonomy within Pakistan and better relationship with India they were characterised as anti-Pakistani elements. Fazlul Haq, the mover of the Lahore Resolution, was charged of collusion with India. India did provide succour to the Bengalis but sliding into civil war was the result of Pakistans internal folly. The publication of the book, The Turkish Art of Love, by an Indian Jewish author alleged to desecrate Islam brought Islamic parties to the centre-stage when political haggling was going on between and among Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Yahya Khan, Awami League and the military regime. The White Paper, published on the crisis in East Pakistan, acknowledged that Bengali atrocities followed rather than instigated the violence by the Pakistani military. Yahya Khan received Mujibur Rahman in Pakistan with a whisky in hand and remarked that you should work for the glory of Islam. People in West Pakistan were made to believe through propaganda that they were fighting the enemies of Islam. Jamaat-e-Islami cadres functioned as intelligence networks. While Bhutto maintained hand-in-glove relationship with the military so that his chances of returning to power remained intact, the USA declared the East Pakistan crisis as its internal affair, and unrealistic hopes in the USA and China led the Pakistan rulers into rejecting political options and persist with the military adventure. The matter of the fact is that Islam as a religious doctrine has been made a political device to keep the state glued which it has utterly failed; otherwise all the Islamic states should have been together. Bhutto, after assuming power in a consolidated Pakistan, reciprocated to the Army by pursuing a hard-ball game with India which enabled the continuation of defence spending while simultaneously failing to publish the Hamooodur Rehman Commission Report in 1972 to make public what went wrong, how and where, in which he himself would surely have been implicated. The Jamaat-e-Islami started the Bangladesh Namanzoor (Bangladesh not acceptable) campaign which squarely put the blame on Bhutto but absolved the military. Later, the dismissal of the National Awami Party in Baluchistan on the false pretext of finding weapons in the Iraqi embassy meant for the Baloch rebels and resignation of the NWFP Government in protest, engendered the protracted uprising which provided a pretext for use of the military against them, as if they were its saviours. Haqqani remarks that Bhutto had always been a poor learner and he wasted the considerable capital of the Ahmadi sect, who fought for Pak independence, by declaring them as non-Muslims at the instigation of Islamic forces which boosted his confidence. Religious construction was connected with the boom of oil prices; he could gain from it only by playing up the Islamic identity. Bhutto began to doubt all and sundry and created the Federal Security Service as a force to intervene in the domain of state in case of emergency situations and placed Zia-ul-Haq as the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) as he was from a non-martial race but both turned their guns towards him. FSS chief provided evidence in court against Bhutto, while Zia gave the order to execute him. The White Paper on Bhutto was prepared by Zia even before his conviction by the court. Haqqani notes that Zia liberalised the visa regime which made Pakistan the den of religious leaders, as it falsely played the card of pan-Islamism. This dented the already sectarian environment of Pakistan. The Islamisation project ended up accentuating sectarian differences, plunged Pakistani society into theological debates over various issues. Shias and Sunnis looked up for economic and ideological support to Iran and Saudi Arabia respectively which made Pakistan a battleground of ideas and rival armed groups. Islam has never been in danger but this politically motivated half-backed truth has been used to pursue such ends. Zia packed the educational institutions, courts with his own henchmen. Haqqani subsequently takes up the Pakistan-Afghanistan equation. He writes that Pakistan underscored its Islamic ideology in the hope of blunting the challenge of ethnic nationalism supported by Afghanistan. Pakistan has pursued strategic depth in Afghanistan since the inception, Ayesha Siddiqa argues that all invasions have been through Afghanistan, therefore, for its own protection, it is essential that Pakistan has a degree of control in Afghanistan. Pakistan acted as a conduit for Islamic parties to counter the influence of communist groups supporting the Pushtuns and Balochs in Pakistan. Pakistan created the Afghan Cell in the ISI to coordinate resistance to communist rule and secure international support for Pakistan. Jimmy Carter authorised help to the Mujahedeen covertly on July 3, 1979, six months before the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. When Jamaat-e-Islami students wing burnt down the American embassy in Islamabad for seizure of the grand mosque in Mecca, Zia told the USA to channelise the religious fervour of Pakistan against the Soviets instead of allowing it to run against the USA. People from different parts of world poured in to fight against the Soviets and were bankrolled by the Saudi-based Rabita Alam-i-Islami. Pakistani Islamic parties were getting their cadre trained along with Afghans leading to their flexing of muscles in political clashes on college campuses, with law and order becoming the causality. The question of who should rule Afghanistan after the USSRs withdrawal continued in the fighting among different groups. It was good that Zia died; otherwise he would have done the same to Pakistan as happened to his plane in which he died. Hussain Haqqani then attempts to map the changes in Pakistan after the September 2001 attack. The September 11 attacks on the USA changed much in Pakistan but the dominance of the military and mosque in Pakistan is far from over. Pakistan sacrificed the Afghan front to keep alive the Kashmir front to prevent it from being bombed. Pakistani religious parties felt not alienated, and were banned only to resurrect in new avatars. The arms supplied by the USA to Pakistan, instead of fighting the militants, were used against the Baloch nationalists. The USA expended considerable capital to fight the terrorists in Afghanistan, but the roots were always in Pakistan. George Bush found that most of the weapons supplied by America to Pakistan were used to prepare a war against India. Pakistan cooperated only in arresting the foreign terrorists while the locals were let free. Groups like Haqqani, Afghan Taliban were forced back to Afghanistan while the foreigners were eliminated. For Haqqani, Pakistan has become a major centre of radical Islamic ideas and groups largely because of its past policies of support to militants fighting Indian rule in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Taliban in its quest of putting in place a client regime in Afghanistan. The historic alliance between religious groups and the military has the potential to frustrate anti-terror operations, radicalise the key segments of the population. This dominance has weakened the social and economic parameters of Pakistan. Over forty per cent cant read and write while two-thirds live on less than $ 2 dollars a day and fiftyfive per cent women are simply illiterate. Low investment in education has hampered the Pakistani technology base. A majority of Pakistans ethnically disparate population has traditionally identified themselves with secular politicians; but such a huge majority has failed to determine the direction of Pakistans policies. A highly centralised and unrepresentative government has caused unpre-cedented grievances among its ethnic groups. Violent vigilantism of some Islamic groups has undermined the civil society and promoted sectarian terrorism. Pakistans small economy has grown occasionally and is undermined by terrorism. India spends a small part of its GDP on defence but still outspends Pakistan, which has to cut development spending to pay for its armed forces. On February 4, 2004, General Musharraf told newspaper editors in Islamabad that Pakistan has two vital interestsnuclear state and Kashmir cause. It was to placate the military and religious conservatives that the alliance with the US was not a U-turn as it appeared to be. The semblance of good relationship with India has become a pre-requisite for Pakistans security relationship with the USA. In Pakistan, the military is told that India is hostage to centrifugal traditions and has a historic inability to exist as a single state. It is justified on the basis of history of which Pakistan is a part. Hence India can break up like Pakistan in Kashmir; Khalistan within India. The Pakistani plan for liberation has two parts: first make Kashmir ungovernable for India, and raise the cost of continued Indian occupation to unbearable levels, the other being internationaliseation of the Kashmir issue. Participation by different religious groups from around the world would ensure support from Islamic countries. The status of freedom fighters given by the USA to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan could also be given to those fighting in Kashmir without knowing that the USA applies double-standards everywhere. Haqqani concludes that Pakistan has to change its national objectives of being focused on economic development and popular participation in government. Pakistan was created in a hurry. Everyone has a stake to transform Pakistan into functional rather than ideological state so as to ensure the development of its people. In its new edition, the book has two new chapters but fall short of acute analysis in that the book does not shower light on important internal and external dynamics of Pakistan like the Kargil episode, mobilisation of troops along borders in 2002, and failure of the Agra Summit and so on. It seems as if the new chapters in the book have been written aimlessly. No Westphalian state has failed so far, but it is worth noticing that the constituency of Pakistani writers who are against the system is growing. The book is engaging and is written in simple and lucid language. Aejaz Ahmad studied Political Science at the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi. He is the contributing author of the book, Political Process in India. His forthcoming book, Modern South Asian Thinkers, is being published by Sage. He has contributed earlier to Economic and Political Weekly and Mainstream. Zaboor Ahmad is a Lecturer of Political Science in Kashmir; his papers have been published in South Asian Review, and he regularly contributes opinion pieces to various newspapers in Kashmir. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Do Educational Institutions need Lectures on Patriotism? by RAM PUNIYANI The issues related to our educational institutions patriotism started coming up to the fore with this government coming to power (May 2014). One after the other news of govern-ment intervention in different institutions, more so the nationally well-known ones, started disturbing us. There was the case of IIT-Madras where the Periyar Ambedkar Study Circle was banned. Then IIT-Bombay Director Prof Shevgaonkar resigned due to the high-handed attitude of the Ministry of HRD. Close to follow suit was Prof Anil Kakodkar who resigned from the chairmanship of the Board of Governors of IIT-Bombay again. The case of FTII-Pune dragged for a long time as students opposed the appointment of a RSS-BJP sympathiser, a B grade film-actor, Gajendra Chauhan. Students went for a long strike and after trying to make their point for eight long months, withdrew their strike as the recalcitrant government refused to heed to the demands of students. Many other incidents kept happening, including those of Allahabad University, Ferguson College in Pune among others. Two incidents which stood out and shook the student community were related to the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). In both these cases the issue of nationalism, patriotism was thrown up by the Central Government, along with the ruling BJP and its associates in the RSS combine. In HCU, the local BJP MP, on insistence from the ABVP branch of the university, wrote to the HRD Minister that anti-national and casteist activities were going on and action should be taken against the students belonging to the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA). Incidentally the ASA had organised meetings which were opposed by ABVP as per their political agenda; so they were hostile to it. The incidents included the screening of the film Muzzafarnagar Baki hai, a film on the Muzzafarnagar violence in UP. Then there was the beef festival. On participation in the beef festival Vemula wrote on his face-book that he participated in the festival in solidarity with those who consume beef. Then there was a meeting to oppose the death penalty to Afzal Guru. The argument of the ASA was that the death penalty is inhuman and it is the opposite of what the norms of a civil society should be. Following this, the Vice Chancellor, under pressure from Ministry, expelled Vemula from the hostel and stopped his fellowship. This is what forced him to take his life. In the case of JNU, the issue of patriotism was brought up in a deliberate way. In a programme organised in JNU some masked students came in and shouted anti-India slogans. Kanhiaya Kumar and two other friends were not a part of this slogan-shouting gang. Incidentally, the slogan-shouters have not been apprehended and identified so far, for reasons best known to the authorities. On the contrary the authorities arrested Kanhaiya, Anirban and Umar on the charge of sedition. A doctored video was played repeatedly by some channels and it became clear that the arrested student leaders of JNU had nothing to do with anti-India sloganeering. Incidentally, the occasion was that of the anniversary of the execution of Afzal Guru. As far Afzal Guru is concerned, the less said the better! The BJP after hectic deliberations has tied up with the PDP in Kashmir and the PDP upholds Afzal Guru as a martyr and someone who did not get justice. So it becomes clear that the BJP is using the JNU problem to build up an emotive issue out of the whole thing. One knows that such slogans have been there in Kashmir, on similar lines talks of secession have been there in the North-Eastern States. The demand for secession from India was raised also raised C.N. Annadurai of the DMK, a prominent leader from Tamil Nadu, who had opposed the imposition of Hindi as a national language. In a nutshell there are different places in the world where parts of the nations have been demanding autonomy or separation. That has not been presented as an act of anti-nationalism. Many groups and political tendencies have criticised the ruling governments, but that is not what sedition is. This is a right inherent in a democratic society. Even in India there have been various groups which from time to time have been demanding autonomy, secession etc. In countries there are diverse political tendencies and they do keep changing with time. It is a question of their dissatisfactions being met. Students-youth are groups where all types of ideas and ideologies are discussed. There has been a long tradition of anti-British nationalist struggle by student bodies like the All India Students Federation and the like. They were not lectured by the so-called nationalists to become patriotic. During the freedom movement the most patriotic role was played by the followers of Gandhi who were imbued by the example of the national movement. Even at that time the youth and students influenced by the communal ideology of Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha-RSS kept aloof from the patriotic act of participation in nation-building, the freedom struggle. One recalls that even the earlier Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee, was arrested in 1942 as he was an onlooker in the movement led by the students-youth inspired by Gandhi. Vajpayee in a letter to the authorities confessed that he had nothing to do with the national movement and he was released from prison in two days time. (http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1503/15031150.htm) Universities and other educational institutions are places where patriotism is in-built in our syllabus and pattern of society. One has never been thinking of such lecturing as is being indulged in by the RSS combine. The cases of JNU and HCU demonstrate that this patriotism is being manufactured as an emotive issue for dividing the society. This has been linked to the slogan of Bharat Mata ki Jai. The way Bhagwat first called for the need to teach this slogan to the youth, and the way Asaduddin Owaisi responded to that shows that both these groups are interested in bringing up Bharat Mata ki Jai as a divisive issue, and the RSS-Bhagwat is having an aggressive stance on this subject. The position of the Constitution as seen in the Jehovahs Witnesses case is that one should respect the national symbols but it is not mandatory to chant or shout any slogan as such. In that sense patriotism stands for following the laws in our Constitution and abiding by them. Criticism of the ruling government cant be equated with anti-nationalism. So the present exercise in imposing slogans etc. has nothing to do with patriotism. It is being used as a political tool. We need to overcome the sectarian tendencies like those of Bhagwat, Devendra Fadanvis, Baba Ramdev who are trying to force such non-important issues on the society. Baba Ramdevs statement is very frightening. There is a very apt phrase, patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels. I would like to modify that to: in India patriotism is being made the refuge by pseudo-nationalists for their politicalgoals. Our educational institutions must cultivate the culture of debate and dialogue even with dissenting voices; the need is to promote the deeper values of Indian nationalism and humanism. The author, a retired Professor at the IIT-Bombay, is currently associated with the Centre for the Study of Secularism and Society, Mumbai. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Making Sense of the Struggle at JNU: A Call for Action by Vikas Bajpai The following article was written before the indefinite hunger strike by the JNU students ended following the Court order to keep the authorities disciplinary action in abeyance by staying it for now. However, in view of the importance of the points raised by it, it is being belatedly published for the benefit of our readers. Even as I write these lines, the indefinite hunger strike of the students at JNU has entered its fifteenth day. The students there are demanding the withdrawal of the punishments handed down to them by the university authorities for what the university describes as breach of university rules, first by deliberately giving misleading information to acquire permission for holding an event on the campus to mark the third anniversary of the hanging of the Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru, and then going ahead with the programme despite the permission for the same being withdrawn. It may be added that the permission was withdrawn by way of an SMS sent barely twenty minutes before the programme was to begin. By the universitys own admission, the punishments are not on the point of allegedly anti-national acts of the students which, as per the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Jagdesh Kumar, is an issue to be determined by the agencies of the Government of India and the courts. It may be remembered that the punishments handed over to as many as twentyone students for this breach of university rules range between fines of ten to twenty thousand rupees and rustication from the university along with debarment from entering the campus for as many as five years. Even the teachers have been warned against giving shelter to at least two studentsUmar Khalid and Anirban Bhatta-charya, both of whom face serious threat to their life from Right-wing Hindu zealots outside the campus. The struggle at JNU by the students, as also the teachers has now stretched into its fourth month. During these four months there has been little respite from a relentless, motivated, vicious and unsparing assault by the Hindu Right led by the RSS, and the present Modi government supported by it, to virtually decimate JNU. Despite this, if the struggle so demands, the students seem determined to defy death, even though the ongoing hunger strike is not a strike until death. Ill come back to the ongoing events at JNU a while later; but let us first reflect on what this entire struggle has been about. The Support from Far and Near It has been sometime when a colleague circulated on the JNU teachers google-group a mail from his friend, a Professor at the University of Islamabad, regarding the struggle at JNU. At the peak of the struggle, the Pakistani Professor noted how for the last so many days she had come to be gripped by what was happening at JNU; how the first thing she did in the morning was to reach out for the internet to know of the latest developments at JNU; she followed with bated breath the events regarding the cases of Kanhaiya, Anirban and Umar; how she felt concerned for their safety. The Professor admitted how she had been surprised by her anxieties that had made her feel and react as though these students were her own and that she needed to do everything possible to protect them from the big bad world baying for their blood. These sentiments filled me with an immensely gratifying sense of fulfilment that is beyond words. I had it conveyed to her through my colleague that she had every right to consider them as her students inasmuch as they were living up to the ideals dear to her; and that we at JNU would like to consider the Pakistani students as our own for similar reasons. I cannot say if Prime Minister Modis much appreciated surprise stop-over at Lahore gene-rated a goodwill for India among the people of Pakistan that could come anywhere near the poignant sentiments expressed by the Pakistani Professor, but certainly, the outcomes thereafter have not been desirable in the least for either country. The solidarity expressed by the Pakistani Professor was only one among a legion of solidarity messages and the action programmes undertaken in scores of universities and cities across the world by students, teachers, scientists, artists and political activists. Many academics and Nobel Laureates wrote directly to the Prime Minister to counsel the government for upholding the right to freedom of expression and desist from criminalising dissent. Nearer home the support received was even more emphatic. I do not know how many times has it happened that the people in Kashmir have observed a complete strike either in support of any struggle or in reaction to any other event in the rest of India; or for that matter the Government of India has managed to motivate the Kashmiri masses to rise in support of a cause dear to it, the governments immense resources and coercive might notwithstanding. But JNU students need be commended for having broken the ice between the people of Kashmir and the rest of India. In an expression of solidarity, on February 27, 2016 the entire Kashmir Valley remained completely shut down to protest against the arrest of JNU students and the former Delhi University Professor, S.A. R. Geelani, both on sedition charges. The sole reason for this gesture of the Kashmiri people is the sensetivity with which the JNU students have always viewed the trials and travails and the pain of the people in the Valley. They have not only condemned the excesses committed by the security forces, but a section of them has firmly supported the right to self-determination by the people of different nationalities, including those of Kashmir. It is in this context that the naked terror unleashed by the government on students of JNU elicited such a strong reaction from the people in Kashmir. Taking such positions undoubtedly runs into conflict with the national chauvinism preached by the ruling classes and contradicts the notions of nationalism this cultivates among the people. To articulate such positions in the kind of socio-political milieu that obtains in the country today is indeed a matter of great courage. The JNU students have not just had the courage to raise their voice for the people traumatised by the Indian state, but if the peoples participation in the number of rallies taken out in the countrys Capital and prog-rammes held by students, youth, academics, political and civil society activists in different parts of the country in support of the struggle at JNU are any indication, the JNU students have been successful in rallying large sections of the Indian people behind their struggle. But for this wide support received from outside, the Modi Government would have vanquished this struggle in no time. The Other Side of the Picture Nothing encapsulates the pathos of the RSS and Modi Government vis-a-vis JNU better than a statement made by a Professor who hosted me in Amritsar in the first week of March, when I had been invited there to address a meeting on the struggle at JNU. The Professor commented aina ne aapna paddar aninna niva kar liya hai ki hun Prime Minister da mukabla ik student union leader naal ho reha hai (they have lowered their standard so much that the Prime Minister is now having to compete with a student union leader). Refined ideological and intellectual contes-tation has never been the forte of the RSS and its cohorts; however, their overzealousness to settle scores with JNU exposed their ideological bankruptcy in the instant case rather too soon. Unable to restrain the struggle despite a high decibel media campaign using morphed videos, they soon came down to fist-fighting and physical intimidation. Repeated attempts to assault JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, threats to assassinate him along with Umar and Anirban, seizure of arms and other objects meant for this purpose have all been in the news. The ludicrous level to which they stooped in their hate JNU campaign is shown by the following averments made by a BJP legislator from Rajasthan, Gyandev Ahuja (http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/3000-condoms-2000-liquor-bottles-at-jnu-this-bjp-mla-is-keeping-count/article8272367.ece), who said: More than 10,000 butts of cigarettes and 4000 pieces of beedis are found daily in the JNU campus. 50,000 big and small pieces of bones are left by those eating non-vegetarian food. They gorge on meat... these anti-nationals. 2000 wrappers of chips and namkeen are found, as also 3000 used condomsthe misdeeds they commit with our sisters and daughters there. And 500 used contraceptive injections are also found. Besides this, 2000 liquor bottles as also over 3000 beer cans and bottles are daily detected in the campus. That this is not a misadventure of a wayward loose cannon is shown by the fact that a handful of teachers at JNU who are affiliated to the Sangh Parivar had actually prepared a two hundred page dossier (http://thewire.in/2016/04/26/dossier-calls-jnu-den-of-organised-sex-racket-students-professors-allege-hate-campaign-31709/) in 2015 itself that profiled some of the JNU teachers and made the most shameful of accusations against JNU teachers, students and even the employees. The whole dossier is full of the following kind of slurs, and of course without the obligation to provide any evidence whatsoever. Over one thousand boys and girls (sic) students have been fined from Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 for consuming alcohol, for indulging in immoral activities in their hostels. On 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 organised racket but also pollute the boys. How come big and high brand cars are moving around the hostels particularly in the night hours? Some security staff is (sic) also involved in this racket. Freshers are particularly inducted in this ring of vice by luring through money, sex, drugs and alcohol, so that they become tied up with the cause of foreign agencies. It fails ones imagination as to what kind of a teacher it takes to be able to commit such a conscious profanity against his/her own students. Indeed, whom must we consider a genuine friend of the Indian peoplethese Sanghi zealots or our Pakistani friend? Unlike the groundswell of support that the JNU students and teachers have received from across the world and in India, the BJP has had to be content with self-certification. The BJP President, Amit Shah, and leaders like Arun Jaitely have declared more than once that the party has won the Nationalism debate, while the fact is that their own political affiliates Raj Thackeray of the Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena and even the Hindu Sant Mahasabha, affiliated to the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/kanhaiya-umar-not-antinational-says-hindu-sant-mahasabha/article8521473.ece) believe the JNU students to be innocent. In fact the latter even felt that: Quite frankly, most of the people were swayed by the BJP propaganda. It is quite shameless and completely wrong to brand innocent students as anti-national when their views are completely within the purview of the Constitution. Preserving our Future JNU presents us with a situation in which it is impossible to remain neutral for anyone who engages seriously with the democratic aspira-tions of the Indian people. It makes it imperative for us to act while the struggle is alive. In order that an informed action becomes possible, we need to think what has made such a glorious struggle possible? Why despite an elaborately planned advance strategy to brand JNU as anti-national being in place, with a brute political majority and a sway over large sections of the media to back it up, the govern-ment has utterly failed to decimate JNU? What makes completely unrelated people respond to the agony of these students with full force of poignant anger directed at the rulers? Is it just a question of one incident that piqued the rulers of the day or are there larger issues involved? There is little gainsaying that it is not a revolution yet; and yet again it has been becoming difficult for the rulers to perpetuate their rule in the same old manner. A situation so obtains that the only answer to mitigate an existing crisis is to invent a larger crisis. Things would still be doable for the ruling classes if they were to remain at this. But most fortunately for the people of this country, a large section of our youth and students seem to be increasingly refusing to be ruled by the old ways. The trend started with the struggle by students and teachers of Delhi University against the imposition of the four-year undergraduate course under the UPA rule. The suppression of the Ambedkar-Periyar study circle at IIT, Chennai soon after the NDA Government took power at the Centre followed next, followed by the prolonged strike by students at FTII against the imposition of a thoroughly inept actor as the Chairman of its Governing Council; then came the Occupy UGC movement against withdrawal of scholarships to research students in Central Universities followed by the move-ment against the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula at the Hyderabad Central University, and the list continues to grow. Even as these struggles were going on, there broke this crisis at JNU. The JNU students had already been playing an active role in the FTII, Occupy UGC and Rohith Vemula struggles. The ongoing struggle at JNU represents the tallest and the brightest of the green shoots of a new widening student movement in search of an alternative in the country. What is more, the core of this struggle seems to be constituted of the radical Left students and the radicalised sections of the Ambedkarite student groupsboth of whom are least encumbered by the dominant ruling class politics of the day. These students are impatient to make their break from the past to usher in a new future for the marginalised labouring masses of India. None of the alternatives these students articulate are in the populist mould; rather their ideas are meant to defy the establishment in every sense of the word, may it be on the question of Nationalism, Democracy, Gender, Development, Politics and every other manner in which the present social political and economic structure oppresses the Indian people. In a nutshell, these struggles are a declaration of war on the status quo. For the coming summer vacations at the university the JNU Students, Union has given the call to the studentsStay Back and Fight Back. It remains to be seen whether the people of India shall Stay Put and join the Fight Back with these brave students. Dr Vikas Bajpai is an Assistant Professor, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He can be contacted at drvikasbajpai[at]gmail.com Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Elections: Trends and Projections From N.C.s Writings In the midst of a general election, it is obviously unfair to predict who or which party is going to emerge victorious or be in a position to form the next government. This is doubly true in a situation facing us today in which no party can claim to win outright the majority of seats in the Lok Sabha. The absence of a wave or a definite issue round which the election campaign has centred makes all forecasts mere guesswork. However, there are certain trends which are noticeable that may have important bearings in the formation of a new government. As is generally accepted, the tussle for power will be confined to three contending formationsthe Congress, the BJP and the National Front-Left combine. While all the forecasts have put the BJP and the Congress as the main contenders for the position of the front-runner, with scores below 200 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha, the general impression until the eve of the first polling on April 27, was that the Congress might have the advantage of roping in allies, but the BJP is bereft of allies except for the new MPs that the Shiv Sena and the Samata Party may return. In other words, the BJP even if it were the first party on the scoreboard may not be able to form the government, while the Congress even with a low score on its own account may form the government because of the advantage of having more potential allies. From the latest indications, it appears that the BJPs chances on this score are not as bleak as they looked at first. The polarisation along communal lines has not emerged during the electioneering. The election campaign itself has shown that the allergy to the BJP on the ground of its being communal has worn out in many cases and may become more so once it becomes the party with the highest score and thus comes out with a better prospect of forming a government. Apart from the Shiv Sena and the Samata Party, which other parties are likely to respond to an invitation to a coalition with the BJP? The TDP faction under Lakshmi Parvati, the Akali party and the AGP are being mentioned in this connection. Bansi Lals Haryana Vikas Party is already in alliance with the BJP. It is expected that Chandra Shekhar may back such a coalition. And his support may pave the way for some Congress dissidents, including a section of the Tewari Congress, to respond positively. And if the score mounts, then one would not be surprised to find the BSP softening up and some elements of the UDF in Kerala taking a responsive position. Although much of this may still be in the realm of speculation, there is no reason to dismiss Atal Behari Vajpayees reported claim that some soundings have already been available. The Congress circles dismiss opinion-poll forecasts about the BJP emerging as the first party with a score of 180 and above. Although no party this time is sure of its own score, the more optimistic in the Congress camp expect their party score to reach 200 plus. Objectively speaking, this itself marks a setback for the ruling party. Five years ago, at the time of the last general election in 1991, the Congress had won on its own as many as 232 seats. Out of these about 20 came as the sympathy dividend after Rajiv Gandhis assassination in the middle of the election campaign itself. Since then, the Congress has had a split though nowhere as wide as it was in 1969-70. If one were to go by the record of the government, the number of Assembly elections last year amply made it clear that the economic reforms have not turned out to be vote-catching : rather the discontent with the rising prices and dismay at the bleak prospects in the job market have had a negative impact on the voter. Lastly, the Congress election campaign has been devoid of any central focus. Taking all this into account, it would be a heroic achievement if the Congress could get 200 seats as the optimists in that party expect it to score. However, the allies it expects to collect for a coalition government will have to come mainly from the National Front, particularly the Janata Dal. This will enhance the importance of Ramakrishana Hegde and those of his line of thinking. It is extremely doubtful if the Akalis and the AGP would respond to the invitation of a coalition with the Congress at the Centre when these parties have to fight the Congress at the State level. In contrast, it would be easier for the BSP to strike a deal with the Congress at the Centre, since both may need each other for the State-level politics in UP. A question which is very often raised in the Opposition circles, particularly by the Tewari Congress and the Left, is the possibility of Narasimha Rao joining hands with the BJP. They base their argument mainly on the deal struck over the election of the BJP as the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 1991 and more particularly on the extraordinary inaction of Narasimha Rao during the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. This argument does not hold when both the Congress under Narasimha Rao and the BJP have been fighting for the front-runners position in the poll race for the Lok Sabha. What policy shifts may take place after the new government takes over is another matter. Just at this point of time the two are engaged in a bitter tussle for the formation of the next government, and it is highly unlikely that Narasimha Rao will or can make a 180 degree somersault to embrace the BJP as his coalition partner. Identity or proximity in policy approach does not necessarily lead to alliances for power-sharing. Narasimha Raos real trouble will come if the Congress score is staggeringly low. There is no clear view as to what could possibly be the cut-off point. Would it be 150? That would mean that if the Congress score does not go beyond 150, then its manoeuvring capacity in forming a coalition might be very weak, and within the ranks of the party, the sense of defeat might manifest itself in the shape of anger against the Congress President who is doing most of the all-India campaign for the party. In that case, there may arise the demand for electing a new leader of the party who could bring all the dissidents back into the fold of the party. Although it is not openly admitted, the Narasimha Rao camp appears to be conscious of such a danger. In terms of coalition formation for a new government, such a situation will be definitely disadvantageous for Narasimha Rao personally as also for his party. Can the Third Force be a reality in terms of winning power at the Centre? By arithmetical calculation, perhaps a case can be established that with the support of the Left and in alliance with the Congress dissidents, the National Front might be in a position to stake a claim to power. However, the state of the Janata Dal, the main constituent of the Front, is so rickety that there could possibly be no common approach among themselves which could attract other friendly parties. Available indications hardly bring the National Front-cum-Left combine to a point where it can attract other allies for a coalition to make a bid for power. Apart from the Chandra Babu-TDP in Andhra Pradesh, the Third Force expects some of the Congress dissidents to respond. Even in Tamil Nadu, it is not likely to get Karunanidhis DMK since the latter was unceremoniously rebuffed by the National Front which last year had made a wistful bid to win over Jayalalitha. For all the pollsters and astrologers, however, the time stops for the momentthat is, until the ballot boxes are opened from May 8 onward.n (Mainstream, May 4, 1996) Anuj Desai of Arnall Golden Gregory in the U.S. extoled the virtues of deploying technology in the courtroom: for example, it is quicker and easier to search PDFs than bundles of paper files during cross-examination, and information on tablet computers can be easily accessed, shared and synchronized. A lot of courtrooms are very advanced these days, said Desai. I dont even have a legal pad anymore. However, despite the benefits of technology, the panel, moderated by Mark Kachigian of Johnson & Kachigian in the U.S., agreed that lawyers need to keep close control over it. For example, when using cloud-based docketing technology, compare the long-term benefits of different systems before commiting to one of them. Look at the costs over five years, said Desai. Cory Furman of Furman IP & Strategy in Canada reinforced the need to retain control, when discussing his deep scrapheap of experience in integrating different software systems. Put in place your business workflows before you acquire software tools, set a budget and streamline your approach, he advised, otherwise you can (as he did) find yourself having to enter a clients change of address in five places. The panels third speaker, Nathalie Dreyfus of Dreyfus in France, discussed some other considerations when using technology, including laws on transferring data between jurisdictions and the need for a disaster recovery plan. Comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (which was published in April) are due June 3. Rogers said there were many reasons for considering the first rule changes to the TTAB since 2007, including case law, federal rule changes and technological advantages. The decision last year by the Supreme Court in B&B Hardware v. Hargis Industries has become involved in the conversation since our Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, noted Rogers. But I can assure you it was neither a reason for proposing it nor is it a reason for not proposing it. I know some of the comments we have received said maybe we shouldnt be involved in this rulemaking after the Supreme Court ruling. We dont see it that way. It was in the works already. One of the biggest focuses of the rule changes is to make the TTAB filing completely electronic. If the system is down, you can still file on paper but it needs a petition to the Director attached, said Rogers. So the lesson there is to file early, and that way you wont run up against such issues. Rogers urged any registrants that want to comment on the notice to act fast. What will ultimately be in the Notice of Final Rulemaking may change some so if you do want to comment you have got a week and a half, he said. The final rules package is expected to be published in September. The USPTO is scheduled to issue a report reviewing the comments received on June 24. That day is also the effective date of the Boards new Standard Protective Order. It will apply to all pending cases with some limited exceptions. Mary Boney Denison, Commissioner for Trademarks at the USPTO also gave an update on several initiatives, including updating all the Offices computer systems, TM5, a new online payment tool, outreach, the IP attache program and the fees proposal. On the latter point, Denison said the USPTO is trying to drive behavior away from paper and that there should be a proposal in the Federal Register next month. She noted that about 84% of filing is done electronically now. Denison reported that filing this year is up 8% to 9%. We are expecting filings to keep going, she said. From his office window at JT Internationals headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Ronald van Tuijl can see Mont Blanc. Since joining the company in 2012, as Intellectual Property Trade Marks Director, he says he has had little time to enjoy the surroundings. But he does enjoy running by Lake Geneva and has also been learning to ski. Im not a good skier, he confesses. But I have an overall drive to learn. Its the same with being INTA Presidentyoure constantly pushing your own boundaries. Pushing boundaries Van Tuijl has been pushing at his boundaries in IP for more than 20 years, with roles at KPN, Unilever and Philips in the Netherlands before moving to JT International. (He jokes that, having worked for all the major Dutch multinationals, the obvious next step was to move overseas). But his initial interest in IP law came at university, where he studied copyright and wrote a thesis on the role of collecting societies on the internet. Copyright law has been a recurring topic during his career. He worked at KPN when the company owned a number of internet service providers and had to address copyright liability issues. And, in 1999, he had to advise on a case involving depictions of Sinterklaasthe Dutch equivalent of Santa Claus, in which an actor who was the official Sinterklaas requested a preliminary injunction to stop the use of his image. The interesting question was: does a fictitious person have image rights? says van Tuijl, who describes the case as one of the most interesting he has been involved in. In the event, he says: The court found the actor had a reasonable case to prevent the use of the image, and the company was given 24 hours to remove all point-of-sale materials across the Netherlands. It was a high-profile case, legally interesting and attracted a lot of publicity. Was he recognizable, was he popular? Yes and yes. But if wed had any other Sinterklaas, it would not have been the same. A global portfolio Today, at JT International, van Tuijl is more focused on trademark issues and manages a team of four managers and five assistants who are responsible for all the companys tobacco brands globallysome 36,000 trademarks. The managing part is an important part of my role, but also I handle litigationthats something I focus on a lot. The team is working with the brand groups and the agent network, while I work with other functions in the company, such as the taxation department, he says. Since January this year he has also been INTA President, and addressed the Annual Meeting in that capacity last night. He says one of his priorities is the Presidential Task Force on the role of in-house IP professionalssomething he takes a particular interest in as his entire career so far has been spent in-house. Ive seen all sorts of changes to in-house teams, regarding who they report to, how work is handled, insourcing, outsourcing and so on, he says. I wanted to understand whether some of this is the result of the economic crisis of technological development, or whether there is a trend. He says the Task Force will come up with a set of recommendations as to how INTA can support in-house practitioners in these areas, as well as how they can continue to be active in INTA committees and meetings, and whether INTA can develop its activities in this area. This sort of participation is a key part of the in-house role, he argues: As an in-house attorney, you are more than just a person answering questions. You should be the guardian of IP and go outside your organization to take part in seminars and discussions. Otherwise, are you contributing all that you can to your company? Having made a conscious decision to work in-house, van Tuijl denies that it is necessarily easier or less pressure than being in a law firm: The good thing about being in-house is that you are involved from the initial ideas up to the development, launch and enforcement of the IP right. Youre part of a team and part of a company. You walk into a building in the morning, with 80 nationalities, and everybody is working hard to bring the best quality products and services to consumers and to be the most successful. Thats something you only really get when working in-house. The face of INTA Van Tuijl says he feels privileged to be INTA President this year, and sees the role as being the representative of the Association adding: That means its not about me but about the role of the President. There are many opportunities to communicate with members and others. My role is to support the Strategic Plan and the mission of INTA and to be the face of INTA on specific occasions. Among the issues he highlights are the recent review of the Associations Bylaws, which resulted from the Governance Review Task Force Report last year, and the international activities of INTA: following last years Leadership Meeting in Panama and the recent opening of a representative office in Singapore, INTA is going to host its first conference in Africa for 20 years in September, and in the same month the Board will hold its first meeting in Beijing. We are the International Trademark Association and if you want to be relevant you have to be present and act globally. Holding meetings around the world means there is an opportunity for advocacy and to meet officials to discuss issues relevant to different jurisdictions. In support of this, he cites just some of the policy issues that INTA has been and will be working on, including Internet governance and the IANA transition; the recently implemented trademark reforms in the EU, including the provisions on goods-in-transit; the growth of the Madrid System, notably in south-east Asia; and the impact of plain packaging rules on IP rights. On the latter point he notes: This is a trademark and a brand issue with the potential to impact a number of industries. INTA passed a Board resolution last year on plain and highly standardized packaging. The Board represents a multitude of companies in different industries and so it is significant that they passed that Resolution. As a Dutchman based in Switzerland but spending much of his time traveling around the world or on international phone calls, van Tuijl brings a unique perspective to the challenges of globalization. He says that he expects to spend a lot of this year as INTA President traveling but adds that his job is made a lot easier by the work of the INTA staff. And, from a practical perspective, there is at least one advantage to being a Europe-based INTA President: A lot of the INTA-related phone calls are at the end of my day, so I can do my business role during daytime and switch to INTA in the evening! Zumba,a dance fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto Beto Perez in the 1990s, has become a global craze. Classes are now taken in 182 countries by more than 15 million people. Protecting the brand is Alan Veronicks job. He handles all aspects of registration and enforcement of Zumbas IP rights worldwide, as well as advertising and marketing clearance and license, talent and sponsorship agreements. Our biggest challenge by far is the global nature of our business, Veronick says. We have instructors in over 180 countries. We sell apparel and other consumer products, either ourselves or through a distributor, in many of those countries. So we face challenges in countries all over the world from a brand enforcement standpointranging from people who are teaching our programs without the proper licenses, to third parties manufacturing and selling fake clothing, DVDs, and other products. Veronick says China is the biggest problem in terms of product infringement and Brazil and Mexico are the biggest in terms of an unlicensed instructor problem. The company tries to do as much as possible in-house. All U.S. prosecution is done in-house and Veronick directs outside counsel on prosecution in foreign markets. Zumba also tries to do as much as it can on enforcement in-house, only turning to outside counsel in situations it cannot resolve itself. Veronick has a team of eight under him that can speak several languages. We cant afford to hire counsel every time we face a problem in every country so we try to do as much as we can here, he says. We try to leverage the language talents that we have in house as much as possible to deal with those issues that take place on the ground in all those different countries. He continues: We also work with outside counsel on brand enforcement matters. We are fairly aggressive, having prosecuted enforcement actions during the past year in such diverse places as Brazil, Chile, China, Italy, Mexico, Malaysia, South Korea and the United States, among others. Veronick explains the company relies heavily on its instructors in individual countries as our eyes and our ears on the ground there, and gets hundreds of reports daily. It investigates those issues in-house and attempts to resolve as many as possible. We have also placed a value on educating our licensed instructors and fans of the Zumba programs on the importance of using our trademarks correctly, staying away from classes taught by unlicensed instructors, and being careful to make sure the Zumba products you are buying are authentic, says Veronick. To that end, we have a Facebook Page with over 320,000 followers called Stop Party Crashers. We use that as a platform to educate our instructors and the fans of the Zumba programs. He adds: We started that two years ago and it has been very helpful in terms of receiving reports. People have their cell phones and they snap a picture of whatever they see, and they send it to us through the private message feature on Facebook. We use that to communicate with them in real time. We have seen increased interaction with people reporting to us through Facebook. It is a delicate balance between protecting the brand and not being overly aggressive about clamping down on people who may not be aware they are even infringing. We try to be friendly in our enforcement approach when we are dealing with individuals and gyms, says Veronick. We dont want to alienate people and if they are teaching the program without a license we encourage them to attend a training and get a license. We do take action if they ignore us and we take more aggressive action against third parties who conduct trainings that are not authorized by us and people counterfeiting our products. The company is also diligent about protecting its namewhich it made upfrom becoming generic. We try to do as much as we can internally in ensuring the business units here correctly use the mark, says Veronick. We also proactively look at what our instructors are doing and educate them in terms of how they should and shouldnt use the mark. In that regard, on the Facebook page I mentioned we post messages regarding genericism and how to properly use the trademark. We monitor how students are using it, and we just try to be proactive in terms of reaching out to people to drive home the point that it is important to use the trademark in a non-generic fashion. Lori Schulman, INTAs Senior Director, Internet Policy, has what she describes as a very busy agenda. When she spoke to the INTA Daily News, she had just returned to Washington D.C. after six weeks of meetings and conferences in Geneva, Switzerland. After the Annual Meeting in Orlando, she is due to take part in the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) meeting in June, ICANNs 56th Public Meeting in Helsinki and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group meeting in Geneva in July. Internet issues are a key policy focus for INTA and Schulman describes her role as two-fold: one part is to be the voice of INTA in the Internet policy space advocating brand owners interests on Capitol Hill, in ICANNs multi-stakeholder model and in other international organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the IGF. Its important that the voice of the private sector is heard on Internet policy, and we hope we can engage it in a meaningful way, she says. While in Geneva, Schulman took part in the World Summit on the Information Society Forum as one of the private sector representatives facilitating high level discussions. It is time for the private sector to think about how to be engaged in these debates in a consistent and substantive way, across all businesses, she says, adding: A lot of very ambitious goals are being articulated, but where do brands fit in? One highly topical issue is the IANA transition, with the U.S. government expected to give up the final part of its ICANN oversight this year. Schulman says she is cautiously optimistic about this process, but urges brand owners to remain fully engaged. ICANN is transforming its governance structure and also undertaking internal reviews on issues such as domain name disputes, new gTLDs and enforcement. They are of interest to every single brand owner that has a presence on the Internet. In particular, she says, it is vital that rights protection mechanisms are strengthened and that there are sufficient ways to hold ICANN to account in its new structure. This is particularly important as ICANN is expected to embark on another round of new gTLDs in the near future. The second part of Schulmans role is to act as liaison to INTAs Internet Committee, which now has over 200 members and 11 subcommittees following the Associations recent committee reorganization. The Committees mission is to develop and advocate policy regarding the balanced protection of trademarks on the Internet. The various subcommittees are working on a wide range of issues affecting brand owners online, such as the future of IP on the Internet, rights protection mechanisms and the role of social media and apps. Contact details Lori Schulman Senior Director, Internet Policy, Washington D.C. Tel: +1 202 704 0408 Email: lschulman@inta.org The Association has more than 6,700 member organizations, representing 190 countries. Of these, 732 organizations are in Latin America, a region in which INTA has invested increased efforts in recent years, adding 54 new, Latin America-based member organizations in 2015 alone. One of the reasons we focus so much on the region is to support harmonization initiatives and agreements such as PROSUR, the Singapore Treaty and the Madrid Protocol, says Gabrielle Doyle, INTAs External Relations Associate for Latin America. As part of the Strategic Plan, INTA works to promote harmonization of trademark law on a global scale. In a diverse region like Latin America, which sees so many different interpretations of trademark rights, implementing a common solution is key, she says. INTA hosts policy dialogues, which are government-focused roundtables where members discuss the various issues that arise as a result of legislative changes with government officials. It provides a closed door environment for government officials to speak openly with different INTA members on trademark protection-related issues. The Association works to educate both government officials and consumers in the region on the value of intellectual property. To demonstrate this value, INTA and the Inter-American Association for Industrial Property (ASIPI) are developing a study that measures the impact of trade mark-intensive industries on the economies of Mexico, Chile, Panama, Peru and Colombia. The objective of this impact study is to use statistical evidence to demonstrate the economic value of trademarks for the various governments in the region. This will help encourage these governments to invest back into their IP Offices and programs and in turn, increase the awareness of the importance of trademarks in the region. INTA also organizes workshops to educate examiners on trademark examination developments, such as non-traditional marks, which are beginning to become more commonly used in the region. Among its efforts to educate consumers, INTA has brought its Unreal Campaigna hands-on workshop teaching the importance of trademarks and dangers of counterfeit goods to kids ages 14-18to schools in Latin America, and will release a related set of YouTube videos on June 8th, for World Anticounterfeiting Day. Last year was a landmark one for INTAs presence in Latin America, as the Association sent its first official delegation to Cuba, Chile and Peru, and visited Argentina for the first time since 2004. In November, INTA hosted its annual Leadership Meeting in Panama. This was the first time in the history of the Association that this meeting has been held outside of the United States. We chose Panama specifically because of its economic development, its strategic locationthey call it the hub of the Americasand obviously, the expansion of the Canal places Panama at the center of international attention in terms of international trade and intellectual property, Doyle says. Furthermore, INTA plans to open its first Latin America office in 2017. Doyle says the intention is to further INTAs strategic objective of increasing its presence in Latin America. With this office, we are undoubtedly going to be able to increase membership, membership participation in policy programs, public policy influence and membership satisfaction. She expects that INTA will have one staff member dedicated to Latin America in the New York Office, as well as one primary representative in the Latin America office, the location of which will most likely be announced in September of this year. Contact details Gabrielle Doyle External Relations Coordinator for Latin America, New York Tel: +1 212 642 1767 Email: gdoyle@inta.org Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), christened the amphibious transport dock Portland (LPD 27) on May 21 in front of approximately 1,000 guests. U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Christopher Owens, director of the U.S. Navys expeditionary warfare division, was the keynote speaker. Marines love these ships, he said. They are perhaps the most versatile ships in the fleet. And in this current era when the United States faces a variety of threats and potential crises across the globe, LPDs uniquely enable the Navy and Marine Corps team to adapt and respond to a full range of scenarios we might face. Portland is the 11th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, named for the largest city in the state of Oregon. The state has a long history with the Navy, going back to the construction of hundreds of World War II Liberty and Victory ships at three Portland-area shipyards. Bonnie Amos, wife of retired Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos, is the ships sponsor and smashed a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the ship, officially christening Portland. Today is about Ingalls shipbuilders, she said. Today is about the pride in what has transpired to make this ship, LPD 27, the greatest ship and the best in her class. Ingalls has delivered 10 San Antonio-class ships to the Navy with the most recent, John P. Murtha (LPD 26), delivering on May 13. Ingalls has received more than $300 million in advance procurement funding for the 12th ship in the class, Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). Portland is the 11th ship in the San Antonio class, and she is the best LPD to date, Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. Working closely with our Navy partner, we continue to improve on each ship we build. Were investing, along with the great state of Mississippi and the Navy, in modernizing our facilities. Combine that with a hot production line and our talented and experienced shipbuilders, and we are uniquely positioned to provide our country with the highest-quality, most capable ships in our Navys fleet. LPD 27 is the third ship named Portland. The first USS Portland (CA 33) was the lead ship of a new class of heavy cruisers. Launched in 1932, it was named after the city of Portland, Maine, and saw battle during World War II. The second USS Portland (LSD 37), an amphibious landing ship commissioned in 1970, was named after both Portland, Maine and Oregon. She completed 14 deployments to the Caribbean, Mediterranean and North Atlantic. Our number one congressional responsibility is the common defense of this nation, said Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss. Part of our national defense includes amazing ships like the LPD 27 San Antonio-class amphibious ship. With the daily occurrence of global threats, its obvious we dont need just more ships, but ships that are survivable and capable. After all, they carry Americas most precious treasure, our men and women in uniform. The San Antonio class is the latest addition to the Navys 21st century amphibious assault force. The 684-foot-long, 105-foot-wide ships are used to embark and land Marines, their equipment and supplies ashore via air cushion or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey. The ships support a Marine Air Ground Task Force across the spectrum of operations, conducting amphibious and expeditionary missions of sea control and power projection to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions throughout the first half of the 21st century. Australias NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined Carnival PLC $15,000 after one of its P&O Cruises ships, the Pacific Jewel, breached new low sulfur fuel regulations in Sydney Harbour. A fuel sample taken by the ships crew and provided to EPA officers while the ship was berthed at the White Bay Cruise Terminal on February 26, 2016 had a sulfur level of 0.293 percent, nearly three times the 0.1 percent sulfur limit. The fine is the first to be issued under the new regulations which came into force from October 1, 2015. The regulations require cruise ships berthed in Sydney Harbour to use low sulfur fuel within one hour of berthing until one hour before departure. EPA Acting Director Metropolitan Greg Sheehy said that the EPA had also issued an official caution to the ships master. The ships crew had started changing over from using high sulfur fuel shortly after the ship had berthed at White Bay, but the sample showed that the fuel being used in the ships engine during the EPAs inspection did not meet the low sulfur fuel requirements, Sheehy said. Sheehy said that Carnival PLC had advised the EPA that its P&O Cruises Australia ships will start their changeover from high sulfur fuel earlier to address the problem. The EPA has taken a further three samples from the Pacific Jewel since February 26 and all have complied, he said. Since October 1, 2015 the EPA has inspected more than 140 cruise ships, taken 78 fuel samples from engine fuel lines, inspected log books and changeover records and also observed stack emissions. Figures before the regulation came into force showed that cruise ships produce around 40 percent of total fine particle emissions from shipping in Sydney Harbour. Therefore its vital that cruise ship operators adhere to the new regulation to protect Sydneys air quality and the health of the community, Sheehy said. The EPA is running an extensive compliance campaign to ensure cruise ships are complying and the inspections will continue, he said. The EPA has issued three official cautions to cruise ship operators, including one to Carnival PLC for a noncompliance by one of its other P&O Cruises ships. We are also investigating the results of samples from some other ships which may require regulatory action, Sheehy said. Penalty Notices are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance, including formal warnings, official cautions, license conditions, notices and directions, mandatory audits, enforceable undertakings, legally binding pollution reduction programs and prosecutions. On Thursday, May 19, shipbuilders at General Dynamics NASSCO delivered the Magnolia State to longtime customer American Petroleum Tankers (APT). The ECO Class tanker is one of the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly tankers in the world and symbolizes the emerging future of green shipping. It is also the fifth ship NASSCO shipbuilders have delivered in the past eight months. The Magnolia State is the second of a five-tanker contract between NASSCO and APT, which calls for the design and construction of five 50,000 deadweight ton, LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity. The 610-foot-long tankers are equipped with a new ECO design, which provides a 33 percent fuel efficiency improvement compared to product tankers built only a few years ago. The construction and operation of the new ECO Class tankers are aligned with the Jones Act, requiring that ships carrying cargo between U.S. ports be built in U.S. shipyards, further protecting hundreds of thousands of American jobs and almost $100 billion in annual economic impact as a result of the domestic American maritime industry. In December 2014, U.S. Representative Scott Peters signaled the start of construction of the Magnolia State. In June 2015, California State Assemblywoman and Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins laid the keel. The ships were designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea. The design incorporates improved fuel efficiency concepts through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form. The tankers will also have dual-fuel-capable auxiliary engines and the ability to accommodate future installation of an LNG fuel-gas system. The Magnolia State, along with others in the ECO Class, are the first in the Jones Act fleet to obtain a PMA+ Notation from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), representing compliance with one of the highest standards of human factors in engineering design. The PMA+ notation is created to facilitate safe access to vessel structure and spaces in ways that are rooted in the fundamentals of human ergonomics. General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a contract to provide information technology services and security assistance support to the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) and Navy International Programs Office. The 48-month contract value is $46.7 million. Under this contract, General Dynamics will provide the U.S. Navy with support for project, financial and logistical analysis and management; IT services; cooperative programs; and international training and educational programs. Work on the contract is being performed in Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C.; Pensacola, FL; and Dayton, OH. "General Dynamics is a leader in delivering adaptive, integrated joint and coalition warfighting support services," said Rich Farinacci, vice president and general manager of Professional Services and Training Solutions sector, General Dynamics Information Technology. "Our highly experienced team understands NAVSUP WSS' challenges and will identify, demonstrate, assess and integrate current and new technologies to meet vital Navy requirements." With over 30 years of experience supporting NAVSUP WSS programs, General Dynamics is a leading innovator in the Naval Supply community with demonstrated leadership, advanced knowledge and proven performance. General Dynamics delivers systems engineering, network infrastructure, logistics and maintenance services required to keep federal agencies connected with timely and accurate information enabling personnel to achieve mission success. The designs for a multi access zero emissions cargo ship will be unveiled at the 5th Natural Propulsion Seminar in Wageningen, Netherlands, on Tuesday, May 24. The Fair Winds Trading Company (FWTC) is currently in the research and design stage for this state-of-the-art zero-emissions, low impact sail cargo ship capable of transporting from remote low infrastructure points of production, i.e. micro ports, estuaries and beaches to points of purchase. Their designs are based on the ancient Prao; a multi hull cargo sailing ship of the South Pacific. They plan to initially transport goods between their sustainable development project in West Africa and Argyll, Scotland. The companys long-term vision is to assist Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and coastal communities in the least developed countries in acquiring their own ships and establishing their own trade routes. The recognition of the contributions of coastal wetland to greenhouse gas mitigation has lead to increased protection, regulation and oversight increasing the cost of establishing port facilities in those areas. FWTCs PraoCargo ship will be able to access goods without adding to the negative impact of establishing ports in these fragile coastal regions. Our aim is not only to achieve a zero negative impact method of sea transport, but also to demonstrate to commercial shipping and the market that this is not only do-able but desirable, said Madadh MacLaine, founder and CEO of FWTC. MacLaine has a background in experimental maritime ecology, researching, designing and building ancient ships and then recreating their voyages. She is also a founding member of Eco-Nav, a French association established in 2007 for the protection of the coasts and seas through collaboration with both the leisure and commercial maritime sectors. She met Alain Guillard at the first EcoNav conference in Douarnenez where they began to discuss collaboration on a multi access zero emissions cargo ship for FWTCs project in West Africa. The teams presentation will touch briefly on its work in the target area, from Gambia to Liberia, an area which has chronically suffered from low-level conflict, poverty and lack of access to world market. Then it will go into detail on how the vessel design specifically addresses this situation. What is a Prao? How does it differ from other ships? How has the team modified the design to incorporate modern technologies and specific requirements? i.e. SOLAS regulation, energy recuperation, etc. The PraoCargos most significant design aspects are its load/size ratio, stability and multi access capabilities. Due to its structure, the 60m long vessel has a shallow loaded draught of 4-6m depending on rudder position, minimum heeling and can maneuver under sail in shallow waters. She is designed with a maximum speed of 25knts, and an average speed of 13knts under sail, backed up with an electric motor drive system. Alain Guillard, the naval architect and designer of the vessel has recently built a 12m model of the intended ship on which he is currently transporting gravel to test her functionality in the Gulf de Morbihan, France. The Natural Propulsion Seminar, May 24, is held as part of BlueWeek, which is an independent, dedicated and free event hosted by the Maritime Research Institute of the Netherlands (MARIN), where the industry, academics and institutions can come together to discuss the latest R&D initiatives, regulations and projects. The schedule also includes seminars on the challenges and innovative solutions for offshore wind and blue technology at sea. As the world moves to slash CO2 emissions, the shipping and aviation sectors have managed to remain on the sidelines. But the pressure is now on these two major polluting industries to start controlling their emissions at last - a report by Yale University. International aviation and shipping emissions were excluded from the Paris pact, which introduced limits on greenhouse gas emissions for all nations starting in 2020. With power generation, manufacturing, domestic transport, deforestation, and even changes in land use all now constrained, calls are growing for these two big sectors to be tamed as well. Aviation and shipping each emit roughly the same volume of CO2 annually as the U.K. or Germany, and unlike the emissions of those two countries, their greenhouse gases continue to rise dramatically. Between 1990 and 2010, their contributions to the accumulation of planet-warming CO2 in the atmosphere rose by an average 3 percent a year, three times faster than overall global CO2 emissions. But at least aviation is now engaged in a discussion about how to comply with its pledges. The shipping industry, in contrast, remains unsure about whether it wants to commit to curbing its emissions at all even though the IMOs own estimates suggest shipping emissions will rise by 250 percent by 2050 and could by then make up 17 percent of all global emissions. Carbon emissions standards on individual new ships that will be introduced from 2019 will reduce emissions per ton of cargo. But the IMO has no plans to extend the standards to existing shipping or to impose caps on the industrys overall emissions. Last September, the IMOs then-secretary general Koji Sekimizu said shipping emissions should not be capped because to do so could damage economic growth. Such measures would artificially limit the ability of shipping to meet the demand created by the world economy, or would unbalance the level playing field that the shipping industry needs for efficient operation, and therefore must be avoided, he said. In April, the IMOs environment committee sat down to discuss the matter, coincidentally on the same day that 175 nations met at the UN in New York to sign the Paris agreement. But rather than seizing the moment, the committees sole concession to the clamor for action was to agree to require all ships weighing more than 5,000 tons to submit data on fuel use. While the EU and two of the three nations with the largest flag of convenience shipping fleets Liberia and the Marshall Islands backed drawing up plans to bring shipping into line on emissions curbs, they met fierce opposition. Russia, China, India, Brazil, and the third major flag of convenience state, Panama, all put up strong resistance to any idea of substantive talks on limiting emissions. Despite the IMOs reluctance, making big reductions in emissions from shipping is not that difficult. A lot could be done to improve the fuel efficiency of shipping. Maersk says that during the economic slump after 2008, when shipping fleets had huge surplus capacity, the company cut fuel use and CO2 emissions by 30 percent simply by telling the captains of its massive container ships to travel more slowly. And the International Chamber of Shipping says better-designed engines, hulls, and propellers could cut emissions by a further 15-20 percent. Different fuels for ships could also make a big difference. Maersk has conducted trials with biofuels. Carnival recently ordered the worlds first cruise ship powered by liquefied natural gas. And engineers are working on designs for ships powered by the sun or even a return to sails. But Fischbacher says for these innovations to be widely adopted, there needs to be a mandatory incentive with global targets. Shipping and aviation are in a similar situation today, he says. If left unchecked, their greenhouse gas emissions are set to rise exponentially by 2050. So far, both have failed to implement meaningful measures. Yet while aviation seems to be facing up to the challenges of a carbon-constrained world, shipping looks like the last holdout. France's hardline CGT union said on Monday that workers at Elengy, which operates three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in France, will go on strike from midnight until May 26 midnight included. The union said that from Tuesday morning, its members will block two out of three Elengy terminals at Montoir-de-Bretagne on the Atlantic coast and at Fos Tonkin on the Mediterranean coast, where no trucks or vessels will be allowed to load or unload. The CGT said its members at Elengy will be joining oil sector workers, whose rolling strikes over planned labour reforms have intensified in recent weeks and led to fuel supply disruptions in France. (Reporting by Bate Felix) 50 years after the beginning of modern container shipping in Germany, international trade is handled by 6,397 containerships, with a capacity of 21.1 million TEU. Hapag-Lloyds container fleet numbers among the largest in the industry. The revolution reached Germany 50 years ago. And even if no gunshots were heard, there was still a loud bang. On May 5, 1966, the Fairland, owned by the American shipping company Sea-Land, called at Bremens Uberseehafen (overseas port). On the next day, it had just started putting the first containers down on German soil when just the second of these strange new steel boxes slid out of its onboard harness and destroyed a brand-new tractor. Luckily there were only a few witnesses present to see a potentially bad omen for containerized shipping in this mishap. Invented just 10 years earlier in America, containerized shipping was still in its infancy. But, as we all know now, even this misfortune couldnt slow its glorious march toward triumph even if there was still a considerable amount of skepticism in Germany about this new system of transport. As one contemporary eyewitness recounted half a century later: It was written off as American craziness, as a flash in the pan. The freight forwarder Malcom McLean is regarded as the father of modern container transport. In the mid-1950s, he started using the first uniform-sized containers, initially for traffic along the U.S. East Coast. Ten years later, he transported the first boxes by sea to Europe with his Sea-Land shipping company. On May 5, 1966, his ship the Fairland called at its first German port, the Uberseehafen (overseas port) of Bremen, with 255 containers on board. At the time, Germanys two leading shipping companies were Hapag and North German Lloyd (NDL). Though they were already closing collaborating in many areas, their merger into Hapag-Lloyd still lay a few years ahead. The container revolution eventually became an important catalyst for this fusion. But, in the early days, the advance of containerization was primarily setting off alarm bells in Hamburg and Bremen, the companies respective homes. The development of so-called container transport is proceeding at headlong speed, warned Lloyds annual report in 1965. At this point, the company was still hoping for an evolutionary development with semi-containerships. But such hopes were in vain, as things obviously turned out differently. In fact, Hapag and NDL would quickly take up leading positions in this transition. For example, in June 1966, NDL performed Germanys first combined door-to-door transport, from Stuttgart to New York, with a 20-foot container. And already one year later, the two long-established shipping companies agreed that conventional shipping had no future in the North Atlantic. So both of them ordered two full containerships, each with a capacity of 736 standard container units (TEU), from the shipbuilders Blohm+Voss, based in Hamburg, and Bremer Vulkan, in Bremen. Then, in the fall of 1968, the Weser Express and the Elbe Express opened the first European fully containerized service over the Atlantic to New York. The Hapag-Lloyd Container Linien, in which both companies pooled their container businesses, was a decisive step on the path to their complete coalescing into Hapag-Lloyd in 1970. Sixty years after the beginning of modern container shipping and 50 years after the first container was unloaded in Germany, this flash in the pan has turned out to have extremely good staying power. A large part of the international trade is handled by the 6,397 containerships across the world, with a combined capacity of 21.1 million TEU. With more than 1.1 million steel boxes measuring 20 or 40 feet (for a total of 1.6 million TEU), Hapag-Lloyds container fleet numbers among the largest in the industry. Another issue generating a lot of interest and excitement these days is the development of larger ship sizes. Ten years ago, when the 50th anniversary of container shipping was celebrated, the world was still marveling at 9,000 TEU vessels. But now the newest generation of ships, the ultra large container ships (ULCSs), can carry more than 19,000 standard boxes. Does this mean weve finally reached the end of the story in terms of ship size? Well, we will most likely have an answer to this question by 2026, when we celebrate the 70th anniversary of container shipping. 1850 - USS Advance and USS Rescue sail from New York in a failed attempt to rescue Sir John Franklins Expedition, lost in the Arctic since 1847. Caught in the ice and after tremendous hardship, USS Advance returns on Aug. 20, 1851. Rescue returns Sept. 7. 1939 - USS Squalus (SS 192) suffers a catastrophic main induction valve failure during a test dive off the New Hampshire coast and is partially flooded, killing 26 crew members. 1944 - USS England (DE 635) sinks a Japanese submarine near New Ireland, sinking five submarines in a week. 1944 - USS Brooklyn (CL 40), USS Kearny (DD 432) and USS Ericsson (DD 440) shell enemy positions in vicinity of Ardea, Italy, with good results. The three ships repeat bombardment of troop concentrations and supply dumps on May 24 and 26 with equal success. 2009 - USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) responds to a vessel in distress in the Gulf of Aden and rescues 52 men, women and children who are adrift in a small skiff for approximately seven days. (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division) For over one year the HUMMEL has been contributing to improved air quality at the port of Hamburg. Becker Marine Systems LNG Hybrid Barge will also be supplying lower mission power to the AIDAsol this year. The cruise ship has already made three calls since the middle of May and will have made a total of 16 stops at the Hafencity terminal by October. Operations of the HUMMEL LNG Hybrid Barge have started up again at the beginning of the new cruise ship season. Due to some restrictions making the work more difficult, we are continuing to seek a mutual solution together with the relevant authorities, said Dirk Lehmann, Managing Director of Becker Marine Systems. This would then enable the HUMMEL to supply environmentally-friendly power to cruise ships during their layovers at port beyond the current year. Following Becker Marine Systems work on the development of the LNG Hybrid Barge project acting as a floating power plant, operations and the product sales will now be the responsibility of Hybrid Port Energy, the operating company and a subsidiary of Becker Marine Systems. The same applies to the use of the new, modular LNG PowerPac special containers. Becker Marine Systems said it would like to expand its offering LNG technology to containerships, bulkers and tankers in the future. Discussions with the Port of Rotterdam for the implementation of another barge are already well under way, said Lehmann. Last year the Hamburg-based company signed a memorandum of understanding for the sale of an LNG Hybrid Barge with Netherlands-based shipping company KOTUG and the Shell oil and gas company. Nigerias crude oil production and exports have been hit by severe outages as a result of attacks on oil infrastructure by rebel fighters in the Niger River Delta. Various sources report that Qua Iboe Terminal has shut down operations until further notice. All tanks on the facility were emptied of crude, operations have ceased completely and all personnel have been evacuated from the terminal, which is operated by ExxonMobil. Qua Iboe is Nigerias largest crude oil stream and exports usually more than 300,000 barrels per day (b/d). Exports of Nigerias other large crude oil grades, like Forcados, Bonny Light and Escravos have also been restricted, primarily due to sabotage and attacks on pipelines. As a result of the outages Nigerias oil production has dropped below 1.5 mb/d. What will the impact be on the Suezmax and VLCC segments, given the importance of Nigerian exports for these markets? The vast majority of Nigerias production is exported. The main destinations for Nigerias crude have traditionally been Europe and the U.S. The rapid growth of shale oil production in the U.S., which was of similar quality as the light sweet crude from Nigeria, backed out most of the Nigerian crude from the U.S. East Coast refineries in recent years. As a result the West African producer was forced to look for alternative buyers, which it found in Asia. By the middle of 2015, Nigeria had replaced Saudi Arabia as the largest crude oil supplier to India, for example, as more Indian refiners switched out their long-term contracts with Middle Eastern suppliers to spot oil purchases from Africa. Our fixture data for 2015 and 2016 YTD confirms the changes in fixing patterns out of Nigeria with Indian charterers dominating the top of the list. Another significant lifter out of Nigeria is Petrobras, who was third largest in 2015 and in 2016 to date. A wide range of western oil majors and traders make up the rest of the list, interspersed with a few local (African) charterers. American importers have also been making a comeback since U.S. shale production is declining and changing price differentials have made Nigerian imports more attractive again. Notably absent from the list are the large Chinese charterers. The Chinese appear to import virtually no crude from Nigeria. Their preferred West African crude oil source continues to be Angola. Based on the above, it appears that both Suezmax and VLCC markets could face downward pressure from sustained outages of Nigerian crude oil. If the Saudis increase production (or divert flows) to regain some of the market share they lost in India, a relatively long-haul (WAF-India) trade will be replaced by a very short-haul trade (AG-India). Chances are that this short-haul trade would be serviced predominantly by Suezmaxes, rather than by VLCCs, which were the preferred vessel for the Nigeria India movements. The Suezmax situation could be more complicated, depending on the need and source for replacement crudes. The U.S. and Europe have ample crude oil stocks and could conceivably decide to draw down inventories. Continued disruptions of Nigerian production also could drive up oil prices and speed up the return of U.S. shale. Both of these scenarios are rather unattractive for shipping. Offshore Ship Designers (OSD) has designed a powerful, low-emission compact e-tug to further augment its Azistern series of vessels. Among other roles, the vessel is equipped to deliver harbor assistance. OSD managing director Michiel Wijsmuller said, The Azistern-e has the typical low resistance stable hull and all-round visibility that is associated with all Azistern designs. What makes this particular Azistern tug different is that it is driven by a revolutionary podded drive and that it has a flexible and green electro/diesel-electric configuration. The hybrid power of the 22 m LOA / 50 BP Azistern-e is generated by two 970kW variable speed gensets and is supported by two 400kWh lithium battery packs. The low-emission tug can be delivered compliant with IMO Tier 3 requirements with an after-treatment system suitable for ECA areas, and is also equipped with an innovative energy management system. The uniform and perfectly optimized loading of the propulsion system ensures low maintenance and fuel costs. Transient sailing and maneuvering can be performed using the batteries with zero emissions. OSD said the Azistern-e is highly maneuverable, and the vessels power train has a remarkably short reaction time. By using the batteries as a booster, maximum bollard pull can be achieved within seconds. The relatively small size of the engines and the shaftless configuration frees up more space below deck, providing optimum flexibility in respect of the division of space and piping. As a result of its podded drive and the double elastic mounting of its gensets, the MLC-compliant vessel will also provide high comfort level for its four-man crew. By now, readers should be aware of the campaign waged against the Competitive Enterprise Institute led by Al Gore and a cadre of attorneys generals with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at the top of the rogues gallery. The subpoena goes so far as to demand CEI produce all documents or communications concerning research, advocacy, strategy, reports, studies, reviews or public opinions regarding Climate Change sent or received from such specifically named think tanks as the Acton Institute, The Heartland Institute and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy as well as industry organizations the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Oil & Gas Association and the American Petroleum Institute. Its the latest volley from the left including religious shareholder activists often successful efforts to force corporations withdraw financial support and cede membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council to stifle any whiff of opposition when it comes to the hypothetical, manmade catastrophic climate-change theory. ALEC, in fact, joins Acton and many other groups named in the subpoena, and leaders from these organizations have joined CEI in a strongly worded full-page advertisement that appeared in the New York Times last week: This abuse of power is unacceptable. It is unlawful. And it is un-American. Regardless of ones views on climate change, every American should reject the use of government power to harass or silence those who hold differing opinions. This intimidation campaign sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the rights of anyone who disagrees with the governments position whether its vaccines, GMOs, or any other politically charged issue. Law enforcement officials should never use their powers to silence participants in political debates. For those who havent been shocked out of complacency by this latest, blatant abuse of politically empowered legal authority marshaled in an effort to shut down free speech and exchange of scientific public policy, allow your writer to recap briefly. U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude E. Walker one member of Gore and Schneidermans lawyerly goon squad, which also includes AGs from California, Connecticut, District Of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington State issued a subpoena to CEI in late March. According to CEI: The subpoena requests a decades worth of communications, emails, statements, drafts, and other documents regarding CEIs work on climate change and energy policy, including private donor information. It demands that CEI produce these materials from 20 years ago, from 1997-2007, by April 30, 2016. In the same blog post, CEI admirably announced its intention to push back: CEI will vigorously fight to quash this subpoena. It is an affront to our First Amendment rights of free speech and association for Attorney General Walker to bring such intimidating demands against a nonprofit group, said CEI General Counsel Sam Kazman. If Walker and his allies succeed, the real victims will be all Americans, whose access to affordable energy will be hit by one costly regulation after another, while scientific and policy debates are wiped out one subpoena at a time. Ahhh, the land of the free and the home of the brave! I joke, but theres nothing remotely humorous when it comes to public officeholders zealously prosecuting opposing agendas equipped with deep pockets lined with taxpayer dollars. Its more than mischief when the seemingly unlimited cache of power wielded by government officials is deployed to enforce its mindset on nonprofits foolish enough to challenge the party line. As your writer noted elsewhere this activity extends well beyond the boundaries of McCarthyism with which others including CEI have compared it, and more resembles the Soviet show trials fictitiously depicted by Arthur Koestler in his monumental Darkness at Noon. Be afraid, very afraid. In the name of all that represents sanity, freedom and democracy in our country, lets hope CEI is successful in its fight against this crusade. Once upon a time, dear readers, that hope carried significantly more weight, but the aims of leftist activists have turned everything topsy-turvy. As noted above, there seem no limits to their ability to shut down debate from repetition of the scientific consensus canard and exaggerating both the diagnosis and prescription of Pope Francis Laudato Si encyclical to demonizing ALEC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for, gasp!, advocating in the best interests of companies, their employees and customers, and their shareholders. Oh! The humanity! Heres the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility from a May 2015 missive in which they describe the efficacy of shareholder activism: These are strange days indeed for shareholder activism. By some measures its experiencing a surge. Progressive groups have used the strategy since the early 1970s, but the past few years have seen an increase in its frequency, sophistication and success. In December, for example, the defense contractor Northrup Grumman announced that it would immediately end its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a key player in the push to privatize education and a purveyor of climate-change denial. The move came in response to a shareholder resolution filed by an activist group that owned stock in the company. More than 100 companies have withdrawn from ALEC over the past four years, many under shareholder pressure. Conservatives have noted the tactics power and potential, and they are sounding the alarm. In a 2011 report on Activist Investing in Post-Citizens United America, the right-wing Center for Competitive Politics warns that shareholder activists see for-profit corporations as their political enemy, and seek partisan or ideological advantage by squelching corporate political speech. In 2013, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce took another tack. It released a study suggesting that union-backed shareholder activism punishes the millions of individuals who rely on these investments for retirement, including union members, because it doesnt increase the value of a companys stock. The attorneys generals aligned with Al Gore have merely opened up a new front on the war against any and all opposing views. That they adapted the tactic from nominally faith-based investment groups such as ICCR and As You Sow only makes the future more worrisome. Malaysian Bulk Carriers Bhd (Maybulk) is said to be putting two more vessels up for sale, says The Edge, a local media. This comes on the heels of reports that it has sold one of its five post-Panamax dry bulk carriers the 87,000-deadweight tonne (dwt) Alam Pesona for US$6.8 million (RM27.88 million). The countrys largest dry bulk shipowner controlled by tycoon Tan Sri Robert Kuok is now in talks to sell Alam Padu, a bulk carrier built in April 2005 and has a deadweight of 87,000 tonnes, and Alam Murni, which is a 2003-built, 53,000dwt Supramax bulk carrier. Sources said that while Alam Pesona had been sold to Greek shipowner Navitas Compania Maritima SA, it is unclear who the buyers of the other two vessels are. Based on recent price tags, the two vessels could fetch more than US$10 million. This is based on the sale price of Alam Pesona, at US$6.8 million, and that of Jin Hui, a 50,800dwt bulker that was sold by Hong Kongs Jinhui Shipping & Transportation Ltd for about US$3 million in March. However, considering that Jin Hui was 16 years old, Maybulks younger vessels may be able to fetch more. Still, industry sources are suprised by Maybulks move. Chant Engineering announced that business partner DLM has introduced a new product for the International Shipping Industry: the Twistlock Load Cell and Container Load Monitoring System. To increase the safety of cargo ships at sea, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed new guidelines regarding the weighing of containers prior to departing from port. On July 1, 2016 the guidelines, along with an amendment to SOLAS regulation VI, will be introduced and will require the recording and documentation of the Verified Gross Mass of packed shipping containers. The new monitoring system is designed and manufactured in the U.K. by the ISO:9001:2008 Certified, Dynamic Load Monitoring (U.K.) Ltd. DLMs team of expert engineers has over 25 years of experience specializing in the production of high quality load cells and load monitoring systems. The Twistlock Load Cell and Container Monitoring System is designed to be retrofitted into existing spreaders used to lift containers on straddle carriers, ship to shore cranes, reach stackers, etc. The new system, which meets the specific ISO requirements, consists of a series of Twistlock Load Cells, with a 6:1 safety factor, and an operator monitoring screen for the cab. According to DLMs Technical Manager Chris Scrutton, The distinct advantage of making the Twistlock itself into a Load Cell is that it offers an area of even load distribution (360 around the twist-lock) and as it is located on the extremities of the container, where it is best positioned to enable center of gravity calculations and accurate weight determination, which can clearly be seen on the operator monitoring screen. The Twistlock System fits precisely into existing machinery, and can easily be incorporated into current maintenance schedules, allowing for operators who are familiar with their equipment to utilize the system without having to undergo retraining on new procedures or practices. Chant Engineering said it has already received numerous inquiries and have begun the process of quoting customers. According to Chants V.P. of Sales, Patrick Shire, We are very enthusiastic about being the stocking North American Distributor for DLMs Twistlock Load Cell and Container Load Monitoring System. As the exclusive North American Distributor for DLM, Chant Engineering will provide the Twistlock System, installation, technical support, software and calibration. Pioneer Marine Inc., a shipowner and global drybulk handysize transportation service provider, has terminated the last two newbuilding contracts for Green Dolphin 38,400 dwt Handysize vessels following mutual agreement with Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyard. The instalments paid in relation with these contracts including interest will be paid back by the refund guarantor. In a release, Pankaj Khanna, CEO of Pioneer, said Following the termination of the last two newbuildings we have eliminated all capital expenditure for the company. Our proactive management of this unprecedented low cycle has seen us cancel 10 of the 12 newbuildings ordered in the original program and demonstrates the complete alignment of management with shareholders interests. We are now well positioned to not only ride out the current cycle but to also take advantage of opportunities as they arise. KOTUG Mozambique has begun exclusive port and terminal towage services with two Rotortugs in the new port of Nacala-a-Velha in northern Mozambique for Nacala Development Corridor (CDN), effective May 5, 2016. The RT Magic and RT Spirit welcomed the largest bulk carrier Shining Dragon, to assist her safely to her berth. The Rotortugs, pioneered by KOTUG and featuring three separate azimuth propulsion units to provide improved vessel safety, power and maneuverability, were selected by CDN to optimize turn-around time and to have minimum tugs needed per ship assistance. The bay of Nacala contains two ports: a general cargo port in Nacala and a greenfield coal terminal in Nacala-a-Velha. The coal terminal is at the end of a newly developed rail line of 912km, which transports coal from the mining province of Tete, through Malawi to the Indian Ocean (Mozambique channel), the Nacala corridor. KOTUG said it will provide exclusive towage services to both ports. KOTUGs CEO, Ard-Jan Kooren, commented, KOTUG considers this contract as an important breakthrough to diversify in the energy resource sector, to provide first class towage services for an outstanding coal terminal and to set a long term strategic position in Mozambique and for the East African market. Moreover, it is again a milestone in our global footprint and will bring substantial commercial value to our business, Kooren said. The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring a 587-foot bulk carrier Ultra Lascar after the ship lost propulsion at 10:20 a.m., approximately five miles offshore from Daly City, Calif. The Singapore-flagged bulk carrier lost propulsion while operating offshore, inbound for the San Francisco Bay. The vessel was anchored approximately three miles offshore from Daly City on FRiday, awaiting the arrival of two assist tugs, which met a third tug prior to proceeding to an anchorage in San Francisco Bay. The vessel is carrying a cargo of salt, which is destined for delivery to the Port of Stockton. The vessel also has approximately 161,000 gallons of fuel oil onboard, which is used as fuel for the engine. The Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Parks Service, and several state and local response agencies monitoring the situation. Subscribe for Maritime Reporter E-News Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week Oceans HQ, a provider of specialized software to the worlds Maritime Administrations, has signed an agreement to deliver a new digital Vessel Registration system to the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The new digital platform forms a key component of the MCAs 2016/17 business plan and is critical to its digital strategy which is designed to improve the way it provides a range of services. Oceans HQ has partnered with Thoughtbot London to deliver a modern software solution inspired by its Vessel HQ product, already in operation at a number of Flag States. Vessel HQ is a software platform complementing ISO quality management system standards and which Maritime Administrations use to manage the registry of ships while simultaneously meeting their international obligations to the IMO and ILO. Oceans HQ Maritime Administration and Registry expert Captain Des Howell, said, The demands of the international regulatory regime and the increased need to access fleet data and statistics make the development of an effective digital system a core component in delivering the required level of service and efficiency. Every modern Maritime Administration needs an electronic solution that allows instant access to data while simultaneously creating outputs and enabling accurate changes to stored information. Oceans HQ Director Andre Tanguy added, For this project we are replacing a legacy system using an Agile approach to development and modern technology. With a focus on ease-of-use, the team will be designing a reliable, robust solution that people want to use and which delivers significant efficiency gains across the MCA. Thoughtbot London is one of the world's leading Agile software development companies and its developers will be working closely with maritime experts from Oceans HQ to utilize the learnings made from developing Vessel HQ. Thoughtbot has previously worked on the Enterprise Finance Grant project for HM Government and the solution for the UK MCA will be built using the same framework as the U.K. governments gov.uk domain. The project includes a number of public interfaces that will enable the submission of online forms and information via official online channels. Iranian state shipping company IRISLs new general cargo service makes first call at C. Steinwegs Sud-West Terminal in Hamburg During the first call by its new general cargo service, representatives of state shipping company IRISL Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines joined staff of the Peter W. Lampke shipping agency and Terminal C. Steinweg in welcoming the Captain and crew of the SEVGI on May 17. The new general cargo service will call monthly at Hamburg as the only port in Germany, transporting conventional general cargo in addition to containers. The multipurpose vessels deployed are equipped with shipboard cranes. Apart from Iranian ports, the new service linking ports on the Persian Gulf with others in Northern Europe will call at additional ports in the Middle East when required. The last previous clearance of one of IRISLs conventional vessels had taken place at C. Steinwegs Sud-West Terminal in Hamburg in May 2010. In recent years, international trade sanctions limited Iran to importing goods not affected by export restrictions. Calls by the Iranian state shipping companys vessels in European ports were not permitted. Thanks to the resumption of foreign trade activities with Iran, especially in the export area, C. Steinweg is expecting an initially gradual, later substantial increase in seaborne cargo throughput with Iran, as well as the return of IRISLs conventional liner service on the Elbe. Germany is traditionally Irans largest Western trading partner. Hamburg, where many Iranians have settled, enjoys excellent and friendly relations with companies and state organizations in Iran. Before sanctions, Irans imports via Hamburg were mainly of grain, potash fertilizers, feedstuffs and machinery. Exports arriving in the Port of Hamburg from Iran were mainly fresh and tinned fruit, cotton and other threads, rubber and vegetables. C. Steinwegs Sud-West Terminal, which possesses special equipment for handling especially bulky and heavy cargoes, will be loading machinery and plant for the Iranian oil, gas and mining sectors on the new conventional liner service. IRISL liner services will be represented in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands by Hamburg-based IRISL Agency (North) GmbH, with branches in Antwerp and Rotterdam. This is currently being set up by Peter W. Lampke GmbH & Co. KG (PWL) and IRISL (Europe) GmbH. Apart from the first call by the new conventional liner service, at the same time this cleared the IRISLs containership Arzin at Eurogate Container Terminal in Hamburg, which since mid-March 2016 has linked Hamburg with ports in the Persian Gulf in the regular Europe Container Line (ECL) service. The IRISL shipping company has operated for several decades regular container and conventional liner services with 170 of its own ships. In its East Asia service, for example, IRISL deploys vessels with a capacity of 6,500 TEU. Additional liner services with SE Asia are operated by 2,200-2,500 TEU ships. IRISL also offers container services from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean and East Africa. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2016 SHIPPINGInsight Award. The annual award will be presented at a gala luncheon on the opening day of the fifth SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference & Exhibition, Oct. 18, in Stamford, Conn. The SHIPPINGInsight Award is given annually to a shipping company and its technology partners for the successful implementation of an innovative technology or initiative that advances the state-of-the-art in ship and fleet automation, said SHIPPINGInsight co-director Jim Rhodes. This is an opportunity to recognize the innovators who are changing the face of the shipping industry with creative new technologies. The winners will receive a binnacled captains clock in a polished wooden case with an engraved plaque, along with a framed certificate. Entry forms may be downloaded at www.shippinginsight.com/awards-2. Nominations should be in the form of a case study describing the project and quantifiable results. A panel of independent judges will review nominations and select the winner. Winners of the 2015 SHIPPINGInsight Award were Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA and Callenberg Technology Group, for a project that reduced wasted energy through capacity-driven control and management of engine room ventilation systems. Wilh. Wilhelmsen projected savings of 900,000 kWh in electricity the first year. Nominations should be submitted no later than Sept. 16, 2016. Multi-disciplined architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc., announced that it has completed the acquisition of Stevenson & Palmer Engineering, a Georgia-based firm with more than 50 years of experience providing engineering and infrastructure services throughout the state. The combined expertise and scope of services provided by the two firms will fortify and expand their depth of resources, in addition to further establishing GMC's footprint in the Georgia market. "This merger combines two firms focused on serving clients, while growing our geographic reach and service offerings in Georgia," said Jim Teel, GMC Vice President of Georgia. "We are committed to placing the interests of our clients first and ensuring they are provided with the most talented professionals in the Southeast." GMC's ability to provide local service in Georgia will be greatly enhanced through the well-established relationships SPE has developed over the years, as well as the offices the firm has located throughout the state. Additionally, integrating GMC's multiple in-house disciplines will enable SPE to expand the services offered to its well-founded client base and create more opportunities for growth. "Stevenson & Palmer Engineering has worked closely with numerous Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood employees for almost two years," said Corkey Welch, former SPE President and now GMC Senior Client Manager. "I am personally excited to complete the merger and finally be a part of the GMC family." GMC and SPE have several collaborative efforts underway, including the St. Marys Tabby Trail and Downtown Streetscape, Newnan Fire Station and the City of Jackson Pocket Parks. SPE has more than 50 years of Georgia-based experience providing engineering and infrastructure services to municipalities and counties throughout metro-Atlanta and across the state. While the firm has grown steadily over the last four decades, the cornerstone of its business continues to be quality services for a reasonable price. Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood was founded in 1947 and is one of the most comprehensive multi-disciplined architecture and engineering firms in the Southeast. The GMC Georgia team has continued to expand since its inception in 2011, with a portfolio of work spanning across the state. Some of these projects include the recently completed renovation of the City of Milledgeville City Council Chambers, Elbert County Comprehensive High School Renovations and Camp Merrill Wastewater Treatment Facility, in addition to water and sewer projects for the cities of Covington, Dahlonega, Dalton and Toccoa, to name a few. GMC was also recently selected by the Baldwin County and Pelham City School Boards to provide architecture and engineering services for various projects. Teams from both firms have been working on integration plans to ensure a seamless transition for employees, clients and consultants. "The SPE team is still in place - we've just added a few names and a new list of services to our resume," said Welch. "I look forward to serving the existing friends and clients of SPE and new ones that we will meet throughout Georgia and beyond." The Stevenson & Palmer staff will remain in their current locations, operating under the Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood name. Employees in both the GMC and SPE Atlanta offices will move to an integrated location later this year. About Stevenson & Palmer Engineering Stevenson & Palmer Engineering has provided professional engineering services to communities throughout the state of Georgia for more than 50 years, helping build public infrastructure, managing water resources and promoting community development. With a staff of 22 engineering professionals in four Georgia offices, SPE is large enough to provide the full range of federal, state, and locally-funded engineering support services, while remaining focused on their clients' needs. Their long-standing clients have come to depend on the expert advice, sound engineering and top quality projects that the firm delivers each and every time. They have provided engineering design and project management services on a variety of project types and have extensive experience in all aspects from conceptual planning through design and construction administration. SPE insures quality by gaining knowledge of the community and working closely with clients to exceed their expectations. About Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc., (GMC) is one of the Southeast's largest and most comprehensive architecture and engineering firms with offices located throughout the region and a national portfolio of work. Our team of more than 300 multi-disciplined professionals is equipped to provide all of the services associated with architecture, engineering, environmental, geotechnical, interior design, landscape, planning, surveying and transportation. For more information, visit www.gmcnetwork.com. Link to news release: http://www.gmcnetwork.com/files/content/GMC_acquires_Georgia-based_Stevenson__Palmer_Engineering.pdf Greece will invite investors to submit binding bids for a majority stake in the country's second largest port in Thessaloniki at the end of September, sources close to the privatisation said on Monday. Under its third international bailout agreed in July, Greece will sell a 67 percent stake in the port. Investors will be asked to make mandatory investments of about 220 million euros in the port, one of the sources said. Denmark's container terminal operator APM Terminals, Phillipines-based International Container Terminal Services ICTS and Dubai-based P&O Steam Navigation Company (DP World) were strongly interested in the Thessaloniki port, the head of the country's privatisation agency said last month. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou) The Mongolian Armed Forces and U.S. Pacific Command are hosting the multinational peacekeeping exercise Khaan Quest 2016, which commenced May 22 with an opening ceremony at the Five Hills Training Area near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This years Khaan Quest, held annually in Mongolia, is serving as the capstone exercise for the United Nations Global Peace Operations Initiative program, which provides pre-deployment training to GPOI partner countries preparing to support UN Peacekeeping Missions and is scheduled to take place May 22-June 4. The ceremony was attended by the president of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, the U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia, Jennifer Zimdahl Galt, and the U.S. PACOM commander, Admiral Harry Harris Jr. (Participants) have come from near and far to our beautiful country bound by a single cause of world peace, said Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj. Today, Khaan Quest is universally recognized as one of the most prestigious regional events with ever-increasing reputation, significance and participation. The needs of people worldwide serve as a constant reminder to us of the necessity of peaceful resolution of disputes and global service, which is the driving force behind these peacekeeping operations, according to Elbegdorj. After Elbegdorjs opening remarks, Harris addressed the audience, detailing the importance of multinational relationships and training. This years training will take us to the next level, said Harris. The Five Hills Training Facility will be home to militaries from around the world about 2,000 soldiers from more than 40 countries. This facility will provide them with a specialized setting to learn and train together and will work to enhance interoperability and develop common tactics. All of this will ultimately enhance our collective effectiveness to support global peacekeeping operations. After the opening remarks, platoons from participating countries marched past the reviewing stand and flags flown to signify patriotism and the developing relationship between participating countries. In 2003, Khaan Quest began as a joint training endeavor between Mongolia and the U.S., said Harris. Now, its a premier peacekeeping exercise involving dozens of nations from around the world. This is a testament to the power of partnership. The exercise will consist of four main events: Command Post Exercise (CPX), Field Training Event (FTE), Engineering Civic Action Program (ENCAP) projects, Health Services Support Engagement (HSSE) as well as training on critical enabler capabilities such as unmanned aerial systems, explosive ordnance disposal and counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED). USPACOM is the Organization Coordinating Event (OCE) for the exercise and provides command and control for all KQ 16 activities. The field training exercise aims to hone service members skills in peacekeeping operational procedures through training in weapons familiarization, small boat operations, survival training and a multinational platoon competition. The command post exercise aims to support Mongolian modernization goals by establishing and globally deploying battalion assets during peacekeeping operations by utilizing scenario-based exercises. The need for teamwork is proven again and again, the most recent examples being the tragic earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador, said Harris. It reminds us that all nations, no matter how rich or powerful, can use the help of our global community from time to time. And the best time to develop these partnerships is before world events demand them. Harnessing the wealth of capabilities represented by the many militaries here today is a priority. Its a necessity to successfully address the range of transnational threats present in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. The ceremony closed with a final march past the reviewing stands followed by group photos with the guests of honor in the center of the parade deck. The U.S. is committed to the Indo-Asia-Pacific and we work diligently with Mongolia and other like-minded partners to build PKO capacity throughout the region, said Harris. Mongolia is a model PKO partner, not just with the U.S., but also with NATO and has supported many multinational operations around the world. For more information about Khaan Quest, please visit the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/khaanquest. For more information about the GPOI program visit the U.S. State Departments website http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/gpoi/ More Media Gold - The Next Top Performing Asset to 2020 & Beyond 2016 has been a great year for gold. Its currently up 17%. This is the best time to invest in gold for the long-term investor. The Elliott Wave Principle is a form of technical analysis that believes investors move between periods of bullish and bearish thinking in a reasonably consistent pattern. The Elliott Wave Principle is based on his empirically derived discovery in the 1930s that market prices move in recognizable, repeating patterns and that these patterns reflect a basic natural harmony manifested in the inherent herding behavior of crowds. Elliott discovered that these crowd behavior cycles appeared at every time scale and whilst they were repetitive in structure they were not always repetitive in amplitude or the time taken to form. Applying this principle, bullish sentiment moves prices up in five moves of alternating peaks and valleys, eventually pushing price of gold to a new high. This is followed by three bearish moves pushing prices lower. My current analysis is that gold has hit the bottom of its recent down cycle and the price gains it has made since 2016 are forming a new substantial upward trend. The U.S. dollar price of Gold is in an uptrend with a bullish Elliott Wave structure. My subscribers know that I am bullish on gold and believe that it is one of the top asset class to own for the future, during the next crisis. The U.S. dollar price of Gold is in an uptrend with a bullish Elliott Wave structure. Today, the first best investment opportunity is to be in is gold. Yes, you read it right; GOLD will be a top performing investment over the next three to five years. I am going to position you for the next investment set ups that you will not hear from watching financial television or listening to news. I have been waiting, a very long time to present this opportunity to you with my predictive analytics models which have confirmed the early stages of this multi-year uptrend as there are many ways to profit from this move. Gold is a physical asset which will increase value: Gold is one of only a few asset class, which will maintain its value during times of financial crisis. It has done so previously in the past and I observed its performance during the beginning of the year, in which its status affirms it as the preferred safe haven. There will be times during this next crisis when different assets classes will be in focus. I will continue to guide you as to the best assets become in favor during this period of time. If you are holding any stocks, this current rally is likely the last chance to liquidate your holdings; gold has given one an excellent buying opportunity and should be used to purchase this for the long-term period. You are now prepared with your cash to take advantage of this rare opportunity in several asset classes, while profiting from the next huge stock market meltdown. There are times when making money in stocks should not be your priority; the main goal should be to sit tight with your cash and wait for the next re-entry into gold. Do not fall for the various so called experts who advocate being fully invested in stocks, today. If you have not made your fortune in the last 7 years stock market run, you certainly are not going to at this point in time. Who else follows this strategy of holding gold and cash? Who would you rather follow? Jesse Livermore, Jim Rogers, and Warren Buffet, all extremely successful investors or some unknown expert who is on a business television channel, giving you the next hot tip or advice. Berkshire Hathaway, a Warren Buffet company. Has over $56.16 billion in cash and cash equivalents. Being an astute investor, he is holding large amounts of cash waiting for the next opportune moment to invest. His ability to hold cash and wait for the right time has made him the most successful investor in the history of Wall Street. Jim Rogers, the famous commodity Guru, has a huge investment in gold. Most of the time, waiting until he finds screaming bargains. Jim stays away from the markets for long periods of time, entering only when there is panic all around and there is a fire sale on assets. A famous quote from Jesse Livermore says it all: There is a time for all things, but I didnt know it. And that is precisely what beats so many men in Wall Street who are very far from being in the main sucker class. There is the plain fool, who does the wrong thing at all times everywhere, but there is the Wall Street fool, who thinks he must trade all the time. Not many can always have adequate reasons for buying and selling stocks daily or sufficient knowledge to make his play an intelligent play. Conclusion: Staying in cash is an opportunity to buy when everyone else is selling in panic. A smart investor should keep his shopping list ready and pick his favorite asset classes during market downturns. What percentage of your portfolio you should hold in cash depends on your investing philosophy, but in the current scenario, let your cash holding be the maximum you have ever held in your portfolio. Join My Free Newsletter Today and See Where the Next Play Will Be! Chris Vermeulen Join my email list FREE and get my next article which I will show you about a major opportunity in bonds and a rate spike www.GoldAndOilGuy.com Chris Vermeulen is Founder of the popular trading site TheGoldAndOilGuy.com. There he shares his highly successful, low-risk trading method. For 7 years Chris has been a leader in teaching others to skillfully trade in gold, oil, and silver in both bull and bear markets. Subscribers to his service depend on Chris' uniquely consistent investment opportunities that carry exceptionally low risk and high return. Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. We may update this Policy from time to time without notice to you, so please check it regularly. The provision of your personal data to us is voluntary. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Bradley Airport 19.jpg Transportation Security Administration passenger screening area at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks CT. December 22, 2015. (Michael S. Gordon / The Republican) (Michael S. Gordon) WINDSOR LOCKS -- Wait times in the TSA security lines at Bradley International Airport average less than 30 minutes during peak hours, the Connecticut Airport Authority said Monday. But Bradley management -- ever protective of the airport's reputation as less of a hassle than competitors Boston Logan, LaGuardia, Newark or Kennedy -- also plans to hire as many as 15 part-time helpers so federal TSA agents can focus on security checks. Called non-certified employees, these airport workers will do tasks Transportation Security Administration agents do now but that don't necessarily require one to be a TSA agent, said Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. Examples include directing passengers to the proper lines and lifting baggage into machines. "We are trying to free up as many TSA employees as possible," Dillon said in a phone interview Monday. The helpers would be part-time because they would only work during Bradley's peak-travel times, from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The airport plans to hire about 15 workers and have them in place by June 1. Long security check lines have become an issue around the country -- with some passengers waiting hours for screening -- as passenger volume increases with lower fares and a busy summer travel season. In its 2015 year in review, the Transportation Security Administration told Congress that, nationally, 99.6 percent of passengers spent less than 20 minutes in line. "What we are reacting to is more of the stories of long wait times from around the country," Dillon said. "We do want folks to understand here at Bradley we monitor TSA wait times and do everything we can to help our customers get through quickly." But, he stressed that Bradley is not in charge of the TSA or its operating procedures. Some airports around the country have switched from the TSA to a government-approved private security force. Bradley isn't considering that option seriously right now -- though Dillon said, "I would never rule it out." He stressed that what Bradley sells is the convenience factor. "Many hours of the day you can come to Bradley and have a 5 minute wait or less to get through security," he said, adding: "We don't want people to wrongly react to some of these national stories." Bradley gets about 6 million passengers coming and going a year, he said. The number is going up and summer is expected to be particularly busy, including the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. The Connecticut Airport Authority offered these travel tips: SPRINGFIELD - Health New England has appointed Ashley Allen as Vice President of Sales and Marketing effective May 16. In this role, Ashley will oversee the company's commercial sales strategy and lead marketing efforts to position Health New England as a leader in the marketplace. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ashley will lead the Marketing & Digital Strategy, Business Development and Sales departments. She will report directly to Health New England President and CEO Maura McCaffrey. "Ashley is a strong addition to Health New England's executive leadership team, as she brings a breadth of experience in both sales and marketing," McCaffrey said. "Her deep understanding of health plans and proven track record of developing strategies that work during times of significant industry changes will serve her well in this new position." Ashley joins Health New England with more than 20 years of experience at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, where she held various leadership roles in sales, marketing, strategy and business planning. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at FirstCare Health Plans in Austin, Texas where she was responsible for membership growth, marketing and communications, sales distribution channels, product development and community engagement. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in advertising, a master's degree in health administration and an MBA with a focus in marketing from the University of Florida. A woman who reached an out-of-court settlement with Bill Cosby after alleging he sexually assaulted her in 2004 may have face him at a pretrial hearing on Tuesday. Andrea Constand, 43, a former Temple University staff member who said Cosby gave her pills and sexually assaulted her in his home outside Philadelphia in 2004, may be called as a witness by prosecutors at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Cosby, 78, is facing criminal charges filed by prosecutors who say the 2004 encounter was a case of criminal sexual assault. At the hearing, prosecutors will try to convince Judge Elizabeth A. McHugh that they have enough evidence to go to trial. The Shelburne resident's presences is required. Until recently in Pennsylvania, a witness like Constand would have had to testify at a preliminary hearing. But a Pennsylvania appellate court ruling last year allowed for wider use of hearsay evidence, meaning that a prosecutor could opt to introduce just her police statement. In addition to the criminal case, Cosby faces a tangle of civil cases in Massachusetts and elsewhere with more than 50 women having stepped forward saying he sexualy abused them over the decades, often by giving them Quaaludes, a sedative pill. If controversy at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards over Madonna paying a tribute to Prince doesn't get you interested in tuning in, you could still feed your inner critic by checking out the celebrity fashions. You can be sure lots of fans will be passing judgement on the good, bad and ugly attire that stars wear on the red carpet at the Billboard Awards, which is airing live at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. We'll be updating this blog throughout the evening with photos of star arrivals. Nominees include The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Drake, Fetty Wap, Taylor Swift and Adele, each nominated in multiple categories. The Billboard Music Awards honor artists and their music based on radio airplay, streaming, sales and other measurements of fan interest. Performers include Rihanna, Bieber, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Pink, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, the Go-Go's, Nick Jonas, Meghan Trainor, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Tove Lo, Troye Sivan and Lukas Graham. The executive producer of the awards, Mark Bracco, is defending the decision to have Madonna pay homage to Prince, which has been met with some criticism online and sparked a Change.org petition. Madonna and Prince collaborated on "Love Song" from Madonna's 1989 album, "Like a Prayer." Bracco didn't say what song Madonna would perform, but said her tribute would be "really beautiful." Prince was found dead in his suburban Minneapolis home at age 57. Madonna is also 57. In another pre-show controveresy, Dr. Luke and his record label say they are giving Kesha the OK to perform at Sunday's awards. In a statement to The Associated Press on Thursday, Kemosabe Records said it had reversed an earlier decision after Kesha reassured the label that she wasn't going to highlight the ongoing lawsuit onstage. In a statement, the Billboard Awards and dick clark productions said, "We are pleased that Kesha and Kemosabe Records have reached an agreement. Kesha, 29, will perform Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe." Dr. Luke has served as Kesha's mentor for several years and signed her to his label. They wrote hits together for Kesha and other acts. They have been at odds since she accused of him of drugging, sexually abusing and emotionally tormenting her. The Associated Press contributed to this report. NEWTON - Police say 23-year-old Dana Morrissey is safe, hours after her family reported her missing. Morrissey was expected to attend the Boston College commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, but she never showed up. Massachusetts State Police say she was dropped off by an Uber driver at the Bloomingdale's shop on Route 9, near Hammond Pond, at around 7:30 a.m. Law enforcement agencies searched the area around Hammond Pond on Monday afternoon. Shortly after the search was announced, police said Morrissey was located. Multiple media reports indicate she was taken from nearby woods on a stretcher and transported to the hospital by ambulance. No further details were immediately released. UPDATE: Newton police say Dana Morrissey has been found safe. No further details were immediately released. NEWTON - Law enforcement crews are searching the area around Hammond Pond for signs of Dana Morrissey, a 23-year-old Boston College student last seen early Monday morning. Morrissey was expected to attend the college's commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, but she never showed up. Her family reported her missing. Massachusetts State Police say she was dropped off by an Uber driver at the Bloomingdale's shop on Route 9, near Hammond Pond, at around 7:30 a.m. Numerous police agencies and the State Police Air Wing are searching woods near the pond, and the Newton Fire Department has launched a boat on the water. "At this point there is no evidence that the young woman has been harmed; the search is because she is unaccounted for at this time," said state police in a news release announcing details of the search. CBS Boston reports police are trying to locate her cell phone, but it's turned off. Tuesday is Morrissey's 24th birthday. 17092660-mmmain.jpg The Forbes Library in Northampton. (Michael S. Gordon) NORTHAMPTON -- The Forbes Library board of trustees is attempting to formally cut ties with the city of Northampton, claiming that officials have treated the establishment as a government entity although it is not. According to the complaint -- filed in Hampshire Family and Probate Court Friday -- the trustees are seeking from the court a declaration of the trustees' rights and status, consistent with founder Charles E. Forbes' Last Will & Testament. " ... the willingness of members of the public to give generously to the [l]ibrary depends on the perception that the [t]rustees are a public charity, not simply one more arm of municipal government," the suit reads. The West Street library and its trustees have operated under Forbes' will since 1894, the suit says. Upon his death in 1881, the judge and philanthropist left behind a $220,000 bequest for the founding of the library. But before the library could be built, Forbes required the city to accept certain conditions: chief among them, that it be controlled by only a board of trustees. " ... none but laymen shall be competent to any employment, or fill any office, or exercise any control in the management of the library," Forbes directed in his will. The trustees assert in their complaint that as of late, the city has not has respected those conditions. "The trustees are a creature of will and they are a charity created under a will," said Eric Lucentini, the Northampton lawyer representing the trustees."The current administration is taking the position that they are effectively a part of the city's government." The complaint says that Northampton's city solicitor, Alan Seewald, wrote in April to three agencies of the commonwealth -- the Public Records Division, the Division of Open Government, and the Office of the Inspector General --urging those agencies to adopt the city's view that the trustees are a "governmental body." Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz and Seewald were not available for comment Monday morning. The Forbes trustees voted to not speak with members of the media about the court case. "The the most economical way to deal with this, rather than litigating on three fronts," Lucentini said of those state agencies, "is to request a binding ruling from the court." The library runs as a nonprofit charitable organization overseen by Attorney General Maura Healey. Over the last century, the trustee have accepted multiple bequests from community members, and fund raise continuously on the library's behalf. That's why it's especially important for the library to maintain the perception that it is free of city oversight, the trustees contend in the complaint. "The trustees seek nothing more or less than the ability to steward the precious cultural resource that has been entrusted to their care, unencumbered by political pressures," the complaint reads. The suit goes on to say that an attempt to change the city's relationship to the trustees and library could "substantially erode their ability to carry out their public trust and function over the next hundred years and beyond." The suit also notes that the Internal Revenue Service has granted nonprofit status to the trustees. In order to maintain this status, the "IRS must be persuaded that an entity is organized separately from and does not constitute an integral part of state or municipal government," the complaint reads. This isn't the first time Forbes Library's status has been looked at, according to the complaint. In 2007, it was determined by the Northwestern district attorney's office that the library's board of trustees was not subject to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. The DA's office cited the fact that the library was "not a governmental body" in its decision. And in 2008, the commonwealth's Supervisor of Records wrote in a four-page opinion that Forbes Library and its trustees were "not subject to the public records law," as governmental entities customarily are. As a condition of the will, however, the library regularly releases financial reports to the city. Those records are also available to the public. genao.jpg Orlando Genao (Police photo) SPRINGFIELD -- Up until the last minute, 53-year-old Orlando Genao was going to take his chances with a jury trial. But on Monday morning, as Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara prepared to call prospective jurors into the courtroom, Genao -- a citizen of the Dominican Republic who had been living illegally in the United States -- decided to accept a plea agreement offered by the prosecution. Genao was allowed to plead guilty to trafficking between 100 and 200 grams of heroin, which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of eight years. Ferrara sentenced him to nine to 10 years under the plea agreement reached by defense lawyer Anthony Bonavita and Assistant District Attorney Amy D. Wilson. Genao was initially charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years. Wilson said police found well over 500 grams of heroin in Genao's 78 Oak Grove Ave. apartment, along with $20,900 in cash. Genao also agreed to forfeit the money under the terms of his plea. At the time of his arrest, police said Genao was living in the U.S. illegally. Defendants charged with serious crimes who are in the U.S. illegally serve their sentences here before being deported. The federal government will often place a "detainer" on the person when he or she is arrested to assure they are not released. Wilson said Genao had a previous drug distribution conviction in Pennsylvania which resulted in a five-year sentence. Additional defendants in case Genao was to be tried with co-defendant Wilkins Rivera, 39, of Philadephia. Jury selection began for Rivera's trial after Genao pleaded guilty. Rivera was arrested in Genao's apartment on Oct. 14, 2014 -- but his lawyer, Timothy Farris, said he was just visiting and had nothing to do with the heroin. In a previous hearing, Wilson said that when police arrived at the Oak Grove Avenue apartment Genao was actively packaging heroin, placing 303 bundles of the drug into a plastic bag. Police found an additional 375 grams of heroin in a package wrapped in duct tape on a nearby ottoman. Wilson said Rivera was on the couch, and was not physically handling heroin. Wilson said officers found heroin in other parts of the house, including in a rice container. The men's cases had been the subject of a motion to suppress evidence, with lawyers arguing unsuccessfully that police made an illegal entry into the apartment. Another co-defendant, 49-year-old Eric Barbot, previously pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and was sentenced to 31/2 years in state prison followed by two years of probation. Barbot was originally charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of heroin . Wilson said when the amount was weighed at the drug laboratory, the weight was slightly under 200 grams. As part of the plea agreement, Barbot was allowed to plead to trafficking in the amount of 18 to 36 grams and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Barbot was arrested on Oct. 14, 2014, after police had another man set up a buy of 200 grams of heroin. When Barbot arrived at the Salvation Army parking lot on Liberty Street with the heroin, police were there to meet him. After Barbot's arrest police learned of the Oak Grove Avenue apartment and Genao's alleged role in the heroin trafficking operation. They then went to that apartment. The operation resulting in the arrests was part of a joint investigation by Springfield narcotics officers and members of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. GRENADA, Miss. -- Attorney Carlos Moore says personal experience - as well as concerns about equal justice in Mississippi - motivates his decision to defend Joshua Lewis Blunt against a murder charge in the death of his 8-month-old daughter. Blunt was originally charged with second degree murder after leaving his 8-month-old daughter in an overheated car where she eventually passed away. But on Monday afternoon according to Moore, the city prosecutor planned to lessen the charges against Blunt. "In speaking with Grenada City Prosecutor Jennifer Adams, the city has decided to amend the charge from second degree murder to culpable negligence," Moore said. Multiple calls were placed to Adams to substantiate Moore's claims, but calls and voice messages were not returned. Blunt will appear on Tuesday morning at Grenada Municipal Court where Moore will present a motion that Blunt be released under his own recognizance. If convicted under culpable negligence, Blunt potentially faces a one year prison sentence, a charge Moore is more comfortable with, but does not feel his client should serve any amount of prison time. "He needs counseling, not jail time," Moore said. "He needs to get the proper familial support, medical attention, and try to at some point regroup, have more children, and avoid a similar situation such as this one in the future." Moore said he felt the need to represent Blunt pro bono because he understood that this could happen to any parent. "I believe injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," Moore said. "It is him today and it could be me or you tomorrow and we have to take a stand for rights. I went to law school to seek justice for the least of these and sometimes, they do not have adequate means to hire private council and I believe that while public defenders might be twice as good, they are sometimes overburdened. I wanted to give him a private practitioner to give him the best representation possible." "I can be sympathetic and empathetic in the fact that while I have not gone through this situation to the extent that he has, but just to know that I could have been in his shoes allows me to relate," Moore said. "From what I understand, he does not deserve to be in prison and we are going to make sure that he gets out so that he can receive the counseling he needs to make it through the rest of his life." As news broke that Blunt would be charged with murder, public outrage erupted on social media because of a similar situation that happened in Madison County. On May 11, Amy Bryant of Brandon, Miss., went to Little Footprints Learning Center to pick up her daughter. After daycare workers told her she had not dropped her daughter off that morning, Bryant immediately ran to her car and found her daughter in the back seat, deceased. The Madison County Sheriff's Department has not released a photo of Bryant, nor have any charges been brought forward. Moore said he wonders if there are two sets of rules Mississippi uses to govern. "When I heard my client had been charged, I wanted to know what was different from the situation that occurred in Madison with Bryant, a white woman [who] had committed the same act my client did, but was not immediately arrested or charged," Moore said. "My client wasn't charged with negligent homicide, he was charged with second degree murder and at that time, I knew that I had to get involved. Racism is alive and well in Mississippi and evidently, there are two sets of rules in Mississippi." The statute for second degree murder in Mississippi states that, "When done in the commission of an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved heart, regardless of human life, although without any premeditated design to effect the death of any particular individual, shall be considered second degree murder." Had the city proceeded with the second degree murder charge, they would have to have information that suggests Blunt's conduct was "eminently dangerous" as opposed to just negligence. Attempts were made to reach Grenada's Chief of Police Garrett Hartley, but those phone calls were not returned. Moore says he plans on conducting a thorough investigation as to why the Grenada Police Department brought charges forward on Blunt when Bryant had not been arrested in Madison. "We want to know if it is socioeconomic, is it racism, why does it seem the black man gets the short end of the stick," Moore said. "I want America to get to the point where there is one set of laws for all Americans, no matter if you are red, white, black or brown, I want there to be one set of laws and for everyone to be treated fairly. Race or color should not factor into the equation." OCEAN SPRINGS -- The Ocean Springs school board, in an apparent move to cater to the wishes of the community, is working to restructure its plan to provide school nurses at each of its six schools. In a story first reported by The Mississippi Press last week, superintendent Bonita Coleman-Potter announced that the district's entire nursing staff had been told their contracts would not be renewed for the 2016-17 school year. In their place, the district will contract with Singing River Health System to provide nursing services -- a move prompted by budget shortfalls and the district's desire to provide a free clinic to employees to better attract and retain top teachers. Under the original plan, the full-time nurses would be replaced by licensed practitioner nurses (LPN), with one registered nurse (RN) "floating" between the six schools. Coleman-Potter noted all six schools are within six miles of each other and nearly all on Government Street/Old Spanish Trail -- with Pecan Park the lone exception roughly two blocks off Government Street on Hanley Road. But after hearing considerable output from parents and the community at large, the board is now in negotiations with SRHS to provide a greater presence of RN's in the schools than originally called for in the plan. "The board is in tune with the community," Coleman-Potter told The Mississippi Press Monday morning. "The community wants to see more RN's (in the schools), so that's what we are working on." Coleman-Potter said there is as yet no set number of RN's who will be provided for in the new contract with SRHS, but there will "definitely be an increase. At the same time, it has to be within the limits of what we can afford." The district is using the school district in Madison County, Oxford and DeSoto County as "model," Coleman-Potter said, in developing in the nursing strategy. All three of those districts already use nursing services provided by their local hospital systems. She said among the concerns raised by the public is why, facing a budget crunch, the school district opted to cut the nursing staff first. "We haven't," Coleman-Potter said. "We've eliminated 43 position over the last few years, including teachers and front office staff. But most of those were done through attrition, which is not the case here." The failure of the state legislature to fully fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) is leading many school districts to tighten their belts. Coleman-Potter said she still harbors hopes the legislature will come to the aid of public education. "We're hoping the legislature will eventually mandate full-time nurses in the schools and provide the funding for it," she said. "If that were the case, we wouldn't be having this conversation." In addition to the MAEP shortfall, Gov. Phil Bryant's budget cuts will result in a loss of another $113,000 to Ocean Springs schools and Coleman-Potter said she is anticipating further cuts in the wake of the legislature's $56 million budget "mistake." As noted in last week's story, the switch from full-time to SRHS nurses will allow the district to fund the operation of a free clinic for school district employees and their dependents -- a move the district believes will help attract and retain qualified teachers. Currently, the school district is spending $361,620 to provide nursing to its schools. Under the new plan, the district will spend $338,116 for both nursing and to operate the free clinic -- a savings of $23,504. The contract will be between the Ocean Springs school district, SRHS and Medical Analysis, Inc., Coleman-Potter said. "I want the public to know we are working diligently on this," Coleman-Potter said, "but we have to do it in a way that's within the funding we are given." Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure. WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more. Entries are now open for the 2023 Food Manufacture Excellence Awards, which this year are offering even more chances to win with the launch of another new category. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, May 23, 2016 Israeli-based startup Twiggle recently hosted a small group in a private discussion on the existential risk of artificial intelligence to debate the outcome and risks of algorithms that aren't taught, but rather allowed to learn based on daily input. Eventually the algorithm, in theory, would become smarter and more manipulative than humans. "It can learn to do stuff that we don't want it to do and use any means to achieve it," said Amir Konigsberg, CEO and co-founder of Twiggle. He co-founded the company with CTO Adi Avidor, who worked on the Google Now project. "It's more difficult to build artificial intelligence without risk than artificial intelligence with risk." Entrepreneurs creating AI-related technology agree they must consider and take responsibility for the benefits as well as the future risks around building algorithms. Take Google's self-driving cars, for example. The intended use -- to help the elderly or the vision-impaired who cannot drive -- get from from one location to another creates positive change for humanity, but put those cars into the hands of terrorists and the car turns into a ticking time bomb. advertisement advertisement Konigsberg, a founding member of Googles operations in Israel, said when creating boundaries for something that is supposed to learn on its own, the creator must mitigate risk without mitigating the power of the technology -- a topic championed by Elon Musk, the founder of Telsa Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal. "We have to be conscious of the risk in the field of artificial intelligence and keep the conversation going," Konigsberg said. Along with other other entrepreneurs who formerly worked at Google, he has been thinking about how the technology will influence society in the future as well as taking safeguards to mitigate risk. Graham Cooke, CEO and co-founder of Qubit -- a former Googler who spent five years building Big Data systems and learning about consumer behavior -- said entrepreneurs have "a moral responsibility" to hire the correct people who will develop AI-related technology with safeguards. "Any new technology poses new and unknown risks," he said. "You weave the moral obligations into the business." Falon Fatemi couldn't agree more. "We think about this a lot because it's a real responsibility," she said. "I take that responsibility very seriously. We really do have control of the choices we make in terms of the markets we enter and partnerships and integrations we choose." At 19, Fatemi joined Google, remained for six years, and left to build Node.io, a stealth startup of former Google, Facebook and Twitter employees focusing on data intelligence that powers personalized recommendations for everything from news to ecommerce. Integrated with Salesforce CRM, the initial focus supports business decisions for sales and marketing, pulling data from the company's CRM database, as well as open networks across the Web. Similar to Google's Knowledge Graph, Node.io's technology, described as a "search engine without a search box," goes beyond search to understand the continually changing relationship between people, places and things. Fatemi acknowledges that technologies based on AI must have intelligence and move beyond the workflow recommendations like the technology found in Now, Google's first generation personal assistant. When asked how entrepreneurs mitigate risk, she said "It's important to have a clear set of ethics and values on how to achieve goals, because there are so many ways to execute strategies." It's a "responsibility" to think about how the technology could be used in the future and add safeguards to mitigate risk. "If you're not ready to take on that responsibility, don't become a founder of a company," Fatemi said. Node.io is backed by NEA, Mark Cuban, Avalon Ventures, Canaan Partners, among others by Bob Garfield , Featured Columnist, May 23, 2016 You know what? Let's do have a trial by media. Definitely -- so we can watch in astonishment as the corporate defendant demonstrates its guilt by the very way in which it is defending itself. In its answer to sexual harassment charges, WPP is either employing cynical lawyering of the most loathsome kind or evincing cluelessness on a mythic scale. By now you are most likely familiar with the sexual-harassment lawsuit by former JWT chief communications officer Erin Johnson against the company, its WPP parent and her former boss Gustavo Martinez. The essential allegation is that Martinez created a hostile workplace environment through inappropriate joking, inappropriate touching, racist and anti-Semitic comments and so on. He seems particularly fond of rape jokes, and really, who can get enough of them? At issue is not the words or deeds but the intent behind them. To his defenders, Martinez was making harmless quips, promoting a culture of informality and intimacy and generally just being his unstuffed-shirt charming self. A likable, approachable leader, in other words. And therefore, anybody who would seize on his spasms of political incorrectness was either wildly misconstruing him or a radical misfit looking for trouble, along David Mamet Oleanna lines. advertisement advertisement Which is precisely the motivation imputed to Johnson by WPPs legal team. This is from its latest filing for dismissal: it is clear that every move on Plaintiffs part, starting with the filing of a Complaint with allegations that are in part irrelevant to her, distorted and fabricated, was designed to make a splash with the media. My instinct tells me this is sleazy corporate lawyers doing what is in their nature, accusing a shooting victim of trespass for interfering with the innocent shooters bullet. Another possibility is that they are simply morons, too tragically thick to grasp the dynamics of power in the workplace. The most generous interpretation is of a defendant corporation utterly divorced from reality. If lack of self-awareness were a felony, these people would be behind bars. More from the filing: Just 10 days before JWT Chief Communications Officer Erin Johnson began her sex harassment and retaliation lawsuit against former agency CEO Gustavo Martinez in March, Johnson wrote a text message to Martinez to tell him that she had decided to reject a job offer from another company, because I am loyal to you and what you are doing. She added: I felt like we had a good year together. So I hope I wasnt wrong to stay. Lol. This oddly cheerful email is presented to impeach Johnsons allegations from the lawsuits, as reported by MediaPost in early March: She recounted one incident that occurred last May at the companys New York offices where Martinez approached Johnsons desk and told her to come to him so he could rape [her] in the bathroom, that was nearby. He then grabbed Johnson around the neck with an arm and began laughing. Later that day, the complaint alleges, Martinez interrupted a meeting among multiple female employees, including Johnson. Martinez asked Johnson in front of the other women which female staff member he could rape. The emailed loyalty pledge is WPPs smoking gun of a feminist shakedown -- again raising the question of whether they are just mounting a dishonest defense or are actually nincompoops. Its as if we are reliving the Anita Hill debacle, when first Republican Sen. Arlen Specter and then Republican Senator Alan K. Simpson expressed incredulity that Hill would maintain any kind of relationship with Clarence Thomas after he serially harassed her. If what you say this man said to you occurred, Simpson asked Hill, why in Gods name, when he left his position of power or status or authority over youwhy in Gods name would you ever speak to a man like that the rest of your life? Because, duh, the victimization might well have continued and mutated to career destruction. She, and untold women like her, bit her lip so as not to jeopardize their livelihoods. You dont need God to explain the fundamental fact that employees -- especially female employees of male bosses -- do not have the luxury of calling out individual transgressions, let alone accumulating ones, lest they put their jobs and future jobs at risk. I dont really know Erin Johnson. I have no idea why she turned down another job offer to stay at JWT, or what episode may have triggered her lawsuit so soon after that decision. Whats striking is that WPP makes the same incendiary and illogical allegation as the attackers of Anita Hill: that after years of suffering in silence (and quietly building the global reputation of JWT) she decided to expose herself to humiliation and personal vilification just to get her name in the paper. Come to think of it, nobodys that stupid. There can be only one verdict: these people are repulsive. by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, May 23, 2016 The National Rifle Association, our countrys premier advocate for gun rights, endorsed the Republican nominee for president at its leadership forum last Friday. Donald Trump has had much to say over the years about gun control and it has not always been in line with the adamant positions held by the anti-gun-regulation N.R.A. For example, as recently as December 2012, Donald Trump tweeted that President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut. Being a strong proponent of stricter gun-control legislation, President Obama has said that one of his biggest-frustrations during his Presidency has been his inability to legislate new gun-control laws. Fewer than four years later, Donald Trump has received the endorsement of the N.R.A. much earlier in the cycle than any recent GOP nominee. In 2012, and 2008, it took the N.R.A. until October of election year to endorse either John McCain or Mitt Romney. advertisement advertisement While the N.R.A. stamp of approval may be another sign of Republican acquiescence to Trump, some members are questioning the move. Speaking with N.R.A member Brian Abney of Missouri, Politico was told: I have no clue why they did it, particularly considering Trumps relatively recent positions supporting longer waiting periods for gun purchasers and banning assault weapons. At the meeting, Trump told members that he would not let them down. Back in January, he told Vermont voters that he would get rid of gun-free zones [in] schools -- you have to -- and on military bases. My first day, it gets signed, OK? My first day. Theres no more gun-free zones. The Trump family has a number of avid gun owners: My sons have been members of the N.R.A. for many, many years. They have so many rifles and so many guns, even I get concerned. Trump spoke of his sons affinity for guns and his apprehension at how many they have at the N.R.A. conference following the announcement of his endorsement. The comment was an interesting cross-section of Trumps beliefs on guns. While it is evident that he will hold a strong anti-gun-control stance as Republican nominee, he doesnt hold his own home to the same standards. Trumps Florida residence Mar-a-Lago does not allow guns, according to The Huffington Post, as is the case with Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida. Trump has been molded, or has molded himself into the unwavering Republican the GOP has been craving. Republicans should take heed, however, as even Trumps own words point to a less than convinced gun-rights advocate. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, May 23, 2016 After a year-long search, London-based Chime Communications agency VCCP has established a U.S. beachhead with the acquisition of San Francisco-based Mut-Tay-Zik | Hof-fer (MH). The deal was financed by Providence Equity Partners, the same firm that acquired Chime last July for $585 million (WPP has about a 20% stake). Terms of MH acquisition werent disclosed, although MH will retain its current branding. The two agencies are positioning the deal as a way to create an international creative agency network for challenger brands. MH clients include financial services firm SoFi, Netflix and Audi. VCCP counts among its clients O2, easyjet, ING Direct and BMW Motorcycles. Adrian Coleman, Co-Founder and CEO of VCCP said, This is a joining of like-minded souls across the Atlantic. Together we believe that creativity is still the biggest multiplier for any business, and we want to offer that creativity to ambitious brands all over the world. advertisement advertisement In addition to its London headquarters, VCCP has offices in Madrid, Prague, Sydney and Berlin, and total staff of 850. Six-year old MH, with about 85 staffers in San Francisco, is currently in the process of expanding to New York. This is a beginning, said MH co-founder Matt Hofherr, who expects the coming together will provide the agencies expanded opportunities to pitch global accounts. Employees will benefit too, he said, noting plans to create a mini exchange program where staffers from the now-partner agencies will spend periods of time in each others offices. Hofherr created MH with John Matejczyk (see name of agency for correct pronunciation of both last names) in 2010. Earlier Matejczyk was a creative director at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, BBH, Fallon and TBWA\Chiat\Day. Hofherr has a strategic planning background and also served at TBWA\Chiat\Day and other agencies including BBDO West and Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners. by Larissa Faw , May 23, 2016 Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture is battling its aging population and the threat of natural disasters with a unique solution: robots. Government officials believe high performance technology will solve these problems. Now, the government is teaming with agency Geometry Global Japan and Tezuka Productions to help familiarize people with robotics and this city of the future titled "Sagami, City of Robots." And to make this concept more accessible, the City of Robots features the iconic Astro Boy character, created by the founding father of modern manga (a form of Japanese animation) Tezuka Osamu. Astro Boy takes a soon-to-be Dad on a tour of the future in the animated film Robot Town Sagami 2028 that portrays the future based on interviews of companies and scholars across this district. The two characters tour a special district that has a large concentration of industries, research centers and university laboratories specializing in research and development of personal assistant robotics. advertisement advertisement The movie will be screened in elementary schools and department stores across the prefecture. I wanted people, especially children who play a crucial role in shaping the world we live in, to picture the future we are heading for, stated Yuji Kuroiwa, Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture. As an iconic, much loved household name, Astro Boy will enable people to feel and see the substantial future of Sagami Robot Town. Here's an online clip. The challenges Kanagawa Prefecture face are not only applicable to the local government but also for Japan and the rest of the world," stated Masato Mitsudera, head of creative, Geometry Global Japan. "I hope this animation will fly around the world just like Astro Boy does, giving inspiration and hope for the future. Tezuka Productions developed the animation Astro Boy series as the first Japanese cartoon in 1963. Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed when it is at an advanced stage, so chemotherapy is a key part of treatment. However, the cancer eventually develops resistance to chemotherapy a major reason for its low survival rate. Now, new research suggests it may be possible to overcome chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer by adding immunotherapy to the chemotherapy. Share on Pinterest The researchers believe adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy could reverse the resistance to chemotherapy that invariably develops in patients with ovarian cancer and is a major reason for their low rate of survival. In the journal Cell, researchers from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor describe how they reversed chemotherapy resistance in mouse models of ovarian cancer by boosting the animals immune T cells. The team suggests the finding will prompt a re-think about chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer and could lead to new treatments using immunotherapy. Ovarian cancer is one of the five main types of cancer that affect a womans reproductive organs. The other four are: cervical, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancer. Ovarian cancer is typically treated with a platinum-based chemotherapy called cisplatin, which causes platinum to build up inside the nucleus of cancer cells. The platinum damages the cancer cells DNA and stops them dividing. For their study, co-senior author J. Rebecca Liu, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and colleagues used tissue samples from patients with ovarian cancer and also mouse models of the disease to study the types of cell in the microenvironment of tumors. They linked the results back to patient outcomes. Their results highlight the role of two types of cell: fibroblasts and immune T cells. Fibroblasts are cells that generate the connective tissue (the stroma) that supports cells. Immune T cells are the foot soldiers of the immune system and researchers have already shown that their high presence in tumors favors patient outcomes. The researchers found that fibroblasts help ovarian cancer cells become resistant to cisplatin, and immune T cells work against this effect. Since 2000, there have been dramatic gains in overall global life expectancy, say the World Health Organization in a new report. The overall increase of 5 years to just over 71 years is the fastest since the 1960s and reverses the decline seen in the 1990s. However, major inequalities in how long a child born today can expect to live still exist within and among nations, says the United Nations health agency. Share on Pinterest The WHO report shows that while the biggest increases in life expectancy in the last 15 years are in Africa, the region also includes 22 countries with the lowest life expectancy. The World Health Organization (WHO) report, which monitors progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, shows that the greatest increase in life expectancy during 2000-2015 has been in the African region, where it rose from 9.4 years to 60 years. The WHO attribute the big leap in life expectancy in Africa to reduction in child deaths, progress in control of malaria, and greater access to antiretrovirals for the control of HIV. The report shows that overall, the average lifespan of a child born in 2015 is likely to be 71.4 years or 73.8 years if it is a girl and 69.1 years if it is a boy. However, where that child is born can make a big difference to these figures. The longest life expectancy is in Japan, where children born in 2015 are expected to live 83.7 years, followed by Switzerland (83.4 years), Singapore (83.1 years), Australia (82.8 years), and Spain (82.8 years). All 29 countries where a child can expect to live on average 80 years or more are high-income nations, while the 22 countries with average life expectancy below 60 years are in low-income nations in sub-Saharan Africa. In the Americas, the report puts the average life expectancy for the United States at 79.3 years, behind that of Canada (82.2 years), Chile (80.5 years), and Costa Rica (79.6 years). The figures also highlight differences between the sexes. With an average lifespan of 86.8 years, women in Japan can expect to live the longest, while Switzerland enjoys the longest average survival for men, at 81.3 years. In contrast, Sierra Leone has the lowest life expectancy for both sexes, and a much smaller gap: 50.8 years for females and 49.3 years for males. Joint injury can lead to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). In fact, about half of all people who rupture the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in their knee will develop PTOA within 10-20 years of the injury. But the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to cartilage degeneration or PTOA due to trauma are not well understood. Recently, a team of scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), University of California, Davis, University of California, Merced and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals examined the whole-joint gene expression by RNA sequencing at one day, one, six and 12 weeks after injury. The team used a new, non-invasive tibial compression mouse model of PTOA, that mimics ACL rupture in humans from a single high-impact injury. The research appears in the online edition of the Journal of Orthopaedic Research. Sometimes called degenerative joint disease or "wear and tear" arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints. It occurs when the cartilage or cushion between joints breaks down leading to pain, stiffness and swelling. Many individuals developing OA show no signs until significant joint damage has occurred. At that point, the only available long term treatment options are surgical replacement of the joint and/or pain management. Identifying and characterizing OA biomarkers for detecting and tracking the progression of the disease, combined with developing new pharmacologic interventions aimed to minimize cartilage damage, could personalize medical treatment before the disease is all consuming. Most importantly, treatments could be developed that, when administered immediately post injury, would prevent the development of PTOA years later. "The goal of the study was to see if there are biomarkers associated with cartilage degradation, which could then be further explored as therapeutic targets in future experiments," said Jiun Chang, a UC Merced graduate student mentored by LLNL's Gaby Loots and the lead author of the study. The study identified 1,446 genes differentially expressed in injured joints, including several known regulators of OA, as well as many new genes. The team also identified 18 long, noncoding RNAs differentially expressed in the injured joints, RNAs that have not yet been explored functionally in this context. "This study provides the first account of gene expression changes associated with PTOA development and progression in this tibial compression model," said Aimy Sebastian, also a UC Merced graduate student mentored by Loots, who co-lead the study with Chang. The research team also included LLNL staff member Deepa Murugesh; UC Davis professor Blaine Christiansen; and Sarah Hatsell and Aris Economides of Regeneron. "By comparing our data to gene-expression data generated using the surgical destabilization of the medial meniscus PTOA model, we identified several common genes and shared mechanisms. Our study highlights several differences between these two models and suggests that the tibial compression model may be a more rapidly progressing model of PTOA," said Loots, an LLNL biologist who leads the team. This study provides the first account of whole genome expression profiles to obtain new insights into the temporal progression of the disease. The research was funded in part by the Department of Defense, Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program. Despite claims by the gun lobby, most violent individuals don't have a mental illness, write the authors of a "For debate" article published online by the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Michael Dudley and colleagues from the University of New South Wales, the University of Wollongong and the University of Sydney, wrote that it is timely to examine how national firearms regulation has prevented injury in the 20 years since the Port Arthur massacre. Studies have confirmed that people with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violent crime. For example, almost half of those who die at the hands of US police have some kind of disability. The authors argued that most mass murderers don't have an identifiable, severe mental illness and instead often have maladaptive personality configurations. "Although mass murderers who seize media attention often seem to suffer from psychosis, no research clearly verifies that most are psychotic or even suffering from severe mental illness," the authors wrote. In the case of Martin Bryant, the lone gunman who used semi-automatic weapons to kill 35 people at Port Arthur, four forensic psychiatric reports found he was suffering from a "personality disorder with limited intellectual and empathic capacities". The sentencing judge concluded that he was "not suffering from a mental illness." Recent gun massacres in the US have seen calls for better screening of mentally ill populations for violence risk, however the authors believed this was misguided. Because people with mental illness are not categorically dangerous, and because of sensitivity and specificity problems with screening for violence, "psychiatrists are no better than laypeople or chance at prediction". They wrote that clinicians have a role in monitoring and assisting regulation of firearm access, particularly in high-risk populations such as children, adolescents, suicidal people, domestic violence victims and perpetrators, farmers and rural residents, and police and security employees. The authors argued that wider gun control measures should be the more pressing debate. "The campaign to deflect social concern over firearms availability into a debate about whether people with mental illness histories should access such weapons should be exposed as a calculated appeal to prejudice," they concluded. Article: The Port Arthur massacre and the National Firearms Agreement: 20 years on, what are the lessons? Michael J Dudley, Alan Rosen, Philip A Alpers and Rebecca Peters, Medical Journal of Australia, doi: 10.5694/mja16.00293, published online 23 May 2016. RINVOQ is now approved as the first and only oral JAK inhibitor for adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) RINVOQ is the first and only JAK inhibitor approved for both active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and ... Advertisement A poll conducted by Curofy, India's largest community of verified doctors turned up with some interesting results. 2570 doctors were asked if they think that corporate practices are leading to unethical practices. A whooping 86.38% of doctors said that yes, corporate hospitals are encouraging unethical practices."Better corporatization is required in the healthcare industry" said Dr Anil Kohli, Senior Consultant, Apollo. "Hospitals can not control the ethics of the doctor, it is a competitive market hence sensitivity is less. Hospitals need to be more transparent,there is also a wide variation in the medical expenses, pharma companies have a margin of 30-40 percent so profit could be made around that area."A segment of doctors also felt that corporate hospitals are not promoting unethical practices. 8.63% of the polled votes supported that.Dr Vijay Arora, Emeritus Consultant, General and Laparoscopic Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said, "I feel all doctors are ethical and they do not do any unethical practices. However with Businessmen venturing into the healthcare industry it is a different point. They have their own principles but doctors will not do anything unethical ever." 4.66% of the doctors stood divided and couldn't say if corporatisation has led to unethical practices or not.In a state wise break up of the results, 100 % of doctors from Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh blamed Corporate Hospitals for unethical practices followed by NCR(95%), Maharashtra(89%), Tamil Nadu (85%) and West Bengal(78%). Most of the doctor's who polled were concerned about the revenue making exercises they were made to go through by the hospital board, the unachievable targets that were set and deadlines.On the condition of anonymity a doctor who used to work in a leading corporate hospital in Delhi and now works in a healthcare startup said, "When I first joined the hospital I was shocked to see patients suffering from sore throat were admitted in ICU. On my first day I was directed to not tell the patients clearly what they are suffering from and prescribe them as many investigations as I could since that is where maximum revenue is generated."Dr Ragini Aggarwal,director Medical services at W pratiksha hospital said, "You cannot see all the hospitals from one point of view, but since businessmen are venturing into healthcare and are investing huge amounts so they will expect return, but W hospital is not a corporate hospital and we have no targets."Mr Nipun Goyal, Co founder Curofy said, "Corporatisation is necessary to provide quality healthcare to the patients. It keeps the competition to be better alive. But the poll result clearly showed that we need stronger laws to keep unethical practices in check."State Wise Break Up Of Doctors Who Said Corporatisation Is Leading To Unethical Practices :Uttar Pradesh: 85%Madhya Pradesh: 100%Rajasthan: 79%Punjab: 80%Himachal Pradesh: 100%West Bengal: 78%Chhattisgarh: 100%Bihar: 100%NCR: 95%Maharashtra: 89%Andhra Pradesh: 67%Haryana: 100%Kerala: 100%Karnataka: 88%Source: Medindia Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Multiple drug allergy syndrome or multiple drug hypersensitivity syndrome is a condition where a person is allergic to one or more drugs, which are structurally unrelated to each other . Antibiotics used in the treatment of bacterial infections have been commonly implicated in multiple drug allergy syndrome. Drugs used in the treatment of seizures, allopurinol and other drugs have also been frequently involved in multi-drug allergy syndrome. Allergic reactions to medication, also called hypersensitive reactions are very common. Allergic reactions are a result of changes in the immune system caused when a patient is administered a particular drug. Once the person is allergic to the drug, there is a high chance that the reaction will repeat when it is used again. The reaction may also occur if another related drug is used. However, in multiple drug allergy syndrome, the allergy develops to multiple drugs that are completely unrelated to each other. Consider the following situation: A person develops an allergic reaction to the antibiotic, ampicillin. If the antibiotic is changed to amoxicillin, there is a chance that the patient develops a reaction to this drug as well since the drugs are closely related. However, such a reaction is expected and does not qualify for multiple drug hypersensitivity syndrome. If the patient is put on an unrelated drug like a tetracycline and again develops an allergic reaction, such a reaction would qualify for multiple drug allergy syndrome. Advertisement Multiple drug allergy syndrome has been classified into two types. When the allergy develops to different drugs given at the same time, the type of allergy is referred to as simultaneous multiple drug allergy. When the allergy to the second or other drugs develops after some time following allergy to the first drug i.e. sequentially, the type of allergy is referred to as sequential multiple drug allergy. The exact cause of multiple drug allergy syndrome is not known, though several hypotheses have been put forward. Like other allergic reactions, it occurs due to an underlying immune-related mechanism. Further research is needed before the exact mechanism can be elucidated. Whether some underlying cause like viral infection with HIV or EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) or a genetic factor predisposes the patient to develop the allergy remains to be identified. Since the condition has been recently recognized, further case reports could help to establish the possible risk factors. Symptoms of the multidrug allergy syndrome are similar to those of other allergic reactions. Patient with drug allergy may suffer from a mild, moderate or severe reaction, which may even be fatal. Skin rashes are a common manifestation of an allergic reaction. Some patients may suffer from serious reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome/Toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) and Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS syndrome). DRESS syndrome may result in fever, rash and damage to organs like liver, lung, brain, kidney, or heart. Multiple drug allergy syndrome is diagnosed based on the history of the patient. Various tests that are used to confirm the allergy to the particular drug include: Blood tests : Blood tests like estimation of blood counts, Coombs test, lymphocyte transformation test and measurement of serum histamine and tryptase levels could give clues to the presence of an allergy : Blood tests like estimation of blood counts, Coombs test, lymphocyte transformation test and measurement of serum histamine and tryptase levels could give clues to the presence of an allergy Skin tests: Skin testing is a common form of testing for drug allergy. The skin prick test and the intradermal tests involve injecting small amounts of the drug into the skin to test for reaction. In a skin patch test, a patch containing the drug is applied to the back for 48 hours If an allergic reaction occurs due to a drug, the drug has to be stopped immediately and replaced by another if necessary. The allergic reaction may be treated with anti-allergy drugs called antihistamines like cetirizine and fexofenadine. Drugs like Corticosteroids or adrenaline may be required for more severe reactions. Advertisement Prevention of Multiple Drug Allergy Syndrome / Multiple Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome Once a person is diagnosed with multiple drug allergy syndrome, it is important to prevent further reactions. The patient should avoid the use of medications unless prescribed by a physician Since the allergies usually develop with the use of antibiotics, the patient should stay away from infections as far as possible. Culture and sensitivity test should be carried out so that only the appropriate antibiotic is administered. Health tips The persons hospital records should clearly indicate that the patient is allergic to several medications. The person should wear a bracelet or carry a card indicating that the patient has multiple drug allergies at all times so that he/she is given limited drugs at times of an accident or another emergency. In a statement on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Sykes-Picot agreement, Masoud Barzani, president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, called on the international community to acknowledge that the Sykes-Picot agreement has failed. Barzani said that this agreement, which disregarded the makeup of the region and the will of its peoples, was a great injustice perpetrated against these peoples, especially against the Kurds. For the Kurds of Iraq, he said, it resulted in 100 years of discrimination and atrocities perpetrated against them by the various Iraqi regimes. Barzani stressed that, despite this, for 100 years these Kurds did their best to protect the integrity of the Iraqi state. But today, the countries of the region and the world at large must not allow the tragedy to continue, but must allow the peoples of Iraq to determine their political future. Barzani called for a serious dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil to reach a new solution. "If partnership cannot be achieved, let us be brothers and good neighbors," he said. The following are excerpts from the English version of his statement, as published on the official website of the Kurdistan Region Presidency.[1] Masoud Barazani (image: Presidency.krd) "Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Sykes-Picot agreement. This agreement led to the carving up of the region following the First World War, disregarding the opinion of the peoples of the region and of the geographical reality in the region. It was a great injustice on the peoples of the region, especially the Kurds. "The consequences of this agreement were first and foremost detrimental to the people of Kurdistan in the state of Iraq. An Iraqi state that was originally established to be based on partnership between Kurds and Arabs, in fact decided to marginalize the Kurds. Successive Iraqi regimes have since denied Kurds their rights and have committed great tragedies against the Kurdish people. The share of the Kurdish people in this partnership has been the murder and deportation of 12,000 young Faili Kurds, the murder of 8,000 Barzanis, the murder and disappearance of 182,000 Kurds in Garmiyan area and elsewhere, the chemical bombardment of Halabja, the destruction of 4,500 Kurdish villages, the Arabization of Kurdish areas, and countless other injustices. "After the uprising of 1991, the people of Kurdistan opted to open a new chapter with the state of Iraq, and refrained from retaliation against their perpetrators. But this too was futile as the then Iraqi government continued its oppressive policies against the Kurdish people. "After the fall of the Ba'ath regime in 2003, the people of Kurdistan decided to return to Baghdad and to help build a new Iraq by the drafting of new constitution that guaranteed the principles of genuine partnership, democracy, and federalism. Instead, Iraqi governments have since disregarded the constitution, reneged on their commitments, ignored partnership, and decided to cut the Kurdistan Region's budget share... "For all intents and purposes, today Iraq is a divided country along sectarian lines. In Iraq, in Syria, and many other countries, Daesh has rendered borders meaningless, and new borders have been created. The people of Kurdistan are not responsible for this in Iraq. The responsibility lies with those who carved up the region one hundred years ago, and with the flawed policies of the rulers of the region who have wanted to maintain stability by the use of force, violence, and oppression. In this, they have failed. "In the last one hundred years, the people of Kurdistan have tried their best to protect the territorial integrity of a genuine state of Iraq, but to no avail. I would be thankful to anyone to come forward and tell us what more the Kurdish people could have done to protect the unity of Iraq. To prevent war, instability, and more tragedy, the Sykes-Picot agreement must be revised. The people of Iraq cannot any longer tolerate war, disagreement and extremism. We cannot continue with more tragedy and insist on a one-hundred-year-old arrangement that has demonstrably failed. The international community and regional countries must understand that in order to end the tragedies of Iraq, we must take into account the makeup of the country, and leave it to the peoples of Iraq to determine their political future. On the future of the Kurds in other parts, they must each seek their solutions through peace and dialogue, and based on their special circumstances. "We must acknowledge the new realities; citizenship has not been developed; borders and sovereignty have become meaningless, the Sykes-Picot agreement is over. The international community must shoulder this historical responsibility and instead of insisting on the continuation of the suffering of the people of Iraq, they must seek a real solution for Iraq and the region. Otherwise, we are destined for continued war, extremism, and tragedy, and international peace and security will be under threat... "On this hundredth anniversary of Sykes-Picot agreement, I call for a serious dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to reach a new solution. If partnership cannot be achieved, let us be brothers and good neighbors. "If political parties in the Kurdistan Region, for whatever reasons, decide not to shoulder this historic responsibility to act, the people will make their decision, and the people's decision will be stronger and more legitimate. I am confident that the people of Kurdistan will make the right decision." Endnote: In an audio message released on May 21, ISIS Spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani called on Supporters to Carry out Terror Attacks in Europe, U.S. Al-Adnani encouraged attacks against civilians, saying that "There are no so-called "innocent people" there." Following are excerpts Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani: We are not intimidated by your armies and multitudes, and we shall not be discouraged by your threats and attacks. You shall never win. You are defeated. Do you think, oh America, that killing a leader, or some leaders, spells victory? Such a victory is a false one. Do you think, oh America, that the loss of a city or of territory means defeat? Were we defeated when we lost the cities in Iraq and had to live in the desert with no city and no territory at all? Will we be defeated and you victorious if you capture Mosul, Sirte, Al-Raqqah, or all the cities, and we have to go back to where we were at first? No. Defeat is when one loses one's resolve and fighting spirit. You will win, oh America, and the mujahideen will lose in one case only - if you manage to rip the Quran out of the chests of the Muslims. Where are the promised security, development, and prosperity? Are you lying, oh America, or are you incapable of delivering on your promises? Did you make the world a safer place by declaring war on us, oh America? Or did fear and destruction prevail, as witnessed by Canada, France, Tunisia, Turkey, and Belgium? Have you managed to eliminate terrorism and extinguish the flame of Jihad? Or has it flourished and encompassed the entire world? [...] Oh Muslims, we do not wage Jihad in order to defend territory, or in order to liberate or take control of land. [...] We have a special message to the soldiers of the Caliphate and its supporters in Europe and the US: Oh servants of Allah, oh monotheists, if the tyrants have shut the gates of hijra in your face, open the gates of Jihad in their faces, and make them regret what they have done. The smallest attack you carry out on their own turf is better and more beloved to us than the largest attack we carry out here. It is more useful to us and more harmful to them. Just as you strive to get to the Islamic State, we strive to be in your place, in order to be able to torment the Crusaders constantly, day and night, striking terror in their midst until neighbors fear one another. So if anyone among you is incapable [of making hijra], he must not deem throwing stones at a Crusader on his own turf worthless. He must not view any such action with scorn, because its benefit for the mujahideen is great, and it has a pernicious effect on the infidels. We have been told that some of you cannot act because you lack access to military targets, yet feel uncomfortable to attack so-called "civilians." You refrain from doing so because you fear [civilians] are not a legitimate target. Know that in the countries of the combatant Crusaders there is none whose blood must not be shed. There are no so-called "innocent people" there. [...] Know that your targeting of so-called "civilians" is more beloved by us and more useful to us, because it is more painful and harmful to them, and serves better to deter them. [...] Argentina is going to be the first South American country we visit. This was going to be Peru, but we had to change our plans because there wasnt enough time before our pre-booked Antarctica trip. Our flight from Newark to Buenos Aires had a connection in Houston. We were able to sample some semi-authentic Mexican food from the food court before boarding the plane for Argentina. All these recent flying brought one small perk, Tracy and I both became premier members of United/Continental. We had no clue what benefits it gave us though. We later figured out that we could check in more luggage for free and had priority checkin/boarding not a big deal for us as we never brought more than 1 piece of luggage per person and never needed much space in the overhead bin. If I had the pick, I would like better food onboard, but fat chance of that happening We arrived at the Ministro Pistarini Airport in Buenos Aires in the morning, then flight directly from there to El Calafate. Neither of us realized prior to arriving at Argentina that the departure flight was from a different airport (yes, Buenos Aires is the 9th largest city in the world, it can have more than one airport). This gave us quite a scare. Fortunately we had a long layover. Even after the hour and half bus trip between airports, we still have some time to spare. No sweat. Our limited repertoire of languages posed a problem when ordering in the airports cafe. After much pointing and gesturing we got what we wanted. Im happy to report that our mastery of Spanish words got better later on, mostly about food. El Calafate is a small town in the Argentinian Patagonia. The name comes from a type of local wild berry bush. Argentinians use calafate berries to make all sorts of things like soft drink, beer and ice-cream. We tried the ice cream and it was delicious. The town grew rapidly in recent years from tourist traffic to the neighboring Perito Moreno Glacier and hiking destinations in both Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia. We are not far from the south tip of South America, the sun doesnt set till after 9PM this time of the year. We got here late in the afternoon, and its still sunny and bright. El Calafate Airport. Not quite sunny now, but it will clear up soon. We are staying at Hotel Rukahue. This place is a little out of the way. Its a 10-15 minute walk from the town center, but that is the only negative thing I can think of this place. Now considering that we are here to hike, there were no negative side to this hidden gem. Our host Adrianna and her son/English translator Santiago made our stay thoroughly enjoyable. This was going to be our home away from home in Argentina. Hotel Rukahue We met a friendly couple from the Netherlands, Maarten and Joke (I pronounced it like YouKa, she didnt correct me so I guess Im close enough) who also just arrived. Both of them are very nice to be around with. We ordered pizza and did some planning together over dinner. Adrianna is really helpful in securing some seats on a Glacier tour the next day for the four of us. The Perito Moreno Glacier is the No.1 destination around El Calafate. It is one of the few glaciers in this area thats actually growing. The 80km drive from the town took us about 2 hours as the van drove around town to pick up more guests from various hotels. A view point just our side of El Calafate An example of some local flora and local fauna... We saw two tour buses parked on the side of the road and a group of tourists taking pictures of some large birds. I grabbed a quick shot and it was not very good. These are Andean Condors. They have a wingspan of up to 3.2 meters, the largest of any land bird in the world. Tracy got a video of one taking off. The condors are vultures, and thus carrion eaters. They are not pretty to look at close up, but beautiful and graceful in flight. Note that the condors have the largest wingspan among land birds. We will see some birds that will best them later in Antarctica. An Andean Condor Two rangers came on board to welcome us and issue tickets. The entrance fee to the park is 100 pesos per person per day. Thats maybe $23 USD at the time. Its quite steep considering that US parks will usually let you stay for several days with one ticket. In Argentina, you often see parks and hotels charge foreigners a higher rate than locals. I remember seeing this in China many years ago, but apparently its no longer practiced, at least not officially. Moreno Glacier from afar Fire bush trees. The red is so bright that on a overcast day the flowers seems to be incandescent I asked an old lady to take a picture for us in front of the glacier. I didnt think she ever used an SLR camera before as she didnt know to look through the view finder. The camera was in high speed multi-shot mode, so when she held the shutter release she took multiple pictures of us. She was quite happy and made machine gun noises when she handed the camera back. Thinking about it, I remember Joke made a comment later on when she examined my camera that modern cameras are generally smaller and lighter. Moreno Glacier is right on a lake so boat trips is a must. The boat will take us close to the ice cliff, but not too close as the glacier calves many times a day. Our boat at the pier Moreno Glacier from the boat Another tour boat backing closer to the glacier Here you see the glacier ice pushing against the far side of the lake. Because the glacier is growing, this happens periodically. When it happens it will completely separate the two sides of the lake. One side of the lake water will rise because theres no outlet for the water from melted ice and snow. This difference in water level will create pressure and flows that will gradually undermine the glacier ice. Eventually an entire section of the glacier will collapse and the lake will be one again. Our guide told us that theres a water level difference of two feet as of now. Compared to glaciers we saw in New Zealand, Moreno Glacier is exceptional clean, probably because the top of the mountain has snow cover year round and there are little exposed soil. Beautiful blue light where sunlight hit the crevasses Tourists going for ice hiking One the other side of the glacier theres an extensive array of viewing platforms. These are really well built and provide excellent views of the glacier face. There were quite a few people sitting around waiting for ice calving to happen. Tracy had a fit of migraine so we rested on the bench for a while under the warm sun until she felt better. View of the glacier from the higher platforms From the lower platforms, the top of the ice is about eye level The elevated platforms protect the vegetation below, and make it much easier to move around. Close up of the ice floating near the base of the glacier face While waiting on the platform, you often hear very loud cracking sounds, which gave advanced notice of calving. We did manage to capture one with our cameras. The top of the glacier close to the ice face is full of sharp ice and deep crevasses. This part is off limits for good reason. Having heard many good things about the famed Argentine barbecue, we tried some in a local restaurant. The place is right on the main street and touristy. Tracy ordered roasted lamb, which was excellent. I ordered steak and it was a bit overcooked. The steak looked lonely in that plate. Nope, it doesn't come with sides. Pickled wild rabbit. This was quite good. We are staying only two nights in El Calafate this time. We will be in El Chalten tomorrow, then come back for one night, after which we will be in Chile. We will come back again after Chile before flying to Ushuaia. Adriana graciously offered to store whatever we do not want to carry with us. We bid farewell to Maarten and Joke, little do we know that we will meet again. The next morning we got up early and walked the 15 minutes to the bus station in town. The drive north took less than 3 hours. The view when we were approaching El Chalten was incredible. The snow-covered mountain peaks are knife sharp and stand in stark contrast to the brown and wind-swept Patagonia plains. I learned not to try taking any photos through the bus window though they never come out good enough. The bus stopped briefly at a ranger station. A young park ranger gave us an overview of the trail condition as well as weather forecast in English. There was also a briefing in Spanish but it looks like everyone on our bus speaks English. We stayed in a small B&B called Latitude 49. After dropping our backpack and changing to a day pack, Tracy and I headed to the Laguna Torre trail. Most of the trails around El Chalten can be done in a day. Without a 40lb backpack, we can afford to carry lots of water. The locals would just drink from the mountain streams. We like to err on the safe side. Street art in El Chalten The trail starts directly from the edge of town Laguna is Spanish for lake. Torre is tower. It helps that both language were from Latin. Narrow trail lined with flowering dandelion Bright yellow orchid on the side of the road I have never seen this many dandelion flowers before. Its late spring and they are in full bloom, especially around streams. Posing in front of a clearing. The lake is around the bend on the far side. The distance to the lake is 11km one way. There is not much elevation gain. In a cool spring day it makes for a pleasant walk. The ice cover on the lake has mostly melted. There are still pieces of ice from the glacier floating around. The wind gust coming from the valley ahead was very strong, and cold. Tracy examining a piece of ice The larger pieces of floating ice were white, smaller ones were clear like this piece After about half an hour around the lake, we started heading back. Tomorrow will be a long day. We wanted to get some rest and shop for lunch in town. Coming back was faster and we were back in town by 5. Small wild flowers close to the trail head. The next day we set out for Laguna De Los Thres. This is the main trail that will supposedly give us a magnificent view of Mounte Fitz Roy, if we are lucky. The day started with a flat tire on our hiking shuttle. Our poor driver tried to change the tire with a full bus load of people inside. We offered to get out but he insisted that he could do it. He did eventually manage it with a couple of locals that happened to pass by, and we are on our way again. About 3 minuted later we arrive at the trail start. I would have preferred to walk the final stretch to save the hour or so waiting on the bus if I knew we were that close. Our first glimpse of Mt Fitz Roy, it peeks out over on the left side Closing in, the top of the peak is still covered by clouds The last 3km or so was a bit challenging. Theres a climb of 400 meters to the view point. We each had just a day pack so its quite manageable. When we finally got up there, for about half an hour, theres no body around but us. View of Mt Fitz Roy. There are some mountain lakes from melted snow. One of them was still frozen over. We had lunch on its shores. A few months later we would have been able to get a shot of Mt Fitz Roy mirrored in the lake. However, I prefer the serenity of ice and snow on top of the mountain. Beautiful pattern on rocks A few hundred meters to the west was another lake. The ice cover on half of the lake already melted, likely because its lower elevation. Lichen on rocks We saw a small avalanche while we were resting around the second lake. It sounded like rolling thunder. The amount of snow involved was not much though. Here is a close up picture of Mt Fitz Roy. The peak went straight up from here. It can only be tackled by mountain climbers. Who would have thought she could jump that high Washing up on our way back Back in town, what little calories we got from lunch were long gone. We were keen to get a taste of some local cuisine. This is Isenbeck, an Argentina brew. Nothing beats a cold beer a the end of a long hike. Pumpkin soup Our favorite food here in town is a kind of thick soup or porridge made of lamb, sausage, corn, carrots and beans. There are still some other stuff I cannot recognize. Its cooked in something like a Chinese hotpot, and its oh so delicious. After a happy meal we packed up and took the bus back to El Calafate. Adrianna and Santiago gave us a warm welcome back in Rukahue. Next morning well head for Chile. A program in Utah is aiming to reach preschool age children and close the kindergarten readiness gap . Many children are not attending preschool and are arriving to kindergarten already behind their more affluent peers. Some of these children do not speak English, are not able to sit still and havent mastered basic skills necessary for learning . Many Utah children do not attend preschool due to cost or programs being inconveniently located. The Waterford Institute, a nonprofit, created a software platform for four-year-olds to prepare them for kindergarten. Funded by the state of Utah, the program called UPSTART was launched 7 years ago. The 4-year-old and parent or caregiver are instructed to devote 15 minutes a day , 5 days a week using the software. UPSTART teaches the alphabet, numbers, how to spell your name and incorporates songs and games to entice the user. For families who didnt already have a computer and internet capabilities, the state provides these free of charge. Nearly 20,000 Utah children have used the UPSTART program to date. A recent study demonstrated that after one year of use, the software had a positive, lasting impact and was able to provide students with a strong academic start. Use of UPSTART has begun to address the gap in achievement between lower income children and middle income students. All children using UPSTART made beneficial gains, including low income children, special needs and English language learners. South Carolina and Idaho are now interested in the software and plan on pilot testing this year. The reports show that use of UPSTART is one way to begin to close the kindergarten readiness gap and provide low income children with a beneficial start. Oklahoma Bill Punishing Doctors for Abortions Vetoed Last week, Oklahoma's governor vetoed a bill that would have made it a felony, punishable by three years in prison, for doctors to provide abortions. Republican Governor Mary Fallin said the bill would not survive constitutional challenges, Reuters reports, and abortion rights groups had already promised to fight it hard. The Oklahoma bill would have revoked medical licenses for doctors who performed abortions, but did make allowances for the procedure under certain medical circumstances to save a mother's life. The governor, who is considered staunchly anti-abortion, complained in a statement that the bill was too vague and ambiguous. Constitutionally Challenged The controversial legislation proposed to criminalize abortions and strip doctors of their medical licenses for performing them. Although Oklahoma would not have been the first state to try to ban abortion despite the US Supreme Court's holding in Roe v. Wade in 1973 legalizing it, this proposed legislation was unique insofar as it relied on doctors' professional code of conduct. If the bill had not been vetoed by Governor Fallin, Oklahoma would have become the first state to use professional conduct codes to, basically, ban abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute. It seems that Oklahoma sought to make performing an abortion a violation of medical ethics punishable as a felony with prison time and loss of a license, with the charge hinging on the conduct codes. But the bill did not pass because, Governor Fallin said, it's insufficiently clear. "The bill is so ambiguous and so vague that doctors cannot be certain what medical circumstances would be considered 'necessary to preserve the life of the mother,'" Fallin said in a statement, Reuters reports. Costly Lawsuits It is believed that Fallin vetoed the bill in part because it was sure to bring battles, and Oklahoma can't afford that. The cash-strapped state is already ailing and this law would have led to lawsuits promised by abortion rights groups. They seem pleased with the decision to veto the measure. "Governor Fallin did the right thing today in vetoing this utterly unconstitutional and dangerous bill," said Nancy Northup, president and chief executive officer of the Center for Reproductive Rights, an abortion rights group. But this is probably just a momentary reprieve, and the fight over abortion rights is likely to continue in Oklahoma. Reportedly the state has been a leader in increasing restrictions on abortion since Governor Fallin took office in 2011. In the words of Think Progress, Governor Fallin "has rarely met an abortion restriction she didn't like." Related Resources: Alba Silent on Suit Targeting Honest Co Organic Baby Food Jessica Alba was perhaps setting herself up for trouble when she called her business the Honest Company. The company makes a range of products touted as clean and pure -- honest, as it were -- but it has repeatedly been the target of complaints and lawsuits from consumers. Most recently the actress faced questions about Honest Company's organic baby food, the subject of another suit while on a panel at a conference. Alba was inspired to start the company after her baby's birth made her conscious of chemicals in household products, and Honest has made a big name, very fast, based no doubt on the actress's great success. But it is the company transparent? Is it honest? Scrutinizing the Labels Last month the Honest Company was sued by the Organic Consumers Association in Los Angeles County Court for deceptive labeling. According to the suit, Honest's organic baby food is not organic and contains 11 "synthetic ingredients not allowed in organic food by federal law." According to the report, the plaintiffs write, "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." Refuting the Claims The Honest Company responded to the lawsuit and to the questions aimed at the founder at last week's conference the same way, reiterating that the product in question was approved by federal authorities. The real issue in the lawsuit, the company says, is federal organic standards. They believe Alba's high profile makes her an easy target for criticism and believe the suit will soon be dismissed. The actress, who can definitely deliver a line, was silent on the matter at TechCrunch Direct, deferring to her marketing people, according to Page Six. The company's chief marketing officer, Chris Thorne, responded for the actress when Alba was asked about the baby food lawsuit. "We stand by that product," Thorne said. "Jessica's name brings a lot of attention to this issue. It's a very smart strategy by some of these groups to draw attention to what they're trying to do. It's unfortunate for us." Sunscreen Critique Thorne also responded to criticism of the company's sunscreen, which was the target of a recent lawsuit too, reportedly saying, "We talked to ... all the consumers that had issues." For a transparent company, that seems like a slightly shady response. The question, of course, is not whether the company talked. The question is whether it talked honestly. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Facebook and Twitter (@FindLawConsumer). Related Resources: Oh snap! GoComics needs JavaScript to work, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. The Kent County Sheriff's Department says a deputy was dispatched to Alpine Township about 5 miles north of Grand Rapids about 6:20 p.m. Saturday and was unable to wake the child, who he said was sweaty and had a red face. The deputy forced his way into the car and woke the girl. The girl was taken to a hospital with signs of heat exhaustion. She is expected to recover. The girl's grandmother was found inside the store shopping. The case has been referred to Child Protective Services, and criminal charges have been request against the grandmother. The U.S. Army's 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division will jump into Poland next month in a test of their ability to bolster NATO's eastern flank in a hurry. It will also be a test of the ability of their new all-terrain vehicles to get them quickly out of the drop zone. Col. Colin Tuley, commander of the 1st BCT, said the jump over Torun, Poland, by a battalion of about 600 of his paratroopers was meant to demonstrate the "readiness and deployability" of the Global Response Force to shore up allies and meet any threat worldwide on quick notice. Tuley, a veteran of multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and the former deputy commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, skirted the question of whether the threat in the particular case of the Swift Response 16 exercise in Poland was Russia. The goal was to show "really a united front -- for whatever reason," Tuley said in a phone interview from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, home of the 82nd, with Pentagon reporters. "It could be to conduct peacekeeping, it could be how do you respond to heavy immigration challenges in Europe," he said. "It's really just a symbol of a united front amongst alliances and their partners." Tuley's battalion will take off from Fort Bragg and rig in the air on the 10-hour flight on June 6, the anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings in Normandy and a hallowed date for the 82nd Division, which helped liberate France. The troops will be dropping with about 10 of their MRZR all-terrain vehicles made by Minnesota-based Polaris Defense. (MRZR is not an acronym but simply a designator, said a Polaris spokeswoman.) The four-seat MRZRs were still a "pilot program" for the 82nd but were intended to give the paratroopers more mobility once they hit the ground. "It's a little more robust" than commercial ATVs, Tuley said. "These vehicles significantly enhance what would otherwise be foot mobility," Brig. Gen. Brian Winski, deputy commander of the 82nd Airborne, told Bloomberg News. "They change the dynamic and turn what would have been a three-mile per hour operation into a 50-mile per hour operation." "Swift Response will demonstrate the allies' ability to respond to a crisis scenario from staging bases in both Europe and the U.S. within 18 hours of notification," the Army said in a statement. The exercise, which will run from May 27 to June 26, will include more than 5,000 soldiers and airmen from Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United States, and will take place in Poland and Germany. On the jump into Poland, the 1st BCT troops will be joined by about 1,000 paratroopers from the British 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade. At the same time, the Europe-based 173rd Airborne Brigade will deploy from staging bases in Germany to conduct airborne assaults onto training areas in northern Poland. The second phase of Swift Response 16 will take place in Germany at the U.S. Army's Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas, and will include another Joint Forcible Entry airdrop. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. The rape and murder of a Japanese woman, allegedly by a Marine veteran on Okinawa, will be on the agenda for talks with President Barack Obama in Tokyo later this week, Japanese officials said Monday. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "will strongly demand that the U.S. side take effective and convincing measures to prevent incidents and accidents involving U.S. servicemen and others," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference. "The Prime Minister said he felt indignation and offered sympathy to the bereaved family" of 20-year-old victim Rina Shimabukuro, Suga said. "Taking into account public sentiment, he will call for strict measures, I believe," against U.S. service members and civilian employees in Japan, said Suga, the chief government spokesman. Suga did not specify what measures Abe wanted Obama to impose on the more than 50,000 American service members in Japan, about half of them on Okinawa. Opposition to the U.S. presence on Okinawa was already strong and the killing of the young woman has renewed protests focused on the long-delayed plan to move Marine Corps Air Station Futenma further north on the island to Henoko. Last Saturday, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter phoned his Japanese counterpart, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, to express his concerns that the murder could impact the Japan-U.S. alliance and also "conveyed his sadness and his regret" to the victim's family and the people of Japan, the Pentagon said in a statement. Carter pledged that "the Department of Defense is determined to cooperate fully with the government of Japan and local authorities regarding the investigation so that justice can be carried out" and added that the Pentagon "will do all it can to prevent incidents like this in the future." Rina Shimabukuro, an office worker from the Okinawan city of Uruma, went missing on April 28 after leaving a message for her boyfriend saying that she was going for a walk. Her body was found dumped in a wooded area not far from the Kadena Air Force Base. Last Thursday, 32-year-old Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, a former Marine who had been stationed on Okinawa and was working as a civilian employe at Kadena, was arrested on suspicion of raping the woman before strangling and stabbing her to death. Shinzato allegedly admitted to the killing at first but later claimed he was not guilty, according to Japanese newspapers citing investigative sources. Cabinet Minister Suga spoke following meetings between Abe and Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga, who demanded a meeting with Obama when he arrives in Japan Thursday on a two-day visit to attend the G7 (Group of Seven) economic summit. Suga said that arranging the meeting would be "difficult." The Obama visit will also focus on closer military cooperation with Japan to counter China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. Obama will also make the first visit by a sitting president to Hiroshima, site of the U.S. atomic bombing on Aug. 6, 1945. Following his meetings with Abe, Onaga said, "I would very much like to directly speak to President Obama so as to ensure the safety of prefectural residents' lives and property, as well as of children and grandchildren in the future." "We can never tolerate such an incident," Onaga said of the slaying of the Okinawan woman. "This is a crime simply because U.S. military bases exist. I lodge a strong protest against it." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Content provided courtesy of USAA. As a longtime military spouse, I have held various jobs, and I know many of you can relate. Among them, I served as a military and family life counselor at an Airman and Family Readiness Center and had the privilege of working with fellow military families to create budgets, develop debt-payment plans, manage credit and save toward goals. I remember one military spouse in particular who came to see me while her airman was deployed. She "handled the family finances just fine" by doing what the couple had always done (even before the deployment). She came to see me after hearing the Readiness Center offered free financial counseling. She thought she and her husband could be better at paying down debt and saving for a trip to see family when he returned. I only met with her twice, but together we developed a plan she knew she could follow by making minor tweaks to her everyday expenses during the deployment. I happened to see her again shortly before her husband came home, and she gave me a big hug and told me she had managed to save enough for the trip home and pay off some of their credit card debt. I hope she and her airman were able to stay on track and reach their goals healthier finances usually mean healthier families. The financial well-being of our military community is a significant readiness issue. Today's complex financial environment and uncertain future demand we have the knowledge to make informed choices about budgeting, saving, credit and debt, the Thrift Savings Program and many other money matters. To further complicate financial readiness plans, our military lifestyle includes frequent relocations and deployments. But our way of life doesn't have to hinder our ability to manage family finances successfully. There is a wide variety of resources available to help put us on the path to financial freedom. Whether you prefer a classroom setting, an online experience, a multimedia approach or an individual consultation, in person or by phone, there is a solution to help meet your needs. The Airman and Family Readiness Center provides educational opportunities to help you take charge of your finances. The center offers classes and workshops on specific topics, but you can also meet with an Accredited Financial Counselor to get personal assistance with your unique goals. Emergency financial assistance organizations, such as the Air Force Aid Society, can meet immediate financial needs in an emergency situation. The society provides interest-free loans and grants based on your individual needs, such as basic living expenses, emergency travel, vehicle expenses, funeral expenses, medical and dental care, child care, respite care and moving expenses. The Defense Department's Military OneSource page provides financial calculators, articles and other help with topics such as financial wellness, how-to strategies, sample budgets, mortgages and foreclosures. Financial consultants are available all day, every day, to provide up to 12 sessions (per person, per issue) of no-cost, confidential financial counseling. Counselors are available online and by phone at 1-800-342-9647. Several nonprofit organizations, such as The USAA Educational Foundation and the Consumer Federation of America's Military Saves program, provide financial education, resources and programs to service members and their families. These educational programs focus on setting financial goals, managing credit and debt, saving and investing and managing risk. Financial woes can negatively affect your personal and family well-being, not to mention critically injure the effectiveness of your mission readiness. These resources are ideally used as a preventive measure rather than a corrective measure, but like the spouse I worked with years ago, you must be proactive in identifying what assistance you need and seeking it out. There's no shame in seeking help and taking action for your financial security. Use the resources exclusively available to the military community to help make effective financial decisions and improve your financial capability. Remember, financial readiness is critical to mission readiness. What would you say are the main areas of focus for Norway-Myanmar relations? Norway is a long term partner in its support to Myanmar in its political and economic transition. Prior to 2008, and at the height of internal conflict and violence in Myanmar, we engaged with local partners to promote political reform - an engagement that has evolved and continues today. Part of this was engaging with exile organisations to promote change from outside of Myanmar. For example, we have been providing support to Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) since 1992. In 2012, the Government of Norway developed a strategy for development cooperation with Myanmar. The strategy sets the stage for long-term development cooperation between Myanmar and Norway, particularly in the areas of (1) peace, democracy and reform (2) natural resource management, particularly energy and environment/climate change and (3) responsible business. As a result of our long-standing commitments, Norway has established unique and trusted relationships with organisations in civil society and other leaders, many of whom are key actors in the transition process. Norway was the first country the previous Myanmar President Thein Sein visited in Europe back in 2013. Why do you think that was? Former president U Thein Sein visited Norway in February 2013 and it was his first official visit to Europe. His visit came a few months after the visit by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to Oslo in 2012, and later the same year she also participated in the Oslo Forum. The Norwegian King and Queen visited Myanmar in December 2014, a very successful visit. They met both President U Thein Sein and the leader of opposition Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as well as the parliamentary speakers. A key highlight of the visit was a speech delivered by the King at the Yangon University to a broad audience. This was also where the David Taw Scholarship was launched, a scholarship which enables poor ethnic youth to pursue a university education. A memorandum of understanding, an overall agreement on development cooperation between Myanmar and Norway, was also signed during the visit. We now have a new government in Myanmar. How do you view their challenges? As a country in transition no doubt there are challenges ahead of Myanmar and its new government. However, the new government under the leadership of President U Htin Kyaw and the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have adopted short-term and longer term plans to address these challenges. As I said Norway has been supporting Myanmar and it transition for many years and we stand ready to continue to help in whatever way we can, based on the priorities and needs of the new government. Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Tore Hattrem, visited Myanmar in February and he reaffirmed Norways continuing commitment to support the reform and democratisation process. Norway has been engaged in Myanmar's peace process. How do you view progress? Since the outset, the peace process in Myanmar is home-grown. Norway remains committed to supporting a fully inclusive dialogue, reflecting the diversity of concerns and interests of all Myanmars people, that will help create the mutual understanding needed to underpin a just and sustainable peace. Upon the request of the Myanmar government, Norway established the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative (MPSI) and Peace Support Group (PSG) in 2012. Currently, we are providing funding to the peace process and peace building efforts. Norway has provided support for the participation of Ethnic Armed Groups (EAOs) in the negotiations for the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the Government. We support the liaison offices of the EAOs and are providing support to the Technical Advisory Teams of some ethnic organisations and also support their public consultation on the peace process. We are also helping to raise the voices of the people, especially women leaders, working for peace and those living in conflict-affected areas. Additionally, we are supporting the mother tongue-based multilingual education to vulnerable children in Mon and Kayin states and Taninthayi Region. Included is the support to consultation with the local communities on the peace process. We are also implementing peace building project providing integrated livelihood support to the internally displaced people in Kroeng Batoi area in Yebyu Township in Taninthayi Region Norway chaired the Peace Support Group from the start until last year and we are currently a member of PSG which brings together key donor countries as well as United Nations and the World Bank. I personally witnessed the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, we see it as an important step towards lasting peace. Norway is ready to continue its support to all the parties to make further progress in the peace process. We welcome the commitment by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the new government to work towards achieving a lasting peace. The Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar is part of the broader Peace Process efforts that Norway has actively been supporting and engaged with for several years. Let me reiterate that Norway is committed to continuing our support to the peace process, by providing financial as well as technical support as identified by the parties to the peace process. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi looks set to lead coming talks. Will this set the scene for a final agreement? We support all efforts towards peace and reconciliation in Myanmar and we welcome the commitment by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to personally take the lead in the peace process. As I said, we are ready to support the process, according to the wishes and needs of the stakeholders. Telenor is a company that is doing well in Myanmar with its mobile phone outreach. Are other Norwegian companies showing interest in investing in Myanmar? Telenor is one of the most successful telecom companies working in Myanmar and across the region. It currently has about 15 million subscribers in Myanmar alone. Telenor and other Norwegian companies working in Myanmar place great emphasis on the promotion of responsible business conduct in Myanmar, and we believe Norwegian companies have an important role to play in this. The work Norway supports through organisations such as the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business is very important in terms of setting international norms and putting best practice in the area of responsible business conduct on the agenda. Business ethics, corporate conduct and environmental sustainability are key principals in this regard. We believe that Norwegian companies entering Myanmar can act as role models by setting high standards, thereby building capacity, promoting women in the workforce and improving the livelihood of the people. A dynamic, vibrant private sector is critical for long-term, sustainable poverty eradication through creating value and broadly based wealth, tax revenues and productive jobs. Many Norwegian companies are already working in Myanmar and several other companies express interest in investing here. Norwegian State-owned oil and gas company Statoil is in the process of conducting a feasibility study for offshore oil and gas exploration in Myanmar. A major paint company Jotun is another Norwegian company that has invested in Myanmar, and Yara, a company specialising in the agricultural sector are just starting up. The governments of Norway and Myanmar have embarked on a dialogue to establish an Oil for Development Program. The program will involve capacity building within different ministries and will help enable Myanmar to utilise its oil reserves in a manner beneficial to its people. How much trade is there between Norway and Myanmar? What particular sectors are we talking about here? At this stage, we do not have a huge amount of bilateral trade, but we look forward to establishing stronger trading relations with Myanmar. To this effect, the Myanmar-Norway Business Council was established last year, which aims to facilitate growth in trade and investment between Norway and Myanmar, through a forum for businesses to exchange ideas and experience, and to provide networking opportunities. Myanmar's agricultural sector is backwards but holds promise. Has Norway or Norwegian NGOs or companies been involved in providing help in this sector? Environmental conservation has been a priority for Norwegian development cooperation with Myanmar since the start. We have an institutional cooperation program focusing on building capacity within the Government on biodiversity and protected area management, integrated water resource management and hazardous waste. I would like to highlight our work to help establish a coordinated plan for the preservation of Inle Lake, a plan which includes all stakeholders, including the agricultural sector. Norway is one of the main donors in helping Myanmar establish a national program for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and we provide support to efforts to involve local communities in forest management in Myanmar. We are also working with the Myanmar government to develop the Myanmar fishery sector. In fact, a Norwegian fishery delegation is due to visit Myanmar this month (19 to 29 May) to consult with the Department of Fisheries on developing a project proposal on Myanmar Norway cooperation in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The project will also look into how to stop depletion of fishery resources. Over the past three years a Norwegian research vessel, Dr Fridtjof Nansen, conducted two surveys in Myanmar the territorial waters. The research aims to map marine resources for more sustainable fishing. I would also like to mention our support to the NGO Proximity Designs, who work to design and deliver affordable, income-boosting products and services to rural families. As I mentioned earlier, the Norwegian company Yara, specialising in fertilisers, are also starting up here in Myanmar. What would you say have been the highlights personally of your tenure in Myanmar so far? The three years I served as Ambassador here has been a time of very positive changes in Myanmar. I feel very honoured to have had this opportunity to serve during the period which will perhaps be remembered as the most progressive period in Myanmars long journey for democracy. I personally witnessed the landmark elections last November, which were conducted in an impeccable manner, not least thanks to all the women staffing and operating the polling stations. The patience of the voters and their happiness at being able to cast their vote was awesome. My visit to Kuauk Kyi in Bago Region where I met internally displaced people (IDP) and learned how desperately they wanted to have peace in their region also made a lasting impression. I have also visited Rakhine State several times and met the people from both communities. I found it especially inspiring that many women are so keen to move on and work together to improve access to health care, education and the possibilities to earn a living for the whole population in the state. In Myanmar, Norway has an unprecedented level of cooperation with our Nordic neighbours Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Not only do we share common premises and administration for our embassies and diplomatic missions in Yangon in the Nordic House, but we also collaborate in our development cooperation with Myanmar and we share our common Nordic values with the people of Myanmar. Is there anything else you would like to add? As a part of its support to Myanmars transition, Norway has worked closely with many stakeholders in Myanmar. They include government agencies, CSOs, student and youth organisations. I must say it has been a wonderful experience to work together with these groups. To share knowledge and learn experiences from them. I want to thank, all of them for their excellent cooperation and support. They have made it clear to me that there are many areas where Norway can learn from Myanmar. I will bring back not only new political knowledge but also key wisdom from the vibrant, multicultural and rich community that amazes and surprises me every day here in Myanmar. And I sincerely wish and I am confident that Myanmar will achieve its goals for a peaceful, stable, democratic federal union and economically prosperous nation in a foreseeable future. The largest school district in Michigan stands at a financial crossroads, with the state's Legislature weighing how to finance its opportunity for rebirth. The questions facing officials in coming weeks involve Detroit Public Schools and $500 million to $715 million for restructuring. The outcome will affect every taxpayer in the state, both in dollars and in future direction for troubled districts. Michigan already sends about $739 million per year into Detroit for its 100,000 K-12 students, with about 47 percent of that going to the traditional public school district and 53 percent funding about 100 charter schools. Yet even with the financial stakes of the pending deal, the average voter in Michigan may not recognize the significance of the pending decisions on a turnaround plan for Detroit school. The reason, many close to the issue say, is clear. It follows the city's bankruptcy, which in turn followed scandal and criminal convictions in Detroit highest office. And it follows nearly seven years of emergency management of Detroit public schools, a situation that has kept residents and teachers on edge -- sometimes, very publicly. So even with up to $1.45 billion pricetag for Detroit education within the next year, many in Michigan don't feel invested in the outcome or understand the state's policy role in why the funding decision is needed. "There's Detroit fatigue," said John Rakolta Jr., CEO of Walbridge and co-chair of the Coalition for Detroit Schoolchildren. "It's very difficult to have a conversation about ... what kind of effect this is having on the city's tax base, credit rating, potential future, and the state's reputation. " Yet the implication for every resident of Michigan will be costly, Rakolta said, no matter how the Legislature resolves the debt issue. The only question is the amount. The state Senate was looking at $715 million; the state House about $500 million. None of the money would come from the school aid fund. "The financial obligation will fall onto other citizens because of the state's mismanagement and guaranteeing of all of this debt," Rakolta said. And that, he said, means that everyone in Michigan holds an investment in the outcome of the funding scenario that needs to be approved before school starts in the fall -- and how schools in Detroit operate beyond that. How Michigan tackles the school situation in Detroit will hold moral and economic implications for the state, Rakolta emphasized. And it also could influence struggling urban school districts in the state and the U.S. if Michigan finally gets this right. "I'm not saying Detroit is the only urban area in this condition," Rakolta said. But, he said, it is the only one in that has reached this level of severity: "We have a system that is utterly and completely broken," he said. "And we have a legislative paralysis." Not just a Detroit problem The belief that residents across Michigan have a stake in the performance of Detroit schools prompted one statewide economic advocacy group to add its voice to recent discussions, urging the Michigan Legislature to support the Senate's school reform package. "We see the importance of Detroit for Michigan's future," said Doug Rothwell, CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan. "In order for Detroit to be healthy and thrive, we need a strong education component." Detroit is the largest city in Michigan by several hundred thousand people, despite falling out of the top 20 largest US cities, according to 2016 census data. The billions invested this decade in the city won't see a high return for the region and the state if the population continues to fall, experts said. And that's possible if schools are weak. MDetroit's overall population loss from 2000 to 2010 was 25 percent. During that time, it lost 33.7 percent of its households with children. About 75,000 elementary-aged children left Detroit in that decade. That represents today's enrollment of Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Plymouth-Canton schools combined. In a city that's already too big, with tens of thousands of abandoned homes and a tax base that needs to grow, those numbers are forecast to fall further by 2040, according to SEMCOG. The people staying are poorer. What's the role of schools in that? Population trends illustrate two versions of Detroit, neither of which show people with children moving into the city. There's the growing Midtown/downtown area, "where for the first time in decades, there population growth of young professionals without kids," said Lou Glazer, president and co-founder of Michigan Future Inc. Then, outside of a few neighborhoods, there's no demand. "Prices can drop to zero and no one's moving in," Glazer said. Detroit can build a vibrant portion of the city without schools and families, he said. It's happening in Chicago. "But if you want a place where middle class people raise kids, you obviously can't do that without schools," Glazer said. The quality of the education is an issue. Student achievement among the 100,000 K-12 students in Detroit exists, particularly at some academies and magnet high schools. However, test scores put average proficiency levels across the district at below 10 percent for many groups of kids in the city. The average across the US is about 70 percent; in major metropolitan areas, it's 40 percent, Rakolta said. And charters in Detroit don't mean a better education, Glazer said, based on data: "If they're better at all, they're really marginal." As a result, the discussion in Detroit isn't about public schools versus charters. It's about accountability for both, said Tonya Allen, president and CEO of the Skillman Foundation. That includes whether they're effective; where they are located; how many operate, and whether they're creating unmet capacity in saturated areas or 'educational deserts' in under-served areas; and how students can easily migrate among them and have their data and records follow. "We're saying, if you're going to operate in Detroit ... have some collective responsibility for the children," Allen said. "Today, no one is taking responsibility for the children of the city of Detroit." Glazer is blunt, too. "(The state) created a horrible situation for all kids in Detroit, whether they go to charter schools or public schools." That raises concerns among business leaders who consider the future workforce coming from the city. Rakolta notes that there are an estimated 65,000 unfilled skilled jobs in Michigan. Rothwell said filling skilled jobs has been an issue for Business Leaders for Michigan, and the move to a knowledge-based economy will only heighten it if significant portions of the potential workforce can't function in higher education or a skilled trades program after high school. "Detroit is important for the state," Rothwell said. "Talent is important for the state. If you have an impediment like (schools) ... not producing the talent we need, you're not allowing Detroit to proceed as a vibrant city." The cost on the other end is high, Rakolta said. "Every child who leaves high school unprepared for society today will become a burden on society for the rest of their lives. "... There are no jobs for unskilled people." Not just in Detroit schools? Financial pressures, debt, no oversight for charter school location and declining enrollment are not issues particular to Detroit. The issues in the city help to show how Michigan taxpayers are footing the bills as each pressures public education funding. Thirty-eight schools in Michigan operated with a deficit as of June 30, 2015; 16 more were identified in the fall. More enrollment is not the universal answer. Overall, the population of children in Michigan has been falling. The 2010 census showed a 9.7 percent drop, or about 250,000, from 2000. The effects on schools tends to be measured district by district. However, the state's school aid fund totaled $12 billion in 2015, and that money not only goes into classrooms: it funds building operations whether it's at capacity or not. And it funds costs like pension contributions. "State dollars are paying for buildings in the suburbs, while Detroit buildings are not fully utilized," Allen said. "School districts are paying tons of (state) money for marketing campaigns because all of the schools are competing for students." That competition, she says, is not healthy for Michigan children. "When you see all of this public policy play out, you also see our achievement scores dropping faster than any place in the country." Allen continued: "We believe it's a Detroit problem, when in fact it's a Michigan problem. ... We're not dealing with the big issues. We're forcing districts to make hard decisions where they have to stop prioritizing children to balance budgets." View from Detroit A major difference in the plans is found in the Senate version: the creation of a Detroit Education Commission, appointed by the city's mayor and state's governor, to pull public education in Detroit -- in the traditional district and the charter schools -- under shared accountability goals. The reason that's needed, Glazer said, is that state policy "has helped destabilize all schools in the city." There are 91 public school buildings active in Detroit, according to Loveland Technologies, with a reported capacity for 85,000. At least 90 charters operate in the city, which has one-third of Michigan's charters. Eighty-two schools are vacant. "There is way too much supply and too little demand," Glazer said. "This is the sort of thing that would never happen in a private marketplace." "Because of state policy you have a large number of people who create schools ... each of whom has incentive to try to increase market share," Glazer said. "Neither has incentive to balance supply and demand." Student achievement in Detroit Public Schools exists, particularly at the academies and magnet high schools. However, test scores put average proficiency levels across the district at below 10 percent for many groups of kids in the city. The average across the US is about 70 percent; in major metropolitan areas, it's 40 percent, Rakolta said. As Michigan debates dollars and policy, children remain most affected by the decision. "The longer we wait for it to change, it becomes more dire," Rakolta said. "We're dumping into our social system kids who have no future." Access to neighborhood schools in a community facing poverty and transportation issues is a concern, Allen said. She said many people outside city wonder why parents choose would send their kids to schools graded "F." Those parents often don't feel a choice, she said. "(They) are the families with the least amount of resources and capacity to spend time on trying to negotiate and navigate 10 different schools to figure out which one ... to go to. "We're basically forcing people to be in the Hunger Games situation to get into a good school," Allen said. "I feel that's inappropriate for public education." What's next Discussions toward a compromise started in the Legislature right after the May 4 House vote, said Gideon D'Assandro, spokesperson for House Speaker Kevin Cotter. "Negotiations with the Senate are going well, and progress is being made toward finding common ground," he said. The basic frameworks were the same, D'Assandro said, and the House is getting more information from Detroit schools to define financial needs. The two sides are far apart on the DEC, he said. "We're not supportive of having the DEC in there. We can't just put things in the bill to help the institution of DPS at the expense (of charters)." The talks will continue through May. "In fact," D'Assandro said, "we are skipping the Mackinac Policy Conference this year to stay in Lansing and continue working on a deal." Michigan's urban education will be a pillar of discussion at the Mackinac Policy Conference. Organizers said that's not limited to Detroit. "Having healthy schools contribute to the fiscal growth of (a) city and contribute to business attraction," said Dennis Archer Jr., chair of the conference. This isn't an eastside versus West Michigan issue, Rakolta added. "The vast majority of people I know in West Michigan say we need to have the political courage to fix this," he said. Yet, Allen says, "we know there's a constituency in West Michigan who want to control what happens in Detroit schools." She said she is hopeful that lawmakers will come up with a solution to the problem that, she said, "has people stepping out of their comfort zones to get this solved." Meanwhile, the turnaround plan is "just a triage phase" for Detroit schools, Rakolta said. "All it's doing it saving the patient." Hard work will follow the transition. That means confronting achievement, absenteeism, safety and responses of teachers, parents and students in buildings. Bad schools need to close. What's next, Rakolta said, will be "changing the face of education in the city of Detroit." Paula Gardner covers Michigan business for MLive.com. She'll be attending and covering the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference from May 31-June 3. Follow her on Twitter or contact her by email. 403 Forbidden 403 Forbidden Code: AccessDenied Message: Access Denied RequestId: 11F565B1DD4FB58B HostId: 8zlmigjddgeqheYuJC/wmvk1qIQ1j6VrxZYk+bQfqvx47/SVxnlgFquGH7DDsh2iidXVRI+Kxmk= An Error Occurred While Attempting to Retrieve a Custom Error Document Code: AccessDenied Message: Access Denied COOPERSVILLE, MI - Admiral Petroleum Co. - a longstanding price leader at West Michigan's gas pumps - has been sold to Sun Capital Partners Inc., a giant private equity firm based in Boca Raton, Fla. The acquisition includes 130 Admiral-branded gas and convenience stores and nine Lemmen Oil Co. stores across Michigan and northern Indiana. The sale does not include 22 Admiral-branded discount tobacco stores. Terms of the sale were not announced. Admiral has been family owned and operated since it was founded in Greenville in 1956. The company moved its headquarters to Coopersville in 1987. It began its chain of strip mall-based discount tobacco stores in 1995. The chain was an early pioneer in the trend to add milk, bread and eggs to gas stations, now commonplace in the gasoline retailing business. The company now employs about 1,400. "Jeff Turpin, who has more than 20 years of experience in the convenience store industry, will lead growth initiatives at Admiral as CEO," according to the news release from Sun Capital Partners. Turpin previously served as chairman and CEO of VPS Convenience Store Group. Sun Capital Partners operates a vast collection of retail operations. Since 1995, Sun Capital has invested in more than 330 companies worldwide, according to its website. "On a consolidated basis, Sun Capital's affiliated portfolio companies would rank in the top 100 of Fortune Magazine's listing of the 500 largest companies in the United States," the website said. Sun Capital Partners also includes Shopko Stores, an operator of 361 retail stores in 24 states; and The Limited Stores, a specialty retailer offering upscale branded women's contemporary American casual and working apparel in over 235 stores throughout the U.S. "Admiral has been an innovator in the convenience store sector, and we look forward to building on the business' strong reputation as it explores new growth opportunities," said Marc Leder, co-CEO at Sun Capital, in a news release "We're excited to once again partner with Jeff Turpin, whose proven track record in this industry is second to none. I'm confident his deep experience and operational know-how will be invaluable as Admiral charts an exciting course forward." "At Sun Capital, we understand the unique dynamics facing convenience store owners and operators today," said Sun Capital Principal Jared Wien in the news release. "We look forward to collaborating with Jeff and the Admiral management team to help the company reach its full potential through operational enhancements, organic growth and strategic acquisitions." Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+. Michigan's tourism industry thrived in 2015 and is expected to remain strong through 2016, according to Michigan State University researchers Sarah Nicholls and Dan McCole. 2015 was highlighted by particularly strong growth in hotel occupancy rates, up 2.3 percent statewide compared to a national average 1.7 percent increase, and a significant surge in visitation to natural areas. The researchers are forecasting that Michigan's tourism industry will continue these positive trends in 2016, despite slightly weaker economic indicators compared to last year. McCole predicts a 3 percent increase in tourism prices and a 5 percent increase in tourism spending. He adds that the preferences and status of millennials, the largest generation ever at more than 95 million strong, are significantly influencing travel trends as they age. "They make last-minute decisions and take shorter trips, and they use social media and mobile technology a lot more than other generations. This generation is really prioritizing their spending on experiences over stuff. They want varied and authentic experiences that are often off the beaten track. So rather than going to one single cabin up north every weekend, they might want to go to different places and do different things." McCole says before millennials travel they're using their mobile devices to plan their travels almost as much as much as they are their laptops or desktops. "For the travel industry this means they have to pay greater attention to how their websites look on mobile devices. "And people are relying more on their mobile devices while they're traveling, not only for navigation." Mobile technology has changed the way people travel, he adds. "The use of social media and having access to the Internet in the palm of your hand means people are sharing their tourism experiences as they go, and they're getting feedback on those experiences as they go. "Visits to our natural attractions saw tremendous increases," says Nicholls. "The overall increase in visitation across all of our National Park Service sites was nearly 20 percent, compared to just under 5 percent for all US sites." Visitation to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore went up 10 percent, closing out 2015 with 1,535,633 visitors. Nicholls says that these increases can be attributed in part to key economic measures, such as increasing consumer confidence across the US and low gas prices across the state of Michigan. The researchers add that while travelers are seeking more environmentally-friendly amenities from their lodging experiences, they aren't willing to pay too much more for them. "They might pay a little bit more for it because it's important to them, but they're not going to pay a lot more for it," says McCole. "This is a real challenge for the industry as they try to do the right thing and do the things their consumers want while they try to maintain their cost portfolio." The MSU researchers say the Pure Michigan campaign deserves a lot of credit for Michigan's robust tourism industry. Nicholls says the state saw a $7.67 return on investment for every dollar spent on the campaign in 2015. And McCole says there has been a substantial increase in out of state visitors to the state since the Pure Michigan campaign began. With these trends complimenting what Michigan offers as a destination, Nicholls and McCole predict that overall tourism volume - the amount of people traveling to and around the state - will increase by 3 percent in 2016. Click here to hear the Heinze/McCole/Nicholls conversation. Greening of the Great Lakes airs every Sunday evening at 7:00 on News/Talk 760 WJR and around the state each weekend via the Michigan Talk Network. GAINES TOWNSHIP - Construction is expected to begin next month on the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Gaines Township. Township Planner Mark Sisson said he anticipates work on the 4,800-square-foot fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru to start in early to mid-June. The restaurant is planned for 1545 Edgeknoll Drive, off M-6 and west of Kalamazoo Avenue. The Township Board approved a planned unit development amendment and site plan for the restaurant earlier this month. The restaurant is one of two Chick-fil-As planned for the area. A second restaurant also is in the works in Wyoming. This month, Wyoming's Zoning Board of Appeals approved four variance requests for the restaurant, proposed for the southwest corner of 54th Street and U.S. 131 in the parking lot of the Meijer store. However, plans for the restaurants are being kept under wraps. Brenda Morrow, a communication specialist for Chick-fil-A, said the company is not releasing details on the proposed restaurants at this time. "Netflix will become the exclusive US pay TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar," Netflix announced today in a blog post. The blockbuster Netflix/Disney deal from 2012 goes into effect this fall. From September onwards, Netflix will become the exclusive US pay TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar. And we're excited to be bringing you new and exclusive Netflix Original movies including Mascots from the master of low-key comedy Christopher Guest (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind) and War Machine, from acclaimed Australian director David Michod and starring Brad Pitt, in the serio-comic tale of the U.S. military adventure in Afghanistan. Get Ready for Summer on Netflix US [netflix.com] Disney and Netflix giveth, and they taketh away. In the long list of titles Netflix will be adding and removing next month, one noticeable loss is some really great '90s Disney movies. From E Online: Hercules, Mulan, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hunchback of Notre Dame II (actually from 2002) will all be gone off Netflix in June. Hercules, an underrated classic if you ask us, will no longer be available come June 1. On the plus side, you still have time to enjoy the Hunchback of Notre Dame series and Mulan until June 24. Not every Disney animated movie will be off Netflix next month, so this situation could be worse. Tarzan, Robin Hood, Lilo & Stitch and Emperor's New Groove will still be around for your viewing pleasure. For now During wargames in Louisiana in September 1941, the U.S. Army found itself drawn into a tense firefight with an unseen enemy across the Cane River. The attacker turned out to be three boys with a toy cannon. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll revisit the Battle of Bermuda Bridge and the Prudhomme brothers' account of their historic engagement. We'll also rhapsodize on guinea pigs and puzzle over some praiseworthy incompetence. Show notes Please support us on Patreon! This Account has been suspended. Developed at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genoa, the iCub robot resembles a baby or a drunk trying to track a moving ball. Our humanoid robot, the iCub (I as in "I robot", Cub as in the man-cub from Kipling's Jungle Book), has been specifically designed to support research in embodied artificial intelligence (AI). At 104 cm tall, the iCub has the size of a five-year-old child. It can crawl on all fours, walk and sit up to manipulate objects. Its hands have been designed to support sophisticate manipulation skills. The iCub is distributed as Open Source following the GPL/LGPL licenses and can now count on a worldwide community of enthusiastic developers. More than 30 robots have been built so far which are available in laboratories in Europe, US, Korea and Japan (see http://www.iCub.org). It is one of the few platforms in the world with a sensitive full-body skin to deal with safe physical interaction with the environment. Car importers left in limbo after the new government suspended complex requirements for bringing vehicles into the country have asked a committee led by the commerce ministry to intervene, in the hope of speeding up the approvals process. Last year the former government ruled that car importers should provide a recommendation letter from township authorities, to prove they had sufficient parking space. Aimed at reducing congestion on Yangons roads, the rule backfired when a thriving black market emerged for the letters. The new government suspended the rule on April 1, but has not yet put new policies in place. Car importers have been unable to secure recommendation letters from local township officials since the rule was suspended, but cannot import cars without a letter. With no clear guidance, they have taken their cause to representatives of the local governments car parking analysis group. Last week, the group presented 230 cases to the Yangon Region government, said U Myint Cho, group spokesperson and a director at the Ministry of Commerce. In each case, the importer has applied for a parking space recommendation letter and is still waiting for a reply, he said. The regional government asked us to present a list of cars waiting to be imported, based on information from sales centres. We will grant permission to importers if the government allows it, he said. The group has already asked the government to approve 2262 cars for individual use, and is waiting for parliamentary approval, he said. Meanwhile, U Myint Cho believes the Yangon Region government is coming up with new policies to be announced soon. As for us, we have recorded the advantages and disadvantages of past policies, and advised [the local government] on a long-term strategy, but we dont know whether or not the cabinet will discuss this, he said. Commerce Minister U Than Myint said earlier this month that cars will be able to enter the country if importers already hold a permit. As far as I know, Yangon Region government is still analysing the situation and finding the best solution, he said. Exports will be prioritised over imports, the commerce minister has said, after a surge in imports flooding into Yangons busy ports has blocked the flow of trade. Commerce Minister U Than Myint has vowed to take urgent action to get goods moving again. The minister met with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and officials from the Department of Trade, Myanma Port Authority, the Customs Department and prominent exporters late last week. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the minister said, Space in the ports is very limited and the flow of imports is very heavy. We were discussing the best way of solving the problem of container congestion over the next two or three weeks. The recent rapid increase in imports has led to a build-up of empty containers as export volumes have grown more slowly. We need to prioritise exports so as to equal the volume of imports and exports, said UMFCCI joint-general secretary U Aye Lwin. Imports are coming in, but exports are not going out fast enough, so that the empty containers stack up, he said. This makes it difficult to locate individual containers, because our computer systems cant keep up. But if all departments concerned and the exporters, the container firms, the truckers and agents all work together, we can solve this very quickly. U Aye Lwin said it was sometimes necessary to move 20 containers to find the single one required. There is not enough room to remove the others. Because of the congestion, its hard to locate the container you want. The delay drives up the costs. We have to solve this problem through cooperation to increase our trade volumes, he said. U Aye Lwin said only about 100,000 containers had been expected to arrive between February and May. Instead, more than 1 million containers have been stored in Yangons ports. Though the new government is prioritising the expansion of the economy by building up the agriculture and livestock sector and industrial production, boosting exports also requires improvements in financial services, road transportation and storage capacity at the ports, he said. The commerce ministry has set up a trading facilitation committee to work on the problem. Translation by San Layy When are you coming back? Im not coming back. Im so far away already. The wistful lyrics of love lost swell at Institut Francais de Birmanie (IFB), inviting interpretation via tango steps. At the IFB every Thursday, Yangons growing tango scene comes alive with practicas, or practice sessions, of Lets Tango in Yangon. It is a group coordinated over Facebook by dance partners Ghislain Rieb and Kerstin Duell. Before the fancy twists, or ochos, and hooks, or ganchos, Rieb starts with the foundation of the dance: el embrazo. It is how a dancing pair connects their bodies through arms and hands, and how the leader transmits to the follower an intention to move. Rieb assured us that moment you feel your first true connection with another dancer, you feel gooseflesh, a wave of energy. Its like, whoa! And then youre hooked on tango. Some of the assembled dancers started dancing Argentinian tango in Yangon, far from its birthplace of Buenos Aires. Zin Me Lwin Oo first heard tango music in a video posted on the Lets Tango in Yangon page, and thought it was beautiful. She has now attended four practicas, and said her dream is to be a perfect tango dancer, to move with harmony. Other dancers, like Hans Sannes, are inspired to return to tango after a hiatus. Sannes learned tango and several other ballroom dances more than eight years ago, and said, Tonight I follow my friend to this session to try it again. Rieb himself first tried tango three years ago while working in Mozambique. When he moved to Yangon in August 2015, he searched for ways he could continue tangoing in the Golden Land. Though Aung Thura, founder of Thura Swiss, had tried to build a tango scene in Yangon in 2013, the sizeable community of tangueros had become inactive in recent years. Rieb was connected to experienced dancer Duell through a mutual tango friend. It may take just two to tango, but they hoped for an active tango community in Yangon with more dancers and tango gatherings, or milongas. The first step, in a place like Myanmar with few already seasoned tango dancers, is to help beginners learn. With this goal in mind, Rieb and Duell founded Lets Tango in Yangon in January. Rieb leads the free weekly practicas at IFB and teaches the basics. He also hosts weekend milongas at his apartment, where the steps learned can be put to use. Interested dancers can start by attending any session. Tango has a reputation for being a nuanced dance that is more difficult to master in fact it is said that anyone who has practiced for three years or less is still a beginner. But Rieb assures learners that a handful of basic steps makes up 80 percent of a typical dance. By learning just those steps, a beginner can start to enjoy tango. Over the coming months, Rieb will continue to help participants of Lets Tango in Yangon develop fundamental tango skills. After the rainy season, he plans to accelerate learning by inviting a tango teacher from Bangkok to lead workshops in Yangon. Another possibility is to organise a weekend dancing retreat where Yangon tangueros can take intensive lessons and participate in the bigger milongas of Bangkoks more established tango community. Tango is a dance that will go well with the Myanmar culture. It is a spiritual dance, a bit like meditation. You work on your balance your intention, your thoughts and your connection, Rieb said. And so the new tangueros of Yangon glide forward one caminada at a time, getting hooked on tango. We saw her before we heard the sound. The tiny old lady struggled up the muddy path with her prized possessions stuffed into a bag almost as big as she was. Out of the houses along the way others appeared, similarly laden. Old people, families, children ... all carrying what they could as they escaped the fighting that had kept them trapped in their village in northern Shan for the past three days. As she got closer we heard the cries the old woman was struggling to keep in a quiet, high pitched keening. My son I have lost my son, she told us in her native Shan language, age-faded eyes brimming with tears. She wasnt the only one crying. Scores of families made their way through Pan Nga village, in Thibaw/Hsipaw township, to the rescue vehicles three trucks and two pick-ups that had passed through the heart of fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP). Many described how sons and husbands fled to the jungle after their villages were hit by Tatmadaw helicopter strikes and heavy weapons fire. Many of the men were too scared to return for fear of being accused of being rebels by the Tatmadaw. They had good reason to be fearful. As the convoy leaders negotiated with Tatmadaw soldiers to let us approach the village, the soldiers warned us that if we took out any injured people they would assume they were SSPP and shoot them in front of us. By the roadside on the edge of one village, we passed by a body that lay rotting. The past week or so has seen a major upturn in fighting in the Hsipaw, Kyaukme and Lashio areas of northern Shan State between the Tatmadaw and the SSPP, one of the ethnic armed groups that did not sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement last year. Opinion as to the reason for the fighting varied. Some said the Tatmadaw had upped attacks to display its power ahead of Daw Aung San Su Kyis forthcoming 21st-century Pang-long peace talks. Others said the ferocity of recent Tatmadaw action is in revenge for a battle earlier this month with the SSPP, which left as many as 28 Tatmadaw soldiers dead, including senior officers. The military, locals say, were bent on revenge. State newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar yesterday reported the Tatmadaw had been cracking down on the ethnic armed group for activities including abuse of villagers and illegal timber extraction. However, those trapped by the fighting yesterday expressed support for the SSPP, pointing to a new health centre the group was funding. Whatever the reason, hundreds if not thousands of villagers had fled their homes in recent days, taking shelter in monasteries, many in Hsipaw, Kyaukme and Lashio. There were estimated to be as many as 1000 IDPs in Hsipaw and a similar number in Kyaukme, according to monks and other local sources. Such was the scale of the exodus that township chiefs were becoming increasingly reluctant to take more IDPs, according to civic activists in the area. On the morning of May 21 as heavy weapons blasted round Pan Nga village, town chiefs in Hsipaw met to discuss whether they should fund a rescue effort, and what the risks were of such a mission. At his monastery in Hsipaw town, sayadaw U Pyin Nyar Thila was growing impatient at the delay. There are people in there, trapped. I dont care if the township authorities say we can go in and get them or not, we will go anyway, he said, more sergeant major than sayadaw in manner. Contacts in the region reported there had been heavy weapons fire around the villages that morning. The rescue team was warned against making the trip, but the sayadaw was determined. With help from community volunteers and a young, newly elected Shan Nationalities League for Democracy state MP, Nang San San Aye, the rescue convoy set off from Boe Daw monastery in Hsipaw in the early afternoon. The road through the hills around Hsipaw passed through villages already abandoned due to fighting. Front doors were open; cups and plates lay on tables, left where they were when people fled. The convoy stopped at Aung Mingalar monastery at Nam Ma just before the Tatmadaw cordon, and the monks cautioned us about going ahead. The sayadaw there warned that last time they attempted to intervene and asked the Tatmadaw to avoid firing on civilian villages on May 20, the military had responded by firing heavy weapons close to the monastery. Eventually, with the persuasion of U Pyin Nyar Thila and Nang San San Aye, the Tatmadaw agreed to let the convoy pass. The soldiers sent a four-man patrol with the trucks part of the way, before leaving us to carry on to the trapped villagers. They were waiting, bags mostly packed, but some people still stuffing last-minute belongings into sacks. Some were crying, others quietly stunned. All were frightened. The Tatmadaw stayed here for two nights. They left this morning, but they told us if there was fighting they would come back and burn the whole village and kill us all. Then after they left we heard the heavy weapons fire. Now we are so frightened, said Sai Hla Tin, chief of Nar Shou village. In Pan Nga, Ma Mang Lu, 20, was crying as she struggled to carry a bag in one hand and a baby in another. My husband is lost in the jungle, she said. But she handed up her baby to other passengers already on board and clambered into the truck anyway. She was too scared to stay in the village. At Khaung Mai monastery, one woman described how on May 18 she and other villagers from Khon Ngik village fled to caves in the mountains as Tatmadaw helicopters fired around the village, only emerging the next day to make their way to the monastery We had enough food for the baby, but not for the rest of us. We were so frightened, she said, waving her hands to illustrate the explosions. At Nar Shou village, the trucks filled up, and still people kept coming, bags and babies in hand. Eventually just over 200 people were piled onto the convoy vehicles, with mothers with the tiniest babies given seats in the cabins, a small pick-up crammed with toddlers and young children, and everyone else piled in together on the large truck. Around 30 more were making their own way out on tractors and other farm vehicles. It was a days walk from the villages to the main road, through jungles filled with Tatmadaw patrols. Without the convoy they would have been too scared to make the journey to safety. Im so scared we will get shot. I am so glad the trucks have come and we can leave the village, said Ma Kyan Khan who was looking after several small children on one of the rescue vehicles. At Khaung Mai some villagers elected to stay on at the monastery in the belief they would be better able to protect their homes from Tatmadaw. There are so many troops patrolling around here, said Pan Nya Yone, a retired teacher. Some who were set to join the convoy headed back to the monastery with their bags. It seemed a difficult decision for them. Eventually, as the last stragglers and their children reluctantly climbed on board, the convoy set off. We passed again through Pan Nga village where residents said Tatmadaw burned two homes. At Nar Shou, villagers said a house was hit by helicopter fire. Buffalo wandered past, making their way home for the night untended. Their owners had fled. At Khyo Nan Pha village we saw the body of a man villagers said was dumped there by Tatmadaw soldiers on May 18. Another body was also left that night, they said. One corpse they had recognised, though his face was beaten so badly an eye was missing. The other man, who had been shot, was a stranger. They had no time to move the corpses before they fled. The body we saw was unrecognisable, face shrouded in a veil of flies. The convoy moved on, slowly. At Nant Ma village we stopped and saw homes and shops that had been smashed up. Villagers said Tatmadaw did it after they fled their homes. There was broken glass everywhere and, incongruously, slices of watermelon strewn across the ground. We started to take photos, but as soon as we did, shots rang out from the trees nearby and we moved on. It was getting dark. We passed a timber lorry that had gone off the road, though it was unclear whether by accident or due to troop action. One of the convoys vehicles broke down under the weight of all on board and their rice sacks. As we stopped to fix it, heavy weapons fire thundered in the distance. The villagers looked nervous. The fighting had started again. It is a long, tractor-speed journey to Hsipaw and the monastery that was to serve as home in the coming days to around 250 people in our convoy and a further 200 who had fled there from other villages. Finally, they were safe for the night, huddled in the shelter of the monastery grounds, but they worried about the homes and crops they had abandoned. They have no idea when they will be able to go home. It makes me so sad and so angry, said U Khan Pan, one of the rescuers and chair of the Shan Literature and Cultural Organisation in Hsipaw. Soldiers should stick to fighting each other, not villagers. Nationalist protestors have again urged the government to denounce the existence of the Rohingya identity in Myanmar and are now calling on the US ambassador to be sent home. Shouting No Rohingya in Myanmar, with some donning headbands carrying the same slogan and others wearing nationalist T-shirts emblazoned with 969 after a prominent Buddhist nationalist movement, the protestors made their way from the Bo Sein Mann grounds to the Kyaikkasan compound yesterday. The authorities had granted permission for the protest which coincided with US Secretary of State John Kerrys visit to Nay Pyi Taw. Nationalists have been protesting since the US embassy issued a statement last month that included the term Rohingya. Some Muslims in Rakhine State self-identify as Rohingya, though they are referred to as Bengalis by those who characterise them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. After repeated calls on both the US and Myanmar governments to denounce the usage of the term, nationalists yesterday added the demand that recently appointed US ambassador Scot Marciel be evicted from the country. The protesters said he had violated diplomatic relations by intervening in internal affairs. Around 100 monks and nationalists joined yesterdays rally at Bo Sein Hman grounds in Bahan township, where they also demanded the government start a citizenship scrutiny process according to the 1982 Citizenship Law. Former president U Thein Sein already announced there are no Rohingya in our country. Now the NLD government has the duty to clarify the usage of the term Rohingya, said U Pyin Nyein Da, a Buddhist monk. He asked why the National League for Democracy government has hesitated to take action and stayed silent on the issue despite the previous governments announcement that Rohingya dont exist (see related story page 4). He accused the NLD of disloyalty. Nationalist monks and other supporters held their speeches in the rain, warning the government that they would not tolerate anything that could destroy the country or Buddhist religion. One of the campaign organisers, U Aye Paing who is a lawyer, said it would be unacceptable for the government to try to change the 1982 citizenship law and that the military needs to defend the country against the influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. We keep calling on the government to scrutinise Bengalis who entered the country illegally. National security is under threat because of the growing Bengali population. It is very important that the military is strong to protect the border, said U Aye Paing. Organisers said they aim to hold demonstrations around the country. Protests have already taken place in Mandalay, Taunggyi and Pathein. The 21st-century Panglong Conference will be held by the end of July, despite an earlier announcement from the state counsellor that the meeting would be held a month earlier, according to an adviser to the peace process. The governments peace plan was laid out during a meeting led by U Tin Myo Win, chair of the conferences preparation committee and the governments chief negotiator in Yangon last week. U Tin Myo Win, who served as Daw Aung San Suu Kyis personal doctor for many years, explained the plan to the representatives of the eight armed ethnic groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement with U Thein Seins administration last October. The new governments peace plan will be built on the foundation laid by former president U Thein Sein, though non-signatories will also be invited, said U Khun Myint Tun, chair of the Pa-Oh National Liberation Organisation. What we understand is the 21st-century Panglong Conference will be held in accordance with the provisional timeline of the NCA. It is just a replacement to the Union Peace Conference. With a few changes, I think the new government will follow the old peace process laid out by President U Thein Sein, he said. Despite an earlier announcement by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that the conference would take place within two months of her meeting with the Joint Monitoring Committee on April 27, a peace adviser to the former president and an aide to the incumbent government in the peace process, U Hla Maung Shwe, said the conference has been pushed back to the end of July. A Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee meeting is slated for May 27, and will be attended by the state counsellor. The government will invite the armed ethnic groups outside the ceasefire process to the drafting of the political dialogue framework. However, how many groups will be invited to the peace processs preparation as well as the coming conference is yet to be decided. Three groups that fought the Tatmadaw in the Kokang region were previously shut out from the peace process. The exclusion of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army caused a rift between ethnic alliances, with many groups refusing to sign the NCA. We will present the chance to them. Then we will bring back their responses to our policy makers, said U Hla Maung Shwe. A sub-committee to meet with the signatory armed ethnic groups will be led by Lieutenant General Yar Pyae, while the sub-committee for meeting with the non-signatories will be led by U Tin Myo Win and include prominent ethnic politician U Khun Tun Oo as a member. As a part of the immigration and population ministrys 100-day plan, citizenship scrutiny will be carried out nationwide despite possible challenges, Minister U Thein Swe told the Pyithu Hluttaw on May 20. As a first priority and a part of the 100-days plan, weve already arranged a work program for the citizenship scrutinising process that will be carried out systematically across the country and in accordance with the 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law, U Thein Swe said. The Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population replied to a proposal submitted by MP Daw Khin Saw Wai from Rakhine State. In her proposal she called on the government to initiate a nationwide citizenship scrutinising program to deal with what she said is an increasing number of illegal immigrants. Other ethnic MPs seconded her proposal. In Buthidaung and Maungdaw, there is a population of more than 500,000 people who have yet to be scrutinised under the citizenship law. That number is greater than in Chin State. So it is the governments duty to give them the rights they deserve by scrutinising [their eligibility] in accordance with the law, said Arakan National Party MP U Oo Hla Saw from Mrauk-U township in Rakhine State. Kachin State Democracy Party MP U La Mar Naw Aung from Ingyanyan township said many immigrants take advantage of corrupt officials to illegally enter the country. In Kachin State, there are also illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries. So Kachin State will be like Rakhine State sooner or later, he said. In Rakhine, tens of thousands of Muslims who self-identify as Ro-hingya but were called Bengali by the previous government are without citizenship. Many of them live in squalid camps after communal violence drove them from their houses. They are not included among the 135 officially recognised ethnic groups and, according to U Oo Hla Saw, they never should be. We cant let it happen. If they are recognised as our native [people], then they will hope for a self-administered region, he said. Minister U Thein Swe said the scrutinising process will be implemented in a transparent way, because of the volatility of the issue. To achieve this process, everyone must cooperate and we need stability, he told reporters in the capital. U Thein Swe said he was worried about unrest during the process. This is a very fragile issue so there is a likelihood of instability, he said. The scrutinising process has been approved by the government and, currently, teams are being formed to conduct the survey in all states and regions. The same teams will also be formed on the district, township, ward and village level. Translation by Zar Zar Soe A power company run by the Kachin Independence Organisation is being criticised both for overcharging and for persistent power cuts. Residents of Myitkyina and Waingmaw townships, Kachin State, say the KIO-owned company, known as Buga, should halve its charges. Despite its association with the KIA ethnic armed group that has been battling government forces for decades, Buga has been supplying the townships according to a 20-year agreement with the former military government that started in 2007 and is due to extend to 2027. The company charges households K120 per unit, while businesses pay K160 and religious premises pay K100. U Tan Gon, who lives in Si Tar Pu ward in Myitkyina township, said the charges were excessive, and that the service regularly breaks down. People in Yangon pay K50 a unit. But this company cant even keep two townships properly supplied, he said. Myitkyina journalist Ko Zaw Naing said the company had responded to demands for rebates by lowering charges by only K40. Residents want the rate reduced to K75 a unit, or at least for the company to provide decent service. Why cant we get enough power? he said. Buga says they will reduce the charges but not yet. Manager U La Aung told The Myanmar Times that they would make constant efforts to improve service, but could not cut charges to K75 per unit. We dont have enough power to supply two townships, so were buying electricity from the government at K60 per unit, or twice what they charge householders. Buga operates the Tabak River hydropower station in Waingmaw township, which generates 10.5 megawatts. Changes to a controversial law requiring citizens to report overnight guests were debated in parliament on May 20. The proposed amendments faced heavy criticism from the military. Major Myo Tun Aung, a military-appointed MP, argued that removing the sections of the Ward or Village-Tract Administration Law laying out the registration of overnight guests could expose the public to danger and hamper protection. Activists have slammed the law as infringing on human rights, and the National League for Democracy MPs have argued it is a disgrace to the country. The bill proposes removing sections 13(g) and 17, for the reporting of overnight guests and inspections, from the law. It would also scrap penalties for not complying with section 17. If the provisions protecting the public are removed, there might be risks. If a tragedy occurs as a consequence of removing these sections lawmakers are responsible. We need to consider again whether to remove them, Maj Myo Tun Aung told the upper house. The current law, which was an update from colonial-era legislation, was introduced by the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs in 2012. Even if the ministry does not welcome the amendments, it will not be able to stop them because of the NLDs majority in the parliament. There are terrorists who are pretending to be migrants, like in the west of the country, and we seized drugs and weapons in Myanmar. There was blast in a house in Pyin Oo Lwin where foreigners from a neighbouring country were staying, said the major. We seized a whole car with drugs in Mingaladon township and also weapons and explosives were found there. If we could not uncover those cases, it would have catastrophic consequences. Therefore, we should consider [these amendments] from a national security perspective, he said. Fifteen MPs registered to debate the amendments but only 10 MPs had a chance to speak in the Amyotha Hluttaw session on May 20. Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than announced that the other MPs would be given the opportunity to speak in the next session on May 24. Translation by Thiri Min Htun and San Layy The $80 Ramones 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition collects 3 CDs, one LP and a hardcover book, in a limited, numbered box (the edition is limited to 19,760, which is a number you can interpret as either symbolic of the year 1976, or "this edition limited to the number we anticipate selling"). The CDs include stereo and mono mixes of the Ramones' first album, a disc of demos and outtakes, and a pair of concerts from 1976, performed at the Roxy (the vinyl LP reprises the mono mix). The accompanying 12"x12" hardcover features producer Craig Leon's notes from the original recording session, an essay by Mitchell Cohen, and photos by Roberta Bayley, who shot the cover of the Ramones' debut album. Ramones: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Track List Disc One: Original Album Stereo Version 1. "Blitzkrieg Bop" 2. "Beat On The Brat" 3. "Judy Is A Punk" 4. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" 5. "Chain Saw" 6. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" 7. "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement" 8. "Loudmouth" 9. "Havana Affair" 10. "Listen To My Heart" 11. "53rd & 3rd" 12. "Let's Dance" 13. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" 14. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World" 40th Anniversary Mono Mix 15. "Blitzkrieg Bop"* 16. "Beat On The Brat"* 17. "Judy Is A Punk"* 18. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"* 19. "Chain Saw"* 20. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"* 21. "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement"* 22. "Loudmouth"* 23. "Havana Affair"* 24. "Listen To My Heart"* 25. "53rd & 3rd"* 26. "Let's Dance"* 27. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You"* 28. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World"* Disc Two: Single Mixes, Outtakes, and Demos 1. "Blitzkrieg Bop" (Original Stereo Single Version) 2. "Blitzkrieg Bop" (Original Mono Single Version) 3. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" (Original Stereo Single Version) 4. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" (Original Mono Single Version) 5. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World" (Original Uncensored Vocals)* 6. "I Don't Care" (Demo) 7. "53rd & 3rd" (Demo)* 8. "Loudmouth" (Demo)* 9. "Chain Saw" (Demo)* 10. "You Never Should Have Opened That Door" (Demo) 11. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" (Demo)* 12. "I Can't Be" (Demo) 13. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World" (Demo)* 14. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" (Demo)* 15. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" (Demo) 16. "I Don't Wanna Be Learned/I Don't Wanna Be Tamed" (Demo) 17. "You're Gonna Kill That Girl" (Demo)* 18. "What's Your Name" (Demo) Disc Three: Live at The Roxy (8/12/76) Set One 1. "Loudmouth" 2. "Beat On The Brat" 3. "Blitzkrieg Bop" 4. "I Remember You" 5. "Glad To See You Go" 6. "Chain Saw" 7. "53rd & 3rd" 8. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" 9. "Havana Affair" 10. "Listen To My Heart" 11. "California Sun" 12. "Judy Is A Punk" 13. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" 14. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World" 15. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" 16. "Let's Dance" Set Two 17. "Loudmouth"* 18. "Beat On The Brat"* 19. "Blitzkrieg Bop"* 20. "I Remember You"* 21. "Glad To See You Go"* 22. "Chain Saw"* 23. "53rd & 3rd"* 24. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"* 25. "Havana Affair"* 26. "Listen To My Heart"* 27. "California Sun"* 28. "Judy Is A Punk"* 29. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You"* 30. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World"* 31. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"* 32. "Let's Dance"* 40th Anniversary Mono Mix LP 1. "Blitzkrieg Bop"* 2. "Beat On The Brat"* 3. "Judy Is A Punk"* 4. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"* 5. "Chain Saw"* 6. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"* 7. "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement"* 8. "Loudmouth"* 9. "Havana Affair"* 10. "Listen To My Heart"* 11. "53rd & 3rd"* 12. "Let's Dance"* 13. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You"* 14. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World"* Pre-order The Ramones 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [The Ramones/Rhino] Ramones Deluxe Set official information [Ramones.com] (via Rolling Stone) Speaking for the first time since taking office about the issue of inter-communal violence in Rakhine State, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told reporters in a press briefing yesterday that she did not support the use of either of the terms Rohingya or Bengali. Meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Nay Pyi Taw, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who also serves as foreign minister, stressed that arguing about the nomenclature was not helpful to her administrations effort in finding a workable solution for the conflict in Rakhine State. The reason why I said youve got to be very firm about not using emotive terms is because such terms make it very difficult for us to find peaceful and sensible resolutions to our problems, she said. She said the terms Bengali and Rohingya had created greater divisions between the two communities. The controversy was brought into the spotlight when the US embassy in Yangon issued a statement in April expressing condolences for victims of a boat sinking incident. Nationalists then gathered outside the embassy to protest the use of the term Rohingya. Later, a senior official from Myanmars foreign ministry under the direction of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi asked the embassy not to use the word. The US ambassador to Myanmar, Scot Marciel, had previously told reporters that calling a community by the name it used to identify itself was international practice. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the words Rohingya and Bengali have political implications that are not acceptable to many people. The Rakhine Buddhists object to the term Rohingya just as much as Muslims object to the term Bengali because they have all kinds of political and emotional implications, which are unacceptable to the opposite party, she said. She also said encouraging use of either of the terms would create more animosity that would undermine efforts to find solutions acceptable by the two communities. The previous government led by former general U Thein Sein had referred to the Muslim community in Rakhine State as Bengalis, translated from the Myanmar word for Bangladeshi or of or relating to Bangladesh. Mr Kerry said he spoke with Daw Aung Suu Kyi about the terminology and stressed that certain important issues needed to be solved. What is critical to focus on is solving the problem which is improving the situation on the ground to promote development, promote respect for human rights, and to benefit all of those who live in Rakhine and throughout Myanmar, he said. Weve come here to say to the minister that we are committed to work with her in the effort to do that: to try to solve the problem, not grow the problem; to provide solutions, not to provide divisions. I think it is important for everybody to work constructively in that direction, he added. However, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Mr Kerry both stressed that the ability to self-identity was important for people all over the world. We are not in any way undermining peoples desire to establish their own identity, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said. What we are asking for is that those who really wish us well should be aware of the implication of terms and their use quite perhaps unwittingly, not knowing what the implications are for those of us who have to cope with the actual problems that arise from this disagreement over what name to use. She said the government has already given as much humanitarian access as has been requested with regard to the IDP camps. In order to stop people from having to live in IDP camps, we have to create the kind of situation where they can live peacefully and securely outside the camps, she said. Mr Kerry also met yesterday with Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to discuss conditions for holding a so-called 21st-century Pang-long Conference, to discuss the rights of ethnic minorities, and the role of the military in the multi-party democracy, said a post on the senior generals Facebook page. The post also said that Mr Kerry and Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing discussed ties between the two countries and between their respective militaries. It is easy to be upbeat about what has happened in Myanmar in recent years. The energy on the streets is intoxicating, as tens of millions of people go about the daily business of transforming their lives. Of course, the situation is hardly perfect but on all the key indicators it is probably better than ever, except in northern Rakhine State. The Rohingya tragedy defies the national trends and should encourage us to think much more seriously about brave and effective responses. That situation goes to show that positive outcomes are not inevitable. Taking that lesson on board suggests that for all the good vibes around Myanmar today we need to temper our long-term expectations. Of course we should plan for the best, but we should also be preparing for less than ideal outcomes. Gazing out toward 2025 and beyond, there are three general reasons for considering the likelihood of turbulence ahead. These are the Three Fs of the countrys immediate future: fragility, fealty and friction. First, Myanmar is in a neighbourhood where democracy has shallow roots and, even today, Myanmars system must be judged fragile. Countries nearby tend to cluster, over the long term, at the authoritarian end of the political spectrum. For a variety of historical, geographical, administrative and perhaps even cultural reasons it is hard to imagine Myanmar will entirely escape these regional norms. Back in 2013, we organised an event at the Australian National University provocatively titled Whats the chance of a coup for Myanmar? Back then the considered judgment of the assembled experts was that the probability was reasonably high over the medium term. Even after the National League for Democracy election victory, we must still consider the prospect that things will go terribly wrong. Second, intensely hierarchical systems of personal and institutional fealty shape almost all political and economic relations. Even in the early months of NLD rule we can observe aspects of the old military dictatorships authoritarian streak. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is apparently much more confident with her iron-fisted gerontocracy. Elements within the partys central executive committee and within her personal circle make all the big calls. So it is not as though the NLD is a democratic institution. On its recent track record, it performs like its fundamental purpose is to extend Daw Aung San Suu Kyis personal control. It is ironic that the conduct of this group is more-or-less equivalent to the defunct State Peace and Development Council. Some things have not changed. Third, wherever you look with the economy, ethnicity, religion or geography there is friction. It is conceivable that many of todays issues are resolved, eventually, but only with an immense investment of local and foreign resources. Very few people in Myanmar, even in the NLD, are genuinely committed to a plural, multi-religious society. The brave souls who recently marched for tolerance through the streets of Yangon end up staring down potential prosecution. Restrictions on public assembly would be laughable, if they were not so sad. But powerful people are still quite happy for Buddhist chauvinism to strangle more inclusive strands of local tradition. Then there is the monumental question of the peace process and Daw Aung San Suu Kyis 21st-Century Panglong Conference. With the right leadership and some appropriate incentives, an end to inter-ethnic conflict should be achieved. Many war-torn countries have managed it, especially when the government guarantees that the alternative to fighting is a full stomach, a good school, a local clinic and a happy family. So, what might we expect in 2025? My guess is that splitting the difference between the past couple of decades of Thai and Bangladeshi politics helps to clarify the situation. Such an outcome will ensure that, for a long time to come, the military will still be strong, maybe predominant. And, if the generals are threatened, a coup is possible. No matter what happens, it is almost certain that new economic players will be harnessed up with old political elites. Those relationships will cause tension and resentment, especially when incumbency prevails. The playing field is not level and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. Worryingly for NLD boosters, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi risks losing both her international stature and her domestic popularity if she makes too many bad calls. Such stumbles would test her instincts for liberal responses to deep-seated problems. Finally, the Myanmar people will want to see sustained improvements in their quality of life. Can the NLD deliver? Maintaining healthy rates of economic growth and getting a greater share of national wealth to people who have historically missed out will not be easy. Given the fragility of todays system, the insistence on fealty to established hierarchies and the potential for friction to cause real heat, Myanmars biggest changes are probably still to come. New Mandala This article is an edited version of remarks delivered at a seminar in Canberra on 11 May 2016, sponsored by the Australian Institute of International Affairs and the Australian National Universitys Myanmar Research Centre. Nicholas Farrellys column appears each Monday. People who are obese have a worse memory than their thinner friends, a small study shows. Tests on 50 people showed being overweight was linked to worse episodic memory or the ability to remember past experiences. The study in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology argues that a less vivid memory of recent meals may lead to overeating. However, other aspects of memory such as general knowledge were unaffected. Tests on rats have previously shown that with burgeoning waistlines come poorer performances in memory tests, but the evidence in humans has been mixed. The latest experiments looked at episodic memory the video tape in your mind that remembers the smell of a cup of coffee or the feel of holding someones hand. Fifty people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ranging from 18 (healthy) to 51 (very obese) took part in a memory test a bit like doing a treasure hunt on your own. They had to hide objects at different times and on different scenes displayed on a computer screen. They were later asked to recall what they had hidden, when and where. The results showed obese peoples scores were 15% lower than thinner people. What did I have for tea? Dr Lucy Cheke, from the University of Cambridge, told the BBC News website: The suggestion were making is that a higher BMI is having some reduction on the vividness of memory, but theyre not drawing blanks and having amnesia. But if they have a less strong memory of a recent meal, with a less strong impact in the mind, then they may have less ability to regulate how much they eat later on. Hunger hormones play a huge role in how much we eat, but it is already recognised that our minds have a key role too. People watching TV while they have their dinner have been shown to eat more or feel hungrier sooner. And those with amnesia will have repeated meals in a short period of time. Dr Cheke concluded: It is too early to talk in terms of advice, but we are certainly beginning to observe the mechanisms that obesity perpetuates itself. Concentrating on your food has been a message for a long time, but that may be a bit harder if youre overweight. Hopefully knowing whats going on will help us to develop ways of helping people. A second Baltimore police officer involved in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray was acquitted Monday. Gray, who was black, died in police custody one year ago, in Maryland. Officer Edward Nero, who is white, was today cleared of assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct charges. A judge decided that Nero played little role in the arrest of Freddie Gray, and that Nero was not personally responsible for the failure to buckle Gray into the police van where he suffered a broken neck. This is the second of 6 planned cases against cops involved in Gray's death. Prosecutors offered no comment, as they are under a gag order. "Based on the evidence presented, this court finds that the state has not met its burden to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, all required elements of the crimes charged," Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams said today. "Therefore, the verdict for each count is not guilty." Associated Press: Better cooperation and exchanges are expected in the field of tourism between Seychelles and South Africa after the two countries respective tourism boards signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the INDABA trade fair earlier this month in Durban. The MOU was signed on behalf of Seychelles by the Minister for Tourism and Culture, Alain St Ange and Sthembiso Dlamini, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the South African Tourism Board. Several talks and discussions were held between the two bodies in the past year, leading up to the realisation of this agreement which now covers numerous areas of prolific cooperation between them. In the presence of several representatives of both tourism boards, the agreement was signed and toasted to as both Minister St Ange and Ms Dlamini said they look forward to further strengthen ties and enhance cooperation between the two countries. The agreement promotes promotional efforts and collaboration in developing the tourism industry of both countries as they seek to: jointly position Seychelles and South Africa as touristic destinations and increase their market profiles as preferred destinations; collaborate on marketing activities, tourism campaigns and travel trade promotions aimed at increasing the market share of both countries; provide access to each others pool of marketing intelligence especially to increase the marketing efficiencies of both countries; collaborate on efforts to increase the countries exposure in the global market and improve communication between the two parties in order to foster a closer working relationship. Minister St Ange, who has been instrumental in pushing for such an agreement between the two bodies, reiterated of why he felt Africa should work with Africa, if the continent is to move forward and be a more attractive product on the international tourist market. South Africa has been and remains a strong source market for Seychelles and it is a country with which we share excellent relations. But there are more we can do for each other and this agreement will lead the way to better cooperation and exchanges between the two parties, which will help to position both destinations at a new level on the international tourist market, he said. Ms Dlamini also spoke of the need to work together in order to develop a common approach to developing the two countries tourism plan and strategies. Collaboration is central to all we endeavour to do as SA Tourism to grow and support the tourism industry in the country, and on the continent. We are very excited that our initial discussions with the Seychelles have borne fruit in the form of this MOU. We are looking forward to future engagement to realise our shared vision of taking our destinations to new levels of success. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Pretoria (AFP) - South African state prosecutors said Monday they would appeal against a court ruling that President Jacob Zuma should face almost 800 corruption charges, triggering accusations that he was being protected from justice. Zuma has endured months of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals and as the country battles falling economic growth and record unemployment. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) director Shaun Abrahams announced the decision to challenge a High Court order to reinstate 783 charges against Zuma, but denied any political pressure. The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped in 2009, clearing the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later. At the time, state prosecutors justified dropping the case by saying that tapped phone calls between officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki's administration showed political interference. But the Pretoria High Court last month dismissed the decision to discontinue the charges as "irrational" and said it should be reviewed by the NPA. "The judgement affects... the discretionary powers of the prosecutor," Abrahams told a press conference on Monday. "It is so important that I believe it needs a decision of an appeal court." Abrahams railed against suggestions that the NPA was reluctant to prosecute Zuma. "I will always do what is correct, irrespective of whether the individual concerned is an ordinary citizen, a cabinet minister or a sitting president," he said. "Any suggestion that I may have succumbed to any pressure to make my decision -- I can assure the public today that it is absolutely ridiculous and completely unfounded." - 'Delaying tactic' - The tapped phone recordings, which became known as the "spy tapes", were kept secret until they were released in 2014 after a legal battle fought by the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA dismissed the prosecutors' appeal bid as "a blatant delaying tactic to shield Jacob Zuma". "Abrahams is preoccupied with protecting president Zuma at all costs... The DA will not let this matter rest. President Zuma will face justice," it said. Pressure on the president would increase if some or all of the charges -- which relate to alleged corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering -- were reinstated. "Zuma might remain in office while any prosecution was going on, which would undermine his role as president," Shadrack Gutto, professor for African Renaissance Studies at the University of South Africa, told AFP before the NPA statement. "Any charges would add pressure for him to step aside." The ruling African National Congress (ANC) faces tricky local elections in August, but Zuma retains widespread support within the party and has appointed many loyalists to key positions nationwide. Last month, a commission that Zuma set up cleared all government officials -- including himself -- of corruption over the 1999 arms deal. He was accused of having accepted bribes from international arms manufacturers. The DA hopes to make major gains in the August elections, tapping into discontent over the ANC's struggle to deliver jobs, houses and education 22 years since the end of apartheid rule. In March, the president lost another major legal case when the country's highest court found he violated the constitution over the use of public funds to upgrade his private residence. The so-called "security" work, which cost taxpayers $24 million, included a swimming pool, chicken run, cattle enclosure and an amphitheatre. Zuma, 74, will have completed two terms in 2019 and is not eligible to run for president again, but the ANC could replace him ahead of the next general election. File Photo 22.05.2016 LISTEN The attention of the core supporters of Dr. Felix K.G Anebor has been drawn to a publication by todayghananews.com on 17/05/2016 to the effect that Nkwanta South NDC falls for Hon. Gershion Gbediame again We will like to state empathically that the said publication is malicious, false and disrespectful to the good people of Nkwanta South NDC. We further entreat all well-meaning Ghanaians and the NDC to disregard the publication and treat it with the contempt it merits. The incumbency of Mr Gershion Gbediame has given him unbridled opportunity to buy journalists of some media outlets for his embarrassing and false publications. Indeed the media is a highly reputed institution in the democratic dispensation of every country most especially a relatively young and fletching democracy of ours. We therefore entreat media houses and journalist for that matter to exhibit a spirited sense of maturity and professionalism in an attempt to report on politically sensitive stories. Indeed the story captioned and published by the today newspaper as Nkwanta South NDC falls for. Gbediame again is a palpable lie and inconsistent with the realities on the ground. The reality on the ground has a historical antecedent since 2012 where the incumbent MP. Hon. Gershion Gbediame was out rightly rejected by the entire constituency upon a stage outdoor by the then presidential candidate for N.D.C and now the president; His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. The entire constituency of Nkwanta south is seriously fumed up with the incumbent MP. Hon. Geshion Gbediame counting on his ineptitude and gross display of incompetence to hold firm the constituency as well as drive in credible investors towards accelerated development despite his long stay in office. His continuous stay in office has been described by all as embarrassment to the good people of Nkwanta South. A cross generational and social status survey conducted by the Research and Publicity committee, set up by the youth wing of the party revealed a potential politically fatal fate of the incumbent MP. Many of the respondents to the survey recounted their hard times of getting portable water for domestic use especially in the district capital of the constituency Nkwanta. It is mind boggling to note that a chunk of the youth directly called for the MP to step aside and give way for Dr. Felix K.G Anebo to contest unopposed as he is now the only face of New Hope or any attempt in contesting will result in his devastating defeat. To further paint a clearer picture from the grass root perspective the MP has lost touch with the foot soldiers, and the party faithfuls in the constituency; this is evident in most of his attempted visits to some communities in the constituency. The MP, reality has it that he was sacked by the community members of Kue, Bonatse, and Abrubruwa just to mention a few of the strong holds of the NDC upon his visits. Analysis of election results further reveal the obsessional dwindling of votes for the MP and appreciation of votes of his contenders in the NPP, statistically the MP. Won with a total votes of 11,765 in 2000, 6,964 in 2004, 5,900 in 2008 and 5,405 in 2012 general elections respectively hence, the greater chunk of the youth and the party die hard supporters in the constituency have resolve on absolute grounds to campaign and vote massively for Dr. Felix K.G. Anebo since he is the only one who has the required potentials and the educational prowess to salvage the dwindling numbers in votes which is as a result of the incompetent and fatigue-like gait of the incumbent MP. As a matter of fact, the die-hard supporters of the party have threatened to denounce their membership should the incumbent MP win the upcoming primaries or better still vote skirt and blouse to show him the powers of the masses. We further wish to re-echo our position that Dr. Felix K.G Anebor be allowed to contest unopposed since the evidence is crystal clear that he is the man of the people/masses of Nkwanta South. Long live Ghana Long live Nkwanta South Long live NDC Eyezu Eyeza Cc: All media houses Director of communication 0508452252. 22.05.2016 LISTEN The issue at stake in Ghana today is not about Nana Akufo-Addo or any other individual in the opposition party. Therefore, irrespective of one's personal issues he may have with Nana Addo, it is better for the said individual to let it go for the sake of Ghana. Using any form of bitterness or personal issues, including tribe as the basis to vote against the NPP in November will not be in the interest of this country. Indeed, Nana Addo as human being has never claimed to be perfect and like any mortal soul, he has his fair share of human weaknesses. It is against this backdrop that Holy Bible clearly states at John 8:7; "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." The issue at stake now is about the future of Ghana, our motherland. Unlike other countries which are war-torn, Ghana has relative peace and fertile land filled with minerals - gold, diamond, manganese and bauxite. And through the exemplary work of the NPP government under His Excellency, JA Kufuor, oil was discovered in commercial quantities in 2007. By 2010, Ghana had joined the oil producing countries in the world with an annual oil revenue of $2bn. Again, to say that the human resource of this country is rich would be a very gross understatement. Having tasted power for only 8 years (2001 - 2009, the NPP bequeathed to the NDC in 2009, a stable economy with GDP growth rate of 8.4% and this was even without oil. Social intervention policies and programmes were working - NHIS, free maternal care, capitation grant, mass cocoa spraying exercise, metro mass transit, among others. On top of the above, a fully-furnished presidential palace not forgetting a presidential jet were given to a professor and a man who has an experience as an Assembly Member, Deputy Minister, and Minister of State. As a Vice President, he rose to become the Care-taker president courtesy - the mysterious death of Prof. Mills. He claims to be the luckiest ever vice-president and having ruled for 4 years, John Mahama is looking for an opportunity to perpetuate himself in power. The question is, what else does he need to make the lives of majority of Ghanaians better? Mahama's focus has been to create, loot, and share, and when he is asked whether he has taken a bribe before, he ends up babbling; "You mean as a human being or president"? What sort of "Dead Goat" we have as our leader? Fellow citizens, the difference between the NPP and NDC is clear. Whilst the NDC lacks the right personnel and programmes and therefore, messing up our rich resources with dead brains, the NPP has abundance of competent personnel and the pragmatic programmes at hand. Our record in just 8 years as against the p/NDC's 27 years is our trump card. On top of our record is the kind of person we have as our party leader. Nana Addo has proven to be incorruptible, courageous, and visionary. He is ever ready to assemble a competent team to manage our resources for the benefit so all. I am therefore by this post appealing to all Ghanaians to put the nation first and their stomachs second. Ghanaians don't deserve to be poor. Thus, to the unemployed graduate; teachers whose arrears have not been paid; the poor farmer; drivers; and those who use electricity at their work places, there is a choice before us in November this year. We have every opportunity to right the wrong this time in order to safeguard the progress of this nation. The current generation deserves better likewise the next generation. We can all make this possible by throwing the past behind us, campaign vigorously for the NPP, vote for Nana Addo and NPP Parliamentary Candidates, protect the ballot, and ensure the counting of the ballots are in our favour. And with the Battle Still Being the Lord's, our toil will never be in vain. Let's arise for change! God bless Ghana! God bless Nana Addo!! God bless Kufuor!!! Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante-Bekwai Asakyiri ( [email protected] ) 0202471070//0264931361//0547851100 "Vision, coupled with persistency, results in true success" 22.05.2016 LISTEN "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the citizens"(Taft). As a matter of fact, a president of a nation is a serious job and it requires a competent and a serious person. In this regard, if gargantuan corruption cases are hanging on the neck of an individual who is aspiring to become the President of the nation, and has so far unwilling to seriously disprove such allegations, then discerning Ghanaians have to be really careful about who they elect as the president of the nation. Let us remind our corrupt officials that the moral way of accumulating wealth is through the earnings of industry and the savings of frugality, but not by shamefully dipping their hands into the coffers of the nation. To be quite honest, it is really sad that upon all the political inebriations and the behemoth corruptions, the pathetic and listless politicians would want Ghanaians to give them more time in office. Let us remind the corrupt officials once again that they can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but they cannot fool all of the people all of the time (Abraham Lincoln). It is important to note that cyclopean corruption scandals are indeed hanging around President Mahamas neck. For example, the former Attorney General, Mr. Martin Amidu has told Ghanaians that our late President, Mills, set up a committee to Investigate then Vice President John Mahama regarding the Processes of the Acquisition of Five Aircrafts (5) including Embraer 190 Aircraft and hanger for the Ghana Armed Forces. If we are to believe Mr. Amidus account of the corruption cases hanging on the neck of the incumbent President John Mahama, we can deduce that Mahama betrayed the trust late Mills reposed in him. It somehow explains why late President Mills set up a committee to investigate him. In fact, there are serious issues here that need to be considered by the voting public. If indeed late President Mills lost trust in Mahama prior to his death, then the voting public should be very careful in giving Mahama the mandate for a second time. In retrospect, the manner in which the then Vice President Mahama handled the STX Housing deal leaves much to be desired. Although the deal did not materialise, we incurred a loss of an excess of $250 million, how bizarre? Whats more, after the failed deal with STX to build 30,000 housing units for the nation's security agencies, the NDC government entered into another deal with the GUMA Group, for the construction of 500 housing units. The deal which was championed by President Mahama was widely criticised by various stakeholders, just as the STX deal, following the decision to sideline local construction firms in favour of the foreign company. The unusually high cost of the project was also a source of concern to many. It is in the light of these corruption scandals that I am appealing to discerning Ghanaians to show serious concern. Ideally, Ghanaians should be able to hold our public officials to account without any restrictions whatsoever. How long shall we stand aside and allow these heartless individuals to squander our scarce resources? I think it is about time we held our public officials accountable for their persistent shenanigans. Ghanaians should endeavour to take corrupt public officials to task else Ghana will sink deeper and deeper into the mire. Fellow discerning Ghanaians, President Mahamas handling of dubious judgment debt payments also leaves much to be desired. In all honesty, it is only the heartless who will shamefully give gargantuan sums of money belonging to the nation to people who have no entitlement. Of course, there is nothing wrong to pay genuine judgment debts. I strongly believe if President Mahamas government had handled the payments parsimoniously, the purported $850 million judgment and settlement payments would have been brought to the barest minimum. The big question the right thinking Ghanaians should ask President Mahama and his spendthrift bureaucrats then is: If just under eight years, you have paid dubious judgment debts in an excess of $850 million, how much would you pay in sixteen years? Fellow Ghanaians, let us remember THAT CORRUPTION can divert scarce resources from poor and disadvantaged in our society. In this vein, it is extremely important for us to elect serious individuals who have the wherewithal to move the nation in a positive direction. We must not and cannot allow greedy bastards to waste our scarce resources. It is for this reason that I am urging discerning Ghanaians to choose a leader who would not countenance corruption in his administration. K. Badu, UK. Tema, May 22, GNA - A former detainee of the James Fort prison has called for forgiveness and reconciliation among Ghanaians especially, politicians to break the cycle of vindictiveness. At a press conference held in Tema, Mr Stephen Ashitey-Adjei popularly known as Moshake, said without the true spirit of reconciliation, thoughts and retribution on the sordid deeds of the past will plunge the nation into chaos. "It is so painful to be picked illegally at dawn and sent to prison without any charge. When you have no idea where you are and even what kind of death awaits you." Mr Ashiety-Adjei said he was detained on several occasions under the Kufuor regime as a result of his leadership role in the agitation of the ex- workers of the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) for the payment of their severance awards. He said he was hunted down, molested and tortured by security operatives for standing by poor and voiceless Ghanaian workers. "I have forgiven President Kufuor and all my captors. I needed to do that to set my heart, mind and spirit free. I no longer harbour any ill feelings towards them. President Kufuor, as a true and humble christian asked for forgiveness at the end of his tenure. Although it took me a long time to do so, I have finally done so". He said may be Mrs Dzifa Ativor added a tribal twist to her statement, she expressed genuine fears about a change in government. We should always remember that we are one nation with one destiny. If we fail to live in peace,we shall become slaves in a foreign land. He called on President Mahama to pay the severance award of the workers of GPHA who were laid off in 2002. GNA 22.05.2016 LISTEN The news of a conflict between youth of two Muslim sects at Aboabo no 2 a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti regional capital is disheartening indeed. It is sad that the bloody clashes between the two youth groups belonging to the Ahlussunah Wal-Jamaaa and Tijaniyya sects led to the destruction of property and bloody physical injuries. When the news broke out in the media it sent shock waves down the spines of all well meaning and peace loving people in Ghana who do not want Ghana to degenerate into a war zone in West Africa. This is because Ghanaian Muslims are known to be promoters of peace so far through sound leaderships and the adherence to Islamic principle of peace with mankind. Yes Islam itself means peace and many people felt that it is wrong for Muslim youths to engage in physical conflicts at least provocation. Again We are left with just two weeks more for Muslims in Ghana and the world over to begin the month long fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Again six months from now Ghanaians are clamoring for the coming elections which everyone wishes to be peaceful. It is therefore sad for certain Muslims to find time to descend into bloodletting over a trivial matter as a religious comment on facebook without recourse to dialogue. When the Federation of Muslim Councils of Ghana learnt of the conflict an emergency telephone contact was made by the coordinator of the federation Alhaji Showmie Williams for action to be taken on the matter. When the facts of the conflict came to light the coordinator did not understand why an issue emanating from a facebook message was not handled properly by the youth and their leaders. He felt that the youth ought to know that Ghana is one of the most peaceful nations in Africa, a feat that has won us the accolade of the oasis of peace in Africa at a time when nations surrounding us have recently tasted bloody wars. They ought to know that Muslims in Ghana must learn from their elders the art of protecting each other and learn to resort to dialogue and desist from the use of dangerous weapons in event of misunderstandings. The Muslim youths must bear in mind that we are lucky to have in our midst leaders like the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Shrubutu and the leader of Ahlulsunna Wal-Jamaaa, Sheikh Umar Ibrahim Imam who have proved over the years to be peace loving people who get along together on Islamic and national issues. The Ashanti regional police force will surely get hold of all those involved in the conflict and follow up with the appropriate investigations in the matter. However the conflict should serve as a signal to the security that there is a long seated animosity and hatred in the two Muslim factions in Ghana. To find solution to the problem, a special committee must be set up to go into the reason for inter sectarian conflicts among Muslims. On the other hand the committee must also find ways of settling issues of leadership conflicts within the sects especially among the youth and those issues regarding leadership and succession plan for the leadership if Muslims in Ghana. We ought take on board the following advise by the FMC, which calls on the belligerent groups to cease hostilities and enter into dialogue with the help of their leaders. The FMC also calls on the leaders of the two sects to quickly intervene to foster good relations among their followers, forestall any recurrence of hostilities and let peace reign in Kumasi and Ghana. It went on to advice users of social media not only among Muslim youth but everyone especially WhatsApp and facebook, to measure their remarks and posts on their respective platforms in order not to endanger the peace Ghanaians enjoy. If these tit bits of advice are followed by first getting Muslims to settle issues amiably without resort to physical conflict Muslims especially the youths would enjoy peace as they go about their religious and other duties. This would also feed into the general peace and stability in Ghana during the coming Ramadan and the presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of this year. It is our hope and belief that all those concerned will adhere to wise counsel for the general good of Ghana. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EANFOWORLD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 0244 370345/ 0274853710/0208844791 [email protected]/[email protected] Last week, 30 students used a House Judiciary Committee hearing room to hold a debate on mass surveillance in America. The teams did a remarkable job of digging into the nuance of the debate over crypto regulation, racial profiling, and privacy. Arjun Srinivasan of Woodward Academy in Georgia argued against, noting that U.S. decisions about encryption would do nothing to force other countries to do likewise so terrorists will always have other options, like burner phones and their own encryption, not to mention face-to-face communications. And he said the Feinstein-Burr proposal has few fans among people who understand technology. "Do you know one scientist, mathematician or cryptographic expert who supports the CCOA?" Arjun asked. "It's not a question of scientific experts," Zach answered. "Our support comes from policy makers and people involved in the process." But the bill "dramatically undermines cybersecurity," argued Alexia Boulos of Florida's Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. "A single vulnerability is catastrophic for today's interconnected web of internet devices. Burr-Feinstein means there will be millions of such vulnerabilities." Folks, I have already expressed my opinions on whether the Volta Region will remain as the NPPs nemesis at Election 2016. I have done so, guided by history, precedent, and a good sense of what has been happening in our Ghanaian political situation over the years. In politics, tradition counts. Not to be glossed over also is the stated opinion of the NPP Establishment that has created the impression that the people of the Volta Region are averse to the NPP, which explains why much stake is being put into the electioneering campaign to change that trend at Election 2016. That explains why Akufo-Addo is telling the people of the Volta Region that he wants to build a new relationship with them and that he will not discriminate against them if elected President. He needs their support for that matter. Akufo-Addos four-day tour of the Volta Region and matters arising have exposed certain grave issues on that score to consider. That tour has so far taken him to Southern Volta Region, particularly, Anloga (Anlo constituency), Aflao (Ketu South constituency), and Mafi-Adidome (representing Tongu South and Central constituencies). These are the constituencies which have always voted massively against the NPP. News reports of Akufo-Addos interactions there provide enough food for thought, which I will position myself to raise and digest in this opinion piece with the view to casting light on hidden truths, conjectures, and apprehensions that are crucial to the political discourse on the place and role of the Volta Region in shaping the fate of the NDC and NPP at Election 2016. The other political parties are a complete washout that need no mention in this rhetorical setup. At best, they are mere fodder for the NPP and NDC. They could do better by collapsing themselves into these main parties. For instance, Dr. Nduom and his Progressive Peoples Party are fit for the NPP while the other mushroom parties (PNC, Ghana Consolidated Popular Party, Hassan Ayarigas APC, and all others claiming the Nkrumahist bent) are fit for the NDC. The others claiming to be operating as political parties with no office anywhere in Ghana are fit for nothing but abolition, which the EC should muster up enough courage to do. Madam Akua Donkors Ghana Freedom Party has already identified with the NDC and must be advised to fall in step appropriately. Others led by Odike and Co. are mere irritants to be squashed out of existence if they cant reason properly to know where to belong). Too many political parties of their kind only end up spoiling the broth. In any case, sentiments expressed by the chiefs and opinion leaders in their interaction with Akufo-Addo need expatiation. News reports bluntly stated that the chie3fs and people expressed grave concerns (or disappoint) that although the Volta Region has sustained the NDC in power, it has been neglected. The implications are far-reaching, especially if we place them in the context of Election 2016. The most obvious one is that the Volta Region wont go for the NDC again. Lets weigh some of the reported utterances of the spokespersons for the people in the areas toured by Akufo-Addo. At Ashaiman, leaders of the Ewe Community accused President Mahama of abandoning the Volta Region, creating the impression that they would shift toward the NPP but needed firm assurances from Akufo-Addo that he would deal properly with the Volta Region. Others came from elsewhere: MAFI ADIDOME Togbui Atatim IV, Chief of the Mafi Traditional Area in the Volta Region has condemned the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) for abandoning developmental projects in the area started by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) when the party was in power. According to him, the unfortunate action by the NDC government which has got massive support from the Volta Region has stalled development in the area. Speaking on behalf of Chiefs of South and Central Tongu, in a meeting with Nana Akufo-Addo, in Adidome, over the weekend, Togbe Atatim IV was speaking on cited some projects which has not seen continuation under the NDC government. In Central Tongu, the construction work on a Police Head Quarters in Adidome which was started by the NPP government but has been put to a halt by the current NDC government. Work on the fence wall for the Teraferi Dam was expected to be continued by the NDC government after a plan had been drawn and started by the NPP government on this project but nothing has been done since. In fact there are numerous other such projects in both South and North Tongu that will be mentioned at the appropriate time. We know that you Nana, you are capable of rising to the occasion and will not disappoint us. (See http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Volta-Chief-condemns-NDC-for-abandoning-projects-started-by-NPP-440836 ). AFLAO The Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area, Togbe Amenya Fiti V, has refuted claims making the rounds that he, in 2013, promised to deliver 100,000 votes to President John Mahama in the 2016 elections. According to him, those reports are false, and his statement made on the day have been deliberately twisted by some media houses to put him in bad light. He said a lot more to create the impression that he personally benefited from Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematens interventions when they were part of the Kufuor government. (See http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/I-never-promised-Mahama-100k-votes-Togbui-Fiti-V-440817 ) PRESIDENT MAHAMAS DURBAR WITH ANLO CHIEFS AND OPINION LEADERS At that durbar at Anloga, the chiefs and people of Southern Volta Region expressed grave concern about hardships and lack of support for initiatives to develop the Volta Region. President Mahama made assurances to reverse the trend. SOME GRAY AREAS Why didnt Togbe Fiti refute those publications at the time but would do so now and turn round to retrace his connections with Akufo-Addo and Kyerematen? (Togbe Fiti was cited for fraud and was to be prosecuted but set free because of our deplorable justice delivery system. Much still exists to incriminate him over the Diamond Cement issue). What has become of the water project that President Mahama and Faure Gnasingbe of Togo jointly announced to commence in the Southern Volta Region, water being tapped from the Ada estuary for that purpose? Has the NDC administration really abandoned the Volta Region? How? What exactly does the Volta Region need that the government has failed to provide so far to warrant the complaints and threats to shift political allegiance (as if one should expect a herd mentality in the electoral decisions that people make in that part of Ghana?). What have the various local authorities been doing such that they cannot connect with the people to solve problems? And why should the matter degenerate to the point that these chiefs and spokespersons are holding President Mahama to ransom as they express favourable interests in Akufo-Addo? Are they to be trusted, though? Why is the impression of a herd mentality being created by these chiefs and opinion leaders as if the voters in the Volta Region arent free to make their own electoral decisions? Of course, they are individuals with opinions and votes that they cannot force others to accept. Their agitations may not fetch anything politically useful for Akufo-Addo, given the fact that in the polling booth, they wont be there to dictate to the voter how to vote. So, the arm-twisting manouevres emerging now may not cut butter. Thats what Akufo-Addo has to be wary of. If he buys easily into what is happening now, he will end up more disappointed than ever on election day. What happens when someone manages to please these seemingly disgruntled chiefs and spokespersons to eat back their vomit on the quiet? In politics, anything can happen. It is still too early in the electioneering campaign period for utterances of this sort to be stamped as a fait accompli to determine the fate of the incumbent or those challenging him. A lot more is happening on the quiet that may not easily come to notice but which will determine the outcome of Election 2016. That is why it is advisable for one to be circumspect before jumping to any conclusion on the basis of the sentiments being expressed. In our part of the world, politics is very much influenced by on-the-spur-of-the-moment considerations, even if we appreciate the fact that certain electoral decisions made over the years appear to have given us a pattern of for or against as regards the fate of the politicians and their political traditions. That pattern explains why the Volta Region is easily established as the stronghold of the NDC and the Ashanti and Eastern Regions as those for the NPP. Indeed, swing regions hold more for these parties than their strongholds do. So, what is the big bluff about strongholds worth? Only for purposes of reinforcing bragging rights? And what are the benefits of those bragging rights? Just to feed into the negative politics of ethnicity or whatever!! I wait to hear what these very chiefs and opinion leaders will say if President Mahama happens to visit their domains on his campaign tours. For now, we wonder whether the government isnt being blackmailed or held to ransom by these disgruntled chiefs and opinion leaders. How the government wriggles itself out of the tight corner should open us new windows through which to see things as efforts continue to be made to improve governance. Indeed, doing so goes beyond mere political rhetoric and assurances of redemption. The peoples ears are stopped to such high-sounding promises. Folks, the stage is set for more of such somersaulting sessions, especially as the main electioneering campaign starts. I shall return 23.05.2016 LISTEN "....The theses...circulating in magazines, books, online publications, and presses over the last 30 years that... Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana failed to develop at the same rate as Singapore, that... Kwame Nkrumah is responsible for Ghana's development quagmire, are bunkum theses...They are...without facts and data...In 2016, and for the last 60 years or so,...Yew could not fairly be elevated as more "astute" compared to Kwame Nkrumah on the matter of regional associations. Again, to advance a contrary message is to absolve those from your/our "native-country" who took up the banners of "unhappy" foreign governments engaged in a "Cold War" by proxy on your/our Father's Land...Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, every Ghanaian ought to know, was many miles ahead of Lee Kwan Yew in matters of economic development and vision...", (Prof Lungu, 21 May 16). Titled "RE Ghana: lessons from Nkrumahs fallout with his economic adviser", our article was a fair critique of the un-tethered essay by Professor Tignor. As a result of comments received on that article, we presented the first in our "Definitive" series of essays, "Only mad 60-year olds fault Kwame Nkrumah for Ghana's development quagmire", on 15 May, to deal 4-square with the false, unproven narrative that Singapore's Lee Kwan Yew bettered Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah in development and economic performance. And so, as readers who have been following the discourse know, this is the second in that multi-part "Only mad 60-year olds" series in which we provide additional information that is data-bounded, consistent with history, and represent a fair interpretation of the record regarding the performance of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, versus lawyer, Lee Kwan Yew, of Singapore. TO HUMBLY RESEARCH WITH DILIGENCE IS DIVINE: Again, the theses that have been circulating wildly in magazines, books, online publications, and presses such as the claim by Professor Tignor and Kwabena Yeboah, etc., that Nkrumah failed to develop Ghana even near the same rate as Yew did for Singapore, or that Kwame Nkrumah is responsible for Ghana's development quagmire are all bunkum. They are ignorant, un-tethered ideas without basis in fact as far as the post-independence period (1957-1966, the period we can rationally compare and contrast), is concerned. It is all bunkum unless the people who advance those ideas want the same world to believe that relying on coup-plotter narratives, Cold War-era newspaper headlines, and Johnson-CIA propaganda, make them serious, informed, critics. In that case, they may want to tell us they believe in the "truth" of Rip Van Winkle, as well. Now, dear reader, observe that we use "60-year olds" largely as a metaphor. Further, we are only interested in "post-independent" Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah, 1957-1966, a period for which there is comparative data, 1966 being the year Nkrumah's government was overthrown. Our senses is, a serious critic must today be prepared to take a mere 30-60 minutes, or so, of their time to examine actual facts, data, and theories related to a subject they intend to pontificate on using the human knowledge port known as the INTERNET. As for us, we usually encourage all of our friends, including those we have the privilege of mentoring, to recognize that there is precious little written record by man that is not also available on the internet free of charge. (However, there are people and websites that will sell you the same information, including free data provided by governments and non-governmental organizations (NGO), if you open your wallet). Due diligence research of actual records on the part of Professor Tignor and others may well have forestalled our "Only mad 60-year olds" essay series. But, if that had occurred, it would have deprived us the opportunity to deal with these key questions related to Nkrumah's actual record. So, for that, we are grateful to Professor Tignor and Kwabena Yeboah. Here are two (2) fundamental points for the Kwame Nkrumah critic: (1) Like Nkrumah, Singapore's Lee Kwan Yew struggled and fought to form and maintain regional associations with countries within Singapore's geographic, historical, and socio-economic spheres (2) Kwame Nkrumah's style of governance achieved for Ghana greater political and economic success during his own time, compared to efforts by Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore. On those counts, Kwame Nkrumah cannot, rationally, be responsible for Ghana's development quagmire that shows that "... today, income per capita in Singapore is $33,000 and Ghana is $1,500...". This second paper in our "Only mad 60 year olds" series takes up the matter identified under our current Item 1 (i.e., regional associations and "confabulations"). In 2016,and for the last 60 years or so, Singapore's Lee Kwan Yew could not be fairly elevated as more "astute" compared to Kwame Nkrumah on the matter of regional associations. Again, to advance a contrary message is to absolve those from your/our "native-country" who took up the banners of "unhappy" foreign governments engaged in a "Cold War" by proxy on your/our Father's Land. To advance a contrary message is to absolve those who again and again stole power by the barrel of the gun. It is to absolve those who mis-managed the country, including "rascal civilians" like Busia, who upon ascension to power repeatedly failed Ghana the harder they tried over 60 years to banish the philosophy and ideas of Kwame Nkrumah. MEMO TO KWAME NKRUMAH CRITICS: There is no common sense path to development of Ghana if so-called leaders uncritically and meanly oppose and belittle Kwame Nkrumah's basic propositions that Ghana's resources belong to Ghanaians, that Ghanaians can develop Ghana, but that, it is Ghanaians who must first believe in themselves and the Ghana-centered values, goals, and objectives they hope to achieve through social living, politics, business, even through the courts, as necessary. Being mute on this matter does not inspire, nor is it patriotic, considering that like Lee Kwan Yew, Kwame Nkrumah is the founding father of Ghana. In fact, nothing else will inspire Ghanaians to uncommon acts of patriotism that will fast-track Ghana's development precisely because unlike latter day "rulers and leaders", Kwame Nkrumah never stole a pesewa or "state enterprise" from the peoples' coffers. AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FACT vs. SINGAPORE REGIONAL ASSOCIATION The last we head, Kwabena Yeboah was telling the world "...Lee Kwan Yew was not interested in regional associations, confabulations and continental ambition...". But, surely, and still, not so fast! Clearly, Nkrumah recognized that Ghana is located on the "Dark Continent" of Africa, a place long represented by Europeans as inhabited by ignorant, uncivilized, and un-Christian black people who needed redemption and civilization. The black people on the Continent had no rights to their own resources. Therefore, they were arbitrary partitioned into European "possessions" by white people sitting around large tables in Berlin, Germany, by and large in 1844-1845, with hip-pocket "colonial" maps mostly made by missionaries and self-seeking adventurers and thieves. It is uncontroversial: At independence, Kwame Nkrumah recognized that Ghana was not an island, that the European "possessions" and their "Partition of Africa" had to be ameliorated in other to allow Ghana, a newly independent state, to make progress towards development and true independence. Hence, his strong support of the proposal for the formation of an African continental government. On the other hand, it is a lot easier to see why Lee Kwan Yew would not have fundamental interest(s) in "continental... confabulations" of any kind. It is just common sense. Singapore, after all, is an island located on the east Asia extremity. Singapore, after all, has since the 1800s been a singular multi-cultural immigrant society of predominant ethnic Chinese, native Malays, and immigrant Indians inhabiting a 719.1 square kilometers (277.6 sq mi). In 1963, the population of Singapore was 1.8 million. Contrast all of that with Ghana in sub-Sahara Africa where the 7.3 million population in 1963 were composed of more than 50 ethnic groups inhabiting a land area that is greater than 239 square kilometers (92,000 square miles), a country created mainly through European fiat, and an African population sharing almost the same forms of European subjugation with virtually every other country on the African Continent. Buy, saying that Lee Kwan Yew was not interested in "continental associations" does not mean he was not interested in "regional association". There is a difference. To the point, it is a mighty long jump and a gross mis-representation of the history to claim that Lee Kwan Yew "was not interested in regional association". That is simply not true, if we must be charitable. THE FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA IN SHORT HISTORY Fact is, when Yew's PAP party first came to power is 1959, Lee actually believed that "Singapore's future lay with Malaya": "....They felt that the historic and economic ties between Singapore and Malaya were too strong for them to continue as separate nations. Furthermore, Singapore lacked natural resources, and faced both a declining entrepot trade and a growing population which required jobs. It was thought that the merger would benefit the economy by creating a common market, eliminating trade tariffs, and thus supporting new industries which would solve the ongoing unemployment woes..." Fact is, the efforts expended by Yew's PAP for "Malaya" were rebuffed by: "...the sizable pro-communist wing of the PAP...strongly opposed to the merger, fearing a loss of influence as the ruling party of Malaya, United Malays National Organisation , was staunchly anti-communist and would support the non-communist faction of PAP against them..." As the history goes, on 9 July, 1963: "...the leaders of Singapore, Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak signed the Malaysia Agreement to establish the Federation of Malaysia...(supported by the)....British government...who...believed that the merger would prevent Singapore from becoming a haven for communism..." Mr. Yew of Singapore was thus right smack at the center of that regional association, an undefeatable supporter of that regional "confabulation". "The founding father of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew declaring the forming of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963 in Singapore". Unfortunately for Mr. Yew, the union known as the "Federation of Malaysia" had a mighty rocky road to travel from the get go. Due to racial tensions and inability to resolve political and social conflicts, some of which resulted in violence (some, between the ethnic Chinese and Malays in Singapore): "... Tunku Abdul Rahman (the Malaysian Prime Minister) decided to expel Singapore from the federation. Goh Keng Swee, who had become skeptical of merger's economic benefits for Singapore, convinced Lee Kuan Yew that the separation had to take place. UMNO and PAP representatives worked out the terms of separation in extreme secrecy in order to present the British government, in particular, with a fait accompli...// ...//On the morning of 9 August 1965, the Parliament of Malaysia voted 1260 in favor of a constitutional amendment expelling Singapore from the federation; hours later, the Parliament of Singapore passed the Republic of Singapore Independence Act, establishing the island as an independent and sovereign republic...// ...// A tearful Lee Kuan Yew announced in a televised press conference that Singapore had become a sovereign, independent nation. In a widely remembered quote, he stated: "For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in merger and unity of the two territories...The new state became the Republic of Singapore, with Yusof bin Ishak appointed as its first President..." 5 POINTS ON YEW'S AFFINITY FOR ASSOCIATIONS Dear reader, if you did not know previously, you know now: (1) Singapore was actually expelled from the regional association in its geographic, social, and historical sphere(s) (2) It was actually another individual (Goh Keng Swee) who foresaw that dis-association from the Malaysian "confabulation" would possibly be a net positive for Singapore because it in fact meant independence from Britain. (3) The expulsion from that "Regional Association" actually occurred on 9 August 1965, a mere 6 months before the overthrow of Nkrumah's government in Ghana. (4) Further, when Suharto resigned on 21 May, 1966, an event Mr. Yew did not have any hands in, that action alone allowed what was known as the "Konfrontasi" between Malaysia and Singapore to cease. It enabled Singapore to develop in peace, beginning in 1966, the same year Nkrumah's government was overthrown by the Johnson CIA. (5) Crucially, the following year, in 1967, Singapore became a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). KWAME NKRUMAH WAS JUST AS ASTUTE, POSSIBLY MORE: So, tell, us, how can any African or Ghanaian for that matter, how can they claim, critically, that Lew Kwan Yew never favored "regional associations? How can any African or Ghanaian critically claim that Lew Kwan Yew of Singapore was a better political strategist in 1957-1966, compared to Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana? Surely, it cannot be because Nkrumah's government was overthrown by the Johnson CIA and western powers, and traitors from Ghana, just as Lew Kwan Yew was beginning to find his moorings. Or can it? Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, after all, was singularly instrumental in the conceptualization and formation of the Organization of African United (OAU) in 25 May 1963, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This is essentially the same "confabulation" that still exists today as the African Union, notwithstanding the white-wash in name spearheaded by the South African pubic-coffer- thief Jacob Zuma, since 2002. You know, the same Jacob Zuma who spent: "...13 million of public money...on...a new cattle kraal, chicken run, amphitheatre and...a swimming pool...(arguing that)... the water could be used to fight a fire...(who)...Even before he won the presidency in 2009...faced no less than 783 charges of alleged corruption, fraud and racketeering..." But, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah never stole a pesewa that belonged to Ghanaians. Then there is all that lose talk about the performance of Nkrumah in the sphere of economics and development. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, every Ghanaian ought to know, was many miles ahead of Lee Kwan Yew in matters of economic development and vision, given their individual country's unique strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). That, we will take up in Part 3 of this series, next time. SOURCES: 1. Prof Lungu. RE: Lessons from Nkrumahs fallout with his economic adviser, Ghanaweb, 8 May 16, (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/RE-Lessons-from-Nkrumah-s-fallout-with-his-economic-adviser-436894/). 2. Prof Lungu. Only mad 60-year olds fault Kwame Nkrumah for Ghana's development quagmire. Ghanaweb, 15 May 16 (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/browse.archive.php?date=20160515/). 3. History of Singapore, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Singapore/) 4. Robyn Klingler Vidra. The Pragmatic Little Red Dot: Singapores US Hedge Against China, Undated. (http://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/reports/pdf/SR015/SR015-SEAsia-Vidra-.pdf/). 5. Ravi Menon: An economic history of Singapore - 1965-2065. Keynote Address, 5 August, 2015, (http://www.bis.org/review/r150807b.htm). 6. David Blair. Judges have the last word in Zumas epic battle with the rule of law. The Telegraph, (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2016/04/02/judges-have-the-last-word-in-zumas-epic-battle-with-the-rule-of/). Visit for more information: www.GhanaHero.com . Read Mo'! Listen Mo'! See Mo'! Reflect Mo'! Prof Lungu is Ghana-Centered/Ghana-Proud! Subj: Only mad 60-year olds fault Kwame Nkrumah for Ghana's development quagmire (2). (Definitive Serial). Twitter: https://twitter.com/professorlungu Support Fair-Trade Oil Share Ghana Campaign/Petition https://www.change.org/p/ghana-fair-trade-oil-share-psa-campaign-ftos-gh-psa/ Brought to you courtesy www.GhanaHero.com22 May 16. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), parent company of the Ecobank Group, and Old Mutual Emerging Markets (OMEM), a part of the Old Mutual Group, have announced an enhanced strategic agreement that will strengthen existing ties between the leading pan-African bank and the insurance and asset management giant. Old Mutual Emerging Markets currently has a bancassurance partnership with the Ecobank Group. This latest agreement will grow the existing strategic alliance by offering seamless insurance services to Ecobank clients across selected countries where the two groups have operations. Clients will benefit mutually though access to a range of financial services that include life insurance, savings and short-term insurance solutions across a greater network on the African continent. Ecobank Group CEO Ade Ayeyemi said plans for the integrated model include providing access to Old Mutual solutions for Ecobanks banking operations across selected countries. This is a productive and valued partner-ship between two pan-African institutions to provide complete financial services solutions to our customers, he said. Ralph Mupita, CEO of Old Mutual Emerging Markets, said: It is in our mutual interest to ensure that this alliance grows from strength to strength, as we now look to complement Ecobanks range of banking services to its customers with Old Mutuals trusted financial products across the Ecobank network on the continent. Signed by both company chief executives at the Ecobank Groups Lome head office yesterday, the enhanced agreement goes into immediate effect. 23.05.2016 LISTEN For the purposes of this article, I will define Politics as the art of science of government or governing, especially the governing of political entity, such as a nation and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs (Oxford English Dictionary, 2007). No heart, no brains, no courage guys, why havent you gone into politics? says a cartoon of Dorothy chatting to the tin man, the scarecrow, and the lion. Why do Politicians scramble for power? Two things come to mind when the above question is raised. First, some people go into politics for the love of their nation. Others just want power to use as a springboard to unleash their criminalities. Inevitably, some people enter politics just to enjoy the power and satisfy their egos. On the contrary, some people are empowered by the convictions of political ideologies. Politics has indeed become a scorned profession, not a noble profession it used to be. As a matter of fact, it takes more than good laws and institutions for democracy to thrive. And, it also takes good peoplegood citizens and leaders. Yet a lot of good people would never go into politics. They dislike the toxic levels of partisanship. They hate the intrusive media scrutiny. And they wont pay the high personal costs of the political life. Ironically, all politicians would want us to believe they want what is best for the country. Paradoxically, however, no politician will ever admit they want power to better their lives. For, we would never vote for a politician who admitted, I want to be elected because I like the salary, pensions (ex gratia) and benefits, the opportunities to travel and meet interesting people, and the trappings of power! As a matter of fact, we dont trust them anymore; for they are indeed taking us for a ride . Once upon a time, anyone who gained a seat in parliament was looked up to and respected by all; alas this is not the case anymore. We hear how our Parliamentarians of all the parties are always yelling to take more money from us, (the taxpayers). Yet our politicians keep spewing their vague rhetoric-We care for you. And why must the politicians think they deserve more remunerations than say Doctors and Teachers? In actual fact, they are only interested in the power and the massive remunerations associated with the job. Perhaps our negative thinking towards politicians stems from the shenanigans and hypocrisy that accompany a job in which, in the cut and thrust of the day-to-day political encounters, one must always be right and the adversary must always be wrong. And, one always motivated by the public interest, while the adversary is motivated by base and unworthy aims. Yes, we have deferential regard for people who have the heart to make sacrifices. Of course we hold in high esteem people who have the wherewithal to do the right thing. And we admire people who have the courage of their aspirations. Yet some politicians would betray the trust we repose in them. Why? Regrettably, our politicians have failed woefully in the past, and still reneging on their promises. They are indeed failing to initiate expedient policies to rectify the failed policies of agriculture, food security, natural resource management, poverty reduction, resource allocation (e.g. in healthcare, education, finance, infrastructure, etc), supply chain management, humanitarian intervention logistics and security sector planning, amongst others. Yet politicians would keep on spurning discerning Ghanaians whenever they want power. During the electioneering campaigns, the aspiring politicians would solicit votes from the uncritical electorates with vague rhetorical political inebriations such as we are going to transform your lives and would only turn their backs on poor constituents when they get to their comfort zones. How pathetic! In a nutshell, our politicians have abhorrently reneged on their promises in the past, and still reneging on their promises. They dont care for you; they only scramble for power in order to pursue their vested interests. We hear about dubious judgment debt payments; stashing of national funds by some greedy bastards; misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement by some evil-minded politicians, while the socio-economic living standards sinking deeper and deeper into the mire. Tell me, if such politicians are not criminally minded, what are they then? K. Badu, UK. In life situations, the honest people have fewer headaches unlike their dishonest counterparts. Because they are honest, they may or may not have material wealth in abundance but they normally have peace of mind more than those who dishonestly pursue acquisition of wealth. These dishonest fellows often resort to fraudulent methods and when caught out, they begin to encounter needless difficulties; having to answer numerous questions in attempts to clarify their position vis-a-vis their committed crime. As I normally do, and simplistic as I usually aspire to have my write-ups become to the ordinary non-sophisticated reader, let me define the word HONEST. Honest means telling the truth or able to be trusted and not likely to steal, cheat, or lie Why are the NDC, especially President Mahama, Asiedu Nketiah, Koku Anyidoho, Sam George and a host of others in government worried about their fate in the upcoming 2016 general elections? It is all because they have not been honest with the Ghanaian electorates and the general public. They promised Ghanaians a Better Ghana Agenda but they have delivered to Ghanaians far beyond belief, a BITTER GHANA. From their BITTER GHANA, the semi well-to-do people like Kwesi Pratt, the NDCs agent assigned to be jumping from one radio station to the other throwing dust into peoples eyes in defence of the NDC is crying of his inability to pay the exorbitant utility bills under the current NDC government. If Kwesi Pratt who earns easy money is crying, what will the ordinary poor people living in both urban areas and villages paying for the same services at the same rate but without recourse to easy money do? They will feel like being ground in ap3t3wea, thus, they will feel the brunt of the outrageous financial constraints intentionally brought to bear upon Ghanaians- courtesy of President John Dramani Mahama. President Mahama and his government promised to manage the resources of Ghana for the collective interests of all but they are seen to be clearly sharing the wealth of Ghana amongst them and their few little-minded cronies turned into radio phone-in serial callers, blatant liars, opportunists, and pure pen-wielding robbers, to throw dust into the eyes of innocent Ghanaians. Being awash in dishonesty, they keep perspiring even when the weather is too cold for a normal human being to be rather shivering from head to toe. Instead of reversing gear, they have rather put the gear to the fifth position; thereby increasing the insults they continually heap on their political opponents perceived to be taking over power from them come election 2016. The NDC have resorted to siding with the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei, in all her schemes designed to aid NDC retain power come election 2016. The NDC have dubiously got the nations security personnel on their side to help them instil fear into the populace through what is clearly the practice of selective justice. A committed offence that a member of the NDC will not even be summoned by the police for interrogation let alone, get a slap on the wrist for, a member of the NPP or the other opposition parties will be dragged to court or be thrown into the police cells for it. The BNI operatives will be jumping around like a crazy kangaroo trying to bundle that NPP faithful into their car to be taken to their offices not only for interrogation but also, to intimidate. The NDC have become desperate. Their desperation emanates from their deep-seated dishonesty that has culminated in their presumed fear of losing election 2016. Surely, the writing is conspicuously across the sky that no matter the harshest sorts of intimidations they resort to, the NDC shall lose election 2016. If they had been honest, not stealing the nations money, not lying to the people, not cheating the people to become extremely rich persons overnight, they will not be sweating profusely to be in the panicky situation in which they find themselves today. Little did President Mahama and his bunch of NDC opportunists know that trust has to be earned but not commanded through coercion? The same thing goes to Asante Nana who thinks he can do as he wants when he wants, without any court in Ghana able to do anything to him or about him or about his decisions, being the occupant of Sikadwa Kofi and the Overlord of Asanteman. Has he not probably ended up lying to judges and kneeling down before them begging them to pronounce judgments in his favour or in favour of the parties that he supports in ongoing litigations or else he will feel disgraced beyond redemption, the price to pay for being DISHONEST? A belief that honesty is always the best policy and that trust has to be earned is what I advise every Ghanaian to look deeply at and if it is true, they have to aspire to become honest people in order not to sweat profusely as it is presently the fate of President Mahama and Asante Nana. Be honest; earn the trust of people, my message to NDC and all politicians including anyone who calls him or herself a discerning Ghanaian. You cannot be extremely dishonest and hope to earn the trust of people, taking them for fools because you think they have short memories. Ghanaians will prove to President Mahama that they have not short memories but instead they were being lenient and accommodative of his lies and thievery but now they have had enough and it is now, the era of ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! KOKROMOTI POWER WILL CHASE NDC OUT OF POWER TO THE SHAME AND SHOCK OF THAT OBSTINATE WOMAN, CHARLOTTE OSEI, WHO THINKS SHE HOLDS THE FATE OF GHANAIANS BETWEEN HER FINGERS, HOLDING GHANA LIKE A DELICATE EGG IN HER ARM THAT SHE CAN DROP IT AT WILL WHEN SHE CHOOSES. Rockson Adofo 23.05.2016 LISTEN Established on the 25th day of May 1963 on the basis of the "Abuja Treaty, the organisation of African Unity was disbanded by Thabo Mbeki and replaced by the African Union. Whiles the footprint of the OAU is still strong, the African Union has not played any significant role in the lives of Africans and Africa. We members of Movement for Young Pan-Africanist believes that the AU did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, terrorists, and the West neocolonialist project. FAILURE AND IMPOTENCE OF THE AFRICAN UNION... The AU looks increasingly powerless and helpless as genocides are being committed against the people on the continent. MoYoPA can confirm confidently that millions of women and young children have become refugees in their own country whiles hundreds of thousands have been murdered, raped and tortured to death by operations of Terrorist groupings notably, Al-Sheebab, Boko Haram amongst others. The paradox however is that, Africa continues to export her military manpower to continents like Lebanon in Asia, Syria, Gaza and other places across the world in matters of peace keeping. It is evident that in 2002, the African Union was still asleep and it took the European Union and others to prepare the Resolution 1973 and its implementation for the Libyan crises that saw the fall of Col. Muamar Gaddafi regime. In the field of peace and security, Chibok girls are still under abduction by Boko Haram in Nigeria meanwhile the African Union has the authority through decisions of its Peace and Security Council to interfere in member states to promote peace and protect democracy, including deploying military force in situations in which genocide and crime against humanity are being committed. The African Union has demonstrated greater impotence. In the area of trade and commerce, the African Union has failed wholly by denial of their member states common currency, common passport, common bank and common trade zones for the fostering of intra African trade which is lesser than 15%. In fact, the African Union will have no reason to say their progress have been impeded by civil wars that are raging in few parts of Africa. Problem and problems of "unemployment" among Africans. African youths continues to wallow in perpetual unemployment resulting in creation of army of idle youths who for lack of what to do has become ready tools for recruitment into Isis, Boko Haram, Al-Sheebab and other terrorist and extremist groupings. The problems of Africa and the failure of the African Union can be told over and over. We of MoYoPA believes that by continually celebrating African Union, we are indeed celebrating failure, impotence and backwardness of the African continent. By this press message, we call on all African Youths, Women and Children everywhere in Africa to disregard the celebration of African Union Jamboree. #CelebratingAUdayIsShame Thank you. Management of MoYoPA. S. Cudjoe Ayittey......0204135131 Eddy Aloka..........0201289839 Amankwah Benjamin......0206112957 Kporku N. Wilberforce............................+233242138166 Ghanaians in the Diaspora, have a passionate interest in the affairs of the motherland. They are a formidable force that can shape and influence political opinion, as well as support various political candidates. Modern technology has facilitated access to the local media in Ghana, allowing them to evaluate the government, its institutions and the quality of governance. The space for civic activism is so unhindered that Ghanaians in the Diaspora have been spurred to interest themselves in politics, resulting in doppelgangers of the main political parties in Ghana being created in the Diaspora. The goal is to get the attention of their government and raise concern over any shenanigans in the democratic process. In light of this acute political awareness within the communities in the Diaspora, the matrix has been expanded to secure and legitimize their views in the political landscape. On the 7th of November, Ghana goes to the polls to vote for a new president or retain the incumbent and over the past few months, Ghanaians in the Diaspora have had the opportunity to observe and evaluate the perspectives and agendas of the various candidates in the upcoming elections. One candidate whose philosophy is gaining traction in the Diaspora is the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akuffo Addo. He has garnered a very large and extraordinary support in several European nations, North America and Asia, paradoxically, by individuals who do not even have the right to vote in Ghanas elections. Nonetheless their passion and fervent commitment to the democratic process in Ghana is quite commendable. NNP FRANCE A group of self-motivated activists have, over the past four years, preserved and defended the NPP philosophy in France, and theyre shifting the paradigm in their support for its candidate Nana Akuffo Addo, with all the resources at their disposal to guarantee victory in the upcoming elections. With a rather lethargic gridlock in current governance, its no wonder that the change embodied by Nana Akuffo Addo, albeit inevitable, is galvanizing people to rally round the party nominee for president. This has become an exciting and challenging undertaking on the European continent. NANA AKUFO ADDO IN PARIS The candidate for change in the upcoming presidential elections is coming to Paris..There is a climate of change in the air.enough to sink your teeth in and taste it. The call to stand united behind Nana Akuffo Addo is launched.. with a massive rally being organized in the French capital on Saturday May 28 to receive Nana Akuffo Addo at this august event. He will be in the French capital as part of a European tour, listening and consulting with Ghanaians in the Diaspora. This special event will feature key personalities, chiefs and representatives of all Ghanaian associations here in France. To this end, everyone who is passionate about the future of Ghana and who thirsts for the new direction Nana Akuffo Addo proposes at the dawn of this new renaissance, is cordially invited. Yaw Owusu Kaning, chairman of the NPP in France declares that Nana Addo represents the change Ghanaians yearn for. He is the key to our individual and national development; He brings an honest, pragmatic and hopeful insight into our community's problems and needs, and his willingness to examine the issues and listen closely to the public's concerns, sets him far apart from the other candidates' techniques and rhetoric, and so we express our support for his campaign for the presidency and for which our objective to persuade and spread word to others, of the value of his policies and abilities, is paramount. Mr. Kaning and the executive of the France NPP reject the perception outsiders have of Ghana being a model of decent governance and responsible economic management. To the majority of Ghanaians, this assessment is deceptive and misleading. They believe Ghana is in decline, fraught with endemic corruption, negligence, and plunder and this smokescreen needs to be denounced. They believe Nana Addo is the person best qualified to be Ghanas next president. Nana Akuffo Addo is accompanied on this visit by Nana Asonaba Dapaah, former member of the council of elders; his political assistant Francis Asenso Boakye, and Press Secretary Eugene Arhin, including Captain Emmanuel Koda, Chief of his Security detail. All roads lead to 15, Avenue Salvador Allende. 93800. Epinay sur Seine. The event will commence at 17H00. Please come early to secure a comfortable place and be a part of the movement for change. Please rsvp the telephone hotline displayed on the poster or call 0659411394, 0659397062, 0606921729, 0687693164, 0661722393. This is an event you dont want to missKUKRUDU.. NPP FRANCE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE 23.05.2016 LISTEN Hypocrisy in the context of Gr. Drama was applied to an actor on the theater stage. There are two forms hypocrisy can take: that of professing belief in something and then acting in a manner contrary to that belief, and that of looking down on others when we ourselves are flawed. The word "hypocrisy" is a Greek term for "actor" which elucidates someone who pretends to be what he is not. It is the reason why "hypocrisy" was applied metaphorically to a person who "acts" in real life, pretending to be better than he actually is, one who simulates goodness. The word hypocrisy is one enemy that has come to live with human beings and swiftly taking over lives. Hypocrisy is wrong no matter how one attempt to justify it. It is highly detestable and must be frown upon in our various societies. It is really sickening the way individuals fastidiously watch their fellows just because they are particular about finding their weakeness to use against them as a revenge or whatever, when they are victims of the same circumstance. It is often said "if you live in a glass house, you don't throw stones". This is simply to mean that it is absolutely wrong to accuse people of the same deeds you are personally guilty of. This pernicious behaviour which has live with us (man) for ages has cost people a lot of things especially friendships, marriages, jobs etc amongst others. I mean living a hypocritical behaviour can make you lose the trust of everyone around you. Why should we allow the hypocrisy of others to affect us to the extent that we are deprived of the genuine love of our closest friends? Apparently, this is not the way to go. Sometimes, it is really interesting some of the malicious things you hear about yourself especially when you realize the fellow saying it is not qualified (not in the right position ) enough to perpetrate such lies or badmouth about you or criticise you considering their past. This is very disheartening. Some people are just worse in their own world but will never drink from their own well. They rather take pleasure in badmouthing others behind their back. It is often said, "It is easier to pretend to be what you are not, than to hide what you really are; he that can accomplish both, has little to learn in hypocrisy." Yes! You must first check yourself before you attempt condemning or putting others on their toes. It is just galling when the critics or those condemning do not even have the full details of the subject on which they are condemning you for. The Bible vividly describe hypocrisy as a sin. Jesus addressed the other form of hypocrisy in the Sermon on the Mount: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye ( Matthew 7:3-5 ). In essence, before you attempt to condemn or critisize your brother or sister, it is essential that you check yourself whether you are not flawed in the same weakness. For instance, if you vehemently professed against corruption and you are later found perpetrating the act. What do you want to be called? Is this not a matter of hypocricy and double standard? I believe there is no wrong in trying to correct your fellow man against certain anomalies or wrong deeds but it must be approached with the utmost respect that it deserves. Before you condemn, ensure you have an incisive knowledge about the fellow you want to condemn. The simple way to overcome this enemy (hypocrisy ) is to stop saying bad things about people unless maybe you are willing to say it to the person's face. Let's stop badmouthing Let's stop judging; For God is the best judge Stay positive ! Writer: G/Const. Felix Kwaku-Dua/ www.felixkwakudua.com Reg. Hqrs, Accra. 23.05.2016 LISTEN We love the thickening dark clouds with its thundering flashes of light and sound. It signifies rains. The thickened dark clouds usually empty its water vapour content on us as rains. Sometimes other things happen. The thick dark clouds will form, only to suddenly disappear and sunshine takes over in lieu of emptying the water-vapour content as rains. Raise your head and see the rough scattered white clouds above. Then, in the next thirty minutes thereabouts and you are likely to see the rough scattered white clouds beautifully smoothened out. The patterns lining up the sky keep changing as if someone is deliberately changing them. Likewise, on a typical sunny day and without the formation of the usual dark clouds that herald rains, it does rain. Can you guess why? As you are ready to leave the house for work, it begins to rain. That means you have to arrive at work late. Lo and behold, you got to work just some 3km drive away only to realize that it never rained at the work place in the same area. Wow, we exclaimed. To paraphrase Steve Crown in his track, You are great. We treble and praise and say you are great, oh God. We have all witnessed the above weather wonders. They amazed us. Who could make it rain in Madina but not at the Nkrumah Circle, all in Accra? Is the weather itself the source of these captivating wonders or these wonders are indicative of the invisible hands of God controlling the weather? Read on. It is the behavior of this weather, full of wonders, that the meteorologists are supposed to predict for the public to tailor their daily activities. In the course of evening news, there is information for the public about how the weather would probably behave the next few days. The weather report read in wednesday evening news says that thursday will generally be sunny in your region. Yet when thursday comes, it rains in lieu of being sunny as predicted by the weather report. Never mind. The saturday evening news says sunday will be cloudy, hence we should expect rain. Sunday came and all was sunny, hot throughout. Is the meteorological department ill-equipped logistically as in instrumentation and resource personnel, we asked? You see in a country where the people are yet to acculturate the importance of weather report from meteorologists into their daily activities with all the seriousness it deserves, unreliable predictions are the least we expect. Accordingly but unjustifiably, many do and even conclude that the weather reports from the department are untrustworthy. Therefore, Ghanaians rarely trust weather reports from the Meteorological Department. But, the main question to grapple with which never appear to many is, what is really unreliable; the weather or the predicted report? This question never bothered many because to them, God controls the weather. THE DIFFICULTY IN PREDICTING THE WEATHER Somewhere in 2006, professional and amateur astronomers thronged Ghana to have a clearer view of the predicted eclipse. We joined the visitors with our shades on to gaze the alignment of the heavenly bodies that always smacks the hell out of our forebears as something supernatural. This eclipse was predicted long ago and we were all eagerly anticipating the d-day (29th March 2006) until it came. It happened as predicted, and Ghana experienced almost a full dark cloud covering. We watched the partial solar eclipse of November 2013 as well happened as predicted. Why did the prediction not fail that day given it was predicted long ago? Well, the combined laws and equations of Newton and Kepler were enough to trail the motions of the heavenly bodies. Using these approximated laws and equations, models were devised through which we send satellites to space and predict eclipses far into the future. The satellites always reach their destinations. The predicted eclipses, even if predicted tens of years ahead do happen as predicted. Maybe, this is a sure sign that through science and mathematics, our species relatively understood the heavenly dynamics. It is the peak of the triumph (or is it illusion?) of traditional science that, understanding the laws of Nature empowers humanity to predict the behaviors of Nature. Interestingly we can predict eclipse, a rare heavenly cosmic event, yet find it extremely difficult to predict the weather accurately even for a day, let alone a week or month. Is the weather also not in motion like the planets? Read on. THE WEATHER Yes, it is in motion like the planets. But the dynamics are not exactly the same. The objects (planet and collection of gases) under discussion are different in terms of size. In dynamics or motion descriptions, the size of the objects matters. Hence the combined laws and equations of Newton and Kepler that worked unreasonably effectively in successfully predicting eclipse tens of years ahead are woefully inadequate when applied to the motion of the constituents making up the weather. Worst, the weather is a combinatorial effect of the wind, temperature and pressure of the atmosphere at any instant in time. The atmosphere is a collection of gases and dust particles that are in constant random motion. As the earth journeys round the sun in its rotation and revolutions, the motion of the gases defines the wind, temperature and pressure of the atmosphere. Because there are several ways for these large collections of gases to arrange themselves due to their random motions, the weather is hardly the same for any short time despite the constancy of seasons. The mathematical equations employed to describe it, underlying the possible model used in predicting, keep approaching but never zeroing in on its behavior in any appreciable approximations. In other words, the weather is a complex chaotic system. A complex chaotic system is a system that is extremely sensitive to its conditions. It has the capacity and capability of self-organization. This means whatever happening anywhere within it potentially affects the entire system with different emergent actualizations at different places. This will explain why rough clouds that formed will suddenly disappear for sunshine to take over as the weather might be responding to perturbations somewhere faraway. The reason why patterns lining up the sky keep changing more quickly than you can keep abreast with. The same applies to why the dark clouds that is always indicative of rain will occasionally not empty its content as rain on us as a response to some disturbances. It will explain why it does rain suddenly even on sunny days without prior indications from the usual formation of dark clouds. In fact, it will explain why it can rain at your home but not your workplace in the same area some 5km away. The reason it will rain in Madina and not Nkrumah Circle, all in Accra. These are all responses by the weather to the least imaginable disturbances anywhere within it and its attendant cumulative effects somewhere. In other words, the awe-inspiring wonders of the weather are due to its internally driven self-organization as continuous responses to the perturbations within it. It makes the weather inherently unpredictable. At best, it is predictably unpredictable. The unpredictability is not a hiding place for the visible or invisible hand of any God to control and wreck wonders with the weather. If it was ever true that God indeed controls the weather as the ancients believed and inherited by the typical religious, the Akosombo Dam would have been filled by now with the innumerable prayers to God to do so to offset the fall of water levels hampering our energy generation capacity. There was no answer and would never be not because of your (or is it our?) sins, unbelief and unfaithfulness (the usual superstitious excuses) but simply because God does not control the weather. The weather controls itself via its own self-organization. The superstitious belief that God controls the weather resulted in some people blaming the usual unacceptable behavior of others religiously called sin as being responsible for the continuous absence of rains in some villages and communities. Our sins are so powerful that they do prevent God from making it rain on us as well as on our farms for better bountiful harvest. Superstition is always interesting. In addition to that, others believed that some human beings have supernatural powers to prevent the thickened dark clouds from ever emptying its water-vapour content as rains. That is these people could and do change the dark thick clouds. In fact, if they can change clouds from making it rain, they could make it rain as well. Just that, do not ask why no one bus them to Akosombo Dam to fill it? Today, we do not know all. Yet we know better. CONCLUSION To the question, which is unreliable; the weather or the report from the Meteorological Department, it is the weather, and not the report. The weather is unreliable in the sense that it is a complex chaotic system. It is very sensitive to its own conditions born of the unpredictable dynamics of its makeup. Yet the weather reports from the Meteorological department are sometimes correct even if coincidentally. Therefore, Ghanaians can still trust the reports from the meteorological department despite the occasional or routine mis-predictions. Even in advanced nations with all their state-of-the-art equipments, the mis-predictions are as common as the predictions. This is simply because the uncertainties are the certainties of the weather and all complex chaotic systems. It is non-linear, non-deterministic, and as such described with such equations. The linear and deterministic cause and effect do not follow as common sense and traditional science told us. Minor changes in the weather somewhere could wreck untold consequences somewhere. In fact, to paraphrase the Experts in Complex Chaotic Systems with their famous Butterfly effect, when a butterfly in Aflao flaps its wings, the Flagstaff House in Accra can be flooded as the weather responds to this perturbation introduced by the butterfly. That is impossible for any meteorological department to predict. So contrary to traditional science of knowing the laws of nature to predicting its behavior, the modern science is clear, that, even if man could know the laws of Nature, it will be extremely difficult if not impossible to predict Natures behavior as the weather demonstrate. Therefore, the best every Mayor of any city does in collaboration with the citizenry is to rely on the Meteorological reports, create free highway for water bodies and more importantly, oiling the machinery of the response teams by equipping them to accommodate the intrinsic unpredictable uncertainties of the weather. Seshie Stanley Whatsapp: 0248412308 On this day, May 23, in 1934, police killed infamous outlaw couple Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow outside of Sailes, Louisiana. Several weeks before they were killed, Parker penned a poem titled "The Trail's End" that became the basis for "Bonnie and Clyde," a beautiful French-language song that Serge Gainsbourg wrote and performed with Brigitte Bardot in 1968. Here's Bonnie's original poem: The Trail's End You've read the story of Jesse James of how he lived and died. If you're still in need; of something to read, here's the story of Bonnie and Clyde. Now Bonnie and Clyde are the Barrow gang I'm sure you all have read. how they rob and steal; and those who squeal, are usually found dying or dead. There's lots of untruths to these write-ups; they're not as ruthless as that. their nature is raw; they hate all the law, the stool pidgeons, spotters and rats. They call them cold-blooded killers they say they are heartless and mean. But I say this with pride that I once knew Clyde, when he was honest and upright and clean. But the law fooled around; kept taking him down, and locking him up in a cell. Till he said to me; "I'll never be free, so I'll meet a few of them in hell" The road was so dimly lighted there were no highway signs to guide. But they made up their minds; if all roads were blind, they wouldn't give up till they died. The road gets dimmer and dimmer sometimes you can hardly see. But it's fight man to man and do all you can, for they know they can never be free. From heart-break some people have suffered from weariness some people have died. But take it all in all; our troubles are small, till we get like Bonnie and Clyde. If a policeman is killed in Dallas and they have no clue or guide. If they can't find a fiend, they just wipe their slate clean and hang it on Bonnie and Clyde. There's two crimes committed in America not accredited to the Barrow mob. They had no hand; in the kidnap demand, nor the Kansas City Depot job. A newsboy once said to his buddy; "I wish old Clyde would get jumped. In these awfull hard times; we'd make a few dimes, if five or six cops would get bumped" The police haven't got the report yet but Clyde called me up today. He said,"Don't start any fights; we aren't working nights, we're joining the NRA." From Irving to West Dallas viaduct is known as the Great Divide. Where the women are kin; and the men are men, and they won't "stool" on Bonnie and Clyde. If they try to act like citizens and rent them a nice little flat. About the third night; they're invited to fight, by a sub-gun's rat-tat-tat. They don't think they're too smart or desperate they know that the law always wins. They've been shot at before; but they do not ignore, that death is the wages of sin. Some day they'll go down together they'll bury them side by side. To few it'll be grief, to the law a relief but it's death for Bonnie and Clyde. Nana Akufo-Addo - NPP Presidential Candidate 23.05.2016 LISTEN Nana Akufo-Addo has said contrary to "vile propaganda" that he is not far from dying, he is nowhere near his grave. 'They say I am an old man with one foot in the grave. But, here I am. I am OK. As for death, its up to the Almighty. We all dont know when we will be called. What you see before you is a small man with a big heart for Ghana," he said in the Volta Region while worshipping with some churches to show appreciation to the region for hosting him during his four-day campaign tour. The three-time flagbearer also beseeched Christians to pray for him so he becomes a good leader should he win the November polls. Worshipping with congregants at the S.S Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Aflao on Sunday, May 22, 2016, at the end of his tour, Mr Akufo-Addo urged the congregation to remember the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in their prayers, and pray for victory for the NPP this year. And please dont forget your man-servant, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in your prayers. Pray that the Almighty gives me strength, wisdom, courage and a compassionate heart to be a good leader, he implored. The NPP leader thanked the Chiefs and people of the region for the exceptional welcome he has received from them since he began his 4-day tour of the region. I am very grateful to all the people I have met for the wonderful welcome that they have given me and my delegation. May God bless you all, he said. The tour saw him visit Anloga, Keta, Adidome, Ave-Dakpa, Akatsi, Klikor, Agbozume and Aflao to interact with the Chiefs and people. He told the congregation that his presence in the region was meant to repair the relationship and close the gap between the Volta Region and the NPP. Describing 2016 as a critical year for the country, the NPP flagbearer explained that he is offering himself for the leadership of the country because I believe I have something to contribute to making Ghana a much stronger and prosperous country, where there are jobs for our young people. That is why I am contesting for the leadership. I cannot succeed without your support. And, that is why I am here, to plead for the support of the Volta Region. He said with Pope Francis decreeing 2016 as The Year of Mercy, we pray that the Almighty will show His Mercy to Ghana, and we pray for the peace and stability of our country. That he should show Mercy to the Electoral Commission, so they can conduct a free, fair and transparent election. If it is free and fair, the results can easily be accepted by everybody, so that there will be peace in our country. Chairman of NPPs Volta regional arm, John Peter Amewu, on behalf of the party, donated 10 packets of roofing sheets to the church. At the Global Evangelical Church Victory Centre, Aflao, Mr Akufo-Addo, encouraged members of the church not to despair and lose hope, in the face of mounting and severe economic difficulties confronting the nation, under the leadership of President John Mahama. We, in the NPP, have the men and women to give this nation a first class government that will turn the fortunes of the country around and give Ghanaians a decent standard of living, because we are going to work honestly to solve the problems of our people, he indicated. The NPP flagbearer, at the church, donated an unspecified amount of money towards the Churchs building project. Nana Akufo-Addo also worshipped at the Church of Pentecost, Aflao Assembly, where he urged the congregation to continue to repose their faith in God. He appealed to the congregation to vote for him and the NPP, in this years elections, stating that trust me and try me, and I will not disappoint you. Apart from the regional chairman of the NPP, Mr Akufo-Addo was accompanied by Tommy Amematekpor, former Advisor to former President Kufuor; Mrs Agnes Okudzeto, former NPP 3rd National Vice Chairperson; Dr. Archibald Letsa, Volta Regional NPP 1st Vice Chairman; Joe Denteh, NPP Volta Regional Treasurer; Joseph Hoemenyah, NPP Volta Regional Secretary; Maxwell Lugudor, NPP parliamentary candidate for Ketu South; Kenwuud Nuworsu, former Volta Regional NPP Chairman; Joseph Nayan, former Volta Region Deputy Minister and former NPP MP for Nkwanta North; Johnson Avulate, former Volta Regional NPP Organiser; Campaign Aides, Pius Enam Hadzide, Iddrisu Musah Superior and Fatimatu Abubakar, amongst others. Turkey, the host of the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit will on 23 and 24 May 2016 be the center of attraction where most organisations dealing with humanitarian issues will converge to address global humanitarian crises including conflicts, pandemics, exodus of refugees among others. The African Union (AU) delegation to this important historical event will be led by H.E Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission. H.E. Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union and other high level officials of the AU Commission will be part of the AU delegation at the World Humanitarian Summit. The AU's theme for this event is One Africa, One Voice, One Message at the World Humanitarian Summit. The city of Istanbul has been branded with posters and banners carrying messages announcing the global event. Today, Saturday 21 May 2016, many Journalists and delegates from all over the world gathered at the venue of the Summit for the registration formalities in view to participate at the upcoming event. The African Union has set up an exhibition corner at the Summit venue to showcase the different activities undertaken by the Union to address the humanitarian situation and concerns of the African people. An African Union High Level Panel on the theme: Humanitarian Effectiveness in Africa' has also been scheduled for 24 May 2016 to unveil Africa's proposed reforms to its humanitarian architecture. The panelists will exchange views on how to achieve effective humanitarian response and durable solutions to the humanitarian crises in the continent. According to the organisers, the current international humanitarian system can no longer adequately address today's humanitarian crises. Yet, today, we observe three basic facts: Growing complexity of contemporary humanitarian crises, the great majority of which are conflict related; Growing financing gap between ever-increasing needs and limited resources; and Growing suffering of affected peoples and communities, as a consequence. Today, 80% of humanitarian needs are caused by conflict, with most being recurrent or protracted crises lasting years long. Moreover, such crises are transcending borders as the recent tragic exodus of refugees and effects of pandemics are constantly reoccurring. The World Humanitarian Summit will therefore address the extraordinary challenges to the current international humanitarian system. The Summit, co-hosted by Turkey and the UN Secretary General, would gather the world leaders with the affected communities and would seek answers for the urgent challenges to the future of the system together with NGOs, private sector and representatives of other stakeholders. The World Humanitarian Summit will hold against a backdrop of a rapidly changing humanitarian landscape, with Africa facing growing impact of disasters. To that effect, the African Union will present its own commitments to the continent and its people including the need for redefining the international humanitarian systemas formulated in the Common African Position on Humanitarian Effectiveness. In spite of the gravity of these crises, humanitarian response in Africa still relies heavily on a global system, whose character is complex and need to be reformed. This is because of the fact that the humanitarian system founded by UN Resolution 46/182, 20 years ago is overstretched and requires fundamental reforms. The Africa Union will seize the moment at Istanbul to reaffirm its future priorities and unequivocally call for an inclusive, transparent and fairer humanitarian system. Recalling its fundamental Ideals, the Africa Union will renew its call for mutually beneficial partnerships that seek to put humanity at the fore by enhancing collective ownership of the proposed Agenda for humanity. Greenstreet 23.05.2016 LISTEN He is in his mid-40s and so no one can blame the Presidential Candidate of the rump-Convention Peoples Party (r-CPP) for falsely believing that the Nkrumah-led Convention Peoples Party (CPP) was the best government postcolonial Ghana ever had (See NDC, NPP Have Disabled Many Ghanaians Kasapafmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 5/15/16). Still, as a graduate of the University of Ghana, the countrys flagship academy, and a professionally trained lawyer, Mr. Ivor Kobina Greenstreet is intelligent enough to avail himself of the writings of the most reliable historians, scholars and economists of the Nkrumah era. The first question he needs to ask himself is as follows: What are some of the salient factors that led to the overthrow of the Convention Peoples Party on February 24, 1966? If he cares to Google up the preceding question, he would be staggered by the multiplicity of answers that pop up right in his face. Indeed, by the eve of Nkrumahs overthrow, Ghanas economy had been effectively bankrupted partly as a result of his profligate investment in the Pan-Africanist ideology and project at the expense of the development of the very country whose voters elected him to govern them. Nkrumah saw Ghana as a mere stepping-stone to his grand, albeit woefully premature, ambition of ruling a united continental Africa. Unemployment had shot up the charts beyond anything witnessed in the history of the modern Ghanaian economy at the time. By 1961, all civil and public service workers would be coerced into ceding 10-percent of their salaries and wages to feed the increasingly insatiable CPP juggernaut. In the area of democratic governance and individual freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, Nkrumah had absolutely nothing worthwhile to show for his leadership. This has even prompted some otherwise objective and well-meaning critics and scholars of the period to suggest that Nkrumah may very well have deliberately used the occasion of his self-appointed mission to Hanoi, Indo-China, to supposedly bring an end to the Vietnam War, as a deft and convenient exit strategy, to the shock and horror of his most ardent disciples, supporters and sympathizers. But what is even more significant to highlight here is the fact that since 1982, most of the people who have held the reins of governance have been either dyed-in-the-wool Nkrumaists or leftists with the same populist and faux-socialist orientation and dictatorial mindset as Kwame Nkrumah. Mr. Greenstreet has the luxury of self-righteously decrying the inability of parents and guardians to pay school fees and access healthcare, these days, because he was not born at the time. Still, him not having been born at the time does not excuse him from visiting the record books for an accurate picture of the period. Indeed, while the CPP regime laudably pursued a policy of free education an initiative first suggested by Mr. William Paa Willie Ofori-Atta in the 1930s nevertheless, access to decent elementary and secondary education left much to be desired. Access to healthcare was also well below even the most conservative expectations. And so, really, Mr. Greenstreet only exacerbates matters by cavalierly presuming the CPP to be the proverbial gold standard by which to gauge Ghanas postcolonial development. Ghanaians have also heard a far more eloquent and inventive faux-religious mantra such as Mr. Greenstreets so-called Apam Fofor or his New Covenant with the Ghanaian electorate. This, of course, is no accident at all, for his role model, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, was a well-trained theologian. Nkrumah would suavely, strategically and shrewdly declare as follows: Seek ye first the political kingdom, and all else shall be added unto you. Greenstreets version of the Nkrumaist mantra pathetically lacks fervor and authenticity, because it was hastily and expediently cobbled together. It also rings annoyingly deja-vu. His political strategist, Prof. Edmund Delle is a man who appears to be ideologically stuck in the old effete mode. The Nkrumaist principles which Mr. Greenstreet and Ms. Samia Yaba Nkrumah have been screaming for will not work, because you cannot simply pour old wine into new bottles and then mischievously and cynically label it fresh and fizzy. Sooner than later, any unsuspecting people would catch on to the truth once they uncork the bottle, only to be virulently confronted with the insufferable stench of yesteryears political rot. Mr. Greenstreet would also do far better to avoid unduly playing up his motile disability, or paralysis, as a metaphorical symbol of the purported failure of National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic Party governments. The records are there for all to see. In sum, it cannot be gainsaid that when it comes to governance, the National Democratic Congress is no classmate or peer of the New Patriotic Party. Equally, it cannot be gainsaid that the rump-Convention Peoples Party is the veritable clone of the National Democratic Congress. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs File Photo 23.05.2016 LISTEN BBC Africa will bring audiences special programming from Zambia this month, featuring a debate on Africas water crisis and special broadcasts of Focus on Africa live from Lusaka. Todays editions of Focus on Africa will broadcast at 1600, 1800 and 2000 in Zambia (1500, 1700 and 1900GMT) and come live from Lusaka. Further Zambian broadcasts will follow in the week. The programmes will include a look at the issue of water management and of the importance of access to sanitation for young women in education; relations between Zambians and the Rwandan diaspora; and the key issues shaping the election campaign which launched officially last week. The May edition of BBC Africa Debate the flagship current affairs discussion programme on BBC World Service radio - will come from Lusaka, Zambia, and look at the availability of water, sanitation and toilets in Africa. Presenters Rebecca Kesby and Akwasi Sarpong will be joined by an invited audience and a distinguished panel, including Kapumpe-Valentine Musakanya, CEO of Toilet Yanga; minister for Local Government and Housing, Stephen Kampyongo; and Pamela Chisanga, Water Aids Country Director for Zambia, to discuss how Africa will solve its water crisis. Further details here . The programme can be heard on the BBC World Service on Fri 27 May at 1900GMT and online at bbcafrica.com , listeners from around the continent can also join in with the discussion by using the hashtag #BBCAfricaDebate on social media. Cairo (AFP) - Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb, who had a historic meeting with Pope Francis on Monday, has been on a mission to update Islamic thought while championing classical scholarship against jihadist ideologues. The 70-year old Tayeb was appointed by ousted president Hosni Mubarak in 2010, and as a senior member of the strongman's National Democratic Party, was widely viewed as possibly another compliant cleric of the state. But the bookish philosopher has proved to be an astute politician, leveraging the uprising that ousted Mubarak to gain some autonomy for Al-Azhar, viewed as Sunni Islam's paramount seat of learning. His efforts paid off by securing Al-Azhar the right to elect its own head, rather than having him appointed by the president. Since 2013, when then army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, Tayeb has walked a fine line to maintain an independent role for the institution. Tayeb, like the Coptic Orthodox Church and the country's opposition leaders, supported Morsi's overthrow, which led to a bloody crackdown on Islamists that killed hundreds of protesters. He had tried reaching out to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood to avoid further bloodshed, at a time when the military-appointed regime seemed more interested in eliminating the group. Egypt has faced a deadly jihadist insurgency since, while now President Sisi has pressured Al-Azhar to "modernise" Islamic thought -- a controversial mandate from a former general who lacks religious scholarly credentials and who came to power by suppressing political Islamists. "There is tension between an executive that wants to do the whole religious revolution stuff and Al-Azhar, which doesn't necessarily view the state as having the competency to even engage in this discussion," said analyst HA Hellyer. - Adapting Islamic thought - "They're not interested in being encouraged in that direction by someone they see as outside the religious establishment," said Hellyer, a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council Centre for the Middle East. Tayeb himself has espoused adapting Islamic thought to the 21st century, especially for Muslims living in Western countries, while refuting the ultra-conservativism of jihadis. He has condemned the Islamic State group and other jihadists as "terrorists" and fanatics whose brand of Islam is misguided at best. But the former professor of Islamic philosophy, who received a PhD from Paris-Sorbonne University, has stressed that reforms should be grounded in classical Islamist thought. He combines both "preserving tradition and modern thought and civilisation", said Sheikh Mohamed Mohanna, an adviser to Tayeb. "He studied in France. He is open to the world," he said. When he headed Al-Azhar University before becoming head of the umbrella institution, Tayeb would gently chastise his students on minding the finer points of Arabic grammar as they read aloud a classic text, while telling them to keep an open mind to philosophy. "Those people, they served Islam," he told students about rationalist Mutazilite Muslims viewed as heretics by many Sunni scholars. "I mean having a disagreement shouldn't exclude someone from being a Muslim. This is just a war between schools of thought, whose place is the classroom." Tayeb was especially inspired by the great Andalusian Sufi Ibn Arabi, and translated works by French Orientalists on the 12th century mystic. "He looks for wisdom wherever he can find it," said Mohanna. Nana Akufo-Addo - NPP Presidential Candidate 23.05.2016 LISTEN The Change Agenda being spearheaded by the New Patriotic Party is indeed catching up with almost all Ghanaians who are reeling under the excruciating and unbearable hardships foisted on the nation by the incompetent Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government. The massive crowd that welcomed the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during his just-ended tour of the Volta Region was a clear manifestation of how Ghanaians want a change. Some areas in the region which hitherto were considered hostile grounds for the NPP have now opened up to the party, and embraced the wind of change that is blowing across the country. In fact, it is an understatement to point out that the eight years of the Mahama-led NDC administration has not only worsened the plight of Ghanaians, but also created a real sense of hopelessness among the masses. What has the Mahama administration transformed since it assumed the reins of power? Yes, we all know some lives have been transformed, but the question is whose lives have been transformed under the presidency of John Dramani Mahama? The beneficiaries of GYEEDA have undoubtedly had a transformation in their lives. The Smartyys brigades, we can say, have also seen transformation in their lives. If this is the sort of transformation the NDC has been preaching about all this while, or wants Ghanaians to believe, then another four years for this government will more or less transform Ghana into a hell, governed by greedy bastards who are only interested in the agenda to create, loot and share the nations resources. We believe Ghanaians from all parts of the country have now seen through the attempt by the Mahama government to create the opportunity for few family members and cronies to make wealth at the expense of the collective good of the nation. That is why the people of Volta Region cannot continue to offer their electoral support to President Mahama and his government in the upcoming elections. This was clearly evidenced in the kind of reception Nana Akufo-Addo received during his just-ended tour to the region. As Nana Akufo-Addo indicated succinctly, the effects of the mismanagement of the Mahama government is not being felt by only one group of people in the country. All Ghanaians are victims of the gross economic mismanagement and unsound business policies that have combined to create a very hostile business environment that is leading to the collapse of many businesses, with its concomitant problem of escalating unemployment. The Ghanaian voters have become so discerning that one cannot take them for a fool anymore. The people of Volta region will therefore have no problem supporting a party that carries the track record of ensuring the creation of sound environment for businesses to thrive. They, just like any group of Ghanaians, are seeking a return to the days where they could attend teacher training and nursing training colleges and enjoy allowances. They also look up to a return to the era where social intervention programmes, such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme, Free Maternal Health Care, and others, offered real reliefs to the vulnerable and under-privileged. This is what has strengthened the Change Agenda being spearheaded by the NPP. This agenda has certainly become an agenda of the suffering, who are in the vast majority. That is why the wind of change is now becoming irresistible, and cannot be thwarted by any force as the nation inches towards this years election. The need for change is the most crucial thing for every Ghanaian now. That change is now a Ghanaian agenda; so all must help realize it. Gong, gong, gong, gong, gong! The town crier beat the gong-gong in the village square to announce his presence and tell the people what the chief has for them. Township! Nana si ori greet mu! Ori si meeting no na oni opanyin fuo have ye no, about yen development no, ori ma mu ears ate see, henceforth youth bia worsey ori lead good life ani behaviour papa. Abemuwa biara yebe catch wo anajo, sey wo hide hide wo dark corners edi nsem bone, especially, with small small girls aaa wo mia mia won tight, ana sey ye catch youth biara ori smoke smoke nnuro bone, nie Abrofou frenu wee and wu di bring into yen local language ye frenu yen, emera no be deal with wo well well. Township! Deme na Nana sey me telli mu! Ma nu ese! There goes the gong-gong beater announcing the decisions taken by the chief and elders to the inhabitants of a local rural community. All he said was: Greetings from Nana. He sends this message that for the development and well-being of our society, henceforth, any youth caught in the dark doing any immoral act will be dealt with. Also, no one should smoke Indian hemp in the community. Anyone who violates these laws will be dealt with severely. These are the words of Nana. Language is the most essential component of the culture and identity of a people. It is the reservoir of culture, and, according to Prof. Okoth Okombo of the linguistics and communication skills faculty of the University of Nairobi, most of the cultural wealth of a community is stored in its language their philosophy of life, stories and medicinal practices. The death of a language is like the burning of a library, he said. The death of a language does not mean its people have died or phased out, the critically endangered and disappearing of languages come about mainly through the increasing assimilation by larger language groups. In Tanzania, the language of the Hadza community, a small tribe of about 1,300 hunters-gatherers, is fast disappearing. Africa is a continent of over a billion people in fifty-four nations, and has between 2,000 and 2,500 different spoken languages. Some of these languages are critically endangered, and could disappear in a matter of time. The rate of disappearing languages in Africa is due to the official language policies adapted by the countries. Suddenly, it has become very prestigious to speak the foreign language than to speak in your own native tongue. In prestigious schools it is an offense to speak in vernacular, except during local language classes. According to UNESCO, about 231 languages have gone extinct in the world, and out of that number, 37 were from sub-Saharan Africa. Examples are Zeem (Nigeria); Berakuo (Chad); Kwadi (Algeria) and Kw'adza (Tanzania) said to be among those that have gone extinct over the last decade. Nigeria is having 15 endangered languages, perhaps, because it is the most linguistically rich country in Africa. One of its dying languages is Yangham, spoken by people found in the Plateau State. It is mostly those over 50 years of age who still speak the indigenous Yangham. Most of the people have shifted to speaking Hausa. In Cameroon, Bikya and Bishou are among sixteen languages on the highest risk of extinction. In the Central African Republic, Bodo, Birri and Geme had 15,200 and 500 indigenous speakers left respectively, as at 1996. In Kenya, the Yaaku of the Mukugodo forest have their language on the way to extinction as they are absorbed by the Maasai; the Elmolo people of Lake Turkana are fast losing their dialect as they blend it into the neighboring Samburu community, and the Omotik of the Rift Valley have their language on extinction as it is absorbed by the Maasai. Chad has on the extinction list six languages, including Berakou, which had only two speakers in 1995 aged 60 plus, and Mabire which had three speakers in 2001. In Ethiopia, with 90 individual languages, the Ongota language is critically endangered. Located in the Omo region, it had only eight speakers in 2007. And in South Africa, Korana and Xiri and Nu are endangered. Countries like Somalia and Namibia are seriously having some languages going extinct. A lost language is a lost culture, and a lost culture is invaluable knowledge lost. One of the reasons languages die is that children do not acquire their mother tongues, and, therefore, do not reproduce them. Parents start off their kids with the foreign official language, and feel proud showing of the prowess of the little ones when they speak impeccable English, French, etc., etc. In most cases, house helps are mandated to speak only the official language with the children. Another reason why some languages go extinct is their inability to adapt to change and evolve to the changing demands of society. To survive, a language must coin new words, or even borrow some other languages to fit into the environment. In Ghana, the Akan, Twi, has successfully coined up words that have become its vocabulary. For example, when draught beer started becoming popular, the word Bubra was coined. It simply meant fetch and bring, as in fetching water. Today, whenever you go to a drinking spot, instead of saying the mouthful words, draught beer, just demand bubra, and the attendant will surely know what you are talking about. Another recently coined word which is reportedly to have entered the world lexicon is the word dum-so. Instead of going round talking about power cuts, power outages, power rationing, black-out, lights-off, depending on one's social and political divide, the Asantes came out with dum-so, literally meaning put-off/put-on. Today, Ghanaians can be proud to say that a word in our language is adopted into the English language. One local Ghanaian word which found a place long ago in good foreign language dictionaries and accepted as an international word is kwashiorkor. So, at least, we are trying, but can we weather the storm, when even the chief's town crier cannot speak fluent local dialect? In Ghana today, even in the English language, our youth are having difficulties in expressing themselves. Notice boards have strange expressions of English grammar, as one can find someone advertising the sale of dog children, boys and girls. Now there are lots of Fun Clubs sprinkling up, when there should have been Fan Clubs. The situation is even more serious when we take the standard of English spoken and written by most university students. They simply cannot express themselves and choose to speak Patua instead of the Queen's English. Coming back home to culture and what identifies us, we are in an era where we are fast losing it. There is no local dialect that can be spoken fluently without punctuating it with English. During discussions in local languages on radio or television, you are sure to hear one or another member of the panel speaking a paragraph length of English. Our languages are slowly evolving into English, and that will be a way to secure a one-way ticket into extinction. To protect our language, we must, as a matter of urgency, introduce the learning of, at least, three indigenous dialects, from primary through to secondary (high school). A student must learn his or her own mother tongue and two others. With, at least, seventy-nine indigenous languages spoken in Ghana, one may think it will be an uphill task to have such number of teachers in linguistics in every school. One thing we ought to do, as a nation, is to document our languages. Hebrew was one language which was saved from extinction because it was documented and well preserved during the over 1,500 years in the Diaspora, even as the Jews were spread out in different countries in Europe and the Americas. So, when they came back home, they started learning what can be said to be the New Hebrew. Today, over 90% of Jews speak Hebrew. If all the local dialects are documented, pupils and students can be thought via electronics, and so the teacher need not be there. And the advantage of learning at least two other languages is to make the student widely literate in Ghanaian languages. Language is all about culture, and it is the reservoir of the history of the people, that is why foreign students who learn languages of the countries they go to study, learn about the history and culture of the people. You understand phrases and idioms better, when you understand the culture of the people. It is very important to learn about other people's language, especially, when you are visiting. I remember one day in Abidjan, back in the 70s when we went on visit. We decided to have a pet dog at home. One day, my elder brother came from a walk and stated that there were lots of dog sellers around the neighborhood. Puzzled, my father asked how he meant. He said on the gates of such houses were notices which read Chien Menchant. His revelation saved him, because what he saw did not say Dog Merchant as he thought, rather it meant Wild Dogs In Here. We are too proud a race to lose our local dialects, so we must be mindful of our languages. They are our identity and must be safeguarded. We can adopt three or four major languages as Ghana's official languages, and have all notices in English and in the four languages. We see these when we visit some countries and we find out that the people there are proud that God has given them an identity. If our languages die, we die with them, then sooner than later, the chief sitting in state will address his subjects in not too good English. In the meantime, Readership, I am Dan (Done) for now. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz 23.05.2016 LISTEN What happened in Indiana did not stay in Indiana. Presidential campaigns are a genre of nonfiction. Here is how Donald Trump beat Ted Cruz in Indiana and became the GOP nominee. To appropriate the words of editorial titan Sean Coyne, it was a Big Idea. Trumps Big Idea: Make America Great Again! Doubling down, Trump declared in his recent first major foreign policy speech: Our goal is peace and prosperity, not war and destruction. In contrast, Ted Cruz focused on what Coyne calls building blocks. He commandeered delegates, announced a VP appointment, criticized a Trump endorser, attempted to paint Trump as a member of the elite, and so forth. Ive often praised Cruz for offering the best equitable prosperity platform among the candidates. Ive chided him for turning that winning hand into a footnote. Since prosperity (along with peace) is the key issue in presidential politics submerging it was a mistake. As the New York Posts John Crudele recently observed, Americans havent gotten a raise in 16 years . Transforming that stagnation into working family prosperity, coupled with a tough dove defense and foreign policy , is the pivot on which this election should rest. Going to the homepage of the Cruz campaign website, we are invited to join the movement of courageous conservatives. To get to Jobs and Opportunity , one of seven issues featured by Cruz, one must click on Issues and scroll through to the second-to-last item of a drop down menu. Trumps campaign website delivers us directly to a home page proclaiming Make AMERICA Great Again! Trumps positions are collected under Positions, a more assertive category than Cruzs Issues. Three of Trumps seven positions are economic. They include repeal of Obamacare, which is missing from Cruzs. Big Ideas trump building blocks. One hopes that Donald Trump will adopt Cruzs economic policy agenda wholesale. Cruzs ideas from a flat tax to the gold standard are fully consistent with Trumps own leanings. Even better, in fact. And note to the Democrats. Not at all dissimilar policies, such as cutting the capital gains tax rate and the Feds Great Moderation, under President Bill Clinton, led to sizzling economic growth, job creation, upward mobility, and federal budget surpluses. One hopes Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will adopt President Clintons economic policies, or at least philosophy, wholesale. Both candidates so doing (Trump adopts Cruz and Clinton adopts Clinton) would offer America a presidential competition driven by who can grow the economy fastest and fairest of-them-all. That is a competition that American working families deserve. How to win? The two most important technical elements of any presidential campaign are its governing narrative and its projection of that narrative to the voters. Trump formulated, and relentlessly projected, Make America Great Again! Cruz? TrusTed. As my colleague Maggie Gallagher wrote some weeks ago in National Review : But Cruz needs to do more to bring voters to his side than presenting himself as the races anti-Trump. He needs a message focused on what his election will do for America, not conservatives: trusted to create jobs, trusted to restrain government, trusted to tame the Federal Reserve that is ruining your familys paycheck and opportunities. Cruz did not see fit to listen to Maggies advice. Pity. The greatest Master Wizard of narrative at work today might be cultural critic Shawn Coyne. I referenced Coyne before in a column in which I called the Trump campaign politics noir. In a recent edition of Coynes indispensable blog, Story Grid , Coyne continues his explication of narrative. Coyne reverse engineers how Malcolm Gladwell constructed The Tipping Point into an improbably massive best seller. Coynes shrewd guidance equally is applicable to war And to a presidential campaign: Just before the Israeli militarys blitzkrieg offensive against the allied Arab nations massed at its borders in 1967, the word repeated over and over again on Air Force bases and on the sands of the Sinai was Kavanah. Kavanah means grand intention. The Sabras were instructed to remember just one thing when the chaos of combat overwhelmed them. Remember the Kavanah. For the pilots their global mission was to wipe out Arab airstrips while defending Israeli airspace. If they took care of the airstrips, defending the air space would be a hell of a lot easier. Kavanahs are not Matarahs, which are building block objectives. Kavanahs are the global intention. So as we stand in Malcolm Gladwells shoes trying to deconstruct how he could have put his book together, we first need to remind ourselvesas often as necessary but at least at the beginning of each work session[of] his Kavanah. Whats that Big Idea again? Napoleon Bonaparte once made a similar riveting point : What a thing is imagination! Here are men who dont know me, who have never seen me, but who only knew of me, and they are moved by my presence, they would do anything for me! And this same incident arises in all centuries and in all countries! Such is fanaticism! Yes, imagination rules the world. The defect of our modern institutions is that they do not speak to the imagination. By that alone can man be governed; without it he is but a brute. How did Trump win Indiana, and with it, the GOP nomination? Trump shrewdly deployed the most powerful force in politics, narrative, an appeal to the popular imagination. As I wrote here : Trump offers a great story. Cruz offers a great argument. Arguments win arguments. Narratives win votes. Trump throws the ultimate political curve ball: a compelling Narrative. Conservatives love to win arguments. Lawyers live by winning arguments. Ted Cruz is a rock-ribbed conservative. And hes a lawyer. Double whammy. Ted Cruz is a man of great tactical brilliance. If he could master the power of narrative he would have a bright political future. Cruzs considerable gifts propelled him from obscurity to second place in the biggest political contest of them all, in near record time. Not shabby. Donald Trump would be shrewd to tap Cruz for his running mate. The same heuristic that makes #1 the presidential candidate makes #2 the vice presidential candidate. Picking Cruz would reassure most of the conservative GOP base that #NeverTrump is misguided. This would unite the GOP. Trump, if he wins, would have a maverick former US Senator down the hall, one well suited to help make America great again. Accepting the vice presidential nomination would give Cruz a chance to understudy with someone who understands Napoleons insight that imagination rules the world. Game on? A presidential campaign is a genre of nonfiction. Will Donald Trumps proficiency in weaving so compelling a narrative be powerful enough to prevail over the far more experienced but prosaic Hillary Clinton? Originating at Forbes.com 23.05.2016 LISTEN The Federal Government has said it increased the price of petrol to raise money to run the system, since the country was broke. Government said Nigeria's foreign earnings had drastically reduced in recent times and that the only way out of its present financial quagmire was to look inwards to generate more money. Information Minister, Mr. Lai Mohammed, stated these while briefing newsmen at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday. Also at the briefing were Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and Labour Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige. Mr. Lai Mohammed said: The current problem is not really about subsidy removal. It is about the fact that Nigeria is broke. Pure and simple! It is like when somebody who has been earning N100,000 a month is faced with a situation where his employer says, henceforth you will be earning N10,000 a month. He would need to make some very painful decisions and some very painful adjustments. That is the situation with Nigeria today. Source : vanguardngr.com 23.05.2016 LISTEN From Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN-Ghana) plans to invest a total of $96 million this year in network and IT infrastructure to improve upon capacity, speed and reliability. Out the $96 million, a chunk of $62 million would be channeled into the improvement of existing infrastructure. Madam Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Services Executive, who announced these at a media and stakeholders forum in Kumasi, during which the 20th anniversary of Scancom Limited, operators of MTN was launched, said $16 million would go into IT services while $18 million would cater for the 4G LTE system. Referring to MTN's contributions to National Development, Madam Lumor said the company paid GHc675.6 million in profit after tax to the Government of Ghana through the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). The MTN, as the biggest (6%) taxpayer in Ghana, also paid GHc43.7 million in license and permits to the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) while $26.1 million was committed to SIIT. She said the MTN has also provided about 500,000 jobs to indigenes through partnerships and suppliers besides a staff of over 2,000 across the country. The MTN Executive said in sustaining the culture of giving back to society under its corporate social responsibility, MTN expended a total of GHc1,167.969.88 on projects in Ghana out of which GHc21 million were on projects in Ashanti region in the areas of Health, Education and empowerment. Madam Lumor assured that the MTN, which has a subscriber base of 17 million currently from 2.5 million when MTN commenced operations in 2006, would continue to transform operating models and remain efficient with the customer at the centre. Mr. Charles Osei-Akoto, Senior Technical Manager and Head of Technical Unit giving a technical update of the company disclosed that the 4G expansion programme is ongoing with 55 cells as at April 30, 2016. He said there are 472 cell sites for its 2G system and 335 3G cell sites under its infrastructure development. In the area of commerce, MTN has 34 branches of distribution outlets with a total of 9,000 in Ashanti. As part of 20th anniversary, MTN has outlined activities including lectures, festival and exhibitions between May and August this year tomark the occasion. A man who goes by the single name of Obaidullah was never convicted of of a crime, yet remained in Guantanamo for 14 years, even after charges against him were dropped in 2011. From The Guardian: US forces captured Obaidullah during a raid in Afghanistan in July 2002 when he was about 19. They found about 20 unactivated land mines buried in a field near his home. Authorities later concluded he was part of a bomb cell linked to al-Qaida, an allegation his lawyers have denied. He was charged in the military tribunals in September 2008 with conspiracy and providing material support for terrorism, which appeals courts have said cannot be pursued as war crimes at Guantanamo for conduct that occurred before 2006. The government dismissed the charges in 2011 and his lawyers have been pressing for his release ever since. Of the 80 remaining prisoners being held at Guantanamo, 28 are cleared for release. Okokolo (Nigeria) (AFP) - Blessing Joseph lies on a sofa, her eyes fixed on the butt of a rifle that she says she won't hesitate to use if Fulani herdsmen come back to her remote village in central Nigeria. The 19-year-old student isn't the only one. Teenagers and even young boys carry machetes and daggers in villages in the Agatu area of Benue state. "My father told me not to go out without holding a cutlass with which I can defend myself if attacked," David Inalegwu, a nine-year-old primary school pupil, told AFP. As Blessing watches, youths pass around a jerrycan of local gin, discussing a spate of attacks in February blamed on heavily armed Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring Nasarawa state. Community leader James Ochoche Edoh said more than 20 Agatu villages were affected near the river Benue that forms the border with Nasarawa. "Approximately 500 people or more could have been killed," he claimed, in an unverified figure repeated by the former leader of Nigeria's Senate, David Mark, who represents the district. "The recent attacks took us by surprise," said Edoh in the main Agatu town of Obagaji. "Families have been separated or killed." - 'No just cause' - Violence blamed on Fulani herdsmen has given Nigeria's government another security headache in addition to Boko Haram Islamists in the northeast and militants in the oil-producing south. The worst affected villages in February's attacks were Okokolo, Adagbo, Akwu, Aila and Odugbeho. Residents told AFP nearly 50 people were killed and more than 1,000 properties ransacked or razed. "The Fulanis killed our kinsmen, burnt or destroyed 327 of our houses in this village and for no just cause," said Christopher Onah, the chief of Okokolo. Onah picked up spent cartridges from the ground and showed the damage to his rice and yam barns, a motorcycle and generator. His home was ransacked, as were the churches, mosque and schools. "There's nothing left for us again after the the attack," said Anyebe Peter, a farmer in Adagbo, where seven people were killed and 250 houses were burnt down. In Akwu, 30 people died and more than 600 houses were destroyed as well as a medical clinic. Peter, whose 27-year-old son was shot and is still in hospital, said locals face food shortages. Despite the presence of troops, residents said they were still afraid. "Soldiers told us to leave our homes and gather in one place for better protection. So, now we sleep in the Catholic church," said Onah. - Revenge attack - According to the Global Terrorism Index 2015, "Fulani militants" killed 1,229 people in 2014, up from 63 the previous year, making them "the fourth most deadly terrorist group" in the world. Boko Haram, whose insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead since 2009, heads the list, followed by the Islamic State group and the Taliban. But attacks blamed on Fulani, driven more by a need for increasingly scarce resources such as land and water rather than radical ideology, are not a new phenomenon. There have been frequent clashes between the semi-nomadic people and sedentary farmers because cattle have strayed onto land planted with crops. A total of 847 deaths were recorded in five states, including Benue, in the religiously mixed "Middle Belt", where Nigeria's mainly Muslim north meets the largely Christian south. With Fulani Muslim and farmers mostly Christian, religion adds an extra dimension to longstanding ethnic tensions and mutual suspicion. Edoh said February's attacks appeared to be in revenge for the death of a Fulani leader and the theft of his cattle, which was blamed on the mainly Christian Agatu. - Grazing reserves - Police in Benue say Agatu has now returned to "relative calm", while President Muhammadu Buhari, himself an ethnic Fulani, has belatedly ordered a crackdown on raiders. "The government will not allow these attacks to continue," Buhari said in late April, ordering security forces to "secure all communities under attack by herdsmen". Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbeh said "the ultimate solution to the Fulani farmers frequent clashes will be to establish grazing reserves for the herdsmen". But the main umbrella body of Fulani herdsmen's groups has accused Benue state of opposing the proposal. The national secretary of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association, Saleh Bayeri, did not deny the Agatu killings were to avenge the 2013 deaths of some leaders and their families. "Fulanis do not forgive such killings. The problem we have now is that the Fulani are being vilified, provoked, attacked and killed and when they retaliate they are accused of terrorism," he said. 23.05.2016 LISTEN Calling the Electoral Commission to order Even before we go to the polls, the source for potential conflict is rearing its ugly head. Unfortunately, not many institutions of state, established to prevent conflicts in society, appear to have even taken note of the Electoral Commission's decision not to comply with the directive by the Supreme Court, the highest court of jurisdiction in this land of our birth, to delete the names of all those who registered with National Health Insurance Service identity cards from the list of registered voters. The Chronicle is not amused by the cemetery silence that has so far greeted the statement from Mrs. Charlotte Osei's outfit that the commission would be unable to remove those names from the bloated register. Like most things Ghanaian, the commission's response to the ruling has polarised this nation along the usual National Democratic Congress versus New Patriotic Party divide. The pro-NDC group argues that there could be no mechanism to delete those names, and that removal would disenfranchise a large segment of the population. What is even more worrying is the assertion by the commission that at the time the NHIS card bearers registered, there was no law barring them from the exercise. The other group in this nation's political divide contends that the Supreme Court has spoken, and until the order is reversed, the Electoral Commission has to obey. It is good that the original petitioners have decided to go back to the Supreme Court for interpretation of the ruling. The Chronicle would like to urge Mr. Abu Ramadan and Evans Nimako, the petitioners, to head back to the highest court of the land for interpretation. The Chronicle is disappointed though, in the kind of interpretation the commission, led by a woman who is supposed to understand the law, is giving to the ruling. According to the Electoral Commission, such a position, according to the Supreme Court, would have the effect of disenfranchising the persons affected. Such registration should only be deleted by means of processes established under the law. We beg to differ. The implementation of the Supreme Court decision would not disenfranchise anybody. In its own wisdom, the Supreme Court offered a window of opportunity for those whose names are to be deleted from the register, because they used the now discredited NHIS cards to register, to re-register, using other accepted identity cards. It is, therefore, not true to assert that such card bearers would be disenfranchised. By putting up such a statement, the Electoral Commission is beginning to operate outside the confines of the law of this country. The Supreme Court, the highest court of jurisdiction of the land, has taken a decision. If the reason assigned does not conform to the expectation of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, and her other six commissioners, have a right under the laws of Ghana to seek a review of the case. Unless, and until the Supreme Court pronounces otherwise, that is the law of land. Why the Electoral Commission is seeking to break the law, without going back to the court to reverse the decision, is a major source of conflict, which would haunt this nation all the way to the polls. It is highly likely that any group of people, not happy with the outcome of the 2016 elections, would point to the behaviour of the Electoral Commission as a deliberate ploy to favour one group of political activists against the rest of society. We all know that conflicts spring up as a result of the feeling on the part of people that the referee, in this case the Electoral Commission, has not been seen to be fair. We would like to believe that various agencies and individuals clamouring for peace, before, during, and after the elections, would call on the Electoral Commission to obey the laws of the land, and not do anything that could be interpreted to mean that Mrs. Charlotte Osei and her outfit have not been fair in their dealings. The Chronicle would like to invite the National Peace Council, for instance, to interest itself in the obvious bogus interpretation the Electoral Commission is giving to the clear-cut ruling by the Supreme Court. We cannot buy into the bunkum that the EC would not be able to remove any bogus entry in the bloated register. In the case of NHIS-registered card holders, we would like to submit that the E.C. can use the forms on which ID cards were registered to remove all bogus names. The stakes in the November 7 elections are very high. The atmosphere is charged already for the polls. That is why the entire society would need to work hard to minimise all forms of conflicts, as we get ready for the November 7 polls. We all have a duty to police the Electoral Commission to deliver a vote devoid of bias and acceptable to all stake-holders. Brussels (AFP) - The European Union agreed Monday to broaden the mandate of its naval mission to combat migrant smuggling off Libya by agreeing to train the Libyan coast guard and navy. Foreign ministers from the 28 EU countries who met in Brussels also gave the thumbs up to extending for one year Operation Sophia, which is due to expire in July. "We agreed today to extend the mandate of the operation by one year," EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini told a press conference after the meeting. "We agreed to add two further tasks of the operation, namely capacity building and training of the Libyan coast guard," Mogherini said. Mogherini said the EU had received a letter asking for training the coast guard and navy from Fayez al-Sarraj, who heads Libya's new internationally backed unity government. "We will follow up this request very quickly," she added. The foreign ministers agreed the operation will contribute to implementing a UN arms embargo under a new resolution being drafted at the UN Security Council, according to published conclusions of the meeting. On May 13, a British parliamentary report said operation Sophia was "failing" and had only succeeded in forcing smugglers to change tactics. The chaos in the North African country since Moamer Kadhafi's fall in 2011 has been exploited by people traffickers, with thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya just 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Italy. The unity government has raised hopes order can be re-established. At the end of March, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian estimated that around 800,000 migrants were waiting to head for Europe from Libya. The EU naval operation is currently limited to international waters but the original plan was for it to extend into Libyan territorial waters to tackle people smugglers at source, by force if necessary. This however was also conditional on a formal request from an accepted Libyan central government. By Samuel Adade Akapule, GNA Bolgatanga, May 23, GNA - Ghana has joined the global campaign to end the HIV and AIDS by 2030, the Director General of Ghana Aids Commission (GAC), Dr Angela El-Adas has said. The global campaign indicates that by 2030 AIDS would no longer threaten human life although there would be new cases, which would no longer be public health danger. She said this in a speech read on her behalf, at a consultative forum which brought together District Chief Executives, District Coordinating Directors, District Directors of Health Services, District Planners, Traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs) and the Media. Dr El-Adas explained that as part of efforts to join the crusade, the GAC had aligned its 2016 -2020 National Strategic Plan with the 90-90-90 fast-track targets aimed at achieving the global goal. 'Per the 90-90-90 fast-track targets, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV are expected to know their status, 90 per cent of all people diagnosed with HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral will have viral suppression,', she explained . Dr El-Adas, said the consultative forum was part of the preparation towards working to achieve the goals and appealed to stakeholders to contribute towards achieving the results. She said similar consultative forums are being organised by the Commission throughout the 10 regions and urged the Regional Coordinating Councils to mainstream HIV and AIDS issues into their long and medium term development plans. She also impressed upon traditional and religious leaders and CSOs to support in the massive mobilisation of communities to access HIV Testing Services. Dr El-Adas also called on the staff of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to expand HIV testing approaches. She said the Commission is also considering building the capacity of more health workers and advocating a national policy to be passed for other categories of people to be engaged in providing HIV testing services. She commended the GHS Staff and other stakeholders for working to reduce the HIV and AIDS prevalence in the region particularly from mother to child transmission and said plans are far advanced by the Commission to set up a technical support unit to provide technical support to regional response to HIV. The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo said failure to address the challenges of the HIV and AIDS menace would affect the progress and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. GNA 23.05.2016 LISTEN Tema, May 23, GNA - Mrs Theodora Jackson, a board member of SOS Children Village Ghana, has called for the strengthening of the family unit in order to preserve cultural values that define the Ghanaian society. "Families continue to suffer as a result of the changing social and economic structures. We need to make a conscious effort to save the family." Mrs Jackson was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the rationale for the celebration of the international day of families, observed on every May 15. "We are all born into families and spend the most important development years with our families. Sad to say, most children lose this opportunity and become abandoned, destitute or orphaned. She said, "At SOS, our core belief is that every child belongs to a family, grows up with love, respect and security. It is against this background that we recognise this day as important in creating awareness on the need to preserve the family bond and also restore hope and dignity to the less privileged children." SOS, a social development organisation celebrated the international day of families in Kumasi on the theme," Quality education for sustainable future". GNA We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. you are here: An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre. Have an interest in what youre writing about Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show. If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating. Include fascinating details Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to. Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read. Borrow some creative writing techniques Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting. consider your own opinion Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others. Cut the waffle Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem. Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose. employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them. You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect. Avoid repetitive phrasing Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable. Use some figurative language Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know. As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. Employ rhetorical questions Anticipate the questions your reader might ask. One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. business Wasn't aware of 'wrongdoings' in Ricoh India: Ex-CEO Manoj Kumar, Former MD & CEO, Ricoh India, said he had no role to play in the malpractice allegations doing the rounds at Ricoh India. business SEBI looks to fine tune P-note norms for plugging loopholes CNBC-TV18 learns that the market regulator has lined up meetings over the weekend to look into suspicious trading, and other abuses of P-note norms. The changes in regulations on P-notes will most likely be effective in 3 months time. This could crash the crude oil price, with more supply flooding an already oversaturated oil market. What a crazy couple of months! Stock markets have been on a roller coaster ride. Lithiums in a bubble. Golds staged a classic bear market rally. And oil punters have enjoyed huge gains. Theres plenty to talk about. But lets stick with crude oil today. The bulls are back Brent crude, the international benchmark, is trading higher, at US$48.79 per barrel. Its up 75% from its low of US$27.83 per barrel on 20 January. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), also known as US crude, is trading higher at US$48.45 per barrel. Its trading at a seven-month high, up 86% from its low of US$26.05 per barrel on 2 February. The upwards momentum looks good. But can crude jump above the US$50 per barrel level? It would be a feat The last time Brent closed above the psychological level was in early November. In WTIs case, it was early October. If crude closes above this target on a weekly basis, Id expect to see a few more bullish forecasts. Goldman Sachs, a major global investment banking firm, made the switch from bearish to bullish last week. According to investing.com: Goldman Sachs said in a note to investors that it sees a re-balance in energy markets in the second half of the year pushing prices to near $50 a barrel. The forecasts reverse a call from earlier this year when analysts from the influential Wall Street bank noted that global oil prices could touch down to $20. Analysts from Goldman Sachs cited increase demand in India, China and Russia for the reversal. I dont agree with Goldmans view. I believe that, while crude could jump a tad higher in the short term, this is just another bear market rally. To understand why, lets turn to Saudi Arabia. The decline of Saudi Arabia My colleague Callum Newman, Editor of Cycles, Trends and Forecasts, talked about oil geopolitics in Fridays Money Morning. It was a great piece of work. Id like to revisit Callums punchline today: The bigger point in all this is about Irans resurgence. This has entirely changed the geopolitical scenario of the world. Most likely, Iran will become the dominant regional player. One can only wonder what the Saudis will make of that. Callum, theres no need to wonder Saudi Arabias dominance is already over in the Middle East. But, like all declining empires, it is trying to hang onto power for as long as possible. When the country nationalised its oil industry in 1980, it changed the world forever. At the time, the government purchased Aramco (formerly an Arabian-American oil company), renaming it Saudi Aramco. Previously, the oil industry was dominated by Western majors such as ExxonMobil [NYSE:XOM], Chevron Corporation [NYSE:CVX] and BP [LON:BP]. Saudi Arabia became a powerhouse in the 1980s and 1990s. OPEC, with the Saudis at the helm, was faced with lower demand and higher supply from its competitors. The Saudis response was to ramp up production, crash the crude price, and wipe out its competitors. It worked like a charm! Saudi Arabia tried to repeat history in 2014/15. Unfortunately, due to technological advancement, it didnt work. While hundreds of US shale companies have gone under, many have survived. Technology has improved well efficiencies and reduced costs. With the Kingdom running out of ideas, its turned to drastic measures What the mainstream wont tell you Recently, Saudi Arabia unveiled plans to sell 5% of Saudi Aramco. This values the company at roughly US$2 trillion more than any other oil company in the world. The question is: Why would the country want to sell its national champion, and at record low crude oil prices? Deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman second in line to the Saudi throne sold the official message to Bloomberg: The kingdom can live in 2020 without any dependence on oilThe Saudi addiction to oil has disturbed development of many sectors in past years. We plan to set up a US$2 trillion sovereign wealth fund part of its assets will come from the sale of a small part of Aramco. Titled Saudi Vision 2030, the plan includes regulatory, budget and policy changes. The Kingdom hopes to be less reliant on crude over the next 15 years. Of course, theres more to the story. Saudi Arabia is in a bind. It depends on oil for around 80% of its budget needs. For this reason, expect the country to ramp up production significantly this year. It needs all the money it can get its hands on See, massive civil unrest is building in the country. During the years of higher oil prices, the Kingdom controlled its people through lavish subsidies. According to parliamentmagazine.eu: Energy subsidies alone make up about a fifth of Saudis GDP. Declining revenues from declining oil exports will translate in the kingdoms decreased capacity to keep a lid on rising domestic dissent. Putting that into perspective, about a quarter of Saudi Arabias population is in poverty. At the same time, the youth unemployment rate stands at roughly 30%. Remember, these are official numbers. The true numbers are likely far worse. Heres the catch Theres a civil war brewing. When the crude oil price crashes, Saudi Arabias economy should turn upside down. When this happens, if history is a reliable guide, there will be blood in the streets. The budget situation gets worse. The pegwhen will it break? The Saudi riyal is pegged to the US dollar. In other words, the currency is stabilised for confidence measures. Of course, given the strength of the US dollar the worlds reserve currency it costs money to prop up the riyal. Bloomberg wrote recently, PointState Capitals Zach Schreiber calculates that with oil at $50, Saudi Arabia will burn through $80 billion to $100 billion in foreign-exchange reserves per year. The country has two to three years of runway before it hits a wall. Schreiber who made US$1 billion betting against oil two years ago believes Saudi Arabias breakeven cost is around US$90 per barrel. Of course, this factors in the budget subsidies and peg-stabilisation costs. Still, Schreibers forecast is probably a bit too generous. The Kingdom is fighting a costly war in Yemen, which it cant afford. I doubt this is included in the breakeven price. And what if crude re-tests the previous low in the US$20 per barrel region? Theres a good chance it will. The countrys in deep financial strife I wouldnt be surprised if the peg breaks this year. When it does, it will prove the countrys lost control of its budget. There will be chaos across financial markets when it breaks. Remember, when Switzerland ditched its franc-euro peg last year, its currency soared by 30% in the minutes after the decision. Of course, when Saudi de-pegs its currency, it will crashperhaps by 30% against the US dollar. Remember, its the weaker currency. Being a weaker currency, Saudi Arabia will probably have to produce more crude to pay the bills. This could crash the crude oil price, with more supply flooding an already oversaturated oil market. Indeed, this should prove Saudi Arabias no longer the major influence in the Middle East. After all, at the end of the day, money equals power. If you want to know more on this story, check out Resource Speculator. I wrote about crudes outlook in detail last week. Find out more by clicking here. Regards, Jason Stevenson, Resources Analyst Emma Wall: Hello and welcome to the Morningstar series, "Why Should I Invest With You?" My name is Emma Wall and I'm joined today by Joe Foster, Manager of the Lombard Odier World Gold Expertise Fund. Hello, Joe. Joe Foster: Hi, Emma. Wall: This has been a fantastic year for you after a couple of years of underperformance. Year-to-date, the fund is up 85%. What's driven this fantastic rally? Foster: Well, there is I think we are in a new gold market actually. Investors are very concerned about financial risk and gold is being used as a safe heaven. Especially, investors are looking at central bank policies. We've seen these radical central bank policies that don't seem to be working and now with negative rates, the Fed not able to increase rates as aggressively as they'd like to, it's creating a lot of concerns in the financial system. Wall: Of course, there have been a lot of things going on which you would have thought in the past people would have got this safe heaven, things like the Greek crisis a couple of years ago. But gold stayed down, but now you are saying there is a perfect storm finally, it's the sort of final straw that broke the camel's back and people have that flight to safety with gold? Foster: The difference this time is, I guess, what happens in Greece stays in Greece. It doesn't have global implications. Now, people are worried about the global financial system. The central banks in Europe, in Japan, have negative rates now. And our financial system wasn't designed to run with negative rates. So, people are very concerned. Wall: Of course, all asset classes have had quite a lot of volatility in the last few years. So, I suppose the next question is, will this rally continue or in another three, four months will we see those gains lost? Foster: I think we're in a new gold market. And we've seen investment demand in the west like we haven't seen in a number of years. Tremendous flows into the gold bullion ETFs, the COMEX and the futures market, a big shift in sentiment in the futures market. So, yeah, I think these changes are here to stay. I think these radical monetary policies we've seen over the years could end badly and that's what investors are concerned about now. Wall: And the majority of your fund at the moment I believe is in gold-related stocks, although you can hold up to 10% in gold bullion. What are the slight nuances between investing in sort of real gold versus gold-related equities? Foster: Well, the gold stocks, of course, they have gold reserves. To me, their reserves are like gold in a vault and they mine those reserves. These companies have leverage to gold. So, as the gold price goes up, their earnings go up at a higher rate. So, they have good leverage to gold and you'll get better performance through the gold equities in a positive market. Wall: Joe, thank you very much. Foster: Thank you. Wall: This is Emma Wall for Morningstar. Thank you for watching. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. This October, CalyxSoftware will host ASCEND16, the companys first national user conference in New Orleans, LA. ASCEND16 is designed to help Calyx customers and partners ascend to the next level of success. The conference will feature more than 30 specialized breakout sessions and workshops for current customers. According to a company press release, a vast range of topics will be discussed at the conference. Key topics include: the current state and future of the housing and mortgage markets; reaching the next generation of homebuyers; hands-on training and best practices for various Calyx software and more. The keynote speakers currently scheduled to appear at the general sessions include real estate mogul and business expert from Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran and host of NOVA ScienceNow & Yahoo Tech columnist David Pogue. User conference attendees will also be invited to participate in several networking events, including an opening reception in the exhibit hall where they can meet with a select number of Calyx partners and sponsors showcasing their products and services; a welcome dinner at Champions Square; and a Masquerade Gala celebrating Calyxs 25th Anniversary at Mardi Gras World. In todays complex, compliance-focused environment, just delivering technology is no longer enough, said Dennis Boggs, executive vice president at CalyxSoftware, a provider of comprehensive mortgage software solutions. Its important to help clients understand the changing lending landscape and how technology solutions can help drive their business goals. Over the past several years, weve offered smaller regional events, but given the massive changes our industry has faced over the past few years, we believe a national event is necessary and will allow us to help our customers feel more confident, capable and prepared for the road ahead, he said. ASCEND16 will be held at The Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, Louisiana from October 5 - 8, 2016 While the city of Midland and Permian Basin Metropolitan Organization get ready to meet today to see whats possible for expansion in northeast Midland near State Highway 349, a reader recently inquired on Facebook about whether Interstate 27, which starts north of Amarillo and ends south of Lubbock, would ever extend southward to Midland. The Reporter-Telegram reached out to all-things-interstate-planning guru James Beauchamp, president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance last week for his thoughts. Beauchamp, speaking by phone, said that a little bit of history is important when considering such an interstate extension. He said that from 1993 to 1997, a study was conducted that included three southern I-27 extensions: For the southern routes, one went from Lubbock to Post to Snyder, down to Roscoe on I-20; one came down U.S. Highway 87 to SH 349 to Midland; and then the other one was US 87 on down to Big Spring. A lot has changed since that study, however. If you look at those three routes since 1997, all of them except the route coming to the Midland-Odessa area have lost a significant amount of traffic, Beauchamp said. Even though traffic on the Midland route has increased, Beauchamp said turning it into an interstate-grade highway might not be justifiable because traffic counts between Midland and Lubbock dont support the need to upgrade, especially considering that each mile of interstate costs $10.5 million to construct. I-27 is rare among interstate highways because only its northern terminus connects to an interstate, so any future southern expansion would most likely connect to I-20. At this point today, Beauchamp said that if I-27 were to be extended, it likely would occur in Odessa, not Midland. If I did want to justify an interstate coming down from Lubbock, I think the way you would have to look at is going down SH 385, he said. Theres been significant traffic increases that way, and its more along the lines of what you would be looking at when building an interstate to make it more cost-effective. That doesnt mean Midland wouldnt be considered as the connecting point in the future, particularly if the I-14 project, which would convert SH 158 from Midland going south into an interstate. One thing thats sort of interesting on that one is that even if you look at the fact that SH 158 is being developed into an undivided four-lane highway, its still a congestion point and is predicted to be a congestion point through 2030, even with the additional capacity, Beauchamp said. Beauchamp said congestion on SH 158 has increased because of the availability of frac sand for the oil industry coming from Brady, the fact that more than 70 percent of air travelers in San Angelo fly out of Midland International Air & Space Port and because many Midlanders and Odessans take their boats to the San Angelo area for recreational sailing. If we want to float our boats, or they want to fly with the birds, were going back and forth one way or the other, he said. Beauchamp said I-14 seems to be the more feasible project and that if comes to fruition, I-27 might be re-examined. I think ultimately what well probably do, more of a long-term scenario, is that once we nail down I-14, then well probably start looking at I-27 again, he said. If I-14 does happen, he said that might make I-27 Midland route more feasible because the city then could be a terminus for two interstates and give access to a third, I-20. Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes. FMC Technologies Inc. and Technip SA said Thursday that they plan an all-stock merger that will combine the two into a new $13 billion business during a crippling oil bust. The merger will create TechnipFMC, a company that would have had $20 billion in revenue in 2015. It will combine Houston-based FMC Technologies expertise in manufacturing underwater equipment with Paris-based Tenchnips broad construction expertise. It is the latest major deal to reshape an oil services industry seeking to survive the bust by merging to cut costs and offer more essential services to customers. Previously, the industry leader Schlumberger bought Houstons Cameron International Corp.. The Houston companies Halliburton and Baker Hughes, the second and third largest energy services companies respectively, alwo attempted a merger, which was scuttled after running into strong opposition from antitrust regulators. We have complementary skills, technologies and capabilities which our customers can access, said Thierry Pilenko, Technip Chairman and CEO. The major companies in the sector have cut thousands of jobs as they seek to keep costs in line with falling revenues. Houstons FMC had cut 2,000 workers in early 2015 and continued to trim payrolls as conditions worsened. FMC and Technip estimated the merger would bring them as much as $400 million in annual cost savings by the end of the decade and said the new company would have one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry. The two service companies had previously cooperated on a subsea joint-venture called Forsys Subsea. Together, they had sought to lower the cost of offshore production infrastructure by as much as one-third, according to a note to clients by Houston investment bank Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. The success of the merger will depend on the broader combinations ability to meet or exceed that cost-saving benchmark, analyst told clients in a Thursday morning note. [The] Long-term strategic rationale behind deal is clear, but execution will matter more, Tudor Pickering analysts wrote. Technip Chairman and CEO Pilenko will move to Executive Chairman of TechnipFMCs board. Doug Pferdehirt, FMC Technologies President and COO, will serve as CEO of TechnipFMC. The company will keep three headquarters in Paris, Houston and London. The deal is expected to close in early 2017. At that time, shares of Technip stock will be converted into two shares of TechnipFMC and each FMC Technologies shareholder will get one share of TechnipFMC. Midlander Brandin Conley, 22, pleaded guilty Monday morning to the 2015 murder of Amanda Hankins. He was sentenced to 49 years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Conley waived his right to appeal. The whole thing is regrettable, said Conleys attorney, Woody Leverett. Its a plea bargain and both sides agree to a punishment in exchange for the uncertainty of a jury trial. So its kind of a compromise. Hankins family members felt little closure from the verdict. My son said the prison will be hell for him, so hopefully thats what happens, said Randall Hankins, Amandas father. Im hoping that he suffers those years hes in there. Last June, Conley had confessed to the murder of Hankins, whom he shot in the back of the head and buried in a shallow grave outside his residence in the northwest corner of Midland County after a verbal altercation, according to previous Reporter-Telegram reports. Hankins had been missing for about two weeks before deputies received an anonymous tip that led to the discovery of her body on June 11, according to Reporter-Telegram reports. Her grandfather, Timothy Parker had reported her missing after not seeing her for a week when she usually came over about once a week, according to previous Reporter-Telegram reports. There is no closure to the cold-blooded murder of a loved one, said Parker in response to Conleys sentencing on Monday. Last year, Brandon Hampton, a 22-year-old New York man, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in the 26-year-old womans death. He had helped Conley bury her body, according to previous reports. I grew up with Amanda. She and I were very close as she was a few months older than I, wrote Hankins cousin, Tara Swanner, in an email. The sentencing of Brandin doesn't give any sort of closure. He took someone that always cheered me up, away from me. She was very special and there is honestly no amount of time served that will lessen the hurt Brandin has caused me. The only way for that to happen is to have her still here. After squaring up against 44 other spellers, 11-year-old Srikar Chamarthi begins the next leg of his journey on Wednesday: competing against 284 other regional champions vying for the title in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Srikar, a Fasken Elementary School sixth-grader, flew with his family to Washington, D.C., on Friday to participate in Scripps Bee Week, which began Sunday and includes festivities such as a Memorial Day picnic, a tour of the nations capital and a banquet. Srikar beat students from Midland, Greenwood, Big Spring, Andrews and Monahans to represent the region at the national level. He said he was nervous during the class, school and regional competitions, but now that hes off stage, the reality has sunk in. Im feeling more excited now because Im not on stage, but every second I am on stage (at nationals) Ill be sweating, Srikar said Thursday. To prepare, Srikar studied words different origins -- such as Latin, Greek and Japanese -- for one to two hours every day. Scripps guidelines suggested that competitors study at least the first 200 pages of Websters Third International Dictionary. I caught a break on that, Srikar said, referring to studying only a fraction of the books tens hundreds of pages. Many words come from scientific language, which may help Srikar later on. His goal is to be an aerospace engineer or a doctor. The bees preliminary rounds are done in testing rooms on Tuesday and Wednesday, with finalists being announced Wednesday night on ESPN3. Finals begin 10 a.m. Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN, according to Scripps website. We are very excited, too, said Gopi Chamarthi, Srikars father. We like to see how hes going to do (at nationals). Hes the first Odessan to compete on Midlands behalf at the national bee. He lives in Midland County, but within Odessa city limits. However, another Odessan also will be traveling to Washington for Bee Week. Gabriel Haley, 11, will attend the bee as a junior journalist. Because there wasnt a Scripps-related spelling bee in Odessa this year, a group of educators and community members from Odessa, Kermit, Sweetwater and other towns organized an unofficial bee, according to Gabriels mother, Rhonda Haley. Gabriel won that regional bee by correctly spelling vernacular. Before Gabriel emerged as a finalist, Rhonda Haley began consulting with other community members and created a GoFundMe account to send the finalist to Washington as a junior journalist. Southwest Airlines donated two plane tickets, and $3,715 was raised -- $15 over the goal. The deal was, the winner would not be able to compete, because its not Scripps- official, Haley said. But our winner would be a junior reporter to the national bee and get this neat experience. Gabriel spent the two weeks before Bee Week interviewing several finalists from around the country and will have press credentials at the bee. His interviews include San Angelos contestant, first-grader Akash Vukoti, 6, and Denver native Sylvie Lamontagne, 13, who placed ninth at the national bee last year, according to sample clips obtained from the Haleys. I think its really cool that I could be talking to who is probably going to be the champion this year, said Gabriel, whose reports will appear on CBS7. The Reagan Magnet School fifth-grader said he asks them what are their favorite types of words, how they think spelling will help them, how often they study and who helps them study. Gabriel also will follow along what words Akash spells. Had Odessa hosted a Scripps-sponsored contest that Gabriel had won, he would have the younger boys number. Im going to spell every word that Akash spells because that would be my number ... and then if Akash gets out, Ill spell every word of the person afterward so Ill know at what point in the bee I would be out, Gabriel said. Follow Cassie on Twitter at @Cassie_Burton51 We have had time to think about the Educate Midland public meetings and the information provided about how this community performs in the classroom. There are two things we are watching closely with the Educate Midland group. First, is the hiring of an executive director. This person will help direct Educate Midland as it starts its mission of improving education in Midland. The second is the development of a common agenda, or priorities for Educate Midland. This agenda is expected to be the result of meetings with leadership team members, teachers and focus groups. We dont know what that common agenda will entail. But we have some suggestions. - Expand pre-K. Our focus would start with the youngest and work our way up. Our expectation is that education reform will create a school environment that our children need to be a part of, and this community should make sure more pre-kindergarten students are getting a head start. - Lower teacher-to-student ratio in elementary schools. A worthy goal is to never have to ask the Texas Education Agency for a classroom waiver. Our community should demand reform that includes a 22-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio in kindergarten through the fourth grade. Exceeding that ratio should be considered unacceptable. - Expand Early College High School or at least the principles of these schools. One of the biggest successes we have seen in our school district is Early College High School @ Midland College. The Texas Education Agency describes early college high schools as innovative high schools that allow students least likely to attend college an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and 60 college credit hours. By all accounts it has worked in Midland. This community should expand ECHS facilities and/or follow the lead of the schools in the Rio Grande Valley, which told the Reporter-Telegram of their successes spreading early college principles to other campuses. A more modern education system no longer requires the traditional high school experience for all students. Early College High School works. A worthy goal is making sure more kids have the opportunity to experience it. For the most part, we would focus on the younger students, improving the districts foundation. That is where real reform must take place. A students path in junior high and high school shouldnt be predestined because he or she was overlooked in elementary school. Those with learning disabilities should be recognized earlier not later. The emphasis should be making sure early progression (if you want, read into this the ability to pass a standardized test ) happens early. We should focus on getting our students to the point where they outperform the state average early in their schooling. This will lead to better experiences later on. We could probably offer many more opinions on what priorities should be. We believe our community is ready to make investments in programs such as the summer school experience at Greater Ideal. We believe anyone wanting to repeat what hasnt worked in the past should think twice or face being left out. We believe there will be an inherent cost, but that in the end the gains made by one of the lowest-performing school districts in the state will be worth the investment. --- Editors Note: We would like to hear from Educate Midland officials and other members of the community about goals they would like to see part of a common agenda. Contact sdoreen@mrt.com if interested. Congratulations to Melanie Talaga and Tarun Dam for winning the 2016 Bhakta Rath Award. The award is given to an exceptional doctoral student and advisor pair at Michigan Technological University making a difference with their research. Glycobiology Most people dont sugarcoat their research. But Talagas work in glycobiology comes that way naturally. The molecules she studies are what her advisor, Dam, calls candy-coated proteins. The sugary molecules are common in peoples bodies, playing important roles in infection, immunity, and they are biomarkers for a number of different cancers. Talaga and Dam specifically look at the molecular behavior of these glycoproteins. In other words, they study how the proteins act and respond to other molecules and affect cell-cell interactions. My dissertation research focused on using sophisticated biophysical techniques to understand how molecules behave, Talaga says, explaining the behavior is difficult to detect. This research lays the foundation for future improvements for cancer detection and drug design. The teams research is a body of work that includes three papers. One shows that current thyroid cancer assays may have inaccurate readings. The second advances a concept that may potentially streamline drug development and the third focuses on the teams methodology that could help expose apparently overlooked molecular events. "No discovery is finaldiscovery is a journey rather than a destination. As our technology becomes more sophisticated everyday, tomorrow will certainly add more to today's discovery." Tarun Dam Enthusiasm is the secret ingredient in the Mechanistic Glycobiology Lab. Where Good Research and Teaching Meet The key to successful research, Dam says, is mentoring. We both are very much connected to our scientific projects; they are inseparable parts of our lives, he says, adding that collaboration and communicationas much as the actual chemistrydefines the Mechanistic Glycobiology Labs effectiveness. It is easy to work with Talaga because she is always willing to work hard to be on the same page with me. For her part, Talaga says her graduate experience went far beyond her expectations and that she didnt realize pursuing a doctoral degree could be so exciting. She attributes this to Dams enthusiasm. "Dam has a contagious passion for science that has rubbed off on methe research doesn't feel like work when you enjoy what you are doing and look forward to coming to lab each day." Melanie Talaga Talaga and Dam not only set a high bar for their glycobiology research, but also their teaching, says Bruce Seely, the dean of the College of Science and Arts. He points out that Dam won the Exceptional Graduate Faculty Mentor Award from the graduate student government this spring, as well as the Michigan Tech Distinguished Teaching Award last year. Every person we hire must be an effective teacher and scholar, Seely says, explaining that Dam has demonstrated a deft touch in guiding students. Melanie Talaga has helped Tarun Dam lead the graduate and undergraduate researchers in the lab. He adds that those efforts pay off with exceptional students like Talaga who want to take their research to the next level. Talagawho has earned nearly ten research awards and fellowships of her own in addition to several teaching awards as a T.A.says she would like to stay in academia and continue teaching. Seely sees dual benefits in the pairs work. Their research in applying cutting edge knowledge of complex chemical mechanisms inspires creative solutions for problems with cancer assays and drug design. And, through initiating undergraduates in their lab and offering good courses, Talaga and Dam are fostering the next generation of chemists. For all this work, they are well recognized with the Bhakta Rath Research Award. "Linking research and teaching is the key to being a good mentor." Bruce Seely Bhakta Rath Research Award The Bhakta Rath Research Award recognizes a doctoral student and her Michigan Tech faculty advisor. The pair earns the award for research that dares to be cutting edge while remaining focused on the social contribution of the work. The award was established in 2010 by an endowment from Bhakta B. Rath and his wife, Sushama Rath, to promote and reward excellence in scientific and engineering research at Michigan Tech. Learn more about the award on the Office of Research website. About the Researcher Melanie Talaga mljokine@mtu.edu Research Interests: glycobiology glycoprotein biomechanics isothermal titration calorimetry Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure. 'Our focus is to stabilise cedi' ... GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. A community activist who was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Parramore last month is being honored with a memorial scholarship fund. Gino Nicolas, a mentor in Parramore, gunned down in a drive-by last month Kiwanis Club of Orlando Foundation created the Gino Nicolas Memorial Scholarship Fund Police still have no leads in Nicolas' murder The Kiwanis Club of Orlando Foundation has donated $100,000 to start the Gino Nicolas Memorial Scholarship Fund, so Ginos legacy in Parramore lives on. Gino Nicolas, 24, was mentoring youth when he was gunned down last month. No arrests in his case have been made yet. "He was making a difference and when somebody is making a difference in the community like that, those types of things shouldnt happen to those types of people," said Gino's sister Naomie Monroe. Monroe believes the scholarship fund will do what Gino always wanted to, show young people from Parramore a way out. Amazing that you have such wonderful supporters that are interested in moving forward with what Gino stood for," Monroe said. Gino is an individual who felt like if he made it in the community, that his duty was to go back and show others how to, what steps to take and provide them with different opportunities that he wasnt aware of. He wanted to be that guidance," Monroe added. Nicolas family members are glad the scholarship will help young people from Parramore go to college. He stood for making a difference. He stood for bringing young black males or just minorities, period, into showing them that there is a way out," Monroe said. Ten years ago, the Kiwanis Club of Orlando Foundation donated $100,000 to help get the Parramore Kidz Zone started. Now, theyre stepping up again. He was a man who grew up in Parramore. He knew the challenges of living in this community. He went away, got his college degree and came back to do the right thing to help other kids, other youth in the community," said Kiwanis Club of Orlando Foundation President Tom Porter. "We wanted to memorialize his efforts. A man that was doing the right thing and also provide hope to other kids who are interested in continuing their education," Porter explained. Porter said the fund will begin by awarding one or two scholarships worth a total of about $4,000 a year, by using approximately four percent of the memorial fund's total balance. Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much, said Lisa Early, Orlando's director of Families Parks and Recreation. Orlando Police said they dont have any updates on the drive-by shooting that killed Nicholas and 46-year-old Tanya Skeen. Im very frustrated. I will say that I do forgive but it hurts that my brothers not being put to justice, as well as the young woman who was shot and killed as well," Monroe explained. However, family members arent giving up. It can be anonymous, just help us a little bit more," Monroe said. If you know who killed Gino Nicholas, call CRIMELINE anonymously at 1-800-423-TIPS(8477). I clearly remember Christmas Day in 1967, when Paul Crume -- in his popular daily column featured for three decades in the Dallas Morning News -- professed his belief in angels. Oh, he acknowledged demons, too, but this day he wrote of angels. It was a heart-warmer, and his column was applauded so widely by Christians, the newspaper has run it each Christmas Day since. Doubters might just as well stop reading this column right now. I believe in miracles, too, even more fervently upon learning what happened on Dec. 30, 2011, a mere five miles from our home. Who knows? If wed listened carefully, maybe we would have heard the rustle of angels wings. Probably no sycamore tree in history is better known than the one Zacchaeus scaled in Biblical days to get a better view of Jesus. Surely whatever other purposes it served fade in the brightness of its ultimate sacred destiny. The same seems true of a giant cottonwood, stretching skyward for 100 feet and attaining at least 100 years on earth before its monumental worth was known. On that fateful December day -- its center core rotted away -- the tree became central in the restoration of health to a ravaged 9-year-old named Annabel Beam. At the edge of death more than once during her four-year battle with a condition called pseudo-obstruction motility disorder, Annabel summoned strength that day to climb the big tree with her older sister Abbie. Soon after reaching the three-story-high limb, a cracking sound was heard. In their haste to get down, Annabel tumbled into what theyd called a cave. It turned out to be much more -- it was instead a dark, rotten tunnel leading to the trees base. She fell 30 feet downward head first, lying motionless while Abbie summoned their mom. What to do, rescuers wondered. Little did they know they were to be inspired servants during the five-hour ordeal in which Annabel says she saw Jesus and sat in His lap. She added that an angel in the tree helped her attach the harness lowered by rescuers. Annabel was airlifted to Cook Childrens Hospital in Fort Worth, where doctors were dumbfounded. Falls such as hers often are fatal, or at the very least, cause serious injury. Not so for Annabel. She was not injured, and no longer had any disease symptoms, either. Boston Childrens Hospital doctors who had treated Annabel dozens of times were likewise baffled. Soon, she was back in school, gaining strength, no longer requiring any medication. None. Period. Now 13, shes taken no medicine since the miracles. Mother Christy has journaled much of the pilgrimage, and friends urged her to write a book. She did. It has been on the New York Times best-seller list since the movies release. The day the book was released, a storm came through, claiming the big cottonwood. It now stands only about eight feet tall, with more than 90 feet resting across several smaller trees below. My wife and I visited Christy, who, with husband Kevin, continue to live on their 30-acre place near Burleson. Theyve relied greatly on their faith, Christian friends and their pastor, Dr. Scott Sharman. They are committed to living as normally as possible. Their daughters -- Abbie, Annabel and Adelynn -- are now ages 16, 13 and 11, respectively, and attend Joshua schools. Kevin is a veterinarian in Alvarado. Hes forever bringing home stray animals, so the pet population at their house changes often. Needless to say, he likewise lives like every day is Thanksgiving, and he, too, believes in angels. Miracles from Heaven is a must see movie. Based on the book, it has grossed more than $70 million. My suggestion: Read the book first. It is written with no embellishment. The movie is a based on film, but deviations from the way it was are minimal. For either, have tissues at hand, maybe even towels. It should be noted that Christy held out for the name of Jesus Christ be included in the movie. It is. A final hurrah: Jennifer Garner, Christy in the leading role, has said the movie has made her view spiritual matters in a different way. Dr. Don Newbury is a speaker in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Send inquiries/comments to newbury@speakerdoc.com. Hale County commissioners on Monday shifted the previously approved tax abatements for Phase 1 of the Hale Community Wind LLC from Tri-Global, the projects initial developer, to NextEra Energy, which expects to begin construction in early 2017. While terms of the agreement havent changed, the name of the project is now Hale Wind Energy LLC. Its starting a year or two later than originally anticipated, reports Wes Jackson, speaking on behalf of NextEra. Jackson told commissioners that Phase I is set for the Petersburg area and is expected to generate 478 megawatts of energy using 239 General Electric 2.0MW turbines. NextEra uses GE turbines exclusively, which are all American made, he noted. Following the tax abatement reassignment by commissioners, Jackson said the next step will be securing contract amendments from Plainview, Hale Center and Petersburg school districts to reflect the new developer and the new project name. While the project will receive 100 percent tax abatements from the county over 10 years, the agreement calls for annual PILOT Payments (Payments In Lieu of Taxes) of $1,000 per nameplate megawatt generating capacity during the first five years, increasing to $1,250 for the remaining five years. Those payments become effective Jan. 1 of the year following certification that the project is in commercial production. The wind energy project is expected to be developed in up to four phases across the eastern half of Hale County. Previously, NextEra representatives said that company plans up to 800 megawatts in capacity. Phase I is to be constructed within the Petersburg school district. In other action Monday, commissioners: --Accepted a bid from Terminix for pest control services at the Courthouse, Courthouse Annex and Juvenile Probation Building. The proposal calls for $500 for each quarterly application. --Approved the April activity report from Hale Center EMS, showing 28 emergency runs (21 in the city, seven in the county) and 24 transfer runs. --Heard a report from Main Street Manager Melinda Brown concerning the Red, White and Moo celebration outside the courthouse July 2. Commissioners agreed to allow a banner advertising the event at Fifth and Broadway up to two weeks in advance, and the use of bounce houses. Commissioners instructed that any bounce houses using water such as a slide be placed on pavement due to the potential turf damage. --Agreed to begin collecting outdated computers and related equipment, retired chairs, desks and office equipment for disposal through either an internet action or salvage. Those items will be stored at the Porches Furniture Building. --Approved a resolution to apply for a grant to purchase body-worn cameras for the sheriffs office through the Texas governors office. --Approved a five-year maintenance contract with Thyssenkrupp Elevator Co., to service courthouse elevator. --Authorized County Attorney Jim Tirey to complete the previously approved sale of tax foreclosed property in Hale Center to Randy Price for $1,000. The property includes three lots and one small structure on Highline Road. The action comes after the sale received approval from all taxing entities holding an interest in the property. --Approved a final report on the countys recent internet action through Lone Star Auctions. The sale generated $44,610. To date, the county has received more than $300,000 through the sale of surplus, seized and retired items through internet auctions. --Authorized the use of county machinery, to be operated on a voluntary basis by off-duty county employees, to assist with Hale Centers community wide cleanup effort on June 4. --Renewed the countys annual contract with ESET Government Solutions for antivirus software to protect the countys 120 computers. Cost is $774, or $6.45 per computer. --Approved accounts payable for May 9-23, totaling $1,011,023.24. County Treasurer Ida Tyler reported that the countys closing balance on April 30 was $19,000,281.62. Global pharmaceutical company Mylan is acquiring the parent company of San Antonios DPT Laboratories in a $1 billion deal expected to close this fall. The acquisition of private equity company Renaissance Acquisition Holdings LLC is contingent on regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter. DPT, which is based in San Antonio and manufactures topical medications, employs more than 1,100 people. The majority of those more than 800 employees are in San Antonio. The company makes liquids, creams, lotions, ointments, gels and aerosol foams and sends them to pharmaceutical companies distribution systems. It also helps pharmaceutical companies develop new medications to bring to the commercial market. Mylan has agreed to pay Renaissance $950 million in cash at closing, plus additional contingent payments of up to $50 million, subject to customary adjustments. The acquisition also includes Renaissances other site in Quebec. DPT employees have been verbally notified of the change in ownership. It wasnt immediately known, however, if that change will affect the size of the companys workforce in San Antonio. DPT Laboratories CEO and Chief Operation Officer Paul Johnson couldnt immediately be reached for comment this afternoon. However, Renaissance is expected to retain its sterile-focused businesses and associated manufacturing facility, Mylan said in a news release announcing the acquisition. The acquisition will bring Mylan a portfolio of around 25 brand and generic topical products, along with an active pipeline for around 25 products, the release said. The transaction also provides Mylan an established U.S. sales and marketing operation targeting dermatologists, along with a manufacturing and development platform. Mylan spokeswoman Nina Devlin declined to comment beyond the release since the transaction hasnt yet closed. DPT was acquired by Renaissance in 2011. The terms of that sale were not disclosed, but DPTs management and operations remained in place in San Antonio following that acquisition. DPT runs an aerosol facility on Distribution Drive. It also operates a research and development office and a distribution center at Brooks City Base. Its corporate headquarters are based in downtown San Antonio. pohare@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Infections have caused the deaths of almost 150 sea lions, beluga whales, orcas and other dolphins at SeaWorld parks in the last 30 years, according to federal data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. They have been especially deadly for orcas and other dolphins, contributing to 60 percent of the deaths of orcas at the three parks and 55 percent for bottlenose and Pacific white-sided dolphins. Many biologists and veterinarians think captivity impairs the immune systems of marine mammals by making them bored and stressed out, while SeaWorld and its defenders disagree. The companys critics say stress is the reason many orcas at SeaWorld parks fracture their teeth on concrete and metal in their tanks, opening a pathway for bacteria. An Express-News investigation of infection deaths at SeaWorld parks was unfairly critical and presented an incomplete set of facts in a biased way, the company said on its blog after the article was published Sunday. SeaWorlds blog post includes a quote from Kevin Willis, vice president for biological programs at the Minnesota Zoo, saying animals in his facilities are not chronically stressed. The Express-News investigation devoted several paragraphs to SeaWorlds response to accusations that its marine mammals have high levels of stress. Suggesting that they are, because they have less space than their wild counterparts, doesnt take into account everything faced by their wild counterparts, including hunger, pollution or being preyed on by other animals, Willis says in the post. The Express-News investigation came after the deaths of five dolphins, whales and sea lions from infections at SeaWorld San Antonio since May 2014. Another three marine mammals died from inflammatory diseases often caused by infections. Along with the federal data, the article was based on phone and email interviews with four former SeaWorld trainers; seven experts, including three suggested by SeaWorld; and employees of the two federal agencies that regulate SeaWorlds animal care, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS. Through other FOIA requests, the Express-News obtained inspection documents for SeaWorlds three U.S. parks from APHIS. SeaWorlds blog post notes that the company hosted an Express-News reporter on a visit that included a tour of its animal care facilities. The Express-News also interviewed SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby, Vice President of Veterinary Services Chris Dold and employees of the local park. Read the Express-News full investigation on ExpressNews.com. rwebner@express-news.net @rwebner This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Sylvester Perez, who retired last year as superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District, will be Edgewood ISDs state-appointed superintendent, the Texas Education Agency announced Monday. The agency also appointed a five-member board of managers: Stella Camacho, a self-employed bookkeeper and district parent; Frank Espinosa, manager of terminal services for NuStar Energy and a member of the Edgewood Education Foundation and District Alumni Association; Amanda L. Gonzalez, a campaign manager for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; Richard Santoya, a retired firefighter and paramedic who previously taught at Kennedy High School; and Roy Richard Soto Sr., owner of five Premier Rental-Purchase stores and a Kennedy graduate. Perez, who will serve as an interim superintendent until the board of managers chooses a permanent replacement, did did not immediately return a message seeking comment Monday. He retired after three years leading SAISD, saying he needed to tend to his aging parents. Before SAISD, Perez served as superintendent in the Midland, San Marcos, Clint and Mathis school districts. He has also worked in Harlandale, Judson, North East and Northside ISDs as a teacher or administrator. The Edgewood board of managers will be sworn in Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. during a public meeting at the Guerra Conference Center, 1930 Herbert Lane. Under state law, the board of managers will run the district for at least three years. School board elections scheduled for November can still go forward, but those elected cannot exercise their powers while the board of managers is in place. Edgewood ISD enrolls more than 11,000 students. Commissioner of Education Mike Morath decided in March to appoint a superintendent and board of managers to replace the current trustees, after a TEA investigation found a deadlocked school board was unable to govern the district or work with administrators. The district had been without a superintendent since last summer, when Jose Cervantes accepted a buyout. amalik@express-news.net Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thousands have gathered to mourn Tejano icon Emilio Navaira at the Freeman Coliseum, where a visitation and rosary is being held Sunday. Navaira, who officials believe died of a heart attack at his New Braunfels home last week, filled that same coliseum with his rugged voice and a charismatic presence that many grew to love during multiple performances throughout his career. Manny Trejo, 61, was one of the first in line for the ceremony. "I saw him here in San Antonio in 2008," said Trejo. "I had missed so many of his (other shows) over the years because I was working night shifts back then, but I didn't know it was going to be the last time I saw him in person." Though the crowd was dressed mostly in black, the mood was upbeat. People smiled, took pictures and even broke out in to spontaneous chants and bits of song. Hundreds had gathered as early as 7 a.m. for the viewing, which began at 10 a.m. and runs through 5 p.m. A rosary will be a 4 p.m. An estimated more than 12,000 in all attended the services throughout Sunday. The concourse was ringed with stands of collages and pictures of Navaira, and people posed for selfies and group pictures, just like they would have at a live performance. "This is a celebration - we want to celebrate Emilio," said Monica Boyle, 35, of New Braunfels. Inside, sisters Cassandra Mendez and Natalia Mendez milled towards the casket, which was surrounded by colorful bouquets and flanked by twin screens playing videos of his past performances. Both had fond memories of Navaira's music. "We had a big truck in high school, and we used to drive from Harlandale over to Padre Park with our friends in the (truck bed) after school was over," Cassandra said. "We had the Tejano station on, we had the country station on, and when (Navaira) came on, the radio was loud." "It's like we're losing a bit of our past," Natalia added. "I'm so sad for him, he died so young." Navaira's legacy of chart-topping Tejano hits garnered years of success and a legion of fans now mourning the man who became staple of Texas culture in the 1990's. A Catholic funeral liturgy for Navaira will be Monday at San Fernando Cathedral, at 115 W. Main Plaza downtown, starting at 1 p.m. The interment portion of his services will follow at San Juan Cemetery Bergs Mill, both are public. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Board members at an Austin school district unanimously voted Monday to fire a middle school principal accused of sending explicit text messages to an 11-year-old female relative, according to a news report. David Dean, principal at Burnet Middle School, was charged last week with online solicitation of a minor. The Austin American-Statesman reported that the Austin ISD board was required to vote on whether to sever ties with Dean because he was on contract after being named to to the position in March. Dean has the option to appeal the decision and have a hearing before an officer appointed by the Texas Education Agency, the newspaper reported. RELATED: Police: Central Texas high school teacher's aide performed oral sex on female student at playground News station KVUE reported that the girl's mother reached out to Conroe police about concerns that her daughter was "possibly being solicited for sex via text message." The mother told police that Dean claimed his phone had been hacked when she confronted him about the messages, according to KVUE. RELATED: Judson High recalls yearbooks with ex-'teacher of the year' accused of hosting teen sex parties The relative, who is a member of Dean's extended family, told police that the two began exchanging text messages on April 15 but that the texts "became inappropriate," KXAN reported. According to court documents obtained by KXAN, Dean told the girl, "If you're okay, I can come in and lay next to you to give you company!" "What if I came tonight? Really want to see you," Dean allegedly told the relative in another message. RELATED: Central Texas high school teacher accused of improper relationship with student If convicted, Dean could serve up to 20 years in prison on the second-degree felony charge. jfechter@mySA.com Twitter: @JFreports Multiple news sources are reporting that one person was killed and 10 were injured in a chase between U.S. Border Patrol agents and a pickup truck near Laredo off of Interstate 35. In a statement released by the Border Patrol the agency said the wreck was about 5:45 p.m. It continued saying that agents attempted to use a tire deflation device, but that the driver of the suspect vehicle lost control and wrecked while trying to avoid the device. KGNS TV reports that those injured were taken to hospitals in Laredo, San Antonio, and Dilley. Related: Ninth person dies following charter bus crash in South Texas It is unclear whether the person who died at the scene was the driver of the pickup. No further details were immediately available. The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating. The nations 32nd president doesnt have a hit Broadway musical to his name. But FDR may soon be back in style. The table is set. It goes beyond the superficial, such as Hillary Clintons decision to announce her presidential campaign on Roosevelt Island in New York. Or the fact that Donald Trump, another New Yorker, is courting what would have once been considered the FDR constituency of working-class Americans. Many themes that Franklin Delano Roosevelt grappled with as president have returned at full force in 2016. And while the Squire of Hyde Park is a Democratic icon, this time around, the issues challenge leaders in both parties. After all, this isnt the first time weve heard a loud cry from the America First crowd. In Roosevelts era, many Americans were battle weary after World War I and resisted any kind of foreign intervention. This despite the horror stories coming out of Europe in the late 1930s. If the attack on Pearl Harbor hadnt settled the matter, there is no telling how long the United States would have stayed on the sidelines to its great shame. We were so isolationist, said Jed Willard, director of the FDR Center for Global Engagement, that were willing to throw France the country that basically invented us under the Nazi bus. Located at Harvard, Willards think tank is committed to finding solutions to the problems of the 21st century. Eight decades later, Americans are still butting heads over whether the United States should assume an isolationist stance or take an active role in global affairs. Trump flirts with the former, while Clinton embraces the latter. Also, this election isnt the first time that the cause of working Americans has been taken up by a 1 percenter. Roosevelt was born into wealth and privilege. While he was at Harvard as part of the class of 1904, his family paid top dollar so he could live in Westmorly Court (now Adams House), one of the most luxurious buildings at the college. Yet, as president, he ultimately built his legacy as a defender of the poor and the architect of that great social safety net known as the New Deal. During the Great Depression, in the poorest homes in America, the entire family would huddle around the radio eager to hear what Mr. Roosevelt had to say. Despite a cushy upbringing, Roosevelt made it his business to care for the poor and downtrodden. For this, he paid a price. While Trump hasnt, at least up to now, experienced any sort of backlash for championing the interests of blue-collar workers in states hard hit by, for instance, the loss in manufacturing jobs, Roosevelt was seen for decades as nothing less than a traitor to his class. According to Willard, it is one of the reasons that Harvard for much of the 20th century didnt do more to celebrate one of its most famous alumni. Roosevelt got us through the Depression without turning us into a fascist or communist state, Willard said. He invented the United Nations and the international finance banking system. He created solutions that lasted. FDR also made mistakes, such as the court packing controversy and the ghastly internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Still, overall, historians consistently rank him in the top three of U.S. presidents alongside George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Willard is not optimistic that well see that kind of greatness again. We need a president who can reignite Americas story, he said. Frankly, I think its going to take a while. Hes right. We need candidates who grasp the genius of America and accept that they owe the country an incalculable debt and not the other way around. Unfortunately, this year, there isnt likely to be such a person on the ballot. ruben@rubennavarrette.com If you were tasked to create a state government from scratch, what would it look like? Would you envision a governance structure that calls for statewide elected officers to regulate agriculture, state-owned land, and oil and gas, while tasking the executive branch with appointing the heads of transportation and environmental quality agencies? Doesnt make much sense, does it? But in Texas, thats exactly how its done. The governor appoints the leadership of several essential agencies that oversee some of the states most important functions, including the Texas Transportation Commission, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Public Utilities Commission. Conversely, Texas law calls for the election of a single Agriculture Commissioner, a Land Commissioner, and a 3-member Railroad Commission that regulates oil and gas and has absolutely nothing to do with railroads. Many contend that this setup, which was put in place more than a century ago, makes little sense today. Across the country, several states use a cabinet system in which the governor appoints most agency heads. Only 12 states elect agriculture commissioners and just two elect oil and gas regulators. With the goal of increasing efficiency and transparency in state government, we think restructuring is a concept worth exploring. Our vision includes a series of constitutional amendments that would be put forward for voter approval to make changes to the way the state's administrative officials are selected. The agriculture commissioner would be appointed by the governor rather than elected. The Railroad Commission would be renamed the Texas Energy Commission and combined with the Public Utility Commission, led by three appointed commissioners. This would facilitate a more comprehensive, coherent energy policy that would make the governor responsible for the regulation of electricity generation and distribution, telecommunications, and oil and gas development. Finally, the General Land Office would be abolished and its functions transferred to other existing state agencies. Oversight of beaches would be delegated to Texas Parks and Wildlife, management of the Alamo to the Texas Historical Commission, and management of public lands and the Permanent School Fund to the Office of the Governor or the Comptroller. The last time the state undertook a structural change was in 1996 when voters approved a constitutional amendment to abolish the Office of State Treasurer, which was said to be duplicative of the functions of the State Comptroller's Office. The Treasurer's duties were transferred to the Office of the Comptroller. As populations grow and needs change, we must endeavor to streamline and modernize government to ensure the most effective provision of state services. Though the status quo is comfortable and change rarely is, we must resist the temptation to avoid major overhauls that will ultimately improve our state. If we want to change government, we need to change its architecture. Shaking the pillars of government can and often does lead to great outcomes. Lyle Larson is a San Antonio Republican who represents Texas House District 122. Antoinette Brown, 52, has died from her injuries after being mauled by at least six loose dogs in southern Dallas. About the fatal dog attack According to the Washington Times, Brown was attacked by at least six dogs on May 2. Following the incident, Brown was rushed to the hospital and placed in a medically induced coma. She died shortly after. Reports indicate Brown was bitten more than 100 times. For several years, southern Dallas residents have complained about the hundreds of stray and loose dogs roaming around this impoverished part of the city. According to residents, this was a predictable incident, due to the poor infrastructure and lack of public services in southern Dallas. Unwanted dogs are constantly dumped in southern Dallas, contributing to the formation of packs of stray and loose dogs. Police say the owners of the dogs could face charges. Dog-attack statistics The following information was provided by the National Canine Research Council: 32 people died from dog-bite related injuries in 2013. The vast majority of dog bite instances, 85 percent, involved victims with no familiar relationship with the dog or dogs. 37 percent of dog bite instances were linked to an owners prior mismanagement of the dog and 21 percent were linked to abuse or neglect. Despite popular belief, breed does not seem to be a factor. In fact, a recent report found that in 80 percent of dog bite cases, the breed could not be reliability identified. Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. Health officials are concerned over a rise in instances of young children being poisoned by liquid nicotine used in E-cigarettes. About the E-cigarette health risk According to Reuters Health, young children have been ingesting the liquid nicotine used inside electronic cigarettes. Several reports cite severe complications like comas and seizures, and one child died from liquid nicotine poisoning. A small amount of liquid nicotine can cause serious harm in children, and most of the time they drink most or all of the liquid nicotine held in a single container. E-cigarettes have recently become a multi-million dollar industry with most tobacco companies owning their own product lines. The battery-powered gadgets feature a glowing tip and a heating element that turns liquid nicotine and other flavorings into a cloud of vapor that users inhale. The liquid nicotine is much more dangerous to kids than traditional tobacco, as it is concentrated and much easier to ingest. A small sip, say a teaspoon which is 5 milligrams, exposes a child to the nicotine of several packs of cigarettes all at once. Analyzing at risk demographics A study found that e-cigarettes were most common among toddlers. The study analyzed poison center calls concerning kids under 6-years-old exposed to tobacco and nicotine. This is because Children in this age group are curious, have new-found mobility, explore their environment by putting things in their mouth, and do not recognize danger. Furhter, children may confuse the liquid nicotine for candy. Among the children who needed medical care, less than 3 percent were hospitalized and roughly 2 percent had severe complications like breathing difficulties, seizures and comas. Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. NACS webinar series designed to help convenience stores understand the new rules and how to comply. ALEXANDRIA, Va. Following up on the Department of Labors new overtime rule announced last week, NACS is hosting a webinar series to help convenience retailers navigate these new changes. The new rules raise the eligibility ceiling for overtime pay from its current $23,660 annually to $47,476. Therefore, any employee paid below the $47,476 threshold may soon be entitled to overtime pay for all work over 40 hours per week. By Labor Department estimates, up to five million currently exempt workers could be eligible for overtime pay. This huge modification of overtime law could profoundly affect U.S. businesseslike yoursas employers will need to evaluate whether and how they must update their compensation plans to be in compliance. Thursday, May 26, 1:00-2:00 pm EDT New Overtime-Exemption Regulations: What This Means for Your Business This webinar will help you understand: How the regulations are changing The effect this new rule may have on your business The timeline for implementing changes within your company What you can do to prepare for these changes The financial and operational impact noncompliance can have on your business Reserve Your Spot for May 26 Thursday, June 2, 1:00-2:00 pm EDT How to Comply with the New Overtime-Exemption Requirements This webinar will help you: Determine which of your employees are affected by the new rules Weigh the pros and cons when considering various compliance options Understand which exemptions to consider Know how regional considerations may affect your planning Reserve Your Spot for June 2 To help you better understand and know how to comply with the new rules, convenience retailers are invited to attend both of these complimentary webinars, presented by Fisher & Phillips LLP. WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. Past NACS Chairman (2000) Dean Durling, president and CEO of QuickChek, shared an inspirational story with NACS a few weeks ago about an exceptional team member, Sebastian Galvez, and his journey to pursue a college education. Galvez, a Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) scholarship recipient and student, shared his story at a recent United Way of Northern New Jersey event. You could hear a pin drop when he spoke, said RVCC Foundation Executive Director Ronnie Weyl. During his remarks, Galvez said that he was raised on two principles to live by: always work hard and always give back. At the age of 4, he and his family of eight moved to the United States (Elizabeth, N.J.) from El Salvador. Crammed in a small house, Galvez reflected on the sacrifices his parents made to raise their family. As a young child, I didnt understand the amount of work it took for my parents to be able to provide me with everything I needed. I didnt understand the 80-plus hour weeks my dad had to work for almost seven years. I didnt understand the sacrifices my mom had to make, running home after a long day at work that started at 4:30 in the morning and wouldnt end until 9 or 10 at night, after she had driven me to all of my games, helped me with homework and projects, and ultimately never let me give anything in my life less than 110%. Today, Galvez more than understands the sacrifices his parents made for him, and how they always wanted me to have the very best education so I could make a good life for myself. Their fight is why I pushed myself to work three jobs, close to 70 hours a week, for months to raise money to pay for college. I worked this hard because I refused to let the sacrifices of my family go to waste. And thanks to his perseverance, while Galvez finishes up his degree at RVCC, he continues to work at a QuickChek convenience store in Hillsborough, N.J. I can devote all of my efforts on going to school full-time, and can focus on what it will take to create my own business. To become the best man I can be, in hopes of one day helping as many as I can, he shared. He will go far in life, and I know how grateful he is to QuickChek and to RVCC for helping him on his journey, said Weyl of Galvez. We are so proud of Sebastian and grateful to local businesses like QuickChek that employ our hardworking students, and give them flexible hours so they can pursue their education and better opportunities for long-term employment. Particle physics: a primer to the theory of (almost) everything Cosmos (Furzy Mouse). In Case You Forgot, Canadas Massive Fort McMurray Fire Is Still Burning Wired (Re Silc). Fannie, Freddie and the Secrets of a Bailout With No Exit Gretchen Morgenson, NYT Hedge Funds Bet Against Australias Big Banks in Record Numbers WSJ Satans Credit Card: What The Mark Of The Beast Taught Me About The Future Of Money Buzzfeed US bank branches stay open despite slump in transactions FT Fraud in $4 Trillion Trade Finance Turns Banks to Digital Ledger Bloomberg How Big Pharma Uses Charity Programs to Cover for Drug Price Hikes Bloomberg Despite June Hike Talk, Treasury Yields Barely Moved MishTalk (Furzy Mouse). Uncertainty Meme Refuses to Die The Big Picture China steps up war on banks bad debt FT Arms embargo on Vietnam in the balance as Obama visits old foe Reuters Syraqistan Baghdad on Lockdown not from fear of ISIL but of poor Protesters Informed Comment (Re Silc). Mossack Fonseca Greece Nigels against the World LRB Primed to fight the government WaPo 2016 Poll: Election 2016 shapes up as a contest of negatives WaPo. The lead buried five paragraphs down: At this point, the two candidates are in a statistical dead heat among registered voters, with Trump favored by 46 percent and Clinton favored by 44 percent. That represents an 11-point shift toward the presumptive Republican nominee since March. Trump overtakes Clinton in poll average for first time The Hill. RealClearPolitics poll of polls. Bernie Sanders: American People See Hillary Clinton as Lesser of Two Evils ABC Bernie Sanders supporters sue to have Californias voter registration extended until election day LA Times California voter registration soaring as June 7 primary approaches San Jose Mercury News (dcblogger). The surge in new voters so far hasnt been reflected in state registration reports. Monitor that. TV Networks Cancel Plans for Exit Polls for Remaining Presidential Primaries Ballot Access News. As of May 6, so not for KY, NJ, or CA. What could go wrong? Adam Gopnik and Liberal Trump Fantasies David Sessions. The New Yorker keeps putting gifted amateurs on the 2016 beat. If Hendrik Hertzberg is doing this, hes embarrassing himself. Thomas Frank Thinks Hillary Should Woo the Working Class NYT. The interview mentions microlending, but given Frank on microlending here, I have to think there was material left on the cutting room floor. Bernie Sanderss Feud With the Democratic Leadership Heats Up NYT. Sanders supporting Canova (and getting rid of payday-lending supporters like Wasserman Schultz will help defeat Trump, too; as would Sanders (for example) campaigning in Colorado for the single payer and anti-fracking ballot initiatives. Bernie Sanders Says He Supports Debbie Wasserman Schultzs Primary Opponent WSJ. If the Democrat Establishment is smart, theyll play Off the droshky with Wasserman Schultz and offer her up as a human sacrifice to unity (and DWS will be rewarded for her loyal service with a cushy job. Naturally). Then again, if Sanders supporters are smart, theyll accept the sacrifice, then say Yeah, but what have you done for me lately? so maybe its best for the Dem Establishment to concede nothing after all. Democrats turn to Schumer to fix Sanders rift Politico Harry Reid: Sanders is coming back to the Senate with more power Yahoo News Hillary must pick Bernie for VP: She may even need him more than he needs her Salon Clinton Foundation Would Weigh Down a Hillary Presidency Bloomberg Weakend at Bernies MoDo, NYT. Fun stuff. Ive talked to several former Clinton and Obama White House aides who dont enjoy checking in with the joyless Clinton campaign in Brooklyn. Its the Bataan Death March, one says. Reviving an old trope. Just What Were Donald Trumps Ties to the Mob? Politico Lambert here: The Five Eyes seem to be living in interesting times. By Houses and Holes, who edits MacroBusiness. Originally published at MacroBusiness. Im not telling you anything that you dont know when I observe that Australia is in the grip of the greatest economic scab grab of my lifetime. By that I mean that the national economic pie is being torn apart by the multitudinous grasping hands of rent seekers. MB does its best to chronicle the frenzy but, honestly, its impossible to keep up. Heres a list off the top of my head of those interests currently deploying their all to rip out a slice: banking (obviously) is fighting a much needed royal commission; real estate has embarked upon a vast anti-negative gearing reform agenda; super industries are in uproar over a minor pull back their concessions; grey groups are the same; the taxi industry is enraged and campaigning against disruption; pathologists are threatening ballot box strikes; pharmacists are the same; oil and gas is outraged at meaningless national interest tests; mining has all manner of complaints: royalties, diesel rebates, demands for inquiries; steel is seeking a future; farmers are screaming for support versus screaming supermarkets; unions are howling against penalty rate reform; its raining defense pork; its raining infrastructure pork. This outlandish scab grab is universally aimed not at winning business, nor competing successfully but at policy protections to secure or preserve economic rents. Why has the great scab grab come about? I see eight reasons. 1. A Federal Election We should expect a rising chorus of locusts during a federal election especially as the economy and budget sink further into post-mining boom troubles. The pressure is on to repair the budget balance and that means cutting back on concessions or raising new taxes. But, I put it to you that this is the least important driver of the frenzy; a flash point if you will. What is more important is why the budget is such a powerful driver of rent seeking in the first place. 2. Bad economic structure This is the more important reason behind the centrality of the budget to business and thus the push for rents. Australian spruikers like to sell the economy as diversified but this is rubbish. At its base, Australia has only two economic drivers: houses and holes. Mining delivers national income and banking leverages it up to spread the wealth. Everything else follows these two. That means that these two industries have limitless power over policy. Disruption in one equals disruption to the entire nation. Moreover, with half of export income (a lot more than that for external sector profits) driven by a largely foreign-owned mining sector, the corporate taxes and royalties in the budget are the primary mechanism via which Australia collects the income derived from its natural resource endowment. The stock market and wages do some too but it is the budget that is the great redistributor via low taxes for households. In the case of the banks, the relationship between budget, national interest and private profit is even more compromised. The banks fund (create!) the entire Australian current account deficit. The budget guarantees these same offshore borrowings. Any division between the two is purely for show. 3. Banks and miners showed us the way There was a kind of elongated tipping point when all of this became de rigueur. The GFC bailout of the banks and subsequent disguising of the fact was a red rag to the rent seekers. It declared to all with the eyes to see that the Australian government had passed through the markets golden age that began in the late eighties and was wide open for bailouts. Then mining showed these hungry rent seekers the way with the anti-resources rent tax campaign of 2010 which, with a just a few million dollars of advertising spend, initiated a coup detat that enabled it to write its own tax code, literally in the Cabinet Room of Parliament House. 4. Bad market structure But these two industries were operating on fertile ground. After decades of mergers and acquisitions, the wider Australian economy is extraordinarily over-concentrated with oligopolies operating in every major sector. Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh spoke of this in last weeks John Freebairn Lecture: A nanotechnology approach to scavenging wind and solar energy in cities (Nanowerk Spotlight) More than 60 research groups worldwide are now developing variations of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which converts ambient mechanical energy into electricity for powering wearable electronics, sensor networks, implantable medical devices and other small systems. Self-powered nanotechnology based on these nanogenerators aims at powering nanodevices and nanosystems using the energy harvested from the environment in which these systems are intended to operate. This offers a completely new approach for harvesting mechanical energy using organic and inorganic materials. An interesting approach comes from a group of Chinese scientists who propose to scavenge the large amounts of unused solar and wind energy in cities. In a paper in the May 5, 2016 online edition of ACS Nano ("Efficient Scavenging of Solar and Wind Energies in a Smart City"), they propose a hybridized nanogenerator that consists of a solar cell and a TENG, which can be utilized to individually or simultaneously scavenge solar and wind energies. "Under a device area of about 120 mm 22 mm, the solar cell can deliver an output power of 8 mW, while the corresponding output power of the TENG can be up to 24 mW," Prof. Ya Yang from the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, tells Nanowerk. "We have utilized a transformer to decrease the impedance of the TENG for achieving the impedance matching between the solar cell and the TENG." (a) Photograph of conventional wind turbine generator. (b) Photograph of the integrated solar cell units on the roof of a city building (c) Schematic diagram of the integrated hybridized nanogenerators on the roof of a house model. (d) Schematic diagram of the fabricated hybridized nanogenerator. (e) Photograph of the fabricated hybridized nanogenerator. (Reprinted with permission by American Chemical Society) (click on image to enlarge) The team's device structure incorporates a vibration film at the middle of the TENG that includes a Kapton film with two copper (Cu) electrodes on both sides, where the FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) film as the triboelectric layer is affixed on the copper electrode. Another two copper electrodes are fixed on the top and bottom of the acrylic substrate, respectively, resulting in an air gap between the two copper electrodes. The TENG's dimensions are tiny: The thickness of both the Kapton film and FEP film is about 25 m, and the thickness of the copper electrode is about 200 nm. The air gaps between the vibration film and the copper electrode on the acrylic substrate are 2 mm, so that the height of air intake is about 4 mm. While the hybrid solar cell / TENG device could ideally be installed on roof tops, individual TENG arrays could be used anywhere to capture air movement, for instance at air condition units' outlets. "The working of the TENG is based on the wind-induced vibration of the middle Kapton/Cu/FEP films, resulting in the periodic contact and separation between the FEP and the top/bottom copper film as both the conductive electrode and the triboelectric material," explains Yang. "The output current of the TENG can reach 260 A under a wind speed of about 15 m/s. This output current decreases with increasing the loading resistance, resulting in that the largest output power of the TENG can be up to 26 mW under the responding loading resistance of 1 M." In their experiments, the team used a homemade Li-ion battery with a TiO 2 nanotube array as the electrode material to store energy generated by the hybridized nanogenerator. "Our research holds great promise for practical applications to maximize scavenging solar and wind energies in city areas for realizing some self-powered functions such as sensors in a 'smart city' environment," concludes Yang. "The next stages in our investigations will focus on the following two aspects: to improve the stability of the hybridized device output; to design a new management circuit for the TENG to obtain higher current signals and voltage of about 5V." FILE PHOTODistrict 5 Commissioner Tim Nance, left, and District 2 Commissioner Georgia Hiller listen to a case during a Collier County Commission meeting at the Collier County Manager building in Naples, Florida on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. Calvin Mattheis/Staff) By Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News A corporate headquarters going by the name "Project Nikita" could bring 560 high-paying jobs to Collier County. On Tuesday, county commissioners will vote on whether to approve the multimillion-dollar project as proposed by the state, a step needed before final approval. The mystery company seeks more than $5.9 million in incentives that would come from the state and the county. The incentives are a requirement for the company to continue considering Collier County for its project. To seal the deal, Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development arm, has offered the company $2.5 million from the state's Quick Action Closing Fund, a pot of cash Gov. Rick Scott can use to convince businesses to relocate or expand in the state. The fund is quickly running out of money and will expire on June 30 with the Legislature's decision to ax it. Collier County has never wooed a project that included money from the lucrative fund, designed to "close" competitive deals when companies are considering locations outside the state. Jace Kentner, the county's interim director of economic development, said the project could get "the last drop in the barrel" of the state's closing fund. "It's for those special big projects and this is one of them," he said. It's not clear whether the company already has a local presence or would be new to the county. For its part, the company has promised a capital investment of $63.35 million and hundreds of jobs paying an average wage of $49,658 well above the county's average of $43,993. The jobs would come with average annual benefits of $17,000. "That's an amazing amount of money to be put into our economy," Kentner said. Asked if he could share any more details about the unnamed company, he said a confidentiality agreement he signed prevents him from doing so. "This is such a good thing for the community that I just wouldn't want to say anything that would jeopardize it," he said. The company has told county and state representatives that there are alternative sites where it could put the project. Enterprise Florida brought the project to Collier County in April. The county has been asked to provide at least a 24 percent local match in cash or in goods and services to the $2.5 million coming from the state's closing fund. The county's part would be up to $600,000, bringing the total to $3.1 million for this incentive. The company is also looking for money through Florida's Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program. The program offers a base incentive of $3,000 for every job created, but the company could qualify for $5,000 per job because it falls in one of the "high impact" sectors. With the bonus, the company could get up to $2.8 million through the program, with the county providing up to $560,000 as the local match. In total, the project could cost the county $1.16 million. County and state incentives would be tied to performance. Payments would be spread over at least five years. Money is available in the county's two economic development funds to cover its share of the incentives. "The state needs to know we are going to do our part, that there is a local match. The state needs to know we are supporting them," Kentner said. For negotiations to move ahead, a majority of commissioners would have to vote in favor of the proposed project and the county's participation in incentive programs. If county commissioners give the go-ahead to finalize a local contract with the company Tuesday, the final agreement is expected to come before commissioners within a matter of weeks as the clock ticks on the state's closing fund. "Once we get this agreement hashed out, then we are going to be celebrating, and it's going to be big news, and I believe everyone is going to be happy," Kentner said. Collier County Commissioner Georgia Hiller, the board's chairwoman for economic development, said she's thrilled with the opportunity the state has brought to the county and that she's comfortable with it because it has been vetted by the state's economic development agency. "I believe that this is going to contribute in a very positive way to further economic development and new job creation in our county," she said. "These are the kinds of projects that I look at closely and care very much about because this furthers the county's objective of economic growth and prosperity for the community." One of the county's biggest limitations is a shortage of land for large projects, so she's glad to see that a company with the potential to create hundreds of jobs appears to have found a suitable spot here for its headquarters. "It's not that companies don't want to come here, and it's not that we don't want to receive them. We do. We embrace them with open arms," Hiller said. She wouldn't discuss the other sites the company might be considering due to a confidentiality agreement, but she didn't seem too worried about the competition. "There's no competition in my mind because I feel we put our best foot forward," she said. "I'm not looking to the left or right. I'm looking forward." Florida Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, talks to a visiting group of entrepreneurs and executives from France at his bank, First Florida Integrity, in Naples on Monday, May 23, 2016. (Photo by Laura Layden/Staff) SHARE Geoffrey Costilhes, with Lettre d'un jour, pitches his company at First Florida Integrity Bank in Naples on May 23, 2016. His company has developed a new post card concept, which he's looking to bring to the U.S. (Photo by Laura Layden/Staff) By Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News The French are here. Representatives with six French companies are visiting Southwest Florida this week for a three-day inbound trade mission. Their first stop? The Naples Accelerator on Monday. As the group arrived at the accelerator, its manager, Marshall Goodman, pointed to all the candy spread across long, empty tables that awaited them. He told them there was plenty of candy and other snacks nearby for good reason. "We want you all fired up," he said. After a quick stop at the accelerator, off Pine Ridge Road near Interstate 75 in the Kraft Center, the group walked to a third-floor board room at First Florida Integrity Bank, a few steps away, to hear from local business, government and community leaders why Collier County and Florida are great places to do business. There, the group found more candy. Former state Rep. Dudley Goodlette, the immediate past chairman of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, talked about the "ppp," or public private partnership, in Collier County that has helped drive opportunities like the visit from the French. "This is really an outgrowth of that from the very beginning," he said. Collier County Commissioner Georgia Hiller, the board's chairwoman of economic development, told the visitors she'll be there to help in any way she can. "My goal is to be your gateway to do business in the U.S.," she said. French entrepreneurs and executives made their first "elevator pitches," or marketing pitches, at the bank. Those rough pitches will be honed over the next few days through the training they'll get here, which is designed to help them grab the attention of partners and investors in the U.S. After they returned to the accelerator Monday afternoon, they practiced their pitches again in a trade booth set up for them. The visitors are a diverse group. They represent the following companies: DermoTechnology, offering anti-aging technologies that are an alternative to Botox and surgery. Diag2Tec, focused on precision medicine for hematological cancers, especially multiple myeloma. Lettre d'un jour, selling a new, more personalized postcard concept offered in mobile carts. MatchUpBox, offering data protection through a secure and encrypted communications system. Facil'iti, making websites more accessible for seniors and users with physical, sensory or cognitive problems, including those caused by such debilitating diseases as Parkinson's. Bienvu, specializing in Web-enabled multimedia communication services, from strategy design to product execution. More meetings are planned over the next two days including a visit to Florida Gulf Coast University and a stop in Charlotte County. They'll get to pitch to a panel of real investors before they head back home. This week's visit is organized by RETIS, a nonprofit French innovation network. It's the third such visit. The last one in October brought six other French companies to Collier County. One of those companies, Active Asset Allocation, which offers unique investment solutions to its clients, is in the midst of relocating here and already has an office at the Naples accelerator. Goodman shared the story of HyperTeam's success in Naples as a foreign company with the visitors. The Hungarian business and IT consulting firm has spread its wings at the Naples accelerator and has made a name for itself in the community through networking. Michael Dalby, president and CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber, told the group to think of the chamber as an extension of their staff. "Think of us," he said. "Use us." Collier County will provide a $1,000 reimbursement to each company participating in the trip to help offset their travel costs and their stay here. Goodman called the diversity of the French companies "fantastic." He said they'll hear good news and bad news while they're here, which comes with trying to dip their toes into the U.S. market. After hearing their first pitches, he said there was a lot of room for improvement. "None of them really talked about money," he said. "That's what the American culture wants." By Wednesday, he said, he could guarantee the pitches would be much different, answering critical questions about costs and the return on investment. Jace Kentner, the county's interim economic development director, said he was wowed by several of the companies, including Diag2Tec. The company's primary goal is to define biomarkers and generate assays to help doctors treat cancer patients more precisely. The startup is looking for partnerships in the U.S. because it's where the drugmakers are and where hematological cancers are most common. The business is a year old, but Kentner said he sees the potential for it to grow rapidly and help a lot of people. Kentner also pointed to DermoTechnology as a business that could do well in the U.S. The company's products use microcurrent technology and a painless solution that give patients a more natural face-lift without injections or surgery. The results of eight once per week treatments can last for six months to a year, said Geraldine Peri, a company founder. "The more you do, the more it helps," she said. Kentner liked the mix of companies. "I think we're going to land some of them, if not at the accelerator, in the county," he said. SHARE In releasing his list of potential Supreme Court nominees, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has begun to solidify his support among conservatives as perhaps no other announcement could do. The record of any of the 11 judges currently serving on federal or state benches may calm the fears of those who are not committed "NeverTrump-ers." A clear sign of how well these men and women would perform on the court is the reaction by Hillary Clinton, who calls them "extreme ideologues." Today, if one wishes to return to the boundaries set for government by the Constitution, the left considers that extreme. Violating constitutional boundaries is considered "progressive." CNN.com writes, "John Malcolm, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation who compiled and published the foundation's list of eight potential Supreme Court nominees in March, called Trump's selections 'excellent' ... and (the list) should be reassuring to those conservatives who have had doubts about Trump's judicial appointments." Malcolm responded to my request for an analysis of their philosophy and rulings: Steven Colloton, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003. He earned a law degree from Yale and clerked for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a conservative icon. Allison Eid is an associate justice on the Colorado Supreme Court. Prior to her judicial service, Eid was Colorado's solicitor general and a law professor at the University of Colorado. She clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas, another conservative favorite. Raymond Gruender was named to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit by Bush in 2004. Among his decisions that will delight conservatives was a written opinion that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 did not give female employees the right to insurance coverage for contraceptives used solely to prevent pregnancy. Gruender also dissented from a panel ruling that upheld an injunction striking down a South Dakota law requiring abortion providers to inform patients that an "abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being." Joan Larsen is an associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and before that a professor at the University of Michigan School of Law. She clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, which would make her nomination especially poignant. Of interest to conservatives is her statement after being named to the Michigan court. Promising to be a "strict constructionist," she explained, "I believe in enforcing the laws as written by the legislature and signed by the governor. I don't think judges are a policymaking branch of government." Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania has been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit since 2007. His ruling that a jail policy of strip-searching all arrestees does not violate the Fourth Amendment was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012. The following year, he dissented from his court's decision on a New Jersey law requiring applicants for licenses to carry handguns in public to show "justifiable need," citing the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The others on Trump's list also have stellar conservative credentials. The question is: Will he follow through, or change his mind, as he has done on so many other issues? A Washington Post editorial said that by publishing their names now, Trump "has practically guaranteed that none of the judges he offered will be seen as fair over the next several months, their every ruling scrutinized for evidence that they are applying for the job even if they try to conduct their duties evenhandedly." The Post also chastised Clinton and Bernie Sanders for applying litmus tests to judges they would nominate, but it's no secret that liberal presidents name liberal judges and conservatives presidents mostly, but not always, nominate conservatives. The Heritage Foundation would be a good source for Trump, as it was for President Ronald Reagan, who used its 1980 "Mandate for Leadership" as a guide for his first term on many domestic and foreign policy issues. Trump would improve his credibility and knowledge of important issues if he did the same. SoapFest weekend includes a boat ride with the stars on the Marco Island Princess yacht for the afternoon Cruisin' Boozin' & Schmoozin.' Submitted SHARE dolphin underwater on ocean background looking at you with school of fish and sea lion background 1. This weekend: SoapFest returns SoapFest returns for its annual weekend festival featuring daytime celebrity actors and signature events that raise funds for local children's charities. Tickets are now on sale for the 17th annual weekend May 27-30. A dozen actors from treasured daytimes shows such as "General Hospital," "Young and the Restless" and "Guiding Light" are expected to attend, many for return visits. "A Night of Stars" tickets (including dinner) cost $125 per person. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $200 and guarantees VIP seating with your favorite celebrity guest. "Cruisin' Boozin' & Schmoozin with the Stars," to be held noon until 3 p.m., May 29, departing from Marco River Marina. The 3-hour boat ride is a perfect opportunity to mix and mingle with your favorite soap celebrity, while sightseeing Marco Island's coastal beauty as dolphins frolic in the water. Guests meet with actors for additional photographs and autographs. Auctions and raffles will be held for one-of-a-kind daytime drama memorabilia (signed scripts, iconic clothing, jewelry, among others). Tickets limited to 130 and cost $130 per person including a luncheon buffet. The annual Celebrity Karaoke Bar Bash takes place at 9 p.m. until closing May 29 at Chad's Martini Bar, located at 695 Bald Eagle Drive. SoapFest concludes on Monday, May 30 with a VIP brunch. Planning for this exclusive, one-of-a-kind event is underway with a very limited number of tickets available. Tickets for all events, updates to schedules, including current actor attendees, can be found at theateronmarco.com/soapiest. Tickets may also be purchased by phone by calling 239-394-0080. 2. Connie Mier photographs The Marco Island Historical Museum will host a collection of photographs by artist Connie Mier, a wildlife and nature photographer who derives inspiration from her canoe explorations of the Everglades and Biscayne Bay, May 3 through July 26. Mier spends days at a time canoeing and camping in the Everglades to photograph some of the most remote wilderness areas in Florida. As a result, her photographs offer a rare glimpse of these beautiful places, as seen from a canoe. There will be an opening reception from 6 until 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 24, hosted by the Marco Island Historical Society. The reception is free, open to the public. Artist Connie Mier will be in attendance. 3. Ocean Trivia Night with Dr. Ellen Prager Join Dr. Ellen Prager and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for a night of fun and learning during Ocean Trivia Night on May 24. Guests can test their knowledge about the ocean, Southwest Florida, Rookery Bay Reserve, and marine life with Dr. Prager, a world-renowned ocean scientist, and Sarah Falkowski, the reserve's education coordinator. Prager is a consultant, science advisor to Celebrity Xpedition in the Galapagos Islands, and a former Safina Center Fellow. She was also once the chief scientist for the Aquarius Reef Base program in Key Largo and the former assistant dean at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for refreshments and book signing, with trivia from 6 to 7 p.m. Admission is free for Friends of Rookery Bay members, $10 for non-members, and includes refreshments. Reservations are highly recommended as space is limited. Pre-register at rookerybay.org/calendar or call 239-530-5972. SHARE Pat Hoscher and Lonnie Hoscher III wear their protective vests. As part of national Safe Boating Week, the Marco Island Sail & Power Squadron held an event Saturday morning at Rose Marina promoting life jacket use while boating. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Attendees wave while posing for a photo attempting to break the record for worldwide life jacket wearers. As part of national Safe Boating Week, the Marco Island Sail & Power Squadron held an event Saturday morning at Rose Marina promoting life jacket use while boating. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent The Marco Island Fire-Rescue boat crew participated. As part of national Safe Boating Week, the Marco Island Sail & Power Squadron held an event Saturday morning at Rose Marina promoting life jacket use while boating. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Lilly, a Newfoundland, brought her family, Lonnie, Pat, and Lonnie Hoscher III, all in their protective vests. As part of national Safe Boating Week, the Marco Island Sail & Power Squadron held an event Saturday morning at Rose Marina promoting life jacket use while boating. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent By Lance Shearer Maybe they'll break the record worldwide, and maybe they won't. Drawing fewer than half as many attendees as the same event last year, Marco Island's contribution to an attempt to set a new world record for the number of life jackets all worn on the same day will count toward the global total. But while last year's effort drew 95 people in floating vests, and contributed to a record of 10,917 participants documented as wearing their life jackets, attendance at this year's Sail & Power Squadron effort, Saturday morning at Rose Marina, was down by more than half. Altogether, 47 people stood on a floating dock in their life jackets, including a couple of toddlers too young to walk, as a Civil Air Patrol aircraft flew overhead to take an aerial photo, and former commander Andrea Battaglia shot a photo from land. On the other hand, or paw, canine participation was up 300 percent from last year, with three dogs in custom canine life preservers, compared to only one last year. This might not seem overly significant, but the dogs are counted, separately, in the global results, and last year just 65 dogs were recorded, so Marco Island contributed a significant percentage of prepared pooches participating. The total number for the 2016 event, called "Ready, Set, Wear It!" won't be known until sometime next month, with the necessity of tabulating results from all over the world. While the USA had the largest number of events last year, with 132, Japan came in second with 73, followed by South Korea with 23. Australia, China, Bermuda, Brazil, Vietnam, and (landlocked) Hungary held one Wear It event each. Lending support, or buoying up, the concept of boating safety through life jacket use, first responders including the Marco Island Police Department, Marco Island Fire-Rescue Department and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, showed up and brought their boats. MIPD marine officer Bob Marvin said life jackets are a good idea for everyone, and mandatory for children up to five years old. "Kids hate to wear the vests. But if you start them off early, and set an example yourself, they get used to it and it's no big deal," he said. "If you hit your head and fall in, you'll be glad you have it." "On the water, time is life," said Fire Chief Mike Murphy, waxing a little cosmic. "The bottom line is the lifejacket will keep you afloat." Current models, including automatic or manual inflatable life jackets, are less bulky and uncomfortable than old-fashioned PFDs. Having life jackets aboard, although not wearing them, is mandatory for all vessels, but many boaters have only adult sized jackets. For people who may have children, grandchildren, or visitors of any size joining them out on the water, loaner life jackets are available, for free. The MIPD offers loaners, and so do several county parks, which have them hanging on racks for use on the honor system. Checking for life jackets is an important part of the courtesy exams offered by the Sail & Power Squadron, said Tom Ryan, vessel safety chairman. "This year, we've inspected over 250 boats on the island. If you haven't had yours done, you should." The exams, also offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, check for safety equipment such as flares and fire extinguishers, current registration, and working navigation lights along with adequate life jackets. To schedule an exam for your craft, call 908-432-8767. The "Wear It!" event was part of National Safe Boating Week. SHARE Steve and Carole Roberts come - carefully - down the stairs after the fall prevention talk. The Marco Police Foundation held their quarterly Lunch with the Chief Friday at the Hideaway Beach Club. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Guest speaker Mark Tesoro of Lee Memorial Trauma Center talks about the danger of falls. The Marco Police Foundation held their Lunch with the Chief Friday at the Hideaway Beach Club. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Proper footwear can help prevent accidental falls. The Marco Police Foundation held their quarterly Lunch with the Chief Friday at the Hideaway Beach Club. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Marco Police Foundation reps Joe Granda, from right, Dick Adams and Bernardo Bezos welcome guests with Chief Al Schettino. The MPF held their quarterly Lunch with the Chief Friday at the Hideaway Beach Club. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent By Lance Shearer Marco Island can be a dangerous place. Not from crime the city continues to be ranked at or very close to the top of the list of the safest municipalities in Florida. But with the large percentage of senior citizens in the population, falls represent a serious safety hazard locally. So rather than talk about gang violence, burglaries or identity theft, the topic at Friday's "Lunch with the Chief" at the Hideaway Beach Club put on by the Marco Police Foundation was falls, and how best to avoid them. Other than leading the Pledge of Allegiance before lunch, and picking the 50/50 raffle winning ticket after, the only appearance at the podium for Police Chief Al Schettino was when he spoke briefly about Memorial Week for law enforcement officers. When Schettino mentioned "fallen" officers, he was speaking of those who lost their lives in the line of duty. "Take strength knowing that when an officer falls, our commitment to protecting our community is not weakened," he told the 105 attending the luncheon. In the last 10 years, an average of 146 have lost their lives each year, and the greatest single day's loss was on Sept. 11, 2001, when 72 died. The primary speaker concerning safety from falls was Mark Tesoro of the Lee Memorial Trauma Center. He was introduced by Keith Dameron, who seemed inclined to do at least some of the presentation himself. Collier County, with 14 percent more senior citizens than Florida on average, has 54 percent more falls, said Dameron, and 11 percent of the victims of those falls never return home. There was plenty left for Tesoro to tell the audience. Falls are the leading cause of accidental death locally, he said, with over double the number of deaths from motor vehicle crashes. A four-day hospital stay costs, on average, $43,000, and unlike car crashes, being at home does not keep you safe from falls. "Home can be a dangerous place," said Tesoro, saying that 60 percent of serious falls take place there. People fall for a variety of reasons physical, behavioral, and environmental, and once they have fallen, they tend to set themselves up for another fall. "When you fall, then you're scared. You relegate yourself to the couch," allowing muscles to atrophy and reflexes to deteriorate. "Try to get back to normal activity." Another major factor in causing falls is the medications people take. Anti-depressants such as Prozac, Elavil, and Zoloft can cause dizziness as a side effect, as can insulin. And alcohol in conjunction with prescription meds can be deadly, even more so than by itself. "Alcohol increases the effects of medicines," said Tesoro. He urged everyone to keep a current list of all their medications, and have it with them at all times. "It does nobody any good in the junk drawer in the kitchen." "Get to know a pharmacist, and use only one," so that there is one source who is aware of all the medications you or family members take, and possible interactions between them, he urged. Footwear, said Tesoro, is implicated in three quarters of all falls, and he called out a few types for particular mention. "We're a flip floppy state," and they are the wrong choice for most people, he said. "And high heels, ladies don't be a fashion victim." He didn't like Crocs, either. Along with wearing proper footwear "ugly shoes," he said, with good support and nonslip soles he urged his listeners not to shy away from assistive devices if needed. "Don't let pride come before a fall. If you need a cane or a walker, you have to use it. Put a streamer and a horn on it," he said, words which resonated with one listener whose mother called her walker her "Harley," and was delighted to sport Harley-Davidson logo stickers on it. Disposing of clutter, fixing poor lighting, and being wary of pets and melting ice cubes on the floor were additional tips. "Now you know more than 99 percent of everyone," said Tesoro at the conclusion of his talk. "If you have a fall, who do you call?" "911" was heard all around the room, but Mike Cunningham got a laugh when he answered "Morgan and Morgan." After the talk, the 105 exited the dining room, and walked down the spiral staircase down to the ground floor at the Hideaway club very carefully. The next Lunch with the Chief, said Marco Police Foundation president Curt Koon, will take place in October. A necklace bears the first name of Galindez, 22, who landed a part-time job at Publix bagging groceries and collecting carts after participating in Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida's High School High Tech Program. SHARE Naples resident Natalie Galindez, 22, landed a part-time job at Publix bagging groceries and collecting carts after participating in Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida's High School High Tech Program. (David Albers/Staff) Claudia Lozano, the High School High Tech Program Coordinator with Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida David Albers/Staff (2) Naples resident Natalie Galindez collects shopping carts at her part-time job at the Publix near Pine Ridge and Airport-Pulling Roads on Friday in Naples. Galindez, 22, landed the job after participating in Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida's High School High Tech Program. Naples resident Natalie Galindez steps off a Collier Area Paratransit System bus to arrive at her part-time job at the Publix near Pine Ridge and Airport-Pulling Roads on Friday, May 20, 2016, in Naples. Galindez, 22, landed the job after participating in Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida's High School High Tech Program. (David Albers/Staff) By Kristine Gill of the Naples Daily News For Natalie Galindez, growing up had its share of challenges. Born with a disability, she had trouble learning in school and took special classes. When the time came to graduate, her parents wondered what she would do after school. "My parents told me 'Do something, do something. Don't just stay here. Get a job, find a job,' " Galindez said. But where to start? Galindez had never worked before. And she couldn't drive, even if she found work. That's when Natalie, 18 at the time, started in a program that would help shape the years after Golden Gate High School, giving her a sense of purpose and her parents some hope for their daughter's success. "It was very hard," Galindez said. "And so she came into my life." "She" is Claudia Lozano, program coordinator for Florida High School High Tech. It's an initiative started through Collier Able Trust & Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. She meets with students ages 14 to 22 in high schools throughout the county to establish post-high school plans. "Every year the district graduates 1,000 students with special needs, and most don't have anything to do after," Lozano said. "Publix and Goodwill cannot employ 1,000 people every year." Goodwill of Southwest Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Over half a century, they've helped students like Galindez learn job skills and find employment. Each year Goodwill helps about 40,000 people with disabilities and disadvantages across its five-county area. But more community employers are always needed, Lozano said. (Contact claudialozano@goodwillswfl.org or 239-281-3676.) "We met in 2013 and Natalie delayed graduation a year to 2014, so she could get a plan in place," Lozano said. Through High School High Tech, Galindez did volunteer work at Publix and later had a summer job at Goodwill. She spent 60 hours over the course of a few months, going to work to sort clothes and remove tags. It was a simple job, kind of boring, Galindez said, and lonesome because she worked on her own mainly. But the experience became invaluable. "I learned how to be responsible and keep a job," she said. During that year, Lozano helped prepare Galindez for job interviews. Together, they applied for Para-Transit, a service that offers free rides to people with disabilities. Galindez uses the service to schedule rides to work when her mother can't take her. Then Galindez was offered a part-time seasonal job at Publix. She worked there a couple of days a week for a few months, at the Pine Ridge Crossing location, doing her best while Lozano pondered their next move. Then Galindez learned that Publix wanted to keep her on permanently. She now works a few days a week as a bagger and also cleans after store closing. "To stay on is amazing," Lozano said. "She's retained her job for two years now." Galindez said she stood out among her peers because she never missed a day of work and did her best to arrive on time. "Some people were showing up late or calling off," she said. "I wasn't doing that." Galindez lives with her mother in Golden Gate now. When she's not at work, she's cleaning up around the house, spending time with friends and occasionally helping her mother, who works as a maid on the side. She's bubbly and talkative and offers a bashful giggle any time Lozano pours on the praise. Galindez said the Publix job has taught her how to interact with customers and treat them well. When Galindez started, she was a bit shy and hesitant around customers. Since then, Assistant Store Manager Brad Crain said she has come out of her shell. "The customers will purposely come in and go to her line," Crain said. "She's a great asset to the company." Goodwill chose Galindez for its Breakthrough Graduate award, which she received at a banquet this month. "It touched my family," Galindez said. "They started crying." TAMPA Gas prices rose throughout last week, but stabilized during the weekend as 33.9 million Americans plan a road trip for Memorial Day, one of the top holidays for auto travelers. "Gas prices rose an average of 6 cents last week, but Memorial Day travelers should still enjoy the lowest holiday gas prices since 2005," said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA The Auto Club Group. "Gasoline demand continues to test record levels, and a repeat of last years higher-than-normal summer driving season is likely on the horizon. The balance between regional supply and demand will influence the price at the pump; however, the market remains well supplied and the relatively lower cost of crude oil should keep summer prices lower than last year." Gas prices reached their lowest point of the year in February. Since that time, the average price rose 58 cents nationwide and 47 cents in Florida. Gas prices usually rise 50 to 70 cents from February to June. Average prices peaked in June last year at $2.80 nationally and $2.72 in Florida. Prices will likely peak around the same time this year, unless there are sizable shifts in crude oil prices, AAA reports. Friends, family, and others gathered at Buffalo Chips restaurant for the "Dollars for Denise" fundraiser Sunday in Bonita Springs to show their love and support for Denise Bax. Bax, a waitress at the restaurant, was recently injured in a terrible car accident that left her paralyzed. (Luke Franke/Staff) SHARE Raffle tickets are sold to help support Denise Bax, longtime waitress at Buffalo Chips restaurant, during the Dollars for Denise Fundraiser at Buffalo Chips restaurant Sunday in Bonita Springs. Bax was recently injured in a terrible car accident that left her paralyzed. (Luke Franke/Staff) A Harley-Davidson motorcycle is raffled off during the "Dollars for Denise" fundraiser at Buffalo Chips restaurant Sunday in Bonita Springs. Bax, a waitress at the restaurant, was recently injured in a terrible car accident that left her paralyzed. (Luke Franke/Staff) Just a few of the items that were raffled off during the "Dollars for Denise" fundraiser at Buffalo Chips restaurant Sunday in Bonita Springs. Bax, a waitress at the restaurant, was recently injured in a terrible car accident that left her paralyzed. (Luke Franke/Staff) Friends, family, and others gathered at Buffalo Chips restaurant Sunday in Bonita Springs to show their love and support for Denise Bax. Bax, a waitress at the restaurant, was recently injured in a terrible car accident that left her paralyzed. (Luke Franke/Staff) By Ashley Collins, ashley.collins@naplesnews.com Bonita Springs Denise Bax, 52, spent many of her days waiting tables and ringing up orders for her favorite customers inside Buffalo Chips restaurant in Bonita Springs. But when tragedy struck, the tables turned and the community served her for a change. Bax's friends, co-workers and regular customers came out Sunday to raise funds for her recovery after she was involved in a multivehicle accident on April 9. Her neck was broken and she was paralyzed. She was flown to Lee Memorial Hospital, where she's currently receiving treatment inside the facility's intensive care unit. To help Bax and her family, loved ones hosted a fundraiser outside Buffalo Chips, at 26620 Old 41 Road, and the local Moose Lodge. All proceeds will help cover Bax's medical bills. "My wife was horribly injured in a head-on collision. We got to do a lot of work and raise a lot of money to get her home," said Norman Torkelsen, Bax's husband. The accident occurred on East Terry Street in Bonita Springs. Torkelsen was driving, with Bax as his passenger. He suffered injures, including a concussion, but not nearly as severe as his wife's. "It took my '69 Chevy, my wife and my boat all in one swipe. Somebody ran somebody right under me," he said. "I want to give a big heads-up to the Bonita Springs Fire and Rescue; otherwise we'd be doing a funeral. She was pretty much dead in my arms when they saved her, so them guys are at the top of the list." The couple married two years ago but were together for 15 years before that. Originally from New Jersey, Bax made a home for herself in Bonita Springs and has worked at Buffalo Chips for more than six years. Her kind nature has not gone unnoticed in the community, said Chip Greenwood, the owner of Buffalo Chips. "She's great, that's why we're doing this. She's such a sweetheart. She brought in people and everybody loved her. ... She didn't have insurance, and she's going to need a lot of work, a lot of rehab. She's lucky to be alive. It was a horrific accident." Greenwood described Bax as a "hippie-type girl," who always wore customized tie-dye shirts and often made some for her co-workers. Many employees, including Greenwood, wore tie-dye shirts during the fundraiser in her honor. Sabrina Beckett, from Bonita Springs, has worked alongside Bax for the past six years. "She's just the most amazing, wonderful person. Always positive and always has a smile on her face, and we really miss that a whole lot," she said. Sunday's fundraiser included food, drinks, live music, raffle tickets and plenty of tie-dye shirts. The grand prize was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which Torkelsen donated. Bax's friends and co-workers said they miss her dearly and hope to see her back in action soon. Francis Rooney is seen in portrait Jan. 14, 2015 at his home in Naples, Florida. (Corey Perrine/Staff) By Alexandra Glorioso, alexandra.glorioso@naplesnews.com Francis Rooney, the multimillionaire Naples businessman who has been a major GOP donor and supporter helping to elect others, announced his candidacy Monday for the congressional seat now held by Curt Clawson. Rooney, who was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See by President George W. Bush, is the second Republican to officially announce their candidacy following Clawson's surprise announcement last week that he would not seek re-election. Clawson's seat, District 19, stretches from Fort Myers to Marco Island. Sanibel councilman Chauncey Goss, who ran for Congress in 2012 but lost to Trey Radel in the GOP primary, also is a candidate in the race. Rooney's entry into the race prompted some Republicans who were considering a run to opt out. "I am excited to support Francis Rooney for Congress," Naples City Councilman Sam Saad wrote on Twitter, who said he has decided not to run. "His business & foreign affairs experience make him ideal for this." Keeping to his promise of supporting Rooney, former one-term state Rep. Tom Grady, a Republican state Board of Education member from Naples, said Monday he will not run for Congress. "We cannot afford electing an incumbent politician or bureaucrat," Grady said in announcing his support for Rooney. State Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers, said Rooney's entry into the race is a factor he must weigh before he makes a final decision. "Certainly, it's not lost on me that Ambassador Rooney is independently wealthy," Caldwell said. "The voters rewarded Curt Clawson who funded his own campaign. They overwhelmingly picked Donald Trump. If somebody fits that mold, I've got a feeling they'll do well in this political climate." Rooney, 62, has played a major role in state and national GOP campaigns, including major fundraising efforts. He said that after helping so many others get in office, he thinks it's time for him to take a shot at filling that role himself. His business experience, however, will be more important to voters and the office. "We need more guys with business experience, who can make a difference and help create more jobs," said Rooney, who's led a national construction company. While Rooney is often mentioned as someone who could largely finance such a campaign himself, he didn't commit to how much of his own money he may put in the race. "I've had a lot of people in both counties offer to help" with fundraising, he said. "At the end of the day, it won't be about money, it'll be about connecting with the voters." He did say, however, that he would contribute what he needs to for his campaign, and he vowed not to take money from special interests, aligning his views with Clawson's on the matter. "I'm not beholden to anyone. I'm an independent person who isn't bound to some lobbyist on K Street," he said, referring to the street in Washington where many lobbyists have offices. Rooney said he and his wife, Kathleen, have helped a number of people financially with their campaigns. But he said he never received anything in exchange for those contributions. "I've never even thought about it. Kathleen and I have given money to people who we've thought are better than the alternative," he said. Rooney said he would make water and the natural environment in Southwest Florida keys issues to his campaign, again aligning with Clawson's views. "I would continue the very important work that Curt has started," he said. Qualifying ends June 24 and the primary election is Aug. 30. Freelance writer Betty Parker contributed to this story. U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson reads a letter given to him by friend Frances Keogh minutes prior to making his farewell announcement at Doc's Beachhouse Sunday in Bonita Springs. Frances was dear friends with Clawson's mother and has remained close with him since her passing last year. "He's such a beautiful person," Frances said. "He's everything that a mother could hope for in a son." Clawson announced that he will not be running for re-election for Florida's 19th congressional district this coming year citing his father's health issues. (Luke Franke/Staff) SHARE U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson makes his farewell announcement at Doc's Beachhouse Sunday in Bonita Springs. Clawson announced that he will not be running for re-election for Florida's 19th congressional district this coming year citing his father's health issues. (Luke Franke/Staff) U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson makes his rounds to thank his supporters minutes prior to making his farewell announcement at Doc's Beachhouse Sunday in Bonita Springs. Clawson announced that he will not be running for re-election for Florida's 19th congressional district this coming year citing his father's health issues. (Luke Franke/Staff) U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson makes his farewell announcement at Doc's Beachhouse Sunday in Bonita Springs. Clawson announced that he will not be running for re-election for Florida's 19th congressional district this coming year citing his father's health issues. (Luke Franke/Staff) Linda Bright, left, and Rick Steinmeyer, right, receive name tags as they arrive at Doc's Beachhouse to hear U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson make his farewell announcement Sunday in Bonita Springs. Clawson announced that he will not be running for re-election for Florida's 19th congressional district this coming year citing his father's health issues. (Luke Franke/Staff) Related Coverage Paige Kreegel to raise money before congressional run By Alexandra Glorioso, alexandra.glorioso@naplesnews.com At least 100 loyal supporters of U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson crowded inside the upper floor of Doc's Beach House in Bonita Springs on Sunday to say goodbye to the congressman who wants to be remembered for his passion for the environment. "We don't have to sacrifice our beaches and the water to be conservatives," said Clawson, standing on two stools in a white pullover shirt, khaki shorts and brown flip-flops, his tears from emotional greetings with supporters freshly dried on his face. This informal gathering was the venue Clawson chose to make official what he already had announced unexpectedly last week after one full term in office, he's not seeking re-election to the congressional district that runs from Fort Myers to Marco Island. Flashback to the same venue, nearly two years ago, Clawson laid out a notion about the government's role, or rather, what its role should not be: a principal employer. "The government cannot be the job source for the whole country," he said then. His goodbye speech Sunday expanded on this idea, still proposing that the free-market should rule business, but the government should protect the environment. "The government should do two things: protect us and keep it clean," he said. As pizza and wings began to appear on long tables, Clawson followed with another request: that candidates in the upcoming election run clean campaigns and keep the "special interests" out of the campaigns. This was another nod to his victory speech two years ago where he said, "nobody's got me in their pocket." Turning his attention to the future, he told his fellow Republicans, including some in the crowd who are considering running for his seat, "Our party doesn't have to be about the destruction of people and their families." And followed with, "Whoever runs, I hope they leave with their dignity intact," he said. When Clawson ran in 2014 in the special election for U.S. House District 19, an outside money group called Liberty & Leadership Fund, which was affiliated with his competitor, state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, spent nearly $374,399 on attack ads opposing him, according to the nonpartisan research group, Center for Responsive Politics. U.S. Sugar, which been embroiled in controversy over whether it has polluted Lake Okeechobee, donated $100,000 to the group. Clawson said he was always going to make his decision on re-election by this weekend because he wanted to give every candidate one month to make their decision. "I never thought about the money, my race was short too," he said in reference to how little time candidates will now have to raise funds for their campaigns. But fundraising is on the minds of candidates. "That's why I announced when I did. Four days is a leg up," said Sanibel Councilman Chauncey Goss, who was present at the event. Also present at the event is a newly announced potential contender, Michael Dreikorn, who ran against Clawson two years ago. Dreikorn said he is considering a run but was at Clawson's event to celebrate him. "We were the only two outsiders last time and because of that, we became really good friends," he said. Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto announced Sunday that she would not be running for Clawson's seat writing on Twitter, "I have decided the best way for me to continue to serve Southwest Florida is to remain in the Florida Senate." Others who have said they are considering a run for Clawson's seat include businessman and GOP donor Francis Rooney of Naples; Byron Donalds of Naples, currently a state House candidate; state Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Fort Myers; and Naples City Councilman Sam Saad. SHARE Maureen Trerice, Naples Accelerators The Naples Daily News reported that the Naples accelerator is successfully working to fast track international entrepreneurs wanting to set up business in Naples. Maybe Naples should have a similar entity working for local business people. The delayed openings, due to the permitting process, seemed to be a major issue this past season. On the front page of the same issue of the Daily News was an article about Enterprise Florida, which wants to tap into Mexico's economy, soon to be one of the top 10 global economies, by bolstering trade partnerships with Florida. How is that going to work when our governor is supporting "Wall Man" for president, with his anti-Mexican rhetoric? Does anyone remember the character on the old TV program, Laugh-In, who would spontaneously appear with the line, "Interesting ... but stupid." Seems to fit the bill. NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow stressed NATOs role in projecting stability to the east and to the south at the House of Commons, UK Parliament, on Monday (23 May 2016). Addressing the Henry Jackson Society, Ambassador Vershbow outlined NATOs current security challenges and what the Alliance is doing to respond. The Deputy Secretary General highlighted the challenge posed by a more assertive Russia in the east. He stressed that NATO is responding by strengthening its deterrence and defence posture, while striving for meaningful dialogue with Moscow. NATO will continue to engage with Russia. We need to make sure that where our forces come into close contact, misunderstanding does not lead to an incident that could spiral out of control, he said. Ambassador Vershbow added that leaders are expected to agree on an enhanced forward presence in the east of the Alliance at the Warsaw Summit in July. This presence will be defensive, proportionate and in line with our international commitments, he said. Referring to NATOs response to threats from the south, the Deputy Secretary General stressed that NATO is stepping up efforts to project stability across the Middle East and North Africa by working with partners to build their ability to defend themselves. Drawing from operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo, NATO is already working with Iraq and Jordan to strengthen their security institutions and armed forces. Ambassador Vershbow underlined that these efforts must be enhanced: We need to expand our capacity building programs if we want to have a truly strategic impact on the ground. He added that this will be a key theme of the Warsaw Summit. Ambassador Vershbow also addressed NATOs cooperation with the European Union. He underlined that by working together, NATO and the EU make each other stronger and more effective. Today, both organisations are working closely, supporting partners and fighting illegal trafficking in the Aegean Sea. Federal government finding new ways to take over property An even greater BLM land grab is in the making (NaturalNews) At the heart of a free and prosperous society is the principle of private property ownership. Without private property, the centralization and corrupting influence of power grows, as the freedom of the individual dissipates. Democratic socialism is a great example of the dissolution of private property, under which, the demands of the majority override those of the individual. The majority claims they have a "right" to the goods and services (property) of individuals and businesses. They then use the government as a vehicle offorce to conscript property and take it.It is much more liberating and moral to contract with others freely and compensate one another, making agreements mutually. It is better to earn one's own keep, be responsible for personal decisions, and be respectful of each other's personal property. The tenet of private property follows the principles of natural law, establishing boundaries so one party cannot harm or take from another.When property is owned by the state, it is referred to as public property. Public property serves important purposes in today's society; however, it can also be used to serve the interests of the powerful. When property is federalized and concentrated into the hands of the powerful, the individual ambitions of the people become stifled . When property is federalized and used for monopolistic purposes, individuals are herded and turned into serfs who must do as they are told. When property is concentrated into the control of powerful central planners, they decide what they think is best for everyone.Today, an overwhelming amount of property in the Western United States is now owned and mismanaged by the federal government of the U.S., and is being used for international and secretive purposes (e.g. United Nations global sustainability programs, and large scale mining operations). According to statistics from TaxFoundation.org , the federal government now owns more than half of the land in the states of Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Idaho. The federal government owns over a third of the land in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming and California. This is not good use of public property. This is power unchecked a federal government accountable to no one.Federal government bureaucracies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are being used as armies to intimidate and bully private property owners into complying with their demands. The EPA created the term, "Waters of the United States" to declare any rainwater that sinks into the ground as being connected to "navigable waters." In this way, the EPA can dictate what individuals do with their private property, by declaring someone's property a wetland, owned and overseen by the EPA. Private property owners are bullied into paying fines or giving up their property to the federal government through this tactic.The BLM uses the same tactics to bully ranchers into paying grazing fees when their cattle roam freely and feed on the wild grasses of adjacent BLM land. This is what spurred the protests at the Bundy Ranch in Nevada. The armed BLM came to confiscate Bundy's cattle, but backed down when the Bundys and other patriots defended their personal property When the Hammond family of Oregon attempted to save their cattle's winter feed by starting back fires on their property, the flames inadvertently moved onto adjoining BLM land. Dwight and Steven Hammond now await a five year federal prison sentence because the BLM accused them of destroying federal property. These cases show that the power of the BLM is ridiculously out of control, unreasonable and dangerous. This case is the reason why there was a protest at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon . The protesters had every right to assemble peaceably, defend themselves, and speak their mind about government abuses, but the FBI arrived on the scene in paramilitary fashion, unjustly executing rancher Lavoy Finicum, arresting the peaceful assembly of ranchers, and even detaining a member of the press, Pete Santilli U.S. Congressman Rob Bishop recently sent out a press release about 14 pages he uncovered from a Department of Interior (DOI) internal memo which details the Obama Administration's plot to bypass Congress, and make it easier to confiscate and federalize land into the jurisdiction of the BLM.The DOI memo reveals that a large BLM land grab is in the making. The pages reveal the need for an executive order which would bypass legislative hurdles by using an "Antiquities Act" to appropriate "cultural land" to be confiscated and managed by the BLM. The executive order would seek to target the "acute" problem of private land ownership that is adjacent to land already governed by the BLM. The targeted land includes 412,675 acres."In order to expand this network of treasured lands to include the diversity of landscapes currently managed by the BLM," it states. The DOI memo also reveals, "The BLM recommends that any major funding increases be phased in over a five-year period to allow the BLM time to build capacity in order to accomplish the increased work-load."The war on private property ownership will continue in the West, as the BLM plans to take more and more land. The cries will grow louder to return public lands to the states, as individuals are forced to defend their private property against the federal government. No field studies, just a 'potential impact' statement from pesticide manufacturers Solutions to the neonics and dying bee crisis Straight from Truthwiki: (NaturalNews) A regulatory loophole ushered in an era of toxic pesticides that has destroyed nearly half of all bees and their colonies over the past few years. Thanks to a deeply flawed system in the U.S., with no accountability in sight, the most wealthy corporations in the world are systematically destroying the food supply (while claiming to save it), with GMOs, Roundup and "Neonics" (neonicotinoids), the poisonous class of herbicides that kill "pests" which deplete crop yields and profits for the elitists who manufacture, spread and promote chemical violence in agriculture, and who run Monsanto, Bayer and Syngenta . The EPA doesn't care about the environment or people , as we've seen lately in Flint, Michigan, with the toxic lead-loaded water supply scandal that poisoned children and babies, maiming some for life. The EPA doessubject pesticides to the full set of toxicity tests, and more than 15,000 different toxic pesticides have been approved for the market throughloophole.What's the loophole? The EPA lets the manufacturer simply state that their products are not toxic. The EPA literally enables huge, evil corporations to spread poison across America, as long as they themselves claim "it's safe." Why don't we just let all the criminals in the country be their own judge and jury?It's a rather simple formula for destruction of human and animal life on planet earth: Spray toxic neonics on crops, wait for all the bee colonies to collapse , and end the growth of produce that weneed to survive. Along with birds and bats, bees are pollinators of fruits and vegetables that humans and other animals need for fiber, fuel and medicine. There are over 4,000 wild bee species in North America, all of which are dying from neonics and other chemical-based insecticides and herbicides, because they are never tested for safety by anyone neither the corporations that make them, nor the U.S. regulatory agencies whose job it is to protect our food, medicine and environment, and whose salaries come directly from taxpaying citizens.Wild bees and honeybees are being virtually wiped out by poisonous neonics that are manufactured toplants, and these bees suffer dementia and immune deficiency (just like humans), as they get sick easily, can't find their home, can't gather and convert nectar, and can't built or maintain their homes (honeycombs). Neonics also leach into surrounding soil, and rain and wind can carry them to farms and streams, rivers and other waterways that lead to neighboring lands. These toxins can remain in the soil for, depending on weather conditions. Even the USDA has limited testing run for the dangers of these pesticides being spread all over U.S. soil and crops. The EPA, USDA, FDA and CDC are all paid to look the other way and loosen any legislation that restricts corporate profits.: "Neonics" are 10,000 times more toxic to bees than DDT is to humans. Over 40 percent of all U.S. honey bee colonies collapsed just last year. The total number of managed bee colonies in U.S. in 1970 was 4 million; there are only 2.5 million functioning today.Sure, there are other factors that kill bees in nature, like loss of habitat, humans, pathogens, diseases and toxic fertilizers, but the number one cause of the massive bee die-offs, as proven with scientific studies and research the EPA won't conduct, is the class of herbicides called neonicotinoids. We all need to boycott any products sold by these neonics manufacturers, and support alternative news that's blowing the whistle on these environmental disgraces. By not giving these corporations your money, they lose profits and "fall apart" like a house of cards. Be the wisest consumer you know.: "The Monsanto company is an agrochemical corporation that is not only the leading producer of genetically modified seeds, but the manufacturer of Roundup, the world's top selling and possibly the most toxic legal herbicide on planet earthwhich contains as its primary ingredient-Glyphosate. Monsanto was first to genetically modify plant cells in the early 1980s. They are infamous for manufacturing DDT, PCBs and Agent Orange* (along with Dow Chemical*) all deadly combinations of pesticides, including insecticides, that all contribute to cancer, Alzheimer's disease and major malfunctions of the human central nervous system. ... Through a process of mergers and spin-offs, Monsanto has grown its chemical agriculture business into a monopoly, controlling the majority of US crops, seeds and pesticides that are used in conjunction with biotechnology farming agendas, which have been highly DEREGULATED.": "A German chemical pharmaceutical company specializing in human and veterinary drugs, agricultural chemicals and biotechnology (GMO), Bayer AG was founded back in the 1860s, and was consumed by the Big Pharma conglomerate IG Farben , short for Interessengemeinschaft Farben, during the Nazi reign before and during WWII. After the war, IG Farben was redistributed into smaller (but still enormous) companies, and the German mass murderers who were scientists hired by Hitler to kill millions of Jews and others with noxious gases and sodium fluoride (same kind as in tap water today) these same scientists were hired, after doing just 4 to 7 years in prison for the war crimes, to create chemical-based food preservatives, chemical pesticides, and later GMO, and Bayer would be one of the top six producers of these cancer-causing herbicides, insecticides and pharmaceutical medications that quell the symptoms of cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease." S&S terrorists hate free speech and will do anything in their power to stop it When they can't win with logic and reason, S&S terrorists resort to tyranny Fighting back against S&S terrorists can be challenging, but sometimes it pays off (NaturalNews) If you think back to the days of your childhood, chances are that you will recall witnessing the occasional spat on the playground where a school bully stole another student's lunch or book bag and threatened retaliation for tattling, or perhaps lied about another student to a teacher in order to get him or her in trouble. Fast forward to adult life and these same ruthless bullying tactics have been adopted by self-appointed "science" bloggers and thought-police "skeptics," who routinely assume the role of online terrorists in threatening, intimidating and outright censoring those with whom they disagree.It happens constantly against advocates of natural health and alternative medicine, particularly against those that dare defy the Golden Calf of vaccination, an issue that seems to unleash the basest reactionary venom from the "science and skeptics" crowd -- for simplicity's sake, this network of terrorists will be referred to as "S&S." Though the methods of S&S terrorists vary depending on the situation, their goal is always the same -- to maliciously slander, falsely accuse and raise as much hell against the opposition as possible in order to shut them up and eventually shut them down.In a recent piece published by professor, author and human rights advocate Brian Martin for the, this global terrorist plot being carried out by the S&S religion is carefully documented and explained. Entitled "Healthy dissent: resisting attacks on alternative medicine," Martin's report addresses some of the most common tactics used by S&S terrorists against their opposition as well as highlights how those on the receiving end of such abuse, mainly alternative medicine practitioners and advocates, have tried to fight back.Martin focuses specifically on a vaccine rights group known as the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN), which has been the victim of multiple online, verbal and regulatory attacks in recent years. Though not necessarily unique to AVN -- these types of S&S terrorist attacks routinely occur against alternative health groups in the U.S. and elsewhere -- Martin uses AVN as a prominent example of the extremes S&S terrorists are willing to take to accomplish their devious goals.One major S&S group in particular, known as Stop the Australian Vaccination Network (SAVN), is exposed for publicly harassing and threatening AVN founder Meryl Dorey, for instance, as well as her group's many affiliated members. SAVN has engaged in multiple intimidatory tactics against AVN that include verbal abuse, fraudulent complaints to government authorities and outright censorship activities. SAVN was even able to get Australia's Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) to issue a public warning about AVN, which tainted the group's image publicly.Here at, we've covered the issue of S&S attacks before, including how S&S terrorists routinely mock and scorn their opponents on blogs using lofty verbiage and a cloak of scientific superiority, all the while failing to actually defend their own worshiped positions using logic and reason. Many in the S&S ranks are scientists, professors, doctors and others with respected titles, it turns out, even though their methods of engaging the public on important health-related issues are anything but respectful.Since S&S folks often cling to outmoded relics of ancient science that have since been debunked by modern science -- legitimate science, after all, is adaptable and open to inquiry in accordance with scientific progress -- it is common for these pseudoscience-obsessed dinosaurs to viciously lash out and throw tantrums when their core, quack beliefs are challenged. In a perfect world, these ridiculous outbursts would simply be ignored for their lunacy. But many of these same troublemakers hold considerable influence over government regulatory bodies, which is how they are able to use and abuse the system in their favor to quell dissent and inhibit the free speech rights of their opponents.For AVN, this has meant constantly battling to defend itself both publicly and legally as SAVN terrorists relentlessly seek its destruction. Leveraging its greater influence, SAVN has repeatedly abused Australia's legal system to target AVN, including filing false complaints with regulatory agencies in order to generate negative publicity and harm AVN's reputation.Beyond this, S&S terrorists have even stooped so low as to send illegal pornographic images to AVN members as threats, and even call their homes with death threats."Many people imagine that if there is a problem, formal processes are available and will provide a solution," writes Martin about the how the system is stacked against groups like AVN and the alternative health community at large. "Unfortunately, when the perpetrators are much more powerful, formal processes may give only an illusion of protection."At the same time, Martin outlines multiple ways that groups like AVN have attempted to fight back against this type of tyranny, some of which have been successful. These include using some of the same formal processes as S&S terrorists to seek justice and using negative publicity in one's favor."Even negative publicity can sometimes be valuable," writes Martin. "Coming under attack can be an opportunity for building greater support. The basic idea is to gain sympathy, build alliances, and obtain publicity."Be sure to read Martin's full expose for more information about online terrorism perpetrated by S&S groups: Children showed the highest glyphosate levels Private testing shows large-scale global poisoning (NaturalNews) Recent tests by the Portuguese No GMO Coalition showed that volunteers in the country had extremely high levels of glyphosate in their urine , placing their contamination rate well above that of many places in Europe. Every single one of the 26 volunteers had cancer-causing glyphosate in their urine; similar tests in Switzerland last year found glyphosate in only 38 percent of people. Meanwhile, testing by Friends of the Earth across 18 different European countries found glyphosate in just 44 percent of the urine samples tested.It is not just the mere presence of glyphosate that is setting off alarm bells; the levels noted were also disturbingly high. The EU limit for acceptable levels in drinking water is 0.1 ng/ml. The average glyphosate value found in the Portuguese volunteers' samples was 26.2 ng/ml a whopping 260 times higher than the maximum legal limit!Meanwhile, testing of more than 2,000 Germans found an average of 1.1 ng/ml, and the highest value noted in that country was 4.2 ng/ml. The range of values for Portuguese volunteers went from 12.5 to 32.5 ng/ml, which means that even the worst German case was better than the least contaminated Portuguese case!It is also worth noting that the youngest volunteers showed a higher average value (26.7 ng/ml) than the group as a whole, and this phenomenon was also noted in the German study. The researchers also point out that the values higher than 20 ng/ml are the highest amounts ever recorded in people who do not have professional exposure to glyphosate a clear indication that the poisoning is coming from the food and/or water supply.Unfortunately for the Portuguese, glyphosate is the most widely used chemical herbicide in their country. More than 1,600 tons of this toxic chemical are sold there each year. There has been a rise in its use for controlling weeds in olive groves, something that was traditionally done via mowing, grazing, or tillage. It is being overused in the country's orchards and vineyards, and urban street spraying is also believed to play a role.Nevertheless, similar practices also occur in other European countries, and it is not clear why the levels are so much higher in the Portuguese volunteers. The Portuguese No GMO Coalition is calling for official testing on the country's soil, food, air, water and citizens something that has not been done in more than a decade. The country's Ministry of Agriculture does monitor food for more than 300 pesticide residues, but glyphosate is somehow not on its list.This illustrates why it is so important for groups such as the Portuguese No GMO Coalition to take matters into their own hands and carry out tests to uncover just how widespread this problem is. Governments do not always look out for the best interests of their people, and concerned citizens have the power to draw attention to these problems.A similar effort is currently underway by EPAWatch.org to uncover the presence of heavy metals in the tap water of various American cities. In addition, Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, tested more than 800 foods in his cutting-edge analytical lab to determine the presence of a host of toxins. This information can be found in his book, Food Forensics Such efforts are doing a lot to highlight the problem of dangerous substances in our food and water supply. As people become more aware of these issues, they are starting to demand that food companies use honest labeling practices , and are trying to put an end to this large-scale global poisoning.The news of Portugal's far-reaching glyphosate contamination comes as the date approaches later this month for EU member states to vote on the re-licensing of glyphosate.The Coaltion stated that, " Portugal must now face the problem and find solutions both at the national and European levels in order to clarify the reasons for such high human contamination and reduce it by several orders of magnitude."Despite the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer calling the chemical a "probable human carcinogen," its use still continues mostly unabated around the world, thanks largely to the efforts of Big Agri company Monsanto , who have been known to fudge research results, smear doctors and journalists who speak out about glyphosate's ill effects, and bribe government officials to protect their business interests. The remains of an ancient giant asteroid were found in outback Australia, which was reportedly had caused strong earthquakes, and wiped out the dinosaurs and other extinct animals. The size of the new found ancient giant asteroid was up to 40-kilometer-wide, and scientists said this could be the largest asteroid collided into the planet that left a crater with hundreds of kilometers wide. This asteroid was one of the reasons why the planet has changed significantly. The remnants of the giant asteroid come in the shape of tiny glass beads known as spherules, a small sphere which said to be formed from material vaporized by the impact. The spherules were discovered by scientists in Western Australia's Marble Bar, which they got as samples of sedimentary rock that once formed a sea floor. The team of scientists was able to date the glass beads to 3.46 billion years ago. They also analyzed the chemical composition of spherules' rims, and the they found out it contain elements such as magnesium, iron, and nickel, which are matched the levels found in asteroids. "We've only found evidence for 17 impacts older than 2.5 billion years, but there could have been hundreds," Andrew Gilkson, an author from the Australian National University, said in a report by Cosmos Magazine. According to Gilkson, volcanic activity and the aftermath tectonic movement had wiped out the crater created by this huge asteroid, thus left the location of where it impacted unknown. Despite evidences found, Gilkson and his team were not able to figure out the exact location where the asteroid fell because the volcanic activity and tectonic movements destroyed the crater, The Times UK reports. However, the spherules that they found may help them find the other clues. Here's some good news for the big cats: Images captured by camera traps in the Land of the Leopard National Park in Russia late last year and early this year revealed that the Amur leopard, the world's rarest, is growing in number. The apparent "baby boom" showed around 16 young leopards, six more than what was recorded in 2014, The Telegraph reported. TASS, a Russian news agency, reported that the mother leopard named Queen Borte, who got her name from famous American actor Steven Seagal, gave birth to three cubs. Considered as the rarest of its kind, Amur leopards are listed as a critically endangered species. They live in the temperate forests of Russia and can live for about 10 to 15 years, according to World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). These leopards were hunted during the 20th century, leading to their decline in numbers. Other threats to their species also included poaching and habitat loss. WWF reported that the Amur leopard is poached mainly because of its spotted fur. In 1999, it was discovered that their skins were being sold for $500 to $1,000. The forests that leopards used to inhabit were also close to agricultural areas and villages and humans became their competition for prey and food. The opening of the national park in Russia in 2012 aided in the recovery of their population. The area covers nearly 650,000 hectares, specifically allocated to protect the critically endangered leopards. Over 1,100 square miles of the forest are covered by the camera trap program, which allows for a better estimate of their numbers over the years. Efforts from Russian ecologists for their conservation resulted in a doubling of their population in three years, with their numbers climbing from 35 to 70 leopards, as per the 2015 census. This project was also reported to be receiving financial and political backing from the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, is known to be a patron of the national park. Had he been alive to this time, Cecil The Lion could be a proud grandfather to his grandcubs, which are believed to have been spotted earlier at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Wildlife photographer Graham Simmonds had seen eight lion cubs being led down a grassy path by their mother. "Buli, our guide, informed us that the two lionesses had been mating with a male named Xanda some months back," Simmonds said, detailing his encounter with the adorable animals in Africa Geographic. "Xanda is one of Cecil the lion's sons that has recently come into his prime, and the cubs seen here are thought to be the 'grandcubs' of the legendary Cecil." he added. Sam Mushandu, a guide at Hwange's Linkwasha camp, estimates that the cubs might be about four months old. According to other guides, they have recently spotted a total of 10 cubs. A lion's family tree often spans across different prides and great distances. Xanda, one of Cecil's surviving sons, has grown up and formed his own pride. And now, Xanda is raising Cecil's grandcubs. Unfortunately, Cecil will not be able to see his grandkids grow. A beloved icon at Hwange National Park, Cecil was killed by American dentist Walter Palmer in July, for which he paid $55,000 to hunt and kill. The death of the tourist-favorite lion sparked the anger of people from all over the world. Cecil was 13-years-old when he died, and he was just one of the many animals who unfortunately lost their lives because of trophy hunting. Hunters, some of whom are American tourists, have been engaged in this kind of activity for the last 15 years, and they habitually show off their kill on social media. "Cecil was the ultimate lion," said Brent Stapelkamp, a field researcher in Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). "He was large, powerful, but regal at the same time." Satellites are integral for communications, weather forecasts and monitoring land, sea and space activities including natural calamities and in some cases, accidents. The downing of EgyptAir Flight MS804 last week baffled the world. While authorities are still looking for the plane itself, ESA's Sentinel-1A may have found the crash site as a mile-long oil spill was spotted by the satellite at the Mediterranean Sea. The European Space Agency's (ESA) fleet of satellites is responsible for 24/7 weather forecasts and for constantly beaming back images of the surface of the Earth. "Since the plane disappeared, ESA and experts have been scrutinizing satellite data to see if anything could be found to indicate wreckage or oil floating on the sea," said ESA in a report by R&D Magazine. In a routine imaging session, a long slick oil spill was found by Sentinel-1A near the probably crash site, prompting the search and rescue team to think that the oil may be from Egypt Air Flight MS804. The plane disappeared on the morning of May 19 on the way to Cairo from Paris. The said image was captured by ESA Sentinel-1A on the same day. ESA said after the plane disappeared, the agency together with the authorities, proceeded to scrutinize data beamed back by the satellite to help in the search for the missing plane. The exact location of the oil spill is at '3332' N / 2913' E' which is about 40 km southeast of the last known location of the EgyptAir plane based on the radar said ESA in a statement. Based on tower communications before the plane went missing, the pilot requested to eject some fuel from the plane because they have too much of it on board and might be hazardous in an emergency landing, according to a news report by CNN. The news also added that some detectors from the lavatory were activated before the radar lost the signal from the plane. However, the agency said that there is no guarantee yet if the spill was indeed from the missing plane. But the search teams, in cooperation with ESA, are still working with the satellite images in order to find debris from the missing EgyptAir Flight MS804. Alert! Deadly man-eating crocodiles from the Nile are invading the swamps of Florida, and scientists have no idea how they got there. According to The Guardian, a team of researchers from the University of Florida have discovered species of the Nile crocodile called Crocodylus niloticus mingling with native crocodiles in Florida's Everglades National Park and swamps. The Nile crocodiles are said to be the culprit for 480 crocodile attacks and 123 deaths in Africa from 2010 and 2014. Kenneth Krysko, one of the researchers, said that the Nile crocodiles, which can grow up to 16 feet and weigh 1,600 pounds, did not swim from Africa to the U.S. but they also can't explain how they arrived in the country, Herald Net reports. Krysko and his team analyzed the DNA of the captured Nile crocodiles, saying that they are interrelated. However, what's puzzling is that it did not match the Nile crocs that are staying in Florida attractions such as Diseny's Animal Kingdom. Thus, the researchers speculate that these Nile man-eating crocodiles may have arrived in Florida illegally through unlicensed reptile collectors who did not contain them properly, allowing them to escape into the wild. The odds that the few of us who study Florida reptiles have found all of the Nile crocs out there is probably unlikely. We know that they can survive in the Florida wilderness for numerous years, we know that they grow quickly here and we know their behaviour in their native range, and there is no reason to suggest that would change here in Florida," Krysko said. The Nile crocodiles add to the growing list of invasive species in Florida together with the spiny lionfish, Cuban tree frog and the Burmese python. Herald Net notes that if the Nile crocodiles treat the Everglades as its new home, it would pose a problem to the environment and less aggressive American crocodile population, which may be endanger through crossbreeding. Also, Nile crocs are a threat to farms as they are known to attack livestock. Villagers were left in critical conditions after Mount Sinabung, a volcano in North Sumatra, Indonesia erupted on May 21. National Disaster Management Agency reported that at least seven are dead with two other people injured as Saturday's hot clouds went up to three kilometers into the sky and landed up to 4.5 kilometers down the slopes. Reports said that the victims are farmers from Gamber who were illegally tending the lands located in the areas labeled as "red zone." Independent UK said "red zone" is an area, declared off limits by the Indonesian Government for safety reasons, as it is situated only about 4 kilometers from the slope. Suggesting that they might have violated the law, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho of National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB ) spokesman said in a press statement, "No one should have stayed [...] But there were some who remained to tend to their farms," added the spokesman. Mount Sinabung has been increasingly active in the recent years. After being dormant for four centuries, it erupted in 2010, leaving two people dead. In 2014, it once flared up, taking 16 lives. Since then, Gamber has been permanently relocated, along with Kuta Tonggal, Gurukinayan and Berastepu. People have been restricted to cross the red zone because of its highly dangerous location. Authorities believe that the villagers kept on coming back to the restricted area due to economic purposes. The 8,530-foot-high volcano is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic turmoil because it sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a circle of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. Over the years,the volacno eruptions recorded are intensifying, posing growing concerns among the villagers. Soldiers, police and personnel had already joined forces to perform search and rescue operations around the area where devastation is visible as coffee plants, chili farms, houses and houses were left covered in ash and pets and livestock animals were left dead on the fields. Photos and videos from various news agencies recorded pyroclastic flows, hot rock fragments (usually between 200C and 700C ), spewing in the village, making the rescue operation harder. Local health officials in Zamboanga, a province in southern Philippines, had announced that the diarrhea cases in the city had breached the outbreak level. In an interview with GMA news, Dr. Rodel Agbulos, city health officer, revealed that based on the laboratory tests performed by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the outbreak might have been caused by not just one, but three different viruses - rotavirus, adenovirus and norovirus. He also mentioned that other patients have niche infections, meaning one patient already has two viruses. Rotavirus, according to CDC, most likely affect children. Symptoms include severe watery diarrhea, often with vomiting, fever and abdominal pain. Norovirus, meanwhile, can be transferred by an infected person to another host through contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. Symptoms are almost the same with rotavirus. Adenoviruses cause respiratory illneses, with symptoms such as colds, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea and pink eye. The number of people incurring diarrhea started escalating last March. As of May, death toll from the outbreak went up to 19, affecting mostly children less than five years old. Dr. Ivy Iturralde of the city's Public Information Office said there were 2,324 people admitted due to diarrhea in at least 11 hospitals in the city between March 28 to May 14. The incident also marks the first time that the city's pediatric wards had been filled beyond its capacity to accommodate people. Some patients had to be medicated in hallways and corridors. After the dry spell brought about by the El Nino, people in Zamboanga has been receiving rations of water serviced by the Zamboanga City water District. It is believed that the unsanitary water led to cases of acute diarrhea in the area. Previous bacteriological examination of water revealed positive for coliform, meaning the water is unsafe for drinking. The best way to prevent the spread of virus is to always make sure to wash your hands properly to prevent passing on the virus to another person. China is under pressure with the "fake vaccine" scandal that has left the public wondering whether vaccine in the country is still safe. On May 21, 135 people in 22 provinces have been arrested for illegally buying and selling vaccines. Fifteen of them have been indicted and two have been convicted of illegal sale of vaccines. Ten health officials were arrested for on-duty negligence, Associated Press reported. In a statement, the national prosecuting office said the health officials arrested worked at local public health centers. According to State Media, police authorities in China started conducting wide investigations few weeks after a mother and daughter in Shandong Province were arrested for illegally selling $88 million worth of fake vaccines across atleast 20 provinces since 2011. The authorities had apparently responded to the issue later than expected, infuriating the public even more. At present, there have been 190 criminal cases, involving 341 suspects, filed by the police nationwide. The officers are looking at 25 kinds of fake vaccines sold across the country. The news has sparked anger among the community, blaming the government for allowing such indecency to happen and questioning them how they were unable to control the situation, with some two-thirds of the country trading fake vaccines over the past five years. China has a long history of unsafe products being sold in the market. In 2008, a toxic chemical called melamine, found in children's milk powder, causing the deaths of at least six children and sickening another 300,000. In 2002, China was labeled unresponsive in spreading news about an outbreak of Sars, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people. The Shandong food and drug administration vowed to cooperate to bring justice to the cases and halt the trade of the fake vaccines. "We will thoroughly investigate all clues in the case and once we get to the bottom of it then we will severely punish those found to have violated the law," it said in a statement posted on its website. New York is looking forward to banning the process of declawing cats. This has long been debated for its unnatural nature, and it is thought whether declawing should be kept as the last option for kitties who trouble their owner a lot. If this law passes, New York will become the first US state to forbid this practice which also includes amputating the cat's toe back to the first knuckle. "None of us love the procedure," said Richard Goldstein, a veterinarian at New York City's Animal Medical Centre according to Telegraph "But when the alternative is condemning the cat to a shelter or to death? That's why we do it," added Goldstein. The states and national veterinary organizations say that declawing comes from the troublesome nature of cats. This reduces the chance of them being put down or abandoned. They also say that this matter should be left to the owners and professionals, and not to the political parties. The claws of a cat, unlike the nails of human, are attached to the last bone segment. Clawing, therefore, leads to the removal of the last segment of the bones. Britain, Australia, and several other European countries have already banned the practice of declawing cats. California, Los Angeles, and some other cities have banned this process too. It is estimated that a quarter of all the cats are declawed in their lifetime. The ban doesn't come as a surprise. It has also been up for other animals. A bill which is passed by the New York's legislature would remove sales taxes on pet food. Last year, the politicians voted to let the dogs accompany humans on restaurant patios. Several states have banned the process of removing the vocal cords of dogs, and all other states regard the act of animal cruelty as a felony. Thinking of declawed cats, with respect to their natural behaviour, is also strange. Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCarpio has been known for his outright activism to save the environment. The much-celebrated actor made some buzz during his first ever Oscar acceptance speech, where he took much of his time explaining that climate change is real. DiCarpio has also received several acknowledgments for his powerful speech during the UN General Assembly in New York. However, some environmentalists have branded DiCarpio as hypocrite after reports of the actor flying for 8,000 miles aboard a private jet plane has surfaced on the news sites and social media. In a report from Fox News, environmental analyst Robert Rapier slammed the Hollywood star's use of private planes and yachts, saying the movie-star lifestyle of the actor "diminishes his moral authority to lecture others on reducing their own carbon emissions." "[He] demonstrates exactly why our consumption of fossil fuels continues to grow. It's because everyone loves the combination of cost and convenience they offer. Alternatives usually require sacrifice of one form or another." Rapier added, "Everybody says, 'I've got a good reason for consuming what I consume' . . . It's the exact same rationalization for billions of people." According to the report from Page Six, a source close DiCarpio explained that the private plane was not chartered by actor himself, but he merely hitched a ride with someone, who by chance is also flying to Cannes. The reports of the alleged environmental hypocrisy of DiCarpio began to surface when he boarded a private jet from Cannes to New York City to receive an award from clean-water advocacy group and fellow actor Robert De Niro for his efforts to raise awareness on climate change. And about 24-hours after, the actor boarded yet again another private plane returning to Cannes, where he attended amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS gala. During the gala, DiCarpio auctioned off a week-long stay at his Palm Springs residence in California for $500,000. A statue of Venus was finally hoisted atop the Trinity Apartments in San Francisco Monday morning, making the 92-foot sculpture the tallest in the city. The statue is the centerpiece of a public art-filled piazza in the heart of the apartment complex at Eighth Street between Market and Mission streets. The massive, stainless-steel sculpture, which is slightly shorter than the Statue of Liberty, is part of a collection designed by renowned artist Lawrence Argent. NBC Bay Area The statue means a lot to Yvonne Sangiacomo, whose late husband, Angelo, was the developer of the apartment complex that commissioned the Venus statue. Sangiacomo arrived in a construction hat and wheelchair to witness the feat. She wiped a tear as crews hoisted the stainless steel face on top of the roof. "He used to always say it would be beyond his imagination how beautiful it was," said Mia Sangiacomo, co-owner of the Trinity Place. "He'd be surprised that a little Italian guy who flunked kindergarten and lived in his living room until he was 34 could create so much. He was a very humble man. And I think he would've surprised himself how much he did." Her husband asked a Denver artist to work with a company in China to put the stainless steel statue together; it arrived in San Francisco in 70 pieces. Then it was welded and bolted into 11 stacks, placed on top of each other. Venus is now the centerpiece of what builders are calling 'Piazza Angelo' at the apartments, a plaza that is quite popular in Italy. "Call it spiritual, call it whatever," co-owner Jim Sangiacomo said. "He trusted the artist to do something really outstanding." Trinity Place consists of four residential high-rises with a combined 1,900 units. The current Phase 3 under construction is scheduled to be finished by March 2017. Phases 1 and 2 were completed in 2010 and 2013, respectively. "I'm very proud of my dad," Mia Sangiacomo said. "Very proud. I miss him. He did a great job. Great job dad." At least five people were killed and 40 others wounded over the course of another violent weekend in Chicago. Of those shootings, 1 person was killed and 7 others wounded in just 90 minutes on Saturday night. The first fatal shooting of the weekend occurred around 4 p.m. Friday, when an innocent bystander, 49-year-old 311 operator Yvonne Nelson was shot and killed while leaving a Starbucks in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Police said she was not the intended target in the likely gang-related shooting. A 19-year-old man who was also shot, sustaining non-life threatening injuries. The rest of the weekends shootings are as follows: FRIDAY At 7:10 p.m., an 18-year-old man was shot in the 5100 block of W Division in North Austin, according to police. He was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the right foot. Authorities said he was not cooperating with investigators. In the 12300 block of S Wentworth in the West Pullman neighborhood, a 23-year-old man was outside at 8 p.m. when a man wearing all black jumped out from the bushes and opened fire, police said. The victim was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, police said. At 9:51 p.m., two people were sitting in a parked sedan inside the lot of a gas station in the 300 block of S Cicero in Austin. According to police, a dark SUV pulled up and someone inside the car opened fire. A 23-year-old man was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition with a gunshot to the chest. A 24-year-old woman was taken to Stroger in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the lower left leg. SATURDAY A man was shot to death early Saturday in the 0-100 block of W Garfield in the Washington Park neighborhood, according to police. A 30-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk when he was shot in the chest during a physical altercation with two other men, police said. Later identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as Semial Sigle, he was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead. At 12:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of N Laramie in the Northwest Side Belmont Cragin neighborhood, a 23-year-old man was walking on the sidewalk when he heard shots and felt pain. He was drive to West Suburban Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the right foot, and was listed in stable condition, police said. A 23-year-old man was driving southbound in the 4300 block of S State St in the Bronzeville neighborhood at 12:35 a.m. when occupants of a black SUV fired shots, police said. He self-transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition with a graze wound to the left wrist, according to police. Just before 2 a.m., a 24-year-old man was driving eastbound in the 2700 block of W North Ave in Humboldt Park when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. Authorities said he was driven to Presence Saint Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center in critical condition. He suffered a gunshot wound to the face and was later transferred to Stroger Hospital, police said. The second fatal shooting on Saturday occurred at 3:01 a.m., according to police. Officers responded to a call of a person shot in the 7900 block of S Ellis and discovered a man with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and arms in the back year of a residence. The man, later identified as 35-year-old Michael Wickliffe of Harvey, was taken to Jackson Park Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A 33-year-old man was standing on the corner in the 900 block of N Homan in Humboldt Park at 6:53 a.m. when an unknown offender in a gray vehicle fired shots before fleeing. The victim was hit once in the buttocks, police said, and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition, police said. At 4:36 a.m., a 21-year-old man was outside in the 3600 block of W 13th St in the Lawndale neighborhood when an unknown offender drove up and fired shots, police said. He was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. At 6:10 p.m. in the 6600 block of S Champlain Ave in the West Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, a 28-year-old female told police she was about to cross the street when she heard shots and felt pain. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where her condition was stabilized. In the 1000 block of W 92nd in the Brainerd neighborhood, a 20-year-old man was walking at 6:16 p.m. A green car drove past, police said, and fired shots. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition. Three people were shot in the 4300 block of W Hirsch St in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood at 7:02 p.m. They were standing outside when an unknown male offender in a hoodie approached on foot and fired several shots before fleeing. A 29-year-old man was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the back. An 18-year-old man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition with a gunshot wound to the buttocks, and a 19-year-old man was taken to Norwegian Hospital in good condition with a gunshot wound to the right hand. A 26-year-old man is dead after a shooting in the 7000 block of S Carpenter Blvd in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, police said. He was walking at 7:28 p.m. when two unknown offenders emerged from a gangway and fired shots, police said. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to police. The Cook County Medical Examiner could not immediately confirm the fatality. At 7:30 p.m., a 19-year-old man was in a parked car at 115th St and S Stewart Ave in the West Pullman neighborhood when someone in a dark-colored SUV behind him fired shots. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the back and chest. Another shooting occurred in the 1600 block of W 89th St in the Gresham neighborhood at 7:38 p.m. Fire officials said a 40-year-old woman was critically wounded, and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, but police did not have further details about the shooting. Three men were wounded in a shooting at 8:35 p.m. in the Englewood neighborhood, according to police. They were standing in the street in the 6300 block of S Normal Blvd when they heard shots from an unknown direction and felt pain, police said. A 27-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the foot, and a 21-year-old man was shot in the left foot. Both took themselves to St Bernard Hospital where they were listed in good condition. A 31-year-old man was shot in the back, and took himself to 7800 S Throop, where he was then taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center and was listed in critical condition, police said. Two teenagers were shot in the 4600 block of S Cottage Grove in the Bronzeville neighborhood at 9:55 p.m., police said. An 18-year-old man was standing in an alley when a male offender approached on foot and fired shots, police said. The 18-year-old was taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital with a gunshot wound to the back, according to police. A 17-year-old boy walked into Mercy Hospital with a gunshot wound to the left foot. He was listed in stable condition. At 11:50 p.m., a 27-year-old man was walking in an alley in the 500 block of S Cicero Ave in the South Austin neighborhood when a vehicle approached him, and two men exited the car, police said. The men opened fire, striking the victim in both legs and his groin. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and listed in stable condition. SUNDAY In an unexpected moment in court Monday, an inmate at the center of a murder-for-hire trial against Drew Peterson claimed the former suburban Chicago police officer, who was convicted in the murder of his third wife, admitted to also killing his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. The statement came at the start of a trial on allegations Peterson tried to have the prosecutor who put him behind bars killed. Stacy Peterson, the ex-Bolingbrook sergeant's 23-year-old fourth wife, disappeared in 2007, prompting authorities to reopen the investigation into the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. While Drew Peterson has maintained his innocence, he remains a suspect in the young woman's disappearance and was convicted and sentenced to 38 years in prison for Savio's murder. Even as he faces additional time in prison, Peterson is appealing his 2012 murder conviction to the Illinois Supreme Court. His defense attorneys previously contended that Stacy Peterson had left for another man and was alive. Peterson divorced Savio a year before her death. An inmate at the maximum-security Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois where Peterson was held, however, claimed in court Monday that Peterson admitted that he killed Stacy Peterson because "he believed she knew who killed Kathleen Savio." Antonio Smith also testified that he struck a deal with the 62-year-old ex-cop to kill the prosecutor in his murder trial. "He said he wanted to find someone to take care of James Glasgow," Smith said. Peterson has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he enlisted another inmate between September 2013 and December 2014 to help plan the death of the Will County State's Attorney. Smith claimed he befriended Peterson while the two spent time in the prison yard, agreeing to a price of $10,000 to have Glasgow killed. Glasgow also took the stand Monday, detailing the stress the alleged threat has caused him. "I have a wife and family and I had to tell them about this," Glasgow said. "My wife was very unnerved by it." The Illinois Attorney General's Office and the Randolph County State's Attorney are prosecuting the latest case against Peterson, who faces a sentence of up to 60 years if convicted of both solicitation of murder for hire along with solicitation of murder. The crux of the state's case is expected to consist of wiretapped conversations between Peterson and a confidential informant. Prosecutors have not identified a prospective hit man. A public defender representing Peterson unsuccessfully sought to bar the secretly recorded conversations, arguing that the Will County judge who authorized the wiretap improperly met with the jailed informant, whose name was inadvertently disclosed during pretrial proceedings. It's not clear whether Peterson, who opted to not take the stand in his murder trial, will testify this time. Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker said the witness list has been placed under seal. Should he testify, prosecutors will be able to question Peterson about his murder conviction, Circuit Judge Richard Brown has ruled. But they won't be able to discuss a 2003 attempt by Peterson to pay $25,000 to someone whom he asked to "take care of" Savio. The judge has also granted a defense request to allow discussion at trial about the details of the confidential informant's own criminal history. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of military operations to retake the Islamic State-held held city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, in a televised address on Sunday night. Iraqi forces are "approaching a moment of great victory" against the Islamic State group, said al-Abadi, who was surrounded by top military commanders from the Ministry of Defense and the country's elite counterterrorism forces. However, Iraqi forces are expected to face a complicated fight to push ISIS out of Fallujah, which is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad, and has been under the militants' control for more than two years. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told NBC News that 20,000 soldiers were deployed, with another 15,000 expected to join. Asked about the Iraqi announcement on plans to retake Falliujah, the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon did not immediately comment. During the Iraq War, Fallujah was an insurgent stronghold and the site of the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War. In November 2004, U.S. forces led a coalition attack against several thousand insurgents in Fallujah in which thousands of buildings were destroyed in house-to-house fighting. More than 80 U.S. troops were killed along with an estimated 2,000 insurgents. Al-Abadi's announcement comes at a time when Iraqi ground forces backed by U.S.-led coalition air support are gaining territory against ISIS, most recently in Iraq's vast western Anbar province. Last week. Iraqi forces pushed ISIS out of the western town of Rutba, located 240 miles (380 kilometers) west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar province. Last month, Iraqi forces cleared territory along Anbar's Euphrates river valley after the provincial capital Ramadi was declared fully liberated earlier this year. Fallujah is still home to tens of thousands of civilians and has been under ISIS rule since January 2014, longer than any other territory recently retaken by Iraqi forces. Iraqi security forces repeated calls for civilians trapped inside Fallujah to flee on Sunday, but residents say that checkpoints controlled by the extremists along all roads leading out of the city are preventing most from fleeing. Iraq's military is also still struggling to rebuild after it largely collapsed when ISIS fighters overran Mosul in the summer of 2014. Since then, successful operations against ISIS have largely been led by the country's powerful Shiite militias or Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces closely backed by coalition airstrikes. An array of fighters including Shiite militias and counterterrorism forces have announced they plan to take part in the Fallujah operation, but it's unclear how command and control will be exercised over the disparate groups. U.S.-led coalition aircraft have carried out seven airstrikes in and around Fallujah over the past week. Retaking Fallujah could help protect the Iraqi capital from ISIS bombings like those seen over the past two weeks, according to the Baghdad-based spokesman for the US-led coalition in Iraq, Col. Steve Warren. Fallujah is "a safe haven for (the Islamic State group) where they can construct their bombs and plan their operations in relatively close proximity to Baghdad," Warren said. But despite gains on the front lines, al-Abadi's government must deal with deepening political and social unrest in Baghdad. Clashes between protesters and Iraqi security forces inside Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone compound which houses most Iraqi government ministries and foreign embassies left two people dead after security forces fired tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowds. Over 100 people were wounded, hospital and police officials said. They spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to brief the press. Al-Abadi's office released a preliminary investigation Sunday that claimed police and military guards did not fire directly into the crowd of demonstrators, according to a statement released Sunday by Saad al-Hadithi, the prime minister's spokesman. Many of the protesters were supporters of powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has led months of demonstrations and sit-ins calling for government reforms. Al-Sadr has since issued a statement condemning the use of force against "peaceful" demonstrations and vowed to continue to support the "revolution" against the government. Al-Abadi spoke by phone with U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday and "agreed on the critical importance of improving the security" of Baghdad and the Green Zone, according to a White House statement. It added that the two leaders also discussed progress being made in the campaign against the Islamic State group. Iraq's political crisis has left the government deadlocked as security forces struggle to fight the Islamic State group. Despite a string of territorial defeats, ISIS still controls significant patches of Iraqi territory in the country's north and west including Mosul, the country's second largest city. The militant group also has claimed responsibility for a series of large-scale bombings in and around Baghdad recently that have killed hundreds of people. New Britain's Democratic Town Committee formally endorsed Michael Trueworthy as the party candidate for Democratic Registrar of Voters. Trueworthy is looking for a return to public office after an exit in 2015 that includes a filed police report at New Britain City Hall, and the shouting of gay slurs at a local bar in July 2014 according to a police report. He served on the New Britain City Council from 2003-2015, and for eleven of those years, he served as President of Majority Leader. Trueworthy says his days of drinking are over. I havent touched a drop of alcohol since that day and Ive spent a lot of time and effort developing a support network that I can rely on to make sure that Im healthy" Trueworthy said during a phone interview Monday. "Those days are behind me. Republican Mayor Erin Stewart says she's slightly uneasy about the prospect of Trueworthy coming back into City Hall with a full time job. "It makes me feel uncomfortable about the potential to have him working in the same building as me. Democratic Town Committee Chairman Bill Shortell says the only issue people should be talking about when it comes to the Democratic race is who would be a better candidate to register more voters. Mike is the most dependable person that we got out there" Shortell said. "Mike, before one crazy day, had ten years of interrupted determined activity and since that day he has also been a pillar of Democracy and community civic pride in New Britain. Trueworthy says he's on a good path now, and that one day in his life shouldn't define his future public life. I dont know how long you can hold something over somebodys else head before it gets unfair. Im not going to respond to her comments. Im not running against her. This is a Democratic primary. Shes a Republican. Im not going to engage. Stewart says she has a right to feel the way she does. The door Trueworthy broke is steps from her office. With a track record of the past, you never know. I didnt know to anticipate what actually happened that day so how would I know on a daily basis?" Ansonia schools remain closed on Tuesday, the day after an anonymous post on an after school app indicated a possible threat and school officials plan to address concerns during a board of alderman meeting tonight. The city put all four of its schools on lockout at 1:15 p.m. on Monday and canceled all after school activities for the day after learning of the potential threat, according to a statement on the school department website. Dr. Carol Merlone, Ansonia's school superintendent, said the post was made in reference to Ansonia High School, though police said it was unclear which school might have been the subject of the posting. Police responded to all schools on Monday to ensure students were safe as they were being dismissed and all students were dismissed without incident, police said. Merlone decided to close all Ansonia Schools today and said the decision was made " in conjunction with law enforcement." A Facebook post on the Ansonia Public Schools page on Tuesday morning said the school district, Mayor David Cassetti and Police Chief Kevin Hale are inviting parents to a brief community update at the beginning of a special Board of Aldermen meeting at 7 p.m. at the Ansonia High School. "The update concerns the reported threatening incident that occurred yesterday afternoon. In an effort to keep you informed and our children safe, this update will provide you with the latest information available.Please make every effort to attend this important community update at 7 p.m. in Ansonia High School, and of course the special meeting of the Board of Aldermen regarding the budget," Merlone wrote in a statement. Students and staff at RHAM Middle School in Hebron are on high alert after a threatening message was found in a bathroom on Friday that warned something harmful would unfold at the school on Monday. The school promised maximum security on Monday and state police are trying to figure out who was behind the hateful message. On Monday morning, parents had to decide whether to send their children to school for the day. LISA NOLT, PARENT: (05:49:37) Im just feeling very unsettled in trying to make the decision whether to send my daughter to school or not. Im just feeling very unsettled in trying to make the decision whether to send my daughter to school or not, Lisa Nolt said on Monday morning. Porter and other teachers, students and parents received an alert involving RHAM Middle School in which the superintendent warned the community of the threat and laid out what precautions were being taken. Working with the State Police, a plan was developed to provide for maximum security all day Monday. As part of that security plan we have requested that the State Police provide bomb sniffing dogs for a full sweep of the building prior to opening on Monday morning, Dr. Robert Siminski, superintendent of Regional School District No. 8, wrote. Michael Bonetti said he is glad the school officials are checking it out. "Im not sure what the threat was, Im told it was a message on a mirror or something. Probably some kid looking for attention I would imagine, he said. Even with all the precautions theyre taking, the district will understand if parents want to keep their child home from school on Monday, the superintendent said. In terms of security, I would argue that today would probably be a safer day to be at school with the increased security. But I have faith in the police and their investigative duties so I would have no problem having my child here today, Michael Kingsley, a parent, said. Police have arrested a 31-year-old Groton man on drug and weapons charges after a raid at U.S. Wholesalers, a vehicle wholesaler located at 114 South Road, in Groton on Monday morning. They also seized several vehicles. The raid was part of an investigation into the sales of heroin and opioids in southeastern Connecticut, officials said on Monday afternoon. Police believe the suspect was obtaining the heroin in bulk, cutting it, packaging it and selling it at the street level. Police said they seized drugs, a weapon, along with business assets, including three campers and five cars, including a Bentley luxury sedan and several commercial vehicles, ATVs, motorcycles and motor-scooters, police said. "A lot of the narcotics trafficking, they are not leaving their money out for us to locate. Their actually investigating it into properties and/or merchandise that they can liquidate when they need it, but still have it there and try hide it from law enforcement officials," Lt. John W. Varone, detective commander for the Groton Police Department, said. The suspect is being held on a $500,000 bond. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review an appeal from a 56-year-old Houston man on death row for the rape and fatal beating of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter 16 years ago. The high court made no comment Monday in rejecting the case of Kerry Dimart Allen. Allen's attorneys had argued that his lawyers at his Harris County trial in 2001 were deficient and that Texas, its death penalty law and the trial court's actions during jury selection all violated Allen's constitutional protections. Allen already was a convicted sex offender when he was arrested for the May 2000 slaying of Kienna Lashay Baker. He'd been living with the child's mother and watched her four children when she went to work. Allen does not yet have an execution date. A North Texas family was setting sail to celebrate an anniversary, but they found out the hard way that cruise lines don't have to stick to the planned schedule. The Tromplers love hanging out with their family and they love cruising. "We've been cruising with Carnival actually since 1982 we achieved Platinum Status," Janet Trompler said. In May, they planned a trip with their daughter, her husband and their two children to celebrate the Grimes' 10th wedding anniversary. "We had planned for our two daughters and our family to go on a dolphin excursion to get the swim with the dolphins and to have some beach time," daughter Ashley Grimes said. They got off the ship for about 45 minutes in Progresso, but were really excited about the second stop, Cozumel. But as they got close, the family was told Cozumel was not happening. "He said that unfortunately we were not gonna be able to stop because of technical issues and there was no tug to safely push us into port," Trompler said. "I was devastated because my little girl was looking forward to the dolphin experience," Ashley's husband Dallen Grimes said. Carnival gave all guests a $100 credit, but the head of Federal Maritime Commission, Mario Cordero, said cruise lines don't have to do anything if they switch your itinerary because the goverment does not regulate the terms and conditions of cruises. Your ticket governs your rights. So read carefully before you buy. "They need to find out what the contract actually is, so be familiar with the terms of the contract," Cordero added. "They're going to be very important if something happens where the consumer feels dissatisfied." Still, you can file a complaint with the FMC and they can try to mediate. The Tromplers said what they want is their money back. "They gave us a five-day boat ride, that's correct, but they did not give us what we paid for," Trompler said. We reached out to Carnival for this story. They told us of the Trompler's cruise: Carnival Liberty departed Galveston Saturday, May 7 on a five-day Mexico cruise with scheduled stops in Progreso and Cozumel. The ship docked in Progreso for the day on Monday, May 9, however high winds prevented the ship from leaving and it was forced to remain docked there overnight. As a consequence, the scheduled call in Cozumel had to be cancelled as there was not enough time to visit Cozumel and then sail back to Galveston on schedule. Although the ship is having an issue with its bow thrusters (bow thrusters assist a ship in docking maneuvers) even with full thruster capability we would not have been able to depart Progreso. Despite the assistance of two tugboats, the wind was blowing the ship back to the pier and the channel leading in and out of Progreso is quite narrow. So even if we had been able to navigate away from the pier, attempting to sail through the narrow channel given the winds was too much of a safety risk.. All guests were given a $100 per person shipboard credit as a result of the missed call in Cozumel. Presently the ship ins on a four-day cruise that departed Galveston on Thursday and is scheduled to call in Cozumel tomorrow. The FMC has more information on how to protect yourself here. Several Dallas police sources tell NBC 5 Dallas attorney Ira Tobolowsky was murdered at his North Dallas home. Dallas Fire-Rescue arson investigators concluded the fire that began in Tobolowsky's garage was suspicious and believe it may have been arson. It's unclear exactly how Tobolowsky died, though detectives are investigating the case as a homicide. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office says it could take weeks to conclusively determine Tobolowsky's exact cause of death. Police sources say investigators have talked with Steven Aubrey, an Austin man involved in ongoing civil litigation with Tobolowsky. He is not considered a suspect at this time. Dallas police homicide detectives are leading the investigation along with arson investigators. Tobolowskys three sons sat down with NBC 5 on Friday to talk about their father. They say he was a doting dad who never missed a school recital or ball game, and his moral compass and love of the law has forever shaped their lives. Buc-ees, the mega gas station with dozens of locations throughout Texas, opened its first store in Dallas-Fort Worth Monday morning. The 32nd Buc-ees opened in far north Fort Worth at 6 a.m. in the shadow of Texas Motor Speedway, on the southwest corner of Interstate 35W and Texas 114. The store features 100 gas pumps outside and 60,000 square feet inside, packed with the chains signature snacks and the "cleanest restrooms in America." Richard and Linda Williams, of Azle, were the first people through the doors Monday after waking up at 2 a.m. Ive never been to a Buc-ees before," Linda Williams said. "This is awesome. The gas station is the first business to open in the larger Champions Circle development, a nearly 300-acre site that is still under construction. The development will be home to a Tanger Outlets center, two condo complexes, a hotel and more standalone retail stores. A traffic study posted on the developers website indicates that 92,000 vehicles drive past the site every day and that 1.3 million people live within a 30 minute drive. Fort Worth city council member Richard Shingleton represents this fast-growing area of the city. And he calls Buc-ees a destination gas station that will act as the foyer to the entire development. Its booming, amazing, whatever you want to call it, he said. Its difficult to keep your arms around the growth. Shingleton pointed to needed infrastructure improvements in the immediate area streets, sewage, fire coverage, police coverage as priorities in advance of the Christmas 2017 scheduled completion of Champions Circle. Shingleton said he hears from constituents regarding concerns over the rapid growth daily. Its been about four and a half years since Selwyn families awoke on a Thursday morning to find their beloved school in flames; the main building on the private Denton campus set ablaze. The fire was eventually ruled an arson and, though a person of interest was named, the incident still remains open, and so does the turmoil it left behind at the school. As a completely private college prep academy, Selwyn is self-funding with no state or government dollars. The school and their donors were essentially left on their own. Many classes and school functions had to be relocated into temporary buildings that just felt more and more permanent as the days went on. Plans were made and their appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel last May when school leaders, students, and alumni gathered on campus and broke ground on a new building to finally put an end to the tough chapter, but that ended up being short lived. Board of Trustees Chairman Monte Jensen said the complexities of the fund raising process coupled with reconstruction issues quickly made the construction a risky undertaking at their budget, and they pulled the plug in March. We just made a determination to at least put a pause on construction here while we looked at what all of our available options were, said Jensen. So, nearing their 60th anniversary, the future sits a bit unclear for Selwyn. However, Jensen said they are now optimistic with new options coming to the table. An anonymous donor has come forward offering to help the schools finances, but it comes with some changes. The largest would be relocation from the edge of Denton on Highway 380 to a more central location, where Jensen said they could become a more convenient option for perspective families. Theyve brought in some consultants to help us look at how we really do things, said Jensen, to help us find the best suitable location for our school. Jensen said they hope to keep that in Denton, or at the least close by, but the process is still early. For now, Selwyn remains at its current location with enrollment for next year underway. Unfortunately, Jensen said theyve had to suspend their early childhood program while they figure out their financial situation. We had to make a difficult decision, he said. However, with a path starting to form for Selwyn, Jensen said hes confident the school has a lot of life ahead; though it may look a little different. Capping off a very busy weekend of politics in San Diego, U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders held a rally in Vista Sunday. Ahead of Californias June 7 primary, Sanders took his campaign to San Diego's North County, holding an outdoor rally at the stadium of Rancho Buena Vista High School, located at 1601 Longhorn Dr. Sanders was first introduced by "The Divergent Series" actress Shailene Woodley. Prior to the rally, the star posted messages about her appearance at the political event, along with a video of the school's band. She urged voters to get to the polls and vote for Sanders. "I need every one of you to know that our voices matter," said Woodley. "We're living in a country right now where the establishment is doing everything it possibly can to squelch Democracy." After speaking for about four minutes, Woodley introduced Sanders to the podium. Divergent actress Shailene Woodley supported Bernie Sanders at his rally in Vista on Sunday. Woodley spoke to voters and introduced Sanders to the crowd in north San Diego County. The U.S. Senator started his speech by discussing the 1 percent of wealthy Americans, as well as calling out Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. Vista, are we ready for a political revolution? Are we ready to tell the 1 percent that they are not going to get it all?" Sanders said to his cheering supporters. "We do not make progress unless we stand together, unless we prevent the Donald Trumps of the world from dividing us up. Bernie Sanders spoke in front of enthusiastic supporters in Vista on May 22, 2016. Sanders said he is confident Americans will not allow Trump to become Commander-in-Chief. Donald Trump must not become President of the United States, said Sanders. The job of a president is to bring people together, not to divide us up. At that point, the crowd began chanting, "Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!" He went on to talk about diversity in America, the working class, poverty in our nation, raising the minimum wage in all states and creating a better economy for all. He also touched on unemployment in the U.S. [G] Democratic Presidential Campaigns Rally in San Diego Sundays rally in Vista marked the second stop in San Diego County for Sanders in as many days. On Saturday, the U.S. Senator rallied with a large crowd of supporters, including actor George Lopez, at Kimball Park in National City. Bill Clinton was in San Diego Saturday too, holding his own events in support of wife Hillary Clintons run for the White House. Clinton rallied with enthusiastic supporters at Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista Saturday afternoon and then made his way to a campaign fundraiser at The Inn and Rancho Santa Fe. According to Sanders campaign website, the U.S. Senator will make his way north to Irvine, California, on Sunday, too, holding another rally at 6 p.m. at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. Meanwhile, additional stops on Clintons campaign tour throughout California include Pomona, Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, Sacramento and Delano. According to Hillary Clintons campaign website, Bill Clintons next stop is in Delano, California, Sunday at Cesar Chavez High School, where he will be joined by civil rights and labor leader Dolores Huerta. Looking ahead to next week, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump will make his way to Americas Finest City on Friday, May 27. Trump is set to rally at the San Diego Convention Center in downtown San Diego at 2 p.m. Supporters can register for tickets to Trumps rally here. In the 40 years since fires sparked by lightning have been allowed to burn unabated in a section of Yosemite National Park, ecologist Scott Stephens has watched extensive conifer forests grow back as a patchwork of not just trees, but also meadows with wetland plants. Places in the Illilouette Creek Basin that were typically dry are now covered with four inches of water, said Stephens, a professor of fire science at the University of California at Berkeley. "And, amazingly a lot of these places maintain this wetness even during this four-year drought," he said. Those wet fields are assuming even more importance as parts of California face a heightened risk of fire this summer. Climate change has left the states winters drier and springs warmer, and it is beginning the fifth year of a drought so harsh that it has killed more than 29 million trees. The severe weather is even threatening the iconic giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the U.S. Forest Service revises how it manages its 193 million acres with three forests in California's Sierra Nevada among the first to implement a new approach Stephens and other fire scientists are urging it to go forward with plans to allow more fires to burn through dry vegetation. The accumulation of brush and grasses over decades makes it dangerous to try to put out every fire, he and six colleagues wrote in the journal Science last fall. Suppressing fires repeatedly simply promises more disastrous fires in the future. "Weve got to change course in the way we manage fire," Stephens said. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week warned about a potentially fiery season not only in Southern California, but also in the Great Basin of Nevada, portions of the Southwest and Florida and Hawaii. To prepare for the summer, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has hired 400 seasonal firefighters across the state whose focus will be on setting prescribed fires, removing dead trees, creating fire breaks, cutting back dense brush, and otherwise preventing fires. Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for Cal Fire, said the department had already fought 900 wildfires since the beginning of the year. "All of those dead trees that are near homes are all fuel for wildfires," he said. Sixteen of the most historically significant wildfires on record, as designated by the federal government, erupted over the last 10 years, Vilsack noted. The most recent: The Rim Fire which burned 257,000 acres in the Stanislaus National Forest in the central Sierra Nevada in 2013, one of the largest fires in Californias history. U.S. Forest Service "We keep setting records we dont want to see beat," Vilsack said in a statement after a briefing from the U.S. Forest Service, the primary federal firefighting service. Stephens was working in the Stanislaus National Forest at the time and recalls thinking how susceptible it would be to a high-severity fire. Nearly three years later, he compares its devastation to the landscape in the Illilouette up to 20,000 acres of nothing but dead trees in the Stanislaus National Forest to small plots of only 3 to 5 acres on average of similar destruction in the Illilouette. "It's small," he said. "The forest is able to maintain itself. That's the key -- just having forests being able to maintain themselves, regenerate, evolve. The Rim Fire, thats really different, terrible." The National Park Service began allowing so-called lightning fires to burn themselves out in Illilouette in the early 1970s. Most run into each other, Stephens said, and if an area has been permitted to burn in the last decade, the chance that a new fire will not spread is 90 percent or more. What was once an unbroken thick forest with a dense canopy now has gaps of up to 4 acres throughout, with sections of thinned woods that are more resilient to fire, he said. Lauren Ponisio, a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley, looked at the types of wildlife present in the Illilouette, especially bees, the most abundant group of pollinators there. Over two years she and others caught about 8,000 individual bees, representing about 160 species. "People dont usually think of forests as really important places for bees," she said. "It is because when we think of forests, we think of these fire-suppressed forests, these closed canopy forests, but when youre out in the Illilouette, it's just so heterogenous." In areas where there had been a mix of how often fires had burned and with what severity, there was more diversity of flowering plants and pollinators, she said. For every 5 percent increase in the diversity of the fires, there was one additional species of plants and one species of pollinators, she said. "One of the most widely supported theories in ecology is this idea that diversity begets diversity and so fire diversity begets habitat diversity which begets the diversity of wildlife," she said. "You have this nice relationship. And fires maintaining that." The National Park Service, with its 84 million acres of parks, has led the way in allowing fires to shape landscapes like the Illilouette, Stephens said. Now as the U.S. Forest Service considers far-reaching changes -- with the 4.6 million acres of California's Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra national forests among the first up -- its goal is for similar benefits. U.S. Forest Service "We hope that the landscape can be restored to conditions where fires are more variable, with some areas burning at different intensities to provide the best mix of ecological conditions and habitat diversity," said Don Yasuda, a regional analyst and forest planning biologist with the U.S. Forest Service. The drought and devastating fires like the Rim Fire -- with their long-lasting consequences on old forests and the habitat of wildlife species like the Pacific fisher and California spotted owl -- have brought an urgency to the new approach, the service said in a statement. The soaring costs of fighting fires are an added impetus. The Forest Service spent more than $1.7 billion fighting fires last year, amounting to half of its budget. That contrasts with just 16 percent in 1995. When it exhausted its firefighting budget, the service was forced to draw on funds it had hoped to use for restoration projects. Under the new plans, which are still in drafts and will not be finalized until late next year after time for public comments, fires would be treated differently in different zones with the Forest Service focused on protecting communities in some areas and allowing fires to burn in others: both those sparked by lightning and controlled fires, some set along ridge lines and major roads. More prescribed, or set, fires would create more smoke but under controlled conditions that would affect communities less and for a shorter time than wildfires, it said. "Research has proven time and time again that fire can be beneficial and is responsible for shaping the landscape," said Jennifer Anderson, a fuels planner for the national forests in California. "We have a choice to suppress every fire or to manage some fires to meet resource objectives at the right place and time." Among the biggest challenges is the enormous area that needs to be restored. Large fires are needed to periodically reduce vegetation as opposed to intense fires that destroy large swathes of trees, it said. The Forest Service will be constrained by the number of people who live in and near the forests and by campgrounds, power lines, cell towers and infrastructure within the forests. Fires may never be able to burn to the extent that they once did, it said. La junta educativa del distrito 94 en West Chicago y el sindicato de maestros llevaban una larga disputa pero esta noche parece que han llegado a un acuerdo. Stephens predicts some opposition as soon as fires are allowed to burn. Communities will be affected, recreation curtailed, and there will be uncertainty about what the fires will do, he said. "But Im convinced that if we dont begin to do things like that, all were going to have is higher and higher vulnerability in our forests and eventually were going to have outcomes that are much worse," he said. Hours ahead of a pair of local fundraisers by Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, her rival Bernie Sanders rallied thousands of supporters in Lincoln Heights on Monday, hammering his campaign themes of higher wages and an overhaul of campaign financing. The Vermont senator told the crowd his grassroots campaign was going to carry him to victor in the June 7 California primary election. "There are more delegates at stake in California, 475, than any other state in the country, and let me tell you something that many of you also know: We are going to win the state of California," Sanders said. "And we are going to win the state of California because by the end of this campaign here we are going to have rallies all over this state and speak personally in a grassroots way to over 200,000 people in California. "That's what our campaign is about. It is a grassroots campaign, not a fancy campaign, and we are going to talk to the people of California about the issues of concern to the people of this state and the people of the United States of America." Sanders hit heavily on issues of immigration reform, an end to deportations, protecting voting rights and boosting wages. "In this country, if you work 40 hours a week, you should not be living in poverty," he said. "That is why I was so proud to work with the workers in the fast food industry who went out on strike from McDonalds and Burger King who stood up and told this nation they cannot make it on the starvation minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. They demanded, and I support a $15 an hour minimum wage $15 an hour and the right to form a union." Sanders will hold another rally at Santa Monica High School, with doors opening at 4 p.m. He was scheduled to appear at the Anaheim Convention Center on Tuesday. Clinton and Sanders are visiting Southern California to rally voters just weeks ahead of the state's primary election. Clinton will hold three events on Tuesday, her campaign announced during the weekend. The former first lady, New York senator and U.S. secretary of state will appear with Rep. Karen Bass for a discussion of foster care at the Community Coalition Tuesday morning at 8101 S. Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles. Clinton will then appear at a labor rally at International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11, at 6023 Garfield Ave. in Commerce. On Tuesday evening, she is scheduled to participate in an "organizing event" in the Johnson Family Practice Center at UC Riverside, at 900 University Ave. That event will be open to the public. Before Tuesday's events, Clinton will hold two Los Angeles-area fundraisers on Monday. Tickets for an early evening event at the home of Bryan Lourd and Bruce Bozzi are $2,700, according to an invitation obtained by City News Service. Individuals raising $10,000 will be co-hosts of the event and will have a photo taken with Clinton. The maximum individual contribution under federal law for a candidate seeking his or her party's presidential nomination is $2,700. Lourd is the managing partner of the Creative Artists Agency talent agency. Bozzi is a co-owner of The Palm restaurants chain. The event is also hosted by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Vogue. An evening fundraiser in Hancock Park will follow, with tickets priced at $1,000. Individuals raising $20,000 will have a photo taken with Clinton. The Clinton campaign said details of additional events scheduled for Orange County, Salinas and San Jose on Wednesday and Thursday would be announced soon. The trip will be Clinton's 12th to the Los Angeles area since declaring her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on April 12, 2015 and second this month. Clinton held 26 fundraisers during her previous visits, including two during her most recent visit on May 5. Clinton's opponent for the Democratic nomination, Vermont Sen. Sanders, told thousands of supporters Sunday that he is the best choice to defeat Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November election. Sanders concluded a two-day campaign swing through San Diego County by speaking to an estimated 6,500 cheering fans at the Rancho Buena Vista High School stadium in Vista. "I think the objective evidence is very clear that in virtually every national poll and every state poll, we defeat Trump by larger numbers than does Secretary Clinton," Sanders said to a roaring crowd. "So I say to every Democrat in this country and those delegates who are going to the convention in Philadelphia, if you want the strongest candidate to make sure that Trump does not become president, we are that campaign." Sanders, a self-described socialist who would be the nation's first Jewish president, urged the crowd to vote for him in the June 7 California primary and to recruit others to do the same. It was his second public event in the San Diego area in two days. He appeared Saturday night at Kimball Park in National City. Trump is scheduled to visit Anaheim later this week. Many movie buffs can easily recall specific sights and locations from animated Disney classics, places they can describe down to the teeniest, most florid detail. The chandeliered library from Beast's castle is a place entrenched in many a fan's memory, and the grotto where Ariel keeps all of her underwater thingamabobs is easily summoned to mind. But the look of a Disney film goes beyond the places that pop up along the way. It's in the lines and colors and shadows and overarching style, too, all elements that weave into the larger story mythos. Artist Eyvind Earle was a mid-century master of the form, as evidenced by his iconic background paintings for 1959's "Sleeping Beauty." Often cited as some of the most striking backgrounds in all of animation, Mr. Earle's densely drawn woods were lushly medieval, yes, but they also boasted a touch mid-century panache. Forest Lawn Museum is celebrating Mr. Earle's singular style, and the many artworks he created beyond his time at the Walt Disney Studios. "Eyvind Earle: An Exhibit of a Disney Legend" will run through New Year's Day, 2017. It's a comprehensive overview of how the Southern California-raised painter created an aesthetic within the larger, thrumming world of Disney dream-making. So quintessential are Mr. Earle's color combos and not-quite-from-real-life settings that other creators have found inspiration in his catalog (directors Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro are both Earle collectors). Born a century ago, the artist eventually settled in Carmel-by-the-Sea before passing away in 2000. His works can often be found in galleries around the village, but the change for Angelenos to view them, and just a short drive from the studio where he once painted for Walt Disney, is a rare treat. Of course, as a Disney devotee, you likely know he worked on "Lady & the Tramp" and "Peter Pan," too, as well as the dioramas inside Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland. For a chance to enjoy the larger scope of his beyond-Disney pursuits, the hue-big paintings of natural subjects he became famed for, make for Forest Lawn Museum before the dawn of the new year. Few residents know the history of Boyle Heights, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods just east of downtown Los Angeles. Before it was sliced up by freeways and became the home of working-class immigrant Latinos, the neighborhood, had a rich convergence of cultures. "It was the Ellis Island of the West Coast," said Betsy Kalin, the director and producer of a documentary called "East LA Interchange," which explores Boyle Heights from the 1940s to the present. "It was Asian, it was Latino, Jewish, African American really everybody was here." The documentary tells the story of how Boyle Heights survived despite housing discrimination, crime and the largest freeway interchange system in the country. Kalin interviewed longtime residents of Boyle Heights, local activists and academics, and explored how the community continued to connect and inspire diverse cultures. "The thing I found the most fascinating about the neighborhood is that it wasn't a melting pot. It's where you were able to keep your culture and share your culture with your neighbors," Kalin said. The diverse history could be seen throughout the neighborhood. The film captures places like the Breed Street Shul, one of the oldest synagogues in Los Angeles, which serves as a reminder of a time when Boyle Heights was home to the largest Jewish community on the West Coast. The film also tells how at certain periods, Jews were wearing zoot suits and residents learned how to eat sushi. While Boyle Heights was always seen as a working-class immigrant community, Kalin says residents lacked political representation to fight against public policy and government on real estate decisions. But that started to change in the late 1940s, when a coalition of African Americans, Jewish Americans and Latinos came together, according to the film. Together they mobilized to elect the first Mexican-American to the LA City Council in the 20th century, Edward Roybal. And the community's social activism continued in the decades to follow. Vanessa Luna Bishop, the film's producer and a fourth generation Boyle Heights resident, says people who left Boyle Heights are returning to the community because they have pride in their home. Bishop grew up in the area at the same time as will. i. am, founder of the Black Eyed Peas and seven-time Grammy winner whose foundation supports Boyle Heights youth. "I came back because I am who I am because of the community I grew up in," will.I.am says in the film. "Not too many people know Boyle Heights and I think when they see the documentary they'll be surprised so much happened here, so many different cultures living together," Bishop said. While Boyle Heights continues to evolve as it faces new challenges and opportunities, residents like actor Xavi Moreno say the love and pride for the community extends across generations. "The kids who grew up here are coming back and saying 'Hey, we still love this community and we're tired of the violence and the negative stereotypes. How can we make that change?'" Learn more about "East LA Interchange" on its Facebook page and the LA Film Fest website. Leaders in the African-American community and rabbis on Monday called for the State Bar of California to disbar attorney Wayne Spindler for the racially-charged comments he wrote on a public speaker card at a Los Angeles City Council meeting. Daniel Bakewell, publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, an African-American owned and operated newspaper, called on the state bar to take away Spindler's law license on grounds that he violated ethics. A spokeswoman for the State Bar said "a criminal conviction would be grounds for discipline." The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office is trying to determine whether his comments violate the law. He was arrested on a charge of suspicion of making a criminal threat. Spindler said City Councilmembers are out to take away his right to freedom of speech. He denies he was threatening Councilman Herb Wesson, the council president who is black. Wesson has obtained a temporary restraining order Spindler, a gadfly, who used Ku Klux Klan imagery on a comment card. The order requires Spindler, 46, to stay at least 10 yards away from Wesson during council and committee meetings. Spindler can still attend the meetings and give public comment in a peaceful and orderly way. Spindler must also stay 10 yards from Wesson's vehicle and field office, and 100 yards from the council president's home. Spindler also must keep two yards away from Wesson's City Hall office, which is meant to allow him to go down the hallway to get to other rooms. Spindler must also give up possession of any firearms, guns or ammunition within 24 hours of the order. Police last week arrested Spindler on suspicion of making criminal threats on a public comment request card during a committee meeting chaired by Wesson. The card features images of a burning cross and a person hanging from a tree by a noose. At the center of the card is a drawing of what appears to be a triangular-shaped person wearing a KKK hood carrying a noose and a sign that says "Herb = (N-word)." Wesson said this week that he reported the public comment card to police "at the urging of my staff." Spindler was arrested Friday and his bail was set at $75,000. He was released about 10 p.m. that day. Spindler was accused of submitting the public-comment card at a May 11 meeting of the council's Rules, Elections, Intergovernmental Relations and Neighborhoods Committee. City News Service contributed to this report. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has ordered the Southern California Gas Co. to halt its cleanup of Porter Ranch-area homes following a months-long gas leak. The stop-work order came late Sunday, two days after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge mandated the Gas Co. to clean up the homes of residents relocated because of the gas leak at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. Public Health officials assigned environmental health specialists to observe the cleaning performed by SoCalGas contractors over the weekend and determined the cleaning did "not comply with the cleaning protocol," according to a statement issued by the agency. "Public health found that the contractor was neither equipped nor trained for proper cleaning as required by Public Health,'' the agency said. In response, the Gas Co. said it will adhere to the Department of Public Health's proposed protocol and were working to address any issues. "We are committed to coordinating with the Department of Public Health as they continue to provide details about how they interpret their protocol and, together with the Department of Public Health and our contractors, we will coordinate to implement the cleaning process and avoid delays in completing the cleaning and returning people to their homes," SoCalGas spokesman Chris Gilbride said. The Gas Co. was directed to immediately discontinue cleaning and meet with county officials Monday to discuss resolving the deficiencies and ensure strict compliance with the court-ordered protocol. The court's decision required the Gas Co. to offer cleaning services to owners of as many as 2,500 homes. Residents in hotels have until 5 p.m. on May 25 to request cleaning, and residents in housing other than hotels have until 5 p.m. May 27 to request it. Once homes are cleaned, the residents will have 48 hours to return under the ruling. Residents who do not request cleaning had 48 hours after those deadlines to return home. Public Health announced last week that its environmental testing found no airborne contaminants, but surface dust contained "low levels of metal contaminants'' consistent with those found in "well-drilling fluid,'' suggesting they came from the Aliso Canyon gas leak that was discovered in October and capped Feb. 18. The finding prompted the cleanup operation. City News Service contributed to this report. Mash-ups have become, if not mainstream, then an accepted and anticipated part of art-makery. Songs, films, books, and every other written and record work, pretty much, has now experienced the blending of two or more distinct themes, or vibes, or eras, or all of the above. Thank the internet for much of the unexpected putting-togetherness we've all experienced in recent years, a quirky concept that's extended to all manner of cuisine. For example? Where once fermented foodstuffs occupied jars of the refrigerator door pickles, miso, fish sauce, and sourdough starter those same foodstuffs now, for a limited time, will be a part of the ice cream line-up at a trio of Southern California ice cream shops. We speak of Salt & Straw, the began-on-Larchmont, landed-next-in-Venice ice-creamery that just opened its third icy outpost in Studio City. ("Began" meaning here in LA; yes, it hails from Portland.) And beginning on Friday, May 27, all three shops will offer mash-ups on the "fermented foods + ice cream" theme. Yep, that means a Dill Pickle Sorbet, complete with a touch of fennel. And Fish Sauce Caramel with Palm Sugar. And Sourdough with Chocolate & Strawberries. Cacao Nib & Red Miso is also a frosty, fermented choice, as is California Avocado & Cardamom with Fermented Carrot Custard. That's right: These are ice creams with fermented-foodie flair. Not only can we call these surprise additions to the sweet, with can call them lickable mash-ups of the most unusual, "can they do that?" sort. Turns out they can do that at Salt & Straw, one of the innovators on the offbeat ice cream scene. And if you needed a harbinger that fermented foods would be one of the trends of summer, you only need to gaze back upon the middle of May, when a full day of fermented-themed festivities unfurled at Grand Central Market downtown, including the group-making of 1,000 pounds of kraut. Will kraut ice cream be next? Surely you didn't think fish sauce would appear as a cone topper. Or did you? In a mash-up world, expecting the unexpected as movie trailers so often advise us to do is really the right thing to do. Still, edibles like Dill Pickle Sorbet can surprise one, from time to time. But like fermented things, the Salt & Straw fermented flavors won't last for long. Get your sour/sweet lick on before June wraps. Step aside, Burmese python, you may no longer be Florida's scariest invasive species. Researchers have confirmed that three Nile crocodiles were captured near Miami, and they say it's possible more of the man-eating reptiles are still out there, although no one can say for sure. The big question now: How did they get to Florida? "They didn't swim from Africa," University of Florida herpetologist Kenneth Krysko said. "But we really don't know how they got into the wild." Krysko and his co-authors just published a paper showing that DNA testing proved the three animals captured in 2009, 2011 and 2014 are Nile crocs, a species whose males grow to over 16 feet long and weigh upward of 1,600 pounds. Nile crocs are believed to be responsible for up to 200 fatalities annually in their native sub-Saharan Africa. Compare that with an annual average of six reported shark attack deaths globally. Krysko, who works at UF's Florida Museum of Natural History, said the captured crocodiles matched genetically, meaning they are related to one another, but didn't match Nile crocs kept at Disney's Animal Kingdom and other licensed Florida attractions. That means the crocs probably were brought to Florida illegally by an unlicensed reptile collector who either didn't contain them properly, allowing them to escape, or, more sinisterly, planted them in the Everglades in hopes they would multiply. The Nile croc, if it became established in the Everglades, would pose another invasive threat to its teetering ecosystem. Through crossbreeding, they could endanger the smaller, less aggressive American crocodiles, which have never been responsible for a confirmed human death in the U.S. About 1,000 American crocodiles live in South Florida, mostly in mangroves and estuaries. Any hybrids would degrade the genetic integrity of the endangered American variety. Nile crocs also are known to attack livestock, which would be bad news for cattle farms that border the Everglades. Krysko and two co-authors, independent wildlife biologist Joe Wasilewski and UF wildlife ecology professor Frank Mazzotti, think more Nile crocs lurk unfound in the Everglades, but they aren't certain. Allyson Gantt, a spokeswoman for Everglades National Park, where one of the reptiles was found, disagrees, saying no Nile crocs still roam the park. Some Everglades visitors might not be aware of the differences between crocodiles and alligators, complicating efforts to confirm any remaining crocs. Crocodiles have angular snouts, and their lower teeth are exposed when their mouths are closed. Alligator snouts are rounded, with few exposed lower teeth. Nile crocs are usually bronze or brownish yellow; alligators are blackish green. Wasilewsi said people are likely to notice the difference, or at least take photos that researchers can check later. And no, crocs and alligators can't interbreed. Florida already has more non-native amphibians and reptiles than any region worldwide, according to the UF paper, published April 30 in Herpetological Conservation and Biology. They include Burmese pythons, a menace that quickly reproduced into the thousands and is decimating the Everglades' small mammal population. Giant toads, iguanas and another species of crocodilian, the spectacled caiman, also live in the state. But that species grows to only about 80 pounds and feeds on fish, crustaceans and the occasional small mammals. All three Nile crocodiles were captured in extreme South Florida. The first, a hatchling, was found on a front porch and sent to a Louisiana reptile exhibit. The second, a female measuring 4 feet, was captured at a park. Wasilewski kept it, but later gave it to another licensed researcher. The third was captured twice. The first trapper didn't have the proper permit, so he released the female. The croc was recaptured two years later 18 miles away by water in Everglades National Park. It was euthanized. The UF paper said all Florida wetlands and coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas would be hospitable to Nile crocodiles. They require fresh water, abundant prey and year-round warm weather. "Doesn't that sound like Florida?" Krysko said. Fortunately, Nile crocodiles don't reproduce rapidly. Still, the researchers said, it might only take one adult male and female finding each other for an Everglades population to become established. "I have two words: Burmese python," Wasilewski said. "If you would have told me 15 years ago we would have an established population in the Everglades, I wouldn't have believed you." One person was killed and another was hospitalized after a rollover wreck on Interstate 75 in Davie Monday morning. The crash happened around 2:40 a.m. on the northbound side of I-75 near Stirling Road. Florida Highway Patrol officials said it was a single-car rollover wreck involving a 2005 Dodge Stratus. For some reason, the car went into the median and hit a concrete drainage structure and ended up in a hole at a construction site. The car's driver, 24-year-old Jordan Ray Denis, was ejected from the car and killed at the scene, FHP officials said. His passenger, 22-year-old Cynthia Ivelisse Seda, was airlifted to Memorial Regional Hospital then transferred to the Jackson Memorial Hospital burn center with serious injuries, officials said. The crash had multiple lanes of I-75 northbound closed for several hours. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. A woman who police said threatened to kill and blow up local officers, claims it was all a big understanding. Letter in hand for the judge, 39-year-old Johanna Garcia of Hallandale, made an appearance in court Monday. "Nobody wants to put these cops in jail. It's the biggest case in 30 years," Garcia said. Garcia is facing several counts of threatening Miami Beach Police officers with a bomb. She allegedly left the cops several voicemails saying, in part: "I'm gonna kill you all. I'm gonna blow you up." But Monday, she claimed it was all a mix-up. "I never meant it to be literal and it was obvious if they reviewed all my messages," Garcia said. In 2009, Garcia filed a lawsuit against the Miami Beach Police Department claiming she was raped by several officers. Monday in court, she clung to her rape story while facing serious felony charges, which could put her behind bars. Garcia will be back in court next week, with the letter she wrote to the judge and with her court-appointed lawyer. The Supreme Court ruled decisively in favor of a death-row inmate in Georgia on Monday, chastising state prosecutors for improperly keeping African-Americans off the jury that convicted him of killing a white woman. The justices ruled 7-1 in favor of death row inmate Timothy Tyrone Foster in underscoring the importance of rules they laid out in 1986 to prevent racial discrimination in the selection of juries. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court that Georgia "prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race" when they struck African-Americans from the jury pool. But the court did nothing to limit peremptory strikes, lawyers' ability to reject potential jurors without offering any reason. The late Thurgood Marshall once said that racial discrimination would persist in jury selection unless peremptory strikes were curtailed. The outcome probably will enable Foster to win a new trial, 29 years after he was sentenced to death. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, saying he would have respected the decisions of state judges who sided with prosecutors and rejected Foster's claims. When the case was argued in November, the justices did little to hide their distaste for the tactics employed by prosecutors in north Georgia. Justice Elena Kagan said the case seemed as clear a violation "as a court is ever going to see." Still, Georgia courts had consistently rejected Foster's claims of discrimination, even after his lawyers obtained the prosecution's notes that revealed prosecutors' focus on the black people in the jury pool. In one example, a handwritten note headed "Definite No's" listed six people, of whom five were the remaining black prospective jurors. The sixth person on the list was a white woman who made clear she would never impose the death penalty, according to Foster's lawyer, Stephen Bright. And yet even that woman ranked behind the black jurors, Bright said. The court was not persuaded by the state's argument that the notes focused on black people in the jury pool because prosecutors were preparing to defend against discrimination claims. The Supreme Court's ruling about race discrimination in jury selection was about a year old when Foster's case went to trial, the state said. The 1986 decision in Batson v. Kentucky set up a system by which trial judges could evaluate claims of discrimination and the explanations by prosecutors that their actions were not based on race. "This argument falls flat," Roberts wrote. He noted that the record shows "a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury." Foster's trial lawyers did not so much contest his guilt as try to explain it as a product of a troubled childhood, drug abuse and mental illness. They also raised their objections about the exclusion of African-Americans from the jury. On that point, the judge accepted prosecutor Stephen Lanier's explanations that factors other than race drove his decisions. The jury convicted Foster and sentenced him to death. The jury issue was revived 19 years later, in 2006, when the state turned over the prosecution's notes in response to a request under Georgia's Open Records Act. The name of each potential black juror was highlighted on four different copies of the jury list and the word "black" was circled next to the race question on questionnaires for the black prospective jurors. Three of the prospective black jurors were identified in notes as "B#1," ''B#2," and "B#3." An investigator working for the prosecutors also ranked the black prospective jurors against each other in case "it comes down to having to pick one of the black jurors." An Uber driver was stabbed in the back while he was trying to pick up passengers from a Southern California bar, authorities said Sunday. At about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, the driver arrived at Flux Bar at 17817 Lakewood Blvd. in Bellflower, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Eric Lindblom said. The driver got out of the car to open the door for his passengers, two males and two females, Lindblom said. At that point, several men came out of the bar and began arguing with the passengers and then started attacking them, the lieutenant said. When the Uber driver tried to get back in the vehicle, he was attacked by one of the men, Lindblom said. The driver thought at first he was punched, but the pain in his back was later discovered to be a stab wound, the lieutenant said. The Uber driver dropped off his passengers in Long Beach then called 911, Lindblom said. A construction worker was shot multiple times in the chest during a robbery attempt in Brooklyn in broad daylight Monday over a gold chain and backpack, police said. The 22-year-old victim was at work in East New York on Belmont Avenue near Shepherd Avenue when the suspect approached him and tried to steal his chain at about 10:50 a.m., authorities said. The mugger pulled a gun during the robbery, and ended up shooting the construction worker multiple times, police said, in an attack that was caught on security video. The video from a nearby bodega showed the victim fighting back. Witness Mirna Medina said she heard five shots and "saw the guys tussling." "I thought they were playing around," she said. The gunman ran down Belmont Avenue, Medina added. Elicia Alcocks, who was working at a day care nearby, ran outside after she heard the shots and saw the worker bleeding on the ground and gasping for air. As others called 911 she grabbed a neighbor's towel. The operator told her apply pressure to the gunshot wound while they waited for an ambulance, she said. She said as he started to foam at the mouth she told him, "God gotcha just breathe, breathe, breathe." The victim was rushed to Brookdale Hospital in critical condition, authorities said. The gunman fled in a car and is still at large, police said. "Shameful," Alcocks said of the attack. A decorated NYPD officer, who is on trial for allegedly beating a Bronx woman two years ago, was charged early Sunday morning with driving while intoxicated in Harlem, officials said. Eugene Donnelly, 29, was charged with DWI after his Audi crashed into three parked vehicles and rolled onto its side at about 12:30 a.m. on Riverside Drive, near 135th Street, police said. He was off-duty at the time. An FDNY crew extracted Donnelly from his car as a crowd gathered around the smashed car. The arresting officer said that Donnelly had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, according to court documents. The owner of a vehicle that was hit by the Audi was surprised to find out that the man behind the wheel of the crashed car was a police officer. I ran downstairs and I saw a car in the middle of the street upside down. My car was destroyed," the owner said. "Then I found out it was a cop. Donnelly was awarded the Police Combat Cross in 2014 for taking down a gunman who fired at him while he was off duty in 2012. He is currently being prosecuted on misdemeanor assault and burglary charges accusing him of breaking into a woman's apartment and punching her numerous times, according to the Daily News. The alleged incident occurred just hours after he was awarded the department's second-highest honor by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Donnelly's attorneys are arguing that he was sleepwalking at the time and was suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder related to the 2012 shooting for which he was honored. Donnelly was arraigned on the DWI charge Sunday and released on his own recognizance, a spokesperson for the district attorney said. Two teens are lucky to be alive after they crashed into a flatbed truck while fleeing police officers on Long Island, authorities said. Video from the scene of the crash taken early Monday shows a crippled blue Honda Civic beside a flatbed auto repair truck. Authorities say a 17-year-old boy behind the wheel of the Civic fled police officers when they attempted to pull him over for running a red light in Brentwood just after 12:15 a.m. Less than a minute after officers tried to pull the teen over, he allegedly took off northbound on Fifth Avenue and tried to make a left on Suffolk Avenue before crashing into the flatbed truck. The driver of the flatbed truck suffered serious injuries in the crash, including a broken hip. He or she is expected to survive. A 17-year-old passenger in the Civic suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He was sitting in the backseat of the Civic, which may have saved his life, as the front of the vehicle was severely damaged in the crash. The 17-year-old driver of the Civic was not injured. He has been charged with drug-related DWAI and unlawful fleeing of an officer. Police didnt say if the 17-year-old passenger will be charged with anything. Police are searching for three men who they say went into a Bronx pharmacy and stuffed hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise in their pants. The men hit a Williamsbridge Walgreens last Saturday evening. The three thieves somehow stuffed more than $400 worth of items in their pants and took off, police said. The suspects are said to be in their late teens or early 20s. Police ask anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Pommes Frites, a favorite New York City spot for fries, is again open for business, a little more than a year after its East Village location was destroyed in a fiery explosion that killed 2 and leveled three buildings. The restaurant opened its new location on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village to applause from fans at 11 a.m. Monday, 14 months after the March 26, 2015, blast that leveled the building where Pommes Frites stood for nearly two decades. The building also held two other restaurants. Two men, Moises Locon and Nicholas Figuoera, were killed in the blast that originated in a ground-level sushi restaurant next door. "We are very grateful that we're here to day at MacDougal Street and that our customers and employees were OK that day," said co-owner Suzanne Levinson. Five people, including that building's landlord, were arrested on charges including manslaughter earlier this year after investigators determined that the gas lines had been tampered with to bypass a Consolidated Edison meter. Eater New York reported that Pommes Frites' new location, which has a old-world feel and is just southwest of Washington Square Park, features additional seating and more fryers in the back. That should make for shorter waits for the late-night spot's famous fries. The first customer, Janice Wright, said she has been waiting 14 months to taste the fries again. She called the reopening a "wonderful tribute to the resiliency and tenacity of New Yorkers." "This is just a typical New York story," Wright said. "I love it. Typical good New York story with good New York values." The restaurant warned on its website and Facebook pages that there would be limited staffing while they get things up and running at the new location. "It's like a long long journey," said co-owner Omar Shorshi. "A lot of up and down." Overdose deaths from heroin and other opiates are on track to increase by 50 percent this year on Staten Island, and the borough's new district attorney told NBC 4 New York there aren't enough resources to combat the frightening trend. Staten Island DA Michael McMahon said at least 48 people have died from overdoses on the island so far in 2016, while another 16 people have been saved by the overdose antidote Narcan. McMahon said the spike has left his office overburdened, and that Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council haven't responded to his request for roughly $1 million in new funding for a program that would send addicts to treatment immediately after their first drug arrest. "It's an emergency," he said. "We need help now." McMahon said he wants the new money to implement a program that would send first-time offenders straight to rehab within a couple of days of an arrest. The approach would sidestep criminal justice process and the city's current treatment court system, which can be so arduous some addicts choose jail instead. He outlined the program Monday before City Council. "We need to have the power of the hammer to say, 'Hey, look, take treatment, save your life, or you're going to have to go to jail,'" he said. De Blasio's office said the city has already allocated $5.5 million in next year's budget to combat the drug problem on Staten Island. Among the mayor's goals: money for drug education in schools and funds to stock local pharmacies with a medicine that can reverse overdoses. "This has become a huge problem," he said. "It's going to take more and more innovation, more and more investment to get ahead of it." At the city council hearing on Monday, however, City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson said she was "extremely disappointed" that the city didn't include extra funding for McMahon and the city's four other district attorneys. "It is irresponsible not to include funding for our city's prosecutors," she said. McMahon said that innovation could come in the form of very early intervention. His office, along with the help of the NYPD, began treating every overdose death like a crime scene in February. The approach allowed investigators to collect data and examine cellphone calls that could lead to dealers with lethal batches of the drug. The measure revealed that many addicts were dying while their families search in vain for treatment. McMahon said that it revealed that a drug possession arrest was a lifesaving opportunity to get help. "Those who get caught selling drugs for profit will continue to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," he said. "But for those with an addiction, what we want to do is give them the opportunity to choose treatment as the penalty of their crime of possessing narcotics." McMahon said he suspects that there could be even more overdose deaths than the 48 his office has recorded because some may have gone reported. In 2014, the last full year the city Department of Health has figures for, there were 74 deaths from overdoses on Staten Island. And with 1,000 drug arrests each year, McMahon said his office also needs more attorneys to handle the caseload. "I need more assistant district attorneys in this office because we're shorthanded, and my narcotics ADAs have 200, 250 cases," he said. Staten Island Borough President James Oddo said the crisis the borough faces isn't an "over-there problem." "It used to be a junkie problem," Oddo said. "Now it's Joe's brother, Mary's cousin, my nephew." Artie Masinski, a retired NYPD detective whose daughter was one credit away from a master's degree in teaching when she died from an overdose at 33, said anything is worth a shot. "You're not invincible, no matter where you work, how much money you have," he said. He cried as he added, "She couldn't get it out of her system." Masinki said addiction didn't stop with his daughter; he's now trying to save his son from the same fate. "He got in a car accident, then they gave him Percocets," he said. "Then it started from there." He added, "We cry, cry, cry. Every day, we cry." A sophisticated crew of bank robbers, wanted in connection to possibly ten heists, cut a hole in the roof of a Queens bank to steal safe deposit boxes, NYPD officials said Monday. An employee of the Maspeth Federal Savings Bank in Rego Park noticed the deposit boxes missing from the vault, as well as the hole in the roof at about 8:30 a.m., police said. The thieves apparently built a small enclosure made out of wood to shield themselves while making the hole. They also cut a hole in bank's fence to make their escape and cut the security cameras to the bank before breaching the roof, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Monday. The bank was closed Sunday, but it was not immediately clear if that's when the thieves struck, police said. The bank remained closed Monday morning as police investigated the scene. A spokesman for the bank says it is determining exactly what's been stolen and the branch will remain closed in the meantime. "We are hopeful that the breach will have only affected a limited portion of the boxes rented on site, and for those that were breached, that some of the items may have been left behind by the perpetrators and be recoverable after the police finish investigating," said spokesman Kyle Sklerov. Residents near the bank said they saw signs of the robbery on Monday. Nitza Greco said she noticed a hole cut in a fence at her house nearby. "All of the sudden I notice that a hole was there," said Greco. "So I ran and I told my husband and that's how we found someone robbed the bank." Bank customers, meanwhile, were dumbfounded by the heist. "With all the sophisticated security we have today, this is the result of it?" said John Dabrowski. "I mean, it's unbelievable." It's the second robbery of its kind in the city in just over two months, and police think it's part of a larger pattern of bank robberies since 2011. In April, thieves bored a hole in the ceiling of a Brooklyn bank and stole about $280,000. In that heist, employees at the HSBC branch in Borough Park discovered that someone had carved a hole through the ceiling leading into the vault on a Monday in early April, according to the NYPD. Police say the robberies are part of a pattern of eight other bank robberies dating back to January 2011. The other targeted banks have included a Sovereign Bank in Brooklyn, TD Banks in Brooklyn, a Citi Bank in Brooklyn, Santanders Banks in Brooklyn and Queens, and an HSBC Bank in Brooklyn. In four of the robberies, the suspects got away with jewelry, documents, cash or bank money, police said. Maspeth Federal Savings Bank promised to keep customers informed on the status of their safe deposit boxes "as soon as we get more information." Two very different visions of the hell that is war are seared into the minds of World War II survivors on opposite sides of the Pacific. Michiko Kodama saw a flash in the sky from her elementary school classroom on Aug. 6, 1945, before the ceiling fell and shards of glass from blown-out windows slashed her. Now 78, she has never forgotten the living hell she saw from the back of her father, who dug her out after a U.S. military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Lester Tenney saw Japanese soldiers killing fellow American captives on the infamous Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942. "If you didn't walk fast enough, you were killed. If you didn't say the right words you were killed, and if you were killed, you were either shot to death, bayonetted, or decapitated," the 95-year-old veteran said. He still has the bamboo stick Japanese soldiers used to beat him across the face. Different experiences, different memories are handed down, spread by the media and taught in school. Collectively, they shape the differing reactions in the United States and Japan to Barack Obama's decision to become the first sitting American president to visit the memorial to atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima later this week. The U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima, and Japan surrendered six days later, bringing to an end a bloody conflict that the U.S. was drawn into after Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Japan identifies mostly as "a victim rather than a victimizer," Stephen Nagy, an international relations professor at the International Christian University in Tokyo, said. "I think that represents Japan's regional role and its regional identity, whereas the United States has a global identity, a global agenda and global presence. So when it views the bombing of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, it's in the terms of a global narrative, a global conflict the United States was fighting for freedom or to liberate countries from fascism or imperialism. To make these ends meet is very difficult. A poll last year by the Pew Research Center found that 56 percent of Americans believe the use of nuclear weapons was justified, while 34 percent do not. In Japan, 79 percent said the bombs were unjustified, and only 14 percent said they were. Terumi Tanaka, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, said of Obama: "I hope he will give an apology to the atomic bomb survivors, not necessarily to the general public. There are many who are still suffering. I would like him to meet them and tell them that he is sorry about the past action, and that he will do the best for them." The White House has clearly ruled out an apology, which would inflame many U.S. veterans and others, and said that Obama would not revisit the decision to drop the bombs. "A lot of these people are telling us we shouldn't have dropped the bomb hey, what they talking about?" said Arthur Ishimoto, a veteran of the Military Intelligence Service, a U.S. Army unit made up of mostly Japanese-Americans who interrogated prisoners, translated intercepted messages and went behind enemy lines to gather intelligence. Now 93, he said it's good for Obama to visit Hiroshima to "bury the hatchet," but there's nothing to apologize for. Ishimoto, who was born in Honolulu and rose to be an Army major general and commander of the Hawaii National Guard, believes he would have been killed in an invasion of Japan if Japan had not surrendered. "It would have been terrible," he said. "There is going to be controversy about apologizing. I don't think there should be any apology. ... We helped that country. We helped them out of the pits all the way back to one of the most economically advanced. There's no apology required." Beyond the deaths the atomic bombs killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 73,000 in Nagasaki by the end of 1945 the effects of radiation have lingered with survivors, both physically and mentally. Kodama, the Hiroshima schoolgirl, faced discrimination in employment and marriage. After her first love failed because her boyfriend's family said they didn't want "radiated people's blood in their family," she married into a more understanding one. The younger of her two daughters died of cancer in 2011. Some say she shouldn't have given birth, even though multi-generational radiation effects have not been proven. Obama doesn't have to apologize, Kodama said, but he should take concrete actions to keep his promise to seek a nuclear-free world. "For me, the war is not over until the day I see a world without nuclear weapons." she said. "Mr. Obama's Hiroshima visit is only a step in the process." Nagasaki survivor Tanaka views the atomic bombings as a crime against humanity. A promise by Obama to survivors to do all he can for nuclear disarmament "would mean an apology to us," he said. He added that his own government also should take some of the blame for the suffering of atomic bomb victims. "It was the Japanese government that started the war to begin with, and delayed the surrender," he said, adding that Japan has not fully faced up to its role in the war. Japan did issue apologies in various forms in the 1980s and 1990s, but some conservative politicians in recent years have raised questions about them, said Sven Saaler, a historian at Sophia University in Tokyo. "In particular right now when Japan has a government that is ... backpedaling in terms of apologizing for the war, if now the U.S. apologized, that also would be, I think, a weird signal in this current situation," Saaler said. Tenney, one of only three remaining POWs from the Bataan Death March, wants Obama in Hiroshima to remember all those who suffered in the war, not just the atomic bomb victims. "From my point of view, the fact that the war ended when it did and the way it did, it saved my life and it saved the life of those Americans and other allied POWs that were in Japan at the time," he said at his home in in Carlsbad, California. "I was in Japan, shoveling coal in a coal mine. No one ever apologized for that. ... I end up with black lung disease because they didn't take care of me in the coal mine, and yet there is no apology, no words of wisdom, no nothing." Obama's visit is firmly supported by Earl Wineck, who scanned the skies over Alaska for Japanese warplanes during World War II. "He's not going there like some of them might, and keep reminding them of all their transgressions," the 88-year-old veteran of the Alaska Territorial Guard said. "That should have ended after the war, and I think a lot of it did, but of course, there's always people who feel resentment." Japan occupied two Alaskan islands during the war. The battle to retake one of them, Attu Island, cost about 3,000 lives on both sides. "We hated them," Wineck said "But things change, people change, and I think people in the world should be closer together." How so? One Tokyo high school student has a suggestion. Mayu Uchida, who said she cried when she heard survivors recount their memories on a school trip to Hiroshima, wants Obama to bring home what he learns and tell any supporters of nuclear weapons how horrifying they are. "He could also suggest, promoting opportunities for more Americans to visit Hiroshima, or to hear the story of Hiroshima," the 18-year-old said. "It will be even better if those opportunities are available for younger generations like us." The White House was placed under a brief "lockdown" Sunday after "party balloons" drifted over the grounds and landed on the North Lawn, U.S. Secret Service officials said. The agency said the White House reacted "out of an abundance of caution," after balloons landed on the North Lawn, the press office roof and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The Secret Service said there was no "lockdown" per se, but press crews on the grounds reported they were temporarily restricted in their movements. The incident comes less than two days after a Secret Service agent shot an armed man who approached a White House security checkpoint, placing the executive mansion on lockdown. The man, identified as Jesse Oliveri, of Ashland, Pennsylvania, is still listed in critical condition after he would not drop his weapon and was shot by a Secret Service officer. A tow truck driver made a grisly discovery on a West Philadelphia street overnight leading to a homicide investigation. The passerby found a man suffering from a gunshot wound at 41st and Cambridge streets around 1:15 a.m., said Philadelphia Police. Medics rushed the man to a nearby hospital where he died. Homicide detectives spent the early hours of Monday scouring the scene for clues. No word yet on any suspects and no word on what led to the shooting. Authorities say a suburban Philadelphia man molested three children in the basement of his parents' home. Chester County prosecutors say the assaults happened in the Downingtown home of Christopher Giuseppe's parents, as well as at another residence nearby, between January 2014 and April 2016. Prosecutors say the 33-year-old Giuseppe would show the children, who were under the age of 10, pornography before individually sexually assaulting them. Authorities say there could be more victims. Giuseppe faces charges including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault. He is being held in a West Chester jail on $1.4 million bail. It's not known if he has a lawyer who can comment on the charges. Not even terminal cancer could keep a Philadelphia couple from celebrating their love at a dream wedding in Center City Philadelphia on Sunday. Lonnie Brown and Karen Frager first met 16 years ago when they lived in the same neighborhood. They reconnected in 2010, became close, and became a couple in 2012. After a few months, the pair were engaged. Then their whole world changed. Lonnie was diagnosed in June, 2014 with stage-four colon cancer. "When they first told me that I thought I was too young to be dealing with that," Lonnie said. "As soon as that doctor said it, it was like, 'bam!' I got hit by a truck. My ear was just ringing and I couldn't hear nothing else. It was very shocking." Since his diagnosis he's had several surgeries and hospital stays, and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. "It went from chemotherapy to heart problems to kidney problems," he said. "It's been one thing after another." Through it all, Karen stayed by his side. "It's breaking me down but she's holding me up," Lonnie said. "I don't know what I would've done without her." Cancer couldn't stop the couple from committing to each other. On Sunday morning, Wish Upon a Wedding's Philadelphia chapter threw Lonnie and Karen a wedding at Top of the Tower, on the 51st floor of 1717 Arch Street. Among family and friends, including Lonnie's son and Karen's two children, the couple said their vows. While Lonnie's future is uncertain he takes solace in the fact that the love and support of his wife will remain constant through it all. "To have that person to lean on and cry on and talk to just makes it so much more beautiful," he said. "It makes me stronger to have that. Without that I don't know what I would've done." Authorities say a houseparent at a Pennsylvania school has been charged with inappropriately touching an 11-year-old girl. WHTM-TV first reported 34-year old Randy Fies was charged last week with corrupting minors. Fies had been a houseparent at the Milton Hershey School, located about 13 miles east of Harrisburg. The school says he has been fired. The school says in a statement it contacted authorities immediately after becoming aware of the allegation and is cooperating with law enforcement. The Lebanon Daily News reports Fies, of Palmyra, waived his preliminary hearing. A formal arraignment is scheduled next month. It is not known if he has a lawyer who can comment on the charge. A New Jersey couple is being accused of dumping the remains of their newborn baby, though the body hasn't been found, authorities said. The New Brunswick couple is charged with hindering an investigation and desecration of human remains after authorities in Middlesex County learned they recently tried to dispose of the newborns body. Authorities said that the father, 30, was arrested on May 17 on a charge of hindering an investigation for allegedly lying to police investigating the disappearance of the newborn. The mother, 34, was arrested on May 19 at St. Peters University Hospital, where authorities said she was admitted after giving birth to a baby boy. Its not clear if the body of the infant has been recovered, or if the child was the victim of violence. Police excavated the sewer line under the couples home on Remsen Avenue on May 17 and were searching the Edgeboro Disposal Inc. landfill in East Brunswick on Friday. A neighbor who lives in the same multi-family house told NBC 4 New York that the couple has four children, and the last time he saw the mother, she appeared only a few months pregnant. He called them a "nice" couple. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the newborn's body should call the New Brunswick Police Department at 732-745-5200. Hazmat teams responding to the Planned Parenthood in Sarasota, Florida, found cleaning chemicals and baby powder formula after some people at the clinic fell ill Monday, police said. Sarasota Police Department spokeswoman Genevieve Judge said in a news release the clinic was evacuated at 10:45 a.m. Two hazardous materials teams responded. Forty-two people were evacuated, seven of whom were hospitalized for shortness of breath, Judge said. One other person declined medical assistance. A law enforcement official told NBC News that over the weekend, a cleaning crew used a powerful chemical to clean the floors, one containing an ammonia compound. The chemicals were left near an air intake in the building. When the ventilation system was turned on Monday morning, the fumes circulated and caused some to react adversely, the official said. "At this time, there is no criminal investigation," Sarasota police said in a statement. "Workers are expected back inside the building this afternoon." The clinic provides family planning services, preventive health care, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and abortions. San Diego County residents must register to vote by Monday to be eligible to vote in the June 7 primary, according to the Registrar of Voters. Anyone who is not sure if they are registered can check the Registrar of Voters' website. Registration forms are available online. Forms are also available at the Registrars office in Kearny Mesa, U.S. post offices, public libraries, City Clerks offices and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Voters will need to register if they recently turned 18, if they are not already registered, if they recently moved or if they changed their name, Registrar Michael Vu said. Election materials are available in Spanish, Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese. Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to the Registrar by midnight May 23. Voters can also register online until midnight. Early voting is underway for those already registered, and is available at the Registrar's office located on the County Operations Center campus at 5600 Overland Ave., in San Diego. Voters can cast their ballots there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until Election Day when the voting hours will change to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to reflect the hours at the polls. Californias primary is on June 7. You've probably seen Planet Aid's bright yellow bins around town, asking for your clothing donations. But what you might not realize is the federal government is also giving millions of dollars to the charity, headquartered in Elkridge, Maryland, despite receiving warnings for more than a decade about the organization's possible connection to an international fugitive named Mogens Amdi Petersen. Planet Aid brings in as much as $50 million a year, according to its financial filing with the Internal Revenue Service. As much as $42 million comes from selling your clothing donations. But a joint investigation with Reveal at the Center for Investigative Reporting found the U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated at least $133 million to Planet Aid in the past 12 years. The grants come from the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, which supports food programs outside the United States. "A lot of what they do is distribute food around the world on the condition it will be sold to finance schools, to finance programs to educate farmers," Reveal reporter Matt Smith said. But internal emails obtained through an open records request show USDA officials have been repeatedly warned about Planet Aid's connection to a controversial Danish organization which some European countries have label a "non-religious cult." Originally called Tvind and often referred to as the Teachers Group, it was founded by Mogens Amdi Petersen, who is currently on the run from Interpol after being charged with charities fraud and tax evasion in Denmark. The USDA emails show staffers growing increasingly concerned about Planet Aid's relationship with Petersen, with some asking for "an in-depth investigation" in 2012 because of hints of "potential fraud and abuse" and "the number and frequency of complaints that we have been receiving." But the records show the USDA kept awarding Planet Aid money even after the group's main fundraiser, a woman named Marie Lichtenberg, acknowledged to USDA staffers that she was a member of Teachers Group, according to an internal USDA memo. Lichtenberg has never been charged with a crime. Court records obtained by Reveal show she is closely tied to Petersen, named as a possible character witness in his extradition trial and listed in Danish court records as one of "The Six," or a high-ranking member of Teachers Group. "If they are really sending all that money to Africa, I think that the results would be better," said Meredith Crocker, who said she worked for Lichtenberg at Planet Aid headquarters for a year in 2013. She explained how she made a 2013 promotional video as part of her job at Planet Aid that shows one of the USDA officials who privately worried about Planet Aid publicly applauding the group's work. Crocker said she left about a year later after becoming uncomfortable with Planet Aid's grant-writing process, when she asked Lichtenberg for proof of results but never received any. "My greatest concern when writing the grants was to notice that as we were writing them, we needed up-to-date information, the actual numbers," Crocker said, explaining how the USDA and other funders "need to see that there's some sort of improvement, or where the money is going and they're just going off the numbers from two years before." Crocker said she does not believe the "results" reported by Planet Aid to the USDA are "accurate or truthful" and accuses the organization of "making up" and "exaggerating" the numbers it reports in its grant applications. According to a 2015 report, Planet Aid told the USDA it installed "500" water "pumps," distributed more than 5,600 pigs and goats and created 195 "model fields" in Malawi. Reveal's Matt Smith and Amy Walters went to Malawi and said they interviewed some of the same people featured in Planet Aid's reports and promotional videos. "What little livestock was there had died," Smith said. "The demonstration plots that were supposed to be revolutionizing their local agriculture were quickly abandoned after everybody left." The villagers Smith interviewed told him they were totally embarrassed that they had been part of what they said was a totally fraudulent piece of propaganda. Villagers told Smith Planet Aid only provided a single, substandard pump to each community and made them buy the rest at prices they couldn't afford. "They felt like what was supposed to be a benefit turned into a money making scheme for the organization that was supposed to be helping them," Smith said. No one from the USDA would talk on-camera, but in a statement the USDA told the I-Team, "While none of the formal compliance reviews, ad-hoc reviews, site evaluations or audits ... yielded significant findings or concerns," the agency admitted it did "not have the authority or the means to conduct background investigations into individuals who work for" private organizations like Planet Aid. But as a result of what Reveal found in Africa, the USDA told the I-Team, "We take these allegations of illegal activity very seriously and have asked USDA's Office of the Inspector General to investigate" Planet Aid. Marie Lichtenberg and Planet Aid declined our request for an on-camera interview as well, but did provide a statement through their public relations firm that said, "Planet Aid has managed projects that improve nutrition, strengthen education and prevent disease in the developing world for nearly two decades. We greatly value our relationship with the U.S. Government, and the success of our work with U.S. Government agencies has been well documented. We will always cooperate fully with official audits and reviews of our projects, but we are unaware of any proposed or pending investigations." Tuesday on News4 at 6, we'll take a look at the millions of dollars Planet Aid makes using clothing donations, why some call Teachers Group a cult and we will show you where Petersen may be hiding in plain sight. The USDA gave the I-Team the following statement: The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) takes very seriously its duty to spend taxpayer dollars wisely and to conduct food assistance programs that not only provide nutrition and educational opportunities to vulnerable children around the world, but also help developing countries modernize and strengthen their agricultural sectors in order to help prevent future food insecurity. FAS has policies and procedures in place to evaluate proposals by private voluntary organizations (PVOs) for funding through its food assistance programs, including Food for Progress and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. Once funding has been awarded, FAS conducts ongoing monitoring and oversight to ensure successful program implementation and to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. However, FAS does not have the authority, or the means, to conduct background investigations of individuals who work for the PVOs that receive program funding. None of the formal compliance reviews, ad-hoc reviews, site evaluations or audits FAS has conducted of Planet Aid projects have yielded significant findings or concerns. As far as oversight of the Planet Aid Food for Progress project in Malawi, in addition to regular review and auditing of required performance and financial reports, FAS conducted four site visits: Three were by FAS Washington-based staff, in June 2011, May 2013 and April 2015. Reports from those visits were provided in response to the Center for Investigative Reporting's FOIA request. A fourth visit was conducted in November 2012 by staff from the FAS office in Nairobi, Kenya, which covers Malawi. While our own oversight did not identify any major issues with Planet Aid's implementation of the FAS-funded project in Malawi, we take these allegations of illegal activity very seriously and have asked USDA's Office of the Inspector General to investigate further. Planet Aid gave the I-Team the following statement: Planet Aid has managed projects that improve nutrition, strengthen education, and prevent disease in the developing world for nearly two decades. We greatly value our relationship with the U.S. Government, and the success of our work with U.S. Government agencies has been well documented. We will always cooperate fully with official audits and reviews of our projects, but we are unaware of any proposed or pending investigations. Reported by Tisha Thompson, Matt Smith and Amy Walters with Reveal, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot by Steve Jones and Jeff Piper. What to Know The robber held a gun to the owners head while he went from case to case, taking everything inside. The man was wearing brown clothes that looked like a UPS uniform, but it appeared to be a costume, with other clothes underneath. A Fairfax County police officer arrived at the scene as the robber was leaving the store, and the two exchanged gunfire. A Springfield, Virginia, jewelry store owner described the frantic moments when a masked man ran into his shop Saturday, brandishing a handgun and stealing nearly everything. Muhammad Rayaz, the owner of Dubai Jewelry, said the robber held a gun to the owners head while he went from case to case, taking everything inside. Rayaz said for eight minutes, the robber systematically clean out the showcases, stuffing the loot into a duffle bag. All that time, his one hand was on me, and with his other hand, he was taking out all the jewelry stuff, Rayaz said. I kept shouting, Hey, dont shoot me. Dont shoot me. Please, dont take. Please dont take. And he said, Ill shoot you if you dont, Ill shoot you if, just stay quiet. Security cameras recorded the incident, but they have not been released. Rayaz said the man was wearing brown clothes that looked like a UPS uniform, but it appeared to be a costume, with other clothes underneath. It was a UPS vest, but it was kind of fluffy, he said. I realized later, he might be wearing (the outfit) on top of something else. A Fairfax County police officer arrived at the scene as the robber was leaving the store. The man fired shots at the officer, and the officer returned fire, police said. A bystander was injured during the exchange, but the injuries were considered non-life-threatening, police said. They said it appeared the bullet striking the bystander was fired by the robber. The robber fled the scene, carjacking two cars before fleeing on foot. Patrol officers, K-9 units and the helicopter and troopers from the Virginia State Police searched the area Saturday but were unable to find the robber. Police released have not released a detail description of the robber. It is unknown if the masked man was hit by the police gunfire. Police said a Northeast D.C. man assaulted and tried to rape a woman riding on a Red Line Metro train during rush hour last month. The suspect, John Prentice Hicks, 39, is accused of forcing the victim to perform oral sex on him as he brandished a knife aboard a Red Line train traveling toward Glenmont at 10 a.m. on April 12. Hicks is charged with first-degree attempted rape, first-degree sexual offense and second-degree assault. The grisly incident allegedly occurred one day after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death at the Deanwood Station, and weeks after another teen was shot at the Deanwood station, which is along the Orange Line in Northeast D.C. The victim in the Red Line case told police she was asleep in the middle section of a rail car as it approached "either the Fort Totten or Takoma stations" about 10 a.m., according to court documents. As the train continued, the documents say, the man she identified as Hicks approached her and asked her questions such as, "Do you have a boyfriend?" and "Are you going to Glenmont?" Hicks then displayed a folding knife while the train was at the Forest Glen Station, according to the victim's statement. He then enveloped the woman in a "bearhug," the statement reads. He forced her to another part of the rail car where he attempted to have sex with her and forced her to perform oral sex all while the knife was in his hand, she told police. At some point, a struggle over the knife left the victim with a cut to her finger, she said. The victim told police she worried Hicks would kill her if she did not comply. At the Glenmont station, Hicks left the car but ordered the victim to stay where she was, she said in her statement. She told police she saw him re-enter the train on another railcar, and police said cameras appear to show him exiting the station and paying the fare with a SmartTrip card. A SmartTrip card registered under Hicks' name shows a charge at Glenmont that day, police said. A Metro Transit officer who reviewed the security camera video recognized Hicks as a man suspected of exposing himself on a Metro train 10 days earlier. Hicks was arrested by Metro Transit police hours after the incident. He was also identified last week in an ongoing sexual assault case in Montgomery County, police said. Hicks, of 16th Place in Northeast D.C., is being held without bond. Iraqi government forces on Monday pushed Islamic State militants out of some agricultural areas outside of Fallujah as they launched a military offensive to recapture the city from the extremists, officials said. Backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, Iraqi government forces launched the long-awaited military offensive late Sunday. The city, located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad, has been under the militants' control since January 2014. The commander of the Fallujah operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, could not say how long the offensive would take, citing terrain, the number of civilians in the city and bombs planted by the militants. Al-Saadi added that the first phase aims to surround and bomb ISIS positions. Federal police battalion commander, 1st Lt. Ahmed Mahdi Salih, said ground fighting was taking place around the town of Garma, east of Fallujah, which is considered the main supply line for the militants. ISIS holds the center of Garma and some areas on its outskirts. Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who is in charge of paramilitary forces, said his troops recaptured at least three agricultural areas outside Garma. Al-Mardhi added that airstrikes and artillery shelling intensified against IS positions inside Fallujah. In the early days of the Sunni-led insurgency that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, Fallujah emerged as the main stronghold for different militant groups opposed to American forces. The main group was al-Qaida in Iraq, which later spawned the ISIS extremist group. Fallujah was the site of two bloody battles against U.S. forces in 2004. Flanked by senior military commanders, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of military operations in a televised speech late Sunday night. He vowed to "tear up the black banners of strangers who usurped this city" and hoist the Iraqi flag. Wearing the black uniform of Iraq's counter-terrorism forces, al-Abadi visited the Fallujah Operation Command and met with commander on Monday morning. The offensive comes a week after Iraqi forces pushed ISIS out of the western town of Rutba, located 240 miles (380 kilometers) west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar province. Last month, Iraqi forces cleared territory along Anbar's Euphrates river valley after the provincial capital Ramadi was declared fully liberated earlier this year. What to Know Metro riders are starting to feel the pangs of frustration from this week's slow moving trains. The current problem has to do with a section of rail around a tight curve at McPherson Square. The SafeTrack work is scheduled to begin on June 4 and will be among the most disruptive in all 15 projects of the entire rebuilding plan. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is slowing down Metro trains in an effort to reduce problems and comply with recent safety directives from the Federal Transit Administration. The directives deal with specific zones, including the entire east-west tunnel shared by the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. They limit the trains maximum speed to 45 mph, and they affect the trains rate of acceleration out of the stations in an effort to limit the rate trains draw power from the third rails. Speed restrictions for Metro trains also remain in place for a section of track near McPherson Square along the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. This work was supposed to be wrapped up last week but has proven to be more challenging than first thought. The problem has to do with a section of rail around a tight curve at McPherson Square, and that means another week of working on the problem. Metro riders are starting to feel the pangs of frustration, but it could be a precursor to the larger SafeTrack works starting next week. However, some people were frustrated by the current slowdown, because Metro didnt post an advisory until Monday morning. I think Metro needs to get it together, said Metro rider Tara Bellinger. "Like yesterday." Typically, Metro trains shoot out of the station and hit cruising speed pretty rapidly. Trains coming out of the McPherson Square station on Monday were doing a slow roll and stopping before resuming another slow roll as part of the speed restrictions. Theres just so much maintenance that has to be done, said Metro rider Carol Silverberg. I'm not sure how they are ever going to catch up. And I'm not sure they have the money." Metro's General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said to the upcoming huge SafeTrack maintenance plan starting next week will be the first steps to get all maintenance up to the right level. The key is once we do this, we cannot slip back to where we were, Wiedefeld said. We have to continue to do this." For this week, there will be more slowdowns near McPherson Square on top of the slowdowns that were already in place along the downtown system of the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. The SafeTrack work is scheduled to begin on June 4 and will be among the most disruptive in all 15 projects of the entire 10-month rebuilding plan. Five people have been displaced in a fire that broke out in Watertown, Massachusetts Sunday evening, the Watertown Fire Department said. Five people have been displaced after a fire that broke out in Watertown, Massachusetts, the Water Fire Department said. A two alarm fire started at 5:30 p.m. at 15 Howard St., and it took half an hour to knock it down. According to the Watertown Fire Department, the cause of the fire is unkown. The investigation is underway.Five people have been displaced in a fire that broke out in Watertown, Massachusetts Sunday evening, the Water Fire Department said. A two-alarm fire started at 5:30 p.m. at 15 Howard St. It took firefighters half an hour to knock the fire down. According to the Watertown Fire Department, the cause of the fire is unkown. The investigation is underway. Police in Burlington, Vermont, are searching for a stolen Rad Rover Electric Bike. According to the department, the bike, valued at approximately $2,300 with accessories, was stolen from a Price Chopper located at 595 Shelburne Road in Burlington. Officers responded to a reported grad larceny at the store and were informed the bicycle was missing. The suspect is unknown and police are asking the public to help them identify the suspect based on surveillance photos. The penalty for grand larceny is a fine of $5,000 maximum or imprisonment of 10 years maximum, or both. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department. Authorities have suspended a search for a possible person in the water after finding a swamped boat at the mouth of the Essex River in Massachusetts. A report for the swamped boat came in around 11 a.m. Monday after a good Samaritan had seen the 17-foot pleasure craft before it became swamped heading toward the mouth of the river with a woman on board around 7 a.m., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The woman was described as about 50-years-old with gray hair, and wasn't seen wearing a lifejacket. Multiple agencies, including the Essex Harbor Master and Gloucester Harbor Master, assisted in the search. If anyone has information, please contact the Coast Guard at 617-223-5757. This isn't your average social media post from local authorities... The police department in Bangor, Maine, took to Facebook Monday morning to upload a photo of one of their officers posing with a man that has a "Cops Suck" tattoo. Police wrote: "Maybe the ink came at a time when Russell was having a problem with authority. We understand. We have all had a problem with authority at one time or another." According to police, two officers met Russell over the weekend, and told him he needed to move from his location. Police say the man was pleasant and agreed to move on. He was not arrested or charged with any violations. Officer Jimmy Burns noticed Russell's tattoo and Russell told the cops that he now regretted getting that written on his knuckles a few years back. Russell agreed to let Burns get a photo of the ink. Officer Keith Larby was also on the scene. A Massachusetts inmate has been charged with threatening to kill President Obama, according to federal authorities. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston says 31-year-old Alex Hernandez of Worcester and a current inmate at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater was charged Monday with two counts of threatening to kill and inflict bodily harm on the President of the United States. Agents learned that Hernandez told another inmate that he wanted "to become a mujahedeen" because he was upset about how "his people were being treated" and that he'd get weapons to kill Obama after he was released in a lone-wolf style attack, according to the Justice Department. Hernandez was then allegedly introduced to an undercover agent posing as an embassy contact through another inmate who was cooperating with the investigation. Officials say he wrote two letters to the supposed embassy contact. In the second letter, he allegedly wrote, "I am writing to you now to ask that you come see me. I am a brother in faith, a martyr; and as a martyr I wish to fulfill Allah's wishes and not to live among infidels. The mujahedeen movement is hard but pure. I need your help and I hope to meet you in prison." When the undercover agent met with Hernandez in prison, Hernandez allegedly expressed a desire to attack "the house with the big people there," implying the White House. He also allegedly expressed wanting to learn how to shoot "like a sniper" and that he was studying bomb making. Searches of Hernandez's cell also allegedly turned up several items that drew red flags, including a document listing former U.S. presidents containing the handwritten note "kill" under presidents that had been assassinated, and images of terror attacks and terrorist organizations and leaders, including Osama bin Laden and ISIS members holding assault weapons and a flag. It's unclear what Hernandez was in prison for originally, or if he has a lawyer. A New Hampshire man was arrested this weekend after alledgedly shooting a bow and arrow off the 11th story of a high-rise. Police arrested 36-year-old Jay Bingel in Manchester, New Hampshire, Sunday night. Bingel threw multiple chairs toward the door, and appeared aggitated and unstable before a trained negotiator convinced him to drop his weapon and police placed him into custody. Bingel was charged with reckless conduct, resisting arrest and possession of half a gram of marijuana. He appeared in the 9th Circuit Court-Manchester Monday morning. A Boston College student who went missing on Monday has been found alive. Dana Morrissey, 22, a senior from Winchester, Massachusetts, failed to show up for BC graduation at 10 a.m. on Monday, according to Newton Police. She had last been seen on Monday morning. Massachusetts State Police said Morrissey was found in the woods behind Temple Mishkan Tefila. They said she appears to be "medically fine" and is being walked out to emergency medical personnel to be evaluated. State police helicopters and numerous local and state police cruisers searched the area of Hammond Pond behind Bloomingdale's in the Chestnut Hill section of Newton on Monday afternoon. A Newton Fire boat also assisted in the search. Police said Morrissey was picked up by an Uber around 7:30 a.m. in front of a Dunkin' Donuts at 53 Commonwealth Ave. and dropped off 10 minutes later in front of Bloomingdale's on Route 9. Her family tried to reach her by phone, but was unable to get a hold of her, at which point they became concerned and contacted police. Morrissey's parents held an emotional press conference on Monday afternoon, pleading with their daughter to contact them. "We love you," added George Morrissey, Dana's father. "Please call us - just come home." Police say a New Hampshire state trooper who was injured in a hit-and-run accident is recovering at a hospital. Police say the trooper, identified as Ryan Hickey, was hit during a traffic stop Sunday morning on Everett Turnpike, in Merrimack. He was standing next to his cruiser. Hickey suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police say they have a person of interest in mind and have taken possession of the vehicle believed to have been involved in the crash. No one has been arrested. The vehicle is a light colored Chevy Trailblaizer with damage to the passenger side mirror and front passenger window. Hickey has been with the state police for a year. He previously was an officer in the Derry Police Department. Schools across New England received automated phone threats on Monday morning. At least 10 schools reported receiving threats, including Pentucket Lake Elementary School in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Thomson Elementary School in North Andover, Massachusetts, Chace Street Elementary School in Somerset, Massachusetts, Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Fuller Elementary School in Keene, New Hampshire, Amherst Street Elementary School in Nashua and Thompson Middle School in Newport, Rhode Island. Police in Dover, Massachusetts, said one of its elementary schools also received an automated threat. Several of the schools were evacuated as a precautionary measure. North Andover Police said the Thomson school received an automated threat around 9:50 a.m. The school followed normal protocol and evacuated. Police and fire responded and searched the building, and nothing was found. Students were allowed back in after about 40 minutes. Police classified the incident as a "low level" threat. Similar robocall threats have been received on numerous occasions already this year. Jorge Zambrano, the man suspected of killing a Massachusetts police officer over the weekend, has a long criminal history, including possession with intent to distribute, carrying a gun with a silencer and illegal operation of a vehicle, but the most troubling charges are a number of violent assaults on police. The man who gunned down Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino during a traffic stop Sunday also tousled with two Worcester police officers nearly a decade earlier. It was December of 2007, and Zambrano was out on bail on another case - drug and firearm charges - when he punched a Worcester police officer in the face. According to court documents, a second officer came to help and Zambrano "violently punched and kicked the police officers and got away," coming at them with a knife before he was finally placed under arrest. For that case and the earlier drug case, Zambrano pleaded guilty and was finally sentenced four years later in 2011. Because he had been behind bars all that time, he earned credit for time served and was released in November 2013, nearly 40 days ahead of schedule for good behavior in prison. That good behavior wouldn't last long - just this past January, he was in trouble again when he was pulled over by Worcester police. Another violent encounter. According to court documents, when the officer approached the car, Zambrano grabbed his uniform and tried to pull the officer "into his vehicle with a large pit bull inside." Zambrano pleaded not guilty to assault and battery on a police officer. He was put on probation and the case was continued without a finding until March 2017. Then in February, the Worcester County District Attorneys Office said Zambrano was arrested in Clinton on domestic violence charges. The district attorney asked for Zambrano to have his bail revoked on the assault on a police officer case, but the judge denied the request. Worcester County District Attorney spokesman Tim Connolly said they also asked for $2,500 cash bail on the domestic violence charge, but the judge knocked it down to $500. Zambrano posted bail and was released. Then last Monday, Massachusetts State Police pulled over Zambrano and found he was driving with a revoked license. The trooper arrested him and he was arraigned in Worcester District Court. Its unclear why, but he was again released on personal recognizance. The district attorneys office said it is reviewing the case. Zambrano was later shot and killed on Sunday after a day-long search and shootout involving law enforcement. RHAM Middle School in Hebron promised maximum security as students and teachers head back to classes today after a threatening message was found in a bathroom Friday that warned something harmful would unfold at the school on Monday. State police are trying to figure out who was behind the hateful message. While their investigation continues, parents must decide what to do with their children and whether to send them to school. Its something parents take to heart because you see whats going on in the world today, says Jordan Porter, a substitute teacher at RHAM. Porter and other teachers, students and parents received an alert involving RHAM Middle School in which the superintendent warned the community of the threat and laid out what precautions were being taken. Working with the State Police, a plan was developed to provide for maximum security all day Monday. As part of that security plan we have requested that the State Police provide bomb sniffing dogs for a full sweep of the building prior to opening on Monday morning, Dr. Robert Siminski, superintendent of Regional School District No. 8, wrote. Students and staff should expect to see more State Police and Hebron Police patrolling the campus. People NBC Connecticut talked to, including substitute teacher Jordan Porter, were happy with the districts response to the threat. Its very scary and were going to take any threat seriously at the school, Porter said. Even with all the precautions theyre taking the district will understand if parents want to keep their child home from school on Monday, the superintendent said. Hundreds sign Shalom Declaration at Norwich church More than 200 people attended the launch of East Anglia Friends of Israel in Norwich at an impressive gathering which brought together members of the local Jewish community and Christians from across the region to demonstrate their support for Israel. Mike Wiltshire reports. Dan Golan, the cultural attache at the Israeli Embassy, represented the state of Israel at the event. Jill Gower, chair of the East Anglia Friends of Israel said: "I am thrilled that our new organisation will provide a platform for the existing support for Israel there is in East Anglia. It was a wonderful evening, and I believe a very important one for this region, as we all stood shoulder to shoulder to stand for righteousness and justice. Given the sad history of Norwich as the birthplace of the medieval blood libel, it was extremely moving for so many Christians to make a stand with us this evening against anti-semitism and intolerance." Hundreds of attendees at the event, which took place at Soul Church in Norwich, signed the Shalom Declaration which calls upon political leaders to combat anti-semitism and extremism across the world and promote positive ties with Israel. At the event, the new Friends of Israel group announced an informal twinning arrangement with Yezreel Valley College in the Galilee. There are plans for visits to the College and hosting college speakers in the UK. Board of Deputies of British Jews consultant Steven Jaffe said: "East Anglia Friends of Israel is the latest grassroots friends of Israel group to be launched in the UK, joining East Midlands Friends of Israel which was launched the previous week. These wonderful and energetic new groups demonstrate there is a national and growing movement in support of Israel in the UK. The event in Norwich was an outstanding and very moving show of support for Israel and the local Jewish community." Group member Rosemary English spoke for many when she said: "It was such an eventful evening . . . we left behind our history and came together with the Jewish community to show our support for Israel - so important at this time of increasing anti-semitism." Summing up the event, Paul McHenry, vice-chair of the East Anglia group, said: "After such an historic, emotional and unifying night, its time to begin the hard work putting words into action. Standing against anti-semitism and injustice, we shall work together with our Jewish brothers and sisters both here in East Anglia, the UK and in the State of Israel itself. Our present and our future is now a united one". Those taking part included Daniel Rosenthal and Marion Prinsley from the Norwich Synagogue and musicians Brenda Taylor and Juliet Dawn. MC for the evening was the Rev Nigel Fox following a welcome by Pastor Trevor Pimlott. Pictured above is the East Anglia Friends of Israel launch in Norwich and, above, Dan Golan and Stephen Jaffe shake hands with hundreds of people who came forward with their signed copies of the Shalom Declaration. Who is The Daily News Athlete of the Week? Here are the 7 nominees. high-school Harvard researchers have created a new, greatly simplified, platform for antibiotic discovery that may go a long way to solving the crisis of antibiotic resistance. In a study just published in the journal Nature, Andrew G. Myers and colleagues describe "a platform where we assemble eight (chemical) building blocks by a simple process to make macrolide antibiotics" without using erythromycin, the original macrolide antibiotic, and the drug upon which all others in the class have been based since the early 1950s. Erythromycin, which was discovered in a soil sample from the Philippines in 1949, has been on the market as a drug by 1953. "For 60 years chemists have been very, very creative, finding clever ways to 'decorate' this molecule, making changes around its periphery to produce antibiotics that are safer, more effective, and overcome the resistance bacteria have developed," says Myers, Amory Houghton Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. "That process is semisynthesis, modifying the naturally occurring substance." In contrast, the process described in the Nature study involves using "eight industrial chemicals, or substances derived from them," Myers says, and manipulating them in various combinations and then testing the products against panels of disease causing bacteria. This allows us to make new "new compounds in fewer steps than was previously possible." Ian H. Seipel, who was a post doctoral fellow in Myers's lab and now is at the School of Pharmacy at UC San Francisco, and Ziyang Zhang, a Myers post doc, are first author's on the Nature report. For a host of reasons - from the difficulty of developing antibiotics to the relatively low return on investment they offer, by 2013 the number of international pharmaceutical companies developing antibiotics had dwindled to four. And in each five year period from 1983 through 2007, the number of new antibiotics approved for use in the US decreased, from 16 at the beginning of that period to only five by its end. One thing that has complicated antibiotic development is a perceived reluctance by federal agencies to fund the research. In fact, Myers says, his new antibiotic development system would have been impossible without support from a Harvard alum and his wife who are interested in science, and Harvard's Blavatnik Accelerator Fund, which provided support for the initial creation of Myers's company Macrolide Pharmaceuticals. "I was making a presentation to a group of visiting alumns interested in science and one, Alastair Mactaggart, asked me about funding. I told him I had no funding - because at that time we didn't, and he followed me back to my office and said, 'this is ridiculous: we have to do something about this.'" Myers said that without the support of MacTaggart and his wife, Celine, and the Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation, the new antibiotic creation platform would not exist. "And the Blavatnik Accelerator funding was also hugely important." Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator awarded funding to Myers' project in 2013, enabling synthesis and testing of compounds. In 2015, with support from Harvard's Office of Technology Development, Myers founded a startup, Macrolide Pharmaceuticals, which has licensed the synthesis platform and aims to commercialize novel antibiotics for serious infections. "One of the things that's quite encouraging about the data in our paper is that some of the structures we've made are active against clinical bacterial strains that are resistant to every known macrolide," Myers said. In fact, he added, two of the 350 compounds reported on in the Nature paper have, in initial testing, shown efficacy against a bacterium that has become resistant to vancomycin, "which is known as the antibiotic of last resort. And if you have a bug that's resistant to vancomycin, you're in trouble," Myers adds. "This is an early effort," Myers says of his lab's work with the new drug development system. "We have a lot of work ahead of us." Some of the 350 compounds reported on in the paper will undergo more extensive testing to evaluate their potential as candidate drugs. Myers is quick to point out that the road from drug candidate to a treatment at the bedside is long, arduous, and expensive. First comes the initial identification of possible compounds. "Microbiologists evaluate those against panels of bacteria," explains Myers. "Hopefully your panels contain clinically relevant strains that are found in hospitals. "If you find an effective compound, then you advance it: First you make sure it's not toxic to human cells in the lab; then you see how stable it is in human plasma; next come animal studies - typically in rodents to see if you can cure infection. And then come the three phases of human studies. "I said to a friend the other day," says Andrew Myers, "that I'm really pleased this paper is out - my students worked unbelievably hard to make this happen. But if this is where this ends, I won't be satisfied. Our objective from day one was to have a drug in the clinic." New research indicates parents want paediatricians to give them detailed information about their child's death. A new study indicates that health professionals should tell bereaved parents about what they could have done to reduce the risk of the sudden death of their baby. The University of Warwick research, funded by The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK and contradicts the current practice of many paediatricians who don't discuss risk factors for fear of causing grieving mothers and fathers additional upset. The research, Parental understanding and self-blame following sudden infant death: a mixed-methods study of bereaved parents' and professionals' experiences, by Dr Joanna Garstang of Warwick Medical School has been published in BMJ Open; Dr Garstang was funded by an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship. Dr Garstang, who is also a Consultant Community Paediatrician in the Child and Family Services at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, found that bereaved parents want to be given detailed information about their child's death. Her research suggests parents value health professionals explaining the role of risk factors in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Her study found no evidence that sharing this information is a direct cause of parental self-blame. SIDS occurs more commonly with social deprivation and a number of factors which increase the likelihood of it occurring have been identified in previous studies. These include infants not sleeping on their backs, parental smoking, head-covering, use of soft-bedding and co-sleeping on a sofa or with parents who have consumed alcohol or smoke. With this knowledge SIDS could be considered to be partly related to parental actions and choices therefore the previous explanations and reassurances, that SIDS is unpreventable, given to parents may no longer be appropriate. Dr Garstang said: "The research highlights the need to talk to parents about how to avoid SIDS. "Bereaved parents often blame themselves and feel guilty for these deaths due to the lack of explanation for them but self-blame is also a common feature of grief. Prior to our current understanding of SIDS, recommended practice for healthcare professionals was to reassure parents that their actions played no role in the death as SIDS was neither predictable nor preventable; it was perceived this would help alleviate the parents' feelings of self-blame "As professionals, we need to sensitively share this information about risk factors with bereaved parents. If these aren't explained to parents they may be more likely to repeat their behaviour with their next baby and go through the heartache of losing a child again." The study was conducted across the Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire West Midlands & Worcestershire area between 2011-2014. Dr Garstang interviewed 21 sets of parents who lost a baby due to sudden death between 1 December 2010 and 1 August 2013. In-depth interviews and questionnaires were used to explore how bereaved parents understand the cause of death and risk factors identified during the legally required investigation following a sudden unexpected infant death. The association between bereaved parents' mental health and this understanding, and healthcare professionals' experiences of sharing such information with families was also explored. She found that of the parents who were interviewed more than half didn't refer to blame; of these six families didn't mention 'blame' and six didn't blame anyone for their child's death. Three of 21 mothers said they blamed themselves completely for the death and had feelings of over-whelming guilt; two of the infants died of medical causes and one of SIDS. Notably, all three mothers scored highly for both anxiety and depression but none of the other mothers had clinically significant scores. The families interviewed were a mixture of those who believed they received excellent, good and poor support from hospitals and healthcare professionals following their child's death. Dr Garstang conducted the research because she felt more could be done to help families immediately after the death of their child. She said: "As a junior doctor I used to see SIDS families in the Emergency Department and knew that we not offering parents adequate support or information. In some cases bereaved mothers were allowed to walk out of hospital and left to get on with their lives. With the introduction of the new joint working practices with police and social care professionals I wanted to make sure that we were improving care for families and wanted bereaved parents to have a voice. These factors prompted me to conduct research in to this area." The Lullaby Trust which provides specialist support for bereaved families, promotes expert advice on safer baby sleep and raises awareness on sudden infant death. Their Head of Care Of Next Infant (CONI) scheme, Alison Waite, said: "We welcome this research. The study shows how important it is for parents to be told about the findings of an investigation into the death of their child. They need a clear explanation of the cause of death or what is meant by a natural but unexplained death and the factors that may have contributed. "This study suggests that professionals should not be afraid of having these discussions. It is not unusual for bereaved parents to experience feelings of blame but the study shows that talking about the risks will not make this worse. It is vital that parents understand the risks, to help prepare them, should they have more children in the future." New evidence for the clinical efficacy of cannabis therapy is presented in the latest issue of the Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology (JBCPP), a De Gruyter publication. The authors have studied cannabis therapy for many years at international research centers, examining its effects, potential applications, and risks. In his article, Raphael Mechoulam, a highly respected pioneer in the field of cannabis research, provides an overview of research projects and clinical trials undertaken recently at Israeli universities and hospitals on the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). After presenting evidence that cannabinoids are useful for treating a broad range of conditions - including Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and gastrointestinal illnesses such as Crohn's disease - Mechoulam calls for more extensive clinical trials. In her article, the Canadian researcher Mary E. Lynch, a leader in the field of alternative pain therapy, explains that 25 of 30 randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that cannabinoids have analgesic effects. These findings are of particular interest for the development of new pain therapies, because demographic change and increasing life expectancy will lead to greater numbers of patients with chronic pain. The other articles in the journal address various topics, including how the body's endogenous cannabinoid system can be influenced to treat anxiety disorders (Irit Akirav), kidney diseases (Joseph Tam), glaucoma (Melany Kelly) and traumatic brain injury (Mann and Shohami). The recent legalization of cannabis for medical purposes in some US states has reinvigorated the debate over cannabis in Germany. Support for medical cannabis has been rising in Germany. Legislators recently passed a law that will enable severely ill patients who lack treatment alternatives to get dried cannabis flowers and cannabis extracts from pharmacies with a prescription from their doctor. The law will go into effect in the spring of 2017. Convinced that treatment with cannabinoids can have more benefits than risks, a growing number of physicians and pharmacologists have been making calls for more clinical research as well as broader use of medical cannabis. More than 50 data scientists, engineers, and UT Austin students gathered on Sunday, May 15, 2016 to use Big Data to fight the spread of Zika for the "Austin Zika Hackathon" at the Cloudera offices downtown. Zika, a mosquito-borne disease that can cause fever and birth defects, threatens to spread to the United States. As of mid-May 2016, Mexico had reported 272 cases of Zika, according to USA Today. The problem has grown so large that President Obama has requested $1.9 billion to halt the spread of Zika. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is now ramping up collection of data that tracks Zika spread. But big gaps exist in linking different kinds of data, and that makes it tough for experts to predict where it will go next and what to do to prevent it. The Zika Hackathon participants investigated ways to pool together different sets of data, such as outbreak reports, stagnant water sources, empty swimming pools and ponds that are potential mosquito breeding grounds, and even Facebook and Twitter feeds. The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) plans to store all the data in one place, a new data-intensive supercomputer called Wrangler. "We're trying to collect these disparate pieces of data, and there's not a good way for people to ask questions about that data--that's the big problem," said Ari Kahn, human translational genomics Coordinator at TACC. Said Kahn: "TACC's role is providing an infrastructure and consulting to support this project. Wrangler is a specialized data-intensive system that runs an optimized version of Cloudera, and it really speeds up the process." Cloudera is a big data company, according to its Chief Security Architect and Zika Hackathon organizer Eddie Garcia. "What we do is make Apache Hadoop enterprise-ready for organizations to do big data analytics and find new insights within their data sets," Garcia said. "What we can do in a one-day hackathon is to focus on one data problem, for example, if there were an outbreak -- where we would we first send support and kits to local communities and direct awareness programs on prevention by removing stagnant water or using repellents that are effective against Aedes," Garcia said. "The Zika Hackathon is about bringing awareness and building a platform that is repeatable, not just for the Zika virus data analysis. Someone can basically take what we did here today and apply it to some other unknown outbreak or some other analysis for something even better than what we're doing today. It's really about getting people together, excited, bringing awareness, and building out a platform that is repeatable for others to collaborate, apply machine learning and perform analytics using Apache Hadoop." "It's just great to see a roomful of people buzzing, talking about bringing these skills to bear either to build a consolidated data set, a little visualization, or even a little tool," said Jon Loyens, chief product officer and co-founder of Data.World, a new Austin startup. "Every little bit helps and everyone here realizes that." Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The Zika Hackathon brought together an emerging kind of scientist, a data scientist. Data scientists specialize both in translating information from many different sources into data that can be used together and in using new technologies by which knowledge can be extracted from today's massive data collections. Data scientist Juliet Hougland of Cloudera described what that is: "There are three classes of work that get put under the umbrella of data science. Data scrubbing -- getting data in the right format, in the right place -- is a huge part of any job where you're going to do something useful with that data. Investigative analytics looks at historic data and doing interesting, useful analysis on it. Operational analytics supports recommendation engines, fraud detection systems, and more." The Zika hackers formed groups and worked on creating demo projects based off of sample CDC and other data available at this link. One project developed a working tensor flow model that used machine learning to search through aerial images for pools of stagnant water, potential breeding ground for mosquitos that carry Zika. Another team developed a mobile app with node.js that would allow researchers to report developing cases of mosquito-borne illness. One demonstrated a way to map microcephaly occurrences in Brazil using an R maps interface to Leaflet. Another made headway into readying CDC data from Puerto Rico to layer with CIA Fact Book data for richer understanding of how Zika has progressed there. Software developer David Walling of TACC's Data Intensive Computing group spoke of his current research extracting rich data from 'grey literature,' unofficial records that can be images inside PDF files, a bane of data scientists. His work uses natural language processing techniques to map occurrences in the grey literature of a given species such as fish at specific locations and dates. Progress on this problem would translate well to getting more information for researchers about Zika. "If you can see where all the water sources are and then overlay how the reports of outbreaks are happening, then you can create a model for how it's spreading and how it will spread in the future based on where the water sources are. Then maybe you can come up with some plans to offset that so the spreading doesn't happen as fast or doesn't happen at all," Ari Kahn said. The charitable arm of the data analytics company, Cloudera Cares, along with TACC and other local partners are planning to hold quarterly hackathons as part of a larger planned project to use Big Data to battle Zika and other threats. The project aims to make it easier for researchers to get answers and even help prevent outbreaks from happening. Researchers at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed advanced microscopy technologies to monitor embryo development in real time, revealing how mammalian cells differentiate during the earliest stages of embryonic life. These findings, coupled with the novel imaging technique, hold great potential in shaping how assisted reproduction procedures such as In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)[1] and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)[2] are performed, and making these procedures more effective. Microscopic image of a four-cell mouse embryo. Credit: Dr Nicolas Plachta Across the globe, more women are relying on assisted reproduction procedures. Singapore alone, for example, has carried out over 6000 assisted reproduction cycles in 2015, an increase of more than 1000 cycles from 2012[3]. Current IVF procedures assess whether an embryo is suitable for implantation into the mother largely through observable measurements such as gauging if the rate of growth of the embryo is normal. PGD of embryos, on the other hand, is carried out by analysing a randomly extracted embryonic cell for genetic defects, with the assumption that all cells within a preimplantation embryo are identical and that the removal of a single embryonic cell would not affect the overall development of the embryo after implantation. Contrary to the current conception that every cell within a preimplantation embryo is identical, the team of researchers at IMCB has demonstrated that the cells are in fact differentiated and may play very different roles in later development. By designing new cutting-edge real-time imaging techniques, the researchers were able to examine every cell within a preimplantation mouse embryo without perturbing its development. They observed differences in the way which certain proteins in each cell bind to their target genes. The scientists also observed that there were variances in cell behaviour at every stage of the embryo's development. As mouse embryos bear strong resemblance to human embryos at early stage development, the findings indicate that cells within a preimplantation human embryo are also not identical. The study, therefore, refines our understanding of early stage embryonic development and highlights how assisted reproduction procedures such as IVF and PGD may be further enhanced to ensure successful fertilisation, smooth pregnancy and childbirth. Further development of the real-time imaging technique may eventually enable fertility specialists to study the microscopic properties of embryos and decide more precisely if an embryo is suitable for implantation, or screen an embryo for genetic abnormalities using imaging lasers instead of physical manipulation. This would enable better quality control of embryos implanted in mothers hence potentially increasing the chances of success for these procedures through more efficient control of embryo quality. Dr Nicolas Plachta, Senior Principal Investigator of IMCB, said: Most laboratories conduct studies on embryonic cells via invasive methods which do not keep the embryo alive. Our lab is the only one in the world imaging single cells in live mammalian embryos at the quantitative level, which allows us to observe every cell within an embryo at every stage of its development. Our findings as a result of this advanced technique have put forth a new paradigm of knowledge that would encourage more detailed microscopic analysis for future assisted reproduction procedures. Dr Sadhana Nadarajah, Director of KKIVF Centre and Senior Consultant, Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, said: This novel method of screening embryos is indeed exciting. If it can be successfully used on human embryos, without affecting its successive growth, it will improve the technique of embryo selection in IVF. Prof Hong Wanjin, Executive Director of IMCB, said: In many developed countries like Singapore, women are having children later in their lives, which has been linked to declined fertility. As such, assisted reproduction procedures needs to be constantly improved and made more reliable to help women successfully conceive and sustain a healthy birth rate. Nicolas and his dedicated team of researchers have therefore made a significant breakthrough that could benefit the society greatly. The study was published in the top-tier scientific journal, Cell, and was also featured as the cover of the journal. In the recent issue of EMBO reports, Barbara Han of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and John Drake of the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology call for the creation of a global early warning system for infectious diseases. Such a system would use computer models to tap into environmental, epidemiological and molecular data, gathering the intelligence needed to forecast where disease risk is high and what actions could prevent outbreaks or contain epidemics. An early warning system would shift the infectious disease paradigm from reactive -- where first responders scramble to contain active threats, as in the recent Ebola and Zika outbreaks -- to pre-emptive management of risk. Infectious disease intelligence could assess vulnerabilities based on the ebb and flow of risk in real-time, and inform targeted responses that minimize damages. "For far too long our main strategy for tackling infectious disease has been defense after emergence, when a lot of people are already suffering," Han explained, "We are at an exciting point in time where technology and Big Data present us with another option, one that is anticipatory and has real potential to improve global health security." Han and Drake propose that a three-tiered system with "watches," "warnings" and "emergencies" -- like that used for severe weather alerts -- would help decision makers and the public to make more informed decisions. They explain, "Much of the destructive potential of infectious diseases stems from the fact that they often strike unexpectedly, leaving little time for preparation. The best countermeasure is therefore an early warning to give affected regions or communities more time to prepare for the impact." Machine learning methods have already proven successful at mining data from multiple sources to identify animal species that are likely to carry disease and geographic hotspots vulnerable to outbreaks of specific pathogens. Scaling up this effort to create a tool for global health authorities will require an increase in the stream of data available for modeling, investment in a quantitative workforce, and open dialogue among academic modelers and decision makers. Data sharing is essential. Han explains, "Accurately predicting potential outbreaks and guiding effective responses relies on rapidly assimilating data from multiple sources to identify trigger conditions in real time. Ironically, in this age of Big Data, one of the few remaining hard limits on our forecasting ability is the volume and quality of basic scientific information. We can't collect data on everything -- yet -- but, we are getting a better sense of the kinds of data that would be the most useful." Drake notes, "One of the key problems is figuring out how to integrate multiple data streams. Also, there are some aspects of epidemics that are poorly understood and can change quickly, such as how individual behavior changes in the face of a perceived acute health threat. We need better sources of information about these processes, if we are to develop a reliable basis for forecasting." A global early warning system for infectious diseases would be transformative in efforts to advance global health security and improve global health equity. Source: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Scientists at the University of Bristol have identified the trigger for immune cells' inflammatory response - a discovery that may pave the way for new treatments for many human diseases. Immune cells play essential roles in the maintenance and repair of our bodies. When we injure ourselves, immune cells mount a rapid inflammatory response to protect us against infection and help heal the damaged tissue. Lead researcher Dr Helen Weavers, from the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences said: "While this immune response is beneficial for human health, many human diseases (including atheroscelerosis, cancer and arthritis) are caused or aggravated by an overzealous immune response. A greater understanding of what activates the immune response is therefore crucial for the design of novel therapies to treat these inflammatory disorders. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today "Our study found that immune cells must first become 'activated' by eating a dying neighbouring cell before they are able to respond to wounds or infection. In this way, immune cells build a molecular memory of this meal, which shapes their inflammatory behaviour." The team's research, published in the journal Cell, used the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) to study how a particular immune cell (the macrophage) becomes activated in order to respond to injury or infection. Using the fly allowed researchers to make time-lapse movies of the dynamic behaviour of the immune cells as they migrate within a living organism. It also allowed them to easily manipulate different genes and signalling pathways within the fly, to test which genes are important for immune cell behaviour. Using genetics, the researchers dissected the mechanism by which the molecular memory is generated within the immune cell. Ingestion of the dying cell activates signalling via a calcium flash, which leads to an increase in the amount of an important damage receptor Draper in the immune cell. High levels of this receptor enable the 'primed' immune cell to sense the damage signals that entice them towards a wound during inflammation. Without this priming, the cells are blind to wounds and infections. Professor Paul Martin said: "Our work has important implications for human health, given that the pathology of many human diseases is often caused by an inappropriate inflammatory response. Understanding how one signal (in this case a dying cell) can influence the ability of an immune cell to respond to a subsequent signal is a major step towards finding novel ways to clinically manipulate immune cells away from sites of the body where they are causing the most damage." Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow Professor Will Wood said: "Using flies to study human disease might seem at first glance to be a rather strange approach, but this is an exciting advance in our understanding of immune cell behaviour, and takes us a step closer to designing novel therapeutic ways to influence immune cell behaviour within patients in the clinic." Research shows that spending just 20 minutes in nature can promote health and well-being. Although the assumption may be that living in rural areas provides ample opportunities for recreation in nature, many rural, low-income mothers, who rely on outdoor activities to promote health and well-being for themselves and their families, face obstacles in accessing publicly available outdoor recreation resources. In interviews from an initial project referred to as "Rural Families Speak about Health," low-income mothers from rural communities in 11 states were asked how they and their children stay healthy, as well as what resources were available in their communities to support health. Almost every mom gave the same response: participating in outdoor activities. Researchers at the University of Illinois, who study families and the benefits of participating in family-based nature activities, were interested in these responses. Using data from the rural families study, Dina Izenstark, a doctoral student in family studies at the U of I and colleagues conducted a follow-up study to further explore how and why moms use the natural environment to promote health for themselves and their families. The researchers also wanted to learn what health benefits they experienced. The new study, published in the Journal of Leisure Research, also examines how living in the context of rural poverty affects the ability of mothers to utilize family-based nature activities to promote their families' health. The mothers interviewed for the study had incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, lived in selected rural counties, and had at least one child under the age of 13. Their family structure/co-parenting situation was not considered. "During the interviews, moms weren't specifically asked about their experiences in nature," Izenstark says. "They were asked, 'how do you and your family stay healthy?' Yet almost every single mom in the study, on their own, said they use nature to promote their health. "When we started to dig deeper, we noticed that because they didn't always have the financial resources to support their health in other ways, access to natural spaces in their community provided them the opportunity," she adds. Rural geography also played a role. "Some of the moms lived near mountains or beaches or corn fields. Some lived in subsidized housing," she says. Rural living doesn't automatically mean easy access to green space. "For the moms that did have access, it was a lot easier for them to promote their health." U of I professor of family studies Ramona Oswald is a co-author. She worked on the initial rural families study, and says this study shows that community investment is important in making resources accessible. "You might live in rural Illinois, surrounded by cornfields, all of which are privately owned. You could walk down a county road or a highway, but unless there was community investment in a park or a playground, a walking trail, or some kind of a facility at a local school, moms didn't have access to nature, even though they were surrounded by it. "It speaks to the importance of that infrastructure for families on low incomes who are not able to drive to the next community or pay for a gym membership, or something else that might be available for people who have more money," Oswald says. The most common activity mentioned by moms was walking in nature. It was something the whole family could do together, regardless of the kids' ages or their financial constraints. After walking came going to the park for exercise, picnics, sports, or free movies. Izenstark points out how even routine, day-to-day activities in nature can be sources of bonding for families. Many moms mentioned the importance of walking the family dog together. Other examples included picking blackberries every summer, family camping trips, and staying on the beach while visiting extended family. The moms cited reasons such as wanting to be a good role model, limit television exposure, and promote healthy physical development as motivators for participating in outdoor activities with their kids. "Moms described how getting outside not only helped them improve their physical health and motivation to exercise or lose weight, but once outside, the moms experienced psychological health benefits as well," Izenstark says. Social health benefits are also important. "The moms said their children don't always get to see other children [living in a rural area], so it's really important to go to the park with friends or extended family, for example. "Although they didn't always say they were going outside to promote their family relationships, the data suggested that being outside was a great place for families to laugh, bond, and create memories -- these social health benefits influenced their family relationships," she adds. Oswald and Izenstark both hope park and recreation practitioners, as well as other community officials, will see the importance of resource access, especially in built natural environments such as parks and playscapes for low-income families in rural areas. Beyond just providing programs, Oswald wants practitioners to meet low-income families where they are to spread the message. "The moms in this study know about health and what to do to be healthy," Oswald says. "It's not a lack of education. It has to do with barriers and access to resources. Especially in rural communities, regardless of income, you struggle with distance between people and resources. If families with low incomes in rural communities are going to go, maybe food pantries, then that's a good place to hang a flyer that says 'get out with your family and have a picnic.' Encourage them to take the next step, framing it in a way that is gratifying rather than punishing or grueling. These moms know, they just struggle with how to make it happen," she says. One-third of patients hospitalised with heart failure for the first time have not returned to work one year later, reveals a study in nearly 12 000 patients presented today at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure by Dr Rasmus Roerth, a physician at Copenhagen University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark. "Employment is crucial for self esteem and quality of life, as well as being of financial importance, in patients with all kinds of chronic illness," said Dr Roerth. He continued: "Inability to maintain a full time job is an indirect consequence of heart failure beyond the usual clinical parameters of hospitalisation and death. Most information on heart failure is derived from studies in older patients since they are the majority. This has led to a knowledge gap regarding the impact of living with heart failure among younger patients, who perhaps have the most to lose from the condition." The study included 11 880 heart failure patients of working age (18 to 60 years) who were employed prior to being hospitalised for heart failure. Information on age, length of hospital stay, gender, education level, income, comorbidities and working status was obtained from Danish nationwide registries. All Danish residents are included in the registries and have a unique personal identification number making it possible to link information on an individual level. The researchers found that one year after being hospitalised for heart failure for the first time, 68% of patients had returned to work, 25% had not, and 7% had died. Dr Roerth said: "Among patients who are alive one year after their first heart failure hospitalisation, 37% did not return to work, which is a substantial proportion. It confirms that heart failure significantly reduces a patient's capacity to maintain a normal life and live independently." Younger patients (18 to 30 years) were over three times more likely to return to work than older patients (51 to 60 years). "This is perhaps not that surprising because younger patients have fewer comorbidities and may have a greater determination to stay employed," said Dr Roerth. Patients with a higher level of education were twice as likely to return to work as those with basic schooling. Dr Roerth said: "This could be because higher education is associated with less physically demanding jobs. In addition, it may be more possible for highly educated patients to arrange a flexible work life." Men were 24% more likely to return to work than women. "We do not think that this is primarily explained by men having a better recovery than women," said Dr Roerth. "It could be that men are more often forced to return to work, for economical and other reasons. Having a work identify may be more important to men." Conversely, patients were less likely to return to work if they had stayed in hospital for more than 7 days, or had a history of stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or cancer. Dr Roerth said: "It's important to highlight that our findings are associations and not necessarily causal connections. The associations might help to identify which patients are at the greatest risk of becoming unemployed after being in hospital with heart failure for the first time." He continued: "More research is needed to better understand why this loss of employment occurs among those who were working before they went into hospital. It could be that physicians are afraid to advise returning to work because they have unfounded concerns about the risks. Some patients may have been wrongly told they were at high risk of death but could safely return to the workforce." Dr Roerth concluded: "Removal from the labour market and dependence on public benefits has great economic consequences which go beyond the already significant financial burden that these patients place on the healthcare system. More knowledge on what stops patients going back to work will put us in a better position to find ways of preventing it, for example with more intensive rehabilitation, psychological support, or education." The Indian Army is currently considering offering permanent commission to women officers in a few additional combat support and technical arms and services, said Colonel Anand. Defence forces are finally opening combat roles for women officers. While three women cadets of the Indian Air Force train to become fighter pilots, the Army is also gearing up to accommodate women as combatant members.A group of women cadets are undergoing training at Officers Training Academy (OTA) - Chennai in combat support which majorly includes combat engineers and air defence. Senior Army officers say depending on the response and feedback from the training and experience, further decision will be taken on their induction in combat roles.The Army is also considering permanent commission for women officers in a few additional combat support, said Army PRO Colonel Rohan."Based on the experience gained and feedback from the environment, on the current employment of women officers in various arms and services, their enhanced employment will be considered at an appropriate time," the officer added.Even though the first batch is being trained at OTA Chennai, but as and when the number of women cadets increase, there are chances of them being admitted to other training academies too. The women cadets are also given basic training of handling weapons.As of January 2016, the Indian Army has 1,470 women officers. Every year, nearly 100 women officers are being commissioned into the Army.When asked whether the proposal to induct women officers was because of shortage of officers in Army, Colonel Anand replied in the negative. "No, I don't think so. It is mainly done on gender equality."In March 2016, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had told the Lok Sabha that the "Army (excluding Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Service), as on July 1, 2015, against the authorized strength of 49,631 officers, held strength of officers is 40,525 with shortage of 9,106".After President Pranab Mukherjee in his joint address to Parliament on the first day of the 2016 Budget session said women officers will be inducted in fighter streams in armed forces, the proposal has been moving in a positive direction.The Army is moving step by step keeping in view all the practical issues before inducting them for combat roles and training in combat support is the first step in this regard.Till now, women officers are restricted to the engineering, medical and education corps. They are primarily commissioned as Short Service Officers.While the IAF will commission its first women fighter pilot on June 18, 2016, the Army it will take some time.According to senior officers it is because in the IAF there is human-to-machine contact but in Army it is human-to-human contact.While the defence forces opened their door to women officers only in 1992, there is still some way to go before they see combat. Even as the mercury soars and an unprecedented heatwave sweeps across Delhi, several areas across the national capital are suffering power outages. Facing criticism for the power situation, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has maintained that outages are not due to a shortage of power but due to poor maintenance by discoms. Severe outages took place in many areas on Sunday despite relatively less power demand as compared to weekdays when it had breached the 6,000 MW. The State Load Despatch Centre recorded peak power load of 5,583 MW at 12 AM, indicating that power demand did not cross that figure through the day. Hitting out at discoms, the Delhi government said the companies would be penalised and made to compensate consumers for unscheduled power cuts. "We have directed the DERC that if any area has unscheduled power cuts and it is not rectified in two hours then people of that area have to be compensated. This policy will be implemented soon so that their (discoms) accountability is fixed," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said. The discoms have been called for a meeting with the Chief Minister on Tuesday. Srinagar: The endangered hangul, also known as Kashmir deer, is in the throes of extinction, largely because of human intrusions and domestic livestock grazing at its only habitat in the valley. Wildlife experts and activists claim they have been raising the alarm, calling for stringent measures to check human intrusions at Srinagar's famed Dachigam national park, the main concentration of the endangered elk species. But the authorities have allowed grazing in the sprawling national park, spread over 141 sq. km, for what the activists say mere "political reasons", which has gravely endangered the existence of hangul. Once found in the high altitudes of northern India and Pakistan, the animal now only lives in the dense riverine forests of Dachigam, some 22 km from here. According to official figures, hangul population has been declining steeply over the years since the last century when there were some 5,000 deer in the Kashmir Valley. The 1947 hangul census recorded its number at 2,000. The massive decline was mainly attributed to poaching then. The last census was done in 2011 when its population was found just over 200, according to the wildlife department figures. "For vote bank politics, the successive governments have allowed grazing in the prohibited area to keep a particular constituency in good humour," a senior wildlife official told this reporter, requesting not to be named. The official was referring to Kashmir's "bakarwal" community -- the nomadic tribe that is mainly into goat herding and shepherding. Without naming anybody, he said a minister in the previous government of the National Conference-Congress combine had an unwritten rule that bakarwal should be allowed to graze their animal wherever they want. Tassaduq Mueen, a green activist in Kashmir, explained how grazing during the summer months in the upper reaches of the park, where deer usually move around in search of food, has "wreaked havoc" to its natural habitat. "The presence of such a huge number of livestock has shrunk its natural habitat, substantially," Mueen said, adding hangul is a shy animal and doesn't like being disturbed. He said during the breeding season, which coincides with summer months, the intrusions in hangul's natural habitat causes disturbances. "The interference around pregnant hinds leads to stress which ultimately causes natural abortion of its fawn. In many other cases, fawn becomes a prey of the dogs and other wild animals like jackals and foxes accompanying grazers . With so low survival rate, the hangul population will not grow in this situation," Mueen said. Samina Amin, a researcher in the wildlife department, said nowhere in the world are national parks used for grazing. "Call it (Dachigam) anything but a national park," she said, pointing out that there is a full-fledged government-run sheep breeding centre inside the park that has also contributed to the dwindling hangul population. The breeding centre causes bacterial infections that affect foetuses of hind resulting in a low birthrate of hangul, she said. "There is also a battalion of security forces, offices of fisheries, protocol, and tourism departments inside the park. Even some influential people have constructed structures outside the park in complete violation of rules. Deer population can't grow in such a stressful environment," Amin warned. Asked why the department had not so far been able to check grazing and stop human interference to save hangul, C. Behra, the regional wildlife warden, said they would not allow any grazing inside the national park from "now on". "We have already passed stringent orders against the grazing inside Dachigam," he said. If that happens, it might be too late for the fragile species on the verge of vanishing. Marking the second anniversary of his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday released a song highlighting the measures taken by his government to improve the condition of the people in the last two years.The song - 'Mera desh badal raha, aage badh raha hai' (My country is changing, moving forward), which is part of the government's plan of a string of events to mark the completion of two years of Modi government on May 26, was released on Twitter.Officials said the song, in which adman Piyush Pandey also contributed, is one of the several activities the government is undertaking in this regard.The lyrics of the song lists the measures taken by the government like 'Jan Dhan Yojana' to 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' to show how they have brought an improvement in the condition of the people.Apart from this, Union ministers are giving interviews to Doordarshan and other news organisations and also holding interactions with general public on social media websites.Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is coming out with the achievements of various departments and ministries, they said, adding that ministers and MPs will also travel to various parts of the country to disseminate information about the development activities undertaken by the government. Here are some important reports from the biggest newspapers of India: 1. Driver sleeping on back seat, Patna SSP 'steals' police jeep At a time when the Opposition, and even some leaders of ruling alliance partner RJD, are crying hoarse over the purported nosedive in law and order situation in Bihar, Patna district's police chief ran a surprise inspection on Friday night to check the alertness levels. The result: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj 'stole' a jeep from a key police station and drove around for a while, with the police driver in the backseat sleeping through most of it. If this was Bollywood, it would be a comedy at the expense of the police, but given the import it was a tragedy for the city police. As for the SSP, he was "dismayed", reports The Indian Express. 2. How 'Naxal' slipped out of custody with grenade launcher For six days, Mudkam Deva surveyed Basaguda police station, one of the most sensitive outposts in Maoist-affected Bijapur district, from the inside. He had been detained from a checkpost on the Basaguda-Bijapur road, a stretch one officer described as "throwing up an IED every three days". Officers at the station told The Indian Express that Deva admitted he was a Maoist on a reconnaissance mission. In the days that he spent at the station, he seemed amenable to providing information, and said he was open to the idea of surrender. Until 7.15 pm on May 18, when a sentry on one of the eight towers saw Deva opening the wire mesh of one of the gates, and escaping into the jungle outside, an AK-47 and 90 rounds slung across his shoulder, and an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) with eight cells in a satchel in his hands, as per reported in The Indian Express. 3. There will be clear majority for BJP in UP, says Rajnath Singh The NDA government has been able to quicken decision-making and boost economic growth while displaying a firm response to insurgency and Left wing extremism, home minister Rajnath Singh said in an exclusive interview with Times of India. As it approaches the two-year mark, infiltration from Pakistan and Maoist incidents are the lowest they have been in a decade while investigating agencies are functioning without any interference from the Centre. 4. 'Ex-CBI chief told me to file closure report in coal case' A CBI officer who had been investigating one of the coal block allocation scam cases recently told a special court that the order to file a closure report in the case was given by then CBI chief Ranjit Sinha, whose role is under scanner of a Supreme Court-appointed panel, reported in The Times of India. SP Sanjay Dubey said this in his testimony as a prosecution witness in the case involving Madhya Pradesh-based Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL) and others in which the court had rejected CBI's closure report and has been proceeding with the trial in the case. The case relates to alleged irregularities in allocation of Thesgora-B Rudrapuri coal block in Madhya Pradesh to KSSPL. 5. 9-day ritual to purify temple 'corrupted' by Dalits Friday when a mob attacked Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay with stones for entering the premises with Dalits, would now conduct a "long purification ritual of nine days." A temple official said that they needed to conduct purifying poojas since the temple had been "desecrated by the entry of Dalits.", as per report in The Times of India. 6. ED approaches 14 countries for info on Karti-linked cos The ED has sought information from 14 countries on properties and banking transactions of companies allegedly linked to former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti, as per report in The Times of India. Sources said the agency has approached UK, UAE, South Africa, US, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, France, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and British Virgin Islands seeking information on assets and business transactions of Advantage Strategic, Sequoia, WestBridge and other firms allegedly linked to Karti on the basis of documents recovered during raids. 7.Tied in heat all day, angry camel severs owner's head Left in the heat with its legs tied all day, a camel attacked its owner and severed his head in anger in Rajasthan's Barmer district on Saturday. About 25 villagers struggled for 6 hours to calm the animal down. Urjaram of Mangta village was entertaining guests at his house on Saturday night when he suddenly realised that his camel had been out in the heat all day with its legs tied. He was attacked when he tried to untie the annoyed animal. Read full news story in the Times of India. 8. UPSC panel wants govt to reduce age limit for civil services exam A Union Public Service Commission-appointed committee is set to tell the government to reduce the upper age-limit for appearing in the examination to get into premier civil services such as the IAS and IPS. The UPSC appointed the panel headed by former education secretary BS Baswan last August as part of an initiative by the Narendra Modi government to overhaul the civil services examination, as per report in Hindustan Times. 9. Government to take call on Raghuram Rajan's extension in August; Subramanian Swamy's views won't impact decision The government hasn't yet applied its mind to the matter of extending Raghuram Rajan's tenure as Reserve Bank of India governor and is only likely to decide on this in August, a month before his three-year term ends, a senior official told ET. Subramanian Swamy's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi complaining about the governor and arguing against an extension won't have any impact on the decision, the person said, adding that neither will Rajan's global statusas a star among central bank governors and economists. 10. Gulf remittances fall 2.2%, offset by slide in oil imports Remittances from the Gulf nations to India declined for the first time in six years due to sliding oil prices, according to a Crisil report. It fell by 2.2 per cent in 2015-16 but the slide had also resulted in a contraction of oil imports, which offset the drop, as reported in The Hindu. "Falling oil prices have had a sweeping impact on the oil producing economies of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), severely denting their oil revenues and spending by both governments and households," according to the report. In a startling revelation Kartik alias Raju Haldar, arrested by the Gujarat Police for killing witnesses, confessed that he paid Rs 15 lakh to an arm smuggler for an AK-47 rifle to eliminate a Rajasthan Police officer Chanchal Singh. The police officer was investigating the alleged rape case against Asaram Babu in Jodhpur. Kartik, a resident of South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, became a follower of Asaram in 2000 and was allegedly contacted by the godman's close followers to eliminate all the witlessness in the case including Chanchal Singh. In his confession, Kartik also told the police that he killed three persons who testified against Asaram or had fallen out with the godman. He also reportedly attempted to kill four others. Sources said he also named four sadhaks (followers) who were giving him instructions to commit offences against witnesses. Kartik was arrested from Sarona Bazar in Chhattisgarh on March 15. He revealed that Asarams followers have raised Rs 25 lakh to fund the killings. He said he was being helped financially by other sadhaks for the attacks on the witnesses. Asaram was arrested in a sexual assault case by the Jodhpur police from his ashram on September 1, 2013. Srinagar: Suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists shot dead three policemen including an officer in Srinagar on Monday. The terror attack is the first such major strike in the city in nearly three years. The first attack took place near Zadibal police station in Srinagar on Monday morning in which two policemen were killed while another official was shot dead in Tengpora area of Srinagar. The gunmen shot at the two policemen from close range at Mill Stop in Zadibal area which connects the city to the Hazratbal Shrine and super speciality SKIMS Hospital at Soura, a police official said. Some policemen were also injured in the attack. Pakistan-based terror group Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the twin attacks. Soon after the incident the injured policemen were shifted to hospital where they were declared dead. The deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Mohammad and Head Constable Nazir Ahmad. The slain police officials were posted at Zadibal Police Station. Police and other security forces have been put on an alert to look out for the assailants, who managed to flee the spot. Officials said that unidentified gunmen fired at two policemen at Bagh-e-Ali Mardan around 200 metres away from the Zadibal police station. In Tengpora, constable Mohammad Sadiq, posted as personal security guard to chairman of J&K Pasmanda Tabqajaat (downtrodden classes) Mohammad Abdullah Chatwal, was shot at on Parimpora-Hyderpora Bypass road at around 12 noon. The attackers fled with his service rifle. Sadiq died at the Batamaloo police hospital. The last such attack took place on June 22, 2013 when two policemen were shot dead at Hari Singh High Street. Mumbai: Actor Irrfan Khan will be holding a special screening of Marathi movie 'Sairat', a searing indictment of caste discrimination here. Directed by Nagraj Manjule, the film talks about relationship between two young teenagers, who face several challenges before eloping the village. The 'Piku' actor will be hosting the screening for teenagers, including his children, as he feels the younger generation needs to be exposed to great content that is being produced in India. The screening will be held with guest list including Irrfan and his family, teenagers who are friends of Irrfan's children and others in presence of the film's director at a theatre here on Monday, read a statement. "Every year regional cinema is adding a feather in its cap and undoubtedly this year its 'Sairat'," Irrfan said. He added: "I was moved to see the Marathi 'Romeo and Juliet' and truly believe that our teenagers should see the movie, who are exposed mostly to western cinema because this is the phase of new Indian cinema which is bound to become universal and world cinema." 'Sairat', a romantic film which released on April 29, is Manjule's second feature movie, after 'Fandry' in 2014, which went on to bag the 61st National Film Award for 'Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director'. Bengaluru: Actor Randeep Hooda, who is getting rave reviews for his portrayal of Sarabjit Singh in 'Sarbjit', feels that his best role is yet to come. Directed by Omung Kumar, 'Sarbjit' is based on the real-life story of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian villager who was convicted for spying and terrorism and languished in a Pakistani jail for several years, while his sister Dalbir Kaur, tried vigorously to secure his release. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later. "Of course, it (playing Sarabjit on screen) has been my most Herculean task. I am glad people are appreciating it. But as an artiste, I would say that my best role is yet to come," Randeep said at USL-Diageo's #LoveScotch event held here to celebrate World Whiskey Day. Known for playing character-driven roles, Randeep says he enjoys the process of preparing for the film more than executing it. "I like the process of preparation and rehearsal more than executing and watching it. That is the real life experience, rest is just execution," he said. The actor also said that he doesn't aim to just win awards or get fame. "My aim in life is not just to see myself on screen, or get awards, or to be featured in magazines. I am not too materialistic either." "It is the life experience I get by involving myself in somebody else's point of view, situation and life, and understanding another human being," he added. Randeep also shared that he has "learned more through my movies than I ever learned in school". "To be able to live different lives without the real life repercussions is the perk of my job," he added. The 'Highway' star also said that he feels fortunate to play these varied characters in various genres. As far as success is concerned, Randeep said there is no measure to check it. "One never knows if one has truly succeeded. Larger opinion of people has to be taken into consideration. Personally, I feel that I could have done this (role) better or something could be changed," he added. For the Congress, if history could repeat after every hiatus from power, the current rout as also the 2014 drubbing would only be an afternoon siesta in its long innings in power. BJP finds it difficult to wade through when the majority isn't a politically homogenous group as was the case in Bihar. Otherwise it's an open field for them, said a leader. Election outcome in the five states must have emboldened the BJP. As things stand today, UP will be a highly polarised election, says a Congress leader. For some in-explicable reasons, Congress headquarters on Akbar Road in New Delhi has had a perennial network problem. In 2004, one balmy summer evening in the run up to the general elections this reporter had to borrow a palm size mobile phone from a party leader to relay the biggest story of the day -- Rahul Gandhi's entry into electoral politics.It was an election which Congress won from the jaws of Bharatiya Janata Party's India Shining Campaign. It was also an elections during the course of which journalists and netas -- both avant-garde and conservatives -- freely discussed the possibility of Congress failing to cross the three digit mark in Lok Sabha.A senior party functionary reminisced all that and much more during a discussion on the recent bout of debacle for the grand old party."Two. In only two politically significant states were we in power when Madam (Sonia Gandhi) took charge in 1998. Madhya Pradesh and Orissa," he recalls.Buttressing his claims with more statistics, he adds, "And we lost 16 out of 30 assembly elections between 2004 and 2009. And yet UPA returned to power the same year."But in the last few years, something more significant has happened at the grass roots that has the Congress think-tank really worried.As the party starts to dissect its performance two distinct patterns seem to emerge from the states where it was contesting to retain power.Let's take Assam first. As the dust settles down and the fine print emerges, it is evident that an unprecedented Hindu polarisation transcending traditional, even ethnic, fault-lines left little scope for Tarun Gogoi to negotiate past BJP's formidable socio-political alliances.That this polarisation was not registered in the political discourse is on account of the top BJP leadership steering itself clear of verbal duels during election campaign.BJP polled a significantly high percentage of the Hindu votes and left Congress to compete with an already well entrenched Badrudding Ajmal of the AUDF for the remaining 35% of the electorate.In an increasingly disruptive environment, a centrist Congress is finding it strenuous to strike that delicate balance between the majority and the minority.Extreme right -- both majority and minority -- hover about on either side of the divide, waiting for that one wrong move to pounce upon, restricting Congress' manoeuvrability and space to operate in.The second reason for worry for the Congress emanates from the polling trends in Kerala. Reduced to just 22 seats -- four more than its junior partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) -- it is now the pro-forma leader of the anti-Left front in the state assembly.Initial feedback to the party central leadership indicates that IUML was able to retain its traditional vote-bank in places where it contested.Elsewhere, Muslims have chosen the Left over Congress. The matters were made worse with a section of the traditional upper caste Congress voters walking over to the BJP who's aggressive and repeated southern-sojourns have now started to bear fruit.These inflections in the near crystallised voting pattern in Kerala have clear undertones. If Congress is perceived to be second best in a multi-polar contest, the minorities are increasingly choosing to ally with the non-Congress and dominant anti-BJP player in the fray.For example in Delhi in 2013 Kejriwal first walked away with Congress' aam admi votes. In the next elections minorities followed suit.The same has happened in West Bengal in these elections where TMC seems to have emerged as the first choice for the Muslims.A similar pattern can be traced in 2015 Bihar assembly polls. As part of the formidable alliance which took on the BJP in a bi-polar polity with Nitish-Lalu combine leading the charge, Congress got its share from the kitty only by dint of being part of Mahagathbandhan.This depletion in the political capital will have implications in the next round of assembly polls, especially in Uttar Pradesh. Both Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with their respective core caste votes will now profess better credentials to stake claims on Muslim votes.Where does all this leave the Congress?As it prepares for the next round of elections, a debilitated Congress will now be under pressure to seek alliances -- both social and political.In UP, Mayawati will make one final calculation before the elections. If she feels that Congress is that one necessary cog to mobilise minority votes, she will have an opportunity and the leeway of imposing a coalition on the grand old party.And like her mentor Kanshi Ram in 1996, she will do it on her own terms and conditions. Panaji: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has yet again hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress alleging that the two major political parties have a "husband-wife" kind of a relationship. "I feel both the parties have a husband-wife kind of a relationship. Mister and Missus BJP-Congress. They are like husband and wife fighting inside the house. They know each other's secrets," Kejriwal said addressing the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers. "BJP knows the secrets of Congress and Congress of BJP. Someone told me that (Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar has several files of Congress leaders in Goa, but he won't take action against them. He will keep on threatening Congress with these files," the AAP's National Convener alleged. Both the parties share good relations and are fooling the people, he claimed. "BJP and Congress have together looted people. Both parties combined are mafias, they run mafia raj," he further alleged. Kejriwal also accused BJP and Congress of having an unwritten understanding to rule for five years each in the country. While addressing the volunteers, he said there is no place in AAP for those who joined it to get the "ticket". "If someone has joined the party with an intention to get ticket, they may quit the party as their condition would be worse here. "Don't join the party (AAP) for position or ticket. If you are here for ticket then don't come," the Delhi CM said. He said getting the AAP ticket is like shouldering a responsibility. "Everyone has to take different responsibilities in the party. Ticket is yet another responsibility," he said. On the state election plans, Kejriwal said if his party wins then a Goan will be made the chief minister. He appealed to people of Goa to shun their old political loyalties and vote for AAP this time "for the sake of the state". "I was told that people are reluctant to come out in support of AAP fearing that they will lose benefits of government-sponsored social welfare scheme, if they are spotted in AAP group," he said. "Don't worry, if they cancel the pension we will give all the pension with retrospective effect. Whatever benefits that were given by current government will be resumed (if AAP is voted to power) and dues will also be paid," he assured. New Delhi: As a wide section of Indians get used to paying bills and shopping online through internet banking or credit cards, here comes another mode of payment that has remained in the shadows so far. You can now pay your mobile or DTH bill through the digital currency, Bitcoin. Online shopping and utility bill payments via the virtual currency should be available soon. "Users are increasingly using Zebpay to pay their mobile bills using bitcoins and to buy vouchers for online shopping. Last month, users paid bills of more than Rs 15 lakh using bitcoins. This number is doubling every month," Sandeep Goenka, co-founder of Bitcoin mobile app-based platform Zebpay, told IANS. Bitcoin is a digital currency not produced by any government or statutory authority. It's generated by encryption techniques using peer-to-peer technology to operate. It has the power of infinite divisibility, which enables its use for tiny online transactions. The total number of Bitcoins is limited as its global supply has been fixed at 21 million by its founder, who has remained out of sight. Nobody owns or controls Bitcoin and everyone can take part in it. When a user wants to pay for a bill of, say, Rs 500, the bitcoins from their Zebpay wallet are transferred to the company at the current bitcoin price. Zebpay then pays the amount in rupees to the mobile carrier companies. For the user, the process is instant. By the year end, Zebpay plans to expand services to payment of broadband, electricity and landline phone bill, Goenka said. Bitcoin's legal status varies from country to country. In India the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintains that the digital currency is under observation. But it has neither been banned nor is it regulated. "Unregulated does not mean it is illegal, just that there are no specific laws for this new technology. It is legal to buy and sell bitcoins under all existing laws," Goenka said. At present, only the state of New York in the US has started giving licences for bitcoin trading. The NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) also has an official bitcoin index. Russia, though, has moved to ban it. Each bitcoin's value now is around Rs 30,000, having rallied over 100 per cent within a year. The price of bitcoins depend on demand and supply, just like the price of shares. The bitcoin exchanges publish prices, which are influenced by factors including international rates, liquidity and trading patterns. "Like gold, there is a finite supply of bitcoins at 21 million. Bitcoin was modelled in several ways after gold: they are both scarce, and it is impossible to artificially inflate supply," Jincy Samuel, COO and Center Head, Coinsecure, told IANS. But if bitcoins are like gold, how do you mine them? Well, you need huge computing power to mine a block of 25 coins. High-end hardware is required to process, but even then a solo effort perhaps would take up more in electricity cost -- and depreciation -- than the value of coin it will yield. Working alone, it could take up to three years or more to build a block. That's the reason why people join pools of "miners" putting together their computers and running the algorithms endlessly to produce a block. Bitcoins are kept in digital wallets on the computer. If you lose the computer then the you lose the money. With trading companies offering bill payments at a very low transaction cost of less than one per cent, the virtual currency is being seen as an alluring proposition. Coinsecure, a trade platform for the currency, said it is going to launch a service later this year which will allow the users to directly shop online in bitcoins. "We will soon be launching our merchant payment gateway this year, which will allow mobile companies or anyone else to accept bitcoins at zero percent volatility risk. We will be charging one percent transaction cost, instead of 3-4 per cent by credit card companies," Samuel of Coinsecure said. "We are in talks with the service providers for tie-ups to accept bitcoins and a lot of them are willing. We see a lot of online service providers, e-commerce companies and start-ups coming on board," Samuel said. The grey legal area for the digital currency creates concern, but like any new technology the laws are yet to catch up with it. "Bitcoin operates on blockchain technology, which is an open ledger and offers full transparency. Flipkart and Ola were also not regulated earlier. It is only recently that the government has regulated e-commerce and defined marketplace. We are also a marketplace," Kamesh Mupparaju, CEO of bitcoin trade exchange platform BTCXIndia, told IANS. Blockchain is an open digital ledger that records all bitcoin transactions that cannot be altered. The companies claim that fraud is unlikely with bitcoins as the entire operation is digital in nature, secured by strong encryption keys which guarantee the ownership of the currency. "Bitcoin works on self regulation," online portal Unocoin Co-founder and CEO Sathvik Vishwanath told IANS. Unocoin has already about 2,000 average mobile and DTH bill payments taking place through its online platform. "In a month's time we will launch insurance premium, electricity and water bill payments at zero percent transaction cost," Vishwanath said. The popularity of bitcoins has seen a sharp increase in India. In its very first year of operations last fiscal, Zebpay crossed Rs 100 crore turnover. At the same time, BCTXIndia jumped from a mere Rs 4 crore turnover in 2014-15 to Rs 70 crore in 2015-16. Unocoin said it is expecting to grow by 10-20 per cent per month. China, where the currency is unregulated, like India, does a trade of more than Rs 10,000 crore in bitcoins every day. The trading amount in India is around Rs 500 crore per year, Goenka said. That is likely to change quickly. Sony Xperia XA in multiple colours After introducing the world's first smartphone with a 4K display, Sony is back with a set of new Xperia smartphones - Xperia X and Xperia XA - which were first introduced at the MWC 2016 event held in Barcelona earlier this year.The new Xperia phones with curved glass display design are now up for pre-order in India. However, Xperia Performance - which was part of the trio introduced earlier - has not been made available for consumers in the country.The Xperia X features a 5-inch FHD display and under its hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, 64-bit Hexa-core processor. It further includes 23 megapixel of rear camera with predictive hybrid autofocus feature and a 13 megapixel front snapper for low-light selfies.The Xperia XA, on the other hand, features a 5-inch HD display, 13 megapixel rear camera and an 8 megapixel front camera. Under its hood is a 64-bit Octa-core processor while rest of the specifications are same as the Xperia X.Both the phones run Android Marshmallow, come with 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage (expandable up to 200 GB via microSD card), promise 2 days of battery life, and available in a dual SIM variant. The phones will be available in White, Graphite Black, Lime Gold, and Rose Gold colour choices.Price of the phones for Indian consumers has not been revealed and Sony is expected to launch the new Xperia phones on May 30. It isn't a child's play to collaborate with the world's largest space exploration organisation. Well, in the case of Rovio's hugely popular 'Angry Birds' game, it might be the other way around. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has enlisted the bird-shooting game for space exploration and education for all the right reasons. Teaching children about physics at an early age is certainly difficult. However, if taught through the medium of games like 'Angry Birds', the amount of lessons imparted is endless.In a video published by NASA, actor Bill Hader who has given voice to Leonard in the upcoming Hollywood movie 'Angry Birds', explains why the space organisation chose the seemingly childish game to impart important physics and space studies lessons. Astronaut Don Pettit further explains how this game isn't like other video games as it has to do a lot with trajectories, velocity, and acceleration - elements which are basic to every space mission. Watch the video to find out what makes the fun 'Angry Birds' game a favourite of even the most serious of organisations around the world. Tehran: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Iran for a two day visit. He was given a guard of honour in Tehran on Monday morning and met President Hassan Rouhani. The signing of the trilateral agreement on the strategic Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman will take place between India, Iran and Afghanistan later in the day. The key trading port that will open the Indian economy to central Asia, specifically Afghanistan and will bypass Pakistan. Modi and Rouhani discussed trade, energy and strategic ties. He will also meet Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Hours after reaching Tehran on Sunday evening, Modi visited Bhai Ganga Singh Gurudwara in the Iranian capital where he he met members of Indian community. The Prime Minister had invoked India's "civilisational ties" with Iran, before reaching Tehran. "Enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people contacts would be our priority," he said in a tweet. "My meetings with President Rouhani and Hon'ble Supreme Leader of Iran will provide an opportunity to advance our strategic partnership," the Prime Minister added. Modi was received at the Mehrabad International Airport by Iran's Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia. Colombo: Rescuers on Sunday pulled out 23 more bodies from the debris of disastrous landslides in Sri Lanka, taking the toll to 92 while over 100 people remained missing in floods triggered by rains even as relief aid poured in from across the world, including India, for lakhs displaced. The rains, the heaviest in the country in over a quarter century, have pounded Sri Lanka since last weekend, triggering huge landslides that have buried some victims in up to 50 feet of mud. Sri Lankan army and other rescuers pulled out 15 more bodies in the last 24 hours in the worst-hit district of Kegalle, about 100 kilometres from Colombo. The Disaster Management Centre said the death toll in the landslide has reached to 92 while 109 people are still missing. Around 3,40,000 people have been displaced across the country in the floods and landslides, said Pradeep Kodippili, spokesman of the Disaster Management Centre. The death toll is likely to go up as rescue teams reach some of the worst-hit areas, authorities said. The National Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that 21 of Sri Lanka's 25 districts have been badly affected due to the floods and landslide. The military said the search for the missing persons is on in Aranayake where over 40 bodies have been pulled out from the debris. Meanwhile, flood waters were receding in the capital Colombo and in the Western province's Kelaniya and Kaduwela areas. Sri Lankan authorities are now bracing to meet the mounting challenge of preventing outbreak of diseases as flood waters are being contaminated with garbage and raw sewage. "There is a real danger of diarrhoea and skin diseases spreading among the flood victims," Colombo Municipal Council medical chief Ruwan Wijayamuni said. International aid poured in Sri Lanka, bringing help to lakhs of people driven from their homes by heavy rains and deadly landslides. Various nations, including India, Pakistan, China, Australia and Japan are bringing in aid supplies such as blankets, water-purification tablets and drinking water. An Indian Air Force plane and two naval ships carrying emergency supplies arrived in Colombo yesterday. Sri Lanka's military is airdropping food and water to affected areas as rescue operations continue, authorities said. The UN has pledged to support the Sri Lankan government in its efforts to respond to the needs on the ground. UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Una McCauley, today met President Maithripala Sirisena and discussed flood emergency needs. An in-depth look at a political icon Contributors search for meaning in a life that was engaging as it was complex. This subtle psychological thrust, albeit unintentional, adds a new dimension to deconstructing the genius that was Eric Williams. His erudition, nationalistic spirit, enviable political IQ and oratory skills are rigorously examined. Yet there is a heuristic thread that runs through this undertaking. Maybe, Williams is too difficult to fully grasp given his multilayered personality, his impervious mind, and inscrutable aura. But slowly, painstakingly, each writer peels away these layers. Selwyns Cudjoes Eric Williams as a man of Culture offers a metaphysical overview of Williams life. From the ossifying world of politics Cudjoe delves into Williams spirituality and philosophy. At the outset he dismisses the charge that Williams trafficked in racial and tribal politics. There is no smoking gun in his comment that failure to capture the 1958 federal elections was due to a recalcitrant minority within the democratic party, an obvious volley against East Indians. Williams, according to Cudjoe channelled the best of Nehru, Tagore, and Gandhi. He argues that Tagores temperance moved Williams, shaping his balanced approach to the colonial struggle. Williams absorbed the inspirational philosophy of this Bengali philosopher, embracing his idealism as his. Of Mahatmas Mohandas Gandhi, Williams wrote that he was one of the most gifted human beings who ever lived [and] by whose progress and emancipation from misery and poverty the standard of Indian civilisation was to be judged. Williams also noted that the standards against which [Gandhi] fought in South Africa and developed his capacities were in some respects very similar to those which existed in Trinidad at the time, [and] his relations with the Indians and Africans in South Africa should form a chapter of history that should not only be of interest but of profit to all of us at this particular time. However, Williams encomium begs the question: Was he was aware of Gandhis alarming racist dribble against blacks during his time in South Africa? What we do know is that Williams philosophical pursuits were in line with Asias greatest thinkers. A key observation is made by Arnold Rampersad in his Life and Work of Eric Williams. He writes that in the face of stark elements that threatened to unseat him, he never came even remotely close to resorting to the abuses and even atrocities that other members of his generation of independence leaders around the world seemed to take easily in their crooked side. No newspaper was shut down, no journalist dispatched to jail, no ethnic cleansing perpetrated. Lydia Lindseys Eric Williams and the Anti-Colonial Society is a compelling portrait on revolutionary thought. Here, radicalism and moderation compete; and intelligence is beholden to charisma and oratory. It is a fascinating world of political fomentation and ideology. The scene is London, circa 1930s. Trafalgar Square is a hub for young black activists and intellectuals; so too are social clubs and restaurants. Ethiopia is invaded by a European power. Albert Padmore, CLR James, T Albert Marryshow, Amy Ashwood are in their element. And ever present is Williams. Alliances and activist groups are formed. It is here that Williams honed his skills and cultivated his magnetic appeal. Williams, we learn, was exposed to an array of open-air oratory at Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park.At times, [he] would speak to over 20,000 people as they stood in silenceHe was quick at repartee and quick to deflect questions. More importantly, it is during his sojourn in the UK that Williams refined his political doctrine. The struggle, he concluded, was about promoting and supporting a peoples movement that could lead to constructing anti-colonial societies rather than decolonised units. Williams, the prolific writer is ably captured in Franklin W. Knights Eric Williams and the Construction of a Caribbean History. He opines that Inward Hunger is a remarkable autobiography that may be compared to Simon Bolivars famous letter from Jamaica in 1815, and CLR James Black Jacobins. And in Capitalism and Slavery Revisited by Dale Tomich, Williams depth and scope as a thinker is relived. Tomich highlights the responses of Seymour Drescher, David Etlis, and David Beck Ryden to Williams thesis and later challenges his conceptual views on history and economics. The new economic historians Tomich writes, have generally accepted Williams analytical framework, but they have submitted his claims to quantitative scrutiny based on neoclassical economy theory. With few exceptions, they feel that they have disapproved his claims on empirical grounds. Tomich states that Williams conception of the empire in its relation to the more comprehensive Atlantic or world economy exhibits [a] dualistic structure Relations outside this sphere including with the French and Spanish Empires, Brazil and the United States are treated as external to the fundamental relation between Britain and its colonies. He concludes that the decline and abolition of the slave trade is not reducible to a single event or series of events. Rather, it is a unified and long-term structural shiftIt is within this long-term movement that social history, politics and ideology of slavery and emancipation needed to be reinterpreted and reassessed. But he concedes that, in such rethinking, Eric Williams remains the fundamental reference, both for the questions he asked and the insight he provides. In essence, The Legacy of Eric Williams transcends the life of a celebrated political leader and academician. It veers a political narrative toward aesthetics and ontology. Questions abound. Is political greatness preordained? Are nations merely reflections of their leaders? Have centuries of beguilement created a perverse political archetype that infects the best among us? The door is swung wide open to these philosophical inquires. Feedback: glenvilleashby@ gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@ glenvilleashby The Legacy of Eric Williams: Caribbean Scholar and Statesman Editor: Colin A Palmer Publisher: University of the West Indies Press, Mona, Jamaica ISBN: 978-976-640-556-4 Available at Amazon Ratings: Highly recommended. The Bear Attacked, So She 'Popped It Right in the Nose' Three Nile crocodiles have been caught near Miami. Will there be more of the man-eating reptiles here? Scientists at the University of Florida are trying to figure out how these reptiles ended up in the state. "They didn't swim from Africa," said Kenneth Krysko of the University of Florida and co-author of the paper. "But we really don't know how they got into the wild." The species was confirmed through DNA testing when they were caught in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The males of this frightening species can grow to more than 16 feet and 1,600 pounds. They are said to have executed more than 200 deaths per year in sub-Saharan Africa---which makes the annual average of six shark attacks look rather "tame". Although the captured crocodiles are genetically related, they do not match the Nile crocodiles at Disney's Animal Kingdom and other animal attractions in the state. Hence, they would have been brought into the state probably for the illegal pet trade. "My hope as a biologist is that the introduction of Nile crocodiles in Florida opens everyone's eyes to the problem of invasive species that we have here in our state," Krysko said."Now here's another one, but this time, it isn't just a tiny house gecko from Africa." If the man-eaters settle down in the Everglades, they would be an invasive threat to the ecosystem through crossbreeding. They would push out meeker American crocodiles. Moreover, hybrids would impact the genetic integrity of the American variety, which are under threat at present. "I have two words: Burmese python," said Joe Wasilewski, an independent wildlife biologist, and co-author of the study. "If you would have told me 15 years ago we would have an established population in the Everglades, I wouldn't have believed you." The findings were published April 30 in the journal Herpetological Conservation and Biology. According to Luca Di Montezemolo, former president of Ferrari, the legendary F1 driver who suffered from a ski accident more than two years ago told CNN in an interview that he is "very pleased to know that he is reacting." This news comes after Montezemolo said in February that the condition of reigning F1 champion doesn't look very good. Even though Montezemelo doesn't explain what he means by Schumacher "reacting," it is still a good news for the fans who have been eagerly waiting for a health update from the star's family or his long time manager, Sabine Kehm. This is also the first time in several months that someone of significance has offered a comment on Michael Schumacher's health. Former boss of the German racer added that it is Schumacher's inner strength that will help him overcome one of his biggest challenges. "I know how strong he is," Di Montezemolo said. "I'm sure that thanks to his determination - which will be crucial - he will come out from this very, very difficult situation ... And I really hope." There is no doubt in the reason why ex-President of Ferrari is still hopeful about Schumacher's recovery. Schumacher is not only a seven times F1 world champion but also one of the most important drivers of Ferrari. "He was an important member of the family and for me it's difficult to separate Michael as a driver from Michael as a friend," Di Montezemolo explained. Michael Schumacher underwent a ski accident in the French Alps in 2013 during his vacation. Due to fatal nature of his injuries to his head, he has been recovering at his Swiss home and is being treated by team of highly proficient doctors and caregivers. After the success of Pluto exploration, New Horizons is planning to explore the new strange new world of 2014 MU69. The mission would be conducted as soon as NASA gives a go ahead. The American space agency believes that the icy rock MU69 could be a time capsule from the earliest days of the solar system. It is actually a type of cold classical object present in the Kuiper Belt. The object is believed to have remained undisturbed since the formation of the solar system. According to reports, if NASA finally approves the mission, then New Horizons could probably figure out how the formation of solar system took place nearly 4.6 billion years ago. MU69 is quite far away and small, and this is the primary limitation that had restricted the scientists from accurately estimating its size and brightness from Earth. The team at New Horizons is also expecting to find a moon at MU69. The team says they are not completely sure whether MU69 will have a moon, however, 30 percent of the cold classical objects have a moon. Therefore, there are chances that the world of MU69 also has a satellite. New Horizons is also planning to look for craters on MU69. Previously, the team did the same exercise for Pluto and its moon. The data was then used to estimate the number of small objects in the Kuiper Belt. The researchers believe that having the same data for MU69 would be even better to constrain such objects. New Horizons' spacecraft is already on the way to the cold classical object. However, the mission would need a permission from NASA for the spacecraft to stay there for long enough to make a flyby. In case NASA doesn't permit, New Horizons will have to turn off the spacecraft in 2016 itself. Remember the comic star of the 1960s, Alan Young? He had a big co-star---a talking horse called Mister Ed. And now he died (Young, not Mister Ed) Thursday at the young age of 96. Young had lent his voice for Scrooge McDuck and other animations. His death was due to natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Home, said the Motion Picture & Television Fund Friday. Having lived at a retirement community for four years, he finally died with his children around him As he had been a veteran of radio and movies, featured in his Emmy Award-winning TV comedy-variety show in the early 1950s, his career was following a downslide when he was selected to play the lead in "Mister Ed." Comedian-producer George Burns had told his associates: "I think we should get Alan Young. He looks like the kind of guy a horse would talk to." It had been a syndicated series in January 1961 but it moved to CBS for four years that fall. "Mister Ed" cast Alan Young as architect Wilbur Post. He shifted with his wife Carol (Connie Hines) into a new home and was stumped to find a speaking horse in the backyard barn. With the relationship between Post and the horse being the backbone of the show, Young later said that they had been "great pals." He said to The Times in 1990, that Wilbur was "naive and bumbling," while "Ed was a wily one." "I think it's the same chemistry that made Laurel and Hardy and Jackie Gleason and Art Carney: It's the one guy making a fool of the other guy." The baritone for Mister Ed was provided by Allan "Rocky" Lane, an ex B-movie cowboy star. "Because he had been a star at one time, Rocky didn't want his name to appear in the credits," Young said in a 2004 interview with the State newspaper in Columbia, S.C. "But after the first year and the show had become a success, he went to the producers and said he would like a credit line. "They told him no because kids in the audience were writing to Ed and thought the horse could really talk. They gave Rocky a nice raise instead, and he seemed happy with that." But how exactly did he get his horse to move his mouth? "I started a big lie," he confessed in a 2001 interview with the Archive of American Television. "I said, 'Well, when you were a kid did you ever get peanut butter stuck under your lip?' 'Oh, that's how it's done!' So I never really lied; I just asked them a question. But that wasn't true at all." It was animal trainer Lester's doing. "Lester had a knack," said Young. "He used a soft nylon thread put under the lip. And then he had the end going down the bridle, and he'd just give it a little tug [and] Ed would try to get rid of it; that was his cue. And then he'd lay the [riding] crop across Ed's forelegs, and that was the cue to stop. That was it. "For the second year, we could hardly stop him from talking. As soon as he heard my voice stop, his lips would start to go." Mister Ed has remained popular forever. Two years ago, Young got into a packed elevator, faced the door and then softly sang the first line of its theme song: "A horse is a horse." He then paused, which prompted the entire crew behind him to add: "Of course, of course." Young's personal marital life began in 1940, when he married Mary Anne Grimes, with whom he had a daughter, Alana, and a son, Alan Jr. but it broke up in 1947. One year later, he married Virginia McCurdy in 1948, when they got a son, Cameron Angus, and a daughter, Wendy. Latest data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the number of pregnant women in the United States infected with Zika virus has more than tripled, jumping from 48 to 157 in addition to more than 120 women already known to be inflicted with the mosquito-borne virus in US overseas territories especially Puerto Rico. The US public health agency further said that less than dozen or so babies have reportedly suffered from a number of Zika-linked medical conditions which primarily include neurological birth defects like microcephaly characterized by unusually small heads in infants. According to Dr. Margaret Honein of CDC's birth defects branch, the 157 cases are still ongoing pregnancies so the US health authorities are not yet sure how many more babies will end up suffering. "The CDC's top priority in the Zika response is protecting pregnant women and their fetuses," Honein said as quoted by CNN. So far, no individual is confirmed to have been infected with Zika from a mosquito bite while in the United States. Most, if not all, Zika patients in the US have contracted the virus while traveling to places where it is endemically widespread. It is also possible that the infection could have also occurred through sexual intercourse with a male partner who recently went to Zika-affected countries mainly in Latin American and Caribbean regions. As of the moment, experts at CDC sill cannot gauge the exact medical risks that the Zika virus brings. US health authorities remain wary of any possible large outbreak happening on US soil that's why they're keeping a close watch on all affected pregnancies. Previously, CDC only included cases of women with positive test results plus symptoms. However, recent studies now suggest that Zika infections do not necessarily manifest any signs or symptoms. This means that the public health body is expanding its medical reporting to cover suspected patients who didn't have the Zika-related symptoms. "As the data accumulated about the risk of asymptomatic infections, it seemed more and more important to be very transparent and share publicly the numbers, the full number of pregnant women at risk of adverse outcomes associated with Zika," said Honein in a press briefing as quoted in a report by NPR. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama blasted the highly polarized US Congress for not acting on his request to bankroll a medical research initiative to prevent Zika from spreading further. He originally requested for $1.9 billion to fund an anti-Zika program to avert 'bigger problems' in the future. "This is not something where we can build a wall to prevent (the spreading of Zika), mosquitoes don't go through customs, to the extent that we're not handling this thing on the front end, we're going to have bigger problems on the back end," the US President said as quoted by BBC News. Crocodiles and their alligator cousins aren't exactly new in Florida. In fact, such reptilian creatures are a common sight in the state's swamplands. However, research experts in South Miami-Dade County were perplexed as to how three man-eating Nile crocodiles, discovered in 2009, could have found their way to Florida's swamps. With the use of DNA testing, biologists from the University of Florida have now confirmed that the crocodiles lingering among the native populations of the Sunshine State's swamps and the Everglades indeed belong to the Nile species native to Africa. The recently published study was appeared in the scientific journal of Herpetological Conservation and Biology last April. "The odds that the few of us who study Florida reptiles have found all of the Nile crocs out there is probably unlikely," said herpetology collections manager Kenneth Krysko of the Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida, as quoted in the institution's news brief. "We know that they can survive in the Florida wilderness for numerous years, we know that they grow quickly here and we know their behavior in their native range, and there is no reason to suggest that would change here in Florida." The biggest question looming on everyone's mind, however, is how these Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) could have possibly reached the state all they way from Africa. According to The Guardian, the Nile species could grow up to 18 feet long and was responsible for about 480 attacks on humans plus 123 fatalities in Africa from 2010 to 2014. As a predator, the Crocodylus niloticus is quite a generalist who preys on a variety of food supply native to the locality. Also, the scientists seemed quite surprise at how a one captured juvenile specimen could grow up 28% faster than their juvenile counterparts in Africa. The study also reveals that all three captured crocodiles are genetically related which means that they are all offspring from the same parent. The source is even more puzzling as there is no single Nile crocodile found in US zoos that match the DNA of the three specimens. Currently, the invasion of new species may add up to Florida's existing financial woes. The state has spent nearly half a billion dollars every year to remove invasive plants, animals, insects, and so on. "My hope as a biologist is that the introduction of Nile crocodiles in Florida opens everyone's eyes to the problem of invasive species that we have here in our state," Krysko said as reported by the Washington Post. "Now here's another one, but this time it isn't just a tiny house gecko from Africa." The mother of a toddler recently declared as brain-dead sought legal reprieve from the court to stop a hospital from cutting off life support to her son. To her relief, a federal appeals court granted the request. Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Roseville has been ordered by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to maintain 2-year-old Israel Stinson's life support while reviewing the mother's request. Previously, a lower court granted a life support extension for the toddler but it expired last Friday. Jonee Fonseca, Israel's mother, argued that she needs ample time to search for a more suitable facility. On the other hand, the hospital argues that the toddler's condition is helpless and that they have given the Israel's parents more than enough time to look for another facility. The 9th Circuit did not specify a timeframe for the life support extension in the court order but required both parties tons of paperwork which could stretch through Wednesday next week. The court also advised the parents to provide regular updates on their ongoing efforts of finding a more preferable location. "We continue to appreciate the seriousness with which the courts are approaching these life-and-death decisions, and we will be working through the weekend to address the latest questions posed by the 9th Circuit," said Atty. Matthew McReynolds, a lawyer for the Fonsecas as quoted by Sacramento Bee. "Every day is a gift, and both we and Israel's family are going to make the most of it by presenting the strongest possible legal arguments and at the same time seeking a better placement where he can have the opportunity to improve and thrive." Kaiser Permanente stated that they would comply with the court's order and continue to work with the family in facilitating Israel's transfer as soon as the alternative facility has been identified. However, the medical institution strongly contends that Israel's condition can no longer improve because the patient has already suffered "permanent, irreversible and total cessation of all brain functions" and an extended meaningless life support would rob the toddler of a dignified death, CBS News reported. Israel Stinson's case bears resemblance to Jahi McMath who was pronounced brain dead following a surgery to treat sleep apnea. A growing movement nationwide has been fighting for greater transparency and accountability in the process in which patients are declared dead by medical institutions. "The hospital declared him brain dead before he showed signs of improvement," remarked Alexandra Snyder, executive director for Napa-based Life Legal Defense Foundation, NBC Bay Area reported. "So then it could argue that it didn't have to treat him." In a recent move that will certainly be welcomed by not only the rest of the countries in the gulf but by also the rest of the global business community, the oil rich country of Kuwait has decided to establish its own business council, plainly known as the Kuwait Business Council that has been inducted into the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The establishment of the Kuwait Business Council was announced on Sunday by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and considering the fact that Dubai is currently one of the most active centres of global business across the world and is also the place where plenty of Kuwaiti businesses have a thriving trade, it is without doubt an extremely sensible step on the part of the powers that be in the Gulf kingdom. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has a total of 47 business councils under its watch and would certainly lead to greater collaboration in businesses between the two regions. Senior Vice President of Commercial Services Sector of the Dubai Chamber, Atiq Juma Nasib, said, "Kuwait is a historic GCC trading partner for Dubai and this new council will help business communities of the UAE and Kuwait to establish stronger trade ties and contribute to the economic development of Kuwait and the UAE while taking both the countries' bilateral relations to a higher level," . On the other hand, Chairman of Kuwait Business Council, Saad Al Rubaiaan welcomed the move as well, "It is a matter of pride for us to establish this first of its kind business Council outside of Kuwait. This has been made possible with the hard work of Kuwaiti businesses and the support and cooperation of Dubai Chamber and the Consulate General of the State of Kuwait in the emirate. We look forward to the newly-established Business Council to serve as an ideal platform for Kuwaiti businesses to strengthen their trading ties with Dubai-based businesses and to benefit from the opportunities that the emirate's vibrant investment environment offers to companies looking to expand globally while contributing to the success and growth of Kuwaiti companies operating out of the emirate's markets." Donal Trump has had to endure a level of scrutiny into his life that he has never been subjected to at any other point in the past and that is something that he has taken in the stride as he looks to become the Republican candidate for the US Presidential elections later this year. However, the latest revelations by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist David Cay Johnston in an article in the publication Politico will certainly come as a bit of a shock for Trump's supporters since it reveals his association with the American Mafia and in particular his relations with Mafia boss Anthony 'Fat Tony' Salerno of the infamous Genovese crime family. According to that article, the Republican presidential candidate for the 2016 elections had very close ties with the mafia boss and took the help of construction companies run by the mafia for the construction of some of his signature properties like the Trump Plaza and Trump Tower. Fat Tony was in charge of the concrete firm known as S&A Concretes and Trump paid him over the market rate in order to make sure that the construction of his buildings were done quicker, without any potential trouble from unions. The article states: - 'Even a brief labor slowdown can turn into an expensive disaster. But with Cohn as his lawyer, Trump apparently had no reason to personally fear Salerno or Castellano-at least, not once he agreed to pay inflated concrete prices. What Trump appeared to receive in return was union peace. That meant the project would never face costly construction or delivery delays'. The author further goes on to add a snippet from the indictment of Fat Tony, "The indictment on which Salerno was convicted in 1988 and sent to prison, where he died, listed the nearly $8 million contract for concrete at Trump Plaza, an East Side high-rise apartment building, as one of the acts establishing that S &A was part of a racketeering enterprise." While President Barack Obama is making a trip to Vietnam and Japan in order to build stronger economic and security ties with Asian-Pacific allies who are worried about a rising China, he is also coming face to face with the legacies of the Vietnam and World War II wars. His first halt during his weeklong Asia trip is Vietnam. This is the third sitting president to visit Vietnam since the end of the war. It is four decades after the fall of Saigon, and two decades after President Bill Clinton built up links again with Vietnam. Obama is now eager to improve relations with a rising country and an expanding middle class, which seems to be a promising market for U.S. goods and looks like a foil to China in this area. At Hanoi late Sunday, Obama will call for stronger commercial and security ties, along with a reference to the 12-nation trans-Pacific trade agreement that has been stalled in Congress and is facing some opposition from other 2016 presidential candidates. Vietnam hopes that the President will also take forward the elimination of the war legacy and the U.S. partial embargo on selling arms to Vietnam. Even though the idea is being debated, there appears to be some concern in the US about "Vietnam's human rights record." Meanwhile, many American groups are also forcing Obama to probe into "unfinished business" regarding the fates of more than 1,600 U.S. servicemen who never came back from the Vietnam War. Relatives of those military members have asked Vietnam to help in locating the many victims who might have been shot down or died as POWs in the war. On the other hand, Vietnam has for long affirmed that it has been helping the US to get back its missing personnel and denied that it has held any more POWs after the war. In an airstrike, Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was killed Saturday in Pakistan, said sources within al Qaeda and the Taliban, confirmed CNN source. US officials said that the drone had struck at about 6 a.m. ET Saturday in a far off region of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, southwest of Ahmad Wal. "Mansour played a key leadership role in not only orchestrating the Taliban but orchestrating a variety of other organizations to include the Haqqani Network and al Qaeda who were perpetrating operations against not only U.S. forces but coalition forces and Afghan forces for a long period of time," Gen. Joseph Votel of U.S. Central Command said at a news conference in Amman, Jordan. "He's an individual who has been in that structure for a long time. I'm glad he's gone." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry agreed that Mansour "was directly opposed to peace negotiations." "This action sends a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners as they work to build a more stable, united, secure and prosperous Afghanistan," Kerry explained at a news conference in Myanmar. "It is time for Afghans to stop fighting and to start building a real future together." The United States informed Pakistan's government of the strike, Kerry added. "We have had longstanding conversations with Pakistan and Afghanistan about this objective with respect to Mullah Mansour, and both countries' leaders were notified of the airstrike," he said. "And it is important for people to understand that Mullah Mansour, as I said a moment ago, has been actively involved in planning attacks in Kabul, across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and to the coalition forces that are there." Meanwhile, Pakistani officials protested that they had been informed only after the strike had been carried out. "While further investigations are being carried out, Pakistan wishes to once again state that the drone attack was a violation of its sovereignty, an issue which has been raised with the United States in the past as well," said a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, US officials point out that Mansour had been opposed to peace. "Mansour has been the leader of the Taliban and actively involved with planning attacks against facilities in Kabul and across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and security forces, our personnel and coalition partners," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said. "Mansour has been an obstacle to peace and reconciliation between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, prohibiting Taliban leaders from participating in peace talks with the Afghan government that could lead to an end to the conflict." Last year, the Taliban revealed that Mansour had taken command after the death of longtime leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, who died in Pakistan in 2013. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. New Delhi: Faced with numerous complaints from its customers of being inhospitable and insensitive, especially in times of flight delays, Government-run Air India wants to address them with the nationalistic spirit. According to carriers Chairman and Managing Director, Ashwani Lohani, using the words Jai Hind, (Victory to India or Long live India) by the flight commander before take off, would make a tremendous impact (on the passengers in case of delays). The captain of a flight should often connect with passengers during the journey and, at the end of first address, using the words Jai Hind would make a tremendous impact, Lohani, who is trying to turnaround the loss-making flag carrier said in a recent communication to his employees. Besides, Lohani in his communication has also asked the staff to be courteous and polite to passengers and said wearing a smile would be a good thing. In a lengthy message, Lohani also sought to sensitise the employees to the need of ensuring that passengers have a good experience with Air India, especially at a time when the carrier is looking to bring about a turnaround in its fortunes. This comes against the backdrop of multiple incidents in recent times, ranging from controversies involving people with disabilities to bad quality of food, to quarrels among staff, resulting in flight delays. The cabin crew should greet the passengers while emplaning and deplaning with a namaskaar as was the tradition. A smile on the face and conversing sweetly and politely without an iota of irritation would be a good thing, Lohani said. During Aircraft on Ground (AOG) or progressive delay exceeding 30 minutes, Lohani said, the airport manager and the station manager should immediately reach the site and attend to the passengers. There should be adequate communication to the passengers and their boarding/lodging needs should be taken care of without delay, he said, adding that station manager and airport manager have to be proactive and positive with a problem solving approach. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Colombo: Rescuers today pulled out 23 more bodies from the debris of disastrous landslides in Sri Lanka, taking the toll to 92 while over 100 people remained missing in floods triggered by rains even as relief aid poured in from across the world, including India, for lakhs displaced. The rains, the heaviest in the country in over a quarter century, have pounded Sri Lanka since last weekend, triggering huge landslides that have buried some victims in up to 50 feet of mud. Sri Lankan army and other rescuers pulled out 15 more bodies in the last 24 hours in the worst-hit district of Kegalle, about 100 kilometres from here. The Disaster Management Centre said the death toll in the landslide has reached to 92 while 109 people are still missing. Around 3,40,000 people have been displaced across the country in the floods and landslides, said Pradeep Kodippili, spokesman of the Disaster Management Centre. The death toll is likely to go up as rescue teams reach some of the worst-hit areas, authorities said. The national Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that 21 of Sri Lankas 25 districts have been badly affected due to the floods and landslide. The military said the search for the missing persons is on in Aranayake where over 40 bodies have been pulled out from the debris. The sun was out this morning, yet the search operations were not easy, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said. Meanwhile, floodwaters were receding in the capital Colombo and in the Western provinces Kelaniya and Kaduwela areas. Sri Lankan authorities are now bracing to meet the mounting challenge of preventing outbreak of diseases as floodwaters are being contaminated with garbage and raw sewage. There is a real danger of diarrhoea and skin diseases spreading among the flood victims, Colombo Municipal Council medical chief Ruwan Wijayamuni said. International aid poured in Sri Lanka, bringing help to lakhs of people driven from their homes by heavy rains and deadly landslides. Various nations, including India, Pakistan, China, Australia and Japan are bringing in aid supplies such as blankets, water-purification tablets and drinking water. An Indian Air Force plane and two naval ships carrying emergency supplies arrived in Colombo yesterday. Sri Lankas military is airdropping food and water to affected areas as rescue operations continue, authorities said. The UN has pledged to support the Sri Lankan government in its efforts to respond to the needs on the ground. UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Una McCauley, today met President Maithripala Sirisena and discussed flood emergency needs. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated scientists on the successful launch of Indias first indigenously made space shuttle- the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). Launch of Indias first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them, he said in a tweet. The dynamism & dedication with which our scientists & @isro have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 The dynamism & dedication with which our scientists & @isro have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring, the Prime Minister said. Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2016 India today successfully launched the first technology demonstrator of indigenously made Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), capable of launching satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter the atmosphere, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. RLV, being dubbed as Indias own space shuttle, is the unanimous solution to achieve low cost, reliable and on-demand space access, according to ISRO scientists. RLV-TD is a series of technology demonstration missions that have been considered as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-usable vehicle. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tehran: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today accorded a ceremonial welcome as he met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for talks to deepen trade, investment and energy ties. Modi, the first Prime Minister to visit Iran on a bilateral visit in 15 years, was received by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the forecourts of Saadabad Palace - the seat of executive in Iran. Military bands played national anthems of the two countries after which Modi inspected guard of honour. Following this, the two leaders had a 30-minute restricted meeting to discuss bilateral issues of strategic and business importance. Delegation-level talks followed it, leading to signing of agreements on development of Chahabar port on southern coast of Iran, setting up of an aluminium smelter plant and rail line. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a bid to commemorate International Day for Biological Diversity, National Biodiversity Authority under Ministry of Environment organised a gathering on Sunday. Addressing the gathering Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao called for making preservation of bio-diversity a "people's movement" and urged the youth to become stakeholders in efforts to preserve flora, fauna and other varieties of life. Rao said, "Drastic climatic changes witnessed in the country are posing serious challenges like droughts and floods leading to loss of bio-diversity. Needless to say, India needs a comprehensive policy to tackle the global climatic change to protect the life and livelihood of our people and to protect bio-diversity. Besides, the Governor emphasized the need for a partnership among the governments, agricultural research institutions, business organisations, NGOs and farmers to meet challenges of food security and also of preserving the biological diversity. "Time has come to make the bio-diversity preservation a people's movement. We are a nation with highest number of youths. We must make youths stakeholders in the effort to preserve our biodiversity," he added. I do feel, said Rao, that the International Day of Biological Diversity should be celebrated in villages, towns and cities, in village panchayats and in Municipal Corporations. Reiterating the message Rao said the International Day of Biological Diversity should also be celebrated in all schools and colleges to make aware the students about bio-diversity and the impending threats to it. "We must persuade the corporate sector to take up the conservation of biodiversity as part of their social responsibility obligation. Empowering Gram Sabhas in the scheduled areas will go a long way in preserving biodiversity. We must provide incentives to Gram Panchayats preserving biodiversity and empowering communities," said Rao. The Governor said that as the chancellor of agricultural universities in Maharashtra, he would ask all vice-chancellors to take up the subject of biodiversity on top of their agenda. (With inputs from PTI) For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Hanoi: Barack Obama today confirmed that Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US strike, hailing his death as an important milestone in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. We have removed the leader of an organisation that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups like al Qaida, the US President said in a statement, referring to Saturdays strike which took place on Pakistani soil. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A shocking video showing Mumbai cops thrashing a couple inside a police station is making rounds on social media. The video shows several policemen thrashing a couple who had reportedly gone to register a case at the police station. The footage, released by news agency ANI, has been is allegedly shot at Kandivali Police Station. Following the incident, Mumbai Police on Monday ordered an inquiry against its officials. Hoewever, the reasons behind the incident and time is not known yet. Mumbai Police on Monday said it will take strict action. An investigation is underway in the case, strict action will be taken against those found guilty, a Mumbai Police official said. WATCH: Couple thrashed mercilessly inside a Police Station in Kandivali,Mumbai (Source: Amatuer video)https://t.co/BlQK3BFuD9 ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beirut: At least 101 people were killed today in a spate of bombings in two Damascus regime bastions on the Mediterranean coast, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Fifty-three people were killed in the city of Jableh and another 48 died in Tartus further south, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Seven bombs hit the two cities almost simultaneously this morning. More Detailed Awaited... For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tehran: India and Iran today inked a dozen agreements ranging from a contract to develop the strategic Chahabar port to an initial pact to set up an aluminium plant and one on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The 12 agreements and MoUs signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Iran to further deepen bilateral ties in diverse fields. The agreements were signed in presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation in 15 years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The documents were in the fields of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Also an agreement to provide USD 150 million credit line was signed by Exim Bank of India. IRCON signed an initial agreement to lay a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, while state-owned Nalco signed an MoU to look at possibility of setting up a 0.5 million tonne aluminium smelter at Chabahar free trade zone provided Iran gives cheap natural gas. An MoU was also signed between the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran and the Export Guarantee Corporation of India. The documents included an MoU between the foreign ministries of both countries for dialogue on policy-making and interaction between think-tanks. Another MoU was signed between School for International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of India. Also signed was an executive protocol between the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran, and Indias Ministry of Science and Technology and an MoU between National Archives of India and National Library of Iran. An executive programme of cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Irans Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance as well as an MoU between Irans Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations was also signed. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ballia (UP): In a suspected case of honour killing, an 18-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly murdered by her mother and two relatives who were opposed to her relationship with a man in Kurthiya village, police said. The girl was on Saturday last killed by her mother and two uncles, who were against her relationship. They put her body in a sack and dumped it in a hut in the village, SP Manoj Kumar Jha said. The body was found by some villagers the same day and police were informed. An FIR against her mother and two uncles was registered yesterday, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on May 26 the plea of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast, seeking relaxation in bail terms to enable him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional dispute between India and Italy. A vacation bench comprising Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud fixed the plea for hearing on Thursday when Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, said the government does not object if conditions are relaxed on the same lines as was done in the case of another marine Massimiliano Latorre. Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there has recently been extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. The marine, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy here, has said that he be allowed to go back to his native place till the arbitral panel decides the jurisdictional aspect in the matter. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Relax the bail conditions, in terms described ..., on Sergent Major Salvatore Girone, as contained in the Honble Courts consequential order dated January 18, 2013 modifying the Kerala High Court order of May 30, 2012 to enable him to return to Italy until a final decision by the Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal on the merits of the case that finds that India has jurisdiction over him in respect of the Enrica Lexie incident, Girone said in his fresh plea. The plea, filed through lawyer Jagjit Singh Chhabra, has also sought a direction that Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the necessary residential permit and exit visa. Girone has also said the authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport including the Bureau of Immigration and the concerned CISF and other security authorities be apprised of the courts direction that he can leave India. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Several regions have been on high security alert seeing the terror threat which has become a global issue. Security agencies are much concerned about the open spaces in Delhi and NCR regions. As their insights warn of open spaces and areas, which are more prone to aerial threat can be used by anti-national elements. They warn of the misdeeds that can take place in open spaces such as launching para-gliders and micro-light aircraft. To keep a close watch on this, now security agencies will closely monitor people using gadgets. The matter has also been taken up in the coordination meeting chaired by Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Verma. Now the use of drones and such gadgets with good height which may also prove to be a hurdle for pilots are banned by the civil aviation ministry. Earlier also, suspicious aerial activities have been noticed by security agencies. Lack of knowledge and awareness is what stops cops from taking proper action when it comes to national security. The DGCA has banned use of UAS as they pose a threat for air collisions and accidents. Also functioning of objects like UAS requires approval from Air Navigation Service provider, defence ministry, Ministry of Home Affairs, and other concerned security agencies, besides the DGCA. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beirut: More than 120 people were killed today in two Syrian regime bastions in a spate of bombings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Seventy-three people were killed in the city of Jableh and another 48 died in Tartus further south, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Seven bombsmost of them suicide attackshit Jableh and Tartus almost simultaneously today morning. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said they were without a doubt the deadliest attacks on the two cities since Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011. IS claimed the attacks via its Amaq news agency, saying jihadists had attacked Alawite gatherings in Tartus and Jableh. Both cities are strongholds of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad whose family hails from the village of Qardaha, just 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Jableh. Their populations are mostly Alawite. IS is not known to have a presence in Syrias coastal provinces, where its jihadist rival and Al-Qaedas local branch Al-Nusra Front is much more prominent. But IS is notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies. Syrian state media also reported the attacks but gave a total of 78 dead, 45 in Jableh and 33 in Tartus. The attacks began at 9:00 am local time (0600 GMT) in Tartus, where steadfast regime ally Russia has long maintained a naval base. State television broadcast footage of a bus station hit by one blast in Tartus, showing charred minibuses and others still ablaze. The Tartus blasts were caused by one car bomb and two suicide bombers, the Observatory and police said. A Facebook page sharing local news from Jableh, where another bus station was targeted, as was a government hospital, shared footage of people around fire trucks near several bombed-out cars. A police officer in Jableh told AFP that one suicide attacker detonated his explosives inside the emergency room of the state-run hospital, while three car bombs caused the other blasts. The Observatory said there were three suicide attackers and just one car bomb. Russia today expressed concern over the blasts. The rising tensions and terrorist activity in Syria can only spark great worry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told journalists. He said the attacks demonstrate yet again how fragile the situation is in Syria and the need to take energetic measures to relaunch peace talks. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Istanbul: German Chancellor Angela Merkel today said she had told Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of her deep concern over a law lifting immunity for Turkish lawmakers that critics believe is aimed at evicting pro-Kurdish lawmakers from parliament. Of course, the lifting of the immunity of one quarter of the deputies is a source of deep concern. I expressed this to the Turkish president and we discussed these questions very openly, she said. Not all my questions have been answered, we will have to watch developments closely, she told reporters at the German consulate after the talks. Turkeys parliament on Friday adopted a highly controversial bill that would lift immunity for dozens of MPs, which the opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) fears is aimed directly against its lawmakers. The move could see dozens of HDP deputies facing criminal prosecution and losing parliamentary seats on accusations of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency in the southeast. Merkels talks with Erdogan came as tensions surge between Ankara and the EU over a hugely controversial deal for Turkey to limit the flow of migrants to Europe in exchange for incentives including visa-free travel for its citizens. EU leaders are insisting that Turkey abides by 72 conditions before this takes place, with a demand to change counter-terror laws proving particularly contentious. The EU is pressuring Ankara to narrow its definition of terror to stop prosecuting academics and journalists for publishing terror propaganda. The EU had said that if the conditions were fulfilled Turks would enjoy visa-free travel to the passport-free Schengen area by the end of June at the latest. But Merkel said that this target was now receding out of sight and was unlikely to be met. We must do everything that we can to continue to discuss as it is likely that by July 1 certain things wont be put in place, in other words the visa exemption (will not be granted) as some conditions will not have been fulfilled. I said clearly that the path towards the removal of the visa demand is based on 72 points which are not new and were presented in December 2013 by the European Union. We need all these points to be put in place to allow the visa exemption. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tehran: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran during which the two countries signed 12 agreements including a milestone pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port and pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism. Khuda Hafez Tehran! A busy day of diplomacy ends as PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Modi who held extensive talks with President Hassan Rouhani also called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei before heading home. During the visit, besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Modi said could alter the course of the history of the region. The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. Modis visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, came months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehrans historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic programme. Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Delhi Congress today hit out at the AAP government and the BJP-led Centre over the power woes in the national capital, saying the situation was due to generation of less than installed capacity of the power plants. The average demand for power in Delhi last week was 5,655 MW while the installed capacity in Delhi is only 2,917 MW. Average generation of power even from the installed capacity was only 898 MW last week, which meant that only 30.78 per of the installed capacity was being generated, Delhi Congress President Ajay Maken claimed during a press briefing. He alleged that no effort was being made by both Delhi GENCO and the NTPC to generate 100 per cent of the installed capacity leading to unregulated power cuts. He said Delhi Congress will hold a protest march from Rajghat to the Secretariat on May 28 against power and water shortage in the city due to constant clash between the AAP government and the BJP dispensation at the Centre. Delhi and central governments have not taken the steps that should have been taken to solve the power shortage, he alleged. Maken claimed that since power generation in Delhi is low, the only way is to make power available from outside. But there is capacity constraint as the maximum capacity of transmission lines is not more than 4,500 MW and as soon as the demand goes upto 5,300 MW the system is unable to take the load. No major effort has been made to improve the transmission capacity in the last two years, he alleged. Maken also accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government of being directly responsible for the water crisis in Delhi. Due to Kejriwals opposition to SYL canal, Delhi would get only 0.002 million acre feet (MAF) water instead of 0.2 MAF water. He is busy playing politics in Goa and Punjab, leaving him with little time to address the pressing power and water problems in Delhi, he alleged. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 / contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 / contributed photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 DANBURY - A city magnet school celebrated its 10th anniversary with an international street fair last week that drew several hundred spectators. The Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies, a magnet elementary school, set up colorful tables and flags from countries including Spain, Italy, Iceland and Guatemala, according to a release. ROXBURY - The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is seeking the publics help as it investigates an adult male black bear found dead on Roxbury Land Trust property off Upper County Road. Town officials started receiving calls about the dead bear on Wednesday morning. The Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police and DEEP are asking for anyone with information about the incident to call DEEP emergency dispatch at 860-424-3333. The names of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson scrubbed because of their ties to slavery wont be the only glaring void when Connecticut Democrats hold their annual fundraising dinner next week. At least five of the largest state employee unions are boycotting the June 2 banquet in Hartford, in protest of ongoing layoffs under Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that have reached 1,000. That number is expected to grow to 2,000. A strategic source of financial and grassroots support for the states majority party, the unions traditionally buy several tables at $1,850 each for what has been rebranded as the Connecticut Democratic Progress Dinner. But not this year, coming off the standoff between Malloy and his labor base over salary reductions to close a $1 billion budget deficit. Union leaders had called for Malloy to raise taxes on the states wealthiest residents instead. Now, theyre planning to demonstrate outside the dinner. The decision was prompted by the governors Jekyll and Hyde behavior, said Larry Dorman, a spokesman for Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He was able to force through a budget thats going to be devastating to the people of Connecticut and the values that we stand for, and it just made no sense to be a part of that (event) this year. Rift between party, labor Malloys administration stood by the austerity measures and the $19.7 billion budget, which passed along mostly party lines in the Legislature earlier this month. It referred questions on the boycott to the Connecticut Democrats, who tried to downplay the tiff. The Connecticut Democratic Party continues to share many of the same values and goals as our friends in the labor movement, said Leigh Appleby, a state party spokesman. And we remain committed to working with our states labor unions to grow our economy from the middle out. It is unfortunate that some would attempt to undermine an event with the sole purpose of raising the resources to elect Democrats up and down the ticket, including Sen. (Richard) Blumenthal, but we expect the Progress Dinner to be a success with help from Democrats across the state, including friends in organized labor. The event, which is marking its 68th year and typically draws 1,000 people, was previously named the Jefferson Jackson Bailey dinner. This years keynote speaker is former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. In a move that garnered national attention and some criticism for political correctness Democrats voted last year to change the name. They cited Jefferson and Jacksons ownership of slaves as a key factor in the decision, as well as Jacksons role in the removal of Native Americans from the southeastern U.S. in what was known as the Trail of Tears. The events third namesake, John Bailey, who led the state party and then the Democratic National Committee under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, was preserved in a new award for service to the party. We are not purchasing any tickets this year, said Lori Pelletier, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. We are going to be saving our money and investing it in our own political program. Making their point Pelletier said the union, which represents 30,000 state employees, including 700 of those laid off, has instructed its members to withhold political contributions to both Democrats and Republicans. Each year, she said, those add up to $75,000 to $100,000. But the AFL-CIO only buys a table at the Democratic fundraising dinner, where Pelletier said union members will be passing out literature and asking attendees to contribute to a special fund for the employees affected by the layoffs. We are going to be out there raising awareness about our displeasure with the budget that governor signed, Pelletier said. Were not going to be stopping people from going in ... just an educational thing. The 30,000-member American Federation of Teachers of Connecticut is planning to pull a no-show. Our members have made clear that they dont want their limited political contributions being used to further devastate Connecticuts quality of life, said Jan Hochadel, the groups president. What they do want is for their pooled resources to support women and men who will fight for the services they provide the people of our state every day. Two arms of the Service Employees International Union SEIU 1199 and CSEA SEIU Local 2001 are also joining the boycott. Affiliation with the Democratic Party simply does not guarantee that a politician supports working people, said Ben Phillips, a spokesman for CSEA SEIU Local 2001. This is not the first time unions have struck back at Malloy. Before last months Democratic presidential primary in Connecticut, several labor groups refused to knock on doors for Hillary Clinton despite their endorsement of the former secretary of state. They balked because of Malloys alliance with Clinton, who still won the primary over Bernie Sanders. The relationship with the Malloy administration has been damaged, Phillips said. neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy My daughter recently informed me that she'd like to travel for a year before going to college. I was a little taken aback. When I started talking about college in high school, my parents made me a very clear offer: Go to college after high school and we'll pay for four years, no more, and when you graduate, you must get a job and fully support yourself. This seemed like such an incredibly generous offer that I never thought to push my luck and postpone my studies to explore the world and find myself. Asking them to fork over extra cash for backpacking around Europe or building latrines in Africa would have been absolutely terrifying. And so my immediate response to my daughter was, "And who's paying for this?" My daughter shot me one of those indignant teenage looks that reeks of confidence, disgust and clearly says, "Well, I can do anything I want! You're not stopping me!" And then news broke yesterday that Malia Obama, the president's older daughter, will be taking a gap year before attending Harvard. Suddenly, my know-it-all 13-year-old and her grand idea had some clout. That gorgeous and studious Obama girl who is breezing through her teenage years in the White House spotlight with admirable grace and strength is going to take a break from the classroom to do something meaninful before attending what many consider the best university in the country. I'll admit, Malia's decision and her parents' endorsement led me to think more deeply about my conversation with my own daughter a few weeks ago. It also spurred me to do research on the gap year, which is loosely defined as a one-year hiatus from the structure of a classroom between high school and college to expand your horizons. Abby Falik, the founder and CEO of Global Citizen Year, an Oakland-based nonprofit that gives students the opportunity to live and volunteer in a developing country, describes it with more beautiful language. "A breath between two stages of life where everything is possible," she said. Falik said less than 1 percent of American students take a gap year, while in Scandinavia and some other European countries that number is as high as 50 percent, and she thinks 99 percent of American children are missing out on something special. "We're starting to recognize that we're missing something transitionally by blowing by this period when kids need a moment to breathe, a transition, time to explore and understand themselves. "The short of it is that our education system is increasingly moving our kids along a conveyor belt without giving kids opportunities to explore and test their curiosity. We're seeing a third of college freshman don't come back for a second year. Many are overwhelmed by anxiety, depression. "We can't afford to not break up this treadmill-like process in a way that allows students to get off the track, to figure out who they are, figure out who they want to become, to see more clearly that there is a bigger world, that they have agency to figure out how to use their education to further their potential and then get to college not burned out and with questions they're looking to answer." All of this sounded pretty convincing, and here's more evidence that I found in support of the gap year: The majority of today's students start college uncertain of their career path and this helps explain why 68 percent of students do not graduate in four years, and 44 percent fail to graduate in six years (Bookings Institute). Students who take a gap year return to school more focused on their academic goals and ultimately, are more satisfied in their careers (Karl Haigler & Rae Nelson, The Gap Year Advantage, independent study of 280 Gap Year students between 1997 2006). As a result of this focus, students who take a gap year are more likely to graduate in four years or even less, Falik said. Ninety-seven percent of college presidents will say their students are ready for the work force while only 11 percent of companies hiring these students agree. Falik believes students who take a gap year are better prepared when they graduate because they have a clear idea of what they want in life. I was beginning to be convinced, but how do you ever pay for it? My husband and I have both chosen career paths that are more about doing meaningful work than making money and we're raising three children and would like to at least help pay for them all to go to college. (With the crazy expense of college these days, I'm uncertain whether I'll be able to make my children the same offer my parents made me.) In an NPR Marketplace segment yesterday, it was noted that the average gap year program started at $19,000 for eight months. The tuition for Global Citizen Year is about $32,000 though Falik said 80 percent of her fellows receive some financial aid and one-third are fully funded. Of course, your child doesn't have to enroll with an organized program with tuition. Personal finance expert and reporter Erica Sandberg suggests students work for a year. "Obviously Malia is in a privileged position, since she can use the time off to gain new experiences and relax," Sandberg said. "I can't imagine she'll be hurting for cash, as a good portion of the general population will. "However, less advantaged high school graduates can enjoy many of the same gap year benefits. Live with parents or a large group of friends to minimize costs, then dive in, get some jobs, and work hard. Spend almost nothing and save like mad. Use some cash for fun and the rest for upcoming tuition." She added: "Twelve dollars net per hour (here in San Francisco my friend was just quoted and paid $25 per hour for housekeeping), working full time equals nearly $2,000 a month. If you can set aside $1,000 per month for a year, thats a clean $12,000 to distribute as you wish." "I shake my head when people say it's not possible. It absolutely can be done. Any young, healthy, unencumbered teenager who is motivated can do it. It's an opportunity to understand your strengths and learn to be humble." And so after all this, my attitude toward my daughter's desire for a gap year has changed slightly, and here's my new response: "Great idea. In fact, I think you should do it. But you'll need to pay for it and I'm here to help you figure that out." For startups spread throughout the world and looking to break into the United States, getting accepted to a well-respected U.S.-based accelerator program can feel like winning the lottery. Related: Within 10 Years, the Number of Accelerator Programs in the U.S. Has Increased Tenfold As a mentor to startups based in Ukraine and a technical associate for Techstars Boston, I frequently speak with founders who are about to join a U.S. accelerator, and they couldnt be more enthusiastic about the prospect of meeting the mentors, venture capitalists and other business contacts that will help them grow their businesses. Yet, while getting into a top U.S. accelerator program is certainly cause for celebration, there's more work to be done: Once accepted, entrepreneurs must focus on their preparations for taking full advantage of the experience. I recently caught up with a few of the international teams in the Techstars Boston Spring 2016 program. While everyone was quick to tout the many benefits of joining an accelerator we all know -- valuable VC contacts and expanded U.S. customer bases -- it was clear that these international startups faced additional hurdles relative to companies founded locally. Here are some words of wisdom such companies should know before starting a U.S. accelerator program: 1. Expect to make your own connections. Being part of an accelerator does not mean making connections will be easy. Name-dropping the top-tier accelerator youre a part of is a great conversation starter in many business situations, but compared to startups with U.S. founders, youll still be a step behind in building the business relationships you need for everything from attracting local talent to raising money. If youre a Boston startup, investors know what youre doing -- you may have graduated from the same school, or have other personal connections, says Mauro Repacci, CEO of Navut, a Canadian startup focused on real-estate technology. Also, everyone is trying to hire here, and if you dont have a network here or university contacts, recruiting be hard. The international startup founders most successful in making connections arent shy about consistently putting themselves in positions where they can network with U.S.-based startups, VCs and advisors as soon as they arrive in the United States, says Techstars Boston director Eveline Buchatskiy. Startups shouldnt come with a tourist mentality, Buchatskiy explains. Instead, they should have the mindset of building long-term relationships. 2. Show investors youre committed to having a U.S. presence. International startups might think that swinging into the United States for a few months is the key to getting in touch with the right investors and getting funded, but Nikolay Piriankov, CEO of U.K. online jewelry retailer Rare Pink, says its not quite so simple. People here are much more familiar with the landscape and process of fundraising, commented Piriankov. It can feel like youre starting from zero compared to local companies. As an international startup, making your company a U.S. entity is one way to signal to VCs that youre serious about raising money in this country. Flipping our company to a U.S. entity wasnt a hard requirement for getting into Techstars, but its an implicit requirement if youre going to raise money here, says Norman Wiese, CEO at Tapglue, a German company that builds social networks into apps. Buchatskiy also suggests that hiring local talent is absolutely essential as part of the process of showing U.S. investors that youre committed to building your business here. Related: Why the Number of Accelerators Is Accelerating 3. Be ready to experience to a new entrepreneurial mindset. No two entrepreneurial cultures are alike, and international startups that come to the United States for an accelerator program should prepare themselves to experience the optimistic entrepreneurial culture this country is widely known for. People in the U.S. are thinking bigger, and they require that from you as well, Wiese comments. European companies are more cautious, which people here dont necessarily like. 4. Make sure your teams back home are aligned with the accelerator process. For many international startups joining U.S. accelerators, moving the entire team to the United States simply isnt an option. Instead, the team back home may need to continue running the day-to-day business, while the startups leaders focus on using the accelerator as an opportunity to grow the business. With such different focuses, staying aligned as a company during the accelerator program can be challenging. In an accelerator, youre moving at a very fast pace, but back home your team is going at a more normal pace, says Repacci. As a startup with teams in two different countries, you need to be proactive about keeping them aligned. For many startups, this proactive alignment means setting up regular check-ins, and having collaboration technology in place that everyone is comfortable using. Founders might also consider bringing over each of their team members for a short time to get an understanding of the work being done at an accelerator. 5. Ask your accelerators for professional service recommendations. No sooner do startups arrive in the United States for an accelerator program than theyre faced with decisions about contracting with a variety lawyers, accountants and consultants. While accelerators likely wont provide all these services directly, asking them for recommendations can help startups find the best service providers more quickly. I got every introduction I needed, and Im glad I trusted them, says Rare Pink's Piriankov, describing how he asked Techstars for help getting in touch with professional service providers. Related: Why We Chose an Accelerator in Australia Over One in the U.S. Committing to a U.S. accelerator program is a significant investment for international startups in terms of time and effort, as well as the financial costs of moving. In order to make this investment as worthwhile as possible, take the time to prepare for the experience as much as you possibly can. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Franchise Players is Entrepreneurs Q&A interview column that puts the spotlight on franchisees. If youre a franchisee with advice and tips to share, email franchiseplayers@entrepreneur.com. Names: Marianne Conti Burt and Craig Burt Franchise: Wine Design, Cary, NC, and Apex, NC, a "paint and sip" franchise featuring chic, upbeat spaces with wine tasting and group (and children's) painting classes taught by local artists Number of years in business/Number of employees: 11 years/15 employees Initial Investment: $46,150 to $95,000; the Burts paid about $46,000 Back during the height of the recession, Marianne and Craig Burt -- both self-employed artists -- were hardly feeling financial stable. In fact they faced the possibility of losing their home. But, as fine artists who'd graduated from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the couple had the skills, and the will, to get by. Marianne had taught art. And Craig had a retouching business, Revelation Imaging and Design, in which he'd worked with a top advertising agency and photographer in a mid-Atlantic state. But when the recession came, the two were down on their luck and facing financial ruin. Then, in 2010, Marianne got a response from a local artist job opening she'd spotted on Craigslist, teaching art two hours a week. And that was the couple's introduction to Harriet Mills, founder and CEO of Wine & Design, who wanted to turn her "paint and sip" business into a franchise system offering customers chic, upbeat spaces with wine tastings, and group and children's painting classes. Turns out that Mills and the Burts saw art -- and wine -- eye to eye and eventually became partners. "Although we didnt enter the business with the intent to franchise, we believed in the brand and its services so much, we wanted to be involved in the direction and growth of it," Marianne Burt recalled by email. She and her husband opened Wine & Design's first franchise, in Cary, NC, in 2011. "We were already in love with the brand and knew it was a perfect business concept at the perfect time in the economy," Burt writes. "Both being self-employed artists, opening up our own Wine & Design was an outlet for us to use our artistry and talents in a proven business model. Not to mention, the joy and satisfaction we brought to so many people, who thought they had no talent, was extremely rewarding. Related: Franchise Players: Go-Getter Franchisee on Opening a BYOB Painting and Wine Franchise "Its safe to say that this is a business that has staying power -- a lot like wine!" Burt adds, with a dash of humor. "Whether it be a glass or two of pinot grigio while painting Van Goghs Starry Night, or a sip of Cabernet Sauvignon while painting a photo of your puppy, there is nothing more enjoyable than a night of art class, drinks, food and friends." Something else the Burts enjoyed was the business' affordability. They spent about $20,000 apart from the $25,000 franchise fee. The money went toward tables, chairs, lease agreements, renovations, signage and town permits, etc. And what resulted was more than just a pretty place in which to to paint: Wine & Design provided an opportunity for community and creativity. "Friends and painting is what Wine & Design is all about," Burt says. "As the brand believes that sophistication shouldnt always come at a high price point, Wine & Design is affordable without sacrificing what makes it special." En route, the couple focused on making their business just as attractive to couples on a "date night" as to families with kids. They established five different divisions of programs and classes, with names like On Wheels, Team Building, Paint it Forward and Art Buzz Kids. For research, Marianne Burt says, she relied on her fine art degree and experience teaching advanced art students. But, aware that her Wine & Design customers were hardly at the level of BFA students, she and Craig pioneered teaching concepts for the new franchises. "I had to simplify my concept paintings and teaching skills to a more common ground so that anyone could paint as I guided them step-by-step through their two-hour journey with me," Burt says. Craig Burt, meanwhile, incorporated his expertise in photographic manipulation, introducing his concept of printing the outlines of photographs onto canvases, so customers could recreate and paint photos they cherish. Adds his wife: "Working together with Craig and knowing each others strengths, we brought all of our experience from the art and business realm to create the class structure, teaching techniques and production techniques that Wine & Design is known for." Of course it wasn't all easy. Unforeseen costs like new air conditioning, township permits and the need to find just the right flex-space to lease were some of the challenges the Burts faced. But, passion for pulling others into art, and for the business they were building, kept them going. "Customer service and a great product are your priorities," Marianne Burt says. "Your business will reflect your authenticity." Says Craig Burt, offering advice to other franchisees: "Love what you do. This is a customer service business. The joy and gratification comes from making people happy and giving them a sense of accomplishment. Done correctly, the business will grow and you will be rewarded financially and spiritually." Ten months ago, the couple open their second franchise, in Apex, NC., requiring not just additional money but additional creative thinking. En route, the Burts introduced the concept of tracing, teaching skills and techniques that has helped set a strong foundation for future franchise locations. For more information: Wine & Design Related: 'Starving Artists' No More, This North Carolina Couple Opened Wine & Design's First Franchise A Two Time All-American Hurdler Overcomes Obstacles in Sports and Business These Glass Doctor Franchisees Found Smashing Success in a Family Business Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Sorry, Stanford: it looks like you've been edged out as the highest regarded global university by ugh Harvard. MIT, too. In Times Higher Education's 2016 rankings of the schools with the best reputations in the world, Stanford, as well as UC Berkeley, didn't take first place, but they did land at at a still very impressive #3 and #6, respectively. The "World Reputation Rankings," as the site is calling them, were compiled from the opinions of more then 10,000 "top scholars" from around the world. Only academics invited by the site were allowed to contribute their own thoughts about how the schools stacked up against each other. Save for Stanford and #7-placed Princeton which didn't land any differently on the organization's World University Rankings (or "WUR"), these reputation-derived rankings vary quite a bit from the overall college ranks roundup. Although Harvard falls at #6 on the WUR list, it comes in at #1 here. Meanwhile, the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) here at #10, actually places at #1 on the WUR. Berkeley's reputation places itself at #6 despite that the WUR put them at #13. Stanford remains at #3 on both lists. Not bad at all. From a more global perspective, Asian universities from China and Japan are shaking up the charts this year. Peking University and Tsinghua University, both in Beijing, and Tokyo University each took top 25 positions on the reputation-based rankings. U.K. universities, meanwhile, to the alarm of the Brit site The Telegraph, have fallen in this year's placements. "According to the latest tables, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, have overtaken the highest ranked British institutions to claim second and third place, pushing Cambridge and Oxford into fourth and fifth respectively," the site writes. "The US has continued to maintain its dominance in the sector, with 43 universities in the top 100 and Harvard University taking top spot for the sixth year in a row." AMERICA. See the top 25 in the above list, and all 100 ranked here. ZURICH, May 23, 2016 /CNW/ - Seventeen years ago saw the first blasting in the historic heartland of Switzerland of the longest train tunnel in the world. Wednesday 1 June 2016 will see the festive opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel - adding a further pioneering attraction to the world's densest public transport network. The tunnel will bring Switzerland's neighbouring countries, regions and cities north and south of the Alps closer together. Travel by train will be quicker, easier and more convenient. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7828351-swiss-alps-longest-deepest-train-tunnel/ Wednesday 1 June 2016 sees the festive opening in Switzerland of the longest and deepest train tunnel in the world. The tunnel extends for 57 kilometres to a depth of up to 2300 metres below the Gotthard massif. This flagship project for efficient and sustainable transportation on the north-south axis will permit high-speed travel through the Alps in only 17 minutes. The new flat-track route will not only cut travel time through the Gotthard, but also facilitate transit travel for longer and heavier trains. After 17 years of challenging building work, constructor AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd will hand over the completed tunnel to the Swiss Federal Railways on time and on budget. Switzerland's internationally acclaimed public transport system - already the densest in the world - has perfected another pioneering first. The best way to discover Switzerland The Gotthard Base Tunnel enters into regular operation on 11 December 2016. The shorter travel times will bring neighbouring countries, regions and cities closer together. The dual-track tunnel will enable passengers from near and far to spend more time discovering the many delights of Switzerland north and south of the Gotthard. Videos about the inauguration will be available on SwissTravelSystem.com/media from 1 June 2016 17.00 hrs (CET). Live pictures and film material will be accessible from 1 June 2016 via the European Broadcasting Union for EBU members or via SRG Sat.Chanel SRG-AB8 for all others. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370269 ) Video: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7828351-swiss-alps-longest-deepest-train-tunnel/ SOURCE Swiss Travel System AG The parents of the abducted Chibok girls say they still have hope that their daughters are still alive and will reunite with them one day.... Parents of Chibok girls cry after watching a video of their girls in captivity. SOURCE: CNN Some parents of the abducted girls expressed this hope in a chat withon Friday following the rescue of Amina Ali Nkeki, one of the missing Chibok girls, by members of a vigilance group.Ladi Lawan Zannah, mother of one of the abducted girls, Aishatu Lawan Zannah, said 18 of the over 200 mothers of the abducted girls had died of high blood pressure.She also revealed that she had lost four pregnancies after her daughters abduction due to high blood pressure occasioned by emotional trauma.Zannah said when news filtered into the town that one of the abducted girls named Aishatu had been rescued, she believed that the girl was her daughter.This, she said, was because only her daughter and one other abducted Chibok girl shared the same first names.She however said she had not remained the same after finding out that the rescued girl was not her daughter.Zannah said, So, when the news broke in the town that one of the missing girls had been found by vigilantes who also brought her to Chibok to verify her claim, I was so happy.At the time, the name on the lips of many people was that of Aishatu and I know that there were only two Aishatus among the abducted girls. So, I rushed out in the hope of meeting my own Aishatu. But it turned out that she was not the one. I have not been myself again since that encounter.I still have hope that my daughter is still alive and I will definitely meet with her one day.The mother said she had had four miscarriages as a result of high blood pressure, which she linked to the emotional trauma she suffered as a result of her daughters abduction.She however said she counted herself lucky to still be alive because, according to her, 18 of the mothers whose daughters were abducted had died of high blood pressure.In my own case, I have never given up hope of reuniting with my daughter because every time in my prayers the Lord still tells me she is alive. I have hope that I will see her alive even though I dont know what condition she may be in, she added.Ayama Pogu, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, whose wife had died as a result of the emotional trauma she suffered following the abduction of their daughter, Magreth, said though he was optimistic about reuniting with his daughter, some of the abducted girls might never be rescued.He said, Even if the children were to return, I am of the view that not all of them will come back in one piece.Some of the parents also lamented the governments slow response in rebuilding the Government Secondary School, Chibok where the schoolgirls were abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents on April 14, 2014.The father of Naomi Adamu, one of the missing girls, who joined the civilian Joint Task Force to assist the military to keep the community safe, decried the governments slow response in reconstructing and rebuilding damaged infrastructure in Chibok.He said the delay had hindered a lot of the returnees from settling down even after peace had returned to the town.Adamu, who said that my daughter is alive, added that he wanted the government to grant the local hunters approval to go into Sambisa Forest.According to him, most of the girls are dwelling among the Boko Haram sect members in Sambisa Forest.The parents also lamented the absence of functional secondary schools and hospitals in Chibok.They claimed that the situation was the main reason why some community members, who deserted their homes, had refused to return home.Elsewhere in the North-East, specifically in Romirgo, Gulak, Faa Gaya, Faa Chibok and Pupagum, which are part of the communities ravaged by insurgency, returnees lamented the governments slow response to the reconstruction and rebuilding of destroyed buildings in their communities.It was observed that the GSS, Chibok where the over 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on April 14, 2014, still lay in ruins.The classrooms and hostels are in a state of disrepair while the general hospital in Chibok is not functioning. A 38-year-old Nigerian drug trafficker, Arinze Petrus Eneh, will now spend the next 20 years behind the bars after a West Jakarta District... A 38-year-old Nigerian drug trafficker, Arinze Petrus Eneh, will now spend the next 20 years behind the bars after a West Jakarta District Court in Indonesian, found him guilty of distributing narcotic drugs in that country.Apart from the jail term, Eneh was also fined Rp1.2 billion for the offence after the panel of judges agreed that the prosecution had proven its case beyond all reasonable doubts.The Chief Judge of the District Court, Bambang Mursito, while sentencing Eneh, also known as Zona, said:"Arinze was proven to have conspired to commit an evil act by becoming a facilitator in the distribution of Category I narcotic drug."The panel of judges also commented that they had considered all the facts disclosed during the sessions, before arriving at th sentence and the fine which, if he fails to pay, will attract an additional six months in prison.The state prosecutor, Nugraha, who was not satisfied with the sentence handed down on the convict, said he was asking for a death sentence and has not yet made up his mind whether to appeal the prison sentence or not.Eneh's lawyer, Dolfie Rompas, on his part, said he was satisfied with the sentence but could still file an appeal on his behalf."In principle, we are satisfied with the verdict. However, we would think and consider about appealing it," Rompas said.The court heard that Eneh, along with one Tuti Sudartika alias Dede Rosa and Rojali Pajar Saputra, were involved in a case of illegal possession of 6.3 kilograms of methamphetamine.It was also heard in the court that Eneh, was contracted by a man whose name was simply given as Mr. John, to pick up the drug from China and bring it to Indonesia.The drug was smuggled in a thermos flask through a Covenant Logistic expedition in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, and then kept in a kiosk in Cibinong, Bogor, West Java. The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, says the NLC will continue to negotiate with the Federal Government ov... The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, says the NLC will continue to negotiate with the Federal Government over its opposition to the hike in the pump price of petrol.Wabba while speaking on Channels Televisions Sunrise Daily on Monday,noted the following points;- the tradition of the NLC is to continue to dialogue on issues that it is passionate about, especially the increase in electricity tariff and pump price of petrol.- Wabba reiterated that the strike was suspended due to the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians including the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly.- He did not give an assurance that all matters would be resolved, but promised that the union would indeed resume negotiations with the government- He said: Our standpoint is clear and unambiguous, we believe that it is not sustainable and it will be at a very high cost to continue to over-rely on importation of this product that God has blessed Nigeria with.- NLC had a documented written agreement with government where they requested for a full-year monitoring period within which to ensure that the issue of importing products will be addressed, but here we are, many years down the line we are still at the same point.The labour union, had on Sunday evening suspended an industrial action it called on Wednesday, May 18 to resist the new price of petrol. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, opposed bid by the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples De... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, opposed bid by the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.The PDP spokesman who is answering to a seven-count criminal charge bordering on alleged N400million fraud, had through an application dated May 16, prayed the court to allow him to visit the Royal London Hospital to take care of his deteriorating health.He specifically urged trial Justice Okon Abang to grant him five weeks medical leave abroad, as well as to order the Deputy Chief Registrar of the high court to release the international passport he surrendered as part of the conditions upon which he was granted bail on January 19.Moving the application on Monday, Metuhs lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, adduced four exhibits he prayed the court to consider and grant the request. Among the exhibits included an MR1 report which he said indicated that Metuhs spinal column are rapidly compressing, a development he said has necessitated an immediate surgery.We beg my Lord to holistically consider the documents as against the rather circumscribed and slanted sentences/extractions in the exhibits. The 1st defendant is in dire need of urgent medical attention. The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, has accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of purported plans to impose one of h... The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, has accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of purported plans to impose one of his key political loyalists and brother-in-law as the Vice Chancellor of the State s University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa. The Publicity Secretary of the state chapter of the APC, Omoba Adesanya, who raised the alarm in Akure, alleged that it was part of Mimikos strategies to win the forthcoming election for his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.The APC also said that the decision was to ensure that allocations to the institution were diverted for political activities. Adesanya said the governors candidate, Professor Sunday Ogunduyile, who is also his brother-in-law is to be announced this week.The party spokesman explained that a government that has diligently and faithfully served its people, with focus and judicious appropriation of resources, would not resort to such ridiculous and crude strategy in order to secure a fresh mandate of the people for his dead party, PDP, waiting for the funeral.He said: This is another indication that this government has failed the good people of Ondo State. The people who have been dribbled and deceived for eight years running,He lamented that the state University of Science and Technology, after seven years of academic operation could only boast of one Faculty, while the Medical Varsity established by Mimiko in his home Town has seven faculties less than two years of existence. It would be recalled that Prof. Sunday Ogungbuyile, a member of the University Governing Council, and four others were earlier short listed by the Selection Board as the best qualified five candidates. Adesanya said: It is clear to all, that the governor is orchestrating the appointment of another member of his family as the Vice Chancellor of OSUSTECH, like he did for Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, as part of his game plan to divert the State funds and resources towards rigging the governorship election and also build a war-chest for the election. The Nigerian army has said a Boko Haram chief bomb maker was killed by another Boko Haram member when he attempted to run away from the gr... The Nigerian army has said a Boko Haram chief bomb maker was killed by another Boko Haram member when he attempted to run away from the group.A statement on Monday from army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman described the incident as a major breakthrough in ongoing clearance and rescue operation by the Nigerian military.He said: The chief bomb maker, apart from his high status in the command structure of the Boko Haram terrorists, he was one of their capable hands involved in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), coming after their chief scientist, called Abu RPG (who has been killed long ago).The chief bomb maker was killed by one of the body guard of the Boko Haram terrorists leader, Abubakar Shekau as he was about to run away just like several others are doing because of the intensity of Operation Crackdown, Usman added.In a related development, one Julelebeeb who was appointed to take over is now completely blind because his two eyes were shattered by shrapnel, in the process of preparing an IED to consolidate his appointment.Col. Usman noted that this development has dealt a devastating blow on their capacity on IED preparation, suicide bombing and sustenance of their criminal acts. Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha at the weekend said President Muhammadu Buharis first one year has scored huge successes in all sect... Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha at the weekend said President Muhammadu Buharis first one year has scored huge successes in all sectors of the economy.The governor said within a year, the President had laid a solid foundation for a new Nigeria, adding that whoever succeeds him would not grapple with the type of rot he inherited.Okorocha addressed reporters in Owerri, the state capital, marking the first year of his second tenure in office.The governor said it would take a man with President Buharis strength of character, integrity and global acceptability to rescue the nation from the current socio-economic challenges.Okorocha, who had announced his formal withdrawal from the 2019 presidential race to support the President for a second tenure, said the President had justified the confidence Nigerians reposed in him by implementing sound economic policies to revamp the economy and restore investors confidence.He said: Presently, it is only President Buhari who can fix Nigeria. His global acceptability has restored Nigerias respect because a nation is rated by the character of its leader. Today, Nigeria is respected globally and foreign investors are now willing to do business in Nigeria. It can only take a Buhari to fight corruption the way he is doing. You can also agree with me that the war against Boko Haram and other insurgents has been largely successful.President Buhari may not have built any infrastructure in the first one year but he is laying a strong foundation upon which a better Nigeria will be built.Mind you, his first budget has just been passed. After the implementation, Nigerians will appreciate what President Buhari has done. This is so because in the past, no administration achieved over 10 per cent budget implementation. But under Buhari, the budget will record better implementation.On his own scorecard, Okorocha said his Rescue Mission administration surpassed previous administrations in providing infrastructure, security and socio-economic development.The governor noted that in the last five years in the saddle in Imo State, he initiated and completed over 1,000 verifiable projects across the state.Among them, he said, are over 600 kilometres of rural roads, 27 new general hospitals in each of the 27 local government areas, free education, among other projects.Okorocha, who pledged to sustain the free education programme, despite the current economic challenges, said the programme had reduced the level of poverty from 57 per cent in 2011 to 19 per cent in 2016.He said: We have justifiably utilised the resources of the state in the last five years. We have also prudently managed the local government funds to develop the state.We are building the first-ever flyover in the state and, by the time the 27 general hospitals become fully operational, the state will be the next destination for health tourism. I have also completed all the projects abandoned in the state the military era till date. Two Chinese clubs are battling to lure Cote d'Ivoire international Yaya Toure away from Manchester City with eye-catching offers.The Manchester Evening website reports that the Elephants skipper has received two offers which would see him earn a whopping 300,000 a week.Although the English Premier League star still has a year left on his contract, Toure is expected to leave the club this European summer with the report suggesting that he will buy himself out of the remainder of his deal.A source close to the England newspaper revealed that his representatives are engaged in talks with Shanghai SIPG and Jiangsu Suning.Yayas had his people meeting with both Shanghai and Jiangsu and they have both made firm offers, the source is quoted as saying.Buying himself out of his contract at City would not be a problem because he would recoup it twice over from the signing on fee he would get for coming over here.The Chinese side, SIPG, are managed by former City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson where they have already signed Ghana and ex-Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan on 227,000 a week package.Moreover, Jiangsu have also been busy in the transfer market having spent 25million on Chelsea star Ramires and a further 37million on Brazilian attacker Alex Teixeira.It is also reported that the the 33-year-old 2015 CAF African Cup of Nations winning skipper has a good relationship with City's hierarchy, but they are not happy with his agent, Dmitri Seluk.Toure arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2010, from Barcelona for a fee of 25million and has helped City to two EPL titles, the FA Cup and League Cup respectively. Recently crowned Russian champions CSKA Moscow have confirmed interests from England for Nigeria winger Ahmed Musa, but insist nothing has been signed yet.Ahmed Musa has been the subject of interest from English champions Leicester City, with a host of other clubs also mentioned to be interested in his services.CSKA chief Roman Babayev has confirmed the interests in the 23-year-old, but said no deal has been agreed yet.I cannot say yes or no. It is no secret that Musa was and remains in very serious demand, particularly from the English teams, Babayev told championat.Until documents are signed, the transfer is not complete and I will not speak about it.Musa is believed to be on his way out of Russia with surprise EPL champions Leicester City his most likely destination. Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode was Monday ordered to be remanded in Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by a La... Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode was Monday ordered to be remanded in Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by a Lagos State Magistrate court sitting in Ikeja for 21 days.The EFCC has brought an application before the court seeking to remand Fani Kayode in custody to enable it conduct further investigation into the alleged N1.5 bn fraud leveled against him pending when he will be brought before a regular court.After hearing the arguments canvassed by the lawyers representing the anti-graft agency, Mr. A. N. Anana and Fani- Kayodes lawyer, Wale Balogun, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi granted the remand application.The court subsequently granted the request and ordered that he be kept for 21 days.The body had argued that the remand application which was brought pursuant to section 261 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2011, of Lagos State, was to remand the former spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 general election, pending when he will be properly arraigned at the appropriate Court.Fani Kayodes lawyer, Balogun while opposing the EFCCs remand application, argued that the anti-graft agencys application was brought in breach of his constitutional rights, adding that the defendant had been granted an administrative bail by the EFCC but it refused to allow him perfect the bail.He argued that the anti-graft agency had secured the same order of remand before an Abuja Chief Magistrate court, claiming the application is an abuse of court process.The lawyer therefore urged the court to dismiss the EFCCs application against his client who appeared in court on kaftan and Kito robber slippers.Dismissing Kayodes application, the Chief Magistrate Osunsanmi ruled that he failed to present any material evidence before the court to support the argument that the former Minister of Aviation has been charged before any court for the alleged offence.The Magistrate subsequently ordered that Fani Kayode be remanded at the EFCCs custody for 21 days pending when he will be arraigned at the appropriate court.The former minister was however unruffled about the whole process as he was sharing jokes with his lawyers and some of his friends. The Minister for Information and Culture with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Monday, said the Federal Government ... The Minister for Information and Culture with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Monday, said the Federal Government is considering opening a robust dialogue with the Niger-Delta militants on the need to stop militancy in the oil rich region.The duo who spoke an interactive session with a coalition of civil societies in Lagos, chaired by Dr. Moses Ilo, founder of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, stressed that nefarious activities of militants is currently sabotaging efforts being made by the government to revamp the nations economy.Mohammed while lamenting the situation said there was no other solution to the issues happening in Niger Delta other than engaging them in meaningful dialogue.According to Kachikwu the government has come to realize that rolling out military tanks against the militants would not solve the problem. The military barrels cannot stop or solve problem of militancy in the NigerDelta region.I will have to go back to my brothers, they are our brothers we will go and dialogue with them, Kachikwu said. He said the continued audit of the countrys daily fuel consumption resulted in weeding out 10 million liters of fake petroleum products that was daily subsidized by the previous administration. Kachikwu lamented that the fund spent in subsidizing the pretentious consumption daily could have been used by the Federal Government to fix the refineries, roads and other basic amenities across the country which would have helped improve the Nigerias economy. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has inaugurated and commissioned some projects undertaken by the Lagos State Government today on behalf of Pr... Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has inaugurated and commissioned some projects undertaken by the Lagos State Government today on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.The President, who had been slated to make a two-day official visit today and tomorrow, will no longer make the trip.According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, Vice President Osinbajo would inaugurate a few of the projects while the President will still visit the state after Ramadan.Some of the projects to be inaugurated include:1. Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Rescue Unit in Cappa, Oshodi.2. Newly constructed Ago Palace Way in Okota, Isolo.3. Inauguration of security equipment4. Inauguration of vehicles donated by the Ambode administration. A close associate of Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Nimi Bariagha Amange has dismissed as untrue, reports that the former Pre... A close associate of Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Nimi Bariagha Amange has dismissed as untrue, reports that the former President had gone on self exile in Cote De Ivoire.In an interview with Vanguard, Senator Amange who said he spoke with former President on Friday insisted that the report was a figment of the imagination of the writers.A national newspaper had reported that the former President had gone on exile to avoid a possible arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over some alleged shady deals under his presidency.But in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Senator Amange said there is nothing like that.I spoke with the former President on Friday. He told me that he was going to London to spend some times with his children. He did not indicate that he was under any stress and did not tell me that he was going on exile. What he said was that he would have loved to be at the Peoples Democratic Party convention in Portharcourt but he couldnt make it because he needed to be with his children. He told me that he was in touch with the leaders of the party across board and assured me that the crisis in the party would be resolved. It is not true that he is on exile he said.Senator Amange said the former President had no reason to go on exile because he served his country creditably and should be commended and not condemned.The president has no reason to go on exile. He has not committed any offence. Please ignore the report about his exile. He will certainly come back to the country when he is through with spending time with his children he said. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, High Chief Igho Osiebe, has said Muhammadu Buhari is Nigerias best P... A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, High Chief Igho Osiebe, has said Muhammadu Buhari is Nigerias best President so far.The high chief said Nigerians should be grateful to God for using the former Head of State to accelerate the nations development.Osiebe, who ywas the National Organising Secretary for Grassroots Mobilisers for Buhari (GMB), spoke in Asaba, the Delta State capital.He said President Buhari had displayed enough competence in administering the country, especially his prudent management of resources in the drive to deliver quality service to Nigerians.The high chief of Agbon Kingdom in Ethiopia East Local Government Area, cited the recovery of looted funds starched away in foreign banks by as one of the legacies that would outlive what he called the no-nonsense politician.Osiebe said: We as a people shall celebrate a nation free of corruption under President Buhari.He took a swipe at the Yakubu Wada-led faction of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in its failed attempt at calling out Nigerian workers on a strike.The hight chief noted that such action was self-serving because it lacked patriotism to the government and Nigerians. Minister of State for Petroleum Ibe Kachukwu has said the Niger Delta Avengers responsible for attacking oil facilities lacked suffici... (Picture: Reuters) Minister of State for Petroleum Ibe Kachukwu has said the Niger Delta Avengers responsible for attacking oil facilities lacked sufficient knowledge of President Mohammadu Buhari Change agenda.Kachukwu noted that the anti-corruption posture of the Federal government was responsible for the return of hostility and vandalism of crude oil pipelines and other national assets in the Niger Delta.The Minister who defended the removal of subsidy on petrol spoke in Beni City at the child dedication of the General Overseer, Rock of Ages Christian Assembly, Apostle Charles Osazuwa.Kachikwu assured Nigerians that the country would be great again and retain his past glory in the comity of nations.He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) government was to determine to build infrastructure and intervene in other critical sectors of the economy especially in agriculture, education and roads.His words: I have the hope that those who are offended by virtually the policies that we have pursued and to see it free to break the pipelines and express their anger, will sooner or later, see the hope that we are trying very hard to produce and work with us in brotherhood to fix this country.We have hope that agriculture will take hold and we shall feed the children and our communities and make this country an economic hub that would make Nigeria, that giant again.I urge all of you to begin to look at the Country where you do not spend all your time criticising people, criticising your leaders, criticising concepts and ideas, but empower yourself because you were here for a purpose and add value to Nigeria. It is not about me or the national Chairman of (APC), but, it is actually about you and the Country- Nigeria and believe in your sense of service. The Federal Government has banned wood and charcoal exportation, following exporters refusal to adhere to the directive of cut-one plant... The Federal Government has banned wood and charcoal exportation, following exporters refusal to adhere to the directive of cut-one plant-two policy.The Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, disclosed this at the just-concluded two-day retreat organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO, at the Free Trade Zone, Onne, Rivers State, for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and its agencies.Awolowo revealed that the new directive had thrown exporters of charcoal into confusion as some of them had existing agreements with their partners abroad. He said government must explain the reason for the move, adding I just got that circular; this is part of the policy somersault we are talking about.How can the government ban charcoal when people have been processing it? They did not even carry exporters along. Also confirming the development, Customs Public Relations Officer of Tin Can Island Port, Mr. Chris Osunkwo, said they were aware of the ban, adding that they were, however, waiting for the memorandum. Commenting on the development, Mr. Giovani Locano, General Manager, China Shipping, stated that he was not aware of the fact that charcoal had been banned.Although, Locano supported the decision of government to ban wood and charcoal exportation, he called for a more proactive approach so that peoples businesses are not affected. Osunkwo explained that wood and charcoal were banned because the exporters of these items failed to meet up with the agreement they had with the government on tree planting. Comedian Seyi Law has come out to apologize for slapping a Security Guard during Kiss Daniels Album New Era Launch Concert . He ma... I am not writing to defend a mistake I made, but so people would know that I am also prone to faults. However, I will oblige you with my own side of the story. The Kiss Daniels Album Launch show ended and I got in my car to drive out like everyone when I got to the security guy who directed me to the other gate which I did. I got to the gate and was asked to go and take the main gate, driving back, I stopped by the security guy and told him, make una dey follow una selves talk na, you dey direct us go there, another person dey direct us back and his response was, how many people don turn back, looking away. I replied him that even if I was the only person, I no reach to tell you and he said, abeg dey go jor. I was shocked, I said so I not fit follow you talk and he said, dey go. I looked and saw another security not far off and decided to get down from my car to talk with him, unfortunately, as I opened my car, this security guy pushed the door back at me, hitting my leg, I would not know his reason for this, but it got me angry and I slapped him thrice as I got down. I know Eko Hotel has CCTV and if there was any around there, they can release the footage(s). I am not justifying my anger and reaction, but please pardon my behaviour. I duly apologise for the action I took. Thanks for reading. SEYILAW I was only trying to redirect him through an alternative route which my boss instructed us on, to avoid traffic jam as guests drive out. To my greatest surprise, Seyi Law just jumped out of his car and began to hurl abusive words at me. While trying to explain to him he just suddenly gave me three dirty slaps. This has never happened to me before, is it because Im putting on a security uniform? I didnt expect this kind of attitude from Seyi Law. He made his apology via Instagram adding that he was in fact, not justifying his actions:However, the security guard, Peter Ethan had a different story to tell. Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Monday admitted that the economic situation in the country is tough. Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Monday admitted that the economic situation in the country is tough.He said all the 36 states of the federation were affected by the downturn in the economy.Amosun spoke with State House correspondents shortly after a meeting he had with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.The governor did not disclose the agenda of the meeting he had with Buhari who should have been in Lagos but for the last minute postponement of his planned two-day state visit to the South West state.Amosun said because of the current situation in the country, everybody must be ready to think out of the box.He said that was why his state was making steady progress in the area of increasing its revenue.He said, Yes, I know things are tough and I am saying this with all sense of responsibility.All the states in Nigeria are affected. We are part of the larger context called Nigeria and because of that challenge, people must think out of the box.I am happy to report that in Nigeria today, maybe not in the quantum of what we generate but we (Ogun State) are number one. If you check the indices that have been released, we doubled our revenue with about 97.8%. The next state to us I think was 41%. We are working hard and we are doing well but there is still lots more to be done.He said one of the ways the state government was planning to move the state forward was the recent investors forum which focused on agriculture, environment and transportation.He said his administration decided to focus on the three areas because of the belief that there is no alternative except for diversification.He said even before the current crisis, the government had realised that the only way to go is to diversify into agriculture which he said was capable of employing people and creating wealth for them.He added, Those nations that have got it right, if you see them, you will discover that they have their cottage industries, they are the enablers. That is why we believe that if we zero in on these three grey areas, of course, we will get it right.I am happy that we got several investors, particularly those that are not even from Nigeria and so many people that are in Nigeria, that operate here and that is why we showcased everybody.I know within the next maybe two years you will see, you will begin to see results. Ogun state is the industrial hub of Nigeria, there is no state that have the kind of resources we have in terms of numbers and value.We are not limiting it at that, we want to take it forward. Not agriculture alone, we want to take full advantage of the full value chain that agriculture offers.what do I mean by that? I mean that whatever we grow, we must process; whatever we have processed, we must package; and whatever we package, we must market. We must transport it to the final consumer. You know everybody is working, that is what we are trying to do.Amosun said his administration would be working hard on roads, rails and waterways as a strategy to improve transportation in the state.On environment, the governor said his administration was committed to the reduction ofcarbon dioxide. Amina Ali Nkeki the recently rescued Chibok school girl will be sent to a special rehabilitation centre. Meanwhile, Mohammad Hayyatu, ... Meanwhile, Mohammad Hayyatu, the self-acclaimed husband of a rescued Chibok girl, Amina Ali Nkeki, has been taken into military custody for interrogation.Hayyatu is being treated as a suspected Boko Haram terrorist. Intelligence officers have been grilling him.Hayyatu might be separated with Amina and her baby for life if he is found culpable of dastardly conduct as a Boko Haram commander.For security reasons, the 19-year old Amina will be put in a rehabilitation facility with her mother to enable her take care of her baby.It was gathered that a rehabilitation facility has been built for strategic victims of Boko Haram, especially the Chibok girls.A top military source said: Hayyatu is being treated as a Boko Haram commander and he is being interrogated at a military facility. He is a suspected insurgent and if he is culpable of all these atrocities, he will face trial accordingly.The military has detained him for profiling by the Intelligence Unit. He can be released only if at the end of the day he is innocent.With this development, there is no opportunity of reuniting with Amina or the baby.On the girl from GSS Chibok, Sarah Luka, the military source said: Once we rescue Boko Haram victims, we hand them over to relevant civil authorities and agencies. She will also undergo a rehabilitation process like Amina.Amina will be put in a designated rehabilitation facility alongside her mother.Another source said: For security reasons, we will relocate Amina and the mother to a safe rehabilitation facility which has been created by the government. I cannot tell you whether this rehabilitation facility is in Abuja or Maiduguri.What is important is that they will be put in a facility where Amina can be psychologically secured and under the guidance of her mother because she is a kid-mother. The facility will enable her to raise her child under the care of her mum.We have to work on her psyche to forget about this forceful marriage, the trauma in Sambisa Forest and to allow her to think of how to go back to school for a brighter future.President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday assured Amina of the best medical and emotional care.He said: Although, we cannot do anything to reverse the horrors of her past, the Federal Government can and will do everything possible to ensure that the rest of her life takes a completely different course.Amina will get the best care that the Nigerian government can afford. We will ensure that she gets the best medical, emotional and whatever care that she requires to get full recovery and be integrated into the society. The Chairman of the 2016 Peoples Democratic Party National Convention Planning Committee and Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, sa... The Chairman of the 2016 Peoples Democratic Party National Convention Planning Committee and Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, said on Saturday that the party allowed former Acting National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to go because his (Sheriff) leadership was destabilising the party.Wike, who spoke after the national convention in Port Harcourt, explained that all along, the crisis in the PDP had been about the emergence of Sheriff as the acting leader of the party.The governor, who recalled that Sheriffs emergence as the PDP acting chairman was strongly opposed, stated that the party was more important than any individual.He said, All along, the crisis has been about the former acting chairman whose emergence was strongly opposed.This is destabilising the party and so, we had to let him go. What is important is the party and not the individual. No sacrifice is too much for anyone to make as far as PDP is concerned.Wike pointed out that he had no personal interest in supporting Senator Modu Sheriff as he was the best option at the time he (Sheriff) emerged.He said that PDP would continue to grow from strength to strength as it remained the only hope for the country.According to him, We will not allow the PDP to die or suffer division under our watch. History will never forgive us if we watch the party die.The governor said the party leaders would work towards maintaining unity among all members of the party.He said despite the challenges, the 2016 National Convention was successful as the party had been repositioned in the interest of the nation. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance, says she is unaware of any court judgment asking her to account for an alleged missing N3... Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance, says she is unaware of any court judgment asking her to account for an alleged missing N30trn, describing the suit as dubious and politically motivated.A federal high court in Lagos had asked Okonjo-Iweala to offer explanation on the alleged missing funds in a suit filed by Socio-Economic Right Accountability Project (SERAP).But the former minister, through her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu, said that she had not been served with the court judgment.She, however, added that she had instructed her lawyers to take legal action on the matter.Our attention has been drawn to media reports regarding a court judgment alleged to have been entered against the federal government of Nigeria and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in respect of an action by the Socio-Economic Rights Agenda (SERAP) pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, Nwabuikwu said in a statement on Monday.The high court, according to the media reports, ordered the Federal government and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to provide information relating to N30 trillion Naira allegedly unaccounted for.Dr Okonjo-Iweala hastens to state that she was never served with any court processes in relation to the said matter. She has not read the judgment and would therefore defer any comments on the matter.However from the media reports, the case was instituted in February 2015 but was not served until July 2015 after Dr Okonjo-Iweala had already ceased to be the Minister of Finance.By the date the said papers were purportedly served Dr Okonjo-Iweala was no longer a public officer and could therefore not be the subject of a request for production of any documents or information under the Freedom of information Act.The court processes must have been served on others because the attention of Dr Okonjo-Iweala was never drawn to the matter in which she appears to have been sued personally. She therefore did not engage any lawyer to act for her in the matter.The decision of SERAP to anchor its case on a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation by former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo that N30 trillion about seven times the total annual budget during the Jonathan administration is missing confirms SERAPs dubious motives and its role as a tool for politically motivated actors.It is curious that the first time Dr Okonjo-Iweala is being made aware of a matter filed against her in court is in news reports reporting the delivery of judgment. She has instructed her lawyers to take steps to set aside the judgment as it affects her. The Presidency has attributed the postponement of President Muhammdu Buharis planned two-day state visit to Lagos to what it called sc... The Presidency has attributed the postponement of President Muhammdu Buharis planned two-day state visit to Lagos to what it called scheduling difficulties.The Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, explained this to journalists on Sunday.Shehu said Buhari needed more time for the Lagos trip as well as a similar one to Edo State which had earlier been stepped down.He said the President would embark on the trips after Ramadan.The presidential spokesman said, The President is faced with scheduling difficulties and that is the reason for the postponement of the Visit. He needs more time for Lagos and for Edo which had earlier been stepped down.As a result of this, the visit has been scaled down and he is being represented by His Excellency the Vice-President, who is going to Lagos to commission a few projects, leaving the rest for Mr. President.The President will undertake these visits after the Ramadan.The spokesman for the Vice-President, Laolu Akande, also on Sunday issued a two-paragraph statement on the issue.The statement read, President Muhammadu Buhari will be represented in Lagos State tomorrow (Monday) on an official visit by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.On behalf of the President, Prof. Osinbajo would commission a number of projects in the state as part of the visit. Two Junior Secondary School (JSS) III pupils of the Federal Government College, Okposi, in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi Stat... Two Junior Secondary School (JSS) III pupils of the Federal Government College, Okposi, in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Tochukwu Eneh and Chukwuemeka Ugwu, have been abducted.The teenagers were last seen on May 12.Tochukwu is from Obioma while Chukwuemeka hails from Nsude, both in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.The boys were reportedly abducted from their school that Thursday.A family source said the pupils, who had just finished their final examinations that same day, were preparing to go home the next day when they were snatched.It was learnt that a group of schoolboys, including the duo, decided to get hair cut outside the school.They were said to be returning to the school when they were accosted by suspected kidnappers, who ordered them to stop.The teenagers reportedly ran towards different directions but their assailants were said to have caught up with them and carried them away.It was gathered that the other pupils, except the two, returned to school.But the boys were said to have been frightened beyond raising the alarm.The incident was said to have remained unreported until the following day (May 13) when Tochukwus guardian did not see him as they had agreed.The guardian, said to be a lady and a worker at the college, reportedly had some items she wanted Tochukwu to take to his mum in Enugu.When she learnt about what happened, the lady was said to have notified the school authorities and the parents of the victims.Police spokesman George Okafor, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said he was not aware of the incident.The spokesman said he was just returning from Abuja on an assignment. Popular Virologist and President of the Nigeria Academy of Science, Professor Oyewale Tomori, has said the discovery of a strain of Zika... Popular Virologist and President of the Nigeria Academy of Science, Professor Oyewale Tomori, has said the discovery of a strain of Zika virus circulating in Brazil and other parts of the Americas in the Cape Verde area of Africa, should worry Nigeria. Tomori, who is Head of the World Health Organisation, Advisory Panel on Yellow fever, and Chairman Lassa fever Control Committee in Nigeria, advocated improved surveillance system to prevent spread of Yellow fever to Nigeria and other West African countries.We had thought that the return of Zika, even as a changed or mutated should not cause any severe disease in West Africa, since we have evidence of previous infection with Zika and other related viruses (Yellow Fever, West Nile, Dengue) in Nigeria and some countries in West Africa. Finding Zika in Cape Verde should be of serious concern to us in Nigeria.This tells us that the Zika outbreak is not only a problem of South America, but one that is knocking on the gates of West Africa.In Nigeria, we need to increase our surveillance for Zika transmission and congenital malformations, such as microcephaly, as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome.In particular, we need to step up our preparedness efforts for early detection, confirmation and management of potential complications related to Zika infection.Further, Tomori said: To achieve (i) above, we must resuscitate our moribund and comatose national disease surveillance system and in particular, our mosquito-borne virus disease surveillance system- at the Department of Virology, University of Ibadan and the National Arbovirus Research Institute at Enugu.We should, according to the WHO, heighten risk communication to pregnant women to raise awareness of complications associated with the Asian type of Zika virus and promote protection steps to avoid mosquito bites as well as sexual transmission.Any Nigerian who has travelled to any of the affected countries, and comes down with a febrile infection should be tested for evidence of Zika virus infection; if found positive, he should avoid sexual contact with his spouse, because Zika virus can be transmitted sexually.With Zika arriving at the gates of West Africa, and Yellow fever raging on in Angola and DR Congo, Nigeria will resort to her one and only defence against disease outbreaks organize vigils and worship in mosques, to plead with God, who loves Nigeria so much, not to let either of the diseases enter Nigeria.We are the same Nigerians, some of whom will travel to Angola and DR Congo, with fake yellow fever vaccination cards. On Yellow fever, Tomori disclosed that at an emergency advisory committee of the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, the spread of Yellow fever in Africa was declared as a serious concern and advocated drastic expansion of vaccinations to combat it.The committee was of the opinion that we have a serious issue on our hands, but it does not constitute a public health emergency of international concern.The next step is to build up enough capacity to routinely vaccinate children in the tropics everywhere there is risk. He however, noted that between 2007 and 2012, all the countries in West Africa and including Cameroon and Central African Republic, except Nigeria have conducted a mass preventive vaccination against yellow fever. At the last count, over 100 million Nigerians are classed as vulnerable to Yellow fever infection. There was a plan to conduct Yellow fever preventive mass campaigns in Nigeria for the susceptible Nigerians over a 5-year period between 2012 and 2016, Tomori noted. The police on Monday said that they sealed off the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja owing to intelligence that ... The police on Monday said that they sealed off the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja owing to intelligence that a faction of the party was plotting to cause trouble.There are three factions in the PDP arising from contending interests. One faction is led by Jerry Gana, another by Ahmed Makarfi; the interim national chairman, and the third one by Ali Modu Sheriff, the deposed PDP national chairman.On Sunday, armed police officers cordoned off lanes leading to the main entrance of the partys national secretariat at Wuse zone 5.Explaining the reason for their action, the police through its spokesperson, Bisi Kolawole, said: Intelligence at the disposal of the force leadership indicates that some aggrieved factional leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have perfected plans to engage thugs from across the country to join them in threatening public peace and security in Abuja. This is sequel to the on-going intra-party leadership crisis in the party and further fallout of the recent political engagements of the Party.The plan of the brains behind this development is to infiltrate Abuja and attack the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party with intent to forcefully occupy the facility. Towards perfecting this criminality, credible Police sources confirm that the actors will mobilise into Abuja with effect from Monday 23rd May 2016 and they intend to march through major streets in Abuja before proceeding to the PDP secretariat to manifest their intention.Consequently, the inspector-general of police has directed the deployment of Police assets to secure the PDP Secretariat and protect the staff until the threat to internal security that is being occasioned by the intra-party crisis within the PDP is stabilised. The police action is a proactive initiative which is being emplaced in furtherance to the statutory Mandate of the Nigeria Police to prevent breakdown in law and order and protect lives and property.The inspector general of police, however, warns all actors in the crisis as well as their loyalists to refrain from any act that may threaten public order as the Police shall deal promptly, firmly and decisively with such persons or group in line with their legal obligations. HACKENSACK -- The family of Elvin Diaz gathered Saturday to ask whether his death at the hands of two Hackensack Police officers could have been prevented, The Record reported. Police shot Diaz, 24, in his Temple Avenue home after he attacked them with a meat cleaver, authorities have said. Diaz had missed a probation appointment, prompting a visit from police. Cecilia Diaz, Elvin's mother, gathered about 50 family members on friends on Saturday, the anniversary of his death, at the home she shared with her son. She hopes to meet with Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal to discuss grand jury hearings on her son's death. Grewal told the Record he would present the findings of a grand jury to the public once they're complete. Sgt. Miguel Molina and Officer Ervin Hernandez were "devastated" after the shooting, Michael Mordaga, former Hackensack police director, has said to NJ Advance Media. The two had "no choice in the actions they took," he said. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. RIVER VALE -- A SWAT negotiator convinced a "distressed" man shouting from his balcony to surrender to police early Sunday. The man was screaming "River Vale Police, I'm gonna get you," a neighbor on Collignon Way said to a police dispatcher Saturday night. The neighbor said the man had acted this way every night for several weeks since moving in, River Vale Detective Sgt. John J. DeVoe said. Once, the vomited off the deck of his home and continued to pace and rant incoherently, the neighbor said. River Vale Police arriving Saturday night saw the man pacing in and out of the second floor of a home. He appeared to be "extremely agitated," DeVoe said. Officers asked from the ground floor if he would come down and talk. The man rushed inside and slammed a door. He was later identified as 23-year-old River Vale resident. Police had no prior issues with him, DeVoe said. The man later returned to the balcony, yelling and cursing at the officers. River Vale Police asked for assistance from the Bergen County Regional SWAT team and police from Harrington Park, Hillsdale, Old Tappan and Westwood, out of concern for the man's safety and that of his neighbors, DeVoe said. Police evacuated neighbors and diverted traffic from the area. The man periodically screamed unintelligibly as police waited for the SWAT team, DeVoe said. A SWAT negotiator managed to convince him to leave the house at about 1:06 a.m. He became aggressive again and was taken by ambulance, with police on board, to a hospital for evaluation. Police had not charged the man as of Monday morning, DeVoe said. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. TEANECK -- Josh Gottheimer on Monday received the endorsement of a union representing more than 5,000 firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers in New Jersey in his run to represent the state's 5th Congressional District. His opponent, Republican Rep. Scott Garett has failed to support measures that would help first responders, Ed Donnelly, president of the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association, said. "He's been a zero for firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers and public safety in New Jersey," Donnelly said. The NJFMBA announced the endorsement Monday at Teaneck Fire Station 4. Gottheimer pledged to support first responders and said that if elected, he would back legislation to give local emergency officials information on hazardous materials traveling through their towns. He referred to the freight trains regularly carrying crude oil through Bergen County. Current law only gives state officials access to information about what materials the trains are carrying and what types of cars are carrying them. The oil trains have been involved in a number of deadly crashes in North America. "We must make sure all of our first responders have the information they need about hazardous and harmful materials traveling through our towns," Gottheimer, a Democrat from Wyckoff, said. Gottheimer, who served as a speech writer for President Bill Clinton, also said he would help steer federal grants awarding money for training and equipment toward local fire departments. He also criticized Garrett's votes against the Zadroga Act, a program that provides health coverage and economic compensation to first responders injured at the sites of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The measure is named for James Zadroga, a New York City police officer from North Arlington who died of a respiratory disease resulting from breathing in dust at the World Trade Center Site after Sept. 11. Garrett has said he voted against the act because it was part of a larger $1.1 trillion spending bill he called "bloated." Members of the NJFMBA will canvas and make calls leading up to the Nov. 8 election, Donnelly said. "This is not a hollow endorsement," he said. "We will have folks on the ground for him." Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. boozle_wedding_miller_3.JPG Donna Defabiis-Lafoon and Lonnie Lafoon hold wedding photos taken by Lauren Elle Photography. The couple said the photographer hasn't yet delivered their wedding albums. (Andrew Miller/For NJAdvanceMedia) Thanks to a hacked email address, Donna Defabiis and Lonnie Lafoon fell in love. She was working in a doctor's office and he was a pharmaceutical rep. When Lafoon changed jobs, they lost touch. "Months went by and my email address was hacked," Donna Defabiis-Lafoon said. "Lonnie reached out to inform me of the issue and that is when we reconnected and started dating." Lafoon proposed three years later, and the couple married in Nutley in September 2014. But 21 months later, the Bloomfield couple doesn't have their wedding photo albums. The photographer, Lauren Legregni of Lauren Elle Photography of Brooklyn, N.Y., said the delays are largely the couple's fault. The couple paid $3,700 for the wedding shoot. The price included digital copies of the original files and printing rights, two 5x7 parent photo albums with 40 photos each and one 11x14 album of 90 photos for the couple, records show. After the wedding, the couple started to worry when it took 13 weeks instead of the promised six to eight weeks to receive the proofs. That foiled their plan to give wedding photos as Christmas gifts. The couple was also concerned because about half of the digital files were named after another customer's baptism, and there were no photos of the couple with Lafoon's parents and his brother. In January 2015, they realized they never received a fully executed contract signed by Legregni. When they asked, Legregni she said she had mailed a hard copy and was attaching one to the email. But there was no attachment, the couple said, and they never received the hard copy, either. The next 15 months were a series of rarely answered communications and broken promises, the couple said. It took nearly four months for the thank you cards to be prepared. That was April 2015. In July 2015, the couple submitted their parents' photo selections for the parent albums. They followed up six weeks later, explaining that time was important because they wanted to give a family wedding photo to Lafoon's grandmother for her 99th birthday, emails show. They received no response, nor did Legregni respond to another month's worth of phone calls, texts, emails and even a Facebook message. On Sept. 19, records show, the photographer answered back with an apology, saying she'd get back to the couple the next week. That didn't happen. So at the end of September, the couple asked an attorney to send a letter on the couple's behalf. Legregni responded with an email to the attorney, records show. "Just to clarify, because, this makes it seems as if they've received nothing, all proofs were provided on December 24, 2014," the email said. "If the couple is referring to their actual digital files, which are not 'proofs,' those are provided when the album is delivered, & all albums are delivered at the same time." This couple said their wedding photographer hasn't fulfilled the contract for which she was paid. Legregni said other elements of the contract were fulfilled, "such as their thank you cards," but she said those needed excessive revisions. She promised to review and finalize the case. The couple wasn't satisfied. "Page three of the contract under 'Copyright & Retention of Files' states, 'Six months from the date of the shoot, client will receive printing rights & files...'" Defabiis-Lafoon said. "Based on this, we should have received our original files in March 2015. We have yet to receive them." The couple didn't want Legregni to do the albums anymore. If she would release the images, the couple would have someone else do them. So the couple's attorney sent a second letter dated Oct. 14, 2015, asking for a refund for the unprinted albums and the release of the photos. The couple texted Legregni a few more times, and she eventually answered, saying saying she was "overwhelmed with work" and "unexpected life things." The next month, Legregni emailed the couple draft layouts of the parent albums. But they had numerous errors, including a photo of a different family, the couple said. "She also sent us a complete layout of our wedding album with photos that we did not choose. She did not address our request for a refund." Defabiis-Lafoon said Close-ups of a few wedding photos taken by Lauren Elle Photography. The couple had them printed after they received a CD of the photos. They did, at least, receive their photos on CD, but those could only be printed as large as 8x10. That means the couple couldn't use the files for enlargements or for their own album, which was supposed to be 11x14 in size. They hoped to present the parent albums at Christmas, but they were not ready, and most of their messages to Legregni were not answered, records show. Finally, at the end of January 2016, Legregni wrote an angry text saying the couple's texts were "excessive, unnecessary & borderline harassment." She shared with the couple why they were too demanding, why the delays were not her fault and what her coming schedule would be. "I will be in touch next week to finalize remaining details. Do not contact me unless you are responding to my email next week," Legregni wrote. That didn't sit right with the couple, they said, but they gave her time and respected her wishes. They received the email on Jan. 31. "Will email you tonight!" it said. But the couple never received a subsequent email, they said. Over the next several months, the couple sent more emails and texts, again asking for a refund and for the raw files to be delivered. Few messages were answered until April 8, when Legregni emailed: "Home stretch! Will have completed materials to you Sunday evening for you to review this week so we can finalize details & print your albums." But that didn't happen, and more messages to the photographer were not returned. On May 7, Legregni texted, "Will email you this week to wrap things up Donna." That was the last they heard. "At this point, we do not want her working on our album. It's been almost two years," Defabiis-Lafoon said. "She hasn't fulfilled her contract obligations and continues to string us along when we paid in full." WAITING FOR A RESOLUTION We reviewed the unsigned contract and a long series of email and text messages. Lauren Elle Photography has no complaints with the consumer affairs departments in New Jersey or New York, but the business is not registered in either state, either. After we left several voice mails and emails for Legregni, she responded via email, saying she has been in touch with the couple "throughout the process." "It's taken longer than expected due to several factors but our business is 99% concluded & will be settled next week, thank you!" she wrote. We responded with some detailed questions about the couple's claims and their repeated request for a refund. Legregni didn't respond to us, but she did reach out to the couple via email. She apologized for the delays and offered to complete the albums, giving them larger sizes for free. She emailed the album templates, which she said were "99 percent finished," for the couple's review. They considered the offer and looked over the templates. "She didn't do anything," Lonnie Lafoon said. "They were the same templates with the mistakes that she sent us months ago. It still even had the photo of another bride, groom & family in Donna's parents' album." They emailed Legregni and said they wanted a refund and the raw files, otherwise they will take legal action. Legregni, on Sunday, sent her version of events, essentially saying the couple didn't stick to her recommended timeline and that was the reason for delays, and that their expectations were unreasonable. Of the templates she emailed last week, Legregni said despite what the couple said, changes were made from the previous version, and she included a checklist of items they were asked to address back in December, but didn't. She said through the process, the couple ignored her suggestions and timelines and didn't follow directions. "The only story here is a disgruntled couple who did not follow directions, did not prioritize their own wedding albums & now that they're ready, expects to cut the line, interrupting the production of other accounts, & furthermore expect a refund after 90% of the work is completed & delivered," Legregni said. "They only want money." We'll let you know what happens. Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. A 63-year-old woman shot and killed her ex-husband while he was at their suburban Philadelphia home picking up personal items this weekend, officials said. Hsiu-Chin Lin has been charged with first-degree murder as well as other crimes in the shooting death of her ex-husband in North Wales, Pa., according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. When police were called to the couple's home on South 6th Street just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, authorities said they found Chien-Kuo Lin in the garage suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. Lin, 67, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hsiu-Chin Lin was found inside the couple's home, sitting in the kitchen with a .38 caliber revolver in front of her, Steele said in a joint news release with North Wales acting Police Chief Terry Hammerstone. "The facts show that the defendant was test firing the gun in the past week and then fired not once but four times, fatally shooting her ex-husband once in the chest," said Steele. Courts records did not list an attorney for Lin. She was denied bail on Monday morning. Property records show the former couple bought the North Wales home in 1991. Both of their names are still listed as owners. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for June 1. Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook. VINELAND -- Authorities arrested a second teenager for his involvement in an attack in a Vineland High School hallway that sent another teen to the hospital with a skull fracture, according to school administration. The 17-year-old student who was attacked has since been released from the hospital, said Superintendent Mary Gruccio. The attack at the Vineland High School hallway occurred Thursday around 7:30 a.m., said Sgt. Shane Harris of Vineland Police Department. Two high school juniors were reportedly feuding over a girl during the weekend. Before homeroom Thursday, the alleged attacker was pacing the hallway waiting for the other student. As the student was walking down the hallway, a 16-year-old student came from behind, picked him up and threw him to the ground -- resulting in a head injury, the district said. Authorities transported the 17-year-old student to Cooper University Hospital for a skull fracture. He has since been released from the hospital. The 16-year-old student was charged with aggravated assault and has been suspended. The possibility of an expulsion hearing is pending, Gruccio said. An 18-year-old student was charged Friday for conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, according to Harris. According to Gruccio, the second student was aware that the attack was coming and filmed it on a cellphone. He has also been suspended. All three students are juniors at the high school. District officials were unaware of the disagreement between the students prior to Thursday's attack. Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook. SMMC-ACP-MedJep1200x900FacebookNoLink.jpg (From L-R) Dr. Nedal Matani, Dr. Ahmad Abuarqoub, Dr. Amer Hawatmeh, Dr. Parijat Sen and Dr. Sahitya Posimreddy. (Courtesy St. Michael's Medical Center) NEWARK -- For the first time in the contest's 22-year history, a team of doctors from New Jersey took top prize at 'Doctor's Dilemma,' an international medical Jeopardy-style competition hosted by the American College of Physicians each year. The team of five residents from St. Michael's Medical Center in Newark beat out 50 other teams representing hospitals across the world at the competition, which was held at the ACP's Internal Medicine meeting in Washington, D.C. from May 5 through 7. In a release about the victory, Dr. Patrick Alguire, ACP's senior vice president for medical education, congratulated the team for winning the contest's top prize, the "Osler Cup" trophy. "The high-stress and grueling competition is designed to highlight the winning team's ability to quickly and correctly answer questions in multiple specialty areas, including common and esoteric medical topics," he said in the release. "ACP extends a hearty congratulations to Saint Michael's." To represent New Jersey in the competition, the team competed at the state level in March, and beat out teams from Newark Beth Israel, Atlanticare Health, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, and Saint Barnabas Medical Center. The international bowl included three rounds of competitive play. In the finals, the doctors faced teams from the University of Indiana, the University of Pennsylvania and MedStar Health in Maryland. The N.J. team received a warm welcome when they returned home. "Each member of the team demonstrated...the same dedication and commitment they have made to their professional development and patients throughout their residency training," said Dr. Joseph R. DePasquale, chief academic officer and program director of internal medicine at Saint Michael's. "They are an outstanding group of men and women." St. Michael's, a 149-year-old hospital that was threatened by financial woes and closure until it was recently acquired by the for-profit chain Prime Healthcare Services, offers residencies in anesthesia, internal medicine and podiatry. The members of the winning team are: Dr. Ahmad Abuarqoub of Hackensack, Dr. Amer Hawatmeh of Woodland Park, Dr. Sahitya Posimreddy of Harrison and Dr. Parijat Sen and Dr. Nedal Matani, both of Newark. In a statement, Dr. Hawatmeh said the team was "honored" to represent St. Michael's and New Jersey. "We entered the competition with a competitive spirit and enormous expectations," he said. "Although intense, the competition was an enjoyable experience. I'm proud to be a member of such a great team." Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Jury selection began this morning in the murder trial of a man charged with killing two men in a car in Jersey City, cutting off their hands and heads, and burying their remains in Atlantic County in 2013. Yusuf Ibrahim, 31, of Jersey City, was arrested Feb. 10, 2013, in Bayonne and charged with shooting Hanny F. Tawadros, 25, and Amgad A. Konds, 27, in the chests during an argument inside a Mercedes-Benz in Jersey City five days earlier. The trial is expected to take about six weeks, and testimony will be heard from numerous witnesses on aspects of the allegations, including events in Jersey City, Buena Vista Township and Philadelphia. At least one person expected to testify is a resident of Egypt. Two days after the fatal shootings, detectives searching the area near Ibrahim's grandmother's home in Buena Vista Township found the victims buried in shallow graves. Their heads and hands were buried nearby. During the investigation, troopers learned Ibrahim had driven the Mercedes to Philadelphia the day after the fatal shootings and attempted to torch it but was interrupted by local police. He made his getaway in a second vehicle, officials said. Saint George and Shenouda Pastor Rev. David Bebawy said the men attended Mass at the church, but he did not know for how long or how often. Ibrahim is charged with two counts each of murder, felony murder, kidnapping, robbery and desecrating human remains, as well as numerous other crimes related to murder and mutilation of bodies. He faces up to two life sentences if convicted. The state has made no plea deal offer in the case. In December, a judge ruled that an apparently incriminating statement Ibrahim made to police would be admissible as evidence during the trial. The defendant is serving an 18-year prison sentence for unrelated Hudson County crimes in late December 2011 and early January 2012, including robbery, two counts of aggravated assault and weapons offenses related to a handgun, corrections record say. Ibrahim is serving the term at state prison in Rahway. Ibrahim's trial is be before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. He is represented by attorney Roy Greenman. The state is represented by Deputy Attorney General Vincent J. Militello. As of now, opening statements are expected next Tuesday. JERSEY CITY -- The 28-year-old man slain at an Elizabeth nightclub last week was remembered by friends as being a "protector" and entrepreneur at his funeral this afternoon. Darren Scott was shot at the Allstar Nightclub at about 1 a.m. on May 15. He was brought to University Hospital in Newark where he died early Monday, May 16. A second person was injured and is expected to survive. Hundreds of mourners gathered at the True Vine Life center on Linden Avenue, many wearing t-shirts with photos of Scott pictured on the front. To many of his friends, he was known as "Muffy." "He was a protector... there's nothing bad I could say about him," said Khalyah Bordeaux, who was friends with Scott for 17 years. "He was more than my friend, he was like my brother," she said. "He was a sweet heart." Bordeaux said Scott lived for his five children and owned Daddy Heroes on Ocean Avenue. His obituary said Scott was "extremely proud of his accomplishments" and opened the soul food shop in 2014. When asked where the nickname "Muffy" came from, Bordeaux said she was unsure, but Scott had gone by that name since she met him. Scott's white casket was processed down Linden Avenue before being placed on the back of a motorcycle. Many cried out messages to Scott, while others took photos with his casket and sent Snapchats of the procession. "Muff. Muffy. I'm right here, baby boy," one woman said. Another man, who only identified himself as Scott's Uncle Fraz, said Scott -- a Snyder High School graduate -- was "well loved and well respected." "That's why so many people are here, he was well liked," Fraz said. "Such a tragedy, such a tragedy." Officials from the Union County Prosecutor's Office were outside the funeral distributing fliers offering a reward of up to $10,000 for tips leading to an arrest and indictment in Scott's death. Anyone with information is asked to call any of the below numbers: New Orleans police arrested Solomon Banks, 51, in connection with the fatal shooting Sunday (Jan. 10) of his brother, 61-year-old Sammie Banks. New Orleans middle-class parents want public pre-k, but there's no room WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Lysander W. Tulleys was born in Frankfort, Ohio, in 1835, the son of Erasmus and Julia Tulleys. He was educated in the Ross County schools and attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, from approximately 1854-1858. He went on to Union College in Schenectady, New York where, in 1860, he obtained the degree of A.B. in classics. Three years later, he was awarded an A.M. degree while active in the war. He was principal at the Yellow Springs High School when the Civil War broke out. His military records are included in the papers donated to the Kent State University Department of Special Collections and Archives by his grandchildren. He began his military career in April of 1861 as a high private in Company F of the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and ended it as a lieutenant colonel of the 44th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was honorably discharged in 1864. During his enlistment in the 44th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, his regiment was sent to Frankfort, Kentucky. H.H. Field, in his History of Pottawattamie County, tells of an incident that occurred there: The convention met in the state house in 1862 and was expected to pass secession resolutions which would take Kentucky out of the Union. Tulleys was placed in charge of a body of soldiers who were to surround the state house, allowing all to enter but none to come out. When the assembly was called to order Col. S.A. Gilbert, the colonel of the Forty-fourth, addressed the convention, advising them to disperse to their homes, which they did under penalty of arrest, and thus Kentucky was saved to the Union. When he returned to civilian life, Tulleys obtained a law degree in Cleveland, Ohio. He began the practice of law in Xenia, Ohio, where he met and married Sarah Gowdy. They eventually moved to Champaign, Illinois, where he practiced law and became involved in providing farm loans. In an interview with the Nonpareil in 1926, when Tulleys was 91 years of age, he recalled the wild days- a period of wild financing featured by large amounts of interest obtained on money borrowed, and frenzied efforts on the part of easterners to place their moneys at the disposal of the farmers in a country whose development was assured in the early seventies. After the close of the Civil War, Tulleys joined a firm known as Burnham-McKinley whose business interests were law and the loaning of money to farmers. From 1880 until 1890, the farm loan business continued to be a wildly lucrative profession. The boundless prairies were being opened up. Farmers were in need of money to finance their farms. Borrowers and capitalists alike were oblivious to the future. Many far-sighted farmers paid off their mortgages to the farm loan companies but the greater percentage continued to pay their interest each year, invest in more land or break more prairie. Being the junior member of the firm, Tulleys was selected to cross the Mississippi and develop the farm loan industry in the west. In Ottumwa, he bought and studied maps of every county in Iowa, and determined that Pottawattamie county had the best agricultural land and would become the leading farming county in the state. And so, in 1875, the Tulleys settled in Council Bluffs. The firm name was changed to Burnham-Tulleys when it was established here. In 1884, John G. Wadsworth applied for a job and was set to work as a book-keeper and general helper, including sweeping floors. But, under Tulleys, he rapidly learned the business. The firm eventually became Tulleys, Waters and Wadsworth. Loans were made in Iowa at 10% cash commission and 10% interest, Tulleys said. The eastern clients of the firm, some even in England, went wild to place their money at this good rate of interest with such excellent security as new farms in the west. Funds poured in, interest was paid each year, and Tulleys crossed the Missouri and expanded his field in Nebraska and, eventually, the Dakotas. In 1890 or 91, the crops failed due to drought, and again the following year. Tulleys had faith in the future, and paid his clients the interest that was due to them, receiving scarcely a cent from the farmers. We all thought that crops must come so we advanced the interest, Tulleys said. The Tulleys firm lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, drifting into the hands of the receiver through its own efforts to keep faith with the farmers and stand between them and the mortgage-foreclosing tendencies of the capitalists. Farmers found themselves so deeply entangled in the mesh of finances and pyramided interest that they deserted their land and drifted further west, or went back to their former homes, or clung to their lands, which were taken by the lenders. Mortgages were purchased at the rate of 50 cents to $1 per acre. One group made money: those who purchased those mortgages and held them until the land could be sold to farmers, financed under the saner farm loans plans, for many times the amount per acre for which the mortgages were bought. But, as the article states, the farm loan-frenzy settled the west, by a class of farmers whose belief in the west was unbounded. Farm loans continued, but on a sounder and more conservative basis and were eventually taken over by the banks. Tulleys left the firm and concentrated on selling timber and mining lands in the west. The Tulleys had four children: Paul, Mary, Julia and Charles. Lt. Col. Lysander Tulleys died in 1928; Sarah died in 1934. They are buried in Fairview Cemetery in Soldiers Circle next to the Kinsman Monument. Mary, who lived at 151 Park Avenue until it was sold in 1930, is buried outside the circle, a short distance away. The house was built in 1877 in the Victorian Gothic style, designed by Chicago architect P.E. Hale and constructed by Wickham Brothers. (P.E. Hale also designed Council Bluffs Union Depot.) The impressive two 1/2 story brick house has Gothic arched windows and Eastlake decorative wood details. The four-story tower inset at the junction of the front and side gables, contains the main front entrance and an open stairway to the second floor and the third floor attic. An enclosed additional stairway continues to the top of the tower. The house has 54 exterior doors and windows. In the attic was a vat for running water. The Tulleys House, once converted to apartments, has been faithfully restored to its original grandeur and, with the carriage house, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Preserve Council Bluffs acknowledges the following sources of information for this series: National Register of Historic Places nominations, the reference department of the Council Bluffs Public Library, the auditors office of the Pottawattamie County courthouse, Council Bluffs Community Development Department, homeowners, family members and, for this story, Bob Pashek. Mary Lou McGinn can be reached by email at mlmcginn@cox.net. More than 230 politicians, trade associations, unions and steel companies are backing U.S. Steel's request for an investigation into whether the United States should ban Chinese steel imports. A total of 48 members of Congress, five governors, and 89 other politicians submitted letters of support to the International Trade Commission, which U.S. Steel has asked to block all unfairly traded Chinese imports to save the troubled American steel industry. The support has been bipartisan, making bedfellows of politicians otherwise vehemently opposed on other issues. U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, Gov. Mike Pence, Indiana Senate President Pro-Tempore David Long, State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, Speaker of the House Brian Bosma, House Minority Leader Scott Pelath were among the many politicians who encouraged the federal agency to launch an investigation into Chinese steel dumping. "As the International Trade Commission (ITC) moves through the investigation process of the complaint we filed under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, we are heartened by the show of support from all of our stakeholders," U.S. Steel CEO Mario Longhi said. Business organizations, customers, vendors and unions have all found common cause in supporting U.S. Steel's call. U.S. Steel is going to the drastic step of asking for an outright ban, accusing China of price-fixing, stealing trade secrets and fraudulently avoiding tariffs. Backers include the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Indiana Manufacturers Association, the Northwest Indiana Forum and the United Steelworkers union. Local U.S. Steel customers and suppliers that voiced their support include Beemsterboer Slag Corp., NIPSCO and South Shore Slag. "Local, state and federal elected officials in our operating areas have also shown their encouragement for the filing by letting the ITC and the USTR know how important this investigation is to U. S. Steel, as well as the industry," Longhi said. "Finally, and most importantly, our employees continue to champion our many trade efforts by signing petitions. This is proof positive that we are right in our pursuit of justice." China exported a record 112 million tons of steel last year, which was widely blamed for the global import crisis that nearly wiped out Britain's steel industry, closed century-old steel mills in Scotland and led to more than 13,000 layoffs in the United States. China's economy has slowed down but it hasn't ratcheted back on steel output, producing a record 70 million tons in April. Steelmakers from around the world have urged China to cut excess steel capacity, but say it's instead been dumping subsidized steel abroad, often at a loss that steel manufacturers in non-Communist countries can't compete with. VALPARAISO A family in danger of death flew into the loving arms of volunteers at a local nonprofit at the Porter County airport Wednesday. Giant Paw Prints Rescue, a Valparaiso-based large-breed dog rescue, arranged for the flight in of a female German Shepherd mix and her seven 8-week-old puppies from a shelter in Kaufman County, Texas. When the stray mother dog was picked up eight weeks ago by Texas authorities, she immediately delivered her babies in the back of the animal control truck, said Maureen Riffel, GPPR transport coordinator. Pet overpopulation in Texas is absolutely ludicrous, Riffel said, and deadly parvovirus and distemper are rampant. They would have just died in a shelter, said Riffel. GPPR, founded by Valparaiso resident Cathy Nolan in 2012, routinely rescues dogs from states where overpopulation is common, like Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Riffel coordinates freedom trains volunteers who fly or drive the animals on various legs of the journey from where they were picked up to their destination with GPPR in Northwest Indiana. Riffel said southern states are notorious for pet overpopulation, and Texas, in particular, is a harsh area for unwanted dogs. They just open the door and just let them go, said Riffel. Theres a lot of cruelty down there. Theyre not bad people, but theres a lot of livestock, and thats whats important they want working dogs. Riffel, a self-employed commercial finance advisor, often serves as one of the transporters and has driven as many as 16 hours nonstop. I just turn on Sirius and go down with Jimmy Hendrix, Elvis, and Led Zeppelin, and we all take a ride, said Riffel. Im not a sleeper, so it doesnt bother me. Despite GPPRs efforts, the need remains strong, said Riffel. In just one day, she can be tagged 40 times on Facebook from people across the country letting her know about dogs that need rescue. For now, the German Shepherd -- named Abby by her rescuers -- and her puppies have been treated by a local veterinarian and are in a foster home until they are old enough for adoption. Riffel said she and her fellow volunteers at GPPR are like family, and everyone has the same focus. Its about doing it right and finding the best possible home for these dogs where theyre going to be loved and given everything they want, said Riffel. They are far more forgiving than people. You can do no wrong in their eyes -- thats why I love working with animals. It is by far the most rewarding thing Ive ever done in my life. I wish this was something I could do full time and do all the time, Riffel said. Everyone realizes their calling in life, and I would definitely say this is mine. Rescues and volunteers she works with in other states are equally amazing, as their racial, political, or religious differences dont get in the way of the task. Its all about saving a live, and everything else is forgotten. They are right there to help you, said Riffel. Just imagine if the real world was like that. ANGOLA Just in the nick of time, Angola-based Trine University voted Monday to authorize the Drexel Foundation to continue operating Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, a public charter school in Gary. The charter school lost its authorization from Ball State University in January and was set to close June 30 if Drexel Foundation, which operated as a school board, was unable to gain authorization from another state-approved authorizer. An alternate group of parents who formed a separate organization was standing by to take over operating the school with the support of Ball State, if the Drexel Foundation had not been able to secure a new authorizer. Earl Martin Phalen, president of the Indianapolis-based George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academies, which operates two charter schools in Indianapolis, went before the Office of Charter Schools at Trine University during its Monday meeting. The Phalen Group has partnered with the Drexel Foundation as its management company, and will begin running Bowman immediately. Phalen said Trine awarded Drexel a three-year authorization. "The board gave careful consideration to some of the deficiencies that existed, many of which have been corrected," Phalen said. "There is a totally new Drexel Foundation and a new management company in Phalen Leadership Academies. They felt the kids in Gary deserve to have a high-quality school. Though it has struggled, Thea Bowman has been a strong school and has been a great place for children. "We will come aboard immediately. Obviously, we need to communicate with teachers, staff and parents. We need to begin talking with everyone, so they are not in limbo," Phalen said. Bowman supporters said state Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis, and state Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, who are chairmen of the House and Senate education committees, have strongly supported Bowman's effort to get a new charter. Kruse also is on the Trine Board of Trustees. Bowman has gained the authorization in time to be on the agenda for the State Board of Education meeting June 1. State law requires Trine consult with Ball State and gain SBOE approval before the new charter authorizer can go forward. CROWN POINT On the eve of a second jury trial, the state dismissed a murder charge against a Gary man. Willie M. Johnson, 50, was scheduled to stand trial this week on a murder charge accusing him of shooting to death his friend, Lawrence Gray, 51, of Milwaukee. On Friday, the Lake County prosecutor's office filed a motion asking that the case be dismissed because the state, "is unable to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt at this time," according to the motion. Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez granted the motion and dismissed the case. The dismissal comes months after Johnson's first trial in the case. A Lake County jury last November deliberated for 12 hours, but they were never able to reach a verdict. Vasquez declared a mistrial in the first trial. Gray was shot to death Nov. 5, 2014, in the 900 block of Sherman Street in Gary. Andres "Danny" Acevez testified last November during the first trial that he had made arrangements that day to smoke marijuana with Johnson. When Johnson arrived with Gray, Acevez said he saw Johnson shoot Gray three times outside of his home. Johnson's then-public defense attorney, Karen Coulis, argued Acevez's version of the shooting didn't match the evidence in the case including the autopsy report. During a video police interview shown to jurors, Johnson maintained his innocence. He told police he had smoked marijuana with Gray, but he did not hear from him again until he was told about the homicide. HAMMOND A cross surrounded with religious candles and figures marks the house where Dorothy Szany was found beaten to death 10 years ago this week. A crime scene photo shows that on the afternoon of May 24, 2006, bright yellow crime scene tape wrapped around the house. Szanys husband, Joseph, is seen sitting on the front porch. Joseph Szany had Alzheimers disease and was unable to tell police what happened that afternoon. Ten years later, family members and detectives still are trying to piece together what happened that led to the 85-year-old womans beating death. She was beaten throughout her body and left dead in the backyard of her home in the 700 block of Gostlin Street in Hammond. Szany was the mother of eight children and grandmother to 22. One of her grandchildren was Amy Patterson, 34, who was living with her grandparents when the homicide happened. Standing outside of the home recently, Patterson teared up as she recalled the things she did with her grandmother. She recalled going bowling with her grandmother and spending time volunteering at a soup kitchen Szany helped start. Though she thinks Szany would want them to let go of what happened, Patterson said she can't do that. "Its just hard," she said. "Its too hard to think of doing anything when you know shes gone and shell never come back." Not enough probable cause Hammond Police Department Detective Sgt. Steve Guernsey said investigators have identified suspects in Szany's homicide throughout the years, but there never has been enough probable cause to seek criminal charges. Guernsey and Hammond police detective John Suarez were two of the original detectives who worked the case in 2006. Guernsey said the case always stood out to him because of Szany's age. "It struck me as disappointing that someone would do that to such an elderly woman who probably couldn't hurt anybody," he said. Szany's home is down the street from the bustling Calumet Avenue where there are two gas stations and a Walgreens. Guernsey said the area is frequented by homeless people and drug addicts. The house next to Szany's home, which was owned by a relative, was vacant at the time of the homicide. The Szany property had a large backyard that included a small wooded area. Old cars Joseph Szany collected, tires, debris and overgrown grass sprawled throughout the backyard. Prior to the homicide, trespassers had managed to get onto the property through an opening in the fence. Guernsey said Szany had previously made calls to the police requesting help getting people out of the yard. There also was evidence that people had been removing items from the yard that could have been sold as scrap metal. But on the day of the homicide, nothing was reported stolen from Szany's home. Detectives collected several items from the backyard as evidence. Guernsey said DNA tests later revealed some of the items contained Szany's blood. However, investigators haven't been able to link the items to a suspect. "We know someone knows something," he said. "With the passage of time, we are hoping someone will come forward." Tough parent, community organizer Her children describe Dorothy Szany as the glue of the large family that grew up in the Hammond home where she was found dead. Dan Szany said though his father always worked, the family was considered poor. He credited his mother with making sure he and his siblings, six boys and two girls, never felt like they were missing out on material things. Barbara Patterson said her mother would wake up early each morning to start the furnace and boil water so she and her siblings could take a hot bath. Dan Szany said his mother was the tough, disciplinary parent. His brother, Tim Szany, said his mother never let anyone feel sorry for themselves, and she wasn't shy about letting them know if they were. He recalled her telling him to pick himself up from the bootstraps and reasoning that everything happened for a reason. "I didn't realize how powerful she was until I had children," Tim Szany said. Up until her death, they said their mother remained busy volunteering with the American Legion and St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hammond. She was credited with helping organize and start the church's soup kitchen. Dorothy Szany also was the primary caretaker for her husband. Patterson said her mother was such a devoted wife that she viewed putting him in an assisted living facility as a breach of her marriage vows. Joseph Szany died three years after his wife was killed. Patterson said her father never really talked about what happened. He only on occasion would ask for the windows to be locked because "they" told him they would come back for him. Ten years after their mother's homicide, some of Dorothy Szany's children said they are still trying to figure out why she was killed. "Even if they didn't know her, she's 85 years old, blind in one eye," Tim Szany said. "Who would do that? What kind of animal would do that?" Anyone with information about Dorothy Szany's homicide is asked to call Hammond Police Department detectives Steve Guernsey or John Suarez at (219) 852-2981 or (219) 852-2978. EAST CHICAGO A woman suffered a gunshot wound to her thumb in a shooting Sunday night in the city's Calumet neighborhood, police said. The woman was a passenger in a vehicle near 149th Street and Alexander when shots rang out and she was struck, Lt. Marguerite Wilder said. Police responded to the area about 9:40 p.m. after the city's ShotSpotter technology indicated four shots had been fired there. The woman was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (219) 391-8318. To remain anonymous, call (219) 391-8500. HAMMOND If you walk into Xinhua Liu's classroom each morning at Clark Middle/High School, the students are standing respectfully as they greet their teacher. Shangke! Qili! Tongxuemen hao! Laoshi hao! Qing zuo! Xiexie! Essentially that means: Class begins! Stand up! Hello my students! Hello Miss Liu! Please sit down! Thank you! This is the third year that Liu has taught Chinese at Clark in the School City of Hammond. Liu is one of five Chinese teachers in Hammond. The College Board in collaboration with Hanban/Confucius Institutes Headquarters launched the K-12-focused Confucius Institutes and Classrooms program to support the development of K-12 Chinese language and cultural education in the U.S. The program provides funding, resources and guidance to participating institutions. Many of the Clark students say Chinese is difficult, but Liu makes it easier by using games to help them understand the culture and language. Freshman Faith Johnson said she enjoys taking Chinese because she and her classmates get a chance to learn new things and do a variety of activities. "I plan to take the next level of Chinese next fall," Johnson said. "There are so many little details to learning how to write in Chinese. There are many different strokes. It's difficult, but it's still fun to do. Ms. Liu also plays a lot of games and I've learned a lot about Chinese culture. We did some research on older leaders in China like Confucius." Exchanging ideas Liu said she enjoys sharing her language and culture with American students. Liu went to Hunan University in 2000 at age 18 and majored in English. She earned her master's degree in Chinese eight years later; she began learning English in middle school. "Now in China, even the kindergarten level has to take English," she said. "We were not as lucky as the students at Clark, we didn't have an English native speaker to teach us English. I taught English in a college for five years before I came to the U.S.A." Liu said her colleagues at Clark are like family and have helped her tremendously. "With their support, we have made a great environment for the students to learn Chinese," Liu said. "I love the students smile when they come into my class. They work very hard; they're working to learn new things and using what theyve learned in daily life. "They love the Chinese culture. They've done a very good job in our school-wide activities," Liu said. "We have been involved in community. We donated cans for a food drive, went to fundraising activities, taught children how to use chopsticks in a program at Purdue Calumet, went to a church to help people, and have brought Chinese food and Chinese culture to students, teachers and our neighborhood." Liu and the students visited Chinatown in Chicago and the students shopped, communicating in Chinese. "My former student, Rice Shawn, who graduated last summer and attends Indiana University now, earned a scholarship to study in China in his senior year," Liu said. "This year we have an Advanced Placement Chinese class for the first time. The feedback from Hanban and College Board makes me proud." Different attitudes Liu said her American students are different from her former Chinese students in that they are more outspoken. "The attitude is totally different from Chinese students," she said. "In China, the students sit and are silent the whole day. Here the students speak. They give you their ideas and opinions and they are very creative." Late last month, Liu accompanied Hammond Assistant Superintendent Theresa Mayerik to the 2016 National Chinese Language Conference in Chicago. Liu said they gave a presentation titled, Support Chinese Guest Teachers to Build a Chinese Program, adding that it was well received. Mayerik said she was excited to showcase the school district on a national level, and its successful Chinese language program. Freshman Jacob Meier said he is trying to become more fluent in Chinese. "I'd love to go over there someday and share my culture with them as my teacher has shared her culture with us," he said. As the bell rang and the students prepared to leave for their next class, they stood and said: Xiake! Qili! Tongxuemen zaijian! Laoshi zaijian! Essentially that means: Class is dismissing! Stand up! See you my students! See you Miss Liu! GARY The Gary Air Show remains on schedule with a number of major performers this summer. Daniel Vicari, director of Gary/Chicago International Airport, said Monday the event will take place the weekend of July 9-10. Vicari spoke in the wake of unanswered questions posted on its Facebook page about the event's future. Websites for the The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, U.S. Army's Golden Knights, The U.S. Marines MV-22 Osprey, the AeroShell Aerobatic Team, the Dave Dacy & Tony Kaizan - Wing Walking Team and the Claude Spears Airshow Sound all list their participation in Gary that weekend. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and LaLosa Burns, a spokeswoman for the mayor, couldn't be reached Monday for comment. The Air Show first took off in 2000 and has drawn hundreds of thousands of attendees, becoming one of the largest destination events in Northwest Indiana. Officials had to cancel it in 2013, because federal budget cuts that year made military aircraft demonstrations impossible. It was cancelled again in 2014 after the city had trouble affording the police, ambulance and park support services for the event. Heavy rains doomed an effort to move it to Fair Oaks Farm in rural Jasper and Newton counties. The show returned to Gary last year. Times staff writer Andrew Steele contributed to this report. WHITING Although dwindling membership caused the Plymouth Congregational Church to sell its longtime home at 1845 Stanton Ave. last May, former members are making sure the church's influence lives on through generous donations being made to various local nonprofit organizations. Bonnie Henry, the church's former chairman of the board, attended the Whiting City Council meeting last week and presented the city with three checks for a total of $8,000. That money will go toward helping the Whiting Public Library, the Whiting Animal Shelter and the Whiting Food Pantry. Some other organizations that have or will be given money include the Hammond Animal Shelter, the Haven House in Hammond, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, the Shriners Hospital and St. Joseph's Soup Kitchen in Hammond. "That money's been sitting in the bank from the sale of our church," Henry said. "It has to go somewhere. We wanted to keep as much of it in the area as we can." Henry said the Plymouth Congregational Church was actually located in what is now the Whiting City Hall before the church relocated to Stanton Avenue in 1927. The church was purchased by the Pentecostal Church of God last year. Henry spoke of how stunned the woman was whom she gave a check to at the Hammond Animal Shelter. She said the woman indicated it would allow her to have animals spayed. "It gives us such a good feeling," Henry said. "We're not so sad about the church closing because we're helping so many people." C. James Facklam, the church's pastor for 24 years, also attended the city council meeting. He said only about seven or eight families remained in the congregation and they could have decided to keep the money from the sale of the church for themselves. "But, you know, obviously that's not the thing to do, and there's lots and lots of families that are deceased that contributed to that congregation through the years," Facklam said. LaPorte County officials are taking a stand against the state's policy regarding newly created wheel taxes intended to generate revenue to fix local streets. A resolution adopted Wednesday by the LaPorte County Commissioners declares opposition to imposing a wheel tax while again urging for a moratorium on further tax cuts that are shifting more of the financial burden from state to local governments. The measure was presented two days after LaPorte Blair Mayor Blair Milo announced she will propose a wheel tax ordinance to the city council next month for consideration. Revenue from a wheel tax would allow the city to capture a $500,000 match from the state toward fixing city streets. "The mayor in LaPorte has got to do what she's got to do, but we think trying to pass a wheel tax or any other tax in order to get funding for roads that the state is responsible for is holding the counties and cities hostage," said LaPorte County Commission president Dave Decker. The commissioners would prefer the city or any other community not adopt the tax while efforts continue for a more even distribution of state dollars, which they believe are centered too heavily around Indianapolis. They also alleged the state's $2 billion surplus is bloated from withholding revenues owed to local municipalities at a time when further reductions in taxes on corporate income along with the financial institution and individual income taxes over the next eight years is projected to cost the state $2.2 billion. "These state legislators want us to raise money for them to make them look good. They have a responsibility and they need to step up to that responsibility and fulfill it," Decker said. The commissioners also called for all 7 cents of the state sales tax on gasoline to go for local roads and streets. Just 2.5 cents is now going for local roads while the rest is funneled to different areas of the state budget, said LaPorte County attorney Shaw Friedman, who noted not a penny of the $400 million in extra state road funding approved in 2014 "came back to Northwest Indiana." He also pointed to a failed proposal just a few months ago to convert Interstate 94 in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties into a toll road as another example of locals being leaned on too heavily to make up for the tax breaks. "You can't ask local residents to dig deeper in their wallets when they're not seeing a fair share of their money coming back from state government," Friedman said. Local municipalities were given the option by the Indiana Legislature this year of adopting a local option tax to fund infrastructure work following several years of pleading from local officials for the state to provide more local road dollars. The road funding crunch in LaPorte is such that the city a few years ago imposed a separate fee on garbage collection to generate more than $100,000 a year for streets. A vote on the wheel tax by the city council is expected next month. "Enough is enough. Send the money back that we're already sending to Indianapolis before you ask people to dip into their pockets again," Friedman said. Portage has already enacted a wheel tax. Crown Point and Merrillville officials are also considering a wheel tax. PORTAGE It is unlikely fire investigators will be able to determine what caused the fire that destroyed three businesses here Sunday night. "It is undetermined at this point. It appears it started in La Cabana," said Assistant Chief Tim Sosby Monday morning, returning to the scene following a small rekindle. "Because of the structural damage, we were very limited on what we could do investigation wise," said Sosby, adding that a pay loader was called in Sunday night to move debris so that firefighters could be certain the fire was struck. Firefighters were called to the building at the northeast corner of U.S. 6 and Swanson Road about 6:15 p.m. Sunday. The initial call was of smoke in the building. The building was the home to the newly opened La Cabana Mexican restaurant, A License to Drive driver's education school and the dental office of Keary Bewick. When the first firefighter entered, he could hear the crackling of fire in the ceiling and ordered the building evacuated. Sosby couldn't confirm reports that diners were initially told the incident was a fire drill when they were asked to leave. Sosby said when firefighters opened the ceiling in the restaurant, they could see the fire had spread the length of the building, which has a common attic. "That's why I like firewalls," said Sosby, adding the building housing the driving school and dental office have been there for at least 25 years and the building housing the restaurant was added later. The building once housed Kelsey's Steak House, which closed last June. It was built in 1995, replacing the original Kelsey's further east on U.S. 6, which was destroyed in a fire that year. Sosby said firefighters remained on scene until about 1:30 a.m. Monday. He said everything within the restaurant was destroyed. Firefighters were able to save records from both the driving school and dental office. Building a stronger village to support Valparaiso students has taken precedence this year for the newly formed Valparaiso Community Schools Culture and Student Services Team (CSST), comprised of Director Cicely Powell, Home-School Advisor Michelle Bush, and Student Leadership/Climate Coordinator Denise Koebcke. With a focus on building community partnerships to enhance student services and support, the team has taken on the issues students have said are their biggest concerns: stress and anxiety, healthy relationship skills, and substance use/abuse. Valparaiso community stakeholders have stepped up in a big way in order to fund exciting new prevention, social-emotional, and academic opportunities for our kids. The Porter County Community Foundation has provided funding for the nationally-acclaimed evidence-based program, Sources of Strength which will be rolled into the LEAD Mentoring framework to provide best-practice suicide/substance abuse prevention training to secondary staff and hundreds of high school mentors. SOS promotes a no-trauma-story approach, focusing instead on building hope, help, and strength; research shows this strength-based approach is most effective. SOS-trained LEAD staff and mentors will then continue to work with all 6th and 7th graders in the district and expand into a new support initiative for freshmen and sophomores at VHS. CSST also was granted a Secured School Safety Grant to fund School Guard 911 and extensive camera equipment to enhance physical safety at VHS. The city of Valparaiso and Center Township, in their ongoing fight against substance abuse and its causes, have partnered with the VCS Culture and Student Services Team to provide innovative new social-emotional and academic opportunities like Around the Table, Brainology, and MindUp! for K-12 students and their families. These opportunities utilize latest research, neuroscience, and a brain-centric approach to teaching positive social-emotional and academic skills. All have been proven to reduce stress, increase connection, improve academic performance, strengthen resiliency, and help children thrive in a more supportive setting both at home and at school. In addition to the highlights above and LEAD mentor program expansions, the CSST has coordinated targeted interventions such as Philanthropy Bootcamp, Valpo Strong Summer programming, restorative justice training, JDC discussion forums for incarcerated youth, Lets Start Talking forums on diversity and relationships for staff and students at VHS, and yearly state-mandated bullying prevention training for all stakeholders in the VCS. Additional community partnerships have been formed with The Caring Places Amanda Forum, the Valparaiso Parks Dept., Boys and Girls Club, VU, the Urban League, Centier and First Source banks. For a complete and ongoing list of CSST news and community partners, please check out our LEAD System website on the VCS District Homepage. VALPARAISO It was hard to tell who had a tastier meal the fish or the fishermen, at the 2nd annual Fishing Derby to benefit the Don Quijote Scholarship Foundation Sunday. While Carlos Rivero, co-owner of Don Quijote Restaurant in Valparaiso, cooked up hot dogs with onions, peppers and Spanish spices for the derbys guests, a young fisherman was dishing out his own homemade concoction. Gavin Vogel, 16, shared his secret catfish bait with Nathan OConnor, who promptly caught a 22 inch catfish as a result. Its cherry Jello, hot dogs, and garlic, said Vogel, of Westville. I saw it on YouTube. The derby, which raises money for students to travel abroad to study Spanish, hosted nearly 100 people at Riveros fishing pond at his rural Valparaiso home. Rivero stocked the pond with 300 fish, including catfish, blue gill, perch, and crappie, but said the day was not so much a fundraiser as an enjoyable family day outside. There are so many incredible kids catching fish and having fun, said Rivero, decked out in his white chefs jacket. I love seeing kids catch fish. I want them to have an incredible time and make a memory. Rivero said high school students from Valparaiso, Portage, and Chesterton, as well as college students, are eligible to apply for the foundations scholarships, which are awarded through school travel and study programs. Grades and family income are two large determinants of awards scholarships are given to students who otherwise would not have the funds to participate in a travel study program. We want to give someone the opportunity to have the most wonderful experience in their life, said Rivero. Rivero said the students typically give a presentation to board members after their trips abroad. Its amazing to hear how much it changed their lives something they would have never thought possible, said Rivero. Foundation member Cindy Leland said the group distributed $22,000 among 11 scholarships in 2015, and the group is working on ways to get the word out about the scholarships and the foundations fundraisers. She said the derby is something different than the average fundraiser. This was Carloss dream and we go with Carlos, said Leland, of Valparaiso. Joel and Beth Mehling and their family Brody, 9, and Elliot, 6 thought the cause was a good one. Weve been fishing all day, said Beth Mehling. I knew theyd love this. Nancy Highwood, of Chesterton, sat in the sun with her daughter, Gwen OConnor, while OConnors husband, Ken, and son, Evan, 11 fished off a pier. My kids love fishing, said Gwen OConnor, of Jackson Township. Its beautiful out here. Nathan OConnor threw back a small bass after his success with Vogels secret catfish bait. I guess its not so secret anymore, said Nathan. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court won't reconsider its decision to reject former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appeal of his corruption convictions. The justices on Monday denied without comment a long-shot petition urging the court to take another look at the case. The court first turned down Blagojevich's appeal on March 28. He challenged an appeals court ruling that said Blagojevich crossed the line when he sought money in exchange for naming someone to fill the vacant Senate seat once occupied by President Barack Obama. Blagojevich argued that circumstances have changed because prosecutors said they won't retry him on five counts tossed by a federal appeals court. He said eliminating the possibility of retrial made his case a better candidate for the high court because there are no longer concerns about "piecemeal litigation." CHESTER, Ill. A southern Illinois prosecutor says former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson offered a fellow inmate $10,000 to kill the state's attorney who prosecuted him for the death of his third wife. The Chicago Sun-Times (http://bit.ly/1OSy4KT) reports that Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker gave his opening statement Monday in Peterson's murder-for-hire trial. Walker told jurors that the ex-Bolingbrook police sergeant was motivated by "anger, hatred, revenge." Peterson was convicted in 2012 of first-degree murder in the 2004 death of his ex-wife, Kathleen Savio. His fourth wife, Stacey Peterson, has been missing since 2007. Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow also testified Monday, recounting the veiled threats Peterson made several years ago in court. Peterson faces a sentence of up to 60 years if convicted. He's pleaded not guilty. INDIANAPOLIS New census estimates show the Indianapolis metropolitan area includes four of the five fastest-growing counties in Indiana and 10 of the 11 fastest-growing cities and towns with populations of at least 5,000. The 2015 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau show suburban Hamilton County's population grew by 13 percent over the last five years, followed by adjacent Boone County's 12 percent growth. Hendricks (9 percent) and Johnson (7 percent) counties also made the top five, along with Tippecanoe (7.5 percent), home to Lafayette. An analysis by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business further showed the Boone County town of Whitestown was the state's fastest-growing incorporated area for a fifth straight year in 2015 at 14.5 percent. McCordsville in Hancock County ranked No. 2 at 6.1 percent growth, followed by Brownsburg in Hendricks County at 5.5 percent. The estimates show Indiana's population has grown about 2 percent since 2010, when the last census was conducted. "I'm a little surprised that, this far on from the Great Recession, we are still seeing growth as sluggish as it is," Matthew Kinghorn, chief demographer at the research center, told The Indianapolis Star. However, Indiana's population growth outpaced those of neighboring states Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, he said. Indianapolis had the state's largest numeric gain with 4,188 new residents in 2015, the estimates showed. With 862,781 residents, Indianapolis was the nation's 14th-largest city in 2015, ranking behind San Francisco (864,816) and ahead of Columbus, Ohio (850,106). Fort Wayne, the state's second-largest city, grew by an estimated 1,956 residents to reach a total population of 260,326. South Bend grew by 311 residents in 2015 to reach a total population of 101,516, making it the fourth-largest city. Evansville's size fell by an estimated 344 residents in 2015 to 119,943 residents last year. The remaining 10 largest Indiana communities in 2015 were Carmel (88,713), Fishers (88,658), Bloomington (84,067), Hammond (77,614), Gary (77,156) and Lafayette (71,111), the estimates showed. The neighboring Lake County communities of Gary and Hammond had the state's largest population declines, with each losing more than 800 residents in 2015. Other larger Indiana cities with losses last year include Muncie (down 196), Anderson (down 193), Terre Haute (down 147) and Kokomo (down 87). In 58 of Indiana's 92 counties, the population fell or stayed flat, the estimates showed. Except for Lake, which fell by nearly 2 percent, those counties represent mostly rural areas. Union, Tipton, Rush, Fountain and Randolph counties each have lost about 4 percent to 5 percent of their populations since 2010. "Rural or midsize communities are seeing population declines, and it's been that way for the past 10 or 15 years," Kinghorn said. "A lot is linked to the loss of industrial jobs, a shrinking employment base. There's just not as much to draw new residents to the area." PORTAGE Diners at the recently opened La Cabana restaurant on U.S. 6 initially had no idea a fire that destroyed the building Sunday was burning in the walls and ceiling around them, an official said. Portage firefighters were called to the building in the 5600 block of U.S. 6 for a report of a fire in the wall, Division Chief Chad Bogue said. Restaurant staff were attempting to evacuate the building when Bogue arrived and found thick smoke in the bar area, he said. Diners likely didnt notice, but Bogue could hear the fire popping and crackling in the walls and ceiling and ordered everyone out, he said. I knew this fire was going to be huge, he said. The fire destroyed La Cabana, which opened about two months ago in the space formerly occupied by Kelseys Steakhouse, along with Dr. Keary Bewicks dental office and A License to Drive driving school. The two other businesses occupied the north end of the building. Bogue said one engine crew arrived and began removing ceiling tiles, while a second engine crew went to the roof and found it was near collapse. Firefighters immediately got off the roof, and a short time later flames began shooting through it. The roof collapsed shortly later, he said. The fire likely started in the ceiling and burned for some time before anyone noticed it, he said. The cause remained under investigation. William Boyden, of Portage, said he and his mother, Marjorie, had just gotten their food when restaurant staff asked them to leave because of a fire. Boyden said his mother sat in her walker, and he pushed her out to the parking lot. She left behind a pillow that was sentimental because her mother embroidered it, he said. Micah Adams, of Portage, said he, his wife and their 5- and 2-year-old boys had just finished eating when restaurant staff told them there was a fire drill. At first, a couple of people werent leaving, Adams said. One guy grabbed his drink. One of the firefighters who arrived shouted at workers that everyone needed to get out, he said. As Adams and his family walked out, they smelled smoke and he thought, This doesnt smell like a fire drill. When Adams walked outside, he could see smoke rising from one of the pillars at the south end of the building, he said. The fire spread quickly, he said. As he stood in the water and debris in the parking lot, Adams said his family liked the restaurant and had eaten there a couple of times since it opened. Its too bad, he said. It was really good food. The city has given horse carriages a rate hike just months after an effort to ban the industry failed. The Department of Consumer Affairs raised carriage ride prices by about 8 percent last week. The price is now $54.08 for the first 20 minutes of a ride and $21.63 for every 10 minutes after. The old prices were $50 for the first 20 minutes and $20 every 10 minutes after. This is the industry's first rate hike since 2010. In a statement, a spokesman for the mayor says, "This raise is nothing more than the byproduct of a City Council bill that passed several years ago. No mayor has done more to protect horses and this rate increase does not stand in the way of the mayor's steadfast commitment to removing carriages from city streets." During his campaign, Mayor Bill de Blasio promised to ban the carriages on day one of his administration, but the idea of a ban gathered little support in the City Council. Investigators are currently looking into campaign donations made to de Blasio by groups opposed to the horses. On Monday, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced the Council will move ahead with legislation decreasing penalties for some low-level offenses. NY1's Courtney Gross filed the following report. Right now, if you stay out in a park after dark, you could get a misdemeanor conviction on your record. It's one of dozens of park rules that, if broken, come with a criminal summons. "These are nonviolent, low-level offenses, and they are still illegal, and we are just dealing with it in a much more just way," said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. The City Council is set to vote on a package of legislation this week that reduces penalties for some low-level criminal offenses, like violating park curfews and littering. It has been a pet project of the Council speaker since she took over the body, first announcing she wanted to reform the system in her 2015 State of the City address. The point was to unclog the court system and remove the possibility that someone would spend a night in jail for a small violation, like urinating in public. Under the compromise, which the Council will vote on on Wednesday, the NYPD will still retain its ability to issue criminal summonses for these low-level offenses. But the legislation encourages the Police Department to issue civil summonses instead. "We create, not only reserve the tools that we've had all along, but we've also developed new tools to assist the officers in enforcing these quality-of-life offenses," said Oleg Chernyavsky of the NYPD's Legislative Affairs Unit. "We got to a point of mutual understanding," the Council speaker said. Right now, it's a bit unclear when exactly a criminal offense would be triggered versus a civil penalty. Officials tell us that's something the City Council and the NYPD will be working on for the next year. Mayor Bill de Blasio has backed the measure, saying it would play a crucial role in building a fairer criminal justice system. Advocates were also backing the proposals. "She promised these reforms, I think a year and a half ago, and they are coming to fruition now," said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. That may be so, but much of this legislation would not take effect for one year. Kylies mother, Angie Cao, was so pleased with her daughters experience that she persuaded some friends to enroll their children at P.S. 257 next year. Everybody will come here after seeing her, she said. If only change were as swift and simple as a childs dance recital. Instead, P.S. 257, where 73 percent of the students are Hispanic, has found integration to be far more intricate. One of four Williamsburg elementary schools to win a 2010 magnet grant from the United States Education Department to spur desegregation, it has struggled to follow a federal model created decades ago while focusing on more urgent battles: for resources, students and, above all, test scores. Since the mid-1980s, New Yorks public schools, which are among the nations most segregated, have received millions of dollars in magnet grants from the federal government. In this most recent round of grants, in 2010, the four Williamsburg elementary schools and one middle school, all in District 14, received a total of $10.2 million over three years; schools in Long Island City, Queens, and on the West Side in Manhattan also won grants, for a total of $33 million. Magnet schools were once the federal governments favored mechanism to increase diversity and prevent white flight. The idea was to create a themed curriculum that attracted children from outside a schools immediate neighborhood to reduce the isolation of one minority group. Today, as the Williamsburg schools show, integration is an uneven process at best, hampered by geography, legal limits and, critics say, a lack of ideological commitment from the city. Williamsburg, the epicenter of Brooklyns gentrification, where a growing white population is moving into neighborhoods dominated by Hispanics, would seem to have the most favorable conditions in the city for integration. About 58 percent of the students in District 14 public schools are Hispanic, 26 percent are black, 12 percent are white and 3 percent are Asian, according to the Education Department. At each of these four elementary magnet schools, Hispanic students represent more than 70 percent of the population. Still, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences issued a report this spring noting the decreased funding for humanities and calling for new initiatives to ensure that they are not neglected amid the growing money and attention devoted to science and technology. In The New Yorker in August, the writer Adam Gopnik argued for the importance of English majors. The New Republic ran an article, Science Is Not Your Enemy, by Steven Pinker, a Harvard cognitive scientist. A few weeks later came a testy rebuttal, Crimes Against Humanities by Leon Wieseltier, the literary editor of The New Republic, rejecting Dr. Pinkers views on the ascendancy of science. In the scholarly world, cognitive sciences has everybodys ear right now, and everybody is thinking about how to relate to it, said Louis Menand, a Harvard English professor. How many people do you know whove read a book by an English professor in the past year? But everybodys reading science books. Many distinguished humanities professors feel their status deflating. Anthony Grafton, a Princeton history professor who started that universitys humanities recruiting program, said he sometimes feels like a newspaper comic strip character whose face is getting smaller and smaller. At Stanford, the humanists cannot help noticing the primacy of science and technology. You look at this universitys extraordinary science and technology achievements, and if you wonder what will happen to the humanities, you can be threatened, or you can be invigorated, said Franco Moretti, the director of the Stanford Literary Lab. Im choosing to be invigorated. At Stanford, digital humanities get some of that vigor: In Teaching Classics in the Digital Age, graduate students use Rap Genius, a popular website for annotating lyrics from rappers like Jay-Z and Eminem, to annotate Homer and Virgil. In a Literary Lab project on 18th-century novels, English students study a database of nearly 2,000 early books to tease out when romances, tales and histories first emerged as novels, and what the different terms signified. And in Introduction to Critical Text Mining, English, history and computer majors use R software to break texts into chunks to analyze novels and Supreme Court rulings. Season 5, Episode 5: Thanksgiving This weeks episode of Veep feels like a slight comedown in the wake of last weeks sensational Mother. Perhaps that was inevitable. After a half-hour of television that featured the death of a loved one, the disappointment of a recount lost and a performance for the HBO comedy ages from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an episode that deals with salmonella poisoning and turkey pardons doesnt pack quite the same punch. Veep is so terrific that weve come to expect gold medal-worthy triumph every week. But theres no shame in earning a bronze. Hey, as we learned in episode two of this season, a bronze still means a trip to the White House, right? The most striking thing about this episode is the degree to which Selina is isolated and outshined by her male colleagues, thanks to a situation completely of her own making. Opting to use the Thanksgiving holiday to get an eye job instead of spending time with her family, Selina winds up with swollen, crimson-red recovery bags beneath her lower lids. Together, they almost look like the wattles of the two turkeys she pardons in grand, ridiculous, Thanksgiving presidential tradition. Given her appearance, theres no way Selina can publicly address the salmonella outbreak that worsens as Thanksgiving unfolds or offer condolences when Representative Harry Sherman, the oldest member of the House, dies. Those jobs go to Tom James and Andrew Doyle. One could argue that societys expectations of women force Selina to get plastic surgery, because her beauty and youthfulness are crucial to how shes perceived. But by making that choice, its almost as though shes subconsciously pardoning herself from being presidential. Or maybe shes just subconsciously sabotaging herself. Either way, theres something sad about the fact that the two veeps the current and possibly future one must become the face of the presidency because of the actual presidents vanity about her face. Its especially distressing since we know that the smooth-talking Tom and the venom-spewing Andrew are not necessarily as on-point behind the scenes as they seem on television. The scheming Andrew uses Selinas moment of post-surgery weakness to bribe her into considering him for secretary of state, should she remain in office. Tom who, by the way, made that same secretary of state request last season is a more complicated piece of work. At first, when he invites Dan Egan to join his staff, he seems like hes going to be the sort of down-to-earth, blunt-talker that matches his public persona as a politician. But pretty quickly, he reveals himself to be as self-serving and self-centered as Selina, turning Dan who once was a pretty strong strategy guy into his coffee-fetching lackey. The most wonderful bit of visual comedy in this episode is the moment when Dan, after preparing a tray for Tom, turns around and faces his mirror image: Gary, holding a tray hes just prepared for Selina. Mr. Moon and Glenn Cook, the managing editor, say neither Mr. Adelson, 82, nor his associates review articles or direct news coverage. Theres never been any type of correspondence or information or calls from the Adelsons to do anything at this newspaper, Mr. Moon, who reports directly to the Adelson family, said in a telephone interview. In his first extensive comments on his ownership, provided in written responses to questions from The New York Times, Mr. Adelson said his family bought The Review-Journal as a financial investment and hoped to improve its profitability. We believe its important that our Las Vegas community has a strong, growing, financially sound newspaper, he said. Still, current and former staff members describe a newsroom in which employees are mistrustful of top management a wariness that began with the secret sale of the paper to Mr. Adelson last December and was amplified by the handling of articles related to his family and business interests. Morale was already not great, but when Sheldon acquired the paper it was like a boom got lowered, Ms. Robison said. People would literally joke about, Whats going to happen if Sheldon buys the paper? So when he actually did, it was this bizarre feeling, it was just surreal. After 11 years at The Review-Journal, Ms. Robison left on Friday for a job in corporate communications. James G. Wright, a deputy editor, plans to leave in June. Another staffer who has departed is John L. Smith, a longtime columnist who filed for bankruptcy in 2007 while defending himself against a libel lawsuit brought by Mr. Adelson. After the casino magnate bought the paper, Mr. Smith was told by upper management that he was barred from writing about Mr. Adelson and another casino owner, Steve Wynn. Among the others who have left are two reporters who covered areas aligned with Mr. Adelsons interests: gambling and stadium subsidies. Theres no doubt about it its disappointing; Ive been sorry to see every one of them go, Mr. Cook said in a telephone interview. But were going to replace them. This past year has been a big deal for vegetable burgers, Mr. Bryant said. He noted that the Superiority Burger, a vegetarian burger sold at the New York City restaurant that shares the same name, was nominated as a semifinalist for a James Beard Award. Image The Beyond Burger emits the aroma of cooked beef and even bleeds thanks to pulverized beets. Credit... Angel Franco/The New York Times Indeed, chefs like Dan Barber have been experimenting with veggie burgers. And a plant-based burger from Impossible Foods, a competitor to Beyond Meat, will soon be on the menu at select restaurants in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to the companys marketing. Beyond Meat wants its burgers to go home via the grocery basket. At Whole Foods, where Mr. Brown will be, on and off, for the next couple of weeks, a package of two four-ounce Beyond Burgers will sell for $5.99. I want as many people as possible to have access to our products, Mr. Brown said. My goals go way beyond food. Like many of the entrepreneurs developing new ways of extracting protein from plants, Mr. Brown said he was concerned about both nutrition and the environmental impact of large-scale animal farming and how the food industry will adequately feed the worlds growing population. Beyond Meat previously sold the Beast Burger as frozen burger patties among vegetarian burgers, such as those from MorningStar Farms and Amys. The goal, however, was to develop a fresh burger that would sell in a refrigerated case alongside beef and other meat burgers. The company had to solve a variety of issues. For one thing, it had to ensure that the middle of its burger would stay moist, pink and juicy as the exterior cooked to that distinct dark brown of a traditional hamburger. It had to bleed thousands of beets were pulverized in the development process and it had to emit the same smell as cooked beef. This is what to expect in the week ahead. ECONOMY Finance ministers to seek accord on Greece bailout. Finance ministers from eurozone countries are scheduled to meet on Tuesday with the aim of agreeing on the next disbursement to Greece from an 86 billion euro ($96.5 billion) bailout hammered out last year. The talks in the 19-member group have been complicated by warnings from the International Monetary Fund about Greeces ability to repay its giant debt. A breakthrough would ease concerns about another embarrassing showdown over Greeces future in the single-currency zone. On Wednesday, the finance ministers from non-euro countries are expected to join the meeting to discuss creating a blacklist of tax havens and limiting the ability of companies to shift their profits to low-tax jurisdictions. James Kanter Modest upturn expected in new-home sales. On Tuesday, the Commerce Department will release the latest data on new-home sales in April. After several months of declines, new-home sales are expected to show a slight increase, to an annual rate of 520,000 compared with 511,000 in March. Borrowing rates remain low, and continuing strength in the labor market should continue to serve as a tailwind for the real estate market. Nelson D. Schwartz TECHNOLOGY Creating more video productions in Europe. European officials will unveil proposals on Wednesday that could force companies like Netflix and Amazon to devote at least 20 percent of their video-streaming catalogs in Europe to local content. The rules, which are still years away, are also likely to ask the online services to help pay for the production of European movies and television programs. Those demands come as the regions policy makers look to bolster local content makers, who have often fallen behind their American counterparts. Mark Scott Ursula M. Burns, the first black woman to run a Fortune 500 company, will not be chief executive at Xerox after the company splits in two later this year, the company says. Ms. Burns, 57, became head of Xerox in 2009. She has spent her entire career at the company, working her way up from an internship in 1980. She was president of the company before being named chief executive. Xerox said on Friday that after the split, Ms. Burns will become the chairwoman of a newly formed document technology company, which will include its printer and copier businesses. The second company will focus on business process outsourcing, providing payment processing and other services. Xerox, based in Norwalk, Conn., said it was searching for chief executives for both companies. Xerox announced in January that it would separate into two independent publicly traded companies after being pressured by the activist investor Carl C. Icahn, who argued that separate companies would be more valuable. It was Mr. Carlstroms hope to fly nonstop between the cities in a single day. The Times, then under the editorship of Carr V. Van Anda, seized opportunities to promote itself and build circulation by sponsoring aviators and explorers in the early decades of the 20th century. We were brand-conscious before brands were big business. For its part, the United States Post Office Department was eagerly boosting the idea of moving the mails through the air at a premium price but was not yet doing so itself. So Mr. Carlstrom was deputized as a temporary, unpaid mail carrier. His flight plan was designated by the Post Office as Special Route No. 635,006, providing for the transmission of mail between New York and Chicago, one time and one way, by The New York Times aeroplane. The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland, a nonfiction work about a very dark corner of the American employment landscape, is based on a series of New York Times stories by reporter Dan Barry. Colum McCann, an award-winning author, says that Mr. Barrys book, just out this month, had to be written the same way that Grapes of Wrath had to be written. Going further, Mr. McCann says Mr. Barry is the closest we have to a modern Steinbeck. Mr. McCann joins Mr. Barry in conversation about his book, written about dozens of intellectually disabled men kept in virtual servitude in a squalid farmhouse in Iowa, where they got out of bed every day decade after decade and eviscerated turkeys for $65 a month. The local community accepted and befriended the men, known as boys, but failed to notice obvious signs of their neglect, exploitation and the abuse they had endured. No one said anything for 30 years. The case eventually led to the largest verdict in the history of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, calling for $240 million in damages, and had a big impact on disability rights in the workplace. Because, as any child of the 90s may recall, there was a time when Morissette fumed, at least through her music. Last summer, in a special Spotify behind-the-music recording to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the release of Jagged Little Pill, Morissette said that You Oughta Know, perhaps the albums grittiest song, came right out of a journal entry from a devastated time. But she also admitted that she was using fury as a front: When I hear that song, I definitely hear the anger as a protection around the searing vulnerability. . . . It was a lot easier for me to be angry and feel the power from that anger versus the broken, horrified woman on the floor. Around the release of Jagged Little Pill, there was some question as to whether her indignation a product, as she would later say, of wriggling her way out of a glossy Canadian teen-pop career in which a bevy of suits commandeered her life and aesthetic was authentic or manufactured for Top-40 singles (she worked on the record with Glen Ballard, a genius producer who had made hit after hit for the likes of Wilson Phillips). A 1995 issue of Rolling Stone considered this question, noting the fashionable cynicism that accompanied Morissettes anointment as the stormy-girl du jour but also arguing that she had earned the right to sing the postmodern blues. She also told the magazine that her temper on You Oughta Know should not define her entire album, and by extension, her whole career. By no means is this record just a sexual angry record. That song wasnt written for the sake of revenge, it was written for the sake of release. Im actually a pretty rational, calm person. I think about this quote a lot when I scroll through Morissettes Instagram. This is where she goes to reclaim herself as that calm, rational person, and I believe her good vibes are sincere. Her feed is a holistic homage to the idea of letting go, of allowing grace and human kindness to enter into the spaces where resentment once made a home and shaped a very public image. There is a picture of Morissette, now 41, hugging someone with her full body, accompanied with the caption that we need the vital interaction of touching of skin and souls, to not only thrive and feel the connectedness of life, love and God that is our birthright, but as babies, we actually need it to LIVE. There is a rainbow of fresh-pressed juices that earn hashtags like #micronutrientsfordays and #watchtheglycemia! and a glowing photo of her homemade oil blends that she tags with #privatealchemy and #sensualsupport. Morissettes Instagram is all about how she takes care of herself, how she is eating, praying and loving in the quest for joy. It would be easy to dismiss these posts as an example of the type of Los Angeles-meets-Santa Cruz hempy GOOP enlightenment that strikes celebrities like a virus. It would be easy to see a photo of Morissette typing (on an actual typewriter) on a colorful blanket in the sea grass at Big Sur and connect this image to the same impulse that causes starlets to take selfies drinking liquefied kale in Runyon Canyon. It would be easy to associate Morissettes home decor, including a wall hanging that simply says yes and several dreamcatchers, with the marketing lingo for succulents and Lycra pants. But then, I remember, this is Alanis Morissette, and she has earned her public mindfulness retreat. Morissette is currently working on her memoirs, and she posted a picture of herself at her writing desk, urging the words to come. She winks subtly through #tbts at her heavy past, acknowledging that without it she would not be able to embrace her present lightness. She is clearly very much in love, and the light of her life is her longhaired son, Ever, whose moments of childlike wonder she captures in a way that feels less like a mommy blogger and more like an earth mother enraptured with her own creation. Recently she has become an advice columnist for The Guardian and the host of an inspirational podcast, and she often quotes her own words on her Instagram feed: I love my needs now. I used to hate them. But first, the public has to be convinced that mental illness exists and that it is acceptable to seek help, Ms. McCray said. Houses of worship, where some parishioners may lean on faith instead of medicine and therapy for mental health issues, seemed a good place to start after an unexpectedly high level of clergy participation, she said. So many clergy expressed interest that Ms. McCray said she and other officials thought the weekend campaign, which is part of a community outreach initiative that will also include barbershops and beauty salons, could be a way to galvanize support. Theyre front-line workers, theyre first responders, Ms. McCrary said in an interview on Sunday. Theyre, like, What do we do? People come to us for quote-unquote spiritual guidance, but they are looking for something else. They dont know how to handle it. According to the mayors office, about 1,000 churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship participated in the three-day event, called Mental Health Weekend of Faith, reaching an estimated 250,000 people. On Sunday, Ms. McCray, who said she was raised an Episcopalian, traveled from pulpit to pulpit. At the cavernous Riverside Church in Morningside Heights in Manhattan, she followed a choir of fidgety children in purple robes who adorably belted out This Little Light of Mine. Seated in a pew, Ms. McCray sang along. With a flick of her wrist, Suzanne Levinson tossed a scoopful of par-cooked French fries into a gleaming fryer on Sunday, the first test batch before her restaurants grand reopening. On Monday, her Belgian-style fry cafe, Pommes Frites, destroyed last year by a deadly gas explosion in the East Village, will be reborn in the West Village. Ms. Levinson has spent the last year agonizing over the deaths of the two men in last years devastating blast, and trying to lose herself in the planning of a new restaurant. As the fries plunked into the oil, she allowed herself a moment of levity. Vive Pommes Frites! she whooped. For 18 years, Pommes Frites stood in the East Village, offering paper cones of thick golden French fries and more than 30 special sauces late into the night. Free samples were doled out to passers-by seduced by the scent of potatoes sizzling in oil. But on March 26, 2015, an explosion ripped through the basement of the building next door caused by gas line tampering, according to the authorities. It toppled neighboring buildings, destroying scores of apartments as well as the businesses on the street level. BILLINGS, Mont. On a warm Friday night, Montana Democrats filed into a middle school gym for a Hillary Clinton rally that was all Bill and no Hillary. Mrs. Clinton was never on the marquee for this one. Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota all vote on June 7, the last big Tuesday on the presidential primary calendar that includes the critical state of California, with many times more Democratic delegates than all three Western states put together. So it was that Mrs. Clinton dispatched her husband to traverse the Great Plains, speaking at rallies in Sioux Falls, S.D., Fargo, N.D., and Billings. Mr. Clintons solo appearance gave a glimpse of how he might approach the job his wife has proposed for him if she wins that of an in-house jobs czar in charge of revitalizing the economy. It also inspired discussion among voters here about whether her promise of two smart Clintons for the price of one was smart or foolish. A similar promise from Mr. Clinton in 1992 elevated Hillary and seemed a nod to gender equality. But to women in Billings, Mrs. Clintons two-for-one offer seemed to diminish her. The economy fuels voter anger like no other issue. Last week, Bernie Sanderss rally here drew some 2,000 people, and Donald Trumps rally on Thursday will most likely draw many more. On Friday, however, the Will James Middle School gym was half-full. A few hundred faithful, mostly women, were elated to see an old friend, but not at all sure that he should play a role in the White House. It is very hard to point to differences between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanderss proposed policies that could plausibly account for such substantial cleavages. They are reflections of social identities, symbolic commitments and partisan loyalties. Yet commentators who have been ready and willing to attribute Donald Trumps success to anger, authoritarianism, or racism rather than policy issues have taken little note of the extent to which Mr. Sanderss support is concentrated not among liberal ideologues but among disaffected white men. More detailed evidence casts further doubt on the notion that support for Mr. Sanders reflects a shift to the left in the policy preferences of Democrats. In a survey conducted for the American National Election Studies in late January, supporters of Mr. Sanders were more pessimistic than Mrs. Clintons supporters about opportunity in America today for the average person to get ahead and more likely to say that economic inequality had increased. However, they were less likely than Mrs. Clintons supporters to favor concrete policies that Mr. Sanders has offered as remedies for these ills, including a higher minimum wage, increasing government spending on health care and an expansion of government services financed by higher taxes. It is quite a stretch to view these people as the vanguard of a new, social-democratic-trending Democratic Party. Mr. Sanders has drawn enthusiastic support from young people, a common pattern for outsider candidates. But here, too, the impression of ideological commitment is mostly illusory. While young Democrats in the January survey were more likely than those over age 35 to call themselves liberals, their ideological self-designations seem to have been much more lightly held, varying significantly when they were reinterviewed. Moreover, warm views of Mr. Sanders increased the liberalism of young Democrats by as much as 1.5 points on the seven-point ideological scale. For many of them, liberal ideology seems to have been a short-term byproduct of enthusiasm for Mr. Sanders rather than a stable political conviction. Perhaps for that reason, the generational difference in ideology seems not to have translated into more liberal positions on concrete policy issues even on the specific issues championed by Mr. Sanders. For example, young Democrats were less likely than older Democrats to support increased government funding of health care, substantially less likely to favor a higher minimum wage and less likely to support expanding government services. Their distinctive liberalism is mostly a matter of adopting campaign labels, not policy preferences. The Obama administration is rightly urging colleges and universities to re-evaluate how they use criminal-record information in admissions decisions. By asking about criminal convictions on their applications, the schools discourage applicants who are capable of performing academically at college and who present no danger to campus safety. The remedy is to stop asking about these records or at least delay the question until the applicant has received a provisional offer of acceptance. Research suggests that colleges that admit students with criminal histories are no less safe than others. This makes sense because campus crimes are typically committed by outsiders or by students who do not have criminal records. Yet colleges have reacted hysterically to a handful of high-profile crimes in recent decades by trying to screen out applicants with criminal convictions. This screening became easier in 2006, when the Common Application, now used by more than 600 schools, added questions about criminal convictions and even disciplinary records. In addition to excluding people for minor offenses, some colleges did so for disciplinary violations as far back as ninth grade that led to probation, suspension or expulsion. This especially hurts minority students, who are disproportionately and unjustifiably subjected to those penalties or arrested in cases of nonviolent offenses that should have been handled at the principals office. Sometimes people are surprised, or even unsettled, by how sanguine I can be about the coming election. I sometimes say that its not that I have some magic foresight about the outcome I dont make predictions like that; anything could happen but it is rather that I have been here before. One of the first elections I ever voted in had candidates who were even more flawed and was even more of a circus. Hard to believe, I know, but its true. And there are eerie similarities that I cant shake. The Democrat, who had occupied the white-columned home of the executive during an earlier period of prosperity, had testified more than 15 times before grand jury investigations and had twice been tried, but never convicted, on felony charges. The Republican, a divorce, was a well-known racist and demagogue who tried to disavow his past and who once said his plan to deal with illegal immigration was to heavily fortify the Mexican-American border and round up and deport all illegal aliens. As Bill Turque wrote in Newsweek at the time, the Republican was attempting to run from his past by repackaging himself as a populist. His affable, game-show-host looks and just-folks manner have been insidiously successful in blunting the impact of a past pocked with racism, Jew-hating and revisionisms. And, to ensure that employment trends improve long term, Delaware has started to provide young Medicaid recipients (age 14 to 25) with individualized services such as an employment navigator, personal attendant services and assistive technology. JACK A. MARKELL Dover, Del. The writer is governor of Delaware. To the Editor: You mention the requirement for nursing homes to ask all residents if they want to speak to someone about leaving the nursing home. Last year we published a report on the effectiveness of that requirement in New York nursing homes. We found that a majority of nursing home staff do not think that it is a good idea to ask the question, and many are not asking the question at all. Many decide for the resident what the answer will be based on their view of the residents disabilities. Some who do ask the question do not refer the resident to the agency designed to counsel him or her. We urged the state to train nursing home staff members, residents and family members about the need to ask the question and to help those who want to receive care in the community. We urged better monitoring by the state by holding nursing homes accountable for asking the question in a way that encourages residents to think about receiving care in the community. In our interviews with people with developmental disabilities who had left nursing homes, it was clear that they were happy to be out in the community. What if Europeans, because of their well-intended concern for maintaining the principle of tolerance, are becoming entangled in a paradox similar to the one Fish identified? What if, in other words, a too-strident insistence on tolerance can produce a less tolerant society? A balance needs to be struck, but European attempts to restrict what Europeans see as expressions of religious illiberalism from bans on veils in French schools to permitting a schoolteacher to sue a Muslim man for failure to show her a respect equal to men may push the weight on the scale of justice beyond the tipping point. Just as no one can say I am lying while referring to him or herself in the moment of speaking without falling into a paradox, the mandate to tolerate others beliefs implicitly excludes the very place from which it is uttered. In essence, what liberal societies are saying is, Tolerate others beliefs except when doing so contradicts this very principle. In order for a liberal society to ensure that its members continue to enjoy the liberties it guarantees, this excluded place needs to be held open, to be kept formal and empty. This is precisely what the First Amendment to the United States Constitution does when it prohibits Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Notice that the amendment says nothing about what kind of laws Congress should make; rather it focuses on limiting the content of its legislation. The German Constitution, in contrast, which runs to over 140 articles each with multiple clauses, is essentially an exhaustive enumeration of positive rights (Austrias is even longer). In some cases, instead of keeping that place empty and formal, and hence subject to contestation, a society may determine its content by defining what groups, behaviors or beliefs are acceptable occupants of it. This is what is happening to Europeans as they face the challenge of assimilating a new wave of immigrants from the Middle East, many of whom are Muslim. By keeping the excluded place of enunciation and the content of the law on the same plane, what we in fact do is surreptitiously fill that space with that content. As President Obama put it in his Cairo address of 2009, We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretense of liberalism. To put it another way, we must avoid filling the open space guaranteeing tolerance with a specific image of what tolerance looks like, an image that, unsurprisingly, may have a specific national character. This is why Germans of Turkish descent or French citizens of North African descent, born in those countries and speaking no other languages than German or French, can still struggle to consider themselves German or French. In contrast, even recent immigrants to the United States commonly embrace an American identity along with that of their own ethnic and national origins. The case of the schoolteacher embodies this subtle importation of content into the formal space of toleration. Permitting the schoolteacher to sue the father for refusing to shake hands with her reaches beyond the requirement that the Muslim father obey the law to insist that he embrace a set of values and identities even if they clash with his own. It demands in essence that he cease to be who he is and that he become instead like the other fathers in the class, who do not have religious objections to shaking hands with a female teacher. It is a sign of a license to demonize others under the veil of a societys commitment to tolerance, and is a harbinger, perhaps, of an electorates willingness to welcome into the political mainstream a candidate whose platform is built on his willful denial of their societys dark past. This article has been updated to reflect news developments. In 2004, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, launched the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our Americas, a regional alliance of leftist leaders designed to subvert a hemispheric free trade agreement that the United States had been pushing for a decade. In the years that followed, Washingtons hope of a trade pact of 34 nations faded, and its clout in the region diminished as voters across much of Latin America put their faith in firebrand politicians who promised to spread the wealth of a commodities boom and topple old elites. The regions exports to China increased 25-fold between 2000 and 2013, allowing Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Bolivia to bankroll generous welfare and social programs that lifted millions from poverty. But today, Latin Americas leftist ramparts appear to be crumbling because of widespread corruption, a slowdown in Chinas economy and poor economic choices. For the most part, leaders failed to create diversified economies capable of withstanding slumps. The welfare and pension programs that kept voters loyal proved unsustainable. Leaders in Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia flouted democratic traditions by expanding or eliminating term limits and co-opted independent institutions with networks of patronage. The region is in its second year of economic contraction. As national treasuries have emptied, voters in Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela have repudiated populist statesmen at the ballot box. Lawmakers in Brazil recently ousted President Dilma Rousseff to put her on trial for alleged financial trickery. In Venezuela, Mr. Chavezs successor, President Nicolas Maduro, is fighting for political survival. In Ecuador, President Rafael Correa, a leftist, decided last year not to seek a fourth term as the countrys economic crisis worsened. Cuba, meanwhile, is attempting to build a constructive relationship with the United States. In the Upper Midwest, this sandstone deposit lies just below the surface. It runs wide but not deep. This makes the sand easy to reach, but it also means that to extract large quantities, mines have to be dug across hundreds of acres. At the end of 2015, there were 129 industrial sand facilities including mines, processing plants and rail heads operating in Wisconsin, up from just five mines and five processing plants in 2010. At the center of Illinoiss sand rush, in LaSalle County, where I am counsel to a group of farmers that is challenging one mines location, The Chicago Tribune found that mining companies had acquired at least 3,100 acres of prime farmland from 2005 to 2014. In the jargon of the fracking industry, the farmland above the sand is overburden. Instead of growing crops that feed people, it becomes berms, walls of subsoil and topsoil piled up to 30 feet high to hide the mines. But the effects cannot be hidden indefinitely. These mines are destroying rural communities along with the farmland. Homesteads and small towns are being battered by mine blasting, hundreds of diesel trucks speed down rural roads dropping sand along the way, stadium lighting is so bright it blots out the night sky, and 24-hour operations go on within a few hundred feet of homes and farms. As a result, some farmers are selling and moving away, while for those determined to stay, life is changed forever. Quality of life is not their only concern. Silica is a human carcinogen and also causes lung disease, including silicosis. Because of its dangers, silica is heavily regulated in the workplace, but there are generally no regulations for silica blown around from the sand-mining operations. These mines also use millions of gallons of groundwater every day. Local wells are running dry, and the long-term availability of water for homes and farms is threatened. The RoboBee has landed. Well, actually, it has perched, which is even more impressive. The RoboBee is an insect-size robot that weighs less than four thousandths of an ounce. And it flies, which is a giant achievement for such a tiny machine. Until recently, however, it didnt perch, and perching is the next frontier for tiny flying machines because robots, like birds, bats and insects, can keep going longer if they conserve energy by resting. Most micro aerial vehicles, or MAVs as they are called, are bigger than the RoboBee, but still are measured in inches and ounces rather than feet and pounds. They have power enough to fly for 10 minutes to a half-hour or so, but the tasks they are designed for, like searching for disaster survivors or doing environmental monitoring, require hours of activity, not minutes. Nature also encountered the energy demands of flight during the course of evolution. And so it should be no surprise that most flying creatures can rest up high, where they can keep looking for whatever it is they look for tasty mice, delectable flowers or just rest. The architect Alejandro Aravena, the surprise winner of this years Pritzker prize (and subject of a feature by Michael Kimmelman in Ts upcoming issue) wants to pull architectural focus away from starry prestige projects and attention-grabbing landmark buildings. Under Aravenas direction, this years Venice Architecture Biennale will focus on architecture that addresses actual and often urgent daily human needs. He views the advancement of architecture not as a goal in itself but a way to improve peoples quality of life. Later this week, Aravenas central exhibition, Reporting From the Front, will open alongside national presentations and special projects. Many, including the handful of diverse projects below, offer their own reports from architectures many fronts. Fun house mirrors are scary. Sure, we usually laugh at their grotesque images, so different from those reliable reflections found above the bathroom sink. But inside us, there lurks the suspicion that those warped and melted visions might just be who we really are, self-portraits wrested from the core of our unconscious. There was a fertile period in New York starting in the late 1950s when adventurous playwrights regularly deployed the theatrical equivalent of such mirrors. As is made clear by the tasty bill of three short vintage works assembled under the title Signature Plays, which opened on Sunday night at the Pershing Square Signature Center under the accomplished direction of Lila Neugebauer, such works still have the power to engage, amuse and, above all, disturb. Only one of these minidramas Adrienne Kennedys Funnyhouse of a Negro from 1969 uses the literal image of the distorting mirror that tells the greater truth. But each in its own way slyly reflects the nightmare within the American dream. And like Funnyhouse, Edward Albees The Sandbox (1959) and Maria Irene Forness Drowning (1986) remind us that just because a style has gone of fashion doesnt mean it has lost its aesthetic worth. Congressional candidates who speak of liberating the American underclass are flush with campaign donations. The likely Democratic presidential nominee has not only moved to the left on a range of issues, but now routinely rails against the influence of big money. There are plenty of signs that Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has left a mark on the political moment. But some liberal Democrats are beginning to worry that as Mr. Sanders continues his quest for the nomination, his chance to build a lasting legacy may be slipping away. Liberals who remember watching with fear and awe how the Christian Coalition rose from the ashes of Pat Robertsons 1988 campaign using his mailing lists and leftover cash to build a grass-roots organization, publish conservative voter guides and promote candidates at every level are asking when, or if, Mr. Sanders will help do the same for the left. Far from laying the foundation to transform his campaign into a movement, Mr. Sanders is wrapped up in the race itself, sharpening his attacks on Hillary Clinton and demanding she debate him before the June 7 primary in California. And many of his supporters are following his cue. WASHINGTON An Obama administration proposal to reduce Medicare payments for many prescription drugs has run into sharp bipartisan criticism, suggesting that it is easier to diagnose the problem of high prices than to solve it. Patients advocates have joined doctors and drug companies in warning that the federal plan could jeopardize access to important medications. Every member of the Senate Finance Committee 14 Republicans and 12 Democrats and more than 300 House members have expressed concern. In a letter to Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the secretary of health and human services, the advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society said the proposal does not protect cancer patients access to the lifesaving drugs needed to treat their disease. The plan focuses more on the potential for cost savings than on how to preserve and enhance the quality of care, it said. The administration says Medicares current payment formula rewards doctors for prescribing expensive drugs. Ms. Burwell has proposed a five-year nationwide test to encourage doctors to prescribe less expensive therapies under Part B of Medicare. Kang Sok-ju, a key architect of North Koreas nuclear diplomacy who haggled with United States negotiators, once by quoting from a favorite American book, died on Friday. He was 76. The cause was esophageal cancer, the North Korean government said in a statement. The statement did not say where he had died. Mr. Kang had been absent from state functions since last summer. In what was apparently an attempt to drive home his countrys determination to develop nuclear weapons, no matter what the United States said, Mr. Kang once told American negotiators that he would quote from the novel Gone With the Wind. He said slowly in English, The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on. Mr. Kang, the most trusted foreign policy aide of Kim Jong-il, North Koreas leader from 1994 until his death in 2011 and the father of the current leader, Kim Jong-un, was best known for the agreement framework, which he negotiated with the United States in 1994 when he was North Koreas vice foreign minister. Mount Everest, a prolific killer, collects its victims in a number of ways. It subsumes them in avalanches, or sends them tumbling down a crevasse. But most often, its victims are taken by the thin mountain air. That is what appears to have happened to three climbers a Dutch man, an Australian woman and an Indian man who died in succession over recent days while making their way down from the summit. Pasang Phurba Sherpa, an official at Seven Summit Treks confirmed the deaths of Eric Arnold of the Netherlands and Maria Strydom of Australia, who were on the same expedition, and said both had been caused by altitude sickness. All of the team together, they tried to help them, but they couldnt save their lives, he said in an interview on Sunday from Kathmandu, Nepals capital. PARIS With its guffawing masculine hilarity, the National Assembly, Frances lower house of Parliament, would not be put to shame by the most boisterous American state legislature. The marble-and-velvet setting may be more elegant, but the rowdy laughter says the same thing: Men dominate. Over the last week, that male world has been shaken. The Assemblys vice president, Denis Baupin, was forced to resign after several women came forward publicly with accusations that he had sexually harassed numerous female colleagues for years. One said Mr. Baupin had pushed her against a wall, grabbed one of her breasts and tried to force a kiss. Others said he had sent explicit text messages. Another said he had chased her around a desk. Still another, that he had pinched her buttocks. The Paris prosecutor has announced a criminal investigation. Mr. Baupin, 53, a representative from Paris and a rising star of the Green Party, has complained about a setup and has threatened to sue the media outlets that broke the story. LONDON One of the best-known depictions of Queen Elizabeth I is the Armada Portrait, which celebrates the British navys improbable 1588 victory over the Spanish fleet. Painted around 1590 by an unknown artist, it was first owned by Sir Francis Drake, and remains in the hands of his descendants. Now those heirs have decided to sell the work, one of three versions of the portrait, and in response, British museums and the Art Fund announced on Monday that they have started a campaign to raise 10 million pounds, or about $14.5 million to ensure the painting remains in Britain. The portrait, unusual in its time for its large size and horizontal format, shows the bejeweled queen, regal and poised, in front of two seascapes; one of the English fleet preparing for battle, the other of the defeated and wrecked Spanish Armada. Her right hand rests on a globe. It is the painting that represents everything about the Elizabethan age, including Shakespeare, the moment when England began to rule the waves, and Elizabeths reign, said Christine Riding, the head of arts at Royal Museums Greenwich, which together with the Art Fund, a national fund-raising group, is leading the campaign to buy the painting for the national collection. It indicates a gear shift in the national identity, the idea of the plucky English, punching above their weight, of the mythology of Gloriana, and the idea of the queen as a strong and just woman. DURHAM, N.C. The music that ended the first night of Moogfest 2016 here late Thursday was patient and slowly evolving, an ambient blend of billowing sustained tones floating in and out of dissonance with the natural sounds of birds and insects, that was layered together onstage for nearly eight hours by the composer Robert Rich. There were passages that sounded like distant choirs and gentle patters of percussion; there were slow washes of harmonic tension and resolution. There was also another natural sound: audience members snoring. It was one of Mr. Richs rare Sleep Concerts, his first in the United States since 2003, played for about 75 listeners or hearers most of whom snoozed on mattresses set up on the floor of a hotel ballroom. We dreamed, woke up fitfully to new expanses of music, perhaps glanced at what Mr. Rich was doing onstage and drifted off again. As the electronics tapered away for a final fade out of birdcalls, and the window shades opened to let in Fridays daylight, I was wondering how the music had affected the dreams, and thinking that the music had been experimenting on us. Thats the kind of speculation that Moogfest encouraged amid performances by musicians from all eras of electronic music: D.J.s, pop bands, rappers, electronic-music graybeards, makers of celestial consonances and makers of implacable noise. Instruments and interfaces, not genres or demographics, are at the core of the festival, which is now presented and programmed by the synthesizer company Moog Music. At Moogfest, the old opposition of human versus machine is replaced by a continuing inquiry: What can humans and machines accomplish together? Were covering festivals differently this year. Heres why. Emmy Parker of Moog Music, one of the festivals creative directors, said the event explores the relationship between the engineer and the artist as she introduced a keynote speech by the virtual-reality pioneer Jaron Lanier. He had written a Symphony for Moogfest; he started his speech by comparing the khene, an ancient Laotian mouth organ with 16 reed pipes, to a 16-bit digital instrument. The German industrial giant Bayer has finally revealed its $62 billion takeover bid for Monsanto as it seeks to create a new titan in the world of farming. But so far, the chemical makers ambitious announcement it is the largest takeover bid by a German company and the biggest all-cash acquisition offer on record appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Monsanto, based in St. Louis, is the worlds biggest manufacturer of genetically modified crop seeds. Bayer is hoping to unite that business with its own pesticide operations, forming a one-stop shop for farmers. The combined company, with $67 billion in sales, would produce an array of products including pain medication, G.M.O. seeds and pesticides. It is an outsize takeover bid that requires the German company to win over antitrust regulators who may be leery of a huge new titan in the agricultural business. But more important, Bayer needs to win over skeptical investors. PARIS The French insurer AXA Group said on Monday that it would join the global movement to exit tobacco investments by unloading about $2 billion in cigarette company stocks and bonds. The decision to exit such investments comes after a campaign by activists at the Union for International Cancer Control, the Tobacco Free Portfolios initiative and other organizations. AXA, which is based in Paris, said on Monday that it would immediately unload about 200 million euros, or about $224 million, of tobacco stocks, and that it would sell off its portfolio of tobacco company bonds, valued around 1.6 billion, as they matured. The move puts an end to the apparent conflict involved with a financial institution that has enormous health and life insurance businesses investing in a product known to cause cancer and other diseases. AXA is one of the worlds top insurance and wealth management companies, with 103 million clients, and revenue last year of 99 billion. We strongly believe in the positive role insurance can play in society, and that insurers are part of the solution when it comes to health prevention to protect our clients, Thomas Buberl, AXAs deputy chief executive, said in a statement. Hence, it makes no sense for us to continue our investments within the tobacco industry. TAIPEI In the mid-1980s, more than three decades after Mao Zedongs communist revolution, David Dixon was one of the first capitalists allowed by a wary Beijing to fly over China in a business jet with an escort. You had to have what was called a navigator, said Mr. Dixon, president of Jetcraft Asia in Hong Kong. I dont know who he worked for, and it was quite clear he didnt know how to navigate anything, but he did know exactly where you were and if you were heading anywhere toward military installations. Three decades later, China has embraced business aviation and is home to Asias largest business-jet fleet. After an extended period of rapid growth, it is experiencing growing pains that should be temporary, provided it can further relax its heavy control of its skies and airports. Data from the consultancy Asian Sky Groups 2015 Asia Pacific Fleet Report shows that China, Hong Kong and Macaus combined fleet saw a net addition of 26 jets last year, an increase of 6.2 percent, but just under half the net additions of 2014. A slowing of deliveries of new aircraft is partly due to the impact of President Xi Jinpings austerity and anti-corruption campaigns. Ms. Fields said that she considered several requests from other conservative outlets, but said she was ready for a change after months of fallout from an altercation with Mr. Trumps campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Ms. Fields accused Mr. Lewandowski of grabbing her arm and shoving her when she tried to ask Mr. Trump a question at a campaign rally in Florida on March 8. Mr. Lewandowski was charged with battery, though prosecutors in Palm Beach County decided not pursue a case against him. Though the police said that her account of what happened reflected what was recorded on security cameras, both the Trump campaign and Ms. Fieldss former employers at Breitbart initially questioned Ms. Fieldss credibility. How do you know those bruises werent there before? Mr. Trump asked after Ms. Fields shared a photo of her arm that showed where she was grabbed. Mr. Trumps criticism came during a period of heightened scrutiny on his campaign rallies, which were marked by violent scuffles between protesters and Mr. Trumps supporters. Ms. Fields called the following weeks a dark time, and said that in addition to leaving her job at Breitbart, she was forced to move to a new home in Washington after her home address was made public. Both Fox News and BuzzFeed initially published Ms. Fieldss personal information without redacting it from a police report before removing the original reports. Ms. Fields said she also lost a guest role on the Fox News show Cashin In as a result of the fallout. (Fox News disputes that and the shows senior producer has said that he was open to Ms. Fields making future appearances.) Several other Breitbart employees left their jobs in solidarity with Ms. Fields. As Congress and the Obama administration argue over funds for fighting the Zika virus, private donations in cash, condoms and mosquito repellent, for example are helping fill the gap in Puerto Rico. Officials there say they are losing precious time and the donations have helped residents, although the amounts are tiny compared with the need. During the Ebola epidemic, the C.D.C. Foundation a charity created to support the work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised $55 million, including $38 million from foundations controlled by Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Facebook, and Paul Allen, a founder of Microsoft. The foundation has received only $1.7 million in cash toward efforts to stem the Zika epidemic. It has also received tax-deductible donations of goods, whose value it does not release. In the back of an ambulance the other day, an anxious father-to-be rattled off his wifes medical history in Cantonese as she went into labor. It took the two emergency medical technicians onboard, both fluent in Chinese, just seconds to act, and they pulled the ambulance over to the side of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive in Manhattan after learning that the couples first child had been born quickly. In less than two minutes, they delivered a howling baby boy. The fact that I can speak their language was a tremendous help, said Jason Lau, 26, one of the medical technicians who helped deliver the baby. The dramatic birth was a first for a new service started by a private ambulance company in Brooklyn that provides Chinese language emergency medical care to New York Citys growing population of Chinese immigrants. The companys three amubulances with Chinese-speaking health care workers have already responded to calls beyond Brooklyn including Chinatown in Manhattan and Flushing, Queens. The service was started last month by Alonzo Rapisarda, 42, who lives in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn and traces his familys roots to a great-grandfather who immigrated to the United States from Italy. During the three generations of Rapisardas who have run the family business, Midwood Ambulance, the south Brooklyn area has changed, from historically Jewish and Italian to largely Chinese. Fred Papert, an innovative advertising agency director who helped galvanize civic leaders and government officials to preserve Grand Central Terminal and revive Times Square, died on Friday in Manhattan. He was 89. The cause was a pulmonary embolism, his daughter Lisha Papert Lercari said. A debonair wordsmith with a flair for promotion, Mr. Papert (pronounced PAP-ert) worked both ends of 42nd Street in separate campaigns that burnished the face of Midtown. He rallied Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Democrat of New York; and the architecture critic Brendan Gill in a successful lobbying campaign to save Grand Central from demolition and defacement during the mid-1970s and to safeguard New York Citys new landmarks preservation law from the legal challenges of developers. With support from the Ford Foundation and other sources, he created the nonprofit 42nd Street Development Corporation, which transformed a derelict block between Ninth and 10th Avenues into an Off Off Broadway Theater Row and helped transform Times Square from an unsafe and seedy symbol of urban decay into what Mr. Papert foresaw as a cultural amusement park. SYDNEY, Australia The Australian treatment of refugees trying to reach this vast, thinly populated country by boat follows textbook rules for the administering of cruelty. It begins with the anodyne name for the procedures offshore processing as if these desperate human beings were just an accumulation of data. It continues with the secrecy shrouding what goes on offshore in the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru and on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, where a total of more than 1,350 people languish with no notion of how their limbo will end, where they will go or how to get answers to their predicament. Under the Australian Border Force Act of last year, disclosure by any current or former worker of protected information is punishable by up to two years in prison. It goes further with the progressive dehumanization of people dubbed illegals without cause who are caught in this Australian web under a policy now dating back almost four years. They are rarely visible. They are often nameless, merely given identification numbers. Women and children are vulnerable in squalid conditions where idleness and violence go hand in hand. LONDON There is a magnificent passage from P. G. Wodehouses 1938 comic masterpiece The Code of the Woosters that is often cited as definitive evidence of Britains exceptional immunity to demagogues, autocrats and Trumps. Confronted by Roderick Spode, tyrannical leader of the Black Shorts, Bertie Wooster lets rip: The trouble with you, Spode, is that just because you have succeeded in inducing a handful of half-wits to disfigure the London scene by going about in black shorts, you think youre someone. You hear them shouting 'Heil, Spode!' and you imagine it is the Voice of the People. That is where you make your bloomer. What the Voice of the People is saying is: 'Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags! Did you ever in your puff see such a perfect perisher? One of the many reasons that Berties outburst is so enduringly funny is that he is normally such an equable gent. His exasperation is the voice of Englishness recoiling from the sheer vulgarity of the would-be autocrat. And it is a timeless critique. How easy it is to imagine David Cameron in the prime ministers Downing Street residence berating the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump: The trouble with you, Trump The two have certainly got off to a bad start: Britains prime minister described Mr. Trumps proposal to bar Muslims from the United States as divisive, stupid and wrong, prompting Mr. Trump to warn: It looks like were not going to have a very good relationship. In turn, the British news media sneers at Mr. Trump, its contempt underpinned by a complacent certainty that he couldnt happen here. Yet there is less reason to be smug than some on this side of the Atlantic suppose. The most famous speech on immigration ever made in this country was delivered by the Conservative politician Enoch Powell, in 1968. In a famous phrase borrowed from Virgil, he foresaw as the dire consequence of mass immigration a river foaming with much blood. AS President Obama visits Vietnam, we are struck by the fact that most citizens of both countries have no living memory of a conflict that claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans and upward of a million Vietnamese. As Americans who fought in that war, we are frequently asked about its lessons. There are few easy answers, in part because every conflict is unique and because we have learned that attempts to apply past lessons to new crises sometimes do more harm than good. But a few things are clear. The first is not personal to us, but a principle that applies to all who wear the uniform: We must never again confuse a war with the warriors. American veterans deserve our deepest respect, gratitude and support whenever and wherever they serve. The second lesson is that our leaders need to be honest with Congress and the American people about our plans, goals and strategy when the lives of our fighting men and women are put at risk. (The mission of the first American combat troops deployed to Vietnam was described as flood relief.) More than 14,000 known asteroids zip through Earths neighborhood. They will all miss Earth in the coming decades. But hundreds of thousands more have not yet been discovered, and whether any of those are on course to slam into our planet, no one knows. So finding and tracking all the asteroids that could cross Earths path would allow officials to issue warnings and potentially provide time to deflect dangerous ones. The community of scientists contemplating such doomsday possibilities is small and usually cordial at least until Nathan P. Myhrvold barged in. Once the chief technologist at Microsoft, Dr. Myhrvold moved on to other endeavors like a six-volume, 2,438-page compendium of cooking knowledge that has been celebrated by chefs. (A sequel, about baking, is in the works.) He has also become a statistics scold of scientists. His latest target is NASA, in a squabble over data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft. HOUSTON Exxon Mobil has been under pressure for over a year to explain its handling of climate change issues in the past. Now the company faces new pressure to explain its future, particularly how it will change in response to a warming world. At the companys planned annual meeting on Wednesday in Dallas, shareholders will vote on a resolution to prod Exxon Mobil to disclose the risks of climate change to its business. Such resolutions have been floated before, and they typically do not pass. But there is a growing chorus of investors, many of them large institutional shareholders, who say they are worried that Exxon Mobil, the largest publicly traded energy company in the world, is not adequately preparing for tighter times if countries start acting on the pledges they made last December as part of the Paris climate change accord. Exxon Mobil, for example, projects that global demand for oil will keep growing by just over 13 percent from today, to 109 million barrels of oil a day by 2040. Later this week, President Obama plans to visit a memorial in Hiroshima, Japan, that displays a large photograph of the citys destruction seven decades ago. The striking image is typically identified as a mushroom cloud. But nuclear experts say it actually shows billowing smoke from a raging firestorm. This is not a mushroom cloud, said Richard L. Garwin, a noted bomb designer and longtime adviser to Washington on nuclear arms. Kevin Roark, a spokesman at the Los Alamos weapons laboratory in New Mexico, which made the Hiroshima bomb, known as Little Boy, said the image showed a smoke plume from the fires that followed. Military experts say the cloud and its dark shadow can be seen as a kind of sundial that suggests when an American plane took the photograph. John Coster-Mullen, an expert on the Hiroshima bomb, put the time as just before noon more than three hours after the strike on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945. Here are some highlights: Connect Big Oil to Big Tobacco The participants, including several veterans of the tobacco wars, discussed a turning point in the fight against tobacco: the unearthing of industry documents that showed the industry had long been aware of the health risks of its products, and the enormous lengths to which the companies went to sow doubt about the science. The Department of Justice won a victory against the industry in a case relying largely on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO despite the tobacco companies insistence that its public statements were protected under the First Amendment. Fraud, the judge noted, is not protected by the Constitution. The 2012 report stated, Similar documents may well exist in the vaults of the fossil fuel industry and their trade associations and front groups, and there are many possible approaches to unearthing them. It also said, State attorneys general can also subpoena documents, raising the possibility that a single sympathetic state attorney general might have substantial success in bringing key internal documents to light. Since November, several attorneys general, beginning with Eric T. Schneiderman in New York, have sent extensive subpoenas to Exxon Mobil seeking internal documents related to climate change. The state attorneys general have said that while they consult widely in preparing an inquiry, the decision to proceed is based on the merits of the case alone. Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas who is chairman of the House Science Committee, has sent a letter to Mr. Schneiderman, citing the collaboration and resulting subpoenas as possible abuse of prosecutorial discretion. Get the Companies Into Court The group also discussed other strategies for lawsuits based on theories that included false advertising, libel suits brought by climate scientists who have been maligned by industry surrogates, and atmospheric trust litigation, which is now being pursued in many states by groups like Our Childrens Trust. The market for large business jets has fared remarkably well in recent years, despite the global recession, as a new generation of buyers in Russia, China or Brazil has been won over by the sleek appeal of speedy and luxurious planes that can connect most points in the world without stopping for fuel. But there are now signs of a slowdown in the private jet market. The oil and commodities collapse and the slowdown in emerging markets over the past two years has put a dent in demand, particularly from emerging countries. Clearly, as the global economy continues to soften, the business aviation industry has felt that impact, said Brian Sill, the president of commercial aviation for Honeywell Aerospace, a major provider of avionics, engines and other components. There are some headwinds in the world right now, in places like China, and in Russia, and those are being felt in the industry. Last year, new plane sales reached about $22 billion, with 712 new jets delivered, according to Rolland Vincent, an aviation consultant and market researcher. Each week, Nate Cohn, The Upshots elections analyst, and Toni Monkovic, an Upshot editor, will discuss the 2016 race and post a lightly edited transcript of their written exchange. Toni Were going to hear about this all the way to the convention, and most likely during the convention maybe even after the convention: Bernie Sanders does better than Hillary Clinton in polling against Donald Trump. But its not nearly so simple. Nate No, its not. There are basically two reasons. One is that Bernie Sanderss supporters are a big reason Clinton is doing worse in her polling against Trump. In the recent YouGov poll, Clinton had just a 40-point lead against Trump among Sanders voters, while Sanders had a 70-point lead. Trump was getting virtually the same share of the vote against both candidates 40 percent against Clinton, 39 percent against Sanders. Presumably most Sanders supporters will ultimately get behind Clinton, and, on the flip side, Clinton supporters would have been much more negative on Sanders if he had posed a more serious threat to her victory. The second thing is that Sanders just hasnt faced any major attacks on his record. The Republicans have cheered him on against Clinton, whom they realize theyre inevitably going to face. Clinton never really attacked him, either no big negative television ad buys, for example in no small part because she didnt want to alienate his supporters. CHICAGO In this citys urgent push to rein in gun and gang violence, the Police Department is keeping a list. Derived from a computer algorithm that assigns scores based on arrests, shootings, affiliations with gang members and other variables, the list aims to predict who is most likely to be shot soon or to shoot someone. Shaquon Thomas was on it. His first arrest came at age 13, and others quickly followed, his face maturing in a progression of mug shots. By 18, Mr. Thomas, who was known as the rapper Young Pappy, had been wounded in a shooting, the police said. Then, last May, Mr. Thomas, 19, was fatally shot in what the police said was a running gang feud. His score was more than 500, putting him near the top of the Chicago Police Departments list. We know we have a lot of violence in Chicago, but we also know theres a small segment thats driving this stuff, Eddie Johnson, the police superintendent, said in a recent interview. The authorities hope that knowing who is most likely to be involved in violence can bring them a step closer to curtailing it. They are warning those highest on the list that they are under intense scrutiny, while offering social services to those who want a path away from the bloodshed. BALTIMORE The acquittal Monday of a police officer charged in the arrest of Freddie Gray, the black man who suffered a fatal spinal cord injury while in police custody last year, immediately renewed questions of whether any of the six police officers charged in the case would be convicted in connection with his death. Officer Edward M. Neros acquittal on four charges for his role in the opening moments of Mr. Grays arrest was a second blow to the prosecutions sweeping case, announced as Baltimore was still seething after the unrest following Mr. Grays death in April 2015. The first trial, against Officer William G. Porter, ended in a hung jury in December, touching off legal maneuvers that brought proceedings against the officers to a temporary halt. But legal experts said Judge Barry G. Williamss finding was a narrow one that does not forestall the possibility of convictions against other officers charged in the case. They said Judge Williamss ruling turned not on a wholesale rejection of prosecutors broad legal theory, but rather on his determination that Officer Nero, 30, was a bit player in Mr. Grays arrest. Judge Williams, who ruled on the case after the officer opted to forgo a jury trial, said in his verdict that there were other officers who played or who could have reasonably been expected to play a bigger role in the encounter. And while that is no guarantee that other officers will be found guilty, it is those officers who will stand trial in the coming months. We have had cases in the past of self-inflicted gunshots, and there is more noncompliance, Petty Officer Mark Barney of the Coast Guard said. Often they continue going and refuse to let us get them off the boats. It is a safety issue. There are cases all the time where people are found in the water, alive, dead, migrants gone missing. This group of Cubans said they, too, had a plan to dodge the authorities. We would all jump in the water and try to swim away, Mr. Quintero said. But first they had to get off the island, no small task for a group of Cubans from Florencia, a hilly, tobacco-producing area close to the center of the island. The group formed slowly, in an underground game of who-wants-out and who-can-you-trust. It is illegal and dangerous to leave Cuba by boat, so many kept their plans hidden even from relatives, a reflection of the secrecy surrounding these journeys, which often take months or years to organize and require money, ingenuity and courage. They formed a motley group: several farmers, a carpenter, a tattoo artist, a funeral home worker and a D.J. who doubled as a distributor of the paquetes the black market recordings of American and Latin American movies, television and news shows that are pirated off satellite dishes. Asael Veloso, a 34-year-old farmer, tried to leave three years ago. He sold everything and hitched a ride with another bunch of so-called balseros. But their raft was captured eight hours from Cuba, and he returned home with less than he had left with. A rebellious slate of candidates who this year upset the normally placid balloting for the Board of Overseers at Harvard has failed to secure positions on the board, which helps set strategy for the university. Calling itself Free Harvard, Fair Harvard, the group ran on a proposal that Harvard should be free to all undergraduates because the university earns so much money from its $37.6 billion endowment. It tied the notion to another, equally provocative question: Does Harvard shortchange Asian-Americans in admissions? The outsider slate, which was formed in January, proposed five candidates against a slate of eight candidates officially nominated by the Harvard Alumni Association. After 35,870 alumni votes were counted, five winners were announced from the alumni group on Monday. The votes garnered by each candidate were not announced, so it was unclear how close the outsider slate had come. Former President Jimmy Carter, who has long put religion and racial reconciliation at the center of his life, is on a mission to heal a racial divide among Baptists and help the country soothe rifts that he believes are getting worse. In an interview on Monday, Mr. Carter spoke of a resurgence of open racism, saying, I dont feel good, except for one thing: I think the country has been reawakened the last two or three years to the fact that we havent resolved the race issue adequately. He said that Republican animosity toward President Obama had a heavy racial overtone and that Donald J. Trumps surprisingly successful campaign for president had tapped a waiting reservoir there of inherent racism. Mr. Carter conducted telephone interviews to call attention to a summit meeting he plans to hold in Atlanta this fall to bring together white, black, Hispanic and Asian Baptists to work on issues of race and social inequality. Mr. Carter began the effort, called the New Baptist Covenant, in 2007, but it has taken root in only a few cities. The initiative is expanding to enlist Baptist congregations across the country to unite across racial lines. Hillary Clinton has insisted that the Democratic primary contest against Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is behind her and that the partys nomination is essentially hers. Dont tell that to Californians. This week, Mrs. Clinton will begin her first full swing through the state to campaign before the June 7 primary. After she delivers remarks at the Service Employees International Unions convention in Detroit on Monday, Mrs. Clinton will head West for almost four days of fund-raisers and campaign events in Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, Salinas, San Jose and other parts. Mrs. Clinton, a known and popular quantity who won California in 2008, has spent far less time in the state than Mr. Sanders. The Vermont senator and underdog has flooded California with rallies, commercials and organizers, hoping an upset win can help him convince superdelegates that he is the candidate best poised to defeat the presumptive Republican nominee Donald J. Trump in the fall. It has been a cold spring for the forces militating against a Donald J. Trump presidency. The closer the real estate mogul draws to the Republican Party nomination, the fewer the remaining sources of solace. But one consistent theme has been the notion that the primary and the general election are as different as night and day. I could be wrong, but Id be willing to make a pretty major bet that Trumps not going to win, Mike Murphy, a veteran Republican political strategist, said on MSNBC last week. About 28 million people will vote in the Republican primaries, Mr. Murphy said in dismissing the winning hype surrounding Mr. Trump, compared with the 125 million expected to cast ballots in the general election. Hes entering a whole different world of voter demography, he said. It may be worth noting that Mr. Murphy has long had ties to the Republican establishment, which has struggled to come to terms with Mr. Trumps ascendancy. His last major bet involved the failed candidacy of Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, and he ran the $100-million-plus super PAC that supported his run. DETROIT Eager to move on from the Democratic primary race, Hillary Clinton has turned down an invitation to debate Senator Bernie Sanders ahead of Californias primary, her campaign said on Monday. The announcement came hours after Mrs. Clinton unleashed a biting critique of Donald J. Trump while addressing a union convention, mocking his business record and offering a glimpse at how she might confront him in the general election. Mr. Sanderss campaign last week tentatively accepted an invitation by Fox News to participate in a debate before Californias June 7 primary, and expressed hope that Mrs. Clinton would agree to face off against the senator. In a statement issued Monday evening, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Clintons campaign, Jennifer Palmieri, said Mrs. Clintons team would contest California while turning our attention to the threat a Donald Trump presidency poses. WASHINGTON When the House Judiciary Committee convenes on Tuesday to consider the alleged misdeeds of the Internal Revenue Service commissioner, John Koskinen, it will contemplate action that has not been taken in more than 140 years, and that in some respects has never been pursued: the impeachment of an agency head of Mr. Koskinens rank. Tuesdays hearing on accusations by House Republicans that Mr. Koskinen lied under oath to Congress and defied a congressional subpoena is a remarkable moment, even for a Washington long fractured by partisanship. Not since Secretary of War William W. Belknap in 1876 has the House impeached an administration official other than the president, said Michael J. Gerhardt, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law and an expert on the federal impeachment process. And an official below the presidents cabinet has never been impeached. This is unprecedented in many respects, Professor Gerhardt said. Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the chairman of the Finance Committee, has made clear that the Senate would not convict Mr. Koskinen, which would require a nearly impossible two-thirds vote. But the effort in the House highlights the extent to which the I.R.S. has become a symbol for House Republicans of everything they despise about the federal bureaucracy, and their outrage about what they view as a pattern of obstruction by the Obama administration. Mr. Stone, 64, has a fashion blog and likes to quote Gore Vidals advice to never miss a chance to have sex or appear on television. He divides his time between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan crammed with political memorabilia and Le Corbusier furniture. Image Mr. Brock, 53, divides his time between Washington and the West Village in Manhattan, throwing lively salons and wooing liberal donors on both coasts, often accompanied by Toby, his schnoodle a schnauzer-poodle mix. Credit... Danny Johnston/Associated Press Socially, hes a very charming, likable, intelligent guy, Mr. Stone said of his rival in a telephone interview on Saturday. He praised Mr. Brocks style, saying he is a dapper guy and likening his hairstyle to that of the title character in Eraserhead, David Lynchs 1977 surrealist horror film. But in recent weeks, as sexual assault allegations against former President Bill Clinton surfaced in the campaign, the intersections of Mr. Brocks past with Mr. Stones attacks on the Clintons have made for a deeper kind of intrigue. Last week, when Mr. Trump brought up a decades-old rape allegation against Mr. Clinton in a Fox News interview, Mrs. Clintons allies saw the influence of Mr. Stone. His thinly sourced 2015 book, The Clintons War on Women, which he wrote with Robert Morrow, focuses on Mr. Clintons sexual misconduct and accuses Mrs. Clinton of silencing women who came forward to complain about it. But it is reporting by Mr. Brock that Mr. Stone has used to help Mr. Trump make that case. Before Mr. Brock became the man at the center of a multimillion-dollar operation built to defend the Clintons, he was a self-described conservative hit man intent on taking them down. He and Mr. Stone knew each other socially and would occasionally compare notes. Reporting for The American Spectator, a conservative newsmagazine, Mr. Brock asserted in 1994 that Arkansas state troopers facilitated sexual liaisons for Mr. Clinton when he was the states governor, allegations that have been central to Mr. Stones attacks. Today, Brock claims his American Spectator stories exposing Bill Clinton were false, Mr. Stone wrote in his book. Hes lying. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that prosecutors in Georgia violated the Constitution by striking every black prospective juror in a death penalty case against a black defendant. The vote was 7 to 1, with Justice Clarence Thomas dissenting. The case, Foster v. Chatman, No. 14-8349, arose from the 1987 trial of Timothy T. Foster, an African-American facing the death penalty for killing Queen Madge White, an elderly white woman, when he was 18. In notes that did not surface until decades later, prosecutors marked the names of black prospective jurors with a B and highlighted those names in green. They circled the word black where potential jurors had noted their race on questionnaires. They ranked those prospective jurors in case it comes down to having to pick one of the black jurors, as the prosecutions investigator put it in a draft affidavit at the time. In the end, prosecutors struck all four black potential jurors. TUNIS The leader of Tunisias main Islamic political party was re-elected on Monday, winning endorsement for his effort to move the party away from its Islamist roots and stay in tune with the countrys five-year-old democratic revolution. The leader, Rachid Ghannouchi, a renowned Islamic thinker who spent 22 years in exile during Tunisias dictatorship, had tears in his eyes Monday as he embraced his rival in the party vote, which he won with 800 of the 1,058 ballots cast. The vote, a culmination of a three-day party congress here in Tunis, was a victory for Mr. Ghannouchi, 74, and an important turning point for his party, Ennahda, as it seeks to separate the partys religious and political activities. One of the most important changes we came to was the independence of the political mission and the political party from social and cultural activities, Mr. Ghannouchi told reporters. We were not able to achieve this cause before because of a lack of clarity. By referring to 2047, the artists were tapping into growing fears among some residents about the increasing assertiveness of mainland China and the tightening restrictions on Hong Kongs civil liberties. The work was shown for the first time on May 17, coinciding with the start of a three-day visit to Hong Kong by Zhang Dejiang, a member of the ruling Communist Partys Politburo Standing Committee who oversees Hong Kong and Macau affairs. It was a subtle message that might have gone unnoticed had the artists not issued an explanation. But officials and organizers are unhappy with the revelations. In a joint statement issued late Sunday night, Ellen Pau, chairwoman of the film and media art group at the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, or H.K.A.D.C., which commissioned the artwork, and Caroline Ha Thuc, curator of the Fifth Large-Scale Public Media Art Exhibition: Human Vibrations, announced the removal of the artwork from the show. The video had been scheduled to be displayed on the International Commerce Center building every night until June 22. The disrespect demonstrated by Mr. Sampson Wong and Mr. Jason Lam against the original agreement and understanding made with the curator and H.K.A.D.C. is jeopardizing our profession and put at risk any future possibility to work further in the public space, the statement read. The statement said the artists had made changes to the work and had publicized these without consulting the curator nor H.K.A.D.C. HANOI, Vietnam An American drone strike on Saturday in a restive province of Pakistan killed Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, the White House confirmed on Monday. Calling the death an important milestone, President Obama said in a statement, released just as he was meeting with top officials in Vietnam, that the United States had removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and coalition forces. Image Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, in an undated photo. Credit... Reuters Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, Mr. Obama continued in the statement. The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability. That act was an escalation of the occupation of Taiwans legislature, which lasted 23 days and succeeded in blocking the trade bill. Since then Taiwans legislature has been considering, but has yet to pass, a bill on the oversight of agreements with China. Ms. Tsai won the presidency by a large margin in January, in part because of concerns about her predecessors pursuit of close ties with China. Her Democratic Progressive Party was supportive of the protesters, known collectively as the Sunflower Movement, and a float at her inauguration on Friday was adorned with sunflowers. The Sunflower Movement was a political matter, and not really a simple legal matter, Mr. Lin said in a written statement. Under the principles of a little more harmony, a little less conflict, we will be as lenient as possible and withdraw this legal complaint. Mr. Lin said that the protesters goals of closer oversight of cross-strait deals had become a commonly accepted value in Taiwan, with lawmakers considering a legal mechanism for greater supervision. During her inauguration address, Ms. Tsai called on China to look beyond the burdens of history to improve relations for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and says it must be eventually united. Taiwan has been self-ruled since 1949, when Chiang Kai-sheks Kuomintang troops fled after losing Chinas civil war to Maos Communist Party. A fire on Sunday night in a school dormitory in northern Thailand killed at least 17 girls, an official said. The victims, ages 6 to 12, died after the fire broke out in the school in Chiang Rai Province around 11 p.m., said Prasert Jitpleecheep, an Interior Ministry official from the Wiang Pa Pao district office. The girls were from predominantly Christian hill tribe villages of northern Thailand, said Suharit Poomsawan, who oversees a rescue team. HANOI, Vietnam The United States is rescinding a decades-old ban on sales of lethal military equipment to Vietnam, President Obama announced at a news conference in Hanoi on Monday, ending one of the last legal vestiges of the Vietnam War. The United States has long made lifting the embargo contingent on Vietnams improving its human rights record, and recently administration officials had hinted that the ban could be removed partly in response to Chinas buildup in the South China Sea. But Mr. Obama portrayed the decision as part of the long process of normalizing relations between the two countries after the Vietnam War. The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations, he said, with the Vietnamese president, Tran Dai Quang, standing stiffly by his side. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving toward normalization with Vietnam. Angelina Jolie Pitt, the Oscar-winning actress and special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, has taken on a new role: university professor. Ms. Jolie Pitt will join the London School of Economics Center for Women, Peace and Security as one of four visiting professors in a new masters program that starts taking applicants in the fall, according to a statement released on Monday by the university, one of Britains most renowned academic institutions. Ms. Jolies work there will include delivering guest lectures and taking part in workshops as a visiting professor in practice. Ms. Jolie Pitt was appointed along with William Hague, with whom she founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in 2012, when Mr. Hague was the British foreign secretary. I am very encouraged by the creation of this masters program, Ms. Jolie Pitt said in the statement. I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance womens rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict. VIENNA Alexander Van der Bellen, a 72-year-old economics professor and former Green Party leader, won Austrias cliffhanger presidential election on Monday, defeating his far-right rival by the slimmest of margins and pledging to unite the divided country. Austria had to wait almost 24 hours after polls closed on Sunday for the authorities to count almost 700,000 valid mail-in ballots. In the end, Mr. Van der Bellen won 50.3 percent of the vote, and his far-right rival, Norbert Hofer, 49.7 percent, a difference of just over 30,000 votes, the Interior Ministry said. Mr. Hofer conceded defeat on his Facebook page, writing: Of course I am sad today. I would so gladly have taken care of our wonderful country for you as president. He added, The effort for this campaign is not lost, but an investment in the future. BAGHDAD Iraqi forces have begun an assault on Falluja, a city that has been held by the Islamic State longer than any other in Iraq or Syria, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a televised speech on Monday. Today we will tear down the black flags of the strangers who have kidnapped this city, Mr. Abadi, referring to the flags of the Islamic State that have been flying in Falluja for more than two years, said in a speech alongside military commanders just after midnight. However, Iraqi forces did not begin entering the city on Monday, but continued to fire mortar and artillery rounds at it, as they have for months. Officials said pro-government forces had taken some small districts on the outskirts of Falluja, as well as a government building in Karma, a city to the northeast of Falluja that has long been contested by the government and the Islamic State. Mr. Abadi and other Iraqi leaders have frequently made bold statements heralding new military offensives, only for the efforts to stall on the ground. But the new determination to assault Falluja signaled a shift in tactics for the Iraqi government. RAMALLAH, West Bank The Israeli military authorities on Monday allowed building supplies to start flowing into Gaza again, lifting a suspension that had blocked work for more than a month on thousands of houses destroyed in the 2014 summer war. Israel had suspended deliveries on April 4 after accusing Emad al-Baz, an official in Gazas economic ministry, of diverting the supplies away from the work they were earmarked for: rebuilding private citizens homes. Other projects, like those overseen by the United Nations, were not affected by the suspension. About 90 truckloads of cement were expected to cross into Gaza on Monday, according to the office of the special coordinator for the peace process. That is around the average amount that had entered daily before the suspension, according to figures provided by the office. The suspension halted work on 5,095 houses and apartments, out of about 17,800 that were made uninhabitable during the war, which killed more than 2,100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis. BEIRUT, Lebanon Two teams of suicide attackers waged coordinated assaults on Monday deep inside Syrian government territory, killing scores of people and piercing a sanctuary for supporters of President Bashar al-Assad. Merely pulling off the bombings was a logistical feat that calls into question the effectiveness of Syrias defenses. To reach the areas attacked, the jihadists would have had to move large quantities of explosives and a group of militants across more than 30 miles of government-controlled territory without being detected, suggesting a major security breach. Another possibility was that the militants had organized the attacks and built their bombs locally an even scarier prospect for residents of the area. The attacks shattered the relative calm in two cities, Jableh and Tartus, both on Syrias Mediterranean coast, a region where support for Mr. Assad remains strong and where militant attacks and rebel activity have been rare. While the area has a high concentration of Alawites, members of the Muslim sect that has been the base of the Assad familys power, it also has large populations of Christians and other Muslims. Mr. Assad has long presented his government as a bulwark against terrorism and chaos. Russia, which backs the president and has supported his troops with airstrikes and other military aid, has a naval base in Tartus and an air base nearby. AL MUKALLA, Yemen A suicide bomber attacked a gathering of army recruits in the southern Yemeni city of Aden early Monday, killing at least three dozen people in what witnesses and security officials described as one of the deadliest bombings in the city since Yemens civil war began 14 months ago. Pictures of the aftermath showed bodies slumped around concrete barricades outside a local commanders home, where the recruits had lined up. A local branch of the Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack, in a statement distributed on jihadist websites. The attack was part of a surge of violence by militant extremists in southern Yemen since last month, when a force led by the United Arab Emirates and backed by United States Special Operations forces began an offensive to drive Al Qaedas local affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, from territory its militants captured in the south during the conflict. With the affiliates leaders on the run, the deadliest attacks have come from the Islamic States shadowy local branch, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings since the war began including attacks that even the Qaeda affiliate has regarded as too brutal. The bombing on Monday came a little more than a week after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a similar attack in Al Mukalla, east of Aden, that killed at least 25 police recruits. In 2005, as a campaign to honor the holiday with a braai began, the notion of a still-divided nation unifying around a shared love of grilled meat seemed both feeble and potentially offensive. But the braai has emerged as a tentative symbol of South African unity. In the last decade, meat has become more affordable, supermarkets have expanded, and food television has taken off, with shows like Ultimate Braai Master and Sibas Table. Braai is one thing that can unite us irrespective of all of the things that are trying to tear us apart, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, an anointed patron of National Braai Day, proclaimed at an event that kicked off the movement. Archbishop Tutu, in apron and tongs, manned the braai, frequently prodding the steaks as grill cooks do everywhere. The T-bone is the shape of our continent, he said. An everyday braai may consist of chicken breasts or toasties, grilled cheese sandwiches. But a proper braai is a social ritual from start to finish. It begins with provisioning a mix of proteins as a shortcut, food markets here sell braai packs by the kilogram and continues through seasoning the meat and constructing the fire. (This alone can take hours. The time is often passed by drinking beer, the excellent local wine, or a festive mixture of brandy and Coke.) It concludes by pulling the meat from the grill after considerable argument over when it is done. Appetizers Mr. Mlambo recommends pork sausages are necessary to stave off guests hunger and, he said, to keep their fingers away from my braai. Guests must not touch the hosts tongs or test the meat, but are free with advice and opinions. Unless youre a strict vegetarian, if you live here, you learn to appreciate good meat, said Dani Pick, an owner of the Butcher Shop & Grill a group of refined braai restaurants in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Dubai and five other locations in the Middle East. Cooking a steak past medium-rare is considered almost a crime. Mr. Pick is a third-generation butcher: His grandmother Fay was the first woman to hold a butchers license in South Africa. Sheep and beef cattle are raised here to have less fat than American meat animals, are almost always dry-aged, and their flavor is more mineral. Mr. Picks favorite local cut for the braai is the rump steak (from the part that American butchers call round). Rump fans like their steak cut two to three inches thick, with a thick fat cap for juiciness, and well aged for tenderness. A recent study from the World Travel and Tourism Council showed that some destinations can be surprisingly quick to recover in the wake of a crisis. On average, locations that suffered a terrorist attack saw their tourist visits rebound to precrisis levels within 13 months, while locations hit by environmental disaster or political turmoil took about 24 to 27 months, respectively, to recover. The study found that the number of arrivals in Spain after the 2004 train bombings in Madrid recovered within weeks and that after the 2005 bombings in London on subway trains and a double-decker bus there was no notable impact on tourist arrivals to the U.K. at all. The research, which looked at 38 incidents from 2001 to 2014 and did not include Sept. 11, also found that it took Thailand 14 months for its visits to fully rebound after the 2004 tsunami. What increasingly has been observed is that not only is tourism vulnerable but its also resilient, said Xiang Robert Li, a professor of tourism marketing at Temple University in Philadelphia. The problem with Egypt, Professor Buhalis said, is that it has had more than its fair share of problems. Indeed, Egypts tourism sector is far from the record levels seen in 2010, when overnight visits hit 14.1 million, according to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Tourism plummeted after an uprising ousted Egypts 30-year dictator in 2011. The industry saw signs of recovery in 2012 and 2014, but then another uprising in 2013 that installed an increasingly authoritarian government, and the explosion of a Russian jet over Egypts Sinai Peninsula in 2015, wiped out any gains for those years. Last year which also brought the embarrassing tragedy of eight Mexican tourists being mistakenly gunned down by Egyptian security forces in a desert in September overnight visits sank to 9.1 million. Because Egypt was in trouble, the member states of the United Nations tourism organizations executive council voted to hold year-end meetings in Luxor as a vote of confidence. Party ideology in parliamentary elections* Center-left, center-right Other parties Right-wing and far-right *The 2016 presidential elections in Austria and Bulgaria and the 2015 French regional elections are included to add a more recent result for those countries. The charts above show election results in 20 European countries, with right-wing populist and far-right parties highlighted in red. Austria Under Sebastian Kurz, the conservative Peoples Party won 31.5 percent of the vote in the recent election, giving it the largest bloc in the national Parliament. Almost as many people voted for the insurgent far-right Freedom Party, as did for the establishment center-left party, the Social Democratic Party, which both got about 27 percent. The Peoples Party benefited from a strong performance on social media, and from a campaign that focused on limiting immigration, lowering taxes and strengthening the countrys social welfare system. It is likely that Mr. Kurz, at 31, the youngest leader in Europe, will form a coalition with the Freedom Party, led by Heinz-Christian Strache, 48. The Freedom Party seeks to curb immigration, particularly from the Middle East, to shrink welfare benefits to non-Austrians and to curtail what it calls political Islam in the country. The Freedom Party has said it does not wish to leave the European Union, despite voicing strong criticism of the blocs handling of refugees and borders. If the right-leaning coalition forms, Austria could join Hungary and Poland in demanding that the European Union pursue tougher policies on migration. Support for the far-right has been on the rise recently, but the Freedom Partys candidate, Norbert Hofer, lost the presidential election in December 2016 to an independent candidate, Alexander Van der Bellen. Sebastian Kurz, head of the conservative Austrian Peoples Party Leonhard Foeger/Reuters Germany The far-right Alternative for Germany party, known by its German initials, AfD, started four years ago as a protest movement against the euro currency, won about 13 percent in the latest election, becoming the third strongest party. It marked the first time in more than 60 years that a far-right party moved into the federal Parliament. The party, Germanys fastest-growing, has attracted voters who are anti-establishment, anti-liberalization, anti-European, anti-everything that has come to be regarded as the norm, said Sylke Tempel of the German Council on Foreign Relations. Frauke Petry, the former leader of the party, has said border guards might need to turn guns on anyone crossing a frontier illegally. The partys policy platform says Islam does not belong in Germany and calls for a ban on the construction of mosques. In January, Bjorn Hocke, a prominent state lawmaker in the party, drew broad criticism by challenging the collective national guilt over Nazi crimes and the Holocaust. Frauke Petry, former leader of the far-right-wing party Alternative for Germany, said that the situation with asylum-seekers in the country was causing huge problems. Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters The Netherlands The anti-European Union, anti-Islam Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, failed to win a plurality in a March 15 election in the Netherlands, finishing in second place. While the results were a setback for a party that had been leading in the polls for much of the campaign, the party is predicted to gain five more seats, 20, than it won in the last election. The party also succeeded in pushing many right-leaning parties to adopt tougher stances on immigration and is likely to influence policies in the new government. A new right-wing party, the anti-European Union Forum for Democracy, won two seats. Mr. Wilders, one of Europes most prominent far-right politicians, has said he wants to ban the Koran and close mosques and Islamic schools. He was convicted in December of inciting discrimination for leading an anti-Moroccan chant at a political rally, but the Dutch court imposed no punishment. In February, he described Moroccan immigrants as scum who endanger the country. Geert Wilders at a campaign stop in Spijkenisse, the Netherlands. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times Poland Polands right-wing Law and Justice party roared back into government by winning 39 percent of the national vote in the 2015 parliamentary elections. From mid-December through mid-January, Polands largest opposition party, Civic Platform, occupied Parliament to protest plans to limit the news medias access to the legislative body. And tens of thousands of protesters in October attended a rally against a proposed law that would have made virtually all abortions illegal. The Law and Justice party backed away from both initiatives. An effort this month by Law and Justice to deny former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was in the Civic Platform party, a second term as president of the European Council fell flat when no other European Union country supported the effort. A banner showing the Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski at a demonstration for free media in Warsaw in January. Kacper Pempel/Reuters Hungary Viktor Orban and his right-wing Fidesz party, running on a joint list with the K.D.N.P., a Christian Democratic party, have won the last two parliamentary elections in Hungary, worrying many Western leaders about his increasingly authoritarian rule. The party also decisively won in voting for the European Parliament in May 2014. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia visited Budapest in February, and Mr. Orban said that very anti-Russian policies in the West were hurting Hungarys economy. After the election of Donald Trump, which Mr. Orban supported enthusiastically, Fidesz accelerated a crackdown on what it called "foreign funded" nongovernmental organizations pressing for more transparency and human rights. Jobbik, a far-right, anti-immigration, populist and economic protectionist party, won 20 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections in 2014, making it Hungarys third-largest party. Jobbiks policy platform includes holding a referendum on membership in the European Union and a call to stop hushing up such taboo issues as the Zionist Israels efforts to dominate Hungary and the world. Jobbik wants to increase government spending on ethnic Hungarians living abroad and to form a new ministry dedicated to supporting them. In a 2012 bill targeting homosexuals, the party proposed criminalizing the promotion of sexual deviancy with prison terms of up to eight years. In a February interview, Gabor Vona, the partys leader, denied persistent rumors that Jobbik receives money from the Kremlin, but he did say he would welcome warmer relations between Moscow and Washington. Sweden The far-right Sweden Democrats party, which has disavowed its roots in the white-supremacist movement, won about 13 percent of the vote in elections in September 2014, up from only 2.9 percent eight years earlier, which gave it 49 of the 349 seats in Parliament. Because none of the mainstream parties would form a coalition with the Sweden Democrats, which is led by Jimmie Akesson, the country is governed by a shaky minority coalition of Social Democrats and the Green Party. The Sweden Democrats platform calls for heavily restricting immigration, opposes allowing Turkey to join the European Union and seeks a referendum on European Union membership. Some of the partys progress has to do with Swedes perceptions of crime, a significant issue with voters in cities like Malmo, Swedens third-largest. Polls show it also making gains for its position on increased defense spending and better care for the elderly. Sweden has a long history of being receptive to refugees, and 163,000 arrived in 2015 in a country of 10 million. In February, President Trump issued a vague but harsh critique of the countrys migration policies. The country has recently tightened its immigration rules, making reunification of refugee families more difficult, among other changes. Jimmie Akesson, the leader of the Sweden Democrats, at an election night party in Stockholm in 2014. Anders Wiklund/AFP/Getty Images Greece Founded in 1980, the neofascist party Golden Dawn came to international attention in 2012 when it entered the Greek Parliament for the first time, winning 18 seats. The election results came amid the countrys debilitating debt crisis and resulting austerity measures. The party, which the Council of Europes human rights commissioner described in 2013 as neo-Nazi and violent, holds extreme anti-immigrant views, favors a defense agreement with Russia and said the euro turned out to be our destruction. In September 2013, the Greek authorities arrested dozens of senior Golden Dawn officials, including members of Parliament and the partys leader, Nikos Michaloliakos, who was charged with forming a criminal organization. Golden Dawn again won 18 seats in parliamentary elections in September, making it Greeces third-largest party. Party leaders, since released from custody as their trial continues, have said Golden Dawn is planning numerous protests around the country against what they warn is the Islamization of Greece. In November, Mr. Michaloliakos publicly embraced the occupation by nationalist groups of a site in Athens where the capitals first state-sponsored mosque is planned. France The National Front is a nationalist party that uses populist rhetoric to promote its anti-immigration and anti-European Union positions. The party favors protectionist economic policies and would clamp down on government benefits for immigrants, including health care, and drastically reduce the number of immigrants allowed into France. The party was established in 1972; its founders and sympathizers included former Nazi collaborators and members of the wartime collaborationist Vichy regime. The National Front is now led by Marine Le Pen, who took over from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2011. She has tried to soften the partys image and broaden its appeal. Mr. Le Pen had used overtly anti-Semitic and racist language and faced repeated prosecution on accusations of Holocaust denial and inciting racial hatred. In February, Ms. Le Pen began her campaign for president with a grim speech warning that two totalitarianisms, globalization and Islamism, want to subjugate France. Polls show that she is very likely to reach at least a second round of voting in Frances two-stage electoral process this spring. The party is closer than it has ever been to gaining power in France after over 40 years of existence. Kupona Contact: Alexandra Cairns | 201.455.1241 | alexandra@kuponafoundation.org Kupona Foundation & partners use art to spotlight a critical global health challenge New York Universitys Kimmel Galleries is pleased to present Drawing Out Obstetric Fistula an exhibition of work by Jac Saorsa, in partnership with Kupona Foundation. Opening today, May 23rd, International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, the work will be on display through July 4, 2016. The Kimmel Galleries are located on the 8th floor at 60 Washington Square South, NYC. [Subways A,C,E,B,D,F,M to West 4th Street; 6 to Astor Place; R to 8th Street]. The exhibition is free and open to the public. The exhibition aims to raise awareness and mobilize support for the partnerships and programs working to rebuild the lives of women living with and recovering from obstetric fistula. Obstetric fistula is caused by obstructed labor without access to timely, high quality medical care, leading to chronic incontinence. In 90% of cases, the baby does not survive the traumatic delivery. It is a debilitating injury that affects 2 million women worldwide. Fistula is both treatable and preventable through improved access to essential surgery and high quality maternal healthcare. The first time I met a woman recovering from fistula, I was faced with a reality I had been sheltered from for far too long, said Abbey Kocan, Kupona Foundations Executive Director. While the level of awareness around this condition in the U.S. is growing, there is still a lot of work to be done to give this critical global health challenge a permanent place in the spotlight. We hope these drawings will open peoples eyes not only to the reality facing women living with fistula, but also to the opportunity facing every one of us to change the status quo. Artist Jac Saorsa developed the collection following two trips to Kuponas sister organization in Tanzania. She hosted art workshops with women as part of their psychosocial recovery and was inspired to develop work that examined the physical and emotional ramifications of the condition. A portion of funds raised as part of the exhibition and associated events will support the coordinated treatment and prevention of obstetric fistula in Tanzania. This exhibition is supported by Johnson & Johnson, Fistula Foundation, New York University Kimmel Center for University Life, New York University College of Global Public Health, and UNFPAs Campaign to End Fistula. About Kupona Foundation: Kupona Foundation is a NY based nonprofit committed to empowering people and communities living in poverty in Tanzania by improving their access to high quality healthcare. Kuponas sister organization, CCBRT, is one of the largest providers of fistula treatment in the world. Since 2009, Kupona has mobilized over $1.3 million for the treatment and prevention of obstetric fistula in Tanzania, restoring dignity to thousands of women. Twitter: @KuponaFdn. About the Kimmel Galleries: Established in 2003, Kimmel Galleries are dedicated to providing visually dynamic and thought-provoking exhibitions. They are free and open to the public. For more information on tours, the artists or price inquiries, please contact the Curator, Pamela Jean Tinnen, at 212 298 4950, or pamela.jean.tinnen@nyu.edu. Past exhibitions include: Patterns of Interest: photography by Stephen Mallon; HOUSE: HOME; Field Season: records, wandering perspectives, side notes, a selection of photographs from Abydos, by Greg Maka, Amanda Kirkpatrick and Gus Gusciora; Preconceived Notions; and Perspectives: A photography exhibit about traveling and living in our world; DITTO: WORKS IN BLUE, Shira Toren, among others. HIGHLAND A shuttle bus carrying nearly two dozen people returning from a womens church retreat overturned Sunday on a highway in the San Bernardino Mountains, leaving six people seriously injured and 14 with more minor injuries. The bus turned on its side across State Route 330 shortly after 2 p.m., San Bernardino County Fire Capt. Jeremy Kern said. The bus carrying 22 people was one of several buses transporting about 200 women who were returning from an annual mountain retreat to their church in Downey, a church official said. We got the news right after regular Sunday Service, Robert Acosta, assistant to the senior pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Ministerios Llamada Final, told the San Bernardino Sun. It was unnerving, but we immediately pulled together. All 20 of the injured were taken to hospital by ground ambulance and all were expected to survive, Kern said. Two people aboard were not injured. Authorities had initially reported an overall injury toll of 26. At one point as it was coming down the mountain, the 2000 El Dorado bus made contact with a Nissan Versa sedan, California Highway Patrol spokesman Juan Quintero said. No one in the car was hurt. The CHP is investigating the cause. The highway was shut down for hours for a 16-mile stretch near Highland. The bus was lying on its right side diagonally across the road and blocking the entire highway. The crash site is about 20 miles from the site of a 2013 bus crash on another highway in the San Bernardino Mountains. Eight people were killed in that crash of a tour bus from Tijuana, Mexico. Forty years ago this week, an exclusive blind tasting in France put California wines on top of the world for quality. Since then, the states wine industry has aged well and annual retail value has risen from $12 billion in 1998 to $24.6 billion in 2014. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 had an immense impact on global prestige and production of California wines. Two of the states wines Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 and Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 beat their counterparts in France for the first time. The California wines were brought to the competition by Steven Spurrier, an English wine merchant. The blind tasting was judged on May 24 by eleven judges, nine of whom were French. The results were initially kept under wraps in France, a nation that takes great pride in its wine being the best in the world. But the genie was let out of the proverbial bottle regarding California quality. When the leading magazines in Europe mocked the competitions validity, Spurrier set up another competition with the same wines in San Francisco in 1978. California wines fared even better. In 2008, a movie titled Bottle Shock about the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting was released. The shock heard around the world has resulted in California becoming a vinting vanguard for quantity and quality. Exports of California wines went to 125 countries in 2014 and resulted in $1.5 billion in revenue. California grape rush Wine making in California began in the late 1700s with Franciscan missionaries vinting wine for communion. During Prohibition the production was nearly shut down, and it wasnt until after World War II that the state had modest success with wineries. By 1968 California had 230 wineries; in 2014 it had 3,782. Californias growing regions Every bottle of wine made in the state lists the geographical origin or appellation. Leading varieties California crush Value-priced wines ($10 and below) made up 75 percent of California table wine volume in 2014, while premium wines accounted for 25 percent of wine volume but almost half (47 percent) of winery revenues. Tons of wine grapes harvested in California The grapes of math The overall statewide price per ton average paid to growers The champ: Cabernet sauvignon grapes produced in Napa County received the highest average price of $5,930 per ton in 2015, up 8 percent from a record-setting 2014. The statewide average for cabernet sauvignon grapes was $1,316 per ton. Popular California varieties in tons In 2004, the movie Sideways was nominated for several Academy Awards. The movie featured pinot noir, and some experts say the film contributed to a doubling of production. Top 10 U.S. wine producers California produces an average of 90 percent of the total U.S. wine produced. In millions of gallons for 2014 1. California 78.3 2. Washington 34.7 3. New York 28.9 4. Pennsylvania 10.2 5. Oregon 10.2 6. Vermont 4.3 7. Ohio 3.5 8. Michigan 2.3 9. Kentucky 2.2 10. Texas 1 Worlds biggest wine producers About 80 percent of the worlds wine is produced in 10 countries. Wine production in million hectoliters in 2014 Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Wine Institute, California Wines, Vinepair.com. John Cefalu went to Kenya only to beef up his resume. He returned home two weeks later with perspective and a golden idea. A selfish teenager by his own account, Cefalu in 2012 volunteered at a Kenyan orphanage. He lived among some 250 children, many with skin diseases and rashes. He saw how little hygiene the community practiced. The day he left, kids begged him to stay. A high school senior-to-be at the time, Cefalu vowed to return. Two years later, he did, and Health 2 Humanity was born. I didnt have any aspirations at the beginning other than supporting the orphanage that Id gone to see, said Cefalu, a Northern California native and Chapman University senior. Health 2 Humanity is what Cefalu, 21, calls a social enterprise, a nonprofit not only providing soap to those in third-world countries, but also establishing and resourcing sustainable vocational programs in the community. In just two years, Health 2 Humanity has taught orphanages, childrens homes and locals across 11 locations in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana how to make soap and market it to those in need throughout their communities. The stores employ 18 people. A 12th location is in the works. With the impact that this program left (in 2014), I truly feel the world is worse off without this model, Cefalu said. These ideas, this process coming together, its such a simple idea, such a simple concept, anybody can do it. But how its done is important, Cefalu said. How it deals with people is important. Its about seeing impact. Cefalu and some friends scoured Southern California drug stores in search of ingredients. Inside a Chapman dorm room, they watched How-to videos on YouTube. Cefalu sought the recipe for soap, and for three months, he failed rather spectacularly. It probably took 30 to 40 different attempts, different recipes, before we got a bar that was actually good, he recalled. And when we actually got that recipe, it took another month or so before we knew what we were doing, why we were doing it, and how the process worked. While attending classes at Chapman, Cefalu also created the blueprint for Health 2 Humanity. Gleaned from courses and perfected through personal experience, he began penning a now 200-page training booklet for sustaining organizations in third-world countries. He created an instruction manual for making the product. Cefalu returned to Kenya in May 2014 with bars of soap and helpful hands. He left that December having established maiden locations. Sometimes with charities, the money they donate creates all new problems, he said. Those in need start becoming dependent on it, so theyre focusing on you more than on themselves, on the issues at hand. Everything we do, theres training behind it, he said. Everything is in-country: it enhances their economy, their health issues, its all locally sourced. Thats what we try to push. Soon after returning to Chapman, Cefalu began sharing his story and Health 2 Humanitys mission at universities. He spoke one day in Kevin Chens Cal State Fullerton Marketing for Entrepreneurs class. Instantly, Chen said, the cause resonated with me. Chen had previously volunteered at a Zimbabwe orphanage. Like Cefalu, he lived among children with poor hygiene and tattered clothes. I saw the need in those countries, Chen said, and saw an opportunity for me to help him grow the brand. After meeting Cefalu for coffee shortly after connecting via email, Chen became Health 2 Humanitys marketing director. He joined two others on the nonprofits domestic team, and got to work designing the sleek website Health 2 Humanity uses. Like other team members Cefalu, Cori Maass and Kianna Estenson, Chen volunteers his time. Its important finding people with passion to support the cause, Cefalu said. All hands on deck is the best way to describe it, he said. Chen graduated from CSUF on Sunday, and said he eventually wants to visit Health 2 Humanitys international sites. Ive been supporting Health 2 Humanity from a technical standpoint, Chen said. But I want to support it anyway else I can. Health 2 Humanity also sells its soap online and uses the majority of the proceeds to fund its international programs. One bar sells for $5.99. Buyers can chose from peppermint, lemon, lavender and natural scents. Cefalu said his goal is to expand to making shampoo, conditioner and lotion. He wants companies around the world to sell his products. From hosting soap-making parties to volunteering time and money, Health 2 Humanity has loyal individual donors. Cefalu said it costs $10,000 to establish a new program. That money provides 10 years of sustainable business, he said, and 125,000 bars of soap. For that amount of money, for that amount of impact, youre not going to find many more efficient causes out there. Health 2 Humanity leaves its partners overseas with tools to sustain the business. For two weeks Cefalu helps a new program get off of the ground, teaching those in charge how to track growth, how to make soap and how to market. We rely on the people around us to make this happen, Cefalu said. We never want to make someone feel like were pitying them or this is something were giving to them. We want to make them feel powerful, that theyre able to create change in their own community, in their own life. Its their own willpower, Cefalu continued, their own determination, their own skills. Soap is only the vehicle that got them there. Contact the writer: 714-796-7724 or bwhitehead@ocregister.com Continuing to treat a victory over Sen. Bernie Sanders as a fait accompli, Hillary Clinton on Sunday questioned Donald Trumps business record and assailed his ideas, warning that the coming weeks represented a critical period in which, if left unchallenged, Trump could normalize himself as he seeks to broaden his support. But Sanders pointed to polls showing Clinton with dangerously high percentages of people who have unfavorable views of her and asked whether a choice between her and Trump in the fall would force voters to pick the lesser of two evils. Even as she contends with Sanders unflagging critique from the left, Clinton said it was vital for her to pivot to confront Trump now, lest he successfully repackage himself for wider consumption rather than appealing to the Republican primary electorate alone. I do not want Americans and, you know, good-thinking Republicans, as well as Democrats and independents, to start to believe that this is a normal candidacy, Clinton said of Trumps campaign on NBCs Meet the Press. I know he has a plurality of Republicans who have voted for him, she added. But I think in the course of this campaign, we are going to demonstrate he has no ideas. Theres no evidence he has any ideas about making America great, as he advertises. He seems to be particularly focused on making himself appear great. And as we go through this campaign, were going to be demonstrating the hollowness of his rhetoric. Clinton also poked at Trumps failure to release his tax returns. Told that Mark Cuban, a media executive and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, had expressed interest in being her running mate, Clinton said she was absolutely open to considering business leaders, not just elected officials. Businesspeople, especially successful businesspeople, who are really successful as opposed to pretend successful I think, have a lot to offer, said Clinton, whose campaign has begun taunting Trump with a (hash)PoorDonald hashtag on Twitter, suggesting that he is not nearly as wealthy as he claims. Trump has cited an audit by the Internal Revenue Service as his reason for keeping his tax returns private. Weve got to get below the hype, Clinton said. I think were beginning to find out, but I dont think we know enough, and thats why he should release his tax returns. In choosing a running mate, Clinton said she would seek, above all, someone prepared to be president and someone you can work with someone you believe will be a good partner. Clintons intense focus on Trump came as a new ABC News-Washington Post poll showed the two neck-and-neck among registered voters in a general election matchup, after Clinton had led by 9 percentage points in March. Voters have widely unfavorable opinions of both candidates: 53 percent expressed such a view about Clinton and 60 percent about Trump. Sanders, however, vowed Sunday to fight all the way to the Democratic convention in July, pointing to polls that indicated he would fare better against Trump than Clinton would. In several television interviews, he complained that Democratic superdelegates had thrown their support to Clinton before he had even entered the race. I ask those superdelegates to take a look at which candidate is the stronger to defeat Donald Trump, Sanders said on ABCs This Week. I dont want to see the American people voting for the lesser of two evils. When host George Stephanopoulos followed up by asking if he saw Clinton as the lesser of two evils, Sanders backed away slightly. Well, if you look at no, I wouldnt describe it, but thats what the American people are saying, he said, citing her unfavorable ratings. Sanders and Clinton will be campaigning hard in California, which holds its primary on June 7. In Vista, California, on Sunday, Sanders told a cheering crowd that he was the strongest Democratic candidate to defeat Trump and that he hoped to have 50 percent of the total pledged delegates by the end of voting. He also stressed that his campaign had more enthusiasm and energy than his rivals. Our vision of social justice, of economic justice, of racial justice and of environmental justice our vision is the future of this country, Sanders said. And I hope the leadership of the Democratic Party understands it must be the vision of the Democratic Party. Clinton drew criticism from some Democrats and Republicans recently after telling voters she would put her husband, former President Bill Clinton, in charge of revitalizing the economy and job creation. On Sunday, she clarified her intentions, saying his role would be advisory, not ministerial. I am going to ask my husband, who has a great track record in creating jobs, putting people back to work, revitalizing communities, to be in an advisory role working with me, working with our cabinet, to try to figure out what we can do in particularly hard-hit areas, Clinton said on NBC. You know, every first lady has taken on special projects. Heres a roundup of restaurant and retail news from across Orange County. Take a look at the slideshow for more details on each. Envy Lounge: The Newport Beach entrepreneur behind luxury car rental company EnVus Motorsports is getting into the bar business. Sammy Lakhany, along with partner Ali Hojat, opened Envy Lounge in the former Ten Nightclub venue in Newport Beach. Envy Lounge, at 4647 MacArthur Blvd., will be open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Applebees: The Glendale-based chain is joining the fray of older brands making massive transformations to boost declining sales. SPIN Pizza: Three years after making its West Coast debut, SPIN Neapolitan Pizza closed its doors this month at the Stadium Promenade in Orange. Lamppost Pizza: The 17th Street pizza parlor in Tustin, a longtime supporter of local youth organizations, is closing at the end of the month, according to a posting on its Facebook page. The restaurant has been in Tustin since 1983. Power Supply: The meal-delivery company entered the Orange County market in October and has been expanding its menu options in the months since. The company recently added Paleo breakfast and Mixtarian options, which contain no gluten and no dairy but have gluten-free grains, natural sweeteners and fruit. Voodoo Doughnut: The Portland specialty doughnut shop is opening its first California location at Universal CityWalk, theme park officials said Wednesday. The shop is opening in the fall, adjacent to Universal Cinemas. Besides Oregon, the gourmet doughnut company operates shops in Austin, Texas; Denver and Taiwan. Fullerton Town Center: In the fall, Fullerton Town Center is slated to get a Habit Burger Grill and Jersey Mikes, according to property owner BIG Shopping Centers USA of Beverly Hills. The restaurants will be part of a new commercial pad being built at the Costco-anchored retail center, which is undergoing a few upgrades. Fresh Brothers: The L.A.-based pizza company is opening two new O.C. locations: The restaurant at 24002 Aliso Creek Road in Laguna Niguel opens Friday. The Westcliff Shopping Center restaurant, at 1124 Irvine Ave. in Newport Beach, opens June 3. Carnitas Los Reyes: The popular taqueria in Orange, at 273 S. Tustin St., has temporarily closed due to damage from a recent fire. Tropical Smoothie Cafe: The cafe will hold a grand opening Tuesday for its Mission Viejo location. It offers wraps, flatbreads, salads and smoothies. Everything on the menu is under $10.The chain will open another location in Ladera Ranch on June 28 as part of companys franchise growth plan. The Mission Viejo location is at 28181 Marguerite Parkway, Suite 23. The Ladera Ranch location will be in the Mercantile East Shopping Center at 27412 Antonio Parkway, Suite R2. Brentwood Home: Online mattress and bedding company Brentwood Home will add 100 new employees as it opens a warehouse in Fullerton this month. A job fair will be announced shortly, the company said. More than 100 people are expected to come from the companys current warehouse in Pico Rivera to Fullerton. Planet Fitness: The gym chain will open a location on Tustin Street in Orange, the company confirmed Thursday. The company would not provide any additional information. Smart & Final: The gorcery chains newest store in Yorba Linda had its grand opening May 12. The 35,246-square-foot store is located at 21500 Yorba Linda Blvd., a former Haggen location. Big Air Trampoline Park: Ladera Ranch-based Big Air Trampoline Park announced last Monday that it plans to grow through franchising. Huntington Surf & Sport: The iconic surf shop will unveil its renovated shop Wednesday in downtown Huntington Beach. Send any retail updates to hmadans@ocregister.com and any restaurant news to nluna@ocregister.com Contact the writer: CAIRO Egypt has deployed a submarine to help find the wreckage of EgyptAir Flight 804 in the deep Mediterranean waters where it crashed, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Sunday, as he warned that it might take a long time before the cause of the crash was determined. An international flotilla of search ships, aided by surveillance planes, was scouring a section of sea 180 miles north of the port city of Alexandria, and retrieved some wreckage, belongings and human remains over the weekend. But the search crews have yet to find the main body of the plane and its cockpit data and voice recorders, commonly known as the black boxes. They hope the recorders will explain what caused the Airbus A320, carrying 66 people, to plunge from the sky early Thursday as it headed to Cairo from Paris. A statement from the Islamic State on Saturday failed to mention the EgyptAir crash, confounding speculation that the group, which claimed to have been behind the crash of a Russian airliner in Sinai in October, might have been responsible. So far, the strongest clues have come from signals emitted by the stricken plane indicating that several smoke detectors were activated as it hurtled toward the sea. The French air aviation authority said that while those transmissions provided evidence of a catastrophic systems failure inside the plane, they did not provide enough information to determine what had caused the crash. In Washington on Sunday, government officials debated whether the Islamic State or some other terrorist entity had orchestrated the EgyptAir crash. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank and the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said that the preponderance of evidence he had seen suggested terrorism might be less likely than initially thought and that if the crash was an act of terror, it was more likely carried out by a lone actor. Weve looked at the signals intelligence. Weve looked at the manifests, Schiff said Sunday on ABCs This Week. We have not come up with any hard evidence of terrorism as of yet. ANAHEIM Amin David, known for decades as one of the most unapologetic activists for Latinos and other marginalized communities in Orange County, died Saturday night in his Anaheim home after battling lymphoma. He was 83. Our beloved Dad is now in heaven, resting in peace. After a couple hours of restlessness, he unexpectedly crossed over last night at about 10:45 pm., a family member wrote Sunday in a Facebook page titled Amin Davids Journey to Wholeness. Within a few hours of the announcement, dozens on the social network wrote their condolences and appreciation for his contributions to the county. David, who moved to California from Chihuahua, Mexico, became a U.S. citizen and in 1978 took leadership in founding the group Los Amigos of Orange County, born out of a struggle between the community and police in Anaheim. With the motto Nos gusta ayudar, Spanish for We like to help, Los Amigos has continued to tackle issues including education, civil rights, public safety, government transparency and arts and culture. Last August, David told the Orange County Register that Los Amigos biggest accomplishment was, Weve punctured the shield of the police department. Connecting with law enforcement to change the way police treat Latinos, the homeless and poor, David added, is making sure regular people have a voice. David served as president of Los Amigos until 2012, facilitating breakfast meetings every Wednesday at Jagerhaus Restaurant in Anaheim, where anyone needing help was invited to speak out and was heard and helped. The center core of what he did was around Latinos. They were just so marginalized in terms of voice and politics and space that he unapologetically stood up to assure that our communities had a voice and were heard, said Jose Moreno, who has been Los Amigos president since 2012. David took on issues in other communities countywide, like Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, and became and always was a staunch advocate for human rights, period, said Moreno, an associate professor of Chicano and Latino Studies and the department chair at Cal State Long Beach. In 1971, David became the first chair of the Orange County Human Relations Commission and in 1977, the first Latino appointed to the Anaheim Planning Commission. The longtime Anaheim resident was a founding member of Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development and Orange County Community Housing Corporation and recently was an active member of the Anaheim police chiefs advisory board. He also ran two successful plumbing and materials companies in Anaheim. David was diagnosed with lymphoma in the fall, Moreno said. He is survived by his wife and four children. You would be hard-pressed to find any corner of Orange County with communities that have been marginalized and targeted that would not know the name Amin David, Moreno said. Contact the writer: 714-796-7762, jkwong@ocregister.com or on Twitter: @JessicaGKwong ISTANBUL Turkeys governing Justice and Development Party unanimously elected a longtime ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to become its new leader and prime minister on Sunday, paving the way for a constitutional overhaul that would allow the president to extend his powers. Binali Yildirim, who ran as the sole candidate for prime minister, received votes from all 1,405 delegates at a party congress. Later on Sunday, Erdogan gave Yildirim the official mandate to form a government. The previous prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, abruptly stepped down May 5 after a public rift with Erdogan. Yildirim, 60, is expected to play a subservient role to the president and push forward a series of constitutional amendments that would allow Erdogan to establish an all-powerful presidential system. As the constitution now stands, Erdogan has some genuine powers under the current Turkish Constitution, but the post of president is largely ceremonial. We have always proudly said that we are Recep Tayyip Erdogans companion, that we share a common fate and common passion, Yildirim said in an address to his party on Sunday. Mr. President, we promise that your passion will be our passion, your cause will be our cause, your path will be our path. By law, Erdogan is supposed to be above party politics, so he did not attend the convention. Even so, he made himself felt there, with a message that was read at the opening of the ceremony. In the message, he called for a new constitution and a new system of government. Members of the party stood up as his message was read. My legal bond with the AKP may have ended the day I took the presidential oath of office, but my bonds of love have never ended and never will, he said in the statement, using the Turkish abbreviation for the Justice and Development Party. An anthem was played several times in his honor, and banners celebrated him as the countrys pre-eminent leader. The man of the people, our leader, Erdogan, one poster read. A giant portrait of Erdogan hung from the center of the auditorium, with banners of Yildirim and Davutoglu on either side. Party leaders announced that the new government would work in harmony with the president to realize central goals for Turkeys future. Turkeys ruling AK Party only has one leader and that is President Erdogan, said Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, the chairman of the party convention. Sentiments expressed at the party congress have been echoed by pro-government columnists, who have called for obedience to the chief since Davutoglus resignation. Let everybody be comfortable and keep his eye on the chief, wrote Markar Asayan, a columnist for the pro-government newspaper Aksam. Are we not a huge orchestra looking in the eyes of its conductor? Can this work be done any other way? ANAHEIM Haneefah Syed stood fearlessly in front of about 150 people Sunday afternoon and spoke about two subjects near to her heart being Muslim and being a Girl Scout. The 11-year-old said Islam is something she seeks to incorporate into everything she does even her science fair experiments so she was happy to have a chance to talk about it with fellow Scouts from across Southern California and their parents. I like to take my passion and teach it to others, she said. There are a lot of misconceptions about Islam, so Im glad we got a chance to talk about it. Girl Scouts from the Islamic Institute of Orange County welcomed more than 100 Scouts and parents to teach them about Islam and its parallels to Scouting. Girls from Troops 3357 and 3119, who meet regularly at the institute and at Minaret Academy, a private elementary school housed within, designed and ran the event with help from their parents and institute leaders. Minaret student Ameerah Hirji, 11, said she enjoys teaching people about her religion because of the misconceptions that exist. She helped explain that both the Girl Scout Code and the Muslim holy book Quran ask participants to be honest, fair, kind and considerate. It makes me feel not angry but confused how people could think of Islam as violent or dangerous even though its a religion of peace and justice, she said. Sundays event was the second of its kind at the institute. The first took place in February to honor World Thinking Day, a day dedicated to connecting Girl Scouts across borders and cultures. The event was so popular, said parent and Girl Scout Cadette leader Aisha Cabrer, that the Scouts wanted to stage another so that people on the waiting list from February could visit the institute. Girls from Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino counties also were invited. After listening to the Scouts presentation on Islam, guests toured the institute and sat in on a prayer service. Although most knelt, a few girls joined practitioners nearby in bowing in unison. Under the Islamic Institute of Orange Countys towering white rotunda, which appears as a shining copper dome to passers-by outside, Nicole Gutierrez bowed deeply enough to touch her forehead to the mosques carpeted floor. This was a first for the 8-year-old from Santa Ana and different from the Christian church services she attends with her family on Saturdays. At first I didnt want to do it, then I wanted to just do it to try it, she said. Its fun to learn something new. Once prayer was complete, the room emptied and the Scouts formed a friendship circle, holding hands with their arms crossed in front of their bodies. Although the rotunda-topped space easily could have been filled with chatter, the girls maintained the reverence of the space and chatted quietly. Zaina Nasr, 12, said she and the girls whose hands she held introduced themselves, and although she wasnt sure they would become friends, she was glad to have met them. Everyone was really friendly, she said. My favorite part about Girls Scouts is going to different places and interacting with other people, and this time we got to do that for others. Contact the writer: 949-667-1933, cyee@ocregister.com and @ChrisMYee on Twitter BOSTON Lloyd Matsumoto awoke from his liver transplant last month to find his surgeon more than pleased with the results. The new organ had begun producing bile almost immediately, a welcome signal that it had quickly started to function well. That may be partly a result of the way Matsumotos new liver had traveled from Tufts Medical Center across Boston to Massachusetts General Hospital. Instead of being packed in ice for the 41/2 hours it was outside the abdomens of donor and recipient, the liver was essentially kept alive in a device that maintains its temperature, perfuses it with oxygenated blood and monitors its critical activity. They say Im going to live a normal life span, said Matsumoto, a 71-year-old biology professor who is back home in Darrington, R.I. Im living proof that it works. For all the advances in transplant surgery in the 62 years since doctors first moved a kidney from Ronald Herrick to his identical twin, Richard, the method of transporting organs remains remarkably primitive. A harvested heart, lung, liver or kidney is iced in a plastic cooler, the kind you might take to the beach, then raced to an operating room where a critically ill patient and a surgical team are waiting. The new approach flips that idea emphasizing warmth instead of cold and maintaining an organs natural processes rather than slowing them down. That may speed an organs return to service, and it offers the eventual possibility of more: the potential to reduce the chronic shortage of organs for transplant by expanding the pool of usable ones. Earlier clinical trials established that this technique is safe for transporting donated hearts and lungs. But Matsumotos surgeon, James Markmann, chief of the division of transplantation at Massachusetts General and head of the liver trial, cautioned that neither idea has been proven for donated livers. Thats one of the reasons a study is underway. But Markmann said doctors and patients may be on the cusp of a new start to this area. Many donor hearts are not available today because too much damage would occur when the blood supply is cut off and the organ is put on ice for hours. The big question is whether keeping them warm will increase the supply, said Michael Dickinson, a heart-failure cardiologist at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Mich. Dickinson is part of a separate heart-transport study intended to address that issue. Is this better overall than the standard method? he asked. We would hope so. But we dont know. A Massachusetts company, TransMedics, founded in 1998 by a heart surgeon, developed the Portable Organ Care System being used in the U.S. trials. Competitors here and abroad are testing alternative technology. The TransMedics device encloses the organ in a plastic box that attaches to a wheeled cart and can be removed to fit in a vehicle or aircraft. Blood, nutrients and fluids are pumped through tubes into the liver. Heaters warm the blood. Sensors monitor critical functions during the trip, relaying them to doctors wirelessly on a control screen. Specialists can alter several conditions including oxygen levels and pressure in veins with a touch of the panel. The TransMedics system, first tested in Europe in 2006, is awaiting approval by the Food and Drug Administration for commercial use with hearts and lungs in the United States. The liver trial is a first-level safety study. In Australia and parts of Europe, the device has been approved and used about 200 times commercially, according to a company spokeswoman. A substantial remaining obstacle is cost, including whether insurance, Medicare and Medicaid will cover the $250,000 initial purchase, the $45,000 price of each organ container which is used only once and the staff time needed to transport an organ this way. Nearly 31,000 organs were transplanted in the United States last year, including 2,804 hearts and 7,127 livers. But the sizable gap between demand and supply generally widens every year, leaving tens of thousands of people on waiting lists. An average of 22 people die each day waiting for transplants. David Klassen, medical director for the United Network for Organ Sharing, the nonprofit organization that runs the U.S. organ procurement and transplantation network, agreed that devices such as the organ-care system could help ease the shortage if they make currently unusable organs available for transplant. Cost, he said, is still a barrier to widespread adoption of the devices, but with trials underway it is early for decisions on coverage. There are two types of death in the transplant field brain death and cardiac death. Donor hearts are useful only after brain death, because the heart continues to pump and oxygen-rich blood continues to circulate. In cardiac death, reduced circulation known as ischemia causes too much damage to the heart muscle to allow transplantation. Australian doctors last year transplanted three hearts after cardiac death, waiting as little as two minutes to harvest the organs. That effort and another like it have raised ethical questions about how soon surgeons should remove any organ after the heart stops beating. In the United States, the standard is five minutes. We cant have a Wild West situation where surgeons just essentially come up with their own criteria, said Robert Veatch, a professor emeritus of medical ethics at Georgetown Universitys Kennedy Institute of Ethics. Restarting livers, lungs and other organs harvested after circulatory death raises another issue, Veatch said. If youre restarting a heart, can you also say the circulatory system has been irreversibly stopped? he asked. In a brain-dead donor, transport and harvesting time are the enemy. When Marvin Vandermolen received his new heart April 16 at Spectrums Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center, the donor was 2 1/2 hours away and 7 1/2 hours passed from the time the organ was taken until it was placed in Vandermolens chest. That is nearly double the allowable four hours under the protocol for hearts transported on ice. But because Vandermolens heart was kept beating on the TransMedics device, it was in fine shape when it arrived for transplant and functioned well, according to his surgeon, Martin Strueber. We can keep a donor heart out of the body longer than we would do with any cold storage method, Strueber said. The heart is not sitting in a box. It is sitting in a system and is perfused with warm blood. After a month in the hospital, Vandermolen, 63, was headed home, focused on eating something that really sounds good to me, and that sounds like meatloaf, he said. Donations after cardiac death also are problematic for livers, Markmann said. Thirty minutes without circulation is the current standard. Even within that time, about 30 percent of livers suffer some scarring in bile ducts. If the study shows promise in reducing injuries, future research will probably examine how much longer livers can endure ischemia. Markmann said he was gratified to see how quickly Matsumotos donated liver responded. Until the study at six U.S. sites is completed later this year, its impossible to know the impact of the TransMedics device. But Markmann said in an email that it was my impression that the new transport method contributed to the livers excellent early function. Early signs of Matsumotos liver problems began 25 years ago. Doctors eventually discovered that he had a form of cirrhosis permanent scarring and damage to liver function that is not related to alcohol, Matsumoto said. There is no cure, and when his symptoms became severe, one primary-care doctor told him that no one is going to give a man your age a new liver, he said. But that wasnt true. He qualified as a recipient and signed up for Markmanns study. As a test subject, he could have been randomly chosen for the current standard of care a liver transported on ice or the experimental procedure that uses the TransMedics apparatus. A computer chose him for the latter and he became just the third person at Massachusetts General to receive his liver that way. The 11-hour transplant surgery began on April 27 and was completed the next day. When Matsumoto awoke, I was told I have a new birthday, he said, which was the 28th of April. SANAA, Yemen They are Yemens untouchables. They call themselves the Muhammasheen, or the Marginalized, a dark-skinned ethnic group that for centuries has been consigned to the bottom of Yemens social scale, faced with discrimination and racism, shunned by others. They live in shantytowns on the outskirts of cities, are often refused schooling and work menial jobs like shoe-shining or street cleaning or turn to begging. Other Yemenis have traditionally called them the Akhdam, or servants. In a country where belonging to a tribe is vital to guaranteeing protection, status and livelihood, their community which some estimates say numbers nearly 3 million people is without a tribe and ignored by the government. As a result, they have been hit particularly hard in Yemens civil war that is pitting the government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, against Shiite rebels known as Houthis and forces loyal to Yemens ousted president. Their neighborhoods have been pounded both by coalition airstrikes and Houthi shelling, shattering their makeshift homes cobbled together from sheets of metal, cardboard and blankets. Many have been thrown into a state of constant displacement, with no one to take them in. Some tell of fleeing from strikes by one side, only to be hit again by another of the many factions and combatants in the conflict. Yemeni groups distributing humanitarian aid ignore them, they say. We are naked. We have nothing, Houssna Mohammed said, choking back tears as she stood at the charred remains of her shack in a slum of the Marginalized in the western city of Taiz. She said her home was burned down in March when a mortar hit her neighbor and the fire was blown to her shack. Walid Abdullah, a 20-year-old member of the Marginalized, said his home district in Taiz, al-Jahmaliya, was hit early on in the war by shelling. The whole community of 200 families fled to al-Rahda, another town in Taiz province. Later they had to flee again when Saudi airstrikes hit al-Rahda. Now he is in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, and he says his family is spread around multiple slums in the city. In the airstrikes, he lost his only source of income, a motorbike he offered for rent. Now I have nothing, he said. An estimated 9,000 people have been killed in the past year of fighting in Yemen, and more than 2.4 million have been driven from their homes. The death toll among the Marginalized is difficult to verify because few pay attention to them. One advocacy group, the Yemeni Organization Against Discrimination, said it has documented more than 300 killed, including 68 children and 56 women. Yahia Said, the head of the organization, said the true number is likely much higher. The origins of the Muhammasheen are unclear. Popular tradition has it that they are the descendants of Ethiopian soldiers who invaded Yemen in the 6th century. Other theories suggest they were African peoples who were among the first to inhabit coastal cities in Yemen. Official government statistics have put their population at around 500,000, but Marginalized activists say they number around 3 million. UNICEF has estimated they amount to about 10 percent of the population, or 2.6 million. For generations, they have been treated as a permanent underclass. Yemenis call them unclean and tell their children not to mingle with them. One common proverb among Yemenis goes, Clean your plate if it is touched by a dog, but break it if its touched by a Khadem. Activists say schools and hospitals often turn them away. They say women in the community are vulnerable to sexual abuse by other Yemenis, who are confident courts wont prosecute them or that their tribes will intimidate the Marginalized into silence. In contrast, if a Marginalized man is believed to be fraternizing with an outside woman, his entire community can be driven from their homes as punishment. The children of the Marginalized who defy social stigma and attend schools often face harassment from teachers and fellow students. Said recalled how, when he was in first grade, his teacher accused the blacks of Yemen of being the descendants of those who tried to destroy the Kaaba, Islams holiest site, located in Mecca. It was a reference to a historical incident in which an Ethiopian Christian king of Yemen is said to have sent an army with elephants to destroy the Kaaba. Imagine 70 students looking at me in disgust, Said remembered. Saleh al-Bair studied political science at universities in the Soviet Union and Cuba in the 1990s, one of the few Marginalized to gain access to education abroad. Yet he now works as a shoe shiner in Sanaa. He said that even before the war, his community had no rights. If you go to court, the judge wont summon me using my name but would say, servant. So what kind of justice would you expect after that? he said. In 2014, UNICEF conducted a survey of more than 9,000 Marginalized families in the city of Taiz, site of one of their largest communities. It found high levels of poverty and low levels of education, all far worse than national averages. Only half the children were in school, 80 percent of the adults and nearly 52 percent of 10-14-year-olds were illiterate. More than half the children under 1 year old had not been immunized. Buthaina al-Iryani, social protection specialist at UNICEF, said that the agency distributes cash to the families of the Marginalized in Sanaa and Taiz due to their urgent needs. But she acknowledged, This is a drop in the ocean. Now after a year of war, they have completely fallen off the social hierarchy. More than ever, begging has become their only source of revenue. Barefoot children with matted hair, faces covered in dust, are seen sleeping on streets while their mothers cloaked in black extend their hands to pedestrians, begging for money. The humanitarian situation is miserable, said Noaman al-Houzifi, the head of the National Union of the Marginalized. While others have tribes or wealthy relatives to help or host them if they have to flee their homes, for the Marginalized, they have nothing. He and other Marginalized activists say local operators distributing humanitarian aid pass them over. Even the blankets distributed by the aid and relief groups, the Marginalized are excluded from receiving such help, said Misk al-Maqmari, a 25-year-old Marginalized activist running a local group called Enough. At hospitals, Marginalized wounded in fighting are often not given beds or treatment and are left to die, she said. As if they are animals. Even animals have rights. IRVINE Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders brought his campaign against what he calls a rigged economy and political system to a boisterous, nearly full Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on Sunday, expressing optimism that he will win the nomination despite a disadvantage in party delegates. The reason this campaign is doing so well is that were doing something radical in modern politics, he said in an hourlong speech at the 16,000-seat venue. Were telling the truth. It is true that billionaires and super PACs are buying elections. The truth is that if we do not allow the Donald Trumps of the world to divide us up, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. The stage was decked with giant American and California flags. Behind Sanders, several hundred supporters waved blue signs with the message A Future to Believe In. They punctuated his speech with cheers, applause, chants of Bernie! Bernie! and, at one point, Si se puede! the Spanish version of Yes, we can! We have a shot to win this thing, and we are going to fight to win it, Sanders said. He pointed to the latest polls, which, he said, show that in almost every instance we beat Donald Trump by much greater margins than does Secretary (Hillary) Clinton. The event was Sanders first campaign stop in Orange County. On Tuesday, he will make a second local appearance, at the Anaheim Convention Center, in his push toward Californias June 7 primary. The Anaheim function is expected to run from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tickets are required and can be obtained from Sanders website. Parking may be limited. After Anaheim, Sanders will head to Riverside and San Bernardino. In a wide-ranging speech, the Vermont senator hit familiar themes of free public university tuition and health care, paid family leave for new parents, tighter restrictions on Wall Street, higher taxes on the wealthy, comprehensive immigration reform, a $15 hourly minimum wage and investment in infrastructure. Our infrastructure in many parts of this country is crumbling, he said. We can put people back to work at good wages by fixing that infrastructure. In a pointed reference to his longtime opposition to foreign interventions, he suggested, Instead of rebuilding the infrastructure of Afghanistan, we are going to build the infrastructure of our cities. Californias Democratic primary will distribute 475 delegates the most of any state by congressional district. Sanders has won 11 of the past 19 contests, but analysts contend Democratic front-runner Clintons early success in large states makes it all but mathematically impossible for Sanders to prevail. But in an interview before the Irvine rally, Sanders argued that he can overcome the delegate deficit by performing strongly in the remaining primaries and caucuses, and then going after superdelegates committed to Clinton. Clinton has 2,293 pledged delegates and superdelegates and needs 90 more to win the nomination, although superdelegates can change their allegiance at any time. Sanders has 1,533 pledged delegates and superdelegates, according to a New York Times analysis. In those states where weve won significant victories, were doing everything we can to get the superdelegates, he said. The campaign will also turn its attention to superdelegates in other states, noting that about 400 superdelegates had committed to Clinton before any other candidate entered the race. Thats more like an anointing process, not a nomination process, he said. At the rally, Sanders noted that Even in those (states) we have lost, we have won overwhelmingly the votes of young people. The vision that we have the vision of social justice, economic justice, racial justice, environmental justice that is going to be the vision of the future of this country. He bemoaned the amount of money spent on prisons and complained about the high cost of education, citing the crippling student debt that has plagued so many young people. He called for a change of priorities and said a tax on Wall Street speculation could cover the cost of tuition at public universities. We should be rewarding people for getting an education, not punishing them, he said. The enthusiastic audience at the Irvine rally was diverse: old and young, and people of all ethnicities and races. Some sported tie-dye shirts, a few wore Sanders costumes. Irvine resident Karine Marois, 24, arrived several hours before the event began, dressed as Sanders with slacks, a blue dress shirt, a gray wig, fake glasses and a blazer. Hes showing its possible to be an honest politician, said Marois, who is a food scientist. If we all come together, we can make a change. Aliso Viejo resident Lauretta Brown, 65, walked out of the amphitheater after Sanders rally saying, It was a privilege to see him live. She had been a Republican for more than 20 years, she said, campaigning to get GOP candidates on the board of supervisors and other governing bodies. But she has switched parties, she explained, because billionaires need to pay their fair share. Brown was accompanied by her daughter, Caroline Brown, a graphic designer, who said that Sanders has energized her more than any other candidate in the past. Ive voted in every election, she added. But this is another level of engagement. Ken Tsai, 65, a Laguna Woods retiree, said he thinks Sanders can change the country. Hes encouraging, Tsai said, noting the 74-year-old candidates popularity with millennials. Im voting for the future of the country, Tsai said, not for myself. Trevor Davis, 18, of Mission Viejo, who will cast his first presidential vote in the primary, said he planned to attend rallies for both Sanders and Clinton. The most important issue to me is political corruption and Wall Street corruption, he said. Thats huge. Clinton is expected to visit Orange County next week, but her campaign has yet to disclose the place and date. Before the event began, Sanders campaign workers canvassed along the line of those waiting to enter the amphitheater, handing out forms for them to register to vote. Independent doesnt mean what you think in California, canvassers shouted, a reference to people who have mistakenly registered for the American Independent Party and therefore can vote in neither the Democratic or Republican primaries. Gabriel Zepeda, 23, of Downey decided to re-register; hes done with the Republican Party, he said. Zepeda, who describes himself as a bit fiscally conservative but totally socially liberal, said dismantling the big business model of universities is his most important issue. Were lagging behind other countries, he added, even though we say were the most forward-thinking country. (Sanders) isnt afraid to do things others are. Another rally-goer who registered as a Democrat was Nathan Morbee, who will turn 18 before the November general election. Im excited, he said, adding that Sanders speaks to younger people. Morbee attended the rally with his parents and 13-year-old sister. The family is from Orange. His mother, Patsy Morbee, wore a Sanders pin on her shirt, but said she doubts that supporting the senator will matter in the end. I dont believe in the system, she said. Its not for the people. Her husband, Jordan Morbee, said he still has faith, but worries that even if Bernie were elected, Congress would shut down everything he tried to do. Republicans and Democrats need to remember theyre still Americans. Were on the same side. While Sanders is campaigning with a fervor belying his long-shot status, party insiders worry that he is threatening Democratic unity and could hurt the partys chance to beat Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in the general election. Democratic leaders hope to quell some of Sanders concerns by agreeing to give his supporters more seats on key convention platform committees, according to a Washington Post report. But it remains uncertain whether that will mollify the candidate. Sanders supporters continue to complain that the party establishment has manipulated rules to favor Clinton. Last week, Sanders said the party faced a choice to remain dependent on big-money campaign contributions and be a party with limited participation and limited energy or welcome into the party people who are prepared to fight for real economic and social change. He also called on Clinton to debate him in advance of the June 7 primary. Clinton has given no indication shell take him up on the offer. Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com On Nov. 8, voters could face an imposing array of 18 statewide ballot measures, up from just six measures in 2014. Thats on top of the races for president, U.S. Senate, U.S. representatives and numerous state and local offices and measures. Although the list could change a bit over the next few weeks, heres our first take: Proposition 30 extension. The 2012 temporary tax initiative garners about $7 billion a year in added taxes. It was advertised as temporary until the plunge in revenue from the Great Recession ended. In the highest taxed state in the nation, temporary should be spelled: Vote No. Marijuana legalization. This initiative would make pot legal for anyone age 21 or over, allowing taxation by the state and local governments. Although several similar initiatives were considered until recently, the haze cleared and reformers now are backing this one, which is supported by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Facebook co-founder Sean Parker. Im confident this one will pass, Dale Gieringer told us; hes the state coordinator for the California chapter of the National Organization for the Repeal of Marijuana Laws. He said Prop. 19, the 2010 legalization initiative, was premature, losing 53.5-46.5. Since then, Colorado, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., have approved similar initiatives. Californias Prop. 215 in 1996 legalized medical marijuana. Another $2 cigarette tax. Part of the schizophrenic nature of the state is that, as marijuiana laws are liberalized, tobacco laws are tightened. A new tax of $2 per pack of cigarettes especially would hurt the poor, who are more likely to smoke, and would greatly increase the black market, as similar tax increases in New York City have shown. More gun control. Also pushed by Mr. Newsom, who is running for governor in 2018, this initiative, among other things, bans possession of large-capacity magazines. John Lott and other gun scholars have shown such bans do not cut crime. Such magazines already are illegal to purchase here. The initiative would make criminals of people who legally obtained such magazines prior to the state arbitrarily determining how many rounds are sufficient for ones self-defense or other use. Criminals still could obtain them in other states. Repealing Prop. 227. The 1998 English for the Children initiative mostly banned bilingual education, requiring primary instruction in English. As Heather Mac Donald wrote in City Journal, Californias electorate has been proved right: Hispanic test scores on a range of subjects have risen since Prop. 227 became law. The progress should not be reversed. Banning plastic bags. This initiative would affirm Senate Bill 270, which banned plastic bags, but was suspended pending this vote. Any improvement to the environment would be negligible. There also are dual uses for the plastic bags. A 2013 ban in Huntington Beach brought such an outcry from residents the City Council reversed itself in 2015. Attacking Citizens United. The Legislature put up this one as an advisory vote for Congress to use all of their constitutional authority reversing the 2010 Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. For federal campaigns, the decision removed limits on campaign contributions by businesses and unions. Even if this ballot-clogging initiative passes, why should the rest of America care? The Legislature obviously spends too much time in Sacramento and should revert to part-time status. Parole reform. This one is tentative. Gov. Jerry Brown and other proponents just this past week gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballot. But it still faces legal challenges from opponents. According to Ballotpedia, the measure would increase parole chances for felons convicted of non-violent crimes and give them more opportunities to earn credits for good behavior. It would also allow judges, not prosecutors, to decide whether to try certain juveniles as adults in court. Recent increases in crime are a national trend, and likely not caused by state reforms, such as Proposition 47. But the higher crime still might make this one a tough sell. Death penalty. Two death penalty initiatives likely will be on the ballot. Former M*A*S*H TV star Mike Farrell is pushing for complete repeal. In 2012, voters defeated a similar measure, Prop. 34, by 52-48. The contrasting California Death Penalty Reform and Savings Initiative would speed the path to the deadly chamber by limiting appeals. Meanwhile, federal courts still hold up state executions, the last one occurring in 2006. There have been only 13 since 1978. Under state law, if two initiatives on the same issue both gain majorities, the one with the most votes prevails. Medi-Cal reimbursements. According to Ballotpedia, for this initiative, a yes vote would ensure that Medi-Cal fees would be directed to childrens health or Medi-Cal services, unless a two-thirds vote of the Legislature changes the allocation. This is a mistaken use of whats called ballot-box budgeting. Its difficult enough already for the state to properly channel federal Medicaid funds to the state Medi-Cal program, or balance the budget in general, without this added requirement. HANOI, Vietnam President Barack Obama on Monday lifted a decades-old arms export embargo for Vietnam during his first visit to the communist country, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner even as he pushes for better human rights from the one-party state. Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference, saying the move was intended to step toward normalizing relations with the former war enemy and to eliminate a lingering vestige of the Cold War. At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation, Obama said, adding that he expected deepening cooperation between the two nations militaries. Obama is seeking to strike this balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the worlds most important waterways. Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnams leaders as they look to counter an increasingly aggressive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang thanked Obama for lifting the embargo. U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before granting it. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with Chinas assertive land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. Vietnam has not bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalized and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. After three days in Vietnam, Obama heads to Japan for an international summit and a visit to Hiroshima, where he will be the first sitting president to visit the site of the first atomic bomb attack. He arrived in Hanoi, the capital, late Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with an emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to Chinas growing strength. Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making extraordinary progress. He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come. Obama will make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to double by 2020. That would mean knocking down auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam. In Japan, Obama will attend a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where the uncertain global economy will be a top concern. Theyll also grapple with a full array of world challenges, including the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and the refugee crisis in Europe. Obama will finish his trip in Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people, ushering in the nuclear age seven decades ago. Another bomb killed 70,000 in Nagasaki three days later. It will be a moment to reflect on the devastating costs of war and to try to give new impetus to the call for a nuclear-free world that Obama issued seven years ago in his first year as president. He has faced criticism, however, that his mere presence at the site of the a-bomb explosion could be viewed as apology for an act that many Americans see as justified. CHICAGO The way Terry Neilen sees it, lifting the ban on U.S. arms sales to Vietnam makes sense in the face of Chinas growing influence in the region. Fellow Vietnam veteran Ned Foote said Americans long ago forgave Germany and Japan for World War II, so theres no reason not to do the same with Vietnam. Were actually acting as a team in a sense, said Neilen, of Saratoga Springs, New York, who served in the Army infantry in Vietnam in in 1967 and 1968. Theyre joining together to give a show of strength. Foote, who heads the New York State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America, noted that the Vietnamese have helped account for missing American service members. President Barack Obamas decision to lift the half-century-old arms embargo was seen Monday by many veterans as a logical outgrowth of efforts to normalize relations between the U.S. and the southeast Asian nation that has become a major trading partner since the war ended in 1975. Obama, looking to bolster a government regarded as a crucial ally in the region, vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the former enemies and embrace a new era. He steered clear of any condemnation of Vietnam for its treatment of dissidents. The wars over, said Bernard Edelman, deputy director of government affairs for the Vietnam Veterans of America. He said the organization has not taken an official position on the presidents action, but he compared it to U.S. efforts after World War II to normalize relations with Japan, Germany, Austria and Italy. Weve tried to build bridges to the Vietnamese, Edelman said, while acknowledge that people whom I know and love and respect might be angry at what the presidents doing. Steve Rylant, of Loveland, Colo., said he didnt think lifting the ban was a good idea. The wounds are too deep, said Rylant, who served at an Air Force base in Thailand during the war. Its taken this long for people to say welcome home. Al Huber, 69, is president of the Illinois state council of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He said hes not worried about whether that country gets weapons, but he doesnt think Obamas decision to lift the embargo near the end of his presidency serves any purpose except his personal agenda. Obama said the move would ensure Vietnam can defend itself but denied it was in response to territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. China has warned the U.S. not to take sides, and Obama said the nation supports a diplomatic resolution. Still, human rights activists and some U.S. lawmakers had urged Obama to press Vietnams communist leadership to offer greater freedoms before lifting the embargo. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners, and there have been more detentions this year. Some rank-and-file veterans echoed those concerns. They have plenty of human rights violations to account for, and I dont feel its really appropriate to provide arms to them until we can see theyre more in line with our way of human rights, said Air Force veteran Jesse Hawk of Marietta, Georgia, who served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1973. He acknowledged Chinas growing influence but added, Until theres any kind of action, theres no need to go providing arms to a country that still has their own problems to deal with when you dont know if itll be used against their own people. Obama did not say how soon arms sales might begin. He said each deal would be reviewed individually. Neither the American Legion nor the Veterans of Foreign Wars has taken a position on the embargo, officials said. But under a resolution adopted two years ago, the American Legion opposes the sale of long-range ballistic missiles, as well as nuclear or biological weapons, to communist nations, spokesman John Raughter said. The group recognizes that the president must be the chief architect of U.S. foreign policy, said Raughter, adding the organization would study the situation very carefully and discuss it at its national convention this summer. We realize there are a lot of factors at play, including China but we also remain concerned about the human rights situation in Vietnam. Army veteran Willie Guzman, who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, said that, as commander in chief, Obama had the right to lift the embargo. Theyre an ally of ours now, he said. I think they should be able to work together as a unit, you know, so we can help protect the freedom of that country as well. Carola reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writer Dan Elliott in Denver and AP video journalist Johnny Clark in Marietta, Georgia, also contributed to this report. Boeing Co. won an order for 100 jets from VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Co. valued at $11.3 billion in list prices as Vietnams only private airline expands fleet amid a surge in travel. VietJet signed the agreement today in Hanoi during President Barack Obamas visit to Vietnam. Delivery of the Boeing 737 Max 200 planes will run for four years beginning in 2019 and will help the carrier expand its fleet to 200 by the end of 2023, the company said in a statement. The low-cost carrier, which started operations in December of 2011, is seeking to expand in a market thats grown 20 percent annually in the last three years, according to the airline. At present, VietJet operates more than 250 flights a day with 50 routes in Vietnam and across the region to countries such as Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Myanmar and Malaysia. They seem to be extremely ambitious, said Brendan Sobie, Singapore-based chief analyst at CAPA Centre for Aviation. They have established themselves domestically with a strong brand and high share of the market in a very quick time. VietJet will probably surpass national carrier Vietnam Airlines as the nations biggest domestic carrier this year, according to CAPA Centre for Aviation. Vietnam is expected to rank among the worlds 10 fastest-growing aviation markets in the next two decades, according to the International Air Transport Association. The Boeing aircraft will accommodate our strategy of growing VietJets coming international route network, including long-haul flights, Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao in a statement. The airline, known for its bikini-clad flight attendants, expects revenue to double this year from last years 10.9 trillion dong ($488 million) and to increase passenger capacity to 15 million after carrying 9.3 million in 2015. The carrier may come out with an initial public offering as early as the second quarter as it plans to build global routes and become a top budget airline in Asia, Thao said in an interview earlier this year. Vietnam doesnt have as many low-cost carriers as other markets it was underserved while other markets were overserved, CAPA Centres Sobie said. They had the timing. They entered into the market as Vietnams economy was growing. So if you dont live in Irwindale, rejoice: There, even when you look at it through rose-colored glasses, public pension liabilities equal $32,447 for each and every household in the city. Slap on a skeptics glasses, and that load skyrockets to $134,907 per household. Irwindale carries the heaviest pension load of more than 1,000 California public agencies whose data have been sliced and diced and posted for the world to see by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. The heaviest loads in Orange County are in Newport Beach, Brea, Santa Ana, Anaheim and Costa Mesa, ranging from (rose glasses) $5,435 to $6,653 per household, or (skeptics) $15,976 to $19,062. Well explain the glasses thing in a minute. But no surprise here: The older cities have had their own in-house police and fire departments for decades, and public safety workers get the most expensive pensions. That comes clear in the incredible lightness of being a newer-fangled city, which contracts out for police and fire services (and thus doesnt carry that pension load on its books): Aliso Viejo, $32 per household (rose) or $126 (skeptics); Laguna Woods, $32 or $121; Rancho Santa Margarita, $72 or $239. Of course, that load winds up somewhere. In the County of Orange which provides police services to contract cities via its Sheriffs Department each of its 1 million or so households has a load equal to $5,108 (rose) or $14,840 (skeptics). Thats on top of whatever each households city (and other agency) loads may be. Stanfords PensionTracker.org launched last fall, initially listing local agencies, and last week added data for every state. California ranked seventh highest nationwide for debt-per-household when viewed through rose-colored glasses ($15,618); and third-highest in the nation when viewed through skeptics glasses ($77,700). I was a little surprised that the unfunded amount per household is as high as it is, said Joe Nation, public policy professor at Stanford and director of the data project. All told, Californias public pension systems are $281.5 billion short, including pension bond debt. Through Nations lens, theyre nearly $1 trillion in the hole or $946.4 billion. ROSE GLASSES Nation, a Democrat who served in the Legislature for six years, might be considered a card-carrying progressive. He represented Marin County, where Democrats and decline-to-states constitute nearly 80 percent of registered voters. He authored bills on greenhouse gas labeling for cars, fuel efficiency standards for tires and tax incentives for alternative energy. Nonetheless, Nation has earned the wrath of public employee unions a traditional Democratic power base with his jarring analyses of public pension debt. Stanford scholars have simply been calculating how deeply in debt pension systems will be if they earn less-rosy-than-anticipated returns on investments. The rose-colored glasses refer to the shortfalls calculated by officials themselves what they expect if Californias pension systems earn what officials say theyll earn, which is currently 7.5 percent or so. Through this actuarial lens, theyre $241.4 billion short. Thats a staggering 38 times larger than in 2003, when the shortfall was $6.3 billion. Nation adds in bond debt issued to beef up pension funds, arriving at his $281.5 billion actuarial total. Nation, and many others, dont think its realistic to expect 7.5 percent returns on investments. SKEPTICS GLASSES A sobering study by global management consultant McKinsey & Co., titled Diminishing Returns: Why Investors May Need to Lower their Expectations, explains why: Buoyed by exceptional economic and business conditions, returns on U.S. and Western European equities and bonds during the past 30 years were considerably higher than the long-run trend, says the study, released this month. Some of these conditions are weakening or even reversing. Our analysis suggests that over the next 20 years, total returns including dividends and capital appreciation could be considerably lower than they were in the past three decades. If our analysis is correct, this will have significant repercussions for both institutional and individual investors, pension funds, and governments around the world. Total real returns for equities the past 30 years averaged 7.9 percent, McKinsey found. The next 20 years, that may well drop to 4 percent to 5 percent. Nation, as it turns out, has been exploring that what-if-its-less? scenario for years. His Stanford scholars have calculated the market hole using returns of 6.2 percent and 4.5 percent, to howls of protest from the giant California Public Employees Retirement System and others who denounced it as alarmist. The skeptics glasses that Nation dons in this new exercise belong, actually, to CalPERS. PensionTrackers market calculations assume a gut-punching 3 percent return what CalPERS would use to calculate debt for agencies wanting to exit its system. COOK THE BOOKS While Nation has calculated per-household debt loads, no one is proposing to bill each individual household for pension debt. Its just a way to bring the problem down to scale for the average citizen and one that enrages critics. This is another example of opponents of retirement security for teachers, firefighters, school employees and other public workers funded by special interests trying to cook the books under the guise of an academic study, said Dave Low, chair of Californians for Retirement Security, a coalition of public employee unions. Hes not necessarily buying the past performance is no indicator of future results warnings. As any financial expert will tell you, its critical to look at the long-term results of any investment, rather than cropping the picture to serve political goals, Low said. The fact of the matter is that CalPERS and CalSTRS have consistently met their rates of return over time. No amount of data manipulation can change that. CalPERS doesnt think Nations approach is helpful. Showing pension liabilities on a termination- or market-value basis is unrealistic when investing for the long-term, as it only accounts for the current value of liabilities in the event of a plan termination, spokeswoman Amy Morgan said in a statement. But the pension giant is taking steps to stabilize in light of the economic conditions that the McKinsey study suggests, she said. In November, it adopted a funding risk mitigation policy that will, in years of galloping investment returns, redirect money to help pay down unfunded liability. CalPERS remains committed to investing for the long-term and takes a measured and balanced approach to become a fully funded pension system, she said. Using our actuarial basis method allows for more rate stability for our employers and lessens the volatility so they can plan for the future. This method not only takes into account investment returns, but it also looks at employee life expectancy, projected retirement date and the projected compensation of the employee. ON THE HOOK If the hole isnt filled up with meatier investment earnings and heftier contributions from public workers and employers alike, taxpayers will have to fill it directly. Thats because unfunded pension liabilities are simply what weve promised employees for work already performed. And in California, pension promises can never be broken at least, not outside of federal bankruptcy court. Despite modest reforms enacted in 2013 and greater contributions to pension funds by agencies and workers alike, pension debt keeps growing. A new accounting rule requires that they be factored into balance sheets for the first time this year. Billions of equity have vanished as a result more than $3.5 billion from the County of Orange alone. The Orange County Fire Authority is officially in the red. For too long, the true cost of public employee pensions has been hidden from the public, said Chuck Reed, a Democrat and former mayor of San Jose who has been trying to launch a pension reform initiative for years. Use of optimistic assumptions about rates of investment returns has obscured the cost and the risk to taxpayers. By using less-optimistic assumptions, PensionTracker shows the rest of the pension debt iceberg lurking beneath the water, waiting to sink the ship of state. Reeds partner in the initiative push, Carl DeMaio, a Republican and former member of the San Diego City Council, said theyre aiming an initiative at the 2018 ballot. They want public agencies to have the freedom to negotiate smaller pension benefits for workers going forward; the benefits workers have already earned would remain untouched. At some point, obviously, well have to deal with this, Nation said. Well either deal with it collectively, constructively and collaboratively, or when it blows up on us. Contact the writer: tsforza@ocregister.com O.C. PUBLIC AGENCY PENSION DEBT, PER HOUSEHOLD Agency Per-household unfunded liability, based on 7.5% return (actuarial) Per-household unfunded liability, based on 3% return (market) Newport Beach $6,653 $19,062 Brea $6,068 $20,113 Santa Ana $5,862 $20,684 Anaheim $5,611 $18,808 Costa Mesa $5,435 $15,976 County of Orange $5,108 $14,840 Orange $4,376 $15,078 Laguna Beach $4,334 $15,814 Garden Grove $4,321 $13,759 Huntington Beach $4,116 $13,097 Fullerton $3,708 $12,616 Fountain Valley $3,648 $12,058 Buena Park $3,041 $11,343 Westminster $2,828 $10,486 Los Alamitos $2,809 $10,866 La Habra $2,653 $9,995 La Palma $2,591 $10,053 Cypress $1,861 $7,581 Placentia $1,729 $6,216 Seal Beach $1,720 $6,808 Tustin $1,707 $6,418 San Clemente $1,037 $3,598 Yorba Linda $722 $2,146 South Coast Water District $698 $2,638 Stanton $672 $2,314 Villa Park $475 $1,428 Mission Viejo $465 $1,532 Serrano Water District $354 $1,561 Laguna Beach County Water District $290 $1,081 Yorba Linda Water District $213 $791 Dana Point $210 $800 Laguna Niguel $187 $719 Laguna Hills $182 $763 Mesa Water District $166 $669 Lake Forest $134 $524 Rancho Santa Margarita $72 $239 Buena Park Library District $52 $214 Laguna Woods $34 $121 Aliso Viejo $32 $126 SOURCE: PENSIONTRACKER.ORG, STANFOR INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH, PUBLIC AGENCIES A concerned, capacity audience about 60 packed a conference room in New York yesterday to hear about and discuss the dangers of Wi-Fi and other radiation. Biggest victims are children, babies and fetuses. stopsmartmeters.org was a sponsor and occupyemfharm.org sponsored the exhibit table and panels. Camilla Rees, founder of Electromagneticheath.org, based in Iowa, told the Left Forum that the industrial-strength 5GHz routers commonly found in schools are designed to go through cement, brick and to cover the campus. Camilla Rees Theyre higher wattage and configured to be able to serve hundreds of users simultaneously, she said. Presentations included one by babysafeproject.org. Its warnings were similar to the ones expressed on the panel about children and babies May 3 in Baltimore featuring Devra Davis and other EMF health advocates. Another paper on the subject of EMF dangers to babies and children is by BostonParentsPaper.com. Rees, a graduate of Choate Rosemary Hall, Columbia University and the Georgetown Graduate School of Business Administration, has written a 54-part description of EMF dangers and possible solutions that is the most comprehensive overview of the dangers of EMF. New York Apartment Dwellers at Risk New Yorkers and others should pay close attention to Rees since Time Warner, Comcast, Cablevision and other cable suppliers are forcing new 5GHz routers on unsuspecting customers, this writer included. Apprised of this new danger (radiation pulsing 24/7 billions of times a second), we contacted Time Warner and had them turn off the 5GHz and 2Ghz lights on the router. Other customers of the cable companies should do the same. A technician came to our home and found high levels of radiation throughout the apartment and particularly near windows. The highest apartments get the most radiation from hundreds of cell towers atop apartment buildings. The New York real estate industry must look into this problem. The technician immediately shut down Bluetooth on our MacBook and told us to get rid of the landline phone that had a wireless companion. An antenna on the landline part spewed radiation 24/7 and was the same as a wireless phone. Left Forum Blasted Corporate Interests The session on dangers of pulsed radiation was loaded with attacks on corporate players and their alleged allies in the government, echoing the theme of the conference, Rage Rebellion Revolution; Organizing Our Power. Nearly 5,000 attended the three-day conference at the John Jay Criminal College. Wi-Fi and computer technology, both with dangerous aspects, permeate school, libraries and public government which have made a huge financial and intellectual commitment to their use and dont want to walk away from it, panelists said. Doing so would be biting the corporate hand that helped finance so much of the technology, they noted. The more than 130 films and VNRs featured in 36-page catalog distributed at the conference by Media Education Foundation include such titles as Pack of Lies: the Advertising of Tobacco; How Racism Harms White America; Big Bucks, Big Pharma; Rich Media, Poor Democracy; Constructing Public Opinion (How politicians and the media misrepresent the public); The Myth of Liberal Media; Shop Til You Drop, The Crisis of Consumerism; How to Start a Revolution; Fire in the Blood, a Tale of Medicine Monopoly & Malice; Google & the World Brain, the Audacious Attempt to Control Human Knowledge; Agrofuels, Starving People, Fueling Greed; Life in Occupied Palestine; Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land; Occupation 101 (Israeli-Palestinian Conflict). MEF, was selling for $20 a DVD titled The Occupation of the American Mind: Israels Public Relations War in the U.S., narrated by Roger Waters. Also offered is the film, The War Around Us, by Abdallah Omeish, which tells the story of two journalists who were present during the bombardment of Gaza in 2008-09. The catalog lists seven items telling the Palestinian side of the conflict but none telling the Israeli side. Rise in Autism Found There has been an explosion in autism in children in Canada that appears to mirror the explosion in wireless technology, says Jerry Flynn, retired captain in the Canadian Army who supervised its warfare using electromagnetic radiation. Flynn earlier this month asked for an investigation of government authorities in Canada by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, saying the authorities were criminally negligent in failing to remove Wi-Fi and other radiation sources from schools, hospitals, libraries and other public facilities. In the U.S., he wrote May 22 to Prime Minister Justine Trudeau and members of the Canadian Parliament, the rate of autism in children was one in 25,000. In 1970, he said, it had climbed to one in 2,500; in 2000, one in 150, in 2004, one in 125, in 2008, one in 88, and in 2013, one in 50 and one in 27 in populated cities. Quoted are statistics compiled by the Australian ADHD Foundation. Government Opts Out Asks Flynn: Why does no one connect todays tragic explosion in Autism in children with the comparable explosion in wireless technology? Each and every wireless device emits hazardous low-level, pulsed, non-thermal radio/microwave frequency radiation. He includes cellphones, wireless utility meters, cordless phones, GPS satellites and cellphone towers. They never shut off, he said. Tragically, he said, for all Canadians, the Government of Canada refuses any dialogue whatsoever on pulsed non-thermal wireless radiation, which scientists have long linked to Autism and a host of other neurological diseases, as well as diseases of the central nervous system and immune system. United Launch Alliance LLC, the joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing, has tapped government relations firm The Madison Group for lobbying issues related to aerospace. The Centennial, CO-based private company, which provides spacecraft launch services for the government, seeks to assist Washington on issues related to sanctions against Russian rocket engine RD-180. ULA has relied on that Russian-supplied rocket engine for its Atlas V system, which is used by the U.S. Air Force to launch national security satellites. After the U.S. and the European Union levied a series of widespread sanctions against Russia in 2014 over its military activities in Ukraine, however, Congress passed restrictions on the Department of Defense from purchasing Russian rocket engines for military use. In response, Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin threatened an export ban of Russian-made rocket engines to the U.S. for military launches. Those threats never materialized, however, and Congress, upon learning of the potential shortage of launch vehicles that rely on RD-180 engines to take payloads into space, in December lifted its ban on the purchase of Russian engines. That decision has been criticized by some politicians, notably Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who said a reversal of the Russian rocket ban, while simultaneously expecting European countries to remain steadfast in their sanctions against Russia, accounted for the height of hypocrisy. McCain in January, along with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, (R-CA), introduced legislation to reinstate the ban on RD-180 engines from powering U.S. rockets for national security space launches. The potential future unavailability of RD-180 engines, meanwhile, provoked the ULA to began an effort to phase out the Atlas V and develop a replacement launch vehicle. A successor rocket, The Vulcan, was unveiled last year. That system is currently under development and wont see its first launch until at least 2019. The ULA account will be managed by The Madison Group managing partner Robb Watters, who was formerly senior policy adviser to Rep. Frank Riggs (R-CA) and deputy chief of staff to Rep. Mark Neumann (R-WI); Marcus Mason, former chief of staff to Rep. Walter Tucker (D-CA) and chief of staff to Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA); and Rodney Emery, former chief of staff to Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) and associate administrator to the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. General Services Administration. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) For Detroit, the days of simply making cars are over. Automakers are facing multiple threats to their business from nimble tech companies such as Apple and Uber. In response, carmakers are reinventing themselves as mobility companies that can accommodate all the different ways people get around. Already this year General Motors Co. has announced a long-term alliance with ride-hailing company Lyft and started a car-sharing service called Maven. Ford created a technology-focused division based in Silicon Valley, California, that will invest in promising transportation startups. It also launched FordPass, a smartphone app that helps users find parking or share their cars. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is partnering with Google to test self-driving software in 100 of its minivans. In congested and expensive cities, people are increasingly content to share cars or summon rides using their smartphones. In five years, 35 million people globally will be using car-sharing services, up from 5.8 million now, according to Boston Consulting Group. That means 550,000 fewer cars sold each year. Within another few decades, fleets of self-driving taxis could replace the need for personal car ownership altogether. Automakers that dont adapt risk being supplanted by high-tech competitors. Were investing in future-proofing, said Elena Ford, who led the development of FordPass and is the great-great-granddaughter of Fords founder, Henry Ford. There are dangers. Making vehicles is complicated and expensive, and car companies have stumbled when they have taken on new businesses. GM bought software maker Electronic Data Systems Inc. in 1984 but sold it 12 years later. Ford owned Hertz rental cars but sold it a decade ago. Chrysler owned airplane maker Gulfstream in the mid-1980s. In each case, the companies sold those businesses to refocus on carmaking. Theres also the open question of whether drivers want automakers to do more than make cars. Ford CEO Mark Fields is confident they do. It goes back to Henry Ford and one of his favorite quotes: If I asked people what they wanted, theyd say they wanted a faster horse, Fields told the Associated Press. We want to transform, fundamentally, the relationship between an automaker and a customer. Fields added that the financial case is too compelling to ignore. Global revenue at traditional automakers totals $2.3 trillion a year, he said; the transportation business, including taxis, buses and car-sharing, is worth $5.4 trillion. Companies are targeting people like Shannon Serenko, 32, who works at Johnson & Johnson and lives in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan. Paying for parking, insurance and gas for a car she barely uses would be a hassle, she said. Instead, she rents a Chevrolet Volt from Maven for $42 a day when she wants to run errands. Id just rather be spending all that money on other things than parking a car for six out of seven days, she said. Detroit carmakers arent the first to offer mobility services to compete with the likes of ZipCar and Uber. German automaker Daimler AG launched Car2Go, a car-sharing service, in 2008; it now operates in 29 cities in Europe and North America. BMW started a New York-based mobility venture capital firm in 2011. Toyota has 70 tiny electric cars zipping around Grenoble, France, as part of its own car-sharing service. But after surviving the recession, Detroit is enjoying record U.S. sales and plowing the profits into mobility experiments. GM has been the most aggressive of the Detroit companies. In January it invested $500 million in Lyft and said it will co-develop a service that lets customers summon self-driving cars. Three months later, it paid a rumored $1 billion for Cruise Automation, a startup that makes autonomous vehicle software. Around the same time, it launched Maven, a car-sharing service in Ann Arbor and Chicago. GM President Dan Ammann said that when GM sees potential value, it cant afford to wait and see where the market heads. We believe in speed, Ammann said. So far, Wall Street is on board. Colin Langan, an auto analyst with UBS, said investors understand the need to invest in new mobility, and expect companies to spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year doing so. But alarm bells may go off if theyre routinely spending more. Historically, automakers have not been good allocators of cash, Langan said. Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said its dangerous for automakers to place big bets on one solution. He stresses that FCAs partnership with Google is open-ended and not exclusive. If the companies decide to keep working together, they will hammer out details like licensing fees for the software. Walking in a collaborative fashion with people who have historically been viewed as intruders and potential enemies of our business walking with them at their speed is the best possible solution for us in terms of determining what our future state will be, Marchionne said. Ford has done much of its mobility work in-house. The company has run more than 30 global mobility experiments over the past 18 months, including a concept in India that lets multiple families or co-workers share a car, and a ride-hailing van service for workers on its Dearborn campus. But Fields said Ford is flexible and open to partnerships. Its FordPass app was developed alongside Pivotal, a Silicon Valley software company in which it has invested $182 million. FordPass lets Ford owners remotely start their cars and make car payments. Users of the free app who dont have to own Fords can also reserve and pay for parking spots, get help from a live operator, rent their cars through FlightCar and earn points at partners such as McDonalds. Ford will continue adding features; one day, users might be able to summon a self-driving vehicle or borrow a Ford-made bike. People spend about 4.5 hours per year in a dealership, but they spend 900 hours per year being mobile. So how can we have an ongoing dialogue? Elena Ford said. As 10th Street south of downtown Omaha resurges with new commercial and residential projects, at least one corner site will remain home base for schoolkids and church and neighborhood-related functions. The Christ Child Center at 10th and William Streets, a community hub that closed last year amid declining attendance and funding, has been purchased by and is to become an extension of the neighboring St. Frances Cabrini Church and its All Saints grade school. My hope is that it becomes highly used by this part of the community and our parish, and that neighbors feel welcome there, said the Rev. Damian Zuerlein, who took over last year as pastor of St. Frances Cabrini, a historic landmark that has roots as the citys first cathedral. He said the congregation bought the 12,600-square-foot structure to be called the Cabrini Parish Center from the Omaha Archdioceses Catholic Charities for $100,000. The parish expects further investment more than $500,000 and up to $1 million to renovate the nearly 50-year-old complex that covers about an acre and is across 10th Street from the parish. (That doesnt include the volunteer elbow grease the church also seeks.) Sunday worship services at St. Frances have started to draw some of the influx of downtown and Little Italy residents. About 300 families are registered, and weekend Mass attendance ranges from 400 to 500. The expansion should help meet the parishs need for more space, and position it to attract a stream of young families. Currently about a third of the 161 students are bused in to All Saints from other neighborhoods. The immediate goal, Zuerlein said, is to renovate areas in the former Christ Child for preschool and kindergarten classrooms, allowing the main school building to have a permanent music room and separate lab space dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math. Other carpet, painting and remodeling efforts at the former Christ Child will open up general meeting and office space. A gym in that structure would be the ideal spot for an after-school program, Zuerlein said. The most extensive and likely last phase of renovation, he said, will transform the former swimming pool and locker area into a multipurpose social hall with a kitchen to be used or rented for community gatherings and events related to parish functions. Currently, Zuerlein said, funerals often are scheduled around happenings at the nearby Sons of Italy Hall, as that is the default site for post-funeral lunch gatherings. St. Frances did not really face competition for the Christ Child site, as the Catholic Charities board had delayed putting it on the market until the parish studied whether it could afford to operate the building. Catholic Charities had decided it could no longer run the roughly $300,000 operation that had lost participants to other after-school programs and social service providers. Zuerlein, though, said the parish which traditionally and currently serves a sizable proportion of immigrant and refugee families needed more room. About 45 percent of All Saints pupils are of Sudanese background, and 25 percent are Latino. Neighborhood association leaders also voiced a preference that the center remain community-oriented versus a commercial or residential venture. Among other projects popping up or scheduled to sprout along the near-downtown 10th Street corridor are: upscale town houses; a public market; and rehabilitation of the Burlington Postal Annex into business and retail space. Grace University is selling some land south of St. Frances, noting the areas redevelopment potential. Under the new ownership arrangement, Zuerlein said, the century-old, nonprofit Christ Child Society, which used to own the center, will continue a presence at its longtime home. Its downsized operation, which today focuses on assembling baby care packages for new moms, will use a slice of the center for its office. Contact the writer: 402-444-1224, cindy.gonzalez@owh.com India-Iran ties: Chabahar Port to be handed over to Indian firm in a month Watch out, Pakistan! First Afghan cargo to India via Chabahar Port to start today Chabahar Port likely to be ready by May Chabahar Port Agreement brings Cheers to India Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa The Port of Chabahar is the only port in Iran which has direct access to the ocean it is located in the Gulf of Oman and it was partially built by India in the 1990s so that ships can get direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. This port allows ships to bypass Pakistan. Today India and Iran signed an agreement whereby India will provide USD 500 million to develop Chabahar Port. This pact has been termed by PM himself as a key milestone. Many others also believe that the tripartite agreement on Chabahar Port between India, Afghanistan and Iran is a major victory of PM Modi's foreign policy. The strategic importance of Chabahar Port can be ascertained from the fact that Chabahar is just about 100 km from the Gwadar port in Pakistan, which is run by China and which is part of China's $ 46 billion plan to develop China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. This corridor it is said is aimed at opening new trade and transport routes across Asia. Agreement to develop #Chabahar port, related infrastructure & availability of about $ 500 mn from India is a key milestone: PM #ModiInIran Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) May 23, 2016 The Chabahar port pact was first agreed upon during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government in 2003. Unfortunately the pact was never taken up seriously from 2004 onwards. Since last one year Narendra Modi government aggressively pushed for the pact in the past one year which has resulted in signing of the agreement for the first phase today. Nitin Gadkari on Chabahar Port: Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport, Highways, and Shipping told about the Chabahar Port agreement that, "The inking of a commercial contract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan. Chabahar port will provide us access to Central Asia that was denied by Pak occupation of Gilgit-Baltistan, our original gateway to Eurasia Ram Madhav (@rammadhavbjp) May 23, 2016 Mr. Gadkari who is also in Iran told further about the Chabahar Port that, "The distance between Kandla and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable us quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link." Mr. Gadkari further elaborated that, "This is a historic event which will herald in a new era of development. We can now go to Afghanistan and further to Russia and Europe without going through Pakistan". How Afghanistan is being helped by India: India is helping Afghanistan by building road and rail links so that the port of Chabahar can be accessed by Afghanistan without having to be dependent on Karachi Port. The Zaranj-Delaram road which was constructed by India in 2009 gives access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway. This road sets up access to four major cities in Afghanistan which are Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. India is also financing another road network inside Afghanistan so that to Iran is provided with access as far as Tajikistan through this much shorter road. Pakistan reacts to Chabahar Agreement: A rattled Pakistan has opted for a very negative way to react to the Chabahar Port Agreement by publishing negative stories in its media and by launching terror strikes in Srinagar. Tribune published an article saying that, "India wants to grab Chabahar but without a clear plan about its utility. The wish-list is recent and evolving. The bigger questions of feasibility of logistical linkages still remain unanswered. Like Pakistan and India, Iran too is competing for the Afghan market and reconstruction opportunities." Rattled by India-Afghan-Iran agreement on #Chabahar port, Pak army launches cowardly terror strike in Srinagar Minhaz Merchant (@minhazmerchant) May 23, 2016 For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 23, 2016, 16:42 [IST] Chabahar versus Gwadar: It's about geopolitics of ports today Feature oi-Shubham By Shubham It's politics of port which is dominating diplomacy in South Asia. India is currently eyeing to take forward the Chabahar Port project with Iran, which lost its focus once the western powers imposed sanctions on the West Asian country over its nuclear programmes. Under Narendra Modi's leadership, India is keen on the project as a counter move to negate the encirclement strategy which China and Pakistan has planned on its north-western side. [Chabahar Port agreement brings cheers in India] Chabahar is a significant foreign policy footstep for India The Chabahar Port just not cements the ties between India and Iran but it gives the former an access to Afghanistan and central Asia without touching Pakistan's soil. The agreement was made in 2003 when the NDA led by Atal Behari Vajpayee was in power but it was slowed down by the sanctions imposed on Iran later. [India needs post-sanctions Iran to counter China-Pakistan's encirclement strategy] But with the Modi government facing bigger challenges from China and Pakistan and its initiative to make a sustainable peace with Pakistan not making a heady progress, the alternative plan lies in keeping the adversaries under pressure by reaching out to neighbours who are not immediate. Chabahar will bring India-Iran-Afghanistan closer Chabahar Port provides India a land-sea route to Afghanistan, which is expected to become a key player in the region in the days after the western forces pull out completely. New Delhi has already been spending big money for building infrastructure in Afghanistan and its plan to develop an Afghanistan-Iran-India axis in the region is bound to put Pakistan-China understanding under challenge---both geo-politically and economically. Chabahar is India's reply to Gwadar, the China-run port in Pak located just 72 kms away India is particularly keen to increase its involvement with the Chabahar Port as it sees in it a reply to the China-operated Gwadar Port in Pakistan. Separated by barely 72 kilometres, these two ports are not just trading and transit points but significant geo-political launch pads. While China has plans to use the Gwadar Port to get an access to the water bodies around India, the latter eyes to use the Chabahar Port to reach out to the land routes in central Asia, posing a competitive threat to China. Modi showed urgency on Iran after China, Pak signed agreements last year PM Modi's urgency in reaching out to Iran and other countries in the Persian Gulf region has been propelled by China's signing massive energy and infrastructure development projects worth $46 billion with Pakistan lin April 2015. India went on with the port development despite US's warning India started rushing some of its important ministers to Iran to launch initiative on various development projects and the two sides did so despite the US warning. New Delhi felt developing the port did not amount to violation of the sanctions. India also ensured that the land-locked Afghanistan would be given an access to the sea through this project, hence reducing its reliance on Pakistan and bring it closer to its own fold in the greater power game of South Asia. Iran also has its plans to benefit from the port. It wants India to set up a free-trade zone near Chabahar, just like the Chinese Overseas Ports Holding Company has agreed to help Pakistan create a free economic zone. Geopolitical power struggle now is more focused on economy Both these ports and the strategic politics around them prove that India and the Pakistan-China axis are now expanding the base of the competition, instead of limiting everything to bi-party conflicts. Both sides know that war and battles are meaningless and suicidal. The real victory today resides in checkmating the enemy through a power struggle which is more aimed at economic benefits. Hence, ports are considered more significant than air bases in today's international affairs. India needs post-sanctions Iran to counter China-Pakistan's encirclement strategy Feature oi-Shubham Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Iran which started on Sunday (May 22) is significant for strategic and economic reasons. In fact, the Iran visit could be Modi's best harvest in the domain of foreign policy in two years since his coming to power. India needs Iran--strategically and economically Modi's visit to the West Asian state that came out of US sanctions last year and is being seen as the next big economic story was given a prelude by top ministers like Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari and Dharmendra Pradhan. It was good to see the Indian establishment attaching significance to the Iran story after a comparatively dull phase when India showed little enthusiasm in reaching out to Iran with diplomatic capitals since it was under the scanner of the international community. India partly paid the bills to Iran to ensure Modi's visit goes through successfully That India is determined to go forward to seal the deal with Iran to serve its own interests could be sensed when New Delhi partly cleared the $6.4 billion it owed to Iran for crude oil imports---in euros through Turkey's Halkbank. New Delhi and Tehran have recently found themselves in a dispute over the currency of payment of the dues by the former to the later. The part payment showed that India has made up its mind to use the Iran factor to its advantage. [Chabahar versus Gwadar: It's about geopolitics of ports today] India's major interests related to Iran: India has two major interests to serve while dealing with Iran and they are, as it has been said, strategic and economic. Chabahar Port --- the most important agenda On the strategic front, the Chabahar Port is the main agenda. India and Iran agreed to develop the port in 2003 when the NDA led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power. But the issue lost its focus after the western world imposed sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme. In 2014, the two sides signed an MoU to develop the project once the sanctions were lifted. The sanctions were lifted in January this year. Chabahar is India's reply to Gwadar Port run by China in Pakistan The port is extremely significant for India in geo-strategic sense. It not only gives India the route to reach out to Afghanistan without touching Pakistan but also allows to gain an access to central Asia and beyond. The Chabahar Port also gives India to break China and Pakistan's game of encirclement against it. China has already been operating the Gwadar Port in Pakistan and that makes it all the more imperative for India to find an equivalent counter-stroke. A lot of time has been lost in India's quest for strengthening its foothold in Iran through the Chabahar Port, thanks to compulsions of international politics, but now it has shown an urgency to go forward and also committed $20 billion for the port's development. The funds might be a question but in international politics, intention matters a lot. Developing Farsi gas field block Another geo-strategic interest that India has in this region is the development of the Farzad B block in the Farsi gas field. India made a $1 billion commitment for the project but as it was in Chabahar, sanctions also delayed progress in this project. Iran's economy suffered as a result of this delay and it was so frustrated that it even threatened to award the project to others, indirectly refer to China. After Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's visit to Tehran, both countries aim to take the project towards a fast conclusion. The Indian establishment led by Modi ensured that the negotiations continued interrupted. Iran-India gas pipeline bypassing Pakistan --- A game-changing project if comes off The Iran-India gas pipeline is another big option for India to ensure its energy security. This project connecting Iran with India without touching Pakistan is not an easy one but for India to respond to the designs of China and Pakistan and meeting its energy needs---this could be a game changer. Negotiations on the pipeline worth $4.5 billion are being held and the Modi government would not spare any effort that the right economic and political mechanisms are followed to make the strategic-economic dream come true. North-South transport corridor to get closer to central Asia and challenge China's OBOR plan Iran is also of great significance for India when it comes to the latter's gaining access to central Asia---one of the most crucial geo-strategic regions of the world. India can trade with central Asia through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Iran is closest to India to help achieve its goal. Initial talks on the project were held between New Delhi and Tehran in 2012. The INSTC, if made a reality, could be India's answer to China's One Belt One Road plan. Maritime security and safety of Indians in West Asia These apart, security for shipping lane in the Persian Gulf and safety and well-being for millions of Indians working in the volatile West Asia is also something that India to work on while dealing with Iran. Reviving Congress: Prashant Kishor is perhaps wrestling with air Feature oi-Shubham By Shubham Even as the Congress goes on losing one state after another, talks are on about Prashant Kishor, the master election strategist who has been hired by India's grand-old party (GOP) after his successful stints with the BJP and JD(U). Can Kishor help the Congress turn the tables around? This is the million-dollar question doing the rounds at the moment. Congress's electoral reverses are not just routine win or loss The answer to this question is, however, an emphatic NO. The Congress's electoral losses are not part of routine victories and losses that any party experiences. If one borrows the statistics, the Congress has, barring Karnataka in 2013, failed to deliver in each of the major elections since they came to power with a decent tally of 200-plus in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. They have lost almost all major states and in whichever states they have done well, they have done so riding piggyback on some major regional force---be it in West Bengal in 2011 or Bihar in 2015. Two years into Modi era, Congress still can't cash in on anti-incumbency The worrying part is that the Congress, despite two years into Narendra Modi's rule, has not been able to encourage the people of the country to think of an alternative to the NDA despite it failing to flag off major economic reforms. The BJP has also seen major reverses in states like Delhi and Bihar that have exposed the functioning of its new leadership. It hasn't succeeded in dealing with problems like drought and farmers' suicide but yet, Modi continues to score more than Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on the parameteres of popularity. Kishor's biggest challenge is to ensure that Congress doesn't disappear by LS poll 2019 Kishor perhaps has the biggest challenge of his life to undo this and effect an image makeover for the Gandhi scion before it gets too late. The UP Assembly election is due next year followed by the general election in 2019. In between, a few states that remain under the Congress's rule will also go to the polls and the challenge also lies there for the mother-son duo to ensure that the party doesn't disappear from India's map by the time the country gets ready for the next general polls. Gandhis---Congress's strongest point is its weakest point today But can the doctor be successful? The problem with the Congress is that its strongest point---the Gandhis---have become its weakest today since all efforts to kickstart Rahul's leadership have failed. The prolonged delay in annointing Rahul Gandhi as the Congress chief clearly states that the party lacks the confidence. If the resources are not there, can any consultancy help? Advising parties like BJP or JD(U) is easier because they have leaders who have proved themselves It is comparatively easier to deal with parties like the BJP and JD(U) since they have popular and powerful leaders at the helm who have proved their credibility as administrators over a long period. Both Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, despite their strong clash of personalities, have proved it to the world that they are able administrators. Rahul Gandhi has no track record Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has no such track record. Even as an MP, he has not been seen speaking much, except at his party's inner meetings where there is zero challenge to him and his family. Rahul's strategy in Assam, where his party was in power for 15 years but yet surrendered meekly to an energetic BJP, shows how much disconnected the top leadership of the Congress is from the ground reality. Logistics won't help if leadership is not there How can Kishor overcome these drawbacks of Rahul Gandhi? He might have all technological support with bright research heads on earth, but if the people who ultimately matter in elections fail to identify themselves with the leader, not much of a difference will happen. It is not easy to undo what has decimated the Congress over the decades Kishor is determined to give the Congress a healthy look by doing away with the system of patronage, bringing in a sense of urgency and injecting fresh blood from the lower levels but all that sounds great on paper. In a party where the democratic tradition was systematically destroyed to ensure that a family remains in control, implementing these change of habits is not a child's play. Every step Kishor will take will ulimately be directed to the Gandhis since there is no other alternative way of functioning that the party is familiar with. And that makes the entire exercise a mockery. Corporate-style makeover won't make Congress an inclusive party The 38-year-old strategist also wants to portray the Congress as an inclusive national party of India. This is a tragic irony that a party, which has survived over 130 years just because it had an overwhelmingly inclusive character once, has to now undergo a corporate-style image makeover. Mahatma Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru didn't have to hire strategists to make Congress great Neither Mahatma Gandhi nor Jawaharlal Nehru had to hire a strategist to give the Congress a people-friendly image. The Congress grew as an organic entity because it had its strengths in its roots. The moment, the roots were cut off, the entity was destined to die a slow death. Political battles are not fought in conference rooms. Kishor couldn't have helped the BJP in the 2014 general election had Modi not proved his worth as a leader. Had Modi not won three elections in Gujarat before he became the PM and made a strong case of pro-development politics, no Kishor could have given him the final push. Even in case of Arvind Kejriwals, Mamata Banerjees and Jayalalithaas, there has been no need of a Prashant Kishor to boost their political careers. Repackaging of Rahul Gandhi: How long? As for Rahul Gandhi, the country is only witnessing pushes and repackaging the same-old leaders for failed causes. There are enough chances of Kishor seeing his cent per cent record getting ruined after the next set of elections. But that is not his fault. Kishor can, however, try once to dissociate the Rahul Gandhi from the Congress. May be that could bring some lost lost ground back. Twin terror strikes in Srinagar 6 days after Intelligence Bureau warning Feature oi-Vicky By Vicky The twin terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir comes exactly 6 days after the Intelligence Bureau had issued an alert warning of a strike. The Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attacks at Srinagar reported from the Zadibal police station and the Tengpora area in which 3 policemen have been killed. On Tuesday the Intelligence Bureau had issued an alert warning of a terror attack by the Hizbul Mujahideen. IB officials had picked up intercepts from Pakistan occupied Kashmir which suggested that the outfit was gearing up for a major attack. Following this alert, security had been stepped up across the state. The IB had also warned that some members of the ISIS too held a meeting with commanders of the Hizbul Mujahideen. The intelligence bureau had warned that the two groups are planning a series of major attacks in the state. Security had been stepped up and the elite commandos pressed into service. Pattern: The Hizbul Mujahideen's attack today suggests a clear pattern. It has been targeting security officials in the state. Moreover today's attack is the first major one in Srinagar in the past three years. In the recent months the Hizbul Mujahideen has been carrying out attacks on the army. The Hizbul Mujahideen's attack today looks well planned. Two of the policemen who were killed in the attack were unarmed. Terrorists fired on the police men who were at a tea stall. An Assistant Sub Inspector and Head Constable killed in the attack were both unarmed. In the other incident a police official was killed and the terrorists fled with his rifle. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 23, 2016, 13:57 [IST] Mehbooba Mufti gets notice to vacate official bungalow 'meant for J&K CMs' Act of desperation to kill policemen: Director General of J&K India oi-PTI Srinagar, May 23: Director General of Jammu and Kashmir police, K Rajindra Kumar today said the killing of three policemen in twin attacks by militants was a "desperate act" by them to show their presence here. "It (killing of policemen) is a desperate act, attacking unarmed policemen...it is basically a desperate act to show their presence," Kumar said after praying tributes to slain personnel here. He said the militants have become desperate after security forces registered success by eliminating their leadership and newly infiltrated groups. "Of late, you have been seeing that security forces are getting success in neutralising (militant) leadership. Newly infiltrated groups have also been wiped off," the police chief said. Kumar said terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's claim owing responsibility for the two incidents, will be investigated. "We will investigate and come back with facts," Kumar said. Two policemen were shot dead by militants at Zadibal while another was killed in Tengpora area of the city this morning. PTI Truth has come out, says Sasikala in reaction to OPS's remark before panel Jayalalithaa death probe: TN cabinet to decide on enquiry against Sasikala and others Never interfered in medical treatment of Jayalalithaa: Sasikala denies all allegations levelled by panel Actors, Industry captains attend Jaya's swearing-in ceremony India oi-PTI Chennai, May 23: Several industry captains and film actors marked their presence at the swearing-in ceremony of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as chief minister here on Monday (May 23). Industrialists, including Tractors and Farm Equipment Manufacturer Chairperson Mallika Srinivasan, Apollo Hospitals Managing Director, Preetha Reddy, NAC Jeweler's Chairman and All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation Zonal chairman N Anantha Padmanabhann were among those seen in attendance. Members of film fraternity, including South Indian Artiste's Association President Nasser, Association's General Secretary, Vishal, Actors Ananda Raj, Prabhu, 'Gundu' Kalyanam, Senthil, Vaiyapuri were also present. Actor-Politician and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi President R Sarath Kumar, who lost in the polls contesting from Tiruchendur, was seen sitting in the front row. About 1,500 police personnel, who were deployed for security, had a tough time controlling the crowd who had lined up en route to the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in. Major arterial roads in Chennai were decked up with AIADMK party flags, posters and banners of Jayalalithaa for the oath-taking ceremony. Party cadres from neighbouring districts arrived as early as 6 AM to witness their leader's swearing-in ceremony. LCD screens were installed at vantage points at the Marina beach to help cadres and the public witness the event. Meanwhile, it was celebration time for AIADMK workers at the party office here and in various parts of the state as Jayalalithaa was sworn-in as Chief Minister. Party workers burst crackers and distributed sweets on the occasion. PTI Human rights of people of Xinjiang should be respected and guaranteed: India Patriotic slogan in Air India: Now, national carrier to greet passengers with 'Jai Hind' India oi-Mukul New Delhi, May 23: Next time when you will travel in Air India flight, you may be greeted with the world 'Jai Hind' by the staff of national carrier. Reportedly, the Government-run Air India management has decided to address passengers with the nationalistic spirit. Reportedly, the decision has been taken to improve Air India's image among passengers. Faced with numerous complaints from its customers of being 'inhospitable' and 'insensitive', especially in times of flight delays, it has been decided that now onwards staff will greet passengers with 'Jai Hind', a patriotic slogan that has long been the victory cry of India. According to carrier's Chairman and Managing Director, Ashwani Lohani, using the words 'Jai Hind,' by the flight commander before take off, would make a tremendous impact (on the passengers in case of delays). Good News! Air India launches summer super sale at Rs1,499 "The captain of a flight should often connect with passengers during the journey and, at the end of first address, using the words 'Jai Hind' would make a tremendous impact," Lohani, who is trying to turnaround the loss-making flag carrier said in a recent communication to his employees. Besides, Lohani in his communication has also asked the staff to be "courteous and polite" to passengers and said wearing a smile would be a "good thing". In a lengthy message, Lohani also sought to sensitise the employees to the need of ensuring that passengers have a "good experience" with Air India, especially at a time when the carrier is looking to bring about a turnaround in its fortunes. This comes against the backdrop of multiple incidents in recent times, ranging from controversies involving people with disabilities to bad quality of food, to quarrels among staff, resulting in flight delays. "The cabin crew should greet the passengers while emplaning and deplaning with a 'namaskaar' as was the tradition. A smile on the face and conversing sweetly and politely without an iota of irritation would be a good thing," Lohani said. During Aircraft on Ground (AOG) or progressive delay exceeding 30 minutes, Lohani said, the airport manager and the station manager should immediately reach the site and attend to the passengers. "There should be adequate communication to the passengers and their boarding/lodging needs should be taken care of without delay," he said, adding that station manager and airport manager have to be proactive and positive with a problem solving approach. OneIndia News (With inputs from PTI) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 23, 2016, 11:49 [IST] Prosecutions story may be attractive but should be backed by evidence Indian ISIS may be an ISI plot to give Pakistan deniability factor India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 23: It is quite ironic to see that the many operatives from India who have claimed to have joined the ISIS were originally part of the Indian Mujahideen. Right from the top leadership of the ISIS' Indian wing to the other cadres, most of them were part of the Indian Mujahideen. While to the outer world it is made to look as though the ISIS has created an Indian wing, many within the agencies suspect that this could be a ploy of Indian Mujahideen chief, Riyaz Bhatkal so that Pakistan has a deniability factor. Pakistan would want attacks on India soil, but not the blame. The strategy then becomes attack India, but blame the ISIS. The deniability factor Pakistan has always looked to nurture a home grown outfit and this primarily led to the birth of the Indian Mujahideen. This outfit comprised Indians who would carry out attacks. Pakistan felt that it could have that deniability factor if attacks were being staged from within India itself. This could well be the case where the ISIS' Indian module is concerned. It is not clear where these operatives are working out of. They post pictures on the social media suggesting that they are posing in Syria or Iraq. None have been able to ascertain exactly where these posts emerge out of. Riyaz Bhatkal who is based in Pakistan has been under pressure from the ISI which shelters him. Bringing back the outfit in the name of the Indian Mujahideen is not an easy job as there is too much heat on it now. This could have led him making everyone believe that a large part of the IM has migrated towards the ISIS. What this effectively does is give Pakistan a deniability factor. These persons would carry out attacks in India and the ISIS would get the blame and Pakistan would not have to deal with the accusation. A stage managed move The first sign of the Indian Mujahideen cadres moving to the ISIS came when Sultan Armar claimed to have joined the outfit. He started the Ansar-ut-Tawhid and said that it was an Indian recruiting wing of the ISIS. The news gained credence as there was a bit of a falling out between Armar and Bhatkal. However after the arrest of Yasin Bhatkal, Riyaz and Sultan are alleged to have patched up and planned reviving the outfit, but in the name of the ISIS. Take the case of several other operatives such as Bada Sajid, Shafi Armar just to name a few who all claim to have joined the ISIS. Each one of them was a hard core Indian Mujahideen member. Another aspect that one needs to bear in mind is that the ISIS does not exactly welcome Indians into their fold. They only look for educated persons who can run social media campaigns and other propaganda battles. The ISIS is not looking for Indian fighters as they do not find them strong enough. They would rather recruit out of Afghanistan to carry out the battle in the sub-continent. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 23, 2016, 14:46 [IST] From terror, mingling with migrants to fake currency: How JMB made South India its playground The Southern terror plot thickens as NIA arrests a key member of JMB from Bengal Bengal born lady arrested in Bangladesh used multiple FB accounts to recruit for JMB JMB operative organised several radicalisation camps in West Bengal says NIA India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 23: The National Investigation Agency says in its Burdwan blasts chargesheet that Enamul Mollah, a 25 year old operative of the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) had organised several radicalisation programmes in West Bengal. Arrested JMB members had played major role in Burdwan blasts In its supplementary chargesheet, the agency says that it has charged 30 operatives including 6 Bangladeshis. The NIA makes a mention about the role of Mollah stating that he was a highly radicalised youth aged 25. He was largely responsible for spreading the agenda of the JMB in West Bengal. It may be recalled that in October 2014 an accidental blast at Burdwan in West Bengal had led to a major investigation. The details that trickled in stated that the JMB was preparing a huge cache of bombs to carry out attacks both in India and Bangladesh. Highly radicalised: Enamul Mollah a resident of South 24 Pargnas according to investigations is a highly motivated cadre of JMB. He has also been involved in harbouring of absconders of JMB. He had been in constant communication with absconding accused persons Moulana Yousuf and Abul Kalam @ Ibrahim and arranged shelter for them after the Burdwan Blast. He assisted in recruiting new members for JMB and also spread their agenda by circulating Jihadi material. He arranged for a radicalisation program where the accused Kausar delivered jihadi speeches, the NIA also states. Chargesheeting another accused Habibul Hoque (30), the NIA says that after the Burdwan Blast, he gave shelter to one of the prime absconding accused Moulana Yousuf. He arranged training camps for members of JMB at Ankipur and Nayabastiya before Burdwan blast where the trainees were trained by Yousuf, Kalam and Habibur (absconding accused in the case). The trainees were also given physical and endurance training. Habibul Hoque also recruited members into JMB and collected funds for JMB. He forged identity documents and procured EPIC card with false name in order to conceal his identity. The NIA has now filed charges against 30 persons of whom 20 have been arrested and are in judicial custody. 10 are still absconding the NIA says. The 30 charged so far by NIA include 6 Bangladeshi Nationals too. OneIndia News Karunandhi starts a row over seat for Stalin India oi-IANS By Ians English Chennai, May 23: DMK president M.Karunanidhi on Monday, May 23 complained that Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK had insulted his party at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government with party leader M.K. Stalin relegated to the back rows. In a statement issued here Karunanidhi said that the DMK, by winning 89 seats in the elections will be the principal opposition party in the assembly and Stalin will be on the front rows, while at the ceremony, R.Sarathkumar, of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, was seated in the front row, and Stalin and other DMK leaders alloted seat in the tenth row. Governor K.Rosaiah administred oath of office and secretary to Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa and her 28 ministers at a funtion held at the Madras University's Centenary Hall. IANS Left needs new ideas, strategy to regain ground, says CPI India oi-PTI Hyderabad, May 23: Terming the rout of the Left in West Bengal as a "big setback", CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy today said the Left parties need to look for new ideas and strategy to gain the lost ground and expand their influence. Reddy, however, asserted they were not worried about the future as losing and winning elections were "inevitable" but it was important to think about methods to reorganise themselves. According to him, the Left has lost ground in different states in recent years following the emergence of regional outfits and "neoliberal economic policies" which created a "different type of economic situation". "We have to think of a method on how to reorganise, go nearer to people and bring them into struggles and agitations and expand the influence of the Left. We are trying for it," Reddy told PTI here. Before the advent of regional parties the Left was the main opposition in many states, including Punjab, the undivided Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, he said. "So, it's a reality. It's not that we look at them (regional parties) as our enemies. These types of things do happen in Parliamentary democracy and casteist parties cost us in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," he stated. After the West Bengal election results, Reddy said, the Left parties needed to go for an introspection. "We don't feel there is any need to change our basic ideas of fighting against capitalism, neoliberal policies and all that. On that there is no compromise. "Setback in elections? Yes, we are ready to face it but about strategy and tactics and going nearer to people, mobilising larger sections...for that we need new ideas and strategy," he said. PTI On PMs guidance how Devbhoomi Uttarakhands Temples will be developed India always views war as last resort, but... : PM Modi to armed forces in Kargil Media Statement by Narendra Modi During Iran Visit News oi-Lisa By Lisa Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Iran on a two days official visit to boost trade and people to people connect between the two nations. PM Modi was given a ceremonial welcome in Iran and he had fruitful interaction with President of Iran Hassan Rouhani. Delegations of India too interacted with Irani ministers and 12 agreements were signed between the two nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi then issued a media statement. The statement talked about PM feeling grateful about the gracious hospitality he and Indian delegation received and he talked of rich Persian heritage which has attracted the world to Iran. On behalf of the 1.25 billion Indians, I extend warm greetings to the friendly people of Iran: PM begins his remarks https://t.co/vbG9VG4Eqq PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 Through ages, the beauty and richness of the Persian heritage has attracted the world to Iran: PM @narendramodi https://t.co/vbG9VG4Eqq PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 PM on long standing ties: "Through centuries, our societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows." India and Iran are not new friends. Our dosti is as old as history: PM @narendramodi in Tehran PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each other's growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 "We can never forget that Iran was among the first countries to come forward in support when earthquake struck my state, Gujarat, in 2001. Similarly, India is proud to have stood with the people of Iran during your difficult times." PM on agreements signed: "We exchanged views on the emerging regional situation and global issues of common concern. The agenda and scope of our partnership is truly substantial. The outcomes and agreements signed today open a new chapter in our strategic partnership." We exchanged views on the emerging regional situation and global issues of common concern: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 "The welfare of our people is guiding our broad based economic ties. Expanded trade ties, deeper connectivity, including Railways partnerships in oil and gas sector fertilizers education and cultural sphere are driving our overall economic engagement." Agreement to develop the Chahbahar port & related infrastructure & availability of about $ 500 million from India is a key milestone: PM PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 "The bilateral agreement to develop the Chahbahar port and related infrastructure, and availability of about US$ 500 million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone. This major effort would boost economic growth in the region." PM on terrorism: PM Modi informed media that the two nations later in the day are going to sign the trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement with participation of Iran, India and Afghanistan. It will be a historic occasion. It will open new routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves. PM: The Trilateral Transport & Transit Agreement to be signed later today will open new routes for India, Iran & Afghanistan to connect Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 PM further added that, "India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and prosperity of the region. We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region". We also have shared concerns at the spread of forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region: PM @narendramodi in Tehran PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 "We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cybercrime. We have also agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security institutions on regional and maritime security." PM: We have agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 PM gave a very personal touch to the statement when he said, "The past history of our ties has been rich. President Rouhani and I would leave no stone unturned to work for its glorious future. Our friendship will be a factor of stability in our region. Later today, I look forward to calling on His eminence the Hon'ble Supreme Leader to advance our ties further". PM ends media statement: PM ended his statement by inviting President Rouhani to visit India so that two nations can carry forward the agenda of two nations engaging with each other. PM ended by reciting beautifully said in a couplet from Ghalib. Let me end with it: - - - meaning of which is, "Once we make up our mind, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step". PM @narendramodi ends with a beautiful couplet by the poet Ghalib to describe the #IndiaIran relationship pic.twitter.com/RKaG3HCFku Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 Vaishali Takkar suicide: Her e-gadgets to be probed; hunt for the harasser is on Navy fake bills scam: PCDA team arrives in Indore India oi-PTI Indore, May 22: A team from Principal Controllers of Defence Accounts (PCDA) office has arrived here in connection with the Navy's alleged fake bill payment scam of Rs 6.33 crore in which local police have arrested four persons, including a PCDA auditor. "The four-member team led by Senior Accounts Officer of Navy's PCDA office arrived here yesterday along with documents which we have demanded from them for probe into the issue," Indore Police Crime Branch's Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vinayprakash Paul told reporters today. He said the police, along with PCDA team, are probing these documents. Paul said police had arrested PCDA auditor Suresh Hatle, Navy's retired storekeeper Rajkumar Choudhry, city-based chartered accountant Ramratan Singhal and Bank of India's local branch manager Bhupesh Joshi in connection with the scam. "So far, out of Rs 6.33 crore involved in the scam, Rs 4 crore have been seized," he added. Hatle had been arrested from Navy's Karwar base in Karnataka. Hatle and Choudhry, who had worked together in Mumbai with the Navy, were accused of conspiring and implementing the plan with their associates, he said. The ASP said Hatle had sanctioned fake bills for payment of electronic goods and other items for Navy and transferred the amount in two different accounts in Indore-based banks. While Rs 5.36 crore was transferred in one account, Rs 97 lakh in another account. The chartered accountant had allegedly opened these accounts by using his customer's identity and his private firm's papers in the name of Neel Enterprises and transferred the amount in them. The alleged scam took place between July 2014 and October 2014 and later these accounts were closed, the ASP added. PTI The new Sultan of Oman: Haitham Bin Tariq Al, cousin of late Qaboos sworn in as new royal ruler Oman Visit by Manohar Parrikar Boosts Defence Ties News oi-Lisa By Lisa India and Oman share trade and people to people ties since thousands of years. People from India in huge number work in Oman even today. Oman too has always been keen on having a friendly and warm ties with India. Oman also supports India's bid for a permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Ties between India and Oman date back to Roman and pre-Islamic times. Today India is home for thousands of students from Oman. A huge number of people from Oman visit India for medical treatment too. People of Gujarat and Malabar Coast have been trading with Oman since centuries now. To push the ties between India and Oman to a new height, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar paid an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman from 20th of May to 22nd of May 2016 at the invitation of H.E. Bader Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs of Oman. During his visit, the Defence Minister met Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Minister of Royal Office HE Lt Gen. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nu'amani and held bilateral talks with Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs H.E. Bader Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi. Meetings: During the meetings all aspects of bilateral defence cooperation including enhanced military to military exchanges were discussed. Both sides also exchanged views on regional developments of mutual interest. At Oman-Yemen border where the border fencing work is being executed by Indian PSU, EPIL. pic.twitter.com/5q1HYRThlQ Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) May 21, 2016 Mr. Parrikar reiterated the high importance that India attaches to its strategic partnership with Oman. He conveyed his appreciation at the continued support rendered by Oman for the Operational Turnaround (OTR) of Indian Navy ships for anti-piracy patrols as well as technical support for landing and overflight of Indian Air Force aircraft. The Minister visited the Military Technology College and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum in Muscat. He also attended a reception at Sultan Qaboos Port to mark the goodwill visit to Oman of INS Delhi, INS Deepak and INS Tarkash. MoUs signed: Four Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) and agreements were signed during the visit. These are: MOU on Defence Cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of Sultanate of Oman and Ministry of Defence of Republic of India; MOU between the Royal Oman Police (Coast Guard) and the Indian Coast Guard in the field of Marine Crime Prevention at Sea; MOU between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Government of the Republic of India on Maritime Issues; and Protocol between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman represented by Royal Air Force of Oman and the Government of India represented by the Indian Air Force on Flight Safety information Exchange. Defence cooperation: Both sides noted that defence cooperation is a key facet of their bilateral strategic partnership, which is based on historical ties as well as mutual trust and shared interests. It was agreed that the two sides would further expand and consolidate their ongoing bilateral defence cooperation. What is Anti-doping bill? Does India really have a doping crisis? Political parties collected Rs 2,355 crore funds for last 3 Lok Sabha polls India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 23: Rs 2,355.35 crore was the total funds collected by political parties during the Lok Sabha elections of 2004,2008 and 2014. Collectively, during the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, 2009 and 2014, political parties declared collecting a total of Rs 2355.35 crores of which 44% or Rs 1039.06 crores was by cash and 55% or Rs 1299.53 crores was by cheque says a detailed report by the Association for Democratic Reforms. Rs 16.76 crores was declared by the parties as funds collected 'in kind' during the Lok Sabha elections the report also states. Between January 2004 and December 2015, there were a total of 71 Assembly Elections and 3 Lok Sabha Elections. The maximum number of Assembly elections were held in 2008 when 10 states (Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Rajasthan, J & K, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram) went for polls while least number of Assembly elections were held in 2010 when only Bihar went for polls. Funds collected: Except in 2004, it can be noticed that between 2005 and 2015, the number of contesting parties increased with the total number of Assembly elections held during that period. While 65 parties contested in 4 Assembly elections held in 2005, it increased to 82 parties in 5 Assembly elections held in 2006. Maximum number of 120 parties contested in the 10 Assembly elections held in 2008. The number of National and Regional Parties which contested in the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004 was 42 while during 2009 Lok Sabha elections, it was 41 parties and in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it increased to 45 National and Regional parties. According to the proforma issued by the Election Commission of India to political parties for submission of their election expenditure statements, funds received between the date of announcements of elections and completion of elections have to be disclosed in cash, cheques/DD, in kind (value of which has to be specified). Collectively, during the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, 2009 and 2014, political parties declared collecting a total of Rs 2355.35 crores of which 44% or Rs 1039.06 crores was by cash and 55% or Rs 1299.53 crores was by cheque. Rs 16.76 crores was declared by the parties as funds collected 'in kind' during the Lok Sabha elections. Assembly polls: Maximum funds were collected during the 7 Assembly Elections held in 2012 where 13 political parties have declared collecting a total of Rs 695.28 crores of which Rs 370.45 crores was collected in cash (53% of total funds) and Rs 324.83 crores was collected by cheque (47% of total funds). Collectively, during the 71 Assembly elections held between 2004 and 2015, political parties have declared collecting Rs 2107.80 crores in cash (63% of total funds) and Rs 1244.86 crores by cheque (37% of total funds). Rs 15.39 crores was declared by the parties as funds collected 'in kind'. Top 5 regional parties: Among all the Regional parties who have submitted their election expenditure statements for the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, 2009, 2014, the top 5 parties include SP, AAP, AIADMK, BJD and SAD. These 5 parties have declared collecting a total of Rs 267.14 crores which forms 62% of the total funds declared by all the regional parties collectively. They have declared collecting Rs 129.22 crores in cash (48% of total funds) and Rs 137.72 crores by cheque (52% of total funds). Despite contesting in only one Lok Sabha election, AAP stands second in the total funds collected by declaring Rs 51.83 crores. This forms 19% of total funds collected by all the 5 Regional parties which contested in 3 Lok Sabha elections. Among the top 5 regional parties, SP has declared the maximum expenditure of Rs 90.09 crores during the Lok Sabha elections followed by AIADMK which had declared incurring an expenditure of Rs 39.31 crores. Among all the regional parties which have declared their expenditure during Assembly elections held between 2004 and 2015, the top 5 parties include SP, AAP, SAD, Shiv Sena and AITC. The 5 parties have declared a total of Rs 291.92 crores as funds collected of which Rs 112.87 crores was in cash and Rs 179.02 crores was by cheque. This forms 82% of the total funds declared by all the regional parties collectively. SP declared collecting a total of Rs 186.8 crores while AAP comes a distant second with Rs 38.54 crores as total funds collected. SP declared incurring the maximum expenditure of Rs 96.54 crores during the Assembly elections followed by Shiv Sena with Rs 29.605 crores. Defaulting in submissions: Among the National Parties, election expenditure statements of NCP and CPI are not available for 2 Assembly elections held between 2011 and 2015. The availability of election expenditure statements of Regional Parties is equally worrisome where the statements of JD(U) is unavailable for 15 Assembly Elections while that of SP is unavailable for 11 Assembly Elections. OneIndia news For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 23, 2016, 14:18 [IST] Pranab Mukerjee leaves for China on May 24 India oi-PTI New Delhi, May 23: In continuation of high-level engagements, President Pranab Mukherjee sets off on a four-day visit to China on Tuesday (May 24) with an aim to further broaden ties between the two Asian economic giants as he will deliberate on a range of key issues including the contentious ones with the Chinese leadership. Mukherjee is likely to raise the issues of China blocking India's bid to get a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar and its stand that New Delhi must sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to get membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The lingering boundary issue may also figure in talks. The President will be meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Premier Le Keqiang and other top leaders. This will be the first visit of Mukherjee to China as President though he had visited the country a number of times in different capacities. The last Presidential visit to China was by Pratibha Patil in 2010. Ties between the two countries have been on an upswing since Xi's landmark India visit in September, 2014 during which both countries had signed 12 agreements and China pledged an investment of USD 20 bn in India's infrastructure sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited China in May last year during which both sides had resolved to further deepen ties in a range of areas. However, irritants in ties cropped recently after China blocked India's move to get a UN ban on JeM chief Azhar and opposed granting India membership of NSG, saying it must sign the NPT to get an entry into the premier group. Ahead of his visit, Mukherjee said China joining hands with India in the fight against terrorism will have "its own impact", indicating that the two countries must comer together to deal with the challenge. The comments came against the backdrop of Beijing blocking India's bid to put Azhar on the UN list of proscribed terrorists. Mukherjee will begin his visit by arriving in the highly industrialised Chinese city of Guangzhou tomorrow. The city which has strong business links with India has an economy of over USD 1 trillion. He will be the first Indian leader to visit Guangzhou where Chan Buddhism originated and later spread to Japan and Korea. Besides interacting with the Indian community, which has over 3,000 businessmen, Mukherjee will also address India- China Business Forum to highlight the investment opportunities in India. There, the President will have meetings with the Governor who is also the party secretary and attend a lunch for him in his honour. On the second leg of the visit, he will travel to Beijing where he will hold wide-ranging talks with the Chinese leadership on key bilateral, regional and global issues. A key engagement of the President will be a roundtable of Vice Chancellors of Chinese and Indian universities. A number of MoUs will be signed between academic institutions of both the countries. In Beijing, the President will also be talking to students of Peking university. Mukherjee will be accompanied by a delegation of academicians including Vice Chancellors of two central universities as well as heads of IIT- Delhi and Bhubaneshwar, IIM, Ahmedabad and NIT Nagpur and Agartala. Union Minister Santosh Ganwar and four MPs will also accompany the President as part of the delegation. PTI Pune Police busts fake call centre in Delhi, 2 held India oi-PTI Pune, May 23: With the arrest of two youths, Pune police today claimed to have busted a fake call centre, which was being operated from Delhi. Sonu Singh Ramesh Singh (25), a resident of Panipat, Haryana and Raman Rajendersingh Negi (21) resident of Subhash Nagar in New Delhi, were apprehended, for allegedly cheating 60 people from across the country, including 11 in Maharashtra, by offering them bank loan, cyber cell officials said today. The duo was running a fake call centre in Tilaknagar area in the national capital, they added. "We had launched an investigation following a complaint by one Satosh More from here, who was duped to the tune of arounD Rs 45,000 by the duo," said Sunil Pawar, inspector with Cyber Cell. The officer said More had received a call in April from Negi, who posed himself as bank representative of a commercial bank. "Negi had told More that bank was offering loan of Rs 15 lakh to him. After More consented, Negi asked him to deposit Rs 12,000 into an account as a loan processing fee. "Time to time, More deposited total Rs 45,000 into the given account only to realise that he has been duped, after which he approached us," Pawar said. According to the officer, during investigation, the account details turned out to from Delhi. "We immediately sent a team and traced their locations in Tilaknagar in Delhi and raided the premise on May 19 and busted the fake call centre," Pawar added. PTI Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out Rajyavardhan Rathore asks media to report terrorism news with sensitivity India oi-PTI Jaipur, May 23: Union minister Rajyavardhan Rathore on Sunday asked the media to report terrorism related news with sensitivity to avoid panic among people. Citing the example of the news coverage of the terrorist attack in France, the Union MoS for Information and Broadcasting said the coverage "demoralised the terrorists there" and this sensitivity in news reporting should also be there in this country. "Such news should be presented before the public in such a manner so that it doesn't create panic," Rathore said at a programme here. He said the government is working to increase the reach and coverage of FM network in the country. Towns and cities having population of one lakh will be covered under FM network in coming years. With this, 60 per cent of the country's population will be under FM network, the minister said. He also said that FM facility will be provided on national highways after analysing the pilot project started on Jaipur-Delhi National Highway. PTI Tamil Nadu: Check the list of special trains operating from Chennai this Diwali Tamil Nadu lights up with festive spirit for Deepavali Updates: Jayalalithaa sworn-in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister India oi-Preeti Chennai, May 23: After a thumping vicotry in the recently concluded assembly elections, AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa was sworn in as Tamil Nadu chief minister for the fourth time. Amid the high-profile guests, DMK Chief MK Stalin also marked his presence. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is representing the Centre. Follow all the Live Updates of the grand ceremony from Madras University here: [Know Your Leader Profile: J Jayalalithaa] Chennai: AIADMK Chief Jayalalithaa sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/Z6xK8MIaNS ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 12.15 pm: 28 ministers from AIADMK are taking oath for their portfolios in the new government. 12.10 pm: 68-year-old Jayalalithaa takes oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for the fourth term in office Chennai: Oath taking ceremony of Tamil Nadu CM and the council of ministers, underway in Madras University pic.twitter.com/U1Sh8VV8vl ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 12 noon: Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah seen on the decked-up dais, where Jayalalithaa will take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. 11.45 am: Jayalalithaa leaves from her residence for Madras University where she will swear in as the CM of Tamil Nadu. Chennai: Jayalalithaa leaves from her residence for Madras University where she will be sworn-in as CM of Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/2CRGgORK3E ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2016 [Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2016 Results Updates] Jayalalithaa had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the oath-taking function after her win against DMK in the recently concluded Assembly elections. [Special Coverage: Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2016] Tamil Nadu had conducted assembly elections in a single phase on Monday, May 16. Results were announced on Thursday, May 19. The AIADMK won 134 seats while the DMK bagged only 98 seats. [Know your state-- Tamil Nadu] In 2011, her swearing-in was attended by Modi, who was then the Gujarat Chief Minister, besides a host of other dignitaries. She will be sworn-in for a second consecutive tenure along with 28 ministers. It will be 68-year-old Jayalalithaa's fourth term in office. Her earlier tenures as Chief Minister were 1991-96, 2001-06 and 2011-16. OneIndia News Even if not contesting 2020 polls, Hillary Clinton will not be entirely out of scene Clinton says she will focus on Trump International oi-PTI Washington, May 22: Insisting that she would be the Democratic presidential nominee for the November elections, Hillary Clinton today said she would focus her energy on defeating her Republican rival Donald Trump. "I'm going to keep focused on Donald Trump, because I will be the nominee, I will be running against Donald Trump in the fall and I do not want Americans and, you know, good-thinking Republicans, as well as Democrats and Independents, to start to believe that this is a normal candidacy. It isn't," she said. "I said that if we don't respond to Donald Trump, which I am doing, as you have seen. I've said he was unqualified to be president. I believe that deeply," Clinton said. "What he is advocating -- look what he's done this past week, you know, attacking our closest ally, England. Heaping praise on a dangerous dictator in North Korea. Reiterating his call to pull out of NATO, our strong military alliance. Talking about letting other countries have nuclear weapons. Advocating a return to torture and even murdering the families of suspected terrorists," Clinton said. Meanwhile, a latest opinion poll showed that a Clinton-Trump fight is headed towards a dead end as the former Secretary of State is leading the real estate tycoon by just three percentage points in a hypothetical November matchup. Clinton leads the New York businessman, 46 per to 43per cent, in a test matchup between the two likely nominees, the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows. That represents a much tighter margin than her 11-percentage-point lead in April and marks the first time in Journal/NBC News polling this year that her support has dropped below 50 per cent in a matchup with Trump. In an interview to MSNBC, Clinton said she is ready to talk to Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, her Democratic rival, whenever he is ready to talk. However, Sanders told CNN that he is still in the race and Clinton is "jumping the gun". Clinton said she would do everything to unite the party and ruled out that Sanders would run as a third-party candidate. "Oh, I don't think so. I think that Senator Sanders has every right to finish off his campaign however he chooses. I do think there will then be the obvious need for us to unify the party. I faced the same challenge in 2008. I will certainly do my part, reaching out to Senator Sanders, reaching out to his supporters. And I expect him to do his," she said. PTI While India finds a partner in Iran, Pak protests against old ally US over drone attack International oi-Shubham Karachi, May 23: While India's top leadership was engaging Iran as a strategic partner, the Pakistani establishment found itself at an incovenient end vis-a-vis its traditional ally---the US. On Sunday, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lashed out at the American drone strike in Balochistan on Saturday and said a strong protest had been lodged with the US over the attack. [India needs Iran against China-Pak designs] Speaking to journalists in London where he went for medical check-up, Sharif said the air strike in the Dalbandin area of Balochistan is a violation of his country's sovereignty. [Chabahar vs Gwadar: Geopolitics of ports] Television channels quoted the premier as saying that it was not clear whether Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was among the two persons who were reportedly killed in the air strike. [PM Modi's media statement during Iran visit] A statement by Islamabad's Foreign Office said the US shared the information that a drone strike had been carried out in Pakistan near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in which Mansour was targeted. Oneindia News Mullah Mansour- An uncomfortable Taliban commander International oi-Vicky Islamabad, May 23: From the day Mullah Mohammad Akthar Mansour took over as Taliban chief, he had faced an uphill task. First and foremost he was replacing Mullah Omar who enjoyed a cult status in the Taliban. For Mansour the task was never easy. First and foremost he took over amidst major opposition within the Taliban. The rebellion from within was led by Mullah Omar's son, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob. To state briefly Mansour spent most of his time battling the Taliban commanders opposed to him. Mansour is believed to have been killed in a US air strike. An unholy take over: When the Taliban confirmed the death of Mullah Omar, there was a lot of succession talk. The death of Omar was a blow for the Taliban as he had largely managed to keep the entire force united. Following his death, it was said that the mantle would be borne by Omar's son. However as the Mullah Yaqoob camp had put it, " the take over by Mansour was an unholy one." He had the backing of the ISI which made him the chief in a hurry. The Taliban since Mansour being made the chief was never a united outfit. It may also be recalled that during one of the meetings a majority of the Taliban commanders had stormed out in protest against Mansour. Mansour did try hard at keeping the Taliban united. He did invite the warring factions and even offered good positions to Mullah Omar's family members. While there was some amount of sanity within the Taliban for the past couple of months the trust deficit was never eradicated completely. Many within the Taliban had sought an explanation from Mansour regarding the death of Mullah Omar. They felt that he had concealed the death of Omar for too long. Moreover he was also putting recorded messages in the name of Omar which many in the Taliban believed was manufactured. Taliban after Mansour: Mansour's does leave a certain amount of void. The Taliban has had to cope with the death of two leaders in a very short span of time. The successor to Mansour is likely to be Sirajuddin Haqqani an Afghan guerrilla commander. Haqqani the son of Jalalluddin Haqqani carries a 5 million bounty on his head. His father was considered to be a legendary warrior who battled the Soviet Union. Sirajuddin is considered to be ten time more ruthless than his father. He infact is responsible for several attacks in Afghanistan including the most recent one at Kabul which killed 64. OneIndia News On PMs guidance how Devbhoomi Uttarakhands Temples will be developed India always views war as last resort, but... : PM Modi to armed forces in Kargil Narendra Modi releases rare Persian manuscript in Iran International oi-IANS By Ians English Tehran, May 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released a rare Persian manuscript, 'Kalileh-wa-Dimneh', a translation of tales from the Panchatantra and the Jataka, to highlight the centuries-old close cultural ties between India and Iran. Modi released the manuscript ahead of a conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" as part of the "Cultural Festival of India in Iran" being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Also read: India-Iran ties perfect response to radicalism: Narendra Modi Speaking after releasing the manuscript, Modi said that the "Kalileh-wa-Dimneh" captured the close historical ties between India and Iran. "It is remarkable how the simple stories of the Indian classics of Jataka and Panchatantra became the Persian 'Kalileh-wa-Dimneh'," he said. "It is a classic example of exchange and travel of cultural ideas between two societies." The prime minister described the manuscript as a beautiful demonstration of how the cultures of India and Iran thought alike. "A true depiction of the wisdom of our ancient civilisations," said Modi, on the second and final day of his visit to Iran. IANS Partial Solar Eclipse 2022: Dos and Don'ts for pregnant women during Surya Grahan Partial Solar Eclipse: Why eating food during a solar eclipse is harmful Narendra Modi terms trip to Iran as 'fruitful' International oi-IANS By Ians English Tehran, May 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday departed from Tehran for New Delhi at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Iran, saying the outcomes "will positively impact" bilateral ties. "I thank the wonderful people of Iran for the warmth," Modi said on the Twitter handle of the Prime Minister's Office. Narendra Modi releases rare Persian manuscript in Iran I thank the wonderful people of Iran for the warmth. My Iran visit was fruitful & the outcomes will positively impact our nations: PM PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2016 "My Iran visit was fruitful and the outcomes will positively impact our nations," he said. He also stated that during his visit he held productive discussions with Iran's top leadership. "We are committed to seeing our ties grow even further," the prime minister said. Khuda Hafez Tehran! A busy day of diplomacy ends as PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi. pic.twitter.com/eKRUZ2SriW Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2016 Ahead of his departure, in his last engagement of the day, Modi called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei here. Earlier on Monday, Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held delegation-level talks following which 12 bilateral agreements were signed. Later in the day, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement for development of the Chabahar port for a transport and transit corridor. Modi also attended the inauguration of a two-day conference titled "India-Iran Two Great Civilisations: Retrospect-Prospects" held as part of the "Cultural Festival of India in Iran" being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tehran, Bonyad-e-Sadi, and Farhangistan-e-Zaban-o-Adab-e-Farsi. On Sunday evening, soon after his arrival here, Modi offered prayers at a gurudwara and addressed members of the Indian community. IANS BJP protests outside Mamata's house over attack on Roopa Ganguly Kolkata oi-Shubham Kolkata, May 23: Leaders and supporters of the BJP staged a massive protest outside the residence of Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal's chief minister-designate, over the attack on the convoy of Roopa Ganguly, one of the saffron party's leaders who contested this year's Assembly election but lost. Ganguly's convoy was attacked on Sunday (May 22) near Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district while she was returning to Kolkata. Ganguly had gone to Ishwarpur cillage near Kakdwip in the same district to visit a BJP worker who was assaulted allegedly by the cadre of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and admitted in a local hospital. Senior police officers of the district said Ganguly stopped her car near Diamond Harbour while returning to Kolkata and started speaking to the local people, resulting into the brawl. Some of the local people threw stones at the convoy while a few local women pulled Ganguly by her hair and manhandled her. The policemen posted in the area intervened and stopped the local people. They said the actor-politician was not injured and she was taken to the hospital from where she was released after a check-up. Nobody was arrested but a police posting was set up in the locality, the officer said. Other BJP leaders and workers who were with Ganguly said they were attcked by TMC activists. Ganguly, who played Draupadi in BR Chopra's Mahabharat serial of the late 1980s and is still recognised for that role, is the chief of the BJP's state Mahila Morcha and contested this year's election against the TMC's Laxmi Ratan Shukla. She, however, finished third after Shukla and the Congress's Santosh Kumar Pathak. Oneindia News Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. The Hollywood Reporter 21 Oct 2022 Following his Princess Diana biopic 'Spencer,' Larrain has found his next subject in the famed opera singer. ODN 03 Jun 2022 Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary suggests the army should be drafted in to help as airport disruption continues across the UK. He says.. Vietnam, or Viet Nam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of 311,699 square kilometres (120,348 sq mi) and population of 96 million, making it the world's fifteenth-most populous country. Vietnam borders China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and shares maritime borders with Thailand through the Gulf of Thailand, and the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia through the South China Sea. Its capital is Hanoi and largest city Ho Chi Minh City. According to SaharaReporters, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiite, has threatened to continue with the #FreeZakzaky protest in Abuja, saying that attempt to proscribe the group by the government would plunge the country into crisis. The spokesperson for the movement, Abdullahi Musa, stated this on Tuesday in a telephone conversation with SaharaReporters. He said the group does not carry arms as been insinuated by the government and security agencies. He warned the government to have a rethink before prescribing the movement as a terrorist group. Musa said, Yes, we will come out to protest. Anybody that is planning to proscribe the movement is planning to put this country into crisis so that they will benefit because they have been benefiting from it. He explained that the government had benefited from the previous crisis of the Boko Haram terrorist group. He accused the government of promoting the killings of their members just as he vowed not to be intimidated or suppressed by the guns. He stated that it is their constitutional right to protest and demand justice. It is our constitutional right and we must protest. The only thing is to free him and let him go for treatment. Armed robbers, kidnappers and Boko Haram have been treated in this country, so let him go for treatments, Musa said. He debunked the allegation that members of the group killed the Deputy Commissioner of Police. He said that they never killed anybody because they are not trained to kill people. He said that the police officer was killed as a result of indiscriminate shooting by the police. He admitted that the officer came close to them to appeal with the protesters but was hit by a stray bullet from behind which pierced through his head. He said, That is a big lie and it is a shame for them saying this. They said that he was trying to talk to us but the bullet came behind him. Who was behind him? The police officers killed a lot of people, even innocent people that were walking on the street. They were the ones that shot him, are we armed? As of the time of filing this report, the group has started mobilising their members to regroup for another round of protest. Ambode was said to have been considered for a ministerial appointment to the chagrin of the APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu. The former governor, who fell out with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State was vehemently opposed by the party last year which led to his defeat by Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the primary. Ambode, who was governor from 2015 to 2019 was rumoured to be among those being considered for appointment. The immediate past Governor of Lagos State , Akinwunmi Ambode; and the last Minister of Sports , Solomon Dalung, have been trending on Twitter following their failure to make the ministerial list of President Muhammadu Buhari With the release of the new list, however, Ambodes name was conspicuously missing, causing thousands of reactions on social media. Adebayo Akintunde said on Twitter that it was funny that despite the fact that Ambode accompanied Buhari on almost every state during the campaigns, Buhari did not deem him worthy for an appointment. Akintunde tweeted, I am pained. So on top all the waka wey (sic) Ambode follow Buhari do for the campaigns, local man didnt make the list. Aiye ma ni ika o. @Jayohwhy tweeted, The list is quite interesting. Buhari is no different from Jonathan. It is based on reward for delivering wards in the last election. But the omission of Ambode shows Tinubu is a force. All indications were that baba would appoint him against Tinubus wish. Meanwhile, former minister, Dalung, has also been trending for failing to make the list. Dalung, who hails from Plateau State, had boasted last month that no man born of a woman could stop him from being re-appointed as minister except God himself was against his return. Speaking with The PUNCH last month, he said, No, there is nobody born of a woman that can stop my appointment if God wants it to be. I am not carried away by such sentiments. Popular sports journalist, Temisan okomi, tweeted sarcastically, Please. Ive gone through the list three times and I didnt see Solomon Dalung inside. Maybe its old age, but can you help me confirm? God bless you as you give me positive news. Najib Nuhu Maiwada tweeted, Any list without Dalung is a step-up from 2015. Father Lord we thank you!! The major substance of any electoral petition is that the election in question showed substantial non-compliance with the constitution and the Atiku petition matter with 62 witnesses, hundreds of written testimonies and over 50,000 documents has so far proven this. At the commencement of the hearing of the matter, PDP agreed with the lawyers of the respondents (APC and INEC) to use ten days to call its witnesses this process ended last Friday with some major facts established solidly at the PEPT on the matter of substantial non-compliance The point about substantial non-compliance is key and I had mentioned this when the matter commenced it comprises of two aspects: to first show that there were electoral irregularities, to then show that those irregularities were widespread enough to alter the electoral outcome. PDP/Atiku have presented all the facts from key states where Buhari/APC votes were inflated and Atiku votes reduced including the states where INEC announced high voting figures for Buhari especially Borno, Yobe, Kano and some others; the documents were all admitted as evidence. Worthy of note is that the agreement between the lawyers to all parties was not only about the time to be spent in building a case but also on the admissibility of the evidence and APC/INEC lawyers agreed not to challenge those evidences at this stage so everything got in. The APC/INEC lawyers tried to oppose the submission of video evidence which highlighted not only the controversial issue of the INEC server but also instances of the breach of electoral laws but the Judges pointed out that the agreement was clear and PDP presented it all. Baba Buba Galadima was the first witness of the PDP while our Egbon, Osita Chidoka was the final witness: 62 called to testify and written testimony taken from hundreds more from across the country. With all Ive seen, the PDP/Atiku case has been well made and solidly built. PDP/Atiku will submit further evidence from INECs own records as we go on with this last stage of the electoral procedures INEC only just complied with the Tribunal directive and presented crucial election documents just last week. INEC also opens its defence today. The documents so far submitted include mutilated result sheets from PU to State levels showing clear manipulations of results in favour of Buhari, original results signed by all party agents that show that what INEC announced in some places were entirely fabricated. Keep in mind: only two things are needed to invalidate an election: non-compliance with the electoral law, substantial enough to alter the general outcome. INEC now has five days to defend the fraudulent result it announced for the February 23 Presidential election. The Atiku/PDP legal team is led by Dr. Livy Uzoukwu who is a thorough and brilliant mind while Chris Uche has led the witness testimony process a combination of intellectual depth and rigour with courtroom mastership. And its not yet over until sometime in September. Focus has mostly been on the matter of the INEC server and Ive personally been quite happy to see APC/INEC engaged with that the major issue however has been the key presentation of the PDP at PEPT: the February 23 election didnt comply substantially with the electoral law. Ordinarily, the issue of a server should not be the public focus except for some reasons: The INEC lawyer denied it in open court at the PEPT on two different occasions and it has kept APC/INEC busy, while PDP/Atiku have made the case solidly and forced INEC to admit its server. The fact that APC and INEC didnt scream ambush last week shows that theyre not as brilliant as one would expect that INEC owns a server for electoral purposes has been solidly established. The major substance of any electoral petition is that the election in question showed substantial non-compliance with the constitution and the Atiku petition matter with 62 witnesses, hundreds of written testimonies and over 50,000 documents has so far proven this. Demola Olarewaju (@DemolaRewaju) July 22, 2019 And I suspect they wont use their 5 days this week without further admitting this. Nobody expected INEC to absolutely deny ownership of a server and the denial was so ridiculous that Nigerians themselves without any prompting raised the alarm with evidence provided. That this has become the dominant news is therefore not surprising but at PEPT, PDP was focused Anyone who followed the PEPT proceedings carefully would notice that PDP only brought up the matter of the server on two days during Segun Showunmis testimony and on the final day with someone from Kenya. The man has now returned to his country please PDP isnt foolish. APC lies spread through their usual channels have tried to distort everything at the PEPT but the focus of their lies has been mainly on the server. Funnily, the 5 grounds of the petition are openly available in the petition document itself and all 5 have been proven adequately. Its amusing that any PDP person will spread news from well-known APC media channels its a good thing they never understood what the major substance was and theyve been going on and on about servers the only thing needed from there is for INEC to admit it lied, now proven. INEC will have the next 5 days (which I doubt they will exhaust without admitting that they actually have a server) and APC will have its own 5 days to debunk facts that PDP has already established. I suspect that APC wont have enough time, especially if chasing shadows. As an example: PDP showed that the schools Buhari claimed to have attended did not exist at the time he claimed he attended them. APC will have not only to show that it won the election of February 23 but also show that the schools existed as at then and that Buhari attended. And this is just one of about a dozen facts that PDP established already with witnesses, electoral documents and video evidence. With all Ive seen so far at the PEPT and what I know is yet to come, #AtikuIsComing is only a matter of Justice and will happen by November 13. September is when the PEPT delivers a verdict and regardless of what it is, the matter will proceed to the Supreme Court which will then have 60 days to deliver a final verdict. By calculation, that will be on November the 16th at the latest. We will stand even beyond then. Disclaimer: As an editorial policy, Breaking Times neither oppose nor endorse any opinion and contribution expressed by our writers and contributors. Contributions are strictly that of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Breaking Times. Op-Ed Contribution: Our platform is for you. Want to submit an Op-Ed? If yes, kindly send your article and short biography to youreport@thebreakingtimes.com Los Rojiblancos finally snapped up young Portuguese teenager, Joao Felix in what is reported to be the fourth most expensive signing of all time. Benfica received a total sum of 127.2 million Euros for the 19 year old sensation. This fee includes his 120 million Euros release clause and 6 million Euros paid as interest for paying in installments. His previous club, Porto gets 1.2 million Euros as well. Heading into the new season fans will be trooping into Estadio Wanda Metropolitano to watch their new starlet who has been bought to spear head the launch into a new era. There is obviously a big task lying ahead. The young chap was just introduced into the lime light last season. He scored an impressive 15 goals with 7 assists in 26 League appearances. He also scored 3 goals in 5 starts in the Europa League. The fact that Athletico Madrid had highly reputable world class strikers like Diego Forlan, Ramadel Falcao, Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa and most recently Antoine Griezmann go through the ranks in the past and the club believes that Joao Felix has what it takes to fill in those shoes is a huge morale booster to him. But the pressure that comes with such expectations cannot be under estimated. This is even more difficult because he will be starting this next phase of his career without the huge experience that was in abundance in the dressing room as most notably, former Captain Godin and Griezmann have moved on to their new clubs. It is also good to note that La Liga is a step up from the Portuguese League. Here, he will come up against more decent oppositions. Then there is the UEFA Champions League with bigger expectations of playing regularly to win. These competitions have always been a huge test for footballers who intend to make a name for themselves in football history. Going forward, he is most likely to be the clubs poster boy. He will take huge credit for their successes and failures equally. We have seen a good number of players who struggle to live up to their price tags after big money moves. This tells a lot about the implications of big money moves. At 19 years of age, he still has a good number of years ahead of him to repay the faith put in him. But he should be mindful of the down times. How he reacts is key. This is normal with all professional footballers. Situations like this presents a true test of character and professionalism. The media attention will be much now. His fan base will definitely be on the increase. They will be much hopeful he lives up to expectations. Friends, family and close associates of Steve Babaeko, the CEO/CCO of advertising and media production company, X3M Ideas, gathered together on Sunday, July 21 at The George Lagos Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos to celebrate Steve Babaekos recent recognition by Adweek as one of the top 100 creatives in 2019. The annual honorary list was created by Adweek to celebrate trendsetters and innovators in creative industries across the globe whose ideas are advancing advertising worldwide. Leading actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Media Entrepreneur, Fade Ogunro, Singer, Praiz, DJ Spinall, On-Air Personality, Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, Media Personality ,Lamide Akintobi, Comedian and MC, Tee A and others graced the event. Other guests included; Publisher YES Magazine, Azuh Arinze, CEO Red Media, Debola Williams, Publisher, Brand Crunch, Lekan Babatunde, Chief Strategy Officer, EbonyLife Films, Eunice Omole, CEO Plaqad, Gbenga Sogbaike, Creative Director, STB McCann Lagos, Samson Adeoye, Assistant General Manager, Operations, Channels Television, Kingsley Uranta, CEO ID Africa, Femi Falodun, CEO Smooth Promotions, Ayo Animashaun, Ace Producer & Director, Femi Odugbemi, Supervising Producer, CNN Africa, Stephanie Busari and CEO Daria Media Ltd, Kadaria Ahmed amongst others. Steves wife and ace photographer, Yetunde Babaeko, their three sons and other members of his family also graced the occasion to honour Steve for his distinctive contribution to the Nigerian advertising and creative industry. Speaking at the event, Steve expressed his joy on the Adweek recognition and other accomplishments by him saying, Im glad that Nigerian creatives and companies are rising up to change the African narrative and tell original stories. We are not erasing our history, we are simply redefining the future and this is birth from a place of passion, as well as hard work. I feel honoured to be celebrated today. We will keep pushing boundaries and changing the way Africa is perceived. We will continue inspiring younger generations and challenge practicing creatives, because this is how we can move Africa forward. The heightened state of insecurity in Nigeria following clashes between the Nigerian Police and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has forced the government of the United Kingdom to issue a travel advisory to its citizens resident in Nigeria. The UK government had issued a warning to its citizens in Nigeria to stay away from 24 states in Nigeria prone to terror attacks and insecurity issues. However, in an updated travel advisory published on its website on Wednesday, the UK government advised its citizens to avoid crowded places and specifically advised against traveling to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe states. Other states listed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office include; Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bauchi, Zamfara, Kano State, Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina and Kogi States. According to the UK government, the updated travel advisory was issued because terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Nigeria adding that attacks could be indiscriminate and could affect western interests as well as places visited by tourists. In the week ending 20 May, 2016, Tages Capital has launched a global credit long/short fund called Tages Fore UCITS Fund; Capital Group will launch a UCITS version of its flagship U.S. equities strategy, Investment Company of America; and Lyxor Asset has partnered with SEB to launch an innovative daily multi-manager UCITS Strategy. A study Worth Venture Partners has found that investors are considering greater investment in emerging hedge fund managers. A survey by BoFA showed that fund managers are hoarding cash on concerns about Brexit and China, and an eVestment survey showed that investors were anticipating more exits for alternative fund managers. Jayson Woodbridge and Michael Kyne have launched Harvest One Fund; and Multi Asset Global is planning to introduce its South Korea-focused hedge funds this year. Omni Partners is shutting down a London-based global macro hedge fund following the departure of CIO Stephen Rosen. The Greenwich Global Hedge Fund Index ended April up 0.62% (-0.2% YTD); The Eu...................... To view our full article Click here Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website As readers know, I have seen some optimism in voters support for Trump and Sanders as neither are members of the corrupt Republican and Democratic political establishments. Members of both political establishments enrich themselves by betraying the American people and serving only the interest of the One Percent. The American people are being driven into the ground purely for the sake of more mega-billions for a handful of super-rich people. Neither political party is capable of doing anything whatsoever about it, and neither will. The optimism that I see is that the public's support of outsiders is an indication that the insouciant public is waking up. But Americans will have to do more than wake up, as they cannot rescue themselves via the voting booth. In my opinion, the American people will remain serfs until they wake up to Revolution. Today Americans exist as a conquered people. They have lost the Bill of Rights, the amendments to the Constitution that protect their liberty. Anyone, other than the One Percent and their political and legal servants, can be picked up without charges and detained indefinitely as during the Dark Ages, when government was unaccountable and no one had any rights. Only those with power were safe. In America today anyone not politically protected can be declared "associated with terrorism" and taken out by a Hellfire missile from a drone on the basis of a list of human targets drawn up by the president's advisers. Due process, guaranteed by the US Constitution, no longer exists in the United States of America. Neither does the constitutional prohibition against the government spying on citizens without just cause and a court warrant. The First Amendment itself, whose importance was emphasized by our Founding Fathers by making it the First Amendment, is no longer protected by the corrupt Supreme Court. The Nine who comprise the Supreme Court, like the rest of the bought-and-paid-for-government, serve only the One Percent. Truth-tellers have become "an enemy of the state." Whistleblowers are imprisoned despite their legal protection in US law. The United States government has unaccountable power. Its power is not accountable to US statutory law, to international law, to the Congress, to the judiciary, to the American people, or to moral conscience. In the 21st century the war criminal US government has murdered, maimed, and dislocated millions of people based on lies and propaganda. Washington has destroyed seven countries in whole or part in order to enrich the American elite and comply with the neoconservative drive for US world hegemony. Americans live in a propaganda-fabricated world in which a brutal police state is cloaked in nice words like "freedom and democracy." "Freedom and democracy" is what Washington's war machine brings with sanctions, bombs, no-fly zones, troops, and drones to countries that dare to cling to their independence from Washington's hegemony. Only two countries armed with strong military capability and nuclear weapons -- Russia and China -- stand between Washington and Washington's goal of hegemony over the entire world. If Russia or China falter, the evil ensconced in Washington will rule the world. America will be the Anti-Christ. The predictions of the Christian Evangelicals preaching "end times" will take on new meaning. Russia is vulnerable to becoming a vassal state of Washington. Despite a legion of betrayals by Washington, the Russian government has just proposed a joint US/Russia cooperation against terrorists. One wonders if the Russian government will ever learn from experience. Has Washington cooperated with the agreement concerning Ukraine? Of course not. Has Washington cooperated in the investigation of MH-17? Of course not. Has Washington ceased its propaganda about a Russian invasion of Crimera and Ukraine? Of course not. Has Washington kept any agreement previous US governments made with Russia? Of course not. So why does the Russian government think Washington would keep any agreement about a joint effort against terrorism? The Russian government and the Russian people are so unaware of the danger that they face from Washington that they let foreigners control 20 percent of their media! Is Russia unaware that Washington has Russia slated for vassalage or destruction? China is even more absurd. According to the Chinese government itself, China has 7,000 foreign-financed NGOs operating in China! Foreign financed NGOs are what Washington used to destabilize Ukraine and overthrow the elected government. What does the Chinese government think these NGOs are doing other than destabilizing China? Can't our side ever see the battlefield clearly? Can't we perceive which battle needs to be fought? We've already blown it too many times,* and now there are signs we might blow it again: the Democratic side has just squandered an important moment in the battle against Trump and the GOP, by getting distracted by the wrong battle. To see the seriousness of that error, let's start with how the electoral prospects of the two sides have shifted -- adversely for the Democrats -- since as recently as a month ago. Back then, the GOP appeared to be on the verge of a civil war growing out of the ugly but increasingly successful campaign of Donald Trump to seize the Republican nomination for president. The Democrats' campaign, meanwhile, was still unfolding in a civil and generally even constructive fashion. Since then, the Republicans have been able to re-unify their party a good deal more than seemed likely. On the Democratic side, meanwhile, just the opposite has been happening. Far from coming together in preparation for the crucial general election, the divisions in the Democratic Party have widened, and the bitterness between the factions has intensified. The cost of these shifts is visible on the futures markets. In every major category -- including the likelihood of the Democrats' winning the presidential race and taking over the Senate -- the probabilities of Democratic success have been substantially downgraded. The main reason for this lost ground is that an important segment of the Democratic Party -- and by this I mean Senator Sanders and many of his followers -- has failed to understand which battle it has become time to fight. Ever since the April 25 primaries, when Hillary Clinton swept highly populous states like New York and Pennsylvania, the contest for the nomination has been effectively over. Though not yet "mathematically" eliminated, for the past month Senator Sanders has had no plausible scenario to the nomination. Going after Trump and the GOP, I have argued , was always the best way for Bernie -- whom I have supported -- to fight for the nomination. But surely, once that race was essentially decided, there should have been no question: it was time to turn the campaign rhetoric toward the next and most urgent battle: for a Democratic White House, for liberal control over the Supreme Court, for breaking the Republicans' obstructionist log-jam in Congress, and for a government that will acknowledge and act on the urgent challenge of climate change. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from The Hill First PolitiFact, the respected and politically neutral fact-checking organization, named Donald Trump's campaign statements in 2015 as the lie of the year. Then leaders of the Republican establishment, desperate to stop Trump's White House bid but unable to unite behind a credible candidate like Marco Rubio or John Kasich, pretended in large numbers to believe that Ted Cruz -- a man they almost universally despise -- should be the next president. While the GOP establishment was once bearing false witness by faking admiration for the credentials of Cruz, conservatives are now asked to join the establishment in bearing false witness by vouching for the conservative credentials and qualifications of Trump. A long line of leading Republicans who now support the party's presumptive nominee, including many who are running for the House and Senate in November, privately believe Trump will be a disaster as president and commander in chief but publicly claim they believe he's the right man to have his finger on the nuclear button. There are exceptions to this widening circle of GOP deceit. Former nominee Mitt Romney and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse warn Republicans about Trump along with leading Republican columnists George Will, Michael Gerson and David Brooks and principled conservatives such as William Kristol and Erick Erickson. It is hard to tell when Trump is lying and when he is merely ignorant. He will say and do anything to be elected. His core beliefs change almost every day. Let's take his statement that he wants to build a Berlin Wall-like construction on the Mexican border. It has been suggested, though not authoritatively, that Trump told The New York Times's editorial board that he doesn't really believe what he says about the wall. Every reporter who interviews Trump should ask him to authorize the Times to release the transcript. Is Trump lying when he claims he will build the wall? Is he ignorant when he claims Mexico will pay for it? My view is that Trump is incompetent by the standards of a president. Many Republicans agree -- some publicly, many secretly. Recently Trump stated that America does not have to pay its debts as scheduled and could simply "print more money." If an American president ever said in office that the full faith and credit of the U.S. should be destroyed in this manner, it would trigger a global financial crash and meltdown. What do fiscally responsible Republicans who "support the nominee" think about this? Why does Speaker Paul Ryan, formerly chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, think Trump keeps his tax returns hidden? Trump said he would punish women for abortions. Then Trump said he would not punish women. Trump said he would cut taxes for the wealthy. Then Trump said he would raise taxes of the wealthy. He said he would order U.S. troops to commit war crimes. Then, perhaps, he would not. Trump would never cut Social Security benefits. But then he might. Trump will self-fund his campaign. Then he won't. What do Republicans who support the right of 9/11 victims to include Saudi Arabia in lawsuits think of Trump's suggestion that Saudi Arabia should have nuclear bombs? Do GOP candidates support Trump's admiration of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin? Or when he favorably retweeted the words of Benito Mussolini? Or his view that NATO is obsolete? Or his hope to chat with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, whom Trump once praised for eliminating his rivals, before suggesting South Korea should have nuclear bombs? Or his charge that immigrants from Mexico are rapists and murderers? Or his denigration of women he disapproves of? Or his low esteem for American POWs because they were captured? Or his physically mocking disabled Americans? It is astounding to watch leaders and candidates of the party of Lincoln and Reagan base a presidential campaign on a big lie, claiming a candidate they fear and hold in contempt is worthy of the presidency, suggesting he doesn't really believe the things he says, secretly dreading the damage he will do to their party and to our nation. Reprinted from WSWS Democratic Party presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton said Thursday that her likely Republican opponent was "not qualified to be president of the United States," telling a CNN interviewer that Trump's declarations on foreign policy would damage US interests. Clinton linked her national security argument to the disappearance of an EgyptAir passenger jet earlier in the day, en route from Paris to Cairo, saying that this incident "shines a very bright light" on the threat of terrorism. "I think it reinforces the need for American leadership. The kind of smart, steady leadership that only America can provide, working with our allies, our partners, our friends in Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere," she said. "Because we have to have a concerted effort that brings to bear both domestic resources, sharing of intelligence, take a hard look at airport security one more time. Whatever needs to be done must be done." Clinton was being interviewed on CNN by Chris Cuomo, son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and brother of the current Governor Andrew Cuomo, a shill for the Democratic Party establishment who readily agreed that his guest was certain to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. "The math about the nomination," he said, "that's, frankly, the easy part." The question was how to defeat Trump, he continued. The axis of Clinton's criticism of Trump was that he was too erratic in his statements and views on foreign policy. "I know how hard this job is, and I know that we need steadiness as well as strength and smarts in it, and I have concluded he is not qualified to be president of the United States," Clinton said. "And I think in this past week, whether it's attacking Great Britain; praising the leader of North Korea, a despotic dictator who has nuclear weapons; whether it is saying pull out of NATO; let other countries have nuclear weapons, the kinds of positions he is stating and the consequences of those positions and even the consequences of his statements are not just offensive to people, they are potentially dangerous." Clinton continued in this vein, criticizing Trump's statements about barring Muslims from entering the United States, not as an unconstitutional attack on democratic rights, but as a boon to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. "Donald Trump is being used to essentially be a recruiter for more people to join the cause of terrorism," she said. The CNN interview represented an escalation of the attacks Clinton has made ever since Trump became the Republican frontrunner. She is openly appealing to Republican warhawks and neo-conservatives who regard Trump as a quasi-isolationist because of his retroactive criticism of the Bush administration's war in Iraq, and who are hostile to his statements of praise and admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. This appeal to militarism and the Republican right was spelled out even more explicitly by Clinton's campaign chairman, former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta. In a statement emailed to the media on Friday, Podesta denounced Trump's foreign policy pronouncements. "This is not how presidents behave," he said. "This is not about ideology -- it's about responsible leadership. Anyone who is serious about our national security, regardless of their party, should not stand with Donald Trump." In her overall approach to the general election campaign, Clinton is hewing closely to the line of argument laid down by President Obama, who ridicules Trump's claims that the US economy is in dismal shape. "I also feel optimistic about the country," she told Cuomo. "I mean most of what Trump says is pretty negative about America. It's pretty much fearmongering, criticizing. You know, we are well positioned, if we do our part, if we show leadership, if we bring people together." Clinton is running as the candidate of complacency and self-satisfaction, of continuing the "progressive" work of a Democratic administration that is in reality the most right-wing in US history. Clinton thus effectively cedes those who are dissatisfied and discontented with the social and economic conditions imposed by American capitalism -- the vast majority of working people -- to her semi-fascist opponent. Within the Democratic primary campaign, the vast majority of young people and struggling sections of the working class have given their support to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. In her interview on CNN, Clinton barely even gave lip service to attracting the Sanders supporters once she officially becomes the Democratic nominee. Effectively dismissing Sanders' recent victories in Indiana, West Virginia and Oregon, and the likelihood that he will win most of the remaining contests -- including the most populous US state, California -- Clinton told Cuomo, "I will be the nominee for my party. That is already done, in effect. There is no way that I won't be." Reprinted from www.salon.com The neofascist reaction, the force behind Trump, has come about because of the extreme disembeddedness of the economy from social relations. The neoliberal economy has become pure abstraction; as has the market, as has the state, there is no reality to any of these things the way we have classically understood them. Americans, like people everywhere rising up against neoliberal globalization (in Britain, for example, this takes the form of Brexit, or exit from the European Union), want a return of social relations, or embeddedness, to the economy. The Trump alliance desires to remake the world in their own image, just as the class representing neoliberal globalization has insisted on doing so. The difference couldn't be starker. Capitalism today is placeless, locationless, nameless, faceless, while Trump is talking about hauling corporations back to where they belong, in their home countries, fix them in place by means of rewards and retribution, like one handles a recalcitrant child. Trump is a businessman, while Mitt Romney was a businessman too, yet I predict victory for the former while the latter obviously lost miserably. What is the difference? While Trump "builds" things (literal buildings), in places like Manhattan and Atlantic City, places one can recognize and identify with, and while Trump's entire life has been orchestrated around building luxury and ostentatiousness, again things one can tangibly grasp and hold on to (the Trump steaks!), Romney is the personification of a placeless corporation, making his quarter billion dollars from consulting, i.e., representing economic abstraction at its purest, serving as a high priest of the transnational capitalist class. No one can visualize the boardroom Romney sat in, as head of Bain Capital, but, via The Apprentice, everyone has seen, for more than a decade, what Trump's boardroom looks like, and what it takes to be a "winner" in the real economy. What was that facade behind the collapse of fictitious corporations like Enron in the early 2000s? Trump supposedly pulled the veil off. In the present election, Hillary Clinton represents precisely the same disembodiedness as Romney, for example because of her association with the Clinton Foundation. Where did the business of the state, while she was secretary of state, stop, and where did the business of global philanthropy (just another name for global business), begin, and who can possibly tell the difference? The maneuverings of the Clinton Foundation, in the popular imagination, are as arcane as the colossal daily transactions on the world's financial exchanges. Everything about Clinton--and this becomes all the more marked when she takes on the (false) mantle of speaking for the underclass, with whom she bears no mental or physical resemblance--reeks of the easy mobility of the global rentier class. Their efficacy cannot be accounted for, not through the kind of democratic process that is unfolding before our eyes as a remnant of the American founding imagination, her whole sphere of movement is pure abstraction. In this election, abstraction will clearly lose, and corporeality, even if--or particularly if--gross and vulgar and rising from the repressed, will undoubtedly win. A business tycoon who vigorously inserted himself in the imaginations of the dispossessed as the foremost exponent of birtherism surely cannot be entirely beholden to the polite elites, can he? Trump is capital, but he is not capital, he is of us but also not of us in the way that the working class desires elevation from their rootedness, still strongly identified with place and time, not outside it. After all, he posed the elemental question, Where were you born? Though he is in fact the libertine (certainly not Clinton, who is libertinism's antithesis), he will be able to tar her with being permissive to an extreme degree--an "enabler," as the current jargon has it, for her husband's proclivities, for example. It has nothing to do with misogyny. It has everything to do with the kind of vocabulary that must substitute for people's real emotions, their fears and desires, in the face of an abstract market that presumes to rule out everything but the "rational" utility-maximizing motive. For the market to exist, as classical economics would have it, there must be free buyers and sellers, competitive prices, a marketplace that remains fixed and transparent, and none of these elements exist anymore in the neoliberal economy, which seeks to stamp out the last vestiges of resistance in the most forgotten parts of the world. In fact, the market has created--in the ghost towns of the American Midwest, for example--a kind of sub-Saharan desolation, in the heartland of the country, all the better to identify the completeness of its project in the "successful" coastal cities. Trump is a messenger from the most successful of these cities, and his very jet-setting presence, in the middle of empty landscapes, provides an imaginary access point. Darkness in the human soul is not utility-maximizing, therefore someone has to stand in for the opposite of what the market establishes as the universal solvent, and that someone, in this election, happens to be Hillary Clinton; which makes her unelectable. She will not, in fact, be able to discover, as she hasn't so far, anything like an authentic voice which can prove to the electorate that she is not that dark force the market cannot account for. But note the irony: by discrediting Clinton in this manner, the losers in the global economy are actually articulating yet another form for the decisive articulateness of the market after all! The population across the board does not see the abstractions of the transnational capitalist class being able to solve a problem like ISIS, which represents a crisis of authority. Wasn't al-Qaeda defeated? Didn't we get Osama bin Laden's head? Then what is this lingering distaste called ISIS? Forms of darkness are easily substitutable, thus Hillary (whose synecdoche is Benghazi, or secret emails) becomes unable to speak the truth, the more she tries. But"I do not want to claim for a minute that Trump can represent anything other than the further strengthening of neoliberal capitalism, both domestically and globally. He can only represent a further intensification, as would be true of anyone else. The total globalization of the market--our greatest of myths today, the one all-powerful entity to which all, state, civil society, and individual, have completely bent--is unstoppable. The flat earth posited by Tom Friedman in the 1990s will end up erasing all local distinctiveness, the end goal of neoliberalism. While Trump represents the desire for national regeneration--as is true of any neofascist movement--this is not possible in the twenty-first century, because the state as we have known it has ended, as has the market in the conventional understanding. In the end, Trump cannot take charge, because no one can take charge. Capital today serves nothing other than capital itself. In the current post-democratic, post-"capitalism" era, the myths of regeneration propounded by Trump serve as convenient fictions, as capital well knows, and is therefore little disturbed by. Nonetheless, Trump has brought to the surface the leftover mobs of American society, the residual unemployable, the "losers" constituting perhaps a third of society, who were never acknowledged as such during the past many cycles of political ups and downs, but who are now forcing the successful two-thirds to face up to the fictions of the market. It's been almost 10 days now since EgyptAir's flight MS804 came down into the Mediterranean sea. However, Egypt public interpretations have been 30 days old (i.e., more mature than the elapsed time in which experts are working on deciphering the incident). In fact, public interpretations have been flying over social networks before even a single wreckage was ever found. Aviation experts says there are three main reasons behind airplanes' fall: 1) Meteorological, 2) Technical, and 3) Terrorism - and they ruled out the Meteorological. This left us with only Technical and Terrorism. Well, this is aviation experts worldwide. What happened next is interesting. Egyptian public interpretations, and sometimes remarkably confident conclusions, have started to formulate around these two categories depending on the previous mental background of each one. If the person is from the group who sees Egypt on the rise and that there is conspiracy to bring it behind, the person will be more inclined to terrorism as the reason; saying that there was a bomb aboard and so on. The group would mostly be older-generation Egyptians. If the person is from the group who sees that EVERY thing about Egypt is sh*t, then, the person will be more inclined to the technical cause and will go further by adding that it's induced by some carelessness on the pilot's part or the company's part. This group is mostly the younger-generation Egyptians. And since statistically Egypt's 78% of population is young age, it follows therefore that the majority of the Egyptian public is now blaming the company or the pilots for causing the crash. Remarkably, members of each group have been talking confidently like experts. And this is a known mental illusion proven by neuroscience: the brain constructs the perfect story from impressions formulated from appearances; then, gets that story endorsed by your analytical parts of the brain (thorough but lazy) based on what's called Associative Memory - which makes available to you anything from the past memory that supports the impression at hand. When this procedure happens, what we call "Prejudice" appears. You become prejudiced about specific group or specific country or specific company. To the prejudiced Egyptians of Group 2, I direct these questions and facts: Haven't the Egyptians suffered a lot from prejudiced opinions? Would you like to be denied your rights anywhere in the world because you are an Egyptian? Certainly you wouldn't want that and for sure you are abhorring the suffer of prejudice against Egyptians or Muslims or doctors. Then, why you are denying now the company's right or the pilots' rights by being prejudiced about the situation? For instance, a hashtag in Twitter was created in Arabic, meaning #I_Will_Not_Fly_EgyptAir. Based on what? The leaked information you have from the sight, or from your ability to see the destiny, or based on the story your mind has told you in alignments with your own negative background on everything in Egypt. If you are from those who are insulting EgyptAir (management or pilots), have an honest pause with yourself and ask yourself just this: based on what you have formulated your attack? And if your stand is based on information provided by others, ask yourself based on what they have formulated their attack? If you do this honestly, you will 100% find that your stand against the company is implausible and unfair. You will also find that those you grouped with are just imposing their own mental stories on you. They have no ground too. The below are some pointers that should aid you in correcting your unfair stand; if you honestly care about not being unfair to someone so that no one becomes unfair to you someday: A- Almost every airliner had incidents in its track record. For example, just last year Germanwings pilot who crashed his plane into the mountains for suicide. No one like you has commenced an attack calling for boycotting the airliner. B- Be critical about it. No formal authority with hands-on the situation has said any conclusion. You should wait and only by the availability of the information you can start critically validating things and formulate your own conclusion. Even if a country like France came out and said Egyptians were fools, you shouldn't take this at face value. Instead, you examine their premises on which they built their conclusion critically then see if it makes sense or not. Same with individuals. For example, some employees in the company or in the airport has said "Maintenance is sh*t and the plane is sh*t." Question their stand. Are they experts? What the hell they know about planes and maintenance operations to make such statements? And if they do, where is this sh*t everywhere? C- People makes blunt statements like experts because of two things: 1) it makes them feel good about themselves or 2) they are serving specific agenda. You should be careful and classify. A ground hostess in the airport or an office employee in EgyptAir who tweets that EgyptAir maintenance is sh*t is an example of group 1. She feels great about herself because this blunt conclusion gives her the illusionary satisfaction that she's an important person in the company. Oh yeah, she's there and knows everything. A specific country or a specific group may want to undermine your country people trust in their own national company. Don't fall prey to these two types. As I speak here about the Egyptian public opinions; then, most of what you encountered so far is the first type: people feeding their own psychological problems by being smart ass. They are simply not because simply there are no proved information or data on which their forceful conclusions are based. Want to try? Ask any of them to present them; and you will find non-sense. D- Remember any situation in your life when someone has judged you at face value without caring about facts or your defense. For example, one time when your direct supervisor has told the manager that your work is no good and the manager brought you for a performance meeting where you had to defend yourself to find him demanding improvements from you and blaming you. Or when your membership to a group has brought you pain or even jail without giving you the opportunity of a trial. Or when you found difficulty obtaining a visa to travel somewhere because you are an Egyptian. Remember these situations that happened to you when you were attacked or denied rights because of someone or some country or some group has made an upfront general conclusion against you like the "Will_Never_Fly_EgyptAir" you are supporting now. E- Consider the big picture, 1) how many years EgyptAir has been operating in Egypt? 2) How many flights EgyptAir commences daily? 3) How many crash incidents in its track record? F- Are are you judging things through black lens because you see everything in Egypt as sh*t? Admittedly, Egypt as a developing country having big share in chaos could not be the best place to live; however, your "valid" opinion about the country must be kept only for your conclusion about living in the country; however, never let it pollute your ability to judge things fairly. This would be a stigma chasing you throughout your life anywhere you would go. One might be hating everything about a country because it's all sh*t, but when it comes to judging things, ONLY valid, correct, and fair mentality should be applied. This is your own well-being; do not pollute it because you live in a country you consider sh*tty. G- If you are convinced or claim that your stand or analysis of the crash is based on logical reasoning, be careful, it's your own self fooling you. There are only two forms of logical arguments: Induction and Deduction. Deductive reasoning starts with a general statement; then, follows with specifics, which all must be true in order for the conclusion to be true. An example of a deductive reasoning is: All men is mortal. Jack is man. Therefore, Jack is mortal. So, Mr. Logician, if your stand is based on this type of logical reasoning; then, your argument would be like this: All EgyptAir flights are doomed by carelessness-maintenance-stupidity-mistakes. Flight MS804 is EgyptAir. Therefore, Flight MS804 is doomed by carelessness-maintenance-stupidity-mistakes. In such case, your first premise is logically wrong; because not all EgyptAir flights got doomed (consider the first point). Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, starts with specifics that all must be true such that it ends up in a general statement that is logically true. Under such reasoning approach, your argument against the situation would be like this: Flight MS804 is flown by EgyptAir. The flight got doomed. Therefore, All EgyptAir flights are doomed. Again, logically wrong argument. I hope you can use the above pointers (and possibly add to them) in correcting your stand and remove prejudice. And always remember that anyone can judge you (and act upon your life) with the same quickness and with partial information as you are doing here. Same as you don't want that to be done to you, take the correct route before judging situations and others. Reprinted from newsjunkiepost.com by Gilbert Mercier (Image by Gage Skidmore) Details DMCA As of late I have not been particularly kind to Senator Sanders' ability or even intentions to truly fight for what desperately must be done to salvage a vague sense that democracy is not a complete illusion in the United States of America. Early on, when he threw his hat into the election circus ring, we made proper official interview requests to the Senator from Vermont through his Senate staff, and were never granted the courtesy of any sort of response. In several columns we have called him an "Hillary Clinton seat warmer" a "limp candidate" and other unflattering names. As the primary charade is about to end, Bernie Sanders still has a chance to not let his many supporters completely down. Sanders still can be a real contender, but the window of opportunity is closing extremely quickly. (Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA I have a bit of a history with Bernie Sanders and what we thought should have been his bid for the White House back in 2012 to challenge the Clintonite compromised administration of Barack Obama. Indeed we called on what was then a still vibrant Occupy movement to urge Sanders for a run. While Occupy was getting hijacked by pseudo progressives Democratic party operatives, with eminence grise George Soros financing and pulling the strings, our urgent calls fell on death ears. The idea was simple: constitute an independent political force combining left and libertarian. At the time, we floated the notion of a ticket Sanders/Paul as of Ron Paul. (Image by Gage Skidmore) Details DMCA Feel the Bern? As far as the Democratic Party nomination, let's face it, it is already a done deal, and as we argue in "Imperial Elections," it was always Hillary Clinton's turn. It would be absurd, for example, to think that Bernie Sanders could win the key state of California from Clinton. The power brokers of the Hollywood machine, and their immense wealth and influence will make sure it doesn't happen. The likes of Steven Spielberg and Barbara Streisand will "be with her," as their sociological economic allegiance doesn't make them much inclined to "feel the Bern." From time to time, in front of his devoted supporters, Sanders appears to have the political fire of a leader: the ability for a much needed Pit-Bull spirit. Unfortunately, on many other occasions a strange wimpy side of the Senator has percolated. It was notably the case when he was the guest on Charlie Rose's show. Rose was clearly in charge, projecting his usual vaguely threatening condescending arrogant confidence on Sanders, including in his dominating forward body language while Sanders was defensively backing away. It was civil of course, but in a psychological and body language power stand point, Charlie was the predator and Bernie the prey. Sanders was just plainly too mild mannered and nice with the borderline nasty interviewer. A bigger mistake was to say that he considered both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to be friends. Mr Sanders, Hillary Clinton is neither your friend nor the friend of democracy. If you cannot be rude, nasty and ruthless on occasion and therefore put Charlie Rose in his rightful place, how can you possibly postulate to the Oval Office? Signs of weakness are never a good option in the trenches of politics, and from time to time Mr. Sanders must project the clear notion that he can himself, and it cannot be done just through surrogates, go to the jugular with the determination displayed by Pit-Bulls in a dog fight. Can respectable Senator Sanders make his political enemies feel the bite? (Image by Gage Skidmore) Details DMCA Sanders supporters will decide the election outcome Sanders' power resides in his supporters. Many have been attacking Hillary Clinton with panache. This is helpful but it should be cranked up a few notches by Sanders' official campaign. For example, the borderline fraudulent or at least opaque financial activities of the Clinton money machine are under intense scrutiny mainly under the impulse of well respected US financial analyst Charles Ortel who is focusing on potential tax fraud of the Clinton Foundation. A vast amount of money is also allegedly flowing to the Clinton war chest from overseas in what could to be a US political investment of Saudi royals and Qatari sheiks. (Image by Gage Skidmore) Details DMCA Needless to say, Wall Street and especially Goldman Sachs will keep pouring money, openly or not, to insure that their good friend Hillary Clinton is (s)elected. Cash translates into air time on US mainstream media, and that means that if Sanders doesn't want to get steamrolled, his campaign management must find some very deep pockets to counterbalance the hundreds of millions of Clinton and Trump. That is of course if Bernie Sanders is sincere about winning the election, and run as an independent. Time will tell if Sanders has made a deal with the Clintons. Regardless of where their candidate stands when the dust of the phony primaries settles, the swing vote will belong to his supporters. (Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA Possible case scenarios Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). My guest today is Jonathan Simon, co-founder of Election Defense Alliance and author of CODE RED: Computerized Election Theft and The New American Century. Welcome back to OpEdNews, Jonathan. Joan Brunwasser: So, here we are in the middle of the 2016 presidential primaries. How're we doing, election integrity-wise? Jonathan Simon: First, thanks for asking me back for another round, Joan. It's one of those quadrennial "presidential" years so a lot of attention is being focused on the electoral system and things that go bump in the electoral night. Unfortunately, enormous and enduring damage has been done during the intervening "off" years in which the infrastructure of American politics--Congress, state legislatures, judgeships, and state and local administrations--has been set in down-ballot contests that receive little or no scrutiny and can be manipulated with essentially no risk of detection. But here we are in the midst of one of the most bizarre presidential campaigns in memory and, to answer your question directly, election integrity has not been one of the winners. Over the years, I've encountered such a consistently icy reception from "serious" journalists to the presentation of any evidence, however compelling, of actual electronic votecount manipulation that I have come to frame my appeals to public consciousness less in terms of declarative proofs of fraud and more in terms of the risk we face as long as we acquiesce in the unobservable counting of our votes by a few shadowy corporations. That point at least occasionally resonates, while presenting evidence of actual electoral cybertheft, even though all sorts of cybertheft are rampant in our time, seems to throw up a towering wall. So it was with a resignation born of long experience that I began to gather data and analyze the patterns from the 2016 primaries. What I have found has been enough to put me back in the "proving fraud" business. Because this year's primaries have presented a pattern that, quite simply, defies benign explanation. JB: Well, that was certainly a provocative opening and recap, Jonathan. You've got our attention. Now, please explain your last sentence. JS: Looking at the patterns of votecounts and exit poll results for the 2016 primaries, there are two major "sore-thumb" indicators of electronic interference with the tabulation of votes on the Democratic side. I want to put this in the context of the revived and heated debate about the validity and utility of exit polling as a check on the validity of the votecounts. There are some who continue to claim that U.S. exit polls are always "off" and useless because, they say, in this country unlike in other countries, exit polls are not "designed" to be accurate mirrors of the votecounts (which, if it were true, would of course beg the obvious question: "Why not?"). They would have a very hard time explaining the data from the 2016 primaries. Because somehow the exit polls managed to be consistently accurate through the whole run of Republican primaries. JB: Really? That's weird. How does that work? JS: Through New York, after which the respective nomination contests were effectively decided, the exit polls on the Republican side matched front-runner Trump's votecounts within an average of 1.5%. This modest disparity, well within the average margin of error of the polls, is just what we would expect if the votecounts were accurate. On the Democratic side, in stark contrast, the average exit poll-votecount disparity was a whopping 6.6%! Not only were 16 of the 18 disparities in the same direction, a shift of votecounts from Sanders to Clinton, but eight of the 18 disparities were outside the poll margins of error. According to the laws governing probability, the likelihood of exceeding the margin of error is 1/20 for each poll; thus 17 of the 18 polls should have been within the margin of error and the likelihood of eight outside the margin of error is on the order of one in a million. This looks very much like the pattern we observed in elections from 2004 through 2014, which we dubbed the "red shift" because it was virtually always in favor of the Republican candidate. Here we see it turning up in an intra-party context (here I should note that the "beneficiary" of electoral manipulation is not necessarily the "perpetrator:" there are, for example, bad actors other than Clinton herself with strong motivation to derail the Sanders candidacy). The utterly different performances of the exit polls, following the same protocols, on the Democratic and Republican sides in 2016 puts the lie to the general disparagement of exit polls. It is bordering on ridiculous to postulate that the exit pollsters, all of a sudden in 2016, know what they are doing when they sample Republicans but not Democrats. Code Red: Computerized Election Theft and the New American Century (Image by courtesy of Jonathan Simon) Details DMCA JB: Hmmm.... What else have you got? JS: The second big red flag is Oklahoma. The two states out of 18 shifted "the other way," from Clinton to Sanders, were Wisconsin (a 1.9% disparity) and Oklahoma (a 6.1% disparity, less than a one-in-ten likelihood of occurring). Why is this compelling? Because outlier Oklahoma is the only state among all these states in which the state, rather than the vendors, programs the vote counting computers. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The New York Times recently claimed, and peace advocates repeated, that President Barack Obama will be the first U.S. president to have been at war for two complete four-year terms. It's also become common to refer to the current U.S. war on Afghanistan as the longest U.S. war ever. These ideas fit well with the universal activist demand that we return to the time of peace or the age of justice or the wisdom of the Founding Fathers or the era before superdelegates. This is all based on a fundamental misunderstanding of history, and of its uses and abuses for life. You cannot "take back our country!" because you never had it. There is no age of peace or justice to be returned to. The United States has been at war since before it was a United States, and formed itself as such in part in order to expand its western wars. One value of history is in fact to recognize how much better or worse or simply different things have been in other times and places. But the purpose of that is not to restore some better time. All past times thus far, each taken as a whole, have been horrendously awful. The purpose is to facilitate the rejection of the silly idea that we're stuck with whatever we happen to have in the way of a lifestyle at the moment. One can always find specific ways in which things were once better. Bush used to lie to Congress and get authorizations for wars. Obama just goes to war. But both are awful. The desire to end war was common in the 1920s. Now it's unthinkable for millions of U.S. citizens. But both frames of mind lacked an effective path to peace. One can always find specific ways in which things were once worse. The war on Vietnam and neighboring nations killed some 6 million people. The latest U.S. wars may have killed less than half of that. Teddy Roosevelt marketed wars as desirable means of building character and slaughtering lesser races. Barack Obama markets wars as philanthropic assistance to the places being bombed. But both kill just the same. In the perspective of the recent past, we should not be looking at Obama as the longest war president, but rather as a president who has added his bit to the normalization of war, to the restoration of permanent war as routine and unquestionable. It's not the length of his wars that stands out, but the number of them: seven significant wars that we know of, the 2001 AUMF used and misused for military actions in 14 countries, "special" forces active in 75 countries, troops permanently stationed in 175 countries -- and all of this with very little public or Congressional involvement or even awareness. Targeted and not-so-targeted assassinations, coups, and counter-insurgency operations stretch through the entire history of the United States, as do decades-long wars. To understand this, we have to begin thinking of Native Americans as real people, so that wars against them count as real wars. A good way to do this is by listening to Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Read her book, An Indigenous People's History of the United States, or catch her interview on this week's Talk Nation Radio. Dunbar-Ortiz tells a story of endless genocidal war that employed settlers and their militias against the native people of North America in a manner not unlike Israel's use of settlers against the Palestinians. The first law created by the United States was the Northwest Ordinance, a "blueprint for gobbling up the British-protected Indian Territory." According to Dunbar-Ortiz, "documented policies of genocide on the part of U.S. administrations can be identified in at least four distinct periods: the Jacksonian era of forced removal; the California gold rush in Northern California; the Post-Civil War era of the so-called Indian wars in the Great Plains; and the 1950s termination period." Some of the settlers of the United States had previously settled Ireland, where the British had paid rewards for Irish heads and body parts, just as they would for Indian scalps. The United States for many years sought out immigrants who could settle on native land. The war on Mexico was not the first foreign war of the United States. The U.S. had attacked numerous Indian nations. Mexico was just one more in that string. With the land now filled, attitudes toward immigrants and toward the rest of the globe have shifted. "Indian Country," in the dialect of the U.S. military, refers to distant lands to be attacked with dozens of weapons named for Native American nations. John Yoo justified lawless imprisonment, now evolved into lawless murder by drone, with the ancient Roman concept of homo sacer, a person who must obey the government but whom the government or anyone else may kill. Yoo referred to past U.S. Supreme Court opinions upholding this category for Native Americans. The Indian was the original "terrorist." The United States did not go to war after reaching California. Rather it simply continued the war it had been in from the start. The United States didn't wage war for decades because of a communist threat and then for additional decades because of a terrorist threat. Rather, lies about Crazy Horse on the warpath (while he was in a reservation) evolved into lies about missile gaps which evolved into lies about incubators, WMDs, and Libyan Viagra. None of this makes war unendable. We can end it tomorrow if we choose. The unimaginative can check the history of other parts of the world that have engaged in war far less or not at all. But we will not bring the U.S. corner of the world under control until after we recognize what the problem is. Reprinted from The National In a surprise move, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week forced out his long-serving defence minister, Moshe Yaalon. As he stepped down, Mr Yaalon warned: "Extremist and dangerous elements have taken over Israel." He was referring partly to his expected successor: Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, whose trademark outbursts have included demands to bomb Egypt and behead disloyal Palestinian citizens. But Mr Yaalon was also condemning extremism closer to home, in Mr Netanyahu's Likud Party. Mr Yaalon is to take a break from politics. With fitting irony, his slot is to be filled on Likud's backbenches by Yehuda Glick, a settler whose goal to destroy Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque and replace it with a Jewish temple has the potential to set the Middle East on fire. Israeli commentators pointed out that, with Mr Lieberman's inclusion, the government will be the most extreme in Israel's history -- again. French prime minister Manuel Valls, who began a visit to the region on Saturday, is likely to face an impregnable wall of government hostility as he tries to drum up interest in a French peace plan. Less noticed has been the gradual and parallel takeover of Israel's security institutions by those espousing the ideology of the settlers -- known in Israel as the national-religious camp. None of this is accidental. For two decades the settlers have been targeting Israel's key institutions. Under Mr Netanyahu's seven-year watch as prime minister, the process has accelerated. Naftali Bennett, leader of the settler party Jewish Home and education minister, recently boasted that the national-religious camp, though only a tenth of the population, held "leadership positions in all realms in Israel." One such success for Mr Bennett is Roni Alsheikh, who was appointed police chief late last year. He was a long-time resident of Kiryat Arba, one of the most violent settlements in the occupied territories. The force's most recent campaign, "Believing in the police," is designed to recruit more religious hardliners. Behind the program are settler-politicians who have called Palestinians "subhuman" and expressed sympathy for those who burnt to death a Palestinian family, including a baby, last summer. The other security agencies are being transformed too. Religious nationalists now hold many of the top posts in the Shin Bet intelligence service and the Mossad, Israel's spy agency. In the army, too, the settlers are today heavily over-represented in the officers corps and combat units. For more than a decade their rabbis have dominated the army's education corps. But, despite this rising tides, Israel's traditional secular elite -- mostly of European extraction -- have desperately clung on to the top rungs of the army command. Mr Netanyahu bitterly resents their continuing control. They stood in his way at two momentous occasions, as he tried to overturn the Oslo accords in the late 1990s and to bomb Iran five years ago. In a bid to curb their influence, Mr Netanyahu tried to promote the religious Yair Naveh as military chief last year, but was blocked by the top brass. I am not upset that I didn't get selected to go to the National Convention; I am upset that I wasn't even given a chance to be elected. I talked to several people in the local party, a member of the Spokane City Council, and several other administrators, none of whom could not give me an explanation. These people did say, however, that the state Democratic party had informed them that it was the Sanders campaign that had removed me and that the list had not been updated yet. I then called the state party myself while I was there and was told it was official communications by the Bernie campaign that blocked me from running for National delegate. I asked to see the official communication, but was told that this was not permitted. My background: I have worked for the federal government; I have a passport, two master's degrees, and no criminal record. I deserve at least an explanation, a better one than the patently phony one I was given. I do not for one minute believe that the Sanders campaign or anyone in it in any capacity at any level would have axed me a delegate. The entire caucus today just felt scripted and faked, as if it had been planned and rehearsed. I can't explain any of this in an strong evidentiary context; perhaps I am looking too hard for authenticity in the Democratic party, of which I see very little. In the context of modern day neoliberal politics, I see an intolerable level of corporate manipulations, cronyism, greedy power grabs, brown nosing, mindless obedience, and unpaid volunteering for candidates who should be paying for the services of volunteers. Millions of dollars are raised but where does the money really go? Bernie's opponent, for example, was revealed in recent articles to have kept 99% of the monies raised ostensibly to help other candidates get elected. I arrived at the Washington Congressional District caucus and went to the table to get my number to give my speech as a national delegate, but was told that I wasn't on the list.I am not upset that I didn't get selected to go to the National Convention; I am upset that I wasn't even given a chance to be elected.I talked to several people in the local party, a member of the Spokane City Council, and several other administrators, none of whom could not give me an explanation. These people did say, however, that the state Democratic party had informed them that it was the Sanders campaign that had removed me and that the list had not been updated yet.I then called the state party myself while I was there and was told it was official communications by the Bernie campaign that blocked me from running for National delegate. I asked to see the official communication, but was told that this was not permitted.I have proof that I was still on that list as of the prior night, but they claim that they hadn't had time to update the list.My background: I have worked for the federal government; I have a passport, two master's degrees, and no criminal record. I deserve at least an explanation, a better one than the patently phony one I was given. I do not for one minute believe that the Sanders campaign or anyone in it in any capacity at any level would have axed me a delegate.The entire caucus today just felt scripted and faked, as if it had been planned and rehearsed. I can't explain any of this in an strong evidentiary context; perhaps I am looking too hard for authenticity in the Democratic party, of which I see very little.In the context of modern day neoliberal politics, I see an intolerable level of corporate manipulations, cronyism, greedy power grabs, brown nosing, mindless obedience, and unpaid volunteering for candidates who should be paying for the services of volunteers. Millions of dollars are raised but where does the money really go? Bernie's opponent, for example, was revealed in recent articles to have kept 99% of the monies raised ostensibly to help other candidates get elected. (Image by Matthew Orion Stephens) Details DMCA I am an independent thinker and have always been opposed to the two party establishment and its corruptions of the best of the Democratic processes. I have been outspoken about this on social media. This is why I believe that I was entirely prohibited from speaking, not that I was going to speak about anything other than the Presidential merits of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. I had written a strong speech, echoing Bernie's main points and precepts, but was unilaterally silenced. I can live with that, however, because although they may have silenced me at the caucus, they can't silence me from telling this story. I was registered as an Independent before this election, and was brought back into the Democratic fold by the eloquence and the integrity of Bernie Sanders, but this recent incident convinces me that it was a mistake to join the Democratic party. These people and their billionaire buddies are as out of touch as the Republicans are, in my opinion now. I am an independent thinker and have always been opposed to the two party establishment and its corruptions of the best of the Democratic processes. I have been outspoken about this on social media.This is why I believe that I was entirely prohibited from speaking, not that I was going to speak about anything other than the Presidential merits of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.I had written a strong speech, echoing Bernie's main points and precepts, but was unilaterally silenced.I can live with that, however, because although they may have silenced me at the caucus, they can't silence me from telling this story.I was registered as an Independent before this election, and was brought back into the Democratic fold by the eloquence and the integrity of Bernie Sanders, but this recent incident convinces me that it was a mistake to join the Democratic party. These people and their billionaire buddies are as out of touch as the Republicans are, in my opinion now. This is a warning to all upcoming states such as California, where Bernie will probably win by a huge margin: His opponent and the DNC may still find a way to deprive him out of his victories; this applies even to you in California and other remaining primary states before you vote. This is what they are doing, so be prepared!Bernie Sanders won Washington by almost 3 to 1, but now all of the problems are obvious to me; as a duly elected county level delegate, I was not allowed to speak for my presidential candidate.It is very clear to me the DNC is abnegating this Washington state victory by blocking some of his strongest and most consistent supporters, like me. This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. Much of our future is reliably unpredictable, and what more so than the moments when mass movements suddenly break out and sweep across our world? Who expected, for example, that for perhaps the first time in history hundreds of thousands of people would hit the streets of U.S. cities and towns -- and millions the global streets from London and Barcelona to Sydney and Jakarta -- in early 2003 to protest the coming invasion of Iraq, a war, that is, that hadn't even begun? Or that such a movement would essentially vanish not long after that war was predictably launched? Who imagined that, in September 2011, a small group of youthful protesters, settling into Zuccotti Park, an obscure square near Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, would "occupy" it and so the American imagination in such a way that "the 1%" and "the 99%" became part of our everyday language; Wall Street (as it hadn't been for decades) a reviled site; and "inequality" part of the national conversation rather than just the national reality? Who imagined in the moment before it happened that such a movement, such a moment, would then sweep the country and the world, that streets and squares in American cities and those around the world would be "occupied" and that global inequality would become, and remain, an issue of import? Who imagined that a small number of environmentalists running an obscure organization called 350.org would help spark a climate-change movement that would spread globally in a startling fashion, mount a large demonstration in Washington and others across the planet, venture into the Arctic and by kayak into the waters of the American West, and actually stop the building of a pipeline slated to carry the carbon-dirtiest of energy sources from now-ravaged Alberta, Canada, to the American Gulf Coast, and -- with a growing divestment movement and other activities -- put the fear of god into the most profitable and influential corporations on the planet? And who imagined that the shooting of a young black man in a place no one (outside of Missouri) had ever heard of and the death-by-choking of another black man on the streets of New York City, events that were, in the annals of American policing, hardly out of the ordinary, would propel a protest movement whose name couldn't sum up its goals better -- Black Lives Matter -- to national prominence or that this would, in turn, help spark a movement of millennials, discussed today by TomDispatchregular Avi Chomsky, that would sweep college campuses nationwide? Is there anything stranger than what in the world, on occasion, gets into us human beings, what suddenly makes us so ornery that we sometimes stand up to overwhelming power in defense of convictions that, until moments before, we didn't even know would occupy us in such a way? And perhaps nothing is more useful than the unpredictability of such moments, such movements. Otherwise how would they ever catch power off guard? Tom The Battle for the Soul of American Higher Education Student Protest, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and the Rise of the Corporate University By Aviva Chomsky During the past academic year, an upsurge of student activism, a movement of millennials, has swept campuses across the country and attracted the attention of the media. From coast to coast, from the Ivy League to state universities to small liberal arts colleges, a wave of student activism has focused on stopping climate change, promoting a living wage, fighting mass incarceration practices, supporting immigrant rights, and of course campaigning for Bernie Sanders. Both the media and the schools that have been the targets of some of these protests have seized upon certain aspects of the upsurge for criticism or praise, while ignoring others. Commentators, pundits, and reporters have frequently trivialized and mocked the passion of the students and the ways in which it has been directed, even as universities have tried to appropriate it by promoting what some have called "neoliberal multiculturalism." Think of this as a way, in particular, of taming the power of the present demands for racial justice and absorbing them into an increasingly market-oriented system of higher education. In some of their most dramatic actions, students of color, inspired in part by the Black Lives Matter movement, have challenged the racial climate at their schools. In the process, they have launched a wave of campus activism, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, demonstrations, and petitions, as well as emotional, in-your-face demands of various sorts. One national coalition of student organizations, the Black Liberation Collective, has called for the percentage of black students and faculty on campus to approximate that of blacks in the society. It has also called for free tuition for black and Native American students, and demanded that schools divest from private prison corporations. Other student demands for racial justice have included promoting a living wage for college employees, reducing administrative salaries, lowering tuitions and fees, increasing financial aid, and reforming the practices of campus police. These are not, however, the issues that have generally attracted the attention either of media commentators or the colleges themselves. Instead, the spotlight has been on student demands for cultural changes at their institutions that focus on deep-seated assumptions about whiteness, sexuality, and ability. At some universities, students have personalized these demands, insisting on the removal of specific faculty members and administrators. Emphasizing a politics of what they call "recognition," they have also demanded that significant on-campus figures issue public apologies or acknowledge that "black lives matter." Some want universities to implement in-class "trigger warnings" when difficult material is being presented and to create "safe spaces" for marginalized students as a sanctuary from the daily struggle with the mainstream culture. By seizing upon and responding to these (and only these) student demands, university administrators around the country are attempting to domesticate and appropriate this new wave of activism. In the meantime, right-wing commentators have depicted students as coddled, entitled, and enemies of free speech. The libertarian right has launched a broad media critique of the current wave of student activism. Commentators have been quick to dismiss student protesters as over-sensitive and entitled purveyors of "academic victimology." They lament the "coddling of the American mind." The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf has termed students "misguided" in their protests against racist language, ideas, and assumptions, their targeting of "microaggression" (that is, unconscious offensive comments) and insensitivity, and their sometimes highly personal attacks against those they accuse. One of the most vocal critics of the new campus politics, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, argues that such rampant "liberalism" and "political correctness" violate academic freedom and freedom of speech. (In this, they are in accord with the liberal American Civil Liberties Union. Free speech advocates Daphne Patai and the ACLU's Harvey Silvergate, for example, bemoan a new diversity requirement at the University of Massachusetts for its "politicization of education.") In a response that, under the circumstances, might at first seem surprising, college administrators have been been remarkably open to some of these student demands -- often the very ones derided by the right. In this way, the commentators and the administrators have tended to shine a bright light on what is both personal and symbolic in the new politics of the student protesters, while ignoring or downplaying their more structural and economically challenging desires and demands. The Neoliberal University University administrators have been particularly amenable to student demands that fit with current trends in higher education. Today's neoliberal university is increasingly facing market pressures like loss of state funding, privatization, rising tuition, and student debt, while promoting a business model that emphasizes the managerial control of faculty through constant "assessment," emphasis on "accountability," and rewards for "efficiency." Meanwhile, in a society in which labor unions are constantly being weakened, the higher education labor force is similarly being -- in the term of the moment -- "flexibilized" through the weakening of tenure, that once ironclad guarantee of professorial lifetime employment, and the increased use of temporary adjunct faculty. In this context, universities are scrambling to accommodate student activism for racial justice by incorporating the more individualized and personal side of it into increasingly depoliticized cultural studies programs and business-friendly, market-oriented academic ways of thinking. Not surprisingly, how today's students frame their demands often reflects the environment in which they are being raised and educated. Postmodern theory, an approach which still reigns in so many liberal arts programs, encourages textual analysis that reveals hidden assumptions encoded in words; psychology has popularized the importance of individual trauma; and the neoliberal ideology that has come to permeate so many schools emphasizes individual behavior as the most important agent for social change. Add together these three strands of thought, now deeply embedded in a college education, and injustice becomes a matter of the wrongs individuals inflict on others at a deeply personal level. Deemphasized are the policies and structures that are built into how society (and the university) works. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Reader Supported News If you are an Independent voter in California, voting is very confusing. Consider this. Most Californians vote by mail. There's the rub. Elections Code 3006 makes it mandatory for any government form that is an application to vote by mail to explain that Independent voters have the right to request a Democratic, American Independent or Libertarian presidential primary ballot -- a "crossover ballot." Sounds good. But ... not all of these applications provide this mandatory notice. Not even here in the supposedly enlightened Bay Area. Look at all these counties that got it wrong. You can see we're not talking about just one or two -- such as the websites for the Department of Elections of the City and County of San Francisco and the Registrar of Voters for Alameda County, which are the focus of the suit. We're talking more like 10 or 20 counties. You also see the voter instructions for Los Angeles County saying things like voter registration closes on April 18 -- when the deadline is actually May 23! Here's another problem: It's mandatory for these applications to let Independents know that they have the "legal right" to personally deliver their applications to vote by mail back to their county of board of elections by May 31. This notice often isn't given either. Why not? The elections people may not want muddy boots on their nice carpets. Or they may simply want fewer Independents to vote. After all, once people have traipsed downtown to pick up their ballot, and see voting machines sitting there unused, they'll probably just wind up voting right there! Many of the Independents (also known as "no party preference," or NPP) don't know they can ask for a Democratic ballot and vote for Bernie (or Hillary, for that matter). It's so confusing that I changed to Democrat for this election so I'd be sure I could vote for Bernie. When you see this level of nonsense, you have to do something. I threw up my hands and did something that I could do. I got together with my friends. We filed a voting rights suit in federal court today on behalf of our left-leaning voting rights group for Bernie, the right-leaning American Independence Party of California, an Independent voter for Bernie, and a Democratic voter for Bernie. Our Democratic voter plaintiff would like to have the option to be an Independent and vote for Bernie, but she doesn't want to take the chance given this situation. Some Independents are so nervous that (like me) they are re-registering as Democrats before the Monday registration deadline! One article about this case, "Clinton's California Dreaming of Election Stealing," is not the message I want to send, but it typifies an understandable reaction to a situation that results in serious disenfranchisement. The two major parties toy with the Independent voters of this country. They run the boards of elections and they make up the rules as they please as they go along. The result is that every county is a fiefdom, run by each county election official in a different way. This does not inspire confidence in the integrity of the vote. I'm not suggesting that crossover voting is the cure to the nation's ills. Our problems are a lot deeper than that. I understand why many parties ban crossover voting -- Rush Limbaugh used to delight in egging on his dittohead fan base to "knock off" the strongest liberal opponents in the opposition primaries. Why do the Democrats allow crossovers? The Democratic Party apparently believes its own rhetoric and wants to attract Independents back to their party, given that the Republicans can no longer overtly sabotage their primary. Given that the Independents are not being treated with respect, this strategy is not going to work. Reasonable people throughout the political spectrum can agree that it's wrong to tamper with the right to vote in any way, shape or form. Donald Trump (Image by Gage Skidmore) Details DMCA That's because Trump's movement is an appeal to the authoritarian personality, which is built around a fundamental lie, and which is, at its root, a rebellion against the order it pretends to serve. Let me explain. TRUMP AS TRANSGRESSIVE LEADER The pundits have exclaimed since near the outset about how the usual rules don't apply to Trump. His insults to Mexicans, John McCain, Fox News, his opponents, etc. -- all these transgressions were supposed to bring him down. But they didn't. Instead, Trump's support just kept building. ("I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters," Trump famously said.) His transgressions showed millions of people that he was their kind of guy. Take Trump's use of the idea of "political correctness." In the world that Trump has created for his followers, hostility to the term "politically correct" has been expanded into permission to behave badly in a whole variety of ways. Not only are old forms of bigotry allowed, by the transgressive leader, to crawl back out from under the rocks. But more broadly, Trump claims a license to take a sledge hammer to our political norms, to good manners, and to just plain decency. The strangeness of using a wrecking ball as a primary tool to supposedly build back our national greatness connects with the role of the lie in his leadership. A fact-checking organization -- the Pulitzer Prize winning Politifact -- found that 76% of the statements from Donald Trump were either mostly false, false, or "pants on fire" false. Trump's percentage of falsehoods was much higher than any of the other presidential candidates. And Politifact gave the "Lie of the Year" award to the whole body of Trump's campaign misstatements. Norm Ornstein has said that while many voters care about the truth, we don't know what that portion is. But the big question is why is it that the portion of voters who don't care about the truth is so large that they've been able to elevate a consistent liar to the status of nominee for president of one of America's two major parties. To answer that, it is necessary to understand the authoritarian personality. THE AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY First, it should be noted: it has been empirically established -- by a study by Matthew MacWilliams, published on Politico -- that authoritarians are a major component in Trump's following. Indeed, MacWilliam's study found that "authoritarianism" is the variable most highly predictive of whether a voter's preferred candidate was Donald Trump. Authoritarianism is a long-established concept in both theory and in empirical research. (The work goes back to the years right after World War II, when many felt a pressing need to understand how Nazism could have gained power in such a "civilized" nation as Germany." Psychological studies have suggested that to raise children to be authoritarians, one should subject them to demands harsh enough -- with deviation or rebellion so little tolerated -- that the children will feel safer identifying with the powerful authority, even at the cost of pushing their real needs and feelings underground. Those parts of the self for which there is no place in the harsh "morality" that is being imposed are thereafter denied. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Andrew Schmookler Social Media Pages: Andy Schmookler, an award-winning author, political commentator, radio talk-show host, and teacher, was the Democratic nominee for Congress from Virginia's 6th District. His new book -- written to have an impact on the central political battle of our time -- is (more...) The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors. OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help. If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership. Songwon Industrial Group announces Financial Results for Q1/2016 www.songwon.com www.songwon.com www.songwon.com Sales in Q1 totaled 183,074 Mil. KRW Gross profit increased over 2015 to 51,185 Mil. KRW The gross profit margin is at 28.0%Ulsan, Korea May 13, 2016 Songwon Industrial Group () today reported its audited financial results for Q1/2016. The Group achieved sales of 183,074 Mil. KRW. When compared to sales in Q1/2015 (Mil. KRW 157,045), revenue increased by 16.6%.Songwon had a promising start to 2016. With business remaining in line with its ambitious expectations, the company saw volumes sold exceeding those sold in Q1/2015. Strong customer demand, raw material and selling price stability, combined with smoothly operating production sites enabled Songwon to achieve acceptable margin results during the first three months of the year. During Q1/2016, EBITDA and EBIT margins increased to 18.4% and to 13.6% respectively.Throughout Q1, all of Songwons manufacturing facilities operated at high utilization rates, allowing the company to reliably supply customers according to their orders. Songwons global manufacturing footprint was further expanded in Q1 with the new OPS (One Pack Systems) plant in Abu Dhabi kicking off operations in January. Leveraging both economy of scale and optimizing its production processes, Songwon continued to implement cost position improvements during Q1.When looking beyond the positive Q1 results, Songwon remains cautiously optimistic. The company sees no reason to expect a decline in demand, but instead a slow rate of growth. In the coming months, Songwon will continue to press forward with various initiatives to maintain profitability and support further growth in the current market environment, while keeping accurate price/volume management a priority.The Q1 Report can be downloaded at:/en/investors/financialresults.About Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd.Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd. is the 2nd largest manufacturer of polymer stabilizers in the world with an almost 50 year history of breakthrough solutions. A leader in the development and production of additives and specialty chemicals, Songwon provides added-value products and innovative solutions to the plastics industry.The companys extensive product portfolio includes polymer stabilizers, alkyl phenols and alkyl cresols, PVC stabilizers, plasticizers, tin intermediates, polyurethanes, SAP and flocculants.With headquarters in Ulsan, Korea, the Songwon Industrial Group comprises 16 companies including 2 joint ventures and 2 representative offices, located in 10 different countries on 3 continents. Songwon's products are manufactured across the globe in 9 manufacturing facilities: 3 are located in Korea and the others in Germany, USA, India and UAE plus 2 JV plants in China, one currently under construction and due for completion in 2016. The company also has a worldwide network sales and customer service offices, logistics hubs and warehouses.For further information, please go to:Marketing SolutionsBox 62950KapellenBelgium0031164317012 SABIC INVESTS IN INNOVATIVE CHEMISTRY AND INAUGURATES STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH CENTRE IN GELEEN, THE NETHERLANDS On 19 May 2016 SABIC inaugurated a new research facility at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen. The official opening was done by the Governor of the Limburg Province Theo Bovens and Peter Borman, Director Regional Technology Affairs Europe at SABIC. The inspiring state-of-the-art research centre supports an extension of SABICs research capabilities in the area of innovative chemistry and materials, supporting the companys vision to become the world leader in the chemical industry.Official openingThe 200 guests included Governor Theo Bovens representing the Dutch Province of Limburg, Mr. Sjraar Cox, Mayor of Sittard-Geleen, where SABIC is based, Bert Kip, CEO of Brightlands Chemelot Campus and Henny Jacobs, Director Investment Projects Netherlands, Foreign Investment Agency. With one push of the button, Governor Bovens and Peter Borman unveiled a work of art by Marcel Timmers, symbolizing engagement and expertise.Bert Groothuis, Director Corporate Sustainability Europe: This research centre is the latest milestone in SABICs innovation journey, and combines our expertise in chemicals, polymers and excellence in innovative application development. SABIC continues to focus on innovation in chemistry and develop new and sustainability solutions together with customers and partners, which are being used in several markets, including transportation, packaging and building industries.He continued; A great example is the development of a new product based in light weight foamed polyolefins, specifically developed for bumper applications for the automotive industry, with benefits such as improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 generation, noise and vibration and increasing safety and harshness (NVH) control. Our Technology & Innovation colleagues also developed so-called renewable polymers for the packaging of for instance beverages, based on renewable feedstocks that are not competing with the food chain.Bert Kip, CEO Brightlands Chemelot Campus, shared the developments within Brightlands and the region: With SABICs new research building, as well as some 300 SABIC scientists now active, the campus community will develop further. We are on our way to turning this community into a European material hotspot for businesses and research institutes with new and unprecedented opportunities to grow and innovate.Governor Theo Bovens, Representative of the King in the Limburg province congratulated SABIC and spoke about the importance of chemistry and innovation to the region. Bovens: Limburg excels in transformation: from agriculture to mines, from mines to chemistry and from chemistry to knowledge industry. We will succeed in the transition into the most competitive and sustainable chemicals- and materials site of Western Europe, Chemelot 2025. Transition in Limburg is tradition, where an innovative company like SABIC feels and will continue to feel comfortable. The brand new Technology & Innovation building enables bright minds to work on a bright future, for SABIC, for Limburg and worldwide.Peter Borman, Director Regional Technology Affairs Europe, was responsible for the renovation, exterior and interior design of the new facility. He stated: Due to the dedication of our team and the cooperation with Brightlands Chemelot Campus, we realized this challenging project within a short time period and highest safety standards. A good basis for further innovations in the future.About the Research CentreThe new research building accommodates over 130 Technology & Innovation employees. It can be characterized as inspiring and state-of-the-art, not only by top notch research equipment and facilities, but also the Open Office concept, as well as remarkable and natural materials, such as plantwalls and design furniture. The centre also includes a brainstorming room, supporting out-of-the-box thinking. Several labs complete the centre, where materials and applications are being developed and tested. The new building extends the research buildings of SABIC Technology & Innovation at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, where approximately 250 employees focus on the research and development of chemicals and polymer materials, and are a central part of the European innovation labs in Geleen, Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands, Wilton -UK and Cartagena Spain.NOTES TO EDITORS SABIC and brands marked with are trademarks of SABIC or its subsidiaries or affiliates. High-resolution photos are available upon request. SABIC should be written in every instance in all uppercase.ABOUT SABICSABIC is a global leader in diversified chemicals headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We manufacture on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: Chemicals, Plastics, Agri-Nutrients, Metals, and Specialties.We support our customers in identifying and developing opportunities in key end markets such as Construction, Medical Devices, Packaging, Agri-Nutrients, Electrical and Electronics, Transportation, and Clean Energy.SABIC recorded a net profit of SR 18.77 billion (US$ 5 billion) in 2015. Sales revenues for 2015 totaled SR 148.09 billion (US$ 39.49 billion). Total assets stood at SR 328.22 billion (US$ 87.53 billion) at the end of 2015.SABIC has more than 40,000 employees worldwide and operates in more than 50 countries. Fostering innovation and a spirit of ingenuity, we have filed more than 10,960 patents, and have significant research resources with innovation hubs in five key geographies USA, Europe, Middle East, South East Asia and North East Asia.The Saudi Arabian government owns 70 percent of SABIC shares with the remaining 30 percent publicly traded on the Saudi stock exchange.At SABIC, we combine a rich track record of doing what others said couldnt be done, with a deep understanding of our customers. But our true impact is as a partner who can help our customers achieve their ambitions by finding solutions to their challenges. We call this Chemistry that Matters.Marketing SolutionsBox 62950KapellenBelgium0031164317012 Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) System Market to register growth rate of 4.0% by 2020 Forecast http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=255167654 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=255167654 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/extracorporeal-membrane-oxygenation-systems-market-255167654.html 20/May/16 - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) System Market expected to register growth rate of 4.0% reaching a market value of $287.6 Million by 2020.The statistics are given by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Systems Market by Modality & Application - 2020.Brochure of this research -The global extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system market growth is attributed to the rise in the number of patients suffering from respiratory failure and cardiopulmonary disease, and rising incidence in Chronic Obtrusive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD). Despite this, high cost of devices, risk of complication during ECMO treatment, and presence of conventional techniques are some of the hindering factors.The ECMO system is a device which is a combination of one membrane oxygenator, cannula, oxygen blender, heat exchanger, post membrane pressure monitor, venous reservoir and centrifugal pump. ECMO transport is an effective method of transferring patients with severe ARDS. It has multiple causes, and the diagnosis should be investigated and treatment commenced during ECMO. Since ECMO is a complicated and high-risk therapy, adequate training in its performance and creation of a referring hospital network are essential.In 2014, the global extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system market was dominated by North America. This market is segmented and forecast on the basis of modality, application and geography. The modality comprises of Veno Artrial (VA), Veno Venous (VV), Artrio Venous (ECOO2 R). On the basis of application, the market is segmented into respiratory, cardiac, and Extra-Corporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR). The market is further segmented and forecast on the basis of major geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-pacific and rest of the world (RoW).The market in North America is growing due to improved patient safety and awareness among the doctors and patients for low flow aesthetic agents. The European market is growing due to the technological advancements and is dominated majorly by MAQUET Holding B.V. & CO. KG. (Germany). The Asian market is growing due to increasing adoption rate of ECMO machine in hospitals, success rate of ECMO & government initiatives, and growing awareness towards ECMO.MAQUET Holding B.V. & CO. KG. (Germany), SORIN Group (Italy), MEDTRONIC (Republic of Ireland), NIPRO Medical Corporation (U.S.), Terumo Medical Corporation (Japan), MicroPort Scientific Corporation (China), Medos Medizintechnik AG (Germany) are some of the key companies operating in this market.Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) System Market report is a premium syndicated market research and is aimed at identifying emerging trends and opportunities in the global extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system market along with detailed classifications, in terms of revenue till 2020.Inquiries related to this report -Browse 78 market data tables with 91 figures spread through 138 pages and in-depth TOC on "Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Systems Market Analysis and Forecast Report till 2020About Report Publisher:MarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Markets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India1-888-600-6441 Edition Digital: Introducing a new content hub for the digital publishing world Edition Digital, the publishing solution company, has launched its own media hub, a responsive website which explores the ever changing world of digital publishing, bringing the best insights and innovative stories from the industry.Knowledge is a powerful force, but the real magic can only happen when you share it and set it free. 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It provides complete overview of Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption market considering all the major industry trends, market dynamics and competitive scenario.The Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption Industry Report 2016 is an in depth study analyzing the current state of the Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption market. It provides brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption market provides analysis of market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape. Competitive analysis includes competitive information of leading players in market, their company profiles, product portfolio, capacity, production, and company financials. In addition, report also provides upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with the key development trends and sales channel analysis. Research study on Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption market also discusses the opportunity areas for investors.View Full Report With Complete TOC, List Of Figure and Table:With 153 tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Reasons to Buy this ReportThe research report will enrich your decision-making capability by helping you to Design and improve your product development and sales strategies and enhancing your marketing activitiesDevelop business strategies by understanding the market dynamics and developments driving the Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption marketDevelop market-entry strategies and effective ways to sustain competitionCreate merger and acquisition opportunities by identifying the market players with the most innovative pipelinesIdentify the regional market potential which would further help in designing regional market strategiesUnderstand the competitive scenario in the Global Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Consumption marketTake more informed business decisions by relying on the insightful opinions from industry expertsDownload Sample this Report:8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)8.1 Albemarle8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Type I8.1.2.2 Type II8.1.2.3 Type III8.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.1.4 Contact Information8.2 Ashland8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Type I8.2.2.2 Type II8.2.2.3 Type III8.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.2.4 Contact Information8.3 BASF8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.3.2.1 Type I8.3.2.2 Type II8.3.2.3 Type III8.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.3.4 Contact Information8.4 Baker Hughes8.4.1 Company Profile8.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.4.2.1 Type I8.4.2.2 Type II8.4.2.3 Type III8.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.4.4 Contact Information8.5 Champion Technologies8.5.1 Company Profile8.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.5.2.1 Type I8.5.2.2 Type II8.5.2.3 Type III8.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.5.4 Contact Information8.6 Dow8.6.1 Company Profile8.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.6.2.1 Type I8.6.2.2 Type II8.6.2.3 Type III8.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.6.4 Contact Information8.7 DuPont8.7.1 Company Profile8.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.7.2.1 Type I8.7.2.2 Type II8.7.2.3 Type III8.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.7.4 Contact Information8.8 Halliburton8.8.1 Company Profile8.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.8.2.1 Type I8.8.2.2 Type II8.8.2.3 Type III8.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.8.4 Contact Information8.9 Huntsman8.9.1 Company Profile8.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.9.2.1 Type I8.9.2.2 Type II8.9.2.3 Type III8.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.9.4 Contact Information8.10 Kemira8.10.1 Company Profile8.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.10.2.1 Type I8.10.2.2 Type II8.10.2.3 Type III8.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.10.4 Contact Information8.11 Oil Chem8.11.1 Company Profile8.11.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.11.2.1 Type I8.11.2.2 Type II8.11.2.3 Type III8.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.11.4 Contact Information8.12 Schlumberger8.12.1 Company Profile8.12.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.12.2.1 Type I8.12.2.2 Type II8.12.2.3 Type III8.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.12.4 Contact Information8.13 Shell Chemicals8.13.1 Company Profile8.13.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.13.2.1 Type I8.13.2.2 Type II8.13.2.3 Type III8.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.13.4 Contact Information8.14 Solvay8.14.1 Company Profile8.14.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.14.2.1 Type I8.14.2.2 Type II8.14.2.3 Type III8.14.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.14.4 Contact Information8.15 Stepan8.15.1 Company Profile8.15.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.15.2.1 Type I8.15.2.2 Type II8.15.2.3 Type III8.15.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.15.4 Contact Information8.16 TIORCO8.16.1 Company Profile8.16.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.16.2.1 Type I8.16.2.2 Type II8.16.2.3 Type III8.16.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.16.4 Contact InformationTo Purchase this premium Report atGlobal QY Research is the one spot destination for all your research needs. Global QY Research holds the repository of quality research reports from numerous publishers across the globe. Our inventory of research reports caters to various industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. With the complete information about the publishers and the industries they cater to for developing market research reports, we help our clients in making purchase decision by understanding their requirements and suggesting best possible collection matching their needs.Unit1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London, E182AN, United Kingdom United States Electric Unicycle Industry Report 2016 http://globalqyresearch.com/united-states-electric-unicycle-industry-2016 http://globalqyresearch.com/download-sample/52129 http://globalqyresearch.com/checkout-form/0/52129 The recently published report titled United States Electric Unicycle Industry 2016 Market Research Report is an in depth study providing complete analysis of the industry for the period 2016 2021. It provides complete overview of United States Electric Unicycle market considering all the major industry trends, market dynamics and competitive scenario.The United States Electric Unicycle Industry Report 2016 is an in depth study analyzing the current state of the United States Electric Unicycle market. It provides brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on United States Electric Unicycle market provides analysis of market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape. Competitive analysis includes competitive information of leading players in market, their company profiles, product portfolio, capacity, production, and company financials. In addition, report also provides upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with the key development trends and sales channel analysis. Research study on United States Electric Unicycle market also discusses the opportunity areas for investors.View Full Report With Complete TOC, List Of Figure and Table:With 153 tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Reasons to Buy this ReportThe research report will enrich your decision-making capability by helping you to Design and improve your product development and sales strategies and enhancing your marketing activitiesDevelop business strategies by understanding the market dynamics and developments driving the United States Electric Unicycle marketDevelop market-entry strategies and effective ways to sustain competitionCreate merger and acquisition opportunities by identifying the market players with the most innovative pipelinesIdentify the regional market potential which would further help in designing regional market strategiesUnderstand the competitive scenario in the United States Electric Unicycle marketTake more informed business decisions by relying on the insightful opinions from industry expertsDownload Sample this Report:7 Analysis of Electric Unicycle Industry Key Manufacturers7.1 Airwheel7.1.1 Company Profile7.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.1.2.1 Type I7.1.2.2 Type II7.1.2.3 Type III7.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.1.4 Contact Information7.2 Ninebot7.2.1 Company Profile7.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.2.2.1 Type I7.2.2.2 Type II7.2.2.3 Type III7.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.2.4 Contact Information7.3 Segway7.3.1 Company Profile7.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.3.2.1 Type I7.3.2.2 Type II7.3.2.3 Type III7.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.3.4 Contact Information7.4 IPS Electric Unicycle7.4.1 Company Profile7.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.4.2.1 Type I7.4.2.2 Type II7.4.2.3 Type III7.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.4.4 Contact Information7.5 InMotion7.5.1 Company Profile7.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.5.2.1 Type I7.5.2.2 Type II7.5.2.3 Type III7.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.5.4 Contact Information7.6 FOSJOAS7.6.1 Company Profile7.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.6.2.1 Type I7.6.2.2 Type II7.6.2.3 Type III7.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.6.4 Contact Information7.7 MightySkins7.7.1 Company Profile7.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.7.2.1 Type I7.7.2.2 Type II7.7.2.3 Type III7.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.7.4 Contact Information7.8 F-WHEEL7.8.1 Company Profile7.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.8.2.1 Type I7.8.2.2 Type II7.8.2.3 Type III7.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.8.4 Contact Information7.9 Mobbo7.9.1 Company Profile7.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.9.2.1 Type I7.9.2.2 Type II7.9.2.3 Type III7.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.9.4 Contact Information7.10 Zhongshan Esun Industry Factory (eSun)7.10.1 Company Profile7.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.10.2.1 Type I7.10.2.2 Type II7.10.2.3 Type III7.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.10.4 Contact Information7.11 Focus Designs7.11.1 Company Profile7.11.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.11.2.1 Type I7.11.2.2 Type II7.11.2.3 Type III7.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.11.4 Contact Information7.12 MonoRover7.12.1 Company Profile7.12.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.12.2.1 Type I7.12.2.2 Type II7.12.2.3 Type III7.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.12.4 Contact Information7.13 Fastwheel7.13.1 Company Profile7.13.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.13.2.1 Type I7.13.2.2 Type II7.13.2.3 Type III7.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.13.4 Contact Information7.14 segmart7.14.1 Company Profile7.14.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.14.2.1 Type I7.14.2.2 Type II7.14.2.3 Type III7.14.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.14.4 Contact Information7.15 Inventist7.15.1 Company Profile7.15.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.15.2.1 Type I7.15.2.2 Type II7.15.2.3 Type III7.15.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.15.4 Contact Information7.16 Generic7.16.1 Company Profile7.16.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.16.2.1 Type I7.16.2.2 Type II7.16.2.3 Type III7.16.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.16.4 Contact InformationTo Purchase this premium Report atGlobal QY Research is the one spot destination for all your research needs. Global QY Research holds the repository of quality research reports from numerous publishers across the globe. Our inventory of research reports caters to various industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. With the complete information about the publishers and the industries they cater to for developing market research reports, we help our clients in making purchase decision by understanding their requirements and suggesting best possible collection matching their needs.Unit1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London, E182AN, United Kingdom Glucose Biosensors Market Research | Industry Analysis | Application | Supplier 2016-2020 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/market-analysis/glucose-biosensors-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share.html http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/request-for-sample.html?flag=S&repid=60650 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/ Biological sensor also called as biosensor device made up of a transducer and biological element, nucleic acid, and antibody or an enzyme. Its biological element acts as a sensor and electrical component is used to detect and transmit the signal. Glucose biosensors transform a biological response into electrical signal and aid in measuring a wide spectrum of analysts together with, bacteria, gases, organic compounds and others. Monitoring blood glucose has been recognized as a helpful tool in managing diabetes. Depending on application, biosensors are recognized as biochips, resonant mirrors, biocomputers, optrodes, glucometers, immunosensors, and chemical canaries.Diabetes and appropriate glucose biosensors help to maintain blood glucose level which is crucial for the patients distress. As a result, portable forms of self examining glucose biosensors are experiencing high demand. Glucose sensors are referred as small and simply all-encompassing devices that compute glucose levels. The demand for glucose biosensor is rising due to escalating incidences of diabetes worldwide which in turn drives the market growth. Additionally, point of care diagnostics and home care diagnostics further fuel the market of glucose biosensor. Conversely, high rate for the treatment and time-consuming rate for commercialization are the restrain for glucose biosensors market. Technological advancements lead to development of cost effective and smallest and non-interfering glucose biosensors. Several companies, players are concerned in extensive R&D initiatives to build cost-effective, less painful, trustworthy, and more precise products.Read More @The report provides a comprehensive view on the glucose biosensors market we have included a detailed value chain analysis. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the glucose biosensors market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein product segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness. The report also analyzes several driving and restraining factors and their impact on the market during the forecast period.The glucose biosensors market is segmented on the basis of type, applications, end use, regions. Electrochemical, optical, thermal, and piezoelectric and others are the types of glucose biosensors. The electrochemical biosensors are broadly used, in the medical diagnostic glucose monitoring systems. Some major applications of glucose biosensors market are, home diagnostics, point-of-care research labs, environmental monitoring, food industries and biodefense. Several end user segment of glucose biosensors market include homecare diagnostics, hospitals, research institutes, diagnostic laboratories and clinical.Geographically, glucose biosensors market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Increasing victims of diabetes worldwide is the key factor accelerating market growth. Diabetes is probable one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. North America is foremost in the market and is also expected to grow at significant rate during the estimate period. Asia Pacific is also anticipated to exhibit strong growth over the predicted period.Some of the key participants in the biosensors market are LifeScan, Abbott, Roche, Animas Corporation, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, AgaMatrix, Hoffman-La Roche and M-Biotech Limited, Bayer and Nova Biomedical Corp.Sample Report @Syndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite: Pyrimethamine Treatment Market Research | Industry Analysis | Application | Supplier 2016-2020 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/market-analysis/pyrimethamine-treatment-market-global-industry-perspective-comprehensive-analysis.html http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/request-for-sample.html?flag=S&repid=58510 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/ Pyrimethamine is an antiparasitic compound and used to treat serious parasite infection of the body, brain. It can be also utilized to prevent toxoplasmosis infection in individuals with HIV infection. Pyrimethamine possesses some tissue schizonticidal action against malaria parasites of humans. The combination of pyrimethamine with sulfadoxine is used prevent certain types of malaria. Pyrimethamine belongs to a category of drugs known as antiparasitics. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no longer recommends consumption of pyrimethamine alone to prevent or treat malaria.Increasing prevalence of toxoplasmosis coupled with high investment in R&D for toxoplasmosis is expected to propel the market growth in the years to come. Rising incidence of protozoan disease such as malaria in Asia Pacific region could further surge the market growth. Moreover, government initiatives and regulations expected to drive the market for pyrimethamine treatment market in the region over the forecast period. However, several side effects of higher doses of pyrimethamine such as abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, weight loss, and diarrhea may hamper market growth during the forecast period.Read More @The study provides a decisive view on the pyrimethamine treatment market by segmenting the market based on drug and geography. Based on drug, the pyrimethamine treatment market has been segmented into two drugs such as Daraprim and Fansidar. The Daraprim segment accounted for largest share of the pyrimethamine treatment market.Geographically, the pyrimethamine treatment market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa, further bifurcation of region on the country level, which include U.S., Germany, UK, France, China, Japan and India. North America has witnessed strong growth of pyrimethamine treatment market in recent past years on account of the rising health awareness and high incidences from foodborne illness in the region. Asia Pacific is another leading region for pyrimethamine treatment market and is expected to exhibit significant growth over the forecast period. Latin America is also expected to grow at moderate pace over the forecast period.The report provides comprehensive view on the pyrimethamine treatment market, in which study included a detailed competitive scenario and product portfolio of key vendors. The report analyzes the attractiveness of segments. Additionally, the study analyzes market competition and industry players using Porters five forces analysis. The report also analyzes several driving and restraining factors and their impact on the market during the forecast period.The detailed description of players includes parameters such as company overview, financial overview, business and recent developments of the company. Some of the major in the global pyrimethamine treatment market include Turing Pharmaceuticals, Impax Laboratories, Inc., Pfizer, Inc. GlaxoSmithKline plc, and others.Sample Report @Syndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite: World Scada In Power Industry 2015 - Market Developments, Global Trends, SWOT Analysis, Key Applications & Influential Growth Elements http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-scada-in-power-industry-2015-market-research-report.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com The research report examining the global Scada In Power market is a comprehensive blueprint for leading players in the Scada In Power market. The report examines all factors affecting the global Scada In Power market in detail, coming up with a database and actionable insights for market players upon which to base their expansion or entry strategies in the years to come. The granular data compiled in the research report comes from primary and secondary research methods employed to gain data about the various trends rising in the global Scada In Power market, the hierarchy of leading players in the Scada In Power market, and the macro and micro factors governing the global Scada In Power markets dynamics.The product type and regional segmentation of the global Scada In Power market is described in detail in the report and data regarding each segment is elaborated upon. This presents a detailed view of the Global Scada In Power market substantiated by quantitative and qualitative analysis of historical, present, and estimated market trends. The historical development of each segment of the global Scada In Power market is charted in the report up to its present state. Forecasts are then made for each segment based on the effect of current trends. Cross-referential analysis regarding the various criteria for segmentation further consolidates the crucial nature of the market research report for leading Scada In Power market players.The data about the global Scada In Power market is examined in depth with analytical tools such as SWOT analysis, Porters five forces analysis, and market attractiveness analysis. This information helps clients gain a methodical understanding of the market, thus helping refinement of market entry and expansion strategies of new and established Scada In Power market players, respectively. Detailed analysis of the market trends emerging and strengthening in the market will also help market players figure out beneficial market strategies. This makes the report a crucial tool for all stakeholders in the Scada In Power market.Browse Complete Report with TOC @QYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Cement Market in Saudi Arabia Industry Size,Price,Consumption,Application,2016-2020 http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/cement-market-for-residential-commercial-infrastructure-and-other-35998 http://www.marketresearchstore.com Zion Research has published a new report titled Cement Market for Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure and Other Applications: Saudi Arabia Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 2020 According to the report, Saudi arabia region demand for cement was valued at USD 3.90 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach USD 5.27 billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of slightly above 5.1% between 2014 and 2020. In terms of volume, the cement market in the Saudi Arabia stood at 61,000 kilo tons in 2014.Browse the full "Cement Market for Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure and Other Applications: Saudi Arabia Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast 2014 2020" report atCement is a one of the key binding material used in construction industry. Cements acts as a binding agent for mortar, concrete, non-specialty grouts and stucco, etc. Cement is manufactured from raw materials such as limestone, sand and clay. These kinds of raw materials are widely available in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, cheap and widely available petroleum fuel has been resulted into cost effective manufacturing of cement in the region. Various physical and chemical properties of cement such as high durability, high dependability, cost-effectiveness and versatility are favorable for construction applications.Key factors driving the demand for cement market in Saudi Arabia is increasing the construction activity in different segments such as commercial, residential, industrial and infrastructure. Rapidly growing population has been resulted into growing demand for residential & commercial buildings as well as infrastructure. Residential application market for cement in Saudi Arabia is expected to witness strong growth during the forecast period. Infrastructure is one of the largest segment, which accounted for around 50% share of the total market in 2014. Infrastructure refers to the construction that includes roads, bridges, canals and dams. The increasing number of airports and road construction projects are anticipated to boost the cement market in Saudi Arabia. Commercial application is the second largest application segment of the market in 2014, which include construction of walls, floors, exterior walkways and pavements of commercial buildings.Zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite: Global Glutamic Acid Market 2016 Industry Analysis, Segment & Forecast up to 2020 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/market-analysis/glutamic-acid-market-global-industry-perspective-comprehensive-analysis.html http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/request-for-sample.html?flag=S&repid=58126 http://goo.gl/T1aFpF http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com Glutamic acid is also known as alpha acid that is mainly found in protein based product like cereals, meats, certain algae, and soy protein. Glutamic acid is primarily exercised in food industries as a flavor enhancer. Despite of flavor enhancer, glutamic is vital acid required to balance the functioning of the cells of the human body. It also acts as a neurotransmitter and also disposes the extra nitrogen from the body. This feature leads to the utilization of glutamic acid in pharmaceutical on large extent and it is expected to witness robust demand in the years to come.Browse the full Glutamic Acid Market Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 2020" report atRising application of glutamic acid in processed food and animal feed industry is one of the major driving factors of the global glutamic acid market. Shifting preference towards processed food and natural additives among consumer is expected to trigger the growth of the glutamic acid market. In addition, growing consumption of meat and dairy product is another important measure for the sustainable growth of glutamic acid demand. However, excessive intake of glutamic acid results to headaches and fatigue problems which expected to affect the growth of the glutamic acid market.The market is segmented on the basis of application and regions. Food industry, pharmaceutical, animal feeds and dairy industry are major applications of the glutamic acid market. Among all application, food industry is a leading application segment of the global glutamic acid market and further it is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period.The report provides a comprehensive view on the glutamic acid market. We have included a detailed competitive scenario and product portfolio of key vendors. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the glutamic acid market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein application segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.Get Request sample atGeographically, glutamic acid market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. The report also includes the regions further bifurcation into major countries including U.S. Germany, France, UK, China, Japan, India and Brazil.North America is a dominating regional market for glutamic acid and it is projected to continue this trend over the coming years. In addition, Asia Pacific is a fastest growing region owing to the emerging food market in China and India. Moreover, consumption of processed and packaged food in North America and Europe is estimated to drive the demand for glutamic acid.The report covers detailed competitive scenario including the company overviews, financial revenues of the key participants to develop their positions in the global market. There is some major manufacture in the glutamic acid market such as Luojiang Chenming Biological Products Co., Bachem AG, Sichuan Tongsheng Company Limited, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Suzhou Yuanfang Chemical Co. Ltd., Changzhou Huatong Biochemical Company Ltd. and amongst other.Get Illustrative Sample before buying:This report segments the global glutamic acid market as follows:Global Glutamic Acid Market: Application Segment Analysis Food Industry Pharmaceutical Animal Feeds Dairy IndustryGlobal Glutamic Acid Market: Regional Segment Analysis North Americao U.S. Europeo UKo Franceo Germany Asia-Pacifico Chinao Japano India Latin Americao Brazil Middle East & AfricaSyndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442,USATel: +1-386-310-3803GMT FREETel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 FREEWeb:Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.com Hot Melt Adhesives Market Research, Industry Analysis, Application, Supplier,2016-2020 http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/hot-melt-adhesives-market-z37211 http://www.marketresearchstore.com Zion Research has published a new report titled Hot Melt Adhesives Market(EVA, Styrenics Block Copolymers, Polyolefin, Polyurethane and Polyamide) for Packaging, Disposables, Pressure Sensitive, and Other Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast 2014 2020. According to the report, global demand for hot melt adhesives was valued at approximately USD 6 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach USD 7.5 billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of around 6% between 2015 and 2020. In terms of volume, the global hot melt adhesives market stood at around 1,500 kilo tons in 2014.Browse the full "Hot Melt Adhesives (EVA, Styrenics Block Copolymers, Polyolefin, Polyurethane and Polyamide) Market for Packaging, Disposables, Pressure Sensitive, and Other Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast 20142020" report atThe hot melt adhesives are thermoplastic adhesive. This adhesive can melt and flow when heated and become rigid on cooling for providing the sturdy adhesion to the surface. They are commonly known as hot glue. Generally, available in the solid cylindrical sticks having various diameters. They are designed to be melted in an electric hot glue gun. The major driving factor for hot melt adhesives market across the globe is low price and potential to be used as a substitute for the other adhesives.The global hot melt adhesives market has been segmented based on product that includes EVA, styrenics block copolymers, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyamide and others. In 2014, EVA was the largest product segment in terms of volume and accounted over 50% of the total shares of the global hot melt adhesives market. Styrenics block copolymers was the second largest product segment driving the market growth for the estimated forecast period. Moreover, increasing demand for polyolefin and polyurethane product segment is also anticipated to further boost the market growth in the year to come.Zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite: Ceffectz anticipates to inspire at RISE 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uq1sygHbWE http://www.ceffectz.com Continuing to inspire people with its success story, Ceffectz contemplates to address the global tech conference, RISE 2016.From the most exciting startups to the worlds biggest companies, RISE has undoubtedly been an exceptional platform where inspirational stories are shared among thousands of attendees under one roof. Surfacing among the best in the industry, Ceffectz aspires to excel by making its presence felt at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition centre from the 31st of May to the 2nd of June 2016.Ceffectz, a recipe of three vital ingredients; collaborative imagination, cutting edge designs and newest technology stands out as an uncomplicated mobile/web development firm with intentions of gaining perfection through simplicity.Assisting you with the best of our capabilities, we at Ceffectz exert maximum effort to bestow you with exceptional service using our collective imagination. Alternatively, we ensure that our designs enhance the specific service we provide using the newest technology to craft modern and innovative solutions to deliver nothing but the best.While the company specialities include professional graphic designing, UX/UI designing for web/mobile, web application development, mobile application development, software development and professional IT consultation, the services at Ceffectz subsume lengthened research and attention to every little detail or client requirement.Founded in 2010, Ceffectz has advanced quite steadily, supporting fellow clients in outshining their competitors with excellent service. Regardless of the nature of requirements, Ceffectz has ensured that it maintains its quality and standard by enhancing the required services accordingly.The product CV Showcase is one unique illustration of brilliance and excellence rendered by Ceffectz. Serving job seekers and companies simultaneously, CV Showcase is an outstanding platform in terms of recruitment and employment.CV Showcase - 360 Recruitment Solution at your fingertips:Finally, when it comes to developing web applications and mobile applications, your idea is everything we require to create an astonishing web and mobile app with greater user experience.Therefore, by networking in the presence of investors and large-scale companies at RISE 2016, Ceffectz anticipates to take one further step in the journey to success.For more information on Ceffectz, please visitor email us at hello@ceffectz.comCeffectz is an organization with a young team of visionaries who believe in gaining perfection through simplicity. By Simplicity, we mean avoiding ambiguity and clutter. Proper elicitation of customer requirements and fanatical attention to every little detail help us make simplicity possible. Another factor for our success is being agile and using industry best practices to craft modern and innovative solutions to our clients problems.Ceffectz (Pvt) Ltd62, Pangiriwatta Road, GangodawilaNugegoda, Sri Lanka 10250+94777117736 Beige Market Intelligence Top Vendors in Automotive PCB Market Automotive PCB Market Research by Beige Market Intelligence http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/reports/research-report-automotive-and-transportation-market/automotive-pcb-market-report/ http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/reports/research-report-automotive-and-transportation-market/automotive-pcb-market-report/ Recently, Beige Market Intelligence has published a few titles on Automotive Market and one of the most fast growing segments withing automotive technology is automotive PCB.The Automotive PCB market is concentrated with the top five players accounting close to half of the automotive PCB market. Most of the top players are concentrated in Asian countries such as Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan.Due to the complex nature of the automotive industry, most of the PCB manufacturers catering to the automotive industry are constantly under high-cost restrictions and pressure from the OEMs ant tire-1 suppliers which forces PCB manufacturers to operate in strict margins and with little scope of operational inefficiencies. Although, automotive industry promises volumes, but the profitability is under doubt due to high-cost pressure. Hence, numerous players manufacturing automotive grade PCBs are focusing on further exploring means to reduce the cost of production at the same time, comply with the standards set by automotive OEMs.Players in the automotive PCB market are exploring the option of inorganic growth, especially in the developed regions such as Europe and US. Players are tapping into the growth opportunities through M&A due to the lower growth in demand for automotive due to economic recession in Europe.TTM TechnologiesTTM Technologies was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in California, US. It is one of the leading providers of PCB products and backplane assemblies used in electronic components. The products of the company include HDI PBC, conventional PCB, flexible PCB, rigid- flex PCB, backplane assemblies, and IC substrates. These products are used in computer peripherals, communications equipment, cell phones, capacitors, resistors, diodes, and other electronic components and services (QTA services)Watch out for TTM Technologies:TTM expects to strengthen its position in the automotive end market through the acquisition of Viasystems which has significant experience in automotive market especially in the field of engine controls, sensors and safety systems.To order a free sample copy of the report, please visitChin PoonChin Poon Industrial established in 1979 and based out of Taiwan. They are the company designs and manufacturers PCBs for automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, telecommunications and information technology. The company has a strong client base, a few of them are Continental AG, Herman Becker, Bosch, LG, and Hitachi.Watch out for Chin Poon:The Company has been strong in the high-volume single and double layer PCBs. However, they are focusing on developing skills and expertise required for high-end PCB production. May eat some market share of established players.Meiko ElectronicsEstablished in 1975, Meiko Electronics designs and manufacturers PCBs specializing in Double-sided and multi-layer through-hole PCBs. It also manufacturers electronic equipment and PCB manufacturing devises such as Solder Stencils, PCB Testers, Imaging Devices, and Imaging System. The PCB business is the largest business segment generating over 85% of the companys revenuesWatch out for Meiko:Meiko follows a strong new product development strategy by assessing the market requirements. Over the past couple of years, the company launched four new product lines with three for automotive application. The company has strong customer base in automotive especially in Asian region.CMK CorporationCMK Corporation, established in 1961 as a manufacturer of PCBs specializing in automotive grade PCBs. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan the company operates across Japan, North America, China, Europe, Thailand and Malaysia. CMK offers a wide range of products for automotive application that include ECUs, electronic power steering, automotive safety systems such as radar PCBs, lighting controls, anti-brake systems, inverter/converter systems, and car navigation systems. Automotive is CMKs key business segment accounting to over 75% of its revenues.Watch out for CMK Corporation:Currently the company has a strong presence in Japan. With the economic stagnation and declining automotive sales in the region the company is exploring new emerging geographies.KCE ElectronicsKCE Electronics manufacturers and distributes PCB specializing in automotive grade PCBs. Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand the company operates six manufacturing facilities in Thailand and China. The company caters to various industries among which automotive are its key end market, the other industries include industrial, computer, and telecom systems.Watch out for KCE:KCE is one of the largest PCB manufacturers in Thailand with six factories that have an installed capacity of 2.34 million square feet per month. The company wants to gain more market share from automotive PCB and has an expansion plan to increase its production capacity to 3.74 million square feet by 2017.Some of the other prominent Automotive PCB manufacturers which can gain the market share in next 4-5 years areDaeduck ElectronicsDaeduck Electronics was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Ansan, South Korea. The company manufactures and sells PCBs for high-end servers, routers, telecommunication network infrastructure, and memory modules. It also offers multi-layer PCBs for application in the Automotive and Power Supply sectors.MultekThe company manufactures high-performance and complex PCB products for a broad range of applications, including Automotive, Cell phones, Datacom, Industrial Instrumentation, Telecom, and Wearables. Multek has a strong automotive product portfolio in the area of engine control, sensors, occupant detector, infotainment systems, transmission control module, and sound system.Tripod TechnologyTripod Technology is headquartered in Pingjhen, Taiwan where it established its first manufacturing plant. Its2 other manufacturing facilities are located in WuXi, Jiang Su Province, China and XianTao, HuBei Province, China. The company has a Strong automotive product portfolio in the area of engine control, safety systems and instrument panel.To know more about automotive PCB, please check our market research report Strategic Assessment of Worldwide Automotive PCB Market Forecast Till 2021. Please visitPlease contact Beige Market Intelligence atMail: contactus@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: +1 347 903 9949UK: +44 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473Beige Market Intelligence: We are a new-age provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. The analysis helps our client organizations become aware and make educated decisions, as far as investing or devising a marketing strategy is concerned. The actionable insights delivered through our market research provide a comprehensive market analysis for every level of market segmentation in an industry. Beige Market Intelligence is a quality driven high end Market Research organization. Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analyzed and smartly presented, but is completely customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base does not look beyond Beige when it comes to any kind of industry and market analysis.Name of the company: Beige Market IntelligencePostal Address: Chinnapanahalli Main Road,Doddanekundi V illage, Bangalore Bangalore KA 560037, IndiaPress Contact: Jency Jacob (media@beigemarketintelligence.com) Automotive Sensors Market : Global Industry Outlook, Market size and Forecast 2016-2022 http://www.briskinsights.com/report/automotive-sensors-market http://www.briskinsights.com/sample-request/1 http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-synthetic-paper-devices-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-the-cagr-of-8-during-2015-2022-brisk-insights/ http://www.briskinsights.com/ According to a recently published report, the Global Automotive Sensors Market expected to grow at the CAGR of 9.1% during 2015-2022 and it estimated to be $36.25 billion by 2022. The global automotive sensors market is segmented on the basis of product, industry applications and geography. The report on Global Automotive Sensors Market Forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.The global automotive sensors market is expected to grow exponentially due to various factors such as increasing demand of vehicles especially motor cars around the world. The increasing demand for hybrid and electric vehicles with growing consumer demand for fuel-efficiency and comfort, in addition to factors such as strengthening government rules for vehicle safety is driving the market for automotive sensors worldwide.The shift towards self-driving cars could significantly boost the automotive sensor market as more intelligent data processing devices are required to make autonomous decisions which leads to development of automotive sensors market.Browse Here For Full Report with TOC @Due to advancement in automobile technology, vehicles are increasingly being equipped with numerous sensing devices that provide information on different parameters ensuring comfort, safety, and security.The automotive sensors are one of the fastest growing sectors in automotive industry with growth rate in near double digit; especially in OEM (original equipment manufacturing). Europe (European Union) is presently the leading market of automobile sensors, due to the exponential growth in the logistics industry, with increasing information about safety, and setup of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in European Union. These factors are fueling the demand for HEVs which is also boosting demand of automotive sensors in this region. Companies based in Europe and US (For example: Bosch, Emerson Electric) have spent significant revenue on R&D for new development of new products for automobiles makers.The leading players with significant hold over the Global Automotive sensors market include players such as: Bosch, Denso Corporation, Sensata, Freescale Semiconductor, Agilent Technologies, Ford Corporation, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Emerson Electric, General Electric, AMETEK Inc Honeywell, Analog Devices, and Delphi Automotive. The Bosch and Denso Corporation currently dominates the overall Automotive sensor market with share of over 24% in 2015.Scope of the report:Global automotive sensors market by types 20152022 ($ billion)Pressure SensorTemperature SensorGas SensorMotion SensorMEMS SensorNOX sensorsSpeed SensorsInertial SensorsMagneticOthersRequest For Sample :Global automotive sensors market by application 2015-2022 ($ billion)Powertrain marketBody Electronics OthersVehicle Security systemSafety and ControlsTelematicsChassisOtherGlobal automotive sensors market regional outlook 2015-2022 ($ billion)North AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificMiddle East & AfricaCentral & South AmericaCompetitive LandscapeBosch,Denso Corporation,Sensata,Freescale Semiconductor,Agilent Technologies,Ford Corporation,General Electric,AMETEK Inc Honeywell,Analog Devices,Delphi AutomotiveAshcroft HoldingsAutoliv Inc.Banner EngineeringCherry CorporationMiranda Technologies, Inc.Eaton CorporationEmersonGoodrich CorporationJohnson ControlsHoneywellBlog:Contact Us :Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottinghamNG1 6DQUnited KingdomPhone : +448081890034 (UK)Email : sales@briskinsights.comWebsite :About Us :Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Working in a highly dynamic and multi-dimensional business makes decision making complex. Effective business decisions are a result of the synthesis of market information. Our Research and data analysis is an efficient and cost-effective way of providing robust market analysis and can yield highly valuable intelligence relating to consumers, competitors and markets.Office 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottingham Atmel rfid Disc tags for rfid inventory system (gyrfidstore) RFID Disc Tags are widely used for inventory tracking system or Automatic production systems. The RFID Disc Tag can also work on metal surface with anti-metal layer on it, also can be attached to goods surface by adhesive layer. There are abundant size options from 12mm to 50mm. GYRFID presents several types with different material and size to suitable customers application.DIP Series- PVC Disc Tag, PVC Laminated, thickness of 1.0-1.2mmDIT Series- Clear PVC Disc Tag, clear PVC Laminated, thickness of 1.0-1.2mmFOT Series- Foil Tag, Clear PVC Sealed, Thickness of 0.45-0.7mm.STE series Epoxy PVC Sticker, the surface covered by epoxy, thickness 2.0mmTKA series- ABS Token, ultrasonic welding ABS type, various size options.TKPPS series PPS Token, ultrasonic welding, mini size 12mm.Features:TKA - 20/22/25/28/30mm, thickness 2.0mmTKA301 - 30; Hole 3; thickness 3.0 mmTKA302 - 30; Hole 5; thickness 4.0 mmTKA305 - 30, hole 5, thickness 2mmTKA305 - 30, hole 8, thickness 2mmTKA401 - 40; Hole 5; thickness 4.2 mmTKA501 - 52; Hole 5; thickness 8.0 mmTKA505 - 50, hole 5, thickness 2mmTKA323/273 - 32/27,hole 3, thickness 3mmTKPPS - 12, thickness 3mmMaterial: ABS ultrasonic weldingColor options: Black/ White/ Yellow/RedWater Proof: YesNotes: can be with anti-metal layer and 3M layerPersonalization Support: Silk-screen printing logo Thermal transfer printing Serial Number or UID Barcode printing and QR code printing, Photo printing Laser UID or Number Chip encodingApplication: NFC payments Patrol Guard Systems Logistic management Parcel tracking Inventory Control Automatic production management Asset tracking Device embeddedIC options:125KHz RFID: EM4200, EM4102, EM4100, GK4001; T5577; EM4305; Hitag1, Hitag2, Hitag S256 13.56Mhz ISO14443A: NXP MIFARE Classic 1K, MIFARE Classic 4K, MIFARE Ultralight, MIFARE Ultralight EV1, MIFARE Desfire 2K, MIFARE Desfire 4K, MIFARE Desfire 8K, MIFARE Plus, Fudan FM11RF08; NTAG203, NTAG213, NTAG215, NTAG216; LEGIC MIM256, LEGIC ATC1024, LEGIC ATC2048 13.56Mhz ISO15693: ICODE SLI; ICODE SLI-X; Tag-it 256, Tag-it 2048 840-960Mhz UHF: Alien Higgs, Monza 3, Monza 4D, Monza 4QT; NXP UCODE G2iLAbout GYRFID STOREGYRFID Store is a brand of Go Young International Ltd, which is an online purchase platform of the RFID products.GYRFID Store sells a wide range of Cards and RFID tags embedded with 125KHz, 13.56Mhz, 868Mhz-915Mhz, as well as the personalization to apply in access control and industrial management. We also provide the accessories like lanyard, card holders, badge, ibuttons for office daily usage. We also welcome the personalization like serial number printing, offset printing, encoding service etc.GYRFID Store is located in Shanghai, China mainland. We have customers all around the globe and can ship products all worldwide.GYRFID Store will help you to make the best choices for your RFID system requirements. Shop in GYRFID Store will make your purchase much reliable and flexible.Should any of these items be of interest to you, please let us know. We will be happy to give you a quotation upon receipt of your detailed requirements.ADD:Rm1516, Qiangjin Building, QiXin Rd No.1318 ,Shanghai, 201100, China Green Card Renewal is Really a Very Easy Process U.S. Immigration Center https://www.usimmigration-center.com/ Many people think that green card renewal is a very tedious and lengthy process. Actually, it isnt such a tedious process, provided you know how to go about your green card renewal. These cards, which are also referred to as permanent residence cards by many are only meant for people who have obtained their permanent resident status in the United States. The cards are issued by the government department, which is often referred to as the USCIS or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The green cards display the photos of the holders, along with their names and other personal details.Green card renewal is very important because all legal residents of the United States are expected to carry a green card, and mind you, there is no point in carrying an expired green card. Foreigners who fulfill the eligibility criteria are granted permanent resident status, which will not expire with time. However, the green cards, which are essential for proving their legal status, are valid only for a period of 10 years. Hence, green card renewal on time is crucial, as your legal status depends on that.The process in detailThe very first step in the green card renewal process is filing form I-90, which is for replacing your Permanent Resident Card. Please note that this is applicable for those who hold green cards that have 10-year validity. People who are conditional residents, meaning those who hold green cards that have a 2-year conditional validity are not eligible to apply for green card renewal using this form.In case your green card is damaged by water, or fire or whatever, or, in the unfortunate instance of you losing your green card, you can still file the green card renewal application Form I-90. To make it a lot easier, Form I-90 can be now filed online itself by participating in a simple eligibility quiz. Dont forget to submit a photocopy of the green card you hold currently along with your green card renewal application. One piece of good news is that there is no fine or penalty for renewing expired green cards. However, if you are a bit lethargic and allow your cards to expire, you can end up with serious problems. In such cases, the USCIS decides that you no longer deserve your legal status, and you are likely to lose it.Once you have filed the I-90 application by filling them online, the USCIS will review it. The green card renewal process is all set, and dont be surprised if the USCIS asks for any supporting documents. Of course, they do this only if they feel they need some more supportive information in order to approve the application. The last step is approval of your green card renewal application, after which the new green cards are mailed to your address (the address you provided while filing your application) and you are done.Our goal here in usimmigration-center.com is to make users comfortable in filling in the online application with the guidance of the 24/7 customer service team and buy using the form navigating software which will stop users in case of errors on the application and alert users to correct the mistake that will then help them to move forward.U.S. Immigration Center1623 Central Ave, Suite 145, Cheyenne, Wyoming 820018889434625support@usimmigration-center.com Special promotion for Intersolar Europe: SolarMax Group extends guarantee for TP Series solar inverters www.solarmax.com www.pr-krampitz.de Ellzee. As part of a one-off special promotion to coincide with Intersolar Europe, the SolarMax Group is doubling the guarantee for its TP Series three-phase inverters from five to ten years. The free guarantee extension applies to orders made between 17 May and 17 August 2016. With this promotion SolarMax is emphasising the quality of the devices it manufactures.The TP Series is especially suitable for private solar plants and is ideal for combining with power storage units. The SolarMax Group launched the three inverters with rated outputs from five to seven kilowatts onto the international solar market at the same time that it started production in Burgau in September 2015.Increase own consumptionYou have an S0 interface for external energy meters and a dynamic 70 per cent control. Instead of capping excess solar power the current renewable energy sources act in Germany prescribes a limit of the effective power to 70 per cent of the installed module capacity the devices adapt the curtailment to the respective electricity consumption. Because the consumer can be intelligently controlled, energy consumption is maximised and losses reduced. Thanks to the integrated interface for ripple control signal receivers, which are prescribed for machines with 30-kilowatt output and more, the devices also enable you to operate larger solar power units.Cut electricity costsWe are delighted that in addition to significant reduction of their power costs we can also offer our customers such attractive guarantee conditions, says Pierre Kraus, managing director of SolarMax Sales and Service GmbH. Starting in the 4th quarter of 2016, the SolarMax Group is also marketing the TP Series as part of the MaxStorage TP-S storage solution. The complete solution combines a TP Series inverter with a lithium-ion battery, a battery managements system and the new MaxWeb XPN energy manager all in one unit.SolarMax at Intersolar EuropeThe SolarMax Group is showing its products at the Intersolar Europe trade fair in Munich from 22 to 24 June in Hall B2, Stand No. 580. On 22 June at 14:00 there is a press presentation of the new products at the SolarMax stand.About the SolarMax GroupThe SolarMax Group has been established in June 2015 in Ellzee (Bavaria). The company develops, produces and casts out string and central inverter for grid connected solar power systems, as well as attachments and solutions for the plant supervision. The main participator is the RenerVest group from Waldstetten (Bavaria). The investment company brings ten years of experience in the field of renewable energy. In addition to trademark protection and production equipment, the company overtook from the insolvent Sputnik Engineering AG the warehouse, the online portals and the service locations SolarMax Service GmbH in Annaberg-Buchholz (Saxony).PublisherSolarMax Sales and Service GmbHZur Schonhalde 10D-89352 EllzeePress office of the SolarMax groupKrampitz Communications - PR for Renewables and TechnologiesIris Krampitz / Thomas BlumenhovenDillenburger Str. 85D-51105 CologneFon: +49 (0) 221 912499 49Fax: +49 (0) 221 912499 48E-Mail: presse@solarmax.com Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate Films Market Analysis Report Upto 2021 http://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/4746-biaxially-oriented-polyethylene-terephthalate-bopet-films-market-report http://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-4746 www.decisiondatabases.com Global Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BoPET) Films Market Research Report - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2021Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It is manufactured by using high quality resins and state of art technology. The film has excellent mechanical & thermal stability, because of which it is a preferred substrate for various applications such as flexible packaging and food contact, covering over paper, insulating material, solar, marine and aviation, electronic and acoustic and others. These applications are projected to be the growing application areas of this market. In addition, this market has huge contribution in the growth of food and beverages owing to its properties like clear and glossy. The BoPET film market is witnessing high growth in the North American and APAC regions owing to the increase in demand for its application areas. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region and its growth is mainly attributed to the high economic growth rate in this region.To Browse Full Report With TOC :This report examines the global biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) films market and provides information regarding the revenue (USD Million) for the period 2014 to 2021. It further elaborates the market drivers which contribute to the growth. It then describes the restraints that are faced by the market. The market is classified into various segments with deep analysis of each segment for the study period.A. Drivers- Biaxially oriented films demand on raise- Growing penetration in end-user industriesB. Restraints- Strict regulation in some countries- Fluctuating cost of raw materialReport includes a detailed analysis on value chain in order to provide a holistic view of the biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) films market. Value chain analysis comprises detailed evaluation of the roles of various players involved in the biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) films industry, from raw material suppliers to end-users.Download Sample Report With TOC:Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) films market attractiveness analysis has been included in order to analyze the application segments that are estimated to be lucrative during the forecast period on the basis of their market size and growth rate. Attractiveness of the market has been derived from market size, profit margin, growth rate, availability of raw materials, competition, and other factors such as social and legal constraints.In terms of geography, the biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) films market has been segmented into regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of World. The study provides a detailed view of country-level aspects of the market on the basis of application segments and estimates the market in terms of revenue and volume during the forecast period.DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.3rd Floor,Fountain chambers,Nanabhai Lane,Fort, Mumbai - 1E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.comPhone: +91 99 28 237112Web: MoBiTec GmbH Teams Up With TargetMol, US, to Offer Thousands of Inhibitors and Predetermined Screening Libraries TargetMolo CNS Library http://targetmol.com http://www.mobitec.com Target Molecule Corp. (TargetMol) is a global high-tech enterprise, specializing in chemical and biological research products and service to meet the research needs of global customers.Who are TargetMol serving? Drug screening - drug design and virtual screening, target validation, model establishment, high-throughput screening, structure optimization Pharmacological research -in vivo and in vitro testing of compounds to identify new uses for known drugs Signaling pathways - stem cell, protein tyrosine kinase, epigenetics, GPCR, MAPK signaling Cell research - pluripotent stem cell induction, cell signaling transduction, cell inflammation, oncologyWhat are the applications TargetMol's products are being used for? Cancer Cardiovascular System Endocrine system Respiratory system Nervous system Immunology Metabolism systemBioactive Screening LibrariesNext to thousands of individual inhibitors TargetMol offers Bioactive Screening Libraries which consist of over 4000 small molecules with validated biological and pharmacological activities, covering more than twenty signal pathways and 200 targets. The safety and effectiveness of these has been valued and demonstrated through preclinical and clinical research. Many of them are FDA-approved compounds. Customers can customize individual libraries by selecting specific molecules, quantities, concentrations, and format.For details on TargetMol's portfolio please see:About MoBiTec GmbHMoBiTec GmbH (Goettingen, Germany) is a privately held company (founded in 1987) that offers research tools for molecular and cell biology. Products include DNA vectors for cloning and expression, cell transfection reagents and cell culture tools, immobilized and soluble enzymes, products for genomics and proteomics research, numerous antibodies and recombinant proteins, superior fluorescence reagents and kits, affinity chromatography products, as well as general laboratory equipment.In parallel to its own product lines, MoBiTec distributes products from international companies in Germany. MoBiTec products are distributed worldwide, in Germany from their home office, in other countries by distributors.MoBiTec GmbHLotzestr. 22a37083 Goettingen, Germany Profitable End of Sanctions: Ceresana Analyzes the Petrochemical Industry of Iran for the First Time Market Study: Petrochemicals and Plastics - Iran www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/chemicals/petrochemicals-plastics-iran/ www.ceresana.com/en In January 2016, the United Nations and the European Union abolished numerous sanctions against Iran: A country with more than 75 million consumers is now returning to the global market; business relations are normalizing step by step. All industries can profit thereof, especially the petrochemical industry due to the large oil and natural gas deposits of Iran. On time for the 10th "IranPlast"-trade fair in Tehran, the market research institute Ceresana analyzed the market for petrochemical products in Iran extensively for the first time: from raw materials to derivates and intermediates, and to plastics.Considerable Increases in CapacityThe petrochemical industry in Iran was extended considerably in the past years. In 2015, total capacity of methanol, ethylene, propylene, butadiene / butylene, aromates and the respective derivates amounted to 31 million tonnes. Thereof, the production plants of ethylene accounted for more than 23%. Ethylene derivates, such as ethylene dichloride (EDC) and ethylene glycol, accounted for almost 17% of capacity. Iranian factories are also able to produce, for example, 4.8 million tonnes of the three most important types of polyethylene plastics, namely LDPE, LLDPE, and HDPE. Additional petrochemical plants are already under construction. Until 2023, at least 36 million tonnes of capacity are supposed to be added.Growing Export to EuropeAlthough Iran is one of the largest domestic markets for petrochemical products in the Middle East, the focus of many Iranian companies is on export. In 2015, around 6.8 million tonnes of petrochemical products were exported. Ceresana expects this volume to almost double until 2023. At present, Iranian producers export mainly methanol - in the past years, an amount of 3.4 million tonnes. The second most important export product was polyethylene HDPE. The major part has been delivered to China so far. Analysts of Ceresana do not expect demand for imports in China to remain at the present level. However, new possibilities for exports for Iran are revealed, especially to Europe and to other Asian countries. Therefore, Iran is trying to complete numerous constructions of petrochemical plants with the support of foreign investors at present.The Study in Brief:Chapter 1 offers an overview over the market for petrochemical products and plastics in Iran. Data on current and prospective production, capacity, and trade is provided.In chapters 2 to 6, Iranian market for methanol, ethylene, propylene, butadiene / butylene, and benzene / toluene / xylene respectively are presented. Hereby, the respective downstream products are taken into consideration, especially plastics such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene, and polystyrene. Important figures and forecasts on demand, production, capacity, and trade are given for the years 2007 to 2023.Chapter 7 is a useful directory of profiles of petrochemical producers in Iran. The profiles are clearly arranged according to contact details, ownership structure, product range, production sites, and summary profile. Furthermore, each profile includes specific information about the value creation chain as well as current and future production capacities.Further information:Ceresana is a leading international market research and consultancy company for the industrial sector. For more than 10 years, Ceresana has been supplying several thousand customers from 60 countries with up-to-date market intelligence. Extensive market knowledge creates new prospects for strategic and operational decisions. Ceresana's clients profit from implementation-oriented consulting services, tailor-made single-client studies and more than 100 independent multi-client market studies. Ceresana's analysts are experts in the following markets: Chemicals, plastics, additives, commodities, industrial components, consumer goods, packaging, agriculture, and construction materials.Learn more about Ceresana atCeresanaMainaustr. 3478464 ConstanceGermanyPhone: +49 7531 94293 10Fax: +49 7531 94293 27Press Contact: Martin Ebner, m.ebner@ceresana.com Matrix Comsec Matrix, a leading manufacturer of Telecom and Security solutions, has organized a Product Expo along with its channel partner Corporate Telesystems Pvt. Ltd .on 28th May 2016, 10 AM onwards at Four Points by Sheraton, Dehradun. The event is organized with an objective to demonstrate innovative solutions encompassing the entire range of Business Phone Systems, VoIP-GSM Gateways, Terminals, Voice & Data Convergence, Android/iOS Mobile Softphone, Multi-site Connectivity, Unified Communication Server along with UC Client, Access Control and Time-Attendance and Video Surveillance.During this expo, Matrix will showcase its upcoming solution Matrix SARVAM UCS - Unified Communication Server for Modern Enterprises. Matrix SARVAM UCS is a powerful unified communication solution that enables enterprises to improve collaboration among all employees, irrespective of its size and geographic location. With its unified networks connectivity (VOIP, T1/E1 PRI, PSTN/FXO, GSM/3G and Radio), advanced call capabilities and comprehensive features Matrix SARVAM UCS ensures that an enterprise is more agile, alert and aptly empowered to do more.Matrix will also showcase its newly launched VARTA The UC Client for Seamless Collaboration. VARTA is a UC Client that redefines communication experience with a variety of collaboration features and intuitive user interface. VARTA empowers users to switch the extension to their desktop computer, Android and iOS mobile devices.Under the security domain, Matrix will also display its range of IP Video Surveillance solutions that include enterprise level VMS, NVRs, HVRs and IP Cameras. The entire solution is focused on solving the three major pain areas of customers namely bandwidth and storage cost, difficulty in centralized management and monitoring & reactive security. Some of our path breaking features on display include Event based Edge Recording, Adaptive Recording, Centralized Monitoring and Management without Server and public IP, 2-level Data Compression, Video Analytics like People Counting, Face Detection, License Plate Recognition and Calling from Mobile App. Experience of such features will help you differentiate a Video Surveillance solution to box moving devices and cameras available in the marketplace.Under the domains of Time-Attendance and Access Control, Matrix will showcase COSEC ARC, a unique IP based access control panel having multiple benefits over conventional access control panel. Being PoE based, it eliminates complex wiring and local power requirements. Its din rail and wall mount option gives flexibility to mount even where the space is a constraint. Additionally, Matrix will be showcasing its range of enterprise grade Time-Attendance and Access Control solutions at the event. And focusing upon the Your Mobile is Your Identity technology, QR Code based Access Control; Bluetooth based Access Control, and Automatic Attendance Marking using Smart Phone will be the focus of the exhibition.ABOUT MATRIXEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. An innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization; Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance solutions, Access Control, Time-Attendance, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, Terminals, Convergence solution, VoIP Gateways and GSM Gateways. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global foot-prints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara -390010Matrix Comsec394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara-390010 Global Wheel Weight Industry Survey by Market Categories(Zinc,Lead,Steel), Applications(Trucks,Motorcycles,Cars) & 2016 Analysis http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-wheel-weight-industry-2016-market-research-report.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com This research report focusing on the global Wheel Weight market has been compiled using primary and secondary research methodologies. For a detailed analysis of the market, the research report uses Porters five forces analysis to point out the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitute products or services, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of established rivals. This analysis addresses a range of problems and issues that might be present in the global Wheel Weight market to help the businesses and readers formulate strategic moves to maximize their profits. The report also assesses the feasibility of the new investments that are likely to flow into the market, breathing life into several projects in the coming years.The investigative approach taken by this report provides an exclusive insight into the market segmentation. The global Wheel Weight market has been segmented on the basis of application, service, technology, product, and geography. The segmentation allows the readers to understand the factors that are likely to drive these segments and the ones that will hamper the growth of certain segments in a given geographical location. The report has also factored in the economic indicators, important market highlights, market size, and forecast.The research report dedicates a special chapter to the competitive landscape of the global Wheel Weight market. It delves into the nitty-gritties of the financial overview, investment outlook, research and development activities, business and marketing strategies, branding ideas, and expansion plans of the important players of in the global Wheel Weight market. This chapter also provides clarity on matters of management styles of these companies and the changes that market enthusiasts need to expect in the foreseeable future.Browse Complete Report with TOC @QYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Driving eligibility stays after multispot PRP laser treatment http://archopht.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2512093&resultClick=3#ResultsFor www.valon.fi Multispot Panretinal Photocoagulation Spares Visual Fields Required For Driving EligibilityValon Lasers is pleased to report that Valon Multispot Laser panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy spares visual fields required for driving eligibility according to a study from University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, U.K.Recently published study by Professor Michel Michaelides et al. assessed the effect of Multispot laser PRP on retinal sensitivity and visual fields required for driving eligibility in 43 laser naive diabetic retinopathy patients that required bilateral PRP. 41 of 43 (95%) patients passed the Esterman visual-field testing in accordance with U.K. driving standards. 38 of the 41 patients completed the study, and at six-month follow-up, 35 of 38 patients (92%) passed. The study was conducted with Valon TT Multispot Laser. With the increasing worldwide use of multispot laser for application of PRP, ophthalmologists must be able to advice patients accurately on whether PRP for diabetic retinopathy may jeopardize their entitlement to a driving license. This study identified no loss of driving eligibility on the basis of visual field criteria in almost all patients, state the researchers.We have had the privilege to follow this study at a near proximity. With their prospective study, Professor Michaelides and colleagues have given ophthalmologists worldwide a better baseline for patient consultation. This is also very good news for patients, who, due to regular screenings often receive diagnosis and treatment at an earlier stage of the condition, says Valon Lasers CEO, Mr Juha Viherkoski.The study was published online on April 14, 2016 by JAMA Ophthalmolmoreinformation on Valon Multispot Lasers and Valon Lasers, please visitFinnish Valon Lasers, founded in 2011, develops and produces solutions for the ophthalmic markets. Valon 532 nm pattern scanning photocoagulators, Valon TT and Valon 5G are used in over 300 clinics worldwide.Valon Lasers OyTeknobulevardi 3-5, 01530 Vantaa, FinlandTel: +358 50 434 5421, email: info@valon.fiMedia contact: Mira Kekarainentel: +358 40 522 9406, email: mira.kekarainen@valon.fi Lascar Introduces EasyLog-21-CFR Software Lascar for Food & Beverage and Life Science https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib3EVkf4kXY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnbrXwF-ZMM www.DataLoggerInc.com www.dataloggerinc.com 21-CFR-Compliant Data LoggingCHESTERLAND, OHMay 23, 2016Do your temperature monitoring systems need to be 21-CFR Part 11-compliant? Lascar now offers all the software security demanded by this regulation, along with a combination temperature and humidity logger. The software is compatible with Lascars EL-21CFR-2-LCD Temperature, Humidity and Dew Point Datalogger. CAS DataLoggers supplies this and other Lascar dataloggers for users in Food & Beverage, Life Science and morecall us today at (800) 956-4437 to learn more!21 CFR-Compliant Data Logging:Lascars latest software offering allows users to store data in compliance with the regulations of 21CFR Part 11. The new 21CFR software allows users to login to the software with specific permissions. Readings collected from the data logger are stored in an encrypted format which cannot be edited.In addition, the software provides a full audit trail of activities and actions taken, with users being able to add comments to specific readings before being approved by an authorized user. Electronic signatures are added to all reports to show who has started, stopped and approved the session data.CONTROL YOUR DATA:EasyLog 21-CFR software ensures digital security and compliance: Assign individual users with specific permissions Full software & session data audit trails Receive email alerts for failed login attempts Digital signatures added to all reports Add comments to specific readingsVersion 7.4 of Lascars EasyLog software has launched! The latest build of the software includes a new Summary Report from the Export menu that allows a quick overview of data relating to your logging session. Using a wizard format to guide the user through setup of the data logger and subsequent download of collected data, this software puts the 'Easy' into EasyLog!The software is supplied free of charge with each data logger. Easy to install and use, the control software runs under Windows 2000, XP, Vista & 7. The software is used to setup the data logger as well as to download, graph and export data to Excel. The software allows the following parameters to be configured: Logger name Logging rates Alarms Immediate, delayed and push-to-start logging Data rollover and moreVideo Demonstrations of EasyLog Software:How to setup an EL-USB data logger:How to download data:High-Quality Loggers Starting at Less than $100!LASCAR USB data loggers provide an inexpensive easy-to-use solution for stand-alone data recording of temperature, humidity, voltage, current and carbon monoxide. The built-in USB interface makes connection to a PC for setup and downloading data a snap.For more information on the new EL-USB-2-LCD USB Temp/Humidity Logger, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atContact Information:CAS DataLoggers, Inc.8437 Mayfield Rd.Chesterland, Ohio 44026(440) 729-2570(800) 956-4437sales@dataloggerinc.com Deepnet Security Recognised as a Representative Vendor in 2016 Gartner Market Guide for User Authentication www.deepnetsecurity.com/products Deepnet Security, a leading provider of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) solutions, was listed by Gartner as a representative vendor in its 2016 Market Guide for User Authentication.Deepnet Securitys DualShield product is a versatile multi-factor authentication system that unifies all different types of user authentication methods in one single platform, and protects all commonly used business applications with multi-factor authentication.Gartner recommends products that provide a range of authentication methods. While the prospect of a universal, high-trust authentication method may be initially attractive, it is usually overkill because most users have access to only low- or medium-risk applications and data, and it may be unnecessarily costly. For many organizations, implementing a well-defined range of authentication methods that balances needs in each use case is the best approach. recommended by Gartners analysts in the report.DualShield is a product that meets Gartners recommendation as it provides a wide range of authentication methods. Furthermore, DualShield is the only product in the market that can secure Mac OS logon and Outlook Anywhere with two-factor authentication.For Deepnet Securitys complete family of solutions, visitGartner DisclaimerGartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.About Deepnet SecurityDeepnet Security is a leading vendor in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Identity & Access Management (IAM). Its award-winning product, Deepnet DualShield, is a Versatile Authentication System (VAS) that unifies all types of two-factor authentication methods in one single platform. DualShield seamlessly integrates with all commonly used business applications with multi-factor authentication out of the box. Over 1,000 organisations world-wide rely on Deepnet DualShield to secure their VPN, desktop, web and cloud applications as well as Outlook emails.Deepnet SecurityBuilding 3North London Business ParkLondon N11 1GN London and San Diego, 04 May 2009 Deepnet Security, a leading provider of unified, two-factor and two-way authentication, today announces a unique two-factor authentication solution for Outlook Anywhere to provide complete protection for mobile workers who need email access on the move. Outlook Anywhere allows Microsoft Outlook clients to connect to their Exchange servers over the Internet via HTTP. This feature enables Outlook users to access their Exchange Server Amid a lot of buzz surrounding the advent of GST and how it is going to change the face of taxation in India, Indias leading ERP ebizframe has come up with its state of the art offering called ebizframeXPRS, which is designed specifically to sail businesses through the turbulence of the GST storm. The product is expected to connect all the dots and serve as a perfect solution for businesses TriMet, doubling down on its expensive Washington County commuter-rail service, wants to buy two new railcars from a Texas transit agency. The agency's board will be asked Wednesday to authorize paying Dallas Area Rapid Transit up to $1.5 million for the diesel-powered cars. They would serve TriMet's Westside Express Service, a heavy-rail line that runs between Wilsonville and Beaverton during the rush hour. The agency would also have to pay $500,000 to refit the cars. The agency cites "expected demands for the growing WES service," even though ridership on WES has been slipping for the last 2 1/2 years -- and it wasn't all that high to begin with. Weekly trips peaked at 10,700 in October 2013, and the count has held steady just above 9,000 in the last year. The Orange Line, the least busy MAX light-rail line, gives more rides in an average weekday than WES does in a week. TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch said in an email that the slump in ridership reflects low gas prices. "Conversely, when we see high gas prices, we see ridership increase," Fetsch wrote. "We need to plan for ridership growth." While a fare for WES costs the same as a bus or MAX train, the commuter rail service costs TriMet much more -- about $15 in fuel, labor and maintenance costs per rider. A bus ride, on the other hand, costs TriMet about $3 per rider, while the operational cost of MAX is around $2.50 per rider. TriMet said the purchase would allow for extra trains to swap into service when another is in the shop, in addition to facilitating ridership growth. It said planned repairs in 2017 would take cars out of service for up to three weeks at a time. TriMet would be getting a deal on the used cars compared to some of its previous attempts to bolster its fleet. In 2014, it sought to buy two new cars from a original manufacturer for $7 million, using an option held by Sonoma-Marin Area Rapid Transit in California. The manufacturer, however, wouldn't honor the price for TriMet. Later, manufacturer U.S. Railcar quoted a price of $10 million for two new cars. TriMet also offered $750,000 for two cars for sale when a Canadian train refurbishing firm went out of business, but was outbid. In 2009, TriMet paid $150,000 for a pair of 56-year-old Alaska Railroad cars to use as spares. Its fleet currently includes a total of six cars. -- Elliot Njus enjus@oregonian.com 503-294-5034 @enjus This story has been updated with a response from the Department of Environmental Quality. After Gov. Kate Brown issued an unprecedented order Thursday requiring Southeast Portland's Bullseye Glass to stop burning toxic metals in unfiltered furnaces, state officials said the decision was based on a crucial new piece of data -- a one-day spike in airborne lead detected at a daycare center. One day was one too many, they said, pointing to the potent neurotoxin's harmful effects on children's developing brains. The levels found at the Children's Creative Learning Center, a state health official said, were capable of permanently lowering a child's IQ. "This situation with vulnerable children in close proximity clearly called for urgency," said Lynne Saxton, the Oregon Health Authority director. "This reinforces how important it is to take immediate action to protect public health if emissions become dangerous." It marked a dramatic shift for regulators who for months have ignored the discovery of lead in Southeast Portland's air. Monitors had already found a one-day spike of lead - nearly four months ago. And they did not act, excluding lead from subsequent rules meant to control Bullseye's toxic pollution. Air testing released in early February found a concentration of lead Oct. 29 that was 1.6 times above the state's short-term safety goal. The state acted Thursday after finding a single reading 2.7 times higher than the standard. Advocates said the latest action shows the state's hardening resolve with new leadership at the Department of Environmental Quality. Its former director, Dick Pedersen, resigned March 1. The agency's interim leader, Pete Shepherd, has been on the job just more than a month. Mary Peveto, president of Neighbors for Clean Air, a Portland advocacy group, said the governor's order wasn't just a break from how environmental officials acted in February. It's a turnaround from how dismissively the agency has handled air pollution concerns for more than a decade, she said. "The system was a sham," she said. "This is setting an earth-moving precedent. This is a massive shift in terms of what the state is now saying is actionable." Despite neighbors' calls to immediately shut down Bullseye in February and prohibit using any heavy metals without pollution controls, the state continued allowing the company to use lead, cobalt and a handful of other toxic metals. The environmental agency instead limited restrictions to a few metals found above long-term safety goals - levels that would increase someone's lifetime cancer risk. Neighbors said the state's bifurcated decision - condoning some toxic metals but not others - was unsettling. "We were terrified, knowing that they were continuing to pollute," said Jess Beebe, a nearby resident whose blood testing has found above-average lead levels. "It warranted the strong action that Kate Brown took. I wish she had done it earlier." The delay had consequences. One parent, Amy Bacher, said she withdrew her son from the daycare because of her continuing concerns about the air there. "If they'd acted strongly and quickly, we may have made a different decision," Bacher said. "We had a lack of faith in the state's ability to protect him from these toxics." State regulators adopted rules in April prohibiting Bullseye and other glassmakers from burning arsenic, cadmium, nickel and hexavalent chromium without filters. The rules didn't address lead. The Oregonian/OregonLive in March questioned top state regulators about why lead wasn't included. Leah Feldon, now a special adviser to Shepherd, said then lead and other omitted metals had not been documented at levels of concern. The monthly average in October was within long-term safety goals. Feldon said Sunday the state didn't act the first time because it hadn't yet adopted short-term safety goals. The state began using them in late March, after receiving the October results. "Since we defined a 24-hour health standard for the metals," she said in an e-mail, "the agencies have been consistent in saying we will take immediate action if levels exceed 24-hour standards." Subsequent tests have found lead concentrations that approached the state's short-term limit but didn't exceed it. That changed Thursday, when regulators received results of air tests from May 9, when they say Bullseye used more lead than was typical and the wind was blowing toward the daycare. "We learned that the standard for lead had been exceeded," Feldon said, "and we took immediate action." Monitors found 416 nanograms per cubic meter, only at the daycare, not at three other nearby monitors. An even higher concentration, 669 nanograms, was found at the daycare May 10. The state found 248 nanograms in October. The state's long- and short-term safety target is 150. Bullseye questioned whether it was the source. In a Friday statement, the company said the governor's order would eliminate 80 percent of its production and force layoffs starting Monday. It lashed out at the Department of Environmental Quality. "Their actions show that, rather than helping a business operate in the cleanest manner possible," the company said, "they would prefer to simply close us down." -- Rob Davis rdavis@oregonian.com 503.294.7657 Sunday Assembly 10.jpg Sunday Assembly Portland, the local expression of an international secular church movement, gathers in December 2014 for a non-religious inspirational service. (Melissa Binder/The Oregonian) This Thursday, one person after another will step up to a microphone in Pioneer Courthouse Square to boldly tell the city what he or she believes. Or doesn't believe. It is, after all, an event for atheists, agnostics, secular humanists and freethinkers. The Atheist Festival, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, will include music, speakers, informational booths and vendors selling bumper stickers and T-shirts. "It's not just getting together," said Charlie Ringo, a co-organizer of the Atheist Festival. "It's promoting the idea that atheists and agnostics are good people and shouldn't be subject to stigma. There are millions of Americans who don't believe in God but are resistant to say that." The event is organized by a handful of atheists around Oregon, including representatives from the Center for Inquiry in Portland, the Humanists of Greater Portland and a secular student group at Portland State University. Ahead of the festival, we talked with Ringo about his perception of and experience with stigma. His responses have been edited for brevity and clarity. Is stigma around atheism really a problem in Portland? That's a good point. Portland is just about the most atheist friendly city in the U.S. But you go out in the Portland suburbs and, yeah, people are reluctant to say they are atheist and agnostic. Public officials, nationally, they are supposed to believe in God. It's really not acceptable for a public officials to not believe in God. (Reporter's note: According to the Pew Research Center, 51 percent of Americans say they'd be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who does not believe in God. Americans are more adamantly opposed to electing an atheist president than one who is Muslim, gay or has had an extramarital affair.) Who do you hope comes to the festival? Are you hoping to attract religious people so they can learn more about atheism or atheists so they can find encouragement? A little of both. Our goal isn't to have a reverse conversion -- it's just to make the point that there are atheists all around us. Our friends are atheists, and even if they don't say that, they are there. The analogy we use is gays and lesbians coming out of the closet. Forty years ago there was such a stigma attached they felt they had to hide it. Once people understood they're all around us, more felt comfortable coming out. Is the country primed for a coming-out of atheists? Oh yes. Our country is quickly becoming more secular. It's a matter of demographics: the more devout people are the older people. But there are many public policy issues where religion is still a driving force -- even things like climate change. A U.S. senator thinks climate change isn't happening because of what it says in Genesis. I think the less religion in the public square we have, the better it is. At the other end of the spectrum, some conservative Christians fear their faith and values are being stripped from government. How do you have a conversation with someone like that about your desire for less religion in the public square? I can have a conversation, but that's not really the point. The point isn't to build bridges with them. The point is for the masses out there to publicly say they don't believe. I'm not against people that hold religious beliefs and go to church and have private beliefs, but people who don't believe ought to be equally comfortable. You talk a lot about stigma. In your personal experience, where have you felt that stigma? I don't think I've felt hostility towards me because of how I think, but a lot of people are afraid of it. I'll tell you this: I have an acquaintance who I asked to support the festival, and he said, 'You're brave to hold this.' Why would he say that if there wasn't stigma? -- Melissa Binder mbinder@oregonian.com 503-294-7656 @binderpdx Students from Portland high schools and colleges will march downtown Monday to protest the " " banner hung in Forest Grove last week. Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has proposed constructing a wall between the United States and Mexico. The "build a wall sign" at the high school was put up Wednesday and quickly taken down. The banner prompted students at Forest Grove and surrounding schools to walk out of class last Thursday. "In public schools, a lot of kids are undocumented or their parents are undocumented," said Greg McKelvey, a Lewis & Clark College law student who helped plan the protest. "To come to school and have a sign that says your family shouldn't be here would make anyone want to protest. We have a strong activist community in Oregon, and they want to get behind these kids." McKelvey said the protests will continue even though a student claiming to have put up the sign apologized last week. In a letter shared on a public blog, the student wrote that the banner was intended as a commentary on the restrictions of freedom of speech. "I understand now why it is being called racist and that I've made some students feel they and their families are not wanted at Forest Grove High School," the student wrote. "That was never my intention." McKelvey said a group of Lincoln High School students decided to protest after that apology. "I don't think an apology gets rid of the sentiment," McKelvey said. "Obviously, people still agree. You can see 'build a wall' all over comment sections." McKelvey said students from Lincoln, Roosevelt and other Portland Public high schools plan to attend and have been passing out fliers and "blasting it on Instagram." Students from several Washington County schools protested alongside Forest Grove students last week. The protest will begin at 12:30 p.m. in Pioneer Square with speeches from activists Jessie Sponberg and Teressa Raiford, McKelvey said. McKelvey said they'll then march to Portland City Hall and Portland State University. -- Casey Parks 503-221-8271 cparks@oregonian.com; @caseyparks goatguy.JPG Erick Brown and his pet goat Deer stand on the top a van parked on the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks at Farm to Market Road in Skagit County, Wash., May 13. Hundreds of people in kayaks and on foot gathered at the site of two oil refineries in Washington state to call for action on climate change and a fair transition away from fossil fuels. ((Scott Terrell/Skagit Valley Herald via AP) By Gordon Fulks WARNING: This article -- and by extension this newspaper -- should not be shown to children in the Portland Public Schools (PPS) system by order of the Portland School Board. "Banned in Portland" may not yet have the same notoriety as "Banned in Boston" or "Banned in Tennessee." But we are catching up. Please do not look for a centerfold in this newspaper showing some gorgeous gal, au natural. And don't look for photos of Oregon politicians guilty of inappropriate sex. This isn't about sex. This is about something far more controversial: science. Yes, believe it or not, competent science is again deemed a threat to humanity by daring to doubt the global warming paradigm. It is as though we are back in 1925 Tennessee, where fundamentalist followers of an old time religion were up in arms about evolution replacing creationism. Today the issue is competent science versus catastrophism. Competent science is that messy business where perpetually skeptical scientists argue the vital details of a very complex subject, in this case the Earth's climate. Catastrophism is the pretend science of the Prophet Gore and his fanatical followers. It is far simpler. Whatever the question, the answer is that diabolical gas, carbon dioxide. It comes from burning fossil fuels, but not from breathing! It has ruined our climate. But wait, there is still time to save the planet, if we vote for Democrats, enact carbon taxes and ban troublesome scientists who stubbornly maintain that "it's not true." Mainstream religions have long since made peace with science, recognizing that these two human pursuits can coexist to great mutual benefit, as long as one does not pretend to be the other. Some who study the history of science recognize that religion has been vital to science by teaching the value and necessity of telling the truth. The fervent pursuit of the whole truth (not just a political or religious truth) led the Puritans of the 17th century to form the first scientific society, the British Royal Society, with the motto "Take no one's word for it." Thus began 400 years of magnificent scientific progress, greatly assisted centuries later by Jews looking for an escape from the ghettos of Europe. From Albert Einstein to Richard Feynman, most of the great physicists of the 20th century were Jewish. Among Feynman's famous lectures was one calling for "utter honesty," a concept now largely forgotten in a scientific world dominated by presidential policy statements, vast amounts of cash and careerism. The new "green religion" of Al Gore sadly demands only belief, not competence, good behavior or honesty. Gore's followers try to silence heretics. That silencing has been going on for a long time in Oregon. Former Gov. Ted Kulongoski forced Oregon's best state climatologist, George Taylor, to retire and replaced him with one of the faithful. Scientists with advanced degrees are excluded from our schools in favor of Gore disciples like former Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, who lacks even the college education required for teachers but still lectures on global warming. What will Portland children miss with all this political interference? They will miss science entirely -- not just climate science. Propagandized children never learn that science is much more than a good story told by their elders. They will never learn that science is completely determined by logic and evidence, not by the "authority" and "consensus" preached by "Warmers." They will miss the wisdom of our greatest scientists. Albert Einstein's famous words -- "One man can prove me wrong" -- are surely blasphemous. That is dangerous doubt in a postmodern world. Today, it takes a political earthquake to topple politically correct pseudoscience. Students may even miss reading the voluminous United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that are the foundation of the climate scam. They dare to express the doubt now banned in Portland. We are back to 1925, with the modern version of creationism winning once again over science. Pitiful. * Gordon Fulks lives in Corbett and can be reached at gordonfulks@hotmail.com. He holds a doctorate in physics from the University of Chicago's Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research. gun safety.JPG (File photo) By the editors of Bloomberg View In a nation with more than 30,000 annual deaths from gunfire, and more than 70,000 injuries, promoting the safe storage and handling of guns is an obvious task for public health professionals. At least, it should be. As a paper published online this week at the Annals of Internal Medicine argues, physicians have both a legal right and professional duty to ask patients about gun ownership and storage. Doctors routinely ask about other risk factors, including cigarettes and alcohol. And a 2003 study suggested that counseling on gun safety had a positive influence on safe storage of firearms. At least 278 people were accidentally shot by children in 2015; so far this year, the tally is at least 94. When toddlers are shooting mothers, the need for safe gun practices couldn't be more obvious. But in its quest to elevate the Second Amendment to a place so sacred that questions about guns are deemed blasphemous, the gun movement has concluded that physicians who deal with the gruesome consequences of gun violence have no business trying to prevent more of it. The movement is finding support from courts as well as legislators. In December, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld Florida's "docs vs. Glocks" law, which restricts the speech and professional parameters of physicians, preventing doctors from asking questions that some gun owners might find intrusive. The law, which the court has agreed to reconsider en banc, is a sad jumble. It seeks to protect sensitive gun owners from discomfort while still allowing "good faith" inquiries by physicians if questions are "relevant." But because physicians who violate the law are subject to discipline by the Florida Board of Medicine, they may simply opt out of conversation entirely rather than depend on others to decide who acts in good faith, and which questions are relevant. This is how extreme ideology compounds tragedy. Other states, including Missouri and Montana, have dabbled in restrictions on doctors as legislators cater to a gun movement that is growing more extreme. Remarks from the podium at this weekend's annual meeting of the National Rifle Association are sure to feature a long list of bogeymen, although some old favorites -- like President Barack Obama, who never did get around to confiscating everyone's guns -- may be supplanted by some new ones. (Safe prediction: The NRA will say that Hillary Clinton now wants to confiscate them.) The gun movement has an interest in fomenting paranoia. Public officials don't. Confidential questions about gun habits, like questions about driving, smoking and drinking, are legitimate medical inquiries. Legislators in Florida and elsewhere should make it clear that physicians who competently perform their jobs will not be punished. (c) 2017, Bloomberg View Reduce threat of nuclear war: The nuclear threat has once again reached dangerous, volatile dimensions, with some politicians spouting off as if nuclear warfare was no big deal. One look at what's left of Hiroshima following the bombing should put that folly to rest. (Images cannot, of course, convey the dimension of human death and suffering which ensued from that particular act of folly.) During his visit to Hiroshima, Obama can take meaningful steps to reduce the threat. He can start by ordering our nuclear arsenal off hair-trigger alert, an insane situation that can launch nuclear conflict in instants, even accidentally. Next, halt plans to build a new generation of nuclear armaments, which are sure to not only waste gargantuan amounts of money, which we desperately need elsewhere, but also to move us closer to total destruction. The usual suspects will of course howl that by so doing the president is making the nation weaker and more liable to be attacked. (By whom?) He must not take heed of the warmongers. Mitchell Lifton Southwest Portland By Richard Hill There is much good that could come when President Obama visits Hiroshima as the first sitting president to do so. Public discourse about the visit has typically been misguided, media and pundits focusing on whether the U.S. should apologize or rethink the original decision to drop the bomb. The issue ultimately is not a U.S. apology. As for the original decision, the past is the past. Let the president experience what thousands of others, including myself, have experienced. He will see human behavior at its most cruel, whatever the justifications. And human suffering at its most intense. The exhibits at Hiroshima and Nagasaki are not inherently "political," though they offer historical context for World War II and dropping the bomb. The Japanese are careful to take responsibility for their own militarism. The exhibits remind us that "the bomb" is essentially a human story of pain, pathos, resilience and, in some cases, incredible bravery under extreme duress. Numerous artifacts -- children's tricycles, human hair, charred bodies -- provide evidence for the impact of the bomb. Beyond that, Hiroshima and Nagasaki are deeply sacred places, visitors reliving that horrific human drama. The Peace Flame, the Peace Bells, the lantern ceremonies, the rebuilt Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, the cenotaph in Hiroshima: All are rituals reminding us of what we have done and our responsibility to "Let all the souls here rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil." In this light, apology, especially as discussed in this particular context, is trivialized. There may be a place for apology. If so, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa in the 1990s demonstrated that genuine apology is much more than saying "I'm sorry." It is taking full responsibility without blaming others or citing circumstances, "saying" the deed publicly without erasing the action and empathizing with victims without seeking benefit. It is ritual acting out of shared humanity (ubuntu), creating community in action. I said earlier that "the past is the past." Yes and no. Dropping the bomb profoundly changed the world, making it smaller, more dangerous. The past is also prologue. There is hope in President Obama's visit. The real need is not an apology. The Japanese do not want it. It is not necessary politically. What is at stake is more profound, a change of heart leading to a change of policy. People rightly note the need for security. The irony is that arming ourselves to the teeth has not made us feel safer. Security, challenging to be sure, comes through making community. We live in a global village and must learn how to do so. President Obama's visit to the site of one of humanity's darkest hours represents the opportunity to rethink our place in the world, to create a post-colonial foreign policy based less on fear than on responsibility, less on control than on stewardship, less on separation than on connectedness. As a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein reminds us, we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. * Richard Hill is professor of humanities at Concordia University in Portland. pt.irvington09.JPG File photo 2011 -- Irvington School, pictured here, and three other schools in Southwest Washington were disrupted April 23, 2016 by false threats, including bomb scares. (Ross William Hamilton/Oregonian file) A Northeast Portland school and three in Southwest Washington were disrupted Monday by false threats, including bomb scares. More than 300 students at Irvington School in Northeast Portland were evacuated about noon after officials received a threatening phone call, said Christine Miles, Portland Public Schools spokeswoman. "The school received some type of digitized call ... to the effect there was a bomb in the school," Miles said. Police conducted a sweep and teachers carried out a secondary search looking for anything suspicious, she said. Nothing suspicious was found, she said. "Officers determined that no actual threat existed and learned that similar phone threats were made to some schools in Southwest Washington," said Sgt. Pete Simpson, Portland police spokesman, in a news release. In Vancouver, Clark County deputies responded to York Elementary school about the same time, said Sgt. Chuck Christensen. "It disrupted about 550 kids that were taken to a back field area about 250 yards from the school," Christensen said. Six deputies swept the school and found no evidence of a bomb or any other threat, he said. The building was cleared by 1:15 p.m., and students returned to class, he said. School officials in Washington at Long Beach Elementary on the Long Beach Peninsula and at Kessler Elementary in Longview also advised parents about reported threats. At noon, Ocean Beach School District officials reported an "anonymous phone threat," but by 12:30 p.m. they determined the threat was not credible, according to news releases. The school remains in a modified lockdown with normal release for students. At Kessler, however, officials said parents can pick up their children from the Longview Community Church after 1:20 p.m. while police continue to investigate, according to a 1 p.m. news release. Parents much bring their identification cards, officials said. At Irvington, Miles said school officials were grateful students were prepared to evacuate quickly for this type of incident after several practice drills throughout the year. However, "some of the kids are really hungry," she said about the lunchtime hoax. Students will be fed. Parents can come pick up their child before classes end or at their scheduled time, she said. -- Tony Hernandez thernandez@oregonian.com 503-294-5928 @tonyhreports A review of Oregon's foster care system is expected to wrap up in August, Department of Human Services Director Clyde Saiki told state lawmakers Monday in Salem. Saiki said the department would be ready in September to address what new legislation might be needed to fix systemic problems. The update before the Oregon Senate Interim Committee on Human Services and Early Childhood comes after months of turmoil within the state foster care system, including a recent federal report that found failings across the board. "We care for some of the most vulnerable Oregonians in the state," Saiki told the committee. To ensure the safety and quality of life of everyone in the department's care, he said, "We have some work to do." Saiki said the first phase of the investigation included determining what might be examined and how, while also reviewing federal and state law, administrative rules and policy related to child welfare. Investigators will soon finish the second phase, he said, which includes interviews with teen witnesses and a review of legislative reports, legal documents and child welfare records. Based on that research, investigators will draft possible areas of inquiry to share with a 17-member external advisory committee, he said. The third phase, Saiki said, will be a "deep-dive" analysis in top areas of concern. Gov. Kate Brown brought Saiki on board as interim director in November. The job became permanent in March. Oregon's foster care system, in charge of thousands of kids on any given day, has long faced troubles -- paying millions of dollars to settle abuse claims and struggling under budget cuts that sapped caseworker staffing and sent caseloads skyrocketing. A scathing federal report released last month found the system failing in every area under review. According to the report, caseworkers take too long to check on allegations of abuse and neglect, with just more than half of investigations completed on time. The state has also struggled to keep children who've been abused from being harmed again, either in state custody or after they leave it. And parents aren't able to see their children as often as they should. The findings are among several troubles for the Department of Human Services. In a record settlement in December, the state agreed to pay $15 million to resolve a lawsuit filed on behalf of nine child victims who were sexually abused as babies and toddlers by a Salem foster parent. Last month, attorneys filed a $60 million lawsuit alleging a brother and sister in foster care were starved so severely, they resembled famine victims. That lawsuit also follows months of scandal involving a Northeast Portland provider accused of neglecting children and misspending state money for years, all under the watch of state officials who discussed the problems in emails and meetings but allowed the provider to remain open. The scandal helped fuel legislation this year that created a foster care advisory commission, while also requiring quarterly reports on abuse, tightening licensing rules for providers and making it a crime for officials to knowingly ignore neglect. Saiki, since taking over, fired two senior child welfare employees and agreed to let the agency's former licensing director leave her position for a less-senior post. He detailed those changes during Monday's hearing. -- Emily E. Smith esmith@oregonian.com 503-294-4032; @emilyesmith A federal conspiracy charge against 25 occupiers accused of stopping federal officers from doing their work at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is constitutionally vague and has the potential to "chill the most crucial First Amendment activity'' - political dissent, defense lawyer Amy Baggio argued Monday. The charge provides a "sphere of protection'' for federal employees, but it's so broadly worded that it could restrict free speech and assembly designed to criticize the federal government and how its employees exercise their duties, Baggio said. "This statute can chill, it can threaten not only First Amendment expression but the Second Amendment right to bear arms,'' Baggio said. The charge alleges leader Ammon Bundy and his supporters prevented federal officers from working at the federal wildlife sanctuary in eastern Oregon through "intimidation, threats or force,'' yet Baggio argued that the statute doesn't define what constitutes intimidation, threats or force. U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown, who has set a Sept. 7 trial date in the refuge occupation case, countered that the statute "does not criminalize mere criticism'' or "mere protest.'' "It criminalizes force, intimidation or threats against public employees preventing them from doing their jobs,'' the judge said. Brown added that it's OK to criticize U.S. Bureau of Land Management employees, but preventing those BLM officers from doing their work on their property isn't permitted under law. What if a federal court employee on the fourth floor of the courthouse was intimidated by a protest outside the courthouse by NRA supporters all carrying firearms? Baggio asked. Would that make the protest a criminal act because it "intimidated'' a federal employee? "It's not protected conduct to use force to prevent federal officers from their duties,'' the judge told Baggio. "Of course a person has First Amendment rights but there are limits. ... It's also not lawful to intimidate someone with a firearm or threaten someone with a firearm.'' Debate over the conspiracy charge came on the first day of legal motions in the case stemming from the 41-day occupation of the Malheur refuge, which began Jan. 2 and lasted through Feb. 11. Bundy has said the occupation protested federal land management policies. One of the 26 defendants charged with the conspiracy last week pleaded guilty to the charge. Nineteen co-defendants were in court Monday morning, including independent broadcaster Pete Santilli. Another listened by speaker phone from Utah and five others waived their rights to be present. Defendants recited the Lord's Prayer before the judge arrived on the bench, but then sat quietly through two hours of legal arguments. Baggio urged the court to dismiss the conspiracy charge. If not, the defendants will argue at trial that they're being criminally prosecuted for protected conduct, she said. "The conduct in this case was primarily intended as First Amendment activity,'' Baggio said. The defendants were clearly criticizing the federal government, from the Jan. 2 parade and rally protesting the return to federal prison of two Harney County ranchers to the refuge occupation protesting the federal government's management and control of public land, she said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight challenged Baggio's argument after the lunch break. Knight said the conspiracy statute in this case is not about speech but about the conduct of the accused. Knight said the government isn't interested in their speech, "nor do we really care about the opinions of these defendants.'' What makes their conduct criminal is the alleged conspirators' agreement to prevent federal officers from doing their work at the refuge, Knight told the court. He argued that the terms "intimidation'' and "threats'' are common terms that most people understand. The occupiers received notice that their armed takeover was illegal and were told repeatedly to leave but refused to do so, he said. In other arguments Monday, defense lawyers want Count 3 of the indictment dismissed. It accuses some of the defendants of using or carrying a firearm in the course of a crime of violence. They contend that the underlying conspiracy isn't a "violent crime.'' Defense lawyer Per C. Olson told the court that the government is wrongly applying a definition of "intimidation'' from a federal bank robbery charge to the conspiracy charge. He argued that they can't "lift a definition'' from another statute and "shoehorn it'' into this charge, without any case law to base it on. Knight conceded that Count 3 presents "a close call'' for the court. But Knight argued that the conspiracy very much represents a violent crime and should be left up to a jury to decide, perhaps with a special jury instruction, asking whether jurors believe there was a threat of violence or physical force involved in the conspiracy alleged. The judge asked for the definition of "threat" and "intimidation" that should be applied to the conspiracy charge. "I don't know,'' Olson responded. "That's part of the problem.'' Defense lawyers also want prosecutors to provide them with more specifics on the allegations against each defendant, which would help determine who might go to trial together. "It's not clear who's alleged to have done what,'' Baggio said. She pointed out that her client, Joseph O'Shaughnessy, was wrongly implicated by the government as being at the refuge from the start of the occupation. The judge suggested it wouldn't harm the case for prosecutors to provide defense lawyers with a better road map, considering defense lawyers have received 36 volumes of evidence in the case. The judge said she'll rule on the defense motions to dismiss the federal conspiracy charge, and count 3's alleged "crime of violence'' in the near future. A June 16 hearing is set before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on defense arguments that certain defendants' rights are being violated because of they face simultaneous prosecution on two complex federal cases in Oregon and Nevada. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Photo provided Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Photo provided Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing was the scene for the recent 2016 CTE Showcase. Fifteen Career and Technical Education programs from all over Michigan were selected to represent the hundreds of CTE programs that students are enrolled in throughout Michigan. The CTE Showcase brought student demonstrations to the Michigan Capitol so legislators could get a first-hand view of the learning taking place in CTE programs across Michigan. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Its been nearly a year since Caitlin Lamberts bike accident, an accident so discouraging that the memories are still difficult for her to talk about. Memorial Day weekend 2015 began with such promise she planned to ride her bike across California with the Love Does Tour, a celebration of sorts for losing 110 pounds and a way to support a good cause. But her adventure, one she had trained for and raised money for, ended abruptly on the second day. Lambert fell off her bike and broke her collarbone. After surgery and recovery from her injury, she had two options: let fear crush her goals or get up and try again. She chose the latter. In a few weeks, Lambert is riding her bike across America, not just California. Two years ago I never would have thought I would do something like this, Lambert said. (The accident) was really, really hard. I am just pulling out of the funk. Joining the Across America team from Venture Expeditions, she leaves June 2 from Los Angeles and will arrive July 11 in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Shell travel 2,500 miles, across eight states, and up more than 30,000 feet, according to Venture. Because she didnt finish, The Love Does Tour forwarded about $2,500 of what she raised to her Venture trip. She has to raise $4,500 to fund her upcoming trip and anything beyond that supports Feed My Starving Children, a Christian nonprofit centered on feeding Gods children hungry in body and spirit. This is not just an opportunity to help better humanity, but in growth of my faith to do something I thought I couldnt and still have trouble comprehending that I am physically, mentally and emotionally able to complete, Lambert said. I will definitely be relying on God and his grace to complete this. She said the timing of the trip is important since its the last summer she has before graduating with a nursing degree. She knows a full-time job makes a trip like this more difficult to pull off. I have my whole life to work, Lambert said. It was kind of a now or never. Her friends arent surprised she found an activity combining her passion for biking and her passion for service. Robin Steinke, a close friend and nursing graduate student, described Lambert as loving, kind and supportive. I was so thrilled for her, Steinke said. Helping others is one of her qualities. Lambert has about $1,000 left to raise for her trip. If interested in donating, visit venture.org/donate and select her name from the drop-down box. Steinke said Lamberts story of overcoming adversity is an inspiration and solidifies her reputation as someone with a strong Christian faith, always looking to push herself. I love the crap out of this girl, she said. Chainsaw Man Season 1: The anime community is now buzzing about Chainsaw Man. Although the manga has been out for Read more SPRINGFIELD If the Illinois General Assembly passes legislation that Exelon Corp. contends is essential to the future of two financially struggling nuclear power plants, customers of downstate utility Ameren Illinois would help cover the cost, but wouldnt enjoy some of the benefits, environmental advocates say. Exelon says it needs action on its Next Generation Power Plan before the Legislatures scheduled May 31 adjournment in order to avoid shutting down the Clinton Power Station next summer. The bill also is vital to the future of the Quad Cities Generating Station in Cordova, the company says. The bill would extend to nuclear plants subsidies similar to those granted to the wind and solar energy industries a move the company says is warranted because nuclear power, like wind and solar, doesnt generate carbon pollution. Exelon says its proposal would cost the average residential customer of its northern Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison 25 cents extra per month. Ameren Illinois spokesman Tucker Kennedy wrote in an email that the company is still analyzing the effect the legislation would have on its customers energy bills. Advocates say Ameren customers could pay more as a result, but wont reap the benefits of new energy efficiency commitments ComEd would make. The bottom line is customers downstate are left holding the bag with the cost, and theyre not getting the benefits or the savings, said Nick Magrisso, Midwest states legislative director for the National Resources Defense Council. The legislation would commit ComEd to expanding energy efficiency programs that would save customers an estimated $4 billion over the next decade. As a result of negotiations with environmental groups and other members of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, the plan includes requirements that ComEd cut its energy sales by 18.5 percent by 2025 and 23 percent by 2030. It would receive financial incentives for meeting the targets and face penalties for missing them. Efforts to meet those goals would create thousands of jobs in the clean energy sector, advocates and the company say, but only in ComEds northern Illinois territory. Jason Vogelbaugh is director of energy solutions for Alpha Controls & Services, which helps commercial, industrial and governmental customers make their facilities more energy efficient. He works out of the companys Champaign office that has worked on projects from Bloomington to Mount Vernon. Becoming more energy efficient allows companies to invest more in their businesses and create new jobs, he said. His company and its customers have benefited from existing energy efficiency programs Ameren offers, and he wants to see that expand under the new legislation. Any proposal that leaves out central and southern Illinois means were leaving big savings and jobs on the table, Vogelbaugh said. Jack Darin, director of the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, commended ComEd and Exelon for their willingness to work with environmental groups and other interested parties in shaping their proposal. Those discussions have definitely borne some fruit, he said, adding the exclusion of Ameren from the new energy efficiency standards is one of the very significant problems remaining. Kennedy said the company favors many of the provisions of the legislation, but we must consider the effect the entire package will have on our customers. Huhtamaki Enters the Folding Carton Packaging Business in Europe May 20, 2016 - Huhtamaki announced that it has acquired Delta Print and Packaging Limited ("Delta"), a privately held folding carton packaging manufacturer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and its affiliated Polish unit European Packaging Solutions Poland Sp. Z o.o. with a new manufacturing unit in Gliwice, Poland. The debt free purchase price was GBP 80 million (approximately EUR 103 million). With the acquisition Huhtamaki continues to implement its growth strategy focused on food and drink packaging and enters the folding carton packaging market also in Europe. "I am very pleased to announce this acquisition," says Jukka Moisio, CEO of Huhtamaki Oyj. "Delta is a perfect addition to our operations in Europe. Their technology is world-class, product range is complementary to our existing foodservice packaging portfolio in Europe and the company is geared for growth." Delta specializes in made-to-order printed folding carton packaging for the UK and European foodservice, packaged food and retail markets. The net sales of the company for the year 2016 are expected to be approximately EUR 70 million and it employs altogether approximately 300 employees in its two manufacturing units. "With Delta we are able to serve our European customers even better and offer them a fuller range of paperboard packaging solutions," says Eric Le Lay, Executive Vice President, Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania. "We're excited to enter the folding carton packaging business also in Europe," he continues. "The acquisition strengthens our offering for the specialty coffee and QSR segments and gives us significant new opportunities in the packaged food market." The business will become part of Huhtamaki's Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania business segment as of May 2016. Huhtamaki is a global specialist in packaging for food and drink with 73 manufacturing units and 23 sales offices in 34 countries. To learn more, please visit: www.huhtamaki.com. SOURCE: Huhtamaki Oyj Sex education remains a controversial topic because some remain conservative in dealing with issues like safe sex, premarital sex, teenage pregnancy, HIV and more. However, despite the division on this subject, sex education is already offered in some schools. Sex Education Not Efficient In Some Countries Sex education is expected to help teens get informed with safe sex. Unfortunately, it is not efficient in some countries. Parent Herald reported that sex education in the UK is failing teenagers. Meanwhile, Parent Herald also reported that sex education in the U.S. is experiencing a downfall. However, despite the lack of success of sex education in these countries, it is successful in other parts of the world. Here are the top three countries with the best sex education programs in the world per the Guardian. 3 Countries With The Best Sex Education 1. India - The country promotes a healthy attitude towards gender through YP foundation. This progressive curriculum informs young people about gender equality, sexual diversity and consent. This program offers 14 classes for individuals 12 to 20 years old. This program includes role playing, arts and games. "Our teaching comes from the place that there are not just biological female and male bodies, but all kinds of bodies, as well as sexually diverse people. Understanding sexual consent is also a big part of what we teach," said Manak Matiyani, director of the foundation. 2. Nigeria - Education as a Vaccine (Eva) set up MyQuestion to allow young people to get answers to their questions about sex through text, phone or social media. This program offers young people anonymous advice from any location at any time, which increases their confidence to open up. According to Eva, 12,000 to 15,000 questions are sent through text. The founder of Eva, Akinfaderin-Agarau shared that this program aimed to fill the gap because sex education in Nigeria doesn't focus on one's rights and teachers skip subjects that they are uncomfortable with. 3. The Middle East - Ashraf Abumraq, 32, founded Karaz, an Arabic website that provides information and advice about sexual and relationship issues. He realized that there was a problem after meeting a young woman with six children who said, "I'm 25 and I have six children, make it stop' ". The anonymous woman was not aware of contraception. "There's a lot of stigma so I wanted to help people to educate themselves from the privacy of their home," Abumraq said. His goal to help was misinterpreted alleging that he was setting up a sex shop. However, he was able to get through it because "now communities in Palestine, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria want to help." Were you surprised that these countries have these initiatives to make sex education effective? Is sex education in your area efficient? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Google is one of the leading companies who venture into artificial intelligence or AI. In fact, the company is very eager in their AI journey. According to new reports, Google is working on a useful AI. Google Is In an AI Spring During the Google I/O panel last Friday, John Giannandrea, Google's head of machine learning shared the use cases, interest and research in artificial intelligence. He also teased, "We're kind of in an AI Spring," per Mashable. Google SVP of Product Aparna Chennapragada, who led the Google Now team, is positive with machine learning. According to her, as the error rates for voice-enabled assistant decreases more and more uses the product. Chennapragada also added that machine learning could unlock new use cases. "Thanks to mobile, a lot of the real world problems - transportation and health - can become AI problems," she said. Google Building Useful AI According to SFGate, Google is building a useful AI. Last Wednesday, Google unveiled a voice-activated Web-connected device called Google Home. Google Home is a voice activated home product that is designed to help the family get answers from Google, stream music and manage daily tasks. Google Home is a strong competitor to Amazon Echo. Giannandrea disclosed that Google's priority is to build useful products. If these become popular then they will find a way to make money from it. Laurent Lec, a software director for SoftBank Robotics Europe encouraged the I/O developers to create programs for his humanoid robot, Pepper. Pepper is used to greet shoppers at SoftBank stores in Japan. The AI robot will be shipped in the U.S. this year. Meanwhile, Parent Herald previously reported that Google is also prepping for a future where everything will be run by AI. The company is planning to end the use of devices with the rise of AI. Have you imagined the world run by AI without devices? What do you think of Google's determination to invest more in AI? Are you excited for their progress and development? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. A private Christian high school in Kansas has drawn the ire of multiple human rights groups for allegedly reserving the right to expel students on the basis of their relative's sexuality. Despite the controversy, the school maintains it hasn't denied admission to a student just because he or she has a gay family member. Sole Discretion The Independent noted that students who wish to attend Trinity Academy in Wichita must first sign a statement of understanding together with their parents. Part of the agreement states that the school can deny admission or discontinue enrollment of a current student if the atmosphere or conduct within his or her home promotes alternative gender identities or LGBT lifestyles. A copy of the school's contract recently made rounds online. It eventually reached the computer screens of several human rights activists. Needless to say, they weren't a tad bit impressed with what they read. "The alarming and growing trend of schools quietly seeking the right to discriminate against LGBT students, and not disclosing that information publicly, is what spurred our call for greater transparency," explained Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin. "We believe that religious liberty is a bedrock principle of our nation, however, faith should never be used as a guise for discrimination." A Pinch Of Hypocrisy Thomas Witt, the executive director of Equality Kansas was stunned to know about the level of intolerance going on at Trinity Academy. He told KWCH that by implementing such rules, the school is subconsciously holding its students hostages. "I think the LGBT community is going to be shocked and appalled to see children being treated this way by people who profess faith in Jesus," said Witt. "There's no biblical argument that says you get to punish your children, or that you get to punish somebody else's children, for actions of a third party." Mutual Agreement Trinity Academy responded to the backlash by stating that the school strictly upholds "bible-based" views regarding alternative gender identities and human sexuality. Parents and students agree to the school's terms on their own accord and can choose to cancel enrollment if they bear opposite views. Hillary Clinton's push for stricter gun control met criticisms from Donald Trump, who said that denying people their rights to have guns would make families less safe. Just recently, the former secretary of state fired back at the Republican Party's presumptive nominee and turned back the issue of peace towards his controversial campaign. Last Friday, Clinton appeared at a National Rifle Association, or NRA, event for the Trayvon Martin Foundation's Circle of Mothers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event was attended by mothers who have lost their sons and daughters to gun violence. Safety Of Families During the event, the Democratic frontrunner cited family safety as the basis of her stance about stricter gun control and overhauling the U.S. criminal justice system, the New York Times wrote. Clinton mentioned Trump's latest promise, which includes allowing principals and teachers to arm themselves with guns at school. She said Trump's plans will only fuel the country's gun violence epidemic, and will inspire more hatred and violence among people. Clinton said she will implement stronger background checks on gun buyers if she becomes elected as president. She also vowed to create more measures that will ensure guns will not fall to dangerous hands. Trump's Rebuttal The NRA, which has 5 million members, is endorsing Trump, Aol News reported. Some members, however, questioned the NRA board's endorsement. In his speech before NRA members in Louisville, Kentucky, Trump described Clinton as "the most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment candidate ever to run for office," as per the New York Times. He said Clinton's policies would endanger women the most especially those who are living in dangerous communities. Clinton, meanwhile, said she will not indulge in the nation's gun lobby. "Unlike Donald Trump, I will not pander to the gun lobby. We will not be silenced and we will not be intimidated." Hillary Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 22, 2016 Gun control is one of the central issues tackled by the Clinton campaign. In the past months, Clinton has campaigned alongside the mothers of gun control victims like Eric Garner, Jordan Davis and Sandra Bland, among others. Her campaign also featured Erica Smegielski, the daughter of the principal shot during the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. How Americans Respond To Gun Control In January, a poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS News found that 57 percent of Americans favor stricter laws regarding gun purchases. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents want background checks for those buying guns. Democrats in the California Senate are pushing stricter gun control bills, ABC News reported. California already has tough gun laws, but last year's terrorist attack in San Bernardino prompted lawmakers to increase measures. More youth members of the LGBT community have come out since Ireland passed the same sex marriage referendum on May 23, 2015. Ireland is the first country to legalize same sex marriage by popular vote. LGBT Acceptance BeLonGTo, a national organization for the youth members of the LGBT community, surveyed more than 1,300 young people aged between 14 and 23. Fifty-three percent of the respondents said they know someone who has come out since Ireland legalized same sex marriage, the Irish Times reported. According to the survey, 39 percent of LGBT respondents said they talked to someone for the first time about their sexuality since the country's same sex marriage referendum. The survey also found that 62 percent who have recently come out as LGBT are clueless about where to seek help and support, while 61 percent of young people want to improve the conditions of their mental health. Significant Changes Some 412 same sex couples married in Ireland since the referendum was passed, RTE reported. More than half of the marriages (213) were held in Dublin. Rory O'Neill a.k.a. Panti Bliss, a prominent personality in the Yes campaign for same sex marriage, said the referendum empowered the LGBT community. It also secured gay people's position in Irish society, according to RTE. Ireland's same sex marriage referendum symbolizes the country's move to loosen its grip on Catholic conservatism. It was only in 1993 when Ireland decriminalized homosexuality, Vice wrote. About 1.2 million people voted in favor of last year's gay marriage referendum, while more than 730,000 opposed the referendum, the Guardian reported. The historic law was enacted on November 16, 2015. Homophobic Bullying ShoutOut, a voluntary organization that holds anti-bullying workshops in Ireland schools, said homophobic and transphobic bullying still exists among communities despite the country's pro-LGBT stance. A research conducted by ShoutOut found that LGBT teens have higher chances of committing suicide, Newstalk reported. According to the study, 67 percent of students witnessed LGBT bullying in school. Thirty-nine percent of Irish secondary school students think their LGBT peers should have better protection in schools. Studyclix.ie founder Luke Saunders said LGBT bullying doesn't just occur in schools. Cyberbullying is now rampant as well, and this kind of harassment is harder to control. Gay rights activist Stephen Donnan launched the #VoteProudly2016 campaign last April to empower the LGBT community, according to a separate report from Vice. Donnan said the Democratic Unionist Party is the main hindrance when it comes to advancing the equality debate onward in Northern Ireland. Kate Middleton and Prince William have been plagued with several nasty rumors ever since they officially declared to the world that they are in a relationship. Now, it seems like the fairytale story of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been challenged once again as reports of the mother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte flirting with Olympian Ben Ainslie make rounds. Kate Middleton cheating on Prince William with Olympian Ben Ainslie Recent reports say that Kate Middleton and Ben Ainslie had an intimate encounter when the two tested out a T1 boat for a sailing training mission. Several photos of the wife of Prince William and the athlete has surfaced the internet where Kate Middleton looks very happy. Eyewitnesses present during the encounter had noticed that Kate Middleton finally gave a genuine smile after a very long time. Both Ben Ainslie and the mother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte had put through their paces during exercises that involved a T1 boat and a Land Rover CAT. Additionally, Ben Ainslie was sighted taking glances at Kate Middleton while the Duchess of Cambridge is chatting with an unidentified woman at the 1851 Trust. Kate Middleton, at that time, sported a sailor-inspired cream and navy blouse which she paired with a navy skirt. Prince William jealous with Kate Middleton and Olympian Ben Ainslie With Kate Middleton and Ben Ainslie's slightly romantic encounter, several followers of the Royal couple have speculated that the Duchess of Cambridge is just making her husband jealous. It can be recalled that Kate Middleton was very much upset when she learned that Prince William went to Kenya to meet his ex-girlfriend Jecca Craig. This ten sparked another rumor that Kate Middleton and Prince William might head down to a split. However, up until now, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are yet to comment on these divorce rumors being thrown at them. Meanwhile, Kate Middleton is the 1851 Trust's Royal Patron that works with Land Rover BAR. One of the objectives of the mission is to engage young people to learn more about science, technology, math and engineering. Do you think Kate Middleton is cheating on Prince William with Ben Ainslie? Do you think Kate Middleton and Prince William will head down to a split? Share to us your thoughts in the comment section below. It does not come as a surprise that children who are bullied suffer from psychological consequences such as depression. However, a new report has stated that bullies, too, are psychologically affected by the act of bullying. "Bullying is a serious public health problem, with significant short- and long-term psychological consequences for both the targets and perpetrators of such behavior," the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said in a news release. They also said that evidence-based policies are better than zero-tolerance policies. Why bullying is a serious public-health problem: https://t.co/t1TRPjIf5w pic.twitter.com/6YVw392bgK New York Magazine (@NYMag) May 18, 2016 Bullies Prone To Depression Too "Youth who bully others are more likely to be depressed, engage in high-risk activities such as theft and vandalism, and have adverse outcomes later in life compared with those who do not bully," the release said, as per Teen Vogue. It was also noted that bullies who are bullied as well are most likely to experience negative psychological and social effects. "Bullying has long been tolerated as a rite of passage among children and adolescents, but it has lasting negative consequences and cannot simply be ignored," said Frederick Rivara, Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Endowed Chair in Pediatric Research in a statement, according to Teen Vogue. Rivara is also a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Washington. Bullying Statistics Hard To Come By Getting the number of bullying incidents is also difficult, according to New York Magazine. Children choose not to report that they are being bullied because they fear the bullies. The report said that bullying occurs between 18-31 percent of children and young people. Meanwhile, cyberbullying occurs in about 7-15 percent of children and young people. The aforementioned percentages are lower compared to children and young people bullied for their disabilities, obesity and being part of the LGBT community. What do you think should be done to curb bullying? Share your thoughts below. Ex-Megadeth drummer Nick Menza died on Saturday after he collapsed during a show in California. The professional drummer was 51. CNN reported that Menza was performing his third song with his band Ohm at The Baked Potato, Studio City, when he suddenly lost consciousness and fell on the stage. The band's manager Steve Bauer said paramedics were unable to revive him. Bauer said he only learned of the incident through the one of Ohm's band members. "The group's bassist texted me last night after it happened. We are all still in shock," the manager added. RIP Nick Menza pic.twitter.com/LOa0df4YJw Christina Richardson (@clrson5) May 23, 2016 According to The Guardian, a statement from the group managing Menza confirmed that he suffered "a massive heart attack." The 51-year-old was reportedly declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Former Megadeth members could not believe the news including band co-founder Dave Mustaine who did not want to believe what he read early in the morning. Ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Freidman also shared on Facebook his memories with Menza. "We all know the great and unique drummer that Nick Menza was, but he was also a trustworthy friend, a hilarious bandmate, as well as a very loving dad," Freidman said. I'm beyond sad, did not see this coming at all. RIP Brother." The Guardian said the drummer's biographer, J Marshall Craig, has asked prayers from fans for the family of Menza especially his two sons. Craig said the drummer recently spent a vacation with his boys for two weeks and he looked so healthy. According to Billboard, Menza was a drummer for Megadeth from 1989 to 1998. He played for the band's biggest hits including "Youthanasia," and "Rust in Peace," among others. After leaving the band, he explored his talent in jazz and also became a woodworker. Last year, he joined Ohm and replaced drummer David Eagle who passed away because of heart complications. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Late Saturday Apple's CEO paid a surprise visit to the Apple Store in Dubai to meet with customers and see their two new stores in person for the first time. Apple's CEO business trip has now continued with a visit to AssistiveWare in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The nature of the visit is unknown at this time. Below is a tweet from Apple's CEO Tim Cook. Throughout Apple's business trip to India, CEO Tim Cook constantly repeated that "We have always been about creating the best products that enrich people's lives. Even beyond Apple's products, Apple works with companies like AssistiveWare that deliver on that promise. Founded in 2000, AssistiveWare has successfully established itself as a leading innovator of assistive technology software for iOS and Mac OS X with over 200,000 customers worldwide and is committed to collaborating with the global community to make a difference in people's lives. The company's flagship product, Proloquo2Go, is an award-winning Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) application for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch that provides a "voice" for people who have difficulty speaking or cannot speak at all. In April we posted a report titled "Apple takes us on a Touching Journey into Dillan's World of Autism, if only for a Moment" which presented two touching videos covering the Voices for Autism. While in Amsterdam, Apple's CEO visited the Anne Frank House, a writer's house and biographical museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. Cook's tweet read: "Thanks @annefrankhouse for keeping her memory alive. We must never forget the terrible lessons of discrimination." About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Guess what I noticed on the Family Research Council Facebook page? Image description: A Family Research Council Facebook post featuring a picture of three girls in swimsuits in a locker room with the text Protect Their Rights emblazoned on it, the words because they should not be silenced for feeling uncomfortable with a male student in their locker room above it, and the words urge Congress to take action to protect our children and stop the Obama administrations radical overreach under it. This image, of course, refers to President Obamas new directive advising public elementary and secondary schools on how to accommodate transgender students. There are several things to note here. First, the image calls the viewer to protect their rights and to take action to protect our children but clearly excludes transgender students from both their and our. Next, the text above the image reads: Because they should not be silenced for feeling uncomfortable with a male student in their locker room. This is interesting, because the Family Research Council isnt generally big on childrens rights, or on asking children what they want. And you know what? In most cases where accommodations for a transgender student have become an issue, it is the parents, and not the fellow students, who have made it an issueand it isnt always even an issue! There are transgender students at my daughters elementary school, but I havent heard an issue at all. The students arent bothered, the children arent bothered, there is absolutely no problem. And yet we get this from the Family Research Council: Image description: Family Research Council Facebook post of an image of diverse elementary school children accompanying an article titled 3 Reasons North Carolina Is Right to Protect the Privacy and Safety of its Citizens. Okay, so, I have a question. Where do transgender students fit in this framing? Arent they, too, citizens of North Carolina, if that is where they live? Note that theyre entirely excluded from this plead or protecting the privacy and safety of North Carolinas citizens. Since theyre the other, presumably. Somehow they dont count, and their privacy and safety does not matter. Whats galling, though, is their complete and deliberate exclusion from every mention of our children and their rights in each piece promotional literature for Family Research Council or other related groups that Ive seen. In a world where 40% of trans people will commit suicide, this exclusion is so inexcusable as to be horrifying. Two more things. First, is it accurate to describe someone as a citizen of a state, rather than simply as a resident? Im curious whether this is done deliberately, by the way, given that the opposition to North Carolinas HB2 is coming from the federal Department of Justice, in the name of guaranteeing all citizens rights. Emphasizing that these are citizens of North Carolina may subconsciously suggest that this should be a state-level decision only. Finally, I suspect that the kids in that picture wouldnt even notice if a transgender student used the bathroom next to them in school, but then I dont think the Family Research Council actually cares about their feelings. Speaking of which, when did Family Research Council become concerned about whether students are made to feel uncomfortable in their own school? Consider that Media Matters states that the Family Research Council leads the fight against anti-gay bulling prevention efforts. Every step along the way, theyve done everything they can to stonewall efforts to cut down on anti-gay bullying in public schools. They appear to only care about whether students are made to feel uncomfortable in ways that make those who work at Family Research Council uncomfortable. Heres another one from their Facebook page: Image description: Petition labeled I strongly urge Congress to take action to protect our children and stop the Obama administrations radical overreach with the intro This has gone too far. The United States Congress is still the voice of the American people. Its past time that they stand up to the unlawful actions of the president. If you agree, SIGN your name here. Here again with the call to protect our children. Well guess what? The transgender children the directive is intended to help are our children too. After all, they are children, and the our being used is clearly a collective term. Therefore, transgender children, too, are our children. What about protecting them? And then theres this one, too: Image description: A young girl covers her face while sitting in an empty classroom. The image accompanies an article titled Transgender Activists Put Ideology Above Safety with the intro line If the transgender movement is truly about acceptance and tolerance for ALL, then the voices of women and young girls who are uncomfortable with a male in their restroom need to be heard. In claiming that transgender activists put ideology above safety, the Family Research Council comes across as either profoundly unaware or profoundly dense. The Family Research Council itself is putting ideology above safetynamely, they are putting their ideas about gender (as evidenced by their insistence on calling transgender women men) above the safety of trans people. Should we talk about the safety of women and girls? Absolutely! But (a) this conversation has got to include trans women and trans girls and (b) I and other progressives have talked about the safety of all women and all girls, and frequently, pointing out that trans people are not predators and that, say, girls are more likely to be molested in their churches than in a public bathroom. Should we hear form women and young girls concerned about trans friendly bathroom bills? Yes. And then we should give them accurate information to help quell their fears. But this isnt just about unreasonable fears versus accurate information. Its also about various groups contrasting fearsand that is something the Family Research Council doesnt seem to be able to grasp, just like they can post an image of teen girls in swimsuits with the words Protect Their Rights without apparently even realizing that one of those girls could be trans, or that trans girls have rights that need protecting too. Can you say selective? What I want to leave you with, though, is that underlying exclusion. The very framework the Family Research Council uses when speaking of our children and their rights ignores the reality that trans children are children too, and they also have rights. It creates a framework where they can claim to be protecting innocent children from the other, from the predator, without acknowledging that that in many cases that supposed predator is another innocent child, and that in many cases the conflict itself is created by the parents, and not by the children. If the Family Research Council cared about rights, and about privacy, and about safety, they wouldnt oppose anti-bullying efforts, they wouldnt have opposed gay marriage, and they wouldnt continue to portray LGBTQ people as child predators. If they cared about child sexual abuse, they would be leading an effort to inform their followers of where such abuse usually occursin the homeand who typically perpetrates ita family member or close friend. They would be working to weed out such abuse in their churches, their Christian schools, and their colleges and universities. But they dont appear to be doing any of that. This isnt about protecting children, and it isnt about privacy or safety, and it isnt about protecting peoples rights. Its about valuing ideology over people. Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday did not do the Janata Parivar any favor on Saturday when in the last minute he backed out of the pre-scheduled program at Gandhi Maidan in Patna where he was to share dais with his enemy-turned-ally Lalu Prasad Yadav to address a rally by the Nishad community. Though Kumar had no problem attending a separate function by the Bihar State Building Construction Corporation Limited at the Secretariat Conference Hall on Saturday, party leaders said that the Chief Minister could not attend the Nishad rally at Gandhi Maidan due to his recent laser surgery in his eyes. Instead, Kumar sent Janata Dal U President Sharad Yadav to appear with the RJD chief a move being seen as a sign of growing rift between the Chief Minister and Lalu Prasad Yadav with the future of the Janata Parivar merger in serious danger. "The Chief Minister was not feeling well due to his recent eye operation and that is why he could not attend today's rally at the Gandhi Maidan," the JD-U chief said much to the disappointment of the crowd that, despite days of publicity, remained very sparse and no more than a couple of thousands. This is the second time in less than ten days when Nitish Kumar chose to skip meeting also attended by Lalu Prasad Yadav. Earlier, Kumar chose to be absent from a meeting with the RJD chief at the residence of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav in Delhi despite knowing about the meeting well in advance. Kumar, at that time, had told the media that he couldn't attend the meeting because of sudden trouble in his eyes caused by cataract an excuse not bought by many, including many in the JD-U itself. Speaking on the occasion, the RJD President was seen in his vintage form indulging in rhetoric that evoked more laughter than serious thoughts. "Just because I had a heart operation does not mean that I will be dead soon. In fact, I am going to live to be 126. The 'Mandal' front will teach a lesson to the 'Kamandal' bunch in the coming elections and people of Bihar would elect the Lalu-Nitish combo by an overwhelming majority," Yadav said. Calling the BJP leaders liars, Yadav then went on to connect the recent natural disasters in Bihar to the millions of lies that the BJP had been uttering since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. "God is punishing Bihar for their (BJP) lies," he theorized. Playing second fiddle to Yadav, JD-U state President Sharad Yadav insisted that the RJD-JDU was united and would remain so forever. "The RJD-JDU unity is final and this will prove to be fatal for the communal forces. Until we have changed the course of the nation, we will not remain quiet," Sharad Yadav said adding the Prime Minister had failed to fulfill his electoral promises and the people of Bihar were eager to teach them a lesson in the upcoming Assembly elections. Patna: Prepared to play spoilsports for Bihar leaders in the upcoming Assembly polls, former Aam Aadmi Party leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, at a press meet in Patna on Sunday, said that their new movement 'Swaraj Abhiyan' would study situation in Bihar and carefully monitor the poll process to inform the voters of their available choices. "There are not too many options in Bihar. We may extend support to some party but our main duty is to intervene and interfere in the process to make the voters aware of their choices. We will keep track of the money flow and also keep a tab on all the tainted candidates," Yadav said. Taking on both the self-proclaimed 'secularist' parties and the 'communal' forces, Yadav said that the two had destroyed Bihar in the last 25 years and wished to destroy the nation in the coming years. "Swaraj Abhiyan aims to provide new choices to the people of Bihar and elsewhere in the nation and has no desire to take the shape of a political party at least not now. We are only concerned with spreading the awareness among voters and keep them informed about any irregularity," Bhushan said. Supporting full statehood for Delhi, Yadav said the demand was a legitimate one but the way Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was going about it was not right. "The Indian Constitution does not make any provision for Delhi's statehood so it would require a lot of patience and diplomacy and less of confrontation if this goal has to be attained," he said. Patna: Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejaswi Yadav on Sunday inaugurated the new building of the Bihar Administrative Services saying it was his mother and former Chief Minister of Bihar who had laid down the foundation stone of the future premises and here he was inaugurating the finished building. Praising the bureaucrats for their contributions in building Bihar, Yadav said that he had hopes from the babus to understand the vicious rumors and propaganda being spread by the opposition leaders against the current government in an attempt to malign the state. "The entire opposition that has been left with no issue to complain about is trying to give bad name to Bihar. They are telling lies to the Governor and the President that there is jungle raj in Bihar. You tell me under these conditions, who would like to visit Bihar?" the Deputy CM asked from the bureaucrats. Yadav said that Bihar was the number one state in terms of growth rate and the government was unshakeable in its resolve to complete the 'seven decisions' taken by the Chief Minister. "Just a few days ago, the Delhi High Court had rebuked the Central government for the rise in crime in the region and had termed it as the 'Jungle Raj' but no one is talking about it. It's only Bihar that gets stuck with such labels," Yadav complained. On the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister released a book written by former Special Secretary Radha Mohan Singh. "We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic. Iran, India agree to expand relations: President Rouhani 05/23/16 Source: PRESS_UR President Hassan Rouhani says Iran and India have decided to expand and upgrade their ties from mere trade partners.The two countries economic relations could be much broader than the past, and today the administrative officials of the two countries decided that the bilateral ties turn into comprehensive economic relations from mutual trade ties, Rouhani said in a joint press conference with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) at a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tehran on May, 23, 2016. (photo by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) at a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tehran on May, 23, 2016. (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency Heading a high-ranking delegation, Modi arrived in the Iranian capital on Sunday. The Indian prime minister was accorded an official welcome in Tehran at the start of a two-day visit to make a case for Indias space in Irans market following the lifting of sanctions. Modi is the first Indian prime minister in Iran in the last 15 years on a visit which will mainly focus on connectivity, infrastructure, energy partnership and bilateral trade. President Rouhani said Modis visit has prepared the ground for the further enhancement of economic ties between Iran and India following the implementation of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group and the lifting of sanctions against the Islamic republic. Iran-India relations have always been of significance and today these ties can serve the interests of the two nations and the whole region, said Rouhani. According to the Iranian president, Tehran and New Delhi have discussed cooperation in banking systems as well as bio-technology, nano-technology and aerospace. Rouhani further said terrorism was a big challenge in the region and that India and Iran will also expand intelligence sharing in the fight against terrorism. Irans president (L) reviews the guard of honor with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Saadabad Palace in Tehran on May, 23, 2016. (photo by Irans president (L) reviews the guard of honor with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Saadabad Palace in Tehran on May, 23, 2016. (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency Modi, for his part, praised Irans strategic role in fighting terrorism and in establishing stability in the region, calling for more cooperation to build a world free of violence. Prior to the joint press conference, Iranian and Indian ministers signed 12 cooperation agreements, including an agreement to develop the southern Iranian port of Chabahar. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also arrived in Tehran on Monday to join Rouhani and Modi in signing a trilateral agreement. Chabahar is located in the Gulf of Oman on the border with Pakistan. It is Irans closest and best access point to the Indian Ocean. The port will be a game changer for regional connectivity, especially for Afghanistan, which can find an assured and reliable alternative access to India via sea. The route will also significantly enhance prospects for Indias connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond through synergies with other initiatives touching the region such as North-South transport corridor. India is one of the biggest clients of Iranian crude. Ahead of Modis visit, reports said India had made the first euro payments to Iran in four years to clear part of its $6.4-billion oil debt to Tehran. Overall, Indias crude oil imports from Iran have topped 500,000 barrels per day (bpd), reaching the highest level in at least five years. Enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people contacts would be our priority, Modi wrote on his Twitter account on the eve of his visit. Modi is expected to meet Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei later in the day. My meetings with President Rouhani and Honble Supreme Leader of Iran will provide an opportunity to advance our strategic partnership, the Indian prime minister wrote. India and Iran enjoy civilizational ties and have shared interest in the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the region, he added. Iran, India, Afghanistan sign Chabahar transit agreement 05/23/16 Source: PRESS_UR Iran, India and Afghanistan sign a key trilateral deal, known as the Chabahar agreement, to establish a strategic transit and transport route connecting the three countries. The agreement was signed in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Monday. Addressing the reporters after the signing ceremony, Rouhani said the event marks a historic occasion with regard to the relationship between the three countries. He added that the deal between Tehran, New Delhi and Kabul sends the message that countries in the region can make progress through cooperation and tapping into regional opportunities. Rouhani said cooperation between Iran, India and Afghanistan serves the interests of the entire region, stressing that Chabahar port epitomizes such cooperation. Highlighting the significance of Chabahar port, the Iranian president said it can connect India to Afghanistan and Central Asian states. Chabahar Port (map) Chabahar is located in the Gulf of Oman on the border with Pakistan. It is Iran's closest and best access point to the Indian Ocean. The port will be a game changer for regional connectivity, especially for Afghanistan, which can find an assured and reliable alternative access to India via sea. The route will also significantly enhance prospects for India's connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond through synergies with other initiatives touching the region such as North-South transport corridor. Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea and positions of Iran 05/23/16 By Bahman Aghai Diba, PhD International Law of the Sea Caspian Sea from space (NASA, 2003) -- see high resolution The Caspian littoral states (Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan) have been working on a document called draft convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea for the last several years in numerous meetings at various levels including the summit conferences of the heads of states and governments. They have not yet succeeded to reach a consensus on all important articles of such a document which are related to the criteria for delimitation of the Caspian Sea. However, in 2015 the Iranian officials announced that the sides have reached complete agreement on six provisions of the Caspian Sea convention. (1) Since then the Iranian officials have not told the people, how these agreements are reached? What has stopped the Caspian littoral states from generally accepting the Russian proposed formula of MML (using a Modified Median Line, based on the length of the coasts, to delimit the Caspian Seabed and leaving its superjacent waters for common use of the littoral states. Using MML gives Iran less than 13 percent of the Caspian seabed) ), and what has stopped the finalization of the draft convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, is positions of Iran regarding the necessity of using the international legal principle of equity in delimitation of the Caspian Sea among the littoral states. According to explanations provided by the Iranian officials in the past, using the above-mentioned principle means allocation of 20 percent of the entire Caspian sea-bed and waters to each of the Caspian littoral states, including and especially to Iran. (2) During the last many years, no other Caspian Sea littoral state has been ready to take any step in the direction of accommodating demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Caspian Sea. Russians who were initially in favor of a kind of condominium of the littoral states for administering the Caspian Sea (this was the position shared with Iran), abandoned this approach in 2002 (after the failure of the Ashgabat summit conference of the Caspian states to find a commonly acceptable formula). They have so far concluded separate and bilateral agreements with Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan to divide the seabed on the basis of the MML. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan also have signed similar agreement about the Caspian seabed. These states are putting pressure on Turkmenistan to accept this method. Turkmenistan which is not in favor of the Iranian demands at all, is insisting on a separate agreement on couple of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea which are claimed by others too and then they have no problem with the MML. Iran claims that all of these agreements are void because they have not been made with consensus of all littoral states. Under these conditions, the question arises that: what do the Iranian officials mean by telling that complete agreement has been reached on the important provisions of the draft convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea? Is Iran ready to accept the MML, because Iran at the moment has not the support of Western countries in general and in this case, it has not the support of the East (Russia) and other regional states too? In there a kind of secret diplomacy going on in the case of the Caspian Sea in Iran? In the light of previous announcements and claims of the Iranian side, the positions of the Iran in the Caspian Sea are as follows and again the question is how much these items are going to be compromised in the new convention by Iran? The Caspian Sea is a sea of "peace and friendship". This point has in fact two important sides: it is an expression of hope that peace prevails in the Caspian Sea and at the same time, it is indirectly a kind expression of concern that the Caspian Sea has potentials for conflict and if the littoral states cannot find ways to solve their problems from peaceful ways, the possibility of conflict is there. Lack of attention to the fundamental interests of a major power in the region can be a cause of problem to peace and stability. This is also a call for refraining from militarization of the Caspian Sea. The case of the Caspian Sea is a "Sui generis" (a special and exclusive status). This is a key issue in the Caspian Sea affairs and it affects all other issues related to this region. The Caspian Sea is a unique case and for the same reason its legal regime and the delimitations and other maritime issues are not subject to the general rules of the international law of the sea. The littoral states of the Caspian Sea have the ability and the right to find their own formula for the problems of the Caspian Sea. In the same context, some of the littoral states have proposed in the past that at the same rules of the international law of the sea to be used in the Caspian Sea. However, the other states are under no obligation to accept this suggestion. No legal regime can be defined in the Caspian Sea without agreement of Iran. Noting that some states of the Caspian Sea, led by the Russians, have opted for delimitation of the Caspian Sea-bed by Modified Median Lines (MML) and Iran is basically opposed to this formula (the reason is that the formula gives the smallest share to Iran, among others.) The legal regime should be defined on the basis of "equity" as a principle of the International law. Iran's position regarding the legal regime of the Caspian Sea has gone through several periods. In the first period Iran was supporting the common administration of the Caspian Sea. Later, when confronted with the rejection of this formula by others, Iran started to ask for the 20 percent for each. Yet, in another stage Iran asked for the division on the basis of "equity". During the last couple of years, Iran has been talking about the "equity". Any decision for the legal regime of the Caspian Sea must be the result of "consensus "among the littoral states. This point is based on the fact that the littoral states should decide the fate of the Caspian Sea and it is necessary that they agree on it. The issue was first mentioned in the earlier agreements of the littoral states but later mentioned in clear words in the final declaration of the Tehran Summit in 2007. The non-littoral should not interfere in the issues of the Caspian Sea. The point is based on the old Iran-Russian treaties of 1921 and 1940. Iran-Russian treaties of 1921 and 1940, although they are old and not accepted by some of the newly independent countries, still form the backbone of the legal regime of the Caspian Sea until such time that the littoral states find a new regime agreed by all of them. Security of the Caspian Sea will be provided by the littoral states. The Caspian Littoral states have signed an agreement regarding this issue and they are going to conclude more protocols on it later. Economic cooperation of the littoral states should be expanded through establishment of joint companies among the littoral states. The environment must be protected against all sources of pollution. Pollution in the Caspian Sea is a major issue. The littoral stats have concluded a convention in 2003 (Tehran Convention) to combat the pollution but they have not made much progress. Iran believes laying oil and gas pipelines on the seabed of the Caspian Sea can leave negative impacts in the Caspian Sea and it should be avoided to the extent possible. However, it seems this stance is directly related to the level of participation of Iran in such projects. Determination of an exclusive zone for littoral states. This idea has been discussed in many meetings of the Caspian littoral states and different figures have been proposed. The formula used by some littoral states of the Caspian Sea to delimit its seabed (the MML) is not accepted by all and their validity depends on the consensus of these states. Notes: The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now Firefighters battled two structure fires Sunday afternoon, May 22, less than a block from each other on the citys east side. Firefighters found smoke coming from an abandoned business, Albertos Mexican Food at 2342 Del Rosa Ave. shortly after 5 p.m., officials on the scene said. It looked like an attic fire was building up inside, Battalion Chief Jeff Novinger said. Then we watched a header of smoke begin to grow around the corner. Fire crews were dispatched to an apartment complex at 1677 Pumalo St. for another structure fire there. When firefighters were battling the blaze on Pumalo Street, they said a man began vandalizing cars by swinging a bicycle into them. San Bernardino police were called to assist. Its unclear if police arrested the man or de-escalated the situation and let him go. Novinger said this isnt the first fire theyve battled at the abandoned restaurant. This is the fourth fire weve recently put out in this building, he said. Both fires are considered suspicious and are being investigated. Reach the reporter: doug.saunders@langnews.com,@crimeshutterbug on Twitter Re: Series of gun-control bills gets state Senate approval [News, May 20]: Again, our not only liberal but hysteria-driven state Legislature is imposing more restrictive laws on the purchase of not only guns but on ammunition as well. Sales of magazines holding more than 10 rounds were banned years ago. The new laws would require those who have owned these magazines for decades to turn them in or be in violation of the law. All of these laws have two things in common. One, they are created by politicians that have little or no knowledge about firearms and are knee-jerk reactions to atrocities like San Bernardino. Two, these new laws and many others on the California books will do absolutely nothing to prevent such horrors and instead guarantee that fewer citizens will be able to protect themselves and their families from harm. An academic study several years ago found that firearms are used up to 2.5 million times per year to prevent crime, saving an uncountable number of lives, but that never makes the news. Our wonderful and efficient police arrive within minutes of being notified of a crime. The problem is that the crime that took only seconds has already occurred and the damage is done. Most law enforcement officers I have talked with are in favor of armed, trained citizens because it helps them do their job. But carry permits in California are all but impossible to obtain. It is a simple truth that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. The object, stated or not, of all of this legislation is to eventually make it impossible for citizens to protect themselves from harm. What is touted as reasonable gun laws are nearly always feel-good, but useless, gun-restricting laws that are aimed at eventual outlawing and confiscation of firearms. Then, only the bad guys will have guns. I guess we could all carry a sack of rocks to fend off attackers. But, of course, the lawmakers would ban rocks. Larry Palmer Norco Polymer Logistics has chosen an advocate for reusable packing as one of its leaders. Fred Heptinstall will be CEO North America Business, according to a news release from the global company, which is based in Riverside. Polymer Logistics makes reusable plastic containers, called RPCs, and circulates them throughout the grocery industry. It has entered into a contract with Wal-Mart to supply the retail giant with produce display crates. Heptinstall has held executive positions with IFCO Systems, Chiquita Brands International and Mars Inc. He has served as chairman of the Reusable Packaging Association and been active in other trade groups. Contact the writer: fbuck@pressenterprise.com or 951-368-9551 Riverside Police spokesman Mike Barney said his agency along with California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Secret Service will be cooperating to provide security when both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders visit Riverside on Tuesday. Sanders is scheduled to be at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium at 2 p.m. Clinton will appear at UCR at 5:30 p.m. Barney said UC police will also assist with security for Clintons visit. No road closures are expected for the UCR event, but some streets will be closed in downtown Riverside for the Sanders appearance: ONE PERSON was shot dead and two others sustained severe injuries when three suspected robbers, who reportedly wielded AK47 assault rifles, invaded a house at Ahenema Kokoban New Site in Kumasi, and fired gunshots indiscriminately before bolting with GH4,000 and mobile phones. The attack came on the heels of a similar one on a policeman with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the Ghana Police Service in the Ashanti Region. He was shot dead at Open Space Hotel in Dichemmuoso, Kumasi, on Thursday. Akomea Frimpong Jnr, the deceased, had just returned home at about 7:30 pm with his salon car while the robbers had laid ambush in the house. They reportedly gave him a wild chase on foot, which was followed by the firing of gunshots. Frimpong Jnr, was quicker than his pursuers, so amid shouts, he managed to dash into the living room and banged the door, but he was not lucky enough as he was shot several times in the head and the thigh through the door when he tried locking it. He died instantly. The allegedly masked robbers fired about 13 shots within a spate of some few minutes and Akomea Frimpong Snr, an elder brother of the deceased, a businessman, who was in the house with his wife at the time, was also shot in the leg by the robbers. ASP Mohammed Yussif Tanko, the Ashanti Regional Police PRO, said the robbers took away GH4,000, belonging to Mr. Frimpong Snr, adding that they also assaulted and snatched away a mobile phone, student ID card and books, belonging to one Agnes Nketia Agyapomaa, as they escaped. Speaking in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, the police officer disclosed that Agnes and Frimpong Snr were rushed to the Gary Marvin Memorial Hospital at Kotwi, adding that Frimpong Snr was treated and discharged but Agnes, whose injury was severer, was still on admission. He said the police picked the dead body for preservation at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), adding that the police retrieved 13 AK 47 empty shells at the crime scene. Appeal The police PRO said no arrest had been made so far and appealed passionately to the public, especially those that have information about the runaway robbers, to let the police know about it. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Executive Director of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) Yaw Akrasi Sarpong has staged a scathing attack on politicians as those behind the abuse of marijuana and alcohol in the country. Mr Sarpong contends that some may not use the hard drugs but make them available to others for their own ulterior motives. Speaking on TV3 over the weekend, the NACOB Executive Director cited the mobilization of spontaneous demonstrators by politicians as influenced by the provision of illicit drugs. Many people who are mobilized for large scale demonstrations on the spur of the moment, he said, particularly to play politics [are all under the influence of] alcohol and marijuana. Mr Sarpong said the situation is becoming dangerous as most politicians are taking advantage of this. If any politician will use alcohol and marijuana or not necessarily use them or know people who will normally, for being daring, go and smoke marijuana and drink akpeteshie on top or go and take Atemudaor Jordan or Under, that is a very dangerous situation. The NACOB boss has consistently called for the decriminalization of the use of drugs as he argues there are numerous medical benefits. He blamed politicians especially members of Parliament (MPs) for not leading the debate on the legalization of marijuana, popularly referred to as wee. In this country, we have seen a politician of a ruling party arrested for drugs before, he cited as one of the hypocritical stance of politicians, stressing that his colleagues justified his wealth by saying the politician in question provided bicycles for his constituents. All that it means is that people know people involved in drugs whose monies in one way or the other helps in somebodys campaign. And that is very dangerous. Source: tv3network.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Tullow Ghana Limited has constructed a maternity block for the Essikadu Hospital to improve maternal health and delivery outcomes in the area and its environs. It is estimated that the obstetrics and gynaecology department within the old hospital serve more than 80,000 women and 1,500 babies annually, thus the need for the new block. The 40-bed capacity maternity block comes with a theatre, a laboratory, a pharmacy and an out-patient area. The facility is in response to a request by the hospital administration to provide a maternity block to serve the increasing number of pregnant women in the vicinity. Mr. Charles Darku, Managing Director of Tullow Ghana Limited at the inauguration of the block said access to quality healthcare delivery forms a core part of Tullows social investment programmes. He said Tullow is committed to ensure that its operations positively impact the oil and gas value chain and the well-being of the communities in which it operates. Ultimately, it is the desire of Tullow to support a robust health system that is responsive to the health needs of Ghanaians, especially in the areas of maternal and health. We believe this project will go a long way to alleviate the perennial problem of lack of maternal health care he added. Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur, the second lady noted that partnering with government to raise the standard of the people is important to the countrys socio-economic development. She commended Tullow Ghana for such an initiative and urged other organisations to emulate its example. Nana Kobina Nketsia, the Omanhene of Essikadu Traditional Area, noted that Tullow has put in a lot of effort to support the maternity block. He called for a maintenance culture to be applied to the facility Let us as a people find ways of contributing to the maintenance of this facility; this can be done if the assembly charges some levy. Dr. Atsu Dodor, Deputy Western Regional Director of Clinic Care, appealed for ambulances for the Hospital. He pointed out that accommodation for their critical staff is also a challenge to the hospital- this affects response to emergencies when they have closed from work. He called on individuals, corporate bodies as well as benevolent organisations to give support in this direction. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has thanked the Chiefs and people of the Volta Region for the exceptional welcome he has received from them since he began his 4-day tour of the region. Worshipping with congregants at the S.S Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Aflao on Sunday, May 22, 2016, at the end of his tour of the region, Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his appreciation to the region for taking to him throughout the entire duration of the tour. With huge numbers turning out to meet him in each of the constituencies he has visited, amidst the chanting of popular NPP slogans, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that I am very grateful to all the people I have met for the wonderful welcome that they have given me and my delegation. May God bless you all. The tour which saw him visit Anloga, Keta, Adidome, Ave-Dakpa, Akatsi, Klikor, Agbozume and Aflao to interact with the Chiefs and people, he told the congregation that his presence in the region was meant to repair the relationship and close the gap between the Volta Region and the NPP. Afforded the opportunity to address the congregation by Rev. Fr. Johnson Edzi, the NPP flagbearer, as he has done throughout the tour, urged the congregation to ignore the vile propaganda making the rounds in the region about him and the NPP. They say I am old man with one foot in the grave. But, here I am. I am ok. As for death its up to the Almighty. We all dont know when we will be called. What you see before you is a small man with a big heart for Ghana, he said. Describing 2016 as a critical year for the country, the NPP flagbearer explained that he is offering himself for the leadership of the country because I believe I have something to contribute to making Ghana a much stronger and prosperous country, where there are jobs for our young people. That is why I am contesting for the leadership. I cannot succeed without your support. And, that is why I am here, to plead for the support of the Volta Region. With Pope Francis decreeing 2016 as The Year of Mercy, we pray that the Almighty will show His Mercy to Ghana, and we pray for the peace and stability of our country. That he should show Mercy to the Electoral Commission, so they can conduct a free, fair and transparent election. If it is free and fair, the results can easily be accepted by everybody, so that there will be peace in our country. He also urged the congregation to remember the NPP in their prayers, and pray for victory for the NPP this year. And please dont forget your man-servant, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in your prayers. Pray that the Almighty give me strength, wisdom, courage and a compassionate heart to be a good leader. Chairman of NPP Volta Region, John Peter Amewu, on behalf of the party, donated 10 packets of roofing sheets to the church. At the Global Evangelical Church Victory Centre, Aflao, Nana Akufo-Addo, also given the opportunity to speak by Rev. Awumi, Head Pastor of the Church, encouraged members of the church not to despair and lose hope, in the face of mounting and severe economic difficulties confronting the nation, under the leadership of President Mahama. We, in the NPP, have the men and women to give this nation a first class government that will turn the fortunes of the country around and give Ghanaians a decent standard of living, because we are going to work honestly to solve the problems of our people, he indicated. The NPP flagbearer, at the church, donated an unspecified amount of money towards the Churchs building project. Nana Akufo-Addo also worshipped at the Church of Pentecost, Aflao Assembly, where he urged the congregation to continue to repose their faith in God. He appealed to the congregation to vote for him and the NPP, in this years elections, stating that trust me and try me, and I will not disappoint you. The NPP flagbearer was accompanied by John Peter Amewu, Volta Regional NPP Chairman; Tommy Amematekpor, former Advisor to former President Kufuor; Mrs Agnes Okudzeto, former NPP 3rd National Vice Chairperson; Dr. Archibald Letsa, Volta Regional NPP 1st Vice Chairman; Joe Denteh, NPP Volta Regional Treasurer; Joseph Hoemenyah, NPP Volta Regional Secretary; Maxwell Lugudor, NPP parliamentary candidate for Ketu South; Kenwuud Nuworsu, former Volta Regional NPP Chairman; Joseph Nayan, former Volta Region Deputy Minister and former NPP MP for Nkwanta North; Johnson Avulate, former Volta Regional NPP Organiser; Campaign Aides, Pius Enam Hadzide, Iddrisu Musah Superior and Fatimatu Abubakar, amongst others. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Koku Anyidoho, Deputy General Secretary, National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the weekend assured the chiefs and people of the Volta Region of a better story in 2017. He said the NDC is addressing the pressing needs of people in the region, stating, 2017-2020 will be better stories for Volta. Mr Anyidoho was addressing chiefs of Norvisi Development Union (NORDU) at Nyive in the Ho Municipality. He said the country has laid a solid foundation and is now on growth trajectory and the region would begin to see a better image from next year. Mr Anyidoho said by 2020 concerns of bad roads, schools, hospitals and local industries would be addressed. He said some of their concerns could be addressed by government appointees in the region and charged them to rise to the occasion. Mr Anyidoho asked the appointees to desist from acts that put government in bad light, since such deeds would not be entertained. Government appointees must not take their positions for granted. They must respond to the concerns of the people, be accommodating and respectful. We are picking strong vibes of negative attitudes and we will not entertain these, he warned. NORDU chiefs expressed concern over bad roads, lack of potable water, and youth unemployment. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video One of the topical issues that has come up for discussion after the just ended 6th edition of Tigo Ghana Meets Naija 2016 concert, is Rapper E.L's performance. The just crowned VGMAs 2016 "Artiste of the year" who came on stage during the round two of the three musical bout at Accra International Conference Centre had a great appearance but an unexpected technical hitch almost affected his entire performance on Saturday May 21. There have also being some reports that the Rapper was booed during his performance but E.L's management have rubbished that reports and explained to Peacefmonline.com what really happened on stage that created a frustrating 35 minutes silence during his performance. Watch EL's full Performance below: Management of the "Koko" hitmaker have explained what really transpired on the night in the statement below."E.Ls opening was stunning in the least, the Artiste Of The Year came in with clones (4 Look-A-Likes) of himself scattered across the venue rapping simultaneously toThe B.A.R then made his way down from 12ft off the ground as the lights revealed him posted up above the LED Displays.What seemed to be a grand entrance to a promising performance saw the next song Hallelujah fill up the auditorium as fans went crazy for the hit song..and then. SILENCE. The Sound went off. Totallyfor 35 Minutes. Now, let's cast our memories back just a bit.We witnessed at the just ended VGMA how Bisa Kdei was thrown off his whole performance after bumping into one of his own dancers on stage. It's safe to say the crooner never fully recovered to his usual performance standards on the night.Also, just a few weeks ago, BET Award winner Stonebwoy was trending online after he choose to Drop mic and Exit Stage Left after a fan came up on stage while he was performing & mimicked his walk.Honestly, these three incidents are not similar in any way. However, wed like to think our celebrities and performers are professional enough to stay focused & stay PROFESSIONAL when the unexpected happens on stage.As much as 35 minutes of silence at a Music Concert would be detrimental to any performer, we would like to say Kudos to E.L. As the silence grew louder, the artiste engaged the crowd & host with some jokes and chitchat in a bid to ease the tensions as the technicians worked on restoring the sound.Laterthan sooneron the 36th Minute (Yes, we was keeping time) the sound was restored and the performer got back to his act. At this point, fans and spectators had lost their zeal and cheers had died down as boredom had taken over the auditorium.Nonetheless, thedelivered a performance that weve grown to love and admire. The hit songs followed one after the other as the crowd was invigorated once more to cheer, dance and sing along. The performance went into a medley of Choruses that followed into the dance hit Shelele.E.Ls night on stage ended with arguably his best received song yet, KoKo. The climax to his set was backed with a Pyrotechnic spectacle that shows just how much the artiste & his label BBNZ invest in bringing the music to life off & on stage.Sadly, our media and news outlets yet again have missed the bulls-eye. Are our artistes to blame when Technical errors occur? Do we blame the hardworking performers & entertainers when the unexpected happens?We guess that's our topic for discussion In the Words of E.L. himself Wahala be Koko For My God O.EL's management told Peacefmonline.com emphatically that the Rapper was never booed at any point of his performance and the technical hitch was totally the fault of the organisers. Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Alrighty, were going to level with ya. The Australian Electoral Commission estimates that about a quarter of young voters havent enrolled to vote. Which is around 500,000 people. That is a shitload of votes. We know that were not apathetic look at the 10k turnout for the anti-lockout law rally for Keep Sydney Open! Or the young people who marched in protest of detaining refugees on Manus Island and Nauru. Plenty of young people marched in Invasion Day rallies on Jan 26 to fight for the rights and acknowledgement of Aboriginal people. We were outraged when old mate Malcolm Turnbull said that we simply had to borrow money from our parents to buy a house. Were dumbfounded by the fact its 2016 and two people of the same sex arent allowed to get married. And we find it impossible to believe ears when pollies ardently refuse to acknowledge that climate change exists. Screw any person who truly believes the heavily-peddled trope that millennials are apathetic because we listen to rap music and spend all our time on the internet. Fuck that, its not true we care a lot. We just cant see voting as a viable option for change, because most of the current politicians in power are damn near impossible for us to relate to. But, this has gotta change. Because our collective voices have the power to completely change the political landscape. Legit! According to non-for-profit group Y Vote, the total number of wasted votes of electors or would-be electors (aged 18 to 24) outnumbers the winning margin. Which means that if those 500,000 younguns enrolled and voted, they could easily change our country and our future. According to the companys estimates, the number of wasted votes outnumbered the margins several times over in major Liberal marginals, and some key Labor-held marginals too. Skye Riggs, who founded Y Vote, said young Aussies felt like their voices werent valued because they dont see politicians investing a lot of time in them. Were under-utilising our votes and underestimating ourselves, yo! If we all enrolled and voted to put the buggers that dont care in the giant metaphorical bin, Australia could be totally different. DEMOCRACY! To check if youre enrolled, head here: oevf.aec.gov.au/ And TO ENROL, click the giant link below. It literally takes 5 minutes or less, its so super easy: aec.gov.au/enrol/ (If youve moved since you last voted, youve gotta update your details! You can do that on the above link, too.) Now, this is important you have to enrol BEFORE 8PM TODAY (23rd May) . Before 8pm, yo. You gotta! A 48-year-old Queensland man is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to the horrific kidnapping and rape of a 19-year-old German backpacker in 2013. Peter Van de Wetering picked up the victim from a bus stop near Cottonvale, NSW, after she applied for a position advertised for a nanny and a farmhand. He was wearing a fake moustache, beard and wig which were falling off, according to the victim. Van de Wetering fed her chocolate laced with sedatives, bound her hands with cables ties and took her to a shearing shed. The case has drawn comparisons to Wolf Creek for the nature and manner of Van de Weterings monstrous actions. After the nightmare ordeal, she was fed more of the sedative-laced chocolate until she she passed out, waking up the next day beside a road near Stanthorpe. The victim had been in Australia only 2 weeks when the incident occurred. The sentencing has been adjourned until Wednesday. Source: SMH. Photo: YouTube. Ahh, bless the internet and the sharing economy for introducing us to magnificent services like Airbnb and Stayz, wherein you can dodge the usual hotel madness and hook yourself up with a sweet-ass pad in strange cities across the globe. Course whilst the majority of souls have been using the service to find rad places to chill and use as a home base when travelling around the country or abroad, theres a certain sub-section of Airbnbers who use rentals to jet off with a bunch of mates and get absolutely bent out of shape for a night or two. The Victorian Government has had it up to here *holds hand about neck-height* with neighbouring residents complaining about short-term renters throwing raging keggers every single freaking weekend of the year. And as a result, theyre about to introduce new legislation thats gonna make doing just that pretty dang tricky. The Government is drafting new laws that will give the power to neighbours or an owners corporation to take landlords to VCAT over unruly or destructive guests staying the property on a short-term lease agreement (basically that thing you click agree to when youre renting an Airbnb joint). The proposed new laws would see landlords liable for up to $2,000 in damages, and could see them lose the right to lease their apartment or house out under a sort-of three strikes and youre out style policy. Victorian Consumer Affairs Minister Jane Garrett stated that it was about levelling the playing field and allowing neighbours and fellow owners a say in how short-term leases affects their peace and quiet. We know there are some horror stories of people running up and down the halls, theyre damaging property, music all night, making people whose home is in the apartment just an unliveable existence. Currently all that can happen under the existing law, is you go after the guests for a measly $250 and they could be anywhere in the world. This is about giving neighbours redress, its about giving owners corporations more power and its ultimately about changing behaviour. Course theres massive questions over whether or not this is overreaching, giving nosy neighbours way too much power or say in minor cases, as well as the question of how itll actually be enforced should it go through. And even then, theres no way of legally preventing, say, people scamming Airbnb hosts by demanding their money back after complaining of a phantom smell. THE STINK COUPLE AKA MY AIRBNB SCAMDOGS.https://t.co/y5bf4d5MH6 Michael Beveridge (@mickyb273) May 23, 2016 Praying4U, Micky B. Source: ABC News. Nature is, fundamentally, chaos and murder. It is a harsh and brutal sphere of existence where the strong survive and the weak are quickly vanquished. Now, in 2016, we can film the entire brutal taxonomy of life in its very unmaking using drones. It is cool as shit, to be honest. Eco Abrolhos Cruises landed some intense drone footage of a pack of 70-odd tiger sharks tearing apart a dead whale in the crystal clear waters of Shark Bay, off Western Australia. The area is known for having the largest population of tiger sharks anywhere in the world, which obviously makes the opportunity for a lovely swim seem like a wonderful option. The comment below the video explains how it came to be: Passengers on our 14 day Geraldton to Broome and everywhere in between were treated to an unexpected phenomena whilst cruising inside Dirk Hartog Island. Something to show and tell the Grandchildren. Good shit and, obviously, completely terrifying. 70 tiger sharks is a phrase you dont necessarily want to encounter in any way other than via drone footage from dozens of metres in the air. Swim, anyone? Source: Facebook. Aussie sketch trio SketchShe have picked up a fairly large YouTube following thanks to their anarchic vids about how *life* is just absurd in the year 2016. Their videos of them miming along to songs in cars are insanely popular, clocking up hundreds of millions of collective views and getting them on Ellen and Good Morning America. In fact, PEDESTRIAN.TV nommed em for a Blogster award based on those vids. Their latest one posted on Thursday is starting to roll through the numbers. The Lad Bible posted it, and you know that tends to predict enormous gains. Thats just how it works. Its racked up 21 million views on Facebook, which is no slouch. Its pretty funny though. Taking on the supreme fakeness of Instagram posts and fame and giving Sketchshe the opportunity to shovel butter into their mouths, which doesnt come often. There appears to be a lot of crying going on for Instagrammers. Who knew? Source: YouTube. Best and Brightest Christopher Kelly of Cedar Crest Christopher Kelly of Cedar Crest High School, playing the drums, May 12, 2016. (Sean Simmers, PennLive) Name: Christopher Kelly School: Cedar Crest High School Hometown: South Lebanon Township, Lebanon County Parent: Christine Kelly In his words: "At my school, as with any school, acceptance is an important issue. Sexuality and gender identity are among the most prominent issues of today. At the high school I attend, there existed a tradition in which the more popular male members of the senior class were dressed up in girls' clothing and wore makeup during a pep rally. This activity was meant to be comical with no malicious intent. However, it was brought to my attention by several transgender students that this tradition was incredibly offensive. One student even told me it 'makes me cringe every year I'm forced to watch it.' It was then that I realized this tradition had no place in a progressive and accepting society. I, with the help of a friend, prepared a letter and presentation imploring the administration to remove this tradition from the pep rally. My intention was reiterated several times that I was not interested in taking a position of snobbish political correctness checker, but rather of real concern for the emotional damage being done to a portion of the student body. ... Thankfully, my request was heard and the tradition was not permitted." In their words: "Chris manages to balance a demanding academic schedule including several AP classes with a great deal of extracurricular participation in the marching band, the pep band, the jazz band, the chorus, concert choir, show choir, stage plays and musicals and even the track and field events where he leads our throwing team. Outside of school he has worked hard to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. And Chris has accomplished all of this with his own cheerful determination, overcoming the devastating sudden death of his father when Chris was just in middle school." - Catherine Zackey, Latin teacher, National Honor Society adviser, Cedar Crest High School Honors: Academic Achievement Medal, National Honor Society, two-time Poetry Out Loud regional finalist, three Apollo Award nominations for best actor, Eagle Scout Activities: Boy Scouts, marching band drum line captain, track and field, chorus, concert choir, show choir, jazz band, pit orchestra, theater Mentor: Mike Stoudt, sixth-grade English teacher, Cedar Crest Middle School Plans: Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass., to double major in psychology and political science HARRISBURG- Italian Lake residents aren't the only neighbors pooling their money to spruce up their Harrisburg neighborhood. While Italian Lake residents rented six swans through the summer, Bellevue Park residents raised $5,000 to restore and recreate antique signs that ask drivers to slow down. The signs were originally purchased in 1938 and sprinkled throughout the neighborhood's winding roads. Through fragility and attrition over the next 78 years, the vintage set had dwindled down to two remaining signs. And both were broken. Bellevue Park residents raised money to hire a metal-worker who restored the two remaining signs and recreated six new signs to match. The signs were laser-cut from steel and welded to backers that were attached to poles and painted. Neighbors rented an auger and volunteers dug holes earlier this month for the new signs, which were set with concrete. The signs highlight the neighborhood's history as the first landscaped suburb in central Pennsylvania. Bellevue Park resident Vickie Bucher organized and managed the project. Resident Jim Thompson said residents have episodic concerns about speeders, especially along a downhill stretch of Valley Road. He said the signs serve as a friendly reminder for drivers and represent the neighborhood's era. "The neighborhood dates back to the City Beautiful movement," he said, referring to an early 1900s project to transform the city. Pennsylvania's Supreme Court on Monday thwarted another legal bid by once-revered comedian Bill Cosby to foil the sexual assault case against him. In a one-sentence order, the state's highest court rejected Cosby's for an application for a stay to delay the criminal proceedings while his lawyers battle for dismissal of the case. Cosby, 78, is scheduled to appear in Montgomery County Court on Tuesday for a pretrial hearing on felony accusations that he drugged a woman and had sex with her without her consent in 2004 at his Philadelphia-area home. He may face his accuser, 42-year-old Andrea Constand, at that proceeding. Earlier attempts by Cosby's lawyers to delay the criminal case also where rejected by the Montgomery County Court and state Superior Court. For nearly two years now, Terrance McMullen Sr. has slept with the ashes of his slain 21-year-old son, Daylynn Smith, sitting in a black box/memorial on his nightstand. Last month, when Johnny Collins, 25, was tried for and convicted of killing Smith, his son's ashes were beside McMullen on the bench in the Dauphin County courtroom. He and his boy made yet another trip together on Monday, when McMullen marched to the front of the courtroom and spoke just before President Judge Richard A. Lewis sentenced Collins to life in prison for the June 2014 murder in Harrisburg's Hall Manor housing complex. Daylynn Smith "This is my son right here," McMullen said, showing Collins the black box bearing Smith's photograph. "I didn't do it," Collins blurted out before Lewis told him to keep quiet. McMullen berated Collins for his "selfish act." Yet he said he said he doesn't intend to hold a grudge for the rest of his life. "I'm not going to have animosity toward you because it's not going to bring Daylynn back," McMullen said. For him, the hardest part of the hearing was reading from a proclamation of condolence state Rep. Patty Kim secured from the state House after Smith, of Steelton, was murdered. McMullen broke down several times as he read the document. Deputy District Attorney David Wilson handed him a tissue to dry the tears. "Our heart is missing a piece,"McMullen's wife, Ashley Ward-McMullen, told the judge when her husband finished speaking. "Children killing children everywhere just isn't right...There's no reason for it." Wilson and Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Sprow contended during Collins' trial that Collins shot Smith in the back over a drug debt. Defense attorney Damian Destephano argued that the prosecution witnesses who linked Collins to the killing were unreliable. Johnny M. Collins Given Collins' comments to Lewis on Monday denying his guilt, an appeal of his first-degree murder conviction is likely. "I'm sorry for your loss," Collins said, turning toward the McMullens. "But I have three kids of my own. I would never do that." Lewis lamented Smith's slaying as yet another pointless killing in the state capital. Smith "was essentially executed on the streets of Harrisburg, shot in the back. It's just a horrendous crime." the judge said. "Shooting someone in the back has always been considered to be cowardly. And this (killing) certainly fits that bill." Relatives of Collins caused an uproar in the courtroom when he was convicted. On Monday, three of his female supporters attended his sentencing. "We love you," they said as sheriff's deputies led Collins away. After winning re-election in 2004, George W. Bush took a trip to Amish Country. He hadn't come for a handmade quilt commemorating his second term, or a sampler of fresh preserves to keep onboard Air Force One. This was business. Specifically, Bush had come to thank Lancaster County Republican organizers who had worked on his behalf to secure strong turnout among local Amish voters that Nov. 2. At the top of his list was a politically connected church family with growing influence and an increasingly checkered past as political organizers. They had been called on by GOP brass months earlier, with Democratic Senator John Kerry leading Bush in the Pennsylvania polls, but just barely. Kerry's lead was so slim as to be within the margin of error. Looking to seize an opportunity in a crucial swing state, Republican leaders mobilized a massive get-out-the-vote campaign. It targeted new conservative voters who could, if registered in great enough numbers, sway the outcome in Bush's favor, or so the thinking went. It made sense, especially considering that just four years earlier, 537 votes in Florida had earned Bush the White House. With this in mind, Republican strategists targeted evangelicals as well as the tens of thousands of eligible Amish voters in Pennsylvania and Ohio, another key swing state. Bush would go on to win in Ohio, helping him to also win his second term. He would lose in Pennsylvania despite the Amish recruitment efforts here, however. But the Amish strategy would be celebrated for its savvy and cost-effectiveness, and it is now being mimicked in another high-stakes election in which nothing, and no one, will be left to chance. For-the-record: Ongoing wars, terrorism fears, a "don't change horses midstream" mindset and 10 million evangelical votes certainly had far more to do with Bush's reelection than Amish voter participation. But a vein had been tapped, and the Amish would be looked to as difference-makers in subsequent presidential elections, including this one. This year, a Super PAC has already been established to stir up Amish support for Republican candidate Donald Trump, who is neck-and-neck with Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton in early polls in states like Pennsylvania. But the Amish community's support is far from a given, and its history at the polls complicated to say the least. 'The Amish will be voting for Donald Trump' Chet Beiler was born Amish. He became a businessman, chairman of Lancaster County's Republican Party and launched his own, ultimately unsuccessful, campaign for U.S. Congress this past year. Beiler was also one of the architects of the Amish voter drive in 2004, leveraging his ties to the church community on behalf of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania, of which he was an ambitious up-and-comer at the time. While his immediate family had moved away from the community when Beiler was just a boy, he still had Amish relatives and also ran a gazebo manufacturing company that employed many church members. For these reasons, he seemed an obvious choice to spearhead the GOP's outreach effort. But the voter drive itself would prompt criticism of organizers like Beiler, who were accused of using scare tactics and hot-button issues, such as same-sex marriage and abortion, to get the Amish to the polls. Four years earlier, Beiler had been charged with violating election laws by paying campaign workers $4 for every voter registered and $8 for every voter registered willing to support Bush for president, the New York Sun reported. The charges were dropped after Beiler pleaded "no contest" and performed 50 hours of community service. "I simply answered the call where there were some folks in the Old Order community that wanted to encourage more Amish to vote," Beiler recently told PennLive of the 2004 campaign. "Part of why they did that was because George W. Bush had reached out to them and met with 30 Amish leaders when he came to Lancaster County for a rally. He met with them privately and it kind of took on a life of its own. My cousin met with me and said 'How about we do this thing?' It went so well that the president congratulated him directly, in person, after winning reelection." In the fall of 2004, approximately 10,350 Amish adults in Lancaster County were eligible to register and vote. Only 1,342 turned out to vote on Nov. 2, but it represented the highest number and percentage to have done so in nearly a decade of municipal and general elections, researcher Donald Kraybill noted. It may have also signaled the start of a trend, wherein strategists would begin to rely on Amish communities as bastions of conservative support. The Amish that do vote are overwhelmingly Republican. Almost none are Democrats. A few might be Independent, Beiler said. But while they embraced Bush in 2004, this year, their Republican patronage has been called into question, with experts wondering whether the Plain community can be galvanized around Trump, the ostentatious and thrice-married billionaire. Some already have. Jeremiah Raber, a former "Breaking Amish" cast member, said "I can promise you this time around the Amish will be out in full force voting for president. And I can almost guarantee you that the Amish will be voting for Donald Trump. Because they vote for what is right." He added, "How do I know that? I grew up Amish. I was adopted by the Amish and raised by them. I know their beliefs. I know what they think." Others, meanwhile, aren't so sure. 'Kennedy won and God then removed him' There were hurdles for Bush in 2004, as well, in the form of incongruities that impeded Amish support. For one: The Amish are staunch pacifists, conscientious objectors even. And many in the church traditionally felt it would be a conflict of interest to vote for the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military, let alone one in the midst of two wars as Bush was at the time of his reelection. GOP recruiters overcame this by emphasizing the Republican/Democratic divide on social issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Bush, they said, would defend church principles on bell-wether issues like these. His values, the recruiters argued, were their values. Bush was also the only candidate to support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage at the time. "That was really ironic because the Amish don't debate or spend much time talking about same-sex marriage or abortion," said Kraybill, an expert on Anabaptist groups, such as the Amish, and a senior fellow at Elizabethtown College. They consider them foreign issues, or issues without a place in their social milieu, he explained. But the Amish were told, mostly by Republican recruiters and sympathetic church members, that they could no longer ignore what was going on in the larger society around them. It represented a dramatic shift in orientation, and was a sentiment in diametric opposition to the separation of church and state on which their communities were built. It was that same belief that helped to fuel Amish misgivings about political participation at the national and state level, too. And as a result, their electoral history is spotty at best, and often even contradictory. Historically, the Amish tended to favor micro-level politics over macro-level -- more often getting involved in the local and municipal elections they felt bore a more direct impact on their lives as businessmen, farmers and community members. For many, presidential politics were of little concern. And for the most part that remains the case. But there were changes afoot in 2004, changes that may continue today, as some community members began to question the "Pray instead of vote" directives handed down by church leaders for generations. "An Amishman once told me, 'We pray Republican and we vote on our knees,'" Kraybill recalled. "And I think that really sums up their position pretty well." Over time, though, some church members had begun to question and challenge this conventional wisdom. Kraybill quoted one Republican activist in the community who in 2004 argued, "Why was a [Democratic] governor elected to our state who brings in gambling, slot machines, and wants to put liquor in the grocery stores? Did our people just not pray enough?" In a paper titled, "Bush Fever: Amish and Old Order Mennonites in the 2004 Presidential Election," Kraybill takes an in-depth look at the Plain community's history of political engagement. He found that while voting was once forbidden by church forefathers, involvement in the political process and tacit support for it has waxed and waned for generations. The Amish have traditionally been discouraged from voting but not forbidden. They were, however, forbidden from directly participating in political campaigns or holding elected office themselves. He wrote, "The traditional Amish view of the state reflects a position of subjection rather than citizenship. Unlike citizens in the modern state who display a sense of civic duty and responsibility for the welfare of their country, Amish understandings of the state parallel those of subjects to a king." Kraybill said Old Order Amish attitudes toward voting have "fluctuated by historical period and region of the country as well as by local church sentiment." "Some Amish were energized by the 1896 presidential contest between the Republican candidate, William McKinley, and the Democratic challenger, William Jennings Bryan, and expressed support for Bryan who sympathized with farmers and the working class," he wrote. "Old Order interest in voting also intensified during the presidential election of 1960 when Vice President Richard Nixon, a Quaker, ran against Senator John F. Kennedy, a Catholic. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Old Order voting spiked in that election because of fears of having a Catholic president." In one particularly jarring anecdote, Kraybill cited an Old Order Mennonite who, following JFK's assassination, said, "Kennedy won and God then removed him from office . . . we can see what happens when people attempt to run ahead of God, or to take things into their own hands [by voting]." But despite such entrenched resistance, the Plain community's openness to voting would grow, fueled by pragmatism, cross-pollination and in some cases the outside world's growing influence. The trend arguably peaked in the 2004 presidential race, with the Amish, newly invested in the wider-world around them, coalescing around Bush's folksy, faith-first persona. 'They're not going to quit on us' In the weeks and months before Election Day, Bush visited Pennsylvania Dutch Country on a number of occasions. At around the same time, Beiler and his fellow Republican operatives began to beat the bushes, visiting Amish homes and businesses in an attempt to register the occupants. There were even voter registration booths set up at Amish auctions, community fairs and other events, Kraybill said, and free Election Day transportation would be provided to anyone who needed it. The Amish community's embrace of Bush was itself remarkable, drawing national media attention and gasps from some inside the community who railed against the hypocrisy of voting for a "war president" like Bush, but then refusing to fight. The debate continued even after the election was won, and after Bush signed into law a bill largely exempting the Amish from federal child labor restrictions. Bush signed the bill -- crafted by long-time Lancaster County congressman Joe Pitts -- in January of 2005, months after winning reelection. Now, with another Election Day looming, the Amish are again being called on by a Republican campaign. This time Donald Trump hopes to tap into the church's well-spring of conservatism. His "Amish" Super PAC, or Plain Voters Project as it's known, expects to spend $41,000 on newspaper ads and billboards in the lead up to the election. And despite the certainty of those like Jeremiah Raber, the jury is still out on whether the Amish will get behind Trump or return to a more passive form of civic engagement -- choosing to once again pray instead of vote. "With Republican leanings, it's very unlikely that many if any would support Clinton," Kraybill said. "I'm also doubtful that they would be enthusiastic for Trump, but that is simply a guess, and not based on any discussions I've had with Amish people about him." Kraybill called Trump's persona antithetical to Amish principles of humility, but added, "on the other hand, they do respect successful business people." Even an insider like Beiler said he was unsure which of this year's Republican candidates the Amish would have preferred. Only two things are certain then: There will be efforts to recruit Amish voters and internal debates about the compatibility of voting with Amish beliefs. Many will likely recall the controversy of 2004, after which Kraybill said a sort of buyer's remorse was expressed to him by some organizers, some of whom questioned the legacy of that campaign on the religious order. "Maybe I should not have done that [registered voters]," Kraybill quoted one with ties to the Amish community as having said. "Maybe we went overboard too much, I don't know. The politicians now want us to help again the next time. They're not going to quit on us." Police in Ocean City, Maryland, say a Chambersburg man died Saturday night in a fall from a hotel balcony. The victim is 29-year-old Jordan M. Hess, investigators said Sunday. They said Hess was killed when he fell from an eighth-floor balcony of the Stowaway Grand Hotel in the 2100 block of Baltimore Avenue at 7:20 p.m. Saturday. Investigators are preliminarily considering the death to be accidental, but the incident is under review by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, police said. A prolific robber is facing possibly decades behind bars after pleading guilty in Dauphin County Court Monday to staging holdups on both the East and West Shores. Edward Mitchell Deputy District Attorney Christopher Jason said Edward Mitchell please guilty to six robbery charges under an agreement that will net him a 15- to 35-year state prison term. President Judge Richard A. Lewis is to sentence Mitchell, 42, of New Bloomfield, in June. Mitchell was arrested by Susquehanna Township police in February 2015. He was charged with robbing two Kmart stores in Cumberland County and one in Dauphin county, along with two Metro Bank branches on the Eat Shore. Jason said Mitchell is considered to be a "second strike" offender because he has a significant criminal record, including prior robbery convictions. Car raffle for glow in the dark Mustang to benefit Toys for Tots A car raffle begins Tuesday in Sault Ste. Marie, with the chance to win a one-of-a-kind glow in the dark Mustang as a benefit for Toys for Tots. Manuel Cabello Florensa Wins 888Live Costa Brava Main Event May 23, 2016 William Powell Manuel Cabello Florensa took down the 888Live Costa Brava Main Event title just after 2 a.m. local time on Sunday morning, topping a field of 165 entries to bring to a close a four-day "Poker Fiesta" put on by 888poker from May 18-22 May in Costa Brava, Spain. What's more is that Florensa started the final table as the short stack, but ran it up to claim victory and 11,000 in first-place prize money. A Festival of Poker Qualifiers from around Europe had won packages that included accommodation at the 5-Star Guitart Monterrey Hotel, entry into the $50,000 guaranteed Main Event, beach activities and, on the final night, an exclusive Bounty Freeroll and VIP party at Disco Tropics nightclub. 888poker ambassador Kara Scott played host to the activities, welcoming guests at a champagne reception on the night of their arrival, taking to the sea on a jet ski for the beach activities, playing in all the tournaments, and finally commentating on the final table that was streamed on Twitch.tv for the first time. UK poker pro Rupert Elder was a special guest, noted for his own Twitch streaming, and he joined in the festivities and joined Scott in the commentary booth. Relaxing and Freerolling Thursday was a day of relaxation and fun on the beach before the poker began with a freeroll event at the spacious poker room in the modern Gran Casino Costa Brava. There were 130 entries for the hotly contested tournament tickets into the big one the next day, and it was past 2 a.m. local time before the winners of nine tickets were decided. Main Event Breaks Guarantee The two-day 888Live Main Event attracted an impressive 165 entries, comfortably surpassing the guarantee. A generous 25,000-chip starting stack and 14 30-minute levels of play saw 58 players make it through to Day 2. Scott made it through with an average stack, but there would be some way to go before the bubble burst with 18 players making the money. On the final day, Scott would fall short of the money when she went all in with the and was called by Chuc Khun holding the and Craig Newton with the . The board ran out and Newton claimed two victims to kick off a bloody few levels. The bubble was soon burst by Andrei Kolotov when he moved all in with the and got called by a player holding the . The board ran out to make a flush at the end. Kolotov was presented with a pair of Sony wireless headphones as a consolation prize. Just over four hours later the final table of nine was set with Newton and his stack of 929,000 comfortably in the lead. Heading into the final table, Florensa was dead last in chips with just 158,000. Manuel Cabello Florensa Takes It Down The tournament was eventually heads up between Florensa and David Nunez Arguello just before 2 a.m. Playing fairly even stacks of 20 big blinds each, all the chips went in the middle on a board of . Arguello tabled the for top pair, but Florensa had him beat with with . The turn and river sealed the deal and Florensa was the champion. Florensa is from Catalonia and won his seat online at 888poker.es. Speaking after his victory, a delighted Florensa told PokerNews that this was by far his biggest live cash, but he is a big winner online in cash games and multi-table tournaments. He came to the final table as the short stack, but was happy with the way he worked his way up. Asked what he was planning to do with the 11,000 first-place prize, Florensa answered, "Use it for my poker bankroll." That's spoken like a true player. Final Table Results Place Player Prize 1 Manuel Cabello Florensa 11,000 2 David Nunez Arguello 7,950 3 Craig Newton 6,400 4 Albert Ortiz Garcia 5,400 5 Albert Gorman 4,500 6 Pavel Fedosa 3,700 7 Martin White 3,000 8 Edijs Tevins 2,300 9 Jouanen Regis 1,800 Some Photos from the "Poker Fiesta" *Images courtesy of FabPhotos. Want to stay atop all the latest in the poker world? If so, make sure to get PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! Officer Brenton Medeiros (Photo: NLEOMF) The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has selected Officer Brenton Medeiros, of the Cranston (RI) Police Department, as the recipient of its Officer of the Month Award for May 2016. On March 24, 2015, Officer Brenton Medeiros was on his way to start his 11:30 p.m. shift at the Cranston (RI) Police Department, driving westbound on I-195 in East Providence, when he came upon flames rising from North Hull Street. Officer Medeiros pulled over and discovered an SUV on fire at the end of the street, which dead-ends into a guardrail, and called 911. Officer Medeiros initially assumed the people he saw standing at the top of the street were the vehicle's occupants, but as he looked more closely, he noticed a person still in the driver's seat. At this point, the flames were quickly engulfing the entire engine compartment of the Range Rover and the driver was not moving. Realizing time was running out, Officer Medeiros immediately ran toward the vehicle, down the embankment, and scaled a six-foot chain link fence adjacent to the interstate. When he reached the SUV, he found the driver startled and confused. Officer Medeiros removed the driver's seat belt, pulled him out of the vehicle, and dragged him 30 to 40 feet to safety. "I ran down the embankment and made it over the fence somehow. I don't think I could make it over again, but I was just lucky, I guess," said Officer Medeiros. "I'd never dealt with a car fire before, only what I had seen in movies. So I wasn't sure if the car was going to blow up or what was going to happen." By the time the fire department arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The driver, former Nortek CEO Richard Bready, was taken to the hospital and has since made a full recovery. "In the academy they tell you to be ready for anything, expect anything," said Officer Medeiros. "But at that moment, I saw the car fire and didn't know what to expect my natural instincts just kicked in. It might've been my training too. I just did what I thought I was supposed to do." Officer Medeiros said the rescue delayed his reporting for duty and he notified his shift supervisor that he would be a few minutes late. He minimized his heroic actions, saying only that he had stopped for a "car fire." It wasn't until the following morning that the full details of the incident became available through reports by the local media. One week later, Officer Medeiros was again able to save a life when he administered a dose of naloxone to a 20-year-old Cranston woman who had overdosed on heroin. The victim was found unresponsive, and after quickly recognizing the signs of a fatal overdose, Officer Medeiros immediately administered the department-issued medication to the victim, which helped sustain her until medics arrived. "I commend Officer Medeiros who, incredibly, saved the lives of two individuals in less than a week," said Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist. "Law enforcement officers save lives every day in America, but saving two in a single week is extraordinary," Memorial Fund President and CEO Craig W. Floyd said. "Officer Medeiros' quick thinking and humility in his heroic actions earn him the May 2016 Officer of the Month Award." Located in the nation's capital, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers. The Memorial Fund's Officer of the Month Award Program began in 1996 and recognizes federal, state, and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law enforcement service and devotion to duty. Officer Brenton Medeiros, along with the other Officer of the Month Award recipients for 2016, will be honored during National Police Week at a special awards ceremony in Washington, DC, in May 2017. For more information about the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's Officer of the Month Award, visit www.LawMemorial.org/OTM. About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund built and now operates and maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 20,789 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now building the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print *The following is an opinion column by R Muse* For the past seven years President Barack Obama has worked tirelessly to address income inequality plaguing far too many Americans, including issuing non-stop calls for a minimum wage hike, As is usually the case, Republicans opposed any plan to help lift Americans earning poverty wages out of their financial distress, and complained loudly and bitterly that raising wages is certain to break businesses. However, that is not the case by any means. In fact, the CEO of McDonalds fast food chain, Steve Easterbrook, was pleased to announce that driven by the Presidents push for higher wages and a growing economy, McDonalds profits are up, employee turnover is lower, and customer satisfaction scores are higher. So much for the GOPs lies that higher wages and employee benefits are business killers. Last year McDonalds raised wages for over 90,000 of its employees and provided more incentives and benefit packages. The results are in and according to Mr. Easterbrook; I am pleased with the progress weve made in the 13 months since I became CEO. We are making improvements that our customers are noticing to serve hotter, fresher food with improved overall service experience. We are returning many of our critical markets to growth in terms of sales, guest counts, and market share. And were increasing profitability both for the company and our franchisees, whose cash flows approaching all-time highs in many of our major markets. Fortune magazine reported that, U.S. comparable sales rose 5.4 percent, their third straight increase after what had been two years of declines. Although this increased sales growth is related to offering new menu deals, it is beyond refute that the higher profits and undeniably welcomed customer satisfaction is due to happier employees; also a factor in that increased growth in profits. Across Europe, McDonalds franchisees typically outperform their American counterparts because their employees are happier earning a minimum wage of $12 to $21 an hour and are provided respectable benefit packages; with a nominally small increase in retail costs of food items. Coupled with European McDonalds success, the announcement by Easterbrook just drove a stake through the heart of the right wing talking point that increasing wages and providing more benefits hurts businesses; at least for corporate giants like McDonalds, Target, and Walmart it has not. The McDonalds CEO also reported that besides a significant growth in profits, there is an overall 6 percent uptick in customer satisfaction. It is something Mr. Easterbrook attributes to better compensation and incentive packages for McDonalds employees. Besides higher wages and vacation pay, McDonalds offers tuition assistance to eligible employees; a benefit he says has led to lower employee turnover. As announced by the company less than a year ago, McDonalds immediate employee pay increase lifted the average hourly rate for its U.S. restaurant employees to $1 above the mandated minimum wage. The company expects average wages to rise to over $10 an hour by the end of 2016. The hamburger chain also announced it plans to dole out vacation benefits to employees of the stores it operates, according to a company press release. To sweeten the deal even more, the company announced that its employees who choose not take the time off will be paid for the value of that time. The company also made an important offer of tuition assistance to its employees under a program called Archways To Opportunity. Labor advocates say the store could still go farther and affect more McDonalds employees. Currently, McDonalds does not offer all these benefits to individual franchisees employees who make up about 90 percent of McDonalds labor force. According to the research director at Jobs With Justice, Erin Johansson, Its great news, however we would definitely like to see them extend the wage increases not just to their direct employees, but to their franchisees as well. It is true, of course, that McDonalds demanding that each franchise owner provide their employees with the same wage hikes and benefit packages would reduce employee turnover and have exactly the same effect on profits and customer satisfaction. As a value-added benefit to American taxpayers, paying higher wages and offering benefits would certainly reduce the unfair tax burden on Americans who pay out a little over $1.2 billion annually in taxes to cover public assistance programs for underpaid McDonalds employees. It is noteworthy that none of this would have transpired without the economy, or call for higher wages, created under President Obama. As the data show, all it takes is one or two companies to raise their minimum wages and offer employee benefits to encourage wage competition at other companies. In fact, companies that have raised wages, like Walmart, McDonalds, Target, and TJ Maxx have all remained profitable putting every dirty Republican lie about higher wages killing business to rest. In the case of McDonalds, the corporation is likely learning that it is just smart business sense to provide livable wages and benefits to their employees; even though $10 or $15 dollars an hour is not really considered a living wage. With higher profits, lower employee turnover and higher customer satisfaction, one might think Republicans would abandon their opposition to raising the federal minimum wage to aid businesses large and small to experience the growing success of a corporate giant like McDonalds. However, Republicans have to answer to their libertarian masters the Koch brothers, and until Charles and David Koch give the all clear, congressional Republicans will stay the course and keep as many Americans earning slave wages as humanly possible. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print A merging of Clinton and Sanders volunteers who came together to make calls in Ohio was an example of what the unified Democratic Party will unleash on Donald Trump. Reid Epstein of The Wall Street Journal reported on Trumps lagging effort to organize the state, and found evidence of unity among Democrats: About half of the activists interviewed at the Stark County Democratic headquarters said they backed Mr. Sanders during Ohios primary, but each said they believe they must work to elect Mrs. Clinton. The difference between any Democrat and Trump is so spectacular that I had to come help, said Tony Collins-Sibley, a 54-year-old cabinet maker from Alliance who wore a blue Bernie 2016 T-shirt as he phoned potential Clinton volunteers. Hillary is a boilerplate Democrat with all the traditional views.Ill work for her. Bernie Sanders supporters are not going to vote for Donald Trump. Those who supported Sen. Sanders are going to work passionately to make sure that the Republican, who is everything that they are fighting against, does not win the White House. A Hillary Clinton win would be good for Sen. Sanders and his supporters. A Clinton presidency will likely lead to a Democratic Senate majority, which would result in Bernie Sanders and his message becoming more powerful. The best thing outside of Sanders victory for Bernie supporters is a Democratic victory in the fall because Sen. Sanders will be in a great position if Democrats take back the Senate. Sanders will be able to carry his message of political revolution and influence policy as a member of the Democratic majority working with a Democratic president. Sanders supporters are not going to let Trump win. Sen. Sanders has promised that he will 24 hours a day/7 days a week to make sure that Trump does not become the next president. What happened in Ohio was the beginning of the real on the ground Clinton/Sanders coalition to beat Donald Trump. The united forces of Clinton and Sanders havent even begun to unleash the kind of hell that is awaiting Donald Trump and the Republican Party this fall. Be afraid, Republicans. Be very, very afraid. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump advertised success in a tweet Sunday, based on a Fox News national poll (image above). Trumps response, as though Fox is completely reliable in this, was Thank you America! #Trump2016. Of course, it turns out there were things Trump wasnt advertising, like the headline Fox News used in releasing the poll: Fox News Poll: Voters trust Trump on economy, Clinton on foreign policy, nuclear weapons It doesnt stop there, of course. Two new polls showed Trump and Clinton in a virtual dead head for the first time, a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll (Clinton over Trump 46-43) and a Washington Post/ABC News poll (Trump over Clinton 46-44). Trump, well known for hypersensitivity to criticism, was quick to crow about his success (in a phone interview, of course) and give credit to Sanders supporters who apparently think a guy who opposes everything Sanders stands for is the next best thing to Sanders: I hear and I look at polls, and I hear a lot of those people are coming with us. A lot of the Bernie Sanders voters, they do not like Hillary Clinton. A lot of those people will come with me. Right. Fox ran with that. Because picking out the selective bits of reality they like and inventing the rest is what they do. Fox News also ran with the idea that Trump and Clinton have equally bad unfavorable ratings when in fact, the Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 53 percent viewed Clinton unfavorably and 60 percent viewed Trump unfavorably. We can compare this to Gallups January polling which found that two-thirds (67 percent) have an unfavorable view of Trump, while only just over half (52 percent) have an unfavorable view of Clinton. Well hey, 67 percent and 52 percent, and 60 percent and 53 percent, are nearly the same thing, right? USA Today solved the number problem by not actually lying but misleading: The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll found over 50 percent of potential voters view Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump unfavorably. Well have to remember how this math you do as a Republican works next time they tell us how far from grace President Obama has fallen. Because, you know, 53 percent isnt really less than 60 percent when looked at from a certain way. We can take a moment to hearken back here to Election Night 2012, when Megyn Kelly turned to Karl Rove and asked, Is this just math that you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better, or is this real? WellNeither Donald Trump nor Fox News are advertising McDonalds CEO Steve Easterbrooks announcement that President Obamas economy is a big success. So yes. There is some math you do as a Republican going on here. After all, we have an April Associated Press-GfK poll that contradicts the Fox News poll: Americans trust the Democratic front-runner more than the Republican businessman to handle a wide range of issues from immigration to health care to nominating Supreme Court justices. Remember Dana Perino saying as a conservative you dont have to choose your facts? Trump naturally ignored the AP-GfK poll altogether, and here is an aspect of the Fox News poll Trump didnt advertise on Twitter: Its hard to make a resounding headline out of, More than one-third of voters Trust Trump over Clinton with nuclear weapons! You wont see that in Trumps twitter feed. Fox News also reports that, Trump is the candidate voters believe will do a better job telling the truth to the American people (+15 points), managing tax dollars (+14 points), and restoring trust in government (+8 points). This is interesting, because they trust a guy who refuses to pay any taxes to handle our tax dollars, and a guy who lies 9 out of 10 times he opens his mouth to tell the truth. We can thank the mainstream media for making Americans stupid enough to believe these things. The downsides, as weve noted, Trump isnt so eager to recognize, for example, as Fox News also tells us, Trust of the candidates is about equal when it comes to using military force (Trump +1), nominating Supreme Court justices (Clinton +1), and encouraging values you believe in (Clinton +2). These are biggies. Despite years of lies about Hillary Clinton, he is barely trusted more than her to use military force, and Clinton still comes away with the edge in Supreme Court justices and in encouraging values. Yes, Crooked Hillary is still trusted as the values candidate here over Trump. Where are his thanks to the American people now? Americans, however misguided they might be about other things, are apparently intelligent enough to realize you dont want to put nuclear launch codes into Trumps hands. And clearly, they can see where Trumps ready use of insults isnt going to go over big on the world stage. Trumps selective facts cannot disguise that he isnt as popular as he says he is, nor as honest as the mainstream media says he is. It also cannot be disguised that when all the numbers are taken together, even the endless media barrage (in Trumps favor) hasnt convinced voters that Trump is the best man for the job. Not that youd know that by listening to Trump, who has never shown himself reluctant to free himself of the reality that binds us all. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Faced the with the possibility of his party not keeping the White House and losing the Senate, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan retreated to a fantasy world where mythical Trump Democrats will elect a Republican president in November. Audio of Ryan on the Off Message podcast: This exchange as reported by Politico sums all you need to know about how delusional Republicans are: Is Trump a conservative at his core? I asked. He punted. You should ask him those questions, said Ryan. Im not the person to be giving you the breakdown of Donald Trump. Thats not my job and responsibility. OK, how about Trumps prospects in November against Hillary Clinton? Sure, Ryan allowed, hes got a chance and he predicts the rise of Trump Democrats. There is no evidence of a Trump Democrats movement. The polling suggests that Trump has zero crossover appeal with Democrats. In fact, there is a strong possibility that Trump will drive waves of women, Hispanic, and African-American voters to the polls to vote for Hillary Clinton in November. The Trump Democrats are the 2016 Republican version of skewed polls. Paul Ryan couldnt sell Trump as a conservative nominee who will appeal to the middle, so his only hope was to create a world where there are millions of Democratic voters who will not support Hillary Clinton and will instead cast their votes for Trump. Why would any Democrat vote for Trump? He wants to cut trillions in taxes for millionaires and billionaires. Trump wants to take away healthcare from tens of millions while abolishing the minimum wage. The presumptive Republican nominee floated the idea of punishing women for having abortions. He also wants to deport 11 million immigrants and ban Muslims from entering the United States. Trump doesnt believe in climate change, has personally benefitted from the same trade deals that he criticizes on the campaign trail, and is the walking embodiment of the income inequality that Democrats are fighting against. Paul Ryan is months away from an election where his best case scenario might be a Hillary Clinton presidency and a Democratic controlled Senate. His worst case scenario is that the House Republican majority also gets swept out of office, and Ryan goes back to being in the minority, and designing fantasy budgets where the dont add up. If Ryan is counting on Trump Democrats to rescue his party, he is more screwed than anyone in the corporate media is willing to admit. Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates General Electric Co. said Monday it made a series of deals with Saudi Arabia worth more than $1.4 billion as part of the kingdom's ambitious plan to wean itself off crude oil. GE said $1 billion worth of projects would be implemented by 2017 with the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Co., which formed in 2014 by royal order to boost the country's manufacturing industry. GE said its agreement with the organization would see it help develop industry and manufacturing in the kingdom, as well as create jobs for Saudi youth. Another $400 million would go toward building a forging and casting manufacturing facility for the marine and energy industry in the kingdom, with hopes of it being operations by 2020 and providing over 2,000 jobs, GE said. In the future, there's a possibility of another $2 billion in projects coming as well after 2017, the company said. Other projects that GE did not offer monetary values for include boosting the local aviation repair industry, offering digital services to factories, working on manufacturing LED lights in the kingdom and training young men and women. GE's chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt said the project showed the company wanted to expand its long-time presence in Saudi Arabia in "a new and visionary way." ADVERTISEMENT "Together, we will create quality jobs for Saudi youth, ... boost exports, enhance economic competitiveness and support the vision and aspirations of Saudi Arabia," Immelt said in a statement. The deal comes as part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan to wean itself off dependence on oil production. The plan, announced by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, also calls for floating a stake in the world's largest oil company, Saudi Arabian Oil Co., and setting up one of the world's biggest government investment funds. Immelt met Monday in Jiddah with Khaled al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's new energy minister and the chairman of Aramco, the state-run Saudi Press Agency later reported. The agency offered no details of the agreements between the kingdom and GE. "We are delighted in Saudi Arabia that GE is supporting the kingdom's Vision 2030 and the new plan for economic growth," al-Falih said in a statement. GE, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, has worked in Saudi Arabia for over 80 years. It has more than 2,000 employees in the kingdom working in the aviation, health care, oil, utilities and transportation sectors. Under the deals announced Monday, GE hopes to expand its workforce in Saudi Arabia to 4,000 people by 2020. Any additional jobs would be welcome to Saudi Arabia's 28 million people, who currently struggle with unemployment and providing youth opportunities outside of the public sector. Low global oil prices saw the kingdom have a nearly $100-billion deficit last year, while the government forecasts an $87-billion deficit this year. ___ BERLIN German drug and chemicals company Bayer AG announced today has made a $62 billion offer to buy U.S.-based crops and seeds specialist Monsanto. The proposed combination would create a giant seed and farm chemical company with a strong presence in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Bayer said the all-cash offer values shares of Monsanto at $122 each. That compares with a closing price Friday of $101.52 and is 37 percent higher than the closing price of $89.03 on May 9, the day before Bayer made a written proposal to Monsanto. Bayer had said on Thursday that its executives met recently with their Monsanto counterparts "to privately discuss a negotiated acquisition" of the specialist in genetically modified crop seeds, which is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Monsanto said then that it was reviewing Bayer's proposal. Bayer said it plans to finance the acquisition with a combination of debt and equity, the latter to be raised largely by issuing new shares. Bayer's shares, which tumbled after the initial announcement last week, dropped 3.1 percent in early Frankfurt trading Monday to 86.78 euros ($97.37). Monsanto shares jumped 11.3 percent to $112.98 in pre-market trading. ADVERTISEMENT The German company said that it "is prepared to proceed immediately to due diligence and negotiations and to quickly agree to a transaction." "Monsanto is a perfect match to our agricultural business," Bayer CEO Werner Baumann said in a video message posted on his company's website. "We would combine complementary skills with minimal geographic overlap." "The acquisition of Monsanto checks all the boxes in terms of strategic fit and value creation potential," he added. "At the same time, ongoing consolidation activities in the industry make this combination by far the most attractive one." Baumann said Bayer expects the transaction to "create significant synergies" and bolster earnings in the first full year after it is completed. Both companies are familiar brands on farms around the globe. Bayer's farm business produces seeds as well as compounds to kill weeds, bugs and fungus. Monsanto has some 20,000 employees and produces seeds for fruits, vegetables and other crops including corn, soybeans and cotton, as well as the popular weed-killer Roundup. Bayer, headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany, employs some 117,000 people worldwide. "Like Pythagoras's triangle, like the cave paintings at Lascaux, like the Pyramids in Giza, like the image of a fragile blue planet seen from outer space, the double helix of DNA is an iconic image, etched permanently into human history and memory," Siddhartha Mukherjee writes in "The Gene: An Intimate History," a fascinating and often sobering history of how humans came to understand the roles of genes in making us who we are and what our manipulation of those genes might mean for our future. Mukherjee, an oncologist, won the Pulitzer Prize for an earlier nonfiction book, "The Emperor of all Maladies," a history of cancer and its treatment that also delved into the lobbying, fundraising and awareness effort known as the War on Cancer. Mukherjee interspersed some stories from his medical practice in the narrative history of "Maladies"; in "The Gene," he gets even more personal, writing about several family members with inherited mental illness. He goes back to ancient Greece for early theories about how human characteristics are passed through generations, including Aristotle's surprisingly prescient thought that the transmission of heredity was primarily the transmission of information. Nineteenth-century pioneers Gregor Mendel (whose abbot, Mukherjee jokes, "didn't mind giving peas a chance") and Charles Darwin are given their due in crisp, detailed accounts of their work. "The essence of Darwin's disruptive genius was his ability to think about nature not as fact but as process, as progression, as history," Mukherjee writes. Unfortunately, their advances indirectly led to the first, but hardly last, wave of eugenicists, and such horrors as the court-sanctioned sterilization of Carrie Buck to prevent her "feebleminded" line from continuing, and the Nazi eugenics program, including Josef Mengele's notorious twin studies. "Mengele's experiments putrefied twin research so effectively, pickling the entire field in such hatred, that it would take decades for the world to take it seriously," Mukherjee writes. ADVERTISEMENT "The Gene" captures the scientific method questioning, researching, hypothesizing, experimenting, analyzing in all its messy, fumbling glory, corkscrewing its way to deeper understand and new questions. Scientists had a fuzzy notion of what genes were long before they could explain how they worked. One of this book's surprising heroes is Erwin Schrodinger, the physicist who also gave the world a thought experiment about a cat in a box to illuminate the dilemma of quantum mechanics. In a 1944 lecture published as "What Is Life?," Schrodinger imagined what a gene is and how it must work as if he saw DNA in his mind, including "a chemical with multiple chemical bonds stretching out along the length of the 'chromosome fiber.'" Mukherjee's thrilling account of how James Watson and Francis Crick developed the double-helix model also describes Rosalind Franklin's overlapping research and the contributions of other scientists to the nutrient dish of the times. Approaching our own times, the pace of discovery quickens as researchers refine both their questions and their tools, leading to the Human Genome Project and gene therapy and to difficult ethical questions. Mukherjee reminds us of Richard Dawkins' remark that most genes are recipes, not blueprints. A few illnesses, such as Huntington's disease or sickle cell disease, are caused by single-gene mutations. But often, as in the mutant BRCA1 gene that increases the risk for breast cancer, not all women carrying that mutation develop the disease. "Such trigger-dependent or chance-dependent genes are described as having partial or incomplete 'penetrance' i.e., even if the gene is inherited, its capacity to penetrate into an actual attribute is not absolute. Or a gene may have variable 'expressivity' i.e., even if the gene is inherited, its capacity to become expressed as an actual attribute varies from one individual to another." One woman with the BRCA1 mutation may develop aggressive cancer, another may develop a slower-growing cancer, and a third no cancer at all. "You cannot use just the genotype BRCA1 mutation to predict the final outcome with certainty," Mukherjee writes. His discussions of expressivity and penetrance are among the most helpful parts of his book. Scientists now have the ability to manipulate almost any gene and to incorporate that genetic change permanently in an animal. But should they do so in humans? Leading researchers in this field, such as Jennifer Doudna of University of California, Berkeley, one of the inventors of genome-editing technique, have called for a moratorium on using that technique in human germline engineering i.e., making gene changes that would be passed on to offspring. Students and staff from Ben Franklin Elementary School/Montessori are en route back to the building after a bomb threat prompted an evacuation this morning. "There was a phoned-in threat of some sort," said Rochester Police Capt. John Sherwin. The threat "sounded credible" enough to evacuate, he said. About 1:35 p.m., law enforcement issued the all-clear, said Assistant Superintendent Brenda Lewis, sending the students back to class. Parents should continue to monitor the SKYALERT system for additional information. Lewis said the bomb threat came in at 11:58 a.m. as an automated recording, received on the main office phone. The students and staff were taken to Mayo High School by bus while police and fire personnel searched the building and the surrounding grounds. ADVERTISEMENT No injuries were reported, and no additional information about the contents of the threat were made available. Dear Answer Man, how much would the new auditorium at the high school in Plainview cost if the bond referendum passes Tuesday? Is it true that property taxes for the P-E-M district are lower than for just about any other district in the area? That's the assertion from the Plainview-Elgin-Millview school district , which has called a $18.28 million bond referendum on Tuesday, and based on their charts and graphics, it's not even close. Though the districts vary widely in terms of enrollment, P-E-M has about 1,450 students and levies $65 for debt service on a home valued at $150,000. That compares with a levy on that typical $150,000 home of $265 in Stewartville, for example. The P-E-M bond vote would provide money in three big areas: new and improved security and access, performance and community space, and student learning and activites. If approved, the bonding would add about $91 to the annual property tax bill on that hypothetical $150,000 home, according to district officials. The lighting rod issue appears to be the plan to build an auditorium, otherwise known as a performing arts center, on the north side of the high school in Plainview. The district is one of the few in the area without an auditorium, district officials say. It's estimated to cost just over $5 million and would be available for community use. Construction would start a year from now and be finished by fall 2018. An organization opposed to the referendum, called Area Farmers, Businesses and Concerned Citizens of the P-E-M District, took out an ad in the Plainview weekly paper last week and says the district should have bought the former Jon Hassler Theater on Plainview's main street for use as an auditorium. Among other concerns, the opponents say that district enrollment is declining, farmland taxes are too high and other district needs, such as improved HVAC systems in the two Elgin buildings, have been ignored. ADVERTISEMENT "How long will it be before the school district comes back asking the voters for another operating levy referendum to cover the costs of maintaining the additional new building -- performing arts center, band rooms, gymnasium?" the ad says. School board member Rita Young,of Plainview, told the P-B in an email over the weekend that the referendum is based on current needs, not projected growth due to Rochester's Destination Medical Center or any other reason. "The needs analysis was based on our current facility and current needs," she said. Young says the district did consider buying the Hassler Theater building "and found that it needed a new roof and would need to be brought up to code for a school facility, meaning a sprinkling system, etc. The purchase and upgrades would have exceeded a million dollars, and most importantly would have given the district a facility too small to meet the needs of an auditorium." Young and district officials say that even with a "yes" vote Tuesday, P-E-M "will still be the lowest around" in terms of ag land, commercial and residential property tax burden. The district has about 4,370 eligible voters and they can cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Plainview high school gym. I'll lard this column online with plenty of links for you to check out. It'll be interesting to see how many voters turn out for a stand-alone referendum. A similar bond referendum failed in St. Charles earlier this month. Prosecutor in police shooting to enter alcohol program MINNEAPOLIS The prosecutor whose office won a recent conviction in the high-profile case of a Minneapolis police officer who killed an unarmed woman says he will be entering a treatment program for alcohol issues. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman issued a statement Friday saying he was evaluated for alcohol issues and agrees he needs treatment. Hell be entering a program Monday. Freeman announced last week that he was taking a medical leave, but didnt say why. His Friday statement says he has also worked to stabilize his "unacceptably high blood pressure." He says hes determined to reclaim his health and hopes to be back to work in mid-June. ADVERTISEMENT Last month, a jury convicted Mohamed Noor of murder in the 2017 fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who called 911 to report a possible crime. Minnesota seeks to add Purdue Pharma owners to opioid suit ST. PAUL Minnesotas attorney general is asking a state court for permission to add the owners of drugmaker Purdue Pharma to a lawsuit that seeks to hold the company responsible for the opioid addiction crisis. Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma makes OxyContin and has been the subject of legal action in nearly every state. Attorney General Keith Ellison wants to add eight members of the Sackler family to Minnesotas lawsuit. He says the Sacklers, who own and operate Purdue, were involved in deceptive marketing tactics and strategies to sell more opioids, despite knowing the risks. If a judge approves, Minnesota would become at least the 11th state to take legal action against one or more members of the Sackler family. A family spokeswoman issued a statement denying the allegations, calling the lawsuit a misguided attempt to place blame where it doesnt belong. Man holed up in hotel surrenders to police ADVERTISEMENT BROOKLYN PARK Authorities say a standoff at a Brooklyn Park hotel ended after more than six hours when a man suspected of assaulting his girlfriend surrendered to police. SWAT officers and crisis negotiators were called to the La Quinta Inn early Friday after a woman reported she was being assaulted by her boyfriend and threatened with a gun. Police say the standoff began at 3:30 a.m. and ended when the man was arrested at about 9:50 a.m. Authorities say the woman was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Police say the 31-year-old suspect was not carry9ing a gun but it was unclear if there were any weapons in the room. The suspect, who has not been formally charged, has previous convictions for drug possession, motor vehicle theft, aggravated robbery, making terroristic threats, drunken driving and burglary. Jail inmate accused of running prostitution ring MORA An inmate at the Kanabec County Jail is charged with running a prostitution ring from his cell. Thirty-eight-year-old Daniel Ellington is charged in Washington County District Court with two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of promotion of prostitution. Prosecutors say Ellington communicated with a prostitute by text and "promoted and profited" from her activities in Woodbury last month. ADVERTISEMENT East Metro Sex Trafficking Task Force director Imran Ali says Ellington was 100 miles away and incarcerated, yet was promoting prostitution and profiting from it. The task force began investigating after a Woodbury detective found an online ad entitled "Blonde Bombshell." The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Kanabec County Sheriff Brian Smith says Ellington used a jail-issued iPod to text and paid a certain price for each message. Associated Press After 24 years in the fast lane, Roger Gansenis ready to slow down a bit. Gansen has owned and run Auto Techs , a repair and sales shop, in Rochester since 1992. He has operated at his current location at 650 S. Broadway for about 12 years. Now he has a "Closing soon" sign out front as he prepares to sell his property to the Lamont Cos.He plans to close the doors of his two-man shop at the end of June. "It's kind of tough," said Gansen of the closure. However, part of him is looking forward it. ADVERTISEMENT "I'm ready for a change," he said. "I think this is kind of an opportune time for it." The big question is will he re-open the popular Auto Techs somewhere else. That's a question he really doesn't have answer for. "As of right now, everything is up in the air," Gansen said on Friday. "But right now, I'm looking forward to slowing down a bit." While he is slowing down, the activity on that block of South Broadway is quickly ramping up this summer. Lamont Cos. are the developers who recently purchased the adjacent Clarion Innfor $5 million with plans to build a new Candlewood Suiteshotel and retail center. A liquidation sale of all of the hotel's furnishings and fixtures is underway. Based in South Dakota, Lamont Cos. are the same developers who built Rochester's Holiday Inn by the Miracle Mile shopping center on Second Street in 2012. NEEDHAM, Mass. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's mother, Elizabeth G. "Betty" Baker, a Rochester, Minn., native, died Saturday in Needham at 83. The cause of death was not revealed. Baker posted a message on his Facebook page Saturday evening announcing his mother's death, saying she "raised three boys, along with tons of other kids from around the neighborhood." Baker said she and his father "taught everyone about life, love, service and sacrifice."' Betty Baker was born in Rochester and graduated from Wellesley College. She married Charles D. Baker in 1955 and moved to Needham. She is survived by her husband, her three sons and five grandchildren. Funeral services will be private. Elizabeth Ghormley was born Dec. 24, 1932, in Rochester, the younger of two siblings. Her father, Dr. Ralph K. Ghormley, was an orthopedic surgeon and was chief of orthopedics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Her mother, the former Jean M. McDougall, trained as a nurse and met Dr. Ghormley when they were both at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Mrs. Baker's brother, Ralph M. Ghormley, was a Navy rear admiral and died in 2012. ADVERTISEMENT Because of her father's work, Mrs. Baker's upbringing reached beyond the typical day-to-day of the Midwest. "She grew up in an ordinary, small Minnesota town," Alex said, "and also Helen Keller came to her house for tea once." Mrs. Baker attended Mount Vernon Seminary, then a private school in Washington, D.C., as a boarding student and was the valedictorian of her class. "From that experience in Washington, she wasn't going to go back to small-town life in Rochester," Alex said. As a girl of 15, Baker would board a train in Rochester, and head alone to boarding school in Washington, D.C., stopping in Chicago along the way. Years later, she would tell her family stories of how she wandered around downtown Chicago for hours awaiting her train connection, inquisitive and unafraid. "Mom was incredibly smart," said her youngest son, Alex, "and she was also courageous in her own way." She went to Wellesley College, where she majored in Spanish literature and graduated in 1954, anticipating that she would use her second language through work in the import-export part of the business world. Through friends she met Charles D. Baker, whom she married on June 4, 1955. They lived in New York state and New Jersey before moving to Needham. He also formerly served as US deputy undersecretary of transportation and as assistant secretary of transportation in the Nixon administration, and as undersecretary of health and human services in the Reagan administration. Running the household, Mrs. Baker "first and foremost was always supporting and encouraging of her sons," said Jonathan, who lives in Worcester. "What she wanted was for us to feel good about our choices and our paths and ultimately about ourselves." The number could fluctuate but the Minnesota National Guard expects about 375 guardsman will be deployed for a peacekeeping mission on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, according to Maj. Scott Ingalsbe. "There's a number of things that can affect the head count, but that's a good number to describe the size," Ingalsbe said. In April, the National Guard announced that its Mankato-based 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment will deploy for a 9-month peacekeeping mission in Egypt to support the Multi-National Force and observers. Egypt continues to be in turmoil following a revolution in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring. More recently, militants have launched violent attacks against law enforcement and soldiers in central and western Egypt in parallel with the ongoing jihadist insurgency on the Sinai Peninsula. ADVERTISEMENT Recently, the country made headlines when EgyptAir Flight 804, carrying 66 people, crashed into the sea. The cause of the crash is still unknown, though officials and leaders previously speculated that terrorism played a role. Many of the soldiers being deployed are from Minnesota, some from out of state. There are approximately 80 soldiers heading to Egypt from southeast Minnesota: 11 from Rochester, and five from Kasson. Of the 375 being deployed, nine are women. The average age of the soldiers is 26. The youngest soldier is 18 and the oldest is 55, according to the National Guard. Later in June, the deploying units will be training for two weeks at Camp Ripley. Ceremonies for each headquarters Rochester, Winona and W. St. Paul will host their own send-off events on the weekend of July 9, but the dates and times have not been finalized as of yet, Ingalsbe said. From there, the soldiers will head for pre-deployment training at Fort Bliss, Texas, until August, when the units will head to Egypt. The soldiers are anticipated to return to Minnesota in Spring 2017. Altura - 1 Austin - 4 ADVERTISEMENT Byron - 1 Caledonia - 2 Cannon Falls - 1 Dexter- 1 Dodge Center - 1 Kasson- 5 La Crescent - 4 Lewiston - 2 ADVERTISEMENT Preston - 2 Red Wing - 2 Rochester - 11 Rollingstone - 1 Rushford - 1 Saint Charles - 2 Spring Valley - 1 Wabasha - 1 Winona - 4 Zumbrota - 2 *Source: Minnesota National Guard MINNEAPOLIS Most of the drivers who killed pedestrians in the Twin Cities area between 2010 and 2014 faced no charges, a newspaper reported Sunday. Ninety-five pedestrians died after being struck by drivers in 3,069 crashes in the seven-county metro area during those years, according to a Minneapolis Star Tribune analysis of crash data, death certificates, police reports and news accounts. The deaths involved 92 drivers; 28 were charged and convicted, most often of a misdemeanor ranging from speeding to careless driving. Five drivers in hit-and-run crashes have yet to be found. Of the 28 who were charged, 14 got sentences that included fines, community service or probation. Five got 90 days or less in jail; nine got more than 90 days. Monica Fortwengler lost her mother, Carol Wiggins, when Wiggins was struck by a car in Watertown in 2011. The driver did not face any charges, even a traffic citation, the Star Tribune said. "It doesn't help with trying to get any kind of closure," Fortwengler said. "You always have that little bit of, 'Why was my mom's life not deemed worthy of even a flippin' traffic ticket?" ADVERTISEMENT Prosecutors told the Star Tribune that it's difficult to prove drivers are negligent. The cases begin by examining the pedestrian's actions and whether they were crossing the road legally. "These cases can be very difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt," said Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal. Recent changes to state law have given prosecutors more flexibility, however. Since 2014, drivers have been required to stop and investigate any collision, not just after knowingly causing a major injury. And a 2015 law makes it a gross misdemeanor rather than a misdemeanor if someone drives recklessly and causes great bodily harm although that charge hasn't yet been applied. Another proposal to make careless driving a gross misdemeanor met with resistance in the Legislature, however. "Most of the time when people have an accident, it's just ordinary negligence," said Sen. Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, who considered the bill on the judiciary committee. "And everybody makes mistakes. But we don't want to necessarily criminalize ordinary negligence, because all of us would be criminals." ST. PAUL The vast majority of police body camera footage would be private under a compromise bill agreed to by legislative leaders. Under the bill, videos collected by body-worn cameras would be automatically public under only two scenarios: if a gun is fired or if the police cause substantial bodily harm. In addition, subjects of body cam videos could choose to make them public. The bill doesn't satisfy everybody, said Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, the bill's House sponsor. He emphasized ways in which law enforcement compromised on the bill. "We didn't want (videos of a) discharge of a firearm made public," he said. "That came from advocacy groups." Still, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota believes the bill is written lopsidedly in favor of police, Legislative Director Ben Feist said. ADVERTISEMENT "It sends a message that body cameras in Minnesota are going to be a police tool that doesn't offer a great deal of accountability but do allow a great deal of surveillance," he said. The ACLU sought to have body camera video be presumed public and only be private under certain circumstances, such as if it portrays a crime victim or police informant. The bill heads to the desk of a governor who hasn't said whether he'll sign it. When asked for comment, his spokesman pointed to Thursday remarks to the press during which Dayton said the bill needs to be "reworked." Rep. Debra Hilstrom, the Democrats' lead on public safety issues, said the bill "tries to strike a balance between people's right to privacy and the public's right to know." Though some favored body camera footage to be public in all arrests, the Brooklyn Center Democrat noted that one in seven Minnesotans have a DWI on their record. If this footage were public, thousands of Minnesotans would have to contend with humiliating videos being posted online. The bill leaves several key issues up to individual police departments. First, police departments that use body cameras will have to decide whether citizens can tell police to turn off cameras if they enter a private home. In other words, cities can decide whether residents have to give their consent to be videotaped in their own home. Second, police must write policies that determine when the cameras can be turned on or off. The ACLU sought to remove officer discretion in determining when cameras are on. ADVERTISEMENT "If an officer has the ability to edit tape on the fly, then what we're ultimately seeing is sort of an edited version of the facts," Feist said. He said it could lead to situations where "an officer is first reviewing the body camera (footage) and tailoring their version of the events to what does or doesn't appear." Three people were injured, one seriously, in a two-car crash Friday afternoon that left one of the vehicles in two pieces. The call came in at 4:05 p.m., sending responders to Country Club Road near 45th Avenue Southwest. That's where an eastbound vehicle driven by Kaley Ketchum, 16, of Rochester, passed a car in a no passing zone at a high rate of speed, said Capt. Scott Behrns of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office. When Ketchum returned to her lane, the right wheels of her vehicle dropped off the shoulder. Ketchum apparently over-corrected in her attempt to bring the car back onto the road and the vehicle began to slide sideways, also at a high rate of speed, Behrns said. Her car slid into the path of a westbound vehicle driven by Joan Skare, 73, of Byron. Skare's car struck the passenger side of Ketchum's car, ejecting the teenage driver, the report says. ADVERTISEMENT Both Skare and her 13-year-old passenger, Nicholas Johnson, were wearing their seat belts. They were taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys Campus, where they were not listed as patients this morning, a hospital spokeswoman said. "Speed is definitely a factor" in the crash, Behrns said; officials believe Ketchum was not wearing her seat belt. She was also taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys Campus; Ketchum was listed in fair condition this morning. The crash closed Country Club Road for more than four hours. ST. PAUL Shortly after 1 a.m. on Monday, retiring Rep. Kim Norton offered a final farewall to the Minnesota Legislature. The Rochester Democrat had announced in September she would not seek re-election. Standing before lawmakers in the aftermath of the chaotic end to session, Norton said she is grateful for the voters who sent her to St. Paul. "First and foremost, I want to thank my constituents. They are not here, but that's why I'm here," she said. Norton reflected on her somewhat unlikely path to the Legislature. "My constituents and campaign volunteers took a chance on working on a campaign for someone that was a Democrat. We'd never had a Democrat elected in my district. And a woman. We'd never had a woman elected in my district. I was the first of both of these," she said. ADVERTISEMENT In 2004, Norton challenged GOP Rep. Fran Bradley and lost the seat by 311 votes. Two years later, Norton beat Republican Rich Decker to win the seat by a mere 99 votes. During her floor speech, thanked her fellow lawmakers, including fellow Rochester DFL Rep. Tina Liebling. The two lived together during session in an apartment since Norton's election win. "I jokingly tell people I've lived with Tina Liebling longer than my husband. It's no joke, it's true," Norton. Norton kept her comments upbeat on the floor, but in an interview said she is disheartened by what she has seen in St. Paul. In particular, she is upset about the lack of transparency with lawmakers being forced to vote on bills they haven't even had a chance to read. "The way this is run is so heartbreakingly wrong, and I understand why people get disillusioned with politics and frustrated because it doesn't have to work like this. It's hard to sit here and see this happening when it could be better," she said. Norton recently won a Bush Fellowship award of up to $100,000, which will allow her to earn a master's degree at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She has said she is considering running for Rochester mayor in 2018. She told fellow lawmakers, "I'm going to take the leadership skills I've learned here, the policy work I've learned here back to the community and hopefully help Rochester continue to grow and thrive." Kelly bids adieu to House Red Wing Republican Rep. Tim Kelly also delivered a goodbye speech in the wee hours Monday morning. In an interview, he said he had only planned to run for two terms. Instead, he ended up serving twice as long as planned. ADVERTISEMENT "This was just an awesome opportunity and very humbling," Kelly said. "So it does start to sink in now that you are stepping away from something that few people will ever get to do. And it is meaningful work." The Red Wing Republican spent the final two years serving as chairman of the House Transportation Committee. He had fought long and hard for a long-term transportation funding deal, which fell apart in the final days of the session. He offered some advice to his fellow lawmakers during his floor speech. "If you walk up the (Capitol) steps and you look up, you are immediately humbled and you realize that, yes, you are a representative for your district, but you are a state representative and do what's best for Minnesota," he said. During his term, Kelly said he was frequently humbled by his position. Sometimes during stressful times, he would walk around the Capitol building and look at the pictures of former governors that hang on the walls. "I realized people come and go. We are only here a short time and yet the institution is here. So you just have to sit back and not take yourself too seriously," he said. Kelly said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family and his young granddaughter. He said his one regret is leaving the Legislature while the Capitol is still under construction and he can't walk up the building's awe-inspiring front steps. He vowed, "I will be back just to walk up those front steps." ST. PAUL As a midnight Sunday deadline passed, lawmakers failed to wrap up major deals and loose ends as they handled the state's $900 million budget surplus. Among the marquee items still unfinished as the Legislature wrapped up early Monday morning was a major transportation funding package and a borrowing bill for construction projects. Lawmakers did finalize a bill with $260 million in tax relief and some other spending. Here's a look at some of the work legislators have finished and what got left behind: Tax cuts The Legislature passed the compromise package of tax cuts Sunday, a mix of property tax relief to farmers and businesses, a new tax credit for college graduates with loan debt and expanded aid to Minnesota parents with child care costs. ADVERTISEMENT A smaller item that triggered Democratic criticism would remove the automatic, annual tax hikes to cigarettes and other tobacco products that lawmakers approved as part of a major tax increase in 2013. Gov. Mark Dayton has said his support will hinge on whether the Legislature funds some of his priorities. He has 14 days to decide whether to sign the bill. Preschool Dayton finally is poised to get one of his top prizes. A supplemental spending bill would provide $25 million for a phased-in preschool program, targeting impoverished school districts without early education options. It's expected to allow about 3,700 more 4-year-olds to attend preschool. Broadband and racial equity Lawmakers checked some other boxes on Dayton's wish list sort of. The $35 million in extra grants for broadband Internet development fell well short of the $100 million request Dayton made. So did the $35 million lined up for programs meant to tackle longstanding racial disparities. Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk and House Speaker Kurt Daudt both hoped they had come close enough to satisfying the governor and gaining his approval. Transportation ADVERTISEMENT A last-ditch effort to provide some one-time funding for roads and bridges fell apart in a blur Sunday night. Legislative leaders spent the week tussling over how to fund a decade's worth of transportation fixes, with a gas tax increase, license tab fee hikes, borrowing and surplus money all in the mix. As the deadline approached, some lawmakers were floating a last-ditch option to provide some one-time funding for road and bridge repairs. In the end, House Republicans' attempt to add some road and bridge repair funding into a bonding bill a package of more than $1 billion in public works projects failed amid a dispute with Senate Democrats over funding mass transit projects. Both legislative leaders suggested they could revisit a bonding bill in a special session, if Dayton would agree to call one. Presidential primary Goodbye, caucuses. The Legislature passed a bill scrapping the presidential caucus voting system for 2020, opting for a presidential primary format after long lines at polling locations frustrated voters and party officials alike. Dayton signed the bill Sunday evening. Real ID The Legislature ran out of time to upgrade Minnesota's driver's licenses. ADVERTISEMENT Federal officials say they'll start requiring Real ID-compliant licenses at domestic flight gates in 2018. Lawmakers were largely in agreement to start issuing new licenses in 2018, but other, smaller details held up a final deal. Body cameras It took two years, but the Legislature finally passed a bill setting ground rules for police use of body cameras. The legislation makes most footage private. It required some last-minute maneuvering to gain Dayton's approval, as the governor demanded that lawmakers remove a section that allowed officers to review videos before submitting a written incident report. They relented. That was one of many provisions open government advocates complained would make body cameras a tool for law enforcement rather than a window for public transparency. Still, Dayton has said he'll sign it. Drug sentencing reductions It came down to the wire, but lawmakers approved a broad set of reductions to prison sentences for most drug offenders. It supplanted the more drastic changes set in motion late last year by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission, which law enforcement and county officials complained would offer lighter treatment to drug dealers. The commission's actions would have taken effect in August had the Legislature not stepped in. On Thursday, a group of students from Mayo High School's Students and Family Engagement Club (SAFE) filled the modern trappings of the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency's downtown offices. They were there to learn and lend input. For months, maybe even years at this point, we've been hearing about the need to attract millennials to the city. With an estimated 35,000 new jobs coming in and an existing shortage of workers, retaining and attracting the next generation's best and brightest is crucial. The SAFE group, full of college-bound students, is exactly the kind of crew we hope winds up back in the city after graduation. The club helps students who are the first of their families to go to college with college applications and interview tactics, while also exposing them to a huge swath of experiences, from tours of downtown economic development agency offices to bird-banding at nature centers. This was not DMC's first foray into millennial engagement. For a whole semester, DMC EDA staff met with a class of Winona State University students tasked with crafting social media strategy proposals aimed at luring millenials to the city. The resulting trio of proposals included a giant coffee mug that moves from place to place in the city fostering conversation, a bus that goes from campus to campus exposing students to the Rochester lifestyle, and an iconic landmark designed to display in social media posts, somewhat akin to Chicago's Millennium Park egg sculpture. While those might be good ideas, it's also crucial that we not become a city people hope to escape from after graduating. ADVERTISEMENT Angelina Estupinan, a freshman who wants to serve in the military before going into the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, said Rochester's "not really" a town she'd want to return to, though her intended careers do not offer much choice in the matter, anyway. "There's not really anything to do, basically," Estupinan said. That was a sentiment shared by much of her SAFE group. When asked what they like about the city, the students listed just two things: bubble tea and coffee. When asked about their complaints, the list was longer. Students bemoaned a lack of teen activities, cultural festivals, transportation options for the carless, parades and places for teens to hang out away from schools, libraries or malls. When asked to rate their satisfaction with the city on a scale of one to five, one being the worst score, most students raised two fingers. One student raised four. Mena Yousif, a junior, wants to own her own small business after graduating. "I might just stay here," she said, noting her family is here, and it's safe. "I think safety is a really big thing," she added. ADVERTISEMENT Yousif thinks the city's singular focus on the medical industry needs a counterbalance, and she pointed out the lack of public outdoor seating in the downtown core things we have heard from people far older than the high school junior. It leads us to ponder whether millenials really are so different than generations that came before them. After all, when asked whether they knew what prototyping is, none of the high schoolers raised a hand. I was remiss last week in not bringing to everyones attention Robert Bryces splendid Wall Street Journal article about how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to allow wind energy producers to kill up to 4,200 bald eagles a year. It includes such gems as this: A 2013 study in the Wildlife Society Bulletin estimated that wind turbines killed about 888,000 bats and 573,000 birds (including 83,000 raptors) in 2012 alone. But wind capacity has since increased by about 24%, and it could triple by 2030 under the White Houses Clean Power Plan. We dont really know how many birds are being killed now by wind turbines because the wind industry doesnt have to report the data, says Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy. Its considered a trade secret. Thought experiment: if nuclear power produced avian mortality figures like this, what would environmentalists say? You dont have to think very hard on this. So behold todays WSJ letters to the editor, where David Jenkins, president of something called Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, offers this defense of our Cuisinarts in the Sky: Regarding Robert Bryces An Ill Wind: Open Season on Bald Eagles (op-ed, May 16): Wind power is one of the best ways to protect eagles and other birds because it combats their biggest threatclimate change. Wind energy has the lowest impact on wildlife and its habitats of any source of energy, as detailed in a 2009 study by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, which analyzed the life-cycle impacts of the six major forms of energy generation. The report concluded, nonrenewable electricity generation sources, such as coal and oil, pose higher risks to wildlife than renewable electricity generation sources, such as hydro and wind. Misplaced concern over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services new proposal risks overshadowing larger threats such as climate change. The National Audubon Society points out that climate change is putting more than 300 different North American bird species at risk, not just eagles. As an emission-free energy source, wind power helps reduce this threat. David Jenkins, President, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship So lets see: eagles, who thrive in climate conditions almost as varied as human beings, should be sacrificed at a rate of 4,000 per year in perpetuity to prevent climate change. Reminds me of we had to burn down the village in order to save it. This just might set a new world record in useful idiocy. Commence mockery in three, two. . . The Gatestone Institute has just initiated a video series that leads off with Douglas Murrays exposition of the British Labor Partys problem with anti-Semitism. In an email message promoting the video the institute explains: Anti-Semitism isnt new to the UK Labour Party, and its recent anti-Semitic outbursts shouldnt surprise anyone. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has ordered an independent inquiry into the partys anti-Semitism. Douglas Murray, a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Gatestone Institute, explains in the video below how Labours anti-Semitism problem starts at top of the party, and why this inquiry wont solve anything. Murray lucidly explicates the farce inherent in this production. See also Murrays Spectator post Labours anti-Semitism problem stems from its grassroots. Last week, 16 Republican Senators blocked Senator Mike Lees amendment to defund AFFH, the Obama administration regulation through which the left seeks to force high-density housing on unwilling cities and towns and to let federal bureaucrats decide the racial, ethnic, and income balance of local communities. What arguments did these Republicand advance against defunding this radical left-wing scheme? Did they actually defend AFFH on the merits? Stanley Kurtz has examined the floor debates. He concludes that Republican Senators did defend AFFH, though without demonstrating an understanding of the regulation. Kurtz cites the embarrassing remarks of Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia: In defending AFFH from the Lee defund, Isakson spent the bulk of his time talking about the work of Thomas Cousins, a developer whose charitable foundation sparked a dramatic turnaround in an inner-city neighborhood in Atlanta in the 1990s, with the aid of grants from HUD. Isaksons argument is idiotic on its face. The question surrounding AFFH isnt whether HUD grants sometimes produce good results. The question is whether local governments should have to give control over key housing decisions to HUD in order to obtain such grants. Counsins approach to urban development can be implemented without AFFH. In fact, it was. Taking the analysis one step further, Kurtz argues that AFFH may actually undercut projects like the one praised by Isakson: [Cousins] purpose built communities approach to urban revitalization targets specific inner-city neighborhoods for across-the-board improvements in housing, education, recreation, and the like. The strategy works by attracting middle-income families and businesses to re-developed areas, not by using government blackmail to force high-density low income housing developments onto suburbs and towns that dont want them. Even left-leaning housing advocates remain deeply split over AFFH, precisely because many of them believe that HUDs strategy of forced dispersal will undercut community development initiatives like the one held up as a model by Sen. Isakson. Kerry Picket of the Daily Caller tried to engage Isakson on the true implications of AFFH. She asked him about the experiences of Westchester County. Isakson replied, You can find a reason not to do or to do anything, This clownish response is undercut by Isaksons failure to find a coherent reason to do AFFH. What about Susan Collins, sponsor of the bogus AFFH Amendment that Republicans Senators will use as cover for green-lighting AFFH? What were her arguments against the Lee Amendment? Kurtz reports: In her floor remarks, Sen. Collins quickly embraced Isaksons not particularly relevant discussion of Atlantas purpose built communities as the supposedly perfect illustration of what AFFH is trying to promote. She then went on to parrot HUDs AFFH talking points by claiming that this sweepingly transformative regulation is nothing but a response to a report from the General Accounting Office (GAO) which suggested that HUD more clearly define what would be expected of its grant recipients. Yes, there was a GAO report, but its absurd to pretend that a sweeping regulation effectively negating Americas long tradition of local government and pushing the country toward a regionalist system in its place is explained by that report. The real inspiration for AFFH is the regionalist movement created by President Obamas radical community organizing buddies. Clearly, HUD could have been more clear about what it expects from grant recipients without telling them that it expects them, in effect, to achieve the kind of racial, ethnic, and income balance of local communities contemplated by AFFH. Kurtz contrasts the pathetic remarks of Isakson and Collins to the arguments advanced by Sen. Lee and Sen. Richard Shelby. Lee explained the real intentions of AFFH, its actual legislative history, and the precursors of its operation in Chicago and in Dubuque. Shelby showed that the Collins Amendment, which pretends to restrict federal overreach, does no such thing. He pointed out that Collins herself admitted that her amendment would prohibit HUD from doing something she believes it would never do. Here, again, is the list of the 16 Senators who effectively signed off on the most radical agenda item of President Obamas second term: The terrorism trial in progress before Judge Davis is important and interesting, but is difficult to understand through a media filter. The national media have mostly shied away from the trial. A couple of recent articles, however, offer exhibits A and B in the imposition of a gauzy filter over the case. The Los Angeles Timess Matt Pearce took a detour from his trip to Minneapolis on the Prince beat to check in on the opening of the trial. He made it through opening statements and then had to go out to the hall to file a report via his cell phone to meet a 5:00 p.m. (Central) deadline. Pearce now reports to Times readers: I was just another reporter sent to cover radicalization in Minneapolis. Then 2 local Somalis took me on a tour. On the tour pretty much everything is beautiful, except this: Yusuf has been in Minnesota almost six years after spending 17 in Georgia. He lamented how some of the communitys younger members had grown attracted to radical groups like Islamic State. We cannot ignore the issue is there, Yusuf said. We try to advise the younger kids not to go down that road. Younger kids, they are lost in the wind. And for Yusuf, another issue is lack of jobs or opportunity. ISIS is like, Hey, we have a job for you. I hope government people, they understand and can help. To hear the locals tell it, the challenges are particularly acute for young Somali men. The young women seem more directed they find work, go to college, raise families. But the boys, as one of Yusufs customers called them, seem lost. Unfortunately, Pearce couldnt stick around to hear the evidence in the case. He would have found that the attraction to ISIS among the young men in the case has nothing to do with a shortage of jobs or opportunity. On the contrary, defendants had no trouble attending college and finding whatever employment they sought. Jobs afforded them the opportunity to fund their dream of joining ISIS. Islam fueled their contempt for the United States and its pleasures. The Washington Posts Abigail Hauslohner stuck around two days longer than Pearce. She made it through the first week of trial. Her story, however, is even worse than Pearces: Terror dragnet sweeps up Somali Americas sons: Now everything is broken.' Hauslohners article gives us the case from the point of view of the mother of two of the group of ISIS wannabes, one who has pleaded guilty and one who is on trial. Somalis are presented as victims: The prosecutions are stirring anxiety among American Muslims, who fear their communities are being targeted for federal entrapment. The case is a study in injustice: One of the governments star witnesses is Abdirahman Bashir, who avoided prosecution and received more than $100,000 in direct payments and other expenses after he agreed to spy on his friends and record their conversations, defense attorneys say. The only reason theyre in that situation is because [the FBI] paid somebody, said Burhan Mohumed, 26, a college student and local activist who has been attending the trial. Its known throughout the community that this kid, the informant, he provided everything the contacts in Syria, the passports. Defense attorneys describe Bashir as an instigator who harassed anyone who wavered. Every time an excuse is made to not leave, to back out, Mr. Bashir found a way to push the plan forward, said Dauds attorney, Bruce Nestor. If Hauslohner had stuck around, she would have heard devastating evidence that belies Nestors opening statement. Indeed, the evidence renders it ludicrous. Its a shame that readers who rely on the Washington Post for the news wont have a chance to see the case plain. As is so frequently the case, the reporter is an obstacle to viewing. Authorities in Vietnam ordered a British Broadcasting Corporation team to stop reporting on U.S. President Barack Obamas three-day visit to the country, the BBC reported today. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the censorship and called on Vietnam to stop harassing journalists. Jonathan Head, a Bangkok-based roving BBC correspondent, reported today that Vietnamese authorities had withdrawn his reporting teams accreditation and ordered them to cease reporting from the country. The BBC World News TV service is relayed with about a 10-minute delay in Vietnam, and on Monday a report from Head was blocked for about 10 seconds, while a notice on screen said the program had been temporarily suspended, Reuters reported. Head told CPJ in an email that authorities suspected the BBC team had met with one of the countrys most prominent dissidents, Nguyen Quang A, who was detained twice last year and was barred this year from running as an independent candidate for the National Assembly. The BBC team denied having met with the dissident, according to Head, but later on Saturday received an email and a phone call informing them their permission to report in the country had been withdrawn. The BBC has since been banned from attending or reporting on any of Obamas official events during his visit, according to Head. Vietnams harassment of the BBC on such a high-profile occasion shows just how blase authorities have become about censorship, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. During the remainder of his visit, President Obama should make clear to his hosts that the obstruction of journalists will have significant repercussions for bilateral relations. BBCs Vietnamese language service, which regularly reports on rights abuses in Vietnam, is blocked inside the country, according to news reports. In July, authorities refused to credential a BBC correspondent to report on British Prime Minister David Camerons visit to the country, a current and a former BBC staffer told CPJ, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. In a letter sent before his visit, CPJ asked Obama to predicate closer ties with Vietnam on greater respect for press freedom. On Monday the U.S. president announced that the U.S. would lift an embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam. The family of Amina Ali, the first of the Chibok girls to be found, are being kept away from her by the Nigerian military, according to her brother who added that he does not know the whereabouts of his mother, Binta, who was also taken away by the military. Aminas 38-year-old brother, Noah, attended the event at the State House last week Thursday, when his sister and her four-month-old baby, Safiya, were presented to President Muhammadu Buhari. As soon as the ceremony was over, he was taken to a nearby hotel by a certain Lt. Colonel O. M. Adesayi, who assured him that he would be reunited with his mother and sister the following day. He told me that it is time to relax, Noah said. Noah, who got married in Chibok on April 12, left his new wife at home to accompany his mother, Binta, on the helicopter that took her from Chibok to Maiduguri where they picked up his sister, and then to Abuja where the entire family met with President Buhari. At first, his mother, who had never travelled by air, was afraid to get on the aircraft, but he persuaded her. I told her not to be afraid, Noah said. I encouraged her the way you talk to an old person. Noah is the 7th child of Binta, while the rescued Amina is the last. However, all the other 11 siblings died between the ages of four and five, leaving him and Amina as Bintas only surviving children. The following day, Noah kept trying to reach Lt. Colonel Adesayi, but the phone number the army officer had given to him was not going through. He finally managed to reach him on Friday night, only for Mr. Adesayi to tell him off for still being at the hotel when the military had paid for only one night. He told me that I had to leave the hotel, Noah said. He said if I continued to stay there, I would have to use my money to pay. Noah asked Mr. Adesayi where his mother was. He told him upfront that he would not be able to see her. Alarmed by the situation, Noah shared his story with one of the hotels guests, who kindly gave him N100,000 to find another hotel. I left the hotel around 9.30pm, he said. Imagine if I am someone that doesnt know road, if they just took him from his village and he doesnt know anything. Do you think that person can find the way? He eventually spent the night at a cheap hotel in Nyanya, then left for Maiduguri first thing the following morning, where he is currently putting up with his uncle while awaiting news of his mother and sister. He is particularly worried about his mother, who didnt go to school and doesnt know any other language except Kibaku, the local language in Chibok. Noah is not the only member of the Chibok community who was tossed aside by the Nigerian military after their show at the state house was over. Yakubu Nkeki, chairman of the Chibok parents association, described as guardian to Amina, served as the interpreter when Binta was asked to respond to President Buharis remarks during the presentation of Amina at the Aso Villa. She spoke in Kibaku while he (Nkeki) translated to Hausa, then Hadiza Bala Usman, chief of staff to governor El-Rufai and one of the founding members of the Bring Back Our Girls group, translated his Hausa to English. After the ceremony, Mr. Nkeki accompanied Amina and her mother to the office of the first lady, where he spent an hour chatting with the rescued girl. Afterwards, an army officer came and took Amina and her mother away, allegedly to meet with a doctor, asking Mr. Nkeki to wait for them there as they would soon return. Three hours later, he was still waiting. At 11pm, he finally gave up and trekked to the closest hotel, where he spent the night. Till now, Ive not seen her, Mr. Nkeki said on Monday, five days after the ceremony at the Aso Villa. None of us knows where she is. My mother doesnt have her phone with her, said Noah, explaining that the army personnel had turned up in Chibok around 9am last Wednesday morning, while he and his mother were still getting ready. They just came and hurried us, he said, a situation which led to his mother forgetting her phone at home. What I want now is for them to allow me to come and see them (his mother and sister) to know that they are doing well, Noah said, adding that he would be happy if the military at least provided his mother with a phone, so that he could talk to her. I dont know where she is or how she is feeling, he said. When contacted, Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said the rescued girl and her delegation were transported to the presidential villa by the Borno State government. It was Borno that took charge of all arrangements so I dont know what you are talking about, Mr. Adesina said. Borno State Government spokesman, Isa Gusau, denied the claims to PREMIUM TIMES, saying Noah was well treated and was allowed to be a part of the delegation because the state government was interested. This is false, Mr. Gusau said. Although we have not heard from him, but if the Borno State Government was not interested in the man being a part of the delegation to the president, he wouldnt have been allowed to join them from Borno State. Mr. Gusau said the state did its best to ensure that Noah was taken care of. We believe that we did our best to ensure their safety and well-being during the trip to see the President. So all these claims are strange to us. Unless there is something that he really wants that he hasnt told us, we really dont know. He however did not explain why authorities were concealing the whereabouts of the rescued girl and her mother from the family. Nigerian Army spokesman, Sani Usman, did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES calls and text messages seeking comments for this story. Amina, who was one of over 200 girls abducted by the militants in 2014, was rescued Tuesday after two years in Boko Harams captivity, and was brought to meet President Buhari on Thursday, in company with her mother, brother and guardian. At the meeting, President Buhari said the rescued girl would have the opportunity of returning to school and live her dreams, She will receive the best medical, psychological and emotional care that the Nigerian Government can afford, Mr. Buhari said. He said since nothing could be done to salvage the past, the rest of her life would take a completely different course. The immediate past spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, has appeared in court to continue his trial, despite ill-health. Mr. Metuh is facing a seven-count charge for alleged diversion of funds meant for the purchase of arms during the last administration. Mr. Metuh threw up at the car park of the Federal High Court, venue of his ongoing trial, on Thursday, May 19, after receiving medication at the National Hospital the previous night. Counsel to Mr. Metuh, Emeka Etiaba, had told the court that he advised his client to attend the trial since he had no understanding about the politicians actual state of health. The judge, Okon Abang, adjourned the trial to Monday, May 19, for continuation of trial. Mr. Metuh had fainted after falling from his chair during a meeting of the PDP earlier this year. Mr. Metuhs trial, which began in January, has had two adjournments, resulting from the politicians failing health. An Abuja High Court has overruled the Federal Government in its decision to confine the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to the premises of the State Security Service to access and brief his lawyer in the ongoing trial of criminal charges on corruption brought against him. Mr. Dasuki, who was granted bails by three different high courts, met the bail conditions but was re-arrested by the SSS since December last year and yet to be released. The court ordered that the ex-NSA must be allowed to access and brief his lawyers at a neutral place instead of the premises of the SSS headquarters in Abuja so as to enable him prepare adequately for his defence in the trial. Justice Husain Baba Yusuf, who issued the order in Abuja on Monday directed that henceforth the detained ex-NSA should be allowed by the SSS to access his lawyers within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary Headquarters in Maitama Abuja between Monday to Friday this week. The pronouncement of Justice Baba Yusuf followed a complaint by Mr. Dasukis lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, that the legal team for Mr. Dasuki had not been allowed to have direct access to him in spite of a court order made on April 6. At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to the Federal Government, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the Judge that the case was slated for commencement of trial and that he was fully ready with his witnesses. However, Mr. Adedipe rose and informed the court that he was not ready for any trial because the ruling of April 6, which ordered the SSS to allow them access their client for briefing so as to prepare his defence had not been complied with by the security agency. The counsel claimed that following the April 6 ruling, a letter by Mr. Dasukis lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, dated April 13 was despatched to the SSS requesting permission to access Mr. Dasuki outside the SSS office as contained in the ruling of the court. To their surprise, Mr. Adedipe informed Justice Baba Yusuf that the prosecution counsel, Mr Jabobs replied on April 18 to the effect that the access to Mr. Dasuki can only be granted at a convenient room and unhindered in a special room at the SSS headquarters. The counsel insisted that because of the confidentiality required in such a briefing between a client and his lawyer, the SSS letter could not be acted upon, hence the defence was not ready for trial until it has been afforded opportunity to access Mr. Dasuki on a neutral ground for proper briefing. The same position was canvased by Akin Olujimi, SAN, Solomon Umoh, SAN and Abioldun Layonu, SAN who are counsel to other defendants in the trial and claimed that in order not to put a question mark on the trial, Mr. Dasuki must be allowed access to his lawyers in a neutral place in the interest of fair trial. Justice Baba Yusuf, who had earlier indicated that he was not going to grant any further adjournment however saw reason with the defence and adjourned the case till June 6 for the SSS to comply with his April 6 ruling. The Judge ordered that as from Monday (today) till Friday, Mr. Dasuki must be brought by the SSS operatives to the premises of the Abuja High Court as a neutral ground where Mr. Dasuki should be allowed unhindered access to his lawyers to enable him prepare adequate defence in the criminal charges against him. Justice Baba Yusuf asked Mr. Jacobs to prevail on his client to always obey orders of the court in order not to impede the criminal trials pending in the court of laws. The spokesman for embattled former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of meting out inhuman treatment to his principal. Mr. Ndukwe in a statement on Monday said the anti-graft agency whisked Mr. Fani-Kayode to Lagos in defiant of a court order prohibiting it from doing so, adding that the government might be trying to treat the politician the same way it was treating Sambo Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu. Read Mr. Ndukwes full statement below: Despite having been served court notices for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, the EFCC today sneaked Chief Femi Fani-Kayode into an Ikeja magistrate court where they obtained a highly contentious warrant to keep him in their custody for another three weeks even though EFCC requested for a thirty-day remand warrant. Chief Fani-Kayodes lawyers had served the EFCC the court notices from a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, 20th of May, 2016, but to our consternation he was whisked to Lagos last Thursday and taken to an Ikeja Magistrate court this morning where they applied to keep him for another thirty days. This is a gross abuse of court processes and a denial of his fundamental human rights. It is even most shocking that EFCC attempted to take him to the magistrate court without notifying his lawyers or family members. His lawyers had to go from court to court in Lagos searching for venue of the court proceedings before they eventually traced it to Ikeja. This type of treatment to any citizen of our nation especially in a democratic era is, to say the least, inhuman. One wonders why a case already before a High Court was entertained in a magistrate court, and judgement given immediately. This smacks of nothing but vendetta. EFCC have no reasonable cause to continue to keep Chief Femi Fani-Kayode in their custody beyond the constitutional provision of 48 hours. He is not known to have either attempted to evade arrest nor resisted same. EFCC have since concluded their investigations by the virtue of details of the case they leaked out to the public through the press. So, they have no reason to keep having him in their custody without taking the noble option of charging him to court, after all, they have already kept him with them long enough. As an organisation that prides itself as a constitutionally responsible one, it is expected that holding a citizen endlessly would not be part of EFCCs operations. If they have anything against Chief Fani-Kayode, one expects that they should charge him to court rather than obtaining contentious remand warrants from one court to the other. Recall that EFCC had earlier obtained a similar remand warrant in Abuja to keep him for two weeks which has since elapsed. This latest action by EFCC has confirmed rumours making the rounds that the federal government wants to give the former Minister of Aviation the Dasuki/Nnamdi Kanu treatment, a treatment alien to our laws but is fast becoming the norm under the current administration. The question now is, with this naked abuse of our constitution, who is next, and for how long will this continue? The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria on Monday condemned the proposal by the federal government to merge Christian and Islamic studies into a single subject under the countrys basic education system. The condemnation is contained in a communique issued at the end of the 21st annual meeting of the Synod of the North held in Abuja. The moderator of the Synod, Ini Ukpuho, who read the resolutions jointly reached by all parishes in 19 states of the North, including the Federal Capital Territory, said the proposal if adopted would destroy the fragile minds of young Nigerian children. The rights of young innocent Nigerians would be impugned by this merger, Mr. Ukpuho said. The study manuals produced combine Christian and Islamic religious studies and national values into one curriculum. Our children, as very young, innocent minds, would be compelled to read materials that they ordinarily would not have had access to at their tender ages, and in the process take in religious views that their parents and wards did not intend to expose them to at their ages. Mr. Ukpuho said any attempt to force pupils to study both Christian and Islamic knowledge would amount to infringement and abuse of their rights, as it would expose them to information they would ordinarily not have wanted to know. Urging government to consider returning the study of Christian religious knowledge in federal universities across Northern Nigeria, Mr. Ukpuho argued that a proper study of history was enough to acquaint children about the relationship between Christians and Muslims and how both religions developed in the country. On the bill currently before the Kaduna State Assembly to regulate public preaching, Mr. Ukpuho said the Presbyterian Church was opposed to the proposed law, describing it as unconstitutional and illegal. The Synod of the North rejects in its entirety the Bill, and considers it a negation of the provision of the constitution on freedom of religion and right to fellowship by citizens in a democracy, he said. Mr. Ukpuho called on the federal government to punish all perpetrators of terror among herdsmen that have turned themselves into terrorists of fellow Nigerians. Calling for the immediate investigation into attacks by herdsmen, the clergy said it was disturbing that none of the attackers had so far been arrested and tried. On the fight against corruption, Mr. Ukpuho called on government to take it beyond the trial of selected few in the courts, while ensuring that it also included ethical re-orientation of the people to appreciate the basic virtues and values of godly living. While commending government for the fight against corruption, he called on government to set up a more viable economic team, while also addressing the current controversy in electricity billing system across the country. The officiating minister describes the deceased as a forthright man who detested bribery and did not believe cutting corners The traditional ruler of Adu Achi, in Oji River Local Government area of Enugu, Igwe Vincent Onyekeu Ilo was on May 19 laid to rest in his hometown. He was 83. Until his death, Igwe Ilo was for 10 years the traditional ruler of Adu Achi, a position he assumed on March 26, 2006. Before assuming the traditional stool of Adu Achi, Igwe Ilo was an accomplished educationist, who spent over thirty six years as a teacher and headmaster in various schools in Enugu State. He retired from public service in 1987 as a Supervisor of schools in the education department. Apart from being a teacher, Igwe Ilo was known as a peacemaker, a mediator and an advocate for social justice. He was very active in community development associations as well as a committed member of the Catholic Church, where he served in various capacities, including as Vice Chairman of St Gabriels Pastoral Council, Adu Parish, Enugu state. In a brief sermon delivered during the requiem mass held in his honour, the officiating priest, John Okoye, a reverend, described Igwe Ilo as a honest man, who was humble and very supportive of the community. He also described the deceased as a forthright man who detested bribery and did not believe that someone had to cut corners to become successful or achieve great heights in life. There were numerous condolence messages from different parts of the country. Those who sent in messages included the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, Governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and various ministries and departments of government. Those at his internment said that was an indication of the popularity of the late Igwe. After the requiem mass, which was well attended by sympathizers and friends of the family from different parts of the country, the body of the late Igwe was laid to rest in his palace in Adu Achi autonomous community in Enugu State after a word of prayer. That was followed by a reception for guests and community members. Igwe Ilo was survived by his wife of 53 years, Roseline, six children and many grand children. Among his children are broadcaster, Vin Martin Ilo and Jude Udo Ilo, the Country Director of Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). The Federal Government has appointed a new executive secretary for the Nigerian Christians Pilgrims Commission (NCPC). He is Tor Uja, who assumed duties at the headquarters of the Commission on Monday, replacing his predecessor, John-Kennedy Opara. Until his appointment, he was a pastor with the Mission House International Church, according to his information contained in his Linkedln profile. The statement by the NCPC also described him as a seasoned journalist. Mr. Uja becomes the second executive Secretary of the NCPC, after pioneer secretary, John-Kennedy Opara. At a short handover ceremony on Monday, Mr. Uja congratulated Mr. Opara for his years of leadership at the commission. He prayed God to uphold him in his future endeavours. He assured the former NCPC boss that he would move the Commission forward beyond where he met it. Anywhere you stopped, we will make it better, Mr. Uja said. I am going to be interfacing with you. He promised to make a progressive link with the staff to move this nation forward. Mr. Uja who had addressed the management team of the Commission earlier, said he believed so much in the efficacy of prayer. I believe that if we have the attitude for prayer, I know Nigeria can be helped, he said. He appreciated the good works that had been done in the Commission over the years. I think the Commission has done well in creativity and advancement, he said. Mr. Uja affirmed that his administration would market Jesus Christ and his value here and globally. He equally promised that he would ensure that those who had contact with the Commission have deeper understanding of Christ. He also maintained that Christians should be in the vanguard of promoting Nigeria, and would want the Commission to market Nigeria so as to bring back Nigerias dignity. Earlier in his remark at the handing-over ceremony, Mr. Opara briefed the new NCPC boss on the journey so far, especially how the Commission rose from grass to grace. Mr. Opara stated that God helped the Commission to establish a system that worked very well. He described NCPC as Centre of Excellence. He stressed the need for Mr. Uja to have a robust synergy with stakeholders, stressing that government was a continuum and a process. The former NCPC boss hinted that the Bilateral Air service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and State of Israel was signed in 2013, but that there was need for its activation to reduce hours pilgrims spend while flying to Israel. Security operatives on Sunday rescued two Catholic nuns, Apo Perpetual and Roseline Familade, along with their driver, Zwugwa Zibai, kidnapped a week ago at Kajola village, along Benin-Ijebu-Ode road, in Odigbo local government area of Ondo state. They were said to be on their way to Ogun State for a programme last Sunday when they were abducted by armed men. It was gathered that it took a combined team of security operatives in Ondo State and men of the Intelligence Squad drafted from Abuja by the Inspector General of Police, to rescue the victims. Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, said the victims regained their freedom on Sunday morning. Mr. Joseph, who declined to give details of how the victims were rescued, however said no ransom was paid for the release of the nuns and their driver. He explained that the kidnappers abandoned the three victims when it dawned on them that the security men were on their trail What I can tell you for now is that the Reverend Sisters and the driver have been rescued by our men and the intelligence squad sent by the IGP from Abuja. We are still on the trail of the suspects and we will soon arrest them because we are presently combing the area where the victims were rescued. The kidnappers quickly abandoned their victims when they discovered that we were closer to their hideout. No ransom was paid before we secured their release but very soon, the police will arrest those behind the abduction of the three people. The Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has commenced consultation on the outcome of the Saturdays Port Harcourt national convention of the party. Inuwa Bwala, the Special Adviser on Media to the former Chairman Sheriff, disclosed this during an interaction with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja. Mr. Bwala said members of the NWC were already meeting in an undisclosed location to look at legal action that could be taken on the decision reached at the convention. I can tell you that the Sheriff and other members are still meeting to deliberate on what transpired at the convention. They have invited their lawyers to advise them on the next line of action, Mr. Bwala said. He said the meeting might continue till Monday. Mr. Bwala Mr. Sheriff did not receive any court order stopping the convention until Friday, adding that the four court orders received on that day were parallel and conflicting. He said in order not to violate any of the orders, Mr. Sheriff called a meeting of the NWC and other organs who advised that the convention be suspended. It was based on this that Sheriff held a press conference and announced that the convention has been suspended. Mr. Bwala said Mr. Sheriff and some other Board of Trustees members immediately left Port Harcourt after the news conference but was surprised that some of the party officials continued with the convention. The National Deputy Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus was the only NWC member at the convention and he claimed to represent the Chairman. He did not represent Chairman but his personal interest. The Chairman has announced the postponement of the convention and left. There was no way anyone could have represented a person who made such announcement . (NAN) The police on Monday said it had received intelligence that some aggrieved factional leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party have perfected plans to engage thugs from across the country to join them in threatening public peace and security in Abuja over the current leadership crisis within the party. The plan of the brains behind this development is to infiltrate Abuja and attack the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party with intent to forcefully occupy the facility, the police said in a press release by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole. Ms. Kolawole said credible sources have informed the police that protesters would be mobilised into Abuja from Monday, May 23, and that they plan to march through major streets in the FCT, before proceeding to the PDP national headquarters. The Inspector-General of Police has directed the deployment of Police assets to secure the PDP Secretariat and protect the staff until the threat to internal security that is being occasioned by the intra-party crisis within the PDP is stabilized, she said. The police action is a proactive initiative which is being emplaced in furtherance to the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Police to prevent breakdown in law and order and protect lives and property. The Inspector General of Police warns all actors in the crisis as well as their loyalists to refrain from any act that may threaten public order as the Police shall deal promptly, firmly and decisively with such persons or group in line with their legal obligations. The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has banned grazing and rearing of cattle in the state, saying those interested in cattle farming should get their own private cattle ranch. The governor, who became the first ever state executive to take such a drastic measure in the country, also said a bill to make the movement of cattle from one location to another criminal in the state would soon be sent to the State House of Assembly. Governor Fayose, who made this known when he visited Oke-Ako in Ikole local government area of the State that was invaded last Friday by Fulani herdsmen that killed two residents of the town and injured others, warned that government would henceforth confiscate any cattle seen anywhere in the State apart from ranch created for them by their owners. He described the Fulani herdsmen that attacked Oke-Ako and other communities in the country as agents of the devil that must be fished out and punished accordingly. The governor said, We will not leave our lands for Fulani herdsmen and in a system where the leadership of the country looks the other way while our people are being killed, we will have no option than to defend ourselves by whatever means. I have come here to commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako over the murder of two of our people by these evil Fulani herdsmen. I am also here to assure that this will be the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever guise. I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop in Ekiti State and those interested in cattle farming should henceforth do so in their own cattle ranch. No more movement of cattle from one location to another in the State and any cattle seen anywhere in Ekiti State apart from the ranch created for them by their owners will be confiscated by the government and their owners will be prosecuted. A bill to this effect will be sent to House of Assembly for passage into law to criminalise cattle owners whose cattle are found moving from one location the other in the State. If President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has refused to call the herdsmen to order, we in Ekiti will no longer harbour herdsmen who go about killing our people, destroying our farmlands and raping our women. If the same President Buhari that was so concerned about the killing of Fulani herdsmen in in Saki, Oke Ogun Area of Oyo State such that he, as a private citizen led Arewa to Ibadan on October 13, 2000, to confront the then Governor of Oyo State, late Alhaji Lam Adesina is now keeping silent when the same herdsmen are killing our people, we must rise and defend ourselves. It is our duty to protect our people and we are going to do that without fear or favour. The governor said the activities of Fulani herdsmen was inimical to the revival of agriculture in the country saying, one wonders how Nigerians can go back to farming when those already in the farms are losing billions of naira worth of crops to destruction of their farmlands by the Fulani Herdsmen and the Federal Government is not doing anything about it. The former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has denied being served with papers on a Freedom of Information Act case supposedly brought against her by the Socio-Economic Rights Agenda on a missing N30 trillion. In a statement Monday, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala denied ever receiving any court papers regarding the SERAP case. She also said she had not read the judgment and would therefore defer any comments on the matter. I was never served with any court processes in relation to the said matter. She has not read the judgment and would therefore defer any comments on the matter, the former minister said. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was responding to a judgment by the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, which ordered her to account for the said amount. Justice Ibrahim Buba had asked her and the Federal Government to provide information on the spending of the alleged missing N30 trillion representing some income to the Federal Government during the last four years of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. She said, By the date the said papers were purportedly served, I was no longer a public officer and could therefore not be the subject of a request for production of any documents or information under the Freedom of information Act. From the media reports, the case was instituted in February 2015 but was not served until July 2015 after I had already ceased to be the Minister of Finance, she said. The Court processes must have been served on others because my attention was never drawn to the matter in which she appears to have been sued personally. She therefore did not engage any lawyer to act for her in the matter. It is curious that the first time I was made aware of a matter filed against me in court is in news reports reporting the delivery of judgment. I have instructed my lawyers to take steps to set aside the judgment as it affects me, she said. The decision of SERAP to anchor its case on a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation by former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo that N30 trillion about seven times the total annual budget during the Jonathan administration is missing confirms SERAPs dubious motives and its role as a tool for politically motivated actors. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a national legislation against female genital mutilation. Mr. Obasanjo made the appeal in his keynote address delivered on his behalf by Femi Majekodunmi, a medical doctor, at the International Summit on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan on Monday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit was organised by the Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria (Oloola). FGM comprises all procedures that intentionally and specifically alter or cause injury to female genital organ. Mr. Obasanjo described FGM as a heinous crime against womanhood, the community and humanity. He said FGM was a deeply rooted practice in Africa, Middle East and Asia where over 200 million girls and women were affected and more than three million girls were estimated to be at risk annually. A degradation of one is degradation of all; FGM has no known benefits, it is known to be harmful to girls and women in many ways. It is a violation of the rights of women and young girls who have no say on the matter, he said. According to him, FGM is entrenched in the culture of many people in Nigeria and there is presently no federal law against it. FGM has been declared as a violation of human rights by the World Health Organisation, and the UN General Assembly in 2012 adopted a resolution on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation. Nigeria is a signatory to international laws against FGM and only nine states in the federation have thus far legislated against it. There is therefore an urgent need for total eradication and abolition of FGM in Nigeria and ultimately globally, he said. The Chairman of the Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria, Abiola Ogundokun, said about 20 million women between the age of 15 and 49 had undergone FGM in the country. Mr. Ogundokun said that the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) reported that Osun State had the highest FGM prevalence rate followed by Ebonyi and Ekiti states. Study shows that FGM in some instances is used to generate income for practitioners under the guise of preserving and continuing values and rituals. In some communities it is even allowed under death if the woman was not circumcised as practised in cultures where it is not done after death, he said. He called on circumcision practitioners to collaborate with other organisations to prevent the persistence of the dangerous act. The Wife of the Osun State Governor, Sherifat Aregbesola, represented by Kafayat Oyetola, called on her counterparts in Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos states on championing advocacy and sensitisation campaigns to stop FGM. Findings indicate that the practice is most prevalent in Yorubaland especially in Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos states. Given the statistics arising from the findings, when we leave this summit, we should commence in a vibrant way, a neighbour to neighbour campaign to stop FGM. This will help to create awareness about the dangers that FGM constitutes to individuals and to our society. We have to start now as delay means more and more of our girls would be subjected to this health danger, she said. Comfort Momoh, an international expert in FGM, said it could cause cysts, infection, infertility and complications in childbirth. Mrs. Momoh said FGM could also cause psychological, physical and could ultimately lead to death. (NAN) A witness in the ongoing trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, has shed light on how Mr. Badeh bought a land belonging to Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, for N650 million. The witness, Mustapha Yerima, managing director of a contracting firm, Right Builders Limited, said he got to know about the said land during a negotiation with a company, Kasamgo Investment, for the purchase of a land, on which his company would construct a mall for Mr. Badeh. Mr. Yerima explained that it all started in 2013 when he found out about the plan of the Nigerian Air Force to engage the services of contractors for the construction of a mall for the helmsman at the Air Force. He said he bided for the contract, alongside a friend of his, and they won. The director of finance, Air Commodore Yushau approached me and said his boss is very pleased with our job and that he will want to give us a job. Then we scheduled a meeting. When we met, he told me the nature of the job, and that it deals with the construction of malls. He said Mr. Yushau informed him about a commercial property, which would be used, after buying, for the construction of the said mall, adding that the property belonged to Mr. Fayose. He noted that as part of the contract, they were to engage in the process of purchase for their partners, Mr. Badeh and his protege (Mr. Yushau). Mr. Yerima said at the time of the negotiation however, the said land had been sold off by Mr. Fayose and that the buyer had also sold it to a third party. Yushau called again that they have found the person who bought the land from Ayodele Fayose. We contacted the person, a certain Mr. Tony, I cant recall the last name. He is the owner of Hitex furniture. We got to him and realised that he sold to a third party. (Kasamgo Investment Ltd.),said Mr. Yerima. The witness stated that they bided for the land with its last owner and decided to buy at the cost of N650 million. Because there were some other agents, we also got to find out where Kasamgo Investment is. We got to Kasamgo and he named his price: N650 million. Then we went back to Yushau and told him the price, he stated. Mr. Yerima said Mr. Yushau gave them N650 million in dollar equivalent, because the owners of Kasamgo Investment insisted on cash payment. After the purchase, Mr. Yerima said he asked about the name to be used for the documentation of the land, and was told to use the name of his company. He added that after the purchase, they were given the Certificate of Occupancy, and that it was at that point he discovered that the land at a point belonged to Mr. Fayose. Then he engaged us in a negotiation for the land, and gave us its C of O. It was in the means of that I got to know that the land belonged to one Ayodele Fayose. The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Dino Melaye, on Sunday stunned the congregation at the Apostolic Church Nigeria, Oke-Ayo (Iluafon) Assembly in his home town, Ayetero-Gbede, Kogi State, when he narrated how he was tempted to seek diabolical means during preparations for the 2015 general election. According to him, the several temptations were to ascertain his fate at the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, in which he defeated his arch rival, Smart Adeyemi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr. Melaye, who represents Kogi West, made the revelations during a special thanksgiving service and empowerment programme for youth in the area, attended by 26 Senators and all traditional rulers in the area, a statement by his spokespersons said. During the empowerment programme, Mr. Melaye donated 18-seater Toyota Hiace buses to the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) in Kogi West, Council of Ulamas, Kogi West and the National Automotive Technicians and Artisans Association (NATA) and Ijumu Development Union (IDU). According to the statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, other items donated included a 32-seater coastal bus to a an unnamed Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) within Kogi West; electric grinding machines to widows in all the 85 wards of Kogi West; sewing machines to indigent apprentices who have completed their trainings and driers and salon kits. Mr. Melaye, the statement said, also doled out computers to secondary schools within the senatorial district, and 250 telephones to his loyalists. The senator, who claimed to have earlier constructed 100 boreholes in Kogi West Senatorial District, said he gave out scholarships to indigent persons in all the wards. This newspapers is unable at this time to verify the claims. The senator, according to the statement, however added a new dimension to the thanksgiving service when he rolled on the floor of the church, wept before God and thanked God for His mercies. According to him, some of his core loyalists who were so deeply concerned about his fate ahead of the election, tempted him to seek victory prediction through different diabolical means, including soothsayers, for which he flatly rejected. Mr. Melaye was quoted as saying, When I was contesting election, even from among my supporters, some people came with various advice. In fact, somebody came that I should go to the seven Local Government Areas and fetch the soil of the seven LGs. He said that was the way to my victory and I laughed at his ignorance. But I rejected because Ive vowed that I will never be diabolical in my life, it pleases to served God. Speaking about the challenge of his election at the tribunal, the senator regretted what he called unnecessary court cases he went through from his political rival, but thanked God for granting him victory in all. He said, After the victory, I was taken to the tribunal. Im one of the few persons in this country who was taken to different courts for four times. I went to four different courts. It all started from the tribunal to Appeal Court. The Court of Appeal ordered retrial of the case at the tribunal and we started again. When again we finished from the tribunal and went back to the Court of Appeal, external forces came in. But in all these, God saw me through. External forces came in during the second time I appeared at the Court of Appeal. But God, in His mercy, gave me victory for the second time. The Bayelsa State Government on Monday said some armed youths from Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state had been arrested for allegedly vandalising a major oil pipeline in the state. The pipeline, which carries crude oil from the Agip Oil Company flow station at Tebidaba to Brass, was blown up with dynamites, the government said in a statement by its Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obuebite. Mr. Obuebite said the group of vandals was led by Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fyneboy. They were said to have been apprehended by youths of Azuzuama community, who got wind of their action. Mr. Obuebite said the arrest was carried out with the support of operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and that one of vandals was shot in the leg while trying to escape. The statement, however, didnt mention if those arrested were members of the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, or any other known militant group in the troubled Niger Delta region. Mr. Obuebite praised the youths of Azuzuama community for their gallantry, patriotic disposition and commitment to the peace and economic well-being of the state and Nigeria as a whole. The commissioner said the state governor, Seriake Dickson, was going to reward them for responding positively to his clarion call when it mattered most. He expressed delight that the arrest of the vandals followed the governors meeting with traditional rulers and chairmen of communities, where the governor placed on community leaders the responsibility of maintaining peace and safeguarding oil facilities within their domains. If every other community can act in like manner, the current wave of attacks on national assets and related criminal acts will be drastically minimised, if not completely eliminated, the commissioner said, while calling on others to emulate the Azuzuama community. He assured community leaders and youths that the state government would continue to support and partner them, so as to protect lives and property in Bayelsa. Bartholomew Eneh, the father of Tochukwu, one of the students abducted and killed by unknown persons in Okposi on Sunday has accused youths of the community of being responsible for the killing of his son and his classmate, Chukwuemeka Ugwu. Mr. Eneh spoke to reporters in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital. The accusation came just as the police found the copses of the two students, who were Junior Secondary school students of Federal Government College Okposi, Ohaozara local government area, near a river in the community. The students where allegedly abducted on May 12 while returning to school from the town where they went to have a haircut preparatory to going home the next day, Friday the 14th. Mr. Eneh said he called the school when his son failed to return on the day he was supposed to return and that was when the guardian told him that they were looking for him. He said since then I have been to Okposi twice and to Abakaliki twice. I am happy that the governor, Dave Umahi, gave the CP an order to properly investigate the matter. And since then she has been up and doing. Yesterday (Sunday) she was there with a team of security men from Police, Army and DSS. In fact the whole town was on fire when we came in. While we where holding meetings, the CP got information that the bodies were in the river and we went there and their bodies were recovered. He said initial reports from medical doctors in the team revealed that the bodies were dumped in the river the same day they were abducted and accused the community youth of being responsible because the new principal refused settling them. The old principal was the one who struck the deal with the villagers and some workers in the school were also benefiting as they used the opportunity to siphon money from the school authorities, Mr. Eneh said. But the new principal refused to be giving them money and these workers went and created the impression that the school was fighting the community. The group then threatened to punish the school in return. I believe the two boys were a victim of the problem and were just caught in the crossfire of the crisis between the community and the school. We will bury my son tomorrow (today). He called for justice for his sons killers to assuage the pains of the affected parents. The Chairman of the Local Government, Justice Ogbonna, debunked the accusation levelled against the community. According to him the school since inception has had peace with the community and the community would not now start having problems with the school. Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Police Command said that it had recovered the bodies of the two students The commands spokesman, George Okafor, an assistant superintendent of police, in a statement said the report on the disappearance of the students was reported May 14. The CP led other senior police officials with the commands Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) team for an on-the spot assessment and rescue of the students, he said. The statement noted that in the course of interaction with community leaders, youth and other stakeholders, it was found that two bodies were discovered at a bamboo groove in Ata River, about half a kilometre from the college premises. In response to the information, the command recovered the decomposing corpses of the two missing students whose parents were there to identify. It noted that the corpses had been evacuated and deposited in a morgue awaiting autopsy. The command is appealing to all citizens to assist in providing relevant and timely information that would nip all forms of criminality in the bud, he said. The statement assured citizens of the state of adequate protection of their lives and properties at all times. Ten Commandments of Intercession Intercession may be the ultimate ministry in God's plan of salvation. Jesus forever lives to make intercession for us (Heb 7:25). He lived a simple life in Nazareth for thirty years and had a public ministry for three years. And now He has been interceding for us for almost two thousand years. That may tell us something of the inestimable importance of intercession. The Church teaches that the intercession of the saints in heaven is "their most exalted service to God's plan" (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 2683) no matter how great was their work on earth. St. Dominic taught on his death bed: "Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life" (CCC, 956). One of many kinds of prayer is the prayer of petition. Intercession is a form of petition (CCC, 2634). It is petitioning God in the place of another person (see Ez 22:30, 13:5; Ps 106:23; CCC, 2741). Intercession implies that a person is unable or unwilling to petition God on his own behalf (Rm 8:26) and that the Lord sometimes permits us to substitute for others in prayer. Because God has given us authority (Gn 1:28) that He will not usurp, and because He will not usually impose His blessings on us, intercession makes a great difference. We don't receive because we don't ask (Jas 4:3). Intercession often is the difference between life and death, war and peace, healing or sickness, success or failure. Protestants, Catholics, evangelicals, and charismatics all agree that intercession is God's urgent call to His people at this moment in history. Some maintain that Jesus' mother Mary has been repeatedly sent during this century to encourage us to intercede. We may be on the threshold of a golden age of intercession. Let us intercede to the maximum. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF INTERCESSION "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength" (Dt 6:5, our translation). Thou shalt have God choose each member of an intercessory prayer group. Thou shalt not intercede without first hearing God. Thou shalt be as specific as possible. Thou shalt have expectant faith. Thou shalt love thy enemies. Thou shalt expect spiritual warfare. Thou shalt commit thyself to intercede for a set period of time. Thou shalt change thy life-style. Thou shalt not be too rigid about some of these guidelines. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength" (Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27; our translation). Intercession is not a matter of saying the right words but of having the right heart. If we love the Lord with all our heart, we have the right heart. Furthermore, if Jesus is our Lord, we can hear Him (Jn 8:47; 18:37). The Lord will baptize us in the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), Who will teach us everything, remind us, and guide us to all truth (Jn 14:26; 16:13). Under Jesus' lordship, Jesus either originates every event or makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him (Rm 8:28). Under these circumstances, every happening, phone call, meeting, or conversation is a call to intercede. Under Jesus' lordship, His callings to intercede are self-evident. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT Thou shalt have God choose each member of an intercessory prayer group. We want to motivate you to set up an intercessory prayer group. A good intercessory prayer group can be more used of God than some governments, corporations, or churches. An intercessory prayer group can direct the course of world events, prevent wars, change elections, and transform the world. Because intercessory prayer groups can be extremely powerful, they are a great threat to the devil, who will try to hinder their development. Therefore, we must have God form the group by handpicking each participant. Although all Christians are called to intercede, not all are called to be members of any intercessory prayer group. The group is usually small. Unity in this group is crucial so that the participants will be of one mind (Mt 18:19). The Lord often limits the number of participants in any intercessory prayer group, as He decreased the number of soldiers in Gideon's army (Jgs 7:4) and put the people out of the room before raising Jairus' daughter (Mk 5:40). However, there should be enough people in the group so as to have several gifts of the Spirit active in the group. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not intercede without first hearing God. When we petition God, we do not inform or persuade Him. He already knows what we need (Mt 6:8, 32), and He loves us much more than we love ourselves. When we intercede, it is God Who persuades and informs us. We're not putting words in His mouth; He's putting them in ours. To help you hear God, begin an intercessory prayer time with praise. Pray in the Spirit. As you pray in another language, God may give you His word for your intercession. Fix your eyes on the Lord and let Him clear the air of your own preoccupations. Be slow to speak but quick to hear (Jas 1:19). "Where words are many, sin is not wanting; but he who restrains his lips does well" (Prv 10:19). Don't be afraid to be quiet or even bored. Occasionally, you may not intercede at all because you do not know God's will. Let the Lord speak to you through His word and seek prophecy above all else (see 1 Cor 14:1). Intercession is lip-reading Jesus, the great Intercessor and eternal High Priest. (See our pamphlet, Hearing God.) THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt be as specific as possible. It is often good to write down our intercessions. This may force us to be more specific. We should keep asking God questions about our prayer intention in order to get all the specifics He wants to reveal. For example, it's usually not wise merely to pray for God to "bless" someone. Specifically, what blessing does God want to give at this time? We should not pray for people in general, but for certain people. If God tells us, we should mention the people by name. Let's not pray for intercessions to be fulfilled "in God's time," but let's find out what God's time is. "Will not God then do justice to His chosen who call out to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them, do your suppose?" (Lk 18:7) Often God does not want us to pray generically for "His will to be done." Let's ask Him what His will is, and then pray for that. If we're too lazy or spiritually deaf to find out God's will, we should not try to live with this or adapt our prayer to this situation by praying in generalities. We should challenge ourselves to grow in hearing God. This is His will for us. For example, a good intercessory prayer may be: "I intercede for Sally to forgive Tom for what he did last Monday. Lord, may Sally repent and forgive before 3 PM this afternoon." Of course, sometimes we don't know the details of our intercessory prayer because God isn't telling us. It isn't because we're not listening. However, most of the time we can be more specific. Many times our intercessions are so general there is no way to recognize the answer to our prayer. Especially at the early stages of intercessory ministry, it is important to see the connection between our intercessions and the unfolding of events. THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt have expectant faith. Intercessors need the spiritual gift of faith to move mountains (1 Cor 12:9; Mt 17:20). When some use the term "expectant faith," they often just mean better faith or a faith one step up from doubt. By "expectant faith," we mean international, world-vision faith. "The intercession of Christians recognizes no boundaries: 'for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions' for persecutors, for the salvation of those who reject the Gospel' " (CCC, 2636). Intercessory prayer groups should expect to deal in international affairs, affect the election of world leaders, and affect the course of world events. After interceding for John's mother-in-law and the car to be repaired, it is not unusual for us to be led by the Lord from the local to the international. Intercessory prayer groups can be called to intercede for China, the Muslim nations, Russia, the World Bank, etc. Just think: possibly two elderly ladies sitting in the back of a church in Iowa may be "calling the shots" for world affairs. "God chose those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise; He singled out the weak of this world to shame the strong" (1 Cor 1:27). THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt love thy enemies. Although we need faith to intercede, love may be even more important. When we intercede, we take another person's place. Sometimes people don't take their own places in prayer because we all have our human limitations. At other times, we sin and are unfaithful in our prayer responsibilities. Intercessors fill the gap (Ez 22:30) and suffer because of others' weaknesses or sinful lack of responsibility. Intercessors naturally get tired of doing other people's jobs. We have enough to do without having to make up for others' lack of prayer. Intercessors are often unjustly burdened. Consequently, there's a fine line between interceding and cursing the persons for whom we're interceding (Nm 11:14; Jer 15:11, 15). Those for whom we intercede can easily become our enemies. We take their places but are usually not appreciated. Sometimes we are even persecuted by the persons whose burdens we carry in intercession. To be great intercessors, we must love our enemies, or we will refuse some of our most important intercessory opportunities. "In intercession he who prays looks 'not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others,' even to the point of praying for those who do him harm" (CCC, 2635). THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt expect spiritual warfare. Because intercession is so powerful and of international and eternal significance, it is a tremendous threat to the devil. The devil will even contest your reading of this teaching. Only by God's grace have you been able to read this far. Great intercessors need some kind of intercessory prayer group not only for the power that comes with the use of more spiritual gifts, but also for protection from the evil one. An intercessory prayer group is a major offensive against the evil one. We must be ready to fight, rally the troops, and not be foolish enough to go it alone. Furthermore, we must repent of sin so as not to give the devil an opportunity to infiltrate our lives and sabotage the movement of the Spirit in our intercession. We owe it to God, ourselves, the body of Christ, and those who will be affected by our intercession to go to Confession at least monthly. Because of our sinfulness, we will have casualties in the ministry of intercession, but these will be minimized by Christian community life and repentance from sin. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt commit thyself to intercede for a set period of time. Because intercession often entails heavy-duty spiritual warfare, we will feel like quitting. This will prevent us from fully devoting ourselves to the work of intercession. Furthermore, it sometimes takes years for an intercessory prayer group to grow in unity, prophecy, and faith so as to be a world- force. In the military, soldiers usually commit themselves for four years. Intercessory prayer warriors need to commit themselves for a set time to an intercessory prayer group. We're not fit for the kingdom if we keep looking back after having put our hand to the plow of intercession (Lk 9:62). In addition to long-term commitment, intercessors need to specify certain times each day for intercession. Traditionally, morning and evening have been used as special intercessory times. We intercede repeatedly throughout the day and even during the night, but we need set aside certain times to focus on intercessory needs. THE NINTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt change thy life-style. Intercession involves work, pain, and spiritual warfare. It is not an avocation but a vocation. Intercessors are "on call" twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with no retirement. Because of these demands, intercessors find they have to simplify their life-style (see 1 Pt 2:11), crucify their flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24), and follow the Spirit's lead in opposing the flesh (Gal 5:17). The life-style of a widow seems to be especially appropriate for the intercessory ministry (1 Tm 5:5). Also, those homebound, sick, or elderly often have a good opportunity to devote themselves to intercession. Jobs which include mundane tasks (e.g., factory work or truck driving) often leave workers free to intercede. Intercession is such an important ministry that some choose to be celibate or to take a lower paying job to have a life-style more appropriate to their ministry of intercession. Whether a person is willing to make life-style decisions often makes the difference between a mediocre or a great intercessory ministry. THE TENTH COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not be too rigid about some of these guidelines. What we have shared in this pamphlet is based on the Holy Spirit's wisdom expressed in God's word. It is confirmed by the experiences of many intercessors. Therefore, we ask you to take seriously these "ten commandments." However, while some of these guidelines are absolute (e.g., the first and sixth commandments), others admit of exceptions. For example, sometimes God calls for general prayers, spiritual warfare is not so intense, or a fast-talker is a good intercessor. However, these are exceptions. Let the Holy Spirit be your Guide (Jn 16:13). "The Spirit too helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us" (Rm 8:26). CONCLUSION Jesus said: "I solemnly assure you, the man who has faith in Me will do the works I do, and greater far than these. Why? Because I go to the Father, and whatever you ask in My name I will do" (Jn 14:12-13). Evagrius Ponticus has taught: "Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask Him; for He desires to do something even greater for you" (CCC, 2737). One of our greatest privileges and responsibilities is to share in Jesus' intercessory ministry. In this pamphlet we seek to motivate all believers to intercede to the maximum. We encourage the formation of intercessory prayer groups, and we wish to help such groups persevere in intercession until Jesus' final coming. Finally, ask God for permission to intercede that this pamphlet bear a hundredfold harvest. Nihil obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, March 1, 1999. Imprimatur: Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 3, 1999. Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (1) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Presidential couple on the way to Norway (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (2) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda on the way to Norway (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (3) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda on the way to Norway (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (4) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda arrives in Norway (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (5) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda arrives in Norway (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (6) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (7) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (8) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (9) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (10) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (11) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (12) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (13) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (14) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (15) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (16) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (17) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (18) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (19) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (20) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (21) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (22) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (23) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (24) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (25) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (26) Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec President Andrzej Duda meets with members of the Polish diaspora at the Polish Embassy in Oslo (photo by Andrzej Hrechorowicz / KPRP) (27) For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. THE HAGUE, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aegon announces the sale of GBP 3 billion annuity liabilities to Legal & General. This transaction follows the recently announced sale of GBP 6 billion of its UK annuity portfolio and completes the divestment of Aegon's own annuity portfolio. Aegon now has approximately GBP 1 billion annuity liabilities remaining through an inward reinsurance transaction. Today's divestment is consistent with the company's strategy to free up capital from non-core businesses. The expected Solvency II capital release following the completion of the transaction announced today is approximately GBP 275 million. "I am very pleased that we are able to announce this transaction," said Alex Wynaendts, CEO of Aegon. "Achieving the divestment of our UK annuity portfolio is an important step in the strategic repositioning of our business in the United Kingdom. The divestment enables us to fully focus on growing our platform business. At the same time, I am pleased that we have found in Legal & General a good home for our annuity customers." In 2010, Aegon chose to no longer be an active player in the UK annuity market, as it believed these products did not meet Aegon's long-term risk adjusted return requirements. The divestment of the annuity portfolio significantly reduces Aegon's exposure to both longevity and credit risk. The transaction is in line with the company's continued shift to capital-light businesses. The divestment of the annuity portfolio enables Aegon to focus on its platform, which helps workplace savers and consumers to build their savings across their working lives, and then manage an income in retirement with the support of a financial adviser or directly online. The UK platform-based pension market is growing fast, and by repositioning our business, Aegon is in a stronger position to benefit from this growth opportunity. Under the terms of the agreement, Aegon will initially reinsure GBP 3 billion of liabilities to Legal & General followed by a Part VII transfer. The Solvency II ratio of Aegon's operations in the United Kingdom is expected to increase by an estimated 15%-point following the reinsurance transaction with Legal & General, and another ~5%-point following the Part VII transfer. Aegon expects annual capital generation from its UK operations to be reduced by approximately GBP 30 million (EUR 38 million) as a result of the transaction announced today. Underlying earnings before tax are expected to be reduced by approximately GBP 16 million (EUR 20 million) per annum. The reinsurance transaction is expected to result in an IFRS loss of approximately GBP 215 million (EUR 273 million), which will be reported in other charges in the second quarter of 2016. To ensure a smooth transition for its customers, Aegon and Legal & General will put a migration plan in place in which the administration of the annuity portfolio will be executed by Aegon until the completion of the Part VII transfer. DISCLAIMERS Forward-looking statements The statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following are words that identify such forward-looking statements: aim, believe, estimate, target, intend, may, expect, anticipate, predict, project, counting on, plan, continue, want, forecast, goal, should, would, is confident, will, and similar expressions as they relate to Aegon. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Aegon undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which merely reflect company expectations at the time of writing. Actual results may differ materially from expectations conveyed in forward-looking statements due to changes caused by various risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the following: Changes in general economic conditions, particularly in the United States , the Netherlands and the United Kingdom ; , and the ; Changes in the performance of financial markets, including emerging markets, such as with regard to: The frequency and severity of defaults by issuers in Aegon's fixed income investment portfolios; The effects of corporate bankruptcies and/or accounting restatements on the financial markets and the resulting decline in the value of equity and debt securities Aegon holds; and The effects of declining creditworthiness of certain private sector securities and the resulting decline in the value of sovereign exposure that Aegon holds; Changes in the performance of Aegon's investment portfolio and decline in ratings of Aegon's counterparties; Consequences of a potential (partial) break-up of the euro or the potential exit of the United Kingdom and/or Greece from the European Union; and/or from the European Union; The frequency and severity of insured loss events; Changes affecting longevity, mortality, morbidity, persistence and other factors that may impact the profitability of Aegon's insurance products; Reinsurers to whom Aegon has ceded significant underwriting risks may fail to meet their obligations; Changes affecting interest rate levels and continuing low or rapidly changing interest rate levels; Changes affecting currency exchange rates, in particular the EUR/USD and EUR/GBP exchange rates; Changes in the availability of, and costs associated with, liquidity sources such as bank and capital markets funding, as well as conditions in the credit markets in general such as changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness; Increasing levels of competition in the United States , the Netherlands , the United Kingdom and emerging markets; , , the and emerging markets; Changes in laws and regulations, particularly those affecting Aegon's operations' ability to hire and retain key personnel, the products Aegon sells, and the attractiveness of certain products to its consumers; Regulatory changes relating to the pensions, investment, and insurance industries in the jurisdictions in which Aegon operates; Standard setting initiatives of supranational standard setting bodies such as the Financial Stability Board and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors or changes to such standards that may have an impact on regional (such as EU), national or US federal or state level financial regulation or the application thereof to Aegon, including the designation of Aegon by the Financial Stability Board as a Global Systemically Important Insurer (G-SII). Changes in customer behavior and public opinion in general related to, among other things, the type of products also Aegon sells, including legal, regulatory or commercial necessity to meet changing customer expectations; Acts of God, acts of terrorism, acts of war and pandemics; Changes in the policies of central banks and/or governments; Lowering of one or more of Aegon's debt ratings issued by recognized rating organizations and the adverse impact such action may have on Aegon's ability to raise capital and on its liquidity and financial condition; Lowering of one or more of insurer financial strength ratings of Aegon's insurance subsidiaries and the adverse impact such action may have on the premium writings, policy retention, profitability and liquidity of its insurance subsidiaries; The effect of the European Union's Solvency II requirements and other regulations in other jurisdictions affecting the capital Aegon is required to maintain; Litigation or regulatory action that could require Aegon to pay significant damages or change the way Aegon does business; As Aegon's operations support complex transactions and are highly dependent on the proper functioning of information technology, a computer system failure or security breach may disrupt Aegon's business, damage its reputation and adversely affect its results of operations, financial condition and cash flows; Customer responsiveness to both new products and distribution channels; Competitive, legal, regulatory, or tax changes that affect profitability, the distribution cost of or demand for Aegon's products; Changes in accounting regulations and policies or a change by Aegon in applying such regulations and policies, voluntarily or otherwise, which may affect Aegon's reported results and shareholders' equity; The impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, product withdrawals and other unusual items, including Aegon's ability to integrate acquisitions and to obtain the anticipated results and synergies from acquisitions; Catastrophic events, either manmade or by nature, could result in material losses and significantly interrupt Aegon's business; and Aegon's failure to achieve anticipated levels of earnings or operational efficiencies as well as other cost saving and excess capital and leverage ratio management initiatives. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting Aegon are described in its filings with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, Aegon expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Aegon's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Aegons roots go back more than 170 years to the first half of the nineteenth century. Since then, Aegon has grown into an international company, with businesses in more than 20 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Today, Aegon is one of the worlds leading financial services organizations, providing life insurance, pensions and asset management. Aegons purpose is to help people achieve a lifetime of financial security. More information: aegon.com . Media relations Debora de Laaf +31-(0)70-344-8730 gcc@aegon.com Investor relations Willem van den Berg +31-(0)70-344-8405 ir@aegon.com PRN NLD SOURCE Aegon N.V. CAMBRIDGE, England, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Arkessa has appointed Samuel Staehle as Regional Director for Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Arkessa is the leading provider of managed connectivity services for the Internet of Things (IoT) across all sectors. Based in Arkessa's Dusseldorf offices, Samuel will be responsible for ongoing business operations as well as overseeing professional services delivery, sales and managed services operations in the D-A-CH region. Samuel's career spans senior management roles with SIEMENS, IBM, Trilliant and General Electric with a broad capacity for developing global and regional markets, defining and executing aggressive business growth strategies. Andrew Orrock, CEO, said "Arkessa is committed to leading the world in connecting customers to the Internet of Things wherever they are on the planet. The appointment of Samuel to lead our expanding team in DACH is an important milestone in our success in the region and we are delighted to welcome him to the team." SOURCE Arkessa KIEV, Ukraine, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, has announced the winners of the 2016 Scopus Awards Ukraine. The ceremony was held during the Ukrainian Science Day on May 20. The Ukrainian Scopus Awards, organized this year for the first time, aim to foster Ukrainian research excellence and collaboration. The winners were selected by the Ministry of Education and Science. Their assessment was based on publication and citation data drawn from Elsevier's Scopus, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature. The awards recognize the contributions made by the Ukrainian research community to the global scientific landscape, early-career Ukrainian researchers, and scientific collaboration within research groups. Two further awards acknowledge consistency in research performance demonstrated by a local academic journal and research institution. The award winners are: Volodymyr Lushchak, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University Leonid Levchuk , National Science Center, Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology , National Science Center, Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology Boris Minaev , Cherkasy Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University , Cherkasy Bohdan Khmelnytsky Olha Brovarets, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of National Academy of Science of Ukraine (NASU) (NASU) Dmytro Hovorun, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NASU Yury Ushenko , Chernivtsi National University , Chernivtsi Pavlo Mikhailyuk , Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv , Taras Shevchenko of Anna Morozovska, Institute of Physics, NASU The institutional award was presented to: Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University The journal award was presented to: Eksperimentalnaya Onkologiya Ms. Liliya Hrynevych, Ukrainian Minister of Science and Education, commented: "We encourage our scientists, because with their research they make contribution to the future of our country and all mankind. The science of today is the technology of tomorrow. We support researchers in their strive for publishing in international scientific journals and making the results of the Ukrainian science visible on a global level." Dr. Michiel Kolman, Elsevier's Senior Vice President for Global Academic Relations who presented the awards, said: "We are proud to be here at the Ukrainian Science Day and present the awards to the best researchers and institutions. With our top-quality content and analytical tools we support the Ukrainian research community, the international collaboration of Ukrainian authors and the growth and development of the country's research." About Scopus Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature and features tools to track, analyze and visualize scholarly research. Its comprehensive database contains 55+ million items indexed from 21,000 titles from more than 5,000 publishers worldwide, ensuring broad interdisciplinary coverage in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences and arts and humanities. Scopus was designed and developed with input from researchers and librarians and features direct links to subscribed full-text articles, other library resources and interoperability with applications such as reference management software. Scopus is part of the Elsevier Research Intelligence portfolio which includes the SciVal tools, the Pure system, rich data assets and custom Analytical Services. About Elsevier Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com Media contact Yana Revyakina Elsevier y.revyakina@elsevier.com +7 925 238 03 38 SOURCE Elsevier LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Atmosphere was Lively and Stimulating as Franchise Professionals From 36 Countries Gathered to Share Best Business Practices at the Annual Helen Doron English Master Franchise Conference Held April 3-7, 2016 in Budapest, Hungary "The Benefits of Shared Knowledge" conference featured 3 days of roundtable discussions, seminars and breakout sessions. Helen Doron Ltd. presented an overview of a new customer relationship and business management system, Helen Doron Community, currently in development and production. This global information-sharing platform will offer exceptional and accurate tools that can be used at every level of business sales, marketing, customer communication and business analysis. Anne Gordon, VP of Business Development, reported on the impressive company growth during 2015 as the company welcomed 8 new Helen Doron English Master Franchisors from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain and Romania. "It is interesting to see the strong growth in Spain with 3 new Master Franchisors from that area alone," reflects Gordon. "We found a lack of quality after-school English education in that market, which we intend to fill. While Helen Doron English is franchised throughout much of Europe, we are still looking to expand in Berlin, Germany; Calabria & Basilicata and Triveneto West in Italy as well as in Latin America and the Confederation of Independent States. " Helen Doron English pioneered an innovative, unique methodology teaching English to babies, children and teens using the highest quality learning materials supplemented with state-of-the art apps. With almost 90 Master Franchise areas, about 900 Learning Centre franchises and over 4500 active, specially-trained Helen Doron English teachers, Helen Doron English is, by far, the largest provider of quality English after-school education for children and teenagers in Europe. Helen Doron enables entrepreneurs to start their own franchises and join a leading business network with a solid niche in the English-as-a-foreign language industry. The Helen Doron franchise is a proven business model with franchise life cycles among the longest and strongest in the franchise industry. Participants discussed the increasing demand for high-quality English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language (ESL/EFL) programmes and materials. "The demand for English learning courses and materials, both print and digital, continues to skyrocket. We can see ever-increasing numbers of visitors to our website and online English games portal, Kangi Club, downloads of our Apps, listeners to our radio station, and purchasing our merchandise," comments Chief Marketing Officer, Simon Darr. Darr continues, "At this year's conference, social and digital media took centre stage both as a means to communicate with our target audience and as a delivery platform for Helen Doron's unique English learning content." For more information on how you can join the Helen Doron English franchise network, visit us online. About the Helen Doron Educational Group The Helen Doron Educational Group stands at the forefront of innovative educational systems, providing exclusive learning programmes and quality educational materials for babies, children and adolescents the world over since 1985. The company's flagship franchise, Helen Doron English, along with Helen Doron Kindergarten, MathRiders, Ready Steady Move! franchises today encompass nearly 900 learning centres in 36 countries in Europe, Asia and South America. Today, more than two million children have learnt with the unique Helen Doron methodology. The Helen Doron Educational Group invites entrepreneurs to join a successful business operation that benefits children around the world. Visit us at http://www.helendorongroup.com. Contact Marilyn Glazier Social Media Manager +972-523858518 Marilyn@helendorongroup.com SOURCE Helen Doron Educational Group HONG KONG, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTP"), Medical Valley EMN, Hong Kong Biotechnology Organisation ("HKBIO") and Hong Kong Medical & Healthcare Device Industries Association Limited ("HKMHDIA") signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") to accelerate the development and collaboration of the biomedical industry between Germany and Hong Kong. Under the MoU, the four parties agree to pool resources to establish a network of partners that will work to facilitate innovation, technology transfer and commercialisation of promising healthcare-related inventions for companies in Germany and Hong Kong. Leveraging Hong Kong's role as a super-connector, the partnership also aims to help local late-stage start-ups and SMEs to expand to Europe, and likewise, to assist German companies to develop Asian market from Hong Kong. One of the four signatories of the MoU, Medical Valley EMN, is a renowned medical technology cluster from Germany with over 190 medtech start-ups and SMEs within its current network. In the past, the organisation has worked with different parties in the U.S. and in South America; and in its first attempt at breaking into the Asian market, Medical Valley EMN has chosen Hong Kong as its entry point with HKSTP as its partner. Since the nature of biomedical value chain always involves research talents, suppliers, manufacturers, distribution and marketing professionals from different parts of the world, Hong Kong's proximity to the Mainland China gives the city an absolute advantage over neighbouring cities. Utilising Hong Kong's unique edge and network, Medical Valley EMN can easily access the resources and talent to help these German start-ups commercialise their inventions and facilitate midstream and downstream development, including clinical trials, accreditation and certification, product development and marketing. Under the first phase of the collaboration, Medical Valley EMN will identify, shortlist and introduce promising biomedical innovations to Hong Kong, and it is expected to have partnerships with companies in Hong Kong on three areas within this year, including wound healing patch, micro MRI technology and bio-sensors. "Hong Kong is a great springboard for us to easily reach key players and markets all across Asia. This vibrant city is also where some of the region's brightest minds are working in, making it a great frontier for scientific and technological advancement. In addition to advanced technology know-how, the reasons why we chose Hong Kong to be the starting point in Asia is hugely due to its global network of professionals as well as the proactive and supportive attitude of the Hong Kong SAR Government. These factors enable the German medtech research companies to create value quickly," said Matthias Hiegl, Member of the Managing Board of Medical Valley said. "One point to note that our partner -- HKSTP is a world renowned incubator, whose connections and networks will surely enable us to achieve great success in realising innovative ideas from Germany and Hong Kong." Commenting on the overall status of Hong Kong's biomedical industry, Andrew Young, Chief Commercial Officer of HKSTP, said: "Biomedical industry is a global business. Professionals in Hong Kong have made great strides in the field of biomedical technology, and many of them are of global renown. With its extensive resources, established legal system and connected talent pool in biomedical technology, Hong Kong is ready to take the next step forward." "HKSTP is already hosting numerous research teams that are focused on developing biomedical technology in collaboration with local universities and healthcare institutes. And by signing the MoU, we formalise our intent to catalyse the development of biomedical technology in Germany and Hong Kong, which will ultimately speed up commercialization of innovations, foster closer industry collaboration and development. HKSTP, together with our three new partners, will bring in new opportunities for knowledge exchange and funding for innovators in the field of biomedical technology," added Young. Young and Hiegl were joined by Albert Yu, Chairman of HKBIO and Andros Chan, Chairman of HKMHDIA, in signing the MoU. Partnering with key local and global players is one of many initiatives undertaken by HKSTP to drive the growth of Hong Kong's biomedical technology industry. HKSTP remains committed to executing on its 3C Strategy Connect, Collaborate, Catalyse to fuel the continued advancement of Hong Kong's technology sector. About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Comprising Science Park, InnoCentre and Industrial Estates, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is a statutory body dedicated to building a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem to connect stakeholders, nurture technology talents, facilitate collaboration, and catalyse innovations to deliver social and economic benefits to Hong Kong and the region. Established in May 2001, HKSTP has been driving the development of Hong Kong into a regional hub for innovation and growth in several focused clusters including Electronics, Information & Communications Technology, Green Technology, Biomedical Technology, Materials and Precision Engineering. We enable science and technology companies to nurture ideas, innovate and grow, supported by our R&D facilities, infrastructure, and market-led laboratories and technical centres with professional support services. We also offer value added services and comprehensive incubation programmes for technology start-ups to accelerate their growth. Technology businesses benefit from our specialised services and infrastructure at Science Park for applied research and product development; enterprises can find creative design support at InnoCentre; while skill-intensive businesses are served by our three industrial estates at Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org. Related Links http://www.hkstp.org/ SOURCE The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brand New HotForex Trading Rewards Loyalty Program Gives Traders the Opportunity to Earn Cash and Forex Trading Service Rewards HotForex is rewarding its clients with the introduction of a tiered loyalty program that gives traders the chance to claim cash and trading service rewards such as Trading Central, advanced VPS, and one-to-one sessions with a HotForex Market Analyst. With the HotForex Trading Rewards Loyalty Program, traders earn HotForex Bars (points) for every qualifying round-turn lot they trade on Forex, Gold and Silver. The number of HotForex Bars awarded rises according to the loyalty level achieved and the number of active trading days accumulated. There are 4 different reward levels: Red, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Traders qualify for Red Trading Rewards simply by registering for the program. The more active days a trader accumulates, the faster he/ she will progress through this tiered program and the more HotForex Bars he/ she will earn per round-turn lot traded. When a trader has accumulated enough HotForex Bars, he/ she can choose to exchange some or all of them for cash and/ or Forex trading tools/ services. Current rewards on offer include: Cash 12 months subscription to Trading Central HotForex Debit Card (coming soon) 1 month access to advanced VPS 1 hour private session with a HotForex Market Analyst 3 months access to advanced VPS A spokesperson for HotForex commented, "We wanted to reward our clients for their loyalty, and our new Trading Rewards Loyalty Program is our way of giving something back by empowering our clients to make every qualifying trade count towards their loyalty balance! We gave a lot of thought to the rewards on offer and we feel that we've put together a great selection of Forex trading services that will enhance the trading tool-kit of any trader. Our Trading Rewards Program follows hot on the heels of the recently launched HotForex App, and is our next step towards providing clients with exceptional trading tools and services as standard." To learn more about the HotForex Trading Rewards loyalty program click here. About HotForex HotForex is a leading, global FX broker that offers both retail and institutional trading services to clients from around the world. Since its foundation, the company has consistently won coveted titles from respected finance industry bodies for its innovative Forex trading service provision. For more information about HotForex visit: http://www.hotforex.com Risk warning: Trading Forex and CFDs carries a high degree of risk to your capital. Media Contact HF Markets Ltd Tel.: +44(0)2033185978 Email: marketing@hotforex.com SOURCE HotForex New report from coalition of more than 30 NGOs shows global pattern of impunity, calls for international accountability for strikes on health care workers and facilities WASHINGTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In conflict zones around the world, health care workers and facilities are under relentless attack, according to a new report "No Protection, No Respect" from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The coalition of more than 30 nongovernmental organizations found that during 2015 and the first three months of 2016, deliberate or indiscriminate strikes on health care have killed medical workers and patients, decimated medical infrastructure and robbed countless civilians of vital medical care in 19 countries around the world. The report also found that, in many instances, parties to conflicts failed to take required steps to avoid harm to medical facilities, staff and patients, and obstructed access to health care. "The report shows both the pervasiveness and variety of attacks on health facilities, staff and patients globally," said Leonard Rubenstein of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the coalition's chair. "Sometimes the attacks are deliberate, sometimes they're a product of indifference to the harms caused and sometimes they represent gross failures to take steps needed to prevent death and injurybut all violate long-standing obligations under international law." In its third annual report, the coalition found evidence that hospitals and ambulances were specifically targeted in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Thailand, and reports on the murder and kidnapping of polio vaccination teams in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Somalia. Overall, the report shows an alarming frequency and variety of attackswhich deprive countless people of critical medical care. "In Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, aerial strikes have decimated hospitals and clinics, killing doctors and the patients they are so desperately trying to treat," said Susannah Sirkin, director of international policy and partnerships at Physicians for Human Rights. "These attacks terrorize and inflict suffering on patients and health care providers. Turning hospitals into battlefields is a grave breach of humanitarian law and an affront to humanity." The report describes the burning and looting of hospitals and clinics, as well as brutal attacks on medical staff and patients in facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen. The coalition also found that the passage of ambulances, medical supplies, or patients seeking care were routinely restricted in Central African Republic, Mali, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, South Sudan, Turkey and Ukraine. "Perpetrators clearly believe they will suffer no consequences if they attack or interfere with patients, doctors, nurses and hospital staff," said Laura Hoemeke, director of communications and advocacy at IntraHealth International, a coalition member. "The international community's failure to halt such attacks has sparked a chain reaction of impunity." Among its recommendations, the coalition report calls on the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization to carefully document and report attacks on health care workers and facilities. The coalition also recommends that the UN Security Council refer such crimes to the International Criminal Court or other tribunals if states fail to fulfill their obligation to halt strikes on health care personnel and infrastructure. On May 3, the Security Council condemned attacks on health facilities and health workers, reiterating the fundamental principle of the laws of warthat health facilities and medical workers must be protected from attack in armed conflict. It called on countries to take steps to prevent such attacks, investigate them when they happen and prosecute perpetrators. "The Security Council resolution was a welcome first step," said Diederik Lohman, health director at Human Rights Watch, a coalition member. "But the true test comes with its implementation." The coalition report's lead contributors include the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development, the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Human Rights Watch, Insecurity Insight, IntraHealth International, Physicians for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and the Syrian American Medical Society. Related Links http://www.intrahealth.org SOURCE IntraHealth International CHARLTON, Massachusetts, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WHO: Incom, the world's largest supplier of glass and polymer fused fiber optics, will showcase advanced solutions (booth #1211), as well as innovative product collaborations with Fairlight and American Panel Corporation (APC), at SID's 2016 Display Week Conference. Incom's OEM-partner, Fairlight, is a leading supplier of adaptive control surfaces and digital audio/video production equipment. Incom's polymer fused fiber optics enable interactive tactile feedback button displays that have revolutionized video/audio editing consoles. Combining Fairlight's patented Picture Key Technology with Incom's optics delivers control surfaces that have endless design and feature possibilities. Incom's booth (1211) includes audio mixing consoles, PYXIS for EDIUS video controllers and vision switching controls from broadcast solutions expert SUZOHAPP. Incom's OEM partner, APC, is the premier supplier of display products for military applications. Incom and APC collaborate to provide the highest pixel density, full color display currently available for a military cockpit that includes "light spillage" mitigation. The 5x5 inch, 1280x1280 resolution APC710HR Display Head Assembly (DHA), the first to approach "retina" pixel density at 256 pixels per inch in an aviation display, incorporates Incom's light collimation fused fiber optic; significantly reducing canopy reflections, while improving aviation performance and operator safety. Incom's glass and polymer fused fiber optics radically improve displays by seamlessly transferring images into places that traditional displays could never fite.g., into the knobs, buttons and controls on gaming, consumer/commercial automation, automotive, medical equipment, aviation consoles and moreat a fraction of what it costs to design displays from scratch. WHAT: SID Display Week 2016 Incom booth #1211 for briefings, demos WHEN: May 23 - May 26, 2016 WHERE: Moscone Convention Center - San Francisco, CA About Incom, Inc. Incom is the world's largest supplier of glass and polymer fused fiber optic solutions that enable innovation in the medical, scientific, display and defense industries. Combining the most progressive components with unparalleled technology expertise, Incom empowers customers, researchers and instrument makers with fiber optic solutions that advance product development and user experience. Twitter: @IncomUSA | Facebook: Incom, Inc. | LinkedIn: Incom, Inc. www.incomusa.com 2016 Incom. Incom is a registered trademark of Incom, Inc. All other trade or service marks are the property of their respective owners. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150531/219636LOGO Related Links http://www.incomusa.com SOURCE Incom, Inc. Geoff Tothill to Serve as Chief Medical Officer; Philip Wright to Serve as Managing Director of European Division INDIANAPOLIS, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- International Medical Group (IMG), a leader in global benefits and assistance services, has appointed Geoff Tothill as chief medical officer and Philip Wright as managing director of the European division. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370859LOGO "We're thrilled to welcome Geoff and Phil aboard during this exciting time for IMG," said President Todd A. Hancock. "Their extensive experience and knowledge of the industry will be an invaluable asset to the company." As chief medical officer, Tothill will be responsible for overseeing all clinical aspects of the company, including medical evacuations, case management and utilization review, among other functions. Tothill reports to IMG Chief Operating Officer Daryl Chapman. "I am privileged to join IMG's dedicated clinical team," he said. "My years of experience have provided the foundation I need to continue leading IMG's efforts in directing members to safety and ensuring they receive the highest quality of care and service." Tothill, who received his medical doctorate from Guy's Hospital Medical School in London, brings to the position more than 25 years of experience in both the clinical setting and emergency assistance services. His clinical experience includes aviation medicine, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery and emergency medicine. His background in emergency assistance services includes providing in-flight care for multiple air ambulance evacuations. Previously, Tothill served as chief medical officer of Capita Global Assistance, managing up to 27,000 requests for assistance every year. As managing director of IMG's European division, Wright will be responsible for leading the team in Europe, achieving revenue targets, developing strategic partnerships and expanding IMG's global footprint. In this capacity, Wright reports to Hancock. "My career to date has afforded me valuable insight into maintaining successful businesses and identifying international market opportunities," Wright said. "At IMG, I'll use these skills to further our leading position in the industry." Wright received his Bachelor of Arts from the business school at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, and brings to IMG more than 35 years of leadership experience more than 20 years of which is in the insurance industry. Previously, Wright served as the chief commercial officer with global responsibility for sales, marketing and product development at Globality Health. As director of the UK branch, he established the insurer's presence in the UK. Prior to working with Munich Re, Phil spent 10 years on the board of Standard Life Healthcare. About International Medical Group For more than 25 years, International Medical Group headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. has provided global benefits and assistance services to millions of members in almost every country. We're committed to being there with our members wherever they may be in the world, providing them Global Peace of Mind. With 24/7 worldwide assistance and medical management services, multilingual claims administrators and highly trained customer service professionals, IMG delivers the insurance products international members need, backed by the services they want. IMG's global family of companies includes Akeso Care Management, IMG Europe Ltd., Global Response Ltd., IMG-Stop LossSM and International Medical Administrators, Inc. Related Links http://www.imglobal.com SOURCE International Medical Group, Inc. DARMSTADT, Germany, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The information contained in this release is not appropriate for audiences in the USA and Canada. International survey reveals the remaining need for raising awareness about thyroid disorders International awareness campaign tackles the problem of untreated thyroid disorders in children by urging parents to 'catch the butterflies and spot the symptoms of thyroid disorder' Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced its support of the 8th International Thyroid Awareness Week (ITAW) May 23 to 29, 2016. This year's ITAW campaign addresses undiagnosed or untreated thyroid disorders in the millions of children across the world, who could be unknowingly living with the conditions.[1],[2],[3] A recent international survey commissioned by Merck revealed that 84% of mothers could not correctly identify the most common symptoms of thyroid disorders which, if left untreated, can have a detrimental effect on a child's growth, brain development and general well-being.[4],[5],[6] (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160202/328976LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160521/370600 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160521/370601 ) Supported by Merck in partnership with Thyroid Federation International (TFI), ITAW 2016 is titled 'Catching the butterflies: spotting the symptoms of thyroid disorders in children'. The aim of the campaign is to help parents recognize the most common symptoms of thyroid disorders by bringing them to life through two 'Thyroid Butterfly' characters: Hypo, a slow growing, tired and sluggish blue butterfly representing the symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland). Hyper, a thin, overly active, fidgety pink butterfly, representing the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland). Simon Sturge, Chief Operating Officer at Merck's Biopharma business said: "Merck is delighted to once again partner with TFI for International Thyroid Awareness Week 2016. Together we are working to ensure that the right information is available in a format that is easy for parents to digest, and ultimately that children who display the symptoms get tested. If parents suspect their child is suffering of a thyroid disorder, they should visit a physician and ask for their child to be screened with a simple blood test." Campaign materials can be accessed via the updated ITAW website (at http://www.thyroidweek.com) to provide information on thyroid disorders in children. Available materials include a brochure for parents, an interactive quiz to test their knowledge and a storybook to tell the tale of Hypo and Hyper. Ashok Bhaseen, President of TFI, said: "We're really proud to have created Hypo and Hyper, to facilitate education around thyroid disorders in a way that resonates with children and their parents. Although thyroid disorders in children are relatively rare, the condition can be very serious if it is allowed to develop unchecked. Whereas in the hands of a healthcare professional thyroid disease can be managed." The importance of raising awareness of childhood thyroid disorders among mothers was recently reinforced by results of an international survey commissioned by Merck. Data from 1,600 mothers in 16 countries revealed gaps in awareness in three key areas: testing for thyroid disorders, knowledge of the most common symptoms, and communication between mothers and their child's physician. Key findings from the survey show that almost two-thirds (63%) of all mothers surveyed said that their child had not been tested for a thyroid disorder, rising to 85% among mothers who had no family history of the conditions.[4] Most mothers were not aware of the symptoms of thyroid disorders, with an average of 84% of those surveyed unable to identify the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.[4] When presented with a list of the most common symptoms, an average of one in five mothers (20%) reported spotting these in their child.[4] However, almost half of the mothers that spotted these symptoms (49%) did not discuss them with a physician.[4] Overall, almost two thirds (58%) of mothers surveyed said that they had not spoken to a physician about thyroid disorders.[4] This percentage rose steeply to 84% among the mothers who had no family history of thyroid disorders.[4] ITAW is now an established and highly regarded global awareness campaign endorsed by the American Thyroid Association (ATA), the European Thyroid Association (ETA), and the Chinese Society of Endocrinology (CSE). For more information visit the ITAW website, http://www.thyroidweek.com. References: Ford G and LaFranchi SH. Screening for congenital hypothyroidism: A worldwide view of strategies. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2014; 28:175-187 Cappa M, Bizzarri C, and Crea F. Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases in Children J Thyroid Res 2011; 2011: 1-13 Counts D and Varma SK. Hypothyroidism in Children. Pediatr Rev 2009; 30:251-258 International market Research Survey commissioned by Merck, February 2016 Child Growth Foundation. Thyroid Disorders A Guide for Parents and Patients Available at: http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/CMS/FILES/15_Hypothyroidism.pdf Last accessed April 2016 Bursell JDH and Warner JT. Interpretation of thyroid function in children. Paediatr Child Health 2007; 17:361-366 The Thyroid Foundation of Canada . Thyroid Disease in Children. Available at: http://www.thyroid.ca/childhood.php#childhood Last accessed April 2016 Rovet JF. The role of thyroid hormones for brain development and cognitive function. Endocrin Dev 2014; 26:26-43 Bettendorf M. Thyroid disorders in children from birth to adolescence. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2002; 29 Suppl 2: S439-S446 British Thyroid Foundation. Your Thyroid Gland. Available at: http://www.btf-thyroid.org/information/your-thyroid-gland Last accessed April 2016 NHS. Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Available at http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Thyroid-under-active/Pages/Introduction.aspx Last accessed April 2016 NHS. Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). Available at http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Thyroid-over-active/Pages/Introduction.aspx Last accessed April 2016 About thyroid disorders in children The thyroid gland plays an important role in regulating a child's metabolism and is essential for brain development and growth.[7],[8] The thyroid gland also helps to maintain vital functions of their body such as breathing, circulation and digestion and ensures all organs in their body function properly.[5],[9] Sometimes the thyroid gland can stop working properly and become overactive, producing too many thyroid hormones (a condition known as hyperthyroidism), or underactive, producing too few thyroid hormones (a condition known as hypothyroidism).[5],[10] Testing is simple and children benefit greatly from early diagnosis and treatment.[5],[11] Thyroid disorders can, in most cases, be successfully managed and with proper treatment, children should be able to control the symptoms and lead normal, healthy lives.[7],[11],[12] How common are thyroid disorders in children? Congenital hypothyroidism (present from birth) occurs in about 1 in every 2,000 - 4,000 babies [ 1 ] Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the most common cause of acquired hypothyroidism in children affects 1% - 2% of adolescents globally [ 3 ] Hyperthyroidism occurs in 8 of every 1,000,000 children less than 15 years old and in one in every 1,000,000 children less than 4 years old[2] About the international survey The survey was commissioned by Merck in February 2016 to identify mothers' awareness and understanding of thyroid disorders in children. 100 mothers per country were surveyed by Opinion Health, a market research company, across 16 countries. The total sample was 1,600 mothers. The sample consisted exclusively of mothers above 18 years, with children aged 0-15. The countries covered by the survey are below: Europe Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Russia South East Asia Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore Central/South America Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico Middle East Saudi Arabia Africa South Africa About Thyroid Federation International (TFI) Thyroid Federation International first convened in Toronto at the 11th International Thyroid Congress in September 1995. Diana Meltzer Abramsky, who in 1980 founded the Thyroid Foundation of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, first advocated the vision of a world thyroid patient organization to deal with the problems of thyroid disease in a global perspective. Since then the Federation has grown to include thyroid organizations in many parts of the world, including Europe, North and South America, Australia and Japan. TFI is an independent, worldwide network of patient-support organizations. The Federation works together for the benefit of those affected by thyroid disorders by providing information and raising awareness, by encouraging and assisting the formation of patient-oriented groups, and by working closely with the medical professions. TFI has a Medical Advisory Board, which consists of some of the most eminent thyroid specialists in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.thyroid-fed.org/tfi-wp/ All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to http://www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service. About Merck Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life - from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck generated sales of 12.85 billion in 66 countries. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials. SOURCE Merck NORWALK, Connecticut, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mederi Therapeutics, Inc., manufacturers of Stretta Therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), today announced that a new study, published in Managed Care, suggests the potential for substantial payer cost savings associated with radiofrequency energy (RFE) treatment of GERD patients, as compared to treatment with medical management or fundoplication. The study, entitled: "Budget Impact Analysis to Estimate the Cost Dynamics of Treating Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease With Radiofrequency Energy: a Payer Perspective" was conducted by researchers at Baker Tilly LLP, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Stanford University. Using claims data from Medicare and a national health plan comprising approximately 24 million covered lives, the study concluded that "increasing the total number of RFE procedures to 2% of total cases performed generated per-member, per-month (PMPM) savings of $0.28 in the Medicare population and $0.37 in the commercially insured population," with "further increases yielding higher PMPM savings." This translates into a combined estimated savings of more than $15 million per year for a five million member plan. According to a report from the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA), GERD is the most costly gastrointestinal disease in the U.S. and associated with about 142 billion in direct and indirect costs. David Gregory of Baker Tilly, explained, "Considering the high cost burden of GERD, the savings noted by using Stretta (RFE) on a conservative number of patients is significant." The methodology included a retrospective claims analysis "designed to assess the costs and impact on payer expenditures associated with managing and treating GERD surgically, endoscopically (RFE/Stretta), or medically," added Gregory. "In today's healthcare environment, truly effective treatment should provide high quality patient care, while positively impacting health economics," said George Triadafilopoulos, MD of Stanford University and coauthor of the study. "We've known for some time that RFE treatment of GERD is safe and effective. Now, we know that it lowers overall patient treatment costs in a meaningful way, making it a sensible choice for payers looking to cover GERD treatment cost-effectively." About 30% of adults in the United States suffer from chronic GERD. Many patients don't completely respond to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most common type of GERD medication, and many more are concerned about risks associated with long-term PPI use, or surgical intervention. Stretta provides a non-surgical, middle treatment option for these patients. The study concluded that: "Adding to the clinical importance of RFE in filling the gap between medical and surgical management, this economic analysis demonstrates to payers that the adoption of RFE can create notable savings to their plans when compared to surgery or medical management." About Mederi Therapeutics Inc. and Stretta Therapy Mederi manufactures innovative devices that use radiofrequency (RF) energy to treat digestive diseases. Mederi's product, Stretta Therapy is a clinically validated, non-surgical procedure that significantly improves GERD symptoms, allowing a majority of patients to eliminate or reduce medications, and avoid surgery. Stretta delivers RF energy to the muscle between the stomach and esophagus. Studies show that this treatment regenerates the muscle, resulting in improved barrier function, fewer reflux events, significant symptom relief and dramatic improvement in quality of life. More than 40 studies show that Stretta is safe and effective, with durability of treatment effect up to 10-years. Stretta is available worldwide. About Baker Tilly Baker Tilly is a nationally recognized, full-service accounting and advisory firm. Baker Tilly's healthcare practice is comprised of consulting, tax and audit professionals that work with hundreds of hospitals, health systems, and health plans developing growth strategies. Media Contact: Mike Elofer mike@pascalecommunications.com (484) 620-6167 Related Links http://www.mederitherapeutics.com SOURCE Mederi Therapeutics Inc. DUBLIN, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Folding Carton Market in North America 2016-2020" report to their offering. The folding carton market in North America to grow at a CAGR of 2.09% during the period 2016-2020. Folding Carton Market in North America 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the folding carton market in North America for 2016-2020. The report also includes information on the market size in terms of the volume of sales, which has been calculated based on the consumption of folding cartons by various end-users. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. An emerging trend which will have a big impact on the market is the popularity of retail ready packaging (RRP) and multipack cartons. An increasing number of manufacturers and retailers are opting for retail-ready packaging. Products in RRPs can be directly placed on shelves for sale. They are also easily identified, opened, and disposed. Retailers are demanding these retail-ready folding cartons to minimize their display costs. RRPs are often available in microflute systems. In addition, manufacturers of various consumer products are demanding multi-pack folding cartons as they help in multi-branding and reducing costs. According to the report, a key market driver is the increase in production capacity. The production capacity of vendors can be measured in terms of production in tons. The market will experience a rapid increase in production capacity as vendors are adopting advanced methods of production. Many vendors like WestRock, Georgia-Pacific, and Pratt are increasing their production capacity through the development of new production plants or the acquisition of existing players. The increase in capacity will allow vendors to meet demand for cartons and containerboard and also reach out to the emerging markets. Further, the report states that one challenge that could have an adverse impact on market growth is the rise in cost of raw materials. Key vendors - All Packaging - Bell - Graphic Packaging - Mayr-Melnhof Karton - Smurfit Kappa - WestRock Key Topics Covered: PART 01: Executive summary PART 02: Scope of the report PART 03: Market research methodology PART 04: Introduction PART 05: Market landscape - Market overview - Market size and forecast by revenue - Market size and forecast by volume - Five forces analysis PART 06: Market segmentation by application - Folding carton market in North America by application - Folding carton market in North America by food products - Folding carton market in North America by healthcare products - Folding carton market in North America by tobacco products - Folding carton market in North America by household care products - Folding carton market in North America by personal care products - Folding carton market in North America by other end-users PART 07: Key leading countries PART 08: Buying criteria PART 09: Market drivers PART 10: Impact of drivers PART 11: Market challenges PART 12: Impact of drivers and challenges PART 13: Market trends PART 14: Vendor landscape For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qccthq/folding_carton Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets OXFORD, England, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxitec CEO Hadyn Parry will testify on Wednesday, May 25th at 10:15 a.m. ET before the United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology about the role genetically engineered mosquitos can play in controlling the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known carrier of the Zika virus. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150630/227348 ) Oxitec has pioneered a genetically engineered male mosquito with a self-limiting gene. Trials in Brazil, Panama and the Cayman Islands have demonstrated that Oxitec's technology produces an unparalleled reduction in the population of the dangerous Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Food & Drug Administration recently concluded a public comment period after issuing a preliminary finding of no significant impact in support of a field study of Oxitec's solution in Key Haven, Fla. WHO: Hadyn Parry, CEO, Oxitec, Ltd. WHAT: Testifying before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology about the role an Oxitec engineered male mosquito can play in controling the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known carrier of the Zika virus. WHEN: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 10:15 a.m. ET WHERE: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. About Oxitec Oxitec is a pioneer in using genetic engineering to control insect pests that spread disease and damage crops, and was founded in 2002 as a spinout from Oxford University (UK). Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), which engineers biology to help solve some of the world's biggest problems. Press contact: Oxitec: Matt Warren info@oxitec.com +44(0)-1235-832393 For more information: Site: http://www.oxitec.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oxitec Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/oxitec SOURCE Oxitec Ltd Dr. Susan Kozauer Named Senior Medical Director for Psychiatry DURHAM, North Carolina, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As demand for neuroscience clinical trials grows, Premier Research has named neuroscience expert Dr. Susan Kozauer Senior Medical Director for Psychiatry. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370871LOGO Kozauer joins recent hires Anne Marie Nagy, Ph.D., Dr. Teresa Nunes, Dr. Carol Gaines, and Todd Leathers on a team that has performed almost 400 neurology and psychiatry trials over the past five years. The company is expanding its talent in response to increased demand for services from its small biotech and specialty pharmaceutical customers, said Dr. Colin Hayward, Chief Medical Officer. "The small biotechs are highly streamlined and may have only a half-dozen employees, but they produce much of the industry's innovation," Hayward said. Krista Armstrong, Ph.D., leader of the company's CNS franchise, added, "These companies are tightly focused on drug development and rely on our expertise in patient recruitment, effective oversight of investigator sites, and knowledge of regulatory requirements." Kozauer spent the past six years as a medical strategy lead and medical adviser, recognized by her previous employer, Quintiles, as "key talent" a designation awarded to fewer than 1 percent of staffers. She provided strategic guidance for psychiatry proposals and scientific oversight for psychiatry studies. Kozauer also was a psychiatrist in private practice, led electroconvulsive therapy services, worked as a clinical trials investigator, taught behavioral sciences at the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, and was a contract psychiatrist at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Anne Marie Nagy, Ph.D., has been named Executive Director for Strategic Development in Neurosciences, based in Belgium. Nagy has managed large, complex multi-regional and full-service clinical trials, specializing in schizophrenia, epilepsy, pain, cervical dystonia, multiple sclerosis, and respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pharyngitis. Dr. Teresa Nunes has been named Senior Medical Director. With more than a dozen years as a pharmaceutical physician in operational, medical, and safety management of Phase I to Phase III clinical studies. Nunes is responsible for design and therapeutic oversight of drug development programs with emphasis on the development and commercialization of CNS molecules. Dr. Carol Gaines has been named Senior Medical Director responsible for design and therapeutic oversight of drug development programs, specializing in neuroscience. She has more than 20 years of experience in clinical medicine, pharmacology, and contract research, with concentrations in neurology, immunology, and neurodegeneration. Todd Leathers has been named Executive Director focusing on central nervous systems studies. He leads strategic development and operational, regulatory, medical, and scientific planning for study design and implementation. About Premier Research Premier Research is a leading clinical development service provider that helps highly innovative biotech and specialty pharma companies transform breakthrough ideas into reality. The company has a wealth of experience in the execution of global, regional and local clinical development programs with a special focus on addressing unmet needs in areas such as analgesia, CNS, oncology, pediatric and rare disease. Premier Research operates in 84 countries and employs 1,000 professionals, including a strong international network of clinical monitors and project managers, regulatory, data management, statistical, scientific, and medical experts. They are focused on smart study design for advanced medicines that allow life-changing treatments. Related Links https://premier-research.com SOURCE Premier Research LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Trifecta, a leading global provider of online clinical investigator training, has relocated its corporate headquarters from the Beverly Hills area to downtown Los Angeles. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370864LOGO The company signed a long-term lease agreement occupying the 40th floor of the Ernst & Young Plaza at 725 South Figueroa Street. "The success of Trifecta over the last 12 years is entirely due to the talent within the organization," says Trifecta's Founder and CEO Dave Young. "The growing energy and vibrancy of downtown Los Angeles is the perfect environment for us to attract the best talent to continue our trajectory of innovation for our pharmaceutical sponsors and Clinical Research Organization (CRO) clients globally." Working with a leading architect firm in Los Angeles, the new space has been completely customized and designed to foster collaboration amongst the functional teams, including applications development, data management, post-production and information technology. Shad Ayoub, Director at Trifecta, who spearheaded the lease and new office design, said, "The state of the art infrastructure includes fiber networks, 14 editing bays and full featured conference rooms, which position Trifecta for continued growth and expansion." Trifecta also has an office in Indianapolis for the project management, audiovisual, web and customer support teams, with satellite business development offices in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Yokohama. Trifecta is continuing to innovate in 2016 and is excited to bring to market several pioneering tools and applications that will continue to accelerate site readiness and provide audit-ready documentation from trial start to close. About Trifecta Trifecta produces more than 400 live, on-demand, and web-based investigator meetings each year in more than 100 countries. Trifecta's innovative training and portal solutions improve trial quality, speed study start-up and facilitate site readiness. The company focuses on improving workflow and communication between sites, sponsors and clinical research organizations. SOURCE Trifecta LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Largest global IT leadership survey reveals a more creative, influential CIO, but 65 percent are hindered by the greatest tech skills shortage since Great Recession More CIOs report directly to the CEO (34 percent) than at any time in the past decade, rising 10 percent over last year, according to the 2016 Harvey Nash/KPMG CIO Survey. CIOs with a direct report to the CEO are also the happiest (87 percent report job fulfilment). The findings highlight how CIO priorities continue to shift, revealing the CEO now focuses on IT projects that make money (almost two thirds, 63 percent), compared to save money (37 percent). In fact, some of the traditional top CIO priorities have seen the biggest drop in importance over the last four years. Increasing operational efficiencies has dropped 16 percent, and delivering stable IT performance has dropped 27 percent. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150115/724638 ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150929/271996LOGO ) However, the survey showed that despite being more creative and increasing their influence, CIOs say they still are being hindered by the greatest technology skills shortage since the Great Recession almost a decade ago. Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of CIOs say they believe a lack of talent will prevent their organization from keeping up with the pace of change, a 10 percent increase in just 12 months. Data analytics is the most in-demand skill for the second year running, at 39 percent. The biggest jump in skill demand year-over-year is digital, up 21 percent and security, up 17 percent. Companies most crave the newer digital and IT strategy skills, according to the survey. In its 18th year, the Harvey Nash/KPMG CIO Survey is the largest IT leadership survey in the world, and more than any other time, the survey results reveal an undeniable increase in the influence of the CIO. For more information about the survey and to request a full copy of the results, please visit http://www.hnkpmgciosurvey.com Continue reading the FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE Contact Michelle Smith Harvey Nash michelle.smith@harveynash.com +44-20-7333-2677 Amy Greenshields KPMG International +1-416-777-8749 amygreenshields@kpmg.ca SOURCE Harvey Nash Group and KPMG Ten clinical sites now enrolling patients in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany GAITHERSBURG, Maryland, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vtesse, Inc. announced today that the dose-finding portion of the company's global, pivotal Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for its lead investigational product, VTS-270, for treatment of Niemann-Pick Type C1 Disease (NPC) is now complete, and a dose level for further testing has been selected by an independent dose selection committee (DSC). Vtesse's ongoing Phase 2b/3 prospective, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial is a three-part, efficacy and safety trial of VTS-270, administered by the lumbar intrathecal (IT) route every two weeks. VTS-270 is based on a specific, well-characterized composition of 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150106/167294LOGO Twelve patients from the United States and the United Kingdom, spanning ages four to 21, made up the dose-finding portion of the Phase 2b/3 clinical trial. Based on all available data gathered from the first 12 patients' experiences, an independent dose selection committee (DSC) recommended a dose of 900 mg to be administered every two weeks for the duration of the trial to each patient who is randomized for active treatment. This dose was selected for its appropriate balance of safety, tolerability, and potential for efficacy. In addition to its use in the dose-finding phase, there has been significant experience with 900 mg in the Phase 1 clinical trial with VTS-270, further bolstering confidence in the DSC's dose selection. Vtesse also successfully expanded its clinical trial, which now includes ten study sites in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany with ten additional sites expected to be initiated soon. Vtesse also anticipates expansion into Turkey and Australia based on discussions with local investigators and patient advocacy groups in those countries. "We are encouraged by the Phase 1/2 data with VTS-270 to date as well as by the substantial progress in our Phase 2b/3 trial. In selecting a dose and activating 10 clinical sites, we at Vtesse are demonstrating our commitment to rapidly advance this clinical trial and to make it as convenient as possible for patients and their families to participate," said Ben Machielse, Drs., Vtesse President & CEO. "We are pleased that patients and their familes have expressed interest in enrolling in the second portion of this pivotal trial and we are working to fully enroll the remainder of the study in the next few months. With dose selection now complete, families of patients with NPC who are interested in participating should contact one of our clinical trial sites, as listed on www.theNPCstudy.com, to determine if they are eligible to participate in the remainder of the trial." Drs. Machielse added, "The entire Vtesse team is exceptionally grateful to the patients, their parents and families, clinicians, and patient advocacy groups who participated in and helped execute the first part of our study. They have made the advancement of this pivotal trial a reality." In January 2016, Vtesse announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation status for VTS-270 for the treatment of NPC. Both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had previously granted Orphan Drug status to VTS-270. Vtesse's clinical program is designed specifically for VTS-270, which has a unique, well-defined chemical fingerprint based on rigorous manufacturing controls and extensive (bio)chemical characterization. The safety and tolerability of other cyclodextrin compositions, at the doses being studied for VTS-270 and when delivered through the IT route of administration, cannot be assured and is not supported by the scientific evidence that has been developed for VTS-270. About NPC NPC is a progressive, irreversible, chronically debilitating and ultimately lethal genetic disease. It is caused by a defect in lipid transportation within the cell, which leads to excessive accumulation of lipids in the brain, liver and spleen. The NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), in close collaboration with patients and patient advocacy groups, initiated the drug development phase for VTS-270. Vtesse is leading the late-stage formal drug development process. VTS-270 has been shown to significantly reduce disease progression in animal studies and preliminary data indicate positive trends in exploratory efficacy markers in a Phase 1 clinical trial in NPC patients. About Vtesse Vtesse, Inc. is a rare disease company dedicated to developing drugs for patients suffering from diseases that are underserved. Vtesse is working collaboratively with the NIH, other leading academic centers, parents and patient advocacy groups, to advance a pivotal clinical study of VTS-270 (a specific, well-characterized composition of beta-cyclodextrins) to treat NPC, and to conduct pre-clinical discovery and development of other novel drugs for NPC and other lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs). The company is led by a highly experienced management team that has been involved in the development of more than 20 approved drugs. An experienced consortium of investors, including Alexandria Venture Investments, Bay City Capital LLC, Lundbeckfond Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, and Pfizer Venture Investments, has committed initial funding adequate to bring this compound through a pivotal clinical trial. Vtesse is based in Gaithersburg, Maryland and is the first spin-out company from Cydan Development, Inc. For more information, visit www.vtessepharma.com. Related Links http://www.vtessepharma.com SOURCE Vtesse, Inc. TEL AVIV, Israel, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ENTiTi platform enhancements also include stereoscopic support, and how-to training videos to help anyone create interactive VR/AR content WakingApp, provider of a powerful cloud-based platform that enables anyone to create virtual and augmented reality content, today announced an update to its ENTiTi platform which includes ENTiTi Creator for PC and Mac, and ENTiTi Viewer for Android and iOS devices. In working with customers and partners, the WakingApp team identified key functionality and performance improvements that would help creators do more with the ENTiTi platform. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151104/283733LOGO ) "Both the ENTiTi Creator and its app are making the entry into AR and VR super easy for brands that want to augment new or existing content, said Nick Grobe, Director Interactive Services at Trekk (U.S). Between the richness and variety of the media you can use, the easy and powerful visual scripting interface, and the tracking and stability of the platform - it's way above the other "non SDK-based" platforms out there. We recently needed to find a new platform for one of our global clients' AR materials. With ENTiTi, we were able to seamlessly bring the existing media elements into the environment and recreate all necessary functionality - in MUCH less time." "With our new updates, WakingApp continues to provide one of the best tools that anyone can use, from advertisers and architects to developers and designers, to create their own content and connect with their target audiences in new ways," said Alon Melchner, Founder & President of WakingApp. "The ENTiTi Creator has made it possible for anyone, no coding required, to create quality content, and our continuous update schedule will continue to eliminate technical issues and add new features that help customers excel in the creation process." "As users get their hands on the first wave of VR head mounted devices, more and more individuals and business are looking to become content creators to tell their stories, build their businesses or engage their customers," said Udi Shani, CEO of WakingApp. With the March release of the ENTiTi Creator, the company eliminated the content roadblocks of the VR and AR space. The latest platform update includes features that add new creation and viewing capabilities, business-focused updates such as password protection, and tools to make it easy to get started and share projects in ENTiTi Creator. The full list of improvements includes: ENTiTi Creator : How-To Videos Password Protected ENTiTiES Videos and Images on Cubes and Spheres, plus Stereoscopic Support Copy Project to Myself + Copy Project to Another User (by email) Dev Token Message Faster ENTiTi Deletion through Asynchronous Processes ENTiTi Viewer : Password Protected ENTiTiES Videos and Images on Cubes and Spheres, plus Stereoscopic Support Notifications (Android + iOS) Improved Logs (auto send log on crash) For more information about WakingApp, please visit http://www.wakingapp.com About WakingApp WakingApp's powerful cloud-based ENTiTI platform enables any company or individual to create interactive virtual and augmented reality content without any developer skills. All content is instantly made available on the ENTiTi app, and integrates with mobile devices, leading smart glasses and peripherals. WakingApp was founded is 2013, and is managed by Udi Shani (CEO) and Alon Melchner (Founder and President). WakingApp's mission is to build and grow the VR & AR ecosystems by providing the tools for anyone to create interactive and advanced content, and enabling the use of cutting-edge technology such as viewers, cameras, head mounts, controllers, and depth sensors. With a dynamic VR & AR marketplace powered by ENTiTi, content creators and technology manufacturers can easily share and offer their content, products and services as part of a thriving community. Learn more at http://www.wakingapp.com, @WakingApp and http://www.facebook.com/WakingApp. Contact: Sharon Segal SVP Business development & Marketing sharon@wakingapp.com +972-502066637 SOURCE WakingApp PUNE, India, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A key growth driver for water softener market is the purchases made by consumers to complement RO water purification units. Analysts predict the global RO water purifier market to grow at a CAGR of close to 18% during the forecast period. A water softener and an RO water purifier are an effective combination. While the water softener gives soft water for the entire home, RO water purifier enhances the quality of drinking water by removing most impurities including hydrocarbons, cadmium, pesticides, and other. Complete report on water softener market spread across 64 pages, analyzing 5 major companies and providing 44 data exhibits now available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/543838-global-water-softener-market-2016-2020.html The analysts forecast global water softener market to grow at a CAGR of 6.98% during the period 2016-2020. One trend sweeping the water softener market is connectivity-enabled innovations. Home automation is a trend in the home appliances market. The widespread availability of wireless and mobile technologies and the introduction of connected devices and the Internet of things (IoT) have encouraged many users to shift to smart appliances. It is estimated that by 2020, there will be 70 million smart households in Europe and North America, with most household appliances monitored and controlled wirelessly using the Internet. Global Water Softener Market 2016-2020 report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. This report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Water Softener Market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sale of water softeners for the residential segment. Key players in the global water softener market: Culligan, Ecowater, GE, Whirlpool, and 3M. Other prominent vendors in the market are: Axel Johnson, Canature, Hague Quality Water, Ion Exchange India, and Kenmore. Increased awareness about the benefits of using soft water for daily household chores is driving the global water softener market for the residential segment. Also, rapid urbanization and industrialization in emerging countries are affecting the quality of water. While developed countries have centralized plants for water treatment to remove calcium and magnesium compounds, developing countries are yet to develop such infrastructure. The demand for water softeners will be driven primarily by increased health consciousness, technological innovations in the market, and the emergence of domestic players in smaller markets. Order a copy of Global Water Softener Market 2016-2020 report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=543838 . Further, the water softener market report states that one challenge that could restrict market growth is the availability of alternative technologies for softening water. Another related report is Global Reverse Osmosis Membrane Market 2015-2019, which valued the market at US$1.2 billion in 2014. The growth of the market is mainly driven by the increasing global demand for cheap and efficient water treatment solutions. In 2014, most of the market share was held by the EMEA region. The market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 7.3 percent during the period 2014-2019. Key players in the Global RO Membrane Market: The Dow Chemical Company, Koch Membrane Systems, Nitto Denko Corp and Toray Industries, Inc. Other prominent vendors in the market are: Applied Membranes, GE Water, LG NanoH2O, Membrane Specialists, Nanoasis, PCI Membranes and Pure Aqua. Browse complete report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/365990-global-ro-membrane-market-2015-2019.html . Explore other new reports on Semiconductor and Electronics Market @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/market-research/semiconductor-and-electronics/. About Us: ReportsnReports.com is an online market research reports library of 500,000+ in-depth studies of over 5000 micro markets. Not limited to any one industry, ReportsnReports.com offers research studies on agriculture, energy and power, chemicals, environment, medical devices, healthcare, food and beverages, water, advanced materials and much more. Connect With Us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReportsnReports/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reportsnreports Twitter: https: //twitter.com/marketsreports G+ / Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/111656568937629536321/posts RSS/Feeds: http: //http://www.reportsnreports.com/feed/l-latestreports.xml Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. + 1 888 391 5441 sales@reportsandreports.com SOURCE ReportsnReports SHENZHEN, China, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntkey Enterprise Group, a global professional power supply provider, together with JD.com, held the National Final for the 7th JD Huntkey Cup Power Strip Originality Competition at Mission Hills Hotel Dongguan, on May 17th. Leaders of JD.com and Huntkey, as well as experts from Shenzhen Design Union and National Technical Committee 67 on Electrical Accessories of Standardization Administration of China, attended this distinctive event. Creative Sign-in Board: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115053996.png At the beginning, Mr. Lewis Liu, Vice President of Huntkey, and Mr. Jiang Wang, General Manager of JD 3C Digital Division, gave the opening speeches. "Variety, intelligence and combination will be the trend of the power strip industry, as well as the direction of industrial design." Mr. Lewis Liu, the Vice President of Huntkey: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115130121.png Mr. Jiang Wang, General Manager of JD 3C Digital Division: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115158902.png Within the past half year, the JD Huntkey Cup Organizing Committee has received more than 600 pieces of creative artworks from institutes, industrial design groups and social groups, including several excellent artworks full of originality. Display of Excellent Artworks: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115308855.png http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115323590.png http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115357887.png http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115412043.png http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115433855.png After the fair and open voting by the professionals and the public, the winners of Best Popularity Award, Crowdfunding Award, Bronze Award, Silver Award and Gold Award finally emerged. Crowdfunding Award: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115514840.png Bronze Award: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523115618355.png Silver Award: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523135131199.png Gold Award: http://dealer.huntkey.com/UserFiles/uploadfiles/images/20160523135206512.png After a half year, the 7th JD Huntkey Cup Power Strip Originality Competition has finally ended. However, Huntkey will never stop its way on industrial design. In the future, Huntkey will endeavor to provide more opportunities to young designers, as well as superior products to consumers. About Huntkey Huntkey Enterprise Group, founded in 1995, is a professional provider that specialized in the development, design, manufacturing and marketing of PC power supplies, industrial power supplies, surge protectors, adapters, chargers, etc. The industrial parks of Huntkey in Shenzhen, Heyuan and Hefei, which cover a total area of over 750,000 square meters, are now the largest IT manufacturing base in mainland China. Huntkey, with over 15,000 employees has set up its branch companies in the USA, Hong Kong and Japan. Its clients are found all over the world in more than 50 countries and regions. The main clients include Lenovo, DELL, Huawei, Walmart, Bestbuy and so on. For more information about Huntkey, please visit http://dealer.huntkey.com/en. Contact: Ferris Liao +86-0755-89606658 [email protected] SOURCE Huntkey Enterprise Group Related Links http://www.huntkeydiy.com "I lost my son, Kevin, and nine other family members to suicide in the last four generations. I have turned my grief into something positive by joining with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in trying to help end the negativity associated with suicide and to bring about better understanding of all mental health issues," said Cynthia Elmer , volunteer with the AFSP Louisiana chapter . The advocates are part of a larger national contingent of AFSP volunteers who will be visiting various state capitols across the United States in spring 2016 to bring best practices in mental health and suicide prevention to state legislators and their staff. This is the first year advocates are visiting Baton Rouge. Suicide in Louisiana Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15-34 in Louisiana. Suicide cost Louisiana a total of $675 million of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost in 2010, or an average of $1.2 million per suicide death. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death overall in Louisiana. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369506 SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Related Links http://www.afsp.org "We're very pleased to add this group of outstanding professionals to the Ankura team. Their extensive experience working on behalf of the owners, senior management, and creditors of troubled companies provides greater depth to our growing Turnaround and Restructuring practice, and will prove to be invaluable to our clients," said Kevin Lavin, Global Head of the Turnaround and Restructuring practice for Ankura. "We are very excited to continue to attract great professionals who share our cultural underpinnings of collaboration and team work." Mr. M. Benjamin Jones joins Ankura as Senior Managing Director with more than 20 years of experience advising and participating in complex corporate reorganizations across a number of industries. Mr. Jones has experience leading all aspects of financial and operational restructurings as an advisor to underperforming/distressed companies, lenders, creditors, corporate boards and equity owners. In addition, Mr. Jones has served in management positions including President, Chief Restructuring Officer and Chief Financial Officer for both private and publicly traded troubled companies. He was most recently a Senior Managing Director at CDG Group. Mr. Roy Messing joins Ankura as Senior Managing Director with more than 20 years of experience advising troubled companies and their creditor constituencies in both operational and financial restructurings across a number of industries. Mr. Messing has led numerous restructuring transactions, served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Restructuring Officer for distressed companies and has been the Liquidating Trustee on multiple engagements. He was most recently a Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting. Ms. Kasey Rosado joins Ankura as Managing Director with more than 15 years of experience specializing in financial restructurings and operational turnarounds, including advising underperforming and distressed companies. Ms. Rosado has advised both domestic and international companies, lenders and financial sponsors in addressing complex financial and operational matters. She was most recently a Managing Director at CDG Group. Mr. Jerome Davis joins Ankura as Managing Director with more than 12 years of experience advising companies, corporate boards, lenders and creditor groups in reorganization and bankruptcy related matters. Mr. Davis has also provided extensive services to businesses and law firms involving operational and financial restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buy-outs, business and trademark valuation, solvency opinions, and fairness opinions. He was most recently a Senior Director at FTI Consulting. "It's a tremendous opportunity to join Ankura at this time in the firm's evolution," said Ben Jones. "I'm looking forward to working with Ankura's team of respected industry leaders in the restructuring field and excited about the future of the organization and the services that we will be able to provide to our clients." Added Roy Messing, "I am very excited to have the opportunity to serve clients as part of a team of such high caliber." About Ankura Consulting Group Ankura Consulting Group is a business advisory and expert services firm. Its deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges clients face enables its team to provide impactful, senior-level counsel. As an independent firm built on five key principles Integrity, Quality, Diversity, Collaboration and Longevity Ankura's relationships extend beyond one engagement or issue. The firm empowers its industry experts to provide a high-touch, unique approach for its clients in critical times. Ankura's offering includes a wide range of compliance, corporate investigation, data analytics, disputes/litigation support, expert witness, economic and financial analysis, forensic accounting, geopolitical advisory, mass dispute resolution, risk advisory and management, transaction advisory, trust services, turnaround and restructuring, valuation, visual communications and business advisory services. For more information: www.ankuraconsultinggroup.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370509 SOURCE Ankura Consulting Group Related Links http://www.ankuraconsultinggroup.com BALTIMORE, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, May 16, 2016, the Senate confirmed the nomination of attorney Paula Xinis to the federal bench by a vote of 53-34. Ms. Xinis will succeed Judge Deborah K. Chasanow to fill a vacated seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The vote comes eight months after Ms. Xinis received a favorable recommendation from the Senate Judiciary Committee, and over a year after her nomination by President Barack Obama, supported by senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin. "Ms. Xinis has a commitment to the rule of law and a passion for how it affects the lives of ordinary Americans," said Senator Mikulski. "She is an extraordinarily qualified Marylander that will be a true asset to the District Court of Maryland." In her new role, Ms. Xinis will uphold the same judicial values and commitment to civil service that have been the hallmark of her career. She currently oversees both civil and criminal matters for the Baltimore law firm of Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, where she has been a partner since 2013. Through her leadership and counsel on cases involving civil rights transgressions, catastrophic personal injuries and complex commercial matters, Ms. Xinis has brought justice to countless individuals across the country. Prior to her tenure at Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, Ms. Xinis spent 14 years as an assistant federal public defender, representing individuals charged with the most complex and serious federal crimes. She also previously clerked for Judge Diana Gribbon Motz of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and is a 1997 graduate of Yale Law School. Murphy, Falcon & Murphy congratulates Ms. Xinis on this tremendous achievement. "Paula has been integral in successfully resolving some of our toughest cases to-date," said managing partner Hassan Murphy. "She is a truly gifted litigator, a dedicated public servant and it has been an honor to work alongside her." About Murphy, Falcon & Murphy Murphy, Falcon & Murphy is a Baltimore law firm specializing in complex civil and criminal litigation, and has been serving clients nationwide for over 70 years. To learn more about our firm, people and practice areas, please visit murphyfalcon.com. SOURCE Murphy, Falcon & Murphy Related Links http://www.murphyfalcon.com Juicy Drop is a powerhouse brand that continues to be a top seller and ranks within the top 5 non-chocolate skus at checkout *. The brand has been a leading force in category innovation, now revolutionizing the traditional bubble gum experience with new Juicy Drop Gum. The new offering will complement the Juicy Drop portfolio of successful products including Juicy Drop Pop, Juicy Drop Gummies, and Juicy Drop Taffy. Juicy Drop Gum is a truly innovative product, designed to meet the top consumer need within the gum category. Eighty-three percent of consumers are looking for gum with long lasting flavor** and Juicy Drop Gum lets fans extend flavor in a unique and differentiated way. Its patent pending design allows consumers to use sour gel to continually boost and extend the flavor of their gum. Fans can also create their perfect mix of sweet bubble gum and sour gel for a mind blowing 2-in-1 flavor experience. "Juicy Drop is the only brand that allows consumers to control the combination of sweet and sour tastes in every bite which has made it more and more popular every year," said Nicole Rivera, Marketing & Innovation Director at Bazooka Candy Brands. "Juicy Drop has a proven track record of innovation within the non-chocolate category and we saw an opportunity to bring something new to the gum category by addressing consumers' need for long lasting flavor. We have been able to create a delicious gum and gel combination that extends flavor, which we know our fans will love!" Juicy Drop Gum will launch in four delicious flavors: Knock-Out Punch, Blue Rebel, Apple Attack and Watermelon Blast. Each tray has 16 packs and each pack comes with an easy access gel flavor booster and eight pieces of gum featuring a "drop zone" to efficiently capture sour gel while on-the-go. Juicy Drop Gum will be available at checkout at retailers nationwide. The launch will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign that includes broadcast advertising as well as digital and social media promotion. About Bazooka Candy Brands Bazooka Candy Brands is a division of The Topps Company, Inc. and produces such iconic, high-quality candy products as Ring Pop, Push Pop, Baby Bottle Pop, Juicy Drop Pop and of course, Bazooka Bubble Gum. For additional information, visit www.candymania.com. Facebook @JuicyDropCandy Twitter @JuicyDropCandy Instagram @JuicyDropCandy For More Information or Interviews: Heather Krug or Gideon Anstey at Rogers & Cowan [email protected] or [email protected] (p) 310-854-8100 *Source: IRI MULO L52 WE 4.17.16 **Source: 2016 Gum Attitude & Usage Study, March 2016 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370559LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160312/343529LOGO SOURCE Bazooka Candy Brands Related Links http://www.candymania.com BOCA RATON, Fla., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Biotest Pharmaceuticals Corporation (BPC), a leading manufacturer of immunological biotherapeutic products, is pleased to announce the addition of its newest plasma collection center located at 718 22nd Avenue South, Brookings, South Dakota. The 16,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility officially opened its doors for business on May 20, 2016 and brings the total number of BPC's plasma collection centers to nineteen. "This facility is just one of the four plasma centers BPC plans to open in 2016, reinforcing our continued commitment to the expansion of our existing network of plasma collection centers. We are fully committed to better serve the thousands of patients worldwide who rely on plasma-based therapies," said Ileana Carlisle, BPC's Chief Executive Officer. BPC has invested approximately $2.0 million in the construction of this facility. The Company expects to add over forty jobs to the Brookings local economy and currently has employment opportunities available for medical personnel and phlebotomists. In addition to supporting the local economy through employment opportunities, the Brookings Biotest Plasma Center is actively recruiting local residents to donate plasma. Plasma donors not only contribute the source material for these plasma-derived therapies which save the lives of thousands of patients but are also compensated for their donations. About Biotest Pharmaceuticals Corporation Biotest Pharmaceuticals is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Biotest AG, a German global provider of plasma products. The Company researches, develops and manufactures biotherapeutic plasma protein products, with a specialization in immunology and hematology and is a leader in the collection of source plasma. Biotest Pharmaceuticals owns and manages plasmapheresis centers across the United States and operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Boca Raton, Florida. We are committed to serving the thousands of patients worldwide who rely on plasma-based therapies. Biotest Pharmaceuticals' team of over 1000 employees is part of Biotest AG's global workforce of more than 2,300 associates worldwide. To learn more about Biotest Pharmaceuticals, our Plasma Centers, and the difference we make in the lives of patients and the healthcare community, please visit us at www.biotestpharma.com and www.biotestplasma.com. SOURCE Biotest Pharmaceuticals Corporation Related Links http://www.biotestpharma.com SAN DIEGO, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BizSprints, Inc. opens their doors in sunny San Diego to help organizations learn how to scale their business profitably, hosts weekly podcast to provide weekly tips and tricks to biz owners, and launches website (bizsprints.com) to provide a hub of knowledge on the BizSprints Management system and services. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370698LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370699 BizSprints Podcast "Today there is this dangerous misconception that the only way to scale a biz is on a burn which takes constant outside investment," said Michael McMillan, Founder and CEO of BizSprints. "I just want biz owners to know there is another way that protects their equity, and the ability for the biz to be sustainable." The BizSprints team provides consulting and support services in Customer Services, Sales, Marketing, and Business Management. All of these services are rooted in their proprietary BizSprints Management System that provides an organization with clear direction and measurement toward healthy growth. Since their launch in March, 2016 the company reports that they are already running profitably and are forecasted to stay profitable throughout the year while continuing to bring on new clients in the United States and abroad. About BizSprints, Inc. Our mission is to scale profitably and to never become a failed biz statistic. To help biz owners accomplish this we provide Customer Services, Sales, Marketing, and Business Management consulting and support services. Our methods provide teams with clear attainable goals, specific strategic benchmarks, and real life action plans to achieve longterm success in a fun interactive manner. Media Contact Michael McMillan Phone: 888-513-3422 Email SOURCE BizSprints, Inc. Related Links http://bizsprints.com HANOI, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have finalized an order for 100 737 MAX 200 airplanes, the largest ever single commercial airplane purchase in Vietnam aviation. His Excellency Mr. Tran ai Quang, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and U.S. President Barack Obama, witnessed the historic agreement, valued at approximately $11.3 billion at current list prices. The signing ceremony, conducted by Vietjet President and CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner, took place at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, at approximately 11:40 a.m. local time. "Vietjet is efficiently operating a fleet of narrow body airplanes. Our investment in a fleet of B737 Max 200 will accommodate our strategy of growing Vietjet's coming international route network including long haul flights," said Madam Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao during the signing. "Through this agreement, Vietjet will contribute increasing bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and the United States, as well as the integration and development of the aviation industry in Vietnam." The airplanes will be delivered from 2019 through 2023, supporting Vietjet's continuous growth of its domestic as well as international network in the region. This agreement also helps Vietjet to increase its fleet to more than 200 airplanes by the end 2023, with the most modern and advanced technology in the world. "Boeing is proud to again play an integral role in advancing Vietnam's aviation industry. We're honored to be joined by President Quang and President Obama for this historic milestone and order of 100 737 MAX 200 airplanes," said Conner. "Incorporating the latest design and technology features, the highly efficient 737 MAX 200 will provide Vietjet's growing network with market-leading economics, a superior passenger experience and contribute significantly to their future success." The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The new single-aisle airplane will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s and the lowest operating costs in its class 8 percent per seat less than its nearest competitor. To date, the 737 MAX has accumulated 3,098 orders from 65 customers around the world. About Vietjet Vietjet is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline with low-cost and diversified services to meet customers' demands. It provides not only transport services but also uses the latest e-commerce technologies to offer various products and services for consumers. The airline recently won IOSA Certification from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) after just over three years of operations. Vietjet was also declared "Best Asian Low Cost Carrier" at the TTG Travel Awards 2015, which compiles votes from travelers, travel agencies and tour operators in Asia. The airline was also rated as one of the top three fastest growing airline brands on Facebook in the world by Socialbakers and the most favorite airline in Vietnam in 2015. Currently, the airline operates more than 250 flights each day. It has already operated 50 routes in Vietnam and across the region to international destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Myanmar and Malaysia. It has carried approximately 25 million passengers to date. Looking ahead, the airline plans to expand its network across the region. To prepare for this plan, Vietjet has signed agreements with the world's leading aircraft-manufacturers to purchase more brand-new and modern aircraft. Like Vietjet on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Vietjetvietnam, follow us on Twitter, @Vietjetvietnam, and watch our videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Vietjetvietnam About The Boeing Company Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems and also provides numerous commercial airline and military support services. Boeing has been the premier manufacturer of commercial jetliners for decades, and with its long tradition of aerospace leadership and innovation, continues to expand its product line and services to meet emerging customer needs. Boeing provides products and support services to customers in more than 150 countries and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales. With corporate offices in Chicago, Boeing employs approximately 160,000 people across the United States and in more than 65 countries. Learn more at www.boeing.com. Contacts: Joanna Pickup International Communications Boeing Commercial Airplanes +1 425-879-6077 [email protected] Nguyen Thu Thuy (Ms.) Vietjet +84 989386379 [email protected] Nguyen Thanh Tung (Mr) Vietjet +84 932629858 [email protected] SOURCE Boeing Related Links http://www.boeing.com DALY CITY, Calif., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- California Virtual Academy at San Mateo, an online public charter school, announced today that is has been selected by Educational Results Partnership (ERP) and the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE) as one of the select public schools in California to receive the title of 2015 Honor Roll school. "California Virtual Academy at San Mateo is proud to be recognized as an Honor Roll school," said Don Burbulys, President of the charter school's nonprofit board of directors. "Making the Honor Roll is a credit to our entire school community of teachers, counselors, administrators, and parents who are dedicated to educating children and doing what is right. We are proud to be a public education option for families in California, and to be recognized by the California business community for our achievement and commitment to helping students succeed." The Honor Roll is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and highlight successful practices that improve outcomes for students. Schools receiving this distinction from leaders in the California academic and business communities have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations. The Honor Roll is comprised of two different awards, the "Star Schools" Award and "Scholar Schools" Award. California Virtual Academy at San Mateo was given the "Star Schools" award which is given to schools with significant populations of socio-economically disadvantaged students that have shown a significant increase in grade-level proficiency over time. California Virtual Academy at San Mateo is authorized by Jefferson Elementary School District. "Congratulations to California Virtual Academy at San Mateo," said Bernie Vidales, Superintendent of Jefferson Elementary School District. "It is a great accomplishment and a testament to the commitment of the school's teachers and staff to student achievement and continuous improvement." "We as adults have the opportunity to remove obstacles and boost momentum along the pathway from preschool to career," said Lee Blitch, ERP Board Chairman and President of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "When we close achievement gaps, we set our children on a path of productivity that not only leads to success in the classroom, but also prepares them to contribute to and benefit from a more productive economy. These Honor Roll schools are setting their students on the path to a college degree and the financial security of a living wage job." "The American education system has a secret," said Jim Lanich, ERP president and CEO. "Many schools are doing well and the Honor Roll proves it. Students are achieving at higher levels than anyone admits and more students than ever are succeeding when given the opportunity. All schools, no matter what zip code they are in, can achieve this kind of success. Leadership from the business community is critical to ensuring successes for all students." The annual Honor Roll award is made possible by support from numerous businesses and organizations including State Farm, AAA, Macy's, Wells Fargo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and several private foundations. Chevron Corporation provided specific support in the creation of the STEM Honor Roll. A full list of the Honor Roll schools, districts, and the STEM awardees can be found at http://edresults.org/HonorRoll/HonorRoll?State=CA or follow Jim Lanich, President and CEO at @JLanich or email at [email protected]. California Virtual Academy at San Mateo CAVA @ San Mateo is an online public charter school serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are residents of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. California-credentialed teachers provide instruction, guidance and support for students. CAVA @ San Mateo uses the high-quality curriculum and academic programs provided by K12 Inc., a leading online learning provider. More information can be found at cava.k12.com Educational Results Partnership and the Institute for Productivity in Education Educational Results Partnership (ERP) and the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE) partner with leaders in the business community in a shared mission: to ensure all students are prepared to success in college and career. Together, we work to improve educational productivity at all levels "K through Job." We draw upon the nation's largest database on student achievement to uncover successful schools, particularly in economically disadvantaged districts, and promote their best practices to schools that want to do better. Since 2005, the Honor Roll has focused business and academic leaders around a common agenda for high performing public schools leading to increased college success and economic productivity. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150522/218147LOGO SOURCE California Virtual Academy at San Mateo Related Links http://cava.k12.com CUPERTINO, Calif., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Carl E. Berg, the largest shareholder of Stratus Properties Inc. (STRS: NASDAQ), is releasing a letter that shows how potential buyers of Stratus are treated by the CEO and the Board. To my knowledge the CEO & the Board have never replied to this letter below: May 2, 2016 Via Federal Express William H. Armstrong, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer Michael D. Madden, Lead Independent Director James E. Joseph, Independent Director James C. Leslie, Independent Director Charles Porter, Independent Director John C. Schweitzer, Independent Director STRATUS PROPERTIES INC. 212 Lavaca Street, Suite 300 Austin, TX 78701 Re: Response to April 27, 2016 Board of Directors letter to Shareholders (the "BOD Letter") Dear Stratus Board of Directors: It is with great dismay that I read and reviewed your April 27, 2016 Board of Directors letter to Shareholders. This letter contains four factual misrepresentations and one insinuation that I have been colluding with a shareholder and previous director of your company. This letter represents nothing short of slanderous comments that defame Capretta Properties Inc. Note the following statements made in the BOD Letter: "Hentschel is evaluating the previously disclosed, highly conditional proposal from Capretta Properties, despite Capretta Properties' refusal to sign a customary confidentiality agreement." "Concerns about Capretta's complete lack of any publicly available track record." "The failure of Mr. Capretta to provide us (Stratus) with any evidence of his ability to finance the transaction." "The curious coincidence that Mr. Capretta and Mr. Berg's previous director designee, William Lenehan , are neighbors who live on the same street." "Mr. Capretta's proposal suffers from structural deficiencies as well, including proposing that after signing a purchase agreement, he would have a 60-day diligence period during which he could unilaterally terminate the agreement for any reason at virtually no cost to himself essentially giving Mr. Capretta a free option on the Company and its assets." Let me address these statements individually: 1. This is a false statement. Capretta Properties Inc. ("CPI") is willing to sign a Confidentially Agreement simply not the one sided agreement that was issued by the Stratus law firm Vinson & Elkins LLP and which included numerous gray areas and completely atypical conditions such as the following paragraph below which requires me to sign a complex legal document and then gives Stratus the option of never having to give CPI evaluation material and which gives Stratus the future ability to "adopt additional specific procedures." "Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, nothing contained herein shall obligate the Company to make available any Evaluation Material or any other information to you or any other person. The Company retains the right to determine, in its sole discretion, what information, properties and personnel to make available to you and your Representatives. The Company also reserves the right to adopt additional specific procedures to protect the confidentiality of sensitive Confidential Information, of which you will be advised in advance in writing before such sensitive Confidential Information will be provided to you and your Representatives." In my February 15, 2016 letter to Beau Armstrong, I also addressed the following unusual provisions in the CA. "Second, in the Confidentiality Agreement you sent me, there is a highly unusual and suspicious paragraph at the end of Section 9 on page 5: "You represent that you and your Representatives from the date of this Agreement have not (A) acted in concert or cooperated with Carl E. Berg with respect to your or Mr. Berg's actions in respect of the Company or securities or (B) participated, directly or indirectly, in Mr. Berg's contemplated solicitation of proxies to elect his two nominees to the Board." Third, in the Confidentiality Agreement, you ask for a highly unusual lifetime representation: "you and your Representatives' obligations under this Agreement will continue indefinitely with respect to any documentation related to the relationship between W Hotel Management, Inc. and its affiliates and the Company and its affiliates that provide for management and operations of the Block 21 project in Austin, Texas." In my February 15, 2016 letter to Beau Armstrong, I stated the following: "Regarding Stratus shares I own none. Regarding Carl Berg, I have no business or personal relationship with him I have never done business with Carl Berg. I certainly have no involvement in any actions Mr. Berg is taking relating to his ownership in Stratus. Regardless, I would never make a representation in a Confidentiality Agreement in reference to a stranger." Further, in my April 6, 2016 letter to Beau Armstrong, I stated the following: "First, when we spoke on February 22, 2016, a call that Kai Haakon E. Liekefett was not on, you clearly told me that you were studying my offer. I clearly told you that all I was looking for was a response to my offer." "Second, a Confidentiality Agreement ('CA") was the idea of Stratus not mine. I have never asked to have a CA nor have I requested any confidential documents. Quite simply, I have made an offer based on the public information available combined with a thorough and exhaustive review of the assets in the marketplace. My offer is conditioned very carefully per Exhibit A of my purchase LOI. It is much too premature for me to execute a CA for a transaction where it is unclear whether we have an agreed upon purchase transaction which includes a due diligence period." "Third, if a CA were necessary which it is not I have never in my 35 year career seen a CA with an infinite term clause as the one you have inserted for the hotel property. This would indicate that you have an infinite contractual confidentiality agreement term with W Hotel Management, Inc. which I find hard to believe." Beau Armstrong never got back to me, as promised, on whether Stratus simply had a "yes" or "no" response to my offer. No one in their right mind would ever sign a CA with so many onerous one sided conditions in it. In my February 15, 2016 letter to Beau Armstrong, I stated: "We respectfully cannot execute the Confidentiality Agreement you sent to us. It is extremely one sided and not typical for a real estate transaction. My attorney or I have never seen an 8 page Confidentiality Agreement for a real estate transaction and he considers this the second most one sided Confidentiality Agreement he has ever seen second only to one he negotiated with Apple. My equity partner also will not execute such an onerous agreement." 2. This is a false statement. In our original January 22, 2016 offer to Stratus, CPI did in fact convey the following track record to Stratus. Since that letter, Stratus has never requested any additional information from CPI. On April 28, 2016, at the request of Steve Hentschel, I immediately forwarded him a copy of the CPI e-brochure. "CPI specializes in the acquisition, development, leasing and management of retail centers, office buildings, industrial buildings and apartment projects. Our company has an extensive background in entitlements and development, which makes us well qualified to purchase these types of assets. Established in 1989, CPI has acquired and developed 50 properties in five states with a total value exceeding $1.3 billion and over 8,300,000 square feet and 900 apartment units. Our current major project is the Nut Tree in Vacaville, CA, a 70 acre, $255,000,000 master planned property." 3. This is a false statement. In my original January 22, 2016 offer, I stated the following: "CPI has major equity relationships with large institutional partners and a very close 28 year lending relationship with Wells Fargo Bank where we are considered a premium borrower." In my February 15, 2016 letter and in my April 6, 2016 letter two separate written occasions - I disclosed more detail on my equity and debt information. Since those two letters, Stratus has never requested any additional information from CPI. "My offer is a bonafide offer with an equity partner with assets in excess of $26 billion and with one of the largest lenders in the world - Wells Fargo Bank." 4. This is a misleading accusation that is highly inappropriate. I have never met or spoken to William Lenehan prior to your April 27, 2016 BOD Letter. I did call Mr. Lenehan on Friday, April 29, 2016 to ask him if we ever met or have spoken. He responded "no". Mr. Lenehan was also perturbed that such an accusation was made against him. The City of Mill Valley is a city of approximately 14,000 persons. There are hundreds if not thousands - of people in Mill Valley that are in the real estate industry. Further, Mr. Lenehan is approximately 17 years my junior our lives have never had any bonafide reason for crossing paths. It is a 100% false insinuation that I learned about the Stratus opportunity from Mr. Lenehan or Mr. Berg. I have explained in writing and verbally to Beau Armstrong how I came upon this potential opportunity. Here is the explanation that was in my original January 22, 2016 purchase offer to Beau Armstrong. "I have tried to contact you on five separate occasions now: December 12, 2015, December 18, 2015, January 4, 2016, and January 19, 2016 and January 20, 2016. I appreciate that you returned one of my calls on January 19. I have spoken to your assistants Brooke and Adrian. I have not received a second return phone call. Our company is in Austin monthly as we look to acquire assets in this market. During our December visit, we met with William Saad of CBRE to discuss your Circle C property. He indicated to me that the sale of that property was on hold pending interest from the Austin Independent School District. Since my December visit, I have been tracking Stratus through automated Google searches and on December 23, 2015, I was made aware of a press release from the well-known California real estate investor, Carl Berg, that he was recommending a sale of the Stratus portfolio. Thus, the reason for my recent calls. At this point, it does not seem as though I will hear back from you so therefore I thought it might be more productive to forward you an unsolicited offer for your assets since they possibly are going to be offered for sale soon. I understand that other potential suitors have, or are considering submitting unsolicited offers in the near future." You should also know that coincidentally Walter Saad of CBRE and I previously worked for the same Texas based company, the Paragon Group, and that the Paragon Group was an offshoot of the Lincoln Property Company. Mr. Saad made me aware of previous "bulk sale" transactions made by Stratus to the Lincoln Property Company and such eight parcel 154 acre sale is referenced on the Stratus website under "2012 press releases." This was another major fact that led me to believe on my own that Stratus could potentially be a bulk sale asset seller. Further, in my February 15, 2016 letter to Beau Armstrong, I stated the following regarding my hesitancy to sign the one sided Stratus CA: "Further, some recent events give us reason for additional pause. First, your statement in your January 29, 2016 letter "We strongly disagree with your misleading characterization of our dialogue with you to date" is factually an untrue statement. As I stated to you in my February 2, 2016 email, you and I have only spoken once for approximately 30 seconds where you apologized for any confusion in returning calls and the only words I uttered were "thank you and we look forward to hearing back from you." It is unclear what your intentions are regarding such statements. So, let me put all my cards on the table and hopefully you can do the same. I have been coming to Austin, TX since July 2014. My son moved there and I am personally motivated to spend more time there. I have been looking at real estate transactions in Austin since. In mid-December, I looked at one of the Stratus properties for sale Circle C Ranch. Your CBRE broker informed me that it was temporarily not for sale since the Austin Independent High School District was interested in placing a new high school on the site. Your broker told me you were an active real estate seller and buyer. I then tried to set up a meeting with you on that trip without a return call. I then started tracking Stratus internet news releases after that trip a practice I do with numerous companies in markets where I am pursuing real estate transactions. On December 23, 2015, I reviewed a Stratus related press release issued by Carl Berg which stated "The (Berg) proposal calls upon the Stratus Board of Directors to engage a nationally recognized investment banking firm to explore a prompt sale, merger or other business combination of Stratus so Stratus' stockholders may realize the true value of their Stratus shares." I then started internet tracking Mr. Berg. I then tried calling you another 4 times. We never spoke. I then called Mr. Berg to express my interest in the Stratus assets and he encouraged me to make an offer. I then decided to submit an unsolicited offer to purchase the Stratus assets on January 22, 2016." 5. This is a false statement. In my original January 22, 2016 offer and my April 6, 2016 letter to Beau Armstrong, I clearly stated that the CPI offer was solely for "real estate assets" and clearly not for the Stratus Corporation. Your BOD Letter is highly misleading by stating that my offer was "essentially giving Mr. Capretta a free option on the Company" Further, in my April 6, 2016 letter I stated the following: "Fourth and finally, I would like to reiterate your attorney's statement that this is "not a routine real estate transaction" is not a realistic assessment of my purchase offer. My offer is for a purchase of real estate assets not your company and such transactions of multiple properties are routine real estate transactions. I agree that a purchase of the Stratus corporation would represent what Mr. Liekefett has termed "not a routine real estate transaction". I am asking the Stratus Board of Directors formally this one time in writing to refrain and stop issuing letters that are slanderous in the facts toward actions made by Capretta Properties Inc. and which defame Capretta Properties Inc. I am copying all major shareholders and Mr. Hentschel so they are directly aware of this correspondence. Submitted, Ricardo Capretta President CONTACT: Carl E. Berg, 408-455-0670 SOURCE Carl E. Berg AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago fireman Kevin Arias of the Tristate Fire Protection District was named the grand prize winner of the FCA US LLC 2015 National Sweepstakes. The Oswego, Ill., native overcame the odds of 1,265,218 contest entrants to win a $45,000 credit toward any Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT or Alfa Romeo brand vehicle. Arias selected a 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack in Granite Pearl as his winning prize. The National Giveaway is an annual initiative that takes place over an entire calendar year. Consumers are entered by participating in an FCA event where they can experience and interact with a knowledgeable product specialist at a branded booth or tent space, or get inside a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT or Alfa Romeo vehicle to take a test ride or test drive. Entries were collected through a number of hands-on FCA brand initiatives that took place nationwide in 2015 including the Jeep brand Camp Jeep off-road driving course and Ram Truck brand test track at auto shows, fundraising events involving the Chrysler and Dodge brands, as well as other multi-branded experiences. "Ironically, a few months ago I had said to my wife, 'I don't think I'll ever get my hot-rod.' I've wanted a hot rod for as long as I can remember, so when FCA told me I won a car, I immediately chose the Dodge Challenger," said Kevin Arias, winner of the 2015 FCA National Giveaway. "I'm feeling truly blessed. I never win anything, so when I got the call from FCA it was unbelievable. On top of that, everyone at FCA has made this experience just awesome." Arias secured his entry while visiting the Ram Truck brand space at the 2015 Shot Show, an event that took place in January of last year in Las Vegas. He will receive his vehicle from Tyson Motors, the Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in Shorewood, Ill. "It's exciting to have the opportunity to gift one of our event attendees with an FCA vehicle," stated Jason Russ, Head of Experiential Marketing for FCA US LLC. "Given how Kevin Arias heroically serves his community as a Chicago fire fighter, it gives us great pleasure to present him with his new Dodge Challenger. We anticipate that he will have many years of joy from his brand new muscle car." The annual National Giveaway offered by FCA US will be open for entry throughout 2016 to give eligible consumers a new opportunity to win $45,000 toward the purchase of a new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, FIAT or Alfa Romeo brand vehicle. There is no purchase necessary to enter or win. For the official sweepstakes rules and details on how to enter, please visit www.fcaentertowin.com. The 2016 sweepstakes ends December 31, 2016. For the latest product and brand news, visit www.fcanorthamerica.com. About FCA US LLC FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C model and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA." Follow FCA US news and video on: FCA Content On Demand (COD): www.fcacod.com Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com FCA360: 360.fcanorthamerica.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChryslerGroup Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/chryslergroup/ Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/fcacorporate Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA Streetfire: www.streetfire.net/uploaded/chryslervideo.htm Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol YouTube: www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo SOURCE FCA US LLC Related Links http://www.fcanorthamerica.com The second site is 23.58 acres on Broderick Drive near its intersection with Waxpool Road, which is adjacent to the AOL campus. It is anticipated that this site will accommodate 600,000 square feet of developable area from which electricity will be supplied by Dominion Power. The Ashburn site is within one mile of the Equinix campus. "This is a remarkable opportunity for companies seeking secure data center solutions in the Ashburn, Va. market," said David Tolson, president and CEO of DBT-DATA. "It is very exciting to make these opportunities available in what has become the largest data center destination in North America. We are proud to have solved the site acquisition and regulatory hurdles that exists in order to enter such an extremely competitive Ashburn, Va. market." About DBT-DATA DBT-DATA is the largest privately owned provider of powered shell industrial buildings designed for data center use in the greater Ashburn, Va. market. The existing and historic portfolio consists of over 600,000 square feet of building area built or repurposed for data center use. More information can found at www.DBTDATA.com. Contact: Ramsey Poston Tuckahoe Strategies [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370370 SOURCE DBT-DATA Related Links http://www.dbtdata.com PHILADELPHIA, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz announced the appointment of the 15-person Platform Drafting Committee. The Drafting Committee is responsible for developing and managing the process through which the Democratic Party's National Platform is established. According to DNC rules, the members of the drafting committee are appointed at the discretion of the DNC Chair. This year, in an effort to make this the most representative and inclusive process in history, the DNC Chair elected to allocate 75% of the committee's seats to the presidential campaigns, awarding the slots proportionally according to the current vote tally. Chairwoman Wasserman-Schultz also named Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) as Chair of the drafting committee. "We are delighted to bring together this talented group of Democrats," said DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. "These individuals represent some of the best progressive thinking from across the nation. I am confident that the members of this committee will engage Americans in a substantive dialogue of ideas and solutions that will inform our Party Platform." "The Democratic Party has always fought to create a better life for all Americans," said Representative Cummings. "I am pleased that we have some of our best and brightest gathered here to assemble our collective vision of our nation's future. We will be going to unprecedented lengths to ensure that the drafting of our party's platform is the most inclusive, open and representative process in the long history of our two major parties." Also appointed to serve on the Platform Drafting Committee are: Hon. Howard Berman, Paul Booth, Hon. Carol Browner, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Rep. Barbara Lee, Bill McKibben, Deborah Parker, State Rep. Alicia Reece, Bonnie Schaefer, Ambassador Wendy Sherman, Neera Tanden, Dr. Cornel West, and James Zogby. The Clinton Campaign's Senior Policy Advisor Maya Harris and the Sanders Campaign's Policy Director Warren Gunnels will represent their respective campaigns as official, non-voting members of the Committee. Andrew Grossman was named Platform Executive Director. Grossman is the former Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 2012, he served as the Director of the Democratic National Convention Platform Committee. About the Democratic National Convention The 2016 Democratic Convention will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia July 25-28, 2016. Working in partnership with the Philadelphia Host Committee, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, our goal is to make this the most engaging, innovative and forward looking Convention in history. The 2016 Democratic National Convention will leverage technology to take the Convention experience well beyond the hall in an effort to engage more Americans than ever before in the event. With the birthplace of American Democracy as a backdrop, the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will highlight our shared Democratic values and help put the Democratic nominee on a path to victory. The Democratic Convention is the formal nominating event for the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President. At the Convention, the Democratic Party also adopts the official Democratic Party platform as well as the rules and procedures governing party activities including the nomination process for presidential candidates in the next election cycle. The CEO for the 2016 Democratic National Convention is Reverend Leah D. Daughtry. The official website of the 2016 Democratic National Convention is www.demconvention.com. Contact: April Mellody 215-760-5943 Dana Shelley 215-519-0105 @DemConvention Twitter Facebook Instagram Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160420/357779LOGO SOURCE 2016 Democratic National Convention Committee Related Links http://www.demconvention.com PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bayat Group (www.bayat-group.com), Afghanistan's largest private Communications, Media and Energy Company, announced today that the Company's Founder and Chairman, Dr. Ehsanollah Bayat, will receive the 2016 Alumni Achievement Award from The New Jersey Institute of Technology (www.njit.edu), one of America's most prestigious Polytechnic Universities, which is also ranked among the top 25 Public Colleges in the United States. The NJIT Alumni Achievement Award recognizes members of the NJIT community who have made exceptional contributions in the areas of Social, Educational and Technical projects. Dr. Bayat, a proud alumnus of NJIT's Class of 1986, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. "I am honored to receive NJIT's 2016 Alumni Achievement Award," said Dr. Ehsanollah Bayat. "My studies at NJIT helped transform my curiosity about wireless communications and technology into an amazing and rewarding career through which I have been able to serve millions of people across Afghanistan. I truly have had the opportunity to apply technology to connect, benefit, and engage with a nation and the world itself and I will always be grateful for the opportunity that my degree from NJIT has given me to build a successful Company." The Bayat Group of Companies, led by Dr. Bayat, has contributed powerful, positive and permanent progress to the economic and social development of all Afghans. For example, Afghan Wireless (www.afghan-wireless.com), the nation's first wireless company, provides world-class communications services to more than 4,000,000 subscribers across all of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. Broadcast programming from Ariana Television and Radio (www.arianatelevision.com), Afghanistan's largest private media group, reaches an audience of more than 20,000,000 Afghans. Hospitals established by the Bayat Foundation (www.bayatfoundation.org) have provided life saving healthcare to 1,500,000 Afghan women and children, and brought the gift of hearing to more than 2,000 hearing impaired Afghan children through its annual hearing aid missions. NJIT conferred the 2016 Alumni Achievement Award to Dr. Bayat and other 2016 Award Recipients at a ceremony on NJIT's Newark, NJ Campus on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 5:00PM. ABOUT THE BAYAT GROUP: The Bayat Group (www.bayat-group.com), is Afghanistan's largest private diversified services company, comprising Media and Telecoms (Afghan Wireless, Ariana TV and Radio); Energy and Mining (Bayat Energy); and Construction. The Bayat Foundation (www.bayatfoundation.org) is also amongst the most active and generous private charitable organizations in the nation. The Bayat Group's diverse and successful activities within Afghanistan illustrate the Company's deep commitment to Afghanistan's economic growth and progress. As the nation's largest private employer, The Bayat Group employs nearly 6,000 Afghans directly, and indirectly provides employment to more than 100,000 Afghan citizens through the strategic relationships the Company enjoys with its ecosystem of Afghan based dealers and vendors. SOURCE Bayat Group ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A delegation from the Joint Precision Fires Future (JPF2) conference in Abu Dhabi is to attend the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa, Florida, the foremost event for Special Operations Forces and elite military units in the USA. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370692 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370693 The delegation will be exploring ways that special operations units can better work with the latest equipment and technology of Joint Precision Fire. Joint Precision Fire involves the combination of ground fire assets (including rockets and artillery) with other technologies to more accurately target threats at long range. The JPF2 delegation will be led by Rear Admiral USN (Ret) Gary Rosholt of Trident MET LLC, a company based in Abu Dhabi. "Joint Precision Fires is an important and timely subject that we are looking forward to discussing with operators and experts at SOFIC," said Rear Admiral Rosholt. "The accurate targeting of long-range fires by operators on the ground is critical in saving civilian lives and reducing the duration of conflicts." Rear Admiral Rosholt is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Trident MET, LLC based in Abu Dhabi. Prior to entering the private sector, Admiral Rosholt had a distinguished 35 year career in the United States Navy as a Navy SEAL. Highlighting his career was his assignment as the Senior Defense Official at the US Embassy, Abu Dhabi as well as serving as Deputy Commanding General for the Special Operations Command for the United States Central Command. The upcoming JPF2 conference to be held in Abu Dhabi on 16 November 2016 will be the foremost regional event on the subject of Joint Precision Fires. This high-level event will be attended by senior government and private sector officials from the region and around the world. JPF2 welcomes inquiries from parties interested in speaking at or sponsoring this prestigious conference. For more information, please visit the JPF2 Conference website at: http://www.jpf2firescon.com/ Press Contact: Name: Ms. Barbara Figueroa Email Phone: +971505597883 Company: DSMC DSMC is a marketing incubator organization that accelerates the growth of international Defense, Space & Security industry-related companies. SOURCE Defense Services Marketing Council The study found that more than half (55 percent) of companies surveyed have already experienced a security incident due to a malicious or negligent employee. However, despite investment in employee training and other efforts to reduce careless behavior in the handling of sensitive and confidential information, the majority of companies do not believe that their employees are knowledgeable about the company's security risks . Alarmingly, concern around the issue of employee security risks is not necessarily making companies any more effective at addressing it. Sixty percent of companies surveyed believe that their employees are not knowledgeable or have no knowledge of the company's security risks. Additionally, the study showed a lack of concern by C-suite executives. Only 35 percent of respondents say senior management believes it is a priority that employees are knowledgeable about how data security risks affect their organization. This illustrates a clear gap between companies' awareness of the issues caused by employee negligence and their actions. "Among the many security issues facing companies today, the study emphasizes that the risk of a data breach caused by a simple employee mistake or act of negligence is driving many breaches. Unfortunately, companies continue to experience the consequences of employees either falling victim to cyberattacks or exposing information inadvertently," said Michael Bruemmer, vice president, Experian Data Breach Resolution. "There are several steps that companies should take to better equip their employees with the tools they need to protect company data, including moving beyond simple employee education practices and shifting to a culture of security." Additional key findings from the study: Companies are missing a valuable learning opportunity Only 46 percent of surveyed companies make training mandatory for all employees. When companies experience a data breach, they have a unique opportunity to re-engage employees around protecting company data. Unfortunately, 60 percent of companies do not require employees to retake security training courses following a data breach, missing a key opportunity to emphasize security best practices. Employee training programs currently fall short The effectiveness of training programs varies greatly, and many are not extensive enough to drive significant behavioral change. Only half of companies agree or strongly agree that current employee education programs actually reduce noncompliant behaviors. Many training programs provide only basic information and are not delivered on a regular basis. Forty-three percent of companies provide only one basic course for all employees, and often these courses don't cover a number of large risks that lead to data breaches. These critical areas are covered in less than half of basic programs: o Phishing and social engineering attacks (49 percent) o Mobile device security (38 percent) o Using cloud services safely (29 percent) Organizations need to foster a culture of security The study found that companies are not currently implementing a number of simple incentives that could encourage positive security behaviors. Of the companies surveyed, 67 percent provide no incentives to employees for being proactive in protecting sensitive information or reporting potential issues. Among those that do provide incentives, only 19 percent provide a financial reward and only 29 percent mention security in performance reviews. Furthermore, the study found that one-third of companies have no consequences if an employee is found to be negligent or responsible for causing a data breach. To access the full complimentary report, Managing Insider Risk Through Training & Culture, visit http://bit.ly/24VNeTM Additional data breach resources, including Webinars, white papers and videos, can be found at http://www.experian.com/databreach. Read the Experian Data Breach Resolution blog by visiting http://www.experian.com/dbblog. About Experian Data Breach Resolution Experian Data Breach Resolution, powered by the nation's largest credit bureau, is a leader in helping businesses prepare for a data breach and mitigate consumer risk following breach incidents. With more than a decade of experience, Experian Data Breach Resolution has successfully serviced some of the largest and highest-profile data breaches in history. The group offers swift and effective incident management, notification, call center support and fraud-resolution services while serving millions of affected consumers with proven credit and identity protection products. In 2015, Experian Data Breach Resolution was named a market leader in the Forrester Research, Inc., report on data breach services. Experian Data Breach Resolution is active with the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the Health Care Compliance Association, the Ponemon Institute RIM Council and is a founding member of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.experian.com/databreach and follow us on Twitter @Experian_DBR. About Experian We are the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to our clients around the world. We help businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. We also help people to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft. In 2015, we were named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Forbes magazine. We employ approximately 17,000 people in 37 countries and our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2016, was US$4.6 billion. To find out more about our company, please visit http://www.experianplc.com or watch our documentary, "Inside Experian." Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370387-INFO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130131/LA51658LOGO SOURCE Experian Related Links http://www.experian.com ATLANTA, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The management-side labor and employment law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP has rebranded as "Fisher Phillips." Accompanying the new brand is a new logo, new tagline, new website, and a new URL: www.fisherphillips.com. Gone is www.laborlawyers.com. The new brand was formally introduced May 20 at the firm's all-attorney retreat in Hollywood, California. Chairman and Managing Partner Roger Quillen said: "Fisher Phillips is a firm with savvy clients who expect the best in legal talent and client service. We are a firm of bold and highly talented lawyers who care very deeply about client service. We needed a bright, modern, and distinctive logo that accurately reflects that we are a muscular, forward-looking law firm. Our logo has been a conservative blue, serif font for many years. Often it didn't stand out or represent us well. You can't claim that you are bold and highly talented, but look bland and outdated. The new red logo really pops off the page. It was time for this change." The new tagline is "On the Front Lines of Workplace Law." Quillen added: "Fisher Phillips serves some of the most sophisticated buyers of legal services in our field and we have some of the most talented labor and employment attorneys in the country. Fisher Phillips is a strong, modern firm that can take on the toughest cases for the most discerning clients. Our brand will now reflect that." Fisher Phillips worked with Fishman Marketing to develop the new brand and with Firmseek to build the new website. The new URL of fisherphillips.com helps to reinforce the new brand. The old URL hearkened back to the days when the firm was focused more on traditional labor law. Today, labor law is still one of the firm's premier practice areas, but much of the firm's work is in employment law including areas such as employee benefits, global immigration, data privacy, unfair competition, and trade secrets. About Fisher Phillips (www.fisherphillips.com) Employers often must take a stand: in court, with employees and unions, or with competitors. Fisher Phillips has the experience and resolve to back up management. That's why some of the savviest employers come to the firm to handle their toughest labor and employment cases. Fisher Phillips has 350 attorneys in 32 offices located in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Gulfport, Houston, Irvine, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, New Jersey, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369389LOGO SOURCE Fisher Phillips Related Links http://www.fisherphillips.com LINDON, Utah, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation (OTCBB: FVRG), a leading direct marketing company and provider of health-centered products, today announced North America May month-to-date sales are up 9.1% when compared to the same period in April as a result of the North American tour promoting new Ketopia products. "After traveling to 5 cities in 6 days, Canada continues to grow steady on the backs of great leadership and a refined Ketopia model. Ketopia is in the beginning stages of sweeping Canada," commented CEO Ron Williams. Vice President of Sales, Randy Crane, commented, "The excitement from our field leaders is very evident. They are more committed than ever to our products, our Company and our culture." Regarding the Ketopia product line, Presidential Trainer Bob Steed added, "ForeverGreen is leading the worldwide conversation regarding ketosis and deep ketosis. The Bridge Bash Tour is taking this discussion to the next level." For more information on ForeverGreen's products, visit http://www.forevergreen.org. ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation develops, manufactures and distributes an expansive line of all natural whole foods and products to North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, including their new global offerings, PowerStrips, SolarStrips and BeautyStrips. They also offer their new North America weight-management line Ketopia, along with Azul and FrequenSea, whole-food beverages with industry exclusive marine phytoplankton, a line of hemp-based whole-food products, immune support and weight management products, Pulse-8 powdered L-arginine formula, 24Karat Chocolate. Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" and involve both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such uncertainties include, among others, certain risks associated with the operation of the company described above. The company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. Contact: ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation Craig Smith +1-801-655-5500 [email protected] or Brokers and Analysts: Chesapeake Group +1-410-825-3930 [email protected] SOURCE ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation LAUSANNE, Switzerland, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Gamaya, provider of the world's most advanced solution for large-scale diagnostics of farmland using hyperspectral imaging and artificial intelligence, announced it has raised 3.2 million in a series A financing round. Investors include Sandoz Foundation, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe (Chairman of Nestle), Seed4Equity and VI Partners. SOYFIT - GAMAYA SOYBEAN SOLUTION: SOYFIT solution is an unique toolbox driven by agronomic insights and developed by GAMAYA to address the specific needs of soybean cultivation in Brazil. It includes: - Weed detection and classification - Detection of nematodes disease - Detection of plant nutrient content - Yield prediction and growth monitoring (PRNewsFoto/Gamaya) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370663 ) Gamaya responds to the need to feed 10 billion people by providing a unique solution to boost the efficiency of industrial agricultural production. The company utilises a unique constellation of patented hyperspectral imaging technology, drone-based deployment and artificial intelligence to empower industrial growers with unprecedented level of situational awareness, allowing for significant cost savings and improvement of quality and quantity of yield. Examples of the information products include early alerts for disease, pests and weeds, optimum rates of application for fertilisers, and prediction of yield. Currently, Gamaya provides a solution for soybean, corn and sugarcane growers. "Before we started working with Gamaya, there was no cost-effective way to measure the impact of nematodes, outbreaks of weed and soil deficiencies during the crop cycle," noted Nicolas Landolt of Agricert, a farm based in Brazil. "We are now able to accurately see where those problems are occurring and make real-time decisions that ensure that those problems are looked after. With a simple drone flight, Gamaya's technology allows Agricert to maximize profitability through production cost reductions and increase in yield." The Gamaya system includes a drone-mounted hyperspectral camera, that provides much more valuable information than any other competitive technologies. The camera is integrated with an analytical platform that automatically translates the data into actionable information for farmers using a simple, scalable and cost effective methodology. Agronomy-driven information are delivered in the form of action maps and recommendations, such as weed or disease maps, so that a farmer can easily take action in the field. The action maps are integrated into farm management platforms, and can be easily relayed to field machinery for the necessary treatment, such as the spraying of chemicals, or the distribution of fertilisers. "We believe food production to be one of the main challenges facing humanity in the future. Population growth, climate change, reduced water availability and environmental concerns will force food producers to become more and more efficient with less and less resources and Gamaya's technology could in our view become part of the solution," said Andres Brabeck-Letmathe, Managing Director of Glasshouse SA. SOURCE Gamaya "Our goal every day is to make it as easy as possible for our customers to engage with us, while providing them with world-class customer service on every platform," said Louise Scott, vice president of customer service for Georgia Power. "This new center brings all of our social media resources under one roof, with the latest technology, improving our ability to quickly collaborate, solve problems and respond to our customers day and night." Georgia Power already engages with customers more than 6,000 times per month on social media, quickly helping with billing and service questions, payment options and more. In addition, social media representatives online every day with customers offer useful energy efficiency advice; valuable rebates and incentives; guidance on solar energy; electrical safety tips and resources such as My Power Usage. The Social Media Center's advanced technology includes simultaneous display of multiple social media feeds; live social streaming to field reps; interactive SMART boards; wireless audio conferencing and instant sharing of desktops/tablets to multiple displays. In addition, the company uses advanced digital tools to better respond to most customer inquiries on social media within 10 minutes and online chat requests in under a minute. Georgia Power's primary social media platforms are Twitter (@GeorgiaPower) and Facebook (facebook.com/georgiapower), with channels featuring engaging, useful content and prompt, professional customer assistance. The new center builds on the company's full suite of communication platforms, including: OnGeorgia.org, GeorgiaPower.com and telephone options. The Georgia Power Social Media Center is fully staffed Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and around the clock during severe weather. In addition to connecting with the company on social media, customers can log in to their GeorgiaPower.com account or by telephone. Georgia-based customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day for residential customers at 888-660-5890. About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), one of the nation's largest generators of electricity. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower) and Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower). Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370896 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370897 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370898 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO SOURCE Georgia Power Related Links http://www.georgiapower.com Available for a limited time beginning May 23, the Hershey's Toasted S'mores Cookie combines the familiar flavors of a classic campfire treat s'mores without leaving the comforts of home. The new cookie features the Ultimate Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookie topped with toasted mini marshmallows, chunks of Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar and graham cracker pieces, all for just $6.99. "The new Hershey's Toasted S'mores Cookie builds on our history of innovative, delicious desserts, and brings familiar flavors together into one quality dessert that everyone will gather around the table or campfire to enjoy," said Jared Drinkwater, vice president of marketing, Pizza Hut. The eight-inch Hershey's Toasted S'mores Cookie is the latest exclusive dessert offering in partnership with Hershey's. Other Hershey's desserts available only at Pizza Hut include the Ultimate Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookie and Hershey's Triple Chocolate Brownie. "Hershey's chocolate is synonymous with s'mores and summer, making this new dessert, from Pizza Hut, a perfect twist on the summer classic. The new Hershey's Toasted S'mores Cookie builds puts an innovative twist on the classic summer s'mores dessert," says Herb Ring, director foodservice, The Hershey Company. The Hershey's Toasted S'mores Cookie is the perfect dessert to follow any combination of items from the Pizza Hut $5 Flavor Menu. The nationally-available value-focused menu, which Pizza Hut introduced earlier this year, features nine delicious items, including stuffed garlic knots, a medium one-topping pizza, eight bone-out WingStreet Wings, the Ultimate Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookie, Hershey's Triple Chocolate Brownie, Tuscani Pasta, a double order of breadsticks or flavor sticks and four 20-oz. beverages, for just $5 each when ordering two or more. As the first national pizza chain to remove artificial flavors and colors from its core pizzas, Pizza Hut also has the world's busiest website in the pizza category at www.PizzaHut.com, with nearly 50 percent of the company's orders coming through digital channels and more than 30 percent via mobile device. The Hershey's Toasted S'mores Cookie will be available for a limited time beginning May 23 for dine-in, carryout or delivery at participating Pizza Hut locations around the country. For more information, visit blog.pizzahut.com or to order now, visit www.pizzahut.com. About Pizza Hut Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant in the world. The company began 58 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, when two brothers borrowed $600 from their mom to start a pizzeria. What started out small has become the biggest pizza company in the world and today operates more than 15,600 restaurants in more than 97 countries serving innovative pizzas, traditional favorites like the signature Pan Pizza, and much more. Pizza Hut also is the proprietor of the BOOK IT! Program, which is a long-standing children's literacy program used in more than 630,000 classrooms nationwide. For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com. Follow Pizza Hut on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PizzaHut), Twitter (www.twitter.com/pizzahut) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/pizzahut). About The Hershey Company The Hershey Company, headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has approximately 21,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.4 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside. Building on its core business, Hershey is expanding its portfolio to include a broader range of delicious snacks. The company remains focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to extend its competitive advantage in North America. At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For more than 120 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on giving underserved children the skills and support they need to be successful. Today, the company continues this social purpose through 'Nourishing Minds,' a global initiative that provides basic nutrition to help children learn and grow. From neighborhoods across the United States to the streets of Shanghai and Mumbai and villages of West Africa, our goal is to nourish one million minds by 2020. To learn more - Visit: www.thehersheycompany.com Follow: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram *For all media inquiries, please contact Pizza Hut: Doug Terfehr, 972-338-6992, [email protected] Courtney Moscovic, 972-338-8288, [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160522/370621 SOURCE Pizza Hut Related Links http://www.pizzahut.com "Whether it's a child battling cancer, a teacher who needs school supplies, or a member of the community who's fallen on tough times, Iowans always step up. Hundreds of thousands of folks have donated to thousands of GoFundMe campaigns to generously support their friends, family, and neighbors during a time of need," said GoFundMe CEO Rob Solomon. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370479 DES MOINES FAST FACTS: In total, campaigns located in the Des Moines Metro Area have raised a total of $3.59 million . Metro Area have raised a total of . The Des Moines Metro Area has created over 3,500 GoFundMe campaigns. Metro Area has created over 3,500 GoFundMe campaigns. The average donation in Des Moines is $64 . is . In 2016, nearly 800 GoFundMe campaigns in the Des Moines Metro Area have raised over $940,000 from nearly 14,000 donations. Metro Area have raised over from nearly 14,000 donations. In 2015, over 1,900 GoFundMe campaigns in the Des Moines Metro Area have raised $1.75 million from over 27,500 donations. Des Moines Gives Back Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370480 RipRoar Youth Triathlon Series, organized races where hundreds of kids raced through our finish line, breaking the tape and breaking through their fears and limitations. On December 28th, 2015, the RipRoar trailer was stolen. While some of the items were insured, much of it was not, a hard lesson to learn for a first year business. Michael Zimmerman, RipRoar's Director, turned to GoFundMe. The GoFundMe community took action, raising nearly $26,000. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370481 Brandon Newton was hit by a car on December 15th. Bailee Newton turned to GoFundMe. Bailee created a campaign and said, "We're asking for any donations to help him out with bills and costs while not being able to work. Unfortunately he's in Austin, TX and we're in Des Moines, IA. We don't have the funds to get to him at this time, but with your help we can be there for him as soon as possible. Our Christmas has been put on pause until we are able to be by his side and help him through everything. It would mean the world to us if we could be together in this difficult time.My brother is a hero to me and my favorite person in the world." The GoFundMe community donated nearly $15,000 to help the Newtons. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160520/370482 On Monday, February 8th, 2016, Tyler Cocks received a call from his brother, Chad. Chad, his wife Chelsea and their two boys Caeden and Liam lost everything when their house burned down. Tyler started a GoFundMe campaign to help his brother's family rebuild their lives. The GoFundMe community rallied around Chad, Chelsea, Caeden and Liam and gave them a helping hand during a difficult time. SOURCE GoFundMe LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Just thirty days after the announcement by gold asset company Golden Dynasty Resources Limited about an impending launch of its cryptocurrency Gold Dollar, it was revealed that the pre-sales figures were very encouraging. The new cryptocurrency, named the Gold Dollar, is the latest cryptocurrency to emerge. With its fundamental value backed by gold reserve assets & pegged to the gold indices, it is fast becoming a hit with coin enthusiasts and investors alike. The founding company has previously announced it will launch in May 2016. Golden Dynasty Resources Limited is a globalized gold asset management company. Apart from mainstream investment such as bullion and gold futures trading, the company also participates in physical gold mining projects. The latest acquisition is one that is situated in Zambia with an estimated area of 10km2 from which the gold reserves are used to back the value of the Gold Dollar. Cryptocurrencies have, in recent years, improved the ways of life for many around the world. Albeit being in its infancy, cryptocurrencies have since received a positive reception for use by many countries as well as multi-national corporations and retail companies. Investors do acknowledge the perceived stability of cryptocurrency investments as compared to traditional investment tools. A clear example would be in 2015 when stock meltdowns and diminishing values in various investment classes, cryptocurrencies seemed to have shown stable price growth without any adverse effects. Market observers say cryptocurrencies remain a viable and attractive option for investors and are advised to keep a close watch on the Gold Dollar as it prepares for global launch this year. Global academics have also provided positive reviews on the Gold Dollar: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTU3MzcwNzYwMA==.html Group Deputy Chief Investment Officer James Calligan spoke of the results of the pre-sales campaign, "we have always endeavoured Gold Dollar to create a long lasting impact once it launches. The market currently lacks a currency type that can emulate what Gold Dollar promises to be. We are heartened to hear of a favourable response from market investors, this meant a resounding affirmation of Gold Dollar." Pre-launch valuation of the Gold Dollar estimates its growth to USD500 a piece within 2 years. The Gold Dollar launched on 18 May 2016. SOURCE Golden Dynasty LONDON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Atmosphere was Lively and Stimulating as Franchise Professionals From 36 Countries Gathered to Share Best Business Practices at the Annual Helen Doron English Master Franchise Conference Held April 3-7, 2016 in Budapest, Hungary "The Benefits of Shared Knowledge" conference featured 3 days of roundtable discussions, seminars and breakout sessions. Helen Doron Ltd. presented an overview of a new customer relationship and business management system, Helen Doron Community, currently in development and production. This global information-sharing platform will offer exceptional and accurate tools that can be used at every level of business sales, marketing, customer communication and business analysis. Anne Gordon, VP of Business Development, reported on the impressive company growth during 2015 as the company welcomed 8 new Helen Doron English Master Franchisors from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain and Romania. "It is interesting to see the strong growth in Spain with 3 new Master Franchisors from that area alone," reflects Gordon. "We found a lack of quality after-school English education in that market, which we intend to fill. While Helen Doron English is franchised throughout much of Europe, we are still looking to expand in Berlin, Germany; Calabria & Basilicata and Triveneto West in Italy as well as in Latin America and the Confederation of Independent States. " Helen Doron English pioneered an innovative, unique methodology teaching English to babies, children and teens using the highest quality learning materials supplemented with state-of-the art apps. With almost 90 Master Franchise areas, about 900 Learning Centre franchises and over 4500 active, specially-trained Helen Doron English teachers, Helen Doron English is, by far, the largest provider of quality English after-school education for children and teenagers in Europe. Helen Doron enables entrepreneurs to start their own franchises and join a leading business network with a solid niche in the English-as-a-foreign language industry. The Helen Doron franchise is a proven business model with franchise life cycles among the longest and strongest in the franchise industry. Participants discussed the increasing demand for high-quality English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language (ESL/EFL) programmes and materials. "The demand for English learning courses and materials, both print and digital, continues to skyrocket. We can see ever-increasing numbers of visitors to our website and online English games portal, Kangi Club, downloads of our Apps, listeners to our radio station, and purchasing our merchandise," comments Chief Marketing Officer, Simon Darr. Darr continues, "At this year's conference, social and digital media took centre stage both as a means to communicate with our target audience and as a delivery platform for Helen Doron's unique English learning content." For more information on how you can join the Helen Doron English franchise network, visit us online. About the Helen Doron Educational Group The Helen Doron Educational Group stands at the forefront of innovative educational systems, providing exclusive learning programmes and quality educational materials for babies, children and adolescents the world over since 1985. The company's flagship franchise, Helen Doron English, along with Helen Doron Kindergarten, MathRiders, Ready Steady Move! franchises today encompass nearly 900 learning centres in 36 countries in Europe, Asia and South America. Today, more than two million children have learnt with the unique Helen Doron methodology. The Helen Doron Educational Group invites entrepreneurs to join a successful business operation that benefits children around the world. Visit us at http://www.helendorongroup.com. Contact Marilyn Glazier Social Media Manager +972-523858518 [email protected] SOURCE Helen Doron Educational Group LUGANO, Switzerland, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Helsinn, the Swiss pharmaceutical Group focused on building quality cancer care, is pleased to announce that William Mann, President and Chief Executive Officer of Helsinn's U.S. subsidiary, Helsinn Therapeutics (U.S.) Inc., will present at the UBS Healthcare Conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. His overview of the Helsinn Group will include an update on Helsinn's U.S. business and will take place on Monday 23rd May at 10:30am EDT. About the Helsinn Group: Helsinn is a privately owned cancer supportive care pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed products and a broad development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality, through a unique integrated licensing business model working with long standing partners in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and nutritional supplement products. Helsinn is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Ireland and the United States, a representative office in China, as well as a product presence in about 90 countries globally. In 2016, our 40th anniversary year, you can meet representatives from Helsinn at: ASCO Annual Meeting ( Chicago , USA , 3-7 June) , , 3-7 June) MASCC Annual Meeting ( Adelaide, Australia , 23-25 June) , 23-25 June) ChemOutsourcing Conference ( Parsippany, New Jersey , 19-21 September) , 19-21 September) CPhI Worldwide ( Barcelona, Spain , 4-6 October) , 4-6 October) ESMO Congress ( Copenhagen, Denmark , 7-11 October) , 7-11 October) BioEurope (Koln, Germany , 4-6 November) For more information, please visit http://www.helsinn.com Follow us on Twitter @HelsinnGroup As part of its patient-centered mission and support of the oncology community, Helsinn works closely with Patient Advocacy Groups. These key stakeholders protect the interests of cancer patients by helping them to receive appropriate and timely care, education, support and financial assistance, when needed. For more information, please contact: Helsinn Group Paola Bonvicini Head of Communication & Press Office Tel: +41-91-985-21-21 [email protected] SOURCE Helsinn Group SA "It's incredibly exciting to launch High Heel Brewing and introduce our first two beers," said Kristi McGuire, master brewer and founder, High Heel Brewing. "Our goal was to fill a gap in the market and to celebrate women in brewing and all women who love craft beer. It has been a dream come true to collaborate with the women of Brew Hub, and this launch would not have been possible without them." High Heel Brewing's first two beers will be Slingback, a Perry Ale, and Too Hop'd to Handle, an American IPA. Slingback is a hybrid beer brewed by combining the taste of a traditional ale with pear cider. The brew includes natural passion fruit juices, Hallertauer hops and subtle spicing with chamomile and elderflower. The result is a fresh, fruity, floral beer with a crisp, clean finish. Slingback is 5.4 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), 15 international bitterness units (IBUs) and is slightly more carbonated than most ales. Slingback pairs well with shellfish, berries and soft cheeses. "With Slingback we created an entirely new style of beer, hitting that sweet spot between ale and cider," said McGuire. "It's the Prosecco of beers perfect for the hot summer days to come." On the other end of the spectrum is Too Hop'd to Handle, a bold American IPA assertively hopped with Columbus, Mosaic and Simcoe varieties and brewed with Munich and honey malts for a toasted flavor. Belgian candied sugar is added to balance the beer and give it a smooth finish. A rotating fourth hop varietal will be added to both the kettle and dry hops to reflect seasonal flavors and trends. For the initial launch, Calypso hops were used as the fourth hop. Too Hop'd to Handle is 8.4 percent ABV, 89 IBUs and pairs nicely with grilled meats and strong cheeses such as sharp cheddar, Stilton and Roquefort. "The growth of IPAs has been compelling, and we expect hop-forward beers to continue to flourish," said McGuire. "Craft beer consumers are looking for new flavors and styles of IPA, and we feel Too Hop'd to Handle is going to stand out in the crowd of pale ales. We brewed the beer with several varieties of hops that normally aren't used together. The result is a bold, confident IPA we think women will love." McGuire completed the Master Brewers program at the University of California, Davis, and was honored as an Associate with Distinction at the Institute of Brewing in London, England. She has spent more than two decades developing beers from the ground up at companies such as Alaskan Brewing Company and Anheuser-Busch. Slingback and Too Hop'd to Handle will be initially available in 12-ounce glass bottle four-packs throughout the state of Florida and will be priced similarly to other premium craft beers. The beers will also be available on draft at Brew Hub's tasting room in its brewery in Lakeland, Florida. About High Heel Brewing High Heel Brewing brews beers specifically targeted to female craft beer consumers. The company was founded by Kristi McGuire in 2016 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri. High Heel Brewing recently introduced two new beers, Slingback and Too Hop'd to Handle. High Heel Brewing brews its beers in partnership with Brew Hub in Lakeland, Florida. For additional information, visit www.highheelbrewing.com www.facebook.com/high-heel-brewing www.twitter.com/highheelbeer www.instagram.com/highheelbeer For additional information contact: Patrick Barry (314) 540-3865 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160503/363073LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160503/363050 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160503/370647 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160503/370648 SOURCE High Heel Brewing Related Links http://www.highheelbrewing.com BOISE, Idaho, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA), a statewide, online public charter school serving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade, will honor 149 high school graduates this year, including 57 students that are graduating with honors. Teachers, school staff and board members will also be on hand to celebrate as the graduates turn their tassels. "We have so much to celebrate at graduation," said Kelly Edginton, Head of School for IDVA. "I am so proud of each of our students and know that whatever their next path is, that the IDVA teachers and counselors have helped set them up for success." Co-valedictorians Olivia Thomas and Casey Beard will address their fellow graduates at each of the three IDVA graduation ceremonies. Casey Beard will "virtually" address classmates through a video address whereas Olivia Thomas will attend each ceremony in person. Casey Beard will attend University of Idaho and major in Computer Engineering. Beard received $15,000 in scholarships, including the Go Idaho! Platinum Scholarship. Olivia Thomas will attend Boise State University and major in Computer Science. She was one of 100 students to attend the 2016 White House Science Fair where she presented her award-winning video game, Colorless. Thomas has received the Boise State Langroise Honors College full scholarship and upwards of $40,000 in other scholarship funds. This is the 8th graduating class of the Idaho Virtual Academy. Graduates are from 30 different counties and 55 different cities across the State of Idaho and will be pursuing careers in a variety of fields from culinary arts to international business to aviation. Collectively, the graduating class has earned more than $500,000 in scholarships to colleges and universities from across the country. IDVA will hold three graduation ceremonies across the state of Idaho. Media is welcome to attend the ceremonies. Southern Idaho Graduation Ceremony Brandt Center, Nampa Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 6:00PM Southeastern Idaho Graduation Ceremony Hillcrest High School Auditorium, Ammon Friday, May 27, 2016 at 6:00PM Northern Idaho Graduation Ceremony Schuler Performing Arts Center, Coeur d'Alene Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at 6:00PM For more information on the school and upcoming enrollment events, please visit www.idva.k12.com More about Idaho Virtual Academy Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA) is a statewide, online public school serving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Idaho-credentialed teachers deliver lessons in a virtual classroom platform with a combination of engaging online and offline coursework. As part of the Idaho public school system, enrollment in IDVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the award-winning curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs. Learn more at www.idva.k12.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160328/348597LOGO SOURCE Idaho Virtual Academy Related Links http://www.idva.k12.com ROCKVILLE, Md., May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow, Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. (ITI) CEO Bill Hearl, PhD and Oncosec Medical Senior Vice President David Meininger, PhD, MBA will host a fireside chat to discuss both the buy and sell side of pharmaceutical negotiations. The talk is part of the Tech Council of Maryland's BIO+TECH 2016 Conference and will be relevant to those interested in hearing about American and Asian market specifics including the requirements of in-licensing assets and immune oncology. Who: Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. CEO Bill Hearl, PhD and Oncosec Medical Senior Vice President David Meininger, PhD, MBA What: Fireside chat, open to media and biotech and pharma executives. When: May 24, 2016, 11:30 am ET. Where: Bethesda North Marriott Hotel + Conference Center at 5701 Marinelli Rd, North Bethesda, MD 20852. Follow the conversation on Twitter at #BT16CONF. About ITI Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. (ITI) is a privately-held clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the study of the LAMP-based nucleic acid immunotherapy platforms. These disruptive technologies have the potential to fundamentally improve how we use immunotherapy for cancer, allergies and animal health. Headquartered in Hershey, PA with lab facilities in Rockville, MD, ITI has entered into a significant licensing agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc., to explore the use of LAMP-Vax, a next-generation immunotherapy platform, for use to prevent and treat allergic diseases. ITI believes that LAMP-based nucleic acid immunotherapy may have the potential to broaden the current use of cancer immunotherapy. Preclinical data is currently being developed to explore how LAMP nucleic acid constructs could both amplify and activate the immune response in highly immunogenic tumor types and also be used to create robust immune responses to tumor types that otherwise do not provoke an immune response. For information about ITI and LAMP technology, visit www.immunomix.com. About OncoSec Medical Incorporated OncoSec is a biotechnology company developing DNA-based intratumoral immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. The Company's investigational technology, ImmunoPulse, is designed to enhance the local delivery and uptake of DNA-based immune-targeting agents, such as interleukin-12 (IL-12). In Phase I and II clinical trials, OncoSec's lead program, ImmunoPulse IL-12, demonstrated a favorable safety profile and evidence of anti-tumor activity in the treatment of various skin cancers as well as the potential to initiate a systemic immune response. ImmunoPulse IL-12 is currently in clinical development for several indications, including metastatic melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer. In addition to ImmunoPulse IL-12, the Company is also seeking to identify and develop new immune-targeting agents for use with the ImmunoPulse platform. For more information, please visit www.oncosec.com. SOURCE Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. Related Links http://www.immunomix.com WASHINGTON, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In conflict zones around the world, health care workers and facilities are under relentless attack, according to a new report "No Protection, No Respect" from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The coalition of more than 30 nongovernmental organizations found that during 2015 and the first three months of 2016, deliberate or indiscriminate strikes on health care have killed medical workers and patients, decimated medical infrastructure and robbed countless civilians of vital medical care in 19 countries around the world. The report also found that, in many instances, parties to conflicts failed to take required steps to avoid harm to medical facilities, staff and patients, and obstructed access to health care. "The report shows both the pervasiveness and variety of attacks on health facilities, staff and patients globally," said Leonard Rubenstein of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the coalition's chair. "Sometimes the attacks are deliberate, sometimes they're a product of indifference to the harms caused and sometimes they represent gross failures to take steps needed to prevent death and injurybut all violate long-standing obligations under international law." In its third annual report, the coalition found evidence that hospitals and ambulances were specifically targeted in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Thailand, and reports on the murder and kidnapping of polio vaccination teams in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Somalia. Overall, the report shows an alarming frequency and variety of attackswhich deprive countless people of critical medical care. "In Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, aerial strikes have decimated hospitals and clinics, killing doctors and the patients they are so desperately trying to treat," said Susannah Sirkin, director of international policy and partnerships at Physicians for Human Rights. "These attacks terrorize and inflict suffering on patients and health care providers. Turning hospitals into battlefields is a grave breach of humanitarian law and an affront to humanity." The report describes the burning and looting of hospitals and clinics, as well as brutal attacks on medical staff and patients in facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen. The coalition also found that the passage of ambulances, medical supplies, or patients seeking care were routinely restricted in Central African Republic, Mali, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, South Sudan, Turkey and Ukraine. "Perpetrators clearly believe they will suffer no consequences if they attack or interfere with patients, doctors, nurses and hospital staff," said Laura Hoemeke, director of communications and advocacy at IntraHealth International, a coalition member. "The international community's failure to halt such attacks has sparked a chain reaction of impunity." Among its recommendations, the coalition report calls on the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization to carefully document and report attacks on health care workers and facilities. The coalition also recommends that the UN Security Council refer such crimes to the International Criminal Court or other tribunals if states fail to fulfill their obligation to halt strikes on health care personnel and infrastructure. On May 3, the Security Council condemned attacks on health facilities and health workers, reiterating the fundamental principle of the laws of warthat health facilities and medical workers must be protected from attack in armed conflict. It called on countries to take steps to prevent such attacks, investigate them when they happen and prosecute perpetrators. "The Security Council resolution was a welcome first step," said Diederik Lohman, health director at Human Rights Watch, a coalition member. "But the true test comes with its implementation." The coalition report's lead contributors include the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development, the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Human Rights Watch, Insecurity Insight, IntraHealth International, Physicians for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and the Syrian American Medical Society. SOURCE IntraHealth International Related Links http://www.intrahealth.org PUNE, India, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Intelligent Motor Controller Market by Voltage (Low & Medium), by Motor Type, by End User (Oil & Gas, Power & Water, Food, Mining, Chemicals, & Pharmaceutical), by Application (Pump, Fan & Compressor), & by Region - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The Intelligent Motor Controller Market is projected to grow from an estimated USD 656.9 Million in 2016 to USD 857.6 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 5.48% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 73 market data tables with 51 figures spread through 161 pages and in-depth TOC on "Intelligent Motor Controller Market - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/intelligent-motor-controller-market-130751591.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Increasing demand for smart, multifunctional, and integrated devices in industries; growing concerns regarding motor efficiency; and rising adoption of industrial automation in developing regions are driving the global market for intelligent motor controller. The oil & gas industry is expected to occupy the largest share of the Intelligent Motor Controller Market, by end-user The oil & gas industry is the largest end-user industry for intelligent motor controller, due to the large-scale application of motor driven equipment in the industry. Water & wastewater, power generation, and food & beverage industries are the other major end-users that employ smart motor control systems. The market for intelligent motor controller in the water & wastewater industry is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to rising urbanization and pressure on efficient use of existing water resources. Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=130751591 AC motors segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Intelligent Motor Controller Market, by motor type AC motors are estimated to constitute the largest segment of the Intelligent Motor Controller Market. AC motors are widely employed within the industry, owing to low-cost, robust construction, and compatibility with almost all industrial applications. Major end-user industries such as oil & gas, water & wastewater, power generation, and food & beverage employ AC motors for diverse applications. Intelligent motor controller for other motor types such as DC, stepper, and servo constitute a very small share, and is projected to grow at a slower rate as compared to AC motors segment. Europe is currently the largest market; however, North America is poised to dominate the global Intelligent Motor Controller Market during the forecast period Europe is estimated to be the largest market for intelligent motor controller in 2016, with Germany expected to lead the market in terms of growth rate from 2016 to 2021. North America is expected to surpass the European market by 2021, owing to higher projected growth rate. Meanwhile, in this report, the Intelligent Motor Controller Market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. The intelligent motor controller industry is expanding in developed countries, owing to rising preference for smart devices. To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report profiles some of the leading players in the Intelligent Motor Controller Market, including ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), General Electric Company (U.S.), Rockwell Automation (U.S.), and Siemens AG (Germany). Other players operating in the market include Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Japan), Roboteq Inc. (U.S.), Nanotec Electronic GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Schneider Electric SE (France), NXP Semiconductors (The Netherlands), Fairford Electronics (U.K.), LSIS Co. Ltd. (South Korea), and Larsen & Toubro (India). Browse Related Reports: Gear Motors Market by Product (Gearbox & Gear Motor), by Gear Type (Helical, Planetary, Helical-Bevel, Worm, & Others), by Rated Power, by Torque (Up to 10,000 Nm, Above 10,000 Nm), by Industry & by Region - Global Trends & Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/gear-motor-market-37526037.html Variable Frequency Drives Market by Power Range (Micro, Low, Medium, High), Voltage (Low & Medium), Application (Pump, Fan, Compressor, Conveyor, Elevator, Extruder & Others) and Region - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/variable-frequency-drive-market-878.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets MIAMI, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the success of the inspirational trips organized by Ismael Cala, particularly the most recent one in India, others are now being created. The new destinations and projects retain the objective of the participants' personal growth. In July, the event goes to Machu Picchu (Peru), the best place in the world to visit, according to TripAdvisor. In September of the same year, Cala will visit La Montana Azul (Blue Mountain), in the wilds of Costa Rica. Finally, in November, an event will be held on the beautiful Honduran island of Roatan. "During our trip to India we discovered a different world, and we felt we were part of a huge family. These events that learn about the culture and the spirit of other regions bring out the best in us, and help us balance material and spiritual aspirations. That is why we are extending the invitation to have new adventures during the same year," said Ismael Cala. Cala Events - Machu Picchu Ismael Cala will travel to Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the world, and a World Heritage Site. From July 26 to 31, a group of 30 people will visit Cusco and the Sacred City with Cala. This trip will combine spiritual energy and tourism. MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION: http://www.ismaelcala.com/machu-picchu/ Cala Events - Roatan This event is designed for those who love a tropical paradise. A group of 80 will travel to Cala Events Roatan, to enjoy this great jewel of Honduras. With Ismael, they will visit one of the best beaches in the world. From November 9 to 13, 2016, Cala will be accompanied by renowned athlete Carlos Coste, 11-time record holder in freediving. MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION: http://ismaelcala.com/roatan-honduras/ Cala Events - Costa Rica: La Montana Azul This magical trip will unfold from September 21 to 25, 2016; the goal is to attain balance between body, mind and soul through the concept of joyful eating. Ismael will be accompanied by masters Sifu Rama and Sifu Simon. MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION: http://ismaelcala.com/costa-rica/ "Traveling with purpose is a dream become reality. In India we had 35 people from different parts of the world joined together to learn about a different culture and to find answers to many issues. Accompanied by Ismael, the trip was not only about tourism, but also about spiritual growth. We learned about India, and we also took away in our hearts a huge family," said Tamara Zyman, Vice President of Marketing & Sales of Cala Enterprises. ABOUT ISMAEL CALA Communicator, author and international conference speaker on personal development and leadership. He heads CALA, the CNN interview program in Spanish. He writes a weekly column for more than 50 publications in Latin America and the United States. Author of the bestsellers, "El analfabeto emocional" (2016) [The Emotional Illiterate], "Cala y Cruz: Las dos caras de la comunicacion" (2016) [Cala and Cruz: The two faces of communication], "El secreto del bambu" (2015) [The secret of bamboo], "Un buen hijo de P" (2014) [A real son of a B], "El poder de escuchar" (2013) [The power of listening], Cala was born in Santiago, Cuba (1969), and has a degree in Art History from Universidad de Oriente. He graduated with honors from the School of Communication at the University of York in Toronto, and has a Seneca diploma in Television Production. Contact: Bertha M. Moreno Customer Relations Manager [email protected] Phone: +1 (786) 281 8120 Office: +1 (305) 603 7780 Ext. 118 http://www.ismaelcala.com SOURCE Cala Enterprises Related Links http://www.ismaelcala.com DETROIT, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jason Carr has been named digital anchor and reporter for WDIV-Local4/ClickOnDetroit. Along with his online duties, Carr will be joining the "Local 4 News Today" team and contributing to the station's mid-morning show, "Live in the D," from the newly created and yet to be named digital-centric studio space and engagement hub. "This idea is the intersection of our audience and our on-air and online content. Jason is an extremely popular and charismatic broadcaster whose passionate interest in the evolution of media makes him the perfect guy to forge new ground with us," said Marla Drutz, vice president and general manager. Drutz continued, "We are going to let the viewers help us name Jason's place on the set. 'The Today Show' has the Orange Room, what should we call our space?" Carr will create digital-only content for Michigan's No. 1 TV news site ClickOnDetroit, social media, and over-the-top content. "Jason will host digital-only news content and give us real-time social data and reactions from the web," stated Dustin Block, digital executive producer. "We are approaching this digital initiative with a refreshing amount of open-mindedness." Most recently, Carr hosted "The Nine," WJBK's weekday live show for which he was nominated for a Michigan Emmy as host. He has been honored with 21 awards from the Michigan Emmys, Michigan Association of Broadcasters and Michigan Associated Press for anchoring, news reporting, feature reporting and writing. "I am honored and thrilled to join the dedicated, hard-working journalists of WDIV-Local 4. Within the TV news industry it is a well-known fact that Detroit as a market is not only competitive but also has extremely loyal viewers who fiercely support their stations and personalities," stated Carr. "As someone who grew up on Go 4 It!, News 4 Nightbeat, Bless You Boys!, Count Scary, Dwayne X. Riley, and too many more touchstones to mention, I am excited to become a part of WDIV's long, rich history in this incredible town." "Timing is just right to have Jason join our team of reporters and anchors and bring his relatable personality and journalistic chops to our newsroom. The combination of on-air and digital gives us nearly endless opportunities to report more of the stories of Detroit and beyond," said News Director Kim Voet. Carr is a proud Michigan State alum and father of a 5-year old daughter. He and his wife live in Bloomfield Hills. His start date is June 20. About Local 4 WDIV-TV Local 4 is honored to be recognized as Station of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. Local 4 News is currently the #1 newscast at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. in Nielsen ratings for the Detroit television market. WDIV is the #1 NBC affiliate in the top 15 LPM markets. In addition, Local 4's ClickOnDetroit.com is a leading breaking news and weather website in Michigan and metro Detroit's #1 TV media website. About Graham Media Group Graham Media Group (www.GrahamMedia.com), a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC), owns five local TV stationseach in a top-50 market and all recognized as news leadersreaching 6.3% of U.S. television households: KPRCHouston and WDIVDetroit (NBC); KSATSan Antonio (ABC); WKMGOrlando (CBS); and WJXTJacksonville (independent). The stations also broadcast digital channels focused on classic television and operate market-leading websites, mobile sites and mobile apps that deliver breaking news, weather and community news, reaching millions of users across each platform. Graham Media Group owns SocialNewsDesk, a leading provider of social media software solutions used in more than 600 newsrooms worldwide. SOURCE WDIV-TV Related Links http://www.clickondetroit.com